Monthly Archives: September 2017

2Cellos + so much more

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I’m always amazed at the interests other people have. In a good way.  It’s a great way to learn in small ways.  Just by listening to what they’re passionate about, widens your knowledge base which makes YOU a more interesting person!   And we didn’t have to do the work or study!

I’m sitting outside an arena with my family and friends, having a burger and beer.  The concert is 2Cellos.  Sounds very sophisticated doesn’t it?  Well it would be if we really knew anything about them.  I will admit I was interested in trying to widen my musical boundaries.  I saw these guys on youtube and they looked really cool.  When discussing them, all I knew is that they’re from Croatia and good looking.  And I feel very hipster trying new things.  (of course, trying to be hipster isn’t hipster.  Is hipster even cool anymore?  I can’t keep up-not that I have ever been cool–just ask my kids)

The women at the table next to us was listening.  They said they love hearing about peoples first impressions of the 2Cellos.  One of those woman speaking to me was Katherine Levine 13590602-small  (Bob Gathany/bgathany@al.com.  (this is a photo of Katherine before her weight loss-sorry Katherine, I couldn’t fine a more recent photo)  Katherine credits the music of 2CELLOS with helping her lose 100 pounds since she heard the cellists open for Elton John’s concert in Huntsville on Sept. 12. 2012.  She told me, there is just something about the way they play their music.  Since then she has lost about 100 pounds.  And she’s not the only one.  She has started a fan club, http://everything2cellos.com/ and has heard from other people the same thing.  She is serious when she says the 2Cellos has changed her life.  Another thing I thought was cool, the 4 woman at the table, were from different continents!  They became friends through the fan club.  They have gone to 100+ (between them) concerts and now meet up with each other!  Talk about hands around the world!  Sharing the love of music!

The nights not over.  We get to our seats.  My husband recognizes the couple behind us.  Long story short ( I try, I really do) they have a daughter who is an archaeologist-in Detroit!

The mother said that when Detroit went bust, everybody basically just left-I mean they just left.  The Supremes–they just left their studio.  And apparently there was a Jewish mafia in a downstairs bar in Detroit–they just left.  And what do archaeologists do?  I’m so glad you asked!

“Archaeologists study the material remains of the human. In Detroit, we examine the traces of the city’s changing landscapes – excavated artifacts, building foundations, standing architecture, street layouts, neighborhoods  – order to understand the past, reveal the unwritten histories of the city’s historically underrepresented communities…”

I’m picturing a music studio with old 45s just hanging around with the blue and white speckled center with MOTOWN emblazoned on them  downloadAnd a old speakeasy with  yarmulkes hanging on bar stools.

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Now please take my details with a grain of salt (ALWAYS take my details with a grain of salt.  It’s not for lack of truth telling but for lack of memory).  If you want facts go to https://unearthdetroit.wordpress.com/.

Take your time talking to people you’ve never met before. YOU may benefit from all THEIR years of learning and college tuition!!  How’s that for a deal 🙂

 

Remember,

Itlbok, Really

If you like my blogs, please Follow Me.  This means you will get sent my new blogs straight to your email instead of having to remember my site address or going onto Facebook.  Just click the floating “follow” button on the lower right side of the page.

Everybody Poops, part 2

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OK, don’t go there…yes I could have said Everybody poops, #2, but we’re all too mature, adult, ladylike and/or gentlemanly to go there, correct?  

As promised, this is a continuation from last weeks blog.  People seemed to have enjoyed my ramblings, and/or they just can’t believe some of the things that come out of my mouth.  I always assume everybody just thinks the same way I do, they just don’t have the nerve to say it aloud.  Is that true?  

OK, Let’s return to the boudoir.  As my daughter kindly put it in one of the comments, she compared my “bladder to the size of a lentil”.  Of course that’s coming from a woman with a beautiful shiny practically still-has-the-new-car-smell- 21 year old bladder.  My bladder may be petite but still functions well!  I consider going tinkle often just helps me with adding steps to my Fitbit!  Hey-I try to drink 8 glasses of water (2 cups of coffee and 2 glasses of wine count for 4 right?). 

Of course, sometimes I just don’t feel like going to the bathroom.  It’s just so BORING!  I mean, how many times in our lifetime have we gone to the bathroom!!  If you just go 4/day (HA!) that’s 1,460/year.  If you’re 50 years old, that’s 73,000!!!!  Are you kidding me!!!! ?????  And that’s being conservative.  You know how they say sitting is the new smoking?  Maybe going to the bathroom is part of this!  Hey-they started using stability balls images top-rated-toilets-1and treadmills at desks.  Maybe we need something like this for toilets now.  Stability/toilets, (Balancing is good for the core)

Toiletcycles (really good for getting the bowels moving)!c9add354-0e21-4be2-aa26-ab3818e98121_1.07705eb579ef8ddbb936573a631989a8 top-rated-toilets-1

 Who’s with me?  It will be great for the core and the quads.  I can see the ad–Never waste time on the toilet again!!

Now here’s a warning for anyone that has kitties in their home. I was sitting down in the bathroom one morning when my kitty walked in.  Have you ever noticed the animals always want to come and visit when you’re in the bathroom?  And even if the animals may only be four inches wide, they open the door about 12 inches?  And as you know from last week’s blog, I like my privacy, so opening the door all the way doesn’t thrill me.  Anyway, the cat jumps up onto the counter-naturally, I know that’s what cats do.  But what she did next—I never realized.  I’m sitting on the toilet (I so wish there was another word, I really don’t want you picturing me on the toilet, but you need to know why I can’t respond to what’s coming next).  My cat goes over to my toothbrush and starts sucking on the bristles!  I’m sitting there aghast.  And what could I do?  I could yell, but if you have cats you know that doesn’t do much.  Plus, how many times has she done that before?  I’m just sitting there, speechless and helpless.  Guess what I did that afternoon?  Shopping for a covered toothbrush holderdownload!!

I actually do have more to say on the subject but I think you’ve heard enough.  Next week I promise to blog about the different and interesting people that I’ve met.  But I’ll always try and make you smile and laugh along the way.

Remember,

Itlbok, Really

If you like my blogs, please Follow Me.  This means you will get sent my new blogs straight to your email instead of having to remember my site address or going onto Facebook.  Just click the floating “follow” button on the lower right side of the page.

Everybody Poops, I don’t THINK so!

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Ok, so in this blog, you’re not going to learn about relationships, or about meeting new people, or anything too inspirational.

 What you will learn is way more than than you need to learn about me!  But I bet you will laugh.

First thing that you should know, that most of my friends already know, I do not poop.  Not now nor have I ever pooped.  I barely admit to ever going to the bathroom.  If I do, it’s only to fix my make-up, adjust my panties (:-)) or fluff my hair.  On the rarest of occasions do I even tinkle. You see, I am a lady and a lady is above these things .7281909-Beautiful-lady-taking-a-bath-with-rose-petals-Stock-Photo-bath-woman  Yes that’s me in the boudoir with rose petals.  And yes, I admit I am a miracle of science.  Of course, some of my friends (husband included) would like to say that it must mean if I don’t poop, I must be full of sh*#.

So now that you know where I’m coming from, these two stories are even more humorous.

I was pregnant with my first child.  My husband and I went to the birthing classes.  I remember raising my hand asking the question, “is it true that some women actually go to the bathroom while giving birth?”  I must have read this in my “What to Expect when you’re Expecting” book.  And I was totally astonished.  Please oh please tell me this can’t be true.

Now you have to understand, my husband and I do not go to the bathroom in front of each other.  To this day, after 25 years of marriage, we do not go to the bathroom in front of each other!  I mean WHY!?!  I once saw myself sitting on the toilet–a very  ill placed mirror  opposite me. images I jumped!  I mean I jumped!!! Why on earth would anyone want to see that!!

OK, back to the birthing lesson.  Yes, it’s true.  It’s very natural, while you’re pushing the baby out, blah blah blah.  I’m like, not me, THAT’s for sure!! Well,  you know where this story is heading.  Of course, the ONE time in my life that I pooped (yes, only once) and it’s probably documented in the doctors report somewhere!  Obviously I didn’t care.  I didn’t care if the whole world saw.  My legs were spread for whomever wanted to help take this baby out of me. But, another story, another day.

Years later, at my gastroenterologist, I had a very young handsome doctor asking me questions.  About my poop of all things.  I mean, what did I expect, I’m at the gastroenterologist.  BUT, Really?  I can’t have an old man for this?  Nope.  Young and cute.  Showing me photos of different shapes etc.  Oh for goodness sakes.  Are you feeling my pain?

Now this has nothing to do with my lack of pooping but I think it’s funny.  He looks at my hands and gets concerned.  He says, “have you been eating lots of carrots?”  I shake my head no.  He says, “your hands are very orange.”spraying+too+close+to+the+hands+can+cause+them+to+be+orange[1]  And now I have to admit to my young cute doctor that I used a self tanner on my body that morning and didn’t wash my hands well enough. So now this cute intern or whatever he’s called-knows the shape of my non existent poop and that I use self-tanner. ( I might as well talk to him about my period and sexual positions, and by the way, what’s your name again? I’m thinking can I please just leave the office now? ) He grabs a pile of purple latex gloves, walks over and drops them into my lap.  “Here use these next time so your hands won’t get orange”.  Every time I see those purple latex gloves in my medicine cabinet I think about that appointment.  

Would you believe I have a few more stories like these?  Continued next week….

Remember,

Itlbok, Really!

If you like my blogs, please Follow Me.  This means you will get sent my new blogs straight to your email instead of having to remember my site address or going onto Facebook.  Just click the floating “follow” button on the lower right side of the page.

Prison Guards, sweethearts?

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Here is a great example of how you can meet interesting people and enjoy yourself in stressful situations.  

A few years ago, when my dad lived alone, while he was in his late 80’s, he dropped a microwave on his thumb.  Don’t even ask how that happened. If you have older parents, things like this just happen.   I rushed over and took him to the hospital.   

So we’re sitting in this tiny room for a long while.  Apparently it was a very busy evening, and my dads injury wasn’t very serious (I guess compared to the other patients).  Since we had been there for some time, my dad and I stopped chit chatting awhile ago.  The room was so small that I was sitting in the frame of the doorway looking out into the hallway.  Down the hallway, about 35-40 feet away was a prison guard.  Yes a prison guard.  And I’m going to say it.  A big, muscular, intimidating, African american, prison guard. SECURITY GUARD II TEXTURE  (Actually these guys look more like porn stars, it was the best I could find.  If I knew I was doing a blog at the time I would have asked for a photo :-)) Not surprisingly, he was guarding a prisoner behind a curtain. 

Now this is a suburban little hospital.  Not an urban hospital.  I’m not used to seeing prisoners or prison guards.  I don’t even know where the nearest prison is. So this was vastly of interest to me!  Got the visual?  

OK, back to me sitting in the door frame looking out being bored.  Prison guard, standing guard, mighty and tall, but, looking pretty bored.  I make eye contact with him….and I twiddle my thumbs photo-on-2010-08-28-at-12-59 in that culture crossing, non verbal… I AM SO BORED way!  He cracked up!!  We both did.  It was great!  We didn’t say anything after that.  Too much physical distance between us to be able to speak.  

But about 15 minutes later–yes, my dad still hasn’t been attended to-they moved us because they needed my dads room.  Where did they move us?  To the hallway, right in front of the two prisoners they were holding–I kid you not!

Well now I’m right in front of the guard and we start talking.  Isn’t it nice that I already broke the ice with the thumb twiddling?  There were two prisoners and two guards to each prisoner.  One of the prisoners happened to be in x-ray at the moment.  I took a peak behind the curtain and the prisoner he was guarding was handcuffed to the bed.  I didn’t ask why the prisoners were in jail– I thought that would be against prisoner/guard confidentiality.  Is there such a thing?  Feel free to comment on this if anyone knows.  

By the end of my dads visit, I was talking to all four of the guards.  We had a little coffee klatch going on.   I learned that the women’s prisons are much worse than the men’s ( meaning, I guess, that the women are scary and they do not want to work there–that’s the feeling I got from what they said).  The guards were also so sweet to my dad.  The work being done on my dads finger all was done in the hallway so the guards saw everything.  It looked pretty painful.  They talked to my dad and said what a trooper he was etc.  They kept him entertained etc. It was heart warming. 

I also got to ask them how they felt about laymen keeping guns at home.  They are totally for it.  They want all their wives and girlfriends to have guns at home.  They told me police are basically for “follow up after the fact” not for protection at home.  They can’t be.  They can’t get there in time–it’s not possible.  

I’m not adding my personal opinion because I don’t want this to become a political blog.  What I’m so happy about is to hear peoples opinions I never would have heard because of the life I live.  Some people think their side of the story is all there is but there are SO many different points of view.  

So the next time someone tells you, you can’t have a good time in the emergency room, or to stop twiddling your thumbs…. Look at what can happen!

Remember,

Itlbok, Really!

If you like my blogs, please Follow Me.  This means you will get sent my new blogs straight to your email instead of having to remember my site address or going onto Facebook.  Just click the floating “follow” button on the lower right side of the page.