You're Weird

VACATION TIME

   August is the month when many here in America take off for vacation. My son and his girlfriend are in South East Asia in the middle of a monsoon. My grandkids are in New Mexico in the middle of a blazing summer. (Of course I'm worried sick about their safety --- silly me!). My assistant is going on a long trip. Some of the regulars in my business meetings are absent (most probably escaping the doldrums of work). My neighbor is leaving for the Philippines tonight. Me? I'm stuck here in good ol' Southern California. Should I complain?

   I guess when we start comparing our vacation time with others we can get easily disenchanted with our station in life.

    I remember when I go on vacation, I would just walk for hours. (I think you soak in the culture of the area more by mingling with the locals.) I remember passing through the whole of Kyoto in one day on foot --- woke up real early and went back to the hotel dead tired and real late. I did the same through Italy, England, Austin, Chicago, San Antonio, San Francisco, etc. --- just walked for miles.

   None of that would have been possible if I were confined in a wheelchair. How terrible it would be to lose my hands ... to lose my voice ...my sight ... to lose my mind. Yet this week alone I've been approached by a few people coming from or going to an operation where they may loose these very things that we often take for granted. I am praying for someone who lost her voice, someone who needs a kidney transplant, someone whose father has cancer, another father and 2 mothers who are lost in dementia, someone who had 4 stents placed near her heart ... and the list goes on.

   Can we still complain that we don't have a vacation? How about a vacation away from the hospital?

   When we count God's gift of health we actually are having a wonderful vacation just where we are. We just need to pinch ourselves to know it.

Wisdom from Don of Kelowna, B.C.

Gandhi Trivia
Contributed by Dean of Vancouver, B.C.

Mahatma Gandhi, as you know, walked barefoot most of the time, which produced an impressive set of calluses on his feet. He also ate very little, which made him rather frail and, with his odd diet, he suffered from bad breath. This made him (oh man, this is so bad) ... A super calloused fragile mystic hexed by halitosis.

You're Weird
An original joke/poem by Dr. Al of Pasadena, CA

People say that you're weird, if you talk to yourself. They're wrong! They say you're weird, if you talk to yourself and you answer yourself. They're wrong!
They say that you're weird if you argue with yourself, They're wrong! They say you're weird, if you argue with yourself and you lose the argument. They're wrong!

You ARE weird,
if you talk to yourself,
and you have to repeat it
'CAUSE YOU WEREN'T LISTENING!

AND NOW THE CONTINUING SAGA OF ...

Classified Ad: Printer Toner for Beer
Not a joke. Tom2 of Pasadena sent this ad. If you are interested, I will give you his contact information --- Raoul.

Tom bought the wrong toner cartridge for my new laser printer, and didn’t realize it until he opened the package and he can’t return it anymore. It is for an old Brother laser printer. The part number is TN-360 and it is high yield. Retail: $49.00+

Tom will exchange it to the first one who will give him a case of good beer.

Tom2 of Pasadena, CA

Videos of the week:
Adorable Animal Thieves
Contributed by Don of Kelowna, B.C.

Cute critters here ... thieving critters, that is. No explanation needed.

Backwards Bike
Contributed by Rodney of Manitboa, B.C.

Fascinating theory about how our mind works. All of this emanating from a simple contraption.

Oldest Footage of New York
Contributed by Mike of New York

New Yorkers, this should be extra interesting for you. See what your metropolis looked like before the real estate prices really went skyrocketing.

The Bridge at Q'eswachaka
Contributed by Tom of Pasadena, CA

This is an annual ritual where villagers gather to rebuild a bridge. I'm sure modern technology could save these guys a lot of work but somehow this bridge isn't really about connecting two cliffs but connecting people. Modern technology is not needed here.

A Real Hoverboard
Contributed by Charlie of New Jersey

There's an interesting commercial that's going viral. It shows a hoverboard --- yup! like the one that was used in the "Back to the Future " movie --- a real hoverboard actually floating over land and water. This website explains the science (well some of it) behind it.

According to Charlie, this Rory McIlroy is the "top dog" in golf today. Here he is doing some interesting golf moves. Makes me want to start learning the game.

State of the Art Surveilance Camera
Contributed by John of Torrance, CA

John reminds us of the incredible technology that is being deployed by the US government.

25 common American customs that are considered offensive in other countries
Contributed by Art of Pasadena, CA

Since this week's theme is about traveling, let's end our set of videos with an interesting website. Let's create friends and not enemies. You guys have a good weekend! TGIF people!