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Planet Mom: It’s where I live. Visit me there at www.notesfromplanetmom.com and now at www.notesfromplanetmom.blogspot.com too!
Long ago and far away, my parents sent me to summer camp at Lake Arrowhead. No, not that ritzy one in California, the other one. We slept on lumpy bunks in tiny, stuffy cabins, not in classy suites. Instead of loads of free time to explore nature and generally enjoy ourselves, we were tied to a rigid camp schedule. I hated that rigid schedule. Everything was timed to the nanosecond. Even the fish in the lake were told when to jump. To break the monotony, we snuck out of our cabin during one afternoon’s forced rest period. We found some round rocks a little smaller than basketballs, painted them, and arranged them for a border around the front of our cabin. Instead of feeling like resting, we felt energized, so we went inside and straightened up the cabin. Then we swept, mopped, and waxed the floor and cleaned the window (that’s window – singular). I wasn’t much direct help, I admit, but I was credited with coming up with the constant stream of ideas for what we could do next. We were busted, of course. After dinner that night, we were called up to the head table in the mess hall in front of everybody and presented the Neatest Cabin Award for the day. Until then, the girls in cabin 13 across the rec field had always swept up the trophy. They were furious. They couldn’t fathom that we’d ever be motivated to beat them, let alone find the time. All that afternoon, they thought we’d be sneaking down to the lake for an extra swim during rest period, so they spiffied up their cabin. Surely they’d beat us at inspection time. We wouldn’t have a chance. They didn’t reckon with our rock hounds or my duty list. They were such sore losers that at the age of eight, I gave up on women for at least two weeks. I vowed that I’d never get myself into a camp regimen again. And I didn’t, except for a few campouts with the Boy Scouts. That was more like real camping — tents, sleeping bags, cooking our own grub, digging our own latrine, roasting marshmallows on a dirty stick over a smoky campfire. Fast forward four or five decades to last weekend. The Mrs. talked me into taking her and The Poodle camping. I’d forgotten what it’s like to rough it out in the woods. The folks on both sides of our site felt the same way. Camp Marshmallow is a cozy little getaway in a rustic, wooded site beside a stream that was expected to overflow at any moment, thanks to the steady downpour that arrived right after we did. After dark, we also noticed that we’d parked under an airport flight path and not that far from a stock car racetrack. One evening, between rainstorms, the Mrs. had a brainstorm. "Hey! I have a brainstorm," she announced. "Why don’t we take advantage of the lull and roast marshmallows over the campfire?" I could immediately think of dozens of reasons why not, but just to teach her a lesson, I set out to accomplish just that feat. For five bucks, I bought an armload of wet wood from the camp authorities. She wondered aloud how I’d manage to start a fire with wet wood. I replied that we’d use an old Boy Scout trick. Her incredulous look egged me on, so I explained that we always carried a copy of the Girl Scout Handbook with us. She brightened, thinking I’d say that Girl Scouts would naturally have better ideas for starting a cooking fire. Interrupting her triumphant thoughts, I continued. All we had to do was borrow a lighter from the Scout Master, rip a few pages from the Girl Scout Manual, and we’d be roasting marshmallows in no time. She’d never have believed me if I’d said we rubbed sticks together. Jerry Westbrook is a writer living with the Mrs. and The Poodle in Winfield, PA, where he's drying his camping gear.
I was madly in love with a French belle in the 1980s who was really quite beautiful, had a mind of her own, and of course, had a certain je ne sais quoi about her. Trouble is, I never got to meet her, let alone afford her. Let me explain. I've never been one to go mainstream and when the rumor mill started to overflow with speculation that the Renault Alpine GTA sports car was coming to these shores, I was overjoyed. It was love at first sight not only with the design, but the specifications and execution. I was jubilant this swoopy sweetheart of a car was going to make its way from Europe to the United States. The troubled American Motors Corporation (AMC) was going to bring this jewel stateside to stimulate sales and make it a "halo vehicle" in their lineup. But by December 1986, Chrysler's buyout of AMC put the kibosh on these plans. And on mine. You see, I started to save for this piece de resistance the minute I saw pictures of it. Some men fall for Italian beauties such as Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Maserati or Lamborghini. Others go ga ga over German marques such as Porsche or BMW. But I was lusting after something that was of French design — Eiffel Tower thinking and, unfortunately, Channel No. 5 price tag. When you're a young man you dream big. Oui? The car shown in the picture was powered by a 200 horsepower V6 motor driven through the rear wheels. It was a 2 plus 2 cockpit — meaning bucket seats up front and small jump seats in the rear. The body was made of plastic resin material for lightweight and strength. Perhaps the quirkiest feature was the motor, which resided BEHIND the rear axel line, like a Porsche 911. C'est magnifique! Just like a French woman who can be sedate one minute and go berserk the next, the Renault Alpine GTA had tricky handling characteristics at the limit because of so much weight over the rear wheels. No problem. By 1986 they pondered making it all wheel drive and boosting the power level to 240 horsepower via turbocharging. Now my adrenaline was really flowing! I wrote love letters to AMC and Renault asking them, begging them, to bring this femme fatale our way. I'd pay her admission, get her the green card she desperately needed for instant citizenship. I was proposing an arranged marriage of sorts. They'd write back to me saying "Thank you for your interest in our product, but no definite plans have been made as of yet regarding this model." Were they more worried about their country's wine, cheese and bread sticks than this moving piece of art? The obsession and hope centered on having an Alpine GTA of my own lasted for a few years until harsh reality settled in. AMC was totally broke and not coming back. Chrysler didn't want an Alpine GTA to fight Porsche 911s or Lotus Esprits because they already had a sledgehammer of a sports car in the works — the Dodge Viper. And, even if I sold my soul, I wouldn't be able to afford an Alpine, which I'm sure a few got exported here through the gray market. One reason I keep going to car shows is to maybe catch a glimpse of this sexy starlette whom I never got to meet in person. I still look at all the magazines I kept about her. Read about how she held her own against much higher priced exotics. I still find her charming and unique. And unobtainable. Back in the day, my Ford Mustangs and Shelby Dodges were cool but crude. Much like many American girls, who lacked true sophistication and a certain flair that only Europeans seemed to not only capture, but exploit. So, do you know of a nice 1980s vintage Renault Alpine GTA sitting someplace, used gingerly, waxed and serviced regularly and has all service records intact? And that wants to meet a guy who'll treat her with respect and admiration? Call G so I can arrange a dream date. Until then, au revoir! The Bookworm Sez "The Particular Sadness of Lemon
Cake"By Aimee Bender The recipe is the original, in her handwriting. You’ve figured out that a "handful" equals one cup and a "pinch" is a quarter teaspoon. You’ve measured and spooned and sifted faithfully. So why can’t you get anything to taste the way Grandma made it? You wish she was around to tell. What mysterious addition made food different when it came from her kitchen? Ask Rose. There’s always something extra in her food, but in the new book "The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake" by Aimee Bender, it’s rarely edible. It started on the cusp of Rose Edelstein’s ninth birthday. Rose’s mother was excited to have time to bake a special cake, a lemon one from a delicious-sounding recipe. From the oven, it smelled wonderful, but one bite and Rose knew something was wrong. Despair overwhelmed her and she couldn’t finish. Hardly anyone would believe her, for sure. Rose’s father was always working and when he was home, he was exhausted and barely had energy for TV-watching. Her brother, Joseph, was a strange boy who loved math and physics and being alone. Her mother, the source of all sad food, was wrapped up in a new job that was fulfilling in a new-job sort of way. The only person who didn’t scoff was George, Joseph’s best friend, and Rose loved him for it. By age twelve, the "gift" was honed so well that Rose could taste the difference between oranges from Florida and oranges from California. Her tongue knew each factory, each grass-feeding beef farm, every garden from every state. She tasted anger and happiness, love and machinery. Her odd ability never left her, and it was strong enough to know that her mother was having an affair. At age seventeen, Rose cooked her first meal and ate it, not recognizing the factory taste of herself. That was the year Joseph disappeared for the last time, her mother started sleeping in his old bed night after night, and Rose’s father took up jogging after dark. It was the year that Rose made a fool of herself over George. But it was also the year that Rose found the restaurant she’d been searching for all her life. There, spinach was spinach and onions had no meaning. There, food was for savoring and secrets were safe. There are a lot of adjectives that can be used to describe author Aimee Bender’s latest novel: quirky, weird, odd. Also: compelling, addictive. The ultimate fact is that "The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake" is probably the strangest book you’ll never want to put down. But here’s the thing: I say that with no small amount of amazement. I wasn’t too keen on the plot of this book at first, but Bender’s precocious Rose made me stay. I was glad I did, because this book turned out to be purely irresistible. Perfect for vacationing, weekending, or for book groups, I think you’ll like "The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake". If you’re in the mood for something different, you’ll eat this book up. Listen to This By Mark Boyer Last week, I introduced a little Rock and Roll History 101 to you. I gave my "ugly segregation in American music history" speech and I mentioned that Rock and Roll was initially really just Rhythm and Blues music that was originating in black communities, but was being introduced to white kids through the radio, jukeboxes and record companies. This Rhythm and Blues music had actually been around for many years and some of the really big hits of the 1950s were actually popular R&B tunes from the 1930s and 40s. The one thing that it was lacking was popular exposure, among all races. In the 1950s, deejays brought the needed exposure to this style of music. As television began to take over the radio market, radio focused in on playing music. Record companies began to heavily use a process of paying deejays to play specific songs known as Payola, a combination the words "pay" and "Victrola". It wasn’t a new concept entirely, nor was it strictly Rock and Roll specific. Payola was provided in the form of direct payments or more often in the form of partial ownership of song royalties or other backdoor procedures. The more the deejays pushed a song, the more kids would buy the records and the more money the deejay would make. In 1959, television was rocked by a scandal in the game show industry. It was found that many shows were rigging the results so that popular guests were winning, helping ratings to blossom from week to week. Following Congressional hearings, attention was turned to the radio industry, where Payola was becoming big business and deejays — even more than the companies they worked for — were becoming big financial players in the entertainment industry. In 1960, Congress focused its attention on cleaning up the corruption in the radio and record industries. Rock and Roll had become a thorn in the side of many older generation Americans as well as many of the ASCAP song-pluggers of the earlier decades that had now seen their popularity bubble pop. Payola was the one way to get a grasp on this out-of-control marketplace. The Congressional probe focused in on the most popular deejays in the music industry such as Alan Freed and Dick Clark. As the Payola scandal became a public issue, many radio stations began cutting their deejays lose before any wrongdoing could be focused on the company. Hundreds of deejays across America were fired for accepting Payola before the hearings even began. The scandal also became big news because of the way that the two big name deejays handled themselves. Alan Freed was indicted initially for receiving just $2,500 that he said was just a gift. He held to the position that his airplay was not affected by any payments. This denial of any wrongdoing, but admission that he had received money from record companies, made him a big target, eventually ruining his career. He was quickly fired by all of his affiliated radio stations. Dick Clark was much more careful and cooperative. He sold all his holdings and interests in the record industry. He had everything laid out, with statistics about his involvement in Payola and how it affected popularity charts. He also admitted profits of nearly $12,000 on an investment of only about $120. In the end, although everyone seemed to know that he was involved, he received just a slap on the wrist and continued his illustrious career. Alan Freed on the other hand was devastated professionally. He died of alcohol abuse just a few years later, broke and broken. Over the years, record companies found other creative ways to get music played. Third party gifts became standard in the days following Payola, where record companies would hire promotion companies that would then give "incentives" to radio stations for adding certain songs to their play lists. The loophole was closed finally in 2007 when the FCC cracked down on radio station companies and independent promoters. After 47 years of corruption since the Congressional Payola hearings, it seems that Payola is finally dead. The question that doesn’t seem to be asked though is, what is the next avenue for record companies to get their hits to become hits. Throughout the history of Rock and Roll, Billboard has had some type of Top 100 list, although it has changed over the years. The songs are ranked on the list by using a formula, which includes radio play, record sales and other factors. There are many factors that determine a "hit" and there are many different outlets for the record companies to use to get us hooked on their song. Radio is taking a back seat to the Internet. The deejay isn’t a real star factor anymore, and the radio companies don’t have their loophole anymore. Things have changed again, and with that change will come new ways to get you to hear what the record companies want you to hear. They pick the hits long before you hear them. Corruption follows money in most cases. It’s just a matter of time until Payola is reinvented. Mark Boyer is a proud father of three, Director of Secondary Bands for the East Lycoming School District, freelance trumpet player, private music teacher and production associate for Knoebels Amusement. He can be reached at sandhazrd@aol.com. Just Say Ahhhhh By China Neal I just finished helping to register 100 United States Postal Service mail carriers attending a conference, as potential bone marrow donors. While, I was registering people a man approached and said, "I’m a recipient, I would not be here today if someone hadn’t donated their bone marrow." What would you do to save a life? Regular Webb Weekly readers will remember my article, Why I’m a Dodger fan. In the story I wrote about my co-worker’s husband, Bobby who died while waiting for a bone marrow transplant. The truth is people especially children, are dying needlessly. The markers used in matching are inherited, patients are more likely to match someone from their own race or ethnicity and, as is sometimes the case, siblings are not always a match. The more donors that come from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds increases the possibility that all patients will find a match. Donors must be between the ages of 18 and 60 and meet certain health guidelines. If you are from a minority community, you are especially encouraged to join the Be The Match registry or donate umbilical cord blood. But everyone is needed and unfortunately most minorities only represent 7% to 9% of the registry.Here is a list of diseases that may be treated and hopefully cured by a bone marrow transplant. For adults: Amyloidosis, Aplastic anemia, Inherited diseases, Leukemia, Lymphoma, Multiple myeloma, myelodspastic syndrome, solid tumors including (ovarian, testicular and brain cancers). The list is even longer for children: Adenoleukodystrophy (ALD), Aplastic Anemia( severe), Fanconi's anemia, High grade gliomas (primary brain tumors), Leukemia, Myelodysplastic syndrome, Lymphoma, Medulloblastoma (Pediatric brain tumors), Metabolic/genetic-selected inborn error correctable with transplant, Diamond-Blackfan anemia, MPS VI, SCI, Thalassemia, Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID), Sickle Cell anemia, Solid tumors e.g. Ewing sarcoma, Wilm’s Tumor, Clear cell sarcoma. My friends and I formed the Me2 Foundation for the purpose of connecting the Cancer community and providing education. The name comes from the answer to the question — "Do you know someone whose life has been impacted by cancer? Well me, too." Get it….Me2? The truth is everyone knows someone who has or has had cancer. Our motto is "One Community." It doesn’t matter if you are a warrior fighting for your life, a survivor or a friend or family member; we are all impacted, we are all connected. About a year ago, Me2 became a partner with the National Bone Marrow Registry now know as Be the Match. The partnership entails Me2 conducting bone marrow drives. We conducted two bone marrow drives in conjunction with the Red Cross Blood Drives. Last month we did a drive at the Pediatric Cancer 5k and half marathon race. In August we are assisting at two drives for The United States Postal Services Convention for Letter Carriers. Me2 will also be at the 6th Annual Healthy Heritage Wellness Conference designed to address Health Issues within the African -American Community. In September we will be registering donors at the Leukemia and Lymphoma’s "Light The Night" event at Angel’s Stadium. If you would like to join the Bone Marrow Registry, please look for bone marrow drives in your area. You can also contact the local chapter of Be The Match to sponsor a drive. But, I can make it even easier for you. From now until September 30th you can go online to BeTheMatch.org and register. They will send you the swab kit. There is usually a cost attached to the online registration, but if you put in the promo code "me2" when prompted they will send you the swab kit at no cost. Of course, if you’d like to donate money to the Registry that would be wonderful! The donations pay for the drives to register people, for patient financial support for the transplant journey and for life saving research. I’m fortunate, my medicine is doing a great job keeping pretty healthy, but the only cure for my type of leukemia is a bone marrow transplant. One day that may become my only option. It’s just one swab each to the four corners of your cheek for the typing, to see if you are a potential match. When I joined in the bone marrow registry in 1989, they poked your finger and drew a pipette of blood. Now all you have to do is open your mouth – ahhhhhhh. The Pennsylvania Garden Lavender in the Garden Makes Scents By Gary Federowicz "Perfumes are the feelings of flowers." — Heinrich Heine When it comes to fragrant plants in the garden, a few automatically come to mind, such as lilacs, roses and lilies. These bloomers not only add beauty to the landscape, they also provide a delicate sent. No list of fragrant plants would be complete without the versatile lavender whose name is as sweet at the plant itself. English Lavender (Lavendula angustttieolia) is one of the most popular , lavender varieties and features a compact growing habit and aromatic blooms. Native to the Mediterranean regions of the world, lavender is often spotted growing in steep, hillside locations where the soil conditions are not the best. This is a good indicator on the plants adaptability and hardiness. The key to growing lavender is adequate drainage, this is critical since lavender does not like to have wet "feet." Plant in full sun settings with well drained soil. Lavender may be used in beds, boarders or as edging. In the spring, lavender may be cut back to about six inches high, Doing this helps increase growth, while creating a stronger blooming plant. There are many varieties of lavender available to gardeners but many are not perennially suited for our growing zone here in the Susquehana valley. If you plant any of these more tender lavenders they will perform more as an annual and not survive our cold winters. Two types that are great for over wintering here in our zone are the English varieties Munstead and Munstead Dwarf, both are hardy and easy to grow. The aromatic munstead features whorlly spikes of lavender blue flowers and typically stay under 18 inches tall. Lavender makes for an excellent dried flower and may be used in potpourri, while commercially it is used in perfumes, scented candles and soap. A quick and easy way to enjoy lavender is to simply cut several stems before they are fully open, tie them in a small and hang the bunch upside down until fully dried. Although the flowers will dry, the lovely scent remains intact. With its delicate blooms, tranquil color and delicate fragrance, adding a pot or two of lavender to the garden will makes perfect scents. Businesses on the Lawn In the height of summer yard sales, nothing quite compares to this annual display of entrepreneurship around the valley. One who organizes a business venture assumes the risk for the sake of profit. In varying degrees, individuals, families, neighbors and entire communities organize this informal business venture. Once a year, we scour basements, attics, garages and closets for items that are collecting dust. Household stuff that we thought someday we might need or clothes saved for another season after we shed those unwanted pounds. Decision making becomes crucial in selecting inventory for the yard sale. Like any business, knowing your customers proves valuable. For example, mothers whose young children are growing faster than their wardrobes are often shopping for toddler play clothes. Avid novel readers are interested in the latest paperbacks by their favorite authors at bargain prices. And don’t overlook used sports equipment and handyman tools that attract men’s interest. Those "nuts and bolts" that have accumulated over the years can become appealing items on a specialized display. One caution though. Several years ago, a mother eagerly gathered items to contribute to her church’s rummage sale. As she sorted through her children’s toys, she added several playthings to her pile. She was very pleased with her donation as she walked away from the rummage sale’s preparation in the school gym. When the children returned from school that day, Judy wondered where her favorite doll had disappeared too. Mom’s heart dropped, realizing that the prize possession had been included in her donation. There was nothing more to do than explain where dolly was and try to console her tearful child. Nothing quieted Judy until mom agreed to send her to the rummage sale with money to buy back her doll. Choose wisely. Advertisements are a vital element for every business and an important aspect of having a successful yard sale. This takes on many forms including newspaper ads in advance of your date; often weekend days have proved to be the most attended. Some of your customers systematically plan a yard sale route for their Saturday morning shopping spree, so directional signs are valuable in guiding your customers to your place. Florescent green and orange flyers and brightly colored balloons are everywhere in the valley along with all those black and white handmade signs tacked to poles , and propped up at corner stop signs on Saturday mornings announcing all those amateur businesses. The day before your sale is set aside for arranging your inventory. Just as department stores display items to attract shoppers, displaying your merchandise is another important feature for success. Tables are a convenient height for shoppers but few of us have a stockpile of folding card tables, picnic tables and kitchen tables; instead, wooden "horses" and sheets of plywood can serve as makeshift tables. Clothesline strung between two front yard trees makes a great hanger for lightweight shirts, sweaters, dresses and slacks. Smaller and heavier clothes can be stacked on tables according to size, making for shopping ease. Pricing, one of those tedious tasks, can be made easier even without the high tech barcodes in grocery stores. Groups of similar items can be listed on a cardboard sign with one price for each. Paperback books listed at one price; hardbacks for another price. Also, pricing might be done before the rush of prep day. But remember, most customers like to negotiate your price; this seems to be a standard among yard sale shoppers, especially if the item carries a larger price tag. Friday nights in summer can generate heavy dew by Saturday morning; so the experienced sales manager covers all those carefully arranged merchandise tables with tarps, shower curtains or some sort of plastic protection. Check the weather report, too, because rain can spoil all your plans. Dawn on sale day is greeted with enterprising sellers and buyers alike. Hope and energy carries everybody at the start. Ready, set, go. Cash boxes full of change, bags for purchases, warm coffee to take off the early morning’s chill. Early Birds who arrive before the announced grand opening pose the first dilemma. Do you reward their enthusiasm? Or refuse to sell items before time? Then there is the sellers’ most frequently asked question on sale day. "will you take less for…?" may be hard to deal with. But at the end of your business day while you are counting your profit; remember, you have had "on the job" training for business management. Success can not always be measured in dollars and cents. |
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