Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Almost A Life!

Starting from the Doobie Brothers concert, this is how my life is stacking up for the summer:

  • end of May:  Doobie Brothers concert
  • beginning of June:  Jersey Boys
  • early to mid-July:  Pharaoh exhibit at Science Museum of Minnesota
  • late July:  Air Supply concert
  • early September:  Renaissance festival
  • mid-September:  Red Wing training camp, followed by pre-season

And this is only the list of things that we have SCHEDULED!  This doesn't include our regular road trips and unexpected mini-vacations.  I'm hoping that I can put off a too terrible bout of hockey withdrawal by actually having a life.  :D

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Surreal

I am the one who played MC5's "Kick Out the Jams" on the school PA system.  As soon as we got FM stations, I left AM top-40 far behind.  I just saw Alice Cooper in concert.  Eric Clapton is my rock god.  I have music by Cream, Iron Butterfly, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin.  So, could someone please explain to me why, on 22 July, I will be sitting in row 8, center section, at an Air Supply concert?



A couple of weeks ago it came to my attention that Air Supply will be doing two concerts close by here.  The Oldest was THE biggest fan when she was quite young.  I KNEW I had to offer to take her to the concert and she gladly accepted.  So, we will be seeing Air Supply the end of July.  I still can't believe I'm saying that.  ;)  While I'm not a huge fan, I can handle their music in small doses.  I mean, it's not like it's country and western, right?  I will know most, if not all, of the songs, as we owned all of their albums at one time.  And even if I were to absolutely LOATHE the concert, seeing The Oldest's face will be worth whatever I have to go through for two hours.  I think this will be my happiest concert because a person I love will be ecstatic.  I can't wait.

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Adventures With Wildlife

I would never go into a court of law and SWEAR everything happened exactly the way I am saying it did, but this is how I remember the events...

Last night I had to go out to buy a new coffee maker.  When I woke up yesterday, I poured the water into the Bunn, as usual, but all I got was light-brown colored cold water instead of coffee for my efforts.  To say I wasn't pleased, is putting it mildly.  And I knew I had to go out shopping.

K is on night shift, so I waited until he went to work before getting myself ready to go out.  After putting myself together--which is a job in itself--I finally was ready to leave the house.  Just before I open the storm door to leave, I ALWAYS look out the window to see if there is anything sitting on the porch that might impede my exit.  I could have seen the neighbor's dog looking for a hand-out, a raccoon scouting for garbage, a bear checking out the bird feeders, or any number of other scenarios.  What I DID see in the middle of the porch, was a chipmunk.  Because our chipmunks are so tame, I refuse to open the door with one anywhere close by--I'm too afraid it will come into the house.  And we don't want THAT to happen again.  The chipmunk looked up and we glared at each other for a nano-second.  He KNEW I wanted him gone, but I could see the look in his eye that said, "In your dreams, lady."  Being much, much bigger than the chipmunk, I figured I could scare him off of the porch.  Yeah, right.  To try to get him to move, I decided to make some noise.  After I yelled at him, he laughed.  I stomped my foot and he stuck his tongue out at me.  I banged on the door hard enough to break my hand and he gave me the finger.  Finally, he sat up, looked at me as if to say, "I leave when I want leave," and s-l-o-w-l-y moved to the edge of the porch and jumped down to the ground.  The last I saw of him, he was going into the entrance to his den that is right next to our sidewalk.  I distinctly heard a maniacal cackle as he went underground--and I believe I heard him say, "I'll be back."  It's going to be a long, long summer.

Thursday, May 26, 2011

A Shared Belief

Many people don't understand others who have strong religious/spiritual beliefs.  Now, I'm not talking about the ultra-conservative, right-wing nut jobs that the media would have you believe are what ALL people of faith are--I'm talking about your everyday people who live their lives according to their faith and use their faith to help them get through.  Two of these people I would like to talk about.

The first man I want to tell you about, I don't REALLY know.  The man is Brian Rafalski and he is a hockey player.  Today, he retired from the Red Wings and had a press conference to announce it.  In his speech, he gave his reasons for walking away from the $6 million he was to earn next year.  Among the reasons were his health and his family.  He said that this past year had been hard on him physically, mentally, and spiritually and after talking to his wife and advisers, he felt that God was leading him in a new direction.  He said that his life is now about serving God, his family, and others, and that hockey is not a priority, so he is retiring.  He made it clear that God was very much in his decision-making process and was very humble about it.  Quite a few people were extremely bummed about his saying this.  As a person of faith, everything that he does WILL involve God.  He didn't stand there and try to get anyone else to believe the way he does, he just gave his reasons for what he is doing and the process involved in coming to this decision.  If he would have come out and said he used voodoo dolls and a Ouija board to decide his life, I really think there would have been much less of a hullabaloo.  I'm very saddened by the way some people reacted to this and the amount of intolerance, which bordered on hatred.  If someone were to say they called on their earth goddess to help in all decisions, I certainly wouldn't belittle them in public.  I don't know why Brian Rafalski wasn't given the same consideration and why, at the least, his remarks were considered 'eye-brow raising.'

I have known the second man for somewhere around 45 years.  Pete is a shirt-tail relative of mine, but I have always considered him more of a friend.  We used to talk on the phone a lot and we would go out as friends to the movies once in a while.  As we got older, our lives took us on very different paths.  We saw each other only a few times the last 30 years, but we seem to take up where we left our friendship the last time.  Whenever we were together, we had an easiness between us that comes with being friends for many years.  And, no romance between us--we're both long-time married.  ;)

A few months ago, I got some very distressing news about Pete.  On 22 July of last year, Pete was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia--AML.  He had a sub-type that killed half of all those diagnosed with this devastating disease within 9 months.  He underwent chemotherapy, but was told he needed a bone marrow transplant to ever be considered 'cured.'  And so, he has been working toward that end for months and was expecting to have the transplant in the next couple of months.  Pete, too, is a man of faith and through this entire ordeal, he has had the attitude that whatever happened was how it should be.  He never wavered in his belief that God was in control.  The other day, he was told that his chance of ALREADY being cured is in the 20-40% range and each month he has no signs of the cancer, means he is closer to being declared cured.  Somehow or another--and the doctors don't know why--the chemo worked, despite the odds being extremely low, and he has had no cancer since December.  As it stands right now, having a marrow transplant might be the worst thing for his condition, as the procedure isn't without risk.  He will continue to take it a day at a time and see what God has planned for him.  He will trust that any advice he gets will be the correct advice.  He will use his faith to make the decisions he has to.

Both men have a deep faith and both men rely on it for help in making life-changing decisions.  Neither one is shy when it comes to acknowledging where his strength comes from.  In private and in public, both let people know Who is in charge of whatever happens to him.  Neither one is obnoxious about his faith, but many would deem it inappropriate for them to say what role their faith has in their lives.  Why there is so much intolerance, I don't know.  It seems as if people would be so much happier and easier to accept if someone was to say that advice came from the neighbors or psychic or deli owner than they are when God is given the credit.  It really is a sad state in our world when tolerance is at such an all-time low--especially when everyone 'says' how tolerant they are.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Good Idea, or BAD?(tm)

Today, we'll play another, shorter, version of Good Idea, or BAD?(tm).  (I'm STILL trying to trademark this and get someone to give me millions of dollars for the idea, but it isn't happening.  {sigh})  And here goes: 

DREAM LOOK INSTANT EYE LIFT


I really have the feeling that this picture is a bit over exaggerated.  While I can see where the product might do something, I don't believe it will make as dramatic a difference as this pic suggests.  Putting a piece of tape on the eyelid just doesn't seem to be enough to give an 'instant eye lift.'  But then, if it is anything like the BARELIFTS, it might actually work.

I am probably the first person who would gravitate toward any product that makes it this easy to appear younger.  I don't do surgery, unless it is absolutely necessary--pain is NOT my friend.  But, I don't really mind looking my age--I have earned every mark, wrinkle, and age spot I have and am proud that I'm still standing.  There are no 'boy toys' standing out in my yard, wanting me for themselves, so I have no reason to want to look less than my age.  After all, K is not looking like a spring chicken, either--so we are a good match.  However, if these actually worked, I could see using them for a special occasion--something to make the photos that will be taken look a bit better.  But I really have my doubts as to whether they work or not. 

So, Good Idea, or BAD?

Monday, May 23, 2011

Best T-shirt

I saw the BEST t-shirt on Saturday night.  A guy--our age--had one on that said:

"I MAY BE OLD BUT I GOT TO SEE THE BEST BANDS"

I thought that was hysterical.  :D

Weekend

We went to the Doobie Brothers concert on Saturday night and had a great time!  It is nice that all of the bands/acts that we were unable to afford when we were younger are still around--and we get a chance to see them.  Yes, they all are getting old(er), but so are K and myself.  ;)  The friends we went with had never been to a casino, so THAT was also a fun part of the night.  I think they realize now how much fun a person can have in this atmosphere and that it does not have to involve gambling--which they don't do.   I do believe a trip to Vegas is in our future--they want to see Elton John before he decides to retire.

The next concert I might be going to is at the end of July.  The Oldest is one of the biggest Air Supply fans and I told her that we could go if she wants.  I am waiting for her decision before buying the tickets.  While I really am not that big of a fan, I think it will/would be a good time--I would love to see her reaction when they first come on stage.  :)  I would imagine it would be pretty close to how I was when I saw Clapton for the first time--basic idol worship.

This is just a short update to what has been going on and I will do a longer post within the next few days.  Until then...

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

This Is News?

I have said, ad nauseum, that I don't bother with the news anymore.  I really think I used to be a news junky, but the stuff that passes for news these days has completely turned me off.  And we have three 'stories' that put me over the edge--the kind of things that make me want to shoot my TV.  (Again, there IS a reason I don't own a gun...)

Our first story deals with a group of organizations trying to strong-arm McDonald's into retiring Ronald McDonald.  Their idea is that HE is a big part of the fattening of America's kids.  Bullshit.  I'll say it again:  BULLSHIT!  Okay, okay--I see what everyone else sees and I do realize that there is a problem here in the US when it comes to weight.  (Believe me, all I need do is look in the mirror.)  But, cartoon characters selling food is the least of the reasons for it.  The number one problem in this country is this:   a family can be fed McDonald's food OR Kraft Mac & Cheese or any number of processed foods for MUCH, MUCH less money than it costs to buy fresh fruits and vegetables.  Until the cost of fresh, 'healthful' (sorry, but I HATE that word) food is as cheap as processed food, people WILL gravitate toward what they can feed their children for less.  And, with the number of mothers who also hold jobs outside the home (I also HATE the term 'working mothers'), time is also a factor--and it does take a lot more time to cook a meal with fresh foods than with packaged.  Obesity in America is more than commercials and it would take days for me to write my impressions--which I won't do here.  Food and exercise are not the only factors at play here--we have society and career choices and other things, as well.  I'm sorry, Michelle O, but getting kids to 'move' is NOT the big solution to the problem we have here.

The second story that sent me reeling was about a 'pageant mom' who Botoxes her 8-year-old daughter and then went on Good Morning America and TALKED about it!  Is there ANYTHING that can be said about this story?  To begin with, I have hated 'beauty pageants' since I was quite young--I always thought the participants were ridiculous.  And then when they came out with pageants for little girls--who, by the way, dress up like little sluts--I was completely appalled.  To find out that these poor little tykes are getting Botox injections isn't surprising, but IS completely disgusting.  This is another reason why the rest of the world hates America.  (And with that statement, I'm thinking that little girl beauty pageants are mostly a US thing--although I COULD be wrong.) 

Story number three has to do with the Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver split.  To begin with, this is a non-story for me.  I'm really surprised they lasted as long as they did--they just looked awkward together.  So, the split isn't surprising.  The story that sent me over the edge comes from the LA Times and it is titled 'How To Talk To Kids About Arnold Schwarzenegger's Infidelity.'  Really?  Is he relevant enough these days for kids to even know who he is?  I asked The Oldest about this and she said the story wouldn't even be on her kids' radar, as not one of them knows--or cares--who Arnold is.  So, who exactly is making this a much bigger deal than it is?  Don't most kids have friends who have gone through parents splitting up and haven't parents had the 'talk' with them?  This is a topic that most parents have to get to at some point--just like they have to do the 'facts of life' talk.  So why is this a topic that is so upsetting to kids just because it involves Arnold and Maria?  Am I smelling a publicist at work here?  Unbelievable.

When stories such as these are headline-inducing, I wonder if it IS true that the world is going to hell in a hand basket.  Far too many issues are being ignored by the news people and we allow it.  If we quit 'following' the junk news and actually tried looking for relevant stories, maybe we would go back to the days of insightful and meaningful and informative journalism.  But I highly doubt it.  And so, I will continue to ignore the news and wrap myself in a little cocoon of isolation.



 

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Getting A Life

Last Thursday, my heart was ripped out of my chest, thrown to the ground, and stomped into the mud.  Yes, the Red Wings lost and their season has ended.  And now that I no longer have a horse in this race, I am done watching hockey for the year--I don't care who wins the Cup and will pay very little attention to what is going on.  And all this while--well, for a few weeks, anyway--the IIHF World Championships have been played in Europe and no one here knew/cared.  Surprise!  Something is happening in another part of the world--something HUGE in an another part of the world--and no one in North America gives a damn!  But, isn't that the way it is--we are either TOO involved in other parts of the world or we don't give a shit at all.  Oh well, it is what it is.

So, the other day the championship game was played between Finland and Sweden.  It only took two days for me to be able to watch the re-play of the game.  But, North America didn't care because Canada and the US didn't even make it to the semi-finals.  We only have 4,396,265 sport channels here in the States--and we get about half of those on our cable system--but no one broadcast the game while it was being played.  So be it.  I was thrilled to be able to watch the re-play.  Finland beat the snot out of Sweden--and don't even try to imagine how big a deal THAT was in Finland--and they get to have the finals in Helsinki next year.  I loved watching the game because the names of the Finnish players were so familiar to me.  I would say almost half of the names are names that I know from here--many, many people that I know personally share the last names of Finnish players.  I was thrilled and surprised to see one of the players with the same last name as The Mother's maiden name--a name that isn't very prevalent here in the US.  Quite cool.

So, what will I do with all of my free time?  I think I will be able to get some more of my crafts done--sewing is a possibility.  I have already begun to watch some of the DVDs that I own and haven't gotten around to.  Right now I am watching Homicide:  Life On The Street--only one of the best shows ever made.  Of course, I will watch my hockey movie trio that I watch every summer:  Slap Shot, Mystery Alaska, and Miracle.  And before I know it, I will be getting ready for next season.  YAY for October, the end of summer, and hockey season.  I know, I have problems.  ;)

Monday, May 16, 2011

The Slobby McSlobbersons Have Left The Building

*I write this post with a great deal of amusement and amazement--and NO amount of meanness is intended.  I have a lot of affection for the persons named.*

I have never raised boys, but I think I can say this without much worry:  While boys are messy--and dirty, at times--girls are the biggest slobs on the face of this earth.  I am totally amazed at how slobby girls are.

In the past, we have opened our home to young men to stay with us while they attended our local university.  The first time, G was trying to stay in school for one more semester.  He was having a great deal of financial difficulties, so we offered up our basement family room for him to stay in.  He was with us for only one semester and then he took a break from school, finally completing his education a year later.  A couple of years ago we had one of K's nephew's sons here for a semester.  Both guys were absolute sweethearts and didn't really make much more work for me than I normally had--extremely low maintenance.  And then, we had a couple of young women stay with us the last two weeks...

Another nephew of K's has a daughter who just completed her 3rd year of nursing school.  She was required to come to our town for six shifts at the local hospital.  Because she was only going to need a place to sleep for six days/nights, she asked if we would let her and a friend stay in our spare room.  This was a no-brainer for me and I said 'yes' immediately.  (I figure this is the generation that will be taking care of me when I'm in my dotage, so I better be nice to them.  :D)  Two weeks ago this coming Wednesday, the girls arrived.

Let me say this, whenever someone is a guest in my home--whether it is short- or long-termed--I try my hardest to not invade their privacy.  However, there are times when I have to go into their space, and it isn't always convenient for me to let them know ahead of time.  When the guys lived here, I had to go into their rooms a couple of times, and it usually was to get towels on laundry day.  Of course, the beds were never made and the guys had some personal items spread out, but for the most part, I 'spread out' much more whenever we stay in a hotel.  Not horrifying, in the least.  The girls?  A much different story.

On Thursday, less than 24 hours after the girls descended on our house, I had to go upstairs to close the windows.  They had left the windows open and the rain had started, so I needed to go up there.  O. M. F. G!!!!!  First, there BARELY was a path for me to walk from the stairs to the window.  They had, literally, dumped everything they brought with them onto the floor and spread it out from one end to the other.  Every flat surface, every inch of floor space, was covered with their stuff.  And I'm not sure WHAT they did to the bed.  I didn't even SEE the quilt or blanket that had been on it and the top sheet was in one ball in the middle of the bed.  I didn't know anyone could cause that much destruction in that short of an amount of time.  It just blew me away--but it was fine.  If they wanted to live like that, more power to them.  ;)  (At one point, the blanket found its way onto the curtain rod--I believe they were trying to shut out the sunlight so they could sleep during the day.)

The other thing that amazed me was the condition of the bathroom after it was used.  Now, the guys weren't great about cleaning up the little hair bits after shaving, but very rarely did they make the mirror unusable--at least, not like the girls.  After the girls were done in the bathroom, there was water and face-cleaner residue from one end of the vanity top to the other.  There were spatter marks on the mirror and other things I couldn't identify.  The room was just a mess.  And this wasn't just them being inconsiderate, because there always was an attempt to clean up after themselves--they just didn't succeed very well.  On first glance, things didn't look TOO bad--they took all of their possessions with them, as well as their wet towels--but things were FAR from well.  ;)  I still have a hard time believing what they did in that bathroom.

Part of me wonders if my OCD tendencies make me see some things as horrible, but are only 'normal' in other households.  When I was a teen, my room wasn't always neat as a pin, but I NEVER came close to these two girls.  And both of my girls were slobs, but not to this extent.  So, I don't know if these two are 'normal,' or not.  However, from talking to others, I think I can say with a great bit of confidence that girls ARE the Slobby McSlobbersons of the human race.



*And, to give these wonderful, adorable, sweet, and friendly girls their due, they wrote a marvelous thank you note to K and me and gave us a gift card to a local restaurant for us allowing them to stay here.  NOT something that we expected or needed, but a wonderful gesture on their part.  Still, I can't help but wish we had a guest bathroom that they could have used instead of us all sharing the same one.  :D

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Blogger Problem--Again?

Once again, comments seem to be disappearing from this blog.  And now I'm wondering if they might not even be showing up at all?  Is anyone having problems with commenting?  Let me know at chrkos@gmail.com if there have been any problems lately.  Thank you.

Comfortable?

My cat was a bit pissed at me because I piled pillows on my recliner so she couldn't sleep there.  She decided not to let a few pillows bother her and climbed up to go to sleep.



Tell me she REALLY looks comfortable. 

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

A Wonderful Friend

When K and I joined a church here, I found a woman who became one of my best friends.  She was a year older than me, a stay-at-home mom like I was, and had three children my girls' ages.  We connected instantly and have been great friends for 20+ years.  She has been there for me throughout all of the problems K and I had with our girls and she was always a shoulder for me to lean on.  She has listened to me, cried with me, and given me great advice.  She has been a spiritual adviser and one of my 'rocks.'  And I love her dearly.  To top it all off, we share the same first name.  :)

After many years of marriage, C's husband divorced her.  She didn't want it, but there was nothing she could do--we live in a no-fault divorce state.  C is a very private, stoic Finn and she never told me why her husband divorced her--although I have my own opinion on that subject.  I hope I was able to help her in some small way while she was going through her worse days.  She has said that she will always love her ex, but she has moved on.  Today she has a male companion, but she has said she would never remarry.

C is a very funny lady and whenever we get together, we laugh until we're on the verge of peeing our pants.  We try to go out to dinner once a month in order to keep up with each other's lives, but we don't always succeed.  Tomorrow night we will get together for the first time since before Christmas.  And that is a shame that we have let it go so long.  We will have a good time, as always.

As I said, C is very funny.  She has a subtle, dry humor which I gravitate to, because it is the same as my own humor--and I have two examples to share.  First, she is 'suffering' from age like most of the rest of us and has that 'middle-aged spread' and accompanying weight gain that is all too common.  Whenever she goes to see her doctor, as is usual, the nurse wants to weigh her.  C allows herself to be weighed only once a year and that is at her annual physical.  Every other time she goes in, she tells the nurse to put down 'Still fat' as her weight.  :D  Second example:  She just went to see her doctor recently and the office is putting all of the patient records on computer.  This meant that the doctor had to retake C's health history.  When the doctor asked C if she had any STD's, C said 'I wish.'  :D  C said the appointment went downhill from there.  A funny, funny lady--and I can't wait for our dinner and a visit.

 

Monday, May 09, 2011

Selling Snow to Eskimos

PT Barnum has been credited--erroneously, it seems--with saying 'There's a sucker born every minute.'  I will take that one step further and say that there is at least one customer for ANYTHING that someone wants to sell.  If you don't believe me, look at Craigslist or Etsy--OR have a garage sale.

I have had a few garage sales in my time, but not enough to consider myself an expert, by any means.  BUT, when I say that people will buy ANYTHING, I mean that literally.  Not only have I sold books and audio tapes and VHS tapes and household goods, but I have actually sold bottles of spices that were half-full.  Yes, people will buy used spices.  I haven't tried to sell used bars of soap, but I may the next time I have a sale.  I'm sure someone will buy them.

So, with the idea that people will buy anything, I have come up with a product that will probably make millions:  hypoallergenic, fragrance-free perfume.  I know, I know, you laugh.  But think about all of the people you have ever known.  You done?  Now, defy me by NOT finding one person who would think this is a good idea.  We ALL know that one person who is so ditzy that she would buy this product by the gallon.  And if each one of us can think of one person that would buy this perfume, I KNOW I could make millions of dollars selling it.  :D

Saturday, May 07, 2011

He and She and She and She

I KNOW this isn't the right way to begin this post, but I have to do it like this.  I am NOT trying to be judgmental with what I am about to write--I really am confused and wanting to understand.  The questions I have concerning this topic have nothing to do with my feelings of whether any of this is right or wrong.  Now, with that said, on to my post.

I remember when Renee Richards became a woman.  It quite possibly was the first time that a sex-change was talked about openly, even though it still was discussed in slightly hushed tones.  Now, almost 40 years later, sex changes are discussed quite matter-of-factly on talk shows and in magazines.  A bit of a difference.  Agree or disagree, this is something that is here to stay.

While I don't understand why someone would want to undergo a sex change--sorry, sex reassignment surgery (damn PC police!)--I don't think those of us who are comfortable in our own skins are really supposed to.  This is another of those things that is supposed to be between a person and his/her doctor and shouldn't concern anyone else.  From what I understand, a person is supposed to go through quite a bit of counseling and therapy so that it can be determined if there is a just cause to having the surgery and not just some whim--and thank goodness for that!  I would assume that reversing the surgery wouldn't be a walk in the park, by any means.  A psychiatrist/counselor is supposed to determine that the person seeking sex reassignment is, in fact, a male/female trapped inside a female/male's body before the surgery takes place--and this is for the good of everyone involved.

Now we will examine the story of an individual who had reassignment surgery.  We'll use a male as an example.  We'll call him Sam.  Sam always felt as if he wasn't 'right.'  He always gravitated more towards the feminine and as he got older, he KNEW that he was in the wrong body, that he was meant to be a girl.  Over the years, he tried to deny his true self and be 'one of the guys'--he drank, played football, dated, had sex, but it didn't 'feel' right.  Eventually, he sought sex reassignment.  After the surgery, Sue--as she was now called--was happier than she ever had been.  She loved to dress in feminine clothes and have her hair and nails done.  She embraced her femininity to the point where she was almost a stereotype/cliche, but she was happy.  And, finally, she began to date again.  And she dated women, because she now was a lesbian.

Using the above example as a starting point, here is my problem:  If someone wants to be the opposite sex because he is 'in the wrong body,' shouldn't he have been gay BEFORE the surgery?  Wouldn't he have been attracted to men because he truly was a woman inside?  Doesn't this just prove that he WASN'T a woman trapped in a man's body all along?  It doesn't make any bit of sense to me and I really wish it could be explained in a way I could understand.  But then, I guess I'm not meant to understand.

Thursday, May 05, 2011

TMI To The Max

The other night, I went to Office Max to pick up some printer paper.  As I hadn't been in the store for quite a while, I walked through all of the aisles to see what there was to see.  (I have an obsession with office supply stores--I HAVE to have a 'talk' with myself before I go in them or I will spend far too much money.)  Anyway, I stopped to look at the mouse pads in the computer accessories aisle and I saw this on the packaging of several of them:

"...stain and odor resistant..."

Thank you, but I DON'T want to know WHAT you are doing if you need a stain and odor resistant mouse pad.

Wednesday, May 04, 2011

REALLY??? I Mean, REALLY??????

According to a mental_floss tweet earlier today:

"The Journal of Animal Ethics says the term 'pets' should be replaced by 'companion animals.'  'Owners' should be 'human carers.'"

What?  Are we afraid we'll hurt their feelings if we call them pets?  I love my cat, but REALLY????  I think some people have too much time on their hands AND need to get lives.

Sunday, May 01, 2011

All About The Silver

When K and I were about to celebrate our 25th anniversary, The Oldest started making noises about giving us a party.  I quickly put an end to that talk.  We were in the middle stages of problems with The Youngest and considering how close we came to breaking up over the problems with The Oldest, I had very little hope we would be together at our 26th anniversary--I really didn't think we would weather the storm a second time.  I couldn't see myself sitting around and smiling and pretending everything was hunky dory, so I said 'Nyet' to a party.  Now, so many years later, I wish we would have had the party.

Despite what people think, I believe a 25th anniversary party is less about the enduring love a couple has for each other and much, much more about the gifts they might get.  It is just like getting married all over again--and everything that is given is needed just as much after 25 years as it was when the couple was just starting out.  Think about it, after that many years, things are wearing out--all of the linens and small appliances need replacing, so a party with gift-giving is called for.  Okay, a lot of the stuff HAS been replaced during the 25 years, but, more likely than not, with the cheapest stuff that could be gotten away with.  Those 25 years are when the family is growing and the money is very, very tight--not much is left over for expensive towels and blenders and sheets and toasters.  So, bring on the party and bring on the gifts!  By my being so stubborn and pessimistic, we missed out on all that.

So, when do we get a second chance on a big, blowout party?  At the 50 year mark.  I really don't think we'll be needing any new linens and appliances at that time.  Hopefully, we won't be needing gripper railings for the shower and walkers.  ;)  Unfortunately, I think there will probably be an overabundance of these types of gifts:









There isn't anything really WRONG with these gifts, but just how many 50th anniversary tchotchkes does anyone need?

Disquis

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