I am in a bits and pieces mood today. That means my mind is wandering.

This message is for JC Penney, Kohl’s, Target and all the other companies that advertise in the Sunday papers. My message is this: Old women wear clothes too! I was browsing through the ads in the paper during the weekend. The ads that I was looking at had only beautiful young women in their advertisements. The clothes were adorable and had my body and age fit the clothes I would have run right to the stores to make some purchases. I know these companies target teens and young women because these people are supposed to have money. Well, I would like to inform JC Penney, Kohl’s, Target and the other stores that old women like me maybe would spend money too. Show us some ads for people my age and we will show you the money. Of course, since there are no tempting ads it is perfect for those of us who are trying to pare down to ignore the stores since the ads ignore us. Think of the money we are saving.

I think it is discrimination. Check out the ads in the magazines and on TV. Preparation H, bladder control pads, pharmaceutical companies, and many other companies target us old people in their ads. We have enough problems to contend with without all of these companies pointing out our failing bodies to America. Let’s balance these ads with clothing ads for the creative, intelligent older people that we are.

I am still winding my way through Facebook. I am finding it to be lots of fun. Quite a few years ago there was a young person who spent a lot of time with our family. I cared about her, but in the years of moves and life changes we lost touch. We found each other on Facebook. What a gift to be able to be a part of her life again. However, as I try and find my way and find the time to investigate Facebook I think of our teenagers. When do they have time to go to school? I am having a hard time keeping up with my electronic accounts. Teenagers text, blog, use Facebook and MySpace, play games and participate in activities. I know a teenager that sent 17,000 text messages in one month. Of course, teenagers never sleep. They are a multi-tasking generation and we could say that they learned that from us.

My next subject is a controversial subject and I usually like to stay away from those because of all the comment people. But here you go, take your shot in the comment section. We seem to have two Senate candidates who claim they care about Minnesota. While they care about Minnesota so much, they can’t settle their campaign. We are without that senator. If Minnesota were a top priority in their eyes, one of them would have put Minnesota first instead of dragging this out, costing money and leaving us short in Washington. We need to ask ourselves the question “If we can do without the extra senator this long, does it make a difference?” Now I am totally not a political person. I usually don’t know what I am talking about when it comes to politics and I am sure I don’t in this case either but I had to express that thought. So go ahead, make your comments, shoot me down but please do it kindly.

Spring is here, the snow is melting. Sam my faithful mutt is mooning over Lola the cute dog in our neighborhood. With spring the birds are singing, we have a better attitude and we find surprises that were left under the snow. Sam was busy. The tennis balls have reappeared that he had strewn throughout the lawn. The little holes he left us after digging up what the squirrel buried last fall are full of melting snow. Sam also left us presents each time he visited outside. These presents are now appearing in our lawn revealing the fact they were left and covered with snow before we could find them. We don’t complain as we are gathering his presents. At least I don’t since I am not the one gathering. We don’t complain because we are so happy spring is here.

Another thought on an entirely different subject. We all made mistakes when we were young. People do change. Why is it so hard to forgive and forget someone else’s mistakes? Could it be we can’t forgive our own?

I am going to let you in on a little secret. I have started a blog and I have given no one the address. Blogs are in. The problem I have with a blog is writing something every day and thinking that anyone would actually read what I write. There is also the fact that I don’t what I am doing and so I am learning along the way. So if you would like to join me on my blogging journey the address is http://www.justalittlefluff.blogspot.com. Be patient with me and hopefully my blog will be worth reading.

“And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.” — Sylvia Plath

“The wastebasket is a writer’s best friend.” — Isaac Bashevis Singer

“Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart.” — William Wordsworth

“Creativity is a lot like looking at the world through a kaleidoscope. You look at a set of elements, the same ones everyone else sees, but then reassemble those floating bits and pieces into an enticing new possibility.” — Rosabeth Moss Kanter

Wells resident Julie Seedorf’s column appears every Monday. Send e-mail to her at thecolumn@bevcomm.net.