Word of the Day
Benign: what you are after you be eight.
I released five little goldfish into my fountain. I imagine they're still there. HTP has been kidding me about them. He thinks my dog Mancha may have "manched" them. She sure does seem to be fascinated lately with the fountain. Peering into the water and sniffing at it, front paws braced on the rim of the fountain. MMMM. Doggy treats. I don't think so. Even though she loves to eat...everything...she doesn't like water. My dogs don't even want to go outside if it's raining. I can't imagine her holding her breath, sticking her face into the fountain, and "fishing". Besides, I've seen at least two of my goldfish at separate times. I actually think they've decided to huddle, safely, in a cave in the fountain pedestal where the fountain pump is kept. The goldfish that I've seen seem to be acting as sentinels. Go figure. Goldfish sentinels? Next fall, I'll screen off the "cave" before I reintroduce my goldfish to the fountain. My daughter has promised to goldfish-sit my goldfish during the summer while we're in Wisconsin since I don't plan to take the goldfish with us to The Lake. It's hard enough to find hotels that will allow us to stay with our dogs.
Murphyism of the Day
Thal's Law
For every vision, there is an equal and opposite revision.
Monday, January 31, 2005
Sunday, January 30, 2005
Let Freedom Reign
Today was a day that the nay-sayers and the doom-predictors claimed would never come. These same people will still tell you that today, the day where 60% of the Iraqi people voted freely for the first time in generations, today means nothing. 40% of the people didn't vote. Pessimists will always live amongst us. People who are always shaking their heads over a glass half empty instead of praising a glass half full. Over 50% of the people here in the United States weren't allowed to vote when our first elections were held. Although the voter turnout for our latest election here in the U.S. was higher then it has been in years, I'm not sure that we actually reached 60% in our voter turnout. I'm not sure if long lines at the polls compares to suicide bombers when it comes to voter disenfranchisement.
Every day since my daughter enlisted in the Marines, I've been reading a web board that was formed to support the parents, families, and friends of the men and women who are currently attending boot camp. These young men and women are training to earn the title of United States Marine. Do not doubt that everyone of us who visit this website struggle on a daily basis with the questions posed by the nay-sayers and the doom predictors. What cost freedom? Our sons and daughters answered this question for themselves before they made their decision to serve their country. One of the sections in that web board is a prayer section. Recently, a posting was added to that prayer section, a request from Iraq sent by a military chaplain. As optimistic as I am, I know that there probably will be more suicide attacks. I'm sharing this prayer request in my blog despite the fact that the voting boxes have all been delivered and the voting has taken place. The boxes need to be collected. The votes need to be counted. And even afterwards, when a new interim government has been elected in Iraq, our prayers must continue until our sons and daughters come home from wherever they are or will be stationed around the world.
Subject: Prayer request
Urgent Prayer for Chaplain Lyle Shackelford's troops in Iraq.
As a transportation battalion, my unit will be delivering the voting machines and the ballots to villages and cities throughout Iraq during the upcoming elections. (January 30/31) Our convoys are prime targets for the insurgents because they do not want the equipment to arrive at the polling stations nor do they want the local Iraqi citizens to have the chance to vote; timely delivery must occur so that the elections occur. Encourage your friends and family members and those within our churches to pray specifically for the electoral process. Historically, the previous totalitarian regime would not allow individual citizens to vote. Democracy will not be realized in Iraq if intelligent and competent officials are not elected to those strategic leadership positions within the emerging government; freedom will not have an opportunity to ring throughout this country if the voting process fails. Announce this prayer request to your contacts throughout your churches, neighborhoods, and places of business. Those with leadership roles within the local church post this message in as many newsletters and bulletins as possible. There is unlimited potential for God's presence in this process but if we do not pray then our enemy will prevail (See Ephesians 6:10-17) A prayer vigil prior to the end of the month may be an innovative opportunity for those within your sphere of influence to pray. This is a political battle that needs spiritual intervention. A powerful story about God's intervention in the lives of David's mighty men is recorded in 2 Samuel 23:8-33. David and his warriors were victorious because of God's intervention. We want to overcome those who would stand in the way of freedom. David's mighty men triumphed over incredible odds and stood their ground and were victorious over the enemies of Israel. (Iraqi insurgents' vs God's praying people). They don't stand a chance.I will pray with my soldiers before they leave on their convoys and move outside our installation gates here at Tallil. My soldiers are at the nerve center of the logistic operation to deliver the voting machines and election ballots. They will be driving to and entering the arena of the enemy. This is not a game for them it is a historical mission that is extremely dangerous. No voting machines or ballots. No elections. Your prayer support and God's intervention are needed to give democracy a chance in this war torn country. Thank you for reading this e-mail. Please give this e-mail a wide dissemination. Thank you for your prayer support for me and my family. Stand firm in your battles. Blessings, Lyle CH (CPT)
Today was a day that the nay-sayers and the doom-predictors claimed would never come. These same people will still tell you that today, the day where 60% of the Iraqi people voted freely for the first time in generations, today means nothing. 40% of the people didn't vote. Pessimists will always live amongst us. People who are always shaking their heads over a glass half empty instead of praising a glass half full. Over 50% of the people here in the United States weren't allowed to vote when our first elections were held. Although the voter turnout for our latest election here in the U.S. was higher then it has been in years, I'm not sure that we actually reached 60% in our voter turnout. I'm not sure if long lines at the polls compares to suicide bombers when it comes to voter disenfranchisement.
Every day since my daughter enlisted in the Marines, I've been reading a web board that was formed to support the parents, families, and friends of the men and women who are currently attending boot camp. These young men and women are training to earn the title of United States Marine. Do not doubt that everyone of us who visit this website struggle on a daily basis with the questions posed by the nay-sayers and the doom predictors. What cost freedom? Our sons and daughters answered this question for themselves before they made their decision to serve their country. One of the sections in that web board is a prayer section. Recently, a posting was added to that prayer section, a request from Iraq sent by a military chaplain. As optimistic as I am, I know that there probably will be more suicide attacks. I'm sharing this prayer request in my blog despite the fact that the voting boxes have all been delivered and the voting has taken place. The boxes need to be collected. The votes need to be counted. And even afterwards, when a new interim government has been elected in Iraq, our prayers must continue until our sons and daughters come home from wherever they are or will be stationed around the world.
Subject: Prayer request
Urgent Prayer for Chaplain Lyle Shackelford's troops in Iraq.
As a transportation battalion, my unit will be delivering the voting machines and the ballots to villages and cities throughout Iraq during the upcoming elections. (January 30/31) Our convoys are prime targets for the insurgents because they do not want the equipment to arrive at the polling stations nor do they want the local Iraqi citizens to have the chance to vote; timely delivery must occur so that the elections occur. Encourage your friends and family members and those within our churches to pray specifically for the electoral process. Historically, the previous totalitarian regime would not allow individual citizens to vote. Democracy will not be realized in Iraq if intelligent and competent officials are not elected to those strategic leadership positions within the emerging government; freedom will not have an opportunity to ring throughout this country if the voting process fails. Announce this prayer request to your contacts throughout your churches, neighborhoods, and places of business. Those with leadership roles within the local church post this message in as many newsletters and bulletins as possible. There is unlimited potential for God's presence in this process but if we do not pray then our enemy will prevail (See Ephesians 6:10-17) A prayer vigil prior to the end of the month may be an innovative opportunity for those within your sphere of influence to pray. This is a political battle that needs spiritual intervention. A powerful story about God's intervention in the lives of David's mighty men is recorded in 2 Samuel 23:8-33. David and his warriors were victorious because of God's intervention. We want to overcome those who would stand in the way of freedom. David's mighty men triumphed over incredible odds and stood their ground and were victorious over the enemies of Israel. (Iraqi insurgents' vs God's praying people). They don't stand a chance.I will pray with my soldiers before they leave on their convoys and move outside our installation gates here at Tallil. My soldiers are at the nerve center of the logistic operation to deliver the voting machines and election ballots. They will be driving to and entering the arena of the enemy. This is not a game for them it is a historical mission that is extremely dangerous. No voting machines or ballots. No elections. Your prayer support and God's intervention are needed to give democracy a chance in this war torn country. Thank you for reading this e-mail. Please give this e-mail a wide dissemination. Thank you for your prayer support for me and my family. Stand firm in your battles. Blessings, Lyle CH (CPT)
Saturday, January 29, 2005
Word of the Day
Bacteria (n.), back door to a cafeteria
It's my Dad's birthday today. Happy Birthday Dad! Happy Birthday to You! Happy Birthday to You! Happy Birthday Dear Dad! Happy Birthday to You! I hope you had a Great Birthday!
There is always one place in everyone's house where stuff just seems to accumulate. Sometime, in my case, there are several of these spots. I suppose this is a sign that I'm just not too good about cleaning and clearing on a regular basis.
One of the accumulation spots in my house is the coffee table in our family room. You can usually count on finding a wealth of coupons(both new and expired because I'm not too good about remembering to actually bring coupons to the store with me when we go shopping), coupon flyers that I haven't gotten around to clipping the coupons from (I'm sure some of these coupons have long since expired), sales catalogs, junk mail that no-one's bothered to toss, newspapers that should have been put in the recycling bin, or some article that HTP has torn out and wants me to read. I know that if is company coming, I have to hurry and clear off this spot.
Another accumulation spot in my house is right by the phone in the kitchen. Here you may find at least a couple of pencils or pens that no-one bothered to put back into the junk drawer, scraps of paper with cryptic phone messages or phone numbers that everyone is afraid to throw away because they might be important, important receipts or warranty information that hasn't been taken over to the office yet but needs to be filed, a recipe that I haven't filed away after using it and maybe a recipe book that I forgot to put away from the night before. My cookbooks and recipe box are kept in a cupboard over where we keep the phone in the kitchen. Here again, if someone is coming over for a visit, this is a hot spot that must be cleared. Of course, the minute you clear away cryptic phone messages or throw away phone numbers on scraps of paper, you need them. Desperately.
I know the top of my desk is a hot collection spot. No excuses. I keep the books I use for writing my blog readily at hand, next to my computer. I have a pile of stuff that I should spend a few moments to file. HTP has left cryptic notes on my desk from when he fixed my computer. I'm a bit afraid of throwing them away because I haven't a clue what they mean. Anyway, my desk is a hot spot that I usually leave alone. Desks are supposed to look like this. It means that you're keeping busy.
The last big collection spot for me is in my bathroom. I have to admit that I have a tendency to leave my lotions, potions, makeup, toothpaste (I squeeze from the bottom and put the top back on), hairbrush, and various vitamins and such out by the side of my bathroom sink. It's not that there isn't a place to put all these things when I'm done with them, so there really isn't an excuse for my non-actions. I suppose I just hate the thought of having to file all this stuff away where it's supposed to go when I know I'll need it again that very day...or that very night....or the next morning.
I suppose you could say that half the problem is solved when you actually admit to a problem. Martha Stewart, I'm halfway there. Of course, Martha's in prison. I'm not. Maybe I'll just stay the way I am. When someone is planning to come over to visit us, I'll clean and clear...or when I just can't stand it anymore. That time is close. But I think I'll wait a bit longer and clean and clear in a few more days. I'm not expecting any company and I have this new book that wants to be read.
Murphyism of the Day
Kushner's Law
The chances of anyone doing anything are inversely proportional to the number of other people who are in the position to do it instead.
Bacteria (n.), back door to a cafeteria
It's my Dad's birthday today. Happy Birthday Dad! Happy Birthday to You! Happy Birthday to You! Happy Birthday Dear Dad! Happy Birthday to You! I hope you had a Great Birthday!
There is always one place in everyone's house where stuff just seems to accumulate. Sometime, in my case, there are several of these spots. I suppose this is a sign that I'm just not too good about cleaning and clearing on a regular basis.
One of the accumulation spots in my house is the coffee table in our family room. You can usually count on finding a wealth of coupons(both new and expired because I'm not too good about remembering to actually bring coupons to the store with me when we go shopping), coupon flyers that I haven't gotten around to clipping the coupons from (I'm sure some of these coupons have long since expired), sales catalogs, junk mail that no-one's bothered to toss, newspapers that should have been put in the recycling bin, or some article that HTP has torn out and wants me to read. I know that if is company coming, I have to hurry and clear off this spot.
Another accumulation spot in my house is right by the phone in the kitchen. Here you may find at least a couple of pencils or pens that no-one bothered to put back into the junk drawer, scraps of paper with cryptic phone messages or phone numbers that everyone is afraid to throw away because they might be important, important receipts or warranty information that hasn't been taken over to the office yet but needs to be filed, a recipe that I haven't filed away after using it and maybe a recipe book that I forgot to put away from the night before. My cookbooks and recipe box are kept in a cupboard over where we keep the phone in the kitchen. Here again, if someone is coming over for a visit, this is a hot spot that must be cleared. Of course, the minute you clear away cryptic phone messages or throw away phone numbers on scraps of paper, you need them. Desperately.
I know the top of my desk is a hot collection spot. No excuses. I keep the books I use for writing my blog readily at hand, next to my computer. I have a pile of stuff that I should spend a few moments to file. HTP has left cryptic notes on my desk from when he fixed my computer. I'm a bit afraid of throwing them away because I haven't a clue what they mean. Anyway, my desk is a hot spot that I usually leave alone. Desks are supposed to look like this. It means that you're keeping busy.
The last big collection spot for me is in my bathroom. I have to admit that I have a tendency to leave my lotions, potions, makeup, toothpaste (I squeeze from the bottom and put the top back on), hairbrush, and various vitamins and such out by the side of my bathroom sink. It's not that there isn't a place to put all these things when I'm done with them, so there really isn't an excuse for my non-actions. I suppose I just hate the thought of having to file all this stuff away where it's supposed to go when I know I'll need it again that very day...or that very night....or the next morning.
I suppose you could say that half the problem is solved when you actually admit to a problem. Martha Stewart, I'm halfway there. Of course, Martha's in prison. I'm not. Maybe I'll just stay the way I am. When someone is planning to come over to visit us, I'll clean and clear...or when I just can't stand it anymore. That time is close. But I think I'll wait a bit longer and clean and clear in a few more days. I'm not expecting any company and I have this new book that wants to be read.
Murphyism of the Day
Kushner's Law
The chances of anyone doing anything are inversely proportional to the number of other people who are in the position to do it instead.
Friday, January 28, 2005
Word of the Day
Asthma (v.), what you do if Dad says no.
It's Friday! Not that it makes much difference to us retired folks. Most days are Fridays in our minds. The only day that really sticks out to us is Sunday. Church. No mail service so there's no point in walking over to the mailbox to get the mail. The bank is closed so if we're out of money, we have to use the ATM machine. Still, Friday remains a special memory for me. HTP still loves the Friday All-You-Can-Eat Fish Fry's both here in Arizona (there aren't too many in the desert but we found one), and in Wisconsin (there's lots of fish and fish fry's in Wisconsin...lots of lakes). I remember Fridays fondly because that meant HTP would be home from work for two whole days and he could finally tackle stuff on the Honey Do List and help out with the kids while I was finally able to go out (alone) shopping. I lived for those weekends when I could go out in the car all by myself. No kids fighting in the backseat. No having to strap and unstrap kids from carseats and strollers that also needed to be unfolded and refolded. Of course I still had to do all those other things on weekends (swim practice, soccer, T-ball, swim meets, church) but I had just a few hours of freedom. You treasure those moments. Then, even if I didn't escape from the house in the car, I had the freedom on weekends to sit in the bathtub with a good book for a bit while HTP was watching the kids (at least as long as he could take it without actually killing one of them). This is not to say that my children were at all difficult. It's just that sometimes you just need a little time to be all by yourself. Alone time. Fridays were my signal that alone time was coming up. Tuesdays were the day HTP and I got out of the house (baby-sitters) for a little just him and me time. Time to discuss adult stuff away from the big ears of our darling children. Fridays were too weird to have that adult time, mixing with all those single adults on the prowl. Besides, getting a baby-sitter on a Friday night was almost impossible. Fridays were also the day we might pack up for an early start on a weekend trip. A trip to the beach. A trip to Tombstone, Bisbee, Casa Grande Ruins, the possibilities were endless. Weekend trips were fun in our converted van. I'm not sure how much the kids actually remember about those trips. Their eyes were often glued to the VCR/TV and the ample supply of VCR tapes were kept handy in the van. That's OK. I think they saw some stuff and I don't think I ever heard, "Are we there yet?"...at least not too often. So Fridays were special and they still are. TGIF everyone! TGIF to even those of us who treat everyday of the week (except Sunday) as Friday.
Murphyism of the Day
Pfeifer's Principle
Never make a decision you can get someone else to make.
Corollary
No one keeps a record of decisions you could have made but didn't. Everyone keeps a record of your bad ones.
Asthma (v.), what you do if Dad says no.
It's Friday! Not that it makes much difference to us retired folks. Most days are Fridays in our minds. The only day that really sticks out to us is Sunday. Church. No mail service so there's no point in walking over to the mailbox to get the mail. The bank is closed so if we're out of money, we have to use the ATM machine. Still, Friday remains a special memory for me. HTP still loves the Friday All-You-Can-Eat Fish Fry's both here in Arizona (there aren't too many in the desert but we found one), and in Wisconsin (there's lots of fish and fish fry's in Wisconsin...lots of lakes). I remember Fridays fondly because that meant HTP would be home from work for two whole days and he could finally tackle stuff on the Honey Do List and help out with the kids while I was finally able to go out (alone) shopping. I lived for those weekends when I could go out in the car all by myself. No kids fighting in the backseat. No having to strap and unstrap kids from carseats and strollers that also needed to be unfolded and refolded. Of course I still had to do all those other things on weekends (swim practice, soccer, T-ball, swim meets, church) but I had just a few hours of freedom. You treasure those moments. Then, even if I didn't escape from the house in the car, I had the freedom on weekends to sit in the bathtub with a good book for a bit while HTP was watching the kids (at least as long as he could take it without actually killing one of them). This is not to say that my children were at all difficult. It's just that sometimes you just need a little time to be all by yourself. Alone time. Fridays were my signal that alone time was coming up. Tuesdays were the day HTP and I got out of the house (baby-sitters) for a little just him and me time. Time to discuss adult stuff away from the big ears of our darling children. Fridays were too weird to have that adult time, mixing with all those single adults on the prowl. Besides, getting a baby-sitter on a Friday night was almost impossible. Fridays were also the day we might pack up for an early start on a weekend trip. A trip to the beach. A trip to Tombstone, Bisbee, Casa Grande Ruins, the possibilities were endless. Weekend trips were fun in our converted van. I'm not sure how much the kids actually remember about those trips. Their eyes were often glued to the VCR/TV and the ample supply of VCR tapes were kept handy in the van. That's OK. I think they saw some stuff and I don't think I ever heard, "Are we there yet?"...at least not too often. So Fridays were special and they still are. TGIF everyone! TGIF to even those of us who treat everyday of the week (except Sunday) as Friday.
Murphyism of the Day
Pfeifer's Principle
Never make a decision you can get someone else to make.
Corollary
No one keeps a record of decisions you could have made but didn't. Everyone keeps a record of your bad ones.
Thursday, January 27, 2005
Word of the Day
Anthrax (n.), trail made by ants.
I didn't even have to look outside this morning to figure out that it must either be raining or it had rained not so long ago. I have one of those wireless thermometers sitting on my desk. It not only tells me what the temperature is inside, it also tells me the temperature recorded by a remote sensor out on my back patio. It tells me the time. It tells me what day it is. But on top of all that, there's this round face (two eyes, no nose and a variable mouth), which currently is giving me a rather unhappy look. I can only assume that the wavy line mouth means he's not exactly happy. Right next to this face, I can read that the humidity is at 97%. If I wasn't smart enough to figure out that this percentage of humidity was rather high, the word WET is printed right next to the unhappy face. I've seen where you can get other wireless thermometers that are far more complicated then mine. I could have bought one that would tell me all about how windy it is outside. I could have bought one that would have given me barometric readings. I could have even bought one that would have measured how much rain we got last night. I didn't. We don't get all that much rain here where I live in Arizona. If I'm all that desperate to know how much rain we get here in Arizona, I could buy one of those rain gauges like I have in Wisconsin. It's huge. You can read the rain amount from a great distance. OK. You can stand inside, safe and sound, warm and dry and read the rain amount from the nearest window to the gauge while it's raining like cats and dogs outside. I'm not all that desperate at this point. I really don't care too much about barometric pressure readings. I never could figure out what the heck they meant anyway. The pressure is rising? The pressure is falling? Whatever. And then if I really needed to know if the it was windy outside, I'd be able to figure it out by looking at the trees outside. I can even figure out which direction the wind is coming from that way. If the trees are leaning to the right, the wind must be coming from the west. If the trees are leaning the left, the wind must be coming from the east. The wind in our part of the desert usually comes from the west...or the southwest. If patio furniture is being thrown about, it's too windy to go outside. And if the sky is really brown, and you can't see the back wall of your patio? It's a dust storm. You can pretty much figure out that it will be followed by some rain. See? I don't really need to spend a lot of money for a more extensive thermometer here in Arizona. I doubt I'll get one for Wisconsin either. I mean if the sky turns green and the leaves are showing their silvery bottoms and then the clouds start looking really dark and weird, and the patio furniture is rotating in a circular fashion on your patio, and the neighbor's cows moo at you as they fly by, you probably should have gone down to the basement when you heard the tornado warning sirens go off. If you need an expensive thermometer to tell you that, you have bigger problems. Oh. When I let the dogs outside this morning, I could see that the patio was all wet. My thermometer was right. Though it wasn't raining at the moment, it had rained and the ground was still wet.
Murphyism of the Day
IBM Pollyanna Principle
Machines should work; people should think.
Anthrax (n.), trail made by ants.
I didn't even have to look outside this morning to figure out that it must either be raining or it had rained not so long ago. I have one of those wireless thermometers sitting on my desk. It not only tells me what the temperature is inside, it also tells me the temperature recorded by a remote sensor out on my back patio. It tells me the time. It tells me what day it is. But on top of all that, there's this round face (two eyes, no nose and a variable mouth), which currently is giving me a rather unhappy look. I can only assume that the wavy line mouth means he's not exactly happy. Right next to this face, I can read that the humidity is at 97%. If I wasn't smart enough to figure out that this percentage of humidity was rather high, the word WET is printed right next to the unhappy face. I've seen where you can get other wireless thermometers that are far more complicated then mine. I could have bought one that would tell me all about how windy it is outside. I could have bought one that would have given me barometric readings. I could have even bought one that would have measured how much rain we got last night. I didn't. We don't get all that much rain here where I live in Arizona. If I'm all that desperate to know how much rain we get here in Arizona, I could buy one of those rain gauges like I have in Wisconsin. It's huge. You can read the rain amount from a great distance. OK. You can stand inside, safe and sound, warm and dry and read the rain amount from the nearest window to the gauge while it's raining like cats and dogs outside. I'm not all that desperate at this point. I really don't care too much about barometric pressure readings. I never could figure out what the heck they meant anyway. The pressure is rising? The pressure is falling? Whatever. And then if I really needed to know if the it was windy outside, I'd be able to figure it out by looking at the trees outside. I can even figure out which direction the wind is coming from that way. If the trees are leaning to the right, the wind must be coming from the west. If the trees are leaning the left, the wind must be coming from the east. The wind in our part of the desert usually comes from the west...or the southwest. If patio furniture is being thrown about, it's too windy to go outside. And if the sky is really brown, and you can't see the back wall of your patio? It's a dust storm. You can pretty much figure out that it will be followed by some rain. See? I don't really need to spend a lot of money for a more extensive thermometer here in Arizona. I doubt I'll get one for Wisconsin either. I mean if the sky turns green and the leaves are showing their silvery bottoms and then the clouds start looking really dark and weird, and the patio furniture is rotating in a circular fashion on your patio, and the neighbor's cows moo at you as they fly by, you probably should have gone down to the basement when you heard the tornado warning sirens go off. If you need an expensive thermometer to tell you that, you have bigger problems. Oh. When I let the dogs outside this morning, I could see that the patio was all wet. My thermometer was right. Though it wasn't raining at the moment, it had rained and the ground was still wet.
Murphyism of the Day
IBM Pollyanna Principle
Machines should work; people should think.
Wednesday, January 26, 2005
Word of the Day
Bronchitis (n.), a rodeo injury.
Rainy days in Phoenix are few and far between. When HTP and I first moved to The Valley of the Sun (they call it this for a reason), we learned that Arizonans treat rainy days in an almost reverential way. The reaction to rain is completely different here from anywhere else HTP and I have ever lived. A few drops of rain will make the news. Adults and children run outside and stare! People seem to forget how to drive. Car accidents multiply dramatically on rainy days. HTP and I equate it to the first snowfall from where we grew up only rain is a rare happening in our desert. Very little planning is done when it comes to drainage because of this rarity. It might not even be raining where you are but if it's raining somewhere else in the county or neighboring county the washes and some of the roads become flooded. If it is raining where you are, those same roads and washes will be filled to overflowing. Children will be playing and splashing in the water. There is always some idiot who decides to drive across one of the flooded roads and inevitably footage of them sitting on their car awaiting rescue will make the nightly news. It's raining here today. I imagine the news has been flashing flood warnings all morning. Tonight I'll get to see the newest idiot who has joined the ranks of history. Arizona actually passed an Idiot Law to cover this sort of idiocy. Now these poor brainless people get to pay all the costs accrued from their rescue. I imagine a helicopter rescue can add up to quite a bit. Rain. You got to love it.
Murphyism of the Day
Law of Unreliability
To err is human, but to really foul things up, a computer is required.
Bronchitis (n.), a rodeo injury.
Rainy days in Phoenix are few and far between. When HTP and I first moved to The Valley of the Sun (they call it this for a reason), we learned that Arizonans treat rainy days in an almost reverential way. The reaction to rain is completely different here from anywhere else HTP and I have ever lived. A few drops of rain will make the news. Adults and children run outside and stare! People seem to forget how to drive. Car accidents multiply dramatically on rainy days. HTP and I equate it to the first snowfall from where we grew up only rain is a rare happening in our desert. Very little planning is done when it comes to drainage because of this rarity. It might not even be raining where you are but if it's raining somewhere else in the county or neighboring county the washes and some of the roads become flooded. If it is raining where you are, those same roads and washes will be filled to overflowing. Children will be playing and splashing in the water. There is always some idiot who decides to drive across one of the flooded roads and inevitably footage of them sitting on their car awaiting rescue will make the nightly news. It's raining here today. I imagine the news has been flashing flood warnings all morning. Tonight I'll get to see the newest idiot who has joined the ranks of history. Arizona actually passed an Idiot Law to cover this sort of idiocy. Now these poor brainless people get to pay all the costs accrued from their rescue. I imagine a helicopter rescue can add up to quite a bit. Rain. You got to love it.
Murphyism of the Day
Law of Unreliability
To err is human, but to really foul things up, a computer is required.
Tuesday, January 25, 2005
Word of the Day
Zebra (n.), ze garment which covers ze bosom.
I'm supposed to be doing laundry today. I'll get to it. Eventually. When the cat's away, the mouse will play. HTP had is gone for the day. Doctor appointment and genealogy research in downtown Mesa. So...I had a bowl of cereal (verboten) for breakfast. I took my time and wrote a letter to my daughter at boot camp and now I'm blogging. I'll sort the laundry and start the first load after I'm done here.
Making a Marine Update
If you're reading this, you probably know most of the news from boot camp. BTP, my daughter's fiance (Yes, fiance. I only learned about that after Mink left for camp), has been really good about posting updates on Mink's blog. There's a link for it on my blog. Anyway, all seems to be going according to schedule. As a Minnesotan, I have to knock on wood at this point. It's required. She's still worried about her running time for the PFT (Physical Fitness Test). She'll be tested on training day 28. Today is training day 13. She was worried on training day 8. I know. It gets confusing. BTP emailed me last night that the latest letter he received (written on training day 8) said that she has pink eye. The gal who shared rifle watch with her shared pink eye too. I only hope this doesn't delay her training and in consequence her graduation. Stuff like this happens. I'm sure that by this time her cold is all gone and the pink eye is a thing of the past as well. There appears to be a good (bad) week delay in the mail to and from camp. The latest letter said that she received tons of mail from Mom and three letters from BTP all at the same time. She wasn't complaining. Keep the letters coming was the request. I'm learning more and more each day. Fire watch? Rifle watch? From what I'm learning about the training, any idiot who stupidly corners my daughter or any of these women in a dark alley well...he'd better watch out.
Murphyism of the Day
Hecht's Law
There is no time like the present for postponing what you don't want to do.
Zebra (n.), ze garment which covers ze bosom.
I'm supposed to be doing laundry today. I'll get to it. Eventually. When the cat's away, the mouse will play. HTP had is gone for the day. Doctor appointment and genealogy research in downtown Mesa. So...I had a bowl of cereal (verboten) for breakfast. I took my time and wrote a letter to my daughter at boot camp and now I'm blogging. I'll sort the laundry and start the first load after I'm done here.
Making a Marine Update
If you're reading this, you probably know most of the news from boot camp. BTP, my daughter's fiance (Yes, fiance. I only learned about that after Mink left for camp), has been really good about posting updates on Mink's blog. There's a link for it on my blog. Anyway, all seems to be going according to schedule. As a Minnesotan, I have to knock on wood at this point. It's required. She's still worried about her running time for the PFT (Physical Fitness Test). She'll be tested on training day 28. Today is training day 13. She was worried on training day 8. I know. It gets confusing. BTP emailed me last night that the latest letter he received (written on training day 8) said that she has pink eye. The gal who shared rifle watch with her shared pink eye too. I only hope this doesn't delay her training and in consequence her graduation. Stuff like this happens. I'm sure that by this time her cold is all gone and the pink eye is a thing of the past as well. There appears to be a good (bad) week delay in the mail to and from camp. The latest letter said that she received tons of mail from Mom and three letters from BTP all at the same time. She wasn't complaining. Keep the letters coming was the request. I'm learning more and more each day. Fire watch? Rifle watch? From what I'm learning about the training, any idiot who stupidly corners my daughter or any of these women in a dark alley well...he'd better watch out.
Murphyism of the Day
Hecht's Law
There is no time like the present for postponing what you don't want to do.
Monday, January 24, 2005
Word of the Day
Eyedropper (n.), a clumsy optometrist.
Here's Johnny! As soon as I was old enough to "stay up late", I remember watching the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. I rarely missed a show even during finals week at college. I guess I did miss a whole year while I lived in South America. No TV. But aside from that, I remember feeding my babies their nightly bottle in front of the flickering light of The Tonight Show. I loved that show. When Johnny Carson retired, I still watched the show for a week or so but it just wasn't the same. Leno? He was OK but he was Leno, not Johnny. Letterman? The change was grating to me. OK. I'm a realist. I know that you can't try and be the same as the guy you're replacing. There will never be another Johnny Carson. I mourn the loss of Laugh-In, the original Saturday Night Live, and Ren and Stimpy too. Times change. I never got into the new Star Trek either. I guess I'll just have to join the crowd who lament the passing of The Ed Sullivan Show. The new shows are all geared to our children's generation now as I suppose it was back then. I guess this Old Grey Frog will either have to let herself be dragged into the present TV age or she'll curl up in a comfy chair and read a good book. I like reading. One of my favorite authors has a book coming out today.
Murphyism of the Day
Hershiser's Rules
1. Anything labeled "NEW" and/or "IMPROVED" isn't.
2. The label "NEW" and/or "IMPROVED" means the price went up.
3. The label "ALL NEW", "COMPLETELY NEW" or "GREAT NEW" means the price went way up.
Eyedropper (n.), a clumsy optometrist.
Here's Johnny! As soon as I was old enough to "stay up late", I remember watching the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. I rarely missed a show even during finals week at college. I guess I did miss a whole year while I lived in South America. No TV. But aside from that, I remember feeding my babies their nightly bottle in front of the flickering light of The Tonight Show. I loved that show. When Johnny Carson retired, I still watched the show for a week or so but it just wasn't the same. Leno? He was OK but he was Leno, not Johnny. Letterman? The change was grating to me. OK. I'm a realist. I know that you can't try and be the same as the guy you're replacing. There will never be another Johnny Carson. I mourn the loss of Laugh-In, the original Saturday Night Live, and Ren and Stimpy too. Times change. I never got into the new Star Trek either. I guess I'll just have to join the crowd who lament the passing of The Ed Sullivan Show. The new shows are all geared to our children's generation now as I suppose it was back then. I guess this Old Grey Frog will either have to let herself be dragged into the present TV age or she'll curl up in a comfy chair and read a good book. I like reading. One of my favorite authors has a book coming out today.
Murphyism of the Day
Hershiser's Rules
1. Anything labeled "NEW" and/or "IMPROVED" isn't.
2. The label "NEW" and/or "IMPROVED" means the price went up.
3. The label "ALL NEW", "COMPLETELY NEW" or "GREAT NEW" means the price went way up.
Sunday, January 23, 2005
Word of the Day
Flatulence (n.), emergency vehicle that transports the victims of steamroller accidents.
We had a black & white television when I was growing up. It had a dial to control the channels. No remote. There were four channels and the TV stations stopped transmitting at midnight. At this time the American Flag was shown and the National Athem was played followed by a "test" pattern which was displayed until the stations resumed transmission later that day. I remember Popeye cartoons before people became afraid that they were too violent and had to be tamed. I remember Mighty Mouse, the Three Stooges, Laurel and Hardy, Abbot and Costello, Romper Room along with countless other shows, black and white movies where I imagined the colors of the dresses the actresses wore, the Macy's Day Parade in black and white where the announcers told you the color of the floats, I remember watching rockets take off and the moon landing. There was so much to see on our black and white television. We'd all sit in front of our one set as a family and my parents would occasionally remind us of a simpler time when the family would all sit in front of the radio before there was TV.
I remember our first color TV set. We had one. No remote. And the black and white TV was still around to entertain my Mom while she ironed clothes. We still only had the four channels. I was addicted to Star Trek. We never missed Laugh-In. And I loved Three's Company. I still watched my black and white movies in black and white. I was dazzled by the colors of the Macy's Day Parade. No one had to describe the colors but they still did. We still watched rockets take off into with the white exhaust clouds a startling contrast to the blue sky.
We have a color television now. Several of them. I can't tell you how many channels we have available to us on our cable TV. Despite the number of channels available to me, there is rarely anything on TV these days that I'd like to watch. I pretty much stopped watching TV when Reality TV hit the airwaves. I'll still take the time to watch Monk, a very few movies that I wouldn't spend actual money to watch in the movie theatre, and I think there's a show called Medium that might prove interesting. For the most part, I'd rather pick up a book and spend my time reading. I'm amazed at the amount of infomercials there are. Some people must watch those reality shows or they wouldn't be on the programming schedule. I don't watch them. Most of the remaining sitcoms depict spoiled rotten kids who are supposed to be role models for our future generation. None seem to show an ounce of respect for their parents. I watch the news but I get most of my news these days off the internet or on my AM radio station. It's much easier to listen to the radio while I surf the net or try to settle down to go to sleep at night. They still have old black and white movies on some of the TV channels. I watch those but sometimes they "color" them and it kind of spoils things. My imagination was far more colorful then any color they can dream up. I suppose I finally understand my Grandmother's motives for turning the color off when she and Grandpa bought their first color TV.
It's funny but I spend more of my spare time these days listening to AM radio then watching TV. The programming on the AM talk radio stations is far more entertaining that what one can see on TV these days. I had my favorite AM station on the other day in the car and my son was laughing at the antics of the talkshow hosts. Apparently I'm not alone in my AM radio interest. More and more people are tuning into KFYI these days instead of the music channels. Gotta love it. Isn't it interesting how so many people are turning away from TV and returning to radio?
Murphyism of the Day
Beryl's Law
The Consumer Report article on the item will come out a week after you've made your purchase.
Corollaries
1. The one you bought will be rated "unacceptable".
2. The one you almost bought will be rated "best buy".
Flatulence (n.), emergency vehicle that transports the victims of steamroller accidents.
We had a black & white television when I was growing up. It had a dial to control the channels. No remote. There were four channels and the TV stations stopped transmitting at midnight. At this time the American Flag was shown and the National Athem was played followed by a "test" pattern which was displayed until the stations resumed transmission later that day. I remember Popeye cartoons before people became afraid that they were too violent and had to be tamed. I remember Mighty Mouse, the Three Stooges, Laurel and Hardy, Abbot and Costello, Romper Room along with countless other shows, black and white movies where I imagined the colors of the dresses the actresses wore, the Macy's Day Parade in black and white where the announcers told you the color of the floats, I remember watching rockets take off and the moon landing. There was so much to see on our black and white television. We'd all sit in front of our one set as a family and my parents would occasionally remind us of a simpler time when the family would all sit in front of the radio before there was TV.
I remember our first color TV set. We had one. No remote. And the black and white TV was still around to entertain my Mom while she ironed clothes. We still only had the four channels. I was addicted to Star Trek. We never missed Laugh-In. And I loved Three's Company. I still watched my black and white movies in black and white. I was dazzled by the colors of the Macy's Day Parade. No one had to describe the colors but they still did. We still watched rockets take off into with the white exhaust clouds a startling contrast to the blue sky.
We have a color television now. Several of them. I can't tell you how many channels we have available to us on our cable TV. Despite the number of channels available to me, there is rarely anything on TV these days that I'd like to watch. I pretty much stopped watching TV when Reality TV hit the airwaves. I'll still take the time to watch Monk, a very few movies that I wouldn't spend actual money to watch in the movie theatre, and I think there's a show called Medium that might prove interesting. For the most part, I'd rather pick up a book and spend my time reading. I'm amazed at the amount of infomercials there are. Some people must watch those reality shows or they wouldn't be on the programming schedule. I don't watch them. Most of the remaining sitcoms depict spoiled rotten kids who are supposed to be role models for our future generation. None seem to show an ounce of respect for their parents. I watch the news but I get most of my news these days off the internet or on my AM radio station. It's much easier to listen to the radio while I surf the net or try to settle down to go to sleep at night. They still have old black and white movies on some of the TV channels. I watch those but sometimes they "color" them and it kind of spoils things. My imagination was far more colorful then any color they can dream up. I suppose I finally understand my Grandmother's motives for turning the color off when she and Grandpa bought their first color TV.
It's funny but I spend more of my spare time these days listening to AM radio then watching TV. The programming on the AM talk radio stations is far more entertaining that what one can see on TV these days. I had my favorite AM station on the other day in the car and my son was laughing at the antics of the talkshow hosts. Apparently I'm not alone in my AM radio interest. More and more people are tuning into KFYI these days instead of the music channels. Gotta love it. Isn't it interesting how so many people are turning away from TV and returning to radio?
Murphyism of the Day
Beryl's Law
The Consumer Report article on the item will come out a week after you've made your purchase.
Corollaries
1. The one you bought will be rated "unacceptable".
2. The one you almost bought will be rated "best buy".
Saturday, January 22, 2005
Word of the Day
Rectitude (n.), the dignified demeanor assumed bya proctologist immediately before he examines you.
Once again I find myself wracking my brain, at a loss to figure out what I should write about. Maybe if I just start typing, something will come to me.
It's beautiful outside today. I hear the sound of planes as they fly by, both big and small. There's the sound of the water makes as it splashes in our fountain. As I glance outside, I think about the fact that I should really sweep those leaves off the patio.....
Weeds. I have to pull the weeds out in our front yard. The HOA sent a nastygram about them. Actually, it wasn't all that nasty. My knee-jerk reaction is from our former HOA. I do have a few weeds out in the front of our yard. HTP did spray the weeds but he tends to be rather economical with the spray and sometimes he just doesn't "see" the weeds. I "see" the weeds. Sometimes if you want something done right you just have to do it yourself. HTP doesn't "see" dust either. He hasn't figured out the benefits of a pillowsham either. I don't expect him to change anytime in the near future or distant future. HTP is HTP. Each of us has our strong points. He's fixed my computer. Twice. Anyway, I need to go out and take care of the weeds. Most of my neighbors must have received similar notices. There are a lot of weeds out there in our neighborhood.
Murphyism of the Day
Baruch's Observation
If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.
Rectitude (n.), the dignified demeanor assumed bya proctologist immediately before he examines you.
Once again I find myself wracking my brain, at a loss to figure out what I should write about. Maybe if I just start typing, something will come to me.
It's beautiful outside today. I hear the sound of planes as they fly by, both big and small. There's the sound of the water makes as it splashes in our fountain. As I glance outside, I think about the fact that I should really sweep those leaves off the patio.....
Weeds. I have to pull the weeds out in our front yard. The HOA sent a nastygram about them. Actually, it wasn't all that nasty. My knee-jerk reaction is from our former HOA. I do have a few weeds out in the front of our yard. HTP did spray the weeds but he tends to be rather economical with the spray and sometimes he just doesn't "see" the weeds. I "see" the weeds. Sometimes if you want something done right you just have to do it yourself. HTP doesn't "see" dust either. He hasn't figured out the benefits of a pillowsham either. I don't expect him to change anytime in the near future or distant future. HTP is HTP. Each of us has our strong points. He's fixed my computer. Twice. Anyway, I need to go out and take care of the weeds. Most of my neighbors must have received similar notices. There are a lot of weeds out there in our neighborhood.
Murphyism of the Day
Baruch's Observation
If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.
Friday, January 21, 2005
Word of the Day
Atheism (n.), a non-prophet organization.
The seed catalogs have arrived! The seed catalogs have arrived! I love paging through seed catalogs. Some catalogs are better then others. I prefer seeing an actual photograph of a plant that I'd like to order versus an artist's imaginary rendition. But I must say it's kind of fun to page through the "artistic" seed catalogs. I find myself in awe and wonder. OK. I'm not all that gullible. It's hard for me to actually believe it when I see an artist's rendition of someone holding a tomato big enough to feed a family of ten for a week or a miracle tomato tree that grows ten feet tall and produces enough tomatoes to feed the city of Omaha for a year. I usually end up filing these catalogs in the circular file that sits next to the toilet in my bathroom. After I've had a good chuckle or two. The other seed catalogs have already been dog-earred repeatedly and remain in a place of prestige until I can actually order something. Too soon. One of the things that really bugs me is a catalog that fails to include a zone map. I just finished paging through one those. I'm pretty sure that here in Arizona I live in either a 9 zone or a 10 zone. I'm pretty sure that in Wisconsin I live in a 3 zone or a 4 zone. All depends upon our summer temperatures in Arizona and our winter temperatures in Wisconsin. Apparently, I like to own houses that experience extremes in temperature. Anyway, it sure would be nice of them to include a zone map so I can make sure that their zonal concept jives with my zonal concept. It doesn't help me much to read that a plant will grow nicely in zones 4-9 if there is no corresponding zone map as reference. Oh well. I suppose I'll just have to use my own vast knowledge and experience in this matter. I don't plan to order any plants for our Arizona house this year but, I want to order a few plants for our Wisconsin house. I'll have to wait. We won't get back there until May. The frost will have only just left the ground. The trilliums will be blooming. The leaves will just be budding out on the trees. I can't order my plants until the end of February and then I'll have to beg them to delay shipment until May. In the meantime, I'll just have to keep paging through the seed catalogs. Dog-earring the pages.
Murphyism of the Day
The Roman Rule
The one who says it cannot be done should never interrupt the one who is doing it.
Atheism (n.), a non-prophet organization.
The seed catalogs have arrived! The seed catalogs have arrived! I love paging through seed catalogs. Some catalogs are better then others. I prefer seeing an actual photograph of a plant that I'd like to order versus an artist's imaginary rendition. But I must say it's kind of fun to page through the "artistic" seed catalogs. I find myself in awe and wonder. OK. I'm not all that gullible. It's hard for me to actually believe it when I see an artist's rendition of someone holding a tomato big enough to feed a family of ten for a week or a miracle tomato tree that grows ten feet tall and produces enough tomatoes to feed the city of Omaha for a year. I usually end up filing these catalogs in the circular file that sits next to the toilet in my bathroom. After I've had a good chuckle or two. The other seed catalogs have already been dog-earred repeatedly and remain in a place of prestige until I can actually order something. Too soon. One of the things that really bugs me is a catalog that fails to include a zone map. I just finished paging through one those. I'm pretty sure that here in Arizona I live in either a 9 zone or a 10 zone. I'm pretty sure that in Wisconsin I live in a 3 zone or a 4 zone. All depends upon our summer temperatures in Arizona and our winter temperatures in Wisconsin. Apparently, I like to own houses that experience extremes in temperature. Anyway, it sure would be nice of them to include a zone map so I can make sure that their zonal concept jives with my zonal concept. It doesn't help me much to read that a plant will grow nicely in zones 4-9 if there is no corresponding zone map as reference. Oh well. I suppose I'll just have to use my own vast knowledge and experience in this matter. I don't plan to order any plants for our Arizona house this year but, I want to order a few plants for our Wisconsin house. I'll have to wait. We won't get back there until May. The frost will have only just left the ground. The trilliums will be blooming. The leaves will just be budding out on the trees. I can't order my plants until the end of February and then I'll have to beg them to delay shipment until May. In the meantime, I'll just have to keep paging through the seed catalogs. Dog-earring the pages.
Murphyism of the Day
The Roman Rule
The one who says it cannot be done should never interrupt the one who is doing it.
Thursday, January 20, 2005
Word of the Day
Prefix (n.), the act of completely breaking a partially broken object before calling in a professional.
The Tale of the Flying Frog
HTP and I did some landscaping work yesterday in our backyard. One of our many projects was the installation of a "spitter" for our fountain. A "spitter" is a pond ornament which comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. They are normally attached to an underwater pump and water from the pond "spits" gently from one or more orafices back into the pond. I don't actually need a "spitter" because I don't have a pond to put it in. I have a fountain. What I did need was a decorative way to add water to my fountain so I wouldn't have to fight with a long hose every morning in order to refill our fountain. And so begins The Tale of the Flying Frog.
The other day when HTP and I were out shopping, looking for a decorative way to fill our fountain, we came across a frog "spitter". He was so cute and innocent sitting there on display at the Home Depot near our house. He gently spit water from the edge of the display pool. HTP and I looked at each other (HTP knows me and my addiction to frogs) and after some discussion, we decided that we could rig up this frog "spitter" so that it could be used as the decorative fountain filler we needed. We bought all the supplies that we thought we'd need to attach our new frog to our irrigation line. We happily returned home with a whole bag full of supplies and connectors and such and the glue to hold them all together and my new frog.
With all these supplies in hand, HTP and I leapt into action. I found an old clay pot for my new frog to sit on by the edge of fountain. HTP glued pipe and fittings together. I won't tell you what he said as he gently fit the flexable hose to my new frog's rear end. Anyway, all the fittings were in place. My new frog was sitting happily overlooking my fountain at just the right angle to spit water gently into the bottom pool of the fountain. HTP decided that we should try out the system. Just in case. He wanted to make sure all the fittings were tight and there wouldn't be any leaks. HTP turned on the water. My poor frog became airborn. He flew backwards and pressure washed the windows of my house and before I could scream, "Turn off the water!", he spouted a fountain of water higher then the roof of our house, drenching me in the process. He would have continued to fly but he was tethered tightly to the end of a hose. Thank goodness for that. I'm just happy he didn't land in one of our neighbor's yards. HTP turned off the water and my frog finally alit. I was reminded of those water rockets that my brother played with as a child. HTP and I looked at each other. At least there weren't any leaks. Now what? We'd never thought about water pressure. Thankfully, HTP and I rarely throw anything away. HTP still had a tub of irrigation pipe fittings and such from the past when we used to install our own landscaping. He dug through the tub and found a few fittings that might work to fix our flying frog problem. After much cutting and glueing, HTP and I decided to again make an attempt. This time I held firmly onto my frog so he wouldn't fly and give the whole neighborhood a shower. HTP turned on the water. If I hadn't held onto my frog he'd have flown. HTP made a few minor adjustments. Eureka! I now have a frog "spitter". No more flying frog. He currently sits calmly on a terra cotta pot by the edge of my fountain. Every Tuesday and Thursday (he's on a timer) he'll gently spit water into my fountain. And so ends The Tale of The Flying Frog. I hope.
Murphyism of the Day
Van Gogh's Law
Whatever plan one makes, there is a hidden difficulty somewhere.
Biondi's Law
If your project doesn't work, look for the part you didn't think was important.
Prefix (n.), the act of completely breaking a partially broken object before calling in a professional.
The Tale of the Flying Frog
HTP and I did some landscaping work yesterday in our backyard. One of our many projects was the installation of a "spitter" for our fountain. A "spitter" is a pond ornament which comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. They are normally attached to an underwater pump and water from the pond "spits" gently from one or more orafices back into the pond. I don't actually need a "spitter" because I don't have a pond to put it in. I have a fountain. What I did need was a decorative way to add water to my fountain so I wouldn't have to fight with a long hose every morning in order to refill our fountain. And so begins The Tale of the Flying Frog.
The other day when HTP and I were out shopping, looking for a decorative way to fill our fountain, we came across a frog "spitter". He was so cute and innocent sitting there on display at the Home Depot near our house. He gently spit water from the edge of the display pool. HTP and I looked at each other (HTP knows me and my addiction to frogs) and after some discussion, we decided that we could rig up this frog "spitter" so that it could be used as the decorative fountain filler we needed. We bought all the supplies that we thought we'd need to attach our new frog to our irrigation line. We happily returned home with a whole bag full of supplies and connectors and such and the glue to hold them all together and my new frog.
With all these supplies in hand, HTP and I leapt into action. I found an old clay pot for my new frog to sit on by the edge of fountain. HTP glued pipe and fittings together. I won't tell you what he said as he gently fit the flexable hose to my new frog's rear end. Anyway, all the fittings were in place. My new frog was sitting happily overlooking my fountain at just the right angle to spit water gently into the bottom pool of the fountain. HTP decided that we should try out the system. Just in case. He wanted to make sure all the fittings were tight and there wouldn't be any leaks. HTP turned on the water. My poor frog became airborn. He flew backwards and pressure washed the windows of my house and before I could scream, "Turn off the water!", he spouted a fountain of water higher then the roof of our house, drenching me in the process. He would have continued to fly but he was tethered tightly to the end of a hose. Thank goodness for that. I'm just happy he didn't land in one of our neighbor's yards. HTP turned off the water and my frog finally alit. I was reminded of those water rockets that my brother played with as a child. HTP and I looked at each other. At least there weren't any leaks. Now what? We'd never thought about water pressure. Thankfully, HTP and I rarely throw anything away. HTP still had a tub of irrigation pipe fittings and such from the past when we used to install our own landscaping. He dug through the tub and found a few fittings that might work to fix our flying frog problem. After much cutting and glueing, HTP and I decided to again make an attempt. This time I held firmly onto my frog so he wouldn't fly and give the whole neighborhood a shower. HTP turned on the water. If I hadn't held onto my frog he'd have flown. HTP made a few minor adjustments. Eureka! I now have a frog "spitter". No more flying frog. He currently sits calmly on a terra cotta pot by the edge of my fountain. Every Tuesday and Thursday (he's on a timer) he'll gently spit water into my fountain. And so ends The Tale of The Flying Frog. I hope.
Murphyism of the Day
Van Gogh's Law
Whatever plan one makes, there is a hidden difficulty somewhere.
Biondi's Law
If your project doesn't work, look for the part you didn't think was important.
Wednesday, January 19, 2005
Word of the Day
Paradox (n.), two physicians.
It's my Mother's Birthday today! Happy Birthday Mom! Happy Birthday to You! Happy Birthday to You! Happy Birthday Dear Mom! Happy Birthday to You! I hope you have a Great Birthday!
HTP and I went out to eat last night. A local restaurant that specializes in Mexican food has a weekly senior night. You pay for one meal and the second meal is free. On top of that. Happy Hour! Woohoo! The only unfortunate thing? The only drawback besides all the calories? I am telling you that I've never seen so many old people in one place since I worked at a retirement home when I was going to college. Of course, that was a long time ago and I'm an old person now too. Anyway, HTP and I joined the crowds of people our own age and older with a very few toddlers to spice up the equation. There's alway going to be someone who forgets that Wednesday night is Kid Night, the night when kids eat for free. The restaurant was issuing those funny beeper thingies that look like you're holding a flying saucer when they go off. All those flashing lights and funny vibrations. By the time HTP and I got there, they had run out of the flying saucer beepers. We put our name in at the hostess desk and bellied up to the bar. The crowded, smoky bar. I'm amazed we found two stools together. Tuesday? Oh well. Happy Hour! We ordered our half-price margaritas (wonderful!) and gnoshed on chips and salsa. After the first bowl of chips disappeared and half of our margaritas, HTP went back to the hostess desk to check on the status of a table in the dining area. He was given a flying saucer beeper and he headed back to the bar. Progress. He got a couple of plates and brought me a plate of enchiladas (free). I'd finished off my first margarita and started on a second. We finished off another bowl of chips (great salsa) by the time our flying saucer started flashing. The aliens had landed. HTP settled up with the bartender and I headed for the hostess desk with our flying saucer beeper. I was asked if I wanted a senior menu or a regular menu. Our hostess must have been in training for the diplomatic corp. Hey! I'm serious! Anytime someone looks at me suspiciously when I ask for a senior menu or anyone cards me at a bar, these are the people we need as our future diplomats. We were directed to a booth overlooking the lake. More chips. More salsa. By the time we got our food, I was full. I ate a teeny taste of my rice, none of my refried beans, and one tortilla filled with chicken and shrimp fajita. I've now got a huge doggy bag filled with enough leftover fajita filling to feed HTP and me for supper tonight. It's sitting in the fridge. All I have to do is nuke it. MMMM. Fajitas.
Murphyism of the Day
Gabitol's Observation
The wise are pleased when they discover truth, fools when they discover falsehood.
Paradox (n.), two physicians.
It's my Mother's Birthday today! Happy Birthday Mom! Happy Birthday to You! Happy Birthday to You! Happy Birthday Dear Mom! Happy Birthday to You! I hope you have a Great Birthday!
HTP and I went out to eat last night. A local restaurant that specializes in Mexican food has a weekly senior night. You pay for one meal and the second meal is free. On top of that. Happy Hour! Woohoo! The only unfortunate thing? The only drawback besides all the calories? I am telling you that I've never seen so many old people in one place since I worked at a retirement home when I was going to college. Of course, that was a long time ago and I'm an old person now too. Anyway, HTP and I joined the crowds of people our own age and older with a very few toddlers to spice up the equation. There's alway going to be someone who forgets that Wednesday night is Kid Night, the night when kids eat for free. The restaurant was issuing those funny beeper thingies that look like you're holding a flying saucer when they go off. All those flashing lights and funny vibrations. By the time HTP and I got there, they had run out of the flying saucer beepers. We put our name in at the hostess desk and bellied up to the bar. The crowded, smoky bar. I'm amazed we found two stools together. Tuesday? Oh well. Happy Hour! We ordered our half-price margaritas (wonderful!) and gnoshed on chips and salsa. After the first bowl of chips disappeared and half of our margaritas, HTP went back to the hostess desk to check on the status of a table in the dining area. He was given a flying saucer beeper and he headed back to the bar. Progress. He got a couple of plates and brought me a plate of enchiladas (free). I'd finished off my first margarita and started on a second. We finished off another bowl of chips (great salsa) by the time our flying saucer started flashing. The aliens had landed. HTP settled up with the bartender and I headed for the hostess desk with our flying saucer beeper. I was asked if I wanted a senior menu or a regular menu. Our hostess must have been in training for the diplomatic corp. Hey! I'm serious! Anytime someone looks at me suspiciously when I ask for a senior menu or anyone cards me at a bar, these are the people we need as our future diplomats. We were directed to a booth overlooking the lake. More chips. More salsa. By the time we got our food, I was full. I ate a teeny taste of my rice, none of my refried beans, and one tortilla filled with chicken and shrimp fajita. I've now got a huge doggy bag filled with enough leftover fajita filling to feed HTP and me for supper tonight. It's sitting in the fridge. All I have to do is nuke it. MMMM. Fajitas.
Murphyism of the Day
Gabitol's Observation
The wise are pleased when they discover truth, fools when they discover falsehood.
Tuesday, January 18, 2005
Word of the Day
Reincarnation (n.), the belief that you'll come back as a flower.
I was born and grew up in Minnesota. My memories of winter are still fresh in my mind even though I haven't spent a true winter there for over 25 years. There is a reason that HTP and I moved to Arizona. HTP and I made our decision to get out of Minnesota on that fateful day when our house developed ice dams on the roof. It was the heart of winter and it was raining outside. I suppose you could say that it was raining inside too. Water was leaking in all over the house. HTP had to climb up on the roof of our ranch-style house in the pouring rain, braving lightening, to see if he could remove the ice dams. Now, you can't just go up on your roof and start hacking away with an ice-chipper like you'd do for on your sidewalk. Shovels are out too. We'd just re-roofed the house the previous summer and damaging the shingles wasn't something that we wanted to do. HTP went up on our roof armed with an ice pick. I still have this ice pick. I keep it in one of my kitchen drawers. It comes in handy when my freezer needs defrosting. After HTP returned from his roof adventure, wet and cold, he turned to me and said, "Why are we still doing this? There are actually places in the United States that aren't this #$#%# cold." I suppose we could have remained in Minnesota, never leaving it except for weekend trips to our cabin in Wisconsin, but we decided on that very night to look for a warmer spot to work and live out the rest of our lives. It's not that I don't like winter. I love seeing that first snowfall of the winter. I don't even mind shoveling the stuff on occasion for old times sake. But I can live without it.
Nothing is perfect. Arizona summers are hot. Really hot. They aren't messing around with any cameras when they drag out that poor egg and fry it on the hood of a car to illustrate this. After the temperature reaches 107°F, you just can't tell people that it's a dry heat with a straight face anymore. You learn to recognize the people who have just moved to Arizona from the Midwest. They plant grass in their frontyards. I learned to wear mid-calf sundresses instead of shorts. It was cooler and the additional fabric would protect me from the heat of the car's seats when we were out driving. I learned to wear a swimsuit under that sundress instead of underwear. Every so often I'd run outside and jump in the pool to cool off. No towels required. It is a dry heat and evaporative cooling works. Except in July and August. These are the monsoon months. It's humid. Not by Minnesota standards but anything over 50% is humid in Arizona. The evaporative coolers (used in tandem with regular air-conditioners) just don't work. We never actually had an evaporative cooler. We decided to avoid this moneysaver because they require someone to go up on the roof and fiddle with them every year and quite frankly, they just add a lot of humidity to the equation along with the cooler air they provide. HTP and I aren't too fond of humidity and after the ice dam incident, HTP decided that roof climbing was not for him. July and August and even into September there are duststorms. Windows you thought were air-tight, prove that there is no such thing as an air-tight window. Not if you want to open it. So everytime there is duststorm, you end up with tiny little sand dunes on the ledge of each of your windows. I can dust everyday but I can live without it.
Eventually, I was able to escape the worst of the heat of the summer. The kids and I would drive up to Wisconsin for a couple of weeks. People who come to Arizona for a couple of weeks in the winter are referred to as snowbirds. I don't know what they call people from Arizona who go to Wisconsin for a couple of weeks in the summer. And then the two weeks expanded to three weeks, a month, two months. One September when the kids were back in school, HTP looked at me (the temperature outside was 110°F.) and he'd just swept the sand out of the pool after yet another sandstorm, and he said, "Why are we still doing this? No one even uses this #$%@$ pool anymore." We moved. Arizona still, but no pool. We loved that house. It was on a man-made lake. Unfortunately, we had to have grass. If you have grass, you have to mow grass. I suppose we would still be living there during the winter if it weren't for the HOA (homeowner's association and I won't tell you what else we called them even though during a moment of utter rage I might have referred to them using this title in a previous blog). To top this off, the fact that finding someone to take care of yard upkeep while we were spending summers in Wisconsin was impossible. We tried. We moved. Again. We're older now and wanted someplace warm for the winters, no grass, and low upkeep. I like this house. But only during the winter months.
HTP and I can now call ourselves snowbirds. Now that our children are all grown, HTP and I plan to spend most of our year in Wisconsin. I'm looking forward to seeing the tulips and daffodils bloom. I'm looking forward to fireplace fires in the spring and fall, and the first green leaves unfurling as the weather warms the trees. I'm looking forward to planting my garden, picking berries, and making jam. I'm looking forward to watching the thunderstorms as they flash and bang over the lake. I look forward to fishing, hiking in the woods, birdwatching and seeing the first fawns. I'm looking forward to watching the green leaves turn to gold and red and orange in the fall. I'm looking forward to that first dusting of snow. Let's not get silly. I don't look forward to mosquitoes, wasps, deerfly and really, really cold weather. Nothing and nowhere is ever perfect. HTP and I will return to Arizona as snowbirds must before it gets too cold just as we'll head to Wisconsin before it gets too hot.
Are we satisfied now? Are we done with all our moving from here to there? For right now, I can say in all confidence that we're settled. Tomorrow, next year, ten years from now? No-one can honestly tell you what tomorrow will bring much less next year or ten years from now.
Murphyism of the Day
Foster's Law (no relation)
The only people who find what they're looking for in life are the fault-finders.
Reincarnation (n.), the belief that you'll come back as a flower.
I was born and grew up in Minnesota. My memories of winter are still fresh in my mind even though I haven't spent a true winter there for over 25 years. There is a reason that HTP and I moved to Arizona. HTP and I made our decision to get out of Minnesota on that fateful day when our house developed ice dams on the roof. It was the heart of winter and it was raining outside. I suppose you could say that it was raining inside too. Water was leaking in all over the house. HTP had to climb up on the roof of our ranch-style house in the pouring rain, braving lightening, to see if he could remove the ice dams. Now, you can't just go up on your roof and start hacking away with an ice-chipper like you'd do for on your sidewalk. Shovels are out too. We'd just re-roofed the house the previous summer and damaging the shingles wasn't something that we wanted to do. HTP went up on our roof armed with an ice pick. I still have this ice pick. I keep it in one of my kitchen drawers. It comes in handy when my freezer needs defrosting. After HTP returned from his roof adventure, wet and cold, he turned to me and said, "Why are we still doing this? There are actually places in the United States that aren't this #$#%# cold." I suppose we could have remained in Minnesota, never leaving it except for weekend trips to our cabin in Wisconsin, but we decided on that very night to look for a warmer spot to work and live out the rest of our lives. It's not that I don't like winter. I love seeing that first snowfall of the winter. I don't even mind shoveling the stuff on occasion for old times sake. But I can live without it.
Nothing is perfect. Arizona summers are hot. Really hot. They aren't messing around with any cameras when they drag out that poor egg and fry it on the hood of a car to illustrate this. After the temperature reaches 107°F, you just can't tell people that it's a dry heat with a straight face anymore. You learn to recognize the people who have just moved to Arizona from the Midwest. They plant grass in their frontyards. I learned to wear mid-calf sundresses instead of shorts. It was cooler and the additional fabric would protect me from the heat of the car's seats when we were out driving. I learned to wear a swimsuit under that sundress instead of underwear. Every so often I'd run outside and jump in the pool to cool off. No towels required. It is a dry heat and evaporative cooling works. Except in July and August. These are the monsoon months. It's humid. Not by Minnesota standards but anything over 50% is humid in Arizona. The evaporative coolers (used in tandem with regular air-conditioners) just don't work. We never actually had an evaporative cooler. We decided to avoid this moneysaver because they require someone to go up on the roof and fiddle with them every year and quite frankly, they just add a lot of humidity to the equation along with the cooler air they provide. HTP and I aren't too fond of humidity and after the ice dam incident, HTP decided that roof climbing was not for him. July and August and even into September there are duststorms. Windows you thought were air-tight, prove that there is no such thing as an air-tight window. Not if you want to open it. So everytime there is duststorm, you end up with tiny little sand dunes on the ledge of each of your windows. I can dust everyday but I can live without it.
Eventually, I was able to escape the worst of the heat of the summer. The kids and I would drive up to Wisconsin for a couple of weeks. People who come to Arizona for a couple of weeks in the winter are referred to as snowbirds. I don't know what they call people from Arizona who go to Wisconsin for a couple of weeks in the summer. And then the two weeks expanded to three weeks, a month, two months. One September when the kids were back in school, HTP looked at me (the temperature outside was 110°F.) and he'd just swept the sand out of the pool after yet another sandstorm, and he said, "Why are we still doing this? No one even uses this #$%@$ pool anymore." We moved. Arizona still, but no pool. We loved that house. It was on a man-made lake. Unfortunately, we had to have grass. If you have grass, you have to mow grass. I suppose we would still be living there during the winter if it weren't for the HOA (homeowner's association and I won't tell you what else we called them even though during a moment of utter rage I might have referred to them using this title in a previous blog). To top this off, the fact that finding someone to take care of yard upkeep while we were spending summers in Wisconsin was impossible. We tried. We moved. Again. We're older now and wanted someplace warm for the winters, no grass, and low upkeep. I like this house. But only during the winter months.
HTP and I can now call ourselves snowbirds. Now that our children are all grown, HTP and I plan to spend most of our year in Wisconsin. I'm looking forward to seeing the tulips and daffodils bloom. I'm looking forward to fireplace fires in the spring and fall, and the first green leaves unfurling as the weather warms the trees. I'm looking forward to planting my garden, picking berries, and making jam. I'm looking forward to watching the thunderstorms as they flash and bang over the lake. I look forward to fishing, hiking in the woods, birdwatching and seeing the first fawns. I'm looking forward to watching the green leaves turn to gold and red and orange in the fall. I'm looking forward to that first dusting of snow. Let's not get silly. I don't look forward to mosquitoes, wasps, deerfly and really, really cold weather. Nothing and nowhere is ever perfect. HTP and I will return to Arizona as snowbirds must before it gets too cold just as we'll head to Wisconsin before it gets too hot.
Are we satisfied now? Are we done with all our moving from here to there? For right now, I can say in all confidence that we're settled. Tomorrow, next year, ten years from now? No-one can honestly tell you what tomorrow will bring much less next year or ten years from now.
Murphyism of the Day
Foster's Law (no relation)
The only people who find what they're looking for in life are the fault-finders.
Monday, January 17, 2005
Word of the Day
Hexagon (n.), how a mathematician removes a curse.
It's Martin Luther King Day today. Festivities surrounding this holiday have been going on since last week. So maybe that's an excuse for my momentary confusion yesterday morning. Yesterday at church, the minister was telling the congregation all about this traveling exhibit with relics from Martin Luther brought here from Germany. Stupid me. It took me a moment because all I could think of was, "There's relics from Martin Luther King? And why are they coming from Germany?" My only excuse was that I wasn't listening closely enough and I hadn't had a full cup of coffee that morning.
HTP ran out the door seconds ago, on his way to a doctor appointment. No big deal. Sometimes I think doctors just want their pound of flesh. Once the doctors prescribe medication, they've got you. You keep having to go back just so they can take blood and tell you that you still need to take your medication. Since HTP doesn't have an functioning thyroid gland anymore, he needs to take thyroid medication. Well, duh! Oh...and if you don't go back and pay the money for yet another office visit? No medication. With all there tests that the doctor runs, I have yet to see that they've changed HTP's medication one iota. HTP's thyroid gland has never magically grown back or started functioning again. HTP expressed the fear that, since he was running late, his blood pressure will look bad and the doctor will prescribe meds for that too. I don't suppose the drive through Phoenix traffic will help HTP's blood pressure either. I think I calmed HTP down some by telling him that just because the doctor prescribes something, it doesn't mean he actually has to fill the prescription and take it. Ultimately, it's up to you whether or not you're going to swallow what they prescribe. Good or bad, we still have freewill.
Anyway, HTP ran out the door, no coffee, no breakfast, just taking the time to grab a package we're sending to our son at college and a few letters to be mailed. The post office isn't open today. It's Martin Luther King Day. No mail. Oh well, I'm sure HTP will figure this out eventually.
Murphyism of the Day
First Rule of Pathology
Most well-trodden paths lead nowhere.
Hexagon (n.), how a mathematician removes a curse.
It's Martin Luther King Day today. Festivities surrounding this holiday have been going on since last week. So maybe that's an excuse for my momentary confusion yesterday morning. Yesterday at church, the minister was telling the congregation all about this traveling exhibit with relics from Martin Luther brought here from Germany. Stupid me. It took me a moment because all I could think of was, "There's relics from Martin Luther King? And why are they coming from Germany?" My only excuse was that I wasn't listening closely enough and I hadn't had a full cup of coffee that morning.
HTP ran out the door seconds ago, on his way to a doctor appointment. No big deal. Sometimes I think doctors just want their pound of flesh. Once the doctors prescribe medication, they've got you. You keep having to go back just so they can take blood and tell you that you still need to take your medication. Since HTP doesn't have an functioning thyroid gland anymore, he needs to take thyroid medication. Well, duh! Oh...and if you don't go back and pay the money for yet another office visit? No medication. With all there tests that the doctor runs, I have yet to see that they've changed HTP's medication one iota. HTP's thyroid gland has never magically grown back or started functioning again. HTP expressed the fear that, since he was running late, his blood pressure will look bad and the doctor will prescribe meds for that too. I don't suppose the drive through Phoenix traffic will help HTP's blood pressure either. I think I calmed HTP down some by telling him that just because the doctor prescribes something, it doesn't mean he actually has to fill the prescription and take it. Ultimately, it's up to you whether or not you're going to swallow what they prescribe. Good or bad, we still have freewill.
Anyway, HTP ran out the door, no coffee, no breakfast, just taking the time to grab a package we're sending to our son at college and a few letters to be mailed. The post office isn't open today. It's Martin Luther King Day. No mail. Oh well, I'm sure HTP will figure this out eventually.
Murphyism of the Day
First Rule of Pathology
Most well-trodden paths lead nowhere.
Sunday, January 16, 2005
Word of the Day
Coffee (n.), one who is coughed upon.
I just got back from church. Our contemporary group (I play my clarinet with this group) played our annual Southwestern service for the first two services this morning. It was great fun! I suppose I shouldn't say so but, we rocked! The second service was packed. I've never seen so many people there except during holiday services. Every single spare chair had to be brought in and people had to stand up in the back. We had to add additional music (above and beyond what was already anticipated) for communion. Our group has played together for a long time so it's gotten to the point where we tend to read each others' minds when it comes to this sort of thing. Add another riff to this song, repeat the refrain a few more times, play the processional again and then maybe special music. It all comes together and, as I said, we rocked!
Making a Marine Update
Our daughter's boyfriend received a form letter in the mail from boot camp. Anyway, this form letter was just you typical "In Case of Emergency" stuff along with a clarification of what we can and can't send to a recruit. I suppose it's just as well that I didn't give into my impulse to add a few playing cards to each of her letters until she ended up with a full deck. Another great idea shot down in flames. Anyway, we aren't supposed to send the following:
1) Candy or other edible items
2) Tobacco Products
3) Alcohol/Unlawful Drugs
4) Pornographic Material
5) Personal Weapons or Ammunition
6) Gambling Devices (playing cards, dice, etc.)
7) Radios or Cameras
8) Flammable Materials (lighters, matches, fireworks, etc.)
Letters and Small Packages are only authorized due to the limited space in their living area. We also have the Senior Drill Instructor's email address so we can now fill her mailbox with useless spam. Not.
I just got a call from Mink's boyfriend. He received two letters from our daughter which he read to me. The recruits don't have much free time so it's not surprising that she would write to him before anyone else, knowing that he'll call us with any updates. It sounds like she's doing just fine so far. She also wrote that her senior drill instructor has such a beautiful singing voice that she almost cried when she heard it.
Murphyism of the Day
Olivier's Law
Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.
Coffee (n.), one who is coughed upon.
I just got back from church. Our contemporary group (I play my clarinet with this group) played our annual Southwestern service for the first two services this morning. It was great fun! I suppose I shouldn't say so but, we rocked! The second service was packed. I've never seen so many people there except during holiday services. Every single spare chair had to be brought in and people had to stand up in the back. We had to add additional music (above and beyond what was already anticipated) for communion. Our group has played together for a long time so it's gotten to the point where we tend to read each others' minds when it comes to this sort of thing. Add another riff to this song, repeat the refrain a few more times, play the processional again and then maybe special music. It all comes together and, as I said, we rocked!
Making a Marine Update
Our daughter's boyfriend received a form letter in the mail from boot camp. Anyway, this form letter was just you typical "In Case of Emergency" stuff along with a clarification of what we can and can't send to a recruit. I suppose it's just as well that I didn't give into my impulse to add a few playing cards to each of her letters until she ended up with a full deck. Another great idea shot down in flames. Anyway, we aren't supposed to send the following:
1) Candy or other edible items
2) Tobacco Products
3) Alcohol/Unlawful Drugs
4) Pornographic Material
5) Personal Weapons or Ammunition
6) Gambling Devices (playing cards, dice, etc.)
7) Radios or Cameras
8) Flammable Materials (lighters, matches, fireworks, etc.)
Letters and Small Packages are only authorized due to the limited space in their living area. We also have the Senior Drill Instructor's email address so we can now fill her mailbox with useless spam. Not.
I just got a call from Mink's boyfriend. He received two letters from our daughter which he read to me. The recruits don't have much free time so it's not surprising that she would write to him before anyone else, knowing that he'll call us with any updates. It sounds like she's doing just fine so far. She also wrote that her senior drill instructor has such a beautiful singing voice that she almost cried when she heard it.
Murphyism of the Day
Olivier's Law
Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.
Saturday, January 15, 2005
Word of the Day
Laughingstock (n.), an amused herd of cattle.
#1 son has left the building. We tried our best to cram everything he wanted to do in the short time that he was here. This morning, we arose early in the still dark hours of the morning, packed all of #1 son's stuff into the car, and drove out to join our youngest daughter for breakfast on the way to the airport. HTP and I both had the Rooty Tooty Fresh and Fruity, and yes, we did have to say it. Anyway, it tasted good though I made them put the blueberry compote in a seperate dish and omit the whipped cream. I like whipped cream but not for breakfast. We finished off two pots of coffee. After breakfast, we drove to the airport. Thankfully, it was a breeze. At least our part was a breeze. There was curbside check-in so #1 son was quickly able to process his check-on luggage and get his boarding pass. Thankfully, they didn't quibble about weight. His suitcase was a bit overstuffed. He had Christmas cookies and that chocolate cake, a box of Captain Crunch cereal and everything else that he could cram in there. After I walked with him inside, I have no idea what happened other then he headed for the security checkpoint. I wasn't allowed to go there so I just sent him along his way with a hug. He has our phone number if he finds himself in difficulties and he's promised to call us when he gets home (his dorm). His classes start on Tuesday so I don't expect to hear from him much after that. I'm sure they'll keep him busy. We probably won't see him until we get back to Wisconsin in May.
Now what am I going to do with myself. #1 son never did make that chicken marsala. His friend couldn't come over last night so we all went out for a Friday night Fish Fry instead. Now I have to figure out how to make chicken marsala. I suppose I should clean up the guest room. I think I'm going to wait on that for a while. Maybe I'll tackle that project on Monday. I can't do it tomorrow because I'll be at church most of the day and I'm just too tired to do it today. OK. Maybe I'll do it later today...after I play Pogo and finish my book.
Murphyism of the Day
Law of Living
As soon as you're doing what you wanted to be doing, you want to be doing something else.
Laughingstock (n.), an amused herd of cattle.
#1 son has left the building. We tried our best to cram everything he wanted to do in the short time that he was here. This morning, we arose early in the still dark hours of the morning, packed all of #1 son's stuff into the car, and drove out to join our youngest daughter for breakfast on the way to the airport. HTP and I both had the Rooty Tooty Fresh and Fruity, and yes, we did have to say it. Anyway, it tasted good though I made them put the blueberry compote in a seperate dish and omit the whipped cream. I like whipped cream but not for breakfast. We finished off two pots of coffee. After breakfast, we drove to the airport. Thankfully, it was a breeze. At least our part was a breeze. There was curbside check-in so #1 son was quickly able to process his check-on luggage and get his boarding pass. Thankfully, they didn't quibble about weight. His suitcase was a bit overstuffed. He had Christmas cookies and that chocolate cake, a box of Captain Crunch cereal and everything else that he could cram in there. After I walked with him inside, I have no idea what happened other then he headed for the security checkpoint. I wasn't allowed to go there so I just sent him along his way with a hug. He has our phone number if he finds himself in difficulties and he's promised to call us when he gets home (his dorm). His classes start on Tuesday so I don't expect to hear from him much after that. I'm sure they'll keep him busy. We probably won't see him until we get back to Wisconsin in May.
Now what am I going to do with myself. #1 son never did make that chicken marsala. His friend couldn't come over last night so we all went out for a Friday night Fish Fry instead. Now I have to figure out how to make chicken marsala. I suppose I should clean up the guest room. I think I'm going to wait on that for a while. Maybe I'll tackle that project on Monday. I can't do it tomorrow because I'll be at church most of the day and I'm just too tired to do it today. OK. Maybe I'll do it later today...after I play Pogo and finish my book.
Murphyism of the Day
Law of Living
As soon as you're doing what you wanted to be doing, you want to be doing something else.
Friday, January 14, 2005
Word of the Day
Instigator (n.), do-it-yourself reptile kit. Just add water.
I went to the post office yesterday to send off a letter to my daughter and buy more stamps. A trip to the post office is always a fun people watching activity. What else can one do when they're trapped waiting for their number to be called? Even after the Christmas rush, it was amazing to see all the angry and bored people waiting in line for whatever reason. Why they actually wait in a line is beyond me. They have a number. Of course it might be nice if the USPS provided benches for people to sit on but go hold up a wall and people watch like I do. Actually, I wandered back and forth in front of the stamp wall in an attempt to figure out which stamps I should buy. I didn't think it would be too cool to send Air Force Academy stamps to my daughter at Marine Boot Camp. #1 son didn't think it was a good idea to send Purple Heart stamps either. I ended up buying magnolia blossoms, roses, cranes, clouds and more flags. Variety is the spice of life.
My sister called yesterday to tell me that she and her husband finally got their first cell phone. Another couple of lemmings have joined the crowd on their merry way to the cliff. I only say this because, despite the fact that HTP and I have a cell phone along with two of our kids, some of our friends, some of my family and extended family members as well, I really, really, hate cell phones. Like everything else in life, there are always going to be some persons out there who can't figure out the difference between use and abuse when it comes to cell phones. There are just times cell phones should not be used. Can you imagine being trapped in an airplane with 100 people all talking at the same time on their cell phones? And there are just some people who shouldn't be allowed to own cell phones. I swear it's like giving a beer to an alcoholic. Some people just can't seem to spend one moment without a phone glued to their ear. What in the world do these people have to say and for so long? These same people are noted for plowing into the car in front of them because they're too busy dialing their next victim (the poor person who has to listen to them talk about nothing for untold wasted minutes on their own cell phone) to see that the car in front of them has stopped. These same people, along with those people who have a cigarette in their hands as they drive, rarely use their traffic signals. And then...there are always those people who drive, talk on their cell phones, and smoke. I won't even go into how many of these same people feel that they have to add food and beverages to this mix. Unfortunately, these people are the same people who have trouble doing even one thing at one time much less two or three or more.
So, if I hate cell phones so much, why do I have a cell phone? I have a cell phone so my kids or the rest of my family can reach me in case of an emergency when I'm not at home. I have a cell phone because now that cell phones exist, pay phones have become scarce and more expensive. I have a cell phone so I can call for help if I need help. I have a cell phone for when HTP and I are traveling. I maintain a pay-as-you-go plan with 175 minutes remaining on my phone until I need to add more minutes at the end of this month. Any minutes that I don't use in 90 days "rollover" into my next 90 days when I'll add $10 more to my account so I don't lose any minutes I haven't used up from the previous 90 days. I just keep on amassing more and more of these extra minutes. Barring any change in my phone habits or failure to refill before my time is up, these minutes will last me for the 90 days until my next refill and beyond. I can't figure out why I'd want to pay someone as little as $40 dollars a month to talk 1000 minutes when I can't even use the amount of minutes I already have in 90 days for $10. I really can't imagine talking to anyone for 1000 minutes. Even my daughter. Of course, I do maintain a land line. When I have enough to say to any one person at any given time, I'll wait and use that phone. I can't imagine that anything I have to say that would take up hours to say would have to be said on a cell phone. I suppose if I could get rid of my land line, I could justify a monthly cell phone service as long as we could have two cell phones. HTP and I aren't always joined at the hip, so we'd both need to have a cell phone. So...I think I'll just keep my current cell phone and wait. Maybe they'll make me an offer I can't/won't refuse.
Murphyism of the Day
Cohn's Law
In any bureaucracy, paperwork increases as you spend more and more time reporting on the less and less you are doing. Stability is achieved when you spend all of your time reporting on the nothing that you are doing.
Instigator (n.), do-it-yourself reptile kit. Just add water.
I went to the post office yesterday to send off a letter to my daughter and buy more stamps. A trip to the post office is always a fun people watching activity. What else can one do when they're trapped waiting for their number to be called? Even after the Christmas rush, it was amazing to see all the angry and bored people waiting in line for whatever reason. Why they actually wait in a line is beyond me. They have a number. Of course it might be nice if the USPS provided benches for people to sit on but go hold up a wall and people watch like I do. Actually, I wandered back and forth in front of the stamp wall in an attempt to figure out which stamps I should buy. I didn't think it would be too cool to send Air Force Academy stamps to my daughter at Marine Boot Camp. #1 son didn't think it was a good idea to send Purple Heart stamps either. I ended up buying magnolia blossoms, roses, cranes, clouds and more flags. Variety is the spice of life.
My sister called yesterday to tell me that she and her husband finally got their first cell phone. Another couple of lemmings have joined the crowd on their merry way to the cliff. I only say this because, despite the fact that HTP and I have a cell phone along with two of our kids, some of our friends, some of my family and extended family members as well, I really, really, hate cell phones. Like everything else in life, there are always going to be some persons out there who can't figure out the difference between use and abuse when it comes to cell phones. There are just times cell phones should not be used. Can you imagine being trapped in an airplane with 100 people all talking at the same time on their cell phones? And there are just some people who shouldn't be allowed to own cell phones. I swear it's like giving a beer to an alcoholic. Some people just can't seem to spend one moment without a phone glued to their ear. What in the world do these people have to say and for so long? These same people are noted for plowing into the car in front of them because they're too busy dialing their next victim (the poor person who has to listen to them talk about nothing for untold wasted minutes on their own cell phone) to see that the car in front of them has stopped. These same people, along with those people who have a cigarette in their hands as they drive, rarely use their traffic signals. And then...there are always those people who drive, talk on their cell phones, and smoke. I won't even go into how many of these same people feel that they have to add food and beverages to this mix. Unfortunately, these people are the same people who have trouble doing even one thing at one time much less two or three or more.
So, if I hate cell phones so much, why do I have a cell phone? I have a cell phone so my kids or the rest of my family can reach me in case of an emergency when I'm not at home. I have a cell phone because now that cell phones exist, pay phones have become scarce and more expensive. I have a cell phone so I can call for help if I need help. I have a cell phone for when HTP and I are traveling. I maintain a pay-as-you-go plan with 175 minutes remaining on my phone until I need to add more minutes at the end of this month. Any minutes that I don't use in 90 days "rollover" into my next 90 days when I'll add $10 more to my account so I don't lose any minutes I haven't used up from the previous 90 days. I just keep on amassing more and more of these extra minutes. Barring any change in my phone habits or failure to refill before my time is up, these minutes will last me for the 90 days until my next refill and beyond. I can't figure out why I'd want to pay someone as little as $40 dollars a month to talk 1000 minutes when I can't even use the amount of minutes I already have in 90 days for $10. I really can't imagine talking to anyone for 1000 minutes. Even my daughter. Of course, I do maintain a land line. When I have enough to say to any one person at any given time, I'll wait and use that phone. I can't imagine that anything I have to say that would take up hours to say would have to be said on a cell phone. I suppose if I could get rid of my land line, I could justify a monthly cell phone service as long as we could have two cell phones. HTP and I aren't always joined at the hip, so we'd both need to have a cell phone. So...I think I'll just keep my current cell phone and wait. Maybe they'll make me an offer I can't/won't refuse.
Murphyism of the Day
Cohn's Law
In any bureaucracy, paperwork increases as you spend more and more time reporting on the less and less you are doing. Stability is achieved when you spend all of your time reporting on the nothing that you are doing.
Thursday, January 13, 2005
Word of the Day
Gargoyle (n.), an olive-flavored mouthwash.
I feel like I'm in a holding pattern somewhere between here and there. I love having my son here for a visit, as a matter of fact we're taking him out for lunch today for a calzone fix. We only have him here for another couple of days. I have all kinds of things that I want to do...after he's gone. This isn't to say that I'm anxious to have him leave. I'm not. I'll miss him after he leaves. It just means that I'm in a holding pattern. But on the bright side, I'll have something to do after he leaves to keep me busy and out of trouble. I never got a chance to finish decorating my guest/library/craft room. I have boxes of stuff out in the garage that whisper to me every time I'm out there. These things can wait. I plan to enjoy my son while he's here.
We've also been eating out...a lot. Too much. I still haven't checked out the exercise machines at the recreation center. I have to sign up to learn how to use the machines and they actually will design a personalized exercise program for me but I have to actually go over there to do this. I wonder what excuse I'll think of next that will prevent me from doing this?
Murphyism of the Day
First Rule of Negative Anticipation
You will save yourself a lot of needless worry if you don't burn your bridges until you come to them.
Gargoyle (n.), an olive-flavored mouthwash.
I feel like I'm in a holding pattern somewhere between here and there. I love having my son here for a visit, as a matter of fact we're taking him out for lunch today for a calzone fix. We only have him here for another couple of days. I have all kinds of things that I want to do...after he's gone. This isn't to say that I'm anxious to have him leave. I'm not. I'll miss him after he leaves. It just means that I'm in a holding pattern. But on the bright side, I'll have something to do after he leaves to keep me busy and out of trouble. I never got a chance to finish decorating my guest/library/craft room. I have boxes of stuff out in the garage that whisper to me every time I'm out there. These things can wait. I plan to enjoy my son while he's here.
We've also been eating out...a lot. Too much. I still haven't checked out the exercise machines at the recreation center. I have to sign up to learn how to use the machines and they actually will design a personalized exercise program for me but I have to actually go over there to do this. I wonder what excuse I'll think of next that will prevent me from doing this?
Murphyism of the Day
First Rule of Negative Anticipation
You will save yourself a lot of needless worry if you don't burn your bridges until you come to them.
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
Word of the Day
Lymph (v.), to walk with a lisp.
Is it just me? Am I bit testy this week? Am I being too sensitive? HTP seems to think so even though I just can't see it. Maybe I'm just being too defensive. Maybe HTP is just psychic or too sensitive about what I might be thinking at any given time. This morning I got up around 7 AM. This isn't at all unusual. I let the dogs out and back inside and fed them. Meanwhile I heated up a cup of yesterday's coffee for myself, washed the pot, prepped and made a fresh pot. HTP slumbered on, peacefully. I went out in front and brought in the newspaper. I straightened and cleaned the kitchen. I was heading back to the bedroom to turn on my computer and get the dirty laundry from the closet when HTP asks me if #1 son had left his laundry out for me. An innocent enough question really. But it could have been interpreted as, "Don't forget to do the laundry today." I never did get around to doing the laundry yesterday because we spent most of the day away from the house. I didn't really interpret HTP's question in this fashion. I just told him that #1 son had indeed left his laundry out for me. Since I'd asked HTP to remind #1 son to leave out his dirty laundry last night, I expected no less. I dragged the laundry cart out of the closet and proceeded to sort the laundry and start the first load. HTP reminded me that there was a pair of his socks and a shirt that I'd forgotten. They weren't in the laundry cart, they were lying on the floor...but OK. If I'm going to do laundry, I'd just as soon do all the laundry in a logical fashion with entire loads of dark clothes, entire loads of whites, entire loads of jeans...etc. Not bits and pieces here and there. HTP was just being helpful. After I started that first load of laundry, I noticed that HTP was up and washing up. I headed for my computer to check my mail. HTP inquired, "Shall we have breakfast?" OK. But first I wanted to turn on my computer and check my e-mail. I always make breakfast. Actually, I thought the way that HTP asked me to make breakfast was a fair attempt at being diplomatic. I suppose things were starting to grate at me because I hadn't even had one fresh cup of coffee as yet. I didn't say anything. I checked my mail and then proceeded to make breakfast. What to make? There aren't too many options if you happen to be on a diet. I decided to make egg white omelots. We usually eat our omelot with homemade salsa. I noted that we'd used up all the fresh salsa so I took out all the ingredients and made fresh salsa to go with our omelots. This doesn't take too long because I prepare and "can" what I refer to as Salsa Mix and just have to add fresh ingredients when we want fresh salsa. Fresh green onion, fresh chopped cilantro and fresh raw tomatoes. After this, I made the omelots and toast for our breakfast. HTP did comment that the salsa tasted really good. I thanked him for the compliment. So after breakfast, I started clearing off the breakfast dishes. I cleared up all the cooking debris and I was in the process of loading the dishwasher when HTP, in the process of adding creamer to his second cup of coffee, tells me that we're out of creamer. I told him that I'd purchased some and would refill the container in a bit. Then HTP asks me, "Are you going to wash the dishes?" I didn't lose it. I asked myself, "Am I being too sensitive? Can't he see that I'm loading the dishwasher? Can't he see that the dishwasher is full? " I told him that I planned to start the dishes. I didn't snap...at least I don't think I snapped. I just said that I was going to start the dishes. HTP gave me a look that I can only interpret as, "Walk with care. My wife is unreasonably testy this morning." He wandered off with his coffee to read the newspaper in the living room. I put soap in the dishwasher, started the dishes, and refilled the empty creamer container. I didn't say anything...I haven't said anything...I won't say anything. Whenever I've said anything I've been made to feel that I'm overly sensitive. PMS? Menopause? The first load of laundry was done so I transferred this load to the dryer and started another load. After this I decided that I needed to vent or I'd blow up or implode. See? I'm venting. I'm blogging. Maybe I am suffering from menopausal symtoms this morning. Could be. Probably, but I don't have time to think about that right now. Time to fold the laundry.
Murphyism of the Day
Dingle's Law
When someone drops something, everybody will kick it around instead of picking it up.
Old Grey Frog's Corollary on Dingle's Law
When someone drops something, everybody will kick it around until Old Grey Frog picks it up.
Lymph (v.), to walk with a lisp.
Is it just me? Am I bit testy this week? Am I being too sensitive? HTP seems to think so even though I just can't see it. Maybe I'm just being too defensive. Maybe HTP is just psychic or too sensitive about what I might be thinking at any given time. This morning I got up around 7 AM. This isn't at all unusual. I let the dogs out and back inside and fed them. Meanwhile I heated up a cup of yesterday's coffee for myself, washed the pot, prepped and made a fresh pot. HTP slumbered on, peacefully. I went out in front and brought in the newspaper. I straightened and cleaned the kitchen. I was heading back to the bedroom to turn on my computer and get the dirty laundry from the closet when HTP asks me if #1 son had left his laundry out for me. An innocent enough question really. But it could have been interpreted as, "Don't forget to do the laundry today." I never did get around to doing the laundry yesterday because we spent most of the day away from the house. I didn't really interpret HTP's question in this fashion. I just told him that #1 son had indeed left his laundry out for me. Since I'd asked HTP to remind #1 son to leave out his dirty laundry last night, I expected no less. I dragged the laundry cart out of the closet and proceeded to sort the laundry and start the first load. HTP reminded me that there was a pair of his socks and a shirt that I'd forgotten. They weren't in the laundry cart, they were lying on the floor...but OK. If I'm going to do laundry, I'd just as soon do all the laundry in a logical fashion with entire loads of dark clothes, entire loads of whites, entire loads of jeans...etc. Not bits and pieces here and there. HTP was just being helpful. After I started that first load of laundry, I noticed that HTP was up and washing up. I headed for my computer to check my mail. HTP inquired, "Shall we have breakfast?" OK. But first I wanted to turn on my computer and check my e-mail. I always make breakfast. Actually, I thought the way that HTP asked me to make breakfast was a fair attempt at being diplomatic. I suppose things were starting to grate at me because I hadn't even had one fresh cup of coffee as yet. I didn't say anything. I checked my mail and then proceeded to make breakfast. What to make? There aren't too many options if you happen to be on a diet. I decided to make egg white omelots. We usually eat our omelot with homemade salsa. I noted that we'd used up all the fresh salsa so I took out all the ingredients and made fresh salsa to go with our omelots. This doesn't take too long because I prepare and "can" what I refer to as Salsa Mix and just have to add fresh ingredients when we want fresh salsa. Fresh green onion, fresh chopped cilantro and fresh raw tomatoes. After this, I made the omelots and toast for our breakfast. HTP did comment that the salsa tasted really good. I thanked him for the compliment. So after breakfast, I started clearing off the breakfast dishes. I cleared up all the cooking debris and I was in the process of loading the dishwasher when HTP, in the process of adding creamer to his second cup of coffee, tells me that we're out of creamer. I told him that I'd purchased some and would refill the container in a bit. Then HTP asks me, "Are you going to wash the dishes?" I didn't lose it. I asked myself, "Am I being too sensitive? Can't he see that I'm loading the dishwasher? Can't he see that the dishwasher is full? " I told him that I planned to start the dishes. I didn't snap...at least I don't think I snapped. I just said that I was going to start the dishes. HTP gave me a look that I can only interpret as, "Walk with care. My wife is unreasonably testy this morning." He wandered off with his coffee to read the newspaper in the living room. I put soap in the dishwasher, started the dishes, and refilled the empty creamer container. I didn't say anything...I haven't said anything...I won't say anything. Whenever I've said anything I've been made to feel that I'm overly sensitive. PMS? Menopause? The first load of laundry was done so I transferred this load to the dryer and started another load. After this I decided that I needed to vent or I'd blow up or implode. See? I'm venting. I'm blogging. Maybe I am suffering from menopausal symtoms this morning. Could be. Probably, but I don't have time to think about that right now. Time to fold the laundry.
Murphyism of the Day
Dingle's Law
When someone drops something, everybody will kick it around instead of picking it up.
Old Grey Frog's Corollary on Dingle's Law
When someone drops something, everybody will kick it around until Old Grey Frog picks it up.
Tuesday, January 11, 2005
Word of the Day
Semantics (n.), pranks conducted by young men studying for the priesthood.
It's Tuesday so this must be laundry day. I was going to wait and do laundry on Friday so #1 son wouldn't have to go home with a suitcase full of dirty clothes on Saturday. When this option was proposed, I was informed by #1 son that he needed clean clothes NOW. OK. So now I'll be doing laundry today AND Friday. I suppose I could send #1 son home with a suitcase full of dirty laundry, thus forcing him to do his own laundry at his dorm, but what would be the fun in that?
I made prime rib for supper last night. The smoke detector in our house went off. I did not burn or otherwise overcook the prime rib. There was a bit of smoke but none that I noticed. Just regular cooking smoke. We turned on some fans and opened a window. Our house here is pretty small and the smoke detectors were being a bit sensitive.
Before and after Christmas I've been receiving all kinds of sale catalogs in the mail. I have no idea why I've been magically added to their lists. I don't really mind because they make great bathroom reading. I actually received two catalogs from which I'm itching order stuff. Gardening. Plants. Vegetable seeds. I'm going to have to wait on those but I've been earmarking them. I don't want to order any of this stuff for here in Arizona. I want to order this stuff for when I get back to Wisconsin. Anyway, both catalogs (different vendors) promise me that if I buy $25 worth of their stuff, they will give me $25 worth of their stuff. Sounds good to me. It looks like both vendors have more then reasonable prices too so I may end up spending the entire summer planting stuff. Note to self: Just as we should Remember the Alamo, we should Remember the Bulb Incident. I bought an inordinate amount of bulbs last fall and by the time I had them all planted, it took me days to recover. Anyway, not all the catalogs that come in the mail are tempting to me. I just threw one catalog away after taking one look at the prices. Geez! There is no way that I would ever pay $200 for a soap dispenser and it wasn't even gold or encrusted with diamonds.
Making a Marine Update
I finally received a mailing address for my daughter in boot camp. Yeah! I have a backlog of letters to send her but I plan to restrain myself. Only two letters a day until the backlog is no longer. I was warned that we shouldn't do anything to draw attention down upon her head. No fluffy stuffed animals. No baked goods. No flowers. No postcards that may be read out loud to everyone and their DI (Drill Instructor).
Murphyism of the Day
Spencer's Laws of Data
1. Anyone can make a decision given enough facts.
2. A good manager can make a decision without enough facts.
3. A perfect manager can operate in perfect ignorance.
Semantics (n.), pranks conducted by young men studying for the priesthood.
It's Tuesday so this must be laundry day. I was going to wait and do laundry on Friday so #1 son wouldn't have to go home with a suitcase full of dirty clothes on Saturday. When this option was proposed, I was informed by #1 son that he needed clean clothes NOW. OK. So now I'll be doing laundry today AND Friday. I suppose I could send #1 son home with a suitcase full of dirty laundry, thus forcing him to do his own laundry at his dorm, but what would be the fun in that?
I made prime rib for supper last night. The smoke detector in our house went off. I did not burn or otherwise overcook the prime rib. There was a bit of smoke but none that I noticed. Just regular cooking smoke. We turned on some fans and opened a window. Our house here is pretty small and the smoke detectors were being a bit sensitive.
Before and after Christmas I've been receiving all kinds of sale catalogs in the mail. I have no idea why I've been magically added to their lists. I don't really mind because they make great bathroom reading. I actually received two catalogs from which I'm itching order stuff. Gardening. Plants. Vegetable seeds. I'm going to have to wait on those but I've been earmarking them. I don't want to order any of this stuff for here in Arizona. I want to order this stuff for when I get back to Wisconsin. Anyway, both catalogs (different vendors) promise me that if I buy $25 worth of their stuff, they will give me $25 worth of their stuff. Sounds good to me. It looks like both vendors have more then reasonable prices too so I may end up spending the entire summer planting stuff. Note to self: Just as we should Remember the Alamo, we should Remember the Bulb Incident. I bought an inordinate amount of bulbs last fall and by the time I had them all planted, it took me days to recover. Anyway, not all the catalogs that come in the mail are tempting to me. I just threw one catalog away after taking one look at the prices. Geez! There is no way that I would ever pay $200 for a soap dispenser and it wasn't even gold or encrusted with diamonds.
Making a Marine Update
I finally received a mailing address for my daughter in boot camp. Yeah! I have a backlog of letters to send her but I plan to restrain myself. Only two letters a day until the backlog is no longer. I was warned that we shouldn't do anything to draw attention down upon her head. No fluffy stuffed animals. No baked goods. No flowers. No postcards that may be read out loud to everyone and their DI (Drill Instructor).
Murphyism of the Day
Spencer's Laws of Data
1. Anyone can make a decision given enough facts.
2. A good manager can make a decision without enough facts.
3. A perfect manager can operate in perfect ignorance.
Monday, January 10, 2005
Word of the Day
Innuendo (n.) and Italian suppository.
It's pitiful when you can't think of one thing to write about. A total blank. And then you end up writing about not knowing what to write about. In the middle of the night I thought about something to write, but now I can't remember. This is probably just as well because middle of the night ideas are usually a result of some strange dream that makes no sense when they hit the light of day. I mean one night I had this weird dream about a snake. A cobra. A black cobra. I killed it but not before it bit my dog who was trying to protect us all and if you knew either of my dogs you'd realize how silly this part of the dream really was. And then I dream all this weird stuff about wondering how I'm going to find out where the bite is located and then it's obvious because all her hair magically disappears over that area where the bite is located and then I'm nursing my dog back to health and she lives despite the fact that logically a tiny chihuahua wouldn't have survived more then a second from a cobra's poison much less the time it would have taken me to get her to the vet. On top of this, do cobras actually bite like rattlesnakes? And everyone in my dream tells me that there are no cobras here in Arizona. But then someone in my dream points out that there is some rare cobra here in Arizona and it's black. So you see? I'm surprised I even remembered the dream and as for using it in a blog? How silly!
Murphyism of the Day
Loftus' Theory on Personnel Recruitment
1. Faraway talent always seems better than home-developed talent.
2. Personnel recruiting is a triumph of hope over experience.
Innuendo (n.) and Italian suppository.
It's pitiful when you can't think of one thing to write about. A total blank. And then you end up writing about not knowing what to write about. In the middle of the night I thought about something to write, but now I can't remember. This is probably just as well because middle of the night ideas are usually a result of some strange dream that makes no sense when they hit the light of day. I mean one night I had this weird dream about a snake. A cobra. A black cobra. I killed it but not before it bit my dog who was trying to protect us all and if you knew either of my dogs you'd realize how silly this part of the dream really was. And then I dream all this weird stuff about wondering how I'm going to find out where the bite is located and then it's obvious because all her hair magically disappears over that area where the bite is located and then I'm nursing my dog back to health and she lives despite the fact that logically a tiny chihuahua wouldn't have survived more then a second from a cobra's poison much less the time it would have taken me to get her to the vet. On top of this, do cobras actually bite like rattlesnakes? And everyone in my dream tells me that there are no cobras here in Arizona. But then someone in my dream points out that there is some rare cobra here in Arizona and it's black. So you see? I'm surprised I even remembered the dream and as for using it in a blog? How silly!
Murphyism of the Day
Loftus' Theory on Personnel Recruitment
1. Faraway talent always seems better than home-developed talent.
2. Personnel recruiting is a triumph of hope over experience.
Sunday, January 09, 2005
Word of the Day
Balderdash (n.), rapidly receding hairline.
My computer was attacked. It was invaded. Someone slipped in my backdoor and left a trojan on my computer. My Norton didn't catch it. My SpyBot didn't catch it. I only discovered that something was wrong when I tried to play my Sun Poker game...a free video poker game offered by the Sun newspapers from Minnesota played online. Everytime I tried to log on, I would end up a offshore casino site. I didn't want to go there. I never imagined that the problems I was having were coming from an intruder inside my own computer. I even wrote the Sun newspaper people, thinking that they might be having problems. Unfortunately, this wasn't the case. I was the only one that was having problems. I updated my Norton and guess what? A trojan was found. Of course, this was only the beginning. We couldn't seem to remove the bugger. It kept coming back and we didn't have the time to fix it because we were late for the party over at our neighbors' house.
The party was great fun. We had smoked turkey and all the fixings. There were actually five other people there with my first name. It was funny. Anytime our name was mentioned, we'd all respond. An indication of how much fun we were having was that I forgot all about the trojan sitting on my computer and the fact that my son was using our one and only car. I didn't surface until HTP pointed out that it had already reached the advanced hour of10 PM. I am not a late owl. 10 PM is the hour in which I tend to turn into a pumpkin, especially if I'd only slept 3 hours the night before.
When we got home, HTP immediately resumed work on my computer. When #1 son returned with our car, he joined in the frey. I went to bed. The pumpkin thing. At around 3 AM, I was awakened and told that my men had succeeded in their mission. They had slayed the dragon. I no longer have that sneaky trojan in my computer and I can again enjoy my Sun Poker game. I used to be a bit leary of opening emails from friends who forward funnies as attachments. I'll be even more so from now on. Unfortunately, I've been searching for funnies to cut and paste onto snailmail letters to my daughter while she's in boot camp. I guess I'll just have to be selective when I seek to find my "funnies" from now on. No more forwarded emails in the form of attachments. Beware! This be where trojans dwell.
Murphyism of the Day
Whistler's Law
You never know who's right, but you always know who's in charge.
Balderdash (n.), rapidly receding hairline.
My computer was attacked. It was invaded. Someone slipped in my backdoor and left a trojan on my computer. My Norton didn't catch it. My SpyBot didn't catch it. I only discovered that something was wrong when I tried to play my Sun Poker game...a free video poker game offered by the Sun newspapers from Minnesota played online. Everytime I tried to log on, I would end up a offshore casino site. I didn't want to go there. I never imagined that the problems I was having were coming from an intruder inside my own computer. I even wrote the Sun newspaper people, thinking that they might be having problems. Unfortunately, this wasn't the case. I was the only one that was having problems. I updated my Norton and guess what? A trojan was found. Of course, this was only the beginning. We couldn't seem to remove the bugger. It kept coming back and we didn't have the time to fix it because we were late for the party over at our neighbors' house.
The party was great fun. We had smoked turkey and all the fixings. There were actually five other people there with my first name. It was funny. Anytime our name was mentioned, we'd all respond. An indication of how much fun we were having was that I forgot all about the trojan sitting on my computer and the fact that my son was using our one and only car. I didn't surface until HTP pointed out that it had already reached the advanced hour of10 PM. I am not a late owl. 10 PM is the hour in which I tend to turn into a pumpkin, especially if I'd only slept 3 hours the night before.
When we got home, HTP immediately resumed work on my computer. When #1 son returned with our car, he joined in the frey. I went to bed. The pumpkin thing. At around 3 AM, I was awakened and told that my men had succeeded in their mission. They had slayed the dragon. I no longer have that sneaky trojan in my computer and I can again enjoy my Sun Poker game. I used to be a bit leary of opening emails from friends who forward funnies as attachments. I'll be even more so from now on. Unfortunately, I've been searching for funnies to cut and paste onto snailmail letters to my daughter while she's in boot camp. I guess I'll just have to be selective when I seek to find my "funnies" from now on. No more forwarded emails in the form of attachments. Beware! This be where trojans dwell.
Murphyism of the Day
Whistler's Law
You never know who's right, but you always know who's in charge.
Saturday, January 08, 2005
Word of the Day
Flabbergasted (adj.), appalled over how much weight you've gained.
Despite the fact that I stayed up way too late last night and into the morning, I got up way too early this morning. Total hours sleep? Maybe two. Why? I picked up a book the other day at the store. I really tried not to read it right away. I lasted three whole days. I picked this book up with such good intentions last night. I'd read only one chapter. One chapter and I'd put it down. I am such an addict when it comes to reading. If books were food, I'd be in real trouble when it comes to dieting. I'd weigh a ton or even more. Just like the Lay's Potato Chip commercial where this poor shlub can't just eat one Lay's Potato Chip, I never can sit down and read just one chapter even if I'm reading a book for the third time. Sometimes I even read the same book...over the years...six or seven or countless times. It's a rare experience if you see me actually get rid of a book, much to HTP's disgust. Please note that any book I get rid of wasn't worth reading in the first place. Please note that I read every book that I get my hands on at least one time from cover to finish even if it isn't worth reading. So what did I expect? This was a brand new, Old Grey Frog's never read this book, book. OK. I finished the book and it's too soon to read it again. Worse still? I won't have anything new to read for a while. One of my favorite authors has something coming out at the end of this month and then I think another has something coming out at the end of February. And on top of everything I'm tired and I don't dare take a nap. From past experience, I know that if I do force myself to actually take a nap, I'll wake up feeling yucky. I don't function well after naps. I walk around in what I imagine looks like a drug-induced fog. HTP and are going over the neighbors' house for supper tonight. I don't want to go over there looking like I just got back from the dentist and the valium hasn't worn off yet.
Least you think I spent the whole or yesterday reading, I should tell you that before I picked up the book which kept me up all night, I packed away the rest of my Christmas decorations. Even the cookie tins. I also took #1 son out shopping. HTP was smart. He stayed home. HTP knows it's best to leave the shopping to experts. I took #1 son to DSW, a shoe warehouse, and got him two pairs of shoes. I even bought a pair of shoes for myself. We then proceeded to Target. We purchased more stuff. After this we went to the Chandler Fashion Mall. #1 son needed a winter coat. We saw a couple nice ones at Robinson-May that were nice but proceeded on to Dillard's where we saw another nice coat. Keeping these coats in mind, #1 son found some nice cologne which we purchased and a couple of 50% off after-Christmas bargains. After checking out the coat situation at Nordstrums, we returned to Dillards and purchased the coat that #1 son preferred there. And then we had to buy some gloves to go with the coat. On our way home...it was dark by this time, we decided to check out another Target for a t-shirt that wasn't in stock at the first Target. We found the t-shirt at the second Target along with some Scotch Tape refills and a red tablecloth for my dining room table. Valentine's Day is the next holiday. Upon returning to the house, #1 son headed out with our car to meet with friends, I whipped up some supper for HTP and myself, and I cleared off the dining room table and re-dressed it for Valentine's Day. Early, but now I can enjoy it a while before I have to change it for St. Patrick's Day. I played Pogo for a while after that until around 10 PM. It's only at this point that I picked up that book with such good intentions. One chapter? Hah!
Murphyism of the Day
Loftus' Law of Management
Some people manage by the book, even though they don't know who wrote the book or even what the book is.
Flabbergasted (adj.), appalled over how much weight you've gained.
Despite the fact that I stayed up way too late last night and into the morning, I got up way too early this morning. Total hours sleep? Maybe two. Why? I picked up a book the other day at the store. I really tried not to read it right away. I lasted three whole days. I picked this book up with such good intentions last night. I'd read only one chapter. One chapter and I'd put it down. I am such an addict when it comes to reading. If books were food, I'd be in real trouble when it comes to dieting. I'd weigh a ton or even more. Just like the Lay's Potato Chip commercial where this poor shlub can't just eat one Lay's Potato Chip, I never can sit down and read just one chapter even if I'm reading a book for the third time. Sometimes I even read the same book...over the years...six or seven or countless times. It's a rare experience if you see me actually get rid of a book, much to HTP's disgust. Please note that any book I get rid of wasn't worth reading in the first place. Please note that I read every book that I get my hands on at least one time from cover to finish even if it isn't worth reading. So what did I expect? This was a brand new, Old Grey Frog's never read this book, book. OK. I finished the book and it's too soon to read it again. Worse still? I won't have anything new to read for a while. One of my favorite authors has something coming out at the end of this month and then I think another has something coming out at the end of February. And on top of everything I'm tired and I don't dare take a nap. From past experience, I know that if I do force myself to actually take a nap, I'll wake up feeling yucky. I don't function well after naps. I walk around in what I imagine looks like a drug-induced fog. HTP and are going over the neighbors' house for supper tonight. I don't want to go over there looking like I just got back from the dentist and the valium hasn't worn off yet.
Least you think I spent the whole or yesterday reading, I should tell you that before I picked up the book which kept me up all night, I packed away the rest of my Christmas decorations. Even the cookie tins. I also took #1 son out shopping. HTP was smart. He stayed home. HTP knows it's best to leave the shopping to experts. I took #1 son to DSW, a shoe warehouse, and got him two pairs of shoes. I even bought a pair of shoes for myself. We then proceeded to Target. We purchased more stuff. After this we went to the Chandler Fashion Mall. #1 son needed a winter coat. We saw a couple nice ones at Robinson-May that were nice but proceeded on to Dillard's where we saw another nice coat. Keeping these coats in mind, #1 son found some nice cologne which we purchased and a couple of 50% off after-Christmas bargains. After checking out the coat situation at Nordstrums, we returned to Dillards and purchased the coat that #1 son preferred there. And then we had to buy some gloves to go with the coat. On our way home...it was dark by this time, we decided to check out another Target for a t-shirt that wasn't in stock at the first Target. We found the t-shirt at the second Target along with some Scotch Tape refills and a red tablecloth for my dining room table. Valentine's Day is the next holiday. Upon returning to the house, #1 son headed out with our car to meet with friends, I whipped up some supper for HTP and myself, and I cleared off the dining room table and re-dressed it for Valentine's Day. Early, but now I can enjoy it a while before I have to change it for St. Patrick's Day. I played Pogo for a while after that until around 10 PM. It's only at this point that I picked up that book with such good intentions. One chapter? Hah!
Murphyism of the Day
Loftus' Law of Management
Some people manage by the book, even though they don't know who wrote the book or even what the book is.
Friday, January 07, 2005
Word of the Day
Mortar (n.), what tobacco companies add to cigarettes.
I've started to put away Christmas. Yesterday I managed to put away everything (almost) but the snowglobes. It's kind of like and Easter egg hunt. HTP quipped that I'd still be finding stuff that I'd forgotten at Easter. I'm trying to avoid this prospect. Already I've found a few more things that I'll have to add to boxes that I thought I was finished with. You'd think with a small house like this, I wouldn't have so much trouble. I guess Christmas just doesn't want to leave.
I was outside this morning because I had to add a bit more water to the fountain so I could turn it on. We still haven't had a chance to buy any goldfish for our fountain. And needless to say, HTP still hasn't rigged up an autofill for it. Anyway, while I was outside, I checked on my tomato plants that are growing in my container gardens. I have ripe tomatoes. Woohoo! Salad tonight. Rabbit food and leftover turkey from Christmas. It's OK still because I froze the leftovers while we were in Vegas. I can't think of one person who might be fond of Sam and Ella.
It sounds like we may be having turkey (freshly cooked) tomorrow night at our neighbors house. They invited us to a supper party. I think I'll bring them a small bottle of my wild raspberry liqeuer but first I'll have to go out and buy a bottle. Right now I have it stored in a quart canning jar and I don't think that looks giftable. HTP and I will have to clean and clear so we can have the next dinner party. I want to have an Italian meal and HTP and I want to try our hand at making homemade Italian sausage. Anyway, this will have to wait until after #1 son has gone back to the frozen northlands of Minnesota.
Making a Marine Update
We haven't heard anything new. I did get a call from BTP (our daughter's boy-type-person...boyfriend) last night. He's fine and looking after the kiddies (three cats that my daughter has adopted over the years). He also told me that he was going to try and stop by to see the my daughter's horse today.
I downloaded a Training Matrix for Parris Island off the net. If this schedule (matrix) is followed, Mink (our daughter) will be running, crunching and hanging today. She'll do a timed run (the goal by the time she graduates would be 21-31 minutes for a three mile run...but I think they'll start them out for a 1 1/2 mile run in less then 15 minutes). They'll count how many crunches she can do (eventually she'll have to do 50-100 but I don't know what they expect for this first go-round) and they'll time how long she can do a flexed-arm hang (15-70 seconds). After these tests, they'll decide to which plattoon she'll be assigned. When the recruiter tested her on these things before she left and wasn't subjected to sleep deprivation and endless inactivity, her scores were:
Flexed Armhang: 50 seconds
Crunches: 75 in two minutes
1.5 mile run: 12.5 minutes
Murphyism of the Day
Weinberg's Law
Progress is made on alternate Fridays.
Mortar (n.), what tobacco companies add to cigarettes.
I've started to put away Christmas. Yesterday I managed to put away everything (almost) but the snowglobes. It's kind of like and Easter egg hunt. HTP quipped that I'd still be finding stuff that I'd forgotten at Easter. I'm trying to avoid this prospect. Already I've found a few more things that I'll have to add to boxes that I thought I was finished with. You'd think with a small house like this, I wouldn't have so much trouble. I guess Christmas just doesn't want to leave.
I was outside this morning because I had to add a bit more water to the fountain so I could turn it on. We still haven't had a chance to buy any goldfish for our fountain. And needless to say, HTP still hasn't rigged up an autofill for it. Anyway, while I was outside, I checked on my tomato plants that are growing in my container gardens. I have ripe tomatoes. Woohoo! Salad tonight. Rabbit food and leftover turkey from Christmas. It's OK still because I froze the leftovers while we were in Vegas. I can't think of one person who might be fond of Sam and Ella.
It sounds like we may be having turkey (freshly cooked) tomorrow night at our neighbors house. They invited us to a supper party. I think I'll bring them a small bottle of my wild raspberry liqeuer but first I'll have to go out and buy a bottle. Right now I have it stored in a quart canning jar and I don't think that looks giftable. HTP and I will have to clean and clear so we can have the next dinner party. I want to have an Italian meal and HTP and I want to try our hand at making homemade Italian sausage. Anyway, this will have to wait until after #1 son has gone back to the frozen northlands of Minnesota.
Making a Marine Update
We haven't heard anything new. I did get a call from BTP (our daughter's boy-type-person...boyfriend) last night. He's fine and looking after the kiddies (three cats that my daughter has adopted over the years). He also told me that he was going to try and stop by to see the my daughter's horse today.
I downloaded a Training Matrix for Parris Island off the net. If this schedule (matrix) is followed, Mink (our daughter) will be running, crunching and hanging today. She'll do a timed run (the goal by the time she graduates would be 21-31 minutes for a three mile run...but I think they'll start them out for a 1 1/2 mile run in less then 15 minutes). They'll count how many crunches she can do (eventually she'll have to do 50-100 but I don't know what they expect for this first go-round) and they'll time how long she can do a flexed-arm hang (15-70 seconds). After these tests, they'll decide to which plattoon she'll be assigned. When the recruiter tested her on these things before she left and wasn't subjected to sleep deprivation and endless inactivity, her scores were:
Flexed Armhang: 50 seconds
Crunches: 75 in two minutes
1.5 mile run: 12.5 minutes
Murphyism of the Day
Weinberg's Law
Progress is made on alternate Fridays.
Thursday, January 06, 2005
Word of the Day
Unroll (n.), a breadstick
It's sunny outside but cold. Right now it's 39°F. I don't plan to go outside but if I do I'll have to dig out my coat. I'm not a wimp. I grew up in a far more frigid place. That doesn't mean that I have to like it. All my neighbors who are here because they don't want to be there are complaining now about how cold it is here. I'm here because it's far colder there then here. I just feel bad because #1 son is here for only another week and he was hoping for a bit of warmth so he could thaw out from the weather back there before he has to return to the weather back there.
I may try and take down my Christmas stuff today. Maybe. It's starting to look a bit silly now that Christmas and New Year's are over. I made steaks on the grill for supper last night. We had to eat in the dining room because my kitchen table only seats four (we had five) and I didn't even bother to change out the Christmas tablecloth and runner. How lazy is that? I wish I'd been able to find a nice red tablecloth instead of the green and then I could've told everyone that I'm ahead of the game for Valentine's Day. If I'd removed the Christmas runner, I suppose I could have told everyone that I was ahead of the game for St. Patrick's Day but I suppose the wreath on the front door and the green carriage lights and the Christmas tree might have told another story.
Making of a Marine Update
We were surprised that we were allowed to talk to our daughter this morning. Early this morning. I was awake when the phone rang. One of the doctors wanted to clarify some of her medical history and asked if we'd had a chance to talk to her since she'd gotten to camp. When I said that we hadn't, he allowed us the opportunity. Surprised us and her I think. She's just fine. She sounded a bit tired but that's to be expected. HTP said that she told him that she hadn't slept yet. She told me that they would be doing the PTI (at least I think that's what she called it) on Friday. I don't know what they call it but I do know it's where they test the recruits on their timed run, their flexed armhang and the crunches. I won't wish her luck. I'll just wish her stamina and strength. That which doesn't kill us makes us stronger.
Murphyism of the Day
Tuccille's Law of Reality
Industry always moves in to fill an economic vacuum.
Unroll (n.), a breadstick
It's sunny outside but cold. Right now it's 39°F. I don't plan to go outside but if I do I'll have to dig out my coat. I'm not a wimp. I grew up in a far more frigid place. That doesn't mean that I have to like it. All my neighbors who are here because they don't want to be there are complaining now about how cold it is here. I'm here because it's far colder there then here. I just feel bad because #1 son is here for only another week and he was hoping for a bit of warmth so he could thaw out from the weather back there before he has to return to the weather back there.
I may try and take down my Christmas stuff today. Maybe. It's starting to look a bit silly now that Christmas and New Year's are over. I made steaks on the grill for supper last night. We had to eat in the dining room because my kitchen table only seats four (we had five) and I didn't even bother to change out the Christmas tablecloth and runner. How lazy is that? I wish I'd been able to find a nice red tablecloth instead of the green and then I could've told everyone that I'm ahead of the game for Valentine's Day. If I'd removed the Christmas runner, I suppose I could have told everyone that I was ahead of the game for St. Patrick's Day but I suppose the wreath on the front door and the green carriage lights and the Christmas tree might have told another story.
Making of a Marine Update
We were surprised that we were allowed to talk to our daughter this morning. Early this morning. I was awake when the phone rang. One of the doctors wanted to clarify some of her medical history and asked if we'd had a chance to talk to her since she'd gotten to camp. When I said that we hadn't, he allowed us the opportunity. Surprised us and her I think. She's just fine. She sounded a bit tired but that's to be expected. HTP said that she told him that she hadn't slept yet. She told me that they would be doing the PTI (at least I think that's what she called it) on Friday. I don't know what they call it but I do know it's where they test the recruits on their timed run, their flexed armhang and the crunches. I won't wish her luck. I'll just wish her stamina and strength. That which doesn't kill us makes us stronger.
Murphyism of the Day
Tuccille's Law of Reality
Industry always moves in to fill an economic vacuum.
Wednesday, January 05, 2005
Word of the Day
Esplanade (v.), to attempt an explanation while drunk.
As I listened to the radio this morning, I heard the talkshow host tell me that the bright shiny object in the sky is the sun. It's finally stopped raining. And then the doorbell rang. I slept in today. This is a rare event for me. It was unfortunate that this was the morning the Orkin man was coming. He comes on the first Wednesday of the month. My 2004 calendar was all marked for these monthly visits. I didn't mark my 2005 calendar yet. I threw on my jeans and answered the door. HTP grumbled. #1 son mumbled. I told Mr. Orkin to treat the outside first and then I dug my men out of their comfy beds. HTP grumbled but headed for his in house office and his computer. #1 son threw on pajamas and turned on his laptop. I made coffee. By the time Mr. Orkin finished up the outside, all was pretty much ready for him to treat the inside. I even had time to replace my nightshirt with a real shirt. I am now marking my 2005 calendar. I hate having to jump out of bed in the morning at a faster rate then I want to jump out of bed in the morning.
Making of a Marine Update
For those of you who haven't read the updates on Mink's blog, my daughter Mink arrived at Parris Island in the wee hours of the morning. Better late then later. She was delayed by mistakes made on her paperwork and weather. Her one phone call was made to the one person she knew would pass the information on to the most people. Friends and family. Her boyfriend. She'll be sending her mailing address to him in three to five days and he's promised to pass it on to me and I'll pass it on...but not in my blog. No food or bulky packages.
Murphyism of the Day
Wiker's Law
Government expands to absorb revenue and then some.
Esplanade (v.), to attempt an explanation while drunk.
As I listened to the radio this morning, I heard the talkshow host tell me that the bright shiny object in the sky is the sun. It's finally stopped raining. And then the doorbell rang. I slept in today. This is a rare event for me. It was unfortunate that this was the morning the Orkin man was coming. He comes on the first Wednesday of the month. My 2004 calendar was all marked for these monthly visits. I didn't mark my 2005 calendar yet. I threw on my jeans and answered the door. HTP grumbled. #1 son mumbled. I told Mr. Orkin to treat the outside first and then I dug my men out of their comfy beds. HTP grumbled but headed for his in house office and his computer. #1 son threw on pajamas and turned on his laptop. I made coffee. By the time Mr. Orkin finished up the outside, all was pretty much ready for him to treat the inside. I even had time to replace my nightshirt with a real shirt. I am now marking my 2005 calendar. I hate having to jump out of bed in the morning at a faster rate then I want to jump out of bed in the morning.
Making of a Marine Update
For those of you who haven't read the updates on Mink's blog, my daughter Mink arrived at Parris Island in the wee hours of the morning. Better late then later. She was delayed by mistakes made on her paperwork and weather. Her one phone call was made to the one person she knew would pass the information on to the most people. Friends and family. Her boyfriend. She'll be sending her mailing address to him in three to five days and he's promised to pass it on to me and I'll pass it on...but not in my blog. No food or bulky packages.
Murphyism of the Day
Wiker's Law
Government expands to absorb revenue and then some.
Tuesday, January 04, 2005
Word of the Day
Abdicate (v.) , to give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.
It's raining again. HTP told me that I should get used to it. It's supposed to rain all week. I told him to go turn off the irrigation system. No point watering plants when nature is doing the job for us.
Today is laundry day. I didn't attack my Christmas project yesterday. Too lazy. It's still Christmas here at my house and it's raining too hard for me to go out and change the lightbulbs in my garage carriage lights. Maybe I'll try to tackle the inside today...maybe not. #1 son has a doctor appointment and all this rain is making me feel sleepy.
The best laid plans of mice and men oft times go astray. My daughter was supposed to head for boot camp yesterday. Due to some paperwork errors, she'll either be flying out today (weather permitting), or tomorrow...or...let's all hope she doesn't have to wait another week or so. How frustrating! Her comment to me when I talked to her last night was that she hated the thought of coming in later then the rest of her plattoon thus becoming the focus of all the DI's attention as well as that of the rest of the plattoon. We've all been there. Sneaking into class late and the whole class comes to a screeching halt so they can all stop and stare. Oh well. It wasn't her fault. Military error and nature. She expressed the hope that this all isn't some sort of omen. Me too. I've added a link to my daughter's blog to my blog. My daughter (Mink) assigned the task of updating her blog to her boyfriend. He'll be posting updates for her. I noticed that he's already set up an email account for her internet friends to use. He promised to print out any letters written to that email account and send them snailmail to her at the camp. He also posted an account of yesterday's difficulties and experiences. For any salty language contained in the narrative of my daughter's blog, I apologize in advance. Do Marine recruits use salty language?
Murphyism of the Day
Crane's Law
There ain't no such thing as a free lunch.
Abdicate (v.) , to give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.
It's raining again. HTP told me that I should get used to it. It's supposed to rain all week. I told him to go turn off the irrigation system. No point watering plants when nature is doing the job for us.
Today is laundry day. I didn't attack my Christmas project yesterday. Too lazy. It's still Christmas here at my house and it's raining too hard for me to go out and change the lightbulbs in my garage carriage lights. Maybe I'll try to tackle the inside today...maybe not. #1 son has a doctor appointment and all this rain is making me feel sleepy.
The best laid plans of mice and men oft times go astray. My daughter was supposed to head for boot camp yesterday. Due to some paperwork errors, she'll either be flying out today (weather permitting), or tomorrow...or...let's all hope she doesn't have to wait another week or so. How frustrating! Her comment to me when I talked to her last night was that she hated the thought of coming in later then the rest of her plattoon thus becoming the focus of all the DI's attention as well as that of the rest of the plattoon. We've all been there. Sneaking into class late and the whole class comes to a screeching halt so they can all stop and stare. Oh well. It wasn't her fault. Military error and nature. She expressed the hope that this all isn't some sort of omen. Me too. I've added a link to my daughter's blog to my blog. My daughter (Mink) assigned the task of updating her blog to her boyfriend. He'll be posting updates for her. I noticed that he's already set up an email account for her internet friends to use. He promised to print out any letters written to that email account and send them snailmail to her at the camp. He also posted an account of yesterday's difficulties and experiences. For any salty language contained in the narrative of my daughter's blog, I apologize in advance. Do Marine recruits use salty language?
Murphyism of the Day
Crane's Law
There ain't no such thing as a free lunch.
Monday, January 03, 2005
Word of the Day: Carcinoma (n.) a valley in California, notable for its heavy smog.
It's raining. My Kool-deck is starting to bubble up and flake off in large chunks. I knew this was going to happen. Bits and pieces of the stuff are floating about and the grey concrete below stands out in startling contrast to that Kool-deck which remains. I'm assured that all will be taken care of...soon...eventually.
#1 son is going to a LAN party today. We only have the one car so I guess that means that HTP and I will be house-bound today. Tomorrow too. His LAN party is an over-nighter. It's at times like this that we wish we had a second car here in Arizona. But #1 son will only be here until January 15th. After that things will be a bit quieter here on the vacation villa front. HTP and I have been managing pretty well with one car...so far. It might be kind of neat to get one of those cute gas/electric bikes to toodle off to the grocery store or the rec-center. I'm not ready for a golf cart yet. But I'm just not the Harley type.
Since we're going to be house-bound today and we can't go outside because it's raining, I thought I'd spend the day packing away the Christmas stuff. It's a project that will take several days but this sort of thing will never get done if it doesn't get started. My planned project for overall weight-loss and healthy-living will just have to wait until #1 son has returned to the frozen northlands of Minnesota. I refuse to worry about dieting and workout machines until I can concentrate on the project without numerous interruptions and distractions. As my Mother told me yesterday in Vegas, "There will always be an excuse not to diet and not to exercise." She's right...but right now the excuses for not dieting and not exercising out-number the reasons why I should diet and exercise. My jeans still fit.
I assume that my daughter is winging her way to Parris Island and will be received today...and tomorrow. HTP and I haven't heard anything from her as yet. I'm sure it's too soon to expect any new postings on her blog but I'll keep checking.
Murphyism of the Day
Frothingham's Fallacy
Time is money.
It's raining. My Kool-deck is starting to bubble up and flake off in large chunks. I knew this was going to happen. Bits and pieces of the stuff are floating about and the grey concrete below stands out in startling contrast to that Kool-deck which remains. I'm assured that all will be taken care of...soon...eventually.
#1 son is going to a LAN party today. We only have the one car so I guess that means that HTP and I will be house-bound today. Tomorrow too. His LAN party is an over-nighter. It's at times like this that we wish we had a second car here in Arizona. But #1 son will only be here until January 15th. After that things will be a bit quieter here on the vacation villa front. HTP and I have been managing pretty well with one car...so far. It might be kind of neat to get one of those cute gas/electric bikes to toodle off to the grocery store or the rec-center. I'm not ready for a golf cart yet. But I'm just not the Harley type.
Since we're going to be house-bound today and we can't go outside because it's raining, I thought I'd spend the day packing away the Christmas stuff. It's a project that will take several days but this sort of thing will never get done if it doesn't get started. My planned project for overall weight-loss and healthy-living will just have to wait until #1 son has returned to the frozen northlands of Minnesota. I refuse to worry about dieting and workout machines until I can concentrate on the project without numerous interruptions and distractions. As my Mother told me yesterday in Vegas, "There will always be an excuse not to diet and not to exercise." She's right...but right now the excuses for not dieting and not exercising out-number the reasons why I should diet and exercise. My jeans still fit.
I assume that my daughter is winging her way to Parris Island and will be received today...and tomorrow. HTP and I haven't heard anything from her as yet. I'm sure it's too soon to expect any new postings on her blog but I'll keep checking.
Murphyism of the Day
Frothingham's Fallacy
Time is money.
Sunday, January 02, 2005
We're back in Arizona. Another safe trip to and from Las Vegas. We had fun and ate way too much. I can't complain about the wait crossing the Dam. It was a lot better then the two hours I was expecting because of the mass exodis of people having to go back to work tomorrow. It only took one hour. If you want a description of what crossing the Dam was like today read the blog I wrote when we crossed it a few days ago and then calculate an additional half and hour into the equation. One learns to pack their patience when crossing the Hoover Dam. Speaking of packing...unpacking...I still need to do that. I'll blog first.
By now my daughter is on her way to Des Moines, Iowa...her point of departure for boot camp. She leaves for her "vacation" to Parris Island tomorrow. I wish I could have had a chance to talk to her before she left but I'm sure she'll do just fine and doesn't need or want any further words of encouragement from her Mommy and Daddy. This girl is going to be a Marine! Oorah!? Lord! This is something that I never in my wildest imaginings ever imagined. Of course, my kids have a tendancy to do that to me on a regular basis. What a roller-coaster ride!
Murphyism of the Day
Hanlon's Razor
Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.
By now my daughter is on her way to Des Moines, Iowa...her point of departure for boot camp. She leaves for her "vacation" to Parris Island tomorrow. I wish I could have had a chance to talk to her before she left but I'm sure she'll do just fine and doesn't need or want any further words of encouragement from her Mommy and Daddy. This girl is going to be a Marine! Oorah!? Lord! This is something that I never in my wildest imaginings ever imagined. Of course, my kids have a tendancy to do that to me on a regular basis. What a roller-coaster ride!
Murphyism of the Day
Hanlon's Razor
Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.