Bin There, Recycled That - July - 2010   (If stress is garbage, I've...) Bin There, Recycled That! Non-toxic tips to recycle your stress, reduce negativity, and repurpose your life.     Idea: have a personal contest while driving around. Pick your favorite bumper sticker.  Today I saw this one which received my 1st place:                     "I'm not speeding. I'm qualifying." Recycling your angst: "New Cell Phone Pain" Day 4 of my new smart phone. Sadly, I am not. (Smart) First, I bought a Palm Pixi Plus. I was enamored by the price: $50, after rebate. Times like these  remind me of my mom always taking the burnt toast and giving the perfectly golden ones to the rest of the family. So it goes with phones. After one day, I resented my phone. I didn't know my ringtone and missed incoming calls. (I thought it was background music to my book on tape in the car!) Ending calls was hard too. My family grew impatient with 2 minute empty voicemail messages. I butt-dialed, knee-dialed, head-dialed. I longed for my old flip phone. Ahhhhh, the ease. The simplicity. The size of the buttons I could actually push. My Pixi was accurately named, for one needed the head of a pin to push one tiny key. After my kids christened my Pixi "STUPID," I took the "30-day trade-in option for bad choices" I wished they'd told me about the restocking fee. They ASSuMEd I'd read the literature. I decided to upgrade to the 4G iPhone. Exactly 12 hours before Apple's big announcement, my husband glared at me as if to say, "What in heaven's name would ever possess you to buy something that even Consumer Reports won't recommend?" It was a big "WHEW!" to hear the announcement was to provided everyone with a free bumper. Too bad I had just purchased one for $30. (Why is every accessory in the cell phone store at least $30?) I will admit, the 4G is fairly simple, even for an idiot savant like me. (I say that I'm an idiot savant, without the savant...) So, if you get a random  call,  text, or empty message from me in the near future, feel free to text me back some support at 217-242-3705, Text: "L.O.S.E.R." (Love our simpler electronic remnants.) ~~~~ Mmmmmm! Is that redneck cologne you're wearing? Or Bounce? I can't believe I'm at a concert with my mother. Will the fun never end? (See story in right-hand column>) Thoughts on August: To a teacher, the month of August is like a month of Sunday nights!"  Suzy Duker Quick Links Bobbe on YouTube Past Bin There Ezines Recycling the Oldies The night before I took our son, Nick, to the airport, the Doobie Brothers and Chicago played at St. Louis Riverport Amphitheater. I bought lawn tickets. Nick wondered if he could just drop me off and pick me up when it was over. I assured him he'd know the music. Whatever possessed me to buy lawn seats in the "Summer of the Monsoons" is beyond me. True to my fears, one-half hour before showtime, we sat in our car, assessing the sky. It did clear, though, and upon entrance, we received complimentary upgrades to chair seats! We were still outside, but at least we wouldn't develop jungle rot in our wet pants. The crowd was well seasoned - mostly my age. Nick felt juvenile. An old dude in rain gear walked by and I heard Nick mumble, "Nice poncho, Gramps!" The stars came out, both above and on the stage. The bands looked bad, but sounded good. Memories flowed. The Doobies actually have a new album out in September! Who knew 65-70 year-olds could still crank out new tunes?  While I applaud their endurance, I still don't care to listen to music I don't recognize at a concert. Chicago, fortunately, has no new album, so I knew everyword to every song. When the lights were dimmed to "dreamy" for "Color My World," everyone swooned.  Except Nick. I guess they don't play this one at dances anymore; never heard it in his life, yet, I recalled every past slow dance...standing by a wall, wishing I were on the dance floor. I didn't know if I was more depressed by the music or the fact that crying in a beer would cost me $9.50 at Riverport. Geesh. No wonder people were tailgating in the parking lot beforehand. Occasionally, we got a whiff of weed. (These were folks who knew beer was $9.50 a cup.) The most entertaining patrons, however, were the guys in front of us. The wife passed out Bounce dryer sheets and you can see what they did with them. Apparently, Bounce repels mosquitoes. Nick's answer was better, "Redneck cologne." Until next month, party on, Rock Stars! 'Bin'cerely,     Bobbe White Try Laughter! Inc.