"Manners are a sensitive awareness of the feelings of others. If you have that awareness, you have good manners, no matter what fork you use." -- Emily Post


Born:  October 27, 1872
Died:  September 25, 1960

"The challenges of change are always hard. It is important that we begin to unpack those challenges that confront this nation and realize that we each have a role that requires us to change and become more responsible for shaping our own future."  -- Hillary Clinton


Born:  October 26, 1947

"Women today have more of an overview of their lives and how marriage is or is not a part of it." -- Helen Reddy

Born:  October 25, 1941

Couponing: The New Sexy?

I have mentioned my couponing habit before, and after a weekend of doing more of it, I am compelled to again.

This weekend, I made seven different shopping trips:  3 stores on Saturday for those coupons that were at the end of their three week "ripeness" and 4 stores on Sunday for those coupons that were at the beginning of their "ripeness."  Before store special savings and coupons, my total bill would have been $679.03.  After the store specials and coupons, my total was $467.90 -- a savings of $211.13 (31%).  Was it worth it?  Hell  yeah!

Again, many of my purchases were things for RLF.  At CVS, I got four boxes of Kellogg's Raisin Bran for $8!  I saved $9.56 just on those boxes of cereal.  That's pretty exciting to me.  Plus, I know that RLF will eat it.  I don't eat cereal (been going low carb -- didn't even like to eat it when I wasn't low carb, it requires to have fresh milk in the house).

"Accept that all of us can be hurt, that all of us can and surely will at times fail. Other vulnerabilities, like being embarrassed or risking love, can be terrifying, too. I think we should follow a simple rule: if we can take the worst, take the risk. " -- Dr. Joyce Brothers


Born:  October 20, 1927

I'm a Smart Ass Baby...

Sometimes I kill myself -- so you don't have to kill me for being a smart ass.  Get it?  That song by Beck?

Anyhew... RLF is usually the 'victim' of my sarcasm.  I think I was at the top of my game a couple of days ago.

Monday night while I babysat (she had gone to fetch her husband from work since they're down to one car), RLF started texting me just like a mom:

(6:59 PM to 7:05 PM)
RLF:  Everything going good?
RLF:  I just got here
SS: Yep [my hands were full of baby for heaven's sake]
RLF:  Awesome :)
RLF:  If step daughter gets bratty [the kid is 7 going on 22], let me know.  I warned her before I left
SS:  We're doing her homework :)
RLF:  Wow!  That's great!

I know that's nothing outstanding.  I'm trying to set a mood...  The mood is that she is a little worried that her domestically challenged aunt is in charge of her childrens' well being.  However, she is going to make it seem like it would be the kids' (or her) fault if things go awry.  All I was thinking was, "I can't text and cuddle at the same time.  I'm picking cuddling over texting."

(7:21PM)
RLF:  We're running behind but we're headed back home now.....i am so sorry!!!!
SS:  Okay.  The fire trucks will be here soon.

(7:25PM)
RLF:  Lol!

What's with the rapid fire texting when she has no reason to have anything to worry about?  But a four minute delay when I tell her the house is on fire?  Or is it just that it took her that long to stop the hyperventilating before she realized I was joking?

Tuesday afternoon:

RLF:  Do me a favor?
SS:  Feed Mac'n'Cheese to Aaron Rodgers?  Okay.
SS:  What do you need?
RLF:  Lol, will you look at my employer's website and tell me what u think?  FYI its supposed to be attention grabbing for halloween
SS:  Are there pictures of Aaron and Clay wearing nothing but masks?  Because if there aren't, then it's not catchy.

She only puts up with me so she can have my counted cross stitch cats.

"All I wanted is just what everybody else wants, you know, to be loved." -- Rita Hayworth

Born:  October 17, 1918
Died:  May 14, 1987

Technology: The Enhancer of Our Lives

Last week was a little hectic, so I wasn't around here.  Hectic in a good way, I think.  There was some emotions and feelings shared.  That's always good, right?

Yesterday was bonkers.  If I would have had technology close at hand, I would have ranted and raved all over the place.  I awoke to an email from my boss asking him to resend my yearly review.  Okay.  Groggily, I waded through 'My Documents'...  Uhm.  Frantically, I searched my 'Sent Mail' box knowing it was fruitless since I'd cleaned that out last week.  Then I went to the flash drive.

Sunofa!  I had to redo that (not fun).  Then I had to do the two other things I should have done Friday afternoon but told myself I'd do on Sunday.  After that, a couple of work related errands and then I hit the road.  When I tossed my bags on the couch in my very sweet hotel room, I moaned a little because I knew that my evening would be spent finishing more data entry.  At least the surroundings were nice.

"Being powerful is like being a lady.  If you have to tell people you are, you aren't."  -- Margaret Thatcher

Born:  October 13, 1925

"Every human being on is born with a tragedy, and it isn't original sin.  He's born with the tragedy that he has to grow up... and a lot of people don't have the courage to do it." -- Helen Hayes

Born:  October 10, 1900
Died:  March 17, 1993

Miscellaneous Monday

I woke up pretty crabby this morning.  First, I was annoyed with my alarm clock for reminding me it was 5:30am.  I used to get up early because that's the way I am.  I now get up early just because it takes me longer to get going in the morning these days.

Second, the Packers lost yesterday.  I don't want to say any more about that.

Third, my subconscious is still broken.  Last night I dreamed about John Travolta (Welcome Back Kotter John Travolta that I had a huge crush on when I was a girl) and he wanted to kiss me.  I stopped him because I hadn't brushed my teeth.   Once again, I thought my dreaming thoughts were supposed to be uninhibited.

Things have turned around, however.  I didn't get up and plant myself in front of the television to all of a sudden have a hour and a half go by and then suddenly be panicked that I need to get showered and dressed.  I got in the shower right away.  From there, I couldn't be stopped.

My Subconscious is Broken

Or, at the very least, has let me down.

The other night I had a dream about this man:

This is #12 of the Green Bay Packers.  Aaron Rodgers -- Quarterback, Superbowl XLV MVP, NFL 2011 MVP.  He is what I would define as a 'Cougar Snack' for those of us of a certain age.  And not just because he's handsome.  He's also very smart, articulate, and humble.  On top of it -- he's kind to children and animals.  He's the whole package.

In fact, he's on my 'Freebie List' with Mr. Man.  Mr. Man is in no way threatened by this.  He's smart enough to not say, "Well, you wouldn't have a chance."  He also knows that all I would want to do is make #12 Mac'n'Cheese and just watch how many bowls he could eat.  That's not even a euphemism for something kinky.  It's honest to goodness boiling of pasta and covering it with cheese.  Think about how many calories this guy must expend on the football field!  He must be able to pack it away!

My unconventional view of what I would do should I actually meet my "crush" is also fueled by two important factors:

Technology Buzz Kill continued...

The canker sore and the cramps are gone.  Still crabby.

So I decided to call Office Max for shits and giggles.  I was on hold a long long time.  I finally got to speak to the manager of the whole department.  He was very nice, "Looks like we requested that store transfer today.  Hopefully it should be here tomorrow."

Wait.Wait.Wait.

"Hmmm..." I said, "Well, that's unfortunate.  Yesterday I talked with the Sales Associate who sold it to me last Friday.  She told me that the re-order had been placed on Tuesday after they discovered the mistake on Monday."  He was quiet.  What could he say?  I didn't want to make him do the apology-but-I'm-going-to-back-up-my-employee-because-I'm-a-good-manager-dance.  Especially when I was guessing that he was not happy to hear that tidbit -- it always bites you in the ass when you lie to a customer like she did.

I continued, "I realize that's neither here nor there and I am not going to yell at you for that.  I do think it's important that you know what was communicated by one of your employees.  That said, where do we stand now?"  More time on hold.  Him calling places.  Him asking if he could call me back.  Oh, he did offer me the floor model.  He didn't offer a discount.  I didn't ask.  I just said that wouldn't be an option.

He had to call me back while he called the other store because he couldn't see if it had been shipped yet or not.  We just got off the phone.  The person he talked to at the other store couldn't tell if it had been shipped or not because she couldn't look up tracking numbers in the system.

Uhm.  This is now the point where you tell the person from the other store to go get another one (if they have more stock) and send it out herself right this moment.  Like NOW.

I'm not even pissed anymore.  I'm ambivalent about the whole thing.  I fell in love with that laptop.  I looked it up on the Best Buy web site.  Yeah, that was a sign of desperation.  It is $80 more at Best Buy.  They have it in stock in my city.

Pay more and go against everything in me by walking into Best Buy.

Harumph.

Why Is Buying Technology a Buzz Kill?

I have cramps and a canker sore.  I may be crabbier than usual.  I am going to rant.  Get some coffee or a cocktail.

This is a topic that I was going to write about on Friday, but was sidetracked by the annoying friend.  Today brought the topic to the front of my mind again and I must rant.  The topic is buying technology.  It is, in my opinion, a pain in the ass.

Technology is meant to be a tool and it is also meant to entertain.  It should, in this world, bring us all the instant satisfaction that we desire.  Yet obtaining technology seems to be an ever increasing complicated mess that is not for the weak of heart.  Here's what I want when I am buying technology:  I walk in and tell the sales person what I want.  The salesperson leads me to what I want and I am immediately in love.  I buy it, I go home and open it and it works and I am happy.  Is that so hard?

Apparently so.