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BLAINESWORLD
#654
4.13.2009 In this issue: 1. Reflections 2. FYI 3. Bad break 4. Reviews . . . SUNSHINE CLEANING, etc. 5. TV alert 6. Technology's effect 7. Websites 8. Computer tip 9. Flight buddies 10. A quote I like 11. Thought for the day 12. Advance planning department _________________________________________________________ 1. Reflections A. Cynthia, my beautiful bride, and I got to scatter the ashes our beloved cat Shanti over the lake behind our home . . . when doing so, Cynthia read this poem to commemorate the occasion: Goodbye by John Quealy With heavy hearts and a tear in our eyes after all these years, we must say goodbye. Please understand we've done all we could if there was anything we could do, you know we would. I'm sitting right here, gently rubbing your ears while I talk to you softly, trying to hold back the tears. The memories you gave us we'll never forget, especially the ones of the day we all met. One last hug and one last kiss you have no idea how much you'll be missed; To look into your eyes this one last time you tell me it's ok, you know it's your time. Close your eyes now and go to sleep we'll pray to the Lord you' soul he'll keep. Go in peace now our good friend we'll stay right here with you until the end. Dream of that special day and time when we'll meet at the bridge and all will be fine. We'll run and play, side by side with a soft warm feeling deep down inside. Your memory will live on in each one of us you'll always be number 1 to all of us. Have a safe journey through the night I promise when you awake, you'll be in God's light. So with heavy hearts and tears in our eyes just for now my friend, we say goodbye. B. Many readers have asked to see what I keep raving about; i.e., that lake . . . and also the mountains that surround us . . . so by popular request, please see below for a picture of the two of us in front of the view we see every time we drive into our development:  C. Much of the week, I spent in Bucks County, PA . . . two events struck me as memorable. At Bucks County Community College, I presided over the last General Meeting as president of the teacher's union . . . I was moved by the standing ovation the group gave me after my monthly report. And then one night, I got to eat dinner with my good friends Kevin and Ginny . . . we went to Paganini Cafe & Pizza in Doylestown, PA (215.348.9600) . . . there's quite an eclectic menu, and our food was all good . . . I stuck with what's rapidly becoming a staple for me: a chicken wrap . . . however, the highlight of the evening was going back to their home where Kevin entertained us by playing a collection of Sinatra tunes that he had recorded . . . I was impressed. D. I LOVE to hear good news about friends, as well as readers . . . so please do keep those emails and/or letters coming. This past week, there seemed to be a lot of information about some of my favorite folks--including the following: * CONGRATULATIONS to Tony Wolf, named as recipient of the 2009 Lindback Distinguished Teaching Award at Bucks County Community College . . . a better choice couldn't have been made! * CONGRATULATIONS, also, to Suzanne Smith . . . she's our favorite local realtor (who helped us purchase our home in Asheville) who has also become our good friend . . . she recently was certified as an Accredited Staging Professional . . . so she now can add that designation to the other impressive certifications after her name, including CRS, ABR, SRES, CNHS and GREEN . . . I have no idea what all these letters stand for, but if you'd like to find out more, contact her directly at 828.551.4609 or via email, suzannesmith54@gmail.com. You also won't go wrong having Suzanne as your realtor, particularly if looking to join us anywhere in the western part of North Carolina. * And Roberta Mayer, a teaching colleague of mine at Bucks, was mentioned in THE NEW YORK TIMES: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/03/arts/design/03anti.html?_r=1&emc=eta1
In addition, she just won a book award from the Metropolitan Chapter of the Victorian Society. ***** BLAINESWORLD BEST AWARD ***** This week, it goes to Sue Hinkle--a former student who is now assisting me with the smoke cessation programs I'm running as my sabbatical project this semester. The highest compliment I can pay anybody I've ever taught is to hire them, and this is the second time I've hired Sue to work for me. She is a natural in this latest project, in that she had been a one-time smoker . . . thus she can really relate to the participants. Sue has been doing a great job, keeping in touch with everybody . . . she has also led some of the lively group discussions. In addition, Sue is one of most knowledgeable individuals I know when it comes to holistic health matters . . . I have frequently turned to her for advice and have been impressed with both her advice and knowledge. Back To Top _________________________________________________________ 2. FYI The Challenge: Baking and roasting pans with a layer of gunk that never seems to wash off no matter how hard you scrub. Make Do: Soak with water and a dryer sheet--overnight is best. We've gotten unanimous approval ratings on this one. Go All the Way: Get to the problem before it even starts. Lay two sheets of aluminum foil across the bottom of the pan. It'll serve as a buffer and keep the food from sticking. We found this one from the trusty folks over at TheKitchn.com. SOURCE: You'll find the above and a lot more useful tips by clicking: http://home.aol.com/organize/photo-gallery/cleaning-tips/_a/nasty-cleaning-tasks-tackled/20090320140309990001?icid=main|htmlws-main|dl3|link3|http%3A%2F%2Fhome.aol.com%2Forganize%2Fphoto-gallery%2Fcleaning-tips%2F_a%2Fnasty-cleaning-tasks-tackled%2F20090320140309990001 FYI, part 2 MANY THANKS to all those who wrote us about Shanti . . . see below for just a small sampling of the emails and letters that we received . . . please feel free to skip over this section if you don't want to read them. * Mandy in Pennsylvania: My Dad, who is and always has been my hero, once told me that a wise woman once told him “When you get the chills from something that you observe, read, or hear, it means that you are witnessing the TRUTH.” I'm grateful, thanks to you and Cynthia, your beautiful bride, for sharing your beautiful relationship. * Jeannie in Pennsylvania: Cynthia's words are so full of describing you and so very thoughtful and loving. I thank you for having her in your column praising you, her husband, with so much insight and kindness. Thank you for sharing that with all of us. * Donna in New Jersey: Cynthia's note made my cry. Very sweet and touching. Losing a pet is like losing a member of our family. * Terri in Pennsylvania: So sad about your kitty. What Cynthia contributed brought tears to my eyes. Making the decision to put your pet down is stressful and heart breaking. It is certainly something in life that no one should do alone. Glad you had each other! * Debbie in New York: So sorry to hear about Shanti. Coping with the loss of a member of the family (human or furry) is difficult. Our heartfelt sympathy to you and Cynthia. It's an awful thing when you have to put a pet to sleep. We have a cat, "Boot Kitty Babies," a beautiful Maine coon . . . who I've been bringing to Cornell University Animal Hospital for glaucoma treatment since January and more recently a local vet for bladder problems. I know in the future that eventually we're going to have to put him down, and it breaks my heart to think about it. The way that I've been trying to deal with the whole thing is to tell myself that no one could love him more or treat him better. I too brush him, carry him around and talk to him, rub my forehead against his and rub his belly . . . at end of the day, he's having the best life possible, as I'm sure Shanti did. Your story was very helpful to me. Thank you for sharing. * Julien in Maryland: Please accept my sympathy over the loss of your dear pet and long-time companion. Having lost three pets myself, I know the sadness you feel. I too wondered at the time where our furry friends went and I have to agree with Blaine's response, “They all live in our hearts every time we think about them." God Bless. * Barbara in New Jersey: We were both sorry to hear about your kitty. I believe there is one big heaven that includes everyone and everything--even bugs. . . . Our pets hang out with those who are waiting for us over there. They know who they are since animals are really angels sent to make life more tolerable. And when its our time to cross over, they know our smell and run like the goofballs they are (they are like puppies and kitties cause there is no pain or age) right into our arms. The people souls we know just sort of stand there and smile, welcoming us but pets are a whole other spectrum of a welcome. There is also no poop to worry about in heaven either, so you never have to watch where you step. Whenever I had to put one of my kids down, I did it for them although I wish I could hold on to them just a little longer. But it was my way of thanking them for making my life so much richer by letting them go peacefully. And my face is the last thing they see. * John in Pennsylvania: Sorry to read about the loss of Shanti.. Went through that a few years ago with my wife's cat that I came to know and love after we moved in together. * Tracy in South Carolina: I am so sorry to hear about your cat. I am a Vet Tech, and I know from my job and from personal experience that it is very hard to lose a member of the family. My heart goes out to you and your wife during this difficult time. * Roger in Pennsylvania: I am sorry for the loss of your kitty. Our animal companions are members of our family and when they pass on we miss them as much as any member of our family. * Kathe in Pennsylvania: So sorry to hear about Shanti. Coping with the loss of a member of the family (human or furry) is difficult. Our heartfelt sympathy to you and Cynthia. Back To Top _________________________________________________________ 3. Bad break "I told the doctor I broke my leg in two places," noted comedian Henny Youngman. "He told me to quit going to those places." Back To Top _________________________________________________________ 4. Reviews A. SUNSHINE CLEANING is a quirky comedy-drama, stars Amy Adams and Emily Blunt (so fine in THE GREAT BUCK HOWARD, a film I reviewed last week) as two sisters who join forces to start a crime-scene cleanup business . . parts of it are funny, while others are quite touching . . . the supporting cast includes Alan Arkin and Steve Zahn, both among my favorite actors . . . it will remind you of LITTLE MISS SUSHINE, and that's no surprise given that the producers were the same . . . rated R. B. Enjoyed MARLEY AND ME, now out on DVD, a family comedy about a dog who never met a leg he didn't like . . . he even got kicked out of obedience school (in perhaps the funniest scene in the film) . . . Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston are perfect as the couple who first take on the dog, then a family . . the ending was a bit upsetting and may make some cautious about watching this with very young kids . . . rated PG. C. What did James Brown and Muhammad Ali have in common? They both took much of their act from GORGEOUS GEORGE, an entertaining biography by John Capoya . . . it tells the story of the transformation of journeyman wrestler George Wagner from a dark-haired clean-cut good guy to a blond braggart who cheated whenever he got the chance . . .he also drove crowds wild back in the early 1950s when wresting first gained widespread popularity. In reading it, I was also reminded of THE WRESTLER (the recent film)--particularly this one passage: * Wrestling was becoming family television fare, but the Romans in the arenas still went berserk at the sight of gladiatorial blood. The subset of wrestlers down as "blade men" gave theirs intentionally. To get heat, a boy would conceal an eighth-of-an-inch razor blade on a wrist or finger, fixing it there with tape. When his opponent slammed him face-first into a turnbuckle, he'd put a hand to his forehead, drawing the cutting tool across it and opening up a slash that gushed crimson. When the crowd saw the blood, or "juice," running down his face and neck and staining the mat below, it let out a primal roar. A star like George would never have to resort to blading or "getting color," as it was also known. But quite a few other did, their foreheads gradually becoming hatch-marked with tiny whitish scars. Though the wrestling parts of the book were interesting, I found his story out of the ring even more fascinating . . . such as this account of when he met Ali (then Cassius Clay) and told him: * "You got your good looks, a great body, and you've got a good mouth on you. Talk about how pretty you are, tell 'em how great you are. And a lot of people will pay to see somebody shut your big mouth. So keep on bragging, keep on sassing and always be outrageous." And then there was this account of his appearance on Eddie Cantor's radio show: * This segment ended with Cantor asking his guest star: "There is one thing I always wanted to know. What makes you call yourself Gorgeous?" To which George answered: "Honesty." I was moved by Capoya's portrayal of George toward the end of his career--and particularly the description of the bout he lost and was forced to have his curls shaved in the ring . . . things went steadily downhill afterwards, and when he died at 48, he was both broke and virtually friendless. Adding greatly to my enjoyment of the book were the pictures from the various stages of his career . . . they really helped me understand his popularity and why he had been such a cultural icon. D. Heard THE MAN IN THE BLACK SUIT, four unabridged short stories by Stephen King. Although I've liked some of the movies that have been made out of King's work, I've never actually read (or listened to) very much by him until this collection . . . and now, having spent several hours listening to these tales, I'm not sure I want to read too much more by this acclaimed author. The very first story, "The Man in the Black Suit," just didn't do anything for me . . . its' about a suicidal father, which to begin with, is not one of my favorite topics . . . overall, it was a gloomy beginning to what followed. Only one story kept my attention: "The Death of Jack Hamilton" . . . it is about John Dillinger and Hamilton, his friend, over the last days of the latter's life . . . I don't know if things happened exactly as they are written here, but it didn't really matter . . . I was entertained from beginning to end. The other two stories were so-so, at best . . . fortunately, the narration was not done by King but by a quartet of professional actors: Becky Ann Bakers, John Cullum, Peter Gerety and Arliss Howard . . . they all were just fine. Back To Top _________________________________________________________ 5. TV alert A. Kathy Griffin is in a stand-up show, then she hosts THE A-LIST AWARDS on Wednesday at 9 p.m. on BRAVO. B. Amber Tamblyn, so fine in JOAN OF ARCADIA, takes on the role of a tough cop in THE UNUSUALS . . Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on ABC. C. GREY GARDENS has Jessica Lange and Drew Barrymore playing the real-life mother-daughter act of Edith and Edie Bealer, faded East Hampton society belles . . . TV GUIDE says the film is both "mesmerizing and creepy" . . . Saturday at 8 p.m. on HBO. D THE COURAGEOUS HEART OF IRENA SENDLER stars Anna Paquin in the true story of a social worker in Nazi-occupied Poland who smuggles Jewish children out of the Warsaw Ghetto to safety from deportation . . . Sunday at 9 p.m. on CBS. Back To Top _________________________________________________________ 6. Technology's effect Fax machines can have a great effect on politicians. Somebody just sent a fax message to every member of our state legislature. Each fax message was exactly the same: "The press has found out everything." Both houses of the legislature emptied out within thirty minutes. Back To Top ______________________________________________________ 7. Websites A. As you type, she speaks . . . see for yourself by clicking: http://www.oddcast.com/home/demos/tts/frameset.php?frame1=talk This is tooooo cool . . . you can even change the person doing the talking and perhaps best of all, you can choose from 24 different languages! B. A lot of folks on Facebook are circulating information about an amazing singer called Susan Boyle . . . to see the full version of her appearance on BRITAIN'S GOT TALENT, please click: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXX_gMFeWlc It is worth watching, if just to get the opportunity to see Simon Cowell smile! C. BLAINESWORLD, the website, remains up and running . . . to view it, please click: http://www.blainesworld.net To see past issues of this missive, see "Newsletter" on left, then "Past Issues" . . there's a search engine box at the top . . . for example, it recently helped me revisit this great quote from BLAINESWORLD #512: The mind and body are connected. When Nixon was lying through his teeth, he got phlebitis in his leg. The body expresses what the mind is trying to suppress. But if you have a positive attitude, and the faith and love of people around you, you heal faster.--Christopher Reeve (1952-2004), American actor/author/humanitarian Back To Top _________________________________________________________ 8. Computer tip What's 11 X 2 and 37 + 19? If you can answer such a total of three other math problems along the same lines (all at the 3rd grade math level), then you will be able to take advantage of a new email application from Google called Goggles. It is what might be considered an email sobriety test . . . it allows users to opt into a protective setting that effectively measures their sobriety before sending out late night emails. While most sober emailers can control their urge to tell off their boss, ex-boyfriend or mother-in-law, the cybernannies at Google recognized that emailers who have drunk too much alcohol often lose access to their better judgment. When you opt in to Mail Goggles, the feature is only active for late night hours on weekends, but you can go into General Settings and adjust what times you want Mail Goggles to be active depending on your own personal drinking patterns. Unlike driving while drunk, emailing while drunk will not cause physical harm, but it could wreak emotional havoc. Google engineer Jon Perlow implied on his Gmail blog post that introduced Mail Goggles that he developed the new feature partly because he himself was a victim of reckless emailing. Perlow once sent a late night email to an ex-girlfriend suggesting they get back together. In a way, it's too bad we can't use Mail Goggles' math quiz concept in other aspects of our life when we need help with impulse control. For instance, before saying something we regret to our spouse or children, we could first try to remember all the lyrics to our favorite song or the names of all our elementary school teachers. SOURCE: Based, in part, from material at this website: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1090770/google_gmail_mail_goggles_helps_prevents.html?cat=15 IF YOU WANT TO GET USE MAIL GOGGLES: You must first get and start using Gmail . . . you can do so by clicking: https://www.google.com/accounts/NewAccount?service=mail&continue=http%3A%2F%2Fmail.google.com%2Fmail%2Fe-11-aadf0cfb7991f8da6dd8f1a2eab6e-5500fced23529e365e086a498e3be036617e3d06&type=2
Then go into Gmail's settings and turn on Mail Goggles in the "Labs" tab. You can adjust how and when it works in the "General" tab. Back To Top _________________________________________________________ 9. Flight buddies A Baptist preacher was seated next to a cowboy on a flight to Texas. After the plane took off, the cowboy asked for a whiskey and soda, which was brought and placed before him. The flight attendant then asked the preacher if he would like a drink. Appalled, the preacher replied, "I'd rather be tied up and taken advantage of by women of ill-repute, than let liquor touch my lips." The cowboy then handed his drink back to the attendant and said, "Me too, I didn't know we had a choice." Back To Top _________________________________________________________ 10. A quote I like Happiness is essentially a state of going somewhere, wholeheartedly, one-directionally, without regret or reservation.--William H. Sheldon (1898-1977), American psychologist Back To Top _________________________________________________________ 11 Thought for the day A cat's life by Ted Gagne, DVM When you first found me I heard you say, "Little Kitty, have you lost your way?" My eyes said yes, and I guess I knew Just exactly what you would do. You reached for me as I tried to discover: Should I take a chance or run for cover? But tired and hungry and sadly alone, I was desperately in need of a friendly home. Your hands spoke of kindness and safety too, You carried me in and before peeking from afar Brought me warm milk and tuna named "Star." You hoped I'd stay, and that I did; But behind the sofa I usually hid. The days passed on but not my despair Until we shared your favorite chair. How happy you were when I saw fit To finally with you enjoy a sit. You stroked my head and combed my fur, And I gave thanks with a new found purr. From that day there was no doubt: We both knew what it was all about. Love and joy with trust were there, And year after year the best of care. I hope you know how much I cared For you and the life we daily shared. No more of you could I expect or ask, But sadly for you there's one more task. Because the day will come when we must part A time I know will break your heart. If I could I'd help you decide, But your love for me will be your guide. Please don't let me linger when my time has come, And there's nothing more that can be done. Let me go to my final rest. Knowing as always you've done your best. Go with fond memories from when I first heard you say, "Little Kitty have you lost your way?" Back To Top _________________________________________________________ 12 Advance planning department A. Mei in Pennsylvania: Please come to a Dance Show that will help raise money for Red Cross and Habit for Humanity. It takes place on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. at Bucks County Community College (in the Library Auditorium) in Newtown, PA. I'll be dancing, along with Tim Respass and a whole bunch of others. Tickets are just $5. B. If you're anywhere near Allentown, PA, check this place out (that Joe in Pennsylvania emailed me about): Bulgari Collection Brings Automotive Elegance of a Bygone Era to America On Wheels America On Wheels (AOW) transportation museum celebrates its First Anniversary in April, marking a successful inaugural year that brought a visit from Indy legend Mario Andretti, a congratulatory letter from late-night talk show host Jay Leno and approximately 30,000 visitors who enjoyed two highly popular changing exhibits, numerous educational programs and the institution's growing reputation as a new hotspot for auto enthusiasts across the nation. A Birthday Celebration is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 18, with a visit from "Herbie, the Love Bug," the Volkswagen Beetle that became an icon in the 1969 film. In addition, the Minsi Trails Boy Scout Trexler District Pinewood Derby Finals will start at 9 a.m. and from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., British car enthusiast Richard Miller will hold an interactive discussion on the "Post-World War II Invasion of the British Cars." For more information, call the museum staff at 610.432.4200 or please click: http://www.americaonwheels.org C. Carole in New Jersey: Help needed for this Sunday, April 19. Again this year, the Mercer County Million Mom March Chapter will be hosting a gun violence prevention information table at the Law Enforcement Expo being held at the Quakerbridge Mall, Lawrenceville, NJ from 11 am.-6 p.m. PLEASE consider volunteering to help at our table this year. We currently have someone scheduled to set up by 11:00 and remain until approximately 2:30. As this is a full-day event, we're hoping to get at least two others to fill in until wrap-up at 6:00. . This is always a very popular event with police cars and police dogs on hand as well as numerous community organizations. It attracts quite a crowd. Please respond by return email if you can volunteer: mercermmm@gmail.com. For more information about our group, please click: http://wwwmillionmommarch.org
D. Berta in New Jersey: The Taskforce For Humanity Coalition is an organization I am involved with to make this world a better place. We are having a conference on October 10th at Seton Hall University in South Orange, NJ. The purpose of this conference is to inspire a humanitarian consciousness and to motivate people to make a personal contribution to creating a better, more compassionate world. We wish to demonstrate, using creative, dynamic and compelling techniques various ways, many very simple, each individual or group can make a difference. For more information, please click: http://www.suntfprograms.iwarp.com/index.html You can buy half-priced tickets now for only $10 (to cover the cost of renting Seton Hall space). Please come; you make a difference. I will be leading at least one workshop, and there are other exciting events and giveaways during the day. Back To Top _________________________________________________________ PS. Please join me in praying that we soon get our remaining soldiers back from Iraq and, also, that peace comes to Israel and her neighbors. . . make it a great week, too! ---------------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBCRIBE INFORMATION To subscribe to this publication, please send an email to: bginbc@aol.com and put SUBSCRIBE in subject line . . . if you wish to unsubscribe, just send an email to same address and put UNSUBSCRIBE in subject line. |
