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!

The Real American Idol

You can have your American Idol, I have mine!

Time For Transition

Many people are tired of being whipsawed by the changes in the world wide economy and are looking to control their own destiny once again by going back to a more simpler time. There are many pluses and minuses in doing this, but if it can give one a sense of well being within their own lives, it may be worth it.

Here is a look of what people around the world are trying to do.

What I Learned from My Father, the Grifter

By Pat Jordan

Pat Jordan is rapidly turning into one of my favorite writers. He has been plying his craft as a free lance writer and author for over 40 years. This is a story about his father. A most revealing look, which tells it like it is.
http://www.mensjournal.com/my-father-the-grifter

The Sixth Sense

The stuff of science fiction is now. I am constantly humbled by the knowledge of others and how little I know.

Pranav Mistry is the inventor of SixthSense, a wearable device that enables new interactions between the real world and the world of data.

More is available at http://www.ted.com/

The Jetsons

This was going to be a post showing the Jetsons big screen TV and comparing them to the flat screens of today, but I couldn't find something suitable. Well, one thing led to another and here goes the intro to an old favorite. I bet you are singing along, aren't you?

And I Love Her

Bad Internet Neigbors

next to you
besides you
invisible
to the eye

what they do
what they say
looking peeking
nosy ones

creepy
bad intentions
hurtful spiteful
someone you know
maybe you don't

why do they do it
only they know
makes one shudder
can cause pain
concern for love ones

Internet can be
fun learning
adventure
social gathering
but a dark side
but like batman's
twoface
what side
is showing

firewalls up
brace for attack
that one hopes
never comes

Death of a Lawnmower

never loved
the small metal beast
price was the object
when purchased

gas guzzling
noisy one
pushing and pulling
difficult task
when grass is high

inadequate in size
for the task in hand
in the hot Florida son

gasping today
when starting the journey
sputtering and coughing
blade damaged and dull
engine sighing
enough it said

with a gleam
in my eye
I shut it down
dragging it behind
scrapheap time

rain started to fall
a fitting way
to end the day
something shiny
and new
to the rescue

a call went out
replace it we must
scour the stores
currycomb the countrysides

what will it be
what will it be

sigh

Twiglight Zone, So You Think You Seen Them All?

Music Break

Music break time. I was going through some songs I hadn't played for awhile.
A different kind of video. Former members of Guess Who playing Blue Collar

Great highway driving music or listening with the headphones on!

Mystery Solved- Why Man and Woman Are Different!

Finally science has an answer!

Why do we act different?

First the woman:




And then the man:



Once again science has come to the rescue!

My Wish List Is Small

My wish list is small. A 1963 Corvette Stingray. My favorite color is red. This is the only year the car had the split rear window.

There is no room for the young blond option in this car. Older brunettes may apply.

No, I have never driven in one. The split rear window would take time getting used to while driving.

A man needs a want that doesn't need to be fulfilled. This is mine. A car like this is not a low hanging fruit. They are very expensive, way out of my price range, not very practical, all the more reason to have one.

Someday I will have a less expensive Corvette, they are out there.

No, this is not a mid-life crisis car. I have wanted this car since 1963.

Any year from 1963-67 will do, because it was a very special time for the Corvette.

I am not an expert on cars, but I know what I like. A love affair like no other!

Christmas Shopping

time of year
shopping time
olden days
weather would put
one in the mood
days grow shorter
nights grow longer
had ideas
what to buy
look in wallet
fiances meager

thoughts flittered about
thinking what said
likes and dislikes
many to buy for
what to get

plenty of time
will get to it
shopping at the mall
shuddering at the thought
not man's forte
hunter not gatherer

pressure builds
must get done
how many days
until Christmas

oh my
last day
time gone
time wasted
off to shop
shelves are bare
must buy now
on the run
store to store
one for this one
one for that one
sweating now
clock is ticking
music in background
all a blur
dragging bags
doors close soon
one left to buy for
as see on TV
that will do
done

that wasn't bad
shopping done
six hours or less
that was fun

wrap the gifts?
oh no!

You Get Old

I am doing my best to get out of the funk that I have been in for awhile. The holidays usually get to me, can't wait until they are over. Retail will do that, I guess. Kids grown up is another. Birthdays, sometimes. But I found this article in the September, 2009 issue of Men's Journal that may give me a helping hand.

Pat Jordan is 68. Although he is older, some of the thoughts are the same. Of course, it is a guy's perspective, because that is who I am.

Click on the title or copy and paste this link to get to the article.
http://www.mensjournal.com/you-get-old-2

Some Colorful Quotes

The Smartest Things Ever Said About Survival

Men let themselves be hanged without a struggle for life...
We do the world's will not our own.
George Bernard Shaw, Man and Superman

Years ago, manhood was an oppurtunity for achievemnet, and now it is a problem to be overcome.
Garrison Keller
The Book of Guys

There is, of course, no reason for the existence of the male sex except that sometimes one needs help with moving the piano.
Dame Rebecca West
Sunday Telegraph, 1970

I think we should consider traditional gender roles. You gather the laundry, dishes, and diapers, and I will hunt for bison...and porn on the Internet.
Don Corteses as Jimmy Cox
on Rock Me, Baby

I'm one of the world's great survivors. I'll always survive because I've got the right combination of wit, grit, and bullshit.
Don King, quoted in the Sunday Times

Golf Poem

As I ready myself for another day of work in retail, on my birthday, someone sent me this email and I thought I would post it. No heavy lifting today. enjoy. Author unknown.

Golf Poem

In My Hand I Hold A Ball,
White And Dimpled, Rather Small.
Oh, How Bland It Does Appear,
This Harmless Looking Little Sphere.
By Its Size I Could Not Guess,
The Awesome Strength It Does Possess.
But Since I Fell Beneath Its Spell,
I've Wandered Through The Fires Of Hell.
My Life Has Not Been Quite The Same,
Since I Chose To Play This Stupid Game.
It Rules My Mind For Hours On End,
A Fortune It Has Made Me Spend.
It Has Made Me Yell, Curse And Cry,
I Hate Myself And Want To Die.
It Promises A Thing Called Par,
If I Can Hit It Straight And Far.
To Master Such A Tiny Ball,
Should Not Be Very Hard At All.
But My Desires The Ball Refuses,
And Does Exactly As It Chooses.
It Hooks And Slices, Dribbles And Dies,
And Even Disappears Before My Eyes.
Often It Will Have A Whim,
To Hit A Tree Or Take A Swim.
With Miles Of Grass On Which To Land,
It Finds A Tiny Patch Of Sand.
Then Has Me Offering Up My Soul,
If Only It Would Find The Hole.
It's Made Me Whimper Like A Pup,
And Swear That I Will Give It Up.
And Take To Drink To Ease My Sorrow,
But The Ball Knows ... I'll Be Back Tomorrow.

Stand proud you noble swingers of clubs and losers of balls.... A recent study found the average golfer walks about 900 miles a year.Another study found golfers drink, on average, 22 gallons of alcohol a year That means, on average, golfers get about 41 miles to the gallon. Kind of makes you proud. Almost feel like a hybrid.

Rerun of Some Past Posts

Someone commented to me that lately, I seem in a down time. I suppose that is true. This Sunday, November 15, will be my birthday. I will be 57. Now normally, I shrug them off birthdays and start saying I am whatever my next birthday will be as my real age, acting as the funny guy, always making jokes. But this time is different.

Reflecting, it seems my life as gone in a full circle, and there are some empty spots that should have been filled a long time ago. It is almost like I am starting over, not what I was looking for.

It hasn't all been bad lately. I have been working out everyday, getting in better shape, stronger, losing weight in the process, and many compliments lately, handsome, intelligent, and so on, which makes me wonder what I was looking like before? Oh well.

I have made some friends on line here, and I am afraid when all things are said and done, I will lose some too.
Here is one of my first poems. I will be going back in time for some others in days to come. Thank you for you time.

3 Billion Go To Bed Hungry, 3 Billion Go To Bed Looking For Love
http://rjacobpost.blogspot.com/2009/06/3-billion-go-to-bed-hungry-3-billion-go.html

to have love
to lose love
like grasping at the fog
to find a kindered spirit
out of reach
out of mind
the comfort of years later
never to be shared
the laughter
the cries
footpath for two
walked as one
words can be hollow
when they can't be heard
words dance in your head
somebody's love song
better than yours
what is meant to be
no truer words
heavy heart to be lighter
journey without end
hand in hand
what is meant to be

Sunrise Sunset

the sun slowly rising
creeping upward
ever so slowly
light streaking across
the sky
mingled in with
scattered clouds
bits of pink and orange
playing hide and seek
nature starting its
stretch
morning yawn
still a chill
in the air
muffled sounds
of the waves
rolling to the shores
soft cries of the birds
as they search
for their daily food
circling overhead
the sight of a fish
breaking the water
the quiet movement
of people slowly
making way to join others
in a singular way
along the sands
looking forward
to a new day
looking for change
or continuation
of what has been
bestowed upon them
for some
the search goes on

the sun heavy with
a full day behind it
slowly gathering
downward heading
reaching for the horizon
the expectations
of the day
maybe fullfilled
the darkness creeping
from behind
pushing at the colors
of the soon
night time sky
a quiet time begins
birds flutter about
searching for the nest
energy of the day
all but expelled
fish drift off to sleep
to the depths
they call home
some do gather
chairs for sand
drink in hand
slowly settle in
to watch nature's show
a stillness returns
words not uttered
lost in thought
light turns to dark
the cycle to return
the day wish to continue
or the hope for
a new begining

what is your wish

What Does Today Mean?

As I was cleaning out the garage for the umpteenth time today, I came upon a cerimonial flag that was used to drape the casket of my grandfather, who had served in WWI. I had forgotten about it, but I thought it was not to late to hang it outside today. It was folded up in a triangluar fashion and resting in a plastic pouch. It is too delicate to use often and not for long periods of time outside as it will not last long in the elements. It is still hanging as I write this post.

There was a note from my mother on why I got this flag of her father. My brother has my father's flag. But it got me thinking.

Like many other holidays, this day is used for sales in the retail sector. Mostly lip service is given to all the people who have died serving our country. Many more are crippled and scarred physically and mentally. There is a sense of abandonment of them when they return from the battlefield.

But why is there war? Think real hard about it. One side attacks, one side defends, one side retaliates. Turn plows into guns and bullets. "Money in them thar hills "when we battle each other. Death is profitable.

Religion has been the cause of many holy wars, goverments trying to act in a manly fashion, a percieved slight from someone. Politics, economics are other reasons. Trying to put a stranglehold on another country or people because they are different from us. The reasons don't matter. People die.

Wonderful slogans show up in time of war. Marketing death takes some doing. Us against them. Uncle Sam wants you!

The need to protect family, friends and home is real and should be done. But the "Are you with us or against us" is too simplistic, and never reveals the real reasons for warfare. There must be a purpose and a reason to lay down one's life for your country, whatever country that might be.

oh, the Veterans Day Sale runs through the weekend.

Under Attack?

Like many bloggers, I like to see where people are comming from, many times from around the world. I have touched on many a topic. FEEDJIT Live Traffic Feed is one of the many ways to track the website traffic. I had done a post about some clever sayings on a sports TV show that I had found amusing and had posted some of the more clever sayings.

A few days ago, I had noticed many people stopping by for that one post. Very popular, I guess. The next few days, more and more, until I realized that somehow, someone has used that post to attack this site. From around the world, again and again. So I have deleted that post. I won't mention it by name, you can see it yourself.

A first time for everything.

All Hail The Mighty Weed!

when did it start
the love of the lawn
endless sea of green
soft and tender
underfoot
natures carpet
to frolic upon
roll and play
used as feed
for many an animal
forage for a meal

in rolled in the weed
many shapes and forms
prickly or not
flowered or clinging
ground cover for some
spoiling the greenery
for many

yank pull cut dig
no stopping
the green vermin
stop it now
bring in the pro
a gunfighter of sorts
the weed killer
rode into town
with promises aplenty
worry no more
action it will take
machine or by man
lay down the spray
pellets by some
time and money
watch them die

but wait
like a swamp creature
from the deep
a lawn nightmare returns
jason could admire
a nightmare back
a summer scream uttered
didn't kill us all
badder then before
overcome the weak sister
lawn

let nature take its
course
do what it will
hail the mighty weed
and remember the 60's

grass is for smoking

Be As Healthy As The Wealthy

I haven't borrowed a link or an article from elsewhere for sometime. But this was very interesting and informative. It is too long to copy here, so click on the title or the link to get there.
It is definitely something that can be achieved!
http://www.menshealth.com/fitinvestor/healthy_wealthy.html

Thoughts of a Lifetime

time marches on
chance to reflect
where did it go

building blocks
started
by others
path taken
not chosen by self

do as I say
not as I do
over and over
the early years

do not think
outside the box
stay in
the box
creativity not
rewarded
be like others

some are lucky
why unknown
most likely to
voted by

wrestle with life
finding one's way
not easy
why we do
what we do
random chance
find a skill
hey your good
good enough
it would seem

fruitful endeavor
make yourself happy


first

Desperate Times

reading local newspaper
things are getting
bad to worse
marti forman she wrote
"beaten down people

hot tired lost
hopeless poor
unemployed sick
elderly confused
tired keep coming
food bank
overwhelmed scared
very scared"

recovery from
economic ills
slow to come
good times
for many
gone forever

houses gone
cars gone
work gone
loved ones
gone

hope

gone

TV people
read reports
economy recovering
companies post profits
how they wonder
cut costs
cut jobs
cut people
sense of purpose
lost

someone somewhere
needs help
don't look away
ask
how can I
help you today

Please Support The Needy November 7, 2009

Boy Scouts Cub Scouts
came around today
notice given
to help the needy

back in a week
to work real hard
for those who
need help
need food to live
canned goods
meats soup vegetables
peanut butter

tough economy
to give up something
cut back on bills
try to get ahead
wondering where
your next meal
is coming from

post office does
this too
once a year

give a bag
of food
the stuff you
like the most
to someone
that matters
may never see
may never know
who you helped
they will thank you

feel good inside
be proud
warm and fuzzy
not hard work
no time at all
bag it and leave
both will be thankful

might be you next time

Refuge In A Song

When in a down mood,(turtle pulling in head and legs and hiding) one must have a go to song to wash over and soothe away the aches and pains of life. I have many, but this is a favorite.

Invisible Man

there are days
a wake up call
things to be enjoyed
not going well

a self awareness
of ones self
outside looking in
as others see

female gender
casual encounter
being polite
no hint of
interest
ego takes hit
confidence ebbs

sometimes it
matters
can't shake it off
reaching the age
of invisibility

the feeling of alone
in a crowded room
this will pass
understood
not unique
in this feeling

but when senses
reel
perception is reality
down day will go away
bluster of salesman
will hide insecurity
once more
and understand
the invisible man

Friends Everywhere

bloggers unite
seems strange
but true
all kinds
different problems
common
uncommon
people care

compassion from most
caring giving
welcomed by one
good to see
be part of
something special
unknowingly
many thoughts
channel to one

much good
can be done
thoughtful
protective
be in the shoes
of someone else
hope when it
is your turn

they will be there
for you

The Ultimate Biking Video!

Sometimes someone does something so brilliant that watching it leaves one in awe.
I hope you enjoy.

Florida Dodges A Bullet

No hurricanes this year came to our shores. No pushing and shoving in line to buy supplies that were plentiful just a short time before, begging to be purchased. No worried looks from customers wondering how to get ready for the strong winds and rain soon to come.
How to do this, how to do that? Who knew a hurricane was coming?

The disappointed looks from the Weather Channel forecasters as they through up their hands and say nothing is happening out there. There were some signs that something might happen again and again, only to be rebuffed northward to fizzle out once more. The official end of the hurricane season is still six weeks away, but we know it is over, the fat lady has sung her last note and the annual anxiety is put to rest once again.

The same people that panic and are always unprepared for the worst will be back next year, forgetful of past years turmoil.

While it lasts, let's enjoy the peace and quiet.

Read All About! It Florida Gets Cold!!

It's here boys and girls. The time of the year we look forward to, a cold snap has come through.

Just a few days ago, it was in the 90's, I awoke this morning to 52 degrees. The AC is off, the windows are open for the first time since April. A briskness in the air. A look at the backyard pool no longer seems inviting, like a jilted lover, it is tucked away in the back of the mind.

The humidity doesn't go away, still a dampness in the air to contend with. It accents the cold air, making it appear chillier then it should be.

The clothes one wears will start to change with the season. More long pants, less shorts. Maybe even wearing socks? with shoes?
Sweatshirts and sweaters start to show up like long lost relatives at a free all you can eat buffet.

You know it will happen, the cold air pushing down from the land of our northern brethren, cold fingers inching their way ever southward. It does not bring snow nor ice in its grasp.

Outside work can now be done, gasping for a breath in the heat of the day, just a memory. The tempatures will jump up and down, may plunge in the 30's on occasion, usually in January. Who knows this year, where many places have had snow already.

Soon we will tire of it, wishing for the sunshine we did have, basking in its warmth once again.

Can't Miss A Day

32 days in a row
workout possessed
without fail
change of schedule
split shifts
time to sleep
time for workout
workout wins

tired
exhausted
can do much more
out of shape
did not happen
overnight

many lbs added
did not gain
with a single Cheetos
chip and dip
extra wing
but with
unconscious eating
beer in hand
ice cream in other

start start start
do what you can
everyday everyday
new habit will
change everything

grunt groan
lots of sweat
call on muscles
to stretch not strain
feel the burn
not pain

changes start
weight loss comes
food eating better
when you don't
lie to yourself

eating right
only a start
you knew that
didn't you

pants start drooping
belts last hole
face is thinner
belly pooch
gets smaller
watch is looser

what will I be
60 days from now
smaller fitter
one will hope
we will see!

A Disturbing Dream

What does it mean?

I awoke from a nap the other day, a vivid dream stayed with me.

I was in my parents house and could see outside to the back yard. Through the back door window, I could see lions flying through the air. Looking outside, the lions were trying to get over a very high fence, sometimes getting stuck on the top, getting torn up as they sruggled to get over.

Animals were running everywhere. A cow was running away. I saw a black horse running to the back of the yard , circling, gathering up speed and leaping(I could feel the whoosh as the horse went by) over the fence but landing on the roof of the house next door, safe for the moment, but left me wondering, what was going to happen to the horse next, and then I woke up.

what does it all mean.

Exercise = Tired

exercise no big deal
move this
move that
toss some weights
lift and turn
hour or so
then we are done

yoga oh my
pull and stretch
up and down dog
twist and turn
sweat a lot

different poses
fight for balance
muscles found
thought were lost
stretchhhhhh
switch second side
what
no third side?

use a mat
cushion needed
joints are sore
tired nap time

feel better at work
more mellow it seems
inner peace
seems possible

goal for the day
balance
stretch
hold
like them

feeling younger
by the day
inspired by one

thank you
special person

Chicago Loses Olympic Bid, A Lose -Win For The Second City!

Congratulations to Rio De Janeiro for winning the bid to host the 2016 Olympics.

I am from Chicago, so it is with mixed feelings that I am happy they did not win.

It all comes down to money. The cost will be in the billions to build the infrastructure to support the games, which after all, is not about the celebration of sport, but instead it is all about money.

Things are getting tough financially in Chicago. Fees and taxes continue to rise. It makes it expensive to live there. Expressways always need work. Cutbacks are everywhere.

Where would the money come from. Some might point out that the prominence that goes along with being a host. But Chicago is already well known around the world. Visitors seem to always have something nice to stay when they visit.

Yes, jobs would be created. What about afterwards? The bills would still come running in. What would have to be built? There are plenty of sport venues and teams to go along with it. A football stadium, two baseball parks, already exist.

It would be nice, it would be fun, and it would be the most expensive date one would ever have. A financial hangover that the city would never recover, thank goodness Rio won.

Good luck to Rio De Janeiro and be happy Chicago that you did not win.

All Alone, Not Really

all alone
not really
trials and
tribulations
we all go
through

life will test
first and then
give the answers

seems unfair
what we go through
sometimes
the pains the hurt
only me only you

put up walls
to protect
don't keep out
only keep in

love hate
different degrees
can't tell one
from another
no scorecard
to show sides

what doesn't kill
makes stronger
but a thousand
cuts will do
the same

people around
the world
goes through
the same
not alone
different stories
same endings
omg me too

love car house
family interest
angst rejection
find someone
lose someone

all alone
not really

The Cincinnati Kid Final Hand

Awhile ago I wrote a post about my favorite movies. I commented that I seem to favor older movies. The writing, the acting and direction seemed to be done better back in the day. This may be a result of getting older, but I am not sure. I like movies that I can go back again and again and get lost in the story. This is a scene from the movie, the final hand.

It is 6 minutes and 48 seconds long.

The Before Picture!

As I embark on my quest for weight loss and being fit, someone suggested I post a picture for comparison to an after picture down the road!

I couldn't decide which would be more flattering, you can be the judge!

Night Time Skies

early morning rise
stepping outside
gather up the paper
glancing up
at the sky

not a cloud
to cover
the star studded
night
someone had mixed
a bucket of
sparkles and tossed
upward picturesque
against the black
ink of nothingness

like twinkling
christmas lights
some bright
others not
quite beautiful
thousands to see

what did the ancient ones
wonder as they sought
to reach and touch
beyond their grasp

always there
always changing
with the seasons
after all these
years still amazes
the beauty of nature

Winter is Coming

days getting shorter
nights getting longer
a bit of coolness
starts to drift
in from the night

kids back in school
sports scene
turns over
winter thoughts
come upon us

holidays rush to
meet us
swiftly changing
with the seasons

does age make
it faster
as time marches on

people stop grilling
beaches close
pools shut down
list of to do
things to be done
getting ready

coldness brings aches
months will be many
before it is sunny
darkness changes
moods
happiness is fleeting

somwhere it is warm
fun in the sun
life is a joy
but now the wind howls
cold fingers searching
looking for openings

places have snow
flakes are special
but not all at once
trudging through
upward and onward
getting through it all

but as the world turns
and changes
so do the seasons
and soon the warmth
will return again

but as one gets older
time crawls for the
good times to get here
and speeds up the bad

one day at a time
may be all we have left

Mad Dogs and Englishman and Joe Cocker!

I get on a kick every once in awhile and right now it is Joe Cocker.
This is from a great album back in 1970, and man did I wear that album out!

The background singers are having so much fun, you wish you could join them. I think I am personally responsible for raising the viewership of youtube.
Ihope you enjoy, it makes me happy!

Choir (Perpetuum Jazzile) create a rainstorm with hands

I had seen the first part of this video in an email. It is amazing. Then stopping by Lulu Haiku, she admitted getting the whole video from someone else. So continuing in this fine tradition, I will do the same.
Enjoy!

Favorites? What was I thinking?

new computer
browser pages clean
what will I find
that interests me
favorites I open
empty and pristine
time to go searching
what will I find
eagerly start


so many pages
viewed everyday
some rate a glance
never seen again

one catches the eye
interesting it seems
might be useful
I'll go back
again and again

save it it asks
oh yes I think
in a folder
not now
I'll get back
to it I'm sure

time passes now
what is this stuff
why oh why
wonders of it all

did I need
the history of
this and that
50 ways to use
bottle caps

oppurtunities
freebies
useful aps
favorites
so many now
falls off
the screen

click on
each one
delete?
are you sure?
quit asking
of course
I mean it this time

next time
don't save
you can find it
only trillions
of pages out there

oh no, what did
I do
I really needed that
favorites
cried the raven

nevermore!

It's Just A Habit

do you ever
wonder
why we do
what we do

somethings taught
somethings learned

button up
your shirt
by buttoning
down

what pant leg
first
right than left

right sock
left sock
always
then shoes

cutting grass
turn right

turn TV on
favorite channel

radio on
push that button

order a drink
what will it be

favorite group
listen forever

makes you happy
makes you sad

do you ever
wonder
why you do
what you do

Don't Wait, Say It Now

someone dies
people gather
some cry
some talk
some wonder
too soon
too late

much done
much to do
full of promise
promise unfullfilled
what happened
what went wrong

he she
never looked better
never liked
never loved
don't care
no longer

people talk
say nice things
very nice
wonderful
touching

to the point
say good things
now
don't wait
getting older
send a card
make a visit
let them know
you care

love
will miss
touched your life
don't let them miss
out on thoughts
you could
go first

Post 200, a small milestone for this blogger!

what have I learned in the short time I have done this? Making money at this would be a fluke. Interesting stories can be found somewhere else. The Internet is insatiable, a powerful mistress that wants more all the time, but isn't sure what it wants.

I wanted to save the world, I wanted to be a voice in politics, the environment, and whatever else popped up into my mind. My opinion counted in a very small way and not enough to make an impact. I saw people making money blogging by selling to other bloggers trying to find the holy grail, $$$$, and coming up short. But I knew I could write. But how, and on what?

Then one day, I took a chance and wrote a poem. Not in the classic style, but the words were good, the feelings came across, and I was told it was good.

That gave me confidence and a new found direction. People started showing up and some left comments, some, poets themselves, and made me feel good. Imagine me, a poet! So much for my macho image!

Once I decide on a subject, the words seem to flow out on their own. But how or why, I haven't a clue, but it works. Some days, I have an endless list to pick from. Other days, what will I write about today?

I have been blessed with nice people stopping by to say hi, some peek in and go on, some stay awhile. I used to have ads , I pulled them. I decided to keep it as clean as possible with a tidbit of information added to the mix.

Some people use this time to pick out a few posts that they liked, but I won't do that, you have done that for me.

I have made new friends, and that has been enough reward for me.

I look forward to post 300 and to look back once again.

Thanks for stopping by. Sniffles....

Oh The Joy of Grass Cutting in The Florida Sun!

a trade off
from Chicago
never a snowflake
snow shovel
never to be seen
push out of snow

can't start
click click
dead battery
stranded again
frozen lock
key won't turn

move away
what could go wrong
land of sun
year round I'm told
no problem

sunny days
lots of rain
one can hear
the grass growing
miss a week
can't see your feet
grass gets tall
never stops
no problem

no problem said I
front yard the show piece
everyone sees
fun to do
no problem

each little section
cut away
lots of sections
sweat a little
edge and trim
maybe some bushes
looking good
sweating some more
no problem

front looking good
almost done
not quite
long side of the house
both to be done
wanted lots of land
no problem

sweating hard
getting hotter
big back yard
slopes down to the water
one huge big monster
yard to be done
no problem

pushing my mower
dreaming now
a riding mower
what a treat
wake up
keep cutting
shirt soaked
sweat in eyes
no problem

need water
looking at pool
can't stop yet
it calls me
getting closer
who can I get to finish
no one
no problem

finally done
it looks good
cut up some melon
honeydo this time
reward one's self
jump in pool
ahhh
never stop cutting
no problem

and time for a nap!

Movies That Make Me Laugh

Much of the time, I am not serious and want to watch something that makes me laugh. Everyone has different ideas of funny stuff and I am no different. You need to have your go to stuff to change the mood. Lots of lists have only current movies, I have my own ideas.
So here we go, in no particular order.....with synopsis provided when possible. By the way, most lists that I found are very current, with no mention of past trail blazers in comedy, very sad.

This will be it for lists and back to my poetry, got that vacation writing out of my mind.

THE THIN MAN (1934) William Powell and Myrna Loy play Dashiell Hammett's married sleuths, Nick and Nora Charles. Notorious wisecrackers and party-goers (the film was shot during Prohibition), the Charleses solve mysteries between drinks: Nora: "What hit me?" Nick: "The last martini." The pair had such on-screen chemistry they went on to play in 13 other movies, including five more Nick and Noras, but none equals this one. Directed with panache by W. S. Van Dyke, and augmented by Asta, a dog with almost as much appeal as his owners.

IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT (1934) A cynical newspaperman (Clark Gable) and a pampered heiress (Claudette Colbert) collide on an overcrowded bus headed from Miami to New York. It's hate at first sight as they share the last remaining seat. "Remember me?" Gable demands the next morning. "I'm the fellow you slept on last night." Predictably they fall in love, but not before a series of tight situations and colorful arguments. Director Frank Capra's screwball comedy remains fresh after six decades.

THE ROAD TO MOROCCO (1942) "Like Webster's Dictionary, we're Morocco bound," croon Bing Crosby and Bob Hope as they board a camel and head for adventure. Along the way, as always, they encounter Dorothy Lamour, triggering, as always, a battle of one-upmanship to see who gets the girl. In this, the best of the seven "Road" movies, the comedian and singer knock down the "fourth wall" to talk to the audience, kid Paramount studios, and ad lib relentlessly with the movie's splendid heavy, Anthony Quinn.

ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN (1948) Universal Studios had the ingenious idea of mixing its comedy duo with its horror stars. Result: unsubtle but explosive humor, with Bud and Lou as baggage clerks delivering packages to a haunted house. The occupants are Bela Lugosi, Lon Chaney, Jr., Vincent Price and other ghouls who want to replace Frankenstein's malfunctioning brain with Costello's minuscule one.

HARVEY (1950) Jimmy Stewart plays a slightly addled gentleman, fond of the bottle and of a six-foot rabbit only he can see. Josephine Hull is his concerned sister; Cecil Kellaway is a shrink who comes to realize that the patient is saner than his critics.


THE SEVEN YEAR ITCH (1955) Tom Ewell's wife goes on vacation, leaving him alone in Manhattan. Marilyn Monroe lives in a neighboring apartment. The rest is history, particularly when she walks over a subway grating in her diaphanous white dress. Sophisticated laughter, the Billy Wilder way.

SOME LIKE IT HOT (1959) Director/co-writer Billy Wilder sends up gangster movies in this ribald adventure of two musicians (Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon.) They witness a mob rubout and join an all-girl band to escape from their pursuers. On the way, the cross-dressers encounter a fabulous cast of caricatures including Marilyn Monroe, the band's lead singer, and smitten zillionaire Joe E. Brown, who plans to wed Lemmon, even when he learns the truth. "Nobody's perfect," claims Brown. This film is.

IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD (1963) Stanley Kramer's over-the-top chase movie, with top bananas of comedy, including Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, Jimmy Durante, and Jonathan Winters, all outpaced by Mr. Cool himself, Spencer Tracy.

THE NUTTY PROFESSOR (1963) Jerry Lewis usually went overboard when he directed Jerry Lewis, but here he uses a laid-back approach to tell the story of a simpleton who becomes a sophisticate when he partakes of a magic potion. In a dual role, Jerry is laughable and/or loveable, without employing his customary frantic appeal to the audience. Stella Stevens is diverting; Kathleen Freeman is droll.

THE PRODUCERS (1968) The basis for Broadway's biggest hit musical. Two grotesques (Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder) produce a ghastly show, Springtime for Hitler, hoping it'll bomb. In the resultant confusion, they plan to steal the backers' money and get out of town. Behold! The thing turns out to be a smash, and the con men are hoist by their own petard. Mel Brooks's directorial debut.

AMERICAN GRAFFITI (1973) Another coming-of-age movie--with a big difference. George Lucas (Star Wars) directed, and chose a cast of newcomers with real talent, among them Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard and Harrison Ford.

MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL (1975) The inventive British sketch comedians (John Cleese, Graham Chapman, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, Michael Palin, Eric Idle) do battle with the Arthurian legend, complete with a Trojan Rabbit and a Holy Hand Grenade. Tradition loses. We win.

THE BUGS BUNNY/ROADRUNNER MOVIE (1979) Disney films got applause and Oscars, but Warner Bros. cartoons engendered nonstop laughter. Some of the very best shorts were created by Chuck Jones, as this compilation demonstrates in overplus.

AIRPLANE! (1980) The ultimate send-up of the disaster genre. The directors/writers Jim Abrahams, and the brothers Jerry and David Zucker provide an avalanche of visual gags, parodies and puns. ("Surely you can't be serious." "I am serious, and don't call me Shirley.") Don't like a joke? Wait 10 seconds and there'll be a new one. With Robert Hays as a failed pilot, Julie Hagerty as a flighty flight attendant, and a grand cast of poker-faced stiffs, including Leslie Nielsen, Lloyd Bridges and Robert Stack.

TRADING PLACES (1983) The title represents the truth in labeling. Eddie Murphy, a streetwise African American hustler, exchanges jobs with Dan Aykroyd, a very proper Philadelphia stockbroker. The results are everything you'd expect from these two--and more. John Landis directed.

GHOSTBUSTERS (1984) House haunted? Hire Dan Aykroyd and Bill Murray, who know how to dispel ghosts and dispense jokes. So do Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis, Rick Moranis and director Ivan Reitman.

GOOD MORNING, VIETNAM (1987) The story, much exaggerated, of Adrian Cronauer. This one-time disc jockey was the voice of Armed Forces Radio until he was forced out in 1965. Robin Williams takes the bio and runs with it. Uneven but inventive humor with a moral. Forest Whitaker offers strong backup; Barry Levinson directed with heart as well as funnybone.

BIG (1988) An unhappy kid wishes he were a grownup. And voilà! He magically becomes one--except that he retains a 12-year-old mind in an adult's body. Tom Hanks is just as magical as the premise. Penny Marshall directs a glowing cast.

BEETLEJUICE (1988) A young couple (Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin) are killed in an automobile accent, and return as ghosts, ready to inhabit their dream house. Alas, the place is occupied by live interlopers. The pair isn't skilled enough to scare a mouse, so they hire the evil Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton). Fine ensemble work, and director Tim Burton supplies so many sight gags and special effects that you might want to view it twice.

CITY SLICKERS (1991) Afflicted by various midlife crises, three urbanites (Billy Crystal, Bruno Kirby, Daniel Stern) try to sort things out on a cattle drive. The complications are unfailingly merry, and Jack Palance--as the rough-hewn, straight-faced head drover--makes John Wayne look like Shirley Temple.

GROUNDHOG DAY (1993) Egomaniacal weatherman Bill Murray spends a night in Punxsutawney, Pa., where the local groundhog is supposed to see his shadow and predict how long winter will last. Trouble is, Murray gets caught in a time trap, and keeps repeating the day, minute by minute, day after day. Scrooge becomes saint, but not before some funny and wise interludes, supervised by director Harold Ramis.

National Lampoon's Animal House 1978
Never was failure so celebrated as in John Landis' iconoclastic college comedy Animal House, launching the careers of John Belushi, Karen Black and Tim Matheson. Bonding through failure, a fraternity of social misfits wreck havoc on the institution of college after being dismantled by the evil Dean Wormer. Dead horses, drunken toga parties, and a performance by The O'Jays made Animal House a course study in funny.
Famous Quote: Over? Did you say "over"? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?

Young Frankenstein 1974
Dubbed "the scariest comedy of all time," Mel Brooks' version of the classic Mary Shelley tale takes liberties... to say the least. Upon inheriting his famous, late grandfather's castle, a brilliant young neurosurgeon discovers a book containing information about a "reanimation experiment," as well as some freakishly funny characters living within the castle grounds.

The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! 1988
There was no better cop than Frank Drebin - if by "better" you mean relentlessly bumbling and funny. Leslie Nielson's straight-faced portrayal of the outrageously outrageous police detective spawned two sequels and an indelible mark on the slapstick comedy genre. Honorable mentions go to great supporting comedic performances by Priscilla Presley, George Kennedy, O.J. Simpson, and... Robert Goulet?

Ace Ventura: Pet Detective 1994
Ace Ventura is a one-man wrecking crew for pets, and in it, Jim Carrey is a one-man wrecking crew for laughs. Carrey's Ventura became so popular after its release, it quickly spawned a sequel that - at the very least, deserves an honorable mention.

Blazing Saddles 1974
Gene Wilder's version of the wild, wild west is wilder and funnier than anything the Duke could've ever imagined. When a black sheriff is sent in to clean up a corrupted town, he crosses paths with a myriad of outrageous characters, situations, and even a horse who needs some tough love. Infamous for its outrageous "campfire dinner" scene, Blazing Saddles also blazed the first trail for an openly satiric western-comedy.

The Pink Panther 1963
Peter Sellers stars as the original, bumbling Inspector Clouseau, who's comic ineptitude leads him on an all-out investigation to track down a jewel-thief who's actually right under his nose. Throw in a kung-fu fighting assistant assigned to attack his employer and tons of dry wit and The Pink Panther became an instant comedy classic inspiring a sequel and a re-make.

No synopsis

A Night At The Opera - (1935) (Marx Brothers)

A Day At The Races - (1937) (Marx Brothers)

Caddyshack - (1980) (Bill Murray, Rodney Dangerfield, Ted Knight)

Wayne's World - (1992) (Mike Myers, Dana Carvey, Rob Lowe)

The Three Stooges made 190 "short subject" episodes for Columbia pictures, but no "Great" full length movies. However their comedy on film deserves recognition

Of Course, Favorite TV Shows

Since I am in a list mood, how about TV shows? Same guidelines as the movie list, but with TV, it was something that drew you in weekly and looking back, still holds up today. Some shows were trendy, some had a great intro, and some, you wonder why I watched it. Some, I barely remember, so I didn't pick them.
Here we go....

ABC's Wide World of Sports

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

All in the Family

The Avengers

Batman

The Bob Newhart Show

The Carol Burnett Show

A Charlie Brown Christmas

Cheers

Dallas

Dark Shadows

The Dean Martin Show

The Dick Van Dyke Show

Dragnet

The Ed Sullivan Show

The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show

Gilligan's Island

Hill Street Blues

I Spy

Late Night with David Letterman (NBC)

Married... With Children

The Mary Tyler Moore Show

M*A*S*H

The Monkees

Monty Python's Flying Circus

Moonlighting

The Odd Couple

The Outer Limits

The Prisoner

Rocky and Bullwinkle Show

Rowan and Martins Laugh In

Sanford and Son

Saturday Night Live (early years)

Sesame Street

The Simpsons

Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour

60 Minutes

Soap

SportsCenter (up until 4 or 5 years ago)

Star Trek

St. Elsewhere

Taxi

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

The Twilight Zone

What's My Line?

WKRP in Cincinnati

Local Shows when I was young

Romper Room

The Ray Raynor Show

Bozo's Circus ( local Chicago Version)

Garfield Goose and Friends

Johnny Quest

No, I didn't like Captain Kangaroo..

Again, I have noticed, that as I grew older I watched less TV. Life, work, family, and so on took up more time. and so it goes...

more when I think of them..

Some of my Favorite Movies

This list is purely subjective. I may add to it in the near future. The movie had to touch me in some way. A movie that I watch over and over again. I looked at some lists. I did not like Citizen Kane, for example, so I did not include it. I found it interesting how much I liked the older movies then the ones of today. Some movies listed below don't have the year because it wasn't listed and this blog is not supposed to be work. I don't get much oppurtunity to see foreign films so they are not listed. This is not a fake list. Hope you like it, if not(shrugging), so be it.




Bonnie and Clyde (1967)

Casablanca (1942)

Chinatown (1974)

Dr. Strangelove: or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982

The Godfather, Parts I and II (1972, 1974)

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (1966)


A Hard Day's Night (1964)

It's A Wonderful Life (1946)

King Kong (1933)

Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)

Pinocchio (1940)

Psycho (1960)

Raging Bull (1980)

Some Like It Hot (1959)

Star Wars (1977)

Taxi Driver (1976)

West Side Story (1961)

Amadeus (1984)

Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)

Ben-Hur (1959)

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)

It Happened One Night (1934)

M*A*S*H (1970)

The Wizard of Oz (1939)

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

The Maltese Falcon (1941)

Rocky (1976)

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)

North By Northwest (1959)

Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

L.A. Confidential (1997)

Network (1976)

Fantasia (1940)

Shane (1953)

The French Connection (1971)

Dances With Wolves (1990)

American Graffiti (1973)

Duck Soup (1933)

Patton (1970)

Around the World in 80 Days (1956)

In the Heat of the Night (1967)

Braveheart

Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid

Day the Earth Stood Still (original)

Doctor Zhivago

Hustler

Night at the Opera

Outlaw Josey Wales

Pinocchio

The Producers

Raiders of the Lost Ark

Rear Window

The Cinncinatti Kid

Goldfinger

Road to Morocco

Rocky

The Sting

To Kill a Mockingbird

Vertigo

The Magnificent Seven

The Hunt for Red October

9 1/2 Weeks

more when I think of them........

Road Trip Part Deux

Hmm, the pictures look almost the same, don't you agree?


Arriving at 4:00 am in the bloody morning after a long an exhausting trip,I had been instructed to call a friend, no matter what time we arrived, that we were here and I would be waiting to be picked up by him when ever he was ready. He said he would get back to me after 6:30 am, when everyone was awake. I was ok with that as it gave me time to get some sleep. I had forgotten I had lost an hour time wise so I actually picked up another hour of sweet, sweet sleep.

That would be Jerry, on the left, Myself in the center and Bob is on the right. We have known each other for over 40, yes, 40 years.

Soon Jerry had picked me up and we were on the way to St. Andrews Golf & Country club with Bob





For three days I hung out with my friends reliving old times, having a beer or three, eating some pizza, sleeping when I got the urge, visiting Bob's mom(87 years old and a Cubs fan, my favorite lady), and his sister Jeanie. I stayed at Jerry's condo during my visit. The company was pleasant, the beer cold, and the couch very comfortable. I had a nice dinner at Bob's house with wife Cindy and friend Dottie. Mean while, my wife and daughter and her friend stayed at her uncle's house and visited downtown Chicago. They went to Navy Pier(like an amusement park on the lake) and even took a boat ride on Lake Michigan. We met up late Saturday to spend time for the rest of the weekend with old friends Tom and Cathy. My wife Connie and Cathy have known each other since they were around six years old.

Connie and Ray

Cathy and Tommy behind us. We were out to the local bowling alley for a few games.

Later on that evening and late into the night, ending around 2:30 am
a rousing rendition of Karaoke. Nothing like drinking beer to enhance the singing ability and render the hearing of songs that we found out, knowing the words didn't seem to matter.



The view of the power lines on the ride back home. It looked like a scene from King Kong vs. Godzilla fight amongst the power lines.


This is a picture of a storm that dogged us every mile on the way home, remnants of Tropical depression Anna.

We tried to make the trip home less eventful, deciding to go through much of Illinois, back into Kentucky, and into Alabama.

Half way into Alabama, Tom Tom shifted us to a different highway, just as it got dark. Much quieter highway, meaning no gas stations, restaurants, bathrooms!!

Of course the urgency rose with each mile, with gas running low, and bladders acting like a young child.

We finally found a well lit station to pull into, and there was a mad scramble to get inside, like ants at a picnic.

It at first looked like there would be a dramatic time savings with the new route, but no, the same 17 hour drive back to the daughter's
place at 1:00 am.

The above pictures were part of the journey in Florida and we made it safely home.

The trip was well worth it, all in all, because one must touch base with loved ones and you never know if or when the opportunity will come again. Things happen and you don't want regrets later.

I hope this was an enjoyable read. I enjoyed writing it. It took many days to put this to print, I think it was worth it.

Road Trip! Part One

Warning: This could be very boring to your mental health!

At my work place you can only take a week at a time with days off sandwiched on the ends. 9 days off.

What will we do? Got it! Let's drive 3,000 miles in four days!
Okay, 1,500 each way, but it felt like 3,000 miles. We had decided to visit friends up in Chicago. It had been 7-8 years since we had been there.

My daughter in school up in Tallahassee, Florida, FSU, asked to go along and wanted to bring a friend. After weighing all the options,
(flying and car rental or straight car rental, we decided to rent a nice mini van with enough room for everything and everybody including my beloved golf clubs. (golfing, my real reason for going)

We were to leave on a Tuesday morning, after picking up the rental and pack up and be on the way. Early morning turned into 2:00 pm before we left the house and to be on our way. Why?

Guys will grab stuff, throw it in and on our way. Women, decide to clean thoroughly, before leaving, packing up most of the pantry to eat along the way. The equivalent of wearing clean underwear in case of an accident. (we were leaving 6 dogs behind)

One must go with the flow to start off the trip in the right mind frame.(no arguing)(The seventh dog, a beagle, we were taking with to live with the college daughter)

Our starting point was just west of West Palm Beach, up to Tallahassee.

But leaving late meant getting to the daughter late. Arriving at 11:00 pm or so. We all agreed to get up at 4:30 pm, shower and go and be on the road at 6:00 am.

Leaving at 9:00 am, off we went, about 90 minutes back tracking to I-75 to enter into the state of Georgia.



I am sure Georgia is a beautiful state, but unfortunately, driving on I-75 does not show off it's best side.(the I stands for interstate, odd numbers north and south, even numbers east and west)

Which reminds me, why does Hawaii have an interstate?

Most of the United States during the summer has almost all of the roads torn up, a sore point for the whole trip.

Somehow, as we were leaving Florida, we had in mind, 12-13 hours driving,.......17 hours was the real time...tired just thinking about it!

After about 6 hours of driving in Georgia, it was time to go into the state of Tennessee and then into Kentucky.


The is a major difference in the countryside along the highway. Tennessee and Kentucky have a lot of hills to drive through, maybe small mountains, but nothing like the screaming drive one has in California.



There is almost a tranquil feeling while driving. But some of the roads are a steep drop and truck drivers must pay attention not to go to fast and lose control. But keep in mind, this is all during the day. Night time driving can be very treacherous.

Let me not forget that while we drove we had a helper ,Tom Tom made famous by Linda and Her Twaddle.

But I of course wanted a woman's voice and picked an English speaking lady from the UK who told me to stay left and continue on the motorway. I didn't even know we had motor ways.

But after awhile, many hours later, she started to sound like Hal from 2001 Space Odyssey. I started to do her voice adding my own lines. "Ray, you idiot, you missed the turn, you shouldn't be driving, let your wife drive, you men are all alike". My wife was not amused.

But let me say, it was very helpful and got us through some ticklish situations.

From Tennessee through Kentucky and into Indiana. Most of Indiana is flat. The midwest of the United States is farmland, which in most cases is flat land as far as the eyes can see.
The last 6 hours was through construction that had slowed us down, but didn't stop us, down to 40 instead of 70 miles an hour.

At one point, I felt like pulling over for a nap, but damn it, I had a t-time for Thursday for golf! Sleep was not an option.
We were very tired with only 2 drivers, (rental wouldn't let daughter drive, still too young), and switched often as night driving is very tiring.

With the help of Tom Tom, dodging construction zones, we arrived in Chicago at 4:00 am, Florida time....

to be continued

First Impressions

when you visit
a foreign land
whom you meet
how they act
is what you
think of everyone
who lives there
true or not

where you come
from represents
where you come
from
is what they
think of you
true or not

welcomed by some
welcomed by all
referal be good
or damned
by association

it's true
what they say
you only have one
chance to impress
make it good
make it right
we are all
counting on you

Vacation Time!

Yes, finally time to get away, recharge the batteries, hit the little golf ball around, sip a couple( ok , more than a couple )of beers with friends and enjoy a vist back to the hometown of Chicago.

I will be back in about ten days. I of course will stop by and in to see what is interesting and what is going on. And check my email.

With post number 200 fast approaching, one does need a break once in awhile.

All the best,

Rj

Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes

As I was doing my meme part I had mentioned Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes. As many actors fear, sometimes a role can take you over, and you never live out of character. Here in part from Wikipedia, why he was so good as Mr. Holmes. Click on the title for more info.

Brett had been approached in February 1982 by Granada TV to play Holmes. The idea was to make a totally authentic and faithful adaption of the character's best cases. Eventually Brett accepted the role. He wanted to be the best Sherlock Holmes the world had ever seen[6] He conducted extensive research on the great detective and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle himself, and was very attentive to discrepancies between the scripts he had been given and Conan Doyle's original stories.[7] One of Brett's dearest possessions on the set was his 77-page "Baker Street File" on everything from Holmes' mannerisms to his eating and drinking habits. Brett once explained that "some actors are becomers - they try to become their characters. When it works, the actor is like a sponge, squeezing himself dry to remove his own personality then absorbing the characters like a liquid".[8]

Brett was obsessed with bringing more passion to the role of Holmes. He introduced Holmes' rather eccentric hand gestures and short violent laughter. He would hurl himself on the ground just to look for a footprint, he would leap over furniture or jump on the parapet of a bridge with no regard for his own personal safety.

Holmes' obsessive and depressive personality fascinated and frightened Brett. In many ways Holmes' personality resembled Brett's own, with outbursts of passionate energy followed by periods of lethargy. It became difficult for Brett to let go of Holmes after work. He had always been told that the only way for an actor to stay sane was for him to leave his part behind at the end of the day, but Jeremy started dreaming about Holmes, and the dreams turned into nightmares.[9] Brett began to refer to Sherlock Holmes as "You Know Who" or simply "HIM": "Watson describes You Know Who as a mind without a heart, which is hard to play. Hard to become. So what I have done is invent an inner life".[10] Brett invented an imaginary life of Holmes to fill the hollowness of Holmes' "missing heart", his empty emotional life. He imagined :"...what You Know Who's nanny looked like. She was covered in starch. I don't think he saw his mother until he was about eight years old..." etc..[11]

Eventually it began to go wrong. His workload was pushing him to the limit. While the other actors disapperared to the canteen for lunch Jeremy would sit alone on the set reading the script, looking at every nuance.[12] He would read Holmes in the weekends and on his holidays. "Some actors fear if they play Sherlock Holmes for a very long run the character will steal their soul, leave no corner for the original inhabitant", he once said.[13] It never occurred to him that he was ill.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremy_Brett
for more information on this great actor.

MEMEories by RJacob Post

With apologies to meme's everywhere here it goes.

Last 5: A Meme

1. Last 5 books you read.

Shogun by James Clavel

The Godfather by Mario Puzo

The Green by Troon McAllister

The Millioaire's Secrets by Mark Fisher

Abuse Your Illusions edited by Russ Krick

2. Last 5 movies (most recent first)

Transformers (2007)

Iron Man (2008)

The Cincinnati Kid (1965)

Tin Cup (1996)

The Big Sleep (1946)

3. Last 5 cds you played.

Que Pasa by Gato Barbieri

Aja by Steely Dan

Chicago's Love Songs

Collection by Dave Brubeck

The Wall by Pink Floyd

4. Last five t.v. programs you watched

The Buick Open....golf

Burn Notice USA...if you liked McGiver, you will love it

House MD. Fox...it has been said I am like him...

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes PBS...with Jeremy Brett

The History Channel....Ancient Discoveries...it's been done before.

5. Last 5 things you had to drink.

Kona Vanilla Macadamia Nut Coffee

Bigelow Green Tea

orange juice

water mixed with lemon juice

Miller High Life Beer

On Jeopardy:

If you had the opportunity to appear on “Jeopardy”, how would you want Alex to introduce you and what anecdote would you want Alex Trebek to have you share?

Salesman and poetry blogger.

Early on in my career, I went from being one of the worst door to door salesman for insurance, to being promoted to store manager for a tile company 6 months later.

So there it is, my first meme contribution brought to you by Kat

What Does It Mean To Be Wealthy?

does it mean
to have money
to have any
wish desire
fulfilled
to do what
you want

or does
it mean
the people
one surrounds
oneself with
special friends
new friends
old friends
one can count on

does it mean
your health
no aliments
new ones
old ones
to ease
your way to
later years

important stuff
when young
pales when old

The Best of All Time! Tiger Woods

some people tire
he wins so much
after all
it's only golf

since he was three
he played this game
father mother
said ok
do your best
support him they did

do your school
work mother warned
military father
agreeded
raised him right
knew his potential

get the mind right
the rest will
follow
he did what
they said
worked hard
love for the game
enhance the skills
he was born with

took the world
by storm
many new
what he would do
money came in
too quickly
not earned
said some

years later
many wins
at sixty nine
today
knocking at the
door
alcolades galore
best of all time

looking back
one will marvel
to have watched
in our lifetime
Tiger Woods

Scandal Of Sport

old time records
meant to be broken
athletes today
tainted all
peer pressure
money gain
loved by many
adored by more

all a lie
victory not earned
lie lie lie
well he did it
must be okay
fans still care
maybe not
as much
someday this will
end

stars are suspect
ruthian clouts
need a helper
one after another
scandal grows
soon the games
will die

when did it start
when will stop
is it too late
competition
should be pure
it is not
childhood dreams
on the juice