The world is ending in 3 days...

Call it the "Rapture" or just call it "the end of the world."  It's been predicted, by people who think they can decipher hidden meanings in the bible.  Mind you the bible has been written and rewritten a few hundred (or probably more) times since it was first thought up!  But those hidden meanings remained...

If this doesn't happen, then there will be a hue and cry that they misread the word!  Or didn't decode it correctly.   And they'll pick yet another day that really is the day!  Oh yes, we have missed other end-of-life deadlines.

The world will probably cease being a hospitable place to live some day, but I really don't think it's going to be Saturday.   The more  technologically advanced we become, the more likely it is that we're going to do it to ourselves.   The way I see it, someone is going to press that button that turns the world into dust, because they can!  And because they think they're doing "God's work."

But as of today, I do think there's going to be life after Day 133!

Estate Sales

I went to an estate sale this week.  It was a person I knew of, but did not know personally.  I used to see him at the local McDonald's in the mornings, when I got my coffee.  He was a regular who sat with the other regulars and discussed who knows what.  Probably the town's latest scandals, or high school sports.  Those are usually the most interesting things happening in small towns.

As I went through the house at the sale, Iwas struck by several different things.  I felt almost like a voyeur.  I saw he was a very neat person.  He was also a bit of a clothes horse.  Had an eclectic taste in music.  Had very nice furnishings.   And a Harley freak.  I didn't even know of the Harley connection because he walked with a bit of a stiff leg, and never wore anything that would indicate that interest, you know the Harley t-shirts, leather jackets, etc.  He did have a Harley sticker on his truck, but my husband noticed that.  I never did.

When he passed, one of the other regulars at McD's asked if we knew him,  We didn't. We knew of him, but not personally.  He just mentioned that he had passed away.  Sorry, we said.   He didn't seem that old, although we thought he was retired.

It made me wonder what people would think, if they came through my house to barter and buy my leftovers, after the family went through and retrieved what they wanted, if anything at all.   Would they be impressed?  Would they get a different picture of me?  Would they admire my life, or would they reaffirm I was the odd person they always assumed?  Would they like my "stuff" or would they walk away empty handed.   Would anyone buy something to remember me?  Or would they just be buying it for resale at a flea market or antique store?

Although I did not know him, I do know his memory will be with me long after Day 132!

Bristol Palin, Paris Hilton, Nene Leakes...commonality?

Yes, what do they have in common?  The only true common denominator that I could cite, is that they'e all famous for no good reason.  Their personal accomplishments add up to about... nothing!

Bristol Palin is famous because she was the daughter of a Vice-presidential wannabe, who espoused family values, all the while her daughter was having unprotected sex, and got pregnant out of wedlock.  Now there's a stunning endorsement!

Paris Hilton is famous because, well, she bears the Hilton name!  So being of such regal bearing, she then made a sex tape, with her "boyfriend", and he then put it on the internet.  Did she think he was going to be all that loyal to her, because she came from money?  Obviously not!

Nene Leakes, I'm assuming, just happened to be at the right place at the right time.  I guess she's one of the "stars" of a reality TV show (of which I have not seen.)  This alone was enough to get her on the Celebrity Apprentice!  Then she squared off with a real live, lawyer in the form of Star Jones, who is a much more classy person.  Nene swore like a sailor, and acted like a street thug.  Probably good for ratings, but did she really think she's of the quality of Trump's minions? 

All three are probably nice, decent people, in their own way, but does that make them worth the money being spent on them in the form of TV shows, product endorsements, magazine covers?  I think not!  When they start doing work like the Dali Lama, or Mother Theresa, or even Bill Gates, then, and only then, would I care to hear about them.  Until that time, I'll turn the other way, or turn the page, or just ignore the blurb on the internet, about their latest escapades.

Enjoying my anonymity on Day 131!

One down, but there's more to go...

Osama Bin Laden is not among the living terrorists any more.  But there are so many more.  And the worst news, I think, is that the next "big guy" or "man in charge" is supposedly a guy who was born and raised in the United States.  When I think of what a great country the U.S. is, even with the problems we have, and the fact that there are people dying to get in here, yet...  Someone who had it all, wants to get rid of it all (i.e. the U.S.)  I do not understand that mentality.

On another note, of course the media wants every single detail of how the whole mission "went down."  And, since there were some discrepancies between the first information, and subsequent information, they wonder what's being "held out."  Does anyone ever stop to think that all the frenzy might be stirring the rumor mill?  The people on the scene know what happened.  As they tell, it, and it gets retold and retold, the facts get distorted, just like any gossip.  Let's just be glad the deed has been done.

On a final note, I had heard that the media (or some of them at least) want to know who or which particular Seals were involved and who got in the "shot heard round the world," so to speak.  If you ask me, that should be strictly confidential information.  It reminds me of when Valerie Plame was "outed" as a CIA operative.  You might as well put a bullseye on their backs when you do this sort of thing!  Especially the person(s) responsible for Bin Laden.  So leave them alone!

And let's just leave it at that on... Day 130!

High gas prices? Blame yourself!

I blame myself, to some extent, but I've been concerned about gas prices since they started going up in the early 70s.  But what did I do about it?  I've always checked my gas mileage!  I've bought cars (for me) that got really good gas mileage, and then I've bought cars that have been alittle less forgiving, but never a "gas guzzler!"   But I never pushed my fellow Americans, or congressional leaders, about renewable energy sources. 

There are too many people living now, who should remember the gas lines of the 70s.  At that time, the US was "determined" to not be dependent upon foreign oil.  Here we are 50 years later, still singing that tune.  So who do we blame?  The "guy in office?"  Like he had anything to do with it.  Well, in a way he did, because he, among almost every other American, just went with the flow, and as long as the economy was good, didn't worry about alternative energy sources.  But we all had a chance to do something, and we did nothing. 

The argument was probably that it would take years for alternative energy to be viable.  Well folks 50 years later, seems like a lot of years that have been wasted, and renewable energy is still "way in the future."

Some of us started making phenomenal salaries, and we also thought the real estate cash cow would go on forever.  So we bought Hummers, or Ford Excursions, with almost negative gas mileage, and homes that were 4000 square feet,  when we only needed 1500, and more than one at a time, as an investment, and the floor fell out from underneath us.  Some of us.  And now we're crying that the people in office have let us down.  When we really let ourselves down.  We were going forward with blinders on.

It may take another 50 years to get energy under control.  But we cannot, should not wait...or get complacent if the economy starts to get better.  I'll be happy to lead the way Day 129!

40% off Tummy Tucks!

WOW...let me get on that bus!

 I was driving down the road, and on the back of what appeared to be a motor home, were the words above..."40% off tummy tucks..."  I was wondering if the van just came to your home, and they did out-patient surgery in your driveway!  And then I realized it was a city utilities transportation bus, and that was just advertising pasted over the entire back of the bus.

You know there's advertising everywhere these days!  I can remember being at a horse show, and inside the stalls in the washroom were ads for you to read, while you were "sitting a spell."  They were just flyers from some of the show people for everything from horses for sale, to clothing, tack and other horse-related accessories.  I'm a reader, and I thought it was very clever.   Gave me something to ponder, while waiting.

I guess I'd much rather see this type of advertising, which doesn't shout out at me, rather than all the annoying commercials on TV, which appear to take up as much as half of the show I'm watching.

I'm gonna go look for that bus again, on Day 128!
 
  

You learn something new every day...

WOW!  Yesterday, Michelle Obama's plane was in jeopardy because a C-17 cargo transport plane was within 3 miles of hers.  What?  3 miles?  That's too close???  Well, I guess it is!  It was explained, in the newspaper this morning, and so it made much more sense!

Three miles, on the highway, would be so much distance that you'd never even know the other person was there.  Three miles on the water, and you'd probably wouldn't even see the other watercraft.  However, 3 miles in the air precludes that there could be "turbulence", much like a wave in a close-pasing boat, and can cause the plane in it's "wake" to be in jeopardy.   I think that's absolutely fascinating.  Makes sense to me.  And I'm glad it was explained in the paper, because otherwise I would have thought that the powers that be are a bit too cautious with the First Family!

Can't wait till tomororow, but that's what I learned on Day 127!