Wednesday Hodgepodge

Joining From this Side of the Pond for Wednesday Hodgepodge.

On Thursday we pause to remember a dark day in history -- 9/11. Will you mark it in some special way?

I will not make a big deal about it at our house. When we watch CNN Student News I am certain that will be one of the topics so we will briefly discuss it. I am sure I will be in quiet reflection several times throughout the day thinking back to what a devastating day it was for our country and, most specifically, for the families who lost loved ones. If I can find my decorative garden flag I will put it out to commemorate the day.

Do you ever/still listen to an actual radio, watch a videotape (VCR), look up a number in a phone book, refer to a paper map while traveling, set an alarm on an alarm clock as opposed to your phone?

I do listen to the radio in the car. We don't own a VCR but still have lots of videocassettes. I usually look up telephone numbers on the computer or my phone, but I do pull out the phone book very, very occasionally. I do usually still print off a Mapquest map when I am going somewhere just in case the GPS leads me astray, because that happens pretty frequently. I do still use my same old alarm clock I have had for about 15 years. It's reliable and I just like it. (Plus last week I set the alarm on my phone to remind me to text Rick to remind him to go to the library for me. I titled the alarm: Library. When the alarm went off I had the tone set as my old ringtone. I picked up my phone and it said "Library" and I thought the library was calling me. I picked it up and said, "Hello, hello?" Duh!!!)

Is it ever a good idea to discuss religion or politics with someone you don't know.

If they bring it up, sure. I never bring it up first. I find that it is usually wiser to listen to what they have to say about it and then voice my opinion in a non-confrontational way, if it's even worth it to voice my opinion. I can remember talking with a woman at a hotel pool about President Obama when he first came into office. I was devastated he was our president, but she talked so highly of him and stated some semi-reasonable points. I stated that he was not my favorite president but was polite in allowing her to voice her own opinion. I didn't see the point in having a full-out debate. It just didn't really matter. In the matter of religion, that can be a sticky topic when the conversation gets off the point of Jesus and gets into disagreements about the logistics of "church". I don't get into those types of conversations. But how are we to share the love of Jesus if we don't talk about how He has influenced our lives?

What's a dish you haven't eaten all summer, but come September find yourself craving? Have you made it yet this month?

We love chili! I was just thinking this past Sunday that I can't wait until it is cold enough to enjoy a nice hot bowl of chili while watching football and then taking a nap with a full belly!

What's something you know nothing about?

The stock market. I absolutely have no idea what anyone is talking about when they talk about the Dow Jones or Nasdaq. The huh? I get that we are in poor condition financially as a country. But I don't get why those two things have anything to do with it.

September is Classical Music Month. Do you like classical music? If so, what's your favorite piece?

Maybe that should have been my answer to the previous question. I like the sound of classical music, I just don't know anything about it. 

What's the oldest thing you own? 

It's either my house (which was built in 1918) or my windup clock that was given to me by my grandma. It was in her house when I was growing up and I think it was rebuilt by her father after it was in a fire? Or I may have completely dreamed that. But it is a really old piece.

Insert your own random thought here.

I read a statistic in a magazine yesterday that said that running 30 minutes a day can decrease your risk of breast cancer by 23%. That gives me some added incentive to get up and run!