If I blame you, did I say it was your fault?

In response to last week’s question, "If I blame you, did I say it was your fault?," my writing and sailing friend Rich noted that, "Every woman in my life is able to blame me without actually saying it was my fault," to which my creative Facebooking friend Tracey confirmed, "Yes.... especially if blaming a spouse."

My engineering friend Steve recalled, "Isn’t that called a scapegoat? In a former job I was blamed for all kinds of things that the bosses knew were their fault."

My dad's beach buddy Bob queried, "Not if it is stated as a double negative.  Then it would mean the opposite wouldn't it?

And my creative filmmaking friend Ivan advised, "Perhaps, but more important is you show how terribly wrong you can be."

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

Can you have flabs to steel? (from my friend Ty)

Never miss an opportunity to do something that makes you smile!

Hal

If you enjoy a good parody, click to see Ikea's parody of the Mac Airbook ad.

We're grateful that my running and construction friend Fred has returned home after his open heart surgery last week. 

Thanks to Demetri Martin, Steven Wright and George Carlin for the inspiration for Hmmm.

Stop by www.nichelabs.com to see what else I'm up to.

    

If you are "careless", does that mean you care some?

In response to last week’s question, "If you are "careless", does that mean you care some?," my social media friend Mark replied, "More or less," while my dad's beach buddy Bob explained, "It only means that you are absent minded."

My cousin Wes determined, "Some say less is more.  On the other hand, I could care less means I care enough to be able to care less.  So maybe it means I care just a tiny bit but not enough to take caring actions." Then my friend Richard concluded, "Nope. It’s a shortened form of 'care less than 0.' ”."

My writing and sailing friend Rich advised, "I would only want to care more as long it was carefree."

My equestrian friend Royce countered, "If you care some, and/or more, then that means you aren't careless doesn't it?"  My Parrothead friend Samantha cautioned, "Yes.  Careless means less than full and more than free.  So, caring more about answering an email than seeing the hole in the road would be careless. Beware as the zombie phone-pocalypse trip in coordination."

My collaboration friend Paul observed, "It makes me think of a certain enterprise's internal culture ‘brand’ of ICARE.   For years, we joked that it meant “I CARE only about my(self/BU/department)” or should be preceded by 'Like.' "    

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

If I blame you, did I say it was your fault?

Never miss an opportunity to do something that makes you smile!

Hal

A huge 'thank you' to my Noshfest partner, Barbara, the score of people who helped plan Noshfest over the past 11 months, and the hundred-plus volunteers that made Noshfest a tasty, fun time this week.  That's "community"

And best wishes to my running and construction friend Fred with his open heart surgery today.  Many prayers for you and your surgeon.

Thanks to Demetri Martin, Steven Wright and George Carlin for the inspiration for Hmmm.

Stop by www.nichelabs.com to see what else I'm up to.

Is it a reunion if you've never met the family member before that event?

In response to last week’s question, " Is it a reunion  if you've never met the family member before that event?", my dad's beach buddy Bob concluded, "It can be a blessing unless (s)he is really good looking." My social media friend Mark cautioned, "It is not a good idea to have a union with your relatives, so reunion sounds better."

My writing and sailing friend Rich observed, "You may not remember it, but you’ve  met in the gene pool."

My equestrian friend Royce added, "Given a choice between reunions and getting mugged, mugging always wins."

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

If you are "careless", does that mean you care some?  Paraphrased from Weird Al Yankovic (www.weirdal.com)

Never miss an opportunity to do something that makes you smile!

Hal

Thanks to Demetri Martin, Steven Wright and George Carlin for the inspiration for Hmmm.

Stop by www.nichelabs.com to see what else I'm up to.

Where do you get elbow grease?

In response to last week’s question, "Where do you get elbow grease?",  my writing and sailing from Rich observed, "the man in the mirror doesn’t have any, wouldn’t know how to find it and wouldn’t be able to use it if someone gave it to him."  To this, my social media friend Mark suggested, "I don't have any more. I just call my guy. He brings his own while I have a beer."

My cycling friend Ted advised, "The Orthopedic Surgeons know where to get that stuff!"

My cousin Valarie recalled, "I'm pretty sure elbow grease comes from the heart. My grandma was known in her community as a hardworking woman, and she used a lot of elbow grease. So how the grease oozes from heart to elbow may be a medical mystery, but the correlation is undeniably there."

While my equestrian friend Royce declared, "Auto Zone has the best prices," my sailing friend John pointed out, "You can get it on Amazon.com, but generally better prices are found on eBay."

And my neighbor Al shared the origins  of "elbow grease, which actually comes from ear wax.  As your wife continues to bitch at you to do some project on her "Honey Do" list, the impact of her nagging voice induces a pounding in the ear.  This constant pounding causes an emulsification which not only refines the wax, but also drives it down from the ear canal via the Eustachian tube. (FYI the name Eustachian is a derivation of "You stay home". Historians and Physical Anthropologists  have determined that early man did not have Eustachian tubes. They evolved over the millennia as an adaption to ease the nagging of .... You not go on the mastodon hunt. You stay home and finish cave art. ; You're not going to have grog with the serfs.  You stay home and re-thatch the roof..... You're not going to go play golf all day!  You stay home and clean the garage.) Sorry I diverge.  The wax has now become more viscous and is transported by the irritated nervous system.  The waxy/greasy substance collects in the various joints, thus providing a lubrication for repetitive and menial motions required to satisfy the spouse and finally ease the pressure.  The term elbow is in reference to those happier of the male species who have evaded the spouse and related task. Once (temporarily) freed from the offending environment, the male will utilize the grease in the male bonding ritual known as "The 12oz curl". 

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

Is it a reunion  if you've never met the family member before that event?  from my friend Paul

Never miss an opportunity to do something that makes you smile!

Hal

Congrats to my friends Ted & Carey on the bar mitzvah of their son this past weekend.

Thanks to Demetri Martin, Steven Wright and George Carlin for the inspiration for Hmmm.

Stop by www.nichelabs.com to see what else I'm up to.

    

Should you plan to be spontaneous tomorrow?

In response to last week’s question, "Should you plan to be spontaneous tomorrow?", my writing and sailing friend Rich noted, "Only if this couch I am on spontaneously combusts, then I will probably spontaneously plan to get up,"   to which my friend Vivian declared, "How about a plan to make no plans!"

Another writing friend, Stan countered, "Of course! Can’t be caught unprepared when the opportunity arises."

My dad's beach buddy Bob explained, "I am spontaneous every day...I must be to dodge the things that are thrown at me because I am insensitive (referring to the prior week's question about being insensitive or just not caring)."

My DISH Network friend Mark, who I was so glad to reconnect with, lamented, "I'm always a day late and a dollar short, so this makes sense as long as I don't have to buy anything."

My cousin Wes replied, "I think I will procrastinate today about tomorrow's plans."

My equestrian friend Royce recalled, "For those who remember the end of WW II, spontaneity is necessary to get out of bed each morning."

And my hiking friend Kelly professed, "I will have to think about it, pray about it, write out a pros and cons list, send it through committee, etc.  Gee, I wonder how many other people will say more or less the exact same thing?"  (Nobody Kelly.  You have a special mind.) 

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

Where do you get elbow grease? (from my wife Alison)

Never miss an opportunity to do something that makes you smile!

Hal

Thanks to Demetri Martin, Steven Wright and George Carlin for the inspiration for Hmmm.

Stop by www.nichelabs.com to see what else I'm up to.