I am a dog person

I like dogs. In fact, I like dogs better than I like most humans. As I am fond of saying, "dog is just god spelled backward." Afterall, most of the qualities attributed to a Divine Being such as selfless, unconditional love, loyalty, and honesty are all traits inherent in dogs. Cats on the other hand

1. Love you when they want something (or at Oh-God-it's-early A.M.)
2. Are loyal? Loyal to whoever will a)fill their food bowl or b) give them something tastier than what's in the food bowl.
3. Are occasionally dishonest. Ex. Tripping over the yarn that Kitty has so thoughtfully strung between the sofa and 3 other pieces of furniture. When confonted, Kitty will automatically revert to the "Who me?? I didn't do it" look and saunter away.

That said, I still love the little furbeast and close with the following action sequence from the long weekend.

On the subject of sports

Recently, I mentioned the idea of pursuing a sport as a possibility for bashing my social life into shape. Still seriously pondering that idea for more than the social aspects. I realize now, approximately 2 weeks from surgery (which of course I will be documenting), that after a month in bed and another 4-6 weeks of limited activity, I will probably need (and want) the exercise. So I'm considering Aikido or Kendo classes. I really don't know how feasible this will be right away so my backup plan is to take up surfing lessons again. Hmm, another question to add to my list for the pre-op appointment.

Well, drat

It's been an interesting week. The yarn store called to say that the color yarn I'd ordered has been discontinued. And oh the drama at the office. One half of the pregnant couple was given notice on Wednesday. Whether this sticks or the boss relents doesn't really matter because it's made the atmosphere that much worse. It's gotten to the point that despite the anti-anxiety medication, I'm back to hiding in the bathroom or my car periodically. Of course, no one there knows that because in the face of the pure dislike being directed at me, I don't dare show any weakness. Yes, you guessed it. As far as I can divine without actually asking, I'm being blamed for this whole situation. Well, pardon me. I didn't hog-tie them and force them to miss work to the point where attendence is the reason for dismissal nor did I force them to lie--multiple times. Of course, because I have an absentee boss and there is no official "supervisor" I'm the only one catching them in their lies. *shrug* Oh well, not my problem for much longer. June 12th and a month off is so close I can taste it. Until then "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming"

A Conundrum

Somewhere, a song I heard think,presented the question: Would you rather be right or be loved? At the time, I answered immediately that I'd rather be right. Thus proving that a teenager knows absolutely nothing, regardless of how smart they are. Now, some years removed from that, I find myself thinking about that question again and I'm less sure of the answer. I don't understand why I can't have both? Isn't the point of love that the person who loves you will accept you as is?

Inquiring Kitsunes

want to know: Why do pressed sandwiches (paninis, Cuban sandwiches, squashed PB&J) taste better? Is it because they've been forced to meld their flavors together?

The problem with online dating

Is that you get people like this guy.

"no ,women have destroyed the male race and men listen to you silly women way too much. you want chivalry, humble your heart because thats why a man does those sort of things. and let me tell you something sweety ,men that are rough tend to love more then joe metro sexual types. why cause we dont give a rats ass what you think about our looks so we focus on things that have nothing to do with getting attention for ourselves. that means your needs sweetheart. so hot rod look in the right spot and you'll find what you seek and bring a right heart cause the rough men are not going to hear what you think you got coming cause you have no right to ask for it nor does a man have the right to ask for a ladies grace. the less you ask for the more you get. try it you might be suprised. good luck to you."

I can't believe he spent the time and energy to lambaste me. I can only assume he thought he knew all about me based on a few words in a profile that clearly offended his sensibilities. I'm tempted to write him off as a mysogynist with a chip on his shoulder when it comes to intelligent women who aren't afraid to say what they want, but while I stated my preferences as one usually does for these dating sites, my personal statement is mostly about *gasp* me. Just can't win. One guy accuses me of looking for a sugar daddy, another rants at me for refusing smokers, but this was definitely the topper. This kind of thing would be the other reason I always end up cancelling the subscription. This current round is due to expire at the end of the month which did leave me the opportunity to fire off the following pointed reply.

"I'm sorry, I don't recall asking for your opinion or making an unreasonable list of demands in my profile. But I really must thank you for providing me with such excellent and amusing material for my blog. I'll be posting your scathing criticism of me, a complete stranger, as today's entry.

A word of advice: Get that chip on your shoulder repaired. I don't know exactly what in my profile could have possibly offended you enough to so viciously attack me. If you don't like what you see, MOVE ON. That's the beauty of this format.

Because I am a lady, I will refrain from telling you to "Go eff yourself", but I will say "May you get exactly what you wish for."



Cheers.

Silly man. He was born of a woman. That alone, the ability to bear life, ought to engender a tiny bit of respect. And if that doesn't deserve respect, I'm willing to accept awe (fear?) because I can bleed for a week and not die. I'm really considering that sport idea. I mean, what does a kitsune have to do to get a decent date?

Gratuitous Cat-blogging

Figgie finally deigned to pose for a winning picture except I ended up with "pet-eye" from the flash. The best remedy for this problem is to nix the flash and use natural light, but I have north-facing den that doesn't get much actual sunlight. Alas, the flash is a necessity. So I present my first attempt and editing out the pet-eye in photoshop. Thoughts? Opinions?

BeforeAfter

I think the eyes look a little too human but I haven't yet figured out how to set the paintbrush to create oval cat pupil. Will have to keep working on that. Either way, how can you resist a face like that?

Jerry Falwell dies at age 73

The Rev. Jerry Falwell, the television evangelist who founded the Moral Majority and used it to mold the religious right into a political force, died Tuesday shortly after being found unconscious in his office at Liberty University. Falwell is survived by his wife, Macel, and three children, Jerry, Jonathan and Jeannie. Click to read the full story

I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People for the American Way -- all of them who have tried to secularize America -- I point the finger in their face and say, "You helped this happen." -- Rev Jerry Falwell, blaming civil libertarians, feminists, homosexuals, and abortion rights supporters for the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001

As someone who qualifies for three of the five above mentioned groups (I am not a Christian, am pro-choice, and I don't believe that women should be relegated to the kitchen barefoot and pregnant) I'd really like to throw a celebratory party because this man is dead. My knee-jerk reaction on reading this news was to cheer wildly and do a little jig because the world had one less intolerant, ignorant, loud-mouthed hatemonger in it. My next step was to email my friends/accessories to terrorism (according to Falwell's definition) and check out my favorite alternative, special interest news source for reactions from the community. As one would expect, a large number of reactions are similar to mine with comments ranging from "I hope's burning in the hell he tried to assign to us" to more simple "Good riddance to bad rubbish" type comments. Others are more like my reaction after I thought about it, expressing condolences to the family, but also breathing a sigh of relief because this man would have hunted us down and started the new Inquisition. I don't feel guilty about my relief at his death or the realization that I will outlive most of his ilk (e.g. Pat Robertson, Fred Phelps etc) because it is still not safe to be any of the following: non-Christian, non-Caucasian, pro-choice, homosexual... The list goes on, but I'm sure you get the idea. I think a member of the community stated this position best by saying,

"It would have been better if he had opened his mind a little before he passed, then to have passed being so far right. He caused a lot of pain and used his position to try and drive us down into the ground. If this had been reversed, if he knew me and what I believed in, and I had died....I am sure in his minds eye he would be dancing a little jig.
Like begets like. He spewed forth nothing but hatred for those like us. If he had his way, he would have repressed us and taken away the most fundamental rights we have. And he would have done so, happily, without remorse."

Ultimately, I wish him no ill and give my sincere condolences to his loved ones. Any individual who is genuinely loved by at least one person cannot be completely irredeemable. And while it is not my way, it is better to love (and forgive) thy neighbor. There are no caveats on the "Love thy Neighbor" dictum, and I'm very sorry that this passionate man missed that point. I cannot love him, but I can give him forgiveness. So I say,

Good-bye Mr. Falwell. I forgive you and pray for your peace and enlightenment in death. Better luck next time around."

Arrgh!

*grumble, grumble, growl* Flippin' California drivers. Parking spaces to the left and right of me and the idiot HAD to have my space, but wouldn't leave me enough room to get out.

I don't know if it's karma or the lack of rain driving people crazy, but I don't like it. Suddenly, it seems as if people have forgotten how to drive. In three months, I've had four different people try to run me off the road and one guy (in a classic Mustang no less) try to change lanes into the middle of my car because he just wasn't paying attention and didn't feel like following a van uphill. I've also numerous drivers honk horns, yell obscenities, and drive off in a huff for no reason other than they thought I inconvenienced them. For example, while hauling the new mattress and boxspring on top of my car last week at a lightning fast 20 mph, I needed to change lanes so I checked my mirrors, saw a larger than normal opening, signaled and pulled into the lane. Apparently, the woman in coming up that lane (who incidentally was turning right at the upcoming intersection) didn't feel like using her brakes and didn't see the freakin bed attached to my car as a valid reason for moving into the slow lane. So, as she made her right turn, she screamed something rude ending in "Bitch!".

There is something about rude, incompetent drivers that flips a switch in me, activating instaneous, nearly homicidal rage. It doesn't make sense. But...I've actually stopped in traffic to get out and scream at someone for trying to honk me into turning left into a steady stream of oncoming cars and tail someone who cuts me off, riding their bumper with inches to spare the whole time. I love this one. Usually forces them to change lanes or just turn because I've made them nervous. So, I guess, I'm really not much better. Still, you should always be careful who you piss off while driving. You never know if they are carrying a gun or a baseball bat.

Wouldn't you know it?

I have, what amounts to, blogger-block. Plenty of things have happened since my last post, but I still can't think of anything really useful to say. I've started a number of posts on various topics ranging from the the police f*ck-up at the May Day immigration rally to the retaliatory politics happening at my roomie's job, but at this moment in time, none of it seems worth writing. So instead, I'm going to recycle some random musings originally posted to livejournal before I discovered that Blogger's interface is much nicer. Mind you, though, a few of these will seem dated.

Military Intelligence

I wonder at the quality and intelligence of the people in our military. I know military intelligence has always been an oxymoronic phrase, but a good number of military personnel don't seem to know that their military APO/FPO address is a U.S. address. APO/FPO addresses are still U.S. addresses whether a person is deployed to Iraq, Germany, Guam, or Timbuktu. Then come to think of it, a percentage of these same people don't even seem to know how to work that new-fangled Internet thing. At the very least, I would think that TMPTB (the military powers that be) would tell their people about the address thing. Even if they don't, wouldn't it seem reasonable to expect the personnel to at least have a basic understanding that the government is going to get their mail to them via this address and that just because they are deployed overseas, they still qualify as a U.S. resident. Afterall, we trust these people with guns, explosives, and heavy machinery. Oh wait, I just remembered that the military is kind of like organized religion (or a cult). We don't want them to think...just give up their lives and follow orders. Thinking might be dangerous to the organization.

Stupid Human Tricks

Most of these are collected through work, but a few are from other sources.

I work for an Internet shoe company. We don't sell anything else, not even shoe cleaning products. Here are a few of the weird, usually dumb things that I've heard.

"Do you sell shoes?"

Thoughts: Priceless.. our name has the word 'sneaker' in it and yet I seem to get this question roughly every 3 months or so.

"Why did you give me my money back? I didn't authorize that!"

Thoughts: They're bitching about being given money. Slightly mystifying really. I've never bitched about being given money. I've always wanted to say to these people "Okay, would you rather we keep your money and send you absolutely nothing?" We really don't need your authorization to provide a refund. You'd bitch if we kept the money so I'd rather hear you bitch about being given money.

"Why was my shoe sold out?

"How can a shoe sell out?"

I lumped these together because they are essentially the same question. I always thought the answer to this was pretty self-explanatory so I'm always at a loss for how to answer this one. In the past I've tried a couple of different answers. What I'd like to say is "You wanted the shoes, right? What makes you think that no one else would?" But the answer that seems to work best is explaining that our website is open 24/7 worldwide and we receive orders all the time. The number of orders can very quickly exceed the quantity we have in our inventory.

"Why can't I get anyone to answer my phone call?"

Inevitably, these are the people who are calling at some ungodly hour and leaving angry messages or emails because there isn't anyone to answer their question. I have to wonder what they are doing awake and what makes them think that the company's staff doesn't have to eat, sleep, and spend time with their families.

Why does it take so long [24-48] hours to process my order?

24 hours is damn quick if you ask me. For some reason, people equate having a website that's open all the time to mean that the office and warehouse is staffed 24/7. Last time I checked, I still need to eat, sleep, shower, etc. None of which I can do at the office..nor would I want to. Maybe they think that everything is done by robots?

"I don't see my size listed. Why?"

Yet another question that could be answered by using common sense. If the size isn't listed, it means we didn't get it or it's sold out. Either way, not listed=not available.

"What does 'out of stock' mean? Does that mean you don't have anymore?

No one should ever have to hear this question.. I can't believe anyone (at least anyone who has English/American as their primary language) is dumb enough to ask this question and yet, I hear it and variations of it on a regular basis. My first reaction is always "Duh".

How do I order shoes?

Help me.. please help me. It's a website. There are large, RED buttons that say "Add to your shopping cart" and a giant logo at the top of the screen with the customer service number. This is one time you are allowed to push the Big Red Button. So obvious.... I actually think the question they meant to ask was "What forms of payment do you accept?" which is not a stupid question at all.

I want to buy __________ [insert brand name] shoes. Where can I get them?"

Well, we might sell them, but if not, I'm pretty sure that the manufacturer/brand does. Usually this question comes after we tell a customer that we don't have the shoes they are looking for. Now, if it was me, then my first reaction would be to contact the brand directly whether it was Nike or Adidas..whatever. As the manufacturer, they probably know better than anyone where they products are going and hey, most of them actually sell the shoes through their websites. I thought this was common sense, but maybe it's not.

*I know that stores like Payless accept returns on used shoes (although I don't understand why), but this company can only accept returns of "new and completely unworn" (as stated in the return policy) shoes. A customer called today asking why we rejected their return and was informed that the shoes showed signs of wear and damage. And I quote, "Well, I wore them a couple of times." Either he didn't read or he didn't think the rules applied to him. The policy even says to try the shoes on a carpeted surface and do not take them outside. Idiot.

* Another question that no one should ever have to hear or answer because the words being used are pretty self-explanatory. "What does 'In processing' means?" Direct quote, by the way. How much more simple can you get. You want us to say "We're working on it"?

* Our website has an archive of all the different items we've sold for like the last 6 months to a year. It's a new thing, but useful for anyone interested in the shoe industry. On the archive pages in red is the following "This shoe is not for sale. This shoe is sold out and out of production. Sneakerhead.com provides this listing for research and entertainment purposes only" with a big blue button that says "back to the shopping pages" Pretty obvious, huh? And yet on a daily basis we receive calls from people who want to buy the shoe or want to complain that our website is broken because it won't let them choose the size. This is another "Duh"

*Another one that puzzles (and worries) me. People who put www. in front of their email address. Ex. www.myemailaddress@emailprovider.com This sort of behavior concerns me because it seems to indicate that the person doing it doesn't know how to use the Internet. You know what they say.. A little knowledge is dangerous. They obviously know how to get on the internet and place an order, but have no clue about email. The only other option I can think of is that this is their attempt to keep spammers from sending junk mail to them. Oddly enough, these are also the customers who complain because they don't get their confirmation email and tracking number. Gee, I wonder why?

* "Can I use my debit card?" I'm a little puzzled by the fact that people don't seem to realize that their debit card functions almost exactly like a credit card because they all have a Visa or Mastercard logo on them.

* "May I order ________ shoes?" Ummm.. well, we're a business that sells shoes.. generally businesses want to make money so yes, we will sell them to you. Or maybe not.. depending on what mood I'm in that day. If I'm feeling snarky, sometimes I feel like saying to one of these (super polite) customers "Yes, but only if you ___________[insert some ridiculous request like stand on your head and bark like a dog]" Better an overly polite customer than the ones described below

*Not really stupid, just ridiculous and highly irritating. Customers who freak out and call me names, use profanity, and in general verbally harrass and threaten me with legal action because I didn't give them the answer they wanted to hear. This usually refers people who want some very limited edition models that are out of stock and I'm not able to tell them who has these shoes.

Now, the sort of weird, stupid things I've observed.

* A semi-truck was making a left turn onto a somewhat busy street as I drove by. I noticed the truck driver was driving one-handed with a cell phone plastered to his ear with the other hand. It's bad enough that people driving cars do this, but a left turn in a semi-truck? I'd would think the driver would know better or at least there would be some sort of company policy against this. Dangerous and stupid.

* Individual driving a car in heavy traffic. Phone stuck to the ear with one hand and some sort of food in the other hand. I still can't quite figure out how this person was keeping the car on the road.

*Another case of "Look, Mom, no hands" Youngish guy in a Honda on a busy street. Cell phone in one hand and the other hand stuck through the moonroof waving around. He did this multiple times. Literally a case of "Look, no hands" The moron was doing this on purpose and laughing about it to his brain-dead buddy on the phone.

*Big guy, little bitty dog. This one is always funny especially with oversized leash. Nuff said.

*The vice president shot someone while quail hunting. I may not like attorneys but I really doubt that any of them look like birds. How do you mistake a human for a bird???

I guess that's enough for today. I think I'm going to put my head on my desk now and go back to sleep. Five hours a night for the last four nights just isn't enough to support real brain function.

Cat v. Dog

Obviously, this is going to be a chatty blog day. Haven't had a phone call in more than an hour now and I'm bored to tears. Anyway, I thought this was snarfingly amusing.
Note: snarf - ( )
1. The act of laughing while drinking and expelling the fluid through one's nose

Diary of a Dog versus Diary of a Cat

EXCERPTS FROM A DOG'S DIARY

Day number 180
8:00 am - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
9:30 am - OH BOY! A CAR RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
9:40 am - OH BOY! A WALK! MY FAVORITE!
10:30 am - OH BOY! A CAR RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
11:30 am - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
12:00 noon - OH BOY! THE KIDS! MY FAVORITE!
1:00 pm - OH BOY! THE YARD! MY FAVORITE!
4:00 pm - OH BOY! THE KIDS! MY FAVORITE!
5:00 PM - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
5:30 PM - OH BOY! MOM! MY FAVORITE!

Day number 181
8:00 am - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
9:30 am - OH BOY! A CAR RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
9:40 am - OH BOY! A WALK! MY FAVORITE!
10:30 am - OH BOY! A CAR RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
11:30 am - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
12:00 noon - OH BOY! THE KIDS! MY FAVORITE!
1:00 pm - OH BOY! THE YARD! MY FAVORITE!
4:00 pm - OH BOY! THE KIDS! MY FAVORITE!
5:00 PM - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
5:30 PM - OH BOY! MOM! MY FAVORITE!

Day number 182
8:00 am - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
9:30 am - OH BOY! A CAR RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
9:40 am - OH BOY! A WALK! MY FAVORITE!

EXCERPTS FROM A CAT'S DIARY

DAY 752 - My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while I am forced to eat dry cereal. The only thing that keeps me going is the hope of escape, and the mild satisfaction I get from ruining the occasional piece of furniture. Tomorrow I may eat another houseplant.

DAY 76 - Today my attempt to kill my captors by weaving around their feet while they were walking almost succeeded, must try this at the top of the stairs. In an attempt to disgust and repulse these vile oppressors, I once again induced myself to vomit on their favorite chair ... must try this on their bed.

DAY 765 - Decapitated a mouse and brought them the headless body, in attempt to make them aware of what I am capable of, and to try to strike fear into their hearts. They only cooed and condescended about what a good little cat I was...Hmmm. Not working according to plan.

DAY 768 - I am finally aware of how sadistic they are. For no good reason I was chosen for the water torture. This time however it included a burning foamy chemical called "shampoo." What sick minds could invent such a liquid. My only consolation is the piece of thumb still stuck between my teeth.

DAY 771 - There was some sort of gathering of their accomplices. I was placed in solitary throughout the event. However, I could hear the noise and smell the foul odor of the glass tubes they call "beer". More importantly I overheard that my confinement was due to MY power of "allergies." Must learn what this is and how to use it to my advantage.

DAY 774 - I am convinced the other captives are flunkies and maybe snitches. The dog is routinely released and seems more than happy to return. He is obviously a half-wit. The bird on the other hand has got to be an informant, and speaks with them regularly. I am certain he reports my every move. Due to his current placement in the metal room his safety is assured. But I can wait, it is only a matter of time....

I am not a lunatic

I have an inherited chemical imbalance that causes fatigue, physical pain, insomnia, irritability, sadness, and anxiety among other symptoms. Both of my parents were hospitalized for this disorder during my childhood. Sound serious? It is. It's called clinical depression and it affects around 18% of the population at least once in their lives. For some people, like myself, we deal with depression related to the short daylight hours of winter which can be managed with phototherapy, exercise, vitamins and natural remedies (herbs, homeopathics). Others deal with a much more severe, prolonged form of depression that binds them to their beds, leaves them in nagging physical pain and a host of other symptoms. Given the social stigma surrounding mental illness, I'm unsurprised that the majority of sufferers do not receive treatment. Depression carries with it a certain sense of failure; the feeling that one must being doing something wrong if they need to seek help for such a simple thing as "the blues." No one likes to admit they have failed at something, especially something so big as life itself. Depressed people are often seen as weak or lazy. Sometimes, they are blown off as being "lunatics." So when my usual seasonal depression turned into something more severe after the loss of my grandfather, six months of extreme stress at work, and a variety of changes and setbacks, it took me months (and quite a few breakdowns in my car during lunch) to finally go to my physician for treatment. I viewed myself as weak and lazy and had the unrealistic expectation that I should be able to "just beat it." I still struggle with the weak/lazy label, but I am not a lunatic. This is something that I, and every other patient, have no control over. So why does society have such a problem accepting that depression and other mental illnesses are just that: ILLNESSES. Real medical conditions that deserve attention and treatment. In my case, I'm lucky. I have insurance, a primary care provider that I trust, and I'm responding very well to the first medication we tried. Others are not so lucky and still others have access to care but will not seek treatment until they can no longer struggle and simply take the nearest bullet, pill, or rope out of this world.

So what does this have to do with anything? I've been thinking about the shootings at Virginia Tech and my own struggle with depression gives me a unique perspective. It's painfully obvious, to me at least, that the perpetrator suffered from severe mental illness and lack of effective treatment probably due to an indifferent, overloaded health system and the social stigma of the illness itself. I wonder if it could have been prevented. So before you judge me or anyone else with of society refusing to acknowledge a valid illness. Or better yet, put yourself in the shoes of a depressed person. How would it make you feel to be treated the way most sufferers are treated? I am not a lunatic. We are not lunatics. Get over your judgemental, self-righteous selves and give people the opportunity to seek help without the fear of being ridiculed. That is all.

Cure for a bad day

When you're having a bad day, just look at this picture.



Just think, you could be a football fan with a cat, a lime, a very sharp knife and way too much time on your hands. Random strange cat picture brought to you by and uncooperative feline overlord. "No pictures, no autographs"

Craigslist Treasures

Belated Post.This was supposed to show up yesterday.I used to browse Craigslist as a way to kill time on slow days at work, but the need to replace some dying furniture made it a more serious search. Even at a liquidation size discount, completely new is out of my budget. Craigslist has a lot of used junk on it, but now and again you find something nice at a bargain price like this bedroom set I bought for $150.

The bed is only a double bed, but I'm pretty sure the frame will accomodate a queen set if I find a good deal on one. There's blanket chest ($35) too which I initially said no about, but I'm reconsidering. I hate to break up a set and it would be nice to have some extra storage even if it limits my space. I pick up tonight and I'll post pictures once I get it set up and dressed. Huzzah for Craigslist.

Well, the bed is in, but the dresser and blanket chest (yes, I opted to take it) are still loaded into the back of the CR-V. Just ran out of time last night. As for why I'm hauling furniture in my vehicle when I could have just rented a U-Haul? I tried, but they lived up to their nickname, U-Hell, once again. A very rude clerk named Kim Chandler was the cause. She didn't properly explain (or understand) how their insurance contract works. She tried to tell me that when the contract said that payment for any damage is due immediately by cash, credit card, or check that it didn't mean immediately. I worked for U-Hell's competitor in their call center in PA. I can also do this thing called "reading", so I know she was full of sh*t. If you refuse their insurance and something happens, you are responsible for the entire amount of the damage up front. It doesn't matter if you have insurance or not. This is how their contract is worded and a standard practice for this business at the time I worked in it. I can't say how many times I had to explain this fact to customers and tell them this was standard to all of the major self-moving companies. Perhaps the policy has changed in the intervening years. The straw that broke the fox's back, however, was when I indicated that I would rather not leave my drivers license and credit card and that I would wait until I had them in my possession to check for preexisting damage. To my face, she replied, "Whatever, I don't know WHAT your problem is." My problem is that I speak with police officers and fraud investigators on a weekly basis regarding identity theft and fraudulent credit card charges. Sue me, I'm paranoid. Anyway, I opened my mouth to let her have it, but shut it again after half a second and (as calmly as I could) say, "All right, fine. I will take my business elsewhere" and walked out. The moral of this story is: U-Hell really isn't worth the frustration.

Frustration aside though, I'm really pleased with my purchase. It's not new and has a little wear and tear, but it's been extremely well-kept and should last for a bit. Best of all, I was right, and the frame will upgrade to a queen mattress set.

Sucks to be single

In general, I'm like most foxes in that I enjoy a more or less solitary existence. I'm not one of those people who needs to be in a relationship, but every so often it just plain sucks to be an SFK (single female kitsune) for some umm..obvious reasons like flowers and that sort of thing. I don't do the bar/club scene so I've been trying Internet dating on and off for the last 8 months or so without any luck. God/dess, what an experience. Let me just say, it's not what the commercials would make it out to be. :-P Maybe I should take up a sport....

Restaurant Review- Bubba Gump Shrimp Company

During my little yarn jaunt over the weekend, we stopped at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. restaurant in Long Beach. There's not much to this review, honestly. I was completely unimpressed with the food. In all fairness to the BGSC people, I had a headache and ended up taking my food to go, but doubt that I would have been much more impressed with the food had I eaten there.

Bubba Gump Shrimp Company is a international chain of of casual seafood joints themed on the movie Forrest Gump. I enjoyed the movie immensely but found the restaurant theme trite and vaguely obnoxious. Somehow it cheapens the film. The BG menu features a select number of sandwiches and entrees, a very basic drink menu featuring Lava Flows and flavored margaritas, and oddly enough, smoothies. I ordered the fried chicken and mash meal and my roomie ordered the shrimp and fries. I hate to say it, but the chicken was better than the shrimp. I'm reasonably sure that the shrimp were breaded in panko bread crumbs which gave them an odd flavor. The fries were handcut, skin on shoestrings. These were actually not bad although their mashed potato counterpart was just gross.

The one redeeming quality of the whole experience was the service. BGSC has a unique approach to getting a server to come and help you. Each table has two license plates marked "Run Forrest Run" from Jenny's famous quote and "Stop Forrest Stop" based on the signs used to help Forrest when he played football at the University of Alabama. The "Stop" sign is used to signal that a table needs service and "Run" means that all is well. In my case, when I flipped up the red plate, I had a server in about 30 seconds and when I forgot to flip it back to blue, I ended up with two more servers about a minute later. If the service is that good, it seems odd that the food would be less than tasty. Perhaps I'll give it another go at a different location.

Bubba Gump Shrimp Company

Locations

Bubba Gump website

Overall rating: 3 (out of 10)

Service: I recommend a minimum 20% tip. (10% - 30% range)

Parking: Parking in the adjacent parking structure. 2 hrs free with validation.

Price: $$ (out of $$$$$) I thought it was a bit expensive all things considered.

Food: One tail down

Figaro Enjoys Wolfgang Puck

This is more proof that Figgie thinks that he's a human people. Cats will eat some unusual things and usually want a sniff or taste of whatever you happen to be eating, but I've never seen one eat a potato chip before. He actually had 3 or 4 of these homemade chips from Wolfgang Puck's takeout restaurant in downtown L.A. Of course, we're talking about the cat who will sell his soul for chocolate Haagan Daaz and steal the empty pints from the trash so he can stick his head in them.

Put Up or Shut Up

An excellent maxim. After yesterday's indulgence in frustration and self-pity, I've chosen the "put up" option. In other words, rather than despair and whine, I'm going to get involved. I can't fix the entire problem, but I can make an effort for my particular corner of the world. So, the plan is (so far):

No More Money

One of the reasons I never give money when I have it is that I don't want to enable a drug/alcohol habit. Another is safety. So instead of food, I've decided to keep some MREs in my car and hand out those instead of money when I'm approached. Transportable, long shelf life, high calorie. It's more practical than offering to buy them something at a fast food place.

Make my hobby work for the greater good

I knit, I crochet, I handspin. Like most knitters, I have a yarn stash where most items will never see the light of day. I've put out a call to my fellow knitters for information on knitting for the homeless in L.A. Several have expressed interest in joining me if a group is formed. Thankfully, SoCal doesn't get bitterly cold in the winter, but even so, A pair of warm socks or gloves, a blanket, a felted bag, or a scarf would likely be helpful all the same.

Yarn Excursion..FINALLY!

I finally got my yarn trip. Drove down to Seal Beach yesterday to the Alamitos Bay Yarn Co. and had a great time. Ordered 8 balls of almost-teal "Star" yarn from Classic Elite Yarns for a cute scoopneck tank top I plan to knit while recovering from surgery.

Pattern from the Spring/Summer 2007 issue of KnitSimple

The yarn for the tank won't be in for about 2 weeks and I couldn't leave without buying something so....I bought this really nice sock yarn. Nevermind that I still haven't finished my training sock. Into the stash with it! Coming up tomorrow: a restaurant review for Bubba Gump Shrimp Company and cat blogging.

The problem is bigger than one little kitsune

I did something today that I don't normally do- in fact, something I've never done before. I gave money to a homeless person. Maybe it was the dog he had on a leash that patiently followed him as he shuffled back and forth across the drug store parking lot or maybe... no, if I'm being honest, it was the dog. I didn't do it just for the dog, however. The dog was only the catalyst. The man approached my roommate as she got into the car to ask for a dollar and she didn't have anything. He politely said thank you and shuffled away. My heart aches for the people on the people on the streets. It literally feels like someone putting a fist through my ribcage and I despair for them, but I never give them money. I have my reasons. I don't know what made today different, but I couldn't bear the thought of a man who had obviously earned the trust and patience of an innocent animal soul, and said animal going without a meal. The man asked for a dollar..four lousy quarters that maybe would have bought him a candy bar. It's not a lot and yet most people, myself included, would have said no or walked by as if the man didn't exist or was even a human being. I normally don't have any cash, but had my parking money for the next two weeks in console. We caught up the man and his dog and I gave it to him. I'd like to think that it made his day a little better when he opened up the folded bill and realized that it was a $5.00 and not the one dollar he asked for. It's so little though compared to what he really needed. I'm not a wealthy kitsune. I live from paycheck to paycheck and struggle to keep everything paid, but I can go to the bank and get another five dollars. I will, the Divine willing, have another paycheck at the end of the month. It's not a lot, but it will buy him and his dog a couple of burgers at the McDonalds or a can of cheap dog food and a little something for him. If he spends it on drugs or alcohol, five bucks isn't going to buy much of either. I hope I did the right thing because I couldn't look into their eyes and do nothing. I can't help them all; I can't even help a few with enough to make any real difference, and I hate myself for it. The problem is too large and too heavy for one little kitsune. It tears me up to see these people and so I avoid it. Selfish and hypocritical as it may be I would rather live in my ivory tower. I'm honest though if it makes any difference.

Today's end really underscores for me the fact that as a society and a nation, we can't even take care of the people in this country. We have no business going into another country trying to "fix" things. Of course, the current war (or any war for the matter) isn't about helping or fixing. War is a self-serving thing and helps no one. Let's fix the leaky pipes and peeling paint of our home before we go out and start redecorating our neighbors homes. Fuck the "Think locally, act globally" creed. I say "Think locally, ACT LOCALLY." If everyone just worried about their corner of the world, there might not be a need to act globally. I'm asking for the next to impossible. I know this. There is no infrastructure to help the poor, the transient, the mentally ill. Where the government fails, the people should step up, but the people don't care except to shudder and utter a prayer that it never happens to them. They forget that but for the grace of the Divine go they or as the property manager for my current den said, "When I see someone else, I see myself living another life experience." So perhaps this post has been an indulgence is self-pity or perhaps it's a cry in the dark. I don't know. I'm left without any answers today.

Sionnach an in-dispair-kitsune

Inquisitive Kitsunes Want to Know

Why do ice cream trucks always play "Pop Goes the Weasel?" Why not Twinkle, Twinkle or Frere Jacques? Why did they choose that particular song? Was it a union decision?