Costs to mail today

 OK, so here I go again with something most of you already know, but old, retired me just noticed, thanks to a USPS delivery to me of a letter (one page at that,) for $0.58 for first class delivery.  Why is it that I am still thinking the rate should be in the high '30's?  Guess some of us are just not that cognizant of things like postage rates, and who knows what else.  Oh, well, so long as our postal service can get along with this increase in rates, I guess I will have to also.  (Shows how often I send something as opposed to what comes in the daily dispatch.  No problem, I hope!)

I wonder how long it's been since my rate remembrance might have been the norm.  There was a time when I mailed out letters fairly regularly, thanks to a little job I had that I felt needed a bit of advertising.  But that time has come and gone and here I am finding an issue that is probably at least ten years having been changed from my remembered costs.  Huh!   Wonder what Judge Judy would have to say about that, especially if one of her cases revolved around postal costs.  Whatever it might be, I'm sure her viewership would understand.  Now I'm wondering how much it costs to get one word of that ladies' daily dictates on the air.  God knows, it is just a bit more than it costs for me to write and publish this little document to the internet, and who knows who might read this and take exception (or find it so interesting that they immediately go to their organization to instruct someone to call and offer me an ungodly number of dollars to join them in their travails!)  Humh...I wonder, indeed!

Now, if I could only find one of those "smiley faces," I just might be able to say, "fini!"

Where to look?  That is the question!

Sydney Harbor, and then some

 

Memories, anyone?

Watching Ocean Trek with Jeff Corwin this morning gave me the opportunity to revive a memory or two from my time in the military—in particular, that time I found myself in Sydney, Australia.  (And a marvelous time that was, believe me!)

 

When Jeff and his crew climbed that bridge over the river feeding Sydney Harbor, it was as if I was transported back in time.  The view today isn’t quite what it was when I was there, but much of it was familiar.  Like that Sydney Opera House, for example.  Not exactly the same, it was still under construction when I was there, but quite recognizable.  And what a view there was from that top of what was then one of the most recognizable bridges in the world. 

 

Today there are quite a few more bridges resembling that notable one—and why not?  One good bridge deserves more than just one (or a few) copy (or copies,) that’s for sure.  Giving credit where it is due would require researching the annals of our engineering community, though, and that would be one job that I will pass on to someone else, anyone who has the time and energy such a job would require.  There always is something else to think about, that’s for sure.

But back to Sydney, something that could take up much more than one blog entry, that’s for sure.  Sydney was and is quite a marvelous place to visit.  Given its bridge, its Opera House, swimming in the summer in the South Pacific, getting to know some of the best cooking in the world, and some of the best beers, if that’s one of your pleasures, Sydney is one place to spend a week or a month, whatever time you might have and want to spend.  I would return there in a minute were I one of those financially well-endowed individuals like many of our Aikenites can claim to be.  But, lacking that, I guess memories are well worth spending some time with.

 

And, if you know anyone who you might think could use a memory or two like mine, why not point out how we still have a military who just might give them an opportunity to see the world.  Just like it did me.

GG time, for sure

 

 Morningbrain time again!

 Well, here we are, again, friends!  Interestingly enough, I am happy to be here this AM, writing this little piece for my current Blog, “Morningbrain-“Deux…”, and happy to be doing what I am doing.  You see, I think I’ve discovered something about my grey matter, something that bears mentioning.  It seems to work as good as ever, just not at the times it used to be top-notch, but at these times, which today is beginning at 3 AM. 

 

So, that being the case, I guess I know what I should do.  In the military, we would call it, “continue the march!”  Whatever the time might be so to do is not something I seem to have much control over, though—so, here goes (it seems the time is right!)

 

I awakened today about an hour ago.  The cause is a bit noteworthy, if a bit more down-to-earth than I would like, but whatever it takes is what it takes:  a drain the lizard break!  (Which is how an old ANG friend, "Bill" from Oconee County, would have put it!) 

 

And so, having done what was required, I spent about a half hour ruminating on my inability to return to la-la-land as quickly as I might have liked and finally realizing what was happening:  “Morningbrain strikes again!”  (Welcome back, old friend!)

 

So what’s so good about waking up and not being able to get back to sleep very easily?  Well, following the realization of what my old “grey ghost” seems to want (a good name for it, wouldn’t you say?), I guess the smart thing to do would be to acquiesce to his doings and do something useful—like write a bit, today about my dear old friend, now “named” my old “Grey Ghost!”  Hmmmm?  Maybe an abbreviation would be in order here?  “GG” okay?  (I like it—“GG” it is!) 

 

And, I don’t know about you, but I can only wonder what GG might come up with tomorrow.  As for today, having made this discovery, I only wish I hadn’t taken that melatonin about a half-hour ago.  Had I not, I would be beside myself and probably at the top of my game now.  Which I am not! 

 

Maybe the sleep will come.  GG will have to wait (and, hopefully will be happy to wait,) wait till tomorrow AM!

 

Bonn soir, guten nacht, good night!  AM night, at that!