Flash Mobs for the Holidays

     Flash Mobs are the latest rage. And they are so much fun to watch, and, I assume, to participate in. Although no one has asked me. But I am available. I have here for your viewing pleasure, 2 flash mobs. One is just your average Food Court Holiday Flash Mob sung by an amazing group of people. The other is...well, a Target Flash Mob for Senior Citizens. I'd like to think I would fit into the first. I know that I probably look more like the second. Merry Christmas!

Merrry Christmas FLash Mob




Senior Flash Mob


Enjoy!

The Sniff Test

     I hope you are all looking for the funny in life. It is there all the time. I probably run into 3-4 stories a day that I could write about, showing my unique Jeanne Kraus perspective on them. But they are there, just waiting for you to reflect on them.
      My son, Jeff, and his fiancee, Shannon came over to visit today. Being that it is Christmas Eve, they are here for a few days, which makes me very happy indeed. Along with them came Abbey, Mutt Extraordinaire, who is the subject of many of our funny stories. 

Foot Pads or Fritos? You be the judge.

    Today's story came compliments of Jeff. 
    "Did you know that all dogs' foot pads smell like Fritos?" he asked conversationally. 

Abbey

     He went on to tell us that one day at work, a number of years ago, one of his co-workers, perhaps after too much of some illegal substance, confided in him, "Yo, Dude, did you know that all dogs' feet smell like Fritos?" 

Fritos or Dog Feet? You be the judge!

     Now Jeff is the original Show Me and Prove it to Me or I'm Taking You Down kind of person. He went home, researched and stuck his nose into each one of Abbey's paws, and came to his own conclusions. He was right! We don't know for sure that it is every dog...but we haven't found one that doesn't pass the sniff test. Try it!

Sniff! Sniff!

       My days of spending time at the doctor have dwindled down to maybe one out of every ten days. The latest thing I have noticed in some of the doctors' offices is that they move you around like cattle moving closer to the slaughterhouse. 

    The last 2 visits I had, I got called to fill out the forms, called again to bring my co-pay, called to go into the inner sanctum (YAY!) and put in a second waiting room. I can't complain because I got to watch the Ellen show in its entirety but really! Why so long of a wait? Last week was three hours' wait and it took so long that they were not able to do the procedure on me that they wanted because the nurse left at 5:00 and I had not been seen yet. So I had to come back the next day. 

     Different Doctor: Today the nurse once again ushered me into a second waiting room with a TV where I was able to catch an episode of Matlock, enjoying the 70's hairstyles. The major complaint I had about this room was that a gum-chewing woman came and sat next to me. A clicker and a clacker and a popper and a bubble blower, all infused with a uncharmingly fruity scent. Barf! I was relieved when they came to get me. 

     But the good news is that I will be signing a contract for my third children's book with Magination Press. I am anxious to work on it...I love their books. That's the latest with me! What's up with you?

What Has Happened to Me?

     Hopefully SOMEONE has noticed that I have not blogged as of late. I think I am lost in gameland. I have gone totally crazy over "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?" Although I never watch it on TV, I do enjoy the online version. I like trivia challenges, and you have to think fast, which I need to work on. Between that and "Words With Friends" I have been busy. The good thing is that I am off for 2 weeks for winter break. I am feeling back to my normal self now so am happy about that. I have a couple of things to share here on my blog. The first was a nice surprise. Google informed me that someone had created a book trailer for my first book. Big surprise to me, I finally tracked down the creator and it is a college student studying elementary education who liked my book. That was cool.



The second video is one to get you in the spirit of the season. I love it. I play it almost every day because it is so captivating. Happy Holidays!



P.S. This was filmed in a mall near where I grew up.

Christmas Spirit

The Wise Shopper!

     My spirit seems to be a little lacking this year, being that I am recovering at home. However, when I look at things going on in other places, I think maybe I'm not doing too bad. As I surfed the net to find Christmas presents for my family, finding some great bargains, I might add, I run across the story of the great Black Friday debacle.

Enter at Your Own Risk!

     I believe it was in a Wal-Mart where a woman stormed the store armed with pepper spray, which she used liberally, to get the video games on sale. People were dropping like flies. I was appalled. I do remember standing in long lines to get Cabbage Patch Kids, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles but none of us felt inclined to incapacitate one another in our quest. The article went on to say that someone who knew her, was "proud of her."  Personally I feel that she should have those video games ripped out of her possession and make her shop again. I guess her golden rule is "Do unto others before they do unto you."

    The other interesting tidbit of information I found was one about an ongoing battle in Doylestown Station. Evidently the homeowner's association has decreed that only white lights will be allowed for outside decorating. Unfortunately, some of the homeowners want colorful lights. They can have their colorful lights, at a $10.00 per day fine. 
     So here I am in my Tamarac cocoon, healing nicely, watching the decorations go up on the houses on my block, and avoiding the pepper-spray laden crowds at the mall. Life isn't so bad after all!

    

I'm Back....Sort of!

     My last post was November 14, 2011. I can't believe so much time has gone by. I haven't been lollygagging. 

     My bronchitis morphed into pneumonia and I ended up in the hospital with all kinds of complications. I am home now, not able to work, with an IV still stuck in my arm. A nurse comes once a day to work the IV. One more week to go...

     Like all other illnesses, this one came at a bad time. I missed my trip to visit my kids in Kentucky, and Thanksgiving was non-existent. 

 With Christmas coming up, I know why Scrooge said "Bah Humbug." It is hard to get excited when you don't feel a part of the shopping, decorating, etc. 

     Not to mention the fact that I am out of sick days, so will not get paid for my days gone. Hmm. New wrinkle, one I was not prepared for. But this is where I always inject my Jeanne Kraus perspective. There are a lot of people who do not have jobs, homes and families right now. I am so grateful for my family and friends, my wiener dog and 2 kitties. The rest will all work out, maybe by even my next blog! So here's to 2012!

The Neophyte's Guide to Travel Insurance

     I think that I have written on my blog that I am your basic travel virgin. Oh, I go places now and then, mostly then, but don't travel far and wide like many of my friends. So, to my credit, this was my first Travel Insurance experience. You can see by the picture of Ashlee and Cory, why I wanted to see them. They are adorable, are they not?

My Ashlee and Cory! Love them so much!

Original Loopholes

     I must say I am rather confused. I thought that Travel Insurance would help if I had to cancel my tickets due to unforeseen circumstances. That is why I bought it. In case I could not fly to see Cory and Ashlee this weekend. Travel Insurance is the Land of the Original Loopholes. I did not pass the test. So for those of you who have not stepped into No Man's Land, let me remind you of what I have endured... Well we had to cancel our trip to Louisville this weekend. The powers that be were conspiring against us on this one. 
       First of all, I have been plagued with a major cough for a couple of weeks. I have been to the doctor twice, tried a number of medications and today I had a chest x-ray. It did not look good for the trip. 

Talking to Insurance People

     Secondly, my daughter-in-law, Ashlee :) had a death in her family. Her stepfather's grandmother passed away this weekend. Between my illness and the loss of grandmother, it just seemed like the trip needed to be cancelled. We had no doubt about that. But the insurance company, while very sympathetic, had no provision to help us with the fees we would incur from the cancellation of the flight.

     The customer service rep was lovely. She tried every combination of our situation but my wheezing and grandma's passing meant squat to the insurance company. I began to feel like George Costanza on the episode of Seinfeld where he tried to get a deal on a flight by getting a death certificate of someone he had never known. 
     Here is my advice if you ever plan to get travel insurance...
     1. Read the entire plan. Go over it with your attorney.
     2. Make sure you don't have an pre-existing conditions. (this leaves me out because I AM a pre-existing condition)
     3. If anyone dies in your family make sure it is a close relative and it would be helpful if the family you are going to visit lives out of the U.S. That is an advantage for your claim.
     I tried to do the right thing. We cancelled as soon as we could. 5 days before the flight so that they could re-book those seats. Ah well.
     I now have extra time to read all the paragraphs in the policy about "Exclusions." In the meantime I am sad we cannot go, but it is good for me to rest and get well.  I thought it was humorous at the end of my conversation with the customer service agent. She finished telling me that my policy that I had printed out was worth nada other than the ream of paper it took to print. I had just made my only snide comment of the conversation. "Now I can see how the insurance companies make their money."

     Then she asked me to complete a survey. I did.