M & J's daylong journey to the desert went well, with arrival occurring after a half-dozen intermediate stops along the way. When I look at a map, it's a pretty direct flight path from PA to CA, but it gains distance when it's via Chicago, then LAX, not to mention the added hours spent sitting in an airport terminal. We left the local 'port for a nearby restaurant because a 5 pm arrival meant the peak of the cross I-10 logjamb, which occurs between 6-9 am and 4-6 pm. OF course, we ordered too much food, so packing up our to-go boxes, we finally headed across the freeway to my little abode in the desert dusk.
Earlier that morning, finally deciding that the pinkish lavendar color was not working, I repainted the closet doors the same color as the walls, an excellent decision with which my dotter agreed. I left the small stripes of ribbon trim I glued to the gold door frame, softening the brassy metal in the main colors for the interior decor. I explained that the new door got caught up in the holiday rush, so would not be installed until the coming week, but my dotter likes the new colors and agreed that the access to the outside is going to be a plus feature to the floorplan.
(Update: I talked to the Valspar rep, who explained that the return policy on their paint does cover performance issues, but not color selection. He asked me to send him the receipt for a full refund, which I have done. He's going to contact Lowe's and reinforce the policy about performance refunds as he explained that about 95% of their paint products are mixed colors, which means that no one could ever return a paint product if refunds were based solely on color choice.)
Dotter and I grabbed a bottle of wine and headed outside to the chiminea for the wind-down to bedtime, as well as the opening of the b'day gifts: 2 pieces of jewelry and 2 boxes of See's candy. When I had queried pumpkin or pecan, as in pie, the response was, "See's candy," both boxes of which disappeared into the guest room and have not resurfaced. For a twelve-year-old, it's a challenge to understand that yes, it's only 8 pm in CA, but that means that last night, it was 11 pm, and the time change added to 10 hours of travel would add up to a crash and burn ... soon. We made it to 9 pm before all lights were out.
T'day, it was totally fun to cook with dotter, play a few games with g'son, and then clean up the ensuing kitchen mess. Dotter went for her run, still prepping for the charity event she entered, while g'son and I drove to a friend's house to borrow a couple of bikes. He wanted something to do, but CA law requires a helmet, so off to K-Mart down the block. I also taught him how to make a Mexican left-over casserole, which features tortillas, onions, cheese, black olives and left-over chicken, turkey, pork or beef. We'll heat and eat this meal Saturday evening after they come back from visiting dotter's hometown and some local friends.
I also had bought a couple of Nintendo games to keep g'son company, but my selections weren't so hot, so another trip to K-Mart to find a specific game he discovered in one of the airport terminals. Yep, they had one game left, which I bought and is a great success. However, when we put the DVD into the player for the Star Wars film, it wouldn't play. It didn't just freeze; it also skipped randomly through scenes and restarted the beginning a couple of times. We tried it on the laptop, but it wouldn't play, so another trip to KMart for a replacement, which also would not play in the DVD player. We hooked up the laptop again and crowded around the coffee table, but honestly -- no one could hear the sound!! We tried 2 different sets of external speakers, but still could not hear a word the characters were saying, so I grabbed the guest room TV from the office and we huddled around the little TV with the built-in DVD player and nice, LOUD sound, and watched the movie, which was pretty good.
As dotter says, "They began the series again with new, young characters, so we can have even more SW sequeals as all of these characters age!"
Today, they head up the hill for a visit with dotter's dad and his new family, which includes a son g'son's age. I have some housecleaning to do, as well as some prep work for Monday's classes, which means I can putter about a bit. They return tomorrow evening, which gives us Sunday to share before they depart early Monday morning.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Trust Your Talent
A talented performer seldom has to trade on notoriety to advance a career because it's the talent that builds a fan base. Either Adam Lambert is getting some really bad career advice or he's determined to become his own worst enemy. Adam, "Britney who?" shared an on-stage kiss with Madonna during the family hour and tanked her career. Congratulations: you are now on the same career path, a long, slow walk that may just fade into the sunset with a resounding "Adam who?"
Families tune in to watch these TV shows, the extravaganzas that feature a wide range of talent. Parents don't want their children to see one performer put his/her face into the crotch of another performer or to share a same-sex deep throat kiss! It's not about your rights: it's about knowing where, when, and why you want to cross that boundary between tasteful and tasteless.
Your talent is no longer adequate to entice me to watch you perform. If I see you are a guest on a show or a performer, I'll tune you out because I no longer know what you are going to do. The career move is to know the difference between the venues you play and to adjust your performance to the audience. If you want an appropriate venue for your homosexual public performances, come to Palm Springs and perform at the gay clubs. You'll have a huge audience for your target demographic no matter how far across the line you want to go.
Meanwhile, leave the family entertainment venues for family-appropriate performances.
Families tune in to watch these TV shows, the extravaganzas that feature a wide range of talent. Parents don't want their children to see one performer put his/her face into the crotch of another performer or to share a same-sex deep throat kiss! It's not about your rights: it's about knowing where, when, and why you want to cross that boundary between tasteful and tasteless.
Your talent is no longer adequate to entice me to watch you perform. If I see you are a guest on a show or a performer, I'll tune you out because I no longer know what you are going to do. The career move is to know the difference between the venues you play and to adjust your performance to the audience. If you want an appropriate venue for your homosexual public performances, come to Palm Springs and perform at the gay clubs. You'll have a huge audience for your target demographic no matter how far across the line you want to go.
Meanwhile, leave the family entertainment venues for family-appropriate performances.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Break Time!
It's noon and I'm taking a break. So far today, I've finished another of the projects in the make-over room; balanced my checkbook; steam cleaned all the tile floors; cleaned up the front yard landscaping, which included both pruning and weed killer; washed 3 vehicles (my truck, my car, and my friend's car, which was in the line of overspray); picked up poop in the dog run; washed the clothes for the week; done the dishes; enjoyed a leisurely home-cooked meal; and answered all my emails.
Yeah, it's time for a break, but there are still items on the to-do list. Darn. I shouldn't have to work so hard to enjoy a few days off to celebrate Thanksgiving!
Yeah, it's time for a break, but there are still items on the to-do list. Darn. I shouldn't have to work so hard to enjoy a few days off to celebrate Thanksgiving!
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Call It What It Is!
For the past decade, people have been massaging the language to fit their own needs. Forty is the new thirty, thieves are hedge fund managers, and airlines charge an additional fee to transport luggage in the baggage hold of an airliner. The latest naming, however, seems in my limited world view to be a form of extortion, and it's a cause I'm going to champion. You say gratuity, I say tip, but neither word defines a service charge added to a bill that originates in ... a service industry.
A group of students went to a restaurant for dinner. The table never received set-ups, they had to get their own beverages, and the service over-all was bad. However, when the bill came, one bill for the group/no individual checks allowed, a generous pre-determined gratuity was added to the tab, an additional 18% fee that the group refused to pay. The majority of consumers see the gratuity, or tip, as a recognition of good service and tally an appropriate amount, ranging anywhere from 5% to 25%, depending on the restaurant and the service provided by the servers.
Quite simply, no service means no tip.
Not so at this establishment: a group is automatically assessed an additional 18% gratuity to be seated at a table as a group. It's actually a service charge, a group seating charge, not a gratuity to reward good service by the waitstaff. The restaurant, however, lists it on the bill as a gratuity that is paid as part of the bill, in addition to a tip for the waitstaff to be determined by the guest. What is the intent of this 18% seating fee? If the waitstaff gets the 18% gratuity, why is there an additional tip expected? And if the waitstaff does not get the 18% gratuity, who does? If the mandatory gratuity for a group is 18% and an additional tip is expected for the waitstaff, a group could end up paying a third again of the total bill just to eat dinner out!
When the group refused to pay the 18% mandatory gratuity on top of the bill and the service tip they added, an amount that reflected the total lack of service by the waitstaff, two of the group members were arrested!! The restaurant's justification for calling the police is that it is "stealing" to refuse to pay the 18% gratuity. The word "gratuity" actually originates in the Latin word gratuitas, which means "present," a gift that is free. If a restaurant is going to add a mandatory gratuity to the bill (an oxymoron, like sweet/sour), they should label it as what it is, a service charge in exchange for seating a group, an additional fee that excludes the tip for the service. That information needs to be shared upfront so the patron can decide whether to eat at the restaurant or go to another establishment that provides service to all patrons regardless of the number of guests in the party.
A mandatory service fee by any other name is still a service charge, not a gratuity given freely by the person who receives good service from the staff hired to perform the service. No restaurant wants the free publicity from arresting patrons because the waitstaff failed to perform their job professionally, but that's the best tip this restaurant is going to get. Word-of-mouth advertising can make -- or break -- a business, and this restaurant is going to have more bad publicity than it ever dreamed from this failed service opportunity.
A group of students went to a restaurant for dinner. The table never received set-ups, they had to get their own beverages, and the service over-all was bad. However, when the bill came, one bill for the group/no individual checks allowed, a generous pre-determined gratuity was added to the tab, an additional 18% fee that the group refused to pay. The majority of consumers see the gratuity, or tip, as a recognition of good service and tally an appropriate amount, ranging anywhere from 5% to 25%, depending on the restaurant and the service provided by the servers.
Quite simply, no service means no tip.
Not so at this establishment: a group is automatically assessed an additional 18% gratuity to be seated at a table as a group. It's actually a service charge, a group seating charge, not a gratuity to reward good service by the waitstaff. The restaurant, however, lists it on the bill as a gratuity that is paid as part of the bill, in addition to a tip for the waitstaff to be determined by the guest. What is the intent of this 18% seating fee? If the waitstaff gets the 18% gratuity, why is there an additional tip expected? And if the waitstaff does not get the 18% gratuity, who does? If the mandatory gratuity for a group is 18% and an additional tip is expected for the waitstaff, a group could end up paying a third again of the total bill just to eat dinner out!
When the group refused to pay the 18% mandatory gratuity on top of the bill and the service tip they added, an amount that reflected the total lack of service by the waitstaff, two of the group members were arrested!! The restaurant's justification for calling the police is that it is "stealing" to refuse to pay the 18% gratuity. The word "gratuity" actually originates in the Latin word gratuitas, which means "present," a gift that is free. If a restaurant is going to add a mandatory gratuity to the bill (an oxymoron, like sweet/sour), they should label it as what it is, a service charge in exchange for seating a group, an additional fee that excludes the tip for the service. That information needs to be shared upfront so the patron can decide whether to eat at the restaurant or go to another establishment that provides service to all patrons regardless of the number of guests in the party.
A mandatory service fee by any other name is still a service charge, not a gratuity given freely by the person who receives good service from the staff hired to perform the service. No restaurant wants the free publicity from arresting patrons because the waitstaff failed to perform their job professionally, but that's the best tip this restaurant is going to get. Word-of-mouth advertising can make -- or break -- a business, and this restaurant is going to have more bad publicity than it ever dreamed from this failed service opportunity.
Friday, November 20, 2009
WILL THE PAINTING NEVER END??
Today, I put a base coat on the closet doors, then spent far too much time digging dirt, rocks, and old screws out of the closet door track before taping off the gold edges of the frame prior to painting. I love the color on the walls, but ... after applying the closet door color, I'm not so sure I like it!
The color is beautiful in and of itself, and it looks okay with the wall color, but it's garish in the daylight. It's either too lilac or too pink, but I don't know which. Instead of a colorful future office space, I have a girly bedroom!! Actually, I think I need a darker color on the closet doors to add a bit of formality to the look, rather than the lighter lavendarish pink color. I haven't done the white borders yet as I'm going to wait for the build to be completed before I crawl along the floor for that stage of the project, which gives me time to re-evaluate the closet doors.
I am going to contact the Valspar rep who left a nice note on my blog to thank him for taking the time to do that. I'll let you know what we discuss.
The color is beautiful in and of itself, and it looks okay with the wall color, but it's garish in the daylight. It's either too lilac or too pink, but I don't know which. Instead of a colorful future office space, I have a girly bedroom!! Actually, I think I need a darker color on the closet doors to add a bit of formality to the look, rather than the lighter lavendarish pink color. I haven't done the white borders yet as I'm going to wait for the build to be completed before I crawl along the floor for that stage of the project, which gives me time to re-evaluate the closet doors.
I am going to contact the Valspar rep who left a nice note on my blog to thank him for taking the time to do that. I'll let you know what we discuss.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Doing Chores
David Bromstad always asks clients for their color inspiration, so I had mine held tightly in my hand as I headed to the paint department early this morning. My inspiration is an eggplant memo pad given to me by a friend that has all the colors I love: that rich, deep purple, a spring green, light violet, and deep, dark rose accents. My guest room is the latest target of the do-over phase I’m in, waiting for the window to be replaced with a glass door to the backyard, complete with a mini-redwood deck. The door will open the space, as well as add light to the room, which has a solid wall of closet covered by those plain off-white sliding doors.
The first step was tough: I removed one of the mirror doors from my bedroom and swapped it out with the center slider in the guest room closet. Adding the mirror door to the wall of sliding doors helped break up that solid sea of terminal beigeness and will reflect the new color off the walls onto that side of the room as well. I removed all my knick-knacks from the wall, patched all the holes, striped the molding with removable tape, pulled the furniture away from the walls, took my shower, and headed out to buy paint. I had narrowed my choices to two color cards, but simply could not figure out which color(s) to buy.
I like Kilz Kolors as the paint really covers in one coat, a big plus when you are old and have arthritis from head-to-toe: once really is enough! The lady at the counter, however, just wanted me to make a decision so she could move on. It was obvious that she was filling in for someone else, and she didn’t want to be in the paint department this morning. When I asked her why she sells a roller frame for which she does not stock the correct paint roller, she rolled her eyes and told me to take my time: she’d be back. That may be, but I know when I’m not wanted. I left.
Big mistake.
I crossed the street to Lowe’s, where I found lots of helpful sales staff this morning, including the guru of the paint department. I told him that I knew the colors I wanted, just not which shade to complement my color inspiration. He made two suggestions, I selected one, then I asked for Kilz Kolors, which he told me they do not stock because it’s an “inferior” brand of paint. He recommended what he told me was a Consumer’s Best Buy, Valspar, and I told him to mix the colors we had selected. It took forever because when he lifted out a can of paint from the mixer, the seam had split and my, oh my, what a mell of a hess that was!!! He told me he’s not supposed to reshake old paint cans, but he did it as a favor to a customer, and that’s what caused the problem. After helping with the cleanup, I loaded my purchase into the truck and headed back home to knock out the painting project before lunch.
That was the plan; however, I will NEVER buy Valspar paint again. As I rolled a coat of paint onto the wall, the downstroke removed it. I tried again; same result. Getting nowhere fast, I only finished one small little area behind the door to the guest room before getting totally pissed and deciding to drive back to Lowe’s, return the paint, and buy the Kilz at Wal-Mart.
Lowe’s doesn’t refund custom paints. It does not matter that the color is correct: I simply cannot use the paint. It’s the worst paint I have ever tried to apply to a wall, and I’ve done a lot of painting during my lifetime. I left the paint on the counter as I had no use for it and drove back across the street to Wal-Mart. I got another two gallons of paint, actually changing my color choice to a less red purple, drove back home, and restarted the project.
One coat and done. It even covered up the wall where I had applied the Valspar. I love the color, but I can’t finish the project as the door didn’t arrive, so the wall where it’s going will be cut, the door fitted, and then the drywall repaired before that part of the job is finished, at which time I’ll finish the painting project. I’m also going to paint the two beige closet doors, but I’m not sure what color I’ll be using. It may be a slightly different shade from what’s on the walls. Then, I have to decide what little touches to add to change the color palette to the new hues.
Bottom line: even unfinished, the room already looks better than it did when I got up this morning! But I’m still pissed about the Valspar as I paid $75 for two gallons of paint I left on the counter, and then had to buy another two gallons at Wal-Mart. Lesson learned, but one of the reasons I do all this work myself is to be able to afford it. For what I spent on paint today, I could have hired this done and sipped tea while someone else wore himself out painting the guest room!
The first step was tough: I removed one of the mirror doors from my bedroom and swapped it out with the center slider in the guest room closet. Adding the mirror door to the wall of sliding doors helped break up that solid sea of terminal beigeness and will reflect the new color off the walls onto that side of the room as well. I removed all my knick-knacks from the wall, patched all the holes, striped the molding with removable tape, pulled the furniture away from the walls, took my shower, and headed out to buy paint. I had narrowed my choices to two color cards, but simply could not figure out which color(s) to buy.
I like Kilz Kolors as the paint really covers in one coat, a big plus when you are old and have arthritis from head-to-toe: once really is enough! The lady at the counter, however, just wanted me to make a decision so she could move on. It was obvious that she was filling in for someone else, and she didn’t want to be in the paint department this morning. When I asked her why she sells a roller frame for which she does not stock the correct paint roller, she rolled her eyes and told me to take my time: she’d be back. That may be, but I know when I’m not wanted. I left.
Big mistake.
I crossed the street to Lowe’s, where I found lots of helpful sales staff this morning, including the guru of the paint department. I told him that I knew the colors I wanted, just not which shade to complement my color inspiration. He made two suggestions, I selected one, then I asked for Kilz Kolors, which he told me they do not stock because it’s an “inferior” brand of paint. He recommended what he told me was a Consumer’s Best Buy, Valspar, and I told him to mix the colors we had selected. It took forever because when he lifted out a can of paint from the mixer, the seam had split and my, oh my, what a mell of a hess that was!!! He told me he’s not supposed to reshake old paint cans, but he did it as a favor to a customer, and that’s what caused the problem. After helping with the cleanup, I loaded my purchase into the truck and headed back home to knock out the painting project before lunch.
That was the plan; however, I will NEVER buy Valspar paint again. As I rolled a coat of paint onto the wall, the downstroke removed it. I tried again; same result. Getting nowhere fast, I only finished one small little area behind the door to the guest room before getting totally pissed and deciding to drive back to Lowe’s, return the paint, and buy the Kilz at Wal-Mart.
Lowe’s doesn’t refund custom paints. It does not matter that the color is correct: I simply cannot use the paint. It’s the worst paint I have ever tried to apply to a wall, and I’ve done a lot of painting during my lifetime. I left the paint on the counter as I had no use for it and drove back across the street to Wal-Mart. I got another two gallons of paint, actually changing my color choice to a less red purple, drove back home, and restarted the project.
One coat and done. It even covered up the wall where I had applied the Valspar. I love the color, but I can’t finish the project as the door didn’t arrive, so the wall where it’s going will be cut, the door fitted, and then the drywall repaired before that part of the job is finished, at which time I’ll finish the painting project. I’m also going to paint the two beige closet doors, but I’m not sure what color I’ll be using. It may be a slightly different shade from what’s on the walls. Then, I have to decide what little touches to add to change the color palette to the new hues.
Bottom line: even unfinished, the room already looks better than it did when I got up this morning! But I’m still pissed about the Valspar as I paid $75 for two gallons of paint I left on the counter, and then had to buy another two gallons at Wal-Mart. Lesson learned, but one of the reasons I do all this work myself is to be able to afford it. For what I spent on paint today, I could have hired this done and sipped tea while someone else wore himself out painting the guest room!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Two-Minute Drill
The end of the semester is weeks away, with the clock ticking on two major projects for one class and finishing a workbook for the other. Meanwhile, there is the flu going around, colds hitting everyone, family emergencies, sudden deaths, and all manner of interruptions that are interfering with the educational process.
I remember the stress of college classes, but also the "death penalty" mentality of the instructional program: you do this on your own time, do it correctly, and do NOT even think about handing in an assignment late, no matter the reason or the excuse. That is not the same mentality driving this semester as making it to more than half the classes seems to justify passing a class or dropping it before the F lands. And the most oft-asked question is either, "Did I miss anything?" or "Did we do anything" when a student is absent, a hold-over from high school.
Of course, my response, "Nah, we saw you weren't here, so we just sat and talked so you wouldn't miss anything" flies right over the brain housing.
When push comes to shove, show up, suit up, and get in the game. Last weekend, I saw the New England Patriots lose a game in the last 4 minutes, a game they were sure they had won. Sure, the coach made a questionable call, but the bottom line is the game is in the Loss column as of the final tick of the clock. On the other hand, the Colts showed that no one should ever stop playing the game just because they think they may have already lost. They did in 4 minutes what should have been done in 4 quarters, but sometimes people need the intensity of the pressure to perform to their highest level, and that's where the semester is.
Those who think they've secured an A cannot afford to let up, while those who are praying for a C may surprise themselves with a strong "last 4 minutes" performance surge. It ain't over 'til the Fat Lady sings, and I'm just starting to hum.
I remember the stress of college classes, but also the "death penalty" mentality of the instructional program: you do this on your own time, do it correctly, and do NOT even think about handing in an assignment late, no matter the reason or the excuse. That is not the same mentality driving this semester as making it to more than half the classes seems to justify passing a class or dropping it before the F lands. And the most oft-asked question is either, "Did I miss anything?" or "Did we do anything" when a student is absent, a hold-over from high school.
Of course, my response, "Nah, we saw you weren't here, so we just sat and talked so you wouldn't miss anything" flies right over the brain housing.
When push comes to shove, show up, suit up, and get in the game. Last weekend, I saw the New England Patriots lose a game in the last 4 minutes, a game they were sure they had won. Sure, the coach made a questionable call, but the bottom line is the game is in the Loss column as of the final tick of the clock. On the other hand, the Colts showed that no one should ever stop playing the game just because they think they may have already lost. They did in 4 minutes what should have been done in 4 quarters, but sometimes people need the intensity of the pressure to perform to their highest level, and that's where the semester is.
Those who think they've secured an A cannot afford to let up, while those who are praying for a C may surprise themselves with a strong "last 4 minutes" performance surge. It ain't over 'til the Fat Lady sings, and I'm just starting to hum.
Life's Little Disappointments
Perhaps while thinking that something better would come along, something that is easier than being married and a father to eight children, Jon Gosselin teeters on the brink of financial disaster. He replaced the money he stole from a joint account that he adamantly averred to his press entourage that he didn't take in the first place, so how the hell is he paying his bills? Answer: he's not. He closed on the New York loft apartment, as well as vacationed in Hawaii, all the while clubbing on both coasts, but cannot find an appropriate job to support his affluent lifestyle because TLC, his former employer, had enough of his nonsense and shut down operations. Jon is now suing the TV station for $5 million, which may be enough to float his boat for a year -- if he gets anything -- but child support comes off the top. Remember: it is Jon who defaulted on the contract, NOT the employer, and I doubt that TLC feels anything but disgust for the self-professed media star.
Hmm, here's a thought: maybe Jon can become a papparazzi??
And by the way, Jon, how is K8 supposed to support the family during your failure to do so? That's why she's been out working other business opportunities. Funny that she can find work, but you can only find girlfriends and sycophants. Yeah, that's right: it's the notoriety that gets in the way of finding a job that pays well enough to support your new lifestyle, the notoriety that you brought on yourself and continue to trade off, rather than finding a job.
The I-centered approach to it's all about me is wearing thin.
Faith-based people took a giant step backward, not just with the boob job or the post-pageant publicity support of traditional marriage, but with the revelation that Ms. Carrie Christian shot eight videos of herself masturbating to stimulate her boyfriend via email. I recall covering this topic during Sunday School and learning that both the premarital sex and the pornography were big no-no's, although I don't think that anyone ever talked about masturbation back then. But, obviously possessing big cajones and small brains, Carrie simply thinks that anyone who asks her about her life choices is "acting inappropriately."
Let me clarify this for you Carrie: the fake boobs, the fake crusade for traditional marriage, the premarital sex, the porno tapes, and making a living off your body are INAPPROPRIATE, not Larry King's questions about why.
Joanna goes home while both Donny and Kelly go to the finals? You have to be kidding! Kelly, consistently at the bottom of the leader board, improved tremendously to strongly average: most spirited, most improved, but NOT heading to the finals. Donny faired better than Kelly, but it's been a see-saw of great, average, and poor performances driven by a tremendous personality: great crowd pleaser, yes, but NOT the finals. Joanna? Consistently one of the top three, so what happened? She FELL TO THE BOTTOM OF THE LEADER BOARD in one week? I don't particularly care for Derek, her dance partner, but they were magic together on the dance floor, doing some routines that were off the charts. So, they are finished dancing ... why? Is the outcome of DWTS pre-determined?????
Finally, my haircut doesn't look so bad while I continue to complete projects in the house, so I thank God that I only go to work two days a week because it is truly one of the worst haircuts I've ever had. PS: I stopped at another salon and got the mess fixed, but my hair is shorter than I am comfortable and it's not really the way I want it. Guess this is going to take time to grow out before I can actually fix the bad haircut.
Vanity, thy name is woman.
Hmm, here's a thought: maybe Jon can become a papparazzi??
And by the way, Jon, how is K8 supposed to support the family during your failure to do so? That's why she's been out working other business opportunities. Funny that she can find work, but you can only find girlfriends and sycophants. Yeah, that's right: it's the notoriety that gets in the way of finding a job that pays well enough to support your new lifestyle, the notoriety that you brought on yourself and continue to trade off, rather than finding a job.
The I-centered approach to it's all about me is wearing thin.
Faith-based people took a giant step backward, not just with the boob job or the post-pageant publicity support of traditional marriage, but with the revelation that Ms. Carrie Christian shot eight videos of herself masturbating to stimulate her boyfriend via email. I recall covering this topic during Sunday School and learning that both the premarital sex and the pornography were big no-no's, although I don't think that anyone ever talked about masturbation back then. But, obviously possessing big cajones and small brains, Carrie simply thinks that anyone who asks her about her life choices is "acting inappropriately."
Let me clarify this for you Carrie: the fake boobs, the fake crusade for traditional marriage, the premarital sex, the porno tapes, and making a living off your body are INAPPROPRIATE, not Larry King's questions about why.
Joanna goes home while both Donny and Kelly go to the finals? You have to be kidding! Kelly, consistently at the bottom of the leader board, improved tremendously to strongly average: most spirited, most improved, but NOT heading to the finals. Donny faired better than Kelly, but it's been a see-saw of great, average, and poor performances driven by a tremendous personality: great crowd pleaser, yes, but NOT the finals. Joanna? Consistently one of the top three, so what happened? She FELL TO THE BOTTOM OF THE LEADER BOARD in one week? I don't particularly care for Derek, her dance partner, but they were magic together on the dance floor, doing some routines that were off the charts. So, they are finished dancing ... why? Is the outcome of DWTS pre-determined?????
Finally, my haircut doesn't look so bad while I continue to complete projects in the house, so I thank God that I only go to work two days a week because it is truly one of the worst haircuts I've ever had. PS: I stopped at another salon and got the mess fixed, but my hair is shorter than I am comfortable and it's not really the way I want it. Guess this is going to take time to grow out before I can actually fix the bad haircut.
Vanity, thy name is woman.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Value Added
I can confirm that a $17 haircut is worth not one penny more, especially when the stylist adds, "$20 with the tip included."
I have a tip for her: she can't cut hair!!
My first clue should have been the price, the next clue the large sweeping cuts across my hair, rather than the delicate little snips I'm used to hearing, and the final clue the fact that her children stay in the salon while she works. Talk about a total hair experience ... .
The end result is this funny looking sort of mullet effect, with the front shaped differently than the back, curling toward my face, but really flat on top. The back, by itself, looks pretty good -- but it's a different hair style. You know how it's all supposed to blend into ONE uniform cut? Well, it doesn't; hence, the appearance of two different hair cuts at the same time.
It was difficult to find a local salon, much less a salon that only does haircuts as being in a salon that also does nails triggers my asthma. I called; I drove here and there; and then I found Monica -- and her two children -- and a slight language barrier -- and an unusual translation of the key words I fed her: trim; shaped; blended, not layered.
I've been telling myself it's just hair, but ya know -- I gotta go to work Monday.
I have a tip for her: she can't cut hair!!
My first clue should have been the price, the next clue the large sweeping cuts across my hair, rather than the delicate little snips I'm used to hearing, and the final clue the fact that her children stay in the salon while she works. Talk about a total hair experience ... .
The end result is this funny looking sort of mullet effect, with the front shaped differently than the back, curling toward my face, but really flat on top. The back, by itself, looks pretty good -- but it's a different hair style. You know how it's all supposed to blend into ONE uniform cut? Well, it doesn't; hence, the appearance of two different hair cuts at the same time.
It was difficult to find a local salon, much less a salon that only does haircuts as being in a salon that also does nails triggers my asthma. I called; I drove here and there; and then I found Monica -- and her two children -- and a slight language barrier -- and an unusual translation of the key words I fed her: trim; shaped; blended, not layered.
I've been telling myself it's just hair, but ya know -- I gotta go to work Monday.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
What Is the Saying About Quacking Like a Duck?
Okay, I thought I had heard everything during my lifetime, but this blows me away: the man who attempted to extort $2 million from Dave Letterman in exchange for not publishing the sordid story of his office affairs says it was merely a business transaction. His lawyer insists that because Halderman repeatedly stated that Letterman did not have to pay and/or accept the offer, it’s not extortion or blackmail.
Really? I thought all these years that blackmail/extortion is when one person, who has something criminal or embarrassing about another person, says, “Pay me x amount of money and it all goes away. Don’t pay me and I expose the dirt I have on you and you deal with the consequences.” That is what happened in this instance: Halderman said to Letterman, “Pay me the money and it goes away; don’t pay and I publish the story and you deal with the consequences.”
No, the lawyer says, it was simply a business offer: pay me and you own the story; don’t pay me and I publish it and you deal with the consequences. Halderman would have made a hell of a lot more money had he published his expose, so why would he offer it to Letterman in exchange for a mere $2 million? That's why it's called extortion/blackmail.
I will never condone what Letterman did, nor how he made his conduct a joke on national TV, instead of signing off the air and going home to his wife, but it’s how he makes his living. Letterman was smart to get ahead of the story and diffuse the situation that could have been much worse as a result of refusing to pay the extortion. I'm sure Letterman's public exposure of the blackmail attempt blew Halderman's plans to make a buck off the comedian all to hell, as well as making him look like an idiot for thinking he could get away with the scheme. If he's convicted of the crime, he cannot publish the manuscript because law prevents a criminal from benefiting financially from a crime, so I guess hiring a lawyer is just an attempt to keep the publication doors open. He'll need the money to pay his legal fees!
No matter how you dress up the “business” transaction, it was an extortion attempt, plain and simple. Man up, dude.
Really? I thought all these years that blackmail/extortion is when one person, who has something criminal or embarrassing about another person, says, “Pay me x amount of money and it all goes away. Don’t pay me and I expose the dirt I have on you and you deal with the consequences.” That is what happened in this instance: Halderman said to Letterman, “Pay me the money and it goes away; don’t pay and I publish the story and you deal with the consequences.”
No, the lawyer says, it was simply a business offer: pay me and you own the story; don’t pay me and I publish it and you deal with the consequences. Halderman would have made a hell of a lot more money had he published his expose, so why would he offer it to Letterman in exchange for a mere $2 million? That's why it's called extortion/blackmail.
I will never condone what Letterman did, nor how he made his conduct a joke on national TV, instead of signing off the air and going home to his wife, but it’s how he makes his living. Letterman was smart to get ahead of the story and diffuse the situation that could have been much worse as a result of refusing to pay the extortion. I'm sure Letterman's public exposure of the blackmail attempt blew Halderman's plans to make a buck off the comedian all to hell, as well as making him look like an idiot for thinking he could get away with the scheme. If he's convicted of the crime, he cannot publish the manuscript because law prevents a criminal from benefiting financially from a crime, so I guess hiring a lawyer is just an attempt to keep the publication doors open. He'll need the money to pay his legal fees!
No matter how you dress up the “business” transaction, it was an extortion attempt, plain and simple. Man up, dude.
Monday, November 9, 2009
This Little Light of Mine
Literature is the means by which we shine a flashlight onto society to illuminate what is so we can validate what needs to be. Historically, there are pieces of literature that paint an ugly picture, while others point to a path that benefits all of mankind. In the effort to be politically correct, a fine screen play has been renamed by a local high school theatre class, changing Twelve Angry Men to Twelve Angry Jurors. Pivotal to the story is the fact that the jurors are all men, historically accurate in its portrayal of the group dynamics that characterized the men’s club that was our society for far too long. The message, if we don’t learn from our history we are condemned to repeat it, is lost in the translation from what was to what someone has decided should be by not just changing the title of the play, but its focus and, therefore, its message.
The message is lost in the changes that today’s society deems politically correct, as if denying the history changes it to something more palatable. While teaching To Kill a Mockingbird, I insisted that the students say the word nigger as that is what was common during the 1930s, the setting for the story, as well as an appellation one black person uses to greet another today. After reading that word for an entire novel, students develop both an understanding of and appreciation for racial epithets that, on the surface, seem benign, but which stigmatize an entire race of people. People with black skin were historically referred to as negra, which is the Spanish word for black, but when the word was bastardized into nigger and used in a derogatory manner against all people with black skin, it became a racial epithet. We can add to the list the words wop, spic, beaner, slant eyes – and so many more derogatory names for people we fear solely because they are different.
Atticus Finch, the protagonist in To Kill a Mockingbird, addresses an all-male jury in the defense of Tom Robinson, a black man guilty of nothing more than being black. Atticus is one man, speaking man-to-man to an all-white, all-male jury, imploring them to do the right thing, for God's sake. To change the dynamics between the characters would be another novel, not the novel Harper Lee wrote about growing up in the deep South during a troubling time in our nation's history, echoing the fate of the Scarsboro incident wherein a group of young black men were railroaded into guilty verdicts because they were black. Tom Robinson gave up his life to racism, but, thankfully, sanity finally prevailed with the Scarsboro Seven as the facts became the truth, rather than the people's fears and prejudice.
Arthur Miller wrote a play about the McCarthy hearings of the 1950s, The Crucible, using the inciting incident from the Salem witch trials to portray a government gone mad. It was all about the men, the power, the abuse of the system by a megalomaniac whose personal agenda became the national agenda. Changing McCarthy’s character to a female lead would destroy the impact, as well as the historical accuracy of the piece. A clever editor could change John Hersey’s capture of Hiroshima, deleting the words of the Japanese civilian that “it was war, we had to expect it,” and sanitizing the Japanese to look better to a world audience – but that’s not the history. Anne Frank's diary could be edited to share more of her personal experiences and less of the victimization of Jews by the Nazis in Germany during World War II, but that's not the history.
It’s much easier to create a version of reality that everyone can live with, but there’s ancient wisdom in the belief that if each of us don’t stand for something, we’ll fall for anything. People who are consistently told the truth are more likely to accept the truth than those who are first deceived and discover the truth for themselves. That includes high school students who should not just know the title of the play, but the reason behind the title – the backstory that is the foundation of all writing. Not trusting our youth with the truth condemns them to live a lie, and that is far more wrong than explaining why the title of the play is Twelve Angry Men and will remain so.
The message is lost in the changes that today’s society deems politically correct, as if denying the history changes it to something more palatable. While teaching To Kill a Mockingbird, I insisted that the students say the word nigger as that is what was common during the 1930s, the setting for the story, as well as an appellation one black person uses to greet another today. After reading that word for an entire novel, students develop both an understanding of and appreciation for racial epithets that, on the surface, seem benign, but which stigmatize an entire race of people. People with black skin were historically referred to as negra, which is the Spanish word for black, but when the word was bastardized into nigger and used in a derogatory manner against all people with black skin, it became a racial epithet. We can add to the list the words wop, spic, beaner, slant eyes – and so many more derogatory names for people we fear solely because they are different.
Atticus Finch, the protagonist in To Kill a Mockingbird, addresses an all-male jury in the defense of Tom Robinson, a black man guilty of nothing more than being black. Atticus is one man, speaking man-to-man to an all-white, all-male jury, imploring them to do the right thing, for God's sake. To change the dynamics between the characters would be another novel, not the novel Harper Lee wrote about growing up in the deep South during a troubling time in our nation's history, echoing the fate of the Scarsboro incident wherein a group of young black men were railroaded into guilty verdicts because they were black. Tom Robinson gave up his life to racism, but, thankfully, sanity finally prevailed with the Scarsboro Seven as the facts became the truth, rather than the people's fears and prejudice.
Arthur Miller wrote a play about the McCarthy hearings of the 1950s, The Crucible, using the inciting incident from the Salem witch trials to portray a government gone mad. It was all about the men, the power, the abuse of the system by a megalomaniac whose personal agenda became the national agenda. Changing McCarthy’s character to a female lead would destroy the impact, as well as the historical accuracy of the piece. A clever editor could change John Hersey’s capture of Hiroshima, deleting the words of the Japanese civilian that “it was war, we had to expect it,” and sanitizing the Japanese to look better to a world audience – but that’s not the history. Anne Frank's diary could be edited to share more of her personal experiences and less of the victimization of Jews by the Nazis in Germany during World War II, but that's not the history.
It’s much easier to create a version of reality that everyone can live with, but there’s ancient wisdom in the belief that if each of us don’t stand for something, we’ll fall for anything. People who are consistently told the truth are more likely to accept the truth than those who are first deceived and discover the truth for themselves. That includes high school students who should not just know the title of the play, but the reason behind the title – the backstory that is the foundation of all writing. Not trusting our youth with the truth condemns them to live a lie, and that is far more wrong than explaining why the title of the play is Twelve Angry Men and will remain so.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Excuse Me?
Update Caveat: to the National News Network publicity release readers, let me clarify that I am offended that anyone would work so hard to find excuses for the actions of an American Muslim military officer who committed an act of terrorism not just on American soil, but on an American Army base. Working so hard to avoid the "Muslim" aspect of this man's heinous crime is disrespectful to all peaceful Muslims living both in this country and in other nations, but most especially to all the military personnel who adhere to the Muslim faith and do not commit acts of terror. Tap dancing around the facts of any news reporting gives the appearance of dishonesty, not faith in your journalistic integrity.
____________________________
The murderer enlisted in the military voluntarily, took advantage of the educational programs offered to him, accepted the advancements in rank and pay grade, but froze when it came time to stand up to his obligation to do as every active duty military personnel must do: deploy. He was a Muslim when he entered the service, he was a Muslim when he completed his doctoral degree, he was a Muslim when he worked at Walter Reed, but his religion became his tool for finding a way out of putting himself potentially in harm’s way. His family stressed to the media yesterday that this solider is an American, born in the USA, raised in the USA, educated in the USA, his religion never an issue to his active duty service until the war came into his personal space. Suddenly, he could not deploy to a foreign country because the people who live there share his religious belief. He’s a Muslim; they are Muslims; therefore, he cannot serve as a psychiatrist in the war zone.
Horse pucky.
Back in the 60’s, it was “hell no, I won’t go,” which is what the soldier said as he performed poorly first at Walter Reed and then at Ft. Hood, perhaps in an attempt to disqualify himself from deployment by ending his military service. If he quit, he’d owe the government for his education; however, if he continued to accrue poor service evals, the service would end his career for him. He would walk away with a discharge, perhaps less than honorable, but nothing to keep him from transitioning to a civilian medical career. The flaw in the plan, however, is that he embraces the Muslim religion which, since 9-11, is a get out of jail free card in the US. It is illegal to discriminate against anyone in this nation for any reason at any time, but most especially to show any discriminatory treatment of anyone who could remotely be associated with the Arabian cultures and/or religions because no matter the cause, the effect is racial profiling, a career-ender in today's PC culture.
Thus, the military protected the Muslim soldier’s job, rather than confront him about his failure to perform his military duties in a professional manner: suck it up, soldier, and do your job. He complained about harassment, even as he was harassing wounded military personnel suffering from PTSD, a condition he was supposed to treat, not exacerbate. The military relocated him, rather than kick his ass out of the Army, as he confronted returning soldiers about killing Muslims in Iraq and Afghanistan while stationed at Walter Reed. When he continued to fail to do his job after relocation to Ft. Hood, his name came up to rotate to the combat theatre, an order he refused to accept. He begged, he pleaded, he sought assistance from the legal system, but the bottom line was that as a soldier, it was time to suit up and get in the game. Instead, he bought weapons, cleaned out his apartment, gave away his personal belongings, and did what many other Muslim fanatics do: he embarked on a suicide mission, intending to kill as many soldiers as he could before being killed himself.
He could have bought a plane ticket and flown away from his fear or religious conflict, living as an AWOL fugitive among those who share his religious preferences, but his choice was suicide by MP, screaming the inflammatory Allahu Akbar prior to opening fire. This was no PTSD issue: this was fanatical Muslim martyrdom, the same as the suicide bombers in Iraq and Afghanistan. Their goal is to become martyrs of their faith: too bad that he survived his cowardly decision to kill 13 innocent victims and wound dozens of others so he didn’t have to deploy, but it’s time to take the attention off this piece of human detritus and focus on the victims of this mass murderer.
In the US, we say that what goes around comes around – but I don’t know how to say that in Arab. Perhaps it’s pronounced “suicide bomber” and we can try it on this individual? Rather than looking for excuses why he opened fire at Ft. Hood, strap the explosives to his chest, put him in the middle of the parade deck, and dial the cell phone detonator.
Allahu Akbar back atcha, Hasan!
____________________________
The murderer enlisted in the military voluntarily, took advantage of the educational programs offered to him, accepted the advancements in rank and pay grade, but froze when it came time to stand up to his obligation to do as every active duty military personnel must do: deploy. He was a Muslim when he entered the service, he was a Muslim when he completed his doctoral degree, he was a Muslim when he worked at Walter Reed, but his religion became his tool for finding a way out of putting himself potentially in harm’s way. His family stressed to the media yesterday that this solider is an American, born in the USA, raised in the USA, educated in the USA, his religion never an issue to his active duty service until the war came into his personal space. Suddenly, he could not deploy to a foreign country because the people who live there share his religious belief. He’s a Muslim; they are Muslims; therefore, he cannot serve as a psychiatrist in the war zone.
Horse pucky.
Back in the 60’s, it was “hell no, I won’t go,” which is what the soldier said as he performed poorly first at Walter Reed and then at Ft. Hood, perhaps in an attempt to disqualify himself from deployment by ending his military service. If he quit, he’d owe the government for his education; however, if he continued to accrue poor service evals, the service would end his career for him. He would walk away with a discharge, perhaps less than honorable, but nothing to keep him from transitioning to a civilian medical career. The flaw in the plan, however, is that he embraces the Muslim religion which, since 9-11, is a get out of jail free card in the US. It is illegal to discriminate against anyone in this nation for any reason at any time, but most especially to show any discriminatory treatment of anyone who could remotely be associated with the Arabian cultures and/or religions because no matter the cause, the effect is racial profiling, a career-ender in today's PC culture.
Thus, the military protected the Muslim soldier’s job, rather than confront him about his failure to perform his military duties in a professional manner: suck it up, soldier, and do your job. He complained about harassment, even as he was harassing wounded military personnel suffering from PTSD, a condition he was supposed to treat, not exacerbate. The military relocated him, rather than kick his ass out of the Army, as he confronted returning soldiers about killing Muslims in Iraq and Afghanistan while stationed at Walter Reed. When he continued to fail to do his job after relocation to Ft. Hood, his name came up to rotate to the combat theatre, an order he refused to accept. He begged, he pleaded, he sought assistance from the legal system, but the bottom line was that as a soldier, it was time to suit up and get in the game. Instead, he bought weapons, cleaned out his apartment, gave away his personal belongings, and did what many other Muslim fanatics do: he embarked on a suicide mission, intending to kill as many soldiers as he could before being killed himself.
He could have bought a plane ticket and flown away from his fear or religious conflict, living as an AWOL fugitive among those who share his religious preferences, but his choice was suicide by MP, screaming the inflammatory Allahu Akbar prior to opening fire. This was no PTSD issue: this was fanatical Muslim martyrdom, the same as the suicide bombers in Iraq and Afghanistan. Their goal is to become martyrs of their faith: too bad that he survived his cowardly decision to kill 13 innocent victims and wound dozens of others so he didn’t have to deploy, but it’s time to take the attention off this piece of human detritus and focus on the victims of this mass murderer.
In the US, we say that what goes around comes around – but I don’t know how to say that in Arab. Perhaps it’s pronounced “suicide bomber” and we can try it on this individual? Rather than looking for excuses why he opened fire at Ft. Hood, strap the explosives to his chest, put him in the middle of the parade deck, and dial the cell phone detonator.
Allahu Akbar back atcha, Hasan!
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Fan Club
The overhead fan in my room stopped being reversible; the fan in the office only had one speed, the highest; and the fan over the dining table quit altogether. I went fan shopping to replace the mismatched fans throughout the house with fans that were less obvious and more styled to complement one another. I found fans on sale as it's the end of the season, and bought five, one for each room in the house. All of the fans were in the $75 range, but when the guys arrived for the installation party last night, we discovered that three of them did not have light kits, a necessity in a home built without a single overhead fixture anywhere except the kitchen.
I had prepped, removing what parts were not connected to the actual electrical wiring, so while one guy and I began installing fans, the other one made a quick run to Lowe's to buy three light kits. Of course with every installation there was a glitch, but most of them were minor, so the process just kept moving from room to room. It took a full two hours, two huge pizzas from the Papa John's a few blocks away, and a pretty good chunk of change out of my household budget, but voila! I have a functioning fan in every room again.
They are much less obtrusive because the entire fan is off-white, cowl and blades, which blends into the popcorn style ceiling that is about 20 years old. It's really hard to clean that stuff, although I do try at least once a year, but there is no way that I'm going to ever afford to have it removed throughout the house and another ceiling finish done. No longer is the first thing anyone sees when entering the front door the huge gold cowled fan with the long, sweeping brown blades: the off-white almost disappears into the ceiling.
The fans all require a candelabra light bulb, which, of course, was not included, so I have some bulb-buying to do, but overall, I'm totally happy with the change.
I had prepped, removing what parts were not connected to the actual electrical wiring, so while one guy and I began installing fans, the other one made a quick run to Lowe's to buy three light kits. Of course with every installation there was a glitch, but most of them were minor, so the process just kept moving from room to room. It took a full two hours, two huge pizzas from the Papa John's a few blocks away, and a pretty good chunk of change out of my household budget, but voila! I have a functioning fan in every room again.
They are much less obtrusive because the entire fan is off-white, cowl and blades, which blends into the popcorn style ceiling that is about 20 years old. It's really hard to clean that stuff, although I do try at least once a year, but there is no way that I'm going to ever afford to have it removed throughout the house and another ceiling finish done. No longer is the first thing anyone sees when entering the front door the huge gold cowled fan with the long, sweeping brown blades: the off-white almost disappears into the ceiling.
The fans all require a candelabra light bulb, which, of course, was not included, so I have some bulb-buying to do, but overall, I'm totally happy with the change.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
One Man's Treasure is Another Man's Trash
A PS family has been decorating their property extensively for 20 consecutive holiday years; this year, however, there have been complaints about the holiday display, so it is being discontinued. Granted, the man's sister and co-sponsor recently died, which has hampered his efforts to complete the display and pay the cost of lighting it, but more importantly, his neighbors complained about the lights, the increased vehicle traffic, and the fact that his displays are mostly made from recycled trash, not at all what "they" want representing their neighborhood.
Huh. The guy is a Muslim celebrating a Christian holiday; he's a responsible recycler in this age of green; and he's been doing this display for 20 years, far longer than most of his neighbors have owned their homes. Seems like there is a new neighbor, one who has a different perspective on what the neighborhood is and what best represents it to the community. It's sad to me that the new neighbor gets his way, while the rest of the community is denied their long-standing tradition.
Lots of bloggers at the on-line site, most of whom lament the loss of this cultural tradition. Addressing the issue of the constant stream of vehicles coming by to see the display, one blogger said it's been a family tradition for him for all 20 years. He will miss the display himself, but also sharing it with his children, who enjoy it the same way he did when he was a child. As he so succinctly put it, "Get over yourself" and let other people enjoy this special annual holiday celebration that is as diverse as the neighborhood in which it resides.
I guess it's not mean-spirited, just ... practical ... to let some traditions fade into a memory, but I'm not sure what kind of annoyance an annual holiday display was causing that results in its being shut down. Sometimes, we don't know what we have until we no longer have it. I hope the neighbor enjoys his peace and quiet this year.
Huh. The guy is a Muslim celebrating a Christian holiday; he's a responsible recycler in this age of green; and he's been doing this display for 20 years, far longer than most of his neighbors have owned their homes. Seems like there is a new neighbor, one who has a different perspective on what the neighborhood is and what best represents it to the community. It's sad to me that the new neighbor gets his way, while the rest of the community is denied their long-standing tradition.
Lots of bloggers at the on-line site, most of whom lament the loss of this cultural tradition. Addressing the issue of the constant stream of vehicles coming by to see the display, one blogger said it's been a family tradition for him for all 20 years. He will miss the display himself, but also sharing it with his children, who enjoy it the same way he did when he was a child. As he so succinctly put it, "Get over yourself" and let other people enjoy this special annual holiday celebration that is as diverse as the neighborhood in which it resides.
I guess it's not mean-spirited, just ... practical ... to let some traditions fade into a memory, but I'm not sure what kind of annoyance an annual holiday display was causing that results in its being shut down. Sometimes, we don't know what we have until we no longer have it. I hope the neighbor enjoys his peace and quiet this year.
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