SUNDAY USELESS STUFF

I'm one of those hardcore movie people, and have been since I was a kid.  Guys learned early on to not waste their time or money by taking me to see a popular film when I was a teenager. 

The minute they started thinking of sneaky ways to hug, kiss, or whisper in my ear, I'd pick up my popcorn and move to another area of the theater with a quickness.  I was there to be entertained, not to have the movie interrupted!(lol)   Apparently I'm on the very low end of the  spectrum, because according to a recent poll on a survey site, 6% of people go to the movies alone,  35% go with a significant other, and 22%  hang out with family members.  

Every once in a while, a friend will drag me along to a liquor store while they purchase bags and bags of stuff to replenish their stash.  It's fascinating and funny to look at the names of all these drinks,

No, I don't have the guts to ask for this drink(lol)

which include Absinth Red Chili Head, Kinky Blue Vodka Liqueur, Virus Vodka, Screwball Peanut Butter Whisky, Rumchata Horchata Con Ron Rum, Unicorn Tears, and Chicken Cock to name a few.

No, I do not have the guts to drink this drink(lol)

By the way, if you'd like to get your alcohol buzz in one rush, check out Spirytus Rektyfikowany  which is 192 proof vodka made in Poland.  It has an alcohol content of 96%, and is the strongest in the United States.  Experts suggest not drinking it without being mixed with something else, and I totally agree(lol). In case you're wondering, rubbing alcohol comes in at 91%. Yikes!

Did you know that lots of life insurance policies go unclaimed?  To find out more for your policy or one owned by a relative who's passed on, first search www.unclaimed.org.  If that doesn't work, visit the Life Insurance Policy Locator at www.naic.org.

Apps aren't going away any time soon, so if you're thinking of the perfect career, an Application Developer is the way to go.  Better yet, be friends with one.(lol)  Right now, the average salary for this growing position is a little over $101,000, and in the United States close to 256,000 new positions will be added to the employment pool up through 2026.

Let's face it, when it comes to Father's Day, guys don't get much love.  Other than lots of colorful ties and over the top cologne, we don't see nearly as many freebies at restaurants or the overall recognition that we do with moms. But they're both equally important.   Dads' deals are based off someone else in the group purchasing a meal, so they can get the freebie.  I'm really scratching my head on why they just can't get their own stuff on June 16.  (lol)

But there is someone giving shouts out to dads at the National Father's Day Committee, and they're offering up an All Star Dad Award for that man who's not afraid to do more than expected at home with his family, as well as making a difference within the community.

PRIZE:  Round Trip Air by Coach to New York City for 4 to be taken in June 2019, 2 hotel rooms for 2 night/3 day stay and a special Father's Day Luncheon.

Enter online with your 250 word essay at www.allstar.org, or send by snail mail at:  "All-Star" Dad Contest, c/o National Father's Day Committee, 37 W. 39th Street, Ste 1102 New York, NY  10018.  All entries must be in no later than 11:59pm May 22, 2019.

Inazawa Grand Bowl in Japan

Holler House Tavern

Holler House Wooden Bowling Lanes

Do you bowl?  Is it one of your fave hobbies?  Years ago while in the Air Force, we were on a team and played every Saturday, and I got pretty good.  Fast forward to today, and not only do I suck, but it's so dang expensive!  Did you know that the Inazawa Grand Bowl located in Japan is the largest bowling alley in the world with 119 lanes, and certified by The Guinness World Book of Records? 

Some Bras for your review(lol)

The oldest tenpin bowling establishment, which still has all the original wood is called Holler House, and has been around since 1908 in Wisconsin.  The owner started a tradition that is still alive today. First time visitors  take off their bras, autograph them then hang them in various locations throughout the bar.  It's a cool bowling alley, but it's really more well known for being one of the best taverns around the area.  With  over 1000 bras on display, I can see why!(lol) 

Did you know that if you don't do a lot of traveling, and need to take a trip that you can actually rent luggage instead of purchasing it?  Visit www.rentluggage.com, and save hundreds of dollars!

I talk specifically about women being abused here,and even though we may never know all the statistics, men are abused by women as well.  They just don't want anyone else to know.  I have a friend I've known for years who's been telling us he had been robbed or was involved in neighborhood fights because of a lot of bruises, scratches and black eyes, but it wasn't until very recently while watching television one afternoon, that I actually saw my friend on a reality tv court show! It probably never occurred to him  that someone he knew would see him.  I realized his girlfriend that I also knew, had been physically attacking him for quite some time.  It was so bad that once she actually kicked him out of the car, then attempted to run over his leg where he had fallen, before driving off.  Eventually he lost his job due to missing time from work for his injuries or spending a lot of time in court.  Sadly, they are still together, and he prays that they can make it work.  Me...I simply pray for his life.

If you or someone you know is being abused, reach out.  Don't be ashamed, because you've done nothing wrong. If you're a friend, be a friend. Don't become frustrated or say mean-spirited things because your friend or family member won't leave, or keeps going back.  On average, someone who is being abused leaves 7 times before getting out of the relationship for good.   Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or someone local in your state or country. 

FRIDAY USELESS STUFF

Do you play board games at your house?  Do you consider yourself an expert when it comes to playing Scrabble?  The game has been around since the 1930's and I thought I was good, until I met this guy who kicks my butt every single time. In 7 years, I came close to winning just once.   I think he's pretty much memorized the entire Scrabble Player Dictionary, but he swears he hasn't.  I just wanna know how in the world he knowS words like "aa" and "zuz" for Pete's sake? (lol)

$1425!

Anywho, Saturday April 13 is National Scrabble Day. If you're a hardcore collector and want to have something that friends will talk about for years, grab the leather edition from Aspinal of London for a mere $1,425.00.  I'll just brag and say that my game cost just $2.00 from a yard sale a few years ago. If you really want to impress someone, AND score 1782 points, be sure to use all the right strategies and spell out OXYPHENBUTAZONE. 

No one loves Harry Potter more than my Blogger Bud Lauren over at https://shootingstarsmag.net, and she has all kinds of memorabilia to prove it. You'll also see mentions on her Instagram, and Facebook pages of this beloved character. So I wouldn't be surprised at all if she looked around her house and had 1 of the 500 original copies of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone from 1997. What makes them so special are the misspellings of  philosopher on the back cover, and Harry's wand is typed in twice on his school supply list.

This first edition recently sold for almost $100,000 in London!  If you're interested in purchasing a set actually signed by the author, check out ebay where the going rate is currently close to $17,600. According to JK Rowling, more than 500 million Harry Potter novels have been sold in various languages around the world.

Did you know that Monaco has a 0% unemployment rate, and there are no poor people living there.  They also have very little crime.  Despite being considered a gambling mecca, residents are not allowed to gamble, nor can they even go into a casino unless they work there.  Tourists are always welcome, however. Never Say Never Again and Golden Eye are two of the movies filmed there.

Humans aren't the only ones who can get DNA tests these days.  If you want to know everything there is to know about your beloved pup, check out www.embarkvet.com for about $200.  You'll get the results within a month or so.  For about $70, you can also grab www.dnamydog.com, and get your details within 2 weeks, but it's not as extensive.

Are you a fan of birds and want to get them out of shelters where they could eventually be put down?  Adoptabirdnetwork.com is a nonprofit agency that specializes in placing chickens and birds in safe, no-kill environments. It's easily set up by age, city and species.  www.adoptabirdnetwork.com

Do you enjoy trying new products?  Are you ready to write about your experience, AND get paid for doing it?  Sign up at www.webfluential.com if you have over 1000 Twitter followers.  If you don't have Twitter, or your other social media accounts are fairly large and busy, send the links to  influencers@webfluential.com. This site is popular and highly rated, and it's easy to earn anywhere from $40 to $200 for posts.  If you have a blog you can earn you up to $750!

During the mid 19th century, Oregon was the go to state for gold,

but once all those mines dried up, people left for greener pastures, making it the state with the most ghost towns in the US with a total of 250.

If you like living in small towns, Okay, OK has a population of about 620 people.

Victor Protasio

BRULEED BANANA SPLITS W/CASHEW CARAMEL CORN(Dawn Perry)

INGREDIENTS
1/2 Cup Sugar
4 Bananas, un-peeled and split lengthwise
Vanilla Ice Cream (or Chocolate if you dare)
1 1/2 Cups Caramel Corn with Cashews, chopped

Spread sugar on a plate. Dip cut sides of bananas into sugar, pressing to help it adhere. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high. Working in 2 batches, add bananas to skillet, sugar side down, and cook, undisturbed, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer, cut side up, to plates.Serve topped with ice cream and caramel corn.

The son of her husband's family showing up to a couple's black tie optional wedding wearing military formal wear including all his medals, caused a bride to lose it.  This Marine was mannerly and friendly, and many people wanted to take pictures with him. 

The bride said that she had nothing against those in the military, but felt that wearing his uniform was a way for him to show off and steal the spotlight on her special day.  In frustration, she asked him to leave the wedding.  This scenario caused close to 1800 comments on Reddit before the moderators finally cut off any new responses. Let's just say that things got heated!

Do you think he was showing off?  Did she overreact?  Did he make a mistake?  Was she the star of her wedding?