Gadget School

The electronics that are coming out fast and furious is getting so
out of hand for those of us over 60. Most of us held our heads high
with the coming of computers. Even as they changed, we slowly
came along with each one… but now? I don’t know.. I know my
computer is far smarter than I am… and if some teen came in and
used it .. they could get it to stand up and sing, so to speak.

But I-pods, I-pads, I-phones, Blackberry’s, Adroid or something like that, Kindles
and Nooks instead of books. And there are so many other electronic things there that I don’t have a clue how to operate. Heck I don’t’ even know how to
turn them on. I use to be able to hook up the VCR (now that is old and out
of date) and the television up or the cd player… but even those are getting harder to do. And so many wires.. Now I have to have my daughter or her son come in and do it for me.

When our old cell phone was starting to break down on us, we went to
Verizon to get a new one. Which was hard to do, as we don’t text, we don’t
send pictures… and then the new ones were WAY over our heads. We finally
found one that did what we wanted. To be able to call out, receive calls and
store phone numbers. We only had the old one 3 or 4 years, yet it was too
old to have the phone numbers transferred from the old one to the new one.

You know I do believe if Verizon gave classes on how to use their newest ones
that maybe those of us who are cell phone handicapped, would buy the
newer ones. My grandson has one of the newer ones. He showed me that
you could scan a product at the store, it would tell the price, as well where
else it was for sale and how much it cost. Amazing. Of course it does all the
other stuff, like tell you the closest fast food place or gas station and etc. But
all of this is over the King’s (who is the one who uses the cell phone the most)
and my head. So Verizon… classes, maybe?

Bad Economy? Where?

Depression, bad economy? Guess it is only for you and I.

Not the over $150,000 group. How can you explain $32,000
for a birthday party for a girl? And after spending the $32,000.
then the little darling kid blew a gasket because there was a
PURPLE bird instead of the BLUE bird as a decoration.
This is after her mother paid for a white Cinderella carriage to
bring this little Darling to the hall that the party was at.
The party arranger said it was common for parents to spend
$4,000 and up for a kid’s party. Back yards dressed up as barns,
(we had the real deal as kids) circus with real elephants and so
may other designs and etc.

Then of course we have the movie stars who are paid millions
for a movie. Television actors and host who are paid thousand
per show. And your football, basketball players getting
millions for their year of play. Businesses that throw parties for
their best employees in the higher upper level (surely not the
employees who make the product and the reason why those
CEO’s and etc. have money). Then there are the reports of
birthday parties for dogs costing thousands.

Yea, yea, I know this is only the upper 20 per cent of the
population. But it is hard to explain the poor economy when
CEO’s are still getting bonus that is more than the average
Joe makes in 5 years… and more than the lower level will
ever see in their lifetime.

Every time I hear about these spendages.. (is that a word?)
I think of the Queen of England a 100 years or more ago..
When ask about some of the same in her country and asked
about the poor… Let them eat cake.

And if I hear one more time from these pompous asses, about
the poor wanting to be poor, or that we all are too lazy to get
a good education, I will throw up on their pompous lapel.
Not everyone had good breaks, not everyone had parents who
were well off enough to pay for college for their kids. And for
my generation, where women were only to be clerks or nurses
until they get married, there wasn’t college. There are a few
who dug in tooth and nail and paid for their own college, taking
years to do it bit by bit.. Being ridiculed. They should be applauded.
Some of us knew we would never be able to grab the golden ring.
but we worked hard and broke even. And learn to be happy with
less… But really come on… in these hard times with so many not getting 3
meals a day..still some children living in cars with their parents or homeless
on the street… spending $32,000 for a birthday party for a 9 year old.
GIVE ME A BREAK!!

Roads..and Bridges...For Sale or Rent

I was reading the latest Newsweek and there is a reporter
Niall Ferguson, (humm, seems he wrote something else I
didn’t like a week or so ago) about selling different things
in the USA, so to help out the economy.

At face value I was upset, sell our places in the USA? How
Un-American. Isn’t it bad enough we have sold so much to
the Japanese years ago? And almost lost our ports to Dubai
Ports World last year or before? What about the toll bridges
leased in Indiana to a Spanish company and an Australia investment
Company? Even Chicago is suppose to have leased out one of
their toll bridges.

Then I got to thinking… he is dead wrong because he is thinking
other nations. But I think it has great possibilities here with in our
own borders. How so, you asked? Well, just think of it…

Amway-Amtrack? Kohlers-Tennessee Valley Authority?
Sunkist could take over a highway in Florida. How about
NASCAR take over some roads in North Carolina? Taco Bell
Overpass. The ideas are endless… Washington could have
Microsoft Highway. Idaho could have theirs.. up here in Kootenai
County there could be Hagadone Highway.

After all if we can have different companies take over stadiums,
why not have them take bridges, and highways… I don’t mind
driving down Budweiser Highway, or over the Go-Daddy Bridge.
Wisconsin Dairy could take over some of their roads. After all who
cares what the road is called. I have been over road and bridges
with men’s names on them and I don’t have the vaguest idea who
they are. Think of the free advertisements for these roads and bridges.

And then there is the companies hiring their own supervisors, surveyors,
and road building crews. Endless jobs, that should help the economy
for sure.

Treating a cat can be such fun

Our cat, Rokon, we found out had an abscess cheek.
We should have had a clue as she was running around
over the weekend like possessed by demons of hell.

At first we thought she had a sprit of kittenhood. With
her running from room to room as she does once in
a great while with the dog in chase or her chasing the
dog. But then on Sunday morning just before church
I saw something on her cheek and thought it was some
dirt for food. I got a napkin and wiped it away. Don’t
want to gross you out as it was touch and go for me for
a few seconds.. Being we were just heading out the
door to church, I grabbed some bag balm and put it on
for a quick fix.

I went online that afternoon to see what could be done
before we took her to the vet. There was several things,
but mostly it was to put peroxide to clean it out and then
several choices of oils or creams. We decided on an
antibacterial cream. And that was the beginning of the fight.

I figured if I could wrap her up in a towel, the chances of getting
scratched were lowered. Which worked for about 4 seconds as
she wiggled out of the bottom of the towel and was on the run.
Luckily I had previous experiences with this cat for baths, so
I closed every available door for escape.

Revising plan A- I got TWO towels… wrapped in one, starting
around the neck, keeping front paws covered and inward. Second towel
wrapped around body, and long enough to cover rear feet, and
be brought back up to middle, lay on cat, on couch. Keeping my face
away from hers.. Now I have a really pissed off cat, who the demons
of hell were coming from her twisting head… while the King squirted
the peroxide thru the wound, blotting it, and then putting the cream on it.
Of which the King yelled, CLEAR… and I let her go.

The cat disappeared under some furniture but we also
noticed Misty the dog wasn’t to be seen either. As we looked
around the room, we both spotted her… There is a small
rocking chair that the King usually throws his sheep lined
jacket like shirt… and there she was.. laying as flat as she
could get herself..with just her eyes above the material …
much like an alligator. With the looks of fear on her face as she
looked back at us.. I guess when she heard the screams
coming out of her pal, the cat, she decided she was going under
the radar, because she was going to make sure she wasn’t next.

We get to repeat this twice a day… today didn’t go any better than
yesterday, but the wound looks better. Oh, and Misty, well, this time
she sat in one of the other chairs, looking at us very suspiciously.
She doesn’t know what her pal did, but she wants no part of it.

Happy President Day

Remember when we use to celebrate Lincoln’s on February 12th and
Washington’s on February 22? I know we got Washington’s day off
from school…. Don’t remember if we got Lincoln’s Day off or not.

Then someone came up with a better (?) idea… Let’s celebrate both of
them on the same day. AND let’s always do it on the 3rd Monday of February.
The down fall of all of this nonsense is, do the kids in school know which
day is Lincoln’s birthday and do they know the real date of Washington’s birthday?

All of this of course, has worked out greatly for the commerce… after all
what is the good of having a 3 day weekend, without celebrating with
a great car sale weekend, or furniture sale weekend… and what ever other
places want to have a special day to get rid of their left over Christmas
products that didn’t sell?

I still like the stories of Lincoln and Washington childhoods… wonder if
they are still allowed to talk about how George disappointed his father
by chopping down the cherry tree? And reportedly said he wouldn’t lie
and told his father the truth about who did it? Do you suppose the Correct
Police have discontinued that story because they were afraid it might
promote crime of chopping down a trees?

(little Idaho humor, do you suppose that lesson was lost on Mr. Hart
of our Idaho Congress?)

WE ARE NOT THE ANSWER....

We have all loan money to friends and family at one time or
another. But then comes a time where you stop loaning to
some one who borrows often. Or if you feel it is abused, you
stop. And another reason to stop is when you are shorting
yourself. You just don’t have it. And you surely don’t borrow
yourself and then loan some of that money to someone else.

So why does the United States do that. We have loan so much
money out to all kinds of countries. And have been doing for years.

I remember in 1956, during a history class our teacher told us about
how the United States gave money to other countries, even tho
they hated our country. This came up because of a new country
was being given money to help them get started. That would be
Israel I remember this as we were all shocked because of the amounts
of money. Our teacher reassured us that many of these countries
hated us, so we asked why were we giving them money? Our teacher
couldn’t give us an answer. One of which I remember well,
because of the amount being more than the rest … in the millions..
and it was Egypt. Who was not friendly at that time. We are still
giving money to these countries. Loan? I don’t know, but loans
that aren’t being paid back. To me that is giving.

The other day, I read where WE owe 12 different countries. 12 !!
BILLIONS EACH!!! There were a few that I wasn’t surprised.
France, Germany, and China. But was shocked to learn
WE OWE.. Canada among others. How can you loan money when
you owe money? Why not have the countries loan to each other and cut
out the middle man… US.

We can feel bad for them, we can give wheat and etc. for the hungry.
But we can’t afford to loan any more. We can’t even take care of ourselves.

WE ARE NOT THE ANSWER… to everyone’s problems. And our dear
President should not be offering ours or other’s money, to send to Egypt.
We have already paid them more than we can afford.

None of our Business

None of our business

Newsweek front cover headline screams EGYPT “How Obama Blew it”
Seems there is a new reporter who feels Obama should have not only ran to the protester’s support but also he flub the Iran protestors rising of months ago as well.

Obama has for the most part said that Egypt’s people have decided .
To me this was a good thing/thinking. It is not our business. And when Obama lean towards Mubarak stepping down, Israelis and Saudi Arabia were upset with Obama, according to this reporter. They thought Obama should have propped up Mubarak. Why? Because they want the USA to prop up their guys incase it goes
that way in their country. But it is none of our business to decide the politics of another country.

I have to ask this reporter…. what would he think of other countries outside of the USA, propping up our President, if the people of the USA had decided we had enough of ours? (of course we do have a process to do so.)
But if we decided not to wait for that process… would we put up with another country or countries deciding what is right for us? I don’t think so.

There is talk of a having a United Nations Consul to handle complaints on how to handle everyone’s child…no matter what country they live in.. including ours. I am sorry, I don’t want ANY country telling us how to raise our children or to have anything to do about our children. Too many different cultures, too many different ideas of what is right. But I especially don’t have it in me to have another country tell me how to raise my kids. (thankfully mine are grown, but my grandchildren shouldn’t have to deal with it either).

USA is not the answer to solving others problems, nor are the other countries to be the answer to how to handle our affairs. We have a hard enough time in our own country without outside help. I am sure the other countries feel the same about us.

I know that what other countries do, effects us in more ways than one, but it is not for us to tell them how to run their country.(our success rate in the past has not been good when we did step over the line) . and these who proclaim to know how things should be run.. would be the first to scream if other countries came over here and started to tell us how to run our country.

BLONDES, REDHEADS, BRUNETTES & BLACK HAIR

February 15 , 2011
Blondes, Redheads, Brunettes, or Black Hair?

Which is your ideal color of hair for the opposite sex?
When watching people, which one of the opposite
sex do you tend to be drawn to?

Most women like blondes, just as men seem to be
drawn to blonde women. Blonde men seem to be
pretty boys as the old saying goes.

Some men love redheaded women, but redheaded men
don’t fair as well.

Then brunette (dark brown) men and women seem to be favorites,
as well. And those who don’t like blondes seem to like brunette’s

Some think black hair is exotic in women. And
women seem drawn to men with black hair as well.

Myself, I love black hair men. My father has black hair, wonder,
if that makes a difference in our preference? Also the King
use to have black hair. I have even as a teen and in my adult life
been always drawn to black hair.. Even the movie stars and singers
I like 99% of them have black hair… And of course my favorite, Johnny
Cash, being the man in black. I also prefer roughed faces than pretty
faces.. but that is another day and post.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

MY GUY

To my guy, every day is Valentine’s Day.
He honors my wishes on the Commerical day,
of no flowers, candy or any other thing that is sold
with Valentine’s day.

What he does do, is dinner at home. We don’t like to
go out to the crowds that out for that day. So we both
cook dinner. After all Valentine’s Day is a two way street.
Not just for men to be guilted into doing something grand.

See the rest of the year, I get flowers just because. He kisses
me everyday and tells me he loves me. At the end of every
phone call, he says I love you. He comes up and hugs me
for no reason at all. Just because he wants to. That is
better than any one day celebration that is put upon us.

But for those who do… HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY.
May it be what you hope it to be.

EGYPT and the PROTESTERS

We were watching the Egyptians celebrating the stepping
down of their President after 30 years. All the protesters
who stuck it out for 18 days, enjoyed that they won the battle.

We were amazed at how little of the people were injured
or died. There didn’t seem to be many harm until the President’s
men paid for thugs (their word) to ride in on camels and horses
and beat people with sticks and other items. There is also the
man who drove his car over several people. But considering
other uprisings, it was all done with little bloodshed. Seems
the most we saw, were on the media… Reporters and etc.
and even that was by the ones who supported the President.

We were also surprise by the army that stood by for all those
days, without beating the protestors. They seem to be there
to keep order of sorts, and to just stand by. Even the protestors
seem to like them.

As we watched.. my guy, the King asked a very good question. If such
a thing had been done here. If there were people who marched on
to Washington, D. C. what would have happen? We both figured
it would not be as it was in Egypt. We figured first would be the
police taking people… dragging them away to jail. And if those
who put their hands up to protest and to protect their faces,
could end up being beaten with billy clubs or maced and even tastered.

Then the National Guard would be called in.. and who knows, maybe
a repeat of Kent College, where shots would be fired. And as far as
Twitter, Facebook, Blogs and etc. We already know what they would
do about that.

I wish Egypt and the citizens of Egypt well. May they have a fairly
quiet election, and find some one that most of them like (it is never
all) and they can get on with their lives. And hopefully better lives for
all. They did well.. they brought a lot more dignity to protesting than
other country’s have.

Scared of Dying?

Scared of dying? Hell, no… We are scared of living.
It isn’t the living itself… it is the pay for it. Paying for
to stay healthy … and when you aren’t healthy.

Then there is health insurance… just this week the King
got notice that his insurance is going up $40 a month more.
He was going without insurance for 4 years. Pay as you
go was what we did.. if we didn’t have the money, we did
not go to the doctor. But he was scared, because if he got
seriously sick, we could lose our home. So we health insurance
shopped.

The cheapest we could find was $365.66 a month. Just for him.
That was with $10,000 deductible. That means the first $10,000
was on us. But it did allow 4 doctor visits a year. Well, now
a year is up and they want $40 more a month, sending it to $405.66.

Where do we find the extra $40 is the question. Shave our food
budget? As the rest of our bills are the usual,. utilities, and gas for
the car. We don’t have a credit card bill. And it is 2 more months
to his summer job. Oh, well, we will figure it out… usually do.

Yep, it isn’t the dying, it is the living that scares you.

My B Game

Maybe I should have taken this week off… as I don’t
seem to have my A game going…
So today it is email day… I saw this email and had to
laugh. I would have laughed more…but so much of it
was true.. sadly true..


Observations on Growing Older

~Your kids are becoming you...and you don't like them...
but your grandchildren are perfect!

~Going out is good.. Coming home is better!

~When people say you look "Great"... they add "for your age!"

~When you needed the discount, you paid full price. Now you get discounts on everything... movies, hotels, flights, but you're too tired to use them.

~You forget names.... but it's OK because other people forgot they even knew you!!!

~The 5 pounds you wanted to lose is now 15 and you have a better chance of losing your keys than the 15 pounds.

~You realize you're never going to be really good at anything.... especially golf.

~Your spouse is counting on you to remember things you don't remember.
(boy is this the true or what..I tell the King if we both lose it in the same
day. We are sunk)

~The things you used to care to do, you no longer care to do, but you really do care that you don't care to do them anymore.

~Your spouse sleeps better on a lounge chair with the TV blaring than he or she does in bed. It's called their "pre-sleep". Yet can’t sleep if you have the
television going quietly, while you both are in bed.

~Remember when your mother said, "Wear clean underwear in case you GET in an accident"? Now you bring clean underwear in case you HAVE an accident!

~You used to say, "I hope my kids GET married... Now, "I hope they STAY married!"

~You miss the days when everything worked with just an "ON" and "OFF" switch..

~When GOOGLE, ipod, email, modem.... were unheard of, and a mouse was something that made you climb on a table

~You tend to use more 4 letter words ... "what?"..."when?"... ???

~Now that you can afford expensive jewelry, it's not safe to wear it anywhere.

~Your husband/wife has a night out with the guys or gals but is home by 9:00 P.M. Next week it will be 8:30 P.M.

~You read 100 pages into a book before you realize you've read it.

`Notice everything they sell in stores is "sleeveless"?!!!

~What used to be freckles are now liver spots. ~Everybody whispers.

~Now that your spouse has retired ... you'd give anything if he/she would find a job!

~You have 3 sizes of clothes in your closet ... 2 of which you will never wear. ~~~~

But old is good in some things:
old songs,
old movies,
And best of all, OLD FRIENDS!!

It's Not What You Gather, But What You Scatter That Tells What Kind Of Life You Have Lived

Invasion of Privacy

These words are kind of old fashion, as there is not privacy any more.
Over the years I have tried to keep below the radar. Not that I have done
anything illegal or things I would be ashamed of. Well, not where people knew
of them, just dumb kid stuff, never involving the law. So I have nothing to hide,
that I am aware of… I just don’t like people knowing my business. That is
why I sign the opt out on everything.

Years ago, I felt sorry for the people who ran for office. Be it local or national.
There was a man who was going to run for President and he picked a nice
man who was going to be his Vice President choice. But the media found out
that this man had gone thru mental therapy in the past… Good bye, Vice
President slot forever. Then there is Hart and several others who fouled
up during the run and lost their reputations. Most recently Edwards.

I always felt bad for them. Especially the ones who were honest citizens.
But because of some flak of information of their past, their lives went
down hill. No one seems to be safe. Look at Bush Jr’s group who
passed around stories about McCain’s adopted daughter, saying she was
his love child. So as you can see truth doesn’t even count. Luckily
McCain was able to recover from the stories, but not for that year of
a run for the Presidency

We think we are above that. We think we go day after day, thru our
lives and no one knows much about us. Which is so far from the truth.
We enter a building, there is most likely a camera somewhere recording
when we enter and leave. The Internet has site after site with our
name on it. I know a couple of years ago I googled my name and scared
the daylights out of me.. it not only told where I lived and worked but it
also told who my neighbors were and their phone numbers. Any one could
call them and tell them that they want to surprise me so could they tell when
I was home. Then come over when I wasn’t and rob my place. Not that
I have anything worth robbing. But still.

And with Facebook, well that just screams with our every
move, whether we are on Facebook or not. Even if you have a low-keyed
Facebook site you are not safe. Because your friend might not be
low-keyed at all. They tag you with some pictures. So there you are,
partying, doing something not in the best interest for your boss to see.

Also the wide spread internet of doctors, insurance, and so many other
Public documentation, that records bits and pieces of your life. A weave
that we have no idea how far it leads.

Super Bowl

Now if I am blogging on a football game you know
I am out of ideas of what to write about.

I do like football, and especially the Super Bowl.
I usually don’t watch it with others though.. See
there is something about an old gal jumping up
and yelling “go, go, go, run you SOB, go (except I
don’t use the ititals) … kind of puts off other
people…

But this year was a little different . The King
watched as well. He really isn’t a football
fan. He has watched it at the neighbors
when they are making smokies and etc.
and Super Bowl Sunday, he usually finds
some where to go while I watched.

But this year he really got into watching.
and it was a great game. When it comes to
Super Bowl, I don’t care if my team is there
or not. It is nice if they are… but I care if it is
a good game. A close game. And this one was.

But I got to tell you that the entertainment sucked.
The gal from Glee did a great job, but from there on
the entertainment went down hill. The blonde Christine
What ever.. destroy the song. And what the heck was
with the half time show? I am not talking about just
the singing.. it isn’t my generation type of song, but
the showmanship or what ever you want to call it
was horrible.

And then there is the commercials. One almost watches
those as much as the game.. and this year was sure
wanting. The Babies were great, as usual. The Bud was
just ok… and the Doritos was horrible.. it sure had
a great eek factor to it.. or EEWH… sucking on another
guys fingers… smelling someone else’s pants??? They
need to fire the guy who came up with that one.

So game ..100% Commericals 40% and Entertainment 5%
Is my rating.

It's a Lost Art...

I was watching television the other day when they were
interviewing a man who wrote a book. The book was
about writing thank you notes.

I forgot what brought him to the start of writing thank you notes,
A friend who wrote one to him? He found a relative’s thank
you note? What ever it was, he decided to start writing them
himself. And because of that, he wrote the book. He talked
about how good the person who receives one feels.
And I can testify to that… as I have received some over the years,
which I have kept.

I have a daughter-in-law who writes them and has my grandson(her
step son), write one for cards he has received from me. And that really
impressed me about her.

I can remember it as a chore, when I was young. My mother MADE
me write thank you notes for everything and anything. And I MADE
my children write thank you notes to their grandmother because I
knew I would be TOAST… if they didn’t.

In my adult years I have written a few of them. But not enough. There
has been times, when I have said thank you in person, but after I left
them, I thought about how really grateful I was for what they did for me.
I should have written them thank you notes…

So I have made a promise to myself to be better about that. So I am
going to buy some neat thank you cards, and thank those in my life
that I appreciate. Too many times we take people in our lives for granted.

How about you? Is thank you notes a lost art with you? Have you
thought about something some one did for you… and you wanted
to thank them… and figured saying it to their face was enough?

I can’t write out thank you notes to my readers as I don’t have their
personal address… so this will have to do…

THANK YOU, so very much for coming here from time to time.. taking
time out of your day … to read what I have written. And for those who
like Margie, who have left comments … an extra thank you. I humbly
thank each and every one of you… be you read it only once, or for those
who come back day after day. You are what makes this still fun.

Spatter house mystery....

I don’t know what it is, but when I do my
washing of cupboards at least once a week..
I see spatter and drool downs on the front of the
cupboard and refrigerator door.

And then there is the stove… well, the stove I understand.
after all when you are cooking, the oil flies everywhere even
when you don’t see it until it is on the back wall or
where ever it shows up. So I know the stove is
going to be a mess.

But how in the name of housekeeping Mary’s does
the stuff get drooled down the front of everything? Or
big splats of stuff. It looks like the gnomes come in the
middle of the night and have a food fight. And it is rarely
colored, so it doesn’t stand out for sight to be cleaned
when seen or done.

And then there is the “if I can’t see it, it doesn’t get washed”
Like with things being taller than myself. Refrigerator is
a good example of that. I only see it when I climb up on
the ladder/stool to get a pan in the cupboard above the
refrigerator. Which always grosses me out. Now it doesn’t
seem so bad as I have boxes lined up on there. You know
box of quart size bags, box of gallon size bags, box of clear
wrap, box of aluminum wrap and etc. And they get changed
out often enough that they don’t seem to gather the mysteries
of slop.

Whip Lash

I noticed that my online service is slow… and I have dial up.
So I looked up to see what some of the choices are. I found out
in the US the FCC passed a regulation limiting V90 dial-up connections to 53Kbps

I looked to see what the other options are and prices.. Knowing that
satellites charge $45 and up, which is out of my budget, I was wondering
what else.

Knowing Verizon has DSL I was checking to see the difference of that
and cable. This was a few of the list I found.
Residential DSL service range from 128 Kbps to 3 Mbps (3000 Kbps).
You can generally get DSL for only $19.95 per month with speeds
from 768 Kbps up to 1.0 Mbps,
Cable companies usually have varies stages of internet connections going
from $19.95 to $35.00 and the speeds are faster than DSL.
They also stated that fiber optic connections is even faster…
But I know in Bonner County that is years and years down the road. Maybe
not in my life time.

So I went back to check my server speed… which on a really good day is
40kbps…which means I would get whip lash if I got these speeds....
and today.. right now.. it is 24kbps…
And they wonder what makes grown women cry…. Low server speed.