And just so you know, I meant to spell knitwit with a K.
Today, I am MAD. And I am done shopping at stores like Michael's or Joann Fabrics, etc. when it comes to my fiber arts needs. I'm talking knitting mostly. I have tried unsuccessfully several times to find the size double-point knitting needles that I need for a project. Recently, I have taken up knitting again and while I have lots and lots of single-point needles, I have almost zilch double-point ones.
This may not seem like a big deal, but it is when you want to make hats or socks and you want to do it without seams. My quest has been for size 5 double-points and I have been all over town looking for them. And I don't want any wooden ones, neither bamboo nor birch or pine or whatever. I happen to LIKE aluminum needles. They're virtually indestructible and will last long after I'm gone. Heck, I still have my first pair of knitting needles and they're right around 40 years old.
You go to the websites of these craft/sewing stores and they say, oh, indeed, they carry them. However, the truth of the matter is that the actual brick-and-mortar store may carry a couple of sizes, but they are perpetually out of the size you need. And the websites aren't set up as stores where you can purchase them online. Nope, they just direct you to your local retail outlet.
I've given up on them. Even the small, non-chain yarn stores don't carry what I want. From now on, I will buy my needles online from places that offer ALL sizes of needles.
And they wonder why people prefer to shop online rather than patronize the retail outlets.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Decorum and a sense of propiety
Some recent events in my life have spurred today's entry. I want to know what has happened to people having a sense of propiety and decorum? You know what I mean, politeness, knowing what is and is not appropriate to say or do in public.
This morning, I was out running errands and driving down the main street in our community, which also happens to be a state highway and has lots of traffic. I noticed the car in front of me had this decal message on its back window: "9 out of 10 voices in my head tell me I'd f**k that." Say what? What kind of crap is that to put out in public display? We used to say, do you talk that way in front of your mother? Sadly, they probably do.
My daughter works in child care and every day she comes home with stories about the profanity that comes out of the mouths of the children in her preschool class. These are three-and-four-year olds. I didn't know those words they're saying when I was that age and when my kids were that age and I happened to hear them saying something like that, I'd brush their teeth with soap. But apparently, the employees at the child care have had dealings with the mothers of these children and their language is no better. They talk like gutter trash. So you can see where they're learning it from.
My husband and I were in the grocery store a few days ago and right in the middle of the meat department is a woman having a heated argument on her cell phone. And I mean, it was LOUD. She was pretty much screaming into the phone, and it was, there again, "f**k this" and "f**k that" and you could hear her clear across the store. Mind you, this is a LARGE supermarket with high, warehouse-type ceilings.
Oh, and how about the habit people have of wearing their pajamas everywhere these days? Yeah, maybe pajamas aren't necessarily immodest, but they are tacky and it makes you wonder if these people actually wear pajamas to bed. One young woman was wearing her pj's and was also snuffling and coughing like she had a cold. Well, if she was that sick that she couldn't be bothered to get dressed, maybe she should have stayed home. I'm not OCD or a total germaphobe, but I did get out an antibacterial wipe and wipe the buttons on the pay thing because we were in the checkout behind her and I didn't want to touch them after her germ-laden fingers touched it.
This morning, I was out running errands and driving down the main street in our community, which also happens to be a state highway and has lots of traffic. I noticed the car in front of me had this decal message on its back window: "9 out of 10 voices in my head tell me I'd f**k that." Say what? What kind of crap is that to put out in public display? We used to say, do you talk that way in front of your mother? Sadly, they probably do.
My daughter works in child care and every day she comes home with stories about the profanity that comes out of the mouths of the children in her preschool class. These are three-and-four-year olds. I didn't know those words they're saying when I was that age and when my kids were that age and I happened to hear them saying something like that, I'd brush their teeth with soap. But apparently, the employees at the child care have had dealings with the mothers of these children and their language is no better. They talk like gutter trash. So you can see where they're learning it from.
My husband and I were in the grocery store a few days ago and right in the middle of the meat department is a woman having a heated argument on her cell phone. And I mean, it was LOUD. She was pretty much screaming into the phone, and it was, there again, "f**k this" and "f**k that" and you could hear her clear across the store. Mind you, this is a LARGE supermarket with high, warehouse-type ceilings.
Oh, and how about the habit people have of wearing their pajamas everywhere these days? Yeah, maybe pajamas aren't necessarily immodest, but they are tacky and it makes you wonder if these people actually wear pajamas to bed. One young woman was wearing her pj's and was also snuffling and coughing like she had a cold. Well, if she was that sick that she couldn't be bothered to get dressed, maybe she should have stayed home. I'm not OCD or a total germaphobe, but I did get out an antibacterial wipe and wipe the buttons on the pay thing because we were in the checkout behind her and I didn't want to touch them after her germ-laden fingers touched it.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Bill collectors
In this faltering economy, it's getting easier and easier to fall behind a little in payments to creditors. Not a good thing, but it happens. You lose your job or your hours or cut, in any case, your income is reduced. Unfortunately, your financial obligations are not. In fact, your creditors are now upping your minimum payments and interest rates. Hmm, and they really think that's going to help you pay them off faster?
Lately, we've started getting calls from a bill collector. Now, this was rather confusing to me as we aren't that far behind on payments. A little late, but the bills always do get paid. So why was this bill collector calling us? I have a habit of ignoring any phone calls that come up in the caller ID as "toll-free." But yesterday, they left a message on the voicemail to call IC Systems. Well, I looked up IC Systems to find out that they are one of those collection agencies that has a reputation for harassment and making mistakes.
Today they called again and I picked up the phone. I said hello about four times and no one answered. I hung up and dialed the number back. Asked them what they wanted and who they were looking for. Someone named Marvin Foutz, or at least it sounded that way, but since the person on the phone had a foreign accent, I wasn't sure. So I said the name back to them and yes, that's who they were looking for.
No one in this household is named Marvin Foutz. We don't KNOW anyone by that name. So why do they have this number? And they've also called my husband's work, but they were looking for someone else that time, some woman whose name my husband did not recognize.
IC Systems says they will take my number off their list, but we'll see what happens.
And Marvin Foutz, whoever you are, wherever you are, I hope you get this taken care of.
Lately, we've started getting calls from a bill collector. Now, this was rather confusing to me as we aren't that far behind on payments. A little late, but the bills always do get paid. So why was this bill collector calling us? I have a habit of ignoring any phone calls that come up in the caller ID as "toll-free." But yesterday, they left a message on the voicemail to call IC Systems. Well, I looked up IC Systems to find out that they are one of those collection agencies that has a reputation for harassment and making mistakes.
Today they called again and I picked up the phone. I said hello about four times and no one answered. I hung up and dialed the number back. Asked them what they wanted and who they were looking for. Someone named Marvin Foutz, or at least it sounded that way, but since the person on the phone had a foreign accent, I wasn't sure. So I said the name back to them and yes, that's who they were looking for.
No one in this household is named Marvin Foutz. We don't KNOW anyone by that name. So why do they have this number? And they've also called my husband's work, but they were looking for someone else that time, some woman whose name my husband did not recognize.
IC Systems says they will take my number off their list, but we'll see what happens.
And Marvin Foutz, whoever you are, wherever you are, I hope you get this taken care of.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Traffic laws
Why do some fools feel that the speed limit is never fast enough? I will admit that I literally find a perverse joy in making sure my speedometer is right on the mark when I'm traveling around my community, expecially if it pisses off the person in back of me. These are the whiners who bitch and moan when the county is out in force doing emphasis patrols and catching these scofflaws right and left. "Oh, why aren't the police out catching the REAL criminals? We're not hurting anyone."
Yeah, right. Since I work in insurance, I see how often speed is involved in traffic accidents. Plenty of people are hurt...or killed because of speed. So that argument doesn't wash. Now, don't get me wrong, I have been known to exceed the speed limit at times on the freeway, especially in certain straight stretches of road (I-5 through the Central Valley in California comes to mind), but this is not my rule. On the arterials around here, the speed limit is generally 35. And these are county roads. Sometimes there isn't a lot of traffic, but that doesn't mean it's okay to do 40 to 50, or to ride my bumper because I choose to do the speed limit.
Yeah, right. Since I work in insurance, I see how often speed is involved in traffic accidents. Plenty of people are hurt...or killed because of speed. So that argument doesn't wash. Now, don't get me wrong, I have been known to exceed the speed limit at times on the freeway, especially in certain straight stretches of road (I-5 through the Central Valley in California comes to mind), but this is not my rule. On the arterials around here, the speed limit is generally 35. And these are county roads. Sometimes there isn't a lot of traffic, but that doesn't mean it's okay to do 40 to 50, or to ride my bumper because I choose to do the speed limit.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Michael Jackson's dead?
Wow. I went to pick up my son and had the radio on in the car and heard the news that Michael Jackson had died. Now they said cardiac arrest, but what does that even mean? Did he have a heart attack? Sure, if you find someone in cardiac arrest, they're obviously dead, because no matter what, when you die, you heart stops. Doesn't take a genius to figure that out. It will be interesting, to an extent, to see what the cause of the cardiac arrest was.
My first thought, though, was that, gee, he has kids. What will become of the kids? I imagine there was some contingency plan, but you never know.
My first thought, though, was that, gee, he has kids. What will become of the kids? I imagine there was some contingency plan, but you never know.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Everything Old is New Again
I originally started this "blog" if you will back in 1996, before it was even called a blog. At that time it was maybe called a web log, which is what morphed into just blog. It used to reside as a page in my site on AOL. I thought I'd revisit those days and my entries from then. Here goes:
From October 1996
Someone once said that opinions are like bellybuttons - everyone has 'em. Am I any different? Of course I'm not any different! I may be more vocal than some other people I know, but that's beside the point.
What follows are my own observations about life, love and this crazy mixed up planet we call earth. For lack of a better term, I settled on calling them something that I'm partial to: Cookies. My personal favorite is chocolate chip, preferably the $250 variety :::grin::: (if you didn't understand that reference, you haven't spent much time on the 'net, and I really suggest you start reading A.F.U., otherwise known as "alt.folklore.urban" posthaste).
October 23, 1996. Why is it that no matter what the posted speed limit is on a street or highway, people will always choose to travel at least 10 mph over it? And if you're one of the rare few who choose NOT to drive like you're living in the fast lane, everyone seems to get angry at you? Too often these days, people take driving too seriously and too personally....far too many people are quick to take out their frustrations by violent means. Just this past week, a young mother was shot and killed by one well-aimed bullet fired from a vehicle whose driver was angry that the car the woman was a passenger in had cut him off on the freeway. Because of this, a baby is now motherless. Why can't people just let it DROP when someone angers them momentarily on the freeway? Is it really that important to exact revenge? I get irritated by other people's driving habits all the time, and I imagine I irritate others with mine. But the irritation fades quickly and by the time I'm 5 to 10 miles down the road, the incident is all but forgotten.
October 25, 1996. Microsoft mogul Paul Allen is spending his money again. Latest venture is something called the "Experience Music Project" which is a proposed museum honoring Jim Hendrix and other Northwest music artists. I don't remember the actual price tag for the facility (I keep thinking $60 million) but it was something outlandish. Having seen the mockup of the complex, one wag described it thusly: "It's attractive in a sort of organic, contoured, smooth way" or something to that effect. I have to agree...it was the most bizarre-looking piece of architecture I've seen in a long time. I guess you have to see it to truly grasp the concept, but to me, the buildings are shaped like mountains or mounds of dirt, painted that way also.
Oh well, it's Paul Allen's money...guess he can spend it any way he chooses. Must be nice, having money to waste. Me...I'm just lucky to make the mortgage payment each month :::grin:::
October 29, 1996. Today, I am filled with sadness for one of my friends has passed away. How fragile is the thread of life, our hold on mortality. He was still young, only 41, and yet his life is gone now. His wife grieves, heartbroken and devastated. It was so swift. Her soulmate is gone.
We take so many things for granted, that the ones we love will always be there with us and for us. And then, in a twinkling of an eye, it all changes and we are alone. I am re-evaluating my own life and priorities today and I know that I and going to be changing a few things.
March 6, 1997. I've been thinking a lot about corporate downsizing lately. Many of us have been victims of it, losing jobs or perhaps being one of the "lucky" ones who haven't been riffed. I say "lucky" because those who stay frequently have to take up the slack and do their own work, as well as the work of those who've been cut. For the same pay. Or even if they get more pay, the company no longer has to pay benefits, etc. for the riffed employees, thus a supposed cost-saving. But that cost-saving isn't passed on to the remaining employees in the form of more pay..oh no, it's used to line the pockets of the CEOs and others at the top of the heap. The gap between wage earners and top execs continues to widen.
It's been said that the middle class is slowly disappearing....now we just have the haves and the have nots and nothing in between. I don't know what my point is today...guess the gloom of a rainy March day has gotten under my skin and colored my outlook.
April 8, 1997. Recently, a 6-year-old girl disappeared in a small town that I have familial ties to. The news showed a mother's anguish initially and the whole community was put on alert. The child had disappeared in the two blocks between her apartment and the school she was walking to. But I know this neighborhood and something about the story didn't sound right. This is a busy area and LOTS of children would have been walking this route at the same time of day, yet NO ONE saw anything suspicious. Eventually, the little girl's body was found washed up on the beach. Foul play was obviously suspected. I visited this town over the past weekend and heard a different story than had been told on the news. Seems that results from the autopsy showed that the girl had been dead longer than she had been reported missing, i.e time of death was prior to the time she was supposedly walking to school. Other things are odd. Another child who ordinarily walks to school with the girl had stopped by the house that morning to pick her up and was told she was not ready yet and to go on. Later that same morning, around 11 am, the mother showed up at the school with a lunch for the girl. This is not unusual except that the girl NEVER brought lunch to school..she always ate the school lunch (I think she was on the free lunch program for low-income families). This was when it was "discovered" that she was not at school.
A child is dead and evidence is pointing strongly toward murder by someone in her own family. The evil that lurks in the hearts of some is a concept I cannot comprehend..I love my children with all my heart and soul and the thought of harming them unto death is so foreign to me - I am absolutely appalled.
From October 1996
Someone once said that opinions are like bellybuttons - everyone has 'em. Am I any different? Of course I'm not any different! I may be more vocal than some other people I know, but that's beside the point.
What follows are my own observations about life, love and this crazy mixed up planet we call earth. For lack of a better term, I settled on calling them something that I'm partial to: Cookies. My personal favorite is chocolate chip, preferably the $250 variety :::grin::: (if you didn't understand that reference, you haven't spent much time on the 'net, and I really suggest you start reading A.F.U., otherwise known as "alt.folklore.urban" posthaste).
October 23, 1996. Why is it that no matter what the posted speed limit is on a street or highway, people will always choose to travel at least 10 mph over it? And if you're one of the rare few who choose NOT to drive like you're living in the fast lane, everyone seems to get angry at you? Too often these days, people take driving too seriously and too personally....far too many people are quick to take out their frustrations by violent means. Just this past week, a young mother was shot and killed by one well-aimed bullet fired from a vehicle whose driver was angry that the car the woman was a passenger in had cut him off on the freeway. Because of this, a baby is now motherless. Why can't people just let it DROP when someone angers them momentarily on the freeway? Is it really that important to exact revenge? I get irritated by other people's driving habits all the time, and I imagine I irritate others with mine. But the irritation fades quickly and by the time I'm 5 to 10 miles down the road, the incident is all but forgotten.
October 25, 1996. Microsoft mogul Paul Allen is spending his money again. Latest venture is something called the "Experience Music Project" which is a proposed museum honoring Jim Hendrix and other Northwest music artists. I don't remember the actual price tag for the facility (I keep thinking $60 million) but it was something outlandish. Having seen the mockup of the complex, one wag described it thusly: "It's attractive in a sort of organic, contoured, smooth way" or something to that effect. I have to agree...it was the most bizarre-looking piece of architecture I've seen in a long time. I guess you have to see it to truly grasp the concept, but to me, the buildings are shaped like mountains or mounds of dirt, painted that way also.
Oh well, it's Paul Allen's money...guess he can spend it any way he chooses. Must be nice, having money to waste. Me...I'm just lucky to make the mortgage payment each month :::grin:::
October 29, 1996. Today, I am filled with sadness for one of my friends has passed away. How fragile is the thread of life, our hold on mortality. He was still young, only 41, and yet his life is gone now. His wife grieves, heartbroken and devastated. It was so swift. Her soulmate is gone.
We take so many things for granted, that the ones we love will always be there with us and for us. And then, in a twinkling of an eye, it all changes and we are alone. I am re-evaluating my own life and priorities today and I know that I and going to be changing a few things.
March 6, 1997. I've been thinking a lot about corporate downsizing lately. Many of us have been victims of it, losing jobs or perhaps being one of the "lucky" ones who haven't been riffed. I say "lucky" because those who stay frequently have to take up the slack and do their own work, as well as the work of those who've been cut. For the same pay. Or even if they get more pay, the company no longer has to pay benefits, etc. for the riffed employees, thus a supposed cost-saving. But that cost-saving isn't passed on to the remaining employees in the form of more pay..oh no, it's used to line the pockets of the CEOs and others at the top of the heap. The gap between wage earners and top execs continues to widen.
It's been said that the middle class is slowly disappearing....now we just have the haves and the have nots and nothing in between. I don't know what my point is today...guess the gloom of a rainy March day has gotten under my skin and colored my outlook.
April 8, 1997. Recently, a 6-year-old girl disappeared in a small town that I have familial ties to. The news showed a mother's anguish initially and the whole community was put on alert. The child had disappeared in the two blocks between her apartment and the school she was walking to. But I know this neighborhood and something about the story didn't sound right. This is a busy area and LOTS of children would have been walking this route at the same time of day, yet NO ONE saw anything suspicious. Eventually, the little girl's body was found washed up on the beach. Foul play was obviously suspected. I visited this town over the past weekend and heard a different story than had been told on the news. Seems that results from the autopsy showed that the girl had been dead longer than she had been reported missing, i.e time of death was prior to the time she was supposedly walking to school. Other things are odd. Another child who ordinarily walks to school with the girl had stopped by the house that morning to pick her up and was told she was not ready yet and to go on. Later that same morning, around 11 am, the mother showed up at the school with a lunch for the girl. This is not unusual except that the girl NEVER brought lunch to school..she always ate the school lunch (I think she was on the free lunch program for low-income families). This was when it was "discovered" that she was not at school.
A child is dead and evidence is pointing strongly toward murder by someone in her own family. The evil that lurks in the hearts of some is a concept I cannot comprehend..I love my children with all my heart and soul and the thought of harming them unto death is so foreign to me - I am absolutely appalled.
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