FE, FI, FO, FUM BEDBUGS SMELL THE BLOOD OF AN......

"GOOD NIGHT.  SLEEP tight.  And don't let the bedbugs bite."  Remember that lovely saying?  I used to hear and say that quote a lot when I was a child, and I said it plenty of times as an adult.  I used to think it was a joke - something cute to say - even to my daughter.  BUT NO MORE FOLKS!  I don't know about other countries but in these here United States we have been inundated with bedbugs.  For the past couple of years I have been hearing how fine hotels, airplanes, taxis, buses, restaurants, libraries and thrift/antique stores have been infested with these creatures.  Just the other day, while riding on the bus, I saw one.  I had already taken my seat, in the rear, of the bus when a woman and child, walking behind me, was about to sit across from me.  She snappishly prohibited the youngster from sitting on the seat because she spotted a bug crawling on the seat.  Immediately I jumped up out of my seat to take a closer look.  Upon further inspection and from my memory of viewing what bedbugs look like on the internet, I quickly assessed that it was one.  Some are a reddish color, others gray.  Rumor has it that once you get them you have to damn near get rid of every single article you own - even furniture - to eradicate the infestation, or hire an exterminator and even that holds no promise that all will be killed.  Bedbugs don't just live in filth.  You can have the cleanest house on the planet and still have bedbugs, so don't think they only thrive in squalor.  I think they prefer material made of cloth because they can't cling to plastic.  And I heard that if you stand close to someone with bedbugs on them they can hop - almost like fleas - on to you.  Creepy!!!!!  Needless to say I stood up my entire bus ride.  However, before leaving I glanced at the bus number perchance I would board that bus in the future, I shall quickly get the hell off.  Well, dare I say it?  Yes folks!  Good night.  Sleep tight.  And please, for heavens sake, DON'T LET THE BEDBUGS BITE!!!!!!  Cheers!!

BEEN BUSY AS BEE

I HAVE BEEN really busy for the past week or so, so it has been hard for me to visit my fave blogs.  Hopefully by Wednesday I will get to visit.  Stay well all!  Cheers!!

ANTIOXIDANTS: WHO KNEW?

Did you know that a 1/4 of teaspoon of BLACK PEPPER has more antioxdants than a 1/2 cup of fresh TOMATOES.  Go figure!  That's a nice piece of tidbit to know and a good reason to shake, shake, shake, shake your pepper shaker.  LOL!  Cheers!!

BEATLE TRIVIA

What is the name of the song that George independently wrote for the group?  Hey!  No cheating - Googling is cheating.  (Jeopardy music)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

I WISH YOU ALL A HAPPY AND HEALTHY THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY WITH YOUR FAMILY, FRIENDS AND LOVE ONES.  ALTHOUGH I AM GRATEFUL EVERYDAY FOR MY BLESSINGS AND BENEFITS, I REALISE THAT THIS TIME OF THE YEAR REALLY BRINGS HOME HOW TRULY THANKFUL I AM.  I SPOKE WITH MY DAUGHTER AND SHE IS GOING TO VOLUNTEER HER DAY TO HELPING OUT AT A HOMELESS SHELTER.  I HAVE ALWAYS TRIED TO INSTILL IN HER THE IMPORTANCE OF ALTUISM - GIVING BACK. 

HAVE A WONDERFUL FEAST.  I WILL TRY NOT TO OVERSTUFF MYSELF ON SWEET POTATO PIES, CHEESECAKE, STUFFING, TURKEY, HAM. ETC.   Cheers!! 

SHEROS

First Lady Michelle Obama.  Beauty and brains.  She's gorgeous, intelligent, caring.  The All-American girl. 

                               Former First Lady Eleanor Roosvelt.  What character!  She was a brilliant, compassionate trailblazer and she had a wonderful sense of humor, too.  She changed American politics.

Coretta Scott King and Betty Shabazz.  Both of these women's husbands were gunned down in cold blood challenging the status quo in America.  They could have given up, but, instead, held their heads high in quiet nobility.  They raised their children to become caring, responsible, bright citizens and realized their husbands ambitions.

Queen Elizabeth.  What grace and poise!  What style and beauty!  She has a reserved, quiet, dignified character.  Even as a child she showed compassion to a country on the brink of destruction.  I have always admired and adored her Queen Elizabeth.  Cheers!!

CARING: CONNECTING THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA

 The other night before drifting off to sleep I was reading an article about a man who was closing down his retail custom-framing business and was reflecting on what social media meant to him.  After being involved with social media for about two and half years he felt like most people overly focused on the technological aspects/tools of soical media, rather than the basic concept of what truly made social media work.  He was mostly focused on Twitter and thought Twitter would change the world.  Well, in fact, Twitter has change the world.  But he realized that it is the people, the messages they send, and the communities they form that really make social media the force that it has become.  I agree.  I believe that in order to build relationships, networks and other communities you must show others you care.  You must let others know you are interested in what they are saying.  People know when you care and they know when you don't.  For you to create successful and meaningful relationships in life, you really have to care.  Find something you care about and then everthing else - including social media - becomes so much easier, fun and effective. 

Social mediums are wonderful inventions because it draws people together who might not otherwise meet.  Also it encourages others to be courageous enough to introduce themselves to others who wouldn't meet due to shyness, for example.  I have a few online connections (Yahoo, Gmail, Hotmail, Blogger, Facebook, Twitter and as of late LinkedIn) but due to a lack of time and resources I don't have sufficient opportunities to connect more that I wish.  But I really do care about and find very interesting the lives of my social media friends. 

However, I often wonder, social media notwithstanding, if we were to see each other walking down the street, in a cafe, a library, a movie theater would we even speak with or to each other?  Do we even hang out in the same places?  I have many friends from all walks of life - socioeconomic backgrounds, educational levels, cultures, nationalities, races, ages.  This brings to mind a passage from my favorite poem by Rudyard Kipling - "...if you can walk among kings and still not lose your touch with the common man." 

So for those who visit my blog, and those blogs I visit, to those who I tweet with, chat on Facebook, email through Yahoo, Gmail, Hotmail know that I treasure our friendships.  Cheers!!