Full Buck Moon? Who knew?

The seventh full moon of 2011 will rise around sunset this week, and it'll offer a double treat as it appears pretty much the same when it rises Friday evening as it did on Thursday. July's full moon is known as the Full Buck Moon, because it comes at the time of year when new antlers push out from the foreheads of buck deer. The moniker dates back to the Native American tribes that once lived in the northern and eastern United States. Other names for July's full moon include the Full Thunder Moon, because thunderstorms are frequent in the summertime, and the Full Hay Moon.

Two weeks to retirement!

Well its two weeks to retirement. Retirement you say? Aren't you just 50? Well not real retirement, just retirement from the airline life. Not retirement as in going fishing, golfing, moving to blue hair country, getting a pocket watch and complaining about kids these days kind of retirement. No its more like a rebirth kind of retirement to discover new talents and new directions. The hope of a non working retirement went out the window with my pension when NWA filed bankruptcy in 2005. But my hope of finding a job I love and never working again as the saying goes, is very much alive. Here are some ideas. Truck Driving, small engine mechanic, cooking, running a concession stand, running a B&B to name a few. I am open to your ideas. I am willing to give just about anything a try if it is legal and moral. So keep your eyes open and let me know. I am all ears.

Day 211 of the world famous Banana Experiment

Well it's day 211, the final day of the world famous banana experiment. What have I learned? Well? Everything except my waistline shrinks with age and that if I ever go looking for my heart's desire again, I won't look any further than my own backyard; because if it isn't there, I never really lost it to begin with.

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I'm back

Well I am back after a few months off. Please stop by when you can. Sorry for the absence. There has been a lot going on. I have decided after 30 years in aviation and 15 years at Northwest/Delta Airlines, that it is time to hang up my wings and find a new profession. The airline industry, pardon the pun, has too many ups and downs. I’ve done everything I set out to do in this industry. I have been a teacher, pilot, mechanic, teacher again and a writer. It’s time to do something completely different. What you say? I don’t know for sure but cooking has always been a passion so let’s try that for a while. Meanwhile we put our Georgia residence up for sale and have a showing today so say a prayer. It is time to go home to where the climate suits our bones. Se y’all later. It's time to start my midlife crisis.

More Bad News. No wonder I don't have enough time in a day any more.

WASHINGTON — The day just got a tiny bit shorter because of Friday's giant earthquake off the coast of Japan. NASA geophysicist Richard Gross calculated that Earth's rotation sped up by 1.8 microseconds. That's because of the shift in Earth's mass caused by the 8.9-magnitude earthquake. A microsecond is one-millionth of a second. Friday's change in rotation speed is slightly more than the one caused by last year's larger Chile earthquake. But 2004's bigger Sumatra earthquake caused a 6.8-microsecond shortening of the day.

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.

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