July 21st, 2010
Day 3 in Georgia (July 8, 2010)
I’ve moved quite a bit in my adult life. I’ve lived in Savannah, GA; Iron Mountain, MI; Reston, VA; Bluffton, SC and in many different towns in northeast Ohio. Heck, I’ve moved three times in the past year. But here is one of the reasons that I like the South.
We hadn’t even been in our new house for a full day when there was a knock at the door. The neighbor from the house behind ours – I soon learned her name was Darlene – was standing on our porch holding a pink flower cutting from a bush in her yard. She welcomed us to the neighborhood, told my children about another neighbor’s kids, and invited us to swim in her pool whenever we felt like it. Only when I’ve lived in the South have I had neighbors show up at my door bearing “welcome to the neighborhood” gifts. Not that I’m knocking my Northern neighbors through the years. For the most part, I’ve never been introduced to those living in my community. It was as much my fault as theirs. The exception, of course, was Main Street. You gals know what I’m talking about. That was a dysfunctional Andy Griffith neighborhood if there ever was such.
I miss it.
July 18th, 2010
Day 3 in Georgia (July 8, 2010)
Calhoun is a small town in North Georgia approximately halfway between Atlanta and Chattanooga. It has many of my favorite Southern establishments, including Food Lion, Piggly Wiggly, and, of course, Fred’s.
Driving through the downtown area with the windows rolled down, I heard a strange noise above the sound of the radio. I turned the music off, and as we slowed to a stop at a red light, the sound came into focus. Insects chirping. And lots of ‘em. Loud and harmonic and amazingly powerful. Insects in the South are not at all like insects in Ohio. Yes, I know the North has its share of creepy crawlies. But the South does everything 10x over. The tea is ten times sweeter. Ten times as many foods will be fried. And bugs are ten times as plentiful and that much more dangerous.
But these insects, crickets or cicadas, are not climbing up my leg or hiding in my cabinets ready to bite. They’re up in the trees. They’re singing. I can enjoy and respect that.
I don’t turn the radio back on, but enjoy nature’s music for the rest of my drive.
…
July 13th, 2010
Day 2 in Georgia (July 7, 2010)
A beetle and his lunch
We left the La Quinta Inn to head towards our new house and Dad stopped us on the sidewalk outside. There, in the morning heat was a dung beetle. It was rolling its lunch – a firm round dog turd – with its hind legs. It was majestic and disturbing and funny and gross.
I’ve never seen a live dung beetle before. I’ve seen pictures of them and documentaries about them. But never right in front of me. At least not one in the process of rolling dung.
You would think a creature that had enough skill to walk backwards on its front legs while rolling poo with its back would be somewhat intelligent. No. Not so much. I mean, besides the fact that it eats poo; this little guy pushed his find into a brick wall (the La Quinta Inn) numerous times before realizing that the 1” ball would not fit into the 1/8” crack. He quickly surveyed the excrement before rolling it on down the sidewalk.
The Moral of the Story:
Don’t give up; there’s always another way.
–or–
If you have a big appetite, be sure your door opens wide.
–or–
If your poop doesn’t fit through the crack, try another exit.
…
June 26th, 2010
I’ve been writing a book of kid’s poetry. This one is about me and my dog, Shasta. She was a good dog who loved to share my apples.
Sharing my apple with Shasta
In my backyard
grows an apple tree.
It’s like God planted
it there for me.
Its curvy branches
are perfect for sittin’.
Its rotten apples
the best for hittin’.
The apples it grows
can fill a whole cart.
They’re big ‘n juicy.
They’re green and tart.
I take a bite
and feed it to Shasta.
I eat slower
and she eats faster.
I help my Dad
each and ev’ry spring
to prune that tree
and prepare everything.
So in cooler weather
my apple tree
will have more apples
for Shasta and me.
Tags:
apple poem,
apple tree poem,
childhood poem,
children's poem,
childrens poetry,
dog poem,
kids poem,
kids poetry,
Poetry | Posted in
Childhood Memories,
Kids,
Poetry |
June 11th, 2010
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 400 million people across the globe have some form of mental disorder. That is a lot of people who may need diagnosed and treated. You would think that would keep psychiatrists pretty busy. Apparently, not busy enough. Eric Bui and his team of French psychiatrists have diagnosed Anakin Skywalker – otherwise known as Darth Vader of the fictional movie Star Wars – with borderline personality disorder. Let me rephrase that. Psychiatrists have diagnosed a fictional character with a mental disorder. Dr. Bui is not the only one involved in this craziness. Other psychiatrists, including Dr. H. Eric Bender, have reviewed those results and disagree on a clinical level.
I have questions that go beyond the information stated in this “news” article. How did Anakin pay for this diagnosis? Was medicine prescribed? Is Anakin no longer on the dark side? What about the mental health of our other national fictional characters? Can something be prescribed for Eeyore’s depression? What is wrong with Charlie Brown? Does SpongeBob have a delusional disorder or is he manic?
Regardless, I fear for the sanity of the psychiatrists themselves. I think maybe Lucy needs to clear her schedule for this one.
June 5th, 2010
We all know the importance of seo in getting your web site seen. Just don’t forget to optimize your content with a professional writing service. You don’t want to be seen with mistakes on your page. Technology allows SEO companies to drive your page to the top.
May 5th, 2010
My good friend, Debbie, was remodeling her kitchen. She lives in San Diego and came to me because I’ve been writing a lot of articles at work about remodeling. Debbie sent me a frustrated email telling me all about her hunt for cabinet makers San Diego. She wanted a high-quality design that was elegant and unique while integrating her personal style. You can see with such high demands where she might feel frustrated in her search. Luckily, Debbie is pretty stubborn. She found San Diego interior designers that could meet – even exceed – her expectations.
Debbie now has a contemporary kitchen that is the heart of her home. The pictures she sent are amazing; I’m so jealous. The island has a sink and gorgeous marble counters. The wood is a deep color that is just stunning, and the glass cabinet doors showcase her antique dish set that was handed down from her grandmother.
Debbie's new kitchen
So, I called Debbie the other day to ask if she’s finally happy with her house now that her kitchen is remodeled. But Debbie, being the stubborn person she is, told me that she is not satisfied. She’s on the hunt for a San Diego bath remodeling. Now that her kitchen looks so beautiful, her bathroom looks miserable!
April 27th, 2010
I applaud Ukraine’s lawmakers for their egg-throwing, smoke-bombing, and good ol’ rasslin’ moves. While not the best conduct for public situations – let alone as a representation of your country – I do find it more interesting than a typical political meeting in the U.S.
I tend to avoid politics completely, because I have a low tolerance for boredom. I do watch election results on TV. Those tend to be more like sports. You can watch the results come in… cheer for your team… drink a beer and eat chips… wait… well, anyway, if government was more like the Ukraine Parliament, I might be inclined to get involved. I might even throw an egg or two myself.
March 18th, 2010
I began wearing glasses in the tenth grade. I hated my glasses. I was already awkward and a bit of an outcast before I was prescribed that pair of wire-rimmed glasses with large lenses. Now, as an adult, I like my glasses. My sense of style has transformed and redeveloped over and over throughout my life – from Victorian classical style to funky 70s fashions. My glasses are more than a tool to help me see clearer. They are more than a fashion accessory. My glasses are an extension of me.
I want these!
Yet glasses can be expensive. Or not. The Examiner recently published an article by Eric Hammer about Zenni Optical (http://zennioptical.com). The article, found at http://www.examiner.com/x-28795-Brooklyn-Liberal-Examiner~y2009m11d13-Cheap-eyeglasses-are-a-reality-Check-out-Erics-review-of-Zenni-Optical, describes how anyone can get eyeglasses for as little as $8.00 a pair. I immediately thought, “Yeah, and those $8.00 glasses probably look as nice as my sophomore, bug-eyed pair.” I clicked the link and as the images loaded, and my jaw dropped. Hammer’s article pointed out that Zenni Optical has no “fashion” glasses. But it didn’t mention that they do have glasses that are fashionable. They offer a myriad of designs, a variety of colors, and different patterns and materials. They have children’s styles, rimless frames, bifocals, sunshade models, goggles, and even gem-studded frames. And shipping is only $4.95 – regardless of the number of pairs you purchase. So I can get my glasses, my daughter’s glasses, and two pair for my husband, since he’s always losing his.
Tags:
cheap bifocal glasses,
cheap bifocals,
cheap eyeglasses,
cheap glasses,
cheap prescription eyeglasses,
cheap prescription glasses,
colorful glasses,
fashion eyeglasses,
funky glasses,
kids glasses,
low cost glasses,
men's glasses,
prescription eyeglasses,
prescription glasses,
prescription sunglasses,
rimless glasses,
stylish glasses,
wire glasses,
women's glasses | Posted in
Uncategorized |
Let me know if you want to learn more!” Or, “Thanks for the follow. I just joined the most cutting-edge breakthrough coaching club on the net. Want to join me? http://bit.ly/duMbLink” Oh, and these are real DMs that I got. Sorry, Brandy… but that’s in bad taste. 
