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Facebook Users Spread Holiday Cheer, Anti-semitism

It’s getting to be that time of year again. 

You know, the time when I start to hate Facebook and contemplate having about five “friends.”

I have learned to ignore most of the political statements, requests to play games and answer questions about myself, or even find out who is searching for me (like I care). And now this week, thanks to Facebook, I have discovered the true spirit of Christmas through an old classmate’s FB wall: Anti-semitism.

With myself being a Jew this is kind of disturbing, and being it is on my Facebook simply means I have to write about it. My kids tell me I am the sensitive one in the family and perhaps this is true [editor’s note: *nods*] but a hater is a hater and I know one when I see -or rather- read one.

North Adams First Annual Dog Costume Parade!

The first weekend in October is considered Fall Foliage

mom and willie posing at the first annual north adams dog costume parade

Weekend in North Adams, Mass., and thousands of tourists rush to the city for our annual parade, craft fair, art, and road races.

Now that my kids are grown I no longer take advantage of all the Fall activities that my community has to offer, but this year a new event was added that forced me to drag my usually unsociable self out of the house and be part of the community…

The first Dog Costume Parade took place on Saturday, October 2 and it was amazing.

Happy International Left-Handers Day!

“If the left side of your brain controls the right side of your body, and the right side of your brain controls the left side of your body, then left-handed people must be the only ones in their right minds.”   – W.C. Fields

As if Hallmark needed another reason to make a card, August 13 is International Left-Handers Day. The nearly two-decade old holiday doesn’t seem to get the recognition it deserves- then again, neither do left-handers.

Not surprisingly, there is a Left-Handers Club that came up with the holiday back in 1992 to “increase public awareness of the advantages and disadvantages of being left-handed.” Shall we join in a collective waahhh for southpaws everywhere?

But seriously, I do want to take a moment and say Happy Left-Handers Day to my very own daughter: Twin A., Angela.

I have watched her struggle with scissors, knives, seating arrangements where her arm simply has no place to go, and several other situations that most of us normal- ummm, I mean right-handed folks, never consider. The world is definitely arranged for right-handed people and since I love my daughter today I speak out against this bigotry.

Think of the term itself.  A left-handed compliment is one that is not a compliment at all. The left side of the theater has the “odd” numbered seats. Obviously, left = odd. If you are “left out” well, clearly that isn’t good. The Italian words for left and left-handed are “mancino and mancini” which translate to “defective and deceitful.” A promise you have no intentions of keeping is called a “left-handed oath.”

Name Calling

While the name Rochelle isn’t bizarre, it still isn’t heard that often, so whenever I do meet someone with my name it becomes something of an event.

In fact, I have only ever met two or three Rochelle’s and they didn’t spell their name like I do.

It usually happens on the phone at work.  A customer will be surprised when I identify myself.  Then they go on, “Rochelle is MY name too!” We discuss how infrequently this happens, whether we have a nickname, who named us and why.

I doubt people with names like Mary or Kathy have this experience.

Happy Birthday to My Twins

December 29, 1986 was the day I was scheduled for a routine ultrasound for my second pregnancy. My husband was home with my daughter who was about to turn two years old the following week. I was going directly to work afterward and to be honest the whole thing was rather inconvenient.

I was five months pregnant, the baby was moving a lot and I felt fine. Was this really necessary? It seemed to be taking forever and finally I asked if there was a problem.

The technologist looked up and said, “I see two babies.”

I don’t think I will ever forget hearing those words.

There were no twins in my family and it was never something I considered. In a flash I thought of my daughter who was still in diapers. I thought of the Ford Mustang that would need replacing to fit three car seats and how we could not afford a new car. I thought I could never love and care for two more babies. That was when I got hysterical and we called my husband.

My girls turn 23 today. How is that possible?

Edamame Are Eda-Yummay!

I recently stopped by my friends’ house for a visit. Instead of being greeted by a hug and the usual chips and dip, they offered me something else- long, green fuzzy pods known as Edamame. I watched them as they hovered over the bowl sucking the beans out of the pod as if it were their last meal. Not pretty but quite intriguing.

Of course these are good, polite friends so they put some pods in a dish for me, but the fact is we were all just sitting there eating these damn edamame non-stop. I had heard of this “soy bean” before but never took the time to get to know it. Big mista

ke on my part.

Edamame is delicious. As a matter of fact, it has replaced Cape Cod potato chips as my latest snack obsession. Thank goodness, since Edamame is a legume (or, bean) and unlike chips it is very nutritious and low in calories. Plus, it takes longer to eat and is almost a social experience.

A Learning, Albeit Scarring, Experience

Once a year I actually get to see my primary care physician. I think it is some kind of law otherwise I doubt I would even know what he looks like.

This year I was all

prepared with a years worth of inquiries and observations about my aging body all written down lest I forget something. Failing memory was at the top of the list.

My doctor is young, cute, and as luck would have it, very professional. My fantasy of a Lifetime movie based on an inappropriate dalliance was quickly squashed.

After the usual flirting (OK, he asked me if I had any problems, complaints, questions) I reminded him of the small pimple/bump between my nose and eye that was preventing me from being a super model. I had pointed this out to him the year before but he said that removing it would cause a scar that might be more unflattering than the bump.

This year I wasn’t having any of that.

Customer Service Week: ‘Thank You for Calling, How May I Help You?’

customer-service.jpg

Customer Service Week is a national event devoted to recognizing the importance of customer service, and honoring the people who serve and support customers with the highest degree of care and professionalism.
Each year thousands of companies across the United States and around the world celebrate Customer Service Week. They represent leading financial, healthcare, insurance, manufacturing, retailing, hospitality, communications, not-for-profit and educational organizations as well as government agencies and others. What unites them is their profound commitment to quality customer service. Join them in celebrating Customer Service Week.
– Customer Service Week Background

I work in customer service. While you may think this week is silly or just one more nonsensical pat on the back to people who get paid to do a job, then you have forgotten the value of good customer service.

‘Compassionate Release’ for Susan Atkins Denied

Susan Atkins, the woman who repeatedly stabbed actress Sharon Tate killing her and the baby boy she was due to deliver in two weeks (and several other people), has been denied parole once again.

Ms. Atkins has stated that Sharon Tate begged for the life of her child moments before being killed. She told the actress that she had no mercy for her. Then she killed her and the baby.

This all took place 38 years ago and have come to be known as the Manson Murders even though Charles Manson wasn’t actually there.

I Have a Vision of the Future

…I see my house– empty, all of us long dead, except for my cat Lucy who sits contentedly on my bed scratching at her fleas.

Long ago I heard this quote:

lucy

I Ecclesiastes 3
King James Bible

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”

Sorry King James and all those who wrote down the word of God. I just do not see the purpose of fleas. Personally, I think they boarded Noah’s Ark on the back of some unknowing elephant. They suck the blood of their host and give nothing back but the urge to scratch.