Surfing the World Wide Web.

When I was young I thought it would be grand to live in California and surf my heart out. Now I virtually surf and I can tell you it is a time consuming thing. However I have found several traffic exchange sites that help a surfer like me to go straight to a number of their favorite sites at one time. I truly enjoy the whole surfing experience. The fact that I want to drive the traffic to my sites almost seems beside the point.

I have learned a lot of things in the past month just by surfing the WWW. I have been a long time fan of Bob Dylan and just realized he had a son Jakob in the music business who rivals his father's efforts when he was a younger man.

I have discovered that a non-gluten diet may just diminish my joint pains and the numbness in my left hand. It would be very nice not to have so much pain and not to have to take so much naproxen sodium.

I have learned a lot of other things as well about doggie dermatology, how to run ads for free, where the least expensive flea meds for pets can be purchased, how to prepare appetizing polenta and so much more.

It seems as though my learning curve has gotten higher since I have been on the WWW.

I have had access to it in one form or another since the 1980's. I have been on the internet since 1969. I never got into internet marketing until the early 90's. Most of my time on computers until then was in chat rooms and surfing for information to quench my curiosity.

I have come across an interesting site put together by 60 year old gentleman living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He says in his submission that many will say he is old but like him I wonder how come such a young at heart soul can be so old. Evidently, he loves music; classical music and you can see almost 11,00 scores at Hemmingway's Studio . Good for you Hemmingway! He has tuxedo cat too that he seems to hold in great regard. Hope that Or

eo and you are both well!

Long Ago and......

I just finished watching 'Milk' all the way through and understand now on a more visceral level the absolute importance of Harvey's agenda and work. I don't think that the fight is over yet; indeed the fight is still on for all disenfranchised people; homosexuals, women and children being the main groups. What hit me the most about Harvey's death; is the fact that someone like Dan White would not be remembered in life outside of the movie or book as much as Harvey was in death. That my friends is how it should be! The good guys should be remembered first and foremost. If just one person remembers someone who has helped the hopeless; then no activism of any kind is pointless.

Which brings me to the point of this posting. After I watched 'Milk' my mind traveled back to my nephew Andrew and all the things he was and what he might have been had he lived. Suffice to say, Andy had the great spirit of an activist given half a chance! I spent the 60's pursuing some cause or other. Never felt as though I was very successful though. It is hard being part of a whole, large, group when you are young and have dreams of being a ground-breaker. Of course, the other side of the coin is that it was wonderful having some small part in that sign carrying era. But that was long ago and far away.

If I could still walk for miles, stand with my arms above my head for prolonged periods of time, or shout over and over for hours; I would still probably be trying to protest something or another. Then I realized I have a quieter, low-key way of carrying a placard. I will continue to use this space as my placard. I shall continue to do that post after post.

Mini-post: Saw Ralph Sunday!!

Sunday, I watched Ralph Nader on a 3 hour C-span special. He was just as amazing as I thought he was all those years ago when he was an activist for seat belts.

After that I watched Laura Ingraham author of the 'Obama Diaries' run on about her beliefs and how good Americans knew that being a believer in conservative right wing values were the way. She minimizes anything and everything that President Obama has tried to do with what he has unfortunately inherited from the former Republican government. To my mind, true patriotism lies in the different legislature that one backs that makes life easier for the disenfranchised and the poorer people; not just Americas' privileged class. It does not lie in false sentimentality or flag waving. It lies in the full knowledge of what being a citizen of this country and ones true obligations.

I believe in God, Country, and a being happy. I know that sounds simplistic; but for me it is that simply put and that complex in real life. I believe in a Higher Power who is personal. I believe that a country and all its benefits are here for all its citizens. When just a chosen few get the privileges then the country isn't being governed correctly at all. That is just this woman's opinion.

Hubbard's Cupboard!

If you read my blog on a regular or even semi regular basis; you know that I have just moved from Oklahoma to New York. The food prices here are overpowering. If Mother Hubbard lived here the CSI would be along for her and the doggie tout suite! Where I used to spend $100 for a month's food, I am now paying $200 plus! Now I ask you why is food so expensive here in New York???? Is it to pay for the freight from the 'mainland' to 'Long Island'? Or are we paying for Bloomberg's limos? Is it because the truckers got a raise here I don't know about???? I know that NY tax does not cover the whole escalation of prices so that isn't the reason.

Don't get me wrong. I love New York; particularly Nassau County. But my Oklahoma gauged Widow's Pension just doesn't go very far here. My dreams of seeing a couple of shows on Broadway on my dime are fading fast, never mind my trip to Ireland. I don't know about you but I don't like going on another person's dime all the time. I just want to be able to afford to do my own thing. Bottom line, if the food here was more affordable or I got a proper cost of living rise then I would be able to enjoy this wonderful county a lot more!

Finacial Wizard I Am Not!

I often wonder what it is about banks nowadays. Why do I generally detest them?

They are not like the ones I knew way back in my childhood. The clerks and the bank manager; all of them knew you by your first name. All you had to do is pick up the phone; if there was an overdraft, they would wait until your pay check was deposited and you were covered. If they charged you a fee it wasn't over a couple of dollars. Generally speaking you were not charged.

Banks were in the business of making money but they showed real respect towards their customers and would do everything they could to help them out. I was told by my Mother that in the late 20's and early 30's when peoples farms were being foreclosed it was different in Unionville. Our bank manager in town bent over backwards so that his customers could stay in their homes. Because of him not one of our local farmers had to sell and move away.

I had a bank account at that bank from age 6 to 13 and at another branch of the Bank of Nova Scotia in Toronto right until I was in my 20's. Trouble didn't start with the banking system till after my 50th birthday. It started after my husband died in 2001.

I have always had my own money and my own account whether I was single, married, divorced or widowed. Well, if it hadn't been for some really good friends in the last 9 years; because of overdraft fees here with the state side banks I might not have made it financially. Now it isn't because I over spent. It was because of the way banks operate nowadays. For example: They know you get a check in by say the 30th of the month. They also know that you need to eat the day before and instead of waiting until the day you get paid they charge you an overdraft of thirty dollars on 5 or 10 cents over the limit. That is the sort of thing that has caught me up for the last 9 years. It is absolutely ridiculous! I reckon that I have lost well over $10,000 in those 9 years to that bank in Oklahoma.

My point is these people don't know you well or try to get you to know you well. The clerks are over burdened with duties and people are very strained in business relationships these days. Neither do I live in Unionville anymore. I live on Long Island, New York but I have to tell you; the manager at my local branch seems to be the kind of fella we had at the Bank of Nova Scotia when I was a child. Perhaps this bank will treat my money like mine not theirs.


Note: Found out what is wrong with my legs. I have chronic osteoarthritis. It can't be cured but the pain can be managed and I am not giving up or in on this.

Emergency Trip ASAP And Other Observations.

Hi Folks! I am going to go to the hospital emergency as soon as possible. My leg truly needs looking at and it hurts worse everyday.

Other than that life is wonderful on Long Island. My three animals have adapted well to their new life with our friend Dennis. We all love our new apartment. We have a bounty of technology as well as the simple things that make life enjoyable. I have had quite a bit of time to get used to the area we are in and I am absolutely in love with my neighborhood. There are friendly business people as well as friendly neighbors. It is everything and more than I hoped for when I was packing in OK! I hope that everyone moving this summer is this fortunate in finding a place to live.

As has been of late; this posting will be short and sweet. Until next time ... have a good day and God bless you all.