VFW

 Long ago, I worked at a VFW on Bingo night. I was helping a friend, cook/serve hotdogs and burgers. Maybe fries? 

My vet son-in-law took his wife to a New York Yankee game for her birthday. He caught a homerun ball. With his left hand. Gloved. He is right handed. Aaron Judge commented on the Tik Tok video of the moment: "nice catch." 

That was the second time Freddy was on the big screen at Yankee stadium He was chosen as Veteran of the Day for  a game. A request for $$$ from the VFW brought back those memories. 

VFW

 VFW sent me request for donation. "Since you are a patriotic American." Not hardly. Have never been a flag waver. Flags represent division and war. The only flag I would wave is the Whole Earth Flag. 

I made a donation to Paws for Patriots. An office worker's son died in Afghanistan. The group brought in service dogs. One of the dogs was named for her son. So I bought a calendar. 

But I think the VFW got my name from CHIP. Because there was not apartment # with the address. I donated to Children's Hospital of Pennsylvania because my nephew's daughter is being treated for leukemia. She is a very happy, sweet child. I think she is now 3-yeras-old. CHIP sent me 4 envelopes to donate once a month. I was going to do that. Then I got angry, because they send a thank note to "Mary." My legal name is Mary Alice. 

And the thank yous did not have my apartment #. I sent them one more donation, noting my legal name and the missing apartment #. Got another thank you to "Mary," no apartment #. Bye, bye. So many charities, so little $$$.

So VFW tacked 4 nickels on the plea. They also enclosed a check for $2.50. One is supposed to send the check and nickels back with donation. They circle $15.00. If you send that, they will send you 3 cloth grocery tote bags. I was tempted. I liked two of the bags. The third had flags on it. I also did not want them to think I am a "patriotic" citizen with lots of spare cash. They said they did that, to get our attention. 

They also sent two patriotic coasters. I am giving them to my daughter to give to her husband. He a war veteran, and now full time National Guardsman. He often tended bar for a side income. Her loves bartending so much, he built a bar in their basement, 'rec room." 

I should use their return envelopes asking them to take me off their mailing lists.  

How often does someone look at a man's shoes?

 Shawshank Redemption aired again on TV. Red (Morgan Freeman) narrated "seriously, how often do you look at a man's shoes." 

The previous day I watched a You Tube Short. The comic said something about a guy wearing the gaudy gold high top sneakers hawked by The Felon-elect. Several people wrote in comments, "I never look at anyone's shoes." "It is weird to look at someone's shoes." (or stupid) 

I noticed people's shoes all the time. I think it is weirder not to notice. Do they not watch sports and notice player's footwear? They never saw a movie with females running in high heels? A man who lives in my building was wearing sandals. It was raining an bit chilly. I asked something about that. He mumbled a reply; foot trouble. Not a friendly guy, always looking down as he walks, avoiding eye contact. Recently purposely looked at his feet. 18 degrees out, and he still wears sandals when going outside to smoke.

Ironically, a woman on the elevator pointed to her feet, showing me her footwear; colorful red slippers. She does not speak much English. The other lady on the elevator, bilingual, held a conversation with her. Of course, I looked at the other lady's footwear.

I not only look at footwear, I complement ladies on their sandals, or glamorous shoes. One person said on the Short thread: "you would hate me, I only wear hiking boots." Why would we hate him; even if he is a she; nothing wrong with hiking boots. Watching a video of old tune, I quickly noticed the Gap Band guys wearing cowboy boots. Have seen female singers also donning high heel or cowboy boots. 

I suppose if one is in prison, guards and prisoners alike, would not pay attention to a man's shoes. 😎🥾👢👠🥿👟

Oh, God

 Watched the movie, Oh,God, starring John Denver and George Burns on TMC last night. Disappointed at the ending. 'God' just leaves Jerry hanging. Would think he would reward him for being his unwilling spokesperson, ruining his life. "There are other cities, other supermarkets," he tells him. As if he is financially stable enough to relocated. He probably lost his house.

One of those: one year later additions to the movie might have been nice. Or someone, that was in the courtroom, showing up at his house, offering him a grocery store of his own to run. Hope. 

George Burns lived to be 100-years-old, like President Jimmy Carter. 

Note

 I have not finished copying my #45 documents to newly named political blog: The Book of Dump. He has not taken office yet, already starting chaos and controversy. Thus, I have added some new #47 stuff to The Book of Dump. Which is why I added the Climate Change here rather than there.

After getting an e-mail that someone followed me on Substack, I checked it out. Seems she read one of my Book of Dump blog posts. How that happens, I do not know. Is Substack part of Google owned Blogger? I have not joined Substack. I guess I should  join and start writing blog style articles for that site.

Have not penned an article since Yahoo dumped us. Just some article sized blog posts. Many I have read on Substack are too long for me, and I skip to the end. 

Climate Change temperature chart

 https://www.reuters.com/graphics/CLIMATE-CHANGE/2024/znpnlowggpl/chart.png

By Kate Abnett * Source Copemicus Climate Change Service

The planet's annual average temperature exceeded 1.5°C in 2024, for the first time since records began.

Jewel Health and Rehab

 Directly across the street is a basically empty retail building. It was where I chose my primary care doctor; easy walk across the street, even after I started using a walker. Doctor moved as did most of the other who rented space in the building.

There is a parking lot, behind that building. At the end of the parking lot is Jewel Health and Rehab. I guess it is for short of long term care. I was thinking about the people who live in the houses across the street from that building. Ambulance and fire truck arrive; flashing red lights, reflecting in their windows.

Today the ambulance (or paramedic truck) and fire truck was to JHR 3 times. I do not get up everytime I hear sirens. I should. When they stop quickly, it could mean they came to our building, or the rehab place. I think they were to our building, twice in the past two days.  Taken to the hospital or coroners office?

Often I follow the flashing lights; assume there has been an accident on nearby highway. Sometimes they stop closer; a fire in one building or another. Car crashes. When I here a lot of sirens, I would expect to see something on local news. I joined Facebook local fire companie pages. So I was getting some updates. Now I ditched Facebook, so still in the dark. Or, flashing red lights/sirens unknown.

I feel for the people whose lives have suddenly been altered by these events.