Gaslight

Remember my previous post about the classic movie "Gaslight"? Well, yet another synchronicity - Hollywood is doing a remake!

Check out this link!

Gaslight

A Life Less Ordinary

I like to note just who in the world is using the word synchronicity. You just don't hear the average Joe using it in a sentence let alone making it part of his everyday speaking. So I tuned right in when I heard a band member use it in a radio interview last week. The band was "Carbon Leaf" and they were chatting with Barnes on 92.9/DaveFM. Barnes said he was channel surfing and landed on Dr. Phil, who he apparently never watches (yeah, right Barnes). The band was on Dr. Phil as a success story. Barnes loved them and wanted to get them on the Atlanta airwaves. So when one of the band members remarked that it was "synchronicity" that brought them on the air with Barnes, you can imagine that I was hooked and was going to keep on listening. I enjoyed their music and have since checked out their web site - they have some well done cover songs, but one of their own hits is entitled "A Life Less Ordinary".

Carbon Leaf Link

DaveFM is a revamped radio station in town that brought back one of my favorite DJ's, Steve Barnes. He used to be on 99X, but I can't stand that station anymore - the music just plain gives me a headache - a sure sign that my music tastes are maturing. Well, except for when I listen to Gwen Stefani's "Luxurious", just to hear the "Cha-ching" part of her catchy little tune (FYI - "Ka-ching" is my nickname for Doc. B.). Plus, I like the fact that DaveFM kept Mara Davis, another favorite DJ. And now they've added Shawn Mullins as the "voice of DaveFM".

Shawn is my one brush with fame. It's easy to run into him around here considering he only lives less than a mile from me, but my "brush" with him was in New Mexico. A couple of friends and I were visiting Santa Fe for a long weekend about 8 or 9 years ago. One of those friends knows Shawn so when we found out that he was playing a couple of shows out there, and that he and his sidekick (Roadie) were traveling out of their van, we offered up the pull out bed to the man and his dog. The next day we took him along with us on a hike of Bandelier National Monument - incredible if you've never seen it, by the way...

And listen to Shawn's music - he's a great singer/songwriter....

DaveFM link

It's official, George doesn't know Jack.

photos courtesy of Time.com










George apparently does not know Jack and does not recall meeting him. Sounds similar to another quote that has already gone down in history: "I did not have sexual relations with that woman".

Word on the street is that Jack is in no less than 5 photos with George and of course Jack contributed huge money to George...hmmmm...

In the meantime, Jack has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to corrupt public officials...

Can't wait to hear the rest of this storyfunny satire

Martin Luther King, Jr.

delivered 28 August 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C.



The I have a Dream Speech

I had the day off today in honor of MLK. Doc. B. did not have the day off so I drove up to have lunch with her and some of her co-workers. Doc. W. and I were chatting in the back seat while Doc. B. drove. She mentioned how she had heard the "I have a Dream" speech earlier this morning and how it gives her chills every time she hears it. I noted that the same thing happens to me but that I had not yet heard it today. When I came home, I found the above link - feel free to join me in experiencing the chill...

Great Gifts for the kids in your world

Lower Photo courtesy of Sleeping Bear Press

My Brother-in-law's book

.My ATM

I've always thought money management was something children should learn early. My parents had me contributing to my first real job's 401K at age 21. But it started much earlier than that with allowances earned by doing chores or birthday money saved up for that special item I wanted (see previous post re: the Carpenter's album I bought at age 10). There was even a period of time when each of us kids could earn "MWO's". This was currency created by my dad, including his signature cartoon dog (see photo). And again, we would earn these by doing things around the house. The kicker was that the MWO's could only be spent at dad's "sale" once a month or so. He would put things out on the dining room table that we could buy. I don't remember much about what was on sale other than red licorice. I guess we kids would have rather had cold, hard cash that we could spend outside of our own home, but in hindsight it sure was fun and for sure creative!

I was watching CNN recently and saw a new kids toy called "My ATM". It's a combination toy ATM and piggy bank made especially for children. What a great gift! And to make it complete, you could include my brother-in-law's book, entitled "My Piggy Bank". You can buy it on-line at Amazon or elsewhere

Triple Synchronicity

Photo courtesy of WashingtonPost.com



ABORT! ABORT! Warning: Go no further if you do not want to read about abortion. Don't worry, it's nothing graphic or anything, just one pro-choicer's observations.

Abortion issues are always in the news. Even more so recently what with the Supreme Court vacancies and all. And for goodness sakes, one of my childhood football heroes, Lynn Swann, was even talking about it on the radio last week. Every now and again I listen in on Sean Hannity just to see what the other side is up to, besides no good. Sean was interviewing Lynn, a 1974 first round draft pick for the Steelers. Apparently Lynn is running for Governor of Pennsylvania - who knew. Lynn was explaining how he is Pro-Life AND Pro-death penalty? How is that possible to be both? I'm not sure - I guess I never thought about it before but it struck me as odd. Anyway, on to the triple synchronicity.

My baby sister was visiting over this past weekend. On a break from our activities, we got sucked into the movie "The Red Violin". You've probably all seen it - it chronicles the path traveled by a particular musical instrument. We then got to talking about how cool it would be if items or pets could talk. If that were possible (notice the use of the subjunctive), then we would know things like how the fire started in our house, or where our adopted pet was before Doc. B. rescued him. As we were headed out to lunch, my sister said "remind me to tell you the rumored story behind a car that is at the Henry Ford Museum" (where her husband works).

We drove over to "Thinking Man Tavern" for a bite to eat and found that most of the restaurant was occupied by a group of people stuffing envelopes and enjoying each other's company. We saw that the return envelope said "NARAL" but none of us knew what that stood for. We decided to ask one of the "stuffers" who reported that it is a national group that advocates for abortion rights. We all thought that was cool, ordered our food and promptly grabbed the stack of old trivial pursuit cards that were on the table for our enjoyment. My sister read the first question and it was "what did Maude have on her most controversial episode?" Would you believe the answer was "an abortion"? Then my sister said, this is really odd but let me go ahead and tell you about that car at the museum. It's a 1930's Bugatti Royale - which is a massive vehicle - the precursor to the Hummer no doubt. This particular specimen is thought to have belonged to a "lady's doctor" who would travel from town to town doing abortions. The car was his make-shift operating room.

I've learned not to try to figure out what the synchronicities actually mean but rather just pay attention to them. And in this case, there were three references to abortion in less than an hour...We will miss you Sandra Day O.

The Blue Slippers

We are coming up on the two year anniversary of Doc. B.’s broken ankle. Most of you have heard the story of “the blue slippers” but for posterity’s sake, I’m recording it here. Plus, it kind of goes with "the blue mailbox" don't you think?

So just about 2 years ago, I was in Michigan for a long weekend to help celebrate the birthdays of my baby sister and one of my nieces. The day before I was to return to Atlanta, my cell phone rang. It was Doc. B. calling me from the emergency room at Piedmont Hospital. She said “I’m okay, but my ankle is not”. She reported that it had been drizzling that morning and that she had slipped on the front porch when she went out to get the newspaper. The first thing out of my mouth, after “are you are okay” of course, was: “did you have on the blue slippers”?

You see, I knew those slippers were a hazard. I too had worn them out on the porch one morning and while I slipped, I was able to catch myself and stop myself from falling. But this was not before a significant hydroplaning event. Heck, you might as well call it ice skating.

When I took off for Michigan, I left my blue slippers near the front door but did not think anything about it. Doc. B. has her own slippers, why would she wear mine? Well, I’m sure she wore mine for convenience. She had just made a fresh pot of coffee and all she wanted was to quickly go outside, bring in the newspaper and enjoy her Sunday morning. Hindsight is 20/20; I should have told her about the slippers.

Thankfully our neighbor’s home was in view as Doc. B. lay on the porch, in pain, contemplating what to do next. She saw that cars were in the driveway. Somehow she got herself back into the house and called our friends across the street. Within minutes, the "Mercedes ambulance” pulled up and, after a cup of coffee, the neighbors and Doc. B. were on their way to the ER. Doc. B.’s sister and nephew came later in the morning to take over and transport her back home. She would have to have surgery and would need to see an orthopaedist to correct the ankle – it was broken in three places and would require an ORIF (open reduction internal fixation). In other words, she now has screws and a metal plate as well as a pretty scar.

Well, it’s now been two years since that fateful day. The slippers were thrown away shortly after I arrived home from Michigan – I’m surprised Doc. B. didn’t burn them before I showed up at the doorstep…

Simple Pleasures - Lupini Beans

Yesterday, I was thinking about my life’s simple pleasures. What do I mean by simple pleasures? You know, those foods and products that make your life more pleasant. Perhaps some of you have items you would consider as such?

Cetaphil Lotion with SPF 15 and Parsol 1789. I’ve got a skin condition called melasma that causes dark spots on my face. The dermatologist helped me get rid of the worst of it and said I really needed to protect myself better from the sun’s rays. So every morning, I put Cetaphil lotion (www.Mycetaphil.com) on my face and neck - now ready to brave the Atlanta sun. Yes, it’s a little on the expensive side, but I don’t have to use all that much so it lasts a long time.

Blue Corn Naturals pure beeswax candles: www.beeswaxcandles.com. Just the plain candles have a wonderful beeswax scent but I particularly like the aromatherapy candles – they aren’t too strong and they come in a variety of helpful fragrances.

The Chopra Center “Kapha” products. Do you know what your dosha is? Go to this link and find out: www.Chopra.com

Papermate Felt Tip Pens. I remember my dad using a black pen of this type while I was growing up. I think he prefers "Sharpies" now as he always seems to have one in his pocket. My boss at my last job favored the blue felt tip. I will use any color – they make me happy.

Marinated Lupini Beans. Has anyone heard of these before? They are an Italian treat that took me 40 years to discover. The Local Whole Foods has an olive bar and there is one blend of olives that includes this yellow, flat, crunchy bean-like thing that I just love. I finally tracked down what they were then couldn’t find them elsewhere in the store. Doc B. finally found them in a specialty store a couple of weeks ago so now I have my own jar and a second addiction – second to olives that is.