Fallen leaves

I can't help it if I'm mad about autumn.

The fall landscape inspires me to not only feel awed by the predominance of the red-orange-brown-yellow colors of foliage, but also to look forward to the dawn of exciting beginnings and abundant blessings.

On chilly days as I navigate the cemented paths, stepping over crispy, crunchy golden leaves, I feel a sense of renewed hope, not only for my personal well-being, but for the citizens of the universe.  Although our planet is painfully going through a bitter struggle in just about every aspect of living, we must never ignore the promise of seeing a rainbow after the rain.  Someone once assured me that it is when we feel so much hardship and on the verge of the breaking point when a breakthrough is bound to happen.  I believe it!  I've known this to be the truth in my own personal reality.  I know that painful episodes come into our life for a reason... and to bring lessons to be learned.

Nowadays I feel great pleasure in simply savoring the scenery that autumn brings.  Just walking through paths adorned with plentiful trees, never mind that the leaves have fallen off the branches, enjoying the orange Halloween colors, and basking in the knowledge that Mother Nature's once lush and green growth die every year to make way for the rebirth and the thriving of life next spring. 

So what if we have to put up with chilly temperatures and snow-blanketed landscape in the next few months?  After the coming winter, we'll be seeing the spring of new life and the dawn of hope.  Birds will come out of hibernation to chirp their joy.  In the meantime, no one can stop me from getting drunk in the crimson and golden beauty of the fall.  For me this is a season that gives reason to look forward and savor joy.

For everyone living in four-season climates, celebrate the laid-back pace of this time.  For many folks, it's the craziest period they have to put up with... the frantic pre-holiday shopping sprees... the endless reunions with the people in their lives... the hectic long distance travel to places to be with families and friends. 

For the unemployed among us, it is a time to take stock of our human assets... to pinpoint our natural resources that we can bring to the table.  It is most likely a sad time to not be gainfully employed these days, considering that the holiday season is not far away, but if you set your mind on getting hired, it just might become your reality.

I believe that the Good Lord brought us the four seasons so that we can pause and reflect on how the change of scenery can impact our lives.  It's a very profound idea.

Be autumn merry!

photo credit:  unknown



An atheist and a little girl

Tales forwarded via e-mail abound.  Most are funny, many inspire to think deep thoughts, and sometimes, if we're lucky, we are regaled with stories of little people who scream with mature attitude and delightful confidence.  And did I forget to mention... incredible smarts?

Below is a story that my BFF passed on.  Thanks, Josie!

LITTLE GIRL ON A PLANE

An atheist was seated next to a little girl on an airplane and he turned to her and said, "Do you want to talk? Flights go quicker if you strike up a conversation with your fellow passenger."
 
The little girl, who had just started to read her book, replied to the total stranger, "What would you want to talk about?"
 
"Oh, I don't know," said the atheist. "How about why there is  no GOD, or no Heaven or Hell, or no life after death?" as he smiled smugly.
 
"OK," she said. "Those could be interesting topics but let me ask you a question first. A horse, a cow, and a deer all eat the same stuff - grass. Yet a deer excretes little pellets, while a cow turns out a flat patty, but a horse produces clumps. Why do you suppose that is?"
 
The atheist, visibly surprised by the little girl's intelligence, thinks about it and says, "Hmmm, I have no idea."
 
To which the little girl replies, "Do you really feel qualified to discuss why there is no GOD, or no Heaven or Hell, or no life after death, when you don't know shit?"
 
And then she went back to reading her book.
 
The End

Meanness becoming

If women can learn the art of being mean, the world will be a more fun place!  Below is a tale from my friend Mary (thanks!)...

HOW TO BE A GRACIOUS BITCH

Jennifer's wedding day was fast approaching. Nothing could dampen her excitement - not even her parent's nasty divorce.

Her mother had found the PERFECT dress to wear, and would be the best-dressed mother-of-the-bride ever!

A week later, Jennifer was horrified to learn that her father's new, young wife had bought the exact same dress as her mother!

Jennifer asked her father's new young wife to exchange it, but she refused.   Absolutely not! I look like a million bucks in this dress, and I'm wearing it, she replied.

Jennifer told her mother who graciously said, ''Never mind sweetheart. I'll get another dress. After all, it's your special day.''

A few days later, they went shopping, and did find another gorgeous dress for her mother.

When they stopped for lunch, Jennifer asked her mother, ''Aren't you going to return the other dress? You really don't have another occasion where you could wear it."

Her mother just smiled and replied, ''Of course I do, dear.....I'm wearing it to the rehearsal dinner the night BEFORE the wedding.''

(NOW I ASK YOU - IS THERE A WOMAN OUT THERE, ANYWHERE, WHO WOULDN'T ENJOY THIS STORY?)

Women are like phones: They like to be held, talked to, and touched often. But push the wrong button and your ass is disconnected!

Women are Angels. And when someone breaks our wings....We simply continue to fly ........ on a broomstick.....We are flexible like that.

OKAY, NOW IT'S YOUR TURN TO SEND THIS TO ALL YOUR WOMEN FRIENDS WHO DESERVE A GOOD BELLY LAUGH.  YOU COULD ALSO SEND IT TO SOME MEN WHO YOU KNOW WOULD APPRECIATE THIS.  ENJOY!

Talented lemon

I am mad about lemons.  My fridge is incomplete without those yellow-covered citrus products of Mother Earth.  I use lemons to add zest to my meals, clean my nails after working with carrots, spice up my soup and drink the ever familiar and popular lemonade.

Do you know that lemons have more spectacular uses?

Shine from Yahoo counted the ways that lemons can be productive in our ordinary lives.  If you missed that write-up, let me quote them for you…

Lemon as Sore Throat Soother

Relieve a sore throat. Cut a lemon in half. Skewer one half over a medium flame on a gas stove or an electric burner set on high and roast until the peel turns golden brown. Let cool slightly, then mix the juice with 1 teaspoon of honey. Swallow the mixture.

Lemon as Hair Lightener

For subtle highlights in blond hair, simmer two sliced lemons in water for one hour (add more water if needed). Strain, then pour into a spray bottle.

Lemon as Browning Preventer

Stop apples and pears from browning by squeezing a little lemon juice over them.

Lemon as Table Decoration

Decorate on the cheap. Fill a glass bowl with lemons for a sunny centerpiece. Or display a row of them along a windowsill.

Lemon as Toothpick Collector

Collect used toothpicks at a party so you don't end up with them all over your tables, seats, and floors.  (Stick one in the lemon ahead of time to give guests the hint.) 

Lemon as Grater Cleaner

After shredding soft cheese or other sticky foods, go over both sides of the grater with the pulp side of a cut lemon to get rid of any residue.

Lemon as Laundry Brightener

Skip the bleach.  Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of lemon juice to the wash cycle to brighten up those fading whites.

 Lemon as Cutting Board Cleaner

To remove tough food stains from light wood and plastic cutting boards, slice a lemon in half, squeeze onto the soiled surface, rub, and let sit for 20 minutes before rinsing.  The best part?  You'll have a house that smells like a lemon grove rather than chemicals.  

Lemon as Microwave Juicer

Squeeze juice from lemons with less effort by warming them for 20 seconds in the microwave.

text and photo credits:  http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/-/new-uses-for-lemons-manage-your-life-on-shine-2399928/



Message from the Queen

Let me preface this piece by saying that I'm a big fan of the Queen of England.  In my moments of delusion (thank goodness, such episodes are few and far between!), I've often wondered what life would be like pledging allegiance to the Queen rather than to dear, beloved Uncle Sam.  It is one of those fantasies that will never become my reality... not in this lifetime.

Thank you, Lina, for passing on this hilarious piece! 

* * *
Email from the Queen - an important announcement regarding the USA

In light of your immediate failure to financially manage yourselves and also in recent years your tendency to elect incompetent Presidents of the USA and therefore not able to govern yourselves, we hereby give notice of the revocation of your independence, effective immediately. (You should look up 'revocation' in the Oxford English Dictionary.)

 

Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will resume monarchical duties over all states, commonwealths, and territories (except Kansas, which she does not fancy).

Your new Prime Minister, David Cameron, will appoint a Governor for America without the need for further elections.

 

Congress and the Senate will be disbanded. A questionnaire may be circulated sometime next year to determine whether any of you noticed.

To aid in the transition to a British Crown dependency, the following rules are introduced with immediate effect:

1. The letter 'U' will be reinstated in words such as 'colour,' 'favour,' 'labour' and 'neighbour.' Likewise, you will learn to spell 'doughnut' without skipping half the letters, and the suffix '-ize' will be replaced by the suffix '-ise.' Generally, you will be expected to raise your vocabulary to acceptable levels. (look up 'vocabulary').

2. Using the same twenty-seven words interspersed with filler noises such as 'like' and 'you know' is an unacceptable and inefficient form of communication. There is no such thing as U. S. English. We will let Microsoft know on your behalf. The Microsoft spell-checker will be adjusted to take into account the reinstated letter 'u'' and the elimination of '-ize.'

3. July 4th will no longer be celebrated as a holiday.

4. You will learn to resolve personal issues without using guns, lawyers, or therapists. The fact that you need so many lawyers and therapists shows that you're not quite ready to be independent. Guns should only be used for shooting grouse. If you can't sort things out without suing someone or speaking to a therapist, then you're not ready to shoot grouse.

5. Therefore, you will no longer be allowed to own or carry anything more dangerous than a vegetable peeler. Although a permit will be required if you wish to carry a vegetable peeler in public.

6. All intersections will be replaced with roundabouts, and you will start driving on the left side with immediate effect. At the same time, you will go metric with immediate effect and without the benefit of conversion tables. Both roundabouts and metrication will help you understand the British sense of humour.

7. The former USA will adopt UK prices on petrol (which you have been calling gasoline) of roughly $10/US gallon. Get used to it.

8. You will learn to make real chips. Those things you call French fries are not real chips, and those things you insist on calling potato chips are properly called crisps. Real chips are thick cut, fried in animal fat, and dressed not with catsup but with vinegar.

9. The cold, tasteless stuff you insist on calling beer is not actually beer at all. Henceforth, only proper British Bitter will be referred to as beer, and European brews of known and accepted provenance will be referred to as Lager. New Zealand beer is also acceptable, as New Zealand is pound for pound the greatest sporting nation on earth and it can only be due to the beer. They are also part of the British Commonwealth - see what it did for them. American brands will be referred to as Near-Frozen Gnat's Urine, so that all can be sold without risk of further confusion.

10. Hollywood will be required occasionally to cast English actors as good guys. Hollywood will also be required to cast English actors to play English characters. Watching Andie Macdowell attempt English dialogue in Four Weddings and a Funeral was an experience akin to having one's ears removed with a cheese grater.

11. You will cease playing American football. There are only two kinds of proper football; one you call soccer, and rugby (dominated by the New Zealanders). Those of you brave enough will, in time, be allowed to play rugby (which has some similarities to American football, but does not involve stopping for a rest every twenty seconds or wearing full kevlar body armour like a bunch of nancies). 

12. Further, you will stop playing baseball. It is not reasonable to host an event called the World Series for a game which is not played outside of America. Since only 2.1% of you are aware there is a world beyond your borders, your error is understandable. You will learn cricket, and we will let you face the Australians (World dominators) first to take the sting out of their deliveries.

13. You must tell us who killed JFK. It's been driving us mad.

14. An internal revenue agent (i.e. tax collector) from Her Majesty's Government will be with you shortly to ensure the acquisition of all monies due (backdated to 1776).

15. Daily Tea Time begins promptly at 4 p.m. with proper cups, with saucers, and never mugs, with high quality biscuits (cookies) and cakes; plus strawberries (with cream) when in season.

God Save the Queen!

PS: Only share this with friends who have a good sense of humour (NOT humor)!



 

To the citizens of the United States of America from Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

The rocks in our life

My BFF Josie's niece forwarded the following interesting and thought-provoking piece.  Thanks, Eliza!

* * *

One day an expert in time management was speaking to a group of business students and, to drive home a point, used an illustration those students will never forget. As he stood in front of the group of high-powered overachievers he said, "Okay, time for a quiz."  Then he pulled out a one-gallon, wide mouth mason jar and set it on the table in front of him. Then he produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar. When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, "Is this jar full?"  Everyone in the class said, "Yes."

Then he said, “Really?”  He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. Then he dumped some gravel in and shook the jar causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the space between the big rocks. Then he asked the group once more, "Is the jar full?"  By this time the class was on to him.  "Probably not," one of them answered.

"Good," he replied. He reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in the jar and it went into all of the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel.  Once more he asked the question, "Is this jar full?"  "No," the class shouted.

Once again he said, "Good."  Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim. Then he looked at the class and asked, "What is the point of this illustration?"  One eager beaver raised his hand and said, "The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard you can always fit some more things in it."  "No," the speaker replied, "That’s not the point.  The truth this illustration teaches us is:  If you don’t put the big rocks in first, you’ll never get them in at all."

What are the big rocks in your life?  Time with your loved ones? faith, education, your dreams?  A worthy cause?  Teaching or mentoring others?  Remember to put these BIG ROCKS in first or you’ll never get them in at all.

So, tonight, or in the morning, when you are reflecting on this short story, ask yourself this question: What are the big rocks in my life?

Then, put those in your jar first.

photo credit:  boxofwildrocks.com

Best reason to resign

I'm sure that you'll get a kick out of this story.  Ashley, thanks for sharing!


Dear Boss:

I'm resigning effective immediately!

The reason for my resignation is that I cleaned my aunt's garage this morning before coming to work and realized I don't feel like working anymore.  

See for yourself...



A blessing is coming to you in the form of a new job, a house, marriage or financial breakthrough.
Don ' t ask questions just forward.
This is a money angel.
Pass it to 6 of your good friends or family and be rich in 4 Days.  
Pass it to 12 of your good friends or family and be rich in 2 Days.  

Wedding lesson

Cancer is a very sad reality in our world.  There are a few cancer survivors in my life and I feel so much pride in their strength and resilience from battling what must be a most challenging episode in their lives.  A dearest friend suffered from this disease for a few years until she crossed over to a better and happier place.  Wherever she is now, I know that it's an improvement from what mortals describe as our hell on earth.

The following touching story was passed on by one of my cancer survivor friends.  Thanks, Mary!

Her name is Katie Kirkpatrick, 21 yrs old.  Next to her is her fiancé, Nick, 23.  This picture was taken prior to their wedding January 11th, 2005.  Katie has terminal cancer and spends hours in chemotherapy.  Here Nick awaits while she finishes one of the sessions...

Even in pain and dealing with her organs shutting down, with the help of morphine, Katie took care of every single part of the wedding planning.  Her dress had to be adjusted several times due to Katie 's constant weight loss.

An expected guest was her oxygen tank.  Katie had to use it during the ceremony and reception.  The other couple in this picture is Nick's parents, very emotional with the wedding and to see their son marrying the girl he fell in love when he was an adolescent.

Katie, in a wheel chair listening to her husband and friends singing to her.

In the middle of the party, Katie had to rest for a bit and catch her breath.  The pain does not allow her to stand for long period of time.

Katie died 5 days after her wedding.  To see a fragile woman dress as bride with a beautiful smile makes you think...  Happiness is always there within reach, no matter how long it lasts.  Let’s enjoy life and don't live a complicated life.   Life is too short.  Work as if it was your first day.  Forgive as soon as possible.  Love without boundaries.  Laugh without control and never stop smiling.  Please pray for those suffering from cancer. 

Keep this going.

Now you're on the clock!!!!
In 9 minutes something will make you happy. ;-)
But you have to tell this story to 9 people, Go!!!!

Missing the snail mail

Before e-mail became the fashion, the United States Post Office was my favorite bearer of (good or bad) news.   As fate would have it, my young romantic relationships were carried long distance and receiving letters through the mail was my most cherished occasion.  You see, the mailman often brought me letters from loved ones.

With the advent of modern technology came the most precious cyber invention ever (at least in my book)… e-mail!  Not only do we save in paper and postage costs (which has probably contributed to the United States Postal Service financial hardship), but people whose communication of choice is the e-mail system have found a valuable time-saver in their contact method with the people in their lives.

These days people can talk to each other despite the barrier of distance and time zones… in real time.  No doubt about it, we live in a technologically amazing world where information is available at the click of the keyboard 24/7.

But, honestly, I can’t help but reminisce the good old days when a handwritten postmarked letter would bring joy to my heart.  When I was much, much younger, Mr. Postman was my favorite person in the whole universe.  I longed for the moment when he would make his presence known by announcing mail in our mailbox.  The truth is, being such an incurable romantic, I lived for that moment.  Nothing else mattered but the feel of a handwritten, postmarked and stamped envelope in my young hand.

These days I am still fond of the mailman even though letters via the USPS hardly comes to me anymore.  All I get now are unsolicited mail from entrepreneurs who want my involvement in their business or letters from charities who are interested in my donation.   And because it’s election time in my neck of the woods, I receive a great deal of campaign materials from candidates who are courting my vote.

No doubt about it, we live in a fast-paced universe.  People are moving at a speedy rate as though there is no tomorrow.  Although I prefer the swift and efficient turnaround of things, I sometimes crave for the slowness of tempo… taking each moment at leisure and savoring the joy it brings.  Maybe that is why I miss letters from Mr. Postman.  You see, reading a letter gives me an excuse to pause and savor that luxury. 

On that rare occasion, the world can simply wait!

Good news despite the sour economy

A few months ago after the US received its first ever credit rating downgrade (from AAA to AA+), one thing became crystal clear:  Good things do come to an end.

At the mercy of a gazillion dollar debt, our nation has had to deal with the deepest depression of recent memory. Due to rising unemployment, housing prices continue to fall, sending some places into foreclosure trend.  According to 24/7 Wall, the ten housing markets that have disaster written all over them and are expected to collapse at least 10% next year are:  four in California (San Bernardino, Merced, El Centro and Salinas); three in Florida (Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Naples); Las Vegas, Nevada; Detroit, Michigan; and Bethesda, Maryland.  Great news:  my neck of the woods isn’t on the list.  Thank the Good Lord!

Money, and everything it represents, can go away at the blink of an eye.  This is a time when citizens of the Universe must realize that material possessions that bring temporary bliss cannot be depended on for long-term prosperity.  I have seen it in my lifetime… the Stock Market crash, the depreciation of home values (despite the home being long believed as the most valuable personal asset), the fall from grace of men and women once revered and put on pedestals, Mother Nature’s wrath that brought homelessness and despair to thousands of families, joblessness that gave the casualties of Corporate America a reason to expect the skies to fall.

One only has to listen to the news to know that something’s not right in our present day world.  Look around us… Wall Street has been in a see-saw swing mood which leaves investors in a state of suspense, even despair.  Will tomorrow bring the recovery of lost wealth?  Or will the end of trading day send them into cardiac arrest? 

Despite the gloom and doom of our modern day reality, my glass-half-full mentality inspires me to look for the silver lining.  Not too long ago, I chanced upon the story of Kathryn Stockett,”The Help” author who received 60 rejection letters before a literary agent finally saw her manuscript as a potential bestseller.  Stockett chased her dream (with nagging determination may I say) despite 60 rejections.  For her unstoppable persistence, the 61^st letter was the charm.

Then there’s the lost-and-found high school ring that had been missing for 45 years (that’s almost half a century!).  In his younger days, sixty-three year old John Kaldmo lost his 1966 Anderson High School class ring in the Four Mile Creek in Anderson, Ohio.  Fortunately, his initials “JK” were engraved inside the ring.  

While walking back to her house, a 10-year old girl named Avery Dorsh noticed something shiny under a rock.  Thinkng that it might be an earring, she picked it up and was surprised to find a 45-year old high school ring from Anderson High School.  Then began the efforts for the Dorsch family to put the puzzle together.  Long story short, Kaldmo got his ring back and  planned to show and tell at the school’s September reunion.

Stories such as the above illustrate the power of human determination and the possibility of lost possessions finding their way back to the owners despite the passage of time.  Stockett validates what positive thinkers have always believed… that seriously pursuing a dream do result in finding bliss.  On the other hand, the lost and found ring inspires feel-good emotions because it proves that in this sometimes deadbeat world, there are honest people… absolutely remarkable folks who go out of their way to put a smile on someone's face.  More power to you!

"Help" author Kathryn Stockett

Photo Credit:  Unknown

The pain of unemployment

This past weekend a touching dvd movie arrived in the mail:  “The Company Men” starring Ben Affleck, Kevin Costner, Tommy Lee Jones and Chris Cooper.

The film portrays the lives of corporate citizens whose world came tumbling down, thanks to the layoff they experienced after spending many productive years in the company that paid them generous salaries and perks.  It is a movie that rings a very familiar bell among working folks who have gone through, or continue to undergo, the pains and perils of unemployment.

I related to the movie on a very personal basis, having recently suffered the same fate at the end of August this year.  It was the second of layoffs from companies I worked for many years.  After the first, I spent two years searching for work.  Perhaps it took me that long because I wasn’t just looking for my next paycheck… I was, to be honest, trying to find my next “home-away-from-home.”  I figured that since I would be spending more time in that place during the work day than in my own comfort zone, it has to be worth my time.  To my good fortune, exactly on the second anniversary of my layoff, I started a full-time job and the work made me genuinely inspired to shine.  The downside was that I almost depleted my lifetime savings from taking my sweet time to find the perfect fit.

In May this year I celebrated my seventh anniversary in the company that I regarded as a stable anchor for my retirement in a few years.  But the economic hardship in our industry put the damper in my positive thinking.  Quite unexpectedly, after mid-year the company owner had no choice but to announce that downsizing was the only way to go.  With that gloomy forecast went all my bright hopes for a solid work history and snuffed the fire blazing the path to early retirement.

Like many working people in my shoes, I felt in denial, devastated and depressed.  For me, the question was:  How do you start over when you’re pushing 60?  When I got laid off the first time, I was 50.  Two years after I found a good-paying job I felt victorious, patting myself on the back for surviving the younger competition.  I felt proud that in middle age instead of battling the often maligned "mid-life crisis," I was proving my mettle in Corporate America!  It was a tough ride after sending 355 resumes and doing 16 face-to-face interviews.  Wearing a suit to all the meetings left me feeling fatigued specially when many of the companies displayed a casual dress code environment.

Because I knew that I wasn’t fresh from college and willing to get paid minimum wage, I felt tremendous pressure to convince the people interviewing me that despite my age I could deliver the work, and that if they were looking for an invaluable team player, they absolutely were already face-to-face with The One.

My friend Mary has been out of a job for over three years now.  She is totally sick about it.  She has extensive experience in Human Resources (her specialty) and she knows that these days, the likelihood of getting hired is through the backdoor… via one’s personal contacts… not blindly submitting resumes online.  The hiring folks who receive job applications are overwhelmed and if they had their way, would rather consider employing an applicant highly recommended by an associate or someone they know.  That is most likely the reason that in one company I worked for in the past, referral fees were awarded to associates who recommended applicants who eventually got hired.

To everyone who has been laid off and are still hunting for employment, I highly recommend surrendering your burden to the Good Lord.  As I have experienced, this is the only way you can deal with the stressful difficulty of missing a paycheck.  I know that it’s easier said than done, but if you give up your load to the Almighty Being, the light at the end of the tunnel will soon appear to shine hope and bring joy into your life.  Keep the faith!

Good tips for winter

It's autumn in North America, but in many places winter has already made an appearance.  It is that time of the year when the cold comes unexpectedly and snow makes itself welcome.  So I figure that it's never too early to pass on some cold weather tips.  Thanks to my friend Mary for forwarding these awesome ideas.

SEND THESE TIPS TO YOUR COLD WEATHER FRIEND’S Helpful Hints For Winter

Keep your headlights clear with car wax! Just wipe ordinary car wax on your headlights. It contains special water repellents that will prevent that messy mixture from accumulating on your lights - lasts 6 weeks. 

Squeak-proof your wipers with rubbing alcohol! Wipe the wipers with a cloth saturated with rubbing alcohol or ammonia. This one trick can make badly streaking & squeaking wipers change to near perfect silence & clarity. 

Ice-proof your windows with vinegar! Frost on it's way? Just fill a spray bottle with three parts vinegar to one part water & spritz it on all your windows at night. In the morning, they'll be clear of icy mess. Vinegar contains acetic acid, which raises the melting point of water---preventing water from freezing! 

Prevent car doors from freezing shut with cooking spray! Spritz cooking oil on the rubber seals around car doors & rub it in with a paper towel.  The cooking spray prevents water from melting into the rubber.

Fog-proof your windshield with shaving cream! Spray some shaving cream on the inside of your windshield & wipe if off with paper towels. Shaving cream has many of the same ingredients found in commercial defoggers. 

De-ice your lock in seconds with hand sanitizer! Just put some hand sanitizer gel on the key & the lock & the problems solved!  

Don't take life too seriously

Many thanks to my old-time friend Lina for these endearing snapshots and entertaining piece.

Don't take life so seriously! 

DANCE

KISS A LOT! 

RELAX IN NATURE

HAVE FUN 

AND BE HAPPY!!!!

Today is International Disturbed People's Day.

Please send an encouraging message to a disturbed friend... Just as I've done. 

I don't care if you lick windows,
Take the special bus
Or occasionally pee on yourself..
You hang in there
sunshine, you're special. Every sixty seconds you spend angry, upset or mad, is a full minute of happiness you'll never get back.

Today's Message of the Day is:

Life is short, Break the rules, Forgive quickly, Kiss slowly, Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably, And never regret anything that made you smile.

Do dogs go to heaven?

The dialogue between the church monuments below actually happened somewhere in America.  Thanks to my friend Lina for sharing.

A farmer named Muldoon lived alone in the countryside with a wee dog that he loved and doted on. After many long years of faithful companionship, the dog finally died, so Muldoon went to the parish priest:

"Father, my dear old dog is dead. Could you be saying a Mass for him?"

Father Patrick replied, "I am so very sorry to hear about your dog's death. But, unfortunately, I can't say Mass for the poor creature..."

Muldoon said, "I understand, Father, I do. I guess I'll go to this new denomination down the road; no tellin' what they believe... Do you think $500 is enough to donate for the service?" Father Patrick said, "I did not know that your dog was a Catholic!"  

Do Dogs go to Heaven? Hysterical! Absolutely unreal that this actually happened! These two churches face each other across a busy street.



Who's Hu?

The following cartoons came from Lina (my former high school classmate and forever friend).  I'm sure that the piece was created in the spirit of good humor (I hope!) and I would dread the day that Uncle Sam would have to speak Chinese.

Who's Hu?  You know Who!

Hilarious (Sick sort of way) cartoons on how China will own America one day .....soon.