ALS Icebucket Challenge

Ok, so for the better part of two weeks my Facebook feed has been inundated with ALS Icebucket Challenge's and the videos of those who've accepted the challenge.

In short, someone nominates you and you have 24 Hours to "take a video of yourself dumping a bucket of ice water over your head - and donate $10.00 to ALS; and nominate 3 people to do the challenge," or you are supposed to donate $100.00 to ALS.

Now, while I do believe that this challenge has raised awareness and raised more money for this particular affliction than had the challenge not been going around, I'm pretty much over it.

I would MUCH MUCH MUCH rather see people posting information about ALS to raise awareness about it, and the $10.00 donation challenge, rather than wasting water and filling my Facebook feed with silly videos.

Now, for those of you who are not sure what ALS is, including one college gal who's interview I read after she'd done the challenge quoting her as thinking it was for people who were studying English As a Second Language, ALS is Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a disease of the never cells in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement.

My feeling is that most people dumping the water over themselves do not really know anything about the disease, nor does dumping this water teach them anything about it.

I am also of the feeling that most people who have dumped the water have NOT also donated the "required" $10.00 donation, nor have most of those who've ignored the nomination donated the "required" $100.00 donation. AND, what if you're nominated and actually can not afford to make a donation of $10.00 let alone $100.00???

But I digress...here's a website that will give you more information on ALS should you actually be curious about it: http://www.alsa.org

And here's a website for Diabetes: http://www.diabetes.org

And one for Parkinson's: http://www.pdf.org

And one for Chron's: http://www.ccfa.org/what-are-crohns-and-colitis/what-is-crohns-disease/

 My final thought for the moment is this, if you are truly wanting to donate money to a cause, to raise awareness for a disease you feel is "under represented" than share information from qualified websites, share names of places one can make a donation ... don't just waste water! But I dirgess...

All The Books You'll Never Read

Have you ever stopped to think about all of the books you will never read? I mean, there are SO many books out there ... so many good books ... and even those who devour books - like my mother who can read several books at the same time and with a speed that rivals one little mouse named Speedy Gonzalez - even they will not be able to read ALL of the good books in the world.

Take the classics for a start ... so many and so long ... then think about all of the books series that exist ... don't forget all the new books coming out everyday ... the books on Oprah's reading list ... there are just so many books to read, so many good books ... and even those who live to be 100 years old, just think of all those books they will not get too ... and that's totally humbling, isn't it?!

I was not a devourer of books until I was out of college actually, I mean I read before that - obviously - and I read for pleasure as well as my studies, but it was not until I had graduated from college and was living with my Auntie Liz and cousin Tory in Long Island, and commuting to work in Manhattan, that I really started to devour books. Those train rides needed something, ha ha ha, and I'm not really a newspaper gal ... so to my aunts bookshelf I went over and over and over.

And now, at 35, I'm sitting here thinking ... I really need to bone up on the classics and get to reading even MORE - and watching TV less - than I do now! I started a book club last Fall which is helping me out, keeps me working on at least one book every month, and then enjoying the company and discussion with the other members.

I have several books shelves in my apartment, all of them stuffed with books (novels, theatre books, plays, etc.) ... if a novel is on my shelf it means I've read it, for those I have not read are in stacks on my coffee table, sofa table or night stand. 

Some books are quicker reads than others ... and I can only think of one or two books that I have put down and do not necessarily intend on picking back up - for it is not engaging or enjoyable, and with all the other books out there, why would one continue to read it, am I right?!  :)

But I digress ... I'm currently reading a novel called A Vintage Affair by Isabel Wolff, having just finished the latest book club read entitled The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom, and I think I shall get back to A Vintage Affair now.  

Star and Moon Gazing

I love love love laying out in a field - or back yard - and star and moon gazing! Luckily my current abode allows me to see some stars, even with all the ambient light that abounds.

I also love love love laying out in a field - or back yard - and watching the clouds float by, picking out shapes and images as they carry on their way.

Two things I intend on doing more of ... !!!

Now, if only I could find someone to do them with ... with a nice bottle of wine ... le sigh!

San Francisco ... City of Sun and Fog ... at the same time!

Holy Berjeeses ... San Francisco is a LOVELY City! 

The city of Sun and Fog ... at the same time ... no joke, I was standing 500 feet from the Golden Gate Bridge - which was TOTALLY fogged in - and looking over to the right, I could see the city of San Francisco - like Fisherman's Wharf and all that - enjoying sunny blue skies with a few lovely white fluffy clouds! Weird and loverly!

My mom and I took a Mother Daughter Weekend and went to San Fran, and had a wonderful time!

More deets to come ...

A Haiku by us whilst enjoying the Japanese Tea Garden

"Tea in the garden

Also some octopus balls

Mom and Mert, tranquil."

Sprinkle Cheese, Greebles, and Schmata-V!

Did you ever ponder why we drive on parkways and park in driveways? Well, I have. I have also pondered the general naming of pretty much anything there is out there. For example, why is a door called a door, why not a blargh? You can see my point, can't you?

What about the ponderation of words known only - or mostly - to your family, and no one else?

Ever had one of "those" moments where say, as a young adult you mention your penchant for Sprinkle Cheese, only to have your friends look at you like you have three heads???

***10 Points if you know what sprinkle cheese is?!

Or say, that moment in 7th grade math class, when you walk in and the estimation jar (which, if you were the lucky student to guess THE amount, or be the closest to the amount, of the estimation jars contents than you won a candy bar from the teacher) is full of greebles ... and you say it out loud ... "Hey look, the estimation jar is full of greebles this week!" Only to have your classmates, including your BFF who's standing right text to you, look at you like you're C.R.A.Z.Y.!

***20 Points if you know what greebles are?! (Pronounced gree like in green, and bles like lee's with a b in front of it ... greebles.)

I'm sorry to say that I can not disclose the meaning of Schmata-V to anyone who's not been officially inducted into the club ... it's just the way it is!

It's interesting to me how things were named ... waaaaay back in the day when they were first named. How it got its name. How its name has evolved over time - if it has; and or how a name changes from one nations language to another.

It's equally interesting to me how people - families - make up names for things that are then passed down tho the next generation, and so on, so readily that the kinder don't realize it's NOT actually the real word for "that thing."

Just sayin'.

'Tis all for the moment.

A Work Perk

I just spent the past week in London, England for my job!  Not only was I back in "my" town, good Old London Town, but while there I saw six shows - for my job!  Now that's what I call a work perk!!!

I saw:

"The School for Scheming" at the Orange Tree Theatre
"Titus Andronicus" at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre
"The Commitments" at the Palace Theatre
"A Small Family Business" at the National Theatre (in the Olivier Theatre)
"The Silver Tassie" at the National Theatre (in the Lyttelton Theatre)
and
"Blithe Spirit" at the Gielgud Theatre - with Angela Lansbury

I also went to the Victoria and Albert Museum to see their Theatre and Performance Exhibit which was featuring a special exhibit on Shakespeare as his 450th Birthday "just passed." 

And I went to the British Museum to see an exhibit on the Vikings called "Vikings: Life and Legend."

We also went to a "High Tea" ... which to me, isn't all that it's cracked up to be - even if the finger sandwiches, pastries and tea were tasty.  LOL!  :)

OH AND, I was able to meet up with a few of my friends ... Kaitlin, Adam and Nour!

Oh oh oh ... how could I forget this ... while taking a guided bus tour of the city (on our first day, for patrons who had never been to London) we stopped to use the loo's near Westminster Abbey, and it just so happened that THE QUEEN (yes, you read that correctly) was on her way for an Order of Bath Ceremony ... and we saw her as she drove past us!!!  Who would have ever imagined???!!!  :o)  Tres tres cool!!!

5 years since I was last there ... too long really, but so awesome that I got to go - and didn't have to pay for it myself ... and hoping my next trip there doesn't take another 5 years.

It's a really great work perk actually!  

"21 Habits of Happy People"

Here's a link to an article outlining "21 Habits of Happy People" ... saw it on the Book of Face and I think they're pretty much all good things to do ... live by ... however ya wanna say it ... so here's the link.  Enjoy

:)

http://www.mindopenerz.com/21-habits-of-happy-people/