After This Pause...

I was all set and ready to do a post and I discovered that I was missing A LOT of my bookmarks! I was going to use several sites as research for the post and couldn't find them. For the most part, missing bookmarks might not be that hard to recreate, but these particular ones happened to be connected with my genealogy, and a lot of them were in Finnish. NOT something I could find on my own, again, easily. So, instead of writing a post, I had to find out what happened and where my bookmarks went to...

From what I could figure out, many people have had issues with missing bookmarks, especially after a Chrome update. There doesn't seem to be an easy fix for this and Google doesn't seem ready to admit that there might be a bug, so it was up to me to find my own solution. I don't like messing with my registry or doing too much when it comes to fixing code, so I took the easiest (for me) way, which turned out to be the way that took the most effort. I decided (once I found my bookmark backup folder) to copy each site, individually, and do a new bookmark folder in my browser. Considering I had more than four dozen bookmarks to check out, it took me a bit of time I hadn't planned on spending. I have THAT folder all recreated and now I have to check to see what else is missing. {sigh} Computers can be a big pain in the caboose...but where would we be without them?

I'll get back to the original, intended post after doing what I need to do here around the house...after all, it IS garbage day. What excitement and joy life continues to bring my way! 😁

Guilty Pleasure

The other day I happened upon a website that is a new guilty pleasure for me:  STFU, Parents.  It basically is all about slamming parents who have too much time on their hands/are too self-absorbed/think they have THE cutest, best, smartest child in the world/need to tell everyone what 'little Elvis' or 'tiny Daisy' did today--and that includes descriptions of all their bodily functions ad nauseum.  This is all about the world's worse Facebook status updates with snarky comments following.  If you don't have anyone who abuses Facebook like the people featured on this site do, then you don't have enough Facebook friends.  ;)  Unfortunately, I have far too many who could be featured here any day of the week.  (One of the things that is regularly 'discussed' on this site are the horrible names people name their kids.  Far too many people give their kids made-up names.  One of my 'friends' has a girl named [sorry, but I HAD to get rid of the name--it is too unique and I'm afraid this blog could be found by 'mommy dearest' through a search]*  UGH!)  If you can ignore the language--as well as some of the things that piss people off (I don't agree with all of the 'pet peeves' people have on this site)--then head on over and read a while.  I defy you to read too far without wondering what the hell this generation is doing.

Another reason I LOVE the site:  I learned the word 'bajingo.'  My new, favorite word for 'lady parts.'  :D

*I will tell you the name if you email me--IF you need to know that badly.  :)

"Just Sayin'..."

The other day, one of my Facebook 'friends' posted a bunch of videos from a drag show she had attended.  She also posted this:

"If you do not like the videos I am posting, PLEASE keep ur comments to yourself, these are friends of mine!  Just Sayin'...thanks!"  

AND:

"...if someone is thinking about it, they better stop before they even do, cuz if ur gonna bash 'em, that is bullying & cause for me to delete ur a$$ for being ignorant!" 

This got under my collar a bit and I was getting ready to send her an email in response, but decided against--she is a family member, so I didn't want to start a war.  ;)  Instead, I will post my thoughts here for all to see.


An Open Letter To The Internet

Dear Interwebs User/s,

There is NOTHING you can put online that will keep everyone happy.  Everything you post will have at least one person disagreeing with you.  (Hell, I can think of two or three people that I know who would argue with me if I said "The sky is blue."!!!!!)  And then you go and post something provocative and expect NOTHING to be said.  What the hell century were you born in?!?!?!  You are just looking for a fight, right?  And just because you add "PLEASE keep your comments to yourself..." etc, doesn't mean you won't hear things you don't want.  Right, wrong, or otherwise, not everyone will agree with you on everything, nor will everyone like the same things you do.  And you KNOW this, otherwise you wouldn't have written any 'warnings' to detractors.  If you don't want to hear anyone else's opinions about things, then STFU!!

I would like to ask, once and for all, WHY someone not agreeing with you is bullying and not to be allowed?  YOU are stating your opinion, so why can't someone with an opposing viewpoint state THEIR opinion without getting bashed for it?  We do have the right of free speech--for the time being, anyway.  Aren't YOU, in turn, doing the same bullying that you accuse others of?  I really don't understand this mindset.  I have quite a few friends/acquaintances who do NOT share my beliefs on a number of very serious topics.  I try not to step on their toes, as I am sure they try not to step on mine.  (And we DEFINITELY don't call each other 'ignorant'--even if we think that's the case!)  We have an understanding--spoken or not--where we will agree to disagree on certain subjects and not discuss them.  Case closed, problem solved.

However, when and if I DO post on a sensitive issue, I expect to have disagreements--or, at the very least, comments from those who oppose my beliefs.  And that is fine--otherwise, *I* would keep my thoughts to myself.  I still believe all are entitled to express their own opinions, despite the fact I may get angry with said opinion.  If I didn't want to hear opposing views, I would stay quiet.  And then I wouldn't have to issue any 'warnings.'

So, grow up already.  It is not cool to try and provoke people into fights.  If you want drama in your life, I'm sure there are other ways of getting it--but you probably are a wuss and don't want to have any kind of confrontation in person.

And believe it or not, if you read this carefully, it can apply to ANYONE, no matter WHICH side of the liberal/conservative line you happen to fall.

"Just Sayin'..."

As always,
ME

Facebook--Again

For the time being, at least, I'm sticking with Facebook.  It certainly doesn't seem as if Google+ has gone anywhere and I don't know anyone who hangs out there anymore.  (Actually, I forget that I even have an account.)  I really don't know why I'm staying with Facebook--most of the people I have 'friended' are terribly annoying and not anyone I'd be around in real life for any length of time.  But I stay, mainly because I find things out I wouldn't any other way.  (AND for the people who are dear to me.  :))  So, here are some of the whack-a-doodles I am friends with:

One of K's nephew's daughters has friended me.  I don't ever remember seeing this girl in person--ever.  She is about the age of The Oldest and lives in California.  With the amount of things she says she has done, she should be about 64 years old.  I can't believe anyone can be quite as accomplished as she claims to be and not be older--or rich, or a celebrity.  If you can do all she supposedly has done at such a young age, you have to have a lot of money--something I am sure she doesn't have.  For several months, she posted every single tornado watch/warning that was issued in the US.  I don't know why, I don't ask.  (If you don't think this cluttered up my timeline...)  She says she auditioned for one of those singing contest shows--while she didn't win, she got praised up the wazoo and encouraged to try again.  She knows three languages, other than English.  She acts, sings, and goes to school--with a double major--all while raising a few children (not sure how many) as a single mother.  (I'm not sure if she works--doesn't seem like it.)  And these past few months she has been deathly ill and the doctors can't find out what's wrong with her.  (I don't believe it is a recurrence of the cancer she has had twice.)  So, is this girl interesting and accomplished, or just a complete and total whack-a-doodle?  I would like to ask my sister-in-law, but how do you ask someone if their grandchild is a head case?  If I'm wrong about the girl, I'm sorry, but I kind of have a feeling she is 'not all there.'

Now, my family is more than well represented on Facebook--and most of THEM are people no one wants to know.  My cousin's daughters, for example.

The youngest of the two girls hasn't been on Facebook as much these days--she now lives with her two boys and no computer, since the divorce.  (I can't understand how her ex actually kept her around as long as he did.)    While she was married, all of her time was spent on Facebook, complaining and belly aching over EVERYTHING.  She hated her life and her step children.  And it didn't seem as if she actually did anything around her house--and yet, she complained about the way things were done.  (It sounded like her ex did most/all of the cleaning and cooking.  She only looked after the boys--the kids she gave birth to.)  Even though she is a presence, once again, the fact that she only can post via cellphone has kept her off of Facebook as much as she used to be.

The oldest of the girls is the biggest drama queen in the world.  And she airs the family laundry every chance that she gets.  These days she has been bad-mouthing her in-laws and her husband's best friend so badly that I'm surprised anyone is still talking to her.  (Not too long ago she berated her father's family, so she is an equal opportunity lambaster.)  She just gave birth to her sixth child and we had to 'listen' to all of her health issues daily--and this is because the doctors told her to never get pregnant again.  She decided to ignore the medical profession.  I believe my Oldest must have the patience of a saint, because she is quite close to this girl--and I can't understand how.

One of my non-relative friends is very dear to me, but he is living vicariously through his kids these days.  He keeps posting about his sons' band and the gigs they play.  I couldn't get through one of the videos he posted, so I'm not too sure how good the kids are, but they really seem like brats to me.  (I've never met them, but some of the things he writes...)  Anyway, I'm just happy that they live far away because I'm not sure I could figure out how to say "No, thank you." to going to watch the kids perform.

Of course, one of the things that gets me the most are the conversations some people have to post--these are conversations with their very young children that THEY find hysterical and interesting.  (NO ONE who reads this blog is implicated here!!!)  Many times I have read one of these and wound up shaking my head, asking myself "WTF????"  I've said it before and I'll say it again:  Not EVERYONE thinks your kids are cute/amusing/geniuses.  I'm happy YOU think they are, but just keep it to yourself, please.

I got on Facebook because of my girls--I figured it would be a good way of keeping in touch with what is going on in their lives.  Come to find out, The Youngest doesn't post often to Facebook--I believe she does most of HER communicating through instant message and texts.  Now, The Oldest shares quite a bit--and a lot of the time she shares too much.  Today, she commented on someone else's status update and I found out something I wish I didn't:  It looks as if she is planning on getting pregnant again next year.  There are no words...

To Make Up For The Last Post...

As I surf the interwebs, there ARE times when I actually will read the comment sections of certain stories.  I don't know WHY I do this, as I usually just get frustrated and angry by the idiots who comment.  Yet, I read.  (I'm afraid I might have masochistic tendencies.  ;))  One thing that you find out very quickly is that there are only a few comments that get recycled over and over again.  And Linda Holmes over at NPR noticed this same thing when it comes to the inevitable 'year-end' lists we'll be inundated with shortly and wrote an article about it:  'The 20 Unhappiest People You Meet In The Comments Sections Of Year-End Lists.'

Here are a few of my 'favorite' commentators:

 7. The Self-Punisher. "I always hate your tastes, so I knew this would be a miserable and useless list before I decided to click on it and read the whole thing, and now I know I was right."

 11. The Person Who Thinks You Were So Close. "I like all these picks, but you ranked The Descendants as your #4 and Martha Marcy May Marlene as your #5, and they should be the other way around. FAIL."

 14. The Minimalist. "These blow."

Too funny!  For the rest of the list, go here.

Can Lead To Obsession

Several weeks ago, I got an invitation.  It was from The Oldest and it was for me to become a member of Pintarest.  If you have never heard of this website, here is what Pinterest has to say about itself:

What is Pinterest? Pinterest is a social catalog service. Think of it as a virtual pinboard — a place where you can post collections of things you love, and "follow" collections created by people with great taste.

How do I add a pin? You can upload a file using the Add a Pin button in the menu bar. We recommend installing the pinterest bookmarklet (in the yellow bar above). It's a special button that lets you pin images from any website. 

Okay, that doesn't REALLY tell you what the site is.  It is quite interesting and a real time-sucker, if you allow it to be.  I joined after getting my invite, but didn't really do much there for about a month.  I now try to go there for a few minutes every day.  Why?  Let me try to explain a little more.

First of all, in my humble opinion, 50% of the people that are there are getting married or WANT to get married, as a lot of the stuff is wedding-related.  Another 50% are homemakers that are trying to save money by doing-it-themselves.  THIS is different than the 50% who do crafts just to do crafts.  And then we have the 50% who love food--quite a few of the 'pins' are recipes.  (Okay, so that adds up to more than 50%, but you'd understand if you spent time on Pinterest.  ;))

From my short time on Pinterest, it is obvious that you can find just about anything you want here.  Just some of the categories people 'pin' to are:  Architecture, Art, Education, Gardening, Humor, Outdoors, Photography, and Others.  Members are able to make their own labels for the things they 'pin,' so the categories are unlimited.  For the most part, I go on this site and look at recipes and crafts.  However, I have found a lot of other interesting stuff as well. I know I'm not explaining this well, but only because this site is not easy to explain.

When you go to the home page of Pinterest, you will find something that looks like this:

 Each of those pictures is something that has been 'pinned.'  Many times, you can click on the picture--maybe click twice--and be brought someplace for more information, or the instructions to make, buy, create, whatever is in the picture.  I have found more craft projects and recipes than I ever will have time to do.  And yet, I continue going there for more.

If anyone wants to get an invite to Pintarest, let me know.  Contact me at outofmymind (dot) cmk (at) gmail (dot) com and I will send one to you.  You just might become an addict--or find you have more will power than you ever thought you had.  :D  Then, get back to me and tell me how you feel about Pintarest.  I'd be interested in hearing other people's thoughts on this.  Oh, and be sure to follow me if you become a member!

What Do YOU Do?

Once again, someone on Facebook put a rumor as their status update.  This one is about Facebook beginning to charge a fee for anyone who wants to continue using it, etc, etc, etc.  This rumor has been going around for quite a few years and is completely false.  (However, that being said, it wouldn't surprise me one bit if it became a pay-for-use site in the future.  Just my opinion.)  Every couple of weeks or so, one of my 'friends' will post something like this--something that is 100% false and can be proved as such by taking a quick trip to snopes.com for verification.  This type of activity used to be done by email and I would get them in my inbox regularly.  I would then point the one who sent the rumor to the proper site on the internet and let them know they were spreading false rumors. I don't get very many of those emails anymore--I think I got my message across.  With email, I was able to keep my 'chastisement' as a private affair--and the only people subjected to these rumors were the ones who got emails from the sender.  However, Facebook is much more public and I would hesitate to embarrass someone by telling them they were wrong in front of the whole world.  I realize I could just send a private message, but I don't want to embarrass anyone, even privately.

So, the questions come:  What do YOU do in a situation such as this?  Do you correct the person or wait to see if someone else does it first?  Does it matter if the person is close to you or merely an acquaintance?  I wouldn't hesitate to take one of my kids 'to the woodshed,' because they both know enough to check these things out first.  However, if a 'friend' that I have never even seen or talked to in real life does this, I don't have the nerve to correct them.  I KNOW that several people (those who sent emails in the past) have felt as if I was trying to prove my 'superior' intelligence or trying to belittle them in some way--which is/was NEVER my intent!  I don't know how to broach this subject without having it seem as if I think the other person isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer.  Suggestions?

No Words...

From notalwaysright.com:

Me: “Hello, this is ***** Healthcare line. What can I help you with?”
Caller: “Hi, I’m calling because my son just ate a bunch of ants.”
Me: “I’m sorry? Your son ate ants?”
Caller: “Yes! I was wondering if I need to take him to the hospital and see a doctor.”
Me: “Well, ma’am, I don’t think you need to worry. I don’t think the ants will make him sick, but I advise that he doesn’t eat any more of them.”
Caller: “Well, I gave him some ant killer to get rid of them.”
Caller’s friend: “Get him to the emergency room, now!”

WHOA!

I really don't want to know what kind of clientele you service if you have to put this sign in your window:

(via passiveaggressivenotes.com)

Not Always Right

I found this story on the site Not Always Right--and it made me laugh.  Hope you enjoy.

(I have albinism, so I have very pale skin, white hair, and red irises.)
Me: “Hi. What can I get for you?”
Customer: “Are…are you a vampire?”
Me: “Well, my dad is half-vampire.” *laughing*
Customer: “Please, don’t bite me.”
Me: “Ma’am, I’m not going to bite you.”
Customer: “Don’t put any blood in my food either. I don’t want to be a vampire.”
Me: “Ma’am, I’m not going to put blood in your food. I’m not a vampire. We serve regular food here.”
Customer: “Let me speak to your manager.”
(I go and get my manager, and fill him in on what’s going on.)
Customer, to my manager: “Is your vampire waitress going to bite me?”
Manager: “Only if you don’t tip her well.”
(The woman looks completely horrified, but finally ends up ordering and leaving me a 21% tip.)

How can people be so damn stupid?

Really...REALLY???

To begin with, I am not trying to pretend to be the best-dressed, most sophisticated person in the world.  Heck, I'm probably not even the best-dressed person in my extended family!  (I tend to wear yoga pants and Red Wing t-shirts the vast majority of the time.)  So, I'm really trying not to be mean with this post.

The other day I had to go shopping.  There was a snow-storm predicted--which we didn't get once again--and my pantry resembled Mother Hubbard's cupboard, only with less food in it, so I HAD to shop.  Usually when I go shopping, I begin my evening at a general merchandise store, such as Walmart--and this is where this story takes place.

I'm sure most, if not all, of us have visited the site People of Walmart.  I find much of what I see there frightening and disturbing--but I think it affects me so much because I'm very, very afraid I'll see my own picture there some day.  {shudder}  Anyway, when I was in the store the other night, I found a perfect candidate for the site.  I DIDN'T get a picture because I'm sure the woman would have beat me severely for doing so and would have taken much, much pleasure in my pain.  BUT, I think I can paint a pretty good picture with words, so here goes:

First, the woman was anywhere from the age of 35 to 85.  And however old she is, her face would STILL not look good for her age.  Her hair was straw-colored bleach blond and the 'straw' reference didn't end there--it looked as if she had never heard of conditioner.  She looked like she had visited every bar in three counties in the last two months AND smoked a carton of cigarettes in each.  She was wearing low-cut jeans.  On top, she was wearing a vest that hit her mid-thigh.  The vest was leather and, other than possibly a bra, she was not wearing anything else.  The vest only had a closure at breast-level and it was completely open the rest of the way.  Her stomach was exposed so that I got a very good look at her bread-doughy, bumpy belly/muffin top.  While she wasn't more than 10-15 pounds overweight, she was nowhere near an age that could pull off this clothing.  About the only place a woman in this age group could possible fit in would be at the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally--but nowhere else.  And the best part of all of this?  She was a Walmart employee!  No, she wasn't wearing her Walmart tunic, but she DID have her name tag on and she was organizing shelves when I saw her.  And all I can say is:  REALLY??????

Using Computers and The Interwebs

If you are reading this, then you probably know how to use the interwebs.  And if you are reading this, you probably know how to use computers.  And if both of the previous sentences are true, you more likely than not have been asked by someone to find the answer to a question by using the interwebs.  A question they can find the answer to themselves, simply by using Google.  And that is why so many computer users--geeks, as well as 'normal' people--get livid when asked to 'find' answers.

I LOVE my computer.  While I'm not a total geek, I tend towards that description.  I'm not quite as computer-savvy as I used to be--a few years ago I KNEW I could build my own computer, but I'm not so sure these days.  That being said, I do have a knowledge that a lot of my friends and family don't.  I don't mind being asked to look up information for people--especially those who don't have computers or lack the experience I have.  I've often thought that I could make money by doing searches for others, but setting something like that up would actually take time and effort, neither of which I'm willing to do.  So, I will be content to search for houses to rent in the southwest for my sister-in-law and look to see if the knife The Husband wants is still being manufactured.  I have the time to do these things and it doesn't really take away from what I may WANT to do.  However...

I do have a problem when someone asks me to find out 'why is the sky blue?' or any simple, easily Googled question such as that.  I also have a problem when someone asks me to do a search for them, but THEY are on the computer themselves for 20 hours of every day.  EXCUSE ME!?!?!?  And just why can't you do it yourself?  And, obviously, many people feel the same as I do, because there is a site that has been developed called 'Let Me Google That For You'--http://lmgtfy.com/.  This is for those people who find it more convenient to bother you with their question than Google it for themselves.  It is an easy to use, step-by-step course in how to use Google to get the answers you are seeking.  So, if you don't want to pass on this link whenever someone asks you a simple question, make sure you say--in your MOST sarcastic voice--"Just wait a second and let me Google that for you."  It might help, but I doubt it.

Fun and Laughs

This probably has been ALL over the intertubes, but I just saw it for the first time.  When you go to the Google search page and type in 'where is chuck norris' and then you hit the 'I feel lucky' button, fun and amusing things happen.

And the results are:

Google won't search for Chuck Norris because it knows you don't find Chuck Norris, he finds you.

No standard web pages containing all your search terms were found.

Your search - Chuck Norris - did not match any documents.

Suggestions:

• Run, before he finds you
• Try a different person

I got a definite chuckle over this one.  :D

I Want To Know This Person

While I haven't had a stranger make a comment about my psoriasis, several family members HAVE--and I don't care WHO makes a rude comment, it hurts.  This person is my hero--and probably had way too many rude comments made and decided to 'get back' at people who make them.  It also is very, very funny.  Via Not Always Right.

Convenience Store | North Battleford, SK, Canada

(I have psoriasis, a hereditary condition which leaves me with large red patches on my scalp. This occurs while I am waiting in line at a convenience store with a woman standing behind me.)
Customer: “What’s wrong with you?”
Me: “I beg your pardon?”
Customer: “Those ugly blotches all over your head. What do you have?”
Me: “Oh, it’s a highly contagious flesh eating disease. Very painful.”
Customer: “Oh my gosh! Really? How contagious is it?”
Me: “Well, you probably already have it.”
Customer: *rushes out of the store in a panic*

What Did We Do Without Computers/The Interweb?

Growing up, I was always told that the only people in the US with our last name were the ones in The Father's immediate family:  Him, his brothers, and their sons.  About 30 years ago, I accidentally found one more person with the same name.  He was adopted from Scandinavia, his parent were deceased, and he had one much older sister.  As of today, I can't find anyone other than him and his children--and my uncles, cousins, etc--with my maiden name here in the States.  That is freaking awesome!

Now, in Europe/Scandinavia, the story is much different--the last name seems to be more prevalent.  On Facebook, there are a number of people with the name--and there is a 'page' dedicated to everyone with the name.  When I search on FB, I'm able to find well over 100 people who have the name, whether they were born to it or married into it.  Still, it doesn't seem as if it is one of the most common names ANYWHERE in the world.  This is much, much different than having 'Johnson' or Smith' as a last name.  ;)

One thing that I have learned in my interweb travels is that there are several well-known and beloved people who have had the name through the years.  During the Finnish Revolution, there was a man who became famous because of certain battles and one city has a swimming pool and statue dedicated to a man who did much charity work.  Right now, there is a photographer who travels the world taking world-class pictures (actually, there might be two photogs) and there is a Grand Prix race car driver with the name.  Both Sweden and Finland have an abundance--relatively speaking--of people with the name.

Another very awesome thing that I found out is that there is a lake, river, mountain pass, river valley, and some mountains in the Russian Kona  peninsula with the same name.  Who would have thought?  Unfortunately, there is little to no info on WHY this area is named what it is--and I don't know how I could possibly find out.  Russia STILL isn't a fountain of info and I don't speak/read the language, so I am pretty much out of luck.

I know there are a lot of people who don't understand the fascination that genealogy holds on me.  They feel as if you should concentrate more on the here and now.  But, it gives me a connection that I never felt while growing up.  When my family came here to the States, there was a sense of putting away the past and the 'old country' wasn't talked about.  I was too young to ask questions of my great-grandparents and I never 'had' grandparents, so any sources of information were missing in my life.  (I only had one grandparent while growing up and we were never close.)  And even though I had three great-grandparents during my early years, they only spoke Finn, so I couldn't have communicated with them even if I would have thought of it.  So, with the help of the interweb, I am able to add a few more pieces to the puzzle that is my family.  And that gives me a happy.  ;) 

On Status Updates and Tweets

I got onto Facebook because I was 'bullied' by The Oldest.  Basically, she told me that a super-geek SHOULD be on Facebook.  So, being the obedient person that I am, I promptly signed up for an account.  I go there daily--several times a day, actually--to see what is happening and that is pretty much it.  I do update, but not daily.  My main reason for being there is to try and keep up with The Oldest and her family.  Period.

A lot of people, when they first go on Facebook, 'friend' everyone they can.  I would believe that the majority of Facebook users have 'friends' in the three-digit range.  I have less than 40.  But, it ISN'T because I'm unpopular.  ;)  I don't 'friend' people--instead, I wait to be asked by someone else to be their 'friend.'  It is the same way I am whenever I'm in a room full of people:  I feel as if I am intruding on other's lives, so I wait for them to seek me out.  While some people see this as arrogance on my part, it really goes more toward my low self-esteem and basic shyness.  (I know some people would NEVER believe I am shy--I'm too loud for them to see I truly am--but I don't feel comfortable around people I don't know.  I never feel as if I have anything of interest to offer, so I wait for others to come to me.)  And so it is with my Facebook experience, as well.  And that is why I only have 35+ 'friends.'

Of those friends that I DO have, most are relatives--a lot of nieces, nephews, and sons/daughters of nieces and nephews.  I have cousins and their kids 'friending' me, also.  I have, however, gotten a couple of very surprising friend requests.  The first one occurred several months back. 

A person with the same last name as my maiden name--a Finland native--contacted me and wanted to know if I was a relative of (my grandfather) and (my great-grandfather.)  He was doing some genealogy work and asked if I had any information to share--and he would share what HE had.  As it turned out, he IS a cousin several times removed and his info went back to the 1500s.  Amazing!  My Youngest is the genealogist in our family, so she was very excited to have his info.  She was able to give him recent stats that he didn't have, so all are happy.  I still keep in contact with him, to a certain extent, but it is difficult, somewhat.  Contrary to what I was led to believe, he isn't as fluent with the English language as I thought the majority of Finns are--and MY Finnish is practically non-existent.  So, we communicate a lot less frequently than I would like.

About a month ago, I got a friend request from a voice out of the past that I NEVER thought I would ever hear from again.  This woman was the first 'Navy wife' that I met when we got to Charleston after we were married.  I almost plotzed when I got the request!  We exchanged a couple of emails and keep in touch through Facebook.  The thing that stood out about her, though, is that she seems to have the same personality that she did so many years ago:  she is perky.  I don't do perky.  While I think I could be happy getting together for a day or two--they live in Ohio--I could never stand to be around her for too long without wanting to bitch slap her.  Sorry, but happy, peppy, perky people drive me insane.  Now, HOW do I know she is happy, perky, peppy?  In the last email she sent, I believe the exclamation points were more prevalent than the letters she used.  You got that right, she's an exclamation point abuser.  Oooooh boy.

Shortly after 'M' contacted me, another voice from the past requested me as a friend.  And this one floored me even more than 'M.'  He is a guy that K and I graduated with--someone who I never really got along with--actually, we didn't interact hardly ever.  We never ran in the same circles nor had many classes together.  He also was a terrible bully when we were young and he picked on me quite a bit.  So, him 'friending' me was a shock.  We haven't communicated beyond becoming friends, but I'm still surprised.  There are several other people we graduated with who I would have expected to friend me before 'E' did.

And that is my Facebook experience.  ;)

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I don't 'follow' that many more people on Twitter--only 35+.  I actually have more people following me than I follow--go figure.  I don't follow everyone there, either, as I could never keep things straight if I did.  ;)  The closest I come to following celebrities are Conan O'Brien and Brendan Shanahan (a retired hockey player.)  (Neither guy tweets very often, but they are very interesting/funny when they do.)  I spend much more time with Twitter than with Facebook, simply because I get most of my hockey news through Twitter.  I don't have very many 'real' people that I interact with on Twitter.  By that, I mean, people who I know in real life.  Other than a close online friend, the only people that 'know' me on Twitter are my Oldest and The Youngest's husband--and they are hardly ever on Twitter.  Still, I would have to add an unlimited message package to my phone account in order to get all of my tweets daily without having to pay penalties.  I believe I get between 200 and 300 tweets a day--WAY over the 200 per month that I pay for right now.  ;)  

As I said, I get most of my hockey news from Twitter--and I do most of my interacting with Wing fans there.  During games, there will be a half-dozen or more fans--and myself--tweeting updates and comments.  It is a bit easier than some of the live blogs that run during games.  Still, with only 140 characters allowed, it sometimes is hard to express yourself fully.  And that pretty much is the biggest problem with Twitter.  Yes, I know there are programs that will let you tweet longer, I just try to stay in the parameters of Twitter--it keeps me from going off on tangents like I do way too often.  ;)

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WARNING!  SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION:

So, if any of you are on Facebook or Twitter and would like to have someone else as a friend or follower, just send me an email and we will get it done.  I am ALWAYS happy to 'friend' or 'follow' someone else!  My email is:  outofmymind.cmk@gmail.com

Let's All Laugh

People have brain farts all of the time, but they definitely make for some funny reading.  Such as:

Customer: “Hi, I’m looking for a pet for my daughter. I think she’d like one of those furry things. You know, a pikachu?”
Me: *pause* “A pikachu?”
Customer: “Yeah, you know. It looks like a hamster and a rabbit put together.”
Me: “Do you mean a chinchilla?”
Customer: “Yeah! That’s it!”

And then there are those who aren't using their brain cells at all:

(When taking a call from a customer who has a trash pickup problem I usually pull up an aerial picture to see what the property configuration is.)
Me: “How may I help you sir?”
Caller: “I think the garbage truck ran over my cement pad and broke the corner.”
Me: “You mean the small pad on the north side of the driveway?”
Caller: *long pause* “Do you memorize everyone’s property?”
Me: “No, I pulled up your property on my computer and I’m looking at a picture of your front yard.”
Caller: “Wow! That’s really amazing! Wait, wait, give me a second!”
(The customer drops the phone and I can hear him calling someone as he leaves the room. About one minute later he gets back on the phone and is slightly out of breath.)
Caller: “Can you see her now?”
Me: “I’m sorry, I don’t understand?”
Caller: “My wife, my wife, she’s out on the front lawn in the white bathrobe and curlers. I can see her waving up at you!”

And we can only hope this teenage girl actually gets smarter with age:

           This takes place in New Zealand.

(A teenage girl enters the library.)
Me: “Hi, do you need help?”
Customer: “Oh, yeah, I’m looking for a book.”
Me: “Okay, are you a member of this library or any other Wellington library?”
Customer: “Oh, no, I’m here with my Mother for the US summer cause I live with Dad in Florida.”
Me: “Okay, we can sign you up to the library for free and issue you a card, the card will cost two dollars.”
Customer: “Okay.”
Me: “So, what book were you looking for?”
Customer: “Twilight. Have you heard of it? Most people in America have read it, but I’m not sure if it’s here.”
Me: “Oh, yeah, it was quite big for a while. My sister loved it.”
Customer: “Yeah, it’s my second favorite book ever, after Eclipse.”
Me: “Oh, did you leave your copy in America?”
Customer: “No, I just wanted a copy from here because everyone here has really funny accents  and I wanted to know how that would change the story.”

All of these are from Not Always Right.

The End of Blogging?

When I look back on my life, I seem to have cycles of 5-10 years where I am gung-ho about something and then my interest wanes.  Right now, my interest in blogging is getting smaller by the day--and it seems to be that way across the blogosphere.  Along with Facebook, it seems as if people I follow are less and less inclined to do many posts or status updates.  The only thing that is going strong right now is Twitter and some of the Red Wing blogs.  (I am one of the 3,967,542 Wing fans with a blog and I am seriously thinking about closing up shop.  With so many people talking about the same thing, I have next to nothing new or interesting to add to the conversation.)  I think blogging and Facebook have reached their peak and are on the downslide.  And, to a great extent, it makes me sad.  I very much enjoy the people I have gotten to 'know' online and really am interested in what is going on with them.  I would hate to lose touch with a lot of the 'imaginary, fake' friends I have come to know.  Through the years, I have lost several regular readers and often wonder what has happened to them.  And when you don't know real names, it is impossible to contact them.

I haven't decided to close this blog--I will continue on.  I'm still not sure whether I will just blog when the spirit moves me or if I will force myself to post more frequently.  Forcing myself might bring the fire back, but it also may make me hate this whole thing.  The whole thing is a dilemma that I have to work through.  Hopefully it will work out quickly.  :)

(And watch, starting tomorrow the thoughts will start pouring out of me like diarrhea and I will post multiple times per day for the next six years.  That's just the way things seem to happen, at times.  :D)

Flower X-rays

Hugh Turvey takes pictures of everyday objects--but not just ANY pictures.  The pictures he takes are of x-rays--and they are absolutely gorgeous!  At least the ones he takes of flowers.  Case in point:

 I would SO buy some of these and display them in the living room!  Here are some more of his awesome pictures:  http://trendland.net/2010/08/04/flowers-x-rays-by-hugh-turvey/

More 'Not Always Right'

Yeah, I think some people are too dumb to be allowed to reproduce.  Case in point:

(A customer walks in with 5 magazines under her arm.)
Customer: “Hi, how much does it cost to laminate one A4 page?”
Me: “That’ll be $0.10.”
Customer: “Great and um, about how many pages are in a magazine?”
Me: “I’d say about 100.”
Customer: “Great, so 100 multiplied by five is 500 hundred right?”
Me: “Yes, it is.”
Customer: “So 500 multiplied by $0.10 would be $50.00 right?”
Me: “Yes, ma’am.”
Customer: “Yeah so can you like, laminate each page in the magazine?”
Me: “Why would you want to do that?”
Customer: “So I can read them in the bath.”

via Not Always Right.