Now That's Cold !

I'm sure you have read by now about the 400 employees of RadioShack who received an email saying, "The work force reduction notification is currently in progress. Unfortunately your position is one that has been eliminated."

There are some announcements which should absolutely always be done in person. Here are a few :

"You're hired "
"You're terminated"
"I don't want to see you anymore"
"Will you marry me?"
"I'm pregnant"
"I quit"

Where are the Animals?

I know that everytime I long for a time gone by that I risk being tagged as old and out of step with the new generation but I just can't let this pass without commenting on it.

Have you noticed that most of the animal movies don't really have animals in them at all ? They have animated caricatures or computer generated animals endowed with human voices and personalities. Or, god forbid, they have people with octopus heads as in the recent Pirates of the Caribbean movie.

Case in point, I slept through "Finding Nemo" because it did not hold my interest - even with the famous personalities voicing the parts , but one could not possibly have slept through "Old Yellar", "My Friend Flicka, "Lassie Come Home", or any of those great movies which had real animals!

I guess it is easier to artificially generate an animal than it is to train a real one but I would rather see real Penguins any day than hear Tom Cruise imitating a skunk - oh wait, maybe it is more realistic than I think - - -

Keeping Up with the Smoneses. . .

A recent article in the British Observer claimed that some American newlyweds were blending their last names to have a new last name. I guess the Branjolina and Tomkat articles about movie stars started all this but I put together some blended names for our family.

We could have the Hawkoffs or the Shupps. Or we could have the Tchekins or Quibells. Then there could be the Isbinns or the Shilzes or the Offbrands and the Quitts.

I think if this catches on, all the geneologists will have to placed in mental institutions - they can't handle the pressure !

DISSED !!!!!!!

My favorite TV show is Gray's Anatomy and although nominated for 11 awards, it walked away with nada from last night's Emmy Awards. That's just wrong ! But then, I didn't get to vote on that either.

Talk About a Hornet's Nest . . .

Imagine the furor stirred up by the article on Forbes.com written by Michael Noer, who said that many social scientists agree that men should not marry a woman with a career. Why? Because you run a high risk of being cheated on, getting divorced, not having children, and having to live in a messy house !

To adequately respond to this article would consume the entire blogsphere cyberspace network and I wouldn't want to give that much credance to Mr. Noer but I do have one solution for him.

Men can stop marrying career women then they won't have to worry about cheating, divorce, messy houses, etc. for long. They will all become extinct !

WHAT ??????

Pluto no long a planet ??? Who gets to decide that stuff ? Do we not get to vote on it ? I spent years remembering My Very Extravagant Mother Just Served Us Nine Pickles so I could remember the order of the planets from the sun out - now I have to leave off the Pickles ?????

Double Whammy - Female and Leftie

I am left-handed and have suffered through a lifetime of trying to use can openers, classroom writing desks, pencil sharpeners, scissors and a hundred other implements which are designed for the right-handed world.

11% of us were born left-handed including Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Albert Einstein, leading us lefties to claim that the right brain makes us smarter and more creative. Less appealing is the fact that we have higher rates of high blood pressure, irritable bowel syndrome, and schizophrenia. ( I have one of those and I'll leave it at that.)

Now, a recent study showed that left-handed college educated males earned 10-15% more than their right-handed counterparts but that did not apply to female lefties.

The study went into extensive detail about greater aptitude in divergent thinking, differing levels of fetal testosterone, and a bunch of other stuff I didn't understand - being female and left-handed, and all.

All I know is, if I'm female, left-handed and suffer from one of those three aforementioned maladies, being more creative isn't going to help me much !

# 3 and # 4

The AP pre-season football poll has Texas ranked # 3 and Auburn ranked # 4. It just doesn't get much better than that !!! I'm a lifelong fan of Auburn and a more recently acquired fan of Texas .

I'm already packing my bags for a big Auburn weekend !!!

War Eagle and Hook'em Horns !!!!

He Should Have Held Out. . .

When former Nike Chief Executive William Perez resigned last January after a little over a year on the job, he got a severance package worth $5.5 million, including $2.8 million that represents two years' base salary and a $1.75 million bonus for 2006 even though he didn't serve for most of the year. Nike accelerated the vesting of restricted stock -- allowing Perez to take another $11 million.

Nike also purchased his Portland, Ore., home for the price he paid, $3.18 million , and picked up the tab on $574,649 worth of renovations Perez made at the home. They offered $56,500 to cover prepaid athletic club fees if he quits the gym.

I just couldn't believe he didn't hold out for a couple of pair of Air Max 360's !

How Southern are You ?

Since I am only 55% Texan, I figured I would do better at being southern, so I devised my own little test. Check it out.

Are you a real southerner

MORE KUDOS FOR ATLANTA

I spent another weekend in Atlanta and every time I go there, I love it even more ! I love big cities - New York and Atlanta being my two favorites. There is more to do than one can possibly imagine. Choosing a restaurant from among the hundreds of choices can be challenging but three of our choices were Ray's in the City for seafood on Saturday night, a little bistro at Atlantic Station for Saturday lunch and the famous hole-in-the-wall burger joint , George's , in Virginia/Highland, which has the best burgers in three states. Amy wanted me to branch out and try a blue cheese burger but I stuck with the regular and it was delish ! They have at least 10 or 12 choices of burgers - think I'll try something new next time.

In honor of Heidi, I wish I could remember the description of my blackened Mahi-Mahi which included a shrimp-crab remoulade, some kind of scrumptious spinach side and their famous mashed potatoes but in spite of my inability to adequately describe it, it was heavenly !! Ray's guarantees that no seafood is served which is more than 48 hours from sea to table . They fly it in 5 times daily.

Amy and Eric's house in Atlanta is adorable ! AND the location could not be better. Close enough to town to be in the middle of everything but it also has its own little neighborhood where people walk their dogs, stroll their babies, hang out at little sidewalk cafes, play frisbees in the park, etc. I'm sure they would love hosting their friends for a visit to their cool city !

Come to Atlanta and see for yourself ! It's awesome !

THE BASS PRO SHOP

I know it is difficult to imagine but I spent over an hour in a Bass Pro Shop in Sevierville, Tennessee, recently and not only did I enjoy it but I was pretty much in awe of the vast appeal for the retail outdoor world.

The building was huge and had fish ponds, waterfalls, a coffee shop and every piece of outdoor sporting equipment known to man.

I didn't spend much time at the deer urine and moose lick displays but I checked out a 4-wheeler that cost almost as much as my car. I registered for a boat to be given away and have stared at the phone since then awaiting the call.

I'm convinced that Eric Rudolph who was able to stay hidden in the North Carolina woods forever had been to this shop for his camouflage gear.

I guess the most fascinating section to me was the camping section. Emeril Lagasse doesn't have as much cooking equipment as campers can purchase for outdoor meals these days. I thought one iron pot and a small Coleman stove would be sufficient for a camping trip but obviously, I was mistaken.

All in all, I decided that I will leave most of the outdoor sports to someone else (although I might be up for a camping trip sometime) but the excursion to the Bass Pro Shop was definitely worth the trip !

THE OCTOPUS WAS UNHURT ....

I was intrigued by an article out of San Antonio, Texas, about a wreck involving a truckload of exotic animals, birds and fish being transported to Texas from Indianapolis.

Now before PETA jumps on my case, I'll hasten to say that I am very sorry that some penguins and fish were killed by passing motorists but I couldn't help but think what I would do if I were driving down the highway and saw a truckload of snakes, alligators, penguins and octopi in the road.

I really believe I would hit the ditch rather than hitting them. Either I am going to be killed trying to avoid them, or the smell from a truckload of penquins would suffocate me to death, or the lone surviving octopus would be highly ticked and would choke me to death or being dumped in the middle of a pile of snakes would result in an immediate heart attack.

No matter what, I figure I'm a goner !

THE ALLURE OF THE SMOKIES







I like the beach and palm trees, I like the therapeutic effect water has on my psyche but there is something about the Smoky Mountains
that draws me back to them for total peace and relaxation.

A small part may be the convenience - I can be in the middle of the Smoky Mountains in three hours drive time. Another part must have to do with wonderful memories of family events. One of my daughters and my step-son were both married there, and my family ushered in the new millennium at a cabin there.

A picnic at Cade's Cove, trying out our musical talents at a recording studio, trick or treating with my youngest daughter there, wading in the streams of the mountain or seeing forever from the top of Clingman's Dome: all experiences which come to mind when I think of how full and contented my life has been.

Some things have changed in the many years I have been traveling to the Smokies - Outlet malls have consumed some of the landscape and traffic can determine what you do and when you do it but nothing has tarnished the mountains' appeal. I still love it.

JUST LIKE THE ENERGIZER BUNNY - THEY KEEP GOING

Friday night in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, we went to a concert featuring Billy Joe Royal and B.J Thomas. They have both been performing more than 30 years and I think I expected a less-than- spectacular show given the age of the performers , the age of the band members, their voices, etc. Brother, was I dead wrong ! I don't believe they have changed a bit ! Two of the band members have been there 24 and 30 years respectively and after performing individually some of their most popular hits, B.J. and Billy Joe sang together and it was awesome !

I love going to a concert where I recognize most of the songs and I think I knew all but two out of at least 30 selections: Here were some of my personal favorites:

"Cherry Hill Park", "Tell It Like it Is", "Hush", and "Down In The Boondocks "- sung by Billy Joe Royal

"I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry", "I Just Can't Help Believin'", "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head", "You're the One", and "Mighty Clouds of Joy" sung by B.J. Thomas.

I certainly enjoyed the music but I also got some satisfaction out of knowing that a person over 60 years old can still give you goose bumps !

REMEMBERING REUBEN . . .

This weekend we went on a little trip to the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee and while there we ate breakfast at IHOP. We couldn't help but think of Reuben, our son-in-law's dad, who loved eating breakfast at IHOP.

We had the privilege of meeting Reuben only a few times but in those few encounters, he made a profound impression on us. He was funny, smart, and extremely interesting. Since he and I were both retired educators, we talked "school talk" a lot but he had many other interesting experiences he was always happy to share. By the time we met, he was in somewhat failing health but always had that smile on his face and twinkle in his eye!

His eulogy was filled with rememberances of how he was loved and respected by his family and friends. A life well lived. Thanks for the memories, Reuben, we had an extra pancake for you !

IT'S ON THE NEWS TODAY . . .

A guard dog hired to protect a rare teddy bear collection valued at close to $1 million went berserk Tuesday night and ripped the bears all to pieces ! One bear he beheaded was previously owned by Elvis Presley and was valued at $75,000.

I can't help but wonder what got into that dog. Either he was freaked out by all those beady eyes staring at him, or he has a severe case of doraphobia, or he was just extremely ticked off at being stuck in a hot room with non-communicative animals ! I know how he feels sometimes.

TIME GOES BY . . .

Lyrics of Unchained Melody sung by The Righteous Brothers claim, "Time goes by so slowly ..."

That may be true when waiting to re-unite with the open arms of your love as in the song but in most other instances "Time goes by so quickly..."

Today, my first born is celebrating his 47th birthday ! It seems as if it were only a few years ago that he caught his first fish and slept with it all night. I think it was just a few years later, he was blasting me out of the house with his endless loud music of Fleetwood Mac and ZZ Top.

Shortly after his teenage years, he graduated from college, married and had a daughter - all (seemingly) within a matter of weeks !

He endured my learning how to be a parent when I wasn't much more than a child myself, and through all the bumps of his life and mine, we have always been there for each other sharing unconditional love.

The past 47 years have flown, but what a glorious ride! Happy Birthday, Kirk !

LONG AWAITED COLOGNE

It was announced today that Derek Jeter's cologne will go on sale in November. Wonder what a fragrance blend of red dirt, sweat and spit will smell like ?