I've Been Tagged

Time is a peculiar thing.  There are moments in which some random memory will come to mind that nearly feels like it happened yesterday but in actuality was ...well...maybe 40 years ago.  Other times, something that happened 10 years ago seems so faint in my recollection that I am not even sure that the memory is accurate.

I was just over at  Really?! Wait! What? reading Jewell's post for the day.  She starts her blog post today about the game of tag and how fast she could run as a little girl. (Well, maybe she can still run that fast..not sure, I guess)  Being the "quick kid" is a great thing for winning at the game of tag but maybe not for being "the kid who is invited to play".   Being great at something can set you apart from those that wouldn't want to compete with you.  But, I digress...

I can't remember actually playing tag.  I am sure I  must have played the game at some point when I was little.  I know we played dodge ball, kick-the-can, Red Rover, hide and seek,  and a number of other child oriented games that I remember quite clearly. I don't think I excelled at any games that required speed or agility. What usually got me chosen is that everyone recognized that I would give it my best effort and I tend to get along with everyone.  In other words, I have a great positive attitude while I suck at any given sport or game. 

So, today, I find that I am in a game of "tag".  Jewell has tapped me (or my blog) and yelled "You're It!"
I didn't really see her coming.  She is gazelle-like in her approach.  FAST...right up till the moment of slamming into me, slapping the hell out of me, tagging me.

I have been given a few directions (if I  choose to accept this mission...oops wrong game)  as a result of this game of tag.

Rule #1    No tag backs.  (Frankly, I think that is a lot to ask of me)

Rule #2   Jewell, took it upon herself to change the number of people to be tagged to 6.  I can count to 6 so that should work.

Rule #3 Answer some questions.  She, being the generous person she is, has given me a set of two different questions.  Actually, Jewell has been tagged 3 times this week so she has had to figure out what set of questions to go with.  Three...really??? Who knew that she would be the equivalent of "Miss Congeniality"
of the blogger set.  

To simplify, I will tag 6 of my favorite blogs and you can answer these questions.  (again, only if you want to play)

If you could go back in time and change one thing what would it be?
I would have bought a lot of Walmart stock in 1970 instead of any of the under preforming crap that I really did buy.

What movie/TV personality do you most resemble in personality?

maybe not quite
like this.

I am told I remind people of Carol Burnette.  I am not sure if they mean when she is being herself or if she is being the lady with the mop and bucket. I would rather people say I look like Sofia Vergara but they never do.

If you could push one person over the cliff and get by with it, who would it be?

 HMMM ...so many to choose from....and keeping in mind I am a pacifist...but if I HAD to push someone over....There really are a lot on the list... There's the group of people that have committed horrible atrocities on other people, the group of narcissistic personalities that rake in cash for acting badly and  all the politicians that vote according to  their own self-serving interests and don't consider what is in the best interest of their constituents.  OK, there are probably a lot of people that never ever ever ever should stand near a cliff in my vicinity.

Name one habit you would like to change in yourself?

Not worry as much as I do.

Describe yourself in one word.

Organized

Describe the person who named you in this meme in one word.

Smart  or should I say Funny...no Smart....no Funny....let's go with smart......I got it...

Interesting...that's it ....she is interesting.

In one sentence, why do you blog?

After regularly reading a couple of interesting blogs, I thought it would be fun to learn the process of setting one up, sharing ideas and networking with interesting people that I normally wouldn't ever have an opportunity to meet in the face-to-face world.

OK now for the six that I am sneaking up on...tippy toes...tap tap on the shoulder..

TAG, YOUR IT!!!

Meleah Rebecca at Momma Mia Mea Culpa
Nicky at  We Work For Cheese
Madge at I-Madge-ine The Twaddle
Junebug at Junebug's Musings
Kelly at Writing in the Margins Bursting at the Seams
Nancy at Normalarkey

By the way, If I could reach out and tag those of you that don't have blogs but are my ever faithful readers such as Barb S. in AZ, (more than one Barb) Dale, Wayne, Tom and Larry. and all of you that have hit the FOLLOW button..I would reach out and invite you to play too.  I appreciate all of you that let me vent, rant, tease, whine, and spew nonsense to you. 

The Good for the Day...Making connections via the computer

The Bad for the Day...When there are misinterpretations or misunderstandings in this form of communication.  It is hard to know how to "take" things without hearing verbal inflections or seeing people's faces. 

The Weird for the Day...1 in 8 marriages now are people that have met on the Internet.  Weird huh?

Ahhh...when we were young and could run like a gazelle...

Memorial Day 2011

Carmen has a new Toy

Last Wednesday morning hubby came down stairs to find Carmen, one of our cats, had a new toy in her mouth.  Well, I am thinking, she was thinking it was a toy.  Maybe she thought it was a friend.  I am not exactly sure.

While I was still upstairs, blissfully unaware of Carmen making friends in the dining room, I prefer to think it looked something like this. 

However, hubby assures me that the little critter that she was interacting with probably looked more like this.

Since, I wasn't there and hubby quickly scooped up Carmen's little friend and made a beeline with him/her/it outside before I came down the stairs, I couldn't swear to exactly what the little friend looked like.


I do know if I would have seen it there would have been something that looked like this.

I don't tend to have a large number of "fears".  I don't fear flying, being in the dark and I don't have claustrophobia or hypochondria.  In fact, I don't have any of the fears that SelfHelpCollective seems to think are the top 10 fears. 



 



I know that there is nothing logical about this fear of mice.  I have heard all the adages like "It's more afraid of you than you are of it".  Bullsh**, it couldn't possibly be.  I am paralyzed with fear and the few encounters I have had with the nasty little rodents tell me they are not frozen with fear as they still scamper quite nicely after seeing me.

Luckily for all involved, we have only had a few instances of these nasty little invaders. Our Carmen thinks they are great fun to knock around a bit, then carry around in her mouth.  Disgusting, I know... but the flip side of that is there have only been 3 mice that have ever dared enter our house and they didn't last long. 

None the less, just to be sure that she hadn't missed any relatives of the little booger she had hanging out of her mouth, I called....

Ed, from Critter Control assures me that there are no signs of a brother, sister, cousin, or any extended family members of the evicted mouse but he did a little sealing around pipes and such just to appease me.  Unfortunately for Ed, while he was going around sealing up my house to be the equivalent of a mouse's version of Fort Knox, the tornado sirens sounded  (yet again!!!) and he had to spend time in our basement family room.  Remember, this was last Wednesday, here in KC.

So it seems, we had one rogue mouse in our house. He/she/it had the unpleasant experience of taking a ride in Carmen's mouth only to be unceremoniously booted out on his/her/it  little mousy posterior and Carmen remains ...The World's Best Mouser.

The Good for the Day ....I am sure you all have seen this as it has gone viral BUT it is sooooo cute

The Bad for the Day...It could have been very sad for Ed, from Critter Control, to be blown away while looking for a mouse at my house...that of a total stranger with a crazy fear of mice.




The Weird for the Day.... I find that in fearful situations if you think of the target of your fear as if it were animated, the fear lessens.  Isn't picture of first mouse much less "eeeekkkk"  than the second picture?



What are your fears?  Are they rational?  Oh.... maybe the real questions should be.... do other people think they are rational? 

A Rose By Any Other Name

Remember when you had to study Shakespeare in school?

       'Tis but thy name that is my enemy;
      Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
      What's Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot,
      Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
      Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!
      What's in a name? that which we call a rose
      By any other name would smell as sweet;
      So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd,
      Retain that dear perfection which he owes
      Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,
      And for that name which is no part of thee
      Take all myself.

   A Toronto couple have decided not to name the sex of their baby as they don't want the child to deal with gender biases or being defined by their gender. Additionally, they named the baby Storm which supposedly has no female nor male affiliation. 

In lieu of a birth announcement the couple sent an email to friends and family that said "We decided not to share Storm's sex for now - a tribute to freedom and choice in place of limitation, a stand up to what the world could become in Storm's lifetime...a more progressive place.

Baby Storm...are you a boy or a girl?  For now the family is keeping that under wraps or in this case I guess I would say: under diapers.

The only people that know if this is a boy or a girl are the parents, the two older brothers, (Jazz, 5 and Kio, 2) and the midwives that helped deliver him/her.

The parents of little Storm, Kathy Witterick and David Stocker are wanting to give their children free reign to be explore their gender and be free from social norms that dictate male or female behavior. They feel that the children should have a lot of choice in developing their chosen gender. The two older boys are encouraged to challenge how they are expected to look as dictated by modern stereotypes Recently, for example, Jazz found a pink dress at Value Village that he liked because it "really poufs out at the bottom".

 One of the interesting aspects to this story is that all the reporters that have visited with Kathy Whitterick and David Stocker have found them to be conscientious parents,  well educated and involved with their children.  They have been married 11 years. David is a teacher that teaches at an alternative school that basis a lot of curriculum around race, gender and social injustices.

They co-sleep in a room with 2 mattresses pushed together in the master bedroom and the children can build forts with the blankets and pillows during the day.  The home is full of bookcases and maps are on the walls. 

By all accounts, they seem to be good, caring parents. (although a TAD unconventional)

As far as keeping their child's gender a secret, very unconventional, for sure, but is it bad?  Is it in any way harmful  or is it helpful?

There seems to be a number of stories in the news as of late that pertain to parents, children and  gender roles. 

Remember the hubbub created when the mom from Kansas City let her 5 year old preschooler dress up as Daphne on Halloween. Moms were in an uproar...though I am still not clear of why this was so upsetting...it was Halloween.  I let my daughter dress as a hobo for Halloween once when she was little.  Does this make me a really bad mother?  Did I scar her?

Still another family has been in  news  recently for letting their little boy dress up as a princess. Cheryl Kilodavis has written a book My Princess Boy inspired by her 5 year old son that loves to dress up as princesses.

How about the cover of US that has Shiloh Jolie Pitt playing with her sister in the pool?  Angelina Jolie insists that her 5 year old only likes boys attire.

I guess I am relieved that my boy child and girl child are grown.  They both seem to be happy with who they are in this world and seem comfortable  in their respective bodies.  I don't know what role hubby and I played in them becoming self confident adults nor do I know how they came to be the strong woman and man they grew up to be. 

I know that when they were little, my daughter and son both played house.  They both played sports and they both played with cars and trucks.  My little girl loved baby dolls but hated pink clothes.  My son played with our  little kitchen set but preferred puzzles and blocks.  I didn't push either of them in a certain direction because they were a boy or a girl.  HOWEVER, I did talk to them about what  gender they were. My daughter knew what her parts were and how they differed from her brother's parts.  They always knew that mommy was a girl and daddy was a boy. 

It is hard to say in absolute certainty but I am about 100% sure, that if either of my children had some issues with their sexuality, I would have been supportive of whatever their choices were.  I think families can be made up in any number of configurations and still be a healthy family.

Now of this I am also,  100 percent sure of.  I would of never left their gender a mystery.  I would have never left them floundering while trying to figure it out.  I think by not giving them guidance you are putting the burden on to them to figure it all out by themselves.

What are your thoughts, my readers?  Do you believe that  any of these examples of  very young children being given no guidance in terms of gender identification is a positive step in parenting?  Do you think it is harmful?

You probably all remember Johnny Cash's song about an name that caused some gender confusion.

The Good for the Day....The sun is shining and the sirens are quiet.

The Bad for the Day.... I am thinking that the name Storm Stocker might be a problem at some point down the road. 

The Weird for the Day....



Wednesday's  (May 25th, 2011) clouds moving into Kansas City
Weird looking, huh?



My Husband and Dresses

You might have noticed that my subtitle under the title The Art of Being Conflicted  says that I write "Random Ramblings,  Odd Observations, and Vaccilating Views".  Today consider this a "Random Rambling".  I don't even know why I was thinking about how I detest shopping for clothes ...but I was in some way reminded of my general dislike for shopping and specifically for my utter abhorance for DRESS shopping.  That seems rather unnatural doesn't it, ladies?  But still, it is true.  I hate to shop for clothes.

My husband on the other hand, does not mind shopping at all. So when needed, he will push me in the direction of  the appropriate store to purchase the items that are on the "have to get" list.


Now some of my regular blogees out there are just chomping at the bit to find out that my husband is "into" women's dresses. So sad to disappoint you by withholding some prime teasing material  but this is a post about my occassinal "dress" dillemmas that I drag my poor spouse into.   Luckily this doesn't come up all that often as my basic wardrobe consists of jeans, black slacks or workout gear.  BUT every so often there is a wedding, a funeral, or a special event that requires me to go on the HUNT for the perfect dress. Well, maybe not even perfect...maybe one that fits, is affordable and doesn't make me look 100. (OK...shut up with the "nearly there" remarks, you smart a***)

I usually enlist hubby to keep me company and weigh in on my selection.  Really, he is a trooper.

The unsual scenario sounds something like this....
Which one do you like better?  Does this make me look fat?  Is this too long?  Is this too short? Does it make me look old?  Is it age appropriate?  Does it look cheap? Is it too expensive?  Still hubby is a sport and says the right things most of the time.

Here is a little of my husband's dress history with me.  Our first dress incident wasn't even one that I roped him into doing.  He took it upon him self to hunt down a dress for me.  BRAVE very BRAVE!

The first "dress" excursion happened a time, a very, very, long time ago, Hubby and I were high school sweethearts. As all 15 year old girls trying to make their way through high school, a lot of my self-worth was closely linked to what I wore, how my hair looked and all the exterior superfluous things I believed  defined me.

One afternoon, boyfriend (now hubby) drove me home from school, only to find a fire had burned everything I owned. Not much survived the flames. Most of my clothes, my shoes, my big rollers that made those 60's era hairdos possible.  Gone, up in smoke.
Needless to say, I was distraught. For a number of reasons, I was left to figure out a quick fix to the problem as to what to wear to school the next day. I know some of you won't be old enough to know, but back then we still wore skirts or dresses. (Damn, I am old!)

As luck would have it, boyfriend was 16 and had a part time job at Montgomery Wards.(also, a thing of the past)  Here's where it gets interesting, at least from my perspective and  just one part of why we have been married 39 years. Hubby drove up to his place of employ and bought me a dress to wear to school the next day. I can still tell you exactly what that dress looked like. Navy with white collar, red scarf tie. Very nautical looking. Very cute.

Very gallant don't you think? I am not sure how much that dress cost him, but I can tell you at 16 years old he couldn't afford it. All the same he bought it.


In the early years of our marriage, I made most of my clothes.  I actually, was quite a good seamstress, so I didn't mind doing that. Good thing as in those years it was wayyyyy cheaper to make your clothes than to buy them off the rack.  (that isn't always the case anymore...say thank you to China) Hubby was relegated to help pick out fabric for a number of years and if that wasn't painful enough, I added the other dimension of having him help "pin" things for me.

Aren't you amazed this marriage has lasted this long. I know some of you guys are sweating profusely at this point.


A more recent dress expedition:

Years later in 2003...during the time our daughter was to be married, I like, all mother-of-the-bride, wanted the perfect dress. I wanted the dress that would look pretty in pictures even though I look so awful in every picture I have ever been in. Truly, the LEAST photogenic person on the planet. This is not an exaggeration. When I say the least...in the whole world...least....really...I mean it.

I knew that her wedding was formal, so therefore I wanted a long dress but I looked through catalogues and stores to no avail. I checked with seamstresses and for the most part I didn't like their vision or the cost was over the moon or it just seemed like too much work, blah, blah, blah.

 In most of the bridal stores, the dresses I liked either didn't come in my size or an appropriate color. It turns out that I wear a size 2 petite in a formal dress and very few dressmakers handle that. Hubby hauled me to countless stores in Texas, Oklahoma, Illinois, Kansas and Missouri. I am not kidding. Every time he went on a business trip, I went with him to hang out at bridal stores. Finally in Sherman, TX I found a line of dresses that they had samples of and could order in my size.
YAHOO.

I know most of you husbands are feeling like I would be a royal pain.  No question, ROYAL PAIN IN THE ASS, but hubby hung in there in every instance and was nothing but supportive.

Can you guess which one is me?  No, I am not the bride!!!






The Good for the Day....I found a dress and it didn't kill either me or hubby.

The Bad for the Day....It became quite the excursion through several states.

The Weird for the Day...You have your pick...is it weird to have this much trouble finding a dress or is it weird that I hate shopping?

A Little of This and A Little of That

This morning I was planning on writing about "being politically correct".  I still will be tackling that subject in the next couple of days....but for today, I got sidetracked.

 My first derailment was sitting down to watch the morning news programs.  I can't begin to articulate how badly I feel for the victims of that awful storm that hit Joplin, MO.  I don't think many of us can fathom what it would feel like to have everything gone....to be completely wiped out and having to start over. 

After spiraling down into the funk of a bad mood, I came into my office and turned on my computer.  Things started looking up a bit.  One of my favorite bloggers Jewell of Really?! Wait! What? had a comment on one of my posts.  Gosh, I was glad to see her sending out comments.I was worried if perhaps, she was involved in the tornado that ravaged southern Missouri.  I don't know exactly where she lives as I only know her from communicating about our blogs but at some point, I believe she said she lived in southern MO.

 Funny how we connect to people.  The computer has allowed us to connect to people in a modern day version of being "pen pals".  There are a whole lot of people making friends in cyberspace  that may never actually meet face to face.  Prior to starting my blog, I always a little mystified when people told me they had met their spouse  on line.  How could that happen?  How would you be able to start a communique and have it extend to a real relationship? 

Relax, Jewell, and the other friends I am going to be talking about shortly, I am not looking for a spouse especially a female.  I have hubby and he is a he.  What I am getting at, is that I more clearly understand that you  "click" with some people while "not so much" with others in this format.  Just as in our face-to-face world, some people you connect with in a positive way and some, for whatever reason, you just don't.

With that being said, I don't think the basis for these positive connections are defined by age, religious beliefs, or political sensibilities.  Maybe it is, in part, that some of these bonds are formed because the people are open to the concept of sharing differing perspectives.  I think it is getting harder in the real world to find people willing to be friends with anyone that isn't a clone of themselves. 

That brings me to the subject at hand.  One of the people that I really like via the web is Bud over at Oldereyes.  I got a message from him this morning that he as passed on the Versatile Blogger Award to me.   These awards are actually more about the fun of being able to praise some of your fellow, favorite bloggers than actually being recognized for  superior writing or content.  I am guessing you might have already jumped to that conclusion with my winning it and all.

Any way....How nice of Bud to send it my way. 

There are conditions though.  The four conditions for receiving this award are

1. Thank the blogger that gave you the award. 

Thank you, Bud.  Much appreciated.    (first requirement met)

2. Share 7 things about yourself


OK, ....now this is getting harder.  Also, for those of you that have read from the beginning, some of this will be repetitious.  Sorry, but there isn't all that much about me of interest.

1.  I have moved a total of 37 times from city to city.  More than that if  I were to count moves within a geographical area.  Twenty-one of those moves were after I was married thanks to my hubby climbing the corporate ladder while yanking me up behind him.

2.  I have been married 40 years this coming September.  Hubby was my high school sweetheart and I married him while I was a teenager. (NO, I wasn't pregnant.)

3.  I have two grown children, that in spite of my copious parenting skills, turned out to be wonderful adults.  They were great kids, great students, and most importantly are good and kind adults.

4.  I am an animal lover.  All animals...although my present house mate animals are two cats, named Carmen and Chantel. (Texas Pal's husband calls them "the hookers" as he believes their chosen names would make great names for ladies in that profession)

5.  I don't go a good job corresponding with friends in any format other than emails.  I know a whole lot of my friends are out there saying...No sh**.   I would love to be the person that writes letters and picks up the phone from time to time but that really doesn't ever happen. 

6. I spend a lot of time at the gym and I power walk 5 miles every day with my Texas Pal while we talk on our cell phones.   Weight shows up quickly on my small frame.  I might as well just duct tape cheeseburgers directly onto my butt, if I ever give up all the exercise. The effect would pretty much be the same.

7. The people I like most in the world, don't necessarily have to agree with anything I say, think or feel  but my best friends share these qualities. They are kind and considerate of others,  they are kind to animals, they have a reasonable amount of intelligence, a good sense of humor, and  bathe on a regular basis.  I like people that have strong opinions but they by in large, are open minded enough to at least listen to alternate opinions. 

OK step 2 completed.

3.  Pass the award on to 15 other bloggers. 

Ok....(Note to the bloggers) For you that I chose, either take it if you want it, sorry if you already have gotten it, play if you want to, don't if you don't want to.  I am sending it to you because I enjoy reading your blogs.  For those that I didn't mention, just be assured that I have more than 15 favorites.

So, my bloggee readers, these are among my favorites.  All are written by clever, creative people that always have interesting things to talk about.
Anne Dickens: The Day After Yesterday 
Are You Serious
Bodacious Boomer
Babbling Brooke
Eating Life Raw
I-Madge-ine the Twaddle
injaynesworld
nonamedufus
Normalarkey
Really?! Wait! What?
Suburban Soliloquy
The Boogie Man is My Friend
The Widow Lady
We Work For Cheese
Writing in the Margins, Bursting at the Seams

Ok step three complete

4. Put a comment on their blog and tell them they won the award.

I am off to do that ...







The Good for the Day...Making new friends, even if they are in cyberspace

The Bad for the Day...More rain and storms moving into Missouri today

The Weird for the Day.... Harold Camping has declared that May 21st was the "invisible judgement day" and the the real judgement day is going to be October 21st.  Looks like we have another something to talk about for a few months.

Hare Today, Gone Tomorrow

You might be wondering what this is a picture of.  Actually, that is a very good question.  It would have been a plant had I taken it yesterday.  Today, however, it is a picture of a few little remains of what used to be a plant.  HMMMMM

Yes, this would be another little plant, that has now succumbed to a vicious attack by a nasty little predator.

Looks like someone has some explaining to do.  First I decided to have a talk with a likely culprit.

Who you might ask?

Well, it could be this rabbit, although....I am pretty sure that the deed was done by these two little critters that are usually referred to around here as "that little F***R and his partner is usually referred to as "that little B*****D". 

Every year I go through the "Bunny Wars" around here.  These two charming, cute, yet ever so ravenous bunnies have eaten hundreds of dollars worth of plants. (with the help of their friends)

We have tried trapping them with traps albeit the kind that keep them safe so they can go on a road trip to a park for release. We have resorted to spraying  the most fowl smelling sprays made up of fox urine and other equally unappealing crud.We have used pepper spray,  sprinkled red pepper flakes,  and a number of other nasty anti-bunny concoctions. We have tried  noise making, whirly gig  devices that are supposed to scare them. AND YET they laugh in our faces.   Still, I have the ever present dilemma,  I can't really do them bodily harm.  They are cute after all. 

So as it is, Little F****r  and Little B*****d will be dining at the home of Cheryl P.  for at least as long as the salad bar holds out.

Today's video ties in as I am sure they are being aided by their friends and family. Last year we had baby bunnies all over the place. Hungry little baby bunnies.





The Good for the Day... With all the rain the garden continues to provide enough food for rabbits and enough flowers for me.




The Bad for the Day...That Little B and Little F are taunting me. Also, why isn't Elmer Fudd  around when needed. He could be helping me get those rascally wabbits?

The Weird for the day....Not that this is rabbit related but there is another animal that has my curiosity up.

I have been wondering about this since last Thursday's American Idol episode.  What is the dog doing in the audience and why is no one seemingly taking any notice of a guy in a dog suit?

The Good News and the Bad News

The Good News ..... The Rapture didn't happen...well at least I don't think it happened.  I know some really good people and they seem to still be here.  I guess, I can't quantify "the Rapture didn't happen" by my still being around.  It could be said I would still be here either way it went. 

The Bad News....This mornings paper had this rather large article about all the people that firmly believed it would happen and made some financial and/or life decisions accordingly.  You might remember from my post of couple of days ago, that Realtors were getting blamed on the View for starting this rumor so people would sell their homes.   Well, that just pisses me off on so many levels.
Anyway, for those that sold their home and now are at a loss as to where they might live, today might hold some challenges. Who would have thought that the world NOT ending could be bittersweet?


The Good News....My house is still intact.

The Bad News...For anyone that watched the Today Show this morning, you already know that 20 tornadoes went through Oklahoma and Kansas last night.  I will tell you that hubby and I are both hardly able to function this morning as this is what our evening looked like:

10:15 PM  Sirens start sounding.....At this point I am on the 3rd living level up in our house, hubby has gone to bed which is also up on the top floor.  I am figuring that this might not be the best place to be so I go tell him to get out of bed and haul his tired self to the lowest level.  This isn't exactly a hardship or anything as there is a very nice family room down there so he can lay down and watch the weather on the TV. By this time the wind has picked up, small hail is coming down and the TV guy is telling us that Olathe is in the direct path for the tornado, torrential rain, and micro bursts.  (Really, Mother Nature, you need to give us both micro bursts and tornado.  Shame on you.  Make a decision and stick with it.)

10:45 PM   ....The rain has let up a bit but the sirens are re-sounding.  A second storm is about to roll through.  No tornado warning this time, just the torrential rain and micro burst winds.


11:07 PM .... Again...another wave of thunderstorm is rolling through. Lots of lightening and thunder but less rain.


12:15 AM.... Seems the worst is over so we make our way off the sofa in the family room and go up to our Master Bedroom on the top floor.

12:30 AM....  Having washed our faces and brushed our teeth, laying in our bed discussing our blessings:  our home is intact, our new roof is yet to be installed, (had I already had the new roof, that hail would have really irritated me), and generally we are glad that all is quite for the moment.

1:20 AM....  House alarm sirens go off. HOLY SH**, What the hell???  We jump out of bed to try to figure out what is happening.   The sirens reset and it is quiet.  We are thinking maybe a power surge triggered them.

3:10  AM.... HOUSE ALARM SIRENS AGAIN...This just isn't our night to get any sleep at all.  Again, we can't figure out what is triggering these freakin' alarms.  They reset themselves.

7:00 AM  We are two tired, crabby people that are not moving very quickly this morning.


The Good...As stated earlier, I turned on the Tivo version of the Weekend Today Show and the top story is the weather in the Midwest. 

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

The Bad...I am so glad that they find this all so exciting and fun. Additionally, I am so happy (do you see the sarcasm dripping from my verbiage, here?) that Mr. Bettes is enjoying hanging around KC, for the fun of watching the next wave of storms due through here this evening. Good Times!!!



As for my Good and Bad for the day, I am sure you have enough already.

As for the Weird....I don't know if this really is what I typically think of as weird, BUT this song was written in 1968 by someone in a storm celler just north of Elma, Iowa.  What is interesting about this (at least to me) that a person would feel creative and inclined to write music during a tornado.

Liars and Fliers and (who?) Cares, Oh My

Another week with some interesting topics for hanging around our virtual water cooler.  A lot of this week's chat fodder has to do with people that have said and done things that have come back to bite them in the butt, so to speak. 

First the REST OF THE STORY concerning the breakup of Maria Shriver and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Turns out the Terminator was busy in the governor's mansion with more than official business. 


 In the last several days, we find out that he has been keeping it under wraps that he had a child with a member of the household staff during the time he was Governor of California.

Well, isn't Arnold a dirty dog!!  According to some news reports, his ex-mistress threatened to go public as she was fired from her employment.  (Note to all dogs out there...if you get a subordinate pregnant, you might want to make sure she has job security) Of course, this story changes daily. Today some of the reports say she just retired from her job and everyone is on friendly terms.  (friendly???? Call me crazy...but I doubt it)


In 2003 after an incident in which he was accused of groping women, Arnold made a statement "I behave badly sometimes."  (very well put, Arnold)  New York Times reporter, Robin   Abcarian  stated on the Today Show this morning that The NY Times  stands by the 2003 story that called him a " Serial Sexual Groper".  (Wouldn't that make a person proud to have that as your tag line?  Just think you could have a Twitter account [at]serialgroper)

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Another dirty dog ..err....skunk in the news is French business man, Dominique Strauss-Kahn. Strauss-Kahn, managing director of the International Monetary Fund is accused of attacking a housekeeper at a New York hotel.  He is being held at Rikers after bail was denied.

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do I look like a casino boss to you?



Another lawsuit is in the news this week.  A San Diego mother is suing Chuck E. Cheese's chain of restaurants for $5 Million because she believes children could develop a serious gambling habit by frequenting the eateries.  Debbie Keller contends that the games within the restaurants are actually illegal gambling devices, similar in nature to roulette wheels and slot machines. 



 Eric Binink, Ms. Keller's attorney, told the San Diego Union Tribune the the money is a secondary issue and his client is asking for a jury trial.   (I am thinking Ms. Keller is taking a gamble by bringing this case to court and finding a jury that would think this is worth 5 million)

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Southwest Airlines is back in the news.  Kenlie Tiggeman, a 30 year political strategist is saying that an employee at the Dallas based Southwest Airlines said she was "too fat to fly". She and her mother were both asked to by 2 tickets to accommodate their size.  Part of Ms. Tiggerman's  complaint deals with the fact that the gate agent discussed this in front of a number of other travelers.  (OK, I think that you aren't much of a gentleman to discuss a lady's weight in front of a crowd.  You are really, just asking for TROUBLE)

This issue has come up previously as well.  A spokesman for the airline said that if a person can fit into the seat between the armrests they can fly with one ticket.  If they need additional space they need to purchase a second ticket.  However, if the flight is not full, the second ticket price will be refunded.

Ms. Tiggeman is saying that at 268 pounds she does fit into the seat.  Also, she noted that on past flights she was not required to buy 2 tickets.  

Note to Southwest:  If you are going to charge by weight, you need to have a weight chart so we can all check the "fat or thin" surcharge.  Shouldn't the small, light people get a discount if those that are heavier are having to pay extra based on weight. 

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A consumer advocacy group is asking McDonald's to fire Ronald McDonald.  (no one's job is safe, any more).  According to The Chicago Tribune, Corporate Accountability International,  cites that the "Chief Happiness Officer" is enticing children to eat unhealthy foods that  is resulting in the growing epidemic of childhood obesity.  The group is planning events in a number of US cities to bring attention to the  problem of "cradle to grave" marketing that is luring children into eating unhealthy foods.

A McDonald's spokesman said that Ronald is a beloved brand ambassador that is the "heart and soul" of McDonald House Charities.  McDonald House provides housing for families of critically ill children so that they can stay near the hospital or care facility where the child is being treated. More than 4 million children benefit from this charity annually.

OK, my blogee friends, those are of few of the topics being talked about this week. 

What are your thoughts?  Weigh in....oops, sorry...and give me your comments on any, some or all of the Friday topics. 

The Good for the Day......I love that Whack-A-Mole game at Chuck E. Cheese. 

The Bad for the Day..... I am thinking we shouldn't blame Ronald for making our children fat unless he has his big ole red shoe on your chest while holding you down on the ground force feeding you Big Mac, Fries and a Shake.  Parents need to take control of what and how their children eat and adults need to take responsibility for themselves.

The Weird for the Day... A man wanted to take  his pony  for a ride on the train in Wales but was denied access even though he purchased 2 tickets. (one for himself and one for his pony)

Poor, sad pony, wants to go for a ride on the train!!!

A song that has Arnold in mind.

Crisis IS OVER

As, I might have mentioned in past posts, I don't consider myself to be a Mommy Blogger.  Most of my mommy material is very outdated, as my babies are now old enough to be having babies BUT from time to time, I find a little gem of material gratis my grown children.  Such is the case in a recent Facebook entry and the ensuing comments by family and friends.

Just in case I am sounding like a Mommy Blog, I will post my Mommy Blog seal just to show that I am indeed allowed to sound like a Mother. 

IT ALL STARTED LIKE THIS....


A few weeks ago I noticed on Facebook, a very cute little avatar looking vaguely familiar.


Next to the cute little avatar it said:

Dear Baby Stork,

That was a very good trick you played 7 months ago. Delivering our baby R...but keeping the "sleep through the night" instructions. Well played, Mr. Stork...well played. Jokes over now...please email instructions asap.

Signed, Grumpy and Sleepy

 

Disclaimer: Some of the names have been changed to protect the innocent, the uninformed (that I am hijacking their cleverness) the sleep deprived and the plagerism police that probably are getting ready to come after me as we speak.

Just for clarification purposes, so you know the cast of characters

My daughter, Kiddo #1 is Grumpy
My very clever son-in-law is Sleepy
The other grandma is known as Nana, (super funny and sweet person, we got lucky as far as blended families go)
The funny friends, I am leaving anonomys as I am sure they didn't think I would be out here posting their comments for the world to see.

Here are some of the many comments that came in:

All and all, I thought it was all pretty funny especially in light of the fact that I am over here sleeping fairly well. (fun being Grandma)  I did offer up Hubby to go over to their house for the 4AM as he is known around here as the "Baby Whisperer".  We haven't quite figured out his trick yet, but seemingly any baby he picks up is instantly soothed and goes right to sleep.

My daughter and son-in-law, however, felt like with some persistance and patience that little Baby R. would indeed start sleeping through the night. 

AND, YES, my blogee friends, he has now been sleeping regularly all night. EVERY NIGHT.

He does look well rested, don't you think.
Do you think, he will hate that we made him wear this hat
when he is old enough to blame us for things.

The Good for the Day....babies that sleep through the night

The Bad for the Day.....The sleep deprived parents that are up during the night trying to calm their sweet babies.

The Weird for the Day...I hear you out their saying bad things about the Monkey Hat.