Daily Prompt – Oh Danny Boy!

Daily Prompt: Reservation

The villagers of Louangphabang, Laos invited us to have lunch with them. Bamboo worms were the appetizer. Actually quite good with a little garlic they informed me.

Conversation

This post is in response to the Daily Post Daily Prompt of “Conversation”.

“Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” ~Desmond Tutu

New Home

Ready, Set, Done

Our ten-minute free-write is back! Have no mercy on your keyboard as you give us your most unfiltered self (feel free to edit later, or just publish as-is).

Will we ever be finished unpacking all these damn boxes? We have been here a month today and it’s still a mess. Oh, we have been busy. Kitchen had to be just right. Or at least that was my wife’s first priority. Mine….to get MY den in shape. Not done yet!

Cats are getting accustomed to their new environment. They know where their food dish is and where to poop.

Still have to clear off the kitchen table in order to read the morning paper and have my two cups of coffee.

New subdivision! We are not even on any GPS system. Try telling contractors how to get to your house when you barely know how to get there. As usual we know most of our neighbor’s pets by their name before we can place the owner’s name.

A 55 and over community! All I see is a bunch of old people. And golf carts! They are everywhere. Ok, I admit we purchased a used one ourselves. I even went to the market this afternoon and drove my golf cart. One thing we will save money on is gas. We seldom get outside the compound. You can go to the grocery store, drug store, barber, and even restaurants without leaving the community on your little old golf car. Even have to get insurance, and a safety inspection to be legal. And then there is GOLF. I gave that up 30 years ago and still what did I do. You got it. I purchased a new set of golf clubs.

On the plus side we have made more friends here in the first thirty days than we did in 18 years in our old home.

My time is up!

Weekly Photo Challenge: On The Move

The Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge this week is “On The Move”.

Fifty Words

The Daily Post: Weekly Writing Challenge: Fifty

Sometimes things are just about perfect.

A lush morning meadow in a New Hampshire countryside.

Cool rain clouds passing west to east.

Just the slightest breeze I can detect.

Oh how silent it is.

I can hear the swish of the far away horses tail.

This surely is a dream.

Simple Irresistible

Simple Irresistible

Tell us about the favorite dish or food that you simply cannot turn down.

Photographers, artists, poets: show us TEMPTATION.

Angelo’s Restaurant, Flint Michigan

This little place must make the best Coney Island Hot Dogs in the world. Forget Chicago or New York. The best coney is located in an economically depressed town of Flint, Michigan. My judgement is not in the least influenced by the fact I grew up there. At one time I used to get off work at midnight and head right to Angelo’s. Two coney’s and an order of french fries with gravy. I have since lived in Arizona, California, Colorado, and North Carolina and no place, although they advertise different,makes a better coney than Angelo’s. It a must place to go when I go back to Michigan to visit friends. “Let’s meet at Angelo’s.”

NaBloPoMo #27

Weekly Photo Challenge: Layers

Note: I recently had some old slides (remember them?) and had them put in digital format. The photos in the slide show are at least 20+ years old older. I think they were taken in either Utah or Wyoming. Any help is appreciated. Anyway, regardless of age, I think they fit the challenge.

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NaBloPoMo #17

Thanks to the Daily Prompt

Come Fly With Me

7,679 mi

Distance from Raleigh, NC to Nairobi, Kenya.

The trip of a lifetime. We spent two weeks on a Jeep Safari in Kenya. We thought visiting the Pyramids at Giza was the trip of a lifetime before we went to Kenya. Nature at its best. All the large cats, elephants, giraffes, water buffaloes, etc. We witnessed the “Great Migration”, which not too many people are able to see. The sounds are fearfully strong. You think you are alone with your guide, but once some activity (a kill, the migration) is noted they are on their cb’s and the next thing you see are 5 to 10 other jeeps arriving all with the same purpose of viewing that particular activity.

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Tanks to the Daily Prompt.

NaBloPoMo Day 15

Eat, Drink and be Merry

“So you still think out investment strategy should be long-term Marylin? This ain’t no Orson Welles “War of the Worlds” radio broadcast with Martians landing in New Jersey. And it ain’t nothing I read on the Internet where everything is true. No Sir, I’m watching this live on CNN.”

“The world as we know it baby is totally being destroyed hour by hour. I knew with all those active warheads scattered around the world that something like the end of the world was a possibility. I always said we were only one international argument away from annihilation.”

“The superpowers of the world are blowing the holy hell out of each other for whatever reason. Those nukes are not doing anyone any good just sitting around.”

“This explosion will be very, very, dangerous. There will be fallout. Ya baby, keep an eye on your hair/teeth/kidneys, it’s called that for a reason. And even if we do survive all that, the dust thrown into the atmosphere by the blasts and the resulting fires could block out the sun to most of the planet for weeks, theoretically even years, causing mass die out of vegetation and freezing temperatures.”

“All those years of savings in our 401(k)’s and IRA’s trusting the money would be there for us when we retired. It won’t be there. Hell, there will not be a tomorrow, ok maybe not tomorrow but not much more than a week.”

“I could have bought that new Mercedes. We could have bought that house up on Lake Lure. We could have taken that vacation to Australia and New Zealand. All that is gone, gone. Are you listening Marylin?”

“Are our English shows on TV tonight Ralph?”

Thanks to the Daily Prompt.

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DNA Analysis

“Right Brained” – intuitive, thoughtful and subjective
“Left Brained” – logical, analytical and objective

“Wow, you speak/act exactly like your mom/dad!” Sound familiar? Genes play a big part in shaping our physical characteristics, traits we inherit from our parents are not limited to our looks, body types, and balding patterns. My dad was 6 foot 1 inch; I’m 5 foot 8 inches. My dad was going bald at my age and I have a full head of hair. My mother had kinky hair and I have long wavy hair. My dad weighed close to 185 pounds; I weigh around 145. I share almost no physical characteristics (except perhaps my large ears).

But there are certain personality traits my parents have passed along to me. The classic Nature vs. Nurture debate that says the difference is being that traits like wealth, education, and social privilege can be passes to a genetic offspring but these traits are not part of the biological system and can’t be DIRECTLY attributed to genetics.

The bits and pieces that make up me.

Temperament — My parents were typically calm and collected and so am I. I have a close friend whose parents were hot-tempered individuals and so is he. I tend to internalize negative feelings and ideas and hold on to them for one terrific explosion. This has only happened twice. You don’t want to be around!

Control — Our need or refusal of control may also be a habit learned from our parents. My parents were nonchalant and detached and I don’t have a problem relinquishing control. Ask my wife! Fight or Flight? I’m a big Flight fan.

Social and Communication Skills — I am very quiet and reserved. I do however have a social life, sense of humor (dry some would say), and listening skills. All a mirror of my parents. I hate public speaking. At one time is was a requirement of a position I held. I would be well prepared but had the “dry heaves” just before the presentation. I have a degree in Psychology so I am well-trained in saying “and what makes you feel that way.” 🙂 I need to work on this skill. In my flight mode I say “things can only get worse” if we discuss this. This has been paraphrased back to me as “go ahead and dig that hole a little deeper.”

Way of Life — My childhood fantasies were shaped by my parents way of life. Both worked hard to provide my well-being. I am accustomed to the life my parents provided me, and often strive the same for my family. My parents led a simple life, and I am content with that also. No burning desire for a life of luxury. However, I do love to travel; especially international travel. My whole family, except me, lives within 30 miles of where they were born.

Outlook on Life — Is the cup half-full or half-empty? Depends if you ask the question of the bar tender or the customer. Even though I had encouraging parents who continuously looked on the bright side, their own outlook of life shaped my behavior more than their words. I’m a very optimistic person (even though the government has shut down). Even at my age my investments objectives are long-term.

Weekly writing Challenge:DNA Analysis

Daily Prompt: Reservation

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