Well, on Monday, we certainly had a bit of fun here at the office sharing two pairs of eclipse glasses and taking turns going outside to the front sidewalk to watch the eclipse. All while listening to our downtown neighbor blasting Bonnie Tyler’s hit, “A Total Eclipse of the Heart”. You should study the lyrics if you don’t know the song by heart. It was just a FUN day. I hate that we have to wait another twenty years for the next one in 2044. During this eclipse watching time, some of our office group talked about significant moments in our own history that we remember vividly. They’re called Flashbulb Memories when you can remember exactly where you were and what you were doing. A snapshot in time. The day President John F. Kennedy was shot and killed (November 22, 1963), I was sitting in Mrs. Post’s second grade classroom at Parkdale Elementary in Waco, Texas with many adults around me crying; then they dismissed us from school in the middle of the day. The moon landing was July 20, 1969. We lived on Lake Bistineau, outside Bossier City, Louisiana. We (my sisters, brother, mom & dad) were glued to the TV set with rabbit ears that was placed right next to the console stereo… I was wearing a Moon Racing Cams t-shirt that my uncle Mac had sent me from California. I didn’t even know what a racing cam was and still don’t, but I can remember the big moon-eyes on front of the oversized shirt. On August 16, 1977, when I found out that Elvis had died, I was sitting at my desk at Forrest Chevrolet in Cleburne, Texas. I didn’t cry, but the lady that I worked with (that was married to a police officer and had a rose tattooed on her hip that she was very proud of), was definitely in distress. The early morning 9-11-2001 hijacking attack of The World Trade Center found me sitting in a chair nursing my baby daughter while I watched the news. I yelled downstairs to the other members of the house, but they didn’t really understand the seriousness of the request, so I yelled again, “I need you to turn on the TV right now!” When the space shuttle Columbia broke apart on Feb 1, 2003 while re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere, killing all seven crew members, I was in the car with my young daughter on a most beautiful clear, sunny day with big white puffy clouds, driving to Austin for a baby shower. Now, this is just my own history, but I do have the most vivid mental picture of where I was sitting when the doctor told me I had breast cancer, just a few days before Christmas in 2003. I knew when he touched me on the shoulder, it wasn’t good news. Sigh. I wonder if our kids will remember the eclipse 50 years from now…where they were, what they were wearing and who they were talking and sharing with. Twenty years from now, I hope I have a snapshot in time of this day. And that I can actually remember it before I take my Geritol.
You should not be a slave to your telephone. The technology is there to serve you, not the other way around. Martin Cooper
The ad mentioned… if you’re looking for a job, love animals and don’t take yourself too seriously, an opportunity at the Blackpool Zoo might pique your interest. They were looking for five successful candidates to join the visitor services team as seagull deterrents by wearing bird costumes (think Big Bird dressed like an eagle) to scare away nuisance seagulls and pigeons that harass and steal food from visitors and in animal enclosures. The zoo had significant interest with over 200 applications from all over the world, along with enclosed videos of people dressed as bananas, pineapples, and birds. What a story. They even offered a position to James Corden. He would have been great.
Recent Birthdays: Musician Yoko Ono is 91. Actor John Travolta is 70. Fashion and Costume Designer Bob Mackie is 85. (Cher). Fashion Designer Tommy Hilfiger is 73. Former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning is 48. Country singer Bobby Bare is 89. Movie director Francis Ford Coppola is 85. Singer John Oates is 76. Singer Janis Ian is 73. Actor Jackie Chan is 70. College and Pro Football Hall of Fame Tony Dorsett is 70.
Grammy-winning Japanese conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra for 30 years, Seiji Ozawa, died at 88. Henry Fambrough, the last surviving original member of The Spinners, died at 85. Some of their classics include It’s a Shame, Could It Be I’m Falling in Love, The Rubberband Man, I’ll Be Around, and Working My Way Back to You. Former NFL linebacker Carl Weathers, who graduated with a B.A. in drama, then became a Hollywood star playing Apollo Creed in the Rocky movies, died at 76. Richard Lewis, the actor and stand-up comedian known for his recurring role on Curb Your Enthusiasm, has died of a heart attack at 76.
In the nonstop tsunami of global information, librarians provide us with floaties and teach us to swim. Linton Weeks
Libraries are just the greatest places. Remember the thrill of the bookmobile when we were kids? Libraries not only serve people of all ages, income level, location, ethnicity, and physical ability, they help you grow, learn, and develop new interests along with research assistance and classes… genealogy, job search, personal finance, music, newspapers (cool idea), movies (great selection), and eBooks. Did you know that libraries are struggling to afford the costs of eBooks? For instance, let’s say the latest novel costs the library $18, it may cost $55 to “lease” the digital copy. Then, the leases usually expire after a year or so, or around 26 checkouts, whichever comes first. Then the library must renew, creating a financial strain for them and their ability to build a decent library collection. You are a taxpayer, but there is only so much money allotted for each library. In Brazoria County, there is a book sale each year to help raise money. Used books are available For Sale at each location, and donations are always accepted. Support your library system. They are here for everyone.
Libraries are only good if people use them, like books only exist when someone reads them. Nicholas Meyer
What is Imitation crab? Glad you asked. Let’s just say, if you love imitation crab, then you should stop reading right now. Well, imitation crab is made primarily from surimi which is a paste made from pulverized fish like Alaska pollock, Atlantic cod, haddock, or hake. It looks a lot like toothpaste. Then they add filler like water, starch, sugars, oils, salt, and proteins like soy. Oh, and then a very small amount of extract made from boiling, baking, and pulverizing actual crab, which is then added to give it flavor. Yum. Imagine a processed hot dog, stuffed full of all the things we don’t even want to think about. Does imitation crab taste like crab? No, it doesn’t. The video I watched was interesting… but not appetizing at all. Pull up the video on how to make imitation crab.
In Washington State, BFRO (Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization) investigated a sighting of what was described as a 10-foot very large, human-like figure running on a ridge while making a beeline for some trees, across pretty rugged terrain. Actually, in real life, it was two high school cousins that run cross-country, easily identified as Yeti, Sasquatch, Abominable Snowman, and Bigfoot… How embarrassing.
When I write this column, I try to include something that gives you memories… makes you think… makes you smile… makes you smarter or helps the environment. About a year ago, I had fruit flies in my kitchen. Connie told me to buy a ZEVO Flying Insect Trap, but I forgot and she got tired of waiting on me so she just bought me one. They are fantastic, collecting little tiny gnats and flies in abundance on replaceable sticky pads. They plug into your sockets with a very attractive blue light that spellbinds the bugs. In fact, I now have two ZEVO’s in my kitchen, one by the sink and one by the door. My inside kitchen lights attract an avalanche of flying critters that should stay outside, but don’t. Last night I was feeding the cats when Sully decided she couldn’t wait, and jumped up on the cabinet just as I turned to carry a full bowl to their feeding area. I shooed her down, the cat food spilled, scared her, she backed into the ZEVO with her tail, her tail stuck to the sticky pad which threw her into a panic, she screamed a cat scream which frightened the two other cats who were patiently waiting for dinner, then the dog thought everyone was playing a game and he joined in. There were four animals running, hissing, growling, howling and barking in all directions of the kitchen as they searched for their safe places. Except for Teller who thought we were having a party. I ran after Sully, fur all stress-puffed out, her tail straight up in the air, with the pad on the end, like a balloon on a string. I just wanted the sticky pad off. I finally found her under a chair in my bedroom. Hissing. It was a mess, I just had to grab the ZEVO and pull it off, along with a lot of her fur, then she wouldn’t speak to me the rest of the evening. Hope I’m leaving you with a smile. Thanks for reading and shopping with us this week. It’s perfect weather for a garage sale and they’re FREE.
LISA
Send comments to Lisa Baker at lisa@thesourceweekly.com
