A B-DAY Present from my sister!

It is over 50 years old. We had one when we were very young. Yes I prabably stole many cookies from this jar. Thanks Cathy!

Our home made water feature.

Mulched over the front yard. Could not stand the grass any more. Lawns in Ga. need lots of TLC. I am plum out of TLC. So, Made our own water fountain. Wasn't cheap but cheaper and better made than any prefab fountain plus the pure pleasure of bragging rights.

OH Please can I have one? Please please pretty please. I have to have it!

50th B-Day Gift Ideas

Ok it's 10 more shopping days until my birthday. Here are some ideas:

1. A baker's dozen of Diet Cinnabons.
2. A Do-It-Yourself Home Liposuction kit (yes I would be willing to share it).
3. GPS coordinates to the end of the rainbow (never mind why I want it, I just want it).
4. DB Cooper's home address or phone number (I have some questions for him).
5. And finally, a law passed requiring that Grecian Formula be added to city drinking water (yeah, sure go ahead and laugh, they laughed about the fluoride thing too).

Doesn't every married couple have days like this?

My second 'Half Century Gift'

I know, I KNOW ALREADY! It's still two weeks away but really, I am way past the halfway point in my life so I can't spare another moment. I had to open it. RIGHT? OK here it is. Sick humor for the twisted soul.

THANKS DELORES! You know me well.

At Fifty years of age, here are twenty things I know so far.

1. Control, more often than not, is merely an illusion.
2. I can’t change other people.
3. Ronald Reagan made us feel like Americans again.
4. I am allergic to alcohol.
5. Everyone is nuts but most people are not aware of it.
6. I need to have my head examined (according to my mom).
7. My wife loves me.
8. When people say “It is what it is”, it usually isn’t.
9. There is a God and he is much bigger than I first thought.
10. We are more dishonest with ourselves than we are with other people.
11. I don’t want to be ordinary.
12. Sometimes choices are not either right or wrong; they are just choices.
13. I am happier with lower expectations.
14. In most cases, I would rather be happy than right.
15. Circulating blood and breathing is a full time job.
16. I like tractors and cooking.
17. Admitting error is a sign of strength and not weakness.
18. There are just as many sheep in wolf’s clothing than wolves in sheep’s clothing. I just don’t know why everyone is cross dressing.
19. Acceptance is the answer to most of my problems.
20. Fear, resentment, ego and dishonesty are my mortal enemies.

Is America Getting Meaner? (excerpt from article by By Dr. Dale Archer)

Also, we are becoming meaner as a society. A recent study from the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research, looked at 72 studies that gauged empathy among 14,000 college students in the past 30 years. They found that empathy (identifying with the feelings, thoughts or pain of another) has DECREASED a staggering 40% in college students since 2000!

Reasons range from the decrease of face to face communication as a side effect of technology to the hangover effect from the boom economy which fed our narcissism to want, what we want, when we want it and screw you if you get in my way. Social networking sites are all about "look at me, me, me."

Reality shows like "Real Housewives" and "Jersey Shore" show backstabbing, rude and crass behavior on a nightly basis as a source of comedy. In sports we have a win at all costs (including cheating with performance enhancing drugs) mentality. Business is about CEO's maximizing their personal wealth at the expense of the rest of us and as for politics "All's Fair" to win an election. Is it any wonder that bullying is so prevalent in our 'only the strong survive' culture?

Banana Experiment Update

Day 63. Beginning to slowly morph into a vanilla bean. No mold or flies noted.

DAY 1 for comparison.

Brought to you by CoCola!