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My Dad

2010-04-10T19:49:00.002-04:00

I am reading today...a day spent in bed with books. This wasn't so unusual before we moved. But we moved and errands eat our weekend. My mother lives with us. My sister lives 35 min away or so. That eats up weekend too.

A day spent in bed with books is a novelty-and I appreciate the Dewey Read-a-thon for that taking place here this weekend. I am unofficially participating. Denise is officially doing so.

I started a book a bit ago- The Bones of Time. I picked it up off the shelf at the library because of the name. Kept it because it is set in HI where one of our children now lives.

In it, a mention of Hickam as a space shuttle landing site. Did I know that and forgot? Surely, I must have though I could only immediately think of Edwards and White Sands in addition to of course Kennedy. Why would I have known this? Because of my dad.

I grew up immersed in the space program. My dad worked out at Goddard. I grew up knowing I missed the first moon landing by nearly 2 months-but my parents had not. I grew up glued to the tv when there was a launch-my father nearly always at work for those. My parents bedroom was lined with certificates from various missions on his side of the bed. Above their closets on my mother's side of the bed-pictures of my sisters, me, and my sister's children. I spent a lot of time in there reading the formal language of those certificates, looking at the shiny medals and seals on some. My father told few tales of his actual work. I grew up in a home where we didn't know exactly what it was he did. We have a few photos of him taken at work-during those missions. A group of men-looking all about like him (looking at their website now-much has changed in that way)...looking at the consoles in front of them or the huge screens in the front of the room.

I wanted to be an astronaut. It seemed like the most amazing thing out there. My father hated the idea. He didn't want a daughter in the military and he didn't want a daughter in space. Why not? I couldn't imagine. The danger. While he would risk anything himself-he didn't feel the same about his children. Now that I am a mother-I understand this far more.

So, despite the fact that my memories of my father should be wrapped up tidily into car mechanics and tinkering in the garage-they instead wrap around the space program. I don't follow it very closely anymore for that reason. I don't want to want to call my dad and realize I can't anymore, yet again.

In my looking up whether Hickam really could be a landing site, I learned the last planned flight of the Shuttle program is in September. How could this be? The last flight of a program that my father helped bring into this world shouldn't have aged so fast. How could it have been so long since my father quietly explained to my high school self that no, the Challenger astronauts couldn't have ejected and no one found them yet. How can it have been so long that since I held my breath waiting through the last bits of countdown, the release of the solid rocket boosters, the flip, mission control reporting in, the shuttle no longer in sight.

It has been a long time-a long program-but a blink of an eye and a reminder that my father dies a bit more with each untold story, with each story I have forgotten, haven't shared with my children to the point that they shush me and wonder why I speak of a man who died before one of them was even conceived.

And thus here I am...on a Saturday night, typing away on a laptop that probably wouldn't be quite what it is without the shuttle, without the space program, using the Internet-something that my father helped make accessible, and thinking about a fierce, quiet, genius who grew up in middle America and wanted the moon and the stars for his girls-all three of them-just as long as we didn't dare go into them. I want him here to explain the space program and the future. I want him to tell my kids. I want them to dream of space flight-not vampires and manga.

I plan

2009-12-08T19:36:00.001-05:00

On blogging more often...but on what? Is there something exciting happening in the world of social media or are we settling in?

Have you seen a new beta or a new take on things that made you sit up and take notice?

OpenYourself to Positive

2009-07-17T11:10:00.001-04:00

Doodle by Lee. The code for this doodle and other doodles you can use on your blog can be found at Doodles.

Ought to have announced at Blogher

2008-08-08T16:34:00.000-04:00

Blogher 08

2008-07-23T10:07:00.004-04:00

Once again I am back from the Blogher Conference. Third time is the charm perhaps? Well, maybe.
I loved it. I love it every year for different reasons. Let's see

1. The food this year at the cocktail parties--pretty darn good
2. The food at the breakfasts-tasty but umm some cereal or eggs or something other than pastry would have been much appreciated. (Loved the unconference breakfast--but a meatless egg sandwich would have been preferred) Hated the lunches. Sorry.
3. Loved having it all under one roof...so nice to dash up to the room to drop off/grab things
4. Loved seeing Amy Gahran, Drowning In Kids, Carmen again (and you too...but I rot at names) and meeting all sorts of new people, but not enough people.
5. Got kissed by Badger. Umm yeah. I don't do kissing. really. Against the rules.
6. I spent a lot more time in sessions this year. Loved.
7. Should have spent more time talking to folk...really miss the gather in a semi quiet casual atmosphere that say San Jose had. Too easy for me to need to escape the crush of the cocktail parties and be done for the day.
8. I will feel better next year. The migraine/exhaustion that would not end combined with tummytroubles-not good for encouraging my limited social skills.
9. I missed bringing the boy child SO MUCH. Yes, it was easier in some ways to not have him there. In other ways, not so much.
10. I wanted the girl children there. Middle school girl...sigh...she loves Blogher. She would love learning about what these smart women think, do, struggle with, more.
11. Thank you to everyone who let me ramble and to everyone who let me dash off distractedly.
12. Thank you to Lisa, Jory, Elisa, the Jennys and everyone else who let me see my incredible woman in action and in context.

California Therapy/Whole Foods

2008-07-16T21:25:00.003-04:00

I am in Redwood City, ostensibly the lead up to Blogher08 but basically that means I work from a hotel room while that woman of mine works in the office across town. This means I am on my own for lunch. This meant generic cheese nips yesterday, Jack in the Box the day before.

Today though...I went to Whole Foods. I knew I would be on my own for dinner. I could grab lunch AND dinner at the same time. So, I went in. I wandered past the various pre made food stations. I wandered past the stations where you could order. I peered at items. Mr guarding his stacks of fresh pack deli made a snarky grumble about me picking up items to read the ingredients. The Feed 100 bag man approached me about buying a reusable bag. Errr no, I don't want to win a free membership to the local Gold's Gym. Neither troubled me much.

Then I decide on build your own sandwich. Get up to the counter, tell the prep person I would like to order a vegetarian build your own sandwich. (which the sign says can be tofu, grilled veggies or 2 cheeses) She demands a bread choice. Then spread. Grumbles because I just say mayonnaise. Then she impatiently asks about the rest of the stuff I want on my sandwich. Then we get to cheese. I tell her I want cheddar and smoked mozzarella. Then she starts telling me that I can't have that, that I didn't order a cheese sandwich, that if I want two cheeses I need to pay more. Telling is a kind description. She is dressing me down. Meanly. I finally say fine after pointing at the sign and trying to explain my point of view. She wraps my sandwich, practically throws it at me. I check out. (where the cashier does not smile, ask if I found everything, do anything more than announce the price)

So, it was the worst of grumpy people in the service industry in this town I have run across. Not the only ones though. I have decided that is why folks are in therapy in California. Grumpy service folk.

The Holiday Inn Express/Redwood City/Menlo Park location staff is super friendly and very tolerant of the guest that just hangs around and makes requests like don't change the linens, just give me fresh towels.

Edited to add: the macaroni and cheese fresh pack I got for dinner from Whole Foods smelled bad when I opened it but I heated it...still smelled odd, took a bite, tasted even odder. Made Denise smell it. She agreed, bad. Ended up taking it out to the trash. 5 bucks, no dinner. More cheese nips.

So my kids

2008-04-10T17:36:00.002-04:00

probably would like me to learn a lesson here...but I won't. Everyone should dance in public. Life would be better that way.

Stereotype Quiz

2008-04-09T08:54:00.002-04:00

Ok, I am finding this mildly amusing since apparently I live with a Crunchy Granola dyke and umm I am the more domestic of the two. Well, wait-she does do the laundry.

Which Lesbian Stereotype Are You?

You're a Boi Dyke!
You kick ass, dear. Serious, serious ass. You're the type of girl who can change the timing belt on my Camaro, have sex with me on the hood, then do shots with me back at your place. Will you marry me?
Take this quiz!

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Join

| Make A Quiz | More Quizzes | Grab Code

Pregnant Women Dying

2008-03-04T09:58:00.003-05:00

Up to one million pregnant women worldwide die each year from largely avoidable causes. Tell me how that makes sense at all. It is tragic. The avoidable causes...sigh.

It is one thing to be in a flurry about an American woman who hoped and prayed for a baby for years, had one and died in childbirth. It happens. Rarely. When it does, the world seems to stop turning in her community on and off line.

But every day there are maternal deaths of women who wanted a baby just as badly...that go unremarked by all but her closest friends and family. It is part of life in her community. Then there are women who don't hope and pray for a baby but because of the lack of birth control, because of the lack of control women have in general in her community, she ends up pregnant and dying because of it.

But, what are we doing about it other than being thankful that isn't our lot?

So, Jack endorses Hillary

2008-03-02T12:12:00.000-05:00

Florida Republican

2008-01-25T09:42:00.000-05:00

I am a Florida Republican. This means that my phone has been ringing off the hook this week. That means...Mitt Romney WILL NOT GET MY VOTE. Not a chance. Call after call after call after call at all hours of the day and night. Not only does the phone ring-the things spouted...oh my. Hateful. Horrid.

Gifts for 14 yo boy

2007-11-11T18:47:00.000-05:00

I have a lovely, wonderful, downright fascinating son who will be 14 way too soon. That can't be right since well...I know I just had him!

In any case, he decided on his Birthday/Christmas present MONTHS AND MONTHS AGO. Unfortunately, there was a bit of unhappiness with his report card and of course, electronic items are one way to his heart and soul...and inducing more organized and focused behavior resulted in the removal of said items until after his next report card. All well and good but now...no birthday present because that would violate the restriction. (well using it would and giving him a present he can't immediately use, seems wrong)

This leads me to need to scramble a bit for gifts for his birthday. We had a couple non electronic type things buttttttt his big present was so dearly wanted and so planned, and carefully budgeted for...I hadn't thought of something else.

Any ideas?

More Chumby Fun

2007-11-02T20:27:00.001-04:00

Chumby is Here

2007-11-02T19:42:00.001-04:00

Chumby is here. His name is George. I love George. Kids love George. Even the dog loves George.

His nighttime setting is great. He is soft and cuddly...yet geeky...
And...people covet George.

I am cool

2007-10-26T13:20:00.001-04:00

I am cool because I got my Chumby invite...which is almost as good as going to foocamp or somewhere fun like that. I am having geek happiness feelings right now...especially since I just got my first real .com paycheck in years today too.

Things I wish Microsoft Office Did

2007-09-19T15:30:00.000-04:00

There are two things that I would like Microsoft Office to do. Heck, it might even do these things. If it does...please tell me HOW.

1. I want the ability to write HTML/CSS in Word to format styles for a document...just a regular not a "single file web page" document.

2. I want the ability to link stuff I throw on an Excel worksheet to an email in my outlook.

Exercise

2007-09-17T13:04:00.000-04:00

From Meatless Monday
which is a newsletter and website I adore...except for one thing...they tend to move their recipes around and not have permalinks or a search that always works. So, if you see a recipe you think you will love (you will--some good stuff there)...print it out. I do wish they had a rss feed as well though.

Dancing Silly

2007-09-08T20:15:00.001-04:00

Glitter Graphics

All, once again, Miss E's Crazy idea

Grammar Quiz

2007-09-05T18:52:00.000-04:00

You Scored an A

It's pretty obvious that you don't make basic grammatical errors.

If anything, you're annoyed when people make simple mistakes on their blogs.

As far as people with bad grammar go, you know they're only human.

And it's humanity and its current condition that truly disturb you sometimes.

The It's Its There Their They're Quiz

Irony

2007-08-28T10:29:00.000-04:00

Florida Hospital Waterman will have a free lunch for anyone who wants to learn about the weight-loss drug Alli

Things I might want for my birthday

2007-08-27T08:31:00.000-04:00

Though what I really want won't get on the list I am sure, because those are things like...well...those of you who know me, know what would make me grandly happy.

Anyhow, purchasable things I can think of:
Double boiler
Doormat
A gift card for jeans that fit
My blender fixed
Blades for food processor
Washing machine

Yeah-you've heard money is tight around here

2007-08-18T12:15:00.000-04:00

Doodle by Lee. The code for this doodle and other doodles you can use on your blog can be found at Doodles.

Flight Delays

2007-08-06T22:17:00.000-04:00

U.S. Flight Delays Worst in some odd years...really? I had no idea. Shaking my head.

Unfortunately, the experience is all too common. Somewhere, some balance needs to be struck between packing the planes for maximum profitability, scheduling pilots/ground crew safely, and what the equipment can handle. On the other hand, delays will happen and airlines need to learn to handle re-booking quickly and effectively. ::::Staring U.S. Air at Chicago O'Hare in the eye::::::::::

There are a few people who will go into nightmare panic mode on every delayed/canceled flight. The rest of us go with the flow...until customer service turns bad. Then...we chat about it, blog about, change our minds about using you as a carrier, etc. Really...straightforward, friendly staff could have alleviated much of the ranting before/during/after delays and cancellations. We may not have a wealth of frequent flyer points...but we do have blogs, phones, and other ways to get our point across.

Blogher 07

2007-08-04T14:36:00.000-04:00

The trip home rotted. Really, really rotted. I will say that off the bat. U.S. Air rots. Inn of Chicago really rots.

The Blogher food this year was really, really exceptionally good and plentiful. I was most impressed. I was also completely impressed by the internet connectivity...YAY! I know that took a lot of work.

The swag-well...I look like maybe there is a .com/web 2.0 bubble and it exploded all over me. I particularly love my AOL bag even though I got the green one...not knowing about the BLUE...which is a bit nicer. I have no swag complaints this year (though for all the time I spend on Google and pimping Google, they could have handed out something a bit more than handouts and for the lucky few...Blogger t-shirts.) I was also seriously annoyed by the attitudes of the Google Festival Hall folk and the total umm non meeting of the Google at the Google Breakfast. The combined dismissive attitudes of the Google folk was almost enough to make me dump the myriad of Google products that I do use. The pot holder? Uh...you even can use that sometimes to pull a frozen dinner out of the microwave or reheated leftovers from the Chinese delivery. Way more useful to me than another pen or paper clip.

The keynotes-really rather interesting. I did growl a bit about Elizabeth Edwards wandering down the campaign trail, but was actually rather entertained, as I often am, about the conniptions some of her husband's staff must have when she speaks her mind. For the record, I am the Christian, Republican, Lesbian who just might vote for a Democrat this year. Maybe. Probably not Edwards though. Maybe if Elizabeth was running, but then I would have to sit her down and explain to her just why her comments about putting kids in school at age 1 irked me so much. (She really ought to check out some Birth to Three programs that aren't about dropping kids off, but more about parenting education while giving the toddlers some new scenery and people to explore.) Good, healthy child care is a separate matter from education in my opinion.

The sessions, I only attended a few this year. Some skipped because the room was too crowded and I didn't get there early enough. None turned out to be what I thought they would be but were interesting nonetheless. Of course, I am starting to wonder if I don't have a conference schedule translation problem because this happens to me at academic conferences I have been to as well.

The maze on the Navy Pier-way fun. The cocktail parties-both nice...though I felt bad for the singer the first night and thought that taking drink tickets for soft drinks and water the first night was a bit wrong. Please find a soft drink sponsor next year...or some alcohol sponsor who wants to go with the drive responsibly free drinks thing. The second night, yikes, the crowd. But the exhibit rooms were not so crowded, so that was good. The food the second night seemed to have temperature issues (not hot...but not chilled cold).

The Yahoo Internet Cafe-way, way, way nice. The nice espresso guy-Fabulous, polite, friendly, really, really a first rate guy. The cool jelly bean tins. The places to sit and talk. Way nice. More folks should have taken advantage of it, especially those overwhelmed by the big crowds.

The Perfect Gift

2007-08-03T20:19:00.000-04:00

My daughter was given what she called murderer bunny by her father when she was 4 or so. After I got over the Monty Python gag reflex, I tend to associate Monty Python with her. So naturally I thought of her when I saw this... Monty Python Killer Rabbit Stapler.

Does this blog exist?

2007-08-01T09:51:00.000-04:00

Doodle by Lee. The code for this doodle and other doodles you can use on your blog can be found at Doodles.

Not Hermione or Harry

2007-07-22T19:22:00.001-04:00

You scored as Albus Dumbledore, Strong and powerful you admirably defend your world and your charges against those who would seek to harm them. However sometimes you can fail to do what you must because you care too much to cause suffering.

Albus Dumbledore

95%

Sirius Black

90%

Harry Potter

85%

Draco Malfoy

80%

Ron Weasley

75%

Severus Snape

70%

Hermione Granger

70%

Ginny Weasley

70%

Lord Voldemort

65%

Remus Lupin

50%

Your Harry Potter Alter Ego Is...?
created with QuizFarm.com

7/7/7 is Lucky!

2007-07-07T16:00:00.000-04:00

No, I didn't get married or give birth on this
'special day'. But you know what? We went to the outlet mall so the only person in this family with money, the daughter child who has been at her job for more than a year and is studious about saving money, could spend her vacation money. On clothes. Well, outlet mall...not really my idea of total lucky excitement. Except...I needed a bra. Badly. I have one at home that has a serious strap slippage issue. I had another with me...that is really umm not sized right...unless of course I am trying for the bound breast look.

I hate bra shopping. I hate bras. I love a well fitting bra...sort of...I have to wear one to work. I sometimes should wear one not at work. But I really hate bra shopping. Women break into tears about bathing suit or jean shopping. I am not likely to do that but bra shopping, I have been close if not actually tearful (ok, I seem to remember crying once).

I generally am lucky with Playtex bra outlets. So, I was hopeful that I could get through it with only six or 7 bras tried on.

But, guess what? I went in. I looked dispiritedly at racks of bras that were not going to meet my bra specifications-cotton, no underwire. Then...an angel...came to me. Ok, a rather traditionally built woman who worked there.

May I help you m'am?

Well, yes, I want a cotton, no underwire bra, that fits me, and I really am not sure what size. (Being the smart woman that I am, I know 85% of women are wearing the wrong sized bra and since I was wearing the breast binder and the other one had strap slippage, I knew I was one of the majority)

The clerk obligingly measured me right there! No getting naked in front of her in the dressing room! Yay! Band size (that would be the number part) 4-6 inches smaller than what I have been grabbing off the shelf. Cup size-that would be the letter size part. One size bigger. Oops.

Then she says, What brand do you want? (errr uh Playtex usually is ok, umm but I don't care-obviously since my last few bras have been umm some Walmart brand) Bali bras are really the best for your shape. Look right here, and she dashes down to right near the door, and grabs the bra. Its on sale she says! And it really was...not just the buy 3 bras, get one by mail. Just buy one get one and the first one was CHEAPER than the last few single bras I bought.

I didn't trust the whole band size thing, so I had her give me the next size up too. She smirked a bit. Ok, she didn't smirk. But you could tell she was confident of her choice. Then...she walked me back and opened a dressing room.

I pulled off my bra. I put on the new one. Ummm She was right. It fit. And it was comfortable. A near perfect bra in one try.

I decided to get the free second one. I paid. I asked if I could change into it there. The checkout clerk smiled and said of course darling. The girl will let you in to a room. Go on back. I changed into the new bra. I walked out...a whole new set of breasts practically. They were lighter. I probably looked thinner. My shirt fell differently. Wow. A whole body makeover in 10 minutes or less. A miracle bra for a uh D cup woman who needs an entirely different sort of miracle.

A Capitol Fourth

2007-07-04T21:35:00.000-04:00

Like a broken record...I will tell everyone that I love A Capitol Fourth.
Even on a less than brilliant year (sound/video on the broadcast here in the beginning was bad and no one knocked my socks off) it reminds me of all the good things about being an American.

Blogging

2007-07-04T16:19:00.001-04:00

91%

Mingle² - Online Dating

Hilarity Ensues

2007-07-02T06:45:00.000-04:00

I have a fondness for nearly all things retro. I love retro housekeeping, retro ads, retro tv. I however really am starting to hate the phrase "hilarity ensues." I see it everywhere, most notably to set me off posting this in a NYT book review. So, unless you are a sitcom, last filmed in say , I will be generous here, 1986...don't use it. Please.

Coffee Girl

2007-07-01T17:52:00.000-04:00

You Are a Double Espresso

Hey Energizer Bunny Girl! Do you ever slow down?
You're a mix of high energy and ambition, perfectly matched with strong espresso
When you want something you get it - by any means possible
You're driven, determined, and no nonsense. Which is just how you like your java.

What Kind of Coffee Girl Are You?

Yes, I really Tagged You

2007-05-31T19:51:00.000-04:00

ok, I was shoulder surfing and saw my name show up on something Denise was posting. In a list...what could that mean? It meant she tagged me. Really? You tagged me? She never tags me unless I tell her to do so, even then she doesn't usually. She tagged me this time. For what?

Each player lists 8 facts/habits about themselves. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning before those facts/habits are listed. At the end of the post, the player then tags 8 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

I make a strange clicking noise with my tongue when I am thinking. Not always, but sometimes, especially if I am concentrating.
I built this (which needs a serious face lift) and am known in my family for my questions and online for them...but nearly everyone offline would be surprised about this. I rarely asked anything but the barest essential questions offline. (maybe because I can find the answer online?)
I read obsessively, constantly, but never remember titles or authors. I always will remember the first page. My opinion of a book often changes months after I read it.
I am a professional computer geek, but only have a passing interest in the mechanics behind it. I am obsessive about basic maintenance, but really as long as I have enough power to run my programs with reasonable speed, I don't pay a bit of attention to the stuff under the hood. On the other hand, I am obsessed with website performance, accessibility and can probably tell you something about every "web 2.0" beta released in the past five years.
I really dislike cats, even though I have lived with them all my life and have insisted on the acquisition of cats into our household.
I want to keep the perfect house, sew, knit, clean, cook, tend children, all a bit quirky and spun my way but practically perfect. That is my dream job.
I believe in God and in fairies.
I dance in the grocery store.

Ok, you folks have to volunteer to be tagged. I am really bad at that part.

Fennel

2007-05-28T16:46:00.000-04:00

How do you feel about fennel? And do you think that Carmelized Vegetable Hussy is a good substitute name for the dreaded tart?

Cup of Coffee, A sandwich and you.

2007-05-23T12:40:00.000-04:00

lyrics

and the MP3

Happy Birthday Elvis

2007-05-21T20:07:00.000-04:00

Today is Elvis' Birthday. No, not that Elvis, his birthday is January 8. My Elvis...the rat. She has lived with us for a year. She still has eye problems. Denise still doesn't like her. She shares the bedroom with us. She has "rat time" in the bathroom. She loves carrots, apples, broccoli, and yogurt drops. She doesn't like lab block rat food, she seems to like most parts of Reggie Rat rat food. She has grown to like the hammock I knit for her though I think she still prefers the ones I make out of old jeans. She likes oatmeal boxes the best to hang out in. Her one trick is to come for a yogurt drop. She catches colds, she scratches herself when she has too much protein or is stressed out. She also has a congenital eye problem, so she needs eye drops.
Wait, she has a better trick-she cons Denise into yogurt drops.

Here she is on her birthday with her "rat birthday cake" carrots, molasses (we were out of honey) sandwiched between white bread which I don't think she has ever had before, on a bed of oatmeal, with a yogurt drop cupcake topper.

(The scattered mess is spilled oatmeal. The mildew is a result of me not doing the bathroom lately (isn't Florida grand!)-Elvis and Denise are united in their hatred of mildewcide and I have been a bit under the weather so haven't fought them on it)

Celebrity Seduction

2007-05-20T16:22:00.000-04:00

I have tended and participated in message board communities for years...and one of the topics that comes up over and over and over again is "What celebrity would you seduce?" or "What celebrity would you like to go on a hot date with?" This question never did a lot for me, because I seem unable to come up with someone to just seduce. (no one ever seems to ask which celebrity birth would you like to attend...that I could come up with an answer to) However, I often threw this question into a Friday Five or Wednesday Wish post. Why? Because people love to daydream. People love to think about how they would have a shot with a dreamy actor or actress.

Despite the ancient (in online years) question, Seduce a Celeb is an online first! The online audience actually becomes part of the program through the submission of user videos. I am way in love with this idea. It makes incredible use of user submitted video, it takes the question of how you would seduce a celebrity and makes it visual. (and entertaining for the rest of us not working to get a date)

Then there is the fabulous fact that anyone can win a date with the extremely dishy actress, Mirelly Taylor. Now, since I am a reality tv person and a Gilmore Girls person, I have missed her. She has appeared on movies such as Kiss Me Again and Serving Sara and television shows including “Las Vegas”, “Punk’d”, and “Numb3rs”. She is unforgettably beautiful and I will be watching for her. Definitely worth giving it a shot.
Take a look:

You should give it a shot because you actually have a chance to win! She is looking for a great man and I am sure you are it...or know one. The ones entered in the contest so far, well, if she was smart, and I think she is, she would keep looking for someone like you. Check out some of the Free videos at GoFish.com of the men trying to seduce a celeb...even if you aren't, you will be amused. I can't wait to see what happens and what other celebrities will be up for dates in the future...there may just be one for me...

A Blogthing for PayPerPosters Going to PostieCon

2007-05-19T18:00:00.000-04:00

For all the posties who want to go to Postiecon

You Are the Ace of Hearts

Youthful and playful, you love life and the world.

You have a kind spirit, and you bring happiness to everyone you know.

Artistic and bold, you see the world in bright colors.

And you certainly aren't afraid to express everything you see and feel.

You are sentimental, and your emotions are very deep.

You are easily swept away and easily hurt.

A gamble you should take: Blackjack

Your friends would describe you as: Unique

Your enemies would describe you as: Weepy

If you lived in Vegas, you would be: An up and coming chef or fashion designer

What Playing Card Are You?

My Power Bird

2007-05-18T18:30:00.000-04:00

I think my bird-loving daughter will approve.

Your Power Bird is an Eagle

You are spiritual and able to soar to great heights.

You are a true inspiration, and many people look to you for guidance.

And you are quite demanding in relationships... but you're worth it.

People know that you will become even greater than you imagine.

What's Your Power Bird?

If you need, you need me to be with you

2007-05-15T21:36:00.000-04:00

That line from the Gilmore Girls theme song is so very just very appropriate in my life.

I just sat, leaked a bit from my eyes, and watched the series finale of Gilmore Girls. I am not going to do recap and emotions. Sigh, that would be too much.

I just am going to ramble a bit about this show and what it has meant in my life. (this is undoubtedly too much as well.)

Some years ago, I met a lady. This lady met me. We each had three children of our own, three children we are absolutely passionate about. We both understood that as we began talking, as we began become something more, that those six children were more than anything else in each other's lives. So, in my typical way, I knew that knowing these children meant knowing about what they loved. It is what I do with the three children I gave birth to, it is what I do with these three new children. I asked questions. I listened to their music. I watched their tv shows.

One of those tv shows, Gilmore Girls became once we moved in together, a family tradition. That lady and her daughter, the one that was becoming mine as well, sat and watched it together, every Tuesday. Even when the girl child had to miss a week for her job, for being a teen, etc. we watched. We sat. We commented. We cheered, jeered, talked about the commercials, the shows, and about life. Many an interesting tidbit has come our way via a Gilmore Girls commercial break.

Gilmore Girls time was family time. Now, we are casting about for something new, but it won't be the same. It won't be the same way that we talked about relationships, community, life and love.

Of course, as Rory has grown, so has girl child, so that time was coming anyway. She is embarking on some of those same decisions, and yeah, tonight, the moms in the room were once again drawn into thinking about our girl child and knowing we will make lists and try not to cry and over-sentimentalize when she sets off. And yeah, like Luke, it will call for a grand gesture from me...for both a mother I want to see happy and a daughter I love like my own.

I will miss Gilmore Girls time. But, I am grateful to it for so many things. Just one is how it helped me get to know a treasured baby girl who wasn't sure she wanted to get to know me. Yeah, its just a tv show...but sometimes...you need a lead to follow.

I am a Thinking Blogger

2007-05-14T18:28:00.000-04:00

Skeet gave me a Thinking Blogger award! She did this a bit ago and I am way behind in my bit in participating in this award. She did so while I was on massive doses of prednisone, which she understands isn't the best time for me to actually think. At least I hope so, since I have been unforgivably slow in even acknowledging the award.

She also made this hard by making the easy tags for thinking bloggers hard. Soooo...I am going to talk about bloggers that make me think that don't know me from Adam.

1. Steve Rubel- MicroPersuasion-This is a thinking blogger I really adore. I have subscribed to his feed since I figured out aggregation. I read it even before that. It is a PR and Marketing blog and I would love for him to post more. Even if you don't think you do PR and Marketing...you probably do and even if you don't you need to know about how it is done. Today he posted a really good piece on editorial calendars. Why did this matter to me? For a number of reasons: 1. I had sort of forgotten the existence of such things and it never occured to me to look them up online for places that had content related to topics I deal with at work. Sure, I use the National Health Observances calendar and Brownielocks to give people the heads up but tailoring our content to what is hot in the media really matters. Knowing the planned hot media topics puts us ahead of the game. Plotting out a way for our department to do a social calendar on these things because after all our crew has their own schedules-even better. It also saves me from emailing and saying I need articles related to ___________ next week. Then it made me ponder how I can do this to make work more productive on a smaller scale.

2. The ladies at Devotionals for Women . A story, bible references, a prayer, discussion. Definitely makes you think. Simple formula, powerful stuff. Stop squirming everyone. Christianity can be a very, very good thing...especially for thinkers.

3. Get Rich Slowly- No get rich tips here. J D won't tell you to go for the lottery ticket. Just solid financial good sense. Nothing surprising but it keeps you on the right track. I need that. I KNOW all about managing money. I have taken the classes. I have read the books. I have even helped write tips and newsletter pieces on it. A daily dose reminding me to do it...priceless.

4. Docuticker- Shirl Kennedy makes me look brilliant every single day. She does an amazing amount of work compiling the very best, most recently released papers, research reports and government documents. If there was ever an under recognized blogging gem-Shirl Kennedy is it.

5. Nancy White- Full Circle Online Interaction Blog. Ok, I know at the beginning I said I didn't know any of my thinking bloggers. I do know this one. I met her last year at BlogHer. I am sure you all don't remember my swooning then, right? I still swoon just thinking about it. Brilliant woman who has sooooooooo much on her plate professionally and at home right now. I wish I could sit at her knee and type for her on a daily basis just so everyone gets what it is like to converse with her. (and oh yeah, so I could converse with her on a regular basis) In any case, her blog is still worth subscribing to just so you can gasp and say wow when she does post an incredible bit of Nancy thinking or really an incredibly obvious synthesis of a group thinking and talking about this thing we call community.

I say incredibly obvious because once she puts it out there you go "Oh yeah, THAT is what has been swimming around in my brain and his brain and her brain but none of us has managed to say it LIKE THAT...and now...isn't that just smack me in the head obvious" That being said, she isn't someone you can skim. You have to READ the posts and think about them. Sometimes you must read them more than once. Even. Me. Who. Never. Reads. Things. Again. Then you will turn them over and ponder them. Then you perform your own little operation on them and explain them to people who do not get online community. Of course, by that point you have turned into some mad online community evangelist once again and people get roped into all sorts of things. Like blogging. Wikis. Message boards. Community building. Dissertations.

I am in big trouble on days when Rubel and Nancy White both have amazing posts. Combine that with a good new study or govt piece on Docuticker and I probably won't stop working even when I go to sleep.

The other two keep me on the straight and narrow. I need all five in my life to jump start all nature of thinking.

I don't want to tag them because I don't want them to feel obligated (especially since again, they don't know me) but in my book, they all truly deserve The Thinking Blogger Award. If they would like to join in, Skeeter has the guidelines.

Linnaeus

2007-05-02T09:26:00.003-04:00

And perfect for Uncategorizable...its Linnaeus' birthday! (who I completely dig. Really! What a cool guy! Gotta love the God with a Smite Key! A desire to organize! Categories! Taxonomy)

Online Communities

2007-05-02T09:26:00.001-04:00

Really Cool Super Geeky Map of online community

Thrift Shop Time

2007-04-30T08:14:00.000-04:00

We need to make a trip to Goodwill or some other thrift shop in town soon. I am not really hopeful about going back to the ones we have been to thus far, as they have not had what we need. But, we need:

plates: yet another plate broke (of my beloved Shadow Iris Corelle...ok I love it no one else does) Others are lost due to attrition. The melamine plates are dying or have died.
bowls.
a round casserole dish-the smoked glass one that was my standard for making a lot of dishes...had an unfortunate accident and broke. In a million sesame noodle covered pieces. I hate being clumsy. I would like something the same or something a bit quirky in the same size, preferably with a cover.
measuring spoons. Stainless steel just isn't what it used to be apparently.
maybe some summer work shirts and pants

Cascade Fixation Socks

2007-04-29T19:34:00.000-04:00

I finally have my first official sock yarn and needles. So, as soon as I finish the bag I am making to "practice" for the socks...it will be on to socks.
These are the socks I will be making.

I am sure they will turn out to look as good as the picture. Right? First time socks always turn out, right?

Tracking Expenses

2007-04-28T08:19:00.000-04:00

I think I have spoken here before about how we track expenses in our house and how important it is to us to track nearly every penny. (sometimes pennies escape but not often)
This week I ran across the Report from the NFCC Financial Literacy Survey.

Financial experts generally agree that having a household budget is sound financial management. But only a minority of Americans keep close track of what they spend on typical monthly expenses. And although a majority of the public has at least a somewhat good idea of where their money goes each month, more than two in 10 keep little or no track at all.

Contrary to some stereotypes, how closely Americans manage their money does not vary by gender, age or income. Women are as likely as men, younger people are as likely as older people and lower income households are as likely as higher income ones to keep close track of what they spend.

Well, having an idea of where your money is going isn't the same as tracking it. Believe me. Seeing it all lined up every day...definitely is helpful and informative.

I also was interested in the fact that age doesn't factor into how people manage their money.

Nails and Billy Joel

2007-04-24T21:24:00.000-04:00

Is it ok to clip your nails while standing next to your partner's side of the bed? What if they aren't EVEN IN THE ROOM?

Also, does anyone think that the popularity of the name Brendan has anything to do with Billy Joel's Scenes from an Italian Restaurant? (the Brenda and Eddie part because of course NJ boy that he is it sounds like Brender which is kind of close to Brendan.)

In Honor of Earth Day

2007-04-22T21:28:00.001-04:00

Your Life is 80% Green

You live a very green life, and you're aware of how your actions help the earth.

Of course, it's hard to be totally green. But when you make a tradeoff, you know why you're making it.

How Green Is Your Life?

Star Wars

2007-04-22T21:24:00.001-04:00

Your Star Wars Name And Title

Your Star Wars Name: Tarfi Adann

Your Star Wars Title: Oilsou of Esined

What Is Your Star Wars Name and Title?

Another Day...Another NYT story

2007-04-20T10:37:00.000-04:00

Pill That Eliminates the Period Gets Mixed Reviews
By STEPHANIE SAUL
Rather than loathing their periods, women evidently carry on complex love-hate relationships with them.

Really? Women have a complex love-hate relationship with them? Huh. Never would have guessed. Now there are some people I believe could do well with no periods, ever. They get really sick and with sick comes grouchy. We have a daughter like that. She gets horrid periods, though with medication, she does better and we only hit the horrid part every couple months. This works well with her, and even though she feels miserable that week, she is reluctant to go with the never option. This happens, even though she swears she never ever wants to have children, so it isn't really a "I am worried about fertility" kind of thing.

As for me? I have had my rough periods and still, I generally love my period. Not so much now that it does bad things as far as my tummy troubles, but still, it is a nice little something. I am not sure what. Something womanly? Hormonal? Beats me. In any case, I definitely wouldn't want to never have another again at this point. I know...menopause will hit sooner or later and I won't have another...but I am hoping that will be a long while. If only because, I am the only woman in my family to reach my age with all my girl parts intact and they seem to work just fine. (though over the last few years there have been some cystic ovary issues discovered in the course of tummy trouble screening, nothing serious and they vanish on their own)

As for my girls, I hope they all have wonderful, easy cycles and embrace them as a good part of womanhood...not the curse.

Computer Science and Women

2007-04-19T19:04:00.000-04:00

I was bemused by this article in the NYT:
Computer Science Takes Steps to Bring Women to the Fold
By CORNELIA DEAN
Even as women approach or exceed enrollment parity in mathematics, biology and other fields, their presence in computer science is static or even shrinking.

This quote pretty much sums up my feelings about computer science as a field to study:

They think of it as programming Dr. Cuny said.

Yep, I do think of it as programming. Unfortunately, that is what it all looks like when you look at the course offerings. It is what turns me off every time I consider legitimizing my "place" as a computer geek. I enjoy a bit of code. I am excited by what I can do with it. I like figuring it out. I like making functional, even attractive spaces...but umm yeah...I don't want to take three years of something that will be outdated in days. Sigh.
I do want people to see the exciting part though...the look! Catch on to this...it is cool and it IS what you want to do with your life.

Don't be Evil?

2007-04-13T18:19:00.000-04:00

Isn't the Google anti-evil incompatible with buying doubleclick? (unless they will kill it which they won't)

Romance and Marshmallow

2007-04-11T19:44:00.000-04:00

I am known as a "marshmallow-y" person among friends and family. You see, about six years ago, I found my inner romantic. There are even people who request my assistance with romance. Shush now, I am not naming names. You know who you are.

Most people tend to think it is just the right combo of love and my natural ability. I think perhaps my combo truly might be sweetness, search and surprise.

Now, I am going to tell you something about wooing women! Learn to make use of the internet. No, not to find a date...ok, well that works too. Use it to find ideas ...like these sample love letters.

You know what? When I came upon this website ages ago, I kept it a secret.

Why? Well, my love does read my blog. Fortunately, I am charming (Thanks to the internet), so I can get my way out of it. (if nothing else, I can go back and get some apology ideas.)

Then, there is the mystique associated with being thought a romantic. You don't think so? Watch women melt with envy when they hear about my latest triumphs of romance. Hear them sigh over the littlest things. With the right words, you can make anything magic-an index card hung in the bathroom, a paper coffee cup, a door hook.

Yes, I make liberal use of sample love letters, love poems, ideas for romance, (BTW-this worked for me ) Look at them. Tweak them. Just wandering the pages of love is sure to lead to inspiration...These are nice ones...down to earth-not too gooey. The sort of thing you can get away with-without seeming like you needed help!

My biggest tip: do it today. Don't wait for your anniversary. Don't wait for Mother's Day. Don't wait for Valentine's Day. Make every day special. You can do it. Just poke around the right places for help.

This post is sponsored, but I made liberal use of the website before the opportunity came my way. I will again...on some day when I need just the thing to make my love's eyes sparkle. (probably tomorrow!) It is sock day and I am a bit behind on the proper representation.

Now, A Good Starbucks Experience

2007-04-10T18:58:00.000-04:00

I have told you of our Starbucks breakup and Starbucks "ok, but not special" experiences. Now, I will tell you about today. It is unseasonably cold and grey here. I sat in my office shivering this morning wishing for coffee. I had taken my mug home to wash ( a post-*$ break up thing, I got instant coffee for work and make it there some days)

When a voice from above said "Well, why don't you walk over and get some coffee?". (Ok so, it was the other side of my IM.) Hmm...not a bad idea. I can chew over some things I am working on, get some coffee and warm up. I dug around in my pockets-aha! I had allowance left. (My lovely partner throws some cash at me every few weeks in case I get hungry or need cash for something-some office collection, etc. She gets the cash out of the machine/bank and we half-jokingly call it my allowance)

Rumor was a new Starbucks was going in at "The Hub." There have been several opened at remote locations (for me) on campus but none close. I had been to the "Proudly brews Starbucks coffee" location at the Union...where they do have a machine but were not at all seemingly familiar with it...it was part of a larger Beef and Brew kind of place. Rumor had it that "Spring of 2007" the Starbucks would open. I started seeing increased numbers of people carrying Starbucks cups and more trash of Starbucks nature in the cans. But, the dining options on campus page still said coming soon.

I set off toward The Hub thinking-maybe it would be open. Maybe not. In that case, I would go to Einstein's Bagel (also there) and get a regular cup of coffee. My cup of coffee this morning would be far from regular!

I get there not a moment too soon-I was shivery and tired. I walk in. Hmmm...it isn't where I thought it would be. There was a convenience stand kind of place once upon a time in the spot where I thought this would go. (a convenience place I miss actually-cheese cubes make a great emergency lunch) I walked closer to investigate-WAIT! There it is. Hmm...all this was behind the convenience stand? This is an older building that had more than half shut off for the entire time I have worked there, I knew the bookstore at one time had been there but the way it was shut off made it seem like that part was a separate building.

A line! A long line! 15-20 people! 4 people on the floor. Oh good grief, I have to get back to work. It's warm in here. It looks nice. The line does seem to be moving. Oh I will stay. I get in line. Nice music is playing. Some sort of instrumental, not deadly, muzak sort of thing-not Starbucks music I don't think. (multi-use area with computer center adjacent) Nice music level. People plugged in all over, studying, working. One merchandise stand that is actually interesting! (New merchandise this week? They just show the best stuff and you can actually see it? I don't know)

Long line. No one grumbling. Odd. Everyone is ordering PITA drinks too. "Double Nonfat, white mocha with a pump of , half caf, with extra whip." kinds of people. (My favorite one "Triple, Venti, upside-down caramel macchiatto, no foam") And they all ordered pastries. By the way, the pastries were stocked beautifully-not over crammed in there or dwindling and/or sickly looking. Truly Starbucks pastry case porn.

They were also having a bit of a crisis. They were out of Whole Milk. Someone was getting it. So, they had to check with people to make sure nonfat was ok. They were apologetic, yet serene about the whole thing.

None of the crew seemed put out by this madness. At all. In fact, through all of this they all acted like they wanted to be each customer's best friend. How are you? Name? Do you really mean? Did you know? Would you like? All of them smiling. Really. All of them. Every single customer in this very long line was treated well. AND FAST. Before I knew it, I was next up.

First was young college aged, really soft spoken girl. She has a huge backpack and is kicking another bag along. I pondered how she was going to carry her drink. "Venti hot chocolate, but ummm I don't like vanilla very much, would it umm be ok if I had a different syrup? I mean uh if it isn't a problem. (smiling expediter person says SURE! We would love to do that! Girl looks blankly at menu. Umm what kind of syrups, oh can you put that points at Dulce de Leche picture kind in my hot chocolate-the cinnamon dolce de leche? (Starbucks worker! Sure do you mean....) And umm can I have umm whipped cream on it (punctuated by adorable smile)" Cute girl, sweet, but just the sort you see baristas growl at a lot these days. By the time she finished, I was growling. She ordered coffeecake. She got the coffee cake, pulled it out of her little bag, realized it was not what she wanted. (though it was what she ordered) They exchanged it happily.

By this time, the expediter person had taken my order, smiled, etc. The cashier was ringing me up. Asked me how I was, repeated himself when I said "what?" then looked me in the eye and waited for an answer. Touched me as he handed back change (didn't do the chance of dumping coins all over the counter drop or slide thing that everywhere on campus seems to do-I am a 37 year old mom with a bad hair cut and definitely had on "staff" clothes today-no one was hitting on me.)

In the midst of my order, the whole milk came in. The crew acted as if a returning hero had come! They cheered. They jumped in the air! They encouraged customers to cheer for the milk! Like people having a religious experience-we did. They helped unload the milk! They didn't slow up ANYTHING while doing all of this. Everyone, infected by smiling.
No tip jar either...probably a good thing. I would have probably given them every cent of my allowance.

I get to the end of the bar. Hmm, no one around but here comes girl with lots of bags, umms and her coffeecake. Maybe the college students hang back a bit. One seems to be waiting besides "cinnamon dolce hot chocolate" girl. Hmm, ok, how can that be. One girl pouring shots on one machine, steaming milk on the other. She greets me! Pitcher is a bit too full of milk. Bar is a bit messy. (but surprisingly the condiments area sparkling clean)

There have to be more people waiting. Hanging back boy gets his drink-drink called, then a thanks boy name, another extra bright smile. Hot chocolate, quiet girl, playing with her backpack and water bottle, opens it, oh no. Quarter way full of water. Her drink is called. Would you um fill my water bottle? Sure! Barista grabs the bottle, fills it, hands it back. Smile. Thanks hot chocolate girl! Have a wonderful day. Cups seem out of order. I am next. I know I am but hmm...that isn't my cup. Wait! She has my drink. She poured the shots right. Not too much foam! Not aggressive slopping of coffee. Not overflowing, oops, watch me spoon your shot into the sink. Not letting the shots sit while she works on the other drink in front of her. Calls my drink. Smiles! Thanks me!

No. Thank you. Thank every single one of you at a super busy Starbucks, where you don't know my name, don't know my drink order, deal with troubling orders, minor crisis; and still smile and manage to make me feel like an important customer. The drink was perfect. I was in, out and back to work fast. I was even smiling and energetic myself after that.

I hear the Siren's call again.

First, the Bad Starbucks Background

2007-04-10T18:08:00.000-04:00

We as a couple have a fondness for Starbucks. You know the place, the ubiquitous coffee chain that now covers a quarter of the retail landscape in many cities? Yeah, I thought so.

Well, we have cut WAYYYYYYYY back on Starbucks. Budget and bad experiences at "our" Starbucks (the one between our house and my work that only requires crossing the street to stop at) have led to that decision. If it was just budget, I think we would have cut modestly back and continued our wayward ways.

It wasn't. Bad service, bad drinks and bad personalities combined really pushed us out of our Starbucks. We took all three in moderate to major doses from time to time in the 5 years we went on a regular (read 5 times a week regularly, 2 drinks-quad ventis for part of that time-we don't eat out often, buy clothes, go to movies, we share a car-that sort of thing).

We patiently waited out training new folks. We flinched modestly but knew Tuesday was the crazy lady picking up 28 different drinks for a meeting 40 min away. (no Starbucks near her then, and she liked to treat her employees, the closer Starbucks refused the order) We sighed when the Chamber had their meeting across the parking lot.

We drank bad drinks from new baristas. We drank bad drinks from baristas we loved but who didn't make a fabulous drink. We had sticky cups, defective lids, defective cups. We had defective machines spray us on our side of the bar. We stuck through the baristas with attitude problems. (They usually didn't last long...)

Why? Because we dug the "Starbucks experience" Yep, its corny. But, the core values, the customer service, the decent benefits for employees, and yeah, a drink that I (generally) could count on being the same every time, really made it the place for us. Mostly the people though.

We knew the baristas, their friends, in some cases families, their majors. We learned when they were engaged...and when they broke up with their girlfriend. We were that kind of regular. Now we aren't. We broke up with our Starbucks-a sad break up, but a necessary one. (3 + weeks of really bad, at times undrinkably burned coffee that we waited 10-20 min for with no line-not good, esp after mentioning it to floor managers and knowing THEY knew there were serious issues.) We miss it. We miss the coffee. We miss the people.

We have shopped a few Starbucks in town. There is the one a bit of a drive, that was my old Starbucks (suited more to my life as a SAHM w/little kids).

There is the drive thru one equal distance from our house as "our" (ex) Starbucks (OES for short from now on!). (wrong direction, drive-thru too tempting since the parking lot rots and we ARE on the way to work-a fine cup of coffee but no real relationship-though an old manager from OES works there and it is nice to see her.

One near a high school, actually not bad but in a big space, that gets noisy and busy if we linger a bit long and not really on the way to work.

There is the downtown Starbucks. It is between the kid's school and work, so on days we drive them, if we stop for coffee we will go there. It WAS my Starbucks for the years the kids were in preschool because it was close to the preschool. Since they graduated (years ago now) we only go there sporadically. It is a fine Starbucks.

So, we have all these fine Starbucks in town. No one in this house is going to die of Caramel Macchiatto deprivation. One or two mornings a week we get coffee. But...we miss it.

I have wondered what we were missing, since we DO have these nice, fine, Starbucks in town. We have even recently been to Starbucks in other cities. Cities where the coffee was excellent. The service was to the rule. But something...felt missing.

I started to wonder was it like a breakup and you wonder what attracted you in the first place? Was it like a marriage and the shine wore off but it still was comfortable? Was it just that Starbucks had changed?

I am so proud

2007-04-10T07:08:00.000-04:00

Fla. leads nation in homeless beatings
ORLANDO - It was a balmy night, the sort that brings the homeless out from the shelters, when the police were summoned to America Street. On the driveway of a condo, just a few paces from the gutter, lay a man.
A dying man

Good grief. Why? How has this happened? My heart is breaking because of all the people, children even, who believe it is ok to devalue another life...enough to think it is ok to rough them up for "sport" and/or kill a person.

Easter

2007-04-08T22:15:00.000-04:00

He is risen and that is about the best thing ever. Unfortunately, it didn't make for a good Easter this year.

The big kids got small baskets. The little kids got some treats mailed to them several weeks. Easter bunny didn't bring anything to the grown ups. Big kids did big kid things with friends. Little kids called for a brief bit, which was really great and really awful at the same time.

We had just grown up Easter dinner which was very weird. No Eggs Benedict at all which was even weirder. She's sick. I am sick.

Easter without kids is hard.

Newsletters-Then and Now

2007-04-05T18:19:00.000-04:00

11 years ago or so, my first Internet job involved a weekly newsletter. This took a serious amount of time each week.

People would email me and ask to be added to the newsletter mailing list. I added their names manually into the address group. I would write the newsletter. Then send it. That is when the fun would start. Email would bounce-back. People would email me and ask why they got my newsletter. Many wouldn’t be nice about it. They would ask why they weren’t dropped when I had obviously seen their message on a message board saying they were leaving the community. Then there were more adds, drops, and it was time to send out another one.

Of course there were also people who would write to me asking me to send it to their daughter, cousin, as a “surprise” because they needed to read my newsletter. Explaining to them that I couldn’t do that, never fun.

1. Writing the newsletter-wonderful, wonderful experience.

2. Mailing it: not so much

Times have changed a great deal. I try not to subscribe to any newsletters by email. I read most everything in my aggregator and love it. The rest of the world is slow to come to love aggregators and some people just never will. Email marketing works. It works well. If it didn’t work well, you wouldn’t get that stack of email. As a blogger, you may be reluctant to start sending out email newsletters with your blog content. You imagine all the problems. But, if you go look at Zookoda-you will see that you avoid all the problems of email newsletters and you will get all the benefits.

Non-aggregator people will get your information fast, professionally in the place where they want it-their email. Subscribers will visit your site because an email came to tell them personally to check out your new content. Whether you are just tired of copying and pasting your blog post into email so Aunt Edna knows about your family or you are ready to take your blog to a more professional level with expanded reach-Zookoda has the hassle free (and free to use) tools you need.

I am pretty impressed, even though not many new tools knock my socks off and what could be new and exciting about newsletters after all this time? Well…this…and I truly liked it better than similar tools I have seen and used.

Animorphs

2007-04-03T14:18:00.000-04:00

I am reading the series of Animorphs books because my beautiful girl child reads them. In fact, she is crazy about them. Yes, they are mind candy. Yes, they are way below her reading level. It doesn't matter. They are great tales that bring up all sorts of interesting ethical issues, teach you a little about all and sundry types of animals, and give you that much needed fantasy kick sometimes. I started reading them again after reading the first one when she did, finding it ok and fun but not anything I was dying to read each one in the very lengthy series. However, feeling some mommy guilt at not being conversant in all the important things in her life, I decided I would dive in.

Now look...I have turned into an Animorph!

Watch me turn into a
Jaguar at YouWild.org

Ok, so that isn't an official Animorph...but you never know...maybe I am. In that case, I can't tell you my last name or where I live, because you see...

Unsigned doesn't Mean Unworthy

2007-04-03T13:57:00.000-04:00

I love a number of unsigned artists, in fact, if you browsed our music collection, most of the artists are probably on their own label or just unsigned. I do love how you can learn about them without having "a friend in the know" or hanging out at the local open mike night, hoping someone there is worthy. Unsigned.com is just one of those new ways we can all be in the know about musicians we really like (not the ones the big companies really want us to hear!)
Whether you like Reggae Bands, punk, folk, rock, country, emo, whatever, even if you are looking for a little ambient music to block out the sound of the construction catty corner from your place, you can find some great stuff there. What is really nice is that you can get to it fast, well-organized and without weird stuff like what kind of mixed drink they are. You know exactly where to find professional type pages, without all the bands friends saying YO! what up! Very nice. Very very nice. Check them out...soon you will be saying "I knew that band way before they made it big" I can't wait for the music player to launch!

~~Sponsored post~~

D.C. in 1942

2007-03-28T18:21:00.000-04:00

I love this picture. A lot. So go visit Shorpy and see it.

Do You Buy This?

2007-03-26T18:40:00.000-04:00

Are folks lying to the pollers, themselves or am I cynical to think that there is no way that 3/4 of straight sports fans would feel favorably about such a disclosure?

Americans Are Becoming More Accepting of Openly Gay Athletes, According to Survey

In a recent national survey by Witeck-Combs Communications and Harris Interactive(R), nearly three-fourths (72 percent) of heterosexual adults say they would not change their feelings toward a “favorite” male professional athlete if the athlete revealed he is gay. This represents an increase from 66 percent in August 2002, when heterosexual adults were asked the same survey question.

In contrast, when asked how they think other sports fans would feel toward an openly gay sports figure, 72 percent say that others would have less favorable opinions. This measure, however, has decreased from 2002, when nearly eight in 10 revealed that they felt others would have a less favorable opinion.

Money Quiz

2007-03-26T18:25:00.000-04:00

Try taking the Essential Money Quiz and seeing how you do. The answers give a lot of info...whether you get them right or wrong.

Find a Savings Account

2007-03-24T11:34:00.000-04:00

Online savings accounts are really the way to go. Easy to manage, easy to watch...and now easy to compare. Compare online banking, find a savings account or checking account and earn more interest today with SavingsAccounts.com

With SavingsAccounts.com you can easily find the best savings account for you, whether you have just a few dollars to start one or can start with a larger minimum balance. You know you should save, but are you? What are you waiting for? I recently saw a quote about how if you don't give your money away to charity when you are poor, you won't even if you win the lottery. The same thing goes for saving. How you manage your money isn't a matter of how much you have, but how you go about things. Give a look at the Savings Resource Center while you are there. They have some great ideas for making the most of the money you have now.

~~sponsored post~~

A Prayer for Children

2007-03-23T18:37:00.000-04:00

We pray for children who sneak Popsicles before supper,
who erase holes in math workbooks,
who can never find their shoes.

And we pray for those who stare out in
photographs from behind barbed wire,
who can't bound down the street in a new pair of sneakers,
who never "counted potatoes",
who were born in places we wouldn't be caught dead,
who never go to the circus,
who live in an X-rated world.

We pray for children who bring us sticky
kisses and fistfuls of dandelions,
who hug in a hurry and forget their lunch money.

And we pray for those who never get dessert,
who have no safe blanket to drag behind them,
who watch their parents watch them die,
who can't find any bread to steal,
who don't have any rooms to clean up,
whose pictures aren't on any dresser,
whose monsters are REAL.

We pray for children who spend all their
allowance before Tuesday,
who throw tantrums in the grocery store,
and pick at their food,
who like ghost stories,
who shove dirty clothes under the bed and
never rinse out the tub,
who get visits from the tooth fairy,
who don't like to be kissed in front of the car pool,
who squirm in church or temple and scream in the phone,
whose tears we sometimes laugh at
and whose smiles can make us cry.

And we pray for those whose nightmares
come in the daytime,
who will eat anything,
who have never seen the dentist,
who aren't spoiled by anyone,
who go to bed hungry and cry themselves to sleep,
who live and move, but have no being.

We pray for children who want to be carried
and for those who must,
for those whom we never give up on and for
those who don't get a second chance.

For those we smother... and for those who
will grab the hand of anybody
kind enough to offer it.

~source unknown

Ha

2007-03-23T06:47:00.000-04:00

The report found that Microsoft Windows had the fewest number of patches and the shortest average patch development time of the five operating systems it monitored in the last six months of 2006.

Let There Be Light!

2007-03-22T18:49:00.000-04:00

I have an unfortunate reputation in my house. No, no, not for any of those things. hush! The problem is we have a blended family...and when that blended family blended-part of it liked the darkness. I didn't. I also don't like overhead lights.

So, I brought light to the house in more ways than one. ;-) Now we have a bevy of Home Lighting Fixtures. Since we rent, most of it is of the lamp variety-leaving me to growl about our bathroom lighting and dream about the day when just about any of this bathroom lighting can be installed in our home. With 305 choices in bathroom lighting alone, Premier Lighting has to have something for any and every decor. In the meantime, I will glance over at the ugly four globe incandescent fixture in our bathroom (that is made even uglier by the fact that I am getting too cheap and too Al Gore like to do anything but put compact fluorescents in there...and only 1 or 2 at that. ) On the other hand, there is that dark spot in the living room and I never have found the right solution for the office. Hmmmmm....Let there be light.

~~sponsored post~~

Elegant Gathering of the White Snows

2007-03-22T18:24:00.000-04:00

This book has the rare lineage of being one Denise read first. I read nearly every book that comes into the house first. Knitting, working a second job, reading Animorphs because another female in my life loves them...all have been coming first. The really notable thing about Denise reading it first though is that she turned to me just a way into the book and said do you want to take a walk? I said "right this minute?" She laughed and said she knew that is what I would say. The back story to that is all irrelevant, but she also knew me. Now, this whole walking thing made me curious. What could that book possibly be?

Well, it is a book about a walk, and it is a book about women, and a book about the magic of women's friendships. That means...it made me want to talk about women and friendships. I have been incredibly honored to be friends with a number of women in my life. Friends like the ones in Elegant Gathering. Yes, the sort of friends you drop everything for and go for a walk with.

I want my girls to have those fall in love, women in their lives that they know will be there for them. I want them to know these things, know the kind of friendships that women have. I wish there was a way for all girls to find that, without all the girls are mean, silly, stupid that so often comes before that point. I want them to know it without worrying what that might mean for them as far as their sexuality. I want to tell my children of all the amazing women in my life that I have loved and adored and taken care of and have taken care of me...friends. Not lovers. Not even potential lovers, just friends...the special kind of women friends. sigh. I don't think that is something a mom can ever explain to her child though, or anyone else. I think that you grow up, you allow yourself to have those friendships, then one day the light clicks on and you realize that your mother had them as well. If you are lucky that way. Sometimes you learn your mother missed out on a whole lot of specialness. I am glad my mother didn't. I am glad I didn't. As I watch my girls make friends, I am betting they won't either.

Secure Networks!

2007-03-21T18:06:00.000-04:00

I spent part of my day taking a class on website security management. A good portion of this class was about networks, how they work, the dangers and ways to avoid compromising your network. Very heady stuff! There is a lot of stuff to think about and consider when working on building a secure network. I don't even fool myself that this class that makes my head spin a little bit (while at the same time, I do love the class...I like knowing how things work) will make me a security expert. Then oddly enough, I come home to find myself wandering Cisco. (coincidences are everywhere in my life)

That is why there are places like Cisco that help organizations build secure networking solutions. They have ways to help secure against all the things we have learned about so far. The big thing for me is helping the user of the network stay compliant with security policies. Some of the solutions help ensure that compliance. Then there are ways to help prevent denial of service attacks that can shut you down and keep the very people you WANT accessing your network from being able to access it. If you have a network in your business, you should definitely think about network safety (even if you have all sorts of IT geeky people working on it day and night). You also should look into solutions that keep your network secure all the time and integrate it with all aspects of your business. If you are going to shrug it off...go take a look at the case studies.

This post has been sponsored by Cisco.

Today is my 2nd grade teacher's birthday

2007-03-21T18:04:00.000-04:00

And, without her, I wouldn't be able to blog today. Really, not.

Incredibly special woman who left me with among other things, a deep appreciation for poetry, so in her honor...go read Daffodils--a perfect first day of spring poem and definitely the one to read for her birthday since she had her classes memorize it in spring.

Knitting

2007-03-11T19:29:00.000-04:00

I have always wanted to be a knitter...but my mother was NOT a knitter. I am sure she probably could if she had to but she says she can't. Of course, trying to tame my childhood hands into doing something like knitting-definitely would take the shine out of it for a so-so knitter, maybe even a really good one. There was a brief foray on Christmas day into the "knit-o-matic" which three genius (literally-scarey iq genius sorts) men (engineers actually) tried to figure out how to work the thing. They didn't, but it became a family legend. Complete with me watching long enough to figure it out for myself for a few rows. Then it broke and that was the end of that.

I got a sweater machine at one point when it was seen on tv. I never made any sweaters but I made my sister an afghan and a few scarves and hats. I liked it, but it needed a table and room and light. I still wanted to knit.

I got a knitting mushroom thing a few years ago from Cracker Barrel. I turned out lovely snakey things. It was fun! But umm yeah, just how long can you do that? And so then I tried grown up knitting. With a book that WAS NOT HELPFUL. And I figured out casting on but beyond that it didn't work. I still wanted to knit.

Then I saw space invader socks and I want to make them for sock day but I don't knit so that is a problem. So, I talked to my mother-in-law type person and a knit blog type person. Then I exploded into Michaels. (pretty much a forbidden place in this house as my projects get out of hand and then left)

So anyhow, this time I have managed to make rows and rows and rows of knitting. And I like it. Of course I haven't learned anything other than casting on and making the one knit stitch. But I will.

I even went to hang out with other knitters, which I enjoyed even though I was really kind of nervous and mystified and they spoke a strange special knitting language. They even gave free stuff. And no one jumped to point out all the wrong stuff and they were helpful and stuff.

Vision for Humanity

2007-03-06T08:27:00.001-05:00

Incredible video-well worth the 7 minutes (and most of you know that I generally avoid video in the first place. Watch it. Join the vision. From Malcolm Cohan

Sigh, sad story

2007-03-04T14:37:00.000-05:00

This is a really, really sad story. :-(

So-travel

2007-02-24T16:58:00.002-05:00

Well, I love NYC, enjoyed London...but ummm...yeah lets stick to those two places and ponder places with shorter plane trips

Travel Horoscope for Virgo

When you travel, you need to keep active and on the go.

You want a vacation where you can keep moving and keep things exciting.

You should travel to:

Paris

Tokyo

NYC

Sydney

London

What's Your Travel Horoscope?

American

2007-02-24T16:58:00.001-05:00

You Are a Smart American

You know a lot about US history, and you're opinions are probably well informed.

Congratulations on bucking stereotypes. Now go show some foreigners how smart Americans can be.

Are You a Dumb American?

Will be? Hmph

2007-02-24T16:56:00.001-05:00

You Will Be a Cool Parent

You seem to naturally know a lot about parenting, and you know what kids need.

You can tell when it's time to let kids off the hook, and when it's time to lay down the law.

While your parenting is modern and hip, it's not over the top.

You know that there's nothing cool about a parent who acts like a teenager... or a drill sergeant!

Would You Be a Cool Parent?

Credit Cards Chaos and the Super Bowl

2007-02-04T20:47:00.000-05:00

You know, I am starting to feel like a personal finance blogger lately. Ah, well blogs reflect a bit about the person who blogs if a bit skewed sometimes. I am watching the Super Bowl and am thinking the Get Rich Slowly guy knew what he was talking about when he said Save Money-Don't watch the Super Bowl.(and yes, I watch for the ads. I have no defense there-I am just a marketing junkie) I have gotten the urge to get all sorts of things. (including Emerald mixed nuts even though nuts cause me huge, huge issues and well, I prefer smoked almonds anyway...but I think Robert Goulet has been in my office lately!)

Fortunately, I am very committed to some serious Credit Card Debt management these days. Regular readers know that finances are tight and we are pretty much tightwads. (though I have found as I always thought may be the case that writing down EVERYTHING you spend is extremely effective-in deterring you from all sorts of things. Try it. Even if you are sure you are not wasting a single penny, cringing every time you see how much you spend can encourage you to buy more cans of beans and rice rather than premade salads and such. Even that has me thinking about just whether I can swing dried beans instead.

I know many of you have the same issues at your house too. Before you consider bankruptcy, you may consider credit card debt consolidation. Read carefully before you make a choice and think carefully before you do.

This is a sponsored post.

Hair

2007-02-04T17:07:00.000-05:00

In case you haven't noticed, I have been a bit obsessed with saving money lately. One of the first things to go was...hair cuts. You see, I have short hair and well, I think my hair person charges by the single hair to cut it. But, I was willing to pay it because frankly, my hairdresser was hard to come by and she does a damn good job. (she does the sort of job that people ask where I get my hair cut because they want my stylist-especially if they have short hair) But alas, I couldn't justify it considering that a man could probably get the same hair cut for 10 bucks and no lip down at the corner shop.

This means that since October I have needed a hair cut. Since December I have looked something like a shaggy mountain goat. But, hey, my hair was still a good foot shorter than the average American woman. I have also had to wash, brush and groom my hair, daily for some months now. EVEN ON WEEKENDS. But, I was still holding out.

But, hair cut time could be put off no longer. People were mentioning it...not just the person I sleep with who has been after me to end my hair stand off for months. So, a couple weeks ago, a gift card for Regis showed up. 10.00 off. Ummm I don't do Regis. They smell funny. They play odd music and they are busy. I did Regis today. Surely with 10 bucks off and it being a Regis it would be better than cutsRcheap or whatever is down the block that specializes in 10 different kinds of bowl cuts.

Gumcracking hair girl something with a T and spelled not traditionally took me back. How do I want it cut. Very short. Gesture with fingers should not go over this long. Demonstrate the clippy motions. She cracks her gum some, throws a cape on me and takes me back to wash my hair. She proceeded to do this in such an aggressive manner I was dizzy when I stood up. Seriously, brain denting head massage. Then she starts cutting. I explain again, too long. She looks at me dubiously, says ok and cracks her gum some more. Continues cutting it the same length, then runs at it with that shaggy making razor thing, which is really not a bad thing but wasn't going to fix the length issue.

Then she threw mousse on it and after she couldn't get all of the bits to lay down that way, proceeded to use her wax stick ALL OVER. She said ok when she was finished waxing and took off the cape. Not a how is this, or anything. We proceeded to pay at the cash register. (which took a really long time) 15.00 cheaper than my regular hairdresser but I will probably end up using more sticking down stuff and need my hair cut much sooner so probably a wash, once you factor in stress.

Came home, washed my hair. The sides are probably ok. The top and back kind of long. In a few weeks, I will be definite mullet material instead of the really short pixie that it usually is at that point. Not only that...I am going to have to brush my hair every day from the beginning. hmph. Truly wash and wear hair is supposed to be the reward for haircuts.

I do have to give her points for not prattling on the whole time about her fingers being too fat to cut it as short as I wanted it and telling me that I really should grow my hair out so I could get a good man. That is what happened last time I cheated on my hairdresser. Yes. Really.

Cute and Rounded and a Rant

2007-02-03T19:40:00.000-05:00

My kids are in England right now. So, I have been spending a lot of time peering at all things English lately. I missed these MINT credit cards though. They have two different products...your average, run of the mill credit card...but it isn't really average...they offer a 0% interest rate right now...for both new purchases until December and balance transfers. Nice!

As an aside...anyone want to call my credit card company and convince them to lower my rate? Not particularly appealing to me after talking to them twice this month, most recently TODAY because they put three unauthorized charges on my card for magazines which my buddy at the credit card company insisted were from me authorizing them on the phone when the credit card company telemarketed (yes, the cc company sells magazines, explain that. You would think their 39.00 10-minute late payment fee + finance charges would keep them rolling in money) me at some point. Apparently he didn't really believe that I never talk to ANYONE on the phone other than my mother, my children and skeeter a couple times a year...and oh yeah, THEM because they keep making me grouchy.

Sorry, wandered off point. MINT, which is definitely not the credit card company that has irked me today, has a lovely 0 interest credit card that truly is lovely. Go look at the picture. It is DIFFERENT looking. (Surely representing that they are a different sort of credit card company.)

Not only that, they have a gift card. Now, if you are not familiar with gift cards from banks...get familiar with them. They can be used ANYWHERE, just like a Visa card that you fill out tons of paperwork and cross your fingers to get. You can give them to the young adult in your life so they can really get what they want, just in case the Gap is no longer their thing and PacSun is. And, it will be super hip and groovy, because if you get a MINT one...it will have that cute corner too. Too bad I am only going to visit there...I would get one. Hey, I might anyway when I go to visit. They come in all denominations from 10-250 pounds. I could get one and avoid the fees for foreign transactions. (which is what I was looking up when I found out about my need to call my credit card company)

This post was sponsored but the growling part about the OTHER company I may have thought to blog about anyway so thank the sponsors and PPP for encouraging me. I should have just invited you all over to hear me...especially after I got transferred to the auto attendant fake person to cancel the stuff I never ordered. THERE was no way to get a real person that I could tell. Answering GET ME A HUMAN is not something she understood.

No Kidding!

2007-02-01T09:18:00.000-05:00

Another in my no, really? I wouldn't have guessed. I am glad they did a study:

The Characteristics and Fate of ‘Take Me Over’ Firms
Source: Social Science Research Network (SSRN)
“We investigate firms that publicly advertise a desire to be acquired (’take-me-over’ or TMO firms). Most TMO firms show evidence of high debt levels as well as fundamental underperformance, suggesting a desire to avoid bankruptcy.

Shiver!

2007-01-31T19:41:00.000-05:00

It has been cold in this part of Florida this week. Ok, cold, requires some qualifiers-it only got to 65 or so today and was in the 40s last night. I know, the rest of you are reeling from real cold weather but humor me. I have lived here almost 9 years, 60s are cold. 40s and 50s are FREEZING.

Travel a few hours south of here and the locals are freezing too...at 10 to 15 degrees warmer. The rest of the country considers that bathing suit weather. I might too at this point! Looking at the Bradenton vacation rentals made me want to head on down to soak in the sun and surf.

What? You don't know Bradenton? It is on the Gulf coast of Florida, just outside of Tampa. It is the place to go if you want to see dolphins, sea turtles, or just spend a little time on the Florida coast. It also is the place to go if you are a Pittsburgh Pirates fan. Bradenton is home base for their spring training.

In the meantime, go peek at the pictures, enjoy the daydream and consider how nice it is to have your "own" house when you are on vacation. More and more, I think it is the way to go on trips. Room to spread out, you don't have to rely on a sketchy "free continental breakfast" and sometimes you get to stay in your dream home.

~~sponsored post~~

My Peculiar Title

2007-01-30T20:37:00.000-05:00

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is:
Most Noble and Honourable the Ceaseless of New Porton Wells
Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

Mortgages, Mortgages

2007-01-30T18:39:00.000-05:00

Mortgages are frightening things...mortgage rates go up, rates go down, there are adjustable rates, and of course everyone and the supermarket checkout girl has advice on when to buy. Of course when finding these things out it pays to rely on more than cousin Steve or your favorite barista. Besides, don't you feel better when you do things intelligently? PersonalHomeLoanMortgages helps you sort things out and even includes a Mortgage Calculator to help you figure out if you can afford that dream house or just keep dreaming. They also have calculators to figure out payments, what the real APR is, etc. Take a look.

~~Sponsored Post~~

Places in the UK

2007-01-28T08:03:00.000-05:00

I think we should visit Blandeastdale Over Tyne and Frogmouth. They sound like grand places off the beaten path. Not like Puddle which has become so hip and tourist-y. (read un-affordable for mere humans like us.) What do you think?

Sunday Sales

2007-01-28T07:51:00.000-05:00

You know, back in the dark ages, Sunday meant spreading out with the newspaper and a pair of scissors. I would clip coupons, read sale ads, ponder and then schlep out to purchase whatever it is that I "needed" that was on sale. Ok, I would clip coupons and ponder and then not go shopping or I would go shopping but forget the coupons or forget where the sale item could be found. Office Depot? Office Max? Home Depot? Best Buy? Good grief. Where was it?

Now folks can go every day of the week to get fresh, hot online coupons . All the coupons and deals are at a glance from retailers you know and love like Best Buy. You don't even need to leave home to use them or pull out a pair of scissors.

~~Sponsored Post~~

Fun toy

2007-01-27T15:12:00.000-05:00

I think

2007-01-26T19:29:00.000-05:00

I think the biggest of the "big kids" needs this: elephant car

Valentine's Gifts

2007-01-26T19:09:00.000-05:00

I have a way with Valentine's Day Gifts. Really, I do. Actually, I have a way with gifts in general. Just ask anyone...or peer at my extravagant gifts. (Hey, I have such a way with gifts, I got away with giving an empty bottle of shampoo and three potholders (two from Walgreens, one a Pepsi one from Ebay) to my love for Christmas and she was nearly overcome with the joy of it all. However, not everyone is as talented and naturally marshmallow-like as I am. Fortunately there is help. The folks here have all sorts of Valentine's Day Gifts ideas...including some of the most intriguing yet not foisted upon my love (yet) printed roses. I wish I could send the babies the missing you ones though.

This is a sponsored post...but ...check out the ideas and play with them in your head until you have sorted out the perfect gift for the special people in your life.

I should blog more often

2007-01-26T19:07:00.000-05:00

But I have been having computer problems and uh stuff. Computer cords are EXPENSIVE by the way. Do not twist spindle or mutilate them!

Former Prisoners

2007-01-11T19:03:00.000-05:00

Ok this is a serious study and result...but the lead in sentence cracked me up:

Former prison inmates have a high risk of dying after being released from prison, a study shows.

Why? Because as far as I can tell there are three ways to get out of prison: escape, die in prison, or be released. The one thing in common for all three: every single one of those people die...eventually. I felt like I was reading a Reader's Digest church bulletin blooper.

interesting stuff

2007-01-05T07:28:00.000-05:00

Manage Your Finances Like a Professional Gambler: Small Things Add Up but then this whole blog tends toward interesting. So read it.

Back to work today

2007-01-02T18:29:00.000-05:00

It was back to work day today. Lots of little things to do but I need to find an engaging project and fast! It didn't help that I didn't sleep well last night. Came home and peeked at the Runescape news after my walk. Apparently they changed rules 7 and 9. Everyone seems upset about 7 but I am concerned about the nice folks on fansites who probably support their sites using advertising like adsense and lose their accounts just because the advertising bots will put rule 12 violating ads on their sites. Sigh.

Happy New Year!

2007-01-01T12:45:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year everyone. My kids called so that made it a happy day for me, even if it would be happier if they were home.

They sounded like they are having fun, except young son, who sounded TIRED. He wasn't even interested in my acquisition of a mime emote at Runescape. (Clearly a sign of tiredness, especially since I asked how he liked the house, meaning the house in far away, and he said he hadn't had a chance to go there recently, meaning his fab Runescape house) In case you are wondering, geysers in Iceland are very cool (or hot really) and fireworks are dangerous!

I just got my first email from youngest daughter! A hi and a kissy face smiley and her name...all rolled in to one word with no spaces. I love it.

Someone in our neighborhood got a scooter for Christmas and every time I hear it on the sidewalk I think it is middle daughter scootering around.

Like last year, I have intentions, not resolutions and pretty much the same ones. I can't wear any of those out can I?

We don't have any pork in the house for New Year's day dinner. I am a bit worried about it, since it is good luck and all. It didn't really make sense to get it since no one will be home for dinner, except vegetarians so our nibble of pork will be none. We did get greens (at the request of the greens hater) and we have black-eyed peas for hoppin john. I will boil eggs for fertility in the new year. We need all the fertility we can get between the two of us. (but not among any of the children) My partner hasn't gotten pregnant for 17 years and I haven't gotten pregnant in more than 8! At the very least we could use some fertile ideas or fertile eggs come chick hatching time this summer.

Resolution Time

2006-12-29T17:49:00.001-05:00

You Will Keep Your New Year's Resolution

You planning on making a resolution that's smart, attainable, and perfect for where your life is.

Will You Keep Your New Year's Resolution?

Blinded me with science

2006-12-23T15:55:00.000-05:00

I am:

Arthur C. Clarke

Well known for nonfiction science writing and for early promotion of the effort toward space travel, his fiction was often grand and visionary.

Which science fiction writer are you?

Star Wars Horoscope

2006-12-20T15:21:00.000-05:00

Star Wars Horoscope for Virgo

You show efficiency when working for a good cause.

But you tend to be a bit fussy when it comes to doing something out of the ordinary.

Like many Virgos, you want to stay out of the spotlight.

You do well at picking up the smallest details.

Star wars character you are most like: C3P0

What Is Your Star Wars Horoscope?

Luxury or Necessity

2006-12-18T16:15:00.000-05:00

The Pew Research Center has a new report on what Americans consider luxuries. Apparently, not much is considered a luxury anymore and Americans need things.
About our extravagant home:

Car:

shared between the two of us
Air conditioning hasn't worked for almost a year
Heat in the car-now unhappy

Home

washing machine dumping water on the floor when the machine runs,
no working clothes dryer, (tonight after the children go to bed: laundromat!)
home air conditioning that is less than optimal (and we live in FL)
We do have:

tv (s)-watched rarely-definitely could do without
cable* (see internet connection below)
a microwave. (I love my microwave, but we have done without one before.)
a shared cell phone-we never take it anywhere unless we leave a teen at home or give it to a teen when s/he goes out and may need to call for a ride.
computers-well, a lot of computers, none brand new-most recent was the boy child's doorbuster sale computer from Santa last year.

I don't have an ipod and can't imagine a life where I would think it was a necssity. One child has an ipod, another 2 have some other brand, I don't think they consider them necessities.

In any case, these are luxuries folks, not needs. Ok, wait, we may need one computer and a high speed internet connection because it would be cardboard box time for us otherwise.

Look

2006-12-16T08:49:00.000-05:00

Something from Cambridge and economists...about shopping...and potentially of value. How rare.

Easy Reader

2006-12-10T15:07:00.000-05:00

I found a coconut

2006-12-07T06:25:00.000-05:00

Or Coconut contest ....here and it intrigued me as a way to link bait so I fussed around figuring out whats what...but then I found of all things...blogs I liked reading...posts like When Coding Consumes You and How to Get Good at Everything.

Interesting idea from Blogtown Press Blogs and I like the coconut!