One of the advantages of being old is being old fashioned. I was tempted to stop here and just let the reader fill in the blanks, but I could not stop without remarking on the tremendous benefit of paper in this digital age. Paper?  Yes. For example, my paper pocket calendar saves me oodles of time each day while young techies struggle with their devices to find appointment dates. 

The Cinema Arts Centre, an independent film venue in Huntington, is one of our favorite places. When we were there over the weekend, I noticed a fascinating commonality among the three movies that were being shown. They all had to do with old age.

Recently, a controversy (albeit a small one) erupted around Beyonce.  The singer was slotted to perform the National Anthem at the President's inauguration and someone, I'm assuming her, made the decision to pre-record it and lip-synch it.

It was time I suppose.  My more than five year old laptop was very good to me. But five years in technology years made my laptop more like a relic whose time had come.  So this weekend's project was to buy a new one.  Shopping wasn't so bad, it was fun actually. But the set up and adjustment has been particularly trying -- and time consuming -- I think in light of Windows 8, Microsoft's new operating system.

  I was an overweight child. Therefore, I found the story of Dara-Lynn Weiss and her seven year old daughter compelling.  Ms. Weiss put her seven year old overweight daughter on a strict diet  for health related reasons; the child had high blood pressure. Interestingly, the internet has exploded with blogs and articles condemning Ms. Weiss and her methods.

It looks like Carnival Cruise lines is in some hot water.  Not only from the lawsuits by angry passengers, but I would wager that their business has got to be bad for some period of time.  I think a lot of people are going to pick vacation choice number 2 instead of a cruise.  The national park service should run a counter-commercial with a couple in a car being attacked by a bear saying "we should have done this last year" as they flash back to their Carnival cruise and going to the bathroom in a bag.

Tomorrow celebrates Michael Jordan's 50th birthday and the pundits and analysts were wondering on radio and TV if he is the best player of all time.  

One of the duties-pleasures of being Grand Parents is having the kids over for a weekend (while the parents vacation). Recently we were on duty and on the first night my "6 and a 1/4" year old grandson carried a book over to me and asked "Grandpa would you read to me". How could I say no.