It is that time of year, need to be thinking about dropping those few extra "winter" pounds. I am trying to get in to that watch what (and how much) I am eating mode. I, like many others, am being foiled by almost everything around me.
In our home I light my candles which are cinnamon, apple and/or vanilla scented. I wash my hands with lemon scented soap and dishes are cleaned with orange detergent. Apricot scrub unclogs my pores. "Like a sorbet on a hot summer day..." I can apply my basil body splash. In the shower the cleansing products all bare food names-pear body wash, peppermint foot scrub and green apple shampoo and conditioner. Lotion is ginger pear. My lip gloss is pink passion fruit.
But it doesn't end there. Food is everywhere.
Our dining room walls are Hubbard Squash. They used to be wine colored. Now I see that designer Christopher Lowell has an entire paint collection with food names! The wallpaper in our kitchen is covered with apples and the paint on the soffit is tomato red. The options for food pictures on ones wallpaper are virtually endless. Our woodwork is covered with cream paint. The new siding is sage. Appliances we just added are bisque. Tom's truck is cherry red. The deck furniture is chocolate brown. In the fall the bathroom color is lime green. The TV room recliner is olive green. In our vast collection of Fiestaware we have plum and tangerine dishes. We have vintage tablecloths with chickens, apples, tomatoes, pasta and of course, cocktails. Our comforter is goose down covered with an oatmeal colored duvet. We are constantly clearing "cookies" off our computers. Our grand-daughters are "peaches" and grand-sons are "crackerjacks". They all "sprout" up and out at breakneck speed. Some people have olive skin and chestnut hair.
In the early 1900's Crayola introduced an 8 piece crayon set that included black, blue, brown, green, red, purple, yellow and yes Orange! Now they entice us with colors such as wild strawberry and macaroni and cheese, in addition to melon and granny smith apple. Mother's Day gifts made in kindergarten will be macaroni strung lovingly by little hands. We watch a game and there is always someone hot dogging out on the field. If you go to Miller Park, you will watch the sausage race. Some older homes have popcorn ceilings. When it is foggy it is like pea soup. There is an entire empire of vegetable (Veggie Tales) characters that children love-Madame Blueberry, Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber to name a few. Everyone calls me the shrimp of the family. There is simply no escaping food.
Time to go, I'm starving.
Is there any wonder we are the fattest nation in the world???
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Bockbierfest
Don't tell the political correctness police about this!
When you get to Bockbierfest, held annually, at Hart Park in Wauwatosa, it is like a step back in time. Traditional garb is everywhere. Men and boys with hats, filled with feathers and pins, women and girls dressed in their drindls give you a sense of a different place and time.
Bier is king here. So is music and the music is wonderful. You have the ompah music, the marching music and of course, what German gathering would be complete without the drinking music. You can get your sauerkraut and sausage, herring sandwiches and German potato salad as well as a wide array of yummy desserts. Sausage held up high is sold throughout the night. People come with their tablecloths and decorate their tables (as well as hold their spot) with plants or balloons, laying out the treats they have brought from home. They bring their beer mugs and glasses and have them filled up at the tap. Since I don't care much for beer, I do have to smuggle in my wine (don't tell).
Dance clubs perform and they are quite talented. It is very refreshing to see all of the young people that are involved in the ethnic dancing. What a great way to keep your heritage alive. These kids do a great job and look like they are having fun all the while they are dancing.
There is a beer drinking contest by which they pick the King and Queen. Process of elimination, from 4 to 1 and the one(s) left standing are crowned. It gets the crowd pretty pumped up and at the end the King and Queen are crowned and do the march. We have not been able to last that long these last few years.
It is a great local gathering which we highly recommend. This year we didn't have a "front row" seat as tables were filling up promptly at 5. I think the word is already out on this wonderful little venue. We will be back on April 25, 2009. This is a can't miss "fest".
When you get to Bockbierfest, held annually, at Hart Park in Wauwatosa, it is like a step back in time. Traditional garb is everywhere. Men and boys with hats, filled with feathers and pins, women and girls dressed in their drindls give you a sense of a different place and time.
Bier is king here. So is music and the music is wonderful. You have the ompah music, the marching music and of course, what German gathering would be complete without the drinking music. You can get your sauerkraut and sausage, herring sandwiches and German potato salad as well as a wide array of yummy desserts. Sausage held up high is sold throughout the night. People come with their tablecloths and decorate their tables (as well as hold their spot) with plants or balloons, laying out the treats they have brought from home. They bring their beer mugs and glasses and have them filled up at the tap. Since I don't care much for beer, I do have to smuggle in my wine (don't tell).
Dance clubs perform and they are quite talented. It is very refreshing to see all of the young people that are involved in the ethnic dancing. What a great way to keep your heritage alive. These kids do a great job and look like they are having fun all the while they are dancing.
There is a beer drinking contest by which they pick the King and Queen. Process of elimination, from 4 to 1 and the one(s) left standing are crowned. It gets the crowd pretty pumped up and at the end the King and Queen are crowned and do the march. We have not been able to last that long these last few years.
It is a great local gathering which we highly recommend. This year we didn't have a "front row" seat as tables were filling up promptly at 5. I think the word is already out on this wonderful little venue. We will be back on April 25, 2009. This is a can't miss "fest".
Saturday, April 26, 2008
30 minute meals-Really?
I found this article quite interesting (Myth of the 30 minute meals-they usually take longer than 30 minutes to prepare). I love cooking (and eating). The notion of getting a meal on the table in short order is always enticing, but I will admit, I've always doubted the claims (sorry Rachael) and even some of my simplest meals are usually not completed in that short of time. It sells because people want to believe it can be done.
The other part of the "30 minute meal" or "fast food" sell that doesn't set well is the fury with which one would have to get that meal put together to meet that goal. Having been in the restaurant business for years, working frenzied in the kitchen just doesn't appeal to me. That was the way Friday nights were or Sunday mornings and trust me, it wasn't fun in the kitchen. Preparing food for your personal consumption shouldn't have to be a race against time. It is bad enough we all probably eat that way. If you prep your food when you get home from the market certainly you will save time when you are actually preparing a meal. But if you want fresh items you really can't prep a weeks worth of goods at one time (they wouldn't be very fresh by the end of the week). Sadly many of us are "starving" when we get home from work or we have little ones or spouses that are looking for a quick meal. That sell of a quick meal sure sounds good and certainly one of the reasons the fast food restaurants continue to grow.
Enjoying our glass of wine and lining up what and how I'm going to prepare our meal, while we talk about our day, is for us one of the best times of the day. I have a very willing helper in the kitchen if I need him. He is a wonderfully enthusiastic eater and always cleans up the "cooking" mess. The cooking shows or books never have that as part of the equation. Two people working together in the kitchen certainly gets the job done quicker. We like to sit with our salad and enjoy it, not scarf it down to get to the hot portion of the meal, sitting out and getting cold. Using leftovers is rarely shown. Oh they tell you that you may have leftovers, but they don't suggest using them. We use them and yes, it does shorten the prep time. I do try to cook in a thinking ahead manner. The leftover taco meat from our Sunday gathering will be a "taco pie" tonight, topped with the leftover tomatoes and lettuce. The leftover portion of the big batch of rice from Sunday's meal, along with the chopped green onions will be a part of our supper Wednesday-fried rice. I'll use the left over tortillas to make quesidillas to go with the left over salsa soup (also from Sunday) for our Thursday supper. We will round out the meals with a nice fresh salad and probably some bread or roll. Those meals will be closer to 30 minute meals than any in one of the books you will pick up and even at that I suspect they will be over that time limit.
The other part of the "30 minute meal" or "fast food" sell that doesn't set well is the fury with which one would have to get that meal put together to meet that goal. Having been in the restaurant business for years, working frenzied in the kitchen just doesn't appeal to me. That was the way Friday nights were or Sunday mornings and trust me, it wasn't fun in the kitchen. Preparing food for your personal consumption shouldn't have to be a race against time. It is bad enough we all probably eat that way. If you prep your food when you get home from the market certainly you will save time when you are actually preparing a meal. But if you want fresh items you really can't prep a weeks worth of goods at one time (they wouldn't be very fresh by the end of the week). Sadly many of us are "starving" when we get home from work or we have little ones or spouses that are looking for a quick meal. That sell of a quick meal sure sounds good and certainly one of the reasons the fast food restaurants continue to grow.
Enjoying our glass of wine and lining up what and how I'm going to prepare our meal, while we talk about our day, is for us one of the best times of the day. I have a very willing helper in the kitchen if I need him. He is a wonderfully enthusiastic eater and always cleans up the "cooking" mess. The cooking shows or books never have that as part of the equation. Two people working together in the kitchen certainly gets the job done quicker. We like to sit with our salad and enjoy it, not scarf it down to get to the hot portion of the meal, sitting out and getting cold. Using leftovers is rarely shown. Oh they tell you that you may have leftovers, but they don't suggest using them. We use them and yes, it does shorten the prep time. I do try to cook in a thinking ahead manner. The leftover taco meat from our Sunday gathering will be a "taco pie" tonight, topped with the leftover tomatoes and lettuce. The leftover portion of the big batch of rice from Sunday's meal, along with the chopped green onions will be a part of our supper Wednesday-fried rice. I'll use the left over tortillas to make quesidillas to go with the left over salsa soup (also from Sunday) for our Thursday supper. We will round out the meals with a nice fresh salad and probably some bread or roll. Those meals will be closer to 30 minute meals than any in one of the books you will pick up and even at that I suspect they will be over that time limit.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Food Crisis-Unintended Consequences
We always talk about unintended consequences. You mean well, but for every action there is a reaction. The "Food Crisis" we are beginning to see play out is something many of us that are against mandates, especially in a free market, saw coming all along.
In my opinion any time the government sticks its nose in business, that business is doomed. Let's face it, the clowns that sit in the state and federal House and Senate couldn't run a kool-aid stand. They are clueless. What they understand is the lobby money dumped on them and sadly that is how these laws and mandates are formulated. They are created to fatten one wallet at the expense of another. The pork in "pork barrel" legislation or spending.
The "Climate Crisis" has created a special opportunity for those with an agenda, especially the ethanol agenda. I'm no scientist. However, I would think that diverting food that actually sustains some countries, to the production of fuel, is not a wise use of resources. Especially when we have not really agreed on the effectiveness or the efficiency of these fuels, but we all agree on the need for food in the poor countries of the world. And of course as we have seen, this is not just affecting the poor countries, we have watched food prices soar in this country. The science of it all is in question too (see this short little article) http://www.enviroharvest.ca/ethenol.htm
What we have plenty of is garbage. Instead of taking food from the field and off the table to create fuel why not take the garbage out of the dump and create a viable fuel? Where are the special incentives from the government for this?
In my opinion any time the government sticks its nose in business, that business is doomed. Let's face it, the clowns that sit in the state and federal House and Senate couldn't run a kool-aid stand. They are clueless. What they understand is the lobby money dumped on them and sadly that is how these laws and mandates are formulated. They are created to fatten one wallet at the expense of another. The pork in "pork barrel" legislation or spending.
The "Climate Crisis" has created a special opportunity for those with an agenda, especially the ethanol agenda. I'm no scientist. However, I would think that diverting food that actually sustains some countries, to the production of fuel, is not a wise use of resources. Especially when we have not really agreed on the effectiveness or the efficiency of these fuels, but we all agree on the need for food in the poor countries of the world. And of course as we have seen, this is not just affecting the poor countries, we have watched food prices soar in this country. The science of it all is in question too (see this short little article) http://www.enviroharvest.ca/ethenol.htm
What we have plenty of is garbage. Instead of taking food from the field and off the table to create fuel why not take the garbage out of the dump and create a viable fuel? Where are the special incentives from the government for this?
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
"Scientists decode brain farts"
Here was an interesting article (click the post title to access article).
We have all had those moments....Many of us have called them senior moments (a joke I guess until you really are a senior). You are gliding along and all of a sudden BOOM, you are just lost. The thought is gone or you don't know what you went for, etc., etc. (I am really glad there is an explanation for this one and that it just doesn't happen to me). Turns out there actually is some kind of activity in the brain, which was evident in all participants in this study, prior to this (the fart) happening.
While I found the short article quite interesting I couldn't help but be amused at the notion of a mind reading hat. All I could think of was Doc Brown in the wonderful movie Back To The Future sticking that suction cup on Marty's forehead while wearing the huge headgear he had invented to read ones mind.
Once my amusement subsided I began to think about how the nannies will jump all over this. Imagine if we can save just one person from a brain fart...
We will all be forced to wear the mind-reading hats. You won't be able to get insurance if you don't wear the hat. You will be banned from places if you don't have the hat. I can see it now, surely we will all be forced to wear these while driving. Most accidents are after all caused by inattentive driving. The article seemed to imply that age was not really a factor in these little toots in the brain so young and old alike would be forced to wear the hats (if we can save just one....). Will it take the place of motor cycle helmets, bike helmets, batting helmets, etc.? Will we just all wear one helmet whenever outside that will prevent any number of maladies? Will it beep out loud, sort of like the vehicles that are backing up? Will there be signage on the helmet to warm others about you? Will it have a built in iPod that doesn't pod in to your ear ruining your hearing? Will we be able to remove them when safely on the inside? I don't know about you but I have not been blessed with great hair. I spend a good deal of time in the morning trying to get it to look okay. It is REALLY not OK when I have a hat on. Am I going to be forced to function with hat-head (much like bed-head) all day long?
This is serious.
We have all had those moments....Many of us have called them senior moments (a joke I guess until you really are a senior). You are gliding along and all of a sudden BOOM, you are just lost. The thought is gone or you don't know what you went for, etc., etc. (I am really glad there is an explanation for this one and that it just doesn't happen to me). Turns out there actually is some kind of activity in the brain, which was evident in all participants in this study, prior to this (the fart) happening.
While I found the short article quite interesting I couldn't help but be amused at the notion of a mind reading hat. All I could think of was Doc Brown in the wonderful movie Back To The Future sticking that suction cup on Marty's forehead while wearing the huge headgear he had invented to read ones mind.
Once my amusement subsided I began to think about how the nannies will jump all over this. Imagine if we can save just one person from a brain fart...
We will all be forced to wear the mind-reading hats. You won't be able to get insurance if you don't wear the hat. You will be banned from places if you don't have the hat. I can see it now, surely we will all be forced to wear these while driving. Most accidents are after all caused by inattentive driving. The article seemed to imply that age was not really a factor in these little toots in the brain so young and old alike would be forced to wear the hats (if we can save just one....). Will it take the place of motor cycle helmets, bike helmets, batting helmets, etc.? Will we just all wear one helmet whenever outside that will prevent any number of maladies? Will it beep out loud, sort of like the vehicles that are backing up? Will there be signage on the helmet to warm others about you? Will it have a built in iPod that doesn't pod in to your ear ruining your hearing? Will we be able to remove them when safely on the inside? I don't know about you but I have not been blessed with great hair. I spend a good deal of time in the morning trying to get it to look okay. It is REALLY not OK when I have a hat on. Am I going to be forced to function with hat-head (much like bed-head) all day long?
This is serious.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
"Happiest Americans are the Oldest"
Where would we all be without "studies"? The above is the latest as titled in an AP report. There were some interesting points and of course some points made that one could question.
Obviously the study was conducted by young people that were quite surprised that the happiest Americans were older Americans. There was a caveat though for Boomers (category I fall in to). Seems the Boomers are least happy, can't lower their expectations and are too achievement-driven. Since I've always considered myself a pretty happy person (my glass has always been half full, never half empty) and I am married to a pretty happy person, I found those comments intriguing.
My Mom is in her 70's and my husbands Mom is in her 90's. Individually they have more energy than Tom and I put together. If they tag teamed us we would not stand a chance. Neither has ever been a half empty kind of person in their life. My Mom, Bon-the-dancing-diva (see her home page) http://home.wi.rr.com/bonnieshomepage/ has the energy of an 18 year old. She embraces life each day and doesn't take it for granted. While the getting here had its ups and downs she doesn't wallow in that, she makes today the first day of the rest of her life. She hasn't feared the new technology, she has embraced it. Rose, my mother-in-law (who is a mother to me) possesses the same attitude. Each day has a purpose. Every day there is something new to learn. An avid cook, she surfs the net for the latest scrumptious sounding recipe Giada, Paula or Rachel is stirring up. She daily reads the paper and stays abreast of all the current events. Her day always includes several chapters of her latest find from the library. Both women have friends they connect with often. And both women have more than their parents had. Oh they worked for it but they were happy for the opportunity. Life was always out there offering more to those willing to work for it. We are fortunate to have even more. For our kids, well the sky is the limit.
We are pretty satisfied with our lives and not because we have "settled" for less. We are satisfied because we have achieved more than we ever dreamed we could and there is no end in sight for what can still be achieved. Tom survived Vietnam as well as the return home at that time to a very hostile and ungrateful America. We survived having teen-agers. We survived divorces. We (individually) picked up the pieces when we had to and moved on. We aren't driven to have more than the next guy just because. We have worked for the things we have and we appreciate them. But things are just that, things. We have so much else in our lives. Wonderful kids, great jobs, beautiful grand children, a home that is our own that we love, the ability to travel, good health and a circle of terrific family and friends. Our only worry as we get older is that the money to sustain us will run out if we do live to be 100 (surprisingly that didn't appear to be much of an issue in this study). And since we have always found a way to deal with things, that probably will not be an issue anyway. I'm quite certain we have our Moms to thank for that attitude. Thanks Moms for helping us not become unsatisfied Boomers!
Obviously the study was conducted by young people that were quite surprised that the happiest Americans were older Americans. There was a caveat though for Boomers (category I fall in to). Seems the Boomers are least happy, can't lower their expectations and are too achievement-driven. Since I've always considered myself a pretty happy person (my glass has always been half full, never half empty) and I am married to a pretty happy person, I found those comments intriguing.
My Mom is in her 70's and my husbands Mom is in her 90's. Individually they have more energy than Tom and I put together. If they tag teamed us we would not stand a chance. Neither has ever been a half empty kind of person in their life. My Mom, Bon-the-dancing-diva (see her home page) http://home.wi.rr.com/bonnieshomepage/ has the energy of an 18 year old. She embraces life each day and doesn't take it for granted. While the getting here had its ups and downs she doesn't wallow in that, she makes today the first day of the rest of her life. She hasn't feared the new technology, she has embraced it. Rose, my mother-in-law (who is a mother to me) possesses the same attitude. Each day has a purpose. Every day there is something new to learn. An avid cook, she surfs the net for the latest scrumptious sounding recipe Giada, Paula or Rachel is stirring up. She daily reads the paper and stays abreast of all the current events. Her day always includes several chapters of her latest find from the library. Both women have friends they connect with often. And both women have more than their parents had. Oh they worked for it but they were happy for the opportunity. Life was always out there offering more to those willing to work for it. We are fortunate to have even more. For our kids, well the sky is the limit.
We are pretty satisfied with our lives and not because we have "settled" for less. We are satisfied because we have achieved more than we ever dreamed we could and there is no end in sight for what can still be achieved. Tom survived Vietnam as well as the return home at that time to a very hostile and ungrateful America. We survived having teen-agers. We survived divorces. We (individually) picked up the pieces when we had to and moved on. We aren't driven to have more than the next guy just because. We have worked for the things we have and we appreciate them. But things are just that, things. We have so much else in our lives. Wonderful kids, great jobs, beautiful grand children, a home that is our own that we love, the ability to travel, good health and a circle of terrific family and friends. Our only worry as we get older is that the money to sustain us will run out if we do live to be 100 (surprisingly that didn't appear to be much of an issue in this study). And since we have always found a way to deal with things, that probably will not be an issue anyway. I'm quite certain we have our Moms to thank for that attitude. Thanks Moms for helping us not become unsatisfied Boomers!
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Where is the AARP?
Democratic Representative Murtha announced to a cheering crowd that he thinks McCain is too old and couldn't possibly have the necessary energy required for the grueling job of executive leader of the country. Murtha said he himself didn't have that kind of energy (perhaps he should quit and go take a nap). Good thing Murtha isn't running for the job.
I'm waiting for the AARP to breathlessly jump out there with a big news flash denouncing that comment. (Waiting, waiting, waiting....) Aren't they the "spokespeople" for the golden-agers? Aren't they the group always out there touting the usefulness of the older generation? Of course they do spend a good deal of time lamenting the miserable plight of old folks. Trying to ride in the middle when you have a definite slant to the left gets to be hard to do.
To me the silence is just one more indication of how useless and out of step with the real world the AARP is. They aren't relevant to our lives because they are clueless when it comes to real people in the real world. It is always easy to find people with the entitlement mentality and the AARP has harnessed that and attempted to lump all folks over 50 or 60 and up in that group for their own agenda, not an agenda that necessarily benefits all. Well here is a news flash. Not all people in their 50's or 60's believe they are downtrodden. AARP does not speak for all of us. Nor do we all believe we are entitled to the government taking care of us. Many of us are concerned that our children will be suffering the burden of all the government entitlements, hampering their opportunities to build nest eggs for their futures. Many of us wish we had more of our hard earned income to do with as we wish. Why does the AARP believe that the government is better at spending our money than we ourselves are? Good grief, with things as they are now all of our children will be working until well after 78 if they expect to collect social security based upon what they have put in to it. Projections at this time show our (boomers) longevity will bankrupt the system. Has the AARP been out there promoting self directed retirement accounts? No. Have they lobbied for parity in regards to savings allowed for retirement? No. Have they promoted individuals being in charge of their own interests when it comes to health care? No. And now, when clearly Murtha's comment was quite degrading to "an older person", they remain quiet. I thought they were around to promote the respect of and the interests of the aging population.
Yep, they have their spot on the useless shelf, right alongside NOW (National Organization of Women). Unfortunately they have many resources and represent a huge lobbying power with a voice that does not really represent all of us.
I'm waiting for the AARP to breathlessly jump out there with a big news flash denouncing that comment. (Waiting, waiting, waiting....) Aren't they the "spokespeople" for the golden-agers? Aren't they the group always out there touting the usefulness of the older generation? Of course they do spend a good deal of time lamenting the miserable plight of old folks. Trying to ride in the middle when you have a definite slant to the left gets to be hard to do.
To me the silence is just one more indication of how useless and out of step with the real world the AARP is. They aren't relevant to our lives because they are clueless when it comes to real people in the real world. It is always easy to find people with the entitlement mentality and the AARP has harnessed that and attempted to lump all folks over 50 or 60 and up in that group for their own agenda, not an agenda that necessarily benefits all. Well here is a news flash. Not all people in their 50's or 60's believe they are downtrodden. AARP does not speak for all of us. Nor do we all believe we are entitled to the government taking care of us. Many of us are concerned that our children will be suffering the burden of all the government entitlements, hampering their opportunities to build nest eggs for their futures. Many of us wish we had more of our hard earned income to do with as we wish. Why does the AARP believe that the government is better at spending our money than we ourselves are? Good grief, with things as they are now all of our children will be working until well after 78 if they expect to collect social security based upon what they have put in to it. Projections at this time show our (boomers) longevity will bankrupt the system. Has the AARP been out there promoting self directed retirement accounts? No. Have they lobbied for parity in regards to savings allowed for retirement? No. Have they promoted individuals being in charge of their own interests when it comes to health care? No. And now, when clearly Murtha's comment was quite degrading to "an older person", they remain quiet. I thought they were around to promote the respect of and the interests of the aging population.
Yep, they have their spot on the useless shelf, right alongside NOW (National Organization of Women). Unfortunately they have many resources and represent a huge lobbying power with a voice that does not really represent all of us.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Tricia Walsh-Smith
One, I suppose, could characterize Tricia as a very sympathetic person-tossed out like trash-cut out of what was hers, etc. etc. I sure didn't see her that way. All that came to my mind was Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Whew, I would have stayed out of her way, she did appear quite vindictive.
She should have hired a better director. While she may be a very good playwright I think her You Tube presentation put her out there in a very unflattering light. She didn't seem like a nice person. I wasn't moved to tears for her plight. She looked crazed, actually made the hair on my skin stand up and I just couldn't muster any empathy for her. I was thinking to myself he probably got out in the nick of time. This chick is a nut job.
Women like her give the rest of us a bad name. I understand being ticked off if someone has been lying to you or misleading you or disrespecting you. I may have been able to smile and say he deserved it if she had simply trashed his personal things to rid herself of the rage and been stupid enough to film that. This guy does sounds pretty rude. What I do not understand is this airing of personal and dirty laundry. Did she really think the popular opinion of her would be exponentially better than that of him? Bummer for her, I think most people may think they probably deserved each other but at this point she seems the worse of the two.
Hell woman, read the pre-nup contract before you sign it, especially if the end is more important than the getting there! Is there any idiot left in this world that doesn't know you need to read the small print? You should have made sure there was an irrevocable property settlement clause, no matter what, if keeping the apartment was that important to you. You can't simp around like some poor little woman that just didn't know, that was just duped. No one is buying it. What everyone is pretty much in agreement on is your utter lack of class.
She should have hired a better director. While she may be a very good playwright I think her You Tube presentation put her out there in a very unflattering light. She didn't seem like a nice person. I wasn't moved to tears for her plight. She looked crazed, actually made the hair on my skin stand up and I just couldn't muster any empathy for her. I was thinking to myself he probably got out in the nick of time. This chick is a nut job.
Women like her give the rest of us a bad name. I understand being ticked off if someone has been lying to you or misleading you or disrespecting you. I may have been able to smile and say he deserved it if she had simply trashed his personal things to rid herself of the rage and been stupid enough to film that. This guy does sounds pretty rude. What I do not understand is this airing of personal and dirty laundry. Did she really think the popular opinion of her would be exponentially better than that of him? Bummer for her, I think most people may think they probably deserved each other but at this point she seems the worse of the two.
Hell woman, read the pre-nup contract before you sign it, especially if the end is more important than the getting there! Is there any idiot left in this world that doesn't know you need to read the small print? You should have made sure there was an irrevocable property settlement clause, no matter what, if keeping the apartment was that important to you. You can't simp around like some poor little woman that just didn't know, that was just duped. No one is buying it. What everyone is pretty much in agreement on is your utter lack of class.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Green Living
Every thing is "Going Green" these days. You are In if you are "green". You care if you are "green". You are doing your part if you are "green".
I was green before it was cool to be green. I was green because I didn't have the extra money for frivolity since I had four kids at home. And I was {am} cheap. Who knew? This movement could have been mine....
When I got home from the discount store with shampoo I would promptly cut it with water to make it go further, something my girls just hated. When I was done using a "baggie" I would wash it out and hang it somewhere to dry so that it could be reused. Small waste baskets were always lined with the plastic grocery bags I would put on the side. Presents could be wrapped in opened brown bags (as well as packages that may have to be shipped) or they could be wrapped in the Sunday comic papers. Tissue from opened presents was always smoothed and folded for another time. Plastic food containers were washed and reused for storage of leftovers, etc. Old clothing in good repair always went to Salvation Army or Goodwill. Old clothing in lousy shape became rags. Old bedding-drop clothes. Recycling at its best. And our thermostat was always set lower than other peoples. I always told the kids to put on more clothes if you're cold or get up and do some work to warm up.
Another mans trash...yes, I have been know to pick up something out on the street for the trash man and take it home. I also have been known to put my discards out to the street with a sign that says free. People usually stop before I am back in the house. That certainly is green.
As is the case with diligence and hard work, life is much easier now than it was when the kids were all youngsters at home. I still am pretty cheap though. Old habits die hard. My hubby claims I am the only person he knows that can paint a whole house with one can of paint. I do not waste. When I empty something, it is emptied. I don't leave lights on when no one is in the room. I find ways to reuse things. I cook that way as well. And while I care about the environment, my green movement began not because of that, but because it was essential to our existence as a family. Money not spent on the same things over and over again was money that could be used for other things. Reusing other peoples trash (collectibles) brought out the creativity in all of us. Not paying full price for things really became a lifestyle for most of the kids. Shopping at the thrift stores provided the opportunity for more.
It is wonderful to no longer be poor or strapped, however if you have been there, you are probably better off because of it. We appreciate what we have and we take care of all we have worked so hard for. I sure do remember not having. Being green then helped us get where we are today. In the end, most was common sense and if that prevailed today our planet might be better off.
I was green before it was cool to be green. I was green because I didn't have the extra money for frivolity since I had four kids at home. And I was {am} cheap. Who knew? This movement could have been mine....
When I got home from the discount store with shampoo I would promptly cut it with water to make it go further, something my girls just hated. When I was done using a "baggie" I would wash it out and hang it somewhere to dry so that it could be reused. Small waste baskets were always lined with the plastic grocery bags I would put on the side. Presents could be wrapped in opened brown bags (as well as packages that may have to be shipped) or they could be wrapped in the Sunday comic papers. Tissue from opened presents was always smoothed and folded for another time. Plastic food containers were washed and reused for storage of leftovers, etc. Old clothing in good repair always went to Salvation Army or Goodwill. Old clothing in lousy shape became rags. Old bedding-drop clothes. Recycling at its best. And our thermostat was always set lower than other peoples. I always told the kids to put on more clothes if you're cold or get up and do some work to warm up.
Another mans trash...yes, I have been know to pick up something out on the street for the trash man and take it home. I also have been known to put my discards out to the street with a sign that says free. People usually stop before I am back in the house. That certainly is green.
As is the case with diligence and hard work, life is much easier now than it was when the kids were all youngsters at home. I still am pretty cheap though. Old habits die hard. My hubby claims I am the only person he knows that can paint a whole house with one can of paint. I do not waste. When I empty something, it is emptied. I don't leave lights on when no one is in the room. I find ways to reuse things. I cook that way as well. And while I care about the environment, my green movement began not because of that, but because it was essential to our existence as a family. Money not spent on the same things over and over again was money that could be used for other things. Reusing other peoples trash (collectibles) brought out the creativity in all of us. Not paying full price for things really became a lifestyle for most of the kids. Shopping at the thrift stores provided the opportunity for more.
It is wonderful to no longer be poor or strapped, however if you have been there, you are probably better off because of it. We appreciate what we have and we take care of all we have worked so hard for. I sure do remember not having. Being green then helped us get where we are today. In the end, most was common sense and if that prevailed today our planet might be better off.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Sears appliance repair update
Here is an update to the Sear's appliance post.
Yesterday the repair person came out. He called about 10 or so and said he would be here in about 20 minutes. He arrived as he said he would.
I explained the problems and he quickly deduced one of the problems was a wire that had never been properly attached at the factory for the burner that was not working (so much for inspection and productivity at the factory). Since that was all it was there was no replacement necessary. He made the connection that should have been made to properly wire it in the first place and the burner worked just fine. The second issue we had was an oven that didn't seem to match the setting. He did turn on the oven and felt that it was about 15 degrees off, so he re calibrated it. I guess we will see how that goes.
So far I do love this stove. The bisque color is really light (and we may end up replacing the black microwave just to have that "wall" match) but I can live with that. The large round burner is awesome. It really works well with our large five and a half quart fry/saute pan. I haven't yet used the griddle or the center burners. It will get its work out though, I am the cooker/entertainer in the extended family(s) and if there is a crowd, well, they are usually eating and drinking here.
So for us, Sears and the Kenmore brand was a good buy this time. The service at the store was great, delivery people unbelievably efficient and the follow up service technician a knowledgeable, personable fellow that did what he was supposed to do in a timely manner.
Yesterday the repair person came out. He called about 10 or so and said he would be here in about 20 minutes. He arrived as he said he would.
I explained the problems and he quickly deduced one of the problems was a wire that had never been properly attached at the factory for the burner that was not working (so much for inspection and productivity at the factory). Since that was all it was there was no replacement necessary. He made the connection that should have been made to properly wire it in the first place and the burner worked just fine. The second issue we had was an oven that didn't seem to match the setting. He did turn on the oven and felt that it was about 15 degrees off, so he re calibrated it. I guess we will see how that goes.
So far I do love this stove. The bisque color is really light (and we may end up replacing the black microwave just to have that "wall" match) but I can live with that. The large round burner is awesome. It really works well with our large five and a half quart fry/saute pan. I haven't yet used the griddle or the center burners. It will get its work out though, I am the cooker/entertainer in the extended family(s) and if there is a crowd, well, they are usually eating and drinking here.
So for us, Sears and the Kenmore brand was a good buy this time. The service at the store was great, delivery people unbelievably efficient and the follow up service technician a knowledgeable, personable fellow that did what he was supposed to do in a timely manner.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Girls beating up Girls
Please, if you are unfortunate enough to have one of the punk girls as a daughter, that thought beating up another girl and filming it was a good idea, don't expect sympathy. In my opinion there probably isn't much hope. These parents that go on national TV (have you lost your minds????) and say they didn't know or maybe it was the victims fault-Hello-people think you are STUPID! Go on national TV and beg for help, for forgiveness, say you don't know how a child of yours could do such a thing. I do have empathy for you in that I would die if it was my kid. Really die if it was my daughter!
These parents trying to minimize what these {miserable kids} have done just dig the hole deeper. Go on tape and say it was awful, you are shocked, yes shocked Suzy could do such an awful thing. People will be empathetic, they will feel your pain (what the heck, my kid could be a bad seed...). Don't make it the victims fault. We all saw the video. Whew, hope you have money for the shrink!
These parents trying to minimize what these {miserable kids} have done just dig the hole deeper. Go on tape and say it was awful, you are shocked, yes shocked Suzy could do such an awful thing. People will be empathetic, they will feel your pain (what the heck, my kid could be a bad seed...). Don't make it the victims fault. We all saw the video. Whew, hope you have money for the shrink!
Sears Appliance Delivery
We decided to use our "rebate" check to buy a new refrigerator and a new stove. Well, actually my hubby wanted to do this (buy a new stove & fridge) so he wouldn't have to listen to me b---h about the stove I already had. I willingly agreed as I hated our stove {another really long story I may relate at some time}. So we did our due diligence and researched the various brands and pricing of said brands out there, coupled with our specifications and chose Kenmore. Now I will be the first to say that I think Sears & K-Mart are dead. But, Consumer Reports rated the Kenmore brand stove and refrigerator right up there at the top in performance, value, etc. for the money we wanted to spend, so we went to Sears to investigate. We liked what we saw and decided they might be for us. The salesperson, Maria, was very helpful (we even received a card in the mail from her today). We were very ambivalent about the color (stainless, white, Bisque, etc.) but in the end decided upon Bisque-translate CHEAP-there was no way we {I} were going to pay more for stainless.
Number 1, the guys that delivered the appliances could not have been nicer or more informative. My time frame was 10:45 to 12:45, pretty wide. They showed up at 11:15. The guys came in, looked over what was here (appliances to remove, space to get them in and out) and told me it would be an easy and quick delivery. It was. These guys worked as silently as I have ever seen two men work. One hour, they had the old out (stove to the street-another post sometime soon and fridge to the truck for the dump) and the new in (stove attached per code and fridge running).
The service person put the appliances through the paces and the stove failed (go figure, same problem as old....) so he promptly called service to report the problem. I got on the phone with the service department and while the delivery department was able to give me a two hour window the service department was telling me they could only give me a four hour window. A four hour window to come out and repair my brand new stove I had not even used yet. I wasn't very happy. Take off work again and this time wait a possible four hours, plus repair time? Well she offered up a Saturday time slot, so we will see how that goes. She also did give us an additional two year extension on the existing warranty which I thought was nice. At least the employees are empowered to smooth things over (what a concept). Later that day I tested the oven for temperature and go figure, another of the same problems as the old, it was off by about 25 degrees....
I will keep you posted on said repairs.
Number 1, the guys that delivered the appliances could not have been nicer or more informative. My time frame was 10:45 to 12:45, pretty wide. They showed up at 11:15. The guys came in, looked over what was here (appliances to remove, space to get them in and out) and told me it would be an easy and quick delivery. It was. These guys worked as silently as I have ever seen two men work. One hour, they had the old out (stove to the street-another post sometime soon and fridge to the truck for the dump) and the new in (stove attached per code and fridge running).
The service person put the appliances through the paces and the stove failed (go figure, same problem as old....) so he promptly called service to report the problem. I got on the phone with the service department and while the delivery department was able to give me a two hour window the service department was telling me they could only give me a four hour window. A four hour window to come out and repair my brand new stove I had not even used yet. I wasn't very happy. Take off work again and this time wait a possible four hours, plus repair time? Well she offered up a Saturday time slot, so we will see how that goes. She also did give us an additional two year extension on the existing warranty which I thought was nice. At least the employees are empowered to smooth things over (what a concept). Later that day I tested the oven for temperature and go figure, another of the same problems as the old, it was off by about 25 degrees....
I will keep you posted on said repairs.
Jimmy Carter
Anyone who lived through the awful, disgraceful and world wide degrading Carter years probably has the same reaction I have every time I hear this mans name.
I remember he was going to come to Washington and "change the tone". He was going to be respectful. He was going to yada, yada, yada (does this sound like someone that is running today?).
What Carter accomplished was making the United States an absolute laughing stock on the world stage. Has everyone forgotten the 444 days of daily humiliation broadcast on television around the globe? All the folks that think Bush is the one that has created the hatred these terrorist throughout the world have for us have been drinking some bad kool-aid. That hatred has been around for a long, long time. Their notion that we are weak and hapless was fully ingrained during the Carter years.
Now this man who was going to "change the tone in Washington" continues to prove it wasn't an anomaly that our economy and world prestige was in the toilet during his term. Every time he opens his mouth he disrespects the office he once held and the country that afforded him that honor and privilege.
He might have been an okay peanut farmer. He might even be a nice guy. Habitat for Humanity is my favorite charity. But he sucked as a president and goodness knows, only a fool would take "advice" from him in regards to our policy with the middle east. Promoting peace is one thing. Meeting with terrorists while we are at war is another thing. Maybe he should take Jane Fonda with him. Disgraceful!
I remember he was going to come to Washington and "change the tone". He was going to be respectful. He was going to yada, yada, yada (does this sound like someone that is running today?).
What Carter accomplished was making the United States an absolute laughing stock on the world stage. Has everyone forgotten the 444 days of daily humiliation broadcast on television around the globe? All the folks that think Bush is the one that has created the hatred these terrorist throughout the world have for us have been drinking some bad kool-aid. That hatred has been around for a long, long time. Their notion that we are weak and hapless was fully ingrained during the Carter years.
Now this man who was going to "change the tone in Washington" continues to prove it wasn't an anomaly that our economy and world prestige was in the toilet during his term. Every time he opens his mouth he disrespects the office he once held and the country that afforded him that honor and privilege.
He might have been an okay peanut farmer. He might even be a nice guy. Habitat for Humanity is my favorite charity. But he sucked as a president and goodness knows, only a fool would take "advice" from him in regards to our policy with the middle east. Promoting peace is one thing. Meeting with terrorists while we are at war is another thing. Maybe he should take Jane Fonda with him. Disgraceful!
Monday, April 7, 2008
Nose piercings
Is it me? Am I just an old fart that thinks an earring in your nose is the stupidest looking thing in the world? (I'll get to tattoo's at a later date.)
Last night we were watching a show on the Home & Garden channel and the young woman, who was otherwise attractive, had this earring in her nose that the glaring camera lights kept highlighting. Like a big fat zit you can not take your eyes off the darn thing. She looked just ridiculous. Why do young women (or men) think this is an asset to their face?
First of all I can not get by the logistics, how do you blow your nose and not have the backside end up in a pile of snot in your tissue? How do you keep from having that thing just blow right out your nose with a sneeze you can't control? How do keep from sucking the back down your throat when you sniff? And good Lord do you have to stick your finger up your nose in order to secure the darn thing? Ick, I don't think I would like to shake their hands.
Second, who in the world really wants to have someone focused solely on their nose all the while they are having a conversation with you? I mean how can you take your eyes off such a distraction? Good grief, the only thing that would divert such attention is a big honking piece of greenery stuck in your front teeth or worse, a booger hanging out from under the piercing.
Earth to folks with ear jewelry in your nose. Ick! It is worse than a big old puffy whitehead screaming to be squeezed. Bummer if it seems discriminatory. What you look like effects how people perceive you. Might not be fair, but oh well, life isn't fair.
Last night we were watching a show on the Home & Garden channel and the young woman, who was otherwise attractive, had this earring in her nose that the glaring camera lights kept highlighting. Like a big fat zit you can not take your eyes off the darn thing. She looked just ridiculous. Why do young women (or men) think this is an asset to their face?
First of all I can not get by the logistics, how do you blow your nose and not have the backside end up in a pile of snot in your tissue? How do you keep from having that thing just blow right out your nose with a sneeze you can't control? How do keep from sucking the back down your throat when you sniff? And good Lord do you have to stick your finger up your nose in order to secure the darn thing? Ick, I don't think I would like to shake their hands.
Second, who in the world really wants to have someone focused solely on their nose all the while they are having a conversation with you? I mean how can you take your eyes off such a distraction? Good grief, the only thing that would divert such attention is a big honking piece of greenery stuck in your front teeth or worse, a booger hanging out from under the piercing.
Earth to folks with ear jewelry in your nose. Ick! It is worse than a big old puffy whitehead screaming to be squeezed. Bummer if it seems discriminatory. What you look like effects how people perceive you. Might not be fair, but oh well, life isn't fair.
Friday, April 4, 2008
The Boys of Summer
Home opener-those two words fill those of us in Wisconsin with joy and hope that indeed, spring and summer can not be far away. Our boys of summer, the Milwaukee Brewers, look quite promising this year. We have been wishing and hoping (as the song goes) for a winning team for many years here. To say we have been disappointed is an understatement. Luckily we have had Bob Uecker and his most recent cohort Jim Powell to entertain us many times when this team just stunk up the joint.
The youngsters out on the field now are a little tired of listening to us oldsters talk about the great team of the 80's. They want their recognition as the 2008 team. Well so do we. We too are sick of having Milwaukee be synonymous with losing. We want to be as entertained as we were back then. The 80's team was like Wisconsin weather, you could experience all four seasons in one day. We hated them, we loved them, they disappointed us and thrilled us. They typified what we always thought Wisconsin was all about. They came to work ready to work and didn't pretend to be anyone they weren't. Their presence in the community was phenomenal. You felt like you knew them personally. An outsider would have never known they had lost the World Series had they only seen the parade honoring them for their efforts that year.
It is really good news for the Brewer's that some of those (old) boys are back in the fold in Milwaukee. Some may think it is the geezer brigade. So what? Us geezers have a lot of knowledge and talent. I hope it does manifest itself in to the perfect storm. Harvey's Wallbangers were a perfect storm that missed by one game, although a tough act to beat. I say go for it. This team has the talent to make everyone forget about Harvey's Wallbangers. Make your mark on Brewer history. All of Wisconsin is behind you! Go Brewers!
The youngsters out on the field now are a little tired of listening to us oldsters talk about the great team of the 80's. They want their recognition as the 2008 team. Well so do we. We too are sick of having Milwaukee be synonymous with losing. We want to be as entertained as we were back then. The 80's team was like Wisconsin weather, you could experience all four seasons in one day. We hated them, we loved them, they disappointed us and thrilled us. They typified what we always thought Wisconsin was all about. They came to work ready to work and didn't pretend to be anyone they weren't. Their presence in the community was phenomenal. You felt like you knew them personally. An outsider would have never known they had lost the World Series had they only seen the parade honoring them for their efforts that year.
It is really good news for the Brewer's that some of those (old) boys are back in the fold in Milwaukee. Some may think it is the geezer brigade. So what? Us geezers have a lot of knowledge and talent. I hope it does manifest itself in to the perfect storm. Harvey's Wallbangers were a perfect storm that missed by one game, although a tough act to beat. I say go for it. This team has the talent to make everyone forget about Harvey's Wallbangers. Make your mark on Brewer history. All of Wisconsin is behind you! Go Brewers!
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