Strong Medicine

I just recently found this program series on the Life channel of cable network.
Whoopie Goldberg is a producer and enjoying her work I know I should check this show out!
I LOVE IT! I am not a fan or anyother medical show and this one is set for women! These are women doctors dealing with women's issues and what a show!
If you have cable or satellite check it out!

VFW Nat'l satellite Training

Well if you are anybody in the VFW, you were somewhere at a Post attending the satellite Training.
I know many of you saw it as boring and wrote, but I actually got some information out of it!
Many IFy issues were gone over with me finally understanding the By-Laws.
I hope we all have and outstanding and prosperous year!

Old Fashioned Days Festival

I have to say I enjoy going to other VFW areas and doing recruiting for new members.
It is a way to meet new people, make new friends and also to see more of this wonderful state!
I am enjoying my recruiting during Old Fashioned Days Festival in Newberg, Oregon.

Mid-Week Movie Review

I had the chance to see the new version of 'The Manchurian Candidate' & 'Shall We Dance.'
I own a DVD copy of the original Manchurian Candidate so I am a fan of the story. I was even delighted knowing Shelley Winters won her Oscar for playing the demanding and authoritative, conniving mother, in the original.
This version doesn't play the heavy power trip that Frank Sinatra portrayed; nor does it have the ending impact. Most of the story you could predict and thus got less impressive as the movie went on.
If you think this version is good, go rent the original!
You will be surprised at the outstanding work of the cast and the storyline.
Shall we Dance is heavy on the coriagraphy and low on the storyline. If I was ever in a relationship where my partner couldn't mention their interest in a sport or activity, and spent a serious amount of time doing it, I would end that relationship!
I was a very smarmy flik. Some will enjoy seeing the dancing and really, if you are going to watch it, watch it for the dance sequences not the story!

My Prosthetic Shoe

Just recently I found out, through the VA that my left leg is 2cm long than my right leg. I wasn't born this way, it is from a near-fatal vehicle accident that occurred while I was in the service overseas.
So, the VA first found it was 1/2" & had a prosthetic company make shoe inserts. These things only raised my heel up so height it was almost out the the shoe and made me feel like I was tippie toe on one foot while the other was flat.
Now the Prosthetic specialist has taken 3 of my right shoes to re-engineer the soles to make them 2cm taller.
I wonder what it will be like to walk normal again!

Modern Technology & yet we Still Need Snail Mail!

So true!
I sent in an order for some items from VFW & used a Gift Certificate I received from my District Commander.
Funny if they didn't call me back today requesting I send in the original!
I suppose you still can't be trusted yet!
I only hope it doesn't now get lost in the mail!

Weekend movie review

This weekend I saw The Flight of 'The phoenix' and 'Mean Creek.'
The flight of the phoenix is a remake of the '62 movie with James Stewart-Jimmie boy!
I liked the original, yet this one did have its updated twists, to include a female on board. Was nice to see Miranda Otto in something since the Lord of the Rings. She will always be remembered for playing Eowyn, but we should all know there is more to this actress.
Interesting movie that can stand alone from the old version, though didn't blow my skirt up!
Mean Creek was interesting too! Just a few minutes into the film I thought, this has got to be filmed here in Oregon!
And sure enough they finally show a car license plate!
It really hit home. I found myself looking at each kid and seeing a bit of me in them when I was that age, and wondering what and how I would act if I was in that situation.
A very thought provoking movie and the scenery is spectacular! Of Course! It's filmed here in Beautiful Oregon!

I like Cats best

No offense meant to Dog lovers, but in a community setting, I like cats best!
I am so tired of hearing neighborhood dogs barking for the most trivial reasons!
I am used to quiet as even my cat doesn't Meow!
She can, though for whatever reason chooses not to unless she is in distress.
So years ago I taught her to ring a bell that I attached to string. I have one in the end of my hallway and then outside the backdoor and outside my bedroom window.
It didn't even take a day for her to understand their meaning!
She uses them all the time now and yet the dogs just keep on barking!
Why do folks have pets that they just dismiss to the back yard with no show of regret.
I love pets, but I like Cats best.

My VFW General misuse of Time

In the Navy we had various monthly mandatory training. These are called GMT-General Military Training.
They were usually poorly planned and executed and thusly we began calling them General misuses of Time.
Today I had a mandatory, if I want to compete forAll-State Post Commander, a School of Instruction.
It too fits into this category of General misuse of Time, or as my dear old Dad used to say:
"A Cluster F***!"
I worked hard to get my questions I wanted answered and thus felt my time wasn't all a waste.

A Neighborhood Revelation!

I have pondered this and this theory seems to pan out!
My neighborhood kids seem to get louder and more rambunctious by nightfall!
I think it is the food they are eating!
See it all happens just after the evening dinner hour!
I fear that they are eating nasty fast food or quick to serve food with high fat and sugar rather than a healthy diet of fiber filled vegetables and proteins. I'm going to pay more attention and see if this theory is entirely true.

My Neighborhood

I live in a neighborhood in which I am one of the only ones with no children.
There is one house that has a good five or six kids and I have seen at least four adults, so there must be 2 families living in this small 1100sqft house!
These children are our ALL day! That sounds nice, but that means no homework, studying, crafts or reading. This IS the Pacific Northwest where it rains often as well!
So, I have found that by nightfall these kids have become noisier and it is aggravating that I have to turn up the sound on my Ipod or TV to not hear them!

Harry Potter & The Half-Blood Prince

There is no question this book is the darkest of them all!
I certainly did like it though and I will not tease you with hints of it...you'll have to read it yourself!
I plan to make time this year to read them all again!

Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince

My Harry Potter Book is here....time to read!

Pre-Menopause Issues

I am reading a book, recommended by my dearest friend, on Pre-Menopause-'what your doctor won't tell you...'
It is so excellent! Each page I find myself saying 'Yeah!' or "Oh Really!'
I feel like I have more control and power to do the right thing for myself now!

The West Wing

I finally got caught up with all the episodes of 'The West Wing.'
I had recorded them and never had a chance through the season to see them.
Lot's of excitement!
It will be interesting to see if we get a republican or democrat Pres. Next!

Replies to my Invitation to Transfer to my Post!

I cannot believe it!
Many of these folks are eager!
Some aren't and that is understood, but boy am I happy!
As it goes, I have received 14 back of the 100 I sent out and 1 was a bad address, 2 were from members who have passed away, 5 were no's and 6 were YES's! Almost 50%!
Though I know I will not receive them all back!
One member wrote such a nice letter I have to repeat it:
Dear Commander,
Your gracious letter of invitation to join your Post was received, and I would consider it an honor to do so...Thank you for your consideration, and I hope I can be an asset to your Post.
WOW! Sometimes all you have to do is ask nicely!

My Idea on Recruiting New VFW Members

I have decided that one way I can increase my Post membership is to invite those members that or At-Large in Oregon. For whatever reason they did not go through a Post to join and I though that some would maybe like the status of being recognized as a Post member.
I don't expect them to attend meetings and all, but this would give them a closer link to waht is going on and decide if the want to participate locally with the VFW.
I hope a get a few from this!

My Neighbors

I cannot believe the chutzpah in my neighbors!
Here's the scene, they have four kids, so there are always bicycles and toys strewn in the yard, as should be with kids. Their roof is leaking and we live in rainy Oregon, so they have plastic over the better part of their roof. They painted their house last summer after my house was painted that Spring, but the have never painted their fence to match, so now the fence is blue and the house is pinkish red! UGH! They don't use the municipal trash system, so they accumulate garbage in their backyard where the local raccoons tend to visit in the middle of the night. OK, with stage set, I go to today where my neighbor, Moses, brings his Cousin over to talk with me. Moses speaks since his cousin knows no English.
He says his Cousin can mow and tend my lawn, which indeed looked shabby when they came over, and only for $50 a week and a total of $200 a month.
After a recovered from surprise, I smiled and told him No way! That I am a disabled Vet and could ill afford that kind of money and why my yard isn't done is because it about kills me everytime I do it and I have to do it because I don't receive compensation to assist me in this kind of thing.
I mean the gall in this guy judging MY YARD when his house looks terrible! How dare he! Let alone I felt like telling him that if I were ever to be stupid enough to pay that kind of money, I would expect the person to speak with me and understand my requests and show me their BS graduation certificate in landscaping!
What is that saying about calling the kettle black?
One reason I do my best not to judge others and wish they wouldn't judge me! Because you NEVER know the entire story!

F-1 Race at Silverstone U.K.

Ah what a track and what an interesting race!
Nice and sweet! Funny to think that on average the cars took in 2.9 Kilos of fuel per lap!
It was a clean sweep for McLaren-Mercedes and Renault with McLaren taking 1st & 3rd and Renault taking 2nd & 4th.
These new FAA rules are adjusting the Championship this year.
Let's see what happens at Hockenheim in Germany on the 24th.
I have a friend stationed in the Navy their and he joined a race class there and raced the track on several occasions! What a dream!

Pre-Menopause issues

Some of you may be suffering with Pre-menopause symptoms and not know it!
I recently discovered it was the reason for many oddities I have been suffering.
Besides reading all I can about it, I recently added Black Cohosh to my food supplement diet.
I cannot say yet if it is helping, people expect things to instantly help, but after this week I can assume it is. I feel better and don't have those cranky tired and groggy feelings at various times of the day.

I HATE MCI!

I guarantee I will NEVER use any service from this company!
I have had harassment for three months from their tele-marketers!
I have caller ID so I would know when they called and would know they were tele-marketers and not pick up. But they would call me at LEAST three times a DAY! I finally threatened them with a harassment lawsuit, which did nothing!
Finally I got a compressed air-horn. You know the kind they use on boats and at sporting events. Everytime they caller ud I would just answer and toot them! They STILL DID NOT STOP!!!
Today they called four times! I just finally answered and asked "Why do you KEEP CALLING ME?"
The guy apologized and said he would take me off the list! SHEESH! No matter WHAT! You HAVE to ANSWER these A**holes!
I will NEVER use MCI services if they are the last company on the planet!

Mid Week Movie Review

My Mid Week Movies were:
Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason,
Spanglish and National Treasure.
The Bridget Jones sequel was terrific fun and wonderfully charming entertainment. If only all sequels worked out so well. And she gets the guy in the end! Oops! Spoiled it a bit!
Spanglish is light and heavy. Another Adam Sandler. I think he is trying to work himself out of the humor box, but this film didn't transition well between funny Ha! Ha! and actually dramatic scenes. Good storyline that just needed a bit more work.
National Treasure is Great! One of those films you can add to your home library! Runs along the line of Dan Brown's books like the Da Vinci Code! Great all around excitement and entertainment! I think it is going to be on my year end Best list!

4th of July Parade

Well my VFW Post put on a good show at our annual 4th of July Parade! We are always the Color Guard for the parade and this year, my second as Post Commander, I decided we needed to have some of the Post members in it!
So we set up my brothers Mustang convertible and his big truck and had Officers in with me in the Mustang and a bunch of Post members tossing candy in the back of the truck!
I think everyone had a splendid time and it was a good showing to the community that we are here!

"White Cedars Days"

I traveled down to Powers, Oregon for there first day of White Cedars Days. This is their annual festival where everyone comes out and celebrates.
The White Cedar trees are all but gone and a few stands still exist in this area. So they have commemorated them in their festival.
It is interesting to see how many Frontiersmen & other groups turn out! Even us 60s hippies are in abundance!
Great event and the parade ends right in front of the Powers VFW Post 6102 Hall!

Weekend Movie Review

This weekend I saw:
Lemony Snickets-A Series of Unfortunate Events,
Finding Neverland & 50 First Dates.
Lemony Snickets is just fabulous! The sets, costumes, all of it is just extraordinary and amazing! The story is terrific too! One of those movies you can see over and over again and point out new things you missed the first time round!
Finding Neverland was good, I thought it missed something to tie the understanding of the relationship between widow and author, but like many things in life, they aren't well explainable!
50 First Dates was fun! I am not an Adam Sandler fan and steer away from movies he is in, but I am glad to've seen this one. This is the kind of movie you watch for fun and don't try to explore the making of the movie. It almost reminds me of Groundhog Day in that the characters keep repeating the day over and over, but pans out in the humor!

Dean Koontz's Frankenstein:Book One-The Prodigal Son

Dean Koontz is my favorite author, so when he decided to write a series of books on Frankenstein, with his twist on the story, I had to stand up and take notice!
Terrific book with many nuances for the liking of Frankenstein fans and also a thematic scale of Dean Koontz's grandeur.
If you have never read any of Koontz's books, this one is a good one.
Now I have to read the next one, Dean Koontz's Frankenstein: Book Two-The City of Night.