Using my blog to try and make the world a better place. If I can help someone forget their troubles for a few minutes a day, it's all worth it.

Thursday, March 30, 2006

I LOVE SUNFLOWERS

Songbird sings from the heart
Each word can tear you apart
I sing - you sing along
You find your life in my song

Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Katharine Ross - a natural beauty.

Katharine Ross ranks up there in my opinion as one of the most beautiful actresses / women of the late 60's, early 70's. She was in several movies that all seemed to start with the word 'The': The Graduate, The Swarm, The Legacy, The Stepford Wives.

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The reason why movie theaters frown on patrons bringing their own snacks:

In the 70's mom had a friend with 2 kids. Her name was Pat and she was a nurse. The five of us spent alot of time together, and we would frequently go to the movies. Pat decided one day that she would bring the snack so that we wouldn't fill up on candy and junk food. She hid it in her purse and brought it out once we got seated in the theater. She made stuffed celery. I can't describe the sound of 5 people munching on stuffed celery in a movie theater. Nobody complained, but we knew people were angry at us. She never did it again.

Monday, March 27, 2006

Great 70s movies.


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Wednesday, March 22, 2006

A mean secretary can really ruin your day.

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Saturday Afternoon Movies

This was probably one of THE most frequent Saturday afternoon movies back ca 76/77. I've seen it about 6 times. It has to be one of my favorite movies, although I haven't seen it since then. They aired this movie on either ch. 56(wlvi) or ch. 38 (wsbk). It was pre-cable (in our house). I don't rent or own dvd movies and I have no tv, so I don't see these movies anymore. It was extremely funny back then, but I can't say how it's held up, and I don't really want to know. I just want to remember those movies the way they were.

Sunday, March 19, 2006

Dark Genius

Gorey, Edward (St John)
(1925–2000)
Pseudonyms: Eduard Blutig, Mrs Regera Dowdy, Raddory Gewe,
Hyacinthe Phypps, Edward Pig, Ogred Weary

Saturday, March 18, 2006

Take time to get to know yourself...

I am 18% White Trash.
Not at all White Trashy!
You, my friend, have class. You are so not white trash. You are more than likely Democrat, and your place is neat, and there is a good chance you may never drink wine from a box.

Friday, March 17, 2006

If a tree falls in the forest and nobody's around to hear it, does it make a sound?







Click on the cartoon for a larger image.

Clueless

When I was a little kid, and just starting to take showers by myself, I used to shower with the shower curtain on the outside of the tub. I also took very long showers, so by the time I was done there was about 1/4" of water on the bathroom floor. I would get out of the tub, slosh across the floor to get my towel and then dry myself in my bedroom. Mom wouldn't know, then she'd go into the bathroom in her socks, and I would get yelled at. And I would think: "Man, what's her problem?".

Farrah Saves The Day

WAY back in 1976/77, Farrah Fawcett was THE hottest new chick on the scene. And, it seems, every woman had a 'Farrah' hairstyle. Unfortunately, not all of them got it right, probably because they didn't have the directions. Well, I know I'm about 30 years too late, but, if your 'Farrah' was a dismal failure (and it probably was. Most women's were), and you want to do it right.... here are the instructions.
I would have posted these instructions 30 years ago, but I guess I missed that issue of 'Teen Beat'....

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Thursday, March 16, 2006

Ponchos


The late 60's / early 70's brought us ponchos. They were comfortable, stylish, and VERY groovy. Clint Eastwood even wore one.
One great poncho seller is a company called Half Moon in Colorado. The picture on the right shows their ponchos. The following url is their website: http://hmoon.com/ponchos.html

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Monday, March 13, 2006

One of my favorite albums of the 70's:


Once upon a time in the land of misty satin dreams, there stood a house and a man who painted nature scenes. He painted trees, and fields, and animals, and streams, and he stayed and he didn't hear the fallin' of the rain.
In the forest green lived a girl who put her hair in braids, and she sang as she walked all around the wooded glade. She was glad when the rain came falling on her face, and she sang, 'Cause she didn't mind the fallin' of the rain.
Will it always be the same as we recall? Does it touch you when the rain begins to fall? Ah, but I don't want to know, and I don't want to see, another rainy day without you lyin' next to me.
High upon a hill far away from all the dusty crowd is a boy with his eyes on the ground; his head is bowed; he is a fool, and his mind is filled with hopeless dreams, and he waits but he will not see the fallin' of the rain.
Will it always be the same as we recall? Does it touch you when the rain begins to fall? Ah, but I don't want to know and I don't want to see Another rainy day without you lyin' next to me.
So now the boy becomes the man who sits and paints all day, but the girl with the braids in her hair has gone away. And it seems that time has brought things to an end; nothing's changed 'cause you can't stop the fallin' rain. No, you can't stop the falling of the rain.

Saturday, March 11, 2006

Sweet the rain's new fall, sunlit from heaven,
Like the first dew fall on the first grass.
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden,
Sprung in completeness where his feet pass.
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Friday, March 10, 2006

He makes me lie down in green pastures
He leads me beside quiet waters
He restores my soul.

I am Ned Flanders.

You Are Ned Flanders

A good neighbor and a devout Christian, you are a community leader.

And you are called to make the world a better place, especially for left handed people.

You will be remembered for: your goofy expressions - "hi-dilly, ho-dilly!"

Your life philosophy: "I've done everything the Bible says - even the stuff that contradicts the other stuff!"

It's All In The Attitude

I've always admired those who can make the best out of a bad situation.
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Donkey Kong

I was addicted to Donkey Kong in the early 80's. The above is a link to the free on-line version. Unfortunately, it doesn't have multiple levels and there are no hammers to break the barrels, but what do you want for free?????????
People will believe anything if they want to believe it.
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Thursday, March 09, 2006


Published in 1963, this book has been a favorite with kids ever since.
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Pretenses


One thing I learned long ago is: Just be yourself. Sooner or later the real you is gonna come out anyway.
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Wednesday, March 08, 2006

Iron-On Decals


In the 70's, iron-on decals were immensely popular, as this was the decade for expressing your individuality. There were millions of them. There were even 'tee-shirt shops' that had, like, 2000 decals stapled to the wall. You would choose your decal and the tee-shirt you wanted to put it on, then the store employee would iron it on to the tee-shirt for you with a big steam-iron press. Whenever we would go on vacation I would always get a new tee-shirt with a decal on it. I seem to recall even receiving iron-on decals in cereal boxes.

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Tuesday, March 07, 2006

Unpack Your Adjectives
Music & Lyrics: George R. Newall
Performed by: Blossom Dearie
Animation: Phil Kimmelman and Associates

Got home from camping last spring.
Saw people, places and things.
We barely had arrived, Friends asked us to describe
The people, places and every last thing.
So we unpacked our adjectives.

I unpacked "frustrating" first.
Reached in and found the word "worst".
Then I picked "soggy" and
Next I picked "foggy" and
Then I was ready to tell them my tale.
'Cause I'd unpacked my adjectives.

Adjectives are words you use to really describe things,
Handy words to carry around.
Days are sunny or they're rainy
Boys are dumb or else they're brainy
Adjectives can show you which way.
Adjectives are often used to help us compare things,

To say how thin, how fat, how short, how tall.
Girls who are tall can get taller,
Boys who are small can get smaller,
Till one is the tallestAnd the other's the smallest of all.

We hiked along without care.
Then we ran into a bear.
He was a hairy bear,
He was a scary bear,
We beat a hasty retreat from his lair.
And described him with adjectives.

Next time you go on a trip,
Remember this little tip:
The minute you get back,
They'll ask you this and that,
You can describe people, places and things...
Simply unpack your adjectives.

You can do it with adjectives.
Tell them 'bout it with adjectives.
You can shout it with adjectives.

I love stained glass. I've always wanted to try it.

Sunday, March 05, 2006

Macrame















In the 70's macrame was EVERYWHERE. Mostly plant hangers, but purses were quite common, as well as wall hangings. Most of these wall hangings were owls, as pictured. They were quite popular, but looking at pictures of them now they were SO ugly.

Home crafts were really popular, especially utilitarian things people could make themselves (i.e. plant hangers, purses, keychains, etc.) . Included in this picture are instructions for making a macrame key chain, although I don't know how complete they are.

Click on the picture for a larger view.

Saturday, March 04, 2006

Moving Day


It was 1972/73, and my parents sold the house and bought another. I remember on moving day, the new owners showed up. They were a young hippie couple. He had a red, bushy beard and jeans, and she was dressed in a long calico dress under a poncho, with sandals. She had a braided ponytail that hung to her knees, and those really round metal hoop earrings women used to wear. I seem to recall she smelled like patchouli (i've never known how to spell that word). She had a friend with her, and the friend was pretty much dressed the same. Very groovy people.

Unfortunately, in the 80's, they became yuppies. I think she became a teacher and he got a job with the post office....... I heard they became pretty uptight, not groovy at all.

Friday, March 03, 2006

Collectibles



For about 5 years I got caught up in the collectibles craze (i.e. ebay). I bought everything from colorforms to lunchboxes, only to re-sell at a loss. Not sure how many people make money at that. I think I've gotten over it. I for one am a lousy businessman (I used to lose money on my paper-route. When the bill came for the papers every week, it would be like "Mom, I need a few bucks. I have to pay for the papers").

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