marlen

OK, DO YOU WANT THE GOOD NEWS NOW? SHOP FOR BRAKE WORK. WHEN I WAS IN BUSINESS, WE BOUGHT GOOD PADS FOR A MAX.OF $25. MOST WERE AROUND $15. TURNING ROTORS WAS $15 A PAIR. OF COURSE THAT WAS WHOLESALE. SO ADD SOME PROFIT, AN HOUR'S LABOR, AND IT STILL WON'T COME CLOSE TO $262. MARTY

WELL PHYL, I FOUND A BAD JOB IS WORSE THAN NO JOB AT ALL. TO GET UP AND FACE SOME OF THE EGOTISTICAL IDIOTS WHOSE DADDY LEFT THEM A BUSINESS TO RUN WASN'T WORTH WHAT THEY WERE PAYING ME. EVEN TRYING TO MOVE UP THE CORPORATE LADDER IN MY YOUNGER DAYS WAS A CHALLENGE. I HAD TO STEP OVER THE BODIES OF THE KNOW-IT-ALLS. I'VE WORKED FOR OVER 50 YEARS, HELD MANY DIFFERENT POSITIONS AND NEVER MISSED A PAYDAY. GOOD LUCK. SOMETIMES THE GRASS IS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE. MARTY

AREN'T AUDITS FUN? I HAD ONE YEARS AGO ON MY BUSINESS. MY WIFE KEPT THE BOOKS, SO I KNEW ALL WAS OK. THEY CLAIMED I OWED $600. AFTER 5 HOURS WITH A NOVICE AGENT, WE RESUBMITTED AND I RECEIVED A CHECK FOR $1800. A COMPUTER GLITCH THEY CLAIMED. MARTY

PAM, SHE DOES EXIST. WITH MY LUCK SHE IS A GYNOCOLOGIST. MARTY

HEY KIDS, I'VE HAD THE PROCEDURE DONE A FEW TIMES. IT'S NOT BAD. I HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING WITH THE DENTIST. YOU DON'T TOUCH MY MOUTH WITHOUT NUMBING ME UP FIRST. NOW WHEN PEOPLE TELL ME "I HAVE A SCREW LOOSE", THEY ARE PROBABLY RIGHT. MARTY

HI RICH, I AGREE. SOME COUNSELING WILL GO A LONG WAY. AS FOR FRIENDS, THOSE WHO WOULDN'T ACCEPT THE "NEW" ME ARE LONG GONE, MY CHOICE. MANY OF MY NEW FRIENDS HAVE COME FROM MY WATER THERAPY CLASS. THOUGH THEY ARE THERE FOR ARTHRITIS HELP, WE EXERCISE TOGETHER AND IT HAS BECOME A SOCIAL OUTLET FOR ME. IF YOU HAVE A SPECIAL INTEREST, AND CAN GET OUT, LOOK FOR A GROUP WHO SHARES THAT INTEREST. YOU HAVE A SIXTH SENSE OF WHO IS SINCERE AND WHO IS NOT. DON'T BE AFRAID TO APPROACH PEOPLE. NOT EVERYONE IS ABUSIVE. THERE IS SOMEONE OUT THERE READY TO MAKE YOUR ACQUAINTANCE. I JUST DID. MARTY

OH, SCREW IT JEAN. OK, I'LL CHANGE IT TO WEE-WEE. MARTY

CINDY, YOU CAN TALK DIRTY TO ME ANYTIME. I'M SURE MY WIFE HAS FELT THE SAME WAY MANY TIMES. JUST LET IT OUT...................IT'S BETTER TO BE *beep* OFF THAN *beep* ON. MARTY

PHYL, YA GOTTA TAKE CHANCES IN LIFE. NOTHING LIKE YOU'RE WORRYING ABOUT IS WRITTEN IN STONE. 9 YEARS AGO, MY WIFE AND I MOVED TO GAINESVILLE, FL. FROM INDIANA. NO JOBS, NO HOUSING, NO NOTHING. IT ALL WORKED OUT, AND WE HAD A GREAT YEAR. BUT FINANCIALLY,I COULDN'T GET AHEAD. SO WE CAME BACK NORTH, I RESUMED THE BUSINESS I HAD, AND I ALWAYS WONDER WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF WE HAD STAYED. LIFE IS A CHALLENGE. GOOD LUCK, MARTY

SHUCKS, VICKY, BEING A TYPE A PERSONALITY ALSO, I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO A SEXY TOPIC. HOW ABOUT LISTING THE 14 PROJECTS YOU HAD GOING, PICKING ONE, AND CONCENTRATING ON IT? THE DO ANOTHER AND ANOTHER. HAPPY PASSION. MARTY

ATTA WAY TO GO, GUY. KEEP THAT BRAIN MOVING. IT ALL PAYS BENEFITS MARTY

SCOOTERMAN, IF YOU READ MY POSTS, I TOLD YOU WATER THERAPY IS THE BEST. I'VE GONE 3 DAYS A WEEK FOR OVER A YEAR, AND I DON'T PLAN ON QUITTING. ONE OF THE BEST THINGS I'VE DONE. MARTY

PAM, BLUEBERRY WAFFLES FOR BREAKFAST, BLUEBERRY SOMETHING FOR LUNCH, AND BLUEBERY SUNDAES FOR DESSERT AFTER DINNER. THAT SHOULD TAKE CARE OF 3 POUNDS OUT OF THE 12. MARTY

AMY, ENJOY! ENJOY! ENJOY! MARTY

WECOME BACK, DUCKIE MARTY

HEY CHEF DENNY, NOT EVERYDAY IS PERFECT. NOT EVERYDAY DO WE SEE ANY IMPROVEMENT. NOT EVERYDAY ARE WE REQUIRED WRITE, READ, OR RESPOND TO BLOGS. BUT IN THIS COMMUNITY OF OURS, WE LISTEN, ENCOURAGE, AND TELL EACH OTHER SOMETHING ABOUT OUR LIVES. WE GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER JUST A LITTLE BETTER. SOMETIMES THINGS ARE NOT VERBALIZED HERE, BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN WE DON'T CARE. WHERE ELSE CAN YOU GET SO MUCH CARING AND ENCOURAGEMENT FROM PEOPLE YOU NEVER MET, AND WILL PROBABLY NEVER MEET? REGARDS, MARTY

PAM, THERE ARE ONLT YWO UGLY PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD AND THEY LIVE VERY CLOSE BY. MY INBRED NEIGHBOR AND HIS BULLDOG WIFE. MARTY

HEY MARY, EVERYBODY, INCLUDING YOU, MAKES A SPECIAL CONTRIBUTION ON THIS NETWORK. I FIGURED WE WERE PUT HERE BECAUSE WE CAN RELATE WELL TO EACH OTHER. I HAVE SOME CASUAL FRIENDS WHO ONCE I GET TO "AND HOW ARE YOU?" I DRAW A BLANK. CAN'T THINK OF A THING TO SAY EXCEPT "IT'S HOT", "IT'S COLD", "IT'S RAINING", "IT"S DRY", OR "KISS MY A**". AT LEAST HERE WE ARE BOUND TO PROVIDE THE SMALLEST PIECE OF INFORMATION THAT MAY CHANGE SOMEONE'S OUTLOOK AND LIFE. NEVER SECOND GUESS YOURSELF. MARTY

CHARLES, NOW YOU KNOW WHAT IT REALLY FEELS LIKE TO GET SH** UPON. MARTY

THANKS MAGGIE FOR THE KIND WORDS. AND PAM, IF YOU WROTE ABOUT RETIREMENT, I PROBABLY READ IT AND DUE TO MY SENIORITY, JUST FORGOT. SEE WHY I HAD TO RETIRE? MEMORY PHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHT! MARTY

KIM, DID YOU PLAY HER A RECORDING OF DONALD TRUMP SAYING "YOU'RE FIRED? BAD HELP IS WORSE THAN NO HELP AT ALL. I HAD THAT IN OUTPATIENT REHAB FOR A WHILE, BUT DIDN'T REALIZE HOW BAD IT WAS UNTIL MY WIFE WENT TO A SESSION WITH ME. THE WHOLE GROUP SUCKED. BEST WISHES, MARTY

GEE GARY, I GOT SUCKED IN. YOU COULD HAVE THROWN IN ONE SENTENCE ON MATING. LIVING IN THE WOODS I WAKE UP TO THE SOUND OF THE BIRDS, MANY BIRDS, EVERY MORNING. WHAT WONDERFUL MUSIC THEY PROVIDE. THERE ARE 10 BIRD HOUSES IN THE YARD, BUT THE MOST FASCINATING IS THE ONE OUTSIDE THE KITCHEN WINDOW. THE HUMMING BIRDS REALLY KEEP THEMSELVES BUSY. WE ALSO HAVE MANY DEER. YESTERDAY, WE GOT TREATED TO A NEW FAWN MAKING ITS APPEARANCE. AIN'T LIFE GRAND? MARTY

HI KIM, IT'S ALWAYS TWO STEPS FORWARD, ONE STEP BACK. LIFE WAS LIKE THAT BEFORE THE STROKE HIT ME. NOW I JUST TAKE THE SET BACKS IN STRIDE AND STAY POSITIVE. WHAT ELSE CAN I DO ? MARTY

PAM, SOMETIMES I JUST "PUT ON A HAPPY FACE'. THEN I START TO BELIEVE I'M HAPPY, SO MY DEMEANOR CHANGES. LIKE YESTERDAY, AFTER BEING DOG-TIRED, MY GRANDSON ASKED ME WHY THE LOBSTER WOULDN'T SHARE HIS FRENCH FRIES? BECAUSE HE'S SHELLFISH. OK, HE'S ONLY SIX. MARTY

CLARK, THE DOCTOR IMMEDIATELY PUT ME ON PAXIL BEFORE EVALUATING MY MOODS. NOW I'VE ALWAYS BEEN UPBEAT, WITH JUST A FEW PERIODS OF DEPRESSION WHICH I SEEM TO BE ABLE TO OVERCOME. MAYBE THE RIGHT MEDICATION WOULD HELP. I'D LIKE TO WEAN MYSELF OFF THE MEDICATION, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT EFFECT IT WOULD HAVE. I WAS FORCED INTO RETIREMENT LONG BEFORE I WANTED TO BE. THAT WAS A TOUGH PILL TO SWALLOW, BUT I FOUND MANY NEW AVENUES TO KEEP ME OCCUPIED. MY FAMILY WON'T LET ME BE DEPRESSED, SO I WON'T BE. LOOK FOR THE BRIGHT SIDE OF LIFE. IT'S OUT THERE. MARTY