Random Thoughts
WHEN YOUR BEST JUST ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH
I am taking advantage of a very rare opportunity here at work – a few minutes all to myself to do some blogging.
Let’s take a break from the world for a second and let me share some random thoughts for you to consider.
The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.
I almost had a psychic girlfriend but she left me before we met.
How do you tell when you’re out of invisible ink?
If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something.
I intend to live forever – so far, so good.
I have to apologise right here. I’m a bit of cynic and not a big fan of those motivational posters you find in many work places. My sentiment about these messages are best described by these soul-crushing Demotivators.
If a pretty poster and a cute saying are all it takes to motivate you, you probably have a very easy job. The kind robots will be doing soon.
If we don’t take care of the customer, maybe they’ll stop bugging us.
The best leaders inspire by example. When that’s not an option, brute intimidation works pretty well, too.
Never be afraid to share your dreams with the world, because there’s nothing the world loves more than the taste of really sweet dreams.
There is no greater joy than soaring high on the wings of your dreams, except maybe the joy of watching a dreamer who has nowhere to land but in the ocean of reality.
In the battle between you and the world, bet on the world.
More Wild Animal Sightings In East Edmond
One caller said she has seen bobcats and cougars in the area over the past 20 years. I don’t know if I could tell offhand what type of animal would be roaming around out there, but if it’s of any size I think I would turn the other way.
Jason Fritts sent along three photos he took back in October 2007 of a rather large cat near his home near Covell between Douglas and Midwest Boulevard.
“I was told by several hunters that they thought this cat was a large bobcat. It could be but in the video that I took it stretches out and is a healthy cat. It left and I haven’t seen anything that big lately other than some more bobcat type sized cats,” he said.
Fritts said he has seen more than one animal hanging in trees. “I think it might be a mom and her cubs,” he said.
You can see Fritts’ photos below. Click on each photo to make it larger.
what is it?
here's looking at you
found in east Edmond.
A caller suggested global warming is to blame for upsetting the balance of nature and causing a proliferation of bobcat, cougar, mountain lion, take your pick sightings. I think the economy has hit the animal kingdom and many of there lairs have been foreclosed.
Personally I can’t wait until we have our first Sasquatch sighting.
Edmond’s Queen of coupons saves thousands on grocery bills
Save money with coupons
She is the coupon clipping champ. She’s the consumer queen of savings, and she lives right here in Edmond.
Melissa Garcia said her eyes were opened about the amount of money she could save by using coupons when she paid $19 for 3 carts of groceries totaling $1880.
I’m watching the tube one morning as I am getting ready to go to work and here is Melissa, this mad maven of money, showing me how I can buy more than $100 in groceries for pennies on the dollar.
In this tight economy I can’t imagine why anyone would not want to save money, especially if they can cut 50 percent to 75 percent off their grocery bill.
According to her Web site, www.consumerqueen.com, Garcia saved more than $10,000 in 2007 by using coupons and tracking product reviews, sales and special promotions. In one online video, Garcia shares her shopping secrets – including how to score $300 worth of groceries for only $20.
Her Web site is chock full of coupons and savings. Her advice also is listed on Twitter and YouTube.
Occasionally I’ll go grocery shopping with my wife on a Saturday. This usually coincides with the days there are no ball games to watch. For her, shopping is therapy. She roams the aisles listening for the siren song of some product calling her. On the other hand, if I want something, I walk straight to that aisle, buy it and walk to the checkout stand.
Maybe I am missing the thrill of the hunt for the best bargains. I think going armed with coupons next time might convince me to try it my wife’s way.
Are Mountain Lions Invading East Edmond?
Is there a mountain lion running free in east Edmond?
The answer is a big, fat could be. Harry Hauptman is helping build a home in the Sugar Hill addition near Post Road and State Highway 66. He discovered some tracks nearby that he swears belong to a mountain lion and perhaps a cub. “Another man spotted the cat south of here,” he said.
Kevin Grant, state director of wildlife services with the Oklahoma Agriculture Department said he couldn’t discount Hauptman’s claim without seeing the prints.
“We are in a situation where mountain lions are on the increase but there is not one behind every bush,” he said. “They’re not as common as people think.”
Grant said mountain lions prefer rough, rocky canyon type of country that holds deer, which is their number one choice for dinner.
“We’re starting to see a few more. We think a lot of them are coming out of Texas and Colorado. They cover a tremendous amount of country, even if they were limited, it can be hundred of miles,” he said.
Grant said mountain lions have a very characteristic foot print. “It’s easy to confuse them with a dog’s track in the mud. The claws won’t be showing. They have retractable claws, which is the biggest give away. And the heel pad looks like a W with three distinct lobes on the rear pad.”
A couple of years ago a few northeast Edmond residents reported something was killing their pets. Bobcats and coyotes were blamed and many residents reported seeing large, cat-like animals near their homes.
My advice, if you see a wild animal in your neighborhood call Edmond Animal Welfare at 216-7615 during business hours, or after hours at 359-4494.
Readers Sound Off On Healthy School Snacks and the Wave
The school system educates our children in academics but also in life lessons. I think that allowing junk food in the school is the wrong message to send our children when we have an obesity epidemic in our country. We educate our children about the dangers of drugs and do everything we can to keep drugs out of the schools but it is ok to provide easy acess to junk food even though we teach them about the food pyramid? Shouldn’t we do everything in our power to provide our children nutritious foods to nurish their brains and bodies while they are at school? Research has shown over and over that nutritious foods provide childrens brains with nutritious food that allows them to learn at their highest potential. Anyone for putting this food in our schools must have an ulterior motive, money. They are clearly not putting the best interests of our children first.
April Merrill
Dear Mr. Williams,
I am encouraged that our school district is supporting our children by providing only healthy snacks to encourage good eating habits for a lifetime. Elementary school is where most children establish health habits. What possible reason could any school district have for tempting children with useless, empty calories that promote weight gain and unhealthy eating habits? It is sheer hypocrisy to teach them about the food pyramid and making good eating choices in one class and go to the halls or cafeteria to find junk food available for purchase. What message does that send? We need to be consistent. Thank you for shining light on this issue. The only reason we have junk food in schools today is to line the pockets of greedy vendors who hook kids with high fat, high sugar/salt junk. I salute the school board members who are trying to protect our kids.
Lori Pettus
My favorite way of communication with my friends is via email, if I do not hear back from them in a short while then I phone them. I have friends I have known for over fifty years and if I do not have contact from them, they can expect me to show up on their doorstep such is our relationship and it is a two way street. I have had a friend drive forty miles to my house at four am because he could not reach me and was worried about my health. My phone was off the hook, he was relieved…such is a friend. A great friend in Wichita would phone my mother, visit her once a week. When she did not answer the door, he phoned the police. She was unconscious on the floor for two days. He saved her life. Such is our link with my friends.
BJ Cassady in Guthrie
Dear Mr. Williams:
I totally support the change to 100 percent healthy vending machines in the schools. I can’t compare the “loss of revenue” with the added health benefits of our children when they have access to only nutritious snacks.
Michelle Ruhl
I enjoyed your article about “the wave” and laughed to myself at your description of your dad’s wave: it sounded just like MY dad’s wave.
I’ve been meaning to write you about “The Wave” but in a different aspect. I’d like to see it as a sign of “thank you” for car drivers. When I let someone in line, say onto Santa Fe from the Crest parking lot, it’s nice to see a little wave of thanks. Perhaps our mayoral candidates should pick this up as one of their ideas for betterment of Edmond. Can’t you see the signs now? “
I enjoy your articles!
Jackie Damiani
The evidence is there about high calorie foods contributing to our children’s obesity and diabetic problems in this country. No debate. If keeping healthy foods available for our children are part of the cost of education, then so be it. We cannot compromise on modeling the components of healthy living. All schools look for leaders who will be role models for our children; we look for instructors, administrators, school board members who model decent behavior and good thinking skills. Our world demands this of us. In this case, our leaders must model good thinking in what they put in front of our students as food worthy. Students model what they see and what is available. We must make healthy foods available. Surely, the Edmond Public Schools will not compromise in teaching this valuable lesson of healthy living.
Now, let’s take a stand and show that we care enough to get our funding from more reputable places than vending machines that cater to the sweet tooth inside our school buildings. The EPS Board should be encouraged to only stock their vending machines with healthy foods. It’s our responsibility to nurture the mind and the body with the best that we have. Stay healthy in every way.
Armetta Smitley
John,
I enjoyed your article on the one finger wave. Being raised in Edmond when it was a much smaller town, I remember the one finger wave which was the raising of the index finger from the steering wheel. Then there was the nodding of the head by an upward motion. These gestures are still used a lot in the rural areas. I travel to Kingfisher occasional and on the road when you meet someone you almost always still get this kind of howdy. John I really enjoy your daily articles. Keep up the good work.
E. L. McBroom.
A tip of the hat to you for comments in today’s OK. Bet you’ll still get the steering wheel/index finger wave on some country roads over here in Lincoln County. Many years ago, that was my Dad’s routine greeting to all passing motorists. He also never passed a woman on the street without the motion of tipping or doffing his felt Stetson hat to her and I think said howdy to everyone he passed as just common courtesy.
Chandler reader, Sally Ferrell
Dear John,
Has Edmond become too much a part of the city? I moved to
Betty Thorsen, Chandler,
