The end

 Going to Morningbrain-"Deux..."

https://stephenvgeddes2.blogspot.com/2019/04/once-again-same-story-same-writer.html

Take a look--hope you find it enjoyable!   Steve

Talented cars!

 

A friend of mine from way back was visiting a neighbor and as she was leaving I noticed something that I can only guess is a very rare phenomenon here in Aiken:  Her car was able to tap-dance! 

 

Yep, that’s right, I said “tap-dance!”  As my friend drove down the street you could hear that car:  Tap, tap, ti tap tap tap, all down the road! 

 

The next time I saw her, I mentioned this.  She agreed right off, yep, that was her car, OK, and it did a pretty good number wherever she went, bringing their music with them.  Made me think of the Ed Sullivan show, and a mighty good rendition of what Dean Martin, Sammie Davis Jr., and company, might have done along with their music.  If you know anyone who might be on the longer side of their sixties, you might ask them about it.  Could be they even might remember something called “black and white” tee vee, a thing of the past, for sure, today!

 

And that’s OK.  We can’t all know all there is to know about our world and how it was quite a few years ago, now can we?  It’s nice if we do know a little history, though, isn’t it?  Might even come in handy every now and then—especially if we want to take a history course or two in one of our institutions of higher learning (like USCA, e.g.!) 

 

And if you do find yourself in one of those courses, don’t forget about my friend’s talented car.  It probably would bring an incredulous look or two from your professor.  Wouldn’t that be great?  I think so!

From sleep to wakeful thinking

 

Something I find more and more interesting is how I might awaken, be it the middle of the night, or morning, thinking about all sorts of oh so important stuff and then after arising I find all that stuff had disappeared from my thinking to the point that I might as well have had no thoughts at all as I was transitioning from my bed to my morning duties.  Why is that?

 

Certainly the thoughts I had were important—at the time, in any case—and that being the case, I wonder what I might do to save them.  A small recorder by the bed, perhaps?  Probably the best solution.  I do have one somewhere.  Think it might be in one small cabinet in my bedroom.  I’ll see if I can get it to work.

 

If I can get it to work, we’ll see just how important those transitory thoughts might be.  Hopefully, we might even have a topic or two for the blog. 

 

Check back tomorrow—OK?

 

(Or the day after?)

 

 

Emigrants in Texas

 

Yes, they are there, thousands and thousands of them.  What can be done?  What should be done?  What would be the best for them and, for that matter, for the United States?

 

The situation reminds me of a movie some of us may remember:  “Titanic.”  And, while the circumstances of those trying to come to America are quite a bit different, the outcomes of some are probably the same—some made it, some didn’t.  And the times certainly are a bit different.  The only thing that has not changed is the implication that America is where one should go to experience a change, and a good change at that.  And in many cases, that is what is needed. 

 

Have you seen pictures of children rummaging through a garbage pile in the hopes of finding something, just a little bit to eat, perhaps, for themselves and their families?  This wasn’t staged for some American photographer, believe me.  This is reality.  How many of those children do you suppose were brought North by others in their family in hopes of gaining the same benefits that many of our ancestors came across the Atlantic to gain so many years ago?  How many are piled up on the Mexican side of that “border wall” just looking for a way, a chance, to come across that Rio Grande and gain the life they dreamed of before they began that thousand mile (plus) journey to get here?  And, having almost made it to that place of their dreams, how many have been languishing just beyond that wall wondering what will become of that dream. 

 

Awakening can be anything but agreeable to most of these unfortunate travelers.  Is this what they deserve?

 

Every trip had two points:  A point of departure, and a point of termination.  Or so the traveler hopes.  These people, Americans all (just not North Americans, you see,) are in search of their dreams—frustrated at virtually the last few steps.  What if my ancestors had experienced a similar fate?  Would I be here today, or would one of my ancestors have carried my genes to the bottom of the North Atlantic ocean having chosen that “Titanic” as their vehicle of choice? 

 

These people deserve more from we Americans. 

 

But what?

Flip phone gone?

 

Dear AT&T:  A few months ago you sent a message to Wife and Me saying our flip phones would no longer be “supported” (I believe that was your wording) at some time in the near future.  Well, I would like to remind you, it has not been all that long ago that we both purchased these phones, complete with your “logo” emblazoned on the phones themselves, and at no time during our purchase was it mentioned that the phones would be made inoperative at any time in the future.  Now, if you say there was a notification on one of those fifty (a guess) pages that was provided to let your purchaser know how the phone would be made inoperative sometime in the future, then, I plead ignorance. 

 

In short:  The phones are working fine today, and I expect them to work fine as long as we “own” them. 

 

Now, if “We” do not, in fact, "own" the phones (as I said before, it does have your logo on it), I would like you to send your representative to my house (you do know where I live, right?  You sent me the notice to which I refer) to pick up your soon-to-be inoperative phones and give us your replacements so we can continue to utilize your services—services we have paid you for as we have for quite a few years, now. 

 And, I must admit to a bit of ignorance here.  Is there another company who might provide the services I have paid you for all these years?  If not, I guess it is time for me to become politically active to see what might be done about your (so called) service. 

 Sincerely,

 Stephen V. Geddes

Aiken, South Carolina

Now to see what this might generate.  We all need phones, right?  At least I think I would be just a bit "put out" if I did not have one.

"Problems, problems, problems"  the name of a good 'ole country song, right?  Well, if not that, just what life seems to give us all from time to time.  Any of you having a life without just a few of those "problems?"

You tell me, OK?

Criticizing others your thing?

 

 I awoke, as usual, thinking about a thing or two—specifically, about how others seem to spend their time criticizing other people for their deficiencies.  So, after lying in bed for more than just a bit of time with this on my mind, what do you suppose I did?  Well, I got up and walked out front to pick up my morning paper.  And, as I did that, things just seemed to come into focus a bit better.

 

Other people a problem?   Well, pilgrim, how about backing up just a bit and taking a look at something you might just be able to do something about.  How about yourself?

 

Hmmmm, there’s a subject you have been ignoring altogether too long, I suspect, and if you don’t believe me, how about asking my wife.  She is the one who got me thinking about this, you see, She with another year under her belt as of yesterday.  She, whose daughter and grandson dropped in about an hour after we should have had dinner, bringing flowers and smiles and just a bit more—love.  She, who deserves much better.  Much better than she got from me, that is. 

 

And why do I bring up my wife and our relationship.  Well, it’s because while I was walking out to get MY morning paper, I began to think about just a few of you who never seem to be able to criticize anybody other than anybody other than yourselves.  He did this.  He did that.  What’s wrong with Him???

 

That’s what this discussion was to be about.  Not just me.  Not just why I have spent so much time thinking about others and not about myself and how I might make things better for my wife and myself.  I mean, what is really important here?  What indeed.  Is the problem the things I see and hear from you, my friend?   Or is it that guy in the mirror? 

 

No, I suspect “either—or” doesn’t work here.  The problem is in both of us.  I first need to do whatever I can to make things right in my own house.  Then, maybe, I might be able to move on to point out problems I see with you, too.  That’s all I can say.  My turn is today.

Sunday morning TV?

Well, I’ve just watched my limit of the usual Sunday morning political news shows and, well, I guess I’ve wasted enough time for one day.  Why?  You may say?  Well, It wasn’t a total waste.  Just a waste.  You see, it seems the Republicans and Democrats both have the same method of deciding how to vote.  And, it’s a pretty simple method.  In the first place, you determine the issue.  Then, you gather together all sorts of data to support or dismiss the issue.  Then, instead of analyzing the data you may have gathered, what you do is ask your “leadership” what is to be done.  Then you cast your vote. 

 

Hmmmpfh!  Why bother with all the preliminaries, you say?  Well, without those preliminaries, what would you do with your staff, between votes? 

 

I’d say the answer is pretty obvious.  You let them head for the gardens in Washington and enjoy their time out of doors before they return to the halls of congress to get their next “assignment.”  And why not?  Wasting government money never could be easier, right?  Take a look at the Senate’s vote on our next covid relief measure and tell me my method would not come up with the exact same vote as we got on the issue.  I mean, come’on everybody:  What could be easier? 

 

All that needs to be done now, folks, is for you to contact your Senators and tell them exactly what you might think of the vote on this issue and what you think they might have done to come up with the reasons for their vote.

 

Pretty easy question, right?

 

No need to wait on that next vote you will cast for your Senatorial candidate.  Let your current guy (or gal, of course) know exactly what you think.  He or she will get the message and get it well.  If not, well, you know what to do at that next election, right?

 

Fifty to forty nine mean anything to you?  No doubt it does--a whole lot of thought by a whole lot of Senators, right?

 

Good grief, Charlie Brown!

Problem? Solved! I think.

 It seems when I awaken, sometimes in the middle of the night, more often towards the dawn, though, ideas I might have are running through my head with a vengeance—well, maybe not with a vengeance, but with some sort of expectation of some sort of action from awakened me.  Which…which may be something I want, or something I don’t want, but, in either case, something that has to be attended to.

 Only one problem:  On getting up, and getting the computer up, and waiting on it to accomplish its start-up procedures, sleeping mind often, no, usually, finds other things to do than wait around for awake mind to get to the point where it needs to be to take over the job…which brings on the confusion you probably might be noticing right now.  Help!

 Another “Morningbrain…,” without a doubt. 

 In searching for a solution, something I really hadn’t given much thought to before, I think maybe a listing would be a good thing.  And this listing will necessarily be in handwriting, on a spiral tablet kept on a side table next to the bed.  With, of course, a writing instrument of my own selection, one that can be kept with the tablet till circumstance brings them both into action. 

I guess that’s about it--except for one modification.  Leaving a tablet and pen next to the bed is something that will be too easy for someone (guess who) to pick up just about any time to make brief notes, say a list of things to pick up at the grocery store, which would remove the tablet and writing instrument (a pen will do fine) to a point where it may or may not be available the next time sleepyhead finds the need for same. 

So:  One modification:  A hanging hook, perhaps, like one you might use to keep a note pad at the ready next to the front door?

 Should do fine—problem solved, or so I think.  Ask me sometime next week and we both will know how it might have worked.

 Or if it worked at all! 

Alzheimers, anyone?

I spent a good part of the morning looking for articles on Alzheimer's.  And I found quite a few out there, I must admit, and what is covered can be very direct or nebulous.  So far, I haven't found quite what I want.  Oh well, that's just the way things are.

Moving right along, though, and with just a bit more examination, I’d have to say things aren’t really all that bad.

In any case, I guess what I'm really looking for is a definition of what chemicals, vitamins, or whatever might be helpful in driving my forgetfulness up the wall (or, anywhere, but where it seems to be happiest, i.e., in my brain!) Articles on the subject mention:  Phosphatadyl serene, biloba extract and bacopa.  One I already take is that extract from the ginkgo biloba tree.  Interestingly enough, a couple of my neighbors have this tree on their properties.  I wonder if there is some reason, other than the beautiful yellow foliage it displays every autumn, that my neighbors have this tree on their properties?  Guess I should ask them. 

One Amazon item which has all three of these substances is Neuroguard's Neuro Support Supplement.  And, while this is probably just one of many formulations that may meet my needs, surprisingly enough, it's not all that expensive.  Looks like one more pill to take every day--and, perhaps, adding this one pill might enable me to drop off a couple other pills I now take.  And, if it helps, won't that be great!  

Nothing like finding an answer to a problem that may just work.  Sure is worth a try!

Georgia birth certificates????

If you were born in Georgia, and you need a birth certificate, look at the kind of crap you are going to have to go to to get one--then again, it may just be Macon, Georgia?  I don't really know!  Republicans doing this?  Hope South Carolina doesn't join in here!

Thanks for placing your birth certificate order! Below is your confirmation and receipt information. Identity verification may be required for your protection. Please make sure to review the What's Next section in order for us to begin processing your order.

Order Information
Order ID -
Delivery Method -	Express Shipping - Overnight Delivery (once processed)
Shipping To -	Aiken SC - 29801
State Agency Fees -	Average fees range from $30-$50 depending on state agency (prices subject to change). State fees are mandatory and required in order to receive a birth certificate.

***Processing fees will appear on your statement as BIRTHCERTIFICATESTATE

***Government fees will appear on your statement as VCN or Bureau of Vital Statistics

These will appear as two separate charges. Immediately following verification for accuracy, your certificate order will be finalized and shipped directly from your state agency.