Monday, May 31, 2010

Memorial Day Parade, Continued

Gymnastics:

Highway Department:


Boy Scout Supertroop 104 (War of 1812 Reenactment uniforms):

Sheridan Park Fire Department:

Kenmore Village Improvement Society:

Oooold Fire Truck:

A Snow Scene. What Memorial Day Parade in Western New York would be complete without snow? :D

Ooold Car:

New Mustang:

The Keystone Cops:



And, at long last, Tiny Treasures Day Care ! That's my favorite Boy Child, helping hold the banner:

Of course, I tell him he's my favorite Boy Child, and he says,

Mom. I'm your ONLY Boy Child.

Memorial Day Bag Pipes

How they get on the Big Bikes

KenWest Band



At least I'm pretty sure it is KenWest. I didn't take any video of KenEast. :D

Saturday, May 29, 2010

The Garden

My former neighbor, Joe, left behind his planters. When he was here, he grew all kinds of vegetables on our patio. I planted this year:

Yellow Tomatoes

Yellow Bell Peppers
Parsley, Dill, Basil and Rosemary

New Guineas
And in back, Assorted Perennials

Oh, yeah. And I'm sunburned. SPF 30 on, and I still get sunburned. Gonna feel lovely for the Memorial Day parade on Monday.

Monday, May 10, 2010

Energy

Wouldn't it be great if life was a little bit like the Treasure Isle game in Facebook? Every time you run out of energy, you eat fruit. And if you run out of fruit, your friends will send you some.

I need fruit. :D

Thursday, May 06, 2010

Growin' Up...

Mom, Angelina asked me to go out with her today.

Yeah? What did you tell her?

I don't have any money. I mean, like, no money at all. I can't go out with her anywhere. I can't afford to go out with anyone!

Probably not what she meant. I hope he keeps his innocence for a very, very long time. :)

Michael said...

Actually, its probably EXACTLY what she meant. Every home in America has an electronic babysitter called a "TV Set," and there is a constant tsunami of impropriety, debauchery and depravity coursing into little minds everywhere.

Serena said...

{heavy sigh} You are probably right. And here he is thinking she just wants him to take her to the Corner Store...

Sunday, May 02, 2010

Bunny

Building a nest, I think. He/she seemed to be gathering stuff and cramming it in that corner. Hmmm.

Saturday, May 01, 2010

It's been so long since I've posted...I didn't even realize how much time had gone by.

I took the months of April and May off of school. There has been so much going on. At work, Tim started a new partnership with is friend, Herschel Gelber, called Gelber & O'Connell. Tim kept me on as his assistant, so I have no immediate need to look for work. Thank goodness. I cannot imagine being a single mom with the pressure of being unemployed. I've been working partial weekends to get things done for the transfer.

I think I've been emotionally exhausted more than anything else. Worrying takes a whole lot out of a person. Today I slept until noon. Even more surprising is that Ian let me.

Baseball season has begun, and I've already been to three games. :) The weather has been great so far this spring, and I am loving it. Ian and I have been out playing catch every day. His league has started their practicing, two nights a week. He is excited about it, and it's great to see. I'll have to post a pic of him in his new uniform.

He is wanting to grow his hair long. I don't like it, but it's not worth arguing about. As long as he keeps it clean, I'm not going to stress over it. He knows, though, that if he doesn't keep it clean, it's buzz-cut time.

I've got to get my apartment in half-way decent shape. It's a disaster area in here, and I can't stand it. Tomorrow is house cleaning day. Ian is dreading it. (We're starting with his room.) :D

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

The New Uniform is Here!


...and he's ready!



The sweatshirt is a little big on him, but at the rate he is growing, I figure it won't be for long.

Play Ball!!!

Wednesday, April 07, 2010

Ghirardelli

Dark Chocolate and Caramel...

Does Life even GET any better than this? :D

Sunday, April 04, 2010

Natalie


Here is little Natalie on Easter Sunday. She is my Aunt Marlene's 4th great-grandchild, born February 9th. She is just perfect.

Fambly

Here we are for Easter dinner, clockwise, Ian, Aunt Mary, Laureen, Dorinda, Karen, and Bill's elbow. {heavy sigh} Photographer is not going to go on my resume any time soon.

Saturday, April 03, 2010

Bowling and Butternut Squash Soup

I had so much fun today with Ian and my Aunt Mary and my cousins, Bill, Dorinda, Karen and Laureen. We bowled.

Well. . . Okay. I'm stretching the truth a bit.

We tried to bowl. Ian beat the pants off more than one of us with his high score of 93. (Yes, that includes me.)

Funny thing...no one was asking us to join their league. :D

After bowling, we went back to Bill and Dorinda's home for Easter lunch. Rin made this outstanding
butternut squash soup that was TO DIE FOR. I helped puree the soup with an immersion blender. Every time I go there, I learn something new. This immersion blender is a very cool apparatus. You put the end of it in the pan, and push the button, and it purees, while the stuff is hot! I was very impressed, and I want one. Even if I only use it to make more butternut squash soup, it will be worth it. I think I could probably use it to make applesauce, too, though, so the investment will be worthwhile.

DFoos said...

Does this mean that you've had a change of feelings about cooking? :D

Serena said...
LOL! Let's just say I'm willing to try some things. I'm just not ready to 'run with scissors' where cooking is concerned yet. Of course, things just taste so much better when someone else is doing the cooking. I can't make an omelet taste as good as Bill's. And not for lack of trying! :D

Friday, April 02, 2010

Rainwater


I read this book this evening. It put a lot of messages between the lines about life's lessons and helping your community. Publishers Weekly, quoted by Barnes and Noble, says, "Bestseller Brown (Smash Cut) brings Depression-era Texas to vivid life in this poignant short novel. At the recommendation of Dr. Murdy Kincaid, Ella Barron, a hardworking woman whose husband deserted her, accepts David Rainwater, a relative of the doctor's, as a lodger at the boarding house she runs in the small town of Gilead, Tex. As the local community contends with a government program to shoot livestock and the opposition of racist Conrad Ellis, a greedy meatpacker, to poor families butchering the meat, Ella grows closer to David. Meanwhile, David becomes a special guardian angel to Solly, Ella's nine-year-old autistic son. Dr. Kincaid has gently suggested Ella put Solly in an institution, but she refuses to do so. Brown skillfully charts the progress of Ella and David's quiet romance, while a contemporary frame adds a neat twist to this heartwarming but never cloying historical."
If I am not mistaken, Sandra Brown usually writes romance novels. This particular novel wasn't heavy on the romance, and I enjoyed it.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Twilight Puts Me to Sleep

After fighting it for quite some time now, I finally read (and finished) Twilight. Ian wanted me to read it to see if it was okay for him to read. {heavy sigh} So I did.

It was a fast read. I finished it in less than 4 hours. I thought it was rather boring, and I fought the urge to close my eyes for a nap about half way through. I'm not sure what the allure is. I mean, if you really want to read a vampire tale, shouldn't you pick up something by Anne Rice?

Ian wants me to read the rest of the series ahead of him. I think I'll pass.

Steve said: Twilight?!

Try Terry Pratchett's Nation. If you like that and find it appropriate for your son, Pratchett has about fifty books in the Discworld series. He is excellent. He has won awards for his Tiffany Aching books, based in Discworld. He also has Alzheimers and some day may be forced to stop writing. They are some of the best novels I have ever read.

You can rent Hogfather, a Discworld Christmas movie based on one of the books. Jim Butcher's Dresden Files may be up to snuff. Jasper Forde is fun as well.

If YOU want to read Vampire books for adults, Laurell Hamilton's Anita Blake series is good, but after about ten she drifts and replaces plot with sex. And the Southern Vampire books by Charlaine Harris are worth the read. Trueblood, the tv series, is based on them.

I saw the Texas Depression book. Have you ever read Giant? The movie is good but the book is better.

Serena said:
LOL! Thank you so much! Ian wanted to read Twilight, but I wouldn't let him read it until I had read it first. I didn't want him reading inappropriate content, and I wasn't really sure what was in it. He is loving it, but then again, he's 9. I thought it was awful. :D
Vampire books really aren't my thing. I will check out your suggestions for Ian. I, too, am more of a murder mystery type. I have been hooked since I was Ian's age reading "Encyclopedia Brown". Remember those? I moved from that to Agatha Cristie's Murder on the Orient Express. GREAT book by a GREAT author. :D
I love Dick Francis and Mary Higgins Clark (Moonlight Becomes You is one of my favorites, and The Cradle Will Fall). I like more plot than sex. I've read some of the Nora Roberts as JD Robb stuff, and although I find the futuristic cop idea pretty cool, I think the sex in the stories takes away from the stories, if you know what I mean. What murder and mayhem authors would Dawn recommend?

Steve said...
Have you read the Dexter books? Pretty fun. Dawn has been read books by Chelsea Cain. She likes the Kathy Reichs books too.

Pratchett's books aren't just for children. He writes them to be enjoyed by all. Many are mysteries in their own right. One of the few authors will make me laugh and sniffle back a small tear at times. He writes to and about people, things that are universal and strikes home for everyone.

If Ian likes the fantasy stuff, Edgar Rice Burroughs and Howard's Conan books are wonderful. Tarzan kicks a**, and soon the John Carter of Mars movie will be out.

Neil Gaiman is another Brit author with kids' books, like Coraline. You can try American Gods if interested.

Douglass Adams books are worth the read. Hitchhikers Guide to Galaxy has been a movie, but the tv miniseries is better.


Serena said...
I LOVED Hitchhiker's Guide -- and I read it LONG before they decided to make it a movie. :D The pages in my hard-covered copy are dog-earred from re-reads.
I think Ian and I will hit the library tonight.

Steve said...
There is the Doc Savage series too. The best and greatest of pulp fiction stories. Superman was based on Doc Savage.

Your library probably carries the original British miniseries of Hitchhiker's Guide. It is very close to the books, unlike the movie.

Serena said...
I thought the Hitchhiker movie stunk. The Erie County Library lets readers reserve copies of whatever they have to your local library by requesting online, so I will request the miniseries online from the Library and have them send it to my library. Life is good!

Steve said...
By the way, American Gods is for adults. Gaiman has a children's line, and a whole bunch of comics. Just in case. Well worth the read and kind of a mystery too.

Lots of great authors, so little time.


Serena said...
I truly enjoyed a few by Rick Riordan, who wrote the Percy Jackson and the Olympian Gods series (that spawned The Lightning Thief). He is writing another children's series, also, called The 39 Clues. Excellent boy stuff - mysteries with history. I am so glad Ian is a reader. Ian also liked Pendragon and wants me to get more of those.
You are SO right -so many great authors, so little time.

Tweaked

My nephew came over today and 'tweaked' my computers at home. Life is good! He found the drivers I needed for my old laptop, so Ian can use it now for games/movies. And he upgraded my new laptop to Windows 7, uneventfully.

Thank you, Eric!

(He's so good to me, even though I forget his birthday.)

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

The Joy of Mathematics

For fun in the evenings, Ian and I have been watching a series of lectures called "Joy of Mathematics". The lectures are taught by Arthur T. Benjamin, Ph.D. They are wonderful! I especially enjoyed the lecture on the Fibonacci series of numbers, and Ian got a kick out of the lecture on Algebra. (He gets it!) All the lectures are in plain English, and Dr. Benjamin makes them easy to understand.

Dr. Benjamin gives excellent examples on how things work and why. (For example,"Think of a number between 1 and 10. Triple it. Add 6. Then triple again. Now take your answer, probably a two-digit number, and add the digits of your answer. If you still have a two-digit number, add those digits again. You should now be thinking of the magical number 9. The reason this works is based on algebra and the fact that the digits of any multiple of 9 must sum to a multiple of 9.")

I learned how to square any number ending in 5 without a calculator. And how to multiply any two-digit number by 11, yes, without a calculator. Ian thinks it's amazing. I think it is really, really cool.

It is obvious as we are watching the lectures that Dr. Benjamin loves Mathematics as much as I do. I am thoroughly enjoying them!

Michael said...I wonder if that DVD is available for rent some time in the future???

Serena said...

You could 'rent' it from me. :) I'll let you borrow it when I'm done. It's really interesting!

A "Math" Pun

There were three Indian squaws. One slept on a deerskin, one slept on an elk skin, and the third slept on a hippopotamus skin. All three became pregnant. The first two each had a baby boy. The one who slept on the hippopotamus skin had twin boys. This just goes to prove that...

The squaw of the hippopotamus is equal to the sons of the squaws of the other two hides.

I love it!

A Pun

A marine biologist developed a race of genetically engineered dolphins that could live forever if they were fed a steady diet of seagulls. One day, his supply of the birds ran out so he had to go out and trap some more. On the way back, he spied two lions asleep on the road. Afraid to wake them, he gingerly stepped over them.

Immediately, he was arrested and charged with...transporting gulls across sedate lions for immortal porpoises.

On-Line at Home - Finally!

The Internet is still running slow, but hopefully my nephew will be able to make some sense of it when he comes over this weekend.

Women and Weight

Received this by email today...

With time, women gain weight because we accumulate so much information and wisdom in our heads that when there is no more room, it distributes out to the rest of our bodies. So we aren't heavy, we are enormously cultured, educated and happy.

Beginning today, when I look at my butt in the mirror, I will think, Good grief, look how smart I am!

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Windows 7

I recently attempted an upgrade to Windows 7 on my new Dell laptop, which THANKFULLY is still under warranty.

A Dell technician and I misunderstood each other. He asked me if I had backed up all my data. Yes, I replied, I have backed up all my personal files and photos. Okay, said he, because this upgrade will erase them. No problem, I said. All my personal files and photos are on CDs. He began the upgrade for me, and said I should be completely upgraded in about 45 minutes.

Well. Windows 7 erased EVERYTHING - -including my programs!!! My Microsoft Office suite? Gone. Games? Gone. Adobe Acrobat? Gone. My printer and drivers? Gone. My integrated webcam? Gone. What a nightmare.

I figured I could reinstall the programs from the discs that came with the computer. Unfortunately, the discs, which had never been removed from their packaging, arrived damaged. The Microsoft Office CD was actually cracked, and it wasn't noticable until I removed it from the packaging, which it was stuck to. Ugly, ugly, ugly.

By this time I am almost in tears. I called Dell and, of course, was directed to a very nice gentleman whose native language is not English. I believe I understood roughly 3/4 of everything he said. Ultimately, he and his manager took pity on me. They are shipping a new hard drive to me, a factory image of what I had, so I can start from scratch again with what I originally ordered.

Language barriers and lack of technological knowledge cause a whole gamut of problems. I am grateful Dell is making it right with me. I should be up and running at home again in about 4 days.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Lacrosse

Ian and I went to a Rochester Nighthawks lacrosse game yesterday with Dorinda and Bill. I don't really have a good grasp on the game, but we had a great time. The goalie for the Nighthawks, Pat O'Toole, tied a record for saves.

Lacrosse seems to have some elements of hockey with some elements of basketball. I don't know if there really are any rules. I mean, what constitutes 'roughing'? They are always hitting each other and pushing each other...where does playing the game end and roughing begin?

I'm going to get 'Lacrosse for Dummies'. :)

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Reading - For Fun!

I ordered my textbooks and am all set for next semester (Economics and Marketing), so I decided to do some reading for fun.

Ian wanted to go see "The Lightning Thief" when it came out, so prior to seeing the movie, we read the novel. And then I continued on and read Sea of Monsters, Titan's Curse, Battle of the Labyrinth, and Last Olympian. An excellent series! Ian is now reading Sea of Monsters, and he can't put it down.

I started on another 'kid' series...Ian begged me to read the City of Ember series, which, until he read the Lightning Thief, were "The GREATEST books EVER!" It's a series of four books, all very good books with lessons to be learned about getting along and saving the planet. I read City of Ember and People of Sparks so far. I've started on the Prophet of Yonwood, the third book, and then Diamond of Darkhold is left.

Ian also wants me to read Twilight. I've never been into vampire stories, so I'm not thrilled about it, but I will humor him anyway. I'm putting it off, though, as I also started the 'Women's Murder Club' series by James Patterson. I read First to Die, Second Chance, Third Degree, and I'm about half-way through Fourth of July.

Oh, and I've also re-read Clive Cussler's Sahara, also an excellent book. Clive Cussler is one of my favorite authors. He's right up there with Dick Francis and Mary Higgins Clark. The movie Sahara was also very good.

Next on the novel list are Echo Burning by Lee Child and Missing by Lisa Jackson. Murder and mayhem. :) Erica, one of the ladies I work with, read the entire Prey series by John Sanford, and she is going to let me borrow them. Life is good!

Of course, I'm also keeping up with the Wall Street Journal and Money Magazine to try to keep up with the wonderful world of finance.

Oh! And I ordered, and started watching, a great DVD course entitled The Joy of Mathematics. It's a great course! I've learned all kinds of neat things, like about the Fibonacci series and various patterns it makes, how to square numbers ending in 5 without a calculator, cool, cool, cool stuff.

The sun was shining today, and it was well over 50 degrees outside. It was great to sit in the sun for a little bit, soak in fresh air and rays, while reading a book. One of my favorite pastimes...

Can't you just tell I'm smiling?

4.0!

That would be my final grade in Quantitative Analysis!

WHOO HOO!

Michael said...

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

Serena said...

Thank you! It was hard work. :D


Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Advice to the Lovelorn

There is a boy named Jack and a girl named Devan who ride the school bus with Ian, and apparently Jack is head over heels for Devan. I heard about this in an almost non-stop narrative from Ian the other night.

Mom! There's this guy Jack on my bus, and he told me he is gonna tell Devan he loves her! I told him you can't DO that! If you just come right out and tell a girl you love her, she'll smack you upside the head!

She will?!?

Yeah, Mom. Girls do that these days. So I told him first, you gotta ask your Mom to get you some deodorant, because you can't tell a girl you love her if you smell bad. And he's gotta lose that hat he wears. He wears this wool hat, and it is NOT attractive. I told him he should wear a Sabres cap or something. He's got to ditch that hat.

It's that bad?

Oh, yeah. And I told him he's got to dress fashionably. You can't tell a girl you love her if you are wearing sweatpants and have a hole in your t-shirt. That's just dumb. I told him he's got to wear jeans and a nice shirt, maybe something at Abercrombie, and make sure he smells good. That's important to girls.

It sure is. Did you shower today?

Why? I'm not telling any girl I love her.

{heavy sigh}

Michael said...

I'm very glad to see that he knows the only reason a man needs to shower. :D

Jeff said...

and when not to wear your PJ's :D

Serena said...

Heaven help me.

Anonymous said...

This is the dad from Ian's baseball who doesn't like watching baseball. I thought thought you'd like to know I thought this post was funny.

Serena said...

Thank you, Jack's Dad! LOL! Not too many dull moments in my house, that's for sure!

Saturday, March 06, 2010

Asbestos

Unencapsulated asbestos.

"Leave it alone and you'll be fine. It's only dangerous if you mess with it."

So good to hear. I'll just keep this in case I ever get diagnosed with mesothelioma. Just in case.

Thursday, March 04, 2010

And now, the Lighter Side :)

"Desperata"
sent to me by my brother, I don't know who wrote it.

Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what peace there may be in apathy.
As far as possible be on good terms with all persons and be prepared to surrender your ideals in order to find acceptance from others.


Speak your truth clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and ignorant; they too may be rich and powerful.


Do not extend yourself; those who reach out are easily hurt. Accept the life-style you are handed.
System-bucking is uneconomic and unwise, considering all you have to look forward to.
In an ever-changing world, strive to be the same. Be yourself, whatever that means.


Especially avoid affection. No one likes a sook.
Do not distress yourself searching for answers to deep questions of self-examination.
Be content with emotional charges from occasional religious activities.
Keep your religion, whatever you conceive it to be, separate from your mind.


There is comfort to be found in vagueness. Avoid the enthusiastic, their feelings may be contagious.
Beyond an occasional discipline, don’t push yourself.
Reject kindly the counsel of the aged and experienced. They are well-meaning but things are different these days. Still, humour them - as you too may be old one day.


You are a child of the system. No less than a credit card, you have a right to be here.


And, whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as your perceptions will allow it.


Whatever your labours and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life let not prejudice and fear break down your walls of contentment.


With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams; selfishness, corruption and self-defeating internal wars, emptiness, disappointment, carelessness and hate, fear, persecution, home-spun comforting philosophy and people, it is still a beautiful contract.


Be carefree; strive to be vapid; pushback when ready.


Deteriorata

Go placidly amid the noise and the waste and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.

Avoid quiet & passive persons unless you are in need of sleep. Rotate your tires. Speak glowingly of those greater than yourself & heed well their advice, even though they be turkeys; know what to kiss & when.

Consider that two wrongs never make a right, but that three do. Wherever possible, put
people on hold. Be comforted that in the face of all aridity & disillusionment & despite the changing fortunes of time, there is always a big future in computer maintenance. Remember the Pueblo. Strive at all times to bend, fold, spindle & mutilate.

Know yourself; if you need help, call the FBI. Exercise caution in your daily affairs, especially with those persons closest to you -- that lemon on your left, for instance. Be assured that a walk through the ocean of most souls would scarcely get your feet wet. Fall not in love therefore; it will stick to your face.

Gracefully surrender the things of youth, birds, clean air, tuna, Taiwan; & let not the sands of time get in your lunch. Hire people with hooks. For a good time, call 606-4311; ask for Ken. Take heart amid the deepening gloom that your dog is finally getting enough cheese; & reflect that whatever misfortune may be your lot, it could only be worse in Milwaukee.

You are a fluke of the universe; you have no right to be here, & whether you can hear it or not, the universe is laughing behind your back.

Therefore make peace with your God whatever you conceive Him to be -- Hairy Thunderer or Cosmic Muffin.

With all its hopes, dreams, promises, & urban renewal, the world continues to deteriorate. Give up.


Copyright © National Lampoon. Written by Tony Hendra
.

Tuesday, March 02, 2010

Desiderata - Max Ehrmann

Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love, for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is perennial as the grass.

Take kindly to the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.

Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

Max Ehrmann c.1920

Neologisms

I love these! I have no idea what year they are from, but they're still great. :D

Once again, The Washington Post has published the winning submissions to its yearly neologism contest, in which readers are asked to supply alternative meanings for common words.

The winners are:

1. Coffee (n.), the person upon whom one coughs.

2. Flabbergasted (adj.), appalled over how much weight you have gained.

3. Abdicate (v.), to give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.

4. Esplanade (v.), to attempt an explanation while drunk.

5. Willy-nilly (adj.), impotent.

6. Negligent (adj.), describes a condition in which you absentmindedly answer the door in your nightgown.
7. Lymph (v.), to walk with a lisp.

8. Gargoyle (n), olive-flavored mouthwash.

9. Flatulence (n.) emergency vehicle that picks you up after you are run over by a steamroller.

10. Balderdash (n.), a rapidly receding hairline.

11. Testicle (n.), a humorous question on an exam.

12. Rectitude (n.), the formal, dignified bearing adopted by proctologists.

13. Pokemon (n), a Rastafarian proctologist.

14. Oyster (n.), a person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddishisms.

15. Frisbeetarianism (n.), (back by popular demand): The belief that, when you die, your soul flies up onto the roof and gets stuck there.

16. Circumvent (n.), an opening in the front of boxer shorts worn by Jewish men.

The Washington Post's Style Invitational also asked readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and supply a new definition. Here are this year's winners:


1. Bozone (n.): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.

2. Foreploy (v): Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of getting laid.

3. Cashtration (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period.

4. Giraffiti (n): Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.

5. Sarchasm (n): The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.

6. Inoculatte (v): To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.

7. Hipatitis (n): Terminal coolness.

8. Osteopornosis (n): A degenerate disease. (This one got extra credit.)

9. Karmageddon (n): its like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's like, a serious bummer.

10. Decafalon (n.): The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you.

11. Glibido (v): All talk and no action.

12. Dopeler effect (n): The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.

13. Arachnoleptic fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked through a spider web.

14. Beelzebug (n.): Satan in the form of a mosquito that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out.

15. Caterpallor (n.): The color you turn after finding half a grub in the fruit you're eating.

And the pick of the literature:

16. Ignoranus (n): A person who's both stupid and an a**hole.

Great-Grandchild Number Four!

Here is my Aunt Marlene with Natalie, born February 9th. Natalie is my first cousin twice removed, the daughter of Melissa, my first cousin once removed, daughter of Jan, my first cousin.

Welcome to the world, Natalie!

Backyard Sledding



I think it's cool that no matter what he is doing, Unko Myko isn't far from his thoughts.

Monday, March 01, 2010

The Money Tree

Mom! I found my wallet!

(I didn't comment. Didn't think one was necessary.)

It's empty.

(I still didn't comment. What could I say? "Mine is, too"?)

Mom?

Yes?

Well?

Well, what?

Aren't you going to give me money?

I want to know what color the sky is in his world.

Sunday, February 28, 2010

GM Roadside Assistance

Let me start by saying if you are in the Kenmore, Tonawanda area, and you need roadside assistance, call John at JT’s Roadside Service, 716/990-1872. He was fast and professional, and after almost five hours in a small car with a nine-year-old, a sight for sore eyes.

Yes. Saturday turned out to be a very...interesting...day.

We went to a basket raffle, won Three baskets!, and when we came out at 5:50 pm, the back passenger tire was flat as a pancake. I used my Onstar, told them I was alone with my child in the car, and they called GM Roadside Assistance for me. The next call I received was from GM Roadside. They were sending someone from Tracy's Towing to me, and my wait time was an hour and a half. Well, I figured, an hour and a half, that's not too bad, Ian and I will wait it out.

At 7:30 I used my Onstar button again and asked for a status update. We'd waited an hour and a half, and there was no assistance in sight. They called GM Roadside again, and told me that because the weather was bad in my area (news to me), it would be another half hour, 45 minutes. They gave me the number for Tracy's so I could call them directly if I needed to. Nothing to do but wait...

Fortunately, I had parked in front of a Chinese pizza place, so we got a small pizza and ate in the car. One of the baskets Ian won was full of toys, so we used the pizza box to set up the chess board, and we played chess and checkers for a while.

At 8:15, I called Tracy's directly. The man that answered the phone told me their tow truck broke down, they were getting another one to me, and it would be another 30 to 45 minutes.

At 9:00, I called Tracy's again, directly. The man that answered apologized again and told me he was on his way. It was snowing like crazy where he was, but he should be to me in another half hour, 45 minutes.

I didn't believe him, but what could I do?

We waited.

At 10:00, I used my Onstar button and vented. I had been sitting for four hours in my vehicle with my child. It wasn't snowing, the roads were wet, and as far as I could see, there was no reason we should still be sitting there.

The Onstar people put me on hold, and the next person on the line was GM Roadside Assistance. The gentleman apologized profusely. He canceled the call to Tracy's and placed a call to another company, JT’s Roadside Service , who would be at my vehicle in 20 to 30 minutes. He assured me a report was going to be made to his supervisor, and Tracy's would not be working for them anymore.

Ian and I resumed our game of chess, which I was losing badly.

At 10:35, a man knocked on Ian's window and scared the crap out of us both. It was John, the owner of JT's. He was horrified that we had been waiting that long. His trucks were out doing whatever trucks do, so he grabbed his mother-in-law's SUV, threw a jack in the back, and came to fix my flat himself. Within ten minutes, we were on our way home.

A side note. John asked me who left us stranded. I told him Tracy's Auto or Tracy's Towing, something like that. He said he'd never heard of them. I searched for them on the net. The Internet hasn't heard of them, either. After GM canceled the service call to them, the driver called me and asked if I still needed my tire changed. At the time, I was still sitting there, so I said yes, I was still stuck there with a flat. He told me he'd be there in another half hour or so. As far as I know, he probably still hasn't shown up.

I am thinking about returning to AAA. GM Roadside Assistance comes free with the car, but I'm thinking you get what you pay for. Would I have sat there for so long if I had AAA?

Hard to say...

Of course, I can hear Obiwan in the back of my head saying, "Would you have waited so long if you learned how to change a tire?"

Next on my agenda is to look into those adult courses through the school district and see if they have one on basic car stuff. As in, the stuff I should know. {heavy sigh}

Friday, February 26, 2010

The Lightning Thief

I took Ian to see The Lightning Thief. It came out while we were in Virginia. He read the entire book and started on the second book in the series, Sea of Monsters, and he HAD to see it. I thought the movie was excellent. I read the book also, and the movie stayed pretty true to it. Ian, on the other hand, was disappointed. He said, "They took a lot of stuff out of the movie that was in the book!" I explained they could not possibly put everything in the movie that was in the book, and he was okay with that. His final word on the matter?

"The book was better." Aren't they always? To see the trailer, go here: The Lightning Thief.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Virginia

It appears Virginia is more uncivilized than I originally thought. You can't get sponge candy there. Or Weber's Mustard.

How do those people LIVE?

A Joke from My Brother :D

During a visit to the retirement home, I asked the director, "How do you determine whether or not a person should be institutionalized?"

'Well,' said the Director, 'We fill up a bathtub, and then we offer a teaspoon, a teacup and a bucket to the patient and ask him or her to empty the bathtub.'

'Oh, I understand,' I said. 'A normal person would use the bucket because it's bigger than the spoon or the teacup.'

'No.' said the Director, 'A normal person would pull the plug.
Do you want a bed near the window?'

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Cold Enough For Ya'?

This joke goes around via email every so often, but it makes me laugh every time.

COLD IS A RELATIVE THING.

65 above zero:
Floridians turn on the heat..
People in Upstate New York plant gardens.

60 above zero:
Californians shiver uncontrollably.
People in Upstate New York sunbathe.

50 above zero:
Italian & English cars won't start.
People in Upstate New York drive with the windows down.

40 above zero:
Georgians don coats, thermal underwear, gloves, and wool hats.
People in Upstate New York throw on a flannel shirt.

35 above zero:
New York city landlords finally turn up the heat.
People in Upstate New York have the last cookout before it gets cold.

20 above Zero:
People in Miami all die.
Upstate New Yorkers close the windows.

Zero:
Californians fly away to Mexico .
People in Upstate New York get out their winter coats.

10 below zero:
Hollywood disintegrates.
The Girl Scouts in Upstate New York are selling cookies door to door.

20 below zero:
Washington DC runs out of hot air.
People in Upstate New York let the dogs sleep indoors.

30 below zero:
Santa Claus abandons the North Pole.
Upstate New Yorkers get upset because they can't start the snow-mobile.

40 below zero:
ALL atomic motion stops.
People in Upstate New York start saying...'cold enough fer ya?'

50 below zero:
Hell freezes over.
Upstate New York public schools will open 2 hours late.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Virginia

Well, Virginia wasn't as warm as I wanted it to be, but it was Definitely warmer than Here! Of course, this time of year, just about anyplace is warmer than here. :D

Fortunately, Thursday evening, I packed the car, so we were loaded and ready to go early Friday morning. I packed all our stuff into the medium-sized suitcase and put the medium-sized suitcase into the largest-sized suitcase so we would have an empty suitcase for all our shopping loot when we got to VA. I also paid Southwest for "early check-in". They automatically checked Ian and me in on Thursday, so I had our boarding passes printed and ready, too.

We started our vacation by oversleeping. Friday morning came, and we were supposed to be at the airport by 4 a.m. I woke up at 4 a.m. "IAN!!! GET UP!!! GET UP!!! I OVERSLEPT!!! GET DRESSED!!! WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE AT THE AIRPORT ALREADY!!!" I was proud of him. We were up and out in ten minutes flat. All's well that ends well - we made it on time and boarded with no problems.

We landed in Norfolk, Virginia at about 9:30 a.m. The temperature was about 45 degrees, and I kid you not, it felt like summer. Ian and I walked around in our hoodies without winter coats on, and everybody looked at us like we were nuts. When someone asked where Ian's winter coat was, he responded, "We're from Buffalo!" It just felt so warm to us. Nods of understanding all around.

Because Williamsburg is closer to Norfolk than Suffolk (our ultimate destination), we went shoppin'! The Williamsburg Outlet Mall is HUGE. I purchased sneakers for Ian in the next three sizes up and outfitted him for summer. I also picked up some beautiful sweaters. Clearance/Presidents' Day sales were everywhere.

On Saturday, Russ (Ma's son) took Ian to the Virginia Living Museum. He had a blast. Ma bought him a SIM card for his phone, and he tried to fill it with photos. He shot over 250 photographs. (I have to call Obiwan and ask him how to get them out of Ian's phone onto my computer. That's one area of technology I haven't mastered yet.) I finished my fourth (of five) Quantitative Analysis assignments and took a nap while he was gone. It gets so ... quiet... when Ian's not around. :D

Saturday evening, Ma cooked a wonderful dinner and invited Wayne, one of my classmates. It was great to reconnect with him. He and his girlfriend have seven children between the two of them. I don't know how they do it. They live in Virginia Beach and love it there.

Sunday was laundry day, and then on Monday, Ma and Uncle AJ took us to Waterman’s Beachwood Grill. The food was wonderful! I had sea scallops wrapped in bacon, and they practically melted in my mouth, they were so tender. My friend Tracy met us there. She moved to Virginia Beach about five years ago, and she loves it there also.

There is this strange kind of bible-belt thing that goes on down there...the IHOP waitress, before she served Ma, told her she could tell she 'read her Word'. I was a bit taken aback by that. Ma mumbled, 'Uh, huh', or something appropriate like that, and I bit my tongue. If a waitress said that to someone in an IHOP up here, she'd get yelled at or slapped. It's a bit of a different world there.

Zeus, Hera, and all their cohorts didn't come through for us with more snow for Baltimore, so we had to come home.

Southwest Airlines is wonderful. They are friendly and extremely easy to deal with, both on-line and in person. And they have no fee for your first two bags.

For our next vacation, I'd like to go visit family in Santa Fe. Another toasty warm place. :)

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Let the Nightmares Begin.

Mommy, is our plane going to crash?

Of course not, honey. We're going to be on a good one.

But what about the snow and ice?

They'll send us the long way around if there's a problem.

Oh. Okay.

I swear, I should never let him watch the news. {heavy sigh}

Saturday, February 06, 2010

Baseball Quote

"Bob Gibson is the luckiest pitcher I ever saw. He always pitches when the other team doesn't score any runs."

- Tim McCarver, Bob Gibson's catcher in three different World Series.


Compliments of my page-a-day calendar.

***Pitchers and Catchers report in 8 days!
Forget about the Groundhog...Summer is practically here!***

The Light at the End of the Tunnel

Turned in my third of five assignments for my Quantitative Analysis course.
Three-fifths of the way done.


That's More Than Half.

Whoo hoo!

I don't like driving anymore.

I don't like driving anymore. It's not that I'm so gawd-awful old now that I can't see over the dash...heck, for me, that's always been a problem. No, it's different than that.

It just seems to me that the world has become hurried. There's no such thing as a leisurely drive through the countryside anymore...if you're gazing at the scenery and fall below the speed limit, some guy behind you is crawling up your back-end with his fist on the horn.

Was tail-gating always a problem? And since when did right-on-red become anything other than an option that was available to you traffic permitted?

Everybody is in a hurry. And it's not just driving. What did we do before fax machines, cell phones, and the internet? We waited. Or we found other things to do. We didn't need to do 75 on the freeway. We certainly didn't need to have it 'there overnight'. And I, for one, have never felt the "need for speed".

I don't know. Maybe I'm just feeling a bit melancholy for days gone by. Or maybe I just need a nap.

Now there's an idea. A siesta. What a shame it never caught on in this country.

Thursday, February 04, 2010

Like Mike

Cute movie! Ian brought it home from the daycare center to watch today. It's a great happy-ending movie, which is just what the doctor ordered after a long day. More about the movie is here: http://www.blockbuster.com/catalog/movieDetails/209278#readMore.

And now, I have more homework. {heavy sigh}

Wednesday, February 03, 2010

The Silver Lining

I am two-fifths of the way through Quantitative Analysis. Which is almost half. :)

Sunday, January 31, 2010

For Emergency Assistance: North Hartland Corp

I arrived home late last night after an amazing evening with the BPO to find that sometime between 5:00 p.m. when I left and 10:30 p.m. when I got home, something went wrong with the furnace. It was 59 degrees in my apartment and 42 in my kitchen.

So I did what I always do when I have troubles I can't fix. I call my big brother, Obiwan of Seattle. Unfortunately, he can't fix a furnace from 3,000 miles away. So much for The Force! :D He did give me recommendations, though, the first of which was to call someone local and get them over. It was three degrees outside, and in that kind of weather, it doesn't take a real long time for the pipes to freeze.

Oh, joy.

I called my landlord, and after six telephone calls (three to his cell and three to his home), he returned my call at ten to midnight with the okay to call in a repairman. So I called my sister, Ian's beloved Aunt Bubby, at every single number I had for her, to see if her husband could help.

My poor brother-in-law, who owns North Hartland Corp., came all the way from Appleton at 2:00 in the morning to fix it. He had it up and running in what seemed like seconds.

If you live in Western New York, and you need help with your heat, call Chris. I'm not kidding. The man knows his stuff, and he will come at any hour, at a reasonable cost, and even be cheerful in the wee hours of the morning. :)

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Happy Birthday, Mozart!

Yesterday, my friend Sue and I went to see Happy Birthday Mozart performed by the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.

Oboist, Pierre Roy opened the show by performing Mozart's Oboe Concerto in C major, K. 314. A brief intermission followed, and then the amazing Caroline Goulding took the stage with the BPO. At just 17 years old, she is an incredible musician. As soon as I have some extra money, I will be purchasing her CD for my music collection. The performance was breath-taking, and Miss Goulding has extraordinary talent.

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Looking back over the day, I realize it's no small wonder I'm exhausted. Washed six loads of laundry, made Picadillo Stuffed Peppers in the crockpot, hard-boiled a dozen eggs for breakfasts, made a big batch of Zero Point Soup (a WW vegetable soup that is wonderful), cleaned out the refrigerator, fed the boy child half a dozen times, vacuumed, dusted, and almost finished my Quantitative Analysis homework for the week. Waiting to hear back from the course mentor on that one. It's a whole lot like banging your head against the wall when you have no idea what you're doing and have no one around to ask. But hey, I've got breakfasts and lunches done for the week. Life is good!

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Day off

Got an unexpected day off today in honor of getting new gas lines. National Fuel Gas had to shut off my gas for a few hours while they replaced and repaired lines from my home.

The smell of the gas combined with the word "leak" had me reaching for my Xanax. :D

Thursday, January 14, 2010

A Veritable Heat Wave

It's 36 degrees outside! This, of course, reminds me that Spring Training opens in just .... 31 days!

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Thinking of You...

Buffalo General Hospital is housing two of my favorite people for the night after their surgeries. The funny thing is, they don't know each other. Neither one of them is from Buffalo. Dawn should be going home tomorrow, and hopefully Bob will be leaving shortly, too.

It saddens me that can't get down there to see them tonight (my sitter is unavailable), but I hope they know they are in my thoughts, and I hope they are on the mend.

My heart goes out to Pat and Steve, too, their loving partners and another two of my favorite people, who will try not to worry until they are home safe and sound. I wish I could help all four of them through this and make it all better. That's the mom in me, I guess.

Sleep well, be safe, and let the healing begin.

Monday, January 11, 2010

Updates!

New entries and pics back to December 4th! (What a gal won't do to delay getting to Quantitative Analysis homework.) :D

Wednesday, January 06, 2010

Feel Free to Comment

I always forget to tell everyone who reads my blog...

You don't have to be a member to comment. If you would like to comment on one of my entries, just click on the 'comments' link and type away. You can comment as a google user or as anonymous, but if you comment as anonymous, please sign your entry so I know who you are.

I love comments!

Happy New Year!

It's 2010. Wow. If you had asked me 25 years ago what I thought I'd be doing in 2010, I'd have told you I wasn't planning on living this long.

I've come a long way.

I decided not to make any 'resolutions' this year. I never seem to keep them. However, an acquaintance of mine passed away last week, and it made me think. He was 47. Heart attack. The end. I'm 45.

I need to make behavioral changes to bring about health changes.

Ian and I discussed our diets, and we agreed we need to eat healthier. I rejoined Weight Watchers in that on-going struggle to keep my weight under control. And I am going to make little changes, bit by bit, baby step by baby step, to get healthy again.

This week, Ian and I are going to plan our meals for next week. And then we're going to try to stick to the plan.

Baby steps. :)