I think I need to start a new line of products (see Google Me). A couple of weeks ago, I lost my keys. We'd just come back from vacation, it was the next morning and we were rushing to get Tyler off to pre-school so that we could have some long awaited alone time. My head wasn't back to 'routine' status and I'd somehow misplaced my house and car keys - which led to a whole chain of events including a 1+ hour roundtrip to get a spare set of house keys to let us back in our home.
Mike called the car dealer to get a replacement car key and that was $90 plus an appointment with the dealer. Why do we need to book an appt.??
A week later, I lose my brand new work blackberry. As any of you who own a blackberry knows... its your lifeline. It was fairly new so I knew I'd get a lot of hassle over getting a new one.
This leads me back to... I need to start a new line of products that include a subderma GPS for all of my belongings. That clapper and whisle keychain thing they make is useless if you aren't in the same room as the object. I need a full on GPS tracking all of my stuff.
Keys, blackberry, presents I hid from my husband for 'later', bracelets, bills... all of it.
I want it to map me a pathway, tell me how long before I find the item, and indicate when I'm right on top of it.
On second thought, I don't really need to produce this line, I just need to use it. Can someone please come up with it?
As the Captain on Star Trek says, "Make it so" .
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
Sites I've found
Occasionally, I stumble of sites and bookmark them, and never - ever - check them out again. But I thought I'd post them on the blog with the hopes that I'll browse back every so often.
Here is my latest find. Moo cards, they're mini-busines cards. For those of us that are designers/photographers, this is a cool way to customize and print cheaply. For those that aren't there are pre-created designs. Overall very cool. I haven't fully checked out the site, but I'm blog-marking it for later.
And this is a cool page (so far) from Hostess with the Mostest.
Before I forget, I want to remark that evite has some cool links to blogs. That's where I found the ones above. I also found a recipe for a new twist on a 7 layer dip.
Its a bit of a mix between Ewwww and Hmmmm:
http://blog.evite.com/evite/2009/04/sweet-seven-layer-dip-recipe-yes-really.html
http://blog.evite.com/evite/2009/04/sweet-seven-layer-dip-recipe-yes-really.html
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Christening the Basement
"We did it, we did it. I have to say we did it. They said we couldn't do it. But Today, its been done." Thats a loose quote from Professor Higgins in My Fair Lady when they finally got Eliza Doolittle to speak like a lady. They danced around the room rejoicing.
That's how I feel about our basement. There is much, much more to do, but we hit a hard dent. And tonight, we had friends over and actually used the room. Tyler had a friend playing with him in there, the kids had their dessert on the picnic table. It was so cool. yea, us! lol
Which leads me to wondering.... how IS it that I accumulate so much crap? My neighbor across the street has double the kids I do, plus a dog, and has no stuff in her rooms. I have stuff in every conceivable corner. I think my stuff breeds when I'm not there. And its been proven to be bad for me - I found an expired Transit check, that's just lost money - yet I can't ever get a handle on it.
I wonder, is it some sort of gene that causes clutter-people vs neat-freak-people? Like the 15th choromosome or missing enzymes? Color blindness is hereditary, why can't clutter be? I tried all the hints and none of them work or last. Its like I yo-yo clean. One minute I'm doing all the rules, next, I'm wading through papers to get to the ringing phone. Whatever, the machine will get it. Maybe.
I hate to be messy. I sincerely try to clean. It just accumulates back immediately, like when you sqeeze a blob of goo out of a balloon, it quickly oozes back in and fills up the space.
I dunno. I gotta make a New Year's resolution to resolve to be better with my mess. Next year.
Anyhow. Guess what? my basements clean and Tyler's playing in it!
:)
That's how I feel about our basement. There is much, much more to do, but we hit a hard dent. And tonight, we had friends over and actually used the room. Tyler had a friend playing with him in there, the kids had their dessert on the picnic table. It was so cool. yea, us! lol
Which leads me to wondering.... how IS it that I accumulate so much crap? My neighbor across the street has double the kids I do, plus a dog, and has no stuff in her rooms. I have stuff in every conceivable corner. I think my stuff breeds when I'm not there. And its been proven to be bad for me - I found an expired Transit check, that's just lost money - yet I can't ever get a handle on it.
I wonder, is it some sort of gene that causes clutter-people vs neat-freak-people? Like the 15th choromosome or missing enzymes? Color blindness is hereditary, why can't clutter be? I tried all the hints and none of them work or last. Its like I yo-yo clean. One minute I'm doing all the rules, next, I'm wading through papers to get to the ringing phone. Whatever, the machine will get it. Maybe.
I hate to be messy. I sincerely try to clean. It just accumulates back immediately, like when you sqeeze a blob of goo out of a balloon, it quickly oozes back in and fills up the space.
I dunno. I gotta make a New Year's resolution to resolve to be better with my mess. Next year.
Anyhow. Guess what? my basements clean and Tyler's playing in it!
:)
BBC Book List
Here is another one of those FB posts that are running rampant. I'm putting this one on here to share, and again, not have to post on my page. Enjoy!
The BBC believes most people will have only read 6 of the 100 books here. How do your reading habits stack up?
Instructions:Look at the list, copy it and put an 'x' after those you have read.
1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen ()
2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien ()
3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte ()
4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling ()
5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee ()
6 The Bible - () only some
7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte ()
8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell ()
9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman ()
10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens ()
11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott ()
12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy ()
13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller ()
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare ()
15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier ()
16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien ()
17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulk ()
18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger ()
19 The Time Traveller’s Wife - Audrey Niffenegger ()
20 Middlemarch - George Eliot ()
21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell ()
22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald ()
23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens ()
24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy ()
25 The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams ()
26 Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh ()
27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky ()
28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck ()
29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll ()
30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame ()
31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy ()
32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens ()
33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis ()
34 Emma - Jane Austen ()35 Persuasion - Jane Austen ()
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis ()
37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini - ()
38 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres ()
39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden ()
40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne ()
41 Animal Farm - George Orwell ()
42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown ()
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez ()
44 A Prayer for Owen Meany - John Irving ()
45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins ()
46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery ()
47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy ()
48 The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood ()
49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding ()
50 Atonement - Ian McEwan ()
51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel ()
52 Dune - Frank Herbert ()
53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons ()
54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen ()
55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth ()
The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon ()
57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens ()
58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley ()
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon ()
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez ()
61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck ()
62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov ()
63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt ()
64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold ()
65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas ()
66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac ()
67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy ()
68 Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding ()
69 Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie ()
70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville ()
71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens ()
72 Dracula - Bram Stoker ()
73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett ()
74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson ()
75 Ulysses - James Joyce ()
76 The Inferno - Dante ()
77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome ()
78 Germinal - Emile Zola ()
79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray ()
80 Possession - AS Byatt ()
81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens ()
82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell ()
83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker ()
84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro ()
85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert ()
86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry ()
87 Charlotte’s Web - EB White ()
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom (x
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle ()
90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton ()
91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad ()
92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery ()
93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks ()
94 Watership Down - Richard Adams ()
95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole ()
96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute ()
97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas ()
98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare ()
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl ()
100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo ()
The BBC believes most people will have only read 6 of the 100 books here. How do your reading habits stack up?
Instructions:Look at the list, copy it and put an 'x' after those you have read.
1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen ()
2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien ()
3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte ()
4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling ()
5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee ()
6 The Bible - () only some
7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte ()
8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell ()
9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman ()
10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens ()
11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott ()
12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy ()
13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller ()
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare ()
15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier ()
16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien ()
17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulk ()
18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger ()
19 The Time Traveller’s Wife - Audrey Niffenegger ()
20 Middlemarch - George Eliot ()
21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell ()
22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald ()
23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens ()
24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy ()
25 The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams ()
26 Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh ()
27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky ()
28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck ()
29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll ()
30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame ()
31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy ()
32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens ()
33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis ()
34 Emma - Jane Austen ()35 Persuasion - Jane Austen ()
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis ()
37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini - ()
38 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres ()
39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden ()
40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne ()
41 Animal Farm - George Orwell ()
42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown ()
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez ()
44 A Prayer for Owen Meany - John Irving ()
45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins ()
46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery ()
47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy ()
48 The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood ()
49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding ()
50 Atonement - Ian McEwan ()
51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel ()
52 Dune - Frank Herbert ()
53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons ()
54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen ()
55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth ()
The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon ()
57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens ()
58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley ()
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon ()
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez ()
61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck ()
62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov ()
63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt ()
64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold ()
65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas ()
66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac ()
67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy ()
68 Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding ()
69 Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie ()
70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville ()
71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens ()
72 Dracula - Bram Stoker ()
73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett ()
74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson ()
75 Ulysses - James Joyce ()
76 The Inferno - Dante ()
77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome ()
78 Germinal - Emile Zola ()
79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray ()
80 Possession - AS Byatt ()
81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens ()
82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell ()
83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker ()
84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro ()
85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert ()
86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry ()
87 Charlotte’s Web - EB White ()
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom (x
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle ()
90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton ()
91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad ()
92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery ()
93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks ()
94 Watership Down - Richard Adams ()
95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole ()
96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute ()
97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas ()
98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare ()
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl ()
100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo ()
Friday, February 20, 2009
Linda Needs
I keep getting tagged in FB and rather than torturing everyone with a million posts, I thought I'd do it here. I still think they're fun.
Here’s how it works: Google “[your first name] needs” and share the first 10 results That's it: it is that simple. But be honest! These are actual quotes from the top ten results. Tag the person who tagged you, and pass it on...So here's my google search results (my comment follow the hyphen):
Linda Needs...
1) to be part of a loving, committed marriage - I am
2) mental health - bahahahahaha
3) as much free space at the front of a platform as possible - huh?
4) a new best friend -hey, I need all the friends I can get. lol
5) a tech makeover - er... okaaaaay
6) a fresh perspective - I can always use that
7) our help - ha ha ha ha ha
8) an extraordinary meeting /Aruba - oh yeah, I need Aruba, baby
9) Prayer and encouragement - wow. get to work, folks.
and finally,
10) linda split up with her boyfriend and shes now single if anyone wants her you know what to do hehe. - um... that one really, really doesn't fit.
Here’s how it works: Google “[your first name] needs” and share the first 10 results That's it: it is that simple. But be honest! These are actual quotes from the top ten results. Tag the person who tagged you, and pass it on...So here's my google search results (my comment follow the hyphen):
Linda Needs...
1) to be part of a loving, committed marriage - I am
2) mental health - bahahahahaha
3) as much free space at the front of a platform as possible - huh?
4) a new best friend -hey, I need all the friends I can get. lol
5) a tech makeover - er... okaaaaay
6) a fresh perspective - I can always use that
7) our help - ha ha ha ha ha
8) an extraordinary meeting /Aruba - oh yeah, I need Aruba, baby
9) Prayer and encouragement - wow. get to work, folks.
and finally,
10) linda split up with her boyfriend and shes now single if anyone wants her you know what to do hehe. - um... that one really, really doesn't fit.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Google Me
I have so much to do that blogging should not even be on the list. But I had a thought this morning and really wanted to put this down, before I forget it.
I think someone out there needs to create something that can Google my head. After motherhood, my memory has deteriorated so badly, I can't remember people's names when I'm looking right at them. Or what a food is called that I'm eating. I find myself logging onto Google for daily reminders all the time. "What did I see that actress in before?" - when I'm watching TV. Did I use butter or cream? - when I'm cooking. I don't bother trying to remember anymore, I just Google it, because the file cabinets in my head are full.
Thinking about that made me realize that I need more. I need it for my personal life, not just what is interesting and common to all the other web users. I need a search engine for my brain. For instance, "Where did I put my keys?" I blink and a chip just filters through all the mess and comes up with: Right pocket, brown coat. And extra links will offer, Coat in: Hall closet.
Or I'm staring at some child from daycare and their parents are talking to me and I quickly, invisibly, Google my head for Linda's images and a pic of the kid pops up with "Marcus, age 2 yrs, 8 months" under it, and I continue my conversation, "yes, Marcus has gotten so big, too! But he's nearly 3".
I may pay extra to have the "Google My Office" so that when I go on vacation, I can truly check out and not have to remember work stuff at all. When I return and someone says, "How much are you spending on all of your designers?" I can Google my head in the Office app for Budgets; Designers. Or if my boss askes, " What is the corporate policy on using the Brand in advertisements?" I can Google my Office head and check out the sublinks for Branding, Trade Advertising, Policies & Restrictions and ::poof:: I seem so caught up and in the moment. When in reality, I was still playing in the snow with my son.
But someone please come up with it soon, my cells are decreasing as we speak.
I think someone out there needs to create something that can Google my head. After motherhood, my memory has deteriorated so badly, I can't remember people's names when I'm looking right at them. Or what a food is called that I'm eating. I find myself logging onto Google for daily reminders all the time. "What did I see that actress in before?" - when I'm watching TV. Did I use butter or cream? - when I'm cooking. I don't bother trying to remember anymore, I just Google it, because the file cabinets in my head are full.
Thinking about that made me realize that I need more. I need it for my personal life, not just what is interesting and common to all the other web users. I need a search engine for my brain. For instance, "Where did I put my keys?" I blink and a chip just filters through all the mess and comes up with: Right pocket, brown coat. And extra links will offer, Coat in: Hall closet.
Or I'm staring at some child from daycare and their parents are talking to me and I quickly, invisibly, Google my head for Linda's images and a pic of the kid pops up with "Marcus, age 2 yrs, 8 months" under it, and I continue my conversation, "yes, Marcus has gotten so big, too! But he's nearly 3".
I may pay extra to have the "Google My Office" so that when I go on vacation, I can truly check out and not have to remember work stuff at all. When I return and someone says, "How much are you spending on all of your designers?" I can Google my head in the Office app for Budgets; Designers. Or if my boss askes, " What is the corporate policy on using the Brand in advertisements?" I can Google my Office head and check out the sublinks for Branding, Trade Advertising, Policies & Restrictions and ::poof:: I seem so caught up and in the moment. When in reality, I was still playing in the snow with my son.
But someone please come up with it soon, my cells are decreasing as we speak.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Day 3 of my Renewal - To Buy or Not To Buy
Its been uneventful. Nothing to report, but I feel like I should chronical the experience.
Mike's sick with a tummy virus. Tyler was up screaming all night. I slept a little over 2 hours and I was cranky this morning.
But my To Do list is being cracked. I started on the basement. I gathered up 2 large garbage bags of old suits, silk dresses, coats, etc. for good will - or some other charity. I threw away about 3 feet of stacked magazines that Meredith and David S. had left for me. I packed away old baby toys for Linda's twins. I was a busy bee.
That was about an hour.
I confess. I sneaked in some Scrabble and Word Challenge, today, too.
Then I dragged Mike to Costco. And there :::blinggg::: I saw the Acer and HP minis. I LOVE them. So cute and compact - why, rather like myself, I'd say. And they were so cheap! My old laptop broke with out any warning. I was devastated since I had 4 really in-depth work documents due imminently, that I had to do over from scratch. But I also lost MP3s, photos, movies of the little guy, and who knows what else.
Back to the Minis. Love them! They were pretty lightweight. As luck would have it, on the next aisle was the Verizon girl. So I popped over there to ask about the wireless modem plan. Its $60/month. Ouch. Its not a fortune, but more than I'd wanted to spend, especially with that announcement of no raises or bonuses for TWO years.
So I'm doing some creative math in my head. If I cancel the NY Sports membership that I don't use, I can afford to buy the modem package for added sedentarianism (I made that word up, but sounds pretty high-falutin' doesn't it?). So I'm really, really considering it. Whats a little more jiggle to the wiggle?
I have to look up both models and see the + and minus'. Someone talk me out of it! --- or not. ;)
Mike's sick with a tummy virus. Tyler was up screaming all night. I slept a little over 2 hours and I was cranky this morning.
But my To Do list is being cracked. I started on the basement. I gathered up 2 large garbage bags of old suits, silk dresses, coats, etc. for good will - or some other charity. I threw away about 3 feet of stacked magazines that Meredith and David S. had left for me. I packed away old baby toys for Linda's twins. I was a busy bee.
That was about an hour.
I confess. I sneaked in some Scrabble and Word Challenge, today, too.
Then I dragged Mike to Costco. And there :::blinggg::: I saw the Acer and HP minis. I LOVE them. So cute and compact - why, rather like myself, I'd say. And they were so cheap! My old laptop broke with out any warning. I was devastated since I had 4 really in-depth work documents due imminently, that I had to do over from scratch. But I also lost MP3s, photos, movies of the little guy, and who knows what else.
Back to the Minis. Love them! They were pretty lightweight. As luck would have it, on the next aisle was the Verizon girl. So I popped over there to ask about the wireless modem plan. Its $60/month. Ouch. Its not a fortune, but more than I'd wanted to spend, especially with that announcement of no raises or bonuses for TWO years.
So I'm doing some creative math in my head. If I cancel the NY Sports membership that I don't use, I can afford to buy the modem package for added sedentarianism (I made that word up, but sounds pretty high-falutin' doesn't it?). So I'm really, really considering it. Whats a little more jiggle to the wiggle?
I have to look up both models and see the + and minus'. Someone talk me out of it! --- or not. ;)
The New Lesbians
When I was growing up, there was only one kind of lesbian. They had short hair, masculine swaggers, acted like men, and dressed in androgenous clothing. You could spot them from a mile away - well, except for those that you thought were just men.
Then, as I got older, we heard more and more about the Lipstick lesbian. They were hot, beautiful women - the kind that men fantasize about introducing to their girlfriends for a night. They not only wore lipstick and all other kinds of make-up, but they could 'pass'. No one walking by would know they liked women.
I was curious if there was a name for the non-hottie lesbian and the non-manly lesbian. (I won't go into why since that directly invades some else's privacy). And sure enough, there is a third label commonly known as the Neutral lesbian. They're the in-between as far as looks/actions/activities go. I've been referring to the term as Lesbian Neutral. Kind of applies to lots of things - in my case, it doesn't matter to me if you are or if you aren't. Anyhow--- good to know the proper term.
As I was researching, I came upon an entire subculture within the subculture.
Lately lesbians are classing themselves no longer just by their looks, but by their hobbies, thier food preferences and so much more. There are vegetarian lesbians - who are generally into the whole organic thing and they all like to hang with each other and do composting or something crunchy like that. There are 'mommy' lesbians, who all gather in playgroups with their kids almost to the exclusion of the hetero. There are gardening lesbians, who also congregate to discusss planting, seasonality, etc. (I really don't know anything about gardening, having a black thumb, so I'm moving quickly away from that topic). I was reading these articles and came to the conclusion that the commonality between these self-defined 'classes' is the group dynamic. They don't just label themselves. They gather. They socialize. And they do it within these really small niches.
I'm sure this is a blatant generalization of all things lesbian. But, as I was reading, I found it mildly interesting - worthy of a blog - mainly because we don't classify ourselves based on either gender nor sexual preference in any other grouping. There aren't the hetero gardeners who mainly hang out with other gardeners and you non-planters be damned. Or book readers, or cooks, or wine connosieurs. I mean, there are groups that hang out, but these people also socialize with people who have other interests, many of them overlapping. In any non-all lesbian setting, you'll find perhaps only one person who's a vegetarian and they often are in the company of carnivores.
Of course this leads to a million other questions that I have but will table because I'm not that curious to spend time looking up more stuff and probably wouldn't find real answers anyway. However, its interesting in a social observation sort of way.
Then, as I got older, we heard more and more about the Lipstick lesbian. They were hot, beautiful women - the kind that men fantasize about introducing to their girlfriends for a night. They not only wore lipstick and all other kinds of make-up, but they could 'pass'. No one walking by would know they liked women.
I was curious if there was a name for the non-hottie lesbian and the non-manly lesbian. (I won't go into why since that directly invades some else's privacy). And sure enough, there is a third label commonly known as the Neutral lesbian. They're the in-between as far as looks/actions/activities go. I've been referring to the term as Lesbian Neutral. Kind of applies to lots of things - in my case, it doesn't matter to me if you are or if you aren't. Anyhow--- good to know the proper term.
As I was researching, I came upon an entire subculture within the subculture.
Lately lesbians are classing themselves no longer just by their looks, but by their hobbies, thier food preferences and so much more. There are vegetarian lesbians - who are generally into the whole organic thing and they all like to hang with each other and do composting or something crunchy like that. There are 'mommy' lesbians, who all gather in playgroups with their kids almost to the exclusion of the hetero. There are gardening lesbians, who also congregate to discusss planting, seasonality, etc. (I really don't know anything about gardening, having a black thumb, so I'm moving quickly away from that topic). I was reading these articles and came to the conclusion that the commonality between these self-defined 'classes' is the group dynamic. They don't just label themselves. They gather. They socialize. And they do it within these really small niches.
I'm sure this is a blatant generalization of all things lesbian. But, as I was reading, I found it mildly interesting - worthy of a blog - mainly because we don't classify ourselves based on either gender nor sexual preference in any other grouping. There aren't the hetero gardeners who mainly hang out with other gardeners and you non-planters be damned. Or book readers, or cooks, or wine connosieurs. I mean, there are groups that hang out, but these people also socialize with people who have other interests, many of them overlapping. In any non-all lesbian setting, you'll find perhaps only one person who's a vegetarian and they often are in the company of carnivores.
Of course this leads to a million other questions that I have but will table because I'm not that curious to spend time looking up more stuff and probably wouldn't find real answers anyway. However, its interesting in a social observation sort of way.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Blogger Discovery
I discovered a new feature available to Bloggers . Its these free backgrounds that make them look like scrapbooking pages. I could have searched them all night, but then I realized that I'd forget the ones I liked after looking at 50 pages, so I settled on one and went with it.
Of course, it comes with a permanent advertisement for the site, smack-dab on your page. I guess that's ok. That's how I found it anyway. I'm not one of those who won't carry a Louis Vitton bag because there are LVs all over it. I don't carry them, because I don't see spending that much money for a purse that I don't have the money to carry in it.
I love my new background. I'll try not to obnoxiously change it every other day.
Of course, it comes with a permanent advertisement for the site, smack-dab on your page. I guess that's ok. That's how I found it anyway. I'm not one of those who won't carry a Louis Vitton bag because there are LVs all over it. I don't carry them, because I don't see spending that much money for a purse that I don't have the money to carry in it.
I love my new background. I'll try not to obnoxiously change it every other day.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
There will be times like this...(a.k.a. the poop posting)
Overall, I love being a mom. I can have the worse day and his face just lights me up like a warm, cozy fire during a blizzard.
And then there is tonight. Tyler had his first bout of real constipation at 2 3/4 years old. It was the most heart wrenching thing to have sit by and watch. He screamed as if he was in such sharp pain. His entire little body arched. I watched him, leaning over the edge of the sofa, bent doubled, toes so raised that he was barely on the ground at all. He looked at me in terror, eyes wet, screaming, "mommmmmeeeee, I have booboo in my diaper!".
I was pained.
He looked over at his grandmother, pleadingly, "Nana! I haaaaave booooo booooo!" She looked pained. She offered to take the boo boo away so that he wouldn't feel it. I would have gladly.
The end result is, we had to go get him medicine and insert it. That wasn't fun. He didn't like it either. He was so sad, just laying on us between excruciating screaming. And, finally, he got relief.
I guess my lesson in all of this is that there will be more. This is the first of many times where he will be upset or hurt and we will not be able to take it away. It will rip at my heart and I will want to step into his skin, or into his head and take it away. But I will have to sit back and let the pain ride its way out of him. And each time, it will be sore.
Thats all part of what I signed up for.
And then there is tonight. Tyler had his first bout of real constipation at 2 3/4 years old. It was the most heart wrenching thing to have sit by and watch. He screamed as if he was in such sharp pain. His entire little body arched. I watched him, leaning over the edge of the sofa, bent doubled, toes so raised that he was barely on the ground at all. He looked at me in terror, eyes wet, screaming, "mommmmmeeeee, I have booboo in my diaper!".
I was pained.
He looked over at his grandmother, pleadingly, "Nana! I haaaaave booooo booooo!" She looked pained. She offered to take the boo boo away so that he wouldn't feel it. I would have gladly.
The end result is, we had to go get him medicine and insert it. That wasn't fun. He didn't like it either. He was so sad, just laying on us between excruciating screaming. And, finally, he got relief.
I guess my lesson in all of this is that there will be more. This is the first of many times where he will be upset or hurt and we will not be able to take it away. It will rip at my heart and I will want to step into his skin, or into his head and take it away. But I will have to sit back and let the pain ride its way out of him. And each time, it will be sore.
Thats all part of what I signed up for.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Renewal - Day 1
I thought I'd blog about my Renewal experience. But if the rest of my days are like this one, it will be a snore of a read. Thank God that Thanksgiving is coming up, otherwise, I'm afraid that my rapidly spreading butt would be fused to the sofa.
Today I napped for 3 hours. No baby (he was in daycare). No guilt (I can do it tomorrow - clean, cook, email, rake... whatever).
Then I spent... oh.... the rest of the day on FaceBook. I think I played Word Challenge. I'm pretty sure I played Word Challenge. I played Scrabble. I didn't even get up to eat lunch.
Overall, Renewal is a wonderful thing. You get 4 weeks off and they encourage you to add at least one week more. You are not allowed to check email or voicemail. You are not to have contact with co-workers unless its just for fun. Its great. When this was announced, people did wonderful, soul enriching things like working as missionaries in Africa, build homes in Habitat for Humanities, help rebuild New Orleans.
Me? I plan to clean out my basement. I have a couple of side things planned like going to see Thomas the Tank Engine with my family. But, mostly, non-lofty plans. How lame.
But I'm ok with that. I think this time is for me to do what I want, and I'm going to do that.
:)
Today I napped for 3 hours. No baby (he was in daycare). No guilt (I can do it tomorrow - clean, cook, email, rake... whatever).
Then I spent... oh.... the rest of the day on FaceBook. I think I played Word Challenge. I'm pretty sure I played Word Challenge. I played Scrabble. I didn't even get up to eat lunch.
Overall, Renewal is a wonderful thing. You get 4 weeks off and they encourage you to add at least one week more. You are not allowed to check email or voicemail. You are not to have contact with co-workers unless its just for fun. Its great. When this was announced, people did wonderful, soul enriching things like working as missionaries in Africa, build homes in Habitat for Humanities, help rebuild New Orleans.
Me? I plan to clean out my basement. I have a couple of side things planned like going to see Thomas the Tank Engine with my family. But, mostly, non-lofty plans. How lame.
But I'm ok with that. I think this time is for me to do what I want, and I'm going to do that.
:)
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Grammaticalifragilistic Expialidotious!
For some reason, this year I've suddenly lost the ability to determine which words I use in what instances.
I'm not a complete dolt. I still get the your/you're, there/they're/their and pair/pare type of uses.
But suddenly - and its truly suddenly because I swear, I knew last month - I can't tell you if I'm 'lost' in the woods, at a 'loss' for words, or should I use 'lossed' - er... Is that even a word? Maybe. Maybe not. I have no clue anymore!
And to 'insure' my continued confusion, I was 'ensured' that this may be all a part of Mommy-brain. Great.
I know the definition of these words. And I'm fairly certain I know the context to use them. I friggin graduated at the to 5% of my class for Pete's sake. But as soon as I go to put fingers to keyboard, its gone. Gone like a Snickers bar left in front of a fat kid on the playground. :::Poof:::
Mommy-brain sucks. I don't have the energy to explain Mommy-brain for all of you who don't know. Maybe that's for another blog entry - could be, but I'll forget, I'm sure.
If Brunetta sees this, she'll say it's payback for relentlessly making fun of her when she told me to 'bare' right to get to her house.
I'm not a complete dolt. I still get the your/you're, there/they're/their and pair/pare type of uses.
But suddenly - and its truly suddenly because I swear, I knew last month - I can't tell you if I'm 'lost' in the woods, at a 'loss' for words, or should I use 'lossed' - er... Is that even a word? Maybe. Maybe not. I have no clue anymore!
And to 'insure' my continued confusion, I was 'ensured' that this may be all a part of Mommy-brain. Great.
I know the definition of these words. And I'm fairly certain I know the context to use them. I friggin graduated at the to 5% of my class for Pete's sake. But as soon as I go to put fingers to keyboard, its gone. Gone like a Snickers bar left in front of a fat kid on the playground. :::Poof:::
Mommy-brain sucks. I don't have the energy to explain Mommy-brain for all of you who don't know. Maybe that's for another blog entry - could be, but I'll forget, I'm sure.
If Brunetta sees this, she'll say it's payback for relentlessly making fun of her when she told me to 'bare' right to get to her house.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
SomeEcard... responses
Based on my last posts, Chris sent this to me. LOL
It cracked me up so I had to post it.
It cracked me up so I had to post it.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Pre-Renewal
I'm going on Renewal next week. This week I've been breaking out in hives. Renewal is 4 weeks of continuous paid vacation for working here for a long, long time. Its a perk, definitely. But the weeks leading up to it are stressful as anything.
I just spoke to someone in sales who went on renewal. She said, "what stress?"
She didn't have to set up staff to do her job while she was out. She must not have had to create documents and processes in place in order to go. She probably didn't have to constantly hear how her leaving was going to be such a hardship on everyone else (even if it wasn't true). She just turned off her voicemail, set up her out of office and left.
I have had hives for the past few days. I'm stressing about everything and the people at work aren't helping. They probably don't realize they're being unsupportive. Or maybe they're jealous that they aren't going - though I doubt it, they'll have their turn. Maybe its me. ?? Maybe I should just chuck whatever doesn't get done and not worry about it. Let the chips fall wherever they land.
It just sucks that I have to be this stressed out in order to have the bonus weeks off that everyone here is entitled to at this point in their jobs. And the thing that really sucks is that, from the people I've spoken to, they aren't. Maybe they just don't work in my department. lol.
Maybe I just need to go play Word Challenge and stop thinking about work so that I can stop these welts of hives that are erupting on my arm.
I just spoke to someone in sales who went on renewal. She said, "what stress?"
She didn't have to set up staff to do her job while she was out. She must not have had to create documents and processes in place in order to go. She probably didn't have to constantly hear how her leaving was going to be such a hardship on everyone else (even if it wasn't true). She just turned off her voicemail, set up her out of office and left.
I have had hives for the past few days. I'm stressing about everything and the people at work aren't helping. They probably don't realize they're being unsupportive. Or maybe they're jealous that they aren't going - though I doubt it, they'll have their turn. Maybe its me. ?? Maybe I should just chuck whatever doesn't get done and not worry about it. Let the chips fall wherever they land.
It just sucks that I have to be this stressed out in order to have the bonus weeks off that everyone here is entitled to at this point in their jobs. And the thing that really sucks is that, from the people I've spoken to, they aren't. Maybe they just don't work in my department. lol.
Maybe I just need to go play Word Challenge and stop thinking about work so that I can stop these welts of hives that are erupting on my arm.
Linda is
When Alana showed me her 'wall' on FaceBook, I thought, "how strange that this guy speaks of himself in third person - what kind of weirdo does that?" Apparently, ALL the weirdos, since that's how their site works.
So, here is a list of things I'd like to post on MY wall, but thought... Hmmm, I'll really sound like a crazy person now- but just mentally add LOL after each. and to cover myself further, none are meant with any malicious intent:
Linda feels a little like a serial killer speaking in third person.
Linda doesn't get; L'il Blue Coves, Rainforest, pillowfights or pokes. (Or any of them, really).
Linda just burst a pimple in her earlobe that's been killing her.
Linda got her period.
Linda doesn't want to meet you for lunch/dinner/drinks/shopping because all she wants to do is catch up on sleep.
Linda doesn't get people recommending Friends when the recommender isn't friends with that person.
Linda doesn't have a clue who these people are who're requesting Friend(ship) but in the spirit - what the heck?
Linda feels a bit like an old lady playing on her kid's site.
Linda is checking status so much that the computer is now logging on all by itself.
Linda DOES use LOL too much. (This one may go up there for real).
So, here is a list of things I'd like to post on MY wall, but thought... Hmmm, I'll really sound like a crazy person now- but just mentally add LOL after each. and to cover myself further, none are meant with any malicious intent:
Linda feels a little like a serial killer speaking in third person.
Linda doesn't get; L'il Blue Coves, Rainforest, pillowfights or pokes. (Or any of them, really).
Linda just burst a pimple in her earlobe that's been killing her.
Linda got her period.
Linda doesn't want to meet you for lunch/dinner/drinks/shopping because all she wants to do is catch up on sleep.
Linda doesn't get people recommending Friends when the recommender isn't friends with that person.
Linda doesn't have a clue who these people are who're requesting Friend(ship) but in the spirit - what the heck?
Linda feels a bit like an old lady playing on her kid's site.
Linda is checking status so much that the computer is now logging on all by itself.
Linda DOES use LOL too much. (This one may go up there for real).
Friday, November 7, 2008
Joined the Social Networking Wave
True, the wave has pretty much slowed to a swell (to continue the lame metaphor) but it took me years and a lot of resistance. Even when all those around me flocked, I kept blissfully ignorant of the inner workings. I didn't want anyone IN MySpace, nor did I want to be Twittered, nor my Face on any Book, and who needs one more Friend(ster)?
Well, I succombed. Alana came over and showed me the joys and perils of the social network experience, and I'm now horribly addicted. Much of this I can do anywhere else, but somehow, this crazy Facebook just pulls me in. Its hypnotic.
It started innocently enough. I wanted to FaceDouble* my husband because people always stop us to tell him what celebrity he looks like. (Well, more so before he shaved his head). And you had to join to FaceDouble. So I did. I FDed everyone I had photos of. From every angle.
Then it moved to checking notifications (and if you're not on, none of this means anything to you - count yourself lucky), creating and scanning Flairs, Word Challenge - oh the addiction of WC - yikes (WC may require its own blog entry). Now I'm going on every few hours to see if any of my Friends have put in their words in Scrabble.
Oh, look, I can FaceBook on my Blackberry. Great :::I say this dripping with sarcasm, but we both know, in my heart, I'm more like: GREAT!:::
I'm probably going to require an intervention to get me off.
*Note: since this original posting, I found out that you can just go to the FaceDouble site. Who knew.
Well, I succombed. Alana came over and showed me the joys and perils of the social network experience, and I'm now horribly addicted. Much of this I can do anywhere else, but somehow, this crazy Facebook just pulls me in. Its hypnotic.
It started innocently enough. I wanted to FaceDouble* my husband because people always stop us to tell him what celebrity he looks like. (Well, more so before he shaved his head). And you had to join to FaceDouble. So I did. I FDed everyone I had photos of. From every angle.
Then it moved to checking notifications (and if you're not on, none of this means anything to you - count yourself lucky), creating and scanning Flairs, Word Challenge - oh the addiction of WC - yikes (WC may require its own blog entry). Now I'm going on every few hours to see if any of my Friends have put in their words in Scrabble.
Oh, look, I can FaceBook on my Blackberry. Great :::I say this dripping with sarcasm, but we both know, in my heart, I'm more like: GREAT!:::
I'm probably going to require an intervention to get me off.
*Note: since this original posting, I found out that you can just go to the FaceDouble site. Who knew.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Planning (a short story, of sorts)
Drew waited all weekend to go back to school. He subconsciously fiddled with his hoodie string, leaning over the curb every few seconds, anxiously waiting for the bus. As he got on, he replayed it again in his head. He knew exactly what he was going to do when he saw Julie.
He'd calculated, planned and rehearsed, anticipating every moment to counter anything she'd do. Other people got ready, Drew got tactical. That was what he was best at. Some called him neurotic and anal. That's just how he was.
Drew was never a spontaneous guy. Doing things on the fly was of no interest to him. He was methodical in everything he did, from making his bed to drawing a sketch. Precision and care were his watchwords.
It didn't bother him that kids in school snickered at his stiffly starched jeans or his clean, bright white sneakers. He didn't care that kids in class raised their eyebrows at his color coded notes. He actually never noticed that he was any more careful or thought things out any more than anyone else. But to be honest, he rarely noticed what anyone else thought of him.
He noticed Julie, though. Drew tried to pinpoint the exact moment - was it a movement that struck him? Was it something he heard in her voice? The sound of her laugh? Was it the tell-tale sign of trying not to make eye contact but looking back to see if he was looking at her?
Could have been all of these things. Could have been none. He noticed her, though, and made note of it. He wouldn't act until he was certain that he read all the signs correctly. He was not going to misstep. He was not going to make a fool of himself, either - not that pride would stand in his way of what he had to do. He was, as you know, calculated and precise.
Over the past weeks, he planned a carefully mapped out course for following her and watching her, he had to be sure. Reconnaissance, he called it. And if he was wrong, that's ok. Julie was easy on the eyes. There were worse things to do than spend days watching her, taking pictures of her. She had this quiet beauty about her that even she did not recognize. Which probably made her appealing to Drew, and unnoticed by everyone else. She hid in the background. She had a small group of friends, but she was still somewhat alone. They had much in common, people that mattered notice Drew, otherwise, he blended in with the walls - which was exactly how he wanted it.
Drew wasn't sure if he hoped he was right about her signals or not. If things went as planned, after this he would be different. This one action would change his life. You can't go back and get a do-over. The one thing you can't plan on is someone else's reaction. What's that boxing analogy? It would be a critical mistake if he bobbed when she was weaving. Either way, he needed to be certain before he approached her. After these weeks of shadowing her, he sure he was. Still, for the first time, he was nervous. He checked his palms and wiped the sweat on a handiwipe from his backpack. His own nervousness unnerved him.
But he pushed it back as the bus pulled in. He needed to have a clear head. He needed to assess how many other kids were around. He needed a clear path in, and possibly out. He needed to read her signs one last time before doing anything. He needed, most of all, to be sure.
He stepped off the bus and saw her by the football field. To the left, her friends were quickly walking away from the school, waving as they headed out toward the smoking area. The bell would ring in a few minutes so they didn't have much time. To the right, kids were greeting each other, filing into the school. Some nodded and waved to Drew.
Drew took all of it in. He wanted to remember this moment. Julie looked over at the kids all flowing into the school like ants heading to a fallen piece of candy. She casually pulled out her cell phone, uncharacteristically grinned slightly to herself. He watched her dark bangs fall forward and dip below her eyes, covering her face as she started to text. Drew knew he needed to act now or he'd lose the moment.
He ran toward her.
He ran at full speed, arms pumping, heart pounding. He rushed at her as if his life depended on it. Actually, everyone's life depended on it - everyone heading into the school, anyway. He crashed into the center of her body - full force. His right hand out, grabbing the cell phone, making sure to keep it open so that it wouldn't activate the code she'd inputted. His left hand moving around to press her arms down. He used his body to pin her as immobile as possible. He felt as if he was moving in slow motion, but it took only seconds to tackle and cuff her. He was precise, just as he was in his planning this case.
He'd calculated, planned and rehearsed, anticipating every moment to counter anything she'd do. Other people got ready, Drew got tactical. That was what he was best at. Some called him neurotic and anal. That's just how he was.
Drew was never a spontaneous guy. Doing things on the fly was of no interest to him. He was methodical in everything he did, from making his bed to drawing a sketch. Precision and care were his watchwords.
It didn't bother him that kids in school snickered at his stiffly starched jeans or his clean, bright white sneakers. He didn't care that kids in class raised their eyebrows at his color coded notes. He actually never noticed that he was any more careful or thought things out any more than anyone else. But to be honest, he rarely noticed what anyone else thought of him.
He noticed Julie, though. Drew tried to pinpoint the exact moment - was it a movement that struck him? Was it something he heard in her voice? The sound of her laugh? Was it the tell-tale sign of trying not to make eye contact but looking back to see if he was looking at her?
Could have been all of these things. Could have been none. He noticed her, though, and made note of it. He wouldn't act until he was certain that he read all the signs correctly. He was not going to misstep. He was not going to make a fool of himself, either - not that pride would stand in his way of what he had to do. He was, as you know, calculated and precise.
Over the past weeks, he planned a carefully mapped out course for following her and watching her, he had to be sure. Reconnaissance, he called it. And if he was wrong, that's ok. Julie was easy on the eyes. There were worse things to do than spend days watching her, taking pictures of her. She had this quiet beauty about her that even she did not recognize. Which probably made her appealing to Drew, and unnoticed by everyone else. She hid in the background. She had a small group of friends, but she was still somewhat alone. They had much in common, people that mattered notice Drew, otherwise, he blended in with the walls - which was exactly how he wanted it.
Drew wasn't sure if he hoped he was right about her signals or not. If things went as planned, after this he would be different. This one action would change his life. You can't go back and get a do-over. The one thing you can't plan on is someone else's reaction. What's that boxing analogy? It would be a critical mistake if he bobbed when she was weaving. Either way, he needed to be certain before he approached her. After these weeks of shadowing her, he sure he was. Still, for the first time, he was nervous. He checked his palms and wiped the sweat on a handiwipe from his backpack. His own nervousness unnerved him.
But he pushed it back as the bus pulled in. He needed to have a clear head. He needed to assess how many other kids were around. He needed a clear path in, and possibly out. He needed to read her signs one last time before doing anything. He needed, most of all, to be sure.
He stepped off the bus and saw her by the football field. To the left, her friends were quickly walking away from the school, waving as they headed out toward the smoking area. The bell would ring in a few minutes so they didn't have much time. To the right, kids were greeting each other, filing into the school. Some nodded and waved to Drew.
Drew took all of it in. He wanted to remember this moment. Julie looked over at the kids all flowing into the school like ants heading to a fallen piece of candy. She casually pulled out her cell phone, uncharacteristically grinned slightly to herself. He watched her dark bangs fall forward and dip below her eyes, covering her face as she started to text. Drew knew he needed to act now or he'd lose the moment.
He ran toward her.
He ran at full speed, arms pumping, heart pounding. He rushed at her as if his life depended on it. Actually, everyone's life depended on it - everyone heading into the school, anyway. He crashed into the center of her body - full force. His right hand out, grabbing the cell phone, making sure to keep it open so that it wouldn't activate the code she'd inputted. His left hand moving around to press her arms down. He used his body to pin her as immobile as possible. He felt as if he was moving in slow motion, but it took only seconds to tackle and cuff her. He was precise, just as he was in his planning this case.
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