Category: Blog

I was browsing around the web and found these amazing photos from Afghanistan.

So, I’m watching the US Open – yeah, tennis! It looks like now there are not only “official” and “proud” sponsors of sporting events, but there are also “enthusiastic” sponsors. Well, I guess that puts all those lackadaisical “proud” and “official” sponsors in their place!

Heh, my cat Miri is too cool to be toyed with. Miri was sitting on a chair and Freya comes up to the chair and tries to pick a fight with Miri by bapping Miri with her front paw, charging her and all other kinds of ways. Miri would have nothing to do with it and, to prove how absolutely above it all she was, let out a big yawn.

Gee, I thought the rhetoric was that we were supposed to support our troops? Guess rhetoric doesn’t equal reality.

Every time I see a commercial for the new Fox series “Performing As” (which seems to be the latest “I’ll do anything to get on TV and sing” kind of show), I think they are saying it’s called “Performing Ass.” Somehow, I think that would have been the more appropriate title.

Here’s a little food for thought from Buzzflash:

CLAIM
“We’ll have time to look at it and determine whether or not our grid needs to be modernized. I happen to think it does, and have said so all along.” – George Bush, 8/14/03

FACT
In June of 2001, Bush opposed and the congressional GOP voted down legislation to provide $350 million worth of loans to modernize the nation’s power grid because of known weaknesses in reliability and capacity. Supporters of the amendment pointed to studies by the Energy Department showing that the grid was in desperate need of upgrades as proof that their legislation sponsored by U.S. Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA) should pass.\n\nUnfortunately, the Bush Administration lobbied against it and the Republicans voted it down three separate times: First, on a straight party line in the U.S. House Appropriations Committee, then on a straight party line the U.S. House Rules Committee, and finally on a party line on the floor of the full House [Roll Call Vote #169, 6/20/01].

Having recently taken a vacation that involved air travel, I have this bit of advice for people are who going through airport security: take your Birkenstocks off when you go through the metal detector. Appearantly, their buckles are solid enough and contain enough metal to set off the metal detector.

I was just watching an interview with Jon Stewart on Bill Moyer’s Now and heard him say something that concisely sums up what’s wrong with news today: “24 hour news networks don’t have time for journalism, they only have time for reporting.” While Jon only mentions 24 hour news networks, I feel that their existence has caused regular network TV to adopt the same policy to keep up.

Martina Navratilova just equalled Billie Jean King’s record of 20 Wimbledon titles.

It’s official – my shopping has gotten out of control! I’d been pretty good lately…hadn’t really gone much shopping and had managed to pay off my credit card. Then, I came across a great deal on a vacation I was thinking about going on and somehow, that opened up the floodgates.

I’d been wanting a laptop for awhile – didn’t really need one, just wanted one. Well, how in the world could I survive a week long vacation without my computer? I didn’t want to depend on computer access in the hotel lobby like I did last time. I must get a laptop! And yes, I ended up buying one – how could I not? It’s a lovely little thing and I’m enjoying it. Oh, the carrying case I also ordered online hasn’t showed up yet, though. You have a laptop, you have to have a case, right?

But you know what? My sofa? Isn’t really that great a place to spend hours on the laptop…I think I need a comfy chair. I try all the chairs on my living room. Nope. None of these will do. Hmmm. Time for more shopping!

So today, I drag my mom to store after store as we sit in chair after chair. I find one I like at a reasonable price. It’s a cute little barrel shaped chair that swivels and is a perfect size for short little me. I can even chose what fabric I want for it. Mom’s in love with a pattern, but I like the solid red one. We take fabric samples and keep looking. Not much in the next few stores…then, we try a store I never thought I’d set foot in. There’s a wonderful chair there – but it’s kind of expensive. It’s red, has lovely wood arms and is a bit retro. It even reclines (yes, we were in the La-Z-Boy store – sure me for being unhip). It’s a lot more expensive than the other chair, but I can put my feet up without having to buy a separate (and room cluttering) ottoman. Oh boy.

A few more stores later and mom and I go back to my house to take a look at the fabric samples with my sofa and room colors. Mom was right – the patterned fabric is lovely with the sofa. What should I do?? Then, mom points out, that the reasonably priced chair with the neat fabric is actually much shorter than the back and arms of the sofa and wouldn’t look as nice sitting next to it as the higher chair I have in there now. The more expensive chair was taller, but not as tall as the current one. We start joking about how if I get rid of both black chairs, there will be room for both the expensive and the reasonably priced chairs. Hmmm.

We end up taking a sofa pillow (okay, the only sofa pillow) back to the unhip store because I fear the red chair won’t go with the sofa. I think the frugal side of me – yes, it’s a very small side – was hoping it wouldn’t go, because I really loved the expensive chair. Well, damnit! The sofa pillow looked lovely sitting on the chair. The chair is on sale…$200 off and tomorrow’s the last day. *sigh* Okay, I tell the sales person. I’ll buy it.

Guess what? They don’t have any in stock!! It will be until August until I can get one. Oh well…I really like it, so I guess I’ll wait. So, here’s a picture of the chair in the store:

Isn’t it lovely?

Okay, that purchase done, we have to return the fabric to the store with the reasonably priced chair. We go in…I have to sit in it one more time. Damn, it’s comfortable. And it swivels! I’m all about the swiveling. And the fabric went with the sofa so well…and with my little gold chair. Hey, can I get some pillows made out of that fabric? The sales lady says she’ll go check. Mom just looks at me because she knows what’s going through my mind. I giggle…she rolls her eyes and says she isn’t saying anything. The sales lady returns and says that I can get a pair of pillows for $73. That’s seems too much for pillows, so why not buy a freaking chair? Yep, I ordered the chair with the fabric I wanted. How long will it take to get in? Oh, eight weeks.

So, I spent a lot of money on chairs today…but I’m still sitting here on my sofa typing. And to top it all off, right now my cat Miri is very pissed off at me because I moved her favorite chair during the, “which chair would look good here” session and now I’m too lazy to move it back…