Focused at Fifty

Back in Eastern PA where the weather has been more like Seattle, no yard work was to be accomplished on Memorial Day weekend. Although the temp was cool, I just didn't feel like getting my sneaks wet traipsing through overgrown grass or my knees wet from weeding flower beds. Instead, I decided to pick a project which I had been putting off and finally tackle it. I spent the 2nd half of my weekend organizing mismatched sets of antique silver plate, a couple sterling, and various serving pieces, some old, some new,  some good shape, some bad. It was the perfect therapeutic activity to calm my mind on a misty, foggy, drizzly day. I enjoy collecting various serving pieces from the Art Deco and Art Nouveau eras. They really only have value to me but I love 'em. Gracefully feminine and delicate features on certain pieces while others showed classically angular chrome Art Deco lines. Art Deco on the left, Art Nouveau on the right.  I really like things organized...

I grew up with a bunch of nicknames. To my brother and sister, I was Marc the Shark. To my high school friends, I was Marcus. My fraternity name was Schroeder. I was blond, played piano like Schroeder in the Peanuts cartoons, also looked a little like Ricky Schroeder at the time.  During my hotel/bar/restaurant days in Philly in the 90s, I was nicknamed Mitz (long story I will never divulge - unless you buy me a beer or two). LOL These days, the Internet name generator memes are all the rage. Remember the first one though before the Internet took over? Your porn star name? It was infamous! That was the one where your porn star name was the first name of your first pet and your last name was the first street name you grew up on. Hence, I became .... Smokey Maple. Nice, huh? The name game memes are ubiquitous on Facebook and other social media platforms. I come across a new one every holiday or season. They have become as annoying as those stories you see on your feed y...

Red eyed tree frog My sister and I were discussing this week the dreaded "red-eye" flight for our upcoming June trip out to California to see my Dad. You know the flight. You think it's a great idea at the time because it's SO cheap and are so that you are gonna be able to sleep on the plane and wake up all refreshed on the opposite coast at 6 am. Then you realize after you land that you've just had the sleep from Hell! Hence the term RED-EYE. There is no snuggling comfortably on a red-eye either (unless you are me, keep reading). The guy behind you is kicking your seat. You hear that overhead "bong bong" from two rows ahead of you calling for the flight attendant at 2 am. There is the turbulence. There is the captain telling you to fasten your seat belts lest you get catapulted out of your seat. And of course, if you are on the aisle seat, there is always the person next to you who needs to visit the bathroom at 3 am. UG...

Marc with Hives (Cabbage Patch link) By chance, I completed this blog post on Mother's Day so I guess I will put it up dedicated to my dear Mother Abby. Not a day goes by where I don't think about you, miss you, and love you. And I guess I will thank my Mother for passing on a whole mess of allergies to me, LOL. It's not so bad, I live with them. Sometimes as you will see below, a new allergy will crop up and be added to my list. As my Mom once said to me, "Your allergies? Well you can thank your Mother for that one!" A couple years ago, my doctor recommended I stop drinking so much coffee as well as those energy drinks. I drank the energy drinks fairly often like at least once every couple days. It didn't matter the brand, just whatever was on sale or available. He had stated that he thought there was nothing beneficial to them from a nutritional standpoint and he'd rather have me drink my coffee instead. I did not completely give up my coffee bu...

I haven't written a post in awhile. Those that know me or have followed this blog know that this month is the toughest month of all. April 10th is the anniversary of my mother's passing and I still (and will always) take it very hard. This year was the 8th anniversary. It culminates on Mother's Day of course. I usually retreat to the warm closeness and safety of friends or family, remembering Mom in her best times. I know it's a sad tender time for me so I plan accordingly and try not to plan too much socially. Some people wonder after 8 years why am I so sad still. With a wave of my hand I brush them aside. If you don't get it, then just move on. My grief from her death is just too exhausting to explain. It will always remain. I just learn how to process it and live life despite it. BUT ... I allow myself this month to get it all out emotionally until the next year.  Garter snake behind house So back to springtime! My yard has seemed to attract every d...