particular. I understand dark chocolate
is healthier so, what’s the pain
involved? Healthy dark chocolate
vs less healthy other chocolate. So
you see I’ll eat the dark chocolate
any day even though it looks like
ex-lax. If you’re desperate enough,
it solves a problem mentally and
physically. For me, it’s a win-win.
For you, I’m not sure. (By the way,
please do not tell my endocrinologist
about the chocolate.)
The dozen thinks listed here,
though not too deep, are from the
famous--or is it infamous--we may
have come across at some point in
our lives. The anonymous ones are
probably the funniest. Why do they
want to hide the fact that there’s
a fun side to these character’s
character? Maybe they’re cranks
and don’t want to ruin their reputations,
as such.
You know it’s probably easier to
find fun thinks of others for our
daily dose of medicinal laughter,
but the dose may work longer and
more effectively if it comes from
within ourselves. Well, how can
one achieve that? For one thing,
I’ve made a concerted effort to not
only develop more patience and
love for others, but most importantly,
for myself. So, what if I
walk into a room and forget why I
walked there? I don’t beat myself
up. I honestly smile and say to the
only persons with me--me, myself,
and I--“Ok, what are you going to
do for an encore?” So, what if I
need a shirt from the bottom of a
pile and mess everything else up?
Next time I’ll know better or go
topless. Oy vey! So, what if I have
breakfast at 12:30pm? Where am
I rushing to? So, what if I wear
my pj’s all day? Who’s looking?
So what if I have my same meals
for lunch and dinner? My stomach
doesn’t complain. So what
if I listen to Ella Fitzgerald from
morning to night? No one listens
but me and she’s so calming. So
what if I’m watching an Israeli soap
opera, Srugim all night long? I consider
it a lesson in Hebrew. After
30 episodes I’ve learned two new
words ken – (yes) and lo – (no).
Hey, I never said I was a rocket
scientist! So what if I sleep with
three books at my bedside? I read
according to what mood I’m in.
Do any of you have comic books?
There’s no recrimination for any
of my choices you may think are
quirks, but I’m keeping myself busy
and allowing myself an opportunity
to do something. Besides, I’m
enjoying my choices. Also, at this
point I’ve come to recognize and
become more appreciative and
respectful of the little things I do
without planning. Well, maybe my
other priorities with more realistic
suggestions might be more to your
liking.
According to other recent
research, “bodies and brains are
set up to deal with short term
crises that have clear ends in
sight.”* Here are a few short term
crises I resolved. When I’m out of
ice cream, I just eat the whipped
cream. When I’m out of cake, I
just schmear some jam on toasted
raisin bread. When I’m out of
wine, I have some Manischevitz
grape juice. Out of bread, eat some
matzo. Out of fresh fruit, open a
can of diet, no-sugar fruit in water.
Ich! Maybe a little whipped cream?
Maybe a lot? Skip that. I’m good
for short term, because I’m trying
to make each moment count. I
know, I know. What counts for
me may not count for you. Did I
tell you that I have a problem with
counting? Counting anything after
ten is difficult for me because it’s
not always convenient to get my
shoes and socks off to count up
any higher.
So, I’ve shared my thinks with
you and that of others. I’m counting
on you to make the best out
of what challenges we’re going
through right now. So here we
are, the Counts and Countesses of
North Shore Towers.
Please stay safe. Please stay well.
Love, Gloria
*Allison Buskirk-Cohen -
Associate Professor and Chair of
the Psychology Department of
Delaware Valley University. Also
added that “long-term ambiguous
stressors like managing the
COVID-19 situation are much
more challenging.”
Desperately Seeking Funny
BY MARIAN NEMETSKY
In any creative writing class, you’re told to
write about what you know. If you get stuck,
keep a diary and something will pop out. In
my case I like to add a “FUNNY” twist as well.
However, since being locked down by Covid 19,
and locked in by snow, ice and freezing rain, I
find myself desperately seeking “FUNNY.”
Ice: The bare limbs of the trees are covered
with silvery ice crystals that form lovely modern
looking chandeliers. I’d love to hang one of
them in my dining room. Simply stunning…
but definitely “NOT FUNNY.”
I once read a mystery story where the murderer
used a dagger-shaped icicle to kill his victim.
The murder weapon was never found because it
melted! Interesting, if you want to kill someone,
but definitely “NOT FUNNY.”
About 25 years ago I fell on marble steps that
were covered by a thin layer of slick, wet ice.
Suddenly, a thousand jackhammers drilled into
my spine, and I screamed in agony. I had two
collapsed vertebrae, or as the doctor explained
in plain English, I broke my back. I vowed never
to go out in snowy ice again, never, ever, ever.
Yet, on a cruise to Alaska, I was convinced
by my travel agent to walk on a glacier because
it would be a once in a lifetime, unforgettable
experience. And how would we get there?
We’d go by helicopter, a whirligig with a huge
pinwheel mounted on top, which clanked and
banged as if it was going to fall out of the sky
any minute. To add insult to injury, I had to
tell the truth about my weight (the only secret I
ever kept from my husband) because if it wasn’t
balanced, we could all crash. For some crazy
reason, I did embark upon this mission impossible,
only to be overwhelmingly surprised by
what I experienced.
We stepped into this expanse of pure, unsullied
whiteness, as far as the eye could see. We
were so struck by the majesty of it that we spoke
in hushed tones, or not at all. When the guide
motioned for us to look at part of the glacier
that had melted, I was sure that we were about
to fall into the ocean. Instead, there was a
small puddle of water as blue as the Florida
sky at sunrise. I forgot the scientific explanation.
The entire experience was awesome, amazing,
life-changing, but definitely, “NOT FUNNY.”
Snow: When the brilliant white snowflakes
fall on the grass, trees, highways and buildings,
it makes the whole world look like a Hallmark
greeting card. It’s serene, calm, and beautiful,
but definitely “NOT FUNNY.”
As a kid, climbing up and down mountains
of dirty snow was pure joy…fun…but definitely
“NOT FUNNY.”
Fast forward to when I was a teacher, and
drove to my school on a sunny wintry morning,
only to come out at 3:00 p.m. to find my car
covered with the dreaded snow. I’d groan, but
had the procedure down pat. Whip out special
spray to unfreeze keyhole, open door, start up
engine, put on heater and windshield wipers.
Then, go to trunk, find scraper to whisk off
snow from rear and side windows, while the
heat and wipers were doing their jobs in the
front. Finally, get into my car looking like a
snow encrusted HULK.
Other obstacles would await me before
entering my warm inviting house. I had to
pass a high school where some kids had this
crazy fad of swooping down and hanging
on to the bumper of a car. They called it,
“skitching.” It was like hitching, but with
a skih sound. What to do? If I backed up,
they could be thrown off and hurt, or worse.
Same if I went too fast. If I went slow, they
loved it, and I hated it. I came up with a
plan. I blasted my horn as loud as I could,
“BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.” It worked. They got
scared and jumped off. Miserable experience,
not gorgeous, or peaceful, or calming, and
definitely “NOT FUNNY.”
So, here I am, remembering the past, living
in my locked down and locked in present,
fervently hoping for a warm, healthy future,
while still desperately seeking “FUNNY.”
April 2021 ¢ NORTH SHORE TOWERS COURIER 17