An Off beat Thought

I was kinda stumbling around the web earlier today and came across a quote, which kinda grabbed my attention. ---kinda something I wish I had said , but of course I've yet to be that original---and nobody quotes me, less its to remind me that I had volunteered to pick up the check. The quote reads like this, ----"Art is a moral passion married to entertainment. Moral Passion without entertainment is Propaganda, and entertainment without moral passion is Television.". The quote was attributed to a R. M. Brown, but I am unable to prove that and so it is suspect, but then I ain't the worlds best Googler of info either.

Anyhow I find the quote kinda really profound---really says a lot-----wish I really was educated so that I could really explain just how that quote moves me.---anyhow just wanted to share it with ya all.

(Hope your Toes are feeling better Wayne--- and welcome back Mrmacrom)

The Last 15 Years Meme

Seems picking on old people is getting to be quite the rage anymore----okaaay I'm tagged again with another Meme. This one titled "The Last Fifteen years Of My Life described in 10 bullets", (but since I am SO OLD, I am allowed to have 15 bullets---oooh joy, be still my heart!).



Now lets see, 15 years ago, would make it 1993---it was a Tuesday, I remember it well, it was raining that day----yeah right my memory is that good uh-huh---sure it is.

1993 Working as a Major subcontract Administrator at a MAJOR aerospace company, living
alone. Making good bucks, life was good.

1994 same as above

1995 same as above---cept starting to get really bored with my career and pining away about
not having to work at all. But being only 58, and having only worked at the company for
7 years, would have to work at least another three years to qualify for a minimal 10 year
pension. but then I was making good bucks, and I could do the job in my sleep now.

1996 To my great joy and pleasure, the company decided to downsize and so offered the
long term older employees an early retirement program. I investigate and oh my
goodness, learn that in that I was originally was hired by the company and STARTED on
the job 12/16/89---that with the formula they used, I qualified for the early retirement
by less than one week ---my actually seven years seniority, with the plan would be called
10 years, and along with a 10 year pension, would get full medical plan, and since I was to
young for social security, would get paid an addition $400/mo til I I reached 62 and
eligible for social security. (well needless to say I took it in a new york minute---and
retired at the tender age of 59 , on the last working day of 1996---12/23 to be exact.)

1997 I was totally into my life of leisure, up early, off to a local coffee shop for breakfast, home
again, play in the yard, go to the library, work some more in the yard, watch some TV---
life was good. (but in that I wasn't working had noticed my monthly expenses, aka
mortgage, credit cards and utilities were somewhat higher than my income-- (now kinda
regretted, the $800 bucks I lost in Vegas that summer)

1998 It was either find a job or---sell the house and get out from under the 1200/mo mtg. I did
not really want to return to the 40hr grind ---so put the house on the market--Sold my
900 sq foot jewel that I had bought for $90,000 in 1982, for a grand total of $146,000,
which after paying off the mtg, the real estate fees etc, etc, etc, let me walk away with
about$25,000-------it was about this same time that my Neighbor Jerry, who lived two
doors up ---suggest us two old dudes move in together. He needed a Lil extra income, and
I needed inexpensive rent---so I moved in with him. (you have seen the pics of the place
that I have posted in earlier posts to this blog, so you can see its a grand place to live).

1999 life goes on, play in the yard, do more of the house work to make up for Jerry's failing
health. Coffee in the mornings with the SOCDS crowd (that's my joke name for the group
that meets at the local coffee outlet in Sherman oaks on week day mornings, thus the
name, "Sherman Oaks Coffee and Debating Society"). My daily routine sometimes
interrupted with occasional trips to attend family get together's, at Xmas, Easter,
Birthdays, 4th of July and such, necessitating road trips to Irvine, or Redlands, or Corona,
or Fallbrook, or Poway----(not sure if its a fact, but one gets the impression, that failure to
attend these gatherings one runs the risk of being labelled a "Party Pooper", or worse
maybe even a "Spoil Sport"----so one attends.

2000 more of the same----

2001 The only thing I remember about 2001, is that it was the Year I lost my brother Frank to
a sudden stroke. I remember however with real pride, the full Military Honors Funeral
given him by the Marines---the 21 gun salute, the dignity with which the flag was taken
from his casket, folded by the honor guard and given to his wife---the large number of
people in attendance, and later the hundreds that came to the gathering after the funeral,
hearing so many wonderful anecdote's so many people had to say about my brother, his
barber, his lawn bowling partners, his bridge partners, his neighbors----anyway was one
grand sendoff.

2002 coffee, library, yard work, house work----(ooh,wait, that was the year I sold my old 1991
Chevy Cavalier, and took possession of my brothers 1996 Chevrolet S-10 Truck, with the
Marine Corp Sticker and the American Flag decal on the rear window----runs like a top,
and I still am driving it.)

2003 pretty much the same as 2002, but not sure if it was this year or 2004, but my Niece,
Gabriel was given her Birthday Party at Disneyland by her Husband, and so of course
being invited, went---- The cost of $57.00 to get in the park kinda surprised me, (would
have been $75, but I got the senior discount). So spend the entire daylight exploring the
new California section of Disneyland, then at sundown attending the birthday dinner at
the HOUSE of BLUES restaurant (her husband had reserved the entire outside second
level balcony dining area). There were about 40 of us at the dinner, not counting the Lil
rug rats. (Jerry didn't go, his health now such that he never leaves the house--his
emphysema requiring him to be on oxygen 24/7)

2004 same as above give or take the above described birthday occasion----not going to
describe the normal family picnics and gatherings we have ---as they are typical of all
family gatherings.

2005----ditto
2006----ditto
2007----ditto
2008----pretty much the same---except Tish and I, and her sister Melanie along with her
Husband, attended the Reagan Presidential Library---that was really enjoyable and I can
highly recommend it to others should you ever be in the area. Currently Tish is slowly
going nuts trying to organize a tour of JPL and The Huntington Gardens in Pasadena, but
between when those to places are open to the public, and when Melanie and Bill, are
available to attend, not to mention Tish's Boy Friend Carl's schedule-----it may or may
not happen, I believe the last input I got on that was it was to happen on July 28th----
stay tuned sport fans. There is a family off the cuff gathering scheduled for the 19th
which is locked in ----gonna be a busy month socially it seems. (OOH, yeah back in April,
I started this blog---you can blame that on Judi)

So much for the last 15 years of MY life------(describing it has so depressed me I don't feel like tagging anyone).-----and I need a fresh cup of coffee too.

As The Sun Slowly Sinks in The West------

I read the title of this post and in my mind I am flashing on the lyric of a humorous song that was popular a couple decades back----and the lyric in answer to preceding words was---"and ya don't here your girl friend screaming any more?---is THAT whats bugging ya Bunky??" Kids today aren't given these kind of fun songs anymore, everything has to be dead serious and deal with everyday reality and social problems, ---the kids hero's today are the ilk of Britney Speers, and rap stars being arrested for drug charges or whatever-----our tabloid press knows negativity sells, so screw publishing anything that deals with positiveness---. If its not negative, its not news---so we got publishers with motto's like , "all the news that is fit to print"----yeah right---worse, we got news now 24/7----like lemmings , no make that like Piranhas, we chew up people long before any court can find them guilty, by repeating the same story over and over---if your name is in the news---your GUILTY of something---kiss your ass and careers good bye----the current parade of news----the election contest---watch how the press leaps to publish the negative---its alleged,--- it was said by sources we can reveal, , all illusion, smoke and mirrors-----listen how often the news will report the same small minds calling our leaders names and impolite addressments of their positions ---(negativiity sells remember), and the ignorant do so make for quick 30 second sound bites in their ignorance)---watch the news, watch how 300 million people are led by their noses by the liberal media----and remember less than 50 percent vote---something less than 25 percent of eligible voters control the country---seven media companies---working in lock step keep you informed---film at eleven, stay happy

One 4th of July-----1944

The year was 1944---would be another year before WW II would end----My family was living in a two bedroom walk up in Gary, Indiana. Dad was working for US Steel. Mainly his job was producing the necessary tubing to make small rockets with. My Mother was your typical housewife of that era. I was 7years + 2 months old, and attending 3rd grade at Horseman grade school. It was summer, I lived in short pants, and when not at home would be found in the big city park, (it seemed huge to me at the time) two blocks from the apartment. My older brother Frank, (he was 19yo) was serving in the Marine Corp---and we proudly had the big gold star banner hanging in our front window facing the main street. (there were a lot of gold star banners in the windows up and down the street.

In all honesty, being a kid like I was, maybe my parents and adults in general kinda kept the war from us . I can't say I lost any sleep over the day to day news that was given. I DO remember that it was pretty much set in Stone, that come 6pm, the world stopped and my parents would listen to Gabriel Heater report the days news. His radio broadcasts would always begin---"We have GOOD/BAD (as the case might be on that evening report) News Tonight. I had to remain silent and be sure not to interrupt with questions, and for the most part I found it boring, as I didn't really understand what the war was about---but yet I could sense my parents were very concerned, and primarily about how my brother was doing. Because of censorship my brother couldn't write and tell us exactly where he was, but we knew he was fighting in the Pacific. My brother signed up the day he was given his HS diploma, like all the guys in his class did.

My world was of course school, playing ball and games with my peers in the park, occasionally my dad would take me fishing, we never caught anything but still I found it fun, I was such a water dog, my folks signed me up to take swimming lessons at the local YMCA---lessons were .10cents a week. I of course got to go every Saturday to the local theater Matinee double feature----lots of westerns, lots of comedy (Bud Abbott/Lou Costello), lots of cartoons, we also got a weekly newsreel promoting the war effort, and upbeat scenes of our troops storming beaches, and lots of propaganda how Japs were bad, Nazis were bad, England, France, Canada , Russia were good etc. I remember to rationing cards, and my mom always fussing about getting butter , sugar, etc. , but other than the above, the War was not something I concerned myself about.

Then one day I came running in from the park looking for a snack, and found my mother looking particularly grim----and she had me go get the lady who lived next door to come over. I did, and then the next thing I knew, my Dad was home in the middle of the day, the ambulance came---and my mother was taken to the hospital. I could tell my Dad was very scared, and seeing that, so was I. My mother was released from the hospital a couple three days later and came home---she seemed to me at least to be back to normal, but in reality, and I learned this many years later---she had been diagnosed with Cancer of the Liver, also called at that time Yellow Jaundice. I wasn't told any of that, so had no idea how seriously ill she was---about this same time----we were receiving mail from my brother---sporadically, I remember seeing the thin onion skin airmail paper that was used, saw too the heavy dark censored black out of some parts of it---anyway from these letters my parents were tracking my brother's unit in the pacific----and these letters, coupled with thus the seriousness of hearing Gabriel Heaters news reports----"we have Good News Tonight"----

and so as it turned out---on that specific 4th of July, 1944-----we heard of our Marines success in a particular Battle over some Island, and my Mom cried, and I understood en ough to know they were worried my brother had been in that particular battle---guess maybe it was a week or so later , we got a letter from my brother, stating he was in good health, and for the first time that I can recall, I put it all together, the War, the rationing, My Brother fighting in the Marines, My mom being ill ---I kinda grew up a lot that 4th of July. (My mother refused to stay in the hospital for treatment, wanting to wait for the war to end, and my brother, her first born, to come safely home, before she would accept treatment)---Frank did come home , safe and in good health, some many monthes later---but by then, the cancer had progressed to far---I lost my mother the following year.

So needless to say I find the Holiday, the 4th of July , a mix of both Good and bad memories---Good for the Country and the display of Pride in our Troops as well as the History of our Democracy---but at the same time-----on a personal level----well there ya have it. One 4th of July in my life.





I'm sorry if my 4th of July story is a downer----but you all wanted a personal story---and that's what this is--------. Rose told me to link it to the blogger talk contest, do for those of you not familiar with Blogger talk here's the link

The Tag From Dana---

The name of this Meme is "Seven Personal Things Nobody knows about You". I was sneak attacked by Dana and got tagged----but you all KNOW how she gets when she fails to take her meds----but that's another story---anyway to play the game and pass it on----here are seven things about myself you most likely didn't know or weren't sure about-----

1) I attended no less than three, (3) different High schools, in two different States---no not an Army brat here----my Father worked in the Steel Industry, and was an expert in the production of Seamless Tubing---so as he changed jobs, moving up promotion wise, I the kid moved from city to city----(I graduated from Pueblo, Central High school, class of 1955---"GO WILDCATS")
2) My favorite veggie is Cauliflower with cheese sauce, but guess most everyone knows that now, so my second best favorite veggie is Zucchini with a moderately spicy tomato sauce. (remind some time when I have had a couple beers to tell ya about my first introduction to Zucchini, and the resulting major physical confrontation with my Father)
3) I am a avid reader of books, primarily fiction, mysteries, sci-fiction, etc. anyway I took a speed reading course, and read about 2,000 words a minute with 95-100 percent comprehension----well a lot slower when dealing with mathematical equations and columns of numbers. As such, I go through a couple novels a week.
4) I volunteered and enlisted in the Army for a three year hitch. I reached the rank of E-5, Tech Specialist (Hawk Missile internal guidance repairmen), for those not familiar with military rank, that equates to being paid the same as a Buck Sargent (three stripes). At the time I left the service my pay was a grand total of $150/mo---that was April 1963.
5) My father was of the school of thought I should learn to drive and be taught properly so he refused to teach me, insisting I should take driver training at school----don't know how it is in schools today, but when I went, only the "dumb" took driver training---and I wasn't about to mingle with that crowd---end result----I didn't learn to drive a vehicle til I was 23, my driver training professionally taught me by an army Sargent, my first vehicle a 5 1/2 ton, extra long wheelbase Truck----by the time the army got done I could drive every vehicle in my unit trucks, vans, jeep's 3/4 trucks----I was the only one in my unit that never got a ticket in the three years I was in (just never got caught that's why)----remind me sometime to tell ya about the morning I did a 360 degree skid on the road to the ammo dump with 8 guys in the back of the truck).
6) One of the things I learned as a freshmen in college, from my basic Psychology 101 class, and not to many people know this about me. One of the things taught was the effect of people who are color blind----lo and behold---I found out I was "Red/Green" color blind. Plays merry hell with me in picking out brown vs green colors when buying clothes----as such I mostly wear, greys, blues, blacks and stay away from browns and greens---or I let others pick out those colors for me.
------and now finally , (drum roll please----) we come to number 7) I have had the personal pleasure of shaking hands with both Dr. Werner Von Braun , whose team of rocket scientists help us build the rockets that took us to the moon, and Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren. (He was Governor of California at the time).

Now to complete this Meme properly I get to pass this Meme on ---and so letting my fingers slide through the old list-----hmmmmm, yes , I am tagging Wayne, Judi and my newest acquaintance Wondering Coyote. (Now stop nagging me about the meme Dana.)

Blog Responsibly

I have to confess I have spent a considerable number of hours perusing other blogs---the good, the bad and the downright ugly. I have laughed, cried and puked-----the blogosphere is as complexed as our real world---and I might say just as confused, and irrational and idiosyncratic. (yeah google that one will ya somebody?)

The POINT being (aw jeez why must there always be a point--??)---that here in "Bloggerville" your only responsible for yourself---its YOU that controls the vertical, ---You that controls the horizontal----and YES VIRGINIA, by Google, there IS a SANTA CLAUSE-----(least pretty sure there is one---about page 18, in the fine print of the blogger contract, ya may need a magnifying glass??)----any way pretty damn sure there is one, trust me----


As a Blogger (and hold that head up high, be proud), you face the world , presenting yourself--- daring the world to actually take notice (yeah world here I am, so THERE!!) If you blog well, your friends will applaud you , and tell ya how funny you are, strangers who you have never met will make comments on your blog, and best of all-----BEST OF ALL ----you will come to realize -----there are a lot of ignorant people in the world----your NOT ALONE ANYMORE

So Blog and blog til it hurts, then blog some more----why you ask??---cuz its what we blogger'S do.

What Constitutes a Proper Tagging?

Attention all Bloggers, an important matter has come up which I feel the entire blogosphere should pay attention to----sloppy tagging!!! Like all good games there are rules, as without rules all ya got is a drunken mob---not to say sometimes a drunken mob can be kinda intertaining, but I digress, the subject here is what constitutes a proper, legitimate tagging---SPECIFICALLY as it applies to passing on of a Meme----.



Correct me if I am wrong, but---my understanding of how the game is played, says first off, the Person who is it---must first describe the individual who tagged them, secondly describe what the Meme (aka puzzle) is , and what rules apply to solving it., thirdly , the Person who has been tagged must then present they're solution to the puzzle (observing the puzzle rules), and finally only then can the person who had been tagged now identify who they are tagging.



Now having said all the above, the question is----Has Dana laid a legitimate tag on me yes or no. Is it legal to tag someone via comments to a post , and is it kosher to tell the person that has been tagged in this weird fashion that to fully understand the puzzle they have to go read the taggers posted blog for instructions-------?? this doesn't seem proper to me at all? Please check out 1) the comments made to my POST titled , "Library, Yes or NO" , and then 2) Dana's blog for the so called meme ----and let me know, have I been properly tagged??

Titles Of Your Blog Postings are important

---We live in the world of 30 second sound bites---if what interests YOU can not be summarized in a 30 second sound bite----your dead. Its WHY "Twitter" is the way to go---its butterfly time, live, laugh, love and die---in 30 seconds or less.---if you take longer than that-------BORING!!!

Do YOU remember whats her name combating Obama for the Democratic Party Nomination for president?? if ya do your not with it ---your OLD---your SO-o-o-o YESTERDAY----

Today's question is ??---oooh my its gone, that was fast---have another drink, another puff ---(yes inhale, there is no tomorrow, and if there was, who cares right?)

Do any of those of you reading this ---REALLY understand the point of the movie , "Cabaret"??

BLogging is THE NEW FREEDOM

---if you have never seen the movie , "Singing in the Rain", you owe it to yourself to view it. Not only is it an entertaining movie, its teaches a lot about life----that is to say lessons of life that REALLY need to be taught. but I am ahead of myself as usual (gosh its boring to have to go back and take the time to explain what the excitement is all about---thank goodness I had the sense to avoid becoming a teacher---I do not have the patience for that selfless task). The movie in question, stars a number of major Movie Stars (real movie stars not to be confused with the do one movie, and then live off the film at eleven reports about alcoholism, drugs, etc, etc, etc,, that pass as stars today). STARS like Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, Donald O'Connor, Cyd Charisse-------if these names do not stir you---then you are poorly educated and are to be pitied. This line from the movie I am focused on here is , "-----dignity, always dignity!!"

The point of this blog being---Blogging is to pass on knowledge, not so much as to what YOU know, trust me the Library of congress knows more, so much as to pass on all that makes up YOU. ALL YOU can do is hope is that somebody cares enough to read it---if they don't, they don't---I didn't build a pyramid either---so there we are.

What ya post here---well gives the readers a better understanding of what YOU were all about, what made YOU laugh or cry or bored ya to death----maybe, just maybe, it will give them enough about YOU for them to----well just understand YOU better. OH MAN, AM I GOING NUTS WITH HOW THAT MIGHT GO IN REGARDS TO MY FAMILY----(relax people I am not about to go over THAT cliff-----doesn't need to be gone over anyway---and for that I say thanks---and I mean it too)

MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE RANCH------gosh hadn't planned on getting so maudlin---not sure where that came from----but anyway I sure do approve of blogging, its fun, its recreational and ----keeps me off the streets.

WHY BLOG?

New at this---blogging that is, only been at it since late last April---(blame it on Judi). Why am I doing it??---was I THAT easily addicted---was it because I had given up Cigarettes, and my body and mind craved some new addiction??---is it a weak link in my genealogy, am I disposed to needing this kind of outlet to vent my spleen.??---(HEY WORLD BLOGGING HERE---PAY ATTENTION!!)

I wrote the above grinning wide, amused with my OWN sense of humor, but now Reading it----ooh jeez maybe there IS some truth in it??---ya think?? OOOH CRAP, there is ---isn't there? I've become a ---(sob!!)---BLOG JUNKIE!!?

(no point continuing this post, the point is well made---to continue to subscribe to this blog is not unlike slowing down and taking in the details of that motor crash your passing-----)

Library---yes or no??

I'm to old for this ---I should know better than to let myself get into these quandaries---yet here I am in one. (I swear I didn't see it coming on either--). So whats my problem you all ask---well some of ya asked, the rest of ya just have those blank looks on you face, which makes me wonder if your awake or sleeping with your eyes open----well anyway, the PROBLEM is, my books are due back at the Library tomorrow 06/27/08----I have read three of the 4 books, and am about 1/3 the way through the last one, "We Shall Not Sleep", by Anne Perry, the last in her series set in the World War I era----now I Could go on line and renew the one book, which would give me the time to finish reading it , but then I would Still have to go to the library to return the other three. Yes boys and girls I recognize I could just as easily renew ALL four of the books---but then that increases the likelihood that I am depriving other readers of Anne Perry who like me are reading this particular series she has written---which morally speaking I abhor people doing, and don't want to to that----and then of course I COULD just get off the computer and do some serious reading and read the last book and finish it today and have it ready to go to the Library tomorrow when its due-----but that would mean taking time away from my blogging and-----well ya see the problem, my quandary----but wait, their is yet another possibility, ---I could keep all the books over the weekend, and finish reading the last one as I normally would, and just pay the fine for returning the books two days late, (one of the days being a Sunday, which morally would not add to my guilt levels)---the fine, $o.20/day/book x 4 books, equals $0.80/day X 2 days = $1.60----------a small price to pay, and a good compromise----I'm glad we have had this little talk-----but then that's what friends are for right?-------but HEY, better yet why not go on line and renew all four books, but return them on Monday instead of Saturday, no fine, and ooooh yeahhhh no problem, no fine---OKAYYYYYY!! One happy old dude here now.

Fluff N Fold and be glad its done

Ahh yes Sports fans its thursday and you all know where that starts----yep at the Fluff N Fold Palace----can't you just picture it----on the eastern horizon the first streaks of light predicting the rise of the sun----the first few hundred vehicles venturing out like lemmings looking for cliff to run off of----the start of yet another exciting weekday---(48 hours before Wayne will start a new week).

With determination and a number of years practice, I lug the large, heavy basket of laundry from my trusty truck , (ask Tish to tell ya the story of the truck and how I ended up its proud owner and driver), and into the lil Laundramat that could-----with much practice sorting whites from coloreds, (talking laundry here folks not peoples), and loading up the washers, accurately measuring out the proper portions of detergents, fabric softners, bleaches as required, ---not to mention adjusting the controls of the various washers to do as required, ---regular wash, Perma-press, hot water, cold water, warm water----suffering all this with the promise that once the laundry has been started I can reward myself with a quick jaunt on foot in the now new dawn to the corner donut shop for my first necessary large container of hot Coffee---with BOTH cream and sugar---calories be damned----its gonna be a bumpy day---(Thank you Betty Davis, and my apologies to my readers for the paraphrasing of her famous line from the Movie, "All About EVE") (contrary to the younguns opinions, Clint Eastwood did NOT have all the best lines)---but I digress-----

Upon my return to the scene of the main action (that is to say the Laundramat), I greeted th owner, "Ola Hefie!!" (my crude grasp of spanish, loosely translated ---"hey Boss, howz it?". He sees how many washers I am running , calculates the cost, then computes in the cost of the drying entailed---he gives me a hearty smile and waves approvingly.

Its the old story, its told everyweek, in millions of households----it reverbs in the very fabric of our lives---its the very story of life itself----one fluffs, one folds, one moves on ----its what thinking men do------(remember folks this is being created with only one cup of coffee, at some ungodly hour before noon---be kind)

As I wait that long wait one endures, only semi-mesmerized by the spinning of the driers my eyes go to the line of new stores being rehabilitatged across the street, and the one new tenant who has boldly placed their business name across the streetside windows----"DISCOUNT CAREGIVERS"------my stomach grows tight as my mind tries to grasp the concept---has our civilization come to this---discounting the giving of care???? I shake my head of these negative conclusions, for surely the intent is not that----just a poor choice of business titles I rationalize. Still the reality of it rankles and puts me into a foul mood.

Inspite of my now dark mood, the proprietor of the place, seeing me taking pics insists he take a pic of me , and not being a total barbarian, allow him to take my pic as well----I finish my task, folding---and returning to the castle, with the clean (properly fluffed and folded ) laundry, announcing to the LP , that once again the Laundry basket was yet again our friend.

BAD BLOGGER, ---An Apology is in order

I know, but still I did it, but have no excuse, ---so an apology is in order, I apologize for passing on a Meme and tagging ------. At the time it happened, I was ---feeling weak, ignored, desperate to blog about something, so I grabbed at the straw---I know, I know, ---baad blogger, baad blogger. I guess I hope my real friends-----those I tagged ---will understand and forgive me---I wanna say I won't do it again---I mean I will really try not to be weak and grasp he easy way out to post a blog---I know, I know---I used ya----I shouldn't have----but damn, it was kinda neat ya know---and deep down inside you liked it ---- I know ya did----admit it.

Wednesday's Blog is full of ---shall we just say Crap?

---I have spent waay to many hours reviewing others personal blogs---the purpose being to get some feel for where does MY blog fall-----and I have to say---kinda depends on whose doing the judging---and why maybe it took me so long. I found a "judge" I kinda have to like. Not gonna name him, wouldn't be fair. What's important is---from HIS (maybe to be politically correct I should say Theirs??) opinion I am given the rank of 6.6 out of 10.0---what took so long was figuring being new at blogging and stumbling around I had to be in the bottom area, so went to THE list, and began reviewing from the bottom and working my way up-----to MY level-----talk about ego boost---MMMPH oooh yeah!!!!---but hey gotta be honest right (sigh)---my level as I reported honestly was rated as 6.6, there were some 3, 000 blogs rated lower, but ---(sigh), there were some 13,000 blogs rated higher----so okay I got to work harder, practice, practice, practice----but still to learn that I am not on the bottom---OH MAN WHAT A RUSH!!!!!!

The Truth Will Set You Free---but tell it wrong you could end up in jail.

I was bored to the ---well lets just say I was bored, my buds were not blogging, couldn't find an interesting blog, so like all bored people, delved into some of my friends blogs in more depth, to get a better understanding of what makes em tick, what interests them, and otherwise see what was what. ------ and I learned something, I also got a good laugh, and better yet I didn't "cheat" and google it, so THERE!

So, IF you wanna learn what I learned---and IF you want a laugh, just click the link---> "X" , and guess I would be amiss if I didn't give credit where credit is do---(Don't look Wayne) thanks to him, we are now all the wiser for his research----another piece of trivia that will be hard to put into polite cocktail conversation-----like hello? can't remember the last cocktail party I got invited to----but now I am loaded and ready for conversational gambits. (thanks Wayne)

"A Meme a day, a Meme a day"---reminds me of an old Kingston Trio song

Gosh, golly gee----thanks Rose. -----Okaay I'll play, hell I know the answers so this Meme is easy.---and in the mortal words of Jackie Gleason----"and awaaaaaaaaaay we go!!"

The rules of the game get posted at the beginning. Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.”----

1) What were you doing 5 years ago?
Five years ago, ah yes I remember now, the year was 2003, it was a Tuesday---wasn't as hot
as today, but if memory serves a pleasant enough day. I spent it playing on the computer (I
had a Compaq, 17inch monitor then, and I read a lot of mystery who done-its. (I spent the
summer reading all the Sue Grafton novels A through Z). The SOCDS at that time held
they're meetings at Solly's Famous Deli, (on the Patio where we could smoke---the good old
days).

2) What are 5 things on your to-do list for today?
Normally on Tuesday I would make a trip to the local Supermarket to do the LP's grocery
shopping list. However did that yesterday so now today don't have that to do. I plan on
working on my blog, read 1/2 dozen chapters of my current Anne Perry novel (due back at
the Library on the 27th), probably will take a nap, Cook dinner for the LP and Myself, and
watch the last two episodes of the cable TV show "Dead Like Me"----and then call it a day.

3) What are 5 snacks you enjoy?
cheerios, bite-sized 3 musketeer bars, Toasted wholewheat bread w/peanut butter, Buttered
Popcorn, and of course eclairs. (none of the above is permitted entry to this house)

4) What are five things you would do if you were a billionaire?
Pay off my credit card, buy a mountain, and build a home that would make Hearst's castle
look pathetic, set up an annual award for the top five people (under the age of 30) who had
made themselves successful on they're own effort and drive. (College is so overrated these
days), and oooh yeah, buy a whole lot of stock from Ben & Jerry's ---chocolate, strawberry,
carmel, some vanilla, mint chocolate chip, etc, etc, etc)

5) What are five jobs you’ve had?
Laborer in a Brickyard, Bellhop in a resort hotel, Electronics Repairmen for Hawk Missiles,
procurement expediter, buyer, Sr. Buyer, Major Subcontract Administrator, and Now Care
Giver, and all round nice guy. (I know that's more than five, but was on a roll---)

So now for those that I am tagging, can I get a drum roll please---------Alexi, Dana, Demeur, Sue, and-------(and guess who loves ya?)---Tish.

I hope you enjoyed my answers. If anyone else wants to do this----be my guest and go right ahead.

30 Second Sound Bite Syndrome

Beginner bloggers , of which I am one, have it drummed into us again and again, we have to post topical posts. That is to say posts that have the current "buzz" that search engines are looking for. One asks what subjects are those?---one only has to click on sites like, "Yahoo Buzz", to get the current "30 second sound bite" to see what people are talking about. If one is searching for that, one must join the frenzied crowd of what is referred to as the "paparazzi"--- I would hope most of you were a bit more substantial and meaningful that wanting to be limited to being "Today's news".

I knew where your coming from---new blogger myself, and yes we both are looking for more recognition than the tight circle of friends and family (god bless em all). But is the answer we have to chase ambulances, or Princesses and they're lovers like the jackals of the press?---how do us honest real people get noticed?---I can't wiggle my ears, my nose is pretty ordinary, okay my ears are a mite larger than norm I suppose, but NOT THAT LARGE!!

So just HOW does a new blogger build his readership---I don't want to be famous---but I do want to be read---HELLO??? HELLO!!!! ---anybody out there??-----earth calling???"

"Same Old Song"

Here we are once again in a Presidential election year---the names change, the faces change, but hello---I'm hearing the same old songs. Obama prides himself on being a new face, and smiles wide saying its time for change---(his green horn college crowd buying it all), but come on people---listen to to the music---the song was presented in the broadway musical "The Chorus Line", the original song title was "Tits and Ass"---Obama sings a different lyric, but the music is the same and the chorus goes, "Tax and Spend---Tax and Spend"---the liberals basic theme song, second to their constant chant----"if your POOR, just ask for more---vote democratic"

New Record for Old Dude's Blog

I hit an all time new high on comments on my blog posts. If ya ya scroll back to my post "Sunday Again", I now have ---(drum roll please---followed by a trumpet stanza)---TA-DAHHHH!! 13 Comments (okayyy there are some few repeats, but still---??) (man Blogging is a tough audience)

The Curse of Gary Gilmore

On Jan 17, 1977, Killer Gary Gilmore was executed in Utah, by a firing squad.----By unfortunate coincidence my name is also Gary Gilmore. The Curse to which I make reference is just that the coincidence of bearing the same name. In 1977, I was 40 years of age---a quiet, solid citizen, even had a security clearance due to the nature of my civilian career.-----suddenly with the notoriety of this Killer, who as it happens is the first Killer to be executed after the ban on executions was lifted., and all the public press that brought to the incident----suddenly every place I go, every check I write, I get that look----OOOH?? (me mumbling) ahh??-- no relation honest(nervous grin on my face)-----they would kinda nod, but still I could see the question in their eyes-----I of course can't prove it, but----I wonder maybe that this had an effect on my promotions at work?? I'll never know.

Then just when the whole hubbub began to die out and drop off the news radar---Hollywood came out with the Movie----1982 The Executioner's Song", about the Killer Gary Gilmore---again becomes front page stuff----very discouraging---I found myself cashing fewer checks, avoiding situations in which I had to give my full name----even thought of changing my name---but fortunately I kept my belief in self and my family and toughed it out-----still occasionally I get THAT look from a clerk, or some stranger hearing my full name-----its a cross I will have to bear and take to the grave----

Its Frustrating That's Why

Remember when you were doing your homework for school and you would ask your mom or dad how to spell a word and you would get the old cold advice---"Go look it up in the dictionary"!!---and to which you responded (come on you know you thought IT, if ya didn't come right out and say it), "Well if I don't know how to spell it how am I gonna look it up in the dictionary---well DUH!!?"-------well anyway life went on anyway, and we all grew up and now we are adults and raising kids of our own and we are amused to hear our kids ask US ---"how do ya spell---" and ooohhh yeah we give em THE RESPONSE.

Anyway in the same vein of thought, I ran into a recent event. I commented in my blog I had a snippet of a song echoing in my head, but couldn't identify it----and I described it as best I could to my readers---after a couple false, but amusing suggestions from readers of what song I was trying to think of, one not only came up with the right song, but all of the lyrics. I thanked her. But then shortly afterwards I received a comment to the effect, "Why didn't I Google it and get the answer?"---(shades of ---Look it up in the dictionary!!)---LOL, if I had enough information to look it up in Google, I wouldn't need to look it up in Google---well DUH!!

Okayyy, Lets Get This Show On The Road

I am pleased to report that the weather people have told us to expect a cooling trend that will take the temps down to the 90's, for a few days, but warming once again come the weekend. (Don't ya just hate it when you find yourself breaking into a sweat right in the middle of say doing your weekly Fluff N Fold---makes a guy ask himself why he bothered in the first place).

I have started my third Anne Perry novel and my books are due back at the Library on the 27th. At which time I will endeavor to leap into the works of the Mystery/Thriller author, James Patterson, that was recommended by my friend Joyce . Joyce is new to blogging, and learning fast how to make her blog interesting and fun reading. If ya lay a comment on her blog, can almost guarantee you all will get a reply on your own---that's the kind of Lady she is.

I will be going out later today to the store---had that wonderful experience of flipping on the overhead lights in the bath this morning and getting the old bright flash as the recessed flood light went to bulb heaven---showering in the dark is not my idea of a pleasant interlude---on the other hand, by the time I finished a certain sleazy sense of -----well never mind all that.

It was brought to my attention that George Carlin died, he was two weeks younger than myself---that's kinda depressing. Wayne John paid him a nice tribute and posted a couple Vids of George's stuff, ya might want to see. (you might not want the kids around however when ya do).

I also gotta mention Missy posted one hell of interesting Italian recipe, complete with pictures on her blog----makes one good meal that's for damn sure. (who knew there was more than one kind of parsley?)

Sunday Part Two---(sorry if I am boring ya)

Actually I'm not sorry if I am boring ya---I gotta me me and so if your friendly you gotta accept me when I'm baad as well as when I'm good----otherwise your just being persnickety and a bore. (I can't believe I just said that, ---haven't even finish my first beer---must be the heat---ya think?)----(sigh)-----so what did YOU do all day?----I just spent the last hour perusing the "Take a stand" site, and inputting my opinions on a number of issues on various subjects, political, entertainment , social , and educational topics. You can compare your opinions with mine by clicking on the icon under the phrase "and then I said" on my side bar. I recommend the site as it does stimulate ones mind to go through the various issues and read some of the comments and opinions pro and con------.

I 86'ed the visitor map I had on my page----wasn't really doing anything for me, and as you all already know I have added the Site Meter widget, which I find more interesting. I also deleted the weather badge I had going---seems EVERYONE had that one---and opted instead for a new weather posting.-----and finally for those that have taken the trouble to venture to the bottom of my blog page you will see I have once again put up my blog labels, its a piece in work, not satisfied with it, but then to be at peace with it, would have to know myself----and yeahh 71 years and I should know myself??---like Barbara said----"Hello Stranger!!?" (for you young'uns that don't get the reference---Barbara is Barbara Streisand, and the Movie is "Funny Girl", and is a line she delivers to Omar Sherif)----ahh hell just rent the movie from Netflixs.

No boys and girls my life is not limited to blogging and TV----I am also a reader, just finished yet another Ann Perry mystery novel , this one titled, "Angels In The Gloom"---its the second in her series set at the start and during World War I----she is heavy into character development and mental thinking of her characters---but you come away really knowing them all----.

Well the LP is ordering dinner to be delivered , but is being illusive as to where from---so it might be Italian, it might be Mediterranean, or it might be Chinese---all good choices as it means this old dude aint cooking tonight---eeeeehawwww (I hope Dana reads this last as she misspelled eeeeehawww on her blog )

Sunday Again.

Gonna be another hot day here in The San Fernando Valley. Its 80 degrees already and its only 9am. Oh well its a "dry" heat, uh-huh, righttt-----Its also Sunday again. which means I don't go out for coffee with the SOCDS crowd, nor do I do grocery shopping for either myself or the LP, and the Library is closed on Sundays----but other than that, its yet just another day of the week, although to be more exact, its the day between Saturday and Monday---its been that way since "Julian " times.

So whats the boy to do today----to damn hot to go out on the patio to read, nothing on Television------its gonna be a long day. Will kill some time here working on my blog, doing some work on developing a more concise list of my labels and going back and putting labels on my older posts, then spend some time searching out other interesting blogs and were I am amused leaving comments (don't ya hate it when they visit your blog, but never leave a comment---that's so rude don't ya think?)

whats the song title---with the lyrics that has the refrain---"lazy days and Sundays"----?? That's gonna be nagging me all day til I remember it-----that's the trouble with getting old, all the stuff we remember----just takes sometimes forever to download it----(how many zillion gigs of memory do YOU have in your head?)

Only LIve For Weekends"

I really feel sorry for those individuals that only see their lives in a positive way on weekends. It tells me they have boring lives---and aren't making the most out of each and every day they live. They have allowed themselves to be come victims to madison avenue---they let the commercials on the Television to direct their lives---like wow, whats stopping ya from taking that around the world cruise like everybody else, or why are YOU not driving that big lincoln, or Cadillac SUV ?(whats wrong with YOU??)----my point??---don't ---oooh please don't let Madison avenue tell ya how to enjoy your life!! Anything and everything presented on Television is geared to sell, sell life styles, tell you that your just so much S***, if ya don't have this, or wear that---or live in this big home or drive that big car---don't buy it, ---if it has to be hyped that hard??---trust me---its a loser.
The sun will come upo tomorrow no matter what----its more enjoyable when ya know your not that much more in debt.---keeping up with the "Jones"----is for losers ---trust me---you will sleep better and enjoy life more for it.

Lightning Strikes

---just learned that I've won a prize in a contest I never dreamed I might win. The contest was provided by Detectives, without borders, and more specifically his post, "Rent a cop", to which I read the post in question and made an off the top of my head response---who knew??. the winners have been announced--- and hello there I am--------Thankyou---thankyou,--- (ooh my, I am so pumped)----this is so much more meaningful than winning a hockey stick---really!!!

Whats For Dinner?

Here in Granola land (that's California to everyone else), we are having an unusual pre-summer hot spell. Temperatures running in the hundreds not uncommon at all. hit 107 here here Van Nuys,---(we like to portray our community as a laid back , quiet , restful patch, not to be confused with Beverly Hills, Hollywood and that ilk----but in reality, them our us.

So getting back to my post title---taking in the heat here, I plan on serving something simple but filling for dinner here, and was curious what my readers were serving in YOUR geographic areas.??

For me and the LP, tonight we are having, cold sliced meats, (bologna, ham, turkey, ), with two slice cheeses, (cheddar, Swiss). accompanied with cold baked beans, potato salad, cottage cheese, and a side of chilled fruit cocktail. I gave some thought to serving it with a glass of chilled tomato juice, but finally decided that was pushing things to far---(I'm one of those guys that would get upset if the champagne was served in plastic cups, because there were no real champagne glasses, but that's the snob I am---like hello doesn't everybody have a couple dozen real champagne glasses on the ready?)

Classic TV

I'm old, I'm so old I can remember watching Television before they had even invented TV Dinners.---(now thats OLD). I miss those good old days, back then we had Television---not the sappy reality crap they pass out today. Back then the fall season of programming was 39 weeks, followed by the summer programming of 13 weeks.. Back then the networks didn't recycle the programs every week was new material. Damn near put the movie business out of business. Most of the big shows were recorded live, no retakes, and we had real professional actors working. Some shows were so heavily watched, that traffic in the streets would become eerily absent, everyone was home watching TV. Here is a list of ten good shows that I looked forward to watching every week.----and I betcha that you readers can think of a few more , what were YOUR favorites.?

Ed Sullivan
Twilight Zone
Gunsmoke
Peter Gunn
Father Knows Best
The Loretta Young Show
Texaco Star Theater w/Milton Berle
You Bet Your Life, w/ Groucho Marx
Hazel
Sea Hunt

---------yeahh back then TV was entertainment---now its pablum for the masses. (no writing, no direction, just lots of pretty colors and actions to keep the commercials spaced apart.)

Thanks Waynejohn

I used that title as I know he uses Google alerts and will get a hot ping---Wayne John IS the beginner Blogger's friend, ---and not to be confused with the Soup Nazi, as portrayed on Seinfield. A good example being his post titled "Google Alerts", its heartfelt, he DOES understand the thinking of us newbies at blogging. I just wanted to post a blog and alert
All that read my blog of Wayne's helpfulness---not ALL young'uns are bad. Its my opinion ya just might wanna subscribe to this boys output, ---Wayne's that is, not mine .

GOOD MORNING BLOGOSPHERE

Good morning bloggers, gonna be another warm day here in Sherman Oaks, a great day for staying indoors and sucking up the air conditioning, staying cool and exchanging comments with other bloggers. Now having said that----my posts are all open, let the comments flow-----. While we wait for the comments to pour in, I just wanna say, Thanks Sue for all your previously made comments, always perky, always upbeat (I think of them as being Pink in color)----always glad to get them.

Comments come in all sizes and tones, it the very nature of their variety that makes the collecting of comments a terrific hobby. Example being , look at the nature of the comments I have collected on my posts from Dana, one can see the vibrancy and color of her prose (a hot blue color) .

Then there are those inputted words of good (a comfortable brown tone)advice one receives from Mrmacrum----always based on common sense and real life experience (for a young'un that is), ---always enjoy their reading that's for sure.

One can only think of Missy's bubbling inputs as being hot yellow, one can feel the positive energy radiating through her comments. (Perky, perky, perky!!)

Anyway you now have the idea of it, one never knows what color any given comment might take upon its appearance, but one can be pretty darn sure one will get exposed to the whole rainbow plus when one posts, reads other blogs and leave your own comments.

Add a little color to your life, visit the rest of the colorful blogs you see I have listed under Spunky thinkers---and like the lady said, "Life is a banquet and some poor suckers are starving to death" (The lady in question being of course "Aunte Mame", as played by the one and only Rosalind Russell)

Good bye Cyd

As everyone has no doubt heard, Cyd Charisse has past away. But ohh what a lovely legacy of entertainment she has left us. I can't think of a single dancer today that performs on the levels she demonstrated again and again. Since receiving the sad news, one phrase has been repeating over and over in my head---"GOTTA DANCE---GOTTA DANCE"----you "youngun's" of course have no idea, but for us older people----that was the exciting voice exclaiming the need to dance---and the musical number was played out in the movie , "Singing in the Rain"---and the particular dance number staring Cyd Charisse, dancing with Gene Kelly----you kids have NOTHING to compete with that level of professionalism, and you have my sympathies for that. What you do have of course is that all the good stuff is on film, available to be watched whenever you want good entertainment---but right now---feeling kinda sad---yet another great one gone---and no one even close to replacing the lost.----I think tonight we will pull one off the wall in Memory of Cyd---"Brigadoon"

Its 11:30AM---What Do Ya Mean, NO MOVIE Tonight?

I read somewhere in one of the 8,000 articles on blogging how to increase one's readership, or ones page ranking or status or maybe it had to do with indexed pages as compared to dedicated linking---all to complex for this dude to lose sleep over---well not to much sleep over---but I digress, ---I read somewhere that one should endeavor to come up with cool post titles, to grab viewers interest and hopefully get them to subscribe to your blog---so the above title of this post?---did it grab ya?---even a Lil bit maybe??

Well I thought it was damn good---course there it is in black and white in front of me---now what? I just checked with the LP, he kinda just gave me a blank stare, a couple slow blinkings, kinda snorted, shook his head, "your losing it old man---like hello, how many netflix envelopes ya see on the coffee table----does it LOOK like we are out of movies?---and how about the 700 movie cassettes on the wall behind ya? I slunk back here to the puter, why did I come up with THIS Post title---it IS a good title---I can feel it in my old bones----I wouldn't have come up with it for just no reason.

I went back to the den and asked the LP, "how about television, whats on the Television tonight?" (he gives me an annoyed look, for I was interrupting his watching some cooking show), kinda snarls, damn if I know, feel free to read the TV Guide, laying right next to the Netflix envelopes" A quick glance at the programing for tonight confirmed what I already knew, nothing but reruns of programs I refused to watch when they were new---which inspired me to up my Netflix subscription to four movies at a time .(keeps my mailman busy thats for sure---in fact am now on a first name basis with my mail carrier---have gotten some cool gossip about the neighborhood from her too)

So here I am again staring at the post title---and I have decided the title came from a dream I had of the old Comedy movie , "Mr. Roberts", staring James Cagney, Henry Fonda, and Jack Lemon---. My apologies if my post title is misleading---but staying with it as---well damn, its too good a post title not to use, and I wanted to be the first to do so.

WHO invented the TV Dinner?

I go to my local supermarket two, three times a week, (hey retired here and it gets me outta the house, you got a problem with that?). Has anyone noticed how much of what is sold in food stores is presented as heat and serve (aka TV DINING)?

How many reading this can raise their hand and say they actually have talked and ordered meat cut by a butcher to their criteria?" How many of you can honestly say you can make a pie crust from scratch? or a cake, or even a cookie? How many of you spend more eating out, than you do for food to prepare at home?

How many of you make lunches for your kids to take to school, ---and how many of ya worry about the food the school cafeterias supply. (when the hell were vending machines allowed to be put in schools anyway?)----I'm sorry this is turning into a major rant---I need to go lay down and collect my thoughts and get civilized ----when did we ASSUME and grant responsibility for our kids to others?---aka,teachers, schools, etc.

Like are ya confident that the local teacher union dude is more concerned with your child's welfare, than he is, than in getting less work and more pay for the teachers in the Union?

Can you believe this whole wild tangent of blog was started from a simple complaint from some blue-state Liberal, griping about the lack of overall national standards about what is and what isn't nutritional in the foods vended, as well as cooked in schools in general----?? My generation never, never held the schools responsible for feeding our kids, ---WE held them responsible for EDUCATING them----. (radical thought huh?)----but hey the NEW liberal thought, (thank you Hillary)--- is it takes a village to raise a child---nobody TODAY expects parents to do it all alone------

Old Dude Scores!!

lookee, lookee, on the side bar you will see the old dude now has Labels listed , WITH quantities referenced of how many of my old blogs are in THAT particularly labelled folder-----gonna take it off my page in a few days, going to have to go off by myself and mastermind a workable list of labels---Mrmacrum warned me of this problem, and I didn't listen----now I know how right he was. Course once I have derived a workable list of labels to apply to my posts---THEN have to go back and re-label each post-----oooh my I guess I do ramble off at the mouth some don't I---my work is cut out for me---but anyway for those newbies like myself using the new blogger plateform, its just a matter of when writing a post, putting some labels in the box describing that post, and then going to the dashboard clicking on layouts, then clicking on add a page element, then clicking on the pre-printed widget address as "Labels" and clicking on add page.---and its done---as you can see, one needs to give some thought on what labels one applies to ones posts---one can get kinda carried away-----

For Newbies Only

I swear we Newbies should form our own union, ----maybe do a march on Washington DC or something---anyway I just wanted to alert my fellow Newbies who use the Blogger plateform for their page of a neat lil trick I just stumbled across this last weekend. First off ya need to click on the comments button at the bottom of this post and check out the make a comment block---if ya do, you will see the cute lil sentence I put in mine---reads, "We really like getting comments, ---really". How I got that put into that block is the trick I learned. and it goes like this (and trust me its simple to do).


1. Click on Dashboard

2. Click on Settings Tab

3. Click on Comments tab

4. Scroll down the page til ya get to the big empty block titled, "comment form message",
Now in that blank box, YOU can type whatever Lil comment ya want to add to the header of
your comment box. (note, you can always come back to this box again and wipe it clean or
change your remark)

5. Click on save at the bottom of the page, and that's it. told ya it would be easy.

ya awl come back now---ya heah?

I Think I Got It----I Think I Got It----damn---I ain't got it

It was suggested by my blog buddy Wayne John, that I set up a second blog to use for experimenting with ---so if I screw it all up, one only has to delete the blog and start over (the medical equivalent of burying one's mistakes---OOPS). So I have done so and am striving hard to learn how to summarize my posts by categories, such as humor, weather, school, books , TV programs, well what ever label might apply. That way if you flash on some old post of mine, remember it was humorous, you have but to click on that category and voila, all my humorous posts will be in a group , and you won't have to sift through all the other garbage. Least thats the game plan.

Anyway have followed Rose's suggestion, (see her comment under my post), and have successfully, on my new dummy pit bull blog, learned how to put labels on my individual posts as I compose them, and then set up a listing of those link labels, grouped under a simple heading of "Categories", on the side bar.--- and sure enough I can click on a labels referenced (under categories on the side bar), and up pops all the posts which I have labelled under that category----but that's only part of what I want to do.

The question now is---how do I get those category summary listings to reflect the number of posts contained in that folder?----or is this something that will occur automatically when the month end total number of posts is summarized and the month archived ?---If it sounds like I am babbling , I'm sorry----actually I'm not, its just that I still am not comfortable with definitions of tags, versus labels, versus titles, and do I want cheese on that????-----(okay, will go take my meds now)----(go look at Waynes blog page, and see how he has his blogs listed, ---THATS what I am trying to get to, or at least learn HOW to)

Oh Joy, OH Happiness---Drats

I was enjoying my hot shower this morning---til I notice the blank gunk bubbling up outta the shower drain, and realized I have a plumbing problem. I called for the plumber, (he's number 3 on the speed dial---and got the ever popular, yes we will send someone out between 8am and Noon.-----so here I sit watching the clock count down to Noon . I wanted to go do my grocery shopping and make a trip to the library, but can't , have to wait for the plumber----$75.00 just to knock on my door and ask ME what seems to be the problem?? (sigh)

Actually my plumber is not a bad guy, his firm has been involved with this house since it was built. His grandfather put in the original plumbing, then his father, and now the grandson. When I had the faucets replaced last year (updating the look of the bath), the kid gripped about how tight the connections were, and then he kinda laughed, "one thing my dad always told me was make damn sure ya tighten all the connections before ya turn the water back on---boy he sure did mean TIGHT!"

The $75 charge for house calls gets applied to any resulting work, parts and labor---and is pretty much a standard charge by any plumbing outfit in the area. ahhh yes the fun of owning your own house-----hear now on the radio, that the price of electricity is bout to jump up about 30 percent, due to the high cost of gasoline/diesel fuel, and the need to update generating capacity which has been kinda ignored for the last few years so that now demand is more than capacity can handle on peak demands-----(maybe its time to shoot the air conditioner and learn how to make candles?)

Having A Life Is Not An Excuse---

I have been blogging now wow almost three months---but already I have noticed, that when it comes to the weekend,---blogging drops off. I come to two conclusions for this. The first being, that most people blog during the week to escape their humdrum habitual patterns, ---and come the weekend the have to pick up they're real lives. (Makes one wonder what the cost is to the economy of all those workers goofing off blogging, when they should be earning they're pay?)

---the second conclusion I reach---why am I not in the first group? True I AM retired and not chained to the 40hr grind, that brings in a paycheck. ---but STILL?? the question hangs there??---why blog at all?--

The answer is easy enough---its for nothing more than raising our hand and telling the world --"HEY!! I'm here----!!?". Oh sure, its nice to speak out in a crowd, voice an opinion,k and find some stranger agreeing with us, even better some stranger disagreeing and others jumping in to support our opinions-----or at least defending our right to put them out there---blogging is the modern town hall meeting people---your votes DO count, ---don't EVER think they don't, you got rights, don't be intimidated---you know what ya know, and you feel like ya feel, and they're ya are------pump up the volume.

Friends of friends---and things that go bump in the night

(here is a pic of Midge taken at a recent gathering of he SOCDS -----)

Having mentioned my experience with self checkout---I received a couple comments about others experiences , likes and dislikes about supermarkets. I would be amiss if I didn't confess that one of my regular coffee mates at the SOCDS meetings, is Midge LeBelle. Midge was a career supermarket checker---and the stories SHE could tell---about the coupon queens, those trying to beat the food stamp program etc, etc, etc. Trust me, looking at things from the Checker's side of the counter explains a lot--------oooh by the way Midge LeBelle is her MARRIED name---her husband is ----Gene LeBelle----"THE GENE LEBELLE". popularly known as "Judo Gene", ----also billed as "The toughest Man in the WORLD". (google the name Gene Lebelle and get all the facts)---anyway I mention all this as I will be having coffee with Midge in the morning and getting an update how things went in Las Vegas, where Gene had been flown in to judge a "no holds barred" wrestling/boxing match----------the Man is the man, a great guy to meet---but you don't want to make him mad at ya---hell just ask Steven Segal-----(I can't TELL you that story----but ask any stunt men in the industry---they KNOW"

Old Twain versus Young Twain

I have to assume the bulk of my readers are familiar with the expression , "East is East, and West is West and Twain's never meet?", well sometimes they come close, and it makes for an interesting moment.---take today for example---"Old dude ", (that's me), goes shopping at his local supermarket. I KNOW the market is in the midst of recreating itself and as the days go by with each subsequent visit I see the new store emerging from the chaos. Today's list of vittles was not overwhelming, six pack of beer, a four pack of Charmin's, a dozen eggs, (brown, free range), a bag of frozen beef ravioli, a pound of hamburger (less than 10% fat), butter (original "I can't believe its not butter" brand), a container of shower soap, (Irish Spring liquid gel), some paper towels, chicken breast fillets,---anyway, I get want I went for, and push my cart to the new checkout stands---and voila, find that my supermarket now offers self checkout---OKAY!! (one of my major gripes has been having to stand in line waiting for somebody to take my money)---so naturally I had to give it a shot. like hello, been familiar with Bar coding for what maybe 25-30 years, watch it go from a military thing to a commercial technology---should be no problem.



With great confidence I give the attendant hovering around to answer questions to newbies with the system, a confident smile and wheel up to the check out station and boldly and confidently swipe my Ralph's card and get acknowledged by the machine. which then proceeds to announce verbally, so anyone within 20 feet can hear, "scan first item and put it into the bag". Not quite ready for that, but I grab an item from my cart, fumble around with it to find the required bar code needing to be scanned. I wasn't fast enough and the machine embarrassingly loud announces again , "SCAN ITEM AND PUT IT IN THE BAG" (I am sure at this point others in the store are now turning to look and see what is causing a problem, most definitely the young attendant, that gives me the look young kids give old people, when dealing with old people who just don't know diddly, or that's how THEY see it)



Basically I am a nice guy, easy going, laid back---but damn I get attitude, especially from kids barely outta the acne stage, and hello---the attendant gives ME that look----I have to decide if I am just going to be cranky, or take it all the way to Nuclear---in any any case, there is no way I am gonna let this cherub win the day, and from MY point of view HE started it with giving me that look----(hey just defending myself officer)

Clerk, that smirk if not on his face still reflected in his eyes and body language, clicks his master control and in a sneer tells me to proceed, I scan a couple more items, being bulky they fill the bag, but before I can open another bag, the machine loudly screams for "Attendant required, , Attendant Required"---and of course I get the same punk attendant. Not about to give him any satisfaction before he can speak, "Your machine here doesn't allow sufficient time for a shopper to open a new back to put their purchases in it seems?" The Kid, somewhat confused now, not use to an OLD Dude" questioning HIM about new digital stuff, scowls mumbles something about the machine not suppose to do that---he again clears the machine of its hangup, and I proceed to scan another item and even before I can put it in the bag does it screaming thing, calling for an attendant, I now give the kid the classic "Jack Benny, Well??" look---you know the one, (the one that pretty much tells the kid his machine and system is not infallible look, which he of course is totally unable to excuse or explain) I am cool, I don't raise my fists to the sky, and do that little victory dance one does when life is good)

I finish scanning, pay the bill, and unable to stop myself had to go for the final kill--. I give him a nice little smile and comment, " This could well work if the system incorporates the new paperless coupon system that Ralphes has, ---won't need attendants here at all", I exit the store a half grin on my face---score "old dude" 1---young kid 0---turns out the experience wasn't all that bad after all

Old Dude Needs New Trick

I find myself drifting around in the blogosphere, admiring all them wild and professional kept blogs, and have come to notice that some bloggers list their earlier posts under categories, and guess what this old dude wants to know is----how they do that? Whats the trick to that trick? Kinda suspect it has something to do with tags, or labels and awww jeez haven't quite figured out all that---" things that go bump in the night" stuff ----yet. Anyway---- somebody wanna try to teach this old dude the trick of cross referencing my blog posts under categories?

Blog Central

Being a relative newcomer to blogging , am learning new stuff everyday here. Meeting new people, making new friends and contacts. I am never really sure just what I should post about, so a lot of what ya see here is strictly off the top of the old dude's head hear. Some posts however are in response to either questions that come my way, or responses required to reply to Meme's or flat out personal challenges.
This particular post is just that---its my response to accepting the challenge made by the author of the blog "Life Is Good"----and posting a pic of my Lil cubby hole where I create my blogging posts. As you can see its a typical male, cluttered, not neat area----but hey its comfortable and works for me. The picture on the wall, in case you were wondering, is a painting of one of the Ladies in Waiting of the Queen of Hawaii's court, they were verry into Victorian dress style .

You Like me , you REALLY LIKE ME

I want to thank all those that responded to my request about giving me a review, and all the kind words of encouragement. I can only say that I will endeavor to do my best to meet your expectations. I especially wish to thank Rose DesRochers for awarding me a "Shannon", (for those that are new to blogging the Shannon award is given out periodically to bloggers for their body of posts ---and is basically an award, giving them an "E" for excellence.

I would be totally remiss if I didn't also thank Judi, who introduced me to Blog, (thanks Judi, and I MEAN IT), and to Missy, who in her blog is a steady source of upbeat attitude, Mrmacrum for his down to earth witty takes on life, Wendy , who I didn't know was part of my family, til she was kind enough to step forward and comment on my first initial blog post, and I also want to thank Dana,who by her own wild posts on her blog, kind of inspires this old dude to keep on blogging. OOH ooh, and I must not forget Sue-----who always makes me smile with her posts and comments.--

OOOOH NOOOOO!!!, they are taking the microphone away ----thank you, thank you , thank you everyone (and thanks to Sally Fields who made the original "you like me you really like me" speech when accepting her Oscar.