JJ's father told Steve about a tiny town northwest of us called Aripeka where he said everything's very historical and really neat to see. So today we drove there with an idea in our heads of what to expect -- antiques, old cars, etc. I looked it up on the Web and found very little info except that the population is around 12,000.
I turned off the main highway on Aripeka Road and before you know it, we were in the little town and then we weren't! We saw a bunch of old and tiny houses, one store, and some people fishing on a bridge. I half expected some geezer with a corncob pipe, shotgun, no teeth and a banjo to come after us! We couldn't believe that was IT for the town, so I kept driving. We came to an area with humongous homes that were gorgeous, and then we were back on a different highway. I turned around 'cause we figured we must've missed something, but we didn't. There was one and only one store and that even looked a little shady. There were guys with really long beards talking to themselves -- I began to wonder if Aripeka was perhaps a town where you send all the Florida schizophrenics or maybe they were all convicted sex offenders! Needless to say, we headed back home without ever getting out of the car.
We stopped at a Chinese buffet restaurant close to home and it was fantastic! All you can eat for a set price. I pigged out on dim sum, crab rangoon, and different kinds of chicken, followed by ice cream, Chinese sugar donuts, and lots of other goodies. Steve really got his money's worth -- he ate shrimp, mussels, ribs, crawfish -- on and on and on. He went back three times and ate almost entirely meat and seafood. We came home and had to take a nap!
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Being Kind to Ourselves
January 30, 2008
Create Time For Self-Compassion
Being Gentle With Ourselves
During those times when our lives are filled with what seems to be constant change and growth, it is important to remember that we need to be gentle with ourselves. Since it can be easy to use our energy to keep up with the momentum of our lives, we may not be aware of the fact that we are much more likely to run ourselves down. When things seem to be moving quickly, it is especially essential that we make a point to slow down and be gentle with ourselves.
It might be difficult to notice what is happening to us for we may be so caught up in the whirlwind of our lives that we lose sight of the direction in which things are heading. Being gentle with ourselves doesn’t mean that we don’t accomplish things. Instead it means that we honor ourselves on an ongoing basis and take care of the needs of our bodies.
This means different things to different people. For instance, it could mean having a session with a healer; taking a remedy, herbs, or vitamins; or getting extra sleep. Putting our energy into ourselves in this way helps create space for a more positive, loving, and accepting view of our lives. By setting the intention to do so, we will be more cognizant of our energy levels on a daily basis and more able to replenish them as needed.
The more we are able to treat our bodies with gentleness, the more tenderness and compassion we will call forth into our lives. Learning to understand and pay attention to what our self needs will in turn allow us to fill our lives with unlimited loving and healing energy and to truly take care of the things that mean the most to us.
This article is printed from DailyOM - Inspirational thoughts for a happy, healthy and fulfilling day.
Create Time For Self-Compassion
Being Gentle With Ourselves
During those times when our lives are filled with what seems to be constant change and growth, it is important to remember that we need to be gentle with ourselves. Since it can be easy to use our energy to keep up with the momentum of our lives, we may not be aware of the fact that we are much more likely to run ourselves down. When things seem to be moving quickly, it is especially essential that we make a point to slow down and be gentle with ourselves.
It might be difficult to notice what is happening to us for we may be so caught up in the whirlwind of our lives that we lose sight of the direction in which things are heading. Being gentle with ourselves doesn’t mean that we don’t accomplish things. Instead it means that we honor ourselves on an ongoing basis and take care of the needs of our bodies.
This means different things to different people. For instance, it could mean having a session with a healer; taking a remedy, herbs, or vitamins; or getting extra sleep. Putting our energy into ourselves in this way helps create space for a more positive, loving, and accepting view of our lives. By setting the intention to do so, we will be more cognizant of our energy levels on a daily basis and more able to replenish them as needed.
The more we are able to treat our bodies with gentleness, the more tenderness and compassion we will call forth into our lives. Learning to understand and pay attention to what our self needs will in turn allow us to fill our lives with unlimited loving and healing energy and to truly take care of the things that mean the most to us.
This article is printed from DailyOM - Inspirational thoughts for a happy, healthy and fulfilling day.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Did you know...
... that today is Big Cup of Cappuccino Day? In 2002, Italian barkeeper Ettore Diana served a 330-gallon serving of cappuccino. To accomplish the feat, he had the help of 160 people and dozens of expresso machines.
Celebrate today by drinking a cup of joe... and then another and another and...
Celebrate today by drinking a cup of joe... and then another and another and...
Monday, January 28, 2008
Transportation Challenged
We've been without a car since Friday when we had AAA tow our car to the mechanic. He called today and said the alternator had to be replaced to the tune of $240 so we'll pick it up tomorrow. One week ago we had a new battery installed and it went dead almost immediately; the mechanic says the alternator is using too much voltage from the battery, whatever that means. Just glad we're getting it back -- cars get expensive sometimes.
Got Steve, among other things, three DVDs for Christmas -- one's all Vincent Price movies, one's Lon Chaney, and the other is Bela Lugosi. He loves old horror movies and we watched the Price series yesterday since we can't get to the video store. Vincent Price was truly one of a kind with regard to his voice and command over the audience.
I've finally learned how to get photos from the digital camera to the PC and now I'm attempting e-mailing photos. I'm having a great time taking "practice" pictures, and the cats make great models for the time being.
Got Steve, among other things, three DVDs for Christmas -- one's all Vincent Price movies, one's Lon Chaney, and the other is Bela Lugosi. He loves old horror movies and we watched the Price series yesterday since we can't get to the video store. Vincent Price was truly one of a kind with regard to his voice and command over the audience.
I've finally learned how to get photos from the digital camera to the PC and now I'm attempting e-mailing photos. I'm having a great time taking "practice" pictures, and the cats make great models for the time being.
Silliness
**A 3-year-old boy examined his testicles while taking a bath; 'Mom'... he asked, 'Are these my brains?'
'Not yet,' she replied.**
THE PRESIDENT
President Bush looks up from his desk in the Oval Office to see one of his aides nervously approaching him. "What is it?" sighs the president.
"It's this abortion bill. What do you want to do about it?" the aide asks.
"Go ahead and pay it," says the president.
'Not yet,' she replied.**
THE PRESIDENT
President Bush looks up from his desk in the Oval Office to see one of his aides nervously approaching him. "What is it?" sighs the president.
"It's this abortion bill. What do you want to do about it?" the aide asks.
"Go ahead and pay it," says the president.
Difficult Times
January 28, 2008
Growing Pains
It can be very challenging to maintain a positive attitude and a measure of faith when you are in the midst of difficult times. This is partly because we tend to think that if the universe loves us we will experience that love in the form of positive circumstances. However, we are like children, and the universe is our wise mother who knows what our souls need to thrive better than we do. Just as a young child does not benefit from getting everything she wants, we also benefit from times of constriction and difficulty to help us grow and learn. If we keep this in mind, and continue to trust that we are loved even when things are hard, it helps us bear the difficult time with grace.
This period of time in history is full of difficulty for a lot of human beings, and you may feel less alone knowing you are not being singled out. There are extreme energy changes pulsing through the universe at every level and, of course, we are all part of the growing process and the growing pains. It helps if we remember that life is one phase after another and that this difficult time will inevitably give way to something new and different. When we feel overwhelmed we can comfort ourselves with the wise saying: This too shall pass.
At the same time, if you truly feel that nothing is going right for you, it’s never a bad idea to examine your life and see if there are some changes you can make to alleviate some of the difficulty. Gently and compassionately exploring the areas giving you the most trouble may reveal things you are holding onto and need to release: unprocessed emotions, unresolved transitions, or negative ways of looking at yourself or reality. As you take responsibility for the things you can change, you can more easily surrender to the things you can’t, remembering all the while that this phase will, without doubt, give way to another
This article is printed from DailyOM - Inspirational thoughts for a happy, healthy and fulfilling day.
Growing Pains
It can be very challenging to maintain a positive attitude and a measure of faith when you are in the midst of difficult times. This is partly because we tend to think that if the universe loves us we will experience that love in the form of positive circumstances. However, we are like children, and the universe is our wise mother who knows what our souls need to thrive better than we do. Just as a young child does not benefit from getting everything she wants, we also benefit from times of constriction and difficulty to help us grow and learn. If we keep this in mind, and continue to trust that we are loved even when things are hard, it helps us bear the difficult time with grace.
This period of time in history is full of difficulty for a lot of human beings, and you may feel less alone knowing you are not being singled out. There are extreme energy changes pulsing through the universe at every level and, of course, we are all part of the growing process and the growing pains. It helps if we remember that life is one phase after another and that this difficult time will inevitably give way to something new and different. When we feel overwhelmed we can comfort ourselves with the wise saying: This too shall pass.
At the same time, if you truly feel that nothing is going right for you, it’s never a bad idea to examine your life and see if there are some changes you can make to alleviate some of the difficulty. Gently and compassionately exploring the areas giving you the most trouble may reveal things you are holding onto and need to release: unprocessed emotions, unresolved transitions, or negative ways of looking at yourself or reality. As you take responsibility for the things you can change, you can more easily surrender to the things you can’t, remembering all the while that this phase will, without doubt, give way to another
This article is printed from DailyOM - Inspirational thoughts for a happy, healthy and fulfilling day.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Re: Old Age (I Didn't Write It)
Old Age, I decided, is a gift.
I am now, probably for the first time in my life, the person I have always wanted to be. Oh, not my body! I sometimes despair over my body, the wrinkles, the baggy eyes, and the sagging butt. And often I am taken aback by that old person that lives in my mirror (who looks like my mother!), but I don't agonize over those things for long.
I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, my loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I've aged, I've become more kind to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend.
I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avant garde on my patio. I am entitled to a treat, to be messy, to be extravagant.
I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging. Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4 AM and sleep until noon?
I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60 and 70's, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love ... I will.
I will walk the beach in a swimsuit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set. They too will get old.
I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And I eventually remember the important things.
Sure, over the years my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect.
I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face. So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver.
As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don't question myself anymore. I've even earned the right to be wrong.
I like being old. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every single day. (If I feel like it)
I am now, probably for the first time in my life, the person I have always wanted to be. Oh, not my body! I sometimes despair over my body, the wrinkles, the baggy eyes, and the sagging butt. And often I am taken aback by that old person that lives in my mirror (who looks like my mother!), but I don't agonize over those things for long.
I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, my loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I've aged, I've become more kind to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend.
I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avant garde on my patio. I am entitled to a treat, to be messy, to be extravagant.
I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging. Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4 AM and sleep until noon?
I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60 and 70's, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love ... I will.
I will walk the beach in a swimsuit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set. They too will get old.
I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And I eventually remember the important things.
Sure, over the years my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect.
I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face. So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver.
As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don't question myself anymore. I've even earned the right to be wrong.
I like being old. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every single day. (If I feel like it)
Got Steak?
The Japanese adore beef, but cannot get enough because the country is too small for large-scale cattle raising. An exception are the cows of Kobe, who live the good life: they drink beer, are massaged three times a day to keep their meat tender, and are sung to, making them feel serene. Kobe beef is world-famous for its flavor, although chances of finding any outside Japan are almost nil. A few restaurants in the United States import the rare commodity, charging more than one hundred dollars for a 16-ounce, one-inch-thick steak.
Friday, January 25, 2008
On Slowing Down
Too many people put off something that brings them joy just because they haven't thought about it, don't have it on their schedule, didn't know it was coming or are too rigid to depart from their routine.
I got to thinking one day about all those people on the Titanic who passed up dessert at dinner that fateful night in an effort to cut back. From then on, I've tried to be a little more flexible.
How many women out there will eat at home because their husband didn't suggest going out to dinner until after something had been thawed? Does the word "refrigeration" mean nothing to you?
How often have your kids dropped in to talk and sat in silence while you watched 'Jeopardy' on television?
I cannot count the times I called my sister and said, "How about going to lunch in a half hour?" She would gas up and stammer, "I can't. I have clothes on the line. My hair is dirty. I wish I had known yesterday, I had a late breakfast, It looks like rain." And my personal favourite: "It's Monday." She died a few years ago. We never did have lunch together.
Because we cram so much into our lives, we tend to schedule our headaches. We live on a sparse diet of promises we make to ourselves when all the conditions are perfect!
We'll go back and visit the grandparents when we get the kid toilet-trained. We'll entertain when we replace the living-room carpet. We'll go on a second honeymoon when we get two more kids out of college.
Life has a way of accelerating as we get older. The days get shorter, and the list of promises to ourselves gets longer. One morning, we awaken, and all we have to show for our lives is a litany of "I'm going to," "I plan on," and "Someday, when things are settled down a bit."
When anyone calls my 'seize the moment' friend, she is open to adventure and available for trips. She keeps an open mind on new ideas. Her enthusiasm for life is contagious. You talk with her for five minutes, and you're ready to trade your bad feet for a pair of roller blades and skip an elevator for a bungee cord.
My lips have not touched ice cream in 10 years. I love ice cream. It's just that I might as well apply it directly to my stomach with a spatula and eliminate the digestive process. The other day, I stopped the car and bought a triple-decker. If my car had hit an iceberg on the way home, I would have died happy.
Now...go on and have a nice day. Do something you WANT to...not something on your SHOULD DO list. If you were going to die soon and had only one phone call you could make, who would you call and what would you say?
And why are you waiting?
Have you ever watched kids playing on a merry go round or listened to the rain lapping on the ground? Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight or gazed at the sun into the fading night? Do you run through each day on the fly? When you ask, "How are you?" Do you hear the reply?
When the day is done, do you lie in your bed with the next hundred chores running through your head? Ever told your child, "We'll do it tomorrow." And in your haste, not see his sorrow? Ever lost touch? Let a good friendship die? Just call to say "Hello"?
When you worry and hurry through your day, it is like an unopened gift... Thrown away.... Life is not a race. Take it slower. Hear the music before the song is over.
I got to thinking one day about all those people on the Titanic who passed up dessert at dinner that fateful night in an effort to cut back. From then on, I've tried to be a little more flexible.
How many women out there will eat at home because their husband didn't suggest going out to dinner until after something had been thawed? Does the word "refrigeration" mean nothing to you?
How often have your kids dropped in to talk and sat in silence while you watched 'Jeopardy' on television?
I cannot count the times I called my sister and said, "How about going to lunch in a half hour?" She would gas up and stammer, "I can't. I have clothes on the line. My hair is dirty. I wish I had known yesterday, I had a late breakfast, It looks like rain." And my personal favourite: "It's Monday." She died a few years ago. We never did have lunch together.
Because we cram so much into our lives, we tend to schedule our headaches. We live on a sparse diet of promises we make to ourselves when all the conditions are perfect!
We'll go back and visit the grandparents when we get the kid toilet-trained. We'll entertain when we replace the living-room carpet. We'll go on a second honeymoon when we get two more kids out of college.
Life has a way of accelerating as we get older. The days get shorter, and the list of promises to ourselves gets longer. One morning, we awaken, and all we have to show for our lives is a litany of "I'm going to," "I plan on," and "Someday, when things are settled down a bit."
When anyone calls my 'seize the moment' friend, she is open to adventure and available for trips. She keeps an open mind on new ideas. Her enthusiasm for life is contagious. You talk with her for five minutes, and you're ready to trade your bad feet for a pair of roller blades and skip an elevator for a bungee cord.
My lips have not touched ice cream in 10 years. I love ice cream. It's just that I might as well apply it directly to my stomach with a spatula and eliminate the digestive process. The other day, I stopped the car and bought a triple-decker. If my car had hit an iceberg on the way home, I would have died happy.
Now...go on and have a nice day. Do something you WANT to...not something on your SHOULD DO list. If you were going to die soon and had only one phone call you could make, who would you call and what would you say?
And why are you waiting?
Have you ever watched kids playing on a merry go round or listened to the rain lapping on the ground? Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight or gazed at the sun into the fading night? Do you run through each day on the fly? When you ask, "How are you?" Do you hear the reply?
When the day is done, do you lie in your bed with the next hundred chores running through your head? Ever told your child, "We'll do it tomorrow." And in your haste, not see his sorrow? Ever lost touch? Let a good friendship die? Just call to say "Hello"?
When you worry and hurry through your day, it is like an unopened gift... Thrown away.... Life is not a race. Take it slower. Hear the music before the song is over.
It's All About Attitude
The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company ...a church ...a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past ...we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way.
We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude ...I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you ...we are in charge of our attitudes.
-Charles Swindoll
We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude ...I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you ...we are in charge of our attitudes.
-Charles Swindoll
Thursday, January 24, 2008
The Procrastinator's Creed
1.I believe that if anything is worth doing, it would have been done already.
2.I shall never move quickly, except to avoid more work or find excuses.
3.I will never rush into a job without a lifetime of consideration.
4.I shall meet all of my deadlines directly in proportion to the amount of bodily injury I could expect to receive from missing them.
5.I firmly believe that tomorrow holds the possibility for new technologies, astounding discoveries, and a reprieve from my obligations.
6.I truly believe that all deadlines are unreasonable regardless of the amount of time given.
7.I shall never forget that the probability of a miracle, though infinitesimally small, is not exactly zero.
8.If at first I don't succeed, there is always next year.
9.I shall always decide not to decide, unless of course I decide to change my mind.
10.I shall always begin, start, initiate, take the first step, and/or write the first word, when I get around to it.
11.I obey the law of inverse excuses which demands that the greater the task to be done, the more insignificant the work that must be done prior to beginning the greater task.
12.I know that the work cycle is not plan/start/finish, but is wait/plan/plan.
13.I will never put off until tomorrow, what I can forget about forever.
14.I will become a member of the ancient Order of Two- Headed Turtles (the Procrastinator's Society) if they ever get it organized.
2.I shall never move quickly, except to avoid more work or find excuses.
3.I will never rush into a job without a lifetime of consideration.
4.I shall meet all of my deadlines directly in proportion to the amount of bodily injury I could expect to receive from missing them.
5.I firmly believe that tomorrow holds the possibility for new technologies, astounding discoveries, and a reprieve from my obligations.
6.I truly believe that all deadlines are unreasonable regardless of the amount of time given.
7.I shall never forget that the probability of a miracle, though infinitesimally small, is not exactly zero.
8.If at first I don't succeed, there is always next year.
9.I shall always decide not to decide, unless of course I decide to change my mind.
10.I shall always begin, start, initiate, take the first step, and/or write the first word, when I get around to it.
11.I obey the law of inverse excuses which demands that the greater the task to be done, the more insignificant the work that must be done prior to beginning the greater task.
12.I know that the work cycle is not plan/start/finish, but is wait/plan/plan.
13.I will never put off until tomorrow, what I can forget about forever.
14.I will become a member of the ancient Order of Two- Headed Turtles (the Procrastinator's Society) if they ever get it organized.
The Boys Lost Out!
In World War II the US military planned to airdrop over France propaganda in the form of Playboy magazine, with coded messages hidden in the models' turn-ons and turn-offs. The plan was scrapped because of a staple shortage due to rationing of metal.
Bummer for the boys.
Bummer for the boys.
Advice from a Hillbilly
Your fences need to be horse-high, pig-tight and bull-strong.
Keep skunks and bankers and lawyers at a distance.
A bumble bee is considerably faster than a John Deere tractor.
Words that soak into your ears are whispered... not yelled.
Meanness don't jes' happen overnight.
Forgive your enemies. It messes up their heads.
Do not corner something that you know is meaner than you.
It doesn't take a very big person to carry a grudge.
You cannot unsay a cruel or unkind word.
Every path has a few puddles.
When you wallow with pigs, expect to get dirty.
The best sermons are lived, not preached.
Most of the stuff people worry about ain't never gonna happen anyway.
Don't judge folks by their relatives.
Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll enjoy it a second time.
Don't interfere with somethin' that ain't botherin' you none.
Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.
If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin'.
Sometimes you get, and sometimes you get got.
The biggest troublemaker you'll probably ever have to deal with watches you from the mirror every mornin'.
Always drink upstream from the herd.
Good judgment comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgment.
Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier than puttin' it back in.
If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around.
Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly.. Leave the rest up to God.
Keep skunks and bankers and lawyers at a distance.
A bumble bee is considerably faster than a John Deere tractor.
Words that soak into your ears are whispered... not yelled.
Meanness don't jes' happen overnight.
Forgive your enemies. It messes up their heads.
Do not corner something that you know is meaner than you.
It doesn't take a very big person to carry a grudge.
You cannot unsay a cruel or unkind word.
Every path has a few puddles.
When you wallow with pigs, expect to get dirty.
The best sermons are lived, not preached.
Most of the stuff people worry about ain't never gonna happen anyway.
Don't judge folks by their relatives.
Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll enjoy it a second time.
Don't interfere with somethin' that ain't botherin' you none.
Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.
If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin'.
Sometimes you get, and sometimes you get got.
The biggest troublemaker you'll probably ever have to deal with watches you from the mirror every mornin'.
Always drink upstream from the herd.
Good judgment comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgment.
Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier than puttin' it back in.
If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around.
Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly.. Leave the rest up to God.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Our Viewing Entertainment
We've been renting lots of DVD's since there's a new video store not far from where we live. We saw "No Country for Old Men" a couple of days ago; I loved it and Steve hated it, no particular shock there. Tonight we watched "Fracture" with Anthony Hopkins who I'd see in any movie. This was also an excellent movie with lots of psychological stuff as well as many twists and turns. Also saw "Mr. Brooks" with Kevin Costner which was just okay, and "The Bucket List" in which neither Jack Nicholson or Morgan Freeman lets you down. I'd see them in anything too.
Hopped in the car today to return some videos and the car wouldn't start. We just got a new battery last week! Instead of calling AAA this time, Steve went to one of our neighbors, Melvin, who knows everything there is to know about vehicles. He jump started our car from his and said he thinks there's a short in the wiring somewhere. Anyway, we were able to run our errands and we'll see if the car starts tomorrow. I hate car and dental stuff!
Hopped in the car today to return some videos and the car wouldn't start. We just got a new battery last week! Instead of calling AAA this time, Steve went to one of our neighbors, Melvin, who knows everything there is to know about vehicles. He jump started our car from his and said he thinks there's a short in the wiring somewhere. Anyway, we were able to run our errands and we'll see if the car starts tomorrow. I hate car and dental stuff!
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Who Knew?
The oyster is usually ambisexual. It begins life as a male, then becomes a female, then changes back to being a male, then back to being female. It may go back and forth many times.
Sometimes I wish I could do this too, especially when the car needs work.
Sometimes I wish I could do this too, especially when the car needs work.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Dog vs. Cat
If a dog jumps in your lap, it is because he is fond of you; but if a cat does the same thing, it is because your lap is warmer.
Alfred North Whitehead (1861 - 1947)
Alfred North Whitehead (1861 - 1947)
Saturday, January 19, 2008
The Un-Salute to Dr Pepper
Here's your totally useless fact of the day:
Charles Alderton, a Texan pharmacist, created a soft drink and named it after his prospective father-in-law, Dr. Charles Kenneth Pepper. The doctor was unimpressed, so Alderton dropped the period after the abbreviation for doctor and made his fortune with "Dr Pepper."
And to this day, in MY book, it still tastes like carbonated prune juice!
Charles Alderton, a Texan pharmacist, created a soft drink and named it after his prospective father-in-law, Dr. Charles Kenneth Pepper. The doctor was unimpressed, so Alderton dropped the period after the abbreviation for doctor and made his fortune with "Dr Pepper."
And to this day, in MY book, it still tastes like carbonated prune juice!
Friday, January 18, 2008
Gotta Love your Thesaurus
Did you know...
... that today is Thesaurus Day? On the birthday (1779) of Peter Roget, author of the major thesaurus, we celebrate all thesauruses. So get out there and celebrate, carouse, ceremonialize, commend, consecrate, dedicate, eulogize, exalt, extol, fete, glorify, hallow, honor, jubilate, laud, let loose, lionize, make merry, memorialize, observe, praise, rejoice, revel in, and ritualize Peter Roget!
... that today is Thesaurus Day? On the birthday (1779) of Peter Roget, author of the major thesaurus, we celebrate all thesauruses. So get out there and celebrate, carouse, ceremonialize, commend, consecrate, dedicate, eulogize, exalt, extol, fete, glorify, hallow, honor, jubilate, laud, let loose, lionize, make merry, memorialize, observe, praise, rejoice, revel in, and ritualize Peter Roget!
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Update on JJ & Tish
I haven't written about these two for some time because we haven't seen them for so long since Tish bought a three-bedroom house in Clearwater and JJ has been helping her fix it up. Apparently there's good money in pole dancing...
They've visited JJ's apartment next door a couple of times, but we suspect he'll be moving in with her and her kid in the near future. Steve gave JJ $100 in October to build him a bookshelf which was promised to him by Christmas. Since Steve had no bookshelf by the time Christmas was over, he called JJ who said he was just too busy to do it now. When Steve got off the phone, he was really upset with JJ. My feeling was always that JJ was only a friend when there was something in it for HIM. He'll be lucky if he gets the $100 back now. Oh well -- live and learn, again.
They've visited JJ's apartment next door a couple of times, but we suspect he'll be moving in with her and her kid in the near future. Steve gave JJ $100 in October to build him a bookshelf which was promised to him by Christmas. Since Steve had no bookshelf by the time Christmas was over, he called JJ who said he was just too busy to do it now. When Steve got off the phone, he was really upset with JJ. My feeling was always that JJ was only a friend when there was something in it for HIM. He'll be lucky if he gets the $100 back now. Oh well -- live and learn, again.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Strange Happenings
I have observed that my egret friend (or perhaps it was more than one) has not been on the riverbank now for nearly two weeks. Have egrets quite suddenly gone onto the Endangered Species List? Are they on vacation? Is there a major avian convention somewhere else? I did, however, see a huge blue/gray heron wading in the mud at the same location today. Maybe they're taken over...some kind of gang warfare?
I've been a little manicky for a few days now and haven't been able to sleep much. Steve's only seen me have one hypomanic episode and that was a couple of months ago, but he already can see them coming. When I took everything out of the kitchen cupboards this weekend and cleaned them out, he told me I was acting manicky. Slug said the same thing on the phone. Jeesh -- can't I even clean a little in my normal state? Probably not. Slug and Steve were both right, and then it was confirmed when I spoke to Mom today and she said I was talking too fast. Then I caught myself making lists again of stuff I have to do or topics to blog about. My list-making is a dead giveaway. We're not talking here about a common grocery list, but list of everything you can think of -- music, recipes, chores, etc. I seem to have a huge need to feel organized when my brain is not. This too shall pass.
Meanwhile, we stopped by a psychiatrist's office yesterday to complete the paperwork to get an appointment with this doctor who I saw over a year ago. I didn't go back after the initial appointment because I found a Nurse Practitioner by the name of Tia whose office was very close to our apartment and who could write me the prescriptions I need. Tia turned out to be crazier than me! I know that's hard to believe, but it's true. When I had my knee surgery, the visiting nurse who came to the apartment asked who I saw for my psych drugs and I told her it had been crazy Tia, but I was trying to find someone else. Turns out the nurse's daughter worked for the crazy Tia for one week and was fired over a very small thing. The daughter said the Tia would tell her which room to put the patients in, and then five minutes later asked her to move them to different rooms; this would go on all day. Then when she'd finally get around to seeing a patient, she'd talk about herself the whole session and they couldn't get a word in edgewise.
A couple of months ago when I'd nosedived after a manic episode and was on the edge of one of my abyssmal depressions, I called the Tia to help me adjust my medications in an attempt to end the episode. I left a message with her answering service. She didn't return my call.
I should point out at this juncture that when I lived in NYC, I was seeing an excellent psychiatrist for seven years who knew that if I called him and left a message I wasn't kidding around and really needed his help. He always got back to me within an hour and would tell me how to re-adjust the meds I was taking or prescribe something else to get me back to normal. He was what is known as a Psychopharmacologist and had his MD in Psychiatry and a PhD in Pharmacy with an emphasis on psychotropic medications (meds used to treat all forms of mental illness). I always trusted his judgement and he never steered me wrong. That's the act Tia had to follow.
Since Tia didn't return my first OR second calls, I had to do something myself. In Florida, regular physicians don't want anything to do with psychotropic medications and won't even write prescriptions for them. They don't know a lot about them and are probably afraid of being sued. I doubled up on my lithium and took 100 mg of Benadryl (four capsules) which I knew would knock me out and sleep can sometimes get brain chemicals back on track. A couple of days later I called my regular physician, Dr. Sanchez, and told her my dilemma. Since Tia's office is in the same building as her's, she called Tia herself and left a message. Tia didn't call her back either, but DID finally call me and ask me to come and see her.
I went to see Tia and asked her why she hadn't returned my calls and she acted quite startled that I'd been trying to reach her and claimed that she didn't get my messages. I mentioned to her that as a nurse specializing in Psychiatry, I felt she needed to understand that her patients could be having a crisis and needed to know they could reach out to her. She stated that her answering service had been terrible and she had fired them. I didn't believe her for a second since she even looked like she was lying through her teeth. I asked her for the name of someone else I might see and she gave me three names. On my way out of her office, her secretary tried to collect $140 from me and I just told her to turn me over to collection and I'd just sue Tia. I made sure Tia could hear what I said. I wouldn't sue her but she doesn't know that and it felt good to say it. I never DID get a bill for that visit.
So now I'm going back to a psychiatrist I saw over a year ago in my quest to dump Tia. Her name is Dr. Song and she's a psychopharmacologist but she was so quiet and conservative that I found her really hard to speak to. She's looking a lot better now that I've "done time" with Tia so I'll see her next week.
I've been a little manicky for a few days now and haven't been able to sleep much. Steve's only seen me have one hypomanic episode and that was a couple of months ago, but he already can see them coming. When I took everything out of the kitchen cupboards this weekend and cleaned them out, he told me I was acting manicky. Slug said the same thing on the phone. Jeesh -- can't I even clean a little in my normal state? Probably not. Slug and Steve were both right, and then it was confirmed when I spoke to Mom today and she said I was talking too fast. Then I caught myself making lists again of stuff I have to do or topics to blog about. My list-making is a dead giveaway. We're not talking here about a common grocery list, but list of everything you can think of -- music, recipes, chores, etc. I seem to have a huge need to feel organized when my brain is not. This too shall pass.
Meanwhile, we stopped by a psychiatrist's office yesterday to complete the paperwork to get an appointment with this doctor who I saw over a year ago. I didn't go back after the initial appointment because I found a Nurse Practitioner by the name of Tia whose office was very close to our apartment and who could write me the prescriptions I need. Tia turned out to be crazier than me! I know that's hard to believe, but it's true. When I had my knee surgery, the visiting nurse who came to the apartment asked who I saw for my psych drugs and I told her it had been crazy Tia, but I was trying to find someone else. Turns out the nurse's daughter worked for the crazy Tia for one week and was fired over a very small thing. The daughter said the Tia would tell her which room to put the patients in, and then five minutes later asked her to move them to different rooms; this would go on all day. Then when she'd finally get around to seeing a patient, she'd talk about herself the whole session and they couldn't get a word in edgewise.
A couple of months ago when I'd nosedived after a manic episode and was on the edge of one of my abyssmal depressions, I called the Tia to help me adjust my medications in an attempt to end the episode. I left a message with her answering service. She didn't return my call.
I should point out at this juncture that when I lived in NYC, I was seeing an excellent psychiatrist for seven years who knew that if I called him and left a message I wasn't kidding around and really needed his help. He always got back to me within an hour and would tell me how to re-adjust the meds I was taking or prescribe something else to get me back to normal. He was what is known as a Psychopharmacologist and had his MD in Psychiatry and a PhD in Pharmacy with an emphasis on psychotropic medications (meds used to treat all forms of mental illness). I always trusted his judgement and he never steered me wrong. That's the act Tia had to follow.
Since Tia didn't return my first OR second calls, I had to do something myself. In Florida, regular physicians don't want anything to do with psychotropic medications and won't even write prescriptions for them. They don't know a lot about them and are probably afraid of being sued. I doubled up on my lithium and took 100 mg of Benadryl (four capsules) which I knew would knock me out and sleep can sometimes get brain chemicals back on track. A couple of days later I called my regular physician, Dr. Sanchez, and told her my dilemma. Since Tia's office is in the same building as her's, she called Tia herself and left a message. Tia didn't call her back either, but DID finally call me and ask me to come and see her.
I went to see Tia and asked her why she hadn't returned my calls and she acted quite startled that I'd been trying to reach her and claimed that she didn't get my messages. I mentioned to her that as a nurse specializing in Psychiatry, I felt she needed to understand that her patients could be having a crisis and needed to know they could reach out to her. She stated that her answering service had been terrible and she had fired them. I didn't believe her for a second since she even looked like she was lying through her teeth. I asked her for the name of someone else I might see and she gave me three names. On my way out of her office, her secretary tried to collect $140 from me and I just told her to turn me over to collection and I'd just sue Tia. I made sure Tia could hear what I said. I wouldn't sue her but she doesn't know that and it felt good to say it. I never DID get a bill for that visit.
So now I'm going back to a psychiatrist I saw over a year ago in my quest to dump Tia. Her name is Dr. Song and she's a psychopharmacologist but she was so quiet and conservative that I found her really hard to speak to. She's looking a lot better now that I've "done time" with Tia so I'll see her next week.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Wait 'til Tomorrow
Did you know...
... that today is Procrastinator's New Year? If you are a procrastinator, you should be getting around to celebrating the New Year today. Do it today. Or tomorrow. No hurry.
... that today is Procrastinator's New Year? If you are a procrastinator, you should be getting around to celebrating the New Year today. Do it today. Or tomorrow. No hurry.
Strange Samplings
Here's a website offering free samples of really weird novelty cologne in the following scents:
http://www.WeirdFragrances.com
*Grease Monkey - Smell like you just finished working on a car.
*The Love Of Money - Smells like crisp dollar bills.
*Pumpkin Spice - Smells like pumpkin pie!
*Cajun Delight - The smells of a Cajun backyard get-together.
*Burning Rubber - Smells like a Friday night drag race!
*Fourth of July - Firework smoke, mmm mmm!
*Ash Tray - Smell like a smoker, without the health risks.
*Magazine Pages - Smells like... well... a magazine.
*Fresh Bread - Smells like bread hot out the oven.
*Hot Cookies - Smells like cookies hot out the oven.
I've order a couple of samples and can't wait to sniff them out!
http://www.WeirdFragrances.com
*Grease Monkey - Smell like you just finished working on a car.
*The Love Of Money - Smells like crisp dollar bills.
*Pumpkin Spice - Smells like pumpkin pie!
*Cajun Delight - The smells of a Cajun backyard get-together.
*Burning Rubber - Smells like a Friday night drag race!
*Fourth of July - Firework smoke, mmm mmm!
*Ash Tray - Smell like a smoker, without the health risks.
*Magazine Pages - Smells like... well... a magazine.
*Fresh Bread - Smells like bread hot out the oven.
*Hot Cookies - Smells like cookies hot out the oven.
I've order a couple of samples and can't wait to sniff them out!
Cooperation Tale
There is a wonderful story from the play, Some Folks Feel the Rain; Others Just Get Wet, that truly captures how people really feel about working together. Here it is...Enjoy!
A man was lost while driving through the country. As he tried to reach for the map, he accidentally drove off the road into a ditch. Though he wasn’t injured, his car was stuck deep in the mud. So the man walked to a nearby farm to ask for help.
“Warwick can get you out of that ditch,” said the farmer, pointing to an old mule standing in a field. The man looked at the decrepit old mule and looked at the farmer who just stood there repeating, “Yep, old Warwick can do the job.” The man figured he had nothing to lose. The two men and the mule made their way back to the ditch. The farmer hitched the mule to the car. With a snap of the reins, he shouted,
“Pull, Fred! Pull, Jack! Pull, Ted! Pull, Warwick!”
And the mule pulled that car right out of the ditch.
The man was amazed. He thanked the farmer, patted the mule, and asked, “Why did you call out all of those names before you called Warwick?”
The farmer grinned and said, “Old Warwick is just about blind. As long as he believes he’s part of a team, he doesn’t mind pulling.”
A man was lost while driving through the country. As he tried to reach for the map, he accidentally drove off the road into a ditch. Though he wasn’t injured, his car was stuck deep in the mud. So the man walked to a nearby farm to ask for help.
“Warwick can get you out of that ditch,” said the farmer, pointing to an old mule standing in a field. The man looked at the decrepit old mule and looked at the farmer who just stood there repeating, “Yep, old Warwick can do the job.” The man figured he had nothing to lose. The two men and the mule made their way back to the ditch. The farmer hitched the mule to the car. With a snap of the reins, he shouted,
“Pull, Fred! Pull, Jack! Pull, Ted! Pull, Warwick!”
And the mule pulled that car right out of the ditch.
The man was amazed. He thanked the farmer, patted the mule, and asked, “Why did you call out all of those names before you called Warwick?”
The farmer grinned and said, “Old Warwick is just about blind. As long as he believes he’s part of a team, he doesn’t mind pulling.”
For My Somewhat Literate Friends
The average American book-buying household purchases about 19 books a year, according to the Chicago-based industry research company Ipsos BookTrends, spending $176 in the process. To trim your family’s bill, wait for the paperback (which typically comes out six to nine months after the hardcover, at about half the price), or check sites like Powell’s Books (www.powells.com), Strand Book Store (www.strandbooks.com), www.amazon.com, and www.overstock.com for used and overstock books. If you buy a lot, consider an annual membership card from a chain like Barnes & Noble ($25) or Books-A-Million ($10), which will give you 10 percent off most in-store purchases. Remember, though, that you have to spend plenty of money on books annually (at least $250 at Barnes & Noble and $100 at Books-A-Million) to break even. Of course, the library offers the best deal: It’s free, as long as you remember to return the book before those 20-cents-a-day fines start piling up.
Copied from the blog for JustFree Stuff. I'll also add that Edward Hamilton Booksellers has the best deal on brand new books -- hardcover and paperback, and if you can endure reading the listings, you can get some really good deals. Check out their website if you'd like to get the mailings. The best deal on books can be found in thrift or consignment shops. You don't have to return them, if they stink you don't care 'cause they're so cheap, and there's always a ton of paperbacks with a few unusual hardcover collectibles if you're into that.
Copied from the blog for JustFree Stuff. I'll also add that Edward Hamilton Booksellers has the best deal on brand new books -- hardcover and paperback, and if you can endure reading the listings, you can get some really good deals. Check out their website if you'd like to get the mailings. The best deal on books can be found in thrift or consignment shops. You don't have to return them, if they stink you don't care 'cause they're so cheap, and there's always a ton of paperbacks with a few unusual hardcover collectibles if you're into that.
Canine Performance Measurement
Here's your totally useless fact of the day:
In the U.S., 25,300,500 out of more than 40 million dogs can perform at least one trick. According to a survey conducted by the Pet Food Institute and Frosty Paws, a pet food trade organization, 5,313,105 dogs sit, 3,795,075 shake paw and only 379,508dogs "say prayers."
Does your dog measure up? This study didn't include OTHER things dogs do when they're told to shake -- like my nephew dog, Bosley, who moves one leg forward when told to shake. He's a sweet dog -- not too bright, but sweet.
In the U.S., 25,300,500 out of more than 40 million dogs can perform at least one trick. According to a survey conducted by the Pet Food Institute and Frosty Paws, a pet food trade organization, 5,313,105 dogs sit, 3,795,075 shake paw and only 379,508dogs "say prayers."
Does your dog measure up? This study didn't include OTHER things dogs do when they're told to shake -- like my nephew dog, Bosley, who moves one leg forward when told to shake. He's a sweet dog -- not too bright, but sweet.
Monday, January 14, 2008
How I Avoid Domestication
Didn't have too much to do today, so I thought I'd bake something. Steve requested something NOT chocolate (can you imagine?) and not sweet. That really restricts the field for me. I even looked in a cookbook at bread recipes but we don't have any yeast, and even if I elected to defy his request, we have very little sugar. So now I'm forced to watch reruns of "King of Queens" again which is what I really wanted to do in the first place.
So Britney didn't show up for her child custody hearing today -- big shock there. And OJ is back in a Las Vegas jail -- I personally think he looks his best in jail clothes rather than Bruno Magli (Maglio?) shoes. I'm just not up on designer shoes.
Tomorrow we're going to check out the Pasco County Historical Museum which isn't too far from here. Feel like it's something we SHOULD do since we live here.
We cleaned our oven yesterday since I attempted to make blond brownies the other day and put the batter in a pan that was too shallow. As they baked, the batter rose and ran all over the oven creating a veritable smoke bomb in our apartment! I'm usually a good baker, by the way. I wanted to keep the pan anyway since it tasted like warm cookie dough, but Steve threw it out before I could get to it. A wise choice for me on his part.
I made corn muffins this morning and when I pre-heated the oven smoke came out of the burners! We'd forgotten to clean the back wall of the oven and the oven cleaner was burning up! Do you think we should start ordering takeout regularly?
So Britney didn't show up for her child custody hearing today -- big shock there. And OJ is back in a Las Vegas jail -- I personally think he looks his best in jail clothes rather than Bruno Magli (Maglio?) shoes. I'm just not up on designer shoes.
Tomorrow we're going to check out the Pasco County Historical Museum which isn't too far from here. Feel like it's something we SHOULD do since we live here.
We cleaned our oven yesterday since I attempted to make blond brownies the other day and put the batter in a pan that was too shallow. As they baked, the batter rose and ran all over the oven creating a veritable smoke bomb in our apartment! I'm usually a good baker, by the way. I wanted to keep the pan anyway since it tasted like warm cookie dough, but Steve threw it out before I could get to it. A wise choice for me on his part.
I made corn muffins this morning and when I pre-heated the oven smoke came out of the burners! We'd forgotten to clean the back wall of the oven and the oven cleaner was burning up! Do you think we should start ordering takeout regularly?
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Making An Effort
Steve is really a good guy in spite of his insecurities about his appearance, which is actually ridiculous since he's a good-looking man. He's happiest when someone makes a positive remark about his looks, and it leads me to wonder how it would be if something ever happened to him that affected his outer self. He knows for a fact that he needs to work on his inner self and he really tries, even though he slips up once in awhile.
He's trying to worry less (yes, he sweats the small stuff), be more patient, and not to get crazy over stupid things. I've told him that he's much easier to live with when he's trying to better himself, but he said that sometimes he gets tired of always trying to be better. I've encouraged him by saying that once you practice it long enough, it'll come naturally, although I can't imagine that day ever arriving for him. We're all just works in progress.
He's also baffled with how much I read, whether it's a newspaper, magazine, book or anything else. He would love to be a reader but I doubt that he could ever find any peace in it, since it's not in his makeup to sit still for any length of time.
I'd pay money to have a tenth of his energy or his ability to eat like a horse and never gain an ounce. I told him that my next significant will have to be rich, fat and old. It's not easy being Steve.
He's trying to worry less (yes, he sweats the small stuff), be more patient, and not to get crazy over stupid things. I've told him that he's much easier to live with when he's trying to better himself, but he said that sometimes he gets tired of always trying to be better. I've encouraged him by saying that once you practice it long enough, it'll come naturally, although I can't imagine that day ever arriving for him. We're all just works in progress.
He's also baffled with how much I read, whether it's a newspaper, magazine, book or anything else. He would love to be a reader but I doubt that he could ever find any peace in it, since it's not in his makeup to sit still for any length of time.
I'd pay money to have a tenth of his energy or his ability to eat like a horse and never gain an ounce. I told him that my next significant will have to be rich, fat and old. It's not easy being Steve.
Ever Wondered What The Words Are?
Here's a fun website with a list of misheard lyrics to songs over the years:
http://www.kissthisguy.com/funny.php
I was able to resolve a few of my own questions with this.
http://www.kissthisguy.com/funny.php
I was able to resolve a few of my own questions with this.
Very Useful Home Remedies
Subject: Amazingly Simple Home Remedies
1. Avoid cutting yourself slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold while you chop.
2. Avoid arguments with the Mrs. about lifting the toilet seat by using the shower.
3. For high blood pressure sufferers: simply cut yourself and bleed for a few minutes, thus reducing the pressure in your veins. Remember to use timer.
4. A mouse trap, placed on top of your alarm clock, will prevent you from rolling over and going back to sleep after you hit the snooze button.
5. If you have a bad cough, take a large dose of laxative, then you will be afraid to cough.
6. You only need 2 tools in life WD-40 & Duct tape. If it doesn't move and should, use the WD-40. If it shouldn't move and does, use the duct tape.
7. If you are choking on an ice cube, simply pour a cup of boiling water down your throat. Presto! The blockage will instantly remove itself.
8. Remember: Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.
Daily thought: SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE SLINKYS. NOT REALLY GOOD FOR ANYTHING
BUT THEY BRING A SMILE TO YOUR FACE WHEN PUSHED DOWN THE STAIRS.
1. Avoid cutting yourself slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold while you chop.
2. Avoid arguments with the Mrs. about lifting the toilet seat by using the shower.
3. For high blood pressure sufferers: simply cut yourself and bleed for a few minutes, thus reducing the pressure in your veins. Remember to use timer.
4. A mouse trap, placed on top of your alarm clock, will prevent you from rolling over and going back to sleep after you hit the snooze button.
5. If you have a bad cough, take a large dose of laxative, then you will be afraid to cough.
6. You only need 2 tools in life WD-40 & Duct tape. If it doesn't move and should, use the WD-40. If it shouldn't move and does, use the duct tape.
7. If you are choking on an ice cube, simply pour a cup of boiling water down your throat. Presto! The blockage will instantly remove itself.
8. Remember: Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.
Daily thought: SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE SLINKYS. NOT REALLY GOOD FOR ANYTHING
BUT THEY BRING A SMILE TO YOUR FACE WHEN PUSHED DOWN THE STAIRS.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Courtesy of Buddha
Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it.
Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many.
Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books.
Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders.
Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations.
But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.
- Buddha
Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many.
Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books.
Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders.
Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations.
But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.
- Buddha
News Flash ala Jules & Tomkin!
Jules (my sister's only child Julie) is finally getting married! Now I'll have to give up that picture of Jules I have in my memory bank of her sitting in a rocking chair crocheting an afghan whilst tossing back flyaway gray hairs on the sidewalk outside of some old folks' home while her feeble friends (the former Game Day Girls) or any one of the 300 guys she dated and became friends with stop by with denture cleaner, chocolate or bibs.
It's exciting for our family to have a real "event" to look forward to. We've had graduations or birthdays in the past few years, even an unforeseen divorce, but no new babies, brides, houses, or even recipes. Jules and Tomkin will tie the proverbial knot in April of this year at their home in St. Paul, Minnesota, with Tomkin's dad performing the ceremony. Jules will be wearing red for the occasion, which I personally think is too cool. We're all really happy for both of them. She's probably the smartest one in our family to wait until her late 30's to marry --hopefully she knows a little more than we did in our 20's. But how could that be? We all know that I know more than all of you!!! Not!!!
It's exciting for our family to have a real "event" to look forward to. We've had graduations or birthdays in the past few years, even an unforeseen divorce, but no new babies, brides, houses, or even recipes. Jules and Tomkin will tie the proverbial knot in April of this year at their home in St. Paul, Minnesota, with Tomkin's dad performing the ceremony. Jules will be wearing red for the occasion, which I personally think is too cool. We're all really happy for both of them. She's probably the smartest one in our family to wait until her late 30's to marry --hopefully she knows a little more than we did in our 20's. But how could that be? We all know that I know more than all of you!!! Not!!!
Friday, January 11, 2008
Just One of Those Days
Yesterday seemed like just another day until we went out to run some errands and the car wouldn't start. Had to come back in and call AAA to tow the car to the mechanic. So much for errands.
The auto mechanic called later and said he thought we might need a new starter. He called again later to say it was the battery which we had just replaced less than six months ago. Apparently the high usage of car A/C really drains batteries. We asked him to put in a new battery and change the oil while the car was there. He called back again saying that we needed a new fan belt and some other stuff I didn't understand. We finally got the car back (after paying the ransom demand) and proceeded to do our errands. We went to get some groceries which, as always, ended up costing twice as much as we'd planned.
Steve wanted to fix some of our gift scallops for dinner and while he was doing that, he dropped a whole bottle of basil! It was everywhere! Unless you live somewhere over a vast body of water from here, you probably heard him cursing. If you don't know Steve, he's a total clean freak and he had just finished vacuuming (a daily routine for him; weekly for me). Then he decided he wanted cornbread to have with the meal which normally I would make. He wanted to do it himself so I told him to follow the recipe on the cornmeal container. He did, but forgot to put in sugar so they were a little bland.
Oh well -- tomorrow's another day and we'll never go hungry again!
The auto mechanic called later and said he thought we might need a new starter. He called again later to say it was the battery which we had just replaced less than six months ago. Apparently the high usage of car A/C really drains batteries. We asked him to put in a new battery and change the oil while the car was there. He called back again saying that we needed a new fan belt and some other stuff I didn't understand. We finally got the car back (after paying the ransom demand) and proceeded to do our errands. We went to get some groceries which, as always, ended up costing twice as much as we'd planned.
Steve wanted to fix some of our gift scallops for dinner and while he was doing that, he dropped a whole bottle of basil! It was everywhere! Unless you live somewhere over a vast body of water from here, you probably heard him cursing. If you don't know Steve, he's a total clean freak and he had just finished vacuuming (a daily routine for him; weekly for me). Then he decided he wanted cornbread to have with the meal which normally I would make. He wanted to do it himself so I told him to follow the recipe on the cornmeal container. He did, but forgot to put in sugar so they were a little bland.
Oh well -- tomorrow's another day and we'll never go hungry again!
Clint Eastwood Trivia
In the early 1950s, Clint Eastwood signed a $75-a-week contract with Universal to do walk-ons in low-budget horror flicks like Revenge of the Creature. He was fired when studio executives decided his Adam's apple protruded too much for him to be star material. For some time, Eastwood took on odd jobs, such as digging swimming pools, to augment what little money he could make from small parts in TV series like
Highway Patrol. However, once he was cast as Rowdy Yates on the TV western Rawhide in 1958, Eastwood's star began to shoot to the top.
Highway Patrol. However, once he was cast as Rowdy Yates on the TV western Rawhide in 1958, Eastwood's star began to shoot to the top.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
In Case You Were Wondering
The Entrepreneurial Spirit!
A warehouse on Chicago's West Side is "the world capital of fake (latex) vomit, where it's still made the old-fashioned way, ladle by ladle, formed and coagulated," reported the Chicago Tribune in December. Though it is not as popular as 50 years ago (7,000 units sold yearly, compared to 60,000 then), Fun Inc. President Graham Putnam said, still, "It's the best vomit on the market." According to the awe-struck Tribune reporter: "The texture is soft and sturdy, pliable and complex, with ridges of multihued solid chunks looking like a jagged lunar landscape ... perfect for the bathroom, refrigerator, auto seat or sidewalk." [Chicago Tribune, 12-12-07]
A warehouse on Chicago's West Side is "the world capital of fake (latex) vomit, where it's still made the old-fashioned way, ladle by ladle, formed and coagulated," reported the Chicago Tribune in December. Though it is not as popular as 50 years ago (7,000 units sold yearly, compared to 60,000 then), Fun Inc. President Graham Putnam said, still, "It's the best vomit on the market." According to the awe-struck Tribune reporter: "The texture is soft and sturdy, pliable and complex, with ridges of multihued solid chunks looking like a jagged lunar landscape ... perfect for the bathroom, refrigerator, auto seat or sidewalk." [Chicago Tribune, 12-12-07]
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Stuff Everyone Should Know
April 14, 2007 (From Mental Floss Magazine)
Q: Who’s the genius behind the Life Saver?
A: Now realize, we’re talking candy here, not flotation device (we did use the word genius, right?) Well, here’s the story. Before electric refrigeration became widespread and affordable (around 1920), summer was a bad time for chocolate makers. So when Ohio chocolate manufacturer Clarence Crane was looking for some non-melty revenue streams in 1912, he decided to develop a hard, peppermint candy that could withstand the summer heat. To make his candy even more summer-friendly (and to differentiate them from the traditional square mints) Crane shaped his invention like the life preservers seen on ocean vessels. Unfortunately, the candy innovator underestimated the American passion for food with holes and sold the brand to an ad salesman named Edward John Noble for a paltry $2,900 just before Life Saver sales began to skyrocket. The only change Noble made to the product was switching the packaging from thin cardboard (which made the candy taste, well, like cardboard) to its trademark foil. Between 1913 and 1987, over 33.4 billion Life Savers were sold.
Q: Who’s the genius behind the Life Saver?
A: Now realize, we’re talking candy here, not flotation device (we did use the word genius, right?) Well, here’s the story. Before electric refrigeration became widespread and affordable (around 1920), summer was a bad time for chocolate makers. So when Ohio chocolate manufacturer Clarence Crane was looking for some non-melty revenue streams in 1912, he decided to develop a hard, peppermint candy that could withstand the summer heat. To make his candy even more summer-friendly (and to differentiate them from the traditional square mints) Crane shaped his invention like the life preservers seen on ocean vessels. Unfortunately, the candy innovator underestimated the American passion for food with holes and sold the brand to an ad salesman named Edward John Noble for a paltry $2,900 just before Life Saver sales began to skyrocket. The only change Noble made to the product was switching the packaging from thin cardboard (which made the candy taste, well, like cardboard) to its trademark foil. Between 1913 and 1987, over 33.4 billion Life Savers were sold.
Spoiled Celebrities
Thsi was excerpted from the website for Mental Floss:
Various Spoiled Artists
Oh, there are just so many. Celine Dion requires a children’s choir with 20 to 24 children of all races. Pavarotti used to demand that there be no noise backstage or distinct smells anywhere near him; but he did want a golf cart. Cher can’t perform without a wig room, cable TV that gets Turner Classic Movies, and a room for her massage therapist. “Weird Al” Yankovic is a strict vegan and forbids Dasani water. Elton John demands that his dressing room be kept at 60° in summer and 70° in winter. And Busta Rhymes insists that there be no pork or beef anywhere near his dressing room; but he does want a 24-piece bucket of KFC and a box of Rough Riders condoms (ribbed).
I would demand Nut Goodies and Diet A&W Root Beer for starters.
Various Spoiled Artists
Oh, there are just so many. Celine Dion requires a children’s choir with 20 to 24 children of all races. Pavarotti used to demand that there be no noise backstage or distinct smells anywhere near him; but he did want a golf cart. Cher can’t perform without a wig room, cable TV that gets Turner Classic Movies, and a room for her massage therapist. “Weird Al” Yankovic is a strict vegan and forbids Dasani water. Elton John demands that his dressing room be kept at 60° in summer and 70° in winter. And Busta Rhymes insists that there be no pork or beef anywhere near his dressing room; but he does want a 24-piece bucket of KFC and a box of Rough Riders condoms (ribbed).
I would demand Nut Goodies and Diet A&W Root Beer for starters.
Dream A Little Dream
Last night I took a muscle relaxer because my back was interfering with my ability to sleep. When I awoke this morning I was exhausted since I'd been so busy in my dreams.
I was leaning against a conrete block wall about three feet from the stage in some type of performance center. Tony Bennett was singing "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" but sometimes he'd forget the words and I'd fill them in for him. Apparently this was my job. Then we jump to someone's house where there are babies everywhere, all appearing to be about the same age, that being maybe a few months old. They were all comfortably bundled up in their own white blankets, while I was trying to calm down the babies that were crying or carrying on. There were a couple of other women there too, but the only one I can remember was Chelsi. She was freaking out about all the noise and asking me over and over what she should do to calm the babies. She wouldn't listen to what I answered and continued to talk over me.
A blond man with a cowboy hat came into the room apparently to retrieve one of the babies. He wore blue jeans with a woven leather belt that was red, blue, green and yellow, and very bright.
I sat down in a recliner and just observed the whole scene. Suddenly there were tiny kittens jumping all over me! I was having such a great time with them that I started laughing out loud which woke me up!
If anyone has any theories about what this dream indicates, please let me know.
I was leaning against a conrete block wall about three feet from the stage in some type of performance center. Tony Bennett was singing "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" but sometimes he'd forget the words and I'd fill them in for him. Apparently this was my job. Then we jump to someone's house where there are babies everywhere, all appearing to be about the same age, that being maybe a few months old. They were all comfortably bundled up in their own white blankets, while I was trying to calm down the babies that were crying or carrying on. There were a couple of other women there too, but the only one I can remember was Chelsi. She was freaking out about all the noise and asking me over and over what she should do to calm the babies. She wouldn't listen to what I answered and continued to talk over me.
A blond man with a cowboy hat came into the room apparently to retrieve one of the babies. He wore blue jeans with a woven leather belt that was red, blue, green and yellow, and very bright.
I sat down in a recliner and just observed the whole scene. Suddenly there were tiny kittens jumping all over me! I was having such a great time with them that I started laughing out loud which woke me up!
If anyone has any theories about what this dream indicates, please let me know.
Mad Hatter Trivia
More than 100 years ago, the felt hat makers of England used mercury to stabilize wool. Most of them eventually became poisoned by the fumes, as demonstrated by the Mad Hatter in Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. Breathing mercury's fumes over a long period of time will cause erethism, a disorder characterized by nervousness, irritability,and strange personality changes.
Wonder if I've been around too much mercury lately...
Wonder if I've been around too much mercury lately...
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Why I Should Listen to Doctors Sometimes
In 2007 I was in a local hospital for evaluation of rectal bleeding -- aren't you glad I shared that? After five days of eating nothing but fluids, they finally did a colonoscopy and determined that I had diverticulitis, a condition which causes problems in the colon because of little pockets that form and catch certain types of food, thus creating abdominal pain and occasionally bleeding. I was told to refrain from eating any kind of seeds, popcorn, and other stuff I don't remember.
Last week I bought two bags of sunflower seeds and proceeded to polish them off within three days. The salt, which I'm also not supposed to have because of high blood pressure, was irresistible and I just couldn't leave them alone. I woke up at four in the morning on Monday with terrible abdominal pain that just wouldn't stop. So, of course, I looked up my condition on the Web which pointed out that the main symptom of diverticulitis is left lower abdominal pain which is exactly the location of my pain. Drat! Thus ends my marathon sunflower seed career. I'm trying to be grateful that it's not chocolate that I have to give up. Things could always be worse.
Last week I bought two bags of sunflower seeds and proceeded to polish them off within three days. The salt, which I'm also not supposed to have because of high blood pressure, was irresistible and I just couldn't leave them alone. I woke up at four in the morning on Monday with terrible abdominal pain that just wouldn't stop. So, of course, I looked up my condition on the Web which pointed out that the main symptom of diverticulitis is left lower abdominal pain which is exactly the location of my pain. Drat! Thus ends my marathon sunflower seed career. I'm trying to be grateful that it's not chocolate that I have to give up. Things could always be worse.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Odd Days
We weren't sure what we were going to do today, but figured we'd go to the video store and rent some movies since TV was lacking in anything but reruns. Then there was knock on the door amd it was Brant with a huge container of scallops from his job. It was like we'd won the scallop lottery! Brant does all the ordering of food for the restaurant where he is the kitchen manager and we are very happy to know him even before he started dropping off stuff we can't afford to buy! What a treat!
A few minutes later there was another knock on the door and it was Karen who used to be our neighbor and she just dropped by to say hi. I was so happy to see her! She had lived with Wayne, another neighbor, for four years, and they'd broken up just before Christmas. At first she was devastated when he asked her to leave, but now she's very okay with it and realizes it was a good thing since she'd lost herself to the relationship and become just what he'd wanted her to be. She gave up her friends to be his woman and lost herself to his control for four years to try to make their relationship work. Wayne is an alcoholic, and a really good guy, but doesn't even know whi he is without drinking. He claims to be thoroughly enjoying himself as a single man, but I have a feeling it's just a phase -- he's the type of guy who needs someone his life to blame everythihg on. He must've seen her car outside, 'cause he suddenly came up to "borrow" some garlic salt which she says he doesn't even really like. Now that she's gotten over the initial trauma of being kicked out of his life, she seems to be finding herself again and doing quite well, which probably drives him nuts.
A few minutes later there was another knock on the door and it was Karen who used to be our neighbor and she just dropped by to say hi. I was so happy to see her! She had lived with Wayne, another neighbor, for four years, and they'd broken up just before Christmas. At first she was devastated when he asked her to leave, but now she's very okay with it and realizes it was a good thing since she'd lost herself to the relationship and become just what he'd wanted her to be. She gave up her friends to be his woman and lost herself to his control for four years to try to make their relationship work. Wayne is an alcoholic, and a really good guy, but doesn't even know whi he is without drinking. He claims to be thoroughly enjoying himself as a single man, but I have a feeling it's just a phase -- he's the type of guy who needs someone his life to blame everythihg on. He must've seen her car outside, 'cause he suddenly came up to "borrow" some garlic salt which she says he doesn't even really like. Now that she's gotten over the initial trauma of being kicked out of his life, she seems to be finding herself again and doing quite well, which probably drives him nuts.
Saturday, January 5, 2008
This Is News?
The Long Island Lolita (Amy Fisher) and her husband have marketed a tape of their sexual escapades -- who cares? Britney's snapped yet again, her sister's pregnant but doesn't know how she got that way, blah, blah, blah. Oh yeah -- Eddie Murphy got married yet again. Boring...we need some REAL news. At least B. Obama came out on top in Iowa -- THAT was good news! Can you imagine having a President named Huckabee? We'd be the laughing stock of other countries. The name just sets itself up for mockery! I bet Hillary has a few expletives of her own when she came in third -- not second, but third!
Friday, January 4, 2008
So That Was Christmas...
Seems like Christmas came up really quickly after the hype started this year. We had a nice holiday together and enjoyed our neighbors as well. We ate well, exchanged some very cool gifts, and are still enjoying the decorations which we plan to take down on Twelfth Night which is the sixth of this month. Luckily our landlord supplied us with a storage space in the building where we keep all of our decorations amongst other things.
On New Year's Eve we were in bed by ll:00 PM -- guess that's an indication of age. Steve's brother and his wife stayed up to watch the 100th dropping of the ball in Times Square, and then they were talking and missed the whole thing!
In CVS they're stocking the shelves with Valentine items now -- you gotta love American consumerism. I've eaten all of my Christmas chocolates and now I'm back on my yucky diet. Received a flyer from my insurance carrier today and they'll cover my membership in a womens' health club that's not far from here so I think I'll take them up on it when my knee is a little stronger. Pretty scary, eh?
On New Year's Eve we were in bed by ll:00 PM -- guess that's an indication of age. Steve's brother and his wife stayed up to watch the 100th dropping of the ball in Times Square, and then they were talking and missed the whole thing!
In CVS they're stocking the shelves with Valentine items now -- you gotta love American consumerism. I've eaten all of my Christmas chocolates and now I'm back on my yucky diet. Received a flyer from my insurance carrier today and they'll cover my membership in a womens' health club that's not far from here so I think I'll take them up on it when my knee is a little stronger. Pretty scary, eh?
Odd Factoid
Here's your totally useless fact of the day:
The average adult stands 0.4 inch (1 cm) taller in the morning than in the evening, because the cartilage in the spine compresses during the day.
So if you laid in bed for a year, would you be six inches shorter?
The average adult stands 0.4 inch (1 cm) taller in the morning than in the evening, because the cartilage in the spine compresses during the day.
So if you laid in bed for a year, would you be six inches shorter?
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