Family Wedding Anniversary

On this day in 1938 Les Jenkin and Alma King were wed in Marinette, Wisconsin.

View pictures of their 60th Wedding Anniversary party. Then check out the 65th anniversary display and their story.

Alma passed in 2005, shortly before their 67th anniversary.

technorati tags: wedding, longmarriage, vicki'sblog

Happy Birthday, David

35!

Freedom of Expression in the Media

Today is World Press Freedom Day. This special day, created and supported by the United Nations (UN) in 1993, celebrates the principles of the freedom of the press. It was recommended by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in order to bring freedom of expression to the world.

Freedom of expression is taken for granted in the US, but not so in many other countries. They recognize that new technologies are increasing access of information which in turn empowers the public, allowing people to have more control over their own lives.

The Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize for 2008 will be awarded to Lydia Cacho Ribeiro today in Mozambique. Lydia is a Mexican reporter who uncovered prostitution and child pornography networks. As a result, she has been the target of death threats, sabotage, and police harassment.

technorati tags: un, unesco, vicki'sblog, worldpressfreedomday, freedomofthepress

Have a Healthy Month

March is National MS Education and Awareness Month. This is important to me because I have multiple sclerosis and it is surprising how few people are aware of MS. I think most people have heard of it, but a frequent question is "What is MS?"

Just like so many people, when I was diagnosed I did not know what to expect, how MS is treated, how it is cured, how many people have MS, how I "caught" it, or really very much at all. I recall having heard an advertising tag line "MS, the crippler of young adults." Well, that memory brought up more questions such as "Am I going to be in a wheelchair?"

Now that I had been made aware of MS, I obviously needed to be educated about it. I began to rely on the National MS Society (NMSS) and the Multiple Sclerosis FoundatioN (MSF) to guide my education. To answer some questions, here is a quick NMSS brochure.

March is a very health conscious month. Other conditions observed this month are:

Brain Injury Awareness
Colorectal Cancer Prevention
Endometriosis Awareness
Save Your Vision
Workplace Eyecare and Safety
Nutrition

And today begins National Patient Safety Week

Take care of yourself this month (and always).

technorati tags: nationalmseducationandawarenessmonth, ms, multiplesclerosis, healthawareness, vicki'sblog

Christmas Dinner, Here and There

Christmas is celebrated in many countries around the world. The centerpiece of the celebration is the Christmas dinner meal. But the center meal is surely not the same in so many different cultures.

Well, that's true. Turkey seems to be popular in many homes, almost everywhere. If not turkey, other poultries such as duck, goose, or even pheasant make the family happy. Ham, too, is favored, as is roast beef, especially in the UK and former colonies. Some cultures have different ideas.

Japan likes fried chicken and strawberry shortcake. In Australia, chicken or ham is eaten cold, or shrimp is bar-be-qued. Remember it's summer down under.

Several cultures center their meal around twelve courses or dishes. Poland, for example, has 12 meatless dishes breaking a fasting period. The Ukrainian 12 courses are each dedicated to an apostle. They eat boiled wheat.

Finnish dinners consist of ham or fish with a smorgasboard of side dishes. The French stay up, often after midnight. The Netherlands has gourmet dishes, often individually cooked and the table in small skillets. The Mexican feast is largely fruits around special stews and tamales.

So many different cultures with as many different culinary tastes, all to celebrate Christmas. Read details in Wikipedia or an article about special dinners around the world.

Enjoy your Christmas tradition and your family dinner, or try something new by borrowing a taste from another culture.

technorati tags: Christmasdinner,, traditionalchristmasdinner, christmasdinneraroundtheworld, vickisblog

Another Fun Site

Ask500People is a new site that is kind of fun and potentially useful. You can pose a survey question to be answered by people all over the world.

Here's the drill - Register. If your question is chosen -- by site visitors like you -- it will be available for 100 random respondents, whoever signs on and chooses to vote. Then it remains available for more respondents.

Read through some of the questions that have been submitted to Ask500People. Questions are serious, quirky, personal, political, and just plain silly. You can review questions that have been submitted and vote for any you think should be featured.

The featured question is displayed over a world map and you can track the response live. When someone answers, a pin is placed on the map, so you can see how many people agree or disagree and where the respondent is from. You can leave a comment if you choose.

Before you Marketers ask, yes, it can be used for business and the results can remain confidential. All you have to do is sign up for a premium account and you're ready. For the rest of us, it's free and fun. Think of a question. then Ask500People.

technorati tags: survey, poll, questions, vickisblog

Do You Believe in Good Fortune?

Today is a good day for Chinese food because, well, Chinese food is good every day.

Then be sure to eat the fortune cookie because today is Fortune Cookie Day. Those crunchy little Chinese cookies were first served in California. It's beginning to sound a little suspicious, especially considering the Fortune Cookie Day is also claimed in April, and again in June and July, and even again in August. Just in case you don't have time to go to a restaurant, get your fortune online at one of several online fortune cookie sites. And are we supposed to believe the little paper in that suspicious cookie? I think not.

Good thing today is also Defy Superstition Day. It is a superstition, isn't it, to believe in a good message found in a little Chinese -- I mean -- Californian cookie? But wait. What if the little slip of paper says "Good news will come to you by mail," which is exactly what it did say when I clicked on my online cookie. Do I wait by the mailbox? What if I don't get a letter? Maybe it will be an e-mail.

Well, luckily, today is also Positive Thinking Day so I'll just wait and know the good news will come my way. Norman Vincent Peale, the champion of positive thinking, said, "We tend to get what we expect."

technorati tags: vickisblog, holiday, fortunecookie, superstition, positivethinking

Maria Montessori Schooling

One hundred years ago, Maria Montessori opened her first day care center. Her 'unruly' children were from one of Rome's worst neighborhoods, but her innovative teaching methods allowed three and four year old children to learn reading.

Maria treated her young students with respect resulting in self-respect. That is an innovative method of child care. Maybe she read Confucius:

A youth is to be regarded with respect. How do you know that his future will not be equal to our present?

Her methods are still used today. The International Montessori Index provides details helpful in selecting schools around the world that follow her teachings. Also, for parents who want to incorporate the philosophy, click here.

technorati tags: montessori, daycare, innovativechildcare, confuciusquote, vickisblog ,

homeschooling

Introducing the IBM PC

Today is an important anniversary for those of us who rely on our own portable computers daily to do our job tasks or complete our homework or even to write our blog posts. On August 12, 1981, IBM Personal Computer was first released.



What would we do without our handy PCs? My little Vaio TR3A is with me in bed every night in case I awake and decide to write. How spoiled I am. Thank you IBM for starting this great PC frenzie.

But wait. In 1980. I bought my boys a Commodore Vic 20 (named because the screen could accommodate 20 characters!) so they could enter the computer age. That was a small computer, a keyboard really, relying on a portable TV for a monitor. We certainly considered it our personal computer. But was that the first PC? About that time I was lucky enough to get my own Compaq PC at work. It was very heavy as I lugged it through airports so I could show the clients our great designs on the minuscule screen.

I have just gone through some of my PC history. But what was the first PC? Look at the Blinkenlights Archaeological Institute's personal computer milestones. You might be as surprised as I was.

technorati tags: personalcomputer, ibmpc, pchistory, vickisblog, compaq, commodore

Celebrate Our Children

Today is Son's and Daughter's Day.

The traditional gift for this day is TIME. The traditional celebration is to spend the day with our little darlings.

For me, it has to be Son's and Son's Day.

technorati tags: sonsanddaughtersday, vickisblog

Wanna Make Movies?

Garry and I have been watching Fox's On the Lot, a reality game show that pits wannabe directors vying for the prize of a contract with Steven Spielberg's DreamWorks.

The challenge is to make a two-minute movie each week. The results don't look like standard YouTube fare. The aspiring directors have actors, crew, equipment, and film lots at their disposal. They began with genre challenges -- comedy, a thriller, drama, action, etc. This week the challenge was more specfic. They had a viewer-submitted log line -- one or two lines giving the situation, character and tone --

A man wakes up, rolls out of bed and finds himself in a dress...but can't remember what happened the night before.

Regular judges are Carrie Fisher and Garry Marshall and a guest. The show is now ready for the finals; only two weeks left. Time to tune in. Previous films are available on the website.

In previous years, we enjoyed Project Greenlight, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck's project with Miramax studios and Chris Moore. The show followed the entire process of actually making a feature film.

If you want to make your own movie, join a club such as Amateur Movie Maker Association. They have their own contests and are lots of fun.

technorati tags: vickisblog, movies, fox, onthelot, video

It's Almost Over

July is National Ice Cream Month and there's only one day left. In 1984, when President Reagan first proclaimed July as National Ice Cream Month, he called for the nation to observe this special month with "appropriate ceremonies and activities."

One appropriate activity is to eat some ice cream. Or maybe we should visit an ice cream factory, and it may as well be the Little Creamery that cranks out Blue Bell creations. Blue Bell Creameries, located in Brenham in my home state of Texas, is celebrating its 100th Anniversary.

Blue Bell was started by local farmers and named after the Texas state flower, bluebonnets. Despite such humble beginnings, it now ranks in the top three among ice cream in the country. The brand is available in only 20% of the nation's markets, mostly in the South.

The creamery regularly offers tours and more, but this year, they are taking their exhibits on the road. There are contests to create new flavors, and you can even join their club. Sounds like fun.

If you are not in Blue Bell country, visit an ice cream establishment near you. It is, after all, National Ice Cream Month.

technorati tags: nationalicecreammonth, bluebellicecream, littlecreamery, vickisblog

April - National Month of Humor and Poetry

Read any funny poems lately?

April is National Humor Month, founded in 1976 by Larry Wilde, Director of the Carmel Institute of Humor. This month is designated to heighten public awareness of the benefits of humor.

AND

The Academy of American Poets named April National Poetry Month to celebrate poetry and its vital place in American culture.

Celebrate these months together by enjoying humorous poetry. Try Giggle Poetry or Funny Poets. Or write a little ditty yourself!

Garry contributed the shortest funny poem in the world:

Fleas

Adam
Had'em

I countered with a shorter (not funny, but definitely shorter) poem:

Sad

I
Cry

technorati tags: garrysblog, vickisblog, nationalhumormonth, nationalpoetrymonth, humor, calendar, poetry

March 30th is National Doctor's Day

How do you feel today?

If you feel good, good for you! If you need to see your doctor, be nice to her. Today is National Doctor's Day, a day set aside to appreciate your doctor. Find some creative ways to celebrate Doctor's Day with your family.

Here's a site where people can share information and take control of their own health care: Revolution Health. Besides information on doctors, treatments, and hospitals, there are popular articles and blogs by patients and even some doctors.

If you are looking for a new doctor, try a search in your town for someone with a particular specialty. Select from the list and a comparison will display with location, including maps -- looking for a doctor near you? -- things to consider are specialty, language spoken in the office, years in practice, board certified status, and reviews by current patients.

Is your doctor listed? If not, add the name along with a story illustrating why he is a good doctor (or why people should stay away!). I read some sad stories and some glowing recommendations.

Revolution Health is the perfect site to visit this National Doctor's Day.

technorati tags: vickisblog, healthcare, revolutionhealth, findadoctor, recommendadoctor, nationaldoctorsday, health, doctor, calendar

Keep Me Warm in Style

The National Quilting Association met in Lincoln, Nebraska, in June 1991, and they named the third Saturday in March National Quilting Day. And why should quilters have their own special day?

Quilting is part of our heritage. State and county fairs, antique shows, swap meets and other gatherings always have beautiful quilts displayed. My great grandmother who lived on an Oklahoma farm was one of many who made quilts using scraps from the feed sacks. Old baby clothes are used to honor a childhood.

Women gathered to socialize and made productive use of their visiting time at quilting bees. Remember the 1995 movie How To Make an American Quilt?

On a more serious note, the AIDS Memorial Quilt serves to foster healing, heighten awareness, and inspire action in the struggle against HIV and AIDS. The quilt is a creative outlet for remembrance and healing, and an illustration of the enormity of this pandemic. Each of the 44,000 3 x 6 foot panels, representing all 50 states and 26 countries, commemorates the life of an individual who died of AIDS. The quilt was first displayed on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., in 1987. Click here to view the quilt and see how to add a name.

Dr. House - a Wheeler?

An interesting plot on the TV program -- Garry and I watched House last week and I keep thinking about it. Dr. House, although disabled himself, lost his handicap-reserved parking place to a wheeler. To get it back he bet he could spend the week in a wheelchair.

He actually did a very good job of staying in the wheelchair, even when he could not reach to put up his folders, even when he was impatient with a slow elevator. However, we saw him only at the hospital. Did he continue the experiment when he was home? Or did he stay in the chair only when someone was likely to see him? The week was almost over when he finally did stand, and it was a heroic effort to save his patient's life.

This episode sparked a wave of online discussions and critics. House pointed out the ease, comfort and safety of using a wheelchair as opposed to his difficulty of getting around with the use of a cane. Assignment of the parking space, he thought, depended on determining who was more disabled. Most of the comments concerned the question "which is harder - a cane or a chair?" My question would have been "don't they both qualify for a prime parking spot?" I know, I know, then the entire story line would not work.

And the story brought out clever paradigms. After all, isn't it easier for a wheeler to get around than it is for just about anyone else? If not, maybe it should be. House commented on the perspective difference between a sitter and an upright. Even though House faces problems with his own disability, not only mobility but also pain, he encountered a completely different set of challenges with life in a chair.

Some points may have been missed by an upright audience. Others were clever. For example, he struggled to get in his car, scoot over on the seat, and then discovered he could not reach to close the car door.

House is a popular show and it highlighted some problems, both simple and not so simple, with daily life in a chair. It was a good venue for an important point.

technorati tags: vickisblog, wheelchair, wheeler, disabled, handicapped, house, dailydisabledlife