Maybe Some Wagering Going on? BET on it!

I'll take the Giants and 13 points..
OK...so Las Vegas will allow betting on almost anything that you can imagine. I just read that one can place $$ on whether the first touchdown in the Superbowl will be made by someone wearing a jersey with the number above 44.
You can also waste your money gambling on how long Jordin Sparks (of American Idol not-so-fame) will take to sing the National Anthem.
Point spread for the game = Patriots by 12.5
I'll take the Giants.

(I heard that Ton Brady was dancing too long on the ole ankle last night)

An Oasis of Knowledge in My Desert of Ignorance

Thank you, Good Morning America...thank you, Stanford University.
You have filled my empty "Hummingbird-tumbler" to a drinkable level.
Today you taught me that the male Anna hummingbird likes to impress female hummers in mating season by making a noise that is four octaves higher than middle C.
They fly up over 100 feet to commence a dive-bomb pattern that allows it's tail feathers to create such a "come-hither" sound that females will encourage this dapper dude-bird into her nest.

Somebody actually studied this phenomenon over a two year time span and plucked the tail feathers off a poor fella ~ then rigged a wind tunnel in the lab to simulate this sound. We were told that the feathers grow back in 5 weeks ~ but, uh...what about his libido? He might be humming a different tune!

Whomever wants a job that studies this stuff, raise your wing....

A Good Night

It was a GREAT night. I had a chance to watch, listen and thoroughly enjoy my talented nephew Sean Michael Murphy speak at an event last night. I sat next to one of my favorite people in the whole world, Anniebelle ~ and allowed her to make me laugh, as usual.
I also sat next to Kande Wilson, who had just returned from a mercy trip to Nigeria. She recalled how children with aids were living ~ 16 young ones from ages 5-11, in a two room house with no running water and some charcoal outside to use as their cooking arena. I envied Cande's heart to do the work she does.

Sean was effectively communicating about the Love of Our Father is more abundant than we can ever fully grasp...and that He died for us to be free.
Obviously, (to SOME) this Gift is truly remarkable and how can anyone possibly entirely appreciate it? I know I can't. Especially when the biggest complaints that I have had this week included that I was on hold with the cable company's repair department for twenty minutes and I was having to replace a cracked plastic toilet seat cover. Many people don't know what cable TV IS...or TV for that matter...and a toilet would be a luxury..never mind a seat!
The night was so much more than I can type here...suffice it to say, I'm glad that I went. It put a lot of PERSPECTIVE in my life that I pray I can hold on to for a long while.

And to think that today I was going to write about Dr. Phil and his oh-too-white teeth that are so bright I had to wear sun-glasses to hear him spew his "sage" advice. I kinda wanted to ask him about his "pearlies" and maybe just say, "What were you thinking?"
But I decided on the perspective subject instead. At least he HAS teeth.

A Practice Round

Here are Nichole and Ken..soon to be betrothed.
They are watching Griffin play some round ball while letting Grif's siblings, Cooper & Parker hang out with them. They THINK that they want to procreate a passel of children because of being around the "perfect three" off-springs of Sean & Annie.













I'll bet Ken slept well after THAT day..but wait until he is changing the diapers!

A Day with the Youngest Male Murphy

Cooper will be three in April ~ and he will tell you so!
I had a magical three hours with this little bundle of confidence.
He ALMOST BEAT ME at my two favorite sports!




But I'm banking on him taking care of me in my old age....

Honk if You Love Parker!

Hey, Mom! Look what I found! Is it ok if I take a quick tour around the neighborhood? I'll take Cooper and Griffin with me, OK, Mom? Huh?
What, Dad?


Aw, Pop...do I HAVE to give the keys back to Mom?

Gutter ball...

Cry-Baby?

Yesterday one of my nearest and dearest friends (or "former" friend)told me that I was the biggest "ball-baby" she ever knew.
She makes fun of me because I DO maybe cry at silly times..like
Super Market grand openings (cutting that ribbon is SOOO emotional for me!) and the receipt of free address labels sent by my favorite charity.
On this occasion I had gotten a little misty-eyed because my (former) friend's two year old had brightened her day by surprising her by a spontaneous
"I love you"...well, that sparked memories of when her husband was just 3 yrs old and he used to say that to my Mom & Dad, who happened to be their grandson.

Well, that lead to me thinking of how much I missed my Mom & Dad & brother and so I had a very fleeting moment of being choked up. Ok, maybe it DID last five hours ~ but it was cathartic.

I always have and always will have slippery, well-oiled tear ducts. I guess that means I feel stuff. I will continue to get a lump in my throat when I see the color guard march to the National Anthem...I will still shed a little tear when given a nice greeting card...and I will continue to love it when anyone tells anyone else at a time of need, that they love them.
There's nothing greater!

I would go on but my keys are a little slippery and my glasses are fogged up.

The Golden V

Why geese fly in a "V" formation:

As each goose flaps its wings in formation it creates "uplift" for the birds that follow. By flying in a "V" formation, the whole flock adds 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew alone. When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of flying alone. It quickly moves back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird in front of it.

If we have as much common sense as a goose, we stay in formation with those headed where we want to go. When we join a group staying on course is much easier.

When the lead goose tires, it rotates back into the formation and another goose flies to the point position.

Geese flying in formation honk to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.

In groups where there is encouragement, the production is much greater. The power of encouragement minimizes the isolation of being an independent agent.

When a goose gets sick, wounded, or shot down, two geese drop out of formation and follow it down to help protect it. They stay with it until it dies or is able to fly again. Then, they launch out with another formation or catch up with the flock.

Synergy = One plus One equal ... more than two.
We can learn a lot from these "bird-brains"!

Cyber-SPACEY

Have you ever had a day when everything you touched in cyber-space turned to _ _ _ _ (a word that you cannot say in front of anyone under the age of 107)?

I admit that I may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer; not even the brightest light on the porch; I may be 2 fries short of a Happy Meal ~ but I'm not TOTALLY ignorant about electronics. I can use a hair dryer like a Hollywood make-over artist. The can opener and I are in such rhythm that we could give the contestants on Dancing With The Stars a run for their "cha-cha".
Light switches are a breeze for me now that I have attended the Ace Hardware store class on "Understanding How to Turn on a Dimmer Toggle Switch". ( I display the diploma proudly on the wall...hung up with scotch tape)

But ~ put me in front of a computer that has a TV screen and LOOK OUT! I am trying to channel surf for the latest cooking show instead of installing the software program that will make my life much easier and organized.
"Re-booting" to me means that I missed an eyelet in lacing up my muck-kickers.

Yesterday I spent six hours and forty-four minutes trying to load a new program on my laptop that would allow me to keep track of my accounts receivable and my accounts payable. This same program should also make my life easier by alphabetizing my Christmas card list and send me daily "ticklers" to nudge me to mail out a birthday card ~ or a (fifteenth) letter to Ed McMahon to remind his staff that my house is the one level that flies flags from the garage as it seems his Prize Patrol people keep getting lost.

After 15,438 frustrated and unsuccessful attempts at completing this task, I called the "help-desk" phone number that was listed on my software box..."24 hour assistance" and "Easily Installed in 3 Minutes" were a couple of phrases that were boldly printed on the packaging.
I THINK I was talking to a real person but I didn't understand a word he said because of the lousy connection (two tin cans and a string might have helped) and his accent. I don't believe that this person was anywhere in our stratosphere and probably had no idea that Hillary and Bill have sheds tears in the past week. While we were attempting to communicate, I heard chanting in the background...
From MY end, I was so exhausted of dealing with this whole mess of not being able to understand my "help-desk attendee" that apparently while he had me on hold to pray with the cows, I was awakened by my own snoring.

I'm thinking about now that I will remain dis-organized and keep track of my finances the old fashioned way...with a calculator and my checkbook.
I guess I will just look at the calendar to remind me of stuff.
Cyber-Peg I am not.

Dare To Dream

I feel like most of the Christmas Holiday was kind of a blur. I had some lousy stomach flu which allowed me to sail through the festivities without gaining an ounce. That was the ONLY good thing about feeling lousy when every day there were friends and family to enjoy and lots of food to sample.

So, now I feel great! I could walk to Wyoming if I had the urge. I'm ready to party and it's time to go back to work. Time to begin the annual 4 day exercise program (that lasts for half of the video because I need to change my work-out ensemble as it is too snug).

When I think of winter and the start of a new year, I think of ice skating. In reality, I am a terrible skater. When I was in Girl Scouts, I tried to earn an ice skating badge. My Mom took me to the group lessons and when the instructor told us to skate over to the other side of the rink, I had to sit...and kinda scooch over to the other side. When the laughter subsided (from the instructor, no less!) some kind soul helped me up but I ended up feeling like the "coolest" kid in the class...literally ~ because of the my many stumblings that created ice carvings on my face (and other parts of the anatomy).

But I still have my dreams and I still believe in my mind that I can go out on the ice and perform an inside axel, triple salchow and a spiral that would make each audience member stand up and throw flowers. When in fact, the spiral would be the DEATH spiral and my spin would make people throw more than flowers.

I don't want to lose my dream. Heck, it's the New Year so why not set un-attainable goals?

Today I will find an outdoor rink and dress with skating tights and a colorful scarf thrown fashionably around my neck, wear my skates tied together over my shoulder like Loretta Young did in an ancient forgettable movie.

I will then ~ lace up my skates, take a deep breath...

and pull on sweat pants as I sit comfortably with a hot chocolate to watch others procure ice carvings on their faces.

Happy New Year!

Auld Lang Syne

Should old acquaintances be forgotten,
And never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintances be forgotten,
And days of long ago !

Chorus:
For old long ago, my dear
For old long ago,
We will take a cup of kindness yet
For old long ago.

We two have run about the hillsides
And pulled the daisies fine,
But we have wandered many a weary foot
For old long ago.

We two have paddled (waded) in the stream
From noon until dinner time,
But seas between us broad have roared
Since old long ago.

And there is a hand, my trusty friend,
And give us a hand of yours,
And we will take a goodwill draught (of ale)
For old long ago!

And surely you will pay for your pint,
And surely I will pay for mine!
And we will take a cup of kindness yet
For old long ago!

Another Tradition ~ Too Often Forgotten

I know that Thanksgiving has come and gone.
Christmas is now a just the picture of Uncle Oscar's Santa's hat tumbling into the punch...
but if we received a gift, it would be nice to write a note of gratitude.
(NOT an email, Brian!)

December 26....and all through the house....not a creature was conscious...

Who feels like this? Raise your hand!

Give Santa Some Credit

Is anyone else worried that Santa's credit cards might be maxed out?
I'm keeping my fingers crossed that his plastic holds up better than the average old guy wearing a red suit.

Families Are ~

The Little Murphs
Parker
Cooper
Cousin Connor with Griffin

Holiday Patience

Stay calm

Have lots and lots of patience...

And Keep your cell phone handy to dial 911...



(picture from AP wire photo)

Rejections of All Kinds - Should We Hold Grudges?

I've been known to have a pretty healthy ego ~ not conceited, of course, but confident in my never-ending talents and flawless abilities. Just about everything in my life seems perfect, from my faultless way I fold laundry to my error-free bookkeeping. So when I get rejected, my inner self is aghast with shock!
In the past week, a store clerk handed me back my American Express with a disgusted look that said, "You are a loser"...when in fact, the magnetic strip had been chipped just enough to dis-allow my credit card authorization. I handed it back to him and told him to hand-key in the numbers and he acted like I had asked him to run an uphill marathon on one leg! But I still felt kinda rejected.

I can remember my first BIG disappointment (let's not use the work "rejected" anymore) ~ I was in high school knowing that my future was in being a comedic actress. I had applied to one school, Denison University in Granville, Ohio. Denison is a wonderful school that had a top-notch fine liberal arts/theater program. Many well-known actors had graduated from Dennison. (John Davidson, Hal Holbrook..even Bobby Rahal!)
To be considered, I had to be personally interviewed as well as submit an audio tape of me acting out a scene in a play. I coerced my boyfriend, John Lampe, to read the scene with me. We practiced and practiced until we sounded perfect. I sent in the tape and waited. Every day I would come home from school expecting a marching band to greet me with the assumed news that I would not only be accepted to the college, but probably star as the lead in their fall play production.
So, at this point you know that I received a crappy little letter saying "you may want to consider blogging for the rest of your life because you are not Denison material"...

I have worked at least 59 jobs now and have only received a handful of letters
with the news, "Your skills are not a fit with our organization's goals"...but each one is like a dagger piercing the heart (not that a dagger has ever really entered any part of my body so I don't know why I said that).

I see people pick up their ringing phone, check the caller ID and not answer it. Naturally, the person on the other end is unaware that they have been blown off. I know that NO ONE has EVER done that to ME. Well, almost never.

I was dining at a 4 star restaurant about a month ago when I caught a glimpse of a friend of mine. This is a woman who would knock over the Pope to answer her phone. I thought that I would play a joke on her by calling her cell phone with the pretense of asking her to help me with my disabled car. Well, the phone must have rung because she picked it up from out of her purse...looked at the caller ID and placed it back in her purse!
WHAT? She knew it was me! Of course, confident Peg thought that she must know other Peggy Murphys ~ because surely, she would take MY call!
I promptly stormed over to her table and threw my bill on her salad plate and dramatically stomped off. I know now why Denison discarded my college application ~ when I made my theatrical dining room exit, I knocked into a busboy with a tray of glasses that came ultimately and in slow motion, came clattering to the floor.

I've had my baked goods snubbed at the charity bizarre and that hurts...
I've been the second one chosen when picking teams for sporting events...
I've had magazines send me emails saying my articles will be "filed for future consideration"..
I've had my poorly wrapped Christmas present be the last one chosen at a Christmas exchange...
I've had my dog Bailey wag his tail at strangers more than at me...
But I'm OK with all of that....

But the worst was yet to come. I've asked my nephew, Connor, for a year now, to come visit me for a weekend. I have bribed him with offerings like payment for yet another set of tennis lessons...or take him to Paris...or buy him three x-boxes (whatever THEY are). He told me, "I can't, Aunt Peggy. I need to trim my toenails"...or some other such excuse. But, that's ok...I know he loves me.

But what I think really bothers me...is that Denison University offered my boyfriend a scholarship from that audio tape we made! Yep...for THAT, I hold a grudge.

Headlines That Make You Wonder How The Editor Got the Job

I would think that newspaper writer-type jobs would be hard to acquire because of the competition. One writing headlines for a paper should maybe "have a clue". Well, maybe the following samples of journalism at it's best was just a lone incident on an "off" day for someone ~

* Deaf mute gets new hearing in killing (Beltone,maybe?)
* Police begin campaign to run down jaywalkers (that’s pretty severe punishment!)
* Safety experts say school bus passengers should be belted (aw, c’mon!)
* Iraqi head seeks arms (well, I’ve gotta "hand" it to them)

Grammar often botches other headlines ~

* Eye drops off shelf (40 "lashes" to the one who pushed it off)
* Squad helps dog bite victim (What are they teaching in squad school these days?)
* Dealers will hear car talk at noon (I don’t care if the car can sing the National Anthem, I just want it to give me better gas mileage!)
* Enraged cow injures farmer with ax (Isn't that over-kill? A mere head butt might have worked)
* Lawmen from Mexico barbecue guests (what ever happened to good ole wiennies?)
* Miners refuse to work after death (wow..now that’s an extended retirement)
* Two sisters reunite after eighteen years at checkout counter (I wonder if they were arguing over what to buy for dinner that night?)

Once in a while, a botched headline takes on a meaning opposite from the one
intended ~

* Nicaragua sets goal to wipe out literacy (like newspaper editors?)

Sometimes newspaper editors state the obvious ~

* If strike isn't settled quickly it may last a while
* War dims hope for peace (really?)
* Smokers are productive, but death cuts efficiency (DOUBLE really?)
* Cold wave linked to temperatures (NOW I am informed!)
* Blind woman gets new kidney from dad she hasn't seen in years (no comment)
* Man is fatally slain (yes, but did he DIE?)
* Something went wrong in jet crash, experts say (and EXPERTS should know!)

Hmmm...Maybe someone is spiking the coffee in the newsroom?

UGH

This is how my throat feels today.

The Little Things in Life

Why is it that I let the small things in life bother me so much?
Why do I want to throw the empty toilet paper roll all the way to Istanbul when I have had to be the sole heir to the responsibility of replacing the toilet paper?
Maybe it's because I must maintain a certain amount of decorum, maturity and professionalism ten hours out of the day so in the privacy of my home, I can go ballistic over being stuck with this seemingly thankless job.
(Author's note: My age was recently compared to Joy Philbin, who is Regis's wife...and she is TEN YEARS older than me ~ thus, I am acting 66 instead of my true young 56 years of age)

Back to toilet paper ~ there can be 28 people in and out of the bathroom and it's ME who is left with one pitiful lone sheet stuck on the nearly naked roll. How hard can it be to reach around and put another roll on the spindle? You're just sitting there "passing the time" anyway!

Even thought I feel like a martyr in having this enormous responsibility, I think I have become a wee bit obsessed about this "commission" that has been un-sanctimoniously awarded to me and am taking it too seriously.
Recently I have been taking out a new roll and installing it before the current roll is even 20% used. I can recognize the quality and number of plies in three seconds by a mere quick touch.

Now after I have installed the new roll, I place the old roll with a good 22 uses left in it's T-P life, on top ~ then I feel like I am a-"head" (that's "john" vernacular) of my job as a professional T-P installer.

Sadly, I have been know to execute this same action when I visit friends homes, stranger's houses, restaurants, gas stations and rest stops. Some just don't understand.

Let's face it, I have become the Queen of T-P and it can be a "royal" pain in the tush!
I want to relinquish my crown!

Pleeze...someone help me out here...I'm starting to look "flushed" a lot.