by Joe McKenzie
Ellie: Do not go to the Salina Animal Shelter’s website. Don’t even take a peek at the photos of dogs there, especially if you have a heart. I mean a soft heart. Imagine a Hound.Mix named Ellie who purposely tilts her head to the left as she looks at you trying to ask you to explain to her why a loving dog like her is at the shelter. In her mind, she thinks she did everything right. Ellie is wearing an American flag kerchief around her neck. She wants you to zoom in on her sad eyes too. Go for it. How does she know what you’re thinking? One of the goals at the Animal Shelter is to increase live outcomes, and they invite you to help them - and enjoy the Ellie’s of our world.
Gnomes: Saw a winter gnome family standing in the snow on a lawn in the Sunset Park neighborhood. They were not oblivious to the cold and the glare of the bright sun, as they bravely stood still for below freezing photos. Like many of us, they were just getting on with life despite the harsh conditions. There seemed to be no fear for them of turning to stone in the sunlight. It happens to gnomes. Dad was pulling a red wagon across the snow with a family member enjoying a ride so slow, they seemed to stop to watch me and my dog, Chase, bumping over the ice covered street. This creative display was made with very small Christmas trees. It extended the joy of the season on a very cold January day.
Negative: Or positive? Life is full of trade-offs and with blood types over 80% of people in the U.S. are positive. It sounds better to be a bloody positive person. As they say, they’ve got that going for them. But, the tradeoff is that the O-negatives (7%) have the potential to share their blood with everyone - a universal donor. January is National Blood Donor Month. The Red Cross needs/wants all types, of course, especially you. But, there is genuine excitement and love for the O-Negative people. So, whether you’re an upbeat positive type or a negative type, like me, find a way to share your healthy blood products as soon and as often as you can. Losing blood in this way actually makes you feel better.
N. 3rd: The traffic count on this cobblestoned industrial street near downtown has to be low. The cobblestones are bumpy as you drive slowly north between Ash and Elm. Whose idea was cobblestones and why do we seem to love them as they outlast other road surfaces? But, going north you’ll see a cool mural at Consolidated Printing. It unexpectedly lights up this quiet street. I still think of Consolidated as being on S. 5th Street. This local business has been around since 1914. But, this north location is worth checking out for the colorful mural on a south wall.
Simple User: Opening the box of a Samsung TV, I found the set up instructions. I know. Who needs instructions in a plug and play world? Well, I did and what worked best was the Simple User Guide. You know the one: large, semi-clear illustrations, with few confusing things like words. Should I be proud or offended to be the simple user? Or am I a common television viewer who is essentially a simpleton. Okay, I misspelled that last word on first try, so maybe it’s true. Hey, that was an easy identity clue. But, the tv was operational and streaming in minutes. It was simple.
