Siggy’s Blurbs

Times have certainly changed.  I had to look really hard in the store to buy chocolate with the sum of fifty cents.  It was difficult to find anything I could buy with that amount.

I remember candy stores in my childhood and candy that could actually be purchased with a penny.  Even bazooka gum costs more than a penny today.  I have not looked lately but the last time I checked it was at least a nickel.

In fact, it cost the government more than one penny to manufacture one penny.  To me, that makes no sense to excuse the pun.  In fact, if you eliminate the sales tax you really would not have any further use for a penny.  Pennies then would become dinosaurs.

Tags: bazooka gum, candy, candy store, childhood, chocolate, fifty cents, government, inflation, nickel, penny, sales tax
Posted in humor, life, money, time | No Comments »

I don’t care how good an iPad is it won’t replace a book or library.  I know the new device can rapidly turn pages in a book but still it is not the same.

There is nothing like having a library and quickly glancing at your shelves, pulling out just the book you want and opening it up to any page.

I like physically handling my books, touching them.  I am not dependent on any batteries.  I am not so quick to run out and get this latest technological gadget from Apple.

The brain can not be replaced by this latest development.  The brain has the ability to review thousands of paragraphs you have read and know what book a passage came from and then find it.

There is nothing like an old book store to browse in.  None of these things can be replaced by the iPad.  By now, you get the idea I am skeptical of the value of this item.

I don’t want to pore over an instruction manual just to figure out how pick up a book and scan it.  Or even turn it on.  It is just too hard.  Call me old fashioned.

Tags: Apple, batteries, book passage, book shelves, books, brain, gadget, instruction manual, iPad, library, old book store, old fashioned, paragraph, technology
Posted in humor, knowledge&learning, wisdom, writing | No Comments »

Somehow I have to refrain from becoming angry.  I need to develop more patience.  There is a time and place for anger but if I fly off the handle too easily something is wrong.

I have to slow down, listen more closely.  ‘Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger.’  Those words from Proverbs suggest a formula to avoid anger.

The first part of it forces you to slow down.  That is the only way you can be quick to listen.  You first have to refrain from talking, focus on the words of the person talking.

At the same time you may be able to digest the words spoken to you better.  The last part of the equation ‘be slow to anger’ suggests that if you listen better and also do not talk it may become a little easier not to react in anger.

These scriptures from Proverbs give me hope.  My wife has told me I repeatedly interrupt her.  I have to work on this.

Tags: "quick to listen slow to speak and slow to anger", anger, Bible, develop patience, fly off the handle, hope, listen, my wife, Old Testament, Proverbs, talking
Posted in God, balance, life, love, marriage, relationships, time, wisdom | No Comments »

We had a big snowstorm last night.  The first thing I noticed was there were no suet left on the tree outside.  I immediately put some out and sprinkled sunflower seed on the ground for the birds.

It had snowed over a foot last night.  We were in good shape for I went food shopping two days ago.  I did park closer to the curb so I had less driveway to shovel.

The man from our town was plowing the edge of the road so the local post man could reach into our mail boxes to make his deliveries.  He offered to plow the rest of our driveway.

We had shoveled part of it already.  My wife offered him money but he said he did not want any.  Both of us were thrilled.  It only took him a few minutes to complete the job.  He was an angel.  There is nothing like being in a small town.

Tags: angel, bird feeding, birds, driveway, food shopping, mail box, shovel snow, small town, snow, snow plow, snowstorm, suet, sunflower seed
Posted in birds, local, nature, seasons | No Comments »

After seven years my wife and I are still struggling with this.  I get up before her and have sufficient time to wake up and slide into my day.  I usually get up two or three hours before her.  I have my own routine to greet my day.

Unfortunately my wife often does not have a chance to do the same.  When she gets up I am usually revved and wide awake.  I don’t know how many times my wife has lost her temper at me because I did not permit her time to get up and awake and would not stop talking to her.

Then my feelings are hurt.  And it may takes hours for us to recover from that.  I have suggested she go to the office and do her devotionals there and wait until she is ready for company.

She would indicate this by then entering the living room.  Of course I would leave her alone while she is in the office.  I have suggested this before.  I am hoping she tries this out.  I do not know why this is so hard to work this out between the two of us.  We will see.

Tags: devotionals, marriage, morning routine, my wife, relationships, time to wake up, work out problems
Posted in God, balance, knowledge&learning, marriage, relationships, time, wisdom | No Comments »