Entertainment comes in many forms. There are sports, movies, endless sitcoms and television series, music and the list goes on and on. No matter what your preference may be, there is something to choose from to entertain the senses.
Those of us who enjoy being entertained, pay for it. Whether it be money spent for tickets or buying a product from a sponsor, the entertainment world get their paychecks from their fans.
The entertainment world, as a whole, makes up a very small percentage of the populace. Most of them do not live like the average citizen. Very few of them know what it is like to live paycheck to paycheck. Or, to wander the isles of a grocery store, silently adding the total in their head, to make sure they have enough money at the checkout lane. They do not live in houses that are cold in the winter and hot in the summer. Most of their children do not attend a public school. They have many luxuries the rest of the people simply dream about, as the people do their best to make ends meet.
But, they are paid for their performance and that pay affords them that lifestyle. The people continue to pay because we need the entertainment. We like it. We love it. It helps us to set aside the worries of the day and simply be entertained. It is what we want.
What we do not want is your arrogance. We do not want to see your fact-less opinions on stage, the sidelines, or in an interview. If you want to throw your hat into the political arena, by all means, do so. If you want to set your $4000 handbag down on the mud covered ground of a flooded community and sit next to someone who just lost all their possessions, by all means, do so. If you want to go into a bullet ridden neighborhood because you feel you can make a difference, then get right after it. If you feel there is so much injustice in this country, then jump in and try to fix it.
But, if you do not wish to do these things, keep still about it. Your job is to entertain, nothing more, nothing less. Don't bite the hand that feeds you.
Tuesday, August 30, 2016
Tuesday, August 23, 2016
Snake Heads
We recently had the pleasure of moving........again. It was not by choice, but rather by necessity. Our new view looks out over Beaver Lake, so we really can't complain. Beaver Lake is really more like Beaver Pond and we have yet to see a beaver. There is, however, a multitude of wildlife around and in Beaver Lake.
Where there is water, there is life. I highly doubt the company that started out with this complex stocked the lake with snapping turtles, but they are here. They probably did stock it with fish and just this morning I saw a good sized one leap from the water, catching whatever unfortunate morsel lay atop the surface.
I must admit, the one thing I miss from the other apartment is the birds. I had a small bird feeder and many cardinals, nuthatches, pygmy nuthatches, finches and titmice. I have the feeder hanging out on our new view, but there are none of the birds here. I'm not sure why that is. We have a line of trees between us and the water, but they are not as thick and woodsy as our previous backyard view, so that may be the reason. On two separate occasions, I had seen a red shouldered hawk land in that small forest with a snake in its beak. It would call out several times and soon its mate would fly in, take the snake and fly off. The snakes were not huge, maybe a foot long and silver looking in color.
I walked Runtly, the ever so entertaining Jack Russell Terrier, along one bank of Beaver Lake the other day. The grass is a bit taller there than the well manicured lawns next to the buildings. Someone had left a pair of long black socks in the grass and I did a double take before springing into launch mode but Runtly did not see them......until the return trip. It is amazing how instincts kick into gear with animals. He has never seen a snake, but he sure thought that is what the socks were and he gave them a wide berth while the hair on his back stood straight up.
The other morning, as I was admiring the view, I spotted a small silvery head poking out of the water. It would go one direction, turn and then zig zag back. I watched it for several minutes until it was out of my line of vision and wondered if it had slithered up the bank. The next time I looked out, there was a whole herd of snake heads on the water! I had never seen anything like it! They seemed to be swimming in formation. My thoughts ran back to a conversation I had overheard, about one of the workers who thought they had a snake problem. I was beginning to think perhaps they did and I should take extra care the next time I walked the dog down there.
Still standing in awe of this snakeish phenomenon and getting ready to holler for my husband to come and look, I realized something. They were not snake heads. They were goose feathers. The geese are still molting and spend a lot of time in the water pruning out their small downy white feathers. Being water fowl, their feathers are oily and they float like tiny sail boats.....or snake heads......on the water's surface.
Yes, where there is water, there is life. Where there is a large metropolis, there is an eye care specialists on every corner. Perhaps I shall go visit one.
Where there is water, there is life. I highly doubt the company that started out with this complex stocked the lake with snapping turtles, but they are here. They probably did stock it with fish and just this morning I saw a good sized one leap from the water, catching whatever unfortunate morsel lay atop the surface.
I must admit, the one thing I miss from the other apartment is the birds. I had a small bird feeder and many cardinals, nuthatches, pygmy nuthatches, finches and titmice. I have the feeder hanging out on our new view, but there are none of the birds here. I'm not sure why that is. We have a line of trees between us and the water, but they are not as thick and woodsy as our previous backyard view, so that may be the reason. On two separate occasions, I had seen a red shouldered hawk land in that small forest with a snake in its beak. It would call out several times and soon its mate would fly in, take the snake and fly off. The snakes were not huge, maybe a foot long and silver looking in color.
I walked Runtly, the ever so entertaining Jack Russell Terrier, along one bank of Beaver Lake the other day. The grass is a bit taller there than the well manicured lawns next to the buildings. Someone had left a pair of long black socks in the grass and I did a double take before springing into launch mode but Runtly did not see them......until the return trip. It is amazing how instincts kick into gear with animals. He has never seen a snake, but he sure thought that is what the socks were and he gave them a wide berth while the hair on his back stood straight up.
The other morning, as I was admiring the view, I spotted a small silvery head poking out of the water. It would go one direction, turn and then zig zag back. I watched it for several minutes until it was out of my line of vision and wondered if it had slithered up the bank. The next time I looked out, there was a whole herd of snake heads on the water! I had never seen anything like it! They seemed to be swimming in formation. My thoughts ran back to a conversation I had overheard, about one of the workers who thought they had a snake problem. I was beginning to think perhaps they did and I should take extra care the next time I walked the dog down there.
Still standing in awe of this snakeish phenomenon and getting ready to holler for my husband to come and look, I realized something. They were not snake heads. They were goose feathers. The geese are still molting and spend a lot of time in the water pruning out their small downy white feathers. Being water fowl, their feathers are oily and they float like tiny sail boats.....or snake heads......on the water's surface.
Yes, where there is water, there is life. Where there is a large metropolis, there is an eye care specialists on every corner. Perhaps I shall go visit one.
Monday, August 22, 2016
Needles & Sod
The Olympics. They entertain us. They inspire us. They make us proud. They give us cause to get up off the couch and do something.
Even though the Summer Games have come to an end, there are still many conversations overheard of the gold medal winners and all those who gave their very best. No matter where we hail from, everyone who watched will never forget that smile on Bolt's face as he crossed the finish line.
Over the years, the Olympic committee decides what new sports can be added to the venue. In recent years it was rugby and golf. I have been thinking of a couple of new sports that might make the list for the games four years in the future.
The first one could be called the Down Hill Needle Run. I have mentioned before that this new place we call 'home' has many pine trees. With many pine trees, there are many pine needles that fall and blanket the ground with their self made mulch and pine needles tend to be the mulch of the South. This apartment complex has been undergoing a complete face lift. Everything from the siding to the landscape has been changed and made to look like new. I was surprised one day when I noticed the landscapers had brought in a huge pallet of pine needle bales. This seemed counter productive to me as it seemed it would be much less expensive to just go anywhere on the property and rake up as many needles as they thought they needed. Granted, they would have to sift out the pine cones, but there is still an endless supply of needles. Since they did not ask for my opinion on this matter, I watched as the workers spread the needles on a very steep embankment. I wondered to myself how in the world the needles would stay put when the next big rain came. Shortly thereafter, it did rain and the needles stayed snug on the steep bank.
As I was walking Runtly, the ever so entertaining Jack Russell Terrier, one day, he decided to descend the steep afore mentioned bank. Since he did not want to come back up, I had little choice but to go down the bank. One step, wearing flip flops with absolutely no traction, made me realize something I had never known before. Pine needles are slick....slick, like black ice. My descent became a question of whether to do down the bank on my back after my feet had flown out from under me, or run......and run I did. Somehow, I managed to stay upright and was even able to get myself stopped before I plowed into the side of the apartment building that was looming up in front of me at a rapid pace. So, with a few adjustments, rules and regulations, I think this would be a great new game.
The landscapers have laid a ton of new sod on the grounds. It is fun to watch them unroll countless rugs of grass, lay them side by side and end up with a new carpet of grass. After this sod gets established, it is beautiful. Again, while on another outing with the Runt, I was walking parallel to the parking lot on a slight incline of new sod. As I was marveling at how soft and plush it was, while wearing the same pair of non traction flip flops, I discovered that it too was slick. Without notice, my feet went out from under me to my right. With arms and legs flailing in all directions and possibly a triple turn of some kind, I managed once again to stay upright. I gave serious thought to throwing my hands up in the air since I had stuck a 6.2 landing in front of the main office building, but I quickly gathered myself and the dog and headed back to the apartment. Sod Sidewinder has a nice ring to it for 2020.
Even though the Summer Games have come to an end, there are still many conversations overheard of the gold medal winners and all those who gave their very best. No matter where we hail from, everyone who watched will never forget that smile on Bolt's face as he crossed the finish line.
Over the years, the Olympic committee decides what new sports can be added to the venue. In recent years it was rugby and golf. I have been thinking of a couple of new sports that might make the list for the games four years in the future.
The first one could be called the Down Hill Needle Run. I have mentioned before that this new place we call 'home' has many pine trees. With many pine trees, there are many pine needles that fall and blanket the ground with their self made mulch and pine needles tend to be the mulch of the South. This apartment complex has been undergoing a complete face lift. Everything from the siding to the landscape has been changed and made to look like new. I was surprised one day when I noticed the landscapers had brought in a huge pallet of pine needle bales. This seemed counter productive to me as it seemed it would be much less expensive to just go anywhere on the property and rake up as many needles as they thought they needed. Granted, they would have to sift out the pine cones, but there is still an endless supply of needles. Since they did not ask for my opinion on this matter, I watched as the workers spread the needles on a very steep embankment. I wondered to myself how in the world the needles would stay put when the next big rain came. Shortly thereafter, it did rain and the needles stayed snug on the steep bank.
As I was walking Runtly, the ever so entertaining Jack Russell Terrier, one day, he decided to descend the steep afore mentioned bank. Since he did not want to come back up, I had little choice but to go down the bank. One step, wearing flip flops with absolutely no traction, made me realize something I had never known before. Pine needles are slick....slick, like black ice. My descent became a question of whether to do down the bank on my back after my feet had flown out from under me, or run......and run I did. Somehow, I managed to stay upright and was even able to get myself stopped before I plowed into the side of the apartment building that was looming up in front of me at a rapid pace. So, with a few adjustments, rules and regulations, I think this would be a great new game.
The landscapers have laid a ton of new sod on the grounds. It is fun to watch them unroll countless rugs of grass, lay them side by side and end up with a new carpet of grass. After this sod gets established, it is beautiful. Again, while on another outing with the Runt, I was walking parallel to the parking lot on a slight incline of new sod. As I was marveling at how soft and plush it was, while wearing the same pair of non traction flip flops, I discovered that it too was slick. Without notice, my feet went out from under me to my right. With arms and legs flailing in all directions and possibly a triple turn of some kind, I managed once again to stay upright. I gave serious thought to throwing my hands up in the air since I had stuck a 6.2 landing in front of the main office building, but I quickly gathered myself and the dog and headed back to the apartment. Sod Sidewinder has a nice ring to it for 2020.
Tuesday, August 2, 2016
The Roll of Tape
When I get done working on my orders, I have to package them up to get them ready to ship. My orders, you ask? Well, that will be explained in the blog following this one.
I use a lot of tape when I'm packing. I have a certain brand that I like and usually only buy one roll at a time. Limited space requires limited stuff.
When starting out with a new roll, it's always easy to see how much tape is left on the roll. There is a certain thickness on the side of the roll that keeps me in belief that this particular roll just might last forever. Invariably, I always realize that I may run out before I get everything packaged.
Most of us have been there. Like on Christmas Eve when we have waited until the last minute to wrap packages. The stores are all closed and the roll of tape is about down to the bare nubbins. Then we all do the same thing.....using tiny little pieces of tape in hopes we can make it last until the last flap of wrapping paper has been folded, tucked and secured.
As I resorted to cutting some of the pieces lengthwise, the thought occurred to me that the roll of tape was a lot like life.
We start out not knowing exactly what to do with the tape and fall victim to the amusement of others as we try to figure out how to get it off one finger, only to find it stuck on another. Once we get the hang of it, the pieces get a little bigger and we use it to tape our artwork to the wall, or place a piece on the cat's tail.
Somewhere along the line, we discover the side of the roll. We think to ourselves, "Say, there's a lot of tape on here!" We begin to pull off long strips to put all around the edges of our endeavors as if to make them last longer. Then, before we know it, the edge of the roll has gotten thin. We have to hold it close to the light, to gauge just how much might be left and find ourselves back at the beginning....tearing off little short pieces of tape.
The message was so unexpected. A dear friend had passed away. I was stunned, she had always been the epitome of health. It had been some time since we had last spoken. She popped into my thoughts just a couple of weeks ago, out of the blue and I ignored something that I believe in, to the very core of my soul, so strongly.....she had sent me a message. I should have called her.
If we only had an ounce of understanding just how powerful our thoughts are, we could accomplish so many wonderful things, help so many others, change a world that seems to be crumbling apart.
The next time someone pops into your head, take the time to stop and pay attention. Pick up the phone and make the call because they just might be on their last piece of tape.
I use a lot of tape when I'm packing. I have a certain brand that I like and usually only buy one roll at a time. Limited space requires limited stuff.
When starting out with a new roll, it's always easy to see how much tape is left on the roll. There is a certain thickness on the side of the roll that keeps me in belief that this particular roll just might last forever. Invariably, I always realize that I may run out before I get everything packaged.
Most of us have been there. Like on Christmas Eve when we have waited until the last minute to wrap packages. The stores are all closed and the roll of tape is about down to the bare nubbins. Then we all do the same thing.....using tiny little pieces of tape in hopes we can make it last until the last flap of wrapping paper has been folded, tucked and secured.
As I resorted to cutting some of the pieces lengthwise, the thought occurred to me that the roll of tape was a lot like life.
We start out not knowing exactly what to do with the tape and fall victim to the amusement of others as we try to figure out how to get it off one finger, only to find it stuck on another. Once we get the hang of it, the pieces get a little bigger and we use it to tape our artwork to the wall, or place a piece on the cat's tail.
Somewhere along the line, we discover the side of the roll. We think to ourselves, "Say, there's a lot of tape on here!" We begin to pull off long strips to put all around the edges of our endeavors as if to make them last longer. Then, before we know it, the edge of the roll has gotten thin. We have to hold it close to the light, to gauge just how much might be left and find ourselves back at the beginning....tearing off little short pieces of tape.
The message was so unexpected. A dear friend had passed away. I was stunned, she had always been the epitome of health. It had been some time since we had last spoken. She popped into my thoughts just a couple of weeks ago, out of the blue and I ignored something that I believe in, to the very core of my soul, so strongly.....she had sent me a message. I should have called her.
If we only had an ounce of understanding just how powerful our thoughts are, we could accomplish so many wonderful things, help so many others, change a world that seems to be crumbling apart.
The next time someone pops into your head, take the time to stop and pay attention. Pick up the phone and make the call because they just might be on their last piece of tape.
Monday, August 1, 2016
A Dog's Days of Summer
Since Mom is buried knee deep in paperwork, she said I could write a story about my summer activities. Sometimes Mom is not very fair, I would gladly get in the middle of her paper pile, but she said "No." Hi, I'm Runtly, the ever so entertaining Jack Russell Terrier.
Mom and Dad took me to the beach. I do not like to ride in the big thing that goes fast, but since I do not like to be left behind, I went. Actually, I did pretty good on this trip and did not have to take any "find a happy place" medicine.
I did not like the water at the beach. It chased me. A couple of times it caught me and I had to run fast to get away. I don't like to get wet, but I was quick and it only got my feet.
The beach is made of lots of tiny grains of stuff called sand. Sand is my new best friend! Mom showed me how I could dig in it and I dug a hole nearly to China....wherever that is. It was much fun! Plus, I rolled in it. That was great! I had sand on my head, sand on my eyelashes, sand on my tail, sand on my.....well, it was everywhere! Mom said the bed had more sand in it than the beach, but I don't think that is true.
At this new place, there is a lot of stuff going on. Some nice people came and put down big rugs of grass! Oh, I do love to lay in the nice green grass. That is until the geese get on it, then Mom does not let me lay in the grass. The geese leave lots of nice green poo in the grass. It is really tasty and I love to put some on my neck, like perfume. This never makes Mom and Dad very happy. They should really try it, they might just change their minds.
Although I do have a hankering for goose poo, I do not like the geese. They hiss. One day, the peoples in charge looked out and noticed a great big lot that had been planted with grass seed, was full of geese. They were eating the seeds! Mom put my training collar on me (it beeps, but sometimes it bites!) and I got to be a goose herder! It was great fun! I ran as fast as the wind right through the middle of the flock! There was geese and feathers going all different directions! Some of the geese raised their wings way up high trying to look scary, but I wasn't scared. I chased them and chased them and one even tried to bite me! I tried to bite him too, but ended up with only a piece of feather. It was great fun and I chased them all out of the lot. Since it had rained, the lot was muddy.....then I had to have a bath. I do not like to get wet.
I have made lots of canine friends here, but I really like people best. My bestest friend is T.W., he calls me Jumper. I always know when T.W. is home and I jump on his door. He lets me in and I get to run all over his place. Then he gives me a chip and sends me home. The last chip was a spicy tortilla one, it was tasty. Sometimes the chips are really big. I bring them home and walk around with them in my mouth and make a funny whining noise until somebody breaks them into small pieces for me. T.W. is really tall and when he holds me I can see a long way.
Mom put some silly thing on the deck for the little birds to eat from. I do not like for Mom to play with other animals. When she was trying to hang it, I decided to show her she needed to pay attention to me. I jumped as high and as hard as I could....higher than the railing. Mom turn to catch me and I hit so hard I almost broke her finger. Now she wears some silly thing on her finger and will not let me play with it. Sometimes Mom is mean.
It is very hot here, but I like it and lay in the sun every chance I can get. The End.
Mom and Dad took me to the beach. I do not like to ride in the big thing that goes fast, but since I do not like to be left behind, I went. Actually, I did pretty good on this trip and did not have to take any "find a happy place" medicine.
I did not like the water at the beach. It chased me. A couple of times it caught me and I had to run fast to get away. I don't like to get wet, but I was quick and it only got my feet.
The beach is made of lots of tiny grains of stuff called sand. Sand is my new best friend! Mom showed me how I could dig in it and I dug a hole nearly to China....wherever that is. It was much fun! Plus, I rolled in it. That was great! I had sand on my head, sand on my eyelashes, sand on my tail, sand on my.....well, it was everywhere! Mom said the bed had more sand in it than the beach, but I don't think that is true.
At this new place, there is a lot of stuff going on. Some nice people came and put down big rugs of grass! Oh, I do love to lay in the nice green grass. That is until the geese get on it, then Mom does not let me lay in the grass. The geese leave lots of nice green poo in the grass. It is really tasty and I love to put some on my neck, like perfume. This never makes Mom and Dad very happy. They should really try it, they might just change their minds.
Although I do have a hankering for goose poo, I do not like the geese. They hiss. One day, the peoples in charge looked out and noticed a great big lot that had been planted with grass seed, was full of geese. They were eating the seeds! Mom put my training collar on me (it beeps, but sometimes it bites!) and I got to be a goose herder! It was great fun! I ran as fast as the wind right through the middle of the flock! There was geese and feathers going all different directions! Some of the geese raised their wings way up high trying to look scary, but I wasn't scared. I chased them and chased them and one even tried to bite me! I tried to bite him too, but ended up with only a piece of feather. It was great fun and I chased them all out of the lot. Since it had rained, the lot was muddy.....then I had to have a bath. I do not like to get wet.
I have made lots of canine friends here, but I really like people best. My bestest friend is T.W., he calls me Jumper. I always know when T.W. is home and I jump on his door. He lets me in and I get to run all over his place. Then he gives me a chip and sends me home. The last chip was a spicy tortilla one, it was tasty. Sometimes the chips are really big. I bring them home and walk around with them in my mouth and make a funny whining noise until somebody breaks them into small pieces for me. T.W. is really tall and when he holds me I can see a long way.
Mom put some silly thing on the deck for the little birds to eat from. I do not like for Mom to play with other animals. When she was trying to hang it, I decided to show her she needed to pay attention to me. I jumped as high and as hard as I could....higher than the railing. Mom turn to catch me and I hit so hard I almost broke her finger. Now she wears some silly thing on her finger and will not let me play with it. Sometimes Mom is mean.
It is very hot here, but I like it and lay in the sun every chance I can get. The End.
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