sense & nonsense

Good morning, Blogolanders!  I did not attend Tuesday Nite Live; I got caught up in book entitled OYSTER:  A WORLD HISTORY by one Drew Smith who is an English food critic/writer etc.  These bivalves are among the oldest living creatures in this world, older than, "grass."  Our very primative ancestors often dined on these creatures.  And the pearls and mother of pearl have been valued for untold generations.  So I didn't want to stop reading.  But on Monday there was even better reading.  On the front page of the Trenton Times was an article about Susan Ryan.  She's made a documentary about changing Chambersburg.  It sounds great; I'd love to see it.  But where it is, "opening."  In Trenton?  Nah.  At the College of New Jersey where Ms. Ryan is affiliated?  Nah.  It's opening in New Brunswick at Rutgers!!!  Screw New Brunswick.  I'd love to see this movie; I'd even pay full freight (ten bucks); I am not, however, driving up to New Brunswick. 

Now for the nonsense.  Are we becoming a nation of paranoids?  Last evening there was a blurb on the Six O'clock News on how to protect yourself from having your income tax refund stolen.  While I'm not worried about having my refund stolen because I usually have to write a fat check so anyone who wants to steal my IRS info and pay my taxes - go for it!!  Later, there was a commercial about identify theft.  I gather it's more common than the common cold.  And yes, I am tinged with paranoia; I always pay for gasoline with cash lest someone steal my credit card number.  There is a fellow Trentonian who will not discuss anything of interest or importance on the telephone being convinced that our phones are bugged.  Who knows, but if the Honorable Mayor and his pals have bugged my phone, I hope they enjoyed my long talk with my sister on Sunday.  We discussed our grandmother's china cabinet and some screwball relatives.  A few fellow Trentonians have also mentioned that our houses are probably bugged.  Again, if this is so, then the Honorable Mayor and his pals deserve the boring crap they hear.  One conversation went something like this, "Mom, is this laundry clean?"  To which I answered, "Yeah, it is,"  Followed by, "I'll carry it upstairs for you."  Ending with, "Thanks."

To sum up, I don't really know how we can truly protect ourselves since we can't even get a driver's license without giving up our Social Security number.  Yes, there are people who steal, lie, cheat, but is it necessary to be so concerned that we worry more than we enjoy?  I don't know.  Have a nice day.