I would like to think that...

We try hard to be green; that is in the sense of water conservation with having two rain barrels, a compost container, a veggie garden, recycling, not driving unnecessarily therefore not wasting gas and by using canvas reusable sacks for the grocery shopping things like that. Some are lined specifically for keeping items cold or warm with their insulation, and others are thin but capable of carrying our groceries that are not needing refrigeration, freezing or heating. And when you go to the stores here in Florida you are somewhat spoiled with people paid to pack your purchases up into them. Sadly, at first, being from New Jersey, where we not only had to pack our own groceries, but oddly enough were not allowed to pump our own gas, the reverse of here… any-who it is a given that those who are paid to do something should know how to do it, that is logical reasoning, correct? Well, not to be mean, because we have both tried for years to explain to the ones who didn’t seem to have the hang of which bags were for what and yet they would still get it wrong and we would go home, only less than two miles away and think… it is what it is. Thankfully, our food would not spoil in that mini distance trip. Sure it was great to have that perk of someone else filling up your satchel for you with a smile, no less, and no tipping is allowed. Silly me when we first arrived in the state in 1986 I tried and it is not allowed I was told exuberantly! But frustrating to have them not use the correct ones for hot or cold or room temperature products and so we grinned and bared it, until today. Today, when Hubby who went to pick up our missed and on sale items, I had stayed home, but on his return I did/do help to unpack them and put them away. He kept saying that one man no matter what he said to him kept putting things in the wrong bags, like he put paper goods in with our gallon of milk in our large insulated zippered bag and cold items in a thin un-insulated canvas one, as well as our steamed shrimp. And on and on as we unpacked together it seemed ridiculous that we bothered with any different ones for their purposes and additional expense too…! So today, I decided to ask anonymously if there were any training into bags different uses and if it was part of the baggers course. I did not ask to speak to management only a customer service rep and a young fellow named, Greg, and he said yes. And I said that we have been customers for many years and it seems that either the baggers forget what they were taught or might need a refresher course; trying hard not to be difficult. Then I went on to explain what had been happening and of course as all good customer service reps are expected to do, he apologized, but of course I wanted more, and waited the usual awkward silence beats and he was quite forthcoming without my need to interject anymore. He said from what I said that they indeed might all need a refresher course and he would take care of it personally! Who knows what will come of my call, but at least now they are aware of the problem and perhaps someone, very likely this Greg will do something positive about it… one can only hope… that’s me trying to change the world one incident of my annoyance at a time… On that note of a not too sour one, allow me to be the very first to wish all of you a very happy good night and ask you to kindly count all your blessings and share all your overages with you know who and we will too! And next time please be here or be square, ya hear?!

Creepy, morally wrong and just down right horrid!

Imagine you lived in a place where ‘neighbors’ all had binoculars to stare into your back yard. And you could see them using them; what would you do? Now pretend that they are people you have known for some time and you did not have any idea why they would be so invasive in creating a fear of your privacy being completely compromised; what would you do? After polite confrontation, perhaps they would deny that it happened and then… You would probably make a fortress of your home that would be my next answer. With that said, could their over indulgence in nosiness make you feel safer or paranoiac? Safe in the respect that they were checking to make sure that you were okay. Or just too prying with too much interest in your life and perhaps they have not that much going on in theirs? All this is just speculation and supposition and only possibilities when you live in close quarters in a tight neighborhood, with closely situated homes, with people from all countries and all curiosity levels, of course, hmm? Suppose that you too have binoculars to use and you too form an opinion that you should counter their attack with your own nosiness; does that seem like a just retaliation? Tit for tat, we used to call that in life’s getting even movement; nonviolent, but rational behavior of some adults, hmm? If I were to say that these fictional people now switched it up to photography of you in your no longer private home’s yard, what would you do with that? Add in a telescoping lens to see inside your home as well, now what? Do you too buy the same equipment to deal with their inappropriate display of taking away all that you hold near and dear? And when is this a police issue? Or would you believe that enough is enough and take out your automatic weapon and shoot them to get back some peace of mind in your odd mind? OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooo... You have just been in the twilight zone of presumption; a short drive into your psyche of what ifs… My point is that without any weapons it can be a very calm discussion of why and if nothing works with no other alternatives you either live with the issue/problem or you talk to the perpetrators and ask them nicely to stop or you make your own home more private with fencing and or plantings…or a last resort is to hope that they move or if nothing helps, you do…and that is what civilized people do! In other words, always be kind and rewind if you need the time to change your mind to one of refined. Some nights I just want to start another fictional story, perhaps a book and write that here and ask each of you to add to it and continue on and on, indefinitely, with all our imaginations just taking off…how swell would that be? But with me not receiving any feedback of late I could probably start something, but I have no idea if you would be there to continue what I started…, hmm? The concept would be unique in the respect that we all have vivid imaginations, most artsy people do and we could really share it all with the world, since this is read in ten countries in ten languages weekly! Oh well, something to think about, hmm? On that idea of my imagination; I hear Dr. King and John Lennon both saying what they were known for, a dream with all our imaginings in tact…not so different. Tonight’s experiment was a short feeler to see if anyone besides me wants to create a new writing concept online in a blog and so with that out there for all to think about, allow me to be the very first to wish all of you a very happy good night and to ask you kindly to count all your blessings and share all your overages with you know who, and we will too! And next time please be here or be square, ya hear?!

King! (Revisited) Again.

Two years ago I wrote this paying homage to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a king amongst men and women... And I thought perhaps you would all like to read it again or for your first time... Monday, January 17, 2011 King! In a world where our surnames are determined by our heritage or in the case of us old fashioned women by our spouse’s family names; Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is a man whose family had no idea that he would grow into his with such a worldwide dynamic of what the name stood for and that he would become a ‘King’ among men in the sense of his leadership, and bring to our family of men and women a legacy that any of us folks could be proud of from whence we came. And so today we honor that man of our history who brought about a unification of all races to know that we as a unit of beings will be better at working and accepting one another and freedom should ring true for all. A blessed person loved by all except for the one lunatic who cut him down way too soon in his prime of life. Thankfully our children and grandchildren have been taught to continue Martin Luther King Jr.’s bequest of liberty for everyone no matter what the color of their skin. I do believe that we have made quite a bit of progress on this forefront but have a ways to go, you see, we still hate too much here in this country and until that stops completely his words will not be fulfilled! And so I beg of all Americans and all people of the world to listen closely to what this man’s words were, you can copy and paste this site: http://www.mlkonline.net/quotes.html for he knew what we all should do and felt we had the capacity to accomplish it all…and now more than ever we need to try harder! Thank you Mr. King we all have much to thank you for! His actual birthday was Saturday the fifteenth when he would have been eighty two years old. I hope that you enjoyed that as much as I did writing it two years ago around this time. On that note of understanding about what a true hero was allow me to be the first to wish you all a very happy good night and ask you kindly to count all your blessings and to share those overages with you know who and we will too! And next time please be here or be square, ya hear? And I do believe we all should have a dream! PS Congrats to our president on this his second inauguration today on this year’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s celebratory, Remembrance Day! PSS Some additional sites to copy and paste for the kid’s to see and hear you too, enjoy: http://www.todaysthv.com/news/govt_politics/244165/125/Verbatim-of-President-Obamas-Inaugural-Speech http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm

Idea story boards, reminders... and the like.

In advertising and writing, on occasion, one might write an outline or post items on a story board to try to make some ideas gel. Albeit, mostly done B.C., meaning prior to, ‘BEFORE COMPUTERS’. I can remember when I did a short stint in promotion that is how the commercial concepts were begun and even for the one music video I had the pleasure to work on. The commercials I was asked to help cast, Old Milwaukee beer, was my most notable, a national one, filmed on the beach in Daytona using a ‘60’s battered Volkswagen bus. I and the cinematographer spent the evening perusing local bars trying to find that unique realism in the clientele’s faces that the California film company asked for. In the end we found quite a few, and it had been my job to question the prospects as he filmed. We rushed to get the clips to their hotel and we got there just in time. I also recall they did want some professionals, which I chose from our models list of pictures, it’s been too long, so I cannot recall the correct name for those cards that had their poses of them on them... Any-who, they requested a couple and on such short notice all I could come up with was, a short interesting faced African American man and a beauty statuesque woman, also an African American. I was hopeful that they would use them both, since their experience was quite vast and oddly enough I thought they made a very nice couple. They contacted them by phone and they were both available and they thanked me, saying it was a wonderful look, just what they had thought of and those two became the stars of the shoot. (In those days shoot meant, filming! This was over twenty-years ago.) On others like local commercials for the tourist bureau I was the make-up gal to the models. Nice memories of that and the music video filmed on what appeared to be an island with dunes, in Daytona, that had been scouted by the cinematographer for this certain Columbian singer, who I don’t know to this day whatever happened after. All I remember was that our boat was used to get to the destination with the people and equipment… so long ago. I did that clap board thingy and was basically a gofer on that one, but still it was fun, Hubby was the boat captain. Later on, much later on I started writing my novellas, and although I did not use story boards or outlines since all those stories appeared to magically come out of me…10,000 words a day! It was as if I were possessed. Sadly, I never did get them published, although, I did have an offer from an obscure publishing house in the mid-west called, Gardenia. I stupidly investigated them after I was invited, all expenses paid to go up there and meet with the owner of the publishing house at that time, she loved my writing and stories and did want to publish them. I contacted one of those professionals who told me not to do it and said they were not on the up and up and so I basically, stupidly did not do it. Why stupidly? Because they were on the up and up and this person just did not realize that, she was untrusting that I was that good and found a publisher that fast. I told her what the other person said, which was probably what black balled me from the field… since I did try other major publishing houses. And so I gave up. That was nearly sixteen years ago and my discs are on floppies and my floppy part of this computer does not work for the last few years and even that publisher was helping to edit them as was one of my local friends who is too ill now. She had moved and came back very, very ill. Professional editors want dollars on the pages too expensive for my pocketbook then and now. Plus they are all rather dated with current events from that period. It would be a major mess to revamp the whole five books even if I could gain access. I know, I appear to be talking myself out of it…bad me. I did write a few by-lines for the local newspaper over the years since then and wrote radio commercials for our business up north before… and this blog keeps me feeling, gosh like I can do something besides contemplating my navel… On that note of some hope or not much, allow me to be the very first to wish all of you a very happy good night and ask you to kindly count all your blessings and share all those overages with you know who and we will too! And next time please be here or be square, ya hear?!

Cobblestones, free draining and ramping...

Punta Gorda Chamber of Commerce Sullivan Street Craft Fair- Sullivan Street continues tomorrow as well as the Home Town Expo at the Charlotte Harbor Event Center “Charlotte County Home Town Expo Jan 19, 2013 (Sat) 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Jan 20, 2013 (Sun) 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Hibiscus Hall ABC The Port Charlotte HOME TOWN EXPO is “Going to the Dogs” January 19th & 20th at Charlotte Harbor Event Center Come see the nation’s top K9 Athletes perform at Charlotte County’s Home Town Expo. K9s In Flight is a Frisbee dog show that has been amazing audiences around the world for the past 15 years. The K9s In Flight show times are: 11AM, 1PM and 3PM both Saturday and Sunday. Admission to the Expo is FREE. While the dogs may be the stars of the show, they certainly are not the only reason to attend. Expo Marketing has been producing Florida Home Shows for more than 20 years. The brand new Home Town Expo builds on the home show concept adding something for every member of the family Joining the Home & Garden Show in Punta Gorda is a Sports & Recreation Show and a Local Lifestyles event. The very latest in sports, fitness and all kinds of fun will be in the Sports & Recreation show. Talk with local experts about how to improve at your favorite sport, or how to develop a great personal fitness plan. In the Local Lifestyles show you will find a mix of anything that makes you smile. Restaurants, Fashion, Entertainment, Travel and Pet Care will all be part of Local Lifestyles. The Home Town Expo runs from 10:00AM to 4:00PM both Saturday and Sunday. Admission to the show and parking is Free. One person who attends the Charlotte County Home Town Expo and registers for our drawing will win an Apple iPad mini.” All that info thanks to their web site. The Sullivan Street Craft Fair also an event that happens regularly, but this year it appeared to be brimming with either more streets included or more vendors, either way it is an experience that should not be missed! Sadly, once again I did not remember my camera. But anyone in the area should go over and see it all with their own eyes anyway. The long and short of it all is that with our wonderful not too hot or too cold weather both venues are several hours worth of free entertainment! Oh my title referred to the terrain of the cobblestones that are beautiful to look at all along Sullivan Street, but harsh on ones chariot’s vibrations while seated within and even with ones coachman’s hands creating tremblings from the rocky road sensations beneath the wheeled carriage’s carriage, got that? The free draining is submitting to the runoff drains alongside the cobbles that were smooth and wide enough to utilize when not cluttered with folks or vendors. And last mentioned of my title was the, ‘ramping’, which now according to the semi-ramp connoisseur, Hubby, was manageable and not too slanted into the event's center and thus my titles meanings defined. On that report of some note I hope that you have so much going on where you live too to enjoy, allow me to be the very first to wish all of you a very happy good night and ask you to kindly count all your blessings and share all those overages with you know who and we will too! And next time please be here or be square, ay hear?!

Enemies...?

Can we ever be our own enemy? First let’s define the word, ‘enemy’. An enemy is an opponent, adversary, foe, or rival. Logically to be one’s own enemy would be considered counter-productive, since in the long run one who has too many enemies must feel that they are the only one who they can count on in the end, hmm? Sabotage is not a good thing. What is the true meaning of sabotage: to damage, disrupt, interfere with, harm, incapacitate, or impair. Then why would a person with this knowledge of its ramifications of its affects do it? Can one do these things without malice of forethought? What is the meaning of malice: hatred, spite, malevolence, meanness, nastiness, cruelty, wickedness, and mischievousness. And while I am at it, what is the meaning of forethought: consideration, foresight, prudence, planning, anticipation, or precaution. Now that I think I have found out what I am talking about by explaining it to myself what each of my concepts means individually… let us know what the true meaning of individuality is: independently, alone, on your own, by yourself, separately, in isolation, in person, personally, one by one, on a case by case basis, on its own merits. Okay, concept is such a vague term, perhaps we should clarify that too, concept: idea, notion, thought, perception, impression, conception, theory, model, hypothesis, view, or belief. Where was I? Oh that’s right could one sabotage oneself and become ones own enemy with malice of forethought with only using an individual concept of being not trusting of anyone else? Ta DA! I would think so! What would you do? How does one regain trust of others and themselves? Hard to answer, and if anyone can tell me, please do. I have not heard back from the woman who was going to help me with the co-pay on the surgeries. Hubby’s not happy pushing me in the wheelchair, since I am too difficult to push up the ramps at Fishville being so fat and him with a bad back and I talk too much to others when we go out, which makes him feel like an inanimate object and I feel wonderful to be out and about meeting people so I do talk quite a bit. (This just in: the event center ramps are not too bad to push me up.) The fat I tried hard to do something about, but I cannot seem to have anyone want to help me, even a doctor said there is nothing that can be done with all the medications that I am on… but with too many surgeries that I need I cannot even do simple exercises without causing more problems than not with my hands and shoulders. Getting overheated causes exacerbation of the MS… and as far as my incessant talking goes…I do have a problem, but even when home, Hubby barely talks and so I look forward to going out, which now I do believe may be curtailed due to what I just mentioned. And so I am very, very sad. And yes, I have no friends that wish to visit here. I have scared people away and no one seems to want to come over here just to sit and talk. It is times like these that I wonder if there is anyway to rewind my life and all my mistakes that got me to this point. Guess not. That is called a reality check. A late update for that free clinic that I was told they would call back in November to see if I would be able to help out in their new facility they never did. I do believe it may be because I did not respond to my invitation in October to their ribbon cutting of their new facility and the incident with their physician, the one I called a modern day Marcus Welby M.D.(he also volunteers at the free clinic) and the bill at the health department that was way higher then ever before $130 of his! Any-who, those people are much wealthier than I too and kept sending requests to me to buy bricks for their new building starting at $150 to $500 and as we all know that was not in my ability to pay and so I did not belong with those people anyway. I suppose they are from the old school where just the wealthy should volunteer not the regular people who just want to give time and would give money, but don’t have that much to spare so they just thought they could help by being there... oh well… I am in no condition now anyway, see some things happen for a reason. Like not having any grandchildren that I so wanted, now with these ouch arms, how would I hug them? See, for the best. I couldn’t run after them or play even board games with them…reaching and moving arms, hands… yep pain, for the best. My old fallen away friend from the Arthritis Foundation who had all that Rheumatoid Arthritis used to tell me once her bones twisted or were replaced the pain was initially gone, she had nearly thirty joint replacements, having it for over fifty years and a few times for each of her major joints like hips and knees, that bionic woman, my amazing bossy little friend. I could no longer help her, see for the best. Other people I knew were also amazing through organizations and relatives too...many are too far away and some are just alienated … what a mess! If only rewinding was possible… if only…but it is not. On that pity itty non-party of this gal… and shut-in at times with cabin fever! But Hubby just said yes to go to events at the center so YEAH! I’ll be there, and I hope to see you too! But please forgive my incessant talking, you see it is the only part that doesn't hurt and still works sort of... On that wacko night’s dissertation, allow me to be the first to wish all of you a very happy good night and ask you kindly to count all your blessings and share all your overages with you know who and we will too! And next time please be here or be square, ya hear?!

The Fix Is In...

The only possibility for this being as it is, has gotta be due to severe jealously from the rest of those citizens’ groups in the north and the west, yeah that’s what it is, it’s gotta be the only explanation. You would expect it from Chicago or Vegas, they have that rep and maybe even LA or NYC, but not those guys in the far up west in that Silicon Valley four-eyes nerds or even way up in Gates land, nah, or Mormon country, no, they wouldn’t… Any-who, this is more of a job for those places that try to get you to come visit here and there and everywhere, those tourist bureaus or that holier than thou, Chamber of Commerce’s. Or could it be or is it just possible it’s all those meteorologists that think they have all that power to actually control the sun and the shine, and the hot and the cold and the wet and the dry, must I go on…? You all get my drift…true? This is bigger than all of us, but… our ‘GREAT WEATHER’ is about to hit a bump in the road…with cooler and cooler temps, more similar to what the pros call our "norms"… fifties at night and seventies during the day, degrees folks cooler degrees. I am honest and that is the only reason I felt all of you should know. What are we if not ‘ONLY TRUTHFUL’ with the world stage, hmm? We could lie and say that it is warm, but that is perception to you cold clients, yes, we are warmer than you, a given, as always… I do have to allow for more facts to spill into view, it’s only fair. Sure we have been basking in the beach weather for weeks and weeks in this our country’s winter, but alas it has happened many times before, since that is our history or I give you our MO, here in this the SUNSHINE STATE! Too bad if you don’t like hearing it, but it is OUR TRUTH! One of many, and yes, we have water and beaches and pools and parasailing and fishing and surfing and waterskiing and you name the water sport, we got it, but that’s NOT BRAGGING it’s just very true. And no water sports too like golf and tennis… We also have entertainment, besides the best amusement parks in the world, we have live theater and museums and antique shops and outdoor farmer’s markets etc. etc. etc… It’s NOT BRAGGING if it’s true and it all is! And so a bit of a wobble in the degrees numeric thingy does not lessen all we do have and so why I thought that there would be any conspiracy is beyond myself way of thinking… And so with that utter ridiculousness, allow me to be the very first to wish all of you a very happy good night and ask you to kindly to count all your blessings and share all those overages with you know who and we will too! And next time please be here or be square, ya hear?! Where? One might ask, why FLORIDA of course!