Wroundabouting, just say NO, thrashers and fearless foxes
A COLUMN By Chuck Wiser, I write the words to share what my eyes see and my heart feels
Today (Thursday) I spent half of the “day tripping” to Rochester and the other half of the day was spent traversing the “Roundabouts” in Olean. I will spend the third half of the day with a start on the Wrambling that will be at least a day late with a hoped for Friday posting.
If I were a politician in Wellsville, I would likely be unsuccessful with my campaign focus being on bringing a Walmart to Wellsville and the construction a “Roundabout” somewhere there on the Bolivar Road (Rte. 417). After all, why should Hornell and Olean have all of the purchasing fun and Olean the only Roundabouts.
“Pollyanna” would recognize those schemes if you are familiar with the age-old phrase about something being like her.
Now that I’ve stirred that pot, “mayhaps” I should spread my wings and take a trip on the “pot” train. I used to tell my students that I had never used that, and not even tried that despite my having been at the vulnerable age when it was first publicly brought into vogue in the 60’s. My answer was (and is) that I get too much of a natural “high” from my music, playing and singing, and my writing. 🎶”Who could ask for anything more,” as the lyric goes.?
My Rochester visit started with a 6:30 start for an 8:30 appointment for a second round of Nerve Block injections trying to get some control over my Occipital Neuralgia. As I write this, eight hours post facto I am encouraged with the results. Sitting with my laptop on my lap looking downward at the keys and monitor are the major triggers for my difficulty. Doing so “as we speak,” figuratively,” hasn’t yet produced 100% relief but I would say that for now I can live with the 50% improvement and the potential for that to increase is significant as the “steroid injection” takes full effect. Wendy’s in Rochester and Arby’s in Dansville were also graced with my presence and business.
I interrupt this likely boring drivel with another announcement, this one again featuring the Allegany County Veterans Agency officiated by Mallory Short and “Bobby” Budinger.The upcoming program is for the benefit of all Allegany County veteran’s, and their friends or family. As noted in the inset, this June 7th event, will feature a visit to the Eldred World War ll Museum in Eldred, PA.
These programs made available by the Allegany County Veteran’s Agency provide a tour and discussion about the facility, and a meal at no cost to the participants. 1945 was the year of my birth so the ending of WWll was qujite significant to me as nearly all my then adult family members were involved or participated.
The Korean conflict produced a little more involvement as I accompanied my grandparents to a site in Rushford, NY where “we” were part of an aircraft invasion watch and early warning system. I should add that as a preteen I wasn’t fully aware of the significance of that participation but now can fully realize what a strong impression it made on me.
I have been a repeat customer at the new Runnings store in Wellsville several times now and will mention what I consider to be a positive suggestion more-so than a complaint. 9 times out of 10 when I was ready to check out there would be only one formal “check out station” open but a second checkout option was the customer service desk. Let me give a hearty Wiser’s Wramblings cheer to the cashiers and customer service representatives for their excellent active and attentive service quality. Every single store staff member, and especially those at checkouts, have been above and beyond in their service and helpfulness. Other than those manning (or womanning) the checkout station, If I was asking a representative about the location of an item, they wouldn’t tell me, but rather would take me to it. They would then ask if I needed any additional help. I do recognize some of the staff as having at one time previously been active at a different retail establishment in Wellsville.
This next topic picks up on my favorite occupation of teaching and addresses one of the argumentative myths that: “educational topics forced on everyone in their high school days, would come in handy or be useful later in life. Mrs. McDermott’s Mechanical Drawing class at Friendship Central School and a freshman ASC college class taught me well in one particular aspect of the oft dreaded Math and/or Drawing class. One of those topics hinged on designing or model building a rectangular box, For those adamantly opposed to reading or learning anything related to Math, or geometric constructions you can now go back to sleep.
The standard square or rectangular box is typically constructed with the sides in a fixed ratio, which means that the length of sides related to their position, and with corners at right angles, or 90 degrees to each other would be as follows. That ratio of side lengths, commonly used to ensure the proper sizing of typically use what they call the “3, 4, 5 Proportions Rule.” If the three sides are not equal in length, using feet in an example, measures of distance the box would have the shortest leg 3 feet long, the next longest side would be 4 feet long and the longest side connecting the other two together is 5 feet long. On a “side” note the longest side is called the “hypotenuse,” sometimes sarcastically referred as the” hip on the moose” side. As a teacher I would often throw some ridiculous comments out there just to see who was awake. Some would say it was closer to “throw up” than “throw out.” Any box of a different size than my example size would go by the same relative ratio. A larger box could then use that ratio, resulting in a box with side lengths of 6, 8, and 10 feet by doubling each side’s length.
I’m sorry about that topic but I felt I should give the math nerds some equal time as I do the English-phobics. You probably can’t tell that I miss teaching, can you? I had the luxury of building my knowledge, whether good or bad, as I had to learn this stuff “on the fly,” as previously written about. My early “motto,” before being replaced with my standard introductory sub-title line was “I Live to Learn.”
I would now like to adapt that to read: “I live to learn and to share or teach others, what I have learned.” You are all now innocent victims.
One of my recently new favorite Memes was shared on that knowledge wealthy source Facebook the other day. I will not name the source, but they could pop in and take the credit if they are reading this, and wish to do so. The Meme stated: “I’m having people over to stare at their phones later if you want to come by.” I loved it!
I have changed the explanation of my time spent in our Bird-Sun Room, and the thought was triggered by viewing more of Dan Jordan’s pics. “I now spend my time with a “Birds Sigh View.”
Here’s another reach out to one of the local (to me) Tops stores. The Olean Tops Store has a Large illuminated sign suspended from the ceiling in a couple of locations. Listed on that sign are the many categories of products offered in which Aisle. I wish all stores, at least those of the food and general merchandise “ilk” would do that. I don’t think that the cost should or would be prohibitive relative to the usefulness. Of course that would cut into the merchandising strategy of making people search in the aisles on their own, ultimately seeing and buying things they had no intention of buying until they spotted it on a shelf or in a display case.
We have once again been blessed to have a lesser seen aviary species, at our feeders. The Brown Thrasher that has visited recently is kind of like a cross between a Carolina Wren and a Flicker in size and coloring. This pic doesn’t do justice to either the size or splendor of this bird. I coincidently saw a Dan Jordan post featuring the bird. The closest I have come to getting a live picture is this clip
Check out Dan Jordan’s extensive collection of aviary posts, or attend one of his many public viewings for a better look at many, many aviary species posts on this site or elsewhere.
I am at a distinct disadvantage writing and editing wise(erly), as I cannot, or at least do not, have that “phone-in-hand-aphobia.” I need to have two devices to do what I do. Since I am not adept at “two finger phone screen pecking” I have to use my Laptop for over 90% of my online communication. When I try to subscribe to anything, or obtain information on anything, recently they have adopted a “Two I.D. Method” wherein you have to download or enter a code from a different source in order to sign in, order, and/or pay for something, or, even if just need to validate something, or, that you are who you say you are. The most common validation method involves a code sent to a secondary device or in an email which you must be able to access independently from the app you are using.
I will end this and “fly” off to bed at 1:30 AM early Friday morning with one last note related to birds. The common phrase describing one who “eats like a bird” piqued my interest the other day. So, I put down my Laptop and used my phone to do a resource check on Google Search. The “Idiom” or “Simile” typically means to “eat very little.”
If you’ve watched many birds on a feeder they eat and run, then quickly return to “eat and run” again, over and over. My mother’s admonition to not “pick at your food” doesn’t apply to eating like a bird.
7:30 AM Friday update. As I was fixing my morning coffee my wife came up to me asking: What’s in the trap? I looked out to the trap in the back yard, and we decided it was a small, most likely “kit” fox. I wanted to capture it again, but this time figuratively with my camera. Here’s my latest addition to “Backyard Memories.” I should wait for a suggestion of a name from the very imaginative Dan Jordan but have decided to use the moniker of Fearless Freddie Fox.
I’ll sign off with this picture of “Freddie” and my invitation to reach out to me at im.wiserdad@gmail.com if you have any cares, comments or concerns.
