... for Sunday, April 11th, 2010.
What did I do of import Thursday? I got a haircut. Badly needed. To say that I looked like a shaggy dog would be kind. I'm not 'gorgeous', but my hair is at least trimmed and neat. A good thing.
On Friday, I made the long drive out to Kemah and enjoyed two - after all, it was happy hour! - of their delicious margaritas, at the same time enjoying chips and dip and nibbling on red snapper, some of which is still in my refrigerator and about to undergo its second warmup. :)
I had the car radio on all these times, of course, and took a few notes on what I heard that I had some reaction to. These are in addition, for the most part, to what I've seen on television recently ... ...
Sarah Palin ... Have you gotten tired of hearing that name? I have! I'm tired of seeing her face, her daughter's and grandchild's faces and hearing Sarah's 'down home' accent. It just sounds "hillbillyish" to me.
Sandra Bullock ... The nasty thought occurred to me that she was given an Academy Award only because she would shortly become so controversial and could provide so much grist for Hollywood's never-ending gossip mills. I mean, my goodness! Sandra Bullock's personal life this, Sandra Bullock's love life that ... ... stop, already!!
Tiger Woods? Same type of comments.
What's been happening to our gas prices, anyway? They're nowhere near what they were a couple of years ago, but still! I couldn't help but notice them.
One final little thought ... ... I passed a Mister CarWash on the way back home and saw a sign that said, "Go, Astros!"
Go, Astros??? They're aught and five right now, folks. Nuff said.
That's all for today. I'm going to take a little break here and play some BridgeBaseOnline. I hope, if I don't meet up with one of my 'friends', that I'll at least hook up with a halfway decent partner.
Catcha next time, ok?
Showing posts with label Miscellaneous. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Miscellaneous. Show all posts
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Saturday, January 16, 2010
It's been a while ...
... since I posted. Where have I been and what have I been doing, anyway? Well, I've been here. Doing a lot of sleeping, some bridge-playing online, but no posting.
Why not? Well, I really can't answer that with any great amount of accuracy. Every time I get in here, I go to BridgeBase (after first checking my e-mails) and then that kind of shoots my day - or interrupts it a whole bunch, let's say.
Sometimes I'll lay in bed thinking of something I could say that you might be interested in, but then usually I'll turn over, go back to sleep and it's mostly gone later. Kind of like the other day, when I was thinking about Kris Kristofferson, only this one I remember.
Why Kris Kristofferson? Well, I happened to catch a VERY mediocre movie recently that he starred in (playing one of the bad guys) ... Jan-Michael Vincent played his brother (one of the good guys). A most unlikely brother combination, wouldn't you say? I only watched it to the end because I wanted to see Kris "get his" and wasn't disappointed.
During the movie I found myself comparing their heights. Why that? Well, I had a chance meeting with Mr. Kristofferson in Nashville many years ago. I was there in my capacity as Marketing Manager for Kirby Building Systems, and was strolling the hotel during a few free minutes. There was a fountain in the main lobby and there he was, sitting beside it, all by his lonesome.
I thought, "Neat!" Went over, all smiles, and was all set to shake his hand when he rose and I realized that he was shorter than I. !?! The next words out of my mouth were, "My goodness, you're short!" Wouldn't you just know it? Out they popped before I had any idea they were going to be said aloud.
Well, he didn't take very kindly to that remark, said something rude and we went our separate ways. Rrvit!
So, anyway, I was kind of interested in seeing how Jan-Michael's height compared. He is perhaps an inch or two taller than Kris - this just in case you were the least bit curious, making him about my height. Another piece of useless trivia for you.
And then, of course, I got to thinking about Alan Ladd ... ... I'd always heard that he had to stand on a box to be tall enough for kissing closeups with his female co-stars. I guess I have kind of a "thing" about always wondering now how tall the person really is, what the newscaster is wearing underneath the table (or out of camera range), stuff like that. I'm a little weird that way.
Speaking of movies, I'm to be treated later this afternoon to the 1968 film version of "Heidi" ... ... this is the one starring Michael Redgrave as the grandfather, Maximilian Schell as the injured girl's father, Jean Simmons as the governess and Walter Slezak as Father Richter. Wonderful, wonderful!
Have a few outside errands to do and it's going on 2pm now. I'll have to leave the house shortly so I don't miss a single moment. It's coming on at 4pm. (This movie is showing on one of the local religious channels. No commercials.) I need to make a couple/three different stops ... the main one at Randall's. Have to pick up a bunch more of "Harvest Peach" - the Yoplait yogurt flavor that I've recently become addicted to, a couple of their absolutely delicious "melt in your mouth" blueberry muffins that I positively cannot eat in one sitting but they keep beautifully, perhaps another Xword magazine, some chicken tenders ... that's about it for Randall's, and then it's on to Luby's to get some of their wonderful spinach salad to go. I might even make another stop for another salad to go. We'll see how my time goes.
I haven't been outside much. It's been cold (for us) most of the month. In fact, all of my very large tropical plants that have been outside ever since I've lived here are now deader than the proverbial doornail. I'll have to hire someone to clean out the back yard come warmer weather. I don't have the strength for it anymore.
Talking about back yards, I have always been of the opinion that one does not go into another's back yard without being invited. Now, when my neighbor trespassed into my back yard last month to alert me that both our garages had been broken into, that was understandable. I didn't like it much, but I understood it.
More recently, I was even less pleased when a member of our homeowner's association left a notice at my back door. Then, a couple of days later, same person (I'm assuming) kept pounding on my back door to see if I had received it and to try and get me to sign some sort of petition he was circulating.
To say that I am ticked would be putting it mildly. I shared all of this with my family when I was out in Katy recently. They didn't like it, either. Not sure what we're going to do about it at this point. Relations between the homeowner's association and myself have been, shall we say, somewhat strained for years and these latest incidents have not helped matters.
Don't be too surprised if I leave this area sometime later this year. Never thought I'd say that. I've lived in this house since the late 70's, and thought I'd be here the rest of my life, but .. .. things change, circumstances change. I think I might be ready to go.
Beth's latest - newly-revised - scheduled return to Houston is Monday. We're both hopeful that she can finally leave the Arctic Circle and get back to where she can go outside without having to first spend several minutes bundling up. I'll be picking her up at IAH just before 1pm. Don't know if she'll be too tired to stop in Kemah 'on the way' back to her home or not. I'm positive she'll be hungry, but tired will be another matter.
Speaking of Kemah, there was a fire at one of the restaurants over there yesterday. Not the one we usually go to, thank goodness. (Not that a fire anywhere is a good thing. I'm just glad it wasn't at 'our' restaurant.)
Have to go, folks. Hope all of you are well, safe and warm. Can't say when I'll be posting again, but - hopefully - the interim will be of shorter duration. Noticed earlier that I have lost a subscriber. Oh, well. Not surprising, eh what?
Why not? Well, I really can't answer that with any great amount of accuracy. Every time I get in here, I go to BridgeBase (after first checking my e-mails) and then that kind of shoots my day - or interrupts it a whole bunch, let's say.
Sometimes I'll lay in bed thinking of something I could say that you might be interested in, but then usually I'll turn over, go back to sleep and it's mostly gone later. Kind of like the other day, when I was thinking about Kris Kristofferson, only this one I remember.
Why Kris Kristofferson? Well, I happened to catch a VERY mediocre movie recently that he starred in (playing one of the bad guys) ... Jan-Michael Vincent played his brother (one of the good guys). A most unlikely brother combination, wouldn't you say? I only watched it to the end because I wanted to see Kris "get his" and wasn't disappointed.
During the movie I found myself comparing their heights. Why that? Well, I had a chance meeting with Mr. Kristofferson in Nashville many years ago. I was there in my capacity as Marketing Manager for Kirby Building Systems, and was strolling the hotel during a few free minutes. There was a fountain in the main lobby and there he was, sitting beside it, all by his lonesome.
I thought, "Neat!" Went over, all smiles, and was all set to shake his hand when he rose and I realized that he was shorter than I. !?! The next words out of my mouth were, "My goodness, you're short!" Wouldn't you just know it? Out they popped before I had any idea they were going to be said aloud.
Well, he didn't take very kindly to that remark, said something rude and we went our separate ways. Rrvit!
So, anyway, I was kind of interested in seeing how Jan-Michael's height compared. He is perhaps an inch or two taller than Kris - this just in case you were the least bit curious, making him about my height. Another piece of useless trivia for you.
And then, of course, I got to thinking about Alan Ladd ... ... I'd always heard that he had to stand on a box to be tall enough for kissing closeups with his female co-stars. I guess I have kind of a "thing" about always wondering now how tall the person really is, what the newscaster is wearing underneath the table (or out of camera range), stuff like that. I'm a little weird that way.
Speaking of movies, I'm to be treated later this afternoon to the 1968 film version of "Heidi" ... ... this is the one starring Michael Redgrave as the grandfather, Maximilian Schell as the injured girl's father, Jean Simmons as the governess and Walter Slezak as Father Richter. Wonderful, wonderful!
Have a few outside errands to do and it's going on 2pm now. I'll have to leave the house shortly so I don't miss a single moment. It's coming on at 4pm. (This movie is showing on one of the local religious channels. No commercials.) I need to make a couple/three different stops ... the main one at Randall's. Have to pick up a bunch more of "Harvest Peach" - the Yoplait yogurt flavor that I've recently become addicted to, a couple of their absolutely delicious "melt in your mouth" blueberry muffins that I positively cannot eat in one sitting but they keep beautifully, perhaps another Xword magazine, some chicken tenders ... that's about it for Randall's, and then it's on to Luby's to get some of their wonderful spinach salad to go. I might even make another stop for another salad to go. We'll see how my time goes.
I haven't been outside much. It's been cold (for us) most of the month. In fact, all of my very large tropical plants that have been outside ever since I've lived here are now deader than the proverbial doornail. I'll have to hire someone to clean out the back yard come warmer weather. I don't have the strength for it anymore.
Talking about back yards, I have always been of the opinion that one does not go into another's back yard without being invited. Now, when my neighbor trespassed into my back yard last month to alert me that both our garages had been broken into, that was understandable. I didn't like it much, but I understood it.
More recently, I was even less pleased when a member of our homeowner's association left a notice at my back door. Then, a couple of days later, same person (I'm assuming) kept pounding on my back door to see if I had received it and to try and get me to sign some sort of petition he was circulating.
To say that I am ticked would be putting it mildly. I shared all of this with my family when I was out in Katy recently. They didn't like it, either. Not sure what we're going to do about it at this point. Relations between the homeowner's association and myself have been, shall we say, somewhat strained for years and these latest incidents have not helped matters.
Don't be too surprised if I leave this area sometime later this year. Never thought I'd say that. I've lived in this house since the late 70's, and thought I'd be here the rest of my life, but .. .. things change, circumstances change. I think I might be ready to go.
Beth's latest - newly-revised - scheduled return to Houston is Monday. We're both hopeful that she can finally leave the Arctic Circle and get back to where she can go outside without having to first spend several minutes bundling up. I'll be picking her up at IAH just before 1pm. Don't know if she'll be too tired to stop in Kemah 'on the way' back to her home or not. I'm positive she'll be hungry, but tired will be another matter.
Speaking of Kemah, there was a fire at one of the restaurants over there yesterday. Not the one we usually go to, thank goodness. (Not that a fire anywhere is a good thing. I'm just glad it wasn't at 'our' restaurant.)
Have to go, folks. Hope all of you are well, safe and warm. Can't say when I'll be posting again, but - hopefully - the interim will be of shorter duration. Noticed earlier that I have lost a subscriber. Oh, well. Not surprising, eh what?
Friday, November 13, 2009
Paraskevidekatriaphobia
How's that word grab you? Ten syllables, I think I counted, maybe eleven. Too many, that's for danged sure!
What does it mean? It means "the fear of Friday, the 13th". In doing a Google search for this word - Who in their right minds would have at their memory bank's beck and call a word like this, I want to know?!? - I discovered three different* spellings for it (LOL) and a bunch of interesting stories.
*I just arbitrarily chose one of the three. Figured I couldn't be far off.
So, what am I doing this Friday, the 13th? Not much, I'll tell you that. (So what else is new, right?)
I don't have a 'fear' of Friday, the 13th, per se, but I notice that my conscious self is always aware of when it comes around. Does it seem like it's here way too often to you, or is it just me? I guess I could take the time and do the math on this one, but I just don't feel like it. Too much of a bother.
What I really want to talk about today is the fact that next week is officially Geography Awareness Week, according to my monthly newsletter from National Geographic.
All sorts of specials will be offered on the National Geographic Channel, for those of you who have cable. (It's a cable channel, isn't it? I don't have cable.) Home-schooling mothers (and fathers) will be particularly interested in watching these with their students, I would imagine.
This year's theme is "Get Lost in Mapping", and there's a world map that you can download for free if you visit their website. All you need - according to the article I read - is paper, tape, and a world of imagination. I'm really tempted to do it, but I figure I have way too much paper gathering dust around here as it is!
However, I might change my mind and add to the clutter, anyway. A current world map would be of great interest to me. I wonder how big it is when it's all downloaded and taped together. If anyone does download it, add a comment to this post and tell us how big it is when it's all put together, will you? Just for grins.
Have a happy and safe Friday the 13th, everyone, and I'll catch all y'all later.
What does it mean? It means "the fear of Friday, the 13th". In doing a Google search for this word - Who in their right minds would have at their memory bank's beck and call a word like this, I want to know?!? - I discovered three different* spellings for it (LOL) and a bunch of interesting stories.
*I just arbitrarily chose one of the three. Figured I couldn't be far off.
So, what am I doing this Friday, the 13th? Not much, I'll tell you that. (So what else is new, right?)
I don't have a 'fear' of Friday, the 13th, per se, but I notice that my conscious self is always aware of when it comes around. Does it seem like it's here way too often to you, or is it just me? I guess I could take the time and do the math on this one, but I just don't feel like it. Too much of a bother.
What I really want to talk about today is the fact that next week is officially Geography Awareness Week, according to my monthly newsletter from National Geographic.
All sorts of specials will be offered on the National Geographic Channel, for those of you who have cable. (It's a cable channel, isn't it? I don't have cable.) Home-schooling mothers (and fathers) will be particularly interested in watching these with their students, I would imagine.
This year's theme is "Get Lost in Mapping", and there's a world map that you can download for free if you visit their website. All you need - according to the article I read - is paper, tape, and a world of imagination. I'm really tempted to do it, but I figure I have way too much paper gathering dust around here as it is!
However, I might change my mind and add to the clutter, anyway. A current world map would be of great interest to me. I wonder how big it is when it's all downloaded and taped together. If anyone does download it, add a comment to this post and tell us how big it is when it's all put together, will you? Just for grins.
Have a happy and safe Friday the 13th, everyone, and I'll catch all y'all later.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
My monitor
How many of you remember about this time last year, shortly after Ike blew through, that my monitor died? I wrote about it September 21st in one of my "Bits & pieces" posts.
Well, actually I had begun writing about it a week or so earlier, but it was not until the 21st that my son-in-law had a chance (Things didn't get back to 'normal' in their household - or anybody's in the Houston area, as a matter of fact! - for quite some time.) to come over and officially pronounce it deceased. "We said a few choice words over it," I wrote, and then he went over to WalMart - there's one just around the corner from here - to get me another.
All was working well until mid-September this year, when - all of a sudden, while working at the computer, the screen on the monitor went completely white.
I took my big keyboard off the top of the closed computer where it was resting - love my big keyboard! - and opened it up to see what its screen looked like. Perfectly normal. I thought, "Hmmm!"
I checked all of the obvious connections (There are plugs and wires everywhere!), but could see nothing amiss. I even wiggled and jiggled a few. Nothing on the monitor but white. I moved some dust around and blew like crazy. Still no change.
I decided to leave the computer alone for awhile and come back to it later. I thought, "Maybe I'm on it too much." I mean, what did I know?
And so I did. Later, I came back in here, jiggled the mouse a bit and discovered that the monitor appeared to be working just fine. Whaat?! I went back to doing whatever it was that I had stopped doing when everything went white in the first place.
About five minutes later, however, the same thing happened. Nothing but white on the big screen, but everything A-OK on the little. Hmmm! I waited a day or so before calling my son-in-law to ask his opinion about what was going on. I wanted to see if the process would repeat itself over and over again. (I was particularly interested in seeing what would happen after being away from it for several hours, such as overnight.) It did.
I called my son-in-law. He asked me all of the obvious questions. Had I moved anything? Had I accidentally kicked and dislodged something with my feet? Had I checked all of the connections? Etc. and blah. His opinion - without actually making the trip over here to look at it - was that the monitor was dying. "But," he added, "until the monitor screen is white all of the time, I can't be sure."
Well, it wasn't white all of the time ... only after I'd been working at the computer for about five minutes. But then, just a couple of days later, it happened. The screen turned white and just stayed that way, 24/7. I e-mailed my son-in-law, who asked when I wanted him to come over. He had an extra monitor I could use, he said.
The truth? I didn't want him to come over. The house was an absolute mess. "Worse than ever!" I told him. Besides, I was getting used to working off of the little screen with my big old keyboard sitting on top of those little dinky keys. Only I had to be careful where I set the keyboard down. Have you ever had a 'stuck' key? Seriously interferes with your ability to sign in and type messages or blogs and makes all sorts of weird sounds.
I did have one question for him, tho. Did he think there could be a possible short somewhere, either in one of the cords or plugs? I mean, I had been sniffing like crazy and looking as hard as I could, but could detect nothing that smelled or looked 'hot'. (Bein' as how I'm a smoker, I've always been extra aware of how quickly and easily things can accidentally get set on fire. I've never in my life smoked in bed, for example. Can't even imagine such a thing!)
No, he didn't think so, he said, but I continued my sniffing and looking routine anyway. But then, just a couple of days later, a really strange thing happened. The monitor screen all of a sudden started working again - some of the time, at least as well as it did before its 'all white all the time' existence. What the devil?!
If I came in here and there was a white glow in the room, I knew it was deader than a doornail. However, if I came in here and there was no white glow, I knew that it would be working for however long it chose to before going white again. And the times varied ... usually only a very few minutes, just like it had when I first noticed that something was wrong.
I reported this to my son-in-law, who had not the vaguest idea what was happening. I got used to just ignoring the big screen and leaving the little computer open with the big keyboard on top for my use.
But then an even stranger thing happened. I had been sitting here, working away at whatever - maybe even playing Bridge Base Online - when I realized that the monitor screen had been working for perhaps an hour or so. Hmmm! I reported this to my son-in-law, who said, "Hmmm!"
It worked perfectly fine all that day and the next, but then went back into its 'fussy' mode of coming and going as it pleased - all white and nothing working one hour, screen working for about five minutes after startup the next. I became quite used to expecting absolutely anything.
However - there always seems to be a 'however', doesn't there? - it has decided to work 24/7 again for reasons known only to it. For the past three days or so, I have been enjoying the wide screen. Oh, the luxury of it all!
This monitor's problems are very different from what happened last year! When that monitor died, it was a complete and utter 'black death'. No on again/off again white screen, no startup teasers, nothing. I still think it was fried by all of the power surges that came along after Ike, but we'll never know for sure. I mean, no autopsy was conducted or anything.
I asked my son-in-law how long monitors are supposed to last, and he told me that the times varied. The other one that I'd had had been in the family for a few years, so he wasn't too surprised when it gave out, but I wasn't the least bit pleased that this one started acting up when it was barely a year old. I didn't like that one little bit!
One might even suspect that they build things nowadays with little timers set to go off a day or two after the warranty expires and start things going awry, mightn't one?
Well, actually I had begun writing about it a week or so earlier, but it was not until the 21st that my son-in-law had a chance (Things didn't get back to 'normal' in their household - or anybody's in the Houston area, as a matter of fact! - for quite some time.) to come over and officially pronounce it deceased. "We said a few choice words over it," I wrote, and then he went over to WalMart - there's one just around the corner from here - to get me another.
All was working well until mid-September this year, when - all of a sudden, while working at the computer, the screen on the monitor went completely white.
I took my big keyboard off the top of the closed computer where it was resting - love my big keyboard! - and opened it up to see what its screen looked like. Perfectly normal. I thought, "Hmmm!"
I checked all of the obvious connections (There are plugs and wires everywhere!), but could see nothing amiss. I even wiggled and jiggled a few. Nothing on the monitor but white. I moved some dust around and blew like crazy. Still no change.
I decided to leave the computer alone for awhile and come back to it later. I thought, "Maybe I'm on it too much." I mean, what did I know?
And so I did. Later, I came back in here, jiggled the mouse a bit and discovered that the monitor appeared to be working just fine. Whaat?! I went back to doing whatever it was that I had stopped doing when everything went white in the first place.
About five minutes later, however, the same thing happened. Nothing but white on the big screen, but everything A-OK on the little. Hmmm! I waited a day or so before calling my son-in-law to ask his opinion about what was going on. I wanted to see if the process would repeat itself over and over again. (I was particularly interested in seeing what would happen after being away from it for several hours, such as overnight.) It did.
I called my son-in-law. He asked me all of the obvious questions. Had I moved anything? Had I accidentally kicked and dislodged something with my feet? Had I checked all of the connections? Etc. and blah. His opinion - without actually making the trip over here to look at it - was that the monitor was dying. "But," he added, "until the monitor screen is white all of the time, I can't be sure."
Well, it wasn't white all of the time ... only after I'd been working at the computer for about five minutes. But then, just a couple of days later, it happened. The screen turned white and just stayed that way, 24/7. I e-mailed my son-in-law, who asked when I wanted him to come over. He had an extra monitor I could use, he said.
The truth? I didn't want him to come over. The house was an absolute mess. "Worse than ever!" I told him. Besides, I was getting used to working off of the little screen with my big old keyboard sitting on top of those little dinky keys. Only I had to be careful where I set the keyboard down. Have you ever had a 'stuck' key? Seriously interferes with your ability to sign in and type messages or blogs and makes all sorts of weird sounds.
I did have one question for him, tho. Did he think there could be a possible short somewhere, either in one of the cords or plugs? I mean, I had been sniffing like crazy and looking as hard as I could, but could detect nothing that smelled or looked 'hot'. (Bein' as how I'm a smoker, I've always been extra aware of how quickly and easily things can accidentally get set on fire. I've never in my life smoked in bed, for example. Can't even imagine such a thing!)
No, he didn't think so, he said, but I continued my sniffing and looking routine anyway. But then, just a couple of days later, a really strange thing happened. The monitor screen all of a sudden started working again - some of the time, at least as well as it did before its 'all white all the time' existence. What the devil?!
If I came in here and there was a white glow in the room, I knew it was deader than a doornail. However, if I came in here and there was no white glow, I knew that it would be working for however long it chose to before going white again. And the times varied ... usually only a very few minutes, just like it had when I first noticed that something was wrong.
I reported this to my son-in-law, who had not the vaguest idea what was happening. I got used to just ignoring the big screen and leaving the little computer open with the big keyboard on top for my use.
But then an even stranger thing happened. I had been sitting here, working away at whatever - maybe even playing Bridge Base Online - when I realized that the monitor screen had been working for perhaps an hour or so. Hmmm! I reported this to my son-in-law, who said, "Hmmm!"
It worked perfectly fine all that day and the next, but then went back into its 'fussy' mode of coming and going as it pleased - all white and nothing working one hour, screen working for about five minutes after startup the next. I became quite used to expecting absolutely anything.
However - there always seems to be a 'however', doesn't there? - it has decided to work 24/7 again for reasons known only to it. For the past three days or so, I have been enjoying the wide screen. Oh, the luxury of it all!
This monitor's problems are very different from what happened last year! When that monitor died, it was a complete and utter 'black death'. No on again/off again white screen, no startup teasers, nothing. I still think it was fried by all of the power surges that came along after Ike, but we'll never know for sure. I mean, no autopsy was conducted or anything.
I asked my son-in-law how long monitors are supposed to last, and he told me that the times varied. The other one that I'd had had been in the family for a few years, so he wasn't too surprised when it gave out, but I wasn't the least bit pleased that this one started acting up when it was barely a year old. I didn't like that one little bit!
One might even suspect that they build things nowadays with little timers set to go off a day or two after the warranty expires and start things going awry, mightn't one?
Thursday, September 3, 2009
"I wonder" ...
... was one of the most oft-repeated phrases in my recent comment to Polimom's post.
I found myself caught up in a kind of reverie, of sorts ... almost a 'what-if' type of thing.
Polimom has evolved into a very fine photographer ... a capturer of nature, as it were. In so doing, she has found herself in the midst of watching (while filming) an insect sucking the very life's blood out of its victim after first paralyzing it - an incident that, if she had not actually been the one capturing it on film, might have been abhorrent to her.
Her most recent post was on the metamorphosis of a caterpillar to a butterfly. My question to her was (actually, there were several questions, and all rhetorical), "Does the caterpillar feel any 'pain', as we (humans) understand the term?" (There were other questions that I had and Polimom answered them as best as she was able. I don't think she had ever even considered such a question or questions! Certainly I had never considered proposing such a question until I suddenly found myself with way too much time on my hands earlier this afternoon!)
What about you? Have you ever considered any of these questions? (Again, see Polimom's post and, in particular, pay attention to the comments section.) Just some food for thought on what might - perhaps - otherwise be a somewhat dull evening.
I found myself caught up in a kind of reverie, of sorts ... almost a 'what-if' type of thing.
Polimom has evolved into a very fine photographer ... a capturer of nature, as it were. In so doing, she has found herself in the midst of watching (while filming) an insect sucking the very life's blood out of its victim after first paralyzing it - an incident that, if she had not actually been the one capturing it on film, might have been abhorrent to her.
Her most recent post was on the metamorphosis of a caterpillar to a butterfly. My question to her was (actually, there were several questions, and all rhetorical), "Does the caterpillar feel any 'pain', as we (humans) understand the term?" (There were other questions that I had and Polimom answered them as best as she was able. I don't think she had ever even considered such a question or questions! Certainly I had never considered proposing such a question until I suddenly found myself with way too much time on my hands earlier this afternoon!)
What about you? Have you ever considered any of these questions? (Again, see Polimom's post and, in particular, pay attention to the comments section.) Just some food for thought on what might - perhaps - otherwise be a somewhat dull evening.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
A mishmash
A couple of sports-related paragraphs, one funny e-mail from Beth, and one not so funny. Let's begin with one of the sports-related.
Tonight, almost all eyes in the major-league-watching baseball world will be focused on NYC, where the Yankees will be 'entertaining' the Boston Red Sox in the first of four games featuring these divisional rivals. Without going back to personally review for my own satisfaction the history of previous series between the two this year, I'm simply going to repeat what I heard earlier on the radio - that the Red Sox had won all (could that possibly be right?) of their previous meetings. This will be a most interesting matchup and could easily have significant ramifications for the American League Eastern division's top two spots! Of much lesser interest in the next several days will be a 6-game set (a combination of home and away games) between the Astros and the Brewers, both of whom are duking it out for 3rd place in the National League Central ... ... ho hum!
Moving on ... ... Beth sent an e-mail warning me of the possibility of being electrocuted while using a mobile (or cell) phone while it was being charged. Some very ugly pictures accompanied her e-mail. They were kind of scary, actually!
I decided to go to "snopes.com" for this one and I'm very glad that I did! The very same ugly photographs appear on 'snopes', but I invite you to read their whole accompanying - and very informative - article.
Btw, I have been guilty - altho not most of the time - of using my cell (or mobile) phone while it was being charged. And, I have sometimes thought, "What if ... ?"
Again, moving on ... ... ... We're now into football season. You know what? There was a time in my life when football was almost all-encompassing. It isn't now.
Lastly, I'd like to share with you Beth's latest e-mail. It's a funny one, (I think!). Enjoy!! It's called "Mid-life crisis solved".
After being married for 39 years, I took a careful look at my wife one day and said, 'Honey, 39 years ago we had a cheap apartment, a cheap car, slept on a sofa bed and watched a black and white 10-inch TV, but I got to sleep every night with a 22-year-old girl ... ...
Now I have a million dollar home, a $50,000 car, a nice big bed and plasma screen TV, but I'm sleeping with a 61-year-old woman. It seems to me that you're not holding up your side of things.'
My wife is a very reasonable woman. She told me to go out and find a hot 22-year-old girl and she would make sure that I would once again be living in a cheap apartment, driving a cheap car, sleeping on a sofa bed and watching a black and white 10-inch TV.
Aren't older women great? They really know how to solve a mid-life crisis.
Tonight, almost all eyes in the major-league-watching baseball world will be focused on NYC, where the Yankees will be 'entertaining' the Boston Red Sox in the first of four games featuring these divisional rivals. Without going back to personally review for my own satisfaction the history of previous series between the two this year, I'm simply going to repeat what I heard earlier on the radio - that the Red Sox had won all (could that possibly be right?) of their previous meetings. This will be a most interesting matchup and could easily have significant ramifications for the American League Eastern division's top two spots! Of much lesser interest in the next several days will be a 6-game set (a combination of home and away games) between the Astros and the Brewers, both of whom are duking it out for 3rd place in the National League Central ... ... ho hum!
Moving on ... ... Beth sent an e-mail warning me of the possibility of being electrocuted while using a mobile (or cell) phone while it was being charged. Some very ugly pictures accompanied her e-mail. They were kind of scary, actually!
I decided to go to "snopes.com" for this one and I'm very glad that I did! The very same ugly photographs appear on 'snopes', but I invite you to read their whole accompanying - and very informative - article.
Btw, I have been guilty - altho not most of the time - of using my cell (or mobile) phone while it was being charged. And, I have sometimes thought, "What if ... ?"
Again, moving on ... ... ... We're now into football season. You know what? There was a time in my life when football was almost all-encompassing. It isn't now.
Lastly, I'd like to share with you Beth's latest e-mail. It's a funny one, (I think!). Enjoy!! It's called "Mid-life crisis solved".
After being married for 39 years, I took a careful look at my wife one day and said, 'Honey, 39 years ago we had a cheap apartment, a cheap car, slept on a sofa bed and watched a black and white 10-inch TV, but I got to sleep every night with a 22-year-old girl ... ...
Now I have a million dollar home, a $50,000 car, a nice big bed and plasma screen TV, but I'm sleeping with a 61-year-old woman. It seems to me that you're not holding up your side of things.'
My wife is a very reasonable woman. She told me to go out and find a hot 22-year-old girl and she would make sure that I would once again be living in a cheap apartment, driving a cheap car, sleeping on a sofa bed and watching a black and white 10-inch TV.
Aren't older women great? They really know how to solve a mid-life crisis.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Take a break!
This was fun! Even though I only got 15 points out of the possible 20, I had fun. Would you like to try it?
1. What builds strong bodies 12 ways?
A. Flintstone vitamins B. The Buttmaster C. Spaghetti D. Wonder bread E. Orange juice F. Milk G. Cod liver oil
2. Before he was Muhammed Ali, he was ...
A. Sugar Ray Robinson B. Roy Orbison C. Gene Autry D. Rudolph Valentino E. Fabian F. Mickey Mantle G. Cassius Clay
3. Pogo (the comic strip character) said, "We have the met the enemy and ..."
A. It's you B. He is us C. It's the Grinch D. He wasn't home E. He's really me F. We quit G. He surrendered
4. Good night, David ...
A. Good night, Chet B. Sleep well C. Good night, Irene D. Good night, Gracie E. See you later, alligator F. Until tomorrow G. Good night, Steve
5. You'll wonder where the yellow went ...
A. When you use Tide B. When you lose your crayons C. When you clean your tub D. If you paint the room blue E. If you buy a soft water tank F. When you use Lady Clairol G. When you brush your teeth with Pepsodent
6. Before he was the skipper's 'little buddy', Bob Denver was Dobie's friend ...
A. Stuart Whitman B. Randolph Scott C. Steve Reeves D. Maynard G. Krebbs E. Corky B. Dork F. Dave the whale G. Zippy Zoo
7. Liar, liar ...
A. You're a liar B. Your nose is growing C. Pants on fire D. Jump up higher E. Join the choir F. On the wire G. I'm telling Mom
8. Meanwhile, back in Metropolis, Superman fights a never-ending battle for truth, justice and ...
A. Wheaties B. Lois Lane C. TV ratings D. World peace E. Red tights F. The 'American Way' G. News headlines
9. Hey, kids! What time is it?
A. It's time for Yogi Bear B. It's time to do your homework C. It's Howdy Doody time D. It's time for Romper Room E. It's bedtime F. It's time for the Mighty Mouse hour G. It's Scooby Doo time
10. Lions and tigers and bears ...
A. Yikes B. Oh, no! C. Gee whiz D. I'm scared E. Oh, my! F. Help, help! G. Let's run
11. Bob Dylan advised us never to trust anyone ...
A. Over 40 B. Wearing a uniform C. Carrying a briefcase D. Over 30 E. You don't know F. Who says, "Trust me!" G. Who eats tofu
12. NFL quarterback who appeared in a television commercial wearing women's stockings ...
A. Troy Aikman B. Kenny Stabler C. Joe Namath D. Roger Staubach E. Joe Montana F. Steve Young G. John Elway
13. Brylcream ...
A. Smear it on B. You'll smell great C. Tame that cowlick D. Grease ball heaven E. It's a dream F. We're your team G. A little dab'll do ya
14. I found my thrill ...
A. In blueberry muffins B. With my man, Bill C. Down at the mill D. Over the windowsill E. With thyme and dill F. Too late to enjoy G. On Blueberry Hill
15. Before Robin Williams, Peter Pan was played by ...
A. Clark Gable B. Mary Martin C. Doris Day D. Errol Flynn E. Sally Fields F. Jim Carrey G. Jay Leno
16. Name the Beatles ...
A. John, Steve, George, Ringo B. John, Paul, George, Rosco C. John, Paul, Stacey, Ringo D. Jay, Paul, George, Ringo E. Lewis, Peter, George, Ringo F. Jason, Betty Skipper, Hazel G. John, Paul, George, Ringo
17. I wonder, wonder, who.
A. Who ate the leftovers? B. Who did the laundry? C. Was it you? D. Who wrote the book of love? E. Who I am? F. Passed the test? G. Knocked on the door?
18. I'm strong to the finish ...
A. Cause I eats my broccoli. B. Cause I eats me spinach. C. Cause I lift weights D. Cause I'm the hero E. And don't you forget it F. Cause Olive Oyl loves me G. To outlast Bruto.
19. When it's least expected, you're elected, you're the star today
A. Smile, you're on Candid Camera B. Smile, you're on Star Search C. Smile, you won the lottery D. Smile, we're watching you E. Smile, the world sees you F. Smile, you're a hit G. Smile, you're on TV
20. What do M & M's do?
A. Make your tummy happy B. Melt in your mouth, not in your pocket C. Make you fat D. Melt your heart E. Make you popular F. Melt in your mouth, not in your hand G. Come in colors
Answers: 1. D 2. G 3. B 4. A 5. G 6. D 7. C 8. F 9. C 10. E 11. D 12. C 13. G 14. G 15. B 16. G 17. D 18. B 19. A 20. F
1. What builds strong bodies 12 ways?
A. Flintstone vitamins B. The Buttmaster C. Spaghetti D. Wonder bread E. Orange juice F. Milk G. Cod liver oil
2. Before he was Muhammed Ali, he was ...
A. Sugar Ray Robinson B. Roy Orbison C. Gene Autry D. Rudolph Valentino E. Fabian F. Mickey Mantle G. Cassius Clay
3. Pogo (the comic strip character) said, "We have the met the enemy and ..."
A. It's you B. He is us C. It's the Grinch D. He wasn't home E. He's really me F. We quit G. He surrendered
4. Good night, David ...
A. Good night, Chet B. Sleep well C. Good night, Irene D. Good night, Gracie E. See you later, alligator F. Until tomorrow G. Good night, Steve
5. You'll wonder where the yellow went ...
A. When you use Tide B. When you lose your crayons C. When you clean your tub D. If you paint the room blue E. If you buy a soft water tank F. When you use Lady Clairol G. When you brush your teeth with Pepsodent
6. Before he was the skipper's 'little buddy', Bob Denver was Dobie's friend ...
A. Stuart Whitman B. Randolph Scott C. Steve Reeves D. Maynard G. Krebbs E. Corky B. Dork F. Dave the whale G. Zippy Zoo
7. Liar, liar ...
A. You're a liar B. Your nose is growing C. Pants on fire D. Jump up higher E. Join the choir F. On the wire G. I'm telling Mom
8. Meanwhile, back in Metropolis, Superman fights a never-ending battle for truth, justice and ...
A. Wheaties B. Lois Lane C. TV ratings D. World peace E. Red tights F. The 'American Way' G. News headlines
9. Hey, kids! What time is it?
A. It's time for Yogi Bear B. It's time to do your homework C. It's Howdy Doody time D. It's time for Romper Room E. It's bedtime F. It's time for the Mighty Mouse hour G. It's Scooby Doo time
10. Lions and tigers and bears ...
A. Yikes B. Oh, no! C. Gee whiz D. I'm scared E. Oh, my! F. Help, help! G. Let's run
11. Bob Dylan advised us never to trust anyone ...
A. Over 40 B. Wearing a uniform C. Carrying a briefcase D. Over 30 E. You don't know F. Who says, "Trust me!" G. Who eats tofu
12. NFL quarterback who appeared in a television commercial wearing women's stockings ...
A. Troy Aikman B. Kenny Stabler C. Joe Namath D. Roger Staubach E. Joe Montana F. Steve Young G. John Elway
13. Brylcream ...
A. Smear it on B. You'll smell great C. Tame that cowlick D. Grease ball heaven E. It's a dream F. We're your team G. A little dab'll do ya
14. I found my thrill ...
A. In blueberry muffins B. With my man, Bill C. Down at the mill D. Over the windowsill E. With thyme and dill F. Too late to enjoy G. On Blueberry Hill
15. Before Robin Williams, Peter Pan was played by ...
A. Clark Gable B. Mary Martin C. Doris Day D. Errol Flynn E. Sally Fields F. Jim Carrey G. Jay Leno
16. Name the Beatles ...
A. John, Steve, George, Ringo B. John, Paul, George, Rosco C. John, Paul, Stacey, Ringo D. Jay, Paul, George, Ringo E. Lewis, Peter, George, Ringo F. Jason, Betty Skipper, Hazel G. John, Paul, George, Ringo
17. I wonder, wonder, who.
A. Who ate the leftovers? B. Who did the laundry? C. Was it you? D. Who wrote the book of love? E. Who I am? F. Passed the test? G. Knocked on the door?
18. I'm strong to the finish ...
A. Cause I eats my broccoli. B. Cause I eats me spinach. C. Cause I lift weights D. Cause I'm the hero E. And don't you forget it F. Cause Olive Oyl loves me G. To outlast Bruto.
19. When it's least expected, you're elected, you're the star today
A. Smile, you're on Candid Camera B. Smile, you're on Star Search C. Smile, you won the lottery D. Smile, we're watching you E. Smile, the world sees you F. Smile, you're a hit G. Smile, you're on TV
20. What do M & M's do?
A. Make your tummy happy B. Melt in your mouth, not in your pocket C. Make you fat D. Melt your heart E. Make you popular F. Melt in your mouth, not in your hand G. Come in colors
Answers: 1. D 2. G 3. B 4. A 5. G 6. D 7. C 8. F 9. C 10. E 11. D 12. C 13. G 14. G 15. B 16. G 17. D 18. B 19. A 20. F
Friday, March 20, 2009
Vernal equinox
I learned something today ... that the first day of each season does not always fall on the same date. That almost blew my mind!
I'm a "first day of summer" gal - June 21st each and every year*, or so I had always thought right up until today. Danged near mind-blowing, as I said. Wiki has a neat chart of the equinox and solstice dates and official 'start' times from 2004 through 2017 here, in case you'd like to spend a few minutes perusing it. (Here in Houston, being as how we're on CST, Spring's 'official start time' was at 6:44 this morning.)
Along the way, while browsing through some more or less official sites on this first seasonal change for 2009, I signed up for a few National Geographic newsletters**. I've decided that I am not as informed as I should be. I'll be sure to share any of the really good info with all of you.
E-mails ...
Meanwhile, back at my e-mail ranch, I seem to have FInally almost completely disappeared from the radar screen of those who are very ill, jobless, dying, or with babies/children/elderly relatives, etc., who are dependent on them and will not survive another day unless I send them money. Yea! (But "Shhh!", don't tell anyone, OK?)
I spent many months and countless hours of not answering/opening - just hitting the "Delete" button, diligently 'unscribing' where possible and reporting to the 'powers that be' when not possible scam artists and fraudulent schemes. For the longest time it seemed like my efforts were going for naught, but maybe, just maybe ... ... again, tho, I whisper, "Shhh!"
Nowadays, my Inbox consists mainly of personal correspondence and that's as it should be. I received one this morning, however, that I have yet*** to delete. It's official-looking and from none other than Kofi Annan. Are you as impressed as I was? In part, here's how it reads (verbatim) ... This email is to all the people that have been scammed in any part of the world, the UNITED NATIONS have agreed to compensate them with the sum of US$450.000.00 -- Your name and email was in the list submitted by our Monitoring Team of Economic and Financial Crime Commission observers and this is why we are contacting you, this have been agreed upon and have been signed ...
A few are trying to loan me money. Perhaps they have had a look at my bank account? However, if they have and took even more than a cursory glance, they should very well know that I do not have the means to pay them back. I'll ignore them. They will go away -- eventually.
I had a really peculiar thing happen a couple of months ago. I woke up after a pretty good night's sleep and came in here only to discover that I had 293 e-mails in my Inbox and 70 or so in my Junk E-mail box. !!
"Ye gods!" I thought. I couldn't automatically delete everything because, interspersed amongst those I thought I had already - some even long ago - relegated to the trash bin were current e-mails, for crying out loud! Have you ever had that happen to you?
My son-in-law told me that it must have been just a "glitch" in the system (he had experienced the same thing about the same time that I had, altho my daughter hadn't -- interesting!?!). In all the years - and he's the expert and I am most definitely the neophyte - he's been working with computers, this was the first time he had come across such a glitch.
My Astros ...
Let me tell ya, folks, y'all had better watch out for the Astros! Danged near close to a 'perfect' grapefruit league season, my guys - except for an almost inexcusable win (opening day, wasn't it?) - now have an enviable**** record of 1-16-3. The third figure refers to tie games where either or both teams have conceded that they no longer have the will, interest, strength or manpower to continue another inning.
And why in the devil would they? Either of them?!? Heavens to Betsy!! In the twenty games played thus far, I think I'm correct in saying that there have been 31 unearned runs scored by the opponents due to errors by 'my team'. :(
[Btw, I just returned home from the store. I was listening to the Astros game on the radio while I was driving. According to the announcers, their projected starting pitchers have a combined ERA of 1.72. Give me a break. Puhlease!]
So what's on TV? ...
NCAA basketball, that's what's on television! Not only is March madness encompassing nearly all of sports enthusiasts' interests at this time, it is most definitely interfering with my enjoyment of "Wheel" and "Ghost Whisperer". So what is a body (such as mine) to do?
Well, this next several days I will be focusing on my autobiography as it relates to my cab driving years - 1989-2007. Realizing that I would now have to really concentrate on trying to recapture some of those years, I am not the least bit pleased to tell you that I have been experiencing almost nightly dreams wherein my memoirs almost compose themselves. I wish the 'self-composing' episodes were true, but - unfortunately - they are not, and so I will just have to end this post (have to get on with my memoir writing) in the hope that you are experiencing a most happy first day of Spring!
*In 2008, the 'first day of summer' actually occured on June 20th! Where was I at that time? Probably still asleep, for crying out loud!!
**Just got my first National Geographic newsletter, talking about the undersea volcanic eruptions. Interesting!
***Deleted. (You didn't think I was going to save this piece of ****, did you? Come on, now!)
****Last I listened, the Astros were ahead 2-0. (Don't give up yet, opponents. It's only in the 6th or 7th inning. With any luck at all, after today our record will be 1-17-3!)
I'm a "first day of summer" gal - June 21st each and every year*, or so I had always thought right up until today. Danged near mind-blowing, as I said. Wiki has a neat chart of the equinox and solstice dates and official 'start' times from 2004 through 2017 here, in case you'd like to spend a few minutes perusing it. (Here in Houston, being as how we're on CST, Spring's 'official start time' was at 6:44 this morning.)
Along the way, while browsing through some more or less official sites on this first seasonal change for 2009, I signed up for a few National Geographic newsletters**. I've decided that I am not as informed as I should be. I'll be sure to share any of the really good info with all of you.
E-mails ...
Meanwhile, back at my e-mail ranch, I seem to have FInally almost completely disappeared from the radar screen of those who are very ill, jobless, dying, or with babies/children/elderly relatives, etc., who are dependent on them and will not survive another day unless I send them money. Yea! (But "Shhh!", don't tell anyone, OK?)
I spent many months and countless hours of not answering/opening - just hitting the "Delete" button, diligently 'unscribing' where possible and reporting to the 'powers that be' when not possible scam artists and fraudulent schemes. For the longest time it seemed like my efforts were going for naught, but maybe, just maybe ... ... again, tho, I whisper, "Shhh!"
Nowadays, my Inbox consists mainly of personal correspondence and that's as it should be. I received one this morning, however, that I have yet*** to delete. It's official-looking and from none other than Kofi Annan. Are you as impressed as I was? In part, here's how it reads (verbatim) ... This email is to all the people that have been scammed in any part of the world, the UNITED NATIONS have agreed to compensate them with the sum of US$450.000.00 -- Your name and email was in the list submitted by our Monitoring Team of Economic and Financial Crime Commission observers and this is why we are contacting you, this have been agreed upon and have been signed ...
A few are trying to loan me money. Perhaps they have had a look at my bank account? However, if they have and took even more than a cursory glance, they should very well know that I do not have the means to pay them back. I'll ignore them. They will go away -- eventually.
I had a really peculiar thing happen a couple of months ago. I woke up after a pretty good night's sleep and came in here only to discover that I had 293 e-mails in my Inbox and 70 or so in my Junk E-mail box. !!
"Ye gods!" I thought. I couldn't automatically delete everything because, interspersed amongst those I thought I had already - some even long ago - relegated to the trash bin were current e-mails, for crying out loud! Have you ever had that happen to you?
My son-in-law told me that it must have been just a "glitch" in the system (he had experienced the same thing about the same time that I had, altho my daughter hadn't -- interesting!?!). In all the years - and he's the expert and I am most definitely the neophyte - he's been working with computers, this was the first time he had come across such a glitch.
My Astros ...
Let me tell ya, folks, y'all had better watch out for the Astros! Danged near close to a 'perfect' grapefruit league season, my guys - except for an almost inexcusable win (opening day, wasn't it?) - now have an enviable**** record of 1-16-3. The third figure refers to tie games where either or both teams have conceded that they no longer have the will, interest, strength or manpower to continue another inning.
And why in the devil would they? Either of them?!? Heavens to Betsy!! In the twenty games played thus far, I think I'm correct in saying that there have been 31 unearned runs scored by the opponents due to errors by 'my team'. :(
[Btw, I just returned home from the store. I was listening to the Astros game on the radio while I was driving. According to the announcers, their projected starting pitchers have a combined ERA of 1.72. Give me a break. Puhlease!]
So what's on TV? ...
NCAA basketball, that's what's on television! Not only is March madness encompassing nearly all of sports enthusiasts' interests at this time, it is most definitely interfering with my enjoyment of "Wheel" and "Ghost Whisperer". So what is a body (such as mine) to do?
Well, this next several days I will be focusing on my autobiography as it relates to my cab driving years - 1989-2007. Realizing that I would now have to really concentrate on trying to recapture some of those years, I am not the least bit pleased to tell you that I have been experiencing almost nightly dreams wherein my memoirs almost compose themselves. I wish the 'self-composing' episodes were true, but - unfortunately - they are not, and so I will just have to end this post (have to get on with my memoir writing) in the hope that you are experiencing a most happy first day of Spring!
*In 2008, the 'first day of summer' actually occured on June 20th! Where was I at that time? Probably still asleep, for crying out loud!!
**Just got my first National Geographic newsletter, talking about the undersea volcanic eruptions. Interesting!
***Deleted. (You didn't think I was going to save this piece of ****, did you? Come on, now!)
****Last I listened, the Astros were ahead 2-0. (Don't give up yet, opponents. It's only in the 6th or 7th inning. With any luck at all, after today our record will be 1-17-3!)
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Sun dancer
I will probably never know what exactly draws me to things like this, but drawn to them I am ... ... romanticism? imagery? imagination?
Pleasant dreams!
PS. There's a really neat writeup about sun dancers here. I heartily recommend it!
Pleasant dreams!
PS. There's a really neat writeup about sun dancers here. I heartily recommend it!
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Extended bits & pieces ...
This might turn out to be a rather long post as I have a number of different subjects to cover. I'll alphabetize the categories as per usual so you'll be able to scroll down and catch the ones you're interested in.
Baseball ...
We're in the middle of the "spring training shuffle". That's the dance where players are inserted into the lineup for an inning or two and then, before you can even register their names or what positions they play, they're taken out for looks at other prospects. When I was driving a taxicab, I listened to those pre-season games with a passion and took diligent notes so that - by the time opening day came around, no name was unfamiliar to me and I was ready with my own list of who I thought should be on the team.
Not so this year. I've listened in dribs and drabs here and there only, but will have the games on more often now and start paying better attention as we get closer to the date when the season starts up for real next month.
There've been a couple of significant changes that I've noted for sure ... 1) Brad Ausmus (catcher) is gone. He's back home in California playing for I forget whom. We had him for many years and I, for one, will miss him. A nice guy, and he brought a lot of leadership and stability to the team ... 2) Mike Hampton (pitcher) is back and has been given the nod over Roy Oswalt, it seems, for opening day. Two things I don't like about this. The first is that he's back at all! The Astros have a long history of letting our better ballplayers go just as they're entering their prime and then bringing them back when they're in their declining years. Such is the case with Mike Hampton. Plus, I don't like the fact that Roy's not currently scheduled to pitch that first game. It seems to me very much like a slap in Roy's face.
That'll actually work out better for me, TV-watching wise, because - as some of you might remember - I don't have cable and rely on Channel 20 (local) to show the games. Last year Ch. 20 had every Sunday game on, regardless of where it was being played. This year - outside of the first two weeks, where they will be airing three games - only the first Sunday of each succeeding month's game will be televised. Boy, that's a bummer!
The upside of this is I'll be able to watch Roy pitch on April 7th, the second of our 3-game set with the Cubbie Dubbie Dewies. And am I ever looking forward to that series! Especially considering what happened last year after Ike. I'm still miffed about that scenario!!
Cockroaches ...
Saw the first one inside my house in months last night. Didn't have my killer spray immediately handy, and by the time I found it he/she had disappeared. Well, it's handy now!
Dancing With the Stars ...
Did anyone else watch the first two hours of season eight last night? I did! What fun!! There's a cowboy by the name of Ty competing, and my ears really perked up when he said, "You're never completely ready. It just becomes your turn." I thought that was profound, and I wanted to share it with you in case you missed it. Could probably do a whole post (or two) on just that one statement. (Btw, he didn't do very well. He and his partner might be one of the bottom two who have a "dance off" next week to see which couple will be eliminated. That's a new feature this year. I like it!)
Also entered is the co-founder of Apple computer. It will be interesting to see if he makes it into the second round. Says, with just a huge smile on his face, that he's having the time of his life, but it's obvious that this is an entirely new experience for him - and one to which he might not be able to adapt.
Shawn Johnson is in there. Remember her? The Olympic champion in gymnastics? At 17, she's the youngest - and perhaps the tiniest, at 4'10" - ever to compete. She did very well.
"Dancing" is rife with commercials, so whenever one came on I muted the sound and listened to the Astros. Btw, that first two hours is being rerun here in Houston Saturday night. I won't be watching again, but if you're interested you should check with your local programming guide.
Other TV programs ...
Is anyone watching "American Idol" this year? Not I. No interest whatsoever. They lost me when they added a fourth judge. How is it possible to have an even number of judges? I mean, I ask you!
Another series that has almost lost me entirely is "Smallville". Can hardly believe I just wrote that, but it's true. Getting too 'far out' for me. "House" is another one that I seem to have less and less interest in. I guess I'm becoming tired of a doctor who (seemingly) is more concerned about his own problems than those of his patients. He's brilliant, the stories are well-written and researched, but maybe I've seen enough already!
A series I am sticking with is "Ghost Whisperer". Convoluted as all get out, but the overall premise (as well as each individual episode) continues - for me, at least - to be quite alluring. "Masterpiece Classic" (PBS) is still among my favorites. "David Copperfield" is upcoming in this series.
So what's new for me? You're probably not going to believe this, but I have become interested in "Lost" ... isn't that a semi-shocker?? And "Two and a Half Men" is fast becoming a 'must watch' for me. Have you caught any of those episodes? Hilarious!
Wendy Booker update ...
She posted yesterday. Hooray! But boy, does she ever sound tired of what must now be a real grind. That's what it takes, I'm sure, to succeed at the level to which she has set her sights. Not for me, but more power to her!
I don't think she'll be in Nepal for another three weeks yet - more towards the very end of this month. I'll keep watching her blog for you. However, if you'd like to read more about her everyday activities - and I think she's now back in Colorado (altho she doesn't say where she is), here's the link to her latest post.
Where did it go? ...
I lost an hour Saturday night without even realizing it. (I still can't get my mind wrapped around these new dates for time changes. Is anyone else having this problem?) I was an hour late Sunday afternoon for the bi-monthly critique meeting of my group of writers. Ye Gods!
The good news is that these critiques have provided a much needed incentive for me to actively work on my autobiography as it relates to my many years of taxicab driving.
Well, that's it, folks! Long, wasn't it? How's your day starting out? Very well, I hope. Talk atcha later!
Baseball ...
We're in the middle of the "spring training shuffle". That's the dance where players are inserted into the lineup for an inning or two and then, before you can even register their names or what positions they play, they're taken out for looks at other prospects. When I was driving a taxicab, I listened to those pre-season games with a passion and took diligent notes so that - by the time opening day came around, no name was unfamiliar to me and I was ready with my own list of who I thought should be on the team.
Not so this year. I've listened in dribs and drabs here and there only, but will have the games on more often now and start paying better attention as we get closer to the date when the season starts up for real next month.
There've been a couple of significant changes that I've noted for sure ... 1) Brad Ausmus (catcher) is gone. He's back home in California playing for I forget whom. We had him for many years and I, for one, will miss him. A nice guy, and he brought a lot of leadership and stability to the team ... 2) Mike Hampton (pitcher) is back and has been given the nod over Roy Oswalt, it seems, for opening day. Two things I don't like about this. The first is that he's back at all! The Astros have a long history of letting our better ballplayers go just as they're entering their prime and then bringing them back when they're in their declining years. Such is the case with Mike Hampton. Plus, I don't like the fact that Roy's not currently scheduled to pitch that first game. It seems to me very much like a slap in Roy's face.
That'll actually work out better for me, TV-watching wise, because - as some of you might remember - I don't have cable and rely on Channel 20 (local) to show the games. Last year Ch. 20 had every Sunday game on, regardless of where it was being played. This year - outside of the first two weeks, where they will be airing three games - only the first Sunday of each succeeding month's game will be televised. Boy, that's a bummer!
The upside of this is I'll be able to watch Roy pitch on April 7th, the second of our 3-game set with the Cubbie Dubbie Dewies. And am I ever looking forward to that series! Especially considering what happened last year after Ike. I'm still miffed about that scenario!!
Cockroaches ...
Saw the first one inside my house in months last night. Didn't have my killer spray immediately handy, and by the time I found it he/she had disappeared. Well, it's handy now!
Dancing With the Stars ...
Did anyone else watch the first two hours of season eight last night? I did! What fun!! There's a cowboy by the name of Ty competing, and my ears really perked up when he said, "You're never completely ready. It just becomes your turn." I thought that was profound, and I wanted to share it with you in case you missed it. Could probably do a whole post (or two) on just that one statement. (Btw, he didn't do very well. He and his partner might be one of the bottom two who have a "dance off" next week to see which couple will be eliminated. That's a new feature this year. I like it!)
Also entered is the co-founder of Apple computer. It will be interesting to see if he makes it into the second round. Says, with just a huge smile on his face, that he's having the time of his life, but it's obvious that this is an entirely new experience for him - and one to which he might not be able to adapt.
Shawn Johnson is in there. Remember her? The Olympic champion in gymnastics? At 17, she's the youngest - and perhaps the tiniest, at 4'10" - ever to compete. She did very well.
"Dancing" is rife with commercials, so whenever one came on I muted the sound and listened to the Astros. Btw, that first two hours is being rerun here in Houston Saturday night. I won't be watching again, but if you're interested you should check with your local programming guide.
Other TV programs ...
Is anyone watching "American Idol" this year? Not I. No interest whatsoever. They lost me when they added a fourth judge. How is it possible to have an even number of judges? I mean, I ask you!
Another series that has almost lost me entirely is "Smallville". Can hardly believe I just wrote that, but it's true. Getting too 'far out' for me. "House" is another one that I seem to have less and less interest in. I guess I'm becoming tired of a doctor who (seemingly) is more concerned about his own problems than those of his patients. He's brilliant, the stories are well-written and researched, but maybe I've seen enough already!
A series I am sticking with is "Ghost Whisperer". Convoluted as all get out, but the overall premise (as well as each individual episode) continues - for me, at least - to be quite alluring. "Masterpiece Classic" (PBS) is still among my favorites. "David Copperfield" is upcoming in this series.
So what's new for me? You're probably not going to believe this, but I have become interested in "Lost" ... isn't that a semi-shocker?? And "Two and a Half Men" is fast becoming a 'must watch' for me. Have you caught any of those episodes? Hilarious!
Wendy Booker update ...
She posted yesterday. Hooray! But boy, does she ever sound tired of what must now be a real grind. That's what it takes, I'm sure, to succeed at the level to which she has set her sights. Not for me, but more power to her!
I don't think she'll be in Nepal for another three weeks yet - more towards the very end of this month. I'll keep watching her blog for you. However, if you'd like to read more about her everyday activities - and I think she's now back in Colorado (altho she doesn't say where she is), here's the link to her latest post.
Where did it go? ...
I lost an hour Saturday night without even realizing it. (I still can't get my mind wrapped around these new dates for time changes. Is anyone else having this problem?) I was an hour late Sunday afternoon for the bi-monthly critique meeting of my group of writers. Ye Gods!
The good news is that these critiques have provided a much needed incentive for me to actively work on my autobiography as it relates to my many years of taxicab driving.
Well, that's it, folks! Long, wasn't it? How's your day starting out? Very well, I hope. Talk atcha later!
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Bits & pieces
I don't usually post stuff like this mid-week. Normally, I'll wait until Sunday and throw a couple of items from Charles Osgood's "Sunday Morning" show in for good measure, but there's so much going on in my mind right now that - if I don't write about some of it, I'll explode!
My job search ...
I'm looking for part-time only, and am pretty fussy about what I'd like to do and how much I think I should get paid for doing same, but I've gotten a bit more serious in the past few days. I even 'went so far' as to redo one of my resumes! :)
I decided yesterday that I should send out either three inquiries or three applications every day. I made it yesterday. Today I had only two. :(
National Day of Mourning ...
Craig, our blogger friend from Australia - who is now in the Philippines covering a wedding, tells me that a national day of mourning has been declared for this coming Sunday in honor of those who have perished in the bush fires, some of which - it seems - were deliberately set.
Sunday is when Craig will be returning to his adopted homeland. He's looking forward to having better contact with the outside world and internet service, but is made somber by the knowledge of what he will return to.
I know that all of you join me in wishing him and his fellow countrymen the very best of luck in going forward with recovery and reconstruction efforts, not to mention quick apprehension and prosecution of those criminally responsible.
By the way, for those of you who might have the inclination and wherewithall to contribute, the Australian Red Cross is accepting donations for that relief effort.
News from Equatorial Guinea ...
Why am I writing about this? Well, that's where my friend Beth is. You might remember that I drove her up to IAH last week.
She sent me - along with other friends and members of her immediate family - an e-mail this morning that was meant to be reassuring. I had heard nothing whatsoever about this! Absolutely nothing!! Had you?
She writes, "Just to let everyone know, we are fine here at Abayak. Our compound is well-secured and we are not directly in the area where the attack took place. There is still military presence searching for attackers, as some might still be on the island. Pretty much everything is shut down. The local residents have been told to stay home with their families. The situation as it affects our work will be evaluated tomorrow. I could be sent back on Friday and rescheduled to come back later, or they might only delay the work by a week and ask me to stay past March 20th. Will let you know when I know."
[The link I gave you was from yesterday. There's probably more news today, but I haven't had the chance to check it out.]
Nonfiction writing contest update ...
Some of you know that I submitted three entries to this contest in mid-December. Results were supposed to have been announced and the top five entrants' stories published in January.
Two days ago I e-mailed the sponsor of the contest, concerned (#1) that my entries had not been received - either that, or I had submitted them in an improper format and (#2) that I was looking in the wrong place for the announced results.
I was pleasantly surprised to receive an e-mail back from the sponsor, stating that she had simply been overwhelmed by the number of entries and it would be another two or three weeks until the results were announced. She remembered my name, she said, but would double-check to make sure that all three of my entries had been received.
That was a really warm fuzzy!
Sticker shock ...
I just got back home from the grocery store, and am still in somewhat of a state of shock. I'm having a terrible time believing that I had to shell out $25.97 (including tax) for one furnace filter!
Now, I'll admit that I'm a little lax in changing these things out and I know that I have to purchase kind of an odd size - 12" x 36" x 1", but my last recollection was of paying $7 or $8 each plus tax. (Of course, my fondest memories were of $2.99 plus tax, you understand, but this was back in the dark ages - before most of you were even born.)
And so, I looked it up. I keep records out the wazoo on **** like this. Yep, I was right ... unfortunately! The last time I bought furnace filters (about a year ago, and I bought more than one), I paid 1/3 of what I was over-charged for today!!
Let me check to see if this one is gold-plated. ... ... Give me a sec here. ... ... No, it's not. The packaging is different, tho. It's made by 3M. (That information alone ought to make it worth at least double what I paid before, right?) Let's see, what else makes this item now so dear??
It's "Micro Allergen", whatever the devil that means, and it "Outperforms Non-Electrostatic Filters". Oh, goody! And it's supposed to last "up to three months". Nothing new there!!
The upshot of this whole thing is that I will now have to go "price-shopping", and I think most of you know how much I detest shopping! My very strong tendencies are - once I find something I like and I know that a particular store carries it - I will buy that item at that location forever and count myself lucky that I only had to make one stop, but this really goes beyond the pale.
I don't know how much I'll be posting in the next couple or three days. Tomorrow will see me at the Museum of Natural Science - "Body Worlds 2, the Brain" exhibit's last day is Sunday. Friday I have customers coming in to Hobby. I'll pick them up, deliver them to their destination, wait, and then take them back to Hobby. Saturday morning there's a critique meeting of the writer's group that I've mentioned before.
As I'm now trying to be more serious about finding a part-time job, my first focus will have to be on those efforts. It's not that I don't love all of you ... I do! It's just that these posts - while I don't begrudge a single second - take a lot of time and concentration (my age playing a role here?), and I might not have enough of either left over to publish something succinct or well-written enough for anyone but me to read.
Meanwhile, all y'all hang in there, and I'll talk atcha soon!
My job search ...
I'm looking for part-time only, and am pretty fussy about what I'd like to do and how much I think I should get paid for doing same, but I've gotten a bit more serious in the past few days. I even 'went so far' as to redo one of my resumes! :)
I decided yesterday that I should send out either three inquiries or three applications every day. I made it yesterday. Today I had only two. :(
National Day of Mourning ...
Craig, our blogger friend from Australia - who is now in the Philippines covering a wedding, tells me that a national day of mourning has been declared for this coming Sunday in honor of those who have perished in the bush fires, some of which - it seems - were deliberately set.
Sunday is when Craig will be returning to his adopted homeland. He's looking forward to having better contact with the outside world and internet service, but is made somber by the knowledge of what he will return to.
I know that all of you join me in wishing him and his fellow countrymen the very best of luck in going forward with recovery and reconstruction efforts, not to mention quick apprehension and prosecution of those criminally responsible.
By the way, for those of you who might have the inclination and wherewithall to contribute, the Australian Red Cross is accepting donations for that relief effort.
News from Equatorial Guinea ...
Why am I writing about this? Well, that's where my friend Beth is. You might remember that I drove her up to IAH last week.
She sent me - along with other friends and members of her immediate family - an e-mail this morning that was meant to be reassuring. I had heard nothing whatsoever about this! Absolutely nothing!! Had you?
She writes, "Just to let everyone know, we are fine here at Abayak. Our compound is well-secured and we are not directly in the area where the attack took place. There is still military presence searching for attackers, as some might still be on the island. Pretty much everything is shut down. The local residents have been told to stay home with their families. The situation as it affects our work will be evaluated tomorrow. I could be sent back on Friday and rescheduled to come back later, or they might only delay the work by a week and ask me to stay past March 20th. Will let you know when I know."
[The link I gave you was from yesterday. There's probably more news today, but I haven't had the chance to check it out.]
Nonfiction writing contest update ...
Some of you know that I submitted three entries to this contest in mid-December. Results were supposed to have been announced and the top five entrants' stories published in January.
Two days ago I e-mailed the sponsor of the contest, concerned (#1) that my entries had not been received - either that, or I had submitted them in an improper format and (#2) that I was looking in the wrong place for the announced results.
I was pleasantly surprised to receive an e-mail back from the sponsor, stating that she had simply been overwhelmed by the number of entries and it would be another two or three weeks until the results were announced. She remembered my name, she said, but would double-check to make sure that all three of my entries had been received.
That was a really warm fuzzy!
Sticker shock ...
I just got back home from the grocery store, and am still in somewhat of a state of shock. I'm having a terrible time believing that I had to shell out $25.97 (including tax) for one furnace filter!
Now, I'll admit that I'm a little lax in changing these things out and I know that I have to purchase kind of an odd size - 12" x 36" x 1", but my last recollection was of paying $7 or $8 each plus tax. (Of course, my fondest memories were of $2.99 plus tax, you understand, but this was back in the dark ages - before most of you were even born.)
And so, I looked it up. I keep records out the wazoo on **** like this. Yep, I was right ... unfortunately! The last time I bought furnace filters (about a year ago, and I bought more than one), I paid 1/3 of what I was over-charged for today!!
Let me check to see if this one is gold-plated. ... ... Give me a sec here. ... ... No, it's not. The packaging is different, tho. It's made by 3M. (That information alone ought to make it worth at least double what I paid before, right?) Let's see, what else makes this item now so dear??
It's "Micro Allergen", whatever the devil that means, and it "Outperforms Non-Electrostatic Filters". Oh, goody! And it's supposed to last "up to three months". Nothing new there!!
The upshot of this whole thing is that I will now have to go "price-shopping", and I think most of you know how much I detest shopping! My very strong tendencies are - once I find something I like and I know that a particular store carries it - I will buy that item at that location forever and count myself lucky that I only had to make one stop, but this really goes beyond the pale.
I don't know how much I'll be posting in the next couple or three days. Tomorrow will see me at the Museum of Natural Science - "Body Worlds 2, the Brain" exhibit's last day is Sunday. Friday I have customers coming in to Hobby. I'll pick them up, deliver them to their destination, wait, and then take them back to Hobby. Saturday morning there's a critique meeting of the writer's group that I've mentioned before.
As I'm now trying to be more serious about finding a part-time job, my first focus will have to be on those efforts. It's not that I don't love all of you ... I do! It's just that these posts - while I don't begrudge a single second - take a lot of time and concentration (my age playing a role here?), and I might not have enough of either left over to publish something succinct or well-written enough for anyone but me to read.
Meanwhile, all y'all hang in there, and I'll talk atcha soon!
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Pledge of Allegiance
It was on this date in 1945 that Congress recognized the Pledge of Allegiance and urged its recitation in American schools.
Originally written by Francis Bellamy - a Baptist minister and Christian Socialist - in 1892, it was published in the Youth's Companion, a family oriented magazine that had the largest circulation of the time, around 500,000.
Evidently James B. Upham, the nephew of the magazine's owner, who was working in the premium department, had (in 1891) gotten this idea of selling American flags to schools as a premium to solicit subscriptions.
To further promote this idea, Bellamy was hired to work with Upham, and plans were made to include the newly-composed Pledge and salute in flag raising ceremonies across the country for Columbus Day. Bellamy spoke to a national meeting of school superintendents, and they liked the idea so much that they formed a committee, naming him as chairman.
When first published in September 1892, the Pledge read as follows:
"I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands; one Nation indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all."
The original salute, described in detail by Bellamy, was changed from an extended arm during World War II to hand over heart.
[I would have been in the 1st grade in 1943 and participating in the Pledge, but I don't remember specifically doing so. I guess it was just such a natural thing to do then that it doesn't jump out at me from my memory banks. I don't remember ever doing an extended arm salute! It was always hand over heart.]
A few changes have been made to the original Pledge. The word 'to' was added in October that same year; 'my Flag' was changed to 'the Flag of the United States' in 1923; and 'of America' and the words 'under God' were added in 1924 and 1954, respectively. There's a neat chart available here of official versions of the Pledge with changes noted in bold italics.
The only change that Bellamy would have approved of was the addition of the word 'to'. He worked very hard on the initial Pledge, and every word had been carefully selected. He'd wanted to include the word 'equality', but knew that it would never be accepted because women and African Americans were not considered equals. In fact, he later stopped attending church altogether because of the racial bigotry he found there.
I do not actually know whether or not the Pledge of Allegiance is still being recited to begin every class day. I tend to doubt it. When I was teaching in the public schools in the 50's, 60's, and 70's, it was. Now? I don't know.
It's a shame, in my opinion, that God and country seem to be coming more and more under attack. As a person of Christian faith, I am bothered by this. I am old-fashioned enough to think that one should stand to show respect, that doors should be held open, and that heads should be bowed in prayer.
I am proud to be an American. I feel privileged to stand and recite the Pledge of Allegiance with hand over my heart as a sign of faith and sincerity.
Originally written by Francis Bellamy - a Baptist minister and Christian Socialist - in 1892, it was published in the Youth's Companion, a family oriented magazine that had the largest circulation of the time, around 500,000.
Evidently James B. Upham, the nephew of the magazine's owner, who was working in the premium department, had (in 1891) gotten this idea of selling American flags to schools as a premium to solicit subscriptions.
To further promote this idea, Bellamy was hired to work with Upham, and plans were made to include the newly-composed Pledge and salute in flag raising ceremonies across the country for Columbus Day. Bellamy spoke to a national meeting of school superintendents, and they liked the idea so much that they formed a committee, naming him as chairman.
When first published in September 1892, the Pledge read as follows:
"I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands; one Nation indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all."
The original salute, described in detail by Bellamy, was changed from an extended arm during World War II to hand over heart.
[I would have been in the 1st grade in 1943 and participating in the Pledge, but I don't remember specifically doing so. I guess it was just such a natural thing to do then that it doesn't jump out at me from my memory banks. I don't remember ever doing an extended arm salute! It was always hand over heart.]
A few changes have been made to the original Pledge. The word 'to' was added in October that same year; 'my Flag' was changed to 'the Flag of the United States' in 1923; and 'of America' and the words 'under God' were added in 1924 and 1954, respectively. There's a neat chart available here of official versions of the Pledge with changes noted in bold italics.
The only change that Bellamy would have approved of was the addition of the word 'to'. He worked very hard on the initial Pledge, and every word had been carefully selected. He'd wanted to include the word 'equality', but knew that it would never be accepted because women and African Americans were not considered equals. In fact, he later stopped attending church altogether because of the racial bigotry he found there.
I do not actually know whether or not the Pledge of Allegiance is still being recited to begin every class day. I tend to doubt it. When I was teaching in the public schools in the 50's, 60's, and 70's, it was. Now? I don't know.
It's a shame, in my opinion, that God and country seem to be coming more and more under attack. As a person of Christian faith, I am bothered by this. I am old-fashioned enough to think that one should stand to show respect, that doors should be held open, and that heads should be bowed in prayer.
I am proud to be an American. I feel privileged to stand and recite the Pledge of Allegiance with hand over my heart as a sign of faith and sincerity.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
#1
Did you ever wonder what the number one song was on the day you were born? the day you got married? the day you graduated from high school or college?
Well, here's a site for you. Something to have a little fun with just before Christmas.
I played around with it a little bit, and came up with the following for my family:
Mom ~ "By the Light of the Silvery Moon" by Billy Murray & Haydn Quartet
Dad ~ "Nobody's Little Girl" by Byron G. Harlan
My brother ~ "Chattanooga Choo Choo" by Glenn Miller
My sister ~ "Night and Day" by Fred Astaire with Leo Reisman
My daughter ~ "Blue Moon" by The Marcels
My son-in-law ~ "I Need You Now" by Eddie Fisher
My granddaughter ~ "Macarena [Bayside Boys Mix]" by Los Del Rio
Me ~ "September in the Rain" by Guy Lombardo
I just looked up birth dates, but you could select any date you're interested in. A neat idea. Thanks, Tammy!
Well, here's a site for you. Something to have a little fun with just before Christmas.
I played around with it a little bit, and came up with the following for my family:
Mom ~ "By the Light of the Silvery Moon" by Billy Murray & Haydn Quartet
Dad ~ "Nobody's Little Girl" by Byron G. Harlan
My brother ~ "Chattanooga Choo Choo" by Glenn Miller
My sister ~ "Night and Day" by Fred Astaire with Leo Reisman
My daughter ~ "Blue Moon" by The Marcels
My son-in-law ~ "I Need You Now" by Eddie Fisher
My granddaughter ~ "Macarena [Bayside Boys Mix]" by Los Del Rio
Me ~ "September in the Rain" by Guy Lombardo
I just looked up birth dates, but you could select any date you're interested in. A neat idea. Thanks, Tammy!
Friday, December 19, 2008
What a day this has been,
What a rare mood I'm in ... ... but the words that come up next don't fit. Gene Kelly, wasn't it?
My day began yesterday, actually, with a phone call (around noon or so) from one of my long-timey customers, asking me if I could pick her up this morning to go to Intercontinental Airport. I said, "Sure! What time?" She said, "10:00. I'll have to call you later to give you the flight number. I'm in a meeting right now." I said, "I don't need a flight number to take you to the airport. I just need one to pick you back up."
Well, later that evening (last night), she called and asked, "What time did I tell you to pick me up?" I said, "10:00." She said, "I was afraid of that. My flight leaves at 10:00!" No problem. We just scheduled an earlier pickup.
Anyway, I got over to her place in plenty of time this morning. I was early, cuz I had allowed for a lot of extra traffic - of which there was none, and so just sat in front of her house waiting for her to come out with her "baby".
Now, she doesn't have a 'baby' as such. What she has is a cute little dog with hair going every which direction that has to be sedated before every plane trip. (She has her baby travel with her -- not with the luggage.)
I was there perhaps 15 minutes or so when - right next door - some big van pulled up and honked loudly two or three times. I thought, "How inconsiderate! It's way too early to be honking, for crying out loud!!" And then I thought, "Geez, I hope my customer doesn't think it's me doing all that honking!"
Well, of course my customer came out of her house to see who was making all that racket and saw me sitting there. We got everything loaded and off we went, arriving at her terminal in plenty of time for them to get checked in.
I didn't think any more about it. Drove back into town, went to Kroger's to get my weekly 'fix' of grape salad (including a smaller-sized container for my daughter, who had never tasted it), bought a little green plant to take to her house out in Katy, stopped at another store on my list, and returned home around 11 or so. Checked my e-mails. Something wrong with the 'system' most of the day today for some reason or another. Same thing with my daughter's. Replied to a couple, responded to a comment or two on various posts, and then lay down to take a short nap after first calling my daughter to tell her what time I thought I'd be heading out her way.
Later. Out in Katy. Daughter and I are having a nice visit. Granddaughter and her two friends have had a lot of fun discovering their new names -- remember the "My NEW NAME is Boobie Battyface" post?
Daughter is giving me some added info on how to link other sites and download pix, etc., when my cell phone rings. I answer, "Hello?" It's -- you're not going to believe this, but it's my customer, asking if I can come and pick them back up from the airport. They've not been able to get on a flight.
I said, "Of course I can, but it'll be a while before I can get there." "No problem," she says. "Don't start out right now, tho. We're still trying to catch another flight. I'll call and let you know for sure."
Meanwhile, back out in Katy, my daughter tries to hurry up all of my tutorials and sample the grape salad while I'm checking and double-checking my list of 'stuff' to run through with her. Heavens to Betsy!
I think it was two or three phone calls later when my customer said, "We're trying to catch the 7:00 flight. Would you be available to pick us up if we don't get on?" I said, "Sure, no problem. Just let me know."
[Can you believe the real life nightmare this woman was experiencing?!?]
I don't get another call. I arrive back home just before 7 and call my daughter. "Do you think I should try and call her cell phone?" I ask. Daughter thought I should probably give it another half hour or so. During our conversation my customer calls again, this time saying that there are so many people waiting to catch that flight that she doesn't see any way that they will be able to get on, and can I come and pick them up?
I told her that I would leave immediately and asked where they would be waiting ... in the luggage area or in departures? She told me that their luggage had already gone. My goodness, my goodness!
OK. So, it's like two or three minutes later. I'm on the road. I can't even begin to imagine the frustration she must be feeling! I'm not going to break any speed records getting up there, but I'm not going to dawdle around, either!
I'm no more than two or three miles from my house when my phone rings again. I recognize the number and say, "Yes?" "Don't come!" she says. "We made the flight." I turned around and went back home.
Sooo, how's your day been?
My day began yesterday, actually, with a phone call (around noon or so) from one of my long-timey customers, asking me if I could pick her up this morning to go to Intercontinental Airport. I said, "Sure! What time?" She said, "10:00. I'll have to call you later to give you the flight number. I'm in a meeting right now." I said, "I don't need a flight number to take you to the airport. I just need one to pick you back up."
Well, later that evening (last night), she called and asked, "What time did I tell you to pick me up?" I said, "10:00." She said, "I was afraid of that. My flight leaves at 10:00!" No problem. We just scheduled an earlier pickup.
Anyway, I got over to her place in plenty of time this morning. I was early, cuz I had allowed for a lot of extra traffic - of which there was none, and so just sat in front of her house waiting for her to come out with her "baby".
Now, she doesn't have a 'baby' as such. What she has is a cute little dog with hair going every which direction that has to be sedated before every plane trip. (She has her baby travel with her -- not with the luggage.)
I was there perhaps 15 minutes or so when - right next door - some big van pulled up and honked loudly two or three times. I thought, "How inconsiderate! It's way too early to be honking, for crying out loud!!" And then I thought, "Geez, I hope my customer doesn't think it's me doing all that honking!"
Well, of course my customer came out of her house to see who was making all that racket and saw me sitting there. We got everything loaded and off we went, arriving at her terminal in plenty of time for them to get checked in.
I didn't think any more about it. Drove back into town, went to Kroger's to get my weekly 'fix' of grape salad (including a smaller-sized container for my daughter, who had never tasted it), bought a little green plant to take to her house out in Katy, stopped at another store on my list, and returned home around 11 or so. Checked my e-mails. Something wrong with the 'system' most of the day today for some reason or another. Same thing with my daughter's. Replied to a couple, responded to a comment or two on various posts, and then lay down to take a short nap after first calling my daughter to tell her what time I thought I'd be heading out her way.
Later. Out in Katy. Daughter and I are having a nice visit. Granddaughter and her two friends have had a lot of fun discovering their new names -- remember the "My NEW NAME is Boobie Battyface" post?
Daughter is giving me some added info on how to link other sites and download pix, etc., when my cell phone rings. I answer, "Hello?" It's -- you're not going to believe this, but it's my customer, asking if I can come and pick them back up from the airport. They've not been able to get on a flight.
I said, "Of course I can, but it'll be a while before I can get there." "No problem," she says. "Don't start out right now, tho. We're still trying to catch another flight. I'll call and let you know for sure."
Meanwhile, back out in Katy, my daughter tries to hurry up all of my tutorials and sample the grape salad while I'm checking and double-checking my list of 'stuff' to run through with her. Heavens to Betsy!
I think it was two or three phone calls later when my customer said, "We're trying to catch the 7:00 flight. Would you be available to pick us up if we don't get on?" I said, "Sure, no problem. Just let me know."
[Can you believe the real life nightmare this woman was experiencing?!?]
I don't get another call. I arrive back home just before 7 and call my daughter. "Do you think I should try and call her cell phone?" I ask. Daughter thought I should probably give it another half hour or so. During our conversation my customer calls again, this time saying that there are so many people waiting to catch that flight that she doesn't see any way that they will be able to get on, and can I come and pick them up?
I told her that I would leave immediately and asked where they would be waiting ... in the luggage area or in departures? She told me that their luggage had already gone. My goodness, my goodness!
OK. So, it's like two or three minutes later. I'm on the road. I can't even begin to imagine the frustration she must be feeling! I'm not going to break any speed records getting up there, but I'm not going to dawdle around, either!
I'm no more than two or three miles from my house when my phone rings again. I recognize the number and say, "Yes?" "Don't come!" she says. "We made the flight." I turned around and went back home.
Sooo, how's your day been?
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Sky Traffic
Are you planning air travel over the next week or two? You won't be alone. Here's an example of what air traffic controllers in this country have to deal with on a daily basis ...
Or maybe you'll be traveling to Europe? Check out this mind-boggler. About halfway through the video the map turns on its axis and it looks, literally, like a beehive of activity.
Wasn't that interesting? I seem to remember hearing or reading about how air traffic controllers often suffer 'burn out' from the stress of their jobs. That sounds quite plausible.
Now, for a worldwide look at air traffic over a 24-hour span, have some fun with this 72-second clip. I found it mesmerizing.
Or maybe you'll be traveling to Europe? Check out this mind-boggler. About halfway through the video the map turns on its axis and it looks, literally, like a beehive of activity.
Wasn't that interesting? I seem to remember hearing or reading about how air traffic controllers often suffer 'burn out' from the stress of their jobs. That sounds quite plausible.
Now, for a worldwide look at air traffic over a 24-hour span, have some fun with this 72-second clip. I found it mesmerizing.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Testing digital
Local television stations have scheduled three different time slots today when they will briefly switch from analog to digital so that viewers can check to see if their sets are digitally capable. That's a good thing.
My set will not be. DSL and I discussed this much earlier this year, and we decided - rather than get a converter box - that I should just go ahead and purchase a new set in February, just before everything turns to snow on mine.
Now, I could have gone the converter box route. Coupons worth $40 each are available free from the government, two per household, which means that - depending on where you shop - the cost for same would then be little or nothing.
My set isn't that old, but it's not very big, either. It sits on part of my kitchen table, where I do paperwork, puzzles, mending, etc., while I'm watching. I wouldn't want to be sitting across the room from it to try and enjoy my favorite programs. There's no need to, really. I mean, I live by myself and its size is just perfect for my needs.
I do not have cable. If I did, theoretically my set would be 'OK'. The same should hold true for those of you who have cable. I hope that your local television station/s has/have plans to schedule testing time slots for their viewers.
My set will not be. DSL and I discussed this much earlier this year, and we decided - rather than get a converter box - that I should just go ahead and purchase a new set in February, just before everything turns to snow on mine.
Now, I could have gone the converter box route. Coupons worth $40 each are available free from the government, two per household, which means that - depending on where you shop - the cost for same would then be little or nothing.
My set isn't that old, but it's not very big, either. It sits on part of my kitchen table, where I do paperwork, puzzles, mending, etc., while I'm watching. I wouldn't want to be sitting across the room from it to try and enjoy my favorite programs. There's no need to, really. I mean, I live by myself and its size is just perfect for my needs.
I do not have cable. If I did, theoretically my set would be 'OK'. The same should hold true for those of you who have cable. I hope that your local television station/s has/have plans to schedule testing time slots for their viewers.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Medal of Honor
The highest honor that can be bestowed, there have been less than 3,500 awarded since the Medal of Honor's inception during the Civil War.
I watched a gut-wrenching, awe-inspiring, and very moving 90-minute presentation by PBS this evening that chronicled in detail a few of the recipients' stories. Some of the little more than a handful who are still with us appeared in personal interviews with their thoughts interspersed throughout the hour and a half program.
Here are just a few of their stories ... ...
Hershel Williams - 5'6" - turned down twice by the Marines - on Iwo Jima, was asked by his commanding officer if he thought he could man a flame thrower (all of those who had previously been manning flame throwers were dead) and destroy some pillboxes that the enemy was using to great advantage - he couldn't remember what he replied, but was later told that he'd said, "I'll try" ("That sounds like something I might say," he later acknowledged) - was 'escorted' by several men who were trying to protect him from being hit (when he got to the first pillbox, he discovered that he was all alone) - managed single-handedly to destroy seven (7!) pillboxes, using a total of six flame-throwers in all - asked where he'd gotten the other flame throwers, he replied, "I guess I must have kept going back down and getting another" (he really couldn't remember)
Mike Thornton - Navy SEAL - went back to get his severely wounded commanding officer (presumed dead and subsequently abandoned) - on the way back to the beach, found another comrade who'd been wounded and carried the two into the water - flotation of the other two was accomplished by the second one draping his arms around Thornton's neck and supporting the other who was unable to do anything to assist himself - two hours later, they were found and rescued by a search boat
Paul Smith - a career soldier (platoon sergeant, I believe) - died at Bagdad International Airport while staving off the enemy manning a 50-caliber machine gun mounted atop an armored vehicle (the previous gunner had been killed) - story told by the driver of the vehicle, whom Smith kept shouting at to "Get down!"
John Finn - Pearl Harbor - in charge of gun placements and ammunition - had futilely argued to have gun mounts constructed at the airfield - drove to the airfield the morning of the attack, dragged a large caliber gun out of a destroyed airplane, temporarily mounted it on a pile of lumber and began firing at as many incoming Japanese aircraft as he could 'bear on'
Tibor Rubin - Hungarian - initially rejected because he couldn't speak English very well - a Jew - concentration camp - freed by Allies - vowed to come to America and try to repay this country - was called upon to defend a hill all by himself (commanding officer actually said, "Get the funny talking son of a bitch") - left on top of the hill with lots of grenades and two guns - spent the night praying to God, Moses, Allah, Buddha, and everyone else he could think of in addition to spreading his weaponry around - "I have to make them think there are a lot of people up here" - attack by North Koreans came at 4am - miraculously, he held the hill for twenty-four hours
Alvin York - pacifist - declined the conscientious objector status achieved for him by his family's pastor "because my ancestors told me to go fight" - down to his last six bullets - six men coming at him - he shot the 6th one, then the 5th, then the 4th, etc. - said later, "It's like hunting turkeys. You don't want the first ones to know that the back ones are going down."
So many wonderful quotes, including a lot of humor, by these men. I couldn't take notes fast enough, I apologize, but here are three more ... ...
"I seen it was gonna be a bad day."
"My good looks are gone."
"What better place to die than in the arms of your comrades?"
None consider themselves 'heroes' and all who still wear the Medal of Honor wear it with pride for all those who didn't survive. Seventeen have received the Medal of Honor twice! (I can't even imagine such a possibility.)
The word 'fear' came up again and again. One said, "Fear can save your life, but you can't let it control you." "My anger became so great that I forgot to be afraid," said another.
Seventy-five medics in all have received the Medal of Honor, five chaplains, and included in this illustrious group of Medal of Honor recipients is an African-American soldier in the Civil War who took up a downed flag bearer's banner (dropping his own weapon in the process) before it could hit the ground.
Only one woman - a doctor - Mary Edwards Walker - Civil War - wore trousers underneath her skirt and was heavily criticized - made many trips to the Confederate side to treat wounded - believed amputation was a last resort - captured by the South and paraded throughout the streets of Richmond as a laughing stock - Medal rescinded years later because she was 'only' a civilian, but refused to give it up (in fact, she wore it every day for the rest of her life, or so the story goes)
I kept waiting for Audie Murphy's name and story to come up. It never did. He was one of my childhood heroes. I had always heard that he was the most decorated soldier of World War II. I thought, "What if he wasn't one of the most decorated?"
And so I went looking (on the internet, of course!) -- and yes, he was the 'most decorated'. There are so many websites that you can delve into at your leisure. It's incredible, actually! I'll get you started with one or two reference sites below, and then you can begin to lose yourself in many many many many hours of history.
As with life, the Medal of Honor's history is not without its negative side. I have chosen not to include detailed accounts of the one that was returned, nor the one whose recipient spent the vast majority of the rest of his life criticizing the United States for its 'imperialism'.
I chose, instead, to describe positives. That is the way in which I try to approach life. I am not always successful, but I try.
I am proud to be an American, and am even more proud of myself that I took the opportunity to vote yesterday! (And no, I did not write my own name in.)
This site has a few of the many stories of valor and was linked from pbs.org.
This one has the number of Medal of Honor recipients listed by 'conflict'. You will notice a huge discrepancy between the numbers issued during the Civil War (over 1500, nearly half of the total) and all of those afterwards. The explanation given, as I recall, was that soldiers who were willing to re-enlist were offered the Medal of Honor as an enticement.
I watched a gut-wrenching, awe-inspiring, and very moving 90-minute presentation by PBS this evening that chronicled in detail a few of the recipients' stories. Some of the little more than a handful who are still with us appeared in personal interviews with their thoughts interspersed throughout the hour and a half program.
Here are just a few of their stories ... ...
Hershel Williams - 5'6" - turned down twice by the Marines - on Iwo Jima, was asked by his commanding officer if he thought he could man a flame thrower (all of those who had previously been manning flame throwers were dead) and destroy some pillboxes that the enemy was using to great advantage - he couldn't remember what he replied, but was later told that he'd said, "I'll try" ("That sounds like something I might say," he later acknowledged) - was 'escorted' by several men who were trying to protect him from being hit (when he got to the first pillbox, he discovered that he was all alone) - managed single-handedly to destroy seven (7!) pillboxes, using a total of six flame-throwers in all - asked where he'd gotten the other flame throwers, he replied, "I guess I must have kept going back down and getting another" (he really couldn't remember)
Mike Thornton - Navy SEAL - went back to get his severely wounded commanding officer (presumed dead and subsequently abandoned) - on the way back to the beach, found another comrade who'd been wounded and carried the two into the water - flotation of the other two was accomplished by the second one draping his arms around Thornton's neck and supporting the other who was unable to do anything to assist himself - two hours later, they were found and rescued by a search boat
Paul Smith - a career soldier (platoon sergeant, I believe) - died at Bagdad International Airport while staving off the enemy manning a 50-caliber machine gun mounted atop an armored vehicle (the previous gunner had been killed) - story told by the driver of the vehicle, whom Smith kept shouting at to "Get down!"
John Finn - Pearl Harbor - in charge of gun placements and ammunition - had futilely argued to have gun mounts constructed at the airfield - drove to the airfield the morning of the attack, dragged a large caliber gun out of a destroyed airplane, temporarily mounted it on a pile of lumber and began firing at as many incoming Japanese aircraft as he could 'bear on'
Tibor Rubin - Hungarian - initially rejected because he couldn't speak English very well - a Jew - concentration camp - freed by Allies - vowed to come to America and try to repay this country - was called upon to defend a hill all by himself (commanding officer actually said, "Get the funny talking son of a bitch") - left on top of the hill with lots of grenades and two guns - spent the night praying to God, Moses, Allah, Buddha, and everyone else he could think of in addition to spreading his weaponry around - "I have to make them think there are a lot of people up here" - attack by North Koreans came at 4am - miraculously, he held the hill for twenty-four hours
Alvin York - pacifist - declined the conscientious objector status achieved for him by his family's pastor "because my ancestors told me to go fight" - down to his last six bullets - six men coming at him - he shot the 6th one, then the 5th, then the 4th, etc. - said later, "It's like hunting turkeys. You don't want the first ones to know that the back ones are going down."
So many wonderful quotes, including a lot of humor, by these men. I couldn't take notes fast enough, I apologize, but here are three more ... ...
"I seen it was gonna be a bad day."
"My good looks are gone."
"What better place to die than in the arms of your comrades?"
None consider themselves 'heroes' and all who still wear the Medal of Honor wear it with pride for all those who didn't survive. Seventeen have received the Medal of Honor twice! (I can't even imagine such a possibility.)
The word 'fear' came up again and again. One said, "Fear can save your life, but you can't let it control you." "My anger became so great that I forgot to be afraid," said another.
Seventy-five medics in all have received the Medal of Honor, five chaplains, and included in this illustrious group of Medal of Honor recipients is an African-American soldier in the Civil War who took up a downed flag bearer's banner (dropping his own weapon in the process) before it could hit the ground.
Only one woman - a doctor - Mary Edwards Walker - Civil War - wore trousers underneath her skirt and was heavily criticized - made many trips to the Confederate side to treat wounded - believed amputation was a last resort - captured by the South and paraded throughout the streets of Richmond as a laughing stock - Medal rescinded years later because she was 'only' a civilian, but refused to give it up (in fact, she wore it every day for the rest of her life, or so the story goes)
I kept waiting for Audie Murphy's name and story to come up. It never did. He was one of my childhood heroes. I had always heard that he was the most decorated soldier of World War II. I thought, "What if he wasn't one of the most decorated?"
And so I went looking (on the internet, of course!) -- and yes, he was the 'most decorated'. There are so many websites that you can delve into at your leisure. It's incredible, actually! I'll get you started with one or two reference sites below, and then you can begin to lose yourself in many many many many hours of history.
As with life, the Medal of Honor's history is not without its negative side. I have chosen not to include detailed accounts of the one that was returned, nor the one whose recipient spent the vast majority of the rest of his life criticizing the United States for its 'imperialism'.
I chose, instead, to describe positives. That is the way in which I try to approach life. I am not always successful, but I try.
I am proud to be an American, and am even more proud of myself that I took the opportunity to vote yesterday! (And no, I did not write my own name in.)
This site has a few of the many stories of valor and was linked from pbs.org.
This one has the number of Medal of Honor recipients listed by 'conflict'. You will notice a huge discrepancy between the numbers issued during the Civil War (over 1500, nearly half of the total) and all of those afterwards. The explanation given, as I recall, was that soldiers who were willing to re-enlist were offered the Medal of Honor as an enticement.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Here & there, up & down, roundabout
A couple of things I should update all y'all on ... ...
Biopsy results ...
I received an e-mail late last night from Dr. Bauer's office that (supposedly) contained the results of the biopsy on my left cheek.
I say 'supposedly' because I was unable -- yet one more time -- to hack through 'security' clearances to read the results.
Those of you who have read any of my posts in the past know how much time has been wasted in trying to clear this matter up. As I told my daughter in an e-mail earlier this morning, I have no intention whatsoever of calling Dr. Bauer's office to try and ascertain the results. I repeat, none whatsoever!!
Doctors' offices do not send you bad news via e-mail. They call you, right? And so, I'm 'assuming' that the biopsy read 'benign'.
Passport application ...
I was told that all I needed to present was my original birth certificate, driver's license, passport photos, and proof of current place of residence. Oh, yes! And a check in the amount of $100.
SO, I went to the nearest passport office (actually, I went to a Post Office) with all in hand.
We hit a few 'snags' on the application. I'd been married 'how many' times?!? (3) My maiden name was? (OK) My mother's maiden name was? (OK) My father's date of birth? (OK) My mother's date of birth? (OK) My father's place of birth? (I didn't know) My mother's place of birth? (I didn't know) My last ex-husband's date of birth? (I didn't remember) Place of birth? (You have got to be kidding me!) The street address of my daughter? (I didn't have that with me.) My travel plans? (Whaat!?!) Date of marriage to my most recent spouse? (Give me a break here!) Divorce date? (Same comment.) Did I have the divorce decree with me? (Are you kidding??? This was over twenty years ago!!!)
Fellow who was taking my application assured me that all this really didn't matter -- that if there were any problems, they would mail my application back to me with notations of any questions that still needed to be answered. Ye Gods!
Then he asked me for $75. I thought, "Whaat! Thought it was $100!?!" I wrote the check out (I'd only brought the one). All was fine and good. Then he asked me for another $25 -- post office's fee charges, or some such.
Well, I told him that I'd have to go back home and get another check. He said he'd hold the application, no problem.
Did all that. Got a receipt.
When I arrived back home 2-3 hours later, there was a voice mail from the fellow at the Post Office saying that I'd left a copy of my birth certificate there, and could I come back and get it? They'd hold it for me. Ye Gods and little fish hooks!!
Well, yeah, I could, but meanwhile the Post Office was closed. Couldn't do it until the next day ... maybe that'll teach me to leave the house without my phone, huh?!?
Biopsy results ...
I received an e-mail late last night from Dr. Bauer's office that (supposedly) contained the results of the biopsy on my left cheek.
I say 'supposedly' because I was unable -- yet one more time -- to hack through 'security' clearances to read the results.
Those of you who have read any of my posts in the past know how much time has been wasted in trying to clear this matter up. As I told my daughter in an e-mail earlier this morning, I have no intention whatsoever of calling Dr. Bauer's office to try and ascertain the results. I repeat, none whatsoever!!
Doctors' offices do not send you bad news via e-mail. They call you, right? And so, I'm 'assuming' that the biopsy read 'benign'.
Passport application ...
I was told that all I needed to present was my original birth certificate, driver's license, passport photos, and proof of current place of residence. Oh, yes! And a check in the amount of $100.
SO, I went to the nearest passport office (actually, I went to a Post Office) with all in hand.
We hit a few 'snags' on the application. I'd been married 'how many' times?!? (3) My maiden name was? (OK) My mother's maiden name was? (OK) My father's date of birth? (OK) My mother's date of birth? (OK) My father's place of birth? (I didn't know) My mother's place of birth? (I didn't know) My last ex-husband's date of birth? (I didn't remember) Place of birth? (You have got to be kidding me!) The street address of my daughter? (I didn't have that with me.) My travel plans? (Whaat!?!) Date of marriage to my most recent spouse? (Give me a break here!) Divorce date? (Same comment.) Did I have the divorce decree with me? (Are you kidding??? This was over twenty years ago!!!)
Fellow who was taking my application assured me that all this really didn't matter -- that if there were any problems, they would mail my application back to me with notations of any questions that still needed to be answered. Ye Gods!
Then he asked me for $75. I thought, "Whaat! Thought it was $100!?!" I wrote the check out (I'd only brought the one). All was fine and good. Then he asked me for another $25 -- post office's fee charges, or some such.
Well, I told him that I'd have to go back home and get another check. He said he'd hold the application, no problem.
Did all that. Got a receipt.
When I arrived back home 2-3 hours later, there was a voice mail from the fellow at the Post Office saying that I'd left a copy of my birth certificate there, and could I come back and get it? They'd hold it for me. Ye Gods and little fish hooks!!
Well, yeah, I could, but meanwhile the Post Office was closed. Couldn't do it until the next day ... maybe that'll teach me to leave the house without my phone, huh?!?
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Free taco, anyone?
Supposedly, anyone across this great country of ours today can -- between the hours of 2 and 6 pm CST -- go to a Taco Bell and claim a free taco, courtesy of the Tampa Bay Rays.
I'm going to have to try and remember that as I leave the house a touch later. I'm not a huge taco fan, but if I pass a Taco Bell later, I'll probably get in line. How about you??
I'm going to have to try and remember that as I leave the house a touch later. I'm not a huge taco fan, but if I pass a Taco Bell later, I'll probably get in line. How about you??
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
More scattered thoughts
Mostly on Ike, I'm sorry about that. I'll try and sneak in one or two other items that are not Ike-related. We'll see.
Schools ...
are almost all back in session, except for Galveston and the areas immediately around Kemah (Seabrook, for example).
Galveston ...
The beaches are open -- Navy must have done its job! It's "at your own risk", of course. (Question: Who would want to go swimming in the Gulf right now with all the debris that is almost certain to be floating around or just below the surface out there?)
Power restoration ...
As of last night, there were still 114,000 Centerpoint customers without power!! "Mostly in the heavily-wooded areas," said Centerpoint. Supposedly, there are still 12,000 workers working 16-hour shifts daily to try and correct the problem/s.
Gas prices ...
continue to fall. However, last night (driving home from playing bridge) I noticed a 40 cent per gallon differential -- same type/brand of gas, just different locations. You really have to do your homework, don't you?
Florida's regulations ...
Shoot! Can't find my notes on this one, but I'm pretty sure I heard that FL's legislators passed a law requiring that gas stations have their own generators.
That sounds really good to me!
There was plenty of gas at stations all around the Houston area following Ike, but they had no power to work the pumps!!
Boliver Peninsula ...
Three more bodies were found just this past couple of days -- one washed ashore, two found beneath rubble.
If you will look at a Texas map in detail, the Boliver Peninsula is located just across from Galveston and goes for many miles.
Those folks have been historically on record for not evacuating, for being tough, for facing up to and withstanding any storm. They were among the 90-some helicoptered off of their roofs, as I mentioned in an earlier post.
I do not know how many more bodies might be found. Search dogs were called off a few days ago because they were being bitten so badly by mosquitoes.
Many are missing. My thoughts and prayers -- and I know that yours do, too! -- go out to them and their families.
Local television stations ...
are all now back on the air, except for Channel 33 (Conroe, I think). Channel 14 just got back on last night, but there was no way I could stay up to watch The Shoes of the Fisherman, with Anthony Quinn. Wanted to, but sleepysand called. Wonderful film!
Channel 26 has, for the past week or so, been running what they call "Ike Interruption Theater", airing popular shows that did not run because of the ongoing hurricane and its aftermath coverage.
Sorry, guys! Guess there's nothing really here but Ike and more Ike. Hopefully, this will be the last one that I will feel obligated to post.
Schools ...
are almost all back in session, except for Galveston and the areas immediately around Kemah (Seabrook, for example).
Galveston ...
The beaches are open -- Navy must have done its job! It's "at your own risk", of course. (Question: Who would want to go swimming in the Gulf right now with all the debris that is almost certain to be floating around or just below the surface out there?)
Power restoration ...
As of last night, there were still 114,000 Centerpoint customers without power!! "Mostly in the heavily-wooded areas," said Centerpoint. Supposedly, there are still 12,000 workers working 16-hour shifts daily to try and correct the problem/s.
Gas prices ...
continue to fall. However, last night (driving home from playing bridge) I noticed a 40 cent per gallon differential -- same type/brand of gas, just different locations. You really have to do your homework, don't you?
Florida's regulations ...
Shoot! Can't find my notes on this one, but I'm pretty sure I heard that FL's legislators passed a law requiring that gas stations have their own generators.
That sounds really good to me!
There was plenty of gas at stations all around the Houston area following Ike, but they had no power to work the pumps!!
Boliver Peninsula ...
Three more bodies were found just this past couple of days -- one washed ashore, two found beneath rubble.
If you will look at a Texas map in detail, the Boliver Peninsula is located just across from Galveston and goes for many miles.
Those folks have been historically on record for not evacuating, for being tough, for facing up to and withstanding any storm. They were among the 90-some helicoptered off of their roofs, as I mentioned in an earlier post.
I do not know how many more bodies might be found. Search dogs were called off a few days ago because they were being bitten so badly by mosquitoes.
Many are missing. My thoughts and prayers -- and I know that yours do, too! -- go out to them and their families.
Local television stations ...
are all now back on the air, except for Channel 33 (Conroe, I think). Channel 14 just got back on last night, but there was no way I could stay up to watch The Shoes of the Fisherman, with Anthony Quinn. Wanted to, but sleepysand called. Wonderful film!
Channel 26 has, for the past week or so, been running what they call "Ike Interruption Theater", airing popular shows that did not run because of the ongoing hurricane and its aftermath coverage.
Sorry, guys! Guess there's nothing really here but Ike and more Ike. Hopefully, this will be the last one that I will feel obligated to post.
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