Random Memorial for Monday 3/6/17

Gone but not forgotten:  the latest item being thrown away into the trash can because we also have the CD in the collection -- or what is also called the discarded cassette series.

As has been (and will be) the case all throughout the beginning of the year, it's Reba -- and this time, it's her eighteenth (!) album from 1994 named 'Read My Mind'.

And the tune I'm choosing to feature isn't one of the five songs released from this album ... but it WILL be the one that kind of repackaged the whole Meatloaf messaging of "I'd Do Anything for Love" and how he wouldn't do *that* ... with how the *that* she wouldn't do was to stand in line.

Tune that admitted that Reba would "do almost anything just to make you" hers, you will be missed.

I WON'T STAND IN LINE:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PcUHrl_BW4

Random Scandal Sheet for Sunday 3/5/17

What southern Florida is talking about this week:

... the opening of the annual legislative session (which, in Florida, only lasts an unbelievably short two months -- except/unless there are special sessions, of course).

As for what to expect in 2017 -- we've got medical marijuana now, except we have to wait for the state to set up all the rules for how it will be administered ... and, in the first session since the Orlando Pulse massacre, we've got attempts to expand gun open-carry laws and to reduce the ease with which some guns be purchased (I'll let you guess which party is sponsoring which bill) ... and there is a "follow the money trail" situation evolving over the attempted purchase of land from "BIG Sugar" (which spends "BIG bucks" to influence "BIG politicians") all to help address concerns about the long term health of the 'Glades.

And those are just the top three ... added to the mix is an attempt to clarify how to administer the death penalty in our state (it's been declared unconstitutional a few times), how to let the Native Americans continue to run most (but not all) of the gambling, how to handle modern disruptors like Uber and airbnb, etc. etc.

Of course, it is the Florida state legislature though ... so it's also fair to say that not much of anything might get done ... time will tell ...

STUFF TO WATCH:
https://www.law360.com/articles/874783/florida-legislation-and-regulation-to-watch-in-2017

MEET THE SENATE:
https://www.flsenate.gov/About

MEET THE HOUSE:
http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/

Random Soapbox for Saturday 3/4/17

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

... it's Lent 2017!

(Note:  because I fell seriously behind on my posting schedule, you may be reading this closer to Memorial Day than Easter, but with the magic of "back-dating" on the blog, let's just pretend that this was actually posted during the season.)

Since it IS Lent (see disclaimer above), I'm a-goin' to bring back an old chestnut ... and I'm a-goin' to choose to RAVE each and every Saturday of Lent instead of ranting and only raving once a month (which is my usual shtick in case you are unaware).

My first rave of the 2017 Lenten season?  Well that has to go to my regulars behind the counters at my local gas stations/convenience stores who put a smile in my day because they take the time to recognize me.  As you may know, I work from home ... and that means I have made a special effort to be sure to get out and about on a walk most days -- sometimes twice a day -- with different routes through different neighborhoods an different stops at different establishments for different libations along the way.

And knowing that that experience may be the only face-to-face live interaction I have on any particular workday, it warms my heart a bit when the guy or gal behind the counter remembers me -- like the little Latin guy at the gas station in the ghetto who knows that I suddenly stopped bringing my bike in with me for my drink on Monday afternoons or Saturday mornings (it's in the shop ... and has been for awhile) ... or the Puerto Rican firecracker who knows that Saturday afternoons are my real Coke day when I treat myself for getting coke-zero products throughout the week ... or the Eastern European lady at the closest 7-11 who calls me (and everyone else) "dar-link" as she re-reminds me that the coca-cola specials are 2 for $3 every time I spend $2 on just one.

Convenience store friends o' mine ... thanks for making me feel special each and every time I stop by!

ALL HAIL THE CONVENIENCE STORE CLERK:
https://consumer.healthday.com/encyclopedia/work-and-health-41/occupational-health-news-507/convenience-store-clerks-646417.html

CELEBRATE THE LITTLE THINGS THAT MAKE YOU SMILE:
http://everydaygyaan.com/the-little-things-that-make-me-smile/

COME TO THINK OF IT, WE SHOULD ALL BE NICE TO EACH OTHER:
http://thoughtcatalog.com/kiki-coffman/2015/05/9-kind-reasons-to-be-nice-to-everyone-even-the-jerks-who-are-mean-to-you/

Random Flashback for Friday 3/3/17

Tonight's theme for the 31st batch of photos of my father's that I inherited when he passed is "Aye Chihuahua".  Now that so many of the photos of color have been sorted by date (the second phase of this project), I also realized that there are a heck of a lot of pics of dogs through the years -- so I decided I'm going to have to alternate every other one of these posts for a bit (so once a month) and dedicate batches to them.  Warning:  there may not always be as much variety as this week ...  and if you are friends with Casanova and Ozzie, you may have seen one or two of these already.  Also note:  I've been previously informed that Uncle Carl was the one fond of the chihuahuas.

#151:  Grandma and tiny chihuahua on the front porch (and look at that old icebox in the background)
#152:  tiny chihuahua on the front porch guarding the door
#153:  chubby chihuahua (could it be the same one years later) in the living room
#154:  same chubby chihuahua on Grandpa's lap (and look at those bobble heads in the background)
#155:  random blurry beagle looking dog waiting to get in somewhere

Random Taste for Thursday 3/2/17

And so it continues ... a brand new set of tastes for 2017 ...

 here's the EIGHTH of FIFTY tastes of FLORIDA 

(coming to you on sequential Thursdays.  All.  Year.  Long.)!

Establishment:  Maggiano's Little Italy 
Location:  Boca Raton
Website:  http://www.maggianos.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/MLIBoca/

TroyScore:  44 out of 50 -- aka 88, a B

THE FULL REVIEW (AND ALL THE PHOTOS) CAN BE FOUND HERE:

https://50tastesofflorida.blogspot.com/2017/03/random-taste-for-thursday-3217_2.html

JUST ONE MORE ... woman (March 2017)

JUST ONE MORE ... woman.

Don't look now ... but it's been a whole year since this particular series launched.  And in case you've forgotten, this is all about promoting a different monthly challenge that somehow relates to my concept of embracing incremental change in order to empower folks (or just me) to stay positive and solution-focused in a day and age where problems often seem insurmountable, control often seems out of reach and apathy often seems to be running rampant.

And while I'm celebrating *that* particular personal anniversary, it's also the 20th year since Congress and Reagan declared March to be the National Women's History Month in perpetuity -- which is why this month's challenge is to remember to honor an important woman from your life ... or an important woman from our past that has helped to change the world for the better.

'Cause here's a little secret -- despite all the prevalence of old men in and about the news and the government and such, it's the WOMEN that keep things running and it's the WOMEN who are best suited to guide us into the future.  Or, in the words of Jimmy Carter, who declared a week of recognition a few years before it expanded to the whole month-long celebration I previously mentioned ...

“From the first settlers who came to our shores, from the first American Indian families who befriended them, men and women have worked together to build this nation. Too often the women were unsung and sometimes their contributions went unnoticed. But the achievements, leadership, courage, strength and love of the women who built America was [sic] as vital as that of the men whose names we know so well."

So this month, the challenge is to seek out what you may not have learned previously.  Come to appreciate the contributions from those who made up the backbone of our great country -- and who continue to do so.  Honor the women who came before ... and the ones who will take us where we need to go (as soon as all the old men get the heck out of the way).

Now is the time ... and this is the month ... to praise just one more ... woman.

Random Wordplay for Wednesday 3/1/17

Florida StillEST Life.

Used in a sentence:  "Something new ... something different ... something for three weeks in a row of Wednesday posts (the series ends tonight) ... that when taken together will be a photo triptych of sorts -- including this final picture entitled 'Florida StillEST Life'."

As established for this mini-series, I'll let the image speak for itself and not blather on with lots and lots of words to accompany it ... except to say that this little guy was just trying to blend in and go unnoticed.

And so concludes this triptych!