Out and about for errands so we stopped at Wendy's for dinner. There must have been some kind of district manager there or something - as we pulled up to the drive-in, I heard him stress "2 seconds per customer" to the servers at the window. 2 seconds! WTF?

I told the poor guy and girl that after watching them race like that, I felt too stressed to eat the damn stuff.

Sitting in a long line can be annoying. But sitting in a long line and then finding out, too late, that they didn't get your damn order right because they were trying to set the land speed record would send me off the planet. How about the value of a genuine smile or a hello? How about feeling that the person took at least enough time to be sure you got what you ordered? Oh, and how about an "efficiency expert" without the huge gut that makes you think he's been eating too much fast food and maybe you should rethink this.

Well, Mr. Wendy Man, your service may be fast, but I don't think I'll be too quick to go back. Maybe you should channel Dave and ask him where the old-fashioned friendly atmosphere went. And while you're at it, work on those damn fries. They are dry as hell.

Discovered some more new blogs, and more guilt. Ellie has two sites: http://pinkadelic.typepad.com/pink/ and http://pinkadelic.typepad.com/body/ and is a writer. Ronnie http://www.timegoesby.net/weblog/ has led an exciting life in radio/tv land.

Both women are so inspiring I'm almost hoping they aren't real.

And then there's the links. I could spend all nite following, like some kind of yellow brick road. No wonder I don't get a damn thing done anymore.

My Unconscious Mutterings:

GAME BOY - mush. This is what your brain turns to when you can't pull yourself away.

Biopsy - fight. Had one. It was not good. It so just did not fit into my life at that point. So I did the only thing I could. But every now and then I feel like I'm here on a green card.

Attack - of the 50 ft woman. I don't know why this one popped into my head. I can visualize the old movie poster. I can also see the intro to that sitcom that Brooke Shields was in many years ago, the one where she was stepping over those buildings? Oh, yeah, ok. You were watching that highbrow stuff. Right.

Convention - Legionnaires. My other choice was smarmy. I guess you can see I haven't been to many I particularly enjoyed.

Jewels - fake. Or flashy. Jewelry is nice. Jewels are tacky. I just imagine a rotund matron waving a diamond encrusted gloved hand and acting like a pompous ass. Hmmmm.

Genetics - testing. And that's all I say on that subject. At least for now.

Impostor - This one just drews a complete blank. Really. I don't know why. I just visualize someone in a trenchcoat. Ok, that's it. Trenchcoat.

Doug - Cosby. I'm think of that actor that played Griffin - Doug E. Doug? Was that it? I wanted him to rent a room in my house. He was hilarious.

Arbitrary - capricious. These words just seem to always be seen together.

Oscillate - fan. I have an old, old fan like this. From my grandmother. They work well, but man, those things can cut your fingers off if you're not careful.

Weekend Wonderings

1. How much do you value your privacy?

Immensely. I am here, yeah, but it's not all hangin out for everybody to see. There are things that aren't and never will be.

2. Do you respect the privacy of others?

Absolutely.

3. Have you ever looked through something of someone elses knowing that they'd not want you to?

Of course. I'm a Mom. It's part of the job!

"Bailey's defense was that he was acting as a minister, not a counselor, when he advised the Faulkners. Ministers cannot be sued for negligence or malpractice under Alabama law, unless they take on the role of a counselor."

So... you're saying that if he wasn't actually counseling, the committing adultery thing would have been ok?

My, my, those pesky little details.

I'm sorry, but this woman is an idiot. I just don't know what else to say. I don't want to weigh in on whether or not he's guilty - I haven't studied this case. But I can only shake my head and wonder if she grew up in a vegetable patch. Did she not realize that Prince Charming was a fairy tale? Has she never heard the "If something seems too good to be true, it probably is" mantra? Did she think she was just so special that this wonderful man had been waiting all his life for her and her alone? What is it? Please. Tell me.

I need to get the antidote for my daughter before it spreads.

Interesting post over at gr8fulted about religious texts and the attitude of absolute adherence. I've long been mystified about the shouting of biblical quotations as a way to prove one's point and one's holiness.

Does it escape notice that this bit of literature was not transcribed as God was sitting there dictating to his secretary? How have we made the disconnect from how the content and meanings of discussions change the more they are repeated? Throw into that mix translation to another language and, well, there you have it. As many twists and turns in meanings as there are snowflakes.

Would you honestly want to stake your life, health, reputation or anything else of value on being able to repeat, without error and shades of inflection a conversation you heard yesterday? I wouldn't stake much on a game of "Whisper Down The Lane", and we're talking a simple phrase. So where on earth do people get the idea that these words, handed down over generations, translated into dozens of languages, told and retold by millions, are the absolute and irrefutable word of God?

I can't even tell you word for word what someone said to me 5 minutes ago. If someone like me was in this gospel chain, the Ten Commandments would resemble Firesign Theatre.

"They took a bridge that was built in 1874 and that was an artifact of our past and destroyed it"

And all six of these idiots should be made to rebuild it. Using the same tools it took to build it in the first place.

Is money, rather than cultural tradition, the real hurdle keeping Italians from independence and making babies?

No, Mama Dearest, it's called enabling...

You cook for them, clean for them, wash for them, shop for them. They are not twelve. They are physically, mentally, and financially able to go out on their own. They are just not emotionally able to do it. And when you finally get the brains to kick them out on their ass, who's going to want them? You can complain all you want that they don't leave. But when you continue to cook for them, clean for them, wash for them, shop for them...

Duh.

They were proud of their son's unusual achievement.

Oh, please.

How hard is this? Here's a young man with a bright future ahead of him. Especially with caring and supportive parents like these. Sheesh.

"They were cheated out of overtime and worked off the clock" - so how are these new "rules" going to help? Are they going to change the behavior of employers who skirt the laws to get the maximum amount of work for the minimum pay? Are they going to help the person who reports this behavior, is legally able to keep their job, and then has to work in an environment still controlled by the very person or persons who had their hand slapped?

Sounds like a fairy tale. Works like a nightmare. When are they going to learn that all the regulation in the world doesn't change people's behavior? Education does. Compassion does. Awareness does. Not cranking out a law that doesn't even address the problem in the first place.

What do women really want?

via Crow Cottage

20 Questions to a Better Personality

Wackiness: 38/100Rationality: 44/100Constructiveness: 62/100Leadership: 56/100

You are an SECL--Sober Emotional Constructive Leader. This makes you a politician. You cut deals, you change minds, you make things happen. You would prefer to be liked than respected, but generally people react to you with both. You are very sensitive to criticism, since your entire business is making people happy.

At times your commitment to the happiness of other people can cut into the happiness of you and your loved ones. This is very demanding on those close to you, who may feel neglected. Slowly, you will learn to set your own agenda--including time to yourself.

You are gregarious, friendly, charming and charismatic. You like animals, sports, and beautiful cars. You wear understated gold jewelry and have secret bad habits, like chewing your fingers and fidgeting.

You are very difficult to dislike.

Well. There's quite a bit there that fits. The happiness bit? Yeah. Secret bad habits? Um, ok.
I do usually end up in some kind of leadership role in every organization I join, mostly (I think) because I'm willing to put in the time and extra effort. I like animals and beautiful cars. The sports? Take it or leave it. I don't like gold jewelery, I prefer handcrafted silver pieces, especially if I know the artist.

But a politician? N-e-v-e-r!

"They get food every day, they don't have to worry about being poached, poisoned and all the things that go on in the wild," said Fahrenbruck.

While I don't want to weigh in on the subject of this article (too damn controversial for concentration this hour of the morning) I do have to say that this statement is the height of the ridiculous. You're talking about putting them in cages so they are safe from the very thing that puts them in cages?

Following that reasoning, it would seem more logical if we were caged.

"Calm down
Weak, transient effect: Tonight is not a good time to discuss any issues that are critical to you, because you will find it difficult to maintain your equilibrium and not fly off the handle."

Oh. Like I, um, just did?

Probably should have read this in the morning...

The governor of New Jersey resigned today. I think he did it with grace and style.

It brings up an age old question - how much of a public figure's private life is our business?

Who on this earth can be shown to have done no wrong in their lifetime? Given that, what indiscretion, poor choices, lies, omissions, and other acts should be laid bare for the public to judge? Is the standard different for political figures than it is for performers? For religious leaders?

Who someone sleeps with may be of interest when talking about someone who is to represent a standard of behavior in everyday life, such as clergy. One should expect such a person to "practice what they preach". But when it comes to political figures, sports figures, actors and the like, is it our business? Since it can already be assumed that such people will have been untruthful at some point in their life - who has not? - is it the lie or the act that's offensive? And if they do not tell the truth to someone who has no right to the information, is it a lie? Or is it a polite way to say "none of your damn business, thank you."

If you run for public office and during your acceptance speech a reporter asks you what underwear you have on, are you obligated to tell them? If you don't tell them the truth, is that a moral offense? If they want to know how many times you slept with your spouse, is it their business? Are we going to make the leap from judging a public figure by the wholesomeness of their union to the number of their "unions"? At what point is it just none of our business?

When we make the leap from what a person does and who they are in the most intimate sense, I think we are setting them up for lies and omissions. We have no right to indulge our purient interests just because we have a captive subject. Does someone being gay make them unfit? No. And if we force them to lie about it, is it their moral fiber that should be in question? Or is it ours?

Stumbled on this blog. This post gave me more than a few laughs, but according to the comments posted, I think he's now lost his ticket on the Rapture Express. And labeled a Democrat, too!

Some people really know how to sling those insults, I'll tell ya...

It's a perfect day, weatherwise. Low humidity, low heat, breezy, sky full of clouds. A day made for enjoyment.

And here I sit, thinking - gotta weed the gardens before the morning glories conquer everything; gotta mow the lawn so I don't have to set the mower so high that I need to do it again two days later, gotta dump the rain barrels and water catch-alls before the mosquitos infest the place. All the joys of being a homeowner. If I won the lottery, first thing I'd do is hire maintenance...

August has started on a fortunate note and the coming school year will be one we can look forward to. Not to go into details (which still infuriate me), let's just say it involves not implementing an IEP (against the law), a ridiculous and unknown zero-tolerance policy (possibly against the law, in this case), and blatant disregard for the laws regarding the right to a proper education. Since I have more than once hinted to the district that it's possible I'll hold them accountable (i.e. sue the bastards), they've reluctantly agreed to a different placement. I say reluctantly, as this was basically to save face. They seem to think I will not pursue this. They're not sure if I've contacted an attorney (I have) but also think I don't have the funds (I do). But, we're out of that school and into private placement in an amazing school that's based on Buddhist principles where the students (after completing what's required by the state) can actually pick their own courses of study. If there's no instructor, they'll find one. Or they'll learn along with the students. What education should be about.

And no, these students don't choose things like "The Impact of Reality TV on Snacking." That's already been reserved for those high-priced college curriculums.

I swore I wouldn't. I really did. But, well....

Seems I've said an awful lot of them.

I have a mixed reaction to this. I mean, shouldn't your family already be pretty familiar with it? And if they're not, isn't it something you should be working on while you're still alive? Instead of paying some lawyer to, um, write it down for you?

I remember when my grandmother passed away - my father's mother. He's actually my step-father, but the only one I've really known, so making that distinction seems wrong, somehow. But his mother was different. There was always that underlying feeling of not being quite what she wanted that my mother and I both felt. So imagine our surprise when at the gathering after her funeral, we hear all the wonderful things she said about us.

All that time and emotion wasted. A connection never felt. Kind of like what you'd feel after reading this ethical will. For some it might be a warm and fuzzy feeling. But for me, the first reaction would be, well, WTF?

"At our age any work we can eliminate helps make life easier"

I hope I'm not supposed to wait until I'm in my 70's for this to be acceptable. When it comes to housework, I'll eliminate as much as I can. Much prefer the garden. My rule of thumb: If you can clean up for company enough that they don't think you're a complete slob and you can do it in less than 15 minutes, you're ok. Of course, you can always throw around a few dog-eared travel mags and leave a well-worn suitcase near the door so they'll think your life is so exciting you simply don't have time to wrestle the dust-bunnies...