Our Facebook Page Is Gone!

Now this is it for us. Until today, we had a Fan Page on Facebook that allowed 85 people to see what’s new in our shop. That’s gone, disappeared without a trace. So we will be posting here instead. Over time I will add lots of pictures of things we have in the shop…..starting with this photo right here, right now.

Just in Time for Christmas…..

We have a wide variety great things that would make perfect stocking stuffers, and I don’t mean couches or dining room tables. Much of our Great Stuff could fit in the palm of your hand, like tiny vases, silver spoons, and vintage jewelry. Shown here is one of my favorite things currently in our shop: a handmade “bowl” by Maine artist Cynthia Sellinger. Constructed of wire and adorned with tiny white buttons, it’s the perfect size for serving bread or crackers at your next artful meal. Now only $32.

Just Keep Your Mouth Shut!

In my continuing series on the stupidity of  mankind, I present to you the following fact as reported in this morning’s Portland Press Herald : The federal government will give the city of Portland $1.8 million for projects aimed at reducing obesity rates. According to surveys, 62% of the adults in Maine are overweight.

The article goes on to say that for years, Portland city officials have “brainstormed ways to combat obesity among children and adults.” Here’s some of the ideas they have come up with:

1. Installing salad bars in schools

2. Encouraging children to walk to school

3. Hiring a nutritionist to analyze meals served at local restaurants

4. Installing 80 bicycle racks around the city

5. Adopting policies to increase physical activity

6. Labeling healthy foods in school cafeterias

7. Creating a bicycle lane, possibly, on a section of Congress Street

You see where I’m going with this: How ridiculous! I especially like Idea #2, and wonder how much of the grant money that will use up. As for the encouragement, I can see it now: “Walk to school every day this week and get a free Happy Meal at McDonald’s!”

Nowhere does it say anything about outlawing the following:

Fritos, Cheetos, Doritos, Pizza Hut, Cinnabon, Dunkin’ Donuts, Arby’s, Wendy’s, Burger King, McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Mrs. Field’s cookies, Sara Lee’s cheesecake, Little Debbie’s everything, Ben & Jerry’s, Baskin Robbins, Pepperidge Farm, Frosted Mini Wheats, Lucky Charms, Dove Bars, Butterfingers, Snickers, Almond Joy, granola, the frozen foods section of the supermarket, Hershey’s Chocolate, Kentucky Fried Chicken, or Starbucks cappuccino or frappucinnos or whatever new drink idea they dream up this week involving mountains of whipped cream and tons of sugar, with of course, some coffee. Oh yeah, and no more hot dog eating contests (see photo).

I guess that nutritionist in Idea #3 has her work cut out for her.

Take a Powder

Okay, let’s get real. Exactly what do we mean when we say “medical marijuana?” Is it something along the lines of,  “It hurts so bad I wanna get high”?

Here is an excerpt from a Letter to the Editor in my local paper this morning:

“As a person who requires medicinal marijuana in order to live a productive life, I am completely outraged with the government here in Maine!” The photo accompanying this story shows a man sucking a bong, and the caption says: “Perry Parks, 67, of North Carolina, says marijuana helps him with pain from arthritis and degenerative disk disease.”

Now I’m no expert but I do have some experience in this arena. First of all, I too have been diagnosed with arthritis in my hip, a result of twenty years of running. I went to several doctors; the first suggested I get a new hip and the second said I should eat more salmon. (Obviously I went the salmon route.) Neither one said I should smoke pot.

Which is not to infer that I have not smoked pot because I have, quite liberally in my day, for a variety of reasons: rock concert, great food, boring party, bad marriage, stupid people, special effects action film, playing Risk, and living in Salt Lake City, to name but a few.

Notice, handling my arthritis pain is not on that list. When my hip hurts, I do take a drug: Advil or Tylenol or Advil and Tylenol or aspirin or Aleve or if it’s really bad, some leftover painkillers from a root canal years ago that I never used and keep for emergencies.

So let’s just call a spade a spade, shall we? Pot gets you high and makes you relax, so I guess that makes you feel better. But the guy from North Carolina who says he needs it to lead a productive life? Oh, please.

Another opportunity to go unread

Here is yet another blog by the unrecognized, prolific author of Shrink Rapt! My work is now available to enjoy many places on the Web, yet I never earn a dime. Ain’t life grand (these days)?