Out and About – Week of December 28th

This will be my final column for 2015. I’m taking the rest of the year off and getting some much-needed rest. My next column will be on Tuesday, January 5, 2016.
I’m hoping that everyone had a joyous and memorable Christmas, and that you all received the gifts you asked Santa for. My Christmas was fantastic, but there still isn’t peace all over the world, and for that, I’m sad. We must all work a little harder when it comes to getting along with each other. If you have hate in your heart, get rid of it. Your heart was made for love, so there’s no room for hate. Perhaps more of us should have received a huge Everlast punching bag for Christmas. That way we’d have an outlet for our stress and anger.
This Thursday is New Year’s Eve. Another time to celebrate with family and friends. Another time to kiss that girl you’ve always wanted to, but hesitated for fear of having your face slapped. Kiss in the name of the New Year.
If you have plans to attend a New Year’s Eve party, have a wonderful time, and if consuming a bit of the bubbly is in your plans, please have a designated driver selected so that your name doesn’t end up on the front page of the local newspaper. In other words, don’t be stupid.
Perhaps I’m a bit of a prude, but I’ve noticed that a number of television shows glamorize the consumption of alcohol: The Good Wife, Madam Secretary, and Blue Bloods, to name a few. Now these are all popular shows, but I come away from them by thinking that most Chicago attorneys are alcoholics who enjoy stabbing each other in the back, and that we must really fear some people in Washington, D.C. I’m reminded that these are only actors portraying a part. In my mind, they are doing an excellent job. I’d like to join the Reagan family for Sunday dinner sometime. They seem to have a very good time enjoying each other’s company and I have yet to see anyone texting their friends at the dinner table.
I heard something the other day that I’d like to share with you. Perhaps someone can confirm this as being true. I was told that when you buy a new light bulb, you should put it in a lamp and turn the lamp on. Leave it on for thirty minutes. Leaving it on for this length of time will strengthen the bulb filament and the bulb will last longer. I’m not sure if this works with those new light bulbs that everyone is buying these days, but it might be worth a try. Thanks, Ben, for enlightening me.
There are some things money cannot buy, like manners, morals, and common sense.
Here’s wishing all of you a most prosperous New Year. Each new year gives us all the opportunity to start out with a clean slate. I think it would be great if 2016 had more positivity and less negativity.
See you Out and About!

Submitted by Norm Stutesman