Grim garden report:
“She WAS everything you’d want in a little girl…” David Spears , step-father, pedophile, and murderer of 9 year old Rowan Ford. 11/7/07
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the mother of Rowan Ford.
mental health
Let It Go
Greeting from the garden! When we’re not chained to the chair, and before darkness falls, we’re hitting the streets to catch a little fall color and sniff around. 
It’s a beautiful time of year but I fear the time change. After this weekend: dark at 5:00 PM.
If you get the winter blues (SAD), I’d like to recommend a happy lamp. Combined with a little exercise, it does help take the edge off.
No More Wire Hangers!
When your clothes have cobwebs on them, you might consider cleaning out the closet. And so it goes.
Cull it down to the minimum. If it requires a foundation undergarment to smooth the surface….lose it. I’ve been hanging on to the past and since I don’t dress for success anymore, I’m chucking the old office wardrobe.
Breakthrough:
I’ve found freedom in my new unflattering khaki slacks and slippers. Embrace the full figure. At least that struggle has subsided.
Let’s burn fat!
Speaking of “embracing”: shout out to Final Embrace for bringing a breath of fresh air to the funeral world with interesting correspondents. “Next generation” observations of the industry are fun to read. It’s about time.
Snap Judgment:
The marketing department earmarked this ad a while back for today’s review:
Powerful image. I should have cropped the verbiage. Because the words don’t matter.
Although, I’ve only studied the industry for the last few years, I don’t recall seeing a female “call to action” in the trade mags. This ad got my attention.
At the risk of embarrassing myself: Who is this lady looking all satisfied in her conservative blue bidnez suit? Should I know her?
Or is it subliminal:
Woman Strong. Vault strong.
For What It’s Worth:
Too many words.
Dial down the copy, you love that logo, so brand and develop the female heavy metal angle.
Rock on!
Undercover Assignment
Life is strange right now.
The current undercover assignment is both amusing and frustrating.
Here’s what I can reveal.
There are an alarming number of humans on the streets at 4:30 AM jogging, walking, and biking. Also, the brightest star is visible in the eastern sky at that hour. It is Hamal? Or Venus perhaps? Please advise. It’s blinding!
Three Beautiful Things:
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- Sunrise at 7:00-ish.
- Sunglasses at 7:30 AM.
- Starting to enjoy the ride.
Intensive morning shot of D. Might help with the SAD.
Assimilation:
I’m learning how to “swipe” after 20 years of not punching a clock.
Khaki is not my color, but allows me to blend into the masses.
Sometimes a strict dress code can be good.
“30 Seconds & Break.” Translation: (and today’s tip) Keep the chatter to a minimum. This is an interesting concept, but not widely practiced where I come from.
Note to self: need a CPR refresher and instruction on how to use defibrillator.
Bottom line: It’s all good! Have a great week!
TSA Makes An Ash of Itself
Can’t be too careful I guess. Last week hundreds of travelers were evacuated from the Indianapolis International Airport and had to go through security a second time Friday after an urn with cremated remains was improperly screened, authorities said.
Transportation Security Administration said officials could not locate the passenger to rescreen the urn, so the concourses were evacuated around 6:20 a.m. as a precaution.
The evacuated passengers then went through security screening again and the concourses reopened around 7:35, airport spokeswoman Susan Sullivan said. The incident caused eight flights to be delayed, affecting nearly 700 passengers, but no flights were canceled, she said.
A TSA statement said that passengers may include a crematory container in their carry-on luggage, unless it generates an opaque image during the X-ray that prevents the screener from seeing what is inside. Those urns are not allowed through the checkpoint, the statement said.
Metal urns will generate an opaque image. Materials that can be successfully x-rayed: wood urns, plastic urns, or non-lead lined ceramic cremation urns.
TSA officials are restricted from opening an urn, even at the passenger’s request.