What scares you? I have been watching 'scary' movies for the past few weeks. Scary movies that I thought I remembered as being scary. Now, not so much. Is it because I know the movie? I know what's coming? I don't think so. I get the same 'eh' feeling from a scary movie I hadn't seen before.

A bit ago, I watched what many people considered scary when it was released in 1982...The Thing. Even now they call it the scariest movie of all time.

To summarize, it didn't scare me. In fact, I laughed. Some of the scenes were so comical, I laughed so hard I cried. I don't know why I wasn't scared. Have I been scared out? Can I not be scared anymore? Am I too old?

When I say scared, I mean scared - not startled. Yes, I will jump, catch my breath, maybe even yelp a bit if someone comes out from around a corner and says BOO. But that really isn't scary. Anyone have a good scary movie for me?

New Celebration

What can we celebrate today? In the past, I have scoured the internet looking for already made up unique and bizarre holidays, read the History Channel web page and found famous people's birthdays. I think I would like to change the theme of this page.

Today, after a hard exercise of pressing the off button to the television set. I think I will celebrate that. I have been sitting on the front porch in this beautiful sunny weather. If you don't know me, which most of you do right now because no strangers have 'liked' this blog, I am a TV-aholic. Even if I am not watching it...if I am deep cleaning the bathroom, the television is on. I need it for background noise. Some say it is so I don't feel alone. Maybe. Who really knows?

So, I set myself up on the front porch. Yes, I brought my computer. I thought I might become inspired and write something. And, I have. This is my second blog posting (if you haven't already see my other blog www.handmedownthoughts.blogspot.com). AND I have been writing words, at Words with Friends, a new addiction.

The birds have kept me company, Blue Jays, Cat Birds, Sparrows and a couple of squirrels. It has been nice. I think I might be able to arrange for another no TV afternoon...but now, I have to go inside, this chair is killing my butt!

Wish me luck!

Space, the Final Frontier

Today is the fiftieth anniversary of manned flight.

On  April 12, 1969, Russian cosmonaut, Yuri Gaugarian, stepped into a thin metal tube filled with an explosive liquid, crossed his fingers and said, okay, light it...(well, if he said those EXACT words they would have been in Russian, of course). Vostok 1 traveled around the Earth one time for a total spaceflight time of 108 minutes. Now just over an hour and a half in space is nothing, it probably seemed like forever. Especially at blast off.

I recommend that everyone celebrate this special time by taking 108 minutes and blasting your own mind into orbit while sitting at your desk or wherever you regularly work (unless you are a driver-DO NOT GO INTO SPACE WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING!!!).

Happy flying!

Gardening

It is Lawn and Garden Month, Keep America Beautiful Month and Garden Week. I have not found a National Garden Day but since it is Saturday, I am proclaiming today that special day. If you haven't already done so I recommend going to your favorite garden center (or Wally-world) and picking out a few starter flowers, shrubs and maybe even a tree or two. It will only take a bit of time to shred out the old overgrown weedy garden in front of the house and plant the new things. It will give your house a neat little face lift and make you feel great afterwards because of all the fresh air your steal from Mother Nature (don't worry she won't mind because the plants you just planted will refurbish the stale air and make new fresh air).

This year I will be unable to participate because I have moved into a condo and someone else is in charge of the gardens. Maybe I will get a cool deck garden for the corner. Nice.

Oh, if you have a mind to, my friend Grace has a cool page on FaceBook called Oh Pretty Flowers. A place you can look at and post pictures of pretty flowers from your yard or wherever. Go take a look and click like. Pictures of pretty flowers can't really take the place of real "in-person' flowers, but they give a close second feeling...http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Oh-Pretty-Flowers/144875168909477

Celebrate!

SeaBees

On this day in 1942, the SeaBees were founded.

Today I celebrate this founding. Other than the fact that my mother's step-father was a SeaBee (maybe even one of the original members) what SeaBees do is awesome and essential during times of war and disaster (natural or otherwise).

A little bit of trivia for you...SeaBee...yes, they are seamen, sailors, understandable where the Sea part came from but what about the Bee...well, it might be part of that. But "SeaBee" is long (yeah, long instead of short for a change) for CB. CB is short (sorry it is a bit of a long story) for Construction Battalions. The SeaBee logo? Of course, a flying be carrying a hammer in one hand (?), a wrench in a second, and a rifle in two others. I wonder, what is in the other two?

So, to celebrate the founding of the SeaBees, I will remember Grandpa Rabbit, you stubborn SOG. Here's a Bud! Enjoy!

Peanut Butter

Today is Peanut Butter Lover's Day. I love Peanut Butter. Today is my day. I think I will have Peanut Butter toast for breakfast. Oh, no toaster guess that's out. Peanut Butter Sandwich for lunch. Yum, where's the jelly? What can I do with peanut butter for dinner, Any ideas?

Oh, I wonder if my Peanut Butter Tagalongs will come in tomorrow...how appropriate...

Captain Stubing

Happy Birthday, Gavin McLeod!

I know you were around before 1977 when I fell in love with your boat Pacific Princess.  Because later I discovered you with one of my favorite people, Mary Tyler Moore, working at a TV station. I am glad that you were able to work your way up from Lieutenant to Captain in just 20 years especially after you were demoted on Pork Chop Hill to private. And then to Seaman while serving on Operation Petticoat.

No matter, you know where the fun jobs are and there can't be anything more fun than to cruise the high seas stopping at beautiful ports of call. Mazatlan, Acapulco, sigh.

I wonder, did you ever sail to Fantasy Island???

Bear Hug

Bears are one of the world's most awesome creatures. What is your favorite type of bear?

American Black Bear; Cinnamon Bear; Kermode Bear; Asiatic Black Bear; Baluchistan Bear; Formosan Black Bear; Pakistan Black Bear; Brown Bear; Atlas Bear; Bergman's Bear; Blue Bear; Eurasian Brown Bear; European Brown Bear; Gobi Bear; Grizzly Bear; Himalayan Brown Bear; Hokkaido Brown Bear; Kamchatka Brown Bear; Kodiak Bear; Marsican Brown Bear; Mexican Grizzly Bear; Siberian Brown Bear; Syrian Brown Bear; Giant Panda; Qinling Panda; Sloth Bear; Sri Lankan Sloth Bear; Sun Bear; Polar Bear; Ursid hybrid; Grizzly–polar bear hybrid; Spectacled Bear.

This is a list of bears around the world I inventoried from Wikipedia. Do you see anything missing? Do you see one that you didn't expect to see? I was surprised by the hybrid bears. Although I knew it I figure many will be surprised that Koala Bears are not on the list.

I have a friend that will be upset that Ursa Major and Ursa Minor are not there along with the other bears...and another friend who will take offense that Yogi Bear is not there either.

Today is Polar Bear Day. Did you know that the powers that be believe all polar bears are left handed.  

Viola

Once upon a time, in a land far away to many, lived a little girl named Viola. Viola loved purple and she especially loved purple flowers. She grew up in a pretty room painted purple, lilac and lavender.  She loved purple so much she had a pair of purple lensed glasses so that no matter where she went she could see everything purple.

Viola loved to walk in the woods in the winter time with her purple shaded glasses. The trees were purple, the ground was purple and the sky was purple.

One Spring day Viola was walking near the Tower Caverns near Trilling Lake when she heard a loud echoing bang. Before she could identify it as the sound of gunfire from King's afternoon hunting party. Another noise came to her from above. It sounded like her stomach when dinner was delayed on days she missed lunch. Only louder.

Viola looked up at the approaching sound where she spied boulders falling quickly toward her. She was frozen in place. Suddenly, she was hit from behind and into the pond.

When Viola and her abuser-savior came up from below the surface of the water he held the little girl drenched to the bone but safe and sound.

"Are you okay?" he asked the stunned little girl.

"Yes, thank you," she said, not taking her eyes off the man. "You look...strange."

"Strange?" he replied.

The girl smiled. Her unshaded eyes glinted in the bright sunlight.

"You aren't," she looked at the other side of the mans face. "...purple."

He smiled. "No. I am not purple."

From that day forward Viola did not wear purple glasses. Oh, she still liked purple but she decided that the color she loved looked better when it lived next to other colors. Especially, her white wedding dress.

And she lived happily ever after.

The End.

Please help me celebrate Tell a Fairy Tale Day. Either make up your own, or tell someone your favorite fairy tale.

The Day The Music Died

It has been 42 years since the death of Buddy Holley, JP "The Big Bopper" Richardson and Ritchie Valens. Today, let us remember Chantilly Lace, Donna and Peggy Sue and wonder, what would these (then) superstars be doing today had fate turned tables and not take them away from the world.

Small Private Celebrations

Today, a friends little 2-year old boy underwent surgery for a lump that was found by his mother on his shoulder. The family (and friends) have been riding a roller coaster of emotions for the past two weeks.  When I think of that analogy, I always wonder what it means. Is it because the experience is so difficult, it is like trudging up hill so steep it seems unsurmountable? OR is it because your feelings rush down on you so fast and so furious that you feel like you are going to hit the ground in a horrendous crash?? Oh, well, I guess that doesn't matter. It could be either, it could be both.

Surgery, of any kind, is a serious event. I am not trying to minimalize it but I can't believe there weren't celebrations (albeit, silent maybe) the night before his surgery.  Because a host of other tests were done including bone scans, cat scans, MRIs were read the day before. They revealed the mass was localized and had not spread.

Not that they all don't have a long road to hoe with chemo and radiation, but it all has to be easier to take knowing that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. A very real possibility of a life free of cancer.

A celebration in the middle of a taxing, tense situation, no matter how small or private, can help the psyche, soul and mind.

Happy Birthday, Elvis

Today would have been Elvis Presly's 76th birthday. On his 11th birthday, his mama bought him a gift from the local hardware store. It wasn't the most newly released hunting rifle, a new bike or a train set. She bought him a $6.95 guitar. With this gift, she started an unforgettably awesome life, not only for her baby boy, but also for the United States, the world, and who know, maybe even, the universe and beyond.

What if Elvis had gotten that bike he wanted for his birthday way back in 1946? Would he have eventually found his way to music? If you believe in fate, you would say yes.

Happy Birthday, Elvis, where ever you are.