Some time ago, my FB friend CAT (oh yes, I'm not Carmen T.), owner of this successful and respectable blog, asked me to write a special article, the 75th post.
I agreed on the double (a honor for me to be "the one" chosen), but unfortunately I couldn't accomplish the request, so she asked me to try again, this time for the 100th post. And this time, I was able to write in her blog after figuring out how to be a contributing poster. Besides, the Centennial Post is more special than the 75th, isn't it?
Now you know why CAT wrote so quickly her previous posts. LOL.
A real challenge for me is composing an interesting piece of text in a language I don't speak or write fluently, and for people that usually read in English well written posts. I said Carmen that's only pure optimistic mood! So if you miss CAT's unique style, feel free to skip this post and read the next one.
If you are still reading, thank you. And may be you'd like to know I have my own blog. Actually, I have two: FJ's Blog, written in English, used myself to practice, and The Daily Chronicles, written in Spanish, if you can read in that language.
There you'll find there my pieces of art LOL. I'm just kidding, I'm not a writer, but I like to express myself thru a written media.
Thanks for reading.
FJ.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Oops, I Got Ahead Of Myself
Hi again. Remember the last post on self-promotion. In it I promised that you would see what I meant in the next, 100th post.
Well when I went to the draft page and realized I had jumped the gun by one. Hey that rhymes - aren't I good!
So I inserted this little announcement for no other reason than to make the next post truly the 100th post, as it should be.
Carmen
Well when I went to the draft page and realized I had jumped the gun by one. Hey that rhymes - aren't I good!
So I inserted this little announcement for no other reason than to make the next post truly the 100th post, as it should be.
Carmen
A Shameless Bit Of Self-Promotion
Hello everyone. Remember how back around my 75th post I promised you a special treat. Well due to technical difficulties it didn't happen when promised.
However, at the time I said that they should hopefully be straightened out by the 100th post. I am happy to report that they have indeed been worked out.
Sadly though I have to report that the content of said 100th post will be a bit lacking for reasons which you will come to see soon on your own.
I am publishing it as is instead of sending it back to the drawing board because I think that in it's own way it is pretty funny.
It harkens back to the experimental posts the me and my friend F.J. did on when we got each other to post a topic that the other one picked for them.
Nevertheless, because it first (and last - lol) struck me as a lack of inspiration plus shameless self-promotion I may have a second kick at the 100 can.
Oh, and self-promoting or not, please do follow the links you will find in that next post. I was hoping they would be there just maybe not so prominent! LOL.
However, at the time I said that they should hopefully be straightened out by the 100th post. I am happy to report that they have indeed been worked out.
Sadly though I have to report that the content of said 100th post will be a bit lacking for reasons which you will come to see soon on your own.
I am publishing it as is instead of sending it back to the drawing board because I think that in it's own way it is pretty funny.
It harkens back to the experimental posts the me and my friend F.J. did on when we got each other to post a topic that the other one picked for them.
Nevertheless, because it first (and last - lol) struck me as a lack of inspiration plus shameless self-promotion I may have a second kick at the 100 can.
Oh, and self-promoting or not, please do follow the links you will find in that next post. I was hoping they would be there just maybe not so prominent! LOL.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
In The News - Cemetery Assault
Hi there again. Yes I'm posting a-g-a-i-n today. Somedays (like the 7th - the first time I did it) I just can't help myself. I become a posting maniac. Not that everything I post is necessarily golden but I just wanna post.
I was trying to think of something a little different than the last few posts to post now to keep things fresh and I decided why not dust off my newish feature "In The News".
I didn't catch much of this story. Nothing really except the headline but I found it interesting. Apparently some youngish man recently (in Canada I think) just up and assaulting a 60ish year old woman while she was visiting in a cemetery.
Creepy, huh. The only thing creepier would be if this happened at night. I guess that's why people don't go to cemeteries late at night (at least you'd hope most people wouldn't).
What do you think? Would you ever visit a cemetery after dark? Even if it was in the winter when it gets dark so early? Does the thought of a dark cemetery creep you out in a major way? It sure does me.
Carmen
I was trying to think of something a little different than the last few posts to post now to keep things fresh and I decided why not dust off my newish feature "In The News".
I didn't catch much of this story. Nothing really except the headline but I found it interesting. Apparently some youngish man recently (in Canada I think) just up and assaulting a 60ish year old woman while she was visiting in a cemetery.
Creepy, huh. The only thing creepier would be if this happened at night. I guess that's why people don't go to cemeteries late at night (at least you'd hope most people wouldn't).
What do you think? Would you ever visit a cemetery after dark? Even if it was in the winter when it gets dark so early? Does the thought of a dark cemetery creep you out in a major way? It sure does me.
Carmen
Cats & Dogs
Hi people. Nothing original this time but I wanted to share a couple of cute quotes I saw on Facebook about cats and dogs.
The first one is from Garfield. Cats are poetry in motion. Dogs are gibberish in neutral.
The second one was a comment left (it's origin unknown) by someone who liked the above quote. Dogs have masters. Cats have STAFF.
Carmen
P.S. If you've already read my last post Butt I Forgot About The Hamster please re-read it as I just went in and edited in a very important P.S.
The first one is from Garfield. Cats are poetry in motion. Dogs are gibberish in neutral.
The second one was a comment left (it's origin unknown) by someone who liked the above quote. Dogs have masters. Cats have STAFF.
Carmen
P.S. If you've already read my last post Butt I Forgot About The Hamster please re-read it as I just went in and edited in a very important P.S.
Butt I Forgot About The Hamster!
Sex sells. I went to the blogger help - coffee shop yesterday after posting my last post and left it's title (Laura And Dildo Boy) on the thread about "what was your last post about".
Well, imagine my surprise when I logged into see my blog and the dashboard showed that I was up 3 followers in one day (for the second time now). I attribute this latest leap to sex selling. LOL.
I was just left wondering what the jump would have been if I had not, in my forgetfulness due to the length of the post, forgotten to include the gratuitous bit about stuffing a hamster up his ass.
Truth be told, he didn't but when I was talking to him and telling him what I was going to write I said to him something like "the only thing you haven't done to your ass is stuff a hamster in there". LOL.
Carmen
P.S. I almost forgot. My three new followers in this order Ingrid O'Brien, Julie Childers and Jillian Johnston. Welcome ladies.
Well, imagine my surprise when I logged into see my blog and the dashboard showed that I was up 3 followers in one day (for the second time now). I attribute this latest leap to sex selling. LOL.
I was just left wondering what the jump would have been if I had not, in my forgetfulness due to the length of the post, forgotten to include the gratuitous bit about stuffing a hamster up his ass.
Truth be told, he didn't but when I was talking to him and telling him what I was going to write I said to him something like "the only thing you haven't done to your ass is stuff a hamster in there". LOL.
Carmen
P.S. I almost forgot. My three new followers in this order Ingrid O'Brien, Julie Childers and Jillian Johnston. Welcome ladies.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Laura And Dildo Boy
Ok. So I promised to introduce you in my previous post to my very most recent follower - a friend named Brett. This story may be a little shocking to the more conservative folks amongst you so please be forewarned.
I met Brett through Facebook, but not directly so as I said previously. It was through an application called SpeedDate. I know, I know, how cheesy. Although I am single I am not really interested in dating so it is a little odd that I chose to use the SpeedDate application.
I think I added it to get something else and then didn't originally know how to delete it, then when I figured it out I decided to try it to possibly find friends It may seem silly (and it probably is) to expect to find platonic friends on a dating site but that was my plan.
It didn't help that there was this annoying "door-bell" feature that announced a new possibility almost immediately after you finished a very quick three (yes only three) minutes with one person. In spite of that annoyance I did manage to find not one but two guys that I befriended a bit online.
One was Brett. The other was a Nigerian guy named Ajbola but that is mostly another story. The one thing Brett and Ajbola had in common was (surprise, surprise) a belief that I really did want to meet someone to date, ie. have sex with.
Well after alot of conversations that were mostly about sex they finally got the picture (which is also a story for another day - a specific day in fact). So back to Brett specifically. When I say he and Ajbola finally got it I may have been overstating my case a little.
You see, even though I made it perfectly clear that I was not interested in sex with him, sex was still first and foremost the number one thing on his mind. Maybe a little detail that I have so far left out will further explain why. Brett is 18. LOL. Yes, 18. To my almost 42.
Not that that, or my weight, or my psychological "issue" or anything else under God's green earth that I mentioned (all true by the way) would take him off topic. Finally however time did what I could not do myself.
One day, I was talking to him on messenger as always and he tells me in yet again a case of TMI that he is sunning himself - in the nude. I ask him how he can get away with that in the city (especially the high-end neighborhood he lives in with his parents). This is when he tells me he is working for the summer at a farm.
Even so, you might think it a little weird that the owners of the farm were ok with this bit of free-spiritedness but apparently the single owner was not home. On top of that, it turns out that had she been it still really wouldn't have been an issue. Why not? Well because, my dear readers, the lady in question was/is something of a "Mrs. Robinson".
Mrs. Robinson or Mrs "X" as he called her originally seemed to want to get to know the help quite well. Intimately even. It seemed so at least from her actions. You see he told me off a number of rather shocking things this woman who is actually a friend's mother(!) did to show her interest. For one thing lifting up her dress.
Pantiless.
Well fast forward a bit and he is bringing our conversations around to his (self) sex life and how he wants to come into town (he was on the farm for the a good part of the spring/early summer) to buy a dildo. Yes TMI again I thought. So a conversation or two goes by and it seems he gets his little toy.
Because he either doesn't drive or just doesn't have a car it turns out that Mrs. Robinson was his ride for this purchase. I can't remember whether or not he said if she actually saw what he bought (I suggested buying a "shadow" purchase in case she asked) but in the end it turned out not to matter.
This is because after a short while of using his new toy on himself he was already getting bored/adventuresome. He talked of wanting to take his fun further. So I (half-jokingly) suggested that he would have a willing partner in the lady of the manor. He actually asked me if I really thought so.
You see, at first, I think he was unnerved by her forwardness but as I pointed out he was more than willing to bug me to have sex with him and surely she couldn't be much older than me. Not to mention that she seemed more than willing! Anyway, it took very little persuasion for him to actually ask her.
Not surprisingly, the answer was a resounding yes. So, I was the recipient of a few odd (well not so odd) tales of their adventures. The one that sticks out is that she bought him several pairs of ladies panties to wear. He told me this when he asked me to help him choose which pair to first wear. Ah, the things a friend does.
Now, this story is getting a bit long because I was basically not sure what to write exactly although I had the title in mind. I knew it would be chronological so it was bound to be at least a little long but even I am getting tired of waiting for the payoff.
Also, as an aside, I am also tired of typing because of a little exercise I did today that is going to become the subject of a post in the near future about writing I had to type two whole blog posts, that I previously wrote, out in full after writing them out in long-hand because I can't copy and paste. Copying and pasting or rather not copying and pasting is going to be the death of me.
But back to the story at hand now that I have given myself a little breather. I'll try to tie up the story in a few paragraphs with a abbreviated version of the rest. First of all, after Brett and Mrs. "X". got together he took to calling her by her first name, "Tara".
As the stories went on and on I told him (again) that now that he got his first experience (the reason I kind of steered him toward her in the first place) he should start thinking of ending things and finding himself a real girlfriend and obviously someone closer to his age.
Ah, but the lure of sex and sex with a hot-to-trot older woman no less who is more than likely more adventuresome than some random 18 year old that he might have something else in common with proved to much of a lure. After promising that he would do exactly that (end it with the end of the job) he, well lets just say he went back on his word.
In fact, when I was asking him what I could write about him when he asked me to write something on him, I told him I would need some more info and also I told him that I had previously planned to write something on his situation called Laura And Dildo Boy. I asked if he would be offended. Oddly, he wasn't.
Further to the fact he told me one thing when I was asking for other info to possibly write something more generic and less overtly personal. That was to tell people that he loves Tara. Ok. Done. And I'll refrain from stating the obvious.
After all, the one thing I have learned about him (other than more than I care to know about his sex life) is that he is a very sheltered (pot to kettle time - lol) kid who wears his heart on his sleeve. That story may be one for another time as well.
Finally, to conclude, how I got the title for the post since I am calling "Mrs. Robinson" Tara (close as I do to her name but of course not her actual name) and not "Laura" is a bit of a tangential aside to the story. Sort of like how the book/play Rosencrantz and Gildenstern Are Dead came about in my defense.
Remember, I said that when talking to Brett about what I was going to write I said I had the title and some of his story in mind. Well, that was because before "Tara" came along there was "Laura". I just didn't mention her in chronilogical order cause I promised "Laura" the story about her and Brett would not be written. I kind of lied.
That's because if it had been the actual story of Laura And Dildo Boy then it would have been much shorter. Before Tara came on to the scene I was trying to kill two birds with one stone and get Brett off my case and find a more age appropriate (sort of) girlfriend/boyfriend for Brett and Laura.
However, when I told Laura about Brett's endless chatter about sex she vetoed him as a credible choice. Undaunted, I persevered. Not really expecting to change her mind, it became a bit of a joke between us. So when I decided to write a brief story about it the title became fixed in my mind. Tara And Dildo Boy just didn't have the same ring to it. And maybe no small part of it is because their story is more serious.
Anyway, there you have it. My life as a sex therapist and humor writer (or not). Oh and if it got lost in all the details I called him Dildo Boy not just because a boy found himself a toy but because it became his obsession before Tara came into the picture.
So there you go Brett. Don't say you didn't ask for it. LOL. And to Laura sorry but I couldn't help myself and besides you were so little of the story that no one will identify you. As for Tara, well lets just say your on your own, hope your son doesn't find out, and please be good to Brett. He's a nice kid.
Carmen
P.S. This turned out to be only slightly less (I counted paragraphs) longer than my opuses on LiveBridge. Each of the three LiveBridge posts were all just slightly shorter. So this wasn't too much beyond the pale. I've been here before. LOL.
I met Brett through Facebook, but not directly so as I said previously. It was through an application called SpeedDate. I know, I know, how cheesy. Although I am single I am not really interested in dating so it is a little odd that I chose to use the SpeedDate application.
I think I added it to get something else and then didn't originally know how to delete it, then when I figured it out I decided to try it to possibly find friends It may seem silly (and it probably is) to expect to find platonic friends on a dating site but that was my plan.
It didn't help that there was this annoying "door-bell" feature that announced a new possibility almost immediately after you finished a very quick three (yes only three) minutes with one person. In spite of that annoyance I did manage to find not one but two guys that I befriended a bit online.
One was Brett. The other was a Nigerian guy named Ajbola but that is mostly another story. The one thing Brett and Ajbola had in common was (surprise, surprise) a belief that I really did want to meet someone to date, ie. have sex with.
Well after alot of conversations that were mostly about sex they finally got the picture (which is also a story for another day - a specific day in fact). So back to Brett specifically. When I say he and Ajbola finally got it I may have been overstating my case a little.
You see, even though I made it perfectly clear that I was not interested in sex with him, sex was still first and foremost the number one thing on his mind. Maybe a little detail that I have so far left out will further explain why. Brett is 18. LOL. Yes, 18. To my almost 42.
Not that that, or my weight, or my psychological "issue" or anything else under God's green earth that I mentioned (all true by the way) would take him off topic. Finally however time did what I could not do myself.
One day, I was talking to him on messenger as always and he tells me in yet again a case of TMI that he is sunning himself - in the nude. I ask him how he can get away with that in the city (especially the high-end neighborhood he lives in with his parents). This is when he tells me he is working for the summer at a farm.
Even so, you might think it a little weird that the owners of the farm were ok with this bit of free-spiritedness but apparently the single owner was not home. On top of that, it turns out that had she been it still really wouldn't have been an issue. Why not? Well because, my dear readers, the lady in question was/is something of a "Mrs. Robinson".
Mrs. Robinson or Mrs "X" as he called her originally seemed to want to get to know the help quite well. Intimately even. It seemed so at least from her actions. You see he told me off a number of rather shocking things this woman who is actually a friend's mother(!) did to show her interest. For one thing lifting up her dress.
Pantiless.
Well fast forward a bit and he is bringing our conversations around to his (self) sex life and how he wants to come into town (he was on the farm for the a good part of the spring/early summer) to buy a dildo. Yes TMI again I thought. So a conversation or two goes by and it seems he gets his little toy.
Because he either doesn't drive or just doesn't have a car it turns out that Mrs. Robinson was his ride for this purchase. I can't remember whether or not he said if she actually saw what he bought (I suggested buying a "shadow" purchase in case she asked) but in the end it turned out not to matter.
This is because after a short while of using his new toy on himself he was already getting bored/adventuresome. He talked of wanting to take his fun further. So I (half-jokingly) suggested that he would have a willing partner in the lady of the manor. He actually asked me if I really thought so.
You see, at first, I think he was unnerved by her forwardness but as I pointed out he was more than willing to bug me to have sex with him and surely she couldn't be much older than me. Not to mention that she seemed more than willing! Anyway, it took very little persuasion for him to actually ask her.
Not surprisingly, the answer was a resounding yes. So, I was the recipient of a few odd (well not so odd) tales of their adventures. The one that sticks out is that she bought him several pairs of ladies panties to wear. He told me this when he asked me to help him choose which pair to first wear. Ah, the things a friend does.
Now, this story is getting a bit long because I was basically not sure what to write exactly although I had the title in mind. I knew it would be chronological so it was bound to be at least a little long but even I am getting tired of waiting for the payoff.
Also, as an aside, I am also tired of typing because of a little exercise I did today that is going to become the subject of a post in the near future about writing I had to type two whole blog posts, that I previously wrote, out in full after writing them out in long-hand because I can't copy and paste. Copying and pasting or rather not copying and pasting is going to be the death of me.
But back to the story at hand now that I have given myself a little breather. I'll try to tie up the story in a few paragraphs with a abbreviated version of the rest. First of all, after Brett and Mrs. "X". got together he took to calling her by her first name, "Tara".
As the stories went on and on I told him (again) that now that he got his first experience (the reason I kind of steered him toward her in the first place) he should start thinking of ending things and finding himself a real girlfriend and obviously someone closer to his age.
Ah, but the lure of sex and sex with a hot-to-trot older woman no less who is more than likely more adventuresome than some random 18 year old that he might have something else in common with proved to much of a lure. After promising that he would do exactly that (end it with the end of the job) he, well lets just say he went back on his word.
In fact, when I was asking him what I could write about him when he asked me to write something on him, I told him I would need some more info and also I told him that I had previously planned to write something on his situation called Laura And Dildo Boy. I asked if he would be offended. Oddly, he wasn't.
Further to the fact he told me one thing when I was asking for other info to possibly write something more generic and less overtly personal. That was to tell people that he loves Tara. Ok. Done. And I'll refrain from stating the obvious.
After all, the one thing I have learned about him (other than more than I care to know about his sex life) is that he is a very sheltered (pot to kettle time - lol) kid who wears his heart on his sleeve. That story may be one for another time as well.
Finally, to conclude, how I got the title for the post since I am calling "Mrs. Robinson" Tara (close as I do to her name but of course not her actual name) and not "Laura" is a bit of a tangential aside to the story. Sort of like how the book/play Rosencrantz and Gildenstern Are Dead came about in my defense.
Remember, I said that when talking to Brett about what I was going to write I said I had the title and some of his story in mind. Well, that was because before "Tara" came along there was "Laura". I just didn't mention her in chronilogical order cause I promised "Laura" the story about her and Brett would not be written. I kind of lied.
That's because if it had been the actual story of Laura And Dildo Boy then it would have been much shorter. Before Tara came on to the scene I was trying to kill two birds with one stone and get Brett off my case and find a more age appropriate (sort of) girlfriend/boyfriend for Brett and Laura.
However, when I told Laura about Brett's endless chatter about sex she vetoed him as a credible choice. Undaunted, I persevered. Not really expecting to change her mind, it became a bit of a joke between us. So when I decided to write a brief story about it the title became fixed in my mind. Tara And Dildo Boy just didn't have the same ring to it. And maybe no small part of it is because their story is more serious.
Anyway, there you have it. My life as a sex therapist and humor writer (or not). Oh and if it got lost in all the details I called him Dildo Boy not just because a boy found himself a toy but because it became his obsession before Tara came into the picture.
So there you go Brett. Don't say you didn't ask for it. LOL. And to Laura sorry but I couldn't help myself and besides you were so little of the story that no one will identify you. As for Tara, well lets just say your on your own, hope your son doesn't find out, and please be good to Brett. He's a nice kid.
Carmen
P.S. This turned out to be only slightly less (I counted paragraphs) longer than my opuses on LiveBridge. Each of the three LiveBridge posts were all just slightly shorter. So this wasn't too much beyond the pale. I've been here before. LOL.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
As Easy As 1-2-3
Well hello again. Guess what! I'm so excited. In the space of about a day I got not one, not two, but three new followers.
First let me briefly introduce you. First there is Shinju, then there is TNT and finally there is brett...
So there you have it. Three new members all in the short space of a day. The first two are from the blogger coffee shop and the third is someone I met indirectly through Facebook.
Both Shinju and TNT have their own blogs of course since after all I did "meet" them in the blogger coffee shop. To check out there blogs click on their names.
As for Brett, he joined somewhat conditionally. Well, not exactly. But, kind of. You see when I asked him to join to support my little bet he was on board right away.
The reason I said conditionally is because he immediately said he wanted me to write something about him. It was actually me who set the condition.
Basically, it went something like this. He was having a little trouble getting signed up and I told him he had to be signed up before anything would appear. LOL.
How's that for strong arm tactics. Well, I say, you gotta do what you gotta do. Anyway, all's well that ends well and in the next post you will meet Brett.
Carmen
First let me briefly introduce you. First there is Shinju, then there is TNT and finally there is brett...
So there you have it. Three new members all in the short space of a day. The first two are from the blogger coffee shop and the third is someone I met indirectly through Facebook.
Both Shinju and TNT have their own blogs of course since after all I did "meet" them in the blogger coffee shop. To check out there blogs click on their names.
As for Brett, he joined somewhat conditionally. Well, not exactly. But, kind of. You see when I asked him to join to support my little bet he was on board right away.
The reason I said conditionally is because he immediately said he wanted me to write something about him. It was actually me who set the condition.
Basically, it went something like this. He was having a little trouble getting signed up and I told him he had to be signed up before anything would appear. LOL.
How's that for strong arm tactics. Well, I say, you gotta do what you gotta do. Anyway, all's well that ends well and in the next post you will meet Brett.
Carmen
Monday, July 12, 2010
50th Follower - A Legacy Of Sorts
Hello again everybody. So I was on blogger help - coffee shop trying to drum up some followers and amusing myself looking at other peoples blogs there too (fair's fair). Well, I got sidetracked and decided to try my hand at copy and pasting again to get a hit counter. Long story short, it didn't work. Again. However, when I came to my blog to attempt the paste I saw, to my surprise, a 50th follower. Yay.
Also, this 50th follower isn't one of the few possibilities I expected. But it turns out it was/is someone from the coffee shop. He had stopped by once before to just read the blog and leave a really nice comment for me. I believe it was on the post Life At LiveBridge Part III. That is the one about my experiences as a telemarketer and the best of my calls.
Anyway, this person who goes by the screen-name Legacy2000 is my official 50th follower. As I can't use blogger's friend connect (as I've said before it doesn't work properly) to thank him I can just hope he reads this post. I suspect he joined because of something I posted suggesting another person in the coffee shop become my #50 and the thought appealed to him. All's fair in love and blogging, I say.
Anyway, welcome Legacy, hope you stop by lots and leave plenty of comments while doing so. Thanks again for becoming #50. Now that you are on board maybe you could give me some advice in the comments on how to get my last 25 followers to win my bet on getting 75 followers by my blog's 1 year anniversary. You seem like an old hand in the blogger coffee shop forum so I look forward to hearing what you have to say.
Carmen
Also, this 50th follower isn't one of the few possibilities I expected. But it turns out it was/is someone from the coffee shop. He had stopped by once before to just read the blog and leave a really nice comment for me. I believe it was on the post Life At LiveBridge Part III. That is the one about my experiences as a telemarketer and the best of my calls.
Anyway, this person who goes by the screen-name Legacy2000 is my official 50th follower. As I can't use blogger's friend connect (as I've said before it doesn't work properly) to thank him I can just hope he reads this post. I suspect he joined because of something I posted suggesting another person in the coffee shop become my #50 and the thought appealed to him. All's fair in love and blogging, I say.
Anyway, welcome Legacy, hope you stop by lots and leave plenty of comments while doing so. Thanks again for becoming #50. Now that you are on board maybe you could give me some advice in the comments on how to get my last 25 followers to win my bet on getting 75 followers by my blog's 1 year anniversary. You seem like an old hand in the blogger coffee shop forum so I look forward to hearing what you have to say.
Carmen
Free Slurpee Day
Was yesterday. :( I missed it. Even though my niece Larissa works there. And we spent the day together celebrating her mom's/my sister's retirement. %&*$#@ Larissa. Can't get good help!
I guess I should have remembered myself as it is my 3/4 year birthday (07-11-10) and it's on "Slurpee's Anniversary" every year for the last several. Oh well, I guess there is always next year.
Besides a not getting a U.S. 7.11 ounce slurpee probably isn't the end of the world as we know it. Probably. Although when I found out about missing slurpee day late last night/early this morning I was very, very sad!
When I called Larissa's to bitch at her about this her daughter, "Sam", answered the phone. Naturally Larissa was at work. So I tried to convey the deep anguish I had felt to my great-niece. No luck. Even though she was a "slurpee baby" (7pounds 11 ounces - seriously!)
When I told her that I was mad at her mom and proceeded to unveil the reason why (the tell-tale date - 07-11) she knew right away what I was getting at. Yet, there wasn't a hint of sympathy. Damn those recessive genes. LOL.
Anyway, I guess that is my rant for the day. Now to the question of the day. Did any of you in Canada and the U.S. miss out on Free Slurpee Day too or were you one of the lucky ones who actually remembered or chanced upon it?
Carmen
I guess I should have remembered myself as it is my 3/4 year birthday (07-11-10) and it's on "Slurpee's Anniversary" every year for the last several. Oh well, I guess there is always next year.
Besides a not getting a U.S. 7.11 ounce slurpee probably isn't the end of the world as we know it. Probably. Although when I found out about missing slurpee day late last night/early this morning I was very, very sad!
When I called Larissa's to bitch at her about this her daughter, "Sam", answered the phone. Naturally Larissa was at work. So I tried to convey the deep anguish I had felt to my great-niece. No luck. Even though she was a "slurpee baby" (7pounds 11 ounces - seriously!)
When I told her that I was mad at her mom and proceeded to unveil the reason why (the tell-tale date - 07-11) she knew right away what I was getting at. Yet, there wasn't a hint of sympathy. Damn those recessive genes. LOL.
Anyway, I guess that is my rant for the day. Now to the question of the day. Did any of you in Canada and the U.S. miss out on Free Slurpee Day too or were you one of the lucky ones who actually remembered or chanced upon it?
Carmen
Friday, July 9, 2010
In The News - Community Doctors Appointments
So in another In The News post I'd like to mention another thing I heard on the same newscast as the previous post. In happier news, it is about a person centered heath-care advance.
It seems that in some provinces, including Alberta, doctors are testing something that I believe was called community doctors appointments. Or shared doctors appointments.
The basic idea here is that instead of having one person go to a doctor and get a 10 or 15 minute appointment to see a doctor and get a very quick once over that instead the doctor would cluster several appointments of people with similar conditions.
Now when I first heard this without the explanation it sounded stupider than stupid. How could each patient be properly treated as a cluster of patients. But as it was explained it made more and more sense.
The cluster of appointments would be enough that the appointment would be for approximately 2 hours. During this time the doctor would get to look at/talk to each of the patients one-on-one for a bit of time but would also give advice as a group.
So, as a result of the built-in effiency of the cluster more advice could be given to each patient. Also, as each patient would be given time to talk about their own symptoms the doctor could see if there were any similarities.
All in all, it sounds like not a bad new innovation to me. And as I said before, it said on the newscast I was watching, it is already happening in my home province of Alberta. Maybe, I should ask my doctor, who is seriously overworked, about it.
If she takes to it, I might become her new best friend for suggesting it. Of course, it is possibly something she has already heard of from medical journals or somesuch but still it's nice to think I could "tip the balance".
What do you think of all of this? Would you be willing to submit to a shared doctors appointment? Do you think it will catch on with the general public? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the idea? Leave a comment.
Carmen
It seems that in some provinces, including Alberta, doctors are testing something that I believe was called community doctors appointments. Or shared doctors appointments.
The basic idea here is that instead of having one person go to a doctor and get a 10 or 15 minute appointment to see a doctor and get a very quick once over that instead the doctor would cluster several appointments of people with similar conditions.
Now when I first heard this without the explanation it sounded stupider than stupid. How could each patient be properly treated as a cluster of patients. But as it was explained it made more and more sense.
The cluster of appointments would be enough that the appointment would be for approximately 2 hours. During this time the doctor would get to look at/talk to each of the patients one-on-one for a bit of time but would also give advice as a group.
So, as a result of the built-in effiency of the cluster more advice could be given to each patient. Also, as each patient would be given time to talk about their own symptoms the doctor could see if there were any similarities.
All in all, it sounds like not a bad new innovation to me. And as I said before, it said on the newscast I was watching, it is already happening in my home province of Alberta. Maybe, I should ask my doctor, who is seriously overworked, about it.
If she takes to it, I might become her new best friend for suggesting it. Of course, it is possibly something she has already heard of from medical journals or somesuch but still it's nice to think I could "tip the balance".
What do you think of all of this? Would you be willing to submit to a shared doctors appointment? Do you think it will catch on with the general public? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the idea? Leave a comment.
Carmen
In The News - The Grim Sleeper
Well, not having heard from any of you regarding possible topics (yet) I am taking another look at the news. Only this time with a little more inspiration than before (and I'm dressed to boot! LOL).
The first thing that caught my attention was the story, out of California, about a long dormant case of a serial killer who was caught using a new technique that was pioneered in Europe.
The serial killer in question was dubbed the Grim Sleeper because the murders stopped for 14 years then started again. The suspect Lonnie Franklin, Jr. was found based on a new technique called "familial DNA".
Basically, they caught his son on a weapons charge and automatically tested his DNA and put it through the DNA database for all old crimes with DNA and came up with a "close match". So they then focused on the dad.
After surreptiously gaining access to the fathers DNA (a piece of discarded pizza) they came up with a perfect match. As usual, the buzz around the neighborhood was what a nice guy he seemed to be. You just never know.
In looking up other stories on the same case, I came across one of the less stupid, knee-jerk comments that suggests that all people and not just those who have been arrested &/or convicted have their DNA taken.
All though this may seem like a civil rights nightmare this person may have a point. If you aren't guilty of anything then you can go along on your merry way. If you are then it's almost a sure bet you will be caught. What do you think?
Carmen
The first thing that caught my attention was the story, out of California, about a long dormant case of a serial killer who was caught using a new technique that was pioneered in Europe.
The serial killer in question was dubbed the Grim Sleeper because the murders stopped for 14 years then started again. The suspect Lonnie Franklin, Jr. was found based on a new technique called "familial DNA".
Basically, they caught his son on a weapons charge and automatically tested his DNA and put it through the DNA database for all old crimes with DNA and came up with a "close match". So they then focused on the dad.
After surreptiously gaining access to the fathers DNA (a piece of discarded pizza) they came up with a perfect match. As usual, the buzz around the neighborhood was what a nice guy he seemed to be. You just never know.
In looking up other stories on the same case, I came across one of the less stupid, knee-jerk comments that suggests that all people and not just those who have been arrested &/or convicted have their DNA taken.
All though this may seem like a civil rights nightmare this person may have a point. If you aren't guilty of anything then you can go along on your merry way. If you are then it's almost a sure bet you will be caught. What do you think?
Carmen
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Undressed And Uninspired
Hi again. It's been at least 5 minutes since finishing the last post so it must be time to post something else based on my July efforts. LOL. Yes, I have been posting a lot lately. And yet. Tonight, I sit here at the computer naked (it's hot! - lol) and devoid of an idea. But I want to post something, dammit. In my birthday suit literally and figuratively.
I could talk about the news I guess. But that doesn't really cut it. Well, it's all I've got to work with so I guess that's what I'm going with. "Somewhat" recently there was a video on yahoo or msn video that I think came from youtube of a 2 year old toddler who smoked 40 cigarettes a day. Yes, a 2 year old. Check it out. Apparently, the parents said they "tried to get him to stop" but he gets "grouchy". Like that's a real good set of parents. BTW, who do you suppose got him started?
Then there's Lindsay Lohan. She is going to jail. When I heard this on the t.v. entertainment news I stepped into the livingroom from the kitchen to take a peak. As I suspected she pulled a Paris Hilton and was crying about it. Not that I wouldn't have done the same thing if I were in her shoes. But it's just to bad she didn't take the terms of her probation more seriously before like she claims she did.
Finally, and this is not world news per se but it is in "my world" so here goes. Back to the Neo Counter... I got a hit from a place called Suriname. Apparently, it is a Dutch speaking country (?) in South America. The main language is Dutch even though the Dutch are not the "rulers" of the country. Strange situation. Check it out more if you like on Wikipedia.
Well, now that I have officially sunk to a new low of posting a trio of random nothings I guess I will probably just slink off to bed now. Not that I want to. I want to write 10 more blog posts. Don't ask me why. I just do. I guess I'm bored. If only I had a topic that captured my imagination. I have all those pages of ideas but I don't have an inclination to look at them. What I want people are your ideas.
Please leave a comment in the comment section that can be as long as you want. If it is long though please use the preview button first and use paragraph spacing, p-l-e-a-s-e. I am looking for ideas both "regular" and "special". Both highly serious and whimsical. Nothing is off-limits. No subject will be dismissed out of hand. Well, probably not. LOL. Anyway, I look forward to hearing from you.
Carmen
I could talk about the news I guess. But that doesn't really cut it. Well, it's all I've got to work with so I guess that's what I'm going with. "Somewhat" recently there was a video on yahoo or msn video that I think came from youtube of a 2 year old toddler who smoked 40 cigarettes a day. Yes, a 2 year old. Check it out. Apparently, the parents said they "tried to get him to stop" but he gets "grouchy". Like that's a real good set of parents. BTW, who do you suppose got him started?
Then there's Lindsay Lohan. She is going to jail. When I heard this on the t.v. entertainment news I stepped into the livingroom from the kitchen to take a peak. As I suspected she pulled a Paris Hilton and was crying about it. Not that I wouldn't have done the same thing if I were in her shoes. But it's just to bad she didn't take the terms of her probation more seriously before like she claims she did.
Finally, and this is not world news per se but it is in "my world" so here goes. Back to the Neo Counter... I got a hit from a place called Suriname. Apparently, it is a Dutch speaking country (?) in South America. The main language is Dutch even though the Dutch are not the "rulers" of the country. Strange situation. Check it out more if you like on Wikipedia.
Well, now that I have officially sunk to a new low of posting a trio of random nothings I guess I will probably just slink off to bed now. Not that I want to. I want to write 10 more blog posts. Don't ask me why. I just do. I guess I'm bored. If only I had a topic that captured my imagination. I have all those pages of ideas but I don't have an inclination to look at them. What I want people are your ideas.
Please leave a comment in the comment section that can be as long as you want. If it is long though please use the preview button first and use paragraph spacing, p-l-e-a-s-e. I am looking for ideas both "regular" and "special". Both highly serious and whimsical. Nothing is off-limits. No subject will be dismissed out of hand. Well, probably not. LOL. Anyway, I look forward to hearing from you.
Carmen
Ralph Nader, Great American
I was debating whether or not to go back to the original review for the Ralph Nader book that I am giving Part II of a review to now and title it Only The Super-Rich Can Save Us Part I so that I could make this Only The Super-Rich Can Save Us Part II
I decided against it for reasons I'm not quite sure of. It certainly would have made the reviews "go together" better but I guess I decided on the title I did because I really wanted to make the point that Ralph Nader really is a great American
Having finished reading the book in 4 sittings and failing at "sucking it up" as far as the crying goes (count another half dozen times in to the total - lol) I have to say well done, Mr. Nader.
For as "hokey" and full of (as two people on the epl.ca website said) "wishful thinking" as it is it is very inspiring and motivational. I don't know if motivational is actually the right word. But inspiring definitely is.
There really isn't much more to say about the book even though it is so long and this is therefore supposedly on the last more than half of the book. Mainly, for me, this is because it is pretty "procedural". Yet in spite of that it is not dry.
I did not "get" all the political strategizing talk by far but that really didn't matter. I didn't skip over any of it as is my usual wont when faced with stuff I don't entirely get. I just flowed. It was compelling.
How Mr. Nader kept track of so many details and wove them back and forth into the story is simply astounding to me although perhaps it shouldn't be. After all, he has had probably 30 plus years to let the story take root in his mind.
It truly seems that this is the case. That it is the culmination of all his dreaming (in so much as a practical person like he would have to be to have accomplished what he has) of what could be from the time he started his fabled career.
I can't urge people enough to read this book. Yes, it is long. So what. Suck it up. It's a U.S. domestic political fairy-tale of epic proportions. It's a Cinderella story. Also, I was right before when I said it is ripe for a sequel. Pure gold. Read it.
Carmen
P.S. For an aestetic (the right term?) he even includes a little "romance"!
I decided against it for reasons I'm not quite sure of. It certainly would have made the reviews "go together" better but I guess I decided on the title I did because I really wanted to make the point that Ralph Nader really is a great American
Having finished reading the book in 4 sittings and failing at "sucking it up" as far as the crying goes (count another half dozen times in to the total - lol) I have to say well done, Mr. Nader.
For as "hokey" and full of (as two people on the epl.ca website said) "wishful thinking" as it is it is very inspiring and motivational. I don't know if motivational is actually the right word. But inspiring definitely is.
There really isn't much more to say about the book even though it is so long and this is therefore supposedly on the last more than half of the book. Mainly, for me, this is because it is pretty "procedural". Yet in spite of that it is not dry.
I did not "get" all the political strategizing talk by far but that really didn't matter. I didn't skip over any of it as is my usual wont when faced with stuff I don't entirely get. I just flowed. It was compelling.
How Mr. Nader kept track of so many details and wove them back and forth into the story is simply astounding to me although perhaps it shouldn't be. After all, he has had probably 30 plus years to let the story take root in his mind.
It truly seems that this is the case. That it is the culmination of all his dreaming (in so much as a practical person like he would have to be to have accomplished what he has) of what could be from the time he started his fabled career.
I can't urge people enough to read this book. Yes, it is long. So what. Suck it up. It's a U.S. domestic political fairy-tale of epic proportions. It's a Cinderella story. Also, I was right before when I said it is ripe for a sequel. Pure gold. Read it.
Carmen
P.S. For an aestetic (the right term?) he even includes a little "romance"!
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Neo-Counter 2.3
Well hello. Just a short, silly post. Couldn't sleep. Came by to check if my Chilean friend F.J. had been by from Chile yet.
Turns out that not only had he but he left me not one but two comments (blogging gold!). More importantly, he told me something I didn't know about Neo
I seems if you click on the circle it gives you a little more detailed info. There are about 3 or 4 clicks worth of information for the taking.
I can see a map of the world that has colored spots and or pin-dots to show where in the world are Carmen Tourneyagio's "readers" (or passerby).
I can also find out what cities the "viewers" have been from and how long ago they passed through.
Unfortunately, it isn't sophisticated enough (like some I hear are) to tell how long somebody stayed. This would tell me if they actually stopped to look and how much.
Well, considering the Neo Counter people did the work of copying and pasting for me I guess I shouldn't complain. Not that I won't mind you. LOL.
Carmen
P.S. Seriously, a big yay! on finding out this new information. Thanks again F.J.
Turns out that not only had he but he left me not one but two comments (blogging gold!). More importantly, he told me something I didn't know about Neo
I seems if you click on the circle it gives you a little more detailed info. There are about 3 or 4 clicks worth of information for the taking.
I can see a map of the world that has colored spots and or pin-dots to show where in the world are Carmen Tourneyagio's "readers" (or passerby).
I can also find out what cities the "viewers" have been from and how long ago they passed through.
Unfortunately, it isn't sophisticated enough (like some I hear are) to tell how long somebody stayed. This would tell me if they actually stopped to look and how much.
Well, considering the Neo Counter people did the work of copying and pasting for me I guess I shouldn't complain. Not that I won't mind you. LOL.
Carmen
P.S. Seriously, a big yay! on finding out this new information. Thanks again F.J.
A Shining Example
Well hello again. I am posting now after a brief bit of inspiration. I am continuing to read Only The Super-Rich Can Save Us (the Ralph Nader book) and this time didn't take on the herculean task of reading the second half in one bite.
I stopped reading at about page 491 because it was just under the 500 page mark nearest a new chapter (Chapter 14) beginning. I mention the book again although it is not really my subject today for two reasons.
First, I expect people would be expecting part two of my review fairly soon after part one because I read the first part so fast. Well, that will not be the case. This book is densely written (good but definitely densely written).
Also, I just don't feel up to another marathon even though it would have been nice to say that I conquered it in just two sittings. It would have been a feather in my cap to say (at least in my mind) but not worth the strain.
Second, the book got me thinking about something else. Something entirely different that I wrote and apparently not a moment too soon. I typed in the title of this post after my daily (more like constant) check of Neo and before signing off.
As I was signing off, I noticed that I had two comments on the Lockhorn post. Now I know I hadn't read them because that post was a bit atypical for me, I think. A bit of a bitchy post.
So after blogger signed me off, I immediately signed on to see what these comments were since the post I next intended to write was a follow-up of sorts to that very post. Well, it was a long, heart-felt thumbs up from a regular reader and friend.
I would like to thank Maureen for her comments. Even though this post is from a different angle entirely I do not distance myself from my previous remarks. So it is nice to know that someone in my viewing audience can identify.
That said, today I wanted to present the other side of the story. Not directly so, but the other side of said Lockhorn. The kinder, gentler side. I'm sure I would have gotten to this point without the book spearing me on but it was a nice push.
There are specifically 3 or 4 things I would like to mention briefly. None of them is earth-shattering (neither was the original come to think about it though either) but all definitely show the other side of the story.
First, their is a two-fold kindness. Living as I do in a group home on AISH (a disability income) I don't drive and my budget when not working is quite tight. Knowing this Loretta is often volunteering to drive me to events and also has been my main avocado supplier as well as offering other little goodies to supplement my needs for non-house related goodies. This she even often does for not just me but the other ladies as well, in the form of items for all.
Second, although this one is a bit more of a mixed blessing (LOL) it still shows a willingness to be involved in my life even when it is not always the most convenient. Whenever the house and it's staff need a family member to come and be part of a family meeting she is the main one to make herself available. My mom does this too but at 83 years old she isn't the first one we will go to. So it falls to the oldest, Loretta, to pick up the slack.
Third (or fourth if I would have separated the first) and finally, there is the thing she did for me one day completely out of the blue and that gives this post its title, A Shining Example. On the day of the High Tea at my mom's church that I mentioned in the post I'm A Tea Partier she again offered a ride, this time to a friends I was going to see soon after the party. I told her that I was going to wait a little bit before going and eat dinner at my mom's to save my friend food money.
This brought on a short conversation of my friends circumstances and how she was having a very hard time of it trying to pay all her bills/expenses when she was also on AISH (disability payments) and had the added costs of living on her own in her own appartment. I wasn't sure what she was doing originally but as me and my mom were getting out of the vehicle she went into her wallet and took out some money. She decided, there on the spot, to supplement my friends grocery money that month.
I couldn't believe it. It was such a nice gesture. While obviously only able to help so much, the fact that she would decide and so quickly to do this was very heart-ening. Much like my mother who often makes "care-packages" for this friend this was an extremely nice way to show that people care and that others who you would least expect to (people who really don't know you well personally) would do something that was so nice.
So there you have it. While my previous "bitching" is in no way, shape or form being disavowed, I thought that people should definitely see the other side of the coin in this case. So thanks again, Loretta, for all the wonderful things you do to.
Carmen
I stopped reading at about page 491 because it was just under the 500 page mark nearest a new chapter (Chapter 14) beginning. I mention the book again although it is not really my subject today for two reasons.
First, I expect people would be expecting part two of my review fairly soon after part one because I read the first part so fast. Well, that will not be the case. This book is densely written (good but definitely densely written).
Also, I just don't feel up to another marathon even though it would have been nice to say that I conquered it in just two sittings. It would have been a feather in my cap to say (at least in my mind) but not worth the strain.
Second, the book got me thinking about something else. Something entirely different that I wrote and apparently not a moment too soon. I typed in the title of this post after my daily (more like constant) check of Neo and before signing off.
As I was signing off, I noticed that I had two comments on the Lockhorn post. Now I know I hadn't read them because that post was a bit atypical for me, I think. A bit of a bitchy post.
So after blogger signed me off, I immediately signed on to see what these comments were since the post I next intended to write was a follow-up of sorts to that very post. Well, it was a long, heart-felt thumbs up from a regular reader and friend.
I would like to thank Maureen for her comments. Even though this post is from a different angle entirely I do not distance myself from my previous remarks. So it is nice to know that someone in my viewing audience can identify.
That said, today I wanted to present the other side of the story. Not directly so, but the other side of said Lockhorn. The kinder, gentler side. I'm sure I would have gotten to this point without the book spearing me on but it was a nice push.
There are specifically 3 or 4 things I would like to mention briefly. None of them is earth-shattering (neither was the original come to think about it though either) but all definitely show the other side of the story.
First, their is a two-fold kindness. Living as I do in a group home on AISH (a disability income) I don't drive and my budget when not working is quite tight. Knowing this Loretta is often volunteering to drive me to events and also has been my main avocado supplier as well as offering other little goodies to supplement my needs for non-house related goodies. This she even often does for not just me but the other ladies as well, in the form of items for all.
Second, although this one is a bit more of a mixed blessing (LOL) it still shows a willingness to be involved in my life even when it is not always the most convenient. Whenever the house and it's staff need a family member to come and be part of a family meeting she is the main one to make herself available. My mom does this too but at 83 years old she isn't the first one we will go to. So it falls to the oldest, Loretta, to pick up the slack.
Third (or fourth if I would have separated the first) and finally, there is the thing she did for me one day completely out of the blue and that gives this post its title, A Shining Example. On the day of the High Tea at my mom's church that I mentioned in the post I'm A Tea Partier she again offered a ride, this time to a friends I was going to see soon after the party. I told her that I was going to wait a little bit before going and eat dinner at my mom's to save my friend food money.
This brought on a short conversation of my friends circumstances and how she was having a very hard time of it trying to pay all her bills/expenses when she was also on AISH (disability payments) and had the added costs of living on her own in her own appartment. I wasn't sure what she was doing originally but as me and my mom were getting out of the vehicle she went into her wallet and took out some money. She decided, there on the spot, to supplement my friends grocery money that month.
I couldn't believe it. It was such a nice gesture. While obviously only able to help so much, the fact that she would decide and so quickly to do this was very heart-ening. Much like my mother who often makes "care-packages" for this friend this was an extremely nice way to show that people care and that others who you would least expect to (people who really don't know you well personally) would do something that was so nice.
So there you have it. While my previous "bitching" is in no way, shape or form being disavowed, I thought that people should definitely see the other side of the coin in this case. So thanks again, Loretta, for all the wonderful things you do to.
Carmen
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
6 Month Anniversary
This is it. Today is my 6 month anniversary. And as I've noted in my previous post (a pre anniversary post today) I've started it at the ready with a counter of sorts.
Now if only the AAYSR people would get here already! I'm like the bride waiting for her wedding day (and hoping the groom shows up).
Not too much to say here, except to crow a little at the accomplishment of making it 6 months and having pretty much remained true to posting "regularly".
I question I do have, now that I've hit this milestone is, what kinds of stories would you like to see more or less of. Or are they all golden. LOL.
Oh, there is one more thing to report on this auspicious day. Along with the counter I now have a (cheap but servicable) digital camera that I picked up last week.
There was a really good sale on a kids version digital camera and the lady I was with at the store said she bought her daughter one and it exceeded her expectations.
So I will have to get her or my "tech guy" to show me how to use it and more importantly how to upload the pictures I take.
This is perfect timing. Now at the around exactly the 6 month mark I can start adding pictures too. Maybe the first picture I'll take is one of Miller.
I'll introduce you to Miller when I get a picture. He is so cute though. That I can tell you right now. A real sweetie.
Anyway, I think that's all for now. After posting so much in the first six days of this month (ironic?/a good sign?) I think I may have a bit of a block. We'll see.
Carmen
P.S. I'm off (I forgot till writing this) to the post office to mail F.J his card - promised him a long time ago for winning the comment contest I mentioned ages ago.
Now if only the AAYSR people would get here already! I'm like the bride waiting for her wedding day (and hoping the groom shows up).
Not too much to say here, except to crow a little at the accomplishment of making it 6 months and having pretty much remained true to posting "regularly".
I question I do have, now that I've hit this milestone is, what kinds of stories would you like to see more or less of. Or are they all golden. LOL.
Oh, there is one more thing to report on this auspicious day. Along with the counter I now have a (cheap but servicable) digital camera that I picked up last week.
There was a really good sale on a kids version digital camera and the lady I was with at the store said she bought her daughter one and it exceeded her expectations.
So I will have to get her or my "tech guy" to show me how to use it and more importantly how to upload the pictures I take.
This is perfect timing. Now at the around exactly the 6 month mark I can start adding pictures too. Maybe the first picture I'll take is one of Miller.
I'll introduce you to Miller when I get a picture. He is so cute though. That I can tell you right now. A real sweetie.
Anyway, I think that's all for now. After posting so much in the first six days of this month (ironic?/a good sign?) I think I may have a bit of a block. We'll see.
Carmen
P.S. I'm off (I forgot till writing this) to the post office to mail F.J his card - promised him a long time ago for winning the comment contest I mentioned ages ago.
Neo-Counter 2.2
Well, FJ has been nowhere in sight yet and all ready we have a little bit of an international presence.
The count so far is Canada whatever. It's counting me constantly - although I do know from a comment that my friend Maureen has at least added to the count.
The bigger news is the U.S. is at 4. I know that seems a little low but then so would Canada if I wasn't being counted so often.
The biggest news is the 1 from Australia and the 1 from Spain. Yay! I can't wait for more international traffic. I'm spoiled now. LOL.
And as for F.J. - where are you. You do want a fairly high up place on the list, don't you? LOL.
Carmen
P.S. Couldn't help it but when I went to find this post in the archives to look at it against the rest (for "pattern") I noticed my count went up quite a bit.
United Kingdom - 6, and Spain is now at 2. Woo Hoo. Bring it on Neo. (And no sign of Keanu Reeves anywhere. LOL)
The count so far is Canada whatever. It's counting me constantly - although I do know from a comment that my friend Maureen has at least added to the count.
The bigger news is the U.S. is at 4. I know that seems a little low but then so would Canada if I wasn't being counted so often.
The biggest news is the 1 from Australia and the 1 from Spain. Yay! I can't wait for more international traffic. I'm spoiled now. LOL.
And as for F.J. - where are you. You do want a fairly high up place on the list, don't you? LOL.
Carmen
P.S. Couldn't help it but when I went to find this post in the archives to look at it against the rest (for "pattern") I noticed my count went up quite a bit.
United Kingdom - 6, and Spain is now at 2. Woo Hoo. Bring it on Neo. (And no sign of Keanu Reeves anywhere. LOL)
Monday, July 5, 2010
Neo-Counter 2
Well, hello again. A short post this will be. Just thought this was the perfect time to talk about my latest widget/gadget.
I have just added a "Neo-Counter 2" and not a moment too soon.
Tomorrow will be my 6 month anniversary of this blog. The AAYSR reviewers should be around shortly. I wanted some (any) kind of counter.
And any kind it pretty much is. LOL.
You see in the 10 minutes or so I've had it it has counted me (I'm assuming it's me) 7 times. LOL. Well better something than nothing, right!
I can't wait for F.J. to show up so I can get some international traffic.
Carmen
P.S. In the time that I have been messing around with this short post I'm at 11 "hits" here AND 1 from the USA so maybe all the 11 AREN'T me.
I have just added a "Neo-Counter 2" and not a moment too soon.
Tomorrow will be my 6 month anniversary of this blog. The AAYSR reviewers should be around shortly. I wanted some (any) kind of counter.
And any kind it pretty much is. LOL.
You see in the 10 minutes or so I've had it it has counted me (I'm assuming it's me) 7 times. LOL. Well better something than nothing, right!
I can't wait for F.J. to show up so I can get some international traffic.
Carmen
P.S. In the time that I have been messing around with this short post I'm at 11 "hits" here AND 1 from the USA so maybe all the 11 AREN'T me.
Only The Super-Rich Can Save Us
Well, I told you on the Fourth of July that I would write about the Ralph Nader book and I wanted to do it right after the Fourth of July post because I consider Ralph Nader to be a great American as I think I stated off-handedly in that post. After reading this book maybe people will consider him more seriously for president.
Well, truth be told, I have not finished reading the book. I have not gotten further than I was when I wrote that little p.s. Not because the book isn't good. As I said before it definitely is as I read just about 50 pages shy of half the enormous almost 750 pages in basically one sitting.
Anyway, I decided to do a partial review of the book so that it could be next to the July 4th post. Cause what I've read so far I definitely like. First of all, let me say that even though when I heard of the book and it's subject matter I was eager to read it, I have to admit that I thought I'd be disappointed.
There were two reasons for this. The first is because the author is not known to write non-fiction - it is his first time at it - so I thought it might be quite "dry". The second is because when I saw the book in Chapters, when I was considering buying it rather than borrowing it from the library, I saw it was huge!
That said, I got sucked in immediately. Although, the premise (as you can pretty much figure out by the title) is kind of hokey and schmaltzy, it still grabs you. Well it did me anyway. I was crying a bit on page 2. LOL. The next time I noticed myself crying was on about page 39. From there I managed to suck it up a little. LOL.
The plot is simply this... The world is going to hell in a hand-basket and the richest man in the U.S. Warren Buffett decides he is going to do something about it! He decides this after realizing that a disaster like Hurricane Katrina is being bungled by the government of the day (The Bush II government)...
He gets the idea to recruit about a dozen other "super-rich" do-gooders that he thinks can start a revolution of sorts. Well that is the basic plot outline. Some of the millionaires and billionaires he recruits are known by the general public. People like Ted Turner, Bill Cosby and Yoko Ono. Yes, Yoko Ono. She provides the art
Yoko Ono is also the only women in the little rich people do-gooder club but that is a small quibble. I did what I often do and read the last paragraph. LOL. She does get the last word. Yes! Although, the final paragraph did seem a little lame. However, since I'm not to the end, I can't really judge it fairly.
One phrase that stuck out as kind of funny was "the carbohydrate economy" (you'll just have to read it to figure that one out - lol). Another was Wal-Martians. It also refers to a Wal-Mart "wanna-be" it calls Wal-Fart. LOL. Actually Wal-Mart plays a big part in the proceedings and as I'm sure you can figure out, an unpleasant one
Anyway, that is about all I have to say about the book so far, other than to explain why I didn't finish the 2nd half already in a 2nd "big gulp". I knew if I started reading it again, I would want to finish it all at once and I didn't feel up to it after the 1st "big read". So, I'm giving myself "a day or few".
I look forward to telling you how it all ends (well not exactly). I am fairly sure that I won't be disappointed. At least I hope so. I also hope that the book ends in a way that suggests a sequel. Yes, it is starting out that good. Will "Bush Bimbaugh" get his comeupance? Only time will tell. LOL.
Carmen
Well, truth be told, I have not finished reading the book. I have not gotten further than I was when I wrote that little p.s. Not because the book isn't good. As I said before it definitely is as I read just about 50 pages shy of half the enormous almost 750 pages in basically one sitting.
Anyway, I decided to do a partial review of the book so that it could be next to the July 4th post. Cause what I've read so far I definitely like. First of all, let me say that even though when I heard of the book and it's subject matter I was eager to read it, I have to admit that I thought I'd be disappointed.
There were two reasons for this. The first is because the author is not known to write non-fiction - it is his first time at it - so I thought it might be quite "dry". The second is because when I saw the book in Chapters, when I was considering buying it rather than borrowing it from the library, I saw it was huge!
That said, I got sucked in immediately. Although, the premise (as you can pretty much figure out by the title) is kind of hokey and schmaltzy, it still grabs you. Well it did me anyway. I was crying a bit on page 2. LOL. The next time I noticed myself crying was on about page 39. From there I managed to suck it up a little. LOL.
The plot is simply this... The world is going to hell in a hand-basket and the richest man in the U.S. Warren Buffett decides he is going to do something about it! He decides this after realizing that a disaster like Hurricane Katrina is being bungled by the government of the day (The Bush II government)...
He gets the idea to recruit about a dozen other "super-rich" do-gooders that he thinks can start a revolution of sorts. Well that is the basic plot outline. Some of the millionaires and billionaires he recruits are known by the general public. People like Ted Turner, Bill Cosby and Yoko Ono. Yes, Yoko Ono. She provides the art
Yoko Ono is also the only women in the little rich people do-gooder club but that is a small quibble. I did what I often do and read the last paragraph. LOL. She does get the last word. Yes! Although, the final paragraph did seem a little lame. However, since I'm not to the end, I can't really judge it fairly.
One phrase that stuck out as kind of funny was "the carbohydrate economy" (you'll just have to read it to figure that one out - lol). Another was Wal-Martians. It also refers to a Wal-Mart "wanna-be" it calls Wal-Fart. LOL. Actually Wal-Mart plays a big part in the proceedings and as I'm sure you can figure out, an unpleasant one
Anyway, that is about all I have to say about the book so far, other than to explain why I didn't finish the 2nd half already in a 2nd "big gulp". I knew if I started reading it again, I would want to finish it all at once and I didn't feel up to it after the 1st "big read". So, I'm giving myself "a day or few".
I look forward to telling you how it all ends (well not exactly). I am fairly sure that I won't be disappointed. At least I hope so. I also hope that the book ends in a way that suggests a sequel. Yes, it is starting out that good. Will "Bush Bimbaugh" get his comeupance? Only time will tell. LOL.
Carmen
Sunday, July 4, 2010
The Fourth of July
So I'm all caught up on blog posts. I am working on a current day's post now. It feels nice. I really have to get away from this faux time-stamping thing I've got myself hooked on now. LOL.
Anyway, today is the Fourth of July. Even though I'm Canadian, I love the fourth of July. I wish I lived in a border town on day's like today. Then I could see the fireworks. Americans always do them so much better than Canadians.
Maybe it's because of the American's usual excess pride in themselves. But it seems like the Fourth of July (from what little I've seen) is always done like 3 times better than Canada Day. The fireworks, the bunting (I love the bunting).
Everything. Symphony with the Pops. It's just such an extravaganza. I haven't turned on the tv. (I'm not much for it anymore) so I haven't seen any of the events today but I probably will get my little fix before the day is out.
So, what do you think? Do the American's really do that much better a job of celebrating their day than we (and possibly most if not all other countries) do of celebrating ours? If so, why do you think that is?
Carmen
P.S. I just started a newly published (year old) book on the July 4th weekend that is sort of applicable to the holiday. It is a book by the great American consumer advocate Ralph Nader that is called "Only The Super-Rich Can Save Us".
It is his first work of fiction. It is incredible. In basically 1 sitting I read 312 pages of the 733 total pages. It's long but so far it is very good. I encourage you all to read it. I will probably review it soon.
Anyway, today is the Fourth of July. Even though I'm Canadian, I love the fourth of July. I wish I lived in a border town on day's like today. Then I could see the fireworks. Americans always do them so much better than Canadians.
Maybe it's because of the American's usual excess pride in themselves. But it seems like the Fourth of July (from what little I've seen) is always done like 3 times better than Canada Day. The fireworks, the bunting (I love the bunting).
Everything. Symphony with the Pops. It's just such an extravaganza. I haven't turned on the tv. (I'm not much for it anymore) so I haven't seen any of the events today but I probably will get my little fix before the day is out.
So, what do you think? Do the American's really do that much better a job of celebrating their day than we (and possibly most if not all other countries) do of celebrating ours? If so, why do you think that is?
Carmen
P.S. I just started a newly published (year old) book on the July 4th weekend that is sort of applicable to the holiday. It is a book by the great American consumer advocate Ralph Nader that is called "Only The Super-Rich Can Save Us".
It is his first work of fiction. It is incredible. In basically 1 sitting I read 312 pages of the 733 total pages. It's long but so far it is very good. I encourage you all to read it. I will probably review it soon.
Locking Horns With A Lockhorn - Not!
Well, hello yet again. This time I am posting a bit of a "vent". In my post from several months ago I think called "Outing" Family and Friends I talked about my oldest sister "Loretta Lockhorn". LOL. Obviously not her real name.
I must say though that that alias reminds me a lot of her and her husband "Leroy Lockhorn, Sr.". For anyone who knows of that comic strip "The Lockhorns", which I at first thought was called "The Bickersons", there is a pretty remarkable similarilty.
Anyway, the other day my late youngest uncle on my dad's side's wife, my "Aunt Lily" came to the city for a brief visit. She was only at my mom's house for one day during which me, and both my sisters and my surviving brother-in-law came for dinner.
It was during this visit, that I almost locked horns with a Lockhorn. LOL. It went something like this... I made some simple comment on something (I can't remember what as I was ticked off afterward & didn't remember).
My sister Loretta, as is her wont on more than one occasion, decided to get the last word like a typical oldest sister. It wasn't that it was the last word, per se, but the annoying way she did it that was the problem.
Whoever I was talking about (probably a celebrity) she decided she had to play the devil's advocate for. Her comment to me was "She probably doesn't think so". Now under the circumstances (specifically me not remembering what I said - LOL), it seems harmless.
I will assure you, however, I found it anything but. The snotty, I-know-better way it was said, combined with the childish, simple-minded (imo) sentiments of the basic statement itself just grated on my nerves.
I say childish and simple-minded because (and this is by far not the first time) this sentiment is so obvious. That is, if someone disagrees with you, like they obviously would if you were criticising them, they would "probably not think so".
I bring up this petty little thing because, well because, first of all, I can. LOL. I have a blog. And I'm miffed. I could have said something (not at all nice in the least as I have the exact words in mind) but at the time chose "the high road".
I left the "scene of the crime" annoyed with my self though for letting it go. I can't say for sure if it was a case (probably was) that I didn't want to start something in front of my aunt but I don't think the "high road" was so high.
I left feeling that I let my sister get away with being a bitch and I don't like it one little bit. Maybe I'm over-reacting. I don't think so. Being the youngest by so much, I'm used to bitchy, know-it-all comments & I think it's time I put an end to it
Once and for all. If that is possible. So my question to you is, with your limited knowledge of the situation (and my not remembering my exact comment doesn't help), do you think I am right to still have been so annoyed after the fact?
Carmen
I must say though that that alias reminds me a lot of her and her husband "Leroy Lockhorn, Sr.". For anyone who knows of that comic strip "The Lockhorns", which I at first thought was called "The Bickersons", there is a pretty remarkable similarilty.
Anyway, the other day my late youngest uncle on my dad's side's wife, my "Aunt Lily" came to the city for a brief visit. She was only at my mom's house for one day during which me, and both my sisters and my surviving brother-in-law came for dinner.
It was during this visit, that I almost locked horns with a Lockhorn. LOL. It went something like this... I made some simple comment on something (I can't remember what as I was ticked off afterward & didn't remember).
My sister Loretta, as is her wont on more than one occasion, decided to get the last word like a typical oldest sister. It wasn't that it was the last word, per se, but the annoying way she did it that was the problem.
Whoever I was talking about (probably a celebrity) she decided she had to play the devil's advocate for. Her comment to me was "She probably doesn't think so". Now under the circumstances (specifically me not remembering what I said - LOL), it seems harmless.
I will assure you, however, I found it anything but. The snotty, I-know-better way it was said, combined with the childish, simple-minded (imo) sentiments of the basic statement itself just grated on my nerves.
I say childish and simple-minded because (and this is by far not the first time) this sentiment is so obvious. That is, if someone disagrees with you, like they obviously would if you were criticising them, they would "probably not think so".
I bring up this petty little thing because, well because, first of all, I can. LOL. I have a blog. And I'm miffed. I could have said something (not at all nice in the least as I have the exact words in mind) but at the time chose "the high road".
I left the "scene of the crime" annoyed with my self though for letting it go. I can't say for sure if it was a case (probably was) that I didn't want to start something in front of my aunt but I don't think the "high road" was so high.
I left feeling that I let my sister get away with being a bitch and I don't like it one little bit. Maybe I'm over-reacting. I don't think so. Being the youngest by so much, I'm used to bitchy, know-it-all comments & I think it's time I put an end to it
Once and for all. If that is possible. So my question to you is, with your limited knowledge of the situation (and my not remembering my exact comment doesn't help), do you think I am right to still have been so annoyed after the fact?
Carmen
Saturday, July 3, 2010
"Chelsea Lately"
Well, hello again. Good news. I signed on briefly on Friday to date-stamp my Canada Day post and I found to my surprise that I had a 49th follower. I didn't even have a chance to look at who it was though as I was rushing out to catch a bus.
When I got to the library though, I clicked on the followers list to find that my new follower seems to be a total random. Yay! Her name is chelsea313... and unfortunately as I've probably said before, I can't use my friend connect feature.
So, Chelsea, if you are reading this please leave a comment on one of my posts if you have your own blogger blog and then I can click on your name and leave a comment on your blog thanking you.
If you don't have a blogger blog then leave a comment on a post (ideally this one, but regardless a comment) and if you don't mind leaving it for "the world" to see leave me your e-mail address in the comment.
Finally, if that doesn't appeal to you, my email address is listed in my facebook badge listed on the top right hand side of my blog in the first of my gadgets. If you can't find this then here it is again...
carmen_tourney2@live.com I look forward to hearing from you and having you follow my blog regularly I hope and ideally leaving comments on a regular basis. Oh, btw, in your response please note how you found my blog if you would. Thanks.
Carmen
When I got to the library though, I clicked on the followers list to find that my new follower seems to be a total random. Yay! Her name is chelsea313... and unfortunately as I've probably said before, I can't use my friend connect feature.
So, Chelsea, if you are reading this please leave a comment on one of my posts if you have your own blogger blog and then I can click on your name and leave a comment on your blog thanking you.
If you don't have a blogger blog then leave a comment on a post (ideally this one, but regardless a comment) and if you don't mind leaving it for "the world" to see leave me your e-mail address in the comment.
Finally, if that doesn't appeal to you, my email address is listed in my facebook badge listed on the top right hand side of my blog in the first of my gadgets. If you can't find this then here it is again...
carmen_tourney2@live.com I look forward to hearing from you and having you follow my blog regularly I hope and ideally leaving comments on a regular basis. Oh, btw, in your response please note how you found my blog if you would. Thanks.
Carmen
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Canada Day
Hi there. Canada Day was a bit of a bust. I had plans to spend the day at a local park - Borden Park with a friend who suggested this after reading/hearing about the event.
Event's conspired to make it so we didn't meet up. So I went home to spend the day quietly. She had to do the same as she lives in an area that is not far from the LRT but has lousy bus service from her home to the station I guess.
The event was a bbq in the park but my friend had to be on her way back home by only about 5 pm to catch the last bus. Isn't that pathetic. Bus service really should be improved. At least have buses run later if not more often.
Anyway, one thing I wanted to say about the event we missed before I go is how popular it seemed to be. I was reading a community paper at my Mom's (in roughly the same area as the event was held) and it gave estimated attendances.
It seems that this would have been the 3rd year for the event. The first year they expected 2000 people and got 5000. The second year they expected 7000 and got 14,000 They didn't say what the estimate for this year were but use your imagination.
Maybe next year we will get there. One thing is for sure though. I plan to get there early if those ever increasing numbers are anything to go by. I don't want to be in that crush of people for too long. LOL.
So how was your Canada Day?
Carmen
Event's conspired to make it so we didn't meet up. So I went home to spend the day quietly. She had to do the same as she lives in an area that is not far from the LRT but has lousy bus service from her home to the station I guess.
The event was a bbq in the park but my friend had to be on her way back home by only about 5 pm to catch the last bus. Isn't that pathetic. Bus service really should be improved. At least have buses run later if not more often.
Anyway, one thing I wanted to say about the event we missed before I go is how popular it seemed to be. I was reading a community paper at my Mom's (in roughly the same area as the event was held) and it gave estimated attendances.
It seems that this would have been the 3rd year for the event. The first year they expected 2000 people and got 5000. The second year they expected 7000 and got 14,000 They didn't say what the estimate for this year were but use your imagination.
Maybe next year we will get there. One thing is for sure though. I plan to get there early if those ever increasing numbers are anything to go by. I don't want to be in that crush of people for too long. LOL.
So how was your Canada Day?
Carmen
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)