Firefly’s, Drive-Ins and Amusement parks

     I’ve noticed a few things missing that used to be prevalent in my youth.  Sitting around talking with friends the other night we commented how we never see Firefly’s or lightening bugs, as we used to call them.  It seemed like lightening bugs were all around my city neighborhood in the summer months but I haven’t seen them in ages.  I don’t even remember when I stopped seeing them, it must have been many years but recently we saw some while at a bond fire at my cousin Bob’s house in O’Fallon.  His house backs up to a creek and he has lots of trees by the creek, which apparently attracts Firefly’s.  The thing is our subdivision has a lot of trees but no creek just a swimming pool but we don’t have lightening bugs at all just mosquitos, If I could choose I’d rather have lightening bugs. 

     As kids we would run around catching them and put them in jars, some we would pull the light off and put it on our finger as a ring.  Not a really nice thing to do to these interesting bugs that lite up the sky but sometimes kids don’t think about that stuff.  After you caught a half a dozen you hands would smell like the Firefly’s which was a very distinctive smell but not really pleasant.  When it was time to go in for the night we would open the jars and the lucky Firefly’s that did not become jewelry were released. 

     Why did we have Firefly’s then and not now?  What’s different?  Is it all the fertilizer on the lawns? Nobody ever fertilized their lawns when I was growing up it just caused the grass to grow and who wanted that.  Too bad Firefly’s were awesome, now you only see them in commercials for Country Time lemonade.

     Drive-in movies are another thing that have disappeared from the landscape although their disappearance is not as puzzling.  Indoor theaters especially the mega theaters caused their demise.  There are still a few around but when I grew up there were many.  There are some remnants of their past when a shopping mall took their place but left the Drive-In entrance sign, I think there is a shopping mall in St. Ann’s that still has St. Ann Drive-In sign.  Kudos to them.  That is a cool way to preserve a memory.

     I remember going to the drive-in with my parents, it was always a fun evening.  The concession stand was in the building with the projector and you would go get snacks before the movie or at intermission.   The speakers hung on a pole at each parking space.  They were on a cord and you could hang them on you window so they would be inside the car for cold nights.  People were constantly banging their doors on the pole when they opened the door even after being warned about the pole.  The sound was pretty bad, you had to listen really close to understand what was being said but if the movie was boring you could always watch people in the other cars, that could be entertaining as well.  Some drive-ins even had small playgrounds up near the screen for really small kids that got bored but I don’t know how often the playgrounds were used.

     As I got older we would go to the drive-in with a bunch of friends, which wasn’t always about the movie as much as socializing with others at the drive-in.  Sometimes people would hide in the trunk until they got in, then you would see all these trunks popping open and kids jumping out, all to save a couple of bucks.  Of course if you had a date the drive-in was always a great place to go. 

     As a teenager I no longer noticed Firefly’s but I suspect I would have seen them at the drive-in as well, if I was paying attention.  Nowadays you can find a movie in the park on some weekends which maybe the replacement for drive-ins of the past.  That's a fun idea and no charge for the mosquitos.

     Amusement parks were always a fun activity to start the summer off.  Every year we would have a school picnic at a local amusement park. We went to Holiday Hill a few times but most of my memories were from Chain of Rocks Amusement park, both of which are gone now. There was no admission price to the park so parents could come in and just enjoy watching the kids run around.  Tickets for rides were sold at various booths around the park and it seemed like you could spend all day without spending much more than $5.00.  I always enjoyed riding the bumper cars but my favorite ride was a small roller coaster called the Mighty Mouse; it had one turn that made you feel like you were going off the cliff, pretty exciting.

     Now we have Six Flags and all the rides are free once you pay the $40 to $50 admission fee per person, even Grandma and Grandpa.  So for a family of 4 you should plan on spending upwards of $200 for a family day of fun. 

     I’m sure some old amusement parks still exist but the only one I can vouch for is the one in Green Bay, Wisconsin called Bay Beach which we stumbled upon a few years ago, check it out if you are every in Green Bay.

     Schools still have end of the year picnics with rides but these are usually held on the school grounds with those temporary travelling carnivals rides.  I’m sure the school kids have a great time and love every minute but you will need a little luck and a keen eye to find any Firefly’s.

One of the most difficult things in life - Change

      It seems many people are afraid of change since it takes you out of your comfort zone.  Many times the older you get the more resistant you are to changes.  I get that but I also found that accepting change widens your comfort zone which brings you new and sometimes exciting adventures.
      Change doesn’t happen automatically, it only happens when you initiate the change by changing your life patterns.  You can be the person now that you want to be tomorrow.  Continuing to do things the same way over and over will get the same results over and over.  Opportunities are all around us but we don’t see them because we get stuck in our comfortable lifestyle.  Changing your lifestyle will bring new opportunities and people into your life.

     When is the best time to make changes?   The answer is always now, because time passes quickly and before you know it years can pass without changes.  Fear of the unknown keeps many of us from making changes, it has happened to me.  We all have different personalities and we should never compare ourselves to others because we have different strengths and talents.  Some people seem to know their life goals and are comfortable with their choices but others may not and still others may change goals constantly.   Some people seem to welcome change and happily engage it, I have always envied that because I struggled with changes but I learned to make small changes that were not too far out of my comfort zone and I felt good about it.  I learned to appreciate my abilities and forced myself to accept or initiate changes in small doses.

      Making a change does not mean it has to be permanent, but it could lead to something that brings you more satisfaction.  Avoiding change could mean you are missing an opportunity.  I found the more I accepted change the more comfortable I became with changes and even looked forward to changes.

      If you want to make a change in your life do something different to get the ball rolling in that direction, don’t just wait for things to change.  You have more control and better results if you make things happen by making changes in your approach.  This applies to career changes and personal life changes.   It's never too late, I have friends that have made major career changes late in life and could not be happier with their new career choice.   The most important advice I can give is don't wait, Do it now.  "Just Saying…"

Funny is All Around Us

     I’ve noticed recently that it seems funny situations exist all around us on a daily basis, maybe they always have but I was too busy to notice.  Whenever I read or listen to the news it depresses me but I think that’s what it’s designed to do.  However when I am running around town doing errands many people I run into are upbeat, sure there’s a few that I’d like to avoid but very few.

     Upbeat and funny people are out there all the time you just have to take notice.  Forget the news and look for the funny.  I talk to strangers all the time and rarely get snubbed.  Most people are friendly and sometimes a wisecrack will bring out the funny in them.  Did you every see an older guy (maybe yourself) ride a shopping cart in the parking lot just like a kid, that’s kinda funny, at least it makes me laugh.  Take time to watch Dad’s interact with their kids; you’ll see some funny stuff there as well or just kids in general.  It’s easy to find the funny you just need to pay attention.  To put it another way “Be mindful of the funny” (That’s for you John).

     One day last week I was in kind of in a funk (just not feeling up), I’m sure you’ve had those moments, when I happened upon a guy in the grocery store parking lot giving out free hot dogs and chips the 75^th anniversary of Schnucks Grocery stores.  He was very upbeat and friendly which made me feel a little better.  Then I went inside to pick up a prescription and the pharmacist asks about my “Tour de Donut” t-shirt.  I explained I was a cyclist and the shirt is from a bike ride, which provided donuts at each rest stop and the more you ate the more time you could deduct from your time.  He laughed and we talked more about a few other goofy bike rides that I had been on, each of us laughing.  It was a funny conversation and I walked away feeling good (the funk was gone) and I’m sure the pharmacist felt good too because he was still chuckling as I left.  As I was getting in my car I told the guy at the hotdog stand I would be back for lunch He said, “I’ll save you one, you’re my first customer”, I laughed.

     If you slow down and talk to others, even strangers you will notice the funny side of life is all around.  “Just Saying…”

Growing up in the 60's

     As a child I was somewhat shy but inquisitive.  Growing up with an upbringing in the catholic religion didn’t foster enthusiasm for questions from religious authorities.  It almost felt like it was sinful to ask questions that would contradict the religious teachings.  We were just expected to do as we were told without thinking.  We were taught by the St. Joseph Nuns and a few lay teachers and in those days they ruled with an iron fist, or book or ruler or whatever was nearby.  We liked some of the nuns that taught us but as you might expect others seemed overbearing almost mean.  They probably weren’t but that was the feeling I got. 

     The pastor of the church would occasionally visit the school, my Dad thought he was a good guy but he was a crabby, arrogant and aloof to kids.   At that time all I knew was that I didn’t like him.  My Dad told me he smoked colored cigarettes (yellow, pink, blue, etc.), really, why and who cares.  Unlike the pastor the younger priest were much more down to earth.

     I would daydream a lot as a young boy about endless number of topics, which I’m sure many others did as well, so consequently sometimes I felt like I was in a mental fog.  None of which was related to the topic that was being taught in class.  Teachers frequently told my parents that I daydreamed a lot, which was true and guess what, I still do.

     I had a good family life with a big extended family but with strict religious rules that sometimes didn’t make any sense to me.  The rules in our family were stricter than some of my friends but I’m not complaining about that because all families have differences and there is more than one way to raise kids.  On the plus side a strong religious upbringing gave me a strong & positive outlook of right and wrong even though I didn’t agree with all the teachings. 

     We had a comfortable middle class life and even took vacations (somewhat unusual for many families at that time).  I always enjoyed the vacations especially when my cousin would come along.  My cousin Kath was more uninhibited than me so that seem to lighten up the mood and make the trips more fun.  Vacations were just about having fun and trying new things.  We would just go and leave the rules behind.  We never had elaborate vacations but we didn’t need too because fun didn’t have a price tag.

     We had many challenges but we lived less complicated lives than kids of today. 

     Technology is wonderful but sometimes it's nice to turn back the clock even if it's only for a day or two. 

Live Your Life without Regrets

     I know you’ve heard that before but it’s much easier to say than to do, the truth is most people have some regrets.  The regrets I’m speaking about are lost opportunities.  The message seems clear that your life will be much fuller if you can pursue your dreams without regrets. This just doesn’t apply to the younger set; anyone at any age can pursue a passion and experience the personal satisfaction.  The thing is a missed opportunity is not lost as long as your still breathing, it may just be dormant.

     Responsibilities will take precedence over pursuing your passion in life, as they should.  Don’t deny those responsibilities because if you do you they will later become regrets. 

     Listen to your mind and heart they can lead you.  I believe we have many things that will fulfill our search for a meaningful life, so don’t regret missed opportunities because there is always another opportunity around the corner.

     All of us all experience failure so don’t regret this either, failures are simply stepping-stones to achieving your dreams. By the same token you will experience small successes, which will boost your confidence toward achieving your dreams.

     Regrets are roadblocks to your dreams.  Focus on your dreams.  It might just be as satisfying to pursue your dreams as achieving them.  Words you never want to hear yourself say, “I wish I would have done that”.  

“Just Saying…”

Italy our Big Vacation (Day 1)

     It was about 7 years ago that we took a vacation to Italy with our good friends John & Cindy.  We had traveled on many domestic vacations and had great times so we knew our international trip would be a blast, which it was without question.  My wife (Mimi) was our own personal travel agent and we always had great accommodations at a reasonable cost which was true in this case as well. 

     We were all very excited about our trip especially John & Cindy because of their Italian background.  John and I even tried to learn Italian prior to leaving and we felt pretty confident we could handle rudimentary conversations in Italian.  John & Cindy also bought new, big (almost the size of a steamer trunk) and very distinctive but attractive luggage so it could be easily recognized when sliding down the luggage chute at the airport. They must have packed the entire contents of their closets.

     As with all of my stories I will tell you about the oddities of our trip because anyone that has been to Italy can tell you about the beautiful scenery, great food, wine and wonderful memories. 

     Well we arrived at the airport and boarded our flight to New York to catch our connecting flight.  Not wanting to have an extended time waiting at Kennedy International we had booked the connecting flight with only an hour lay over.  Our flight out of St. Louis was delayed due to weather or late passenger boarding (thoughtless twits), I don’t remember exactly. As soon as we arrived at Kennedy International we headed over to Alitalia for or connecting flight.  As we were approaching the counter to check in the attendant called to us saying  “Ladendecker & Michalka we’ve been waiting for you”, I thought “really aren’t we special”.  We soon found out we weren’t special at all, just late (Ok maybe I was too harsh on the late passengers in STL). We hurried through the to get boarding passes and ran to our gate and boarded, “Whew, we made it, all is good”.  

     At least that’s what we thought, not so much, the flight was fine no issues at all and we safely landed in Rome on time.  After we de-planed (why did they create a new word for getting off the plane?, when you travel in a car and arrive at your destination do you de-car?).  Anyway we headed over to the baggage claim area anxiously waiting for the distinctive designer style  luggage, Well as you probably already figured out the luggage did not show up, while we made our connection the luggage went somewhere else or maybe nowhere at all.  We then went over to report our loss and we were told that the baggage would be sent to us immediately upon arrival, great no problem but we landed in Rome and we were taking a bus to Siena right from the airport, would that be a problem, not at all says the guy at the airport baggage claim office.  He then reached under the counter and removed 4 small bags about the size of a shoeshine kit (this may be foreign to some young people) which we would were told contained the essentials.  “So, you mean I packed those two huge suitcases and this is all I really needed.”  Each bag contained toothpaste, toothbrush (bristles you could use to clean the barbeque grate), deodorant, soap, razor, comb and a T-shirt so we were all set for a 12-day vacation with our bag of essentials.  We had brought small carry-on bags but they contained non-essentials, no clothing at all, big mistake.

     We then left the airport looking for the bus station to get transportation to Siena, which turned out to be more complicated than we thought since our Italian was not nearly as good as we thought.  Thankfully many people spoke English so we bought tickets and boarded the bus to Siena with ease taking our bag of essentials.  As I remember we had to board a 2^nd bus/tram to get to Siena then a cab to get to the Hotel Arcobaleno.  Once arriving at the hotel and checking out the premises we took a stroll around Siena looking for some clothing stores that where we could buy a few items to supplement our expansive wardrobe.  It was hard to find clothing that didn’t fit like an undersized glove; the Italians like their clothing tight.

     Later in the day, we decided to catch a cab to take us to a well-deserved dinner.  So we went to our room to freshen up, we had a T-shirt from our kit of essentials and a few other things we purchased but decided we would save them for later, at this point it wasn’t yet essential that we change.  We had a recommendation from the hotel for a nice restaurant but we arrived a little early so we sat in the piazza relaxing a pondering our 1^st day in Italy. 

A Decision – It only takes a second

     We make thousands of decisions everyday; it only takes a second.  Many are minor decisions that we make without thinking because they have become automatic.  We live a hurried life but everything we do, every step we take is a decision.  Do I go left or right fast or slow, these simple and easy decisions that become automatic. 

     It only takes a second to make a rash decision or a considerate decision but the consequences could last a lifetime. Multi tasking distracts us, which adds more decisions to the mix.  The electronic world complicates and hinders our decision making.  Telephones beg for our attention and require us to make decisions quickly.  Be focused, it only takes a second, because some decisions that appear to be minor could have a major impact on yourself or others. 

     If someone is drunk, high, distracted, they are likely to make impaired decisions.  When your brain isn’t working on all it’s cylinders your decisions will likely reflect that.  This is a good time for a friend to step in and assist  by helping them with a decision, it only takes a second.

     You can make someone’s day with a thoughtful decision.  We can change our decision patterns.  Take little steps, it’s easy and eventually it becomes automatic.  Do you have time to think about others?  Pay it forward with thoughtful decisions, besides what’s the big hurry.  Live everyday a little bit better than the day before by making considerate decisions.   “Just Saying…”

Runaway Refrigerator

     It seems like buying a refrigerator would be a simple process and not much of a story, but sometimes things that should be simple turn out to be complicated and almost comical.

     The process of looking for a new refrigerator is just a matter of choosing color, style and size.  For us the color and style were not the issue but we were limited by the size.  After visiting a number of appliance stores we selected on from American Furniture, which was a big mega appliance store in St. Charles.  We made the purchase, setup the delivery date, which included removal and disposal of our old refrigerator.  Smooth so far.

     Delivery day arrived, I was the only one home at the time they arrived.  The delivery guys came in and 1^st removed the old frig taking it to the truck then brought in the new refrigerator impressively carrying it with straps.  They brought the new frig into the kitchen and began hooking up the water lines when my wife (Mimi) and my daughter (Maureen) arrived home from a shopping trip.  Immediately my wife noticed a dent in the side of the frig that was not there when we purchased it (floor model) plus when they tried to slid it into position it was too tall hitting the cabinets above (our measuring mistake).  In addition to that when I tried to fill a water glass the plastic arm broke.  Well we said this isn’t going to work take it back and bring our old one back in.  The head delivery guy said he needed to call the office and check in with them so he and his compadre went out to the truck to make the call. What a hassle!

     While waiting for the guys to bring in the old frig we noticed they just took off leaving us with the dented, broken new frig sitting in the middle of the kitchen.  My wife says, “Go after them” which seemed like a reasonable plan.  So I go out to follow them and Maureen’s car is blocking ours so I get her keys, and the chase begins.  The delivery guys are in a panel truck so driving my daughters Mazda is like a having a Ferrari, well not exactly but you get the picture.  It was no problem catching up with them even though they tried to elude me (just like a James Bond movie).  Come on use your imagination. 

     I had a cell phone (flip phone) with me so I got a call from my wife who had contacted American Furniture to explain the situation.  Their first comment was “Oh again”.  Really this apparently was not the first time this has happened.  American Furniture used a sub contractor for deliveries and the delivery guys got paid by the number of deliveries that they made, customer satisfaction was not a factor. 

     While chasing the panel truck through St. Peters/O”Fallon, I noticed Maureen’s car was running on empty, which is unfortunate but not unusual.  Now time became an issue in this below speed limit chase, would I run out of gas before I could get the truck to turn around.  I continually beep the car horn to let him know I’m still behind him and not giving up (thankfully he doesn’t know I’m running out of gas).  I get another call from my wife and she tells me the police have been called, good that should help if I can get him to turn around.  Miraculously, (probably thinking they had enough of this craziness) at a stoplight on Hwy K one of the delivery guys gets out of the truck and comes back to the car telling me they will turn around as long as we don’t call the police.  I said fine and so they did. My only concern at that point was that I had enough gas to get back home, which I did. 

     We arrived back home and to their surprise the police were there, sorry about that I guess I fibbed a little, my bad.  They off loaded my old refrigerator and set it at the bottom of the driveway, saying they would not go in the house.  I protested to the police and he said their only obligation was to return the refrigerator, WTF!  I told the delivery guy if he moved the frig up to the garage door I would take it inside myself.  Don’t piss off an angry 5’6” guy, he agreed, I guess he didn’t want me to follow him on the rest of his route.  

    Through numerous phone calls Mimi got American Furniture to pick up the new refrigerator (different guys) and refund our money.  Shortly thereafter we bought one from Sears, they had their own delivery guys and we had no issues with this delivery.  What is the moral to this story………..I don’t know, always make sure you have a full tank of gas on delivery day.

Laugh your way to a Healthier Life

     Of the many important things in life, health always is near the top of the list, if not the first.  I’m not just making this up, many people have told me that if they could change one thing in life it would be to live a healthier life.  Sometimes we do not have control of some aspects of health, such as our genetics or accidents but we can control health by exercise, diet, etc. as we already know.  I don’t want to bore you with more information about diet and exercise, since you already know the benefits. 

     There are other ways to improve your health and one is laughter.  It’s true, laughter reduces stress and anxiety, it is a proven fact.  I’m sure you’ve had instances when you were a little down and stumbled on to something that made you laugh.  Didn’t you feel good and immediately forget your problems, or what you thought were your problems, I know I have.  I take every opportunity to laugh as much as possible; I actually look for things that make me laugh.  Laughter is infectious and it brings people together.  If you hear someone laughing you’re going to go and find out what’s so funny.

     There are so many benefits to laughter that it’s hard to list them all.  Maybe laughter won’t replace medicine, exercise or diet but what fun way to boost your health without a co-pay or membership fee.

     No matter what you do in life, I think we all will agree that life, as we know it, is temporary.  Use laughter as therapy for a healthier life however long it may be.  Although, I guess it’s possible that there maybe someone out there that believes they will live forever, if that is you please leave a comment to this post explaining your secrets also let me know what institution you currently reside in.….You should be laughing now or at least chuckling.

     So your prescription for today to reduce stress and release some much-needed endorphins is to Laugh it Up.  “Just Saying…”

Risk of Pet Watching for Friends or Relatives

     Have you ever been asked to watch a dog, cat or other animal for someone while they’re on vacation.  It can be a disastrous situation especially if young children, even young adults are involved. We had two occasions when this happened. 

     Once we watched a hamster for a friend down the street.  Patrick volunteered to feed and care for Marisa and Nick’s hamster.

     It seemed like a pretty simple task the neighbors brought the hamster over to us with food and a cage complete with a exercise tube and wheel that allowed the hamster to run around without getting lost.  Pat did a good job giving food and water to the hamster but we noticed later on in the week the hamster was spending a lot of time in the wheel and tube rather than his cage.  Well to our shocking surprise we discovered there was a door that closed off the wheel and tube, which somehow was closed locking the hamster in the tube without access to the food and water.  But, Alas! It was too late for the little creature, there was no reviving it. 

     Now what were we to do, get a new hamster and try to pass it off as theirs.  We could take it in to the pet store and try to match its’ color, you know like a paint chip to a color chart but that just seemed wrong.  So, we just confessed to our neighbors that we failed in our duties while watching their cute little hamster.  They took it well but we did not get any additional request to watch any of their animals. 

     The 2^nd incident happened when we were at my sister (Rose) and brother-in-law (Bud’s) house for a family get together the day before they left on vacation.  Throughout the night there was discussion what to do with their golden retriever dog (Charmin) while they and their kids (Bridget & Scott) were gone.  Rose ask my kids (Maureen and Pat) if they could come over to their house and feed/water the dog plus letting her run in the yard a little.  They both said yes they could do that, but later on the discussion changed to leaving the dog at the kennel. This discussion went back and forth a couple of times between Rose/Bud and our kids sometimes us.  So by the end of the night, I truly didn’t know what was going on with the dog, but before leaving we ask and Rose said “We got it covered”.  I took that to mean that her and our kids made some arrangements. 

     The next day I said to my kids when they were going over to take care of Charmin and they both said “No, they took Charmin to the kennel” “Really” I said “Are you sure?” “Yes, Dad” they exclaimed.  Mimi (my wife) agreed that was the final word. 

     So the week went by quickly as most summer weeks do, when on the day of their return I got a phone call from Bud wanting to know what kennel we took Charmin to, What? Holy Crap, what do I say, your kidding right?  We didn’t, you were going to do that.  I could hear the panic in his voice and so could his kids because I heard them starting to sob.  I had their garage code so I told Bud I would hurry over there and check on Charmin.

     I wasn’t sure what to expect when I arrived but a week without food, would I be picking up a body.  I entered the garage then carefully opened the door to the house calling for Charmin and to my surprise she bolted into the kitchen excited to see me.  On the counter I saw a 30 lb bag of dog food opened but undisturbed.  I walked around the house and I found very little disruption at all, just a plant that was knocked over and some wet spots on the carpet.  I quickly went to fill her dog bowl with food but Charmin seemed more interested in playing than eating.  Amazing I was so relieved I can’t even explain it.  Bud, Rose and the kids arrived home shortly after I put food out for Charmin and to put it mildly they were even more relieved than me.

I learned 2 things from this experience. 

First, make sure there is no mis-communication get clear instructions. 
Second, even after going a week without food, Golden Retrievers are more anxious to play than to eat.  We don’t get many calls to watch other peoples pets these days (I wonder why) but we have watched Maureen’s dog, Zuma without incident so I guess we’re getting better.