Here is the ridiculous discussion I had with the Adobe Sales Representative last year, when I needed to have .pdf editing software.* I had tried calling the 800 number but could not get through the answering-machine “tree” to find a live person. So I tried the live-chat function on the Adobe website. The chat is edited to make it shorter and eliminate some unnecessary “filler,” but is otherwise an accurate transcript that I copied and pasted when I finished chatting with the Adobe rep, because of its sheer absurdity. I wanted to be able to look back and laugh. And often, I do.
*Note that I subsequently purchased “Cute PDF” software, which was only $49 and works great (much better for my uses than the far-more-expensive Adobe software, which we have at my new job).
Chat Transcript (I tried not to be snarky. I think I was mostly successful.):
Thank you for contacting Adobe Sales. My name is Priscilla. How may I help you today?
Priscilla: May I have your first name please?
LM: LegalMist
Priscilla: Hi LegalMist.
LM: I am interested in buying Adobe Acrobat. However, I looked it up online and it does not list compatibility with MS Vista operating system. Will it work with Vista?
Priscilla: Acrobat XI Pro is not compatible with Windows Vista.
LM: Acrobat X was compatible with it. Is that one still available and supported?
Priscilla: I am sorry, Acrobat X is the older version software, hence it is not available for purchase.
LM: The computer is only 5 years old. Can you let me download Acrobat X for free? Or is there some "fix" for Acrobat XI to make it compatible with Vista?
Priscilla: I am sorry, since Acrobat X is an older version software, it is not available for download. You need to upgrade your operating system.
LM: But my operating system is fine and works great for everything else I do. So why would I pay a bunch of money to "upgrade" it when it doesn't need to be upgraded, other than for your program? Why is Acrobat not compatible with Vista? What problems or issues will arise if I just download it?
Priscilla: I am sorry, since Vista is an older version OS it is not compatible with all the new software.
LM: But Acrobat XI is compatible with XP, which is even older than Vista.
Priscilla: I am sorry for that.
LM: Will you give a discount on Acrobat XI equivalent to the amount I have to pay to "upgrade" my OS so I can buy it? Also, do you know what problems or issues will arise if I just try to download it anyway?
Priscilla: Just to confirm, do you have any older version of Acrobat?
LM: No, all I have is the Adobe reader. But I find myself needing some of the capabilities of Acrobat.
Priscilla: Could you tell me the tasks that you wish to accomplish using this software so we can get you the right product?
LM: I want to be able to scan documents into my computer and assemble them along with other computer-created documents and then make the whole thing into a PDF/A file so it can be filed with the Court. Also, I'd like to be able to use the redaction feature and the "bates-stamp" / page numbering feature.
Priscilla: Are you interested in working with images or creating flyers or logos?
LM: No. I have no interest in creating logos or designs or flyers. Just legal documents. I'd also like to be able to edit .pdf's
Priscilla: Based on the tasks performed by you, I recommend that you purchase Creative Cloud subscription, as you will get all the Adobe software and also you will get Acrobat XI Pro.
LM: Is Creative Cloud compatible with Vista?
Priscilla: I understand your concern, however I can get you Creative Cloud single App for $19.99 per month only. You can install the application on 2 systems. Either both Mac’s or Windows or 1 on Mac and the other one on Windows.
LM: Does it work with Vista, though?
Priscilla: With single App, you will get Acroabat XI pro with all the upgrades and updates for free.
LM: But does it work with Vista?
Priscilla: I am sorry, it is not compatible with Vista.
LM: Well, then it does me no good. I have Vista, remember?
LM: Let's go back to my prior question: Can I buy Acrobat XI with a discount in the price to reflect the cost of "upgrading" my OS (even though I don't need to upgrade other than to use your program).
Priscilla: I am sorry,we do not have any discounts available.
LM: So there is nothing you can do to help me, then?
Priscilla: With single App, you will get the software at a low monthly cost of $19.99 per month only. This is the best option available to purchase the software.
LM: But you told me that single App is not compatible with Vista, so I don't care about it being the "best option" for purchasing the software; it won't work with my computer. Ok, well can you at least answer my other prior unanswered question, which is, what problems or issues will arise if I try to install it even though it is incompatible with Vista.
Priscilla: I am sorry, Acrrobat XI Pro as individual product or with Cloud, it is not compatible with Vista.
LM: You said that already, but you still have not answered my question, which is: What problems or issues will it cause if I attempt to install it?
Priscilla: You will not be able to install the software on Vista.
LM: So it simply won't install?
Priscilla: Yes, you are correct.
LM: Priscilla, you have finally answered all my questions. I have to say I am not impressed, though. You tried several times to sell me the "single App" despite knowing that I have Vista, and only later told me that it was incompatible with Vista. What good would it do me to buy it? I can't use it, apparently! I guess I simply cannot purchase your products and will have to look elsewhere.
Priscilla: I am sorry, however Acroabat XI Pro is not compatible with Vista.
Priscilla: I wish I could help you with that.
********
Seriously, I cannot believe how hard she tried to sell me a product that she knew full well I cannot use.
My advice? Buy “Cute PDF.” It works great, is less expensive than acrobat, and as far as I can tell, it is compatible with just about every OS (although I don’t use Apple computers, so I can’t vouch for that one). And avoid Adobe chat. They are useless. Worse than useless, a total waste of time.
Showing posts with label shout-outs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shout-outs. Show all posts
Monday, December 1, 2014
Monday, July 15, 2013
"Adventure Camp"
My son has been visiting my Dad in Virginia for a few weeks this summer. He attended a basketball camp the first week he was there. His report: "It was fun!" He learned a bit about basketball, had a good time with his cousins who were also attending the camp, and yes, he'd like to do it again next year.
This past week, he attended the accurately-named "Adventure Camp." At this camp, the kids went caving, mud-pit jumping, hiking, swimming, zip-lining, and more. My son’s report: "It was so awesome!!! It was so fun!!! I loved it!!! I want to do it again next week!!!"
I pressed for details. What made it so great?
Disclaimer: I may have some of the details not-quite-right. I got part of the story from my son, and part from my Dad, and my son was so excited and talking so fast that it was hard to understand half of what he said, but this is what I got out of what they both told me:
For starters, he learned that he is, as he put it, "slightly claustrophobic," meaning that when they went caving, he "freaked out" because the walls seemed like they were closing in, and he had to go back outside. But the camp counselors were awesome (and patient) and knew some shortcuts, so after a short while, he agreed to go back in, and they took a couple of the shortcuts and caught up to the rest of the group. He was so proud and happy that he overcame his fear and finished the caving expedition.
They also got to a place where there was a ledge and they had to jump down about three feet, but they made it, and it was "awesome!" (My son is 10. He is only about four feet tall, and he is generally scared of heights, so this was a huge big deal to him!)
And then ("the best part!"), coming out the other side, the kids unintentionally re-created a scene from Winnie the Pooh.
As in, a rather large child got literally stuck in the cave entrance (exit?).
Some kids were still inside the cave, behind him. Others had already emerged from the cave. So the kids outside pulled and the kids inside pushed and they pulled and pushed and pushed and pulled and ... nothing. Someone eventually called 911. The emergency crews came, and it took them 2 hours to remove the kid from the cave entrance. When he was successfully removed from the cave entrance, there was applause and cheering all ‘round.
This was, according to my son, "awesome!"
At first I was a little taken aback, but my son reassured me that the kid was laughing, not crying, and no one was teasing him or making fun of him. They all just thought it was a great adventure, and a great story to tell.
On a different day, they did some sort of zip-lining.
A child got stuck at one of the poles when the pulley jammed. He was dangling from the wire many feet above the ground while one of the camp counselors poked at the pulley with a stick. No luck. So another camp counselor had to climb the pole and work him loose. Again, the kid was stuck for about an hour, dangling from a wire, while they got it figured out.
My son’s report: "Awesome!!"
Again, the kid was laughing about it, and no one was traumatized, apparently...
Then on another day, they were swinging on a rope over a giant deep mud pit and doing cannonballs into the mud. My son apparently had a hard time getting out. It was thick and hard to move and.... well, the other kids had to all grab him and pull.
My son’s report: "Awesome!!"
As a parent in our "safety first" society, I feel like I should be cringing and swearing I’ll never send him to that camp again and/or trying to get it shut down. Too dangerous or something. But I don’t feel that way at all.
Instead, as a parent of a kid who is generally somewhat bookish a little timid, but came away from these scary events laughing and saying "Awesome!!" I feel like I ought to be writing the camp directors a big thank you letter.
Because in the end, no one was seriously injured, everyone came out of things ok, and what the kids learned (whether they realize it or not) was that there IS risk in great adventures. (As my husband would say, it’s that "air of danger" that makes it fun!) And if you’re going to have a great adventure, you need to be willing to accept the risk that something might go wrong. But also, when things do go wrong, you don’t panic, you stick together, you figure out a way to solve the problem, and you laugh about it afterwards because crying about it is just no fun at all.
So, he had fun, he overcame some fears, and he learned a bit about handling "sticky" situations. Sounds like an "awesome" week to me!
This past week, he attended the accurately-named "Adventure Camp." At this camp, the kids went caving, mud-pit jumping, hiking, swimming, zip-lining, and more. My son’s report: "It was so awesome!!! It was so fun!!! I loved it!!! I want to do it again next week!!!"
I pressed for details. What made it so great?
Disclaimer: I may have some of the details not-quite-right. I got part of the story from my son, and part from my Dad, and my son was so excited and talking so fast that it was hard to understand half of what he said, but this is what I got out of what they both told me:
For starters, he learned that he is, as he put it, "slightly claustrophobic," meaning that when they went caving, he "freaked out" because the walls seemed like they were closing in, and he had to go back outside. But the camp counselors were awesome (and patient) and knew some shortcuts, so after a short while, he agreed to go back in, and they took a couple of the shortcuts and caught up to the rest of the group. He was so proud and happy that he overcame his fear and finished the caving expedition.
They also got to a place where there was a ledge and they had to jump down about three feet, but they made it, and it was "awesome!" (My son is 10. He is only about four feet tall, and he is generally scared of heights, so this was a huge big deal to him!)
And then ("the best part!"), coming out the other side, the kids unintentionally re-created a scene from Winnie the Pooh.
As in, a rather large child got literally stuck in the cave entrance (exit?).
Some kids were still inside the cave, behind him. Others had already emerged from the cave. So the kids outside pulled and the kids inside pushed and they pulled and pushed and pushed and pulled and ... nothing. Someone eventually called 911. The emergency crews came, and it took them 2 hours to remove the kid from the cave entrance. When he was successfully removed from the cave entrance, there was applause and cheering all ‘round.
This was, according to my son, "awesome!"
At first I was a little taken aback, but my son reassured me that the kid was laughing, not crying, and no one was teasing him or making fun of him. They all just thought it was a great adventure, and a great story to tell.
On a different day, they did some sort of zip-lining.
A child got stuck at one of the poles when the pulley jammed. He was dangling from the wire many feet above the ground while one of the camp counselors poked at the pulley with a stick. No luck. So another camp counselor had to climb the pole and work him loose. Again, the kid was stuck for about an hour, dangling from a wire, while they got it figured out.
My son’s report: "Awesome!!"
Again, the kid was laughing about it, and no one was traumatized, apparently...
Then on another day, they were swinging on a rope over a giant deep mud pit and doing cannonballs into the mud. My son apparently had a hard time getting out. It was thick and hard to move and.... well, the other kids had to all grab him and pull.
My son’s report: "Awesome!!"
As a parent in our "safety first" society, I feel like I should be cringing and swearing I’ll never send him to that camp again and/or trying to get it shut down. Too dangerous or something. But I don’t feel that way at all.
Instead, as a parent of a kid who is generally somewhat bookish a little timid, but came away from these scary events laughing and saying "Awesome!!" I feel like I ought to be writing the camp directors a big thank you letter.
Because in the end, no one was seriously injured, everyone came out of things ok, and what the kids learned (whether they realize it or not) was that there IS risk in great adventures. (As my husband would say, it’s that "air of danger" that makes it fun!) And if you’re going to have a great adventure, you need to be willing to accept the risk that something might go wrong. But also, when things do go wrong, you don’t panic, you stick together, you figure out a way to solve the problem, and you laugh about it afterwards because crying about it is just no fun at all.
So, he had fun, he overcame some fears, and he learned a bit about handling "sticky" situations. Sounds like an "awesome" week to me!
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
State Farm Is Awesome
Usually people complain about their insurance companies. I love mine.
I have had State Farm auto insurance since at least 1988. Possibly longer. When we bought our home, I insured our home through State Farm as well.
Yes, I am a lawyer, and I have read the "bad faith" insurance cases with State Farm as the defendant. But either they have learned their lesson, or they reserve their alleged "bad faith" for people other than me. State Farm has always treated me well. They have never denied a claim, and I have had my fair share of claims -- windshields that needed replacing, fender benders, vandalism, theft, lost a part of our roof in a storm once... State Farm always just pays the claim, quickly and generally without any hassle.
Recently I was in a fender-bender in my 1998 Lincoln Town Car, which I basically inherited when my grandmother died. It is a beautiful car, silver gray, with only about 45,000 miles on it (35,000 when I got it last year). It is truly a luxury vehicle, with all the "bells & whistles" including heated front seats and a sun roof; it is soooo comfortable with its smooth, cool, thick and soft leather seats; it is in near mint condition; and it handles very well, too. I love it.
(I got rid of my beloved Chrysler - my first new car ever! - last year when I got the (practically antique) Lincoln, because even though I loved the Chrysler, it seemed foolish to keep making car payments when I could drive the even-more-luxurious-if-somewhat-older Lincoln for free).
The fender-bender caused an estimated $3500 worth of damage to my beautiful car (estimates at three shops that I went to ranged from $2700 to $4000, with an average of $3500). It doesn't take much damage to total $3500.... a broken headlamp, dented hood, dented bumper, and dented front grille did the job....
The bluebook value on the car is somewhere around $4000. State Farm initially said they intended to "total out" the car because the cost to repair it was higher than the book value would justify. They explained that this meant they would give me the money for it and I could still keep the car (and repair it or not, my choice), but that I would then have a "salvage" title. So I could continue to drive the car, but likely would have trouble selling it if I ever wanted to, and they would provide liability insurance if I wanted them to, but no more collision or comprehensive coverage. Ick. I did not want a "salvage" title. I was starting to fear my first ever hassle and/or denied claim with State Farm. (I looked it up later, though, and this is pretty standard operating procedure for insurance companies, so they weren't doing anything unusual.)
I explained the car's sentimental value and the fact that it had only 45,000 miles on it -- years of usability! -- and the fact that it is a beautiful car with all the luxuries and I love it.
They said, "OK, take it to the repair shop of your choice, and let's see how much it actually takes to repair it. If it goes over about $2800 (70% of the value), the presumption is that we are supposed to total it out, but before we make that decision, we'll look at it more closely to determine value, and if the cost to repair is only a few hundred over the value we determine, we will consider your desires and the sentimental value of the car, instead of just setting an arbitrary "kill" number."
Well, the $3500 estimate was pretty accurate. It was $3600 to repair. But State Farm paid it and did not "total out" my car.
But wait! There's more!
While the car was being repaired, I was scheduled to go on vacation, so I took advantage of the rental car coverage I maintain on my policy, and took the rental car on vacation.
The car was ready on Monday.
I was not scheduled to return from vacation until late last night (Tuesday) / early this morning (Wednesday). In fact, I arrived home around 2 a.m.
State Farm initially had covered the rental car through Monday, which meant I would have had to pay for yesterday and today.
I called and asked if they would cover the extra two days for the rental car since I had been in California and unable to pick it up on Monday, and they said yes. Just like that. Not even a moment's hesitation.
I love State Farm. If you do not have State Farm insurance, you should!
I have had State Farm auto insurance since at least 1988. Possibly longer. When we bought our home, I insured our home through State Farm as well.
Yes, I am a lawyer, and I have read the "bad faith" insurance cases with State Farm as the defendant. But either they have learned their lesson, or they reserve their alleged "bad faith" for people other than me. State Farm has always treated me well. They have never denied a claim, and I have had my fair share of claims -- windshields that needed replacing, fender benders, vandalism, theft, lost a part of our roof in a storm once... State Farm always just pays the claim, quickly and generally without any hassle.
Recently I was in a fender-bender in my 1998 Lincoln Town Car, which I basically inherited when my grandmother died. It is a beautiful car, silver gray, with only about 45,000 miles on it (35,000 when I got it last year). It is truly a luxury vehicle, with all the "bells & whistles" including heated front seats and a sun roof; it is soooo comfortable with its smooth, cool, thick and soft leather seats; it is in near mint condition; and it handles very well, too. I love it.
(I got rid of my beloved Chrysler - my first new car ever! - last year when I got the (practically antique) Lincoln, because even though I loved the Chrysler, it seemed foolish to keep making car payments when I could drive the even-more-luxurious-if-somewhat-older Lincoln for free).
The fender-bender caused an estimated $3500 worth of damage to my beautiful car (estimates at three shops that I went to ranged from $2700 to $4000, with an average of $3500). It doesn't take much damage to total $3500.... a broken headlamp, dented hood, dented bumper, and dented front grille did the job....
The bluebook value on the car is somewhere around $4000. State Farm initially said they intended to "total out" the car because the cost to repair it was higher than the book value would justify. They explained that this meant they would give me the money for it and I could still keep the car (and repair it or not, my choice), but that I would then have a "salvage" title. So I could continue to drive the car, but likely would have trouble selling it if I ever wanted to, and they would provide liability insurance if I wanted them to, but no more collision or comprehensive coverage. Ick. I did not want a "salvage" title. I was starting to fear my first ever hassle and/or denied claim with State Farm. (I looked it up later, though, and this is pretty standard operating procedure for insurance companies, so they weren't doing anything unusual.)
I explained the car's sentimental value and the fact that it had only 45,000 miles on it -- years of usability! -- and the fact that it is a beautiful car with all the luxuries and I love it.
They said, "OK, take it to the repair shop of your choice, and let's see how much it actually takes to repair it. If it goes over about $2800 (70% of the value), the presumption is that we are supposed to total it out, but before we make that decision, we'll look at it more closely to determine value, and if the cost to repair is only a few hundred over the value we determine, we will consider your desires and the sentimental value of the car, instead of just setting an arbitrary "kill" number."
Well, the $3500 estimate was pretty accurate. It was $3600 to repair. But State Farm paid it and did not "total out" my car.
But wait! There's more!
While the car was being repaired, I was scheduled to go on vacation, so I took advantage of the rental car coverage I maintain on my policy, and took the rental car on vacation.
The car was ready on Monday.
I was not scheduled to return from vacation until late last night (Tuesday) / early this morning (Wednesday). In fact, I arrived home around 2 a.m.
State Farm initially had covered the rental car through Monday, which meant I would have had to pay for yesterday and today.
I called and asked if they would cover the extra two days for the rental car since I had been in California and unable to pick it up on Monday, and they said yes. Just like that. Not even a moment's hesitation.
I love State Farm. If you do not have State Farm insurance, you should!
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Best. Friend. Ever!
The other day, I posted about my "bestest friend in the whole world" who sent me the wonderful Contigo travel mugs for Christmas. I have known her for over 40 years (yes, since preschool!), and she truly is an amazing woman. She has raised / is raising three wonderful boys, while running a successful bankruptcy law practice in South Carolina. She is smart and beautiful and kind and really just the BEST friend.
Today, I want to tell you that, in addition to my "bestest friend in the whole world," I also have a "best friend ever," whom I have known for over 30 years (since middle school) and who, on a whim and because we haven't seen each other for like 6 years, invited me to come visit her in Birmingham, Alabama, to see the band "Little House" (the musicians are friends of ours) play.
We are planning the trip to coincide with Do Dah Day, which is a fun annual music festival in Birmingham that has been around for 34 years (click the link above to check it out - it's awesome! - and click here for more information about the origins / history of this quirky and fun local event). It has the usual festival things -- music, food, art, kid activities, a parade (I love a parade!), and lots of fun. Little House is playing at the festival.
My best friend ever used to be heavily involved in organizing and promoting Do Dah Day. I think she has reduced her involvement in it more recently, but still attends every year. It is a great festival and raises money every year for deserving local charities that benefit homeless animals.
My friend even offered me free plane tickets (using frequent flier miles) and a bedroom in her house so that I would have no excuse to say "no"!
But here's the clincher, for me: The trip offers the opportunity for me to see my friend's older child, who was a newborn the last time I was there, and to meet her younger child, whose photos I have seen on Facebook but have never met, and who is totally adorable.
Needless to say, it is an offer that cannot be refused! So I am going to Alabama for Do Dah Day! I can't wait!
****
And I have to confess that I have at least four other "best friends" who I totally love for various reasons, not all of them having to do with receiving awesome travel mugs or free plane tickets to Do Dah Day in Birmingham.
I am truly blessed to have so many wonderful friends. :)
Today, I want to tell you that, in addition to my "bestest friend in the whole world," I also have a "best friend ever," whom I have known for over 30 years (since middle school) and who, on a whim and because we haven't seen each other for like 6 years, invited me to come visit her in Birmingham, Alabama, to see the band "Little House" (the musicians are friends of ours) play.
We are planning the trip to coincide with Do Dah Day, which is a fun annual music festival in Birmingham that has been around for 34 years (click the link above to check it out - it's awesome! - and click here for more information about the origins / history of this quirky and fun local event). It has the usual festival things -- music, food, art, kid activities, a parade (I love a parade!), and lots of fun. Little House is playing at the festival.
My best friend ever used to be heavily involved in organizing and promoting Do Dah Day. I think she has reduced her involvement in it more recently, but still attends every year. It is a great festival and raises money every year for deserving local charities that benefit homeless animals.
My friend even offered me free plane tickets (using frequent flier miles) and a bedroom in her house so that I would have no excuse to say "no"!
But here's the clincher, for me: The trip offers the opportunity for me to see my friend's older child, who was a newborn the last time I was there, and to meet her younger child, whose photos I have seen on Facebook but have never met, and who is totally adorable.
Needless to say, it is an offer that cannot be refused! So I am going to Alabama for Do Dah Day! I can't wait!
****
And I have to confess that I have at least four other "best friends" who I totally love for various reasons, not all of them having to do with receiving awesome travel mugs or free plane tickets to Do Dah Day in Birmingham.
I am truly blessed to have so many wonderful friends. :)
Monday, May 6, 2013
Best. Gift. Ever!
A couple of years ago, I received from my very best friend what I thought (at the time) was sort of an odd Christmas gift: Two stainless steel travel mugs. One blue, one green.
Here are photos of them:
(As an aside, I have few technical skills and cannot, for the life of me, figure out how to get blogger to let me put these photos next to each other instead of way across the page or one on top of the other. Ugh.)
They are nice-looking mugs - elegant, even - but I didn't understand why my best friend in the whole world would send travel mugs across the country for a Christmas gift. It was nice of her to send them (and it's always nice to get a gift), but sort of an odd thing to bother mailing. After all, travel mugs are a dime a dozen, right?
Then I used them and discovered how very wrong I was...
These mugs are A M A Z I N G!!!
They do NOT leak. At all. Ever. You can hold them upside down, and not a drop escapes!
You have to push the little button that you can see there, on the "front" of the mug in the photos, to get the valve to open so you can drink your beverage. It's not difficult to push, but is firm enough that it doesn't accidentally open.
I can put these mugs sideways in my purse, filled with coffee, and not even worry that they will leak, so long as I put the button on the "up" side and don't put anything on top of it!! Even then, it would have to be something hard and heavy to make the button move and open the valve. Really, I hardly even worry about it. I just toss them in and carry them around, filled with coffee.
They keep your beverage hot, or cold, as the case may be, for HOURS.
Once, in the summer (here in Arizona, it is often 110 to 118 degrees on a July or August summer day, and gets way hotter than that inside a locked car), I forgot my mug filled with iced coffee (with a bit of cream) in the car while I went inside a store and shopped for two hours.
If I had used any other mug that day, I would have returned to the car to find hot coffee with curdled cream, disgusting and undrinkable. Not with these mugs! I returned and, although the ice had mostly (not completely!!) melted, the coffee was still very cold and very drinkable. Refreshing, even, on such a hot day.
When I put hot coffee in them, it stays hot for HOURS. I have to make sure it is a drinkable temperature before sealing it up because otherwise it will be too hot to drink for a very long time.
I LOVE these mugs.
Now you can see why she is my bestest friend in the whole world. She knows me better than I know myself! She knew EXACTLY what I wanted for Christmas, even when I did not know I wanted it!
If you like to carry beverages with you in the car, you should go directly to the Contigo web site (click here) and buy one (or more) of these mugs.
Sadly, my green Contigo mug met an untimely death a couple of days ago. It was destroyed by a softball while the pitcher and catcher were warming up before my daughter's softball game the other day. The ball smashed right into the mug and broke the lid apart. The stainless steel portion was unharmed, but the lid was FUBAR (as we used to say in the bus business... F--d Up Beyond All Repair). So I will have to buy a new one. Just trying to decide whether to stick with the lovely green I had before, or try a new color, like red or silver.
Please note: This is absolutely not a paid promotion. Contigo probably doesn't even know I exist. I just totally love these mugs and I know you will, too. My motive? I want to keep the Contigo company in business and producing these exact mugs so that when I need new ones I will be able to buy them. They seem to last pretty much forever, absent tragic accidents like the one my green one encountered, so I am a little afraid that they will go out of business because they won't get enough repeat customers.
(As an aside, I have few technical skills and cannot, for the life of me, figure out how to get blogger to let me put these photos next to each other instead of way across the page or one on top of the other. Ugh.)They are nice-looking mugs - elegant, even - but I didn't understand why my best friend in the whole world would send travel mugs across the country for a Christmas gift. It was nice of her to send them (and it's always nice to get a gift), but sort of an odd thing to bother mailing. After all, travel mugs are a dime a dozen, right?
Then I used them and discovered how very wrong I was...
These mugs are A M A Z I N G!!!
They do NOT leak. At all. Ever. You can hold them upside down, and not a drop escapes!
You have to push the little button that you can see there, on the "front" of the mug in the photos, to get the valve to open so you can drink your beverage. It's not difficult to push, but is firm enough that it doesn't accidentally open.
I can put these mugs sideways in my purse, filled with coffee, and not even worry that they will leak, so long as I put the button on the "up" side and don't put anything on top of it!! Even then, it would have to be something hard and heavy to make the button move and open the valve. Really, I hardly even worry about it. I just toss them in and carry them around, filled with coffee.
They keep your beverage hot, or cold, as the case may be, for HOURS.
Once, in the summer (here in Arizona, it is often 110 to 118 degrees on a July or August summer day, and gets way hotter than that inside a locked car), I forgot my mug filled with iced coffee (with a bit of cream) in the car while I went inside a store and shopped for two hours.
If I had used any other mug that day, I would have returned to the car to find hot coffee with curdled cream, disgusting and undrinkable. Not with these mugs! I returned and, although the ice had mostly (not completely!!) melted, the coffee was still very cold and very drinkable. Refreshing, even, on such a hot day.
When I put hot coffee in them, it stays hot for HOURS. I have to make sure it is a drinkable temperature before sealing it up because otherwise it will be too hot to drink for a very long time.
I LOVE these mugs.
Now you can see why she is my bestest friend in the whole world. She knows me better than I know myself! She knew EXACTLY what I wanted for Christmas, even when I did not know I wanted it!
If you like to carry beverages with you in the car, you should go directly to the Contigo web site (click here) and buy one (or more) of these mugs.
Sadly, my green Contigo mug met an untimely death a couple of days ago. It was destroyed by a softball while the pitcher and catcher were warming up before my daughter's softball game the other day. The ball smashed right into the mug and broke the lid apart. The stainless steel portion was unharmed, but the lid was FUBAR (as we used to say in the bus business... F--d Up Beyond All Repair). So I will have to buy a new one. Just trying to decide whether to stick with the lovely green I had before, or try a new color, like red or silver.
Please note: This is absolutely not a paid promotion. Contigo probably doesn't even know I exist. I just totally love these mugs and I know you will, too. My motive? I want to keep the Contigo company in business and producing these exact mugs so that when I need new ones I will be able to buy them. They seem to last pretty much forever, absent tragic accidents like the one my green one encountered, so I am a little afraid that they will go out of business because they won't get enough repeat customers.
Friday, April 13, 2012
Forget Depression.... Telecheck SUCKS!
Thanks to everyone for your kind words on my "Depression sucks" post. Nothing quite like anger and frustration to get me past depression, though, and onto the next phase.
So today I made copies for two clients at Office Max. I wanted to write a check to pay for the copies, using my business checking account.
The check was declined.
Confused, I called my bank. The bank verified the amount of funds in my account, which exactly matched the amount I had written in my checkbook register, and far exceeded the amount of the check I was writing to Office Max (a pretty measly $156, actually).
So, Office Max ran the check again.
Declined again.
Office Max uses a company called "Telecheck" to determine whether they should accept a particular check. Apparently, if Telecheck allows them to accept a check, Telecheck will guarantee payment of it.
So they called Telecheck, who said, essentially, "try it again." So, they ran it two more times, still declined.
Telecheck would not give Office Max any reason why it was declined, so Office Max gave me the number to call.
After a lengthy menu tree and entering all sorts of data, I was finally connected with a live person, who told me the check was declined because that check number had been "used too many times."
"Well, that's because Office Max ran it through the system 4 times," I said -- "and two of those times were after you advised them to 'try again.'"
"Oh," she replied, "and also because you don't have a history of using any checks on that account through a Telecheck merchant."
"Um... let me get this straight.... you're not going to let Office Max accept my check because you've never accepted a check from me before? Do you ever accept checks from anyone?!? How does anyone get that first check accepted?"
"Well, you have to write smaller checks at Telecheck merchants first, and build up a credit history with us."
(WTF?!?!? I thought) "Let me speak with a manager, please."
I explained that I have had this particular business checking account for over a year, and have never bounced a check. I never bounced a check on my account at my prior bank, either.
Plus, it's a BUSINESS account! And my law license can be jeopardized if I bounce checks! Heck, at the Post Office (I LOVE the Post Office) they never even ask for ID with my checks because they reasonably assume that most lawyers won't bounce their checks!
And I'm trying to run a business, here. The amount of goods or services I purchase isn't dictated by some whim, but by what items my business needs to run and/or the number of copies I NEED to make for my clients. In other words, I'm not "pleasure shopping" for fun, I'm writing checks for necessary amounts.
The Telecheck manager informed me there was no way to override it. They can't call my bank and verify the funds and recommend that Office Max accept the check. They can't look at my history with other accounts or other businesses and recommend that Office Max accept the check. They can't use common sense and figure out that a law office might need to write reasonably large checks (This one was actually only $156) rather than a bunch of little checks, and that a law office is pretty unlikely to bounce a check, and recommend that Office Max accept the check. No... if I want to write checks at Office Max, I have to waste my time trying to write a series of checks for smaller amounts, and then Telecheck will think about whether they should accept any of those checks.
So, Telecheck may be nice for the merchant, but is a nightmare for the average person or business owner.
So I called Office Max and asked if there is any way they can simply accept the check and take it straight to their bank and deposit it -- skip Telecheck, in effect. Answer: no. It's corporate policy and they have armored trucks that pick up their checks and deposit them. There is nothing they can do.
So I will have to make a trip to the bank to take out cash, and take the cash to Office Max to pay for the copies. That's an hour out of my day on Monday that I really don't have time for.
And then, after telling me there was nothing she could do to help me, the Office Max manager had the gall to ask me for free advice on her divorce!! I wanted to tell her I'd help her exactly as much as she helped me, but instead I referred her to a useful website.
I am now annoyed with both Telecheck and Office Max. If Office Max won't accept my check and simply take it to their bank (skip Telecheck for God's sake!!), even after they personally spoke with my banker who verified the funds in the account, then I will simply have to go to Staples for my business copies and supplies from now on.
Like the Post Office, Staples accepts my checks with no questions asked.
Yay for Staples!
So today I made copies for two clients at Office Max. I wanted to write a check to pay for the copies, using my business checking account.
The check was declined.
Confused, I called my bank. The bank verified the amount of funds in my account, which exactly matched the amount I had written in my checkbook register, and far exceeded the amount of the check I was writing to Office Max (a pretty measly $156, actually).
So, Office Max ran the check again.
Declined again.
Office Max uses a company called "Telecheck" to determine whether they should accept a particular check. Apparently, if Telecheck allows them to accept a check, Telecheck will guarantee payment of it.
So they called Telecheck, who said, essentially, "try it again." So, they ran it two more times, still declined.
Telecheck would not give Office Max any reason why it was declined, so Office Max gave me the number to call.
After a lengthy menu tree and entering all sorts of data, I was finally connected with a live person, who told me the check was declined because that check number had been "used too many times."
"Well, that's because Office Max ran it through the system 4 times," I said -- "and two of those times were after you advised them to 'try again.'"
"Oh," she replied, "and also because you don't have a history of using any checks on that account through a Telecheck merchant."
"Um... let me get this straight.... you're not going to let Office Max accept my check because you've never accepted a check from me before? Do you ever accept checks from anyone?!? How does anyone get that first check accepted?"
"Well, you have to write smaller checks at Telecheck merchants first, and build up a credit history with us."
(WTF?!?!? I thought) "Let me speak with a manager, please."
I explained that I have had this particular business checking account for over a year, and have never bounced a check. I never bounced a check on my account at my prior bank, either.
Plus, it's a BUSINESS account! And my law license can be jeopardized if I bounce checks! Heck, at the Post Office (I LOVE the Post Office) they never even ask for ID with my checks because they reasonably assume that most lawyers won't bounce their checks!
And I'm trying to run a business, here. The amount of goods or services I purchase isn't dictated by some whim, but by what items my business needs to run and/or the number of copies I NEED to make for my clients. In other words, I'm not "pleasure shopping" for fun, I'm writing checks for necessary amounts.
The Telecheck manager informed me there was no way to override it. They can't call my bank and verify the funds and recommend that Office Max accept the check. They can't look at my history with other accounts or other businesses and recommend that Office Max accept the check. They can't use common sense and figure out that a law office might need to write reasonably large checks (This one was actually only $156) rather than a bunch of little checks, and that a law office is pretty unlikely to bounce a check, and recommend that Office Max accept the check. No... if I want to write checks at Office Max, I have to waste my time trying to write a series of checks for smaller amounts, and then Telecheck will think about whether they should accept any of those checks.
So, Telecheck may be nice for the merchant, but is a nightmare for the average person or business owner.
So I called Office Max and asked if there is any way they can simply accept the check and take it straight to their bank and deposit it -- skip Telecheck, in effect. Answer: no. It's corporate policy and they have armored trucks that pick up their checks and deposit them. There is nothing they can do.
So I will have to make a trip to the bank to take out cash, and take the cash to Office Max to pay for the copies. That's an hour out of my day on Monday that I really don't have time for.
And then, after telling me there was nothing she could do to help me, the Office Max manager had the gall to ask me for free advice on her divorce!! I wanted to tell her I'd help her exactly as much as she helped me, but instead I referred her to a useful website.
I am now annoyed with both Telecheck and Office Max. If Office Max won't accept my check and simply take it to their bank (skip Telecheck for God's sake!!), even after they personally spoke with my banker who verified the funds in the account, then I will simply have to go to Staples for my business copies and supplies from now on.
Like the Post Office, Staples accepts my checks with no questions asked.
Yay for Staples!
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Navajo Code Talker Monument - Arizona Trivia (Just Barely Still) Tuesday
Another hectic week and hectic day. On the bright side, my daughter's basketball team won their game today against a tough team, despite the fact that a couple of teammates were out sick, and several of the ones who were at the game were also sick. She even scored a basket - unusual for her, because although she handles the ball very well and plays great defense, she is the smallest kid on the team and usually can't get a shot off over all the tall kids on the other team. This time, she dribbled quickly around and past all of them and made the lay-up!
So here it is Tuesday, almost midnight, and I've written nothing so far today... quick, what can I write about that's interesting and informative...?
* * * * *
On the corner of Thomas Road and Central Avenue in downtown Phoenix, Arizona, is a statute of a seated Native American. Here is a photo of it, which I got from a collection of photos by "tceng" on panoramio.com.
The statue is a monument to the Navajo Code Talkers who served in the marines and helped win World War II. Here's the scoop, from a website devoted to Naval history and heritage:
During World War II, the Navy was seeking an undecipherable code for use in the Pacific. A fellow named Philip Johnston, who was the son of a missionary to the Navajo, had been raised on the Navajo reservation, and was one of only a few non-Navajos who could speak the language fluently, believed he had a solution.
Navajo is an unwritten language -- it has no alphabet or symbols, and is spoken only on the Navajo lands. It is also extremely complex. The syntax, tonal qualities, and various dialects make it unintelligible to anyone who has not had extensive exposure and/or training.
So, in May 1942, the military recruited 29 native Navajos, who attended boot camp, just like any other recruits. Then, this special group was tasked with developing numerous words for military terms, and a dictionary. The dictionary and code words had to be memorized during training.
Once a Navajo code talker was trained, he was deployed to the Pacific, where he could talk with other Navajo code talkers to transmit information regarding tactics, troop movements, orders, or any other secret information.
Although the Japanese were very skilled code breakers, they were unable to decipher the code based upon the Navajo language.
Approximately 375 to 420 Navajos served as code talkers during World War II. Because their code remained valuable even after the war, they went unrecognized for decades, until September 17, 1992, when they were acknowledged and honored for their contributions, at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.
So here it is Tuesday, almost midnight, and I've written nothing so far today... quick, what can I write about that's interesting and informative...?
* * * * *
On the corner of Thomas Road and Central Avenue in downtown Phoenix, Arizona, is a statute of a seated Native American. Here is a photo of it, which I got from a collection of photos by "tceng" on panoramio.com.
The statue is a monument to the Navajo Code Talkers who served in the marines and helped win World War II. Here's the scoop, from a website devoted to Naval history and heritage:
During World War II, the Navy was seeking an undecipherable code for use in the Pacific. A fellow named Philip Johnston, who was the son of a missionary to the Navajo, had been raised on the Navajo reservation, and was one of only a few non-Navajos who could speak the language fluently, believed he had a solution.
Navajo is an unwritten language -- it has no alphabet or symbols, and is spoken only on the Navajo lands. It is also extremely complex. The syntax, tonal qualities, and various dialects make it unintelligible to anyone who has not had extensive exposure and/or training.
So, in May 1942, the military recruited 29 native Navajos, who attended boot camp, just like any other recruits. Then, this special group was tasked with developing numerous words for military terms, and a dictionary. The dictionary and code words had to be memorized during training.
Once a Navajo code talker was trained, he was deployed to the Pacific, where he could talk with other Navajo code talkers to transmit information regarding tactics, troop movements, orders, or any other secret information.
Although the Japanese were very skilled code breakers, they were unable to decipher the code based upon the Navajo language.
Approximately 375 to 420 Navajos served as code talkers during World War II. Because their code remained valuable even after the war, they went unrecognized for decades, until September 17, 1992, when they were acknowledged and honored for their contributions, at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
World's Oldest Rodeo - Arizona Trivia
Did you know that Prescott, Arizona, lays claim to the "World's Oldest Rodeo"? First held on July 4, 1888, the Rodeo has been a part of Prescott "doings" every year since then.
In fact, the World's Oldest Rodeo (celebrating its 125th year this summer) is 25 years older than the State of Arizona (which just turned 100).
This year's rodeo in Prescott will be held June 28 to July 4, 2012, and will feature all the usual events - roping, bronc riding, bull riding, steer wrestling, and barrel racing - and the Town of Prescott also hosts a parade, an arts and crafts festival, and a fireworks show, to boot.
Personally, I can't imagine wanting to ride one of those broncos or bulls. I cringe in pain just watching it! Have any of you ever been to a rodeo? Or ridden in one?
* * * * *
Click here for more information about the World's Oldest Rodeo.
In fact, the World's Oldest Rodeo (celebrating its 125th year this summer) is 25 years older than the State of Arizona (which just turned 100).
This year's rodeo in Prescott will be held June 28 to July 4, 2012, and will feature all the usual events - roping, bronc riding, bull riding, steer wrestling, and barrel racing - and the Town of Prescott also hosts a parade, an arts and crafts festival, and a fireworks show, to boot.
Personally, I can't imagine wanting to ride one of those broncos or bulls. I cringe in pain just watching it! Have any of you ever been to a rodeo? Or ridden in one?
* * * * *
Click here for more information about the World's Oldest Rodeo.
Friday, October 7, 2011
ZZ Top Still Rocks
I scored free tickets to see ZZ Top last Friday night at the Comerica Theatre (formerly the Dodge Theatre) in Phoenix.
ZZ Top -- who would have thought they were even still around, much less touring ... but they are, and they are ... and they ROCK!
The show was fantastic.
Well, a little odd, too, but fantastic. Odd how, you ask?
First, I'm not that much older than I was when I first rocked out to "I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide," "Cheap Sunglasses," and "Jesus Just Left Chicago" among other awesome ZZ Top hits. So why did everyone in the audience look so damned old?!?
(And act so old! The dude next to me was sitting, looking tired, and complaining to the people in front of him that they should sit down. WTF? You're at a concert -- stand up and dance, or at least bob your head a little! Really!)
The warm-up band (Philip Sayce) must have noticed this, too, because it opened with a song called "One Foot in the Grave." Oddly appropriate, I suppose...
Second, the video screen behind the band didn't add much to the show and sometimes seemed, well, just weird.... floating spark plugs (for "Got Me Under Pressure")? floating wrenches ("Jesus Just Left Chicago")? floating hubcaps ("Waiting For the Bus")? Was this an auto-parts store ad, or what?
But the show itself? Rocked. Ignore the lame video screen and focus on the act itself, and you'll be pleased. The band looks essentially the same as they did in the 1970s and 80s-- two dudes with suits, hats, sunglasses, and the trademark long (if a bit grayer) beards, and the un-bearded drummer, Frank Beard. Three "Beards," one way or another.
And they sounded great -- played all their classics with their best blues sound. And played a straight-up tribute to Jimi Hendrix ("Hey Joe") along with an explanation that they appreciated Hendrix's recognition of them when they were just starting out (in 1969!).
Here's a sample -- from a different show, for sure, but it'll give you an idea of it:
And they're good people, too, not narcissistic bastards like some aging stars can become. During the show, a fan waved a copy of their first album. Guitarist Gibbons waved the man up to the stage, chatted with him a minute or so, and then all three of the band members autographed it. Then he pretended to auction it off, talking fast and sounding for all the world like a real auctioneer -- "OK, the bidding starts at $1000, over here do I hear $1000, $1000 over here.... Nah, I'm just kiddin'!" And he gave the album back to the fellow, to loud applause.
Later in the show, a kid dressed in ZZ Top attire -- black suit, hat, sunglasses, fake beard -- was invited up on stage to share the spotlight for a few minutes. Gibbons teased him, saying he had stolen his Halloween costume.
All in all, a down-to-earth, fun performance.
Ya' just gotta love that great little "Beard band" from Texas!
* * * *
They have shows coming up in October in Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, Kansas, Alabama, Texas, Illinois, Iowa, and West Virginia. Maybe you, too, can catch the awesomeness with a side of odd. For more info, click here.
ZZ Top -- who would have thought they were even still around, much less touring ... but they are, and they are ... and they ROCK!
The show was fantastic.
Well, a little odd, too, but fantastic. Odd how, you ask?
First, I'm not that much older than I was when I first rocked out to "I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide," "Cheap Sunglasses," and "Jesus Just Left Chicago" among other awesome ZZ Top hits. So why did everyone in the audience look so damned old?!?
(And act so old! The dude next to me was sitting, looking tired, and complaining to the people in front of him that they should sit down. WTF? You're at a concert -- stand up and dance, or at least bob your head a little! Really!)
The warm-up band (Philip Sayce) must have noticed this, too, because it opened with a song called "One Foot in the Grave." Oddly appropriate, I suppose...
Second, the video screen behind the band didn't add much to the show and sometimes seemed, well, just weird.... floating spark plugs (for "Got Me Under Pressure")? floating wrenches ("Jesus Just Left Chicago")? floating hubcaps ("Waiting For the Bus")? Was this an auto-parts store ad, or what?
But the show itself? Rocked. Ignore the lame video screen and focus on the act itself, and you'll be pleased. The band looks essentially the same as they did in the 1970s and 80s-- two dudes with suits, hats, sunglasses, and the trademark long (if a bit grayer) beards, and the un-bearded drummer, Frank Beard. Three "Beards," one way or another.
And they sounded great -- played all their classics with their best blues sound. And played a straight-up tribute to Jimi Hendrix ("Hey Joe") along with an explanation that they appreciated Hendrix's recognition of them when they were just starting out (in 1969!).
Here's a sample -- from a different show, for sure, but it'll give you an idea of it:
And they're good people, too, not narcissistic bastards like some aging stars can become. During the show, a fan waved a copy of their first album. Guitarist Gibbons waved the man up to the stage, chatted with him a minute or so, and then all three of the band members autographed it. Then he pretended to auction it off, talking fast and sounding for all the world like a real auctioneer -- "OK, the bidding starts at $1000, over here do I hear $1000, $1000 over here.... Nah, I'm just kiddin'!" And he gave the album back to the fellow, to loud applause.
Later in the show, a kid dressed in ZZ Top attire -- black suit, hat, sunglasses, fake beard -- was invited up on stage to share the spotlight for a few minutes. Gibbons teased him, saying he had stolen his Halloween costume.
All in all, a down-to-earth, fun performance.
Ya' just gotta love that great little "Beard band" from Texas!
* * * *
They have shows coming up in October in Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, Kansas, Alabama, Texas, Illinois, Iowa, and West Virginia. Maybe you, too, can catch the awesomeness with a side of odd. For more info, click here.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Krewe of Little Rascals
I mentioned yesterday that I took the kids to New Orleans to visit family this past weekend. By family, I mean my aunt, my cousin and his wife & kids, and my grandmother. My dad and step-mom also flew in for the weekend. We had a blast visiting with the family.
Also while in New Orleans, we went to see a Mardi Gras parade.
Mardi Gras season is ramping up in New Orleans. It starts early, with a couple of parades in January and early February. There were several parades this past weekend. And then there will be dozens of parades starting this Friday and continuing through Mardi Gras day, which is March 8 this year. Here is a link to the list of parades and their schedules, if you want to see just how many parades there are.
Nearly everyone in New Orleans gets a week off for Mardi Gras. Schools are closed, businesses shut down.... the whole city participates. Of course, the businesses catering to the Mardi Gras crowd and tourists ramp up rather than shutting down, but most folks have holiday time because, really, with several parade routes throughout the city and the corresponding road closures, as well as the gazillions of tourists and their cars clogging up the remaining streets, there would be no way for them to get to work or school anyway.
Each parade is conducted yearly by a specific "Krewe," a membership organization which is in charge of designing the floats, filling out all required paperwork, and organizing the hundreds of people who will ride, drive, or march in the parade. Each year, the floats will have a different theme, sometimes serious, sometimes fun, sometimes satirical in nature. From the link I gave you above, you can click on the name of each Krewe to read some historical information about the Krewe, as well as what their parade theme is for the year, what parade route they will follow, and what sort of "throws" they will have.
The Krewes provide not only the floats and parade marchers, but also "throws," which means the beads and trinkets and other assorted items thrown from the floats during the parade. These are quite varied and can be anything from the standard mardi gras beads (you have to promise to throw a certain number of new ones), to fancier beads with the name of the Krewe, light-up necklaces, insulated lunch bags, commemorative cups, luggage tags, note pads, small flashlights, plastic doubloons, bracelets, magnets, balls, stuffed animals, and so on.
Usually, the throws will reflect the Krewe's theme, and/or the theme of the Krewe's parade for the current year. My favorite "throw" was from a couple of years ago -- a feather boa in green, gold, and purple feathers (the official Mardi Gras colors), with small lights that you can turn on or off, or set to "blinking." Classy, right?! I wear it often.
Each Krewe tries to outdo the other Krewes and their own past parade throws when selecting this year's throws, so every year, the selection gets more varied and interesting.
So, this past Sunday, we went to see the parade sponsored by the Krewe of Little Rascals, which is an all children's parade. Well, of course they had some adults -- someone has to supervise the kids and drive the tractors that pull the floats, after all. But the Krewe members and the float riders are all children, and there were numerous kid groups marching, as well -- dance troupes, school bands, and so forth. This year's "Queen" was Taylor Shelenhamer, and she rode on one of the fanciest floats, handing out white beaded necklaces with a plastic medallion with her likeness in gold. Very cool.
The Krewe of Little Rascals was founded in 1983. Here is a link to the Krewe's web site.
My kids loved the parade. We caught a gazillion beaded necklaces, a green plastic water gun, several superballs, a couple of handfulls of candy, and a whistle.... and probably lots of stuff I've forgotten.
I may forget some of the stuff, but I won't forget how much fun my kids had. What a parade!
Also while in New Orleans, we went to see a Mardi Gras parade.
Mardi Gras season is ramping up in New Orleans. It starts early, with a couple of parades in January and early February. There were several parades this past weekend. And then there will be dozens of parades starting this Friday and continuing through Mardi Gras day, which is March 8 this year. Here is a link to the list of parades and their schedules, if you want to see just how many parades there are.
Nearly everyone in New Orleans gets a week off for Mardi Gras. Schools are closed, businesses shut down.... the whole city participates. Of course, the businesses catering to the Mardi Gras crowd and tourists ramp up rather than shutting down, but most folks have holiday time because, really, with several parade routes throughout the city and the corresponding road closures, as well as the gazillions of tourists and their cars clogging up the remaining streets, there would be no way for them to get to work or school anyway.
Each parade is conducted yearly by a specific "Krewe," a membership organization which is in charge of designing the floats, filling out all required paperwork, and organizing the hundreds of people who will ride, drive, or march in the parade. Each year, the floats will have a different theme, sometimes serious, sometimes fun, sometimes satirical in nature. From the link I gave you above, you can click on the name of each Krewe to read some historical information about the Krewe, as well as what their parade theme is for the year, what parade route they will follow, and what sort of "throws" they will have.
The Krewes provide not only the floats and parade marchers, but also "throws," which means the beads and trinkets and other assorted items thrown from the floats during the parade. These are quite varied and can be anything from the standard mardi gras beads (you have to promise to throw a certain number of new ones), to fancier beads with the name of the Krewe, light-up necklaces, insulated lunch bags, commemorative cups, luggage tags, note pads, small flashlights, plastic doubloons, bracelets, magnets, balls, stuffed animals, and so on.
Usually, the throws will reflect the Krewe's theme, and/or the theme of the Krewe's parade for the current year. My favorite "throw" was from a couple of years ago -- a feather boa in green, gold, and purple feathers (the official Mardi Gras colors), with small lights that you can turn on or off, or set to "blinking." Classy, right?! I wear it often.
Each Krewe tries to outdo the other Krewes and their own past parade throws when selecting this year's throws, so every year, the selection gets more varied and interesting.
So, this past Sunday, we went to see the parade sponsored by the Krewe of Little Rascals, which is an all children's parade. Well, of course they had some adults -- someone has to supervise the kids and drive the tractors that pull the floats, after all. But the Krewe members and the float riders are all children, and there were numerous kid groups marching, as well -- dance troupes, school bands, and so forth. This year's "Queen" was Taylor Shelenhamer, and she rode on one of the fanciest floats, handing out white beaded necklaces with a plastic medallion with her likeness in gold. Very cool.
The Krewe of Little Rascals was founded in 1983. Here is a link to the Krewe's web site.
My kids loved the parade. We caught a gazillion beaded necklaces, a green plastic water gun, several superballs, a couple of handfulls of candy, and a whistle.... and probably lots of stuff I've forgotten.
I may forget some of the stuff, but I won't forget how much fun my kids had. What a parade!
Friday, December 10, 2010
Cool Stuff From LegalMist's Daughter
I've written before about my daughter's art talents and Zazzle gallery (here). She may not be the next Monet or O'Keefe (then again, she might be...), but she definitely has some natural ability that I lack.
My daughter has a pretty good natural ability for photography, too. She hasn't developed her portraiture talents quite as much as Kim Ayers[fn1], my blogger buddy who also writes "Ramblings of the Bearded One," a blog I've read for years. But she takes a nice photo.
When she was two, nearly three, I took her to my cousin's wedding. She wanted to take pictures with my new camera. Since it was simple enough (point and shoot), I let her take a few photos of me in the hotel room. She told me where to stand and when to smile.
I figured I'd end up with typical kid photos of my torso & chin, or half of me at the edge of the frame with a bunch of crud that should have been background showing as the main focal point, or, at best, a blurry shot of me not smiling.
Instead, I ended up with several well-centered photos of me, actually smiling (she got the timing right), with minimal annoying background crud. The perspective was a little off -- she was not-quite-three, and very tiny, and she didn't think to climb up on a chair to photograph me straight-on instead of from her looking-up perspective. Then again, that was her usual perspective on the world, so it probably didn't occur to her that it wasn't "normal," and I didn't think to suggest that she stand or sit up higher for the photo shoot, so whose fault is that, really?
Overall, I was impressed. I let her take more photos with my camera any time she wanted to after that, and I am disappointed far less frequently with her photos than I am with my own.
So when we went to the Desert Botanical Garden to see the butterfly pavilion, I let her take lots of photos of the butterflies and flowers. She did a nice job.
I made a calendar out of her photos and posted it in her Zazzle store. Check it out:
I also designed some magnets and mouse pads and mugs and other items, just for fun, from some of the photos. And there are items made from some of her drawings, too. You may have noticed the "Zazzle" display bar in the margin - it shows some of the things posted for sale on the site.
But here's the cool part: People have actually bought things! And not just me or my relatives. We have sold actual calendars and magnets and cards to people completely unrelated to us! Not many, mind you. No one is getting rich from this particular endeavor. But it is fun, and a good confidence-booster for her, to know that other people like her art and photos as much as I do.
So, if you have time, check out her Zazzle store. You don't have to buy anything (it can be expensive, although they do have frequent sales and discounts and free shipping offers), just look around and let me know what you think.
* * * *
Footnotes (because lawyers love them):
Fn1: Kim Ayres' portrait photographs are unique. Instead of the typical photo of everyone with smiles plastered on their faces, dressed in goofy outfits, sitting and/or standing next to each other in front of some idealized background (or, worse, stacked on top of each other in some ridiculous pose meant to suggest "family love and harmony reigns supreme here"), he captures real faces with real expressions, in real places (or with black backgrounds, for maximum focus on the actual person). I love them. You should definitely check out his photography web site - and his blog, too, if you have time.
If I am ever in Scotland again, I am going to have him photograph me and whoever is with me (husband, kids, friends, whoever). It would be a hoot to meet him, and I'd end up with some way cool photos, to boot.
My daughter has a pretty good natural ability for photography, too. She hasn't developed her portraiture talents quite as much as Kim Ayers[fn1], my blogger buddy who also writes "Ramblings of the Bearded One," a blog I've read for years. But she takes a nice photo.
When she was two, nearly three, I took her to my cousin's wedding. She wanted to take pictures with my new camera. Since it was simple enough (point and shoot), I let her take a few photos of me in the hotel room. She told me where to stand and when to smile.
I figured I'd end up with typical kid photos of my torso & chin, or half of me at the edge of the frame with a bunch of crud that should have been background showing as the main focal point, or, at best, a blurry shot of me not smiling.
Instead, I ended up with several well-centered photos of me, actually smiling (she got the timing right), with minimal annoying background crud. The perspective was a little off -- she was not-quite-three, and very tiny, and she didn't think to climb up on a chair to photograph me straight-on instead of from her looking-up perspective. Then again, that was her usual perspective on the world, so it probably didn't occur to her that it wasn't "normal," and I didn't think to suggest that she stand or sit up higher for the photo shoot, so whose fault is that, really?
Overall, I was impressed. I let her take more photos with my camera any time she wanted to after that, and I am disappointed far less frequently with her photos than I am with my own.
So when we went to the Desert Botanical Garden to see the butterfly pavilion, I let her take lots of photos of the butterflies and flowers. She did a nice job.
I made a calendar out of her photos and posted it in her Zazzle store. Check it out:
I also designed some magnets and mouse pads and mugs and other items, just for fun, from some of the photos. And there are items made from some of her drawings, too. You may have noticed the "Zazzle" display bar in the margin - it shows some of the things posted for sale on the site.
But here's the cool part: People have actually bought things! And not just me or my relatives. We have sold actual calendars and magnets and cards to people completely unrelated to us! Not many, mind you. No one is getting rich from this particular endeavor. But it is fun, and a good confidence-booster for her, to know that other people like her art and photos as much as I do.
So, if you have time, check out her Zazzle store. You don't have to buy anything (it can be expensive, although they do have frequent sales and discounts and free shipping offers), just look around and let me know what you think.
* * * *
Footnotes (because lawyers love them):
Fn1: Kim Ayres' portrait photographs are unique. Instead of the typical photo of everyone with smiles plastered on their faces, dressed in goofy outfits, sitting and/or standing next to each other in front of some idealized background (or, worse, stacked on top of each other in some ridiculous pose meant to suggest "family love and harmony reigns supreme here"), he captures real faces with real expressions, in real places (or with black backgrounds, for maximum focus on the actual person). I love them. You should definitely check out his photography web site - and his blog, too, if you have time.
If I am ever in Scotland again, I am going to have him photograph me and whoever is with me (husband, kids, friends, whoever). It would be a hoot to meet him, and I'd end up with some way cool photos, to boot.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Muggsy Bogues
I've been thinking a lot about Muggsy Bogues lately. He was an NBA player in the late 1980's and 1990's, who was noticeable even among fantastic players such as those who played on 1992's "Dream Team": Charles Barkley, Larry Bird, Patrick Ewing, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, Chris Mullin, Scottie Pippen, David Robinson, John Stockton, Christian Laettner and Clyde Drexler. (Dang those guys were good!)
Bogues played for 14 years in the NBA, mostly for the Charlotte Hornets, although he had shorter stints for other teams, too.
It was fun to watch Muggsy as he dribbled the ball so low it was impossible to steal. His ball-handling and passing skills were phenomenal. And he was *fast* - one of the fastest players up and down the court.
Muggsy ranks 16th among all NBA players ever in career assists (6,726 of them), and 32d in single season assists (867 in the 1989-1990 season), according to databaseBasketball.com, making that list among such giants of basketball history as Magic Johnson, John Stockton, and (one of my current favorites, a Phoenix Suns player) Steve Nash.
He didn't block many shots -- only 39 in his entire career, according to Wikipedia (compare that to Mark Eaton's 456 blocks in a single season in 1984-85!). But hey, that's not surprising, considering that he also holds the record as the shortest NBA player ever.
At 5'3" and approximately 136 pounds, he was the smallest fellow ever to dominate the NBA.
Here's a video showing the 10 shortest NBA players ever.
Since retiring, Muggsy has worked in real estate and briefly coached the Charlotte Sting in the WNBA. He also runs basketball camps for kids.
Why the obsession with this retired NBA player?
I find him inspiring.
It's an understatement to say he was good at basketball. It's also amazing that he was able to succeed in this sport of giants. Most kids his height in high school and college would not even have thought about trying out for the basketball team, and many others would have given up when faced with a gym full of kids who were a foot or more taller. And of those his height who did try, most simply didn't make it in high school or college, much less the pros.
But he apparently had much talent and loved the game, and was willing to put in the hard work necessary to become one of the best at it, despite the huge and obvious odds against him. I love that!
So far, my daughter displays a similar perseverence and lack of fear. I wrote last school year about her junior high school's basketball teams. There are three teams: the 6th grade team, and the 7th and 8th grade "A" and "B" teams. Last year she played on the 6th grade team. They played against many schools with teams of sixth through eighth graders -- which meant they spent most of the season playing eighth graders. I was impressed by her team's perseverence in the face of many losses to teams at least a foot taller. They just kept trying, and improving their skills, and playing their best.
This past summer, while visiting her grandparents in the Washington, DC, area, my daughter attended a basketball camp run by Gheorghe Muresan [footnote 1], who played for the Washington Bullets/Wizards in the mid-1990s.
I think the basketball camp may have helped, but I also have to credit my daughter's own perseverence and skill: this year she made the 7th and 8th grade "A Team" for basketball at her school! She is one of the few 7th graders on the team, and once again she is the shortest kid on the team - most of the girls are a foot or so taller than her. So far in practice, she doesn't take many shots, but she is a point guard and is great at spying the open player to pass to, so she scores many assists.... just like my hero Muggsy.
I don't know whether her interest in basketball will hold up through the years, and I have no illusions that she'll be the next great WNBA star or even a high school star. It could happen, but more likely it won't, given her tremendous height disadvantage.
But for now, I'm excited to watch her play with such enthusiasm and skill. I love her "no worries" attitude and self-confidence, and the fact that she has such fun playing, as the short kid in the land of giants.
She'll play in her first game of the season on Friday night. I can't wait!
* * * * *
Footnotes (because I'm a lawyer and I love them):
Footnote 1 (Providing You With Interesting But Irrelevant Trivia): Gheorghe Muresan is one of tallest players ever to play in the NBA, at 7'7". According to Wikipedia, Muresan is tied with Manute Bol for the "tallest NBA player ever" honor.
Manute Bol played with Muggsy Bogues for the Washington Bullets in 1987, making for some interesting photo ops with the tallest and shortest players (ever!) in the NBA, respectively.
Sadly, Manute Bol died this past summer at the young age of 47.
Bogues played for 14 years in the NBA, mostly for the Charlotte Hornets, although he had shorter stints for other teams, too.
It was fun to watch Muggsy as he dribbled the ball so low it was impossible to steal. His ball-handling and passing skills were phenomenal. And he was *fast* - one of the fastest players up and down the court.
Muggsy ranks 16th among all NBA players ever in career assists (6,726 of them), and 32d in single season assists (867 in the 1989-1990 season), according to databaseBasketball.com, making that list among such giants of basketball history as Magic Johnson, John Stockton, and (one of my current favorites, a Phoenix Suns player) Steve Nash.
He didn't block many shots -- only 39 in his entire career, according to Wikipedia (compare that to Mark Eaton's 456 blocks in a single season in 1984-85!). But hey, that's not surprising, considering that he also holds the record as the shortest NBA player ever.
At 5'3" and approximately 136 pounds, he was the smallest fellow ever to dominate the NBA.
Here's a video showing the 10 shortest NBA players ever.
Since retiring, Muggsy has worked in real estate and briefly coached the Charlotte Sting in the WNBA. He also runs basketball camps for kids.
Why the obsession with this retired NBA player?
I find him inspiring.
It's an understatement to say he was good at basketball. It's also amazing that he was able to succeed in this sport of giants. Most kids his height in high school and college would not even have thought about trying out for the basketball team, and many others would have given up when faced with a gym full of kids who were a foot or more taller. And of those his height who did try, most simply didn't make it in high school or college, much less the pros.
But he apparently had much talent and loved the game, and was willing to put in the hard work necessary to become one of the best at it, despite the huge and obvious odds against him. I love that!
So far, my daughter displays a similar perseverence and lack of fear. I wrote last school year about her junior high school's basketball teams. There are three teams: the 6th grade team, and the 7th and 8th grade "A" and "B" teams. Last year she played on the 6th grade team. They played against many schools with teams of sixth through eighth graders -- which meant they spent most of the season playing eighth graders. I was impressed by her team's perseverence in the face of many losses to teams at least a foot taller. They just kept trying, and improving their skills, and playing their best.
This past summer, while visiting her grandparents in the Washington, DC, area, my daughter attended a basketball camp run by Gheorghe Muresan [footnote 1], who played for the Washington Bullets/Wizards in the mid-1990s.
I think the basketball camp may have helped, but I also have to credit my daughter's own perseverence and skill: this year she made the 7th and 8th grade "A Team" for basketball at her school! She is one of the few 7th graders on the team, and once again she is the shortest kid on the team - most of the girls are a foot or so taller than her. So far in practice, she doesn't take many shots, but she is a point guard and is great at spying the open player to pass to, so she scores many assists.... just like my hero Muggsy.
I don't know whether her interest in basketball will hold up through the years, and I have no illusions that she'll be the next great WNBA star or even a high school star. It could happen, but more likely it won't, given her tremendous height disadvantage.
But for now, I'm excited to watch her play with such enthusiasm and skill. I love her "no worries" attitude and self-confidence, and the fact that she has such fun playing, as the short kid in the land of giants.
She'll play in her first game of the season on Friday night. I can't wait!
* * * * *
Footnotes (because I'm a lawyer and I love them):
Footnote 1 (Providing You With Interesting But Irrelevant Trivia): Gheorghe Muresan is one of tallest players ever to play in the NBA, at 7'7". According to Wikipedia, Muresan is tied with Manute Bol for the "tallest NBA player ever" honor.
Manute Bol played with Muggsy Bogues for the Washington Bullets in 1987, making for some interesting photo ops with the tallest and shortest players (ever!) in the NBA, respectively.
Sadly, Manute Bol died this past summer at the young age of 47.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Tour de Fat
Every year, the "Tour de Fat" bike parade in Tempe, Arizona[fn1] travels right past our house. It is a huge event, with hundreds of riders. It takes about half an hour for all the cyclists to pass our home.
Every year, I intend to ride in it.
Every year, I forget about it until the bikes are actually passing our home, when we are already busy for the day and it is "too late" to join the parade.
Every year, after we watch all the cool bikes with people in costumes pass, I think to myself, "I should have at least taken photos! That was cool!"
. . . . .
This year, we were home during the parade and I remembered to take photos! Not only that, but LegalMist's daughter's friend and her mom rode by, and LegalMist's daughter begged LegalMist, and was allowed, to join the parade!
Next year, I'm going to remember to ride in the darn thing!!
Here are some photos from this year's parade:
-------------------------------
footnotes (because I'm a lawyer and we love them):
fn1: The Tour de Fat is an annual bike parade event that is held in several different cities on different dates. It is sponsored by the New Belgium Brewing Company (which makes "Fat Tire" beer, among other varieties). Here is a link to the Tour de Fat Web site. There are still two parades left this year. Tomorrow, there is one in Los Angeles, California. Next weekend, there is one in Austin, Texas. Check it out and ride along if you can!
Every year, I intend to ride in it.
Every year, I forget about it until the bikes are actually passing our home, when we are already busy for the day and it is "too late" to join the parade.
Every year, after we watch all the cool bikes with people in costumes pass, I think to myself, "I should have at least taken photos! That was cool!"
. . . . .
This year, we were home during the parade and I remembered to take photos! Not only that, but LegalMist's daughter's friend and her mom rode by, and LegalMist's daughter begged LegalMist, and was allowed, to join the parade!
Next year, I'm going to remember to ride in the darn thing!!
Here are some photos from this year's parade:
-------------------------------
footnotes (because I'm a lawyer and we love them):
fn1: The Tour de Fat is an annual bike parade event that is held in several different cities on different dates. It is sponsored by the New Belgium Brewing Company (which makes "Fat Tire" beer, among other varieties). Here is a link to the Tour de Fat Web site. There are still two parades left this year. Tomorrow, there is one in Los Angeles, California. Next weekend, there is one in Austin, Texas. Check it out and ride along if you can!
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Sometimes Attorneys Aren't So Bad
I've written here (and here) before about how much I hate attorneys, generally. (And yes, it does lead to a fair amount of self-loathing and depression sometimes).
But this week something happened that reminded me that not all attorneys are awful.
First, some background.
Before I started law school, I was warned that it would be a hyper-competitive environment, in which no one collaborated with others, everyone was out to stab you in the back, and it was "sink or swim" all the way.
So when I was ill during one of the first few weeks of law school, I was terrified to skip class, lest I miss something important. After all, I had no friends yet, no one I could ask for a recap or to share notes with me. But I was too sick to get out of bed, so I skipped my classes one day.
Imagine my surprise the next day, when I dragged my still-ill-but-at-least-marginally-functional-self to school, and a fellow student (I'll call him "Jay" since his first initial was "J," but that's not his real name**) approached me with some photocopied notes he had taken, and said, "Hey, I noticed you were absent yesterday from the contracts class so I copied my notes for you. I hope they're helpful."
I was amazed at this display of thoughtfulness.
And Jay wasn't even "hitting" on me, just being kind. Really. (Hard to believe, I know, but true).
Jay and I didn't become best friends in law school, but he was always polite and kind and friendly - collegial in the best sense of the word - and thoughtful.
After graduation, we did not keep in touch much. I'd run into him at random seminars or state bar events and we'd chat a few minutes. One time, he was presenting material at a seminar and saw me in the audience, and mentioned my name as an attorney who had worked on one of the important cases he was discussing. Very kind of him.
Recently one of my former clients (an excellent paralegal / legal assistant) called me for assistance with an appeal to the Arizona Supreme Court. She had represented herself in the trial court and had won, but the other side had appealed. It was a fairly straightforward case - she probably could have handled it herself, but she was intimidated by the appellate process, and so I agreed to help her. The Arizona Supreme Court affirmed the decision in her favor.
I received an email at about 10:00 a.m. one day from the Supreme Court, with a copy of the decision.
At approximately noon that same day, I received an email from Jay stating, "congratulations on your win - impressive!" (or words to that effect).
I haven't talked to Jay in at least two years. I am quite sure he is not stalking me and so I don't want any of you thinking this is creepy in any way. It's just not. Most likely, he subscribes to the Court's email service, in which they email you copies of all decisions. He read it, saw my name on a decision in my client's favor, and took the time to email me with kind words.
How very cool.
** I wish I could tell you Jay's real name and give him full credit for his thoughtfulness, but since I'm trying to remain anonymous here, I simply can't.
But this week something happened that reminded me that not all attorneys are awful.
First, some background.
Before I started law school, I was warned that it would be a hyper-competitive environment, in which no one collaborated with others, everyone was out to stab you in the back, and it was "sink or swim" all the way.
So when I was ill during one of the first few weeks of law school, I was terrified to skip class, lest I miss something important. After all, I had no friends yet, no one I could ask for a recap or to share notes with me. But I was too sick to get out of bed, so I skipped my classes one day.
Imagine my surprise the next day, when I dragged my still-ill-but-at-least-marginally-functional-self to school, and a fellow student (I'll call him "Jay" since his first initial was "J," but that's not his real name**) approached me with some photocopied notes he had taken, and said, "Hey, I noticed you were absent yesterday from the contracts class so I copied my notes for you. I hope they're helpful."
I was amazed at this display of thoughtfulness.
And Jay wasn't even "hitting" on me, just being kind. Really. (Hard to believe, I know, but true).
Jay and I didn't become best friends in law school, but he was always polite and kind and friendly - collegial in the best sense of the word - and thoughtful.
After graduation, we did not keep in touch much. I'd run into him at random seminars or state bar events and we'd chat a few minutes. One time, he was presenting material at a seminar and saw me in the audience, and mentioned my name as an attorney who had worked on one of the important cases he was discussing. Very kind of him.
Recently one of my former clients (an excellent paralegal / legal assistant) called me for assistance with an appeal to the Arizona Supreme Court. She had represented herself in the trial court and had won, but the other side had appealed. It was a fairly straightforward case - she probably could have handled it herself, but she was intimidated by the appellate process, and so I agreed to help her. The Arizona Supreme Court affirmed the decision in her favor.
I received an email at about 10:00 a.m. one day from the Supreme Court, with a copy of the decision.
At approximately noon that same day, I received an email from Jay stating, "congratulations on your win - impressive!" (or words to that effect).
I haven't talked to Jay in at least two years. I am quite sure he is not stalking me and so I don't want any of you thinking this is creepy in any way. It's just not. Most likely, he subscribes to the Court's email service, in which they email you copies of all decisions. He read it, saw my name on a decision in my client's favor, and took the time to email me with kind words.
How very cool.
** I wish I could tell you Jay's real name and give him full credit for his thoughtfulness, but since I'm trying to remain anonymous here, I simply can't.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Olympics Closing Ceremony
Did anyone watch the Olympics Closing Ceremony last night? I did. Wouldn't have missed it for anything. Well, OK, so I had to miss the beginning of it, dealing with kids and dinner and grocery shopping and laundry, but I caught that part later on the replay.
I loved it. My husband said it was "boring."
There was, of course, some ceremonial pomp and circumstance, with the athletes entering the stadium, the Olympic flag-lowering ceremony, the passing of the flag to the IOC president, who gave it to the mayor of Sochi, Russia, as the host of the 2014 Winter Games.
There was a choir singing, and a tribute to the Olympic Luge contestant who died in a horrible accident on the first day of the Olympics.
All of that was necessary, moving even, but perhaps not "entertaining" in the usual sense of the word. But in addition to the necessary ceremonial duties, Canada put on quite a show.
First, I must say, those Canadians cracked me up. They did a skit making fun of the now-famous glitch in the opening ceremony when one of the cauldron's pillars did not emerge from the floor and left their former gold medal speedskater Catriona Le May Doan standing awkwardly holding a torch, with nothing to light. In the end, she got to light the cauldron for the closing ceremony.
Can you imagine if the Chinese had a glitch like that one in their opening ceremony? I doubt there would have been a closing ceremony making fun of it; instead, it would have been an embarassment, hush-hushed, no one allowed to talk about it. Those Canadians, though - like the good hosts and good sports that they are - they brought it right back out into the limelight and encouraged us to laugh along with them at their misfortune. And gave Catriona Le May Doan her chance to light the cauldron after all. I love that!
Canadian-born actors William Shatner (Captain Kirk of Star Trek, Denny Crane of The Practice and Boston Legal), Catherine Anne O'Hara (Best in Show, Waiting for Guffman), and Michael J. Fox (Family Ties, Back to the Future, Spin City), also made me laugh a few times with their humorous monologues.
Michael J. Fox looked better than I've seen him look in a while. His Parkinson's tremor wasn't as noticeable as it sometimes is, and he looked stronger than he has looked in the past couple of years.
And you had to love the very tongue-in-cheek performance by Michael Buble, dressed in Mountie gear, complete with giant inflatable beavers and moose, giant cardboard cutout table-hockey players and a kid wearing what looked like a giant tire starring as the hockey puck.
And there were great performances by a huge variety of performer such as Neil Young, Nickelback, Alanis Morissette, and more.
The whole closing ceremony was a good mix of ceremony, humor, music, and a beautiful light show. Were there some parts that didn't make me go "wow"? Sure. But overall, I thought it was spectacular and fun and a fitting end to the games.
I loved it.
I loved it. My husband said it was "boring."
There was, of course, some ceremonial pomp and circumstance, with the athletes entering the stadium, the Olympic flag-lowering ceremony, the passing of the flag to the IOC president, who gave it to the mayor of Sochi, Russia, as the host of the 2014 Winter Games.
There was a choir singing, and a tribute to the Olympic Luge contestant who died in a horrible accident on the first day of the Olympics.
All of that was necessary, moving even, but perhaps not "entertaining" in the usual sense of the word. But in addition to the necessary ceremonial duties, Canada put on quite a show.
First, I must say, those Canadians cracked me up. They did a skit making fun of the now-famous glitch in the opening ceremony when one of the cauldron's pillars did not emerge from the floor and left their former gold medal speedskater Catriona Le May Doan standing awkwardly holding a torch, with nothing to light. In the end, she got to light the cauldron for the closing ceremony.
Can you imagine if the Chinese had a glitch like that one in their opening ceremony? I doubt there would have been a closing ceremony making fun of it; instead, it would have been an embarassment, hush-hushed, no one allowed to talk about it. Those Canadians, though - like the good hosts and good sports that they are - they brought it right back out into the limelight and encouraged us to laugh along with them at their misfortune. And gave Catriona Le May Doan her chance to light the cauldron after all. I love that!
Canadian-born actors William Shatner (Captain Kirk of Star Trek, Denny Crane of The Practice and Boston Legal), Catherine Anne O'Hara (Best in Show, Waiting for Guffman), and Michael J. Fox (Family Ties, Back to the Future, Spin City), also made me laugh a few times with their humorous monologues.
Michael J. Fox looked better than I've seen him look in a while. His Parkinson's tremor wasn't as noticeable as it sometimes is, and he looked stronger than he has looked in the past couple of years.
And you had to love the very tongue-in-cheek performance by Michael Buble, dressed in Mountie gear, complete with giant inflatable beavers and moose, giant cardboard cutout table-hockey players and a kid wearing what looked like a giant tire starring as the hockey puck.
And there were great performances by a huge variety of performer such as Neil Young, Nickelback, Alanis Morissette, and more.
The whole closing ceremony was a good mix of ceremony, humor, music, and a beautiful light show. Were there some parts that didn't make me go "wow"? Sure. But overall, I thought it was spectacular and fun and a fitting end to the games.
I loved it.
Monday, February 22, 2010
SPAM inspirations
My friend sent me this:
Did you know that SPAM haiku
is now called SPAM-ku?
Here is a sample
(Far better than I can write
five seven five -- hard!):
Does SPAM contain tongues?
When you eat it, does it taste
you as you taste it?
--Chris Fishel, ctf2m@virginia.edu
Did that make you laugh?
Click here, to see many more
at this cool web site:
http://web.mit.edu/jync/www/spam/top_1-1000.html
Did you know that SPAM haiku
is now called SPAM-ku?
Here is a sample
(Far better than I can write
five seven five -- hard!):
Does SPAM contain tongues?
When you eat it, does it taste
you as you taste it?
--Chris Fishel, ctf2m@virginia.edu
Did that make you laugh?
Click here, to see many more
at this cool web site:
http://web.mit.edu/jync/www/spam/top_1-1000.html
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Happy Veterans Day
I don't always agree with the wars our Presidents start or enter. I don't always agree with the military's policies dealing with gay persons and women. I don't always think we should spend as much money as we do funding various military projects and wars.
Sometimes, our military men and women engage in inappropriate conduct. They are human, and humans sometimes do stupid things.
Nevertheless, I want to offer a heart-felt thank you to all of my readers (and to all Americans, really) who have served or are serving in the military.
It's a very tough job, and someone has to do it, and I am so very glad you all volunteered so that I can stay home and live my life safely and uneventfully.... I sound selfish, I know. But I feel really lucky, and really grateful, to live in a country where enough people volunteer to serve, so that the rest of us are not forced to serve in the military if we don't want to.
And thank you also to those who were drafted and served in prior wars. You had no choice, but you did what you were required to do, and I am grateful for that, too.
I am also grateful to live in a country in which I am free to express my disagreement with some of the wars our military fights, with some of the military policies, with the bad things our troops sometimes do, and with spending so much of our budget on military concerns... and still recognize that the men and women who serve in our armed forces are devoting their time, sometimes even their lives, to a worthy cause, and that the vast majority of them are doing so honorably.
We need our armed forces. We need the dedicated men and women who serve in the military. And I am so glad you all are there for us. I am so glad, and so very grateful, that you chose to serve our country in the armed forces, so that I am free to choose not to.
My step-brother was in the Marines. My husband was in the Navy (before I met him). Neither of them ever had to go to war, for which I am eternally grateful. For those of you who have served overseas and/or in combat, an extra helping of gratitude. I can't even imagine how hard that must be.
My little guy is marching in Tempe's Veterans' Day parade today with his Scout Pack (he's in Cub Scouts). My daughter marched last year with her Junior Girl Scout troop.
I love a parade! And I love the opportunity to do something fun as a way to say "thank you."
Happy Veterans' Day to you all. And thank you to the men and women who have chosen to serve in our armed forces.
Sometimes, our military men and women engage in inappropriate conduct. They are human, and humans sometimes do stupid things.
Nevertheless, I want to offer a heart-felt thank you to all of my readers (and to all Americans, really) who have served or are serving in the military.
It's a very tough job, and someone has to do it, and I am so very glad you all volunteered so that I can stay home and live my life safely and uneventfully.... I sound selfish, I know. But I feel really lucky, and really grateful, to live in a country where enough people volunteer to serve, so that the rest of us are not forced to serve in the military if we don't want to.
And thank you also to those who were drafted and served in prior wars. You had no choice, but you did what you were required to do, and I am grateful for that, too.
I am also grateful to live in a country in which I am free to express my disagreement with some of the wars our military fights, with some of the military policies, with the bad things our troops sometimes do, and with spending so much of our budget on military concerns... and still recognize that the men and women who serve in our armed forces are devoting their time, sometimes even their lives, to a worthy cause, and that the vast majority of them are doing so honorably.
We need our armed forces. We need the dedicated men and women who serve in the military. And I am so glad you all are there for us. I am so glad, and so very grateful, that you chose to serve our country in the armed forces, so that I am free to choose not to.
My step-brother was in the Marines. My husband was in the Navy (before I met him). Neither of them ever had to go to war, for which I am eternally grateful. For those of you who have served overseas and/or in combat, an extra helping of gratitude. I can't even imagine how hard that must be.
My little guy is marching in Tempe's Veterans' Day parade today with his Scout Pack (he's in Cub Scouts). My daughter marched last year with her Junior Girl Scout troop.
I love a parade! And I love the opportunity to do something fun as a way to say "thank you."
Happy Veterans' Day to you all. And thank you to the men and women who have chosen to serve in our armed forces.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Children's Museum of Phoenix
I'm back. I had a horribly busy week at work. It was almost like working at a big law firm again, meaning I was working from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day, taking a break for dinner, then working again until midnight or later, sleeping a few hours, and getting up to do it all over again. My kids saw me for two hours a day. Good thing my husband is on his summer break from teaching so he could entertain them. So I apologize for the total lack of posts for over a week. Perhaps while I'm on vacation in a couple of weeks I'll try to write some "extra" posts that I can use when I'm too busy to sit down and write.
I still don't have time to write much today, as I have all the law office administrative things to tend to this week -- monthly billing, updating the trust account records, and so forth -- plus I need and want to spend some time with the family to make up for my almost total absence last week.
But I did want to share with you these photos I took at the Children's Museum of Phoenix recently. The museum is relatively new (founded in 1998), and just this year it moved into a beautiful old, restored former school building (the Monroe elementary school, originally built in 1913) in the Phoenix downtown area. I hadn't been there before. My kids and I went with my friend and her kids. We had a blast.
The museum itself is more play-space than art exhibit oriented, although there is art throughout, as well. There are three levels to the museum, and the entry / lobby area has huge vaulted ceilings and is very spacious, light, and airy. There is a huge play tent-and-tunnel feature for the little kids, plus some funky foot-powered segway-style moving machines and little carts for the kids to ride.
Here is a photo of the art that hangs in the main entry lobby, made from used CDs. They were so pretty, shimmering in the light. The photo doesn't really capture it. (Perhaps I should have had my daughter take the photos....)
Here is a close-up:
Also in the main entry area, they had a tangled tubular thing that blew air, into which kids could put brightly colored scarves. The scarves would blow all around through the tangle of tubes and come out through one of the tubes at the top; the kids would try to guess where the scarves would emerge, and try to catch them as they fluttered down. They loved it. The parents loved it, too. Here's a photo of the scarves coming out of one of the tubes:
Upstairs, they had a "restaurant" where the kids could use play food and a play kitchen to make and serve food for their parents. (I liked this role-reversal... perhaps I'll have to try this at home). Hanging from the ceiling was a huge sculpture made of bent flatware. I wonder if the sculpture was made at the spoonbenders convention?
Here is a close-up of part of it.
Funny. I suddenly have the urge to go open my flatware drawer and play with my forks...
There were other fun, interactive things at the museum. An 8 foot high racetrack / ramp for foot-long go-cart looking race cars. A pretend grocery store where the kids could play cashier, shopper, shelf-stocker, manager, whatever.... An ice cream stand... A trike-racing track... An entire room set up with wooden balls rolling down ramps and tracks, hitting various wooden and metal objects along the way to make pretty sounds; the overall effect was very musical, and it was great fun to drop the balls onto the various tracks and watch them go.
And they had some other art, too, such as these tie-dye tapestries, with origami bird-mobiles hanging in front of them:
We were there for only about an hour, so we didn't get to see everything. The kids have been asking to go back, and we will sometime soon.
There's not a lot that would interest kids much older than 8 or 10 (the Science Museum across the street would be more exciting for the older crowd), but the younger ones had a blast, and my 10 year old could have happily spent hours rolling balls down the musical ramps and putting scarves in the air-blowing tubes; she was sad when it was time to go. And there were benches and chairs throughout for the parents to sit on while their kids romped and played. If you're in Phoenix and want to do something fun for a couple of hours in air-conditioned comfort with kids from age 1 to 10 - or if you're really into spoonbending - I'd recommend this museum.
.
I still don't have time to write much today, as I have all the law office administrative things to tend to this week -- monthly billing, updating the trust account records, and so forth -- plus I need and want to spend some time with the family to make up for my almost total absence last week.
But I did want to share with you these photos I took at the Children's Museum of Phoenix recently. The museum is relatively new (founded in 1998), and just this year it moved into a beautiful old, restored former school building (the Monroe elementary school, originally built in 1913) in the Phoenix downtown area. I hadn't been there before. My kids and I went with my friend and her kids. We had a blast.
The museum itself is more play-space than art exhibit oriented, although there is art throughout, as well. There are three levels to the museum, and the entry / lobby area has huge vaulted ceilings and is very spacious, light, and airy. There is a huge play tent-and-tunnel feature for the little kids, plus some funky foot-powered segway-style moving machines and little carts for the kids to ride.
Here is a photo of the art that hangs in the main entry lobby, made from used CDs. They were so pretty, shimmering in the light. The photo doesn't really capture it. (Perhaps I should have had my daughter take the photos....)
Here is a close-up:
Also in the main entry area, they had a tangled tubular thing that blew air, into which kids could put brightly colored scarves. The scarves would blow all around through the tangle of tubes and come out through one of the tubes at the top; the kids would try to guess where the scarves would emerge, and try to catch them as they fluttered down. They loved it. The parents loved it, too. Here's a photo of the scarves coming out of one of the tubes:
Upstairs, they had a "restaurant" where the kids could use play food and a play kitchen to make and serve food for their parents. (I liked this role-reversal... perhaps I'll have to try this at home). Hanging from the ceiling was a huge sculpture made of bent flatware. I wonder if the sculpture was made at the spoonbenders convention?
Here is a close-up of part of it.
Funny. I suddenly have the urge to go open my flatware drawer and play with my forks...
There were other fun, interactive things at the museum. An 8 foot high racetrack / ramp for foot-long go-cart looking race cars. A pretend grocery store where the kids could play cashier, shopper, shelf-stocker, manager, whatever.... An ice cream stand... A trike-racing track... An entire room set up with wooden balls rolling down ramps and tracks, hitting various wooden and metal objects along the way to make pretty sounds; the overall effect was very musical, and it was great fun to drop the balls onto the various tracks and watch them go.
And they had some other art, too, such as these tie-dye tapestries, with origami bird-mobiles hanging in front of them:
We were there for only about an hour, so we didn't get to see everything. The kids have been asking to go back, and we will sometime soon.
There's not a lot that would interest kids much older than 8 or 10 (the Science Museum across the street would be more exciting for the older crowd), but the younger ones had a blast, and my 10 year old could have happily spent hours rolling balls down the musical ramps and putting scarves in the air-blowing tubes; she was sad when it was time to go. And there were benches and chairs throughout for the parents to sit on while their kids romped and played. If you're in Phoenix and want to do something fun for a couple of hours in air-conditioned comfort with kids from age 1 to 10 - or if you're really into spoonbending - I'd recommend this museum.
.
Monday, April 20, 2009
The Kindergarten Rodeo
I love my son's school. They plan a lot of very fun and also educational activities for the kids. In short, they make learning fun.
A couple of weeks ago, my son's school held its annual "Kindergarten Rodeo." They set up multiple "booths" (areas), each with a different activity, and divided the kids into groups to circulate around to each activity. I was impressed with the variety. Here are just a few of the demonstrations and activities the kids enjoyed:
* A "roping lesson" with a real cowboy, in which the kids were taught how to hold and throw the lasso to "rope" a pint-sized metal bull.
* A demonstration of various tack cowboys use for horses -- things like bridles, halters, saddles, and also things riders wear, such as spurs, chaps, and hats -- along with a kid-friendly explanation of the purpose of all these items.
* A game of horseshoes (with plastic horseshoes, so the kids wouldn't accidentally kill each other)
* A lesson on how to measure horses.
* An introduction to a real live horse (and a real live cowboy, too - this is, after all, Arizona)!
* Of course no Kindergarten event would be complete without snack & story time, the story being about various barnyard animals.
* And - the coup de grace - the stick horse rodeo races, in which the kids raced their stick horses around barrels, much as real rodeo riders race their real horses around barrels.
Of course, that last one required a stick horse for each kid.
And the whole day required each kid to have a cowboy hat.
So a couple of months ago, the teachers sent home instructions on how to have your kid make a cowboy hat from paper bags, and a stick horse from a broomstick and socks and such.
Inquiring minds want to know: When did it become ok for teachers to assign homework to the parents? Because no 5 year old I know would have been able to follow the instructions that were given for either the hat or the stick horse. (I thought, for a minute or two, that perhaps my 5 year old just isn't as smart / coordinated as the average 5 year old? But he hits a baseball quite well, and can ride his bike, and has learned to read, so I am thinking that is not the issue...)
I had him help me as much as he could. He cut the paper where I told him to. He put the glue on one side of the hat brim. I glued the hat together and trimmed the edges so it was a bit more even. He decorated it.
He picked out the sock and the buttons for the eyes and nose. He helped me stuff the sock. He helped me tape the sock to the stick. He watched my husband cut out the shapes for the ears.
Then he went to bed and I stayed up half the night (of course I waited until the night before the rodeo - who wouldn't?) sewing on the horse's eyes, nose, ears, and mane.
Keep in mind, I am not Martha Stewart. My stepmom (a highly talented woman who can sew, knit, and perform other domestic tasks to rival Martha Stewart, all while working at her high-powered, high-paying consulting job making gazillions of dollars a year, and who has the patience of a saint) tried to teach me to sew when I was in high school. It is the only task she has ever tried and failed to accomplish. She gave up in despair. Nevertheless, I thought I did ok with this horse thing.
Here are the results of our combined efforts:
Stick horse:
A couple of weeks ago, my son's school held its annual "Kindergarten Rodeo." They set up multiple "booths" (areas), each with a different activity, and divided the kids into groups to circulate around to each activity. I was impressed with the variety. Here are just a few of the demonstrations and activities the kids enjoyed:
* A "roping lesson" with a real cowboy, in which the kids were taught how to hold and throw the lasso to "rope" a pint-sized metal bull.
* A demonstration of various tack cowboys use for horses -- things like bridles, halters, saddles, and also things riders wear, such as spurs, chaps, and hats -- along with a kid-friendly explanation of the purpose of all these items.
* A game of horseshoes (with plastic horseshoes, so the kids wouldn't accidentally kill each other)
* A lesson on how to measure horses.
* An introduction to a real live horse (and a real live cowboy, too - this is, after all, Arizona)!
* Of course no Kindergarten event would be complete without snack & story time, the story being about various barnyard animals.
* And - the coup de grace - the stick horse rodeo races, in which the kids raced their stick horses around barrels, much as real rodeo riders race their real horses around barrels.
Of course, that last one required a stick horse for each kid.
And the whole day required each kid to have a cowboy hat.
So a couple of months ago, the teachers sent home instructions on how to have your kid make a cowboy hat from paper bags, and a stick horse from a broomstick and socks and such.
Inquiring minds want to know: When did it become ok for teachers to assign homework to the parents? Because no 5 year old I know would have been able to follow the instructions that were given for either the hat or the stick horse. (I thought, for a minute or two, that perhaps my 5 year old just isn't as smart / coordinated as the average 5 year old? But he hits a baseball quite well, and can ride his bike, and has learned to read, so I am thinking that is not the issue...)
I had him help me as much as he could. He cut the paper where I told him to. He put the glue on one side of the hat brim. I glued the hat together and trimmed the edges so it was a bit more even. He decorated it.
He picked out the sock and the buttons for the eyes and nose. He helped me stuff the sock. He helped me tape the sock to the stick. He watched my husband cut out the shapes for the ears.
Then he went to bed and I stayed up half the night (of course I waited until the night before the rodeo - who wouldn't?) sewing on the horse's eyes, nose, ears, and mane.
Keep in mind, I am not Martha Stewart. My stepmom (a highly talented woman who can sew, knit, and perform other domestic tasks to rival Martha Stewart, all while working at her high-powered, high-paying consulting job making gazillions of dollars a year, and who has the patience of a saint) tried to teach me to sew when I was in high school. It is the only task she has ever tried and failed to accomplish. She gave up in despair. Nevertheless, I thought I did ok with this horse thing.
Here are the results of our combined efforts:
Stick horse:
Paper hat:
And, in a first-ever real-life photo of LegalMist's Kid posted on this site, here he is roping the "steer" at the Kindergarten Rodeo:
All in all, it was worth the effort. He loves his stick horse, loves his hat, and had a great time at the rodeo.
******************************
In the background of that last photo, you can see the new school building they are constructing. They will tear down the old building when they are done, and the kids will start next year in the brand new building.
Being sort of a fuddy-duddy, I am actually already nostalgic for the old building, with its outside covered walkways between the separate buildings for K-1, 2-3, and 4-5 grades; with its large windows that actually open in each classroom; and with its small-school, one-story charm -- all rather reminiscent of the schools of my childhood. The new building will be fully enclosed, two stories tall, with slightly larger classrooms, but with smaller, more energy-efficient, closed-all-the-time windows, and probably lots of toxic fumes from all the new wallboard, paint, and carpet. Overall, I'm not impressed.
I also find it annoying that they are busy constructing new buildings while laying off teachers and cutting the budget for the library and sports and music programs. I'd rather have my kid go to school in an older building with lots of great teachers and programs, than in a new building with crowded classrooms and no art or music programs. But that's a rant for a different day....
.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Reading Miss Manners
Have you ever read “Miss Manners”? She has an advice column in the Washington Post about
... wait for it ...
manners!
That seems like it would be awfully dry, but she has such great style and wit, and sprinkles her columns with such fascinating insights into human nature, that in the end you enjoy reading useless (for most of us) information such as the proper way to address letters to foreign heads of state and what to wear if you are invited to a Presidential inauguration.
She also sometimes imparts useful (for most of us) information such as how to politely tell someone "no" and/or “eff-off” and/or "mind your own business," or how to politely respond to boorish jerks in the ... wait for it ... "manner" best designed to bug the crap out of the boorish jerk.
And I find her column particularly entertaining when someone writes in asking her how to tell someone else that they’ve been an ignorant boor, and she carefully and cheerfully and somewhat indirectly (and without ever calling anyone rude names) explains that the writer is, in fact, the ignorant boor in the situation.
I love the fact that she makes very clear that "being polite" does not require sheepishly acquiescing to dumb corporate policies, irritating requests for private information by gossip mongers, or outrageous demands by friends or family to allow them to use your beach house for the entire summer or your car for the afternoon. In fact, she makes it clear that one can and should stand up for oneself when necessary, particularly in the face of rude questions and outrageous demands.
Being polite does, however, require refraining from using rude words and an unkind tone.
Thus, it requires a lot more creativity and resourcefulness to politely stand your ground than it does to jump every time someone demands it or (other extreme) to curse and scream at them to get them to back off.
I've read her column off and on for years. I may not be a better person for it, but I'm definitely more polite.
Check her out.* You might learn something. My friend “Bob” certainly did... I’ll share that story tomorrow.
--------
* I'd provide a link, but you have to log in to read that section of the online paper so the link probably would not work. It's free though, so go ahead and sign up. Just go to washingtonpost.com and sign up / sign in. Then find Miss Manners in the "Style" section, under columnists, along with my other favorite advice columnist from the Post, Carolyn Hax.
... wait for it ...
manners!
That seems like it would be awfully dry, but she has such great style and wit, and sprinkles her columns with such fascinating insights into human nature, that in the end you enjoy reading useless (for most of us) information such as the proper way to address letters to foreign heads of state and what to wear if you are invited to a Presidential inauguration.
She also sometimes imparts useful (for most of us) information such as how to politely tell someone "no" and/or “eff-off” and/or "mind your own business," or how to politely respond to boorish jerks in the ... wait for it ... "manner" best designed to bug the crap out of the boorish jerk.
And I find her column particularly entertaining when someone writes in asking her how to tell someone else that they’ve been an ignorant boor, and she carefully and cheerfully and somewhat indirectly (and without ever calling anyone rude names) explains that the writer is, in fact, the ignorant boor in the situation.
I love the fact that she makes very clear that "being polite" does not require sheepishly acquiescing to dumb corporate policies, irritating requests for private information by gossip mongers, or outrageous demands by friends or family to allow them to use your beach house for the entire summer or your car for the afternoon. In fact, she makes it clear that one can and should stand up for oneself when necessary, particularly in the face of rude questions and outrageous demands.
Being polite does, however, require refraining from using rude words and an unkind tone.
Thus, it requires a lot more creativity and resourcefulness to politely stand your ground than it does to jump every time someone demands it or (other extreme) to curse and scream at them to get them to back off.
I've read her column off and on for years. I may not be a better person for it, but I'm definitely more polite.
Check her out.* You might learn something. My friend “Bob” certainly did... I’ll share that story tomorrow.
--------
* I'd provide a link, but you have to log in to read that section of the online paper so the link probably would not work. It's free though, so go ahead and sign up. Just go to washingtonpost.com and sign up / sign in. Then find Miss Manners in the "Style" section, under columnists, along with my other favorite advice columnist from the Post, Carolyn Hax.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
