Monday, October 29

Can you have bad luck when it comes to thinking?



In response to last week’s question,  “Can you have bad luck when it comes to thinking?”,  my writing and sailing friend Rich shared, “I know it's true, my wife has spent the last 30 years telling me that no good will come from me thinking.” 

My friend Richard recalled, “Sure. Many times I’ve had what I thought was a brainstorm, but which turned out to be no more than a drizzle.”

And my neighbor Al observed, “Yes. But it’s called stupidity, not bad luck.”

Please share your thoughts about "things that make you go 'Hmmm' “:

Do you get a treat for doing a trick?

Life  is too short for drama and petty things, so kiss slowly, laugh insanely, love truly, and forgive  quickly.

Hal
Frankenstorm is alive.  Wishing you the best dealing with Mother Nature, Monday’s full moon, and the spirits that follow.
Happy birthday to my son, Zak.

Monday, October 22

When is there no substitute?



In response to last week’s question,  “When is there no substitute?”,  my dad’s beach buddy Bob replied, “Only on your wedding day” while my neighbor Al questioned, “You mean besides me?”

My golden retriever rescue friend Kate declared, “Butter - none.  Your favorite teacher - none.  Vacation at the beach – none,” to which my cycling friend Ted added, “When it's a Porsche.  It's that simple!”

My writing and sailing friend Rich concluded, “The minute she decides what she wants.”
My poster-making friend Chris explained, “When you already have one...as in there is no substitute for the substitute [insert appropriate response] i.e. Teacher.”

My birthday bud Jon, cousin Greg and my colleague Kelly noted, “When the teacher shows up.”  Then my friend Tracey added, “On Mondays and Fridays when teachers call in "sick" most often.”  To this, my sailing friend Brad recalled, “When I was in school, it was usually the Friday before the GA-FL football game because everyone was in Jacksonville.  The school board finally wised up and just made it an official fall break.”

My dad noted it is ”in soccer when all the reserves receive red cards for unsportsman-like conduct.”

And then my Dish friend Kendra shared a wonderful memory, writing, “Hard work! My father made sure my brothers and I knew this from a very young age. Every school day, for as long as I can remember, my father’s final thoughts before heading off to work: “There is no substitute for hard work.  Put G-d first, and give 110%.” 

Please share your thoughts about "things that make you go 'Hmmm' “:

Can you have bad luck when it comes to thinking?     

Life  is too short for drama and petty things, so kiss slowly, laugh insanely, love truly, and forgive  
quickly.

Hal

Our thoughts and prayers are with my neighbor Dick, who contributes periodically to Hmmm, for a speedy recovery.

Make plans to vote for the candidate of your choice.

Monday, October 15

Is Fall too late to start Spring cleaning?



In response to last week’s question,  “Is Fall too late to start Spring cleaning?”, my birthday bud Jon recommends, “Yes, you should just leaf it go.” My dad’s beach buddy Bob advised, “It is sort of like asking a person who fell off the boat if he can swim.”

My leadership teacher Stuart observed, “It depends!  Summer better at it than others. I all depends how (w)inter the work you are.”   And my friend Royce compared this to another Spring ritual, “Damn! Did they change Passover?”

My friend Alan and sailing friend Kurt replied, “No, actually you are early.”  And my cycling friend who just won a BBQ contest added, “Are you kidding? My wife would have me do Spring 2014 cleaning in Fall 2012, and then tell me to snap to it!  Don't worry, I still love her!”

But then my cousin asked, “What is spring cleaning?”

Please share your thoughts about "things that make you go 'Hmmm' “:

When is there no substitute?

Life  is too short for drama and petty things, so kiss slowly, laugh insanely, love truly, and forgive  quickly.

Hal
 
My thanks to all of my golden retriever loving friends and family.  Our fundraiser was a tremendous success – fun activities, great people, and over 100 goldens actually lined-up for a group photo.

On a sad note, our friend Jill Suchke ended her 5+ year fight with Leukemia.  We were fortunate to know her because she had the spirit and attitude that is to be admired.  She knew how to help people, and she allowed others to help her when times were tough.  As Will Goodman wrote, “It seems that it was a fight you were not destined to win, and the world has been stripped today of one of its living angels. I only hope that you will continue watching over all of us, only now without pain or burden in every day. I will always think of you as you were just a few short years ago. We all loved you so much. Rest easy until we meet again. May the Source of Peace send Peace to all who are bereaved.”  Rest in peace, Jill.  Be assured we will keep your soul very much alive.

Monday, October 8

When does a wart not worry?



In response to last week’s question,  “When does a wart not worry?”, my friend Richard sang out, “When it’s a wart hog! ‘Hakuna Matata!’”

My Dish friend Mark believes, “It's when it's on an old witch’s nose. Apparently, they don't have a mirror or an honest friend. Happy Halloween.”

My dad’s beach buddy Bob suggested, “When it is on a frog!”  And my cycling friend Ted concluded, “When it doesn't know of the impending dermatologist appointment.”   My friend Swany added, “A wart doesn't worry when it goes unnoticed, however a wart is almost always worried about being noticed.”  My cousin Wes’s conversation confirmed this. “ Wart: Got Compound W?  Wes: Nope.  Wart:  No worries.”

A colleague who asked for anonymity when he wrote, “When it’s an anal wart.  Its life can’t get any worse!”

Please share your thoughts about "things that make you go 'Hmmm' “:

Is Fall too late to start Spring cleaning?
Life  is too short for drama and petty things, so kiss slowly, laugh insanely, love truly, and forgive  quickly.
Hal
If you know someone who has or loves golden retrievers in the Atlanta area, here’s a link to our annual dog party: http://www.grra.com/events/romp/

Monday, October 1



In response to last week’s question,  “With so many foods tasting like chicken, what does chicken taste like?”, my videographer friend Ivan scarily wrote, “Cat.  Anyone want to disagree?”

My friend Swany concluded, “Chicken tastes like mature eggs.”  My friend Richard concurred, “An over-developed egg.  Which reminds me of what the chicken said when she saw the plate of scrambled eggs:  ‘What a bunch of mixed up kids!’”

My colleague Kelly noted, “Since Folks Restaurant’s side dishes lists Chicken and Dumplings as a veggie, it seems that to them, it tastes like broccoli!”

My Dish friend John observed, “With so many cooks' chicken tasting like rubber, the question should be ‘what does rubber taste like?’”

My birthday bud Jon replied, “It tastes like so many foods.  Duh.”  Then my college roomie John countered, “Chicken tastes like chicken” to which my Klezmer-playing friend Ira added, “Everything else tastes like, but not the same, as chicken. Except beef, which tastes like cholesterol.”

My dad’s beach buddy Bob added, “What other food is there?”  My sailing friend Jim answered the challenge, writing “frog.” My neighbor Al expounded,  “As I learned, and ate, in my survival training chicken tastes exactly like grilled copperhead snake.  Kind of a cross between copperhead and frog legs.”    

My sailing and writing friend Rich expounded on this, “No matter how you slice it, free range or farm raised, grilled, baked or fried, naked or dressed (skin on or skin off), bone in or bone less, nuggets, wings or tenders, with BBQ sauce or without, in a salad with a baked potato fully loaded, it still tastes like alligator tail.” 

And then my friend with a beautiful singing voice, Blair cautioned, “What ever it is, please don’t put that other stuff in my chicken soup!”

Please share your thoughts about "things that make you go 'Hmmm' “:

When does a wart not worry?
Life  is too short for drama and petty things, so kiss slowly, laugh insanely, love truly, and forgive  quickly.
Hal
Here’s some great advice from my friend John, “Policy is not a reason not to think.”