oddities, observations, & ?'s...#13

oddities, observations, & ?'s...#13

                                                      

                                                      

  Last July 5th marked the 70th anniversary of the release of Elvis Presley's debut on Sun Records.  

  That's Alright Mama sold 100,000 copies, mainly in the mid-south, Texas and Louisiana.  The then 20 year old signed with RCA Records on November 5, 1955.  Elvis Presley would have been 90 this coming January.

  I was admitted to Baptist East Hospital here in Louisville with pneumonia last August 1st.  

  On the morning following the first night of my 12 day stay, a lung specialist came in to speak to me and Regina.  He was summarizing my condition when he said, I don't mean to scare you, but, it would be a good idea to get your affairs in order.

  Regarding another hospital note, I have heard of similar things like this happening to others, but, I thought it was just a one liner or gag. Here is what happened.  

  I was asleep in my room on the fourth floor in the ICU when a nurse came into the room and gently tapped my shoulder to wake me up.  I thought it was time for a lab or medication when she said, Would you like a melatonin to help you sleep? 

  One of our favorite summer meals is a fried fish sandwich from a restaurant on the Ohio River.  It has two dining decks, inside service and carry out.  Like many establishments on the river, parking is very tight and limited.

  A few weeks ago, Regina and I called in an order and when we arrived, a sign said that only Carry Out Parking Spaces were available, so, we pulled into an empty slot.  

  I was walking into the restaurant to pick up our carry out when I spied a car pulling out of a space.  I got back in my car and pulled into the now empty parking space.  We walked into the restaurant and told the hostess we would like to be seated and that we had a call in order.   

  She said, Sorry.  You can't order a carry out and then change your mind.  It messes up the whole system.  You'll have to get your go order and leave. 

  HUH?  What's up with that? 

  Is it too late for Mitt Romney to run for president?

  I passed a newly opened barber shop here in Louisville called, Derby City Chop Shop. 

  Regina and I are planning a trip to Spain this coming spring.  I am taking a Babbel course online, but,  I wish I could be taught Spanish by some of the great Foreign Language teachers I worked with before stepping down from my Encore Performance, especially, Mrs. Thoreson.

  What?!  There is now permanent makeup or cosmetics?!  It is a form of tattooing.

  Costco is a culture all its own.  A book could be written about the workers, customers,  products, the huge quantities and our need to purchase those large quantities.  Who buys 24 chicken breasts at one time?  I don't know of any other business or public place in Louisville, excluding the airport, that has a more diversified customer base.  

  Sometime in the past 10 years or so, I became a label reader of most packaged or canned food items purchased and I have determined there is no escaping bioengineered foods, especially in soups, etc.  

  The question I ask myself, Would my dad have bought this product?  I have concluded he probably would have purchased the Campbell's Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup and others like it because labels weren't read back in the day, were they? 

  Marketing and advertising gurus cannot come up with a better perception of, Quality, than the phrase, Made by Amish.  It is magical.  

  We were on a day trip in central Kentucky when we happened on a billboard that read, Amish Made Furniture.  I asked Regina if she wanted to check it out.  I'd like to see what they have, she said.  We had passed at least five other furniture outlets.

  Regina and I  attended an Ethnic Festival called, A Taste of St. Michael's here in Louisville in mid October.  It is an annual event.  Great food and entertainment from five different cultures.   

  How can Americans not be alarmed by Trump's proposal of outlawing rhetoric he doesn't agree with?  I hope we wake up before it is too late.

  A block from our house is a park and golf course which is separated by a two lane road.  

  As I was driving Red Thunder with the top down and going up a hill near the third hole of the golf course, four golfers were at the top of a large mound doing their best to be successful; the sun was shining; it was 77 degrees; and, at that moment, a single engine plane from a nearby private airport was coming into view over the same mound and climbing to gain altitude.   A beautiful snapshot of life.

  The corner drug store is fading out.  Walgreen's, Rite Aid and CVS are closing thousands of stores. Amazon, Costco and Walmart are making the big bucks.  Analysts say the Big Three Drug Chains have to change their business model to survive.

  One more great business name.  I passed a large box truck that was owned by a tree service.  The name of the business?  Branch Manager. 

  Baseball, and in particular, The New York Yankees, were my dad's summertime passion   I think of him often during playoff season and especially now that the pinstripes are back in the World Series.

  Coming up:  another POS and what they are doing now; a dinner with the George Brothers; another oddities, observations, & ?'s, and; another jobs somebody's gotta do. 

  And., finally.  Last May, I wrote a post about five bank employees where I bank and their attitudes about social media.  

  One of the questions I asked Coleman Galloway, 29, concerned goals he might have that he would like to see happen.  His answer?  I want to make my parents proud of me....

  It was just a few days ago when I saw him again and I thought about what he said and how meaningful it would be for any parent to read such a declaration.

  HUH?  What's up with that?