I Actually Am Surprised ... and Sad!

This is of course the wedding picture of Ashton Kutcher & Demi Moore. It came from Yahoo Images via http://www.forum.purseblog.com/

Oddly enough, a site called purseblog that does, in fact deal pretty much with, you guessed it, purses has on the forum part, a celebrity section near the bottom if you check out the site in curiousity that this photo was found there of all places.

Anyway...

Despite the ridiculous hat he is wearing and the fact that she is wearing a veil (and a long one from the looks of it at that) I look at this picture and I don't see a bogus marriage like some are now claiming on the heels of Demi Moore's announcement that she is divorcing her much younger second third husband Ashton Kutcher.

I find it all pretty sad.

For months now there have been rumors, and those rumors were at least tacitly denied while they presumably worked on trying to salvage their six-year marriage.

In case you are inclined to agree with those who believe the marriage was a sham or at the very least doomed destined to fail I will point this out... Moore's first marriage to Bruce Willis, which produced three daughters, lasted only about twice as long at thirteen years.

So, even though six years is a short time, it's not that short.

I guess I can't really logically explain why I find this so very sad other than that it helped validate the choice of woman (& their partners too I guess) to date and marry younger men much like men have dated and married younger women for ions.

So, failing to come up with a reason better than the above, I will let a few pictures speak for themselves and show two people who looked pretty happy together to me.

Looking good in what might have been a more appropriate use of white for a wedding like theirs. Him minus the dopey hat and formal suit and her in a less first wedding type outfit.

The above picture taken at music mogul Sean Coombs 4th of July party (he and presumably all the other guests wore white too) was found at Yahoo Images via http://www.fashionfarai.wordpress.com/ 

This photo from Yahoo Images via http://www.accessmaratoday.com/ while a bit of a fashion disaster on her part (he looks pretty good - it wouldn't have hurt her to have classed it up a bit) also shows them looking seemingly pretty happy

Oh, well. You never can tell. Look at Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins. They too were sort of May/December. Although they never married, they were together almost 25 years and then woosh it was over.

One celebrity couple, albeit not so famous, that is also May/December with an older woman/younger man combo and that did marry (and even had a child together!) and is still together after 20 or 30 years is Juliet Mills (of the Mills acting family and of late the defunct soap Passions) and Maxwell Caulfield (of Dynasty and the Michelle Pfeiffer version of Grease). Long may they last.

Carmen

Are You There Playlist? It's Me, Carmen

You're probably wondering what this picture, found on Yahoo Images via http://www.lechoix.fr/, has to do with the music sharing. Well, I found it (albeit on page eight) when searching for a picture using the keyword Playlist. Look closely and it seems to be the cover for a playlist compilation.

What I loved about it (other than the fact that there was a dearth of good pictures under the term playlist) was that if you look into the heart of the kiwi (literally) you'll see that they photoshopped a heart into the kiwi. LOL.

So, credit goes to Judy Blume for the inspiration for my title. Playlist has abandoned me. More so than I first thought. But not as much as it could have it turns out, so I guess that's something to be grateful for. You see, this post all started from a conversation I had with one of my blog followers who came from my list of FB "randoms".

I think I asked her if she had seen my blog lately since I had started adding pictures. If I'm correct (because this conversation took place a week or two ago) she said no but ended up following my link that I FB'ed her to quick check it and she complemented me on the music on my blog. I was caught completely off guard as my playlist has been deactivated (in Canada at least) for 6 months or more.

Turns out it must only have been in Canada though because she said she got music. I guess that means I'm vindicated in keeping the player at the bottom of my blog in case any thing were ever to change with the rules. I mean after all, the rules changed once because initially it played in Canada too. I mostly kept it on though so that people (including myself) could see the songs I picked as they still showed up but didn't play.

Anyway, back to my assertion that playlist abandoned me more than I thought but less than it could have. By that I mean since my friend/follower can still hear my songs outside of Canada/in the U.S.& or whereever else they have hammered out a licensing agreement I have been abandoned less. The abandoned more comes from me trying to sign in and finding I can't even get a lost password notification to my e-mail.

Oh well, at least somewhere in this world (likely only the continential U.S.) there are still  people who get the advantage of knowing that that marvelous 80's novelty hit "She Blinded Me With Science" is #1 on my list of songs that I wanted people to hear and moreover know that I actually admitted to liking. LOL. When I told someone else on FB that when I first put up my playlist, I could just hear them cringe over the internet. LOL.

As for what's new here in Carmen World today, my nephew Larry and my great-niece Grace stopped by. Larry had been planning for quite a while now to fix my combination vcr/dvd player that I bought two Christmas' ago and couldn't use because it needed a connector piece since my still incredibly good tv (I love my tv!) is older than it seems and didn't have a third connector. He came over and had it done in about 5 minutes! Awesome job. Thanks Larry.

Now I guess that means I start watching the 100 or so movies I bought when Blockbuster Video was going out of business. Yes. You heard me right. A hundred or so. I bought about 20+ movies when they went to 70% off of the regular price of $6.99-$9.99. Then I bought another 60+ movies (!) when they were going for 10 for $10 on the last day or two. That should keep me busy throughout the winter.

Carmen

I is for Internet or Little Mouse on the Prairie

This picture comes via http://pbase.com/ From checking the link when I added it just now, it seems to be a photo sharing site. I got the picture originally from a search on Yahoo Images.

As you can see, the picture is, in fact, a "little mouse on the prairie". LOL. I titled (or rather sort of sub-titled) the post and added the picture in honor of my speech yesterday of the same name. I thought I'd talk a little about that today. I am writing this pretty much only because I said I would yesterday. It seemed like something worth doing yesterday. Today, not so much. Well, I said I would so I'll at least take a stab at writing something about it.

You see, yesterday when I finished my speech I was sort of on cloud nine. It was my second speech in the first manual like I think I might have mentioned yesterday. While I had completed the full first manual (the old version - actually probably a couple versions back!), I wasn't pleased with most of my speeches from that time around. That's why when I joined Toastmasters again this last January I decided to re-do it. So instead of the CTM I had gotten the first time around, if and when I finish this one my certification will be called a CC.

So, as I said, writing about it is probably silly in the clear light of day (or what would be the clear light of day if I actually wrote many of my posts in the daytime - lol) but here's what I thought yesterday was of such importance to share. My first speech which was titled, "My Name Is Carmen, And I'm A Zyngaholic". Like the first speech my second speech dealt with things internet. This time though, instead of dealing with one aspect only - the game Cityville basically - I talked about my obsession (yeah, I guess it is a bit of an obsession) with "connecting" with all and sundry over the internet.

Through e-mail to Twitter, from Facebook to here at Blogger. I could have went into more of my avenues for exploring the internet like Yelp and such but as it was my speech was almost perfectly timed as it was. Only :37 over the max time span given of 5 to 7 minutes. This was a bit of an improvement (about :45) from my first speech. That one was supposed to be 4 to 6 minutes and clocked in at 7:15 or so (give or take a few seconds). So, in terms of closeness to the target time, I was better this time even though the total time was actually about 30 seconds more.

Other than gloating about being pretty good for time (it's harder to plan than you might think) both times (which is a h-u-g-e improvement over my previous attempts the first time around doing my CTM), I had written my entire speech out word for word. This is another win for me. That in spite of the fact that the program actually encourages  expects you to eventually (sooner rather than later) not use a fully written out speech. It suggests that if you do write it out in full to start, that you then break it down to note cards with the highlights listed that you can glance at - if need be - should you forget a part.

I'm not sure, as my mentor (who I didn't use for the first speech due to time constraints - eg. me doing it at the last minute - lol) is now no longer in Toastmasters this new year (which started in September) so he couldn't help me this time either, but I think you are to try to plan the speech to be a "modified Table Topic" (little extemporaneous mini-speeches) rather than memorize the speech in "chunks" since a notecard wouldn't be entirely helpful if you forgot part of a highly memorized, word-for-word speech.

Thinking of it this way (as a longer Table Topic) might actually make some sense. After all, when I was giving my speeches in my former Toastmaster life and was about 50/50 (to be generous) in giving "ok" speeches I did go the free-flowing style. In fact, that is where I coined (for myself anyway) the term "modified Table Topic" speech. Truthfully, when they work they really work. It obviously allows for freedom to have great eye contact, gestures and just a generally more spontaneous looking presentation.

But back to me saying that writing out my speech for the second time was a "win" even though it is something I will need to get away from if I am to succeed in terms of completing my manual and the program in general as it is meant. I am happy about writing it out in full because the first time around, I had a real mental block about doing this and I think that it is the perfect starting point. This is because if you write it out in full you can flesh out details.

Also, with my former problems with time management in my speeches (shades of my many epic posts - lol) it allows for timing a speech in a way that you can't, at least initially, plan for with a more off-the-cuff like (and I stress the word "like") speech. So basically, consider this my not so short and sweet bit of crowing about my accomplishments to date in my new club. Oh, one final bit of boasting. Just like the first time, I was able to add a number of jokes to my speech. I didn't hear anybody LOL but I was told that people smiled. That's good enough for me. I guess. For now. Eventually, I'll have them rolling in the aisles. That's the plan.

  

Carmen

More %*$^# Snow

Ok, so there wasn't this %*$^# much snow after only three days. But being out in it also wasn't as fun as seeing a big giant snowperson either so I guess the exaggerations cancel each other out. Right! LOL.

Now here I go ruining things with my cancelling out idea by adding another picture but I couldn't resist.  Just like the enormous snowperson, the gigantic snow fortress (complete with a drawbridge!) also said in a way that wouldn't make me want to slit my wrists (eg. more "fun" than frozen) that it was damn cold for only the second day of having snow.

The first picture is from http://freechristmaswallpapers.org/ or http://freechristmaswallpapers.net/

I say one or the other (and not .com! - it leads to a buyable name page) because at Yahoo Images the location information cut off just before the end of the address. So take your pick. Both locations have some nice stuff. Check them out.

The second picture is from http://playcloths.com/ (don't ask me, I just type it in like it says - lol).

So, today I went out to Toastmasters and gave a speech - my second of the first manual. I'll be talking about that more tomorrow as I'm not really into doing much this post. I blame the snow. Yeah, that's it. Also, I want to make it it's own post. Other than that not much happened today. School was cancelled again today (Monday) just like it was Friday. Friday was, of course, for Remembrance Day and today was PD Day or something.

I'm surprised they have PD Day (I'm pretty sure that's what they called it when they told us about it) because it's just one teacher and an assistant in an upgrading high school for adults in the mental health system. Anyway, that's what it was. Just like with Toastmasters, I have some stuff to tell you about school that will have to wait to another day. With that, it will be a bit (a fair bit?) longer till I get to that because what I want to talk about in this case hasn't quite happened yet but should pretty soon. I'll keep you posted.

Finally, in the "you'd really have to be interested in my life to care about this" department, supper wasn't bad considering it consisted of three out of three things I don't really like at all! How does something like that happen. LOL. We had some sort of pork that was sitting in a nice sauce that covered the taste of pork - that and the fact that I ate only the tiniest piece. Then there was rice. But it was brown rice and there was the sauce too so that explains that. Finally, we had brussel sprouts. Used to like. Not anymore. But had two. Didn't die.

So that, along with reading something funny that will also be shared another day, was my day. Out of curiousity, I'd be interested to know what any readers I might still have did today. Also, where are you from? I ask because I'm wondering if you had to deal with crappy weather today too. If so, what do you plan to do to survive the long winter coming up? As for me, I don't have a clue. Cry everyday? That's definitely an option right now. The future looks so bleak. Ok, now I'm just being melodramatic. But it is true too. Sad to say.

Carmen

On Rainbow Love, Being Mad Scary & Just Plain Mad

Today I have three pictures for you. A pair and a spare so to speak. Except the spare is the lead picture.

This picture comes via Yahoo Images from http://edgeboston.com/ which is a gay men's e-zine site.

It is appropriate that the place the picture originated or at least came from last was a gay site because that is exactly what I am going to talk about now.

For those of you who haven't been keeping up with the news (tv, print, internet) in the last week or two, heres the story. It seems that the a Canadian Zoo - the Toronto Zoo in fact, is going to split up a pair of seemingly gay Africian penquins named Buddy and Pedro. They claim, and it seems from reading a rather complete article on the website  http://www.canada.com/ , it is to ensure the survival of the species. According to that article, penquins used to number an estimated just under a quarter of a million wild Africian penquins as late as the 1990's. Now, the numbers have nosedived to more like just over 50,000.

So Buddy, 20 and Pedro, 10 (gay human men are often said to partner up with others of quite different ages so I thought that that age difference here with the gay male penquins was ironic, if that is the right word, and just very, very funny), need to be split up. At least it seems for the short term.

The gay Canadian penquins are not the first gay penquins either. It seems that there were some at the Central Park Zoo in New York City. The Manhattan zoo's penquins were named Roy and Silo (ages unknown - lol) and they apparently chinstrap penquins. They got together in 1998 and were still together as of early 2004 according to http://www.sfgate.com/ the online version of the San Francisco Chronicle. The article says that they were offered female companions and flatly turned them down. No loss to the females who were said not to be interested either! LOL.

Lets get back to Buddy and Pedro though. Unlike Roy and Silo, the females at the Toronto Zoo are seemingly hoping that Buddy and Pedro are bisexual. ' "The two girls have been following them; we just have to get the boys interested in looking at them," said Tom Mason, curator of birds and invertebrates at the Toronto Zoo ' according to the canada.com article. As I said before though, the zoo says that once they've done there duty they will be put back together. Asking them to "take one for the team" may or may not work though. On the may side gay (bi?) penquins in yet other zoos have successfully been remated.

On the may not side, it's said that penquins mate for life. Which means that either there are also such things as bi penquins who possibly mate with one of each sex (for life) or that they again were bi and hadn't fully mated with their same sex partners. Or maybe, just maybe, "experts" don't know as much as they think they do. LOL.

Oh, and jumping back to Roy and Silo (because that's how the story flowed), there is a pretty funny story about them. It seems that they really wanted to be parents (shades of the human homosexual community again to anthromorphize a bit) so they found an appropriate sized rock and took turns sitting on it. Isn't that cute. What's even better is that there was an abandoned egg that the zoo then let them hatch and then take care of the baby, named Tango, for the first 2-1/2 months of his life until he was ready to go it alone. This, in fact, became a book called "And Tango Makes Three"

So the controversy that has insued over the breakup may all be for naught. The zoo did after all say they would "re-patriate" the couple upon completion of their duties in the name of repopulation. It's hard to say if that consession was a result of the controversy. Finally, it is worth noting that at the New England Aquarium, penquins are regularly split up. This is not however because they are same sex mating and therefore not reproducing. It is again for the future of the species but the reasoning is different. The penquins are separated and re-matched because of being too closely related. Kissing cousins or just too closely genetically matched, I'm not sure. But it does go to show that perhaps this is not about homophobia. Let's hope not. It is 2011.
 
Now I'll leave you with the last two pictures which are not "naturalistic" pictures like the first one was. These are in honor of the fact that the story, which serves to remind that homosexuality/bisexuality is quite common in the animal world and in the case of penquins said to be "quite rampant", was brought to light thanks to the gay community - a mad scary one that you don't want to mess with :)
 

This is of course the Rainbow Love part of the title.

This being the Mad Scary part. Oh, and remember if penquins are mad scary and gay people can be mad scary then just think about what you get when you combine the two.

Carmen

11/11/11 @ 11:11:11

Cheer Up... Things Could Get Worse.

One day I sat thinking, almost in despair: a hand fell on my shoulder and a voice said reassuringly: cheer up, things could get worse. So I cheered up and, sure enough, things got worse.

                                                                - From CheekyQuotes.com: James C. Hagerty quote.



Ok. So it's not really that bad. But I was starting to wonder. I haven't been getting much sleep these last few days and only got a couple hours worth before having to go to school today. I wouldn't even have gotten that if I didn't halve my school day from two periods to one. Anyway, I get home, eat dinner and take a nap. After that I get up to take my evening pills with every intention of going straight to the computer because it's already 8:30pm and I know how fast midnight sneaks up on me these NaBloPoMo days.

Well, since I got up a half hour earlier than I planned to to take my night pills I end up watching tv. Luckily, it was only a half hour and I didn't get sucked in further. However, I still have to pick my picture(s) from my extensive file of photos for today's post or find something new through a Yahoo Images search if I want to pick a specific topic not already on file. The idea that came to me, and thankfully very quickly, was a sunrise and a sunset picture because today was so beautiful (it hit +11 or +12!).

Then I thought that since I usually do two pictures that match up somehow, like the sunrise/sunset pictures would anyway, but I had one day with one picture only that today perhaps I could add a third picture that would also fit in and in fact enhance the other two. This idea came because +11/+12 at this time of the year is quite an accomplishment so what better third picture than a nice scene of a lovely fall day. My only worry was doing three different searches and finding, saving and creating the post for all these pictures when I ended up getting started at about 10:00pm. (I ended up losing the time I saved not getting sucked into the tv. by getting sucked into reading  just a few internet news stories.

Of course I couldn't realize that there would be time for that later. No, of course not. Well finally after saving almost the whole first page of sunrises - only the first search! - I decided to narrow my picture search down to one thing only. I changed to full moons, which my roommate said we had tonight. I knew that the fall scenes and sunsets would just present the same problem, one I didn't have anywhere near the time for, as the sunrises. As luck would have it. I found one clear favorite in the moon pictures. So I'm set. I'll just go with the one again like the other time and that will be a book-ended thing. Not so fast. I go to click on it for the post and it says something like incompatible with my system.

So I go back and hope there is a good second choice. Again, luckily one jumps out as a clear second favorite. But wait. Surprise, surprise. Same thing happens again. So I give up on that idea. Wasn't gonna get caught on third time lucky/unlucky. So again, fortunately an idea quickly pops into my head. I'm screwed! LOL. Not so fast. I know what you're thinking. How is that fortunate? Well, I meant search for the perfect picture that states that very point. And sure enough there are some. Thankfully, not too many good choices to overwhelm but enough to give choice. So that's what you got tonight. Hope you enjoyed it. Screwed or not, I can't complain. They were pretty funny.

Carmen

P.S. So are you wondering what I was talking about saying both they and were pretty funny. If not, you should be. I didn't change the body since I slaved over the wording. LOL. Really, it's mainly because I thought it was kinda funny - in a sick sorta way - that I assumed that the three other pictures I saved, two of which I planned to use as I felt they were a good matchup (they were both demotivational pictures and both of animals - each with a bird and one including a cat).

Seems I was wrong. Both of the demotivationals and a funny but twisted one of football players had the same error message I mentioned above. In what turned out to be the only real lucky break I got here tonight with my picture gathering I found one sorta funny, kinda cute one that was a free stock photo. Bingo. Success. Thank God for that. Oddly enough, for a stock photo, it's not actually lame. That's what I always thought that most that would fall under that label would be. Glad to be wrong. This time. LOL.

P.P.S.  It didn't fit into the body (at the usual place after the picture explanation) because I wanted to explain the picture change situation in a P.S and it would have separated the picture information, but I would briefly like to take the time to weigh in on the Ashton Kutcher faux-pas (I looked and that was the more popular spelling). Actually, maybe it would have fit somehow, because Kutcher got screwed by his "fans", etc. the other day. It seems he was shamed by a hate blitz into making the announcement that he will be taking a break from Twitter - which he seemed to love - because of what I believe is an honest mistake.

People can be such assholes. Seems he spoke up for the imbattled sports guy who was fired for his handling of a sex-abuse scandal because he didn't know that was the reason he was fired. He thought it was due to ageism since this guy, who apparently still cut it as a coach, is in his 80's. I say Kutcher's mistake was the kind any of us could make. I mean who researches every comment they make. Embarrassing, yes. Lynch-mob worthy, hell no.

After all, he is known to be a very vocal advocate for those dealing with sexual abuse. Honestly, people should use there brains and their hearts when they speak. Kutcher did (well, the heart anyway). What are his critics excuses. Personally I don't think he needs to take a break from anything. Nor does he need to turn over his Twitter feed to his handlers like he plans to saying that perhaps it is too much for one person in his position. I say this - Ashton, don't be too apologetic. There is no need. A simple sorry, I goofed would suffice.

The C.A.T.



The Lush Life & The Not So Lush Life

Yesterday marked the third day that my picture(s) part of my posts were food related. Today is the third day that they come from the site http://thisiswhyimbroke.com/

In this set of pictures we have two items that are a little bit "luxe". One is a fancy-schmantzy version of a old college dorm stand-by. The other is truly unique. When I first looked at the picture and read what this everyday item (actually a two-piece item) was made out of I wondered for a second if it was for real. It is!

So, as you can see, the upgraded college dorm item is a genuine leather bean bag chair. Snazzy isn't it.

I can see it in someone's dorm at some Ivy League college like Harvard. Maybe even a set of them. The only question there is where to find all the usual college accoutrements in deluxe form. Although if you came from money I'm pretty sure you or your parents would have a lifetime of knowing where to find it.

Hammacher Schlemmer perhaps. Or Neiman Marcus. These are two that I just thought of. I'm sure there are many, many others. After all even if they are only the "1%"  there are still lots of wealthy people to supply.

Next up is this bamboo computer keyboard and matching mouse. Have you or have you not seen everything now.  I wonder if you could get splinters from these. Probably not. That wouldn't be very deluxe now would it. Speaking of bamboo, it you can believe it, I actually was given a bamboo/cotton towel. That's right. A towel that is partially made of bamboo. Crazy huh. The craziest thing is it's quite soft.

So would you buy either of these items?

Myself, I would have to say given the choice of one or the other I'd pick the keyboard/mouse set. Yes, the leather chair is nice but remember ... I'm a fat girl. Fat girls (and presumably fat boys too) have a hard time getting "low to the ground". Besides, leather is more common. Pedestrian even. Deluxe sure, but not unique. Bamboo hardware. Now that's unique.

So on to other stuff. Two things in the news today caught my eye. The first is more of a light item. The second definitely much more weighty. I put this paragraph in after finishing the entire post but before posting it when it occured to me that with the two items from the news added to the "main" posting of photos of deluxe consumer items, and in particular the second one, deals with such important subjects a title change from "The Lush Life" to "The Lush & The Not So Lush Life". As luck, and maybe serendipity, would have it while the original title was completely wrong for what this post became in its entirety it was not a bad place to start or wholely off the mark.

First off, let's start with the lighter item since it will directly be following the picture portion which isn't exactly hard news. LOL. The parents of the show 19 Kids and Counting, Michelle & Jim Bob Duggar are having, get this, their 20th kid next spring.  In April, I think. Originally the show was 17 Kids and Counting, then 18 Kids and Counting, now since late Dec.2009/early Jan 2010, the current 19 Kids and Counting. Presumably, if they don't get cancelled like Kate Plus 8 (formerly Jon & Kate Plus 8), by the middle of next year it could be, assuming all goes well, 20 Kids and Counting. And counting they may very well still be because in an interview I saw with the parents and all their kids with them on either the Today or the Good Morning America show they said that they were open to the possibility of more if it happens. Yeesh. 

That said, I am in the minority I guess when I say leave them alone to have as big a family as they want. It may not be the most responsible thing to do when it comes to population growth but then I've heard that it is primarily nations like China, Japan and Africian nations that are the problem when it comes to world over population anyway. Apparently white people are actually supposed to be dwindling.

And while I wouldn't make a spirited argument on their behalf based on their religious beliefs (which it seems is a primary reason why their family is so large - they don't believe in birth control anymore after losing one child to their one time decision to use it) because I am not really religious myself and much has gone on that gives religious freedom a black eye such as the FLDS sect and their alleged treatment of women and children or Christian Scientists who would let a child die rather than seek conventional medical treatment, I still do support them.

Aside from the fact that this seems more of a harmless religious choice where it is simply a matter of where do you draw the line, 5 going on 6 or 19 going on 20 or more, I have to admit that I actually inwardly gave a little cheer when I first heard the news. The biggest reason, and maybe the only one, is that when I was younger (about 13 or so) and was given a a couple of old trunks by my grandmother and grandfather when they moved into an old folks home shortly before they died I found inside the one that was my grandma's a scrapbook or two that was devoted to old movie stars, various royal families around the world, and finally oddities like quintuplets like the Dionne sisters or sextuplets/septuplets like Kate Gosselin and even a woman who had octuplets (I don't think they all survived) way before the world ever heard of Nadya Suleman.

I loved this stuff. It seemed so far removed from everyday people's experiences. Like a chance for regular people who weren't celebrities or royalty to have a chance to be unique, special and in the news. I know this is silly and some would even say irresponsible but I disagree. After all, for even one couple like the Duggars (are there actually any - lol - well probably) there are probably at least 10 others (couples &/or singles) that don't have, either by choice or by chance, any kids. So it balances out is basically what I'm saying.

As for the argument that they, and others who are in lesser degree like them, can't possibly properly look after that many kids I say, what a load of ^(*$#. What about parents of previous generations when having many kids was much more common. Yes, it was before birth control but then as we all know birth control is not everyones choice. Some would even argue that it is a little like a very early abortion. I don't know if I'd go that far but I guess it has some merit. Anyway, parents back then did the best they could, including having the other children help out, and that is what this family is doing too I would guess. I don't think having the kids help out, as long as it's not to the exclusion of getting to be "regular" kids too, is such a bad thing either.

Kids helping with kids, in age appropriate ways, can be a valuable lesson. If nothing else it can be a way to let the kids that would be helping out know, well before it's time for them to have their own kids, whether they actually want the responsibility. Because surely not all of the 20 or so kids this family now has or soon may have if all goes well is going to end up having the exact same beliefs as their parents. Maybe more families including smaller ones should include their kids in helping with the younger ones. If only to a small degree. Not enough to "take away their childhoods". Not only would it help let kids see what raising kids is about in small part so that they can tell if they want their own someday so that people who clearly shouldn't have kids don't but also it might do a little something to make kids think twice about having sex before they are ready to assume the ultimate potential responsibility for that choice.

The second thing that I wanted to mention is the Occupy movement. For the most part I would have to say I support it. It is supposed to be a loosely organized thing so saying that you support it is potentially a bit like stepping in dog shit. I say that because, if the police are to be believed, and that may be a big if, the protests are morphing into something less idealistic and more chaotic and hard to handle. That is to say other elements - vandals, troublemakers and even criminals are co-opting it.

While that is clearly a realistic possibility because there are always opportunists and it is hard to self-police a motley group not to mention that when big public groups get together often nothing good comes of it (eg. riots) it can really be hard to believe the police when I haven't so far heard of a lot of trouble and the police are quite well known for being over-zealous. I'd like to see the police leave the protesters alone. With winter coming soon it will be interesting to see if the protesters do, as I've heard some of the Occupy city groups to say, continue on through the winter.

These groups (which may in fact be and I hope are, all of them) that have said they plan to stay over the winter obviously will have greater or lesser problems dealing with the weather depending on where they are located. All I can say is good luck to Occupy Edmonton and other winter Occupy cities in -40. Hell, I wouldn't want to be out there at -10. For anyone who is that committed, assuming we get to witness that if the police don't move in to force them out first, I say you have my respect.

Speaking of respect, that brings me to something my oldest sister said at the dinner table this last weekend while we were celebrating a couple of family birthdays. Someone, very possibly me, brought up the Occupy movement and she was quick to state a rather ambivalent position in a nevertheless quite hostile way. She basically said that while she somewhat can see their point she doesn't really believe in the movement because anyone who actually has the ability to camp out or protest on a regular basis (especially in the mornings I would presume) is not really the ones that it is supposed to be all about.

That is to say she didn't say that they were all bums but instead that they, whether bums or presumably privileged types who took the time to be there alike, are not your average working person. Personally I disagree.  I really don't care who is there. That they are taking the time out from their regular lives is enough for me. If they are street people then they definitely are the disadvantaged. If they are more privileged then they have obviously given up comfort at the very least and some I have heard of have even let their apartments or good jobs go to be there.

Not to mention that even the average working people may be there in a lesser capacity. That is, they may not stay over night or may not plan to stay as long as others (including over winter) as it would keep them from work and bills. But there are always people, no matter how small that group may be, that make great sacrifices when they believe in the cause. After all, look no further than the civil rights movement in the 60's in particular but also the women's rights movement starting in the 70's and the gay (later LGBT) movement starting primarily in the 80's (but going back at least in one particular instance as far as the late 60's).

People who have been pushed to the limit & others who are not as personally affected but just of greater convictions than most and have seen things they can't ethically stomach have been doing society's "heavy lifting" during these times as well as, really, throughout all of history. They should be praised. Anyone who isn't terminally (and that I think is an especially appropriate word) naive realizes that protesting, even in a democracy, can get you blackballed/blacklisted, severely fined, jailed, seriously injured or possibly killed.  Just look up James Reeb, but one example of the high cost people pay to protest. The fact that he was privileged (by virtue of his white skin) didn't save him in Selma.

People with half a brain and possessing even the smallest measure of self-preservation don't take protesting lightly. That's why cowards like me count on people like them to do the dirty work of maintaining or creating some semblance of fairness in an unfair world. So I guess I would like to conclude this by saying think hard before condemning someone for doing something that you likely do not, but probably should, have the willingness to do, whether it be because of the emotional, financial &/or the physical risks involved. With Remembrance Day just two days away (look at my FB badge on which I have changed my profile picture to a white "Peace Poppy") consider please consider these things. 

Carmen

P.S. May the bravest and most noble amongst us, whether they be the soldier or the protester, have the longest and happiest lives.

P.P.S. After editing in the first paragraph not dealing with the photos right after finishing the P.S. it occurred to me to that here would be the best place to add that even the Duggars should/could be considered in the "not so lush life" part of the title because, even if it is hardly as much of a sacrifice as those of the soldier or protester, committing yourself to raising that many children obviously requires many sacrifices both personal and financial.

That is another reason why I believe people should respect their choice. A choice among the many we have that was fought for, again by soldier and protester alike, and that people in China. for instance (although maybe with good reason there), don't have. As always, I look forward to hearing what any reader think - be it about the picture portion of the post or my written musings. Being, in part, more controversial I reserve the right to use the comment deletion feature but only if a comment is truly hateful. So far, I've never needed it.

The C.A.T.

Pizza! Pizza! - Easy! Easy!

Today is the third day for posting a food-related photo duo. The subject today is that well loved All-American Canadian food - Pizza!

As with yesterday, the two items I will show you come from http://thisiswhyi'mbroke.com/
Unlike yesterday, neither one of them is in any way disgusting. LOL. In fact, both items are, in my opinion, ingenious. I'll let you be the judge of that however.

This first item is a dual use utensil as you can see. Both a pair of food scissors to cut the pizza in a jiffy and a attached spatula to scoop it up directly on to your plate. Pretty cool, huh.

The scissors look quite sturdy, the spatula I'm less sure about but I guess it would be made out of the same material as the handle of the scissors so maybe it's nothing to worry about. In any case, it would be an amusing implement to pull out at your next pizza party.

This second piece of kitchen equipment is even cooler. Much, much cooler to be honest. Just take a look at this baby! I shouldn't even have to tell you what it is. But I will. Because after seeing it, I'm sure you don't believe it. Yes, that's right. Someone has actually created a mini pizza-cutting circular saw. A real circular saw. While it is clearly labeled on the box as being for pizza, I'm sure you could find another food cutting use or two out of it.

Pictures out of the way, I'd like to move on to the topic of computer functions which have I've recently learned to us and their value to using my computer for blogging as well as otherwise. I want to brag about my epic accomplishments learning to do the simple things that most people probably figured out were easy to do five minutes after buying their computers. LOL. I'm still proud of myself though. Everytime I figure out that something is easier than I thought and I add/change something I feel like I've conquered the world. LOL So then here are a few new computer accomplishments to share. As I probably mentioned on my Halloween post or shortly after, I am now able to add pictures as you have been seeing and will continue to see for all of November if all goes according to plan. What I didn't tell you is that it all started with my finding out indirectly, at school where I've just started as of a little over month and a half ago, that adding a background to my computer was also easier than I thought. The background I chose is gorgeous. To save pictures so I don't run out of photo topics for the whole month and because I like each post to be about a one picture or a related set of picture I will save it for another post but the screensaver I chose is of the cute animal variety that includes a very nice background that adds added interest to the picture. I know that when you see it you will love it and perhaps even want it for yourselves if only as a saved picture.

First it was saving pictures to my computer six plus months ago, then it was the background wallpaper about a week or so ago, then the blog picture posting a day or so later that took advantange of the picture saving knowledge and around the same time as the recent discoveries I mentioned there was also finally taking off the default screen-saver and adding a cool Aurora Borellis one. I tried the bubbles one but unfortunately it left whatever was on your screen behind it which was a two-fold fail. First, it didn't look as good as having a neutral, matching blue or black background like the Aurora Borellis. Second, all the bubbles were quite big (about the size of a golf ball) and of a uniform size. Not as attractive as it should have been. Not at all. The final thing I want to point out finding was a feature that I don't know if many people know about because it may not be considered very important by most when they hear about it but that I find very useful. It's a cursor finding mechanism. It comes in very handy because I can't count the number of times I've used words I don't like to use in public when I've lost sight of where my cursor is and then have a hard time finding it. Typical ^%*#$ moment. Well, this feature lets you set your computer to have a circular outline pop up around the cursor and then quickly, for lack of a better word, collapse around it by getting to be a slightly smaller circle in the space of a few seconds simply by hitting the control key.

So I think I've exhausted sharing all my new discoveries with you. If there are any of you out there who are as timid about trying new things with your computer, I urge you to take a chance or two experimenting with finding out new features. It's well worth it. If nothing else, and this goes even for others who aren't so timid but probably didn't know about the cursor thing, try using the cursor finding feature. You can find it under Control Panel > Appearance and Personalization > Personalization>Mouse Pointers and then check the enable pointer shadow box at the bottom of the mouse pointer page.

Carmen

Green Sandwiches & A Mug With A Plug

I was debating calling this post "Co-Worker Proofing Yourself" but the tell-all title (much like yesterday) won out. It just seemed to sound a bit better. In a bizarre way.

In any case, today we have two pictures again that I found independent of each other (on the same website but not side by side or in any way matched up) that I thought shared a theme in common. Basically I'm saying I was the one to see the connection, although when you see them and what they are meant to do you will surely see that it is an obvious link. That is namely, the aforementioned co-worker proofing. 

As you can see this first one is rather gross and quite obviously the green sandwich portion of the title. The item is found, like it's soon to be shown companion (not gross at all just strange and rather brilliant) on the website http://thisiswhyimbroke.com/ It is a site that has a variety of unusual items that you may very well think, despite in some but not all cases a rather high price tag, I just have to have that.

Clearly, on first glance this may not be one of them. It is gross. But the idea is to fool potentially lunch lifting coworkers into believing your perfectly good sandwich is a gross moldy mess that has been sitting in the office fridge too long. Obviously, the item is a baggie printed with a tasteful (lol) mold design that overlays your sandwich. The problem of course with this little trick is that there is always the ever so helpful co-worker that takes it upon themselves to clean up the kitchen, including the fridge. So your "perfect solution" to work-place theft purchase could get unceremoniously tossed.

This second item is more tasteful if crazy and much less likely (one hopes!) to hit the trash. I call it the Plug Mug. The idea is simple. Instead of co-workers "stealing" borrowing your mug when you are not there and they don't have one and germing it up, you take out the plug when you are gone. Voila, they can't use it. When you come back you simply put the plug back in and fill it up. How cool is that?

So what do you think? Would you purchase either of these items (or both) for yourselves. I know I would. At least I would the mug. The sandwich bag, not so sure. LOL. Anyway, again the big question is "Who comes up with this stuff?"

Carmen

Kevin Bacon Strips & A Fanta Sea

So today I have no cute, funny animal pictures to show you. These pictures, from FB "randoms" again, are still funny though. Just no animals involved.

It's a stretch, but what they have in common is they both are indirectly related to food and drink... and they are both obviously created by people with wacky minds. I mean how do people come up with this stuff.

Aren't these funny? Personally, as much as I appreciate the Kevin Bacon Strips, I think the Fanta Sea picture is even funnier. I think it takes an even loopier person to create it. LOL. What do you think? Which is your favorite? Why? Oh, and while I think of it, even though I like the Fanta Sea better (and really who doesn't like a good Fanta Sea? Get it! LOL) I just have to ask "How many degrees of separation are there between Kevin Bacon and Kevin Bacon in the pan?". LOL.

Carmen

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie ... On The Couch ... With A Pillow

So here's today's quota of pictures. Perhaps the title told a little to much of the story but I still think it was the right one. Lays it all on the line. Besides what it didn't tell was how I managed, and so close together, to find two pictures of virtually the same unusual - or what I consider unusual anyway - event. I myself have no idea.

Serendipity?

This is the first photo which I marked as #100 in my list of saved pictures (I told you I'm a picture saving maniac. You would know exactly how much so if you knew just how little time it took to save all those pictures or how many I have now and again in how short a time it took to get them.

Anyway, this picture is the title to a tee. Cute isn't it. He (or she) is really "livin' the life". LOL.

This second picture, which it is hard to tell just now exactly how well it is centered (crosses fingers!) incorporates another piece of bedding in addition to the pillow... A nice cosy blanket. This one is not only "livin' the life" but has moved up in the world a step from his pal in the first picture. But not to worry. There won't be any rivalry. Pal's was stretching it. As far as I know, they don't even know each other. LOL. Besides, I'm sure if the first dogs owner realized they forgot the blanket they'd be appalled at their oversight.

In other news, I just have to mention something very sad but really not surprising happened sometime on Friday. 60 Minutes former correspondent  commentator Andy Rooney just died. As I said, it was not surprising since he was both 92 and in hospital for serious complications from a recent surgery. The worst thing about it is that I'll never get the chance to bother him at dinner (lol) for an autograph - which he always refused to give.

He said in his last 60 minutes commentary about a month ago, when he finally retired, that he hated being bothered by fans, especially while eating dinner. Sorry Mr. Rooney. I loved you, but I would have done it anyway cause prickly (or as everyone else called it - curmudgeonly) as you were you were just so darn cute. I wouldn't have been able to resist. Your foot in my ass would surely have made you seem less "cute" in retrospect though. LOL.

But luckily for me, even had you lived even longer, I probably never would have travelled to New York or wherever else your "circles" were. I'm not much of a traveller. Well, I guess I'll end this little tribute with my wish that wherever you have travelled to in the great unknown you are having a great time - with no more petty inconveniences. Maybe you're also having fun catching up with other famous newspeople like, for instance, that other late, great -- Walter Cronkite. 

Carmen

P.S. I just noticed when I posted this (before this edit) that the second dog is even lying on a fully tucked in sheet. LOL.

P.P.S. I almost forgot to mention that these pictures came from FB where they were posted by some of my "random" FB friends.

P.P.P.S. To belabor the point of the past several days about my posting habits re: time management - I bring your attention to the fact that this was posted a full half day before it usually has been at the last possible minute or in the case of BlogHer mere minutes later. Just before 12:00pm to be exact. Yay Carmen. The start of a new trend? I sure hope so.

The C.A.T.

The Finer "Points" Of Reproduction

Hello. Today's picture follows along the lines of the one from two days ago. I would have used them on back to back days if I had this one yesterday but I just found it after my again last minute posting.

Isn't this priceless. I won't say I laughed out loud when I saw this but that was only because it was late and I had been saving a bunch of pictures so I guess I was "burnt-out" and not properly appreciative - cause this is not only extremely funny it is also extremely cute.

In the so-called (read the very bottom) hamster's defense (I still think it's a mouse) - it is another mouse!

Moving on, as far as my posting for NaBloPoMo yesterday. I did it again. Even though I thought I would get it posted to the BlogHer site on time I missed it again. This time by one minute. It was 12:00am when my first copy went through. I say first copy because there were other problems besides the ones that cost me a crucial minute or two in posting.

When I finally got the block of text here to copy for pasting (it usually doesn't work on my computer the first time or three) I hurriedly pasted it in and hit save (the post feature there) and got an error message because I was in such a hurry I forgot the title and it won't save without a title. If it would have saved it as "Untitled" I might have got it in under the wire and then have been able to go back and edit in a title.

Which would have been better. As I've said before, and I'm sticking with it, as long as I've posted before midnight here on the original blog I think it still counts for me to say I've posted on time every day like the rules say. It's just that I still would like it to be posted properly on time before midnight there too. When I say properly I mean on time not correct without revisions because I also think it's ok to have the post mostly correct and posted and then go back and make edits - even fairly big ones like the title.

I guess maybe that's just the self-justification of a procrastinator caught up in the consequences of her procrastination. Still, better I do this clinging to technicalities and get the benefit of the contest's emphasis on posting regularly than not at all, I think. More self-justification. LOL. You be the judge. Anyway, like I was mentioning earlier on that 12:00 posting was but the first posting of the same thing. My other technical difficulty that I was talking about was that when I did get the title in and hit save it didn't seem to want to save

So I had to hit save again. Then when I looked at my profile page it had it posted twice. %*$#@. What's worse was that there doesn't seem to be any way of deleting posts - editing yes, but deleting no - on that website. Or if there is I haven't found it and I sure did try. Well that's my sad tale of woe re: NaBlo... Today it is now 9:25pm so, fingers crossed, I really don't know how I am going to screw this up again tonight. But if there's a way... LOL.

While I bore you with my endless, nightly self-recriminations about something that I say doesn't matter technically anyway, I might as well pass along a quote I came across that is very appropriate considering.I can't quote it directly, or even attribute it at all, because I can't find it where I thought it was written. So here goes from memory.

"Just because you screwed up doesn't mean I'm here to fix your emergencies". That may sound lame but the true quote was similar but much better. It doesn't apply totally, since no one need fix anything for me (except maybe teach me how to delete at BlogHer if it's even possible) but it does speak to the responsibility issue.  Since I'm not especially known for my stellar sense of personal responsibility though I won't dwell on it LOL 

Carmen

P.S. I'm finishing this at, as of now, 9:39pm so while I'm safe at BlogHer barring a major technical snafu that won't let me post at all I am cutting it close for the last bus from right in front of my home as I'm off to Mom's house for what's left of the weekend (I usually leave Thursday).

I'm always behind for something and I thought I had gotten better. Sigh. Well it's now 9:43pm - LOL - so I'm off to BlogHer and then the bus, "God" willing. See you again tomorrow. Again it most likely will be a picture or a series of pictures "headlining" the post.

The C.A.T. (9:45)

Cats Being Sneaky

The following is a two item series of pictures that show cats being, well, sneaky.

This first picture is the cute version of sneaky.



The second picture is just downright bad sneaky. Bad Kitty. LOL. 



While I like both of course (after all I did save them), the second one is more my style. I know, I know. Bad Carmen. LOL. Both pictures are via Facebook. Each was originally posted to me by a different "random" FB friend of mine. I have to say I could spend all day saving cute, funny, ridiculous, etc., etc., etc. pictures from my Facebook feed.

In fact, that is what caused me to cut it so close in posting my daily NaBloPoMo post yesterday - with only a minute or two to spare and two to three minutes late on BlogHer which is the hosting site for NaBloPoMo. I consider myself to still be in the running because this is my regular blog and the BlogHer post was just a re-posting.

It still kinda bugs me that I couldn't squeak the second one in under the wire. Now it looks like, and on that site I guess technically is, no Nov. 2nd post and two Nov. 3 posts when I copy this one to the site. You'd think I learned my lesson. Maybe a little. As I type these words it is just after 11:25pm. So I have a bit of time. A bit. Still cutting close. Way too close. But not as bad.

Anyway, like I said yesterday, I think I am going to try including pictures every day. If I don't want to run out or low and have to do the all-day picture searching and then the last minute posting I better plan on doing single picture posts some days. The only thing is I like the double duty ones too because I think they tell a story in a "bookmarked" way. It's like it shows I've tried harder. Made a connection.

I guess a little bit of both would be the solution to having my cake and eating it too. Speaking of which, I've always thought that saying was ridiculous. What good is having your cake if you don't eat it too. Quite a while back I came up with what I think should be the amended, more sensible version of that saying. Here goes... "You can't have your cake and your pie too". But I'm digressing. And running out of time.

So I'll end this post by saying that I hope you have been enjoying the picture posts and will continue to. I also hope now that I have committed to NaBloPoMo and will be blogging every day for at least the month of November that those of you that have followed me in the past and came back and those of you who may have just found me will stick with me. I also hope that my new dedication and the pictures make it as fun as I think it will be.  

Carmen

P.S. It is now 11:51. ^*%#. Gotta go. See you tomorrow.

The C.A.T.

Interspecies Love! LOL

Yes this is exactly what you think it is! LOL. That is a c-a-t on top of the chihuahua.

The picture comes from http://www.interspeciesfriendships.com/ I believe.

As you can see I am really getting into the picture thing now and I think I am going to make all thirty of my NaBloPoMo posts with pictures. Maybe.

Anyway, better hit publish post as my computer says 11:57.

See you tomorrow.

Carmen

Now That I Can ...

 

I got these photos from Facebook. The first one I found was the first one posted here - the Homer Simpson Nude Woman as I call it. I saw it posted by a random of mine and shared it on my wall and also directly sent it to one of my nieces, my nephew and my sister that is on FB. My niece wrote a little comment on it saying how gross it was. LOL.

Ironic, since she was known, as a teen particularly, for being the queen of gross out comments, etc. Anyway, for some reason I decide after reading her little comment to do some "reconnaisance" on her page. To check for evidence of worse crimes, I guess. LOL.

And lo and behold, look what I find a friend of hers posted to her page. If you guessed a picture of a certain long nosed dude you'd be correct. So I'll leave it for my readers, or in this case viewers, to decide. Aren't they equally "risque". And funny. Damn funny. LOL. I think I'm gonna love this being able to post pictures. :)

Carmen

P.S. This marks Day 1 of NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month) which I have mentioned before but which I will briefly elaborate on as I will be trying to observe it this month during it's official month. NaBloPoMo, like it's inspiration NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) is officially done every November. But unlike NaNoWriMo, which I will also try to do but probably with lesser success as it is much harder, NaBloPoMo also is done unofficially every other month of the year. The hosting site for NaBloPoMo is BlogHer. Check it out and stick with me this month while I try to observe the rules - basically, post every day and no backdating. Wish me luck.

The C.A.T.