whimsical wednesday
Wednesday Whimsy
Casual Friday's: As a school administrator, I was not a big fan of casual Friday's for faculty & staff. Why? Call me old-fashioned *, but I think that professional attire raises the expectations of both teacher & student. Whatever . . .Last FRI 8/5, I indulged in some personal casual Friday indulgence at the OGT International Office in Norfolk, NE. [Go ahead . . . Call me a hypocrite. ** ] I wore my favorite aloha shirt, which I brought back from Hawaii; also my recently acquired walking shoes; also the Gettysburg socks that my thoughtful nieces gifted to me at a family reunion in Virginia several years ago.
* OK . . . YOU'RE OLD-FASHIONED!
** OK . . . YOU'RE A HYPOCRITE! ***
*** But this is comparing apples to oranges.
From Omaha World Herald (6/11): "What the world needs: a dinosaur emoji, The unicode Consortium will soon release 72 new emojis into the world. None of them is a dinosaur. Dominik Schwarz, a self-described 'Internet random' w/a deep & abiding love of dinosaurs . . . is hoping that the consortium will release a dinosaur emoji for the summer of 2017, with the release of Unicode 10. That's the earliest it could possibly be available, but nothing's certain yet." [The suspense of the presidential campaign pales in comparison.]
Also from OWH (7/18): "Research suggests newborn ducklings are abstract thinkers . . . "
Dept. of Imaginary Conversations
Scientist 1: The Cornhusker Blogger seems to be mocking global climate change again. Scientist 2: Great. It looks like we better release some news that will overshadow his relentless critiquing of our relentless propaganda.Scientist 3: It's a no-brainer! Let's do a press release about our multi-million dollar research project about newborn ducklings & abstract thinking.
Scientists 1 & 2: Snap!
Walking the Dog Whimsy
Reasons Why I Don't Like Walking Sammy
- Dog "encounters" . . . Sammy continues to have issues meeting other dogs on our walks. If a dog encroaches upon Sammy's defined territory--even when said dog is on his own lawn, his own side of the street, etc., & we are "miles" away from Sammy's home territory, it doesn't take much for him to bark, snap, & strain at the leash. [Anybody have the name of a good dog therapist? Effective canine psychotropic medication?]
- Walking through the neighborhoods while carrying plastic bags filled w/dog "data" . . . Frankly, it just seems beneath my dignity . . . & don't call me "Frankly!"
Incident on MON 8/8: Thankfully I remembered to bring along "data collection receptacle" because . . .
- As I approached a red light on Benjamin Ave., a vehicle driven by one of "Norfolk's finest" pulled up & I waved respectfully . . .
- . . . only to turn back & see that Sammy was "dumping his data."
- Fortunately, my fortuitous decision to bring along the aforementioned receptacle made it possible for me to collect his "data," if you catch my drift . . .
- There is--after all--a fine for NOT collecting your animal's "data."
- I'm still a little anxious [Blame it on my various & sundry mood disorders.] that "Norfolk's Finest" may have interpreted my dog's action as a sign of disrespect to either him personally or the office he represents. I meant neither.
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SIDEBAR: I've been taking Sammy on some alternate, long walks in the morning, both for his & my mental stimulation. [This is why I was on Benjamin Ave. last MON . . . not one of my usual routes.] On TUE 8/9, I walked over to 13th St., then headed south. I/we ambled casually around Prospect Hill Cemetery, & I couldn't help but notice evidence of many reckless dog owners & data spills that had NOT been collected. I--being the responsible canine steward that I am--was well-prepared to collect my doggie data when Sammy dumped his.
- It strikes me as particularly disrespectfully to leave one's canine-data behind next to a cemetery.
- In gratitude for the Norfolk Daily News' continued link to my blog, I'm including this sidebar as a PSA.
BONUS FEATURE: TV Critic
Lois & I rarely if ever watch network or cable t.v. [Why do we even spend a fortune on cable? That's a topic for another day. Caveat emptor.] We watch Apple TV & Netflix. We recently finished Season 3 of Arrow. Now we're watching the most recent season of Blue Bloods.
I've often commented about my current favorite--Seattle's Best Dark Roast #5. When I was shopping at Hy-Vee recently, I had just grabbed a package of the aforementioned coffee off the shelf when I noticed a product apparently new to the store . . . McCafe' brand coffee.
Now it just so happens that I really like McDonald's coffee--& I'm not ashamed to admit it. In fact, of all fast-food establishment, the coffee at McD's far outshines the rest. * So I put my favorite coffee back on the shelf & picked up a bag of McCafe' French Roast . . . which I am now happily drinking.
The jury is still out as to whether I'll make a switch . . . I will say that it was $1 cheaper.
I will also admit that once & awhile I will sample the Kona coffee available at a convenience store. It NEVER brings back memories of REAL Kona coffee . . . which we drank throughout our sojourn in the Rainbow State. **
* I receive no remuneration for this promotional consideration.
** "Rainbow" in the sense that rarely a day went by without seeing a rainbow--sometimes multiple rainbows.
Also from OWH (8/7): "Hawaii & Panhandle brew up a partnership. Kona coffee operation finds a good home in Oshkosh. How is it that travelers can find Hawaii-grown Kona coffee products in the scenic but sparsely populated Nebraska Panhandle? It happens when a native persuades his business partner to give his hometown a try.
"That's what happened in 2007 when Oshkosh-raised Mike Piva persuaded Mark Ferrari, who learned the coffee on his family's coffee plantation near Kona, Hawaii, to move the roasting & production aspects of Mark Ferrari Specialty Coffees from Arizona into a former john Deere plant in Oshkosh . . . " [I foresee a road trip in the hopefully not too distant future.]
Also from OWH (8/7): "Ice nice at end of practice. After SAT's practice, Nebraska football players had a surprise waiting for them: shaved ice treats . . . " [Matsumoto's on the North Shore of Oahu--a return trip is on our bucket list!]
Also from OWH (5/24): "Climate changes mating game--& the bears. Many Alaskans & Canadians have a bear story--tales of fearsome grizzlies, even polar bears. But a mix of the two? They're known as 'pizzles' or 'grillers,' & they're a fusion of the Arctic white bear & their brown cousins. It's a blend that's been turning up more & more in parts of Alaska & western Canada.
"Bears sharing both species' DNA have been recorded several times over the past decade. Why are these two species linking up? It's called flexible mate choice . . . " [Miscegenation . . . another by-product of global climate change.]
Dept. of Dialogue from a Favorite Comic Strip: "Pickles" from OWH (8/6):
Grandfather: What's that you're reading?
Grandmother: It's a recipe book--I'm looking for a good way to cook brussels sprouts.
Grandfather: The best way to cook brussels sprouts is to throw them away & order pizza.
Also from OWH (8/6): "Cincinnati college to bring Pizza ATM to North America. Customers will soon be able to get pizza from an ATM at Xavier University in Cincinnati, which has partnered w/a French company to install the 1st Pizza ATM in North America. The company, Paline, said the machine will hold 70 pizzas at a time. Customers will use a touch screen to pick one of the $10 pizzas, which will be heated for several minutes, placed in a cardboard box & ejected through a slot." [We live in the greatest country in the world . . . with NO apologies to France, since the article says that the company was French. It doesn't say that the FRENCH have ATM's that serve pizzas.]
- We have enjoyed watching Arrow, although the series has gotten progressively darker . . . And at times it strains credulity . . . As long as you keep in mind that it's a comic book, I recommend it.
- Blue Bloods is a winner . . . We binge-watch when the new season comes out, then regret that we have to wait so long until the next season becomes available. {1} Family values matter. {2} Religion plays an important part of this series. True, it's the Roman Catholic religion--& I'm an orthodox Lutheran *, but the family has Sunday dinner together, says 'grace,' and occasionally uses godly language, like praying in the name of Christ. On how many network & cable shows do you hear the Lord's name used in a reverent context? Yeah . . . me neither.
- That's not to say the characters don't have faults . . . which makes the characters more well-rounded & believable.
- One quibble [Is that really a word? *** ] . . . As entertaining as the Reagan Sunday dinners can be, I highly doubt that even the strongest family could put up with so much stress . . . so much relentless stress . . . Sunday dinner after Sunday dinner.
* which I've reminded you about ad infinitum **
** just like I'm reminding you that I'm bilingual
*** As a matter of fact, I just looked it up in dictionary.com . . . so it is.
*** As a matter of fact, I just looked it up in dictionary.com . . . so it is.
BONUS BONUS FEATURE: Coffee Critic
Lois & I flew to Hawaii during Lent 1993, when I had a call to be principal of the Lutheran High School of Hawaii. It was on that trip that we had our first sample of Kona coffee . . . & fell in love with it . . . I was already a serious coffee drinker but not a serious DARK ROAST coffee drinker.I've often commented about my current favorite--Seattle's Best Dark Roast #5. When I was shopping at Hy-Vee recently, I had just grabbed a package of the aforementioned coffee off the shelf when I noticed a product apparently new to the store . . . McCafe' brand coffee.
Now it just so happens that I really like McDonald's coffee--& I'm not ashamed to admit it. In fact, of all fast-food establishment, the coffee at McD's far outshines the rest. * So I put my favorite coffee back on the shelf & picked up a bag of McCafe' French Roast . . . which I am now happily drinking.
The jury is still out as to whether I'll make a switch . . . I will say that it was $1 cheaper.
I will also admit that once & awhile I will sample the Kona coffee available at a convenience store. It NEVER brings back memories of REAL Kona coffee . . . which we drank throughout our sojourn in the Rainbow State. **
* I receive no remuneration for this promotional consideration.
** "Rainbow" in the sense that rarely a day went by without seeing a rainbow--sometimes multiple rainbows.
There Is No Place Like . . . Nebraska!
Also from OWH (8/7): "Hawaii & Panhandle brew up a partnership. Kona coffee operation finds a good home in Oshkosh. How is it that travelers can find Hawaii-grown Kona coffee products in the scenic but sparsely populated Nebraska Panhandle? It happens when a native persuades his business partner to give his hometown a try.
"That's what happened in 2007 when Oshkosh-raised Mike Piva persuaded Mark Ferrari, who learned the coffee on his family's coffee plantation near Kona, Hawaii, to move the roasting & production aspects of Mark Ferrari Specialty Coffees from Arizona into a former john Deere plant in Oshkosh . . . " [I foresee a road trip in the hopefully not too distant future.]
Also from OWH (8/7): "Ice nice at end of practice. After SAT's practice, Nebraska football players had a surprise waiting for them: shaved ice treats . . . " [Matsumoto's on the North Shore of Oahu--a return trip is on our bucket list!]
Political Whimsy . . . Climate Change
From Lincoln Journal Star (5/20): "Mirrors start fire at large solar plant. A small fire shut down a generating tower THU at the world's largest solar power plant, leaving the sprawling facility on the California-Nevada border operating at only a third of its capacity, authorities said . . . " [Fire at large solar plant . . . How much carbon dioxide was released into the atmosphere? I'm just sayin'.]Also from OWH (5/24): "Climate changes mating game--& the bears. Many Alaskans & Canadians have a bear story--tales of fearsome grizzlies, even polar bears. But a mix of the two? They're known as 'pizzles' or 'grillers,' & they're a fusion of the Arctic white bear & their brown cousins. It's a blend that's been turning up more & more in parts of Alaska & western Canada.
"Bears sharing both species' DNA have been recorded several times over the past decade. Why are these two species linking up? It's called flexible mate choice . . . " [Miscegenation . . . another by-product of global climate change.]
Food for Thought
Dept. of Dialogue from a Favorite Comic Strip: "Pickles" from OWH (8/6):
Grandfather: What's that you're reading?
Grandmother: It's a recipe book--I'm looking for a good way to cook brussels sprouts.
Grandfather: The best way to cook brussels sprouts is to throw them away & order pizza.
Also from OWH (8/6): "Cincinnati college to bring Pizza ATM to North America. Customers will soon be able to get pizza from an ATM at Xavier University in Cincinnati, which has partnered w/a French company to install the 1st Pizza ATM in North America. The company, Paline, said the machine will hold 70 pizzas at a time. Customers will use a touch screen to pick one of the $10 pizzas, which will be heated for several minutes, placed in a cardboard box & ejected through a slot." [We live in the greatest country in the world . . . with NO apologies to France, since the article says that the company was French. It doesn't say that the FRENCH have ATM's that serve pizzas.]
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