Susan Beckett

Way back when I was in junior high, our family had a pet Mynah bird. We purchased him at Sears for a whopping $29.95. We think he was a dude but we named him Babydoll, and boy, was he ever the talker! Mynah's are known for their verbal skills and this guy picked up everything - so fun!

It should come as no surprise to you that we are living in a time where our basic freedoms are being challenged, and at the sometime, our basic freedoms are being affirmed. Is freedom of speech something we, as Americans, possess or something we repress? I’d venture to say at this point there is a huge chasm between those two camps!

I spent a lot of time, money, and effort childproofing my house…but the kids still get in! What do you get if you cross a parrot and a millipede? A walkie-talkie! Ha! All funny stuff.

Forget your troubles, Come on get happy. You better chase all your cares away. Shout hallelujah, Come on get happy. Get ready for the judgment day.” Sound familiar? That’s the first verse to the song, “Get Happy,” made famous in 1950 by Judy Garland. It’s a happy, up-beat tune for sure - with words about an often allusive emotion!

On May 23rd, Time magazine released the results of its world’s 100 most influential people. This list was first published in 1999 as the result of a debate among American academics, journalists and politicians.