Where's the % sign on the Blackberry Keyboard?

I just got a new Blackberry cell phone and was most excited about having an actual keyboard to use to type text messages. I was tired of hitting the same button 4 times to get an “s” on screen. But when texting a comment about our rain chances, I was dismayed to find there is no percent sign (%) on the keyboard. After typing the word out, I realized I could have used the letter o, a slash, and the letter o which is probably what we used to type on manual typewriters. It’s ironic that the “QWERTY” layout of the characters on the keyboard was designed to prevent the metal keys from jamming while typing on a manual typewriter. I learned to use all my fingers on the keyboard when I took a typing class in high school, but today toddlers are using keyboards. So, I wonder if they might want to change the layout of the keyboard in the near future. Hopefully, the standard QWERTY keyboard won’t go away like 8-track tapes.

One-quarter Inch Thinner Toilet Paper

It’s not your imagination that the toilet paper seems to be getting smaller. I recently noticed the new toilet paper roll had a lot of play on its holder. I compared it to the empty discarded roll and it is, in fact, one-quarter inch narrower. Manufacturers are smart in that they don’t raise the price, but give you less for the same price. This has been happening for years, if not decades, but this was noticeably smaller. You get fewer tissues in a box; less coffee in a bag; and now thinner toilet tissue. There were no announcements either. No “new and improved.” No “smaller and better.” No mention of it. Just wanted you to know I noticed. Can you think of any other examples?

Facebook Is A Soap Opera!

As I was signing onto my Facebook account, I wondered what drama I might find today. Some people spill their whole lives out there while others just like to let us know their eating and sleeping habits. Sometimes I feel like I’m eavesdropping on a telephone conversation or maybe they should be texting instead of putting it out on Facebook for everyone to see. Some people announce job interviews, negative opinions about people, personal surgeries, and use unnecessary cuss words that I don’t think need airing. So, I think it’s like watching a TV soap opera. By signing on, you get a glimpse of what’s going on in other people's lives, but not enough to draw conclusions and just enough to tune in the next time. Oh, there are commercials: the sidebars with sponsors, suggestions, and invitations to play Farmville.

Poor Customer Service & Lousy Food--OK

Maybe we’ve come to accept poor customer service and lousy food from “fast-food restaurants.” Now that’s an oxymoron since it’s neither fast nor a restaurant in my experience. Recently, a friend and I stopped to get coffee and a chicken biscuit at a McDonald’s drive-through in Deerfield Beach, Florida. The clerk practically threw my change into my hand so that most of it ended up outside my car. She didn’t apologize or offer to give me correct change and closed her window. I nudged open my car door to see what I could reach and managed to salvage a quarter. I figured if she does that enough, she can gather up a good tip at the end of her shift. Then, while waiting in line to pick up my food, we heard the occupant in the car ahead loudly ranting at the clerk several times, “I saw what you did. Where’s your manager?” So, we’re beginning to think all of the employees at this location must have poor attitudes. Anyway, when I got to eat my sandwich at my destination, the chicken was burned and tasted pretty greasy.
Next time, I will examine my sandwich before I leave the parking lot and I’ll hold up traffic getting my change. Or maybe I just won’t eat there again.

Broken Things

Why does everything break? And it happens in threes? In the past week, our air conditioner, our pool chlorinator, and our toilet broke. First I thought I could blame it on a lightning strike, but that wouldn’t cause the toilet to leak. Fortunately, two of these things are under warranty. But the warranty doesn’t cover labor. So, to avoid future unexpected costs, we sprung for an extended warranty on the A/C. My mother keeps telling me “You shoulda bought a Trane.”
My husband, handyman that he is, and unemployed right now, is scheduling the repairmen and trying to fix the toilet himself. We were without A/C for 3 days, but our electric bill didn’t go down. We had a window unit in our bedroom which probably wasn’t the most energy efficient. But at least we were comfortable. We’re using chlorine and tablets in the pool until Tuesday.
Things are gradually getting fixed until the next lightning strike.

Things To Ponder

Strange headline:
Passengers Not Told of Pilot's Death (This is not a good situation either way.)

I like these bumper stickers:
I only hope that I can be the person my dog thinks I am.
I'll keep my money, religion and guns. You keep the change.

Marquis sign on church:"Sign broken. Message inside."

Why is there a mirrored cross on a cement utility pole on US1? I wonder who put it there and why.

Save gas by pretending there's an egg between the accelerator pedal and the floor.

Nestle Toll House cookies is recalling their refrigerated cookie dough due to people getting e coli from eating raw dough. How many times has your mother told you NOT to eat uncooked cookie dough?

Happy Father's Day!

Church Rituals and the Swine Flu

An announcement was made before mass started on Sunday. Due to the possible spread of swine flu, Bishop Wenski with advice from the Center for Disease Control has recommended: “Please do not hold hands during the reciting of the Our Father. Share the Sign of Peace WITHOUT touching hands or kissing. This can be done with meaningful eye contact, smiles, and a bow of the head in reverence to one another.” This resulted in some laughs and giggles from the congregation. I didn’t think it was funny. Was it because people were uncomfortable with this topic? When it came time to offer the sign of peace, I saw some people shake hands anyway. I exchanged some nods and peace signs. I figured “better safe than sorry.” The irony is that we were still offered to share the holy sacrament of blood by drinking from the same chalice.

Seize The Moment

I was driving home on US 1 along the Indian River the other day when I noticed traffic backed up on my usual turn down Malabar Road. I decided to continue south on the more scenic route and possibly beat the train that was stalling traffic. When, I came upon my next turn, the sight of a colorful parasail coasting along the river caught my attention. I thought about stopping on the roadside to watch the parasurfer, but was in a hurry to get home. I turned down the street and was stopped by the blinking lights of the railroad crossing. I did not beat the train. So, there I sat watching at least a hundred freight cars go by when I could have been enjoying the view of a beautiful parasail gliding in the wind. Next time, I will stop and seize the moment.