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Showing posts with the label Index F

A Flea Market Find: The “Mayflower” Bowl

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The “Mayflower” Bowl ____________________________ A great sales person is a great actor.  – Based loosely on a Paul Lynde quote _________________________________ Last winter [January 26, 2015], Jerry, I, Mark, and Missy (the four Siegels) were browsing a flea market at Webster (Florida), nosing around in the antique section, when I spotted an old wooden bowl with cracks. Despite the cracks and being around the block several times, the bowl was very pretty and exuded a lot of soul, and I was drawn to it. But it had a $900.00 price tag on it. I and two other women were oohing and ahhing over it, but that high price tag seemed puzzling; while the bowl did seem to be old, it just didn’t seem to be worth $900.00. No one seemed to want to question why the bowl was priced so high – that is, except me, so I said to the owner of the stand, “This is a really nice bowl, but I don’t understand why it’s $900.00.” He, a white haired gentleman with a nice smile and friendly voi

Found on My Bookshelf: 1st Edition of Stranger in a Strange Land, by Robert A. Heinlein.

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First Edition of Stranger in a Strange Land ___________________________ Sex without love is merely healthy exercise. – Robert A. Heinlein ________________________________ This is a likely 1st edition of Stranger in a Strange Land , by Robert A. Heinlein. (G.P Putnam’s Sons), 1961. According to several entries on Abebooks.com ,  A true 1st Edition must include the “C22” in the gutter of page 408 (Yes). and An ad for Starship Troopers on the back cover (Yes). and No notations for subsequent printings (Yes, just the 1961 copyright). and Pale green coloring across the top pages (Yes). I have no idea when this book was acquired; maybe it came with Jerry when he came into my life. He is more likely to be the one to have bought this book in 1961 – I didn’t discover Heinlein until the 1970’s. The photo is of the actual book.

Found in My Attic: Random Stuff, Labeled “Knick Knacks, 1988”

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Plush Toy Music Box (Airplane) Large Conch Shell, Homemade Vampire Doll, Astrology Globe ___________________________________ For an occurrence to become an adventure, it is necessary and sufficient for one to recount it. – Jean-Paul Sartre ___________________________ I haven’t posted here lately because we have been amongst construction materials and hearing the sounds of construction, and cleaning up the dust of construction. My life has been consumed with construction. We had part of our large attic area converted into another bedroom, in addition to a new roof and new siding.  Still more to be done: new paint and new flooring in the other upstairs bedroom and a remodeled bathroom. Also, we have been preparing the new (and smaller) attic area for re-storing our books and stuff. This has involved serious weeding (off to the thrift shop or garbage) and repacking the remaining stuff in a more sensible way, such as creating numbered boxes and developing a kind of i

Fortune Cookie Hall of Fame – Preparation vs. Serendipity

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Fortune Cookie Hall of Fame ______________________ Fortune Cookie _____________ “There is absolutely no substitute for a genuine lack of preparation.” Wow! A snarky fortune cookie – a very unusual type of message from Fortune Cookie Land. But I love it because lack of preparation can lead us down dangerous paths, for example, not thinking twice before walking in a dodgy part of town at 2:00 a.m.; such a poor decision could cost one’s life. In my line of work, not preparing before buying an expensive domain name can have terrible financial repercussions. Paying $10,000 for Blurglesnorf.mobi would be ill-advised, simply because it’s a crappy name in a crappy extension. Even purchasing a so-called wonderful name like Appleimac.com could have devastating effects on one’s bottom line because combining Apple with its product names would open one’s company up to a dreaded Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy (UDRP) threat. Why? Because Apple has a trademark on

Fortune Cookie Hall of Fame: Failing to Plan

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Fortune Cookie Hall of Fame: Failing to Plan _________________________________ Failing to plan is failing to plan. Simple, sweet, and oh so true. However, there is a flip side: over-planning can lead to inaction – remember Hamlet? Also, there is something to be said for serendipity and spontaneity, such as embarking on a last-minute vacation or buying something kicky (and inexpensive) on the spur of the moment. For major life-decisions, planning is a must, for example, planning for a baby, college, marriage, and retirement. These are decisions that should involve careful planning. Alas, my husband and I did not win the big Mega Millions Jackpot ($636 million!) last night, but two lucky ticket holders did: one from San Jose, California, and one from Atlanta, Georgia. These folks will have a lot of financial planning to do, deciding how to invest their fortunes and what friends and family will share in their windfall. From what I have heard, such a large windfall

Fortune Cookie Hall of Fame: A Winsome Smile

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A Winsome Smile ____________________ “Your winsome smile will be your sure protection.” I call this a winning fortune, although I must say that smiling at the wrong people could actually put one in danger, like at 3:00 a.m., in the wrong neighborhood – rip roaring drunk. But let’s assume we’re talking about a normal social situation. So based on this assumption, if we can’t give a stranger a winning smile, then we have truly sunk pretty deep as a culture. A sincere smile is always better than a frown. So smile, smile, and smile some more! ____________________ Lucky numbers: Daily Numbers: 525 Lotto Six #’s: 28, 41, 12, 27, 13, 6

Fortune Cookie Hall of Fame: A Phoneless Cord

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The Phoneless Cord __________________ “For people who like peace and quiet: a phoneless cord.” I particularly like this fortune; although on the surface this little bit may seem humorous, there is also truth in it. There is something to be said for phonelessness, but yet maintaining a gentle and strong cord connecting us to the people we love. Too often, we are together in the same room but are still apart as we become engrossed in our cell phones, iPads, Kindles, computers, and other technology. We are bound to our technology, often slaves to it – – Guilty as charged. Perhaps we should spend more time together – I have found that playing board games is a great way to connect with those we love, as long as we do not take the game itself too seriously. Happy fortunes! __________________________ Learn Chinese: Summer – xià tiān Lucky numbers: 30, 19, 33, 48, 36, 46

“Foofoo coffe,” a Found Poem, by Rhia

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Sticky note with message from Rhia _________________________   The other day, when I was tidying up the living room, I found a stack of sticky notes (neon green, no less), with little messages written on them. This was definitely the hand of Rhia, my granddaughter, probably bored one day and wanting to be a bit snarky and revealing. She was 8 at the time. I decided to create a “found poem” from them – complete with creative spelling (words in parenthesis were on the obverse): Foofoo Coffe But I Don’t Want to Do my homework. (Wineing) take a brake ha!! ha!! ha!! ha!! :) ha!! :) ha!! (tickaling) aaaaaaa Stop it!! (Mad) Yay School !!!!!!!! :) :) :) :) (happy) Yhan yhan Can I go Brush your teeth (tiera tiered) I don’t know what to Do (Bord) yay Sho school !!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) :) I could do it I could tickle you :) grampaw does not Love or like foofoo coffe

For Just 20 minutes, I Can Wait For Anything...

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Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience. --Ralph Waldo Emerson It is well documented that one of the major secrets to losing weight and keeping it off is waiting at least 20 minutes after eating a meal or snack before eating anything else. It takes at 20 minutes for the brain to catch up with the stomach (or is it the other way around?). I have talked about this before, but I have never really lived it until now. I always tended to eat desert right after dinner, and it seemed that I was never completely full. Now I'm trying something different: setting a timer for 20 minutes and waiting before reaching for that extra something. It DOES work because in the greater scheme of things, 20 minutes is not very long and waiting for a short period of time helps me figure out if I'm still really hungry or just hungry FOR something specific. If I'm really hungry, a carrot will taste good; if it just tastes blah, then I'm not really hungry. And it's o

Fortune Cookie Hall of Fame: Parrots and Loose Lips

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Derived from Image Found on Wikipedia (Creative Commons) __________________________ So live that you wouldn't be ashamed to sell the family parrot to the town gossip.

Favorite Ads: "Maxwell," Geico's Little Piggy

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Okay, I admit it. I'm a sucker for great advertising. And I adore Geico's Little Piggy ad. We all know the children's story of The Three Little Pigs , so Geico's ad agency has capitalized on consumers' prior knowledge and assumptions to develop an ad that tells an entire story in 30 seconds. Sharp writing at its best--and I'm envious. Although I find this ad hysterically funny, I also love Maxwell the Little Piggy's sheer exuberance and joie de vivre . Unlike his counterparts, the embarrassed boy and his exasperated mother, Maxwell doesn't care what others think about him, or, perhaps, he's so naive that he doesn't know that less-enlightened others find him annoying. It doesn't matter; no one is going to rain on his parade! Kudos to Geico and cute little Maxwell. _________________________________ Note: I have not been paid by Geico to publish this post. Moreover, the webmaster does not necessarily endorse this company&#

"Flying," by Rhia

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"Flying," by Rhia, age 6 __________________________________ My granddaughter drew this picture, and I understood it right away--truly, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. I used to have these kinds of dreams. Can you guess what this dream might mean? Comments welcome.

Fortune Cookie Hall of Fame: On Bankers

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A banker is someone who lends you an umbrella when the sun is shining. This post is dedicated to the "Occupy Wall Street" movement. May you send your message to all those greedy bankers and politicians who act solely in their own self interest and the interests of their cronies.

Fortune Cookie Hall of Fame: Opportunity

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Problems are only opportunities in work clothes.

Five Reasons Why I Decided to Lose Weight

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Even if you fall on your face, you're still moving forward. --Victor Kiam This week at Weight Watchers, the leader asked us to note five reasons we decided to join Weight Watchers and lose weight. My impromptu list (from most to less important): 1. To improve and, now, to maintain current good health. 2. Increase and maintain current mobility-- I have this fear of ending up in a motorized scooter because of decreased mobility due to obesity . 3. Increase self-esteem--always an issue. 4. Cultivate a nicer body, not necessarily an uber-skinny physique, just one that's reasonable for someone my age. 5. Able to wear more attractive clothes that fit well. Now we are supposed to use these reasons to help us keep motivated by visualizing our reasons for joining Weight Watchers in the first place. I have always contended that I would never go on a diet based on deprivation, and I never will, ever again. I have been down that road before and don't want to be the

Fat Fetish Industry

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I have always been under the assumption that no one would choose to be morbidly obese. Evidently, I was wrong. Yesterday (September 22, 2011), Dr. Oz featured Susanne Eman , an obese woman vying for the fattest-woman-in-the-world title who embraces all 728 pounds of her body. Why? Because she, known as a "gainer," earns her living via her paid fat fetish website that caters to "feeders," men who indulge in fat fetish websites, sometimes even sending food to their objects of desire (hence, the term "feeder"). On her website, Eman eats and poses in various activities for the subscribers who pay to gawk at her. She also weighs in to show off her weight gain. According to Dr. Oz, fat fetish websites are right behind porn sites in terms of popularity and revenue. Seriously? Men pay obese women to watch them eat and parade around in skimpy clothes that emphasize their rolls of fat? I'm shocked. Hey, I'm someone who is flummoxed by intern

Flaunt (us) Or Does My Butt Look Big?

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You've got IT , so flaunt it! --The webmaster No matter what weight, age, race, ethic group, sex, sexual orientation, etc., sometimes we just need to strut our stuff. Even if we don't feel especially outstanding in any significant way, at times we need to present ourselves to the world in the way we want to be seen. As an overweight older person, I want to present myself in the best light possible; I'm not going to wear a belly-exposing tee-shirt or shorts that expose my butt cheeks or crack. I'm going to wear clothes that minimize my physical weaknesses, for example, my large upper arms and my bustiness (yes, I see that as a weakness and a burden I have endured since age 12). On the other hand, I like my legs and don't mind showing a little upper leg. I also love jewelry, mostly stone necklaces and ostentatious bling rings with huge stones, the bigger, the better, most of them fake or inexpensive stones. The point is: we should flaunt those attribut

Food Choices

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I believe that we are solely responsible for our choices, and we have to accept the consequences of every deed, word, and thought throughout our lifetime. --Elisabeth Kubler-Ross When I'm eating at home, making healthy choices is fairly easy, given that we stock our fridge and cupboards with good foods and tasty treats that don't sabotage our daily diet (and forever) diet. However, eating out does pose special problems. How foods are prepared can be unknown, so it's important to make the best possible choices while still enjoying the dining out experience. Yesterday, we were on our way home from Scranton, Pennsylvania, and, starving, we needed to stop for dinner. Jerry, my husband, wanted to go to a Chinese buffet, but I was too hungry to avoid the myriad temptations that all-you-can-eat Chinese food offers, so I begged off. He really wanted to go, but respected my wishes (Thank you, sweetie! I owe you one!), and we went to Cracker Barrel instead. I'm not over

Thought for the Day--May 16, 2011: Fat Lady Fantasy (a poem)

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Oh, Lord, I’m just another fat lady. What song would You want me to sing? I’ll sing my song all over this place, praise Thee! I’ll mix the blues with a symphony of paisley. Tell me, Lord, what colors may I bring? Oh, Lord, I’m just another fat lady. Tell me, Lord, You think I’m red hot crazy? Please bestow me with rainbow pitch, no strings. I’ll sing my song all over this place, praise Thee! I promise, Lord, to bend lines into curves--maybe Not today, but surely tomorrow when the sun rings. Oh, Lord, I’m just another fat lady. My palette sings epics: russets of woe and malady. But, Lord, my kaleidoscope spills bloodstone tidings. I’ll paint my song all over this place, praise Thee! Strip from me some slivers of red--now maybe You know what happens when I, the fat lady, sings Naked before all. No, I’m not just another fat lady. Yes, I sing: ruby rocks, alla cappella --praise me! _________________________________________ "Fat Lady Fantasy," copyright 1994, by Jennifer Sem

Thought for the Day--April 29, 2011: Fabulous You!

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The new URL for Fabulous You on Facebook: Fabulous You! Description: Fabulous You! is a spot where group members can share their general fitness and diet tips and feel-good anecdotes. For more info, go directly to the page or click here

Memoir Madness: Driven to Involuntary Commitment