I
am always surprised when the Christmas cactus knows it is time to
bloom--all the 'branches' have buds on their end and will be open just
in time for Santa! The one on the lower right has just opened.

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Say hello to my new neighbor. He moved in recently and is very quiet. I haven't even gotten to know his name yet.

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Along
with everything else this time of the year is when all the movie
studios release their hopeful Oscar contenders and, of course, I want to
see them all--so far I am pushing for Annette Bening, as Best Actress,
and "The Kids Are All Right" for Best Picture. Also coming up next week
at the Broward Performing Arts Center is the touring company of "Rock of
Ages" which I am looking forward to seeing.

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I wonder if Santa can do something about what I read in the paper today?

"58%
of Americans aged 60 to 84  will at some point fail to have enough
liquid assets to allow them to get through unanticipated expenses  or
declining income, according to a new study looking at poverty and the
elderly."

And a couple pages later there was this article:

"FIXING
SOCIAL SECURITY IS EASY UNLESS YOU'RE WASHINGTON --Despite all the
hyperbole about the future of Social Security, putting the 75 year old
program on firm financial footing can be relatively painless if
stretched over time.

Retirement finance
experts say a gradual shift in benefits--less to well off retirees, but
more to those of modest means--plus a small tax hike for upper income
Americans would keep the program afloat for generations. While those may
not be popular choices, the challenge is far less daunting than cutting
government spending or containing the costs of Medicare and Medicaid."

For the complete article google William E. Gibson of the Washington Bureau--sorry, I 'lost' the link.

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I have a couple of questions:

1)
What's with the young actors in films today and having that 5 o'clock
shadow? Don Johnson made that look popular in "Miami Vice" but that was
years ago and not many can pull the look off without just looking
scruffy.

2) Why am I starting to look like Jack Nicholson?

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Why do I have a picture of the can of oats I bought for John at the Dollar Tree? What do you mean you don't know? Either do I!