So just a short post (I think!) on a subject that I have been ignoring out of laziness for some time now. The now a thing of the past British Royal Wedding - 2011 Edition. I had actually sat up all night to watch it and so therefore did have plans to post something on it. In fact, several somethings as it had triggered a variety of separate thoughts in my head. But I think I will leave that for another more inspired day.
The main thing I wanted to point out is that I had a bunch of stuff to say about the "Wedding of the Century" (p-l-e-a-s-e, like that isn't an overworked phrase) and had thought that failing to post immediately after the wedding I would make my amazing conclusions on the first possible "related" date time. Well that time has come. Today is the first (month) anniversary of the wedding.
All I really plan on saying now (a bit of a "teaser") since I am s-t-i-l-l feeling lazy about posting is that while it was fun to have another wedding to watch (it has been 30 years since Charles and Diana - sheesh!) it really did bring out the critic in me. Again, if you are interested in my curmudgeonly response to it all, you will just have to wait for all the details. Suffice it to say though, my big complaint was "the dress".
That said I will say that as time had and has worn on my grumpy distain for what were I hope were the brides choices (since it was her day) have lessened. I'm sure she will be happy to hear that. LOL. Anyway, if you are waiting for my "wedding coverage" I will try not to make the wait as long as the wait between my brief mention of the engagement and now which is the first time since then I think that I have brought them up again in spite of saying that I would give my thoughts on the (then) upcoming wedding.
I am not sure of what it will take but I will try to channel my inner blogger. This not posting stuff is kind of lame. Especially since I have some new followers in the time since I took my break. I can only hope that they have/will stick with me in spite of my laziness about posting regularly. One suggestion though. Leave comments. That helps inspire me I think. Unfortunately both my main followers widget (not the networked blogs one) and my recent comments widget have not been working for the most part (with one or two very short exceptions I've noticed).
So I will have to check for comments manually. Therefore, excuse me if I don't happen to notice it if you do in fact leave one. If I don't respond with a comment of my own in about a week of leaving one then feel free to e-mail me at my main e-mail (which is listed under my facebook badge) carmen_tourney2@live.com Also, feel free to leave me some posting ideas. While I do still have some of my own kicking around my otherwise empty head (lol), it would be nice to get some reader ideas. I can't guarantee that I will write about your ideas right away but I will try to write about every idea I am given.
Carmen
Sunday, May 29, 2011
An Update: Huguette Clark
Hi everyone. This is actually two updates of a sort. First of all, it is my first time back blogging in about a month and a half. That's the update aspect I hadn't really thought of when I made my title. Primarly because I don't intend to make this first post back a "mish-mash" of topics like I sometimes do. I plan to do each (or at least most of the elements I have to talk about separately.
The update in question then is the fact that while reading the Sunday full page big articles obituaries in the Edmonton Journal today I came across two (of the four listed) that caught my eye. One in particular is the subject of this post and one a bit of an afterthought. The main one was on a person who I had written about here under the "fancy" title of simply her name. Huguette Clark.
Hugette Clark, as anyone who read the post I am talking about was a very wealthy (on par with the Astors and the Vanderbilts, etc) and extremely old (103 or 104) woman who lived a very reclusive life for many decades before her death. I pretty much covered what interested me in her life in the post I made before (so if you haven't read it yet and are interested, look it up in my archives).
This is just mainly a "endcap" to the story letting people know how it eventually turned out since considering her age at her death her life was shrouded in mystery and there was the "controversy" over her last days/years and whether or not she was really alive or not or whether her "people" (mainly her lawyer &/or accountant) had engaged in any "funny business" in regard to possibly pretending she was still alive for their own gain.
Turns out the paper I read (the Journal) didn't alude to the controversy (just the unlived in mansions that were kept for decades) other than to refute (which may be the wrong word since they didn't actually talk about all that business) the fact that anything untoward had gone on. I can't remember the exact wording but I do know that it conveyed to me anyway the clear message that nothing was wrong.
So, I guess H.C. is up in heaven (if you believe in that) playing with her expensive dolls and watching endless reruns of The Flintstones (she had good taste - lol). Actually that leads me to wonder if she watched any newer t.v shows. If I had known her personally, I would have suggested The Big Bang Theory and %*&$ My Dad Says. LOL. Oh and maybe Grey's Anatomy.
Anyway, goodbye Ms. Clark. Mystery solved.
Carmen
P.S. The other obituary I alluded to was of a colorful British Lord which is kind of appropriate since my next post will (nominally) be on The British Royal Wedding: 2011 Edition.
The C.A.T.
The update in question then is the fact that while reading the Sunday full page big articles obituaries in the Edmonton Journal today I came across two (of the four listed) that caught my eye. One in particular is the subject of this post and one a bit of an afterthought. The main one was on a person who I had written about here under the "fancy" title of simply her name. Huguette Clark.
Hugette Clark, as anyone who read the post I am talking about was a very wealthy (on par with the Astors and the Vanderbilts, etc) and extremely old (103 or 104) woman who lived a very reclusive life for many decades before her death. I pretty much covered what interested me in her life in the post I made before (so if you haven't read it yet and are interested, look it up in my archives).
This is just mainly a "endcap" to the story letting people know how it eventually turned out since considering her age at her death her life was shrouded in mystery and there was the "controversy" over her last days/years and whether or not she was really alive or not or whether her "people" (mainly her lawyer &/or accountant) had engaged in any "funny business" in regard to possibly pretending she was still alive for their own gain.
Turns out the paper I read (the Journal) didn't alude to the controversy (just the unlived in mansions that were kept for decades) other than to refute (which may be the wrong word since they didn't actually talk about all that business) the fact that anything untoward had gone on. I can't remember the exact wording but I do know that it conveyed to me anyway the clear message that nothing was wrong.
So, I guess H.C. is up in heaven (if you believe in that) playing with her expensive dolls and watching endless reruns of The Flintstones (she had good taste - lol). Actually that leads me to wonder if she watched any newer t.v shows. If I had known her personally, I would have suggested The Big Bang Theory and %*&$ My Dad Says. LOL. Oh and maybe Grey's Anatomy.
Anyway, goodbye Ms. Clark. Mystery solved.
Carmen
P.S. The other obituary I alluded to was of a colorful British Lord which is kind of appropriate since my next post will (nominally) be on The British Royal Wedding: 2011 Edition.
The C.A.T.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
A Novel Concept: Service Rats
On April Fools Day I was reading the free local newspaper Metro and it mentioned something very interesting and cute. I don't believe it was a joke however. It was about how rats (looked more benign to me - like a cute little mouse) could be used as service animals too. LOL.
Seriously. It seems that the little critter is of use to the woman mentioned in the article (which I lost so I can't even check if it included her name) as a way to tell ahead of time if she is going to have a seizure.
When I first saw the picture - complete with the small rat wearing a little version of one of those "don't touch me, I'm a service animal" vests - I thought the service an animal as small as a rat/mouse (tiny little guy) could perform would be smelling for a on-coming diabetic coma but ...
... the story said it was for seizures. Cool or what. What just absolutely "made" the story was the adorable picture of him in his "work clothes". LOL. Can you imagine running into someone with one in your daily travels? That would be the day to have a camera/camera phone on you for sure!
Carmen
Seriously. It seems that the little critter is of use to the woman mentioned in the article (which I lost so I can't even check if it included her name) as a way to tell ahead of time if she is going to have a seizure.
When I first saw the picture - complete with the small rat wearing a little version of one of those "don't touch me, I'm a service animal" vests - I thought the service an animal as small as a rat/mouse (tiny little guy) could perform would be smelling for a on-coming diabetic coma but ...
... the story said it was for seizures. Cool or what. What just absolutely "made" the story was the adorable picture of him in his "work clothes". LOL. Can you imagine running into someone with one in your daily travels? That would be the day to have a camera/camera phone on you for sure!
Carmen
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Back To Work
Yesterday I talked about NaBloPoMo and how I was going to try it this month. I also committed to posting daily without backdating. Well, there is one exception to that. It won't affect honestly posting every day.
What happened is for April 1 anyway and possibly like the previous 2 months (when it was easier because I was backdating) I may post on a 2 a day schedule on 1 week followed by a 1 a day schedule for the next week and then repeat.
Because I am using library computers while my computer is being fixed I did my post yesterday before signing up for NaBloPoMo so if there were any problems with the sign up I would still get my post done on time, which I did (the NaBloPoMo post).
However, in my hurry to get done before my library time was up and ideally get officially signed up (you can do that for the first few days after the month starts - you just have to have been posting on time beforehand) I neglected to notice the second post for the day which I actually wanted to post ahead of it (the Look It's A Squirrel - April Fools post).
Since I did have one done I think I'm ok. in my books doing this and really that's all that counts in a "non-official month. Now on to the topic at hand. Since I had to go to Best Buy with the computer yesterday (and again today as it turned out) I didn't get to go to Xentel to re-apply like I had planned to at the very beginning of the month.
Therefore, I have decided to go on the first Monday of April (the 4th) which is exactly one week before my 42.5 birthday (I celebrate half year birthdays at "critical junctures"). The 42.5 birthday being a critical one because it means I am 1/4 of the way through my 40's and heading into my 50's. Yikes. Hopefully that will be a good omen for applying.
Jatin did say I should come back and apply and that he would hire me back. It seems odd that I would need to officially re-apply but then again maybe not. Actually it does. Why not just fill out the legal paperwork and leave it at that if he was definitely going to hire me again as he seemed to say. So hopefully it is a sure thing like I was lead to believe.
If not then I will try the Heart & Stroke Fund like Debbie suggested although that is only short-term. I also met another old Xentel worker, Tim on the bus from Best Buy today (he lives in the area, one that I would never otherwise be in). He told me to try Regional Maple Leaf when I told him I wanted a central location. I think he thinks I'm nuts going back to Xentel considering the pay, etc. but he never actually said it. LOL.
So basically I'm saying here that hopefully in the next few days I will be working again. So I'd just like to ask you all to cross your fingers for me as I spent a bit of money on the computer (it was a warrantied problem but I needed anti-virus protection renewed).
Carmen
What happened is for April 1 anyway and possibly like the previous 2 months (when it was easier because I was backdating) I may post on a 2 a day schedule on 1 week followed by a 1 a day schedule for the next week and then repeat.
Because I am using library computers while my computer is being fixed I did my post yesterday before signing up for NaBloPoMo so if there were any problems with the sign up I would still get my post done on time, which I did (the NaBloPoMo post).
However, in my hurry to get done before my library time was up and ideally get officially signed up (you can do that for the first few days after the month starts - you just have to have been posting on time beforehand) I neglected to notice the second post for the day which I actually wanted to post ahead of it (the Look It's A Squirrel - April Fools post).
Since I did have one done I think I'm ok. in my books doing this and really that's all that counts in a "non-official month. Now on to the topic at hand. Since I had to go to Best Buy with the computer yesterday (and again today as it turned out) I didn't get to go to Xentel to re-apply like I had planned to at the very beginning of the month.
Therefore, I have decided to go on the first Monday of April (the 4th) which is exactly one week before my 42.5 birthday (I celebrate half year birthdays at "critical junctures"). The 42.5 birthday being a critical one because it means I am 1/4 of the way through my 40's and heading into my 50's. Yikes. Hopefully that will be a good omen for applying.
Jatin did say I should come back and apply and that he would hire me back. It seems odd that I would need to officially re-apply but then again maybe not. Actually it does. Why not just fill out the legal paperwork and leave it at that if he was definitely going to hire me again as he seemed to say. So hopefully it is a sure thing like I was lead to believe.
If not then I will try the Heart & Stroke Fund like Debbie suggested although that is only short-term. I also met another old Xentel worker, Tim on the bus from Best Buy today (he lives in the area, one that I would never otherwise be in). He told me to try Regional Maple Leaf when I told him I wanted a central location. I think he thinks I'm nuts going back to Xentel considering the pay, etc. but he never actually said it. LOL.
So basically I'm saying here that hopefully in the next few days I will be working again. So I'd just like to ask you all to cross your fingers for me as I spent a bit of money on the computer (it was a warrantied problem but I needed anti-virus protection renewed).
Carmen
Friday, April 1, 2011
NaBloPoMo
A while back I talked about something called NaNoWriMo which stands for National Novel Writing Month. I found out about it, as I probably already mentioned, through reading someone else's (I forget whose) blog.
Well, not only is there a NaNoWriMo but there is also something patterned on it that deals solely with blogs that is called NaBloPoMo or National Blog Posting Month.
Like NaNoWriMo the "official" month for doing it is November. Unlike NaNoWriMo though NaBloPoMo does unofficial months all the rest of the year.
Also different is the NaBloPoMo, perhaps to differentiate the official and the unofficial months gives actual prizes that it solicits from the public during the official month.
NaNoWriMo simply (but still a nice thing to get for "bragging rights") gives a certificate if you reach the word limit and do it in the time limit (including submitting it on time).
I decided to try out NaBloPoMo on the very next full month after finding out about it (sometime in mid-March). So today is the day to start.
Oddly enough, NaNoWriMo does have one thing other than it's official month of November and that is a script writing month that it later started that starts in, yes, April.
So perhaps that is a good omen for my trying NaBloPoMo for the first time this month. On the negative side of things, my computer broke two nights ago and is in for repairs with The Geek Squad.
Therefore, it will take a level of commitment to follow the only rules to NaBloPoMo, which is to write a blog every single day, on the exact day (ie. no backdating), for the month.
This will be a challenge for the first week or so of the month since my computer went in for repairs/cleaning today and won't be back for about a week. Till then, it's going to be daily trips to the public library.
Also, weekends count to in this contest so there will be no slacking off on Saturdays and Sundays. Wish me luck on this as I can be lazy and the trips to the library might be a bit of a nuisance.
Carmen
Update: I dropped out after about one day! So much for my level of committment being up to using the library daily. LOL. I guess I'll wait for next month or maybe even wait till November.
Update: I dropped out after about one day! So much for my level of committment being up to using the library daily. LOL. I guess I'll wait for next month or maybe even wait till November.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Geraldine Ferraro
Former Vice-Presidental Candidate (the first woman to be one) Geraldine Ferraro died on Saturday around 10 am in Boston. She was 75. I do not plan to speak much about her accomplishments or her later decline in politics as you can Wikipedia her.
I did however want to bring it to the attention of anyone following this blog that she has in fact died (of pneumonia/bone cancer) because she was truly a pioneer in terms of women and the U.S. presidency. Her candidacy predated Hilary Clinton's run for President and Sarah Palin's run for the Vice Presidency (1st Republican and only 2nd VP run after Ferraro) by more than 25 years!
One thing I do want to note is that in addition to having her campaign as VP implode because of family scandals and later runs for lesser office in New York State be unsuccessful she didn't do herself a great deal of good as far as leaving a glowing legacy when she, as first female to run for VP, called out Obama as basically only being a credible candidate because of his race.
While I would like to acknowledge her for her accomplishment at being the one deemed worthy of that historic first by her running mate Walter Mondale I am disappointed in the race thing. Even though she was a strong (obviously, considering the Obama comment) Hillary Clinton supporter, the comment doesn't reflect well on her at all.
I myself was left at the end of the primaries in 2008 wishing that Clinton would have been the victor (the favored choice of an abundance of riches choice) but I'd like to think I was still happy for Obama. After all, I was also excited for his candidacy even when up against Hillary. The fact he bested her may have to do with history. After all, the 1st Supreme Court woman came after the black. By about 20 years!
So, I'll end by saying in spite of it all, congratulations Ms. Ferraro on your accomplishment regardless of what happened during the campaign and beyond. I'm sure everyone can agree that we can rarely predict what will happen.
Carmen
I did however want to bring it to the attention of anyone following this blog that she has in fact died (of pneumonia/bone cancer) because she was truly a pioneer in terms of women and the U.S. presidency. Her candidacy predated Hilary Clinton's run for President and Sarah Palin's run for the Vice Presidency (1st Republican and only 2nd VP run after Ferraro) by more than 25 years!
One thing I do want to note is that in addition to having her campaign as VP implode because of family scandals and later runs for lesser office in New York State be unsuccessful she didn't do herself a great deal of good as far as leaving a glowing legacy when she, as first female to run for VP, called out Obama as basically only being a credible candidate because of his race.
While I would like to acknowledge her for her accomplishment at being the one deemed worthy of that historic first by her running mate Walter Mondale I am disappointed in the race thing. Even though she was a strong (obviously, considering the Obama comment) Hillary Clinton supporter, the comment doesn't reflect well on her at all.
I myself was left at the end of the primaries in 2008 wishing that Clinton would have been the victor (the favored choice of an abundance of riches choice) but I'd like to think I was still happy for Obama. After all, I was also excited for his candidacy even when up against Hillary. The fact he bested her may have to do with history. After all, the 1st Supreme Court woman came after the black. By about 20 years!
So, I'll end by saying in spite of it all, congratulations Ms. Ferraro on your accomplishment regardless of what happened during the campaign and beyond. I'm sure everyone can agree that we can rarely predict what will happen.
Carmen
Friday, March 25, 2011
Huguette Clark
Being that my last post was about a 103 year old who just died I thought now would be the perfect time to mention a story I read about quite some time ago about a woman who, if she is still alive (it is a matter of some debate/mystery) would be 105.
Her name is/was Huguette Clark and so far as it is known she seems to still be alive. I say seems to be as she has for about 60 years or so been extremely reclusive. She is the daughter of former U.S Senator William A. Clark, a railroad robber baron.
As such, she also shares in common with yesterdays subject Dorothy Young that she is/was an extremely wealthy woman. Her estimated wealth is somewhere in the neighborhood of $200 million just in property. Mind you she is/was trying to sell some finally so she may be cash-poor. LOL.
Cash poor with $200 million or so in property. Oh to have the problems of the rich and famous. In all seriousness though, she is a rather sad figure. According to the authors who have looked into her mysterious life (particularly her later life) she became reclusive after a bad divorce.
She was only married once while still fairly young and the author of the story I read seemed to think the shame of her failed marriage and her grief at losing her only full sibling was the cause of her retreat into her own narrow little world.
I only mean to give a slight retelling of her story as if you google Huguette Clark you will be able to read about her in much more detail as she has an entry on Wikipedia as well as a lengthy piece by a man who originally went in search of details of her because of a rather wacky reason.
It seems of all this property she has (including about $100 million of it on Fifth Avenue in New York alone) she rarely spent any time in many of these many multi-millions of dollar homes. One home that she bought and spent no time whatsoever in cost almost $25 million.
Carmen
Her name is/was Huguette Clark and so far as it is known she seems to still be alive. I say seems to be as she has for about 60 years or so been extremely reclusive. She is the daughter of former U.S Senator William A. Clark, a railroad robber baron.
As such, she also shares in common with yesterdays subject Dorothy Young that she is/was an extremely wealthy woman. Her estimated wealth is somewhere in the neighborhood of $200 million just in property. Mind you she is/was trying to sell some finally so she may be cash-poor. LOL.
Cash poor with $200 million or so in property. Oh to have the problems of the rich and famous. In all seriousness though, she is a rather sad figure. According to the authors who have looked into her mysterious life (particularly her later life) she became reclusive after a bad divorce.
She was only married once while still fairly young and the author of the story I read seemed to think the shame of her failed marriage and her grief at losing her only full sibling was the cause of her retreat into her own narrow little world.
I only mean to give a slight retelling of her story as if you google Huguette Clark you will be able to read about her in much more detail as she has an entry on Wikipedia as well as a lengthy piece by a man who originally went in search of details of her because of a rather wacky reason.
It seems of all this property she has (including about $100 million of it on Fifth Avenue in New York alone) she rarely spent any time in many of these many multi-millions of dollar homes. One home that she bought and spent no time whatsoever in cost almost $25 million.
Carmen
Dorothy Young
One of Harry Houdini's final "assistant's" has died at the ripe old age of 103. She got her start as a dancer in the background of Houdini's shows. He noticed her and brought her to the forefront. This was shortly before his death and she actually left the show a few months before he died.
In and of itself this is mildly interesting that someone who was a part of this illusionist's history was still alive after all these years. What makes it more so is that she seemed to have been a person who went on, in some small way anyways, to achieve even more.
In the obituary I read, it stated that in addition to her time with Houdini and being a dancer, she was also a author of at least some small acclaim. It didn't go into great detail on that so the other thing that was interesting is likely to have been something attributable to her family (I'm guessing here).
She managed to leave $14 million to her alma mater. Now that is some legacy. The connection to Houdini is one thing but I am incredibly curious as to whether or not it was her own doing or family money that contributed to such a bequest. That's something we'll probably never know.
Carmen
In and of itself this is mildly interesting that someone who was a part of this illusionist's history was still alive after all these years. What makes it more so is that she seemed to have been a person who went on, in some small way anyways, to achieve even more.
In the obituary I read, it stated that in addition to her time with Houdini and being a dancer, she was also a author of at least some small acclaim. It didn't go into great detail on that so the other thing that was interesting is likely to have been something attributable to her family (I'm guessing here).
She managed to leave $14 million to her alma mater. Now that is some legacy. The connection to Houdini is one thing but I am incredibly curious as to whether or not it was her own doing or family money that contributed to such a bequest. That's something we'll probably never know.
Carmen
Thursday, March 24, 2011
The King's Speech
I took my mom to see this movie. As you surely know, it just won an Oscar for both Best Picture and Best Actor. This isn't why we went to see it.
Mom had expressed an interest in seeing it and since I like to take her to the few theatre movies she actually shows an interest in I had planned to take her for awhile now. The thing is though, I really wasn't expecting to like it much myself.
Even though I was a huge fan of royalty as a kid, I thought that this movie would be the height of boring. Surprisingly, it wasn't. I can't point to many specific things that made it more interesting than I would originally have guessed.
I will say though that while I probably didn't like it as much as The Social Network (which I was also unsure about oddly enough) it definitely is worth going to see I think.
Carmen
Mom had expressed an interest in seeing it and since I like to take her to the few theatre movies she actually shows an interest in I had planned to take her for awhile now. The thing is though, I really wasn't expecting to like it much myself.
Even though I was a huge fan of royalty as a kid, I thought that this movie would be the height of boring. Surprisingly, it wasn't. I can't point to many specific things that made it more interesting than I would originally have guessed.
I will say though that while I probably didn't like it as much as The Social Network (which I was also unsure about oddly enough) it definitely is worth going to see I think.
Carmen
A Man Of Mystery, A Woman Forlorn
The tail-end of this post may admittedly be a little bit lame but I wanted a catchy title and the first part is kind of funny. I think so anyway. LOL. It all started with my friend from my time at Xentel, Debbie. We were talking on the phone after not talking in several weeks.
She told me she had recently quit. We also talked a bit about the other staff. Gossip basically. LOL. Anyway, she told me about a co-worker who she was quite close to going to jail and probably not for a short time.
Even though I had heard previously from her about some things that would suggest this wasn't improbable, it was still a shock to me. She also told me about another worker there who she oddly enough, for a reason I won't mention, lives in the same building as her moving ... to another (higher) floor.
Like me, she joked that it would mean a longer commute. LOL. The thing that was really funny though was when, in saying that she couldn't understand why I thought so highly of the person she lived in the same building with and another coworker who is quite close to that person workwise, she made a joke.
She said something along the lines that this person, who I am quite fond of, is "a bigger mystery to her than the Cadbury secret." The crazier thing is she claims to know the Cadbury secret so, this person may not be so mysterious after all.
So that's the "Man Of Mystery". As for the "Woman Forlorn" that is simply me. She also told me that the other person that she wasn't sure why I liked so much thought of me as far as giving me a nice gift of a freebie from our former workplace when she was still working there & I had called her there.
They realized (too late) that I was on the phone & had planned to offer me something. That I didn't get the freebie/gift is not so much the source of my being "forlorn" but rather the fact that that person didn't find out I found out and realize how much I appreciate the thought.
Carmen
She told me she had recently quit. We also talked a bit about the other staff. Gossip basically. LOL. Anyway, she told me about a co-worker who she was quite close to going to jail and probably not for a short time.
Even though I had heard previously from her about some things that would suggest this wasn't improbable, it was still a shock to me. She also told me about another worker there who she oddly enough, for a reason I won't mention, lives in the same building as her moving ... to another (higher) floor.
Like me, she joked that it would mean a longer commute. LOL. The thing that was really funny though was when, in saying that she couldn't understand why I thought so highly of the person she lived in the same building with and another coworker who is quite close to that person workwise, she made a joke.
She said something along the lines that this person, who I am quite fond of, is "a bigger mystery to her than the Cadbury secret." The crazier thing is she claims to know the Cadbury secret so, this person may not be so mysterious after all.
So that's the "Man Of Mystery". As for the "Woman Forlorn" that is simply me. She also told me that the other person that she wasn't sure why I liked so much thought of me as far as giving me a nice gift of a freebie from our former workplace when she was still working there & I had called her there.
They realized (too late) that I was on the phone & had planned to offer me something. That I didn't get the freebie/gift is not so much the source of my being "forlorn" but rather the fact that that person didn't find out I found out and realize how much I appreciate the thought.
Carmen
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Elizabeth Taylor Won't Be Tweeting Anymore
Well Elizabeth Taylor has died. Even though she was in really poor health for some time I wasn't expecting her to die before Zsa Zsa Gabor who was in seemingly even worse health.
She wasn't my favorite old time movie star. in general because of the movies I had seen and in specific because of her seeming attitude toward both Debbie Reynolds and Sybil Burton at the time she had affairs with and then married their former husbands.
I still think it is a sad day for the movie world as the number of big name old time movie stars that were around as far back as the 1940's is dwindling down to almost nothing not surprisingly considering it is now 2011. One thing I will say for her is she did stick by her friends.
Of course I'm talking about both Rock Hudson and Michael Jackson. Remember that in 1985 when she took on AIDS as a cause because of her friend Hudson it was much more controversial. Of course, one could say that with her career basically finished.
Also she was a multi-millionaire (she was the first female actress to get a million for a movie for Cleopatra I believe) several times over and her general devil may care attitude it was less of a personal risk. Nevertheless, being a famous actress for so long one would think that there is a certain amount of ego.
It was also courageous (or at least showing an perhaps admirable loyalty depending on your view of his would be guilt or innocence) to support Michael Jackson even after all the hits he took for seemingly being a child abuser because she herself believed in his innocence.
Not to mention that Debbie Reynolds could forgive Taylor might say something about Taylor (it definitely says something about Reynolds) and her ability to get people on her side. After all, Reynolds was quoted as saying not only did men love her (as she pointed out, her husband included - nice touch - lol) but that women liked her.
I personally wouldn't have likely been so forgiving considering they were actually friends when she did it and worse Taylor actually babysat Reynolds kids all the while cheating with her husband! I definitely don't think I could be nearly so forgiving as Debbie Reynolds. I'd be curious what specifically lead her to forgive and forget.
Finally, the other laudable thing about Elizabeth Taylor was her sense of humor. You may have read yourselves already but she left instructions that her funeral was to start 15 minutes after the stated start time so that it could be announced that she was late for her own funeral. LOL.
Oh and I guess I forgot that anyone who loved jewelry the way she did obviously lived up to the ideal of what a star is supposed to embody. Maybe that isn't such a good thing as she also was known to party with people like arms dealers in her time but she definitely had star power.
As for movies that I would recommend to "see her out" as I have with other celebrities that have left us recently I won't name three as I had for three other stars/celebrities that had died in short order that I did that for but I will suggest one. A probably hard to find one.
There was a movie from probably the 50's called Scent of A Mystery that also starred the late Denholm Elliott that was a novelty of sorts. It was the first movie,and probably last as well, that was filmed and shown originally in Smell-O-Vision.
At certain points in the movie select theatres were rigged up to release smells that corresponded to the action on the screen. Obviously, if you could come across this likely hard-to-find film it wouldn't have the gimmick it would still be interesting to see how they put a solid story into it.
Oh, I almost forgot. As for the irreverent title of this post, she was an older star who actually to her credit took to Twitter. This was a thought I immediately had. I wasn't the only one though. When I was looking at on line articles about the death a commenter on one said much the same thing.
Carmen
She wasn't my favorite old time movie star. in general because of the movies I had seen and in specific because of her seeming attitude toward both Debbie Reynolds and Sybil Burton at the time she had affairs with and then married their former husbands.
I still think it is a sad day for the movie world as the number of big name old time movie stars that were around as far back as the 1940's is dwindling down to almost nothing not surprisingly considering it is now 2011. One thing I will say for her is she did stick by her friends.
Of course I'm talking about both Rock Hudson and Michael Jackson. Remember that in 1985 when she took on AIDS as a cause because of her friend Hudson it was much more controversial. Of course, one could say that with her career basically finished.
Also she was a multi-millionaire (she was the first female actress to get a million for a movie for Cleopatra I believe) several times over and her general devil may care attitude it was less of a personal risk. Nevertheless, being a famous actress for so long one would think that there is a certain amount of ego.
It was also courageous (or at least showing an perhaps admirable loyalty depending on your view of his would be guilt or innocence) to support Michael Jackson even after all the hits he took for seemingly being a child abuser because she herself believed in his innocence.
Not to mention that Debbie Reynolds could forgive Taylor might say something about Taylor (it definitely says something about Reynolds) and her ability to get people on her side. After all, Reynolds was quoted as saying not only did men love her (as she pointed out, her husband included - nice touch - lol) but that women liked her.
I personally wouldn't have likely been so forgiving considering they were actually friends when she did it and worse Taylor actually babysat Reynolds kids all the while cheating with her husband! I definitely don't think I could be nearly so forgiving as Debbie Reynolds. I'd be curious what specifically lead her to forgive and forget.
Finally, the other laudable thing about Elizabeth Taylor was her sense of humor. You may have read yourselves already but she left instructions that her funeral was to start 15 minutes after the stated start time so that it could be announced that she was late for her own funeral. LOL.
Oh and I guess I forgot that anyone who loved jewelry the way she did obviously lived up to the ideal of what a star is supposed to embody. Maybe that isn't such a good thing as she also was known to party with people like arms dealers in her time but she definitely had star power.
As for movies that I would recommend to "see her out" as I have with other celebrities that have left us recently I won't name three as I had for three other stars/celebrities that had died in short order that I did that for but I will suggest one. A probably hard to find one.
There was a movie from probably the 50's called Scent of A Mystery that also starred the late Denholm Elliott that was a novelty of sorts. It was the first movie,and probably last as well, that was filmed and shown originally in Smell-O-Vision.
At certain points in the movie select theatres were rigged up to release smells that corresponded to the action on the screen. Obviously, if you could come across this likely hard-to-find film it wouldn't have the gimmick it would still be interesting to see how they put a solid story into it.
Oh, I almost forgot. As for the irreverent title of this post, she was an older star who actually to her credit took to Twitter. This was a thought I immediately had. I wasn't the only one though. When I was looking at on line articles about the death a commenter on one said much the same thing.
Carmen
Brown Makes News, Internet Funster Makes Joke
Just thought I would share the following rather funny little story I found on Yahoo. As I'm sure you may have heard, the rapper and abusive boyfriend Chris Brown went nuts in a studio after a interview where he was yet again asked about his previous bad behavior re: the girlfriend abuse.
What was funny was that in the article it referred to makeup and hair people on the set being scared by his behavior in a bit of an aside. In the comments after the article one of the comments was that not to lessen what he did but that makeup and hair artists scare easily. LOL.
It seems I wasn't the only one who found this funny. There were about 14 or 16 sub-comments for that comment (I later added one too!) and most of the people sub-posting wrote to say they found it quite funny. One person who identified themselves as a makeup person even found it funny.
Carmen
What was funny was that in the article it referred to makeup and hair people on the set being scared by his behavior in a bit of an aside. In the comments after the article one of the comments was that not to lessen what he did but that makeup and hair artists scare easily. LOL.
It seems I wasn't the only one who found this funny. There were about 14 or 16 sub-comments for that comment (I later added one too!) and most of the people sub-posting wrote to say they found it quite funny. One person who identified themselves as a makeup person even found it funny.
Carmen
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Watermelon Wilts, Strasberries Suffer
So I am back to bitching about my Cityville/Farmville "losses". This time it was totally my fault. I planted crops and forgot the timing.
When you plant crops in both games I think the rules on timing before wilting are the same. The amount of time that a crop takes to mature is halved and that is the leeway time you have after they mature before they wilt on you. Crops are anywhere from 1 hour to over 2 days.
By over 2 days I mean they give times like 1.8 and 2.6 days. On Cityville I planted watermelon. I think that matured in 4 hours. For Cityville that is a mid-time crop. On Farmville, where I planted the strasberries (whose timing I don't remember) the times tend to be a lot longer before a crop matures.
Yet I still missed harvesting them. Now I have to rely on my neighbors to "unwhither" my crops for me. That could take awhile since each neighbor can only do 5 plots per day. I increased the size of my farm in Cityville and in Farmville because Farmville is more about crops its much bigger still.
Finally, I just want to share a funny thing a FB friendwho I met working at a now defunct internet cafe in the city had said when I asked him if he played any FB games. He is a professional comedian who is also the worlds fattest contortionist. He can actually put his feet to his cheeks and he weighs about 400 pounds!
Anyway,he said no. I told him about the farming on both Cityville and Farmville. Then he said to me, "Oh, it's like Grand Theft Auto ... with carrots!" I guess it kind of is. LOL.
Carmen
When you plant crops in both games I think the rules on timing before wilting are the same. The amount of time that a crop takes to mature is halved and that is the leeway time you have after they mature before they wilt on you. Crops are anywhere from 1 hour to over 2 days.
By over 2 days I mean they give times like 1.8 and 2.6 days. On Cityville I planted watermelon. I think that matured in 4 hours. For Cityville that is a mid-time crop. On Farmville, where I planted the strasberries (whose timing I don't remember) the times tend to be a lot longer before a crop matures.
Yet I still missed harvesting them. Now I have to rely on my neighbors to "unwhither" my crops for me. That could take awhile since each neighbor can only do 5 plots per day. I increased the size of my farm in Cityville and in Farmville because Farmville is more about crops its much bigger still.
Finally, I just want to share a funny thing a FB friendwho I met working at a now defunct internet cafe in the city had said when I asked him if he played any FB games. He is a professional comedian who is also the worlds fattest contortionist. He can actually put his feet to his cheeks and he weighs about 400 pounds!
Anyway,he said no. I told him about the farming on both Cityville and Farmville. Then he said to me, "Oh, it's like Grand Theft Auto ... with carrots!" I guess it kind of is. LOL.
Carmen
Monday, March 21, 2011
Disaster Strikes/Museum Mishap
So I'm playing Cityville. I'm collecting coins hand over fist. I buy myself a museum. It costs 8000 coins! Then I decide to add a small piece of road mostly for aesthetics. But it looks funny where I thought it would look good. I notice this after I insert just one 10 coin road.
So I decide to delete the road. 10 coins for the road plus 1 coin to delete doesn't seem to much of a loss so I delete it. After that I click on my museum to check on what I need to make it useable. For anyone who plays you know that means ribbons, marble, etc, etc, etc.
Well the second I click on the museum - it disappears! All 8000 coins and 5 builds gone! Turns out I neglected to toggle off the delete button. WTF. I say WTF because even though I forgot to toggle it off, it shouldn't have mattered.
I say that because when I was getting rid of my 10 coin roadway for a 1 coin deletion cost it made a big deal out of asking me if I was sure. So where the hell was the are you sure prompt when 8000 coins are at stake. As I said before, WTF.
I'm sure it seems a little silly bitching about a virtual museum but geez. I guess I really am getting into this Cityville. The one good thing is that I seem to have reached a point where the coins are coming fast and furious so the 8000 coins don't really matter as much as they could.
Well, I guess that's all I really wanted to say for the most part. That and why so many permits to add land. Every time I expand my land the cost in coins goes up & the number of permits I need increases. God, just like the "real world". Someone sees you want something, up goes the price!
Carmen
So I decide to delete the road. 10 coins for the road plus 1 coin to delete doesn't seem to much of a loss so I delete it. After that I click on my museum to check on what I need to make it useable. For anyone who plays you know that means ribbons, marble, etc, etc, etc.
Well the second I click on the museum - it disappears! All 8000 coins and 5 builds gone! Turns out I neglected to toggle off the delete button. WTF. I say WTF because even though I forgot to toggle it off, it shouldn't have mattered.
I say that because when I was getting rid of my 10 coin roadway for a 1 coin deletion cost it made a big deal out of asking me if I was sure. So where the hell was the are you sure prompt when 8000 coins are at stake. As I said before, WTF.
I'm sure it seems a little silly bitching about a virtual museum but geez. I guess I really am getting into this Cityville. The one good thing is that I seem to have reached a point where the coins are coming fast and furious so the 8000 coins don't really matter as much as they could.
Well, I guess that's all I really wanted to say for the most part. That and why so many permits to add land. Every time I expand my land the cost in coins goes up & the number of permits I need increases. God, just like the "real world". Someone sees you want something, up goes the price!
Carmen
Another Award! Yay, Me.
Today was the day I gave my first speech at the Kossowan Toastmasters Club. It was, as a first speech in the first manual, a icebreaker speech. So the topic was to be something that told a bit about my self, my job, my hobbies or something of that kind.
I decided to do it as a humorous speech about my new "addiction" to playing Cityville and Farmville. I titled it "My Name Is Carmen ... And I Am A Zyngaholic." Zynga being the company that created both Facebook games as well as many others like Cafeworld, etc.
I didn't really know what I wanted to say when it came time to do my first speech as I knew from experience the last time around at Toastmasters that it always seems as though there is nothing to say but when you do pick something it always ends up way to long.
For me, anyway. Sure enough, the Zyngaholic topic I picked because I wasn't sure how to talk about some other aspect of myself in a 4 to 6 minute window oddly seemed to flow right out of me when I did my "draft". In fact, I didn't even have to re-write it or even make many changes to it.
And it was written quite quickly, in one sitting no less. The only thing was I knew from using a not very accurate watch (I don't yet own a digital stopwatch) but one that did at least have a second hand that I would be a "little" (about a minute was my guess) over time.
For me, from past experience, that was nothing short of a miraculously good job. So since the material came so easily I decided that I wasn't going to "jinx" it and make any changes that would reduce the time to hit the 4 to 6 minute mark better.
As it turned out, I was correct about the time pretty much. My final time was 7 minutes 12 seconds. So all in all, not too bad I don't think. If I didn't also decide that I was going to stand behind the lectern and use my notes I would have reduced the time as notes save time.
Regarding the speech it self, there were several points where there were humorous elements (in addition to the topic in and of itself) but there were also parts (some were the aforementioned "humorous" parts) that were kind of risque or as I referred to them in the speech - tawdry!
All in all, it went over quite well. So well in fact that although the first speaker - there were two of us - was the very accomplished and can-be-funny-even-in-serious-speeches Fred Sawka, I managed to win the better speaker award for my speech.
My first speech since re-joining. It's been a long time so I really don't know for sure but I really don't think it's likely I ever won a better speaker award during all my time (abt 10 to 15 years!) @ the Norwood/N'orators clubs.
Maybe it's possible that in all that time I won once or twice but I don't recall it. My speeches were for the most part "patchwork" and mostly over-long so I don't think I'm being self-effacing when I say it was less than likely that I won often if ever.
So it's nice that I am starting out with a fairly strong first outing. In fairness, though, but without taking anything away from this speech and the fact that I did win the award because I am very proud of the my presentation and it's reception,
I think I had a better chance because mine was humorous. That is why I titled my post this way. I decided that while I've written a lately about blog awards and Toastmaster awards (for Table Topics) today's being for being a prepared speaker was extra special and was worthy of really crowing about!
Carmen
I decided to do it as a humorous speech about my new "addiction" to playing Cityville and Farmville. I titled it "My Name Is Carmen ... And I Am A Zyngaholic." Zynga being the company that created both Facebook games as well as many others like Cafeworld, etc.
I didn't really know what I wanted to say when it came time to do my first speech as I knew from experience the last time around at Toastmasters that it always seems as though there is nothing to say but when you do pick something it always ends up way to long.
For me, anyway. Sure enough, the Zyngaholic topic I picked because I wasn't sure how to talk about some other aspect of myself in a 4 to 6 minute window oddly seemed to flow right out of me when I did my "draft". In fact, I didn't even have to re-write it or even make many changes to it.
And it was written quite quickly, in one sitting no less. The only thing was I knew from using a not very accurate watch (I don't yet own a digital stopwatch) but one that did at least have a second hand that I would be a "little" (about a minute was my guess) over time.
For me, from past experience, that was nothing short of a miraculously good job. So since the material came so easily I decided that I wasn't going to "jinx" it and make any changes that would reduce the time to hit the 4 to 6 minute mark better.
As it turned out, I was correct about the time pretty much. My final time was 7 minutes 12 seconds. So all in all, not too bad I don't think. If I didn't also decide that I was going to stand behind the lectern and use my notes I would have reduced the time as notes save time.
Regarding the speech it self, there were several points where there were humorous elements (in addition to the topic in and of itself) but there were also parts (some were the aforementioned "humorous" parts) that were kind of risque or as I referred to them in the speech - tawdry!
All in all, it went over quite well. So well in fact that although the first speaker - there were two of us - was the very accomplished and can-be-funny-even-in-serious-speeches Fred Sawka, I managed to win the better speaker award for my speech.
My first speech since re-joining. It's been a long time so I really don't know for sure but I really don't think it's likely I ever won a better speaker award during all my time (abt 10 to 15 years!) @ the Norwood/N'orators clubs.
Maybe it's possible that in all that time I won once or twice but I don't recall it. My speeches were for the most part "patchwork" and mostly over-long so I don't think I'm being self-effacing when I say it was less than likely that I won often if ever.
So it's nice that I am starting out with a fairly strong first outing. In fairness, though, but without taking anything away from this speech and the fact that I did win the award because I am very proud of the my presentation and it's reception,
I think I had a better chance because mine was humorous. That is why I titled my post this way. I decided that while I've written a lately about blog awards and Toastmaster awards (for Table Topics) today's being for being a prepared speaker was extra special and was worthy of really crowing about!
Carmen
Friday, March 18, 2011
Cotton Candy & The Avon Lady
Yesterday I wrote a post about a neighbor and fellow church member of my mothers that I had the good fortune to know a little bit who died recently. That got me to thinking about the neighborhood that they (and I used to) live in.
One of the more fun things I remember getting the chance to do in that neighborhood happened shortly before I moved out. It was about a year or so before leaving that there was a carnival at the local community league.
That year I had taken on (somewhat stupidly considering my lack of appropriate skills) the role of secretary on the community league board. It was through working at the community league that I knew about a community festival that they were having that year. It was my good fortune to help out at this event.
I don't recall if I had an assigned job originally. In fact, I really don't think I did. When I got there, it turned out that they needed 2 people to run the cotton candy machine! Yay! Fun. Well, yes in fact it was. An awful lot of fun in fact.
I wasn't the best at it (you need to swirl the paper cone pretty fast to do the best job of it) but I did a credible job. And did I tell you how much fun it was. Oh yeah. I guess I did! LOL. Seriously though, it was so much fun.
So much that even though doing that job all afternoon meant missing out on getting a free caricature portrait of myself done I would say it was still worth it. I do still feel bad about missing out on the portrait but I can pay for that some other time.
When else however am I ever going to get a chance to be the cotton candy girl. I even got to make it in more than one color. Ooh. I bet that makes you all really, really jealous now doesn't it. Well, it makes me feel a little special and that's what counts, right. LOL.
So there you have it. That is my recollection of one of my times in the sun. The other time I felt just a little bit special (I know, I know I am a sad, sad person. LOL) was when during my teen years I sold Avon. You might be wondering what is so special about selling overpriced junk door-to-door.
Well, the biggest thing that I remember from the time I sold Avon were the kids. When I would go on my "rounds" door-to-door in a area of about 6 to 9 blocks immediately closest to my house I would be toting a tell-tale bag. The Avon Lady bag.
Well, on at least one occasion as I was walking to the next house I heard little voices in excited tones saying... It's the Avon Lady! Yes, it doesn't take much to impress little kids apparently nor for that matter it seems does it take very much to impress me.
Call me crazy but at that moment I felt like the Queen of England. LOL. Well that's my little reminicenses for the day. I'll go hang my head in shame now at being a total attention seeking geek who revels and basks in having the quirky job (the cotton candy girl) or the impresses the four year old's job (the Avon Lady). .
Carmen
One of the more fun things I remember getting the chance to do in that neighborhood happened shortly before I moved out. It was about a year or so before leaving that there was a carnival at the local community league.
That year I had taken on (somewhat stupidly considering my lack of appropriate skills) the role of secretary on the community league board. It was through working at the community league that I knew about a community festival that they were having that year. It was my good fortune to help out at this event.
I don't recall if I had an assigned job originally. In fact, I really don't think I did. When I got there, it turned out that they needed 2 people to run the cotton candy machine! Yay! Fun. Well, yes in fact it was. An awful lot of fun in fact.
I wasn't the best at it (you need to swirl the paper cone pretty fast to do the best job of it) but I did a credible job. And did I tell you how much fun it was. Oh yeah. I guess I did! LOL. Seriously though, it was so much fun.
So much that even though doing that job all afternoon meant missing out on getting a free caricature portrait of myself done I would say it was still worth it. I do still feel bad about missing out on the portrait but I can pay for that some other time.
When else however am I ever going to get a chance to be the cotton candy girl. I even got to make it in more than one color. Ooh. I bet that makes you all really, really jealous now doesn't it. Well, it makes me feel a little special and that's what counts, right. LOL.
So there you have it. That is my recollection of one of my times in the sun. The other time I felt just a little bit special (I know, I know I am a sad, sad person. LOL) was when during my teen years I sold Avon. You might be wondering what is so special about selling overpriced junk door-to-door.
Well, the biggest thing that I remember from the time I sold Avon were the kids. When I would go on my "rounds" door-to-door in a area of about 6 to 9 blocks immediately closest to my house I would be toting a tell-tale bag. The Avon Lady bag.
Well, on at least one occasion as I was walking to the next house I heard little voices in excited tones saying... It's the Avon Lady! Yes, it doesn't take much to impress little kids apparently nor for that matter it seems does it take very much to impress me.
Call me crazy but at that moment I felt like the Queen of England. LOL. Well that's my little reminicenses for the day. I'll go hang my head in shame now at being a total attention seeking geek who revels and basks in having the quirky job (the cotton candy girl) or the impresses the four year old's job (the Avon Lady). .
Carmen
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Walter Megley
Recently a church member at my mom's church died. I mention this because this very nice older man was also someone I knew from years back when I was doing the volunteer job of Zone Captain for the Alberta Lung Association for a few years.
I started out as a canvasser and eventually they asked me to do a Zone. It was when I took it on that I met Mr Megley. This was probably about 10 or 15 years ago already. At this time he was already older (he was just a few years - about 5 actually - older than my mom).
Because of his age and some health problems he eventually had to retire from service to the Lung Association. However, while he was a canvasser, he was not just one of the best he was the best. Inevitably people would cancel on me at the last minute, but not Mr. Megley.
In fact, I could always count on him until the end to take a second route to help me out with the drop outs. Not only that but he also was the one canvasser that I could count on to bring in a good amount of donations. It was hard to get donations for most, but he had a special touch.
Not only was he someone I could count on with the annual canvas but as I found out at his memorial service he had a number of interesting hobbies that kept him busy. He apparently kept bees at one time & was a fisherman who even wrote a lengthy, interesting poem about it.
I will miss his smiling face and pleasant greetings when I go to the occasional event at my mom's church where I used to see him and his equally nice wife. Actually, it has been awhile since I and others were able to experience this as he had a incapacitating stroke months before his death.
Fortunately for those who knew him both well or like me in small part he lived a good long life managing to live to the ripe old age of 89. Most of that time thankfully he was healthy and quite active as evidenced by his helping me out. Goodbye Mr. Megley.
Carmen
I started out as a canvasser and eventually they asked me to do a Zone. It was when I took it on that I met Mr Megley. This was probably about 10 or 15 years ago already. At this time he was already older (he was just a few years - about 5 actually - older than my mom).
Because of his age and some health problems he eventually had to retire from service to the Lung Association. However, while he was a canvasser, he was not just one of the best he was the best. Inevitably people would cancel on me at the last minute, but not Mr. Megley.
In fact, I could always count on him until the end to take a second route to help me out with the drop outs. Not only that but he also was the one canvasser that I could count on to bring in a good amount of donations. It was hard to get donations for most, but he had a special touch.
Not only was he someone I could count on with the annual canvas but as I found out at his memorial service he had a number of interesting hobbies that kept him busy. He apparently kept bees at one time & was a fisherman who even wrote a lengthy, interesting poem about it.
I will miss his smiling face and pleasant greetings when I go to the occasional event at my mom's church where I used to see him and his equally nice wife. Actually, it has been awhile since I and others were able to experience this as he had a incapacitating stroke months before his death.
Fortunately for those who knew him both well or like me in small part he lived a good long life managing to live to the ripe old age of 89. Most of that time thankfully he was healthy and quite active as evidenced by his helping me out. Goodbye Mr. Megley.
Carmen
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
150th Post
Today I was going to do something about history, ie. what might have been going on on March 15th, 1861.
Then I found out that it was the American Civil War. That dampened my enthusiasm for the historical angle a bit. When I typed the date Wednesday, March 15th in though, before I got to the 1861 part something mildly interesting and some would say historical came up. It seems in 2006 that was the day Starbucks coffee shops chose to give away free coffee. How's that for historical, huh? LOL.
The dates seem to change from year to year but the event which does in fact seem to be yearly appears to always happen in March.
Carmen
P.S. Just a note on the "short and sweet" nature of this post. Leave it to me to have a number of huge posts on lesser things and a mini post on history.
P.P.S. One that ends up being on Starbucks no less! And no I am not being compensated. LOL.
The C.A.T.
Then I found out that it was the American Civil War. That dampened my enthusiasm for the historical angle a bit. When I typed the date Wednesday, March 15th in though, before I got to the 1861 part something mildly interesting and some would say historical came up. It seems in 2006 that was the day Starbucks coffee shops chose to give away free coffee. How's that for historical, huh? LOL.
The dates seem to change from year to year but the event which does in fact seem to be yearly appears to always happen in March.
Carmen
P.S. Just a note on the "short and sweet" nature of this post. Leave it to me to have a number of huge posts on lesser things and a mini post on history.
P.P.S. One that ends up being on Starbucks no less! And no I am not being compensated. LOL.
The C.A.T.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Ruby Tuesday(s)
Well, as you can see I am stretching a little for a topic "tue"day. I tried (very briefly) searching for historical information on Tuesday March 15th. Didn't come up with anything that interested me. So yahoo listed Ruby Tuesday's restaurants among the Tuesday "listings". I thought, why not? LOL.
One thing you should know right off the bat. In Canada, as far as I know we have no Ruby Tuesday's. Certainly not in Edmonton anyway. So first thing I did was to take a look at their website. It's got a good basic layout and has some really nice shots of their food. Definitely makes it look like a place I'd like to try if given the chance someday.
One thing that was surprising to me though was in the "our story" tab/page I believe it was, they seemed to liken themselves to a five-star restaurant when to me it just seems like an upscale family restaurant. Like Appleby's. Maybe I'm wrong about that. Who knows. I'm just a Canadian after all. LOL.
The salad that they show on their site is absolutely gorgeously photographed. So much so that even though it seems to involve a lot of broccoli, it still looks good. Maybe it's the plating in part. They are on nice heavy, square all-white dishes. Also, they have a good sized "portion" of grapes on the plate. An "awful" lot for a garnish. And a pretty elaborate garnish at that.
One thing that put me off a bit but that has a positive side is the size of their portions. The steak and shrimp plate seemed to be quite small. The size of the steak, the amount of shrimp and even the dollop of creamed mashed potatoes seemed smaller than most places. That is probably a good thing as many places offer way too much according to nutritionists.
The only thing about the size of the portions that isn't so good is that I suspect that considering that they mention themselves in the same breath as five-star restaurants their pricing probably doesn't reflect the smaller portion sizes. It figures. Then again I'm really just guessing. But I doubt that I'm wrong about that.
Finally, they list on their website their charitable endeavors. Principally their involvement with a program called Feeding America (formerly called America's Second Harvest). They sell gourmet cookies in "mini-bulk" - a half dozen whereby 10% then goes to the charity. I'd be curious as to how popular these cookies are and how expensive. Nice thought though as it's year round.
Carmen
P.S. One funny thing is that they have a take-out option that they amusingly call (even writing it on the take-out boxes) Ruby's Tue Go. LOL.
P.P.S. So to my American readers and anyone else who has one of these restaurants in their area or has ever eaten there - how was it?
The C.A.T.
One thing you should know right off the bat. In Canada, as far as I know we have no Ruby Tuesday's. Certainly not in Edmonton anyway. So first thing I did was to take a look at their website. It's got a good basic layout and has some really nice shots of their food. Definitely makes it look like a place I'd like to try if given the chance someday.
One thing that was surprising to me though was in the "our story" tab/page I believe it was, they seemed to liken themselves to a five-star restaurant when to me it just seems like an upscale family restaurant. Like Appleby's. Maybe I'm wrong about that. Who knows. I'm just a Canadian after all. LOL.
The salad that they show on their site is absolutely gorgeously photographed. So much so that even though it seems to involve a lot of broccoli, it still looks good. Maybe it's the plating in part. They are on nice heavy, square all-white dishes. Also, they have a good sized "portion" of grapes on the plate. An "awful" lot for a garnish. And a pretty elaborate garnish at that.
One thing that put me off a bit but that has a positive side is the size of their portions. The steak and shrimp plate seemed to be quite small. The size of the steak, the amount of shrimp and even the dollop of creamed mashed potatoes seemed smaller than most places. That is probably a good thing as many places offer way too much according to nutritionists.
The only thing about the size of the portions that isn't so good is that I suspect that considering that they mention themselves in the same breath as five-star restaurants their pricing probably doesn't reflect the smaller portion sizes. It figures. Then again I'm really just guessing. But I doubt that I'm wrong about that.
Finally, they list on their website their charitable endeavors. Principally their involvement with a program called Feeding America (formerly called America's Second Harvest). They sell gourmet cookies in "mini-bulk" - a half dozen whereby 10% then goes to the charity. I'd be curious as to how popular these cookies are and how expensive. Nice thought though as it's year round.
Carmen
P.S. One funny thing is that they have a take-out option that they amusingly call (even writing it on the take-out boxes) Ruby's Tue Go. LOL.
P.P.S. So to my American readers and anyone else who has one of these restaurants in their area or has ever eaten there - how was it?
The C.A.T.
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