I have been working with high tech for 40 years. And, for 40 years, I have had to learn newer and greater technologies and I am tired.

I work with high tech everyday at work. So, when I come home at night, I just want to relax.

I have a remote that controls my TV, DVD, cable box and surround sound. It does a lot of things but I don’t know how to use it. I am sure that I could learn but I am not really interested. I just want to watch TV or a movie. I don’t want to earn an advanced degree in “remote”. So, I just get up, walk six feet and push the manual buttons on the device that I want to use.

I have cable. It does a lot of things. Am I interested? No. Maybe if I get snowed in some winters day, I will learn how to use it just out of shear boredom. But for right now, I just want my technology to serve me and not the other way around.

The other day, when I was at Meijer (regional grocery chain), I decided to try some spinach dip from their deli case.  Since Sunday evenings are usually just cheese and cracker, I decided to give it a shot.

Now, my late wife Kathy, always made great spinach dip. So, I wasn’t really expecting much.   But to my amazement, it was just like Kathy used to make!  Spinach, water chestnuts, cream sauce. Wow!! It was fantastic!!  I couldn’t believe it.

I think that I have found a new Sunday evening staple.

When I was working at Calvin College, one of my students was being wooooed by an anonymous woman.  She would leave him notes at various locations and the notes were all very…well…. interesting.  So, finally, he arranged to meet with her on a blind date.

Well, when the date finally arrived, she was of a different ethnic back ground.  Now, trying to be open minded, he proceeded on the date.

The first thing that he noticed was that she was much taller than he.  That was OK.  He would manage.  But when he went to take her by her arm, he discovered that it was artificial.  When she noted his dismay, she said “don’t worry about that.  We will have a good time because I am on the pill.”

OK, so here is a young man that has never been on a date, nor has he ever been with a woman.

It didn’t turn out well.

Well, today, I purchased 16 place settings of everyday flatware.  My original flatware was limited to only 8 or less depending on what was needed.  But, for some reason, I had enough spoons for 16, though I am not sure how that happened.

Well, what ever.  I now have enough flatware for friends and relatives.

For some women, a widower is an asset.  After all, the marriage ended because of death and not divorce.  So that would seem to indicate that the man has some redeemable qualities.  But, for other women, a widower is a liability because she has to compete with someone who only exists in the heart and mind of the widower.

So, liability or asset?  I guess it depends on the self esteem of the woman.

The longer that I live alone, the more I get adjusted to it.  At first, I was afraid to eat by my self in a restaurant.  But now, I am fine with it.  Tomorrow, I am going to attend Art Prize by my self.  And, I will be fine. In the future, I will probably attend movies and concerts as a solo act.  And, I will be fine with that also.  The longer that I live alone, the easier that it becomes.

Through an unfortunate coincidence, the elevators at work have the same bong as the iPhones email alert.  So, every time that an elevator arrives, people standing next to it grab their iPhones.

Well done Pavlov!

Working for the State, I have seen a lot of strange behavior.  But just when I think I have seen it all, I see something new.  And that was the case the other day.

While popcorn is a pretty popular snack, most of my co-workers just eat it straight from the bag.  But, I recently discovered that one of my co-workers uses a spoon to eat her popcorn.  Apparently she doesn’t like the feel of butter and salt on her fingers.  So she transports the popcorn from the bag to her mouth with a spoon.

Now, while I wish that this was the strangest thing that I have ever seen at the state, it isn’t unfortunately.

Well, we have had our first confirmed death from Swine Flu.  After the medias failed attempts to instill fear and panic in us with the West Nile virus they can double their efforts with the West Nile virus AND the Swine Flu.

It is too bad that the media wasn’t around for the Spanish Flu.  Then, they would really have had something to write about.