ConsumerMatch.com Blog. Coupons, Specials and Promotion available at ConsumerMatch.com - Comparision Shopping Search Engine & Directory. Resources and FAQ. RSS Feeds and Deals Alerts.
Memorial Day was originally called “Decoration Day” and was a day set aside to honor those who gave their lives in the Civil War. From the good people at History.com:
The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet churchyard in the land. In this observance no form of ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit.
During the first celebration of Decoration Day, General James Garfield made a speech at Arlington National Cemetery, after which 5,000 participants helped to decorate the graves of the more than 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers buried in the cemetery.
Arlington National Cemetery is part of a nationwide system of national cemeteries, where the remains of those who served in the armed forces are buried. I remember, as a kid, passing the Golden Gate National Cemetery when my family drove north to “The City” (that’s what we called San Francisco) – I felt a tug of sadness seeing thousands of headstones. I wondered about the stories of every veteran… where he fought, what he was thinking, and how he made sense of it all.
I never imagined that one day I would visit that place. When I am “home” in California, I bring flowers to decorate my dad’s gravestone. He fought in World War II and in Korea. He didn’t talk about it much – even when I pressed him on it – and as I got older I grew to respect that there are some things too hard to talk about.
Today, many people think of Memorial Day as the unofficial beginning of summer. That’s a relatively recent phenomenon: in 1971, Congress set aside ten “legal holidays” and called for observance on Mondays to create long weekends. I’m all for long weekends, and I like barbeques as much as the next person, really. Yet I also feel like somewhere along the way we’ve lost sight of what Memorial Day is about. It’s a day to remember. I’m with the people at www.usmemorialday.org, who would like to see Memorial Day restored to May 30th. They make an excellent point that, to keep the number of federal holidays the same, Armed Forces day (the third weekend of every May) could be declared a three-day holiday.
Somehow I made it to age 26 before my first foray into the world of caffeine. Not a chocolate eater or soda drinker, I felt like I could fly after my first cup! I was in Paris, I’d been up all night, and a great friend introduced me to espresso. It was love at first sip.
And so I joined a centuries-old tradition. From Wikipedia, here’s a glimpse at the origin of coffee:
The history of coffee can be traced to at least as early as the 9th century, when it appeared in the highlands of Ethiopia. Shepherds were the first to observe the influences of caffeine from the coffee beans when, after their goats consumed some naturally occurring coffee beans in the pasture, the goats appeared to “dance” and have an increased level of energy. From Ethiopia, it spread to Egypt and Yemen, and by the fifteenth century had reached Persia, Turkey, and northern Africa.
Dancing goats: what a great name for a coffee shop!
I like meeting friends for coffee, whether first thing in the morning (and mind you, my definition of “first thing” borders on lunchtime) or in the early evening. There’s something about drinking coffee with friends – taking a break from it all, and spending time communicating face-to-face rather than by text or email. I like it.
But not everyone does. In fact, there are people who are adamantly opposed to coffee. I completely respect avoiding coffee if that is part of one’s religious practice. But some people are just coffee jerks. I remember, on a ski trip in Colorado, I asked one of the guys in my group, “Can I get you a coffee?” and his response was “I don’t do caffeine.” What the #@$&? A simple “No thanks” would have sufficed. I think these anti-coffee people are in the same group as anti-television people – the ones who scoff at you when you ask if they happened to catch the latest episode of Lost. “I don’t do t.v.” Well, isn’t that special.
Lately, I’ve been spending some time (jacked up on coffee, of course) handing out postcards for an open air market in Boston. I’ll be selling my crafts there. The market features arts, crafts, organic food and, most likely, coffee. The cards were designed by a brilliant artist. As I left a stack of the cards in a local shop, a woman commented on how much she liked the design. I said, “Oh, please, go ahead and take one.” Her response? Yes, you guessed it! “I don’t do postcards.”
Well I do. Now it’s time for another cup of java and a little television.
I admit it: I love to read my horoscope. I especially like it when it’s good. When it’s not good, I usually skip ahead to the next day and check out what I can expect in the near future. This activity is something like the process of “selective memory” but in reverse: I selectively look forward to high-energy days – especially the ones that promise a dash of excitement.
Honestly, I don’t know enough about astrological science (can you call it a science or is it an art?), to experience insight on how specific planets affect things like whether I’ll catch my train or win the lottery or even find my keys. Yet I keep reading. (I don’t know exactly how my air conditioner works, either, but that doesn’t stop me from enjoying its benefits.)
My go-to source for astrological information is AstrologyZone. The first of each month – once reserved for dreaded payment of bills – is now a joyous day when I can sneak a glimpse of the month to come. And, in the few years that I’ve been reading them, AstrologyZone’s forecasts have been stunningly accurate. I also subscribe to the daily readings; this past Saturday’s forecast was particularly good:
Aquarius Jan. 20 to Feb. 18 Opt for convenience rather than spending the extra effort to save a dollar or two. The moon in Pisces suggests you should base your decisions and activities on whatever is easiest or comes most naturally. Still, you may be overly extravagant and indulgent today, so watch your dollars and your intake of food and drink. If you must go overboard, do it for art or for love.
“Do it for art or love!” What could be better than that?
I think that everyone has met at least one person who goes a little overboard pretending to have astrological savvy. You know, you’re in a bar and someone says, “I’ll bet you’re a Leo.” Nope. “Virgo, then, definitely.” No. “Oh, you must be a Scorpio!” Sorry. “Libra, and that’s my last guess, because I’m sure you are a Libra.” Then you tell the person (this is usually someone wearing Birkenstocks) your sign and he or she says, “I knew it!”
Always walk away from pickup lines – trust me, I’ve learned this the hard way. You might, however, start by asking for a birth date, then run home and check out a free compatibility report. The rest is up to the stars.
What does fascinate me, though, is the fascination itself. From what I can tell, this is a person who does not actually do anything. And yet she shows up on my television screen weekly (more if I had cable, no doubt). Her picture -- eerily similar from one occasion to the next -- is everywhere.
I learned, in the course of preparing to write this blog entry, that Paris has a CD. She sings? Who knew? I wonder… if sales don't go her way, whether she'll petition the courts based on life not being fair.
As you and millions already know, Paris is off to jail soon, unless of course all of her fans who "sihn" (sic) her petition can hold some sway over Gov. Schwarzenegger. News stories about Paris' upcoming sentence of 45 days in a California jail cell have appeared as far away as South Africa, Croatia and India.
I'll weigh in, but briefly. My advice to Ms. Hilton is simple:
1. If the word "sign" is too hard for you, don't even try to spell Schwarzenegger;
and 2. Stop drinking and driving, girlfriend!
Paris Hilton's mother calls the sentence "a joke." I'm not laughing. No one gets a free pass to drink and drive. That's so obvious it hurts.
ConsumerMatch.com Blog
