"Dating In The Dark"

A new show called "Dating In The Dark" is about to debut on ABC tonight and also on A Channel here in Canada.
Here is the premise:
"Dating in the Dark is a unique alternative series that asks the age-old question, "Is Love Blind?" Each week, three single men and three single women, all looking for love, will move into a house together, but be totally sequestered from the opposite sex. While they will have no chance of seeing each other in the light, they will have the opportunity to date in a completely dark room. Looks will be taken out of the equation as the men and women get to know each other and form bonds in total darkness. After several days of dating in the darkroom, the participants will select the one member of the opposite sex that they want to see revealed in the light. For the first time, the participants will see whom they've been dating, wooing, kissing, snuggling with and forming bonds with. And after they see each other in the light for the first time, they have to make the difficult decision...do they stay with the person they fell for in the dark, or leave them behind? Hosted by Rossi Moreale (Can You Duet?, Temptation)."

Oh great, just what we need another excuse to humiliate someone in front of a few million people! From the promos that I have seen, the men and women meet up in the darkened room, then have discussions with the other members of the same sex about there experiences and what may or may not be happening in the dark. Then they also have individual "confessionals" in front of the camera to talk about what they like/don't like about the person and what they would/wouldn't want in a potential partner.

Okay, let's see if I've got this straight.... They spent this time getting to know each other and then after a few days they actually see what the other looks like. Is it still "Love at first sight" or do you want to run for the hills screaming "My eyes! My eyes!"?

How desperate are these people, that they are willing to subject themselves to such scrutiny and in all likelihood humiliation and rejection from someone they got to know "in the dark"?

This isn't exactly a new concept. It has been done on TV series in the past. Back in 1986 - January 6 to be precise - CBS aired an episode of "Kate and Allie" titled "Dark Victory". Kate was headed for a dentist appointment when a power outage occurred. She makes her way to the office, and finds one other person waiting in the dark - a guy with a really nice voice - they start talking. They hit it off wonderfully and agreed to go out on a real date at a later time. When the power came back on, they were both in for a surprise. Kate, who is white, questioned her otherwise liberal values when she realized that she was hesitant to go out with a black man.

I don't have any issues with interracial dating. Been there, done that and would do it again if I liked the guy.

What I have an issue with, is the superficiality of appearance and how society is so quick to judge and reject purely on appearance.

Think about it. We cross paths with strangers constantly - and I'm guessing that if we were all totally honest - that we also judge those people as we pass by. We wonder what that person is really like or how they possibly thought that outfit/style could look good on them. We see couples together and wonder what they could possibly have in common or what they see in each other. We see what is in their cart/basket at the store and make a judgment on what the person is like.

When you take the visual out of the equation, you are forced to listen more closely to what and how something is said. You learn to rely on your instincts rather than your observations of the person and perceived external imperfections.

Back in the golden age of radio, people used their imaginations to fill in the pieces for the countless programs that aired. Unless you saw a newsreel in the theater or a photo in a magazine, you didn't know what someone on the radio looked like.

I read an article once about legendary jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald. She had won a talent contest as a teen, but was also told that she was too ugly to ever have a career in music! Luckily for us she never listened to those critics and went on to have a hugely successful career with countless hits and millions of fans.

It isn't that long ago that people actually did get to know each other through letters. They sometimes sent along a photo but you never knew if it was a recent photo or was even really that person. Some people still get to know each other through Internet dating sites. Not everyone is honest or forthcoming when it comes to their bio - let alone what they look like!

How many of us have talked to someone on the phone or gotten to know each other through letters/emails? We don't always get to see what the other person looks like, but you form a connection with them through what they have shared.

Meeting that person can be terrifying. What if they are not at all what you imagined or worse yet they reject you because of how you look in real life.

I've been there and done that too. About 15 years ago, I tried a new phone intro service that was offered here in the city. I was looking more for friendship than romance. I agreed to three meetings over coffee in very public areas - mall food courts. We gave just enough descriptions of ourselves so that we could be recognized and a code word to be sure it was the same person. Only one guy actually came and sat with me and he turned out to be married!

As for the other two, well I strongly suspect that they didn't like what they saw and beat a hasty, cowardly retreat rather than spending 15 minutes with someone they didn't think of as attractive enough to be seen with them. Their loss. Yes, it hurt, but, at the same time, I really wasn't that surprised. I'm not going to hide the way I look just to satisfy the superficiality of society. If people can't accept me for who I am on the outside, then why would I possibly want to let them know who is on the inside? I don't need the hassle.

Whether they admit it or not, people are far too focused on the visual to really pay attention to what is on the inside.

Until the advent of TV, there really wasn't a huge emphasis on the overall appearance of how anyone looked. It has only intensified over the years - to the point of ridiculousness if you ask me. I don't care how well you take care of yourself or what your "beauty regime" entails. The reality is that beauty fades and becomes less important as a relationship progresses. It isn't the exterior that holds people together - it is what is on the inside. The common bonds that unite people in friendships and if you are really lucky - a deep and unconditional love that lasts no matter what nature and genes dictate.

Those of us who are visually impaired/blind have an advantage in that respect. Because we can't really see the detail of who we are with, it is easier to concentrate on really getting to know who the other person is. Sure we are curious as to what the other really looks like, but it isn't going to end the relationship because of what they look like.

Don't get me wrong, not all sighted people are that superficial, but it is harder for them to take the external out of the equation. In that respect, I can see where this show is coming from.

When it comes to dating and reality TV, I guess that "Dating In The Dark" would be considered new and different, but I have a hard time believing that this is going to make anyone see how superficial society really is. All it is going to do is hurt a few seemingly nice guys and gals who are searching for love. My guess is that at least a couple of people will wish they never had to have seen the light of day. They may say they will not be so judgmental in the future, but old habits die hard.

If I thought that this show could be done with taste and actually show people how superficial society has become, then I might be willing to give it a chance. However, I'm afraid this is just one more opportunity to embarrass and humiliate people for the sake of a few laughs and better ratings. It is bad enough to be rejected in real life for what the other person considers a visual imperfection such as too tall/short, skinny/stalky, or just a fashion disaster, but to do it in front of millions of viewers, shows a whole new level of desperation for both the network and the participants.

I have no desire to see this dating experience played out on TV as a supposed form of entertainment.

"Dating In The Dark"? No thanks. Been there. Done that in real life.

dn

Memories of Camp Koinonia in the 1970's

Last July, I wrote a series of three posts on my experiences working at a summer camp on Max Lake near Boissevain, Manitoba. ( Part one, part two, part three ) I loved spending time at Camp Koinonia. It was a peaceful place to spend time with Mother Nature and get to know interesting new people.

Most of the work that I did there was as an assistant cook. There was no air conditioning, so it could get rather hot in that kitchen from time to time. We tried to plan our menus with the weather in mind, but it didn't always work in our favour. We were lucky, though that a lot of our food prep could be done in the early morning - before it started to get too hot. The kitchen staff was usually able to take a couple of hours off in the afternoon to avoid the hottest part of the day.

One of the things that I remember about the cooking is that we had a HUGE cauldron like pot that we could cook with over an outdoor fire pit. We used it at least a couple of times a week for popping corn for a campfire snack or to cook a one pot meal. I recall taking turns stirring chili, sloppy jo's or something called "Koinonia Special".

"Koinonia Special" was similar to a chili, with ground beef, onions and spices, but instead of beans and tomato sauce, it had canned vegetable soup, canned spaghetti and beans of some kind - kidney I think. I know it sounds a little weird and even a bit disgusting, but it actually tasted pretty good once it had simmered for awhile and all the spices were added! I don't recall the whole recipe and it has been about 25 years since I even made a small batch let alone enough to feed 60 - 70 people! I'm not really sure how the recipe even came to be, but my guess is that someone had to get creative when they were running low on supplies. You improvise and do the best you can with what you have. Sometimes it works out really well and becomes a favourite! I know the campers always enjoyed it and there was never any left overs!

Going out in a canoe was something I always enjoyed as long as the water wasn't too rough. There is something very tranquil about dipping your paddle silently through a glass like surface of water. Singing was often a part of the fun on the water. It was a wonderful way to hear the harmonies of a few voices echo off the water. One of the songs that I remember singing was called "The Sweetest Song" When we sang this on the lake, we would switch the word mountain to water. It was really beautiful in three part harmony! I don't know who wrote this song, but here are the words as I had them written from long, long ago!

THE SWEETEST SONG

Chorus:
The sweetest song we ever sang
Out across the mountains rang
Peace on Earth, good will to man
The sweetest song of all

1.

Love is a mighty thing,
Yet it's such a very simple thing
The joy and happiness it brings
For you and me and all

2.
Peace is a rainbow thing
Hallelujahs let us sing
All the colours join and bring
The white dove on the wing

3.
Help dry a child's tears
And calm a frightened strangers fears
Make this my purpose through the years
To love my brother's all

In the second post that I wrote last year, I talked about the time that we had our campfire on the water. Here is what I said:

"My all time favourite camp fire happened the summer of '77. Some of the staff rigged up a tin metal platform on a pontoon. They attached wire handles to the sides and then hooked long ropes on the handles. On top of it they built up a large amount of wood for the campfire. Just before sunset, all the staff and campers gathered at the canoe dock. We all put on life jackets and I think there were about two staff and two campers/canoe. About 14 or 15 canoes in total if I recall. We paddled out onto the lake and then proceeded to rope all the canoes end to end in a large circle. The log laden pontoon was positioned in the middle and the long ropes reached back to the canoes so we could constantly adjust it's position in the middle of the lake. Before the last boat tied in to the circle, they paddled in to light the campfire.

We sang for over an hour that night as we all oowed and awed at the spectacular effects of the fire on water! The sounds of our harmonious voices were also reflected off the crystal calm water. It really was one of the most memorable nights of my life."

I found an old photo of that night and here is what it looked like from the canoe that I was in:

Oh what memories! Sometimes I wish I was that young again - or at least that I had the opportunities to go out and enjoy nature the way I used to. I miss the peacefulness of the early morning, the quiet contemplation of a walk through the trees, the gentle lapping of the water along the dock or against the canoe.

Most of all I miss the late night singing and companionship by a campfire. Somehow it was easier to let yourself go and be really honest as the burning logs crackle, the flames flicker and dance in the dark, then gradually become glowing embers. No matter how you had spent the day, you just felt relaxed and at peace with everything in your little corner of the world.

"Fire’s burning fire’s burning

draw nearer draw nearer

in the glowing in the glowing

come sing and be merry."

dn

Cleaning Up

I cleaned my apartment the other day. Not that that is an unusual occurrence, I clean it on a regular basis.

I sweep and hit the high spots as needed or when I'm expecting company. I do a more thorough cleaning every two weeks. That means getting out the rags, cleaners and pail. I sweep, dust, clean the mirrors and glass surfaces, then clean the bathroom and wash the floor with a rag on my hands and knees. I do own a mop, but it just doesn't get into corners the way you can with you hand and a rag. Generally, it takes me about an hour and a half from the time I take out the broom till everything is back in its' place. It isn't like I have a huge home to clean as it is just under 500 sq. ft. - or that I'm a slob - I just don't look forward to doing it.

Then again, who except the Bree Van de Kamp's and Felix Unger's of the world really do look forward to cleaning?

If I lived with other people, had pets or entertained a lot - then I would have to clean more often. Since I live alone, I can wait till the dust bunnies start to build condos under the coffee table or draw smiley faces and write "Dust me" on the shelves if I want to!

When I was a kid, I'd help my mom clean the house every Saturday . My job was to clean my bedroom and the one bathroom in the house. It wasn't much fun but it had to be done. It is one thing to clean up your own mess, but having to clean up other peoples messes can be really disgusting. Why is it, that other people's messes and dirt always seem more gross than your own?

Let's get something straight here. I'm not a neat freak - but I'm also not a slob. Granted, my place wouldn't pass a white glove test, but I pick up after myself, rinse the dishes after I use them and wipe my feet before entering a building. In my younger years, I had roommates who fit both categories and neither one were fun to live with. The neat freak would clean my desk to the point that I couldn't find anything when I came back into the room five minutes later. The slob, on the other hand, had no concept of what hangers or a laundry hampers were for, let alone how to rinse a dish!

Cleaning is one of those necessary evils - I mean chores! We do it so that we aren't living in pig pens. We do it to present a good image to those who come to call. Most of all we do it for our own sanity.

There is a satisfied feeling you get after the home is cleaned. If you are lucky, it will last for more than five minutes. If you are really lucky, you have a housekeeper that does the cleaning for you!

Speaking of which, weren't we supposed to be living in self cleaning homes by the millennium? At least that is what I remember hearing back in the 1960's. We were all supposed to have our own Rosie the Robot by now. We were supposed to be able to press a button or give a command and the home would automatically start a self cleaning process. Sweeping, mopping, dusting, scrubbing and so on. I guess the great predictors kind of blew that one. Okay, so they have come up with the "roomba" that little vacuum that maneuvers on it's own BUT it can't get into nooks and crannies or handle stairs, so there is still some cleaning that has to be done by a human. It does only half the job, so doesn't seem like a great deal to me. Granted, we also have dishwashers, but you have to rinse the stuff before you load it and then put everything away after it is done. Shouldn't the dishes put themselves away? I don't even own a vacuum or a dishwasher!

Oh well, back to the drawing board - I mean cleaning.

There have been a few times in the past that I have had to have a cleaning person come in and do the work for me due to post surgery restrictions. As much as I appreciated having someone else do it for me, it still felt a little weird to have someone else cleaning my mess. I can't help but wonder what they really think, as they dust your stuff or clean your bathroom. I actually know several people who have admitted to doing some "cleaning up" before the cleaning service arrives so that the place doesn't look so bad. Kind of defeats the purpose, doesn't it? I mean, really - if you're going to pay someone to actually come to your home and clean - then make them work for it!

Over the years, I have known several people who have done cleaning as a profession. The stories they could tell! Made me feel like my little corner of the world was impeccably clean even before I cleaned!

One of the reasons that I dislike cleaning is that I have to be really careful with what products I use. I am very sensitive to chemicals and scents that are often found in these products. I had to wear a mask and gloves for awhile and also did hire someone to clean for me for a year or so. I left while she cleaned so that the smells wouldn't bother me.

It took me a long time to find products that I could use that didn't make me wheeze, sneeze and gasp for fresh air.

For several years, I used the products from Orange Clean. They did a fantastic job of cleaning and left my apartment smelling like oranges! The super concentrate of the Orange Clean has become next to impossible to find here in Canada though. There are a lot of imitators out there that claim to do the same as Orange Clean, but they are either laced with chemicals or are ridiculously expensive and not nearly as concentrated or effective as the original. So for a year or so I was using only Oxi Clean for my general cleaning.

Oxi Clean is one of the best products I have ever found for multi purpose use. You can use it instead of bleach and it doesn't leave that horrible smell or damage fabrics the way regular bleaches can. Just add a scoop to every load of laundry. I dilute a scoop of it in about 2 litres of hot tap water, then pour slowly into the toilet bowl. Let it stand for about 15-20 minutes, then scrub and flush as with other products. Works like a charm! I've used it as an all purpose surface cleaner and also to wash the floor when I'm out of other products.

For glass surfaces, mirrors and windows, I use a solution of 1 part white vinegar to 2 parts water. I keep it in a spray bottle so it is always at the ready. For dusting a damp cloth works as well as anything. I've also used old sweat socks - yes, I washed them first! Dampen them, then put one on each hand to dust twice as fast! Try it - it works great!

For cleaning the bathroom and washing the floors, I can always use Oxi Clean. There are lots of environmentally friendly products available nowadays, but a lot of them are also outrageously expensive. For the last year or so, I have been using Ecover All Purpose Cleaner. It has a nice light lemon fragrance. A 33.8 ounce bottle is about $6 at a local organic market. It isn't the cheapest on the market but considering that you only use a cap full (a bit more than an ounce) for 4 litres of water (which is enough to do my bathroom and floors), it really isn't too bad. I don't think it cleans quite as well as the Orange Clean, but it is the best I've found so far.

So, that is how I clean. A self cleaning apartment would be really nice, but short of a miracle or finding a guy who likes to clean, I guess I'm on my own. Oh well, I can dream......

dn

Remembering Mel Blanc

dn

Maxine Is My Hero!!

What can I say about Maxine, except that I LOVE her! She is my hero! Whenever I buy or send a greeting card - for birthday's, Christmas, get well or just because - my first choice is always Maxine! I've been laughing right along with millions of other fans for over 20 years now. I've collected about 450 cartoons of this old girl and her wit since I got my computer almost three years ago. I've also found numerous ecard (animated shorts) on the Hallmark site as well as collections of her brand of wisdom on YouTube.

If you don't know who Maxine is, then I suspect you have been living under a rock. She's a cranky old broad with attitude to spare. She isn't afraid to tell it like it is or at least as she thinks it is. And the truth is, she is usually right on target with the way she sees things. Her witty, sarcastic and sometimes brutally honest remarks have been making us laugh for over 20 years through cards, cartoons, collections and a wide variety of other products.

She started out as a character for the Shoebox collection of Hallmark Cards back in 1986 and became an overnight sensation. The Maxine line of cards was expanded into a syndicated comic in the 1990's and the comics have also been issued in at least five books that are still available through Hallmark or online. The comics can still be seen daily on the Crabby Road web site. There are links there to her blog, downloads, history, cards and more.

What many people don't know, is who the creative genius is behind Maxine. I hadn't really thought about it, but assumed it was probably a group of writers at Hallmark who were batting around ideas or telling stories about the older women in their lives who just said whatever popped into their minds. Seriously, we all know people who just say what they are thinking rather than editing themselves and they tend to be older women, right? Think Sophia Petrillo (Estelle Getty) on The Golden Girls (1985-1992) and you get the picture.

Well, as it turns out, the real creative genius behind Maxine is - A MAN! (Gasp!) Yup, that's right a guy is writing all those great remarks! Here is the story (as I received it in several emails over the last year or so):

John Wagner, Hallmark artist since 1970, says Maxine was inspired by his mother, his maiden aunts and his grandmother, the woman who bought him art lessons when 'fill in the pumpkins' was about the extent of his art classes at St. John's Catholic School in Leonia N.J.

John remembers doodling as a preschooler and says both his grandmother and his mother encouraged his artistic interests. He eventually attended the Vesper George School of Art in Boston and landed at Hallmark as part of a new artists group. But it was the birth of the humorous Shoebox Greetings (a tiny little division of Hallmark) in 1986 that added a new dimension to John's professional life. The Shoebox way of seeing the world unleashed his talents and he created Maxine."

Cartoonists are sensitive to the insanities of the world; we just try to humanize them," John says. "If Maxine can get a laugh out of someone who feels lonely or someone who is getting older and hates the thought of another birthday, or if she can make someone chuckle about stressful interpersonal relationships, then I'm happy. Putting a smile on someone's face is what it's all about."

Those smiles have led to Maxine's becoming a bit of a celebrity. She (and John) have been the subject of media stories, including People, USA Today, Good Morning America, The Wall Street Journal, St. Petersburg (FL) Times, and Las Vegas Journal-Review, and they have been included in a major Associated Press story. Collector and trade publications have reported fans nationwide are collecting Maxine items. Letters from consumers and fans to John and Maxine reveal a very personal connection to Maxine. Many people say they are just like her.

Why the name 'Maxine'? "People at Shoebox started referring to the character as 'John Wagner's old lady', and I knew that would get me into trouble with my wife," John says. The Shoebox team had a contest among themselves to name the character and three of the approx. 30 entries suggested 'Maxine'.

John says the name is perfect.John, who says he's humbled by such acceptance of Maxine, admits he's proud of her.

Now you know the story of how Maxine came to be.

dn

dn's Lazy Mixed Bean And Corn Salad

A few years ago, I was watching the CBS Early Show (as I often do) and saw a recipe that sounded very tasty. It was for a "Three-Bean and Corn Salad with Cider Vinaigrette". I didn't get all the ingredients or instructions written down fast enough, so went to a local library and had someone there help me find the recipe on line and print it.

I did make it - once - and it was very good but, it turned out to be a more complicated recipe than I had thought as all three of the beans that were used had to be cooked separately first. Each type took 30-45 minutes to cook, so with three pots steaming away on the stove, this really wasn't a great recipe to make for a salad on a warm day.

There had to be a simpler way to do this that would taste just as good. I've tried various versions over the years and there are a couple of recipes that I found to be quite good; "Southwestern Bean Salad" and "Southwest Salad". They just lacked that extra something of the original.

So, I went exploring the canned bean aisle at my local grocery stores. I have discovered a few variations that will work fairly well with the original recipe. Here then are two simplified versions of this recipe with some variations thrown in for good measure.

dn's Lazy Mixed Bean And Corn Salad

1 540ml can No Name Mixed Beans (or brand equivalent)

1/2 cup frozen kernal corn, thawed and drained

1/2 cup chopped red pepper

1/3 cup chopped green onion

1/3 cup chopped celery

1/3 cup fresh chopped cilantro

Dressing

2 Tablespoons oil (corn or canola)

1 Tablespoon Cider vinegar

3 Tablespoons salsa (mild)

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon minced/chopped garlic

salt and pepper to taste

- drain beans, rinse well. Allow excess liquid to drain off thoroughly while preparing the other ingredients

- In a large bowl, combine the corn, red pepper, green onions and celery. Set aside.

- In a small bowl combine the dressing ingredients except salt and pepper.

- Add the drained beans to the other veggies in the larger bowl and stir gently to combine.

- Stir in the dressing and the cilantro. Add salt and pepper IF necessary!

- Cover and marinade in the fridge for several hours or overnight

- Stir before serving

This salad makes about 3 1/2 - 4 cups and will serve 6 - 8 half cup portions.

Can be kept in the fridge for several days.Very tasty!!!

Variations:

- If you can't find a mixed bean version, you can use a marinated bean salad. Just drain all the liquid and rinse the beans several times to remove as much of the marinade as possible, then drain well. Proceed with recipe as above.
- If you are making the original recipe for a crowd of 12-15 people then I would suggest buying a can each of black beans, kidney beans and white kidney beans. Drain and rinse the beans thoroughly. Double the remaining ingredients. and make according to the above directions.

~*~*~*~

dn's Lazy Bean and Corn Salad

1 398ml/14oz President's Choice Southwestern Bean Medley (or brand equivalent) - undrained

1/3 cup frozen kernal corn, thawed and drained
1/3 cup chopped red pepper
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro

Dressing
1 Tablespoons oil (corn or canola)
1 1/2 teaspoon Cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon salsa (mild)
pinch cumin
1/2 teaspoon minced/chopped garlic
salt and pepper to taste - may not be needed

Combine all the salad ingredients. Mix all the dressings ingredients together and stir gently with the rest of the ingredients. Chill several hours or overnight. Stir before serving. Serves 4.

Enjoy!

dn

Happy Canada Day!!!

dn

Rosemary Clooney

dn

Summer Songs

Summer officially started a few days ago, and if you haven't done so already, then it is time to do as Nat King Cole said in his 1963 hit; "(Roll Out) Those Lazy Hazy Crazy Days Of Summer"!

For this post, I decided to create a list of some of my favourite summer songs and link them so that you could hear and view videos of all of them. Originally, I thought I'd post about 20 or 30 songs!

To help compile a list of some of the best summer songs, I sent an email to a bunch of my friends earlier this month and asked them what their favourite summer songs were. It didn't have to be a song that was necessarily a summertime hit, but it had to at least talk about summer or evoke summer feelings and memories. I also went through my own music collection and looked through a number of playlists on various sites.Who knew there was so much great music to choose from! By far the most popular group mentioned was The Beach Boys - I mean really how can you possibly think summer music without thinking of at least a couple of their hits?

Whittling down the list of songs and artists was not easy. Well, by the time I was done, I had over 50 songs on the list and had found some pretty good videos to go with all of them! Some are original footage of the artist performing. Some are slideshows/video of the era and some are actual music videos created by the artist. There are also some very talented music fans out there who have posted some very creative videos of their own as tributes to the song/artist/theme.

So, here then - more or less in chronological order - is my list of great summer songs!

"In The Good Old Summertime" - John Phillip Sussa 1905 (piano roll version)
"Tuxedo Junction" - Glenn Miller and his Orchestra 1940
"Sentimental Journey" - Les Brown 1945
"Mr. Sandman" - Chordettes 1954
"Rock Around The Clock" - Bill Haley and the Comets 1955
"Summertime" - Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald 1957

"Love Letters In The Sand" - Pat Boone 1957
"Summertime Blues" - Eddie Cochran 1958
"A Summer Place" - Percy Faith 1960
"Stand By Me" - Ben E. King 1961 (and again in1987)
"A Summer Place" - Andy Williams 1962
"Sealed With A Kiss" - Brian Hyland 1962
"Wipe Out" - The Surfaris 1963
"Heat Wave" - Martha and the Vandellas 1963
"Don't Worry Baby" - The Beach Boys 1964
"A Summer Song" - Chad and Jeremy 1964
"Under the Boardwalk" - The Drifters 1964
"Saturday Night At The Movies" - The Drifters 1964
"Mr. Tambourine Man" - The Byrds 1965
"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" - The Rolling Stones 1965
"California Girls" - The Beach Boys 1965
"Wouldn't It Be Nice" - The Beach Boys 1966
''Summer in the City'' - The Lovin' Spoonful 1966
''Can't Take My Eyes Off You'' - Frankie Valli 1967
"So Happy Together" - The Turtles 1967
"Windy" - The Association 1967
"Born To Be Wild" - Steppenwolf 1968
"Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay" - Otis Redding 1968
"Moody Manitoba Morning" - The Bells 1969
"Hot Fun In The Summertime" - Sly and the Family Stone 1969
"In The Summertime" - Mungo Jerry 1970
"Maggie May" - Rod Stewart 1971
"It's Too Late" - Carole King 1971
"Lean On Me" - Bill Withers 1972
"Take It Easy" - The Eagles 1972
"Summer Breeze" - Seals and Crofts 1972
"Saturday In The Park" - Chicago 1972
"Sunshine On My Shoulders" - John Denver 1973
"I Can See Clearly Now" - Johnny Nash 1973
"Peaceful Easy Feeling" - The Eagles 1973
"Sundown" - Gordon Lightfoot - 1974
"Annie's Song" - John Denver - 1974
"My Love" - Paul McCartney - 1974
"Silly Love Songs" - Paul McCartney - 1976
"Margaritaville" - Jimmy Buffett 1977
"I Love A Rainy Night" - Eddie Rabbitt 1981
"Bette Davis Eyes" - Kim Carnes 1981
"Ebony & Ivory" - Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder 1982
"Every Breath You Take" - The Police 1983
"Walking On Sunshine" - Katrina and the waves 1985
"Kokomo" - The Beach Boys 1988
"If You Don't Know Me By Know" - Simply Red 1989

I hope you enjoy these great songs and also hope that all your summer days will be "Sunny Days" (Lighthouse 1972)!

dn

Happy Father's Day!

Today is Father's Day and that means that dad's everywhere will be opening gifts of equipment/accessories for sports, gardening, fishing and BBQ'ing. There will also be various electronics, books, music and ties! Maybe even a few heartfelt cards if dad is lucky. That's assuming that the kids remember the day! Poor dad almost always gets shortchanged in compared to what mom gets for Mother's Day. Dad also tends to get hammered in the humour department as well. That really is too bad, as dad's are a vital part of the equation in most families and rarely get the appreciation that they so richly deserve.

Well, I hope that they DO get the thanks from their spouse and kids, 'cause they aren't going to get it in this post!

Here then is my humourous salute to Father's everywhere!


One evening a little girl and her parents were sitting around the table eating supper. The little girl said, "Daddy, you're the boss, aren't you?" Her Daddy smiled, pleased, and said yes. The little girl continued "That's because Mummy put you in charge, right?"
~*~*~*~
New and Improved
The little girl was sitting in her grandfather's lap as he read her a story. From time to time, she would take her eye's off the book and reach up to touch his wrinkled cheek. By and by she was alternately stroking her own cheek, then his again.
Finally she spoke, "Granddaddy, did God make you?"
"Yes, sweetheart" he answered, "God made me a long time ago."
"Oh she said," then "Granddaddy, did God make me too?"
"Yes, indeed honey" he assured her. "God made you just a little while ago."
"Oh" she said. Feeling their respective faces again, she observed, "God's getting better at it now isn't he?"
~*~*~*~
Penny Trick
After tucking their three-year-old child Sammy in for bed one night, his parents heard sobbing coming from his room.

Rushing back in, they found him crying hysterically. He managed to tell them that he had swallowed a penny and he was sure he was going to die. No amount of talking was helping.

His father, in an attempt to calm him down, palmed a penny from his pocket and pretended to pull it from Sammy's ear. Sammy was delighted.

In a flash, he snatched it from his father's hand, swallowed, and then cheerfully demanded, "Do it again, Dad!"
~*~*~*~
"Fathers are the geniuses of the house because only a person as intelligent as we could fake such stupidity. Think about your father: He doesn't know where anything is. You ask him to do something, he messes it up and your mother sends you: "Go down and see what your father's doing before he blows up the house." He's a genius at work because he doesn't want to do it, and he knows someone will be coming soon to stop him." -- Bill Cosby
~*~*~*~
Did You Know? There are more collect calls on Father's Day than any other day of the year. An estimated $1 billion is spent each year in the United States for Father's Day gfts, but Dad is still paying the bill when it comes to telephone calls from the kids
~*~*~*~
Dadisms
"Son, don't ever get married. And tell that to your kids."
"We’ll do it the right way. My way."
"Don't ask me, ask your mother."
"Do what I say, not what I do."
"When I was your age.... "
~*~*~*~
I found all of the following cartoons on a site that makes T-Shirts, Mugs and other items with slogans on them.

dn

dn's Pork Chops With Mango And Apple

A couple of months ago, I was in one of those creative cooking moods. I wanted to try something different. I had set out pork chops for supper, but didn't know what I wanted to do with them. I had lots of fresh mango on hand, as I'd gotten them on sale a few days earlier. I searched the net, but didn't find anything that really combined the two in a way that appealed to me, so I decided to invent my own recipe.

I've made this three times now and have kept track of all the changes in ingredients and quantities. As I noted in the recipe, I have even made this with chicken breasts rather than pork chops! Both are delicious! I even had a good friend try making the pork version. She loved it!


"dn's Pork Chops With Mango And Apple"

2 pork chops (boneless)
2/3 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped red pepper
1Tbsp minced garlic (bottled type)
1 medium mango peeled, pitted and diced (about 1 1/4 cup)
1 medium apple, cored and diced ( about 1 1/4 cup)
1/3 cup orange juice or 5 Alive Mango
1 Tablespoon Cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon Honey
1 teaspoon low sodium Soya sauce
1 teaspoon dried cilantro
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger root
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning

- Preheat oven to 375F.
- Prepare the onions and red pepper then set aside.
- Prepare the mango and apple (toss the chopped apple in a Tablespoon of the orange juice to prevent discoloration), then set aside.
- In a fry pan, brown the pork chops using a little bit of oil and margarine. Remove the pork chops to a 1 1/2 Liter baking dish that has been sprayed with Pam.
- Add the onions and red pepper to the pan that you browned the chops in. Sauté lightly for a minute or two then add the garlic. Sauté another minute.
- Add the apple and mango and stir.
- Reduce heat to low.
- Add the rest of the ingredients to the pan and stir over low heat just until all the pan drippings are lifted from the pan then pour the entire contents on top of the pork chops.
- Cover and bake in a 375F oven for about 40 minutes.

Serve over brown rice with a green veg or salad on the side.

Notes:
- This recipe also works well with boneless/skinless chicken breasts.
- This recipe could easily be doubles and baked in a 9"x13"x2" baking dish covered with foil.
- Start a casserole of brown rice in the oven while the chops are browning. Spray a 2 Liter casserole dish with Pam. Add one cup of brown rice, 3 cups water, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 2 teaspoons margarine or oil. Cover and bake for about 55 minutes in a 375F oven. Leftover rice can be frozen in individual portions for future use.

Enjoy!

dn

Remembering The King Of Swing

dn

Lilac Time

Let me start by saying that I am not a flower person. Yes, I grew up on a farm, but as I have said in previous posts, I have a brown thumb. I can't grow plants to save my life! Nor can I identify most varieties of plants, bushes and trees. Except for some of the most obvious flowers, like a tulip - and a few others - I really couldn't tell you what flowers were in a bouquet or a flower bed.

It's not that I can't appreciate the beauty of flowers, it's just that I really am not that interested in them. My parents were both avid gardeners and loved to try new varieties and colours in the various flower beds. They planted over a thousand plants every spring, as well as countless bulbs. They also had dozens of perennials such as peonies that would bloom every summer.

Dad often picked bouquets of fresh flowers for mom to display in the house alongside her dozens of house plants. She always said that "her boyfriend" brought the flowers to her! I would occasionally pick some flowers, but watching them gradually wilt and die in a vase really didn't appeal to me. I also wasn't too crazy about some of the littlle bugs that used to tag along on the flowers when you brought them indoors.

I don't hate flowers. There are some that I do like such as; tulips, lilies, brown eyed susan's and gladiolas. I just prefer them in their natural settings rather than in a vase.

I am also not a fan of floral scents - in fact most of them, I find rather overpowering. Allergies make most scents a problem for me, so I tend to stay out of flower gardens and away from flower displays. I can handle a few roses or something that isn't too strong, but for the most part I'd rather leave flowers in their natural environment.

So given that, it may seem a bit odd for me to say this, but I love lilacs! Especially the ones that are actually a lilac shade or even the darker shades of purple. Lilacs come in a wide variety of colours from a creamy white, to yellow to shades of pinks and the traditional purples. I'll take the purples any day!

I even love the smell of the lilacs - not in a perfume or anything like that - I'm talking just the natural smell that comes right from the flower. It isn't too strong but it takes me back to my childhood. I'd sit on the steps or a blanket on the grass and read a book or listen to a portable radio. I'd contemplate life and wonder what the future would hold.

When I was a kid, we had a lot of lilac trees on the farm. We actually had a hedge of them, as a wind row, near the house that bloomed in various shades of purple every spring. It was a sea of purples on a leafy green backdrop. I loved sitting outside and admiring their beauty and breathing in the soft scent. Most of them were cut down when my parents remodeled and expanded the house in the late 60's. There were still several lilacs on the property, but it just wasn't the same.

Living here in the city, I don't get to see and smell the lilacs like I used to. There are lilacs here too, you just don't tend to find whole rows or hedges of them!

When I do see lilacs - or I guess it would be more accurate to say when I smell lilacs now - it takes me right back to the peace and solitude of living on the farm. To a time of innocence and dreams of what lay ahead. I didn't always see the first leaves on the trees or the first tulips of spring, but the scent of lilacs were my link to spring. New beginnings!

We have had such a long cold winter and this spring has been slow in coming. The lilacs are late this year too. The lilacs are coming now and that makes me happy. I just wish they stayed longer. Their season is short, but I love them while they are here.

So if you see me standing at my window or outside and I seem lost in a dream or deep in thought - don't worry - I'm probably smelling lilacs!

I wonder if anyone would notice a blind woman picking a few lilac stems.....

dn

Email Account Closed - Access Denied! Part 2

In my last post, I explained that in late April, one of my Hotmail accounts was closed supposedly due to "violations of therms of use" and my frustrating labyrinth like journey to find the proper support form to fill out and submit. I was starting to wonder if I'd ever get into the account again. Then, on Sunday, May 17 I finally found a post that might be the path to the mysterious support form that people in my situation are supposed to fill out. Here is the information that I found:

Hello;
To anyone that reads this, I think I have found a solution for those who have Hotmail accounts that have been suddenly closed due to violation of terms and conditions. Please follow instructions below.
1. Go to the log in page where it shows the statement that you have violated terms and conditions.
2. Go towards the bottom and look on the right hand side where it states help central, click on this.
3. You will see that it will change to "Welcome to Windows Live ID and Account Management Help"
4. Look on the left hand side and scroll down FAQ section to question "why can't I log in" (12th question down). Press on this link.
5. This has now changed the box on the right hand. Look at the bottom of the box where it states "get more help", press this link
6. It will now change to say "Additional help options for Windows Live ID" press on the link that states "Get Support" this will then take you to a form that you need to fill in . Fill in all information with a red asterisk next to it and send. Explain that you have tried tech support and abuse team and have had no reply.
7. You should receive a reply within 24 hours

Well, I did try this and received a response less than 6 hours later, stating that my request for assistance would be passed on to "Windows Live Hotmail Abuse Support Group". My initial thought was; "Oh great! Here we go again!", but this time I also had a ticket/tracking number to reference for any future response. I hadn't gotten that before. I was still skeptical, but also hopeful.

Friday morning, May 22, I was greeted with an email from the Microsoft Customer Support Team. My account had been closed as a precaution against spam activity. They didn't give specifics, but I still believe that it was due to my problems seeing the HIP tests. The good news was that the account had been reopened! I finally had access to all of my emails and stored files again.

Of course, before I could completely log in to my account, I had to do another HIP! I couldn't read the first one and got the second one wrong but the third one I got right. I was IN!

Over the next few days, I spent several hours going through the various folders - copying, forwarding saved emails to another account and deleting items. I don't know exactly how many emails I had saved over the previous year but I think it must have been about 1500 or so. There is less than 400 on that account now and all are either backed up or replicable. I'll gradually remove most of them.

I'll still use the account for a few things, but my friends that I email on a regular basis have been given a new address to contact me.

Finding the correct form and submitting it, was like finding a needle in a haystack.Who knows how long I would have had to wait without it - or if I ever would have regained access to my account without this form. I have no idea why this information seems to be so difficult to obtain and why we are forced to jump through hoops and search for clues to find the correct information. Maybe it is to prove we REALLY are human, but it also proves that technology and all of it's advances can be VERY frustrating.

I hope you never encounter this type of problem, but you never know when something like this can happen to you ...

.... so PLEASE

BACK UP ALL OF YOUR INFORMATION, ADDRESSES, AND ANY EMAIL CONTENT THAT YOU HAVE SAVED IN HOTMAIL AND ANY OTHER ONLINE ACCOUNTS!!!

Better safe than sorry.

dn

Email Account Closed - Access Denied! Part 1

Thursday morning, April 23, I tried to log into my Hotmail accounts and discovered that one of my accounts was closed sometime after the last time I had checked the account - about 9:30PM on April 22.



For some reason, my account had been closed due to violations of terms of use! For the life of me I have no idea what I could possibly have done, as the account is used for updates from a half dozen web sites and emails between a dozen or so on-line friends. I delete old addresses before forwarding, use BCC for multiple forwards, and only send to a few friends who actually want me to send them stuff.

The only real problem I have had with this account is that I have trouble reading the HIP tests. "What's a HIP test?", you ask. Human Interface Proof - HIP - are those really annoying, distorted letter/number combos that are used to supposedly distinguish a human from an auto generated account.

I suspected HIP, because I have so much trouble doing those damned tests. The distorted text is impossible on some, so it can take me 5 or 6 tries to find one that I think I can read AND do it correctly! It may be possible that the system had mistaken my numerous attempts as an automated account and labeled it as spam. In retrospect, I had actually been getting several of those tests over the previous few weeks.

Granted, there is an audio version available on most sites as an alternative for those of us with low vision - BUT, have you ever tried listening to any of those? They are insane if they think that it can be understood! The best way I can describe it is to think back to the old days when you would call certain phone numbers and you'd hear a busy signal but also hear several conversations in the background. Every few seconds, you'd hear someone trying to scream their personal phone number into the mix. Well, those were easier to understand as the audio HIP is even more garbled!

The error message that I get when I try to sign in says that I have to submit an email support form. I tried countless times to find the correct way to submit an email support form, but I COULD NOT find it!! I was so frustrated that I could not find the form or get the help to get this corrected. Every time I hit the "HELP" button at the bottom of the "account closed" page, it took me back to msn.com rather than to an email support form!

I made three requests to correct and reopen the incorrect closure of my account during the first five days. Two were sent to mhtml:%7B800FCD44-2A56-4965-93F0-6E8FA148951D%7Dmid://00000090/!x-usc:mailto:abuse@hotmail.com and one through feedback on an FAQ page that I found on MSN. The only response I got was from the abuse section and that was yet another of those charming auto generated responses that says it will be looked into. ARGH!!

I contacted my service provider to help me set up another email account through their system and also explained the Hotmail problem to the tech. He offered to try and find the support form for me, so I gave him the necessary info. He couldn't find it either, so suggested I write directly to Microsoft. I made two requests to Microsoft, but just get directed to post my problem through http://windowslivehelp.com/

I set up an account and posted a request for help including a very detailed list of what I had already done. The response from the support team was to send a note to the abuse team! Are you kidding me? They obviously hadn't bothered reading my full request and I politely said as much in my reply. Again, an apology for inconvenience, but only the abuse team had the power to reopen accounts. They were backlogged but would eventually get to everyone. Yeah right!

I also read several other posts regarding the incorrect closure of accounts and found that all are directed through the abuse section BUT some people were still waiting for responses two, three five or more weeks later!! This is first come first serve so even if you have a business account, you still have to wait till they get to you!

I felt like the hamster on it's wheel and I had no way of getting off!!

I just wanted to get the personal messages and other info from my account that could not be replaced. Luckily, I had other accounts through other systems and I had some email addresses from the closed account saved, but not all.

Another part of the problem for me, was that when I set up the Hotmail account in early 2008, I was running low on space on my old PC. Therefore, I didn't always save everything to my PC. The Hotmail account provided 5gig of FREE space so I took full advantage of it. When I did get a new PC last November, I did transfer a few things, but never got around to sorting and transferring everything. I was too busy doing Christmas baking and getting used to using Vista. I pretty much forgot how much was stored there until I couldn't get to it. That was when I really realized how much was on there.

Was I ever going to get access to that account again? I checked the comments on various threads in the Solution Center several times over the next couple of weeks. I certainly wasn't alone with my problem and frustration but I still wanted to find the stupid support form that the error message says to fill out.

It took awhile, but finally on Sunday, May 17. I found a post that gave me a glimmer of hope. My next post (June 6, 2009) will explain what I found and how I got my account back.

dn