Friday, October 24, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
I Can Tell, You're Going to Win Some HR Rewards
A little over two weeks ago we transferred a C.D. from one bank to Wachovia. I know they are struggling but they're FDIC insured and had better rates than their competitors. I didn't have an account of any kind there but in a very short time span a very kind young man (yes, younger than me even) opened the C.D., a checking account (free) and a savings account (5% interest). I was very pleased with the encounter. The man who opened the account also gave me information to set up online banking. The next day I tried to set up the account only to get an error message. I meant to call, but I am pretty busy and I don't plan on using that account for very much and I don't really care if I ever set up the online banking to be perfectly honest with you.
This morning I was on the phone with a girlfriend of mine when my cell rang. I was on the home phone and it wasn't a number I recognized so I let the voicemail take care of it, after I got off the phone with my friend I saw I had a message, it was from the nice man at Wachovia. I called back even though it was approaching nap time here in our home but I thought he may want to know why I hadn't activated my check card (I don't get out a lot, there is no money in that account, I was prepared for the why's). But he was calling because he saw that I hadn't set up my online account and he wanted to know if I needed help. He asked if I could get online and he would walk me through the process. He did, except I got the same error message. He told me he would call the helpline and get back with me.
When the phone rang again it was even closer to nap time. Instead of the nice gentleman from Wachovia it was an online account assitance lady. After she verified who I was she brought the nice man from Wachovia back on the line. She then proceeded to tell him that when new account members set up their online accounts they will always get that error message in a very patronizing way. I felt bad for him because she was very nasty about it and it seemed unneccessary to tell him that with me on the line, it seems that she could have told them that before our three-way conversation began. It also seems silly that new account members would always get an error message. Maybe I am lazy but so are they, maybe they should invest some time into a registration process free of instant error messages.
She begins to walk me through the registration for what seems like the umpteenth time. By this point my children are at my feet crying and pulling up and falling and crying some more. I get to the point where I have successfully (or so I assumed) entered in all of the new passwords and codes when I get yet another error message. She tells me that I have done something wrong and I need to start over. I tell her that we will need to do this later, I have to go take care of my kids when she tells me that "no, it is fine they deal with this sort of thing (you mean crying?) all the time, if it is bothering me I should deal with it". I wish I could record my phone calls for training purposes sometimes, her rudeness had me so shocked and taken aback that I didn't know what to do at first. I then told her "no, it's my children's nap time, I am getting off of the phone". She then proceeded to tell me what I needed to do next, I replied, cutting her off, "Thank you" and hung up.
I am still flabbergasted. I wasn't getting off the phone for her benefit or mine, I was getting off the phone for Bailey and Cooper's benefit. Because it was nap time and we try to adhere to a schedule around here. The children are now napping (they fell asleep very quickly I might add) and I think I will call the nicest employee at Wachovia back and apologize for her rudeness and my subsequent rudeness because I did appreciate his call and his attempt to help me set up my online account. Companies, especially those struggling, should take a look inwards perhaps. I know Wachovia isn't struggling bacause of their impolite employees but it can't be helping them.
-june
This morning I was on the phone with a girlfriend of mine when my cell rang. I was on the home phone and it wasn't a number I recognized so I let the voicemail take care of it, after I got off the phone with my friend I saw I had a message, it was from the nice man at Wachovia. I called back even though it was approaching nap time here in our home but I thought he may want to know why I hadn't activated my check card (I don't get out a lot, there is no money in that account, I was prepared for the why's). But he was calling because he saw that I hadn't set up my online account and he wanted to know if I needed help. He asked if I could get online and he would walk me through the process. He did, except I got the same error message. He told me he would call the helpline and get back with me.
When the phone rang again it was even closer to nap time. Instead of the nice gentleman from Wachovia it was an online account assitance lady. After she verified who I was she brought the nice man from Wachovia back on the line. She then proceeded to tell him that when new account members set up their online accounts they will always get that error message in a very patronizing way. I felt bad for him because she was very nasty about it and it seemed unneccessary to tell him that with me on the line, it seems that she could have told them that before our three-way conversation began. It also seems silly that new account members would always get an error message. Maybe I am lazy but so are they, maybe they should invest some time into a registration process free of instant error messages.
She begins to walk me through the registration for what seems like the umpteenth time. By this point my children are at my feet crying and pulling up and falling and crying some more. I get to the point where I have successfully (or so I assumed) entered in all of the new passwords and codes when I get yet another error message. She tells me that I have done something wrong and I need to start over. I tell her that we will need to do this later, I have to go take care of my kids when she tells me that "no, it is fine they deal with this sort of thing (you mean crying?) all the time, if it is bothering me I should deal with it". I wish I could record my phone calls for training purposes sometimes, her rudeness had me so shocked and taken aback that I didn't know what to do at first. I then told her "no, it's my children's nap time, I am getting off of the phone". She then proceeded to tell me what I needed to do next, I replied, cutting her off, "Thank you" and hung up.
I am still flabbergasted. I wasn't getting off the phone for her benefit or mine, I was getting off the phone for Bailey and Cooper's benefit. Because it was nap time and we try to adhere to a schedule around here. The children are now napping (they fell asleep very quickly I might add) and I think I will call the nicest employee at Wachovia back and apologize for her rudeness and my subsequent rudeness because I did appreciate his call and his attempt to help me set up my online account. Companies, especially those struggling, should take a look inwards perhaps. I know Wachovia isn't struggling bacause of their impolite employees but it can't be helping them.
-june
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Have You Been In Target Lately?
For years my mother-in-law, my grandmother and my sister (and my friend Charlene occasionally) have been going to Potomac Mills in December to go Christmas Shopping. On our secong Wedding Anniversary Ward and I went to DC with another couple, Dying Cloud and his wife Charlene. On the trip home Charlene asked if we could stop in to Potomac Mills, a huge outlet center in Woodbridge, VA. We didn't stay long but I wanted to go back and thus our Christmas Shopping trip was born. Some years we go for one night, others a long weekend. Once we made the long drive over to Leesburg just to realize that was not worth it. Several times we got lost before I finally found a simpler route the last time (and have since forgot?). Every year we ate at Red Robin and twice we visited Babies R Us even though no one in our group had babies.
This trip is more than just shopping, it is sort of a growing tradition. I didn't want to not go this year but I didn't want to leave the twins home while I left for the weekend so Ward graciously agreed to come along this year. I am very excited! I always worry about spending too much money or should I or should I not when I come across gifts, so this year he can help me make the choices then and there on the spot (even though I always enjoyed showing him everything when I got home, it was like show and tell).
So this year in addition to Ward, Cooper and Bailey my brother-in-law and nephew will be coming. We have decided to go earlier, mid-November, since it is usually crowded when we go the first week in December. This afternoon my Grandmother called. "Hello, stranger" she said and immediately I felt terrible, I really should call her more oftern, we use to see each other at least once a week but since I got pregnant it's more like once a month. We chatted for a few minutes when I finally got around to asking her if she was on board this holiday for our Potomac Mills trip. I just figured she would say yes but she told me instead that she doesn't want to "Mess up our plans" or "butt in and tag along". I was kind of sad that she doesn't want to go, I told her that it isn't butting in if someone asks her and she is part of the plan. She finally accepted that we wanted her there and said she would go and seemed excited about it, even more so when I told her that I was still inviting my mother-in-law.
This year's group will be larger, and smaller (height wise) and probably stressful and hectic, but I am looking forward to it more than any other previous year.
This trip is more than just shopping, it is sort of a growing tradition. I didn't want to not go this year but I didn't want to leave the twins home while I left for the weekend so Ward graciously agreed to come along this year. I am very excited! I always worry about spending too much money or should I or should I not when I come across gifts, so this year he can help me make the choices then and there on the spot (even though I always enjoyed showing him everything when I got home, it was like show and tell).
So this year in addition to Ward, Cooper and Bailey my brother-in-law and nephew will be coming. We have decided to go earlier, mid-November, since it is usually crowded when we go the first week in December. This afternoon my Grandmother called. "Hello, stranger" she said and immediately I felt terrible, I really should call her more oftern, we use to see each other at least once a week but since I got pregnant it's more like once a month. We chatted for a few minutes when I finally got around to asking her if she was on board this holiday for our Potomac Mills trip. I just figured she would say yes but she told me instead that she doesn't want to "Mess up our plans" or "butt in and tag along". I was kind of sad that she doesn't want to go, I told her that it isn't butting in if someone asks her and she is part of the plan. She finally accepted that we wanted her there and said she would go and seemed excited about it, even more so when I told her that I was still inviting my mother-in-law.
This year's group will be larger, and smaller (height wise) and probably stressful and hectic, but I am looking forward to it more than any other previous year.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Let's Make A Few Things Clearer, Shall We?
I realize that there may be some confusion about some of my recent blogs so I thought I would clear a few things up:
- Ricky and Lucy, are not MY Ricky and Lucy but the REAL Ricky and Lucy. I even thought about giving that blog another name but I didn't. I have learned my lesson.
- I didn't mean Belated Happy Birthday to Brandon, I meant Happy Birthday to Brandon on the 17th, but I don't think he reads my blog so I'm OK there.
- If we can call William Ayers a terrorist, I think I should be allowed to call the media terrorists, I'm just saying.
OK, so I think that's all for now.
-june
Sunday, October 19, 2008
You call that a party?
As Ward has recently made very clear, parenting is hard. You have a lot of decisions to make and fears to worry over. One of these is immunizations, to have them or not to have them, to have them all at once or split over several shots, to wait until their two or have them done on the doctor’s prearranged schedule.
The fear that immunizations cause Autism is not a new worry, it’s just one that has received even more publicity in the last couple of years thanks to Vh1 and Jenny McCarthy. I worry about Autism, not a lot, but I think about the possibility of one of our children having one of the Autism spectrum disorders and what that would mean for our children. But I don’t lose sleep over that worry and our children attend every well baby visit scheduled and have had all their shots on time.
I am aware that some people are fervently against having their children immunized. I think that is a bad call, the fact that we don’t have to worry on a daily basis about polio, measles, mumps, pertussis, etc is because of these wonderful advances in the medical field. Now don’t get me wrong, I think that seeing our children get those shots and feel on the verge of illness for several days following is heartbreaking but I know that it is in their best interest. It is for their health. I think the chance (which I believe to be rather small, if existent at all) that our children may contact Autism from their vaccinations is worth their being fully immunized.
I know this is a debatable issue, with lots of different arguments that could be gone back and forth with for days. So I keep my pointed feelings to myself and attend all of our Well Baby visits and leave it at that.
But today I had the opportunity (first time all year) to actually sit down with a cup of coffee, a slice of Pumpkin Cake and the newest Parenting magazine and read a few articles. The one about vaccines struck me as interesting but even more so when I came across the heading, “The Worry: It’s healthier to contract some diseases naturally.” This section of the article described a family that decided not to have their 2-year-old child immunized against Chicken Pox, but rather “seized the opportunity” for the child to get it from dad when he came down with shingles. Not only did they encourage hugs and cup sharing (which did indeed result in their child contracting the illness, but a “very mild” case of it) they posted a notice on a local listserve for other interested families to come over and have an infectious play date with their sick family (oh, the double entendre there), “knowing” other parents may want their own children exposed, and guess what? Two families jumped at the opportunity, unfortunately neither of the play mates got sick, but they did come bearing presents.
I am not making this up. This couple and other parents like them, really worry me. We all have to do what we think is in our family/children’s best interest, which I think is the regimented vaccines, but I can’t imagine thinking this play date idea is in your child’s best interest. These people fear that their children will get sick with Autism but would like them instead to intentionally get sick with chicken pox or shingles? It may be rare, but children can and do DIE from chicken pox, has any child ever died from autism?
I am floored that these chicken pox and measles “parties” even exist, and that any parent in the 21st century would think they are a solid choice for their child.
I believe that Autism should be researched, funding should be provided for preventive testing and treatment, and awareness generated over the growing condition but to resist and in some cases even refuse immunizing your child against harmful, potentionally deadly illnesses with vaccines which have never been proven to cause autism, well that just seems a tad negligent to me.
The fear that immunizations cause Autism is not a new worry, it’s just one that has received even more publicity in the last couple of years thanks to Vh1 and Jenny McCarthy. I worry about Autism, not a lot, but I think about the possibility of one of our children having one of the Autism spectrum disorders and what that would mean for our children. But I don’t lose sleep over that worry and our children attend every well baby visit scheduled and have had all their shots on time.
I am aware that some people are fervently against having their children immunized. I think that is a bad call, the fact that we don’t have to worry on a daily basis about polio, measles, mumps, pertussis, etc is because of these wonderful advances in the medical field. Now don’t get me wrong, I think that seeing our children get those shots and feel on the verge of illness for several days following is heartbreaking but I know that it is in their best interest. It is for their health. I think the chance (which I believe to be rather small, if existent at all) that our children may contact Autism from their vaccinations is worth their being fully immunized.
I know this is a debatable issue, with lots of different arguments that could be gone back and forth with for days. So I keep my pointed feelings to myself and attend all of our Well Baby visits and leave it at that.
But today I had the opportunity (first time all year) to actually sit down with a cup of coffee, a slice of Pumpkin Cake and the newest Parenting magazine and read a few articles. The one about vaccines struck me as interesting but even more so when I came across the heading, “The Worry: It’s healthier to contract some diseases naturally.” This section of the article described a family that decided not to have their 2-year-old child immunized against Chicken Pox, but rather “seized the opportunity” for the child to get it from dad when he came down with shingles. Not only did they encourage hugs and cup sharing (which did indeed result in their child contracting the illness, but a “very mild” case of it) they posted a notice on a local listserve for other interested families to come over and have an infectious play date with their sick family (oh, the double entendre there), “knowing” other parents may want their own children exposed, and guess what? Two families jumped at the opportunity, unfortunately neither of the play mates got sick, but they did come bearing presents.
I am not making this up. This couple and other parents like them, really worry me. We all have to do what we think is in our family/children’s best interest, which I think is the regimented vaccines, but I can’t imagine thinking this play date idea is in your child’s best interest. These people fear that their children will get sick with Autism but would like them instead to intentionally get sick with chicken pox or shingles? It may be rare, but children can and do DIE from chicken pox, has any child ever died from autism?
I am floored that these chicken pox and measles “parties” even exist, and that any parent in the 21st century would think they are a solid choice for their child.
I believe that Autism should be researched, funding should be provided for preventive testing and treatment, and awareness generated over the growing condition but to resist and in some cases even refuse immunizing your child against harmful, potentionally deadly illnesses with vaccines which have never been proven to cause autism, well that just seems a tad negligent to me.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
George Lucas Is Trying To Destroy Everything Pure From My Childhood
Alright, let me get straight to the point, George Lucas has become a menace to society and he must be stopped at all costs!
We just watched Indiana Jones and the Mystery of Why This Movie was even Made, and I must say that I am beyond disappointment. You can read our review of this piece of crap here. But what I want to talk about here is integrity, and why there is none left in Hollywood.
When I was a lad my favorite movies were the Star Wars films and the Indiana Jones films. I mean I wanted to be Indiana Jones until I was almost 25 years old. But now all of that is tainted for me. Between Jar Jar Binks and that ridiculous Refrigerator scene I have a hard time connecting with those pure memories from my childhood when I would pretend to be Luke Skywalker, or BobaFett, or Indiana Jones. Now all I have is my memories of bee-stings, bike crashes, and being locked in a closet for days at a time.
I wonder what my kids are going to have as favorite movie heroes. The disturbingly dark Dark Knight? Iron Man? Perhaps Harry Potter, or the increasingly annoying Spiderman? What will they have?
Or what won't they have, that I did? I enjoyed those movies and anticipated them as they came out. I cherished them and relived them over and over again. And looking back on them they are still good movies. But I don't know what's happened in the movie business. Perhaps I was raised with too much TV and too many movies, and now it all just seems like regurgitated second-hand ideas packaged in a new shinier-than-ever wrappers. Perhaps those of us who have been paying attention have seen too much, and they have nothing new to offer us. Maybe my kids will enjoy The Adventures of Indiana Jones' Illegitimate Son, or STAR WARS Episode 2.75 -Obi Wan VS Jabba's Nephew, or whatever crap they decide to dole out to us hapless entertainment junkies.
I wonder what happened to the George Lucas and Steven Spielberg who created those gems of such nostalgic power? Perhaps they've been abducted by aliens with elongated skulls made of shiny-blue-psychic-power-enhancing crystal. Maybe they've been replaced with robots who look and sound and smell like them, but lack the heart and soul to create anything meaningful. Maybe these robots really liked Happy Days and thought that Jumping the Shark was a good thing.
I mean you can't really be so hard on them if they're just dumb soulless robots can you?
But what do I tell my children when they ask about my favorite movies from when I was a kid? Will I be embarrassed to say Star Wars and Indiana Jones, all they're going to know is Clone Wars and that guy from the Transformers movie with the funny hair and the leather jacket. They're going to think that Raiders is stupid and cheesy.
Parenting is hard.
-Ward
We just watched Indiana Jones and the Mystery of Why This Movie was even Made, and I must say that I am beyond disappointment. You can read our review of this piece of crap here. But what I want to talk about here is integrity, and why there is none left in Hollywood.
When I was a lad my favorite movies were the Star Wars films and the Indiana Jones films. I mean I wanted to be Indiana Jones until I was almost 25 years old. But now all of that is tainted for me. Between Jar Jar Binks and that ridiculous Refrigerator scene I have a hard time connecting with those pure memories from my childhood when I would pretend to be Luke Skywalker, or BobaFett, or Indiana Jones. Now all I have is my memories of bee-stings, bike crashes, and being locked in a closet for days at a time.
I wonder what my kids are going to have as favorite movie heroes. The disturbingly dark Dark Knight? Iron Man? Perhaps Harry Potter, or the increasingly annoying Spiderman? What will they have?
Or what won't they have, that I did? I enjoyed those movies and anticipated them as they came out. I cherished them and relived them over and over again. And looking back on them they are still good movies. But I don't know what's happened in the movie business. Perhaps I was raised with too much TV and too many movies, and now it all just seems like regurgitated second-hand ideas packaged in a new shinier-than-ever wrappers. Perhaps those of us who have been paying attention have seen too much, and they have nothing new to offer us. Maybe my kids will enjoy The Adventures of Indiana Jones' Illegitimate Son, or STAR WARS Episode 2.75 -Obi Wan VS Jabba's Nephew, or whatever crap they decide to dole out to us hapless entertainment junkies.
I wonder what happened to the George Lucas and Steven Spielberg who created those gems of such nostalgic power? Perhaps they've been abducted by aliens with elongated skulls made of shiny-blue-psychic-power-enhancing crystal. Maybe they've been replaced with robots who look and sound and smell like them, but lack the heart and soul to create anything meaningful. Maybe these robots really liked Happy Days and thought that Jumping the Shark was a good thing.
I mean you can't really be so hard on them if they're just dumb soulless robots can you?
But what do I tell my children when they ask about my favorite movies from when I was a kid? Will I be embarrassed to say Star Wars and Indiana Jones, all they're going to know is Clone Wars and that guy from the Transformers movie with the funny hair and the leather jacket. They're going to think that Raiders is stupid and cheesy.
Parenting is hard.
-Ward
Now I Can Make My Decision
I have now seen 67,932 McCain/Palin roadside signs and only 13,376 Obama/Biden signs, so it is now perfectly clear to me that the McCain/Palin ticket deserves my vote. I mean whoever's supporters are willing to deforest the largest area are clearly the most qualified for the job.
Perhaps I'm missing the point (which is not entirely unheard of for me), but I don't understand the need for so many political signs in people's yards. Is it to simply show their support for their candidate? Is it to try to convince me and other people driving by that I should vote for their candidate? I need help with this.
IF I support a candidate should I put up a sign? IF I'm passionate should I put up thirty signs? IF my neighbor puts up the opponent's sign do I have to top him? WHERE do I get my Undecided 2008 sign, or my Fed Up With This Crap sign?
Does anyone really decide who they're going to vote for because of these signs? And if so should that person really be allowed to vote? I mean if it's going to be decided like that lets just flip a coin and get this over with now.
At least these silly automated phone calls by the Republicans say something ( you know the ones: "Obama is a terrorist and he and his left-wing cohorts will eat your children if you don't vote for McCain.") . These signs just have a name or two on them. That's it. That's all you need to know. If you can't decide which is the right team to lead this country by reading their names over and over and over and over and over and over again on your way to work and home again then there isn't much hope for you.
I guess it's just that I'm disappointed in the American people. We have the chance, I mean the right, I mean the privilege to govern ourselves, and most of us don't bother to learn enough about the issues to make an educated decision.
One thing that is encouraging this year is the number of registered voters. Virginia, according to a recent poll, has just over 5 million registered voters (the highest number ever). According to census information (which only offers estimates since the last census was a few years ago) there are only 6.2 million people of voting age in this state. Lets see how many of us actually vote though and who we vote for.
I read somewhere that in the last election roughly 50% of Americans over 18 actually voted, but that almost 85% of registered voters actually voted. I'm not sure about those numbers, but why wouldn't 100% of registered voters vote? Why aren't more Americans registered to vote? Even if these numbers are off (which I don't doubt that they are) why do so many of us not even vote? Is it because some people, like me, feel that neither major party has anything new or good to offer this country? Is it because people are fed up with the negative campaign politics? When was the last time a candidate bothered to say anything good about him/herself? I guess if you don't have a good point to make about yourself you should take a shot at vilifying the other guy.
Sometimes I feel like I can't see the point of all of this anymore.
Sometimes I feel like it doesn't even matter.
Maybe we should just toss a coin.
-Ward
Perhaps I'm missing the point (which is not entirely unheard of for me), but I don't understand the need for so many political signs in people's yards. Is it to simply show their support for their candidate? Is it to try to convince me and other people driving by that I should vote for their candidate? I need help with this.
IF I support a candidate should I put up a sign? IF I'm passionate should I put up thirty signs? IF my neighbor puts up the opponent's sign do I have to top him? WHERE do I get my Undecided 2008 sign, or my Fed Up With This Crap sign?
Does anyone really decide who they're going to vote for because of these signs? And if so should that person really be allowed to vote? I mean if it's going to be decided like that lets just flip a coin and get this over with now.
At least these silly automated phone calls by the Republicans say something ( you know the ones: "Obama is a terrorist and he and his left-wing cohorts will eat your children if you don't vote for McCain.") . These signs just have a name or two on them. That's it. That's all you need to know. If you can't decide which is the right team to lead this country by reading their names over and over and over and over and over and over again on your way to work and home again then there isn't much hope for you.
I guess it's just that I'm disappointed in the American people. We have the chance, I mean the right, I mean the privilege to govern ourselves, and most of us don't bother to learn enough about the issues to make an educated decision.
One thing that is encouraging this year is the number of registered voters. Virginia, according to a recent poll, has just over 5 million registered voters (the highest number ever). According to census information (which only offers estimates since the last census was a few years ago) there are only 6.2 million people of voting age in this state. Lets see how many of us actually vote though and who we vote for.
I read somewhere that in the last election roughly 50% of Americans over 18 actually voted, but that almost 85% of registered voters actually voted. I'm not sure about those numbers, but why wouldn't 100% of registered voters vote? Why aren't more Americans registered to vote? Even if these numbers are off (which I don't doubt that they are) why do so many of us not even vote? Is it because some people, like me, feel that neither major party has anything new or good to offer this country? Is it because people are fed up with the negative campaign politics? When was the last time a candidate bothered to say anything good about him/herself? I guess if you don't have a good point to make about yourself you should take a shot at vilifying the other guy.
Sometimes I feel like I can't see the point of all of this anymore.
Sometimes I feel like it doesn't even matter.
Maybe we should just toss a coin.
-Ward
Friday, October 17, 2008
Thursday, October 16, 2008
I'm Impressed: Reina Del Cid
In our day I am so excited that musicians have the internet and tools such as You Tube. Today while looking up a trailer for a movie I saw advertised on IMdb I came across this video. The artist is Reina Del Cid, she is just a girl writing music on her blue guitar and I liked it. She is unsigned and I think she is better than a lot of other female musicians out there today (I like the lyrics, so listen well) so I am doing the most I can to get her signed, posting her video on my blog that's read by several people every day.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
What's that song?
I need your help fellow bloggers and readers. Two things.
First. What is that song that goes something like "I always feel like somebody's watching me..."? I have totally drawn a blank.
Second. I am putting together a Halloween Playlist via Rhapsody for tomorrow's Bunko and I need suggestions so please, give me some. One, five, 50 anything will help.
Thanks for you help.
UPDATE: You weren't fast enough it was Rockwell with Jackson as a backing vocal where as I thought it was a Jackson song. It has been added to the playlist. But I still want your suggestions!
-june
First. What is that song that goes something like "I always feel like somebody's watching me..."? I have totally drawn a blank.
Second. I am putting together a Halloween Playlist via Rhapsody for tomorrow's Bunko and I need suggestions so please, give me some. One, five, 50 anything will help.
Thanks for you help.
UPDATE: You weren't fast enough it was Rockwell with Jackson as a backing vocal where as I thought it was a Jackson song. It has been added to the playlist. But I still want your suggestions!
-june
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Rambles of June
Why is it that children won't eat what you feed them, such as Cheerios, when you feed it to them but afterwards when they are crawling around and you are trying franticly to clean up they will find every Cheerio they have dropped on the floor and eat them?
Whatever the reason may be the vacuum has found a new permanent space, the eat-in kitchen.
We just got back from Target. That's right I took the kids on a real shopping trip to Target. We used one of those huge carts with the upright seats. It went really well. Surprisingly well. We may attempt it again, someday.
Fall is my favorite time of year. Why? Because of Starbuck's Pumpkin Spice Latte (OK, not really but I do love those things). Last year I couldn't have them because I was pregnant and this year, well with the state of the economy it seems a little foolish to spend $8 on a beverage (OK, it always seems a little foolish to spend $8 on a beverage) I may not be having a latte this fall either. But today at Target I found Pumpkin Spice flavored Coffee creamer and bought it. I'll let you know how it is. I hope it will at least be reminiscent of the real thing.
When we got home today our Halloween costumes were here. That's right, we ordered them on line. We don't have a lot of time to be creative this year so we just bought them on-line. We are going to be vampires (I told you we don't have a lot of time to be creative). We were going to be Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Hatchett but that seemed a little too trendy for our blood (Ward wouldn't wear the wig).
I have been cleaning for the past two days on and off whenever I can get a chance as I have Bunko here on Thursday evening. Nearly 30% of our house is now clean, I'm hoping for 45% by Thursday night. Ward said that we should have Bunko here every other month.
Does anyone have a good pumpkin cake recipe? Because I am not busy enough I think I would like to make a pumpkin cake for Bunko.
-june
Whatever the reason may be the vacuum has found a new permanent space, the eat-in kitchen.
We just got back from Target. That's right I took the kids on a real shopping trip to Target. We used one of those huge carts with the upright seats. It went really well. Surprisingly well. We may attempt it again, someday.
Fall is my favorite time of year. Why? Because of Starbuck's Pumpkin Spice Latte (OK, not really but I do love those things). Last year I couldn't have them because I was pregnant and this year, well with the state of the economy it seems a little foolish to spend $8 on a beverage (OK, it always seems a little foolish to spend $8 on a beverage) I may not be having a latte this fall either. But today at Target I found Pumpkin Spice flavored Coffee creamer and bought it. I'll let you know how it is. I hope it will at least be reminiscent of the real thing.
When we got home today our Halloween costumes were here. That's right, we ordered them on line. We don't have a lot of time to be creative this year so we just bought them on-line. We are going to be vampires (I told you we don't have a lot of time to be creative). We were going to be Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Hatchett but that seemed a little too trendy for our blood (Ward wouldn't wear the wig).
I have been cleaning for the past two days on and off whenever I can get a chance as I have Bunko here on Thursday evening. Nearly 30% of our house is now clean, I'm hoping for 45% by Thursday night. Ward said that we should have Bunko here every other month.
Does anyone have a good pumpkin cake recipe? Because I am not busy enough I think I would like to make a pumpkin cake for Bunko.
-june
Monday, October 13, 2008
Happy Columbus Day?
I figure what better way to salute the man who accidentily stumbled across this great land of ours than to give you a few exerpts from his journals and letters back to Europe.
Of his first encounter with "Indians":
Of his first encounter with "Indians":
"They brought us parrots and balls of cotton and spears and many other things,
which they exchanged for the glass beads and hawks' bells. They willingly traded
everything they owned. They were well-built, with good bodies and handsome
features. They do not bear arms, and do not know them, for I showed them a
sword, they took it by the edge and cut themselves out of ignoragnce. They have
no iron. Their spears are made of cane. They would make fine servants. With fifty
men we could subjugate them all and make them do whatever we want."
And:
"As soon as I arrived in the Indies, on the first Island which I found, I took some
of the natives by force in order that they might learn and might give me information
of whatever there is in these parts."
Consider these facts, reported by Spanish missionaries of the time.
In two years, through Murder, Mutilation, or Suicide half of the 250,000 Indians on Haiti were dead.
In the first twelve years of Spanish Colonization the population of the island of Hispaniola was reduced by almost Three Million, due to "war, slavery, and the mines."
"While I was in Cuba, 7,000 children died in three months" from starvation. - Las Casas
Just a little History to think about on this Columbus Day. Have a nice day.
-Ward
Because I Love Bob Dylan More Today Than Yesterday And Even More Tomorrow
Maybe it's because the Times They Are A Changin or maybe it's the insomnia but I am happy in the company of these tunes.
If you still buy physical compact discs I highly recommend this one.
If you still buy physical compact discs I highly recommend this one.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
On Gore's Invention
I am going to attempt to write this blog in code. Partly because I am a big scaredy-cat and partly because I don't want to hurt any one's feelings should they ever read my blog, but then who am I kidding I don't think of others or their feelings on my blog and no one from high school reads my blog (except you, Falcon_81, and that's only occasionally).
So shall I begin? A person from my past however long and distant it may be has contacted me. Just in a hey how are you sort of way but I am not thrilled about it. I don't dislike this person per se but I also have less and less fond feelings for this person if you catch my drift. I am not going to be mean to the person but I am also in no mood to play catch up to someone I never really knew (though pretended to my face otherwise).
Lately I have been trying to do some soul searching on my own behalf. A self guided experiment in self discovery if you will. And as I mentioned earlier in the week, I don't have room for everything.
That sounds mean. So let me tell you this person was never incredibly nice to me and we were never that close. I don't even know how or why they contacted me to be honest. I was a little surprised and confused at the interaction. I can be and will be cordial, always, in person that is. But my life is busy and I fall behind on everything and I don't have time to spend* on inconsequential things.
That doesn't just sound mean, it is mean. I don't wish this person any ill will or anything at all like that I just don't know why she (or is it he?) is contacting me.
My sister recently told me that with Facebook and Myspace she doesn't see the point in High School Reunions. I understand (I think) exactly where she is coming from but I always thought that I would attend my high school reunion. And then someone from my past contacts me and I think, maybe I will just stay home that weekend. Don't get me wrong I like Facebook, just this week I was able to 'talk' with some old friends, some of whom from high school. But sometimes it is easier from home to reconnect. If it gets uncomfortable or goes somewhere you don't want it to you can always just log off.
Needless to say I invited the person to Book Group.
Just kidding.
-june
*waste
So shall I begin? A person from my past however long and distant it may be has contacted me. Just in a hey how are you sort of way but I am not thrilled about it. I don't dislike this person per se but I also have less and less fond feelings for this person if you catch my drift. I am not going to be mean to the person but I am also in no mood to play catch up to someone I never really knew (though pretended to my face otherwise).
Lately I have been trying to do some soul searching on my own behalf. A self guided experiment in self discovery if you will. And as I mentioned earlier in the week, I don't have room for everything.
That sounds mean. So let me tell you this person was never incredibly nice to me and we were never that close. I don't even know how or why they contacted me to be honest. I was a little surprised and confused at the interaction. I can be and will be cordial, always, in person that is. But my life is busy and I fall behind on everything and I don't have time to spend* on inconsequential things.
That doesn't just sound mean, it is mean. I don't wish this person any ill will or anything at all like that I just don't know why she (or is it he?) is contacting me.
My sister recently told me that with Facebook and Myspace she doesn't see the point in High School Reunions. I understand (I think) exactly where she is coming from but I always thought that I would attend my high school reunion. And then someone from my past contacts me and I think, maybe I will just stay home that weekend. Don't get me wrong I like Facebook, just this week I was able to 'talk' with some old friends, some of whom from high school. But sometimes it is easier from home to reconnect. If it gets uncomfortable or goes somewhere you don't want it to you can always just log off.
Needless to say I invited the person to Book Group.
Just kidding.
-june
*waste
Book Club
So a few weeks ago I sent out an email after talking to a few people who were interested in the idea of a reading group/book club and I got tremendous feedback, I think we are up to possibly 13 or 14 people, I am so excited.
I chose The Time Travelers Wife as our first read. I read it two years ago while I was in bed for our second round of IVF. I remember really enjoying it and I wished other people were reading it so I could talk about it with them. So I start this book group and I have Ward read the book and I got his feedback. And now, well now I am not so sure that I have suggested the right book to start our little group off on, but it is a little too late now I guess to worry with it. I am reading the book again and I still really like it, it fits me, it has things I can relate to, but the theme and language may be a little testy for a new book group.
Oh well, should make for an interesting discussion I suppose and that is I guess all I really wanted in the first place so I guess I should feel satisfied.
I mean I could have suggested Breaking Dawn!
-june
I chose The Time Travelers Wife as our first read. I read it two years ago while I was in bed for our second round of IVF. I remember really enjoying it and I wished other people were reading it so I could talk about it with them. So I start this book group and I have Ward read the book and I got his feedback. And now, well now I am not so sure that I have suggested the right book to start our little group off on, but it is a little too late now I guess to worry with it. I am reading the book again and I still really like it, it fits me, it has things I can relate to, but the theme and language may be a little testy for a new book group.
Oh well, should make for an interesting discussion I suppose and that is I guess all I really wanted in the first place so I guess I should feel satisfied.
I mean I could have suggested Breaking Dawn!
-june
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Insomniac?
Last night I was up pondering the dynamics of a normal mother/daughter-in-law situation until well after 1 a.m. I went to bed only to toss and turn and finally, I think around 2 a.m. I managed a little ZZZs. Unfortunately, at 4:45 I woke up and couldn't get back to bed, at 5 I made an immediate date with a novel and took a long soak in the tub. I wasn't able to go back to bed until after six and was up less than two hours later for good with the kids.
When I was pregnant I couldn't sleep. There were a few days when I didn't sleep at all, I would pace the house and watch hours of 80s videos on Vh1 Classics or soak my self to raisin skin in the tub, ah those were the days. I also had carpel tunnel syndrome, water retention, heartburn, indigestion, hiccups, gas, stretch marks, back ache, headaches, and bleeding gums, but all of those ailments are gone now (OK, with the exception of those stretch marks that I know will never go away despite what my friend Amy tells me) so why does the insomnia persist?
Maybe this is a new breed of insomnia. Maybe I am worrying too much about the things I cannot change. Maybe I need to recite that Serenity Prayer a few times and take a few Tylenol PM's.
Oh, and ban CNN in my house until AIG stops asking the Feds for money.
-june
When I was pregnant I couldn't sleep. There were a few days when I didn't sleep at all, I would pace the house and watch hours of 80s videos on Vh1 Classics or soak my self to raisin skin in the tub, ah those were the days. I also had carpel tunnel syndrome, water retention, heartburn, indigestion, hiccups, gas, stretch marks, back ache, headaches, and bleeding gums, but all of those ailments are gone now (OK, with the exception of those stretch marks that I know will never go away despite what my friend Amy tells me) so why does the insomnia persist?
Maybe this is a new breed of insomnia. Maybe I am worrying too much about the things I cannot change. Maybe I need to recite that Serenity Prayer a few times and take a few Tylenol PM's.
Oh, and ban CNN in my house until AIG stops asking the Feds for money.
-june
Why?
Why do artists release songs that aren't on any of their albums?
Especially when it is perhaps the prettiest song said artist has ever written?
"I wouldn’t want you to want
To be wanted by me
I wouldn’t want you to worry
That You'd be drowned within my sea
I only wanted to be wonderful
And wonderful is true
In truth I only really wanted
To be wanted by you"
Especially when it is perhaps the prettiest song said artist has ever written?
"I wouldn’t want you to want
To be wanted by me
I wouldn’t want you to worry
That You'd be drowned within my sea
I only wanted to be wonderful
And wonderful is true
In truth I only really wanted
To be wanted by you"
Friday, October 10, 2008
It Sucks (and I mean really sucks) to be Sick.
I have been sick four times since I graduated high school. Once in September 2000, again in December 2000 (when we were visiting family in Arizona), December 2005 (again visiting family in Arizona) and then in May 2006 (thanks to consuming unneeded antiobiotics on an empty stomach pre-IVF #1).
Why do I remember the dates so well? Because I am the worst sick person you could ever hope not to meet. When I mean sick, I don't mean headache, cough or cold sick, I mean hugging-the toilet-dry-heaving-by-noon because I refuse to eat sick.
Yesterday morning I woke up around 4 a.m. nauseous. I tried to shrug it off and go back to sleep with no luck. I even called my husband mid-morning to come home and take care of the kids. He then arranged for his mother to come and help me, despite the fact that I was really angry about that at first, it ended up being just what I needed.
I hate being sick, the lack of control, the dirty feeling, the icky feeling, the nose burning, throt burning feeling. When I got sick pre-IVF #1 I thought I would just give up on trying to have a baby if I was going to be that sick for months on end during pregnancy.
When I got pregnant with the twins I expected to get sick but it never really happened (with two exceptions that I could live with). My doctor was surprised that I wasn't getting sick but I think I now know the answer.
The universe and whoever is in charge of it, they really don't give you what you cannot handle and I really cannot handle being sick. It was more than a blessing when I woke up feeling much better this morning.
Bailey is a little under the weather today which is probably the result of two top teeth coming in, diarrhea and the resulting diaper rash, and I couldn't feel worse for the little girl because I know how awful it is when you are sick.
She's asked that I hold her all day, I am doing my best with her request.
Why do I remember the dates so well? Because I am the worst sick person you could ever hope not to meet. When I mean sick, I don't mean headache, cough or cold sick, I mean hugging-the toilet-dry-heaving-by-noon because I refuse to eat sick.
Yesterday morning I woke up around 4 a.m. nauseous. I tried to shrug it off and go back to sleep with no luck. I even called my husband mid-morning to come home and take care of the kids. He then arranged for his mother to come and help me, despite the fact that I was really angry about that at first, it ended up being just what I needed.
I hate being sick, the lack of control, the dirty feeling, the icky feeling, the nose burning, throt burning feeling. When I got sick pre-IVF #1 I thought I would just give up on trying to have a baby if I was going to be that sick for months on end during pregnancy.
When I got pregnant with the twins I expected to get sick but it never really happened (with two exceptions that I could live with). My doctor was surprised that I wasn't getting sick but I think I now know the answer.
The universe and whoever is in charge of it, they really don't give you what you cannot handle and I really cannot handle being sick. It was more than a blessing when I woke up feeling much better this morning.
Bailey is a little under the weather today which is probably the result of two top teeth coming in, diarrhea and the resulting diaper rash, and I couldn't feel worse for the little girl because I know how awful it is when you are sick.
She's asked that I hold her all day, I am doing my best with her request.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Thanks, Chris
Last week my brother-in-law called and asked if I would be able and willing to take my sister to see one of our favorite artists in Charlottesville if he bought us tickets.
The artist, Billy Bragg.
The answer, yes.
The date, Wednesday, October 29th, 8 p.m.
I would be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to seeing Mr. Bragg again, especially less than a week before election day.
"Help Save The Youth of America"
"The Lonesome Death of Rachel Corrie"
"Bush War Blues"
The artist, Billy Bragg.
The answer, yes.
The date, Wednesday, October 29th, 8 p.m.
I would be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to seeing Mr. Bragg again, especially less than a week before election day.
"Help Save The Youth of America"
"The Lonesome Death of Rachel Corrie"
"Bush War Blues"
Sunday, October 5, 2008
The Good and The Not So Good
My finger continues to bleed with every new bandage application and hurts...not so good.
The weekend is over, meaning no help with babies tomorrow, see above...not so good.
Yesterday I went shopping at the Gap and got $207 worth of clothes for $42 for the kids...pretty good.
It's hard to type with a big bandage...not so good.
I got $50 back in Amazon gift cards for using my amazon card, that's several new books...I'd say that's good.
Cooper is standing, without support...GREAT!!!
More banks expected to fail this year...not so good.
Tina Fey...hilarious.
Bailey and Cooper are 9 months old today...good and not so good.
Sorghum Festival...good.
$5 parking...not so good.
Saturdays...good.
Monday mornings...not so good.
The weekend is over, meaning no help with babies tomorrow, see above...not so good.
Yesterday I went shopping at the Gap and got $207 worth of clothes for $42 for the kids...pretty good.
It's hard to type with a big bandage...not so good.
I got $50 back in Amazon gift cards for using my amazon card, that's several new books...I'd say that's good.
Cooper is standing, without support...GREAT!!!
More banks expected to fail this year...not so good.
Tina Fey...hilarious.
Bailey and Cooper are 9 months old today...good and not so good.
Sorghum Festival...good.
$5 parking...not so good.
Saturdays...good.
Monday mornings...not so good.
WARNING!!!! Pieces of Finger Missing
This evening we had plans for friends to come over and play games and enjoy appetizers and desserts. At 5 p.m. I was working on Apple Dumplings from the Pioneer Women's blog. I was in the middle of peeling the Granny Smith Apples when my friend Amy texted me that they were on their way, feeling hurried perhaps I sped up. Then this happened:
Ward says this is a lesson in nail biting. If I had nails, he said, I may still have my skin.
I peeled the tip of my finger right off the middle finger of my left hand. OUCH! My friends came over and enjoyed the Apple Dumplings (thank you Ward and Lucy for taking over). But everyone thought it was pretty funny that I peeled my skin instead of the Granny Smith Apples as was illustrated quite literally during a game of LikeWise.
Lucy's illustration.
Amy's.
My disturbed friends wanted to see what my finger looked like hours after the incident (about three). Bellow is what happens when you pull a bandage off a not healed wound.
WARNING, It's quite disgusting.
I warned you.
Ward says this is a lesson in nail biting. If I had nails, he said, I may still have my skin.
Friday, October 3, 2008
I know we're Lancers, but we're just not THAT close.
I love my neighbors, not all of them necessarily but I really like the people who live closest to us. They donated their dilapidated playhouse to us, they fix Ward's guitars for free, they let us come in their house when they're gone and borrow eggs and we always have dependable house/dog sitters when we go out of town FOR FREE (they have a dog with whom we do the same). They come to our house for holidays and parties, we buy from their children's fund raisers and they, being the horticulturist type, trim our shrubs and flowers when we are 8 months pregnant. We all went to the same high school even though we attended ten and twenty years apart from one another (with the exception of Ward, who was a Colonel). We are pretty close, as far as neighbors go.
Or so I thought.
Recently, like yesterday, a friend of mine told me that her neighbor went into labor. She hadn't seen or spoken to the new parents but she had spoken with another neighbor who had told her all the details. How did she know all the details, why she was in the room, how else (OK, I understand someone could have told her but I am looking for dramatic effect here people). But she wasn't the only neighbor who attended the birth, two others did as well.
As stated before, I really like my neighbor's, but I also like privacy. When I gave birth it was a family only ordeal and when I mean family it was Ward and I. I would have perhaps had more people in the room (my sister) but I just felt too uncomfortable about how the situation could end up (like it did, emergency c-section at 5 a.m.). But my neighbors, they were never on the attendance list. I did see my neighbor when I was in labor, but only to my surprise on the hospitals Epidural video. I like privacy, I don't tell many people about the origins of my children's existence, I didn't tell people I was pregnant until my second trimester or that I was pregnant with twins until I had passed the twenty week miscarriage date and I certainly don't invite them to my deliveries. I know, I am the one with issues.
I know a lot of people though, who embrace a lot of people attending the miraculous event that is childbirth but now that I have both attended one and been responsible for one I feel even more the need for privacy in the delivery room. I don't mean that parents, siblings, or other close people should be kept from the delivery, I just think that it is not a place for friends and acquaintances. Things can happen without any warning and I just have to wonder is it really a good idea to have so many people in attendance? My doctor would only allow Ward and one other person in the room, I am sure that was mainly for her liability purposes but I don't think it is such a bad policy.
I think that mainly for me it is that I am a controlling person. I like to be in control and giving birth is one time when I felt that I was only in partial control of the situation (until the c-section when I felt I lost all control of the situation). But what do you think, am I just being weird? I have watched those birthing stories on TLC, I would just never want to be on their show.
-june
I was given full permission to tell this story, no names or other information have been disclosed, mainly because I didn't get any other information, it seemed too private.
Or so I thought.
Recently, like yesterday, a friend of mine told me that her neighbor went into labor. She hadn't seen or spoken to the new parents but she had spoken with another neighbor who had told her all the details. How did she know all the details, why she was in the room, how else (OK, I understand someone could have told her but I am looking for dramatic effect here people). But she wasn't the only neighbor who attended the birth, two others did as well.
As stated before, I really like my neighbor's, but I also like privacy. When I gave birth it was a family only ordeal and when I mean family it was Ward and I. I would have perhaps had more people in the room (my sister) but I just felt too uncomfortable about how the situation could end up (like it did, emergency c-section at 5 a.m.). But my neighbors, they were never on the attendance list. I did see my neighbor when I was in labor, but only to my surprise on the hospitals Epidural video. I like privacy, I don't tell many people about the origins of my children's existence, I didn't tell people I was pregnant until my second trimester or that I was pregnant with twins until I had passed the twenty week miscarriage date and I certainly don't invite them to my deliveries. I know, I am the one with issues.
I know a lot of people though, who embrace a lot of people attending the miraculous event that is childbirth but now that I have both attended one and been responsible for one I feel even more the need for privacy in the delivery room. I don't mean that parents, siblings, or other close people should be kept from the delivery, I just think that it is not a place for friends and acquaintances. Things can happen without any warning and I just have to wonder is it really a good idea to have so many people in attendance? My doctor would only allow Ward and one other person in the room, I am sure that was mainly for her liability purposes but I don't think it is such a bad policy.
I think that mainly for me it is that I am a controlling person. I like to be in control and giving birth is one time when I felt that I was only in partial control of the situation (until the c-section when I felt I lost all control of the situation). But what do you think, am I just being weird? I have watched those birthing stories on TLC, I would just never want to be on their show.
-june
I was given full permission to tell this story, no names or other information have been disclosed, mainly because I didn't get any other information, it seemed too private.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
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