The Storyteller | Mary Vee

The final step in the long process to become an American citizen is taking the oath. A ceremony is scheduled for a large group of applicants to take this final step together. This week, seventy individuals from fifty countries dressed in their best and brought their friends and family to the event. The Gerald R Ford presidential auditorium was filled to capacity with several individuals standing in the back. I went to support a dear Guatemalan friend. Unlike the movies, the seventy enthusiastically stood for the anthem and boldly sang, spoke the pledge of allegiance, and waved handheld flags during the ceremony.  The presiding judge said they had the freedom to walk up to the platform to accept their naturalization paperwork or remain in their seats to have the papers brought to them. All seventy individuals, including a man who could barely walk, stood when his or her name was called as though winning an Oscar or an Olympic gold m

Technological advances have come a long way to help those who are visually impaired. Those devices are used only by the individual, which is great. The Be My Eyes app won two awards for technology in 2018 and they need our help. Say this individual goes to the store and the items have been moved or a new item has been introduced. He or she is unsure which to buy. This new app lets them connect with a volunteer at a moment's notice. They turn their phone screen to the store products and ask their question. Perhaps they might say, "Which one is ... brand."  The price is great. The app is free. My daughter has signed up for this app. She is excited to have her first opportunity to help someone. Here is the link for the explanation of the app. The link will direct you to FB:   Be My Eyes - Helping the Blind   OR You can go to the app store and find the app on your own. What I like about this idea is it gives me the opportunity to help someone in a very pr

Pacific Ocean Oregon Photo by Mary Vee One of the favorite summer pass times for readers is finding and reading the perfect book on a beach.  Sitting under a sun umbrella with a coating of sun tan lotion, readers turn pages to the beat of waves rippling on the shore. What could be more peaceful? There are so many stories available, how can we choose? Here is a fantastic resource: The Grace Awards website features noteable books throughout the year.  This week, board members for the site are hosting a Fiction Spotlight called Summer Book Bash 2019. They selected twelve books designed specifically for readers such as you. Any of these stories are perfect for taking to your favorite relaxation place.  Photos of the books, links, and blurbs tell why these books are the perfect choice for a beach towel on the sand read. Best news of all: the featured books are on sale, most at only $0.99!  I saw most genres represented in the list.  I'm leaning tow