Awesome August

It’s the end of August. Think about this: Every month on the calendar has at least one special holiday. My garage is filled with Santas, plastic eggs, noisemakers, shamrocks and pilgrims. It seems that there is always something exciting to look forward to as each month unfolds. We celebrated the 4th of July not so long ago and September has this week's Labor Day weekend. But nothing at all happens in August. Why?

OK, it IS my birthday month, but that’s about it. I’m looking at the calendar that my dry cleaner gave me, and the only special event in the whole month of August is a bank holiday in Canada.

When the master calendar was planned, there must have been a strike in August. It is baffling that there is nothing official going on with this particular 31-day period. It bothered me so much that I just had to investigate. Surely such a fine month was not intentionally overlooked.

Well, guess what? The 8th month of the year not only has a holiday, it has MANY! The reason you don’t know about them is that they haven’t exactly caught on yet. Shame on me for figuring this all out now that the month is almost over, but I feel that telling you what we missed will get you prepared for next year.

For example, did you know that August 7th was National Mustard Day. I wonder if Hallmark makes cards for National Left-Handers’ Day on the 13th? Watermelon Day (on the 16th) sounds yummy. On August 18th, it was National Bad Poetry Day. Here’s wishing all you bad poets out there my belated very best. I am sad that I missed August 25th is National Kiss and Make Up Day, I'm sure that there's somebody I pissed off, and I do enjoy kissing. Oh well, next year.

And just in case you weren’t already impressed, August also hosts Elvis Week (7th-16th), Kool-Aid Days (13th-15th) and the soon to be popular National Truck Driver’s Appreciation Week (22nd-28th).

By the way, these holidays and observances are real. I could never make this stuff up. Here’s an idea, why don’t we all create a holiday in August that means something to us? A day dedicated to a special event in your life or an activity or even your mate. Think of how flattered your husband would be if you were to declare it “National Brian Day.” He’ll love you for it and the month of August will be forever grateful.

Party Animal

I am one of those crazy people who love when my birthday comes around. I almost always have a party or go somewhere special. I make a big deal of it because I am very happy to be alive and well.

I honestly don't understand people who are content with letting their birthday just be another day. Let me be very clear... I love to celebrate other people's birthdays, too. I just think birthdays are wonderful fun.

So I am planning a really great event this year. I am having one of those huge milestone birthdays in about a week, so I thought I would do it up right. Just about everyone I care about will be there with the exception of some people who live very far away. They will be there in my heart. I really hope to be stupid-rich someday so I can have everyone I love attend my next big one. Crap! If only I had played the Power Ball last night. The pot was $400 million. Somebody won it and it could have been me.

I think it is so much fun to spoil the ones who mean the most. I am having this affair catered so no one, including myself, has to cook. Since the party is in the afternoon, I am doing all appetizers. The caterer emailed me a list of choices. Aren’t my friends and family going to be excited to be dining on such yummies as “smoked almond stuffed dates wrapped in bacon with chipotle brown sugar drizzle”. Will I ever be able to serve them Doritos and bean dip again?

My parties always have a theme. I have asked my guests to wear only black and white. I have no idea what I will wear, but I did have a brief fantasy about appearing in shocking pink and being the only one who was different. It seemed a little too flashy so I abandoned the idea. Black and white are much more slimming anyway. My sister is constantly reminding me that I am not Beyonce, Angelina Jolie or Queen Elizabeth and to reel in my diva-ness. I try, but it’s not easy being me.

I tried to get some entertainment for this shindig, but it seems that there is not much available for grown ups. All the “talent” readily available is more suited for children of drunken bachelors. If I thought my guests would appreciate having their faces painted or jumping on a moon bouncer, I have lots of choices. I did consider the moon bounce idea proceeded by tequila shooters, but rethought the danger and the vomit aspects and decided NO.

If I had wanted to see scantily clad beauties parading around my party, that would have been easy, too. But let’s face it, I can do that at work. While I was actually typing this article, the leader of a group from the agency I contacted called me to talk about the entertainment. I was clear about the type of music I like when I submitted the order and I had my doubts about this group from the beginning of the conversation. He worked hard to convince me that their ensemble could sing many styles. I wanted a R&B kind of group. Try as he could, this man just couldn’t convince me that a barbershop quartet could deliver Motown. No group is THAT versatile.

I have been so busy with LoveFifi, I didn’t start the planning of this party until a few days ago. Trying to throw it all together and make it completely divine isn’t an easy task, but I will do it.

And in case you were wondering do I plan to have birthday celebrations in the years to come? For as long as I have birthdays, my darlings. If I can figure out a way to have parties even after I take my dirt nap, I will “party on” forever. Would you expect any less of me?

Talking Dirty

A few weeks ago, I was organizing my utility closet and was astounded by the number of cleaning products that I owned. Honestly, with all the dirt busters that I had accumulated, my house should be spotless.

It didn’t take me long to realize that I was a victim of clever advertising. I had individual cleaners for windows, floors, walls, furniture, sinks, and toilets. I had “all purpose” cleaners, sprays to make my home smell fresh, foams for stains on the rugs, and liquids to clean my jewelry. Besides all this I had bottles and containers of cleansers to remove rust, mineral deposits, dust and grease. And of course, I had special potions for my stainless steel appliances and treated wipes for my granite counter tops. Ridiculous!

I don’t think of myself as a gullible person, but I had succumbed to the clever tricks of those Madison Avenue advertising agencies. Shame on me… I am smarter than that. My mother kept a clean house and all she had was vinegar, Clorox, Comet and Pine Sol. Sometimes she used lemons off our tree for cleaning, but I never paid much attention to what she did with them.

“I got a late start being Eco-friendly... I have some catching up to do.”

As I get older, I really crave a simpler life. I am also quite committed to being Eco-friendly. I got a late start on being ecologically sensible and am only getting credit from the '80s on, so I have some catching up to do.

As I looked at the endless supply of cleaning products I owned, I realized that all of these damn products must certainly not be good for the environment or me. I immediately sat down at the computer to get myself educated. When I learned what was in the products I used to clean, I was shocked. And you know what else? I learned that manufacturers do not have to list certain ingredients if they are part of their “secret formula”. Holy crap! Think of the poisons we don’t know about!

I learned a lot of great cleaning tips. First off, I learned what my mom was doing with all those lemons! Keep reading…

• 1. Use a half lemon and salt to clean even the most heavily discolored brass (real brass, not brass plated).
• 2. The same method can be used for copper such as copper bottoms of pots.
• 3. You can also shine up your chrome faucets or the chrome on older model cars with lemon and salt.
• 4. Diluted lemon juice not only cleans stains from cutting boards, but helps kill germs as well. Rub the juice full strength onto the stain and let sit until the stain fades. It can be left overnight, then rinsed well and dried. I did this on my butcher block and it was amazing!
• 5. Clean your microwave and remove odors. Place a cup 3/4 full of water with a couple tablespoons of lemon juice in the microwave. Heat to boiling. Don’t open the door for another 10 minutes. Then just wipe away food particles with a clean cloth and dry. This one is superb! And when you are done with this task, throw the rinds in the garbage disposal to freshen it up instantly.

The uses for distilled white vinegar are endless. I found great success in using straight vinegar in a spray bottle around doors and windows etc. to keep out ants. I will admit that the house smells a bit salad-y at first, but ants hate it and stay away. I feel a whole lot better about not using pesticides around my grandbabies and pets. Did you know that you can suck out the caustic smell in a freshly painted room by leaving a bowl of raw onions in the middle of the room overnight with the door closed? It works! I kid you not.

I found out that a cup of hydrogen peroxide in your washer whitens whites and brightens brights better than bleach and it doesn’t pollute. I was so impressed.

I am telling you, it was so exciting to get educated, but it wasn’t until I happened on one particular article that my life truly changed forever! I got so into natural cleaning products and living a non-toxic life that I almost bought a pair of Birkenstocks. I am glad I held off, because what I learned next was tailor made for me, Miss Fifi.

Did you know that one of the BEST natural cleaners you can use is vodka? I am not kidding. It is not only the most glamorous cleaning product imaginable, it has no fumes or VOCs ( Volatile Organic Chemicals).

Of course you can use cheap vodka, which makes it a very economical way to clean. It removes adhesives, stains (even red wine), cleans eyeglasses and chandeliers. Just put a towel down beneath the lighting fixture and spray the prisms with vodka. The towel catches the dirty drips and you don’t have to do anything else because it’s VODKA and it evaporates, leaving the crystals sparkling clean. I love it! You won’t believe the way vodka cleans your diamonds. Did you know that those spray products that make things smell better are super toxic? Just put vodka in a spray bottle and spritz your room. It’s fabulous! So there you have it. I hope you don’t mind me talking dirty to you. You are going to save so much money, but more importantly, you are doing it non-toxically.

I do have a question for those of you who have lived a “green“ life for a long time. When all is said and done and the time comes that they measure your carbon footprint for the life you’ve lived on earth, is it OK to wear high heels? Let me know, will you?

Nothing

I took a few days off recently to try to unwind. Life has been demanding and I found myself running on empty. I didn’t want to go anywhere or do anything. I have always had a problem with knowing how to relax, so I decided I would just check out and go underground. I was going to stay at home and veg out. They say you live longer if you know how to take it easy. I had a boss years ago who is now in his eighties and plays golf and tennis several times a week. He believed that the secret to long life was simple. He believed that you should never stand when you can sit and never sit when you can lie down.

I felt it was high time I learned to relax. I took a day off on either side of a weekend. I told everyone that if they needed me I could be reached by text or voicemail. I shopped for food and sundries, did a few chores so I wouldn’t have a thing to worry about, and me and my dogs curled up on the couch without a care in the world. Our mission was to do nothing. It was barely 10 a.m. on a Friday morning and I could do whatever I wanted.

I have always worked. I have had at least a part time job since I was 13. Being at home on a weekday reminded me of growing up and having days off from school. I always wanted to plant myself in front of the TV, but my mom didn’t think that was a good idea and always found ways for me to use my time productively. I did get to watch The Price is Right because mom liked it.

So here I am, in MY home where I live all by myself. I have no deadlines, no commitments. Nothing, nada, zip... until I return to work on Tuesday. The only decisions I have to make are what I will have to eat and what to do with my time. Heaven!

I turned on the TV and switched the channels randomly until I came upon of all things... The Price is Right! It’s got a different host, but it is pretty much the same. It’s fun to play along and try to guess the prices of things, but I am really bad at it. I don’t know where they get the prizes, but they obviously don’t shop where I do. Everything seemed so expensive, but then again I haven’t bought a jet ski or a brass cappuccino maker lately.

I watched back-to-back various crap on TV all day long. I had a huge dose of celebrity news, although I didn’t know who some of the celebrities were. I watched an entire hour of paternity test results to find out who the real baby daddies were. I saw a rerun of Bewitched and snippets of dozens of other shows before I realized it was nearly 5pm. Whew! Where did my day go?

The one thing I learned about daytime television immediately is that the audience is divided into 3 basic categories. Moms that stay home, people who don’t have jobs and people who are WAY older than me.

Funnily enough, I learned about both the absorbency of baby diapers and adult diapers on the same day. Life is crazy, huh? You need them at the start and at the finish.

Throughout the day I was personally encouraged to think about a career in the medical field. The commercials are staged so it feels like they are speaking directly to YOU. It was very effective, indeed. A new career as a medical assistant was only a phone call away! It was thoughtful that these teaching academies were concerned about my future, but I am plenty busy just being Miss Fifi.

As you can see, I was just as fascinated by the commercials as I am with the programming. I was left with some guilt, however. I had no idea that the average funeral costs over $10,000 nowadays. Of course I don’t want to leave the burden of my funeral expenses to my children when for only $33 dollars a month I can leave them 10 grand when I croak. Here is the problem. I don’t want an average funeral, so can they figure out how much it will be with fireworks and a Motown cover band? I will have to find out.

It’s amazing how fast the day flies by when you are doing mindless things. Besides watching junk on TV, I played games on my iPad and read the magazines that have piled up.

I honestly don’t know if I am better off after my day of doing nothing productive. I don’t feel anymore rested. I did learn that when you watch a lot of daytime TV, it gives you so much to think about. It’s actually pretty exhausting. I spent Saturday doing chores and thinking about my day of brainless leisure.

As I loaded the washer, I pondered how I am going to get more fiber in my diet and wondered what else they can possibly do with Greek yogurt. Isn’t it crazy how when something catches on, everyone gets on the bandwagon? Maybe I should come up with a bra that can hold a cup of Greek yogurt between the breasts. What do you think?

After my day of daytime TV and relaxation, I don’t think it is for me. I am a little concerned that I lost a few brain cells so please tell me if you notice a difference in my articles.

Since I am not a stay-at-home mom or an unemployed person, I guess the category I fall into closest is senior citizen. Ugh! BUT... even though I live in a 3 level house, I am not even close to being ready for one of those stair chair lifts that I saw advertised repeatedly. My 10-year-old Malti-poo, Babydoll, would probably appreciate it, however. Nope, the old people commercials were lost on me, but I DO have to admit that those walk-in bathtubs are pretty awesome.

Driver's Education

I don't know if I have ever mentioned it, but I am not a big fan of driving. I must have been an heiress in my previous life because being driven just feels so much more natural. My grown kids know how to get on my good side when they make plans and then ask me if Miss Daisy would like to be picked up. Hell yes!

Unfortunately, I am still doing my own driving for the time being. It's not that I mind being behind the wheel. I have a very comfortable climate controlled car with music and news at my fingertips and a moon roof if I should ever feel sporty. It's what is outside of my vehicle that drives me crazy about driving. For me, driving means that I have to endure an unfathomable amount of stupid.

Let's start with billboard advertising. These big companies spend bazillions of dollars to get their brand across in the nano-second it takes a car to pass by. Wouldn't you think the content would be easy to read and their message understandable? A bit of cleverness might even make drivers-by remember what they are selling. I can't tell you how many times my sister and I have been stuck in bumper to bumper freeway traffic and one of us will point and say " explain that billboard to me". Most of the time neither one of us gets the message in stop and go rush hour traffic so I doubt that many drivers are getting inspired to try the product at 65 miles per hour.

So even if I am not distracted by lame billboards, there is still so much going on to make my drive aggravating. People do crazy things while driving. It is illegal to hold a cell phone and talk yet I see people doing it all the time. What is it about the term "hands free" that is so difficult to understand? I see drivers blatantly holding their phones and talking. What could possibly be so important that you would risk the lives of others and not just pull over? What about the folks that hold their cell phones low in the palm of their hand with the screen facing towards the sky? Now that's a natural looking pose. The only other time a human holds their hand like that is when they are clutching a deck of cards and getting ready to deal 5 card stud. Yeah, I bet the police haven't figured out that you're on your phone.

We all know that we should never text and drive. The public service announcements make a strong point. But how about all the other inane things people do while they are driving that no one ever talks about? In all fairness, I will gender-ize what I have seen. Men first. I have seen guys reading the paper, brushing their teeth, and shaving while driving. As far as the ladies go, we do violate the cell phone rules at least as much as the men, but we tend to do things like putting on mascara etc. at stop lights. I admit to refreshing my lip gloss or reviewing my "to do" list while the car is stopped and I am waiting for the light to change. Women are notoriously better multi-taskers than men, so it is understandable that women may be able to perform womanly or motherly duties safely while behind the wheel, but even the fairer sex has been known to step over the bounds of good sense. Nothing illustrates this better than when my sister was stopped at a signal and the woman behind her rear ended my sisters car. The ladies pulled over and once they assured each other that no one was hurt, the woman admitted that her foot slipped off the brake pedal while she was trying to pump breast milk. True story. I can't make stuff like this up. The girls and cars were fine and they both had a good laugh.

I will continue to do things while waiting at signals. I am good at it and I never have to worry about knowing when it is time to go because there is always some impatient ass behind me who will hit the horn the second the light goes green.

Because there is little hope that i will have a chauffeur in the near future, I have found ways to engage my brain as to make my journeys more like learning experiences. It is increasingly more curious to study the cars and the people who drive them. There are human behaviors attached to what people choose to drive, you know. Vehicles can't speak, but yet....they do.

Big trucks and SUV's are the alpha dogs of the highway. Because they have big cars, these drivers think they own the road. I find it best to just let them have their way. Their bullying egos, rising gas prices and karma will do them in eventually. Trust me. No one needs a car the size of a 747 and those who indulge in the "bigger is better" philosophy will pay the price one way or another.

Some women who drive fancy foreign cars have very much the same kind of attitude. Their car is an extension of who they are. How sad to let your automobile define you. Ok, I need to rethink that statement. I would never lie to you. If I went to my garage and found that the Bentley fairy left me a brand new white one, I would let my car define me without hesitation. I'm just sayin'.....

Don't you love those "kid cars "? You know, the ones made for the youth market. Some of them are really cute. The Soul, the Cube and those adorable Fiats all just scream young and moving on up. When I was in my 20's, there weren't special cars or a niche market for my age group. I was lucky to get my Aunt Helen's Ford Falcon on a payment plan.

See, my time on the road isn't for naught. I have used my drive time wisely but it's still not my favorite thing to do. You can learn an awful lot about this country and it's people by just looking out your car windows. Yes people, and let's DO remember that the drivers seat is surrounded by windows and others can see in. Keep your hands on the wheel and out of your nose. Ladies, keep you skirt pulled down and your knees together. My cousin is a long haul trucker and he has seen more body parts by accident than he cares to share.

Until next time.

P.S. Drive safely. We have a date next week.

Pet Peeves du Jour

Like everything else in life, the things that bug you can change, because YOU change. I am no different. I just might have reached a level of maturity where little things don’t bother me. No... that’s not it. Other things just piss me off more. The peeves that drove me crazy a few years ago may have had on expiration date or perhaps I just found other instances of behavior from humans that seemed more important to try to do something about or maybe, just maybe, I have grown into a more laid back, less critical, more charitable Fifi who turns the other way when people do thoughtless acts. You pick one, I’m good with all of them, but that won’t stop me from venting about what is bugging the crap out of me right now.

Maybe I get easily irritated, but I also work conscientiously to try to make people aware of what is offensive. I try to do it in a kind way. You have to be gentle if you want to change things. Sometimes I wish I were from the South. I love the way Southerners can say something completely insulting while making it sound so endearing when it comes out of their mouths. They can look right at you and say the most hideous thing and end it with a twangy “bless your little heart”. It’s amazing and I wish I could get away with it, but have to have the drawl to get away with it.

Anyway, back to my personal torment. My peeves aren’t in any order and some of them have unfortunately stood the test of time and still annoy me years later.

Let’s begin with this one. I still think balding men with comb-overs are not attractive. I try not to stare when I see them, but I always imagine what their mornings must be like. How long must it take to whip their overgrown side hair into that unnatural hair pattern that attempts to cover up a bald head? Do they really think that a side part right above their ear and the 3 strands of hair over the top that are Aqua Nett-ed within an inch of their lives is fooling anyone? Guys, listen up. I would much rather kiss a sexy bald head than try to deal with one of those crazy comb-over messes.

Next, I believe that wearing sandals is a privilege, not a right. If you don’t have the time to take care of your feet, then you should cover them up. I am talking about men and women. I am honestly not crazy about men in sandals at all, unless you are going to the pool. And sandals with socks? Ugh… it would make me question other decisions a person might make.

While we are on the subject. I just don’t get women who wear these new super high crazy heels when they can’t walk in them. I see it all the time at the mall. I never understood why any woman would torture their feet in 5 inch heels to go shopping. These women may think they look sexy, but they are obviously not dedicated shoppers. While they are hobbling along in their “red carpet” footwear, I hit every store from one end to the other and get all the good stuff wearing my hot pink and lime green Pumas. I sprint from one bargain to another and make the sisterhood of shoppers proud. Could I have gotten my black belt in shopping if I chose to wear pole dancing shoes to Macy’s? Hell no!

As I get older, I realize that I must be more charitable in my judgments. I am lucky to have my readers so I can vent. You know, I really miss PMS. Now that I am past the menstrual years, I can no longer blame bitchy outbursts on hormones. I have to “woman up” and be responsible for what I say. I hate that. I really have a hard time with people who won’t eat outside their culture. I am not just talking about people from other countries. My cousins visited me from the Midwest. They told me they ate Mexican food so I took them to one of Los Angeles’ best Mexican restaurants. I will never forget their look of horror when the waiter was preparing our tableside guacamole. They wouldn’t even try it. I found out later that they had never had an avocado or real Mexican food. Taco Bell doesn’t count. Good grief, you can learn so much about other people by getting to know their cuisine. Being open minded about trying new dishes is a joy. I can guarantee you that my ass is living testament to my international taste buds and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

OK, one of my biggest pet peeves in life is cheap tippers. I never tip less than 15% and usually much more, even if the waiter or waitress was abominable. I have great respect for people who work on their feet all day and deal with cranky customers who want everything NOW. I am grateful that I don’t have to do their job and I show my appreciation for what I have in this life by tipping them anyway. After all, I didn’t have to get the food myself and I can live without the Thousand Island dressing I asked for 3 times and never got. I look at it as my own secret charity.

I think I have hit my “biggy” aggravations for the time being. It always makes me feel better to share these things with you. My readers are my own special anger management team and I love you for it. Think of all the money I save on psychiatrists because I have you. Oh yes, I am talking about you Bob, Marnie, Walt, Laine, Clover, Janice, Vaughn, Myrna and all of you who read me regularly. You keep me sane and give me the ability to know when it’s time to “get over it”. Thank you.

Goodbye for this week, but before I go, let me just mention that I am also bothered by drivers who don’t know how to merge or parallel park. It makes me crazy when babies cry in restaurants and their parents don’t take them outside and I HATE getting texts that LoOk RAndSom nOTeS or use lazy shortcuts like C U L8ter.

Whew! I feel fabulous! Until next time... Kiss Kiss.

Paper Princess

I am an admitted note and list writer. One of the greatest days of my life was when they came out with Post-it Notes. I can remind myself of everything anywhere I choose. I can stick up lists and “to dos” and unstick them when I am done.

I guess I just like the idea of paper. I have kept every greeting card from everyone who has ever loved me. I have a collection of tickets from all the concerts and special events I have gone to in the past decades. I have the Playbills from the plays I loved. Some I saw some on Broadway, some at community theater. I have the programs from all my kids’ graduations and sadly, I kept the memorial hand outs from the funerals of the people I love who are no longer on this earth.

I have all my love letters. I am old enough to have even received a telegram or two. I have all these treasures in a lovely old German cookie tin that looks like a treasure chest. It must have held 25 lbs of cookies, so it isn’t small. From time to time I love to go through everything and remember. I figure that my children will one day look through all this stuff and get to know me from another angle.

Did you ever see the movie “The Bridges of Madison County”? If you weren’t one of the 50,000,000 people who bought the book, you may have seen the very romantic movie with Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood. If you didn’t do either, it’s the story of a married but lonely Italian woman, living in 1960s Madison County, Iowa. She engages in a short but intense affair with a National Geographic photographer who is on location in order to create a pictorial essay of the lovely covered bridges in the area. The woman’s husband is out of town with their teenage kids. The affair lasted but a few days because she could not leave her family, but she wrote about it in her diary and the experience lasted her a lifetime. I don’t remember if they ever slept together, but they dined and danced and looked into each other’s souls. Her secret was not discovered until after her death when her grown children found her personal papers and mementos in her trunk.

Is sending a love text as romantic as receiving a note from someone who is falling for you?

When I die, there won’t be much to go through in my keepsake box that is very controversial or shocking, but my children will feel me every time they revisit the treasures I have left behind. I think they will smile when they see how dear their cards and notes were to me.

This is the way it used to be back when people respected paper. There were diaries and love letters and keepsakes. Tell me, how does this cell-phone crazy, tablet-loving younger generation fall in love? Is sending a love text as romantic as receiving a note from someone who is falling for you? How could an email expressing even the most profound love be as dreamy as a scented love letter? I can tell you that the gushy feeling you get after you read such a special piece of mail can be life changing. The emotions you experience when you ceremoniously put it back in the envelope for safe keeping until you read it again can never be outdone by receiving a romantic email and hitting “SAVE” so you can re-read it later. And where are the keepsakes? There are no longer plane tickets to keep recalling a beautiful vacation. Theater and concert tickets are being replaced by print outs on the computer. If that’s not bad enough, this young breed of computer brains will leave no yellowed photographs of important relatives or family events from decades before. There are no real photos anymore. All the pictures and memories are floating around in cyber space and can only be recalled on some electronic device. Goodbye to sitting around with the family and reminiscing over the photo albums.

I am not some old dinosaur that refuses to go electronic. I have an iPhone and an iPad. I text like a champ and do all sorts of things on my devices that I used to do on paper. But there are just some things that should stay the same.

I am not a big fan of e-cards. It is true that they are fun while you are looking at them, but after the music stops and the birds and the butterflies stop skywriting “Happy Birthday”, then what? You can’t put your card in your secret keepsake place to hold and enjoy all over again. Oh sure, you can store it away and revisit it later in your Documents. Now THAT’S warm and fuzzy.

In my humble opinion, I believe that we should get on board to "Save The Keepsakes". Just because something is old fashioned doesn’t mean it’s bad. Please... for me... please tell the people in your life to think about writing real love letters and thank you notes, keeping a diary, creating a photo album with real pages and sending paper cards to celebrate special days. Tell everyone you know. I did. I just posted it on Facebook a few minutes ago.