Talk about the Weather

 It feels like we’ve stepped back in time. Drenching rains every few days?  Welcome to April—again! If our unusual weather patterns continue, I may not have to complain about the heat in July and August. Instead of the high humidity, we might see spring-like weather with minimal sweating, less sunburn and hopefully, fewer bugs. A cooler summer might translate into less pool time, but I’m willing to make that sacrifice.  If the seasonal switches continue,  October and November could become the new summer months. The extra sunlight might force us to miss the beautiful red and orange leaf displays we love. We may have to move Thanksgiving dinner to a park and put grilled corn and turkey burgers on the menu.

 It’s interesting how changes in the weather, which might seem minor to us at first, could cause a domino effect that alters our traditions and how we live.  We aren’t the only ones to experience wonky weather. Take a look:

                                         http://youtu.be/KG5tGxC6IqA

Poor kangaroos! They didn’t know what hit them. One person in a related video mentioned that Australians should be heading to the beach during that time of the year, not shoveling snow. If we took a poll, I  wonder how many people would prefer seasonal weather shifts. Our actual question for today takes a different slant, and that is: Why do you think we’re seeing such unusual weather pattern changes?   

Cage-free Living

Ostrich on the loose! If you follow the news, you’ve probably heard the story about the ostrich that escaped and ran amok through the traffic-filled streets of China. Unfortunately, the big bird was hit twice and caused several additional vehicular accidents. Every few months we hear stories about wild animals escaping from zoos, pens and cages.  When the door opens, why do they run? The obvious answer: animals prefer freedom. What would it mean if the doors opened and creatures stayed put? In some situations, it’s scarier to be outside of a cage than inside. Take a look:

                                          http://youtu.be/74O8TA3x9r8            

The guys in the video had a choice—swim or stay. When we feel trapped in difficult work, school or family circumstances, we have choices, too. We try to minimize problems with vacations, mood and mind-altering substances, hobbies or exercise, but those choices are usually symptom band-aids instead of a long-term solutions for the primary problem. What helps keep you stress-free regardless of your situation?                

 

Three Little Words

Three little words, when spoken by a female, can strike fear in the heart of her male companion. During the first stage of fear, the male will exhibit a vacant stare. He wants to be somewhere else, anywhere that’s not within hearing distance of those three little words. These next three “words”  may shock you because they should not be coming from this mouth:

                                         http://youtu.be/qXo3NFqkaRM

 How did the dog owners determine that Mishka had human speaking abilities and what will Mishka say next? There’s something about a “talking” dog that makes me uncomfortable. It’s probably the same uncomfortable feeling males get when they hear their female companions say the three little words—hold my purse.   

 Every day we get a barrage of information that makes us feel uncomfortable. We’re flooded with environmental, social, financial and political problems with each news story. Does it feel like we're waiting for someone to say the magic words to fix everything? When you’re in the middle of a situation, what three little words help keep you steady?    

Inside the Greenhouse

I’m living in a greenhouse. Well, maybe not an actual greenhouse, but when I look at our sunniest windows, plant and flowers dominate the sill. I see an orchid, a cactus, an amaryllis, corn, a cup of dirt, and a geranium. If the list seems odd, I can explain. The corn and cup of dirt are kid projects. The rest of the plants belong either on the window sill or they’re waiting for a permanent  home outside in our flower bed. We expect house plants to sit on window sills and innocently soak up the sun’s rays, but I'm intrigued by the usual plants. Take a look at a plant that soaks up more than sunrays:

                                     

                                            http://youtu.be/trWzDlRvv1M

 It’s hard to tell if we just saw a plant video, a horror video or both. I say both!  As you can see, the pitcher plant looks harmless, but it is not your average garden plant—it eats meat, for goodness sake! What about you? What do you wish people would see beyond when they look at you, and what do you want them to know and understand about you?  

 

Unfurling Dreams

Imagine that you have a passion for singing. Perhaps you sing in the shower or while driving, but you probably wouldn’t belt out your tunes on an airplane. If you follow the news, you’ve probably heard about the lady who did. Many passengers and the flight crew didn’t appreciate the woman’s performance. It sounded like several problems occurred—the volume at which she sang and the fact that she wouldn’t stop singing when asked didn’t help her situation. A judge on American Idol would have told her, “It was a little pitchy, dog, and maybe not the best song to highlight your talent.” If that was one of the woman’s favorite songs and she loved singing—isn’t it hard to bury your passion?
 
                             

                                       http://youtu.be/vs4poBA2L7U

I hope the singing lady’s dreams weren’t dashed and deferred. She may have anticipated a standing ovation, instead only two people stood up—the songstress (leaving in cuffs) and the federal air marshal(escorting her away). Later, the woman said that diabetes caused her to act inappropriately, but I still believe she loves to sing. Like in the golfing video, (I haven’t seen the whole movie) who practices golf in the dark? Sometimes you can’t let location deter your passion.  What’s your passion and are you unfurling it or burying it?

 

http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/05/14/woman-removed-from-plane-for-refusing-to-stop-singing-a-whitney-houston-song/

Lions, Tigers and Sweet Tea

Would you eat bear on a plane, on a train? Lions, tigers, bears, horses and squirrels—it’s all the same. What’s the big fuss about eating exotic meats? Earlier this week, I heard the story of a chef who felt adventurous and decided that lion meat tacos could be all the rage, and it is—literally! The chef has received death threats for offering lion meat. One commenter said the menu item was immoral.  What’s the definition of immorality? The dictionary defines it as something that contradicts traditional values. Can we label everything that conflicts with traditional principles as immoral or are we actually talking about culturally based standards? Many traditional and cultural practices vary by geography. See if these people sound immoral:

                                             http://youtu.be/yvxPnjPzHz8

If we’re going to toss around labels, then we need strong definitions that can withstand cross-cultural scrutiny. If you could edit the dictionary, how would you rewrite the definition for immoral?    

 

 

  http://news.msn.com/us/lion-tacos-spark-outrage-in-florida-but-will-remain-on-menu  

Dissecting Earworms

I bet you have an earworm. It sounds bad, but not really. It’s nothing that will get you a guest appearance on the show “Monsters Inside Me.”  An earworm is the catchy tune that sticks in our heads long after the song has ended. I pick up earworms quite easily. I can hear someone sing or hum a tune and before long I’m humming it, too. It takes me forever to memorize something, but give me the music from an old song I haven’t heard in years and the lyrics come right back to me.  

 There’s something about music and memory that go hand-in-hand. Why is it that we can remember old lyrics, but we forget where we put our sunglasses and keys? Here’s a tip for how to kick that unwanted stuff out of our heads to make room for important things:

                                              http://youtu.be/GckKbSr0Gx4

We’re set! Now we’ll have room to remember names, faces and where we left our cell phone chargers.  Any information can be transformed into song. What important information could an earworm help you to remember?