Spring Break 07 - 03/25/07

Let's recap our Fabulous Spring Break Oh Seven, in pictures.


Friday: Jacob gets braces. Bank account severely reduced.


Saturday: We purchase a washing machine at Sears. Bank account severely reduced.


Sunday: We went to the library a half hour early, so we drove around Cassadega, a "Spiritualist City." Back to the library so I could renew "Walden" and check out "The Memory Keeper's Daughter."

This is exciting stuff people!

Monday: Errand day. We drove to see Jake's doctor (we MUST find a new one close to home. Our pediatrician also moved, to Apopka. Even further away.) Then we went to get a prescription filled, mail a package and then to the bank.

Tuesday: Sears delivers the washer. I am spastically excited, hug my new washer (I did) and do 7 loads that day. Seriously.



Meanwhile, Jacob helps the neighbor mulch his yard.

Wednesday: Home warranty plumber shows up and fixes leaky faucet in tub. Tub no longer creates bubbles with bubble bath. WHAT is that about? Really? We can't make bubbles with the bubble bath we have been using for 3 years

Thursday: Picture day for Isabel & Jacob. Isabel complains about her pretty itchy dress, won't sit still for pictures, I forget the coupon, bank account reduced

Friday: Wow, I can't even remember Friday. It was that exciting. Ummmmmmmmmmm. Nope, can't remember.

Saturday: Dine at Joe's Crab Shack. Yum. Sister Brenda & hubby drive up to spend the night, as they have an early a.m. appointment in Putnam county to view some property. Brenda gives me her old pink Razor phone, which I love love love. Brenda delivers presents to us from our other sister Vicky. Our Christmas presents. Isabel got a baby doll, a stroller for the baby and some baby clothes.

Jacob gets a combined birthday/Christmas Present: Guitar Hero 2 for the PS2.

David got a strategy guide for a video game, and I got a Bed Bath & Beyond gift card and coupons.

Sunday: My sister & her hubby left before we even awoke. We went to Bed Bath & Beyond to spend my gift card - hee hee. Got a large mirror for the wall when you first enter the house. Ate Mickey D's for lunch and then home for dinner & 2 movies. Oddly enough, both movies were about magicians;

The Prestige and The Illusionist. The Prestige was creepy. It had you loopy the entire time. I can't even begin to explain the double, triple & quadruple dealings going on. The Illusionist - I figured out what happened seconds before Paul Giamati's character did. Both were good.


FUN FUN FUN! Back to the grind tomorrow. Good Night.

Once More With Feeling - 03/22/2007

So Excited!

Joss Whedon decided a while back to continue Season 8 of Buffy in comic book form, and went with Dark Horse Comics. Season 8, Book 1 is already sold out. It was released this week (there was a delay from the posted release date.) The variant cover is still available but only one per person as they are selling out fast, and a second printing of the first cover will be coming out soon. I got the first print of the original cover delivered today. *squeeee* I already have # 2-4 preordered from TFAW.com as well. It's too short, though. I need more info, please! Number 2 does not come out until the first week in April. Gah. I am impatient.

"Once More With Feeling," Season 6, Episode 7

Redefinition - 03/13/2007

Ok.

Let's discuss something. The difference between "Your" and "You're." It perturbs me. I mentioned my being perturbed and was told I needed a hobby, but as the teller does not read my blog anyway, whatever.

You're. It stands for You Are. It is called a contraction. We are squishing the words together because....well, we're lazy. See that? I used another contraction; we're. As in "We are."

You Are Crazy = You're Crazy

You Are needed in the conference room = You're needed in the conference room.

You are stepping on dog doo. You're stepping on dog doo.

Any time you can say "You are," you can use "You're." With me?

"Your," on the other hand, signifies possession. Something that belongs to you.

Your dress is pretty. The dress belongs to you.

Your report was due yesterday. The report...that belongs to you.

Your butt is big. (IS NOT). The butt, that belongs to you, is big. Got that?

When I see people say "Your Welcome," I always say to myself "Your welcome what? Your welcome face brightens my day? Your welcome smile greets visitors as they walk in the door?"

You are welcome; you're welcome.

Your Awesome! Saw that one on a web site recently and I thought -My awesome what? Hair? House? Butt? What of mine is so awesome? Ooooooh, you mean "You are awesome" or "You're Awesome."

Your house. It belongs to you. (side note: You actually CAN use the expression 'You're House,' but only if you're talking to Hugh Laurie.)

Please.....if you can say "You are.." you need to use "You're." If it belongs to you, then you can use "Your."

"Your dog is sweet. You're sweet as well."


"Redefinition", Angel Season 2, Episode 11

Spiral - 03/11/2007

Our washing machine won't "final spin." It won't spiral. We've had it about a year. We bought it used, from a local mom & pop joint in the city we used to live in. Now before you complain, "why did you buy it used," let me explain. Back when I was first separated and living with my son, we moved into an apartment. I barely had 2 nickles to rub together. If, after getting paid and paying all my bills, I had $50 for two weeks, I was ecstatic. The first year in the apartment, we did our laundry at the laundromat. What an experience. I would pile the car up with a week or so's worth of our clothes, load myself and my son in the tiny car and go do laundry. I'd try not to go early; it was always packed. Then, we'd just....sit there waiting. We'd start to see the same people over & over. When the workers nod to you as you walk in, you know you've been there a while. I'm not going to expound on the people there, nor will I denigrate or degrade anyone for going there; I had to. I am no better than anyone else.

Then, my company gave us all surprise bonuses. Out of the blue. A co-worker had bought his appliances at this local mom & pop place and recommended it to me. It was a bonus, but a small one and I did not want to spend it all on appliances. I went there, and purchased a washer & dryer for $300.

This washer & dryer lasted through 1 year at my apartment and 5 years at my home. Six years, two appliances, $150 a piece. I was happy with that investment. So when the washer needed $175 worth of work, I figured I could probably buy a newer used model, which is what we did. Washer AND dryer - $500.

It is over a year, and we moved to a new city. The final spin won't spin. I am not overloading it; I even tried running the final spin empty, with two items, with 5 items. Nothing. The mom & pop company won't come out to our new city, 22-25 miles away. We bribed with $$. No go. Now we have to decide whether we get a service call from some G.E. Authorized company, or just buy another one. I am going to see what a service call will cost first. It's pretty much the labor charge I am concerned with.

It's killing me not to do laundry.

"Spiral", Buffy Season 5, episode 20

The Catcher in the Rye - 03/09/2007

I'm trying to formulate a cohesive/coherent description to "The Catcher in the Rye." I'll probably update this post a couple of times. If there are newer posts after this one, then I am probably done. I hope.

I suppose had I read this book in high school, I may have had a different reaction to this book. That's true with any book though, right? Its meaning changes for you as you change. I found this book actually in the Young Adult section of our (lame) library. I never had to read it in high school.

Holden Caulfield. When I told my father-in-law I was reading "Catcher," that's the first thing he said - Holden Caulfield. The boy has issues. He curses a lot - mainly G.D. every other word and the F word in one section. No wonder this book was banned a lot throughout the US back in 1940's, when it was first published. Salinger had some serious guts. Here I am, 60 years later, still a bit stunned at Holden's attitude and speech. It's nothing if you are a jaded 21st century person, but like I was told once at work, some of my ideas and attitudes belong back in the 1800's.

Holden's a pain in the butt. He is. I understand he has issues and was depressed. I get it. Maybe if I were reading this at age 16, I'd be over the moon about it. I would *really* get his 'angstyness.' I must not be used to looking into the mind of someone who *is* depressed; whose every action, every observation, every reaction to others' actions, "depresses the hell" out of him. His roommates, his teachers, the hotel staff, the NUNS, taxi drivers, the Rockettes. Practically everything irritated him, except his sister. He was irritating me. And this was only about 24 hours or so in one of his days. He depressed the hell out of me, although come to think of it, where DO the ducks from Central Park go to during winter?

I did enjoy the reason it was called "Catcher in the Rye." I started reading this book and had absolutely no idea why it was called "Catcher in the Rye." I really don't know what I was expecting; certainly not a story about a young, depressed teen told in the first person. I thought that his explanation to Phoebe of being the catcher in the rye was sweet. He was so lost. This was the only thing he wanted to do - be with kids and be the catcher in the rye, in case they fell. Sadly, what he really needed was for someone to catch him as he fell.

"Lonely Hearts," Angel Season 1, Episode 2

In the Dark - 03/02/2007

Sometimes I feel like I am in the dark with regards to history, literature, science, etc. I want to learn more. I received today this book: An Incomplete Education: 3,684 Things You Should Have Learned But Probably Didn't.

VERY excited about this. It's a nice hard cover book. I have already started reading it. You know me: 3 or 4 books at a time and I am happy. (doing Catcher in the Rye and Blue Water as well). I am doing one classic a month. Catcher in the Rye is March's selection. I never read this, can you believe it. There are so many classics I have never read. I printed up a list of "100 Books to Read Before you Die." I am going to read them all. Pray for me when I get to "War & Peace". I hear it's a bear.

"In the Dark", Angel Season 1, Episode 3