HAVE YOU SERVED ON JURY DUTY?

Just asking…

Have you served on a jury?

It’s a civil responsibility, or so they say, starting with that envelope that beckons you to a court visit, to see if you qualify. Some love serving, surely not for the dough, free parking included.

Maybe it’s curiosity, if you get a complicated case.

Some fear the notice, because it’s possibly inconvenient, since you have a job, care for kids at home, provide caregiving for an ill relative, for any other conceivable notion—you’re prejudicial, you’re nursing an injury, you’re pregnant and due in three months, you’re deaf or blind and have difficulty to commute, you’re wheelchair-bound and have mobility issues. Whatever. The judge decides if your reason is valid enough to skip the service, but you are obligated to respond to the summons and appear in court to seek excusal. You’re expected to serve, or at least answer the call…unless you’re age 80 or older.

Among those who qualify to be excused include politicians, police and first-responders, mothers who are breast-feeding, those serving in the military. What recollection do you have about your jury-call or jury-served experience?

A CHERRY COLA WAR IS UNDER WAY

Have you been addicted to, or at least in the know, about cherry cola?

I used to periodically drink Coca-Cola’s cherry Coke, till it disappeared years ago.

It’s now back, in a new cola war with Pepsi-Cola.

So I bought a bottle each of Coke’s cherry soda and Pepsi’s wild cherry soda.

Disclosure: I’ve favored Coke over Pepsi over the decades. My fave now is Coke Zero (and Pepsi has its version, too).

In an unofficial and unscientific taste test, I can reveal that I liked the Pepsi over the Coke cherry-flavored soda. Was it because of the “wild” adjective? Hmmm. The flavor was “wilder,” so maybe.

Let me know if you agree, or disagree, or even care…

WHY CHARMIN BEARS ARE BROWN, RED, BLUE

Ever wonder why are the Charmin bathroom tissue bears are brown, red, and blue?

The company offers these distinctions, based on the type/quality of the toilet paper:

  • Brown Bears – standard quality.
  • Red Bears – Ultra strong.
  • Blue Bears – Ultra soft.

There are variations in the bundles, too: Mega and Extra Wide, for instance. (So guess who’s been comparing the types).

I didn’t know the bear family members have names: Molly is mama bear, Leonard is papa bear, Bill is the eldest son, Amy is the middle sister, and Dylan is the baby bear.

Now you know…grin and bear it!

WHAT SMALL-KID-TIME GAMES DID YOU PLAY?

Do girls play jacks anymore?

Do boys shoot marbles in the dirt or play with milk caps?

Jump roping? Hula-hooping? “Hang-man” game, with paper and pencil?

What about hide and seek, for the younger kids?

These outdated games are a thing of the past.

I can understand the end of playing games with milk bottle caps – nowadays called pogs– because passion orange juice were bottled with covers, too. (Ask your granny or grandpa, if you don’t what milk covers are).

 Games evolving from castaways used to be common. Remember making walkie-talkies with two used cans, with a long string attached to each can, so you can converse with each other. Primitive, yes; inventive, double yes.

As a kid, I used to wish for a train set, and received one at Christmastime. It provided hours of joy; you assemble the tracks, place engine and cars on the tracks, and whee! You’re choo-chooing. Howadays, kids not only hope for iPhones or video games, they get ‘em.

What small-kid-type games do you remember?