HALLOWEEN

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. The people who like to create, I believe they also like Halloween and Easter as well.

When I was growing up in the “housing development” in The Bronx, we would have to be creative with our costumes. Finding old worn out shoes, hats and anything we could get our hands on. Please note you have to ask your parents if the items were suitable for donations to our cause!

 Side note: We did not know how economically poor we were, but none the less we were rich in community and family values.

I would ask my mom for some of old make up that were either the wrong colors in her free samples or just that the shade were off by a lot! This would make the best corpse completion. Let us not forget the black eyeliner to complete the look.  My younger brother was always subjected to my required participation whether he wanted to or not. His costume was always the same, a Red Skelton inspired Hobo. It was complete with the sloppy clown makeup, oversized clothes, big shoes and a stick with a sack tied on the end. We would go door to door in the building where there were seven stories, seven apartments on each floor. It was good, clean fun. No worries of sorted grownups and bad behavior. The scare of razor blades in candies has been around since there were “trick-or-treating” in the urban big cities.

The years passed, I got married and had children of my own, who once again were subjected to my required participation! By this time I had a better budget. I bought “proper” costumes because my sons would have it no other way.

 We went out in neighborhood, but very little participation. I think it was the neighborhood had changed. The influx of new immigrants who were not familiar with this holiday made for slim pickings. We would make our way to the malls where the shop owners would give candy to the little ones.

Nowadays as a grandmother myself, I wear a homemade costume with a funky wig and give out candy. I have crazy decorations in front of my home that lets the neighbors know I HAVE CANDY ON HALLOWEEN! Some of my neighbors do not speak English very well, but I always try to lead by example. Most all of them want to be American citizens, and do what Americans do, celebrate holidays from different cultures and putting personal family spin on them. Tailoring the holiday and making new traditions. It is always a pleasure and gives my heart joy to see the little one say “tricktree”…

By the way, what happened to the “tricks” instead of the treats? Trick----or---Treat?

..Pandora [Twilight Zone Music]

MY PHONE IS RINGING

I'm not in the mood. There are some days when I'm willing to or wanting to be BOTHERED! I do not want to answer the phone which is calling from a 1-800 number, private, or my new favorite {1}...Just the number one on the caller I.D.
 You have to pay for any type of publication or advertisements. You have to pay someone to promote you or your product on any social media.

 Why is it, I have to pay to have my phone number...not to be published?

When I was growing up you had prefix telephone numbers with names. Our number began with "Killpatrick"[ki2-8862]. As per "GOOGLE" they are known as Telephone Exchange Numbers

http://ourwebhome.com/TENP/Recommended.html

The information was accurate. The telephone book was a "go to" source to locate "respectable" family members. When I was a child, we used to actually read the telephone book to find the funny sounding names until we got bored.

Now we have google, numbered saved automatically into our mobile phones.

I digress.
Stop the madness.... oh wait, my phone is ringing, I have to see who it is...

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 speed sketching!

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Sharp Aquos Crystal - Bezelless Smartphone!

Your Family Tree Explained

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Mobile Telephone Technology

Mobile Telephone Technology

               Today one can check their email, search for information on a “Smart Phone”. There is what is known as “apps”. Applications that will complete certain tasks for the user. There are the applications [apps] that can do simple arithmetic calculations to square root of…whatever. There are useless apps for as far as I’m concerned that are pre-installed. There must be some sort of advertising gain or “sleeping with the devil” to have these pre-installed programs. Take for instance, the “Head phone” apps, the chat-room types, the “I want to find my family” app, three different message apps, and a few I have no idea what they are for. Then there are the “Office-on the go” apps. One can do spreadsheet or create a document for emailing. You can also use your favorite search engine to verify more useless information.

The Global Positioning Satellite [GPS] apps I find useful. If I have an address that I have looked up prior to my travel before I left my home, and cannot seem to locate, this app is very useful. You have to turn on the GPS on your phone to allow the assistance.

The calendar app is priceless. No more collecting appointment cards to lose, or missing meetings or concerts that I wanted to attend. The camera and photo gallery go together, make sense.

There is more technology that is being introduced which allows you to set your thermostat, security alarm systems. You can view the inside of your home just by the swipe of your phone. You can take a picture of a written check and with a “click” deposit it into your bank account. [Yipes]. Now I’m scared.

This is why I used get frustrated when I had to make a simple phone call. I have learned to “disable” apps, custom my home screen and minimize useless information that is all but annoyance.

My question is: Are there sufficient security for all of this technology? If we can view the inside of our home and cash a check with our mobile devices is there enough security for this? Is the NSA working on my behalf?

I just want to order some Chinese food.

…Pandora

DRIVING

Today you have car that can almost self-park. I have a rear camera on my car. There is your standard rear view mirror, left side mirror and the right side mirror; this is from sitting in the driver’s seat. Now they are trying to make “Driverless Cars”.

Getting your driver’s license was a rite of passage growing up. You watched your mom or dad driving and couldn’t wait to get your license. You studied the Manual, asked a thousand questions and became A “BACK SEAT DRIVER”.

When I started getting driving lessons from my father, we had a 1965 Dodge Rambler. It had two mirrors, a rear view and a left side one. There was no a right side mirror at all and it was a stick with the clutch behind the steering wheel.

 I took a “Driver’s Ed” in high school as an elective instead of home economics. The class had a little seat with a steering wheel, indicator controls, brake and gas pedals. We watched movies about other people getting driving lessons. That was it!

 When we sat in the back seat as children, there were no seat belts. There were no children car seats to speak of. My mother of father’s arm was the safety restraint. By the way gas was 35¢ and you had to choose between regular or high test.

When I started my family, I had a Ford Town and Country Station wagon. I used to put the kids all of the way in the back with pillows and blankets for long drives. Don’t judge me. I didn’t know better!

When I visited the south people did not wear shoes while driving. I thought this was brave.

Today, tsk, there are so many unnecessary accidents. Texting and driving? Why would you want to take your eyes off of the road? The fact is you have not been on this earth for a while. You have not been an adult that many years, therefore have not developed the skill to master the vehicle to start with. To you older drivers, you are not as quick as you think. [sh]

Moving right along, I think I will go into the store. Wait, someone is sitting in their car, in the Handicap space with no tag! I will just circle and give the “evil eye/ice grill”.

….Pandora

America By The Numbers with Maria Hinojosa: Clarkston Georgia

PUBLISHERS CLEARING HOUSE

Last year around Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays the mailbox was packed every week with the “Publisher’s Clearing House sweepstakes” There should be a law requiring how many winners per year, and what states there are in. Looks to me they run the same people in the commercials, and this year I have not seen any as of yet.

               What are “they” clearing? Publications? With the decline of print publications there should be less junk mail anyway. The filler mail in the envelope is products that can be purchased in today’s Dollar 99¢ discount stores. The question again, what is in the “Clearing House?”

               I played along for one year to see how far they would go to string me along. I was told that I am getting close. There are 5 people in my zip codes and I am moving closer to finding out the winner in my neighborhood. I have been getting close for that last [forever].

               There should be a law against “coning” people out of their money. Oh wait! There is. Games of chance, internet gambling is illegal in most states; Mail fraud in all 50 states.

               I think time has passed for this type of “junk mail” There some people who really believe there is a chance like I do with the State Lottery of Education. The difference is, it’s a dollar and a dream. The Lottery can get out of control, but there are people who do win. Publisher’s Clearing House I am not too sure if any, how often.

Today’s ‘Rambling’ brought to you by “Mailbox Keeper” he who clears out the mailbox and takes a hand full directly to the nearest trashcan.

….Pandora

GPS

Get People Searching

GPS are the bane of my existence. Global Positioning System, GPS & Navigation systems seemed like a good idea at the onset. Blindly following turn by turn directions from a device that sounds like a Star trek robot that has no idea where we’re at!

Learning that this device needs to be updated at the wrong time, helps nothing. “In 200 feet make right turn”. There has been a railroad track for the last two mile running parallel with the road I’m on. I need to not to make any right or left turns for that matter! I prefer MapQuest®

I like to map out my travels to a new destination before leaving the house because of my prior experiences with GPS software.  I like to look at the surrounding neighborhoods to see if I am familiar with the general areas. I do not like surprises. Well, Surprise, not only did the map from the house computer told a lie, the car GPS and my Android turn by turn directions lead me to a dead end.

I called the office to get better directions. They gave the same directions as the Android. The issue in my town is it is growing and spreading. There streets that have not been mapped. The satellite doesn't help [evidently].(o_0). What’s the point of satellite connections if I do not have the right address or, I do have the right address and the road work has not been updated! This is proof that there is no “real time” GPS.

We finally found the place after we had lunch. Maybe the red wine help!

Be careful and make sure your GPS is up to date.

I’m in the shower, starting my routine when I looked down to see the extra that is in the shower with me. The extra width on my thighs and my waist are noticeable. My “Gurls” have gone south. I thought about complaining then I thought again.

 I thought about thanking my legs and thighs for carrying for almost 70 years [I’m closer to 70 then 20]. They have supported me through thick and thin. They have taken me work for over 35 years, carried two children at different times for 9 months. Then another year and a half off and on;  carrying each one at different times.   Grocery shopping, open school nights, emergency room visits between the hours or 1am and 4 am at different times for different children.  

I thought about my “Gurls”, my breast and how they are not paying attention to what’s ahead in front of them. They are not “uplifting” as much anymore. I remembered how they tried to feed two children once upon a time. How my “Gurls” filled out my dresses and sweaters in the right places, and hid small sums of cash from time to time.

I thought about complaining. I thought about the blessings. The blessings to be able to see another “ripple” in my thighs. The blessing to have a wider girth. The blessing to have the two sagging sidekicks.

Things are not as bad as they seem. Each day is a gift to unwrap and see the surprise that is waiting. I really smell the flowers. I really enjoy each and every day. My children are the keepers of my heart, the keepers of my soul. My grandchildren are my light on my path to my family’s future.

A Breast Cancer Survivor, I have a lot to be grateful, thankful for.

PANDORA….