SUNDAY FUNDAY - MOTHER'S DAY - MAY 14, 2023

 BRIDGE BRAT BULLETIN - WEDNESDAY MAY 10, 2023

WARM-UP - NATIONAL TEACHERS WEEK

I “lived” on an academic calendar for 45 years.  Start in the fall (late August), and end in the spring (mid-May).  The new year was July 1st.  So, by this time on the academic calendar, I was finishing up - final exams, final grades, and, sometimes with students thinking they should have better grades - no student ever contacted me and said “Dr. White, I think my grade is too high, could you lower it”!!!

I don’t have many recollections of elementary teachers or junior high teachers.  Lynn Schwandt was my high school math teacher and the main reason why I went into Math.  Mr. Spellman was my senior English teacher (and German teacher).  Every evening I wrote a two-paragraph essay and took it in before school for him to review.  R. Cedric Anderson was our band director, and Mr. Carlson was our choir director.  Many teachers are part of my memory.

I also have plenty of memories of college professors - some were a little kooky, but really cared about students and learning.  Do you have memorable teachers?  Have you ever said “Thank you” to some of your teachers?  (I have).

I enjoyed being an educator!!

*****

SPORTS

Did you watch the Kentucky Derby?  I have friends from Louisville that make a big production - ladies with big hats.  Some friends have house parties with picking their favorite horse, drinking mint juleps, and cheering the “Run for the Roses”.

Have you watched baseball?  Has the new rules and clock made the game move faster?

At this point in the season, 

American League East - Tampa Bay Rays are in first and New York Yankees in last place

American League Central - Minnesota Twins are 2.5 games ahead of the Guardians (do you know who the Guardians are?)

American League West - Texas Rangers are in first, Houston Astros are in fourth

National League East - Atlanta Braves in First; Washington Nationals are last

National League Central - Pittsburgh Pirates in First and St. Louis Cardinals in last (how can that be?)

National League West - Los Angeles Dodgers in first and Colorado Rockies in last place

*****

Here is some religious humor - read at your own risk

Three good reasons Jesus was Black

• He called everyone “Brother”

• He like Gospel

• He didn’t get a fair trial

Three good reasons Jesus was Jewish

• He went into his father’s business

• He lived at home until he was 33

• He believed his mother was a virgin, and she believed he was God

Three good reasons Jesus was Italian

• He talked with his hands

• He had wine with his meals

• He used olive oil

But, maybe the three most compelling reasons that Jesus was a woman:

• She fed a crowd of 5000 people at a moment’s notice and with little prep time and with leftovers

• She kept trying to get a message across to a group of men who wouldn’t listen to her

• Even when she was dead, she had to get up, because there was more work to do

*****

SERIOUS

America's top doctor declares LONELINESS an epidemic and warns it's as deadly as smoking 15 cigarettes a day

Dr. Vivek Murthy (US Surgeon General)  said social isolation was as bad as smoking 15 cigarettes per day and should be treated with the same urgency as 'tobacco use, obesity, and the addiction crisis'.

Lonely people are up to 30 percent more likely to suffer heart disease, previous research has suggested. They are also at a greater risk for dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety, and early death. 

Do you know people that are lonely (you can be alone and be okay, but if it crosses into feeling lonely that the problem exists)?  Can you help?  Can you visit?

Many seniors who have lost their spouses do get lonely and depressed.

*****

From Eleanor Rigby by the Beatles:

All the lonely people

Where do they all come from?

All the lonely people

Where do they all belong?

*****

A SENIOR STORY

A couple was visiting friends for dinner.  After dinner, the ladies cleaned the table and the men started talking.

One said, “We went to a great new restaurant last night.  The food was delicious, the service was great and the price was actually very reasonable.”

The friend asked, “What was the name of the restaurant?”

“Hmmm.” said the first.  “What’s the name of a red flower that has thorns?”

The friend answered “A Rose”.

The man then called out to his wife, “Rose, what was the name of the restaurant we ate at last night?”

*****

ANOTHER SENIOR STORY

An elderly couple, George and Mildred, began to notice that they were getting a lot more forgetful in their old age. Naturally, they thought it might be a good idea to discuss the problem with their doctor.

The doctor reassured them that this was quite a common experience for people as they got older and he suggested that they should start writing things down so they don’t forget.

When they got home, Mildred asked George to get her a bowl of ice cream from the kitchen refrigerator.

“Should I write that down for you, George?” she said.

“No, Mildred. I’m sure I’ll remember a bowl of ice cream,” George responded.

“OK, George,” said Mildred “but I want some whipped cream with my ice cream too. Should I write that down?”

“No,” said George. “I’ll remember. You want a bowl of ice cream with whipped cream.“

“George, I’d love a cherry on top too,” said Mildred. “Should I write that down?”

“No, I got it,” said George. “You want a bowl of ice cream with whipped cream and a cherry on top.”

So George disappears into the kitchen to get the ice cream and he then spends an unusually long time there before returning about 40 minutes later.

He returns to the living room and hands Mildred a plate of eggs and bacon.

Mildred stares at the plate momentarily and then she looks at George.

“Where’s the toast?” she asks.

*****

WRAP-UP

Mother’s Day is today!!!

Have a great week!!!

Karen White