Dear Reader:

I had to laugh out loud the other day when I watched an interview with Dolly Parton and she had the audience laughing galore with her last common sense piece of advice… and witty observation … which was:

” Wherever you go… well… THERE YOU ARE!”

Dolly should have been a comedian… she paused just long enough to have the audience leaning forward in their seats to hear the second part of the statement. When they heard it… for a split second there were slightly puzzled expressions… then the laughter erupted! They had ” been had” but still the advice was sage and sound. Just common sense advice-a novelty today!

I think the times we are living in now- will one day, be described as ” The Extraordinary Age of Extremism.” For a ” Scales” Libra gal …whose lifelong mantra has always been ” Moderation in all things” ( thanks Socrates) … a gal who believes that the key to happiness and success depends on keeping our lives in sync and balance… these extreme political figures sprouting up, like bad weeds pretending to be flowers, are deeply troubling to me… and I don’t think I am alone with this apprehension.

All gardeners know that if dangerous weeds aren’t pulled but allowed to grow… they will take over your garden. Gardeners understand the old wise weed advice-” Don’t let weeds go to seed.”

As we watch some quite ” interesting” candidates throw their hats in the ring… I keep trying to think of someone who could run on a common sense platform and win!

I would have to talk my visionary candidate into returning from blessed bliss-heaven to return to … well… not heaven… but still our beloved country… and she is ( drum roll) Erma Bombeck-the Queen of Common Sense. After all it is Women’s History Month. And we sure could use some more humor in the news!

” Knowledge is knowing a tomato is classified as a fruit; Common Sense is not putting it in a fruit salad. ” Yep… we need more common sense these days and wit! We need Erma!

And here are some more of her takes on many of the issues facing America today and her platform! Good advice!

MEDICAL: ” Never go to a doctor whose office plants have died.”

” Getting out of a hospital is a lot like resigning from a book club. You’re not out of it until the computer says you’re out of it.”

TRANSPORTATION:

” Did you ever notice that the first piece of luggage on the carousel never belongs to anyone?

” It goes without saying that one should never have more children than car windows.”

” There is nothing more miserable than flying into paradise and discovering you do look like your passport photo.”

” Never lend your car to anyone to whom you have given birth.”

” Car designers are just going to have to come up with automobiles that outlast the payments.”

CHILDCARE REFORM AND FUNDING: YES!

” Motherhood is the biggest on-the-job training program in existence today.”

OUTLOOK ON SUCCESS: ” Success is outliving your failures.”

PREDICTION: ” When humor goes, there goes civilization. “

So until tomorrow: Find ways and time to remember happy incidences shared with a friend or friends … ones who will even sing the Oldie Goldie tunes you loved together… ( over the phone) – it releases so many worrisome toxins from our present times… replaced by joyful memories!

Today is my favorite day- Winnie the Pooh