STATUS QUOtes — 20150218

“Practice any art, music, singing, dancing, acting, drawing, painting, sculpting, poetry, fiction, essays, reportage, no matter how well or badly, not to get money and fame, but to experience becoming, to find out what’s inside you, to make your soul grow…Seriously! I mean starting right now, do art and do it for the rest of your lives.” — Kurt Vonnegut

“Don’t compromise yourself. You are all you’ve got.” — Janis Joplin

“It’s discouraging to think how many people are shocked by honesty and how few by deceit.” — Noël Coward

“I’m not arguing. I am simply explaining why I’m right.” — Unknown

Two Take Their Love to the Grave

Following on the heals of Valentine’s Day, this couple makes us all look bad as they held their romantic embrace for nearly 6,000 years. According to the Huffington Post article (see link below), a grave with two Neolithic skeletons, presumably a couple, was uncovered in Greece in 2013.

Neolithic Couple in Love at Death

They were discovered in the cozy “spooning position” which implies some intimacy. It also causes us to note the care with which these two were buried unless it was by natural causes such as landslide, earthquake, etc.

Via – For more pictures and information.

STATUS QUOtes — 20150217

“My advice to you is not to inquire why or whether, but just enjoy your ice cream while it’s on your plate.” — Thornton Wilder

“Where there is love, there is no imposition.” — Albert Einstein

“Love, friendship and respect do not unite people as much as a common hatred for something.” — Anton Chekhov

“I hope that while so many people are out smelling the flowers, someone is taking the time to plant some.” — Herbert Rappaport

Saving the Grey Muzzles* – Rescuing Senior Citizen Dogs

Hope for Paws received information that a senior dog was apparently abandoned and living in a water treatment facility. This video is the story of what happened to that senior dog, Mufasa, as they went to find him.

Groups helping to care for senior dogs and allowing them to live their lives with dignity:

Hope for Paws

Lionel’s Legacy

“*The Grey Muzzle Organization improves the lives of at-risk senior dogs by providing funding and resources to animal shelters, rescue organizations, sanctuaries, and other non-profit groups nationwide.”

STATUS QUOtes — 20150216

“In Vino Veritas” [ “In wine there is truth” ] — Latin Proverb, Downton Abbey – Season 5

“I try to teach my heart not to want things it can’t have” — Alice Walker

“It’s not enough that we do our best; sometimes we have to do what’s required.” — Sir Winston Churchill

“Cheese – milk’s leap toward immortality.” — Clifton Fadiman

A-peel-ing Art

Artists work with all sorts of media. There are fabric artists, wire sculptors, ceramicists, but very few choose food as their medium. Stephan Brusche, however, finds bananas very appealing (pun). It is one thing to have an idea, but to be able to express it creatively is a whole other thing. These interesting works of art using bananas as the expressive vehicle will demonstrate the creativity and talent of Mr. Brusche.

“Giraffe

“Noah’s

You can see more of the creative work of food artist Stephan Brusche at the boredpanda

STATUS QUOtes — 20150215

“When you reduce life to black and white, you never see rainbows.” — Rachel Houston

“I opened myself to the gentle indifference of the world.” — Albert Camus

“It is often merely for an excuse that we say things are impossible.” — Francois de La Rochefoucauld

“If something’s neither here nor there, where is it? [ed]” — Charles ‘Chic’ Murray

How to Win at Pickleball

This is an especially good set of sixteen guidelines detailing how to play pickleball with the most “widely accepted” winning strategies. Like most guidelines, however, these cannot be held fast and there will be exceptions. Some of the time, a particular strategy won’t work or won’t work as well as another strategy when playing against a particularly skilled player.

The first rule, i.e. to return serve soft and deep, wins much of the time, but there are a few players who are expert at slamming the ball back down the sidelines and perhaps a more nuanced approach might be called for. In any event, I find that the soft and deep strategy works as long as I change it up every once in a while. You need to keep the opposing players “honest.”

I think you will find most of these guidelines helpful. You can download one of the versions (both have the same information) at the links below:

How to Win at Pickleball [MS Word]

How to Win at Pickleball [PDF]