Tag Archives: Calvin and Hobbes
CAN Monday Be Jolly? Come See …
Good morning and welcome to …
Yes, once again that day has rolled around … the day you put on a suit or uniform or whatever your job requires, pack a lunch, and head out the door bright and early to earn yet another dollar or pound or peso. But here at Filosofa’s Word, our goal is to dispel that gloom and doom, to ensure that as you head out the door, you do so with a smile on your face!
Since the weather is getting cooler out there, Joyful and I thought some nice warm soup might be a good way to start the day … but never fear, bacon-lovers … there’s plenty of bacon to go around too! I actually like a bit of crumbled bacon atop my potato soup! So, grab a snack and a hot drink, and then we’ll see if we can find some smiles and chuckles to start the week!
Speaking of coffee, we found some funny ‘toons and memes about that substance that keeps us from falling asleep at our desks (sometimes, anyway) …
Who doesn’t love some fun animal memes?
And now, Jolly tells me it’s time to get to the ‘toons he picked out for this week, so here we go!
No sooner had he taken the shot when the elephant suddenly charged him!
Gwammie … you forgot da memes I found …
And I guess that brings us to … a cute animal video, yes? I think you’ll love seeing these baby deer …
Well, friends, I guess that’s a wrap for today. We all have things we need to get done, but we hope we’ve helped start your week on the right foot, and that the rest of the week will be peaceful! Keep safe, share those smiles, and have a wonderful week ahead. Love ‘n hugs from Filosofa, Jolly and Joyful!
Jolly New Year’s Eve Monday!
‘Tis New Year’s Eve and in just a few short hours it will be another year, this one called 2019. Daughter Chris is working a half-day today, and we plan a quiet evening, just the three of us, with an assortment of appetizers hot and cold that will, with luck, last us through the rest of the week and I won’t have to cook again until next Monday!
Speaking of cooking … I did do a small bit of baking this morning for you, and I just brewed a fresh pot of java, so grab a bite and a cuppa …
I don’t get particularly excited about the New Year, for truly, nothing changes and the designation is man-made. The new year might just as well have started on the vernal equinox, June 21st, or in the middle of nothing … March 1st. And I don’t enjoy parties or getting smashed and feeling like a dead banana the next day. But for many, it is considered a milestone, a time to make changes in one’s life, and to that end, people often make ‘resolutions’ to do something better, or at least different, in the coming year. I don’t make resolutions for they are never kept and just something else to feel guilty about. But let’s take a gander at the funny side of resolutions.
Even cats, apparently, make resolutions …
What would any holiday be without Maxine’s acerbic wit?
And out of the mouths of babes …
I end on a bit of a more solemn note. The past year has been a difficult one for many around the globe. In the U.S., we have had our share of troubles as a result of a leader who has no values. In the UK, the Brexit negotiations have not gone well and there is concern that the final deal … or no deal … will leave our friends across the pond in serious trouble. In Yemen, Syria, Afghanistan, Palestine and Iraq, innocent people are dying every day. In other countries, people are being led by dictators and fear for their lives. There remains a world-wide refugee crisis, not only in the Middle East, but in many areas of the globe. These problems do not go away when the clock strikes midnight tonight, but will still be there when you wake on the morning of January 1st. My hope for the coming year is simple. I hope that we all make a concerted effort to raise our collective voices against bigotry in its many forms, against racism, against dictatorships and cruelty ’round the globe. I hope that our voices are heard by all, especially those in power who have the ability to change things. I hope that all around the globe, people start putting other people first, ahead of money, ahead of all the new toys they can buy. And I hope that we all begin to take seriously the protection of the planet earth. These are my hopes.
And now, I wish you all a very Happy New Year … please keep safe … and thank you all for being such an important part of my life for the past year. Here’s to another …
A Reprieve …
Sometimes …
No Politics Monday #2
Welcome once again to “No-Politics Monday”. I have decided to make this a weekly tradition, as the one I did last Monday seemed to make a few people happy, and as I said last week, Mondays are hard enough already. So every Monday I will abstain from my usual socio-political commentary and attempt to find more light-hearted, upbeat topics. Mondays only, though!
Saturday night the time changed here in the U.S. Clocks went forward by an hour … yes, a whole 60 minutes … whether we wanted them to or not. I awakened yesterday morning with a headache, so I have decided that I will not participate in daylight savings time all at once, but shall accept the time change in increments of ten minutes per day for six days, starting today (Monday). Therefore, dinner will be served at 7:50 p.m. tonight, 7:40 p.m. on Tuesday, and so on until finally on Saturday we will be back to eating at 7:00. Apologies to my family for rumbly tummies or other inconveniences, but I simply cannot lose the entire hour at once.
I came across a few bits of interesting trivia this morning:
- That lovely red condiment, ketchup, that which makes most any food palatable, is banned in primary school cafeterias in France. Not for any health reasons, but rather because “We have to ensure that children become familiar with French recipes so that they can hand them down to the following generation,” implying that ketchup is in some way ruining French cuisine,” according to the chairman of the National Association of Directors of Collective Restaurants. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/8806553/The-French-have-some-sauce-to-ban-tomato-ketchup.html
- I bet there are a lot of parents in the U.S., especially in the month of December, who wish we could adopt this Swedish law: television advertisements that are specifically directed at children under the age of 12 have been banned in Sweden since 1991. At the time, research showed that children could not clearly differentiate between advertising and regular programming until this age. http://www.commondreams.org/headlines01/0529-05.htm
- Last month I told you my feelings about Valentine’s Day, so imagine my goofy grin when I found out the Valentine’s Day is, in fact, banned in Saudi Arabia! But not for the reason you might think … it is banned because, although it no longer has a religious connotation, it began as a Christian holiday, and Saudi Arabia is an Islamic nation. Saudi Arabia actually bans Valentine’s Day and actively prevents celebration by raiding and confiscating any floral arrangements, chocolates, or gifts for sale in mid-February that may be seen as symbols of love. http://worldnews.about.com/od/saudiarabia/qt/vdaysaudis.htm
- Do you chew gum? I don’t, have not since before I was a teenager with braces many years ago, but if you do chew gum, you may want to avoid Singapore on your next trip to Asia. Chewing gum has been banned there since 1992 in an effort to make the country more sanitary and progressive, as the habit was seen as old-fashioned and disgusting. I can’t say that I disagree with them, especially the way some people chew gum! http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-32090420
- Want to name your child “Bailey”, or “Lee”, or some other name that could be suitable for either a boy or a girl? Not in Germany! In Germany a person’s first name must clearly indicate their gender. This means that babies cannot be named unisex names (i.e. Sam, Alex), names for the opposite gender (i.e. naming a girl Robert), or last names (i.e. Anderson, Emerson). If you want to challenge one of these rules you must go through a lengthy and expensive appeals process wherein a government office will evaluate your chosen name and it’s suitability. Other countries also have laws regulating what you may name your baby … be sure to check out the link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/24/banned-baby-names_n_5134075.html
Just a few days ago, I updated my October 2014 piece about driverless cars, then yesterday I came across this snippet and just couldn’t resist passing it along:
Spend enough time behind the wheel, and chances are you’re going to see some pretty wild things — if you work for Google, at least.
One time, an onlooker was so excited to see one of the company’s self-driving cars pass by that he ran out onto the street completely naked and leaped onto the vehicle.
Another time, the car had to slow down because there were as many as three other cars driving the wrong way up the street toward it.
There was the time a group of people hopped across the street in front of a Google car, interrupting its route with a real-life game of Frogger.
And then there was the mysterious case of a woman in an electric wheelchair chasing a duck in circles in the middle of the street.
So, that wraps up my non-political Monday. I leave you with this from Calvin & Hobbes, arguably the best cartoon strip ever written:
Only a Hug
Filosofa's Word 