I love it when an author takes characters from a classic book and makes reference to them- and does it well, I might add; this is a must- and a new, modern novel is written using these characters or the idea of them.
I like it when the idea is fresh and not just a re-hashing of the old novel because if it's just a re-hash then I would read the classic.
It can't be done in chick lit style or that will make me gag so most anything to do with Jane Austin is not what I am talking about. (Have any of you noticed that anytime anyone writes a novel that has to do with Austin it's usually chick lit, and bad?)
And it must be well written, and clever. I like clever.
Now, taking all the into account, I love to read fiction based on real people. I love that! Again, it must meet the criteria that it's well written, clever, smart, and not chick lit, and must be fresh.
All of this being said, I really enjoyed a book I read called Gatsby's Girl, where it took the idea of F. Scott Fitzgerald, a real author of The Great Gatsby and gave his life a twist. I loved this book! And in the same vain, I also read a historical fiction about Hemingway and it was well written but made me really hate Hemingway, called The Paris Wife. Another one I loved was Lucy which is again historical fiction about FDR and his life long love Lucy Mercer. Again, wonderful
And since I'm such a Gatsby lover, I also loved The Double Bind (sorry Bragger, I know it wasn't your fav and I am so sorry you didn't like it, and that I recommended something you didn't!). It's a psychological thriller that treats Gatsby characters like they are real life people, and it's awesome!!!!!
I just checked out a book from the library called The Little Women Letters. It sounds good, bringing back the March girls through their great-granddaughters and through letters that Jo, Amy, Meg, and Beth wrote to each other. I also have a copy of Loving about Frank Lloyd Wright I want to read, and Sunflowers about VanGogh- all historical fiction!
Something about this just makes me a happy reader. If anyone has any suggestions along these lines, I'd love to hear, especially bringing book characters to life, living in our modern world!
Mags
Monday, September 26, 2011
Friday, September 23, 2011
Facebook .vs. Google+
Okay we all know I don't Facebook. I don't need to be social networking, I hate Mark Zuckerberg, I don't want to say something or have a picture that will get me fired, I don't want to deal with the fear of being unfriended, I don't want to play the Farm Game, I already socialize via phone and in person and via email all the people I want to socialize with, I don't want to have a war and have haters write on my wall, I can't keep up with my real time life and my blog let alone add another thing to do online especially since my computer is still taking a dump....
However... am I missing something? Should I be social networking in some way?
I don't want to come late to a party. I hate that. All the good booze is gone.
And I still feel all my reasons are valid.
What brings this to the forefront of my mind and my blog today is that I've been invited to join Google+. I've been invited many times and deleted my first several invites because I didn't know what it was and I was pissed that Google was sending me spam. Then I came out from under the rock I've been living and realized that Google+ is now a new Social Networking site that wishes to rise up and challenge the mighty giant Facebook mogul- Facebook that has 700 million users world wide and just rolled out a bunch of changes this week with more to come over the next several?
Yeah... right. Google + is so gonna win that fight. Not.
I've been reading about Google+ and it sounds like what Facebook is already doing so why would current Facebook users defect? Just because of the name Google? I don't think so.
So why would I join Google +? Google + doesn't change my reasons: I don't need to be social networking even if it's on Google +, I still don't want to say something or have a picture that will get me fired even if it's on Goggle +, I still don't want to deal with the fear of being unfriended or whatever version of this is on Google+, I already socialize via phone and in person and via email all the people I want to socialize with and still don't need Google+ to do that, I don't want to have a war and have haters write on my Google +, I can't keep up with my real time life and my blog let alone add another thing to do online especially since my computer is still taking a dump unless Google + wants to give me a computer but I don't think their marketing campaign involves giving people computers to join works.
Reasons I would join: Well, there is no Mark Zuckerberg, for one. BUT the other thing is.... there are no people. Or not many that I know. That's a valid reason for my interest in Google +.
And I get the irony of what I'm saying: I like the idea of joining Google + because it's not so crowded like at Facebook and there aren't that many people to deal with at Google +.
Yes, my friends, ... less people is my reason to join? Defeating the whole purpose, of course. I think I answered my own questions.
I am so NOT cut out for social networking...
Maggie
However... am I missing something? Should I be social networking in some way?
I don't want to come late to a party. I hate that. All the good booze is gone.
And I still feel all my reasons are valid.
What brings this to the forefront of my mind and my blog today is that I've been invited to join Google+. I've been invited many times and deleted my first several invites because I didn't know what it was and I was pissed that Google was sending me spam. Then I came out from under the rock I've been living and realized that Google+ is now a new Social Networking site that wishes to rise up and challenge the mighty giant Facebook mogul- Facebook that has 700 million users world wide and just rolled out a bunch of changes this week with more to come over the next several?
Yeah... right. Google + is so gonna win that fight. Not.
I've been reading about Google+ and it sounds like what Facebook is already doing so why would current Facebook users defect? Just because of the name Google? I don't think so.
So why would I join Google +? Google + doesn't change my reasons: I don't need to be social networking even if it's on Google +, I still don't want to say something or have a picture that will get me fired even if it's on Goggle +, I still don't want to deal with the fear of being unfriended or whatever version of this is on Google+, I already socialize via phone and in person and via email all the people I want to socialize with and still don't need Google+ to do that, I don't want to have a war and have haters write on my Google +, I can't keep up with my real time life and my blog let alone add another thing to do online especially since my computer is still taking a dump unless Google + wants to give me a computer but I don't think their marketing campaign involves giving people computers to join works.
Reasons I would join: Well, there is no Mark Zuckerberg, for one. BUT the other thing is.... there are no people. Or not many that I know. That's a valid reason for my interest in Google +.
And I get the irony of what I'm saying: I like the idea of joining Google + because it's not so crowded like at Facebook and there aren't that many people to deal with at Google +.
Yes, my friends, ... less people is my reason to join? Defeating the whole purpose, of course. I think I answered my own questions.
I am so NOT cut out for social networking...
Maggie
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Return
As you all know I've been missing X-Ray Girl like crazy since the horrid fight back in June. Brief refresher, ITSam and I got into a fight, he brought her into it and threatened to call the cops on her and she ended our friendship, and hasn't talked to me since then. I've called and left messages, sent USPS letters, texted... I was sort of a stalker for awhile and then I just knew she was done since she never responded. I walked away but I've hurt over this for a long time.
In addition to missing her, I've just been ... lost for awhile. I've even prayed about it. Like prayed to God.
Here's a story...
As you all know I hate Wal-Mart. I went there tonight to get my Daddy-O ice cream. ITSam and I just decided, spur of the moment, to buy him some as a surprise. There was no other reason to go other than I got a whim to get him some, just because he's my dad and I love him.
It was cold and raining and iTSam dropped me at the doors and went to park. I walked in with my head down, just no even paying attention and I get just inside the second set of doors and there she was.
We made eye contact, she held her arms open and said "I am so sorry." We just came together in the Wal-Mart lobby and stood there hugging and crying and saying we were so sorry. We hugged and cried some more and made plans to get together, and hugged and said sorry some more, and cried more and hugged and said how much we missed each other. Yes, we made a spectacle of ourselves right there in Wally World.
I think she and are I going to be alright again. We made tentative plans for Sunday evening (depending on her kids' schedules with their dad).
And, as I left Wal-Mart and drove away, it stopped raining. And right in front of me was a huge rainbow.
Do I need to state the obvious here?
Maggie
In addition to missing her, I've just been ... lost for awhile. I've even prayed about it. Like prayed to God.
Here's a story...
As you all know I hate Wal-Mart. I went there tonight to get my Daddy-O ice cream. ITSam and I just decided, spur of the moment, to buy him some as a surprise. There was no other reason to go other than I got a whim to get him some, just because he's my dad and I love him.
It was cold and raining and iTSam dropped me at the doors and went to park. I walked in with my head down, just no even paying attention and I get just inside the second set of doors and there she was.
We made eye contact, she held her arms open and said "I am so sorry." We just came together in the Wal-Mart lobby and stood there hugging and crying and saying we were so sorry. We hugged and cried some more and made plans to get together, and hugged and said sorry some more, and cried more and hugged and said how much we missed each other. Yes, we made a spectacle of ourselves right there in Wally World.
I think she and are I going to be alright again. We made tentative plans for Sunday evening (depending on her kids' schedules with their dad).
And, as I left Wal-Mart and drove away, it stopped raining. And right in front of me was a huge rainbow.
Do I need to state the obvious here?
Maggie
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Knifty Knitting
Today was a good activity day at school. We had our first Art and Lecture series speaker of the 2011-2012 school year- Curley!!!
She talked to the kids about knitting, crocheting and other types of yarn work. She showed them examples and THEN she demonstrated how to knit on a loom. All of the kids in attendance had a chance to make a sock hat or a scarf. Here are looms:
We had 2 kids make scarves and 6 make hats; thanks to my cousin R, Daddy-O and Curley for all their extra yarn and spare looms so there was enough to go around! Of course they didn't have time to finish their projects today so they can come in and work after school every day until their all done. I'm going to take pictures and will show their work when everyone is finished, next week of course!
It was a really nice group of kids; I couldn't have hand picked a better bunch. AND we had 2 girls and all the rest were boys! For knitting! How cool is that?
Now they all want to make blankets. And two boys asked me if Curley would please come back and teach them how to crochet an afghan.
She was a huge hit (they all thought she was my mom!) and want her to help with art club!
I try and hold a luncheon each month and have a speaker come in and talk to the kids while they eat and then the speaker lets the kids do something "artsy". Last school year we had jewelry making, cake decorating and card making. I plan on expanding this year- we have a potter coming in, and a professional artist who will teach something with watercolor (I have a visual image of something like this happening:)
Should be a fun year! I like it when a plan comes together! Who knows what next month will bring!?
Maggie
She talked to the kids about knitting, crocheting and other types of yarn work. She showed them examples and THEN she demonstrated how to knit on a loom. All of the kids in attendance had a chance to make a sock hat or a scarf. Here are looms:
We had 2 kids make scarves and 6 make hats; thanks to my cousin R, Daddy-O and Curley for all their extra yarn and spare looms so there was enough to go around! Of course they didn't have time to finish their projects today so they can come in and work after school every day until their all done. I'm going to take pictures and will show their work when everyone is finished, next week of course!
It was a really nice group of kids; I couldn't have hand picked a better bunch. AND we had 2 girls and all the rest were boys! For knitting! How cool is that?
Now they all want to make blankets. And two boys asked me if Curley would please come back and teach them how to crochet an afghan.
She was a huge hit (they all thought she was my mom!) and want her to help with art club!
I try and hold a luncheon each month and have a speaker come in and talk to the kids while they eat and then the speaker lets the kids do something "artsy". Last school year we had jewelry making, cake decorating and card making. I plan on expanding this year- we have a potter coming in, and a professional artist who will teach something with watercolor (I have a visual image of something like this happening:)
Should be a fun year! I like it when a plan comes together! Who knows what next month will bring!?
Maggie
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Weird dream Tuesday
Before I tell you the dream, you need some back ground information here.
I work with a super nice couple at school, R and T. They have a 6 year old son, their only child. They live away from campus but have worked for this company in several capacities for about 20 years. I just love them both!
We have two young guys, in their mid 20s- that I like to call the Goon Squad. They work second shift and take care of all the issues on campus that happen during typical second shift hours. K is married with 3 kids and his dad-in-law is VP of our company. I guess he's a cutie but I've never thought about him like that before. The other guy, D, is a hottie and he's a flirt, even though he's married. I might have had a sinful thought or 2 about D but never acted on it!!!! D is the boss of the Goon Squad so while I have some interaction with K, it is very limited and I have more interaction with D, through all of the jobs I hold on campus. D doesn't smoke.
Back in the 80's we had a department store in our town that has long since gone out of business, but it was mostly a store that catered to women and children's clothing, and a little bit of men's clothes. That store chain finally went bankrupt so it doesn't even exist, and has been gone from our town for almost 20 years.
Now for the dream:
I'm babysitting for R and T's 3 year old daughter. (Refer to facts above- they don't even have a daughter!). In my dream their daughter is my niece. I'm at their house, (but in my dream they live in a campus house that belongs to the H's) and I'm watching their daughter. I walk by the den and R is assembling something red- I can't see what he's putting together. But he's putting together something red and he accidentally kicks over a glass of water. I see him do it but I don't offer to clean it up; I just go to the kitchen. Their daughter comes in and I give her a glass of water and she runs away with it. I go after her, armed with paper towel because I know she spilled it in the living room.
I get in the living room and she did spill it. I was cleaning it up when the doorbell rang. I answered the door and it was The Goon Squad. I invite them in and we all sit down. K gives me a present, in a red gift bag, and I open it and say thanks and hug him. Then he gives me two greeting cards and they are 1x1 inch each and I open and read them and am VERY excited. I go to thank him for the cards and when I look up from reading them,. the house is full of people. It's a huge party.
The party isn't FOR me but I'm just there and music is playing and everyone is having fun and eating and drinking out of red cups. I find K and give him a hug and thank him for the cards. As I hug him, he whispers in my ear "I know you'll love living at the lake. I love living at the lake." At that point I think it might be Valentine's Day- maybe because the color red has come up three times?
And as the party goes on I think I need to speak to D. I MUST speak to D. I go out a door (in reality, the door in the kitchen I went out of is really a window but in my dream it's a door) and when I close it behind me, I'm standing in the Department Store.
D is standing in the middle of the women's clothing with his arms full of women's clothes. And he's smoking a cigarette. I say, "You can't smoke in here! Everything is going to stink!" He says, "Don't worry about it. I have a hand held water filtration system" and he holds up a small water container with tubes and stuff. I shrug and he walks away toward the women's changing rooms.
I ask D "where are you going? You gonna try all that on?"
D says wickedly, "No I just want to lay it all out and look at it" and he walks into a dressing room and slams the door and giggling.
I woke up.
Moral of the story? Do not eat chili for dinner, before going to bed.
Hoping I sleep better tonight,
Maggie
I work with a super nice couple at school, R and T. They have a 6 year old son, their only child. They live away from campus but have worked for this company in several capacities for about 20 years. I just love them both!
We have two young guys, in their mid 20s- that I like to call the Goon Squad. They work second shift and take care of all the issues on campus that happen during typical second shift hours. K is married with 3 kids and his dad-in-law is VP of our company. I guess he's a cutie but I've never thought about him like that before. The other guy, D, is a hottie and he's a flirt, even though he's married. I might have had a sinful thought or 2 about D but never acted on it!!!! D is the boss of the Goon Squad so while I have some interaction with K, it is very limited and I have more interaction with D, through all of the jobs I hold on campus. D doesn't smoke.
Back in the 80's we had a department store in our town that has long since gone out of business, but it was mostly a store that catered to women and children's clothing, and a little bit of men's clothes. That store chain finally went bankrupt so it doesn't even exist, and has been gone from our town for almost 20 years.
Now for the dream:
I'm babysitting for R and T's 3 year old daughter. (Refer to facts above- they don't even have a daughter!). In my dream their daughter is my niece. I'm at their house, (but in my dream they live in a campus house that belongs to the H's) and I'm watching their daughter. I walk by the den and R is assembling something red- I can't see what he's putting together. But he's putting together something red and he accidentally kicks over a glass of water. I see him do it but I don't offer to clean it up; I just go to the kitchen. Their daughter comes in and I give her a glass of water and she runs away with it. I go after her, armed with paper towel because I know she spilled it in the living room.
I get in the living room and she did spill it. I was cleaning it up when the doorbell rang. I answered the door and it was The Goon Squad. I invite them in and we all sit down. K gives me a present, in a red gift bag, and I open it and say thanks and hug him. Then he gives me two greeting cards and they are 1x1 inch each and I open and read them and am VERY excited. I go to thank him for the cards and when I look up from reading them,. the house is full of people. It's a huge party.
The party isn't FOR me but I'm just there and music is playing and everyone is having fun and eating and drinking out of red cups. I find K and give him a hug and thank him for the cards. As I hug him, he whispers in my ear "I know you'll love living at the lake. I love living at the lake." At that point I think it might be Valentine's Day- maybe because the color red has come up three times?
And as the party goes on I think I need to speak to D. I MUST speak to D. I go out a door (in reality, the door in the kitchen I went out of is really a window but in my dream it's a door) and when I close it behind me, I'm standing in the Department Store.
D is standing in the middle of the women's clothing with his arms full of women's clothes. And he's smoking a cigarette. I say, "You can't smoke in here! Everything is going to stink!" He says, "Don't worry about it. I have a hand held water filtration system" and he holds up a small water container with tubes and stuff. I shrug and he walks away toward the women's changing rooms.
I ask D "where are you going? You gonna try all that on?"
D says wickedly, "No I just want to lay it all out and look at it" and he walks into a dressing room and slams the door and giggling.
I woke up.
Moral of the story? Do not eat chili for dinner, before going to bed.
Hoping I sleep better tonight,
Maggie
Monday, September 19, 2011
I'm too lame to even title this post
I should be blogging. I want to blog. I need to blog. But I have nothing to blog about.
Well, I might have stuff but it's depressing and sad, and... well, who wants to read crap like that?
And I hate it when I resort to memes or even just a "here's what I did today" post and right now, that's about all I have. I don't really have any funny or quirky moments. I don't really go anywhere or do anything. I don't hang out with anyone but ITSam or Daddy-O. Mac went to college so I don't even have any funny Mac moments. Work is just the norm.
Boring.
In the evenings, I'm so tired/ depressed/ bored/ whatever, that I just don't do anything. I cook- sometimes- and watch TV or movies and sometimes I read. I don't even feel like doing crafts or hobbies. I don't know what's wrong with me.
I've lost my muse. I can't seem to summon my mojo. Maybe my Muse ran away with Mojo?
I can say I watched the Emmy's last night and they were boring. I'm excited about Monday night TV line up, including the new Two and a Half Men. I'm also excited that Daddy-O now has DVR and if I miss something, we can "DVR" it (I don't understand how this works or what it is but it's sort of like a VCR concept, I guess. What it means to me that if I miss Glee, I can watch it later!)
Yeah, I'm a never ending ball of excitement.
Lame, lame, lame,
Maggie
Well, I might have stuff but it's depressing and sad, and... well, who wants to read crap like that?
And I hate it when I resort to memes or even just a "here's what I did today" post and right now, that's about all I have. I don't really have any funny or quirky moments. I don't really go anywhere or do anything. I don't hang out with anyone but ITSam or Daddy-O. Mac went to college so I don't even have any funny Mac moments. Work is just the norm.
Boring.
In the evenings, I'm so tired/ depressed/ bored/ whatever, that I just don't do anything. I cook- sometimes- and watch TV or movies and sometimes I read. I don't even feel like doing crafts or hobbies. I don't know what's wrong with me.
I've lost my muse. I can't seem to summon my mojo. Maybe my Muse ran away with Mojo?
I can say I watched the Emmy's last night and they were boring. I'm excited about Monday night TV line up, including the new Two and a Half Men. I'm also excited that Daddy-O now has DVR and if I miss something, we can "DVR" it (I don't understand how this works or what it is but it's sort of like a VCR concept, I guess. What it means to me that if I miss Glee, I can watch it later!)
Yeah, I'm a never ending ball of excitement.
Lame, lame, lame,
Maggie
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Week from Hell, and it's only Tuesday
1- Some kid lost her library book. I've been patient and have renewed it twice, giving her time to see if she can find it. Today she came in the library and I never said a word about it. Then she confronted me, in a confrontational tone, and asked me what I was going to do about her lost book. I asked her what she meant and she launched into "angry, loud, obnoxious, teenage girl" tone, ranting that SHE wasn't paying for it, SHE was calling her daddy and telling him to not pay a damn dime and on and on. When she seem to run out of steam, I nicely asked her if she would just check in her dorm again and SHE told me to do my job since I was the librarian. Oh yes she did. And oh yes I did give her the maximum allotted punishment for being disrespectful and for swearing.
2- We have a reading program that I've written about before. The company has updated said program and it's now web hosted. We paid the astronomical fees and updated and upgraded. We've encountered one issue after another with it and it's been an ongoing debacle since last February. Yesterday, during the last step of the upgrade process, all of the data was lost. I want to point out that I told our outside computer people who were doing this (not ITSam thankfully) that I hadn't hard copied the data and they told me I didn't need to worry about it since they were just copying. And now, somehow, in the magical world of technology, it's gone. All gone, every single piece of student data- test scores, books lists, point earned, tests taken.... gone gone gone. I finally sent an email to our principal and said I am done with working on this project and I don't care what they do with it. I've not yet heard a response.
3- Our principal resigned. He is the best boss I've ever had and now he has the opportunity to grow another, normal public high school, and his last day with us is on Thursday. I'll miss him.
And it's just Tuesday afternoon...
Maggie
2- We have a reading program that I've written about before. The company has updated said program and it's now web hosted. We paid the astronomical fees and updated and upgraded. We've encountered one issue after another with it and it's been an ongoing debacle since last February. Yesterday, during the last step of the upgrade process, all of the data was lost. I want to point out that I told our outside computer people who were doing this (not ITSam thankfully) that I hadn't hard copied the data and they told me I didn't need to worry about it since they were just copying. And now, somehow, in the magical world of technology, it's gone. All gone, every single piece of student data- test scores, books lists, point earned, tests taken.... gone gone gone. I finally sent an email to our principal and said I am done with working on this project and I don't care what they do with it. I've not yet heard a response.
3- Our principal resigned. He is the best boss I've ever had and now he has the opportunity to grow another, normal public high school, and his last day with us is on Thursday. I'll miss him.
And it's just Tuesday afternoon...
Maggie
Friday, September 9, 2011
I'm a calendar girl
Do you know what I spent about 90 minutes of my life doing tonight? Yes, 90 minutes that I'll never get back, but I feel so much more organized because I did? I am so anal retentive... I can't believe I'm about to tell this...
I received a flier in the mail for a local theatre that hosts traveling professional performances: Broadway shows, concerts, orchestras, philharmonics, comedians, ballets, etc. Prices are sometimes reasonable, say $35 to see a Broadway cast doing My Fair Lady; this is the mid range seats, in the middle of the theatre. Not bad, I think. Some are more than others, some less.
Tonight I took the flier and marked all the shows I wanted to see. Then I went to the theater's web site and looked up the prices. Then I went into my calendar and put the shows in- dates, times, etc. Then I went to the pay days proceeding each event and put a note in that I should buy tickets for these shows. And on the tickets that were around $50, I made notes to buy them 2 pay days before each performance.
Maybe not anal retentive, but just very well organized?
I love the calendar feature in my phone. I use it to ding my "to do" list at me, and if I didn't get something done, then I can change the date and move it to somewhere else. I have stuff from a grocery list to appointments, to notes to remind me to do stuff. I sync is with my computer at work and I use the "share" calendar feature with my friends and to myself, so I can have stuff in my hotmail if I need it. It has bells to ping me, AND I can color code stuff- appointments are one color, work is one color, school stuff is one, Mac related stuff, to do lists, fun things.... all these have their own colors. Yes, I am lame.
I use that feature more than talking or texting or reading my email. Yes, my phone is really just a very expensive date book. And a place for me to play Bejeweled. Gawd, I'm pathetic!
Organizingly yours,
Mags
I received a flier in the mail for a local theatre that hosts traveling professional performances: Broadway shows, concerts, orchestras, philharmonics, comedians, ballets, etc. Prices are sometimes reasonable, say $35 to see a Broadway cast doing My Fair Lady; this is the mid range seats, in the middle of the theatre. Not bad, I think. Some are more than others, some less.
Tonight I took the flier and marked all the shows I wanted to see. Then I went to the theater's web site and looked up the prices. Then I went into my calendar and put the shows in- dates, times, etc. Then I went to the pay days proceeding each event and put a note in that I should buy tickets for these shows. And on the tickets that were around $50, I made notes to buy them 2 pay days before each performance.
Maybe not anal retentive, but just very well organized?
I love the calendar feature in my phone. I use it to ding my "to do" list at me, and if I didn't get something done, then I can change the date and move it to somewhere else. I have stuff from a grocery list to appointments, to notes to remind me to do stuff. I sync is with my computer at work and I use the "share" calendar feature with my friends and to myself, so I can have stuff in my hotmail if I need it. It has bells to ping me, AND I can color code stuff- appointments are one color, work is one color, school stuff is one, Mac related stuff, to do lists, fun things.... all these have their own colors. Yes, I am lame.
I use that feature more than talking or texting or reading my email. Yes, my phone is really just a very expensive date book. And a place for me to play Bejeweled. Gawd, I'm pathetic!
Organizingly yours,
Mags
Thursday, September 8, 2011
New bulletin board
Here's the new bulletin board I've made for our school library. I know it's for high school students but they still need some color and some fun!
And for every kid who passes an AR Test this month, they get a mini "bit-o-honey" candy!
Book lovin' nerd,
Mags
Monday, September 5, 2011
Holy Cow- it's cold! Finally! And other news...
It didn't get above 61 degrees here today, and that was in the sun. There's a terrific breeze (maybe we can call it a wind?) blowing and it's just beautiful after all the we must be in hell HOT HEAT ICK we've had here in the Midwest. It's so cold that Daddy-O's hung around the house in long pants, socks, long sleeves and a hat on his bald head. ITSam wore jeans and a long sleeved t-shirt. I told them they were wusses and there would be 10 feet of snow outside and I was still wearing flip-flops, short sleeves and my capris. Man, I hate it when I shoot my mouth off. Once I finally lit in one spot long enough, and right in front of a window with the wind blowing on me, I was sort of wishing for socks and long sleeves. However, I am sticking to my resolve to wear flip-flops only...
Yes, those are flip-flop socks. Think mittens for your toes with the big toe playing the role of thumb.
In other news...
I heard from Mac today and the phone is officially stolen. No one has seen it, heard it, turned it in for lost, etc. It's gone, gone, gone. And all that stuff we hear about on tv about not being able to trace the "throw away" phones? Well, that's true, so if you want to commit a crime and need a phone, get a throw away! I wanted to see if there was any activity on the phone between when it was lost until now, but AT&T can't do it since it's the "disposable" go-phone. The other thing that sucks is that I can't get a replacement because of that so I have to buy him a whole new phone. And of course the college wouldn't do anything to help with this either. That just ticks me off. Mac, while a butthead in other ways sometimes, isn't at fault for the phone being stolen. I bought it on-line as a refurb, and might order him another the same way. I'm sitting here with a $50 re-fill card for it so I might as well. I hate crap like this. The good news is that whomever got the phone can't use Mac's number and minutes because the phone company killed the SIM card in it; however, the perpetrator could go to an AT&T store and just buy another SIM card and still use the phone. That so sucks.
This weekend Archiver's hosted ANOTHER free craft weekend- they SO rock! This time is was making 3-D flowers. Here are our efforts:
I went to Wally World to grocery shop and the shelves, and as Mother Hubbard would say, are bare. Since it's a holiday weekend so many vendors haven't been in to re-stock ,and pickins were slim on lots of things. It's a good thing that Daddy-O hates the Slimmwich bread rounds with all the grains, nuts, twigs, and oat flakes on top because I couldn't buy any of those; all they had were PLAIN- much to father's liking but too bad for anyone else- and one package of Plain, which I snagged! I also looked for either Club or Townhouse crackers, the original flavor. Not garlic, not low sodium, not light butter, not wheat, not pretzel, not Flipz, not herb, but PLAIN BUTTER ORIGINALS. None. I even broke my cardinal rule and asked an associate (Oh Lord help us, but I didn't kill anyone!) but to no avail. The associate who helped me said she thought there were some on a display somewhere and she looked and called someone else to help her look but couldn't find any. None. But near the door, I found the display, AND the last box of crackers!!!!!!! (I have to giggle that they "lost" a whole display... guess that's the way the cracker crumbles! *I can hear you all groan, you know!*)
And in the category of "I'm an idiot"... I put on a gray shirt this morning but didn't like how it fit so I grabbed one of Mac's old t-shirts, that's bright BRIGHT green! Then I went grocery shopping and when I came out and caught sight of a bright green shirt reflection on the car window, I literally turned around and looked behind me for Mac. Then I looked down and saw the green was me... I was really surprised and went "hey, I'm wearing a green shirt!" Oh. my. goodness! No, I am not blond.
I get a phone call from ITSam that goes something like this:
him: "Hypothetically speaking, how do you clean up hand-cream that was in a tube that might have been on the floor and then might have been stepped on and say, hypothetically, shot out all over the carpet in a big oozing puddle glob?"
me: "Oh gross. Did you step in it too, hypothetically speaking?"
him: "nope, but the hypothetical carpet smells good. I scooped it up with cardboard. Do you want me to put it in a jar or baggie or something to keep it?"
So, a tube of my Bath and Body Hand Cream- gardenia scent- was on his bedroom floor and is now ON THE FLOOR and he wants to know if he should keep it for me? Ummm, I think not. I also want to say he took a picture of the mess and I was going to post it here but this blog is rated PG-13 (an occasional R thrown in)- not X! Ick! You really don't want to see that...
Finally, I know it was a 4 day weekend for me but I am so not ready to go back to school tomorrow. And I know that means I only have a 3 day school week but I still don't wanna go. I am SO lazy!
And that's it from here.
TMI?
Maggie
Yes, those are flip-flop socks. Think mittens for your toes with the big toe playing the role of thumb.In other news...
I heard from Mac today and the phone is officially stolen. No one has seen it, heard it, turned it in for lost, etc. It's gone, gone, gone. And all that stuff we hear about on tv about not being able to trace the "throw away" phones? Well, that's true, so if you want to commit a crime and need a phone, get a throw away! I wanted to see if there was any activity on the phone between when it was lost until now, but AT&T can't do it since it's the "disposable" go-phone. The other thing that sucks is that I can't get a replacement because of that so I have to buy him a whole new phone. And of course the college wouldn't do anything to help with this either. That just ticks me off. Mac, while a butthead in other ways sometimes, isn't at fault for the phone being stolen. I bought it on-line as a refurb, and might order him another the same way. I'm sitting here with a $50 re-fill card for it so I might as well. I hate crap like this. The good news is that whomever got the phone can't use Mac's number and minutes because the phone company killed the SIM card in it; however, the perpetrator could go to an AT&T store and just buy another SIM card and still use the phone. That so sucks.
This weekend Archiver's hosted ANOTHER free craft weekend- they SO rock! This time is was making 3-D flowers. Here are our efforts:
I went to Wally World to grocery shop and the shelves, and as Mother Hubbard would say, are bare. Since it's a holiday weekend so many vendors haven't been in to re-stock ,and pickins were slim on lots of things. It's a good thing that Daddy-O hates the Slimmwich bread rounds with all the grains, nuts, twigs, and oat flakes on top because I couldn't buy any of those; all they had were PLAIN- much to father's liking but too bad for anyone else- and one package of Plain, which I snagged! I also looked for either Club or Townhouse crackers, the original flavor. Not garlic, not low sodium, not light butter, not wheat, not pretzel, not Flipz, not herb, but PLAIN BUTTER ORIGINALS. None. I even broke my cardinal rule and asked an associate (Oh Lord help us, but I didn't kill anyone!) but to no avail. The associate who helped me said she thought there were some on a display somewhere and she looked and called someone else to help her look but couldn't find any. None. But near the door, I found the display, AND the last box of crackers!!!!!!! (I have to giggle that they "lost" a whole display... guess that's the way the cracker crumbles! *I can hear you all groan, you know!*)
And in the category of "I'm an idiot"... I put on a gray shirt this morning but didn't like how it fit so I grabbed one of Mac's old t-shirts, that's bright BRIGHT green! Then I went grocery shopping and when I came out and caught sight of a bright green shirt reflection on the car window, I literally turned around and looked behind me for Mac. Then I looked down and saw the green was me... I was really surprised and went "hey, I'm wearing a green shirt!" Oh. my. goodness! No, I am not blond.
I get a phone call from ITSam that goes something like this:
him: "Hypothetically speaking, how do you clean up hand-cream that was in a tube that might have been on the floor and then might have been stepped on and say, hypothetically, shot out all over the carpet in a big oozing puddle glob?"
me: "Oh gross. Did you step in it too, hypothetically speaking?"
him: "nope, but the hypothetical carpet smells good. I scooped it up with cardboard. Do you want me to put it in a jar or baggie or something to keep it?"
So, a tube of my Bath and Body Hand Cream- gardenia scent- was on his bedroom floor and is now ON THE FLOOR and he wants to know if he should keep it for me? Ummm, I think not. I also want to say he took a picture of the mess and I was going to post it here but this blog is rated PG-13 (an occasional R thrown in)- not X! Ick! You really don't want to see that...
Finally, I know it was a 4 day weekend for me but I am so not ready to go back to school tomorrow. And I know that means I only have a 3 day school week but I still don't wanna go. I am SO lazy!
And that's it from here.
TMI?
Maggie
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Mismatched meme questions
1. Do you believe in Heaven?
Sometimes
2. Have you ever come close to dying?
no, not yet, thankfully!
3. What jewelery do you wear 24/7?
none
4. Would you ever consider having plastic surgery?
hells yah! If I could afford it, I'd have everything lifted, sucked, flattened, tightened and put back where nature had it before I had children and got fat
5. What do you wear to bed?
underwear and a t-shirt
6. Have you ever done anything illegal?
yes
7. Who was the last person that you touched?
ITSam
8. Where did you eat last?
In Daddy-O's dining room, eating the meal ITSam and I prepared which was dinner tonight, but the last meal out was McDonald's drive thru
9. Besides your own blog, are there any that you routinely read but never comment on?
yes
10. Ever been involved with the police?
yes... and the Secret Service
11. Do you talk in your sleep?
I don't think so
12. Now a celebrity fantasy. Who would you take on a ménage à trois for a dirty weekend?
Charlize Theron and Johnny Depp
13. Do you feel that you’ve had a truly successful life?
nope
14. Where do you wish you were?
somewhere else... where it's cool and where there's lots going on
15. Have you ever ridden in an ambulance?
no- thank goodness!
16. Is there any type of dancing that you love to do?
I just like dancing
17. Last gift you received?
pink shoes from Curley!
18. Last sport you played?
8th grade volleyball??????? No wait!!! I was in left outfield, for a 1/2 of an inning in an all night softball tournament- co ed- for charity in 2000
19. Last place you went on holiday?
Ireland and Milan, Italy in 2009
20. Current Song?
"firework" by Katy Perry but I like the Glee version, too
And it wouldn't be honour among thieves if I didn't say thanks to Sunday Stealing for this meme!
Sometimes
2. Have you ever come close to dying?
no, not yet, thankfully!
3. What jewelery do you wear 24/7?
none
4. Would you ever consider having plastic surgery?
hells yah! If I could afford it, I'd have everything lifted, sucked, flattened, tightened and put back where nature had it before I had children and got fat
5. What do you wear to bed?
underwear and a t-shirt
6. Have you ever done anything illegal?
yes
7. Who was the last person that you touched?
ITSam
8. Where did you eat last?
In Daddy-O's dining room, eating the meal ITSam and I prepared which was dinner tonight, but the last meal out was McDonald's drive thru
9. Besides your own blog, are there any that you routinely read but never comment on?
yes
10. Ever been involved with the police?
yes... and the Secret Service
11. Do you talk in your sleep?
I don't think so
12. Now a celebrity fantasy. Who would you take on a ménage à trois for a dirty weekend?
Charlize Theron and Johnny Depp
13. Do you feel that you’ve had a truly successful life?
nope
14. Where do you wish you were?
somewhere else... where it's cool and where there's lots going on
15. Have you ever ridden in an ambulance?
no- thank goodness!
16. Is there any type of dancing that you love to do?
I just like dancing
17. Last gift you received?
pink shoes from Curley!
18. Last sport you played?
8th grade volleyball??????? No wait!!! I was in left outfield, for a 1/2 of an inning in an all night softball tournament- co ed- for charity in 2000
19. Last place you went on holiday?
Ireland and Milan, Italy in 2009
20. Current Song?
"firework" by Katy Perry but I like the Glee version, too
And it wouldn't be honour among thieves if I didn't say thanks to Sunday Stealing for this meme!
Saturday, September 3, 2011
The Divine Ms K is da-voon on...
... her third birthday!!! Today she's 3, and it seems like time's flown. Instead of thinking of Mac's evil ways, this is a much better way to think of today, full of little girl happiness, butterfiles, rainbows, and sunshine!
Happy Birthday, baby girl!
hugs and kisses from your
Auntie Mags
hugs and kisses from your
Auntie Mags
Well, this is a disaster
So, Mac came home yesterday and it's been a disaster from the word go.
I got to the school at the appointed time and location and he wasn't there. I sent a text and waited. And waited. And waited. And then I called a couple times. Ten minutes later he finally called and said he didn't hear his phone and would be down "in a few minutes." I said it would've been nice if he paid attention to the time and could've been watching for me since his room over looks the parking lot. He then hung on me. Brat. So 5 more minutes go by and I call him again and ask what the problem is. Well, he said he was packing his stuff. I was so exasperated because he didn't have it done already since it was his plan to come home for 10 days- it was something that was NOT a last minute plan.
So he's talking to me on his mobile while he's on his way to the car and out the dorm door. He gets to the car and throws all his crap into the backseat and throw his wallet and ID and stuff into the front, then gives this big dramatic sigh and complains that the forms were gone that he was supposed to fill in to sign out for an overnight. I sent him back into find any RA or his RD to take care of it. He bitched about that and stormed off.
When he came back and we're pulling out of the parking space, he suddenly can't find his phone. Now, he had the stupid thing when he finally came down to the car the first time. So we go through the whole car- and I mean the whole car. We move every single thing and I even go through his laundry bag, item by item to see if he dropped it in there. No. We went through every single pocket of his backpack, checked under the car seats, floor mats, between the seats, I mean everywhere but still no phone. I ask if he's sure he didn't carry it back in when he went to fill out the form. He said he didn't think so "gawd, mom- I said I didn't! Jesus, don't you listen?" I told him to go look anyway. He did, muttering at me the whole way.
I checked the ground around the car, under the car, under the neighboring cars, and then I traced his path from the outside dorm door to the car. He was on the phone when he came out the dorm door and it was about 100 feet from the door to the car. It just was not there. He came out and said it wasn't anywhere inside. All he could figure was that he left it on the table where he filled out the form and now it was gone. He said someone either stole it or found it and will give it to him when he returns. He said some kid had $150 stolen from his dorm so it wouldn't surprise either us if it was stolen. Then he said "oh well, those things are cheap since it's a pay as you go phone. It was only $10 bucks."
That brought me up short because it was NOT just $10- it was a $60 phone and I paid for it. He said "oh well, I don't care." We never did find it.
Then on the drive home he proceed to tell me how much he hates the school. He LOVES this classes, his learning, the intellect, the classroom atmosphere- he loves the challenge and the learning. But he hates EVERYTHING else- it's too conservative, it's too Christian, it's too goody-goody, like everyone drank the Kool-Aid. He said everyone is bonding with each other but him- he said he's left out all the time and he thought college would be where he would meet people like him. He said he was just the weird kid there too, just like high school, because he said he's a liberal in a sea of conservatives and the kids judge him for it, right to his face. He said his roommate is the one who stole the money, he thinks, because he started buying new stuff the day after the money turned up missing. He said girls are superficial and think he's ugly. He said there he's the "fat kid" again, even though he's lost 60 pounds since January. He said I keep bitching at him to get a job but he said he's in class and chapel everyday until 1pm and then he said he has about 4 hours of studying each day and don't I understand that he has an intense class load and he needs to keep a 3.7 GPA and he can't work and study and I need to get off his back about it. The litany and list of venom just spewed on and on, one mile after another.
We get home and he chats amiably with his grandfather. Then he has to go to the doc for a physical and I suggest he tell the doc all the stuff he told me and he said he would. Meanwhile, the doc doesn't have a copy of his immunization records- it was never sent over from his pediatrician's office. So I had to call that office, speak to records, and then get Mac to sign a release form at the current doc. They then faxed it to the old doc and the old doc faxed the records. Which were incomplete- and no one knows why. So we had to call his high school and get a copy from them (in my state you have to prove current immunization upon entering HS). But the school can't release it over the phone- we were told we would have to go to the school and sign something. Which we couldn't do since it was 4pm on a Friday of a holiday weekend. Mac is obviously pissed and this is somehow my fault. Also, Mac had to give a urine sample but the lab was closed so they made him an appointment to come back and do it this coming Thursday. But he has classes so he thought I would just take the afternoon off work, drive 1 hour to get him, drive the hour back to doc to give the sample, drive him the hour back and then I could go home. And then come back and get him on Friday, the very next day, so he could come home for the weekend. That's not happening because I don't have the money to put in the gas tank for all that. Yeah, with the huge snit he was in, that went over "really" well--- not!
He was fine at dinner, just chatting, telling stories about school, and complaining.
After dinner he tried to reach friends on Facebook, since he didn't have his phone, and finally reached someone and he wanted some money- of his- that I had for him, but I didn't have it with me at that moment. So he threw a huge freaking fit about it, and said he wanted to go back to school at that moment. I said fine and started packing his crap in the car.
Then he said he was going out anyway and would leave tomorrow. I tried to talk to him reasonably and he was being a turd- I'll spare you the nasty details. Then he "sort of" calmed down and we talked until we could be "sort of" civil to each other.
He's going home today, in about an hour.
This sucked. I was so looking forward to him being here and I got foods he likes and rented movies he wanted to see. He and I had talked about it all week and then "bam" yesterday he became the King of Mean and here we are.
I'm so pissed and sad that at this point, I just don't care.
I thought it would be easier once he was at school. Boy, was I an idiot.
Maggie
I got to the school at the appointed time and location and he wasn't there. I sent a text and waited. And waited. And waited. And then I called a couple times. Ten minutes later he finally called and said he didn't hear his phone and would be down "in a few minutes." I said it would've been nice if he paid attention to the time and could've been watching for me since his room over looks the parking lot. He then hung on me. Brat. So 5 more minutes go by and I call him again and ask what the problem is. Well, he said he was packing his stuff. I was so exasperated because he didn't have it done already since it was his plan to come home for 10 days- it was something that was NOT a last minute plan.
So he's talking to me on his mobile while he's on his way to the car and out the dorm door. He gets to the car and throws all his crap into the backseat and throw his wallet and ID and stuff into the front, then gives this big dramatic sigh and complains that the forms were gone that he was supposed to fill in to sign out for an overnight. I sent him back into find any RA or his RD to take care of it. He bitched about that and stormed off.
When he came back and we're pulling out of the parking space, he suddenly can't find his phone. Now, he had the stupid thing when he finally came down to the car the first time. So we go through the whole car- and I mean the whole car. We move every single thing and I even go through his laundry bag, item by item to see if he dropped it in there. No. We went through every single pocket of his backpack, checked under the car seats, floor mats, between the seats, I mean everywhere but still no phone. I ask if he's sure he didn't carry it back in when he went to fill out the form. He said he didn't think so "gawd, mom- I said I didn't! Jesus, don't you listen?" I told him to go look anyway. He did, muttering at me the whole way.
I checked the ground around the car, under the car, under the neighboring cars, and then I traced his path from the outside dorm door to the car. He was on the phone when he came out the dorm door and it was about 100 feet from the door to the car. It just was not there. He came out and said it wasn't anywhere inside. All he could figure was that he left it on the table where he filled out the form and now it was gone. He said someone either stole it or found it and will give it to him when he returns. He said some kid had $150 stolen from his dorm so it wouldn't surprise either us if it was stolen. Then he said "oh well, those things are cheap since it's a pay as you go phone. It was only $10 bucks."
That brought me up short because it was NOT just $10- it was a $60 phone and I paid for it. He said "oh well, I don't care." We never did find it.
Then on the drive home he proceed to tell me how much he hates the school. He LOVES this classes, his learning, the intellect, the classroom atmosphere- he loves the challenge and the learning. But he hates EVERYTHING else- it's too conservative, it's too Christian, it's too goody-goody, like everyone drank the Kool-Aid. He said everyone is bonding with each other but him- he said he's left out all the time and he thought college would be where he would meet people like him. He said he was just the weird kid there too, just like high school, because he said he's a liberal in a sea of conservatives and the kids judge him for it, right to his face. He said his roommate is the one who stole the money, he thinks, because he started buying new stuff the day after the money turned up missing. He said girls are superficial and think he's ugly. He said there he's the "fat kid" again, even though he's lost 60 pounds since January. He said I keep bitching at him to get a job but he said he's in class and chapel everyday until 1pm and then he said he has about 4 hours of studying each day and don't I understand that he has an intense class load and he needs to keep a 3.7 GPA and he can't work and study and I need to get off his back about it. The litany and list of venom just spewed on and on, one mile after another.
We get home and he chats amiably with his grandfather. Then he has to go to the doc for a physical and I suggest he tell the doc all the stuff he told me and he said he would. Meanwhile, the doc doesn't have a copy of his immunization records- it was never sent over from his pediatrician's office. So I had to call that office, speak to records, and then get Mac to sign a release form at the current doc. They then faxed it to the old doc and the old doc faxed the records. Which were incomplete- and no one knows why. So we had to call his high school and get a copy from them (in my state you have to prove current immunization upon entering HS). But the school can't release it over the phone- we were told we would have to go to the school and sign something. Which we couldn't do since it was 4pm on a Friday of a holiday weekend. Mac is obviously pissed and this is somehow my fault. Also, Mac had to give a urine sample but the lab was closed so they made him an appointment to come back and do it this coming Thursday. But he has classes so he thought I would just take the afternoon off work, drive 1 hour to get him, drive the hour back to doc to give the sample, drive him the hour back and then I could go home. And then come back and get him on Friday, the very next day, so he could come home for the weekend. That's not happening because I don't have the money to put in the gas tank for all that. Yeah, with the huge snit he was in, that went over "really" well--- not!
He was fine at dinner, just chatting, telling stories about school, and complaining.
After dinner he tried to reach friends on Facebook, since he didn't have his phone, and finally reached someone and he wanted some money- of his- that I had for him, but I didn't have it with me at that moment. So he threw a huge freaking fit about it, and said he wanted to go back to school at that moment. I said fine and started packing his crap in the car.
Then he said he was going out anyway and would leave tomorrow. I tried to talk to him reasonably and he was being a turd- I'll spare you the nasty details. Then he "sort of" calmed down and we talked until we could be "sort of" civil to each other.
He's going home today, in about an hour.
This sucked. I was so looking forward to him being here and I got foods he likes and rented movies he wanted to see. He and I had talked about it all week and then "bam" yesterday he became the King of Mean and here we are.
I'm so pissed and sad that at this point, I just don't care.
I thought it would be easier once he was at school. Boy, was I an idiot.
Maggie
Friday, September 2, 2011
Random Musings. For today.
If you want to drop by my house and choke or drop dead, that's okay. I'm officially re-certified, officially, in CPR and the Heimlich maneuver. I'm also certified in First Aid but let me tell you, that's not my strong point. I'd be good at keeping you calm and calling EMS. If you're bleeding or worse, I'm not really successful. Blood makes me faint. I'm more useful if I know my limits than if I become a victim, too. So, come on over!
TGIT- Thank God It's Thursday. Since we have a 4 day school week, this is my Friday. And I am so ready for it; it's been a really long week. Though, I wonder, psychologically about this. Since I know it was the end of the week, could I have persevered on to one more day or would today have been my limit and I would've had to take a mental health day tomorrow if we were a 5 day week? Who knows? Who cares? What matters here is that I get a FOUR day, paid weekend. Booyah!
Since I work at a primarily Christian institution, the idea of Thirsty Thursdays don't work with colleagues. Or at least not how I'm used to organizing it... damn.
I'm totally excited that season 4 of Mad Men is now on Netflix! Booyah!
I don't usually watch much television but I'm excited about the start of the new fall season: House, Mad Men, The Big Bang Theory, Criminal Minds, and Mike & Molly. None of these are new shows but I like them all the same. And from the few trailers I've seen of new shows... well, I'm not impressed nor excited about new stuff.
I'm totally excited about the NEW magazines I ordered for the school library. I tried to diversify and not take my own personal needs into account. We're getting Game Informer, Entertainment Weekly, Taste of Home, Wired, Teen Vogue, In Style, Newsweek, Popular Science, and Cicada! These are gonna be awesome. I guess the library has had the same old mags for about 4 years so I'm mixing it up a little bit!
Sometimes nothing beats a McDonald's Sweet Tea. However, I was thinking that orange juice, pineapple juice, frozen peaches, peach schnapps, and Malibu Rum, all blended together and poured into a cold glass with a sugared rim! That might beat a Sweet Tea!
Mac is coming home for the long holiday weekend. Only, he has classes on Monday so for him it's not long. But he's coming home anyway. And I'm glad. I think. Remind me I said that later, if necessary.
And finally, I don't have to work at all the next four days. Except laundry.
Booyah,
Maggie O
TGIT- Thank God It's Thursday. Since we have a 4 day school week, this is my Friday. And I am so ready for it; it's been a really long week. Though, I wonder, psychologically about this. Since I know it was the end of the week, could I have persevered on to one more day or would today have been my limit and I would've had to take a mental health day tomorrow if we were a 5 day week? Who knows? Who cares? What matters here is that I get a FOUR day, paid weekend. Booyah!
Since I work at a primarily Christian institution, the idea of Thirsty Thursdays don't work with colleagues. Or at least not how I'm used to organizing it... damn.
I'm totally excited that season 4 of Mad Men is now on Netflix! Booyah!
I don't usually watch much television but I'm excited about the start of the new fall season: House, Mad Men, The Big Bang Theory, Criminal Minds, and Mike & Molly. None of these are new shows but I like them all the same. And from the few trailers I've seen of new shows... well, I'm not impressed nor excited about new stuff.
I'm totally excited about the NEW magazines I ordered for the school library. I tried to diversify and not take my own personal needs into account. We're getting Game Informer, Entertainment Weekly, Taste of Home, Wired, Teen Vogue, In Style, Newsweek, Popular Science, and Cicada! These are gonna be awesome. I guess the library has had the same old mags for about 4 years so I'm mixing it up a little bit!
Sometimes nothing beats a McDonald's Sweet Tea. However, I was thinking that orange juice, pineapple juice, frozen peaches, peach schnapps, and Malibu Rum, all blended together and poured into a cold glass with a sugared rim! That might beat a Sweet Tea!
Mac is coming home for the long holiday weekend. Only, he has classes on Monday so for him it's not long. But he's coming home anyway. And I'm glad. I think. Remind me I said that later, if necessary.
And finally, I don't have to work at all the next four days. Except laundry.
Booyah,
Maggie O
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Damn the DMV
In my recent old age, I try to remind myself to "be calm and carry on" and to "not sweat the small stuff & it's all small stuff." I might rant and rave here and to friends and family but when handling a situation in reality I try to be calm and adult. Most of the time I succeed in this quest for anger management.
Sometimes I fail.
When Mac got his driver's license he was still living at the Sperm Donor's house so that's the address we put on the license.
Mac didn't get a summer job so he never opened a bank account. And--- he wouldn't have any pay stubs either. I'm just pointing this out now- think of it as foreshadowing.
Mac went to open a bank account at a nation bank chain. He was 18 so he went alone. He filled out all the paperwork and the teller asked of ID. His license didn't match his forms so she told him he had to have ID with the proper address. I don't know why, nor do I care.
We decided to just go to the DMV and get his licensed changed. I went on the web site which has to be the least user friendly web site in all history of web sites, to see what documentation he needed. I couldn't find it there so I called and after being on hold for 12 MINUTES, the woman said he would need a piece of mail with his address on it.
So, last Friday, I went up to Mac's college to see him and out plan was to go out to lunch, then to the DMV to change the license and then to open the bank account.
We arrive at the location to find they moved. Across town. About 8 miles. In a town where I'm not familiar with locations of stuff. The GPS rerouted us and we arrived.
We take our number and get called.
Mac tells the woman he wants to change his license. This is where things went severely wrong.
He provides his old license and his acceptance letter from the College, and his Social Security Card. SHE tells him that won't work. They talk. He says, loudly, "Are you kidding me?" He beckons me over.
She tells me the mail isn't a US Attorney approved piece of mail and it will not suffice. And he needs 2 pieces of mail with the address, not just one. I calmly say that I called and was not told we needed 2 nor that there was criteria for the type of mail. She said I should've looked at the web site.
I told her I spent time on the web site and since it was not user friendly I called instead. She told me it was there and I should look.
I said that since I was already there, maybe she could just tell me what we needed. She said it was on the web site.
I told her to pretend I didn't have a computer and to give me the list. Mac has steam rolling out his ears and I hear him muttering under his breath- lots of bad words.
I look at the list and Mac could use things like bank statements, a pay check stub, a Passport, a mortgage or auto loan documentation, a deed to a house, something to do with being a veteran, or utility bills.
I took a deep breath and told her he just turned 18 in April and didn't have any of these things, and did she have another option. She asked why someone his age didn't have a bank account. Mac said "because I need a correct driver's license address, lady!"
I explained the bank's policy and said that was the reason we were here. She said she didn't have to do that when she got a bank account. OMG!
I swear Mac is snorting like a bull, ready to just explode. I'm taking deep soothing breaths, because I know if I loose it that will be the signal to Mac that he can as well--- which would be very, very bad.
I nicely tell her he has nothing on the list and I nicely ask if there is an alternative.
She said we could provide a copy of his transcripts. Okay, I think, cool. We can call his old high school or hit the admissions office and come back. But- no! Miss Helpful Pants then says it has to be an official transcript and with a letter. You. have. got. to. be. kidding. me.
I'd like to say we just walked out and that the stupid ended there, but no. I wasn't that smart to just give up, go to a different bank and lie about Mac's address.
I said that since I was his mother, could I sign something? Well, sure, as long as I could provide 5 forms of ID. I am NOT exaggerating.
Because I would be verifying his identity, I would need to prove mine. For me to do this, I would need to provide 2 forms of photo ID, one of them being my driver's license with my correct address, she snidely pointed out, that bitch. Then I would need a Passport, an original copy of MY birth certificate and then 2 items from the list she gave Mac. And I would need an original copy of Mac's birth certificate, his old license, and his Social Security Card.
Mac lost it. He started raving, and yes, raving is the only word that will work here, he was RAVING about the idiocy of bureaucracy, the stupidity of the government, why the US is in such pathetic shape, and something about health care reform. He also told her she was an "imbecilic , heartless, government drone" who could kiss his ass.
I didn't need to say what I was thinking- I just hustled him out before we were arrested.
Let's just say we still have no correct license and Mac still doesn't have a bank account. That's okay, he still doesn't have a job anyway. (Oh and about the bank... the branch of the bank he wanted to open his account in closed and is no longer in his college town! Go figure that one!)
We did have a good lunch...
Need I say more?
Maggie
Sometimes I fail.
When Mac got his driver's license he was still living at the Sperm Donor's house so that's the address we put on the license.
Mac didn't get a summer job so he never opened a bank account. And--- he wouldn't have any pay stubs either. I'm just pointing this out now- think of it as foreshadowing.
Mac went to open a bank account at a nation bank chain. He was 18 so he went alone. He filled out all the paperwork and the teller asked of ID. His license didn't match his forms so she told him he had to have ID with the proper address. I don't know why, nor do I care.
We decided to just go to the DMV and get his licensed changed. I went on the web site which has to be the least user friendly web site in all history of web sites, to see what documentation he needed. I couldn't find it there so I called and after being on hold for 12 MINUTES, the woman said he would need a piece of mail with his address on it.
So, last Friday, I went up to Mac's college to see him and out plan was to go out to lunch, then to the DMV to change the license and then to open the bank account.
We arrive at the location to find they moved. Across town. About 8 miles. In a town where I'm not familiar with locations of stuff. The GPS rerouted us and we arrived.
We take our number and get called.
Mac tells the woman he wants to change his license. This is where things went severely wrong.
He provides his old license and his acceptance letter from the College, and his Social Security Card. SHE tells him that won't work. They talk. He says, loudly, "Are you kidding me?" He beckons me over.
She tells me the mail isn't a US Attorney approved piece of mail and it will not suffice. And he needs 2 pieces of mail with the address, not just one. I calmly say that I called and was not told we needed 2 nor that there was criteria for the type of mail. She said I should've looked at the web site.
I told her I spent time on the web site and since it was not user friendly I called instead. She told me it was there and I should look.
I said that since I was already there, maybe she could just tell me what we needed. She said it was on the web site.
I told her to pretend I didn't have a computer and to give me the list. Mac has steam rolling out his ears and I hear him muttering under his breath- lots of bad words.
I look at the list and Mac could use things like bank statements, a pay check stub, a Passport, a mortgage or auto loan documentation, a deed to a house, something to do with being a veteran, or utility bills.
I took a deep breath and told her he just turned 18 in April and didn't have any of these things, and did she have another option. She asked why someone his age didn't have a bank account. Mac said "because I need a correct driver's license address, lady!"
I explained the bank's policy and said that was the reason we were here. She said she didn't have to do that when she got a bank account. OMG!
I swear Mac is snorting like a bull, ready to just explode. I'm taking deep soothing breaths, because I know if I loose it that will be the signal to Mac that he can as well--- which would be very, very bad.
I nicely tell her he has nothing on the list and I nicely ask if there is an alternative.
She said we could provide a copy of his transcripts. Okay, I think, cool. We can call his old high school or hit the admissions office and come back. But- no! Miss Helpful Pants then says it has to be an official transcript and with a letter. You. have. got. to. be. kidding. me.
I'd like to say we just walked out and that the stupid ended there, but no. I wasn't that smart to just give up, go to a different bank and lie about Mac's address.
I said that since I was his mother, could I sign something? Well, sure, as long as I could provide 5 forms of ID. I am NOT exaggerating.
Because I would be verifying his identity, I would need to prove mine. For me to do this, I would need to provide 2 forms of photo ID, one of them being my driver's license with my correct address, she snidely pointed out, that bitch. Then I would need a Passport, an original copy of MY birth certificate and then 2 items from the list she gave Mac. And I would need an original copy of Mac's birth certificate, his old license, and his Social Security Card.
Mac lost it. He started raving, and yes, raving is the only word that will work here, he was RAVING about the idiocy of bureaucracy, the stupidity of the government, why the US is in such pathetic shape, and something about health care reform. He also told her she was an "imbecilic , heartless, government drone" who could kiss his ass.
I didn't need to say what I was thinking- I just hustled him out before we were arrested.
Let's just say we still have no correct license and Mac still doesn't have a bank account. That's okay, he still doesn't have a job anyway. (Oh and about the bank... the branch of the bank he wanted to open his account in closed and is no longer in his college town! Go figure that one!)
We did have a good lunch...
Need I say more?
Maggie
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