Fair Food

As summer approaches, we head into fair and festival time.  I have gotten the definitive review of "fair food" from my oldest son who spent a day at the Texas State Fair just trying out the incredible selection of deep fried items. 

First, he said, fried Twinkies are entirely over-rated.  Once you bite through the crust, it is just liquified twinkie.  However, fried Dr. Pepper is fantastic!  If you want to go extreme...get the double fried funnel cake.  That is batter that is fried, covered in powdered sugar, re-battered and then re-fried.  Wow.  Makes your heart stop just THINKING about it!

His favorite of all the fried food specialties?  The fried Oreo cookie.  He said it was one of the best things he has ever eaten.  But that being said...here is a note of caution:  do not do as he did and try all these items in a single day.  He spent the next two days in the bathroom.  You CAN have too much of a good thing!

What Can You Do?

It's funny, we never think we watch a lot of television until everything goes into re-runs...and then you realize you have nothing to do!  At least there is a "summer season" of television now!  The 6 weeks between one TV season and another is a golden time to sit down and read!  So I ordered myself a couple of books on my Kindle and curled up in our bedroom to read.  Mike had other plans.

You see, the season between seasons on TV is also the end of hockey and basketball season and the beginning of baseball season!  There is NEVER nothing on TV for Mike!!  And though he could watch the various sports he flips through constantly in the living room...he "want's to be near me" so he comes into the bedroom and turns on the TV. 

A friend of mine said she runs into the same problem.  Her husband comes into the living room while she is watching "American Idol" and snores in her lap.  When she asks him why he doesn't just go to bed he says "Because I want to be with you!"  What can you say?  After all, we would also be complaining if they didn't want to be with us!  That's what I keep telling myself while trying to read through a hockey game.

My Favorite Day!

Pause for Paws with the Lonestar Sanctuary For Animals is one of the best things we do on the radio.  Every week Beth brings in a doggie or a kitty and I get to love on them for 10 minutes!  The best part is that we help them get these fantastic animals adopted into forever homes.

We have adopted 4 of them ourselves.  I can tell you from my heart that these rescued animals KNOW they have been given a second chance!  And because of that, they make the most amazing pets. 

New House!

I am living vicariously through my daughter in law, Sara.  They have just bought their first house!  Right now it's all champaign and dreams...but soon it will be night sweats and "Are we sure?" thoughts.  I know what that's like.  But I have to say, I miss changing houses. 

I have moved A LOT in my life, and I always thought it would be great to settle down in a small town and stay in one house.  Well, I have done that now...and I want a new house!  Since I can't have one, I have to make the most of Adam and Sara's.  I have already told them that our house-warming gift to them will be a really comfortable guest room bed!  She was gracious enough to say "Sounds great to me!"  I hope she meant it because that really IS what we are giving them!

Take Two...

We have gotten so caught up in new technology, advances in medicine, etc. we have forgotten that perhaps those that came before us knew a thing or two that we don't give them credit for!  Remember the phrase "Take two aspirin and call me in the morning"?  For a long time we have just thought that was a brush-off by the medical profession.  Nope.

It turns out, that is just good advice!  According to the University of British Columbia, the cure for everything from headaches to heartaches is...take two asprin!  If you are undergoing some kind of existential angst...wondering what life is all about... remember, aspirin inhibits the brain signal that says something is wrong!

So, apparently, those doctors in the past knew that taking two aspirin and getting a good nights sleep would cure a lot of ills!  Hmmm, I wonder what else they might be right about?

Getting Through It

Wow, some days are tough to get through as a public broadcaster.  This was one of them.

However, I have found some things about the Boston tragedy that have helped me through it.  Primarily, a post on Facebook by comedian Patton Oswalt, "We would not be here if humanity were inherently evil.  We'd have eaten ourselves alive long ago.  So when you spot violence, or bigotry, or intolerance or fear, hatred or ignorance, just look it in the eye and think, "The good outnumber you, and we always will."

Amen.

Job Review

   At some time in everyone's life, they have to face...a job review.  Yes, that really FUN time when someone tells you how well (or poorly) you are doing your job.  Some of these can be really constructive.  If you have a fair boss who is really paying attention to what you are doing you can actually learn how to do your job better.  I had a job interview once where my boss criticized how un-professionally I dressed.  He came in wearing a t-shirt and jeans everyday and I usually wore a dress or a nice suit.  Go figure.

   Mike and I have spent most of this week getting reviewed.  For radio people, this means they record your show and go over every word you said for 4 hours.  Good times.  But we ARE learning how to be better for you.  There have been some "Ah Ha!!" moments for us during these sessions.  There have also been some "what was I thinking?" moments.  For the most part, it has been about building a better radio station for you to listen to.  And because that is what Mike and I want more than anything, we say BRING IT job reviewer...we can take it!