Thursday, December 31, 2009

Friday Flash 55.....








The King of Pop sang Billie Jean
Billy Mays pitched Oxi-Clean!
Les Paul, Maude, Dom Deluise
David Carradine applied lethel squeeze!
Farrah's hair drove boys crazy
Karl Malden...Patrick Swayze!
Natasha Richardson, "Uncle Ted"
And Johnny was finally joined by Ed!
Marilyn Chambers sure loved jizz
We'll miss Walter's..."And thats the way it is"!




Of course there are many more, but I only have 55 words to work with.
It sure was a tough year!!
If you or anyone you know has written a Friday Flash 55...
Please come tell The G-Man!
I will visit, read, enjoy, comment...Then BOOK!!
So from the most gracious host from coast to coast...
Have a Kick-Ass New Year!!

Drive Carefully...Drink Responsibly.
Thank You one and all for your love, loyalty, and support!
Galen..AKA The G-Man

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Thursday Portrait.....







Lets see....
What to drink on New Years Eve?
Cider...200 calories a Pint!!!!
Bitters...WTF?
Baileys is good!
Vodka?
VODKA!!!!! hehehehehe

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Retro Wednesday.....





This is a Barlow Knife.
I've had this since the 60's!
Barlow is not a brand, it's a style of knife.
It can either be one bladed or two bladed.
Each side of the rounded handle is flattened a bit.
George Washington was known to have owned a Barlow.
Tom Sawyer was given a Barlow in 1876.
Obadiah Barlow first manufactured the knife in Sheffield England around 1670.
That has nothing to do with this...I just love the name Obadiah!
This particular knife was made by the Imperial Knife Co.
I have many pocket knives, I recycle them as I lose them then find them in the couch!
Thanks for stopping by, I've been quite busy at work lately so forgive my commenting absences. Your reading loyalty is very much appreciated.
Peace...!!!

Monday, December 28, 2009

TMI Tuesday.....




A Ms. Helen Bedd from Chancre Ohio asks....

"Dear Mr. Knowitall, is it true that the dying words of Groucho Marx were 'Last words are for fools, that haven't said enough'?

Dear Helen....NO!! That was KARL Marx!! Groucho's last words were..'Die my dear? Why thats the last thing I'll ever do'!

Good question....
And while we are on the subject, how about a few more famous last words?

* "I have a terrific headache"...Franklin Roosevelt

* "I should never have switched from Scotch to Martini's"...Humphrey Bogart

* "My wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death, either it goes or I go"!...Oscar Wilde

* "I'll have a Ham and Swiss please"...Cass Elliott

* "My butt hurts"...Rock Hudson

* "I guess one cheeseburger ain't gonna kill me"!...Mahatma Ghandi

* "Damn that yellow snow"!!...Frank Zappa

* "FOOLS!!! I said press an ASS to my breast"...Cleopatra

* "I don't need no stinking safety net"...Karl Wallenda

* "No thanks Raul, not today. Just take a little off the top"...Marie Antoinette

* "Dying is easy, Comedy is hard"...George Bernard Shaw


I hope you enjoyed these little Histrical Tid-Bits.
Remember them if you are ever on Jeopardy or Discovery's Cash Cab!

Peace...!!!

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Elementary......




I LOVE Turner Classic Movie Channel!
This week-end they played several episodes of the classic Sherlock Holmes starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce. And the best thing is that there is no commercials!!
But being a product of his times, my 20 year old son Reese, hates black and white movies, and refused to watch them with me.
But today he wanted to see the version at the theater starring Robert Downey and Jude Law, so old dad took him! I gotta admit I liked it a lot in spite of the fact that it was directed by Guy Ritchie.
And the ending certainly indicated that was a sequel in the future.
Coming home to some Home-Made bean soup made with a spiral sliced ham bone was Great!
I hope you all survived Christmas, and now we have New Years Week-End to contend with next.
I hope 2009 was a good year for everyone, here's hoping 2010 will be as better!
Peace...!!!

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Merry Christmas In A Flash.......



Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho
Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho
Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho
Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho
Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho
Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho
Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho
Hope You Have A Merry Christmas!!!!


Some people just can't help themselves can they?
If you have a 55 this week, feel free to post it here.
I'm sure you will be visited and appreciated.
Enjoy The Holiday....Galen

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Thursday Portrait......




Hi Everybody....Like the Ear Ring?
Notice something strange about My Thursday Portrait?
(Other than some freezing Old Fart)
This week there is No 55!
Get It? No 55........


The beautiful Peaceful lady sitting in the bottom photo, is one of my Oldest and most loyal Blogger friends Mona. On Dec. 21st her husband died.
Her Link is on my sidebar if you know her and wish to send condolences.
A few of my fellow bloggers and myself affectionately refer to her as the "Town Crier" because she knows everybody's Birthday, and proudly announces it to the World.
She lives in Agra India, and that might be a scary place for a widowed woman.
She is a Brilliant, Compassionate Soul...And I send her my prayers.
May God give you Strength Mona....
Peace...!!!

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Retro Wednesday.......





You know what this is?
It's a moustache comb!
I've had this since the 70's...
Do or DID people actually use these things?
Whatever...
TWO more shopping days till Christmas....YAY!!!
Then maybe we won't have to sit thru those sucky Target and Jared commercials!!
Peace...!!!

Monday, December 21, 2009

TMI Tuesday.....







A Miss Goldie Hawn from Golden Colorado asks...

"Dear Mr. Knowitall...What weighs more?
A pound of Feathers, or a pound of Gold"?

'Dear Goldie...Is this a trick question? Because if it is, you might be surprised!
A pound of feathers weighs more!
Feathers are weighed according to the avoir-dupois system, which measures 16 ounces to the pound. Gold is weighed according to the Troy system which measures 12 ounces to the pound'!
hehehehehe....Good Question, Thanks.

A Mr. Whitey Milquetoast from Grafton Vermont asks....

"Dear Mr. Knowitall...Which is heavier, light cream or heavy cream:"?

'Dear Whitey...Are you serious?
Light Cream is heavier!
Heavy and Light refers to the fat content, NOT the weight!
Heavy Cream contains a higher percentage of milk fat (36%) than Light Cream (15-18%)
But since fat is lighter than water, the other major component of Cream, increasing the percentage of fat reduces the percentage of water, therefore lowering the overall weight'!

Good Question....Thanks.

Only FOUR more shopping days till Christmas...Fa la la la la!!!

Peace...!!!

Sunday, December 20, 2009

The Blizzard of 2009?






Hi Everybody....
For those of you buried Knee-Deep in snow today, I feel your pain!
This is a pic of my front yard today from my porch.
A mere Pittance compared to most of the Midwest and Mid Atlantic, and East Coast!
I'm not rubbing it in, I feel very fortunate...
Most of my friends and family went to see Avatar today, I still didn't quite feel good enough to sit thru a 3 hour movie.
So instead I have a Brisket roasting in the oven since 8:30 AM, I have lobster and King Crab leg meat marinating in some herbs and Olive Oil for a Seafood salad, and I have some crab and lobster Jalapeno Poppers ready for the Oven.
Enjoy Your Holiday Week, and remember...No Friday Flash 55 this week only.
Peace...!!!

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Friday Flash 55.....




Sitting alone in a room lit only by Old Tannenbaum.
My grandmother sat...Unmoving.
With watery eyes and streaming tears, she wouldn't or couldn't speak.

"Grandma...Are you OK"?
(Louder)..."Grandma"?

Just then, my grandfather beckoned me to the kitchen.

'Son...Leave her be'

"Whats wrong with her Grandpa"?

'Nothing...She's remembering.
Someday you'll understand'!!!!



This scene actually happened to me about 50 years ago.
My Grandfather wasn't very 'book-smart', but this common/simple man was very wise!
As I now sit in front of my own lit tree...
Both my Grandparents are gone
My Mother is gone
My brother is gone
My daughter lives in The Czech Republic!!
And at age 60, his words are still ringing in my ears.
And you know what else?
I Finally Understand!!!!!

Next Friday is Christmas, so I think that we shall take a week off and return on Friday January 1st 2010. Enjoy the Holidays....And please remember....
Home is where the Heart is!
If you or anyone you know has written a Friday Flash 55,
Please come tell The G-Man.
I will visit, read, enjoy, comment...Then BOOK!
So from the most Jolly host from coast to coast...
Have a Kick Ass Holiday Week!!!

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Thursday Portrait.....




I was in dire need of some Worchesteshire Sauce so I stopped by Kroger tonight!
Well, if you want the best, you gotta pay.
But I see it's on sale....3 Bucks and 'some change'!
See ya tomorrow....
Peace!!!

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Retro Wednesday.......





I had a subscription to Playboy Magazine from 1968 to 2006.
As a gift that very first year a received a Playmate Calender.
I still have it as you can see.
Ahhhh...Miss January Connie Kreski. I wonder if the years have been kind or cruel?
Peace...!!!

Monday, December 14, 2009

TMI Tuesday.......




A Mr. Arthur Fonzarelli from Milwaukee Wisconsin asks...

"Aaaaaaaaaaa...Mr. Knowital. How do mirrors work?"

Dear Fonz er Arthur...Generally speaking, by reflecting light!
Most objects don't give off any light of their own. They can only be seen because light from other sources such as The Sun, a candle, a light bulb, hits them and bounces off. Not all of the light bounces though. Some bounces, some is absorbed, and some is transmitted through the object. The part that does not bounce back is the reflection.. Flat shiny surfaces like water, metal, and mirrors reflect light well because very little of the light is absorbed or transmitted, most is reflected!

For centuries, mankind's only mirrors were pools of water, or polished metal. The first mirrors were made by Venetian craftsmen in the 1300's. They covered the back of a piece of glass with an amalgam of tin and mercury, rubbed flat and smooth. A piece of wool cloth would then be laid on top of the mercury, and pressed flat with iron weights for more than a week. Then the excess mercury would be drained off. This method remained a carefully guarded secret, and for centuries Venice had a monopoly on mirrors !!
In 1665 the chief Minister to Louis IV of France went to Italy and bribed 18 Venetian mirrorsmiths to move to France. Soon after their defection, the French passed a law banning Venetian mirrors!!
Three years later a Frenchman named Louis Lucas beat the Venetians at their own game. He invented plate glass! Venetians knew only how to make blown glass, and the size of the mirror was quite limited. But Lucas discovered how to pour molten glass onto an iron table where it could be flattened out with an Iron roller. Now mirrors could be made much larger. Soon France became famous for its large mirrors. Louis IV soon purchased 700 mirrors to line the hallways of the Palace of Versailles!
In 1835 German chemist Justus von Liebig discovered a way to make mirrors better. He invented a process for using silver instead of tin and mercury. He flushed the glass with silver salts, then covered it in a solution of silver nitrate. A chemical reaction caused the metalic silver to adhere to the glass. It was then coated with shellac and painted black. Thats how mirrors were made for the next 150 years!
I believe all mirrors are made in China now......

Good Question, Thanks!

Crazy Mirror Facts....

*In the 1600's the Dutch used to cover their mirrors with curtains when not in use, lest the reflectiveness be all used up! ( Crazy Dutch Bastards )

*In ancient China, reflective pieces of polished metal were placed over door knobs so that the evil spirits would scare themselves away!

*The word Mirror comes from the Latin Mirari, meaning to 'Wonder At'.
It's also the root word for Miracle and Admire!

*Building Mgr's install mirrors in lobbies because people complain less about waiting for slow elevators when occupied by looking at themselves.

*Lastly...Take a large piece of paper, and with a sharpie and your VERY best penmanship write down..."3M TA3"...Now hold up to the mirror!

Peace...!!!

Sunday, December 13, 2009

A Party?...For Me?...I'll Kill Ya...........







This afternoon my friend Alex called and asked if I could go to Home Depot with him. Sunday's are usually laid back and lazy so I said sure.
After going to to The Depot we stopped at our little watering hole and watched a football game. When Alex took me home...I could have wrung his neck!!!
My driveway was filled with cars, and about 12-15 of my closest and oldest friends were waiting for me to help celebrate my Big SIX OH!!
All My friends brought my favorite goodies...Pineapple upside down cake, coconut cream pie, All sorts of chips and dips, turkey, sloppy joes (My Favorite), and salads and drinks ETC. And even though I couldn't drink, I broke out The Green Fairy!
But I couldn't find my REAL slotted spoon, so I had to use Yankee Ingenuity, I heated up a fork and burned some holes in a plastic spoon...It Worked Fine!
So with all of the love and support and well wishes that I received this past week, today was just the topping on the cake to make this my Most Memorable Birthday !!
Thank You One and All....I really appreciate your Love and Friendship.
Have a Great Week....Galen

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Friday Flash 55.......



OK, Mr. Haynes, hop up on the table and show me your butt.
And I promise NOT to say.... Oh My!
(Squeezes... Probes... Picks)
Does this hurt?
This?
How bout this?
Well...Since you're feeling better.
And the antibiotics seem to be working...
Lets schedule the surgery for about 3-4 weeks from now...
Happy Birthday!!


Are you kidding me? This was THE best present that I ever received!
Yes, the meds are working wonders. And I will indeed have to go to the hospital in a few weeks and have things surgically repaired. But I'll be better prepared for it than I was today, thats for sure!
I have to say that because of everyone's prayers and well wishes, this milestone (60) birthday was was of my best ever! Thank you all from the bottom of my heart..
I haven't been able to sit in front of a computer for very long lately, so I have been MIA this week. But I can absolutely assure you that all of your 55's will be answered, and all of you that left well wishes and birthday greetings will be visited by me and thanked personally

If you or anyone you know has written a Friday Flash 55...
Please come tell The G-Man.
I will visit, read, enjoy, comment....Then BOOK!
So from the oldest host from coast to coast...
Have a Kick Ass Week-End!!!!!!!!

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Retro Wednesday.....






As a kid we didn't have a real fireplace to hang our stockings from, but we did have a 'Fireplace Kit' complete with lighted dancing card board logs and flames!
This fireplace is in pristine condition, as you can tell from the vividly red color of the cardboard bricks...:-)

BTW...I went to the Dr. today about my ass. I gotta tell you it freaks you out when the first words out of a 60 year old Dr.s mouth is......."Oh MY, you need to see a Surgeon ASAP"! It seems that I have a 'Ridgeline' of boils of different degrees of depth, so they need to be cut, scraped, and sutured. And guess when this is happening?...9:30 AM on Thursday December 10th!!!
Somebody's 60th Birthday....
Happy Fuckin Birthday to me!!!
Thank You Everyone again for your well wishes and support....G

Monday, December 7, 2009

TMI Tuesday.....




Mr. Knowitall is taking a day off today.
Unfortunately TMI Tuesday is still on!
Starting last Friday afternoon, and I'm NOT going into great detail. I have been in extreme pain. I had not one but TWO boils on my Butt. Now I've them before, and they usually come to a head drain naturally.
These were like Biblical Plagues!
Today they finally started to 'empty' on their own. I'm applying warm compresses and peroxide to them. But it is both painful and embarrassing...Sorry.

I really would like to thank everyone that stops by everyday and comments. I am a terrible blogger buddy, and I a owe you all my heartfelt gratitude for cheering me up! I appreciate the wonderful 55's you write. For those that never write a 55 and still visit me...You Guys are Awesome..Thank You, Thank You Thank You!!!
I'm starting to feel back to normal, slowly but surely.
Monday's date was the most infamous day of the 20th Century..Thursday's date is the second most infamous!


As for the picture? Thats how it feels!!

Peace...!!!

Sunday, December 6, 2009

A Lay Low Week-End....





Hi Everybody...
I hope you all had a Kick Ass Week-End!
As for me, the Week-End Sucked Ass!
I'll explain tomorrow....
But on the 'Good Eats' side, I marinated some center cut pork chops with fresh herbs, olive oil, garam masala, some alderwood seasoned sea salt, and good chile powder!
I then made some seasoned oven baked sweet potato fries.
After searing the chops on both sides, I brushed some apricot preserves on both sides and finished them in the oven at 375 for 20 minutes!
Everything was yummy!
Have a Great Week ....
Peace...!!!