CONNECTED

Old Trunks will confess. I am a on-line junkie. I have met people who, for virtual purposes are joined with me at the hip. We are connected. Eye brow raising as that might sound, it is really very simple. And, if you are realistic, you already know everyone you meet isn't a friend and they aren't an enemy either.

The best way to explain this is to say, I have a thing about colors of cars. Without knowing what color car one drives, I can almost always know who drives red or green or black. Everyone else falls into a neutral zone.

I have an instant like with red and green and am leery of people who drive black cars. So much so that when my son's friend was going to buy a new car, he picked blue over black.

So with that image in mind, let's explore meeting people on line. I know that S has a green car and H has a red one. I would ask L but knowing her husband R, he picked it out.

I was having a discussion with a friend this morning who wondered why emails in general had dried up. I reminded him that not everyone is a wind bag like he was and those same folks in the real may be great talkers but poor image writers.

As for emails and I/M, I know someone who has the greatest circle of friends. Take into consideration, she has a gift to write and boost ones endorphins just by reading her notes. While in her 70's, and not able to dance with her boyfriend, she does have that magic to waltz on the Milky Way in a long shimmering gown with anyone with a top hat and tails. It the real, she drives a red car.

Perhaps there is no formula for connection. Maybe best of friends just happen.

In honor of Ella,-- a valuable connection-- who died on this day two years ago who probably never had a red or green car but certainly never had a black one.

e

BRAND ID

There is a cartoon on line. It says "Kindle is an e-reader, like Kleenex means all tissue, and Jell-O means all gelatin.

Isn't it amazing how a few brands make it to that status? Did you ever, as a kid, once you knew this, NOT offer someone a tissue when they asked for a Kleenex and your household used another brand? Okay, you didn't but then, now and again, I was literal.

Help me out here, can you think of others? Here is a few to fuel your thoughts.


“AstroTurf” when we mean artificial turf

“Band-Aid” when we mean adhesive bandage

“Bondo” when we mean auto body filler

“Brillo Pad” when referring to any type of scouring pad made with steel wool embedded with soap

“Bubble Wrap” when we mean inflated cushioning

“ChapStick” when we mean lip balm, Tom says IVIO

“Clorox” when referring to any bleach, Mother said Hilex

“Coke” when referring to any soft drink or soda pop in general

“Crayola” when we mean crayons

“Crazy Glue” when referring to any type of fast-acting or instant glue

“Crock-Pot” when we mean slow cooker

“Cuisinart” when we mean food processor

“Discman” when we mean portable personal CD player

“Elmer’s” when referring to any type of adhesive glue

“Formica” when we mean plastic or wood laminate

“Frigidaire” when we mean refrigerator , Mrs. Johnson said refridge

“Frisbee” when we mean flying disc

“Saran Wrap” when we mean plastic wrap cling film; Liked that word so well we named a sorrel colt Red Saran

“Google” when we mean looking up something in a search engine used to say Ask Jeeves

“Hacky Sack” when we mean footbag


"Hula Hoop” when we mean toy hoop ring

“iPod” when referring to any type of personal portable media player

“Jacuzzi” when referring to any hot tub or whirlpool bath

“Jeep” when referring to any compact sport utility vehicle

“Jet Ski” when referring to any stand-up personal watercraft

“JumboTron” when referring to any large screen television

“Kool-Aid” when we mean cold sweetened flavored drink

“LazyBoy” when we mean recliner

“Levis” when referring to denim jeans

“Matchbox” or “HotWheels” when referring to any die cast toy cars

“Nintendo” when referring to any older video game console or system

“Otter Pops” when we mean ice pop or any plastic tube-filled-frozen-snack with flavored sugary liquid

“Photoshop” when we mean photo manipulation

“Ping Pong” when we mean table tennis

“Play-Doh” when referring to a modeling compound clay for children

“Polaroid” when we mean instant photograph or instant camera . Sort of dated, isn't it?

“Popsicle” when we mean an ice pop or any frozen confectionary treat on a stick. I just asked my son if he was eating popsicles NOT frozen confectionaries!

“Porta-Potty” when referring to a portable self-contained outhouse

“Post-its” when we mean sticky notes

“PowerPoint” when we mean electronic presentation

“Q-tips” when we mean cotton swabs

“Rollerblade” when referring to inline skates

“Scotch Tape” when we mean clear adhesive tape

“Sea-Doo” when we mean sit-down personal watercraft

“Sharpie” when we mean permanent marker

“Ski-Doo” when we mean snowmobile, at least for most, perhaps

“Speedo” when we mean skin-tight swim briefs

“Stanley Knife” when we mean utility knife

“Styrofoam” when we are referring to extruded polystyrene foam

“Super Heroes” when we mean superhero (“Super Heroes” is co-owned and trademarked by Marvel & DC Comics)

“Tampax” when referring to tampons

“Tarmac” when referring to asphalt road surface

“Taser” when we mean electroshock weapon

“Trojans” when referring to condoms

“Tupperware” when referring to any type of modular food storage containers

“Tylenol” when we referring to any over-the-counter pain reliever/fever reducer

“Vaseline” when we mean petroleum jelly

“Velcro” when referring to any hook-and-loop fastener

“Walkie-Talkie” when referring to any portable handheld radio or two-way radio transceiver

“Walkman” when we mean portable personal stereo player

“WaveRunner” when referring to any personal watercraft

“Wet Naps” or “Handi-Wipes” when referring to a moist towelette or wet wipe

“Windex” when referring to any glass and/or hard surface cleaner

“Winnebago” when referring to any Class A Recreational Vehicle or motorhome

“Wite-Out” when we mean correction fluid. We did go to an office supply store recently and I did look for Wite Out and did buy that product. It is made by Bic.

“X-Acto Knife” when referring to a precise cutting utility knife

“Xerox” when we mean photocopier or to make a photocopy

“Zig Zag” when referring to any rolling papers used for marijuana or tobacco

“Ziplock Bags” when referring to any type of reusable, re-sealable zipper type storage bags

“Zippo” when referring to refillable lighters


e

LOOK OUT!!! There is a germ out there!

The question is: When does one get so germ-a-phobic that it causes mental warping?

The old saying used to be, "Her floor is so clean you could eat off it". What exactly that mean gives reason to ponder; I am thinking it means no dog hair, dust, or plain old dirt. It does, however, give one a picture of clean.

As a kid, did you ever drop something on the floor, like part of a candy bar and pick it up and eat it? We did and didn't look around to see who may be watching when we did this deed. There was no five second rule.

Not everyone had a dish machine to sanitize the dishes. Just hot soapy water and to some, no rinse, but dry. (I still think soap gives you diarrhea, but that is another subject not necessarily to be covered later).

We could use Daddy's comb but never Mother's brush--and if we did, she knew it! I do not know the reason.

When mother was in the San, and we went to visit, if one used the phone in the lobby, one used a tissue to hold the phone. This made sense TB was still making people very sick. Greg and I were not allowed to touch for for almost two years we only waved at her from outside her window.

But the latest thing is two fold. Your toothbrush is not to be within six feet of the toilet lest the germs escape and get on your brush AND each person needs to have their own tube of toothpaste so you don't contaminate the tooth paste when you drag the brush across the gel.

When I told my Sweet Thomas what I had read, he asked about kissing.

Now we ask you, is that too germy too?

e

BRUSHA, BRUSHA, BRUSHA

Toothpaste is a a substance used with a tooth brush as an accessory to clean and maintain the aesthetics and health of teeth. Toothpaste is used to promote oral hygiene: The aids that remove the dental plaque and food from the teeth, aid in the elimination and/or masking of bad breath and deliver active ingredients to prevent tooth and gum disease.

Most of the cleaning is done by the mechanical use of the toothbrush, and not by the toothpaste.

No doubt there are more than 25 different brands of toothpaste and why we select one brand over another, unless it is by prescription, seems to be personal choice.

Oh you wonder where the yellow went when you brush your teeth with Pepsodent. Do you remember that jingle? The tooth paste is still available.

But what happened to Ipana? The one advertising Bucky Beaver singing the jingle,

"Brusha, brusha, brusha! Get the new Ipana!
With the brand new flavor - it's dandy for your teeth!
Brusha, brusha, brusha! New Ipana toothpaste!
Brusha, brusha, brusha - knock out, decay germs fast!
Fast! Fast - you're sure alright!"

Perhaps you remember it from the movie, "Grease".

Gleem toothpaste, introduced in the mid fifties stated it was the kind of toothpaste one should use if you couldn't brush after every meal. That is the same era when children where lined up at the water fountain at Washington Elementary School to swirl and spit back into the fountain bowl. That is rinse your mouth of food particles. The green sparkles in the tooth paste were supposed to protect your teeth between brushing. I think I still have some of those green sparkles stuck in my mouth. (giggling).

"Ultrabrite gives your mouth...[bling]...sex appeal!" At that is where we, the Johnson's are at today. We have no sex appeal because we are out of toothpaste. We just opened the last tube; 12 of 12.

Now, that is odd, isn't it? Too go to stores which sell Aim, Crest, and Colgate, all which taste like soap but no Ultra Bright. Sure didn't seem like a big deal when we left to do errands last night.

The toothpaste market must be fickle. Why do people change brands, anyway? The last household was Aquafresh, also a 1970's product but sometimes one conforms.

Make that agreement, after all most of time it doesn't really matter. Give up Del Monte Ketchup for Heinz wasn't a big deal because I don't use much ketchup. Enforce the law of Viva paper towels and Charmin bathroom tissue as well as Kleenex facial tissues. There is no space to negotiate here.

My question to you is, are you loyal to brands and why. The question to myself is, with these companies being so big and making so many products under the same umbrella, am I loyal to P&G?, for example? Sounds like a good research project to me!

e

ONE THING LOST , ANOTHER FOUND

Old Trunks wonders just where that vinyl sticky back stuff is which was used to 'dress up' the Bass Buggie. After all, most females pride themselves on knowing where everything is at all times. Well, almost always.

Take the case of the missing vinyl. The joke really started when, instead of me saying I want the rod with the fast action tip OR the 1 oz lure weight rod, I marked them with ribbons. I would simply say, I want the red and orange ones. Now, as much teehee as there was, my fishing bud wanted to know if I had any ideas about how to mark HIS rods, he didn't want ribbon. That is when I had the plan to find the vinyl. Which is at this time, still missing.

But what I did find was the bag of knee hi socks I 'lost'. Was I looking for the vinyl? No, I was looking for a printer we took home which wasn't compatible with one of the laptops that he took to work to use.

Wait, that doesn't make sense. If we had that printer out and brought it home, how could it be lost?

Sweet Thomas took the printer out of the north bedroom closet last week. No, it isn't heavy nor bulky, it is just in one of those places you have to do twisties to get to.

When we brought a different printer to the shop to hook up to the laptop, we took the other printer home. And Sweet Thomas said, "Where do you want this"? Thinking he would put it back in the north closet, I simply said, "In the closet."

One doesn't say in the closet to a husband, one says in the closet in the ___ room.

Remembering there were USB cords in the bag, as well as software disks, I wanted to place those items like with like. I went to the north closet to get the printer. It wasn't there.

But I found my knee highs!!!

Now, we have, in this house, a closet from hell. It is deep. It is full. It is clothes, costumes, Kleenex, and other. It is Cricket, suitcases. Christmas wrap, and other.

Although I do not practice calling Tom at work, I was baffled. Where was that printer? He knows we have an agreement not to put anything under beds, (its a feng shui thing). He said he had put it in the closet from hell near the iron. That means he had to snake through the hung clothes, past the tissue to nearly the back.

My mission today is to get the printer bag out and get the USB cords out. This IS a reason to have a cell phone. You have never been in this closet. The question is: Will I get reception?

The other question is: Where is the vinyl?

And my third question is, do you have a closet from hell?

e

GIVE AWAY VERSES TAKE AWAY

It was the early 50's and we were living on Kneale Avenue in Thief River Falls, MN in a new house with all the latest colors of the era. The walls in the living room and dining room with lime green, my bedroom was purple. The floor in the living room was salmon tile. As was common in that era, each room had different flooring. Greg's room was mustard. He had an oak bedroom suite.

Mother and Daddy had given up their bedroom set , (to Greg) several years before for a set of twin beds. As what happens in most families, that master bedroom set gets handed down. As children, I think we are okay with that.

There was a double bed, a dresser with a bench, and a chest of drawers. That is a lot of furniture for a child but he got all of it. Most beloved was the bench. I mean, how many of us have a vanity with a huge round mirror, let alone a bench!?

Families also did a lot of wheeling and dealing. A little history is necessary to get you to that point: When Mother was in the San in the late forties, my grandparents lived with us. The suite of furniture had already been moved to Greg's bedroom, and twin beds where placed in the master bed room and Greg slept in one; Daddy in the other when mother was gone.

So, you see, Grandma already had her eye on that bench because she had used it often in the 22 months they lived with us.

What sparked the idea that Grandma could have the bench is unknown. I am certain she asked and was given permission BUT the bench really was Greg's, (well, as much as children can claim furniture I think it mostly belongs to the house).

What I do remember is Grandma standing in the living room holding the bench when Greg came home and took it out of her hands and brought it back to his room. Some discussion followed, the bench stayed.

It was a case of give away and take back!

What prompted that? Well, this morning, I asked Tom to take a wicker basket down from a shelf to see if there were any 10" paper plates. When you order groceries and don't watch the numbers closely, you have a lot of little plates and few big ones. All that what in there was 1 ply napkins, (another mistake) and a set of Winnie the Pooh plates and napkins. When I was talking about the napkins, I was not talking about Winnie the Pooh stuff. But.....Tom thought I meant everything in the basket and since he is in that cleaning spirit, he took all and gave it to the neighbor.

Unlike Greg, I could not go to their house and say, "Give me those back"...Well, I didn't. The Pooh stuff was left over from out-of-pocket supplies I had purchased for a gig at the nursing home. I just thought they were cute and I suppose I kept them for no reason except they were not taking up a space for something else.

That is give away.

I hope you are smiling.

e

FLOWERING OF THE NAME

It is said that child deserves a name that's whole in itself, and that was chosen with her parents' total enthusiasm. A little Tulip with big sisters Lily, Rose, Violet and Daisy has been shortchanged. Tulip comes across as just one more blossom in the bouquet, not an individual. The sibling set mattered more than her name. Worst of all, she'll always know that her parents considered her name fifth-best out of a very small pool.

A British comedy has Hyacinth, Rose, Violet, and Daisy.

Two daughters are Faith and Charity. What happened to Hope?

Why do people name an October baby April?

Are anagrams a way to go? Do you have an Alice and a Celia?

That almost makes Ryen a yern, (yearn) is you include A for his last name.

How can one mess up Rachel, except to add an a in there somewhere?

If we took Elodee, we would still have more e's than we would ever want on a Scrabble board. Or do we have an Odelee, (yodeling).

And if Bud went by Paul would he be Pal, which is another word for friend?

Someone asked recently if Elodee was Jewish. She is second cousin and has gone back in history saying some GGG or so was a Jewish woman and all the girls down the line had Jewish names. Like any name, there are bound to be numerous of sources.

I had Brownie Scouts with flower names. One was Hyacinth and for the life of me, I can't remember what the other one was, except it wasn't Crocus or Tulip. It wasn't Pansy, or Rose. It will come to me in the night.

If I could have a flower name........Well, it would not be daffodil or Holly Hock. That's what it was, her name was Holly!!!

Let's throw it into your court. Do you know why you were named what you where and why did you name your kids what you did?

Happy earth week.

from

Blue belle