Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things

I was in the process of buying a new garbage disposal because the one we have is at least 15 years old and wasn't doing a very good job. Instead, I put in two trays of ice cubes and turned on the disposal. It now has sharp blades. Cool, huh?

Every time I go into the room at Warwicks to wrap a gift it seems like there are even more pairs of scissors than the last time I was there. Rather than buy a new set of scissors every time one is dull, sharpen it cutting into aluminum foil. About 10 cuts through the double-layered foil will sharpen the dullest pair.

The gasket around the clothes washer door reeked of mildew. Replacing it would cost $300+. Instead, I soft-scrubbed as many folds as I could reach and then ran a cycle using white vinegar. No more mildew.

Makes me want to check the web about so many other things that cost money and could be avoided.

Lumosity -- latest in saving an aging brain

I signed up with Lumosity for a month to see if it improved my memory and brain skills. Lots of interesting games, my favorite being word games to finish words that start with a couple of letters, "pl," "cr" and "le" being some recent ones, with the hardest so far at "plum." Also has a name recognition game where you play a waiter filling lunch orders for customers; a number game to answer the problems before the bubble hits the water; and bird watching as you focus on the square in the middle of the picture for the letter and have to put the cursor where the bird comes up in a blink.

Found this through stumble.com favorite, self improvement.

Reading the Ending First

I don't always read the end of a book to see how it turns out, but if a book is so invigorating that I can't sleep, I have to look ahead. Does he live/not live is settled and I can get to sleep. Otherwise my adrenaline will keep me awake wondering. I don't have to read the end of nonfiction books (duh) and know that the protagonist lives if the story's told in a first person narrative. The character would have to survive to write the book. Yet, "Lovely Bones" was written by the dead girl, but you already know she's dead.

Some say it spoils the fun of reading if you already know the ending. On the other hand, it's a much more relaxing and enjoyable experience to go back and finish the book without all the unnecessary anxiety.

Finding a book to read in the first place is truly a science. I've applied a couple of simple rules: read the book jacket, read the first chapter, flip to the middle of the book...is there enough to make me interested in reading it? If so I'll start again from the beginning. There are too many books to read one that's boring or not well written.

Hello, Mr. Stewart

I will always be "Mr. Stewart" to Camilla, who was a student at Gillispie School when I was asst. head. But now that we're working together I have begged her to call me Jim. "I can't call you that. I'll always know you as Mr. Stewart."

I can understand, since she's known me from when she was a preschooler and has known me as Mr. Stewart.

But if she were the only one I would really help her, even pay her, to call me Jim. She's not alone.

I have known dozens of families from my 13 years at Gillispie (1990 - 2003) and, earlier, five years at La Jolla Country Day. For many of those parents and, now grown, children, when they see me at Warwicks I am and probably always will be "Mr. Stewart."

What's the Big Idea

Today's NYTimes included an essay that is quite a challenge to our information age. Excellent Sunday reading and something to make us all take a closer look at not what we are doing, but why.

I Can Only Laugh

Watching Michelle Bachman glowing after her straw poll win in Iowa, stepping on a tube of anti-itch cream and seeing it spurt into a pile next to my foot...I find humor in most everything. Kayaking for the first time recently I was terrified of the kayak flipping over, but the only problem was returning to shore and a wave swamping our little boat and my travel companion -- a stranger until that morning -- getting dumped out. I rode a Segway a few weeks back and spent the first hour staring at the ground to make sure I didn't hit anything, although I was supposed to be enjoying a tour of downtown San Diego. I was the slowest, although we could go up to five miles an hour (which is pretty fast when you're standing on a machine that relies on leaning correctly to increase speed and make turns.) I was worried I wouldn't be able to stop in time, so I lagged behind starting and stopping.

I think the best thing to do is not to take anything too seriously. I have to say how much I am entertained by myself when I can find humor in any situation.

Incredible Shrinking Man

At the doctors recently the nurse asked for my height, which I already knew to be 5' 11". She discovered differently. I was two inches shorter than the last time I had my height measured, which I can't recall so it was a long time ago.

No, I told the nurse, that can't be right. It is, Mr. Stewart. You can see the measurement yourself.

I'm shrinking, I sobbed as she smiled and led me to the room to wait for the doctor. When I told him of my surprise about my height he just shook his head and totally made me feel better by saying, "Yes, people tend to get shorter as they age. My God, I'm aging. At this rate if I live to be 80 I'll be 4'3" .I guess I can just blame it on gravity and the cycle of life: the earth is pulling us closer someday to even pull us underground (after we're dead, I mean.) Such a lovely thought!

I'm taking a weekly med, a daily supplement, calcium and Vitamin K that's supposed to help bone and teeth strength, and getting more exercise. If I can't reverse what's happened at least I can keep it from getting worse.

My question is: I thought chocolate cured everything.