tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80021659955765495042012-02-16T18:08:42.162-05:00Making sense of the things your mother used to say . . .Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.comBlogger621100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-68726367311481879512011-11-14T12:45:00.002-05:002011-11-14T12:53:22.784-05:00

"I see you!" I was talking with a friend over dinner the other night and the conversation turned to the things people do when they don't think anyone is looking.  My friend is from Boston, and she talked about the evening she realized that her mother was ready to step up and take a stand for more than herself and her own children. My friend was young, six or sevenish, and she and her very happy

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-60918982936443512282011-07-15T18:53:00.001-04:002011-11-15T19:24:44.612-05:00

"Figure out what you want to do, and then everyday, do at least one thing that will take you closer to your goal." How easy does that sound?  Everyday, do just one thing to bring yourself closer to who and what you want to be.  The hard part is knowing what you really want and then moving toward it with consistent, faithful intention, and doing it everyday, not allowing life to get in the way of

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-49719710377539021362011-06-28T12:25:00.008-04:002011-07-15T22:13:12.127-04:00

"Watch your step, honey." Okay, we're going to make this one short and sweet.  I just got the funniest question from a friend's daughter:  Why do you walk like that in heels?" Answer:  Because I am a woman and my body is different from a man's, so I have to move with a certain sway, grace, and speed in these shoes. Hmm...  Do I REALLY have to point out the Mamaknology in this?  Okay, just in case

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-29998937239383354052011-06-19T15:36:00.002-04:002011-06-28T13:25:48.304-04:00

"Everything happens for a reason." This year Fathers Day falls on June 19th, and June 19th has a lot of importance in my life.  My mother and father were married on June 19, 1949.  If they were both still with us, this would have been their sixty-second wedding anniversary.  Sixty-two is a lot of years and a lot can happen over that much time, but almost right up until the day he died, my father

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-57806753483510513032011-05-24T19:42:00.001-04:002011-05-24T19:44:12.058-04:00

"Take care of your own business." If you really take the time to pay attention, and follow through on all of the associated actions, this bit of Mamaknowledge makes perfect sense.  Really.  If you pay attention to all of the little details of your life, there is simply no time to mess around in anyone else's business.  And the nice thing about not having time to play around in other folks'

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-25545659740584680152011-05-08T13:04:00.001-04:002011-05-09T13:42:43.569-04:00

"I'll kill a rock over my baby." **Sigh**  I think that these are almost the sweetest words I ever heard from my mother.  In all of her wisdom, she found a way, to define love and motherhood in just a few completely understandable and indelible words. And isn't that what we trust and expect the Mamaknologists of our lives to do?  My mother, the World's Premier Mamaknologist, not only had a way

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-67494328380803380752011-04-04T17:05:00.000-04:002011-04-04T17:05:00.146-04:00

"Did you hear what you just said?" My mother, the World's Premier Mamaknologist, was really big on the power of words -- maybe that's where I got it from.  She believed that if you used words indiscriminately, it was kind of like screwing up a magical spell.  She believed that words had the power to hurt or to heal and she never understood why people would use them carelessly.  She believed that

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-90149162299554805592011-03-22T13:58:00.002-04:002011-03-22T14:31:21.001-04:00

"Be the friend you want to have." I think I've already said that I am an only child.  So was my mother, and that leads me to wonder if being an only child is an intrinsic factor contributing to my onset of Mamaknology... Anyway... I am so glad that I was taught to select my friends carefully.  I am happy to say that I have friends that I have known and loved for most of my life and am still in

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-41127428498977596632011-03-16T14:03:00.002-04:002011-03-22T14:33:44.201-04:00

"Sometimes you just have to pray." The news has played the disaster over and over, and it is beyond anything any of us can imagine.  People are wondering how and why God would let anything happen like the earthquake and tsunami that swept Japan.  There have even been the terrifying recordings of the earth rumbling before the horrific events, and it is awesomely frightening -- a reminder of how

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-54457955177032427842011-02-01T12:41:00.006-05:002011-03-15T13:29:01.344-04:00

Leon McFarland 1923-2011 "You only get one -- and one should be enough." I was fifteen when my mother said this, and I have to believe that in and with all of her Mamaknowledge she knew that this day would come.  My daddy passed last night. As sad as that is, it is more cause for celebration than for sadness.  At age 87, he'd covered a lot of ground -- most of it good.  A soldier, business

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-45147527148579355982011-01-12T11:17:00.000-05:002011-01-12T11:17:01.851-05:00

"Every pot needs a lid." Okay.  This, again, is not totally original but my mother had a specific Mamaknological point to make when she said it to me.  My mother loved the concept of love.  She was completely dediated to the ideas of care, passion and fidelity.  More than that, she really liked my father.  She thought he was funny, smart, creative, and pretty darned good-looking.  The fact that

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-2575471075504889602010-10-29T15:25:00.002-04:002011-03-29T15:49:30.506-04:00

"Some days you just have to smile; and some days, you should." Ever have one of those days when you just wake up with inexplicable joy in your heart and a silly smile on your face?  Pretty much everybody has had one, but we don't remember or cherish them as often as we ought to.  My mother, the original Mamaknologist, thought that we ought to count those days and moments as special opportunities 

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-20994583561527064032010-09-29T14:37:00.003-04:002011-03-30T18:54:43.268-04:00

"What the daughter does, the mother did.  I hope you took notes." Being a mother is hard work -- overtime work for some, and my mother took the job seriously.  As a direct response to her seriousness and focus on what she saw as her job, I too take the treatment of  children seriously.  So, I've got to tell you that it was kind of rough to hear the verbal abuse a mother saw fit to heap on the

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-91494359325400231232010-08-14T16:14:00.005-04:002010-08-14T16:25:19.464-04:00

"Always plant good seeds."I was twenty-one and right out of college when this story began. I had just taken on my first teaching job at an inner city school in my hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. At first glance, the job was everything that a Special Education teacher could ask for: challenging, goal-based with clear objectives, and working across a broad span of elementary education. In reality, I

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-72667430046549521032010-07-24T22:11:00.008-04:002010-07-24T22:57:39.288-04:00

"Don't believe everything you hear."Okay, we all know that my mother (the original Mamaknologist) was good for coming up with sayings, but Ben Franklin got her on this one. Ben said, "Believe half of what you see and none of what you hear."Unless you've been under a rock, we have all heard what was said about Shirley Sherrod over the past week or so... And this was a bit of ugly, crude, mean

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-19870270402023497872010-06-04T12:12:00.011-04:002011-04-04T17:24:40.283-04:00

"Don't let labels define you." The first time I remember hearing my mother say this I was really young, maybe five or six years old, and I don't remember what it was linked to. But I do remember being ten years old and having my earnest parents try to explain the 'n' word -- and for some reason, my mother felt the need to tell me that the 'n' word was a label. She also told me that it was a label

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-61382603388005871132010-05-04T13:21:00.006-04:002010-05-04T13:54:30.333-04:00

"Everything you think, you don't say."Okay, for the pragmatic 21st century Mamaknologist, this may seem almost absurd. But on the other hand, it might be regarded as common sense. Think about it . . .When is the last time someone said something to you, a "back-handed" compliment, if you will -- and you wanted to slap the spit out of them? But you thought about it, decided you didn't want to spend

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-84545596613540662172010-05-01T16:37:00.003-04:002010-05-01T16:58:04.131-04:00

"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you -- just because you can."You already know that this is the Mamaknologist take on the Golden Rule, and I already know that your mother probably gave you the same guidance because... well... it really is the right thing to do for all of the right reasons. But it just struck me today that maybe this is one of those "bringing the universe into

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-61400449871858260262010-03-23T15:00:00.005-04:002010-03-23T15:11:32.347-04:00

"Aren't you glad God hears prayer?"My mother, the Original Mamaknologist would be proud of me. Today I signed up to be a part of an online prayer ministry. This may not sound like a lot to you, but for the past two years I have let a lot of things get in the way of my prayer life. Just stuff like: I don't have a car and my church is not on a busline (like there are not other churches in the world

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-59830871510206239822010-02-20T11:02:00.003-05:002010-02-20T11:18:23.260-05:00

"A job worth doing is worth doing right."I just want to say that my mother (the original Mamaknologist) would not have liked this, and neither do I. I applaud the Naional Park Service for wanting to do something special, but why didn't they give the project the attention it deserves?This February, in "honor" of Black History Month, the U.S. National Park Service Division of Interpretation and

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-18134995662161318492010-02-15T15:18:00.005-05:002010-03-23T15:34:49.263-04:00

"Happy Birthday, Baby!"Today would have been my mother's 82nd birthday, and though she really hated this picture, this is her. We've already talked about her health challenges, and then there are those other challenges . . . You know, the ones inherant to being a woman of color in the twentieth century. But that's not what I want to talk about. Today, I just want to wish my mother, the Original

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-39525385624488686662010-02-05T10:32:00.004-05:002010-02-05T14:37:22.459-05:00

"Don't EVER forget, I am your mother."Today is a very special day for me and my mother. Today, is the anniversary of our very last day together. My mother, the original Mamaknologist passed on February 5, 1985. It was ten days before her 57th birthday. And her death, almost as much as her life, set so many bars for me.Today, because of my mother, I am not only a reader, I am a writer. Because of

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-64435656675962498632009-12-31T12:02:00.002-05:002010-01-03T12:28:47.250-05:00

"In all things, give thanks."Okay, this one is not original Mamaknology. It is from 1 Thessalonians 5:18, and it absolutely describes how I am feeling right here at the beginning of a new year, and a new decade. This is not the year that I will make new resolutions -- not that some of mine have not worked in the past. Rather, this is the year that I will simply be thankful to hold onto and build

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-66457011174592726532009-11-03T13:26:00.006-05:002010-02-20T11:51:24.464-05:00

"Do it right the first time and you won't have to go back and repeat it."I already hear you. Yes. This quote makes all the sense in the world, but does that mean that we pay attention and follow through on it? No, it doesn't. And that, of course, leads us (read that as me ... okay, maybe you, too) into all kinds of trouble.Yes, I'm having One Of Those Days, and I have to admit that the

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-75688188206775569212009-10-29T00:19:00.004-04:002010-02-20T11:52:32.359-05:00

"Celebrate your birthday, baby. You only get one."And in the great wisdom of Mamaknology, my mother thought it was important to celebrate self. She saw one's birthday as a personal holiday to be cherished -- after all, it only comes once a year.So, for me, today is one more birthday for me than my mother lived to see, and I am determined t0 try to live every day in faith, peace, health, and

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-52495643208213477722009-10-09T14:44:00.012-04:002009-10-29T00:18:40.464-04:00

"We have to develop But Power."Well, our Rock Star president has won the 2009 Nobel Peace prize, and we all know that in large part, it is due to his innate ability to endure and outlast, 'the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune'. Taking nothing away from William Shakespere, the author of those words, I am going to give credit for this bit of Mamaknology to former U.S. Congresswoman, Barbara

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-451845057186798032009-09-27T20:07:00.006-04:002009-10-09T16:07:59.209-04:00

"Behave yourself! Do you want people to think you were raised in a barn?"Ah, we have again come to one of the basic tenants of Mamaknology -- "Act right." And of course, the addendum is, "Act right in public; you never know who sees you" "I had the privilege of viewing the AMERICA I AM exhibit, here in Atlanta. Before going further, I have to say that it was an amazing exhibit and totally worth

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-30400061353322719472009-09-13T20:08:00.008-04:002011-03-29T15:18:38.846-04:00

"WHAT did I tell you?" Tonight, I watched the VMA award show and witnessed a man moving contrary to everything that has brought him to this point in time. DEEP in my heart, I heard my mother's voice loud and exceedingly clear. She said, "Kanye West has lost his mind, and I KNOW his mother is embarrassed." The Mamaknologist in me agreed wholeheartedly. His interruption of another artist was rude

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-51554276021986492162009-08-02T21:40:00.002-04:002009-10-09T16:09:40.460-04:00

"Aren't you glad that Jesus believed in crosses?"My mother, The World's Foremost Mamaknologist, liked to say that it was a good thing that Jesus believed in the cross enough to climb up on one. My father's mother used to like to remind me that I could live a life that was Paid In Full. Suddenly, on a day when my heart is full and I have undeniable reasons to be grateful, I am very happy that

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-32457093559882692302009-07-08T21:16:00.000-04:002009-10-03T21:59:41.566-04:00

"Once it's in your head, no one can ever take it away."My mother was very good about pointing this out, especially to me, because I was her own. Her point, more than anything else, was to be sure that I knew that knowledge is invaluable and worth the inspiration and effort it takes to get it. She wanted me to stay in school. She wanted me to be brave and to forge ahead in life. She felt

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-13685327417517676452009-06-14T12:05:00.013-04:002009-06-14T13:28:24.550-04:00

"Life may not be fair, but this one is all you get -- make the most of it."Maybe this bit of Mamaknology should have been put in place on Mother's Day, but I think that it is appropriate to all the days of a life lived with Mamaknowledge -- yes, that's the proper noun for what we're practicing here.Anyway, I took a look at a special picture the other day. It was a very old picture, the kind

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-73480276117651057622009-04-29T12:11:00.005-04:002009-06-14T13:30:03.453-04:00

"If you do your best, you can ALWAYS hold your head high -- you have nothing to be ashamed of."Well, here we are. Day 100.The flag still flies. The sky is still up there. And to the best of my knowledge, the Antichrist has not claimed my soul. What has happened is that I now hold my head a little higher and smile a little brighter, and all because our National Boyfriend and his Amazing Girl Next

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-1926367483375156822009-02-22T12:13:00.017-05:002009-02-23T15:07:32.238-05:00

“What’s done in the dark will always come out into the light.”Though my mother said this often, I know that it is not original Mamaknology, but I’m going to use it, anyway. Today, after seeing the "cartoon" published by the New York Post (following the signing of President Obama's economic stimulus bill) I simply speak as myself.Here's what I think...This "cartoon" (have you seen it? Look before

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-31426951393974599152009-02-20T20:44:00.005-05:002009-06-01T12:38:29.665-04:00

"Always keep your hair done."Yes, my mother said it and yours probably did, too. Yes, it's good advice. But who knew it could be a lifesaver?The Mamaknologist in me fully understands that it is the right and purpose of every Mamaknologist to keep herself intact and looking good. We dress ourselves and present ourselves with care, while moving forward with decorum and grace. That means shopping,

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-38377889488746409792009-02-15T14:10:00.005-05:002009-02-16T13:41:43.078-05:00

"Mother Nature is an Indian Giver."Okay, to begin, I am fairly certain that this quote is not politically correct. But my mother, Knower of all things Mamalogical, was pretty much on target. Think about it: you're born and you are pretty much a blank slate. Given time, you grow into a lovely young person with opinions, a tight body, and the time to use it. When you reach middle age and know what

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-40985714073215216032009-01-21T13:45:00.004-05:002009-02-22T12:34:18.177-05:00

"It's better to be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt."I had to make a service call today because the cable bill had errors on it. The young man I spoke to was rude, arrogant, and (yes...) foolish. Without checking the computerized record, he gave erroneous information and accused me of lying about my account, thereby pissing me off (Royally!) and neccesitating a call to

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-41647932486428907292008-12-10T12:51:00.006-05:002011-04-04T17:27:43.531-04:00

"Be thankful for ALL things." I just watched an acquaintance (who shall be called the "Giftee") open a Christmas gift, and I am appalled by her selfishly casual actions. The Giftee opened the gift, twisted her lips, and then tossed it aside. Her lack of gratitude was compounded by eye rolling and the comment that, "that's the small cheap one, isn't it? The new one is better." Mind you, this came

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-73254542026444680782008-11-05T14:47:00.007-05:002009-02-14T15:35:39.640-05:00

"Keep On Living."We all, without regard for race or nationality, woke up to a world of new possibilities today. We have a new President. I now live in the America that my mother wanted for me -- the President and I share the same skin color, and the First Lady looks like me.Who knew?Every Mamaknologist in the world, that's who. Every true Mamaknologist knows that every day the sun shines, every

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-40143680506409143532008-11-04T21:29:00.013-05:002009-02-16T13:25:45.240-05:00

"Never forget: somebody died for your right to vote."I voted today. I didn't vote early, because this election was special and I needed to "be there". I needed to walk up to the poll, present my identification and cast my vote -- because I could. Oddly, or perhaps it really isn't odd at all, I met several practicing Mamaknologists in the process. It was interesting that we all knew the words,

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-25055923623390707352008-10-18T19:24:00.010-04:002008-11-04T20:12:29.213-05:00

"Hold your head up and walk like a woman."My mother, the world's greatest proponent of Mamaknology, was adamant about this one. In her infinite vision and hard-won wisdom, she would see Michelle Obama as a spiritual daughter, as truly as I see her as my spiritual sister. Apparantly, I am not the only woman of color who senses, indulges, and celebrates this bond. I recently got this article from a

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-85905684134802151452008-10-16T20:43:00.005-04:002008-11-04T21:28:18.832-05:00

"Being ugly is never pretty."The ugliness illustrated by this bogus "foodstamp" and the accompanying article baffle me. How does the Inland Republican Woment's group justify this blatant racism as "interesting" and then cry real tears when they get caught? Shame on these 'ladies'. Everybody who sees this item and this article knows you for the agents of racism and ignorance that you REALLY are.

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-48964303167400484782008-09-23T10:50:00.005-04:002008-09-23T11:10:42.879-04:00

"They talked about Jesus Christ; you know they'll talk about you. Isn't it nice to be in such good company!"Lately, Barak Obama has been talked about a lot -- yes, every Mamaknologist (and her mama!) on the planet knows that. But today, I'm going to use another Mamaknologist's point of view to express mine on both Barak Obama and Sarah Palin:A Woman's WorthWe've come a long way baby Tuesday,

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-57468200792202336372008-08-31T01:59:00.011-04:002011-04-04T17:31:11.255-04:00

"Put things back where you got them, and they'll always be there when you need them."This is Mamaknology 101: a concept so simple that its application is often overlooked. This concept is so universal that it applies to everything from your purse to your bank account. Making sure that things, including your relationships, education, and even your health are safely kept in line insures you a life

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-57962370484940960232008-08-16T02:00:00.003-04:002011-04-04T17:37:08.012-04:00

"Always wear clean underwear in case of accidents." To be sure, my mother did not have a lock on this one. Everybody's mother said this, but my mother added that you wanted to wear clean underwear so that you wouldn't get treated like a booger if you DID have an accident. I might have been able to go a very long time without addressing this one, but for the fact that I recently encountered a

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-43050923637677469042008-08-14T22:11:00.006-04:002009-02-16T12:48:42.727-05:00

"Actions speak louder than words."The 2008 summer olympics have begun, and I am greatly reminded of my mother's reminder. Isn't it interesting how we look at 41 year old swimmer, Dana Torres, and see a heroine. We see her shining and indomitable spirit, her silver medal triumph, and a mother who has set an amazing example for children everywhere.Then we look at the wrestler Ara Abrahamian, the

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-66958522771435699512008-07-28T23:22:00.009-04:002008-07-29T13:05:03.396-04:00

"Health is like money. Spend it wisely -- there are no refunds."That my mother even said this is ironic. My mother endured chronic high blood pressure, and was a heart attack and stroke victim. She passed 10 days before her 57th birthday, and once told me that her first heart attack surpassed any pain she'd ever had or imagined, and she never wanted that for me. Maybe as a reflex reaction, my

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-83264862334658144192008-07-26T13:00:00.004-04:002008-07-26T15:43:36.298-04:00

"Everybody's business is nobody's business and nobody's business is everybody's business."Surprised to learn that everybody knows a different version of your business? And how willing they are to accept and (gasp!) appreciate the worst of it? Even when you don't make an active personal practice of putting your business, "out there"?Hey, it happens, but the Mamaknologist knowing life for what it

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-35113089251413754212008-07-20T15:19:00.000-04:002008-07-26T12:45:35.308-04:00

"Always trust your first mind."We've all heard that actions speak louder than words, but the skilled Mamaknologist has learned to read action as an indicator of character. While it may be simpler to interpret actions according to whim and felicity, translating them into what we would most like to be told or see, it doesn't work in the short run. And, in the long run, wishing will never make it

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-22678439081378958352008-06-14T10:19:00.017-04:002008-07-26T12:44:23.484-04:00

"If your mouth gets you into something, you'd better let your mouth get you out of it."As I grew into the Mamaknology of my life, my mother called watching what you say and acting on the words that pass your lips respect, and after years of maternal monitoring, she finally left its application up to me. As direct result, I have had my share of saying the wrong things in the wrong places come back

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-60693388734446503382008-06-02T17:00:00.009-04:002011-06-28T13:37:37.524-04:00

"I didn't raise them. I raised you." Bitches. Yeah, I used that word. Face it, they are a fact of life. You work with them, meet them in the mall, pass them on the highway, and generally just have to live around them -- fact and hazard of life in the 21st century. If you were raised by a woman like my mother and as heavily indoctrinated in Mamaknology as I was, there is no way you could ever

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-22962238796370345062008-05-30T21:49:00.010-04:002009-03-01T12:07:37.429-05:00

"Some people choose to view the world through a cracked mirror." This picture was forwarded in an email I recieved today, and I had to wonder. That someone addresses a political cadidate in this way is beyond sad -- they didn't even have the courage to attack the man directly. Rather, they went after his wife, and where's the chivalry in that? But the sado-sexual imagery makes me wonder -- is

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-74538310719284738312008-05-27T17:00:00.001-04:002008-05-28T23:19:17.776-04:00

"When people choose to sleep, it's not your job to wake them up."There are some people, like the guy who shows up at your gym in the burmuda shorts and black dress socks. You know that somebody told him it was a bad idea, but he chose to do it, anyway. Well, that's largely what this principle of Mamaknology is built upon: knowing when to keep your mouth shut. People are going to do what they are

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-39796872931549044032008-05-22T14:00:00.005-04:002011-06-28T13:55:39.775-04:00

"If you can't say something nice; think about it." A-ha! This one surprised you, didn't it? You thought this would be the old, "... say nothing at all," point of view, right? The Mamaknologist is always smarter than the expected, and above the cheap insult. My mother was adamant: a woman who CAN only answer an insult with an insult is eternally less than her best. A woman who WOULD only answer an

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-148802993235635502008-05-19T19:00:00.016-04:002008-06-02T20:00:17.968-04:00

If you're still wondering why someone would come up with those Curious George Shirts, or why they would launch such vitupritive attacks on Barack and Michelle Obama, I'm guessing that it is fear. Fear of change. Fear of the unknown and the different. Happily, we are not all afraid, and while we know our past, we are not afraid to face our future. Take a look and listen to the words of Americans

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-59186807609543511282008-05-16T15:01:00.020-04:002008-12-11T18:28:33.723-05:00

"Monkey see, monkey don't."Now, the casual observer may quickly and easily note that the owner of Mulligan's (a Marietta, GA bar and grill) is covered by the First Amendment, that he can say whatever he wants to with regard to the Curious George shirt that he is currently selling. And legally, he is covered and he is grown, so saying and doing what he wants goes without saying. But is it funny?

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-69405540849578896972008-05-11T17:00:00.005-04:002008-05-27T23:24:22.987-04:00

"I'm not afraid of anything I can step on."Every Mamaknologist out there can attest to how attractive, intriguing, and sexy fearlessness is. My mama was a fierce woman. Not only was she an Amazon, tall and curvy with what is now termed an athletic build, but she believed in herself and dared the world not to do the same. As a dedicated Mamaknologist, she laid claim to herself and her world and

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-78463253725040465322008-05-08T17:30:00.004-04:002008-05-09T11:55:34.872-04:00

"Nothing beats a failure, but a try."This simple statement is a deceptively complex concept of Mamaknology. The basic idea behind it is, if you don't put out the effort , how will you know whether or not you will succeed? It doesn't matter how good your singing sounds in the shower if no one else ever hears it. It doesn't matter how beautiful or clever your writing is if no one ever reads it. It

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-1989650366455344252008-05-05T17:00:00.003-04:002008-05-05T21:58:41.169-04:00

"Do as I say, not as I do."This is one of the more difficult bits of Mamaknology to bring to the table. Difficult, not because it's something that a LOT of us (parents and otherwise) say and do without thinking. Rather, it is difficult because it means that a practicing Mamaknologist has to realize, accept, and admit that something is wrong with their own behavior. Then, they have to care enough

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-4787099865033341212008-05-04T15:57:00.013-04:002008-05-05T12:50:41.666-04:00

"It's always the shoemaker who has no shoes -- and that's not right."My mother was a font of "Old Wives Tales," and I spent a lot of my childhood and youth wondering who those old wives were, and where she'd met them. I was even kind of curious as to why she bothered listening to them. As I've gotten older, I've noticed that my mother not only quoted the tales, she fixed and amended them. Case in

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-84764712392909951552008-04-30T17:01:00.013-04:002008-05-04T21:00:35.593-04:00

"Autograph your life with excellence. You never know who will read your signature." The direct and immediate consequence and an easily drawn conclusion for this bit of Mamaknology, oddly, can take years for even the brightest and most clever among us to understand and assimilate. But it simply comes down to this: do you really want to have to apologize for who and what you allow yourself to

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-43197012644728546132008-04-28T11:33:00.013-04:002008-05-09T11:54:33.917-04:00

"If you don't think enough of yourself to keep good shoes, why would you bother with good manners?"My mother had beautiful feet, the kind you see in television and magazine ads. And, yes, she was a tad vain about them. She believed in wearing expensive, well-cobbled shoes and in making sure that those shoes were appopriate to the occasion. She also believed that it was as much your feet as your

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002165995576549504.post-26251439180171412542008-04-26T17:38:00.004-04:002011-06-28T13:54:00.706-04:00

My mother passed from this life on February 5, 1985. Before she left, she had a lot to say, and now I find myself acting on her words and even (gasp!) repeating them. Funny, but the older I get, the smarter my mother becomes. Even funnier, is how applicable her advice is. When my personal code of ethics gets skewed, when I'm lost for a response, when my sisterfriends get twisted, it's my mother's

Gail McFarland -- The Fitwryterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723400548101557363noreply@blogger.com1