It used to be that my e-mails were sort of like snail mail used to be. That is, most of them were communications from friends. Now most of those communications come by message or Instagram (we don’t use the latter. It gives me a headache trying to make it work). However, to go to the main point what I now receive on e-mail is a continuous stream of communications from companies – particularly those who wish to advise me of health issues. Once in awhile a friend will sneak in, but those communications probably do not exceed 15 percent of the total. I do a lot of unsubscribing, but somehow, they keep coming.
For example, one supplier of health information sent me an email today on six things to help you avoid eating too much. I read them and they were nicely done. I even showed them to The Blonde in the House. Yet, when all was said and done if was the same old advice. “If it tastes good, don’t eat it. If you have to hold your nose while eating it, then it absolutely the best thing possible for you.” Life should be a lot fairer than that. I guess we can blame this on the politicians like we do everything else. Of course, there may be a point there!
Then, just as I started this, I received a nice recipe for, Traditional Irish Guinness Stew. I assume that was sent as good old St. Patrick’s Day is in just a few days. That being the case, we will all be inundated with all sorts of Irish stuff – which isn’t bad except for one thing. That is, my ancestors came from Wales where the patron saint is St. David. His celebration day is March 1 to which practically nobody pays any attention. This is certainly unjustified, because if it weren’t for St. David there might not have been a St. Patrick.
Now don’t misinterpret that last comment. What I am referring to is that St. David converted the heathen in Wales to Christianity. If he hadn’t done that, then St. Patrick who grew up in Wales would not have known and thus would not have been able to have converted the heathen Irish. That has some serious ramifications. Just imagine what the lack of a St. Patrick holiday would have done to the parade business over the years – not to mention the inability to get a green bagel. I will admit that the shamrock is probably better than the leek and daffodil that the Welsh wear for St. David’s Day, but you can’t win them all. At least St. David only drove out the bad snakes from Wales and left the good ones there.
I did receive an e-mail that asked if I knew what they eat in Antarctica. They didn’t exactly define “who” was since all sorts of countries have bases there and the food probably differs. However, it didn’t really matter since if I wanted an answer I had to subscribe to a magazine. I do not subscribe to magazines as when you do, they want your credit card number which they use to renew your subscription for years to come – unless you figure out how to unsubscribe, which ability is usually limited to Mensa members.
Unfortunately, as I write this, we may find out more in the next few weeks what happens when the St. Patrick’s Day Parades are cancelled. I am certain that it will not be good. At least with St. David cancelling his parades will have little effect. In bad times, you take what you can get – unfortunately.
Barry Evans is a Villager and writes about “Life in The Villages.”