Important facts and information to know

   As I walked the aisle of the local grocery store, the mom  walking ahead of me was talking to her son. She  asked him what he had learned in school that day. “We learned the same things today we learned yesterday. I don't know why I have to learn how to spell. I'll never use  many of the words we learn  anyhow.” OMG!"  He may be right.
   This could be a long year in school for this young lad. But it did cause me to pause to think about some of the things we learn. Being old and wise now, I understand the importance of some of the things I considered really dumb when I was in school, like math. But there are  things we learn that seem to have no value at all, useless bits of information.
   For example, did you know donkeys kill more people on an annual basis than the number of people who die in airplane crashes. I didn't even know donkeys could fly!
   And who invented the electric chair? It was a dentist.  Shocking! Makes you want to run right out to that next dental appointment!
     The first person to survive the fall over Niagara Falls in a wooden barrel was a teacher names Annie Edison Taylor. Science teacher maybe?
   Did you know the largest turtle in the world weighed just slightly over 2000 pounds.
   Words provide us with useless information. For example, the word 'desserts' spelled backwards spells stressed. Isn't that what happens when you eat too many desserts?
    Dreamt is the only word in the English language that ends in 'mt'.
   In China, the words for 'crisis' and 'opportunity' are the same. Let me think about that for a minute. Maybe the folks in Washington need to......I'll move on.
   The words' race car' and 'kayak' are the same whether you read them from the left or the right. For someone who is dyslexic, no problem here. Did you know the names of all the continents end with the same letter that they start with. Not sure? Check it out.
   The word “typewriter” is the longest word  using only the top row on a keyboard and for those who took typing in high school, “stewardesses' is the longest word that can be typed with only the left hand.
   Speaking of size, “Go” is the shortest complete sentence in the English language.
   One can only wonder who has the time or the energy to research  these nuggets of important  facts. As I watch baseball games, or any sport for that matter, I am amused at the number of statistics that make their way into the broadcast. Who hit what pitch in what inning to win the third game in some playoff game can only be out done by a record  number of yards gained by a running back while only wearing one shoe. If not mistaken, I think he kept on running, right into the locker room. I watched that game!
   But now on to more serious facts. I will spend at least two weeks of my entire life waiting for  traffic lights to change from red to green. The average chocolate candy bar has eight insects' legs in it. In 1933, Mickey Mouse received 800,000 fan letters. That's almost as many as I received last year!
   Did you know the number of cars on the planet is increasing three times faster than the world population? You can bet the major car manufactures know that little tidbit. Not so useless, is it?
   Sometimes, as I think about what I may write, its like banging my head against the wall. If I were to do that for an hour, I would burn 150 calories. OK. OK I hear you laughing.Explains a great deal doesn't it?
   Well...with a storehouse of information like this,who knows. I may be ready for the "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" TV show.
    

Ah-choo

   It was bound to happen. I was standing in line at the check out and the person in front of me sneezed and coughed. The person behind me did the same. And who knows who or what had been pushing the shopping cart. (Good reason to shop on line.)

   I knew it is just a matter of time before I experience the dreaded symptoms; a runny nose, a scratchy throat, the watery eyes. But maybe if I hurry, I might avoid falling victim the “common cold'.

   By definition, the common cold is a respiratory infection, generally caused by a virus. Its symptoms are the  runny nose, watery eyes and often a cough and a headache. According to advertisements on television, the difficulty in breathing is the result of clogged or swollen nasal passages. Wow! I didn't know that! Sniff, sniff.

   I ask some friends how to prevent getting a cold and they share some great family and time tested suggestions. Near the top of the list is to avoid going out in public. Just stay home. Makes sense, but at some time I have to leave the house to go to work or go to the store.

   Suspecting that a cold might be coming I opted to take some precautionary measure. Airborne is a popular product. Rumor has it that it was designed by a teacher. Now what do teachers know about germs? What runny noses in classroom?

   Another suggestion by a friend is to keep the nasal passages clear of debris. Yes, picking your nose. But if you choose this method of prevention, you may wish to consider using a tissue. By the way, the person with this suggestion just came down with the flu.

   Of course there are the endless doses of Vitamin C, to the point where you turn into a and orange or grapefruit or a glass of juice.

  Most likely, unless one lives in a cave or in a far place, you probably have already been exposed to the germs. So now what?

   Echinacea might be something to consider. Or maybe a shot of whiskey and lemonade, or, just the whiskey. Grandma used to cut four onions per day to avoid a cold during the winter. We  could never tell if she ever suffered from a cold because she was always crying.

   One of my favorites is the 'sweaty socks' method. Wet, stinky, sweaty socks tied around your neck is said to keep colds away. I guess as long as you can smell the socks, you know you don't have a cold.

   So the attempts to keep the cold away were unsuccessful. My eyes began to tear, the nose was congested, and a pounding headache were signs that I am in for several days of discomfort. What to do ?

   There are shelves full of cold remedies at the local pharmacy, all designed to lessen the discomfort. But the truth is that even with the cold remedies I was in for three or four days of a runny nose, restless nights and the deep voice of a baritone.

   Suggestion! Tough it out and save my  money. A box of tissues, some of mom's good old chicken soup and an aspirin several times a day for the headache will lead to the same result as all the cold medications. OK. A shot of whiskey every now and then too.

   So I guess I'll curl up  in a warm blanket with a good book and hope to be back to normal  in a few short days.

   Can someone please pass me the tissues?

Holiday Greetings

   I will have my regular post on Wednesday of this week. But today is Christmas Eve and I could not let the day go by without wishing my readers and followers and those who don't read  my blog a very

                                            Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday

See you on Wednesday.
J

Anyone need a suit or sport coat?

   After many years of working I have decided to take a bit of time off and maybe, in the process, reinvent myself. I don't feel my age (retirement age) and still believe I have something to offer, but a bit of time for reflection may not be a bad thing.

   For those of you who know me, most of my working life was spent in education as a teacher, administrator, Associate Commissioner, and college instructor. I spent some time in the financial planning and insurance industry and most recently was part owner of a small local newspaper.

   (I really enjoyed my experience with the newspaper, although it was short lived. I had the opportunity to meet and interview some very interesting people. It was unfortunate that my business partner really did not have a clue on running a successful newspaper business or maybe any business and the lesson I learned was to do a bit more research about business partners before jumping into something like this, especially where money is involved. Unfortunately it was not until after the fact that many people came forward with warnings about my business partner and that information, in advance, might have caused me to make a different decision. But it is over, at least for a while, and as always... time and experience are often the best teacher.)

   So I have decided to kick back for a while, at least for the next few months and I must admit I like the “free time” to do as I please, when I please. Yeah.....right.! There is always something to do. When did I find time in the past to really enjoy life?

   One of the things I did not anticipate upon retirement was what to do with all my clothes. Now before you get all in a panic.....I still wear clothes. But what I wear is very different now.

   A look into my closet does not reflect my current clothing needs. There are at least 10 pairs of slacks, neatly arranged from black to charcoal gray to lighter gray.....you get the picture. Next... the shirts. There was a time a few years ago when I had at least fifteen white shirts, starched, ironed and ready for action. (Fifteen shirts would get me through three weeks at work). It was white shirt, dark suit and tie. There were twenty pairs of black socks, at least one pair of dress black and cordovan leather shoes, but never brown.

   Over the years as jobs changed and dress codes became more relaxed, the suits were replaced with sport coats, colored shirts and trendy ties. Today, in the closet down the line from the slacks and neatly ironed shirts are about eight sport coats. I always did like gray tweed, with the leather elbow patches! And there is still a suit or two tucked into the mixed as well.

   Today I have four pairs of jeans, several older shirts and a sweat shirt or two that make up my current daily dress code. It's usually sneakers or boat mocs for shoes although if I am feeling a bit daring, I will put on a pair of tassel loafers. Looks pretty cool!

   So what to do with all the clothes? Like many other baby boomers who have or will be retiring soon, I suspect they are facing a similar dilemma. For me...I think I'll let things hang around just a bit longer. You never know when you might need a nice pair of slacks, a shirt and tie and matching jacket, especially if the 'right retirement job ' comes along!

Shinning Stars

   Perhaps the sky seemed a bit brighter last evening as twenty young children,  viciously taken from  their families and a community, took their places among the stars . They were to become  'future stars', after living  full and rick lives. But for some twisted and perhaps for  reasons that will never be known,  their lives were cut short and the families, a community and a nation now must deal with the pain, sorrow and anger that accompanies the sudden and unexpected loss of  love ones, of unsuspecting and innocent children.
   Events like this show how the world and the society in which we live  is changing and each time something like this takes place it becomes more difficult to understand.
 The hearts and prayers of a nation go out to the families of the children and to the  families of those killed at the school.  This may be something we will never understand, but it is something we should never forget. Just look up to the beautiful nighttime sky on  some clear evening and you will remember.
  

What shall I have for breakfast today?

   The sun peaks between the curtains in the bedroom window. It's another day. A new beginning. A day filled with questions seeking answers and the first question, after a quick trip to the bathroom of course, is 'what to have for breakfast.' Trying to watch my weight, it's not going to be Frosted Flakes or some large cinnamon breakfast pastry. Yogurt again?
   After pouring myself a cup of coffee (no cream or sugar), do I want to watch the news on TV, read the morning paper, or read a few more chapters of the latest novel I started? Opting to read the newspaper, I usually go the 'Horoscopes' first. While I generally do not allow it to determine the kind of day I might have, often they do provide some insight into what to expect. Is the a self fulfilling prophecy maybe?.
   Today I am warned that it will be a day “filled with questions that may require difficult or elusive answers and potentially effecting the next few of days.”
   Every day we are confronted with the need to make decisions, some of them very important, some that could have a powerful impact upon life. As humans, we are generally very bad at making decisions and choices, especially when it comes to the 'big ones.'
   The process of making a big, difficult decision can cause sleepless nights, fear and regret for making the wrong decisions, or just not knowing the potential outcomes of the choices we make.
   Many of the decisions we make on a daily basis occur without really even thinking about them. What to have for breakfast or what to wear to work do not require a great deal of thought, unless you have a job interview and what you wear may have some degree of important. Does this tie really match my sport coat?
   As a child, many of the decisions that effect our lives are made by parents or older brothers and sisters. “If you tell mom or dad about the party, I'll kill you.” But I'm too young to die! "OK. I won't say a word."
   The first important decision most face, thanks to school,  is...”What do you want to be when you grow up?”  How do I know? I am only 5 and can't even cross the street by myself yet and now I have to decide on a job or career. Whatever!
   Over time we do learn how to make decisions and we discover that there are really only two things to consider, what's best for you and how to determine that. It is at this point that things sometimes fall apart.
   The 'you' part is pretty simple. If you are having a good day, the decisions  may work out well, but a bad day may lead to much different results. Under pressure or stress? It probably is not a good day to make those  all important life decision. Let your body be your guide. Quite simply, how do you feel? In general, good moods often equal good decisions,  while bad moods...well, you know!
   The second thing to consider is the process to use. Some people use intuition, others may take a more rational or organized approach, such as laying out a "decision tree" or map or use the Ben Franklin model, consisting of a piece of paper with two columns, one  labeled 'pro', the other 'con'. Worked for him, so it might work for you..
  Some thoughts about making good decisions? First. Listen to your instincts, but don't let them always be the boss. Next. Try to identify all the alternatives. Third. If you have a bit of time on your side, separate yourself from the emotions of the moment. Distance often gives perspective. Fourth. By not making a decision, you are, in actually, making a decision. You are deciding not to decide. Not a good idea if you  need to move forward .
   So,  back to breakfast for today. I know!! Instead of eating, I think I'll just go back to bed and try to catch a few extra minutes of sleep.That's a good decision (maybe).

Is that a video camera I see focused on me?

   I generally do not like to write about political issues. I leave that task and 'responsibility' to those who know more than I do or are trying to make a name for themselves. But every once and awhile I have this little twinge, when something upsets me, and feel the need to express a thought or two.

   Truth is, I don't read a hard copy of a newspaper much any more. Most of the time, I will look at the news on-line, on the computer. That way I don't get bogged down with all the advertisements and the car sales. I am sure there are some small bits of local news I am missing, but.... the price of a subscription is not worth one or two hometown stories and besides, I am trying to save a tree.

   A story, though, that got my attention was the one about the Governor being followed and filmed. Is that tracking or stalking? I am not a big fan of the current Governor. He has not endeared himself to me and others with his unfettered comments and brash ramblings about the happenings in Washington D. C. or the poor quality of education our children receive in public schools .He is rough around the edges and sometimes appears to lack a sensitivity more fitting to the 'polished' politicians.

   True, he was elected to office by about 38 per cent of the voters and the “62 %” buttons often anger him. But despite the claims by some regarding “vote fixing, he won the election and serves the people of the state. Not happy with the results, voters will soon have the opportunity to make changes in a few short months (23 to be exact at this writing)... if they so desire..

   The point is that he is still the Governor, like it or not, and there is a certain respect that needs to be given to the position. We may not like what he says sometimes or what he does. We have no one to blame but ourselves. But I am sure he does not deserve some of the the treatment he has received in the press, or from the Democrats, to the point of harassment, tracking and stalking by those with differing views. Who says their views are correct? But, do we need to film and record his every move?? Come on folks, get a life!

   My disappointment rests with the fact that there are many more things of importance that need to be addressed rather that following our sometimes 'rough around the edges' Governor around with a video camera, recording his every move.

   Perhaps I am still naive enough to believe that if people decided to work together instead of against each other, problems and issued might get solved and society would be the better for it. Just look at the foolishness taking place in our nation's Capitol. And are we paying their salaries? What a disgrace. The 'founding fathers' must be turning over in their graves.

   Someone needs to step up and show a bit of class, a bit of respect. To follow and videotape  one's almost every move is child-like. Foolishness!! Over time, his missteps and mistake will be duly noted, just as they would be for all of us. And to cancel a meeting, one designed to begin a dialogue toward solving some of the state's pressing issues, is equally as child -like. Don't stoop to that level... Gov!

   Both sides need to remember how each came to power and who really deserves the RESPECT. I vote for the people of Maine!!

  I knew there was a reason why I am a registered Independent.