Life is what happens when you are making other plans~ John Lennon
An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind~Gandhi
The time is always right to do what is right~ Martin Luther King Jr.


Thursday, August 10, 2023

More successful tips on flying with kids

Flying with kids can be stressful. Making sure you have everything you need to ensure a good vacation can be overwhelming. But, after a few times of doing travel with kids, you pretty much become a professional. Here are some tips on how to travel with kids like a pro.

Flying with Kids Under Two

-This is often THE most stressful type of travelling. Unless they can walk by themselves, odds are high they will need a stroller. And unless they are toilet trained, odds are also high that diapers will be among the items you are most worried about having. But, aside from those little minor instances, kids under two tend to be really excited about going somewhere they've never been. Nothing is more adorable than seeing that wide-eyed excitement of a child travelling to a new place

-Some airlines offer no cost to kids under two who fly because those kids can share a seat with Mom or Dad. While that certainly saves money, it also might happen that your child will need a seat of their own by the age of 2, in case they are big enough for their own seat. Depending on the length of the flight, you might find out quickly that buying a seat for your child will help your comfort and sanity

-If your child uses a car seat at home, bring that car seat with you. Make sure to check it in with the check-in desk of the airline you're flying through. Just make sure to strap your child in when everyone else is getting settled in. If they do well in a car seat, then they'll do just fine on the airplane. Just ignore the comments and dirty looks from the other passengers if you're supposedly holding up the line to address the needs of your little one(s) because people will say something or give you a look, like you're holding them up from sitting down (believe me, I've seen it on airplanes; people get ridiculous when boarding a plane because people are addressing their little ones needs)

-Introduce your kids to the flight crew, such as pilots, co-pilots, flight attendants. This makes them feel like they're part of the journey. Some kids even get wings as junior fliers

-If you're travelling with a baby, bring a baby carrier with you. Make a special checklist for baby when you are packing for vacation. This list should include everything that cute little baby will need for his/her first trip, such as toys, clothing, diapers, sunglasses, hats, sunblock, food, etc. You may not be able to wear the baby carrier during takeoff/landing, you can wear it in flight to keep the baby calm

-When booking your flight, let someone know you'll be travelling with an infant. There are many things to consider when travelling with babies and infants. Two of these things include where babies can sit on the plane or if the baby is sitting on your lap. Just make sure to express your wishes to travel with a baby to the airline check-in desk and boarding to ensure that little baby will have the time of their life

Booking Your Flight

-This is the part of the process where you get to choose what airline you're flying through and when you'll be flying out and if there are any layovers. Some airlines, like Southwest, have better family benefits than others. Choosing the right airline will guarantee maximum enjoyment for you and your family. Consider timing as well. Consider what time would be good to fly out. Early morning flights or evening flights are often the best because the child can sleep through the process of take off or landing. And even if they do wake up on the flight when everyone else is asleep, just let them know to be quiet to avoid waking others. These early morning or evening flights also help avoid departure delays. And take into consideration the possibility of layovers. While those might be cheaper than direct route flights, they can also add chaos into the mix and cut into travel time. Because, like you, your kids are excited about vacation because it's new and exotic to them and they want to get to the destination just as fast as you do

-Before you book your flight, call the airline ahead of time to inquire about being booked together as a family. Airlines are not legally required to put everyone together as a family. And if they can, that is good. If they are unable to put everyone together as a family, they will ensure that the family is not totally separated, just in seats near each other.

-If you're flying internationally, everyone needs a passport, including babies. Make sure that your passport is valid beyond the travel dates just to make sure you don't run into issues with foreign airport security. If you're travelling with someone who is not your son or daughter, such as a niece, nephew, grandchild, get a child travel consent form completed and signed by that family member who the child belongs to and take with you on the trip at all times so that if airport security asks you who that is, you can hand them the form and they'll know you're travelling with someone who is not your child and that you have permission to do so.

-Consider a TSA pre-check. This often eases the stress of long lines with one or more parents travelling in large groups. It helps ease the security process. If international travel is what you're doing, Global Entry is the ticket for you. It's good for five years and includes a TSA precheck.

At the Airport

-Now that you're at the airport, those kids are going to be just as excited as you. Everything around them is new and foreign to them and they want to explore everything. Nothing is cuter than that. Do a practice run of checking in to waiting at the gate, so your kids have an idea of what to expect. If your kids are the type to have a lot of energy, try to find activities to wear them down before the airplane starts boarding. So they'll be tired when they get on.

-Some airports have small entertainment areas, such as mini museums, kids activity centers, movie theaters and more. Do a few laps around the airport to wear down your kids energy.

Boarding the Plane

-The best part of the trip. Kids look forward to this as much as their parents do. Boarding early might work for some people, but resist the temptation to do so. More time on the plane means kids get antsy and want to start moving around, which might hamper other passengers from boarding. Some airlines allow those with small children to board first, since it takes some time.

-If you're bringing a stroller, bring a lightweight one that folds like an umbrella. These might look like the cheapest grade stroller, but airlines love these because there's not much weight to it and they're safe for flying and also light on weight for you. Check the stroller at the gate before boarding for no additional fees. Let the gate agent know you're bringing a stroller and they'll tag it for you. You can simply pick it up with your luggage at baggage claim with all the other luggage

On the Plane

-If you have children who are not yet fully toilet-trained, bring overnight diapers in your carry-on. Bring a pack of sanitizing wipes as well and wipe down every surface your child might touch, including the flip down tray. Since the temperatures in the plane can either be Arctic or stifling, dress for the temperatures. Wear comfortable clothes and dress in layers. If you're bringing a baby, bring a blanket to cover the baby and will also help block out light during nap time. Wear comfortable shoes on the plane so your feet aren't hurting the whole time.

-Bring a mask for everyone and insist they wear it on the plane except when eating or drinking. Because not everyone has the same level of consideration for others by openly coughing / sneezing without covering their mouths, there's a high chance you can catch a cold on the airplane, and it's not due to the cold air. An airplane is like a giant metal tube and those germs will float in the air, landing on anyone, potentially rendering them ill later on. To prevent you or your family from catching a virus from some inconsiderate doofus on the airplane who doesn't want to cover their mouth when sneezing or coughing, bring masks and insist everyone in your party wear one. This is post COVID-19 we're talking about. We'll never be rid of COVID-19; it's here forever. Make sure you protect you and your family by wearing a mask. So that you all won't get sick. And if you or your family do get sick with a cold later on, take a lot of Airborne or other immune-support gummies daily in addition to cold / flu medicine. Take at least 5-6 of those gummies or immune support supplements daily; it will help boost your immune system and, thus, get you better faster. And if you have a sore throat and believe in sweating out a cold, drink hot tea with honey in it. The honey will soothe your throat and the hot tea will soothe it as well.

-Make the flight extra special by allowing exceptions to the rules you normally follow at home. Find a rule you have at home and break it on vacation, provided the kids are behaving themselves. If they don't get snacks too often on the plane, break out some snacks for the little ones. It'll not only reward them for being good, it'll also fill them up and give them another reminder of a fun vacation to be. Break out the iPad or tablet loaded with kid-friendly material and make sure you have travel headphones.

-Bring snacks for the little ones and chew gum to avoid ear popping during takeoff / landing. With babies, there's nothing you can do about the ear popping. And they know it too. That's why babies cry; their ears are popping and they can't do anything about it. The best thing you can do is comfort the little ones until the pressure equalizes inside the airplane. After that, the cute little babies will be good to go. Make each item you have a surprise. Alternate between snacks and toys for the kids throughout the flight. Water coloring books and sticker books always work well because they're not messy.

Exiting the Plane

-This is what I jokingly call "the stampede". Everyone wants to get off the plane ASAP to start their vacation. But, you can't just go running off the plane; everyone wants to do that. Make sure to look everywhere so that you don't forget anything. If you're not in a particular rush, ask if it's okay to tour the cockpit, where the pilots sit and ask for a family photo. Just wait for everyone else to exit the plane and ask for permission from one of the flight attendants or pilots.

Tuesday, August 8, 2023

How to Successfully Manager a Plane Ride with Kids

Kids get antsy to start moving after a while. On a long plane, they get even more antsy and want to move around. We all know travelling with kids can be stressful. Depending on the age of the child, it can be overwhelming. Here's how to successfully manage a flight with kids.

Self-Care Prior to the Trip

-Take care of yourself before, during and after the trip

-Call some friends before flying

-Write down your anxieties and envision what a great trip it will be

-Exercise before the flight or a day before

-Carry an essential oil with you. Hand lotion might want to be avoided since it contains glycerin and glycerin tests positive for explosives at the airport. Take out the essential oil for a breath of calm before the storm

-If you're religious, say a prayer. If not, stay grounded and tell yourself everything will be okay

The actual trip

Timing is key

-Schedule the flight for the evening hours. So that kids will sleep better at night

Pack right

-If time is the issue, make packing your carry-on a priority over your suitcase. Finding things in transit is harder than when not in transit

Always go back to basics

-Guarantee that your kids have everything they need within easy reach- food, drinks, clothes, a favorite toy or plush animal

Comfort is good to consider

-Dress your kids in soft, comfy clothes in case they sleep on the airplane. Bring pillows and blankets to make them comfortable, no matter if it's a long or short flight

Consider entertainment

-Nowadays, there are specially-made Kindles for kids that can sometimes come preloaded with kid-friendly material. If there is no kid-friendly material on it, download some books or kid-friendly movies or TV shows to keep your little ones occupied. Just tell them when it's safe to start watching and make sure it's in Airplane Mode so it's safe. Since not all kids like in-ear buds, bring those oversized headphones for kids. And, you don't have to worry about the volume killing their hearing because most if not all kids headphones now come made with volume control on the actual headphones to prevent hearing loss

Avoid bringing car seats

-Nothing causes more headaches for parents than bringing car seats. You have to do all sorts of special arrangements at the check-in desk for the airline you're flying through. If you can, rent a car seat or arrange for family or friends to have one for you. So that you don't worry about bringing one and having the worry of it getting lost or stolen at the airport

Always ask for help

-There's nothing wrong with asking for help. The flight attendants are more than willing to assist passengers with anything they can

Self-Love

-Give yourself some love for making sure everything went smoothly. Remember that you are not alone here. Your spouse will also be there for you. And if you have older kids with you, they can help too

Monday, August 7, 2023

August Birthdays

Since it's now August, time to say Happy Birthday

Valtteri Bottas

-Birth name: Valtteri Viktor Bottas

-DOB: 8/28/1989

-Where: Nastola, Finland

-He drove for the Mercedes team from 2017-2021 and the Williams racing team from 2013-2016

Bruce Dickinson

-Birth name: Paul Bruce Dickinson

-DOB: 8/7/1958

-Where: Nottinghamshire, Englnad

-He is known for his highly operatic singing style and high energy performance on stage

Joe Elliott

-Birth name: Joseph Thomas Elliott

-DOB: 8/1/1959

-Where: Sheffield, England

-As a child, he would make up names for imaginary rock bands and Deaf Leopard was one of them. Later on, the spelling was changed to Def Leppard and the name stuck

Rob Halford

-Birth name: Robert John Arthur Halford

-DOB: 8/25/1951

-Where: Sutton Coldfield, England

-He realized he was gay when he was ten years old



Glenn Hughes

-DOB: 8/21/1951

-Where: Cannock, United Kingdom

-He's known more for his operatic vocals than his unique style of playing bass

James Jagger

-DOB: 8/28/1985

-Where: New York City, New York

-In an interview with the New York Times, he said he was classmates with Robert Pattinson, with whom he shared a drama class

Antonio Banderas

-Birth name: Jose Antonio Dominguez Banderas

-DOB: 8/10/1960

-Where: Malaga, Spain

-He's provided the voice for Spanish sword fighting cat Puss in Boots ever since his first appearance in Shrek 2

Viola Davis

-DOB: 8/11/1965

-Where: St. Matthews, South Carolina

-She was the first black actress to win an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for the TV show How to Get Away with Murder

John Deacon

-Birth name: John Richard Deacon

-DOB: 8/19/1951

-Where: Leicester, United Kingdom

-After Freddie Mercury died, John Deacon quit Queen because of his close friendship to the singer

Sean Connery

-Birth name: Thomas Sean Connery

-DOB: 8/25/1930

-Where: Edinburgh, Scotland

-DOD: 10/31/2020

-Where: Nassau, Bahamas

-Prior to becoming an actor, he held a variety of odd jobs, such as coffin polisher, milkman, truck driver, artist's model for the Edinburgh College of Art

Shawn Michaels

-Birth name: Michael Shawn Hickenbottom

-DOB: 7/22/1965

-Where: Chandler, Arizona

-Took his wrestling name from rearranging his real name to Shawn Michaels

Friday, August 4, 2023

12 Tips to Packing for a Plane Ride

We all love travelling. We all love that excitement of knowing we're going away on vacation or holiday as Europeans would call it. But we all also know the headache of packing; knowing how much to pack, how heavy the max weight limit is for luggage and more. Here are 12 tips for packing for a plane ride.

1. Make a checklist

-It's always good to make a checklist of everything you'll need for that trip. It keeps you organized and you can double and triple check the list to make sure everything you need is there. It's good to do this list before you go. Starting early guarantees that you'll have time to get items if you haven't already. Think about where you are going and the type of weather that exists there and what you plan on doing there. That will help you figure out what type of clothing you'll need. Everyone does travel lists differently. If you are the type of person to list how many per item, do it like this. Categorize each item and list how many of that item you'll need.

-How many times do you plan to wear that clothing item? Are you going somewhere tropical with water or pools? If so, how many swimsuits are needed? Will you need gym shoes for walking around? Also keep in mind airports charge for overweight bag fees because they need to make sure all luggage is stored on the plane. Packing lists help those who tend to overpack and helps them pack lighter and smarter. You can double and triple check the list or check however many times you want as long you make sure you have all you need. You can even set your luggage somewhere and each time you add an item, check it off the list. So that you know you have that item

2. Not everything goes into your checked bag

-"Checked bag" is the luggage that goes onto the airplane. "Carry on" is the smaller bag you literally "carry on" the airplane with you. This can include a backpack, gym-sized duffel bag or small wheeled suitcase that easily fit underneath the seat in front of you. Not everything can fit into your checked in bag. Liquids can go in there as long as they are not over a certain amount and have a locking lid. Spray sunblock, which usually comes in highly pressurized cans, would not be wise to bring on an airplane. Those are usually not allowed. Smaller items can be kept in your carry on. Lately, airlines have been setting the rule that if a carry on doesn't fit inside a certain sized compartment, you must pay oversize bag fees. Your best bet for a carry on is a backpack.

-A gym duffel bag can also serve as a good carry on as long as it's not overfilled. If you're going somewhere tropical that has a pool, put a swimsuit, cover up, flip flops or other small items into your carry on while your other items can be stored in your checked in bag. You can even store a book or item in your carry on to keep you occupied on the plane in case boredom strikes. In the case of electronics, such as handheld game devices, tablets, phones, wait until the airplane crew says it's safe to use electronics on the plane. And when you get to your destination, if the first place you have in mind is the pool, you're completely allowed to go get your tanning oil or sunblock out of your luggage before it's taken to your room

3. Use the right sized suitcase

-Using the right sized suitcase for your trip ensures overpacking won't occur. We're all guilty of overpacking at least once on a trip. The fine art of packing for vacation is perfected over time and using the right sized suitcase ensures it won't happen again. If you're going on a small weekend trip, then you can probably get away with a small suitcase or even a carry on. If you're going for a weeklong trip, then a slightly larger suitcase would suffice in addition to a carry on. If you're going for longer than a week, then you may need two suitcases depending on where you're going and how long you're staying. Prior to going, weigh your suitcase. A lot of airlines say 25 pounds is the max weight limit you can get away with before you have to pay overweight bag fees. If your suitcase is over 25 pounds, see if there is anything you can put in your carry on to lighten the load.

4. Choose a color palette

-If you're going somewhere warm and tropical, dark colors may not be wise. You'll be hotter because the sun is attracted to dark colors. Bring clothes in colors that you can mix and match with. For shorts or pants, bring black, white, grey or any shade of brown or bring jean shorts in colors that go with anything Those colors go with everything. Think about where you're going. Is the climate warm or cold? This will also help you decide what to bring as well. Simply stick to coordinating colors and colors you can mix and match with other clothes to save space and weight. It also helps to think about if you're going somewhere with an a la carte restaurant, which means the men have to dress up a little and so do the ladies.

5. Go for travel friendly fabrics

-When you're getting ready to fly on a plane. you want to wear something that is going to travel easy and bring travel easy clothes too. You don't want clothes that you will have to iron or steam when you arrive at your destination. Not only that, but you also don't want the headache of bringing a steam iron with you only to find out your hotel has one on stock. Stretchy fabrics and wrinkle-resistant clothes are the best choice. Also think about odor-resistant and quick drying clothes so you can wear them multiple times

6. Lay out everything

-This is a must! This is like doing your checklist for vacation. Lay out everything you plan on bringing. This will save you trips to the closet and allow you to see everything. Mark each item off as you see it. When done, you will know if you have to do any last minute shopping for last minute items. Not only that, but you'll also be able to see if you're going to have anything immediately flagged as suspicious by TSA (they only seem strict because they are doing their jobs to ensure security). Also, use packing cubes. These are handy little devices. Just fold the clothing or roll them up into these packing cubes and they save space. Folding your clothing items into these packing cubes will ensure that everything is neat and tidy when you go. Coming back home, it doesn't matter about putting your clothing items into these cubes; TSA will go through your items anyway. May as well just toss your clothes in and make it easy for them

7. When to roll, when to fold

-Some people roll their clothes up, some people fold. There's a time to know when to do one or the other. Roll heavy items, such as jeans, and put those on the bottom. Roll lighter items, such as t-shirts, pajamas, casual pants and dresses, and put those on top. This will guarantee your suitcase will actually close. And if you're using a packing cube, fold the lighter items in there and if you can, fold the jeans in there too. If you cannot fold jeans in there, simply roll the jeans up and put them beneath the packing cubes

8. Place shoes on sides away from clothes

-This is because you don't want scuff marks on your nice clothes. With flip flops, stick one inside the other and put them on their side. So that they not only avoid scuffing your clothes with black marks, but you can also keep them together. You can also put shoes in some sort of bag to keep them from dirtying your clothes. And most if not all suitcases come with a separate zip up compartment. You can also put your shoes and other small items there. This will help you save space

9. Keep toiletries separate

-That lovely law by Murphy "Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong". This almost always happens on at least one vacation (I know it does for me and my family, lol. In fact, the first time me and my sister went to Mexico with my parents, my stepdad forgot to put his tanning oil into his checked in bag and luckily, someone from the airport told him and kindly let him fix the issue. They jokingly laughed when he said he forgot.). Any spillable items, put into a clear plastic bag or a bag specially made for toiletry items into your checked in bag. If you're only taking a carry-on, make sure that the liquid items follow the TSA-approved rule of 3.4oz or less and put in to a one quart bag. Pack your toiletry bag last so it doesn't get squished under all your clothes and you can access it quickly with going through security if you're using only a carry-on. A clear transparent bag also makes it easier for security to see what you have. They will stop you if you have anything with glycerin in it, such as lotion. That's because glycerin will show up positive as an explosive.

10. Use the max amount of space for accessories and undergarments

-Roll items such as socks, underwear, workout gear, swimsuits or scarves and put them in the smaller areas, such as the interior zip up area of your suitcase. You can fit all the items you plan on bringing into your suitcase if you do it right. Fit all the other small items around your clothing. Think about compression cubes as well. They not only save space, but they also keep you organized. You can also use a smaller bag for your undergarments, socks, etc.

11. Bring extra bags

-It's always a good idea to bring extra bags, especially if you're going somewhere with a pool. You can use these bags to put swimsuits in, separate dirty clothes from clean or bringing home souvenirs. Reusable, waterproof bags are the best. And you can also use bags from the hotel you're staying at to store items in because almost every hotel has laundry services, which means they'll have bags on hand for small, medium and large clothing items.

12. Delicate items go on top

-If the point of your vacation involves going straight to a meeting with business professional attire or you're going somewhere cold, put the delicate items for this on top. Put those items in your suitcase last so they are on top. Anything fragile or delicate, like clothing with studs or any sort of embellishment, should be on top to avoid getting crushed or damaged because airport employees take less than perfect care of luggage by simply throwing it onto the airplane. Their mindset is, more or less "Not my luggage, my not problem". That's how so many souvenirs get broken when stored in your main luggage.


My additional tips

-I know a lot of these tips may seem the same as above, but I feel like adding my own experience with these tips might help as well.

Invest in a luggage lock and key

-These will help keep unwanted items out of your luggage. The only time you want to lock your luggage up is when you are done getting out items at the hotel and are waiting for the hotel staff to take your luggage to your room and when your luggage is in your room and you're not there. If you've seen any of those To Catch a Smuggler shows on National Geographic, then you'll know why I suggest a luggage lock and key. This is to keep people from sneaking things into or out of your suitcase. People could sneak anything into it, such as drugs and when you go to the airport, TSA will think those drugs are yours. Keep the luggage lock and key in a place you'll remember, such as your carry on. When you get ready to head to the airport, remove the luggage lock and key because TSA will simply cut it off.

Plan ahead

-Know what type of place you're going to. Try and do research about the climate there and pack accordingly. If you're going somewhere tropical, basic t-shirts, jean shorts and flip flops will be the order of the day. If you plan on attending an a la carte restaurant, dress it up a little. Bring nice clothes, such as nice shirts and pants, dresses and nice shoes because those restaurants won't let you dressed otherwise. If you're going to do a lot of walking, a good pair of gym shoes will serve you well. If you're going somewhere with cold temperatures, it would be wise to pack winter weather gear. It also comes down to what you plan on doing there. If, for example, you're going to Japan to climb Mount Fuji, cold weather gear would be advisable, because you can climb that mountain by using a path carved into the mountain.

Keep all valuables in one place

-Most if not everyone takes money and jewelry with them on vacation. When going through TSA, if you're wearing a necklace, you don't have to take it off; TSA will look around it. Bracelets, rings and any sort of body piercing must come out because it will set off the metal detector. When you get to your destination, put your valuables in a safe with a code that only you will remember. If the room doesn't have a safe, put your valuables, such as money, jewelry, etc., in your luggage and lock it up with a key that you keep on you at all times. Just so that the housekeeping or hotel staff don't rob you.

Don't overpack / overstuff carry-ons

-Let's face it: we've all overpacked for a vacation at least once. I'm guilty as charged the first time I went to Mexico with my family. My stepdad is guilty on all charges EVERY time we go on vacation. Luckily, he's learned not to bring silk Hawaiian shirts on vacation otherwise he's sweating up a storm. Do not overpack your suitcase; you will pay massive fees in overweight bag charges. Also, with carry-ons, if your bag doesn't fit in a certain sized compartment they have there in the airport before check in, you'll be paying massive overweight bag fees there too. I've seen people try to cram an oversized gym duffel bag into the compartment, saying "it fits". But I also tell them "It only fits because you pushed it in there." If you accidentally accrue overweight bag fees, bring a card or some cash with you to pay.

If you plan on bringing your bank card, call ahead and let them know

-Any financial service who offers a debit / credit card also offers a type of add-money-onto-it type of card. If you plan on using one of these cards where you add money onto it, make sure to do this ahead of time. If you plan on using your regular credit card / debit card through your bank, call ahead and let the Fraud services department know where you're going, how long you'll be gone and when you're coming back. Tell them that if they see any kind of transactions on your bank statement from in and around this region, that it's you and not suspicious activity. Because if you don't do this, they will block your card and thus, your card will fail to work. It's all in the name of YOUR PROTECTION!! They will block your card thinking that someone has gotten a hold of your card and committing fraudulent activity on your card. Having a mother who worked in Card Fraud for close to ten years will have you thinking this way. So please make it easy for the Fraud department and call ahead to let them know if you're using your card outside the country or using your card somewhere else and let them know where you're going, how long you'll be there and when you're coming back and tell them that any transactions from in and around this area is actually you and not fraudulent activity. The Fraud department will thank you  very much for making their job 100% easier. They truly appreciate you thinking ahead and making their days just a bit easier.

Weigh your suitcase ahead of time

-Most if not all airlines have a maximum limit of 25 pounds. Anything over that will get you charged overweight bag fees. To avoid having to pay a hefty price for overweight bags, weigh your suitcase. Pack everything you plan on bringing into your suitcase and use your bathroom scale to weigh it. If it's under 25 pounds, you're in the clear. If it's over, re-assess what you're bringing and decide if there are items you can do with out. If you're going somewhere for a long while, and plan on bringing multiple pieces of luggage, spread out your items through these suitcases and weigh them. If they all fall under the 25 pound limit, you'll be in the clear and won't have to pay overweight bag fees.

Run through your checklist to make sure everything is there

-There is no limit to how many times you can run through your checklist. Doing this early ensures you have enough time to get last minute items you need. A day or two before you leave for the airport, run through your checklist and check off each item that you have listed and make sure it's there. Once everything has been checked off and you see that those items are present, then you're good. Pack everything up once again and rest assured that you have everything you need. Also, to let you know, most if not all hotels sell essential items in their gift shops. These essential items can include over the counter painkillers, such as Tylenol, Motrin, Aspirin, feminine hygiene items, sunblock, tanning oil and more. 

-Also make sure your boarding pass and passport are together or on you somewhere that can be easily accessible. Get a passport holder and keep your passport, boarding pass and all necessary information about the hotel together on you. Best place to keep it would be your carry-on because it will be with you at all times. If you're using one of those pay-to-park lots at the airport, make sure you have your passport, boarding pass and everything about the hotel you're staying at together on you somewhere. So that TSA at your airport knows your itinerary and won't worry about you committing suspicious activity, especially if you don't know the name of the hotel you're staying at.

-Here's why you should keep your boarding pass, flight information, hotel information, passport on you at all times somewhere on you. One time, me and my family were going to Mexico. We had parked in the Valu-Park lot at CVG, the main airport that serves Northern Kentucky and the Cincinnati region. We pulled up to the front of the airport and my stepdad, who was in charge of the passports and boarding information for him and my mom, he didn't have on him. My mom immediately worried that he left it at home. She asked the Valu-Park driver to take her back to the car, thinking he left it there or dropped it in the car. 10 minutes later, she returns, that's what happened. He had it on his lap, since he was in the passenger seat and my mom drove us to the airport, and it fell on to the floor. And because the carpet in my mom's car is black and the passport holder was black, she didn't see it immediately, but opened her passenger door all the way so the parking lot lights would help her see it. She found it on the floor of the passenger side. We all felt so relieved that it was only in my mom's car and not at home because we lived 45-60 minutes from the airport and if we had to go home to get it, we would have missed our flight because we had to be there three hours prior to leave at 7am. Then further on, when going through the Cancun airport, my stepdad thought he lost his passport, once again, my mom worried. She told him to check his carry-on. There it was. He forgot where he put it for a second because my mom told him to put it in his carry-on. Coming home through the Cancun airport, he once again thought he lost his passport. This time, I told him to check the bin of things he had to take off to go through the scanner and metal detector. His passport was under his shoes.

Put all souvenirs in your carry-on

-We've all seen how careless airport employees are with luggage. They throw luggage onto the airplanes without a care in the world about the fact that the people whose luggage that belongs to have bought souvenirs that they don't want broken. If you bought souvenirs, and there's no doubt that you did, the best place to put them would be your carry-on. So that there's no chance of them getting broken when these careless airport employees simply throw your luggage onto the airplane. Their mindset is, more or less, "Not my luggage, not my problem". Yet, if it was their luggage that got tossed onto the airplane, there'd be holy chaos rising. Simply put, put your souvenirs in your carry-on so that they'll not get broken and they'll also be with you.

-And if TSA stops you because of something suspicious in your carry on, just tell them the truth-they're souvenirs that you don't want the careless airport employees breaking because of their inconsiderate attitude towards luggage. And also, tell the truth on what you bought overseas or in another country. All they're trying to do is make sure you aren't bringing in anything bad. Any kind of food item is usually prohibited, unless it's been safely processed. Any kind of wood item is usually inspected for insects that could prove to be invasive species. If TSA clears these items and declares them safe, they hand them back to you and you're free to go. Certain food items are allowed, but other food items, such as certain types of fruits, meats, vegetables or fish, are usually not allowed because they can bring in insects that often prove to be invasive species. And you'll get a fine for violating that law if you don't initially declare it.

Friday, July 28, 2023

All in the Family (1971)

This show was way ahead of its time. It featured one of America's biggest, but most loved bigots, Archie Bunker. He was say anything that came into his mind, but people still loved him. It featured topics that, today, are considered not that big of a deal, but back then were said in soft, whispered tones, like women's rights, gay rights and more

Summary

-Archie Bunker is a working class man dealing with constant differences of opinion with his family over the many current issues of the day

Cast

-Caroll O'Connor: Archie Bunker

-Jean Stapleton: Edith Bunker

-Rob Reiner: Michael "Meathead" Stivic

-Sally Struthers: Gloria Stivic

-Mike Evans: Lionel Jefferson

-Isabel Sanford: Louis Jefferson

-Sherman Hemsley: George Jefferson

-Allan Melvin: Barney Hefner

-Betty Garrett: Irene Lorenzo

-Vincent Gardenia: Frank Lorenzo






Did You Know?

-Living in Italy at the time, Carroll O'Connor accepted the role of Archie Bunker only if producers paid for the flight back to Italy if the show was not done

-Compared to Archie Bunker, Carroll O'Connor's views were liberal

-The first toilet flush to be heard on national television was heard on this show

-There was an ongoing gag throughout the show about Edith's singing. In reality, Jean Stapleton was a highly trained and accomplished professional singer who worked in musical theater

-The easy-chairs Archie and Edith sat in are now on display at the Smithsonian Museum

-When Rob Reiner, who played Mike, realized he was losing his hair so quickly when the show aired, he started wearing a hairpiece through the first season

-Archie Bunker was always seen wearing his wedding ring on his middle finger

-Penny Marshall was considered for the role of Gloria Stivic because, at the time, she was married to Rob Reiner

-Initially, the show caused quite a stir because of the topics that Archie commented on. The ratings were so low that it was being threatened with cancellation. Then, seemingly overnight, the show started building a fan base during the 1971 re-run season. It was announced in August 1971 that the 1971-1972 season would be renewed

-According to one of the show's producers, Norman Lear, the nicknames and phrases heard on the show, including "Meat Head", "dingbat", "stifle" were inspired by words used by his own father when he was growing up

-Since Rob Reiner and Billy Crystal are good friends, that explains why Billy Crystal was chosen to play Mike's best friend on the "New Year's Wedding" episode

-Norman Lear had chosen Jean Stapleton to play Edith after seeing her perform in the Broadway Musical Damn Yankees, a reprisal of her role in the 1958 film of the same name

-Two of the actors considered for the role of Mike Stivic were Harrison Ford and Richard Dreyfuss. Ford found Archie's bigotry too offensive and it's unclear why Dreyfuss didn't accept the role. Also, Penny Marshall was considered for the role of Gloria while Mickey Rooney was initially considered for the role of Archie

-On the way to the studios for pre-production, Rob Reiner picked up Mike Evans, who was hitch hiking, and asked him what he did for work. Evans stated he was an aspiring actor who had no experience. Rob arranged an audition for him to play Lionel Jefferson. According to John Rich, who directed this show among others, Evans didn't have the best talent in the audition, but still saw something in him and felt he would be a great choice for the role of Lionel Jefferson

-Despite the argumentative nature of Archie and Mike, Carroll O'Connor and Rob Reiner had become close friends over the years of making the show. Also, Reiner considered O'Connor both a surrogate father and acting mentor

-The exterior shots of the Bunker's house was filmed in the Glendale borough of Queens, New York

-Inspired by his father calling him Meat Head, Norman Lear gave that nickname to Mike Stivic and Archie would call him that

-This show inspired 7 spin off series. It includes: 1972's Maude, which, in turn, inspired 1974's Good Times. 1975's The Jeffersons inspired 1981's Checking In. 1979's Archie Bunker's Place, 1994's 704 Hauser and 1984's Gloria.

-Actor Gavin McLeod read for the role of Archie, but was doing so reluctantly. He was strongly against bigotry of all sorts and he felt that matters such as those were highly inappropriate in a comedy format. He also knew that producer Norman Lear had his mind set on Carroll O' Connor

-The unique accent that Archie speaks with was inspired by the various accents heard by Carroll O'Connor while growing up in Queens, New York and working the New York stages

-In reality, Carroll O'Connor was hugely different than Archie Bunker. He was highly educated, very liberal, intelligent and very giving with time and money. O'Connor stated he took this role to challenge himself to explore the mindset of this type of person

-Norman Lear said the only reason he wrote the show was to say that, at the end of the day, no matter what differences existed, in the end, people can still get along and come together

-Norman Lear stated he based Archie and Edith on his own parents

-This is the only sitcom in television history to address prejudice against Catholics

-The episode known as the "Draft Dodger" episode came on about the time the government disbanded mandatory service laws, stating that men must serve a mandatory term in the military

-Bill Cosby was one of the show's biggest critics. Along with Dr. Alvin F. Poussaint, who worked on The Cosby Show, they both stated the show made racism a laughing matter and encouraged acceptance of bigotry by both blacks and whites

-The first openly gay character to appear on a television show was on this program, the episode "Judging Books by Covers". It was Mike's friend Steve. Despite the fact the word "gay" was never used, characters used nicknames to refer to it. Archie often said "queer" or "fairy" while Edith often said "pansy" or "flower".

Monday, July 24, 2023

July Birthdays

Since it's July, time to say Happy Birthday

Daniel Ricciardo

-Birth name: Daniel Joseph Ricciardo

-DOB: 7/1/1989

-Where: Perth, Australia

-Like most Formula 1 drivers, he started out go-karting






Mick Jagger

-Birth name: Michael Phillip Jagger

-DOB: 7/26/1943

-Where: Dartford, Kent, England

-Met future Rolling Stones bandmate Keith Richards at a train station

Fernando Alonso

-Birth name: Fernando Alonso Diaz

-DOB: 7/29/1981

-Where: Oviedo, Spain

-Was formerly on the Alpine F1 team. Now drives for Aston Martin, to replace Sebastian Vettel

Triple H

-Birth name: Paul Michael Levesque

-DOB: 7/27/1969

-Where: Nashua, New Hampshire

-Earned the nickname "Triple H" from when he first started wrestling. His angle was that of a rich aristocrat named Hunter Hearst Helmsley, aka Triple H

Sebastian Vettel

-DOB: 7/3/1987

-Where: Heppenheim, Germany

-Considers Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton a close friend and warned him about racial things being uttered about him from other teams

Kevin Nash

-Birth name: Kevin Scott Nash

-DOB: 7/9/1959

-Where: Detroit, Michigan

-He had joined the Army after seeing the Bill Murray film Stripes and went on to have top-secret level clearance

Bret Hart

-Birth name: Bret Sergeant Hart

-DOB: 7/2/1957

-Where: Calgary, Canada

-He trained for wrestling with his father, Lou Hart, a famous wrestling promoter in Canada

Lauren Harris

-DOB: 7/6/1984

-Where: Essex, England

-Not much is known about her other than that she is the oldest daughter of Iron Maiden bassist / founding member / primary songwriter Steve Harris

Daniel Radcliffe

-Birth name: Daniel Jacob Radcliffe

-DOB: 7/23/1989

-Where: London, England

-He supports a charity that helps terminally ill children in Kent, East Sussex and South London areas of England called the Demelza House Children's Hospice. On his birthday, he asks people to donate to this charity instead of giving him gifts. This even inspired a character to be named Demelza in the sixth Harry Potter book The Half Blood Prince

Geezer Butler

-Birth name: Terence Michael Joseph Butler

-DOB: 7/17/1949

-Where: Aston, Birmingham, England

-He was arrested for getting into a drunken dispute at a bar in Death Valley, California. He was booked under his birth name of Terence Michael Butler

Ronnie James Dio

-Birth name: Ronald James Padavona

-DOB: 7/10/1942

-Where: Portsmouth, New Hampshire

-DOD: 5/16/2010

-Where: Los Angeles, California

-He introduced the so-called "Metal Horns" gesture (made by holding the thumb over the middle and ring finger) to heavy metal. He was inspired by his superstitious Italian grandmother, who used the gesture to ward off evil spirits

Ian Anthony Dale

-DOB: 7/3/1978

-Where: St. Paul, Minnesota

-He has Japanese in his heritage

Diana, Princess of Wales

-DOB: 7/1/1961

-Where: Sandringham, United Kingdom

-DOD: 8/31/1997

-Where: Paris, France

-She did a variety of charitable work, including visiting patients sick with AIDS in the hospital. She proved that AIDS was not contagious by hugging these patients and raising their spirits

Friday, July 21, 2023

Sebastian Vettel warns Lewis Hamilton of racial things being said by other F1 teams

Sebastian Vettel, formerly of Ferrari and Aston Martin, said he warned close friend, Mercedes AMG driver Lewis Hamilton of racial things said by other teams.

Sebastian Vettel supports Lewis Hamilton in F1 racing. The German racer supports his close friend and warns him about things being said about Hamilton because of his unique looks. In an interview, Lewis Hamilton said he was warned by close friend Sebastian Vettel that other teams were saying unkind, racial things about him behind his back. Hamilton is the only black driver in Formula 1 and he has faced plenty of discrimination in both Formula 1 and various parts of society.

Very often, Hamilton had Vettel's support when it came to unfair times on the grid and even believing things needed to change in the F1 paddock. It was said that Hamilton was warned by Vettel that unfair, racial things were being said behind his back. On the DAZN programme, True Driver, Hamilton said in an interview "We have to get people to empathise, we need empathy. Sometimes I wonder, does nobody else care? Sebastian was one of those people who supported me the most. He told me that in some teams they spoke racist things about me. He knelt down with me in 2020, I have not yet seen a driver as brave as him. The laws must be changed so that people live better. We are risking our lives to try to educate others."

Vettel also developed an interest in environmental practices during the later parts of his Formula 1 career and shed light on how to do sustainable practices. Hamilton has also spoken up about other issues during his F1 career, including preserving the environment, animal rights and LGBTQ+ acceptance, which he advertises on his current helmet, which is donned in rainbow colors. He said "I don't know what my next project will be. Animal protection laws have to continue to be reviewed, with the environment. It's hard for people to see the disasters that happen. I have Mission 44, a project that I launched in London and I want to expand it to Africa and the US, with which we want to instill in children that they can have a good future, that they can become engineers or whatever they want."

Thursday, July 20, 2023

Memes that make Gen Y feel old pt. II

I'm in my 30s and already I feel old when I look at the youth of today. I honestly can't relate to the younger people of today or even people my own age. Here are some hilarious memes that put a little comedy in to not being able to relate to the youth of today

34. It's the little things

-Sometimes the little things bring about the most joy. Over time, your priorities change as you age. When you're a kid, you're priorities were eating candy until you puked, running a bike over a ramp and thinking you're Evel Knievel or staying up until 9pm. When you get to be an adult, your biggest priority is paying bills. As you age, your priorities change

-I don't do online grocery orders. I get out on the two legs God gave me and do it myself. I'm very particular about what I buy. If it's on sale, woohoo!! I like certain items for lunch, certain types of fruit, etc. I like going to the store myself because I get in and out. It's like a military rescue mission-get in and out as quick as possible. I'm glad that online grocery ordering exists for those not able to make the trip themselves, but others use it just to be lazy.






35. Priorities change...

-It's true. Priorities change as you get older and so do customs like cursive handwriting. A lot of schools now are cutting out lessons in cursive. I think it's ridiculous to do that; how are the next generations going to learn how to sign their name? When you see something that says "Signature", that means cursive. Baby boomers and millennials value different things. Baby boomers value cursive writing, money being something that can disappear at any moment and their items they've bought, making sure they last a long time. Millennials can learn these values as well and pass them on to the next generation

 

-I still do cursive. I'm thankful for it too. I hated learning it when I was a kid, but I'm now thankful I learned it. In a hurry, it's kind of messy, but when I take my time, it's beautiful. And for those who think cursive is irrelevant, I got a tip for you. Cursive is relevant because when you see something that says "Signature", that don't mean print. If it meant print your name, it would say so. "Signature" means cursive!! And at the risk of sounding like my parents, I firmly believe that home ec classes should be teaching practical skills, like how to apply for a mortgage or rental agreement if you want an apartment, how to balance a check book, how to buy a car and finance it, how to apply for / pay a credit card, how to pay a mortgage payment or pay property taxes, how to make a grocery list, how to budget your money and other life skills. It's common sense that if you have unprotected sex, you're going to get either an STD, an STI or pregnant.

36. An artifact for the museum

-Cell phones have come incredibly far in their campaign to allow people to reach other people. Initially, they were gigantic. Now, they are razor thin, have high definition graphics and can allow internet access. Back in the day, you needed different devices to check your email, surf the internet, watch TV and more.

My mom had an alarm clock just like this!

-I have a smart phone, but the only thing I usually use it for it incoming / outgoing calls and texts. I'll occasionally use the internet to check my email, but it's because I logged into my work Wi-Fi and am using their Wi-Fi, as I'm sure half the staff does. My sister, on the other hand, uses her phone for EVERYTHING! She does her banking on her phone. She buys things on the internet on her phone. EVERYTHING!

37. Back in the day...

-It's almost natural for older people to look around and marvel at how much things have changed since they were growing up. They would say that that store used to be an auto parts store but now it's a dollar store. Or how that large field used to be a baseball field, now it's luxury condominiums.

-I find myself doing the same thing. I grew up in a small town in Northern Kentucky called Bellevue. I find myself looking at the parking lot for the local grocery store, Krogers, and seeing it dip in some spots. That's because that used to be a baseball field that was filled with fill dirt and blacktopped over. The car wash next door is now a Taco Bell. A local florist shop nearby is now a computer repair store.

38. Living the Dream

-This is something that I'm sure everyone wants. Back in the day, it was the men who went to work to earn a salary and women stayed home and took care of the house and kids and made sure there was a hot meal on the table for the family. But, as the feminist movement became stronger, women started demanding more. Being allowed to work and earn money, etc. Things have changed over the years and both genders have a lot more choices and freedoms, although there are a lot of places where women are still not being paid equally as men; they're still getting less money for doing the same job as men.

-I have gotten asked that in every job interview I've attended. My answer is simple; to be employed so I can earn a living. My answer to that question is still the same; to be gainfully employed so I can earn money to pay bills and go do stuff.

39. High as a kite

-When it comes to anxiety, depression and other mood disorders, it's a various array of options causing it. Spouses / boyfriends or girlfriends, work, money, etc. Younger people are feeling the blue moods more than anyone because they feel lonely, unfulfilled or other reasons.

-I'm sometimes get into a down mood when I think about how my life is going so far. I get sad, thinking "I have done nothing with my life so far, and I'm 32, about to be 33 this year." I get sad that I lost my passion for nursing and wish I could get back the passion I had to be either an obstetrician or oncologist. But, I have to tell myself that if I wanted to become a nurse, I should have not let my biological father tell me to avoid it, that I was not going to do it. I should have pursued it to not only follow my passion, but to prove a point, that I could do it despite what he said. But I didn't want to anger him, so I lost my passion and believed what he said. To this day, I still have times when I wish I could change my past. But then, I think of the Iron Maiden song "Wasted Years": "Don't waste your time always searching for those wasted years". When I'm driving and I have those thoughts, I just turn up my hard rock or metal music and force myself to get through those blue moods

40. Next question

-Some millennials seem to be obsessed with food. They will go out to different restaurants and take pictures of it before eating it and go on social media about it. These millennials who this are called foodies. Back in the day, people only ate because they were hungry. But now, because of the advent of being a foodie, eating out / ordering takeout has now become a social media hobby.

-Yup. We need food to live. I need to eat because if I don't, I get those irritating hunger headaches, where your head hurts because you have no food in you

41. 6th period class with a sub teacher

-For starters, anyone who had to switch rooms for classes knows 6th period is the best. Once that class is over, you're free!! It's even better with a substitute teacher, because sometimes if you're good enough in class or your class is good enough, they'll allow you to work on your homework, ensuring you have less to do at home and, if' it's on a Friday, a weekend with no homework! It's a battle ground between older generations and younger generations. Older generations, not every single member of those generations, but a good handful, think they're right about everything. Younger generations think the older generations treat everything as a trash dump or ashtray.

-I make sure I respect the planet. It's the only one with coffee, cows, chipmunks, gorillas and orangutans.

42. Leisure is different in everyone's eyes

-Back then, nine to five used to be standard working hours. Things have changed. People are working a lot more hours these days and everyone's idea of a vacation is radically different.

-I can relate to the millennial image. When I worked at Fifth Third, in the Cash Vault, I was averaging more than 40 hours a week. I was averaging about 60-70 hours a week, 12-14 hour shifts each day. I was only supposed to work 8 hours a day, but things never got done that way. I was getting single shift pay for double shift work. I quit there because my health was taking a massive toll, between basically starving because I couldn't eat lunch and getting massive varicose veins, I had to quit before I had a nervous breakdown

43. What year is it?

-Confusion, denial and more is a common sign as you age when it comes to finding out what year it is. The concept of time is a strange thing. When you think something was recent, it actually ends up being years ago

-When you read something regarding a previous generation, you usually think 1800s. When you read 1900s, the generation a lot of us were born in, it's a sure fire eye opener. I still look at calendars just to find out what day, month and year it is. And every new year, I still find myself putting the last year on things for the first few days

44. Now that is smart

-When you can combine old school technology with new school technology, hands down, high level genius there. People assume that older generations know nothing of technology. Wrong! When it comes to cell phones, some like to think that new phones are the best and that old phones will never work. Using an old school cell phone will run hot, making you sweaty. It's heavy and will hurt your arm and making a call was like trying to diffuse a bomb-it's hard.

-If old handsets can merge successfully with new phones, go for it. If it makes things easier, go for it. Combine the old school with the new school. The guy above is a genius!

45. It's time

-Millennials have become attached to certain items, even though they have no value to that person. There are some things that should be saved, salvaged or treasured, other items can be recycled.

-I only keep the box my phone came in because my old phone is in it and I'm trying to find a place to recycle my old phone. I don't have time when I get home from work to do research about where to recycle old cell phones. So I guess I'm guilty as charged

46. Thank you for being a(n old) friend...

-If you're familiar with the theme from The Golden Girls, then you'll know this is part of the theme. This show is still incredibly popular and is now finding fans in younger generations who chuckle at the suggestive humor from some of the ladies. Even though the show ran from 1985-1992, it's still massively popular

-I love watching The Golden Girls because it's funny. My favorite was Estelle Getty, who played Sophie Petrillo. She was this little old Sicilian lady who always talked about the men in her village. And she always started off a sentence with "Picture this. Sicily. 1912".

47. Not funny

-Everyone has that realization at one point or another that they are not as young as they used to be. It's not always a depressing thought that you are not as young, beautiful or fun as you used to be. You still have life in you to be beautiful and fun.

-For those who don't know, Sophia Grace is a singer.

48. Past your prime

-When you're young, you have your whole life ahead of you. As you age, you can come to terms with the idea that you are no longer the spring chicken you once were. You notice new aches and pains you never had before. While you admit that you are no longer young, you also tell yourself, which is true, that you still have great years waiting, that some people didn't reach their full potential until years later. And then someone has to puncture that beautiful thought with a dose of reality

-Or if you're into Formula One, here's a mind blower. The youngest driver is Yuki Tsunoda, who is 21. Or George Russell, who is 25. Suddenly, I realize, with horror, that I'm older than these drivers

49. The funny things you do

-Anymore, people go on TikTok, Facebook Live and other platforms just to make videos about anything, whether it be just to give helpful hints, do standup comedy or more. Back in the day, you had to hope you had a video recorder at the ready in case something funny happened and mail it into something like America's Funniest Home Videos or something. A note on that show; I think some of those videos are staged. Nothing funny just occurs and someone just so happens to have a video recorder at the ready.

-If I knew then what I knew now, I would have been in the room when my family was talking about beneficiaries. My sister was eating soup at the time, since it was during winter, and I was out of the room, and my stepdad said "Well if we get a pet fish....". My sister spit soup out across the table, almost spraying my stepdad with chicken soup. Him, my sister and mom were laughing so hard they were all red in the face. And the conversation simply started because I had made my sister my beneficiary at US Bank, where I was working at the time

50. Bueller? Bueller?

-Anyone who has seen Ferris Bueller's Day Off knows this phrase. It's his history teacher doing roll call and calling "Bueller, Bueller" in a monotone voice. He then moves on to the name "Fry, Fry", referring to actor Alan Ruck's character Cameron Fry, who is in bed sick with a cold. The 1980s were where it was at when it comes to movies. Not like today, where it's all sex, violence, gore and drama.

-I'm glad I know of generations before the 1980s. My home ec teacher kept referencing the song "Can't Buy Me Love" by The Beatles to teach us that money can't buy happiness

51. Sudden beauty

-When you're young, you don't think about things being beautiful. As you age, your priorities change. When you become an adult, suddenly something as simple as a dish organizer becomes the greatest invention in the world. When your parents start talking about doing home renovations, such as shelves in the garage and replacing the furnace, it sounds boring. But sometimes, there is beauty in the small, mundane things of life

-Where is this at in my life? I'm tired of drying water on the counter every time I wash glasses and cups! Plus, I'm always leary of using the drainer to put straws and utensils in because I'm constantly worried about mold and mildew getting onto utensils, which we put in our mouth and straws, which also go into our mouth

52. Jumping for joy with phones

-Smart phones were not necessarily the first phones to allow internet access. Flip phones could manage access to internet, but their capabilities only went so far. First cell phones usually had limited abilities, such as primitive texting, where you had to filter through the alphabet to find letters and the screen was so small only mice could interpret texts. Or the phones were so small you'd lose them in a bag

-My first phone was a pay as you go phone from a company called Tracphone. I had to buy minute cards and load them on just to talk. And even then, I still used landlines when I could. I had no problem using my cell phone, but I'm old school and still used land lines. They were faster and I could reach people that I knew didn't have cell phones

53. Golden oldies

-When it comes to old music, Elvis Presley, The Beach Boys, Simon & Garfunkel, The Supremes fall into those categories. These old music stations really need to re-evaluate what they consider "oldies". Playing 80s metal bands like Metallica? They are not what I consider "oldies". What I consider "oldies" are from the 1970s, 1960s and older than that

-But seriously? Playing new music on the oldies station? I laugh when I hear Metallica getting played on the old classic rock station in Cincinnati, WFOX, 92.5 The Fox. I laugh and then change the station because whatever Metallica song it is, I've heard a thousand times before on WEBN, 102.7, which is a hard rock / metal station or on 96.5 96 ROCK, which is another hard rock / metal station. Luckily, WEBN and 96 ROCK also play old school metal, but you have to hope it's one you have never heard on radio a thousand times prior. I was lucky enough to hear "The Prisoner" and "The Number of the Beast" by Iron Maiden one morning prior to them playing in Cincinnati back in 2019. I guess 96 ROCK was getting people amped up for the big Maiden concert at Riverbend Music Center

54. Signed, Sealed, Delivered

-If you're familiar with a song that has those words in its title, I'm sure the next words to pop into your head are "I'm yours.". In the days when streaming service Netflix had a mail order service, you could order DVDS or seasons of TV and watch them when they arrived. They were trying to compete with Blockbuster, where you could rent seasons of shows, movies, video games and more and RedBox, a service allowing you to rent only movies from a kiosk and then insert the movie back into the machine to return it when done.

-Everyone streams nowadays. There's Disney +, which has all this stuff on it, too much to name. Then there's Netflix, which has increased security to the point where you are not allowed to give your account password to friends (first things first, I would say who is stupid enough to do that, but there are people who fit that bill), Hulu, Roku, the Amazon Firestick (provided your TV is high tech and advanced enough to allow that). I like just basic cable. If I want to watch a TV series that is not normally on TV, that's when I turn to Amazon Kindle. Amazon Prime allows you to watch TV shows, with commercials every now and again. And if the videos are not available, you can't watch them. And that's when the almighty YouTube comes in. You can watch TV episodes on YouTube as well (believe me, I've done that with Law & Order UK). Right now, I'm on season (series) 4 of Top Gear UK.

55. Burn baby burn

-If you're familiar with the old disco song "Disco Inferno", then you might find yourself saying "Disco Inferno" after seeing these words. Technology advances and some people pick up new technology in no time while others are baffled by it. Not all young people are tech savvy while not all older people are baffled by it. There are older people who pick up technology instantly while there are some young people baffled by technology.

-I know how to burn CDs and I'm a millennial, technically. Windows Media Player. Put in a blank CD and when the program reflected a blank CD, highlight all of the songs you want on it, pull them over to a queue on the right hand side and click "Burn to CD". Then go into Microsoft Word and make a list of the songs that are on the CD to print and put on the back of the CD case. Just so you know what's on them. On the front, type a name of what you want to call the CD and print it out and put it on the front so you know what CD it is.

56. Kid at heart

-People born in the 1990s are referred to as Millennials (like yours truly, who was born in 1990). It's about more than being born in a certain year. 1990s kids grew up watching certain TV shows, listened to certain music, watched certain TV shows and played certain games. There's just a uniqueness to the 1990s that's hard to explain to anyone who has not experienced them

-All of us 90s kids are 30+ year old men and women. Some of us know we're from the 1990s and act like adults, taking on responsibilities such as paying bills and working. And then there are some 90s kids who think they're still in high school and pull such antics as you would in high school

57. Hair trends

-Everyone had a certain style they wore their hair in that they became known for. Some girls wore their hair in a ponytail. Some girls wore their hair in this slight ponytail style where only a little was up and the rest was down. Some guys wore a middle part and some guys even favored long hair if they were going for a rock star look. Each generation had its own fashion trends. One generation had long hair for men as highly popular while another generation said short hair for women was all the rage

-A perfect indicator of your age is by looking at your high school yearbook photo and seeing what hairstyle you adopted. Mine was hair up in a clip behind my head for the day of the yearbook photo. Other than that, it was all ponytail

58. Set in the past

-Dawson's Creek was one of those 1990s shows that mostly everyone watched. It was a drama show aimed towards teens in the late 1990s, early 2000s and followed the lives and relationships of a group of friends since high school and into college. It was not set in the past; it was filmed as the current times were at that time-1998-2003

-I never watched the show as a teen. I remember being a kid and teen watching shows my parents watched, like Are You Being Served? Keeping Up AppearancesRed DwarfPrimeval, etc.

59. No one asked for your opinion

-"1979" is a song by The Smashing Pumpkins, a popular American rock band. The song centers around the coming-of-age story of vocalist Billy Corgan. Despite being written in 1996, it looks back on when Corgan was a teen. There's something unique about 1979-it's the last year of the 1970s and a year that just seems to be so romantic.

-The only thing I know about 1979 is that the Down to Earth album by Rainbow, one of my favorite bands, came out

60. Definitely not loving it

-It seems in the last few years people have finally realized what smoking can do to your body and what the effects are of second hand smoke. Back then, however, no one seemed to know (or care about) the effects of smoking and effects of second hand smoke.

-I could never smoke; I think it's a nasty habit. All you're doing is putting chemicals into your body that could kill you. I look at it like this. Yes, I think it's a nasty habit. No, I'm not going to tell every smoker I see that they should quit. I feel like if they want to smoke, it's their life, let them be. I'm not telling them how to live. Plus, I lived with my dad, who smoked, for the first 19 years of my life. Second hand smoke is what gave me asthma. I had my first asthma attack when I was 16 and I didn't even realize it was asthma until I went to my primary care physician, who told me to go to the hospital for a second opinion

61. Wrong Rainbow

-Wearing a band shirt is always fun. You get people asking if you like the band or know who that band is. It's a mixed bag of results, sometimes. It shows you have your own taste in music and don't follow the same music trends as others and you are happy when someone else kindly compliments it. But, if no one gets the reference on it, why wear it?

-I wear band shirts. I love showing the world who I support in the music world. I do wish these shirts could come in a color other than black. It's hotter than blazes during the summer if I want to don a rock or metal shirt. One of pet peeves is when people wear a shirt for a band and they don't listen to the band. They are only wearing the shirt because they think it looks cool. Luckily, a lot of younger people who wear old band shirts are genuine fans of the band; they are discovering these old rock and metal acts and rocking their shirts.

62. I'll Be There for You

-This is the theme song to the TV show Friends. Those who watch the show remember in the fourth season when ditzy blonde Phoebe got pregnant because she was acting as a surrogate for her brother and his wife. That story line was not just a storyline. Lisa Kudrow was actually pregnant at the time and producers wrote it into the show to make it easier for her.

-I've never understood the fascination with the show Friends. I've tried to watch it; I've just never found it funny.

63. On tap

-Normally when you hear these words, it refers to an alcohol at a bar. This relates to texting. Back in the day, texting was a different monstrosity than the simple work it is today. Some phones you had to keep hitting buttons to filter through the alphabet to make a message and that could take 10+ minutes. There was instead multi-tap texting

-While my first phone was not a flip phone, it did have that lovely capability called multi tap texting. My next phone had that same ability. I can honestly relate to this image. I had to tap through the alphabet each time on each button to form a message. And it definitely took close to 10 minutes to form a message. My phone now is a smart phone and it takes no time at all for messages to be created.

64. I pledge allegiance to the band

-School of Rock is one of those movies that is said has to be watched by anyone who loves old, classic rock bands. Jack Black becomes the music teacher at a school and teaches these kids about the greats of old rock-Purple, Zeppelin, Sabbath and more. It's said to be one of the better movies to come out in the last few years. The other unique thing about this movie is that two of the students, Caitlin Hale and Angelo Massagli, are now a couple

-I've never seen this movie. People I know on Facebook say I should see it because I listen to a lot of the bands referenced in the film and they know I listen to those bands. They think I would love it. I'm going to have to watch it; it does look like a good movie

65. Give me a call

-Unlimited talk / text is so common now we don't even think about it. Back in the day, however, talk and text cost $$$. You had a limited supply of talking minutes and texting that, if you went over, you paid big time. Luckily, most phone plans had loopholes that they had in place to help customers, such as talking at night, when rates were cheaper

-I found out how this happens. It was not me who did this, but my sister. My sister started working at 16 and my mom paid for her phone plan. My sister went over her allotted texting and talking plan almost each month and my mom finally put her foot down and said that if my sister wanted to talk and text, she was going to need to get her own phone plan. My mom said she didn't want to keep paying close to $60 on what was supposed to be a phone plan in the $30 range.

66. Got a light?

-A common question asked by those who smoked. TV commercials convinced people smoking was the cool thing to do while schools taught people that it was unhealthy, filled your body with horrid chemicals and would give you cancer, emphysema and COPD. In 2018, smoking rates have reached record lows with adults

-I'm not even that old and I know what that is. It's a car cigarette lighter. My aunt's car had one. She drove a car that had one and she definitely used it