The real story

Friday Focus : New things I learned today!

1. In Baltimore, USA, it is illegal to be escorted to the movies by a lion.

2. In Chicago, USA, it is illegal to fish while sitting on a giraffes neck.

3. Chewing gum is outlawed in Singapore.

4. In England it is illegal to stand within 100 yards of a reigning Monarch if not wearing socks.

5. In Egypt, the right hand is always used for eating as the left hand is used for wiping your ass.

6. Stephen Kings first novel Carrie met with the following comment from a publisher, “we are not interested in science fiction which deals with negative utopias. They do not sell”.

7. The Pepsi cola company has been  declared bankrupt three times.

8. During World War II, the Oscars awards where made out of wood due to the scarcity of metal.

9. Richard Nixon was the first president to visit all states of the USA.

10. Following the tragic death of Princess Diana, the re worked Elton John hit, candle in the wind, topped the Canadian singles charts for over a year.

11. The bloodhound is the only animal whose evidence is admissible in a USA court of law.

12. Sir Isaac Newton invented the cat flap!

13. Country and western star, Lyle Lovett, ex husband of Julia’s Roberts, has a morbid fear of cows!

14. Elephants are the only animals on earth with four knees.

15. The south pole has no sunshine for 182 days per year.

16. The rarest blood group in the world is A-H

17. Dogs and humans are the only animals with prostrate glands.

18. A starfish has no brain and can turn itself inside out.

19. 1961 was the last year to read the same upside down as the right way up.

20. Star wars princess Leia’s surname is Organa.

My Friend Eiain

This is a follow up to an earlier post I wrote.

So I was a little bit brassed off with someone lately. I also felt very hurt by their comments. Eiain didn’t see the hurt at first then of course he did. And of course he gave me his unwavering support. What would lead anyone to believe that he might do anything other than that? Does the person that hurt me actually think that Eiain would take their side over mine? They obviously don’t know Eiain as well or as long as I do. Eiain and I don’t tend to have anything to do with any person that hurts either of us. If there is confusion, if there is misunderstanding, if there is even the hint of an apology, from either side, then some times making amends can be that little bit easier. But when there is none of this we tend to move on with our lives. It is not being harsh, but just us making time and room for people that genuinely want a friendship with us both. Eiain and I have a very open and frank relationship and it is that honesty and integrity that keeps us strong and always will. I don’t like to see Eiain hurt in any way and I will go the ends of this earth to protect him and he does the same for me.

Those are just some of the things that can go towards to making a solid, respectful, lasting friendship. And that is the type of friendship Eiain and I both have. That is what friendship should be all about. We have met some of the nicest people now through blogging and social networking and its an honour to be friends with you all.

Sleepy Lilu

Just awake from a little afternoon snooze. How cute!

Judge Judy

Ya gota love Judge Judy! She takes no shit! She cant abide bad manners! She doesn’t except rudeness of any kind! She sorts out the men from the boys and tells them to take a hike! What a woman!!!

Aliens are my brother

Apparently The Pope’s chief astronomer says that life on Mars cannot be ruled out. Writing in the Vatican newspaper, the astronomer, Father Gabriel Funes, said intelligent beings created by God could exist in outer space. Father Funes, director of the Vatican Observatory near Rome, is a respected scientist who collaborates with universities around the world. The search for forms of extraterrestrial life, he says, does not contradict belief in God. The official Vatican newspaper headlines his article ‘Aliens Are My Brother’. Just as there are multiple forms of life on earth, so there could exist intelligent beings in outer space created by God. And some aliens could even be free from original sin, he speculates. I could not believe  I was reading this as religion always seems to criticise almost every form of Science. And famous astronomers down the years have been heavily criticised for talking about life on other planets.

Asked about the Catholic Church’s condemnation four centuries ago of the Italian astronomer and physicist, Galileo, Father Funes diplomatically says mistakes were made, but it is time to turn the page and look towards the future. Science and religion need each other, and many astronomers believe in God, he assures readers. I nearly fell off my sit after reading that. To strengthen its scientific credentials, the Vatican is organising a conference next year to mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of the author of the Origin of Species, Charles Darwin. Is the Catholic church finally starting to move a little on some things? Who knows? I think I will be a lot happier when they totally change their position on homosexuality and contraception amongst other things! But being the astronomy geek that I am I must admit that this is a step in the right direction.

Mum

My Mum was back in hospital yesterday to see another consultant about her upcoming MRI scan which she is dreading. I told her it was nothing to worry about. Apart from the fact that she is worried about the results she is also worried about having to lay down in the scanning tube for  30 minutes. That is one thing she is not looking forward too as she is very claustrophobic but I have tried to reassure her as best I can as I have had a few scans now. Many years ago after my mum gave birth to me she became very ill. She developed a cyst on her spine which was lodged in between some of her spinal nerves and there was a huge risk in removing it. As a result over the years she walked with great difficulty and lost the feeling and most of the movement in her left foot and her left hand. She doesn’t really walk, she limps and always has for 34 years. Like mother, like son, eh?

The consultant didn’t know wether to do the scan or not as she has had heart surgery and has had stents inserted into her arteries to keep them open. All this happened after her 3rd heart attack. I may live away from home but my Mum is one person in this world that I miss like crazy. She has seen a lot of heart ache, ill health  and strife in her life time but she is strong, loyal, trustworthy, honest above everything  and has been one of the best friends I could ever wish for. Her support is always there without any cost or any hesitation and those qualities, I think anyway, are the very makings of a decent human being.  I hope nothing serious will show up in her scan. She recently turned 70 and I think it would be nice if she could just have a bit of peace now without having to worry about some other health scare. Stay strong Mum. You know you mean the world to me and I love you more than ever!

Men and Women

Male or Female? You might not have known this, but a lot of non-living objects are actually either male or female.  Here are some examples: 

FREEZER BAGS: They are male, because they hold everything in, but you can see right through them.

PHOTOCOPIERS: These are female, because once turned off; it takes a while to warm them up again. They are an effective reproductive device if the right buttons are pushed, but can also wreak havoc if you push the wrong Buttons.

TIRES: Tires are male, because they go bald easily and are often over inflated

HOT AIR BALLOONS: Also a male object, because to get them to go anywhere, you have to light a fire under their butt.

SPONGES: These are female, because they are soft, squeezable and retain water.

 

Web Pages: Female, because they’re constantly being looked at and frequently getting hit on.

TRAINS: Definitely male, because they always use the same old lines for picking up people.

EGG TIMERS: Egg timers are female because, over time, all the weight shifts to the bottom.

HAMMERS: Male, because in the last 5000 years, they’ve hardly changed at all, and are occasionally handy to have around.

THE REMOTE CONTROL: Female. Ha! You probably thought it would be male, but consider this: It easily gives a man pleasure, he’d be lost without it, and while he doesn’t always know which buttons to push, he just keeps trying

 
New Law:
With the high rate of attacks on women in secluded parking lots, especially during evening hours, the Minneapolis City Council has established a ‘Women Only’ parking lot at the Mall of America. Even the parking lot attendants are exclusively female so that a comfortable and safe environment is created for patrons.

Below is the first picture available of this world-first women-only parking lot in Minnesota

 

 

Don’t take it all too seriously! Its just a wee chuckle to brighten your day!

Mad World

I can be happy too

It is always nice to see someone smile. I think when you see others smiling it makes you want to smile too. Fortunately I don’t have to smile with my spine or legs. If I did there would not be much of a smile. But because  there is nothing wrong with my mouth and face, it means I can actually look Happy. Because I have these problems with my spine it also doesn’t mean I have to be locked away at home without ever having to see daylight. I have just as much right as anyone else to go out for a walk and enjoy the sunshine even if it is just a little walk. So in my pictures if I look healthy enough in my face because I am smiling etc that doesn’t mean for one moment that I still don’t feel the excruciating pain down my legs and in my spine. I think some people are under the impression that my constant appearance should be that of agony. That I should not be out and about at all. That if I look “happy” in my photographs then there cant be much wrong with me. How small minds have become. Even if I am in pain I still want to go out because I want Eiain to get out and about and enjoy himself too.

My consultant has told me to walk at least 300 yards 5 times a day as I only have muscle holding the bottom of my spine together. If I don’t keep that part of it fit and strong then that will deteriorate too and then I will be in major trouble. I cant go out alone in case I have a spasm and fall over again. When Eiain gets home from work we go out for a little walk. We take little walks at the weekend too. I worry about this every minute of every day. Some days I feel like less of a man because I have to rely on others to help me with some things. But I am still smiling because I have so many things in my life to smile about. I have a great guy in my life, a great family and other things that bring me joy. A sad story book can have a very happy cover but you should never judge a book by its cover. There are many people with many problems in this world. But if they find just one little thing to smile about then we should be happy for them. Unhealthy people have just as many rights as healthy people to be happy. We have a right to live too.