A strange growth appeared on my bumper - I swear I didn't hit anything - that sort of looks like an "outie" belly button. Hubby offered to drill it out, fill it with Bondo, sand it with rubbing compound and repaint it. OY is what I thought but what I said was "how about a nice bumper sticker?"
So off I went to peruse Cafepress.com. There are literally thousands of bumper stickers so surely I could find one to do the trick. I ruled out anything political or religious, not wanting to tempt any crazies to do additional damage to my ride. Of course I have no Honor Students to brag about, no Baby-On-Board, no family members in the Army, Navy, Air Force or Marines. I don't brake for much of anything except red lights, stop signs and jaywalking pedestrians. My Other Car is not a Cessna Airplane nor do I love Soccer, Gardening or Zumba. I definitely agree Cancer Sucks but I think I'd like something a little less depressing on my car's rear end. And Please! Do NOT Honk if you love Jesus - I may have an accident.
I think this one may be the winner....
;-)
I'm about halfway through Dan Brown's newest blockbuster novel Inferno. The bad guy is obsessed that our planet's population is on an unstoppable trajectory that will result in a hellish existence of starvation and brutal fighting for survival - a good reason to want to unleash a 21st century Black Plague and sharply reduce the citizenry.
I remember the stir The Population Bomb caused when it was published in1968. And there have been many others who predict the end of human existence due to our bad habit of reproducing.
But I do not worry a great deal about this. Why? Because I believe we will invent our way out of our most vexing problems. We desalinize ocean water, have nuclear powered electric plants, grow crops in deserts and breed fish in farms. We no longer worry that we will run out of whale blubber to light our streets or that the need for paper will destroy all trees on Earth.
Then again, maybe things won't be so great. I read this article that makes the case for insects (bugs) being one of the best hopes for a sustainable food source for the 9 billion people who will be sitting down to dinner in 2050.
Hey, are insects kosher? :-(
As I'm slowly working my way to "antique" status myself I am lucky to have a few really nice pieces to keep me company. I've come to appreciate these "oldies but goodies" more when I see other old treasures appraised on Antique Roadshow. But most surprising of all are the "great finds" the guys on American Pickers are willing to pay for uh, junk in the attic. Who Knew?? I would have saved more stuff ;-)
While passing through Puyallup Washington in the late 1970s a gentleman offered us this radio for $25. He said "take it, you will be happy you did". It was the last thing I needed or wanted at the time. Guess what? Its "golden throat" that runs on vacuum tubes still works! Years later we bought two extra sets of tubes and we listened to the first Gulf War on its short wave.
The bit of rug shown in the picture is from hubby's grandmother's oriental rug, purchased almost 100 years ago at Nahigian carpets in Chicago. It has a genuine horsehair pad. A few years ago we had it refringed and cleaned for $900. The specialist at Odabashian carpets said it was well worth it. I would not part with it for the winning Powerball lottery ticket.
The curved oak chest is one of two (the second is a smaller version) that my BFF sent me. She loved to go to estate sales and hunt for antiques. I loved these pieces when she got them and loved them even more when they arrived from Chicago.
I have other old treasures too. But I'm keeping the Pickers far away from my door!
The summer preview issue of Entertainment Weekly (EW) magazine arrived yesterday with a big headline "99 Ways To Spend 99 Days". And truthfully, I am indeed looking forward to spending those lazy, hazy days of summer in blissful dilatoriness. And thanks to EW I've added a few TV options to my plans for total self indulgence.
I don't have plans for all 99 days of summer but here are a few...
I read this great story about how a total stranger captured this couple's Magic Moment (no explanation needed) and went to great lengths (well social media anyway) to track them down.
I wish I had captured a few more of the moments that were special to me. I've taken a lot more pictures since I started carrying a smartphone but truth be told, I didn't even recognize a lot of my Magic Moments until years afterwards.
I don't have enough pictures playing with my godchildren when they were babies. Not enough pictures of friends from high school or snippets of daily life. Not a single picture of my graduation from college or my bit part onstage in a Temple youth group production penned and produced by the now truly famous director Stuart Gordon.
Truisms: Blessed are the Pessimists for they have made back-ups. And Blessed are the Photographers for they have preserved our memories...
;-)
I'm watching the devastation in Moore Oklahoma on the news. I remember another tornado from 34 years ago.
When we pulled into Wichita Falls Texas in our tractor-trailer on April 8, 1979, hubby said he was feeling awful and did not argue when I suggested the emergency room. A bad sign. He was immediately admitted with a case of pneumonia. We were sitting in his room when news of an impending tornado came over the TV. "We don't have to worry" he said "until we hear a train coming". As soon as he said it there came the sound of a locomotive that felt like it was right next door. He got dressed and by the time we left his room injured people were already filling up the hospital lobby. We made it to the truck somehow and luckily it was OK. Hubby chased away two would-be thieves with his pellet gun (it looked real) who were trying to siphon our fuel (silly them, it was diesel and not much use to them) and we drove away from the devastation. We headed to Amarillo and when I saw the Big Texan Steak sign I finally exhaled.
At least here in Florida when a hurricane is on the horizon we get plenty of advance notice to buy supplies and formulate a plan. With a tornado you can go from OK to sheer terror in a matter of minutes.
My prayers are with the folks in Oklahoma...
Reader's Digest had a regular article called "Most Unforgettable Character". After seeing the new movie Star Trek - Into Darkness this afternoon, I realized that Kirk, Spock, Checkov, Sulu, Bones, Uhura and Scotty are some of the most unforgettable characters that ever entered my consciousness. I, like everyone else, have never forgotten them and just like old friends, I hurry to see them whenever they reappear after a long absence.
From watching the original shows from hubby's parent's vinyl-clad sectional in 1967 to seeing Into Darkness on the big screen 46 years later, Star Trek captured my imagination and never let go. Although I am not an expert on Trekkie minutiae, I reveled in the little references to old stories (think Tribbles) and the personality quirks that first endeared the crew to their audience.
Back in 1967 I saw my life as a continuing adventure and thought I would boldly go where no one had gone before. Time stretched out as far as space.
It's gone by at warp speed...
;-)
I conked out early last night and went to bed at about 9 pm. I must have been awfully tired because I fell into a deep sleep and had a bad dream. Basically it was about a Reversal of Fortune that found me liable for a (non violent) crime and penniless. I blame the new CNN jailhouse interview with Bernard Madoff for putting such icky thoughts in my head and triggering insomnia.
But the dream did remind me of how good I have it. Instead of trying to find work at Wal-Mart or cleaning houses, I am planning a cruise. Instead of scrounging meals of spaghetti and stale bread, I am planning lunches out with friends. Instead of seeing U-Verse cancelled I am planning to see Star Trek - Into Darkness at an IMAX theater. Instead of taking the County bus to a free clinic I can call the renown Cleveland Clinic today to discuss my latest test results.
Maybe having a bad dream occasionally puts things into perspective...
:-)
Nuclear disaster. Giant Meteors. Aliens. Pandemics. Volcanic eruptions under the Earth's surface. Global annihilation. Body snatchers. I really do not care much for those post-apocalyptic themes in movies and TV but they seem to be everywhere these days and a few seem to be actually semi-believable and well written. They all have a central core: We Will Survive.
My favorite of the bunch was Jericho, a TV show that was out a few years back and despite a loyal following in the "right" demographic (18 to 34 year olds) was abruptly cancelled. Such is the curse of most of the shows I really like. My least favorite was the Will Smith movie I Am Legend, mainly because it scared the bejesus out of me in a way the others did not quite manage.
I think I can trace the roots of the popularity of disaster films to the 1983 TV "event" The Day After. Although its debut was watched by 100 million people, I assure you, I was not one of them. I cannot be sure but my guess is that I was probably hiding out in the kitchen with a half gallon container of ice cream.
Just in case there ever is a real-life apocalypse, I've stashed a few cans of Ensure in the back of the pantry and a few cans of sterno in the garage.
We Will Survive!
;-)
When I learned that a giant new Wal-Mart superstore would be opening in Davie, a mere 5.4 miles away, I rejoiced. I was certain I would be there all-the-time.
But then, a little Okey Dokey grocery market opened up about a mile from home, where the old Deli Den (sniff sniff) used to be. It's small and certainly doesn't stock everything I need or want, but I love to shop there. It's got super buys and great meat and veggies and I get a little bit of that "old country store" vibe when I stop by. There are usually only a couple of employees in the store and never a big line at the check out. It's no Wal-Mart but therein lies its attraction.
Between Okey-Dokey and the Winn Dixie that's only a few blocks from home, I can get just about everything on my shopping list. These fine establishments are clustered around Lulu's Nail Salon, the Stirling Road branch library, the Brooklyn Water Bagel, the One-Price dry cleaners and Sylvia's Kosher, other favorite stops in my day.
I decided I truly enjoy shopping in my neighborhood. It's a different feeling than driving all around suburbia to Big Chain Stores. Oh I will still be doing that too I'm sure, but my everyday errands will be getting done close to home.
And that's Okey Dokey with me ;-)
I go every year for an annual physical and today is the day. I always make a list of questions for the doctor and this year I've added Should I get tested for the BRCA gene? having just read about Angelina Jolie's preventative double mastectomy.
Also on the list:
Is it time for a colonoscopy?
Will you add a breast ultrasound to the prescription for my mammogram?
Should I go to a facility that offers a 3D mammogram?
Do I need another bone density test?
What about the shingles vaccine?
I loved what Angelina said: "Life comes with many challenges. The ones that should not scare us are the ones we can take on and take control of."
Incidentally, May 12-18 is Women's Health Week.
Wish me luck! ;-)
H
Woo Hoo! I think I was in time to reserve one of the first audio copies of Dan Brown's new book Inferno from the library! Speaking of Infernos, I am pretty sure I have been living in one for the last three days having just traded my beloved iPhone for a Samsung Galaxy Note 2. It runs the Android operating system which is sort of similar to IOS but different enough to drive me crazy.
Google has decided that syncing my contacts, photos, calendar (and everything else I have ever touched) to every single one of their invasive apps (and making sure everything stays exactly where they think it should be) is a Big Plus.
Case in point: My New Phone loaded every single picture I've ever used in this blog into my personal photo album (Blogger is a Google app) and having no way to delete them I had to set up a new Google account separate from the one I use for Blogger just to get rid of them.
I'll bet that when my copy arrives at the library I'll learn that lack of control over one's smartphone apps is how Dan Brown defines an Inferno!
;-)
Yesterday was Mother's Day and my thoughts were on my Mom, now gone for over seven years.
Someone posted an article on Facebook: 35 Signs You Were Raised by a Jewish Mother. Many did not apply but of course some did. Here are three that do describe Mom.
1. You know to always bring a jacket no matter what the temperature is. (I do indeed always have a hoodie or sweater with me, even here in Florida.)
4. You and your friends were always well fed. (Too well fed usually ;-)
9. You have a strong preference when it comes to savory or sweet kugel. (Kugel has to be made with cottage cheese and raisins! I only found out much later there was any other kind.)
But Mom flunks most of the other 32. She never nagged me about my weight, my clothes, my job, my hair, the lack of grandchildren, how often I called or visited, or my choices in boyfriends (she loved one or two to pieces). She never laid a "guilt trip" on me in any form.
I was perfect in her eyes...
Some unidentified crazy people make up what we call The Powers That Be (TPTB).
Today I learned that TPTB have cancelled oodles of TV shows for next season. OK I can live with that. Of the twenty or so that were axed, I am happy to see Go On, Touch, Smash, Body of Proof, 1600 Penn (the worst), Monday Mornings and Burn Notice bite the dust. The rest I never bothered to check out even once.
But Golden Boy?!?!?!? A truly smart cop show with an innovative twist? TPTB have outdone themselves this time. I just blogged last week about how this show has zoomed up my list of must-see-TV.
I am going through the stages of grief. First came shock and denial, then pain, then anger, and now I'm into bargaining.
Can I get TPTB to change their minds??
;-)
This bit of wisdom showed up on my Facebook page yesterday.
Now that I am old(er) I recognize the truth. No matter how us Boomers try to deny it, we are only dancing on this Earth for a short time. So I have taken this advice to heart and never pass up the opportunity to tell my girlfriends and relatives and every single person I hold dear that I love them. Even if it might seem a little "too soon" or even if I run the risk of being repetitious, boring or too slobbery.
When I do go, I want the people who touched my life and my heart and who brought me joy to know the impact they had. I want them to remember that they brought a smile to my face, happy tears to my eyes and a song to my soul. I remember their kindnesses, their help when I needed it, their words of encouragement and their faith in my meager abilities.
I love you all.
Since I first heard the name Jodi Arias on the radio about a year ago I have steadfastly avoided following her stupid, sordid, sorry tale. I remember thinking "I hope this story doesn't take over the media" but alas, I knew it would. It has been a real pain to change the channel every time her face is on TV which is like constantly.
Hooray! It is almost over and her too long 15 minutes of infamy will hopefully soon fade from the attention of the whole world. Even without following the story in nauseating detail I know this woman is a lying psychopath whose worst crime is defaming the victim after causing his death.
Bye Bye Jodi. Go away now (I don't care where) and free up CNN for real news.
I got an email today touting the restorative properties of honey and cinnamon - a would-be cure of everything from coughs and colds to diabetes and cancer.
My folks excelled at the art of the home remedy, probably because they were just a generation removed from the Old Countries and were close to the era where pills and prescriptions for ailments were simply not available.
Here were their favorites:
For a runny nose - burn a feather and inhale the smoke (yes! it does work!)
For a severe headache - soak a cloth in vinegar and wrap around your head
For a sore throat - gargle with salt water
For a cold - cover yourself in loads of blankets and "shvitz"
For everything - homemade chicken soup, made with love
I'm very happy to try the honey and cinnamon cure on some raisin toast. As my yiddisha mama would say: "it can't hurt".
;-)
In every choice we make in life, we forgo some things so that we can do, have or be other things.
I read a blog post a day or two ago: Say It Loud - I'm Childfree and I'm Proud. It enumerated lots of the joys of being childfree (there are many) and even gave an argument on how being childfree helps "green" the planet (that one is so silly). And just because things seem to come in clumps, another article written by a mom who wished she never had children appeared on my Yahoo front page today and a new book I Can Barely Take Care Of Myself was just added to the Broward County Library catalog. There was also this frightening glimpse of child rearing that someone posted on Facebook today.
There is perhaps nothing that evokes stronger feelings than the subject of parenthood versus non-parenthood and I am certainly not one who wishes to plunge into that horrific abyss of debate. The pro's and con's would stretch to infinity and in the end, it's an extremely personal decision that cannot be analyzed with mere facts and figures.
For my husband and me, being childfree was simply the right path for us.
How wonderful to hear good news after weeks of the Boston Bombings, North Korea, Syria, airplane disasters in Afghanistan and at an air show, and two separate catastrophes at bachelorette events. Three young Cleveland women were found alive years after their disappearances!
I read Jacee Dugard's memoir "A Stolen Life" when it came out two years ago. She was held captive for 18 years and gave birth to two children by her captor. I was blown away by her strength and courage and her ability to remain sane and functioning while surrounded by truly evil and insane people and circumstances. It is amazing what human beings can endure.
Of course my mind drifts to the Holocaust victims I've known - people who have endured the worst situations one could imagine and who have gone on to live productive and joyful lives. Their lives, and the lives of countless other victims, were indeed stolen or irrevocably damaged.
I pray that the three young ladies in Cleveland can go on to find peace and even happiness like Jacee Dugard, Sean Hornbeck, Steven Stayner and Elizabeth Smart.
I'm not talking about my pants here. I mean four of my best friends.
They are scattered across the United States and Canada. I don't see them much but they are the best fun when we do get together. We don't Skype or Facetime and talking on the phone is unsatisfying and well, weird. There's no chance to get into much more than "Hi How Are You?" and I am not one who excels at phone chatting.
Jean in Las Vegas calls me her sister-in-law because hubby's Mom lived with her husband's father for 25+ years after Stu's Dad passed away. Jean and her husband, Dr. Mark, were so very kind to us when we crashed with them in our trucking days. Dr. Mark, one of the best human beings that ever walked the planet, passed away much, much too soon. Jean calls regularly and I love her.
Jean in Tucson (winters) and Chicago (summers) and her husband David have been our friends since she worked with hubby about 25 years ago. They are so funny and so much fun, truly great friends to have.
Jean in Toronto (summers) and Miami (winters) is my dear cousin. We were pen pals as teenagers and when she took the initiative to come back into my life six years ago I counted it as a blessing from above.
Jean in Washington DC is my newest friend. She captured my heart with her sweetness and down-to-earth personality. When her hubby scored his dream job (they are lucky to have him) in DC I was so very thrilled for them but so very sad for me.
Miss you guys. Wish you were here...
I took Southwest Airlines to Nashville last week to meet up with hubby and do some sightseeing. It was my first Southwest flight and I was a little nervous about their "seat yourself" policy so I grabbed the first available seat I found, the center seat between two ladies. What a happy stroke of luck! The lady on my right and I turned out to have sooo much in common and at the end of the two-and-a-half hour flight we exchanged phone numbers and email addresses and vowed to meet up again this week.
My new friend plays Mah Jong every Thursday at the JCC and swore the instructor is Marvelous - patient and kind to new beginners. I told her I have been wanting to meet up with a nice bunch of ladies to play cards but Mah Jong would be my first choice. It's the quintessential game for retired Jewish ladies (like us) and I had even asked Cousin Frimette (she has played for decades with the same friends) to teach it to me and her daughter Chavie when they snowbird here next winter.
To prepare myself a little bit I'm going to the library first thing tomorrow morning. I already checked - they have a "teach yourself Mah Jong" book on the shelf just waiting for me.
Serendipity is a wonderful thing isn't it?
;-)
When someone apologizes the chances are very, very good I'll forgive. And I'm excellent at forgetting; I seem to have a selective memory that (almost always) recalls only the good stuff.
So when JC Penney aired their new commercial: "we're sorry we screwed up one of your favorite stores and tried to dump all you old (operative word) loyal customers in favor of new hotties" - I gave them the benefit of the doubt. And when a $10 off coupon for a $25 purchase arrived in the newspaper today I took them up on their kind offer: "we'd love to see you again".
JC Penney was one of my favorite places to shop for many years. I used to buy hubby their "Plain Pockets" jeans that stood up to the rigors of trucking. Our bedroom set came from Penneys and I adore it. My closet is filled with stuff from the Penney's outlet store in Sawgrass Mills. Two years ago I ventured out to Penney's in heavy rain to buy a cute pair of strappy sandals for a special trip. The material that I made into window treatments for almost every room in the house came from Penney's as well as the "had to have them" draperies in the bedroom. So I hope this venerable old store survives and thrives.
I may forgive and forget but I never, ever fail to say "I told you so". So here's a link to my blog post from January 12, 2012, The Hunt.
;-)
I just finished reading this book on Obamacare. It reads like a novel - a horror novel! Scary is not the word.
I chose this book because the author seemed well qualified to dissect the "Affordable" "Care" Act in a non-partisan and professional manner (and of course it was available at the library). Like anything new, there are "winners" and "losers". But I fear there will be far more losers than winners when the biggest part of this law goes into effect on New Year's Day 2014.
Intellectually speaking (I have to stretch here) it is a huge effort at social engineering. There is no doubt care will be stingier for us old folks who probably should not work so hard at staying alive and taxing the system. Instead of that costly knee or hip replacement maybe we should just gulp down a painkiller.
I see what my relatives have going for them in Canada and it is spooky. My cousin - for whom money is not a problem - had to wait weeks to start treatment for breast cancer. I fear this is what awaits us here in the States. And just like a true horror story, there is literally No Way Out - everyone will be impacted. The book's title is a bit of a fraud - there is no good way to "beat" Obamacare.
My next book will be on medical tourism - treatment available in other countries.
:-(
In the news today: three dumb-dumbs sought to hide crucial evidence in the Boston Marathon bombings and lied to Federal authorities to "help" terrorist Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, their "good buddy". Now they face five to eight years in prison and probably deportation to their native country which is probably somewhat worse than Siberia in winter.
So how dumb was I when I was around 19 years old? Pretty dumb.
I'd meet new "friends" and go off joy riding with them (like hubby on the night we met). I'd loan small sums of money to "friends" that I never saw again (neither the friends or the money). I let myself be robbed (once) by leaving cash in an accessible place. I made bad choices in jobs (pre IT days) and cars and professional attire. I ventured into questionable neighborhoods to (believe it or not) buy shoes. I tried every new diet fad (to this day I can't look at grapefruit) and did many, many other silly, stupid and risky things. Don't we all?
Sometimes we get lucky (like me) and no serious harm comes to us as a result of our little misadventures. I know I did.
But I know for sure that it would have been easy for my relatively tame escapades to have turned into true catastrophes. That they did not is something I am eternally grateful for.
:-)
A strange growth appeared on my bumper - I swear I didn't hit anything - that sort of looks like an "outie" belly button. Hubby offered to drill it out, fill it with Bondo, sand it with rubbing compound and repaint it. OY is what I thought but what I said was "how about a nice bumper sticker?"
