hollywood, senior style

This was passed along courtesy of my fsilm. What a fabulous idea! I would have liked to give a copy of this calendar to my grandmother, if she were still alive. She would have loved it!


"The Contilia Retirement Group in Essen, Germany made what is probably the best calendar ever with a few of their seniors.
According to German press, 5000 calendars were printed. And they were given out to residents of the senior center, along with relatives and staff.
The calendar models were interviewed about the project and said it was a ton of fun to dress up as their favorite actors.
The shoot was done with professional stylists and photographers to make sure everything looked as cool as possible."

*** Note: This calendar was made for 2014. ***
*** No word on whether a new version was made for this year. ***

January

"Thunderball"

William Buiting, 98

February

"Breakfast at Tiffany's"

Marianne Brunsbach, 86

March

"Titanic"

Erna Rütt, 86, und Alfred Kelbch, 81

April

"Rocky"

Erwin J. von der Heiden, 80

May

"Mary Poppins"

Erna Schenk, 78

June

"The Seven Year Itch"

Ingeborg Giolbass, 84, und Erich Endlein, 88

July

"The Blues Brothers"

Margarete Schmidt (r.), 77, und Lothar Wischnewski 76

August

"Cabaret"

Martha Bajohr, 77

September

"Giant"

Joanna Trachenberg, 81, und Horst Krischat, 78

October

"Saturday Night Fever"

Irmgard Alt, 79, und Siegfried Gallasch, 87

November

"Dirty Dancing"

Johann Liedtke, 92 und Marianne Pape, 79

December

"Easy Rider"

Walter Loeser, 98 und Kurt Neuhaus, 90

horoscope crystal balls

At the beginning of this year, one of the local entertainment weekly newspapers had the following horoscope for me.

Here are some of the experiences I hope to help you harvest in the coming year: growing pains that are interesting and invigorating rather than stressful; future shock that feels like a fun joyride rather than a bumpy rumble; two totally new and original ways to get excited; a good reason to have faith in a dream that has previously been improbable; a fresh supply of Innocent Crazy-Wise Love Truth; and access to all the borogoves, mome raths, and slithy toves you could ever want.

Honestly, it was that bit about the borogoves that hooked my interest enough that I clipped out the horoscope and taped it to my kitchen cabinet, under my calendar. Periodically I would review the short paragraph, to reaffirm what I recalled of its forecast and to wonder when any of it would come to pass.
Today, the last day of this year, I thought an analysis was needed to see if the author had some divine link to the future - or was just stringing some random thoughts together for entertainment.
In other words: which is more on point, the horoscope, the Dove promises, or the fortune cookie?
Then again... isn't there something else I should be doing right now?
Probably.
Bye!

chores

You know, one of the downsides to being single is there's no one else to get things done but yourself. Ran out of milk? Well, then, you should have gone to the store on your way home.
No more clean underwear? Hey, you saw the laundry piling up! You ain't blind!
Can't find a clean cup? Hmm, maid service 'round here is the pits.
Dust bunnies running to meet you when you come home? Well, you were talking about getting a pet, right?
Honestly, it really gets to me every once in a while, and this is definitely one of those times. It seems I just get done with washing dishes and the task has to be done again. A dishwasher would have to be ultra-powerful to get off the bits and pieces left behind for a week or more.
I've needed to go to the store since Sunday, but I haven't made it there just yet. One thing after another seems to get in the way and I'll say, "oh, I'll just shop on the way home." Never happens. Once I'm on autopilot heading home, I don't even think "Oh, milk!" until I'm pulling up in the driveway. So, I nurse the little I do have, stretching it for one more day, one more cup of coffee, for one MORE day. Aaarrggghhhhh!
And I have no one but myself to blame. Absolutely no one. Oh, poor me. Poor, poor me.
Then I think of my friends who are raising children. Then I think of those who are raising children by themselves, working every day, still needing to take care of all these little mundane tasks that are part and parcel of civilized life. I have it so easy, in so many ways! Hats off to YOU, dear friends, and kudos for all your efforts. Truly. I honestly don't know how you do it. Well, actually, my best friend once replied to that line with "someone had to do it and I was the only one who could. So I did."
Now, if you don't mind, I have dishes to wash and laundry to sort...