Friday Follies...

End of the week...AND, the end of the month. Time to flip that calendar again.
I will try to keep things as concise as possible, just 'cause I love you guys.
(but not in a "Biblical" sense, mind you...lol)
Our Hoosierland weather for today sees a needed break in all the rain (just light showers) and our high will struggle to get up to around the 50 degree mark.
Skies will be mostly cloudy as well, but none of those windy conditions we had yesterday. Got a bit of fog this morning, too.

Don'cha hate when this happens?

So, without any further ado, let's get that cup of Friday Fortitude poured and set close by, as we see what else has been going on...sound fair enough?
*** First out of the ammo box is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
MARCH 31 -
---It's National Bunsen Burner Day

(remember them from chemistry class?)
---It's National Clams of the Half Shell Day

(tried it once...felt like eating phlegm balls...I'll pass.)
---It's National Crayon Day

(say goodbye to "dandelion" says Crayola...sounds like they're "anti-gay"...heh)
---It's National Prom Day

(never went to either of mine...and I'm still alive. How'd that happen?)
---It's National Tater Day

(taters are good...m'kay?)
*** Next, and since we're ending the week and the month, let's see what takes place in April, as well as over the next 48 hours.
APRIL is:
National Canine Fitness Month 
National Internship Awareness Month 
National Child Abuse Awareness Month
National Donate Life Awareness Month
National Cannabis Awareness Month
National Fair Housing Month
Month of the Military Child
Keep America Beautiful Month
Lawn and Garden Month
National Autism Awareness Month
National Couple Appreciation Month
National Decorating Month
National Fresh Celery Month
National Garden Month
National Humor Month
National Landscape Architecture Month
National Inventor’s Month
National Jazz Appreciation Month
National Soft Pretzel Month
National Soy Foods Month
National Straw Hat Month
National Poetry Month
National Pecan Month
National Welding Month
Occupational Therapy Month
Records and Information Management Month
Scottish-American Heritage Month
Sexual Assault Awareness Month
Stress Awareness Month
National Safe Digging Month
(WHEW...a real busy month, ain't it?)
It's all good, as long as we don't get "distracted"  along the way (more on this shortly).
APRIL 1-
---Saturday is April Fool's Day

There's NO fool like an April one, right?
---It's National One Cent Day

(It's the history of the penny...what else?)
---It's National Sourdough Bread Day

(and that sure as hell beats sour MILK!)
---It's National Love Our Children Day

(pedophiles need not apply)
APRIL 2 -
---Sunday is National Ferret Day

(when you want a pet that can hide ANYWHERE)
---It's National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day

(I have got this one so covered)
---It's National Reconciliation Day

(can't think of anything to reconcile these days)
And there you have it...a great start to next month... and the weekend. Please observe responsibly.
*** Next up, okay, pop-quiz time...how often are YOU distracted because your face is buried in your damn smartphone?

It's an easy answer for me...NEVER!
First, I don't even have a smart phone (I like my "dumb" one just fine for emergencies, thank you), and second,  I would never be on the phone while driving or walking.
Pretty simple to figure out.

In the past few years, you've heard about the rise of traffic accidents, caused mainly by "distracted drivers" - those on their phone busy texting or whatever.
Now, some NEW research has proven how even MORE stupid people have become, and here's the proof:
http://www.journalgazette.net/20170331/pedestrian-fatalitieson-the-rise

Pay attention, dumbass!

Wow...PEDESTRIAN fatalities are rising also...because of distracted WALKERS!
(and I thought zombies were only found on The Walking Dead...LMAO!)
Well, we DO remember the video of the person too busy in a mall to notice the fountain that they fell into...because they were ON THE DAMN PHONE, right?

OUR "walking dead" (too lazy to lay down)

Sure, that was hilarious, but it should have made more people to THINK.
(sorry, those folks missed that train when it left the station).
It would seem that now, more than before. we are ALL at risk whether we're driving OR walking.
Distracted people causing problems...now who could have seen this coming.

ABBEY ROAD...it ain't!

(Yes, I raised MY hand)
What did I just say yesterday about being a good OBSERVER? Food for thought there.
*** Next, THIS story looks like a job for Captain Obvious:
http://www.journalgazette.net/20170331/heroin-use-grows-fivefold-in-decade-new-study-reveals

Heroin use has taken a FIVE-FOLD increase? Say it ain't so.
Nah, the resurgence in the product of the opium poppy has been noticed for the last decade, and I mentioned the proliferation of it (here) a while ago, because of the availability of it from (where else?)...MEXICO (black tar heroin, to be specific).

Certainly NOT a "Carefree Highway".

Add in the rise in illegal immigrants from south of the border, and people hauling it just to Indiana from AZ and other points west...it all fits together nicely.
The story mentions how many switched to heroin after doing pain meds...also makes sense.
And, "smack" has been getting CHEAPER (people love a bargain).

((The number of those who met the criteria for heroin use disorder, or addiction, more than tripled from 0.21 percent in 2001-2002 to 0.69 percent in 2012-2013.))
Heroin Use Disorder...I can see this becoming another new ACRONYM - HUD.
Hey, does that mean we have a correlation between the current HUD and this potentially "new" HUD.

Yep, looks about right.

In the inner cities across America, it would certainly SEEM SO.
Let's hope the military doesn't get confused with their "Heads-Up DIsplay" acronym...heh.
*** Next, time to visit "Kitten Corner"...
Okay, the kids are developing new "traits" that are both cute as well as just a wee bit bothersome.

The infamous "tug-o-war".

When it's time to eat, Gallifrey "dances" - he stands on his hind legs and meows and does a pretty good job of that. Need Wifey to get a picture of that someday soon. Violet tries to do the same, but she's more the proper young lady.

Time for a nap...

Still she does like to take the place-mat on the counter top and put it on the floor for no reason. His thing (now) is playing a new game - "Let's see how many different window sills I can get climb on, and whether daddy notices or not".

That sounds good.

I don't mind when I can SEE where he's at, but when he goes M.I.A. for a time,I get concerned. I don't want the wrong people to see a cat in our window...he might become a target. Around here, you can't be too careful. Even I don't hang at any one window, but part the curtains instead.  Always play it safe as much as possible, right?
*** Last back to the pistol range...our society is really getting screwed the hell up.

And, I have often cautioned about our "lack of attention" many times (here).
First, we had students with ADD, but that almost seems to pale by comparison (there's that "c" word again) when it comes to adult behavior, and the problems that are caused when THEY don't pay the hell attention.
Distracted driver AND pedestrians...as well as drunken drivers and yes, drunken pedestrians.
Years ago, we had a black woman, who I named "Staggerlee", because whenever she came through our neighborhood, there was no way in hell she could walk a straight line. She even fell the hell down a couple times...WHILE WALKING.
It was both funny as hell AND sad as hell to think that anyone would allow themselves to become so damn impaired. Haven't seen her in well over 5 years.

But these days, it's a lot more commonplace, and whatever children they have in their charge are LEARNING from OBSERVING what passes for parents...not a good portent for the future.
WHAT you observe from little on up WILL have an impact on your development...make no mistake about that.
And we know children love to mimic what they see.
Maybe if more people took it upon themselves to live a better life, as a PROPER model FOR their kids, we wouldn't have wound up in the mess we are finding ourselves...
Therein lies the lesson for the day.
Do have yourselves a good weekend.

Be well, make a difference to someone today, and as always...
Stay SAFE out there America.

(We'll see YOU here next month)