Judgmental

Oddly enough, people with good judgment are not usually considered judgmental. Judgmental is a negative word to describe someone who often rushes to judgment without reason.

The adjective judgmental describes someone who forms lots of opinions — usually harsh or critical ones — about lots of people. Judgmental types are not open-minded or easygoing. Judgmental has the word judge at its root, which itself is from the Latin word judicem, which also means "to judge." Judgemental (with an extra "e") is considered a legitimate variant spelling of judgmental

Why are people judgmental? Human nature cannot be denied. While good manners might prevent you from verbalizing your opinion, your mind instantly forms a judgment.
Everyone forms their judgments according to their life experiences. No matter how much you try, there are times you will make judgments. People like to think they are not “judging a book by its cover” but first impressions always bring about a judgment. You do it with out even knowing  you are doing it.  Children often mirror their parents opinions and judge accordingly. Some times if you over hear a conversation that has inaccurate information, you will judge the speaker as ignorant of the fact. I am judgmental of things no matter how hard I try to be fair. Some times it comes from being jealous. For instance a friend gets a new car. Or a new house.
The worst though are the ones who judge people who are less fortunate.  They assume they are all, lazy, welfare, illiterate, drug users, white trash, alcoholics, having illegitimate children to get more monies, laying around trying to beat the system.  I am sure there are those folks out there. In fact I know there are. But please don’t use that brush to paint everyone down on their luck as a loser. 

DeCrapify or DeClutter

Why do I want to declutter my home?
For Peace. For Peace of Mind. I'd like to declutter in order to enjoy a less stressful low maintenance home. In some rooms its obviously dangerous in there with the level of clutter that's present. My kids moved out but a lot of their stuff is still here.

What do I hope to accomplish?
I hope to be able to establish PEACE, SAFETY, ENJOYMENT,STRESS-FREE LIVING in the place I cherish the MOST.... HOME!

What am I willing to do?
I'm willing to say good-bye to things that don't really bring enjoyment to me. I'm willing to bless others by giving away items that are still useful; but I no longer need.

Why am I willing to do this now?
1~ My kids are grown and it is just me. I don't need all this stuff.
2~ I'm getting older and some things are harder for me to do. So now is the best time; while I still can do it.
3~ I don't want my kids to have to clean up my mess when I'm gone.

How will I know when I'm done?
1~ When the flat surfaces are clean, uncluttered, and dust-free.
2~ When I can see the baseboards in my home. (Especially in the bedrooms, living-room and not wall-to-wall furniture)
3~ When I can go to a cupboard,closet, dresser, file cabinet and get what I need without any problems.

When do I want to be done?
Being me I want it done yesterday.  I love how freeing it feels.

5 on Fridzy

1. What was the nicest thing anyone has ever said to you?

Hmm. That I'm a good person. I hadn't ever thought of adding "that" to my list of mad skills, but the first time someone said it  I was gob-smacked. (I watch BBC America) Still am, frankly.

2. What was the meanest thing anyone has ever said to you?

That "people like me are the cause of all the problems in the world." Said to me while I was getting out of my car after I had parked in a Handicapped Parking space. Yes, I'm handicapped.  But it hurts when people I don't know make assumptions. If only I was as healthy as you think I am, bee-yatch.

3. At times, lots of people never tell us what they are really thinking. Who is the one person that you would really like to know what they are thinking (as far as how they feel about you), and why?

There isn't anyone that I know who hasn't told me exactly where they stand with me. I'm pretty lucky there...at least I hope so. *strains of Billy Joel's "The Stranger" play ominously in the background*

4. What was the nicest thing you have ever said to anyone?

"I love you." That's about as nice as you can get, right?

5. What was the meanest thing you have ever said to anyone?

 Probably some of the stuff I said to my ex. I didn't mean to be cruel, but sometimes the truth can hurt. And it probably did.

Running low on tolerance

...I miss Johnny Carson.

I never knew what his politics were. He was just funny.

These so called "late night comedians" today...Jimmy Kimmel, Stephen Colbert...they're just nags shoving their Leftist politics down our throats. 

They're not funny. They're boring.

Maybe it's the long winter that is getting to me.  Maybe it's just me.  Are any of you feeling the same?  Please tell me that I have some company in my little cranky world.

5 on Friday

1. What song would you sing to your newborn child? (OR if you already had a child, which song did you sing to him/her?)
I sang "Hush Little Baby" and "Rock a bye" to my kids.
2. How do you think animals think? (i.e. in animal language, human language, etc.)
I think animals think in whatever their primary sense is. I think they think in terms of scent and sound rather than words or images.
3. As a child, did you have a dream to make a difference in the world? Can you describe your dream?
Can I not still have that sort of dream now? When I was a kid I didn't really care that much about the world. It was only once I got older that I did. Maybe a  better regard for all other living things.
4. Do you believe in God/a Higher Being
Anyone who can look at a sunset and think otherwise is crazy.  So Yes. 
5. Do you believe in aliens?
Meh...I think there might be other intelligent life forms out there. But aliens like you see in movies? No.

Worth????

If you can be a giver instead of a taker you will find much joy in your life. If you can find a way to love and serve others,that will be the greatest thing you will ever do and will bring you the most satisfaction. Having a servant's heart means thinking more about others than yourself. I hope my heart will become softer and I will become more in tune with the needs of others and have more compassion toward the hurt and pain of others in this world.
Our worth has absolutely nothing to do with what we possess or don't possess. Your worth and purpose in this life does not depend on who you are, on what you have done, or on what has been done to you. Your worth and purpose do not depend on where you have been. Your worth is what you have allowed yourself to become.

"Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are."
~ John Wooden ~

Stuff so much Stuff

Stuff.. lots of stuff. My house is bursting with stuff. My stuff, my kids stuff. Keep sakes and clutter. Our whole lives we spend acquiring stuff. Our success is measured in part by how much stuff we own. New stuff, antique stuff, good stuff and stuff to jog our memory. In all my years I have never seen a u-haul following a hearse. So what happens to all this stuff we leave behind? Most of my stuff is ordinary. Nothing remarkable or valuable. But almost everything I own contains a memory.

Before I get too excited, I should find out what the stuff is worth. Not how much an appraiser says it's worth - what someone will pay me. I will probably be surprised at what my "priceless" antiques are worth.

The ultimate decision of what to do with any of these belongings is mine.

I am seeing how much work and stress is involved in this cleaning out process and I would like to make my exit easier on the ones left behind.

What I am trying to say (and obviously not very well) I am NOT talking about getting rid of my stuff. I am talking about the burden of what we leave behind is for our children .. or family.. how hard it is for me to do the right thing.. what is the right thing? we spend our life gathering things and in the end it means nothing but work for those left behind.

____________________________________________

5 on Friday

1. If you could pick your own theme song, what would it be? Don’t worry be Happy by Bobby McFerrin.

2. Now be honest...if others had to pick a song that described you, what would they choose? Probably "Three Little Birds" by Bob Marley—I am constantly reassuring people that every little thing is gonna be alright! or The Bitch is Back by Elton John..LOL

3. What song would be/was the first dance at your wedding? "Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong. Need I say more?

4. What song gets stuck in your head most often?  There is always a different song runnin in my head..this is impossible to answer!!

5. What song would you want played at your funeral? I would like Tears in Heaven by Eric Clapton

Dirty little Secrets

I have a few dirty little secrets so I thought I would get them off my chest on my blog. Because we know no one reads it anyhow. They are mostly embarrassing but what the heck.

1. I can’t spell. No I really can’t spell. I will write a word and the more I look at it the more unsure I am that it is the correct word and spelled correctly. I have spell check but that doesn’t always work.

2. I once stole something. I was a kid and it was a cheap plastic whistle. I had to return it to the store and confess to Mr. Baker the store owner. Mr. Baker was a scary looking man as he had a port wine birth mark all over one side of his face. He was very nice and forgave me gave me a “talk” about being honest. I was never comfortable in that store again.

3. I can’t do math. Calculators were invented for me. and to be honest I am not good at using them either. I am a functioning math illiterate.

4. I never pumped my own gas. It is not that I was lazy, but that the odor of the gas really causes me breathing problems. So I was one of Marv’s old ladies. And when I go down I am one of the lucky ones that they pump gas for. As a bonus my grandson worked there and I got to visit with him.

5. I cuss like a sailor sometimes. I am not proud of that and I am working on it.

6. Any time I get a new camera, coffee maker, computer, TV etc. I NEVER read the book. It drives some people crazy (you know who you are).

7. I am a semi-reformed whiner. No other comment necessary.

8. I immediately leave any website that has automatic music. Your taste is not my taste.

9. I snore, not a gentle tiny cute snore but a loud honkin wake up the dead snore.. No wimpy snore for me.

10. I have been homeless.

Memorial Day 2019

5 things that make me happy

1. Calls from my children and grandchildren. I can't get enough of them. I want to know what they eat, what is happening at their work, what they are reading, what they are watching on television.

2. A clean house.
Not the actual cleaning, but the result, the end result. I can sit and enjoy the results and feel as though the world is now all right again.

3. New seedlings peeking up from the ground.

4. Fitting into old clothes. I know what you're thinking. Some things I can't give away; so, if I get into those outfits and still feel pretty and young, then they were worth keeping.

5. Finding stuff in the freezer that I can warm up and serve for dinner. While I enjoy cooking, having meals ready to defrost helps my mood.

Bad Days

We all have bad days from time to time. You know the way a day starts out bad and just keeps getting worse and worse. It seems to snowball into a really bad day. Usually it starts with one negative event and then one leads to another. In this case, an early negative event put me in a bad frame of mind and I was so busy thinking about the negative events that I missed all the good and positive things that happened to me that day. I think it is a triggered stress response for me.

There are several things I do to drag myself out of these stressful times.

1. I talk to a good friend who is an excellent listener and who can always help me see the positive and he always makes me smile.

2. I try to look at it as a challenge, not a threat. And when I do that my feeling of being overwhelmed seems to vanish.

3. I Count my blessings. I try to name at least 5 things that I am grateful for.

4. I eat chocolate.

5. Lastly, I take a mini break go out in back of my house drink my coffee and watch the river flow by. It is so peaceful and quiet it always calms me down.

Hmmmm......perhaps I should take a closer look at these five things. First, I actually have a 'good friend'. How lucky is that!? Actually, on closer examination, I find that I have several very good, dependable friends. Not to mention my wonderful kids and grandkids.

Secondly, Lord knows that I have constantly faced challenges in my daily life.  And, I usually come out OK in that area too. Certainly, this is not unique to my situation; however, it does seem to help me face them if I make a concerted effort to meet them head-on and not 'sweep them under the rug'.

Next, I realize that I have many 'blessings' to count. One reason that I have temporally given up watching the news is that I was constantly bombarded with a seemingly endless stream of stories of hopelessness. Wow! that can certainly ruin your day!. On closer inspection, and comparing my daily life with some others that I could go on and on about, I am doing great!

I eat chocolate. Now, what can be said about this? Eating chocolate is an art form. There is nothing simple about it. One must, and I have made a comprehensive and thorough study of this over a lifetime of trials, one must take the eating of chocolate seriously. Chocolate is always 'nibbled', never 'chewed' and every effort must be taken to allow the taste buds to awaken slowly and savor the intimate, yet delicate taste that is chocolate. I could write paragraphs about this experience. Opps! I just did!

Lastly, what's not to love about watching the river flow by? Or watching the critters go about their daily chores with their existence. I would actually miss my ongoing war with the chipmunks stealing all the sunflower seeds out of the bird feeder if I didn't have it to 'worry about'. And, I find it very calming to watch the mother geese leading their goslings in circles around the river. Never mind that they revel in using my backyard as their own private outhouse! Watch where you step!

Does any of this help me to get rid of my daily blues? You bet it does! I'm in a better mood already! And I bet that we all have a 'river' to go out and watch. We only have to look for it.

Child Beauty Pageants.

So I am sitting here flipping thru the channels and I come across WE TV. A show called Little Miss Perfect. It is about little girls and beauty pageants. Would you consider it a sport much like football is for boys? That is how one mother described it. She explained that dressing her 7 year old daughter like a hooker is just a different sort of sport and compared it to dressing your son for football with helmets and pads. This show has pushy mothers spending hundreds of dollars to enter their child in this pageant. Hundreds of dollars more in seductive clothing for this child. They then apply heavy make up and hair pieces. One little girl even has fake teeth. The child ends up looking like a mini 21 year old hooker. IMHO. I am surprised that the girls can even recognize themselves in the mirror. I suppose you can argue that this provides mother daughter bonding time, poise and confidence, I think it must have a negative effect on the child.

While other kids the same age are out playing baseball, riding bikes and having fun these girls are spending time learning new routines, attending dance classes, and photo sessions. And don’t forget the practicing for hours on end in what looks like very uncomfortable shoes and clothes. One little girl whined that the high heels she was wearing made her feet all sweaty. I think it creates a stressful environment with all the emphasis is on beauty and winning. And they coach the girls to act “sexy”. I am amazed at parents that would press their girls to do beauty pageants, there is something perverted in wanting to see a little girl sexualized with makeup and provocative clothing. There is a parental perversion in teaching a child how to moisten their lips, flirt with judges and convey sexuality that would cause alarm bells to go off in most “normal” parents.

These beauty pageants enforce the idea that to succeed you must be beautiful and don’t forget to be skinny. All the mothers say “she loves it; I am not forcing her to do anything she does not want to do.” And maybe a few of them do enjoy it. But why not teach them to enjoy some thing that does not focus on looks so much. Looks will only get you so far in life. These girls are so sweet and innocent they have years to learn to apply make up, wear high heels. Why rush their child hood for a few cheesy trophies?

5 on Friday

1. Do you have a dream you will always strive to achieve until your dying day?
I do have a goal, but it's one I'd like to achieve before my dying day.

2. Do you believe in fate or free will, or something else?
A little of both. Fate deals us the cards, we play the hand.

3. Marilyn Monroe. Conspiracy or tragic accident?
Conspiracy.
 
4. Favorite childhood sweets/candy?
I am more of a chocolate girl – Mounds 

5. Favorite cocktail (alcoholic or virgin) and it's ingredients?
Strawberry Daiquiri and I have no idea I just know it is goooood. 

Lilacs and Peonies

When I was a kid my grandma and I would go to the cemeteries every Memorial Day. She would begin worrying in early May if the lilacs and the peonies would be blooming. We would cut giant bunches of flowers; load them in her old car along with glass canning jars and a small shovel. Off we would go, first to the Star City cemetery. It was my job to dig a small hole, place the canning jar in the hole, pump water from the well and carry it to the gravesite and fill the jar and place the flowers in the jar. Also I was to pull any weeds that grew up around the headstone. All the time I was doing that my grandma was talking with other people who were also placing flowers on the graves of their loved ones. It was a busy bustling place. My grandfather was buried there. (My grandma now rests beside him) He died 3 years before I was born. But my grandma always told me how much he would have loved me. After several hours we went on to another cemetery. My grandma would visit with others and that cemetery even had benches for folks to sit and chat. I wish I had listened closer to her stories. She was the one person in my childhood who was always kind to me. To this day come spring time I hope the lilacs and peonies are ready for Memorial Day. Today   it dawned on me... we are all just passing through this physical life. I know I know.. I am slow to catch on. We will all die and turn to dust, sooner or later. We can fight it but we can’t change it. One day our bones will lay forgotten, and all the things we worked so hard for will be laying in some landfill. All of our things will be lost and forgotten, this made me question what will I leave my children and grandchildren and some day great grand children? I hope I leave a legacy of fighting for what I believe in. I hope I am leaving some thing real something worthy and not just stuff. These days, I can't physically visit those cemeteries any longer, but I can still recall all those stories and the good times I spent with someone whom I know in my heart cared about me. Perhaps that is the best gift that I can leave my own loved ones. I will try harder to do that.

All you ever needed to know about the ocean

Children Writing About the Ocean.
1) - This is a picture of an octopus. It has eight testicles.(Kelly, age 6 )

2) - Oysters' balls are called pearls. (Jerry, age 6)

3) - If you are surrounded by ocean, you are an island. If you don't
have ocean all round you, you are incontinent. (Mike, age 7)

4) - Sharks are ugly and mean, and have big teeth, just like Emily
Richardson . She's not my friend any more. (Kylie, age 6)

5) - A dolphin breaths through an asshole on the top of its head.
(Billy, age 8)

6) - My uncle goes out in his boat with 2 other men and a woman and
pots and comes back with crabs. (Millie, age 6)

7) - When ships had sails, they used to use the trade winds to cross
the ocean. Sometimes when the wind didn't blow the sailors would whistle
to make the wind come. My brother said they would have been
better off eating beans. (William, age 7)

8) - Mermaids live in the ocean. I like mermaids. They are beautiful
and I like their shiny tails, but how on earth do mermaids get pregnant?
Like, really? (Helen, age 6)

9) - I'm not going to write about the ocean. My baby brother is
always crying, my Dad keeps yelling at my Mom, and my big sister has
just got pregnant, so I can't think what to write. (Amy, age 6)

10) - Some fish are dangerous. Jellyfish can sting. Electric eels
can give you a shock. They have to live in caves under the sea where I think
they have to plug themselves in to chargers. (Christopher, age 7)

11) - When you go swimming in the ocean, it is very cold, and it
makes my willy small. ( Kevin , age 6)

12) - Divers have to be safe when they go under the water. Divers can't
go down alone, so they have to go down on each other. ( Becky , age 8)

13) - On vacation my Mom went water skiing. She fell off when she
was going very fast. She says she won't do it again because water fired
right up her big fat ass. (Julie, age 7)

14) - The ocean is made up of water and fish. Why the fish don't
drown I don't know. (Bobby, age 6)

15) - My dad was a sailor on the ocean. He knows all about the
ocean. What he doesn't know is why he quit being a sailor and married my
mom. (James, age 7)
copied from an email.

“Ingratitude”

Webster’s Dictionary defines “Ingratitude” as: “Forgetfulness of, or poor return for, kindness received.” It can also be defined as not appreciating or valuing what you have, or have been given. Unexpressed gratitude is also ingratitude!

It is a shame that  most people seem to not have time for thankfulness. Work, traffic, family, soccer practice, doctor appointments, and countless other things are their main priorities. They seem to have no time to thank others. 

But consider the following. Have you ever given someone a gift and not received thanks for it? Have you ever been in a grocery store or restaurant and were not thanked for your business? Have you ever felt unappreciated by family or friends? If so, how did it make you feel? Probably not very good.

A simple Thank You, a quick text or phone call is all it takes.  When someone takes time to remember you on your Birthday with a gift (no matter how small) just remember that they took time out of their busy life  to remember you on your special day or event.  So take time to let them know it arrived and that you appreciate being remembered.. .
Rant over

5 for Friday on Saturday

1  what is one thing about you that you hate?
I hate a messy house.  I can't concentrate when I'm surrounded by junk everywhere.
2   what is one thing about you that you love?
 I love peaceful nights when my house is quiet, and a good movie to watch.
3   if you had to change one thing about you what would it be and why?
I would change my temper.  Sometimes I exaggerate problems and I only make them worse with my attitude.
4   one is one word that you would use to define yourself?
Down-to-earth. :)
5   imagine what you would look like in a perfect world.. what do you look like?
I would look pretty much like I do now only maybe a bit taller and a better smile.

5 for Friday

1. What do you see when you are looking out of the window closest to you?
*peeks out* The river, the park, trees, grass, blue sky with a few tiny clouds. 

2. Who was the last person coming into your room? I was

3.   What is the most predominant color around you?
Light brown. I love the color, it is warm and I feel welcoming. Sure beats the horrible cold blue it used to be.

4. What is right behind you?
The dining room. we did some rearranging and my office is no more. 

5.   What is on today's calendar sheet?
Not much, as usual. I don't lead very exciting life. George and Zack came by and gave me a coffee cup. 

Cure all?

Phew.

It's finally March.

I feel like a worn out puppy.

And I'm sure I'm in good company.

I hope I can restore myself.

With some good friends.

And some good laughs.

I got into a conversation yesterday, and we laughed.

We laughed, and laughed and laughed.

And when we were finished I felt amazing.

How long has it been since you had a laugh that made you cry?

How long has it been since you had a stomach-gripping guffaw?

5 for Friday

1.Have you ever left the country you live in and where?
Nope. I've traveled a little around the states...but not much...and not near as much as I would like to!

2.What countries would you visit if time and money were not problems?
Time and money not a problem? When did I get a TARDIS?! That would be fantastic!... I want to start in the UK - England Ireland Scotland...
And I've been told that Italy is wonderful. So, that's on my list.  Australia for sure. 

3.Out of all the foreign food you've tried, which is your favorite and why?
I don't really have a favorite...It all depends on the mood & the food. :) 

4.Can you name all 7 continents?
North and South America Africa Australia Europe Asia.....and I had to cheat because I couldn't remember Antarctica. (It's been a day or two since I've been in school!)

5.Which continent are you least likely to ever want to see and why?
That would be the above forgotten Antarctica....just because BURRRRRRRRR!!!

Vaccines Yay or Nay?

I am very interested in this topic even though my children are grown and gone from home.  Two with children of their own.  I vaccinated my boys and they vaccinated their children. We  chose to vaccinate our children and was very aware of the side effects and the benefits.
More true facts are needed about this topic, and by those who are educated and studied in the field, not some Hollywood type who had an autistic child and need to place blame.  And She blamed childhood immunizations.  With no training and no medical background she blamed being immunized for her sons condition.  Not one piece of evidence.
“Not everything you read on the internet is true.” It is so important to educate yourself but primarily I like to deal in facts. The problem is, both sides throw around the word “fact” like they own it.
So You NOT vaccinating your child does in fact put an immune compromised child at risk. That is a fact that can’t be disputed.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if no child ever got sick?
On the other hand we don’t want the government telling us what we must do to/for our children.  This is a real Catch 22.
Too bad you can’t legislate common sense.

5 on Friday

1) Do you like your birth-name? Why?
doesn't matter whether i like it or not, since it's the one everyone knows me by...It is a very old fashioned name and it is one you don't hear often. I was named after my aunt and my gramma

2) If you could change your name to anything else, what would it be?
Yeah I have had this one so long I will just keep it. .

3) What names would you consider giving your children?
I named my boys Greg, Gary and Jimmy..easy normal names

4) If you had a band, what would you name it, and why?
wow since I am not musical in any way shape or form.. hmmm I would say .. "The Big Mess"

5) Is there a name that you completely hate? Why?
too early in the morning to answer that one.

Lists I love lists

I am not admitting how many times this month I have aimed the phone at the television and cussed when the channel didn't change.

I stopped watching the weather three weeks ago.

I happily wrote a check to the Wounded Warriors. You should too.

My inability to suffer fools increases daily.

I have Kardashian fatigue

I am craving Spring.  Wonder if it's coming?

Did anyone ever see the movie, Gone with the Wind  Best  movie ever.  I actually saw it in a theater.  Pronounced "thee-ater" at the time.

Everyone should make time to watch "Bohemian Rhapsody" .  It's that good.

I have had the song "boys round here" stuck in my head for what seems like weeks.

Trying to decide if I like my new sound bar and if it helps.

I miss Johnny Carson

 ...I miss Johnny Carson.

I never knew what his politics were. He was just funny.

These so called "late night comedians" today...Jimmy Kimmel, Stephen Colbert...they're just nags shoving their Leftist politics down our throats. 

They're not funny. They're boring., a few things I am tired of hearing and thinking about this morning:

• Tom Brady
• The election
• The Russia investigation 
• Jussie Smollet
• The weather
• Hillary
• Jennifer Aniston
• Your Vacation
• What's for dinner
• How rich Oprah is
• Negative News

Maybe it's the long winter that is getting to me.  Maybe it's just me.  Are any of you feeling the same?  Please tell me that I have some company in my little cranky world.

Thankful for:

• Waking up
• Loving family
• Loving friends
• Warm Safe Home
• Vitamin D
• Clean water
• Health insurance
• Reading glasses
• Fluffy pajamas
• Eye cream
• Paid Bills
• Central Heating

5 for Friday

1) What is your favorite book and why?
This question is so much harder for me than it should be. I have way too many, and they sort of rotate around in order based on my mood and my age. Up there consistently is Les Miserables, Gone Girl, and The Art of the Deal. Which is a weird mix. But after all it is me so go figure.

2) How many languages do you speak?
Two: English and Pig Latin. 

3) How many family members do you have named Bill?, Jim? ETC?
I have a son named Jim, in my family the common name is Christopher,  Odd but there  are no ETCs, in my family but would be cool name. haha

4) Whats your all time favorite song?
Wow no way can I just name one song.. I will say this I love Garth and George Strait. 

5) What can't you imagine your life without?
My  mind, conscious and fully functioning-- which is why when it starts to go, I'll consider my life over and probably kill myself. I have written a living will to ensure no one tries to keep me around in a vegetable or brain-damaged state if there's an alternative. Given a second choice I would chose my computer..