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Too Much Excitement!
On New Year's Eve, while most people
were out dancing the night away, our family discovered a new extreme
sport. This is a sport many amatuers have actually played,
but very few know that it is a serious compeition broadcast on
national television. While flipping the channels on TV, we
found ourselves sucked in by the “Rock, Paper, Scissors National
Championship.”
Who would have known that there was such a thing? It was a real competition and we learned the science is in the scissors. We
had a little competition of our own to test the theory and scissors did
win out until Bailey threw in the one finger “Dynamite.” It takes everything down.
After all of that excitement the IFOCE
(International Federation of Competitive Eating) held their “New Year’s
Competitive Eating Competition” and the fun continued. (I'm sure more of you would have stayed home had you known these shows were actually on TV.)
We got into the
hard-boil egg eating, watching the champ “BIG MO” down 38 eggs in 4
minutes, but the channel had to be changed when they brought out the
sticks of butter. We had just eaten dinner, and a
couple of the delicate stomachs (Kirk’s) began to churn watching these
folks chomp down sticks of butter like they were breadsticks. I
flipped back to peek and find out that “Heavy Eddy” the matzah ball
champion walked away with the gold when he choked down 8 sticks of
butter. YUCK!
To help cut our evening shorter (at
least the children’s portion) Kirk and I decided to try the old trick
of moving the clocks ahead. While the youngsters
were refilling their glasses with sparkling cider, I went in and moved
all the digital clocks in the kitchen ahead one hour.
We then began
playing a game of Scrabble. (That’s always a challenge with
eight-year-olds and lots of three letter words.)
Thirty minutes later Kirk decided to
expedite the process and he moved the clocks ahead another 30-minutes,
which then threw me off too. Moving ahead in one
hour increments is fine, but when you go 30 minutes, you now lose the
television aids of the ball dropping every hour to show the New Year
ringing in the different time zones.
But we set a
timer for 20 minutes and the girls got ready to pull their poppers and
cut the ribbon that held the ball they had made. So we rang out the old year with a little deception. Kirk and I got to stay up and watch the official ball drop at midnight, or 12:30, or was it 11:30?
WISE CRACKS!
As heard from Bobby, a third grader in Bailey’s class, “It all started when he hit me back!” (I’m going to try that one next time I get into an argument!)
"Duct tape is like the force. It has a light side, a dark side and it holds the universe together." ~Oprah Winfrey
"I busted a mirror and got seven years bad luck, but my lawyer thinks he can get me five." ~Steven Wright
TRIVIA
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In Rod Stewart’s famous song, Maggie
May, what was did Rod suppose he could do besides “collect his books
and head on back to school and find himself a rock and roll band that
needs a helping hand?”
- Learn to play soccer
- Steal his mamas “do” and go back to beauty school
- Steal his daddy’s cue and make a living out of playing pool
- Get on a bus and head for Toledo
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In the popular television show, The Brady Bunch, what was the name of Alice’s boyfriend, the butcher?
-
Erector pili are the smallest muscles in your body. What do they do?
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Which actress was just nominated for an
Oscar for portraying another actress who won an Oscar for portraying
another real-life character?
Time to beef up your brain cells!
According to Health Day News, there’s a new technique called neurobics – it’s like aerobics, but it exercises your brain instead of your body.
Just like your muscles need
exercise to stay in shape, your brain needs to be exercised to stay
sharp. So neurobics uses one or more of your five senses in a new and
unconventional way – to add an unexpected element to a routine
activity.
The result is that your brain cells
become stimulated and more active……And not only that - new connections
in the brain are actually created. It’s like recharging your mind!
But don’t worry – you don’t have to
attend a neurobics class to smarten up. Duke University researchers say
if you do these simple but strange exercises, you’ll keep your mind
alert:
- Use your non-dominant hand to brush your teeth, style your hair, and get dressed in the morning.
- Close your eyes when you take a shower and use your sense of touch to find the soap and wash yourself.
- Turn the pictures on your desk upside down. This stimulates your sense of sight.
- When you travel, immerse yourself completely in unfamiliar surroundings. This works best when no one speaks your language.
- And finally, rearrange your office or living room, or take a different route to work.
So put on your leg-warmers and dig out
that old torn sweatshirt. Doing these out-of-the-ordinary things will
help ensure that your brain stays sharp for the rest of your life.
MAD Science!
I am going to the post office today to
fill out a change of address form. I realized recently that I had moved
from the state of Colorado to the state of CHAOS! Even though it feels
like a lonely state to live in, I'm sure there are more residents than
I know.
With too much on my "perverbial plate"
this week already, I found myself throwing out the whole set of china
by Friday and it is all because of science.
Monday started with a hunt for
basketball uniform pieces. (I don't why parents are supposed to know
where a child's belongings are but my usual response is, "Well the last
time I wore that, I put it back in it's place.")
Every place I suggested Taylor look, was challenged with, "I already
looked there." I ended up finding it in one of those "already looked
there spots" after fifteen minutes of turning her room upside down.
Tuesday little Bailey entered the
scientific world of orthodontia when she got braces and every other
orthodonic invention known to man strapped to her face. This two hour
process in the office added another three hours of work in our
home...each day!
Helping an eight year old brush and
floss and strap unnatural things to her face, making her look like
Anthony Hopkin's mini-me from Silence of the Lambs, is a time-consuming
activity to say the least. That afternoon I arrived at Taylor's
basketball game and as team mom I was supposed to pick up copies of a
tournament schedule from the office. The woman in the front office said
the athletic director gave them to Taylor to give to me--bad news.
Taylor said she remembers putting them in her backpack... or was it on
the shelf of her locker? We never found those and I had to get more
copies the next day.
We had another two hour appointment the
very next morning at the orthodontist to have Taylor's braces removed
(we provide a very comfortable lifestyle for our ortho). At the end she
looked beautiful as they handed her a very expensive football
mouthpiece and told her not to lose it or let the dogs get their teeth
on it. Obviously they had not heard what happened Monday or Tuesday.
Well Thursday morning in our routine to
get out the door by 7:30 and begin our hour-long school shuttle
service, Taylor realized she set her retainer down somewhere and
couldn't remember where. Throwing off our shuttle schedule we spent
another fifteen minutes looking in every "I know I didn't leave it
there" spots and finally had to banish the dogs to the backyard until
we had more time to look.
Taylor's favorite line when
she "misplaces" something is, "You can't blame me. My frontal
cortex is not fully developed until I am 18 or 20."
Thanks Mr. Seeley for giving her that excuse disguised as a science lesson.
I probably own and have read every book
written on the subject of organization, since this is not my natural
"strong point." (Kirk insisted that I tell you that this is a slight
understatement.) But after this week I realize I need to stop trying to
get organized simply learn how to attach the frontal cortex of a
teen-ager's brain! I'm stopping at Barnes and Noble to pick up some
books on this...right after going to the post office.
Tell Me a Story
Tony the Toenail, Hot Air Balloons...
Get your copy of the favorites
like Tony the Toenail "Beauty in your own backyard" along with plenty
of new stories like Unc and Tale with Two Sides.
If you are tired of chicken soup but love a good story, this will hit the spot!
Does your relationships need a "Tune Up?"
Get ready for Sparks with Marriage Mechanics
Marriage Mechanics: A Tune Up for the Highway of Love |
ASK BOB
A Regular Column on Relationships by Man's Best Friend
Q: I am the proud
grandmother of two beautiful girls, ages 9 and 12. The other day, I
went over to visit them and was appalled to see that my daughter-in-law
had waxed the eye-brows of my nine-year-old granddaughter. I admit I
should not have responded right away, but I told my daughter-in-law
that she was promoting a premiscuous lifestyle. I think little girls
need to be just that...little girls, not ladies of the night! Now she
will not speak to me and I am wondering what I can do to get her to see
my point.
A: Well let's make
this like me...short and sweet. I learned as a young puppy that when we
had people visit our home, it was never good to put my nose where it
didn't belong. Although you may not be a puppy, it is never to late to
teach an old dog new tricks. You raised your children and I am going to
assume you did a good job. Now it is their turn to raise their
children. You were out of line to chastise your daughter-in-law for her
decision--it's eyebrows not plastic surgery. When you say you want to
know what you can do to get her to see your point, you must first turn
that statement around. What can you do to see her point? This is always
the position to address any conflict. Call her and apologize for
sticking your nose where it didn't belong and then listen to her
without getting defensive or interrupting. Tell her that she can keep a
sqirt bottle handy the next time you come to visit and if your nose
goes where it doesn't belong, one good sqirt is all it will take.
Q. Bob, I read in your December
column some ideas to help shake a negative attitude. I guess you were
talking to me too. I have a hard time focusing on positive things,
mostly because of my negative childhood upbringing. Whenever I try to
move forward in relationships or career choices, my past gets in my way
and I tend to sabotauge my own successes. Any other ideas?
A. It is always harder to walk
backwards than it is to move forward. There is an old saying, "The past
is a great place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there." Our past
helps to prepare us and make us stronger for our future, but it was
never intended for us to be held prisoner by it. To find the purpose in
tragedy, find an organization that serves people going through similar
challenges and then call them to see how you can help out. Sometimes it
is something as simple as giving a fresh cheery coat of paint to a
drabby room in their facility, or sitting and playing games with
someone who is lonely. I used to go with my family on Saturdays to make
lunches for homeless folks in Denver and I got so much out of sitting
and letting people talk to me and pet me (and sneak me the crust from
their sandwhiches). It was a tough job, but one I was born to do, and I
left feeling better than anyone else. There are so many ways we can
give of our time and this positive focus will spill over into all areas
of your life.
If you haven't already read through "Inside Out Success" (by none
other than, Gina Schreck), I would recommend it. It focuses on dealing
with your negative thought patterns and creating a new more empowering
belief system. Negative beliefs formed in our past are usually the
culprit for self-sabotauging behaviors.
Bob "Barker" is the faithful companion to the
Schreck family and resides in Littleton, Colorado. Like most dogs, Bob
is a relationship expert and would love to answer your questions. Just
send mail to Bob@schrecktalk.com
HELPFUL HINTS
As I was getting our home into post-Christmas order, I discovered a few tips that may help you.
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To prevent hitting your fingers when trying to hammer a nail in, hold the nail between the tongs of a fork and swing away.
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To restore your dusty candles with a new sheen, wipe them down with a cotton ball dipped in alcohol.
- If your dog or cat have left your carpet looking like a fur
coat, spray a mixture of one part fabric softener and three parts water
on the carpet. Wait a minute or two and then vacuum.
- Before you turn on your self-cleaning over, place a few whole
cloves and cinnamon sticks inside. You'll have a clean oven, and your
house will smell like a yummy bakery!
Live Like You Were Dying
People often say, “I want to be all used up when I die.” “I want to live full-out, play hard and live each day as if it were my last.” Well
it’s easy to say these things and then forget about them when the alarm
clock rings on Monday morning and we have to go into work. We pack away our dreams for another day. Well it’s time to do some unpacking.
I have a list of specific items I want to check off before I die: things to learn or do and places to visit. Call me morbid, but I know my days are numbered here and there are so many things I still want to try.
I have been bungee-jumping, sky-diving, scuba-diving, and mountain climbing. I
have watched comet showers with awe and sat with great patience day
after day to catch a glimpse of playful whales jumping off shore. I
have traveled to wonderful places around the world and I have enjoyed
the beauty in my own backyard, but this year I am going to stop talking
about a couple of things I have wanted to learn and finally put them
into action.
For years I have wanted to learn to play the piano. I have put off taking lessons because of fear. Fear of it being too hard for a 40(plus) -year-old brain to learn. If
only I hadn’t cheated in fourth grade music class, I could have learned
to read music when my brain was still soft and sponge-like. Now I fear that my cranium resembles a flakey piece of sandstone, crumbling away as the days go by. But what do I have to lose—except more brain cells and more time?
This is my year! If I only learn to play Jingle Bells, I am going to it. I will be playing Christmas Carole’s by October. My
eight-year-old began lessons a couple of months ago and I was going to
join her then, but made excuses about being too busy and traveling too
much, but I finally made the commitment and signed up to begin my
lessons in two weeks!
Another thing I have attempted on and off is learning to speak Spanish. Growing
up in Hawaii, I took Japanese in High School and then moved to
California to discover Spanish was the language I should have learned. Kirk
and I took a class together a few years back and we had a great time
(tip for couples—taking a foreign language class, dance class or any
other class together will really liven up your relationship), but we
stopped after Spanish 1.
After spending
time in Mexico this month, (and making my family take a private Spanish
lesson with me—poolside), the desire to learn this wonderful language
was rekindled. I am committing to take another class beginning in March and break out all my Spanish tapes. I will be speaking Spanish (conversationally anyway) by June.
What are you going to do this year? What dream have you packed away for too long? My friend, Cherianne, is signing up to take figure-skating lessons. (You’re committed now Cherianne!) She isn’t trying to make it to the Olympics, but she is playing full-out!
Send me an e-mail and tell me what you
are going to do this year and I am going to put it in February’s RANDOM
THOUGHTS so we can all cheer you on! Come on—Go for it! Live like you were dying!
P O W
(Pearls of Wisdom)
"I honestly think it's better to be a failure at something
you love than to be a success at something you hate."
~George Burns
"We cannot really love anybody with whom we never laugh." ~Agnus Repplier
Monthly Challenge!
To shake things up and gain a new perspective this month, try a few of the following:
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Read three
magazines that are completely out of your typical interest area (ie.
Discover magazine, Hot Bikes, and Black Belt Magazine)
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Be bold and go where no man has gone before…with your television, that is. Most people have 4-7 channels that they watch, even though they have hundreds at their fingertips. Choose
3 or 4 programs that are on channels you have never watched—what can
you learn on Discovery Science or Animal Planet at 8:30 pm? How about your local PBS station or maybe Oxygen channel, guys?
-
Try two new foods this month (preferably healthy). What about that bizarre looking fruit or veggie that you pass by each week, or something down the specialty food aisle?
Answers to Trivia
- C
- Sam
- It causes your hair to stand up giving you goose bumps
- Cate Blanchett
© 2005
Feel free to forward this to all of your friends, family members and even those you don’t particularly care for!
It may not be sung in a high school play,
written in sand on beaches west of Belize or photocopied without our permission though, so for reprint permission, please call 303-978-0887.
"Random Thoughts" is a monthly email distributed by The Pinnacle Group & SchreckTalk Keynotes. www.Schrecktalk.com
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