Editor's Corner

By Mary E. Adair

The first day of December finds your editor scrambling to do all that is required of her in about eight different fields. One of the most important of these is keeping up with the doctor appointments for the household and seeing that the proper meds are taken at the proper time. Ah the joys of adulthood! That is the period between those years you long to be old enough not to be told you are Not old enough and when you wish you were still yearning for that status. So much of our life seems to be demands that have to be filled, rather than choosing which fulfillment we wish to demand.

Nonetheless, Thanksgiving was lovely and the first time we have spent it at home instead of traveling in many years. Sister shared some thoughts her company saluted their employees with as reminders for expressing sufficient gratitude in our daily lives. (OK, ok, I'm grateful that I'm the one counting out the pills, still capable of processing the information given by the doctors, etc., and able to care for myself and my loved ones.) You can see part of their message in the poem "Be Thankful."

Your editor is also thankful she can still enjoy penning verses and jotted down "Should I Meditate" while in waiting room while the cooking editor had some lab tests done. The other one by her is "Questions, questions." Bruce Clifford adds three poems to the lot with "You and I," "Bottom Feeders," and "Season of Laughter."

John I. Blair sends along a half dozen verses written over the years, with the latest scarcely two weeks ago. Our most prolific poet is also a romantic one and I was moved by the "Extravagant Love Song" for December. The remaining poems by him are: "Ferry At Night, Port Aransas," "Whooping Cranes," "My Mozart Rondo," "Explosions In The Night," and "Lions And Tigers And Bears, Oh My." (The zoo poem pretty much echoed my own childhood trip to the Seattle one during WWII when ration cards were used for meat, sugar, gasoline, and many other essentials, so we realize now what was the problem.)

The article "World's Greatest Invention" is by LC Van Savage who also is the columnist for "Consider This." Her column gives her a chance to air her feelings about Love and Marriage; you may share her viewpoint.

Other columnists this issue are:

Peg Jones from Massachusetts with a special letter in her column "Angel Whispers."

Leo C. Helmer featuring a Guest Cook (your editor's sister Melinda Cohenour) in "Cookin' With Leo"

Mattie Lennon speaks of a worthy gift from Ireland, just in time for Christmas in"Irish Eyes"

Thomas F. O'Neill from China, shares his "Songs of Angels" for his Christmas focus in "Introspective"

Gerard Meister who usually does "Thinking Out Loud" is playing hooky this issue, and we will be happy to see him back in swing next month.

We continue to offer a place that is read internationally to showcase your compositions at no cost to you, where they are copyrighted, and remain yours to use in compilations or to send to other magazines. All we ask is that you mention they were published in the ezine Pencil Stubs Online.

See you in January 2010 !