Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Day Of Silence

Today is the day that the high school students are being silent.

Well... those who wish to be, that is. I hope they don't encounter hate in the process. I spoke to Kaitlyn this morning on how to comport herself if she does. I also told her to call me if it comes from adults. Cause *I* will have something to say about THAT.

They are silent in support of their gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgendered classmates who are, because of hate, are forced to be silent every day.

Next month our church will vote on whether or not to become a Reconciling Congregation of The United Methodist Church. I am hopeful that we will. We have done everything and become everything that makes a church a Reconciling Congregation. Now we just have to hang the sign on the door.

I am proud of the youth of our church who have, time and time again, stood up against hate towards the G/L/B/T community. I am proud of my daughter who is willing to do so too.

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

Bandos....

The common wisdom when I was in the marching band in high school was "Once a Bando, never normal." That's of course presuming normalcy before getting to band....

One of the things that George Weibel instilled in us was the all music is good. Don't discount a genre of music just because it isn't something you think you would like.

I have endeavored to keep that in mind. As a result, sometimes I know about bands before the rest of the world. Maroon 5 was one. Y'all know about them now, don't ya?

The only exception to this rule is rap. Cause rap ain't music. You gotta have, you know, music for it be...well, music. Rhyming isn't music. It's an exercise to help preschoolers to read. You might know the master rapper... Dr. Seuss.

Anyway.

My latest find I HAVE to give some publicity. I have a sneaking suspicion that these kids know George too..... They are from Tustin, CA. They won the Battle of the Bands at their high school. Huh.... My alma mater is in Tustin and has a Battle of the Bands.....

Even if they DID go to that other high school.... they're good. Catch 'em early and be cutting edge.

They are represented by Maloof Music and so will be performing during half time during the Kings whomping by the Spurs tonight. I hoped to make it but I have other places to be.

Meanwhile, you can check them out for yourself.

Narwhal

and

Narwhal - MySpace

Monday, April 24, 2006

On Wealth

I know people of wealth.

One of these people is my friend Stacy. Their bank balance wouldn't make Bill Gates green with envy or anything.... but Stacy and her family are wealthy in their love for each other and in friendships that reach across oceans and deep into the heart of their city. Places where many fear to go but they go without fear and are received with great love.

I also know people of great bank accounts. Some of these people live very normal lives. You wouldn't know of their wealth by their home or their car. But every now and again they pay for things of great value without blinking an eye. Why? Because that's what they saved for all their lives. To be able to pay for these very things. It's why they drive a beat up old car.... so they can spend it on traveling or retiring early. They are often people of great generosity. They have always tithed to their church. They have contributed extra when needed. The volunteer their time to worthy causes (and always have) and see retirement as a time to do more volunteering and to do so globally.

I also know people who take home more money in one paycheck than many people make in two months. They stick it all in the bank. They don't take it back out again. Unless, of course, it is something important. Like expensive jeans or a big screen TV or a new boat. Some of these folks come to my desk during tax season. When I ask about what they donated to charity they say "How much can I put down with a receipt? $500? Put $500." Or they just say "nothing". Ironically, they complain about the social programs that the liberals force on everyone and raise taxes. Yea...well, those liberals are also donating above what they pay in taxes more often than not too.... These folks are often very conspicuous in their wealth. I see how much they paid for their house and their address. I know what kind of house they have. I see all the registrations for all the cars and other toys requiring a license from the state.

Today, someone I know popped off and said "Annoy a liberal. Be Happy. Work Hard." I took offense but I also wondered about that. The most snarly people that I encountered were those who, between questions, regaled me on their View Of The World and How It Ought To Be. They were the ones when I asked about charity said "no". When I tried to jog their memory and said "Did you give money to the Red Cross for Katrina....or anything..." retorted with "I wouldn't give the Red Cross the sweat off my ass." (yes, that is a direct quote) and "Why would I give anything to Those People??"

They were most definitely conservatives.

They were most definitely unhappy.

Of course "all liberals" and "all conservatives" cannot be classified as one or the other. In fact, in the examples I gave, some consider themselves conservatives and some consider themselves liberals in all examples.

Money really can't buy happiness. I know some very wealthy very unhappy people. But I do think you CAN buy being happy. Of course it's WHAT you buy that is important. Do you 'buy' food for local hunger charities? Do you 'buy' school uniforms for poor children? Or do you buy another handbag or pair of shoes? Are you buying another electronic gizmo even though your 'old' one is really not that different than the new one and is only a year or two old?

Wealth and Happiness.

You can have both. You can have neither. You can have one and not the other. The key is you. If you find yourself becoming more and more unhappy while your bank account is growing... try giving it to those for whom a dollar is as precious as a thousand of them is to you. You won't miss it and it will mean a lot to them.

Bragging about your stuff will only make you look like a schmuck.

Saturday, April 22, 2006

Thursday, April 20, 2006

Overheard

In our car on the way to school: (my internal dialogue is in italics)

Mom- You have a hole in your shoe.

Emma- I know. It's been that way since we went to Monterey.

Mom- I know that too. Yet, you are still wearing the shoe with the hole. I would think that "hole in shoe" would be reason not to wear it. I would think it is a perfectly acceptable reason to throw them in the trash, actually.

Emma- I don't have any other shoes.

Mom- Really? Because I distinctly remember you liberating several pairs of sneaks from my closet along with a variety of other kinds of shoes. Plus all the ones we buy for you. You probably have liberated ones that were not in the "I'm never wearing these so they're outta here" pile too.

Emma- Yea, but this is the only one that doesn't get wet inside when I walk in water. Here's a thought... don't walk in water.

Mom- The shoe with the hole in it? The water doesn't go through the, you know, hole?

Emma- Yep.

Mom- You know it's not raining today, right? Thus decreasing the chances of any walking in water. In fact if one does encounter a puddle, it is probably easily avoided.

Emma- Yep.
She's only gonna give up those shoes for new shoes.

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

A List:

Big cheapo bottle of Shampoo for when the children need to use our shower.

Big cheapo bottle of Conditioner for when the children need to use our shower.

One bottle of cheapo shampoo, for colored hair.

One bottle of cheapo conditioner, for colored hair.

One bottle of superdeeduper conditioner for the frizzies that got set in there and not taken out.

One bottle of a combo of conditioner that really zaps the frizzies.

One tube of gentle face cleaner that is good and soapy and gets the makeup off.

One tube of super gritty face cleaner (although it says "hand and body") that gets the flakey dry spots on my face that I have acquired with age.

One tube of extra super gritty FOOT scrub that SOMEONE really ought to be using on both hands and feet.

One bottle of "body wash" that has been there for a year and not even a quarter of it is gone. I should take it out.

One gallon jug of Pert Plus for people with no hair.

Monday, April 17, 2006

Not dead, just no phone

Usually, part of my evening routine includes plugging my cell phone into the charger. I use it quite a bit each day and it usually at least needs to be topped off (yes, I know that's a bad thing to do.... Oh well....). Oddly, last night when I plugged it in it said "Charging Complete". So I unplugged it.

This morning, the phone was OFF. Oddness... So I turned it on and it told me "No Service" and promptly turned off again. So I plugged it in and let it charge before I left to run some errands. It mostly charged but still.... "No Service".

I tried numerous times to call Normy only to get dead air. I tried to send text messages. "Message Not Delivered" As I waited for Starbucks to fix my fix, I noticed a woman looking at her phone in puzzlement and shaking it (cause SHAKING will help). She had no service either. Neither did anyone else in the place.

When I paid for my fix, the barista said "the credit went through" to her co-workers. Uh...yea....ok....

I went over to Longs and bought a couple of things. I tried to pay using my debit card. It did not work. Credit worked.

I had no problems at The Natural Food Co-op.

Bel Air wouldn't let my debit card go through. So we switched it to credit. My friend who works there said that my bank was having trouble with the debit feature. But they were having problems with some of their phones. As I was leaving I noticed the store manager there in his regular clothes (not his Official Bel Air Attire) and heard him say "Ok, so THAT phone will get calls IN, but none of these work for the store and no calls OUT at all?"

I stopped off at home and put the ground beef in the fridge and went to the scrapbook store. Michele asked if anything strange was going on as soon. as. I. walked. in.

They couldn't get their credit card machines to work and the phone was saying "all circuits are busy". Michele's cell phone worked, however.

I got home and the phone was dead.

But the DSL connection was working. I had an email saying "CALL ME!" from Normy. Wondering if I was dead. I had been able to ....almost.... get through to him but not enough for us to actually communicate. He sent text messages that I did not return. The home phone was busy. He called a friend out of state to see if she could get through to me.

Nope. Not dead. Just without ability to communicate with the outside world. If I hadn't had computer access I would have ceased to exist! And Normy was about to drive home from work to look for me. HIS phone worked.

Some dorkus sliced through a fiber optic cable. I'm thinking they need to quit digging up the roads and quit risking the accidental cable slice. Leave. The. Roads. Alone.

All of sudden my cell started ringing as multiple text messages and voicemails started coming in. All asking "are you ok?" "where are you?" and "I can't get a hold of you!"

Imagine back in the olden days when we weren't instantly available....

Blue.

Sky, that is.

Lots and lots of blue sky this morning.

The storm clouds are moving east. They have butted up against the Sierras and probably delayed sunrise by a good 10 minutes...we could see the sun behind the clouds trying to get high enough to peek over.

The clouds against the mountains was spectacular to behold. Mostly it was spectacular to see the storm clouds in. the. distance.

You'll need chains to go over the Sierras today. And shorts in the Valley.

Hallalujah!

(but keep the umbrella handy...more rain on the way later this week....)

Thursday, April 13, 2006

How To Tell There's Been Too Much Rain...

The local news has been on for over 10 minutes and we are still doing "weather". Except it has nothing to with "Severe Storm Warnings" and is ALL about:

Damn. Look at the sun.

Praise Flying Spaghetti Monster!

Hallalujah!

(and if you aren't a Pastafarian yet, Google "Flying Spaghetti Monster" and be touched by His Noodley Appendage)

Six more hours. I have six more hours to give to The Man. And then I won't have to think about 1040's, W-2's, Schedule A, B, C, D OR E. No 1099 of any kind. No 1098's.

This year, tax season seemed longer than usual. Maybe because today is the first day it appears to be spring. Maybe all this rain made it feel like February all this time. Maybe it's because I didn't get my "Dear God I think I am actual dying" sick leave this year.

Yes people. I made it through March without pneumonia. I didn't even get really sick. Got a little bit sick. But the wonder drug Airborne brought the sniffles to a quick end.

If you haven't done your taxes yet, you DO have until Monday to get them to the IRS. But don't call me. I'm DONE.

Wednesday, April 12, 2006

No Kidding.

Yea.... I figured.

When I saw Stacy's blog and that her ethics were 25% Conservative and 75% Liberal I wondered what that meant, exactly. I still don't know, but at least she's MOSTLY on board with me.










Your Political Profile



Overall: 25% Conservative, 75% Liberal

Social Issues: 25% Conservative, 75% Liberal

Personal Responsibility: 50% Conservative, 50% Liberal

Fiscal Issues: 0% Conservative, 100% Liberal

Ethics: 0% Conservative, 100% Liberal

Defense and Crime: 50% Conservative, 50% Liberal


Perspective

So many times, it is all relative.

Emma is the shortest one around our house. So we tend to think of her as "short". We are all at least a head plus taller than she is. Emma, however, thinks of herself as "tall".

She spends most of her day around kids her age (10). Most of those kids are shorter, some significantly so, than she is. One kid in class is about her height. But she said he was about to turn THIRTEEN. (no.... I don't know why a 12 year old is in 5th grade. But I do know he has some hearing issues and was not born in this country and so may have had a late start in getting a proper education.) There is one girl in her class who is, I swear, HALF Emma's height. I do believe that girl is older than she is. Most of them are....

By summer, she will be a solid 5 feet tall.

She has yet to start any sort of real growth spurt.

I suppose her size 9 (women's) feet are only a precursor to what is yet to be.

Maybe I should sign her up for Joe and Gavin's Basketball Camp this summer......

Tuesday, April 11, 2006

Open Letter To Door to Door Security Salesmen

You came to my door today. You rang my bell. You stuck the flyer in my doorjamb.

You may have thought that leaving a flyer on my door to make it look like no one is home would convince me of the need for your security service. But no. It just pissed me off that I have ANOTHER PIECE OF PAPER in my house. We already have too many of those. We do not need yours.

I didn't answer the door when you came by. I was home, but I ignored you so you would go away. Why is that? Because I was practicing the first rule of Security of The Home.

Do Not Answer The Door To Strangers.

Consider for the moment the irony of that.

You want me to violate the FIRST RULE in order to make me FEEL SECURE.

Yea.... No.

Thursday, April 06, 2006

Funniest Thing I've Read Lately.

Stacy's Blog.

Blog entry: Possom - 10points

Tuesday, April 04, 2006

Rain.

Oh dear Flying Spaghetti Monster.

I am done. Stick a fork in me, done.

It has been raining since forever. Really. Today has rained...rained HARD... all day long. I even moved my car to higher ground at work today. Elk Grove Creek is about to crest and when that happens, the parking lot drain will no longer drain into Elk Grove Creek.

The levee on the Cosumnes River failed today. Failed into ag fields.

The weir hasn't been opened yet. (Why? Dunno....) So the Sacramento River is overflowing. Again.

Sandbags are being filled and stacked. Again.

I want to go away for Spring Break. Spring Break is the week before April 15. Which STINKS. Cause that means I am stuck here. Stuck here in the rain.....

So far our major levees are holding. The Bush Administration has come out and looked at them. They agree it's just a matter of time before they fail. Fail worse than New Orleans. So sad, too bad for us. They aren't gonna send us any of the money WE send to them to fix our levees. Not this year. Probably not next year. But hey... hold on for a couple more years and we'll see about it.

Uh huh. When it will no longer be their problem.

It will still be ours tho'....

Red cells heading toward the Sierras.

It will stop raining.

And then the snow will start to melt.

.......hopefully the levees will still be able to hold....