Status Quo

I was never one to be in the height of fashion. Or have the desire to own any designer item. Yesterday, as I was driving to work, a beautiful car passed me. It was such a sleek looking car. Usually, I do not notice cars. If my car starts in the morning and gets me to where I have to go, I am happy. But this car was really nice. I looked at the logo and saw that it was Hyundai. If I did not know better, I would have thought it was a Mercedes. When people choose their cars or handbags or shoes, are they really looking at the item, or the brand name. If labels and logo's were removed from every item we buy, and our decision making was only based on how the item looked or performed, would designer labels be a thing of the past? I have a friend who mainly purchases her clothes from a designer brand shop. She has been known to spend over $50 on a cotton tee shirt. One day I walked into work and had on the identical 100% cotton tee shirt, except mine was purchased in Target for less than $10. The only difference was that I had $40 extra in my pocket. My father was right when he used to say, "the masses are the a**es".

Counting On It

Evens are easier. Odds are harder. I realized that the other day on the checkout line. The person ahead of me had the nerve to use cash. Not only did he pay in cash, but he threw a $50 bill into the mix. I knew it was downhill from there. The cashier was a college student and seemed bright enough, but that 50 really threw him off. He could not count in odd numbers. First he counted 20, 40 , 60 ....and then he saw the 50. So unexpected. What was he to do . He started counting again. This time he was bold. He started with the 50, but after counting 50, 70....... it got to be too much. His next plan of action was to separate the evens from the odds and then add the sums together. Hmm... this might work. Four twenty's equals eighty. Eighty plus fifty (long pause) one hundred and thirty. He got it. Finally. I almost said, "good job". I held myself back. He breathed a sigh of relief when I paid with Visa. 

Is It OK?

Every time I use my charge card in a supermarket or large retail store, the card machine asks me the same stupid question. After I slide my card and I choose the Credit option, the annoying question appears. "Is this amount OK"? I can press green for yes or red for no. I always press green, but that is not the problem. I do not like the question. While the total of my purchase is correct, it is not OK. There is a difference. A box of cereal for $4.99 isn't OK with me, but if I want to eat it, I have no choice. Prices are over inflated and product sizes are shrinking. I remember when a can of tuna fish fed 2 people. It was a 7ounce can. While the size of the can is the same, now it only contains a bit over 5 ounces. Barely enough to fill a cavity. So I must make 2 cans for my son, doubling the price of lunch. I am spending more and getting less. I used to think that my appetite had increased, when I was still hungry after having a sandwich. Then I realized why. Bumble Bee has decided to covertly ration what I eat. I now stock up on every sale item and have a pantry that is so full someone else can do their weekly shopping in my basement. Is that OK?

Hurri-Came?

I woke up this morning expecting to see devastation. I expected to have no lights and a yard filled with tree branches. Although the storm is not yet over, the impact is not as severe as everyone had thought. At least in my neighborhood. I am usually not a TV watcher but I have been glued to the weather channel. Watching the same graphics replay every ten minutes. For some reason it is riveting and I cannot pull myself away. I put earplugs in my ears last night because I did not want to heard the wind. I wanted to sleep through the storm. And I did. I was expecting this to be a pioneer type family day.  A day that we would have no electronic devices to focus on. A day where we would sit in the same room and just talk. Or maybe be like a family in the 1950's and play games. Interact. I guess it was not meant to be. Maybe we didn't have that much to say, anyway.

It's the Big One, Elizabeth

Fred Sanford used to say "it's the big one, Elizabeth". We are gearing up for what might be the big one. He was referring to a heart attack. I am referring to a hurricane. Since yesterday, most people have been wandering around like a scene out of "Night of the Living Dead". The mantra that is being repeated is "C's or D's"? We have been reduced to a civilization of battery seekers. I felt ashamed when I terrorized the ladies in the dollar store yesterday. I made them reserve 4 packs of the coveted C batteries, when the shipment would arrive, within the hour. I prepaid and told them I was prepared to forfeit the money if the shipment never got there. Just like a drug deal, when the batteries arrived, I was called and I hovered at the side of the counter while the women whispered that the batteries were in the bag behind the counter. I had become a battery bully. I rationalized that I was providing for my family.That made it OK. Only time will tell if the storm will be a devastating one. Until then, I have done my laundry, hard boiled eggs, made a tub of mac and cheese and popped popcorn. I hope my Girl Scout training serves me well.

No Good Deed

No good deed goes unpunished. Good deeds and punishments should not be used in the same sentence, but unfortunately, they are. In my case the good deeds that are punished are the ones when I try to go out of my way to assist someone and it backfires in my face. I am lucky that these incidents are only work related. My friends and family are too considerate to pull this nonsense on me. Let me explain. I work in a busy office and appointments are made weeks in advance. We wish we could see patients sooner than that but there are time constraints. Every so often, someone calls and they are distraught. I listen to their sad story and hear them plead with me to do something, to get them in immediately. Years ago I fell for their sob stories. I would call the doctors and beg them to come in early or stay late. What could be more important than patient care? Every time I did this, the person either never showed up or cancelled an hour before. Maybe there is no place for good deeds at work.

Blue Teeth

Years ago, if someone was walking down the street alone, talking to themselves, they were labeled "psycho". The term was later changed to EDP. Emotionally disturbed person. More politically correct, I guess. These people are lucky that the blue tooth was invented. Now, they blend in with the rest of society. The masses of people walking alone, talking to no one. Moving their hands frantically, sometimes shouting, occasionally crying. No one blinks an eye. This is now the norm. I have no idea how the blue tooth got it's name. It isn't blue and it has no relation to our teeth. Someone joined two totally unrelated words together and no one seemed to question it. I would not be surprised to see it in Websters Dictionary, in the next few years. I am probably one of the last hold outs, not to have a blue tooth. If I want to act crazy, I will do it without something hanging from my ear.

Shake, Rattle and Roll

There was an Earthquake in New York yesterday afternoon. It is a rare event, although not unprecedented. I can remember only 2 others, in my lifetime. Once in the 1960's, once in 1984. By New York standards, this was substantial. A 5.8 on the Richter scale. I was in my office when I felt the rumbling. At first I thought that a large truck sped by the building, shaking it. This occasionally happens but to a lesser extent. But this feeling was different. The building swayed. We all stood there stunned, unable to process what we were feeling. It was out of the norm and our brains had no prior reference on how to react. After a very long 30 seconds, we came to the realization that this was an earthquake. Now our minds had to formulate a plan of action. I looked around the room and saw nine people with blank stares on their faces. Frozen. I thought to myself that if this building, which is made of glass, shatters and falls, I will be dead. I grabbed my pocketbook and my Tupperware that had contained my lunch and told everyone I was not going to stand in here and be crushed. Thank god I had the sense to rescue the Tupperware. It was a new one and deserved to live. As soon as I ran out, everyone else followed me. Slowly the entire building evacuated. As did the others on the Boulevard. Later in the day, I heard on the radio, that the safest place to stand in an earthquake is in the door jam. Do not go outside. That makes no sense to me. If the building goes down I do not want to be like the wicked witch, in the Wizard of Oz, with her feet sticking out of the doorway.

Leader of the Pack

Every family has one. The leader of the pack. The Alpha Dog. The person that sets the tone of the group and leads the way. I was discussing this concept the other day with some friends. They were telling me that they got a dog from the shelter and were in the process of training him. The dynamic of the family was different for the dog than it was for the rest of them. The leader of the pack for the family was not the leader of the pack for the dog. I realized that it was the same for my family. I never noticed that my dog behaves differently to each family member. Dogs get the vibe of how to behave around someone in, regards to what is permissible and what is not. Just like humans. We are passively trained and do not even realize it. While my dog is feisty and overly playful with the rest of the family, he is respectful and calm with my daughter-in-law. He will sit by her side being totally obedient. He knows not to go near her food or bother her when she is not paying attention to him. She is the quietest member of the family but commands the most respect from him. A dog has only one "master" and she is his.

I Yam

I want to be called Sweet Potato because I yam what I yam. Translation ... I am what I am. Good, bad or otherwise. I would like to think that most people like me but I am sure that there are days when some don't. For the most part, I try to be a good person, but sometimes being a good person can be annoying to other people. I feel happy when I help someone out, and never expect anything in return. I try to be the devils' advocate and see all sides of an argument. I overlook more things than I should. I can't, for the life of me, understand why people find that irritating. Sometimes I get lectured that I am "too nice" and should not be helpful. I hate that. If I change who I am for one person, I would change who I am for all. This is my nature. So to all of you people that I seem to upset by being who I am....Oh well. I am not changing. When you need my help, you will be glad I didn't. I yam what I yam.

Love At First Sight

I remember the first time I laid eyes on him. I was mesmerized. He barely noticed me. His hair was blond, his eyes were blue and his skin a golden tone. We were in a crowded room and all of the other women were discussing how handsome he was. I knew that he was mine and I would be the one to go home with him. I pictured myself spending the rest of my life with him. Going places and sharing memories. I did not know how I had existed without him but I knew I would never have to again. He would be a very special person in my life. We would be together when I grew old. All of this happened in the Delivery room. It was love at first sight..... twice.

Cha, Cha, Cha

Dancing has been around since primitive man has existed. Our form of dance reflects the way our society functions. Tribal man used dance as religious ritual. The entire village moved in sync, each person in step with the other. Even though their society was a primitive one, each person was taught from birth how to work as a team. As the world changed, so did dancing. The Waltz evolved in the Renaissance era, as man became more refined. The Charleston reflected another major change as the world modernized and life was not as hard. I loved the dances of the 1960's. Who can forget the Bunny Hop or the Cha Cha. Those were dances that got you up on your feet and lifted your spirit. Young and old could get out on the floor and enjoy themselves. But we were all still in sync. Not too different from primitive man. A group that moved together, step by step, following the rules of the dance. Nowadays, when I look on the dance floor, it reflects the times. Each person doing their own thing. Hands and feet moving randomly, unattached to your partner. No rhyme or reason for your actions. A sign of the times. I think America needs to go back for some dance lessons.

Saddle Up

If three people say you're a horse... saddle up. Whenever I say this to someone they always laugh. But it is true. If one person says you are wrong, well, it is just their opinion. If two people say you are wrong, you can always use the rationalization that it is two against one and they are ganging up on you. But if three people differ with what you are doing, there is no getting around it. Three is the magic number. I guess that is why there were three wise men. Or three stooges. This saying is really meant to have someone take a good look at what they are doing. Evaluate it with a clear head. If people are seeing something we are not, maybe we need to adjust. It is kind of like teaching an old dog, new tricks. No one should ever be so locked in, that change is not an option.

B3

I have nicknamed one of my favorite stores "B3". The real name of the store is Bed, Bath and Beyond. The first two words are self explanatory. Bed for the bedroom. Bath for the bathroom. But the most important of the three B's is the word Beyond. I think that an alternate B could also be used. Beginnings. A great majority of the people who shop in this store are purchasing items that will become a part of a new beginning in their lives. The first group of people are college students. Especially Freshman. They roam through the store, followed by their parents. Mothers frantically pulling items off the shelves. Fathers, a few paces behind, trying to act patient. A shopping spree, totally funded by the people that love you most. What color sheets, what bathroom accessories. The shopping cart is filled high, not only with items for the dorm room, but with hopes. This is the beginning of independence. Pushing the bird out of the nest and building a new nest, with coordinated colors. The other group of shoppers are the newly engaged couples. Starting a life together. The first big decisions that will be made as a team. Two households blending as one. It is a new education. Learning what the word "Bone" in bone china means. Discovering a thing called "thread count". Putting a list together that sometimes contains totally useless items. They will learn that along the way. This is the beginning of a family. One that will flourish and grow and look forward to the time when they can return to B3 and guide their child into a new beginning.

Somebody Stop Me

Almost thirty years ago, after my first son was born, my sister gave me a Baby Book. As most people know, this type of book chronicles the first major events in a baby's life. First food, first immunizations, first haircut, and so on. The book has picture pages for the first five birthdays. I wrote in this book diligently and never missed a milestone. When his fifth birthday came and went, I decided not to stop the book. By this time I had taken 4 pictures of him sitting on the front step with his hands crossed. I missed the first year as he couldn't sit up yet. I got out some blank construction paper and added a few pages to the book. I vowed that I would stop when he got to be ten. Well, ten came and went. I added five more pages and took five more pictures. All the same. All on the front step. Fifteen became twenty. Twenty became twenty five. On his twenty fifth birthday, I said enough is enough. He is now a married man. No more baby book. I felt like a drug addict as I continued to add pages 26,27,28,29 and 30. I was possessed. It had become an addiction. I now have a flip book of a child in the same pose, on his birthday, for 29 out of 30 years. It is almost an anthropological study of how a human being grows. Somebody stop me.............

What You See Is What You Get

Someone once told me that people react to you in the same manner that you react to them. It is like looking at a reflection in a mirror. It is more detailed and things are clearer. This theory goes hand in hand with the saying that you should treat others as you would like to be treated. Your aura, whether it is positive or negative, bounces back at you. I have seen this happen many times. Negative people bring out the worst in everyone. And the thing is, negative people think the other person has the bad attitude. They never seem to see the energy that they give off. Like a tennis game, a bad attitude can be volleyed back and forth. Being nasty is hard work. It takes less effort to be pleasant. One kind word can make all the difference. It can turn the day around. It is so much easier to be nice.

Size Me Up

When I was young, I worked in the Garment Center in New York City. The company I worked for sold material to clothing manufacturers. Since then, the Garment Center has changed, but the way clothes are sized has not. I always found that the more expensive clothing manufacturers use a small sizing scale, while the moderately priced manufacturers use one that contours to an average womans' body. I am a size 6/8. If I bought a Chanel suit, I would probably be a size 2. If I bought a pair of jeans from Walmart, I would be a size 8, for sure. I think that the high fashion clothing houses are playing a mind game with women. What could be more flattering than saying you are a size 1. Some women would keep purchasing from that designer, just to have the same thrill of trying on a size 1. The one thing that I totally do not understand, is how can someone be a size 0. No joking, a size 0. Wouldn't that mean that you are invisible. Zero equals nothing. Non-existent. And women fall for this. If someone actually believes that they wear a size 0, it also shows me the amount of brains in their head.

A Fraction of Knowledge

Yesterday I was at the deli counter of a large supermarket, waiting for my turn. For some reason this store has the slowest workers. You can be on line for a half hour if just 2 people are in front of you. When it was my turn, the deli man asked me what I needed. I said 1/3lb of turkey. He turned his back, got out the turkey and started slicing it. After about 3 slices, he stopped slicing. He looked around and seemed lost. After a very long minute he turned to me and said "I am new here and I don't know what 1/3 is". I informed him that 1/3 is .33 on the scale. A bit more than 1/4 but a bit less than 1/2. He said thank you and returned to my order. When he finished, I took the package and continued shopping. I was still thinking about his question as I shopped. He was in his mid 30's and American. How did he get passed the 4th grade without knowing what the fraction 1/3 stood for. Is our education system so poor that we send adults out into the working world clueless. Even if he did not graduate high school, the math skill that involves fractions is taught in elementary school. It was kind of sad that this is a representation of our educational system at it's worst.

Super Committee

It seems that the United States has been demoted on its rating, in the Global Economy. The world says we are no longer AAA rated. Obama says that he doesn't care what they say, we are still AAA rated. He is one step short of sticking his fingers in his ears and chanting "I'm not listening, I'm not listening". Our lawmakers have been turning a blind eye to our economic situation for so long, they cannot see reality. So now it has been decided that we are going to form a Super Committee to look into the problem. The committee will be compiled of all of the lawmakers that have put us into this mess. They will get a new title but hopefully not a salary increase. They will meet, convene, ponder, debate and end up doing nothing, as usual. I think that this Super Committee needs to be comprised of "regular" people. The ones whose daily life is filled with uncertainty. The ones who go to the supermarket and buy their weekly groceries according to what is on sale. I do not think that many Senators wives wait for the weekly Waldbaum's circular to see if Snapple $5.99 for a 12 pack. Our declining economy is not a joke. If I do not have 5 weeks vacation, why should Congress. Especially when they have not tied up loose ends. Our governments spending is out of control, but I guess that is hard to see from Capital Hill. The Beatles were right. "The fool on the Hill sees the sun going down and the eyes in his head see the world spinning round".

Time Flies

Today is my son's fifth wedding anniversary. Where have the years gone. It was just yesterday that my children were babies. Playing in the backyard in the Mr Turtle pool. Giggling when I brought out the shampoo and soap and made the "executive decision" of  turning the pool into a bath. Waiting for the Mr Softee ice cream truck, anticipating their brownie sundaes. Smiling at me in delight, with chocolate covered teeth. Riding bikes and scraping knees. Being a referee 24 hours a day, because my children never seemed to sleep.They had plenty of energy to push and shove each other relentlessly. I never bought them video games because I knew there would be a casualty from them fighting over it. I used to say we were Amish. The only household in the neighborhood without modern technology. They learned to love sports and couldn't wait to play in the fresh air. They learned to entertain themselves and not be entertained by a machine. I tried my best to make them well rounded men who would someday do the same for their children. I feel like I went to bed one night when they were young and woke up the next morning when they were adults. Five years and a lifetime away.

Frooty Balloons

When I was in college, one of my good friends became acquainted with a girl she met in her class. She was a very nice girl but her command of the English language was appalling. I was never quite sure if she had a hearing problem or if her brain just juggled the sounds around and that is why she heard things her own way. Dyslexia of the ears. She did not have many friends. If you were alone with her you could take the time to listen and decode what she was talking about. But in a crowd, it was embarrassing. People stared at her as if to say "what the heck are you talking about". Most people just gave up on her. Thirty five years later I still laugh when I see a Fruit of the Loom underwear commercial. All I can think of it that sweet girl telling me that she bought her little brother Frooty Balloons for Christmas.

All Creatures

God created all creatures large and small. Human beings tend to think we are the highest form of life. If we look closely, many of our traits resemble other animals. I break it down into four groups. Dogs are the "where are you" group. Cats are the "here I am" group. Birds are the "come too close and I will fly away" group. Reptiles, snakes especially, are the "you never know what I really am" group. Dogs are loyal. They will wait all day for you to come home. They will greet you with love and happiness. Even if you are in a bad mood. They will stay by your side and climb on your lap and just comfort you. Their world is all about you. Cats are self centered. They are beautiful to look at but only want love and affection on their terms. Their world is all about them. Birds have no attachments. They never get too close to you. They co exist but from afar. If they feel threatened, off they go. Sometimes never to return to the same place. Now I come to the snakes. The ugly looking ones are not harmful. But the flashy, beautiful ones, now those are the ones to watch out for. You never know when they will spew their venom. They let you get close enough and then they strike. Leaving behind pain. There is an fable that I love to use as an analogy. A little girl was walking in the woods. A snake called to her. "Help me, I am cold. Please put me in your coat to keep me warm". The girl said " I can't put you in my coat. You will bite me". The snake promised that if she kept him warm he would not bite. After much pleading the little girl picked up the snake and put him into her coat to keep him warm. After a few minutes, the snake bit her. "Why did you bite me, you promised you wouldn't". Ah, said the snake. "You knew what I was when you picked me up".

Blessing in Disguise

I always wondered why people say that something is a "blessing in disguise". If it is a blessing, why does it need to be disguised. Why can't it just be straightforward . A blessing. Nothing more, nothing less. Something good that happened for a reason. After thinking about it, I realized that a blessing in disguise, is our way of turning lemons into lemonade. Take a bad situation and turn it around. Find the good in what would otherwise seem bad. Make it into a blessing. Look at a scenario from all sides and try to see a more positive perspective. It shows us that hope always prevails and that if we think hard enough we can rationalize most things into a blessing.

Path of Least Resistance

I like to do things correctly. I also like to do them the most efficient way. I call this the path of least resistance. It is doing something right, but doing it with the least amount of effort. This does not mean I cut corners, it means that I have found a methodical system to do the task. When I first started my job, many years ago, I was shocked to see that things were done in a random way that made no sense. I asked my boss if the office had been run by wolves. A thinking human being could never have let things go like this. It was a daunting task and it took six months, but I got things in order, created a system for every job, and let things flow from there. Sometimes when my boss walks into the office, it seems like we are doing nothing. I tell her that it takes a lot of hard work to look like you have nothing to do . She laughs, because she know that everything is done, and done the right way. In my opinion, having piles of paper on your desk does not mean you are busy, it means you are inefficient.

Behind the Chicken Cutlets

It is amazing how nobody can seem to find anything. I am not only talking about family, I am also talking about work people. I live in a moderate sized house and work in a moderate sized office, but no one ever seems to know where things are. Where's this, where's that. Do they think I hide things. I have had my family call me in work and I have had my employees call me at home. Is it just that no one really looks. Is everyone just plain lazy. The worst offender is my freezer. Is it so large that bagels cannot be located without a shout out. Take a minute and look. Move a few items. I love it when I am out and get the "where is" call. My standard answer is "behind the chicken cutlets". This gives them the incentive to move a few items around to clear the way. I have begun to say this at work also, even though we do not have a freezer. It is my way of telling someone to put a bit of effort into their search. If they look hard enough they will find what they need.

Friends With Benefits

This summer a new movie premiered. It is about friends with benefits. Friends that can have a dual relationship that includes friendship and sex. This story line has been done many times before but it is always cute. I am over fifty. I have friends with benefits. But in my case I am speaking about healthcare. My friends with benefits are comparing Blue Cross Blue Shield to Aetna and Cigna. Which plan has a lower copay. Who has a lower prescription deductible. Is anyone in the doughnut hole? Some are even debating which Medicare Part D Plan they will enroll in, when the time comes. I know of one woman who was dating a man and wasn't sure if she wanted to commit herself to marriage. The deciding vote was his benefits. Too good to pass up. Even if he turned out to be a so so husband, his healthcare plan would make up for it. It's funny how with age, the meaning of your vocabulary changes.

Because of You

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of watching my parents dance at my son's wedding. They danced to the song "Because of You". It was their wedding song. They are married for over 58 years. This was the second time I watched them dance to it. The first time was five years ago, at my oldest son's wedding. Even though I have pictures of it, they are not necessary. The snapshot of these two moments are forever ingrained in my memory. Two of the best moments I can recall. I realized that this song has a very special meaning to me. Not because it is their wedding tune. It is because of how they affected my life. Things I learned from them.
Mom, because of you:

• I learned how to be a nurturing mother
• I learned that family is most important
• I learned to be a kind and caring person
• I learned compassion
• I learned how to listen and never criticize
• I learned how to cook delicious meals
  

Dad, because of you:

• I learned how to run a business
• I learned how to be a good judge of character
• I learned to "keep my wits about me" and be safe
• I learned a wonderful work ethic
• I learned how to be the most supportive parent
• I learned how to fix anything and everything
  

Because of you, I am who I am, today. "Because of you, my life is now worthwhile, and I can smile, because of you".

Shallow Waters

The other day, one of my office staff pulled me aside and asked me if she could have my opinion on something. She prefaced it by saying "tell me if I am shallow, or not". It seems that she had been speaking online to a man that she met through a dating site. He lives in another country. He is a lawyer (or so he says). She enjoys corresponding with him and he is very nice. After a few weeks they traded pictures. Here comes the shallow part. He isn't good looking. What should she do. After going through the immediate motherly advice of ... make sure he is who he says he is, check him out, find out where he works and verify it, etc, etc, we got to talking about how emotions can change our vision. Sometimes a picture does not give a true insight into a person. People are not one dimensional. When you look at a picture you cannot see a glint in someone's eye. You cannot see how their smile may light up a room. You do not get the feeling of their energy. Many times a beautiful person can turn very ugly, and a plain looking person can turn beautiful. Take babies for example. Most of them are born pretty funny looking, but to their parents, they are the most beautiful child in the world. In the end, she decided that the next time he came to America, she would meet him in person and go from there. I think he should stay on the other side of the ocean where the water is deeper.

Terms of Endearment

There are two phrases in my vocabulary that I use when I call the people I am closest to. One phrase starts the conversation, the other ends it. Although one of them is not really a term of endearment, they both show a special bond. You have to know someone pretty well to start a telephone call off with "Hi, it's me". Years ago, Seinfeld had an episode devoted to this greeting. He wondered how close you have to be to someone to just say "it's me". No other identification needed. I went down my mental list of how many people I could do this to. The list was not very long. Today, I called my daughter-in-law, and said it. It felt good. Like one more person was added to the fold. The other phrase is when I say "I Love You" at the end of a telephone conversation. I started doing this many years ago, each time I ended a phone call with my family. It was more of a superstition because I felt that if anything ever happened to one of them, the last words I would have said were "I love you". It was comforting, in a weird way. It caught on, and now every conversation ends that way. It is almost an automatic response. On the rare occasion that I forget to say it, I will be reminded. My only problem is that sometimes when I am in work, I almost say it to my boss. If it ever slips out, I will have to quit my job!

Oldies But Goodies

Let's see if you can remember the names and slogans that are listed below. I will make it easy and give you the answers. I won't even make you turn the blog upside down.
1) Bungalow Bar.................... tastes like tar, the more you eat, the sicker you are
2) N-E-S-T-L-E-S, Nestles makes the very best ....chocolate
3) Wednesday is .....Prince spaghetti day
4) That's a spicy....meatball
5) TWA and Pan Am were ....... the largest airlines
6) Fly the friendly skies of ..... United
7) Red light, green light .....123
8) The sign outside every Chinese restaurant said ..... Chow Mein
9) Delta ...the wings of man. Years later Delta got tired and the slogan changed to Delta...we get you there
10) Hit the Penny
11) See the USA .....in your Chevrolet
12) Where's ... the Beef
13) Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions ....on a sesame seed bun
If you remember most of these, you are part of a great generation!

Working Hard or Hardly Working

Over the past few years, unemployment rates have skyrocketed. While I know that the percentages are somewhat correct, in many ways they are skewed. We are not accounting for the people who are unemployed and do not really want to work. I run a medium sized medical practice and every few years I need to replace some part time workers. Unfortunately, part time workers can be like hamsters. They turn over frequently. I have been lucky, though. My three part time evening girls have been with me for over 4 years. All through college. Not it is time for them to go out into the real world. I know I have coddled them and they will be in for a rude awakening when they become employed in other companies. I often tell people that it is equally as hard to find a good worker as it is to find a good job. I placed an ad a few weeks ago and was very clear on the working hours and salary. Eleven people called and set up an interview. Nine never showed up. Never even called to cancel. One girl I interviewed told me about her anxiety and depression and how she never could hold down a job. Now I was down to the last interview. This girl had no idea that if she was able to breathe and talk, she had the job. Today will be her first day. I hope she shows up.