The George Banks Special

I saw a commercial on TV this afternoon for Oscar Mayer hotdogs. They are now packaging dogs and buns together! And they are called "Fast Franks". hehehe
http://www.meatnews.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=article&artNum=11782

[I have temporarily forgotten how to make a link]

So, now all you people can think about how it will feel when your kids say, "Gee, Mom (or Dad), you mean they used to package hotdogs and buns separately??? That's stupid!"

And you will say, "Yes, dear, I was born before people could do hardly anything, but our generation has applied itself to excellence! You should follow our example."

And speaking of George Banks . . . and franks . . . Kitty recently called and told us David got married in May - poolside at the bride's home in Cleburne, Texas. Kitty said the only thing that was missing was Fraahnk.

Julia, I'm sorry. This is all I can think of to blog at the moment. I'm trying real hard to update at least weekly.

it's a dry heat

I am such a sissy about hot weather. I can step out my office and immediately know if it is over 100 degrees. It is like everything is in a blue haze – you know – like those wavey desert scenes with a mirage in the distance.

My oldest daughter was born in 1980, and has probably heard me tell about it being the hottest summer on record in Arkansas. That is not an exaggeration or just an over-active imagination. I just did a little searching, and found the hottest day ON RECORD for the last 7 days was in 1980. The best I recall, it was above 100 for something like 21 days in a row. I’ll try to find that newspaper headline and scan it for a future blog.

Here is the tally for the last week – Little Rock style:
2006 Record High
July 18 - 101 108 (1980)
July 17 - 100 109 (1980)
July 16 - 99 108 (1980)
July 15 - 98 107 (1980)
July 14 - 101 108 (1980)
July 13 - 96 108 (1980)
July 12 - 98 106 (1980)
July 11 - 96 106 (1930)

(sorry the spacing and tabs didn't work)

Fashion

You ain't got a thing if you ain't got that bling!

I have often wished I had kept a “fashion journal” over the years. Mostly as a reminder to myself that I can have a happy, fulfilled existence without wearing something just because “somebody” “somewhere” decided it was “fashionable”.

I am not obsessed with fashion but I also try not to be a fashion rebel (i.e. wearing something just for shock value). I might be considered completely UN-fashionable by a vast number of people. But I DO try to keep up with current styles and trends, even if I do not wear them myself.

I have a mirror at my house. Sometimes it tells me that a style or item of clothing just is not – um, er… “best” for me. That does not mean I have never been seen in unflattering garments. It might simply mean, on that particular shopping day, given the choices, I preferred a green v-neck knit with ¾ sleeves instead of a gorgeous eggplant silk blouse that was sleeveless and plunged to my navel.

Currently, I am observing that the “must-have” fashion statement seems to be bling. Accessories. Jewelry. Like a department store fell on you, as I once heard it phrased. Some of the jewelry I see on one person would stock 2 or 3 modest jewelry counters. One of my co-workers was recently seen wearing 3 necklaces, a pair of long, dangly earrings, rings on 6 fingers (more than one ring on most of the fingers), 2 ankle bracelets (with nylon stockings), 4 arm bracelets of various descriptions, fake nails, a hair doo-dad, a beaded blouse, and one of those monstrous blue-tooth ear-phones (bright pink, thank you). Yes, all at the same time. Incredibly, no piercings or tats were visible. Whew.

All I could think of was this: I remember back in the 1960’s when I was a young teen and trying very hard to do and be and wear “what was right” (because that was what decent people did back then). One of the fashion magazines (probably Glamour or Seventeen) came out with this point-system for checking yourself before leaving the house. Every garment or accessory counted a certain number of points and you were under-accessorized if you did not have on at least – let’s say – 15 points. But you should remove a piece or a few if you went over 20 points. The details are pretty foggy in my memory now, but it has been a rough bench-mark for me all these years. Funny how something so minor can color your thinking for a lifetime. True of many things, I am sure.

For your amusement I shall try to recapture what I remember. BTW, this has nothing to do with white shoes only between Easter and Labor Day.

Casual blouse or shirt in solid color – 1 point
Blouse or shirt with pattern (plaid, print, texture like corduroy, etc.) – 2 points
Dressy blouse or shirt with extra detail (like cut-outs, ruffles, sequins, etc.) – 3 points
Jacket, vest, shawl (or other layered effect) – 2 points
Casual skirt (solid color) – 1 point
Patterned skirt – 2 points
Dressy skirt with detail – 3 points
Plain shoes (solid color) – 1 point
Shoes with detail or contrast color top-stitching – 2 points
Solid color heels – 3 points
Heels with extra detail – 4 points
Purse (solid color) – 1 point
Purse (with detail or contrast stitching) – 2 points
Ring (simple bands) – 1 point
Ring with stones or jewels – 2 points
Simple necklace (something conservative like a strand of pearls or gold) – 1 point
Necklace with jewels – 2 points
Earrings – 1-2 points (depending on elaborateness)
Bracelets – 1-2 points (as above)
Socks or anklets (plain) – 1 point
Socks with pattern – 2 points
Nylon stockings – 3 points
Glasses (plain) – 1 point
Glasses (decorated or “fancy”) – 2 points
Belt (plain, solid color) – 1 point
Belt with detail – 2 points
Hair accessories – 1-2 points (depending on elaborateness)
Pins, brooches or other jewelry – 1-2 points (depending on elaborateness)
Any garment with decorated buttons counted 1 point extra (or 2 points if buttons were rhinestones)

Of course, nobody but men wore pants back then (jeans the only exception). And the top piece was a “blouse” not a “shirt”. A dress counted as a top and bottom piece, so a 2-point minimum for a basic dress.

Today, I don’t know how the "official" point-system would handle such things as sequined tee-shirts and flip-flops. High-heeled flip-flops. Body art – piercings, tattoos, lacquered and jeweled 2” fake nails. Layered tee-shirts – just count ‘em all, I guess. Bare bellies. There should be like a 5-point penalty for wearing anything that looks just plain stupid. Goucho pants on most people (IMHO). The mobile phone ear thingy. How anyone can think that looks cool is beyond me – considering how self-conscious people have always been about wearing hearing aids! There is a multitude of things I could list here, but I am sure you could easily make your own list of “favorite fashions to hate”.

Go! Make your list!

P.S. Send your list to my comments!

Games & Problem-solving

This is sort of Palm/PDA related, sort of “life” related. Every day I check several websites that update me on news about Palm, smartphone and PDA development and software. It seems the overwhelming majority of new software is GAMES. I don’t get it. First off, I guess I am at a time in my life when I want to be more productive – not less productive. Secondly, I can’t resist the thought that if people spent as much time problem-solving in their own life as they spend on-line or on an X-BOX, their lives would not be in such a mess. I am not completely discounting the entertainment value of any toy or game; I guess I am just advocating BALANCE – in all things. Which has pretty much been my motto since I knew what “motto” meant, and that I could adopt one as my own.

Entertainment has value. It provides relaxation and diversion from stress or boredom, to be certain. But there is something in me that screams, “Take a life situation (problem) and make the solving of it a game. Twirl it around in your mind. Try on the different scenarios. Consider the possible outcomes. Take control of your own life-decisions.”

Some months ago I read a blog of a woman ranting about her husband’s incessant use of the internet – how he was literally addicted to it. She was very tired of coming home after a day at work, then fixing dinner, fetching kids here and yon, trying to keep a semblance of order in her home (laundry, groceries, lunches, social obligations, etc.) while her husband spent the entire evening (every evening) surfing. Her summation was, “Can we get some productivity here?”

Good advice for us all. Problem-solving. GOOD STUFF!

storms

Well, I love a good thunderstorm as much as anybody, but we had a couple roll through last week that did some damage. Soaking rains and a bit of wind brought down this huge old tree, which smashed this car in Priscilla’s neighborhood, on my route to work.

dirt simple

I have been reading through some of the very thought-provoking essays by PJE (link added today). I have only read a few of the posts, but have found each one more than I can get my mind around in one read-thru.

Take a look around the site, and read one or two. I would suggest starting with "The Multiple Self" (which has nothing to do with schizophrenia), or "Zen and the Art of DIY Brain Surgery" (just scroll down a bit - to March 25). Interesting. Very interesting. Good stuff, that.

Manager Tip #2 / STAFF MEETINGS 101

1. Staff meetings should have a purpose. As the leader, you are in charge of the agenda. Refer back to Manager Tip #1.
2. If you can’t think of anything to present or discuss at a staff meeting, you should consider cancelling the meeting until you come up with a plan. It would be considerate to let people know BEFORE the meeting that it is cancelled.
3. Once you have an agenda, schedule the TIME and PLACE.
4. Give advance notice to everyone you want in attendance. Don’t be afraid to send reminders until a routine is established. Simple details.

Manager Tip #1

If you are the leader … LEAD!
Don’t look around the table as if to ask, “who wants to volunteer?” At least tell people what they are volunteering for!

More tips coming soon.

"Honk if you know me"

Bumper sticker seen on the way to work this morning. It should be my driving motto.

When people honk at me while driving, I just wave. Well, sometimes I smile real big and slow down too. And it always makes me think of the guy who was at a stoplight one day, and someone behind beeped him when the light turned green. He got out and opened his hood. No, everything was fine, he just wanted to annoy the driver behind. Also reminds me of the guy who actually put his car in reverse and tapped the guy behind and then drove off.

I am not very impressed with people who honk at other drivers. The car ahead of me does not always go on a green light as soon as I think they should. I DON'T HONK.

If I turn right on red and almost get hit by a car that has the right of way I DON'T HONK - like it was their fault!

If I change lanes to avoid hitting someone who pulled out in front of me I DON'T HONK. And when they change lanes again to cut me off - I DON'T HONK.

You get the prize if you suspect these scenarios are not fictional. And my response?

"Don't get mad, just wave!" I'm still driving the coolest car on the road!

CASTING A LONG SHADOW

I don't know why it fascinated me to take this photo across the ravine. My shadow is falling perhaps 100 feet from where i am standing.

What a beautiful day for a drive. I made a little run to Branson to do some spring shopping. I was planning to photograph the masses of redbud trees in bloom, but it got dark before I got that far south. Yes, I could have taken the photos on the way UP to Branson (earlier in the day) but I was rather in a hurry to get to Branson before the stores closed! Quite a day-trip when you don't leave town until after noon. hehe I won't go into the details that required two trips in one weekend ;)

After sunset I watched a thunderhead build in the south sky as i headed back to Little Rock. It was an awesome panoramic display, with the lightening bouncing back and forth across the sky, almost like an echo. It seems this is the storm that moved through central Arkansas to do considerable damage in Tennessee later in the night.


the road to Branson ... where i lost my hat :(






... bright spot in a drab landscape ...


Spring is here.

random thoughts

One of my blog readers told me i don't update my posts frequently enough.

Believe me, it is not for lack of things on my mind to write about. My thoughts are a whirl as i drive to work and back each day. As I wash dishes, shower, lie awake in the night. Then I sit at my desk, and it is just too overwhelming.

Work is stacked high all around me, and my thoughts keep pounding. Sometimes I have to write them down just to make them feel more manageable. That is what drives people to journal, I suppose. The need to make thoughts seem more orderly.

But it doesn't really help.

more Thai thoughts and photos

too many highlights to feature them all, but here's trying ...

Doi Suthep temple plaza and buddhist pagoda


over 300 steps up to the temple plaza at Doi Suthep




Thai boxing ... Steve will have to tell you all about that!




Not a very clear picture, but the homemade apple pie and ice cream made the trip in excellent shape. Frozen solid when we arrived. It actually took a couple of days to thaw!

AC around the world

Adding to my "collection" of AC in wet cement. This is my first international graffiti - or autograph - or whatever you call it.

Corner of Chang Moi, Soi 3
(Chang Moi Street, Lane 3)
Chiang Mai, Thailand

somtam and sticky rice

Just one of the many treats we experienced in a beautiful country.
Nicole says she does not like it, but I thought it was quite tasty!
Kinda spicy like slaw but you eat it with your hands.
Shredded (chopped) green papaya, peppers, fish sauce, tomatoes, topped with chopped peanuts ...
Interesting, I must say. But, yes, good.

Thailand highlights (so far)

I had to take a break from walking yesterday afternoon. While I sat at a window counter at Starbuck's I was watching these workmen tear up a sidewalk while people just kept walking by. In the U.S., this whole side of the street would have been closed to walking and driving traffic.



We are pretty sure this would not be OSHA approved =)

no hardhats
no safety glasses
no orange traffic cones
no signage saying "walk on other side of street"

gloves? who needs 'em?

steel-toed shoes? - are you kidding? at least they are not flip-flops





Steph joined us for dinner Saturday night...

J bargaining for price of the songtau (taxi) ride. You would be so impressed with her command of the language after just 6 months!

Shopping at "walking street market" Sunday evening...


Dad getting measured for a new suit.

almost February already?

This blog seems to have fallen on hard times. The holidays fell into the history books and here we are at the end of January. I have been so preoccupied with work and getting ready for an office relocation, trying to get a bit more exercise, and preparing for this trip in February - I've hardly had time to THINK of what I might blog if I had the time.

I intended to post pictures of the trip to Monte Ne (was it three weeks ago?) and the submerged ruins which have been revealed by the recent drought. Alas, they are still in the camera. I have done a little knitting. Almost finished with the navy socks. I plan to wear them on the trip to Thailand.

Madonna

I meant to blog this before Christmas, but I will go ahead with it now…

When Virginia was a wee girl, we were looking at Christmas cards and admiring the scenes. One of the cards was a print from a classical artist, and (as she was always keen on naming her own art creations) I informed her it was called “Madonna and Child”.

Her obvious question (at least to a child): “Why don’t they call her by her real name?”

Democrats are whiney brats.

This is really not a name-calling fest. I don’t feel a need to label people. This is about a favorite podcast to which I listen. It discusses a topic I am intensely interested in, but the ‘caster CANNOT seem to leave her personal politics out of it. Very well, I shall at least vent my spleen on my own blog rather than clutter up her tiny mind (and bandwidth) with my comments. Perhaps this is the problem with us “conservatives”. We are too polite. We are content to live our lives without abrasively intruding upon others. =)

Today’s edition of the podcast was ever so pleasant until the final 5 minutes when the ‘caster went into a mini-tirade about how people might be interested to know that all the media does not agree with FOX network and Rush Limbaugh (!) and she (the ‘caster) will be providing a service to all mankind by linking some liberal media websites to her podcast homepage.

Indeed?

It is infinitely amusing to me that liberals are all about tolerance and acceptance - - - as long as they are in the majority. (“Let’s not discuss politics – unless you agree with me!”) Yet, when they feel a bit “out of control” (threatened?) they resort to childish whining. I refer to the buttons, bumper-stickers, etc. that shout “Knitters against Bush”, "Don't Blame Me, I voted for X", and other lame slogans. By contrast, there are plenty of people in Arkansas who can’t stand to hear the name Bxxx Cxxxxxx, yet I don’t remember a single group calling itself “Little Rockers against Clinton”. Although it is not a bad idea. If anyone feels the need to organize such a group, I give permission to use the slogan. =)

I think one reason FOX and Rush are so popular is because people with views not voiced by the major news media are refreshed by the fact that ANYONE agrees with them after being constantly bombarded (i.e. brainwashed) with liberal ideas for forty-plus years. Those with conservative views are belittled and criticized to the point of literally being told they (we) are less intelligent and somewhat naïve to believe such fairytales. If that is not intolerance, I don’t know what is.

This just goes to prove, dear liberal thinkers, that no matter how loudly or how often you say it, it does not make it true. Now, back to my knitting and your regularly scheduled program...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

To: Julia

Remember last Christmas?




No snow this Christmas. But we had a cozy fire,




and a tree and table with all the Christmas trimmings.

What's missing???

U!!!!!

Merry Christmas to all
and to all a good night!

Julia, we miss you more than words can say.

MOMOXOXOXOXOX

P.S. I love my earrings. But I love you more.

Sesame Treats

“Two different worlds we live in …”

Does anyone else remember that song? It has been running in my head all morning. No, actually for almost a year now. Cultures are certainly different. My supervisor (of Indian nationality) left some candy and treats on a tray in the break/copy/fax/mailroom last Friday, and can’t understand why they are not all gone! I know you are probably wondering the same thing. Why hasn’t anyone eaten all the yummy little unwrapped, sesame-coated, whatcha-ma-call-its?

Even more of a puzzle is, why didn’t the mice that inhabit our “modular office” (AKA trailer) have a nibble over the weekend or overnight? The little snacks were left out all weekend - - - uncovered. Oh, wait. Are those poppy seeds? Er, no.

OK. It’s Tuesday. I’ve taken it upon myself to make one magically disappear each time I enter the copy/fax room until they are all gone. I’ll let someone else take care of the Swiss Miss. Perhaps there ARE people who actually like sugar-free instant cocoa. At least more than like naked sesame whatcha-ma-call-its of unknown origin. The face of a kid’s first taste of Brussels sprouts is very vivid in my mind right now, and I’m trying not to make it myself!!! ~~~ shiver ~~~