Television Golf Fan

I am not a big sports fan, but I do enjoy watching golf on television. I have several favorite players. They don’t always win, but they play well and rank rather high in the standings fairly frequently. Except for those occasions when nothing works and they just can’t make the vital cut, or keep dropping down the list as the play continues. Sometimes they end up in the top spot as Ernie Els did last weekend. It was good to see him with the win.

This past weekend in the Transitions tournament, Steve Stricker, high on my favorites list started out pretty well, but slipped a bit as the tournament continued. I don’t feel too badly about that because he has had his share of wins in recent months and neeless to say added considerably to his financial status.

As Stricker slipped, who went up the leader board? Another favorite, Jim Furyk, made his way to the top of the list on Saturday, and managed to hold on to the lead. Although he did make me a bit nervous the last few holes, when he gained and dropped a point a couple of times. I think they said he had had something like 52 starts without a win, but he has ended up with some good spots on the standings a number of times. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing him make the top spot.

I heard an interesting sidelight about another golfer: I didn’t catch his name, but he thought he hadn’t made the cut after Friday’s play. He grabbed his clubs and headed to the airport and home. While waiting for departure, he received a phone call telling him he had made the cut after all and was expected to play on Saturday. He had no problem leaving himself, but wouldn’t have been able to get his clubs from the plane. Rather than play with a make-do set, he chose to fly on home, retrieve his golf clubs and take a charter flight back to the tournament. By then there was only minimal time for sleep, and with only an hour or so of sleep, he went out and played a round of 67. Sorry I still can’t tell you his name, so I don’t know how he made out in the final standings.

There are other golfers I like to watch play as well, but these are some of the ones I’ve seen most recently.

What’s New

This morning I saw a segment on the Today Show where they showed various new items on the market. I think it was called "Jill’s Fun Finds." There were several items shown, but two in particular caught my eye.

Monopoly has come up with a digitalized version of their game. I never really liked Monopoly, but a lot of people do, and fans of the game will probably love it.

The item that really intrigued me was a new “party” camera. It sets on its own little lazy-susan-like stand, where I assume it is plugged in and turned on. The stand rotates to cover the party area. And here is the unusual bit: a smiling face activates the camera. The camera stops and takes a picture of the smiler.

Your party album will be filled with happy looking faces only. No bored or disgruntled seeming faces. A smile will get your picture taken. If you don’t want to be a part of the party shoot, just keep a straight face, or frown— if you must. If you like having your picture taken, or want to be included in the album, smile for the camera.

It’s as simple as that. This seems to fall into the what will they think of next category. We don’t know, but we do know that new ideas will continue to surprise us from time to time. I didn't catch the cost of either, but it will be easy to find out.

What Happened to February 2010

What happened to February? It seems to me it went by as fast as some of those skaters and skiers did in the recent Olympics. There were some major happenings on the national and world scene in the weather. Earthquakes, record snowfalls, wind, rain and mud slides. For the purposes of this blog, I won’t get into politics, either here or abroad, except to say that I abhor the extremes in words and actions and the public lies that seem to be so prevalent at present. Other than that I will confine this blog to my own personal world.

Nothing very unusual happened: snow, sleet, rain, slick streets within my small community. Altogether, we fared very well weather-wise in the midst of the February I’ll give you one good taste of winter before spring arrives onslaught. Here, it was a picnic compared to a lot of other places.

Yes, I’m still dealing with what is called “after shingles pain.” I also hit a low-energy period for some reason, not sure why. Otherwise things are much as usual. I did the things I usually do: read, write letters & blogs, crocheted pink and white hats for cancer patients and/or supporters; worked a bit on genealogy, other computer stuff; did housework - the usual cook, clean, laundry stuff [how can one person have so much laundry?]; tried to get in a bit of exercise now and then, so I won’t lose more ground than I need to; trips to the library and grocers when necessary, contact friends/relatives; check on Facebook, Twitter and keep up with email. [This is like trying to keep up with clutter & recyclable paper, it’s only temporary; it’s as futile as the gerbil going around on its wheel.] Sometimes I just quit everything and rest for awhile.

Right in the middle of February I got a year older. Oldest daughter came for a visit for my birthday and stayed a couple of days. We had a very pleasant visit and I had an enjoyable birthday. We met Russ, Jan and family and had a good dinner and enjoyed spending time together. Second daughter was too far away to be with us. We had to visit by phone. And we did miss you, Cara; as well as the other grandchildren whose working and family lives keep them elsewhere. I’m thankful to all for personal and phone visits, cards and gifts.

Daughter-in-law Jan’s eye problem was both a lowlight and a highlight: Low in the seriousness of the situation and the surgical procedures. And high in the favorable outcome, which seems to have been successful. Thank God for the outcome and for the prayers of family and friends.

Days in between have been spent doing some variation of the above.

Get 'em Up - What's That

Each generation has its own fads and lingo pertinent to the time. Various phrases used over the years that I recall are: neat, cool, hip, groovy, far out, right on, etc.

One of the fads for the past few years has been baggy pants; pants so big at the waist that they fall down low on the hips, and expose several inches of ‘underwear’ or skin; at times so low, they seem in danger of falling to the ground.

Sometimes fads are started just to be different, sometimes to “shock the older crowd,” irritate their parents or adults in general, or merely attract attention. Whatever the purpose, though they may attract attention, my personal opinion is that it does not add to their physical attraction. I find it difficult to believe that having your pants in danger of falling down, bunching around your legs, while your so called “underwear” or bare skin is exposed can be comfortable. To whom does extreme sloppiness appeal? Not me, obviously, though I hadn’t given much thought to it, accepting it as a peculiarity of today’s youth, until I heard the news item about the movement to change this particular fad.

But ho: Apparently not only the elders think the look is ‘not in the groove.’ A young St Louisan has begun a movement to pull up those pants and has created a song about getting those pants off the ground to publicize the effort. Clothes that are extreme; either so loose as to bag and sag, or tight enough the wearer’s body looks squeezed – I ask: where is the benefit to the wearer, either in comfort or attractiveness?

I hope the young man's efforts succeed. This blog is dedicated to my now deceased husband, whose birthday is today. He was a neat man.

February 2010 - Already!

A February Day: The weather is a mixed bag - rain and snow so far, but not bad right here. A granddaughter in Virginia/DC is expecting a weathered-in weekend. I just looked out and it is snowing rather briskly at the moment. Do I want to walk across the street to check on the mail, which is most likely only fodder for the blue bag? [recycles] Maybe yes, maybe no.

A little more than a week to Valentine's Day. Hope you have a good one. And a little bit more until I get older again. But, that's what we've all been doing since the day we were born. I just have a more advanced degree on it.

Have you forgotten about "Do One Nice Thing?" I've managed to do some small things since I heard about the idea, nothing major. Available energy and pocket book don't allow for major.

I advised a grandaughter that a weather day like this was a good "soup day" and later took my own advice. I made some cheesy/potato/bacon soup. It hit the spot very nicely. Going back to work on a couple of small projects. The bigger one just won't get done. I'll want to celebrate if/when it ever does.

You all have a good day.

A Day Out

My day out was only about an hour; it just seemed like a day. I went to Walmart for the first time in at least a year and a half. That is a really big store! It seemed even bigger than it was before, and I had to walk from one end of the store to another to get the various things I needed.

For the past year or so, my shopping forays have all been in the near vicinity to where I live. Originally, I only planned to go to the grocery store because my milk jug was empty, but there were a couple of things I couldn’t find at nearby stores. The temperature was supposed to move up to about 40 degrees, so I decided it might be a good time to scoot out to Walmart. I could pick up the other things I needed and get the milk as well. [It's funny how a simple trip to the store for one or two items works its way up to $50 to $100.]

The weather wasn’t too bad and surprisingly enough the parking space in front of my villa was open when I returned. That was a plus! I picked up some ‘little drumsticks’ at the deli, which were very good, as well as a pumpkin pie from the nearby bakery department. That made a good lunch when I got back home. I had been home maybe half an hour when it began to snow like crazy. It is still doing so, but not as heavily. The snow is melting as it hits the street, but is accumulating a bit on the grassy areas.

So, what is in store for the rest of the day: Reading, a bit of crocheting [I’m making some pink and white caps for cancer patients and/or cancer supporters.] It is one of the “Do One Nice Thing” projects that I thought I would do, though I can’t crochet too long at any one time. A little work on the computer, and so on, as the spirit moves me.

Double Dipping Chips: In A Word - DON’T!

Do you double dip? Do you pick up a chip, stick it in the dip, doing the same again, with the chip you had just taken a bite from? If so, you really should have seen the last part of the Dr. Oz show this morning. If you didn’t see it, you might try to find the segment on http://www.DoctorOz.com/ That is the problem I have with the web page. I don’t always see the show either, or I see a part of a segment that I want to find out more about. I sometimes have a problem finding the info I’m looking for on the page.

This morning they showed illustrations of the kinds of bacteria produced in a person’s mouth, which was then transferred to dip, some of which can have very serious consequences. They also showed several bowls of dip from a get-together. Everybody loved it and everybody ‘dipped’ in. And spread some not so good stuff.

Do you do your double dipping when at a party representing other households, or when only your own family is involved? Even then, keep in mind that you or your family members probably have been in contact with other places, other people, and other households. Hands have touched other possible sources of bacteria outside your home. Returning family members bring something from their contacts with them, as well as the guests in your home. Scary, isn't it!

Another source of trouble is the kind of dish that holds mini candies, or perhaps nuts, that people stick their fingers into and pick up a few bits, while the next person comes along and does the same. A great possibility for passing along those nasty looking, though unseen bugs waiting to attack anyone they can grab on to.

A couple of common sense things can be done that will circumvent the UGLIES to some degree. Wash your hands when you get home after being out. Remember when your mother said, “Wash your hands before you eat. Wash your hands before you set the table. Wash your hands before you prepare food for yourself or anyone else.” Get the picture.

Hint: Be sure you have small plates by the bowl of chips and dip and the nuts or candies. Put a suitable picker-upper in the chips, so people won’t stick their hands in that bowl. Have a spoon in the dip, so family/guests will understand they need to put the dip in the plate. Also have a suitable scoop in the nuts or candies bowl, with small dishes beside them. Okay! So set them up! Remove the temptation! Such small things to do that can be a big thing on your personal health front.