Hello on Monday Morning

Dear Friends,

I just got back from "Retro Fitness". The Ninja was there today as well as the
muscle bound guys who wear those waist belts for heavy lifting.
Today, makes it two full weeks since I have joined the gym. I still look like
"Jabba the Hut". I do know that what I am doing for an hour each day is better
than doing nothing.

Yes, I did stay up, and watch my Patriots lose by one point to the still
undefeated Colts. The Patriots will have to wait until the playoffs before they
get another shot at the Colts.

Observation -- In the Sunday Berkshire Eagle, we get a magazine insert called
USA Weekend. It is like the Parade section which comes in most newspapers. There
was an article which jumped right off the one page which it was located on. As
the Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays approach us, there was an article
entitled "Do you have Social Phobia?"
Here we go again! For all those people who like to be diagnosed with some
illness, this is another one to add to your list. These are a few of the
symptoms : "Anxiety, self consciousness, and embarrassment from being around
other people, avoiding places or events where people gather, difficulty making
friends and maintaining friendships". If you have this phobia, you can even
"experience excessive sweating, difficulty speaking or breathing, trembling ,
shaking and nausea."
Social anxiety disorder can be treated with "counseling and/ or medications."
The medications include the same ones that are prescribed to people who are
dealing with "depression." There is that nasty word again!
The article is written by a doctor named Tedd Mitchell who just happens to own
Cooper Clinic located in Dallas Texas.
The article claims that in a 2005 study about 12% of the population experience
this disorder.
Do you think that I (or Linda) am part of the 12% or 82%?

Social Calendar -- Our calendar happens to be blank for today, but that doesn't
mean that we will be sitting on our butts all day. We have to deal with the
remnants from my closet cleaning the other day. The urban sprawl is still in the
upstairs hallway, and on the bed in another spare bedroom.

The Special Olympics Awards / Pasta Dinner / Dance went well on Sunday. Four
UNICO brothers and and me prepared the pasta dinner. We served 120 + people. As
we were finishing up cleaning the kitchen , and putting away pots, pans, and
dishes, the special needs people and their guardians were on the dance floor
dancing up a storm. The D.J. was playing all type of music which I like to
dance to. I fit in very well the individuals on the dance floor. I showed them a
couple of the Curley moves!
My fellow UNICANS will we back again next November to volunteer our services in
the kitchen.

I can't wait to get Sarah Pallin's book "Going Rogue". Yeah Right!

Bird Feeding -- I know why the bears haven't been so active knocking down my
bird feeders. The hunting season just ended in Massachusetts. The hunters shot
137 bears this year compared to 78 the previous year.
I have to work on my home made concoction which holds two bird feeders which we
can see through our sliding glass door to the deck. Visualize a "T" like
structure. The squirrels are using the top part of the "T" as a Teeter Totter as
they go from one bird feeder to the other.

Our friend, who had the rotator cuff surgery, is slowly being weened off of the
pain medications. He is getting bored and going stir crazy. He was trying to
straighten out his workbench in his garage to help himself get rid of some of
the boredom. He usually needs a two hour nap after exerting any energy.
When he went for his first doctor visit last week, he was told not to do
anything with the surgically repaired shoulder. His wife said that hopefully by
the end of this coming week, he will be able to have visitors.
Nurse Judie is managing, but like I surmised, she wishes for her husband to
have a speedy recovery. The routine does get stale after a while. His injury is
not a quick healer!

Well, I have to get to some quiet chores.
Have a great week at work or play.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad