Late posting

Today I added six people to my e-mail list of freethinkers in the Tulsa area. These are mostly freethinkers, but there was at least one Christian.

I arrived around 3 pm. The tables and tents were already set up. Not long after arriving, a young man came to the table and read the brochure written by Fred Edwords on Humanism. He read with much interest as he was at the table a good ten minutes reading. He was a Christian who was curious about non-believers. He talked to another fellow who had come to the table who was a freethinker, but a person none of us had ever met. Jordan and Andrew had a spirited conversation for the next two hours. Then he spoke with Mary and next with William. I gave him a reference to the web site http://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/. When I left the area around 7:30, he was still there talking. I don't know if he was enlightened by anything we said to him or not.

There were two people accompanying a belly dancer playing doumbek and a sword swallower on stilts just in front of our tent.

The first night of the event I took ear plugs with me, but I did not need them. We were far enough away from the stages that the music volume did not reach objectionable levels.

At the Free Tulsa Music Festival

Kenny in his hat with horns enjoying one of the benefits of being a freethinker.

Bill Dusenberry seeks to interest a passerby in our non-theistic outlook on life.

Free Tulsa Music Festival

It was a hot day today. There were heat warnings out for this day. Around 3 pm, I arrived at the Free Tulsa Music Festival. Kenny had already erected the two tent canopies. One was for the Tulsa Atheists and the other was for the Humanist Association of Tulsa. During the time I was there (about five hours), there were always about a half dozen people from our group there.

I took some pictures, and I might post some later.

Kenny went to Home Depot and bought a light for use after dark. When he came back he brought three boxes of pizza and a three liter Coke which he shared with the group. Kenny works as a flight attendant for American Airlines and flew back in to Tulsa just in time for today's event.

Across from where we were set up was an exhibit of a two-headed turtle. You pay a dollar and you get to see the turtle. If you paid five dollars, you could have your picture taken with an alligator. Bill Dusenberry came up with a great idea. Have your picture taken with an atheist for five dollars. Kenny had with him a baseball cap with horns. He sat in a chair in front of the table as Bill would ask passersby if they would like to have their picture taken with an atheist for five dollars. Most people laughed when asked if they would like to pay five dollars to have their picture taken with an atheist. Eventually we dropped the monetary request and just asked people if they would like to have their picture taken with an atheist. A few said yes.

Although it was hot, we had a lot of fun out there today.

Rocking chair

Here I am trying to stand up in a rocking chair. May 1949.

Written on back: "Bobbye took this of Danny and me. Had my dark glasses on when we went out to take pic. So that's why I haven't any glasses on."

Playing ball?

On the left is my cousin Don Nerren; that's me on the right. On the back is written "Hi!! Daddy us playball. Danny Jan. 25 52"

Here I am in Carbon Hill with my cousin Don Nerren. Photo taken Oct. 1951.

Read this article

Below is a link to an article by Chris Hedges which explains much that is wrong with our country today:

https://www.adbusters.org/magazine/90/hedges-american-psychosis.html

It poses the question: What happpens to a society that cannot distinguish between reality and illusion.

In a bowtie

Undated photo, c. 1959.

Easter, 1951

Written on back: "See my rabbit Daddy?"

Standing in grass, 1954.

Ready for school

I must be ready to go to school.

In a suit

I look a bit stiff in the photo. Written on back: "Danny in his new suit."

Swinging

August 1952

Sometime in 1952

This picture was taken sometime in 1952. Written on the back are these words: "He wanted to show Daddy he could hold his legs up." This photo was mailed to Korea.

Birthday party

This picture was taken at one of my birthday parties. I am the one in the stripped shirt. In front of me is my cousin Don Nerren. My mother is visible as the tall woman. In the upper left of the picture, beyond the tracks, can be seen the main street of Nettleton, MS.

New photos

Below are some new photos from my past. I thought I might be nearing the end of these photos, but it looks like I might have another 50 to go.

Today we went to Dr. Rapacki's office. We had some questions we wanted clarified. The upsot of the visit was that the doctor is willing to do another back surgery if I want it. I have opted for the time being to get another steroid shot from Dr. Morgan. The last time I got a shot, it lasted me for six weeks.

The maximum number of shots you can get in a years time is three. If shot number three does not give me lasting relief, then we will consider surgery.

I learned that jogging is not a good thing for me. Because of my spine, jogging is just asking for an injury. Walking is OK, but not jogging. I recall that I was starting to jog when the last injury occurred.

With dog

Here I am with a dog. August 20, 1951.

Vicki

This is my cousin Vicki. This image is taken from the photo below.

On the back steps in Carbon Hill

Holding me on his lap is Walter Andrews, my grandfather. Next to us is my cousin Vicki Presley, now living in Houston, Texas.

Mary and Erasmus Nerren

My Great Grandfather and Great Grandmother

Mother and son

Arms akimbo

June 1951

Easter Sunday

PaPa with grandson, Danny.

Mother and child

June 1951, Nettleton, MS

In the sandbox

Here I am in the sandbox with my cousin Don.

With my grandparents

With my grandparents (Nerren side of family). Photo taken May 13, 1951.

April 26, 1951

Here I am standing in front of the car.

Uncle Floyd

Here I am with my Uncle Floyd.

With toy pistol

From the back: "Danny thinks so much of his 45. That is the name of his gun. This picture of him doesn't look much like him. I've gotten to the place I just don't know how to take [a] picture March 8 - 51"

With Mother

With Mother in Carbon Hill, AL. Written on back: "Paul, what do you have to say about this picture - Jean" This must have been a picture my mother mailed to my father who was in the military over in Korea.

With my grandfather

I am standing here with my grandfather, George Luther Nerren, Sr. On the back is written: "Danny said the sun was too bright to keep his eyes open. Sat. March 17 - 51."

Food and Fellowship

Today we (HAT) held our Food and Fellowship for July at Lanna Thai restaurant. There were thirteen present. We each ordered our food and when the orders arrived we eventually got each order to the person ordering it, more or less.

The portions were generous. Gail said she had a magic soup bowl for it seemed like the bowl kept refilling itself. Present today were Dawn B., Randy B., Gail S., Bill D., Ronald McD., Herb Van F., Marilyn C., Dan N., Jan N. Larry H., Dave T., Richard M., and Bob H. Marilyn told me about a poet she recently discovered. Her name is Sharon Olds. I searched the internet using Google and found out she has recordings of herself reading her poetry.

This afternoon I took a nap and then got up and went to the grocery store and got about $150 in groceries. It was another hot day in Oklahoma.

Cecil and brother

Cecil is my father's mother. Here she is with one of her brothers. This is excerpted from the photo below.

Cecil and brothers

This is my grandmother and her two brothers. A sheep pulling a wagon? Must be a story behind this photo.

Undated photo of myself

Unknown relatives

Lost to history.

Millie Taff (1835-1898)

Millie Taff was born September 22, 1835 and died May 24, 1898. She was the mother of Martha, who was the mother of Myrtle, who was the mother of Cecil, who was the mother of my father.

Three Nerrens

This photo was taken in the early 90s at my parents house on Pickwick Ave. From the left are Nick (born 1979), myself (born 1948), and my father (born 1922).

Howard Maize

This is Howard Maize, brother of my grandmother.

Chester Maize

Chester Maize was a brother of my grandmother, Cecil Maize Nerren. Notice the stabilizers beneath the rocking chair. Behind Chester you will see some authentic wood-grain paneling on the exterior of the house.

Four Nerrens

In this picture are Cecil, Floyd, George, and myself.

Three Nerrens

Here are three Nerrens: George Luther, Danny James, and Floyd Lafayette.

At the Memphis Zoo

Sitting in the rear car are myself on the left and my cousin Don Nerren on the right. August 1952.

Maize family

In this picture are James Abraham Maize and Myrtle Griffin Maize. The children are Cecil (my grandmother), Chester, and Ted. There is a strong resemblance in the physical appearance between J. A. Maize and my father.

Another day

I phoned my doctor to see about getting an appointment this morning around 11 am. She said I could be seen at 1 pm, if I were willing to see a nurse. I said OK. I have a rash in my groin area and a spot on my right arm and another rash on my lower legs. The nurse got some liquid nitrogen and using a q-tip touched the spot on my arm with the q-tip soaked in the liquid nitrogen. She e-mailed a pharmacy prescriptions for the other two problems. Later on in the day I went by and picked up the medicine. The two prescriptions cost me only $4 total.

I have not taken any of the pills prescribed by Dr. Rapacki today. I found it difficult to get around when I went out to water my garden. I think I will take one in the morning. The pills sure make it easier to move around.

I will try to get back to posting more pictures tomorrow.

Review of the day

I took a pain pill this morning before Gail came over for piano practice. I went all day yesterday without taking one.

We began by going through the new music I bought while in Springfield. I think we liked best the collection of three pieces by Japanese composer Naoko Ikeda. The name of the collection is Pandora, and the three pieces are "Song," "Dance," and "Hope."

Then we turned our attention to "Tiger Rag." This is the piece we hope to play on August 1, if we can get it worked up by that time. If not, then we will play "Moonlit Evening."

I went to the store and bought a few items, including a roasted chicken and rolls which we ate for supper.

I posted a few more pictures from the past on this blog.

Sun in my eyes

Written on the back of this photo:

"This was made in front of Dr. Keith's office. The sun sure was bright that day. He just couldn't keep his eyes open. March 8, 1951"

Easter basket

This is a picture taken in 1949. It must have been Easter for I am holding a basket.

Martha Walker and ?

This photo was taken in 1949. It shows Martha Walker and some man (probably her husband).

Aunt Carrie

This picture was probably taken when I was four or five years old. I don't recall what we were doing in Missouri at that time. Aunt Carrie was not my aunt but my dad's aunt. In this picture are Aunt Carrie (Griffin), my mother, and myself. This picture was taken in Winona, Missouri. Aunt Carrie drew the picture (in 1944) that hangs behind my piano.

Sunday, July 18

I began this day by going to church. In place of a speaker, we viewed a DVD on recovery from addiction provided by Larry who runs the SOS (Secular Organization for Sobriety) group. Larry could not be there. One of his friends was their to introduce the DVD, which ran for 55 minutes. After church was over, I went home for a brief period of time and then we all went over to Nick's house for lunch around 1:30 pm.

Following lunch, we returned home. Thinking I would rest a few minutes before drumming, I stretched out on the bed. I fell asleep quickly and was awaken by J when she realized I might be late for drumming. In fact, I was 15 minutes late for drumming. After drumming was over, I came on home and watched the news on TV.

I have not taken any pain medication today, and I could feel the effect when I pushed the trash cart out to the street. As long as I am seated, I'm OK. When I get up and move around, I feel the pain.

Shiloh, 1959

We visited the Civil War battlefield at Shiloh, Tennessee. With me are my parents.

A group of four; Nov. 51

Written on the back of this photo: "Danny had been running after Don & his clothes are just halfway on & his hair looks as if it had never been comb[ed].What his [sic] he doing to his mo[uth]? Trying to look ugly because I told him to smile.

Photo taken in Carbon Hill

Starting with the adults in the back we have: (L to R) Idellette Nerren (wife of GLN, Jr.), my mother, my father, Kathryn Hallford (my dad's half-sister), E. L. Nerren, G. L. Nerren, Sr., Cecil Nerren (my grandparents). The youngsters in front are Don Nerren (cousin), Bobby Hallford (cousin) and seated, myself.

With dog

This photo shows me holding a dog. This photo is undated; the dog is unnamed.

Gardening

Today I went to the Humanist meeting held at the Genealogy Center on Harvard. We got there a few minutes early and went into the library where it was cool. I wrote up what happened at the meeting and for those interested, you can read it at www.tulsaha.blogspot.com.

I was feeling much better today, not out of the woods by any means, but feeling much better. We had to skip the volkswalk in Dewey (just north of Bartlesville) because we had the grandchildren who spent the night with us.

I felt well enough to mow the grass in the front yard. (I mowed the back yesterday.)

I found another worm on my topsy turvy tomato plant today and picked it off and tossed it into the yard. I can see where four small tomatoes are growing on the plant. My cucumbers are getting larger. The pepper is holding its own. My other tomato plants are getting tall, 4 to 5 feet, but no tomatoes yet.

I think that next year instead of planting the plants along the fence (where they are shielded from the morning sun) or the patio (where they are shielded from the afternoon sun), I will plant them in the center of the back yard so they will have full sun.

Life is abundant (in my topsy-turvy)

I got a haircut today and the lady who cuts my hair gave me a bunch of eggs. Some were laid by a bantum hen and other were laid by ducks. I brought them home and J said I should be wary of eating them. Salmonella is her concern. So I'm unsure what to do with them.

This evening I mowed the grass in the back yard. I took a pain pill as a precaution before venturing outside. I will try to cut the front yard tomorrow.

I had not looked at my plants since the trip to Springfield. When I looked at my topsy-turvy tomato plant I saw that there were worms crawling very slowly in several places. There were about 8 to 10 of them and they had eaten several leaves. I pulled them from the plant and tossed them in the yard. I don't know how they got there. Perhaps they were in the potting soil I used. Or maybe a bird came by and pooped on the plant. The possibilities are endless. I will keep a close eye out for them in the future.

Anyway, the plant needed watering, so I gave it water. The other tomato plants are looking great, but so far no tomatoes. However, there are a few tomato "bulbs" so I should have tomatoes before long. My cucumbers (all three of them) are about 4 or 5 inches long now.

Luke spent the day with us. We went first to the library and then to McDonald's. Luke is spending the night with us. We will take him home in the morning.

I posted a few more pictures from my youth on this blog. There are many more to go.

About the pain pills I am taking: So far I have taken just one a day. I am hoping the pain will go away on its own. The effectiveness of the medicine has lessened as time goes on. The first time I took it, I thought I could float away. Now the effect is much less noticeable.

Two school pictures

The picture on the left was taken in Tupelo; the one on the right was taken in Amory.