helping a mom (or dad, or ...)

Today was my first donation of whole blood in 2019.
HBO's "Game Of Thrones" has teamed up with the American Red Cross to promote this latest blood drive - and the results have been amazing!
So many first-time donors!
All willing to roll up their sleeves and offer a pint of their heart's blood or a supply of platelets!
They could not resist the call!

"Calling All Game of Thrones Fans and Red Cross Blood Donors:

Arya, Cersei, Jon and Tyrion, have all bled for the throne. To celebrate the final season of Game of Thrones, the Red Cross and HBO have forged an alliance, challenging superfans and donors to show their devotion and bleed #ForTheThrone as well.
We invite you to join us by scheduling your blood or platelet donation today, and you could find out who'll bleed in season 8 before the rest of the world!
Come to give by March 17 and you’ll automatically be entered for a chance to win one of five trips to the season 8 world premiere of Game of Thrones! Trip includes travel for two, up to two nights hotel accommodations and a $250 gift card for expenses.*
Plus, if your donation is March 7-12, you’ll also receive this exclusive Game of Thrones T-shirt and sticker with a unique Snapchat filter, while supplies last!**
Schedule your donation today and start thinking about which lucky friend or family member might accompany you to the premiere!
So, there's only one question remaining. How far will you go #ForTheThrone?"

I know they're coming for the T-shirt, as well as the entry to the grand prize to be present for the first show of the coming season... but I hope they'll become regulars.
Admittedly, the prizes are part of the reason I've delayed my donation.
I wanted the T-shirt and I'd LOVE the trip!
Maybe you feel the same?
Then come on by and donate - the American Red Cross folks would love to see you!

helping a mom

For this International Women's Day, I decided to take a little different approach.
I've been doing a lot of helping people with educational costs.
I've also helped quite a few with enhancing goods for sale to others.
Most of my loans have gone to Central America or South America.
This loan did not check any of the above boxes.
Instead, I helped a Tajik mother help her son.

Her name is Sharofat and she is 56 years old.
She and her family live in Tajikistan.
One of her two sons has obtained work as a
handyman in the Russian Federation.
Her request was for $325 to purchase the
ticket for him to go to the job location.
All she lacked, at the time that I saw her
plea tonight, was a mere fifty dollars.
My $25 pledge, matched by a generous anonymous
donor today, helped satisfy her loan.

I know Mama would have approved.
She was always trying to help my brothers, and myself, to have a better life and a brighter future.

i thank You, God, that I had this opportunity to help someone else's Mama.

coming soon to a school near you - my invention!

When I last posted about my invention, I bore glad tidings.
The Utility Patent application had been filed and time was marching on.
Then, the recent government shutdown mandated by our current President slowed that progress to a standstill.
Now, bear in mind that an application usually takes about one year to be processed at the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
However, I now have proof positive that my application is still in the works!
In early February of this year, I received the USPTO's Updated Filing Receipt from my attorney, Aaron Cramer - in the mail, no less, so I could hold it in my hands and feel the realness of it!
Yes, indeed, proof positive!
That means I can talk about my periodic table!
I've stated doing that very thing on its website, making my first blog post there.
I must say, writing there truly did make this more real for me...
not just a dream, but something that is going to happen.

This is the Periodic Table of the Representative Elements which I first created in the summer of 2016. I did so for my blind student, who first used it for the exam on June 16, as well as all other exams that semester.
I was trying to enable that student to have available the same resources given to the other students for their test.
My mother and father would be so very proud of my accomplishment!
Now, I should make copies of the Updated Filing Receipt and share it with my investors, those people who have had faith in my invention for the past two years, giving me not only their support, but also their money.
I am so blessed to have these living angels.