In other news…

Here I am waking up.  Browsing the news.  Somehow, I don’t feel rejuvenated after I close the browser.  I decided I’d post about some books I’ve been reading.

1. The Lord of The Rings. J.R.R. Tolkien.  This is my fourth, mmmm, fifth time through.  I know, it’s weird, but it’s just good mindless entertaining reading.  It is a book you could read a thousand times and get something new from each reading.  I don’t have to think when reading LOR, I just read.  It’s nice.
2. The First Rumpole Omnibus.  John Mortimer.  Now this is book, how can I describe this book?  Satirical humor.  It’s an enjoyable read and when you have finished, you’ve wondered what the story was about.  I enjoy it.  The main character is a middle aged washed-up British attorney.  I’m on my second reading now, so I’m searching for something more.  What the “more” is, I’m not sure.
3. A Tale of Two Cities.  Charles Dickens.  If any of you have endeavored to read this story, hopefully you can explain why it is considered a classic.  I’m only a 1/4 of the way through the book, and I’m having a hard time figuring out why I should finish it.  But an unfinished book to me is like not having my shoe laces tied.  It needs to done.  I have to finish the darn thing now I’ve begun.  So far though, I’m not seeing what is so great.
4. Robinson Crusoe.  Daniel Defoe.  I genuinely enjoy this classic.  I am enthralled by the character.  Even though I haven’t been able to read it as much as I would like, my mind keeps going back to this book.  I’ll be sitting in class and suddenly wonder, “What’s happening with Crusoe?”  Right now, he’s ship wrecked.  Not a good stopping point for reading.
5. The Case for Christ.  Lee Strobel.  Sorely disappointed.  This is the only way to describe my thoughts toward this book.  My expectation were too high I suppose.  Yet again, another read I haven’t finished, but now have to.  But it’s boring and not at all believable.  Don’t get me wrong, the evidence for Christ is believable, but we don’t need another author to endorse our believe in Christ.  We don’t need evidence either.  We have the Word of God for that. 

So there you have it.  My non-academic reading.  How does a person become an excellent writer?  One of the ways, I think, is to read excellent writing.  This is my mission, to read as much decent material I can get my hands on. 

I feel better now.  At least I’m not looking at headlines a.k.a. convoluted truth.  It’s a nice change in my morning routine.    

The twisted webs we weave…

Why do I want to write a book about my life history? 

Because it needs to done.  Even though Oprah (and others) are advocates of sharing ones miseries and coming to peace with ones past.  It’s not enough for me.  Do I wish to write about my horrid abuse because I want attention?  No.  In fact, it surprises me at times how horrible my childhood really was.  For years I lived in a fantasy land thinking the memories I had belonged to someone else, they were not mine.  I know there are others who have had it worse.  I wouldn’t dream of saying anything different.  But other people’s worse childhood experience does not limit the severity of ours, my true siblings and I. 

My fantasy land has come to an end, it really was that bad.  There are people who have taken my last name as their own.  These people know who my father was, and they know what a wretched person he is.  Yet, they want to pretend,  acting as if nothing happened.  That is deceitful.  Those things did happen, they were real and no amount of disillusionment will cover the truth.  Why anyone would wish willingly to live in ignorance of the Yearicks Jr. past is beyond my comprehension.

So I am writing a book.  Will it ever be published?  I don’t know.  That’s not why I am writing it.  I have decided to take on this endeavor for the generations to come.  Lord willing, I’ll have grandchildren and great grandchildren.  They need to know, so if one day they decide to search their own genealogy, they’ll have an accurate portrayal of our family line.  I don’t want them coming across my step-siblings offspring thinking they are long lost family.  When I was twelve, I made the choice I did to break the cycle of abuse, at least as much as I could and as much as God would allow.  For my part, for my family, I desire to do the best I can within the capacity God has given to keep the link broken between Ernest Lewis Yearicks Jr. and my offspring.

So I have begun.  The long journey to complete my own genealogy and (Lord willing) the task to create an autobiography so that they (my future family) may know the truth.  What they do with it will be their choice. 

For the person whom I have recently been in contact, the above writing does not necessarily apply to you. 

I am going to bed now…

For the people who have so kindly responded to inquiries…Thank you so much. 

And on that note…

night, night.

What A Fine role model i am…NOT

Last week (or was it the week before?) my son was diagnosed with pneumonia.  He had been playing outside in the cold weather all day and that evening he collapsed on our living room floor.  All throughout dinner and games, he slept until 9:00 p.m.  When he woke, he wasn’t at all coherent.  I called the doc and off we went.  Sure enough my ten year old couldn’t breath due to infection.  On the way back to the car, I lectured him about not telling me he felt ill and playing all day while sick.

Well, remember a few weeks ago, when I had bronchitis and sinusitis?  Remember my subsequent blog entries writing about how I still had a  fever and was disheartened?  I didn’t stop going to school, didn’t stop any daily activity and even added to my schedule.  So last night as my left ear was pounding and having not been able to find the brick in my left nostril, I phoned the doctor.  My appointment was this morning at 9:00 a.m.

I still have bronchitis and sinusitis, added to is an outer ear infection.  This time, I received the lecture from my doctor, a stern warning to STAY HOME resting and was prescribed oral steroids and some more antibiotics.  I even got an excuse from school.

I don’t need to explain the heading of this entry….

Back to school…

Haven’t I said that already this year?  Three weeks and my first semester is over!  I am seriously considering a career change after experiencing human anatomy and physiology. 

If you came into my living room, it would not be hard to see that tomorrow class resumes.  There are books strewn about, syllabuses laying atop piles of notes and we won’t even talk about my hair as I’ve been pulling it out in my attempts to find out what I need to be reading for each subject.  I think the break has proved more stressful than the daily lectures.  After this evening, I have decided a full week off isn’t necessary and it would be better to get it all done at once.  If this is what Thanksgiving break does to my studying, what will spring break do? 

In fact, why am I in college again?  The reason has slipped my memory!  Oh yeah, I remember…money, a career, retirement, and college funds for children.  It’s all coming back now…it must be the Brahmms violin concerto playing in the background.  Yes, we’re studying the 19th Century in music, I did manage to find at least that much information during my research of the syllabus. 

Did I mention it is 3:33 in the a.m.  Yeah, classes definitely resume tomorrow.  In addition, I have something going on again with my sinuses!  My ear feels like it’s going to explode and my left nostril has a brick implanted somewhere inside it.  I haven’t been to church in probably two months.  With sickness taking a merry-go-round ride throughout our house and gas expenses rising due to traveling from school, it seems impossible to make the drive Sunday.  We do however listen to sermons but if you all could remember to pray for us I’d really appreciate it.  It seems that following this unchartered path in my life, I’ve turned myself into a cold hearted Sabbath breaker.  That’s not good.

So along with class tomorrow, I’ll be stopping by the doctor’s office…again!  Let’s hope Church is included this week also as I sorely need to hear the Word preached.   

I have to say something.

I have recently been investigating my family lineage.  There are not many who go by the surname of “Yearicks.”  This is my maiden name.  During my search I found a web page that had this surname connected somehow to the Dowling family.  Here is the website that I first found:  http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~tdowling/tree/tmdg205.htm#6267

Because of discrepancies I e-mailed the owner of aforementioned blog.  He responded tersely.  From his e-mail, he seems to think of himself as a detective of sorts, and attempted to disarm me by asking me questions about my personal history (such as who I am married to now verses then and by addressing the correspondence using my middle name)  Obviously, he doesn’t understand this information is quite easy to find. 

I feel it important, for history sake, to address the issue I had with his page.  My father, Ernest Lewis Yearicks Jr. was married to Lou Ann Pitts (f.k.a. Thompson) in the mid 1980’s.  Lou Ann had two children from a previous marriage (to Kenneth Pitts), Ryan and Jason.  As was common in the 80’s Ryan and Jason Pitts used the last name of Yearicks while living with my father.

To make a long story short, my father was arrested and charged with a felony in 1990, sentenced to 15 years spending 5 in prison.  All of the children were placed in foster care.  Ryan and Jason for some reason changed their last name to Yearicks when adults.  Even though the information is now gone, Tim Dowling had only Ryan and Jason in the lineage of Ernest Yearicks. To my knowledge, Ernest Yearicks did not adopt Ryan and Jason, therefore, they are not his heirs.

So for the record!  Ryan and Jason Pitts are not related to Ernest Lewis Yearicks Jr. by blood.  Just because someone changes their last name, doesn’t make them a descendant of a family line.  I could change my last name to Windsor but does that mean that I am an heir to the throne of England?  No. It does not.

Ryan has his own website, using the last name Yearicks and has a son.  If Ryan happens to read this blog, know this Ryan:  You are not of the Yearicks bloodline, I am not related to you and I resent the fact that you have taken my and my brother’s last name as your own.  You have a father, Kenneth Pitts, and your last name should’ve remained accordingly.         

In case anyone is wondering why I chose to address this issue on a public domain, here’s the answer.  Because it’s already public, but incorrectly published.