What's That , Grampa ?

It's amazing how fast things can change . What's ' in' today can be a museum item next day . Change can overtake you without knowing it . This happened to me several times . Latest is last week , I was looking for the disk holder of my son's laptop . Gone .Today's computers don't have use for disks anymore . Kids use USB now to save their files . It's the ' thingy ' you see hanging on college kids' necks or as key chains. In fact , some colleges including Harvard have their professors do their lectures in podcast . Cool . I want to be a student today . I don't have to take notes or worry about missing a lecture . I just need to be tech savvy.

I'm sure there are more obvious changes that are noticeable to us middle age folks . The ' film ' is definitely one . The popularity of digital camera certainly makes ' film ' obsolete . HDTV will definitely be a regular feature of every TV sets. I remember when ' fax ' was 1st introduced . I was amazed by the technology . It's of course ' passes ' now . You've got to be fast minded to keep track of all these changes or else people , if not your kins , will make fun of you . Like what happened to Pres. Bush lately . Of course , we've heard about him calling the internet , internets ! Now , Bush referred to Google as The Google.

We Live In Very Interesting Times ..

Yup . The other day , my friend was telling me how different today's TV world is with so many channels . ' I don't know what to watch ' he ' complained ' to me over the phone . The reason why is that he lives in Canada and in that country they get the sattelite feeds of all channels without paying for them. Lucky bastard . If you have the right equiptments and dish , you can get Pay Per View , Video On Demand , History channel , Playboy , HBO , MSNBX , Fox News and CNN etc . without paying the monthly fees . It's a TV addict paradise over there .

Me . I am happy watching the 4 major netwoks - ABC , CBS , NBC and Fox and on cable - MCNBC , CNN and Fox News. Interesting how the 3 cable news are all different and competitive. Fox is rightist , while the 2 are left-middle of the road .When Fox' O'Reilly identified Rep. Mark Foley ( delirately or not ) as a Democrat when the scandal 1st broke , MSNBC sure highlighted the mistake in their various shows . Now CNN , featuring the terrorist arms video, is being criticized by Fox .
As far asthe network news battle is concern , it's as heated as before the days of 3 oldtimers - Brokaw, Jennings and Rather -who left news scene . CBS' Katie Couric Evening News , after initial surge in the ratings , is reported to be lagging behind at 3rd . NBC's World Tonight by Brian Williams is at 1st followed by ABC's World News by Charles Gibson . I watched all 3 news at 6:30 PM . I start with Gibson and change to NBC or ABC depending on which is more interesting . The problem is that all 3 networks break for commercials practically at the same time .

Hilary Or Ophra

No . Ophra is not actually running for President . Ophra is assuming the role of a kingmaker . The TV Queen is openly endorsing 1st time Senator Obama . Obama is in some sort of a media blitz appearing in her show , in Larry King's and countless other shows . I just know that I watched Obama in these 2 shows . Even the latest Time magazine , he's there on the cover. The man is all over the place . Actually , the charismatic Senator is an interesting read . It will great to see the Hilary camp's strategy vs. him to gain the nomination of the Democratic party in 2008 .
Well , Hilary debated I don't know his name last Friday in NY. She has a wide lead over I don't know his name ( 63%/27%) and her campaign chest is a whooping $ 15 million vs. $500 thou of I don't know his name ! She can certainly channel the leftover to her presidential campaign . At least it would an interesting contest in 2008 rather than the battle now for NY senatorial seat between Hilary and I don't know his name .

Take Care Of Your Partner's Needs

This weekend , we watched a very good movie . Not spectacular but it hits me real hard . The movie featured stories of diverse people and how they handled stress in their lives . What particularly interest me was the story of an elderly couple who lived a simple life . The wife did her stitch work while the husband watched TV while having dinner in a TV tray . Then he smoked his cigarrette after eating while she puts away her work to accompany the bunch she has accumulated through the years . That's the way they lived . Day in and day out !
One day , the lady met in a corner store, an old grade school classmate. He remembered her as a gifted girl who was good in producing wonderful things. They spent a brief time together and he told her that he lived in Europe for sometime with her wife and moved back to the States when she died . ' You should go to Italy . It's wonderful there ' the man said . Before they parted , he invited her to his place ' We can watch the ocean there ' he said.
One day , she remembered the man's invitation . She brought a chocolate bar which he buys daily from the store . She went to his place , pleasantly surprising the man . They went in and sat in the front of the ocean while listening to an opera music . She felt in heaven 'I could just sit here all day ' she said . Then the man's new wife arrived . He intoduced her to his wife. ' He told me about your chance meeting ' ' It's always nice to meet old acquaintance ' the man's wife said with a genuine smile on her face. She hurriedly said her goodbye while the man and his wife readied to go out like newly weds.
At home that night , the same routine except his husband instead put away his soiled plate. He went for his usual smoke in the balcony after eating . Then suddenly , she attacked her pounding her fists on his chest repeatedly . That's it . Simple message . Don't be boring . This week , I will ask my wife to go out and watch a movie/ eat at her fav resto ! Also , I'll recall what things she was good at before ( aside from shopping ) and try to cultivate it .

Massage , Anyone ?

It's astonishing to note the proliferation of spas and massage shops . It's a testament to the emphasis for good living . I recently bought some massaging stuffs . I said some because it's more than one . And progressive at that .I started with a handheld one being peddled on the shopping channel . It was dissapointing. It's good on TV but it doen'nt do the work . Then I tried the one you put on your seat . Titilating at best but hardly powerful to really massage one's tired body .
Recently , I graduated to the expesnive one . The I Joy massage chair ( photo ) . It really does a decent job . And different types of massages too. I like the Shiatsu best . It's not the top of the line ( I think the Panasonic is ) but nevertheless it costs in the hundreds. I bought mine at Linens And Things . But I guess nothing beats the human hands . Every so often , my wife still visits the massage clinic . It's good that it's covered by insurance now . I wonder how much it will cost us to bring someone to do our massaging . Like IM . Instant Massager .

The Times Of Your Life

Sometime last July , I embarked on a project . I resolved to put hundreds , no make that thousands of photos in order . Pictures when we ( me and the wife ) are in the early stages of our married life , to the arrival of each child up to the present . ' I should be done in 3 months ' I told a friend . Some of the pics I will scan and file electronically . Loose photos I will put in albums . Special ones , I will have these framed . Good battleplan . Kapis ? Nope . Just like Rumsfeld , I screwed it up . I barely scrap the top of our collection 3 months after . Why ? Memories. . Yes , just ike Paul Anka's song in that Kodak commercial of yesteryears . The photos have certain memories - some not so good , some funny , some happy and so on - one has to stop and reminisce . I scanned just 3 pictures so far!. One of which I posted several weeks ago and the other one shown here. I find myself awash with memories and I don't mind it . Screw the deadline . Just like the Iraq war , it's gonna' be forever !

Then suddenly you have to find .

The memories you left behind .

Remember ? Do you remember ?

The times of your life .

Whoamart

It's crazy how Walmart continues to sink in the p.r. department despite hiring a bigtime company in charge of 'polishing ' it's battered image. Since old man Sam died , the largest company in the world right now has become the target of criticisms not to mention rallies against it's business policies and personnel moves . There this class lawsuit against it by a group of women who finds that they are being discriminated upon . What about that accusations levelled against the company for hiring illegal immigrants to do it's janitorial services .Jay Leno always joke about it . Of course , there is the union busting complaint by Walmart in Canada . And now this : . Walmart now plans to hire more partime workers .
I told my wife not to buy from Walmart if she can help it . The company should understand while the mission are to maximize shareholders' value and profits , there is still the social responsibility that is of equal importance . I think Walmart's ' bullying ' tactics ' on small towns kill the Mom And Pop stores and destroys the fabric of the community . Some town officials banned the enry of big stores like Sam'. etc in their community . Walmart workers need appropriate wages and benefits . Sam must be rolling on his grave now .




It should be made In China !