Spin Cycle: Mick, pot and naps

Oakland Tribune, Aug 2, 2008 by Joan Morris

Fluffing and folding the news

Happy birthday

We're bummed that we missed Mick Jagger's birthday last weekend, so we're sending belated wishes to the old geezer -- uh, we mean ageless "Rolling Stones" front man.

Mick turned 65 last week, which is about 40 years more than anyone gave him back in the day. Mick officially is now considered an old age pensioner, entitled to a basic state pension of about $180 a week. In five years, he'll be eligible to receive free roof insulation.

Mick still has plenty of gusto and stands as a role model for us all. Republican presidential candidate John McCain, who turns 72 on Aug. 29, should take a page from Jagger's book -- get the roof insulation now before winter sets in.

Just say hoe

A 73-year-old Dutch man was shocked to learn that those plants coming up in his begonia bed were not one-of-a-kind nine-leaf tulips. No, they were marijuana.

A police spokesman said officers "suddenly noticed" marijuana plants sprouting in the lovingly cared-for begonia bed.

Neither officials nor the hapless gardener had an explanation for how the marijuana got into the flower bed, but we suspect a gang of rogue gardeners, traveling the streets by night, planting pot, pruning irresponsibly and cross-pollinating at will. You've been warned.

Asleep on the job

Now here's a national holiday we can embrace with both arms -- National Napping Month.

Yes, August is National Napping Month. Not National Napping Day. Not National Napping Week. No, an entire month; 31 glorious days devoted to snoozing in the middle of the day.

And believe us, we're going to take full advantage of it. In fact, we just dozed off between sentences.

The creators of this auspicious month say a mid-day sleep or power nap will give us more patience. We'll be less stressed, our reaction time will improve and we'll become more efficient.

Wait a minute. Napping could spell the end of Spin Cycle. We better stay awake and impatiently, stressfully, slowly inefficient.

-- Joan Morris

Spin Cycle is a random column that takes a quirky view of the daily news and everyday happenings. Reach Joan Morris at jmorris@bayareanewsgroup.com.