December 2003 | Main | February 2004
January 30, 2004
Can't wait to get home
Work went well this week, and I'm more than ready to go home. I was actually done early, but when I called to see about changing my flight, Frontier told me that even though I had purchased 'no penalty' tickets, I would have to pay $189.00 extra to leave a day early. Well, the original round trip was $208.00.
So I didn't get to go home early.
The weather here has been beautiful - in the 50's here in Reno and snowing up in the monutains. I hear that skiing is good. At home it has been really cold - it will be a shock to my system to walk out into 10 degree weather tonight when John picks me up at the airport.
I plan on spending some quality time with John this weekend. I have the whole weekend, too, before I have to leave for South Carolina on Monday morning.
Posted by Beth at 9:14 AM | Comments (3)
January 29, 2004
States I have visited
create your own visited states map
or write about it on the open travel guide
Thanks to Pam!
Posted by Beth at 5:02 PM | Comments (2)
Cool
I'm the number one result for Yuchy on Google!
Posted by Beth at 2:50 PM | Comments (4)
Rosemary is blogging again
I'm so happy that Rosemary, The Queen of All Evil is blogging again. Dean's World is more interesting when Rosemary writes.
And she does Pilates! I tried Pilates, they are hard. Maybe I'll try them again and use Rosemary as my role model.
Posted by Beth at 8:22 AM
January 28, 2004
I hope that Bush changes his mind
He is going to lose a lot support over actions like this:Bush Is Said to Seek More Money for Arts.
He is spending too much money on things other than the war. Way too much. And to spend more money on the Endowment for the Arts is a slap in the face to many moderate and conservative voters.
I don't my taxes to go to any more crucifixes soaking in urine or sculptures of the Virgin Mary made out of excrement.
He is going to blow the election by doing this shit - the left wingers are not going to vote for him, no matter how much money he gives their favorite causes. Who the hell is advising him?
Posted by Beth at 11:42 PM | Comments (8)
I don't know what this means ...
but I come up as number one for wife cheddar suck on Google.
Posted by Beth at 10:45 PM | Comments (6)
Witchy Itchy Woman
I'm sure that someone wrote a song about an Itchy Woman. But the benadryl has made me a little groggy, especially after a super large margarita in the casino (I don't gamble, but if you sit in front of a slot machine and put a buck in, chances are you will get a free drink out of it - I always ask for a pricey one) and I can't remember what group did that song.
Hmmm. Well, my hives and other skin allergic reactions are slowly subsiding. Last night, I took 2 benadryl, 2 margaritas, and slept for 10 hours. I bought a super duper gigantic tube of hydrocortisone and have probably already used half of it. The damn rash goes pretty much from my thighs to my neck, and my shoulders to my elbows.
I have allergies, but never have I had any kind of reaction to anything like this.
I stopped at the pharmacy yesterday, and the pharmacist really creeped me out by asking if there is any chance the hotel could be infested with bed bugs.
Arggghhhh. I said, hey, it's the Hilton! And besides, this didn't happen until my second night here.
I am probably oversharing here, but it's about the most exciting thing that has happened to me this week!
Posted by Beth at 10:38 PM
Teresa has her own weblog!
It's about time, but I'm happy to see she made the plunge. I know I am a little late on this - traveling does that to me - but one of my favorite commenters has her own blog now, so go and check it out - Technicalities
Posted by Beth at 9:42 PM | Comments (1)
Will wonders never cease ...
LONDON, Jan. 28 (UPI) -- Errors in a provocative report on Iraqi weapons by Britain's dominant broadcaster has prompted an apology and a resignation from the global network.
BBC Chairman Gavyn Davies announced Wednesday he would resign in the wake of an independent panel's evaluation of certain BBC stories. Those stories, by reporter Andrew Gilligan, claimed Tony Blair's government had hyped Saddam Hussein's weapons threat, the BBC reported Wednesday.
Posted by Beth at 6:07 PM
January 27, 2004
Unbelievable Franken
Al Franken decided to take matters into his own hands and tackled a heckler at a Dean Rally.
"I got down low and took his legs out," said Franken afterwards.Franken said he's not backing Dean but merely wanted to protect the right of people to speak freely. "I would have done it if he was a Dean supporter at a Kerry rally," he said.
"I'm neutral in this race but I'm for freedom of speech, which means people should be able to assemble and speak without being shouted down."
Hmmmmm. Geeeeee. If he is for 'freedom of speech', why would he tackle some guy who was exercising that freedom?
I hope the victim sues him for assault. Hey, People, you cannot put your hands on another person just because you don't like what they say, or because they are interrupting someone.
Sheesh.
Posted by Beth at 4:27 PM | Comments (2)
I had the best dinner last night
The Steak House at the Reno Hilton is superb. I had Lobster and Black Tiger Prawn Thermidor and French Onion Soup. Sometimes, I splurge when I'm traveling. It was yummy, I didn't overeat, and the service was impeccable.
But then, I woke up a few hours ago itching like crazy. I have several rashes on my arms, legs, boobs. Ugh. I must have an allergy of some sort to something I ate last night! I'm trying to figure out if I should try to find some benadryl in the gift shop, or just drink lots of water and see if it goes away.
I will not be a happy camper if I have developed an allergy to lobster!
Posted by Beth at 7:34 AM | Comments (11)
January 26, 2004
Reno is pretty
When I visited here before, the mountains didn't have any snow. Now, they do, and it makes for a beautiful vista.
If I could find a job in this area, I'd move here - and I think John would, too. We like the desert and the mountains and the dry air. (I have lotsa allergies - mostly mold - and they all go away when I am here).
Anyway, just taking a break from working. I promise to write something tonight.
Posted by Beth at 2:41 PM | Comments (3)
January 25, 2004
Exactly the point of Pro-Life people
John Harris, a British Government Advisor on (of all things) bioethics does not believe that there is "any ‘moral change’ that occurred between when the baby was in the womb and when it had been brought into the world."
This is what those of us who believe in the sanctity of life have said all along. All of you pro-choice folks have scoffed at us, saying there is no 'slippery slope'.
Well, here it is folks. Infanticide is okey dokey according to this so-called Bioethicist.
It's no different than abortion. And I agree - the big difference being that I believe it is morally wrong and evil to kill a child - before or after birth.
I strongly believe that women (and men) have a choice about pregnancy - and it starts before conception. Contraception is readily available here. Use it, people. Don' t kill your children. If you are one of the fewer than 1% where birth control fails - well, I feel for you - give your baby up for adoption - my birth mother did.
Posted by Beth at 7:17 PM | Comments (5)
January 24, 2004
Damn, damn, damn!
John has been using my computer all day (I'm on my work laptop) as his is broken and the new one is not yet ready. I just checked my mail and I have a zillion Ice Storm Warning emails from the local weather station.
I hate ice storms. We are only about 20 miles from the airport, but if we really do get 1/4 inch or more of ice, it could take hours to get there.
Damn.
Posted by Beth at 8:32 PM | Comments (3)
From Dean's World
Posted by Beth at 8:23 PM | Comments (3)
Oh, what a cool gadget
I may have to buy one of these: George Foreman USB iGrill
The low-fat, high-bandwidth solution to your networked cooking needs is finally here. The George Foreman USB iGrill conveniently connects to your home or office PC using USB 2.0 technology, and provides a sophisticated web-based cooking interface.
Wow, I had no idea...
Posted by Beth at 6:17 PM | Comments (5)
Glad my kid is out of High School
The school honor roll, a time-honored system for rewarding A-students, has become an apparent source of embarrassment for some underachievers.From the Las Vegas Sun.As a result, all Nashville schools have stopped posting honor rolls, and some are also considering a ban on hanging good work in the hallways - all at the advice of school lawyers.
After a few parents complained their children might be ridiculed for not making the list, Nashville school system lawyers warned that state privacy laws forbid releasing any academic information, good or bad, without permission.
Hat tip to Joanne Jacobs, who always has great information on education.
Posted by Beth at 4:23 PM
Gadgets worth the money
Here are some of the gadgets/ small appliances that work as advertised, or close enough that they were worth the money.
Now, don't laugh - some of these are those obnoxious "As Seen On TV" kinda things, but heck, I travel a lot, and sometimes those infomercials are the most interesting TV I get.
My favorites:
1. Kitchen Aid Mixer. Oh, my - this is my very favorite kitchen appliance. Get the 5 quart one - I had the smaller (4 qt bowl) version for years, but when John bought me this, well, I never touched the smaller one again. I think I gave it away. It is great for cakes, frostings, cookies, mashed potatoes, whipping cream, beating egg whites, lots of stuff.
2. For the smaller jobs, this gadget performs way above my expectations. It is the Braun Multiquick Professional Hand Blender. I use it to chop nuts, onions, green peppers, garlic and fresh herbs. It does a great job of beating a couple of egg whites for smaller recipes, and it has enough power to whip up some potatoes - but not too many, and with milk, cream or butter added. It's also great for mixing drinks quickly. The only drawback is that it is difficult to store.
3. The Rabbit Corkscrew.
I have tried a lot of fancy corkscrews, ones that pump air thru a needle, etc., and this is my preference. For one, I'm not going to stick myself with it! It is very easy to use. I highly recommend it. I give them as gifts.
4. The Cuisinart Food Processor. In the past, I have tried all the inexpensive ones - Sunbeam, GE, Hamilton Beach - I found that you get what you pay for - this cannot be beat for power.
5. This is one we use every day. Again, I have tried a lot of other coffee makers through the years, but this one, the Capresso Coffee Team, makes the best freshly ground coffee of any of them. We had a Cuisinart combo coffee maker/grinder, but it did not last more than one year. I paid more for the Capresso, and again, I got what I paid for. It is great, and I highly recommend it.
6. Okay - here is one you can laugh at. I got sucked in big time a couple of weeks ago when I was watching an infomercial. I bought one. It came in last week, and I have been trying it out this weekend. The Scunci Steamer. Go ahead and laugh. It shoots out a powerful bunch of steam and does clean a lot - not quite like you see on TV - but enough to make it worth the cost. I was able to steam out stuff that is in the corners of rooms, and clean the part of the toilets that gets really icky - where the hinges are and down around the floor. It also works wonders on any faucets, door handles, anything metal. I even 'dusted' some resin figures with it, and it did a superb job.
That's all for now. I'll do some more at a later date.
Posted by Beth at 4:00 PM | Comments (5)
Confessions of a Gadget Queen
As I have mentioned before, I have a failing for buying all kinds of kitchen gadgets and appliances. To be honest, I'll buy almost any gadget or appliance, if it looks cool enough.
Sometimes I screw up. I bought a very expensive Hoover Wind Tunnel vaccum cleaner - the one without the bag and with a Hepa filter, and it is a giant pain in the ass. Dirt gets stuck in the hose that is between the beater bar and the place where the dirt is supposed to go on a regular basis. Then John has to take it all apart and put it back together (because he has more patience with things like that than I do - not that he does it with a smile on his face). I had an earlier version with the Hepa filter only with bags, and it did a great job - I just wore it out with all our critters shedding all over the place.
Another bad purchase was a rotisserie. What a mess to clean up. It is hard to put the chicken or whatever in it, and though it does a great job of cooking, it is such an ordeal to clean all the parts that I only used it once. It is going to the GoodWill - maybe someone with more patience than I can use it.
I thought that this would be a really nice thing to have - but it is hardly a true convection oven - it actually takes longer to bake cookies in than a conventional oven. It has already gone out in the trash. Worthless POS!
Now, though, I see that Cuisinart has a convection oven out - but I'll check reviews before I buy that one!
This grill was a big mistake too - I should know by now that you can't make a good appliance that is supposed to do 5 tasks well.
Next time, I'll talk about cool things that really work as advertised that I have purchased.
Posted by Beth at 1:01 PM | Comments (7)
If True, the Democrats will be really embarrased!
The Northeast Intelligence Network has some interesting data that seems indicate that we have captured Osama Bin Laden.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
Thanks to Amish Tech Support for the link.
Posted by Beth at 10:05 AM | Comments (2)
Well, Damn!
I just realized that most of the posts I have written lately appear to be authored by John! Not true. This is the result of two people sharing one computer. When John logged into MT, the computer saved the settings. I did not realize this, and whenever I went to MT to add stuff, I was signed in under John.
Correcting this will be painful, so I won't.
Can't wait for his new computer to be finished!!! I feel like I have been hacked, hacked, I tell you!
UPDATE: Wow, I just discovered Power Editing on MT - let me change the author with incredible ease. I guess I'll forgive John now!
Posted by Beth at 9:03 AM | Comments (2)
I want the Democrats to have a decent nominee
Many of you will think I'm nutsy to say that, but we need two parties. If the Democrats choose an obviously unbalanced candidate like Dean or Clark, the Republicans get too much power. If the Republicans put up a weak candidate, the pendulum can swing the other way - look at Goldwater (though he seemed less rightwing as time went by). His candidacy gave the Democrats a lot of power for a long time.
The Democrats have weakened tremendously in the last 10 years or so. They are just not even close to having the same views as the average citizen, so they don't get elected to governerships and Congress at anywhere near the rate they used to. This is not a good thing. We need argument and discussion and that dirty word, consensus, in our world.
The Democrats have swung so far to the left that many of us have written them off completely. Their strident, mean-spirited rants are a turn off. As soon as I hear the whining or angry voices on the TV or Radio, I just turn them off. I can't bear to listen to their bullshit when they go on these tyrades.
I believe the Democrats have lost sight of the fact that they are supposed to represent their constituencies - not other countries, not the UN, not left-wing university professors. They are losing their base because they want to be world polititians, not representatives of the people of the USA.
They are losing their base because they treat the American Public like children. They tell us what we want. They tell us what is best for us, from what medical choices we should make to how to raise our children, to how we can spend the money we work hard to earn. They think we are stupid. As far as the typical Democrat is concerned, if someone doesn't believe in the same things they do, we are stupid. How arrogant that is!
So, I want the Democrats to have a decent candidate. I want them to truly be more representative of the people who vote for them. I want the Americans to go to the polls in great numbers because we have a true choice. A choice that would encourage us to consider who we vote for with great care.
Joe Lieberman might be a decent candidate. I may disagree with a lot of his ideas, but I respect his demeanor and integrity. Other than Joe, I don't see a Democratic candidate running who is worth the paper to vote for them. Lieberman is the only one who understands that we must defend ourselves against those who would kill us all.
Too bad it is extremely unlikely that the Democrats will choose a reasonable person as their nominee.
Posted by Beth at 8:57 AM | Comments (1)
Clark doesn't need to obey the laws
Because he wants to be KING, and if he says its okay, its okay.The attorney general's office is investigating whether a survey conducted by Gen. Wesley Clark's presidential campaign this week in North Dakota was a violation of the state's new "do not call" law.
Posted by Beth at 7:03 AM | Comments (1)
Isn't it ironic
I'm not a huge fan of Alanis Morrisette, but she musta been singing about this poor guy: Man dies after win on lottery TV show
Posted by Beth at 7:00 AM | Comments (1)
January 23, 2004
I may be working from home today
But I'm working just as hard or harder than when I'm in the office. Systems can be so different. One week, I do an install and everything works perfectly - another week, I do one somewhere else, and nothing works. Go figure.
I'm trying to make work what I did in LA - Last week sucked. This week was heaven in Detroit. My only regret about this week was that I missed a chance to meet Dean and Rosemary Esmay.
Posted by Beth at 2:56 PM
Hee hee hee!
Da Commissar has found the original lyrics to Rod Stewart's "Maggie May":
Howie Dee
Posted by Beth at 7:18 AM
Kid stories
I have a very good friend who lives in Virginia. Her name is Sandi, and I love her dearly. I'm sure you all have friends like her. Sandi emails everything she gets to everyone else. Sometimes, they are kind the kind of weepy stories that make me feel like I've been forced to get tears in my eyes - and I kinda wish she would not send me those. But today, she sent me a list of funny stories about kids, and they are good ones. I'm sure a lot of you have seen some of them, but some are new to me, and since the end of the email did not tell me I would have bad luck for 10 years if I break the chain, I'm going to copy it all for anyone who wants to read them. Oh, and I have no idea who wrote them.
Why We Love Children
1. A kindergarten pupil told his teacher he'd found a cat, but it was dead. "How
do you know that the cat was dead?" she asked her pupil. "Because I pissed in
its ear and it didn't move," answered the child innocently. You did WHAT ? ! ?"
the teacher exclaimed in surprise.
"You know,"explained the boy, "I leaned over and went 'Pssst!' and it
didn't move."
2. A small boy is sent to bed by his father. Five minutes
later....."Da-ad...." "What?" "I'm thirsty. Can you bring drink of
water?" "No, You had your chance. Lights out." Five minutes later:
"Da-aaaad....." "WHAT?" "I'm THIRSTY. Can I have a drink of water??"
I told you NO! If you ask again, I'll have to spank you!!" Five
minutes later......"Daaaa-aaaad......." "WHAT!" "When you come in to
spank me, can you bring a drink of water?"
3. An exasperated mother, whose son was always getting into
mischief, finally asked him "How do you expect to get into Heaven?"
The boy thought it over and said, "Well, I'll run in and out and
in and out and keep slamming the door until St. Peter says, 'For
Heaven's sake, Dylan, come in or stay out!'"
4. One summer evening during a violent thunderstorm a mother was
tucking her son into bed. She was about to turn off the light when he
asked with a tremor in his voice, "Mommy, will you sleep with me
tonight?" The mother smiled and gave him a reassuring hug.
"I can't dear," she said. "I have to sleep in Daddy's room." A
long silence was broken at last by his shaky little voice: "The big
sissy."
5. It was that time, during the Sunday morning service, for the
children's sermon. All the children were invited to come forward.
One little girl was wearing a particularly pretty dress and, as
she sat down, the pastor leaned over and said, "That is a very pretty
dress. Is it your Easter Dress?" The little girl replied, directly into
the pastor's clip-on microphone, "Yes, and my Mom says it's a bitch to
iron."
6. When I was six months pregnant with my third child, my three
year old came into the room when I was just getting ready to get into
the shower. She said, "Mommy, you are getting fat!"
I replied, "Yes, honey, remember Mommy has a baby growing in her
tummy." "I know," she replied, but what's growing in your butt?"
7. A little boy was doing his math homework. He said to himself,
"Two plus five, that son of a bitch is seven. Three plus six, that son
of a bitch is nine...."
His mother heard what he was saying and gasped, "What are you
doing?" The little boy answered, "I'm doing my math homework, Mom." "And
this is how your teacher taught you to do it?" the mother asked. "Yes,"
he answered. Infuriated, the mother asked the teacher the next day,
"What are you teaching my son in math?" The teacher replied, "Right now,
we are learning addition." The mother asked, "And are you teaching them
to say two plus two, that son of a bitch is four?" After the teacher
stopped laughing, she answered, "What I taught them was, two plus two,
THE SUM OF WHICH, is four."
8. One day the first grade teacher was reading the story of
Chicken Little to her class. She came to the part of the story where
Chicken Little tried to warn the farmer. She read, ".... and so Chicken
Little went up to the farmer and said, "The sky is falling, the sky is
falling!"
The teacher paused then asked the class, "And what do you think
that farmer said?" One little girl raised her hand and said, "I think he
said: 'Holy Shit! A talking chicken!'" The teacher was unable to teach
for the next 10 minutes.
9. A certain little girl, when asked her name, would reply,
"I'm Mr. Sugarbrown's daughter."
Her mother told her this was wrong, she must say, "I'm Jane
Sugarbrown." The Vicar spoke to her in Sunday School, and said, "Aren't
you Mr. Sugarbrown's daughter?" She replied, "I thought I was, but
mother says I'm not."
10. A little girl asked her mother, "Can I go outside and play
with the boys?" Her mother replied, "No, you can't play with the boys,
they're too rough."
The little girl thought about it for a few moments and asked,
"If I can find a smooth one, can I play with him?"
11. A little girl goes to the barber shop with her father. She
stands next to the barber chair, while her dad gets his hair cut, eating
a snack cake.
The barber says to her, "Sweetheart, you're gonna get hair on
your Twinkie." She says, "Yes, I know, and I'm gonna get boobs too."
Posted by Beth at 6:45 AM
January 22, 2004
Beth will be home tonight...
... and working from home tomorrow. I expect she'll spend a little time in here, too - so keep on checking!
If nothing else, she can talk about her near-miss meeting the Esmays!
(BTW - I'm jealous... she's 'rolled by them and I haven't made the cut!)
Posted by John at 11:08 AM | Comments (3)
January 21, 2004
Politics
Am I the only one who cringes when Nancy Pelosi speaks? I was appalled at her words - the 'stench of American occupation'. Would she have said the same thing after World War II - we had occupation forces in Japan, after all. I have searched trying to find the text of Ms. Pelosi's speach, but all the networks have cut out the above phrase. To hear it, go here.
Posted by Beth at 6:21 AM | Comments (6)
January 20, 2004
Oh, my!
Thank you, Rosemary and Dean Esmay for linking to me! I have never had so many hits in one day.
I worked late at my client's site, came back to the hotel and checked how things were on the Internet, and I have had 325 hits - today. That's normally about an entire week for me!
And, then I found out that Rosemary left a comment about maybe meeting for a drink or something, which would be really cool, if my schedule and their schedules permit.
Again, thank you, I'm flabbergasted (my mother's favorite saying)
Update:
Thanks to Smallest Minority for linking to me, too.
I need to meet more obnoxious anti-American foreign types, I guess.
Posted by Beth at 7:13 PM | Comments (3)
January 19, 2004
Detroit is cold
cold and gray and covered with snow. Bone chilling cold. Wish I had brought my silk long underwear cold.
People are nice, very nice - they have to be, or they would never thaw out.
I am very tired. I'll try again in the morning.
Oh, and Helen got the job. Smile for her, everyone!
Posted by Beth at 9:01 PM | Comments (7)
Daily KOS readers are a bit
on the slow side. Way back last November, I linked to something DC wrote from this post.
Finally, a brave, superior reader of the site, Canuck Coot, commented on the post:
Your problem mostly is, you fascists are dead from the neck up anyway. That or your wearing your brownshirt buttoned up to the top again, and your neck is just too fat. (Obesity being the problem it is with you folks, I read in NewsWeek.)KOS is actually quite mundane,tame stuff. You Yankees don't know what real controversy and debate even is. You spend too much time involved in your own little incestuous world, dreaming your Great Power fantasies that lead only to defeat in places like Vietnam, and soon to be Iraq.
Notice how polite this Canuck guy is. No name calling from him, eh?
Anyway, I'm getting ready to go to the airport - if someone else wants to irritate him a bit - perhaps teach him the definition of facist, it's ok with me.
Posted by Beth at 4:04 AM | Comments (2)
January 18, 2004
Tomorrow I fly again
This time to Detroit - it will be very cold, I'm afraid! This trip is with a great client - oddly enough, most of my clients are great clients - so I look forward to it. But, I do get a bit worn out at my old age - got home Friday night, barely had a chance to say hi to my lovely spouse, and I have to leave again.
And I still have a lot of paperwork to do from last week. And more conference calls. Time goes by quickly when I"m this busy, but my stress level goes way up, too.
Posted by Beth at 7:04 PM | Comments (1)
I can't believe I almost missed this
Joanie, Da Goddess, did a remarkable job of caring for AcidCatman's blog while he has been in Jamaica.
Due to my travels, I nearly missed it all. I suggest you go there quickly, before AcidCatman returns home.
Joanie is one of the best wits of the Blogosphere. And she also has some very very good instructions on things like this, and more importantly, this.
Posted by Beth at 9:22 AM | Comments (1)
January 17, 2004
Things are looking up for Helen
Everyday Stranger: Tick Tock Tick Tock.
A promising job interview, a few days with Mr. Y.
I'm very happy things are going well for her. Even though I've never met her, Helen's openness and frankness are very endearing, and I think that makes a lot of us out here in the blogosphere love her.
Posted by Beth at 5:14 PM | Comments (3)
Ok- time to tell the story of the obnoxious Englishman
This is a bit of a long rant, so beware, I may go off a bit 'half-cocked' here. Everything below really did happen.
As I mentioned earlier in the week, I was on the concierge floor at the Marriott while in Los Angeles County. That means free food for breakfast in a rather comfortable lounge. I'm a friendly sort of person, so I normally say good morning to other people in the lounge while I select my fruit and bagel.
A well-dressed Englishman said, "Good morning, I do love your American breakfast beverages." I think I said something like, "Oh, that's nice". I figured that was the end of the conversation, but noooooo.....
The next words out of his mouth were, "Isn't it awful what Bush has done to America?"
At first I kinda looked around - was this guy talking to me? I guess so, there was no one else there. I'm sure I gave him a look of utter surprise and dismay (Kinda like Scooby Doo when he is a bit confused - I think I even made that arrrur? sound he does), and I said, "Well, actually, I think Bush has done wonderful things for our country."
Yes, those were his exact words - Bush has killed more people than Saddam Hussein.
Once again - the man said - Bush has killed more people than Saddam Hussein.
I looked at him, backed off a bit, and I actually said - "You are nuts".
I am sure I gave him quite a look - like you are a total knucklehead.
Aside from his bad math, and questionable statistics (I will have to defer to John on those stats, I have no clue), this man was definitely talking to the wrong woman. (here is my basement).
Wow, he got pretty pissed at me at that point, his face turned red, and his well-groomed hair, started standing on end - kinda like a mad dog.
And I left and went to work.
Posted by Beth at 10:54 AM | Comments (20)
January 16, 2004
Boy, do I have a story about an obnoxious Englishman
And how arrogant some Euro-types are. But you will have to wait until I'm back home, I'm still working out here in L.A. County - busy busy busy!
Posted by Beth at 8:46 AM | Comments (5)
January 12, 2004
Made it to LA
Naturally, I got lost driving from LAX to the hotel last night. The damned instructions Hertz printed out for me were terrible. For some reason, it says bear left when you need to make a left turn - or bear right, bear right again without telling me the damn exit I'm supposed to bear right on.
I finally stopped and asked a guy trying to make money cleaning windshields at a gas station how the heck to get to where the hotel was, and he kindly gave me good directions.
I didn't get to the hotel until about 9:20 pm and I was surprised when they gave put me on the concierge floor - you know, where you have to put your card into the slot in the elevator to even get to the floor. It seems that I have stayed at Marriott's so much that they have decided to treat me like a queen.
Nice room! Fluffy towels, terrycloth robe, really poofy pillows - wow, now I know how the rich people live!
I get free appetizers in the evening and free breakfast in the morning, it is definitely nice. I will start staying at more Marriott's!
This may sound like silly stuff, but when you have to travel as much as I have lately, it's heaven to be this comfy.
Posted by Beth at 9:34 PM | Comments (5)
January 11, 2004
I'm off
I have quickly downed my pre-flight margarita, and I'm all packed and ready to go. I'll be in LA tonight, and if I get to the hotel at a decent hour, I'll log in and write something - perhaps even something worthwhile.
Posted by Beth at 12:25 PM | Comments (4)
Bill Whittle has a new one
Eject! Eject! Eject!: THE SLEEP OF THE JACKSONIANS (AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT)
As always, well worth the read.
Posted by Beth at 9:02 AM
January 10, 2004
Light Posting today
John's computer has completely failed, so we are sharing mine. I have a ton of laundry to do today, and other household things, so I probably won't write much of anything.
So go have a great weekend and be sure to check out all the fine blogs on my blogroll there to the right.
Posted by Beth at 11:06 AM
January 9, 2004
Dowingba needs a Conservative Mentor
Dowingba was kicked out of the Liberal Coalition for not being liberal enough. But he's not quite ready to become a Conservative.
As it stands today, I am ashamed to call myself a Liberal. The Liberal movement (or as I call it now, the "Anti-Bush Movement"), is not respectable anymore; and while I still respect many Liberals, it's mostly because I live in a place that is absolutely laden with them. (Even the "wingers" here call themselves "Progressive" Conservatives, and are probably about as Conservative as the Democrats in America.) I wish I wasn't a Liberal, but unfortunately I am. I am, however, open to suggestions.
Please, this is a plea. Somebody out there please brainwash me! I can't stand it any longer.
I'm not the best convincer, so I am calling upon those of you who write well, to go to Dowingba's blog and convince him of what is Right.
Posted by Beth at 4:06 PM | Comments (5)
Update on John's new computer
Mike, the nice guy who is building John's computer, asked for an infusion of cash today, so he could order parts and take advantage of sales. So far, we have spent $500, and depending on whether John wants a DVD-RW and a CD-ROM or just the DVD-RW, I'll be able to keep the cost of everything under $800.
He can use his old keyboard and mouse and speakers and monitor - the guts of this new pc are going to be fantastic.
I'm getting excited about his soon to be new toy. Just remember, it is a secret!
Posted by Beth at 3:54 PM | Comments (3)
If cleanliness is next to Godliness, then I'm the debil!
I need a combination maid, laundress, and window cleaner.
When I was little a very sweet lady named Ervina Spencer came to our house 3 days a week to help mom with housework. My mom had polio as a child. As a result of that, her back hurt her a lot, and she just could not do things like laundry, ironing, vacuuming, dusting. Ervina did all those things, though Mom would try to help out some by dusting things at levels where it was not necessary to bend over.
My mother's house was always spotless. No dust bunnies to be found, no dirt tracked in from the backyard. It was clean, clean, clean. Except for my bedroom.
My poor anal-retentive mother could not open the door to my bedroom without getting tachycardia. It upset her to no end that she had raised a slob.
And it wasn't just my bedroom. I always looked unkempt. No matter how many times I brushed my hair, it did what it wanted. Barrettes and hair ribbons would not stay in place. My school uniform always looked untidy, despite the fact that Ervina had ironed it with starch the day before. My blouse would untuck itself, and my shoes would be scuffed before I got out the door.
The only really bad grades I got in grade school (besides gym, I am a klutz), were in penmanship. My handwriting is illegible even to me.
I always had skinned knees and elbows, and I tore many a party dress before I got to the birthday party.
Well, I'm 50 years old now, and nothing at all has changed.
I try to be neat, but there must be some dusty, untidy demon that follows me through life. My cubicle at work is the messiest cubicle in the company - way back when I was at Sprint, one of my old bosses would make me move cubicles every 6 months or so because that way, I would have to clean up the old one.
Business clothes look odd on me - I am much happier wearing more Bohemian or ethnic clothing - they fit my image as something of an oddball.
Thank God I met John and married him. We are kindred souls when it comes to neatness. We can both try like hell, but things just won't stay put. John doesn't mind that I am a cluttered person, because he is probably even worse than I am.
But maybe a combination maid, laundress and window cleaner would help a little.
Posted by Beth at 3:46 PM | Comments (2)
January 8, 2004
Why Tort Reform is needed!
Couple sues Wal-Mart over broken grocery bag
Posted by Beth at 10:41 AM | Comments (5)
January 7, 2004
Computer for John
One of the guys I work with built an incredible computer for our son, Andy, for college, with all all the bells and whistles.
I just talked to him, and he has agree to build John one, only without the fancy aluminum case with the plexiglass window, 6 fans and neon lights inside.
Don't tell John, it's a secret.
Posted by Beth at 12:10 PM | Comments (11)
January 6, 2004
Technical Difficulties
Please Stand By.
John's computer is dying. I am looking desperately to find him a new one that has all the stuff he wants for a very inexpensive price. Ha!
I'll be back later!
Posted by Beth at 7:05 PM | Comments (3)
January 5, 2004
Just Another Manic Monday
This is the first chance I have had all day to even glance at the Internet. After 2 weeks of work a couple of days, take off a couple of days, the business world has returned in full force.
Here is my tentative travel schedule (that I discovered today!)
Next week - Los Angeles
week after - Reno
Week after - maybe Springfield, Mass.
Week after that - probably get to be home, but might fly to Bangor, Maine for 3 days.
Week after that, Columbia, SC.
Week after that, Columbia, SC.
Week after that, Columbia, SC.
Week after that, Columbia, SC.
Week after that, Columbia, SC.
Week after that, Columbia, SC. (this is only if everything else is not finished.)
Week after that - committed to nut house.
Fortunately, the company I work for lets us fly home every weekend, or they will fly one's spouse to you for a weekend if you choose to stay where you are.
Maybe I'll fly Delta enough to get to be a Medallion member - then I can get free upgrades to First Class.
There are some bad things about travelling. Number 1 is that I really miss John a lot - it takes me one or two nights to be able to sleep every week when I'm travelling because I miss him so much!
Number 2 - I miss the cats and dogs and the horses (who have been terribly neglected by me of late - John does everything for them!)
Number 3 - Evenings are really boring, so I tend to eat too much food and go to sleep too early - bad for diet.
Number 4 - laundry becomes the only priority on weekends when I'm home.
I really do like to travel, because I love what I do - I feel like I make a difference for our company and for our clients. I love the techie stuff, and I really love working with the techie people I work with.
And I really and truly love the pay.
I have been trying to decide if it makes sense for me to try to bring parts of some of my stained glass projects with me when I travel. I could spend those evenings foiling the glass that I have cut here at home - but I do have a bit of fear about packing my glass pieces and copper foil in my suitcase - will the TSA have a heart attach when they see it, if they don't know what it is?
I don't know. One of my co-workers suggested I take up knitting, but I fear my hands will hurt even more if I try that. Naturally, I read a lot of books, but I feel a little more productive if I am actually making something!
Posted by Beth at 7:53 PM | Comments (13)
January 4, 2004
Promoting Bloggers
Joanie, Da Goddess, has a wonderful idea: Da Goddess: In Case You Haven't Noticed.
Basically, the idea is that we buy things from other bloggers who create them when possible.
If any blogger out there is selling his or her creations, let me know, and I'll set up a special blogroll linking to your wares. And I may very well end up being one of your customers.
Posted by Beth at 6:57 PM | Comments (13)
Almost fricking done with painting!!!
I am down to the final coat of paint on 3 doors and trim, and about 10 feet of baseboard.
Whoopee!
Next month - the living room! I will take before and after pictures there.
And I will take after pictures of the hallway and front entry as soon as we decide what to hang on the wall and where, and which table to use in the front entry, and should we hang one of my paintings or the mirror we used to have there?
Oh, such silly problems we have.
I just want to make the house look pretty enough that someday some bloggers can come over and see John's gun collection and think our house is kinda cool, too!
Posted by Beth at 6:52 PM | Comments (5)
Short Break from Painting.
Our lovely kitties continue to help me paint. Everyone of them has sniffed the wall trim paint, and 2 have little green dots on their noses.
Merri needs some lap time, so he is snuggling while I"m trying to type. There, he jumped off, finally. He is the softest cat I've ever had the pleasure of petting.
Well, I should get back to work. I really need to finish all this today!
Posted by Beth at 1:28 PM | Comments (1)
Still painting
Seems thing to be going much better today. We had an ice storm, so no trips to Home Depot will be made to tempt us to buy anymore appliances, light fixtures, etc.
John has installed 3 light fixtures this weekend. They are very pretty.
I did not realize that painting wood trim made things look so much more formal, that's why we got new ceiling fixtures for the front entry and hallway.
Still painting doors and trim. Andy, home from college, actually helped for awhile. And he didn't hate it! I think college is maturing him.
Posted by Beth at 12:06 PM
An Honorable Liberal
Dowingba has been banned from the Coalition of Liberals. Why? Because he doesn't agree with their agenda hook, line and sinker. Please, go read him: Tao of Dowingba - The "liberal" coalition
I was once a Democrat, a Precinct Captain, in fact.
I admired Democrats like Hubert Humphrey.
There are no more Democrats like Hubert Humphrey.
I'm too grown up for the rest of them.
Thanks to Rosemary for the heads up.
Posted by Beth at 8:06 AM | Comments (2)
NASA is starting the year out right!
Mars Exploration Rover Mission
The Spirit made it, and it is sending back pictures.
I bet the European Space Agency is envious, they have still not made contact with the Beagle 2, which landed on Mars last week.
Posted by Beth at 7:42 AM
Musical tastes
Baldilocks knows what she likes. Baldilocks explains why she likes what she likes. I like several of the artists she mentions, too.
My taste in music is perhaps a little odd. When I was in grade school and early high school (keep in mind I'm 50), I loved the Beatles, The Monkeys, The Turtles, The Temptations, The Supremes, the Mamas and the Papas, Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding, Stevie Wonder, the Jackson 5, The Beach Boys and almost anything with good lyrics, good melody and cool harmonizing.
Oddly, in the 60's, I could hear all of these artists on the same AM radio station in St. Louis, KXOK. (I think they are all news now, or all sports). The Top 40 could have what we called 'Soul', Rock and Pop as the 1, 2 and 3 selections.
About the time I was a sophomore or junior in high school, FM radio came into being, and I discovered KSHE (St. Louis, again). But KSHE saw itself as kind of an underground, hippy station, and never played any Motown or Pop at all. It was Album Rock. So, I then got into Led Zeppelin (I don't think you can 'love' Led Zeppelin", you just 'get into them'), Moody Blues (all the groups that used orchestras got a lot of play), Grateful Dead, Crosby Stills, Nash and Young, Jimi Hendrix (my, I loved Hendrix - I bought every one of his albums), Janis Joplin, Arlo Guthrie, Foghat, Iron Butterfly (who could not air-drum Inagodadavita?) The Who, and any other artists worthy of being played on FM.
Looking back, I see a trend in radio - way back when I was a kid, I heard a much more varied selection of music on one station - Pop, Rock, R&B than I can listen to now.
My tastes became more and more narrow as I got older - in college, I listened to our pitiful college station and probably only heard 30 different songs in 4 years (small Jesuit college in Kansas City).
Then, some years later, MTV was invented, and Video did indeed kill the Radio Star. I bet not more than 30 videos were played in a week's time, but at least MTV actually played videos , none of the stupid non-video stuff they produce now.
These days, Radio station formats have become pretty damned narrow. There are Pop, RAP, R&B, Heavy Metal, Classic Rock, Alternative Rock, Adult Alternative Rock, 80's Rock, 90's Rock, Rock of the Ages (that's a joke), Christian Rock, and so on, ad nauseum. I fully expect that some station somewhere is playing a Beatles only format.
So now, I listen to AM radio in the car - talk stations. While working, I tune into Launchcast. com - I pay for the upgraded version. I can pick the types of music I like, and if it starts to play something I hate, I can ban it forever from my station. Too bad I can't listen to it in the car.
I blame the big radio conglomerates for this lack of musical diversity. They aim for such narrow marketing targets that they have narrowed all of us in our musical tastes.
Posted by Beth at 7:03 AM
January 3, 2004
Well, darn. I'm still not done!
We went to Home Depot again. After John installed the new light fixture in the entryway, we decided we would get the coordinating flush mount fixtures to replace the current, very plain, fixtures in the hallway.
While there, we decided to buy a small 5 cubic ft. refrigerator to put behind the bar.
And one thing after another happened, and though I finally finished all the damned basecoating, I am only 2 doorways into the actual topcoat of the paint.
And, I will have to put on two coats!!!!
Damn!
John assures me, though, that the hallway is the worst because of all the trim.
Once we get to the living and dining rooms, it won't be nearly so bad.
So he says!!!!
Posted by Beth at 6:46 PM | Comments (2)
The Saga Continues
The painting goes on. Day 3.
Will Beth finish the 9 doors and 10 door ways? Or will she just immerse herself in a huge pitcher of Margaritas?
Stay Tuned...
Posted by Beth at 9:40 AM | Comments (7)
Whatever happened to Frank J?
This appears to be the last post he wrote:Another Post for the Hell of it.
Has Madfish Willie driven him mad?
Posted by Beth at 8:21 AM
NASA successfully gets comet dust
and pictures of the comet nucleus. This is very cool. I love space exploration.
NASA - NASA Spacecraft Makes Great Catch -- Heads for Touchdown
I much prefer my tax money going to explore space than to support performance art.
Posted by Beth at 7:55 AM | Comments (2)
January 2, 2004
Home Depot
John and I had to go to Home Depot today to get a couple of replacement closet doors - the old ones had holes in them from furniture being moved.
While there, we decided we needed new switchplates for our pretty hallway and a new light fixture for the front entryway, so we bought 'em!
I better get back to work.
Posted by Beth at 5:33 PM | Comments (5)
Another break - and a question
I am a mess, this is tedious as hell, but it will look gorgeous when done. Unfortunately, this is only the hallway and front entry. Until today, I did not realize that there are 10 fricking doorways in our hall/entry. I have to paint all the trim. I'm about 1/3rd thru. I will be up until 3 am to finish.
Anyway, while I'm painting, I would like your best Margarita Recipes. I'm in the mood for something different.
Or, Sazerac - a good recipe for that would be tres cool!
Posted by Beth at 5:31 PM | Comments (4)
Painting Break
We have 7 cats. They didn't bother John one bit while he was painting the last couple of days.
I start my part this morning - the trim and doors - and so far, 3 of the cats have paint on them. They are all over me, on my shoulders or lap or feet, and they are all fascinated with the paint brush. Barney seems to have paint on the tip of her tail. Damn. They won't like getting baths.
Posted by Beth at 12:41 PM | Comments (1)
My turn to paint
DobbyJohn has been released from his painting duties. As Pam so wisely pointed out, I gave him clothing yesterday.
So now, I must do my part. I have to basecoat all the old woodwork and then paint the trim and doors. It will probably take quite a long time to do. So, no more blogging until I finish or take a break!
Posted by Beth at 9:19 AM
This is cool
Go there. Be brief. Thanks, Joanie!
Posted by Beth at 8:53 AM | Comments (1)
Helen has a new 'do
And she looks very pretty: Everyday Stranger: Finally, A Picture!
Posted by Beth at 6:50 AM
January 1, 2004
At least I got one thing done today!
I got it in my head that I'd like to start this year out fresh, anew, clean, and guilt free.
Today, I had to run some errands - I'm trying to catch up on the pile of laundry in the basement, and I ran out of laundry detergent. I drove up to Wal-Mart, yes, I know, Wal-Mart is bad, evil Zoot. And after making my laundry soap selection, I wandered into the men's underwear department. I bought 18 pairs of underpants and 18 undershirts for John.
I drove home, dumped everything in his underpants drawer into the trash and put all those nice, pristine, white underthings into it.
I'm so proud of myself. The cashier at Wal-Mart said she didn't have the nerve to do it to her husband. But John is wonderful, and so far doesn't mind that I threw out all his old underwear for new, clean, fresh, white ones.
Posted by Beth at 4:54 PM | Comments (7)
Bwaa ha ha
Ha! Some poor brave soul altered a picture of Castro by giving him a Hitler like mustache and a comb-over hairdo - this picture was in the Cuban Communist Party Newspaper, Granma.
I pray they never find the culprit. In Cuba, he would probably be shot or imprisoned for life for doing something like that.
Posted by Beth at 2:11 PM
At first, this sounds scary
CNN.com - Earth changes its spin, baffles scientists - Jan. 1, 2004.
But reading further,
To make the world's official time agree with where the Earth actually is in space, scientists in 1972 started adding an extra "leap second" on the last day of the year.For 28 years, scientists repeated the procedure. But in 1999, they discovered the Earth was no longer lagging behind
One second ain't much time, and who's to say that before the invention of the atomic clock, the earth regularly moved one second a year faster or slower?
28 years of slow moving earth by 1 second a year and 5 years of earth moving as scientists believe is correct does not a trend make, to me.
Posted by Beth at 1:27 PM | Comments (3)
My Roster for the 2004 Amish Tech Support Dead Pool
1. Pope John Paul II
2. Dick Cheney
3. Teddy Kennedy
4. Bob Newhart - looked really old in Elf.
5. Former President Jimmy Carter
6. Yasser Arafat
7. Saddam Hussein
8. Former First Lady, Barbara Bush
9. Harold M. Ickes, former travelgate co-conspirator
10. Osama Bin Laden, all around totally evil guy
11. Harvey Korman - looked really old in Reno
12. Carol Burnett
13. Former President Gerald Ford
14. Vladimir Putin
15. Janet Reno
I admit that a few of these are wishful thinking - they would be numbers 15, 3, and 5.
And I really want Osama and Saddam dead, I think most people do!
The others are just getting up there or none too healthy.
Posted by Beth at 12:52 PM
Sexual Harassment
A few days ago, Eric at Straight White Guy, one of my favorite bloggers, blogged about this case:Court Reinstates Suit Over Prof Calling Student Lewinsky. The gist of his post was that the young woman in question was being overly sensitive, and that she had no reason whatsoever to go to the courts to address the comments made by the professor.
I disagree. Professors are in positions of power over their students. Humiliating her in front of other students simply because she has the misfortune to resemble Monica Lewinsky is offensive. But it becomes harassment when he starts making the cigar comments. The man had the power to change her grades, which makes it even more odious.
I wanted to learn more about the case. It is a lot more damaging to the professor than in the AP news report that Eric linked to. Here is the link to law.com, which has a very good summation of the case.
It is important to note the appellate court's findings
As a teacher at a state university, Young was a state actor vested with considerable authority over his students, the panel found.Further, his "Monica" remarks lacked any "legitimate pedagogical purpose that might merit the kind of First Amendment protection that has long been recognized in the academic arena," the court wrote.
The man relentlessly harassed this young woman, even though she had asked him on numerous times to stop.
Young's conduct was not limited to the "Monica" moniker. He allegedly opened virtually every Tuesday morning class session by asking Hayut, in front of the entire class, "How was your weekend with Bill?"The plaintiff alleged that two other times in class Young told Hayut to "be quiet, Monica. I will give you a cigar later."
Hayut contends that she asked the professor to stop, but he ignored her. The references led other students to mockingly address the student as "Monica" outside the class, according to the decision.
Ms. Hayut (the victim, yes the victim here) took all the appropriate actions - went to the University Administration, etc. But it was too late. Her studies suffered because of the incredible humiliation she was going thru - at this point, not just by the asshat professor, but by fellow students.
The Appellate Court was correct, and perhaps after reading more info on the case, even Eric might agree.
Posted by Beth at 10:12 AM | Comments (4)
A few more Resolutions - easy ones!
- Buy a pair of scissors for every room in the house. I don't know what happens to scissors around here, but obviously, I need more of them!
- Do laundry more often. I have been known to go out and buy new underwear just so I don't have to do laundry. My underwear drawer is overfilled.
Posted by Beth at 9:50 AM
2004 Resolutions
1. Save more money - bring my lunches to work when I'm home and eat cheaper when I'm traveling. Currently, I spend way too much money on meals, and my bank account and figure both show it.
2. Get a frickin' maid. I hate housework, I don't have time for housework, and DobbyJohn doesn't like it either.
3. More sex! John will appreciate that!
4. Finish what I start. I have probably hundreds of projects that I have started over the years - still waiting for those final touches!
5. Spend more time with the horses.
6. Lose weight - this is a repeat resolution - not much luck last year!
Posted by Beth at 8:57 AM | Comments (4)
Today we finish painting the hallway
DobbyJohn did a great job of painting yesterday, but I'm not going to give him a piece of clothing yet. We still have to do some touchup painting and start on the doors and the trim.
By the way, the color is not really as baby poop green as the pictures show - it is a nice, lovely, soft and soothing green.
We have to basecoat the woodwork so the paint will stick to it. It will be a lot more tedious than the walls, I'm afraid.
Updates will follow.
Posted by Beth at 8:52 AM
WTF were those marketers thinking?
Reuters reports that M&M's Candy won't be colorful for awhile.
The chocolate-filled sugar-coated candies, made by a division of U.S. confectioner Mars Inc., will be available in only black and white for the next few months instead of the standard six colors as part of a promotional campaign.
One wonders if this is some weird ass statement? Are they punishing the US for the Iraq war? WTF? Didn't big corporations learn from the fiasco that was the New Coke?
Why does the rest of the world get to get all the colors?
And, does this mean that the wonderful M&M store in Vegas will hide away all the colors they sell?
Well, yeah. Apparently, it is a big Marketing ploy to get us to buy more M$M's in search of a bag of colored M$M's. Here is their website.
Of course, now that I have given them free advertising, I expect some free M&M's. They are yummy.
Posted by Beth at 7:35 AM
Airport Rangers in Houston
Eye On The Left has a great post on how the Houston Airport is increasing security.
They are allowing folks with horses (who have gone thru security checks) to ride on trails around the perimeter of the airport. These good people must have cell phones with them and are added eyes to report suspicious activity around the airfield.
Willy, for one, would love to volunteer to do ride around the Kansas City International Airport. He loves sticking his nose into other people's business.
As a frequent flyer, I think this concept should be instituted at many airports surrounded by woods and fields. There is a definite threat that some asshat could shoot down a plane taking off or landing, and this kind of activity can only help to deter those terrorists.
Posted by Beth at 7:16 AM | Comments (3)