Last week, the "bus mail server" (the one that sends and receives e-mail) decided to go down for a few days... therefore, I got no mail sent to the addresses I monitor from the busly domain.

That said, I still got dozens of e-mails every morning thanks to torontoghosts.org, ontarioghosts.org, psican.org, imuc.org, uppercanadianheritage.com, and a couple of others I look after.

When the "busly" mail is filtering in, I usually get about twenty or thirty e-mails every eight hours... mostly, honestly, ghost stuff... then spam... then mailgroups... then "personal correspondence"... then "busly" stuff.

Yup, pretty much every morning, after I delete the three or four spammy messages that defeat my anti-spam measures, I usually have about seven-to-ten e-mails to answer... and maybe three-to-five "mailgroups" to read...

...but every so often, like this morning... nothing.

I get the spam so I know my mail's working. I get receipts too... another indicator that all is well...

...but no busly stuff (odd)... no personal stuff (odder)... no ghostly stuff (extremely odd).

It happens every so often... and I almost always turn to Sue and say, Nothing new to report... not that I'm complaining! and I mean it...

If you're wondering why this is worthy of a blog post, it's like going to a main street in a small or medium sized town at 3:30pm and finding it empty. Not totally unusual, but not normal by the same token.

I almost wish, just to add atmosphere to things, a graphic of a tumble weed would "blow" past my mail program, standing open... mocking me with it's lack of new stuff to deal with...

...but by the same token, it's nice to have a "day off" of sorts... nothing pressing...

You ever had a "no mail might be good mail" day... or am I alone in this?

Anyway, please remember... tomorrow is POST NOTHING TUESDAYS which, of course, translates into, I plan to take a day off... but if something comes along, I'm gonna have to leap in!

...so for now, I'll see you on Wordless Wednesday... or sooner... heck, with this "massive amount of mail", how can I not have some time to think of new posts for Tuesday?!?!

Addendum: According to today's 24 magazine... my horoscope says...

If you hook up with others who have your best interest at heart, you can make those dreams come true.

...take this as you will...

I want you all to think about this... I'm about to do a SERIOUS blessing that involves "flu symptoms"... diarrhea to be exact... and I'm deadly serious...

Last night I was... to be honest, I am still a little ill. Not exactly the way to start off a blessing... and not all that horrendously ill either... but I would qualify my ailment as "mild flu-like symptoms" possibly caused by eating something a little... um... not-so-good.

Blessing?

Well, it's not being sick, that's for sure!

...but it revolves around it in a way.

When you're in a partnership with someone you love, be that a significant other or a spouse, you need to keep in mind that "your" time is more often "their" time as well... Ergo: It's Sue's weekend as much as mine.

Top that off with Mother's Day... but I'm leaving that bit up to steplings... with a tiny bit from me too...

...but this is about last night... and yeah, sadly, today...

We were at a dinner at my favourite pub... when it "hit"... my stomach said, Git Yer Butt Home!

Now, because this sort of thing has happened to everyone, (sitting about and all of a sudden, you know you need to be home shortly!!!) it's not an unusual thing to cope with... nor was it such an emergency at dinner that I knew I need to run home ASAP, but I also knew that it would be best if we made for home as soon as we could. (Read: I knew I was going to be ill within "X" amount of time... but not at that second...)

We did get home... and all was okay... but it was by the skin of my teeth.

This hit me as a blessing because of another "ghost" that haunts me...

For a long while in my early-to-mid-to-late twenties, before my intolerances (allergies) to certain foods was diagnosed, this scenario happened often to me on "evenings' out" with a particular old girlfriend of mine... it was embarrassing and dreadful... How do you say to someone, Lovely evening, thanks for having me! Sadly, I must depart as I don't wish to monopolise your bathroom...

You don't... you hopefully tell the person you're with, with a little understanding, they help you make excuses and get you home.

Sadly, at that time, the girl I was with was not terribly understanding... at all... in fact, to my horror, I found out just before we split that she had complained about my illnesses on a public internet forum to her friends... basically comparing me to a "comic book" character who always had similar stomach issues in "his" story lines. This wasn't the only reason for my split from this person, but it sure made it easier to mosey along once the bomb had dropped.

...but thankfully, that is ancient history now... and the reasons for my tummy-troubles were figured out and are now avoided... so this weekend's "outing" was a rotten surprise... that almost interrupted Sue's an my weekend...

Why almost?

I was able to "maintain" through dinner and even a brief stroll home... but then, I was dusted...

Why is this a blessing?

Two things... after the story I've related, Sue did not gripe about a "wasted evening" or worse... she actually helped me... she made sure I was comfy, got me the ol' Pepto Bismo... picked a couple of videos to watch... and we settled in.

No fuss, no hassle, and as the "sicky", I was allowed a little freedom to get better... and offered medicine and whatnot to facilitate the goal of regained health.

Appropriately today, Sue was a bit of "Nurse Mom" to me last night... and I am very thankful...

When one defines what a "good mother" is, isn't being a bit of a nurse very high on that list?

When one defines what makes a "good wife", sadly and a little "neanderthalically", is also up in the top ten for most men I know...

...and there was Sue last night... easing my pain... making me "better".

My Blessing Today is Being Cared For When You're Ill...

...especially by someone you love... who loves you right back.

I am wondering, however, if I am harbouring a wee flu-bug... which would suck, because then my "Nurse Sue" really should keep a safe distance!

I do believe "The Flu" would NOT be an appropriate gift to give on Mother's Day!

Blog Your Blessing Sundays is a creation of NeoBluePanther... who may or may not be the famed Luchador!

Hang in there... my blessing will be up before 12pm EST...

"Iconic"... this blog has been called worse things...

After months of getting borderline "hate mail" from so-called Conservative bloggers and their fans (because of my stance on "hate speech" and pollution, if you needed to know,) including some rather nasty comments about our efforts here with more than a pinch of snark tossed in with my received missives, it's more than a little easy to become disenchanted, disaffected, and disinterested in keeping up the good fight... let alone still trying (seemingly vainly) to achieve our dream...

Anyway, don't have permission to share the "who" or "why" (yet), but please let me share what "they" said in an e-mail that made my day...

A writer for a well-known news and business e-zine who I'm familiar with and read often wrote to me about an article about bloggers... in specific, bloggers with an agenda... and said...

...of course, I have seen the old green bus around pretty much everywhere! You've made a small but quiet impact on the blogosphere [Editor's Note: I hate blogOsphere... it's a blog... and the globe is a sphere... it's not a blogo... and it's not an osphere... so I'm still trying to convince the tide to change to blogsphere... it won't work, will it?] with many fans and friends. I'd like to include you and your blog, the iconic Old Green Bus, in my article if I might. {-- Snip! --} Who knows, it might help your cause out and I can't wait to see what will happen if you guys succeed! That would be awesome!

Woot!

"Iconic"!

He called us ICONIC!

Of course I said "YES! YES! YES!" and answered his e-mailed questions... and once his article is up, I'll let everyone know... but I'm still flushed with the ol' blog here being called "Iconic"!

I now will return to my regular Saturday... and with a sense of being "flushed with pride", take Max to the vet for his annual shots...

This here blog got called ICONIC!

HUMADPFTAT... sounds like something He Who Cannot Be Named scraped from under his finger nails... Still, it's an accurate "acronym"... it stands for...

Help Us Make A Decent Proposal For The Ad Thing.

Here's the skinny...

If you're not familiar with it, the one idea I honestly believe has the "best shot" of working on helping us raise the $20k it will take to make the dream come true is our "Ad Idea"...

Effectively, the bus isn't running... so to get it from "Point A" to "Point B" would require is to travel on the back of a flat bed truck or on a train from California in the You-Ess of Ay! to Ontari-ari-ario Canada... and one HAS to assume that the sight of an old British bus on the back of these vehicles would draw a LOT of attention as it went by...

...kinda like a moving billboard going literally across the states and into Canada... right through the Golden Horseshoe... That's a lot of people who would be gawking... and it could be at SOMEONE'S ADVERTISING!

Top that off with this blog being fairly well known... and IF we succeeded in making the family dream come true, it would get mentioned a LOT in various locations...

...and lots of pics and verbiage... on blogs and elsewhere...

Is that worth $20k to a company out there???

I think it might be...

I'm HOPING it might be.

Now, we've been pestering people online to "spread the word"... but it's a HARD word to spread... I mean, how do you get this out there and to whom???

Well, I've tried sending out e-mail and even snail-mail to ad companies and marketing agencies (no responses)... I've implored students of marketing to perhaps lend a hand and see if they could help (no one bit)... About the only thing I haven't done is danced through the downtown Toronto core wearing a sandwich board singing, Help Us Make Our Dream Come True to the tune of "Happy Days are Here Again"...

...I may not be above doing that if necessary...

Anyway, I am tossing this out to the following...

1: Students in Marketing, Advertising, or Public Relations...

2: Professionals in the above field who think our dream is just kooky enough to warrant a little bit of your time...

3: People who work with or for a company that might see value in the ad idea...

If you can help... even if it's suggestions about proposals... or maybe a good contact... please send me an e-mail... matthew(at)psican(dot)org is probably best right now (thanks to my "faultless" server company and their poor mail pointers,) and help us see our family dream come true...

Don't make me break out the sandwich board... my singing voice is atrocious.

Yeah it has been busy...and Helping Hands Thursday was missed yesterday....BUT never fear because I'm going to introduce you to a site that features Car Hire comparisons from around the globe. No matter what your car rental needs in Canada, USA, the U.K. or other destinations you can use this search engine style site to compare prices, and terms on car hire companies. The site will even do a currency conversion for you. Well designed, and user friendly it was featured on BBC Radio 2. Now how cool is that!

Just click on the link I have added in for further info, and I PROMISE next week Helping Hands will be on Thursday.....

This "TT" got started by remembering something that made me laugh. I forgot who, but a fellow "blogger" shared some notes written by airline "ground crews" as to repairs to problems reported by pilots after landing... and the one that made me giggle hard was...

PILOT: Sound under the cockpit panel like a midget with a hammer.
CREW RESPONSE: Took hammer away from midget.

Well, I'm in "Information Technologies"... and yesterday, I was doing more "internal work" than anything else helping people in my office stay "Up and Running"... and I thought I'd share...

#13: My computer doesn't work.

I love this one... "Doesn't Work"... Okay, WHAT about your computer doesn't work? You'd be amazed how many people when I say, What doesn't work about your computer? the answer is, The computer... it doesn't work. That's helpful, isn't it?

Imagine going to the auto shop... and saying, My car doesn't work. and the mechanic than asks, It wouldn't start? and the response, It doesn't work. and after going through the concept of putting the key in the ignition (doesn't work.) and gas in the tank (doesn't work.) and engine installed (doesn't work.)... you think they might get a little flustered? So does your tech.

#12: My computer is dead.

Bury it.

#11: The programs don't work.

Okay, so you launched ALL your programs and they don't anything? That probably used up all your resources... try launching ONE program and get back to me... and for bonus points, if there IS a problem, TELL ME WHAT THE PROGRAM WAS THAT YOU LAUNCHED!

#10: My computer is just black.

Was it a red door first? Has Mick Jagger been loitering nearby???

#9: My system won't log on.

...to? You're logging on to...????? OH! Lemme guess... you actually work in the lumber industry and you mean "LOG" literally! Well, you don't need a computer to do that!

#8: The internet isn't working.

THE ENTIRE INTERNET IS DOWN!?! EGADS~!!! HOW MANY MILLIONS ARE AFFECTED!?!?!?

#7: My screen isn't working.

Get it a job. There's always some stuff available in the want ads.

#6: My screen is frozen, my mouse won't move, and my keyboard doesn't work... what can I do?

Okay... think about this... what mighty I.T. magic do you think we have? The mouse and keyboard are frozen... how would WE affect any change to this? With the magic I.T. ray gun??? Okay, think this... Hey! Why not reboot? Just a thought...

#5: I unplugged my mouse.

I get this a lot... and it's amazing how many people, when I say "Just plug it back in!" say, I don't know how. YOU MANAGED TO UNPLUG IT... try reversing the process!!!

#4: How do I wipe out my computer's history?

Surfing naughty sites, eh? Probably a bad idea to tell I.T.

#3: Windows doesn't work.

What? They won't open and let in the fresh air? Did someone paint them closed? Folks, remember... SPECIFY!

#2: I installed "X" and now "Y" doesn't work. What should I do?

I dunno... how about UNINSTALL "X" if you need "Y" more!

#1: My thing isn't working.

I only know of one man who can help with that sorta problem online... but I also get tonnes of spam about helping when "things" don't work. Gimme your mail addy and I'll send it on to you!

I am aware...

...of this too...

...but 22,000 plus people... and those left behind cannot be ignored... and help CAN get through.

We can address the other issues after doing what we can for those who need our help. See the link at the bottom of all these images... it's not been a good year so far... as seemingly always... even close to home... but the devastation in Myanmar (Burma) cannot be ignored... and politics MUST be put aside...

Photo credits to The BBC, The CBC, and The Canadian Red Cross...

Here's that link I mentioned above... please click...

Please also consider clicking here...

...and if you can help those "closer to home", click here.

Thank you...

Addendum: 'Cuz I had to bring a little of teh funny...

Photo credit to Gizmodo...

For a list of other Wordless Wednesday participants, please click here.

Ok. so the ants themselves are NOT really space-age...and NO I don't think they are our overlords, but this space age Gel Ant Farm is really cool in my humble opinion. And would we really want to be dominated by these wee industrious creatures anyway?! Don't ask, but do watch this video clip?

I always wanted one of these as a kid, though they certainly did come like this one back in the day.

I'm going to show the video clip to the kiddo, and see what she thinks. There are other unique gift ideas over at the Vat 19 site to check out as well. I like giving gifts that are different, and educational especially to kids as opposed to just another video game.

After an evening of struggle, WE'RE BACK!

Yup, our servers went boobs up... and I saw it happening ahead of time... and told the ISP geeks, Hey! Don't let that happen! which translated into, Pay no attention to me! In fact, do the opposite! I don't know what I'm talking about... and on the off chance that I do, don't sweat it! I LOVE downtime!

...not that I'm bitter...

...but I may have to break out The "BAD BLOKE"... DALEK BOB!!!!

Now, I'd HATE to have to send Bob down to Florida to our servers to do a little "exterminating"... but hey, if I have to, I have to, right?

I'm going to sit and fume a bit now... and there may be another post in me today... or you'll just have to wait until Wordless Wednesday...

Bob, ol' buddy... ever been to Disney World?

What was this blog about again?

Oh yeah, THE OLD GREEN BUS! Regent Low Height #3! RLH 3!

I haven't done an update on things for a while, so allow me to elucidated you to our quest!

First, there's been NO NEWS... this is either good or bad... but no news from the "new buyer" that I heard about, no news about the bus' position (in the barn, being used as a garbage tip,) and no news on any nibbles on our advertising idea...

Granted, and this is a plea we've done before... if anyone out there can help us put together a proper proposal for some places and people who MIGHT be interested in helping us make our dream come true... or knows some contacts who might consider our advertising idea... please let us know... $20k to make the dream come true... that's all we need... and yeah, we need help.

I've acquired a few new readers of late... about 1,000 of you... and if you've not read the bus story, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

Will we make it? Will we find our sponsor/benefactor? We haven't given up... and fingers crossed, we'll get there!