Merry Christmas 2019

Let's start with a Christmas puzzle! I love these things. It's not as hard as you think but look carefully.

It takes the average person almost 3 minutes to find the little dog hiding among the polar bears in this brainteaser. If it takes you longer don't fret.

Just say yes if you find it or no in the comments. I'll post the answer in my New Years' post. Good luck!

Today is Christmas so better late than never with this post. I'm not riding my bike today because it's windy and raining off and on. Instead, I'm drinking eggnog without dark rum (which I adore) because when I had both knees replaced in August Stanford hospital almost ruined my kidneys. It's a long story but they're recovering so I have to be careful. My knee replacements went much better I'm very happy with the improvements. What counts is I'll be fine for 2020.

These are just delicious if you have them in your area. I've practically made myself sick eating them. The bark has a white chocolate layer, a dark chocolate layer, and smashed up candy canes in it. OMG!

Isn't this guy darling! It's a Quokka, a marsupial, about the size of a domestic cat. They're like squirrels from The Land Down Under. They're always smiling and happy looking like live teddy bears.

You gotta love a bad boy Santa bringing a different kind of Christmas. Lol!

I hope you liked the artwork and jokes. I did a different Christmas post at Bike With Bekkie if you're interested.

Finally Here

Christmas comes but once a year

sharing love with those held dear

festive Christmas trees appear

Jingle Bells is what I hear.

Christmas Eve the skies are clear

Santa’s coming have no fear

in his sleigh with eight reindeer

bringing presents far and near.

Christmas comes but once a year

time for blessings and good cheer

my favorite holiday atmosphere

now, that day is finally here!

© Rebecca Sanchez 2012

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! May we all find peace this year.

Christmas Tanka #122415

often misunderstood

the true meaning of Christmas

can’t be bought or sold

yet pets and their owners

proud of those ugly sweaters

© Rebecca Sanchez 2015

I hope your Christmas is full of all good things! After the year we had we could all use a little bit of peace, love, and understanding. Let's spread that kindness around. Not everyone has the means to have a wonderful holiday and the Christmas spirit is all about sharing. Big hug!

  Keep On Bloggin'!

Older Than Dirt!

That pretty much sums up how I felt at turning 65 in May. Dirt can be pretty darn old.

We all deal with getting older differently as we are unique individuals but one thing stays true, it surprises us all. One day you look in the mirror and all is changed. When that happens we become a senior citizen almost overnight.

Of course, it doesn't really start overnight but time (which used to be on our side) is fickle. We realize it's moving at an alarming rate. Soon there's no time for anything! Time starts to pass us by.

That's not all! If single, (like me) love and romance get put on the sidelines as time feels like it's running out. One day the men who used to look at me with interest in their eyes start to ignore me. They stop looking and I'm confused. Where are all the men I ask myself? They can't all be married and needing Viagra!

While I'm trying to figure out where the men are and how to sign up for Medicare I become aware that people are putting me into a niche. That's when I start hearing the term, "for your age," added to sentences where it wasn't before.

When you start hearing this term added to everything people say about you, then you've become older than dirt. 

"You have great hair, for your age!" (My hair is my greatest asset it runs in the family and has been there my whole life.)

"You're in great shape, for your age." (Not the fact that I workout and exercise daily, eat the right foods, and get 8 hours of sleep a night.)

"You have a great memory, for your age." And so on and so forth.

No one knows this but when I find the right phone booth on a night when I've had way too many drinks I become Super Sanchez, a female Hulk/Superman mixture. When Super Sanchez shows up you better look out!

  

It really starts to grate at me. That, and being called, "ma'am" everywhere I go. Is there a rule that when you get grey hair you must be called ma'am? I still have a name last time I checked.

You better be careful what you say around us seniors some of us have super-powers.

Hell yeah!

Keep On Bloggin'!

How Do You Type A Copyright Symbol With A New Chromebook?

I spent a good part of the morning trying to answer this, going through horrible articles written by people thinking they were helping but they weren't because they didn't have the answer.

It's not Windows, not HTML, not ASCII, no, it's Unicode. What?

Ask the person who has used Windows all of their lives and they are sure they have the answer! It's 0169 using a Windows keyboard. What Windows keyboard-I have a new Chromebook?!

Of course, everyone wanted to talk about doing it in Google Docs but I wanted to use the symbol anytime and was sure there had to be a keyboard shortcut...but this was an Acer Chromebook 15 with a different keyboard so how do I do it?

I was beginning to miss Windows...but then I saw my answer via a stranger in the Chromebook Forum. It was "a9!" I felt like I had the answer to the Ultimate Question Of Life, The Universe, And Everything. But it wasn't enough...

I found some Chrome extensions with the Unicode characters on them that copied the code/image automatically. Neither one I tried had the copyright symbol. WTF?

Then I looked at my new Chromebook keyboard instructions and found that I could hold Shift/Ctrl and by pressing "u" use a code to get the same types of symbols as a Windows keyboard. 

Then I realized the "u" was for Unicode and found the forum where I found the Unicode for the © symbol. It is a9.

This Is How You Do It

Press shift/ctrl together, hold them down, then press u, then press a, then press 9. When you're finished it says "ua9" but don't stop there! When you press the space bar afterward you'll see © (the copyright symbol.)

To get any other symbols look up the Unicode chart and do the same using the corresponding code. You can look that up yourself. "Okay, Google!"

So I'm sharing my find with you because I know I'm not the only writer with a Chromebook trying to figure this out. I love my new Acer Chromebook 15 and it's great not to have to deal with Windows. Enjoy!

© Keep On Bloggin'!

Will You Be Mine?

Some history first.

February 14 is Valentine's Day. Although it is celebrated as a lovers' holiday today, with the giving of candy, cards, diamonds, (hint, hint) flowers, or other gifts between couples in love, it originated in 5th Century Rome as a tribute to St. Valentine, a Catholic bishop.

Valentine greetings were popular as far back as the Middle Ages, though written Valentine's didn't begin to appear until after 1400. The oldest known valentine still in existence today was a poem written in 1415 by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt. (The greeting is now part of the manuscript collection of the British Library in London, England.) Several years later, it is believed that King Henry V hired a writer named John Lydgate to compose a valentine note to Catherine of Valois.

Cupid, another symbol of the holiday, became associated with it because he was the Roman god of passion and erotic love. He also was associated with desire. Cupid was the son of Venus, the Roman god of love and beauty. Cupid played a role in several mythical adventures. In Vergil's Aeneid, Cupid prompts Dido to fall in love with Aeneas, with tragic results. Cupid is a central character in the traditional tale of Cupid and Psyche, as told by Apuleius. In modern times, cupid is often depicted as a chubby cherub-like creature with wings, shooting his arrows to inflict desire on his unsuspecting victims. Cupid often appears on Valentine cards or is imprinted on heart-shaped candies.

In addition to the United States, Valentine's Day is celebrated in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France and Australia. In Great Britain, Valentine's Day began to be popularly celebrated around the 17th century. By the middle of the 18th, it was common for friends and lovers of all social classes to exchange small tokens of affection or handwritten notes, and by 1900 printed cards began to replace written letters due to improvements in printing technology. Ready-made cards were an easy way for people to express their emotions in a time when direct expression of one's feelings was discouraged. Cheaper postage rates also contributed to an increase in the popularity of sending Valentine's Day greetings.

Americans probably began exchanging hand-made valentines in the early 1700s. In the 1840s, Esther A. Howland began selling the first mass-produced valentines in America. Howland, known as the “Mother of the Valentine,” made elaborate creations with real lace, ribbons and colorful pictures known as "scrap." Today, according to the Greeting Card Association, an estimated 1 billion Valentine’s Day cards are sent each year, making Valentine's Day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year. (An estimated 2.6 billion cards are sent for Christmas.) Women purchase approximately 85 percent of all valentines.

Will You Be Mine?

I fondly remember making hand-made Valentines in 6th grade to trade at school. Even though we had always handed out Valentines at school this time I had someone “special” to give one to. Steve Weber was his name and it was love at first sight.

At home, I got together the art supplies to make it with. Elmer's glue, scissors, scrap paper, ribbon, and lace. Getting to use my mom’s real scissors I excitedly and carefully cut out my hearts making sure they were perfect.

As I worked, I bit my tongue lightly with great concentration. I cut a big red paper heart and then a smaller pink one and so on until I was happy with the results. I worked on that Valentine for hours thinking about how much Steve would like it. Then I thought, what should I write on it?

I walked into the kitchen; “What should I write on my Valentine?” I asked my mom who was cooking supper and smoking her ever-present cigarette, 

“Are you done with the scissors yet Bekkie? I told you to return them to the sewing box when you’re done.” Not answering I silently slunk back into my bedroom. Luckily she didn’t know I liked a boy.

I was stymied, what could I write on the Valentine that would make Steve like me? Even though she was my best friend I knew Barbara Snyder liked him too; all the girls did. I knew she was probably making him a Valentine tonight too. Or worse yet maybe her mom got her store-bought cards! How could mine compete with fancy store-bought cards? I felt miserable.

I thought about asking my mom to buy store-bought cards and then quickly put that bad idea out of my head. Then the words came to me, I'd do a simple, "Will You Be Mine?" 

It wasn’t all lovey-dovey either it was simple, to the point. I ran to get the sparkles so I could finish my card. Surely he’ll like it and me.

The next day at school it was time to pass out the Valentine cards, but I had a plan. I was going to give Steve my card at recess by the big tree, not now. I felt my bravado fade when I saw Barbara Snyder passing out her store bought cards. 

I watched like a hawk while Steve looked through his cards. He didn’t react to any of them in particular. Gosh, he was cute. He turned and locked eyes with me. I turned fire engine red and turned away while I pretended to fiddle with a card that Jerry Lewis had just given me.

At recess, I raced down the hill and took my place by the big tree. I got there first, good. Steve would be playing baseball nearby. I wanted to do this before my girlfriends found me and then I saw Steve. 

He walked right up to me. “Barbara said you like me,” he said somewhat accusingly. 

I turned 50 shades of red, extended my shaky hand with the card in it and stammered, “This is for you Steve.” He took the card without reading it, hit me really hard on the arm, and ran off to play with his friends.

“He loves me!” I thought to myself triumphantly.

Keep On Bloggin’!

What Is It About Mondays?

Yeah, Mondays can suck. Monday is the day after the weekend and being such, has become one of the least popular days of the week. But what do you really know about the day we love to hate?

Basic Monday Facts

Monday is the day between Sunday and Tuesday. According to international standard ISO 8601, it is the first day of the work week. Monday is derived from Old English, mōndæg literally meaning “moons day”. Monday aligns with the celestial body, the Moon, and the astrological sign of Cancer, and is represented by the symbol of the Moon, ☾.

Common Monday Names

The term ‘Mondayitis’ has become a popular saying among employees who work a common working week starting on Monday.

In times past Monday also became known as ‘Blue Monday’, named when the first day of the week was set aside for doing laundry. Bluing was used to keep clothes white and from that product the day became known as ‘Blue Monday’. Although today Mondays are not typically set aside for laundry as they once were the term ‘Blue Monday’ still exists as many employees begin their working week after a weekend break.

Monday’s Health And Color

According to the British Medical Journal, there is a reported 20% increase in heart attacks on Mondays as opposed to the other days of the week. As the color of the moon is milky white the ancient system of health care called Ayurveda which centers on holistic health recommends wearing milky white and being around white flowers on this day of the week.

Songs About Monday

♦ Monday Monday – The Mamas and The Papas

♦ Monday Morning – Melanie Fiona

♦ Manic Monday – The Bangles

♦ Rainy Days and Mondays – The Carpenters

♦ I Don’t Like Mondays – The Boomtown Rats

Books On Monday

♦ Monday Begins on Saturday – Boris and Arkady Strugatsky

♦ Mister Monday – Garth Nix

♦ Monday Mourning – Kathy Reichs

♦ Monday with a Mad Genius – Mary Pope Osbourne

Number Of Monday’s In A Calendar Year

There are either 52 or 53 Mondays in a calendar year, depending on what day of the week a year starts. It will also depend if the year is a leap year. In 2010 and 2011 there will be 52 Mondays and there will be 53 in 2012. So if you are not looking forward to next Monday remember you are not alone, and try to look on the bright side – there are still six other days of the week in between.

Named Holidays

♦ Easter Monday - follows Easter and is celebrated as a holiday in some cultures.

♦ Cyber Monday - follows Thanksgiving- refers to the increase in online sales.

♦ Hansel Monday - first of the new year in which gifts are given to convey good wishes in Scotland and Northern England.

♦ Clean Monday - or Ash Monday- the first day of Lent. Refers to being free from sin.

♦ Big Monday - ESPN's College Basketball presentation.

♦ Black Monday - October 19, 1987- the day the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 508 points.

The Worst Day

In many cultures, the first day of the work week holds the honor of being the worst day. Another interesting fact about Monday, the second day of the week, is, the French used to call automobiles that turn out to be lemons, "Monday Cars."

The Brighter Side

On the brighter side, there are two positive things about Monday. First, if you were born on this day, then you're not homely. After all, the old rhyme goes, "Monday's child is fair of face". That's a good thing. And second, when you're going to shop for a new car, do it on a Monday. Car salespeople make the bulk of their sales on the weekends. When Monday rolls around, there are usually few customers in sight, and the weekend is a long ways off. That's why car salespeople are more desperate on Monday, and they'll be more willing to cut you a deal.

Miscellaneous Monday Fact

A strange Monday fact is it’s associated with Silver when it comes to Alchemy; an ancient chemical science.

Eleven Monday Fun Facts

1. Most of us don't crack our first smile until 11:16 a.m.

2. The best-preferred way to beat Monday blues is by watching television or having sex.

3. Over 50% of employees are late to work.

4. Most people will moan about it being Monday for a whole 12 minutes.

5. People between the ages of 45 and 54 are likely to suffer the most Monday blues.

6. Workers only manage 3 1/2 hours of productive work.

7. Monday is the most likely day to commit suicide.

8. Most heart attacks happen on Mondays.

9. Monday is the least rainy day in the week.

10. Monday is the best day to buy a car.

11. You’re most likely to have a hangover on a Monday.

Enjoy your Mondays! Keep On Bloggin'!           

The Facts Of Chocolate

A guy found a bottle and a genie granted him three wishes.

"Well," he said: "I'm broke and life sucks.
I'd like to be really stinking rich."
***POOF****
There was a million bucks.

"The best car in the World," he said;
"Is what I'd really adore,
But it costs $1.7 million.”
***POOF****
There was a Bugatti Veyron 16.4.

Finally, he said; "I'm a nerdy geek
I'm not one of those hunky jocks
I'd like to be irresistible to all women.”
***POOF****
He was turned into an automatically, refilling, giant chocolate box.
(Which unfortunately has no need for money and a car but on the other hand, will get slobbered over by all women.)

Jon Bratton 2012

Tee shirt slogan

EMERGENCY ALERT:
If wearer of this shirt is found vacant, listless, or depressed,
ADMINISTER CHOCOLATE IMMEDIATELY.

The 12-step chocoholics program: Never be more than 12 steps from chocolate!

Chocolate causes certain endocrine glands to secrete Hormones that affect your feelings and behavior by making you happy. Therefore, it counteracts depression, in turn reducing the stress of depression. Your stress-free life helps you maintain a youthful disposition, both physically and mentally. So, eat lots of chocolate!

Elaine Sherman
Book of Divine Indulgences

Researchers have discovered that chocolate produced some of the same reactions in the brain as marijuana. The researchers also discovered other similarities between the two, but can't remember what they are.

Matt Lauer on NBC's Today Show, August 22nd

Chocolate is the first luxury. It has so many things wrapped up in it: Deliciousness in the moment, childhood memories, and that grin-inducing feeling of getting a reward for being good.

Mariska Hargitay

Chocolate doesn't make the world go around ... but it certainly makes the ride worthwhile!

Chocolate is the greatest gift to women ever created, next to the likes of Paul Newman and Gene Kelly. It's something that should be had on a daily basis.

Sandra Bullock

It's not that chocolates are a substitute for love. Love is a substitute for chocolate. Chocolate is, let's face it, far more reliable than a man.

Miranda Ingram

Giving chocolate to others is an intimate form of communication, a sharing of deep, dark secrets.

Milton Zelman, publisher of "Chocolate News"

I have this theory that chocolate slows down the aging process.... It may not be true, but do I dare take the chance?

After about 20 years of marriage, I'm finally starting to scratch the surface of what women want. And I think the answer lies somewhere between conversation and chocolate.

Mel Gibson

I don't understand why so many "so-called" chocolate lovers complain about the calories in chocolate when all true chocoholics know that it is a vegetable. It comes from the cocoa bean, beans are veggies, 'nuff said.

I take chocolate from strangers.

... the taste of chocolate is a sensual pleasure in itself, existing in the same world as sex... For myself, I can enjoy the wicked pleasure of chocolate... entirely by myself. Furtiveness makes it better.

Dr. Ruth Westheimer

I could give up chocolate but I'm not a quitter.

Forget love...I'd rather fall in chocolate.

Chocolate is cheaper than therapy and no appointment is needed.

My mouth is watering after writing this I'm off for some chocolate!!!

Keep On Bloggin’!

Jokes From The Inbox

The Ostrich

A man walks into a restaurant with a full-grown ostrich behind him.
The waitress asks them for their orders.
The man says, "A hamburger, fries and a coke," and turns to the ostrich, "What's yours?"
"I'll have the same," says the ostrich.
A short time later the waitress returns with the order. "That will be $9.40 please." The man reaches into his pocket and pulls out the exact change for payment.
The next day, the man and the ostrich come again and the man says, "A hamburger, fries and a coke."
The ostrich says, "I'll have the same."
Again the man reaches into his pocket and pays with exact change.
This becomes routine until the two enter again. "The usual?" asks the waitress.
"No, this is Friday night, so I will have a steak, baked potato and a salad," says the man.
"Same," says the ostrich.
Shortly the waitress brings the order and says, "That will be $32.62."
Once again the man pulls the exact change out of his pocket and places it on the table.
The waitress cannot hold back her curiosity any longer. "Excuse me,sir. How do you manage to always come up with the exact change in your pocket every time?"
"Well," says the man, "several years ago I was cleaning the attic and found an old lamp. When I rubbed it, a Genie appeared and offered me two wishes. My first wish was that if I ever had to pay for anything, I would just put my hand in my pocket and the right amount of money would always be there."
"That's brilliant!" says the waitress. "Most people would ask for a million dollars or something, but you'll always be as rich as you want for as long as you live!"
"That's right…whether it's a gallon of milk or a Rolls Royce, the exact money is always there," says the man.
The waitress asks, "What's with the ostrich?"
The man sighs, pauses and answers, "My second wish was for a tall chick with a big ass and long legs who agrees with everything I say.."

A Wish To Live Forever

I met a fairy today who said that she would grant me one wish.
"I want to live forever," I said.
"Sorry," said the fairy, "I'm not allowed to grant wishes like that!"
"Fine," I said, "then I want to die after Congress gets their heads out of their asses!"

"You crafty bastard," said the fairy.

From An Actual Trail In The UK

A young Woman several months pregnant was sitting on a bus when she noticed a young man smiling at her. She decided to look out the window and ignore him.

She chanced a look back at him. He was still staring at her with an even bigger smile on his face and she was the only one he was looking at!

She was sure of this. She began feeling humiliated on account of her condition. She changed her seat & he seemed more amused. She moved again and he was rolling with laughter.

She was so angry she got off the bus and called the cops on him. He was arrested and when he was in court she was there.

In the court, the judge asked him what his defense was for bothering pregnant women on the bus.

He said; “When the lady boarded the bus I couldn't help noticing she was pregnant. She sat under an advertisement which read 'Coming Soon- The unknown boon’. I was even more amused when she then sat under a shaving advertisement which read 'William's stick did the trick'. When I could not control myself any longer, she moved again! On the third move, she sat under an advertisement which read 'Dunlop Rubber would have prevented this accident”.

The case was dismissed. The judge fell off his chair laughing.

The Password  

During a recent password audit by Microsoft & Google it was found that a blonde was using the following password:

‘MickeyMinniePlutoHueyLouieDeweyDonaldGoofySacramento’.
When asked why she had such a long password, she said, “I was told that it had to be at least 8 characters long and include at least one capital. Didn’t I do it right?”

A Day In Hell

One day a guy dies and finds himself in hell. As he is wallowing in despair he has his first meeting with a demon...
Demon: Why so glum chum?
Guy: What do you think? I'm in hell.
Demon: Hell's not so bad. We actually have a lot of fun down here...you a drinkin' man?
Guy: Sure, I love to drink. Love the drinks.
Demon: Well you're gonna love Mondays then. On Mondays, that's all we do is drink. Whiskey, tequila, Guinness, wine coolers, diet tab, and Fresca...we drink till we throw up and then we drink some more!
Guy: Gee that sounds great.
Demon: You a smoker?
Guy: You better believe it! Love the smoking.
Demon: Alright! You're gonna love Tuesdays. We get the finest cigars from all over the world and smoke our lungs out. If you get cancer - no biggie - you're already dead remember?
Guy: Wow...that's...awesome!
Demon: I bet you like to gamble.
Guy: Why yes as a matter of fact I do. Love the gambling.
Demon: Cause Wednesday you can gamble all you want. Craps, Blackjack, Roulette, Poker, Slots, whatever... If you go Bankrupt...well you're dead anyhow.
Demon: You into drugs?
Guy: Are you kidding? Love drugs! You don't mean...
Demon: That's right! Thursday is drug day. Help yourself to a great big bowl of crack. or smack. Smoke a doobie the size of a submarine. You can do all the drugs you want and if ya overdose - that's right - you're dead - who cares! O.D.!!
Guy: Yowza! I never realized Hell was such a swingin' place!!
Demon: You gay?
Guy: Uh no.
Demon: Ooooh (grimaces) you're really gonna hate Fridays.

Observations On Growing Older

• Your kids are becoming you...and you don't like them...but your grandchildren are perfect!
• Going out is good. Coming home is better! 
• When people say you look "Great"... they add "for your age!"
• When you needed the discount, you paid full price. Now you get discounts on everything...movies, hotels, flights, but you're too tired to use them.
• You forget names .... but it's OK because other people forgot they even knew you!!!
• The 5 pounds you wanted to lose is now 10+ and you have a better chance of losing your keys than the 10+ pounds.
• Your spouse is counting on you to remember things you don't remember.
• The things you used to care to do, you no longer care to do, but you really do care that you don't care to do them anymore.
• Your husband sleeps better on a lounge chair with the TV blaring than he does in bed. It's called his ‘pre-sleep’. 
• Remember when your mother said, "Wear clean underwear in case you GET in an accident"? Now you bring clean underwear in case you HAVE an accident! You used to say; "I hope my kids GET married”. Now; "I hope they STAY married!"
• You miss the days when everything worked with just an "ON" and "OFF" switch.
• When personal computers were unheard of, and a mouse was something that made you climb on a table.
• You tend to use more 4 letter words like, "what?"..."when?"... ???
• Now that you can afford expensive jewelry, it's not safe to wear it anywhere.
• Your husband has a night out with the guys, but he's home by 9:00 P.M. Next week it will be 8:30 P.M.
• You read 100 pages of a book before you realize you've read it.
• Notice everything they sell in stores is ‘sleeveless’?!!!
• What used to be freckles are now liver spots.
• Everybody whispers because you are going deaf. 
• Now that your husband has retired .. you'd give anything if he'd find a job! 
• But old is good in some things especially ‘Old Friends’!!!!! 

“It's Not What You Gather, But What You Scatter That Tells What Kind Of Life You Have Lived.” Anonymous

Keep On Bloggin’!

Tastes Like Chicken

Human tongue on the hospital canteen menu?

A human tongue has been served up in a hospital canteen's chicken risotto and bosses figure it was accidentally dropped into the food by another doctor.

Slovenian officials are investigating after a doctor complained about a strange piece of meat on his plate. The doctor insisted it was not chicken and after some intense bickering it was sent away for tests and found out it was part of a human tongue!

I guess that answers the question that "everything" doesn't always taste like chicken!

Inspectors have closed the canteen in Izola, southern Slovenia, to review hygiene standards. A hospital spokesman insisted: "I can say clearly that we have never used patients' parts in any of our dishes."

Bosses believe that another doctor could have unwittingly dropped the tongue in the food after treating a patient. This begs the question…Slovenian Doctor, why are you even carrying around a human tongue specimen in the canteen area of the hospital in the first place? Gives me the creeps! Thank heavens I don't live in southern Slovenia!

(And yes, this was a true story in the sense that it was in a newspaper article I saw online.)

Keep On Bloggin'!

A Pill For Happiness

You know those days when you wake up feeling somewhat…unhappy. On those days, wouldn’t it be nice to have a happy pill to make you feel better? One that doesn’t even require a prescription?

A design firm in Barcelona has come up with a fun and different candy shop called “happy pills” selling placebo happiness in jars and pill cases not unlike real pharmacies.

So you wake up feeling bad for no reason with a full day ahead of you, what do you do? Maybe you need a bottle of “happy pills” to sweeten your day. Something that will make you happy by popping a pill that has no side effects. Imagine tasting that yummy candy on your taste buds; pills you can’t overdose on. Let the sugar rush take care of the doldrums and have an awesome day.

Just what the doctor ordered.

Nestled literally between two buildings on Avinguda del Portal de l'Angel, the “happy pills” shop would be fairly easy to miss. That is, if it weren't for the crowd of tourists and gawkers outside the store.

Once inside, you are greeted by rows of different flavors of gummy candy. You pick what kind, what size prescription you want and they pack them in tamper proof bottles for you. They seal the bottles shut and put the descriptions on the bottles in English or Spanish.

“Against the unbearable lightness of being”, “Against Mondays”, and “Against the square root” are some of the (translated from Spanish to English) prescriptions of happy pills they are offering at their unique store.

The process and the presentation are clean and enjoyable, long after the candy has been consumed (which happens very quickly). So I have a smile on my face and a bottle of happy pills on my desk as I write this blog.

What a clever idea for a candy store! Now, if I only lived in Spain…or had some stock in the company. Ha ha!

Keep On Bloggin’!

Just In Case You Weren't Feeling 'Old Enough' Today ♥

• The people who are going to college this year were born in 1993.
• They are too young to remember the space shuttle blowing up.
• Their lifetime has always included AIDS.
• The CD was introduced four years before they were born.
• They have always had an answering machine.
• They have always had cable.
• They couldn't imagine life without their cell phones.
• Jay Leno has always been on the Tonight Show.
• They have never been without microwaves and can't cook without them.
• They never took a swim and thought about Jaws.
• They don't know who Mork was or where he was from.
• They never heard; "Where's the Beef?", "I'd walk a mile for a Camel. ", or "de plane Boss, de plane."
• McDonald's never came in Styrofoam containers.
• They don't have a clue as to how to use a typewriter.
• They use calculators, computers and the Internet in college to do all of their lessons.
• They have always had 'personal' computers.
• Search Engines have taken the place of a set of good Encyclopedias.
• Email and texting has taken the place of writing personal letters and mailing them.
• Notice the larger type? That's for those of us who have trouble reading cause we're getting 'old.'

P.S. Save the earth. It's the only planet with chocolate.

Keep On Bloggin'!

Happy New Year My Friends

It’s been a long year but it’s finally time to celebrate a clean start in 2012. The last 2 years were really hard for me and full of problems but I’m glad for the new chance this year!

I haven’t thought about my resolutions yet but how many of you have started your list of New Year resolutions? It’s an easy thing to do until you find yourself staring at a blank page, waiting to come up with something. And then, we are supposed to follow through with them!

According to Forbes, 44 percent of Americans make New Year’s resolutions. The problem begins when you make resolutions that are unattainable in the first place. Don’t pick things that will set you up to fail. The right resolutions can make a huge difference in boosting happiness in your New Year.

The US Government (of all people) has provided a list of “Popular New Year's Resolutions”. They say that these are popular year after year. Need some help achieving these goals? Just click on the links for extra information.

Help With Popular New Years Resolutions

Drink Less Alcohol

Eat Healthy Food

Get a Better Education

Get a Better Job

Get Fit

Lose Weight

Manage Debt

Manage Stress

Quit Smoking

Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle

Save Money

Take a Trip

Volunteer to Help Others

These are all excellent links, they still work and are very helpful check them out.

Funny New Years Resolutions

I will……

Start washing my hands after I use the restroom.

Stop licking frozen flag poles.

Only get divorced and remarried once this year.

Watch more movie remakes.

Go back to school to avoid paying my student loans.

Only eat the white snow.

Keep it to myself that I have trouble with authority when I'm being interviewed.

Spend less than $1825 for coffee at Starbucks this year.

Claim all my pets as dependents on my taxes.

Start a blog about how I would write more often if I had something important to write. Only make one blog entry and leave it published for years.

Talk with a robot voice all the time.

Start using Facebook for something other than Farmville and stupid quizzes.

Start smoking to lose weight.

Switch my username to “password” and my password to “username” to make each a lot harder for hackers to figure out.

I wrote a poem this year it’s silly but I wanted you to know how much I have enjoyed hanging out with you all on Window’s Live and I hope we all stay in touch. Enjoy!

A Very Good Year

The month of December has come to a close
the weather has brought a new blanket of snow
Christmas has faded from Rudolf’s red nose
looks like it’s time for the new year.

To the party you go with your friends in tow
faces aglow and dressed in our best
jollification wherever we go
looks like it’s time for the new year.

Champagne is pouring as midnight draws near
resolutions are made as we watch the ball drop
we raise up our glasses to toast to good cheer
that this New Year, be a very good year!

© Rebecca Sanchez 2011

Happy New Year! Keep On Bloggin’!