But Her Spelling Was Perfect!

We all know you shouldn't text while driving. Here's a good argument for not texting while WALKING!

This is the latest YouTube sensation -- the woman who fell into the fountain of a Reading Mall while texting. I notice two things.
1. How quickly she picks herself up. That's quite a recovery.
2. The security folks laughing. OK, it's funny - but shouldn't someone have gone to help? I think they should at least be suspended.

I'm not a big texter but love email - and prefer actually talking to people (there's a concept!). I finally got around to buying a smartphone (a Samsung Fascinate) and am pretty happy with it. While, I'm still not so good with the on-screen keyboard (keys too tight), I find myself on it constantly - in the parking lot, in the aisles of the stores. So, I can totally see how this happened. There's an incredible world of information in your hands - yet there's also a beautiful world out there too. I'm happy to have both - and will try not to favor one over the other.

Reege

Regis Philbin has announced that he'll be stepping down as co-host of "Regis and Kelly" later in the year - possibly late summer or early fall. The event could coincide with his milestone birthday as Reege turns 80 in August. The show has been wildly successful since the local New York City days in 1983.

I'm not a big TV talk fan - but I worked late-afternoons/early evenings on Magic back in the early 1990's (starting around 1pm) - and Regis and Kathie Lee (can't forget her) were my breakfast TV of choice. I just started drinking coffee - so usually I'd make a cup or two, plop down, read the paper, let the dog out to do his thing - and watch the show - at least the first fifteen minutes as the opening banter was always the best part.

Regis is a throwback to earlier TV times - and apparently shows up just a few minutes before the broadcast without any major preparation. Still, he' s so charming that he gets away with it. His niceness is contagious - and the generational differences with Kelly provide a nice in-house clash that we're all in on. Nice clash of course - and in many ways I think the success of this show enabled Rosie O'Donnell and Ellen DeGeneres to make a go with their more friendly/ traditional midday talk shows.

No word on a replacement yet - this news is still quite a surprise - but it has to be someone a bit like Regis - older, charming, somewhat skeptical about modern times. So, after five minutes on a wish list I only came up with one name: Tom Selleck. Wow! This is hard!

Busy during the day, I don't see the show often - but last time I watched - Reege was still Reege - and even if he's not going out on a peak - he's still going out strong. After so many years trying to make it big - he hit gold in his fifties! What a career!!! What a win for The Nice Guys!

BUTT NO!!!

Northeast PA (Scranton/Wilkes-Barre) has just been named The Second Smokiest Place in the USA by the Daily Beast. They arrived at this ranking by calculating the number of smokers per capita (23 percent of us), the amount smoked per day (17 cigs) and the percentage who tried to quit. Tulsa Oklahoma was # 1 by the way and Memphis was third.

The Times-Tribune did a follow-up story and it's no surprise that with all of this smoking, lung cancer rates in Northeast PA are 18 percent above the national average.

For the most part, I'm a pretty mellow, passive kind of guy - but I've got to come out and say (or type this) - I HATE SMOKING!

Growing up, most of my relatives smoked - my dad quit early - but everyone else smoked right up until they were forced to quit - and it was the smoking that landed them in the bad health in the first place.

I've never smoked - but I'm lucky - it's never appealed to me. NOW, I'm certain that I always was allergic to it - a blessing in disguise, I suppose. In my 20's, I'd always feel like garbage the next morning after hanging out in a smoky bar - sore throat, watery eyes. I get these symptoms now whenever I'm near someone smoking.

However, the image that sealed my lifetime refusal to smoke is from my elementary school days and that of my dear sweet grandmother. She used to watch my sister and I for a few days each year as my parents went to an out-of-town business meeting. Grammy would give me a bath - scrubbing me nice and clean with a washcloth - AND A CIGARETTE HANGING FROM HER LIPS. Even then I thought, how I could I be clean with all of that smoke around me? That did the trick. Thanks Grammy!

OK - Truth be told: I carry a few extra pounds - and yes - that could very well "do me in" someday - and I guess we all have our own baggage - but at least my eating fattening food here and there can't hurt anyone else - like secondhand smoke does. (Don't get me started on parents smoking in a car with closed windows while their kids are in the back seat!!).

Let's hope next time we make a National list, it's for something good - like the friendliest or hardest-working people, etc. There's a lot to be proud of - but not this.

Blah Blah Blahs

Now that the holidays are over (except for Orthodox Christmas), we've entered the doldrums of Winter.

To be honest, I kind of like this time of year because we finally...SLOW DOWN a bit. And it's good to slow down, because most of us are BROKE.

We just recieved one of our highest credit card bills EVER after holiday shopping. The problem is - the cycle started on Black Friday and ended around Christmas - this means that EVERY holiday purchase is on this bill. It's a four digit bill and it hurts! Ouch! Since I make an effort to pay everything off each month (not what the credit card folks like, by the way), we had to juggle some other funds around (savings) - but I think we're going to be able to pull it off. We're paid here on the 15th - but with the MLK holiday - most of the other bills (like the mortgage) have to be paid by the 14th to clear.

OK, back to why January isn't that bad. Summer is very busy - vacations, parties, outdoor fun, yardwork, etc. Autumn through Christmas is very busy also - back to school, holidays, holiday preprations - and football! Now, football is just about over - no more Fantasy leagues and (especially when your favorite NFL team is out) so Saturday and Sunday afternoons open up. All of a sudden - more free time! It's nice to have a Saturday or Sunday with nothing to do every once in awhile! That nothing always becomes something - but you get to pick it!

I especially like playing "catch-up" this time of year - catching up on movies (most of the Oscar nominees arrive here in Winter) and music (listening to many of the year's most acclaimed CD's). I also like getting some home (and home organization) projects done. And...with those bills, maybe it's finally time to roll those quarters. Finally, the best part - with the sun up late, it's also a good time to sleep in and get some extra ZZZ's!

So - Take It Easy - and Happy Blah Blah Blah!

You Think I'm Pretty Without Any Makeup On?

Katy Perry without Makeup as "Tweeted" by Husband Russell Brand.

She certainly doesn't look terrible by any means - but it's a humbling photo - showing us what Hollywood stylists can do - and this humility I think is a good way to begin 2011.

Times have been tough lately - and I think a great way to have a Happy 2011 is TO KEEP THE BAR LOW! Let's not expect so much this year. That way we can't be disappointed! So, with that in mind my resolutions are:

1. To gain no more than 100 pounds.

2. To show up for work at least 25 percent of the time.

3. To remember the names of everyone in my family.

OK, just kidding - because I believe that optimism is what gets us through the hard times - so let me offer you my sincere wishes that our hard times are behind us - and all the best for a Happy, Healthy and Properous 2011.

(Who knows - I may not even wait eight months between blogs?)

Exeter Wal-Mart - My Two Cents

I'm no legal/zoning expert, but it now (again) appears The Wal-Mart project will happen in Exeter - my former hometown of 30+ years.

Everyone in town has an opinion. If pressed, I would say I'm against it - but for primarily selfish reasons.

# 1 It’s a three minute car ride from home to mom and dad’s. The New Wal-Mart would now be exactly in the middle. With the extra traffic / inevitably longer traffic light, it could add another minute or two. I like being three minutes away - not four.

# 2 While I live in another town - West Wyoming – I’m still very close to the proposed site. It's so close I think I’ll hear the trucks loading - especially with the windows open on hot summer nights.

# 3 With the extra traffic – the lines are going to get longer at Carter’s Ice Cream across Wyoming Avenue. I don’t want to wait in line any longer for my ice cream!! Carter’s better not be going anywhere.

.

OK - guess I have more than three reasons.

Wal-Marts are supposed to be AWAY from residential areas and NOT in the middle of them.

I LOVE small towns and main streets, but they are most certainly slipping away and we have to hang on to the ones we have left. I used to ride my bike ride up and down the sidewalks of Wyoming Ave. as a kid. This stretch of road may prove too dangerous for sixth graders to navigate now - and that's a shame.

Also, I will also continue to support the smaller family-owned family businesses of Exeter, West Pittston, Wyoming and West Wyoming - as long as they remain open.

GUEST BLOG! Helping Out the Library

I received this email from listener Jocelyn - and as someone who has spent HUNDREDS of hours at the Osterhout over the years (a favorite childhood Saturday stop) - we're happy to spread the word. Give 'em your votes!


The Osterhout North Branch Library is one of ten non-profits from around the country vying for $10,000 in Gap's Give and Get contest on Facebook. The contest started on March 1st and from dozens of entries, the North Branch received a spot in the top ten. The finals started today and run until April 4th. You can vote once a day for your favorite non-profit. The winner is the non-profit who receives the most votes through the Gap Give and Get page on Facebook.

http://apps.facebook.com/contestshq/contests/23972/voteable_entries/3254196

In July 2007, the building that housed the Osterhout North Branch was damaged by fire. Currently, the branch is located in a space donated by a local businessman. A former church was recently purchased and will be converted into a library, but $80,000 needs to be raised in order to make the necessary repairs and upgrades to the building. This $10,000 would go a long way towards the goal!

It's not everyday that a local non-profit has a chance like this! Any publicity you could give to us and this contest would be fantastic!


Thanks!
Jocelyn Chocallo
co-chair
Osterhout Library North Branch Committee