I guess things will never change

THIS is what I do when I don't go into the shop for an entire day. I waste my time on the blogs.

I don't "follow" politics as much as some of my friends do. I have 1/2 an idea what's going on, and when election time closes in I try to dig around and make as informed a decision as possible (somewhat easier/harder with the Internet -- there's more information but sometimes it's harder to dig between truth and crap). Today I was reading about the possibility of Rudy Giuliani as a possible GOP candidate for 2008. This about sums it up ...

Already, Giuliani’s popularity has set off a “stop Rudy” movement among cultural conservatives, who object to his three marriages and his support for abortion rights, gay unions, and curbs on gun ownership. Some social conservatives even dismiss his achievement in reviving New York before 9/11. An August story on the website Right Wing News, for instance, claims that Giuliani governed Gotham from “left of center.” Similarly, conservatives have been feeding the press a misleading collection of quotations by and about Giuliani, on tax policy and school choice issues, assembled to make him look like a liberal.

I'm not saying I'm for or against Rudy (or Barack or Hillary or Danny or Donnie or Joey or Jonathan or Jordan). I don't know yet - way too early to call.

But I do think that generally speaking most people in this country are in the "middle" of the road. I'd think that *MOST* Democrats AND Republicans are moderate, and we have far more in common than not. I have to wonder if the parties (both the Dems and the GOP) are going to push out the candidates that are in the middle (the more liberal Republicans or the more conservative Democrats) in order to try to put forth a candidate that will toe the party line.

And really -- I'd think we'd all be better off with someone that doesn't toe a party line, but looks at the country as a whole.

Okay -- there's 300,000,000 people in this country -- and while you can't please all the people all time - there really ain't no reason to only think about 150,000,000 of them.

But what do I know -- I'm only one lone voice in the 3 million.

Change in attitude -- without a change in latitude

I'm (trying) to learn to take care of myself. Sometimes some of my "peeps" (more on some of them later) help to remind me.


This week, Crem was out of town for a few days and I picked him up from the airport. Which, at first glance might have seemed crazy but I put it this way ---


from my point of view .... makes me get out of the store -makes me spend time away from my kids

from Crem's point of view ... there's a 75% chance that I'd be cuter than the taxi driver, and there's a 60% chance that my car smells better than the taxi (actually higher than that cause my kids haven't been in the car lately leaving banana peels or 1/2 eaten yogurt containers).


Where's the downside?


So after picking him up I hadn't eaten, he hadn't eaten but it was too late for "dinner" dinner so we went to get some nosh and such :}. He'd already gotten quite lubed enough both with his boss after the presentation and on the plane, but ......


Anyway - as geography would have it, it was not at all inconvenient to make a stop on the way home ...at Cheeseburger in Paradise. Where they have not too bad food and really really good libations.

I now have a new love in my life, and

Today I'm grateful for ...


Chocolate martinis ... Bailey's, Amaretto, Kahlua, cream, chocolate, vodka.

Where's the downside? I'm just sayin ...

Which, of course brings to mind the words of one of my favorite philosophers ...

With these changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes
Nothing remains quite the same
With all of our running and all of our cunning
If we couln't laugh we just would go insane
If we weren't all crazy we would go insane .........

What do you DO all day (boring)

I own a business. Someone once asked me what I do all day and I likened it to this guy ...

It often seems I'm running around trying to keep everything moving before it all falls and crashes.

Friday I told Spouse that I needed a hand this morning. I've been telling him (for weeks) that I'm stretched out and exhausted. Friday morning this is what I did (might be in a different order, and I'm sure things are missing) ...

1. Proof three returns from Thursday night. (In my office, nothing goes anywhere without two sets of eyes looking at it. Any of us can make mistakes, but around here we seldom have two people make the same mistake).


2. Check email


3. Say "hi" to client and get him sat down with preparer


4. Find out prep#1 computer was broken


5. Get client and preparer situation in other cubicle


6. Fix prep#1 computer (monitor was flaky)


7. Dress waver #1


8. Find the banners, stands, and all the parts.


9. Get a water refill.


10. Drag water bottles around


11. Make coffee for waver #1


12. See building maintenance guy about fixing the GAP under the front door (don't need to heat the town)

I don't remember all the details exactly, but that was all in a period of about 15-20 minutes. The next few hours was sort of a "more of the same." I was thinking of trying to keep a list, but I never had time.Basically, my goal in life is to keep moving, and make sure that the plates don't come crashing down.

Chip & Princess' school is having their biennial dinner dance/fundraiser in a few weeks. The theme is "honky tonk" so I went to Rhapsody and typed in Honky Tonk to see what happened. Among other things I came across a song by Trace Adkins

But all I can do, is all I can do and I keep on tryin
And all I can be is all I can be
and I keep on tryin
There's always a mountain in front of me,
Seems I'm always climbin and fallin and climbin
But I keep on tryin
Trace Adkins

AH well -- life is life.

Science news

A major research institution recently announced the discovery of the heaviest element yet known to science. The new element has been named Bushcronium.Bushcronium has a single neutron, 12 assistant neutrons, 76 deputy neutrons, and 224 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an Atomic mass of 313. These 313 particles are held together by forces called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called peons.Since Bushcronium has no electrons, it is inert. However, it can still be detected as it impedes any reaction with which it comes into contact. A minute amount of Bushcronium causes one reaction to take over four days to complete when it would normally take less than a second.Bushcronium has a normal half-life of multiples of 4 years; it does not decay, but instead undergoes a reorganization in which a portion of the assistant neutrons and deputy neutrons exchange places. In fact, Bushcronium’s mass will actually increase over time, since each reorganization will cause more morons to become neutrons, forming isodopes.This characteristic of moron-promotion leads some scientists to believe that Bushcronium is formed whenever morons reach a certain quantity in concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as “Critical Morass.”When catalyzed with money, Bushcronium activates Foxnewsium, an element which radiates orders of magnitude, more energy, albeit as incoherent noise, since it has 1/2 as many peons but twice as many morons.

The birthday boy

Today I'm grateful for

Spouse

Okay -- I wasn't being neglectful of Spouse by waiting this many days into this theme -- I just figured I'd wait until his birthday (since I knew it was coming up).

Spouse and I are not alike. Actually though we compliment each other in a grand variety of ways. For instance, I tend to procrastinate -- and at least with Spouse around I never have to worry about the phone or electricity getting turned off because I just didn't get around to paying the bills. He makes sure all that stuff is up to date.

Spouse loads *and* unloads the dishwasher.

Spouse takes out the garbage (and remembers every week)

Spouse always folds the laundry (and washes the laundry during tax season).

NOW - some make look at say "hey that's all just everyday stuff what's that about" but the other day I was reading The Dilbert Blog. Scott Adams A few days ago he did a Romance surveyRomance survey, and got 381 responses (I did NOT read all of them). He was surprised by the number of people that considered simple household chores to be romantic. I guess he hasn't been married that long. Those simple little everyday things might not seem like much.

Spouse does not insist he read my blog (he doesn't even know where to find it). I'd go bonkers if I lived with someone that needed to know everything I did, everywhere I went, and everything I said. I'd be like bouncing off the walls.

And I'm really grateful to Spouse because, after he reads this, he's going to see how much I love him, how much I need him, and he's going to make a doctor's appointment to have a checkup and make sure he doesn't have sleep apnea. Because as much as I sometimes think he's a pain, he's my pain and I want him to stick around for a long time.

Monkey Business

Back in early Jan, in Four for Friday meme I answered the question -- Investing: If you had extra money to invest in 2007, where would you put it? If I knew then what I know now ...

Mr. Monk, with the Chicago Sun Times, has beaten the market four years running. (Note -- Mr. Monk is the one on the left -- the one without the tie)



Primal picks
Primal picks
(http://www.suntimes.com/business/roeder/208997,CST-FIN-curious14.article)

January 14, 2007

BY DAVID ROEDER Sun-Times Columnist
This year, Mr. Adam Monk, the Sun-Times' stock-picking monkey who has beaten the market for four years running, is into erectile dysfunction. He's also into syringes, women's clothes and fresh fruit and vegetables. But don't get the wrong idea.




These are the businesses of Mr. Monk's latest stock picks, made last week exclusively for the Sun-Times. And that means only one thing: It's time again for the Sun-Times Monkey Manager stock-picking contest, celebrating the wisdom of the everyday investor and primate.

Yes, despite all you hear about consolidation and cost-cutting in the Mainstream Media, with its Incredible Shrinking Newspapers, here we are back with the contest this year, and again with a fabulous prize for the reader who guesses the top-gaining stock of 2007. It's from Apple Vacations, America's Favorite Vacation Company, and details run alongside this story.

To get the stock-guessing juices flowing, I visited Mr. Monk last week at his natural habitat, Animal Rentals Inc., 5742 W. Grand. The senior-citizen cebus monkey crawled over newspaper stock pages (yes, we found some!) arrayed on a desk, and marked his five favorites with a pen. It's now a time-honored ritual, documented by a Sun-Times photographer and the accounting firm Howard, Fine & Howard.

His selections are included in an accompanying table. Sharp-eyed readers will notice that Mr. Monk, progressive as ever, is trying something new. One of his stocks isn't a stock at all, strictly speaking. It's an exchange-traded fund, Market 2000 HOLDRS Trust (MKH), which represents shares of the 50 largest-cap companies.

"It's going to be a big year for that part of the market," Mr. Monk told this reporter. "I had this pathetic intern working for me, and I told him to go buy me some large caps. He came back with this boxload of incredibly ugly cheesehead things. So I got into that market with this ETF."

His other picks include companies in pharmaceutical supplies (the syringes) and medical devices (for sundry pelvic issues), historically two of Mr. Monk's favorite sectors. Rounding out his portfolio are Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. (FDP) and ladies' apparel maker Cygne Designs Inc. (CYDS).

The latter two stocks had really bad years in 2006, but Mr. Monk insisted they are bouncing back. "Any monkey knows you can't go wrong with bananas and pineapples," he said. "Cygne makes jeans and skimpy tops for teenagers. Believe me, it's not spending much on material."

Mr. Monk invited readers to follow his stocks all year, with updates in the Sun-Times and at www.sun times.com, and to top his performance by submitting a stock for the contest.

In the four years since Mr. Monk has chaired and inspired this contest, his stocks have posted annual returns of 37 percent, 36 percent, 3 percent and, in 2006, 36 percent, beating the major indexes every time. It's proof that you don't have to be an insider CEO, an insider hedge-fund manager or a loudmouth on CNBC to make money in the market.

Our readers have responded to his example with stock picks that gained 100 percent, 200 percent and way higher. So take your best shot again this year.

Mr. Monk is with you all the way, while also tending to his latest venture, as previously reported. He has founded a company to produce the next generation in camera-, phone-, Internet-, music- and game-linked devices that will provide you with every technological convenience while recording your every move to build the most massive consumer database known to man. It is nothing less than a campaign for global domination.

It's called Private Eye Electronic Products (PEEP) and Mr. Monk gave me the latest update.

"We're going after Steve Jobs with our new device, the iPEEP. We're also launching our version of the BlackBerry, only it will be for the late adopters of technology. We call it the ElderBerry. And I have responded to the City of Chicago's call for proposals on offering free Wi-Fi access to everybody."

That sounds exciting, I said.

Mr. Monk hesitated. "I'm not too sure about the city," he said. "I went to my alderman and said I want to offer free Wi-Fi. My alderman -- he's up there in years a bit -- said, 'Whaa . . . you want a free hi-fi?' Trust me, there's a steep learning curve with the city on this whole thing."

I told Mr. Monk that I was amazed by his new ideas and ventures. Why, I asked, does he do this when, at age 35, he's geriatric for a cebus monkey and could retire on all the laurels and riches he's gained for his stock expertise?

"It's all a matter of challenging yourself," he said, "and of taking what's out there and improving it. For example, there's Donald Trump and his show, 'The Apprentice.' That whole franchise is obviously failing. So I've signed as senior producer of a new show where people compete to serve my organization and replace that pathetic intern who bought the cheeseheads. I call the show 'The Pathetic Interns.' And you'll love my twist on the concept."

What's the twist?

"I signed that Hilton woman to star in it. She'll lord it over the contestants in a vaguely dominatrix sort of way."

Imagine that, I said. You signed Paris Hilton?

"No, no. She's got a sister, a real up-and-comer. Stockholm Hilton. She got the brain genes in the family."

What channel will carry the show?

"For Mr. Monk, there's only one. Animal Planet."


Here are Mr. Adam Monk's stock selections for 2007


Cygne Designs
Ticker: CYDS
Business: Women’s clothes
Friday's close: $2.30
Percent return in last 52 weeks: -53.1
Comment: Accounting woes hurt results

Fresh Del Monte Produce
Ticker: FDP
Business: Fresh fruits, veggies
Friday's close: 14.90
Percent return in last 52 weeks: -33.2
Comment: Ongoing losses kill dividend

West Pharmaceutical Services
Ticker: WST
Business: Health care packaging, testing
Friday's close: 48.19
Percent return in last 52 weeks: +66.5
Comment: Profit growth may flat-line

American Medical Systems Holdings
Ticker: AMMD
Business: Urological disorder devices
Friday's close: 19.91
Percent return in last 52 weeks: -2.2
Comment: Erectile Dysfunction R Us

Market 200 HOLDRS
Ticker: MKH
Business: Shares of 50 large-caps
Friday's close: 62.41
Percent return in last 52 weeks: +14.8
Comment: Big-caps in big comeback?



Contests have rules (here are ours)

It's time to test your skills against the investment prowess of Mr. Adam Monk, the primate of portfolio performance. Enter the Sun-Times Monkey Manager stock-picking contest, 2007 edition!

Send us your favorite stock, and we'll track it all year. You'll win the contest if your stock has the greatest price appreciation of all entries.

You could win a fabulous prize. It's from Apple Vacations, America's Favorite Vacation Company. It's a seven-night trip for two to Gran Bahia Principe Tulum in Riviera Maya, Mexico!


Here are the rules:

• Send us a pick of one stock via e-mail or regular mail. The stock must be listed on a U.S. market and trade for at least $5 a share as of Jan. 1, 2007.

• The winner is the stock with the biggest price appreciation in 2007. Dividends don't count. If your stock stops trading, such as because of a merger, it is disqualified. Stocks that had their debut after Jan. 1, 2007, are ineligible.

• Tell us your name, the name of your stock and the ticker symbol. Provide your address, daytime phone number and e-mail address.

• For a tiebreaker (for multiple readers picking the same stock), tell us where the Dow Jones industrial average will close at the end of 2007. Closest guess wins.

• E-mail must arrive by 5 p.m. Jan. 22, 2007. Send it to monkey@suntimes.com, with "Monkey Manager" in the subject header. Regular mail must be postmarked by Jan. 22, 2007. Send to: Monkey Manager, Chicago Sun-Times Business Section, 350 N. Orleans, Chicago 60654.



© Copyright 2007 Sun-Times News Group User Agreement and Privacy Policy

Darn too bad it's January

This could be the sound bite of the year if this wasn't January. By December nobody will remember it.....

I'm just going to pull a snippet from the story - only cause it's too good to pass up. You can click on the link for the entire story.

First -- our sound bite ...

"Condoms don't belong in school, and neither does Al Gore."

Personally I happen to believe that condoms belong anywhere that people are having sex. And I'm not thinking I'd make a blanket statement that people are NOT having sex in school.

Now, let's switch around the statement a little bit -- because the complaint was about a movie that Al Gore is in so in fact that statement says...

Condoms don't belong in school, and neither does the truth.

I really have to wonder, if someone that had never been involved in politics was featured in the movie, would the movie garner more respect in certain quarters? I know that somehow "Al Gore" is seen as a spokesperson for "all them silly liberals." It doesn't matter what he said - he's considered by some to have a liberal bias.

But if I highly respected scientist type was in the movie, would it sell as much?? (I mean really how many "regular" folk are going to go running out to hear Stephen Hawking speak -- he just doesn't have the box office appeal??)

Then, one further comment.

THIS winter?? This winter someone is saying that global warming is a load of hooey??

SIGH

Seattle Post Intelligencer

Federal Way schools restrict Gore film
'Inconvenient Truth' called too controversial

Thursday, January 11, 2007

By ROBERT MCCLURE AND LISA STIFFLER
P-I REPORTERS


Al Gore's documentary about global warming may not be shown unless the teacher also presents an "opposing view."
"Condoms don't belong in school, and neither does Al Gore. He's not a schoolteacher," said Frosty Hardison, a parent of seven who also said that he believes the Earth is 14,000 years old. "The information that's being presented is a very cockeyed view of what the truth is. ... The Bible says that in the end times everything will burn up, but that perspective isn't in the DVD."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

P-I reporter Robert McClure can be reached at 206-448-8092 or robertmcclure@seattlepi.com.

© 1998-2007 Seattle Post-Intelligencer

some things work, some things don't

Unless you live under a rock, you might know that the Chicago Bears are the NFC champs and are going to the Stupid (I mean SUPER) Bowl.

This is not significant to my life, but Spouse and Chip care. On Stupid Bowl Sunday I will go to the annual chili supper, eat chili, visit with the other people that don't much care about the game, and run into the TV room whenever a commercial comes on.

THAT said -- I noticed a few things around today.

THIS I think is cute (wonder where he got it)

This doesn't work for me.

And this REALLY doesn't work for me.

I mean, I don't know much really or care much really about football. But pink just doesn't seem to go with "Monsters of the Midway." (Then again, neither does the name "Lovie Smith," which when put together with the word "bear" brings an image like this

not an image like this.

I'm just saying.

(Though -- that said I can see Christina in a pink fitted Chargers shirt.)

A river runs through it.

Today I'm grateful for ....

Anderson's Bookshop

I live in an up and coming suburb. And yes that's a note of sarcasm you detect there in my voice. In our downtown we have the river, along the river is a wonderful linear park, with walking trails, benches, water fountains, drinking fountains (including a few for dogs) a pool, a playground, soccer and baseball fields, woods, bridges, fountains, and lots of mutt mitts :}. (Humans must pick up the dog poop -- nobody picks up the goose poop). Also along/near the river are the city offices, park district offices, and the downtown branch of the library.

After the lovely parklike riverwalk, and the city, park, and library facilities, we have the $HOPPING. A long time ago there used to be a number of charming, small, family oriented businesses. Of course, with the increase in population, the increase in foot traffic in the area, and other things, the small, charming, family oriented business gave way to the Major Chain Stores. Forget the little guys, and while all you people are here shopping let's make sure you don't support the local businesses, but make sure you go to the chains. One by one the locals are being driven out -- but Chain$ willing to pay the increased rents that the landlords can charge are flocking like the Canadian Geese that won't migrate further than the silly folks that feed them all year and then complain when they get agressive..

Yeah, it's the same old song everywhere.

Most likely you've seen the movie You've Got Mail. Romantic comedy with Meg Ryan owing a small indy bookstore and Tom Hanks being the guy from Big Chain Bookstore. Around the same time that movie was released (a year or two either way), Barnes and Noble Bookseller built a flagship store in downtown Naperville. Smack dab on the corner of "almost everyone passes this way" and "just about everyone else turns here." Two stories tall, comfy chairs, music department, coffee shop.

Meanwhile, a couple of blocks over Anderson's Bookshop is still sitting there. No music department, no coffee shop, and not an overtowering presence on "all cars pass here."

However, despite the presence of the mega chain, and the off main drag location of Anderson's, Anderson's Bookshop *IS* an overpowering presence in the world of books. Since moving here I (or members of my family) have gotten autographs from the following authors...

Eric Carle
Nancy Carlson
Kevin Henkes
Dav Pikley
Cynthia Rylant
Lemony Snicket (actually, his stamp because although I've been to two "signings" unfortunate things happened to Mr. Snicket so he was unable to attend the events and Mr. Handler had to represent Mr. Snicket).
and some british chick named Rowling. (that was a LONG day surrounded by Jr. High age kids).
This is a small sampling of the authors they've brought into the area. I'm sure I've even met more, but this is all that can come to the top of my head while I'm sitting in my office with a headache. (I was looking the other day at some of the display signs they had autographed -- Terkel, Paolini, Elizabeth Berg & Alice Hoffman, Brashares, Andrews Edwards -- JK Rowling was there twice -- Anderson's had her through back when Philosopher's Stone was some obscure British novel).

Saturday we had a birthday emergency type thing. Chip was invited to a birthday party Sunday which "we" forgot about (I never knew about it -- Spouse never even opened the invitation until yesterday when friend's dad called to find out why Chip had RSVPd but we hadn't). So Saturday night (after a full day of work and going home and then making dinner) I had to run out with Chip to get a present for his friend. Now I knew there were plenty of places we could go to get something and I knew the "toy" selection at Anderson's bookshop was small, but I also knew that there would be things that would interest a 10 year old boy and be within my budget. I also knew that after purchasing said gift I could get it gift wrapped, for FREE.

I'm sure, like any business, they care about the bottom line and making a buck here and there when and where they can. But they have this fascinating marketing approach for a bookseller. They READ books, they LOVE books, and they attract people (both from the buyers and sellers standpoint) that LOVE books.

Hey -- it works.

Am I shallow????

I was looking over some of my gratitude notes -- there seems to be a pattern ....

1. Feed me, send me recipes, I love you.


2. Drink wine with me, I love you.


3. Pizza and hotdogs


4. Coffee


5. Jump starting my car


6. Go out for a Guinness with me and you get to be my *BEST* Friend.

Okay -- I guess I was altruistic with the animal rescue folks, but really, this seems to run across the "what's in it for me."

Oh well maybe someday (if I remember) I'll try to think of a few more things that I don't get anything out of.

Maybe ...

If I remember

93%

Ran across a Bible quiz on a friend's blog. Unfortunately they didn't tell what question/s I missed, and I don't recall how many questions there were so I can't even figure out how many I missed (one? two?). I'll admit without a Bible in front of me there were some things I guess on (what books comes after Colossians or something).

One question was "What was created on the fourth day." Call it a hunch, but I don't *THINK* it was "myspace."

You know the Bible 93%!

Wow! You are awesome! You are a true Biblical scholar, not just a hearer but a personal reader! The books, the characters, the events, the verses - you know it all! You are fantastic!

Ultimate Bible Quiz
Create MySpace Quizzes

en route

One of the things I do in life is to help with my church's contemporary worship service once each month. This consists partly of running the computer/projector during the service, and sometimes helping setup the slides.

This causes me to do searches of images on google using somewhat obscure - or at least unusual - search terms. And sometimes I find things that just tickle my fancy. This week the theme is the popular and unpopular Gospel of Jesus, and I was sent some slides of "thumbs up" and "thumbs down" which sent me to search for "two thumbs up" on the google.

I came across the following - which amused me (and the way this week is going, I can use some amusement -- I figure you might use some also). (note to self -- sometime when you're stuck for something to be grateful for -- remember those thumbs.)

But the bottom line is .... feed me

Today I'm grateful for

Alto 2

Whodathunkit. 11 years ago a lot of women were pregnant. Many of them had due dates in August, and we found each other on the Internet. Whodathunkit then that a group of us would form strong long lasting friendships. It's amazing. In this group different people bring different things to the table, and Alto2 brings a lot.

1. She has a gift for words. Now, personally I have some of that Irish "gift of gab" and can chatter and make small talk in person. But Alto2 has a gift of the written word (which is something I can't master, no matter how much I use the Little Brown Handbook or Strunk & White's) .
2. Alto2 is "up" on etiquette. Again, one of the things I have not mastered. I think I get on pretty well in life anyway :} but there are times you need to know the "proper" way to do things, and it's wonderful to have a resource (that doesn't involve a lot of googling - just a quick email).
3. Unlike myself (I can't seem to get this stuff by osmosis) Alto2 has, in fact, managed to learn a thing or two about wine, and when we have our annual reunion dinner, you can count on her picking something fabulous that we can share.
4. Generally, she has a lot of knowledge, and a lot of resources, and if she considers you a friend she will share endlessly. (But if you read her blog, you'll realize that you really don't want to be on her bad side -- she shared the other day about how she felt about her OBs partner).
5. She doesn't hold back on ideas. She gave a great idea on our attempt to sell our business. Like DUH I never thunk. I guess that's why I have friends.
6. The self proclaimed "Queen of Tarts" is a good cook (obviously if someone can feed me, they earn my gratitude). When our group went to Florida she put on quite the spread for all of us.
7. She has a website called The Need to Feed where she posts recipes. A while back she had a request (from some mom that rambles about minivans) for more crock pot recipes. Last night my family was lovingly fed Chicken Cacciatore which was downright YUMMY (after the prep time).

So, I guess looking at the bottom line, if you feed me I'll love you. I now tag anyone willing to accept to post some more crock pot recipes. I'm hoping that Cooking is Love steps up -- she's good some great food ideas.

Prep time

So this morning I made dinner in the crockpot (yeah Crem I know I know but you're preaching to the choir here). Alto2's Chicken Cacciatore.

I got to thinking about prep time. Typically, especially in "fix it fast" type cookbooks they list preparation time ...

never, of course, taking my lifestyle into account.

1. Ask Spouse if he can get the kids off to school
2. Get out crockpot.
3. Wash crockpot as Spouse didn't do a good job last time it was washed.
4. Yell at Chip to get his shoes on and let the dog out.
5. Put presliced mushrooms into crockpot.
6. slice onions and put in crockpot.
7. Look for can openen.
8. Find can opener in a drawer - but not the one it belongs in. (Housework done incorrectly still blesses your family -- yeah right flylady).
9. Tell Spouse he needs to go to the store to get garlic.
10. Put plum tomatoes in crockpot. Get mental release by crushing the poor innocent tomatoes in my hand.
11. Add basil, oregano, and fennel spices to crockpot.
12. Remind Spouse to make Chip's lunch.
13. Help princess snap her jeans.
14. Go to get chicken from downstairs fridge.
15. Start a load of laundry as long as I'm in the basement.
16. Look for kitchen shears - which are not in their assigned place.
17. Rip open chicken
18. Spouse is yelling at Princess to get her shoes on, go to look for Princess' shoes, and find them -- on her feet.
19. Yell at Chip to let the dog out before he poops in the crate.
20. Season chicken with salt & pepper.
21. Add chicken broth to crockpot.
22. Say goodbye to family as they leave.
23. Check recipe (which was upstairs the entire time)
24. Call Spouse and tell him to pick up some tomato sauce while he's at the store.
25. Argue with spouse while looking for tomato sauce because he insists there is some in the house, and I insist there is not.
26. Find pizza sauce, marinara sauce, tomato paste, and black beans.
27. Realize I never made my lunch, figure "forget it I'll go to the Jewish deli"
28. Leave for work late.
29. Get to work and find out the person I needed to meet with never showed up.

Cee Cee

When I was very young, I could not pronounce my sister's name, so I called her CeeCee (I'm not sure how that was spelled Cee Cee, SeaSea, C.C. -- heck I was like 3 or something).

Today I'm grateful for

CeeCee.

My sister is a bit older than me (and I'll never let her forget that simple fact). And she's a whole lot smarter than me (and, when we were in school, the nuns would never let me forget that fact.)

1. My sister has a sense of flare and style and color that I will never have. On the day that the fashion genes were being handed out, I don't know where I was. There have been times when my sister has helped me out with wardrobe, makeup, etc. But I really plan to use this quality when it comes to Princess. Princess adores Auntie CeeCee, and the feeling is mutual. I'm sure there will come a time in my daughter's life when she needs guidance in things like fashion and makeup and all that girlie stuff. I'll be glad CeeCee is around, cause I won't be much use to Princess.


2. I like wine, I really do, but I don't know squat about wine. CeeCee is a wine connoisseur (wine snob?? drunk??) She's actually going so far as to start taking Sommelier classes. I'm amazed at how wicked hard those classes are. You need to sip some wine and tell what altitude of what side of what mountain in France the grapes were taken from or something like that. Next time Spouse takes me to an upscale restaurant I'll respect the Sommelier more, and tip him (or her) well (note, we've been married since 93 -- I think we've been to one restaurant that had a Sommelier). Even though sis is a wine snob, she doesn't treat me like a wine idiot, but she does try to guide me in trying to figure out not only what I like, but why I like it. Maybe someday I'll even understand what the difference is between an "oak" and "berry" nose.


3. I know that as long as sis is around, if it all falls apart I have a place to go. Not that that will happen but it's nice to have that insurance policy. It'll come in handy after my spouse kicks me out on the street after I shoot him for snoring.


4. CeeCee is a wicked good cook. I mean absolutely fabulously awesome. I grant if you ever end up at her house for dinner, you will eat really really yummy food. I try to be a good cook, but I am a humble Padawan comparatively.


5. She keeps the family together. I love my brother dearly, and he loves me, but neither my brother or I are likely to remember to call each other and get together.


6. I'm lucky to have family I get along with that is not insane

Happy Birthday sis.

Okay I'm it

Okay Alto2 has set the challenge to find 5 things I like about my body or myself. I figure this can double as a tag and a gratitude.

1. I mentioned it once but I can repeat it (cause 5 will be a stretch) I like my hair. It's always been healthy and a good color and hasn't yet started showing much gray (knock wood)


(I added woody -- not because my hair is red -- though it used to be -- but because he's knocking on wood)





2. I also happen to like the color of my eyes.

3. I like my feet, they get me from place to place and while I certainly give them a lot to bear, I also spoil them by buying them comfy shoes.

4. I think I have a great phone voice. Especially when I'm talking to people I don't know. I'd be great at customer service (or other phone oriented jobs :}).

5. I hate hate hate to pluck eyebrows -- my hair color also lends way to very light color facial and body hair -- this does have its advantages.

6. I was having trouble coming up with 5. If I couldn't come up with 5 then I was going to add that I'm modest - but maybe I can't add that now???

For all you do

Today (and after thinking about sweet hitch-a-hiker) I'm grateful for

All the people that do animal rescue. There are tons of them in all sorts of cities and towns. Crem's neighbor fosters dogs for Rover Rescue Rover Rescue, my dear friend Rose who runs The Critter Corral a guinea pig rescue, and all the others that give their time, talents, and energies to those that have no voices.

I'm sure most of you are familiar with The Rainbow Bridge. It's the place where animals that have died go and hang out and wait for their owners, so they can cross together into heaven. Somwhere along the way I ran across this interesting twist on the tale ...

The young pup and the older dog lay on shaded sweet grass watching the reunions. Sometimes a man, sometimes a woman, sometimes a whole family would approach The Rainbow Bridge, be greeted by their loving pets, and cross the Bridge together.The young pup playfully nipped at the older one. "Look! Something wonderful is happening!" The older dog stood up and barked, "Quickly! Get over to the path!""But that's not my owner," whined the pup, but he did as he was told. Thousands of pets surged forward as a figure in white walked on the path toward the Bridge. As the glowing figure passed each animal, that animal bowed its head in love and respect. The figure finally approached the Bridge and was met by a menagerie of joyous animals. Together, they all walked over the Bridge and disappeared. The young pup was still in awe. "Was that an angel?" He whispered. "No son," the older dog replied, "that was more than an angel... That was a person who worked rescue."

When I think about the Rainbow Bridge, at least from the perspective of a cat, I think about a song by Garrison Keillor. I can't find the lyrics online (amazing) so let's see what I can remember

On an afternoon in the month of June
a wistful cat sat sighing
For her owners were not good to her,
a cousin of the lion.
On her plate was glued some dried up food
she cared not to examine
and as she wept she sat and dreamt
of the land of milk & salmon

Oh there's fresh catfish in a china dish
and the cream flows from a fountain
On the high plateau where the catnip grows
out in the catskill mountains

Out in the catskill mountains
fresh tuna just appears
and people beg you for the chance
to scratch behind your ears
A cat can lie flat on its back and never be ambitious
and the grass is sweet beneath your feet
and the houseplants are delicious

Out in the catskill mountains
the land of the big feedtrough
the couches are all comfortable and
no one kicks you off
the dogs are taught to
honor cats and beautiful and holy
and the birds are found right on the ground
and the mice run very slowly

(Hmmm I guess this can go under gratitude -- but also dreams because that to me sounds like what a cat would dream of)

sweet hitch-a-hiker

Maybe we can post it on Craigslist?

Sweet quiet girl offers companionship for transportation from Toronto to LA.

From the Toronto Wildlife Centre

Back Home

A surprise stowaway from California

On Jan. 5th, Toronto Wildlife Centre received a call about a shipment which had arrived at a company in Mississauga (just west of Toronto). It seems a surprise guest had made the trip to Canada from sunny southern California! Much to the shock of staff who were unloading the truck, a Striped Skunk had tentatively poked her nose out of some pvc piping which was part of the delivery from Torrance (south of Los Angeles). After some detective work, the story of what happened seemed clear… The pvc piping had been stored outside, in an area where skunks were frequently seen. The skunk must have gone into the piping, curled up and fell asleep for the day. But that day the piping was loaded onto a truck and taken to a company in Sante Fe Springs, California, where it was transferred to another truck inside a closed warehouse. That truck then left for Canada, a seven day journey during which the skunk went undetected. After traveling from Torrance to Sante Fe Springs, California, the skunk then went on to Port Huron, Michigan where the truck crossed the border and cleared customs with no trouble. Her voyage continued to Sarnia, Ontario, then on to the warehouse facility in Mississauga, where she was finally discovered. Once the skunk arrived at Toronto Wildlife Centre, she was assessed and determined to be dehydrated and a bit thin. There was some damage to the skin on the back of her neck, but it wasn’t very serious. She was in fairly good health, considering her ordeal. But now the little traveler must be returned to her home territory in California to be released. In addition to it being illegal for her to be let out into the wild so far away, she would be unlikely to survive it. Skunks are very territorial so if she were to be released here into suitable skunk habitat, there would already be skunks living there. They would not take to a stranger in their area very kindly and terrible fights would result. She needs to go back to the area where she belongs. We are appealing for help in getting her back to California. Airlines, which typically transport animals for us in these types of situations, are not able to help this time because of the risk that she may spray inside the closed aircraft. We are looking for a courier company, transport company, kindly individual making a road trip, etc., to give the skunk a lift home. Toronto Wildlife Centre would arrange the necessary permits, make arrangements for her care along the way, and organize her release in Torrance. Please call Toronto Wildlife Centre’s Wildlife Hotline at 416.631.0662 if you think you can help. Thank you!

I wonder if Univ. Toronto has a ride board???

more on dreamers and gratitude

Alto2 asked if my gratitude thread has come from watching Oprah or something.

Actually I haven't watched much TV of my own choosing in over a year. One day I figured that it would take me forever to catch up on my videotapes, so I gave it up. About the only TV I've seen lately is whatever someone else in the family happens to be watching, and I'm usually not paying much attention (the computer and TV are in the same room). (Basically I know about O'Reilly and Power Rangers).

I guess the idea of showing gratitude has always been one of those things I thought "yeah, I outta do that one of these days" and with a new year and relatively new blog, it seemed the time. I'm really impressed that I've done one for each day of the year to date, and we'll have to see if this becomes a habit. Some days I feel like I'm hit with a flash of inspiration (Dreamers), other days I'm just pushing to get something out. I think it's a good exercise for me, and if some people enjoy it GREAT and if a few people emulate me, not necessarily by gratitude blogs but just by calling a buddy and saying "thanks for the help," well then so much the better. Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery.

I think having a public blog helps, because I know that the people that I mention will actually have a chance to read what I've said about them. For instance, M.B. who I mentioned in http://rambling-mom.blogspot.com/2007/01/today-mb-ndots.html was someone I always thought "I should send him a note of appreciation or something" but never got "a round tuit."

Today I was listening to the Joseph soundtrack. There is a part where the brothers get jealous of Joseph, they don't like what he has to say, and they sing "one thing we are sure about the dreamer has to go." I realized how many times in history that general feeling has been repeated.

Next time we're confronted with a great dreamer, instead of killing him (or her) why don't we just lock them up with some Elvis impersonators until we realize that "they're right all along."

Like they was sayin

Today I'm grateful for ........

quotation databases.