American Idol Time is Here Again

It's that time of year again.
So far I am liking 3 of them that have been chosen for the top 12.
By far my favorite is Adam Lambert. The kid has range that is amazing!
But anything can change by the end of the season.

I have seen some other videos of him singing and I just think he is amazing.
Now the young girls are going to LOVE him....he's apparently gay but hell he is damn gorgeous and that didn't stop all the females from loving Clay Aiken or that David kid from last year! (but why they did i'll never know)

This kid has some serious talent!
Personally I LOVE his hair style and would love to have that cut myself.

If you haven't checked him out on youtube you really should. I honestly don't think any of the current crop can even come close to him. But then again, we all know this isn't about who is the best on this show now is it? But I hope this does get him a recording contract or Broadway or both.

And the looks run in the family.....his Dad ain't so bad either!...tee hee

Last night I said to Rick, "My God he is a yummy little thing isn' t he?"
Rick said, "whoa old woman you could be his mother"
"Yes, I could but I can appreciate how damn good he is and that great talent."
"Something tells me Margaret the word "yummy" wasn't about his great voice."
Busted.

Spring...Oh where or where have you gone?

Normally by my birthday (less than a week away) I have tulips poking their heads out of the dirt on my back patio, buds on my azelea bushes and my Japanese maple starting to change from red to green. But this year it all sucks....still cold and no pretty flowers to be seen.

I have lived in this city since fall of 1997. I have never seen such a cold winter or such a long one. I long for spring.

My boys of summer have started spring training and have begun to play games. So far they look great. Won both games easily. Against the reigning world series champs and the Blue Jays. Not that spring games mean all that much really. But I think that it will be a pretty good year. I am the eternal optimist when it comes my boys in pinstripes..

Our business is booming and a realtor today told me yesterday that her business has really picked up and she has sold more homes in February than in the last part of last year. So that was great news. Now if only we can get the media to pick up that kind of information instead of reporting only doom and gloom. There are a lot of positive stories out there that just aren't being reported.

I am going to go make a positive story....it includes Tanqueray and tonic.

Shallow Musing from the Academy Awards

I watched the Academy Awards last night as did most of America.
I even saw some of Barbara Walters pre-Oscar show.
Okay truth be told I skipped the whole Jonas Brothers because really who gives a rat's ass about teeny boopers who try to tell me they are virgins.
You know what I say to that?
"Hey I look just like Angelina Jolie" C'mon it's about as believeable.

As you know from reading my blog I so wanted Sean Penn to win Best Actor.
I thought for sure Mickey Rourke would be the sentimental favorite. And if not then possibly Frank Langella would win because he was pretty damn good as well.
But Sean won! Yipee.
Robert DeNiro's introduction of Sean I thought was priceless and true.

Now for the really shallow shit.......

Meryl Streep looked like a hag. She really must start treating herself better. The bodice of her dress did not fit well and it looked like she was missing breasts. She always tries to play off dressing well with insipid comments like, "It was comfortable so I just threw it on" PLEASE. It doesn't mean we can't take you serious if you look nice. You don't need to look like some 80 yr old blind woman dressed you. They GIVE you these dresses you aren't paying for them. So dress that good figure you have woman!

Halle Berry is truly the most genetically gifted woman to walk the face of the earth

Sophia Loren was laughable. Her dress looked like a horrible prom dress from the 70's. Again a woman with a knock out body but you don't notice that. You noticed that her dress was from 1978 as well as her hair and glasses. She thought she looked good in that era and has stayed there. Come on over to the 21st century. She's in her 70's and she could be rockin'

Goldie Hawn's face lift saddened me. She used to have these big round eyes. Now she looks Asian. Wrinkles look better dear.

Who knew Anne Hathaway could sing like that? Wow to be that talented and look that good. She must have something wrong with her. I am going to assume she has really ugly feet or back hair because it's not fair to have it all like that. (hear that Halle Berry?)

Hugh Jackman is a doll. Like Anne Hathawy he is good looking, wears his clothes well, can act, sing and dance. And he isn't a shrimp like all those other actor boys!

I thought Ben Stiller’s impersonation of Joaquin Phoenix on Letterman was a hoot. But did the world get that? Hell, I doubt most of America got that joke.

And you thought you had to watch E's Fashion Police to get all these good fashion tips.

New Way to Vacation at the Lake

My husband and I traveled a great deal in the past for our careers.
We would see each other on Monday and then off we'd go to various cities that we had to for our respective businesses.

I remember a time when I was sitting in my hotel room eating yet another chicken casear salad and working on my laptop when I decided to call him. I asked him. "What city are you in again?". I could never keep it straight. Always followed by, "when will you be home?" Love on the phone isn't what it's cracked up to be.

We couldn't wait for the weekends to be home.
Home meant a million things to us at that time.
It meant slowing down. No constant running to be somewhere.
It meant our own comfortable bed vs a hotel bed.
It meant eating a home cooked meal.
It meant no airports, taxi's and strangers.
It meant just being together in the same city and space.
It meant doing nothing!


When we would get the chance to run to our lake house all we wanted to do was be.
We loved sitting on a floating chair in the water with our favorite beverage.
Taking lesurely boat rides. Sipping wine on the deck overlooking the water was a wonderful evening. Just lazy warm days of nothing and being together. No running around, eating out, dealing with crowds etc.

It posed a problem when friends or family would visit.
All they ever wanted to do was run, run, run.
If something wasn't planned they were antsy.
"Are there bars close by?
"Where are the good resaurants? "
"Is there a movie theatre?"
"Any good beach bars?"

To us we had a bar in the game room, we had everything we needed right here so we didn't get it. The idea of running around and hanging at a bar on the water just didn't appeal to us so much. Tuesday through Friday we were at hotels, airports, restaurants, hotel bars etc. Runing to make a flight, running to get a taxi, standing in lines and just general horrors of travel.

Then it occured to use that the friends and family who are visiting us never go anywhere.
They go to work, they come home. Their life is slower so a vacation of fun to them is running around and seeing everything and going, going, going.
We, on the other, do nothing but go, go, go so a great vacation to us is to relax.
So we would take them everywhere and run around so their trip was fun for them.
But it made us hate our vacation because of it.

Now we are local. We go to work, we come home.
We eat at home now more than we ever eat out. So now going to the lake is so different.
Trust me we can still do nothing and enjoy it. But we can also now go and enjoy visiting a winery, finding a new waterfront restaurant, going to the movies, and finding all kinds of fun new places to explore.


So this year we are looking forward to all the company in a way we never have before.
Can't wait to see ya'll.

From a Service Point of View

When I was in the corporate world I was a senior sales executive and contract negotiator.
I had to read people all the time.
Over the years I had several training seminars and classes on personality types and how to sell to them or how to work with them.
I learned how to hone that skill and I found it very useful in my social settings as well.

Some people you have to listen to their body more than their words.
Some people have a way of saying one thing and meaning another and you have to learn how to read this. I am great at reading tells in poker but I don't like to play cards.
I have tried to teach this to Rick because he does love to play poker.
But that is multi-tasking to him. He can't do it.
But boy while I watch him I so wish I could help him because that is truly my only talent. 

Here is one that never fails....never.
The higher the voice the bigger the lie.
Now I don't mean if someone has a higher than normal voice they are big fat liars.
No, not at all.
I mean that if you are talking to someone and their voice goes up a noticeable amount the truth is not being shared here. I worked with a woman who did this all the time.
Her favorite line was, "I don't know what you mean?"
By the time the conversation got to this "high" point only dogs could hear her.
She was very easy to read. Try it next time, you'll see what I mean.
Of course, I never called her on this because she would just lie some more, but it helped me to know that she was lying and I would work it out accordingly.

When I met one of my husband's former bosses I knew immediately the type of guy he was. The first clue was that he had to stand close to speak with me so he was looking down on me.
He was at least 1 1/2 feet taller than me. If I moved back to look straight at him he would get closer so he was looking down and I would have to look up to him. I drove him nuts moving until I asked him if he could give me some space. 
I knew this game. I have read these types before.
He always needed to feel like he was in a place of power.
Because this was not a work setting for me I wasn't allowing him to get away with this.
I knew right then he was a terribly insecure man and when my husband had issues with him he and I would discuss what I had learned on how to deal with that type.
It worked like a charm for my husband and he couldn’t believe once he knew these things how much easier it was with handling all the personality types in the office.

When I left the corporate world to work within my husband’s new business I never thought I would use those skills again or at least not as often. But boy was I ever wrong!

But what is different from my old sales career is the personality types from a service point of view.

There are several distinct personalities who call for our services.
After answering these phones for the last few years I have learned a great deal about the people who call. It helps immensely on how to sell to them as well as what information to go over in detail and what to gloss over. Some people work best with little info and some need way too much.

Because people call several times and we speak a great deal before the actual job is done for them I get a “feel” for them. I have a mental picture of what they look like as well as feel as though I know a lot about them.

At first, this was a fun game.
I would tell my husband what I thought his first appointment would look like and he would return and say whether I was spot on or not even close. I have been spot on 99% of the time. Rick seems to get a real kick out of it. I must admit it does in some small twisted way become a bit fun for me through the course of my day.

Then my little game progressed to what they do for a living. It has become very easy for me to figure out. I can nail this one. Here are some of the personality types and the questions they ask me, don’t ask me, or how they treat me….which is very telling.

Gender – No matter where they fall the differences between the sexes is very big.
Women will generally have a lot of questions in comparison to men.
Women buy because they like the service, liked me, liked what button I pushed etc.
If I hear the kids screaming in the background I know they will want to talk about the effects on a child etc.
Men ask price – now when can you do it. Period. End of story. The mind is made up.
Women ask everything and will mull over and then call yet again. This will take several calls before booking with women.

Full-time Mommy – This woman will give you so much more than you need to know.
She wants to talk to another adult and it is sadly apparent. Her number 1 concern about the job is how this will affect the baby/kids. Will this be toxic? Should she have them wrapped in bubble wrap while we are there? Would it be best if they move out of their home for a week? (Seriously I was asked this) Never a question of price, process or warranty only babies, babies, babies.

Pompous  Man – This guy thinks he knows everything. 
Mr. Machismo is my name for him. He is generally over 50 or older.
I am just the little woman who answers the phone and he makes damn sure he tells me so in one way or another. He will always ask to speak to a MAN but since I tell him no man is available he reminds me that I am inferior by a snort or a comment. He shares with me that he has read everything there is to know about this on the internet so no need to share that info with him. He'd do it himself if he wasn’t so important. He makes sure to let me know with his sighing etc that he barely has the time to give me his name and address so we can show up. He talks fast and again makes sure to remind me before we hang up that I am just a woman and he is oh so very important. 
This type heterosexual guy is sadly abundant and I think if they were double jointed and could give themselves fellatio they would never leave the house or speak to a woman again.

Government Employees – Living here in DC Metro makes us have a lot of these folks. They always ask to have the work done on a federal holiday or on a Friday when they telecommute. They don’t care about the details only ask about the cost so they can put it on their spreadsheet. They also don't expect this to be done quickly like civilians. They are government employees they know how long it takes to get anything done. They are more patient than others when I tell them I can't get them on the schedule for 2 weeks.

Military Personnel – I love these men and women. They are polite and call me ma’am.
They ask questions and listen to the answers. When I go through what they need to do prior to our arrival they thank me for the time I have given them and they do as requested. They are the only ones who complete what is necessary, who thank us, and who are truly a joy to work with.

Techies – They have read our website from beginning to end and will only discuss through emails. They always compliment me on the great website. The phone apparently frightens them. They will take a week to correspond with me on details via email when it could be done with a 10-minute phone call. Websites and emails mean more to them than social skills so picking up the phone and actually having a conversation is unthinkable. When I ask for a daytime phone number for contact they say they only text. I imagine them as pasty figures who never see the sun. They email me all hours of the day and night which proves they have no life, social or otherwise. They seem skittish to me. If I leaned in it would frighten them I am certain.

Over 70– These folks are the only ones who are polite on the phone but the rest of the things they say are amazingly out of touch.
They call and are so confused about everything. 
Now here is the thing. I'm getting older and I fear I will be like this too. 
Everything needs to be explained over and over again.
They always whisper, “Does he speak English?” like whispering this politically incorrect statement makes it better. I don’t mind them at all because they do make me laugh and while they appear to be confused they are generally nice. Sadly nice is rare. I look at this group as my grandparents even though most aren't that much older than me.

Young Arrogant Guy – This is always a guy who tells me about all the homes or properties he has. He is either a flipper or a landlord and never over 34. One guy told me he had all this property and by the way, they are paid for. Why do I care I wanted to ask but just said, "that's nice" like I cared. Always wants it for the cheap because you know he has a big car payment -those Mercedes ain’t cheap. Speaks in fragments and not full sentences to show me what a mover and a shaker he is – he doesn’t have time for full sentences. While on the phone with me I hear him talking to others and I picture him texting, ordering a latte and flirting with the barista who he refers to as sweetie or darlin' all while on the phone with me.  This is him telling me that I am not that important but he sure as hell is.  He never is really listening to anyone but himself talk. He never stops bragging and I should be damn thankful he has taken time out of his day to call us for our services. He will always ask for a break in price and say it in a manner that he thinks I will be so frightened of losing the job that I will succumb to his request. I will never give these types a break like I will others. Never.

Women in Leadership/Powerful Positions – This group fascinates me because they are like men only polite. They are of a “certain age” - baby boomers like myself. They talk fast, don’t want a lot of information, spell out orders at me as though I work for them. Never a question – always a statement proclaimed with perfect diction and enunciation. They could be a bit intimidating if I didn’t realize that they had to be this way to get where they are. They are of that generation. Never rude but never warm. Just the facts ma’am and if they need to speak to us again their assistant always calls.

Cat Lovers – See Full Time Mommy’s but replace babies with cats. The only thing that really gets me is they add cat stories and honestly I want to scream. I never tell them that I am not a fan of cats. Instead, I listen and chuckle when appropriate. I know it's horrible of me - please don't send me hate mail. Dog people never talk to me about their dogs. Is this karma because of my phobia of cats?

Smokers – This group fascinates the hell out of me.
They always, and I will repeat, always ask about the chemicals used in the process.
They want to know the harmful effects of said chemicals on their lungs.
Stop laughing, they really ask this and don’t see this as odd.
What is even funnier is that all of them ask me this as I hear them puffing away on a cigarette. While I address their concern for their health politely I really want to scream THIS STUFF HAS NOTHING ON THE CARCINOGENS YOU ARE CURRENTLY INGESTING - but I don't of course. Rick actually arrived at a woman’s home where the bathroom tiles had turned yellow from smoke. She had a cigarette lit the entire time he was there and she questioned him repeatedly about the chemicals and the harm they may do to her breathing/health.  Most recently a woman asked about the chemicals because she was concerned about her lungs. She too was smoking when she asked Rick this. He laughed and explained the ventilation done etc and then said to her, "you know it isn't as bad as what is in your hand."  She said, "Oh these are no chemical cigarettes."  
He asked if she was smoking her lawn then? She laughed and said, "No silly they make cigarettes with no chemicals at all - everyone is smoking them now." 
Can’t make this shit up folks. BTW, she decided to move out for 24 hrs because she was afraid this would hurt her lungs.

Realtors – Ooh, these are a special breed. As I have written before they too think they are VIP’s….interestingly enough especially the women. They will ALWAYS tell me that if we do a good job there is so much business they will send our way. Good thing they say that because otherwise, we had no intentions of doing a great job!  It's no surprise to us but it is funny that they ALL say the same thing. Men realtors say the same thing but with less self-importance attached. Both sexes in this field don't appear to be the brightest bulbs in the box. Everything must be explained so many times. They don't listen and they don't understand. They frustrate me. They are very demanding and get very snippy quickly if you can't accommodate them when they feel you should. I had to tell someone we couldn't be there for a week. She literally screamed and about broke my eardrum. When she was finished with her hissy fit I asked her how long it takes to get to in to see her hairdresser. "Oh, at least 3 weeks why?"  So then you understand that one must be patient sometimes to see a professional who is great at their job. She actually said, "oh I see what you mean" And she booked it. How was that not apparent before? There has been only 1 realtor who was both nice and bright and he was the owner of the biggest agency here in the DC Metro area. I wanted to ask why he hires such dimwits, but I resisted since he spends a lot of money on his homes for sale and his flips. 

Interesting stuff isn't it? It is to me anyways.
What is most interesting to me is that this is not random but constant.
Guess we’re not all so different are we?

Extending Lives

Monday I had this lovely conversation with a customer who sent us an email over the weekend while we were closed. Just another reason I am now misanthropic.

Here is the back story......She listed her name and her address as Alexandria VA. She made sure to use DR. before her name which lead me to believe this was academia versus medical. Those academic types feel the need to do that for some reason. If she was a man I would assume it was a small penis. Who knows what this woman's problem was.....but apparently she had several.

She did not elaborate as to her needs for a quote but left a phone number that was not a local area code. Now like most of you know the home phone as a land line phone has gone the way side like the phrase, "getting jiggy with it".
I am flanked by neighbors who only have cells phones. The neighbors to my right have a Michigan phone number. The neighbors to my left have a North Carolina number. I get out of town area codes all day long so that is not something that would be a red flag for me. People move, they use their cells phones. We live in a very transient area.

So at 9:00a.m. on Monday morning I called the woman who left me an email on Sunday.
Me: Hi this is Peggy from XYZ company returning Dr. XYZ email from over the weekend is she available?

Man: Who the hell is this?

Me: repeat above.

Man: She isn't available.....and now mumbling something to someone else about TILE

Woman comes on phone: SO WHAT IS YOUR BOTTOM LINE?

Me: Pardon me?

Woman: Are you stupid?

Me: Ma'am this is Peggy from XYZ. I am responding to your email request. What can I help you with this morning?

Woman: Okay so you are STUPID. I want a quote - what the hell is your bottom line?

Me: Would you like me to list quotes for all our services or is there one in particular you are interested in? (bitch didn't tell me if it was tub conversions or reglazing of a tub, tile or sink)

Woman: Okay stupid, I want to know how much it costs to reglaze my tub and be quick you have called me in California and you got me in the middle of my morning routine.

Me: I apologize ma'am I didn't know that you were on the west coast because the form stated a local address. I can give you a quote but I have to ask a few questions about your tub first.

Woman: So not only are you rude to call me at this hour but you are stupid (heavy sigh of disgust)


Me: (before she could say anything else): Well let me make this simple for you. If you have a small sink, with absolutely no damage, and it has never been reglazed before it costs $$.

Woman: ITS A BATHTUB. (like i was deaf)

Me: clawfoot, garden, jacuzzi or standard?

Woman: Oh my God you are driving me nuts!

Me: If it is a standard size tub and has never been reglazed before and we do it in white and it has absolutely no damage it will cost $$$$.

Woman: Well I never.....

Me: I didn't hear the rest because I hung up. I couldn't continue to be nice unless my head exploded and she wasn't worth the mess that would have made.

As Maxine says on the Hallmark card - Science has extended peoples lives - don't you wish you could choose who's life was extended or not?

February Funk

My friends are all happy about their team winning the big game. Me? I'm just glad it's over.

The only thing the Super Bowl means to me is that in just a few more weeks Spring Training starts. Now the real sport begins!

But overall February just puts me in a funk.
Not quite spring - winter still lingering.
My skin is pasty pale and I am sick to death of dressing in layers.
Who needs all that added "weight" at this time of year?
Overall it never fails to hit me this time of year.
It's like annual PMS.

Maybe that is why they made Februray a short month.
I don't know if there are such statistics but I honestly think if there were, you would find that more suicides occur in February. Just my hunch.
It's just a damn depressing month.

I would bet it's probably the time of year that people stop going to the gym. Everyone knows that the exercising will help with the blues but who the hell feels like going to the gym when you feel like shit. Having an evening with my pals, Ben & Jerry, always sounds like a much better option!!

I just shared with the world that I am feeling pale, pasty, fat, glum and want to wrap my arms around my friends Ben & Jerry. Jeez now I really feel like shit.
Think I'm going to the gym?

Super Bowl

I don't like football. I don't go to Super Bowl parties because aside from the food I don't much care so I am bored out of my mind.
I am fortunate to be married to someone who feels the same way. That is always good in a marriage!

But I have to say after the endless shows of food for Super Bowl Sunday I may have to change my mind.

This morning on Good Morning America they showed a food that must have a food group all it's own. PORK. Lots of Pork. OMG I bet this is actually very good. The link below makes it look great! Isn't everything better with bacon? Hell I have friends who are vegetarian and then they will admit after a few cocktails that they cheat sometimes with the dreaded BACON. A life without good slab bacon is just not worth living. I will skip meals for days to have bacon in my life.
Okay I digress...

This actually begins with a bacon weave. No shit. So after you make a 5x5 bacon weave with roughly a pound or a bit more of bacon you add saugage and then bacon again. This sucker is seasoned, rolled and barbequed to perfection - You must check this out it cracks me up and looks delicious.
http://www.bbqaddicts.com/bacon-explosion.html

Now I really do hate these shows today where I heard someone say to "make Salmon for the party because it's less fattening and just as good." Oh really? I say, "Man up or go home! "
Today I also heard, "Don't forget to put out the celery it's good to munch for crunch so you don't eat empty calories." Or this one, " using low fat sauce for your chicken wings".
I say, LISTEN UP IF YOU ARE WORRIED ABOUT CALORIES DON'T EAT ANYTHING AND BRING YOUR OWN DAMN RICE CAKES.

Better yet, IT'S THE FUCKING SUPER BOWL. LIVE A LITTLE.
Isn't this half the fun of the Super Bowl, the beer, the snacks, the screaming for your favorite team? You can diet and go to the gym again on Monday!
Now pass the Lipitor.

Hope your team wins!

Yankee Years

I am forever surprised at myself that I never fail to be disappointed in human kind.
I somehow think that it won't happen again & I am disappointed in myself that I can be so gullible.

Just when I think there are people who do the right thing - then BAM, they go and show me they are more than human and can't do the right thing to save their lives. Why has doing the right thing become so passe? Why is it so out of favor or old fashioned?

Don't get me wrong, I know that I am far from perfect but there are some things that I will not do.

• I will never ever write a book about the pain of my childhood until my parents are gone.
• I will never write a book or tell all on television about any living siblings in a hurtful way even if it is all fact.
• I will never rat out a friend but instead support them unless it involves murder or pedophilia
• I will never lie about someone to "get back at them" for wrongs done to me.
• I will never tell the truth (in gossip form) about someone publicly to "get back at them" for wrongs done to me
• I will never go back on my word unless there is danger involved with me not doing so.
• I will never hurt someone with lies but perhaps with honesty but never ever intentionally.
• I will never "tell all" no matter how much money they throw at me. My integrity does not have a price tag.

These are things that came to mind after reading all the articles and watching all the television talking heads about Joe Torre's new book on his Yankee Years.

This was a man I admired. Now too he is tarnished and I feel like there are no solid people out there any more with an ounce of dignity, integrity and class.

What next Joe Paterno?

God help us all.

Inauguration Hangover

As anyone who reads this blog knows I am a TV junkie.
But I think yesterday I broke my own record of being glued to the televsion.

Here are some tidbits that I found interesting in my local DC newspaper today.

1. Over 2 million people and NOT 1 arrest!
2. 30 children got away from there parents - all were reunited without incident and with the help from others in the crowd or security/police
3. The 68 yr. old woman who fell onto the tracks of the metro was unharmed. The man who helped her arrived in DC to help with the security of the inauguration. The day before he had just learned what to do should someone fall onto the tracks. I know that woman must be extremely thankful he was there!
4. Restaurants, hotels and bars locally knew all the roads getting into the District were going to be closed so they asked that their wait staff and employees spend the night so all could be sure to be there to help them assist the crowds. The employee's did spend the night and the managers, owners etc of said business's paid them, made it fun for them and feed them. The day of the event all employees as well as businesess did a rousing business and made some serious cash. How's that for good karma?

People were saying it felt like the 60's ...... you know, Woodstock without the drugs and mud just Love and Community :-)

1-20-09

I wish I could bottle all this excitement and hope in the air here in my town.
Rick and I decided early on that we would watch from the comfort of our home and be warm. But that doesn’t stop us from feeling the electricity in the air.
I even got tickets that I turned down so that I could watch this close up on TV from home.

Wherever you go here, whatever your politics, you feel it, you breathe it in, and it’s warm and wonderful. I hope it can sustain. I bet even the DMV feels better this week.

Sunday as we watched the We Are One inauguration show on HBO with all the great entertainers we had some doubts. We were sitting in our comfy theatre seats watching on a big screen HD TV and getting so wrapped up in it all. The electricity was palpable.

During the 2 hr show we were moved to get up and dance, we cried, and we hugged.
All in our WARM little home.
At one point my husband looked at me and said, “God its right here in our backyard are we going to regret not going to this?”

Then after the show we saw the news.
The crowds, the traffic, the inability to get where you needed to be for hours…..a sea of red brake lights and long lines at the metro.
They showed people in line for over an hour or sometimes 2 hrs just to go through security, be patted down and your belongings gone through to just get to the show.
That is when we knew we made the right decision to stay in our warm home where the clean warm bathrooms were just a few steps away.
We like our bathrooms.

Bathrooms they say are a plenty but really?
I mean 8,000 port a potties seems like a lot but if you have over 3 million people is it? And if you are packed in like sardines how difficult will it be to get to that port a potty? That would be more difficult for me than the cold. And to be honest, cold makes me always have to pee – and sitting on that cold port a potty in 17 degrees is well – UGH!

I have watched the Bush’s last few interviews and God love the idiot he still thinks he did a good job on Katrina, the wars, the economy etc. Bush was defiant when asked how he thinks he will go down in history. He thinks he did a great job. I think that is why so many don’t care for his character. Just once I would have loved to hear him say on any given topic, and there were many, "you know I thought at the time it was the right decision but I see in hindsight that it was a grave error." I could respect him so much more if he could do that but that isn't why he is so disliked now is it?

On Sunday while wrapped in the blanket of Obama spirit , hope and excitement my husband asked me if I felt badly for Bush. I quickly said, “Hell No”
Rick said, “You know this isn’t just a celebration of what we all are hoping to come but that we are celebrating who is leaving. Do you think Bush feels that?”

I thought about that for a moment and said sadly, “If he does know that part of this is a celebration of getting him and his cronies the hell out of a leadership role that would mean he understands what a bad president his was. So no, I don’t think he feels that. But I wouldn’t mind being a fly on the wall when he leaves in that helicopter today with he and Laura just to be sure.”

Here’s to all of us on this day of hope!
1-20-09

Airport Pick up for the Inauguration

I live so close to the Washington Dulles Airport that when moving into this development they made us sign something that basically told us that we couldn't sue about the noise and airplanes overhead.


So imagine my surprise when I read that George Clooney was at the Dulles airport a couple days ago being harrassed by female fans and paparazzi. And he didn't even call me for a ride!!


He's here in my town for the inauguration, along with the other 2.5 million folks who are all swooping into town.


I saw a slew of pictures of him trying to get out of the airport.
The final picture was of him freezing in his fine cashmere coat and dandy hat while jumping into a limo while mere mortals were bugging the shit out of him while he fled to the city. Do you know how easy I could have made this for him? Hell why didn't he call for my services?


Think about it .....who the hell would ever imagine that it would be THE George Clooney getting into that middle aged woman's little blue sportscar with VA plates. I would have greeted him with a hot toddy or perhaps a nice cup of hot chocolate with peppermint schnapps, turned on the seat heaters and greeted him warmly all while doing my best to hide my sheer joy and drooling. Since I have to keep my hands on the wheel and my eyes on the road he would have had a hassle free ride to his 5 star hotel downtown.


He didn't even call me for Pete's sake.
I hope Gerard Butler and Craig Ferguson know that I am available to be their "limo" upon request. My little blue T-bird convertible is like a limo in camoflauge. It's free and no papparazzi. comes with a warm beverage of choice, no hassles, and they can pick the tunes. How much better does it get for a celebrity who wants to avoid the hassles and all the peskiness of celebrityhood.


I have to cut this short. I am going to go circle the airport now for all the folks coming into town for the inaugaration.

HUH?

I have seen the future and it’s really both sad and funny.

We were watching TV last night and saw a man at a cotillion and he was sipping his punch with his pinkie in the air and they made fun of him. 
That reminded me of something I had just seen on another show during our vacation. It was Miss Manners along with the British Miss Manners saying that raising your pinkie while drinking is considered poor etiquette.
So upon seeing this scene on TV I immediately say to my husband…..

"You know that raising your pinkie is considered poor etiquette? "

(chuckling) "Raising your pee pee is considered poor etiquette? Since when is a boner poor etiquette? Well in public I suppose….. "

laughter.

"How the hell did you come up with a boner? 
Who said anything about a boner?
God, you’re a pig! "

"You said it first. You just said raising your pee pee is poor etiquette. "

"No, I didn’t! What the hell are you talking about Rick? "

Laughing through tears now he says….

"Margaret, you just said that raising your pee pee is poor etiquette why did you say that then? "

Now realizing that he didn’t hear this correctly I too am laughing.

"Are we going to be like this as we get older and really can’t hear? "

So very loudly I say….
"I SAID THAT RAISING YOUR PINKIE IS CONSIDERED POOR ETIQUETTE!"

"Oh. Well okay, but why did you bring that up? "

Ah, shit I give up!

Movies, Liquor, Food and Injuries

Now that’s some holiday huh?
Yep did all of the above.

It’s been forever since hubby and I have seen a movie in the theatre. We always make plans to go and then something happens. You know like life.

But we were determined to go out to the movies, out to dinners and see friends over this time we had off since we were not traveling this holiday season. And for the most part we did most of that.

But sadly once again being old slapped us in the face. You know like when I walked by a store window and wondered who that old lady was? That kind of slap in the ass…..

We went to a matinee one afternoon and were shocked that it was $10 a piece.

“Wow, it really has been a long time since we’ve been to a movie if the matinees prices are the price I remember paying for the evening shows.”

"Yea, well talking about the movie prices when you were a kid makes you sound like an old fart so just pay the baby with the zits the money old man."

We stood in line to get a bag of popcorn to share and a bottle of water. Another $10.00.
So right now we’ve spent $30.00. No biggie really but it just seemed high for an afternoon movie.
But like I said it’s been awhile (less than a year though)
We saw the movie Milk. Excellent movie!
Sean Penn is simply the best of my generation.
You forget who he is in any movie because he truly becomes who he is playing.
Outstanding movie! The movie was a heavy topic and made both Rick and I think about the story for a couple of days but in a good way- the way a good movie will stick with you.
It is an outstanding performance that I hope Sean Penn is nominated for.

A few days later we went to see Marley and Me and decided we weren’t ready for our new Lab puppy just yet. This movie makes you fear getting a dog or makes you want one all the more.
I thought I was ready. Mmmm....maybe when I retire and can devote all that time.
Cute movie, good family fare. We needed the “lightness” after Milk so it fit the bill. All together, $50.00 for 2 movies, 1 bag of popcorn and a small bottle of water.

So there ya go being old hit us in the face again. Complaining about spending $50 on the above and we are certifiably sounding like old fuddy duddy’s and it made us laugh,

How the hell do young people go on a date for a dinner and a movie and not spend a few hundred dollars and how the hell can they do that? We bought a few pay per view movies this week and stayed home. $4-6 dollars didn’t seem so bad after an afternoon at the theatre and I make much better popcorn!

“They tried to make me go to rehab but I said no, no, no”…amy winehouse

2nd time we were hit upside the proverbial head with this damn mantra of “c’mon you’re old people so give in to it”…..Injuries do us both in.

Long story short I am in rehab for hip/back issue. Wearing a tens unit and going to rehab during my break 2 days a week. “I don’t want to be in rehab with all the other oldies and I say, no, no, no.”

3rd times a charm.
Rick’s knee injury flared up and just as it was feeling better he walked into a trailer hitch on the back of a truck and has been off his feet for 5 days. Screaming withering type pain that made him ask to go to the doctor. Now you know it's bad when a man wants to go to a doctor. Now I have seen everything.

MRI this week. Canceled all of his appointments for work and otherwise. He has been in his chair with his leg up for a few days now and is ready to scream. He hates being still so much but on a good note he has learned the joy of reading. No kidding he has read more books this week than he has ever read in any given year.

Do you know why old people talk about their aches and pains so much Margaret?

Is this the brainstorming you do while sitting in that chair old man?

Yep, and I think the reason is that is all that happens to them. They have nothing else to talk about .Look at our holiday?

Oh God another smack on the head but I refuse to believe this is happening to us.
“I am not going to get old, I say, no, no, no.”

So on my holiday vacation, I ate too much sugar, I drank way too much alcohol, I saw a lot of movies and waited on my husband. God it’s really happening isn’t it?

My new year’s resolution is to get younger.

Happy New Year!

The Anorexic Christmas Tree

Hey Women - Enjoy this holiday story!

This cracks me up! Yep, it's long but so worth it.

Listen to the PA system in the background while the men are in the "dog house" the subliminal messages make me laugh my ass off. I hope you enjoy too.

Oprah's press announcement

So Oprah is fat and that deserves a press announcement.

I read the following, "I'm mad at myself," Winfrey writes in an article provided early to The Associated Press by Harpo Productions

Now here is what gets me about this sentence above.
“An article provided early to the AP by Harpo Productions.”

So Oprah sent this out as a press release before it appeared in her magazine for what reason?
Generate more people to buy her magazine?
To just share with the world that she’s fat in case any of us hadn’t noticed?
To take the heat off the rest of us for the holidays?
To tell us more stupid and misinformed thyroid information?

Why pray tell would you do this?

I am guessing it’s to sell magazines because magazines are closing across the board and she can’t afford to have her magazine fold. She may have to sell a home, a rolls royce or worse only be worth 1 billion.

She is Teflon. Nothing sticks to this woman.
Don’t get me wrong I like Oprah.
I tivo Oprah.
But between this weight thing and her thyroid I want to smack her upside the head.
Her information is so inaccurate and harmful to most of us with a thyroid issue that when she speaks about it my head could explode.
The day she had on some nut job Dr. telling women that the reason this is more frequent in women is because it’s near your throat and women tend to “hold in” their voices and not express what they really feel. If they didn't do this they would be free of thryoid disease.

OMG! People believe this shit. It's great if you are timid and don't say what's on your mind and it makes you say whats on your mind. But by God if you are sick you can't possibly believe that is the only reason.

Case in point....I am not that person! Do I seem like someone who holds it inside? I vent, I rant, I bitch, I write. So then why does my thyroid not function properly? PLEEEEASE!!!!! Who believes this shit?

No one dares corrects her because God forbid, she’ is the all powerful Oprah.
Even Dr. Oz has sat there like a dope when she states the most inaccurate thyroid information. The last time that happened I threw things at my television smacking her upside the head.
The Yankees could only wish for my accurate arm!

Now don’t get me wrong. I do believe in a mind/body connection so don’t write me an email telling me I am not being open minded. I do believe that holding in your feelings can make you sick but I don’t think that is the only reason your thyroid stops functioning properly.

I don’t think I have ever watched a tv show and was so angry before in my life. But if that so called Dr. was correct then I should be cured. If you doubt me ask my husband. I think he can verify that I have not “held in” my voice AND I am not cured.

I know for a fact that a woman who has written several very successful books on thyroid health and who is a leading advocate in DC for thyroid health and information has requested to be on her show to be heard. But she never gets to be on the show. Because then Oprah would see that her info is so wrong and she would actually have to believe that “holding in your voice” isn’t the cause of an “unbalanced” thyroid as she calls it. She would actually have to do the work and it’s not easy and it sucks.

Also I read in the same article that she claims having an “unbalanced” thyroid made her fearful to exercise” And this is smart woman huh? Or is this an excuse like, “the dog ate my homework.” I’m thinking the latter. What does one have to do with the other? It's not like your thryoid doesn't let your feet onto a treadmill or a pilates machine? Last I looked I could still fit my fat ass into my sweats and work out - I just didn't want to. I did not use my thryoid as an excuse to not exercise......I have tons more excuses better than that!

Well now that I got that off my chest I imagine I will be able to stop taking my thyroid medication forever because I did not hold it in. And I will be a skinny bitch in the new year.

Yummy, Yummy, Yummy

or in other words, Hummina, Hummina, Hummina!

If you have ever read this blog you know I LOVE Gerard Butler.
I love the romantic comedy genre and here we are again with the 2 of 'em ........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iblZOInZaLk

Okay I have to go take a cold shower now.

Holiday Shopping

I don't like to shop. Never have.....probably never will.
I don't get how my sisters or friends can spend hours just browsing at clothing and trying things on.
The idea of undressing and dressing again makes me want to scream.
I love clothes but I just want to have them magically appear in my closet.
That is why I love catalogs.

Which brings me to the holidays.
I have talked to ya'll about the peer pressure to decorate elaborately around here.
Well don't tell anyone that you don't like to shop let alone do not shop on Black Friday.
Honestly if I did that they would officially kick me out of the neighborhood or as my husband says take away my female card.

I am not only the heathen who hates to decorate the outside of her house to look like a cheap amusement park but I also apparently hate to help the economy with her early morning attendance running a sprint into a damn store. Why can't these people walk into the store?
I don't understand the behavior.

Honestly the need to run anywhere at my age is just plain unnecessary. If I walk into the store at 5 or 6am isn't that enough? Will it really make a difference if I run and pull a hamstring or worse yet, tobble an old person to the ground? (said old person could even be me!)
Will I really miss all the items that are loaded on the shelves? I think not. I can walk and I will walk at a decent hour. I am not going to be there at 5 or 6 am or sit overnight in a parking lot. Have these people no lives? I bet these are the same people who sit in line for a month or more before the opening of a Star Wars movie aren't they? The damn nerds.

So you've now got me running and shopping. Ooh two of my favorite things all in one.
I did not help the economy by purchasing items in person. But I sure as hell helped the economy today on cyber Monday. I am now all but 2 items away from being done shopping.
I didn't even have to break a sweat! (or get dressed!)
It doesn't get any better than that. And all with free shipping!
And for all the procrastinators you'll probably spend less because they will have more inventory left and the prices will be really cut. So take that all you nut jobs who ran like hell to get there at the wee hours of the morning. You lost money!

Now if only the liquor store would deliver.....what a great season it could be!

At least I'm not Shoveling Snow

We went to Virgina Beach this past weekend. It was for my husband's business and I tagged alone. I am fortunate that I could and was excited about the mini-getaway.

What is sad is why couldn't this have been in like say July or August?

It was so frickin' cold it was unbelieveable.

Coldest on record for that time of year. Night time temps were 29!

And of course we were on the beach.

Here is a picture of the 1st day from my hotel balcony - the clouds look like snow clouds.

The 2nd day the sun came out and it got to 44 - damn heat wave I'll tell ya.

I know, I know, could have been in my hometown of Erie PA and shoveling snow right?

So I'll quit bitching now.

Crazy Lady

I had someone ask me if that story on my neighbors and their concern for my lack of outdoor Christmas decorating was real. Oh yea, it was a true story. C'mon you can't make that kind of shit up.

So I thought I would share with you another story which I find hilarious and yet so typical of this crazy ass neighbor (who is no longer a neighbor I might add). I will start by telling you how we met them so you have a little back story on this crazy ass neighborhood nymph.

We hadn't lived here long when my husband one day was tired of picking out paint colors and decided he was going to get the mail. He came back into the house 20 minutes later.

"Where did you pick up the mail, the post office?"

"No, I met our new neighbor and I think she just bought herself a new pair of titties."

" Dear Lord, how does one find that out at the mailbox? I asked.

"Well she's our age and they are very very pert Margaret you just couldn't miss those sweater puppies AND she was wearing shorts that had her ass cheeks hanging out - she wanted to be looked at for heaven's sake!"

Well I am sure glad you could make her wish come true dear."

Fast forward to several months later and several neighborhood parties later.
It was a new development and everyone was new and making friends. We had several get togethers that summer on people's patio's with food, drinks and laughter.

One night we were at crazy ass neighbors house. They had a hot tub on their patio.
Everyone was pretty loaded and crazy ass neighbor says, "let's go in the hottub" and the whole idea of going in naked was somehow swirling around. I do not remember who said what or what was said but I do remember that everyone was going to be naked and get in the hottub.

I said, "You know I think this is my cue to go home"

At which point crazy ass neighbor said, "We don't care that you are chubby Peg c'mon stay and go in the hot tub with us."

"You think because I am overweight is why I won't get naked with my neighbors?
Ah no that's not it. Thank you but I think it's best I just go home."

Now her husband chimes in, "Hey we don't care about your weight, so and so is fat and we don't care.

I repeat, "Look you guys my weight has nothing to do with this."

Crazy Ass says, "Sure it does, but we don't care, c'mon."

I look at my husband and say, "Honestly I don't care if you want to stay but I am not going to look at my neighbors penis's and vajay jay's and act like this is normal."

I gather my things to get going and again crazy ass says, "Are you sure, we really don't care about your weight."
Now I am getting pissed - "I DON'T CARE ABOUT MY WEIGHT EITHER. I DO NOT WANT TO SEE YOUR HUSBANDS PENIS AND THEN HAVE TO SEE HIM AT THE MAILBOX TOMORROW AND ACT LIKE I HAVE NEVER SEEN HIS WEINER. HOW CAN YOU NOT GET THAT? WEIGHT IS NOT MY ISSUE. I FIND IT INAPPROPRIATE TO GET NAKED WITH MY NEIGHBORS."

Everyone laughed at me like I was the freak. So be it I thought - let them, I don't need neighborhood peer pressure. So I went home and my husband came home with me. I wasn't mad I just didn't want to be naked with all my neighbors - ooooh ick!

The next morning my husband made me laugh so hard.
He said to me that he was just drunk enough to have stayed when I told him he could.
I asked him then why didn't he?
He says, "I've been married long enough to know that you would have been pissed at me so I came home. Because honestly I didn't mind seeing crazy ass neighbors big new boobies and then seeing her at the mailbox."
God love him that made me laugh. I really wouldn't have been mad if he had stayed but I got why he thought that. I just can't make any one understand that to me it is highly inappropriate to be naked with my neighbors. Period. End Of Story. Not A Weight Issue!

Fast forward to a month or so later and crazy ass neighbor and her very nice husband are at our home having some appetizers and wine sitting around the great room.
I say out of the blue to them, "Hey, how about we all get naked while we're drinking?"

Everyone looks at me like I have a 3rd eye on my forehead. I say it again as I take off my shoes. The husband of crazy ass neighbor asked me "What the hell are you doing?" as he chuckles nervously.

I said, "Does this make you uncomfortable?"

He says, "Well yeah kind of."

"Well it shouldn't. I really don't care that you are a skinny skinny man really I don't."

He take a drink and says, "Just sit here, drink and be naked huh?"

I said, "Yes that was the idea. Oh wait I think I get it, it's okay to get naked as long as water is involved, but not without the water, is that the way it works? Because I really don't care that you and your wife are so skinny really I don't. (Long silent ackward pause.)
Are you thinking that perhaps without the water then it is extremely inappropriate to get naked with your neighbors?

He said, "Ah, yea actually that is it."

Okay then, keep your clothes on 'cause I don't have a hot tub unless you want to all climb in our bathtub. Your call."

At this point my husband is howling!
The two of them looked at each other & finally crazy ass neighbor's husband says, "I get your point." And then smiles with relief.

Of course crazy ass neighbor is too dumb to have gotten the point and I am sure her husband had to explain on their walk home why the hell she couldn't get naked.

Holidays

I am seeing the holiday flyers and commercials and realize that it's upon us and I have no money or time and it's already stressing me out. Baa Humbug is the mantra this time of year.

Thanksgiving isn't so bad but since the majority of my family is all over the country we don't get to all sit down to a meal together anymore. Everyone has their own family and they do their own thing and have their own traditions. I do miss our Thanksgivings I must admit.
And unlike most people our Thanksgiving included Lasagna.

Growing up I didn't know that most people did not have wedding soup, lasagna, antipasto, meatballs along with their turkey, stuffing, candied sweat potatoes, mashed potatoes,rolls, cranberry sauce, green bean cassorole and pumpkin pie and other assorted desserts.

Honestly my life growing up was so insulated. It was family. Period. My playmates were cousins and my sisters. Until I went to other peoples homes in junior high I didn't know that others didn't have 2 sides of the table. Whether we ate Thanksgiving at our house with relatives over or we went to a relatives there was always wedding soup, lasagna etc. So to me that was normal.

One day when I was in the school cafeteria around the holidays we had turkey for lunch. I HATE turkey so I did not eat mine. A friend at the lunch room table said, "if you don't like turkey what do you eat on Thanksgiving?" I looked at her curiously and stated that "I just eat the lasagna." She laughed along with everyone else at the table. And there it began; I was embarrassed that I was different and so "ethnic." I remember going home and asking my mom after school if she was aware that it wasn't right to have something other than just turkey for thanksgiving like everyone else. I don't remember what she told me but I do remember that she was upset that I would be embarrassed. That was the beginning of having to explain to people what I began to see as my weird family. Now I find it funny because who wouldn't want everything that was on our table?

But now years later I love having lasagna because I still do not like anything about the traditional Thanksgiving dinner except the green been casserole and the pies. Oh candied sweet potatos are great but really I would rather have the pies.

Ah, but Christmas is a whole other story. Oh it's not the food, or the gifts, or the enormous family and dysfunction that causes me the most stress though - it's my damn neighborhood.

The first year we lived here. (2000) I was traveling 3 days a week or more for work. My husband was traveling the same. On weekends we could barely keep up with the house and laundry and errands etc. We were spending all weekend getting caught up on things that normal people do during the week while they are home. Decorating the outside of my house for Christmas was so low on my list of priorities that it was off my radar all together.

I got the proverbial knock on my door and it's my crazy neighbor named Peggy, holding a bottle of wine. She bugs the hell out of me but what the hell she's holding a bottle of wine so I invite her in. After having a few sips of wine she proceeds to interrogate me on why I have not done anything outside. "what do you mean by DO ANYTHING?" She said you are the only one on the block who has not decorated and don't you think it's getting a bit late? I asked her if the Home Owners Association made this mandatory & I didn't get the memo. She laughed and said, "Oh No, but it just doesn't look good for you and we've all been wondering..." I wanted to scream at this nut job but instead I suggested, "if you would like to help yourself to the outside of my house while you are home all week please feel free to do so because I have not had the time or the inclination to do so." A snide comment from her followed and she drank up and left.

Oh I got the looks from all the snotty women. That only made me more defiant in my stance that now I was NOT going to do anything to the outside of my house. This Peggy woman was a nut job and she didn't work outside her home. She had no kids, she had a cleaning woman, and a personal chef who made her meals and put them in her fridge and freezer and labeled them for her for heaven's sake. She had a person do her yard work & landscaping. She went to the gym or shopping every day. I did not have that luxury. Why the hell didn't she have the time to decorate my house outside if it bugged her so much?

The following year I bought a Menorah and put it in the window.....that kept them quiet and off my back that year. Not a single snippy word, not a nasty glance or a Merry Christmas, but a Happy Holiday! (that cracked me up) These Stepford Women were all confused now and being politically correct no one knew what the hell to say or do. I have to admit that I got immense joy from that.
My husband laughed like hell but as always he just shook his head and laughed at his crazy wife.

FINALLY.....

Been gone for awhile and Glad that's over!

Working a 2nd job to help out a friend and I could not see straight.....Glad that's over.
Then went out of town to a funeral.....Glad that's over
Hubby had food poisoning when I got back......REALLY GLAD THAT'S OVER.

I have never had food poisoning but in the 21 1/2 years I have known my Big Guy he has had it 2 or 3 times. This time it was from KFC. He loves KFC and I can tell you with conviction he will not be eating there again. Somehow that turns him off to all KFC's.
I get it though, I got so sick once on vodka that I have never had a drop of vodka again.
To this day I can no longer drink orange juice either. Oh, not because vodka was in it, no, this time it was because I had to drink this horrific thick, icky substance before a surgery and they told me to put it in my o.j. I listened and now I can not drink o.j.

So you ask what do you drink at brunch? Well now at brunch I have Bloody Mary's made with gin, there is always another way around a problem now isn't there?

Yes We Can

....Yes We Did!

No more political commercials.
No more polling political phone calls.
No more people asking us for campaign contributions.
That I am thankful is over.

I am thrilled at the American turnout.
I am thrilled that American's came out to vote in recored numbers.
The numbers were American Idol numbers and isn't that wonderful?
Isn't it great that this year people were as glued to the televison for the results of a presidental race as they normally are for the winner of American Idol?

I watched a lot of the results coverage on BBC. Facsinating to watch.
Non Partisian - completely.
Their view on America and their unbiased opinions of the facts were great to witness.
Oh they had a few state names incorrect, like New Hampshire being North Hampshire - but honestly American's can't even name anywhere in the UK other than London so that is an easy mistake to overlook.

Little sleep in my household but all worth it to me.

To quote a '60's song by Bob Dylan.....

The times they are a changin'

VOTE!

Well now you really have no excuses.

Let's see, you can get free coffee at Starbucks if you tell 'em you voted.
You can get free Krispy Kreme Donuts & free Ben & Jerry's ice cream.
And if that weren't enough you can also get some free adult toys.

I kid you not. I just read that this store in Seattle and NY are giving away mini vibrators or a penis sleeve thing-a-ma-jig if you walk into this adult store and tell them you voted.
Apparently they are going to take your word on this one.

I think I'll stick with the Ben & Jerry's.
:-)

Can't get this song out of my head!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2Lg1myJmyc

Tall, Gorgeous, Thin and Rich

I've been noticing that if something is said enough times people begin to believe it no matter how far fetched it may be.

I am tall, gorgeous, thin and rich I have noticed that with all the talk of a recession, which should not be news to anyone, American's are in a panic. I am tall, gorgeous, thin and rich.
The housing market has been in the toilet for over a year. A year ago the job market took a nose down - at least where I live. But no one was saying the word, recession. When a pundit did, it was poo-poo'd. I am tall, gorgeous, thin and rich. But now it's being repeated ad nauseum so everyone has closed their purses strings so to speak and stopped spending money. This only makes matters worse....but no one has told them that so they are clueless. I am tall, gorgeous, thin and rich.

The day discussions began with a bail out our phones stopped ringing all together. The day before we were busy as all get out. Nothing has changed except that people were told to wake & smell the roses. I am tall, gorgeous, thin and rich. In essence people were told how to think. We crazy American's were too self involved to notice things were not great a long time ago. If they heard it randomly before then they just told that person they were nuts.

So that you won't be confused later in life it's important that you know that I am tall, gorgeous, thin and rich.......now Pass it on!

Another reason why I left my hometown long ago......

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081015/ap_on_el_pr/murtha_obama_racism_5

......and you thought only the south had that corner covered. Hah!

Mad Men.....and Women

I am hopelessly addicted to Mad Men.
I love the nostalgia, the clothes, the era. I am always in such surprise yet delight in the fact that they get even the smallest of detail spot on of 1962. It's a hoot in so many ways.

Last night had me going a bit nuts. What the hell is Don Draper doing? And Peggy, my God she's wound so tight man, when she blows - look out. How funny was that scene with her getting her hair cut from Kirk? I mean really, what a stereotype.....but funny as hell none the less.

Okay are there any other addicts besides me out there? This show is too good not to be watching is all I can say!!

I have these love/hate feelings for Don Draper/Dick Whitman -who ever the hell he is.
It reminds me of Tony Soprano. You hate him for the dispicable things he does to people and to Carmela but there is something about him that you love. Same goes for Don Draper.....only he's pretty too. hummina, hummina, hummina.

Halloween

I love  Halloween.
I may be a Grinch at Christmas but I am a lover of Halloween.
Today, I just love opening the door and seeing the little ones in their costumes and all that goes along with it.

I have great memories of Halloween as a child.
I have great memories of Halloween parties as an adult. 
One of my favorite costumes as an adult was a party we were to attend as a famous couple.
Everyone we knew was choosing celebrity couples. We went a different direction instead as a cartoon couple. We were Fred and Wilma Flintsone. 
It was such fun to see who was walking in the door as what couple.
But that was the last Halloween party I enjoyed.

I was living in the suburbs of Cleveland Ohio at the time for my career.
I was dating my husband who lived exactly 2 hrs east along I-90 in PA.
He called and told me about a big Halloween party his friends were having on Friday night the 30th. He asked me to come into town and go to this party on Friday night with him.
I explained that I would be in Houston on business and not getting back until at least 5pm if the flight was on time. I wasn’t sure I could get home and repack, put on a costume and be there in time.

I looked at the calendar and said to Rick, “Gee Halloween is on Saturday, are you sure the party is on Friday night and not Saturday?”
He said he was sure they told him Friday. But I didn’t stop. I begged him to call his friends and be sure about the date and then let me know and I’d see what I could do.

I had a plan but honestly, this was not going to be easy for me.
I thought I’d have to hurry out and get a costume before I left for my trip, which honestly I didn't have time for. I planned to have my bag packed with my costume and leave it in my car parked at the airport to avoid going home after the airport. Then as soon as I landed I’d drive to his place and change there and off we’d go…..maybe being just a bit late. It just was too close for my comfort.

He called me 2 days later to let me know that he called his friends about the party.
What he neglected to tell me at that time was that his friends were not home.
Their teenage son answered the phone and Rick asked a 14 yr old if his parent’s party was for Friday night?
The kid says, “yeah”
Now we all know a 14 yr old, a boy to boot, has no clue of what is going on in his parent's life.
He barely listens to his parents when they talk. So he may have heard that a party was going to take place but you can't rely on a 14 yr old boy for the details of such things. For that matter, you can't depend on a grown-ass man to give you details.....But apparently, that point was lost on Rick.

So I buy my costume now at the last minute with barely any choices to choose from.
I pack my car with an extra suitcase. One for my trip to Houston for business and the other for my trip to Rick’s place for a Halloween party. Flying back to Cleveland my plane is 20 minutes late getting me home. I run through the airport in 3-inch heels like I'm on fire. I get to the parking garage and drive like a crazy woman across Interstate 90 and make it to Rick’s home in 80 minutes. (that was my record!)

We put on our costumes. I am a nun and he is a priest/monk. We look good. We have a good laugh about the unholy things we'll be doing later and take a few pictures of ourselves and off we go to the party.
As we drive over to the party Rick is telling me about his friends notorious Halloween parties, the dry ice, the costumes, the fun and craziness. I say, “I can’t believe a few hours ago I was in Houston and now we’re actually going to be on time.”
I was so frenzied that I was now feeling like I could finally exhale.
I couldn't wait to have a drink and see all that he was telling me because it sounded like fun.

We pulled up to the house and it is very dark.
Rick tells me it’s dark because of the party and again he goes into stories about how the lights are out and the wild and elaborate decorations this couple goes to for their parties.
We are sitting across the street from the house and I mention that I don’t see a lot of cars. So we agree to sit here and wait a bit so we aren’t the first couple inside.
We waited for 20 more minutes and no one was showing up.
I am having a very bad feeling which I share with Rick but he is poo-poo-ing me as we sit and wait......and wait.

After what seemed like a long time Rick suggests we go inside.  

Rick knocks on the door.
We are both just standing on their porch with our costumes on the day before Halloween waiting for someone to answer the door. But no one answers the door.
Rick knocks and rings the bell again. Finally, someone comes to the door.
It’s Trish, his friend’s wife. She looks groggy. She sees Rick and it takes her a minute to realize what she is looking at and then begins to laugh hysterically.
Rick says, “did you guys cancel the party and not call me?”
Trish tries to speak but is laughing so hard she can’t get anything out.

Apparently, Trish’s husband took her sons to a football game and she fell asleep on the couch. We woke her up. She finally gains her composure and says to Rick, “oh my God you ass! Rick, the party is tomorrow, tomorrow is Halloween you big goofball, not today. Why don’t you come in anyways and have a drink with me.”

I am mortified. I have never met these people before and here I stand in front of her in a nun's costume. I say hello and she just can't stop laughing. We decline the offer of going inside for a drink.  He tells her that we’ll just see you tomorrow. We walk off the porch as this woman is holding her abdomen laughing hysterically.

When we get back to the car he says to me, “I know, I know you told me it would be on Saturday but I swear their kid told me it was today!”

"THEIR KID? I thought you said you called Trish and her husband?
So now I get the truth. I was so mad at him and I was embarrassed.
But at the same time, I found this funny. How damn ridiculous we must have looked standing there out of context to her?

Nothing has changed sadly. Rick doesn't always pay attention to the details. 
Details are what he calls minutia, as though unimportant. 
I think that is why he married me. I know that it is why he begged me to run his business when I was downsized.  He could trust me and he knew the "minutia" would be dealt with without bogging down his pretty little head.

We never did go back to the real party on Saturday. I just wasn’t up for the humiliation and my heart just wasn't in it.

But we still have a Halloween memory, don't we?

The Things I have to look forward to....

My poor husband can't find anything. How he even gets home at night is a mystery to me. He's directionally impaired and he has now added the inability to find a friggin' thing that belongs to him. I think the only reason he got married was to have someone find his stuff.

This morning he went out to his truck and then he came back in. I asked him, "forget something?" "Yep my GPS" he replies. (he takes it off the stand and brings it in at night because we've had them stolen in our own driveway.)

So we are looking around the kitchen & island where he drops all his stuff after work. It's not there. So now he is upstairs in the bedroom. I yell upstairs, "You couldn't find your way to the bedroom?" "HA HA Margaret - I just thought maybe I carried it up here - are you even looking down there?" Hey I'm looking but it's not here so he thinks because I didn't find it I'm not looking. Honestly! So he goes back out to his truck and it is in there. Viola. Magically appeared. He comes back in laughing as he tells me "it's in the truck" So I give him another kiss goodbye and off to work he goes....or so I thought.

A few minutes later as I am sitting at my desk I hear our door open. I yell downstairs, "Rick is that you?" "Yea, now I can't find my cell phone." So we begin this dance again. I go downstairs and say, "should I call you to help us?" Then I point to his belt - he's wearing it for heaven's sake. He shakes his head, "OH MY GOD, what the hell is wrong with me today?"
TODAY?

Last week he couldn't find his wallet. It was in his pants that were hanging on the back of his closet door. Now wouldn't you look there first?
Then he couldn't find his favorite pair of khaki shorts. He asked me if I've seen them lately.
"Did you look in the drawer?" "Yeah I looked in the drawer, don't get smart." So I said, "no I haven't seen them lately but the bigger question here mister is where the hell are you taking your pants off these days?" He rolls his eyes at me. So off to search for his favorite pair of shorts which were washed, folded and put away in his drawer by his loving wife.

A few weeks ago he kept forgetting his cell phone. He very much needs this for work. So I put up a sign in front of his truck that reads, "Rick do you have your cell phone today?" You can not miss this sign once you sit in the drivers seat unless you are legally blind.
But numb nuts still forgot his cell phone - twice.

This morning as he left for the final time I gave him a kiss and said growing old with you sure is an adventure. "No, he laughs, more like a scavenger hunt and who better to help me find my teeth when I'm really old?"

Happiness

We Tend to Seek Happiness

When Happiness is

Actually A Choice

Phone Hell

Okay the fall delusion is over.
The sky is falling.
The economy is in the shitter.
People are scared.
And those that have a job can't do them well even if they wish to.

Yesterday while on the phone to a customer the phone went directly to a busy signal mid-sentence.
I still do not have phone service on my business phone. This costs us thousands and thousands of dollars a day!
This is so bad I can not even articulate it.

Of course Verizon says it will be fixed in October. Can you believe it? October? No specific date so sometime between now and Halloween I suppose.
Now imagine any business that relys on customers calling in for your service and only getting the following message upon dialing - "The number you have called is no longer in service."

Ya think you might assume they are out of business now wouldn't you?
Can you even imagine what a nightmare this has caused us?

This morning I had a twit tell me that this could be worse, it could be something I had to pay for to repair. It took every ounce of professionalism to not throttle that bitch and give her a tongue lashing. Instead I politely asked if they could assist me in some way to forward my calls to my home phone. She hung up on me. Guess that was too tough a question.

We were told that we were only 7 who were affected as though that should make us feel better.
I have been put through customer service hell and gone round and round with people all telling me something different. I do not know if that is a serious lying issue or no one there at Verizon knows what the hell they are doing or looking at. I am not sure which scenario is worse at this point.

I do know that I want to cry. I can't believe that they can't fix this until October and that I of course will not get a finacial break on my bill or consideration of such a financial break on my bill. I have asked. No specific date in October - just fixed sometime in October. I could be out of business by then.

I want to write to them and tell them that while my bill is in fact due on October 10th, I might not be able to fix that until November. But don't worry this only inconveniences 7 people all together so it shouldn't be that big of a deal.

Think they'll find comfort in that?