Search Results for: blog the lost art of counting back change

McDonald’s Changes Its Menu

A friend of mine is on a diet. The doctor says his health is great, so maybe it is just a preventative thing, but he’s on the glycemic index diet. So, he’s watching carbs and calories. I’ve decided to try to lose the 30 pounds I’ve packed back on before it’s too late. After all, I turn 50 next year and I know that the older you are, the harder it is to lose weight. McDonald’s has no doubt played a part in my weight gain. Oh sure, Ronald McDonald didn’t hold me down and force the Big Macs down … Continue reading →

The History of Money, Part Two – Money Makes an Appearance

Earlier today, we talked about bartering. This was a tool of exchange used primarily between strangers and enemies to get what they wanted, while friends and families tended to gift each other needed items. The first unit of money recorded in history is the shekel, and it originated in Mesopotamia. Wondering where that is? Me, too. It’s in modern-day Iraq, the area of the world was considered the cradle of civilization. The people apparently realized the need for some other means of exchange, and they set up the first commodity money system, meaning, a piece of money that is made … Continue reading →

The Lost Art of Counting Back Change

Way back in the day, shopkeepers ran tallies of numbers in their heads as they looked over your purchases. In some grocery stores, the cashiers were required to know the prices of all the products. And when it came time to pay, they would count back your change without the aid of their cash register. In today’s fast-paced, technology-driven world, there isn’t time. We have scanners to tell us the prices and feed them directly into the cash register, which is more like a computer than ever before. When we’re done, we hit a button and we’re told how much … Continue reading →

A Thanksgiving to Remember

It will be a Thanksgiving to remember for the Reyes family this year. Despite the fact that they lost their home plus all of their belongings in the recent wildfires that scorched thousands of acres in Los Angeles County, mom Jan says the family will be counting their blessings tomorrow. Jan and the rest of her family, including her 7-year-old son Jonathan were able to escape the wind-blown blazes without suffering major injuries. That’s the good news. The bad news is that Jonathan, who has autism, lost every single one of his beloved Hot Wheels. The boy had reportedly spent … Continue reading →

Rain or Shine, My Pets Are There

This hasn’t been a very easy year for me. In fact, of all my years on this Earth to date, this past one has been the most trying by far. And the most blues-filled. One After the Other It started last summer when we tried to move back to Jacksonville. Thankfully plans changed, but instead of life sailing along unencumbered as I’d hoped, I got sick in November –the same week Wayne moved home and we left to go to Denver for Thanksgiving. Then Wayne got sick, and I had a relapse and fell ill again. Come January and February … Continue reading →

21: The MIT Blackjack Team

I finally got to see an honest too goodness grownup film this weekend – 21. It is about a MIT team of students who learned to count cards and tried to cheat the system in Las Vegas. Actually, this movie is based in part on a true story you might find interesting. If you don’t know, the game of 21 (also known as blackjack) is played between you and the dealer, even if other people are sitting at the table. You are dealt two cards each and can get more – the person who comes closest to 21 without going … Continue reading →

Visual Dysfunction: More than Meets the Eye

I know what you’re thinking: My child can see perfectly. I can skip this blog. But there’s more to vision than just seeing. Children with sensory integration dysfunction often have problems processing visual information, even though they can “see.” (If you have concerns about your child’s basic ability to see properly, click here.) I often notice that my son Kyle will put objects close to his eyes when he’s playing or thinking. Kyle has normal vision but I believe he is under-sensitive to visual stimuli. That means he craves visual input, and so he watches video clips repeatedly, creates movement … Continue reading →