It's that time of year again where you get inundated with information that you can groan about, but having nothing to do, you read it anyway.
First, I would love to Thank My Lovely Wife Amorosa for her many long hours of work, suggestions, advice, and telling me that I can continue with it tomorrow, Now go to bed before daylight breaks through, in helping me get this launched. She brings proper language, and structure in arranging these vignettes, far superior to many modern short story proof readers.
A Super Big Thank You to Jazz for keeping HCC alive, and bringing us his tales of adventure, and pictures to go with. I really think he should become an author, his movie in your head writing, with subtle to outrageous humor added, has the makings of a "Don't put down" book, or books.
Now, without further ado : FFUI #19
MACHINES
How long have humans had machines? We could say since the late 14th Century .. but no, further back then that. The year 1000? Nope, ... Okay, how far back?
The Antikythera mechanism? One of the first it is thought, analog computers, dating back to 70-80 BC. However, there have been more recent discoveries of machines that are petrified, turned to stone outdating this unit by thousands, if not millions of years.
Ancient temples, stone age, and pre-historic constructions of rock work of various kinds, have been found to have perfectly drilled holes, and cuts to fit stones together so precise, that the people of those times, so we are told, did not have the technology to perform such exact works. So, how did they do it? Many theories abound, from extraterrestrials, to super technological civilizations that once existed here eons ago.
Many labor saving devices in the ancient past, which once started out as toys, became big machines, some did not. The reason some did not as legend states, is that the rulers of the time wanted power over the people, and used their bodies instead of making those labor saving machines, while keeping them subjugated into peasant status. Only using machine technology when it was absolutely necessary.
As time wore on, more and more people began inventing more machines, and the rulers could not contain all of those inventions that were labor saving devices. So, people began to become more independent as they were able to obtain said machines, and labor saving devices, and shied away from the ruler / peasant monopoly. Which brings us back to the ancient peoples who apparently had technology that they, according to some modern scientists, should not have had. Where did that knowledge to make these machines come from? Trial and error, necessity, or some outside influence, like finding some even more ancient technology and messing around with it until they either obliterated themselves, or got it to working for them?
From those inventions, some that borrowed ideas from others, and were reversed engineered, we got sewing machines, washing machines, typewriters, power tools, cash registers, bicycles, pin ball machines, slot machines, printing presses, steam engines, and just about every machine imaginable. Even our modern day vehicles, planes, trains and automobiles, evolved from a simple toy made hundreds, if not thousands of years ago.
We now have technology that to those ancient peoples would seem like magic, it would seem like that even to people who lived in the 19th and 20ths centuries. We even have toys now, that would make great labor, and energy saving devices, but alas, they are still toys. Probably for the same reasons as the ancient rulers once made sure that is all the toys developed into.
Humans are intelligent beings for sure, like toys however, they can be developed, or subjugated. Hopefully, the developing urge will once again take hold.
ODDLY BODKINS
Sometimes, it is just fun to throw out a whole bunch of non related facts, sometimes.
Horses cannot sit like a dog or a cat, or like other animals do.
According to statistics, the bible is the most shop-lifted book in history.
A good percentage of shop-lifters are caught in the month of January, other than the rest of the year.
Russia is the largest country on the Earth. Followed by, 2. Canada, 3. The United States of America, 4. People's Republic of China, 5. Brazil, 6. Australia, 7. India.
Around 35% of people on the Earth have claimed to have seen a ghost, 10% claim to have been attacked by one.
White is the most common color for houses, with green, brown, and gray following.
If all of the salt were to be taken from the oceans and placed on the U.S.A., it would be almost two miles deep.
Just about all meat eating mammals have four toes on each foot. The big toe is a ersatz thumb, not that we don't need it.
The can, doniker, loo, dunny, crapper, lavatory, water closet and bog, are all different names for a toilet.
Some people claim that if you play music for cows, they will give more milk.
The average person spends 5 to 7 years of their life just eating. Including snacks.
A starfish's eyes are at the end of each leg, totaling from six to eight eyes, depending on the type of starfish.
85% of people talk to their pets, and understand the pet's answer. Do you speak Cat? Bird? Dog? Yes, I do.
The letter J was the last letter added to the alphabet, sometime in the 1600s.
The letter J is the only letter that is not in the periodic table of the elements.
It is estimated that over 10 million cookies are left out for Santa Claus on Christmas eve all over the world.
If you have a beard, and trim it constantly, it is estimated that you clip off a pound of beard every year.
Sunflowers can sometimes inadvertently grow out of a lettuce head because they are in the same family.
Bicycles, and typewriters, were originally experimented with, and developed by gunsmiths.
Certain kinds of microbial life can exist on the rods of a nuclear reactor.
Some scientists believe that the oceans that were once on the Planet Mars, harbored lifeforms. Some of the rocks which have been studied by the rovers, have circular shapes embedded into them much like the ammonite fossils that are found here on Earth.
A Paleoscatologist is a scientist who studies dinosaur, and other petrified and fossilized poop.
That pumpkin pie you eat at Thanksgiving is probably not pumpkin, but squash. Just about all of the pumpkins grown end up as Jack O'Lanterns for Halloween.
Robber flies are a vicious predator to other insects. They hunt spiders, and other insects, in which they lay in wait under a leaf, or other cover, and then attack and eat the unsuspecting insecta-poid that is unaware of its presence.
The only continent on Earth that corn so far has not been grown is Antarctica.
There are adoption centers, and pet stores that have cats to give away, or sell, but it is thought that 80% of Americans obtain their cats from strays, neighbors who have kittens, people giving away cats in front of stores (not pet stores), and relatives.
Acid rock was first a term used by geologists before it became a music genre.
Random facts clear the mind of its chatter, and enthrall people entirely.
MUSIC MAYHEM AGAIN
Music is fun, no doubts about that, either listening to, or playing it, just plain fun.
Bands, instruments, and musicians in the past were used for war, political gains, control of armies, and the populace, with entertainment usually being at the bottom of the list.
Here a a few historic uses of music, and bands.
We have all watched the parades with the Drum Majors, who are ornately dressed, and their leading of the marching band while twirling their long baton.The drum majors are positioned at the head of the band, keeping time for the marchers. The baton is used for many different purposes. Certain moves with the baton tells the lead musician when to play, and which song is to be played.The drum major also in the past was in charge of the discipline of the marchers, and the baton was a mace to keep unruly members of the troop in line, or so the legend goes.
How about that guy on the saxophone? The saxophone is the grandchild of the clarinet, and flute. It was invented by Adophie Sax.
We've all heard them in parades, and people playing them, in videos, etc. The pipes though they are mainly identified with Scotland, with their Great Bagpipes, come in a lot of different versions, and have been played in many other countries over the centuries. Europe, North Africa, Western Asia, Turkey, The Caucasus, and around the Persian Gulf, all have their versions of the bagpipes, and their uses were and are for many functions as described above. You can take each pipe off of the bagpipe and play it singularly, much like an oboe, each pipe has a reed in it of different sizes from the others to produce a certain harmonic, and allow for the notes to form. Put 'em all together and you have the unique sound of their droning music, which in a lot of people who do not know they have Scot blood in them, stirs their emotions to on high. The bagpipes have been played for a millennium or much longer, marching armies off to war, signalling the time of day, telling stories through their music, and then being interpreted by a sage, or bard, who listens to the song, and relays it to the audience in human language. There are so many tales and legends of the bagpipes to include them all would take years, so, be quiet, and eat yer haggis.
A stringed instrument that kind of looks like a stubby violin, but different versions of it also have a hand crank, and several buttons, or keys on it, and produces a droning sound, not unlike the bagpipes. It is thought to have been developed from fiddles around the 11th century or so. It was used in place of bagpipes in some cases when the weather was too cool for the pipes to be effective, because it used a diatonic keyboard much like what is in an accordion, and could be played in colder climates with ease. There are many versions of this instrument, and different countries all have theirs. Later versions of this instrument, and Jazz will like this one, were the street musicians known as "Buskers" or, Organ Grinders, who usually had a monkey or two collecting coins from the passerby, sometimes even cranking the organ. I remember seeing an organ grinder when I was a kid, when my folks took me to a big city one day. The monkey had a little uniform, kepi type hat, and was on a long leash tied to the organ grinders wrist. The monkey came up held the cup out, and you put a coin it in the cup for it, then went back to the organ grinder with the dough. One of the fun things it's rare to see anymore.
Taiko drumming uses a huge range of percussion instruments. You've probably seen the group "The Kodo Drummers", and their performances, which are fascinating and entertaining. The Taiko drumming throughout history has been for military, communication, and of course entertainment purposes. It has a mythological part in Japanese folklore, also used to tell of great battles, stories of adventures, festivals, and upcoming events. If you ever get the chance to play one of the drums, be prepared for a workout and a half, lots of fun though.
Is an electronic musical instrument that you do not have to touch. You've heard it in many songs, or by itself on the radio, tv, and videos. It makes that almost science fiction background 'Bee yoo Woop' sound. It has been used in movie soundtracks, concerts, videos and television shows, and many rock bands have employed it too. It was originally developed in the soviet union as a proximity sensor, invented by a young physicist named Leon Theremin in October of 1920.
To play it, you stand in front of the machine, which is usually a rectangular box, there are two antennas on it, which are actually a kind of a capacitor, one going straight up on the right, the other horizontally from the Theremin's left side. You manipulate the sound / pitch with the right hand by almost touching the antenna, and moving your hand up and down, while using your left hand in the same manner to increase, or decrease the volume control on the horizontal antenna. It is not really a simple instrument to play, there are many maneuvers to learn to get the pitch and the volume to work together otherwise it will just sound like noise. Like any instrument, once you get the idea of how it works, then the fun begins.There are kits a person can buy online if you wish to make one yourself, lots of fun, freak your cats out with it, or make your neighbors think a flying saucer landed in the night. Maybe, you'll even learn a song or two, or threermin.
What music mayhem wouldn't be complete without a one man band ditty? A one man band is a person who plays several different instruments at the same time, with the instruments usually mounted all over his (or her) body. Historically, this started when soldiers were carrying a lot of equipment, or war material, and just about everyone was needed to haul said stuff, and one person usually carried all of the instruments that were played, either in a cart, or on their body depending on how rough the terrain was they were traversing. That person who knew how to care for the instruments, also knew how to play all of them, and sometimes, it was up to that one person to play the troop's music, and identifying songs all by themselves.
So, some clever musicians started to mount the instruments onto their bodies to be able to carry them over steep mountains with ease, and in time got the idea to affix them in certain positions on their bodies so they could play them all at the same time. Thus, your one man band was born. Over the hundreds of years, the one man band(s) evolved, and developed into many versions and genres. In modern day, with the inventions of electronics, and computers, and midi technologies, a person can carry a whole orchestra with them as a one man band all in a small box. Still wearing a few instruments as decorations mainly, but still have the controls on them to bring the "Ride of the Valkyries" to life easily, as well as any song you've ever heard. Oh, there are still original one man bands around, and that is a good thing.
I WANT TO RIDE MY BICYCLE, I WANT TO RIDE MY BIKE
How many of you ride bicycles? On a regular basis? Occasionally? Never? Bicycles are a complex machine, practically the same as a typewriter, or a firearm, or even a mechanical analog computer.
For those of you who do ride, like myself, you know the wonder, the freedom, and the mysteries that you encounter on even a short trip around the block, along with the dangers involved. You have to play the "What if" game with other traffic, cyclists, and even with pedestrians, so you do not collide with them in one way or another.
One encounter that I had with a pedestrian years ago while living in another state, was that I was coming home after dark from work, on a not so well lit street, and I had to turn into this darker street to get to our trailer park that we were living in at the time. As I approached the street to turn into, there was this big guy who had just crossed the street and was standing under the sole streetlight, he ran at me as I turned, with I am sure the intention of mugging me. Ha, little did he know that not only did I use to race bikes, but had a Schwinn 10 speed with altered gear wheels that could, with a few pedal pushings launch me up to 15 mph just like that, and I pumped those pedals hard, and left him cussing far far away in the background. I got about 100 yards away and slowed down and turned to look, he flipped me off, and headed back out to the main street. It was late, we didn't have a phone at that time. Never saw the guy again, he probably tried that on the wrong person and ended up on the wrong end of something. Training constantly on a bicycle can save your life.
So, where did bicycles originate? Ah, good question ... Here are a few origins :
Like just about any kind of object, machine, calculator, aircraft, or "Schprinverks" made by humans, there are hundreds, if not thousands of versions, schematics, drawings, and models of just about any thing the human mind can think up. Bicycles are one of those human contraptions.
The earliest form of bicycle is thought to have been made by a Chinese inventor in the 1400s.
A "Running machine" or, the "Laufsmachine" a basic body with two thick wheels, handle bars, and no pedals was one version. The operator / rider straddled this pre-bicycle, and ran with it, sometimes lifting their legs while going downhill to coast, and then slowed them selves down with their feet at the bottom of the hill.
Between the 1820s, and 1850s, more and different models of the bicycle were invented, and patented, each improving on the ones before that. The first tricycles, and quadracycles were produced, and sold to the public. Some unique versions such as the "Penny Farthing", the one with the Big wheel in front, and small wheel in back were a novelty during those times. Tricky to get onto, and difficult to steer with the pedals on the front wheel which steered the bike, and one foot or the other would slip off on tight turns.
A Scottish / Spanish blacksmith by the name of Kirkpatrick MacMillan, who in 1839, produced a mechanically propelled bicycle that had a similar propulsion system to that of a steam train locomotive, but was of course pedal powered.
In the 1860s many other countries produced bicycles. One was called the "Velocipede" or "Boneshaker", a lot like the Penny Farthing, but its front wheel was the same size as the rear wheel, and you still peddled it from the front wheel, which made it harder to steer being that wheel also steered the bike. But was an improvement none the less.
During the 1880s, various inventors experimented with different sized wheels, and both rubber, and hard tires, and several came up with a chain driven rear wheel that was powered by pedals that were mounted in the lower middle of the bike. Calling those bicycles "Safety Bikes", for those who were not skilled, or daring enough to ride the large wheel versions on which many a cyclist was injured, or even killed.
Coming into the 20th century, the militaries of many countries began to experiment with single speed bicycles in an effort to move ground troops faster to places that transports had difficult times navigating, such as human trails in mountain passes. This was met with some success, and from there, the mountain bike versions of bicycles was born.
Bicycles of many different styles were used during world war two, for different jobs, from there, recreational cycles were developed. During the 1950s and 60s, "Cruiser" bikes, built like a tank with big tires were for riding around town, they had generator powered headlights, bells, horns, baskets, and many accessories for city use, while the "English" racer bike version, with its thin, lightweight frame, and none of the dinglebobs, was built for speed, and long distance traveling. From those models, many variations were designed to better accommodate not only the rider, but able to handle the terrain in which it was to be ridden. Special versions, that if you had to climb straight up a mountain, that the bike could be folded into less than a suitcase size, with the collapsible tires that could be folded into halves, and all of it mounted on a backpack frame. There are specially made bicycles that the body of the bike itself is a rechargeable battery, using something like regenerative braking, and can power the lights, or even propel the rider when needed.
Newer bicycles come in any shape, size, or material. Recumbent bicycles are a blessing to those who have some kind of ambulatory impediment, and can fit the rider for their needs to get out there and pedal.
Many years ago, oh, at least 50, I was learning to ride bicycles. I was 11 years old, when I got my first bike, it was used, and one of those tank type bicycles. I put a motorcycle helmet on, back in those days, the light weight helmets were not invented yet as far as any of us knew. So, one evening, just before dark, I was riding this bigger than me tank / bike up and down our driveway which curved around a couple of garages. As I came around a corner of one garage at a good speed, there was my dad, an elderly neighbor lady, and my mom a few feet away. The elderly lady was standing in between them, and I didn't have time to stop, and ran right over her from stem to stern, and crashed a few feet away losing control. My folks were horrified, and the elderly lady got up laughing, brushed herself off, and said that I should be more careful. Saying this while she had a dirty tire track right up the front of her dress. My mom found her glasses on the lawn a few feet away. Luckily, she was unhurt, just slightly dazed, and still laughing ..... After that, I was given a smaller training bike to ride on till I got bigger. From that day on, I played the "What if game" ... Now I still play the what if game, What if that kid coming at me with the bike is Karma?
THE WOODS
Call the forests what you will, the woods, the outback, the jungle, my hideout, playground, etc. They are wonderful, mysterious places where anything is possible, and can happen, and does.
We go into them for many reasons, recreation, work, mediation, hunting, time out, camping, education, just about everyone has a personal reason for going out into nature, even if it is just a park for a few hours. There is, however, a lot more to our greenery getaway than we can imagine.
Recreation in our national parks, and forests, and federal lands brings several billion dollars to the economy every year. Plus employs a huge workforce maintaining, and patrolling those areas for the public's safety and enjoyment.
Even with that safety barrier, hundreds of people disappear in our national parks, and forests every year, and are never found.
No one reason is the cause of these vanishings. Even seasoned hunters who are armed, and know the woods like the back of their hands vanish.
Some can be attributed to predators such as cougar, and wolves, and wolverines, and other lurking beasts that have a taste for us bipedal tasty feasts. Then there are the more mysterious ones, where someone who is hiking with a group, goes around a corner ahead of the other hikers, and is never seen again.
Or someone decides to stay on the hiking trail while the others return to camp, and never returns to the camp, and massive searches are conducted without a trace of the lost hiker being located. Sometimes, weeks after these searches have taken place, a body is found in an area that was thoroughly searched before, usually missing their shoes, and a lot of times their clothes. Also, some who have gone missing are found miles away from where they went missing in the same condition as the aforementioned people / hikers. There are all kinds of speculation about what is causing this to happen, from UFOs to Bigfoot, to secret agencies who want to experiment on people, and etc.
Natural causes also play into effect here. The woods are relatively an unknown, unexplored place, not as much as one is led to believe. There are hidden natural dangers out there that can literally swallow up a person to where they are never found.
Boggy ground can look solid, and feel okay until you get out into it a bit, and then you fall through it into a deep peat moss pit, which will suck you under fast, and with the vines growing over top, keep you from getting to the surface, and getting air.
This is just one of the possibilities of why people are never heard from again. Myself, I was fishing along a river one day, and had to climb up around a big rock along the bank, it was either wade in deep rushing water, or climb up into the woods around the rock, so I did that. As I was coming down the other side, I stepped on what looked like solid ground and down into a hole filled with water and mud I went. It was like the ground was pulling me into it, luckily, I grabbed a tree root next to the hole, and stopped my descent into who knows what. I then managed to pull myself out, with the ground seemingly trying to keep me from getting out, as the sides began to collapse on me.
Sitting on part of the big rock, gasping for breath, the hole started making churning noises, like it was disappointed that it didn't get something to eat. The hell with that shit I thought and proceeded to pop a few caps into it with my hogleg, after that, the hole settled down. Maybe a giant catfish was at the bottom, I don't know, but I left right away. It was like something out of a sci-fi horror movie to say the least. Of course I did not have a camera along, and can prove nothing, since that experience, I wonder if there are still creatures that are supposedly legend running around loose?
Not all things about the woods are bad, terrifying, and will get'cha though. There is a lot to do, have fun, and learn out there.
I put up the scary stuff first, and now the good stuff. Probably what I will relate is old news to you, but a refresher course never hurts.
One of the first things any good hiker, explorer, or just plain person learns, is that to stay to trails, unless you know the area really well, and have maps with you, and a backpack with a first aid kit, some food, and extra clothing, good hiking shoes, and maybe a walking stick and flashlight. Hiking in groups is good, but if with a group, or alone always let someone know where you are going, and when you'll be back. A cell phone and camera taken along is a plus.
While out there, study the flora, and fauna, find out which plants are edible, and those that are not. Take along a natural foods books to identify the plants you come across for the area you are hiking in. Did you know that some of the root beer you drink is made from the licorice root that grows in the moss on maple trees? You see those little ferns growing out of the moss, underneath the moss, is a root that grows all over under it, and that is the licorice root.
Rock hounding, especially around ancient volcanoes is fun, and you might come up with a treasure of crystals, and even some fossils. Perhaps even artifacts of some sort. In basalt flows, I have found plenty of quartz crystals, and even some amethyst crystals.
Fishing is so relaxing that you sometimes lose yourself in your thoughts, and stay in one spot for hours, even though it seems like minutes. One phenomenon that I came across, and was later explained to me is that I was sitting on a rock by a river, on a fall day, the sun gave enough warmth so that it was just right, along with the smells of fall. Perfect to sit there, fish, and space out. I happened to notice the river seemingly slow down in sound, and speed, and then in a few seconds, speed back up again, and repeat this process for quite awhile before the sound of the river remained a steady rush. I took my question to a local science teacher, who said that what I experienced was that when the tide out in the ocean many miles away is either going out, or coming in, that it will back up the rivers flowing into it, and cause them to momentarily slow down. He said it was called the "Oscillatory effect" in which the pressure of the ocean coming in, and going out backs up the water in rivers hundreds of miles distant, though it is less noticed the further away from the ocean the river, or stream is.
I have hunted a lot in my past, and made sure that everything I downed, was used for food. I quit hunting years ago, but when I did, I enjoyed mainly getting out into the woods. On a typical Friday afternoon in the fall, myself, and a friend or two would pack up our firearms, telescopes, mushroom hunting gear : Sharp knife, piece of foam rubber to clean the mushrooms off with, you slice them off at ground level, leaving the root in the ground so that new ones will grow up from the root. Then we packed our food, beer, snakebite medicine, you got bit by a lot of snakes out there, and our favorite snakebite medicine at the time was Jack Daniels, which we didn't apply until we were in camp. All of this was loaded into the truck, and off we went on a weekend adventure. We would first deer hunt early in the morning, then fish and pick mushrooms (Chanterelle mostly), and then around noon, have lunch at camp, and then go back fishing, mushroom picking, and towards evening hunting. Then just about dark, we would have supper, and some snakebite medicine, and get the telescopes set up for some stargazing which was well away from city light pollution, we had a campfire, but we had the scopes away from that and saw space like you never see it in town. The Universe is not just white stars and galaxies, it is a proverbial rainbow of colors to be seen just like you see them in pictures, you could stare at them for hours. So, after that, it was bed down for the night, and repeat the same routine the next day. Come late Sunday afternoon, after a half day of our fun, we sullenly packed up everything, and reluctantly headed back towards civilization.However, the next weekend loomed, and during the work week,we spent some of our free time getting stuff ready for the next jaunt into the wilderness. This was long before all of the regulations and permits, and hoopla one has to go through now just to get out there.
Many experiences await the novice, and the proverbial back woodsman out there, get out and enjoy it anytime you can. Just remember to keep your wits about yourself, and you'll do fine.
CHRISTMAS TRAUMA / TRIVIA
Fascinating information about Christmas that will boggle your mind, twist your soul, and ...... Where was I going with this?
Just a reminder, These are all legends, tales, and some truth involved.
Santa Claus' robe was actually white, in ancient times, for the solstice, each clan or tribe had their own color denoting who they belonged to. The high priest, holy man, was the one who carried out the sacrifices of sacred animals to their deities.Thus, his robe / suit, and hat now is red with white cuffs.
Scientists have concluded that for Santa to deliver all the presents to all the kids and adults a timetable of over 800 presents per second would have to be maintained.
December 25th was chosen by the ancient holy roman empire as Christmas to take away the Celts / Pagans / Gaelic's Power over the winter solstice celebration.
Over the years many snowmen have been made, legend has it that the tallest ever made was high as a 12 story building.
The first electric Christmas lights were manufactured around 1890, before that people used candles, and small penny sized smudge pots that burned different colors, and stunk like chemicals, until one inventor added perfume to the pots.
People began decorating evergreen trees over 2000 years ago, in the ancient religions, they were seen as a symbol of everlasting life because they stayed green all year long.
Christmas trees are grown for 15 years on the average before they are sold.
Over 300,000 people are employed to produce 36 million Christmas trees every year.
Rudolph the red nosed reindeer, and Pennywise the evil clown are not related.
Mistletoe was thought to have been an aphrodisiac in ancient times, but, it is just a fungus attacking the oak tree.
During the 12 days of Christmas, many European, and other "Old" countries believed that the nature spirits each had their own day, and certain gifts, and food were set out for each spirit on their day to appease them. This would ensure they would allow them a good crop season, and harvest for the coming year.
If you were to get all of the presents mentioned in the 12 Days of Christmas song, you would have 365 gifts.
Alabama was the first state to recognize Christmas as a holiday, and has celebrated it since 1836.
In some places in Peru, as the story goes, on Christmas day, they have fistfights to settle old grudges without anyone being arrested.
There are over 2 billion candy canes, and 1.8 million artificial Christmas trees produced every year.
Legend has it that you should leave your Christmas tree up for two weeks after Christmas to ensure Good Luck through the coming year.
12,000 tons of discarded Christmas trees are turned into wood chips every year. Some are donated to zoos for certain animals that can eat parts of them.
Christmas in Australia is during their summer and many families spend the day at the beach.
And Finally, The Christmas Party.
Is there anyone here who has not attended at least one rowdy Christmas party?
Usually the party starts out mundane, unless people have been drinking most of the day, then hell is out for noon.
One party I attended, its theme was Christmas wine and cheese tasting party. It was at the home of a friend, and people were eating, drinking, talking, some low jazz music was playing, and it was more or less calm. Until, one guy crashed in the door, four sheets to the wind, and livened the party up with ribald stories, and songs. He kept drinking till he passed out, and laid on the floor. The owner's little ankle biting yap yap dog, walked over to him, sniffed him, lifted its leg and Squirt Squirt. The guy slept right through it.
The laughter was contagious to say the least, people were still laughing about that weeks later.
So, that winds up this year's FFUI #19.
As always, a disclaimer that these vignettes, stories, fabrications, tall tales, and some truths, are for entertainment purposes only. No monies, gold latinum, jewels, currency, or any other form of trade has been exchanged here. Monkeys supplied the background music. If you didn't hear any music, ..Oh c'mon you must have, I did all the time I was writing this. Take it up with Jazz if you're concerned.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE AT HCC, MAY YOU ALL HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR TOO!!!
KIP & AMOROSA.
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