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...Hi Wagoneers (if you don't know what I'm talking about when I say that, then you can ignore this blog entry):
Server maintenance is going on which is why you are getting a white page. As of 11:30 PST maintenance may take a few more hours. Chances are we're being moved to a new server and that's why you can't get in.
I'll keep updating here, Twitter and FB with the ongoing status as I learn new things. My apologies for not alerting y'all in advance - I didn't even know this was going on myself.
UPDATE:
The board is still down, and all was on schedule as of 2 hrs ago, but I have no further word, and no word on when the expected ETA of completion is. Sorry for not having better news yet.
UPDATE: 9:48pm
The board is still down, and I have no new updates from Yuku. I suspect something went awry with the maintenance, or they underestimated the amount of time this would take. Cross your fingers that we're back up in the morning (that would be morning PST).
UPDATE: 7:43am 9/12/09
...and we're back! The board came back in the wee small hours of the morning apparently. Maintenance took longer than expected...
A place for reflection and commentary on a life well lived. Sort of. Well.... we try.
I own all ramblings made here...
© WhizGidget/AMS
I own all ramblings made here...
© WhizGidget/AMS
WhizGidget is currently feeling 
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Sunday, October 11, 2009
Wagon Down...(9/11/09...)
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
I Know People Move On...
...but why does it have to be so hard?
I know: been a long time, I should do this more often, etc. But nothing has really been motivating me to write - maybe because I got my head on straight for awhile. But then last night it got knocked off.
As many of you readers know, I have a deep and lasting appreciation for the band Chicago. Some of that has to do with the unique sound they have had over the years; a greater part of that has to do with one particular member of the band.
Last night I found out that member of the band has left. Not is leaving, but has left. Abruptly and in the middle of the summer tour. Without explanation other than to focus on his solo music (which he'd been making here and there on the side anyway). He was my favorite band member, and had the best voice (my opinion) hands down.
That would be Bill Champlin - the guy at the Hammond B3 who rarely smiled and had that rough bluesy voice. The guy who sang lead on 'Look Away' and 'You're Not Alone', and numerous other tracks that didn't get radio play. A pioneer on the music scene with the wonderful Sons of Champlin band. Who, for good reason I suspect, called Chicago 'the day job'.
The rumors persist that the band voted him out, much they they did two other members, one of whom was a founder, in years past. I don't know if they're true, and the only ones who do are the people involved - as it should be. One band member made a statement that started "Chicago has decided to part ways..." - that sort of sheds some sad light on things.
But that doesn't make it any easier. I sit here heartbroken and tear-stricken that one of the best parts of my favorite band is no longer there - it's like losing a friend so very unexpectedly. Even I'd known it had been coming it wouldn't have made it any easier.
So I sit here listening to his new album that came out last week - that I'd forgotten was getting a US release - and have come to his remake of "Look Away" and I can't stop the tears from coming. It's always been an emotional song for me, except when I've seen him do it in concert, but I can't hold back at the moment. I'm feeling unexpectedly emotional, and this just doesn't make it any easier.
This being the song or the situation at hand. I wish I could walk away and not have anyone see me this way, but it's just not possible. Granted, I'm sure Bill will be happier (at least I hope so) in the long run, but if the rumor is true then it's not going to be easy right now.
Not for anyone - most especially this fan who is having a hard time finding eloquent words to say a proper goodbye.
I know: been a long time, I should do this more often, etc. But nothing has really been motivating me to write - maybe because I got my head on straight for awhile. But then last night it got knocked off.
As many of you readers know, I have a deep and lasting appreciation for the band Chicago. Some of that has to do with the unique sound they have had over the years; a greater part of that has to do with one particular member of the band.
Last night I found out that member of the band has left. Not is leaving, but has left. Abruptly and in the middle of the summer tour. Without explanation other than to focus on his solo music (which he'd been making here and there on the side anyway). He was my favorite band member, and had the best voice (my opinion) hands down.
That would be Bill Champlin - the guy at the Hammond B3 who rarely smiled and had that rough bluesy voice. The guy who sang lead on 'Look Away' and 'You're Not Alone', and numerous other tracks that didn't get radio play. A pioneer on the music scene with the wonderful Sons of Champlin band. Who, for good reason I suspect, called Chicago 'the day job'.
The rumors persist that the band voted him out, much they they did two other members, one of whom was a founder, in years past. I don't know if they're true, and the only ones who do are the people involved - as it should be. One band member made a statement that started "Chicago has decided to part ways..." - that sort of sheds some sad light on things.
But that doesn't make it any easier. I sit here heartbroken and tear-stricken that one of the best parts of my favorite band is no longer there - it's like losing a friend so very unexpectedly. Even I'd known it had been coming it wouldn't have made it any easier.
So I sit here listening to his new album that came out last week - that I'd forgotten was getting a US release - and have come to his remake of "Look Away" and I can't stop the tears from coming. It's always been an emotional song for me, except when I've seen him do it in concert, but I can't hold back at the moment. I'm feeling unexpectedly emotional, and this just doesn't make it any easier.
This being the song or the situation at hand. I wish I could walk away and not have anyone see me this way, but it's just not possible. Granted, I'm sure Bill will be happier (at least I hope so) in the long run, but if the rumor is true then it's not going to be easy right now.
Not for anyone - most especially this fan who is having a hard time finding eloquent words to say a proper goodbye.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Let It Go Already People...
...I know, long time no see, right? Well, this isn't necessarily going to be a return to the glory days of blogging 5 days a week. I'll at least attempt to not let the site go stagnant like it has.
But that's not what I'm here to discuss right now. I'm here to discuss the latest big thing that's been happening that everyone has assigned great importance to: the war between David Letterman and Sarah Palin.
I *know*. Tragic, isn't it, that this is what has occupied the airwaves and consciousness for the last week? It's not been the focus of my consciousness unless the media (including my local newspaper's breaking news Twitter feed) has thrust it upon me.
Couldn't the media come up with something more important to talk about? The budget deficit? War? Nuclear proliferation in a country run by an unstable crackpot (I'm talking North Korea here)?
I guess they thought that was too depressing and jumped on this to lighten things up. I really wish they hadn't.
For those who have been living under a rock, or simply haven't cared enough to pay attention, here's what's been happening:
* Letterman takes a poke at one of Sarah Palin's daughters going to a Yankees game and getting knocked up by Alex Rodriguez.
* Letterman does not specify which daughter this is, but context implies that it's Bristol (the 18 year old single mommy who is now advocating abstinence).
* Palin bristles - because what else does she do well besides that - and it comes out that it was 14 year old Willow that was at that game.
* Letterman sort of explains the joke and sort of apologizes in a roundabout way (and makes offers for Palin to come on the show).
* Palin declines offers and takes pokes at Letterman.
* Letterman, on tonight's show apparently, will finally apologize for not being more clear and will try to do better.
OK. So you would think that this would make it all go away, right? Wrong. All sorts of things went wrong with this. First off, you had Sarah Palin taking more time in the limelight to scream about Letterman and all the bad things that he said about the 14 year old. He didn't say *anything* specific about the 14 year old, and he made a risque joke. Last time I checked that's what he does on his show with the monologue. He made his name by going to the edge, and public figures are fair game on the late night monologue circuit.
Palin knows this - she's already been through the wringer a few months ago from the late night circuit to the bloggers and Twitterati. She would also know from that experience, that she could definitely get people talking on those same mediums if she spoke up about what was going on and try to work it to her advantage. I'm paraphrasing, but she's actually said that the reason teen girls have low self-esteem is because society thinks jokes that men like Letterman make about statutory rape are funny.
Excuse me? There are lots of more significant reasons teen girls have low-self esteem, and I don't think that tasteless jokes from late night talk show hosts is high on that list. I think that that was one heck of a stretch for Palin to make. Don't take that as a poke on Palin either (because you know I'm not a fan) - if you look at the joke from her point of view, it's *not* funny and it doesn't matter which daughter it was about.
But I digress, slightly... it's not going to go away as easily as Letterman apologizing because we still have to have Palin accept the apology - which somehow I doubt will happen and frankly I don't think I care if she does. Whether she does or she doesn't is immaterial anyway because this isn't going away anytime soon. That's because we have someone else taking up the cause and keeping this in the limelight, although I'm not sure who they're trying to get attention for (except maybe themselves).
A New York Assemblyman named Brian Kolb has co-sponsored a website whose sole purpose is to get Letterman fired. Seriously. The website (FireDavidLetterman.com) has a list of advertisers and executives at CBS (the network that Letterman appears on) so that interested individuals can go right ahead and start complaining about him. That perhaps the power of the people speaking their minds about how outraged they are will manage to make a dent and get this highly rated talk show host who just got an extension that will keep him on the air through 2012. Add to this that he's also beating the new Tonight Show host (Conan O'Brien) in the nightly ratings.
I really don't think that Letterman is going anywhere anytime soon. But that's bedside the point.
Let this go people. What's the point? He made a joke, perhaps it was a little too tasteless that it could have been perceived as a statutory rape joke. I thought it was funny from the standpoint that, well, it's Alex Rodriguez people... come *on* - we've seen enough in the news about him and his woman troubles... issues... whatever. But that's neither here nor there - it was a joke, it was taken badly, Letterman's apologizing for it.
Political figures have been taken to task on the nighttime shows for years. Letterman isn't the first to poke at a public figure and he won't be the last. Leno has done it, Carson did it too. Saturday Night Live, and Chevy Chase, made names for themselves skewering public figures on Weekend Update and their portrayal of Gerald Ford (the sitting President at the time the show started).
So give me a break. Give all of us a break. It's done and there really hasn't been a public outcry for someone making a tasteless joke or comment that has succeeded in that person losing their job or position. Carson, Leno, even Lorne Michaels came back to SNL (after creative issues made him go away for awhile). This one won't succeed either, and it will die after a fashion...
...I just wonder how much longer we're going to have to be subjected to all of this before it does.
But that's not what I'm here to discuss right now. I'm here to discuss the latest big thing that's been happening that everyone has assigned great importance to: the war between David Letterman and Sarah Palin.
I *know*. Tragic, isn't it, that this is what has occupied the airwaves and consciousness for the last week? It's not been the focus of my consciousness unless the media (including my local newspaper's breaking news Twitter feed) has thrust it upon me.
Couldn't the media come up with something more important to talk about? The budget deficit? War? Nuclear proliferation in a country run by an unstable crackpot (I'm talking North Korea here)?
I guess they thought that was too depressing and jumped on this to lighten things up. I really wish they hadn't.
For those who have been living under a rock, or simply haven't cared enough to pay attention, here's what's been happening:
* Letterman takes a poke at one of Sarah Palin's daughters going to a Yankees game and getting knocked up by Alex Rodriguez.
* Letterman does not specify which daughter this is, but context implies that it's Bristol (the 18 year old single mommy who is now advocating abstinence).
* Palin bristles - because what else does she do well besides that - and it comes out that it was 14 year old Willow that was at that game.
* Letterman sort of explains the joke and sort of apologizes in a roundabout way (and makes offers for Palin to come on the show).
* Palin declines offers and takes pokes at Letterman.
* Letterman, on tonight's show apparently, will finally apologize for not being more clear and will try to do better.
OK. So you would think that this would make it all go away, right? Wrong. All sorts of things went wrong with this. First off, you had Sarah Palin taking more time in the limelight to scream about Letterman and all the bad things that he said about the 14 year old. He didn't say *anything* specific about the 14 year old, and he made a risque joke. Last time I checked that's what he does on his show with the monologue. He made his name by going to the edge, and public figures are fair game on the late night monologue circuit.
Palin knows this - she's already been through the wringer a few months ago from the late night circuit to the bloggers and Twitterati. She would also know from that experience, that she could definitely get people talking on those same mediums if she spoke up about what was going on and try to work it to her advantage. I'm paraphrasing, but she's actually said that the reason teen girls have low self-esteem is because society thinks jokes that men like Letterman make about statutory rape are funny.
Excuse me? There are lots of more significant reasons teen girls have low-self esteem, and I don't think that tasteless jokes from late night talk show hosts is high on that list. I think that that was one heck of a stretch for Palin to make. Don't take that as a poke on Palin either (because you know I'm not a fan) - if you look at the joke from her point of view, it's *not* funny and it doesn't matter which daughter it was about.
But I digress, slightly... it's not going to go away as easily as Letterman apologizing because we still have to have Palin accept the apology - which somehow I doubt will happen and frankly I don't think I care if she does. Whether she does or she doesn't is immaterial anyway because this isn't going away anytime soon. That's because we have someone else taking up the cause and keeping this in the limelight, although I'm not sure who they're trying to get attention for (except maybe themselves).
A New York Assemblyman named Brian Kolb has co-sponsored a website whose sole purpose is to get Letterman fired. Seriously. The website (FireDavidLetterman.com) has a list of advertisers and executives at CBS (the network that Letterman appears on) so that interested individuals can go right ahead and start complaining about him. That perhaps the power of the people speaking their minds about how outraged they are will manage to make a dent and get this highly rated talk show host who just got an extension that will keep him on the air through 2012. Add to this that he's also beating the new Tonight Show host (Conan O'Brien) in the nightly ratings.
I really don't think that Letterman is going anywhere anytime soon. But that's bedside the point.
Let this go people. What's the point? He made a joke, perhaps it was a little too tasteless that it could have been perceived as a statutory rape joke. I thought it was funny from the standpoint that, well, it's Alex Rodriguez people... come *on* - we've seen enough in the news about him and his woman troubles... issues... whatever. But that's neither here nor there - it was a joke, it was taken badly, Letterman's apologizing for it.
Political figures have been taken to task on the nighttime shows for years. Letterman isn't the first to poke at a public figure and he won't be the last. Leno has done it, Carson did it too. Saturday Night Live, and Chevy Chase, made names for themselves skewering public figures on Weekend Update and their portrayal of Gerald Ford (the sitting President at the time the show started).
So give me a break. Give all of us a break. It's done and there really hasn't been a public outcry for someone making a tasteless joke or comment that has succeeded in that person losing their job or position. Carson, Leno, even Lorne Michaels came back to SNL (after creative issues made him go away for awhile). This one won't succeed either, and it will die after a fashion...
...I just wonder how much longer we're going to have to be subjected to all of this before it does.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Once Upon a Time...
...there was a princess V who allegedly was told that she must work. So she went and worked at the kingdom of Flash until they banished her and her court because there were too many that were better than her at what she did.
So the princess V went and found another place to work. The Digital Kingdom where your humble author is employed. Ok, maybe I'm not that humble, but humor me for the course of the story.
The princess V decided that others were beneath her because she came from such an enlightened kingdom once upon a time and the others did not have such lofty credentials. The princess never bothered to find out the credentials of the others or she would not have been so hasty in her judgment.
No, I take that back. She would indeed have been so hasty because she is elitist like that. Anyway, the princess decided that your humble author is not good enough at her job and V herself should be validating the all-important data.
Your humble author does not suffer fools lightly and therefore has not given up her iron grip on her validation tasks. Mostly because princess V has no experience in data validation and does not understand the difference between visits and unique visitors. Your humble author has attempted to explain the difference but the princess cannot be bothered to learn.
So the princess has gone and gathered her former court from the kingdom of Flash to work with her at the Digital Kingdom, in what is likely an attempt to restore her to her former glory. But her court has not lasted, and only a straggler remains.
Meanwhile, the princess V has been forgetting things and no one shares information with her any longer when she asks what people have been up to because no one wants her attempting to criticize their work or duplicate it instead of doing her own thing. This tactical move has illustrated the fact that she does not actually know what she's doing and has led us to wonder what she actually did in the Kingdom of Flash.
As a result, the princess has been leaving this humble scribe alone until the other day when she really put her foot in it. She's been doing that all along here and there, including claiming to have been testing for things that do not exist.
Her behavior is less than model for a princess claiming such stature. Then again... when one is part of a testing group all day and says "I'll log that bug", "I'll log that bug" all day long for bugs that others are finding when everyone is responsible for their own bugs, and then announces "Someone else log the next bug. I don't want to do it anymore" it smacks of elitism.
Stay tuned for more adventures...
So the princess V went and found another place to work. The Digital Kingdom where your humble author is employed. Ok, maybe I'm not that humble, but humor me for the course of the story.
The princess V decided that others were beneath her because she came from such an enlightened kingdom once upon a time and the others did not have such lofty credentials. The princess never bothered to find out the credentials of the others or she would not have been so hasty in her judgment.
No, I take that back. She would indeed have been so hasty because she is elitist like that. Anyway, the princess decided that your humble author is not good enough at her job and V herself should be validating the all-important data.
Your humble author does not suffer fools lightly and therefore has not given up her iron grip on her validation tasks. Mostly because princess V has no experience in data validation and does not understand the difference between visits and unique visitors. Your humble author has attempted to explain the difference but the princess cannot be bothered to learn.
So the princess has gone and gathered her former court from the kingdom of Flash to work with her at the Digital Kingdom, in what is likely an attempt to restore her to her former glory. But her court has not lasted, and only a straggler remains.
Meanwhile, the princess V has been forgetting things and no one shares information with her any longer when she asks what people have been up to because no one wants her attempting to criticize their work or duplicate it instead of doing her own thing. This tactical move has illustrated the fact that she does not actually know what she's doing and has led us to wonder what she actually did in the Kingdom of Flash.
As a result, the princess has been leaving this humble scribe alone until the other day when she really put her foot in it. She's been doing that all along here and there, including claiming to have been testing for things that do not exist.
Her behavior is less than model for a princess claiming such stature. Then again... when one is part of a testing group all day and says "I'll log that bug", "I'll log that bug" all day long for bugs that others are finding when everyone is responsible for their own bugs, and then announces "Someone else log the next bug. I don't want to do it anymore" it smacks of elitism.
Stay tuned for more adventures...
Friday, April 03, 2009
And Another.... Something... Ends...
...Once upon a time, a recent college graduate sat down in her apartment and was flipping channels when she happened upon a new television show starting up. It was the premiere episode and she thought she'd give it a try since she'd been a fan of 'St Elsewhere' and nothing like that compared.
That night my fascination with 'ER' began. 15 years of steady watching, lots of milestone episodes and lots of milestones for me. One of the most memorable was worrying about A the day she was born (when I couldn't touch her for the first 8 hours of her life) and holding her so tightly while watching a rerun of the episode "Love's Labors Lost" and crying from sheer relief that she was just fine.
I spent hours watching the show carefully and writing them up on the ER group on Yahoo years and years ago. I recently found the text files of those writeups and wondered why I stopped doing it.
I've been in that ambulance bay, I've met Noah Wyle, and Anthony Edwards. I've been in the same room as George Clooney (while he was in there, but he was leaving darn it).
I finished many a stitching project while sitting up on Thursday nights watching 'ER'. I never stopped or missed an episode.
Last night that 13 year old was working on a project for English class and finishing her Science homework while we watching the final episode together. She'd never really watched it before and didn't get the ending while I sniffled just a little bit at the end.
I teared up more at the beginning than I did at the end, since the end was sort of just there instead of some great ending like 'M*A*S*H', 'Newhart', 'The Wonder Years' or 'Cheers'. A didn't get it, since she wasn't a fan, that the show circled right around to the beginning ("Coming, Dr Greene?"). She wanted to know what happened to the girl in the coma who drank too much, and what happened to everyone after it was over.
Not me. We had a birth and a death and a life hanging in the balance. That was what 'ER' had, along with the lives of it's doctors. It didn't smack you with foreshadowing of what was going to happen - you saw it in the hints and the hopes of the people who were interacting on that last episode if you were paying attention closely.
But now it's over, and it's time to turn the page. Do I have another medical show to watch? Yes, I guess I could watch 'Grey's Anatomy' (which I love too, except that it's on against 'CSI' and I've missed much of this season and last). But I don't think that anything will replace what 'ER' did in terms of storylines and it's special little place in my heart.
Farewell, little well done show that could. Even if some think you overstayed your welcome.
That night my fascination with 'ER' began. 15 years of steady watching, lots of milestone episodes and lots of milestones for me. One of the most memorable was worrying about A the day she was born (when I couldn't touch her for the first 8 hours of her life) and holding her so tightly while watching a rerun of the episode "Love's Labors Lost" and crying from sheer relief that she was just fine.
I spent hours watching the show carefully and writing them up on the ER group on Yahoo years and years ago. I recently found the text files of those writeups and wondered why I stopped doing it.
I've been in that ambulance bay, I've met Noah Wyle, and Anthony Edwards. I've been in the same room as George Clooney (while he was in there, but he was leaving darn it).
I finished many a stitching project while sitting up on Thursday nights watching 'ER'. I never stopped or missed an episode.
Last night that 13 year old was working on a project for English class and finishing her Science homework while we watching the final episode together. She'd never really watched it before and didn't get the ending while I sniffled just a little bit at the end.
I teared up more at the beginning than I did at the end, since the end was sort of just there instead of some great ending like 'M*A*S*H', 'Newhart', 'The Wonder Years' or 'Cheers'. A didn't get it, since she wasn't a fan, that the show circled right around to the beginning ("Coming, Dr Greene?"). She wanted to know what happened to the girl in the coma who drank too much, and what happened to everyone after it was over.
Not me. We had a birth and a death and a life hanging in the balance. That was what 'ER' had, along with the lives of it's doctors. It didn't smack you with foreshadowing of what was going to happen - you saw it in the hints and the hopes of the people who were interacting on that last episode if you were paying attention closely.
But now it's over, and it's time to turn the page. Do I have another medical show to watch? Yes, I guess I could watch 'Grey's Anatomy' (which I love too, except that it's on against 'CSI' and I've missed much of this season and last). But I don't think that anything will replace what 'ER' did in terms of storylines and it's special little place in my heart.
Farewell, little well done show that could. Even if some think you overstayed your welcome.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Why I Haven't Been Blogging...
...I've been busy.
Between the kids in school, the contracting job, keeping up my workouts, another small contract I've picked up, and buying a car it's been a busy month since the previous last blog.
That and while there have been plenty of topics I'd like to talk about, there really hasn't been the time. Normally I'd blog while at work, but I have to log all my hours to projects. When I get home I take care of some things on the computer, but I don't want to spend a lot of time writing something out when the kids are trying to distract me too.
So there's the crux. But I am going to try and spend a little more time around here. At least a little more than what I have spent lately.
Between the kids in school, the contracting job, keeping up my workouts, another small contract I've picked up, and buying a car it's been a busy month since the previous last blog.
That and while there have been plenty of topics I'd like to talk about, there really hasn't been the time. Normally I'd blog while at work, but I have to log all my hours to projects. When I get home I take care of some things on the computer, but I don't want to spend a lot of time writing something out when the kids are trying to distract me too.
So there's the crux. But I am going to try and spend a little more time around here. At least a little more than what I have spent lately.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Happy Saint Patrick's Day
...Go enjoy doing whatever y'all do on this day...
Me? I just want my corned beef and cabbage.
Me? I just want my corned beef and cabbage.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Lookie What I Got!
...Finally... after a year of waiting:
May I introduce you to my 2009 2.5X Limited Subuaru Forester, with built in GPS (and bluetooth and iPod connections to be installed shortly)...
I know, lame intro... but I don't know what to call her yet. We brought her home on Saturday evening and DH is happy to have his Outback to himself again.
She just needs a name - the right name. So far I've gotten Forester Gump (ew), Roo-ba-roo (eh), Q-T-pi (I rather like that one especially since she was purchased on Pi Day), Beep-Beep (it's cute), Soobie (because DH might give that up and find a new name for the Outback, in which case I'll take it!) and possibly Trillian. Nothing else is worth mentioning, although my MIL thinks I should find a foresty-kind of name, maybe even Middle Earth female Hobbit in nature, for the vehicle.
She's definitely a girl, so she needs a somewhat female name. And no, I can't call her the TARDIS - that's my computer's name. I just don't want anything corny (like the Gump suggestion above) - this is the name she'll live with for at least the next 10 years.
Reason I shouldn't have bought it - I'm a contractor, not a permanent employee and in this economy no one's job is safe.
Reasons I *did* buy it - it's been 15 years since I last bought a car (DH buying the Outback doesn't count as he did that on his own), sales tax is about to go up in California, Vehicle licensing fees are about to go up too, and I believe there are tax breaks on buying a new car due to the 'stimulus package'.
Oh, did I mention it's a PZEV vehicle? It's got that pretty little green leaf on the back that shows everyone I'm environmental and such. Funny that, our 2001 Outback already is at zero emissions - we just had the smog check.
But, the downside of all this is that I have to say goodbye to my ever faithful Jeep Cherokee, Kira (or Jeep-Jeep). She has served me well over the almost 16 years I've owned her. She protected me in a couple of fender benders that were more than fender benders (at least in one case), she helped bring home my two little girls as babies from the hospital, she's been indispensable to me for years. But she's getting old and creaky, showing her age and starting to lumber down the street instead of glide. That doesn't mean I love her any less or won't cry when I have to hand those keys over to someone else who will take care of her. I'm already tearing up at the thought.
She wasn't just a car - she was the first major possession I ever had and bought for myself. My first big purchase out of college. Her name was my wizard's name when I'd game (so I can't adopt it for my new car - because Kira was uniquely that Jeep).
So it's a happy time and a sad one as I say goodbye to my faithful Jeep and embrace my new Forester. And I'll happily take name suggestions...
...as long as they're not too corny.
May I introduce you to my 2009 2.5X Limited Subuaru Forester, with built in GPS (and bluetooth and iPod connections to be installed shortly)...
I know, lame intro... but I don't know what to call her yet. We brought her home on Saturday evening and DH is happy to have his Outback to himself again.
She just needs a name - the right name. So far I've gotten Forester Gump (ew), Roo-ba-roo (eh), Q-T-pi (I rather like that one especially since she was purchased on Pi Day), Beep-Beep (it's cute), Soobie (because DH might give that up and find a new name for the Outback, in which case I'll take it!) and possibly Trillian. Nothing else is worth mentioning, although my MIL thinks I should find a foresty-kind of name, maybe even Middle Earth female Hobbit in nature, for the vehicle.
She's definitely a girl, so she needs a somewhat female name. And no, I can't call her the TARDIS - that's my computer's name. I just don't want anything corny (like the Gump suggestion above) - this is the name she'll live with for at least the next 10 years.
Reason I shouldn't have bought it - I'm a contractor, not a permanent employee and in this economy no one's job is safe.
Reasons I *did* buy it - it's been 15 years since I last bought a car (DH buying the Outback doesn't count as he did that on his own), sales tax is about to go up in California, Vehicle licensing fees are about to go up too, and I believe there are tax breaks on buying a new car due to the 'stimulus package'.
Oh, did I mention it's a PZEV vehicle? It's got that pretty little green leaf on the back that shows everyone I'm environmental and such. Funny that, our 2001 Outback already is at zero emissions - we just had the smog check.
But, the downside of all this is that I have to say goodbye to my ever faithful Jeep Cherokee, Kira (or Jeep-Jeep). She has served me well over the almost 16 years I've owned her. She protected me in a couple of fender benders that were more than fender benders (at least in one case), she helped bring home my two little girls as babies from the hospital, she's been indispensable to me for years. But she's getting old and creaky, showing her age and starting to lumber down the street instead of glide. That doesn't mean I love her any less or won't cry when I have to hand those keys over to someone else who will take care of her. I'm already tearing up at the thought.
She wasn't just a car - she was the first major possession I ever had and bought for myself. My first big purchase out of college. Her name was my wizard's name when I'd game (so I can't adopt it for my new car - because Kira was uniquely that Jeep).
So it's a happy time and a sad one as I say goodbye to my faithful Jeep and embrace my new Forester. And I'll happily take name suggestions...
...as long as they're not too corny.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
How Many Is Too Many?
...Oh yes, I'm about to talk about the woman with 14 kids. If you don't like strong opinions, stop reading now. Go read lolcats.com or something else.
OK. Nadya Suleman has 14 children, all by in-vitro fertilization and claims that it's all because of her lonely childhood, blah blah blah. I know that everyone has reproductive rights and there are people who are just dying to conceive, but when does it become too much?
I shouldn't even mention her name because she undoubtedly is doing the ego search thing, or has her publicist do that for her so that she can see what is being said on the internet. We already know that to be partially true because she's addressed it in interviews and damn, she's got a publicist. Comments were already made that she's looking to sell her story. Lifetime (a.k.a. Lifeslime) probably already has a movie in development, I'm sure.
She had 6 children that she couldn't afford to take care of herself to begin with, and was receiving disability payments and food stamps. Now she's got 8 more mouths to feed, the payments will go up and the state of California is going to be stuck with that bill and likely the bill for the hospital stay of those babies.
That's really frustrating considering I live in the state that is going to have to pay for this and programs are getting cut or reduced left and right to try and close the budget gap. Oh, but I guess we should feel good since the food stamps she's receiving aren't welfare. Oh, but wait - last time I checked food stamps in the state of California are doled out by the Department of Social Services and an interview is required, which usually takes place in the county welfare office.
So, how is welfare not really welfare? Right. Oh, can't forget the disability payments she's received for the last 10 years or so. But that's just pennies - $165K.
I'm sure many of you are going to further hate me or lose respect when you read the next statement: I think she was damn irresponsible having more children that she couldn't afford just because she wanted them so that she wouldn't be lonely like she was when she was a child. Damn selfish if you ask me because can someone raising 14 children by herself really give them all the attention that they need and deserve?
Including three children that are apparently labeled "special needs", one of whom is definitely autistic, and who knows what lies in wait with the other 8 children where there is potential for cognitive disabilities that could take a while to show themselves?
She should be able to have as many children as she wants, right? Oh sure, let's all get implanted with multiple embryos and we can *all* have multiple children to make up for lonely childhoods or whatever other deficiency we think we had as children. And we'll make the states we live in pay for it all! Never mind the fact that we would be potentially endangering ourselves and our unborn children, but let's go whole hog! Why stop at 8? Let's implant a full dozen and see if they take!
Or we can get other suckers to pay for it who feel sorry for us by starting a website where pictures of the babies will be posted and everyone can donate money via Paypal (credit cards only, thank you) to help us feed and care for our brood. Her media relations company put up the website.
Yes, I don't agree with that other couple that have had 18 children either, but at least they seem to be able to afford it and can care for all of them. And have spaced them out significantly. 14 children under the age of 8 seems excessive - and yes, I probably would think the same way if she had those children through natural means as well.
The so-called doctor who made this all happen should be fired and stripped of his license because of the ethical considerations that come into play with regards to the health of the children and the mother. And the misleading message that goes out about implantation considering the norm is 2 to 3 embryos for someone in her age range.
There are so many things I'd like to say about this, and yet it just disgusts me that she thinks it's OK to keep having children. Oh wait, she's done now apparently. But she's also out of embryos and sperm from the boyfriend who is the father of all these children. The father that she refused to marry.
Her mother is moving out and she's going to be on her own raising all those kids. No, I take that back. She won't be alone...
...she'll have suckers who make donations and she'll continue to sponge off the state in any way she can.
OK. Nadya Suleman has 14 children, all by in-vitro fertilization and claims that it's all because of her lonely childhood, blah blah blah. I know that everyone has reproductive rights and there are people who are just dying to conceive, but when does it become too much?
I shouldn't even mention her name because she undoubtedly is doing the ego search thing, or has her publicist do that for her so that she can see what is being said on the internet. We already know that to be partially true because she's addressed it in interviews and damn, she's got a publicist. Comments were already made that she's looking to sell her story. Lifetime (a.k.a. Lifeslime) probably already has a movie in development, I'm sure.
She had 6 children that she couldn't afford to take care of herself to begin with, and was receiving disability payments and food stamps. Now she's got 8 more mouths to feed, the payments will go up and the state of California is going to be stuck with that bill and likely the bill for the hospital stay of those babies.
That's really frustrating considering I live in the state that is going to have to pay for this and programs are getting cut or reduced left and right to try and close the budget gap. Oh, but I guess we should feel good since the food stamps she's receiving aren't welfare. Oh, but wait - last time I checked food stamps in the state of California are doled out by the Department of Social Services and an interview is required, which usually takes place in the county welfare office.
So, how is welfare not really welfare? Right. Oh, can't forget the disability payments she's received for the last 10 years or so. But that's just pennies - $165K.
I'm sure many of you are going to further hate me or lose respect when you read the next statement: I think she was damn irresponsible having more children that she couldn't afford just because she wanted them so that she wouldn't be lonely like she was when she was a child. Damn selfish if you ask me because can someone raising 14 children by herself really give them all the attention that they need and deserve?
Including three children that are apparently labeled "special needs", one of whom is definitely autistic, and who knows what lies in wait with the other 8 children where there is potential for cognitive disabilities that could take a while to show themselves?
She should be able to have as many children as she wants, right? Oh sure, let's all get implanted with multiple embryos and we can *all* have multiple children to make up for lonely childhoods or whatever other deficiency we think we had as children. And we'll make the states we live in pay for it all! Never mind the fact that we would be potentially endangering ourselves and our unborn children, but let's go whole hog! Why stop at 8? Let's implant a full dozen and see if they take!
Or we can get other suckers to pay for it who feel sorry for us by starting a website where pictures of the babies will be posted and everyone can donate money via Paypal (credit cards only, thank you) to help us feed and care for our brood. Her media relations company put up the website.
Yes, I don't agree with that other couple that have had 18 children either, but at least they seem to be able to afford it and can care for all of them. And have spaced them out significantly. 14 children under the age of 8 seems excessive - and yes, I probably would think the same way if she had those children through natural means as well.
The so-called doctor who made this all happen should be fired and stripped of his license because of the ethical considerations that come into play with regards to the health of the children and the mother. And the misleading message that goes out about implantation considering the norm is 2 to 3 embryos for someone in her age range.
There are so many things I'd like to say about this, and yet it just disgusts me that she thinks it's OK to keep having children. Oh wait, she's done now apparently. But she's also out of embryos and sperm from the boyfriend who is the father of all these children. The father that she refused to marry.
Her mother is moving out and she's going to be on her own raising all those kids. No, I take that back. She won't be alone...
...she'll have suckers who make donations and she'll continue to sponge off the state in any way she can.
Sunday, February 01, 2009
Another SuperBowl Is Over...
...and the best part, surprisingly this year, was the *game*. From beginning to end it was an amazing game - a 100 yard interception return for a touchdown, down to that last touchdown by the Cardinals... and unfortunately, a win for the Steelers. I'd figured they would run over the Cardinals. I'm happy to see that the Cardinals didn't make it easy for them, despite the loss.
The commercials, for the most part, were lame. Oh sure, there were some bright spots with the GE commercials, the Coke commercial with the insects stealing the bottle (very much like Miniscule, and if you don't know what I'm talking about, just query YouTube for them), and the Doritos commercial with the guy getting hit by the bus. By the way, if you didn't go to the Doritos site and watch the 'Crash the SuperBowl' contestants, you should. Pay special attention to the one called "The Chase" - it was produced in my area, and is especially hysterical. I think it should have won instead of 'Free Doritos'.
Oh yes, the show-off Clydesdale was great too. And the Priceline commercial with the guy who was parroting Shatner.
The rest? Eh. They were disappointing. I knew going into this that we'd be missing one of the best companies because FedEx wasn't going to have one this year, and they always had entertaining commercials. OK, they weren't all that disappointing but did we really need 3 To Be Continued sorts of things?
Two of them were the GoDaddy commercials and we all know how much I love those from past years. *rolls eyes*
But the brilliant Continuation commercial is the Jack in the Box spot - Jack was hit by a bus, and we don't know if he will survive. They've created a website, a Facebook page, and a Twitter account (I'm following that) and there will be commercials for weeks to come updating us on whether Jack lives or... doesn't. This isn't the first time Jack in the Box has done something controversial concerning the clown - remember when they blew up the boxes?
I do. And I think I'll be looking forward to see what they do to the clown.
The NBC Monday spots with everyone lip syncing to Joe Cocker's "Feelin' Alright" was pretty clever. As was the Audi spot early in, *if* you got it. B caught it before any of the rest of us - the Audi was the only one of all the various cars through the decades that could make that hairpin turn. Clever observant girl she is.
Best of the bunch in my opinion? The Hulu commercial about television melting your brain and the fact that Alec Baldwin is an alien who wants to eat your brain. DH thought that was funny (he being one who definitely agrees that television rots your brain) and I just hate Alec Baldwin and can completely believe that he's an alien. So I think that won the Superbowl commercial contest for us.
So that's the commercial rundown for this year. I know, not as long as in past years, but this year was just boring. If you want to see all the commercials, the aliens at Hulu have put them up on their site for viewing, but I can't promise that they won't try to eat your brains when you're done. Or when they decide that you're done... if you know what I mean.
The commercials, for the most part, were lame. Oh sure, there were some bright spots with the GE commercials, the Coke commercial with the insects stealing the bottle (very much like Miniscule, and if you don't know what I'm talking about, just query YouTube for them), and the Doritos commercial with the guy getting hit by the bus. By the way, if you didn't go to the Doritos site and watch the 'Crash the SuperBowl' contestants, you should. Pay special attention to the one called "The Chase" - it was produced in my area, and is especially hysterical. I think it should have won instead of 'Free Doritos'.
Oh yes, the show-off Clydesdale was great too. And the Priceline commercial with the guy who was parroting Shatner.
The rest? Eh. They were disappointing. I knew going into this that we'd be missing one of the best companies because FedEx wasn't going to have one this year, and they always had entertaining commercials. OK, they weren't all that disappointing but did we really need 3 To Be Continued sorts of things?
Two of them were the GoDaddy commercials and we all know how much I love those from past years. *rolls eyes*
But the brilliant Continuation commercial is the Jack in the Box spot - Jack was hit by a bus, and we don't know if he will survive. They've created a website, a Facebook page, and a Twitter account (I'm following that) and there will be commercials for weeks to come updating us on whether Jack lives or... doesn't. This isn't the first time Jack in the Box has done something controversial concerning the clown - remember when they blew up the boxes?
I do. And I think I'll be looking forward to see what they do to the clown.
The NBC Monday spots with everyone lip syncing to Joe Cocker's "Feelin' Alright" was pretty clever. As was the Audi spot early in, *if* you got it. B caught it before any of the rest of us - the Audi was the only one of all the various cars through the decades that could make that hairpin turn. Clever observant girl she is.
Best of the bunch in my opinion? The Hulu commercial about television melting your brain and the fact that Alec Baldwin is an alien who wants to eat your brain. DH thought that was funny (he being one who definitely agrees that television rots your brain) and I just hate Alec Baldwin and can completely believe that he's an alien. So I think that won the Superbowl commercial contest for us.
So that's the commercial rundown for this year. I know, not as long as in past years, but this year was just boring. If you want to see all the commercials, the aliens at Hulu have put them up on their site for viewing, but I can't promise that they won't try to eat your brains when you're done. Or when they decide that you're done... if you know what I mean.
Remember, I own all ramblings made here...
© 2003-2008 WhizGidget/AMS
© 2003-2008 WhizGidget/AMS