~★~♥~♥~★~ El Morno! ♥~★~★~♥ ~
October 19, 2014

★~ Today’s Quote:  “Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world earth revolves—slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future. Live the actual moment.” Thich Nhat Hanh:

★~ Seafood Bisque Day:

Seafood bisque is French soup that includes lobster, crab, shrimp, and crayfish. Some culinary historians believe that the word bisque is derived from the fact that this type of soup is cooked not once, but twice. Others believe that the origin of the word relates to the Bay of Biscay. Regardless of the origin, seafood bisque is fabulous! If you want to make your own seafood bisque, all you need to do is this:  Lightly sauté the crustaceans in their shells, then simmer them in wine. Once cooked, purée them in a food processor. Then add cream to the mixture to thicken the soup to your desired consistency. After that, just add a sprig of parsley and it’s ready to serve! Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s is, of course, another option.

★~ Evaluate Your Life Day: 

A few questions that may help you discover the very best in yourself…

1. What would make you proud of yourself?
2. How can you make a positive difference?
3. What are you trying to accomplish and why?
4. What are the roadblocks standing in your way?
5. What’s the next step?
6. What are your flaws and faults?
7. What issues do you need to resolve with yourself?
8. How are you burdening yourself?
9. How have you celebrated your progress lately?
10. What do you love about your life?

★~ Today in History:

♥~ 1872 – The world’s largest gold nugget (215 kg) was found in New South Wales, Australia.

♥~ 1982  – Auto manufacturer John DeLorean was arrested in Los Angeles and charged in a $24 million cocaine scheme aimed at salvaging his bankrupt sports car company. He was tried and acquitted.

♥~ 1985 – Take on Me, by a-ha, reached number one on the pop music charts.

♥~ 1983 –The annual 2-day White Elephant Sale at the Cleveland Convention Center made $427,935.21, most ever raised at a 2-day rummage sale.

♥~ 2003 – In London, magician David Blaine emerged from a clear plastic box that had been suspended by a crane over the banks of the Thames River. Blaine had entered the box on Sep 5 and survived only on water for 44 days and nights.

★~ Famous Birthdays:

♥~ 1850 –  Annie Smith Peck One of the world’s  most renowned mountain climbers.When Annie turned 45, she gained international recognition by climbing the Matterhorn — After the Matterhorn, she climbed the 21,812 foot-high Huascaran, a mountain peak in Peru. She  was the first American to reach this high a pinnacle in the Western Hemisphere. Next she climbed, Mt. Coropuna, also in Peru. It was a mere 562 feet shorter than Huascaran. Not bad for a 61-year-old woman. When Annie got to the top of this mountain she placed a banner there that said, “Votes for Women.”

♥~ 1937 – Peter Max (Finkelstein) pop artist: psychedelic best-selling poster; designer: postage stamp: Expo ’74; 1982 World’s Fair official artist

♥~ 1945 – John Lithgow Emmy Award-winning actor: 3rd Rock from the Sun]; Tony Award-winning actor: The Changing Room[1973]; Twilight Zone-The Movie, I’m Dancing as Fast as I Can, The World According to Garp, Terms of Endearment, Raising Cain, The Pelican Brief, Cliffhanger, Twenty Good Years

★~ Zip Code Gallimaufry:

U.S. zip codes were designed in 1963 to tell USPS how to sort your mail — but now they might tell others how you live your life.

Software company Esri’s Tapestry Segmentation project has combined U.S. Census demographic data with marketing data to offer a picture how we live — whether you’re spending Saturdays in line for the opera or for government assistance, or if you’re getting takeout from Popeyes or Whole Foods.

All you have to do is enter your zip code to receive your postal code horoscope. You can also look up zip codes of places you’d like to visit, relocate or expand your business.  The first level of  free zip code data is limited, but still interesting.

Click here to learn more about where you live.

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Thinking out loud:  Perhaps one of the scariest things about Ebola is how many people are scared.  When people are frightened they are more willing to trade their civil rights for the illusion of safety. After every shooting, the rights of gun ownership are challenged. This may or may not be a good thing. But shouldn’t it be a conversation that takes place during calm times. After 911, we gave the TSA power to terrorize American travelers, it’s been reported countless time, that travel isn’t any more or less safe since 911, our airport lines are simple longer. Will fear or evidence, be the final deciding factor in Ferguson, Mo?

A friend traveled to Dallas this past weekend, and reported her plane was filled with people wearing face masks. Because, you know, wearing a face masks will prevent Ebola. Frankly, I’d be more worried about a fear driven, locally appointed, want-a-be government Ebola Czar. A Czar with power to dictate that all the people staying at my hotel must be quarantined for 21 days, because the hotel mail carrier, walked past someone, who might have come in contact with one of the nurses who treated the man with Ebola.

A few articles, that put Ebola in perspective.

Man Infected with Ebola Misinformation Through Casual Contact With Cable News

How the microscopic Ebola virus kills thousands

Scarier Than Ebola

You know how to prevent the spread of disease already. I know you, person who washes their hands every three minutes and keeps Purell close at hand. You’re all good. I’m all good, too. Turn off the television* and let’s go look at glorious fall foliage, or spend time in good company. Life is short, and we don’t know when or why it will end. Let’s not let the media and crisis mongers rob us of one precious moment.

Have a glorious Sunday!

Odd Loves Company,

 

* heresy on Sunday to turn off the television when football is being played—Watch the football, skip the special reports and following news coverage.