Universal truths (or at least planetary truths)

You MUST check this webcomic, which I read daily. It’s about a group of geeks that work for a fictional ISP. I know some about computers, and some about geeks so I find it entertaining most days.

However, TODAY J.D. Frazer had me laughing out loud. Why ????

Funny thing is, I looked about and can’t find any references to him having children. I mean, from that comic I’d SWEAR his kids just started summer vacation.

THAT explains it …

NOW I get it — while I was cleaning out the house I found some R.O.U.S.’s hanging around.

Your Love Life is Like The Princess Bride

“Since the invention of the kiss, there have only been five kisses that were rated the most passionate, the most pure. This one left them all behind.” For you, love is like a fairy tale – albeit a fairly twisted one. You believe romance is all about loyalty, fate, and a good big of goofy fun. Your love style: Idealistic yet quirky Your Hollywood Ending Will Be: Perfectly romantic

What Movie Is Your Love Life Like?

Don’t blame me — it’s innate

So — after the Great Flooring (and redecorating) Project of 2007 is done, if you don’t like it, remember it’s not inconsistent, it’s CREATIVE!!

You Are 86% Creative

You are an incredibly creative person. For you, there are no bounds or limits to your creativity. Your next creation could be something very great… Or at least very cool!

How Creative Are You?

The Great Flooring Project of 2007

We are in the process of installing flooring over the first floor of my house. Spouse and I are installing. A while ago we learned that we don’t work well together, and if we’re working together we have to have one person in charge and one person only doing exactly what he or she is told. I’m much better at taking direction than Spouse. Which is not to say that I’m exactly stellar at taking directions, but I suppose an oak tree is slightly more pliable than a brick wall.

We decided to get some new flooring because our wonderful puppy caused the need in one room (he had some dietary issues), lucky for you unfortunately for you guys – we don’t have before pictures of the carpet. And it’s also unfortunate I didn’t get pictures of the carpet padding while I was painting, nobody will ever get to see how well the carpet padding went with the blue 3M painting tape.

This is taking longer than we expected. I will give kudos to the folks at iFLOOR. They sell both flooring and installation. The salesman we bought our stuff from comes from an installing background. We were having trouble, we went back to the store, and got a “hands on” demonstration. And I’m sure that it will continue to take a while. But I’m trying to remember the “mommy mantra” this too shall pass and eventually it will be done.

After all, myself, my Spouse, hammers, and power tools is not a really great combination.

Spouse at work

we sent this shot to Crem for a phone consult as to what to do with the doorjam.
We’re not suppose to “need” to tape the floor, but we discovered it works better.

I’m looking forward to sending the after pictures.

Magicicada

Ah yes, another 17 years have come and gone and Magiciciada is back. You can find Ciciadas in the Chicagoland area by following this map

We have not been blessed with the cicidas in my neighborhood. I understand it’s because of the use of grubix? or something when our development went in.

Today however, Chip, Princess, and I went to the annual Pignic (guinea pig pignic) for The Critter Corral, A Guinea Pig Rescue.

The Pignic was held at a forest preserve in a nearby town. As we were driving every now and then I’d open my car window and say “THAT sound is the cicadas.” We hadn’t really heard them yet. Little did we realize that once we arrived at the Pignic we would be subjected to the noise for 2.5 hours able to hear the lovely songs of Magicicada.

And now that I got to do that, I’m more then willing to wait 17 years to put up with hear that sound again.

For those of you on the other side of the Mississippi that will never experience it, and want a taste of it, go find a very old gas powered lawn mower. Fire it up. Forget about your hearing protectors. Now get about another dozen or so lawn mowers and fire them up. Then play that sound endlessly for the next 6 weeks.

Interesting California Bill

Was reading news today and ran across this article about the possibility of a law in California that requires people to spay and neuter their pets. It’s passed the Assembly, and now moves to the Senate and then the Governor’s desk. There are exemptions for breeders and owners of guide dogs (and some others — I think there’s like 20+ exemptions). Some Republicans consider this bill “micro-managing.” Governor Arnie will not disclose whether his dogs are neutered.

There could be a fine for up to $500 for each unneutered animal.

A couple of things stick out in my mind when I’m looking at this … First of all, I’ve read between $250 MILLION and $300 MILLION dollars (of taxpayer money) is spend on caring for unwanted animals in California per year.

But hey — it’s the state budget of California — so really whats a couple of hundred million — I mean who cares?? right???

OH – and another thing that sticks out in my mind. One common comment is that if this bill passes there will be NO more shelter animals in California for people to adopt. People in CA will have to go out and spend really big money on purebred animals because all the shelters will close down.

To the people of the great state of California ….. If this bill passes, I will personally make you two promises.

1) while there may be a reduction of unwanted animals in California, there will never be complete compliance with this bill and there will still be plenty of mixed breed animals to adopt.

2) even if by some really odd circumstance there are *NO* unwanted animals left in California, I assure you there are enough idiots in the other 47 contiguous states that will be having enough unneutered strays running around, there will be no shortage of unwanted animals.

I’ve looked at some of the articles and discussion on this bill (I find it far more interesting that whether or not Paris Hilton is in jail and whether or not she’s eating) and HAD to laugh at the following quote from The San Jose Mercury News …

(Assemblyman Plescia, R- Sandiego) said the Assembly should stop crafting legislation in the “crazy bill factory” before Californians pass a ballot initiative “mandating the spaying and neutering of legislators.”

Spaying and neutering legislators …… hmmmmmmmmmmm

What’s in a name …..

My day in reverse.

The last stop of the day was interesting. We had stopped at a teacher supply store to get a “graduation” present for Nephew1, who just “graduated” from Kindergarten. I’m wondering why I’m getting a graduation present for Kindergarten for chrissake and am determined not to spend too much money sure the party won’t be too bad.

One of the things I looked at was a trivia/fact book for Illinois. (Who Wants to be a Millionaire Illinois Edition or some such) I thought this might be fun for him, Niece4, Chip, and Princess. So I open up the book to a random page and see the following question ….

Which of the following skyscrapers is not in Chicago

1. Sears Tower
2. Empire State Building
3. John Hancock Building
4. Amoco Building

Now, for those that don’t live in Illinois (or don’t care) the Amoco Building changed names in Jan. 2001 to the Aon Building. (Incidentally, the book was copyrighted in 2001, which means that was after the name change. I’m reading this going ummm I count two buildings that aren’t in Illinois. We ended up getting him a Mad Libs book.

This was not the first glaring error I had experienced this evening — nope not even. The family and I went out to dinner at Cheeseburger in Paradise. I may very well be corrupting my children raising two little parrotheads.

Anyway – it being Thursday night there was live music. Some guy was singing. He did some Elvis, Bob Dylan, Eagles, finally he did some Jimmy Buffett and

MESSED UP THE WORDS

On CHEESEBURGER IN PARADISE

His mamma didn’t raise him right — at least MY kids know the words.

I hope they didn’t pay him too much. He certainly wasn’t worth all that.

He might have sounded better if I was in the bar, and had had a few boat drinks.

Fuzzy takes the hit

We have neighbors (GreenThumb and CopGuy) that throw two wonderful parties per year. They invite all their friends, and ALL their neighbors (taking the theory that the neighbors can’t complain about the party if they’re all at the party).

This weekend they had an outdoor party and the weather was lovely. GreenThumb’s “baby” TinyPup is similar to this ….

an entire 8 pounds of love. TinyPup is a very social dog, but spent most of the afternoon in hiding. After a while GreenThumb brough TinyPup out and the young girls (I think ranging in age from like 5-8) had a GRAND time playing with her. A few times adult intervention was necessary. I suggested to GreenThumb that I might bring Fuzzybutt by and give TinyPup a break. She said she’d take TinyPup in after a bit and Fuzzybutt could come by. A little after that, GreenThumb was talking to friends or relations, and I looked over and saw the girls, TinyPup wrapped in a blanket and stuffed in a stroller. Needless to say, THAT was the end of that.

TinyPup went inside, I called Spouse (he’d gone home already — he’s not a party animal) and he sent Chip down with Fuzzybutt. Unlike Spouse, Fuzzybutt enjoyed being a party animal, and getting great deals of attention. He didn’t even mind the girls fawning all over him (but even put together he outweighed the girls).

Fuzzybutt then went home, where he was subjected to even more torture enjoyed a grooming.

I forget ……

I wish I knew how to embed music — I’d insert “Baby Elephant Walk” here. Last night I had a dream that I got a pet elephant and his (or her) entire family. I think I had 7 elephants. I think there were three other young elephants and three adult elephants, and I was walking around with them.

I remember waking up from the dream thinking MAN I must be bloody wealthy to afford the upkeep on those babies

So this morning (realizing that I’m not Freud and looking things up by one word on the Internet is not going to solve all my life’s problems I look up elephant in a few dream dictionaries.

This interpretation states:

To see an elephant in your dream, suggests that you either need to be more patient and understanding of others.

I’m sure there’s a few people who’d agree that I need to be more patient and understanding. Funny thing though — it seems like that’s 1/2 a sentence it should read suggests that you either need to be more patient or understanding of others or it could state suggests that you either need to be more patient and understanding of others and/or. I’m so impatient of incomplete sentences. I simply don’t understand it at all.

This same definition goes on to say that:

The elephant is also a symbol of power, strength, and intellect.

Hmmmm, and I powerful, strong, and intellectual? Most days I don’t so much think so.

Now, I am so liking this interpretation: …

elephant – As a gift: Sense of abundance or prosperity coming. Baby: Good luck or fortune.

Did I mention they were gifts? And there were 7 elephants? And 3 of them were babies?? 7 times the abundance or prosperity and 3 times the good luck or fortune.

This dream dictionary and this dream dictionary both say the exact same thing:

Elephant Dreams
Elephants in dreams may represent knowledge, power, and strength. They are also associated with long memory and “thick skin.” However, depending on the dream’s details, the elephant may be a symbol of a large burden. Additionally, in the dream you may be making efforts to remember something important and of great magnitude.

Now what was I thinking????? I forget.

Of course I’m a Goddess

Which God or Goddess are you like? Your Result: Goddess Bast   You are the Goddess Bast. You are quiet and calm, but when need be, you are firm and fierce. You are full of love, and you always care. People often come to you for advise or guidance, and you willingly give it. Congatulations!! You are Goddess!!
Goddess Sekhemet
Budha
The Christian God
You are your own God or Goddess
Jesus
God Zeus
Satan
Which God or Goddess are you like? Make Your Own Quiz