by jphilo | Sep 24, 2015 | Three Thoughts for Thursday
- Books that hit closest to home: The first 2 books in Jane Smiley’s trilogy-in-progress, Some Luck and Early Warning, are set in a small fictional town in central Iowa where I live. She nailed life on a small Iowa family farm in the 1920s-1950s.
- Most disappointing read: Cronkite, the biography of the legendary newsman, Walter Cronkite, by Douglas Brinkley. I wasn’t ready to learn that the man my parents worshiped liked his booze and told dirty jokes. Sometimes, ignorance is bliss.
- Most thought-provoking read: Life after Life by Kate Atkinson. Ursula, the main character of the story is born, grows, and dies. After each death, she is born again–always on a cold and snowy night in 1910–and a different life path is presented. Including meeting Hitler and the opportunity to change the course of history. Absolutely fascinating.
What have you been reading lately? Leave a comment.
by jphilo | Sep 17, 2015 | Three Thoughts for Thursday
- I did not go to see The Donald who was stumping in my home town last weekend during our annual Pufferbilly Days celebration. My own hair issues are as much as I can handle.
- Two new Black Hawk helicopters, costing 15 million dollars each, have moved into the National Guard HQ down the road from our house. My major super power is the ability to unintentionally destroy expensive equipment deemed indestructible. Therefore, I do not plan to bake and deliver a pie to welcome the copters to the neighborhood.
- Between The Donald’s visit and our new Black Hawk neighbors, perhaps it’s time to stop calling Iowa fly over country.
by jphilo | Sep 10, 2015 | Three Thoughts for Thursday
- Extreme fear of losing a cell phone is now considered a phobia and has been given the name nomophobia. Though I am afraid of snakes, heights, and losing my purse, I do not have nomophobia. Perhaps because I lived for 50 years without one and know I could do so again.
- However, my love for the low tech days of yesteryear go only so far. With a houseful of company over Labor Day, along with high temperatures and humidity, I have no desire to return to the time when air conditioning was not.
- And in the wake of a weekend with a houseful of company and a water main break, I also have no desire to live without running water. Ever. Again.
What technology would be hard to give up? What would you do away with in a heartbeat? Leave a comment.
by jphilo | Aug 27, 2015 | Three Thoughts for Thursday
- I find the plethora of before and after body wrap pictures on Facebook quite disconcerting. TMI!
- Because Facebook ads are age group targeted, the plethora of sponsored posts about wrinkle cream, sagging skin cream, and adult incontinence products on my Facebook feed is equally disconcerting.
- On the other hand, the Viking Cruise Line ads featuring older couples drinking wine as the breeze ruffles their silver hair don’t bother me at all. Because my hair hasn’t turned silver. Yet.
Your thoughts about Facebook ads? Leave a comment.
by jphilo | Aug 13, 2015 | Three Thoughts for Thursday
- Even though I never bonded with the rascally rabbit–no doubt because my mother banned Saturday morning cartoons as a waste of time–happy belated 75th birthday to Bugs Bunny.
- On the other hand, Mom and Dad loved The Muppet Show, and our family watched it religiously. Therefore the news of Kermit and Miss Piggy’s breakup last week was devastating.
- Mitigated only by announcement that The Muppets will premiere on ABC on September 22 this fall. I hope Gonzo puts in an appearance. You?
by jphilo | Aug 6, 2015 | Three Thoughts for Thursday
- When the construction crew installing a culvert at the bottom of your driveway accidentally cut the line the internet company didn’t flag–though they flagged your neighbor’s line–that internet company may still wait an entire week to repair the line. Even though the nice construction crew flagged the cut line and left it exposed for the not-so-nice internet crew.
- A person who’s work is conducted mostly online becomes internet homeless when without the service for a week. That person wanders from church to coffee shop to library day after day after day and becomes increasingly frustrated, less organized, and less efficient as time goes by.
- An internet homeless person doesn’t have the mental where-with-all to write sweet blog posts about life on gravel roads or snappy top ten lists. An internet homeless person is also unable to test new recipes while wandering far from the kitchen.
Have you ever been internet homeless? Tell your story in the comment box.
