The Bucket List

Dave and I went to brunch and then went to the movies again. It has been so cool that being indoors is all we would rather do. We decided that we wanted to see "The Bucket List" based on the fact that Jack Nicholson was in it. I know he plays the surly man often but he does it so well. It was a very good movie about two men that faced their mortality (as you can tell by the title). Of course, it caused the audience to also face the same issues in their own minds. I, for one, am a person that thinks on these types of issues a little more than others. I think that having a father with MS and then dying of cancer, and losing a sister at the age of 20 in a car accident, caused a type of poetic awareness that life ends for all of us at some point. I know it sounds morbid but I will often look at the obituaries to read the stories of real people and what happened in their lives. It causes me to think about others and their families. I call it "sobering"... it reminds me that having a bad day is not issues such as gaining a few pounds, having a bad hair day, being late to work, or being grumpy because I lost sleep. There are people dealing with really hard challenges. I won't tell you any more than that so that it won't ruin the movie for you... but if you get a chance to see it I recommend it.

It is cold here today. It is clear today so that takes away the cloud cover that keeps us a little warmer. One would think that if there is sun then there would be warmth... nope, not the case. I thought that I might take the boys up to the snow in the mountains but I am looking for a good day in the mountains and a little help. I am not sure I would tackle that job alone. Not a really good plan to do it alone. So, I am now trying to think of an other outting for tomorrow. Dave and Kari goes to work but the rest of us stay home in respect to Martin Luther King Jr.. Stay tuned...
Have a good evening

A "Little Boy's Haircut" Please

The Depot Barbershop

After I cleaned up the house, I took Riley down the hill to an old fashion barber shop. Just walking through the door took me back about 30 years or more. There were three older gentlemen there to cut men's and boy's hair, just like when my grandfather or father went to the barber. Here is half of the shop in the photo below... I took a quick picture of Riley getting his haircut. The other half of the shop is another chair station, a board with prices on it saying that they haven't increased prices since the early 90s, and an old fashioned cash register. They took only cash or a check (without checking your ID)! This older man was very patient and good with Riley. He would over and over again put Riley's head where he wanted it to be without getting a bit flustered.

I had been taking Riley to Kid's Cuts where everything is about kids... even the chair they sit in is a little airplane. They are given a video to watch while they get their hair cut. Back in November I took both the boys there and it cost me over $40. I was sure that I could improve on the cost of getting their hair cut. This place only cost $14 for Riley's haircut, plus a few dollars, of course, for a tip. I was lucky because they had a TV too mounted on the wall and there was a kids show playing on it so Riley was still while they cut his hair.

As I sat there I felt that I was in a Norman Rockwell picture. Below, I can picture Riley being this little boy in this picture named Shuffleton's Barber Shop by Norman Rockwell.

I really love quaint places; houses, restaurants, towns, and even barber shops. I was excited that Riley gets this experience of "going back in time". Progress sometimes is over rated (am I showing my age)... If it isn't broken why fix it? I know that things change and that they must change... but it is nice to enjoy the serenity of days gone by. Love Ameriana!

The Barber Shop Quartet by Norman Rockwell to the left.

This place even had the old barber shop pole which led me into researching where the poles came from and their history. This is what I found:

According to barberpole.com, the pole's red and white colors date to the times when the town barber and surgeon was the same man. Bloodletting was a common remedy at the time - it could cure the patient or kill him.The barber hung alternate bloody red cloths and white cloths used to bind the wounds on a pole outside the door of his business. The wind twisted the cloths around the pole, leading to the contemporary design of the barber pole.

In 1745 in England, the growing sophistication of the medical profession, although primitive by today's standards, led barbers and surgeons to part company. The latter provided medical care, while the former continued to specialize in grooming services.

Some barber poles in this country are red, white and blue, reflecting the colors of the flag. But that hasn't always been the case. Until about 100 years ago, barber poles in Baltimore were black and yellow, the colors of Lord Baltimore - as well as the Baltimore oriole, once again not necessarily a sports reference. Today the William Marvy Co. of Saint Paul, Minn., is the only manufacturer of barber poles in North America.Some barbers don't erect poles because their cities ban moving signs. Others find them cost-prohibitive. Those things there cost you about $1,000 --The bigger ones are more than that. There's just not too many regular old barbers any more. This one is on Ebay right now... It is a 1920 Beardsey Barber Pole and the bid is $2,800 at the moment. Better hurry if it's something you're interested in buying! :-)

It's Friday... Whew...

I was able to dig up a digital picture with Laura in it. I learned how to select her picture and cut out the rest of the picture. Here is Laura...
I thought I would add her to my So Long Laura post but that was a day or so ago now. Yesterday I went into the office for a couple of hours and then I was off to Bellevue Community College for a consortium meeting. The college reps in the Seattle area have joined together; two year, four year, technical colleges... both public and private schools to form a consortium. We go out to the employers to request being in employee fairs. These employers are the ones that offers paying tuition as a benefit to working with their company. A lot of people don't take advantage of the benefit so the employer will have us come to their company or organization to give out college information to encourage their employees to further their education. I happen to be an officer on the board of the consortium, so I am required to be at the meetings and officer meetings. We are going to be nominating new officers in the next month. Since we are about only a year or two old we are still working on the by laws, getting a website up, and getting materials printed to promote the consortium. I must say that in the last six months we have done more than in the last two years. The website is almost complete and when it is done I will share it with you. I would love to know what you think of it.

Last night I decided to go food shopping even though I was tired. I got home and discovered one of the two milk gallons wasn't with me so I will have to say something the next time I go in and show my receipt. I am sure that they will believe me and give me another gallon. I remember checking the cart so I know it didn't make it to the cart. I wanted to have all the food for the weekend so that I could cook and not be tempted to go out to eat. I would like to cut eatting out to only once a week.

I also stopped at Hollywood Video to rent some DVDs. I get a couple for the boys so that they will be entertained at times during the long weekend. I also got two DVDs for us to watch. I try to mix it up... not just having the "chick" movies. Dave and Aaron like the action movies. Dave's favorite movies are the Indiana Jones movies. So I picked out "Rush Hour 3" and for me, "Knights of the South Bronx" with Ted Danson. "Knights" is an inspirational movie about a man that loses his job and goes into teaching. No doubt he has a special connection to his students that benefits them all. It may be predictable but at least it will be fun to watch on a cold weekend. I will jump off here and wish you a good evening.

FRIDAY'S FEAST

Appetizer: What is your favorite beverage?

Tea


Soup: Name 3 things that are on your computer desk at home or work.

Lamp, photo, papers


Salad: On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being highest), how honest do you think you are?

8 or 9


Main Course: If you could change the name of one city in the world, what would you rename it and why?

Lynnwood, WA People when they ask where I was born I will answer "Lynwood" but then I have to make sure they put down CA and not WA. Doesn't happen much but I had to answer this question.


Dessert: What stresses you out? What calms you down?

When someone in the family isn't doing well or isn't well. Praying, helping the person, looking for resources, a long warm bath, a walk, being creative, cleaning, talking to someone, shopping, driving, making lists

So Long Laura

It was Laura's last day today at work. I had tried last night to figure out what I could do to send her off. She doesn't like "stuff" so a gift was out. She is a veggian so any thing with dairy was out such as a cake or cookies. She is 26 but is very natural so the things I might get Kari (27), Laura wouldn't like. Laura grew up in a rural setting with a community of native americans and hippies on the east side of the mountains. Finally I decided to give her a card with a special bookmark in it. The bookmark is of fairies and fairyland creatures all trying to balance on one another. It is called The Balancing Act. I told her in the card that as she starts a new "chapter" not to forget to pause or "bookmark" a moment to write us an email. It was all I could think of on a short notice. It was very tearful to say "so long". I am sure she had quite an emotional day for her.
I am sure that she will do well at whatever she decides to do. She is going on in her Yoga studies as well.

Dave and I went out for dinner at The Wok. Then we went to the outlet mall to walk. The mall all around us a half of a mile. We decided that we would go see the Bucket List on Sunday at the movies. I have Monday off too. Thank God its Friday tomorrow. Until then. Hugs.

I Can't Look

As I write this I am sort of watching American Idol. Just like when I try watch a thriller, I can barely watch this audition process. Hoping each year I can stand it, I am right there in front of the TV. Before I started typing on my phone to post, I was watching the show with my eyes closed. The strange thing is I sit and "watch" it for 2 hours, two nights in a row. Go figure? Is it the same reason people are attracted to an accident? Texas was big on strange. Of course, so was Philly. That stalker guy was what nightmares are made of. Or was it the hairy guy? Toss up. Next time they will be in San Diego. Let's see if Cali can keep up.

Today was noneventful. I ended up not going to the employee fair in Tacoma. I had plenty to do in the office. The next two days I will be out so I was good to get desk time in.

Until tomorrow. Hugs