When it comes to things of human kindness, I think it might be better to build bridges, rather than to put up walls.

We may feel protected behind our walls.  Even safe.  But… when it comes down to it… we are human.  We are vulnerable no matter where we are.

So.  With that.  Better to connect, I think.  With bridges.

I imagine today, I shall build one bridge.  Somewhere.

…..Or at least, I will try.

“Love is the bridge between two hearts.” – Old Axiom

Randomness…. From THIS Day in History:  May 28.

In 585 BC ……a solar eclipse occured.  It was predicted by Greek philosopher and scientist Thales.  This occured while Alyattes is battling Cyaxares in a big, mean, nasty battle..  Wouldn’t you know …. the very sight of the solar eclipse lead to a truce.

This whole deal…. marks one of the cardinal dates from which other dates can be calculated.  Yep.  Some Peace On Earth… and it came from the stars above.

A notable birthday…. In 1818,  P.G.T. Beauregard was born.  He was an American Confederate general.  A ladies man.  Dyed his hair black.  Dapper fellow.  Defended the Port of Charleston during the Civil War.  I know this… because he lived right up the street.  Headquarters.  They say his ghost still haunts the City Courthouse.  Why there….?  I guess he had unfinished business in this life.

And another good birthday.  From the year 1888…. Jim Thorpe.    He was born into the American Indian Tribe….Sac and Fox.   His given name was Wa-Tho-Huk. It translates into “Bright Path.”

He was probably the greatest American athlete of all time.  He won Olympic Golds in the Pentathlon, the Decathlon.  He was played professional Football, Baseball, and Basketball.  The first biography I ever read was a book about Jim Thorpe.  I was captivated by this story as I kid.  As fate would have it, the Bright Path dimmed for Thorpe.  The end of his life turned out to be pretty tragic.

And final birthday is that of Xīn Qìjí (28 May 1140–1207).  Say that three times fast.

I am sure everyone   Now this guy was a Chinese poet.  Also a  military leader, and statesman during the Southern Song dynasty.  But the guy could pen a poem.  His beat one was this…..

“众里寻他千百度，蓦然回首，那人却在灯火阑珊处。” -《青玉案·元夕》

(Whew.  YOU should try writing that line above…..  )

Anyway….. that all  means…..
“Having almost exhausted my energy searching for this person (vague), I suddenly turned my head, and there he was, standing at the far end of the street where the candlelight is the dimmest.”

Now that should shed some light on things for you.

I will translate further just in case you want more clarification.  If the ball rolls down the steps without bouncing, you can have cornflakes for breakfast the next morning, and not be ashamed.   The white duck may quack uncontrollably.  Be not afraid.

Got it?  Good.  I know I feel smarter already.  If you take nothing else from all of this….   remember…  feel good about your breakfast cereal.

“I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living.” – Dr. Seuss

“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.” –  Oscar Wilde

“Intellectual growth should commence at birth and cease only at death” – Albert Einstein

I was looking through a bunch of old photo albums today.  From the time Mom & Dad were married….. our Mom, Lucy, took a LOT of photos.  Many.  A whole kaboodle…. AND a kit.  Tons.

We (kids) didn’t like it back then.  But now.  Wow.  There are about 100 albums, chronologically arranged and labeled, all of which document our miniscule lives growing up.  Yes.  Our little first steps through the universe.

Pulling an album off the shelf is always fun for me.  It brings back all sorts of memories, and stories.  It reminds me of things that I had long forgotten.

So today, I flipped through quite a few of them.  One of many realizations:  I think I might have been a bit of a handful as a youngster.  I know I surely had a LOT of energy….. and a fair amount of that energy was anxiety based.  A quirky ball of nerves, I’d say.  (Some things never change.)

I think I was a bit like a spigot with a perpetual drip.  Drip. Drip. Drip. … …. Drip.  And no matter how hard you turn the handle to get the thing to stop leaking…. it just keeps dribbling, and plopping. Drip.  Drip.  Drip.

Yep.  That’s me.

Anyway.  I was a handful.

So today, my 90-year-old Mom asked how many kids she had.

Dad responded….. “Seven.”
“Seven?  Really?  That’s a lot,” she countered.
So I added…. “Yep Mom.  Seven is a lot.”

She sat and thought for a minute…..
“Too many, I think.  At least, I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.”

I cracked up.  Of course, I had to remind her that I was the seventh born.  If she had not had seven, I wouldn’t be standing where I was standing.

She thought again for another minute.  “Well. Since you put it that way….   I guess it is okay then.”

Yep Mom.  It is all okay then.  It will all be okay.

“I’ll lean on you and you lean on me and we’ll be okay” – Dave Mathews Band

“’It’s okay’ is a cosmic truth.” – Richard Bach

A little bird told me so.

This little phrase means that some sort of knowledge has been gathered OR “heard” from an “undisclosed source.”

Now this “undisclosed source” could be one of many different things.   Perhaps it is a bit of information which you have heard something through the grapevine.  Another idiom.

OR, it could be another way of saying… “our sixth sense”…. “our third eye”… “our intuition”

Whatever the case.   You didn’t know “it” before.  And now you do.

It could be anything.  That hunch.  That sneaky feeling.  That tap on the shoulder.  That piece of SkyLab crashing through your roof and onto your living room floor.

Most of the times… I try to squelch my intuition.  Stupid me.  I think we are better served if we listen to that “inner voice”… the one we can’t explain.  It is the one that often knows best.  Whether we like to admit it or not.

Logical thought is great and precious commodity in life.  This I will tell you.

But perhaps, intuition… TRULY being in touch with one’s intuition… is by far, a greater gift of knowledge.

A little bird told me so.

I guess in some ways… it is good to be a bird brain.

“The only real valuable thing is intuition.” – Albert Einstein

Slap-Somebody-Happy.

I don’t think that is quite how the phrase goes.

Let’s see.

Sixteen hours behind the wheel on Memorial Day Weekend.

Lost Wallet.

Five Hour Detour.

Stephen King Episodes along the way: 1. Met Cujo in North Carolina.  2. Was followed by Christine in Southern Ohio.  3.  Pretty sure I saw some Children of the Corn in West Virginia.

Slap-Happy.  The origin of the word comes from the 1920s.  A result of too many blows to the head.

Today.  I’ve had too many blows to the head.

“We tend to forget that happiness doesn’t come as a result of getting something we don’t have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.” – Frederick Keonig

I think we receive gifts in this life that we have to care of.  Whether it is our soundness of mind and spirit… our health… the people we love.  Ourselves.  Each other.

I think, perhaps…..  it is like a bank account.     We should always remember to take care of  The Balance.  Yes…. the more we deposit on a daily basis… the more that will be there for us when we need to make a withdrawal.

I’m still learning how to make better deposits.

Love doesn’t just sit there, like a stone; it has to be made, like bread, remade all the time, made new.
–Ursula K. Le Guin

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” – Leo Buscaglia

Today is a prolific day in history, I will tell you.  At the very least… abundant.

Lots of things that give me the shimmies.  (Okay.  Funny story before I start tonight.  The shimmies reminded me of it.)

When I was a very little girl, one of our favorite neighbors, Mary Eleanor Keyes, brought over a cake for our family.  I’m sure we all sat nice around the kitchen table.  Mom or Dad surely put on a pot of strong coffee as we took our chairs.

So, as we were sampling our first bite of the cake… I think it was a fruit cake…  I made the “yuck” face and did a body-shimmy.  Miss Keyes asked why I didn’t like the cake.  And I said… “This cake makes me shake.”

Even then.  Even then.

So.  Back to the future with a historical visit.

On THIS date in history… the year  was 1788 to be exact… South Carolina became the 8th state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.  What makes me quiver is this.  Our home (the back part of it) was built 9 years earlier than that…. in 1779.  That gives me the wobbles… in a good way.  Especially since a couple of those signers lived right near here.

Next… on this date.  Well…. earlier on this date… 1701.

Captain William Kidd was hanged in London after being convicted of piracy and murder.   ARRRR Matey.

Most modern historians agree, that he was merely a privateer, and railroaded by the Tory’s.    Kidd had two lawyers to assist in his defense.  He was found guilty on all charges (murder and five counts of piracy).

He was hanged  at ‘Execution Dock’, in London. During the execution, the hangman’s rope broke and Kidd was hanged on the second attempt. His body was gibbeted—left to hang in an iron cage over the River Thames at Tilbury Point—as a warning to future would-be pirates for three years.  You smell something?

His associates Richard Barleycorn, Robert Lamley, William Jenkins, Gabriel Loffe, Able Owens, and Hugh Parrot were convicted, but pardoned just prior to hanging at Execution Dock.  Basically, they all got off the hook… or the noose… for testifying against Kidd.

My favorite guy out of the bunch is Hugh Parrot.  I bet he got his bell rung quite often.  Imagine.

“Hello there Bloke.  Me name is Jack.  What is your name Matey?”
“Hugh Parrot”
“Well… no need to get smart with me your Blimey Wisecracker.  I am NOT a parrot.  Now.  I’ll ask ye’ again.  Your name Bloke?”
“Hugh Parrot.”
“Why you……….”

This would be the point in the conversation where Hugh Parrot gets his block knocked off.  I betcha’.

Finally… today is the birthday of Franz Anton Mesmer.  He was born in 1734.  A German Guy.  A Doctor.  His is best known for developing the use of Hypnosis.

I wouldn’t swear to it… but I bet we got the word “mesmerized” from this guy’s name.

Ahhh… I’m getting very sleepy.  Very sleeeeeeepy.  And that…. is all for tonight.

I’m history.

“History teaches us that men and nations behave wisely once they have exhausted all other alternatives.” – Abba Eban

Hmmmm. Today marks the anniversary of the death of a very talented performer of old. She was the youngest of a well-known and popular vaudeville type act. They were called the Gumm Sisters and they performed mostly in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. The youngest daughter of Frank and Ethel.

Yes.  She was named after both her parents and baptized at a local Episcopal church. But her family called her…. “Baby”. And…. she shared her family’s flair for song and dance. Her first appearance came at the age of two-and-a-half.

She went on to live a brilliant and bedazzling….. yet very troubled, very sad life.

So. She could have never predicted at that young age that she would overdose on barbiturates.  Dead at the age of 47. Ethel Frances Gumm.

But.  Most of us know her as Judy Garland.

While her death was ruled accidental, many thought she committed suicide. Her friend, Ray Bolger (the Scarecrow), commented at her funeral, “She just plain wore out.”

I get really sad when I think about her. Especially when I see some of her later televised appearances, where she looks to be pretty bluto. I wish things could have turned out differently for her. Somehow.

I think of that beautiful, talented, young woman, who captured our hearts as Dorothy. I would have loved it if Glenda the Good Witch could have floated down and tapped Judy on the head, with her magic wand…. and made it all better.   Or if she had just hung on to those ruby slippers… she could have clicked her heels, and found her way home.

But that wasn’t to be.

Nope.

It is the things we can’t predict that knock us off our horses. And as it turns out…. THAT…. is pretty much EVERYTHING.

There is nothing…. not one single thing on this ball of dirt… that is unchangeable, or absolute.  Nothing is for certain.

So it’s not what you’re sure of. It’s what you don’t know.

And that is today. And tomorrow. And the next day. Would we want it differently? I don’t think I would.   Knowing might be too much.

So we do the best we can, and that is living, and breathing, and being.

Each day brings… a horse of a different color.

“The future is no more uncertain than the present”
-Walt Whitman

Tan mom was in the news again today. Defending her rights as a tanner, among other things. She said that tanning takes a big skill. A big skill indeed.

And there you have it.

So you know me….. and my ruthless pursuit of knowledge. I decided to research the Fine Art of Tanning. In 7 Easy Steps.

1. Pick a sunny day. While this may seem like common knowledge to the tanning virtuoso…. to many amateurs……  it is not.

2. Warm weather is preferable. Although it is possible to absorb UV Rays at any time of the year, warm temperatures are advisable …. as sweaters, coats, and scarves lessen the overall taming surface of the skin.

3. Go outside.  This helps tremendously. Tanning through window light simply is tedious at best. Possible… but insipid.

4. Slather up with tanning oil. Do not, I repeat , do NOT use what is termed a Sunscreen Lotion. They contain harsh chemicals which block the sun from creating that deep dark luster. The label will have an SPF rating. This is called the Sun Protection Factor… hence… your first dead giveaway that this will be a preventative.  Dead giveaway.

5. While tanning oil is good….  Crisco Shortening is better. Nothing fries like Crisco.

6. Lie down during tanning.  However, it is suggested that you turn over frequently. This ensures an even darkness, which is very similar to cooking a chicken on a Rotisserie Grill.

7. Tanning may also be accomplished from artificial sources… commonly referred to as “Tanning Salons”. More on Tanning Salons in the next edition of the Art of Tanning.  If neither artificial, nor natural light is available…. brown shoe polish may be applied directly to the skin.

If it weren’t for Tan Mom, I would never have learned all of this. She sure is doing an incredible job of spreading the truth about tanning….

“What you perceive, your observations, feelings, interpretations, are all your truth. Your truth is important. Yet it is not The Truth.” – L. Ellinor

She looks like Wile E. Coyote after the dynamite stick blows up.” – Jimmy Kimmel

A lot goes through my head on any given day. I mean…. a WHOLE lot. Some days… it wears me out.

Here are some of my daily thoughts, observations, and opinions.

My dog is a little Ewok. I think.  She doesn’t act like one… or sound like one.  But she looks like an Ewok.  Smells like one too.

Commercials have changed significantly in the past 40 years. When I was growing up… I can’t remember anyone saying… “Oh man. I LOVE that commercial.” We only had things like the Imperial Margarine crown-on-your-head, and Madge saying… “You are soaking in it.” Those were wild and crazy days.

Now every commercial is a Rock Concert, or “Coolness” defined. Catchy songs. Bright lights. People dancing on cars.  You know the one where the dogs bark the Star Wars Theme?  I LOVE that commercial…..

The Neanderthal’s brain was bigger than mine is.  Yours too.  And on a similar note…. Canadian researchers have found that Einstein’s brain was 15% wider than normal. Both of these facts… which exist at the same time…. disturb me on many levels.

When snakes are born with two heads, they fight each other for food. This reminds me of politics in the United States.

Just 150 years ago, Americans and Europeans believed that mummies had great healing powers. They ground up the mummies into powder and used it as medicine for all kinds of diseases.  Now you may think… “I can’t believe someone would ACTUALLY believe something like that.”  Trust me… in 150 years… people will look back and be astounded by some of OUR current beliefs… and laws.

Paul Revere rode on a horse that belonged to Deacon Larkin, of Massachusetts. But the truth behind this historical fact… it was actually his Dad’s horse. Ah. The first case in history of taking the family vehicle out for a joy ride…. Kind of like Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.  But a long time ago.

For Second Amendment folks: Revolvers cannot be silenced because of all the noisy gasses which escape the cylinder gap at the rear of the barrel. Hence… if you decide to shoot a Mime, you probably should NOT choose a revolver.

I think the reason Shakespeare was so great… was because he just made words up. All willy nilly. Shakespeare’s works contain first-ever recordings of 2,035 English words, including critical, frugal, excellent, barefaced, assassination, and countless. Now that is incredikeenable.

And speaking of such things…..  I have decided to write a book. More on this later. But for now… I am off to a great start. I’ve got all the page numbers done.

So.  Just a few thoughts on the day.

“I laugh, I love, I hope, I try, I hurt, I need, I fear, I cry. And I know you do the same things too, So we’re really not that different, me and you.” – Colin Raye