Small Town USA – Part 4

I tell you more crazy things happen in my supermarket at the deli counter. I guess it’s because aside from twiddling your thumbs while waiting for your number to be called, there’s nothing much to do, well except people-watch which I confess I’m prone to–a lot.

For instance, last week I found myself staring at a mature woman, okay very, very old woman, standing a few feet away from me. I stared because I never (no exaggeration) saw a woman’s face with so many channels of wrinkles before. My guess is she had spent a lot of days in the sun and it had taken an awful toll. But that wasn’t the most striking thing about her.

The thing is, she had taken great pains to put a full face of make-up on. And it was beautifully done. I know because I was a Mary Kay Beauty Consultant for ten years way back when. As a matter of fact, because I spent  time as a consultant, I rarely leave the house without some kind of make-up on myself: lipstick, blush and sometimes eyebrow pencil. This particular day, I was spruced up pretty good.

I hadn’t noticed her looking at me, but she must have because she leaned toward me and said, “I like your make-up. It’s perfect for you.”

I responded, “I was just thinking the same thing about you.”

She smiled and said, “Well, I’d say we’re both still kickin’ it.” She chuckled as she walked toward the produce department.

These are the wonderfully unexpected things that happen in a small town.

Small Town, USA–Part 3

It appears that everyone in a small town talks more, at least that’s how it seems to me. I have more conversations at the deli counter than I ever had in the big, bad city.

Don’t get me wrong. I loved the city and there are still things about it that I miss, but small towns, although microcosms of a large city’s population, the inhabitants are hellbent on holding conversations.

For example, last week I ordered some low-sodium boiled ham (I’m on a health kick. It will probably last a few more weeks.) Anyway, this lady standing next to me hears my order and she asks if I had ever tried Rosemary Ham. Who ever heard of Rosemary Ham? I don’t even remember seeing it in the display case, but sure enough when she orders it, the girl behind the counter doesn’t question her.

Oh, and by the way, I don’t know if they do this in every small town, but ours always offers the customer a taste before slicing off the order. Maybe they think everyone enters the store famished–who knows. So this lady gestures toward me and asks the girl to give me a slice too since I’ve never tasted Rosemary Ham. (Everyone in the deli area hears her request, but none of them looks surprised or for that matter bent-out-of-shape because we are holding things up while I get my all-important taste.)

I obediently take my slice and thank the girl. My new best friend has another piece of interesting news to relate. If I go to the bakery department, they sell the most delicious Rosemary Bread. She advises me to make a sandwich using this bread and to add cheddar cheese and mayo. She assures me that I will be in heaven.

Now, you think this is where I’m going to end by poo-pooing the whole episode don’t you, but I’m here to tell you, the woman knew what she was talking about. I wonder if her name was Rosemary?

Small Town, USA–Part 2

What’s the first thing you learn when you live in a big city or anywhere for that matter–don’t tell anyone where you live!

So what do you think my reaction might have been when I met a man in the produce department of the supermarket and he asked, “Where do you live?”

We had been having a perfectly mundane conversation about the weather and how so many of the streets were flooded while we stood beside a display of eggplants. All of a sudden he veered off and asked me where I lived. I almost picked up one of the eggplants to smash  it over his head when I glanced at his face. He didn’t look like an aging lothario, so although my hand continued to rest on an eggplant, I stopped and gave my course of action some further thought.

You see, my town’s streets are divided alphabetically.  It occurred to me that he might be innocently asking what section I lived in, especially when he followed up his first question with, “I live in the E Section.”

Easing my hand off the eggplant, I smiled and answered, “I live in the Z Section.”

“Oh, nice area,” he remarked. “I have a friend who lives over there.”

Our conversation ended shortly after. Poor man had no idea he could have been tomorrow’s headline–Man Massacred With a Big, Juicy Eggplant By a Crazed Woman in the Produce Department.

Small Town, USA – Part 1

If you want to experience a tiny touch of culture shock, move from a large, bustling city to a quiet, bucolic town. Be warned though, the adjustment can be tough for a while. I don’t wish to make the changes sound like bad things, but it takes some getting used to when you’re least expecting little surprises.

For instance “rush hour.”

Recently, while driving home with a visiting friend after a day of shopping, she began to laugh hysterically for no reason. I asked her, “What on earth are you laughing at?”

She replied by pointing to the clock on my dashboard–it read 5:30. “This is your rush hour!” she exclaimed.

I looked around. There were about a dozen other cars on the road.

My friend still works in the city and has to drive to and from work on a crowded highway that I too was once well acquainted with. I giggled with her. Rush hour was no longer a  part of my life experience, but I remembered the first time I encountered this small town rush hour.

I was delirious too.

The Healing Properties of Amber

Whenever I think I’m coming down with a cold, I run to my jewelry box and take out every piece of amber I own. That would be two rings, an amber brooch on a silver chain and a bracelet with a dangling amber charm. One of my daughters even asks to borrow my necklace whenever she feels a stuffy nose coming on.

I know it doesn’t make any sense. After all amber is nothing more than fossilized tree resin, but I’m in good company when it comes to believing amber has strong healing powers. The Egyptians, Phoenicians and the Greeks were among the ancient cultures  that valued amber, and many American Indian Shamans wore the stone for protection and for enhancement of their healing abilities.

Although it’s healing properties have never been validated by any scientific study, some crystal practitioners believe amber can draw out negative energy. I don’t know about you, but I’m good with that. I’m still going to sprint for my amber whenever I’m feeling low.

amber’s healing properties have not been validated by any scientific study, some crystal practitioners believe that amber’s electromagnetic properties have the ability to draw disease from the body through detoxification and can relieve physical pain by drawing out the negative energy.Read more : http://www.ehow.com/list_7279661_properties-amber-stone.html

Although amber’s healing properties have not been validated by any scientific study, some crystal practitioners believe that amber’s electromagnetic properties have the ability to draw disease from the body through detoxification and can relieve physical pain by drawing out the negative energyRead more : http://www.ehow.com/list_7279661_properties-amber-stone.html

Although amber’s healing properties have not been validated by any scientific study, some crystal practitioners believe that amber’s electromagnetic properties have the ability to draw disease from the body through detoxification and can relieve physical pain by drawing out the negative energyRead more : http://www.ehow.com/list_7279661_properties-amber-stone.html

Clippy the Paperclip

Do you remember Clippy?

Jimmy Fallon mentioned him the other night in his monologue. And I got to wondering just when did Clippy disappear from Microsoft Word and from my life. Not that I’m complaining because he was nothing but a distraction.

Every time I started to type a letter, he’d pop up and ask “Do you want to type a letter?” Duh!? I ended up deleting him constantly until I figured out how to make him evaporate permanently. But like many things in life, once they are gone it’s too late to think maybe you sort of miss them–just a little.

Mmm, goodby forever, Clippy.

Olympic Team USA – Made in China

When you see your Team USA march in the Opening Ceremony in London, they, of course, will be proudly carrying the United States flag, but they will be wearing, from head to toe, uniforms Made In China. Doesn’t that get your patriotic juices flowing?

Are you asking why the United States Olympic Committee had to outsource our athletes outfits to China? Evidently, someone beat you to the punch with that question. Part of the Committee’s official response is “…”Unlike most Olympic teams around the world, the U.S. Olympic Team is privately funded and we’re grateful for the support of our sponsors…”

Does that mean the Sponsors chose China?

This is just too outrageous. Even the Democrats and Republicans in Congress have finally found something they can agree on.  What a disgrace!

 

Tomato, Tomahto

Whichever way you say it, you haven’t eaten a really good tomato in a very long time–well, unless you are growing your own or buying from a farmers market. However, you are eating really, really pretty tomatoes: bright red, no blemishes, smooth skin, firm to the touch, perfect green stem. Too bad they’re red rocks with little or no juice inside.

photo from

Every year, it gets harder and harder to find an awful looking, ugly tomato–the ones that are grown to taste good, not look good.

photo from

If you find one, don’t expect it to be bright red. Sometimes they’re more orange. And don’t bother to look for a perfect stem sticking out of its misshapen body, because there probably isn’t one.

If you’ve ever bent over and picked a tomato direct from the plant, you’ll know the minute you hold this ugly baby in the palm of your hand that it’s been sun-drenched and grown outside and maybe it hasn’t even been sprayed with “who knows what.”

So, the next time you pass the tomatoes in your supermarket, try to figure out why you don’t see those hideous looking tomatoes in the store anymore. Are we so enamored of beauty that our food has to look gorgeous, while real taste suffers?

Oh, well. Pretty is “in.”  So, I won’t even get started on our pretty, pretty red beef, or our pearly white eggs, or …

Flash Mobs

I love watching Flash Mob videos. They make me smile. Try it. I bet you find yourself smiling.

I dare you not to sing along with this one.

This one’s just plain crazy and fun.

The Good Wife

Photo from

This is my question. If Kalinda (Archie Panjabi) won an Emmy last season for Best Supporting Actress, why have the powers-that-be given her “half” the screen time this season? Her character was beginning to shape up into a complex, fascinating personality. Getting a glimpse of her private life had kept me interested.

The new character she is sharing time with, Blake (Scott Porter), as another private investigator for the firm has, thus far, been unexciting.

Another thing that has the hour dragging is this sudden interest in the kids–boring.

When Did Living in the USA Get So Scary?

I remember when the news was delivered on TV in an unbiased manner. You were free to interpret it whatever way you liked. What a surprise–we were intelligent enough to do that for ourselves.

Enter cable TV and Internet.

Now we have “pundits.” People who give opinions in an authoritative manner through mass media. (That definition is straight from the dictionary) These pundits pose as learned individuals. But it seems to me what they really do is stir up a lot of hate. It’s all about the ratings, folks.

And when did we turn the corner of humanity and find that public humiliation was a fun form of television entertainment?

When did bullying become deadly?

I mean, for Pete’s sake, this awful girl named Vera used to sit in the desk behind mine and pull my ponytail.  She was a bully. So was Jesse. She always grabbed my scooter and wouldn’t give it back unless I begged. (which, for the record, I wouldn’t) What a bully she was!

Here’s a little something to ponder on cyber-bullying. And to think I was worried about Vera and Jessie.

When did we become reticent, if not scared, to engage in political talk with someone who held an opposing point of view?

Of course, there was no Internet or Reality TV or Pundits back then.

But right now, in this time and space, living in a country that is so filled with hatred is becoming burdensome and frightening.

A 9/11 Tear Drop

Scupture by Zurab Tsereteli

Did you know a Russian sculptor created a 40-foot steel teardrop, a 175 ton monument, which stands in Bayonne, New Jersey commemorating the deaths of those who lost their lives on 9/11? It’s a gift from the people of Russia. Along with the teardrop is a wall, similar to the Vietnam Wall in Washington D C, listing the names of the victims.

Russia cried for us. Who knew?

As with all things, there was controversy. To read more see the following links:

Wired New York

Snopes

The New Yorker

Bayonne Redevelopment Authority

Do You Poop Or Do You Poo?

When did the word poop change to poo?

When I was a small child and I had to poop, I told my mother I had to do a #2. That was really a poop, except my mother didn’t want me shouting poop in the middle of a store, so her code word for poop was #2.

Now I’ve been hearing the new-improved, shortened version of poop being used, which apparently is poo.

I don’t know about you, but I have poo-pooed an idea or a piece of advice from time to time, but I’ve never pooed on a toilet, as far as I know.

Shocking Police Reports – Small Town News

If you’ve never moved from a large city to a small town, you might find this amusing. I, myself, had tears in my eyes from laughing so hard.

I relocated recently and now receive an itty-bitty weekly town newspaper. One of the regular columns is Cops Corner (a report of crimes committed during the previous week). The following is a woman’s account “word for word” of her encounter with an intruder.

Suspicious Incident. A woman advised that her house is for sale and she has been showing it to prospective buyers. An elderly man came to see the house. They shook hands as he was leaving and he kissed the top of her hand. She said he then hugged her and kissed her on the neck. The man attempted to kiss the woman on the lips, but she pushed him away and asked him to leave. The man told her he would like to make love to her. She never felt threatened but did tell him to leave several times. The man left without further contact. She is not pressing charges.

Is that a hoot, or what?! Here’s another one for your reading pleasure. Same week, same paper. A real crime spree!

Larceny – Motor Vehicle. A man informed a deputy that someone had broken and removed the passenger window of his truck. The victim showed the deputy the broken side window and said that after breaking the window, the unknown person placed it in the grass next to the vehicle. The man stated the GPS, satellite radio and his safety equipment were all still in the vehicle. The only things taken were (WAIT FOR IT!) a soda from his cooler and two AA batteries. There are no suspects.

It seemed to be quite a week for odd car break-ins. A 19-year-old woman stated that an unknown person broke into her Jeep, too. Stolen? three $1 bills and $2 in change.

Don’t you just love small town America? Meanwhile, the oil is gushing into the Gulf of Mexico like there’s no tomorrow.

FlashForward Is Back

Does the premise of FlashForward grab your attention? There’s nothing else like it on TV. I’m glad it returned for another season.

My hope is that it won’t take the same path that other extraordinary series have —  like Lost and Heroes. I loved the first two seasons of both these series, but then the story lines became so convoluted that it became exasperating trying to keep up with all the twists and turns. I finally gave up on both of them.

I’m hoping that FlashForward doesn’t drift slowly off the grid. It has enough plot complications already. But it answered a lot of questions in its season premiere, “Revolation Zero.” So, if you’re not watching, tune in.

rob will review agrees. The show is worth a look-see. Mysteries remain, but crucial information has also been revealed.

If this show doesn’t try to get too cerebral, we could be in for quite a ride.

My Job Was Eliminated

I have been eliminated–not laid off with the hope of being rehired. No, I am an eliminated entity. That’s like erasing all the writing from a chalkboard with one sweep of an eraser. One minute there’s something there; the next minute it’s gone.

The thing is, one doesn’t know what to do with oneself when the alarm doesn’t go off. I remember all those mornings when that annoying alarm sounded and all I wanted to do was catch another 20 minutes of sleep. Now, for some reason, I don’t crave the sleep. I get up like always, but I have no place to go.

After several days of thinking and analyzing and speaking to my family, I have decided to move in with my daughter. We will be three generations in one house. That has spawned much discussion among my friends and acquaintances.

Many families, not just mine, are merging together out of necessity. I didn’t realize that while I was still employed, but it appears families are circling the wagons. They have run out of other choices.

In some instances, it is a good thing. My ophthalmologist has opened his doors once again to his son, and his nephew, too, is having a hard time finding another job. He is expecting to find him on his doorstep any day now, as well. However, he welcomes the opportunity to help both boys through this crisis and believes he will come to know each of them a little better because as he puts it, ” I only know the boys as they once were, not as the adults they have become.”

I think my decision to join my family will also be a good one, but I know there are many family situations that are not conducive to combining generations in one home.

I just had a discussion with a friend five minutes ago, while I was writing this post as a matter of fact, who is not looking forward to what the near future has in store for her. Her mother-in law and brother-in-law are preparing to move into her home. She is forced to give up space that she worked hard to create for herself and her husband over the years. That may not sound like much, but it’s huge. Furniture put into storage to make room for other furniture being moved in. Drapes to be hung in a sun room that will now be used as a bedroom, no longer a place of refuge. She views this turn of events as an end of her peace and comfort, something she craves when she comes home from work. The fact that she is forced to give all of this over to people she doesn’t particularly care for, but who she is obligated to help in their time of need, makes it all the more an enormous struggle. Yet, she will do it because she loves her husband.

I think depression will be the likely result for those who are forced to join together and make unwanted and unforeseen changes in their lives. What a pity. What to do? What to do?

Two Squirrel Encounters

Squirrels are just too fascinating.

Did you know they eat french fries and Butterfinger candy bars?

No joke. Read on.

Fat Girls, Beware!

I don’t know exactly when it became fashionable to humiliate people on national TV. Did that first happen with American Idol? Or some other show with equally distasteful “judges?”

When did it become okay to debase people? And when did other people begin to enjoy it, to find it completely acceptable and totally delightful? Perhaps, soon we will allow some energetic entrepreneur to build a coliseum for our entertainment pleasure.

Before that happens, though, WE-TV has decided stalking is the new wave of reality’s future. Oh, better still–stalk the fat girls. Let’s make them squirm. It will be fun to spy on them and then invade their homes to see what vile food is lurking in their cabinets.

But, of course, WE has sanitized the show by assuring the viewer that the degradation to women is all done in the name of healthy living.  Oh, did I forget to mention the reason why these fat girls will be made to eat humble pie instead of apple pie? WE-TV is out to Save Their Lives. Yes, sir–it’s all about being altruistic. Thanks so much, WE.

Really! How far is too far? Will America really delight in watching women be put through a meat grinder of mental torture?

Pirates of the Gulf of Aden

Does it get any better than Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean? Before Depp burst onto the scene, I thought Errol Flynn was the best swashbuckling pirate of them all. He robbed the rich to give to the poor, a regular sea-worthy Robin Hood. He wooed every aristocratic woman who became stranded on his ship through happenstance and, of course, they couldn’t resist his charms. His crew always loved him, as well.The pirate world was a fantasy land for the romantics.

Now fast-forward to the 21st century version of pirates.Weren’t you a little surprised the first time you heard about pirates taking possession of ships for ransom in this day and age? How did that happen? Why did that happen?

According to this recent report from the Associated Press, most often these modern-day  pirates are Somalians.

More than a dozen ships with about 300 crew members are still being held by pirates off the coast of Somalia, including the weapons-laden Ukrainian cargo ship MV Faina, which was seized in September.

The multi-million dollar ransoms are one of the few ways to earn a living in the impoverished, war-ravaged country. Somalia has not had a functioning government since 1991 and nearly half of its population depends on aid.

What a sad commentary on the world we live in today. No more scenes of gaiety with Errol Flynn. Even the bravado of Johnny Depp’s, Jack Sparrow, is of no use in this latest of pirate sagas.

Our world becomes more and more scary every day. What to do? What to do?

You’re the Boss of “You”

Ya-da, ya-da, ya-da, yeah, yeah, yeah. It’s a new year and everyone is going on a diet. Forget it!

If you’re interested in getting healthy, don’t stop eating–stop working. Now that I look back on that sentence, I guess if you stop working, you’ll automatically stop eating–no money. But I wasn’t talking about quitting your job.

In order to get healthy and stay healthy, it’s time to stop laying in bed worrying about what you need to do tomorrow. It’s time to slooooow doooown. Give your mind a rest.

Have you ever read the Desiderata? You should. That says it all and the funny thing is–it was written by Max Ehrmann in 1927. The advice is still pertinent today. Just reading it brings a sense of peace and warmth to your mind and body.

But getting back to the work thing–you need to know when to work and when to stop.

Take next weekend off. You’re the boss of “you.” Declare a two-day holiday. Grab a friend, or a member of your family, and make time for some personal enjoyment activities.

• Dine out
• Go see a movie
• Have a DVD marathon (I recently enjoyed an entire Saturday watching NCIS episodes with my granddaughter)
• Go to the park, take some deep breaths. Inhale positive energy; exhale all of the negative energies, and then go enjoy an ice cream sundae. (Gosh, the total opposite of what the rest of the world is doing–Heaven forbid!)
• If you are spending your downtime alone, relax and read a book (the entire book, from cover to cover, without feeling guilty because you should be running the vacuum)
• Take a bubble bath
• If you’re crafty, spread all your supplies out on the table and create

Right about now, you should be starting to feel the stress fall away from your body as you think about your “work-less weekend.”

Oh, and if you still feel it’s necessary to start a diet. That’s okay, too. But remember, it’s not enough to whip your body into shape, your brain needs attention, too. Give it a breather.

GLITZ DAY–What Is It And How Did It Begin?

Photo from

Many years ago, a group of women were sitting around a lunchroom table bemoaning the fact that they had to work on Christmas Eve. No one was completely prepared for the “big” day and there was so little time left. The stress levels at that table were enormous.

We sat silently for a while, each of us stewing in our own personal pressure cooker, when a light bulb went off in my head. “Why don’t we dress up that day in some of our most exciting clothes. We’ll transform the day into a festivity–something to look forward to instead of a day to be dreaded.” After a moment, I added, ” We can call it Glitz Day.”

The rest of the conversation around the table that day went something like this.

“What do you mean by exciting clothes? There is no excitement hanging  in my closet.”

“Yes, there is. Remember that blue satin blouse you wear occasionally? That’s exciting.”

“What about me? The only colors in my closet are black, beige and brown.”

“The stores are stocked with beaded Christmas t-shirts and sweaters at this time of year. It won’t be hard to glitz-up.”

“And I have all those Mardi Gras necklaces. I could bring in a bunch of them and share.”

“Let’s do it! We’ll make Christmas Eve at the workplace sparkle and shine: silk, satin, sequins and beads. It will be fun.”

And so, Glitz Day was born.

Since that initial conversation, I’ve moved on to three other jobs. But Glitz Day lives on. Once a year, I get an email from one of the original ladies who sat in on that lunchtime discussion. She writes to say hello and to let me know that Glitz Day is still alive and well with more and more participation each year.

So, are you working on Christmas Eve? Shake off the tension. Make it a Glitz Day. Seeing people pass by your workspace decked out in glitter makes the work seem lighter. Try it.

Phone Books – Think Green

Recycling can be so sexy. Creator Jolis Paons pleated, sewed and glued this entire dress by hand.

Photo and quote above from Neatorama

Two huge, thick, heavy phonebooks were waiting for me at my front door last week. Normally, I drag them into the house, trash the old books (recycling isn’t available in my area at the moment) and replace them with the new ones. I don’t believe I’ve used my phone-books for the past four or five years, and I bet loads of other people haven’t either. How many wasted trees do these unwanted volumes represent, I wonder?

Creating a dress is a novel idea, but I had to ask myself, why do I receive these books year after year. I don’t want them. With the advent of the Internet, these books became obsolete.

A better idea would be to mail all area occupants a postcard asking whether they wish to continue receiving the phone-books. It would cut down on an immense amount of waste and save a lot of trees.

Frivolous For The Soul

I had a need to write about something frivolous this week. With the downturn of the stock markets, and the low roads being taken by the politicians, I’m thinking I need to raise my spirits.

So here goes. If you look up the word frivolous on the internet, here are some of the things you find.

GO HERE – PRETTY AMUSING

View From My Balcony

It’s important to get rid of your mental noise once in a while, and you don’t need a balcony or a pier to do that. We’re all so busy, it’s hard to remember to take time out for quiet. Fortunately, it takes very little forethought to take an adult “time out.” For instance, try this some Saturday morning.

GO HERE TO DE-STRESS

The Saga Of The Squirrels

It was 7:00 a.m. I sat on the porch sipping tea when it happened. First, I heard the loud flutter of wings swooping to the ground, and then I saw the landing, It was a hawk gunning for two squirrels, who minutes before were running around the trunk of a tree, playing and squealing at each other.

Read More About The Danger Lurking In My Backyard

2008 Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremony

08/08/08 A propitious day in China, believed to bring prosperity, and to China’s utter delight, an opportunity to perform for the world–The Olympic Opening Ceremony.

READ AND SEE MORE ABOUT THE OPENING CEREMONY

Text Messaging Is Bad, I Think, Maybe

I don’t text message. What I mean is, I don’t send them and I don’t receive them because I don’t use a cell phone. I don’t own one,  I don’t want one, and I hope I never have to rely on one. That said, I do understand why people feel they need to have one.

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Remembering George Carlin

I loved George Carlin. Even when I didn’t agree with what he was saying, he could make me double over and laugh my head off. A lot of things he pointed out tickled my funny bone.

Politics especially got his juices flowing. Some of his famous political one liners include:

“In America, anyone can become president. That’s the problem.”

“Fighting for peace is like screwing for virginity.”

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Things I Hate

Since I wrote all about things that I love last week, it seems only fair that I write about a few things I hated in the 80’s and still hate in 2008.

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Things I Love

Years ago, and I’m talking back in the early 80’s, I made two lists. One was titled “Things I Love” and the other was “Things I Hate.” Why would I do that? I have no idea. Maybe just because I love to make lists. I’m a list-maker, okay?

Anyway, I came across these lists a few days ago and I read the “love list” to see if I had changed much over the years.

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10% Ethanol Added To Your Gas – Lovely

Have you noticed whether your gas station is putting ethanol in their gas? Have you noticed that your gas mileage has decreased?

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Hospitals–Do They Help Or Hinder Recuperation?

For quite some time, I have been putting off cervical neck surgery. Unfortunately, disk degeneration goes on hiatus for no man. Finally, one is forced to accept the truth–it’s time to face the music and have surgery.

Too bad the surgery requires a stay in the hospital afterwards, because things ain’t like they were “in the old days.”

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QVC, Amazon.com–What Could Be Easier?

Have you noticed it’s getting easier and easier to spend money?

Last week, I received a tiny booklet in the mail from QVC, which contained my very own personal membership number. To tell you the truth I wasn’t surprised, since a few weeks before I had somehow lost my mind while watching their programming. I bought three sterling silver rings, a bracelet, and some lovely food containers–all in one night.

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Laughter, Laugh, Laughing, Giggle

Darn it…I missed Belly Laugh Day on January 24th. I bet you did, too. What a pity, because researchers are finding more and more evidence that laughter contains some pretty awesome benefits for our bodies and minds.

There’s a lot of research to prove the claims, but really now, haven’t you always known that laughing makes you feel good?

WANT TO READ MORE?

Classic Cars

I saw three classic cars this past week! And they weren’t sitting on display at a car exhibition. They were actually on the road with someone behind the wheel driving them. The sight of each one made my heart sing.

The first one I saw was unmistakable, a Chevy BelAir.

SEE MORE

Why More Americans Are Working Past Age 55

That was the title of a recent article in Charles Schwab’s investment magazine, which the company sends out to its investors. They could’ve changed the age to 62 or 65. The answer would be the same, but it took them more than 200 words to say medical insurance costs are outrageously high even if you’re old enough to be covered by Medicare.

And the article also noted:

“Many older workers saw their retirement portfolios balloon during the late 1990s bull market and opted to retire early. However the bursting of the technology-fueled bubble and the resulting bear market between 2000 and 2002 dramatically devalued those new retirees’ portfolios. Subsequently, some Americans who had taken early retirement found they had to return to work.”

There was no mention of the fact that even with the new drug plans, retirees still can’t afford to buy all the drugs they need.

And think about this–many senior citizens didn’t save a dime while they were younger. So, the answer to the question, why are they still working? They have to!

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A Short, But Incredible, Friendship

These pictures were taken near the coast of Canada’s Hudson Bay. A polar bear sees sled dogs.

DO YOU WANT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED?

Hatha Yoga Or A Pedicure

I got it into my head that I should try yoga. Pretty much, the only things I know about yoga are, it’s a form of relaxation, it helps with flexibility, it’s good for one’s balance and it doesn’t require me to bounce around too much.

I had one problem with the yoga class; it’s held at my local hospital for the 55+ gang on Tuesday evenings and, as it happened, I had an appointment to get a pedicure last Tuesday. Pretty much, what I know about pedicures is it’s a form of relaxation, your feet and legs receive a massage and it, too, requires no bouncing.

Hmm. What to choose, what to choose…  

 

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Elvis

If you’ve been following my blog, you know I swept in and out of Memphis, TN with two friends for a three day weekend last month. We packed in a lot of sightseeing and activities, but we didn’t have time to visit the King’s house–Elvis, that is.

I happened to mention that fact to one of my younger co-workers shortly after I returned. And she said to me, “You call that guy who died on his toilet from a drug overdose a king?”

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How To Buy A Car In 2008

 

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It doesn’t happen that often, but when it’s time for me to buy a new car, I cringe. Last Saturday, I thought I had myself talked into visiting some car dealerships to test drive a few cars. But when Saturday rolled around, I couldn’t make myself go. My insides seized up, my head began to pound and I think I actually had a panic attack. I couldn’t leave the house.

By Monday, after giving it some serious thought over the weekend, I decided there must be a better way. Maybe if I didn’t have to deal face to face with a salesman, I might be able to hold on to my sanity.

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“Bucket List” “Done That List” “No Guts List”

Recently, I’ve seen coming attractions on TV about a new movie starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman called The Bucket List.  From the few snipets I’ve caught, it appears their list contains things they’ve both dreamt about doing before they kick the bucket.

I have a list like that, too, although I never thought to name mine the bucket list. And happily, my list spawned a Done That List.

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New Year’s Resolutions and Non-Resolutions

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I don’t do it anymore–make New Year’s Resolutions, that is. After 60+ years, I know better.

Evidently, I’m in good company. Mark Twain wasn’t too keen on New Year’s Resolutions, either.

 …Mark Twain has written of New Year’s Resolutions, “Now is the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolutions. Next week you can begin paving hell with them as usual. Yesterday, everybody smoked his last cigar, took his last drink, and swore his last oath. Today, we are a pious and exemplary community. Thirty days from now, we shall have cast our reformation to the winds and gone to cutting our ancient shortcomings considerably shorter than ever.” read full post here

But there is one thing I do each year. I pull out the books I’ve been journaling in for over thirty years, and I reread some of my favorite sayings collected over the years.

Some of them mean something totally different to me now then they did twenty or thirty years ago when I first wrote them. Take for instance this one by Eleanor Roosevelt, No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.

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Candy Cigarettes

 I like to write “remember when” essays, and yesterday I got to thinking about penny candy and how wonderful it felt to buy a handful of candy with a few copper pennies. One of my favorites was candy cigarettes: all sugar, shaped like a real cigarette with one tip painted red.

It was my intention to go on the web and find a picture of the candy to attach to this post. Imagine my surprise to find that candy cigarettes are a very controversial topic. Who knew?

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Have You Thought About Birds Lately?

My screened-in porch faces two tall trees that are especially attractive to different species of nesting birds, and both trees are used annually for this purpose. One of the trees has a hole in its trunk, the perfect size for a nest. The other tree is particularly inviting to birds that prefer to build outdoor nests high up off the ground using twigs and leaves and stuff.

This year, Red-Bellied Woodpeckers have been flitting in and out of the hole. I haven’t seen the babies yet, but the mom and pop are hard to miss.

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Carnival Shore Excursions

Let me tell you about the excursions I took while on my cruise. They didn’t disappoint.

Truth be told, I usually look forward to doing a lot of reading and relaxing on a cruise, but on this particular trip, I traveled with my friend, Robin, who had never been on a cruise before. “I want to experience everything,” she said, so we planned to do an excursion at every port.

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Top Ten List

Since this blog is going to deal with an eclectic array of topics, I thought you might like to know where the topics come from. One of the methods I use to spark an idea comes from my Top Ten List. (No, Dave doesn’t own that idea.) 

 

If you like to journal or keep a diary, my list may be helpful.

 

1.  What surprised me this week?

2.  What challenged me this week?

3.  What tickled me this week:

4.  What contented me this week?

5.  What did I learn this week?

6.  What pained me this week?

7.  What angered me this week?

8.  What inspired me this week?

9.  What entertained me this week?

10. What did I do this week?

 

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Cotton Candy

I have “cotton candy hair.” I don’t mean to imply my hair is pastel pink or blue. What I’m saying is, my hair has lost all semblance of what is commonly known as “body.” When I watch shampoo commercials on TV and the model’s lustrous hair is bouncing and flowing from side to side in slow motion, I lick my lips, sigh deeply, and force myself to get a grip. The reality is there is no shampoo on the face of this planet that is going to change the fact that I have cotton candy hair.

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