My not writing a blog for a day would not shatter any one's world, especially not even my own. The self-discipline to write daily is somewhat absurd, even to me. I have little to say that would do anything but waste time reading non-funny events in our currently depraved world. This started me thinking about some absurdities in life.
It is absurd that I have to put on hip boots to wade through the clutter in my computer room. Instead of cleaning, I sit and read Jane Austen sequels. Last night I picked one up and read a whole chapter, details of Lizzy and Darcy sounding familiar, before I realized it was a sequel I had read before. It is absurd to no longer remember what I have read! Why do I read them? Because it blanks out the absurdity of life with a far less annoying absurdity. I can't change the world but I have come to enjoy the writers who can change a 200 year old novel to make it as they want the story to have been. Wouldn't it be fun to make the world as we want it.
First starting with sex offenders, since the Supreme Court ruled they can not be given a death penalty, they might be sent to a penal colony. Micronesia might have a few somewhat unused islands. If citizens can be removed from their homes by eminent domain and relocated when a reservoir is needed, why not putting an island to this use.
I haven't quite figured out what might save this near death country yet. Bush and company surely have only moved it along its euthanasia path. Howard Hughes tried to totally control his environment. He failed and had a lot of money. The problem for me is how to do it without money.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Friday, July 4, 2008
UNEXPECTED LAUGHTER
Today hit an all-time high for my recent belly-laughter. Twice I was unable to restrain the tide with either taut Kegels or tightly crossed legs! The first was when an old friend sent me this url of Tim Conway and Harvey Korman. Having survived recent eulogies for Tim Russert and George Carlin, I expectantly prepared to be sad. When sad, I leak from my eyes... far more acceptable socially. If you have by now watched the YouTube video I gave you here, you will understand I leaked elsewhere.
Having stemmed the tide, I then allowed myself to read Dave Barry's article on turning 50. The article can be found in its entirety and should be read without having to take a break which I couldn't forestall. That kind of humor should have a label warning: By reading, excessive laughter may produce a levee breach.
Since excessive laughter also kicks in endorphins, I have noticed I have worn a ridiculous smile on my face all day. No frustrating experience produced the usual sour rant or ill humor. Like Elizabeth Bennett in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice "I dearly love to laugh!"
Having stemmed the tide, I then allowed myself to read Dave Barry's article on turning 50. The article can be found in its entirety and should be read without having to take a break which I couldn't forestall. That kind of humor should have a label warning: By reading, excessive laughter may produce a levee breach.
Since excessive laughter also kicks in endorphins, I have noticed I have worn a ridiculous smile on my face all day. No frustrating experience produced the usual sour rant or ill humor. Like Elizabeth Bennett in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice "I dearly love to laugh!"
Thursday, July 3, 2008
YOUR LIFE SCRIPT MAY BE EDTED BY YOUR ADULT CHILDREN
There is no script for old. Old people merely complain that it is not fun, they are sick, spend too much time seeing doctors, can't do what they want to do any more, etc. There may be some attempt to emulate your parents but, in my humble experience, I was too wrapped up in the pressures of my own middle age to pay much attention to my parents aging. I was often told not to get old and that was about it. They also lived a long time. My mother started telling us we should be good to my father when he turned sixty-five because we didn't know how long we might have him around. I spent another 42 years 'being good to him' because he lived to 107 1/2
One of the reasons that people can't talk much about how to live out life is aging is so different a process for everyone. People find it hard adapt and resent the restrictions put on by physical deterioration. Arthritis seems to be one of the major activity disruptors. 'Arthur Itis' intrudes and doesn't want to leave. Intense pain accompanies severe arthritis which takes a great deal of psychic energy to manage. Physical mobility is limited. Limited mobility for the active is not only a shock and enormous inconvenience, it forces different life planning....sometimes forcing the most frustrating dependency on the availability of others.
Losing one's ability to drive is a mammoth narcissistic insult. To go from complete independence to dependency is one of the most difficult transitions elders or handicapped people have to make. Too often, adult children think that this is a reversal of roles and start making decisions for their parents. This is presumptuous and cruel. A parent is never not a parent. Often decisions are made totally for the convenience of the adult children with little consideration given to the sacrifices forced on the parent. Ethnicity and culture have a great deal to do with how these decisions get made, by whom, and when.
The previous role in the family is now changed. It cannot be defined because there is no gauge by which to judge the competence and ability of the elders or family members. An elder should write their own life script, unless it is clear or confirmed by professionals that the elder is incapable of making adequate judgments on their own. Nursing homes can be medically and socially protective though someone who was brought up to believe they should be taken care of by family until death ( especially by their adult children) may feel disrespected by being placed. Many elders interpret it as failure as a parent on their part. In a world where daughters did not work out of the home after marriage, that was an expectation. Today, with marital pairs working, it is often impossible to add caring for the elders to the tasks of the day.
The admonition: Don't grow old! suggests there may be and alternative to death. There is not, nor an alternative to getting old and needing to adapt to that reality. May we all have our choices to our end. Don't wait to establish those until the last minute because you will probably lack the strength and spirit to fight for them...because fight you must.
One of the reasons that people can't talk much about how to live out life is aging is so different a process for everyone. People find it hard adapt and resent the restrictions put on by physical deterioration. Arthritis seems to be one of the major activity disruptors. 'Arthur Itis' intrudes and doesn't want to leave. Intense pain accompanies severe arthritis which takes a great deal of psychic energy to manage. Physical mobility is limited. Limited mobility for the active is not only a shock and enormous inconvenience, it forces different life planning....sometimes forcing the most frustrating dependency on the availability of others.
Losing one's ability to drive is a mammoth narcissistic insult. To go from complete independence to dependency is one of the most difficult transitions elders or handicapped people have to make. Too often, adult children think that this is a reversal of roles and start making decisions for their parents. This is presumptuous and cruel. A parent is never not a parent. Often decisions are made totally for the convenience of the adult children with little consideration given to the sacrifices forced on the parent. Ethnicity and culture have a great deal to do with how these decisions get made, by whom, and when.
The previous role in the family is now changed. It cannot be defined because there is no gauge by which to judge the competence and ability of the elders or family members. An elder should write their own life script, unless it is clear or confirmed by professionals that the elder is incapable of making adequate judgments on their own. Nursing homes can be medically and socially protective though someone who was brought up to believe they should be taken care of by family until death ( especially by their adult children) may feel disrespected by being placed. Many elders interpret it as failure as a parent on their part. In a world where daughters did not work out of the home after marriage, that was an expectation. Today, with marital pairs working, it is often impossible to add caring for the elders to the tasks of the day.
The admonition: Don't grow old! suggests there may be and alternative to death. There is not, nor an alternative to getting old and needing to adapt to that reality. May we all have our choices to our end. Don't wait to establish those until the last minute because you will probably lack the strength and spirit to fight for them...because fight you must.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
COSTIVE PEOPLE SURROUND US
Costive: Adjective: 1. Slow to act or speak. 2. Stingy. 3. Constipated.
Where is the milk of human kindness that used to appear in so many places but is seldom reported on today. On June 6, bystanders ignored a hit and run victim writes Greg B. He writes: "Our society has been, and will continue to be in moral decline. In our society there is no longer right or wrong, just what is popular. 50 years ago it would have been unheard of for two men to marry, or shoot up a school, or even consider to run a nominee for political office that had refused to serve a day in the military. Selflessness is no longer a virtue, just an oddity." He talks of serving 2 tours in Iraq because 'someone was needed." I disagree with some of his examples, for example, two men marrying. that is progress by people recognizing realities of Nature and some of the adaptive changes required. However, his other examples remain in the category of proven wrongs.
Minnesota law makes it a petty misdemeanor to not give reasonable help to a person in danger of "grave physical harm." It should be a law everywhere, as far as I am concerned. Not to dial 911 is heartless beyond belief since the police can be asked to preserve your anonymity, should that be your greatest fear...for your own safety at the cost of someone else's life.
Mark Tyrell, a psychologist, writes about bystander apathy. He discusses some of the reasons for it and suggests people can be helped to be more active. Aside from his pitch, the handling of the subject is quite informative and useful to those who are interested in reading more on it. There are no doubt many individual reasons why people don't help. Fear of retaliation by the perpetrator; wishing not to have to go to court to testify as a witness; panic at the sights and sounds bringing on memories that trigger PTSD episodes; while some wish to run away, they are also unable to act; fear of being attacked themselves; fear of seeing blood and wounds; all are just a few of the possibilities for the inaction. However, none of those should be reason not to call the police for help. It is the total inaction that labels them, to me, as costive.
Where is the milk of human kindness that used to appear in so many places but is seldom reported on today. On June 6, bystanders ignored a hit and run victim writes Greg B. He writes: "Our society has been, and will continue to be in moral decline. In our society there is no longer right or wrong, just what is popular. 50 years ago it would have been unheard of for two men to marry, or shoot up a school, or even consider to run a nominee for political office that had refused to serve a day in the military. Selflessness is no longer a virtue, just an oddity." He talks of serving 2 tours in Iraq because 'someone was needed." I disagree with some of his examples, for example, two men marrying. that is progress by people recognizing realities of Nature and some of the adaptive changes required. However, his other examples remain in the category of proven wrongs.
Minnesota law makes it a petty misdemeanor to not give reasonable help to a person in danger of "grave physical harm." It should be a law everywhere, as far as I am concerned. Not to dial 911 is heartless beyond belief since the police can be asked to preserve your anonymity, should that be your greatest fear...for your own safety at the cost of someone else's life.
Mark Tyrell, a psychologist, writes about bystander apathy. He discusses some of the reasons for it and suggests people can be helped to be more active. Aside from his pitch, the handling of the subject is quite informative and useful to those who are interested in reading more on it. There are no doubt many individual reasons why people don't help. Fear of retaliation by the perpetrator; wishing not to have to go to court to testify as a witness; panic at the sights and sounds bringing on memories that trigger PTSD episodes; while some wish to run away, they are also unable to act; fear of being attacked themselves; fear of seeing blood and wounds; all are just a few of the possibilities for the inaction. However, none of those should be reason not to call the police for help. It is the total inaction that labels them, to me, as costive.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
MSNBC IS A SPECULATION CHANNEL, NOT NEWS
Aside from an occasional National feed of news, live, like a school shooting or a weather disaster, police chasing a car, the main action is speculation. 'Pundit' after 'pundit' and similar panelists take up hour after hour guessing...as though their guess has better odds than those of the listeners.
Heard tonight on Hardball, the Chris Matthews show: "Can Obama win over the regular folks against McCain?" And, I wished I could ask, "...and could you please explain where these regular folks are and how I can find them?" Perhaps they are the 'working class' people. Do we still have lots of coupon cutters in our day? They didn't call them poor class, or middle class...just working class. I think all CEOs think they work, don't they?
I'm sure I am not the only one who is exhausted from changing channels when the panelists start deciding and recommending the candidate for the job of VP. Since there will be an imminent announcement forthcoming, why should we be treated to their guessing? Clearly none of them are on the inside of the process or are they secretly being urged to send up trial balloons?
Chris Matthews, who contributed greatly to knocking Hillary Clinton out of the race is now actively campaigning for her to be nominated to share the ticket with Obama. Whatever his motive for that, I can't believe it is coming from his crystal balls which are looking fairly fragile as his following slowly has dropped. When will the man learn the difference between racial and ethnic? That he wants to learn nothing is reflected by the fact that he has not shared a way to be reached by email.
Heard tonight on Hardball, the Chris Matthews show: "Can Obama win over the regular folks against McCain?" And, I wished I could ask, "...and could you please explain where these regular folks are and how I can find them?" Perhaps they are the 'working class' people. Do we still have lots of coupon cutters in our day? They didn't call them poor class, or middle class...just working class. I think all CEOs think they work, don't they?
I'm sure I am not the only one who is exhausted from changing channels when the panelists start deciding and recommending the candidate for the job of VP. Since there will be an imminent announcement forthcoming, why should we be treated to their guessing? Clearly none of them are on the inside of the process or are they secretly being urged to send up trial balloons?
Chris Matthews, who contributed greatly to knocking Hillary Clinton out of the race is now actively campaigning for her to be nominated to share the ticket with Obama. Whatever his motive for that, I can't believe it is coming from his crystal balls which are looking fairly fragile as his following slowly has dropped. When will the man learn the difference between racial and ethnic? That he wants to learn nothing is reflected by the fact that he has not shared a way to be reached by email.
Monday, June 30, 2008
AN EVENING WITH JUDY GARLAND
The Boston Pops, under the direction of Maestro Doug Katsaros brought a mostly older audience to 50 years ago. We who remembered the emotion, talent, and constant suffering endured by this performer, were spellbound to watch her image projected through modern technology on a video screen while singing to the accompaniment of one of the best Pops orchestras of today, The Boston Pops.
Meeting a lady in the ladies room before the performance started we both commented on having no idea what we were to experience. I said (thinking someone would be impersonating her or something like that since I never read reviews), "I wonder if we will be listening to a dead lady sing." We did indeed, after we were first introduced to her beloved son, Joe. He represented himself and his sister at the Judy Garland three day festival and they have a site to promote the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids Michigan.
We were treated to some of the kinder views, such as a picture of Judy in her London home in 1961 with her three children (she died there 8 years later).
The choices of film shown were wonderful, biographic and kind to
the later failing Judy, very ill, and living on the pills the studios had made necessary to her existence. What the movie studios did to her life was inexcusable
then and certainly would not be allowed today.
Heard was the Judy Garland who felt every word she sang and made the listener experience the meaning of lyrics ( novelty in
today's world of pop music).
We were treated to familiar songs beyond Over the Rainbow, The Man That Got Away, After You've Gone, By Myself, A Cottage for Sale, and several medleys which would have been familiar to all of her fans. If you are so unfortunate not to have known her
when she was alive and entertaining us all...listen to and watch this video of GET HAPPY
Thanks to YouTube and people who have retained the performances of such talented people, those who have left the performance world but leave us a legacy of music from the heart and gift of talent beyond the ordinary. From Horowitz to Miles Davis, from Mel Torme to Ella Fitzgerald, we can only wish there was video in stereo to let us hold onto the so many who have gone from us. What a wonderful way for the two Luft children to honor their mother's memory. Thanks to the wisdom of the Boston Pops Orchestra for seeing their way out of the box for just a minute for their audience's deep appreciation.
Meeting a lady in the ladies room before the performance started we both commented on having no idea what we were to experience. I said (thinking someone would be impersonating her or something like that since I never read reviews), "I wonder if we will be listening to a dead lady sing." We did indeed, after we were first introduced to her beloved son, Joe. He represented himself and his sister at the Judy Garland three day festival and they have a site to promote the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids Michigan.
We were treated to some of the kinder views, such as a picture of Judy in her London home in 1961 with her three children (she died there 8 years later).
The choices of film shown were wonderful, biographic and kind to
the later failing Judy, very ill, and living on the pills the studios had made necessary to her existence. What the movie studios did to her life was inexcusable
then and certainly would not be allowed today.
Heard was the Judy Garland who felt every word she sang and made the listener experience the meaning of lyrics ( novelty in
today's world of pop music).
We were treated to familiar songs beyond Over the Rainbow, The Man That Got Away, After You've Gone, By Myself, A Cottage for Sale, and several medleys which would have been familiar to all of her fans. If you are so unfortunate not to have known her
when she was alive and entertaining us all...listen to and watch this video of GET HAPPY
Thanks to YouTube and people who have retained the performances of such talented people, those who have left the performance world but leave us a legacy of music from the heart and gift of talent beyond the ordinary. From Horowitz to Miles Davis, from Mel Torme to Ella Fitzgerald, we can only wish there was video in stereo to let us hold onto the so many who have gone from us. What a wonderful way for the two Luft children to honor their mother's memory. Thanks to the wisdom of the Boston Pops Orchestra for seeing their way out of the box for just a minute for their audience's deep appreciation.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
URBAN WORD: PREMATURE JOCULATION
It is believed that a good belly laugh kicks in one's endorphins (a natural brain opiate, sometimes called jogger's high). Consequently, for mental health, it is a necessity. Have you ever noticed how clinically depressed people rarely laugh?
premature joculation (from the Urban Dictionary): The act of celebrating an event before it has been fully resolved. Sometimes quickly followed by an embarrassing retraction when things turn out differently.
I love telling jokes and I love them being told, but I find it most frustrating when someone starts to tell a joke and, just before the punch line, starts laughing and snorting so uncontrollably that the punch line cannot be understood. When I wait for the joke teller to calm down, the momentum is lost and the joke falls flat. I would like to extend that definition to include this scenario.
Another instance where premature joculation might be appropriate is the irresistible urge to laugh when someone has fallen. When a person laughs, it is usually followed by a guilty look and attempt to look solemn and contrite. Fortunately, the person who has been hurt scarcely notices what is going on, all attention on trying to figure out what just happened and assess damage.
When my mother was alive, she loved to hear jokes. Her primary language was not English. I could never figure out what she understood, especially when she would double over in laughter when the joke was only half-told. Yet another premature joculation!
premature joculation (from the Urban Dictionary): The act of celebrating an event before it has been fully resolved. Sometimes quickly followed by an embarrassing retraction when things turn out differently.
I love telling jokes and I love them being told, but I find it most frustrating when someone starts to tell a joke and, just before the punch line, starts laughing and snorting so uncontrollably that the punch line cannot be understood. When I wait for the joke teller to calm down, the momentum is lost and the joke falls flat. I would like to extend that definition to include this scenario.
Another instance where premature joculation might be appropriate is the irresistible urge to laugh when someone has fallen. When a person laughs, it is usually followed by a guilty look and attempt to look solemn and contrite. Fortunately, the person who has been hurt scarcely notices what is going on, all attention on trying to figure out what just happened and assess damage.
When my mother was alive, she loved to hear jokes. Her primary language was not English. I could never figure out what she understood, especially when she would double over in laughter when the joke was only half-told. Yet another premature joculation!
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