#Filosofa asks for your help

[filosofablogger]

Good People Doing Good Things -- In Linda Taylor's Neighborhood

Good People Doing Good Things — In Linda Taylor’s Neighborhood

Today I have just one good people story, but the story has lots ‘n lots of good people and is guaranteed to bring a smile to your face.  And at the end, I have an idea that I need your help with! It’s amazing what people can do when they work together to help someone.  Linda Taylor, at 70 years of age, was given two months’ notice from her landlord to vacate the Minneapolis house she has lived…

[askfenzydemon]

Si lo soy.../Yes I am...

 Siempre la gente me pregunta que tengo novio o que te gustan los chicos siempre le e tenido que me descubriera que era gay pero...yo ya no pude yo no sabia que hacer pero tambien ya ni pude hasta la gente le dije mi verdad.. tengo novia hay gente me felicita y otras me ven con asco pero no debo ponerme triste. Y tambien me declaro como trans se que es dificil por que las personas solo me dice que no lo deba hacer por que te cortaste el pelo?, usa ropa femenil, ponte mas seno depilate, asi los hombres no te amaran, no se acerquen a ella es toxica si no acercamos a ella nos infectara, burlas o se te quedan viendo feo pero ami no me interesa lo que la gente me dice si no ser yo  misma por que me siento feliz.  Me siento que encontre una excelente persona que jamás e conocido y siempre estuvo en mi lado, mi familia no me acepta como soy ellos saben que soy homo y trans pero ellos me han hecho cosas  que an querido que me cambiara y que sea hetero pero no, ni me dejo cambiar hasta ya no lo permito que me cambien como soy por que yo me siento alguien feliz y me siento muy muy muy feliz por que tengo amigos que me apoyan que me dicen que lo logre que no me deje dominar hacia mi familia pero al decir la verdad de que si soy lesbiana y trans tengo novia me siento una persona feliz gracias el apoyo de mis amigos por que me aceptaron ser homosexual, transexual, pansexual, bisexual, asexual, y hay mas  No importa como somos nosotros somos seres humanos todos somos differente pero nos debemos respetar como un ser humano jamás se rían de esa persona, no los insulten no hagan cosas malas ni los critiquen pero tambien si tu tambien estes escondiendo el secreto de ser differente genero no le tengas miedo a la gente no le tengas debes amarte como eres sal de ese closed abre esas puertas y lo debes decir grítalo díselo a tu familia, amigos a quien sea que eres gay, lesbiana, trans, bisexual, asexual y mas. no le tengas miedo a la vida no le tengas, Tu revélate como eres. Como dice una actriz y filosofa francesa Simone de Beauvoir  (En sí, la homosexualidad está tan limitada como la heterosexualidad: lo ideal sería ser capaz de amar a una mujer o a un hombre, a cualquier ser humano, sin sentir miedo inhibición u obligación.)

O como dice el vicepresidente de los estados unidos Barack Obama

(Todas las personas deberían ser tratadas de igual manera, sin importar quiénes son o a quién aman) Esta frase tambien la deben entender por que siempre esta frase es loque me distingue y es cierto

(Mi cuerpo no define quién soy. Soy una chica, pero mi cuerpo puede mostrar diferente. Yo sé quién soy y no necesito a nadie que me diga y llame lo que no soy.)

Yo quiero que leas esto y quiero que entiendas algo si tu el que lo lee debe entender quien es son esas personas y todos nos respetamos nadie en este mundo es el mejor nadie... mírate en un espejo mírate mírate… eres tu debes decirte que te amas como eres el genero no es nada malo dios nos quiere como somos por que somos tambien seres humanos.

Hay gente que no me conoce y hay gente que si me conoce y debo de decir hasta esta en el dibujo de que soy homosexual y tambien soy transexual yo tuve una lucha que se me ha hecho demasiado dificil con la gente y con mi familia esto parecia guerra pero esta guerra la tuve que ganar por que yo ya sali de ese closed que era mi escondite pero ya no fue muy duro pero si pude y lo logre si lo logre y ahora soy una persona muy feliz de todo mundo por que yo tengo una pareja que esta siempre mi lado y yo soy el ser humano feliz hay gente homofóbica pero esa gente jamás la debemos escuchar ni mirar por que ellos lo ven malo y no es malo ser otros géneros ponte en firme y sigue tu camino lo que quieres ser.

Pero si has leído esto es por que quiero motivar gente no se si no logre o no lo logre pero quiero que te mires escucha se corazón quien eres los que estan atrapados en ese closed salgan de esa oscuridad y revélate como eres yo quiero abrir sus corazones y les queria contar mi historia. 

Si lo lees estaria demasiada agradecido o agradecida contigo y ayuden a esa persona lo que quieren ser...Gracias.

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People always ask me that I have a boyfriend or that children have always visited me to discover that I was homosexual but ... I could not do what I knew but also I and I could even tell people my truth. . I have a girlfriend, there are people who congratulate me and others see me with disgust, but I must not be sad. And I also declare as trans se that is difficult because people just tell me that I should not do it because it opens your hair?, Wear women's clothes, put more breast than hair, so men will not love you, do not come near she is toxic if we do not approach her to someone infected, or if we do not see it ugly but I am not interested in what people tell me if you will not be myself so I feel happy.

I feel that I found an excellent person that I have never known and was always on my side, my family does not accept me as they are they know that I am homo and trans but they have done things to me that I wanted to change and that is hetero but not , nor let me change until I no longer allow them to change me as I am because I feel happy and I feel very very happy because I have friends who support me and tell me to do it so that I will not be dominated by my family but when I tell the truth that if I am a lesbian and trans have a girlfriend I feel happy because of the support of my friends because they accepted me being gay, transsexual, pansexual, bisexual, asexual, and there are more.

No matter how we are we are human beings we are all different but we should respect ourselves as a human being they will never laugh at that person, do not insult them do not do bad things or criticize them but also if you are also hiding the secret of being different gender not you are afraid of people you do not have to love you as you are salt of that closed opens those doors and you must say shout it tell your family, friends whoever you are gay, lesbian, trans, bisexual, asexual and more. Do not be afraid of life do not have it, You reveal yourself as you are.

As a French actress and philosopher Simone de Beauvoir says (In itself, homosexuality is as limited as heterosexuality: the ideal would be to be able to love a woman or a man, any human being, without feeling fear inhibition or obligation.) Or as the vice president of the United States Barack Obama says (All people should be treated the same way, no matter who they are or who they love) This phrase must also be understood because this phrase is always what distinguishes me and it is true (My body does not define who I am, I am a girl, but my body can show differently, I know who I am and I do not need anyone to tell me and call what I am not.)

I want you to read this and I want you to understand something if you who read it must understand who it is these people and we all respect each other in this world is the best nobody ... look in a mirror look at yourself ... you must tell yourself you love yourself as you are the gender is not bad at all God wants us as we are because we are also human beings. There are people who do not know me and there are people who know me and I must say up to this in the drawing that I am gay and I am also a transsexual I had a struggle that has become too difficult with people and with my family this seemed war but this war I had to win because I already left that closed that was my hiding place but it was not very hard but I could and I did if I succeeded and now I am a very happy person from all over the world because I have a couple that is always my side and I am the happy human being there are people homophobic but those people should never listen or look because they see it bad and it is not bad to be other genres stand firm and go your way what you want to be.

But if you have read this is why I want to motivate people I do not know if I do not achieve it or not but I want you to look at it listen to you who are you who are caught in that closed out of that darkness and reveal yourself as you are I want to open their hearts and I wanted to tell you my story. If you read it I would be too grateful or grateful to you and help that person what they want to be ... Thank you

[filosofablogger]

Good morning friends, and welcome to …

Jolly has gone AWOL yet again, not surprisingly, so I’m on my own here today.  Be patient, for it’s Jolly who adds the zest to Jolly Monday and I only do the technical part as a rule, so I’m a bit rusty on the humour end of it.  I do, however, remember how to make bacon!  That is a big requisite here for a few of you!  So, with that thought, let’s grab a bit of a snack and see if I can manage to rustle up just a bit of humour for us to start this week out on the right foot, okay?

Benjamin’s juice boxes — but he’ll share if you ask nicely!

Larry’s bacon

Oopsie!

Robert Berger, age 25 of Long Island, New York, was on bail, awaiting sentencing on a pair of vehicle-theft charges.  Berger came up with a perfect plan … roll over and play dead!  He decided to fake his own death certificate, and he might have gotten away with it … if only he could spell!

“Upon inspection of the certificate by the NCDA, it was noted that font type and size changed in the document. Additionally, prosecutors observed that the word ‘Registry’ in the department name was misspelled as ‘Regsitry’ in the ‘ISSUED BY’ section,” the Nassau Country District Attorney’s office said.

Now, in addition to his previous legal woes, Berger faces the prospect of up to four years in prison on the felony charge of offering a false instrument for filing. He pleaded not guilty.  Just goes to show … it pays to check and double check your work!

Green Onions in your morning cereal?

Back in 2004, Kellogg’s launched a light-hearted marketing campaign for Chex, a five-grain cereal, asking South Koreans to vote on a new flavour.  The two choices were Chex Choco Empire – chocolate-flavoured Cheki and green onion-flavoured Chaka.

The PR stunt was meant to end in an easy victory for sweet Cheki. But the people of South Korea did not agree.  Votes for Chaka surged past those for Cheki, catching Kellogg’s unawares. Citing multiple votes by individuals, the company halted online voting, threw out duplicate votes and declared Cheki the winner.

Over the past 16 years, Chaka fans have referred to Kellogg’s as an ‘illegitimate tyrant’, and even started a hashtag, #PrayForChex.  Said a spokesperson for Kellogg’s …

“We never expected consumers would be interested in this product for over 16 years. Every time we launched new cereals or had promotional events, online communities would repeatedly ask for the flavour.”

And so, at long last, in June Kellogg’s announced a limited edition to be on the shelves soon!

When the company put out a call for taste testers, they received more than 14,200 applications.  One of the testers was Lee Soo-jeong, 24, who voted for Chaka as a child.  When asked her impression, she said …

“The green onion flavour is too mild.”

Now, some of you are probably making a face 🤢 about now, but personally I would try it!  Maybe not with milk and mini-marshmallows, but as a late-night snack, it holds appeal.

NOT politics as usual … but maybe it should be!

Pam Iovino is a state senator in the state of Pennsylvania … a democrat, by the way.  Recently, Ms. Iovino lost her wallet, much to her dismay.  Luckily, her wallet was found, and by probably the last person on earth she would expect … her republican challenger in the upcoming election, Devlin Robinson, a republican!  Robinson posted on Facebook …

“I was happy to return this item, a bit battered by passing traffic, to Pam Iovino. She was thrilled to have it back and I was delighted to help out a fellow veteran. Sometimes, it’s great to put the politics aside. Now, on with the campaign to become the next state senator for the 37th District.”

And Iovino thanked him in her own Facebook post …

“Lost my wallet. Ugh! Luckily my cell phone number was in it. Look who found my wallet. Thanks, Devlin!”

Now THAT’S how it should be, folks!  But what a coincidence, eh?

Are you ready for some ‘toons?

And what would Jolly Monday be without a cute critter video?

And that’s a wrap for this week.  I hope you all have a wonderful week, and please do remember to share those smiles as you work your way through the rest of the week.  Things are tough all around these days, and you’d be amazed at how much just a simple smile can help.  Love ‘n hugs from Filosofa and the AWOL Jolly!

  Jolly Monday — Jolly Is AWOL Again!!! Good morning friends, and welcome to …Jolly has gone AWOL yet again, not surprisingly, so I’m on my own here today. 

[filosofablogger]

Wh-wha-WHAT???  It’s … Monday?  Again?  Already?  Are you sure?  I’m not ready to start another week yet.  Sigh.  Well, the upside of it being Monday is that … I get to spend a bit of time with you guys, my friends!  Even though I was caught off guard, I see that Jolly has laid out a spread fit for a king, so help yourself to a cuppa and a bite to eat, and let’s go find some fun stuff, shall we?

Jolly!!!  Where’s Benjamin’s milk???

Why?  Just … why?

  I suppose it was inevitable … only a matter of time.  I like scented candles … we have probably 20 Yankee Candles from seasonal to holiday, floral to pine.  But, I’m not likely to run right out to get this latest in “aromatherapy”.  McDonald’s of Big Mac fame has introduced a line of scented candles:  100% Fresh Beef, Ketchup, Pickle, Cheese, Onion, and Sesame Seed Bun. “Burn together for maximum deliciousness,” reads a description of the candle pack on the fan club website.Frankly, I never thought a McDonald’s burger smelled all that appealing to begin with.  But wait … that’s not all.  The candles are a part of a new line of … McDonald’s merchandise that includes matching Quarter Pounder mittens for couples, a calendar, a Quarter Pounder with Love locket, a fan club T-shirt and pin, and an “I’d rather be eating a Quarter Pounder” bumper sticker.

I cannot even begin to guess what prompted all this, but … seriously???  But, even more surreal is the fact that people are actually buying this stuff!  I went to their website to snag some pictures, and except for the calendar, everything is “Sold Out”!  No longer need I wonder about the sort of people who support Trump (oops, sorry, I let a bit of political snark sneak in there … it won’t happen again).  

$25 for a bloomin’ calendar???  I don’t think so!  But, take heart!  They do have McDonald’s clothing still available!

* Credit for this story goes to my special granddaughter Natasha, aka Miss Goose!

Your daily “Awwww” moment

A man named Brett was having a drink with his mates at The Amble Inn in Corindi Beach, in New South Wales, Australia the other night.  By the time the night was done, Brett had saved a life.  He noticed a gecko in his beer, but at first assumed the staff was playing a prank on him.  The staff, however, denied it and said the gecko must have fallen into his beer.  Well, Brett did what any of us would do … he fished the little fellow out and … gave him CPR!  Watch …

Doesn’t that just warm the cockles of your heart?  Some say the gecko was likely only playing dead, one of the defense mechanisms used by such critters to trick predators, but I like to think ol’ Brett saved his little life!

Meet the “Wag Brigade”

I came across this in my virtual travels, and thought it was a pretty cool idea!  According to the article in Bored Panda …

Feeling down? Stressed out about flying? Is Life giving you lots of lemons and you can’t make lemonade fast enough? Well, if you’re passing through San Francisco International Airport, you might just run into the Wag Brigade: a group of 22 fluffy and adorable dogs (+ 1 precious airport therapy pig named LiLou) who are at your service and ready to melt all your worries away.

The airport partnered up with the San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to introduce passengers to dogs that are certified by the Animal Assisted Therapy Program. The animals roam around and help improve everyone’s mood.

The Wag Brigade program started in December 2013 and ever since then, the doggos have been meeting and greeting everyone who’s feeling a bit down or in need of a pick-me-up.

And LiLou the pig joined the team not too long ago. She’s hypoallergenic (instantly a 10/10 for me), she knows how to do lots of tricks: she can greet you with a wave, stand on her back hooves, and perform with her toy piano! (Obviously, not all at once, though that would be impressive.)

LiLou is the one on the left

According to Jennifer Kazarian, the manager of the Wag Brigade program, back in 2013 they …

“Had noticed a trend with a few other Airports that had started similar programs and I was asked to take a look at those programs to see if I could create something fun and unique to SFO. The idea for therapy dogs in Airports got started the day after 9/11 when an airport employee at SJC brought his therapy dog into work to ease passenger jitters and anxieties.”

We were curious to find out where the animals go and what they do when they’re off duty.

“All of the Wag Brigade animals are personal pets and when the animals are off-duty they accompany their human handlers as they go about their day-to-day routines. Most of the animals live in San Francisco and they enjoy fun dog activities like playing fetch at the beach or the park! Some even pick-up additional volunteer shifts at local hospitals, nursing homes, colleges, and Puppy Dog Tales Reading (PDT) Programs.”

For more information and pictures, check it out on Bored Panda!

How about some funny memes to bring a chuckle?

Oops … I did it again, didn’t I?

🤦  Anybody care to recalc?

Isn’t that Sarah Huckabee Sanders?  (Oops — again!)

And, a few toons?

    And as always, if it’s Jolly Monday, then there just must be a funny or cute animal video!  I loved this one … it brought both smiles and a tear.

Okay, folks … I do hope you found something to get your week started with a smile.  Now, go forth and share that beautiful smile … show the world how it’s done!  Keep safe and have a wonderful week!  Love ‘n hugs from Filosofa and Jolly!

Jolly … Monday Aleady??? Wh-wha-WHAT???  It’s … Monday?  Again?  Already?  Are you sure?  I’m not ready to start another week yet. 

[filosofablogger]

How, I ask you, did it get to be Monday so fast?  And … do you realize that January is almost half over?  That means the year is 1/24 over, or 4.1% … gone … poof!  In another month, we will all be one full month older! 

Anyway, it is Monday, so … it must be time to start your week with an all-new Jolly Monday!  Today’s food theme, for no other reason than that Jolly and I deemed it to be so, is … blue.  Take heart, though, we didn’t dye the coffee & tea blue!  So, grab a blue snack and let Jolly and I put some smiles on those faces, ‘k?

And, two special treats … a blue sprinkled donut for Benjamin, and a promised Black Forest Gateau for David!

           Chicken?  Or spinach?

I’ve written a few times about Popeye’s Chicken restaurant … they seem to be in the news a lot these days!  Well, the latest … have you ever seen that game show called “Family Feud”?  I saw it once or twice way back in the day, probably the 1980s or so, and thought it was dumb just like all the game shows, so I never watched it again.  But, they pair up two families, and each are asked trivia-type questions, the family that collectively scores the most points by getting the questions right, wins.

So, earlier this month, a woman named Eve Dubois and her family were competing against the Tomlin family, and the score was tied … it was the final question.  Whoever answered this one correctly first would take home $10,000!  The question was …

What is Popeye’s favourite food?

Now, of course the question meant Popeye the Sailor Man, who we all know eats spinach by the canful, but Ms. Dubois yelled out excitedly … CHICKEN!  So sure of her answer, she began doing a victory dance … until her opponent correctly answered, Spinach!

So, ‘bye-bye’ Dubois family, no prize for you.  Until … the video clip went viral on social media and came to the attention of somebody in the upper echelons of Popeye’s Chicken.  I’m sure they figured it would be a great publicity stunt, and cost them relatively little, so they offered the Dubois family a little consolation prize …

Ummm … $10,000 worth of fried chicken?  🤢  A heart attack looking for a place to happen!

Technology run amok?

Just because you can isn’t always a good reason to do something.  Now, I admit that most technology has a use, serves a purpose … I’m definitely not one of these people who wants to go back to the days of horse & buggy, no electricity, no indoor plumbing, etc.  I’m even grateful for computers and cell phones, though I dislike the venues the technology has opened for scammers & hackers.  But, I am not a fan of drones.  Unmanned flying machines that can … and often do … kill unsuspecting, innocent people with a blink of an eye.  But … are you ready to ride in an unmanned flying taxi?According to United Press International …

A flying taxi with no pilot made its first U.S. test flight in North Carolina with an audience of about 100 people, including several state officials.

Gov. Roy Cooper, state lawmakers and North Carolina Department of Transportation officials were among the more than 100 spectators at Tuesday’s demonstration of the EHang 216 autonomous aerial vehicle.

The two-seat drone is designed for use in cargo delivery and human transportation.

Seriously?  They think people are gonna ride up in the air in something with no bloomin’ pilot?  Not me!  I don’t even like the idea of them flying over wherever I might be!  You know, and I know that sooner or later, somebody will make a mistake and … kerthud.  Sigh.  Why can’t they just work on developing things like a cure for AIDS, or a way to help homeless people grow food in their refrigerator, or socks that never wear out, or light bulbs that never burn out, or headlights on cars that don’t blind the other drivers … something useful!

A sporting wedding …

Quick question … where did you get married?  No, I don’t mean the town or city, but was it a church, Justice of the Peace, family home …?  I got married by a Justice of the Peace … we were both on our lunch hour from our respective jobs, met at the courthouse, quick got married more or less in dual languages, then we each went back to work.  All very romantic, don’t ya know.  Neither of our sets of parents would agree to attend our wedding, mine because they didn’t approve of him, and his because they didn’t approve of him, either.  Yes, seriously!  More than a few times during our marriage his mom would say to me, “Honey, I don’t know how you put up with him.” So, anyway (I get easily sidetracked these days) …

Last week, Lonnie and Pam Harris of Kodak, Tennessee tied the knot … at Bass Pro Shops, a sporting goods store!  Turns out that Pam works at the local Bass Pro Shops and wanted her co-workers to be able to attend her wedding.  Says Lonnie …

“I asked her out on a date 37 years ago and she told me no. It took me 37 years to get her to say yes.”

The manager of the location said the store previously hosted a wedding about seven years ago.  Well, I guess it’s no worse than a quick wedding at the courthouse on your lunch hour!

HELP!  HELP! CAW!

The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call from a Lake Worth Beach resident who heard what sounded like a distressed woman calling for help from a neighbor’s house.  When the deputies arrived, they found the owner of the house working on his wife’s car in the driveway while someone can be heard shouting, “Let me out! Let me out!”

The homeowner introduced the deputies to the origin of the cries — his pet parrot, Rambo, on an outside perch.

“I was changing the brakes on my wife’s car and had my 40-year-old parrot, Rambo, on his outside perch where he sings and talks. Sometime later four police officers showed up saying a neighbor called because she heard a woman screaming for help. I promptly introduced the officers to Rambo and we all had a good laugh.”

I found just a few funny signs a couple of weeks ago that I’ve been meaning to share …

Just a few fun cartoons & memes …

And that’s it … what?  Oh!  I forgot the cute animal video … how dare I?  Wait just a sec …

Now, that’s a wrap, folks.  Go forth and have a productive week and remember to share those million-dollar smiles I see on your faces this morning.  People need them now maybe more than ever.  Love ‘n hugs from Filosofa and Jolly!

Jolly Day After Sunday! How, I ask you, did it get to be Monday so fast?  And ... do you realize that January is almost half over? 

[filosofablogger]

Good morning, friends, and welcome to …

Jolly and I are both in somewhat of a grey mood today, but we agreed that it’s important to help our friends start the week off with a smile.  So, we hope you’ll forgive us if this week’s Jolly Monday falls a bit short, but we hope that you’ll find something to laugh about anyway!  We didn’t do much baking this weekend but have found a few odds ‘n ends to go with your coffee & tea, so grab a bite and a cuppa, and let’s see what’s fun in the world today!

Benjamin’s juice boxes — but he’ll share if you ask nicely!

Send in the clown …

His name is Joshua Jack, and until recently he was employed by a New Zealand ad agency, FCB.  One day a week or so ago, he received an email from his bosses telling him a meeting was being held to discuss his future at the company and he could bring a friend or family member as a support person.  That sounds rather ominous, don’t you think?

Jack decided that since it was pretty obvious he was about to get the axe, he would indeed take along a support person, but not a friend or a family member.  Instead, Jack felt a bit of humour was in order, and he took along … a clown!

That’s right … even knowing that his income was about to come to a screeching halt, Jack hired a clown for the equivalent of $127 USD to accompany him to his meeting.  It is said that the clown spent the time blowing up balloons and folding them into a series of animals throughout the meeting, and even mimed crying when the termination paperwork was handed over to Mr. Jack.  No worries, though, for within a week, Mr. Jack had found a position with another ad agency and is scheduled to start this week!  Gotta love a guy with a sense of humour!

Love on fire!

I didn’t know people still wrote love letters … like, on paper and with a pen … I thought love letters today were all electronic, but then what do I know?  When was the last time I got a love letter?  Um … let’s see … perhaps if I were more loveable?  But, a woman in Nebraska seems to have accumulated quite a few paper love letters from her man-of-the-moment, and then … he was no longer the man of her dreams.  Naturally, she did what any of us would do … she burned his love letters!

There must have been a few hundred at least, to have caused the fire that caused $4,000 worth of damage to her apartment!  Yep, the fire department had to be called, and she was charged with ‘negligent burning’.  Now, it is my opinion that the writer of those letters should share the cost, for obviously he did something to make her want to burn the letters, right?

It started as a joke …

Carson King, 24, said he thought it would be a funny joke to attend the College GameDay broadcast at Iowa State University and hold a sign saying his “Busch Light needs replenished” and including his account information for money transferring app Venmo. 

“I just thought as a joke, maybe I could make a sign asking for money to get some Busch Light.  You know, buy some lattes. My mom was like ‘this is going to be a proud mom moment. My son is going to be begging for money for beer on national television.'”

But what Carson didn’t expect was that people would actually send money … lots of money, as it happens!

“I looked down at my phone. My friend kept asking ‘Hey man, who keeps texting you?’ and I looked down and I had about $400 on my Venmo account.”

Soon it grew to $600 … $800 … and by the end of Tuesday, it had reached $20,000!!!  Yes, you heard me right … Twenty. Thousand. Dollars.  But wait!  At last count, viewers had sent Carson a total of $100,000 and counting!  It just goes to prove what I’ve been saying for years now … people got no sense!!!

But, there’s a really great upside to this story.  Carson King is a good guy, and he decided to keep only enough to buy a single case of beer and is donating the rest to the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital in Iowa City.  And … better still … both Venmo (a PayPal mobile payment service) and Busch Beer will be matching Carson’s contribution!  So, what started as a joke, has ended as a wonderful moment of generosity.

An emotional parting …

Who would have thought it would be so hard to say … good bye  😢 … to a utility pole???  In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the city’s power company is updating its technology, and the ancient, staple-riddled post on the corner of 3rd and Federal is due to be replaced with a newer wooden pole in order to support the new infrastructure by the end of the month.  The pole had something to say first, though ..

“I just wanted to say it’s been my pleasure to be your corner telephone pole for many years now. It looks like I’ll soon be replaced. Probably by the young pole there on the ground,” said the note. “The neighborhood has changed over the years but I’ve always been here—holding street signs, electric wires, telephone wires, cable, a light, and lately this transformer.

The many staples are a reminder of the garage sales, flea markets, and hundreds of lost pets,” it continued. “Sox, Cinnamon, Poncho and the rest, I hope you made it home. I hope I do too.

It’s been fun! Maybe a few months from now you’ll say to yourself ‘I remember the old pole.’ Thanks, The Corner Pole.”

If that doesn’t just bring a tear to your eye …

Here are just a few funny pics I stumbled across yesterday …

Very credible note from teacher, don’t you think?

Oopsie!  I think the cake decorator goofed!

And a few cartoons …

And last but not least, today’s funny animal video features squirrels!  I tell you, folks, the cats in this video are much kinder than our own Feral Five, for except for Miss Izzy, all of ours would torment the poor squirrels to death!

And that’s it for today, folks, for we all have work to do, yes?  I must go back into the rabbit hole and see what the latest atrocities are in our world, and you must go make some money!!!  Have a great week, my friends, and remember to share those lovely smiles you’re wearing … everybody could use an extra these days!  Love ‘n hugs from Filosofa and Jolly!

Jolly (Almost) Monday Good morning, friends, and welcome to ... Jolly and I are both in somewhat of a grey mood today, but we agreed that it’s important to help our friends start the week off with a smile. 

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Good morning, friends … come in, come in … and welcome to yet another Monday morning!  I hope you all had a marvelous weekend!  Mine?  Well, daughter Chris had scheduled a day off on Friday, as she was expecting to be gone all weekend with band commitments and wanted us to have a family day.  But then on Thursday night at band practice, she found out she had the dates wrong and it’s actually next weekend that she’ll be gone, but by that time it was too late to change her day off, so she had a relaxing three-day weekend!  Miss Goose and I enjoyed having her home for an extra day, but as always, the weekend went by way too fast.

Now, let’s have some fun before you have to go back to the salt mines, okay?  Grab a snack … and then Jolly has a surprise for you!

Benjamin’s juice boxes — but he’ll share if you ask nicely!

Larry’s bacon

David’s rhubarb crumble

Hi … it’s me, Jolly!  Guess what?  I been waitin’ all weekend to tell you dis … I gots me a puppy!!! Gwammie says it’s a kitty just like da Feral Five, but to me, it’s a puppy.  But … I gots a problem … I don’ know what to name ‘im.  Can you guys help me?  If you think of a good name, just tell it in da comments, ‘kay?  Isn’t he cute???  You kin pet ‘im if you wanna …

He’s been dying to tell you that all weekend … ‘bout drove me nuts, saying, “Is it Monday yet, is it, huh huh?”  Oh, and please … don’t tell Jolly it’s a girl kitty … he’ll freak!

Now, hold onto your hats, folks, ‘cause I found a deal I know you’re gonna jump at!  Those of us of a certain age remember Elvis Presley and his penchant for fancy cars, right?  His cars have become a part of his legend, in fact.  Some are on display in the Automobile Museum at his Graceland home in Memphis.  Others have been sold, such as his 1971 Mercedes-Benz sold just last year for over $100,000.  And another of his cars, a 1967 Lincoln Continental limousine, which once served as something of a royal carriage for the Presley family, will be auctioned this week at Mecum Auctions in Monterey, California.

Any of my West Coast readers might want to consider hopping on down to Monterey and putting in a bid …

Okay … well … it hasn’t exactly been kept in tip-top condition, but nothing a little cleaning and a few replacement parts won’t take care of, right?  And the car has history and … AND … it comes with amenities!

‘Colonel’ Tom Parker, Elvis’ agent, bought the car for Elvis for a wedding present in 1967 when he married Priscilla Beaulieu, and it became their family car for a time.  And amenities … it comes complete with a license plate that reads “1-ELVIS” in red letters, and it also comes with a copy of the car’s original title application, which registered the vehicle under the name E.A. Presley.  Now who could pass up a deal like that???

Now here’s a job for you, Larry Paul Brown!  A West Coast restaurant chain announced it is seeking a “bacon intern” to make $1,000 in a single day by taste-testing bacon.  Think of it, one day spent eating one of your favourite foods, and getting paid a cool grand to boot!

Farmer Boys announced the opening for the dream job on its website, stipulating that applicants should use a photo or video on their Instagram accounts to explain why they would be best suited to the position.  Check it out and let us know how you fare, but be quick, for all applications must be in by August 20th, so you have just over a week.

Now, I use my share of emojis and overall, I think they’re cute, and sometimes they even serve a purpose, for electronic communication can be misleading without the eye contact, vocal intonation, and body language to help understand when a person is kidding vs when they are angry or put out.  Misunderstandings happen easily … I know, for I’ve had more than a few.  But, would you want to live in this house?The house is the source of an ongoing controversy in Manhattan Beach, California.  Neighbors accuse the owner, Kathryn Kidd, of adopting the unusual decor as retribution after she was fined $4,000 for illegally using the house for short-term rentals, such as Airbnb, which is banned in Manhattan Beach.

An Instagram post from the artist who painted the home originally featured the caption: “Are your neighbors constantly ratting you out? Have they cost you thousands in fines? Have you wanted to tell them off lately? Why risk a case, when you can hire me to paint them a pretty message?”

Kidd denied the emoji paintings were intentionally designed to irk her neighbors.

“It’s a message to me to be positive and happy and love life. I have eyelash extensions. The eyes are like a Mona Lisa eye. They kind of follow you.”

Um … not sure I believe her.

And finally, if it’s Jolly Monday, there must be a cute animal video, yes?  Take a gander at these adorable lion cubs … guaranteed to melt your heart!

Well, folks, that’s a wrap for today.  Time for you guys to get on out there and earn a living, and time for me to earn my keep ‘round here by doing some laundry and some cleaning, and I’ve got to get a beef roast in the crock pot.  Have a great week, my friends, and share those smiles, okay?  Love ‘n hugs from Filosofa and Jolly!  Oh … and the ‘puppy’!

Jolly’s Surprise Monday! Good morning, friends … come in, come in … and welcome to yet another Monday morning!  I hope you all had a marvelous weekend! 

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Welcome friends … it’s Monday … again.  Sigh.  Jolly is not here … the fireworks on Thursday … and Friday … and Saturday nights frightened him so badly that he has gone.  But not to worry, I have had a call from a friend who lives out in the country saying that Jolly is with her and she will send him home as soon as the #@$%? idiots here in da hood learn a little respect … or run out of firecrackers.  So, I will do my best to entertain and find something to start your week off with a smile, but I make no promises, for my own mood is sour at the moment.  Perhaps I can make my ownself laugh?

Last week, I had several comments about the level of sugar in the treats I put out, so I promised that this week would be a fruity one!  There is an exception, however, for young Benjamin who is counting on his sprinkled donut … don’t anybody else so much as look at Benjamin’s donut!  Now grab a cuppa and a piece of fruit, and let’s go in search of a bit of humour, shall we?

HANDS OFF … this is Benjamin’s donut!

The Canadians have a flair for things.  On the last weekend of June, some 3,942 Canadians got together in the Canadian town of Trenton, Ontario, and made a maple leaf.  Confused?  Just watch …

Why?  It was to capture the Guinness record for largest human maple leaf.  Who knew such a record even existed?  Organizers said they were hoping to break the record with 5,000 people, but the 3,942 participants were enough to beat the previous record of 1,589 people, set in 2017 in Grouse Mountain, British Columbia.

Lest you think it was just a bit of fun without a purpose, the event was aimed at raising awareness of Solider On, a program that helps veterans and active duty military personnel participate in sports as part of therapy for permanent physical injuries and mental illness.  So, all in good fun and for a good cause!

Now, speaking of Guinness world records and such, some things are just too ridiculous.  Like this one … David Rush said he trained for three years and three months before attempting to break his own previous record.  Record for what?  For balancing a running lawnmower on his chin.  Um … yeah.  His previous record was 3 minutes and 1 second, and this time ‘round he managed 3 minutes and 52 seconds.  Take a look, if you must …

It occurs to me that some people just have too much time on their hands!  And please, friends, don’t any of you get the brilliant idea to try to beat Mr. Rush’ record, okay?

You guys remember Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter, right?  Take a look at this pic …

Pretty cool, don’t you think?

Since my sense of humour is

{knock, knock, knock}

Just a second folks … let me see who’s at the … JOLLY!!!!

Oh Jolly, I am soooo glad to see you, for I’m falling flat on my face here … go grab something to eat, then come help me with some jokes or something …

Hey everyone!  Jolly’s back … meanwhile, I found some funny signs that I thought you might enjoy …

Must be some potholes!

So, Jolly has some jokes he dug up for you guys … Jolly?

Q: Knock! Knock!

A: Who’s there?

Q: Scold.

A: Scold who?

Q: Scold outside, let me in!

  Q: Knock, knock. A: Who’s there? Q: Wooden shoe. A: Wooden shoe, who? Q: Wooden shoe like to know!

  Q: Knock, knock! A: Who’s there? Q: Wire. A: Wire who?

Q: Wire you always asking ‘who’s there’?

 Okay, Jolly … that’s really good, but I think you need to go lie down for a while, for you’ve been out all night. Say g’nite to our friends …

And now, before I say g’nite to our friends, how about this funny bear video?

And now, I must bid you adieu.  Please don’t forget to share a smile and a kind word as you go about your week.  Keep safe and have a wonderful week!  Love ‘n hugs from Filosofa and the sleeping Jolly!

Jolly Monday … Only Jolly Is AWOL!!! Welcome friends … it’s Monday … again.  Sigh.  Jolly is not here … the fireworks on Thursday … and Friday … and Saturday nights frightened him so badly that he has gone. 

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Good morning, friends and welcome on this cold Monday morning!  You may want to keep your jackets on, for my furnace is not working and while I’ve tried to warm the place up with the oven, it is still quite chilly in here.  I brought down a few blankets for any who would like one.  Yes, I called the emergency maintenance number several times, starting at noon yesterday, but … well, I guess they had better things to do than come fix my furnace.  But enough of that … how was your weekend?

Since I’m in a bit of a funk this morning and feared my humour might turn out to be a bit macabre, I’m turning Jolly Monday over to … well Jolly!  Let’s see what he can come up with, shall we?  Snacks, coffee, and tea are on the table, so help yourselves!

Hi everyone!  You like cartoons?  I like cartoons a lot.  I find some funny cartoons dis morning I think you’ll like, okay?

Look at dis cute li’l video I found with an owl lookin’ at hisself in da mirror …

Oh!  I know!  I heard a joke da other day … wanna hear it?

A lawyer was just waking up from anesthesia after surgery, and his wife was sitting by his side. His eyes fluttered open and he said, “You’re beautiful!” and then he fell asleep again. His wife had never heard him say that, so she stayed by his side.

A couple of minutes later, his eyes fluttered open and he said, “You’re cute!” Well, the wife was disappointed because instead of “beautiful,” it was “cute.” She asked, “What happened to ‘beautiful’?” His reply was “The drugs are wearing off!”

I think I’m puttin’ you to sleep … wanna look at some really neat critters?

Dis is a Bush Viper.  It lives up in the trees of the tropical forests of Africa, and does most of its hunting at night.  I think it’s cute, but kinda scary.

This one’s a Giant Isopod, one of the largest of the existing isopods. “The enormous size of the giant isopod is a result of a phenomenon known as deep sea gigantism. This is the tendency of deep sea crustaceans and other animals to grow to a much larger size than similar species in shallower waters.”  I would be scared of it, wouldn’t you?

These are named Glaucus Atlanticus, but they’re usually just called Blue Dragon.  I think that’s easier to say.  They are a species of blue sea slug. You could find it in warm waters of the oceans, as it floats on the surface because of a gas-filled sac in its stomach.  I think they’re pretty!

Don’t be a-scared!  It won’t hurt you.  It’s a Goblin Shark!  It’s really rare, and they sometimes call it the ‘Living Fossil’.  “… the only extant representative of the family Mitsukurinidae, a lineage some 125 million years old.”  Goblin sharks inhabit around the world at depths greater than 100 m (330 ft), with adults found deeper than juveniles. Given the depths at which it lives, the goblin shark poses no danger to humans.   See, I told ya it won’t hurt you!

This one is a Mantis Shrimp!  Also called the “sea locusts“, “prawn killers” and even “thumb splitters”, this is one of the most common predators in tropical and sub-tropical waters; little is known about them, however, because of how much time they spend hiding in their burrows.  Isn’t it beeeeeooootiful?

How can you not love this cute little Panda Ant?  This one will hurt you, though!  The Mutillidae are a family of more than 3,000 species of wasps (despite the names) whose wingless females resemble large, hairy ants. Found in Chile, they are known for their extremely painful stings, hence the common name cow killer or cow ant. Black and white specimens are sometimes known as panda ants due to their hair coloration resembling that of the Chinese giant panda.

You like dis Red-Lipped Batfish?  It looks like it has lipstick on, doesn’t it?  Found on the Galapagos Islands, this fish is actually a pretty bad swimmer, and uses its pectoral fins to walk on the bottom of the ocean.  I don’ think I wanna meet up with dis one!

Dis is the most interesting one, I think.  Umbonia Spinosa is its name.  These thorn bugs are related to cicadas, and use their beaks to pierce plant stems to feed upon their sap. Their strange appearance still poses many questions to scientists.  I think it’s pretty, but kinda scary, too.

Okay, Jolly … I think that’s about all we can do for this morning, don’t you?  Remember that cute baby animals video you found last night?  Let’s show ‘em that, shall we?

Sorry, folks, but Jolly and I seem to be a bit short on humour this morning, but I hope we at least brought you a small smile.  Perhaps by sharing that small smile, you can grow it into a bigger one, yes?  I do apologize and we will try to do better next Monday.  Have a great week, my friends, and keep safe.  Love ‘n hugs from Filosofa and Jolly!

A Short Jolly Monday Good morning, friends and welcome on this cold Monday morning!  You may want to keep your jackets on, for my furnace is not working and while I’ve tried to warm the place up with the oven, it is still quite chilly in here. 

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Welcome friends!  It’s that day of the week again … Monday!  Back to work, back to school, laundry piled up in every hamper, a whole week ahead.  Jolly, jolly Monday, yes?  Did you guys have a good weekend?  My friend Emily, who lives on the West Coast of Canada, already has flowers coming up in her yard.  Another friend, Gary, who lives in Yorkshire in the UK, recently posted pictures of flowers that have already bloomed in his garden.  NO FAIR!!!  It is cold here, with 7 straight days of snowfall predicted starting next weekend.  There is nary a crocus in my yard and likely won’t be for at least another 8 weeks or so!  I’ve been CHEATED!!!

Okay … now that I’ve got that out of my system, let’s see if we can rustle up a bit to eat and a few laughs, shall we?

Jackpot!!!

Tyler Heep won the lottery in his home state of Iowa!  He won a biiiiiig check!Well, the check was big, but the amount was likely worth less than the paper the check was printed on.  You see, Tyler actually won $1 on a scratch-off ticket last week.  Instead of turning it in, he went to the Iowa Lottery Headquarters, and asked for one of those big ceremonial checks.

“The guy came down the stairs and they took me into the back room where the camera was with the Iowa Lottery logo. Sure enough they wrote me the one dollar check and had me hold it up and took the picture.”

So, what did Mr. Heep do with all that money?  He says he bought almost a half-gallon of gas.

Oh I’d love to be an Oscar Mayer wiener (mobile) …

Remember the wienermobile?  According to Wikipedia …

“Wienermobile” is a series of automobiles shaped like a bun which are used to promote and advertise Oscar Mayer products in the United States. The first version was created in 1936 by Oscar Mayer’s nephew, Carl G. Mayer, and variants are still used by the Oscar Mayer company today. Drivers of the Wienermobiles are known as Hotdoggers and often hand out toy whistles shaped as replicas of the Wienermobile, known as Wienerwhistles.”

Here’s one of the very first, circa 1940 …

And here’s one circa 1952 …

Well, the wienermobile is still around today!  Who knew?  Best news yet, though, is that they are hiring drivers!  The job, which begins in June and lasts for one year, would involve driving the iconic sausage across the United States, visiting locations including stores, military bases and charity events.The company’s website states applicants should have a four-year degree in public relations, journalism, communications, advertising or marketing.

The “condiments” that come with the job are listed by Oscar Mayer as a competitive salary, benefits, clothing and a company car “guaranteed to turn heads.”

I’ve gotten the details for you and the address to send in your résumé, but hurry, for they are only accepting applications through January 31st … that’s Thursday … so get yours sent in now!

♫ I wish I were an Oscar Mayer Weiner That is what I truly wish to be Cause if I were a oscar mayer weiner Everyone would be in love with me ♫

Pick your brain …

Recently I’ve begun checking to see what day it is … no, no … not day of the week, but national _______ day, such as National Hot Dog Day, etc.  Why, you ask?  Because it’s fun, only takes a few seconds, and I’m always on the lookout for fun things to include in my posts.  Now, the one I want to include today doesn’t actually occur until tomorrow, January 29th, but tomorrow isn’t a Jolly Monday, and while I don’t yet know just what I’ll write about on Tuesday, it’s doubtful that National Puzzle Day will fit in very well … you see the dilemma, right?  Oops … I just gave it away!

National Puzzle Day … who knew there was such a thing?  Puzzles are great mental exercise and help keep our minds sharp, whether your choice is a crossword, jigsaw, trivia, word search, brain teaser or Sudoku.  I used to do the New York Times crossword and a Sudoku or two each day, but lately I spend so much time writing that I rarely tackle one.  National Puzzle Day has an interesting origin, though.

Jodi Jill

National Puzzle Day celebrates its 10th anniversary this year and was the brainchild of a writer/columnist, Jodi Jill.  Now, Jodi’s story is not one for a Jolly Monday post, but I strongly urge you to read about her life, for it is a story I cannot even begin to imagine.

Meanwhile, though, be sure to work a puzzle on Tuesday in honour of National Puzzle Day!  Puzzle.net is offering free puzzles through the month of January, including one I’ve never heard of, Brain Baffler, which was created by Jodi Jill herself.  Have fun! 

And now, my friends, we all have things we have to do.  Think of our friend Hugh on Wednesday when temperatures where he lives are going to dip to a low of -27° (F), which is -33° Celsius.  All of you keep safe and warm and have a great week!  Don’t forget to …

Love ‘n hugs from Filosofa & Jolly!!!

This one’s for you, Hugh!!!  Keep warm!

It’s Monday … Be Jolly … Or Else Welcome friends!  It’s that day of the week again … Monday!  Back to work, back to school, laundry piled up in every hamper, a whole week ahead. 

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Good Monday Morning and welcome, once again, To Filosofa’s Jolly Monday!  In the interest of keeping you jolly, I will not mention that Christmas is exactly two weeks from today and that there is very little time left for you to finish your Chrsitmas shopping, bake cookies & other treats, make a cheeseball, wrap afore-mentioned presents, address & mail cards, decorate the tree, hang the mistletoe, and plan your Christmas dinner.  No, friends, it would just stress you, so I will not mention any of that!  I will, however, mention that I baked fresh treats for you this morning, so help yourselves!  And now, let’s find some fun things to start our work week out, shall we?

After Christmas, I swear I am cutting back on these snacks, for every week somebody requests something else.  The latest request was to add milk!  I love you guys, but I am not running a bloomin’ restaurant!

Do you make homemade pizza at home?  We do, for I do not care for frozen pizza, and it’s pricey to order a delivered pizza, though we do that sometimes also.  But we make pizza at home once or twice a month.  It isn’t hard, just a bit time-consuming with cutting onions, peppers, mushroons, chicken, pineapple (always use fresh!), but not hard at all.  Well, the astronauts on the International Space Station have a bit more difficulty, as you might imagine, but watch this short clip, for they have a system and it looks like they have a lot of fun with it, too!

One day not long ago, we were walking into one of our favourite restaurants when a group came out and advised us against going in, saying they waited twenty minutes and never so much as saw a server.  We reversed course and decided we had better things to do, so we went elsewhere, but we speculated about what might have happened.  I jokingly said that perhaps a serial killer came in and murdered all the staff in cold blood.  Well, we checked the news the next day and no such thing had happened, but now I think I might know what did happen.

Alex Bowen, of Columbia, South Carolina, had been drinking and was, in his own words, ‘pretty inebriated’ when he decided to visit his local Waffle House restaurant at 3:00 a..m. for a bite to eat.  He went in, waited about ten minutes, but nobody came to take his order.  So, he wandered back to the kitchen area and found the lone employee … asleep!  Well, Alex was hungry, had his heart set on a sandwich, so he set to work and made himself a Texas bacon cheesesteak melt and then even cleaned up after himself!  He went out to the dining area to eat, left the employee sleeping, and returned later in the day to pay for his food!  Not only considerate and enterprising, but honest too!

A spokesperson for Waffle House said in a statement. “We are reviewing this incident and will take appropriate disciplinary action. In a related note, obviously Alex has some cooking skills, and we’d like to talk to him about a job since we may have something for him.”  Anybody care to guess what position might just open up?

How old were you when you stopped believing that Santa really brought all those presents?  I officially stopped believing when I was 8 and asked for an electric typewriter and a piano, so my parents sat me down and explained.  But unofficially, I quit believing long before, however it was to my advantage to let them carry on the myth, for I learned that if you asked your parents directly for a race car set (no, I did not do ‘dolls’ – I did cars and horses), you were likely to get socks and underwear.  But if you asked ‘Santa’ for a racecar set, you got a racecar set, for Santa wouldn’t dream of giving you socks and underwear.

One precocious six-year-old was told to write a letter to Santa for a school assignment, and here is the letter he wrote:

Dear Santa,

Santa I’m only doing this for the class. I know your notty list is empty. And your good list is emty. and your life is emty. You don’t know the troubles Ive had in my life. Good bye.

Love,

Im not telling you my name.

His mom couldn’t resist posting it on Twitter, with an explanation …

“My 6yo Santa skeptic was told to write a letter to Santa at school. So he did. PS – the ‘troubles’ in his life? His brother. Don’t call child services.”

I occasionally eat a Pop-Tart, though I mostly only like the ones with brown sugar and cinnamon, and rarely eat them at all.  But, I have never even once considered putting condiments upon the pastries.  I suppose if I were to put anything on them, it would be peanut butter, for I put that on everything, and even in my oatmeal.  But somebody in Illinois happens to like mustard on his Pop-Tarts.  I say, ‘so what?’ and don’t care at all, so long as he doesn’t put mustard on mine, but apparently Illinoisans were offended.

It all started when a Twitter user who goes by the handle @adumsteeves tweeted: “You guys aint from Illinois if you dont put mustard on your poptarts.”  The official Pop-Tarts account quoted the tweet with an appeal for help from the Illinois State Police: “@ILStatePolice can you guys handle this?” The State Police did not respond, for they were likely out catching speeders driving 1.27 miles per hour over the posted speed limit.  But the Dixon, Ill., Police Department offered its assistance with a tweet reading, “Let us know if they don’t handle this @PopTartsUS, WE will… Ain’t nobody puttin’ mustard on their Pop-Tarts in Illinois.”

Perhaps it was the threat of a visit from the police, but for whatever reason, the origina tweet was removed, and Pop-Tarts (aka Kellogg’s) claimed victory.  @adumsteeves, however, does not concede the issue, tweeting, “I didnt [sic] delete it and honestly dont know what happened… someone sabatoged my tweet.”  Who knew a bit of mustard could cause such a stir?  And who knew Illinoisans were such food purists?

Well, my lovely friends, I think we better all get moving, for there is much to be done today, and if we sit here around the cozy fire munching cookies all day, nothing will get done except we will all need naptime soon.  So, I thank you all for taking a bit of time from your busy Monday to drop by and I hope you enjoyed our time together.  Please do remember to share smiles and hugs today, for it costs us nothing and we never know but we might have brightened someone’s day with a simple smile.  And I give you all any hugs and much love!  Keep safe and warm, and have a wonderful week!

‘Heck, this is nothing, why when I was a kid, we’d have snow clear up to here.’

Monday? Already? Jolly!!! Good Monday Morning and welcome, once again, To Filosofa’s Jolly Monday!  In the interest of keeping you jolly, I will not mention that Christmas is exactly two weeks from today and that there is very little time left for you to finish your Chrsitmas shopping, bake cookies & other treats, make a cheeseball, wrap afore-mentioned presents, address & mail cards, decorate the tree, hang the mistletoe, and plan your Christmas dinner. 

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Usually, it is at this point that I remind you the weekend is over and it’s time to get back to work, but since today is a holiday in the U.S., you still get one last day to find some fun to be had, or just lie around pondering the meaning of your toes and why there are ten of them.  I hope you’re all enjoying this long weekend, the last one until Thanksgiving in November.  And, to my friends in the UK … you got your bank holiday a week or so ago, so no whining!

Today, as you will soon see, is a special day for the bacon-lovers among us, so Joyful and I whipped up a few bacon-y treats!  We also included a bit of fruit for those who are … um, shall we say more health-conscious, and of course we cannot forget Benjamin’s donuts & juice boxes!  So, grab a plate and cuppa and let’s learn about … International Bacon Day!

Benjamin’s juice boxes — but he’ll share if you ask nicely!

Now, I have to give credit where it’s due, and in this case that credit goes to our friend Ellen, without whose help I would never have known it was International Bacon Day on Saturday!  Ellen is not, herself, a huge bacon fan, but she thought of Larry, Larry, Emily and David, and knowing how much the Bacon Four, as I have dubbed them, love bacon, she made sure to give me a heads up!  Since Saturday was not a Jolly Monday, and since I was unable to exit the rabbit hole for a Saturday Surprise post, then we will celebrate the holiday today, two days late!  So, let’s talk bacon …Not to be confused with National Bacon Day, celebrated in December, International Bacon Day is a relatively new unofficial holiday.  Here’s the story …

It all started in January 2004, when University of Colorado Boulder graduate student Alexa Halford was sitting around with classmates Seth Rittenhouse and Evan Salim.

“As I recall, Seth was sitting on the couch and said, ‘Bacon is delicious, there should be a day dedicated to bacon.’ Evan responded with something like, ‘Seth you are a genius, we should totally have a day dedicated to bacon.’”

Labor Day weekend was the only time of year that the bacon-obsessed gang, who dubbed themselves “Alexa and the Bacon Boys,” could get together and cook. Celebrating on the Saturday before the national holiday gave everyone a couple of days to recover from their pork-induced comas.

And so, the three started a blog and with the help of friends around the world, yet another food holiday was born.  Not every state or city recognizes International Bacon Day, but those that do each have a unique way of celebrating.  Take, for example, the state of Iowa …

Iowa is a bacon-happy place. Nearly 5% of their state’s income comes from the production of it, and they are the U.S.’s biggest producers of pork products. It’s no surprise that they’d host what is probably the biggest bacon festival in the country, and that their state legislature would be so happy to promote it, passing a bill to make it an officially recognized day in the state.There are numerous websites about bacon (who knew???) with stories, recipes, pictures, etc., but I thought I’d share with you some of the fun bacon-logo merchandise I came across while in search of information for this post.

If you go to the Bacon Scouts website  you will find varieties of bacon you’ve never heard of before!  I was sorely tempted to order a pound of the Apple-Cinnamon Flavoured Bacon … until I saw the $54/pound price tag!  Gulp.  Thanks, but no thanks!  You can also join the “Bacon of the Month Club”  .

Or check out the Bacon Today website for tons of recipes (even bacon sushi 🤢), desserts, news and even bacon videos!

And now, I’m feeling full from all this talk of bacon, even though I haven’t eaten any, so let’s have a few ‘toons, shall we?

I came across a few adorable animal pictures while I was over at Phil’s Phun  that I just have to share with you … they made me smile, and I hope they will bring a smile to your faces as well …

And I found this fun, short clip of a rooster chasing a dog … you’ve got to see this!

Back in June, I read an article in The Washington Post titled Go ahead and watch. Cute or funny animal videos can be good for you.    Just what I’ve been saying for years now!  Take a look at the article if you have a spare minute or two, but meanwhile, for our cute animal video today, I shall play the one they reference with the cockatoo dancing to Elvis’ Don’t Be Cruel!

And that concludes another Jolly Monday!  I would ask that you all keep our friend David in your hearts and thoughts this week … he is hospitalized for the second time in a month and I am not encouraged by what I am hearing.  Maybe if we all send good karma, good vibes, or whatever, it will help him to get well.  Have a wonderful Labour Day holiday, and a wonderful week ahead, my friends!  Love ‘n hugs from Filosofa, Jolly & Joyful!!!

Jolly Monday — International 🥓 Day!!! Usually, it is at this point that I remind you the weekend is over and it’s time to get back to work, but since today is a holiday in the U.S., you still get one last day to find some fun to be had, or just lie around pondering the meaning of your toes and why there are ten of them. 

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Good Monday morning, my friends, and welcome!  Joyful has gone to visit her grandmother again, and Jolly is not allowed in the kitchen by himself, which left little ol’ me to do all the cooking.  And so, you may not find as much of a selection as usual, but Joyful will be back next week, so you can make do for this week.  Larry, David, Emily and Larry … you’ll have to share a plate of bacon today, for one is all I have managed!  How was your weekend?  Mine?  Don’t ask.  But, a new week lies ahead, and for folks here in the U.S., it will culminate with a three-day weekend (Labour Day), so it gives you something to look forward to, yes?  So, help yourselves to a snack and let’s try to start this week out with a smile, or maybe even a chuckle. 

Benjamin’s juice boxes — but he’ll share if you ask nicely!

Now, I have never been a fan of thoroughbred animals.  Personally, give me an ol’ mutt any day over a purebred poodle or whatever.  I’ve never even considered paying for a purebred pet … but I know that many people place some value on breeding … both of animals and people.  Sigh.

Anyway, Double Diamond is a sheep.  He’s been bred to perfection, apparently, though I’m for sure no expert on sheep.  But, I have to question the sanity of the person who bid and paid nearly a half-million dollars for ol’ DD!!!Well, I have to admit that ol’ Double Diamond has … um … shall we say … one certain attribute!  Hung well, DD!

Now, my first thought when I heard he had been auctioned off for some £368,000, or approximately $491,390.40, was … how much are they gonna have to charge for each lamb chop???  How many lamb chops even come in a sheep?  But then I came to understand that DD was not purchased to butcher and sell the meat, but rather for breeding purposes, and … it still didn’t make a lot of sense, but then, I’m not a breeder.  (I still think it’s stupid to pay that much for a single animal, though.)

Well, Jeff Aiken and two other breeders were the winning bidders, so I hope they get many years of cute baby lambkins out of ol’ Double Diamond, and I hope that DD has a great time in the process, as I imagine he will!

A hair-raising tale …

Now, I’ve never really warmed to the Mohawk hairstyle for men, but after a couple of friends went with a Mohawk, I decided it wasn’t really all that bad.  But this …

A Minnesota man broke a Guinness World Record when his hair was styled into a Mohawk that measures 42.5 inches high.  Joseph Grisamore said he initially attempted to break the Guinness record for the world’s tallest Mohawk in 2007, but his hair fell short of the needed height.  Grisamore’s attempt for the 2021 Guinness Book of World Records took place at Family Hair Affair in Park Rapids, where stylist Kay Jettman spent hours working on his hair with help from wife Laura and mother Kay.

The stylists said it took a half can of Got2B Glued Blasting Hair Spray to make Grisamore’s hair remain vertical.  Take a look at the results …

I think it’s time to hop over to Phil’s Phun … for some ‘toons and memes … don’t you?

Folks, I’m sorry today’s Jolly Monday is a bit short, but it’s a bit hard to see what I’m doing from down here in the rabbit hole, so let me just finish with a cute animal video featuring one of my favourite critters — koalas!!!

I hope you all have a great week ahead and that the holiday weekend will bring you some much-needed joy!  Please remember to share your smiles … I could even use one if you have a spare.  Love ‘n hugs from Filosofa, Jolly, and Joyful!

Jolly Monday Rides Again! Good Monday morning, my friends, and welcome!  Joyful has gone to visit her grandmother again, and Jolly is not allowed in the kitchen by himself, which left little ol’ me to do all the cooking. 

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Welcome!  And good Monday morn’ to you, our friends!  I hope your weekend was awesome  lovely  decent not too bad.  Ours was same ol’ same ol’.  We did find out the hard way that our favourite fish ‘n chips restaurant is now open for take-out, but they aren’t serving … fish ‘n chips!  ‘Splain that one!  Oh well.  Joyful and I did a bit of baking this morning … nothing much, just a few things.  Jolly wanted to help, so we sent him out to count the clover in the back yard … I don’t think he’s back in yet … guess I better go find him.  Meanwhile, help yourself to a treat and a cuppa and as soon as I find Jolly, we’ll find something to start our week out with a smile.

Benjamin’s juice boxes — but he’ll share if you ask nicely!

Not quite what they expected …

Two stories crossed my radar this week about people receiving packages that were … not quite what they expected.

A woman in Glendale, California, returned home one afternoon to find an Amazon box waiting on her front porch.  Since she was expecting a shipment of printer ink, she thought little about it until she took the box inside and cut it open to find …The box was filled with bottles of oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine and other narcotics and it was accompanied by an invoice from the Drug Enforcement Administration!  The woman contacted law enforcement and the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) was brought in to investigate.  Their explanation sounds a bit fishy to me …

Bill Bodner, DEA special agent in charge in Los Angeles, said a preliminary investigation found the package had originated at a New York pharmacy that enlisted the services of a Texas pharmaceutical company to dispose of the drugs, and that the reason for the invoice is that the disposal process has to be approved by the federal government.  He claims there was likely an error in the shipping process …

“Likely, they used a third-party shipper to ship this package and somehow the shipping labels were switched at this third-party shipper.  Let me be clear, this package was not sent by DEA and these drugs were never in DEA custody.”

Mmmm hmmm … but then ‘splain why the drugs were in an Amazon box???  Amazon has opened its own investigation to try to figure that one out!

And then in Houston, Texas …

Another family received an unexpected package containing 32 bags of marijuana!  The Harris County Sheriff’s Office was contacted and are attempting to solve the mystery.  They put out an Instagram post saying …

“If it is yours please contact the Harris County Sheriff’s Office to claim it.”

Um … yeah, sure they will.  It’s funny, I had trouble getting my insulin delivered last week, but other people can get all sorts of drugs in the mail!  What am I doing wrong???

Teddy Bears just wanna have fun!

In light of many businesses and recreation areas being closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, people have been coming up with unique ways to entertain themselves.  I ignore most of them, but this one caught my eyes … I love teddy bears, and anything involving them will always get my attention!

The Dutch theme park Walibi Holland put 22 oversized teddy bears onto a roller coaster and filmed the ride ― and it almost looks like they’re coming to life out of sheer happiness.

The coaster is named “Untamed” and true to its name, Untamed has five inversions and a 116-foot drop with maximum speeds of 57 mph.  Where I would have had my eyes closed tightly and been hanging on for dear life, the bears really seemed to be enjoying it … eyes wide open!

And speaking of bears …

With fewer people out and about due to coronavirus restrictions, in many places animals have felt free to explore areas they would otherwise avoid.  Last month in Fort Myers, Florida, a black bear decided to do some exploring, much to the dismay of the locals.Police were called and debated the best way to lure the bear away from populated areas.  Tranquilizing wasn’t an option, for it takes some time to work and they weren’t sure what the bear would do in the interim.  Well … these are police, remember … they came up with a solution:  Donuts!!!

They bought donuts from Krispy Kreme (probably already had a dozen or so in their cruiser) and set a trap with donuts as the bait, and for extra measure sprayed some blueberry pie-scented air freshener.  It worked, the bear was quickly and painlessly captured and returned to a state-managed wildlife area.

I dunno, though … now that he’s had a taste of Krispy Kreme, he might be back for seconds!

Before we get to the cartoons, I found this picture over at Phil’s Phun and thought it was so fascinating I just had to share it.  I don’t know what or where this is, for though I did a reverse photo search, I was not able to get any reliable information on it.

And now for some fun cartoons!

And this one’s for you, Hugh!

Well, I guess it’s time … what’s that, Jolly?  OH!!!  Thanks for reminding me!  Time, that is, for a cute animal video to wrap things up.

Now, go forth and try to have a wonderful week.  Remember, folks … everybody needs a smile these days … now more than ever!  So share those lovely smiles, let people know that there is hope for tomorrow, that you care.  Love ‘n hugs from Filosofa, Jolly ‘n Joyful!

  Jolly Joyful Monday … Welcome!  And good Monday morn’ to you, our friends!  I hope your weekend was awesome  lovely  decent not too bad. 

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Good Monday morning, friends!  I hope your weekend was lovely, and I know you are all eager to get back to work!  Jolly and I are grateful that you stopped by to share a few laughs with us to start the week before heading to the salt mines.  Do any of you actually work in the salt mines?  Do they even still have salt mines?  Were there ever salt mines?  I thought salt came from sea water!

So, did you all have a wonderful weekend?  Mine?  Meh … it was okay.  Daughter Chris had a band performance on Saturday night … she is in a Pipes & Drums band, and every year they play for the Caledonian Society on Burns Night, honouring the dead poet Robert Burns.Then on Sunday, we had to go out and find a birthday present for our friend and neighbor Ali, who claims he was 35, but the reality is that he must be dyslexic, for it’s actually 53.  Then we had dinner & birthday cake with them Sunday evening.  They are wonderful friends, and it’s such an honour that we are considered a part of their family.

Well, let’s go find some fun stuff to get this week off on the right foot … or even the left one … but first, grab a snack over on the table.

Larry’s bacon

Benjamin’s juice boxes — but he’ll share if you ask nicely!

Da fishies liked it …

Last week, a California winery, Rodney Strong Wine Estates, had a little accident.  Well, a rather largish accident if you ask me … they sprung a leak and accidentally dumped some 97,000 gallons of Cabernet Sauvignon wine into Reiman Creek, which empties into the Russian River.  Had it not happened on Wednesday, nearly a week ago, I would be online buying my plane tickets to California as we speak!

The Department of Fish and Wildlife is investigating, but as yet it appears that no fish died, though some appeared to be hungover the next morning.  I’m picturing a bunch of old men lying on their bellies by the river, lapping up river water like pups at a stream.

Misdemeanor charges and penalties are likely to be levied against the company, and a company spokesperson says they suspect a mechanical failure but haven’t quite figured it out yet.

Did the horse pay for a ticket?

Over in Wales, they even let horses ride the city buses.  A horse found running loose in traffic on the busy A48 road Thursday evening was captured by witnesses and loaded onto a bus for a brief ride.

The bus driver offered his vehicle when police determined it would be awhile before they could get a horse trailer to the scene. The horse took a 5-minute ride on the bus and was reunited with its owners at a nearby parking lot. The bus was taken for a thorough cleaning.

Define 24 hours?

I always thought a “24-hour” facility, whether grocery store, convenience mart, or gym, meant that they never close.  So, imagine my puzzlement at the following headline …

Utah man locked inside 24 Hour Fitness gym after closing

Dan Hill said he visited the gym in Sandy for a late night workout Saturday and he finished swimming laps in the pool after midnight Sunday to discover he was alone in the building and the doors were locked.

Hill said he called his wife, who suggested he “find a comfortable place to sleep.”  Sounds like maybe she was happy enough to be rid of him for a night, eh?  He ended up calling 911 …

“So, I called dispatch and the guy pauses for like 10 seconds and says ‘You’re where?’ And I said, ‘I’m in 24 Hour Fitness, and there’s an alarm system here and I don’t want to get busted for breaking and entering.'”

Hill took his Facebook friends on a tour of the gym while waiting for police to arrive. Officers showed up to let him out of the building just before 1 a.m.

The manager of the gym said the hours changed in December from 24 hours to 4 a.m.-midnight.  Nice of them to let people know, eh?

To our Aussie friends …

Yesterday was Australia Day.  I meant to dedicate an entire post to that day, however I had a busy day yesterday and it completely slipped my mind.  That said, given the trauma that has been taking place in Australia for the past few months, the bushfires, loss of wildlife, vegetation and structures, and now a terrible hailstorm that has ravaged Melbourne, I couldn’t just let it go without some recognition.  However, since this is Jolly Monday, I will only present a few pictures … and a heartfelt hope that the fires are soon out, and that the nation can begin to heal.  Love ‘n hugs to all our Australian friends … Andrea, Simeon, Paul, Anne, and so many others.

Now, how about just a few ‘toons and memes …

My favourite!

Seems to me that humans could take a lesson from these guys!

And, dare I finish Jolly Monday without a cute animal video?  Of course not … and Jolly has found just the thing in honour of Australia Day — koalas!

Funny, but I always heard koalas were a bit on the mean side, but you sure couldn’t tell it from these cuties, could you?

Well, friends, it’s time for me to tackle the laundry, plus finish taking the Christmas lights off the windows – not a word from you guys — yes, I DO know it’s January 27th!!!  And, it’s time for you to head to work, or grab the snow shovel so you can get out to get some groceries!  Please share those smiles today – we’ve all got our share of troubles at the moment, whether it’s the politics of the day, fires, or the threat of deadly illness, and a smile, a kind word, or a hug surely does help sometimes.  Meanwhile, keep safe & warm, and have a great week!  Love ‘n hugs from Filosofa and Jolly!

Jolly Monday — Happy Australia Day! Good Monday morning, friends!  I hope your weekend was lovely, and I know you are all eager to get back to work! 

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Good Monday morning Friends, Romans, Countrymen … oh wait … forget those last two … I don’t know what got into me … I didn’t come to bury Trump Caesar, honest.  Well, Jolly has returned from his mission … a mission in which he was unsuccessful, so he’s a bit feverish and under the weather today, however he wants to do his part for Jolly Monday.  Just overlook him if he’s a bit … erm … out of sorts.

Well, let’s have a little snack to start our visit … don’t worry, I didn’t let Jolly help with the baking this morning … and then lets find us some chuckles!

Benjamin’s juice boxes — but he’ll share if you ask nicely!

The value of a banana?

How can you not click on a headline that reads …

Banana artwork that fetched $120,000 is eaten by ‘hungry’ artist

Now, I had no idea what “banana artwork” was before delving into this article in The Guardian, but when I saw it … my jaw hit the floor.  No, I wasn’t amazed in the way that I might be over a Monet or Van Gogh.  I was speechless in the way of … well, take a look for yourself …

The piece, titled Comedian, by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, was on show at the international gallery Perrotin at Art Basel in Miami.  It was hailed as “a symbol of global trade”.  And somebody paid $120,000 to own … an overripe banana duct-taped to a wall.  Only one question, really, comes to mind:

On further investigation, I find that there were actually three of these “limited-edition” pieces, each sold for between $120,000 – $150,000, and each accompanied by a “certificate of authenticity” and instructions for installation.  Just goes to prove what I’ve been saying for years now … some people have more money than good sense!

But back to the story …

Shortly before 2 p.m. on Saturday, a New York City-based performance artist, David Datuna, peeled the taped banana from the wall and devoured it, raising the half-eaten banana as if making a toast.Gallery officials replaced the banana with another one, saying that the artwork was not destroyed and that the banana was simply an “idea.”  Okay, fine, but what about the poor fool who paid $120,000 for that banana?

And speaking of art …

A Florida city unveiled an unusual beachfront artwork — a life-sized recreation of a traffic jam sculpted from sand.

The City of Miami Beach commissioned Argentinean artist Leandro Erlich to create Order of Importance, an installation consisting of 66 sand sculptures of cars and trucks lined up on South Beach.  According to Erlich …

“It’s a poetic version of a traffic jam, and it’s open to the public in a public space. It addresses an issue that is linked to our relationship to the natural order, the environment and how important it is to remain in balance in order to survive.”

Hmmmm … I’m not so sure I would call a traffic jam “natural order”, but I acknowledge both the effort and skill it took to make all those sand sculpture cars!  It took Mr. Erlich two years, and 330 tons of sand to complete this scene, and there are 66 life-sized sculptures of cars and trucks stuck in an imaginary traffic jam on the oceanfront of popular Lincoln Road.The installation cost over a million dollars, but the city paid only $300,000 thanks to sponsors and donations.

Weary Willie …

Today is Weary Willie Day … this came to my attention as a result of the nightly email I get apprising me of the next day’s ‘National Days’.  Never having heard of Weary Willie Day, I was intrigued and had to go check it out … I did so with some trepidation, figuring there was a chance it was something a bit kinky. Don’t worry – it’s not.

Weary Willie Day on December 9th recognizes the art of clowning and the impact it has on our lives. This holiday was named for the character made famous by Emmett Kelly, who was born on this day in 1898.

Weary Willie was a unique character in the art of clowning.  Kelly had developed Weary Willy at a time when the white-faced, goofy clown was the norm, and selling the idea for a sad, down-on-his-luck clown did not fit the formula most circuses were seeking.  For the time being, Kelly put back on the white face and the brightly colored costume. 

 Times and attitudes changed when the country was in the depths of the Great Depression.  Downtrodden and world-weary was the face of the nation.  People could identify with Weary Willie like never before. Weary Willie, his frowning, whisker-shadowed face and his dirty, torn and worn costume, went on to become an American icon.His son, Emmett Kelly, Jr. carried on Weary Willie’s persona well into the modern era until his death in 2003, at the age of 83.

Are you in the mood for some ‘toons today (not the political kind, just the make-you-laugh kind)?

I thought this guy was just too cute to pass up …

And of course, I cannot wrap up Jolly Monday without a cute animal video, now can I?  Let’s take a look at some adorable baby … elephants!

And, that’s about it for another Jolly Monday folks!  I hope you have a wonderful week ahead, and remember … your smile goes such a long way toward bringing joy to others … please remember to share it this week!  Love and hugs from Filosofa and Jolly!!!

Jolly Monday Good Monday morning Friends, Romans, Countrymen ... oh wait ... forget those last two ... I don't know what got into me ...