[bliss]

A Little kid was having a problem with his homework.
Dad, he asked, "What is the difference between anger and exasperation?"
"Well, son," Said his father, "I'll give you a practical demonstration."
His father picked up the phone and dialed a number.
"Hello," said a voice at the other end.
"Hello," said his father. "Is Melvin there?"
"There is no one called Melvin here!" The voice replied.
"Why don't you look up numbers before you dial them?"

"You see?" Said the kid's father.
"That man was not at all happy with our call.
Now watch this!"'
He then dialed the number again, and says, "Hello, is Melvin there?"
"Now look here!" The voice said angrily.
"I told you there is no Melvin here!
You have got a lot of nerve calling again!"
"Did you hear that?" The kid's father asked.
"That was anger.
Now, I will show you what exasperation is!"

He dialed once again.
And on hearing the voice at the other end, he said, "Hello! This is Melvin.
Have there been any calls for me?"
_____

New Year Wishes

May you get a clean bill of health from your dentist, your cardiologist, your gastroenterologist, your urologist, your proctologist, your podiatrist, your psychiatrist, your plumber and the I.R.S.

May your hair, your teeth, your face-lift, your abs and your stocks not fall; and may your blood pressure, your triglycerides, your cholesterol, your white blood count and your mortgage interest not rise.

May New Year's Eve find you seated around the table, together with your beloved family and cherished friends. May you find the food better, the environment quieter, the cost much cheaper, and the pleasure more fulfilling than anything else you might ordinarily do that night.

May what you see in the mirror delight you, and what others see in you delight them. May someone love you enough to forgive your faults, be blind to your blemishes, and tell the world about your virtues.

May the telemarketers wait to make their sales calls until you finish dinner, may the commercials on TV not be louder than the program you have been watching, and may your check book and your budget balance - and include generous amounts for charity.

May you remember to say "I love you" at least once a day to your spouse, your child, your parent, your siblings; but not to your secretary, your nurse, your masseuse, your hairdresser or your tennis instructor.

And may we live in a world at peace and with the awareness of God's love in every sunset, every flower's unfolding petals, every baby's smile, every lover's kiss, and every wonderful, astonishing, miraculous beat of our heart.