ROBUST discussion

98. Now I know why I don't have bedbugs.

Er, your fifth decade is the years between 40 and 49, and your sixth decade the years when you are fifty-something.

I like the earlier one, about dogs watching people to see who's kind to others before they decide who to beg from.

Patricia wrote: "98. Now I know why I don't have bedbugs."
Okay I made the mistake of checking my email one last time and saw that you responded. Now I'm glad I did. Calling it a day laughing all the way and just now realizing I put the new post at the end of page 1 instead of five. Without further ado I'm succumbing to my need for sleep.

Andre Jute wrote: "Er, your fifth decade is the years between 40 and 49, and your sixth decade the years when you are fifty-something.

I like the earlier one, about dogs watching people to see who's kind to others ..."

Well, shoot I guess I missed the glory days and its all down hill.

I'm sorry to be the bearer of such ill tidings from the L-tables.

Sure, Margie, just leave us hanging, grin.

#50 - that might be a better use than thinking with one...

#74 - now I know why I often get that message, Oops, we got confused...

For all you doubly creative types out there:

Found on Twitter: From Paulo Coelho: Illustrator wanted / Preciso de ilustrador > http://bit.ly/zEtXcc

Check it out here

Wouldn't it be cool to have 'Illustrator for Paulo Coelho' on your cv.

If you've already seen this I apologise but it's brilliant. In three days it has had more than a million hits.
http://youtu.be/SKVcQnyEIT8

Link didn't work, Margie. I tried removing the period between the u and b, but that didn't work either.

Well, that's weird. I just tried it and it worked. But anyway go to YouTube and search for The Joy of Books. It is now up to a 1,233,457 hits.
They also did organizing the bookcase.

Worked for me. And it was beautiful! I can see this type of bookstore surviving the digital revolution just as vintage books stores do now...

I saw that on the Passive Voice Blog ... love it. I think the headline he put on the link was "What books do at night."

I did something I have done in years. Ordered a paper book. It's one that isn't available in digital form, sooo I caved in.

Patricia wrote: "I saw that on the Passive Voice Blog ... love it. I think the headline he put on the link was "What books do at night."

I did something I have done in years. Ordered a paper book. It's one that is..."

That's my girl!

Sharon wrote: "Worked for me. And it was beautiful! I can see this type of bookstore surviving the digital revolution just as vintage books stores do now..."

I can too Sharon. I will haunt them and my collection will continue to grow.

Sharon, in the States vintage books stores aren't doing well these days. The Internet is killing them, making rare item far less rare for the seeker, thus keeping prices low.

That's right, Patricia, you have first-hand knowledge of that. But I do think they will have a place in our future...

Sharon wrote: "That's right, Patricia, you have first-hand knowledge of that. But I do think they will have a place in our future..."

The work involved in running a rare book shop (the travel, the auctions, the estate sales, the book shows) plus the significant investment that must be made in stock that may not move for years, even decades, or perhaps not at all makes me doubt that the shops will have much place in the future. I especially doubt it because I don't think the internet is going away any time soon, and book sellers can do their selling with greater ease on the net. Where I live, the best shop for miles around (one that carried only the best quality books) closed to the public, moving entirely to the web.

My father was in the business at a very good time. The net wasn't taking over yet, he had plenty of room to hold his stock, the shop was just a passion -- not the source of his real money. He had a thriving business that enabled him to finance the book buying, and it was one that gave him the free time he needed to do all the travel and book hunting necessary as well as the freedom to set appointments with customers whenever he wished. It's an extremely tough business.

http://knstrct.com/2012/01/10/weekly-...

I am thinking it might be a good idea to move to Munich and take up the study of law.

eh? (clicks link)

OOOHHH! I agree!

That spiral staircase is incredible. Very good link, Margie. Thanks.

Margie wrote: "If you've already seen this I apologise but it's brilliant. In three days it has had more than a million hits.
http://youtu.be/SKVcQnyEIT8"

Saw it and it was fabulous! So glad you posted. Watched it again!

K. A. wrote: "I like that!

I finally talked my Mom into writing her life story.

Should be interesting."

K.A. My mom and I did that project just after my dad passed. She called me 5 days after agreeing to write her life story and said it was done. I sent her back to the drawing board. She was 85 for goodness sake there had to be more than 5 pages. Eventually we had a beautiful book full of pictures from her girlhood in Germany, wonderful stories and insights. We published through Blurb and she gave one to each of my brothers and sisters. It was the greatest gift. Enjoy - I wish we were still writing it. Maybe she'll do a sequel

That is such a fabulous thing to do, Kat and Rebecca, wish I still had my mom around. She was one of the strongest people it has ever been my pleasure to know, had a very eventful (if often one of struggle) life, and has always been/will always be my hero...

Nice, Margie. I surely hope libraries do not go the way of bookstores. Perhaps then that is where we will find all the treasures (not that we don't now)...

Sharon wrote: "That is such a fabulous thing to do, Kat and Rebecca, wish I still had my mom around. She was one of the strongest people it has ever been my pleasure to know, had a very eventful (if often one of ..."

You should write down your memories of her. I'm so grateful my adult children have known their grandparents and remember their great-grandparents but they will never know where they get their courage and quirks unless we leave something for them. Wish your mom was still here, too.

From Twitter: @McDonalds: "We trust our customers to make the choices that are best for them."

Clearly...

Sharon, I love that. I couldn't agree more. The soda thing is ridiculous unless they want to outlaw giant lattes and jamba juice. Good grief, I didn't' even have a nanny when my kids were kids.

Actually Rebecca, I was dissing McDonalds. They've never even made an attempt at offering more nutritious choices on their menus - though their adverts suggest otherwise. They know good and well folks are not prepared to take responsibility for their health - and will not likely make the best choice unless the choices themselves are easy to make.

Still, though a case could be made that the New York law on drink sizes could be beneficial for the health of the community, and we should all be concerned for the health of the community, I do agree it has gone beyond the purview of Big Brother.

I'm guessing the law was made so that folks would look at how they are treating their bodies and those of their children. Will it work? I suppose even if one life was saved from it, it is worth it...

Nope, won't work until people make choices. Of course just IMHO. You can't legislate personal behavior on that micro level. Will we then be ticketed for brining a big gulp back across the NYC border? There are much much more serious problems. I think there is tons of information and education that's what we should embrace and show our children how to do the same. The nice thing about living in this marvelous country is that we do have choice. Just came back from Albania where they had none for the lifetime of some people. Made me so grateful.

Nope, won't work until people make choices. Of course just IMHO. You can't legislate personal behavior on that micro level. Will we then be ticketed for brining a big gulp back across the NYC border? There are much much more serious problems. I think there is tons of information and education that's what we should embrace and show our children how to do the same. The nice thing about living in this marvelous country is that we do have choice. Just came back from Albania where they had none for the lifetime of some people. Made me so grateful.

I don't drink soda so the issue didn't hit my hot button. I have a friend -- quite a large one -- who routinely has the waitress set up five sodas in front of him as he begins his meal. His bones are probably dissolved by now.

When I have a big drink, it's water.

McDonald's does have some good selections on their menu. Right now, I have two McD's salads in my refrigerator. Only a dollar each. I usually have one on-hand for midnight snacks. I hate making salads at home.

It took the government to pass laws to stop the sale of opiates in children's medication.

It took the government to force the sellers of 'snake oil' to label their ingrediants.

It took the government to regulate the meat packing industry so people didn't get sick from eating purchased meat because it was covered in flith, or rotten.

I'm convinced the 'fast food' industry and the processed food industry need to be told to stop shoving ever-increasing volume of sugar down people's throats. White sugar is adictive, kinda like opium.

When the food industry calls the size of the human stomach a problem that needs to be overcome - we are little better than the geese force-fed for their livers.

The nice thing is we can agree to disagree :)

Yes - I respect where you are coming from - I don't drink soda, and I only eat 'small' fries and burgers. I'm still 50 lbs overweight - but it would be MUCH worse if I didn't at least try to keep a handle on what I eat.

I just have the feeling that the fast food industry will cheerfully poison us.

but see, how great that you make the choice. I love fast food but I grew up and my children grew up eating it in moderation. Sounds like you do, too. We're ahead of the game and I'm a firm believer in example. One thing I do like is that we are advised now of calorie count. Then I can make my decision. The law was even used in moderation on that one.

When I read David Kessler's book, I started paying much closer attention to what those in the food business are doing to addict us:

http://www.amazon.com/The-End-Overeat...

Rebecca wrote: "The nice thing is we can agree to disagree :)"

It is what makes ROBUST a great forum for sure...

Rebecca wrote: "but see, how great that you make the choice. I love fast food but I grew up and my children grew up eating it in moderation..."

It is wonderful that you were informed/smart enough to make that choice, Rebecca. But the issue is that millions more have not. Though I'm sure y'all are tired of me comparing Canadians to Americans, and we are and have been forever way behind Europeans in fitness/health, but I recently returned from two trips into the US and in both cases my fellow travellers made note of and were shocked at the size of the people we saw on the streets - and most especially the children. I fail to see what could be a much much more serious problem than the state of a nation's health...

K, rant over. Time to say welcome back Rebecca. I'd forgotten you were visiting Albania. How is your son?

I figured McD's salads would come up. It is admirable that they have now put them on their menu - though I'd guess it's in response to the competition's success with their salads and not out of any altruistic impulse. But add chicken to any of them and the sodium content soars. Add their salad dressing (or most sauces) - and who doesn't? - and it's even worse!

Yeah, but isn't that any salad? Even the one I make at home? I don't see much difference. I try never to look at the back of thousand island dressing bottles when I use it. I guess the point seems to be that when we were growing up (I'll speak for myself not knowing how old everyone is) the world was very different. I think then most everyone had extended families who looked did the policing on all sorts of levels, we played outside - parents too - and not in front of computers, we walked more because families only had one car if that, only one television for the entire house. It's not education, it's what life has become and life is more than just a fast food place or the size of a cup. Even when I'm mad at something it's usually not one person or one things fault. All of course, one person's opinion only. That being said. Thanks for the welcome back, Sharon. Nice to pop in and say hi. Really didn't have any intentions to debate, but it's a great intellectual exercise and that is what writing is all about - permutations, thoughts, points of view. All comes around I think :) Goodnight. All that was missing was a nice glass of wine - felt like I was around a dinner table.

Ah, last thing. Thanks for asking about my son. He's fabulous in trying conditions. Found a country full of people who would give anything to get to America to work for their families. The north of Albania was filled with rocks, little opportunity, a society that was repressed for too long and yet one that is incredibly hospitable. No way the trip was a vacation - it was so much more. I am grateful to have seen the country and so impressed with my son, his work, the fact that he is fluent in Albanian and has not lost his glorious smile. :)

ps. I'm still not convinced we aught to legislate these things. But I am convinced the controversy will prompt at least some people to think about what they are putting in their mouths.

It will likely take a very long time before the tide is turned. But we have been largely successful with educating our citizens about the dangers of tobacco, and we have the resources now to spread the word on these issues much more quickly.

Sharon, I don't add chicken to the salad, and I don't use McD's dressing. I use the low-fat, low-cal dressing I have at home. I think their dressing is Newman's.

Sharon, on that we both agree. I do believe that the education will work. It took a long time to get on this downhill spiral, it will take a long time to get back to the tip of the hill. Patricia, you are so good. I add all sorts of stuff to my salad, just not a lot of anything.

Rebecca, our posts crossed. Nice to hear about your son. I'm sure it will always be a worry to have him over there, but at the same time it must feel better to be able to envision him doing his good work and know you raised a fine young man.

And nice to have you back, sitting around the ROBUST dinner table and debating - with or without the wine.

Rebecca wrote: "Will we then be ticketed for brining a big gulp back across the NYC border?."

A Smith Act for transporting a supersize latte across state borders?

A whole new career structure opens for surplus FBI agents!

"Madam, you are hereby charged with transporting one large coffee, aka a supersize latte, between States. Will you pay the fine or do you intend going to court."

And then Sylvester Stallone pops up and shoots you down like a mad dog as a threat to society...

Kench!

On another note, Ray Bradbury died today, at 91. I lifted a quote from 'The Illustrated Man':

"My tunes and numbers are here. They have filled my years, the years when I refused to die. And in order to do that I wrote, I wrote, I wrote, at noon or 3:00 A.M.

So as not to be dead."

RIP

RIP, indeed. Except that, with an epitaph like this, he will never die:

"My tunes and numbers are here. They have filled my years, the years when I refused to die. And in order to do that I wrote, I wrote, I wrote, at noon or 3:00 A.M.

So as not to be dead."

I was very lucky to have been on the same stage with Mr. Bradbury on a few occasions at writers conference. He was an impossible act to follow: charming, eccentric, so intelligent. He was amazingly unique:

If we listened to our intellect, we'd never have a love affair. We'd never have a friendship. We'd never go into business, because we'd be cynical. Well, that's nonsense. You've got to jump off cliffs all the time and build your wings on the
way down."

Now that's a definition of busking, "build your wings on the way down."

Patricia wrote: "When I read David Kessler's book, I started paying much closer attention to what those in the food business are doing to addict us:

http://www.amazon.com/The-End-Overeat......"

I've got that book! It was GREAT!