I say yes, you say no, OR People are Strange

Did you guys know that mixed use zoning is yet another example of the United Nations conspiracy to turn us all into serfs?  I don't know whether to laugh or cry . . . laugh at the absurdity of it, or cry at the thought that some people are honestly that paranoid and fearful. 

(Now, if the UN is involved in the decision to allow 4th Ave in Brooklyn to be lined with high-rise condos, I may have to change my tune . . . )

Linda

Happy good morning, all!



I LOVE strange people! They've taught me the very best things in life. How can you learn if don't embrace The Strange?



For example, when I was a very young (4) and very literal lass, I thought Jim Morrison was odd for trying to "set the night on fire." When I finally figured it out it opened my mind to a whole world of fantastic imagery. (And the weird world of sex, but that came later.) I still remember that moment.



I raise my coffee mug to salute all the strangers in the world, for we're all strange in some way!



CaffeinatedEnjoyful

I am happy to have had the opportunity to meet all the strange people who came to Niagara Falls last year. I am honored to have them for friends.

My mom, in comforting my angsty adolescent self (who, at 6'1" tall and 110 lbs was VERY different!), uttered words of wisdom that resonate through the ages, "Why be NORMAL?  Normal is for people without imagination!"  (not applying to MUGA scans, of course, but to life approaches).  Normal (meaning ordinary, not strange) was not a compliment in our house.  My mom once said to my sister, "Oh, you are so NORMAL!" and my sister burst into tears and said, "You don't have to insult me, Mom!"

Strange is good.  If we didn't have strange, we would all still be huddled in caves trying to figure out how to start a fire.

Congrats, Rosemary, on your GREAT MUGA scan!

And it seems as though EVERYTHING is a UN conspiracy.  Maybe the people who fear that SHOULD go back to the caves and huddle there while they try to figure out how to start a fire.

L

I love you fellow strange ones - it still breaks my heart that I wasn't able to go to NOTL last year.

E  - how are you doing these days? Are you getting a Thansgiving break on rads?

EDITED

Hello All, and Happy Thanksgiving to those of you in the US!

We at BCO have decided to re-instate our policy on no politics, unless directly related to healthcare. We are posting this in various topics throughout the boards. With the US elections behind us, we feel that this is a good time to return to this policy, and bring a greater sense of calm in this regard. We sincerely appreciate your understanding. Best, Your Mods

http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/93/topic/745358?page=1#idx_1

BCO Community Members,
There is nothing that gets the blood boiling more than discussing politics, except perhaps religion. There are many political viewpoints, and these conversations can quickly get out of hand.

As much as we would like to keep politics off the discussion boards, we recognize that HEALTHCARE is a very relevant issue to many of you. If healthcare gets discussed, we ask you to please present your views thoughtfully and articulately. Politics are complicated and often colored with many shades of grey. If a topic disintegrates into defamatory comments, the moderators will immediately freeze or delete the topic - especially if it has become distracting to members who are looking for support and information as it involves breast cancer.

Thank you for respecting the rules, and the sensitivity of this issue.

Best, 

Strange=non-complacent flexibility.  I like to challenge things and do things I am not suspose to, though they are not bad things. I just like to do them differently.  When small....I generally searched out older people to listen to because I FELT old.  I didn't enjoy 'book' learning.....I wanted to 'hear' what older people had to say, know what they enjoyed.

Conversely.....as age progressed, I wanted to stay in tune ( flexible ) and understand what was going on around me.  One of the really strange things was how immersed I was in this just past election.  I still find myself very fascinated with people.  Much more so the in-flexible ones.  I keep wondering what turned them down or off  ---  why it seems so difficult to look at things through new eyes -- to see that people who are different from us/them, in general want nearly the same things. 

I am going to change with the times because I don't want to be left behind in some stagnant pool of in-flexibility.  Just having a few concept moments here. 

Blue...strange and human....goes together very well.  Perfect fit.

Jackie

Funny thing is we "strangers" don't have to talk about just one subject all the time so we'll be fine but restrained (which I personally hate).

Rosemary - wonderful news - lifting my coffee mug (I slept in!)

Strange - the best. 

Kam  - more thanks - I never knew the USA was a "christian" nation.  When did that happen?  Shall I tell all my Jewish friends, Buddhist friends, Muslim friends?  Will they have to leave the USA?  Hindu friends are probably still celebrating Divali, so I won't let them know, yet.

Ok. I'm fine with no politics. YES WE CAN. YES WE CAN, easily continue our thread without discussing politics

We can start reading installments of Alexandria's book?  Sing with Blue's hero ( oh those lips, those lips), and share the HL story about the American Masters David Geffen ( I think he's Jewish, will he have to move?)

Interesting, River Rat!  I'd seen stats before on how shockingly slow U.S. internet speeds are compared to Europe.  (Just think of all that productivity lost while waiting for YouTube videos to load, LOL!)  But the tie-in to utility service was totally new to me.  I really hope we can continue to share stuff like that.  (I know that smart meters have been controversial in some areas - with opposition coming from various points on the political spectrum, it hasn't been a left/right issue.  Personally I think they make a lot of sense.)

On a different but related topic - one reason why we never lost power during Sandy is that the power lines in our neighborhood are all buried.  I wish that were more common but, you know, it takes money.

A food note: I'm in training for the big feast tomorrow, with pumpkin challah bread soaking in eggs and milk for French toast in a little bit.  The bread is from an old-time Jewish bakery that's rebranded itself as "the original NYC artisanal bakery" in an effort to tap the insatiable demand for all things artisanal hereabouts.  I love Brooklyn, I really do, but sometimes it gets ridiculous.  We have artisanal popsicles, artisanal dog biscuits, $40 artisanal T-shirts . . .

Linda

Wow, after watching the David Geffen piece on American Masters last night, I couldn't sleep because of all the earworms!  "Court and Spark," "Free Man in Paris," "Our House," "Suite Judy Blue Eyes," "Wedding Bell Blues," "When I Die," "Stay," "Doctor My Eyes," and on and on.  Wow, David Geffen brought us a significant portion of the soundtrack of our lives! I didn't remember that he was involved in a relationship with Cher (I wasn't paying attention to Cher at that time).  I didn't know that Laura Nyro wrote "Wedding Bell Blues," or "And When I Die," or "Eli's Coming," or "Stoney End," or "Stoned Soul Picnic."  David Geffen is REALLY interesting!  It was on PBS, so I'm sure there will be reruns.  I can highly recommend it.

Listening to a vinyl copy of the "Messiah" arias and choruses.  We played some of them in high school orchestra (I played cello) and the "Hallelujah" chorus was another earworm last night.  Don't ask me why -- David Geffen was NOT Handel's agent!

I am looking forward to taking music lessons again when I retire next year.  It has been 35 years since I put down the cello ... I think it's time to take it up again.  And the piano.  So much to do, so few hours in the day!

L

Ohhhh...the Messiah is my favorite. I have it on CD but I miss the vynil. Now is the time of year to start listening to it, too.

Ah, PiP, I'm a traditionalist.  I have turkey and dressing, although DH prefers StoveTop Stuffing (insert gagging noise here).  He also likes white gravy from a packet.    Nothing to do with my cooking (his mother was a famously terrible cook), but it is what he likes to eat.  My mother and grandmother are reeling in horror wherever they are at the thought of StoveTop Stuffing and packet gravy.  Mashed potatoes, candied yams, peas with pearl onions, green beans with almonds, soft rolls, and dutch apple pie round out our meal.  I like mince pie, but I am the only one, so I look for a small mince tart instead. 

L

Oh, Kam, I'm so sorry Emma has to go back to the vet!  My little Forrest gets herpes, too -- and it never resolves on its own.  He always has to have eye ointment.  The last time I took him to the vet, it sounded like we were boiling a human baby in the back seat -- it was TERRIBLE.  He is so afraid to go outside ... fortunately DH was driving because I was in tears. 

This is my little man when he was younger.  He is 6 now.

L

They get it in their eye and it gives them a runny eye.  Accordig to my vet, it can't be transmitted to humans (but I am careful nonetheless).  I expect Forrest got it from his mother Peaches, who was an outside cat when she gave birth to him and his siblings.  She only gets it every once in a while, but Forrest gets it when we go on vacation or he is otherwise stressed. 

L