CHRISTMAS GIFT SUGGESTIONS

With Christmas less than 60 days away, it is time for suggestion on gifts for friends and family. If I was to win the big lottery, I would buy one of everything from Harriett Carter's catalog then just hand out all the items. All the catalog's items are pretty useful. Last year my recommendations came from "As Seen on TV", this year their new items are little disappointing and pretty far fetched.

My first item of this season "Handicap Placard Protectors". May seem really stupid, but not to grandparents and elderly neighbors.

The next time you are in parking lot, walk by and take a good look at how bent up most placards are hanging from the mirror. While you are walking by the handicap parking spots checking out placards and don't see one hanging, call the police.

WELL-EARNED WRINKLES, ROD STEWART

Rod Stewart: "It's always been a thorn in my side when they try to make you look 16. I'm very proud of my well-earned wrinkles, so show 'em."
CNN: You're 64.
Stewart: "Yes, it's great, isn't it! (Cracks up) Yes, 64 now."
CNN: You don't look 64 at all, and you don't act a day over 17.
Stewart: "Oh, behave yourself."

Click her to watch interview.

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CHICAGO STYLE POLITICS???

LAST WEEK FOX NEWS, THIS WEEK U.S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. WHO IS NEXT?

IF YOU CAN NOT WORK WITH THEM, BAD MOUTH THEM.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO.

I COULD HAVE BEEN A PILOT

I am the first person to admit that I am a terrible driver. Very few accidents, cutting people off and traffic violations have come my way, but I know I am not a good driver so I try to pay more attention.

This past Tuesday, I was driving three passengers to The Fawcett Center at OSU. Traveling across Rt. 670 through Columbus to Rt. 315 I was in the wrong lane and ended up driving around the block in downtown Columbus to get back on 670. I knew where I was going, but conversation in the car made me forget one more time, I dropped off on 315 North bound when I should have been traveling south. Made some quick maneuvering around the the city streets and was back on the right direction and arrived at our destination no more than five minutes late.

My passengers did get to see the location of the Central Ohio Fire Museum on the first mistake and on the second see the corporate headquarter of Pilot Dog, Inc.

So, I can not see why the FAA is making such a big deal out of two pilots overshooting a metropolitan airport by 188 miles. I can not remember what the discussion was in my car when I over shot the exits on Tuesday, so I can believe it if the pilots say they can not remember.

By the way, my driving skills count up to at least one home sale a year. Clients will just buy a home so they don't have to ride around with me anymore.

SOUPY SALES DEAD AT 83

From his obituary: "Sales, who was typically clad in a black sweater and oversize bow-tie, was once suspended for a week after telling his legion of tiny listeners to empty their mothers' purse and mail him all the pieces of green paper bearing pictures of the presidents."

Thanks to Robin F. for the heads up on this piece of history to be remembered.

21 DAYS INTO THE GAME

Yesterday was an unusual October day, late this afternoon I was able to break the rule. The temperature reached 70 degrees and the socks came off. This may not happen again until April 1 of next year.



Within the first hour a friend noticed and commented on the temperature. It is unbelievable how people know you and you really do not know how well.



Read the attached post from one year and four days ago by clicking here and last month here.



Click here for a great posting about sorting socks.



Check the ad to your right, if this was the only sock available for men, we would be better off for the no sock option all year around.

Rep. Flake's Survivalist Vacation

This past week has been full of weird news, balloon boy & his family, Anna Smith drinking drugs from a baby bottle before her death, OSU loosing a game etc.

Congressman Flake's survival trip was a highlight of my on line reading this past weekend. Farm boy turned Congressman who had a retreat goal and accomplished his goal.

As you can see by the Mr. Flake's photo: "Rep. Aaron Schock (Ill.) currently holds the very unofficial title of "biggest hunk" in Congress. But Schock’s title could be in jeopardy after Americans view Flake's tanned and sculpted torso" as published by The Hill.

Read the short article here published by the The Hill.

If you want to read his diary click here published by the Washington Post. His diary is included in the The Hill article in a 33 page .pdf format.

Print the diary and keep it in the car to start reading when you are having lunch alone and want to pretend you are eating sand crabs.

BUBLE

Keeping Busy Unemployed

"When you're unemployed, days can stretch long and your talents can languish unless you find something worthwhile and engaging to fill some hours -- as well as those gaps in your résumé or holes in your skillset."

Vickie Elmer of the Washington Post

Excellent article from the Washington Post about what to do while you are unemployed and how to exercised your creative muscles and skills. This is great encouragement for many non-profit organizations needing help with certain professionals that often can not volunteer when they are gainfully employed.

Click here to read the article and to pass on to unemployed friends or family members. It may boast their attitude and help them find a new position soon.

Google Analytics, My Blog's stats

My blog's history for the past 30 days

779 visitors

1,042 pages viewed

Average 25.9 hits per day

Day high: 41

Returning Visitors: 522

New Visitors: 257

Languages: 17

Sources of visits

Direct 28.5%, Facebook 22.46%, Google 16.94%, Twitter 6.42%, Blogger 4.36%

I find this information very interesting from Google Analytics, I do not look at it very often and have a hard time understanding what I am reading. But it does indicate to me, there are some loyal followers, some new followers and a lot of people who do not know about my blog yet.

MARTHA J. WAGER'S AGE 39x2+1

Yesterday I brought up in a conversation with a good friend who mentions age once in a while about an obituary in the Newark Advocate.

Martha J. Wagers passed away earlier this week, initially I thought her age was a typo: 39x2+1. Immediately I felt sorry for the family of Martha, one of the most terrible things in the world for children is to read a typo or mistake in their parent's obituary. After further investigation on my part, she was born in 1930, making her 79 years old. (My father would say from Heaven "they could not even get that right")

Martha must have been a good person to have as a mother and friend. She worked at C-TEC as a G.E.D. assistant and was on the board for LEADS. I have no idea what a wall pocket is, but she had a large collection. But the most interesting thing about Martha is that evidently she had a great sense of humor, making sure people knew she was 39x2+1 years old.

I also imagine many of her past students could relate after her teaching math skills.

LMH URGENT CARE, PATASKALA

Over the weekend, I had a friend with a problem. Not serious enough to visit the Emergency Room of Licking Memorial Hospital, but in need of a physician's attention or guidance.

I am not a believer of one's doctor's office is the emergency department or the fire station. The saying at the fire station goes "I have a cold and need to see a doctor, I will call him. His telephone number is 911".

Since it was Saturday afternoon and the person's physician's office was not open, we visited the Pataskala's LMH's Urgent Care. I have heard so many good things about the facility and now a believer.

We waited about three minutes then was lead to an examination room, then interviewed by a nurse and the doctor came shortly next. The facility is staffed with ER doctors, their inventory of knowledge is amazing to me due to their "have seen it all" come through the door. There is a radiology department, so no trips to other facilities taking more time. The doctor was able to pull up on the computer a cat scan from two months ago for review of a prior problem, could read the prognosis from the previous physician and compare the details with Saturday's problem.

The only thing missing is the fine coffee served at LMH's cafeteria, but there is a Starbucks across the street. Starbucks was kind of an award afterwards.

No one should hesitate with a sniffle to a broken bone to visit the Pataskala Urgent Care of Licking Memorial Hospital.

THIS IS NOT TRICK OR TREAT

Every one has a hobby of some sort. Today a visit to Infirmary Park, one of Licking County's great parks, I toured a pre-1840 camp site full of
Re-enactors, shooting their long rifles, buck skinners, craftmens all in their period dress.

Target shooting included not just their black powder long rifles, but with bows & arrows and knife & hatchet throwing, I was amazed. Their costumes were great, there were a couple of peaceful Indians amongst the sutlers. Once in a while you would see a child running around in their leather trimmed outfits wearing tennis shoes.

Most arrived on Thursday night, staying in canvas tents of all sizes, some with indoor wood stoves. The past two days of rain it did not bother anyone. One of the ladies told me, the heater inside their tent dries the tent quickly and she hangs wet clothing high to dry faster. Most of the tents and diner flies to the front were fully furnished, very comfortable with period camp furniture.

Last night they served a community bean supper, tonight is the competition of Dutch Oven cooking. I wish I could visit during the evening, to see the campfires glowing as the women in their long dresses and bonnets compete. I am not one for roughing it, but if I had to, this is the way to go. I did not see any sad faces behind the long beards.

Click her for more about this weekend's event.

IF YOU ARE IN THE BUSINESS OF SELLING...

Sorry to have another Youtube video, this is a must to watch if you are in the business of selling.

CHANGE IS GOOD FOR SOME THINGS

As I have mentioned in previous blogs, when you become my age sometimes you should buy two of what you like. As an example my favorite navy blue sweater age ten, I should have bought three, one for my 50s, one for my 60s and the final one for my 70s &80s combined.

I can easily become upset about items I like becoming discontinued or becoming a newer and better model. I can never figure out when something works well, why it has to be improved to something that does not work as well. My Gillette Trac II razor is a fine example, lasted for a long time and the cartridges were easy to find. When you start searching for cartridges on Ebay, you know it is time for a change. The new razor's cartridge does not do half the job as the Trac II, but it looks sleek and young the way I want to look.

Above you find a photo of the new Olympus Tough 6000 digital camera. I walked into Best Buy to discuss my confusing camera needs the other day. "Need to take interior room photos, exterior home photos and in the rain photos of fires", the Best Buy Associate just stared at me. He pointed out quickly the Tough 6000, can be dropped ten feet without injury, has a built in shake regulator for slower shutter speeds or just in case you have the shakes from a good drunk the night before. Eight different ISO settings, twelve different scene settings and can be used ten feet under water without an additional accessory to make it water proof. Great camera and I look forward to using it for several years.

My point: Cameras are not like sweaters, trousers, car floor mats, shoes, eyeglasses (yes eye glasses) etc. where you should be purchasing a life time supply if you like the item. Cameras and cell phones will always be improving and will always be a better product than the last one owned.

Nine cameras from now when I am in my eighties , I will only want the "shake regulator", it will be tough with a cane in one hand shooting a photo with the other. You always should have a clear picture and a good navy blue sweater.

TEAM WORK & PRACTICE

SAMMY DAVIS WOULD HAVE LIKED THIS

Stolen from chatwiththechamber.blogspot.com

A STICH IN TIME, SAVES.................

As you can see tonight was the night to do some "mending" to the cuff of my favorite sweatshirt.

After a long winter of people making fun of my favorite sweater's elbow holes, I purchased suede patches. I am turning the job over to a pro, an industrial strength thimble is not sold at Meijers.

While mending the cuff tonight, I thought of my mother and her great seamstress skills. She would not agree with my surgical clamps and curved needle (with a larger than normal eye for threading) and doubled up thread. My wife can not sew and I always say, my next wife will, but I am sure she will not sew like my mother. Very seldom do you see a sewing machine in some one's home, but when I do I always make a comment on memories. I think often about the hours sitting in Jerry's Fabrics in downtown Newark and how we had to take the bus because she did not drive.

As you can tell in the photo, I will not be taking over LMH's Dr. Jeffries' reconstructive and cosmetic surgery responsibilities (please note my surgical clamp & needle).

Instead of people whispering "she had cosmetic surgery", the whisper would be "Guanciale must have done the surgery, see the ugly scar".

For more information on basic sewing skills, check out Bob Vila's directions here. Yes, Bob Vila can sew.