What I (Maya Angelou) Has Learned Wednesday

I am handing today's post off to the late, legendary author and poet, Maya Angelou. Please soak in her wisdom while I soak the bird for tomorrow's Thanksgiving Feast...

Maya Angelou, 4.4.28 - 5.28.14 

1) I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.

2) I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.

3) I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life.

4) I've learned that making a "living" is not the same thing as making a "life."

5)  I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.

6) I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw something back.

7) I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.

8) I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one.

9) I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.

10) I've learned that I still have a lot to learn.

11) I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

The Happiest of Hump Days and Happy Thanksgiving!

~Babaloo

Writer's Workshop - Different than my parents

 


List 5 ways you are different as a parent than your parents were...

1) Modern technology... my parents parented me before YouTube, social media, texting, smart phone apps, video game consoles, tablets, laptops and cable. If they wanted to find me they had to yell. If I was out of earshot they'd have to come find me. If they wanted to know what was going on with me at school they would have to ask. My kids, as soon as they were old enough to be out of my sight for extended periods of time have been reachable by modern technology. If I need to know how they are doing in school, their grades are a few clicks away. I sometimes feel sorry for them.

2) I think, no, I know that I am more open than my parents ever were. My kids and I have open discussions on just about everything. There isn't anything one of them could bring up (as long as they were serious about it) that I would "not" discuss with them. My parents were very secretive and wouldn't talk openly about most things. I don't know if it was out of fear or just the norm to not discuss sensitive topics with young people.

3) I laugh about it now, but my parents (especially my dad) were very racist. I didn't realize how narrow their viewpoints were until I went out into the world and was exposed to so many other viewpoints. My kids, on the other hand, are bi-racial. Their dad is Hispanic and I am Caucasian. Because of the area we live in they have grown up in a cornucopia of diversity. Not because I am into new-age philosophy or have some rainbow agenda, it just worked out that way. I think my kids were exposed to every race, religion, economic class, sexual orientation and ethnicity before they could walk. They have a deeper understanding and tolerance for others that, not from a lack of trying, I don't think I will ever attain in my lifetime.

4) Pets! What did I ever do without pets? We weren't allowed to have pets growing up. Personal taste of bot of my parents. My dad used to chase dogs out of our yard on a daily basis. Never cared for them, never cared for the mess they made. He didn't care if the owners were right there watching, he would pick up a rock and throw it at any dog that wandered into our yard. As soon as my kids were old enough and shortly after we bought our house we got a dog. I love that dog and nearly two years ago we adopted a little friend for him, so now we have two. Some of my fondest memories are watching my boys interact with those dogs.

5) We are a two income family, my husband and I both work full-time. Growing up my mom worked as well, but part-time and with my dad at their auto part store. She was usually home when we got home from school and was always available. I'm not sure if this has been a dis-service to my children or not, but it would have been nice to experience being a stay-at-home mom.

Most Quotable Friday - Maya Angelou

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” ~ Maya Angelou

“What you're supposed to do when you don't like a thing is change it. If you can't change it, change the way you think about it. Don't complain.” ~ Maya Angelou

“You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.”
~ Maya Angelou,

“You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.”
 ~ Maya Angelou

“Stepping onto a brand-new path is difficult, but not more difficult than remaining in a situation, which is not nurturing to the whole woman.” ~ Maya Angelou

“Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.” ~ Maya Angelou

“Hoping for the best, prepared for the worst, and unsurprised by anything in between.” ~ Maya Angelou

“If you have only one smile in you, give it to the people you love. Don't be surly at home, then go out in the street and start grinning 'Good morning' at total strangers.” ~ Maya Angelou

“Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer. And let faith be the bridge you build to overcome evil and welcome good.” ~ Maya Angelou

Thursday Blurbs

1. I was blown away last week when a friend and co-worker shared a very personal secret with me. I was honored that she shared it with me and it made my respect and admiration for her grow more than I ever thought possible because I had always thought very highly of her. It is just so true how everyone you meet has a struggle, something only they know about, that they have to deal with every day. *Sigh* It almost made me want to share my secret with her. I feel like someday I will. But now isn't the right time.

Post-it paper clipped for safety

 2. This drives me absolutely crazy. See this picture on the left? I come in to work and find things like this on my desk all the time. It is from my boss. She likes to write me notes on Post-it notes... and then paperclips them on for good measure. What does she think is going to happen between the time she puts the note on my desk and the time I see it? Are we going to have a wind storm? Will there be a volcano eruption that could potentially melt the adhesive off the Post-it? Are we infested with Post-it eating nocturnal creatures who are afraid of paper clips? Are there crazy ninjas that come at night and take Post-it notes off our desks but leave them in place if there is a paper clip? What is the reasoning? Thinking about it makes my brain hurt.



3. I did it! I did it! After years of attempting to educate fellow drivers on the road I have finally gotten through to not one, but two people! The first one was a few weeks ago when I was driving to work. A young man had veered right into my lane in front of me (without using a blinker) forcing me to brake so I honked at him. I could see him looking at me in his mirror so I mouthed the words "use your blinker" and made little blinking motions with my hand. He smiled and a few minutes later, I kid you not, he moved over to the next lane and used his blinker so the car behind him knew what he was going to do! Same thing happened last night. A
woman pulled right into my lane forcing me to slam on my brakes. I flashed my high-beams at her and she looked at me timidly through her mirror. Again, I mouthed "use your blink-er" and made little motions with my hand so she could see them. And? Seriously, not 30 seconds later she moved over to another lane and used her blinker!

4. Seriously, between the pile of lottery tickets that I finally checked and the laundry this week... I'm up $14! Whooohoo!! That is two decent bottles of wine on sale. #winning

5. I have a new hero, his name is Albert and he has the same affliction as I when he sees someone post the word "loose" when what they really mean (according to the context in which it is written) is "lose." This is his comment on a post in a SJ Sharks forum. -------------->
The original post said... "I have a top 3 teams I hate/dislike to loose to and I want to know what your top 3 teams you hate/dislike to loose to...." I mean, the poster wrote it twice so it can't be a typo. But then... Albert. LOL! It is the small things that make me happy.

6. I am bursting inside about what I'm going to be doing next week, but I don't want to throw it out into the universe because I am feeling very superstitious. So I am choosing to keep it inside and just wait until it is happening so that I can post it all over FB and Instagram. *Hee Hee*

Happy Thursday!

~Babaloo

What I Have Learned Wednesday

1. I have learned that Chuck M@ns*n (I don't want his name showing up in a search engine linking to my blog) is getting married. *blech* Gross. WTF? I can't... I don't... I have nothing clever to say. She is 26 years old, what is he now, like 90? And no, that isn't what is weird about it... that doesn't even scrape the surface of the wrongness or yuckiness of this union. Was she even alive when he went on his murdering spree? Maybe she doesn't know? Someone should tell her, just in case.

2. I have learned that "vape," the act of smoking an e-cigarette, is Oxford Dictionary's "new" word of the year. You can read more about Oxford's proud moment here.

3. I have learned (unverified, but I like to think that it is true) that some Canadian police departments give out "positive" tickets for doing something good.

4. I have learned that in 1895 there were only two cars in the whole state of Ohio and that, in what was most likely the first recorded instance of  "road rage" in history, those two cars crashed into each other.

5. I have learned that Doritos could actually be made without the orange powder residue and taste exactly

The Doritos Experience - Ha!

the same. The company decided to leave it on because the residue left on your fingers is part of the "Doritos experience."

6. I have learned that scientists can grow bacon from stem cells. What? Oscar Meyer, et al. need to get on that ASAP to avoid this impending "bacon shortage" I keep hearing about.

7. I have learned that my son has a wonderful opportunity to give back and say thanks to the family of the tissue donor who gave him an achilles tendon that was used to repair the ligaments in his knee (ACL). Jacob will be writing them a letter today and hopefully I can share some of it before we send it to the program that will then pass it on to the donor family.

Happy Hump Day!

~Babaloo

Writer's Workshop - Haiku

 Writing Prompt: Write a haiku about what you see out your window... I was inspired, so I wrote 3:

1.  Amidst a mint view

     a windowless tower stands

     stealing scenery

2.  A twelve story crane 

     constructing a new court house

     And justice for all

3. Blowing in the wind

    a lone palm tree stands stoically 

    Last one on the block

Sunday visit to Half Moon Bay

Another beautiful day in Northern California... perfect for a quick getaway! The husband and I took a long walk on the beach followed by a more leisurely stroll down Main Street and capped off with some local wine tasting at the Bartera Winery.  We forgot our troubles for a few hours and eased some stress at the same time... Mission Accomplished! "Twas a good day."

This Methodist church looks like it is strait out of a story book

Half Moon Bay / Pacific Coast looking north

Cliffs and trees formed and shaped from years of wind and coastal weather

We are getting better at selfies!

Outside a local shop

Most Quotable Friday

Today's Quotables from the legendary Dr. Seuss. Enjoy!

1. “I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind. Some come from ahead and some come from behind. But I've bought a big bat. I'm all ready you see. Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!” ~ Dr. Seuss

2.“Why fit in when you were born to stand out?” ~ Dr. Seuss

3.“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, Nothing is going to get better. It's not.” ~ Dr. Seuss, The Lorax  

4. “If things start happening, don't worry, don't stew, just go right along and you'll start happening too.” ~ Dr. Seuss

5. “Remember me and smile, for it's better to forget than to remember me and cry.” ~ Dr. Seuss 

6. “I’m glad we had the times together just to laugh and sing a song, seems like we just got started and then   before you know it, the times we had together were gone.” ~ Dr. Seuss

7.  “The storm starts, when the drops start dropping. When the drops stop dropping then the storm starts stopping.” ~ Dr. Seuss 

8.  “Today I shall behave, as if this is the day I will be remembered.” ~ Dr. Seuss

9. “I know it is wet and the sun is not sunny, but we can have lots of good fun that is funny.” ~ Dr. Seuss, The Cat in the Hat  

10. “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes.You can steer yourself any direction you choose.”~ Dr. Seuss, Oh, The Places You'll Go!

Happy Friday!

~Babaloo

Thursday Blurbs

1. Well, I hate to make premature proclamations, but I am losing confidence by the day in my Niners. I'm still faithful and I will root for them until the end, but right now I am not feeling it. They seem out of sync, not at all where they were last year or the year before. It is frustrating because going in to the season everything seemed perfect. All those weapons on offense. The hope that Bowman would return soon, the promise of Alson Smith returning... It seemed like they shouldn't lose, not even by a close margin. Instead, they are struggling on offense with no continuity on the offensive line, which is causing all those weapons to not being able to get their hands on the ball to show what they can do. So irritating. The defense has struggled with injuries, Willis is now out for the rest of the season, Bowman doesn't look close to returning and his knee might not be strong enough. Still, they are holding their own and keeping us in games. I'm just not sure how long they can keep it up without offensive support. The jury is still out on Aldon. I believe he will be back this week. He'll probably be limited, but hopefully he can make an impact. *Sigh*

2. Aside from that, I have begun my promise to myself to put some separation between myself and my sports. For my own health and peace of mind. I can't let sports determine my mental and emotional state. The sports radio is off in the car and the music is back on. I am focused more on work and getting things done around the house. Well, sort of. I'm still working on that. For work, we have a big project that I'm trying to get done by the end of tomorrow, so that is getting my full attention right now.

3. Jacob started physical therapy this week. It is going to take a while, his knee doesn't look anything like his healthy knee. He has responded well and even did his exercises yesterday. He has his second session later today.

4. The fall weather and the shortened daylight has arrived. My worst time of year. I hate to be negative, but I"m not sure what is going to happen to me if I didn't have a successful spring and summer (health and exercise wise). This funk has brought me into my heaviest weight of all time. I have no one to blame but myself. Ugh, I'm not going there... I am not going to feel sorry for myself. That get's me nowhere. Next.

5. Julie Sue is coming! My cousin is coming to stay with us on Thanksgiving. She has to be in Tracy early Friday morning for work and asked if she could come join us for Thanksgiving. It will be nice to spend time with her even if is just for a day.

6. Ok, so that project I mentioned is beckoning... so I'll end it here until next time...

~Babaloo

What I Learned Wednesday

1. I have learned that Patrick Willis is out for the season because of his toe injury... Gah! They said he was only going to be out for a few weeks. And? It doesn't seem like Navaro Bowman is coming back anytime soon either. If this is their year... they are going to have to dig deep.

2. I have learned that U.S. War Veterans are honored on the 11th day of the 11th month during the 11th hour in reference to the end of World War I, which ended at 11:00am on November 11th, 1918. It was originally known as Armistice Day but has evolved over time to encompass recognizing all Military War Veterans.

3. I have learned that the sound my sandals/flip flops make on our floor irritates my oldest son. Of course, he doesn't like the sound his dad makes while he is eating or the sound his brother makes when he eats... so, I think he might be prone to an affliction called misophonia. The extreme to this affliction is that the noises cause rage. I'm not saying he has it, just that he is prone to it.

4. I have learned that the next Mayor of San Jose will be Sam Licardo. He takes office in January from long time mayor Chuck Reed.

5. I have learned that the very first high heels were made for soldiers in the 1500s who needed a way to keep their feet snugly tucked into their stirrups while riding on horseback.

6. I have learned that the Seattle Seahawks water down the beer they sell to their fans... LOL!

7. I have learned that your foot is the same size as the distance between your wrist and elbow.

8. I have learned that this sounds absurd and that you most likely just stuck your foot between you elbow and wrist to measure. Mine fit perfectly... did yours?

Happy Hump Day!

~Babaloo

Day Trip to Monterey

Street view of Cannery Row

It is so nice to get away! I was so happy and relaxed to leave my worries behind and hit the road with my husband for a day trip to Monterey on Sunday. Monterey is a little over an hour drive from where we live and definitely worth the time in the car. Monterey is very scenic and there is a lot to do, depending on what you are in the mood for. Since we just wanted to walk around, window shop, check out some views, have a nice lunch and maybe do some wine tasting... we headed for Cannery Row. We got there early enough to find decent (free!) street parking and let the rest of the day take us away...

View from our table at the Fish Hopper Restaurant

Car roofs are excellent perches

View of Monterey Bay looking north

Historical depiction on a beach wall

Wine tasting to cap off the day

What a beautiful day! It was way more than just the scenery, great food and quality time with my husband. It really gave me some sorely needed revitalization and peace of mind. I hope we can do more things like this. We owe it to ourselves.

 ~Babaloo

Most Quotable Friday - Leo Buscaglia

Today's quotes are from one of my favorite authors, the lovely Leo Buscaglia... Enjoy!

1. “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

2. “The easiest thing to be in the world is you. The most difficult thing to be is what other people want you to be. Don't let them put you in that position.” ― Leo Buscaglia

Leo Buscaglia

3. “Don't hold to anger, hurt or pain. They steal your energy and keep you from love.” ― Leo Buscaglia

4.“The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, is nothing, and becomes nothing. He may avoid suffering and sorrow, but he simply cannot learn, feel, change, grow or love. Chained by his certitude, he is a slave; he has forfeited his freedom. Only the person who risks is truly free.” ― Leo Buscaglia

5. “Don't walk in my head with your dirty feet.” ― Leo Buscaglia, Living Loving and Learning  

6. “I exist, I am, I am here, I am becoming, I make my own life and no one else makes it for me. I must face my own shortcomings, mistakes, transgressions. No one can suffer my non-being as I do, but tomorrow is another day, and I must decide to leave my bed and live again. And if I fail, I don't have the comfort of blaming you or life or God. ” ― Leo Buscaglia, Living Loving and Learning

7. “Most of us remain strangers to ourselves, hiding who we are, and ask other strangers, hiding who they are, to love us.” ― Leo Buscaglia 

8. “It's not enough to have lived. We should be determined to live for something.May I suggest that it be creating joy for others, sharing what we have for the betterment of personkind, bringing hope to the lost and love to the lonely.” ― Leo Buscaglia

Happy Friday!

~Babaloo

Thursday Blurbs

1. Jacob rode in the front seat with me yesterday! I know that doesn't sound like anything noteworthy but considering he hasn't been able to bend his knee enough to sit in the front seat, because of the injury, since September 3rd... It was another small win for the both of us... well, mostly him!

2. A couple of weeks ago I was walking outside my office building with some of my work friends on our daily walk. A prison bus (carrying inmates to the courthouse) drove by us and they (my co-workers) started making comments and laughing. I immediately felt tears stinging my eyes and I sucked in my breath so hard that I almost choked. I walked ahead for a few seconds to not draw attention to myself.

3. On point with me wanting to peel back layers in search of the authentic me... I am going to let my guard down and let myself look forward to a day trip to Monterey with my husband on Sunday. It was his idea and I was resistant because he says things like that (let's do "x" this weekend) and it never happens for whatever reason. Sometimes it is his fault, sometimes it's mine and sometimes it is just by circumstance. But, I need to get out of the house and away from curling up under a blanket all day hiding from my life, my feelings and the outside world. If it doesn't work out, if he changes his mind, then I will go somewhere by myself. Even if it is to a nearby park for a small hike or to the movies.

4. Christmas shopping should be easy this year. I will be ordering Giants World Series gear and making a trip to the 49ers store at the stadium with Juan's Centerplate employee discount for the bulk of it. Hmmm...

maybe I will set a ridiculous goal for myself and aim to be done by December 1st. Yes! I will be done by December 1st and I will laugh heartily at everyone else who is not <<<< evil laugh>>>>.

5. I am still debating whether or not to go to the 49ers Thanksgiving game or stay home and have Thanksgiving dinner with only my brother and Jacob. Sergio and Tiffany will be with her family, Juan will be working at the game and Alex, well, Alex won't be with us. We could get tickets, have a modified Thanksgiving feast early and then get to the stadium by 2:30-3:00pm. Decisions, decisions. I need to talk to my brother.

6. Ok, so my latest strategy to help me get back on track is to do the following everyday (weekday): Daily chores (walking the dogs, make dinner, dishes, etc.), one weekly chore (clean the bathroom, dusting, laundry, etc.) and work on one project (organizing a closet, cleaning out garage or boom boom room) even if it is only for 10-15 minutes. The weekly chores can be split up, too. Like, Tuesday I cleaned my bathroom sink, counter and mirror. Yesterday I cleaned out the tub. This morning I cleaned the shower doors and outside the tub. To me, it just makes it all less imposing. The thought of spending all day Saturday just cleaning the house is depressing. Which is why it probably doesn't get done. I get depressed and watch movies all day instead.

7. Based on the above I feel the need to issue the following disclaimer:  "I'm sorry people, but you all can't lead an exciting and glamorous lifestyle like mine. I was chosen by a supreme being to live the way I do. It is nothing to be jealous or envious of. Just accept that my life is out of your reach and you will sleep easier at night." 

 Sincerely yours,

~Babaloo

What I Have Learned Wednesday

1. I have learned, from my currently impaired teenage son, that the word "hirple" means to hobble or limp. I have no idea where he learned it from, but he even used in a sentence. And? I confirmed it by looking it up myself this morning. And? By doing that I learned that the word has Scottish origins and isn't really used in the English language anymore. Thank you Google.

2. I learned, as my son "hirpled" off to school today, that I need to catch my breath, slow down and stop being so hard on myself. Life is short. I also learned it is time to start peeling back the neglected layers and just be authentic.

3. I have learned that there are more fake flamingos in the world then there are real flamingos.

4. I have learned that Starbucks has committed to hire over 10,000 military veterans or spouses of military veterans over the next 5 years.

5. I have learned that the GOP has taken over the senate and that, depending on what network news station you watch, we are either, all going to hell or should be partying in the streets.

6. I have learned, once again, not to invest all of my happiness in the success of one of my sports teams. Why I have to keep learning this lesson over and over again speaks to my un-daunting willingness to have my soul completely consumed for a 6th Superbowl win. There was literally no "happy place" for my mind to go after last Sunday's loss.

7. I have learned that when a male bee climaxes, his testicles explode and he dies.

8. I have learned that no matter what I say right now, all you can think about are exploding bee testicles... You're welcome.

Happy Hump Day!

~Babaloo

Writer's Workshop - 6 Random Facts

Writer's Workshop - List 6 random facts about you and your husband:

1) My husband and I met while working together at a restaurant. He was a bartender and I was a food server. 

2) We are almost incompatible when it comes to sports teams. With the exception of the San Jose Sharks and the San Jose Earthquakes he is completely wrong and misguided in his American  professional sports team choices. The good news is that I will root for whatever Mexican league or European league soccer team he likes. I am nice like that.

3) My husband has 12 siblings and I have 1.

4) Together we have 4 children and two dogs. He does not claim ownership of the dogs... but the kids he is stuck with.

5) My husband told my Aunt recently that in 3 years (on our 25th anniversary) he is thinking about "renewing his lease" with me.

6) During the 23+ years I have known my husband I have only once seen him without a mustache. This was due to a "trimming mishap," but nonetheless, it was gone and things were weird until it grew back.

Was that random enough?

~Babaloo

Happy Halloween!

His idea, not mine...

Most Quotable Friday - Anne Lamott

Today's quotables courtesy of Bay Area author/novelist Anne Lamott

“You own everything that happened to you. Tell your stories. If people wanted you to write warmly about them, they should have behaved better.”~ Anne Lamott

“And I felt like my heart had been so thoroughly and irreparably broken that there could be no real joy again, that at best there might eventually be a little contentment. Everyone wanted me to get help and rejoin life, pick up the pieces and move on, and I tried to, I wanted to, but I just had to lie in the mud with my arms wrapped around myself, eyes closed, grieving, until I didn’t have to anymore.” ~ Anne Lamott

“Lighthouses don’t go running all over an island looking for boats to save; they just stand there shining.” 
~ Anne Lamott

 “You can safely assume you've created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do.” ~ Anne Lamott

“Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life, and it is the main obstacle between you and a shitty first draft. I think perfectionism is based on the obsessive belief that if you run carefully enough, hitting each stepping-stone just right, you won't have to die. The truth is that you will die anyway and that a lot of people who aren't even looking at their feet are going to do a whole lot better than you, and have a lot more fun while they're doing it.” ~ Anne Lamott,

“Forgiveness is giving up all hope of having had a better past.” ~ Anne Lamott 

“I do not understand the mystery of grace -- only that it meets us where we are and does not leave us where it found us.” ~  Anne Lamott 

  “Your problem is how you are going to spend this one and precious life you have been issued. Whether you're going to spend it trying to look good and creating the illusion that you have power over circumstances, or whether you are going to taste it, enjoy it and find out the truth about who you are.” ~ Anne Lamott

Happy Friday!

 
~Babaloo

Giants Win 2014 World Series! - Game 7 In Pictures

Critical double play turned in the 4th inning

Pence advances Sandoval to third in the 4th inning

Morse bloops a single to score Sandoval for the go ahead run

Panda scoring what would be the winning run

The Final Out!!!

Jubilation! Giants Win! Giants Win! Yes! Yes! Yes!

Panda celebrates with the Pandas after the game

"Three"

Thursday Blurbs

1. Does anyone actually blog anymore? You know, write short entries about daily life, personal observations, current issues and events? Seems like all I see are Blogs with Giveaways. Giveaways are great, don't get me wrong, if they are interspersed with actual blog posts. But I am noticing more and more that some blogs are just "giving it away" everyday. Time to clean up the blogroll.

2. A little scare yesterday at work when 8 of my coworkers got stuck in the elevator. Compounded by the fact that they were also in there with 5 brand new franchisees who were here for a three day training class. The group was on its way to lunch. They were rescued by the fire department after being in there for 45

"Seriously?"

minutes. Sidenote: The elevators here in our building are not that big. I don't think I've ever been in one with more than 5 or 6 people tops. So,  my first question was "why did 13 of you all get on an elevator together?" Apparently, a VP who shall remain nameless, encouraged everyone "to squeeze in together."

Orange fountain after Game 7

3. So.... that happened. The Giants won the World Series!!! And as duly predicted by me, I went a little nuts. It was such an amazing, tense and suspenseful game that couldn't have been more perfect for a Game 7. Damn, isn't the third one supposed to be the charm? That series was nothing close to charming. It was brutal. It was nasty. It was ugly. It was sweet. It was an emotional roller coaster. And Kansas City? From everything I read and hear on the radio, they are a class act. The team, the fan base and the residents of the area. They even turned the fountains at their ballpark "orange" in a salute to the Giants after their heartbreaking loss. *Hat tipped* to you Kansas City Royals.

4. I think my friend needs to break out of her "I'm a jinx" mentality. Although, admittedly, not a huge baseball fan per say, she was rooting for the Giants. I know she was. She threatened at one point to Bandwagon the Royals fans just so the Giants would have a chance, but she didn't. I know she didn't.

5. Oh! I almost forgot about Sunday's golf game! What a gorgeous, beautiful day to be outside. We played at a course in Milpitas that neither of us had been to before. Let's just say there was an interesting array of lakes, sand traps and wild life abound throughout the course. I was rusty, but I had some good drives, a couple of good chips and a couple good puts. Not, however, on any one hole at the same time. *Sigh* There were birds all around the course who just stood there and were not frightened or startled when a ball came near them or a human walks amongst them to set up a shot. On one hole there was a group of birds that casually walked away from us when we both had to take shots from where they were gathered. One of them had a gimp leg and was limping... He reminded me of Jacob. When I got home I told him I saw his "bird twin."

6. Speaking of  the knee surgery patient... He announced yesterday that for Halloween he will be "Madison Bum-knee."

Happy Thursday!

~Babaloo