January Chit Chat

Well since it's Jan 1st in Australia thought I'd start the new thread.

I don't know about everyone else in this forum, but this past year flew by for me. And that's not necessarily a good thing because as I get older it seems time flies by much too quickly!

I'd like it to slow down a bit! :-)

Anyone have any unusual new year's resolutions they want to share?

Mine are the typical ones - you know vow to get more exercise, eat healthier, etc. etc. I would also like to earn more money but that's only because there are so many organizations that I wish I could help.

For instance there is one called charitywater.org that is doing such good work in building wells in under-developed countries. They've also built some wells in Haiti where they are still suffering from the affects of the earthquake.

Ann Curry started something called 26 Acts as a tweet after the Newtown killings. It's fascinating to read on twitter some of the postings she re-tweets of things people have done to help others. Some are no or low cost and I think that is definitely one way to start (for those who want to help but don't have a lot of cash). Some are as simple as helping an elderly person unload groceries.

Some make my eyes tear up when I read them. For instance, a single mom in a grocery line had her debit card declined. The person behind her paid for her groceries. The single mom started crying.

Many of the people are doing their acts anonymously but are putting a note along with the act stating that it's 26 Acts and that it's in honor of the 26 people killed (each act is often accompanied by the name of the child or adult killed in Newtown). Some are just asking the recipients to pay it forward.

I think that's something we could all do - perform an act of kindness for another. Could we change the world if these small acts continued? Could these small acts have a ripple affect that could become a tsunami of kindness?

What Ann Curry did was just something that she mentioned from her heart and it's become so much more than that.

There is a gal on twitter who is a professional organizer and helps people de-clutter. I watched some videos she posted and then found some other videos from other organizers that had some really great ideas to get organized.

If I find them I'll post them in a different thread that I'll start.

But the de-clutter gal promotes Goodwill often in her tweets because not only is it a place to get some great bargains, the organization employs people who might not otherwise be employable. So I think that's also something we can do i.e. clean out our closets and donate un-used items. I had planned to do that this week but just got so wrapped up in the holidays that I didn't do it - but that doesn't mean I can't do something like that once a month.

There's an Aussie guy named Peter Walsh who also specializes in de-cluttering and he says take a timer, set it for 15 minutes and then pick up and put stuff back where they below and throw out stuff. Also, have a bag for donations along with the trash bag. It's amazing what you can accomplish in 15 minutes. And if you involve the whole family - kids too - then even more can be done in a short amount of time. It also teaches kids the value of helping others and time management.

Anyway, this got longer than I expected but I was thinking about what legacy I might want to leave and it's never too soon to think about that.

I guess it is true - when we start each new year it's a reminder that we can get bogged down in our day-to-day lives and forget that perhaps we ALL have a bigger purpose in life.

And for our yearly goals, maybe we can all take baby steps to get started!

thanks Lorna - thoughts to live by in the new year. It's better to give than to receive.

Another thing I'm not going to worry about is my forgetfullness and this insight backs up my theory:

Ever walk into a room with some purpose in mind, only to completely forget what that purpose was? Turns out, doors themselves are to blame for these strange memory lapses. Psychologists at the University of Notre Dame have discovered that passing through a doorway triggers what's known as an event boundary in the mind, separating one set of thoughts and memories from the next.

Your brain files away the thoughts you had in the previous room and prepares a blank slate for the new locale.

It's not aging, it's the damn doors! Thank goodness for studies like this! I know it makes me feel better about CRS. LOL

Great ideas Lorna. I thought the 26 Acts was also a wonderful thing. Will have to read the tweets on it. Cindi, you made my day anyway. Was starting to worry about my memory. Now I know it's just that I have way too many doors in my home!

OofOof wrote:Great ideas Lorna. I thought the 26 Acts was also a wonderful thing. Will have to read the tweets on it. Cindi, you made my day anyway. Was starting to worry about my memory. Now I know it's just that I have way too many doors in my home!

Could this explain the popularity of lofts? Brahahaha!

Eliza and Betty were playing pontoon in the sitting room at the Woodviews Home for gentlemen and gentleladies, when a worried look settled on Eliza’s face.

‘This is awful,’ she said, laying her cards down. ‘I’m so embarrassed. I’ve known you for so many years — but I’ve completely forgotten what your name is.’

Betty gave a snort of impatience. ‘Well really,’ she said. ‘What a question. Fancy asking me that.’

She paused . . .  ‘How soon do you need to know?’

Thanks so much for starting a new thread! I hope everyone enjoyed their new year celebrations and that the hangovers aren't too bad?

Welcome back Katie! And how was your holiday at home?

too bad so many pre-judge others without given them a chance to even know why they may have had their paths crossed! had some not had me on ignore they may have seen this last week...
it's like when people walk past a homeless person or beggar on street and prejudge them and make comments like, why don't you get a job you bum...

the world has many "strangers" everyday folks that God or a Higher Source has "Blessed" or called to be helpers to those who suffer great emotional pain from whatever hurt they may be feeling!

I have always said: unless you feel the persn's blisters in the shoes they wear you may never feel their pain!


many average people have experienced Divine Intervention, there should be more that will "WAKE UP" and see he uses everday people to help others.....Peace....keep me on ignore only those whose eyes are "WIDE OPEN" will understand anyway!

BTW go to ACTS 26, maybe read it pay attention to 26:1214! if you have a bible, you can google it too! then try Revelations 17: 12-14! Peace...

melbert wrote:Welcome back Katie! And how was your holiday at home?

In some ways it was the best ever, but I caught this nasty virus going round and have spent the best part of the last 10 days just sleeping on mum's sofa.

It's been about 30 years since mum was last able to baby her little girl so she too full advantage and every meal has been delivered on a tray to my sofa!! It makes me cry when I think what a wonderful mum I've got but I'm sorry we couldn't get out and do more. I fly back again tomorrow.

How was yours? Did santa bring lots of lovely stuff?

Hope you're feeling better now. Nothing worse than to fly when you don't feel well. Moms can be wonderful, can't they?

Santa doesn't know my address!! I think I'm on his naughty list!! However, a very special friend sent me a wonderful package and made my day!

Oh that sucks Katie ! You've become unused to our bugs.
Glad you had some good care though. Safe journey tomorrow

My step daughter had it too and was pissed that it happened in her own time and not her work's time.

So glad you had the chance to go home Katie. Echo the hope your flight back to Asia doesn't aggravate your cold further. Think I caught the same thing over Christmas. It's nasty!

You are lucky to have your mom still with you. The best gift I received was from my sister. She framed a card my mom gave me years ago when I was doubting myself. She put what mom wrote in the card on the back of the frame. My mom has been gone for 6 years but it was like she was talking to me again.

Safe travels Katie!

Katie - ditto to all said above.

But I have to share something.

Went to see the new flick This is 40 - didn't necessarily want to see it but it was the only thing on that hadn't started by time I got to the theater.

Anyway there is a scene near the beginning where the wife is out running with her personal trainer and they start discussing the fact that her husband told her he took a viagra to have sex with her.

She's upset about it since he's only 40 and thinks that he doesn't find her attractive enough to "get it up" without the drug.

The trainer in reassuring her tells her that she's hot, etc. etc. and that he has no problem getting a "boner" around her.

She then tells him he should be married and he says, "No, I'm gonna Clooney it."

(I'm laughing just thinking about the way he said it.)

She says something like, "No, Clooney isn't happy. He has sad, eyes. I can tell he's not happy."

The trainer disagrees with her and tells her "He does the sad puppy-dog eyes to get the girls." "Every two three years he starts the puppy-dog eyes so he can get the next girl."

And the gal again says, "No, he's really sad and lonely."

Then he says, "See, I can do the sad puppy-dog eyes" and then proceeds to make this face of that looks like a sad puppy - or at least attempts to make the face.

I was the only one in the theater who was laughing hysterically at this whole scene.

For those who follow Clooney it was funny as hell.

So that's the new phrase "I'm gonna Clooney it!"

So gals, next time you see a guy giving you sad puppy-dog eyes, tell him to stop doing the Clooney cause you know he's just trying to get you into bed. Of course, if you want to get into bed with the guy then disregard the previous advice and go for it.

But remember, he's not going to marry you if he's doing the "Clooney."

Happy New Year....so sorry to hear you were sick over your much anticipated holiday Katie....feel better.

Funny story LornaDoone. I wonder if Judd Apatow knows something we don't know ( or do know). Wouldn't it be funny if what he wrote was because he knows the truth about GC?

Not sure if I am explaining it right, so tired don't usually drink so much but it was New years!

silly girl:

I think a lot of people in Hollywood know whatever truth there is about George. But he's so A++ list that I doubt we'll ever here what's truly going on and we can only put our theories out there.

I love Judd Apatow. He seems like such a real person and so funny.

Funny thing about viagra--this friend of mine was telling me about several of his guy friends. Most of them are early 40's, a few in their 30's. And all of them, since their 20's have been using viagra. Not that they need it but because they have "performance anxiety."

Anyway, this one friend had some medical emergency and wasn't going to admit that he took it but something scared him enough that he told the doctor he took it regularly. The doctor put the fear of God in him and so he stopped taking it and is now seeing a counselor because he has gotten so used to the prolonged erections he was getting with viagra that he views normal as being a failure. His girlfriend, on the other hand, told my friend she was "relieved," because those "long sessions" were wearing her out!

PattyGirl, haven't seen you much. Are you okay?

Hey, Mel

I'm fine. Really doing great! Hasn't been much of interest on COH for me lately so I haven't got much to say. I've been sending in my Jokes when I get them but it's been kind of slow lately. You know me, don't really like the confrontations the seem to be prevelant right now and some posters are a bit off. Yes?

Been doing a great deal of reading, sometimes till 1 or 2 am. Crazy, but hate to put the stories on hold.

Hope you had a wonderful holiday. My Christmas Eve was exhausting but very quiet since then. Now my New Year starts with Dr, appts and the like. Have one today, just regular 3 mo. checkup - bp check, new perscriptions, and junk. Maybe I'll get my flu shot while I'm there. Procrastinated on that one.

Well, time for my day to start. Hope something good comes down the pike, so I have something interesting to stick my 2 cents into.

http://weather.yahoo.com.au/local-forecast/vic/melbourne

While some of you are making snowmen, we here at our house are smothered in sunscreen, hats and UV 50+ swimwear and about to head into our pool to cool down.

Hoping that today is safe for all, a few years ago at this time a raging bushfire claimed almost 200 lives. A family member was the last car to get through the police roadblock before his town was overtook by the fire, luckily they were safe. There are 6000 firefighters on high alert in my area today due to high temps and wind.

Good to see you PattyGirl! Glad things are going well for you!

TheMinis, please be careful with fires, if they ignite. We'll pray they don't!

Thanks Mel, we have fire plan, which is basically throw the kids in the car and flee - forget everything else

Did any of you ever read or hear a story about someone then later find out you knew the parties involved?

Earlier this week I read a heartwarming story about how a dying Star Trek fan was given the opportunity to see a rough cut of the new Star Trek film. He had been given a short time to live and wouldn't make it to the film's release. His friends posted something on the internet where it got back to the producers---JJ Abrams and Damon Lindelof who stepped up to bat and fulfilled this film buff's final wish.

The initial story did not state the man's full name just his first--Daniel. Last night I read a headline that Daniel had died. I felt very bad and proceeded to read the story. It was then that I read the man's full name which sent shivers up my spine. I knew him. I had worked with him many years ago and remember having interesting conversations with him about films. I remember he told me how he got to be an extra on the film "Kill Bill Vol 1". He said he was the only "bald white guy" in the dance club scene. Whenever I come across this movie on cable I think of him.

Just goes to show how small the world can be.

Don't know why I need to tell people, guess I was just shocked. He was a sweet man. thanks

Thanks for your story sillygirl.

Yes I've had a similar experience and it does make
you feel very weird at first.

absolutely weird...


sorry to change mood
but I now read
Most users ever online was 326 on Sat Jan 05, 2013 6:15 am



326?
is it right??

Yes, and on the 3rd it was almost the same too.

wow....

and now it's 323 337!! Yay Katie!

I have to cook

WOK

melbert wrote:and now it's 323 337!! Yay Katie!

So many visitors....but so few posting.

so....
why?

That means he's got just about 337 hard die fans left in the WHOLE world, who really wanna know where he izzzzzzzzzzz and that's it !

LOOOL !

Joanna wrote:

melbert wrote:and now it's 323 337!! Yay Katie!

So many visitors....but so few posting.

Peepers? Brahahaha!

Fly-bys on the google express!

A free rider problem!

Joanna, sometimes there's just nothing to post about. So much silly stuff going on that it boggles the mind and really so little about George. Lots on SK (not interested) and Eli (boring), Just want to read George stuff and enjoy that.

Hi patty- because there's so little George stuff going on now we're reduced to analyzing everything that Stacy does or doesn't do. Have to talk about something.

Here's something to think about:
Everyone concentrates on the problems we're having in Our Country lately: Illegal immigration, hurricane recovery, alligators attacking people in Florida ... not me -- I concentrate on solutions for the problems -- it's a win-win situation.

2. COWS:
Is it just me, or does anyone else find it amazing that during the mad cow epidemic our government could track a single cow, born in Canada almost three years ago, right to the stall where she slept in the state of Washington? And, they tracked her calves to their stalls. But they are unable to locate 11 million illegal aliens wandering around our country. Maybe we should give each of them a cow.

3. THE CONSTITUTION:
They keep talking about drafting a Constitution for Iraq . Why don't we just give them ours? It was written by a lot of really smart guys, it has worked for over 200 years, and we're not using it anymore.

4. THE 10 COMMANDMENTS: The real reason that we can't have the Ten Commandments posted in a courthouse is this: you cannot post 'Thou Shalt Not Steal' 'Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery' and 'Thou Shall Not Lie' in a building full of lawyers, judges and politicians because it creates a hostile work environment.

Love it Cindigirl!!!!! You gave me my smile for today....

Yes pattygirl, I know what you mean. Maybe he's doing it deliberately
because he's sick of all the snide stuff that the gossip mags write about him ?
I've put some pictures on the George George thread that you might enjoy during this drought period....Lol

How many registered members are there now Katie ?

Ummm, 722.

Lol, Cindi!

Just found out that Nicolas Cage has a home in Glastonbury - just down the road from my uncle.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2258684/Hollywood-star-Nicolas-Cage-enjoys-low-key-birthday-lunch-Glastonbury-town-centre.html

I only found out because apparently he was switching on the Christmas lights in Bath and I couldn't for the life of me figure out why on earth he'd be doing that.

I think he must be into Scientology too, as he has connections with the cliff top hotel in Tintagel which is a Scientology base.

Well he was an apprentice of Merlin....

Talking of all things weird, I'm too lazy to get up and make myself a cup of mid-afternoon coffee. I'm sending psychic thoughts to the coffee machine outside of my office to see if it'll do it by itself.

I'll let you know how this vital and well-thought out experiment ends.

Room service Katie!

They don't answer my calls anymore.

That is just SAD! I had visions of room service and other perks for you--I had you at the spa everyday after working out in the hotel gym and kibitzing with all the guests!

LOL! That's not far from my real life. I go to the spa once a week (and pay $10 for an hour's massage!) and get to eat in the restaurants three meals a day.

Try not to kibitz with the guests. Some of them can be very whiny!