I try to keep those I love close, so at this time all the nitty-gritty is Friends-Only. If you'd like to be part of the collective then please feel free to add me as a friend! I love it - just leave a comment letting me know!

Music stations always play the same song.

We're all bored with the concept of right and wrong.

Just taking out the trash,

tonight that is.

Right now I am off to work, smelling of sweet vanilla with crisp citrus and apple scents, combined with the strong musk of witch hazel.

I smell like my memories of Brescia. Waking up to the ring of church bells, a sweet mother or delightful friend popping their head in to let me know that breakfast had been prepared for me, to get my morning started right. The father and I couldn't communicate through the language barrier (though we managed through interpreters (family members), and so he spoke in noises. Car rides were my favorite, and sometimes ended in gelato, or pizza.

I think I was still drunk every morning. Either from the lemon liquor, the romance, or the tequilla.

The days were spent in small adventures.

Que sera, sera.

I'm really depressed.

Facebook is a dangerously depressing place if you're single.

Conversation Starter #99
Americans detect a person's emotions by looking at his or her mouth. Other cultures, like the Japanese, focus more on the eyes.

Conversation Starter #98
50 percent of Americans say that if cash were tight, cable TV would be the first thing to go. For 67 percent, ditching the car would be a last resort.

Conversation Starter #97
Ubermanly features -- like thin lips, a strong chin, and an exaggerated brow ridge -- can be a turnoff. Why? Women infer that strong-featured guys are more likely to get into fights and cheat on them.

Conversation Starter #96
On average, people tell one to two lies a day with the intention of deceiving.

Conversation Starter #95
We take pleasure in hearing about a celeb's blunder because unconsciously, we want them to falter just like we do. That way, they seem more human and not so special.

Conversation Starter #94
Firstborns get 20 to 30 more minutes of quality time per day with parents than younger sibs.

Conversation Starter #93
81% of 18-to-25-year-olds today say their generation's top life goal is to be rich.

Conversation Starter #92
There's almost as much bacteria on a shopping cart handle or vending machine button as there is on public restroom surface.

Conversation Starter #91
On a diet? Avoid the mall. A new study says people who are trying exert self-control in some way (like avoiding fatty foods) make more impulse purchases.

Conversation Starter #90
London zookeepers are hoping a new heated waterfall in the gorilla exhibit will make two reluctant lovebirds randy enough to mate. ( More here... )

I just got a job offer - I start tomorrow at 9am.
It's temp to permanent, but they're paying $18/hour right now, which will be 40-45K annually with full benefits.

Thank you, universe. :)

I think (I think) I have a plan for the weekend:

Saturday:
AM - Head to St Lawrence Market for some food-browsing.
In the afternoon Im heading to see Paris Je T'Aime http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris,_je_t'aime

Sunday:
Naked beach time!

Does anyone want to play a game?

A photo scavenger hunt perhaps?

Winner makes the other a home CD with art?

(ela_bird I'm using your idea, but it's a fabulous one so I hope you don't mind!)

autumnsky79 I'm looking in your direction, you saucey minx! Even D can play!! We could have a threeway competition!

But seriously, anyone else? I'll explain the rules once you agree! BUT you need a digital camera OR a way of getting other photos on the computer.

I put my box in a box for you.

That's love.



And Taco Bell might make you sick, but my taco's certified.

I'm speechless.....and I can't get it out of my head!

Ronni Bennett is a 63 year old woman from New York, whose blog is focused mainly on aging. I came across her blog through www.dontoearth.com a 93 year old Canadian man who actually sends letters to his daugher in Nova Scotia and she then types them up in the blog for him. He was featured on the Hour last night. Here's a funny article from Ms Bennett:

Let's All Retire To the Hilton

[EDITORIAL NOTE: After we discussed one kind of retirement living earlier this week, I was reminded of this post from a couple of years ago. I received it in an email which means it may have made its way around the web a thousand times and you already know it. Even if that is so, it's almost credible, wonderfully funny and worth another read.]



"No nursing home for me! I'm checking into the Hilton Inn. With the average cost for a nursing home per day reaching $188.00, there is a better way when we get old and feeble. I have already checked on reservations at the Hilton. For a combined long-term stay discount and senior discount, it is $49.23 per night. That leaves $138.77 a day for:

* Breakfast, lunch, and dinner in any restaurant I want, or room service
* Laundry, gratuities, and special TV movies
* Plus, they provide a swimming pool, a workout room, a lounge, washer, dryer, etc. Most have free toothpaste and razors and all have free shampoo and soap. They treat you like a customer, not a patient. $5.00 worth of tips a day will have the entire staff scrambling to help you.

There is a city bus stop out front and seniors ride free. The handicap bus will also pick you up (if you fake a reasonably good limp). To meet other nice people, call a church bus on Sundays. For a change of scenery, take the airport shuttle bus and eat at one of the nice restaurants there. While you're at the airport, fly somewhere. Otherwise, the cash keeps building up.

It takes months to get into decent nursing homes. Hilton will take your reservation today. And you are not stuck in one place forever. You can move from Hilton to Hilton, or even from city to city. Want to see Hawaii? They have a Hilton there, too - the wonderful Hilton Hawaiian Village and Spa.

TV broken? Light bulbs need changing? Need a mattress replaced? No problem. They fix everything and apologize for the inconvenience. The Inn has a night security person and daily room service. The maid checks if you are okay. If not, they will call the undertaker or an ambulance. If you fall and break a hip, Medicare will pay for the hip, and Hilton will upgrade you to a suite for the rest of your life.

And no worries about visits from family. They will always be glad to find you at the Inn and will probably check in for a few days' mini-vacation. The grandkids can use the pool.

What more can you ask for?

So, when I reach the golden age, I'll face it with a grin. Just forward all my email to the Hilton Inn."

Upon telling this story at a dinner with friends and too much red wine, we came up with even more benefits the Hilton provides to retirees:

Most standard rooms have coffeemakers, easy chairs with ottomans, and satellite TV - all you need to enjoy a cozy afternoon. After a movie and a good nap, you can check on your children (free local phone calls), then take a stroll to the lounge or restaurant where you meet new and exotic people every day. Many Hiltons even feature live entertainment on the weekends.

Often they have special offers, too, like the Kids Eat Free Program. You can invite your grandkids over after school to have a free dinner with you. Just tell them not to bring more than three friends.

If you want to travel, but are a bit skittish about unfamiliar surroundings, in a Hilton you'll always feel at home because wherever you go, the rooms all look the same.

And if you're getting a little absent-minded in your old days, you never have to worry about not finding your room. Your electronic key fits only one door and the helpful bellman or desk clerk is on duty 24/7.

I told Stephen Bollenback, CEO of Hilton this story. I'm happy to report that he was positively ecstatic at the idea of us checking in for a year or more at one of their hotels. Stephen said we could have easily knocked them down to $40 a night.

See you at the Hilton. And not just for a "Bounce Back Weekend," but for the rest of our lives.

[At The Elder Storytelling Place today, Joy Des Jardins relates her childhood misadventures at trying to avoid dreaded needles in The Doctor is Out.]

"A few weeks ago, Crabby Old Lady received an email from Facebook advising her that a blogger she knows wished to “friend” her. Crabby had never looked at the Facebook website but figured “what the hell” and accepted.

Since then, invitations tumble into Crabby's inbox at the rate of two or three a week. She has accepted all but those from a few people she never heard of and she briefly dickered around with her page that was created when she accepted the first friend.

Mostly, they want to know things like the name of Crabby's college and her major which hold no interest for her at age 66. There are networks and groups to join, requests to write on friends' "walls", products to buy, charities to contribute to and - well, Crabby got bored trying to figure out the purpose.

There is no real conversation that Crabby can find as takes place on our blogs and anyway, this blog and Crabby's life take up most of her time and there doesn’t appear to be much going on at Facebook except people collecting friends.

Then, earlier this week, Nicole Freydberg, who blogs at Freydblog, emailed Crabby regarding hate groups aimed at elders on Facebook. When she investigated, Crabby found dozens of them. Here are some examples of Facebook hate speech (with poor grammar, spelling and four-letter words intact):

Who is with me on this, who thinks old people in school should be taken into the quad and be tarred and feathered for their annoyance , stupidity, and outright wasting of time.

Children and old people should probably go to hell. Children are bastards. Old people are surly and they smell weird. Fuck that!

Too long have irate old farts been a hazard too society. They can’t hear, they can’t change their own diapers, and they sure as hell can’t drive!

F*CK** OLD PEOPLE

OLD PEOPLE SUCK AND THEY R GONNA DIE SOON ANYWAY!!!

Ugh yeah old people are so gross. Theyre all wrinkly and smelly. Just thinking about them makes me angry!

sometimes i see old people in wheelchairs and i have a strong urge to push them down the stairs.

Old People Make Me Want To Puke

Old people drive like they fuck: slow and sloppy

I like to beat the living crap out of old people

Let us unite and join for a common cause, abolish social security and legalize euthanasia.

[You can find a long, long list of these Facebook hate groups in a post at Nicole’s site.]

The above statements are maybe five percent of what Crabby Old Lady found in under 30 minutes. Just kids, you say? Not important? No one suddenly becomes a bigot at age 50; it is inculcated from youth. These are the people who will one day run companies, governments and vote, and they will carry these prejudices with them as they grow up, move into adult world and make decisions about old people.

To make clear how disgusting this hate speech is, Crabby applied The TGB Bias Test to some of the above excerpts wherein the words “women” or “blacks” are substituted for “old people”:

Old People Make Me Want To Puke
Black people make me want to puke

old people in school should be taken into the quad and be tarred and feathered
women in school should be taken into the quad and be tarred and feathered

I like to beat the living crap out of old people
I like to beat the living crap out of black people

Ugh yeah old people are so gross
Ugh yeah black people are so gross

Would all those No. 2 statements be tolerated on Facebook? To check, Crabby searched for them as she had with “old people”, “senior citizens”, etc. and found none. Since she doubts race and gender bias are nonexistent among 30 million members, Crabby can only believe Facebook owners remove those offensive postings. But as within most of our society, hate speech against elders is acceptable at Facebook.

Although it is frightening to know that so many kids are growing up with hateful attitudes toward old people, Crabby Old Lady faults the investors and owners of Facebook for allowing these offensive groups to continue and increase in number. The company's terms of service contain this warning:

You may not post or share Content that:
* is obscene, pornographic or sexually explicit
* depicts graphic or gratuitous violence
* makes threats of any kind or that intimidates, harasses, or bullies anyone
* is derogatory, demeaning, malicious, defamatory, abusive, offensive or hateful

But who enforces this policy? Not Facebook, at least not when abusive language targets elders. There is no contact email except for the media. Each entry within each group contains a “report” button that launches a form where objectionable material can be submitted for review. But there are thousands of hateful comments like those Crabby quoted above and it should not be users’ responsibility to report each and every one.

By allowing these groups to exist, Facebook has become Hatebook.

Meanwhile, big media is fawning all over their latest internet darling, 23-year-old Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg, as in this Time magazine interview last week. Apparently, the reporter cares more about big numbers, IPOs and stock options than Facebook's ageist content.

Crabby Old Lady is ashamed and embarrassed to have allowed herself to be part of this website. She has sent her objections to the press email address and deactivated her Facebook account. (Full removal is not allowed.) It would be good if other elder Facebook members would write on their own blogs about the site's tolerance of ageist bigotry and join Crabby in canceling accounts and writing to Facebook.

Nothing like this ever changes unless you make a lot of noise about it."

I'm making noise. This is originally taken from: http://ronnibennett.typepad.com/

"Set Your Computer on Autopilot to manifest Your Goals & Dreams"

What the fuck, livejournal?

Hold on.....let's see where their priorities are:

Set
Your
Computer
Autopilot
Your
Goals
Dreams

of lesser importance:
on
to
manifest
&

???????

Maybe we should have a grass roots advertising campaign, where we use powerful words of deliberate intent to help globally manifest change?

Like:

"Love."

"World Peace."

"Anything is possible"

and: "Down Bush, down."

Honestly, I come here to post.

Then something happens.......














every

time

.

Roses are red, some diamonds are blue;
chivalry is dead, but you're still kinda cute.

Right face,
wrong time;
she's sweet,
but I don't want to fall in love.

Too late,
so deep;
better run fast,
cuz I don't want to fall in love.

He starts with her back, cause that's what he sees;
when she's breaking his heart, she still fucks like a tease.
Release to the sky, look him straight in the eye
And tell him right now, that you wish he would die.

You'll never touch him again,
so get what you can.
Leaving him empty
just because he's a man.

"The man of knowledge must be able not only to love his enemies but also to hate his friends."

Thoughts?

my dewy-eyed disney bride, what has tried
swapping your blood with formaldehyde?
what monsters that talk, monsters that walk the earth

and she says i like long walks and sci-fi movies
if you're six foot tall and east coast bred
some lonely night we can get together
and i'm gonna tie your wrists with leather
and drill a tiny hole into your head

over imbibed
under the mister
barely alive we
cover the blisters in flannel
though the words we speak
are banal
not one of them's a lie
not one of them's a lie
you're what happens when
two substances collide
and by all accounts
you really should've died

This is my loneliest hour.

Where are you?