Telling it like I see it
so don't ask if you don't want to know
After a crappy week…
Oct 12th
I had a really good day.
First I got my new mattress. FedEx guy scared the crap out of me but luckily Max showed up just in time to help open it and set it up. It’s the first new mattress I’ve had since I dunno when. The one I had was bought for Brittany when she moved in with us when she was 12. And tomorrow she’s 24 so there ya go. Can’t wait to put clean sheet on it and sleep. It’s one of those memory foam mattresses so I’ll let you know how it goes.
Soon.
Anyway, tonight I went with my friend Dani to dinner and to see Bill Engvall. Laughed my ass off. Great night!
Tomorrow is a TechPHX meeting then a BBQ with friends. Then we’re all going to the Torch Theater to watch more friends do improv.
See? Things are looking up.
Crappy week you ask?
Well shit. It’s all about the money… or lack thereof. So I mentally budgeted for this stupid mattress thinking yay-no-car-payment and completely forgetting I’m under this signature loan. It’s usually a pretty good deal – if you pay it off right away – but this time I borrowed too much (half went to one of the kids in dire straits) and I haven’t been able to pay it off. Oh well, my poor choice.
And due to circumstances beyond their control, my children can’t seem to pay me the money they owe me.
So things are tight. But I’ll manage. It just makes me cranky.
And I’m hoping I win a car in this contest I entered.
Think positive. Think positive. Think positive.
Riiiiiiight.
Creepy toy
Sep 30th
Kira brought this thing over a couple of months ago. She tried to tell me it was a broken clock but isn’t she cute! It’s head rattles! Well, at first it ended up in the bedroom somewhere but eventually (as most of her things tend to do) appeared one day in the living room.
That’s when we discovered that the little panel on the bottom is a solar panel. The little fucking thing is a bobble-head and it rocks gently back and forth when it’s in the daylight. Neat, right?
Except I never know where it’s going to end up around here. Sometimes it’s on the windowsill, sometimes it’s on the TV stand, but it always catches me off guard. I’ll catch movement out of the corner of my eye and this creepy little doll is just wagging her creepy little head at me.
Like right now.
If the little fucker played creepy music too I’d throw it in the trash, but she loves it so I’ll just play along.
Regarding Entitled Attitudes
Sep 26th
Today I’m going to chat about food stamps, or rather nowadays you get a debit card. So you get a Presidential candidate says shit like this:
“There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what. All right, there are 47 percent who are with him, who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you-name-it — that that’s an entitlement. And the government should give it to them. And they will vote for this president no matter what. … These are people who pay no income tax. … [M]y job is not to worry about those people. I’ll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives.”
List
en Fucktard, look into the eyes of a hungry 5-year-old and tell him he should take personal responsibility for his life. If you look down your nose at people on assistance you’re the entitled one.
Here’s the thing, I know lots of people on some sort of program. I’ve been on food stamps a few times. There were times between hubby’s jobs where gee, the kids still have to eat. Funny, right? They make it difficult and time consuming to get them so you REALLY need them to go through that hassle, and it’s still embarrassing every time. Food stamps don’t cover everything (I’m sorry, toilet paper is a necessity) so you still have to have real money. So you get bread and milk, tuna and hamburger or cereal and live on that for a while. We existed on PB&Js and tuna for quite some time***. But guess what? Sometimes there’s a deal on real meat and you just might use your food stamps on that for a change. People deserve to have a real dinner once in a while. And when your kid has a birthday and the only thing you can give them is a nice birthday cake you shouldn’t get shit for it. No matter why you’re on assistance you certainly shouldn’t get shit from the goddam store staff.
You just don’t know by looking at someone why they’re on food stamps. They could have a disability. They could have just lost their home or job. It could be a single parent who actually works but doesn’t make enough to cover everything. “But they drive a nice car!” So fucking what. Maybe they bought that car when times were better. Maybe it’s not even their car! Okay, sure there are a few who milk the system but go hang out at the local DES office and you’ll see need.
I get VA disability because I’m 100% disabled. I also don’t qualify for food stamps. When I have one of my kids living with me they can’t get them either because DES goes by household income, so when I have to feed extra mouths my disability doesn’t cover that. I live on cereal and cheap frozen dinners all week so I can save what little extra money I have to go out with my friends once a week.
My oldest son was injured in a work accident over a month ago and he’s still waiting for that first workman’s comp check. Even though his daughter has always been on AHCCCS for medical, he can’t get food stamps to keep her fed. He’s back at work – part time because his back is really jacked up and he’s going to physical therapy – but in the meantime he can’t pay his bills and depends on the generosity of family. And donates blood twice a week for the $40 for gas for his car because… My other son goes to school and though his wife works now she couldn’t for a while due to a broken foot. And in the middle of that their only car had a huge transmission problem they still can’t pay for. So he has no car and relies on her brother to get back and forth to school and his brother to get her back and forth to work. We’re all family, we share what we have. In fact Max has my car today so he could pick up his wife from work last night after midnight and to get to school today so he could check my car out. We take care of each other.
BTW, public transportation in this town sucks.
We’re not complaining. It is what it is. We use what public assistance we can when we can but you still have to pay rent, car insurance, utilities etc. Nobody in my family currently has phone service. None of us can pay that bill. Right now I have the only internet service and cable TV because I chose internet over phone when it came to paying bills. They don’t have that choice.
Most people do the best they can with what they have. The problem is when what you have still isn’t enough. The jobs my kids can get don’t come with benefits. Quoted from TV just this minute: 1 in 5 young people can’t get jobs; 1 in 3 young people don’t have insurance. But these kids are trying. They’re always looking but the opportunities just aren’t there. So they need help. They need to eat. They need medical care. What they certainly don’t need is entitled people looking down their noses at their efforts.
We’re have-nots. We have hopes and dreams of a day where all the bills can be paid and we can maybe eat nice meals regularly. And we’re not even really poor! There are people who have even less than we do!
So fuck off Romney. You’ve never went hungry a day in your life. Your kids have never existed on dollar menus. Your wife breaks a foot, she gets the best medical care. Your car breaks down you just drive the other one. You probably have a dentist on retainer. People who have cannot know what it’s like to have not.
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*** We were sitting around the other night and my boys were saying how much they loved hamburger helper and spaghetti when they were kids and only NOW realize why we ate those things so often. Gee Mom we were really broke a lot of the time weren’t we? Why do you think every Friday night was pizza night? And every Eve? Christmas Eve dinner was pizza because the food for Christmas dinner cost so damned much!
It is absurd!
Sep 24th
This person, this Ophelia person has posted exactly how I feel. She’s in my head!
So take God out of it, along with Allah and Yahweh. Call it Terry, which is a unisex name. The core doctrines, which include birth control, the rights and responsibilities of women and men, choice in dying, choice in marriage, to name a few, were all “revealed” three thousand years ago by Terry. Terry is not available for consultation or petition. The revelation by Terry was a one-time event, and non-optional – not take it or leave it, but just take it. The Catholic Church has “the custody” of this revelation, and we human beings have no rights in the matter; we just have to obey.
And considering just about every other Christian religion has spawned from Catholicism, it’s all the same. You have this book supposedly written by God yet actually written by men during a period of history where nobody could read except the church and the rich. And the rich were quite happy having the peasants under control by the church. The rich often bought and paid for their local ministry. Those old fussy guys could have friggin’ written in whatever they wanted at the time and it was considered gospel. Just enough real and an awful lot of vague or blatant untrue “history” to make it believable to those people who got their world news through gossip. The same people who still believed in fairies, bogeymen, and monsters. God was just another bogeyman made legit by leadership.
So why, in this day and age, do people still believe it? Why do they believe all humans came from one man and his rib? Why do they still believe the entire world flooded (there is NO scientific proof of this) and the ONE decent family man had two of every animal on his boat. That’s just logistically impossible. Or that a young virgin woman gets pregnant (but she’s not stoned to death) and she gives birth to God’s son. That HE grows up and does all this magical stuff and then dies and then rises from the dead three days later. Right. Don’t you think if that actually happened it would be talked about in other sources? There are so many stories in the bible that are just logically unbelievable. The parting of the Red Sea. Thousands of slaves leaving at once and NO OTHER SOURCE mentions it? Not even a small mention.
If you read a lot like I used to before my eyes went to crap, you could find so many other books to base a religion on. In the Lord of the Rings the good people win in the end and the evil master is gone, not around forever judging you on your behavior and in control of your afterlife. Even in Harry Potter the good people win over evil and life goes on.
The bible is just a book about some big bad guy who everyone has to bow down to or they suffer forever. How is that any way to live your life?
Presidential Material?
Sep 23rd
While wandering through my reading this morning I came across this comment by someone named CanyonWren:
When he was at the London Olympics, he insulted the Olympic Committee: “There are disconcerting signs about the preparations of the games” Link Here
He insulted one of our major allies, Japan: Link Here
He insulted California by comparing it to Greece’s economy: Link Here
He insulted the working class by calling their legitimate problems and concerns “envy”: Link Here
Then, there’s Cookie-gate where Romney looked upon a plate of –award-winning– cookies supplied by a local bakery in PA (but he actually thought the woman next to him made them for a minute), and said they resembled–7-Eleven cookies: Link Here
He insulted half the nation by essentially calling them losers who didn’t pay taxes, and felt entitled to benefits: Don’t You People Ever Get Off the Couch? Link Here
I see a pattern here…
So do I.
Why are you voting for Romney?
Sep 19th
I honestly want to know.
Do you really believe he gives a shit about you or anyone like you?
Do you just hate Obama so much you’ll vote for anyone to replace him?
Someone, anyone… please explain.
Perspective
Sep 10th
I’m a naturally lazy person.
There, I’ve admitted it.
I often say I can’t or don’t exercise because of my asthma and while that’s true I don’t think I’d ever be athletic anyway. I never was even when I was younger and fitter. More fit. Whatever. The last thing I remember doing that was remotely athletic was water aerobics and even then I got kicked out because I used my inhaler too much for the instructor’s comfort. I don’t even like to walk far. So I do have a bit of an excuse, right?
Perspective.
Go here and slide though these photos.
Go ahead, I’ll wait (cuz I’m so very good at sitting on my ass and waiting) and then tell me I have no excuse.
Need more ammo? Try this link.
You can ride a bike when you only have one leg. You can swim without arms. You can run track without eyes. You can shoot a goddam bow with your feet. Shit can be done if you want it bad enough.
Personally I don’t want it bad enough.
But you might. Get off your ass and move. No excuses. Next time you’re too tired to run, go back and look at these pictures.
Regarding purses
Sep 10th
Sometimes I think I’m missing some necessary girl gene. I just don’t get the fascination of purses (or shoes for that matter but that’s another post) or handbags or especially clutches.
You couldn’t pay me enough.
I watch a lot of morning TV and there’s always a segment on the latest must-have for purses, more when the season changes. Women do need to carry more crap than men especially when they have kids, but what’s the big deal? You never see segments on the latest new wallet for men. And I betcha men don’t give a shit what purse you carry as long as they don’t have to touch it. Seldom will you find a man willing to go into a woman’s purse. It’s like voodoo. Scary!
I have maybe three purses. I use a larger bag when I travel, a medium-small sized one for every day and I have a little bag for when I don’t want to carry much at all. All are black, cheap and kind of beat up. I tend to find use more important than looks. It’s a goddam bag to carry your essentials.
Not that I’m all that into fashion anyway and I don’t think I’ve ever spent more than $20 on a handbag.
I look around and I see these women carrying bags large enough to hide a small child. Why? Big bulky bags full of what, exactly? And they have short handles so you have to actually carry them. Often the top is wide open and stuff is falling out or easily accessible to any passerby.
I remember when I was a child and my grandmother told me about her purse. She had a pretty big bag full of what she thought were necessities and one night at a bowling alley someone leaned over to ask her a question and poof her bag was gone. She had irreplaceable photos in there. She carried originals of important papers. She lost everything in one quick misdirection. I don’t know why that story stuck with me but it did so I don’t carry anything important unless I need it that day. I don’t carry anything I can’t replace on a moments notice but I still have stuff that’s useful and I could probably tell you 98% of everything that’s in every pocket. Go ahead and test me.
Christian Louboutin Artemis clochettes bag, $1,795, and Artemis spikes metalized python bag, $1,995. Seriously?
Both my daughter and my daughter-in-law have bags by the same designer. Interchangeable outside covers if that means anything to you. I don’t know what they carry but I should. Those bags are forever wide-open and tipping over in the car. Ginnie is always pawing through her giant bag of crap to find her phone. Krystal is always pawing through her bag to find her wallet or debit card or whatever. My little bag has separate areas for items and slots for cards so I always know where everything is. Well, except after Kira’s gone looking for my chapstick (always in the largest inner pocket) or to see if I have gum (the smaller inner pocket.) Or if I’ve sent one of the kids to the store with my debit card and they all just shove stuff back in wherever.
I don’t get spending hundreds of dollars on a bag by a specific designer. I’ve wandered through a Coach store and every single one of those bags are fugly and overpriced. I watch these shows where the women oh and ah over these ugly handbags and I wonder. Why would you spend the money on something like that? Even IF I had the money I don’t think I’d blow it on purses.
Am I just too practical?
Most of the time when I see a woman I don’t notice her bag… unless it’s a giant orange (in season, don’tchaknow) grocery-sized bag. Or the impossibly small bag that doesn’t even hold her phone. We all carry our phones everywhere so shouldn’t your bag be at least large enough to pocket your phone? I have a friend who, instead of one bag that holds her needs, has a tiny container for her cards plus her phone plus a third small something usually camera-related. She gets somewhere and sets down a pile. A pile easily pocketed by a passerby.
I always wished fanny packs had caught on. Seems perfect for women who don’t want to carry big bags of shit and want to keep their hands free. But there’s just no way to make a fanny pack look cool. It is what it is. Doesn’t a small bag to carry your essentials – attached to your body so you don’t have to set it down anywhere and your hands are free – sound perfect? Annnnnd you get fanny packs.
But just in case – I have the perfect gorgeous black leather fanny pack hidden away.
I just don’t understand
Sep 7th
So I have only been really paying attention to politics for the last couple of years. I’ve been voting for years, but mostly basing my votes on speeches, TV ads and conversation with friend and not really fact-checking and looking up unbiased sources.
I’m getting better.
But I really don’t understand the Republican mind set. It appears to me that the average Republican is selfish, arrogant and only interested in the bottom line for themselves.
They insist everyone believe as they do. They avoid paying their fair share of taxes much less agreeing to pay more though they can afford it. They want to control the behavior of adults yet don’t want to take responsibility for the consequences of their legislation.
Specifically, they want to deny women the right to make medical decisions for themselves yet consistently vote to slash programs for poor or skip on improving education.
If they had it their way, women would be forced to pop out child after child they cannot afford and then sit back to watch them starve, not get the health care they need, watch those children suffer from neglect and fail in schools. The republicans want poor people to be ignorant and hungry for what? So they’re easier to control with promises of low-paying jobs?
The majority of Republicans are hard-core religious people too. But from what I’ve read in the bible (yes, I’ve read the bible) you’re supposed to love and care for your fellow man, not take advantage of them for your own gain.
How do they justify it? How do these people (in the hundreds of thousands) live such a mean-spirited life?
Now I’m not saying I’m a Democrat. If I had to chose between the two parties I am, but there are other choices.
I am pro-choice. What business is it of mine what you do with your body.
I am for gay marriage. What business is it of mine what you do in your bedroom? If you want to commit to someone you should get the same rights as anyone else.
I am generous. Though I don’t have a bunch of money, I’m a soft touch. Just ask my kids.
I’d rather we spend tax dollars on programs for the poor than on war.
I’d rather we spend tax dollars on alternative energy than on subsidizing the oil and coal industries.
I believe scientists when they say we’re fucking up our planet.
I believe in evolution over goddidit.
I believe in eating meat, but we don’t really need to mistreat our animals before we eat them.
I am for some sort of gun regulation. Seriously, not everyone should be able to get a gun much less have a stockpile. There should be some psychological test you have to pass or something. You have to have a license to drive a car, why not have at least some licensing and registration for guns?
I’m also pro-death penalty. There are certain crimes or multiples of crimes that prove a person is a waste of life.
It’s all in what you contribute to society. If you’re a contributor great. If you’re not then why? Do you need a better education? Do you need temporary financial help? What can society do for you that can help you get to the point where you can give back?
I listened to Romney’s speech last week and Obama’s last night. Romney just seems so “it’s all about me and mine” and Obama was more “it’s all about making things better for everyone.”
My friends are teaching me about collaboration. How working for what you want and helping others get there too is more satisfying than being cutthroat. I teach free classes on podcasting though I do mention I do it for pay if they want to pay me. I know I can ask for help from any of my friends and they’re more than happy to help me. I volunteer for various events and work on two committees for local events. Events that make life better for everyone. I feel I’m helping my community that way. I see all around me that people are dropping the whole bottom-line gotta have money mentality and instead are working together to make sure everyone succeeds in getting what they need to have healthy happy families. It’s not about the money anymore.
Why can’t Republicans see that? I just don’t understand.
How does it hurt you to put your hand down and help someone else up? I’m asking a Republican if I have any reading here.
One-yeared Jack
Sep 7th
My grandson* is a year old today. I know I haven’t been posting many pictures of the grands lately. Oh, I’ve been taking them, but he’s like a fart in a windstorm and it’s tough catching him holding still. One little blur.
He’s getting pretty good at walking though still a little wobbly when he’s tired. Loves to climb anything, in fact yesterday he managed to get atop my coffee table and onto the couch. We push the table against the couch to have more floor space when he’s here. He was extremely delighted with himself until he figured out he had no idea how to get back down.
He’s not talking yet, but he tries to mimic sounds. He loves music and baby-dances to anything rhythmic including my washer spinning. He’s even learning how to hug me back. He’s not a cuddler but he’ll buzz by a dozen times for a quick kiss and put his head on you for a rub, then he’s off again.
He’s a happy boy.
Grammi just HAD to get this dinosaur costume for him. I’m pretending it’s a dragon but there’s no wings so I’m burnt on that. Maybe I could find little wings?
I’m so proud of my daughter. A year ago I would have told you she would be a bad mother and get bored or selfish (because she always disliked other people’s kids) but as it turns out I was wrong. She’s an awesome mom. Patient where I never was. Attentive without smothering.
Not sure if/when there will be an official birthday party. She keeps changing her mind (due to lack of funds) but I think I’ll throw together something this weekend at least for our family. The boys don’t get to see him as much as I do and he needs his uncles. And Kira adores him.
Anyway, he’s awesome.
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* Everytime I use the word grandson I hear movie quotes in my head. You know how that happens with certain phrases? I can’t quite place them but there’s two, one is a little old lady saying “Graaaaandson” and the other is the old guy from Pretty Woman saying “Me and my GRANDson…” Weird, huh? Never happens when I think of granddaughter.
