Old So What

  Get this Book NOW, I’m not kidding. Ask Not:   The Kennedys and the Women they Destroyed by Maureen Callahan This is an important writing, a documentation, for which those of us who were around at the time have been waiting. Finally, after all these years, and all the lies, we get to learn the truth.   And Ms. Callahan has assured us that she has made it her priority to seek out, research, validate and give us the truth…at last. I was so interested in this book that I purchased it in hard cover, something I never do. Glue your socks on because they will surely pop off while reading this page-turner. I don’t know where to start, I actually haven’t even finished the book yet. There are a few more pages to go. For those of you, who don’t know:   In the sixties the Kennedys were our royalty in America. Royalty guarded by a press which closely protected the Kennedy image, the mystical, almost religious Kennedy aura. But in actuality, many of the Kennedy ...

  before there was a known cure for the disease, mothers on summer nights would tell their children not to go collecting fireflies. “They might give you Polio, they’d say.” I know, because I had one such mother.

  I have watched many of these shows wherein you have to check your humanity, taste, decency, morals, and values at the door first.   Really! The only exception that I found, during my research, was a Korean relationship-matching program called: Love After Divorce.   This was a good show with actual values, and participants looking for long-term relationships not just the carnal knowledge of overnight hook-ups. (It should be noted that I only watched one season of this show, which I think was Season Four.) At the other end of this sampling of dating shows is:   Perfect Match.   The only thing good about this show is the host, Nick Lachey. How he got pulled into this mess, well it could only be for one (monetary?) reason. Perfect Match, is, well, it’s pretty disgusting, and it’s not just the gratuitous nudity (which comes to desensitize you completely to the fact that these people are essentially always without most of their clothing), but rather, it’s the ...

 Here is the perfect example of post migraine brain fog. I have to call every year to get an online access code. The polite gentleman on the phone said he would spell it out phonetically, "Juliet." Okay that's a J. "The number 4." That's easy. "Kilo." My mind went blank. Then I had stream of conscious thoughts. How do you spell kilo? It's not a q that would be quinoa.  "Delta." Oh it was a K and now a D. Who uses Kilo for k? Why not Kanagroo or Kindness? Maybe he is from somewhere else where they use kilograms instead of pounds? "Sierra." This guy must have been in the military. I should thank him for his service. "Papa." Papa? Like in Papa Emeritus IV from Ghost? (Bonus points for anyone who knows that reference.)  "November." Maybe not the military.... "Mike." How long is this code? Should this be typed in all capital letters?  He finished relaying the excessively long access code and even sta...

  There are so very many things that I don’t feel like doing, at least not right now, maybe ever. For example: the dishes and the laundry, which I’m sure are part rabbit in that there is never an end, they keep multiplying, they keep existing. Then there is going to the supermarket, which at today’s prices amounts to an act of courage. I never leave there with everything I want or even need, because all of that just costs too much.   So, I put off going until the cat is down to a few cans of food and I am down to no bread for toast. I don’t put off talking to my cousin or a friend on the phone, or eating a pepperoni pizza, or taking a well-deserved nap. Why? Because those things are enjoyable. If only I could make everything seem enjoyable. But I don’t see how that’s possible without the use of major drugs, which I don’t have and would not use if I did! So, I will just continue to procrastinate (put off intentionally and habitually something that should be done), until...

  be smart and get it taped up, otherwise it will heal looking like a roller coaster (like mine did).

  The Veil on Hulu. This is a very convoluted series of 6 episodes.   If like me you are left with questions, I suggest you go on-line and do a little research.   Or you can stress yourself out trying to figure all the plot twists and turns by yourself. Is it worth the effort? In a word: YES! This show is excellent. It’s sharp, it’s edgy. It’s keeps you off balance, not knowing what will happen next. It has an international cast, most of whom are extremely attractive, and more than that, they are talented. Elisabeth Moss is not one of my favorites, but the fact that she was one of the executive producers who put this show together, speaks well of her. It should be mentioned that the writer for this project and another executive producer is Steven Knight. If you like spy thrillers, interesting characters, and a production (except for the music which is peculiar at best and jarring at worst), that is well done on a professional level then this series is for ...

  (Stanley Steamer, as in the car, not the cleaning company, Stanley Steemer.) The Stanley Motor Carriage Company was an American manufacturer of cars—steam cars—from 1902 to 1924. The first model was produced in 1897; the inventors were twin brothers Francis and Freelan. At one time the steam-powered passenger car was extremely popular.   It was clean, powerful, attractive and fast, but very complicated to drive. It took 17 steps to start the car, and wait for the steam pressure to build up.   The traveling speed was 35 to 45 miles per hour, and it had a 28-gallon tank, which was heated with vaporized kerosene. Unfortunately, these cars fell victim to the superiority of the internal combustion vehicles, which had improved quickly, even using an electric starter instead of the original crank, notorious for actually injuring the operator. With the use of the self-starter and the end of the hand crank, gasoline-fueled cars became the obvious winner, being so much ...

More great smells include fresh baked cinnamon rolls and fresh fallen snow. But my favorite smell is very subtle. I love the smell of freshly Zambonied ice in hockey rinks. What is a strange smell you enjoy?

  That whatever tastes good (such as taco chips) is bad for you, whereas whatever tastes bad (such as Wheatena [hot] cereal) is good for you but tastes like eating a woolen blanket. I don’t think they make Wheatena anymore, but the child in me (who was forced to eat it) would say: No Loss!

  What is the voice of reason? It’s that little voice inside our heads and those of others, that speaks to us with logic, fairness, good judgment, using evidence…to convince ourselves to act in a sensible, civilized way. We seem to have lost this little voice of hope along the way of today’s not-so-nice, not-so-safe world. (In other words:   a world out of control, and often malignant.) If we could reinstate “kindness” it would greatly aid the little voice of reason.

  I can’t say enough in praise of the new Netflix program, “Captivating the King.” An historical drama, set in Joseon times, that is simply incredible.   And it gets even more incredible as it goes on, especially when the love story begins. It may well be one of the best features to appear on any television anywhere…anytime. (Coming from someone who has watched TV since 1950). The cast is impeccable with Jo Jung-suk and Shin Se-kyung taking the two top leads.   But the cast and director have played this story so well, with ALL leads.   There are very few minor roles.   Everyone is at the top of their game. Bravo to writers, directors, producers, actors, musicians, set designers, and anyone else, happily for us, to be participating in this production! This lovely series captures your heart.   It truly does.

  Every spring I’m confronted with the same problem: Bugs.   Relatively easily solved by the annual, sometimes biannual, calling of the exterminator (who sprays only in the basement and around the outside of the house). Now picture a Warner Bros. cartoon of an ant.   This would have the mandatory huge anthropomorphic (having human characteristics), cartoon eyeballs of exaggerated size. And a large head, wearing a big smile. With the beginning of the spring season comes the scout ants. They burst upon the scene to literally scout the scene.   What’s happening, any predators around, is this safe, any food? I envision one specific ant who I actually saw appear on my kitchen counter in a ceremony of great expectation on its part.   It was heaped in the enthusiasm of the very young. As it actually was. How did I respond to this appearance? I crushed the little twerp! Right there and then. But not without any regret. Here was a tiny being whom I always r...

  Maybe I’m taking a proprietary view here in that this successful series, which ran on HBO, from June 1998 to February 2004, should remain part of its time, without an appearance in 2021. Talk about a fish out of water! This is not good. Leave Sex and the City alone.   You have tortured and abused the original enough. It was in, its time, for the viewers of that time, a very enjoyable show. As one of those viewers, now I can no longer look at it. It has been distorted beyond all meaning...beyond all redemption. What are you trying to achieve here? I think what you have created is an unrecognizable Frankenstein.   And an unlikeable one at that.  

  My husband once said: “You are the only one I know who could get chocolate on their underwear!"

  What to do with all that money and time? I’m talking about those who can afford to stay at luxury, high-end hotels on view now on YouTube. So, you’ve checked in with your Louis Vuitton luggage. Right after you’ve checked the luggage to see if it’s all there, then what? Have a complimentary bottle of Perrier…or something stronger and…? What do you do in such a hotel? Shop? Explore? Swim in the many inside/outside pools? Take a tour of the town? Read a book; take a nap? Well, all of the above. In this economy most of us would really love to have these sorts of questions as our primary worries.   Bring them on!

  Sometimes, called leaf cabbage, kale is primarily grown for its edible leaves, and is also used for decorative purposes. (It’s that stuff that the supermarket sticks around vegetables in display cases in the hope of adding an appetizing touch, which kale almost never does.) This is a cabbage-like vegetable, part of the mustard family, related to broccoli and Brussels sprouts. It contains vitamins A, K, C, folate and minerals such as potassium, calcium and magnesium. One of those leafy greens whose sugars help to fuel intestinal health. Kale can help with weight loss, heart health and protecting against diseases. Consumption of kale in excess can, however, lead to problems, such as stomach irritation and constipation.   And kale can increase the chance of getting kidney stones, and the risk of iodine deficiency. This is not a definitive list about kale, so please don’t quote me. You might not want to eat kale every day, if at all, because, in my personal opinion, ka...

  On dry foods, such as tuna or chicken, always have a glass of water nearby to supply moisture. (This simple rule has helped me many times.)

  An Internet personality for our times. Cash is in real estate:   leasing apartments in New York City.   He likes some questionable properties if you ask me, but maybe it’s because he is the most optimistic person on the planet. Not that there is anything wrong with that. He also dissects the neighborhoods that the properties are in. He speaks of relevant issues such as:   the safety of the location, available transportation, and local places he can personally recommend. Cash also takes trips outside the boroughs of New York.   He takes his wife (Japanese born) and his two very sweet children to Japan occasionally.   Whether this is business or pleasure I don’t know, maybe a little of both. Wherever he goes for his videos, people seem to know and like him.   Why not?   Cash is a likeable guy, and sometimes his comments are really funny, but his thoughts are always original.

  I’m tired of hearing all the accolades, and seeing all the awards for superior performance and talent beyond compare. To incredible insights and going where no one has gone before, I say phooey! Where would you all be without: Average, Commonplace, or just Acceptable?   All comparisons would cease to exist. Here’s to all of those who cannot attain first prize, cannot be lauded as the best at something. Who’s to say that the average didn’t try their best, yearn the most but succeed the least. Life is a fickle fiend, spreading gifts of intelligence, creativity, and beauty to a few, and leaving in its wake the battered dreams of the many.

  Your family usually starting with the eldest members begin to disappear. One by one they leave.   At first, because you’re young, you don’t notice all that much, but eventually it all catches up with you, until you are forced to notice. This usually happens around the time you realize that you are now getting old. You lose a spouse or a parent, in other words a significantly essential person. Where’d they go? Unfortunately, we know…so start now having a few extra caring people around you.   You can never have enough of those. Having a loving pet is good, too.   And don’t forget to provide a caretaker for that pet for when you, yourself, disappear.

But unfortunately, I already forgot one of them! So, I better tell you about the other one quick! Loquacious .  It calls to mind all sorts of wonderful possibilities. But all it means is: “tending to talk a lot; that is, full of excessive talk.” (Which can be a positive or negative thing.) Some synonyms are: chatty and talkative. This word is pronounced as:  LUH+KWAY+SHUHS (A guide just in case.)   That’s it! But somehow, I expected more. 

  I feel that the world is in such crisis right now, that you and I (with our rational conversation) are just arranging   deck chairs on the Titanic, don’t you think?

  If you watch some ads you may get a taste of what not to do, as for instance in the bathroom redo commercial,  complete with a sing-song delivery as the speaker’s voice goes up at the end of each and every sentence (to drive the listeners truly nuts!). Also, speak clearly and enunciate each word. Unlike the commercial done by a faux children’s band where (I must admit that this was quite an achievement), the little lead actor did the entire recording without moving his lips or jaws! And, this is important, if the audience cannot remember the name of the product or service right after viewing the commercial, then technically that ad is a dud, a failure.  An award-winning professional in the industry told me that.  He should have called it "Commercial-Making 101." ) 

  Delivery services always deliver what you want most… last.

  You know you’re old when you trip over your own cane.  Something which is not that funny when you actually do it, so go to YouTube’s video on how to properly use a cane. It’s well worth knowing if only for your own survival!

  I am an American. I have always been proud to be one. But new things are happening now. And I fear that my country, my America, has been invaded by chaos…to say the least.

  I am using a cane more often these days.   Fact is that I spent so much time looking for the cane that I resurrected another one, which is a big klutzy, ugly thing. Now I spend my time looking for two canes. I am going to put some flashing lights on them, or cow bells, or something.

  For starters, the house itself was unusual. It was haunted. No really.   It was. I don’t normally believe in phenomena like this but I experienced it myself. I know what I know. The reconverted barn had reconverted ghosts. You became the victim of its wrath if you fell asleep in its room. Usually it struck (if that’s the right term for it) at 1 in the morning.   Then sharpened bony fingers would grip your shoulder and hold on tight until you woke up in a fright.   (I always thought of it as a he, but it could very well have been a she .   I mean why not?) This “thing” whatever, was not friendly.   Its physical language was aggressive, clearly saying, “get out, you’re in my territory!” Besides me, it appeared to both my brothers, and a friend of ours who knew nothing about what happened in that room, but slept there as a guest one unfortunate night for him. Because it was now a house and no longer a barn, it took on the hybrid effects o...

On a February day in 2024, in Athens, Georgia, Laken Reilly was brutally struck down for no reason by a monster.  Laken was a nursing student. We will never know now how many patients she would have helped had she been allowed simply to live her life. She has left us too soon at 22 years of age. She has left us with just a glimpse of her promising future. She has left us with her middle name:  Hope. Laken Hope Reilly.