A Quick Measure Of Creativity

Tonight I took the Divergent Association Task, which measures verbal creativity and divergent thinking in four minutes or less.

The test was developed by Harvard University postdoctoral fellow Dr. Jay A. Olson. It involves listing 10 nouns that are as different from each other as possible. People who are more creative tend to think of words that have greater distances between them.

I tend to overthink things and couldn't believe that I could actually complete the test in less than four minutes, so I timed myself with a stopwatch. The elapsed time from starting to hitting the submit button was 2:15! Scoring was immediate, and based on a calculation of the semantic distance between the words. Most people score between 74 and 82. Mine was 78.

Five years ago today: Heat Ho Hums

A Different After Dinner Drink

During the cool weather part of the year I often drink a cup of herbal or decaffeinated tea in the evening. I enjoy trying new flavors. The last time I was in a fancy tea shop I saw something called barley tea on the shelf.

The associate explained the roasted barley drink was a popular in many Asian countries, particularly Japan, China, and Korea. She said it had no caffeine, and many people find the drink coffee-like in taste. When I found a small bag of Apple Barley teabags in the clearance section I decided to bring it home and give it a try.

I brew my tea a cup at a time, and I'm sure a purist would shudder at my method. After my favorite mug is filled with water I add a tea bag, heat the mug in the microwave, and then let the tea brew for a few minutes before pulling the bag out.

The barley tea is nothing like the light and minty chamomile combinations, invigorating ginger blends,  or the tart and fruity hibiscus-based mixtures I usually drink, but it's a nice change of pace. Its flavor is slightly bitter, toasty, and nutty and the apple taste is barely noticeable.

 How about you? Are you a tea drinker? Have you ever had barley tea (and if so, what did you think of it)?

Five years ago today: Worth A Watch

Commandments for seniors

I'm sure you've heard the old saying "April showers bring May flowers". If that's true, the atmospheric river of rain we're scheduled to get this weekend should mean that there will be blooms everywhere! Newsweek quotes AccuWeather meteorologists, who say that a "1,000-mile swath through the central U.S. could see four months' worth of rain in only five days this week".

While I hunker down inside and stay dry, here are some funnies to ponder:

• The ability to speak several languages is an asset, but the ability to keep your mouth shut in any language is priceless.

• Just once, I want the prompt for username and password to say, “Close enough.”

• Becoming an adult is the dumbest thing I’ve ever done.

• I hate it when I can’t figure out how to operate the iPad and my tech support guy is asleep. He’s 5 and it’s past his bedtime.

• Why do I have to press one for English when you're just going to transfer me to someone I can't understand anyway?

• You don't need anger management. You need people to stop irritating you.

• Even duct tape can't fix stupid – but it sure does muffle the sound.

• Talk to yourself. There are times when you need expert advice.

• Aging has slowed you down, but it hasn't shut you up.

Dawning

Almost a month ago when I rolled out of bed, before Daylight Savings Time started for the year, there was a tiny bit of brightness coming through the blinds. After the time shift, the bedroom went back to being completely dark first thing in the morning. However, I knew that eventually the longer days would come back.

Wikimedia Commons

And they did. Last Saturday I was almost able to find my clothes in the dresser using just natural light, and according to WillyWeather, today's first light was even six minutes earlier than that, so the room was even incrementally brighter. I thought that was exciting, and so did the newly-returned birds I heard chirping outside.

Five years ago today: Take One, Leave One

Meet Me At The Park

A couple of weeks ago the cat rescue Hubby Tony and I foster through offered volunteers the opportunity to attend this afternoon's St. Louis City SC Major League Soccer game as part of the team's community appreciation program. The team just began playing in 2023, and we haven't had a chance to see a match yet. We jumped at the opportunity.

However, for the past few days the meteorologists were warning about potential severe weather in the afternoon (heavy rain, strong wind, very large hail, and possible tornadoes). To us the key word was potential, so we decided not to worry about it. However we did decide to utilize a parking garage some distance away and travel downtown on the Metrolink light rail to keep the car safe just in case the forecasters were correct.

Soccer games don't stop for normal precipitation, and umbrellas are banned in the stadium, so we both brought rain jackets. It was a good thing we did, because on the walk to the stadium it started raining. We pulled out the jackets. Ten minutes later it stopped, and by the time the game started it was sunny. I realized that I hadn't used sunscreen and worried about burning.

I decided to wear a cat shelter logo shirt, but was in the tiny minority that did not have some type of City logo clothing on. However, the shirt was a nice way for other volunteers to identify me. Today's opponent was Austin, represented on the scoreboard as ATX. Tony eventually figured out the initials stood for Austin Texas. Our seats were close to the diehard fan supporters section, where the groups waved flags, sang, chanted, and beat drums during the entire game.

After the first half City was down by one goal. Ten minutes into the second half an announcement was made that there was thunder in the area and play would stop until it passed. The total delay ended up being about 50 minutes. After the game resumed City tried their best, but lost the game 0-1. Tony and I agreed we still had a great time.

Five years ago today: Rules From The Male Side

You're Getting Old!

I was recently introduced to the entertaining website You're Getting Old!, which offers all types of facts about a person's age. The process starts by inputting a birth date:

I found out that I was 24,182 days old. In addition to reading about facts about historical and cultural events that have taken place during my my life I also found out that:

• My age in days equaled those of the singer Adele plus the actress Kristen Stewart added together.

• Sir Arthur Conan Doyle published The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes 24,177 days ago on October 31st, 1892 (which is nearer to my birth date than today).

• Over the years, I've had 2,211 candles on my birthday cakes.

• The moon has orbited the earth 885 times since I was born.

• Out of 100,000 people born on the same day as I was, approximately 78,719 are still living

Five years ago today: Adventures In Yoga, Virtually

It Was Beautiful Day To Learn Something

Last Friday I was reading the calendar section of the paper and saw that Bellefontaine Cemetery and Arboretum was having a Medal of Honor walking tour today. The event description on the cemetary website said:

Join us at the Arboretum on Medal of Honor Day for our special walking tour. During this two-hour walking tour, you will visit the graves of the 10 Medal of Honor recipients laid to rest at Bellefontaine Cemetery and Arboretum.  At each grave, their accomplishments will be read aloud from the submissions made to secure their accommodation. Attendees will carry flags to each burial location and be part of honoring these 10 heroes of our country.

There was nothing on the calendar, so Hubby Tony and I decided to go.

By the time the tour started at 1:30 pm it was sunny and warm enough to just need a fleece jacket. There were approximately 20 people on the tour, and most looked to be approximately my age. I learned that today was one of the two times each year that the medal recipients had the American and Medal of Honor flags next to their graves refreshed. (The other is on Veteran's Day.)

As the tour left the gathering building each person grabbed a flag (either American or Medal of Honor). At each grave, someone carrying an American flag placed it on the left of the tombstone and someone carrying a Medal of Honor flag did the same thing on the right. The tour guide read the official proclamation that listed their accomplishments and provided extra information.

The vast majority of Medal of Honor recipients at the cemetery fought in the Civil War, but there was one from World War I and one from the U.S.-Korean Conflict of 1871, which I hadn't heard of before. At the end of the walk the group dispersed with no fanfare. 

I can't speak for anyone else, but I was glad to have had the opportunity to combine a nice walk with a little bit of history.

Five years ago today: Let There Be Light

I Found A Government Worker Who Gave A Hoot!

It was almost a month ago that I mailed information to Medicare to prove that I had prescription coverage in 2024.

The USPS Priority envelope I sent was supposed to be delivered within five days. On Day Four I checked the USPS website and the envelope was still in transit. I got the same result on Day Five and Day Seven. On Day Ten the message changed to tell me that they weren't sure when the envelope would actually be delivered.

The lack of mailing success and the reported snafus in the federal workforce made me quite pessimistic that anything would get done. Mike left a comment on the original post, which said "I think the government workers that might get fired don't give a hoot right now." My reply was "I agree. However, I have my fingers crossed that I might find the one who does."

Two days ago I received an envelope from my secondary insurance company. I removed the enclosed letter and began reading.... 

In case it's not big enough, the letter says:

Beneficiary Notice of Late Enrollment Penalty Adjustment Report

Medicare notified us that your late enrollment penalty was recently removed. We are writing to notify you of this change and to confirm the late enrollment penalty has been removed.

I was so happy I did a little happy dance in the kitchen, then filed the letter in case I need to prove everything again some time in the future.

Five years ago today: I Am A Cat And I Sleep Wherever I Want

Plant Kingdom Propagation

Last spring Hubby Tony and I went to our city's farmer's market on opening day. There was a band playing, plants and produce for sale, vendors giving out samples. I spun a wheel of chance and won a small starter pot of mint plant.

Near the end of our visit Tony and I were sitting on a retaining wall listening to the music. I looked down and saw several sedum (stonecrop) leaves laying on the ground. I figured I the fallen leaves were fair game and knew they were easy to propagate. I picked them up and brought them home.

Back at the condo, I discovered I had gotten rid of all my flower pots, but I punched some holes in two recycled plastic containers and added soil. The mint went in one container. In the other I laid the sedum leaves on top of the soil. A month later some of the sedum leaves had shriveled up and died, but several had started growing tiny roots. All summer I watered the plants when I remembered to, and when I went out of town I took the containers down to my neighbor's deck.

Surprisingly, the mint never took off. The sedum plants grew, and when a big rainstorm came through a couple of leaves were knocked off and started growing themselves. At the end of the season I had to figure out what to do with the plants. The condo doesn't have any good place for house plants, and I knew there wasn't enough sun for the mint, but since sedum is sometimes grown as a house plant I decided to bring the pot inside and see what happened. It's made it through, but at this point is looking pretty scraggly.

Today, of course, is the first day of spring. Thanks to some above average temperatures a different variety of sedum in the living retaining wall across the street from our building has started to green up for the year. However, since the average last frost date for the area is April 7th I'm going to leave my fabricated houseplant inside until then. I think it will be happy to feel Nature.

Five years ago today: Virtual Fun

Where In The World?

This afternoon I was doing a puzzle where all of the answers were names of countries. There was a list of county names, and the goal was to fit them together on a crossword puzzle grid. Reading down the list most of the countries were familiar, but down near the bottom of the list I saw Tuvalu, which I had never heard of.

A quick internet search told me that Tuvalu is an island country in the Pacific Ocean, about midway between Hawaii and Australia. I started wondering how many other countries I didn't know.

According to the United Nations there are 195 recognized countries in the world. (Two of them are non-members-Vatican City and the State of Palestine.) To find out the country names I scrolled down the list on the World Countries List and found 11 that were new to me.

• Comoros, Djibouti, Mayotte, and Reunion Island are in the Eastern Africa region.
• Guadaloupe is in the Lesser Antiles/Caribbean region
• Kiribati and the Northern Mariana Islands are in the Micronesia/Oceania region
• Pitcairn Island and Wallis and Futuna Islands are in the Polynesia/Oceania region
• Tokelau is in the Oceania/Australia region
• And the Faroe Islands, an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark in Northern Europe
  

Five years ago: The Wearing Of The Green

What A Week!

Every time I've turned around this week there's another notable date on the calendar!

March 11-National COVID-19 Day (The day that the World Health Organization declared COVID a global pandemic. Not exactly a celebratory event, but this meme showed up in my Facebook memories today and still makes me laugh.)

March 14-Pi Day (A celebration of π, the mathematical symbol used to represent a the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter)

Also March 14-314 Day (The original area code for St. Louis is 314, so on this day the city's uniqueness is celebrated)

March 15-Ides of March (The day Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 BCE)

March 17-St. Patrick's Day (A celebration of the patron saint of Ireland. The area hosts two parades-one yesterday and another tomorrow.)

Five years ago: The New (Temporary) Normal

An Untypical Friday

My schedule on Friday is usually pretty predictable. I have a meeting at 9:30, then I run errands on the way home. After lunch I get some type of exercise, then mid-afternoon have a snack and do a crossword puzzle before starting on dinner. After dinner I watch TV/read/surf the web until bedtime.

Today didn't flow anything like that, and it was a great day.

Things started changing on Wednesday. Hubby Tony reminded me that this Friday it was his turn to drive donated sandwiches down to two organizations in the city who feed the homeless. The man who usually volunteers with him was going to be out of town. Tony checked around but was unable to find an alternate volunteer.

Tony and I had decided to eat dinner at a Fish Fry at an alternate church this week. He had come up with the suggestion of St. Alphonsus Liguori "Rock" Catholic Church, a historic Black Catholic church in St. Louis. This one was unique because it took place during the lunch hour and afternoon.

Our original plan was to stop by for an early dinner, but when I realized that it wouldn't be too much of a detour from the sandwich donation stops I told Tony I would go with him and we could have a lunch date.

Everything went according to plan. There was even time to walk through some lovely city neighborhoods after delivering the sandwich but before heading to the church. We arrived at 11:15, and I was surprised to see that the parking lot was already full.

The menu had three types of fish, and could be ordered as a meal (with spaghetti, cole slaw, a piece of bread, and a small slice of cake) or a sandwich. We both passed on the cod, which shows up everywhere, and ordered catfish and jack salmon meals.

The church had a nice delivery system. Ordering was done via a paper menu, which had a two-part ticket attached to it. After paying for the food the cashier tore the ticket in half and handed it to us, saying they would call the number when the food was ready.

The kitchen was also doing a substantial number of carry out orders, so it was a little bit of a wait for our food, but it was worth it. Each meal had two large pieces of fish, so Tony and I shared. Both of them were lightly breaded, freshly fried, and piping hot. The side dishes were fresh and tasty. 

On the way home we passed by a veteran's hospital a large group lined both sides of the street, protesting the Trump Administration’s planned cuts to veterans services. When Tony politely honked his horn the nearby protesters cheered.

The Cat, The Mice, And Heaven

One day a cat dies of natural causes and goes to Heaven, where he meets the Lord.

The Lord says to the cat, "You lived a good life, and if there is any way I can make your stay in Heaven more comfortable please let me know."

The cat thinks for a moment and says, "Lord, all my life I have lived with a poor family and had to sleep on a hard wooden floor."

The Lord stops the cat and says, "Say no more," and a wonderful, fluffy pillow appears. A few days later, six mice are killed in a tragic farming accident. All of them go to heaven. Again, the Lord is there to greet them with the same offer.

The mice answer, "All our lives we have been chased. We have had to run from cats, dogs, and even women with brooms. Running, running, running; we're tired of running. Do you think we could have roller skates so that we don't have to run anymore?"

The Lord says, "Say no more" and fits each mouse with beautiful new roller skates.

About a week later, the Lord stops by to see the cat and finds him snoozing on the pillow.

The Lord gently wakes the cat and asks him, "How are things since you got here?"

The cat stretches and yawns, then replies, "It is wonderful here. Better than I could have ever expected. And those 'Meals On Wheels' you've been sending by are the best!"

Five years ago today: Wash Those Hands!

Reclaiming Some Shut-eye

Did you know that the Monday after the return of Daylight Saving Time in most parts of the United States is National Napping Day, meant to make up for the hour of sleep that we lost due to the time change?

I participated in the unofficial holiday, but only partly because of the time change. On Saturday night I was dead tired and in bed long before normal. The last thing I did was set my bedside clock to the time it would be changing to.

I woke up Sunday morning refreshed, and hopeful that my health was back to normal, but as the day unfolded I found myself taking several short naps, and last night I had trouble falling asleep. 

Today I was determined to get my sleep schedule back on track. However, mid-afternoon I had trouble keeping my eyes open, so I set my phone timer for 15 minutes and crawled into bed, which was enough to keep me going. The extra sunlight after dinner also helped.

I've done my part, and hope that tomorrow my schedule is completely reset.

Five years ago today: Time Change Woes

Full Service

Tomorrow night is Hubby Tony's turn to host his friends for poker. This afternoon I tagged along while he purchased the food and snacks.

The first stop was a warehouse club, where Tony grabbed a chicken pot pie from the prepared food section and bags of salad from the refrigerated area. The temperature outside was warm enough that we stopped by the house to drop off the perishable things before heading out again, this time to a local chain grocery store. I pushed the cart and Tony took charge. Ten minutes later the cart held a selection of drinks, sweet and savory snack foods, dinner rolls, and dessert.

One of us is normally at the grocery store every few days, which means there are just a couple of items and we use the self-serve checkout. Today's larger purchase required the use of a cashier. Tony took charge of putting everything on the conveyor belt, then handed off the bags to the bagger.

The cashier had scanned a third of the items when he stopped, explaining that the computer had flagged one of them as expired. It wouldn't let him sell the item, so he had to find and remove it. The item turned out to be the dinner rolls, which should have been pulled from the shelf three days ago. There was no indication of mold, but also no way to know how stale the rolls would have been.

I wonder what would have happened if Tony had scanned his own purchases?

Five years ago: The Blog Post Can Wait

Taking Life One Day At A Time

I am thrilled to report that even though I still have less pep in my step then normal I have been fever-free for 48 hours!

I ended up making a second trip to an urgent care (this time one connected to hospital system of my primary care physician, which was closed over the weekend). There I got a breathing treatment and a prescription for an inhaler. The next day, either the bronchodilators were working or I had finally enough antibiotics in my system to feel substantially better. 

My fever-free milestone means that I can go out in public and not worry about sharing my pneumonia germs with the public. However, I'm not quite ready for prime time yet. I am constantly coughing/blowing my nose, which is annoying for both me and other people. 

Because of my symptoms I'm taking life one day at a time. I've cancelled a volunteer commitment for tomorrow night, and need to decide what to do about a girl's night out on Saturday. The rest of my commitments will fall into line...or not.

When Dessert Doesn't Sound Good I Know I'm Sick!

You may be aware that Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, is tomorrow. The day before Ash Wednesday is known as Fat Tuesday, Mardi Gras, or Shrove Tuesday (in any culture, a a day noted for its emphasis on excess).

I love celebrating Mardi Gras, but this year not much is going to happen. Even after four days of antibiotics for a diagnosed bacterial pneumonia, little has changed. Google tells me that for healthy people the symptoms usually improve within 48 hours of starting treatment, but I guess I was too optimistic.

I did not get out the large bag of beads, and did not dress the table with the traditional purple, green, and gold. Dinner will be leftovers of the lovely red beans and rice that Hubby Tony cooked on Sunday. He will include cornbread and dessert with his meal. I will not.

Five years ago today: A Very Red Sign Of Spring

Indisposed

Earlier in the week I reported that my health was problematic during my recent vacation. I went to the gym for a Pilates class on Wednesday, but my cough started ramping up and I cancelled the Aqua Zumba class on Thursday. Yesterday I Zoomed into my standing meeting so I wouldn't distract other people. The weather was lovely, so Hubby Tony and I went to a nearby park (so I could social distance myself) and walked. At the end of the 45 minutes I was beat, which usually doesn't happen. For the rest of the day I drank warm water, herbal tea, and tea with honey and lemon. I gargled with saltwater, and steamed my sinuses. Nothing offered more than temporary relief. Last night was almost constant coughing.

When I woke up today I thought maybe things were better, but after breakfast I was researching urgent care centers. There, I was surprised to find out I had a fever, but was COVID- and influenza-free. However, I had a bacterial infection.

I came home with prescriptions for two types of antibiotics and a cough suppressant, and directions to stay home for at least 48 hours or until my fever goes away. Today the living room couch and bed have been my best friends, and probably will be tomorrow too.

If you don't see me for a while at least you'll know why.

Five years ago today: Comments Made In 1957

Insurance Issues

Shortly after the beginning of the year an official-looking envelope from my health insurance company showed up in the mailbox. When I opened it there was a letter that said that as far as Medicare was concerned I may have had a gap in prescription drug coverage for several months in 2024.

I knew that wasn't correct. Hubby Tony has good retiree insurance (which includes drug coverage). Each time I picked up a prescription all I had to pay was a small co-pay.

The letter said “If you did have prescription drug coverage you may be able to avoid the penalty by returning the enclosed form”. I filled out the form and took it to the post office the next day. Before I put the envelope in the slot I took a date and time stamped photo so I had proof.

Rawpixel

A month later I received a second letter that was identical to the first except for the deadline, which had been pushed back two weeks. As I had already mailed the information, I called the number listed on the form for guidance. I was told by an associate that there was no need to send it again.

This week I was quite upset to receive a third letter. It said that Medicare had determined that because they hadn't heard from me they were imposing a Part D (prescription) late enrollment penalty.

WTF!

I don't know if the insurance company or Medicare dropped the ball, but either way the outcome was unacceptable.

After spending some time yelling and screaming, I got busy proving them wrong. I filled out the Part D Late Enrollment Penalty (LEP) Reconsideration Request Form. Tony went to the health insurance website and downloaded a copy of the IRS document 1095-B which showed I was covered for the entire year. I also downloaded the details of my 2024 prescription claims and included that spreadsheet.

The documentation was to be sent to a third-party compliance company. I doubt that the person who opened the mail there would care about my predicament, but I also wrote a cover letter that included the details about the first two communications.

This morning I walked up to the post office, where I paid for a Priority envelope so I would have proof that it was delivered. Now I get to wait and see if they try to give me the runaround.

Five years ago today: If You Can't Find It New, Make It From Old

Aloha And More

The summer temperatures had barely cooled off last fall when Hubby Tony and I were invited to join Son Brian's family for a midwinter break trip to Hawaii again this year. It didn't take us long to accept.

Last year we visited Son Tony in the Central Valley before flying with them to Oahu, then did some couple's activities after saying goodbye to Brian's family.

This year Tony and I scheduled time on Oahu before Brian's family arrived. We explored the city, toured Pearl Harbor, bought multi-day passes to a hop on, hop off trolley and rode several of the routes. We ate our way around town-Hawaiian dishes, seafood, udon, ramen, as well as sandwiches, burgers, and pizza.

Once Brian's family arrived we packed up our things and moved to a resort complex where we spent a lot of time waterside-both at the pool and the beach. Unfortunately, I picked up some bug which kept me company off and on the rest of the trip. I spent time by myself resting, then rejoined the family as my body would allow.

We flew back to San Jose with Brian's family, then got a rental car and drove to Son Tony's house to hang out with his family. There we went to the park, got invited to an informal family party, and went to church with them. All too soon it was time to pack the car back up and head to the airport for the flight home.

Five years ago today: They Don't Call It Fat Tuesday For Nothing

Notes To Myself

I may or may not have needed all of these reminders in the past month 🤣

• Stop spending more money on things to get free shipping.

• Your coffee is still in the microwave.

•  Don't throw the box with the directions away until the assembly is 100% done.

•  Your glasses are on top of your head.

• Your phone is in your back pocket.

• Wearing headphones does not make your farts silent.

• Just because it pops into your head doesn't mean it needs to come out of your mouth.

• Don't use your phone as a flashlight to look for your phone.

• You're never going to remember to do that thing later. Do it now and cross it off the list.

Animal Trivia

How many of these did you know?

• Birds do not urinate.

• The bat is the only mammal capable of flight. Its leg bones are so thin that it cannot walk.

• Despite their fluffy white fur, Polar Bears actually have black skin.

• The average housefly lives only 2 to 3 weeks.

• Alligators and sharks can live for up to 100 years.

• A honeybee has two stomachs: one for honey and one for food.

• A blue whale’s heart is the size of a car.

• A cockroach can survive for about a week without its head before dying of starvation.

• When a dolphin is sick or injured, its cries of distress prompt other dolphins to assist, helping it surface to breathe.

• A snail can sleep for up to 3 years.

• A cow produces nearly 200,000 glasses of milk in her lifetime.

• The average outdoor cat lives only 3 years, while indoor-only cats can live 16 years or longer.

• A mosquito’s proboscis has 47 sharp edges to help it cut through skin and even protective clothing.

• Flamingos are not born pink. They hatch with white or gray feathers and develop their pink color over time as they eat certain foods

• Koalas have fingerprints that are nearly identical to humans.

• Crocodiles can gallop like horses

• Otters “hold hands” while sleeping, so they don’t float away from each other.

• The smell of a skunk is powerful enough for a human to smell it up to 3.5 miles (5.6 km) away.

Five years ago today: What's The Secret Word?

I Wonder What Was Going Through His Head?

The last time I was watching the show Big Cats 24/7 Foster Cat Pimento was sleeping on my lap. All of a sudden one of the cat's vocalizings caught his attention. He jumped down, stalked across the room, and raised himself up on two legs to see what was going on.

 He stayed there for about 30 seconds before he dropped back down and sauntered away.

Just What I Needed To Read Today

A Facebook friend posted this on her wall, and the thoughts resonated with me.

I have a big-tent understanding of God, so feel free to substitute your own name for him/her - YHWH, Allah, Universal Energy, or something else.

Five years ago: Really, Mom?

The Value Of A Smile

This was written by Frank Irving Fletcher, a prominent advertising writer, and in the 1936 book How to Win Friends & Influence People Dale Carnegie included it in the chapter on "A Simple Way to Make a Good First Impression."

The Value of a Smile

 

A smile costs nothing, but gives much.

It enriches those who receive,

without making poorer those who give.

It takes but a moment,

but the memory of it sometimes lasts forever. 

 

None is so rich or mighty that he can get along without it.

and none is so poor but that he can be made rich by it.

A smile creates happiness in the home,

fosters good will in business,

and is the countersign of friendship.

It brings rest to the weary,

cheer to the discouraged,

sunshine to the sad,

and is nature’s best antidote for trouble. 

 

Yet it cannot be bought, begged, borrowed, or stolen,

for it is something that is of no value to anyone

until it is given away.

some people are too tired to give you a smile.

Give them one of yours,

as none needs a smile so much as he who has no more to give.

Five years ago today: Real? Or Not?

Stand Up Straight!

It sounds crazy, but did you know that if you sit and stand with good posture you can be happier and healthier?

Your brain is constantly receiving messages from your body, and even simple things like how you move can make a difference. As people get older they tend to slouch, which tells your brain that something is wrong, and it's harder to have positive thoughts. Good posture (a straight back, shoulders back,and the head directly over the shoulders) boosts your confidence and reduces stress and fatigue

Five years ago today: Doing It Right

Something We Can All Agree On (Unless You're A Vampire)

Most mornings Hubby Tony and I get up about the same time. I take the first shower. He feeds the cat, opens up the blinds in the main part of the house, and starts the coffee. However, on Fridays he goes to Mass and then meets up with some friends. He is gone before I roll out of bed. 

This morning I came into the kitchen at approximately 6:45 and noticed the room was less than completely dark. I could even see the house that's across the arterial street. When I checked my weather app it told me that first light this morning was at 6:35 am.

The days are getting longer. Hallelujah!

Wikipedia

Ever Had One Of Those Days

Where your eating habits are like this (AKA The Stress Diet)?

 

BREAKFAST

½ grapefruit

1 slice whole wheat toast

8 oz. low-fat or skim milk

 

LUNCH

4 oz chicken breast, no skin

1 cup steamed spinach

1 Oreo cookie

Herbal tea

 

MID-AFTERNOON SNACK

rest of the package of Oreos

1 quart rocky road ice cream

hot fudge, nuts, cherries, whipped cream

 

DINNER

loaf of cheese garlic bread 

large pepperoni and mushroom pizza

pitcher of Diet Pepsi

2 Milky Way candy bars

 

LATE EVENING NEWS

Entire Frozen Cheesecake eaten directly from the freezer 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Five years ago today: What Am I? Not Chopped Liver

"Holidays"

The National Today website lists 26 holidays for February 2. Some are well known, like Groundhog Day. (Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, which predicts 6 more weeks of winter).  In addition, if you were so inclined you could celebrate people, animals, nature, food items, religious and cultural observances, and more. Out of all of them, I concentrated on three.

• When I went to church last night it turns out I observed one of them. In the Catholic church the Saturday evening vigil mass uses the Sunday readings, and this week was the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple. Centuries ago the feast became associated with candles and in some countries is called Candlemas Day (As a bonus, after the final blessing there was also an opportunity to get my throat blessed with two crossed candles, something that is associated with Saint Blaise day on February 3.)

• After learning that it was California Kiwifruit Day I went to the kitchen and grabbed one out of the refrigerator. According to the label mine actually came from Greece, but even if it wasn't from California the sweet, tart, and juicy fruit is always appreciated.

• Because it was Self Renewal Day, I decided to concentrate on self-care. Mid-morning Hubby Tony and I took a nice walk. The weather was lovely, so when we got home I cracked open a couple of windows to air the house out and enjoy the outside sounds. After lunch I went and got my hair cut, then went to the store to buy the shoe insoles that make my fussy feet happy. Back at home I finalized my goals for the month, then decluttered my office and enjoyed looking at the nice clean space. I also took care of myself by not celebrating Tater Tot Day, Yorkshire Pudding Day, Crepe Day, or Heavenly Hash Day

Five years ago: Adventures In Diet Ruining

Only For Today

I was going through a pile of papers today and came across this gem written by Pope Saint John XXIII - a set of spiritual goals he called "Only for Today". The paper looked like it came from a church bulletin, but which church and when I got it I don't have a clue.

Only for today, I will seek to live the livelong day positively without wishing to solve the problems of my life all at once.

Only for today, I will take the greatest care of my appearance: I will dress modestly; I will not raise my voice; I will be courteous in my behaviour; I will not criticize anyone; I will not claim to improve or to discipline anyone except myself.

Only for today, I will be happy in the certainty that I was created to be happy, not only in the other world but also in this one.

Only for today, I will adapt to circumstances, without requiring all circumstances to be adapted to my own wishes.

Only for today, I will devote 10 minutes of my time to some good reading, remembering that just as food is necessary to the life of the body, so good reading is necessary to the life of the soul.

Only for today, I will do one good deed and not tell anyone about it.

Only for today, I will do at least one thing I do not like doing; and if my feelings are hurt, I will make sure that no one notices.

Only for today, I will make a plan for myself: I may not follow it to the letter, but I will make it. And I will be on guard against two evils: hastiness and indecision.

Only for today, I will firmly believe, despite appearances, that the good Providence of God cares for me as no one else who exists in this world.

Only for today, I will have no fears. In particular, I will not be afraid to enjoy what is beautiful and to believe in goodness. Indeed, for 12 hours I can certainly do what might cause me consternation were I to believe I had to do it all my life.

What The Heck!?!

I had to take Foster Cat Pimento for one last set of blood work to close the door on his illness. The vet assigned by the cat shelter is a half-hour drive from our condo. The doctors fit the shelter cats in around other patients, so I was instructed to drop Pimento off between 7:75- 8:00 am. They would call me when it was time to pick him up.

I've gone to the clinic enough times that I don't need driving directions, but right before I left the house I pulled up the location on Google Maps to figure out how long it would take to get there. The time suggestion was perfect, and I pulled into the lot two minutes before the appointed time.

After saying goodbye to Pimento I headed towards a nearby thrift store outlet (where you pay by the pound) for a thrifting adventure. This time I needed to rely on Google Maps, but after two blocks I discovered a problem. Google wanted me to go straight through an intersection, but across the intersection the street turned into one way!

I knew enough about the area that turning right seemed logical. Maps recalculated and gave me a new route, but when I arrived at the new suggested turn I saw that street was also one way. As was the next suggested one. Eventually I came to a street I was pretty sure would get me there. It did, although ultimately my trip took twice as long as Google said it would.

Five years ago today: SO True!

Long-Distance Birthday Greetings

I recently learned that Son Tony's MIL (wife Ie's mom) is celebrating a milestone birthday soon. She lives with one of her sons not too far from Tony and his family in California. I've met her several times, and she is a very nice person. However, there is a pretty big language barrier between us; she immigrated with her family to the US from Southeast Asia after the Vietnam War and her English is still broken.

Hubby Tony and I wanted to do something to celebrate the event, so we went to a local store and bought a card with the a representation of the Gateway Arch, the landmark synonymous with St. Louis. Inside I wrote Happy Birthday from St. Louis Missouri, and added our names.

I put the card into the envelope, but didn't seal it. Instead, I slid the envelope into a larger one and added a note to Ie, asking her if she could translate our words and add them to the card before giving it to her mom.

Semi-Snowy

Slowly but surely the snow and ice that have been making my life miserable for the past two and a half weeks is going away. Yesterday it got up to 50° F, which felt wonderful. Although today was forecast to be 15° lower than that Hubby Tony and I decided it was warm enough to walk up to the grocery store and get a couple of things for dinner.

Because this area only has a big snow event every few years, my collection of winter weather gear isn't particularly robust, but my heavy coat, gloves, and a scarf around my neck turned out to be enough to keep me mostly warm. The weak link was my footwear. My feet slip around in my snow boots (so they aren't good for extensive walking), but my hiking boots are just water resistant (not waterproof).

Although Tony and I have been driving today's walking route on a regular basis it it harder to see details when you're tooling by at 35 miles per hour. We quickly found out that some of the sidewalks were perfectly clean and dry, while others were still snow or ice covered. Each intersection had a hump where the plows had pushed the snow they removed from the road. 

After almost slipping on some ice I learned to move over to the grass or step onto the street whenever the sidewalk looked dangerous. At intersections I paused to figuree out the best way to navigate the snow humps, which sometimes meant over and sometimes around.

By the time we got to the store my feet were cold and damp. To distract myself from thinking about it I watched the scenery as I passed, and tried to figure out why the snow had melted from some yards but not others.

On the way home it had warmed up enough that some of the snow was starting to melt. The forecast calls for above-freezing weather the next ten days, so hopefully my next walk to the grocery store will be on concrete-colored sidewalks.

Five years ago today: Permanent Address Finder

Pretty Darn Good

On Christmas I made a tasty savory baklava. The casserole took about two thirds of a package of filo dough, and I froze the rest for a future use.

 Tuesday night I was having trouble figuring out what to have for dinner on Wednesday. There was a head of red cabbage in the refrigerator, and I wondered if I could somehow pair it with the filo. The internet was full of recipes for the two ingredients, but most of them were variations of the same recipe, which I decided was too much work for me. I decided to recreate the baklava with a different filling. The filo needed to thaw in the refrigerator for 12 hours, so I did that on the way to bed.

I chopped vegetables in the morning before I left for the gym, then waited until mid-afternoon to start cooking. The original recipe had two different mixtures but I chose to mix everything together. After sauteing the onion and garlic I added chopped cabbage, broth, and spices (cumin, chili powder, and salt/pepper) and simmered until the cabbage was soft. I drained the cabbage, then tossed in a can of black beans, some chopped walnuts, golden raisins, and breadcrumbs. When the mixture cooled I added some crumbled feta.

I figured out that half of a filo sheet was large enough to cover a 13x9 pan. The secret to wonderful layers of filo is melted butter in between each sheet. After the base was in pace I dumped half of the filling on top, then repeated the process of filo and filling, adding a top layer of filo sheets. The final step was to cut the baklava into pieces and sprinkle with sesame seed. After 45 minutes in the oven dinner was ready.

Six servings equals three meals

This batch of baklava was a little crumbly, but it still tasted wonderful. We had leftovers tonight and I froze the last two pieces for an easy dinner down the line.

Five years ago: Digital Dactylogram

Oh, Ben!

 The other day I wrote about Ben Franklin and his thirteen self-improvement virtues. Several of the comments talked about how he didn't do such a good job of being chaste, and Strayer mentioned a new-to-me Franklin letter called Advice to a Young Man on the Choice of a Mistress. 

I read it and was shocked. Even with Ben's reputation I couldn't believe that something like this was ever accepted. Wikipedia said that scholars have been unable to determine if Franklin was serious, or if the letter was ever sent. It was subject to censorship and 19th century obscenity laws. By the mid-20th century, though, the letter was cited as a reason to overturn the laws.

What do you think?

Advice to a Friend on Choosing a Mistress 

 June 25, 1745 

My dear Friend, I know of no Medicine fit to diminish the violent natural Inclinations you mention; and if I did, I think I should not communicate it to you. Marriage is the proper Remedy. It is the most natural State of Man, and therefore the State in which you are most likely to find solid Happiness. Your Reasons against entring into it at present, appear to me not well-founded. The circumstantial Advantages you have in View by postponing it, are not only uncertain, but they are small in comparison with that of the Thing itself, the being married and settled. It is the Man and Woman united that make the compleat human Being. Separate, she wants his Force of Body and Strength of Reason; he, her Softness, Sensibility and acute Discernment. Together they are more likely to succeed in the World. A single Man has not nearly the Value he would have in that State of Union. He is an incomplete Animal. He resembles the odd Half of a Pair of Scissars. If you get a prudent healthy Wife, your Industry in your Profession, with her good Œconomy, will be a Fortune sufficient.

But if you will not take this Counsel, and persist in thinking a Commerce with the Sex inevitable, then I repeat my former Advice, that in all your Amours you should prefer old Women to young ones. You call this a Paradox, and demand my Reasons. They are these:

1. Because as they have more Knowledge of the World and their Minds are better stor’d with Observations, their Conversation is more improving and more lastingly agreable.
2. Because when Women cease to be handsome, they study to be good. To maintain their Influence over Men, they supply the Diminution of Beauty by an Augmentation of Utility. They learn to do a 1000 Services small and great, and are the most tender and useful of all Friends when you are sick. Thus they continue amiable. And hence there is hardly such a thing to be found as an old Woman who is not a good Woman.
3. Because there is no hazard of Children, which irregularly produc’d may be attended with much Inconvenience.
4. Because thro’ more Experience, they are more prudent and discreet in conducting an Intrigue to prevent Suspicion. The Commerce with them is therefore safer with regard to your Reputation. And with regard to theirs, if the Affair should happen to be known, considerate People might be rather inclin’d to excuse an old Woman who would kindly take care of a young Man, form his Manners by her good Counsels, and prevent his ruining his Health and Fortune among mercenary Prostitutes.
5. Because in every Animal that walks upright, the Deficiency of the Fluids that fill the Muscles appears first in the highest Part: The Face first grows lank and wrinkled; then the Neck; then the Breast and Arms; the lower Parts continuing to the last as plump as ever: So that covering all above with a Basket, and regarding only what is below the Girdle, it is impossible of two Women to know an old from a young one. And as in the dark all Cats are grey, the Pleasure of corporal Enjoyment with an old Woman is at least equal, and frequently superior, every Knack being by Practice capable of Improvement.
6. Because the Sin is less. The debauching a Virgin may be her Ruin, and make her for Life unhappy.
7. Because the Compunction is less. The having made a young Girl miserable may give you frequent bitter Reflections; none of which can attend the making an old Woman happy.
8. [thly and Lastly] They are so grateful!! 

Thus much for my Paradox. But still I advise you to marry directly; being sincerely Your affectionate Friend.

Old Ben Had It Right

In Benjamin Franklin's autobiography, he lists thirteen self-improvement virtues. Each week he would focus on a different one and try to become a better person. Today, although some of the wording on his list could be updated (there are certainly additional role models for humility than Jesus and Socrates, and as Debra pointed out Ben was notorious for not being able to keep his private parts in his pants) he was honest about his imperfection. I still think the list is still a great thing to strive towards.

1. TEMPERANCE. Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.

2.  SILENCE. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.

3. ORDER. Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.

4. RESOLUTION. Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.

5. FRUGALITY. Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.

6. INDUSTRY. Lose no time; be always employed in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.

7. SINCERITY. Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.

8. JUSTICE. Wrong none by doing injuries or omitting the benefits that are your duty.

9. MODERATION. Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.

10. CLEANLINESS. Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes, or habitation.

11. TRANQUILLITY. Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.

12.  CHASTITY. Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another’s peace or reputation.

13. HUMILITY. Imitate Jesus and Socrates.

Five years ago today: What A Pain In The (Finger)!

First-World Winter Weather Issues

It's been years since my area has experienced a major winter storm like the one that came through ten days ago, which dropped thick layers of snow and sleet on the area. That was followed by a smaller storm five days later which left several additional inches of snow. Thanks to the layer of sleet and temperatures too cold for ice-melting chemicals to work things are still not up to snuff.

Depending on where you live, there are multiple entities responsible for clearing the roads-the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) for interstates and state routes, St. Louis City or County for large arterial and subdivision streets, Municipal street departments if the street happens to be inside a city's boundaries, or commercial companies for private streets.

The small sections I traverse on a regular basis are probably better than most, although there is one left turn lane on a major road that still has a thick layer of ice on it. The plows moved the snow off the main driving lanes, but pushed it off to the side such that on-street parking is impossible. And the sidewalks are also covered with that same pushed off snow so you have to take your chances walking along the reduced-width street. There has been some thawing and refreezing, which makes that walking quite dangerous.

Once the roads were clear potholes started popping up in the streets, some of them large enough to damage the car's wheels or alignment. All I can do is try to watch where I'm driving and hope there's not a car in the other lane if I have to swerve quickly.

A third issue is in parking lots, where the plows concentrated on removing snow off the driving lanes and pushing the snow into piles and around the perimeter. Now there are tall piles of snow partially blocking many of the parking spaces. Most lots have so many spaces unavailable people are getting aggressive trying to park their vehicle.

It's supposed to get substantially above freezing over the weekend, which should allow a lot of the snow to melt. I can't wait!

Not Earth Shattering, But Still Enjoyable

The Internet is an endless source of enlightenment.

Today I learned about Landsat, which is a joint program of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Since 1972 the program has launched a series of satellites that continuously capture images of the Earth's surface.

The NASA Landsat Science website has a lot of important scientific material. And some not so significant, but an awful lot of fun. One of the pages is called Your Name In Landsat. When you type a name into the box and click the Enter button, the page returns a set of images that mirror the letters in the name.

'Kathy' - can you see it?

Five years ago today: Home Sweet (New) Home