You know you are getting old when...

People start calling you sir...a lot!

When you dance, there are people laughing quietly behind you

When you think to yourself, "I am old enough to be her father"

When she thinks to herself, "He is old enough to be my father"

When taking an elevator seems like a good idea and there are only two floors!

to be continued........

Maybe a solution to a problem, maybe not

This is not a perfect solution and I do not think it is so easy but here we go.


We have a country that has been literally destroyed from the ground up.

We have a country racked with unemployment, especially in construction. With the slowdown of the housing industry, there is a lot of man and woman power out of work, much equipment not in use.

Many wonderful people are reaching out with their hard-earned dollars, so let us put it to work.

Haiti needs to be rebuilt, but not as before. The building standards have to be followed to at least the level of the international building code, so as to try to prevent the widespread disaster they are experiencing right now.

They have the need, we have the people, why not? But a warning, the same geniuses at work after Katrina, in charge of cleanup and construction, can not be involved.

But the people of Haiti need to be put to work to help rebuild their country. They can't be shut out. National pride needs to be included in the effort.

How can we do it? Let me know.

Wanna Buy Some Tatta's?

When I was growing up, there was a comic strip called Li'l Abner in a little town called Dogpatch. One of the characters in the strip was called General Bullmoose, an industrialist, likened to the chairman of GM. In one episode, he decided to capture the automobile market by selling cars for only $1.00!

I was reminded about that episode when Tata Motors had announced they had built for India a car that cost $2,500, designed to get people off mopeds and into a car, very basic of course, but still a car.

It reminded me also of the Volkswagen Beetle sold here in the states in the 60's.
It was very inexpensive, a car for the times, very basic and affordable to all.

People of today won't drive something so basic, no a/c, very little heat(no radiator),very cramped, but it would always start, got great gas mileage for the time and was fun.

Could the circle of life be coming back to the 60's as the economics of the world continue to change? Maybe.

Tata Motors did bring a car in for the auto show as a publicity stunt. The car looked good, looked roomy, and it did get your attention. Costs in the United States would be about $8,000. The one car cost $6.000 to ship, so I am guessing factories would have to be built here for it to make sense.

We have all made some economic choices at one time or another over the last few years, might this be another?

I Wish I Was Tin Cup!

I love this movie, seen it more times then I can remember. This is a clip from the final scene, where Roy McAvoy ( Kevin Costner )tries to make a statement instead of winning the U.S. Open. When I was growing up the golfer who would go for it and pull it off was Arnold Palmer, my early golfing hero.

Kevin was taught by Gary McCord on how to play, and in a tournament he had a similar shot to McAvoy's. He needed a birdie to win and went for it. He shot over and over again and finally got it in 15 strokes, Roy needs 12, and it was decided to end the movie this way. Gary is the handlebar mustached announcer in the movie.

Many courses have tiered greens and if you land on the wrong level, the ball has been known to roll of the green and into the fairway, but usually not from two feet away.

When that happened in the movie, I got teary eyed. I have used the line from the movie "My swing looks like an unfolded lawn chair ", because at times, when I am golfing, it fits.

Enjoy.

Sports Fanatic, No More

As I watched football over the weekend, and watched the promo's for the Super Bowl, the date was given as February 7. Meaning that baseball starts two months two months later.

Baseball starts in early April with snow in many cities and now ends in late October with snow in many cities.

Basketball starts in September and ends in June.

Hockey starts in September and ends in April.

Football starts in August and ends in February.

By the way, I am guessing somewhat on the end times for hockey and basketball. I used to care a lot, a fanatic on all things sports, but now I don't care as much. The seasons take forever to end, in lock step with TV networks to squeeze out as much money as possible while not allowing programing to be on when the young kids are still awake.

The money paid nowadays is of course ridiculous, but the fact that teams pay it means that the money is there. Where does the money come from? Why you the fan, of course.

Good seats for basketball can run thousands per game, same for football. Hockey can't fill the stands anymore, almost giving it away, baseball the same way.

Golf( the only game left for an old guy to play )will suffer greatly without Tiger this year. Jokes withstanding, on the course,, his game is machine like, and a joy to watch, mostly it is the mental side of the game that gets to his opponents, he knows he will win, they are not sure they can win against him.

ESPN has ruined the beauty of any game with emphasizing only the highlights that they seem worthy, "expert analysis" of minuscule bits of information that bore one to the extremes. The Super Bowl will have six hours of programing detailing the consensus of opinions on who will win and after the game explaining why they were wrong.

In all the games played with all the four major sports, hundreds of games played, there will be 4 winners, everyone else will have the "wait until next year" to pin their hopes on for the future.

Winning a championship is a fluke, not winning anything is average. To those whose hopes and dreams and self esteem are all pinned to the success of the sports teams in the cities that they reside in, look around and think. "we won the championship", or "we lost the big game", unless you strapped on the pads, took a swing,, made a basket, shot the puck, you didn't win anything. As long as we realize that we live vicariously with our teams, and it is not life or death and is for entertainment purposes only it is fine.

To remember a quote from a former Dallas Cowboy football player Thomas Henderson" If this is the ultimate championship game, why are we playing it again next year?"

No More.

While My Guitar Gently Weeps.....

Do you know the words to this great song?
By George Harrison

I look at you all see the love there that's sleeping
While my guitar gently weeps
I look at the floor and I see it need sweeping
Still my guitar gently weeps

I don't know why nobody told you
how to unfold you love
I don't know how someone controlled you
they bought and sold you

I look at the world and I notice it's turning
While my guitar gently weeps
With every mistake we must surely be learning
Still my guitar gently weeps

I don't know how you were diverted
you were perverted too
I don't know how you were inverted
no one alerted you

I look at you all see the love there that's sleeping
While my guitar gently weeps
I look at you all
Still my guitar gently weeps

Oh, oh, oh
oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
oh oh, oh oh, oh oh
Yeah yeah yeah yeah
yeah yeah yeah yea

An Open Letter To TV And Cable Execs Everywhere

We don't need you. We watch less and less TV all the time. Kids don't watch like they used to. There is nothing people like more than rich people fighting over money. Not! The wrangling over who gets paid what, means an increase in your cable bill.

The promise of 500 channels of entertainment has not come to pass. The TV has improved dramatically, but programing has not. If one could order programs piecemeal, how many would one watch? A handful, I am guessing.

We are inundated with advertising everywhere we go. Thousands of times a day from a variety of sources. It is very tiring on the mind and body. We hate it, but we understand somewhat, that it pays the bills. We understood that better when there wasn't a monthly bill to watch TV. Bring back the antennae!

Sports are a big part of TV viewing. But across the board, viewership is down. The ultimate promise of your team winning it all, no longer has the allure when growing up. And ESPN, please. just because they are everywhere, doesn't mean they are loved.

Tough economic times lead to tough economic choices. That is a concern for the industry. What if people find they can do without? What if we go back to a simpler time? What if we go back to playing outside with family and friends? It could happen.

Some will scoff and laugh. Things can change when pushed too far. Case in point, the car industry. Gas went to over four dollars a gallon, the Hummer is gone and a good chunk of the industry with it. People can be very creative and adaptable.

TV industry, you have been warned!

My poems feel lonely.....Color them blue..

I started a blog awhile ago with just poems. I collected all of the work I had done here and have added more since. But my regular, wonderful visitors don't know they are there. They are views and insights I try to convey in my own special way. Please stop by. They miss you. Click on title to join me!

http://rjacobpostpoeticmuses.blogspot.com

1957 Flashback New Years Eve!

Only four at the time, I was probably sleeping at midnight, Little did I know, Guy Lombardo was a yearly visitor at our house. A bit of nostalgic look back from me to you
as we get ready to ring in the new year.




Do you know all the words when you are singing? Me neither. Here they are.
From

http://military.rightpundits.com/2009/12/31/auld-lang-syne-lyrics-happy-new-year/

Auld Lang Syne - Lyrics

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne?
CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We’ll tak a cup of kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!

And surely ye’ll be your pint-stowp,
And surely I’ll be mine,
And we’ll tak a cup o kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!

We twa hae run about the braes,
And pou’d the gowans fine,
But we’ve wander’d monie a weary fit,
Sin auld lang syne.

We twa hae paidl’d in the burn
Frae morning sun till dine,
But seas between us braid hae roar’d
Sin auld lang syne.

And there’s a hand my trusty fiere,
And gie’s a hand o thine,
And we’ll tak a right guid-willie waught,
For auld lang syne

Auld Lang Syne Lyrics - Meanings

auld lang syne - times gone by
be - pay for
braes - hills
braid - broad
burn - stream
dine - dinner time
fiere - friend
fit - foot
gowans - daisies
guid-willie waught - goodwill drink
monie - many
morning sun - noon
paidl’t - paddled
pint-stowp - pint tankard
pou’d - pulled
twa - two

Auld Lang Syne’ is a song that is from the Robert Burns Scottish poem written in 1788. The song is sung to the tune of a traditional folk song, Roud #6294. It is generally sung as we ring in the New Year at the stroke of midnight. The modern day definition of ‘Auld Lang Syne’ is translated from the Scottish to the English as ‘for old times sake’ or ‘to the good old days’. Yes, we seem to think that Scottish, Irish and Welsh are the same as English, but they aren’t. When the British Empire became the United Kingdom, they tried to incorporate the Scottish, Welsh and Irish people into the Empire, but there was a time when they were all individual cultures with their own languages and their own cultures. Many continue to keep the memories of their own cultures and languages and work to keep them as they once were.

Christmas Cookie Rules

This was passed along to me and for all of us worried about baking and eating and putting some weight over the holidays, perhaps this will help.

Christmas Cookie Rules...


1. If you eat a Christmas cookie fresh out of the oven, it has no
calories because everyone knows that the first cookie is the test and calorie free.

2. If you drink a diet soda after eating your second cookie, it also
has no calories because the diet soda cancels out the cookie calories.

3. If a friend comes over while you're making your Christmas cookies
and needs to sample, you must sample with your friend. Because your
friend's first cookie is calories free, (rule #1) yours is also. It would
be rude to let your friend sample alone and, being the friend that you
are, that makes your cookie calorie free.

4. Any cookie calories consumed while walking around will fall to
your feet and eventually fall off as you move. This is due to gravity and the density of the caloric mass.

5. Any calories consumed during the frosting of the Christmas cookies will be used up because it takes many calories to lick excess frosting from a knife without cutting your tongue.

6. Cookies colored red or green have very few calories. Red ones
have three and green ones have five - one calorie for each letter. Make more red ones!

7. Cookies eaten while watching "Miracle on 34th Street" have no calories because they are part of the entertainment package and not part of one's personal fuel.

8. As always, cookie pieces contain no calories because the process of breaking causes calorie leakage.

9. Any cookies consumed from someone else's plate have no calories since the calories rightfully belong to the other person and will cling to their plate. We all know how calories like to CLING!

10. Any cookies consumed while feeling stressed have no calories because cookies used for medicinal purposes NEVER have calories. It's a rule!

So, go out and enjoy those Christmas Cookies - we only get them this time of year!