Sunday SUNDAY

Jeff: BJ Thomas has stage 4 cancer.

Me: Oh, that's too bad. I met him once.

Jeff: Really?

Me: Yeah, he's married to Louise Mandrell. I met both of them after a concert at Opryland on vacation, when I was a kid. 

Jeff: He's married to someone named Gloria.

Me: Maybe they split up. Or maybe I'm thinking of someone else. <google search> Oh. I met RC Bannon.

Jeff: So anyone with two initials and a two-syllable last name...

Me: Yep. I've met them.

Sad about BJ Thomas though. 70's music memories.

Great news, my Dallas/Ft. Worth friends! HEB is coming soon! First two in fall 2022 in Frisco and Plano. Many more planned.

Finished Season 2 of Broadchurch on Netflix. I'm good with the punishment the murderer received. It took some HUGE twists and turns, yes? What will happen the last season? Will any other big-time British actors pop in?

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Scary Pharmacy Visit

I was picking up a prescription at CVS for my daughter yesterday, and ended up waiting an hour for it. (Not a knock against CVS, just a combination of frustrating issues.) There was a bit of a crowd in the area, ranging from 6-10 at any particular time. 

 

During that hour, a 35-ish-year-old guy came into the pharmacy area, speaking very loudly. He said he was picking up a prescription for his wife or someone, but he didn't know what it was for. They didn't have anything, but started looking into it. 

 

He became more irritated, randomly left the area in the middle of complaining, then returned a few minutes later, having found another senior pharmacy employee he knew by name. She explained that the lady who was helping him would continue trying to figure out what he needed to pick up. He kept randomly yelling to the pharmacist, saying he was the only employee there who does a consistently great job. (At least that was... a compliment?)

Over maybe 45 minutes, the guy kept asking where various department employees were, then leaving the area to locate them. Interestingly, he knew them all by name, but when they appeared, it was obvious they didn't know him. 

 

He got into it at one point with the pharmacy tech, saying that he had a covid test at the store, but never received the results. They couldn't find anything that indicated he had had a test there of course.

Eventually, he went to the adjoining Minute Clinic area and banged on one of the two exam room doors, then the other. A nurse came out and he asked her where a particular employee was. She said he was around the corner in another office. He banged on that door and the employee came out. They spoke and the guy yelled, "Your store policy is bullshit!" and stormed off.

The Minute Clinic staff watched him walk towards the front doors. Then the guy turned around and came back. There was some discussion and he turned to leave once more. The employee said, "Have a nice day, sir." The guy replied in a snarly voice, "Make me."

 

After the guy disappeared up front, the nurse asked if the other Minute Clinic employee knew this guy. He said, "No, he's just a customer."

 

A few minutes later, I was leaving and an ambulance was picking him up. My assumption, anyway. Either that, or they randomly had a medical emergency by the checkout at the same time this guy was ranting all over the place. 

All this time, I'm thinking I should get the heck out of here. Right? I mean, these days your mind goes to the thought that oddly angry folks might have some sort of weapon. I thought any minute I would be able to grab Lauren's script and leave. The longer it dragged, the more I thought I should go out and drive around to the drive-through to pick it up. I mostly didn't want to run into this guy one-on-one in the store as he milled around, or out in the parking lot.

This sort of thing happened around me once before. I didn't leave then either. I was at my oncologist's office, at a very large cancer center, in a huge waiting room with a bank of receptionists. A very agitated patient entered, yelling that he needed to see his doctor immediately. The receptionists tried to calm him down, but he was very belligerent. Other employees soon emerged after hearing the yelling, and eventually he said he had lost control of his bowels and bladder in the elevator, and he didn't know what was happening. They explained that this can be part of the disease process, talked him down, and removed him to an exam room. My heart went out to him, but it was definitely frightening for a bit there.

That whole time, I was eyeing the exit door to the parking garage beside me. In the end, we all just sat there and watched the drama go down. I guess we are processing the weirdness of the situation, and maybe feeling like a spectator, but in this climate, I think we should all slide out the nearest exit. 

Exit! It's not worth even a minimal risk, or quite frankly, the trauma. That's my PSA for today!

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Whole House Plumbing Blockage

So last night, while I was cooking dinner of course, the kitchen sink backed up. I had been cutting a butt-ton of veggies for breakfast tacos (for dinner, yes, delicioso), and also I had cooked bacon for pasta alla carbonara the day before, so I wondered if it was caused by a conglomeration of veggies and solid bacon drippings. I'm good about pulverizing stuff in the disposal, so I wasn't sure what happened, but that was my only guess. Yes, I know you're not supposed to put bacon drippings in the sink, but I hate collecting gross oils in a container. *gag*  I run lots of hot water after it, and it's almost always fine.

When I ran the disposal, the water flowed from one side of the sink to the other, which I've never seen.

Jeff started collecting the gross veggie water and dumping it into the powder room toilet, to get rid of it so he could investigate further. Then the toilet blocked up and water started flowing out of the bottom, where it meets the floor.

A few minutes later, Lauren flushed the upstairs toilet, and water came up into the kitchen sink. It was like a living nightmare. Where was something going to back up or overflow next? We were like, okay, EVERYONE STOP USING WATER.

Called the plumber, who spent until 12:30 am clearing out the sewer line about 15 feet down the pipe leaving the house. Every 25 years or so, these things can happen. I blame those toilet wipes we were all using years ago.

If more than one plumbing thing gets backed up in your house at the same time, stop using everything and get a plumber out. If you push things too far, you may get raw sewage oozing into your sinks, tubs, dishwasher, etc. Luckily we didn't!

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'Rona

Hellooooooooo!

Well, it's come to this, has it? Global pandemic brings old-style blogging back in style- journaling with no product or service to pimp, or featured topic, or even a recognizable stream of thought.

Yes! That's my niche.

I see my last post was about Big Brother last year. We watched again this year. Cody TOTALLY deserved the win, and shockingly, the jury agreed. Whaaaaat?! We always disagree with the final vote. This time it was a satisfying ending at our house, after a whole summer invested in it. Whoop! (There wasn't an Aggie this season. That's weird. It's become a tradition, no?)

Whoa. Just noticing that Blogger now has "suggested labels" while you're editing. Oooooh, so fancy. So far, no matching label suggestions for this post. No surprise there. Keep 'em guessing, I always say!

Anyhoo... Political ads.

Only two more days of those to endure. I voted early, as most have, so I'm over it. So draining. Are we counting yet?

My favorite political ads are for state representative Erin Zweiner. Her name sounds like "Erin's wiener" so my inner 12-year-old giggles out loud every single time.

"Erin Zwiener has a radical agenda."

"Erin Zwiener supports Antifa rioters."

And the best yet... "Erin Zwiener STANDS UP for veterans." Oh man, you gotta love it. Jeff doesn't appreciate my amusement, but I just cannot let it go.

Stands. Up.

Come on.

Some REALLY good TV recs:

Ted Lasso (Apple+)
Schitt's Creek (Netflix)
British Bake Off (Netflix)
Servant (Apple+)
Catastrophe (Amazon)
Somebody Feed Phil (Netflix)
Letterkenny (Hulu)
Ugly Delicious (Netflix)

I'll leave it at that for today. Vote tomorrow if you haven't! Wear a mask whenever you're out and about.

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Colonoscopy!

On an unrelated note- I explained Fudgsicles to Scott and Julie the other day. It reminded me of that time I took toddler Lauren to "Mixed Age" Mothers Club playgroup, and a mom with an older child brought lollipops, and Lauren was like, What the heck is this? 

It isn't easy to describe a Fudgsicle.

Just saying.

So... I had my first screening colonoscopy this morning! Whee! The colonoscopy itself was nothing. Easy peasy. Had propofol and was in and out of the place within an hour of the start of the procedure.

The prep diet wasn't bad- two days of low-fiber diet followed by a day of liquids only. The low-fiber diet is fine. Any diet with pasta, chocolate and cheese on it is good by me. The liquids-only day is okay. You'll be good and hangry by the time you start taking the prep meds.

The prep medications did suck, as reported by millions before me. I used the Plenvue prescription prep. The doc's office and pharmacist say today's preps are far better than 10 years ago, in volume (reduced from gallons to pints), taste (fruit punch or mango... and SALT - ACK), and ease of gastrointestinal expulsion (no cramping, nausea, etc. just expulsion). Only... the TASTE though. Egads. I made it through the first round of mango/salt solution. The second dose (fruit punch, much better than the mango I think) I got down about 3/4 of the glass and then upchucked it all. I finished the last 4 or so ounces (yes!!). It was still fine.

The chaser drink, after completing the med, should be something tart, like lemonade or limeade (pulp-free of course, just use a powder mix). I tried ginger ale and it was more of the uber-sweet taste of the prep, which was just too too much sweet. *shudder*

I am thrilled to report that I got a score of 9 (the maximum, no 10, why?!) on the clearing out of my GI tract, so when Jeff has his colonoscopy next week, it's totally a competition.

Bonus- They gave me photos of my colon, which I can't wait to show my daughter! If only I were still a scrapbooker!

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Best Gift Card Packaging Ever

So I created an awesome "wrap" for a basic gift card. For Christmas, take one bottle of Shiner Holiday Cheer, their peach-n-pecan-ish (delicious) Christmas brew:

Festive, no?

Then get an Amazon gift card in a gift tag. (Search Amazon for "Amazon.com Gift Card in a Gift Tag".)

(There's a cute snowman one, too! And "Thank you" and "Happy Birthday," etc.)

Tie the tag around the bottle neck and TA DAAAAH! Beats the heck out of a little envelope.

If you're crafty, you could make a little gift tag yourself for any other gift card.

You're welcome. :)

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Travis County Jury Duty Day

I've received three jury summonses (yes, that is the plural, I checked) in my life. The first was in Houston, when I was about 19. I showed up to a room with several hundred people. They pulled 60-70 into the voir dire process for one court, then the next 60-70 for another court, etc., until they finally let the remainder of us leave. I never even made it to voir dire.

The next time I received a summons was when the kiddo was a toddler, so I claimed the exemption and wasn't required to show up.

A few weeks ago, I received my third one. Travis County uses an online process and I was assigned to show up for a criminal district court. This time, I went directly to a specific courtroom with 74 others for voir dire.

Sadly, I don't have any secrets for parking at the Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center. Everyone had woeful stories of parking. Having someone drop you off and pick you up is easiest (thanks Jeff!). There is currently only street parking near the building, but I heard it fills up by about 7:30 am. There aren't any public garages very close, although you can walk a few blocks up/down some steep hills in that area. All the construction downtown has many public parking lots rented/full with construction employees. Cap Metro will get you there, but I didn't talk to or hear anyone say they had taken it. From my part of town, I would have had to leave about an hour earlier to take a bus than I did just being dropped off.

If you are able to get a metered street spot and are not able to keep the meter fed through the day, the court will (currently anyway) dismiss your ticket. You just mail it in and let them know you were in jury duty. Most people found street parking somewhere, but not necessarily close. The bailiff was very clear that if you park in an illegal spot, private parking, or are towed, etc., they do NOT cover those expenses, so be sure you are parked in a legitimate public parking space and are just ticketed for not paying the meter.

I was supposed to be there at 9 am. I arrived at the building at 8:40. The officers at the security checkpoint at the entrance to the building were super-friendly and I was through security in about 30 seconds with a couple of people in front of me. It gets crowded towards 9 am, of course, and people who arrived closer to 9 reported security was pretty fast, but the elevators had an enormous line. People were told to take the stairs, but the bailiff (after a few people arrived very winded) said that wasn't necessary. The lines move quickly and you would be late only by a couple of minutes, which is okay.

On arrival, we checked in with the bailiff in the hallway outside the courtroom. He gave each of us a form to fill out with our preference for jury duty payment (whether you want to take the check, or donate all or part of it). We were also assigned a juror number at check-in. We were supposed to arrive at 9 am, and were in the hallway until about 10 am. The chairs were comfortable and the hall was nice and cool, so it was totally fine. Bring a book or an iPad or laptop to pass the time.

Our jury pool was numbered 1 to 74. I was number 14. I figured I was in the running to get chosen, and sure enough, it was true. The prosecution and defense attorneys remove all the prospective jurors they don't want, then just start at juror number 1 and name jurors in order, skipping the ones they removed. The juror numbers were assigned randomly, so it's fair.

When we went into the courtroom, after the judge, defendant and both sides' attorneys were set up, we were seated in numerical order, starting with number 1 right up front, in chairs with our juror number on a paddle.

The prosecutors spoke first, and talked for about 1.5 hours (although it seems that they were supposed to only have an hour). They went through a lot of general terms and concepts involved in our specific case, and asked questions to the group. We usually answered by raising our numbered paddles. People were sometimes called on to give specific answers or additional details. There was only one question where each one of us was asked to answer individually.

We had a 20 minute recess, during which a few people were dismissed. They were just the people who had very obvious problems with serving on this particular case, like someone who knew the judge, someone who had been a victim of that same type of crime, and stuff like that.

Then the defense spoke for about 30-40 minutes. (There is a lot of information that the defense wants that is answered during the prosecution's presentation, so they get less time.) The defense questions were a bit more specific, having gotten a feel for people during the initial questioning.

We had another recess, during which the people who had any problems with serving that had come up since the original sign-up, like illness, could talk to the judge about being dismissed. Many of those people were dismissed during that recess. That recess was a long one, maybe 30-45 minutes.

The rest of us filed back into the courtroom and the judge called names of selected jurors. At that time, I had about 8 people before me, so I figured I was in, but no! They chose a couple of people before me, then juror #15 and continued on. I had mixed feelings, because I really wanted to be on the jury, but of course it isn't too bad being dismissed either.

They let the jury go to lunch and dismissed the rest of us. It was about 2pm, but seemed to be running much later than it normally does. There is "real food" in a nearby building, but there are also vending machines and a snack bar on the first floor at the back of the Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center.

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Saturday Life Hints

I don't use a lot of brown sugar, so despite my awesome OXO Good Grips vacuum-sealed containers, it still gets clumped and rock solid in there over several months. Well, I bought some sort of "nonclumping" brown sugar a while back. While it is fabulous at not clumping, it is absolutely crappy at being brown sugar. It doesn't dissolve into anything- batters, salad dressings, sauces... Anything. I don't recommend it, other than perhaps for sprinkling over oatmeal (if you eat disgusting oatmeal *shudder*). Just stick with normal brown sugar.

Another tip- I bought a balance ball for my kiddo and hubby to stretch their backs to relieve back pain. I thought they could lean over it on the floor, but it's a little difficult to get down on the floor and back up with advanced age back pain, so just put it on a chair or the sofa and lean over it to stretch. The 55cm ball works well on a chair, but definitely get the 75cm size if you're going to use it on the floor.

Y'all know I hate when people use "cheers" as a verb (referring to toasting with alcoholic beverages). Well, Andy Cohen used it as a verb, in the past tense, the other day! Yep. "You cheersed..." he says. Oy. Vey. I think I'm going to have to accept it, now that it's become overwhelmingly present in conversation. *sigh*


Saturday 9: Standing on the Corner (1956)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) In this song, four friends congregate on Main Street to look longingly at pretty girls. In your town, where is the best place for people watching?

SoCo

2) This song was written for the Broadway musical, The Most Happy Fella. Who is the happiest person you know?

Cathy

3) The members of The Four Lads met at Toronto's St. Michael's Choir School. Growing up, did you attend parochial or public school?

public

4) The Four Lads always wore jackets and ties when they performed. Do you enjoying dressing up? Or would you rather keep it casual? 

casual

5) While this song was a hit for The Four Lads, they were completely overshadowed in 1956 by Elvis Presley and "Heartbreak Hotel." Who do you think dominates today's music scene?

Bruno Mars

6) The Wizard of Oz aired on TV for the first time in 1956. Sam was never crazy about those flying monkeys. Tell us about something that frightened you when you were a kid. 

I went through a phase where I couldn't fall asleep because I could hear the ticking clock down the hall on my mom's desk. I imagined it was creeping down the hallway, getting closer and closer. Yikes.

7) What scares you now?

scorpions

8) Since this week's song is about pretty girls: 1956's Miss America was Sharon Ritchie of Colorado. Today Colorado has the distinction of being the home of more microbreweries than any other state in the union. Which are you most particular about -- your beer, your wine, or your coffee?

Beer. I'll drink just about any wine or coffee, but crappy beer is the worst.

9) Random question: We all have small, irritating habits, like soup slurping or not replacing the cap on the toothpaste. What's your nasty little habit?

leaving socks and shoes around the house

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Oven Mitt PSA(s)

I bought a couple of inexpensive oven mitts at Target a few weeks ago. When I washed them, they came out as teeny-tiny, Oompa Loompa-sized oven mitts. No joke. 

When you wash budget oven mitts, use cold water and hang dry.

Until I was able to buy some better quality pot holders, I used dish towels, like they used to in the olden days. If, like me, you have little experience pulling things out of the oven with a dish towel, here is a very important safety tip:

Make sure there are NO damp areas on your dish towel before you grab something hot. Unlike cotton, water is a most excellent conductor of heat!

Just a wee lesson in the principles of heat transfer. And two PSAs for the price of one today!

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Grocery Store Adventures

So I get into a regular checkout line this morning with 16 items in my grocery cart (that's one over the fast lane limit), behind a woman with a completely full cart. She immediately turns around and sees me. Five full minutes later, when she's about three-quarters unloaded onto the conveyor, another woman shows up with a completely full cart and pulls up next to us.

Original woman with full cart (to me): She's with me. We have two big cart-loads of groceries today. Sorry!

She couldn't have mentioned that... oh... I don't know... as soon as I walked up?

So rude.  What is it with this social climate where inconsiderate dunderheads run free? I blame Trump.

In other news... we saw The Big Sick last weekend. It is really good! Fun date movie!


Saturday 9: The Joker (1973)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) In this song, Steve Miller claims he's a picker, grinner, sinner, lover, smoker and joker. Do any of those six words describe you?

grinner, lover, sinner, joker

2) He maintains he's still a midnight toker. When's the last time you got high?

at least 30 years ago

3) The lyrics include a reference to peaches. Name your favorite fruit.

watermelon

4) This song had a big impact on the character of Joey on Friends, who had an imaginary friend named Maurice with the occupation of space cowboy. Did you ever have an imaginary friend? 

nope

5) Steve Miller is the pride of Milwaukee, WI. What else is Milwaukee famous for?

beer

6) Steve Miller considers himself a serious blues guitarist. When did you last feel like singing the blues?
Wednesday, when I was looking at the rules for a program for which Lauren may be applying. There is so much legal jargon in the informational material that my head was spinning. I had the head spinnin', forehead smackin', "shall therein be referenced as the revocation of these statutes" bluuuues.

7) In 1973, when this song was popular, you could buy a portable 8-track tape player for $44.50. On what device do you listen to music most often?
my phone

8) A Curious George book packaged with a Curious George plush toy was a big seller at Christmas 1973. Tell us about a toy -- either given or received -- that brightened a holiday or birthday for you.

I remember giving Lauren a Skip It. 

Not Lauren.

It was really cool, because it's basically the Lemon Twist I used to have when I was little. I played with that thing until the lemon fell apart from being scraped on the driveway. 

Remember these? Superfun!

9) M*A*S*H was one of TV's top-rated shows in 1973. Who is your favorite M*A*S*H character?

I've seen every episode in repeats. They're all so great. I'll say Henry Blake.

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Bandaging Wounds Between Fingers

Okay, kids. I have a suggestion for bandaging a very specific sort of finger injury- one where your wound is in that space at the base of and between two fingers. No bandaid fits comfortably there. I Googled for ideas, but most of what came up were gory stories of how people managed to accidentally cut themselves between their fingers in various ways.

I didn't think it was possible to cringe for 30 minutes straight, but yes. Yes it is.

People were also debating the pros and cons of Supergluing a cut. I have a fear that if I ever Superglue a cut, it would probably glue in a weird, folded way and I'd have to go through whatever the ghastly fix is for that. (I don't. Want. To. Know. Thanks.)

So I thought this up for my dermatologist-inflicted punch biopsy, between my pinky and ring fingers. Here we go.

1) Get yourself a small, sterile non-stick pad, the smallest you can find (mine are about 2" square).
2) Get some 1 inch wide "gentle tape," the stretchy kind that sticks only to itself.
3) Put Neosporin (preferably with pain reliever in it) on the pad and shape the pad into a U with the ointment on the bottom, under the base of the U and the sides of the U going up the sides of your fingers.
4) Place the U between your fingers, with the Neosporin covering the wound.
5) Wrap the pad's ends (the ones sticking out the palm and back sides of your hand) around one finger or the other.
6) Wrap BOTH fingers with the stretchy wrap, covering the pad and holding it in place.

Ta da!!!

I'm convinced the reason I'm on Day 5 of this painful journey is because I keep inadvertently spreading those two fingers. Yeah, that feels exactly like it sounds. Yesterday, I was just taping them together with surgical tape over an oddly placed bandaid. And it sucked. This is working much better!


Saturday 9: Him or Me -- What's It Gonna Be? (1967)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) In this song, a man pleads with his girlfriend to make up her mind. Do you consider yourself decisive?

Most of the time, yes.

Since this song is all about either/or, we're using that as our theme this Saturday ...

2) Choose a condiment: Catsup or mustard?
mustard

3) Choose a sci-fi series: Star Wars or Star Trek?

They both have their great points... If I had to choose, I'd pick Star Wars.

4) Choose your spy: James Bond or Jason Bourne? 

Jason Bourne. He's less of a "playa."

5) Choose your winter sport: Football or hockey? 

Football, baby.

6) Choose your breakfast: Pancakes or waffles?

waffles

7) Choose your side: French fries or potato chips?

French fries

8) Choose your chore: Washing dishes or doing laundry?

laundry

9) Choose your next-door neighbors: Munsters or Addams Family?

Munsters

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Do You Need to Replace Your Smoke Detectors?

Hoppy Easter Weekend, all!

Our Easter dinner buddies are out of town this year. Sad! I'm not even doing a big meal. We're just getting some tasks around the house off the list, including replacing all our smoke detectors. Did you know... you're supposed to completely replace your smoke detectors EVERY TEN YEARS? Oh, and that's ten years from the date of manufacture on the back or side of the alarm, not when you moved in or bought them.

I had no idea. We've lived here exactly 20 years this month, and never replaced them. (I don't think we've even replaced the batteries in the last ten. Those detectors were wired into the house, so they worked unless the power was out, at least! Ack.)

Yesterday, Jeff installed new 'smart home' smoke detectors. They self-test, tell you when the (five- or ten-year) battery is running out, message you if the alarm goes off when you're away, etc. The old units were super easy to replace. Don't fall for all the gadgets that claim to be adapters for the base of your old model to fit a new model. You just remove the old one with its base and install the new one with its base.

Check your dates of manufacture and replace those ten-year-old smoke detectors, y'all!


Saturday 9: This Is the Way the Bunny Hops
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) Why do you suppose there are so many songs about Santa Claus, yet very few about the Easter Bunny? 

The Easter Bunny is more shy and reserved. We just don't know as much about him.

Her?

... Hmm.

2) This song was written by The Kiboomers, two early education teachers who are passionate about the power of music to help kids learn. Tell us about a teacher who had an impact on your life.
There were several. I've talked up Mr. Spasic and Mr. Jackson a lot on the blog. How about Mrs. Lofland? She was my freshman high school Biology teacher. She wasn't the "hilarious/entertaining" teacher I typically enjoyed most. She was an older Southern lady with a sunny disposition and a great sense of humor. She enjoyed OUR jokes. She was one of those teachers I could (and did) talk to about all sorts of personal things, all four years of high school. She and my senior Physics teacher, Mrs. Lee, were the two teachers with whom I consulted heavily about my choice of college major. I actually ended up with a major that was a perfect mix of the two- Radiological Health Engineering. Cool, eh?

3) Legend has it that the Easter Bunny was introduced to America in the 1700s by German immigrants. These children waited for a magic creature who left colored eggs. Today's kids dye Easter eggs themselves. When did you most recently color eggs?
I haven't dyed eggs since Lauren was little.

4) The Easter Bunny is usually shown carrying a wicker basket filled with eggs, toys and candy. Is there any wicker in the room you're in right now?
No. There is wicker outside the window though.

5) While marshmallow Peeps are manufactured all year around, they are most popular at Easter. Do you prefer the chicks or the bunnies?

I prefer not to eat Peeps at all. *shudder*

6) A little time in the microwave can do ugly things to a Peep. Have you ever nuked a Peep?
Nope. I've never had my own Peep. I've bought some for Laura though the years, but that's it.

7) Would you prefer a hollow or a solid chocolate bunny?

Hollow. It's easier to eat.

8) A traditional American Easter dinner usually includes glazed ham or roast lamb. Which would you rather have as your main course?

Glazed ham, for sure. 

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Rants

I don't usually do rants, but when I do... I present them in list format on my blog.

* I will not see A Dog's Purpose. From claims of video being edited to make it look like the dog was in distress (clearly he was terrified of the rushing water and also had to be rescued from being trapped against a wall underwater, no matter how you edit it) to diverting attention to the motivations of the videographer (that is a separate issue altogether), all we get is excuses and distractions, rather than the film makers simply being appalled that this happened at all. I wish they just would have said they are looking into it and the people responsible would be punished. Animals should not be placed into severe anxiety-causing situations, just for our entertainment. Don't care that the dog wasn't in danger or that he wasn't hurt. He was afraid for his life. Sickening!

* Trump- so incredibly impulsive and reactive in all arenas. He is thin-skinned and responds with rude comments like a middle-schooler when he feels he's been slighted. He also has sweeping ideas for changes, but doesn't ever seem to be aware of all the ramifications. He should stop and consider the reaching effects before tossing ideas into the universe. I did have hope that people around him might be able to advise him to slow down and gather information before speaking, but it doesn't appear they are, or he is ignoring them. It may be a long four years.

* Many celebrities, some of whom I really used to like, are wallowing around in the mud with Trump, saying all sorts of idiot things. These annoying hypocrites are only validating his behavior. Ashley Judd read a poem calling him "...a man who looks like he bathes in Cheeto dust." (They all make fun of the way he looks, yet whinge on when he makes fun of the way people look.) Chelsea Handler said she wouldn't have Melania Trump in her show, because "she can barely speak English." (Xenophobe much?) SNL writer Katie Rich tweeted that ten-year-old Barron Trump "will be this country's first homeschool shooter." (I can't even. Just awful.) Rosie O'Donnell posted a video and tweeted that she thinks Barron is autistic. (What. The. Hell. What kind of person says that about a child on social media?)

* News flash: Despite what many say, he actually IS your president. Right now, this country is the worst example of democracy on the planet. For America to function, we respect the office and the results of the election. Our system has checks and balances for a reason. (Perhaps valued more now than ever.) We can voice our disapproval of the man and/or his policies, but if you rebel against the government and the democratic process itself, you're really getting into some scary territory. Children are seeing adults as sore losers and disrespectful a-holes, rather than thoughtful, good-hearted citizens with differing opinions on how to make our country the best it can be for everyone. Be positive! Be a good example for the children and young people around you.


Saturday 9: Brokenhearted (2012)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This song is about a girl who is eager and anxious for her new lover to call. Do you owe anyone a call? An email? A text? 

I need to call Crystal.

2) The lyrics are peppered with the informal English exclamation, "cheerio!" What pops into your head when you close your eyes and think of England?

Buckingham Palace interior. (We've been watching The Crown!)

3) This week's artist, Karmin, is a husband/wife duo who met at college, and that meeting changed the course of their lives and careers. Think of someone who has had a huge impact on your life. Did you know, as soon as you met, that this was going to be a life-changing relationship?

The moment I met Jeff, did I think it was going to be a life-changing relationship? No, I was just hopeful that if I was charming and funny in class, he might ask me out!

4) Though she sings about consuming tequila, the female side of Karmin, Amy, is a big proponent of healthy eating. She recommends organic foods that are free of pesticides, hormones, food coloring and added sugar. Think about your most recent meal. Was it a good example of "healthy eating?"

Egads, no. I had enchiladas, queso and sopapillas.

5) Husband Nick has his own Twitter account (@NickKarmin), but he doesn't use it often. His last tweet was back in August. What's the last thing you posted to social media? (No, your blog doesn't count.) 

On Facebook, I posted a reply to Kimberly at 5 a.m. this morning, when she was sad about the ending of La La Land. I said, "Yeah, I was conflicted about the ending, too. It could have been happy and wrapped up in a pretty ribbon, but instead, we're left with a wistful feeling. (It's sort of how I felt about the ending of The Vow.) I did absolutely love La La Land's beautiful cinematography and new take on the classic movie musical. The opening number was my favorite!"

The last thing I posted myself was back on November 8, 2016. Election Day. It was this:

Ha!

6) Karmin performed "Brokenhearted" live on Dancing with the Stars. DWTS is very big business for ABC-TV. So many people vote for their favorite couples each week that their phone and text systems often overload. Have you ever voted for a contestant on American Idol, DWTS, The Voice, etc.?
I voted quite a bit on the early seasons of American Idol.

7) In 2012, the year "Brokenhearted" was popular, the average cost for a gallon of gas was $3.91. In 2016, it had dropped to $2.40. When it's time to fill up your tank, do you shop around for the lowest price/gal.? Are you brand loyal and always return to the same station, regardless of price? Or do you just buy gas from the nearest station when you're running low?
I return to the same station all the time, unless I'm running really low and can't get there. Then I just go to the nearest one.

8) In 2012, the Space Shuttle Endeavor was retired and placed on permanent display at the California Science Center, a Los Angeles museum dedicated to encouraging excitement and enthusiasm about air and space travel. Let's say you had a long weekend to spend in Los Angeles. Would you go out of your way to see The Endeavor? What else would you like to do during your time in the City of Angels?

I wouldn't make a special effort to see The Endeavor, because I've seen shuttles before. Remember, my dad worked in the shuttle program at NASA! I would definitely see a few shows in a live audience. I'd probably also go to the Walk of Fame and go see the Hollywood sign.

9) While we're thinking about aviation ... Statistics show that it's still a predominantly male field, and less than 10% of commercial pilots are women. Would you be nervous flying with a woman pilot?

Not at all!

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Kitchen Finished!

Ohmigosh, y'all. They have completed the kitchen!! Big cleaning going on today and then all that's left is to seal the backsplash next Tuesday. And! It's just occurred to me that they always leave at 3:30 on Fridays (lucky them!), so it's less than two hours to completion. Whee!!!!!!!!

It took a total of four weeks, which is fabulous, considering the scope of the project-  an extra-large kitchen, tiling the foyer, and painting/tiling the breakfast/utility/dining rooms. Of course we'll have the walkthrough items, but those can hopefully be taken care of while we're using the kitchen. Best of all, I don't have to get up early anymore to move the cars out of the driveway and unlock the back door and the garage, etc.

The poor cats won't be stuck hiding out in the bedroom either. They have food and water and a box in there, so they aren't suffering of anything but cabin fever, but still. Kiptyn was doing one of those "cats gone wild" moments in the condensed space of the master bedroom the other day and jumped right into his water bowl. 'Twas hilarity.

So YAY!! Kitchen!!

Well, I finally watched the new Match Game. First question on the new show (one of my very favorite TV shows as a kid) was "Costco opened a new adult section. They're giving out free samples of blank."

The contestant's answer was "lotion," which no one matched; however, the show's judges allowed "lube" as a match (what the...????), so she got 4 matches!

I feel compelled to let the judges and people everywhere know that lotion and lube are not the same.

Alec Baldwin has a wireless mic, but also carries around the old style hand microphone. Very strange. Otherwise though, I love that it's back, and pretty much the same as it was. I am reminded of the great Gene Rayburn and all the hilarious celebs from the 70s. There were far too many to list, but remember Charles Nelson Reilly, Richard Dawson and Brett Somers? Fun.

Also watched the fabulous $100,000 Pyramid! Remember Dick Clark hosting (back when it was 10 or 20 thousand)? If I were to compete on a game show, that would be IT.

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Mini Rant

People.

When clinking your drinks, the verb is to TOAST, not to CHEERS. "Cheers!" is an exclamation and is the plural of the noun cheer. People do not "cheers" anything.

You're welcome.

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Public Service Announcement

Just watched my cat investigating the water squirter in the bedroom. When I approached, she ran off.

Evidently, water squirters don't spray bad kitties.  People spray bad kitties.

:D

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Randomness! Tra La!

One of the funniest things is when people our parents' age (and Julie) begin their texts and Facebook posts with a salutation and end them with a closing and signature.

Hee!

JeffC brought us back some maple candies and maple syrup from Pennsylvania when he returned from his annual visit home. Lauren had been wanting pancakes, so I took the opportunity to get some bacon and make both pancakes with bacon AND my favorite roasted brussels sprouts with maple syrup and bacon! Yum!

So Anderson Cooper doesn't VOTE? WHA? I admire him for many reasons, including the fact that he fights against being biased in his reporting (which more reporters should do!!), but he should be able to vote. No matter how unbiased you are as you present the news, you do have a candidate you support, and the voting booth is the place to voice your opinion.

Everyone who has a Discover Card, check the type of card you have. If you've had it for more than a few years, it may be a Discover More card. They don't make them anymore, because they have a new and improved cash back card called Discover It. Biggest difference is that you earn 1% cash back beginning with the first dollar you spend, rather than ramping up to 1% at the beginning of each year. There are other benefits, too, and it's an all-around better card than Discover More for most everyone, so check it out today! You can call to convert your More card to an It card.

And a survey, because why not?

Sunday Stealing: Healthy Meme

When was the last time you got a nose bleed? I've never had one.
Do you keep magazines by your toilet? Nope
If you were a waiter/waitress, would you make good tips? Yep
Have you ever stolen a road sign or traffic barrier? No
What are the best kind of Girl Scout cookies? Thin Mints
When was the last time you purchased alcohol? About two weeks ago, we tried Henry's Hard Orange Soda. (It tastes like orange soda.)
Do you find it attractive when a guy actually shows his feelings? Yes
Are you a fussy eater? No
List everything you ate and drank today: Leftover pancakes with milk for breakfast, a homemade hamburger on sourdough with roasted brussels sprouts for lunch, with tea.
How are you sitting? Ahhhahaha. I juuuuust slid down to "comfy position" mostly lying down, with my feet on the ottoman, my knees up and my upper back against the back of the sofa.
Waiting for something? a call from the neurosurgeon to schedule Lauren's surgery
Do you like pretzels? yes!
Do you wait until you’ve completely finished a certain makeup product before you buy a new one? I buy a new one before the old one is gone (I don't want to run out), but I finish the old one before I open the new one.
Did you wake up before 8:00 a.m. this morning? Of COURSE I did
Have you ever told anyone you were okay when you really weren’t? Haven't we all.
Do you have reason to cry right now? Yes, I'm quite frustrated with the surgeon not calling for over a week now.
How many sodas a week do you have? Usually zero.
Do you shop at Victoria’s Secret? Not recently.
Are you into sports? Some.
Can you easily touch your toes? Yes
What did the last shoes you wore look like? They look exactly like black flip flops.
What do you currently hear? TMZ Live on television
Have you ever done yoga? yes
Do you text a lot? I keep texting to a minimum. If we go back and forth more than about four times, I'm calling you.
Do you have a fax machine at home? Yes, but we don't have a land line, so I can't use it.
Do you know anyone who has diabetes? Yes
Have you ever had to block anyone online? Yes, years ago.
Are you afraid of thunder and lightning? No
Are you a shop-a-holic? I like shopping, but not to that point.
Are you healthy? I could be healthier. It hasn't been a priority for a while.

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Car Trouble, Oh Yeah

From the song I listened to on repeat much of the way home from Waco last night (where I picked up my car with a spiffy new alternator!)...

Lyrics Dnia

...You don't have to love me
If you don't wanna
Don't act like I mean nothing
But if you're gonna
Then you better
Unkiss me, untouch me, untake this heart...

"Unkiss Me" Maroon 5

Gah. Great song.

So. Our study meeting was fabulous. I had never been to the Grand Hyatt in DFW Airport Terminal D and my expectations were quite honestly "meh." But it's reeeeeeeally nice. You can sit in your comfy bed and operate everything from the nightlight in the bathroom to the shades on the window. Gorgeous bathroom. Oh man. Very impressive!

The bar is also amazing. We had a great time and great food there.

My presentation went very well! We had over 100 people in the ballroom. My speech at the Foundation awards was for closer to 200 folks, but I only only spoke for about three minutes then. This presentation is about 20 minutes. I'll give it again in the UK next month.

All weekend, David and I were explaining that Austin is 3 hours away from Dallas and how it's better to drive than fly, because it takes the same time, but you have your car with you and you don't have to deal with the whole airport hassle. Both of us drove, while everyone else flew up.

Cut to Saturday evening, on my way home, when I thought maybe there may have been an advantage to flying. My windshield wipers were moving very slowly. I've had some battery trouble the past couple of years, so I thought I would stop in Waco and get a new battery.

Then my battery light came on.

Then the electronic stability control light came on.

Then the anti-lock brakes light.

So I pulled over and looked up the Auto Zone address four miles away. Cool.

Back on the freeway, I got up to speed and one by one, every light that can illuminate did.

Finally.... Brakes... Engine.

I made it to the next exit (thank goodness) and barely sputtered into a school bus parking lot. Four miles outside the city. It was getting dark and it was cold and rainy. Blah.

My Hyundai roadside assistance lapsed in 2011. Yay. But they called a tow truck to bring me to the dealer. Then they called back and said the dealer was closed and I couldn't park there, so I would have to store my car somewhere for the weekend.

So I called USAA roadside assistance, which I knew I didn't have, but I thought they might recommend a towing service. Turns out, they too will take care of your towing if you are a customer. You just have to pay for the tow, since you're not covered. The operator was thinking smart and suggested I bring the car to a mechanic that was open Saturday evening, in case they were able to fix it that night.

I got the nicest tow truck driver ever, so I was only ever-so-slightly afraid that he might be an axe murderer. (I don't get into cars with strangers, y'all. I'm not even super-keen on riding in taxis. My only other choice was to sit alone in the pitch black darkness in BFE Texas, in the cold and rain, to wait for my family to pick me up an hour later.)

Turns out my car's issue was the alternator, not the battery, but it explains the battery issues I've had. (If your car loses power and dies while driving, it's usually the alternator. If it won't start, it's usually the battery.) They couldn't repair it Saturday, so Lauren took me to pick it up Monday.

Luckily, my battery was fine, but here's a battery tip for everyone: The mechanic I went to charges $70 to install a new battery. Sears charges like $10. If you go to Walmart or Advance Auto Parts (or probably similar parts shops) and purchase a battery, they will install it FOR FREE. Don't have the car shop charge you. Search for a shop with free battery installation on Google.

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Gross Post Du Jour

Today I saw a cup ring on the metal toilet-paper-slash-tampon-trashcan thinger in a bathroom stall at work.

A cup ring.

Ladies, please don't bring your drink into the stall. If you absolutely have to bring your drink into the bathroom, place it on the counter by the sink.

Speaking of public toilets, the other day, J and I started out talking about... something that I can't really get into here... which led to how wild animals don't have butt cheeks, so they don't need toilet paper, and that they don't need the padding because they lie down and never sit, and how they don't poop sitting down...

Yeah, typical conversation.

Jeff: A lot of my coworkers stand.
Me: To poop?!
Jeff (amused and disgusted): No! They stand at their workstations. How would I know if the guys at work poop standing up?

Um. Boys pull out their goodies and pee in front of each other every day. They don't watch each other poop?

Have some decorum like us ladies... who enjoy a cool, refreshing beverage while we pee.

(Okay, boys. You win this one.)

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Trouble, Trouble, Trouble

Hiiiiii-dee-ho, friends.

My all-time fave Walk Off the Earth cover is still "Trouble," but their new Madonna cover is pretty awesome! The video- so cute. Sarah even dances 80s style. (She's also totally preggers. TOTALLY.)



Some boys romance, some boys slow dance... That's alright with me...


Speaking of cash... If you get wound up when someone starts talking about the banks and how they screwed the government out of billions of bailout money (i.e. YOUR money), paying bonuses to the very people who got them into the mess they were in, because "we have to pay them bonuses or they'll leave," when they should be kicked out the door because they were the very screw-ups who caused it...

or

when the subject of oil companies comes up and how prices go up at the drop of a hat, but come down slow as molasses, and the Exxons and Shells of the world post record profits on the backs of people who are cutting their home budgets to afford groceries every week...

I have a solution.

It requires you sell out, but it's a great fix. Are you up for it?

KathyL suggests investing in stock in oil companies and banks. She is no longer irritated when the news or a coworker or a buddy talks about it. She just thinks about her retirement fund growing.

Nice.

So, yes. Kathy is owned by The Man. But she is blissful and relaxed.

Or maybe it's the wine.


Here again is Walk Off the Earth's best cover (ft. KRNFX), in case you haven't heard it. Totally rocks all over the original.



You never loved me
Or her
Or anyone
Or anything
yeah

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