Hello George!

On the way to work this morning, I spotted this license plate on the car in front of me.


"ATM DAD" ...and it raised more questions than answers.

Did the man fix and/or service ATM machines, or did he feel like one, handing out 20's to his children?

Did "ATM Dad" go around telling people at parties that "An automated teller machine (ATM), is a computerised telecommunications device that provides the clients of a financial institution with access to financial transactions in a public space without the need for a cashier, human clerk or bank teller"?

And then the light (perhaps mercifully) changed to green and we continued on our respective ways.

I got to thinking about my first ATM card, it was from the Girard Bank of Philadelphia and the money machines were called "George". One used a "George Card" at Girard Bank locations only - the "network" had not yet been created. I loved my George Card. I was the first member of my family to have an ATM card.

Later, I got a blue MAC (money access card) that worked just about anywhere, even in far away places like Switzerland. I recall my traveling companion's jaw dropping expression when I pulled Swiss money out of a machine like a magician in Geneva.

History is murky about the "first" ATM machine. They were invented by IBM around 1970. Lloyds Bank in the UK claims to have had first ATM which it unveiled in December 1972. However, there is a plaque on the Barclays Bank in Enfield Town, North london stating that the first ATM (In the world) was installed there on the 27th June 1967.

At any rate - I got my "George Card" sometime before 1980. The only memory I have that dates having the card is knowing I used it at a National League Championship Series game in 1980 between the Philadelphia Phillies and the... funny I can't remember who they played. I do remember that the home team lost...

I just remember that since I used my George Card during the game, I won a free Cheese Steak Sandwich, courtesy of Girard Bank, when at the food service counter they asked me to name a "George", and I shouted, "George Vukovich!"

Beats me... I think he was a ballplayer back then.
----------------------
Recently, I was a fortunate recipient of this very nifty award. According to Just Stuff From a Boomer, liebster in German, means "beloved". It also means "dearest" and "favorite".

The Liebster Blog Award is designed to bring additional recognition to those bloggers with less than 200 followers. If you receive the award, you should link back to the blogger that nominated you and nominate 5 more blogs. And, also, don't forget to let them know you nominated them.



I know this award was given to two people I would have nominated, Deanna/Punkn and Mary/Freddie, I'll renominate them!

And the nominees are!

Rita from SoulComfort Corner
Alice Kay of Alice Kay is Here
Tori Z. of Tori's World
Nikki of Furry Bottoms
Heidi Cave of Fancy feet

And runners-up since I know they have more than 200 followers:
Aly of Adventures of a Yankee Girl and Parsley of Seasons of my Mind!

... and they are all truely winners.

The Irresistibly Sweet Blog Award

A few days ago I was honored to receive an award from Just Stuff From a Boomer who blogs an eclectic mix of nostalgia and memories ranging from bittersweet to those that will take you back in time. If you've never been to her place, I highly recommended it! Put your hair up ala Farrah Fawcett or if you are a guy, put on your white disco suit before you go!


I'm supposed to tell you 7 random facts about myself, tag people and pass the award on to 5 other bloggers. 7 facts. Random facts.

1. I wear a digital pedometer everyday and feel naked without it. I'll even wear it latched to my underwear if that is all I have on. I log my steps each day and have walked halfway around the world "in a virtual way" since I started doing this.

2. I often sleep on the sofa - but I've slowly been sleeping on the bed more often. Someday, perhaps, I'll sleep under the covers.


3. I probably have one of the world's largest collections of orange traffic safety cones. Soon I'll have to figure out how to put them in my will. I wonder who has (and where) the largest collection? Would anyone want to go there to see it (with or without me)?


4. I love dogs of all sorts and sizes. Cats* do next to nothing for me. I've still not gotten over having to put my companion Gypsy (pictured) down when I learned she had stomach cancer on Thanksgiving Day more than a few years ago now. She is badly missed.

*Some "cats," such as Karma, Mooch and Bailey, are treated in my mind as "honorary dogs" even if they won't like hearing that.

5. On my Bucket List is to capture the perfect wild squirrel picture. I want a shot good enough for National Geographic. That's probably not gonna happen.

6. I drive a Subaru station wagon - and still can't believe I drive a station wagon. I've become my father.

7. I still write "DOS" programs call "batch files" on occassion. In fact, today I cam working on a program that will "roll up" about 50 inventory database files into one "package" that will be sent over the Internet for backup and collaborative sharing purposes at remote offices. The program will be entirely written in DOS commands.

Now I will pass on this honor to 5 other bloggers.

Tori and Kero of Tori's World

Punkn and Bailey of My Loves, My life

Pamela of The Dust Will Wait

Parsley (with a shout out to Melody) of Seasons of My Mind

Rebecca of This Mom's Many Hats

Betty and Koda of A Corgi In Southern California

Mary and Fred of My Boston, My Friend

Martha and Princess of The Daily Grind

Nikki, Buddy, and Freddy at Furry Bottoms

Rita and Karma at SoulComfort's Corner

Hmm.. that's not 5? Oh well, I wanted to add a few more...

:)

Sometimes things don't go as planned...

This past Friday morning, I left home and went to Rochester, New York to see my nephew graduate from High School that evening.

After seven hours on the road, and a quick shower at a motel, I joined my brothers, parents, my older brother's wife and her family and we rode to the Rochester Institute of Technology's Gordon Field House.

My nephew, who plans to go to St. Bonaventure University this fall, was really excited to see everyone - its been a while since everyone in his family has visited him in Rochester. He had a crowd of twenty-two relatives there to cheer loudly and lustily when he picked up his diploma.

Well, almost.


I think there were about 20,000 people in attendance at the ceremony. I felt hemmed in and claustrophobic, so I moved toward the back and midway up some grandstands to get some air. And was stuck back there alone when ceremony began.

About midway through the reading of 450 some graduate's names, my cellphone vibrated in my pocket. I looked at the display and saw "Urgent - Rochester EMT needs to talk to you". I moved out of the noise, called them, and was told, "Find your mother and bring her outside NOW. Your dad is in the ambulance at the curb." So I elbowed my way back into the crowd, found my mother, and dragged her outside to the ambulance where she hopped in, tossing me her car keys.


I didn't see my nephew get handed his diploma. I found my brothers and made hasty arrangements to get out of the parking lot before the crowd poured out of the building.


I did hear the commencement speaker - the town manager of Henrietta, tell the graduating class, "Now it's time for you to find your way in life, and let me tell you something, you are young, and you need not decide today what you want to do with your life. If you find yourself in a college you don't like, or a job that isn't making you happy... Change! Get a new college, a new major, or new job! Life is to be enjoyed, I myself, have had five different jobs before finding this one - the job of my dreams."

I think he was "right on."

But that night, as I raced across the parking lot to my parent's car - I found myself in electronic contact with my deaf brother texting me directions, while my nephew celebrated a milestone in his young life without me seeing it, to a hospital I've never seen before, traveling on dark roads in a city far from home, wondering why my dad had been carried away underneath a strobing red light and mournful siren.

I got to the ER without mishap, and learned my dad had become dizzy during the graduation ceremony and had staggered out of the building, where a campus security guard found him and led him to a standby EMT crew. My dad was profusely bleeding internally and before things were stabilized, would require 8-9 units of blood transfusions.

Late that evening, I took my mom back to the motel in hopes she would get some rest and early Saturday, we returned to the hospital to be told "we would need to wait and see" what would happen. My dad said, "You two go and visit with the others, I'll be okay here." The Doctor said to stay nearby just in case.... "Just in case, WHAT??" I asked. He's only reply was it would take some time to stabilize my dad, he had lost a lot of blood. It turned out, it was just case they needed someone to donate some blood...

So, remembering a happier day, my older brother said, go to the Pittsford's Canal, where we walked with Aunt Eleanor when she was here for my (older brother's) wedding in 1982!

I scratched my head, got the car out of the garage, "poured" my mom into it, and drove down a couple streets that I thought looked "vaguely" familiar and then the old photographic memory kicked in. Fifteen minutes and ten miles later, I pulled into the parking lot where I had last talked to my (Great) Aunt Eleanor, 35 years ago. My mom looked at me and said, "I don't know how you do that, and it freaks me out sometimes, but today that ability of yours is really a blessing."


My older brother joined us a few minutes later and we had an early lunch and took a short walk on the Erie Canal.

As we were leaving there, I remembered I had something for a wonderful blogger friend, Yaya and her son Alex, but hadn't made arrangements with her yet or found her place on a map, so my older brother put his thinking cap on and said, "I know where that street is... you two follow me, it's just a short distance away." We found the street and her lovely house, but the blue-eyed, orange-loving Yaya wasn't available.

Oh well. I hoped to be able to go back and meet her later that weekend, but things refused to work out that way. My other nephew graduates next year. Maybe next year things will go a little smoother?

It wasn't until Monday afternoon that my dad stabilized and was discharged from the hospital. I immediately drove my parents home - and then drove myself the rest of the way home last night. My dad is doing better today - but is visiting his own doctor for follow up today.

I have been alone all day today in a cool, very quiet office and just can't stop yawning... I think I'm getting too old for this kind of exciting weekend.

I hope to visit your blogs soon, if I've not done so yet.

This Post Dedicated to Deanna

Recently I got an award from aladdinsane12 over at She Don't Make False Claims:

So I want to do two things -

First, I want to award aladdinsane12, this award:



...because I find her refreshing, sassy, smart, upbeat, and really I enjoy her blog. Reading her blog, and others like it (like Joy De Vivre, Dorkys Ramos, A Yankee Girl, Meme Love just for starters) helps keep me feeling young. She went to college in Scotland and lives in Chicagoland.

Thank you so very much.

And second, this past Sunday morning I felt woke up feeling rather blah. The weather was gloomy and things just weren't "going as planned".

I peeked at the comments left on a post I had made recently - now, I always enjoy every one's comments. Some of you make me laugh, some of you make me think, and many of you make me smile with a contented feeling - one that comes from knowing I might of made you laugh or to enjoy seeing some of "my world", filled with the deer, water and green trees (as well as those orange dudes and rusty spheres).

I hope you all know that - I feel badly that I don't often respond to your comments - I'm usually busy reading your blogs or finding things to photograph or write about in a new entry. Truth is, I often don't know how to respond.

Anyway, on Sunday morning, reading your comments, I came across one that... in a single sentence with mere few words that changed my mood in a flash. Someone with a heart of gold - and someone I respect and admire greatly left ...

"The items you listed is one of the reasons I admire you so."

Its hard to explain to someone that hasn't been so far into the bleakness of depression that they simple loathe themselves as to why these words have the power they have. It's my intent to here to express my gratitude and gratefulness - for those words - from someone I admire as much as anyone I know - and to acknowledge the continuing "warm and fuzzy" feeling I get with just knowing this person and to marvel in the thought that they even give me the "time of day".

Punkn (the rest of you can call her Deanna) - I pass along the award I got from aladdinsane12 to you.

It is like a Hallmark Card...the card has words in it, that might tangently express the sentiments of the sender - but in the end, they are really someone else's words - and they aren't written in one's very own handwriting... but they serve - sometimes.


On Sunday, my Dad and I went to a Museum near home - Punkn's words inspired me to "just get out of bed and face the day."

I've promised to write about the visit - because it was a magical one - and I will as soon as I sort out the way-too-many pictures I took. But here is one...


My Dad stands on the edge of a small crowd while the tour guide explains the workings of the world's largest human centrifuge.

The human centrifuge was built in 1949 and initiated operations to research the limits of human tolerance for “G” forces. By the late 1950s it was in use to train astronauts for the US Space Program.

At the base of the machine you will see the sign, "Failure is not an option." This is a quote from the movie, "Apollo 13". It was uttered by NASA Flight Director, Eugene Francis "Gene" Kranz in response to the crisis started when Jim Lovell said, "Houston, we've had a problem" which led to many hours of efforts with considerable ingenuity under extreme pressure by the crew, flight controllers and support personnel for the crew's safe return.

The developing drama was shown on television, which I, a young boy at the time, watched in breathless tension and increasing excitement.

At the upper left hand of this yellowish picture is the door way into the machine's control room containing a chair where all the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo astronauts, amongst them, Alan Shepard, John Glenn, Neil Armstrong, and my boyhood hero, Jim Lovell of Apollo 13 fame sat and put on their special suits.


Our tour ended up in that control room - and I got to sit in that very same chair.

Thank you Punkn. It wouldn't of happened without you. And yes, "failure is not an option."

The 5 Challenge

Today, I got a challenge from Aunt of 14. I'm supposed to post five pictures that I really like, list five things that I like about me and then challenge five other bloggers to do the same.

I dug through some of the pictures I have taken recently and uploaded into Flickr and don't think I've included with any previous entries. The rules don't say they have to be your pictures but I'm playing that way. And if I have included a picture before, oh well, just goes to show I do like it. :)


A snow fence down at the New Jersey shore used to help stabilize a sand dune. I remember it being one of the first nice, sunny days after this last hard winter we had when I took this picture. The water glistened and the sand was cool and soft underfoot.


My step-grandmother passed away after a brief battle with lung cancer recently, but a few weeks before she died, her entire family gathered around her at her log house for a BBQ picnic and guitar sing-a-long. This little boy was the youngest...her great-grandson. He was so sunny and bubbly, and obviously adores his older brother. He was the perfect tonic for the undercurrent of sadness that blanketed us.


My Dad recovered from his mild heart attack and nearly gave my Mom one when he brought home a very energetic and exuberant German Shepard puppy. Zoey has the inquisitive nature that matches the gaze on her face. She's just about housebroken already - she's probably much smarter than I am. :)


Every day, when time permits, I walk around the neighborhood where my office is located. Largely residential off the Main Street, the residents of town seem to strive to see who can find and display the most eye-catching nick-knacks.

I just think these two are too cute for words.


I often walk in the Norristown Farm Park since it is only a few blocks from where I live. The county park is the site of the Pennsylvania State Mental Hospital - and the fields are where the inmate/patients once worked for personal fulfillment and inner-peace. They no longer work there - but the one can find inner-peace in the quiet stillness at dusk. The sun is setting on this old rusted tractor near the hay barn, and you can see the sprawling (and recently restored) milk barn across the valley.

5 Things I Like about Me

1. I'm low maintenance and fairly easy to please. It doesn't take a whole lot to make me happy. I don't need $500 shoes, or expensive haircuts, or a 52 inch television (or even cable or satellite for that matter). I will eat most anything - except Lima Beans.

2. I like to hear a good joke (and groaners too) and think one of the most perfect things a human can do for another is to make them laugh...straight from the belly.

3. I was an Eagle Scout and the morals and good values they espouse are hopefully within me. It may be unfashionable to be a "boy scout" but I believe in "being prepared", and "On my honor, I will do my best, to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; To help other people at all times; To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight."

4. I like to think that given enough time and incentive, I can work out how just about anything works and what might be done to fix them if they aren't working "right." Analysis and synthesis.

5. I strive to be dependable and reliable. I try to keep my word - and am almost always punctual. I hate it when people roll in even 15 minutes late without a durn good reason!

Now to choose five of you - this is even harder than listing 5 things I like about myself...

I'm going to ask for volunteers... :)

Awards That Made Me Smile

I know - I'm always very slow with posting these - but today, when many I know seem to be struggling, unemployment, illness, cruel twist of fates, friends angry at other friends, cancer and swine flu killings, and even teenage deaths. It just seems the whole gamut of the seven horses of the apocalypse are running pell-mell for leather this week, and I wanted to bring some smiles into the world.

But how to do that? When my friends struggle - my mood plummets with theirs.

Well - One sure-fire one way is to tell you all to go visit JennyMac's Let's Have A Cocktail - Her entry today had me guffawing so loud the boss thought I was suffering a heart attack.

Not to minimize any other awards - I was stunned to receive this one - JennyMac is one of the most brilliant persons I know and her blog is ... well it is what I aspire to make mine like someday, the poor imitation that it is.

Please go visit JennyMac today - I guarantee you a good laugh.


Thank you JennyMac!

The rules for the I give good blog award are simple. Make a cocktail, pick out some of your favorite bloggers. Send this award to 4 of them. Tell them why you think they give good blog.

So I made myself a nice cold, tall glass of orange Metamucil and thought I'll give this to people I've "met" recently; people I'm glad to call my friends and neighbors.

Airing My Dirty Laundry, One Sock At A Time by WhisperingWriter - She's got two of the most beautiful rug rats ever to dress in Gap and Gymboree clothes - her daily entries are about her daily routine - but her recounting of the routine is anything but routine.

A Corgi In Southern California is someone I simply admire - and not just because she's an unabashed dog person. I wish I could be even half the wonderful person she is - I met her through Martha Menagerie - who is another one of those irrepressibly happy-go-lucky people every one should know and I admire.

The Daily Grind by Martha in PA - now here is someone I went to High School with - and her journy through life and my journey through life couldn't be more different - but here we are - once again neighbors. Her mosaics are to die for - I hope you will visit her and her daughter Tara and give her a hello. Butterflies are the mosaic masterpiece of the day today.

Matty Thoughts who's birthday is today as a "matty of fact"! In a blogosphere short of guys, I'm glad to "met" another neighbor and a guy one at that! Matt is a someone I respect - his class and gentleman demeanor sneak past the words on his blog. I hope you all will give him a happy birthday shout and check out his previous entry featuring the Left-handed King of Whiffle Ball.

If this award wasn't enough to make my head swell here some others.


From The Daily Grind by Martha in PA. "Over the top" huh? I guess those orange cone antics might be a little.. silly. :)

The rules say answer these questions using only one word and then pass the award along to 6 others -

1. Where is your cell phone? ..Arms-reach
2. Your hair? ..MIA
3. Your mother? ..Special
4. Your father? ..Super
5. Your favorite food? ..Chinese
6. Your dream last night? ..tormented
7. Your favorite drink? ..Metamucil (well! Diet Coke is two words)
8. Your dream/goal? ..silence
9. What room are you in? ..office
10. Your hobby? ..blogging
11. Your fear? ..blindness / cancer (its a toss-up)
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? ..retired
13. Where were you last night? ..home
14. Something you aren't? ..smelly?
15. Muffins? ..blueberry!
16. Wish list item? ..tires
17. Where did you grow up? ..Pennsylvania
18. Last thing you did? ..blushes
19. What are you wearing? ..clothes
20. Your TV? ..dusty
21. Your pets? ..none
22. Your friends? ..fabulolus (thanks Martha)
23. Your life? ..full
24. Your mood? ..retrospective
25. Missing someone? ..always
26. Vehicle? ..dirty
27. Something you're not wearing? ..mankini
28. Your favorite store? ..bookstore
29. Your favorite color? ..blue
30. When was the last time you laughed? ..today
31. Last time you cried? ..today (please don't kick me out of the man club!)
32. Your best friend? ..wow
33. One place that I go over and over? ..bathroom
34. One person who emails me regularly? ..boss
35. Favorite place to eat? ..home

I'm going to pass this one along to Yaya (with the orange) Stuff - a person with a heart of gold and who radiates love - and who could really use a friendly visit and a smile today.

...and to MemeLove, a truely gifted young writer and painter - her art, no matter what the form; prose, paint, or poetry makes me envious inside.

To TOOJ at Circling a Square Table who is expecting and will be called TOOJBA for now...

To Sherri at a Matter of Fact - a person with a big heart and smile - and who could really use a friendly visit and a smile today.

To LadyStyx who can understand the meaning of my answer to question 23.

And last but my no means least - Rita at SoulComfort who defines the word "pluck" and has a beautiful attitude I wish I could emulate.

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From LadyStyx - to whom, I hope knows, I am "dragon loyal" - thank you Styxie!

I'm going to pass this one along to five people who have steadfastly supported my feeble blogging efforts - and I know I'm slighting others - so I regret having to pick and chose -

Alice Kay from the Wilds of Pennsylvania, JunYah over at Creation Corner who might not be able to get his hands and fingers to work Blogger right - but I think that's because his talented hands are tying flies and doing amazing home improvements, Deanna .aka. Punkn, Karla the Texan and Tori from Wales. It's been a whirlwind of a couple years.

---------

From YellowDogGranny who's 1795th post today is definitely worth reading.

I'm going to pass this along to:

SugarLens, Dorkys Ramos over at Dry as Toast and the rated "R" (you are warned!) A Yankee Girl None of these lovely women's blogs are remotely the similar - yet I enjoy each of their blogs immensely.

Thank each and everyone of you - I feel incredibly blessed to have gotten to know you.

An Award

I have been really horrible about posting awards given to me - its certainly not that I don't appreciate them - I most surely do. It's just most times I don't feel like I've done anything to merit them and I get a little uncomfortable accepting them.

This award from Yankee Girl (Adventures of a Yankee Girl) was no different in that I don't think I merit it. However, I thought it would be nice to pass it along to some people that have written an entry lately that was inspired.

Yankee Girl - Thank you. I appreciate this. I hope you keep writing - your blog "has come a long way" since I first found it - each day you get more and more polished with your writing - and with each entry I feel like I know you better and better.


Recently, Sherri from a Matter of Fact wrote an entry that listed the five blog entries that she had received the most comments on - and that got me to thinking about which entries I had gotten the most comments on.

This in turn led me to the conclusion that I wasn't especially thrilled by the ones I had written that had the most comments.

Long story short(er), I asked Sherri which of her entries she thought were her top 5 favorites - my thought train then rumbled on (past the station) and got me to thinking which entries of yours were my favorites.

So the timing of Yankee Girl's award is fortuitous. :)

I hereby award "You Are A Gem" to the following people that were obviously inspired when they wrote the entry for which I've linked...I hope you will find them well worth the read.

Sherri - one of her most commented on entry was in my opinion, deservedly so, both inspired and inspiring - A Little Child Shall Lead Them

Rita - Usually, she delights me with pictures of the morning or evening sky, her chubby cat, or the fruits of her talented hands - Her Mommy and That Baby Girl made my jaw drop.

Dorkys - I had a hard time narrowing down which one I liked best. I'm going to go with Secret Agent Man since I think it illustrates serendipity meets inspired. A close second was an entry about her non-encounter with a guy on the subway.

Meme Love - I simply can't choose between Flames May Have Ensued, Yikes! or haunting but quirky, Après la Pluie.

Tori Z - What can you say about a young blind woman that not only blogs, but refuses to let that slow her down? Her bird pictures are inspiring - but her Kero's Corner series is inspired.

Deanna - I've known Deanna for some time. Her ability to express her love is an inspiration to me - I choke badly when it comes the four-letter "L" word - He had curly hair and a crooked smile and I loved him very much made me, a guy, cry.

Celtic Spirit - Hidden away on her blog page is a link to some poems that she wrote - I've long believed that angst inspired some of the worlds greatest prose, songs, and art. 2007 was a very full year for Celtic Spirit.

...and there are so many more such as Martha's Adventures with Koda. I hope you all will take a moment and think about what blog entries you thought were truly inspired and hopefully you will share them with the rest of us.

Brain Fart or Old-Timers?

I forgot to post this entry awhile ago.

:(

It's either a brain fart or the onset of old-timers... Take your pick.

You see...I saw this handmade giveaway offer on Dorkys' (Dry as Toast blog) back in June and its mid-August now!

I thank LadyStyx for shaking the cobwebs out my head instead of kicking me in the seat of the pants like I deserve.

The rules (lifted nearly straight from Dorkys):

The first five people to comment on this post will get something made by me. My choice. For you.

This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:
1- I make no guarantees that you will like what I make.
2- What I create will be just for you.
3- It'll be done within a year.
4- You have no clue what it's going to be.

It might be a story. It may be a signed photograph. I may make ceramic orange cones or paint a flower pot orange and put eyes on it or something. It might even be your very own hand-crafted Multo-cone.

Who knows? Not you, that's for sure!

5- I reserve the right to do something extremely creative.

But there's a catch! You must at least consider re-posting this on your own blog and offer the same deal to 5 of your own lucky blog readers.

So, the first 5 people to leave a comment telling me they are in, win a homemade gift by me! Oh, and be sure to post a picture of what you win when you get it.

Any takers?

Now I hesitated to "sign up" for this - I mean...me? with 4 thumbs on each hand? But I'm glad I did...


Dorkys sent me a handmade card that says,

"..a friend is someone who knows the song in your heart, and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words..."

I must say, reading these words (author unknown) made me all warm and fuzzy.

She also sent a postcard of a hand-painted cherry tree, with a note on the back. I've framed the postcard and its sitting on my desk today. I would have been more than delighted and content with "just" the postcard and hand-written note...but...

...there was more. Also included was a memory stick. Not so homemade huh?

Well! The video she recorded most definitely was. A virtual walk in the park with her and Toby! How cool is that!


She zoomed in on all the cones she spotted and gave a running commentary! How can I not get swoony about that?!


Hi Toby!!

How about a lick and a sniff Toby? You just got to love high-def!

Close ups of Orange Striped Barrels!
...and flowers... and someone's discarded clothes - remember the OCHA impersonator? ...and birds... oh, and even a Charlie climbing a tree!!


...and more cones! The video concludes with a megafantasmic (dare we say 'fabulous'?) Dorkys' smile - up close!

Thank you Dorkys! These giveaway items were awesome! Please accept this award as a small token of my appreciation.

One of Those Days...

Well, try as I might, I couldn't figure out how to "turn" a video I took upright.

Man, does that make me feel dumb. At any rate I wanted to share the video with someone that has been really busy lately in the Land Down Under. I'm going to post the video anyway. Since they are upside down, having the video on its side should actually make it easier for them to view because they only have to turn their head to one side (the right) instead of standing on their head as you can see from my picture.


Calvin's Dad has nothing on me. :)



To add to my distress this past Friday, the entire world seems to be in mourning.

No, I don't mean Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, or Ed McMahon. While they are icons of our age, and will be missed, I mean someone else, very near and dear to me... SpongeBob SquarePants!


RIP SpongeBob... we hardly knew ye. Sobs.

With SpongeBob's passing, I've had some idle hours on my hands, so to fill the void in my life, and the big hole in my heart, I searched high and low for something (or someone) new. Imagine my relief when I stumbled into the Zula Patrol! They even have a pretty cool website (here)!


May I introduce to you, from left to right, Whizzy (or Wiggy, they are twins), Gorga, Zeeter, and Commander Bula? As cool as a flying flash light, a robot dog, a purple chick that can pilot spacecraft and an dude that looks like a grasshopper with a red flower pot on his head are... they aren't my reason to watch the Zula Patrol!

No! My hero is Multo!!


I'm sure many of you that have been reading my mental noise and nonsense for some time now instantly understand why this guy is my hero. He's an inventor, a scientist and best of all, has three eyes! (or rather, six of them in this picture!) With those sexy goggles on, I'm sure he(?) looks fabulous on a bike or just plain sticking his head out the spacecraft's window.


Ooooooh... I just like this picture. As you can see, the TV captioning is how I manage to understand Zula-nese. Put one check mark in the plus column for technology.

And now, with great pleasure, I wish to bestow upon some readers an award. I won't cite the specific comments they made that inspired me to give them this award. Why? because I've got some new ideas I'm working on in the "fun factory" because of them - and I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise.


Dorkys Ramos of Dry as Toast!

Celtic Spirit!

JunYah of Creation Corner!

and a repeat winner

LadyStyx!


Thanks for inspiring me with a comment you left recently!

Blushing...

I recently got an award from LadyStyx that made me feel really good. She wanted to thank those who have endeavored to put a smile on her face.

I'm truly happy to have done that...as I enjoy the sound of your laughter - for me, its a special treat to see "LOL" or "LMAO" in a comment...and when I see that I've managed to make you smile, I feel like I've helped make the world an ever so slightly better place.

There are some of you - and you know who you are - that I will gladly go the "extra mile" for your smile - and be super daft to get you to laugh.


How could one not like this award? :)

I agree that the other folks LadyStyx awarded this to are award-winning and worthy: Chicagolady, Queenie Jeannie, MarmiteToasty, Yaya, Tori_Z, and ..Pooba.., they have all made me smile and laugh too.

I'd like to pass this award along to:

PunknDeanna - whose heart-warming stories about her grandchild make me smile every time.

Yellow Dog Grannie whose "stumbles" and other irreverent journeys leave me laughing.

My Side of the Story and tag team member, The Wife O Riley, who often pair up and induce hysterics.

Lainie whose life seems to be a fairy tale of late - her obvious joy with her new hubby and all of her family's accomplishments and doings is contagious. One can be envious without being jealous.

And finally, but by no means least, Jess, at Smiles in Easy Open Packages whose upbeat cheery entries always leave me wanting to read more. I know we all want to see more photographs of her part of ye olde England.

LadyStyx was generous with the awards that night...


This is a cool looking award. In addition to all those mentioned above, by me OR by LadyStyx, I'm going to pass this award to: Karla, Gyspy Heart, Sugar Lens, Meme Love, Alice Kay, AusGrl, Celtic Spirit, Whimsical Brainpan, and Dorkys Ramos.

An Inspired Comment Awarding

ChicagoLady, come on down! Its time for you to accept another Blinky Inspired Comment Award!



When I wrote my "Spanning the Globe" entry, I was thinking about creating a TV show that would travel the world to visit with Orange Conehead Aliens (OCHAs). I went and listed cities and places that I knew some of you readers and other friends I have live in (those underlined) and added some more places that I would simply like to go.

Little did I know someone had already written a theme song for the show!

You could do commercials, to promote your show. With pictures of OCHAs, and in the background Johnny Cash's "I've Been Everywhere".

- ChicagoLady

The song, in part, goes:

...I've been everywhere, man.
I've been everywhere, man.
Crossed the desert's bare, man.
I've breathed the mountain air, man.
Of travel I've had my share, man.
I've been everywhere.

I've been to:
Reno, Chicago, Fargo, Minnesota,
Buffalo, Toronto, Winslow, Sarasota,
Wichita, Tulsa, Ottawa, Oklahoma,
Tampa, Panama, Mattawa, La Paloma,
Bangor, Baltimore, Salvador, Amarillo,
Tocapillo, Baranquilla, and Perdilla, I'm a killer.

The complete lyrics can be found here.

To go with the theme song, I'm starting a new project - finding songs that feature names of towns and cities so they can be suitably modified, like Frank Sinatra's "The Cone from Ipanema", Billy Joel's "Allentown" and "New York Cone of Mine", Glen Miller's "Chattanooga Cone Cone" and "I Got a Cone in Kalamazoo", Bob Seger's "Cone Out of Denver", ZZ Top's "Coneheads Just Left Chicago"...

I'd love some help. :)

Blogs of Note

Pennsylvania has recently passed an anti-smoking law banning smoking from inside workplaces. As the storm clouds gather overhead, the Orange Cone Head Aliens and the Orange Striped Barrels push and shove for a protected spot outside near the shipping door.

Ever think it would be cool to nominate someone's blog as a "Blog of Note"?

Well, you can...

Go to http://help.blogger.com/?page=wishlist and in the Vote for Feature section, click on Recommend a Blog of Note.

A text box will open up for you to enter the URL of the blog you want to nominate. Then either sit back and see what happens or tell your friends to nominate some folks too! I entered someone that doesn't blog every day but is always a treat when they do as well as couple other bloggers that always make me smile when I read their words.

A Brand New Award!

Just for fun - I decided to pass a new award into the blogoshere.



The nominees are... (insert drum roll here)

Oh my! Punkn!

With her fabulous Eeyore slippers... Tori Z!

A two for one special at LadyStyx's place!
The running Camera and OCHA!

When she says it's her friend or her coworker;
It's really about her... (Wink! Wink!)
Wife of Riley!

And she's just simply teasing us... Marmite Toasty!

And Juliet Prowse would have been envious of Jess and her tap shoes!

The biggest sexy ankles were captured on film by ChicagoLady!

One of the nicest views including the sexy ankles comes from Dorkys Ramos!

I keep my ankles covered... So I'm not in the running.

Maybe someday God(dess) will forgive me for doing this.

650 Kilogram-Meters/Minute (LBE)

When I woke up this morning before the sun rose to get ready for Physical Therapy I heard every joint in my body creak... The tightness in my lower back and the stiffness in my fingers made me slow and sluggish. Trying to rouse myself, I mentally shouted "TGIF!! TGIF!!" but even that brought me no cheer or energy.

Arriving at the hospital where the personal torture takes place, the sky turned a rosy but still gloomy grey and I was directed to the hand-powered stationary bike where I pedal with my arms to loosen up the stiff shoulder muscles.


Today's unpleasant surprise was being told that it was time for route "C". I have been doing route "B" which had turned into a pleasant "little ride" in which I know all the (missing) turns and changes of pace - in fact I can do this route with my eyes closed and no strain whatsoever. That lack of strain or perhaps my lack of smile when I muttered "mornin'" to the PT Associate prompted them to turn things up a notch.

I have no idea what the 650 Kilogram-Meters/Minute signifies on the gauge other than it meant wheezing, panting, huffing, and wincing from the shoulder complaining about it. The PT Associate kept an eagle eye on me this morning and every time I slacked off a little, he shouted "650 Kilogram-Meters/Minute! Keep it at 650 Kilogram-Meters/Minute!"



While pedalling like Benny Hill after a bleached blond, I thought to myself, "Should I get a dog? A cute one?" and about how recently I've not feeling so well - I'm not going to complain about it here - I just want you to know if I don't get around to comment on your blogs it's because I'm just kind of running with an empty gas tank.

I don't know if its depression, tiredness from stress, or just ...feeling old. While I pedal the bike and hear the PT Associate shouting at me, "650 Kilogram-Meters/Minute!" when I slow down, I am reminded of John Denver's "Poems, Prayers & Promises" in which he sings:
The days they pass so quickly now - the nights are seldom long
Time around me whispers when it's cold
The changes somehow frighten me - still I have to smile
It turns me on to think of growing old
For though the life's been good to me - there's still so much to do...
----------
After I had staggered out of the hospital and plodded across the parking lot that felt like it was being blasted by Artic winds, I forlorningly got into my car and started my drive to work. It was but a short time later, when I suddenly felt much better having just noticed one of life's simple pleasures. It was probably nothing anyone else would get excited over - but I smiled to myself and thought, "I've never had a car with one before and as a kid growing up, I probably wouldn't have noticed, nor cared about it, but this heated car seat is soooooooooo nice!

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Being in whatever mood it is that I am in, I want to give a "shout out" to some of you that have been the source of good feelings the past few weeks when I needed it most.

To do so, with LadyStyx's helpful graphical talents, we have created a brand-new award - one not ever given before. The "Warm and Fuzzy" award for bloggers that leave me feeling better, better about myself, about the world in general, and/or give me a laugh, a smile, or somehow generate a deep-seated feeling of warmth that can only be called happiness at just the right time. It could almost have been called the "better than chocolate" award. I've probably omitted some folks I should include and if so, I apologize and will make amends when it comes to my attention.



I'd like to give this award to:
The Wife O Riley
Tori Z
Celtic Spirit
Marmite Toasty
Lainie
ChicagoLady
MemeLove
Gypsy Heart
Punkn
Alice Kay
Karla
LadyStyx
and to
Karen who is Tori's mom. This remarkable woman who has just gotten her driver's license over in Wales after 18 months of learning and preparing (at about my age) has raised two remarkable children, Tori and Carl to overcome being blind and to be the kind of people the world really needs - talented, cheery, caring and strong. They are a living testament to their mother's care and dedication. Hats off to Karen!
----------
I have been remiss in posting recent awards - I am always delighted to win one - and I do try to make interesting entries in this blog. Some days, I think I do and other days I don't. Sometimes just thinking about what to say in a comment can be hard - since I don't feel like I fit in and some of the topics aren't "for guys" anyway.



From The Wife O Riley I can't read this award, it being written in Swedish (I think) but the part I can read says Nobel Prize - who can resist one of those?



From The Wife O Riley I can't read this award either beyond the title and tracked it back through four or five blogs hoping to find one that I could but without success. But the part I can read - I surely can appreciate.

Edited: My thanks to LadyStyx who sent me a "old fart" size of the award so I could read it - the award says, "You are truely beautiful. Beautiful means so much more than just a face! It also means that you are unique, and oh so full of grace. The things in you that go much deeper than the softness of your skin. Are the things that make you beautiful, both outside and within. You are hereby given this Certificate in Recognition that you are 100% Beautiful."

Well...gee... golly... me and my "soft skin" are blushing... big time.



From LadyStyx, the talented graphical artist, music critic extraordinaire, and roving photojournalist without equal. Thank you LadyStyx - you help me make this blog what it is - perhaps more so than you realize.

I apologize for this long and meandering entry. It just needed saying.

Well, Gee...

Thanks to a very Funny Man at My Side of the Story I'm tickled pink, blushing, and embarrassed all at once. I enjoy writing things that, hopefully make you folks laugh or stop to ponder the picayune.



Meme Love -- A young woman with a raw, artistic talent blended with a zany taste of the macabre and poe-try. I've had the good fortune to discover many phenomenal artistic talents through blogging, two others that spring immediately to mind are Whimsical Brainpan and Gyspy-Heart. I wish Meme, Whimsical, and Gypsy Heart many years of artistic output - the world is a nicer place, canvas by canvas, because of them.

Twaddle everyday rubbish -- If you never been to MarmiteToasty's blog, you haven't lived. This childminder's antics with her nippers, her sons, her neighbor, and her remarkable view of the world are enough to lift heart, mind and soul of anyone that spends too much time looking at their feet. There are so many awesome folks dealing with adversity, be it bum knees, blindness like Tori, burn trauma like Whim, Multiple Sclerosis by Merely Me, trauma from spousal abuse like LadyStyx in uplifting and inspiring way that when I need a pep talk, any one of their excellent blogs will provide it.

Punkn's Place -- This wonderful woman has a marvelous blend of class, humor, a beautiful house, and most importantly, a family that makes that lovely house - a warm, inviting, and fun home - when I get reincarnated, I want to come back as one of punkn's punkns...

I never like having to pick out anyone for special attention - because I think all of you are great friends and wonderful to be around - I hope your blog will be the blog of the year.