Thanksgiving 2010

We had our Thanksgiving a day later than the "real" day when everyone else ate. We had a nice day, the Girl and I. I cooked ahead the stuffing, broccoli, and the cranberry sauce. the Girl made brownies. The Boy ate at his GFF's uncles and she brought him back late.

I had to go to the store because K didn't buy the kind of sausage I usually use for stuffing.. They didn't have any in the store! All they had was a habanero flavored sausage, so I had to get for that.

Friday K really wanted to get my car fixed, so I drove it to Burbank and drove around with the Mechanic a little so he could hear the rattle. K met me there and brought me home.

We put the turkey in the oven and I started the sweet potato casserole. I made the bread topping for the broccoli casserole, and tried to keep the kitchen clean. The Girl made mashed potatoes and I made an apple crisp for desert.

The GFF's parents stopped by when they dropped her off for dinner with us. Her mom I'd met before, but I was surprised to meet her father, as he was rather tall and handsome, and none of his kids really resembled him. His daughter is beautiful, I'm just saying.

We had a nice dinner, but the stuffing was kindof a roller coaster ride. Whew! Everyone liked it though, except for the GFF.

She doesn't like spicy food. And habanero? HOT!!!

Almost Famous

One (the only) thing that kept the bad soccer day from being a total loss, is that K got a call from Sports Illustated the week before. The department cleared him to talk to them, and it was just sort of a dream. Who gets to talk to Sports Illustrated?

On Sunday, after the Girl got her red card, we got a call from a fact-checker about pictures. Did we have any pictures of the team?

Anyone who knows me knows I take a LOT of pictures. But I got a little ticked at both sides of my family last year, and thought, "Really? You guys need to mess with me? All I ever do is try to be nice and give people pictures!" So that was it, no more pictures from me.

Because of this, I haven't posted any of my pictures to my usual picture sites (shutterfly) where I can easily find them. They were just all in the computer, where I'd downloaded them from my camera.

But my computer had finally gotten a virus so bad that I none of my usual tricks worked to fix it. How the heck was I going to get to all my pictures? I hadn't backed them up for a long time.

It was a long drive home, but when we got there, I turned on the computer and tried different ways of booting it to try and bypass the virus. I ended up only being able to restore to default, which it said would not delete any DATA files. I could only hope that pictures were considered data files.

We left to scan some photos other people had taken, and ran into trouble at Kinkos. We scanned all the pics, but at the end it wouldn't let us save to CD, so we had to start all over again. Argghhhh! So frustrating. At the end K complained that in one picture we had cut off the top of his head. I was overwhelmed at the thought of figuring out how to fix it, so I told him that it was just his hair, and moved on.

I was bummed out because I was pretty sure I'd deleted all my pictures, and thought it was some sort of poetic justice because I'd been such a snit about pictures and now it was coming around to bite me in the ass!

When I checked my computer, I found my pictures were still there! So we picked the best ones, loaded them into an email or three, and sent them to SI.

Later they said that their favorite pic was mine! I was almost going to get a photo credit in SI!

Well, almost. They ended up not running any pictures.

But at least my computer got somewhat fixed, altho I had to take it offline. And I spent the next week archiving my pictures onto CD's and flash drives.

So I dodged a bullet there, but we did lose all our iTunes. That hurts.

Fur, crying, and 1-hour books

Fur

Last night I started watching the movie "Fur" on the Sundance channel because the info said it was about the photographer Diane Arbus (starring Nicole Kidman). I had seen a photo of hers of the Disney castle with a swan out front that looked slightly menacing, and because of that I was interested in learning more about her.

Anyway, the movie had her falling in love with Robert Downey Jr, who was a hairy man out of a freak show. How they got these people to be in this movie is beyond me. Every time K tried to watch it with me, he started getting depressed and asked me to change the channel, but I argued that I wanted to see it because it was true. (even if farfetched) So he kept leaving. It got very strange at the end.

Then I got to the credits and saw that it was a "fictionalized account" of her life. I was a little ticked off about that. I was unaware of her preoccupation with freak-show and circus (and naked) people, but I prefer to think it was a reaction against an upbringing where everything looked perfect.

I looked up her husband later, as the handsome Ty Burrell from Modern Family played him. Turns out Allan Arbus went on to become an actor, and played Dr. Friedman in MASH.

I thought that was interesting, although Diane's pic of Disneyland isn't mentioned online as one of her more famous photos.
----------------

I may have mentioned that I tear up easily. Even in movies that aren't sad, if something touching happens I get all teary.

A few weeks ago I was reading a book that wasn't even sad - "Shopaholic and Sister." Who would cry at that, right? But she was just so misunderstood in the book, and tears just kept escaping from my eyes, prompting K to ask me, "Are you enjoying your book?"

Then a new movie came on TV, "Love Happens." It really got sad at the end when the main character relives the death of his wife, and I was off crying again. It got so bad that I had to go downstairs and hide because my eyes were all red and puffy and I didn't want to have to explain it to my kids.

======================

By the way, Jenny McCarthy has been out promoting her new book, "Love, Lust, and Faking it." I saw it in the library, so I decided to take look at it. I was looking for dish about what happened with Jim Carrey, and I really enjoyed reading about her son's autism.

I read nearly the whole thing in an hour in the library, and there's NO DISH in there about Jim Carrey! So, no need to buy it. It's just her opinions or things that happened to her - her first boyfriend, etc. It has some good advice in there I guess (don't expect that just because you date a loser that he's going to appreciate it/you.)

I already told my daughter that, so that's not news to me.

Life is a work of art

Last week I heard that Demi Lovato had to go into "treatment" and not finish her tour with the Jonas Brothers. It seems that Joe Jonas broke up with her, and who would want to stay on tour with your ex who already moved on to a new girlfriend?

Evidently she had eating issues and was cutting herself too. I told the Girl about this, and noted that it can be hard being a teenager or young adult at times, and encouraged her to ask for help if she needs it, like Demi did.

It's sad too, because she just released a song saying, "Every day is a new canvas", that I found inspirational. I know she didn't write it necessarily, and it can be hard to live in your highest ideals when things seem tough. I guess I just wish she listened to the song herself.

--------------------------
Everyday is like a blank canvas
You know you can paint it anyway you want it
You can draw a black cloud
You can make the sun shine
Coloring a rainbow
or use black and white
---------------------------

A few weeks ago K went to see a football game the boys from his camp were playing. Turned out they were playing Campbell Hall, a private school in the Valley. When he got home K said that Dakota Phanning was Homecoming Queen!

Wow. Good for her. She got the typical high-school experience!

Not.

Last Night

Just so you know, falling asleep on the couch can be very dangerous.

Last night, actually this morning, I woke up at 3am on the couch. The TV was on, and I jumped up, confused. I didn't realize that my foot had also fallen asleep, though, and when I jumped up, it declined to support me.

It collapsed under me I didn't really fall or hurt myself, but I twisted my ankle pretty badly.

You don't realize how fully you're trusting one foot to hold you up until you're fully on it. Like when you step off a curb, and your ankle hurts.

So just be careful out there. No more falling asleep on the couch.

Guilty

I've been feeling guilty about the thought of telling the Girl's Coach that she's leaving the team. He's been such a great coach for her for so many years - 5 or 6 years now. He indulges her drama and tendency to miss practice now and then. He's been good for her, but now she has a chance to get onto a better team on a club that's known for getting scholarships for the girls. Plus if she's on this club, she'll have a better shot at playing in High School.

So I feel like I'm breaking up with someone I really like. K asked me if he should tell him today, but I keep delaying it. I'm hoping something will happen that will make it so that we won't have to tell him at all.

We'll see what happens...

Soccer Sucks

The Girl's latest soccer season ended badly and abruptly. Going into last weekend, we were playing two beatable teams. Her team has not been winning overall, but they've been playing well. They just can't score!

On Sat we played the next to worst team that had come up from Bronze this season, and were losing 0-1 most of the game. Then the Coach moved the 2 best girls (including the Girl) to the front to try and score, and boom, boom, boom - the other team scored 3 times in 5 minutes.

We scored once after that, but it was over. At least the Girl had a sleepover that night to look forward to.

Sunday they played better. This team was doing well in the league, but only beat us by one goal last game, so we felt it was doable. We were losing 0-1 when the Girl tried a little too hard to get the ball, and accidentally kicked an opponent in the face - and got a red card. Which means she's out and the team plays short one player, plus she can't play in the next game. The last game of the season.

This was no relaxed league like this summer's though, because even though I tried to tell the ref it was accidental, he said it didn't matter. I know it sounds bad, but I also know she was just trying hard.

She was crying and said, "This is the last game I'll ever play with this team!" and I said, Hey! They don't know that yet! Plus, we might play in some tournaments with them, or you might decide the other team is too hard core and you'd rather come back.

I tried to cheer her up, but after awhile she wanted me to leave her alone.

The team was a little stunned after that, and got scored on again right away. Another of her team got hurt and they had to play down 2 players for awhile! They ended up losing 0-3, but the team played a lot better than the score indicates.

So we have one more week of practice and another game, but the Girl can't play.

I talked with the coach of the team she wants to go to, and they are struggling with injuries and such too.

We'll have to see what happens.

Jimmy Carter?

Last night I dreamed I came home (to our old house) and my Dad was sitting in the living room with Jimmy Carter!

I was annoyed that my Dad had let him in and hadn't even picked up the house, so I went around picking up laundry baskets, etc., and taking them to my room.

I asked Mr. Carter if he wanted any tea or anything, but he declined. I asked what he was up to lately, and he said nothing. I said, "Really? There are no causes you want to get behind?" And he said no, he didn't have to do anything anymore, he was retired.

Later he asked me how Rick was doing, and I said, "You know I'm married to K, right? Not Rick."

That was pretty much it. I wonder what the heck it could mean!

Migraine Pills

I have been getting migraines for many years. I was lucky to find a medicine that worked for me, but I have a major complaint against the packaging.

The first med came 3 pills to a little plastic box. I felt it was wrong to throw them out, so I didn't really know what to do with all the leftovers. They were packaged carefully, so I guess it's bad for the pills to get somehow smashed or punctured.

Now, they changed my Rx as my old med is now not covered, and I had to use a new one, that I might even like better than the old pills. But why, why, why is it so hard to get to them?

OK, I already have a headache. Now I have to figure out how to get to the stupid pill?

The new pills come in a regular box, which I like. They are in plastic bubbles, on a sheet of 3 pills. They are perforated, so you can get them apart, but here's where it gets tricky.

There's a triangle at the edge which can bend and snap off (also perforated),with a thin covering of foil on top of a layer of something else. The thing is that when you use the triangle and try to peel the foil back, it doesn't work. It's very hard to get the foil back, but even if you do, you have to get through the layer of paper or whatever below it.

And remember, I have a headache. I usually end up poking my fingernail through the layers I can, and peeling it back to expose the hopefully unharmed pill.

I don't know what they are afraid of happening to that pill that would be worse than my trying to poke it out with my fingernail!

Lost Info

The other day I was in the tax office, and answered the phone. A man was calling with a question - he knew that his ex-wife had filed an extension, but he didn't have a copy of it. He wanted to file his taxes, but he didn't have his ex's SSN nor that of his step-daughter. He'd need those to file as MFJ or MFS.

I asked if he couldn't look at some past returns or papers that might have it, but he said no, his ex took everything. I asked if he couldn't just call her and ask, but he said she wasn't responding to his calls or emails.

For some reason, I brought up how he was going to file for this year, and he said, "Oh, I'll be filing as married. Because I'm married again."

OK, now I understand why he doesn't have any paperwork and why his ex won't return his calls.

Not sure I feel sorry for this guy...

Phantom Bank Account

We all know that there's been quite a turnover in backs in the last year or so. K was at a bank we don't usually use, for the Boy's loan, when they talked him into signing up for a new checking account.

The lady had gone on and on about how there were NO FEEs, and that finally convinced K to put $500 into a new account there. Later, K went to check on his account, but the bank had changed names and for awhile they couldn't find his account! He was somewhat troubled by that, but was happy that in the end they found his money.

Well, he didn't check on the account much, because he didn't use it. Last month he checked it again, and found that the bank had taken $75 out of the account! They had taken nearly 20% of the whole deposit!

Naturally upset, he made them check to see what had happened. It seems that they forgot what kind of account it was, decided it was the kind of account where they subtract $25/month for some reason.

He made them credit the account for what they had needlessly subtracted, but came away rather upset with the whole thing. Banks have a reputation of being so rule-based and having to do the right thing, but the truth is that they'll do whatever they can get away with!

He went back to that bank on Monday for something else, and found that the bank had deducted another $25 (now that it was November.) Frustrated, he made them credit the account again, and he withdrew the whole $500.

He said he could see the woman who had sold him on the account cringing in the background.

Soccer Drama

The Girl's soccer team started the league playoffs last weekend, with 2 games on Sunday. (Halloween, weird) The first game was against a really tough team in a higher bracket, and they lost.

The second game was against one of the best teams in a lower bracket. It was a beautiful day, but a dramatic game.

Before the game I said a prayer that her team could do well, and they did! The first goal was off a penalty kick, pretty far away from the goal. The coach was yelling at the Girl to hurry up and kick it, but she had to wait for the ref to blow the whistle first. After the whistle she kicked it hard and high and right over the Goalie's head. It was beautiful! She's now the leading scorer again, with 3 goals for the season. And she's on defense.

Later the other team came down and chipped the ball over the defender's heads, and right into the goal. Darn, now the score was tied.

Then one of our players who has been trying and trying all season to score, ran it down and scored by herself. Her father was there to see it and she and he were SO happy. First score of the season for her.

Later, one of our best defenders headed the ball, which had come hard and spinning in her direction, and she went down. Her Dad went to see her on the field, and said her eyes were rolling back in her head! So the Coach told us to call 911, and the ref called halftime.

The fire department came, an ambulance came, and the girls went onto the field and took a knee for her. Then, they decided to go into a circle and pray for her. It was a shame for several reasons, but also because the team had been playing so well and were currently ahead. How would they play without her?

When the EMTs showed up, she was feeling much better. She was answering questions correctly and was able to stand and walk off the field. Yay!

After a little while, they got past our defenders and scored again. Argh! Now we were tied again. Then we got a penalty kick from far away, and the Coach had his daughter take the shot. She's a very good kicker, capeable of long, high kicks, but not great at controlling her shot. It could be a good shot, but a bit more likely to be way too high or off to the side.

Her kick went far, and high, and hit the far post of the goal, and ricocheted into the goal! It was so perfect, it was enough to make me believe in magic. Or God. Or both.

It was such a good game, and the girls were very happy.

After the game, though, a woman walked across the field to tell our coach that one our players had said something to her, and she would be embarrassed if that were her child. This player, Jazz, said that this woman had been cursing at her during the game.

IMHO, she should have been embarrassed about herself. Lowering herself to curse at a 13 year old? I would have been angry if I had been Jazz's Mother, no matter what my daughter said to her. Of course, Jazz shouldn't have done that. But I'm thinking that in the first place, she must have been responding to something that lady said. Players don't talk to the other team's parents, normally.

But the Coach said, "Oh, sorry." and left it at that.

Anyway, we learned afterward that this woman had waited in the parking for Jazz's family, and had confronted Jazz's family about their daughter. Who would think that this would go well?

Ultimately, Jazz's Mother offered to settle it right there in the parking lot with this woman, but I guess they were able to walk away without coming to blows. Or the police being called. (we'd already called the FD and EMTs, after all.)

I think that because this team wasn't used to losing, their tempers got the best of them. Our girls played great and deserved to win.

Regis & Kelly

I have been a long-time follower of daytime TV, and have been watching Regis & Kelly when it was still Regis & Kathi Lee.

Anyway, the other day they called someone for their daily trip giveaway. An elderly lady answered, and said she'd been waiting for years for them to call. Also she was so glad they called because her husband had been diagnosed with cancer. The audience said, "Awwwwwww....." Then she said, no, it was OK because he was better now.

Then they asked her the question, where was Maggie Q, who had been on the show the day before, born?

The lady said, Oh, I think it was Japan.

Kelly said, "Name a city."

The lady said, "Tokyo!"

Regis said, "No, I'm sorry, it was Hong Kong."

And the lady said, "Oh! Bangladesh! I knew it was somewhere in Asia."

Ha!

Today they called and asked if Karen was there. The lady who answered said no. Then they said they were Regis and Kelly, and she said, "Hi. I'm Karen."

So Regis got confused. Was she or wasn't she Karen? So they put up her picture (you have to send one with your contest entry) and asked her to describe it. She said, Oh, she was sleeping. The lady in the picture was standing up.

So they asked her to describe what she was wearing and she said she thought it was pink. It was white pajamas with some kind of print on it.

So they moved on and asked her to pick a number, and she picked 40. Regis said, "OK, 42! Where's 42?"

LOL - fun in the morning.

Local Politics - Meg & Carly

The commercials for local politics are increasing as we get closer to election day. They are getting longer too, and I wish they would just go away. I'm tempted to DVR everything now, just so I can forward through them all.

Meg Whitman is currently challenging Barbara Boxer here in CA, saying she was head of Ebay and blah, blah, blah. Then her former nanny came forward to say that Meg knew she was an undocumented worker, and kept her on anyway. When the nanny finally went to Meg for help to get citizenship, Meg fired her.

Now the hypocrisy of hiring an undocumented worker and being tough on immigration doesn't really surprise me, as it seems typical of people seeking to be "tough on immigration."

What floored me was that this woman worked for Meg for 9 years, raising her children, and the minute the nanny asked her for help she was out. It seems to me she'd be part of the family by then. How did her children take that? Plus, what does that say about her as a person?

I've since found out that it's nearly impossible for workers like her to get citizenship, and that seems wrong to me too. After all, all these other people came from somewhere else. Shouldn't everyone have the same opportunity?

And then there's Carly Fiorini, looking so, so smug in her cute haircut. She just thinks she's SO cool. She also was head of a company (HP) that laid off thousands of people.

I would love for this to come around and bite them in the ass. I mean really, laying off workers and moving those jobs overseas is not a very creative or innovative idea. Sure it save these companies money, but it would have been so much better if they had come up with an idea that would grow the company instead.

Plus, both these women received huge (millions) bonuses for doing that. Really? I don't understand how that is justified. That should really be a last ditch solution to save a company. How about taking a reasonable bonus instead and putting the rest of the money into the company?

The economy is bad right now, and lots of people are unemployed. I would love for some of the people responsible for that to go down. How can they blame Democrats for unemployment levels when they are the very people that caused much of the current unemployment!

I also hate that ads for various propositions, as they all directly contradict each other. Like "It will save the environment!" vs. "It's sponsored by Oil Companies!"

Because of this I guess I'm going to have to sit down and read the darned Voter's Information Guide to decide for myself what to vote for.

Sigh. (Just kidding)