Slacklining

Slacking is for slackers, slackliners, that is. I think it’s one of those sports I’d classify as similar to skateboarding and skitching that appeals to young guys (and girls) of a certain age category, of which I am no longer a member, and which has as its major element a talent for balance, another area I where I find myself lacking. Slacklining is a relatively new extreme sport (many varieties appear to have gained in popularity beginning the 2000’s timeline-wise) that consists of balancing nylon or polyester webbing tensioned between two anchor points. Unlike wire walking or tight rope walking the webbing used is one or two inches wide and flat, and as the name implies, slack. The looser tension makes it easier to do tricks as if performing on a very narrow trampoline. There are different styles of slacklining, like urbanlining, tricklining, waterlining, and highlining, all pretty obvious to understand by their style names. There is even a type of yoga practiced on slacklines sometimes called Slacksana (I have a difficult enough time with yoga poses on the ground but go figure). I should also mention freestyle slacking which includes a lot of swinging since the slackline used in this style is tension free. Lastly there is slacklining as therapy that improves kinesthetic awareness, mental drive and can provide anxiety relief (I am questioning the latter).  You can set up your own slackline between a couple of trees using wraps of webbing with two carabiners, a ratchet (conventional meaning- a tool), a comealong, a carabiner pulley system, or a roped pulley system. Another option is simply to purchase a commercial slacklining kit (50% off on Amazon.com).

I’ve never considered taking up slacklining, but maybe I could if the line was just an inch or two off the ground. Nah, even at that my balance isn't that good….and me, a slacker?  That's just ratchet!

Snipe Signs

When the words, snipe signs, caught my eye my first thought was, Dang, those birds really are real and maybe snipe signs are what they keep leaving on my car when I don’t return the cart to the proper place in the Wal Mart parking lot! Here I always thought they were either figments of overly enthusiastic Boy Scout types’ imaginations or supposedly living at the beach or in campgrounds or something. Then I read on to find out that snipe signs are actually those little advertising signs on wires stuck in the ground, often in the grassy median or on or near the shoulder of the road. The other thing about snipe signs is that they are illegal, and this includes improperly placed political snipe signs.

I was thinking at this point about doing a little political sniping myself, considering the looming ominous cloud of sequestration creeping over us, but figure I can save that for another blog. I also gave a brief thought about to Dangle, Snipe, and Celly and decided against using that here too.

 Most snipe signs are little distractors just trying to get the name of a company or candidate in front of you as you drive along. Other signage considered snipe are yard sale signs, lost cat or dog signs, and most signs, handmade and handwritten or manufactured and printed on plastic, vinyl, metal, cardboard or wood, attached to poles along the roadside or at busy intersections. I'm not sure about how helpful they are as advertising goes either, but as soon as I call this number and “Get Cash!” I’m gonna call and spend it to “Lose Weight!” then head on over to the “Wee Pub-Military Discount Wednesdays” and celebrate! 

“Because It’s There”

“Because it’s there,” was the answer George Mallory gave when asked why he wanted to climb Mount Everest in 1924. His repeated attempts were not successful and he died on Everest in 1924 at the age of 38.

Mount Everest is the Earth's highest mountain, located in the Himalayas, and its highest peak looms more than 29000 feet above sea level. Only fifty years ago (1963) the first Americans climbed to the top, ten years after Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, the first climbers ever to reach Everest’s summit. Four surviving members of the expedition, Norm Dyhrenfurth, now age 94, Jim Whittaker, 84, Tom Hornbein, 82, and Dave Dingman, 76, were recently reunited in honor of the 50^th anniversary of their accomplishment. Dave Dingman is the only one of the group that never actually made it to the summit. Instead he belayed four other climbers that were stuck out in the open back down to the relative safety of their base camp. Fifty years ago the team reunited at the White House as President John F. Kennedy presented them with the National Geographic Society's highest honor, the Hubbard Medal.

In the fifty years since the first Americans successfully scaled the Earth’s highest mountain there’s been an explosion in mountaineering type extreme sports. Maybe that’s why it seems to me the anniversary wasn't met with much fanfare. We only need turn to You Tube to view daring attempts to out ski avalanches, snow boarders jumping from helicopters to race down powdery slopes, and the like. You can go rock climbing on cruise ships and even in St. Marys during some of the festivals that come around each year, on man made rock walls.  

The quote, “Because it’s there,” is really what’s got me thinking this morning about obstacles in my life I've been ignoring (going around, actually) and how maybe I should quit looking for reasons, rationalizations, and excuses, and just get to work conquering them, especially since it’s been raining steadily for the last two days precluding my escape to the dog park. House cleaning here I come…because it’s there (messes don’t go away on their own). And I figure I will survive this attempt.

Once more I am on the receiving end of another Random Act of Kindness

This year I pledged myself to committing 96 random acts of kindness, which I figured divided up to about two per week. In the January update I found myself behind in my plan by one act. Here February is almost over and once again I am short one but there are 10 more months left for 2013 so I have time to catch up. The important thing I have found is that figuring out when and where I can commit random acts of kindness requires a small shift in mindset for me. I have to think about kindness or opportunities pass me by. A couple of times I have realized this in hindsight. I think it may be because taking the time to be kind to a stranger is not the same as the everyday kindness we practice with friends and family. Committing an act of kindness for a stranger is also more than civility or tolerance, though both are good beginnings. One thing I can say about implementing my pledge is I am more aware than ever when I am a recipient of a random act of kindness so that’s what I am blogging about in these monthly updates.

Wednesdays are Spaghetti Nights at our house, and have been for years, but even though I put the meatballs and sauce on in the crockpot in the morning, (and I fill a pot of water for the pasta in the morning and set it on the stove too so all I have to do is turn on the burner at the last minute) I still find myself rushing as the day goes on to get the weekly meal event coordinated. At a minimum of at least one Wednesday each month I rush out to Hilliard to pick up two grandsons (got to be there by 4pm) so they can enjoy the family time with us too. I also drop off a child support money order which I purchase each time (yes, at the last minute) at the Flash Foods on Hwy 40 on my way out of town. Since it takes me 45 minutes to get to Hilliard I always find myself at the Flash at dismissal time for the St. Marys Middle School, along with lots of busy traffic, waiting in a line in the store, and being flagged down by another grandson and his buddies for a quick side tracking trip home (just under the 1.8 mile distance that would make them eligible for the school bus). And there is always a cop parked in front of the Flash which seemed to trigger a neon guilty sign on my forehead as I tried giving a friendly little wave while making sure my blinker was on etc. as I was distracted by a random worry over whether or not my driver’s license is in my purse. Since I was in the strip mall parking lot I figured at best I didn’t have to worry about speeding. With three teenaged boys (one a major backseat driver, one turning up the radio, and all talking at the same time) in my car, I began to cautiously back out of my parking space in front of the store, thinking about the left hand turn I would be making during a peak traffic time, and the cars pulling in and out from the gas pumps, the kids getting a snack after school (pedestrians), and the cop, when I looked in my rear view mirror and saw a smiling face straddling his bicycle (I reflected later on the fact that he doesn't drive) waving his arms and nodding like an airport worker with those red flashlights backing out a 747 from the gate, clearly giving me the signals to get me out of there safely. I know this act of kindness was random because I saw the dawn of recognition make this man’s smile grow even larger as he realized I was someone he knew when I shouted my thanks to him from my open car window. Despite the fact that I drive like an old lady, I made it to Hilliard on time (with a lead foot) to pick up the boys and get back in time to turn on the water to boil for my favorite meal of the week.  Once again I had the gift of time to spend enjoying family and friends…… and garlic bread, with the help of a random act of kindness. 

Dog Parking in St. Marys

At Tommy Casey Memorial Dog Park in St. Marys the trees aren't the only things with bark and there are lots of trees. The park is named after a child who loved dogs and loved to see them run free. Dedicated in his memory, TCMDP is just such a place. The park is a completely fenced spacious mix of shade and sun with lots of room for dogs to run. There are benches for human visitors (and a picnic table), an obstacle course (doggie playground), a water spigot (next time I am bringing a collapsible bowl), trash cans and bags for the necessary clean up, and did I mention trees? There are more trees than my dog Fred, with what I thought was an unlimited bladder, could water but I must admit he gave it a valiant effort. Fred and his friend Lulu and other pack members Joey and Holly had a great time at TCMDP. I did too. Fred surprised me with his ability and agility on the course equipment. The even bigger shocker was that he actually came when I called him. That never happens when he sneaks past the front door at our house for a jaunt through our neighborhood. TCMDP is located at the dead end of Ashley Street (the Dilworth side) adjacent to the old St. Marys pool and the ball fields. The park rules are clearly posted at the entrance. I know I will be visiting often with my four legged pals and I hope that more people will discover it too, for the happiness of their companions. St. Marys has been my home for many years and it has grown and changed a lot over time. Having this beautiful dog park lets everyone know we are a pet friendly town in addition to being great place for families. I mentioned it to a friend that’s lived here most of her life and she didn’t know we had a dog park. I guess what I’m trying to say is you won’t be barking up the wrong tree if you spread the word about TCMDP. Fred doesn't want it to be St. Marys best kept secret anymore.

Unplugged Update

Last month I went on a little rant about my electric bill going up to 83 dollars and change and how I planned to bring it back down by unplugging my house. Some of the things I did included unscrewing 3 out of 4 lights in each ceiling fan, policing my grandchildren to enforce unplugging phone and electronic chargers not in use, and unplugging the toaster, microwave, and coffee pot when not in use. Basically I unplugged everything but the refrigerator, electric stove, and other major appliances-washer, dryer, and small chest freezer etc. Here is my shocking revelation: My electric bill was down $21.50 this time! This month’s bill was the lowest it’s been in the last 4 months. One other thing I unplugged was my alarm clock and I haven’t missed it one bit either.

I was so excited about these savings that I decided to take my $21.50 to WalMart and invest it in the purchase of two $10 rabbit ear antennas for our two televisions (flat screens). They work really well for all the local channels and it turns out that the picture is even better than the one I was getting with the dish. So, yep, I ditched the dish (and the cable bill) for even better monthly savings. How’s that for an un-electrifying update?

Brain Activity Map Project

This multi-billion dollar 10 year study, mapping the human brain, hopes to do for brain research what the 13 year Human Genome Project has done for genetics. Coordinating research efforts and results might lead to breakthroughs in diagnosis and treatment of neurological and psychiatric diseases like Alzheimer’s, addiction, and autism. Mental illness, a broad general term for a number of seemingly sometimes related and sometimes completely unrelated diseases might be better defined by the outcomes and findings of this project and too perhaps the link between gun violence and mental illness that has seemed to plague this country as of late. The impact of the Brain Activity Map project could be a significant plus for how we help our aging boomer population stay intellectually viable, and for how we educate our young people, whose neural pathways are affected by changing, yet ever more invasive technology.

I think about my husband’s Dad who was born in 1905 (and lived to the age of 98) and how overwhelming the whirlwind of changes in his lifetime must have seemed to him. He was born at the very beginning of the age automobiles and was not among the privileged that owned them. He flew in a plane for the first time when he was well into his 90s and was so impressed by it (and the stewardesses who gave him his plastic wings pin) that he said he was sorry he hadn't done it earlier, all the places he would have seen. I was born almost 50 years later, before cell phones, the internet, microwave ovens, and our first tiny black and white television. I have a hard time imagining what the world of the future will be like if I live so long. But I’d like to think the future could benefit from the knowledge gained by discoveries in one of the last, long uncharted frontiers, the human brain, using and coordinating today’s and newer, even better, improved technologies with the Brain Activity Map project. 

Angry Greedy Birds

Some of my favorite birds on Andros are the tiny island doves, also called common ground doves. They have short reddish wings and tails that are quite noticeable when they fly off. Their wings at rest have some spots like their larger cousins, ring neck doves and such, but the little guys tend to waddle plumply when in search of fallen seeds and insects on the ground unlike their seemingly more coordinated (though pigeon toed) relatives. They are greedy little customers at the bird feeder we try to keep full in front of our blue door. Their antics sometimes seem slapstick as they cut in front of each other at the bird feeder or gang up on the bigger doves in order to claim their share of the pickings. It almost seems as if the little doves are lying in wait for someone to come out and refill the feeder when they empty it. When we do, word among the bird population gets around quick, because they quickly and noisily descend and begin the show all over again.

Makes me wish for spring when I return to St. Marys.

Pet Nicknames

The idea for this post occurred to me when I was reading an article recently about the most popular names for dogs. I thought back about all the dogs we've had over the years. Of the 100 names listed only one of our pet’s names could be found and she came with that name, Maggie. Her nickname, however, was Maggie-yi-yi, and when you said it she would howl, I don’t know who discovered this but I do know my husband is the nickname giver, just like his father before him. We had a German Shepard named Cesar a.k.a. Sneeze Bag and a rescued collie named Darius who became known in our family as Big D or Big and Hairy.

My husband’s father, Old Papa, had a dog named Blackie, but nicknamed him Mr. Smell Pretty for his habit of passing doggie gas, especially when riding in the car with his nose out the window. Think air in through the nose and out through…well, never mind. He also had a miniature dachshund he lovingly nicknamed Low Down, for the most obvious of reasons. Old Papa included pet names as nicknames (literally names of dogs he’d had in the past) for his own children too, my husband included. His “pet” names for my husband and his brother were Teddyhanks and Pythagoras.

Over the years, we've given our children and grandchildren nicknames (Starfish for one-you know who you are), but not the names or nicknames of past pets. And we did have one dog that required no nickname at all. Her name was just Bug, and she will always be remembered as my husband’s favorite child.

No Nightlight Needed

I was going to title this blog post-The Perils of Crocheting in Bed, because along with several other hobbies, I also enjoy crocheting. I don’t usually crochet in bed but when I am in the Bahamas with my husband I occasionally find myself doing just that after a day of walking on the beach, doing ceramics, reading, and enjoying the beautiful weather. His place is like a studio/motel efficiency type unit, cozy, and he usually has dibs on the recliner if we watch TV in the evening, and I am left to plump up all the pillows and crochet in bed (the other best positioned place for watching the TV). I just leave my bag of yarns on the floor beside the bed and before I turn out the light put whatever project (diaper covers with matching bunny hats) I am working on the nightstand before turning out the light for the night. Until last night this was working fine for me, but last night when I got up for a potty break, I felt myself entangled in yarn. I freed myself as best I could in the dark, as I didn’t want to turn on the light and wake my husband. I slipped off my side of the bed and took the straight shot over to the bathroom. Just as I was beginning to feel relief, I spotted a line of yarn running from my ankle back to the bed. Needless to say, I didn’t get lost on my way back. I was happy to find in the morning that I hadn't unraveled the last bunny ear either.

Presidents Day Plans?

Have you got the day off today for Presidents Day?

Are you planning on just                Relaxing and taking it easy around the house?

Perhaps it’s too snowy for              Even the hardiest to barbeque outdoors? 

Potato soup, hot chili, or a bowl of Stew might be a better choice for your holiday meal today.

You could always celebrate like   I do by adding a nice slice of apple pie.

                                                 Desserts make any meal a celebration and apple pie seems an

                                                 Especially appropriate traditional treat on Presidents Day.

                                                 Next federal holiday is a long time away (Memorial Day) so

                                                 The time to celebrate is to Day. 
                                                  Spend time on                   Andros, with

                                                                                               Your loved one (like me).

Minimum Wage

My first job was working in a place called Elaine Boyd Creche, a nursing home for children and back then I worked for minimum wage, $1.00 an hour. That was 45 years ago. Sometimes it seems like things have really changed since then but maybe not. Minimum wage in the Bahamas is $4.00 an hour in the private sector. In the United States today a federal mandate sets the minimum wage as $7.25 an hour, although states can set the minimum wage higher. San Francisco, California, has the highest minimum wage in the United States at $10.55 an hour. Now with my teachers’ retirement check each month I get a little more than the federal mandate would dictate if I worked a 40 hour week yet less than San Francisco’s minimum. Even though things cost a lot less 45 years ago, raising a family and paying for the things I needed to get by required careful planning and the even though I am retired and most of my family are supporting themselves my bills haven’t disappeared or changed that much. It still takes planning to keep oneself afloat in today’s economy, especially on a shrunken income. Is that because the prices of things have kept pace with increases of money that’s being allocated for individuals or is that the money is worth less today than it was before; causing the us to have to spend more money to buy things? The good news is that, today, if I just had to take care of myself, I could get by on less and perhaps enjoy more availability of money. Alas, as we see more and more people without jobs we find ourselves helping others in our families who can’t seem to get ahead. Essentially, minimum wage is that, the minimum we need to get by or is it. Perhaps the things we value today cost us more and we don’t want to get by with the minimum even though that’s what we earn. A new cellphone that provides us with the minimum contact capability is relatively cheap as is its use within those boundaries. However, most people feel they can’t be without access to other attributes and end up paying more. Basic staples for eating are still relatively reasonable but the price of going out or even fast food whittles away at our income. Since I've retired, I've noticed that sometimes more is not necessary when you can get by on less and still accomplish a lot of things. I find myself doing more things that basically cost me a lot less than paying for someone to entertain me and I enjoy it more because of my sense of accomplishment. With all that said, perhaps the real point is maybe we should wage a minimum war – do things for less and perhaps we could enjoy life more. It should make everyone happier if we had less war and more peace.

It’s okay to be a little cuckoo…

Yesterday I came upon a small group of smooth-billed ani in the water treatment field. Every few minutes one or two would take flight in search of whatever smooth-billed ani search for, most likely tasty insects to munch. They live in social groups numbering from 5 to 7 mating pairs and lay their eggs all in one communal nest. Then they take turns incubating the eggs and they take turns on lookout duty, protecting the nest and young from predators. These birds are declining in numbers in Florida and flourishing in other places in the Caribbean. They seem to be doing okay here on Andros. They are related to the cuckoo but if you ask me they have a pretty good system going. They don’t seem cuckoo at all.

Then my mind wandered to the Florida burrowing owl. These little owls live mostly on the ground and build their nests in sandy burrows in the prairie like conditions found in Florida resulting from draining the wetlands and clearing the forests for construction of human habitats and farmland. They have long legs (unusual in owls) so they can stand tall and be on the lookout for predators. Maybe they are the much smaller cousins of the Chickcharney, a long unseen resident legend that some folks think were really Bahamian burrowing barn owls that once populated Andros Island but are now extinct (unless you've seen a Chickcharney). The Bahamian barn owls were flightless and up to 3 feet in height and I can see how the sandy soil here was perfect for their burrows.

From today’s epistle you must be thinking this blogger’s mind has taken flight like I have to escape the winter chill in St. Marys but that obviously proves I’m only a little cuckoo. I know when to come in out of the cold.

Things are looking up (at least I am)!

Heard about the giant asteroid due to pass closer to the Earth than some of the thousands of satellites orbiting us out there? Or about the meteorite that recently wreaked havoc in Russia breaking windows (and the sound barrier with a sonic boom), leaving a streak across the sky, and sending more than 100 people to the hospital with injuries due to flying glass and roof collapses? Well I am choosing not to feed my paranoia by skipping You Tube clips from Russia and avoiding the media hype about the asteroid.

Instead I did my stargazing with my husband as we walked along the beach on Andros last night. The night was clear and without civilization’s ambient night lighting we had a breathtaking view of many more stars than I see when I look up in St. Marys, including stars surrounding Orion’s belt, my go to constellation when I’m home either walking the dog or putting the trash can and recycling out by the street in the dark.

Of course the media provides us with numerous glimpses of stars out at occasions like the Emmys, Grammys, Oscars, and Golden Globes, and they try to illuminate our lives by acting like, well, stars. The actors and actresses pale in comparison to wonder and beauty of the stars in the night sky. I know I’m blessed when I get a chance to pause on a dark night, on a quiet stretch of beach with only the rhythm of the waves washing the shore, and look up at the stars. Holding my husband’s hand (much preferred over the handle on the trash can) keeps me balanced, so I stay grounded on the sand beneath our feet, under a sparkling star studded black velvet sky that’s just a glimpse of the infinite vastness of the universe, right where we belong. 

Beware of Strange Law (Especially on Valentine’s Day!)

The photo of the saggy pants with an inch or two of boxers showing caught my eye as it scrolled across the top of MSN. The second time through I noticed the headline 10 strange laws from across the United States and I immediately thought about how “sagging” was outlawed in Brunswick, GA (just north of St. Marys). When I clicked on the video I was surprised to find that in Flint, Michigan you face a $500 fine and jail time for the very same thing. It seems saggy pants have touched a raw nerve (along with exposing undies) in other places too.

I watched the rest of the 10, and the strange law that seemed most fitting for Valentine’s Day was a law aimed at men that protects previously chaste women from being seduced. Tricking a lady into falling in love is outlawed in Mississippi. I imagine expecting a disclaimer every time you hear a pick up line like, I'm sorry I didn't get you a box of chocolates for Valentine's Day, but if you want something sweet I'm right here. You’re probably thinking that line is too cheesy to require a disclaimer and, I, (a less than chaste woman) would have to agree, but there is still that law, so on Valentine’s Day in Mississippi beware. 

By the way, Happy Valentine’s Day…and avoid wrestling bears in Alabama too (no, that doesn't include teddy bears!) 

Me and My Man….atee

At least a couple of times each week my husband and I throw around ideas for blog topics and discuss other writing projects we are working on, often on Skype, our regular evening communication vehicle of choice. It usually starts like this:

[2/7/2013 8:19 PM] Jo Mount: Blog ideas?

[2/7/2013 8:19 PM] A. Mount: Are you looking for anything in particular?

[2/7/2013 8:20 PM] Jo Mount: I don't know.

Well, I am happy to blog that I actually got to communicate with my man in person (vs. Skype) last night since, I made my February return to the Bahamas yesterday afternoon, and he had a blog topic or two already picked ready without me even asking. He suggested I blog about the West Indian manatee because one had been spotted in the harbor here on Andros… Hadn't I read that in his email, he asked? I then had to admit I hadn't read the email (sort of like he doesn't always read my blog-I thought this but didn’t say it out loud). Still, great idea I thought since I’d already blogged about Manti Te’o and manta rays, a West Indian manatee would work. And I love regular manatees. I even have a Save the Manatee T-Shirt and manatee socks, and the Science Club at CRES (the school I worked at prior to retiring) had even adopted one, so I hurried to Google to look up the West Indian version.

Here is what I found out! The West Indian manatee is a manatee (Duh!), and the largest surviving member of the aquatic mammal order Sirenia. Yes, I felt duly chastened after reading this, former science teacher brought down a peg. The manatee spotted off Andros was the same as the ones I’ve seen by the paper mill in St. Marys and the same as the ones my family and I swam with in the Crystal River. These slow moving gentle marine mammals reside mainly in the warmer shallow waters off Florida and the Caribbean but have been spotted and tracked as far north as Cape Cod. They migrate south to warmer waters in the winter because continued exposure to cold temperatures can induce “cold stress syndrome” and eventually death.

I think I may have a touch of cold stress syndrome. It’s predicted to be 31 degrees this up-coming weekend in St. Marys, hence me and my manatee are spending February in warmer waters.

Little Free Library Update

St. Marys now has a Little Free Library! Tools and I are not compatible so I had to think outside the proverbial box to come up with a plan for a Little Free Library. Thanks go to many including the Camden County Tribune & Georgian for donating two no longer needed newspaper boxes. The first one has been repurposed into the Little Free Library shown in these photos. This project couldn't have come together without the help of Addison, Jim, Greg, and Chris, who helped move the box, fix the handle, and create a stable shelf on the inside for the books. I cleaned, painted, and duct taped (the easy part), and I want to also thank my grandkids also for donating a bunch books. Soon you should be able to find St. Marys’ Little Free Library (#5024) on the world map at littlefreelibrary.org where sharing books is always a gift never for sale. In St. Marys you can now visit the Little Free Library and take a book and return a book at Colerain Oaks (beside the mailboxes).

What follows is the last line in the letter I received from Little Free Library.org after I registered St. Marys first Little Free Library- It has been said again and again, you can't build just one! Will we soon see another? The answer is yes, because I have one more newspaper box to repurpose and I will post another update when it is finished and has found a home in our community.   

Roses are Red…Violets are Blue-Not Purple?

Valentine’s Day is almost upon us (this week) so I thought I would add my own little twist to this somewhat corny, yet romantic standard.

Roses are red,

Violets are purple.

Now my true love has to hirple,

I warned him he was standing,

Too near my horse’s curple.

You can probably figure the above out, but if not there is always Google. 

The next one needs (and has) no explanation.

Roses are red,

Violets are purple,

Sugar is sweet,

And so’s a grape slurple,

Please excuse me, if I burple! 

Seasonal Insanity or is the Weather Bipolar?

More azaleas are on the bloom in my yard this beautiful morning and it’s definitely off the usual schedule for around these parts. My daffodils are usually the first to bloom on the twelfth, in time to cut for Valentine’s Day, then the redbuds, followed by the dogwoods and azaleas. The weather here has been bipolar, and by that I mean swinging wildly between freezing nor'easter-y cold and buggy unseasonably warm. I hope the couple of days that were warm enough to wake the gnats (in St. Marys they are also called “flying teeth”) were followed closely enough by gnat killing plunges of freezing cold with icy morning frosts because gnats are my least favorite thing about spring. But we really haven’t had enough hard freezes for that, as close as we are to the marsh and river here. I expect the gnats will be out with a vengeance this spring because their winter dormancy was so rudely interrupted this so called winter. Another reason I am not so sure spring has really sprung around here is that I haven’t seen any bees yet. These busy pollinators have yet to appear buzzing around my meager container garden, but I do hope to see them when my snow peas start blooming. Then I will be sure it’s spring. On the other hand, there has been plenty of pollen to go around though and it has been wreaking havoc with allergy sufferers. One day my car was covered with the yellow pollen-y powder and the next day after a gusty nor'easter pushed through the yellow was washed away only to be replaced by the clusters of red blooms blown off the maple trees in my yard (another tree tricked into blooming early by the bipolar weather we've been having).

I guess there is just a part of me that wishes the weather would just make up its mind. I checked the app store on my phone and there is not an app for that. Maybe we need a doctor of meteorology to come up with a prescription (instead of a prediction) and get the weather settled down once and for all. That would sure make things simpler for my azaleas and me. 

Spring or a False Alarm?

Roses are red,

Azaleas are pink,

This one in my yard,

Thinks we’re on the brink

of spring.

Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras parades and celebrations in the Big Easy (New Orleans) are on February 12^th this year, the day before Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. A lot more excitement to go on there after this year’s Super Bowl earlier this month.

There is a lesser known, more modest, Mardi Gras parade every year in St. Marys, GA held on Saturday (tomorrow) February 9^th downtown. A couple of grandkids and I are planning to ride bikes downtown to watch. The parade starts at 10 and will probably include some fire trucks, electable probate judge wannabes walking with supporters, antique cars, and a few floats. The things we go for are the beads and candy that get tossed to the kids on the sidelines as the parade works its way down the main drag (Osborne Street) toward the waterfront downtown. After that there will be craft booths, pets in costume parade, a chili cook off, children’s rides, and entertainment. The 19^th Annual Mardi Gras festivities are sponsored by the Downtown Merchants Association and are always a lot of good family fun so if you are looking for some (beads and fun)…we hope to see you there! 

Gramophones to Grammys

First gramophones, when I think of them, I think antique. In my mind’s ear I hear a scratchy melody either classical or opera, and in my mind’s eye I see a wobbling turntable and a large tarnished tin horn mounted on a box. This visual is in black and white and dust motes are floating in the beams of light that somehow filters in through the gauzy curtains…or is that cigarette smoke? And don’t forget the RCA Victor dog listening attentively, head cocked. My dog Fred (who looks a bit like the RCA dog) would be howling to the music.

Fast forward to the Grammys, not to be confused with grandmothers, grandmas, or as I am sometimes called, g’mas, the Grammys will be on TV this week and they are awards shaped like little gramophones that are bestowed upon prominent artists in the music industry by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. This year marks the 55^th anniversary of the awards. The first Grammy Awards ceremony was held on May 4, 1959 to honor the achievements in music of 1958. Henry Mancini won album of the year with The Music from Peter Gunn, and Domenico Modugno won best song and record of the year with Volare. There was no Best New Artist award at the first Grammys but the following year, the second annual ceremony, Grammy Award for Best New Artist went to Bobby Darin.

This year, LL Cool J, a two time Grammy Award winner will be hosting the award show for a second time.

Cue earworm: Call me maybe…I’m on a payphone…

Wi-Fi Free for All

There are two powerful groups lobbying against each other over the Federal Communications Commission’s proposal to create a super Wi-Fi network across the nation so super that we could use it to make cell phone calls and surf the internet without a monthly cell phone bill. Against the proposal is the 178 billion dollar wireless industry, for obvious reasons. For this proposal are Google, Microsoft, and other tech giants that think the free for all will spark an explosion of innovations and devices that would benefit most of us and especially the poor. The super Wi-Fi would be much more powerful (able to penetrate thick concrete and leap tall buildings without a single bound) than existing Wi-Fi networks we have in our homes now.

After reading about this yesterday in the Georgia Times-Union (on the front page, no less), I had to check the byline to be sure this article wasn't written by my little brother because it sure seemed as far out as some of his crazy ideas and schemes! But it wasn't.

Then I got to thinking about the super savings I would see without a cell phone bill. The cell phone companies will probably raise the prices on their phones but they wouldn't be completely put out of business. They also might become innovators and improve the devices we have now. Maybe they will sell their towers to the government for outrageous prices. Maybe they will end up selling their towers for scrap. So much for feeling sorry for them, they have been on the receiving end of plenty of my money and it’s time they start doing something better with it before it is all gone.

And consider the benefits to schools struggling to keep up to date with technology and use its great advantages in helping educate our children. The wireless free for all would go a long way to leveling the playing field between inner city schools and schools with more affluent property tax bases. Then I got to thinking about how (as a last resort) I sometimes turn off the wireless in the house to get my grandson to shut down his PSP3 (usually after midnight on weekends). Oh well, I guess this is where parental control will have to kick in. If not, I am ready to innovate and find some new solutions!

Plutocrats

Who are they? They are the super-rich multimillion and multibillionaires, many of whom are directly and indirectly involved in influencing the political scene in this country. They are small in number compared to the rest of us, non-Plutocrats. Perhaps they get their name (Plutocrat) because the gap between their wealth and the wealth of a poor or middle class person’s parallels the gap that equals the distance between the planet Earth and the dwarf planet Pluto (averaging 3.7 billion miles). According to some things I’ve read they are against so called “entitlement programs” because they don’t want to fund them. Because the amount of wealth these Plutocrats have amassed is so great, achieving the same amount or even close to the same of wealth is considered unattainable for poor and middle class Americans. Some economists are thinking there really is no longer a fair level playing field in our country and this has a direct negative impact on the attainment of the so called “American Dream.”

But one thing to keep in mind is that the United States was founded as a plutocracy. In order to vote, you had to own land, thus proving that your wealth was above a certain threshold, that you belonged to the land-owning class. Voting eligibility along with many other things have changed since our country was founded, but are we still a plutocracy? The Roman Republic, Carthage, and the pre-World War II Empire of Japan were all plutocracies. In the U.S. today Lake Buena Vista and Bay Lake, FL are contemporary plutocracies owned and governed by The Walt Disney Company as per state statutes.

At this point in my life, I don’t strive to be a Plutocrat, but there are many people struggling just to get by and I would like to hope that their lives and economic circumstances can improve and thus their burdens lighter. But does the existence and influence of Plutocrats stymie opportunities for economic stability and success for the rest of us? 

Road Kill

The road kill I am referring to here have the pink sticker of death on their windshields and can be found littering the sides of the roads from less traveled byways to the interstates. It must be tough to just walk away from a dead or dying friend that you've had a love/hate relationship with for who knows how long. Do you give the tires one last kick as you abandon or regret the kicks you may have given in the past?  After all what kind of friend leaves you stranded, and how do you get home when you are far from any exit (and civilization) anyway? Maybe thumbs are better used on cell phones rather than for hitching a ride. Maybe your cellphone bill takes up so much of your income that you feel forced to choose abandonment over paying for a tow and repair.

Either way, if you see the pink sticker on the windshield, it means that state or local law enforcement have paid their respects and unless the owner of the vehicle finds a way to resurrect it within a certain time period it will be towed unceremoniously to an impound lot. Information from the tag and registration will be used to notify the next of kin (owner or last owner according to the current registration) and they can pay the towing and impound fees and retrieve the car. If they do not claim their vehicle within a certain time period the car goes to a public auction, where if sold it gets retitled to a new owner. If the abandoned vehicle remains unsold or doesn't go to a smaller aggressive used car dealership, its fate may be to move on to a salvage yard, a potters’ field, the true end of the road for this sort of road kill.

FOMO

FOMO, or fear of missing out, simply put is a term that describes the addictive qualities of social media and I’m pretty sure I don’t have it. I am tiptoeing on this topic because this blog is a form of social media and I don’t want to sound hypocritical. I do find myself checking the blog views (in case I need to reply to comments) and Face Book (since I post a blog link there too) fairly frequently throughout the day. I am also on Skype every night and I check my email too. I don’t have an IPhone or an Android so I don’t do data on my phone or tweet but I text a lot and take phone photos. But then again I usually do make a stop at McD’s for the Wi-Fi when I travel and if I don’t have my computer, I have my trusty Kindle Fire ready and charged for the trip. So maybe I have a touch of FOMO now that I take all this into consideration. My main use for this computer is writing and I have several files and projects, either completed or in the works, including an EBook for Kindle on sale at Amazon (one more place I go to online pretty regularly). I also love to crochet… and I set up an Etsy Shop called ScarfAccessories with Pay Pal and everything for the express purpose of selling the crocheting online. That’s another place I check every day. So maybe I have a little more than a touch of FOMO. Well at least I don’t sleep with my phone like my grandkids do (in case of emergency, they say-or they have to have it on since they set their phone alarm to wake them up for school) so you’ll never see my face appear to float above the blankets, reflecting an eerie blue light in the middle of the night and you won’t find me on Face Book at all hours (even on school nights) either.

The standard meaning of FOMO (fear of missing out) may be alright for some people but for me I think FOMO should stand for found online more often….than (here is where you fill in the blank) –I want to be, -I need to be, or just found online more often …than not. You decide for you…and thanks for being FOMO than not, reading this blog!

Happy Groundhog Day

Groundhog Day is a day named for groundhogs, or woodchucks, whistle-pigs, or in some areas land-beavers. Those are some other names for the animal we call a groundhog on February 2^nd. No matter what you call it, the groundhog is a rodent, a rodent that makes weather predictions based on whether or not he sees his shadow when he comes out of his burrow one day each year. Meteorology has come a long way since people began using groundhogs to predict whether spring is coming early or we are stuck with six more weeks of winter. I think the media goes overboard for both rodent prognosticators and TV weather people (especially on the Weather Channel). Most of the sources agree that the groundhog is more often incorrect in his predictions and I find that often to be the case with TV meteorologists too. Then there are politicians and scientists getting in on the hype with predictions of global warming.

Here are my feelings about the weather. It is cold outside today and I, personally, am ready for spring to come early. I figure when the dog days of summer hit I will have some regrets about wishing for this but that will be then and this is now. I saw my shadow today though so I am not sure what that means for the weather here in Southeast Georgia. I also took this photo with my phone this afternoon…spring onions, snow peas, and fresh eggs.

Tweet Seats

I don’t tweet but apparently lots of people do. So many that now Tweet Seats are being made available for tweeters. These tweet seats are not found in nests or birdhouses either (where I figured they would be) and they are not for the birds! These tweet seats are for the tweeters that Twitter. Twitter has a couple of definitions. Short bursts of chirping or chatter by birds is one and a short burst (140 characters or less) of social media chatter is another. The Providence Performing Arts Center is embracing social media by setting up tweet seats where audience members can discuss the show on Twitter while it's happening. Apparently the tweet seat area is towards the back so as tweeters tap their glowing screens, they don’t distract the rest of the audience that has silenced and put away their phones for the performance.

The other place the tweet seat has come into vogue is on First Coast News in Jacksonville. They may have tweet seats on other news programs but other the other channel I watch at 10 PM (so I can go to bed early) Fox Action News doesn't have one as far as I have seen. Keep in mind I am pretty tired by that time and am really watching mostly for the weather. The tweet seat on FCN gives viewers an opportunity to interact and tweet their views during a broadcast which in itself is an interesting concept. There’s a lot of reality TV on as it is and the tweet seat gives viewers a chance to be a part of what’s happening in real time. These programs and news events show tweets at either the bottom or top of the screen and I figure they come from someone (not in a tree or birdhouse) in a tweet seat too.