Tuesday, July 21, 2009

500


My 500th post is dedicated to the memory of my “Poppop”, John S. Nagy. It was he who passed on to me a love of newspapers, especially the “funnies” section. Every summer I would visit him and Nanna in their Apollo Beach, Florida home for two weeks. He would wake up at around 5:00 every morning, make coffee for Nanna, and walk with Penny to get the newspaper. Then he would make eggs and sausages for breakfast. He taught me how to do the cryptoquote, and would cut them out for me and mail them in an envelope because we didn’t get the paper at home. To this day I do the cryptoquote and read Peanuts daily, and recently published a Wordy Gurdy rhyme in Newsday. When Poppop learned that I was a writer, he became one of my biggest fans and encouraged me to do it professionally. I know he is up in Heaven cheering me on.

As great as the Internet is, I hope that newspapers never die. We love to spread ours out on the kitchen table as we eat breakfast. The kids read the sports section, I read the weather and news headlines, and my husband goes through pretty much the whole thing. We cut out Peanuts cartoons that have to do with baseball and put them up on the fridge. Newspapers are also great for wrapping presents, lining pets’ cages, making kites, insulating drafty garages, and making you feel like you’re doing something for the world by recycling them.

My friend Leticia has been my greatest inspiration when it comes to publishing on the Internet. Loren Christie leaves uplifting comments on almost every one of my posts. My mom is my biggest fan and is helping me to build a book that is based on my best devotional essays. Julie lets me know when she really likes what I’ve written, and passes it on to others. My siblings Joanna and James have always encouraged me. My husband supports me in all my endeavors and my kids of course are the source of all my writing ideas. Last but not least are my readers. Knowing that you are clicking over expecting another post keeps me writing every day. Thank you.

5 comments:

Therese said...

congratulations on the 500 posts. I am only about 30 away from 1000. I will have to mark that milestone somehow too.

We rarely buy papers in this house bit I do like to read them when I go to the doctors. I suppose I hope they don't disappear too.

Karen said...

Congratulations on your 500th post!
It would be a sad thing if newspapers were to go extinct. I love reading the news on the internet, but you miss a lot when you don't have a newspaper.

Leticia said...

You certainly will Therese!
Congratulations, Elizabeth. I knew you had a gift both literary and spiritual, yet even I am in awe when I see what fruit your gift has borne.
Your writing gives glory to God and makes me very proud to be your friend.

Elizabeth Kathryn Gerold-Miller said...

Thank you all for the congrats and support. Thank you my dear friend Leticia for your uplifting words.

Judy Dudich said...

Congratulations Elizabeth!
And thank you for sharing those wonderful memories...I can almost taste those eggs and sausages...and the image of arising at the early hour to spend time with your Poppop is simply heartwarming :)
You inspire me to create these types of memories with my OWN grand-children...THANK YOU!