"Oliver's _____"

[Oliver]

THIS IS A VERY TARDY EDIT to acknowledge that the following was an email I received. I simply wanted to store/share it here. In a way it suggests that fundamentally there is nothing too "new", that only the names, dates and degrees change.

"Those who are not busy being born are busy dyin'.  Bob Dylan
Thomas Jefferson:

John Kennedy once said to a assembled group of scholars in the White House  * I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent, of human knowledge, that has ever been gathered at the White House - with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone.
The quotes below could prove his point.
His words have come to pass.................

When we get piled upon one another in large cities, as in Europe, we shall become as corrupt as Europe 
Thomas Jefferson
 
The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.
Thomas Jefferson
 
It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes. A principle which if acted on would save one-half the wars of the world.
Thomas Jefferson
 
I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.
Thomas Jefferson
 
My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government.
Thomas Jefferson
 
No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms.
Thomas Jefferson
 
The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.
Thomas Jefferson
 
The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Thomas Jefferson
 
     
In light of the present financial crisis, it's  interesting to read what Thomas Jefferson said in 1802:

'I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around the banks will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered."
 
 

[Oliver]

The 2.5% penalty for not have insurance initially has a very neg. ring in my book. Of course, if one is poor, one apparently will not have to worry about it and it'll be given basically....

True, another gov. run program, S.Security has become a saviour for many and apparently far more of a program than initially intended. But there are ways around having to pay S.S. with diff job choices, (teaching, for instance) At least with SS, you pay in and theoretically will get something out whereas any number of healthy people, who could even afford to pay the per-cost amount of their needs, are being forced into a system that once enacted, will become ever-more firmly planted and the initial penalty will go nowhere but up,  just as the percentage needed for SS every now and then goes up.

You know, folks, we as a society don't need to be a sickly people. I think a lot of heath problems are self-induced. (smoking, stuffing on junk food) You can tinker with the system all you want, spread the wealth all you can get away with since the poor greatly outnumber the wealthy, but until you can curb people's poor food choices and couch pototo ways, you may as well flush all that burdensome money you extract from innocent people into the sewer.

I'd opt for a different route: give incentives for people to be and stay healthy. And make a level of care that poor people could afford, where an office visit costs, say, $10 instead of $100.

By the way, what would be so awful with, say, a 1% Nat. Tax for Healthcare? I picked my percentage out of thin air roughly the way the "experts" seem to pick out their rates.

 

[Oliver]

For years now, all the emphasis I've heard has been on nutrition. It's always 'nutrition this', 'nutrition that'. Well, I believe it's time to get back to the way our folks and grandfolks dealt with it: oldtrition, by gum!!

If it was good enough fer them, then it's good enough fer me, by cracky!!

[Oliver]

It is with great warmth I now offer to you, for all your infinite forbearance, a brief resurrection of my long-since unused blog category:

"I Believe"

I Believe that a snake's eyes have a hitherto unappreciated look that will someday be emblazoned on the 3-dollar bill. Wait a minute! I think they're already on the currency!!

I Believe that whoever gets the Tonite Show after dufuss Conan will make even HIM look like he has a morsel of ability as a host!

I Believe that someday, within the next several hundred years, that men will have finally struggled enough to have obtained the EQUAL RIGHTS afforded to WOMEN for so very long. However, the Caucasian males will still have an especially hard time of it for untold years, looked down upon, singled out and profiled for their general inquisitive, creative and intelligently compassionate ways. (building towers to the sun, exploring the mysterious Universe, defending their country from EVIL, developing ultra-complex electronics to cope with human maladies, medical & mental suffering, etc; etc; etc;)

I Believe it'll be awhile before I do this again.

Thank you, all 2 of you!   

[Oliver]

I just may be doing a blog later!

[Oliver]

Whatever it was 5 days ago, I forget. That's too long ago.

Here is an email I'm posting. As usual, the author is given no credit. MY comments are in parenthesis ( ) 
HEALTH  HANDBOOK 2010
 
1.Drink plenty of water. (I've found that to be mostly balogna.)
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar. (there are many ways & times to consume your intake,,why starve at night?)
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.. (right on!)
4. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy (Euphoniously is good, too)
5. Make time to pray. (but not necessarily incessantly like Franny in "Franny and Zoey")
6. Play more games (do freecell, you'll be hooked)
7. Read more books than you did in 2009 . (that is, shoot for at least 1)
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day (no problem to accomplish for old bachelors)
9. Sleep for 7 hours. (16 to 18 simplifies one's awake time, by the way)
10. Take a 10-30 minute walk daily. And while you walk, smile. (never did believe in a fake smile, though a genuine smirk is OK in my book)

Personality:
11. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.(the 2nd sentence isn't necessarily true, but the 1st sentence is good advice)
12. Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment. (yes, find a silver lining)
13. Don't over do. Keep your limits. (gauging just right is very important in life)
14. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does. (how often I've posted this)
15. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip. (hey! that's all people do do!)
16. Dream more while you are awake (I daydream constantly, like, right now even)
17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need..(true. what you have doesn't have anything to do with my quality of life)
18. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner with His/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness. (true. doing this is not in my nature, ask anyone)
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others. (well, easier said than done, some do not deserve human forgiveness)
20. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present. (they say this is a good idea, I don't have any worrisome unfinished business excpt to tell Mr. Nofzinger something)
21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you. (hey, that's pretty wise)
22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime. (ha! how well do you still know your algebra, etc:)
23. Smile and laugh more. (sounds like something an old person would say, but, it couldn't hurt)
24. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree...(oh, I win them all in my own mind)

Society:
25. Call your family often. (well,,,,,,,,,,I do in a way)
26. Each day give something good to others. (would that I could. I'd hoped I might be able to share something good online with whomever might stumble upon my drivel)
27. Forgive everyone for everything..(again, some do not deserve it)
28.. Spend time w/ people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6. (I have at times)
29. Try to make at least three people smile each day. (I don't personally interact with many people on a daily basis, except maybe online, where my words go almost totally unnoticed)
30. What other people think of you is none of your business. (again, that defies human nature)
31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch. (well,,,,it should be a 2-way street meaning that if THEY do not reciprocate, I suppose they really aren't friends?)

Life:
32. Do the right thing! (yes, Dr. Laura)
33. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful. (there are exceptions; beauty is in the eye of....and it ain't everything to intelligent people)
34. GOD heals everything. (the older I get, the less sure I am about that)
35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change... (hmmm, true basically)
36. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up. (I'm a punctual freak)
37. The best is yet to come.. (that's what I keep telling myself)
38. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it. (I am thankful & appreciative)
39. Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy. (one can only strive for inner-peace)

Last but not the least:
40. Please Forward this to everyone you care about, I just did. "(OK, here it is for  one or two I guess)

[Oliver]

This Jim Dandy post just appeared on BP. But I'm going to also place it here, no matter what they all used to say!

Silly Song Titles For Christmas

I'm Drowning In A White Bathtub; I Rode My Bike On Christmas Day; Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Runner; I Heard the Crows On Christmas Day; Santa Claus Is Coming To Zayres; Whose Child Is This?!; The 12 Days of Heartburn; Aircraft We Have Heard On High; It Came Upon the Mattress Pad; AND It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like TAX TIME.

Regards, 

[Oliver]

In these last few minutes before the "teen years", I shall mention a few consternations of mine which I got on sale last week at K-Mart.

It has always been confusing and bewildering in the holiday season why people sometimes say they've prepared their special dish and then they've eaten it!! !! !! Even I, who may occasionally have had to nibble on a half-burned candle, or perhaps a small cardboard box from Save a Lot, have never had to eat any dishes, favorite or otherwise!

I've seen ads for electric heaters that claim to heat your palace for just pennies (they never say how many, though) and that it is so safe, a child could lick where the heat comes out with his/her tongue, etc; Something just doesn't add up there.....?? ?? ??

I heard some big operatic blowhard sing Porter's "In the Still of the Night" tonight and it reminded me throughout my life I've always wondered WHAT was in the still of the night.....like, root beer? castor oil??

And finally, as the bump strips tell me I've posted too much,,,,if tonite, Dec. 31 at 11:49 P.M., is New Year's Eve,,,then what is the evening of Jan. 1st called?? ?? ?? ??

Have a nonconfusing 2010 as much as possible.

Retorts,

[Oliver]

Oliver's General Calorie Choices

Fruits: apples; bananas; oranges/grapes occasionally;
Veggies: carrots; corn; peas; grn beans;  cabbage; lettuce; deep brown beans;   potatoes;
Cereals: oatmeal; rice; bran; cheerios; corn fl with "Healthy Measures"; whole-wheat bread; Ginger Evans biscuit mix;
Meats: (cheapest) hot dogs; bologna; salami; (all sparingly)
Milk/Dairy: very minimal; 
Drinks: water; "0" cal drink mixes;
Snacks: popcorn (air-popped); pretzels;
Misc. ketchup; mustard; popcorn salt;

KEYS: "O" calorie butter spray; cook spray; syrup; jelly/jam AND SWEETNER PACKETS
SUBS:for fries: micro a potato(e), cut in slices and brown in a skillet;
for a treat: rice with cinnamon and sweetener; "0" jelly toast; cinnamon toast with sweetener packet; AND Oliver's 1 min. "pancake" treat (great!): pour 5 spoonfuls of batter around on plate, micro 1-min; Some of the batter may not have hardened by then, but with the "0" syrup it just adds to the super taste;. Ginger Evans Biscuit Mix (Save-a-Lot) is IDEAL: protein and almost NO sugar.

KEY to JUNK FOOD: Simple: Don't buy it and don't have it around. Find subs. (see above)

ALL of the preceding is really simple, cheap, basic food; certainly too bland or Spartan for many. But I've found that when one starts eating for taste (which a lot of the fancy food is aimed towards) that's when over-consumption can occur. Anyway, I do not feel deprived by these choices.

(IF I ate like I'd be inclined, I'd probably be 250 and dead instead of around 140.)

Regards,   

[Oliver]

Since I haven't inflicted this on "you" since I can't remember when (and my memory recall now is around 5 minutes or so) here is a new, ad-lib, what-you-read-is-what-you-waste-your-time-on tropic called:

I Believe....

....at 61+ I'll never run a faster mile than I did at DHS: 6m18sec.

....at 61+ IF I tried to run ANY mile, I'd keel over in death within about 22 seconds.

....the spelling of "chrysanthemum" is toooooo difficult and there should be imprisonment for anyone caught spelling it correctly.

....the pronunciation of "chrusanthymum" is tooooo difficult and there shoud be imprisonment for anyone caught saying it correctly (but NOT next to the cells of those spelling it correctly, they'd only ENcourage each other!)

....that my attention span is getting so short, that I'm finished for now.

Remember: Use it or lose it. (I've lost it.)