Saturday, August 27, 2011

LET'S GOSSIP!

     Hey, folks, times are hard right now.  Perhaps we all need a bit of fun to help us through these tough financial days.  My father-in-law was a well-known gossip columnist in Cleveland for over 40 years.  Many people have said that his column was the first thing they read in their daily newspaper.  How about we do a little gossiping right here and now?!  So let's hear some of the interesting things that are going on with ordinary Northern Ohio people.  I, for one, am tired of hearing only about the celebs!  Let's hear it for the "little guy"!  But, since this blog is meant to be enjoyable, enlightening, etc., and not hurtful in any way, let's only hear NICE newsy bits, please.  I'll be waiting for your responses.

Monday, August 22, 2011

HOW ARE NORTHERN OHIO READERS DEALING WITH THIS "RECESSION"?

     It doesn't take a genius to determine that the majority of the people reading this blog have had some type of life-changing experiences due to the current economic situation in the U.S.  Even those of you who considered yourselves to be fairly well-off a couple of years back are experiencing difficulties with your stock market portfolio, your IRA, your 401K, or a general slacking off of your business.  HOW ARE YOU DEALING WITH THIS?
     Those of you who were not wealthy, but financially "comfortable", are also seeing unpleasant changes in your monetary situation.  Perhaps you have had to assist less-fortunate family member, even going so far as having to take them to live under your roof, or send them some money to keep them afloat.  HOW ARE YOU DEALING WITH THIS?
     Then you come to those individuals who were poor or just "making it" before the so-called "recession" hit our country.  Where are all of you now?  Losing your homes?  On public assistance?  Even in homeless shelters?  My question to those of you in such terrible straits due to our recession is HOW ARE YOU DEALING WITH THIS?
     I personally believe that this is not a recession, but a full-fledged DEPRESSION, much like the one that our parents or grandparents used to refer to as THE GREAT HOOVER DEPRESSION, a terrible time in our country's history. beginning in November of 1929, and continuing well into the 1930's.  Not to get too political here, since I am directing this blog toward those of all political persuasions, but the Depression was helped, in my humble opinion, by the drastic measures taken by the Democratic President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who was elected to four terms in office, and who saw us through not only the Depression, but World War Two, as well.
     My purpose in asking my readers HOW ARE YOU DEALING WITH THIS? is in the hope that your anonymous comments may be of help to your fellow citizens of Northern Ohio.  So let's hear your suggestions, your experiences, or whatever you wish to offer.  Remember, readers, we are all in this thing together.  Let's see if by helping others with your suggestions and ideas, you are also able to better help yourselves, if not monetarily, then at least by being able to feel that you have done a "good deed."

Thursday, August 11, 2011

I'M GOING TO BE A GRANDMA!

I am not sure if anyone is actually reading this blog but, if they are, thanks for following it and, an exciting event for me:  I am going to be the grandma of a baby boy purportedly due to be born in January!  Also, to turn a sad thing into a glad thing, the high divorce and remarriage rate in our current society, though sad, often gives children the opportunity to have more grandparents than they otherwise would have had!  And that thought makes me glad! Thoughts on that, anyone?

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

SOME EVENTS IN LIFE ARE SO ODD THEY'RE ALMOST UNBELIEVABLE!

     Being a storyteller at heart, when I hear a true-life story that amazes me, I can't help but pass it on.  I know one such story that I learned of a few years ago.  To protect the privacy of the parties involved, I am changing their names in this blog.  But you have my word that everything else in the story is true.
     I have a long-time friend whom I will refer to here as Michael Albert Stevenson.  He is originally from Northeastern Ohio, but has lived in Southern California for the past many years.  He has had the same hobby since he was a kid--buying beat-up old cars of a specific brand and vintage and restoring them to their original condition.  As part of this hobby, he sometimes sells auto parts for that brand of car on the Internet.
      One day he got a call from a man who wanted to buy a part that my friend was selling.  When my friend began to ask the man on the phone for the information needed to send him the auto part, the man told my friend that he lived in Florida.  When my friend asked the man his name, the voice on the phone answered, "Michael Stevenson."  My friend said, "No, I didn't ask you my name, I asked you yours."  The man on the phone again told my friend, "My name really is Michael Stevenson."  My friend then asked, "What's your middle name?  To this, the man on the phone replied, "My full name is Michael Albert Stevenson."  My friend, amazed, told him that that was also his full name.  By this point, both men were somewhat shocked.  But this was not the end of the story.  My friend asked, "What was your father's name?" to which the man responded, "His name was also Michael Albert Stevenson."  Now, totally amazed by what appeared to be a strange coincidence, my friend told him, "My father was Michael Albert Stevenson, too!"  Well, before long, the two men had unraveled the mystery, learning that not only were they half-brothers, but, amazingly they shared the same hobby of restoring autos of the same brand and vintage!
     Having found each other in such an unusual manner, and finding that they had so very much in common, they decided that, despite the fact that they lived on opposite sides of the U.S., they must get together to meet face-to-face.  And so they did!  My friend went to Florida to spend Christmas with his new-found brother, and went again to attend the wedding of the Florida Michael Albert Stevenson's daughter.
     I have heard the old song "John Jacob Jingleheimer Smith" but this is the first time I have heard of such an amazing coincidence happening in the real world.  I think it's just delightful, and worthy of telling, that these two men were both named after the same father, both have the same hobby, and--despite the fact that they live thousands of miles apart--they found each other anyway.  Sort of a miracle when one stops to think about it!

Monday, August 1, 2011

DO YOU HAVE OHIO ANCESTORS?

    Do you have ancestors from Ohio?  Especially from Northern Ohio?  Have you ever wanted to trace your family history?  I've been doing it for years.  If you've never tried it, you can't believe how much fun it can be.  Maybe I can help.  Please comment.