L V C || C L Memory 149

In 149 days, I'll be back on campus at my alma-mater at an extra special homecoming as Lebanon Valley College continues celebrating its 150th birthday.  In honor of that countdown, here's memory #149:  Move-in Day!

The dorm room in the top picture where I first landed (back in the late summer of 1989) is Mary Green 217, and yes, that is a *classic* LVC t-shirt that I was wearing on that day to get situated.  Helping me with the task that was at hand was my sister Wendy, who kind of only became my sister a few months before (in March of that year) when her family took me in after I had run away from home as a senior in high school.

I had had just a few months of independence to begin to figure out who I was, but if ever there was a person ready to let the college experience assist in the age old rite of passage of "finding oneself", I was that boy.

Fresh faced and ready for anything ... that was me on my first day of college way back then.

Random Wordplay for Wednesday 5/11/16

Blame it on the MC1R!

Used in a sentence:  "Now it's official when it comes to those of us who look older in appearance than we are in actual age:  blame it on the MC1R!"

You may know of the MC1R (it previously got a lot of press when it was known as the ginger gene), but now a scientist has put out there that it's also responsible for folks in studies who looked two years older than they are (and vice versa).  Now it's only a matter of time before the age defying industry grabs a hold of this news and starts offering creams and treatments touting an MC1R revolution ON YOUR FACE!  Until then, those of us who have a more weathered look can just blame it on the MC1R!

IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT:
http://time.com/4311822/gene-aging/

THE MIGHTY MC1R:
https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/gene/MC1R

TIME FOR JAMIE FOXX TO CHANGE UP HIS TUNE:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfjtpp90lu8

L V C || C L Memory 150

Whereas ... Lebanon Valley College is celebrating its 150th birthday in the year 2016;

Whereas ... the celebration will climax at Homecoming Weekend this October 7 and 8;

Whereas ... today marks the 150th day leading up to those dates;

Whereas ... *everybody* loves a countdown;

Whereas ... I spent the best part of a whole decade at the school (give or take a few years) -- which is practically 1/15th of its time in existence (give or take a few percentage points);

Whereas ... LVC is the source of my undergrad degrees (pictured herein from '95 and '00);

Whereas ... I have untold memories and mementos and moments to share;

Therefore be it resolved that, for the next 150 days, and in anticipation of my return to campus for the birthday weekend's activities this fall, I shall post a favorite memory of mine in a NEW recurring series on the Facebook (and the blog) -- because, you know, that's what I do.

Random Tune for Tuesday 5/10/16

As I've previously stated, there's not that many releases any more that I feel pressured to run out and get on the DAY they come out ...

... and now, in almost back to back weeks, I find myself eating those words by planning trips to Target to pick up tunes by some favorite artists.

First was the errand to claim Martina McBride's 'Reckless' just two weeks ago ... and now comes the task of going out *this* Friday (despite it being a Friday the 13th) to get the latest, second solo release from Jennifer Nettles.  (Funny thing ... it's been in my phone for awhile as a task for Friday under 'J Net', and it took me a bit to remember what that stood for.  I guess my attempts to turn J Net into a thing like J Hud wasn't successful.)

So far I've only heard the one song (another perfect fit for her delivery of heartache and longing like only she can do), but I'm intrigued by a set list that includes a duet with *another* Jennifer (Lopez!) ... and I know that this album (see how old I am to refer to it as such) will be on repeat play for the next few weeks.

Until Friday ... here's 'Unlove You' to tide us all over ...

HEARTACHE AND LONGING LIKE ONLY J NET CAN DO:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtj-YhjIrHQ

Random Memorial for Monday 5/9/16

Gone but not forgotten:  the ability to take selfies anywhere you want in Mumbai.

Well, selfie freedom won't be forgotten by anyone who visited *prior* to the governmental crackdown on people risking their lives for the perfect selfie ... and it won't be forgotten by anyone who survived the risk and is still alive to tell the tale.

Because, it turns out, these new zones were created specifically to address the high number of deaths-by-selfie:  in front of speeding trains or along the dangerous waterfront, for example.  India "earned" tops on the list for percentage of deaths worldwide linked to selfie taking:  19 of 49 fatalities over the last 3 years.

I have to wonder, though.  Should the police really be protecting us from ourselves?  Might not this be a case for a natural thinning of the herd?

Opportunity to avoid police harassment during the snapping of a selfie ... and opportunity to be as stupid as you wanna be whilst selfie-ing -- at least in Mumbai -- you are both missed.

PUT YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR AND PUT DOWN THAT CELL PHONE:
http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/25/travel/mumbai-india-no-selfie-zones/

YEAH THIS IS A REAL THING NOW:
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/death-by-selfie/

RESIST URGE TO TURN THIS INTO A SELFIE QUEST, JUST 'CAUSE THEY SAID NO:
http://time.com/2981513/8-of-the-worst-times-to-take-a-selfie/

Random Scandal Sheet for Sunday 5/8/16

What southern Florida is talking about this week:

Mother's Day!

Or, for those of us lucky enough to have multiple maternal figures in our lives, Mothers' Day!

(In case you missed it, I moved the apostrophe.  It's a trick of the punctuation that conveys a powerful message.)

Mary, aka she who bore me, passed away last year.  Joanne, who was my surrogate grandmother, passed many years before her (as did both my maternal and paternal grandmas).  But still alive and deserving of thanks and praise and well wishes on this day are my surrogate mom Judy who took me in when I ran away from home a long long time ago, and my bonus mother Laura courtesy of the fact that DJ liked to bring home strays (*I* was one of those strays), and my latest mother Evelyne from my "Indiana" side of my family ... as well as any number of other strong women in my life who helped shaped me into the man that I am today.

Not to mention the fact that my mother's daughters are all mothers ... and some of their next generation are mothering (or about to be mothering) ... as are my father's daughters and granddaughters and (I think) great granddaughters ... and nieces and cousins (of all variations) ... and friends ... and friends of friends ... and suddenly there's a whole lot of mothering going on.

Kind of seems like maybe there should be more than just one day to celebrate, eh?

THE READER'S DIGEST VERSION:
http://www.rd.com/true-stories/inspiring/mothers-day-short-stories/

THE PHOTOGRAPHER VERSION:
http://time.com/4317226/mother-day-photo/

THE QUOTES VERSION:
http://www.india.com/whatever/happy-mothers-day-2016-quotes-top-10-best-famous-inspirational-quotes-to-celebrate-motherhood-salute-all-her-sacrifices-1157716/

Random Soapbox for Saturday 5/7/16

WARNING!  This post is more "European" in nature and may not appeal to American sensibilities (i.e.  it does not contain gore or violence).

I don't mean to go off on a rave here, but ...

... it's World Naked Gardening Day (held the first Saturday in May), so get out and enjoy nature au natural.

And now, here's an attempt to answer your questions in advance after you've seen the accompanying image:

1.)  Trimming is not just for trees and shrubbery.
2.)  Why yes that it is a big watering can (and yes, I'm also very happy to see you).
3.)  No neighbors were harmed in the taking of this photo.
4.)  Downloading and/or zooming on the photo makes YOU the pervert, not me.
5.)  Please consider wearing sunblock -- EVERYWHERE -- should you participate in today's activities.
6.)  Yes, I have been working out and no, I am not ashamed of my curves.
7.)  I only found out about this activity courtesy of the Facebook, so I feel like they were encouraging me to post, so they best not block my photo.
8.)  I recognize I may not be able to run for president after today.  But then again, with this year's election cycle, maybe this will HELP me run for president some day.
9.)  I can't wait to do this again in 2036 (Zuckerberg willing) for my "twenty years later" Facebook photo album.
10.)  Just when you think I'm so darn predictable and I've nothing left to do to shock or surprise you ... I go and celebrate World Naked Gardening Day!

WARNING ... EUROPEAN-APPROVED PHOTOS AHEAD:
http://www.wngd.org/

JUST GIVING YOU OPTIONS OVER THERE IN FACEBOOK LAND:
https://www.facebook.com/help/189722821075378

WARNING:  NSFW LANGUAGE AND IMAGES AHEAD:
http://www.dailydot.com/opinion/7-reasons-not-to-post-something-to-facebook/