Avoidance???

Filed Under (Blogging, General Nonsense, Holidays) by Flo on 11-05-2008

I got up at 6 am. I was trying to decide what to do for exercise run, hike, weights, what. Instead of making a decision and actually doing something, I have sat at this computer dropping Entrecards. I have been very busy this week and havne’t had time to sit and drop. Once I got started I just thought I should finish. So I didn’t do anything. Now I have to go get ready because one of the dogs has to go to the vet. Avoidance??? I think so. Maybe I should have just gone to the gym and used one of the ellipticals. Oh well, too late now.

In other news, please, please, please, turn off the music on your blogs. I can’t say this enough and the list of blogs to avoid is growing.  On was playing Christmas music, as if that isn’t annoying enough during Christmas, and another had a music video. Ugh!!!!  I’m just not going to blogs that have music that’s all.

Okay, enough whining and moaning for one morning :)   Happy Mothers Day to all the mothers out there.  I do hope it’s a good one.

Photo Hunt: Free Week

Filed Under (Photo Hunters) by Flo on 10-05-2008

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Wow, this week has flown by. The club I belong to is doing an expo this weekend so this week has been taken up with all the last minute stuff. Whew. It starts today and hopefully we are all ready. Due to that fact, I don’t know when I’ll get around to seeing what everyone else did. I’ll try for later tonight or tomorrow, but it may not be until next week. I’m really looking forward to this week too, it’s Free Week which means we can post any picture we want. I went through my photos to find something I really liked and I settled on this one:

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This is the newest addition to our family, Sam. Sam is a 25 year old umbrella cockatoo who has been pushed aside when things came up in his family and now he has some trust issues. He is an incredibly sweet bird though and I’m working on his trust. I’ve only had him 3 weeks and we are making great strides. I have no doubt that in 6 months or a year he’ll be a happy, trusting, well adjusted bird. Of course, with a bird like this in the house I should make sure my life insurance is up to date. He can let out these sudden blood curdling screams that can cause a heart attack :)

Well, there’s my entry and my story. I’m going to post this and then I have to get ready to head out to the expo. I will check in with everyone as soon as I can. Have a great weekend.

A bit of a shoe hound.

Filed Under (Fun Stuff) by Flo on 08-05-2008

That’s me. In another life I must have been related to Imelda Marcos. I love shoes. I love boots. I love sandals. I love them all. When I lived on the mainland I had tons of shoes. I had shoes and boots and sandals to go with every outfit. I never wore the same pair of shoes 2 days in a row. I loved it. But, the way my life is now I don’t have many shoes at all. Well, except for running shoes :).

I wear my old running shoes to work in, since I’m on my feet all day. I wear sandals for casual wear. I own one pair of boots and I pair of black dress shoes. That’s it. I have finally stopped buying shoes I’ll never wear. But I still love to look. I could spend hours looking at shoes. That why Infinity Shoes caught my eye. They have a huge selection from tsubo shoes, to seychelles shoes , to minnetonka boots you know, the kind with the fringe like Indians!!! Love them!!! Although not much call for them in Hawaii.

My daughter and her husband go to a lot of NASCAR races and rodeos and stuff like that. I think these Frye boots would be perfect for her. Her birthday is coming up I may have to consider these. Also, it’s an excuse to buy some boots, even if they are not for me ;)

Well, since I don’t need any shoes right now, even though there’s free shipping on anything over $59.98, I’ll just continue to look and fantasize about their shoes. ^^sigh^^


Book Review: Blood of Patriots

Filed Under (Book Review) by Flo on 08-05-2008

I’m a pretty voracious reader and I’ve decided to add some book reviews. I enjoy reading other peoples reviews so I thought mine might be helpful to someone else. I’ve been playing with this idea for a while now but this book has caused me to start.

516f4pbd92l_sl500_aa240_.jpg This book is written by Neil Abercrombie and Richard Hoyt. Richard Hoyt is a fairly prolific writer although I’ve never read anything else by him. I found about 26 other books by him and many of them seem to be well received. Neil Abercrombie on the other hand is a US Congressman, from Hawaii. He is clearly not a writer and, while I don’t want to say he shouldn’t quit his day job, he should try to find something he’s good at. Cause writing ain’t it.

In the interest of full disclosure I must tell you I did not finish this book. Being a fairly fast reader, I have been reading this book for 3 weeks at lunch time and am only 1/2 way through it. I have officially given up on finishing it.

The premise of the story is that terrorists have entered the Capitol and killed hundreds of Senators and Congressmen. While I don’t want anyone killed, the thought of getting rid of hundreds of these jerks is something I cheer. The book then follows the hunt for the terrorists, and apparently the lead up to the attack. Usually I like this type of story. But this book sucks!! I am 1/2 way through it and have met so many characters it’s impossible to keep them straight. The character development is bizarre. Some of them you get a good bit of detail and background, others nothing.

There is no continuity in the time line. It jumps forward in time and back in time and it’s almost impossible to keep track of when what you’re reading is happening. Also, large leaps are made in time and characters seem to forget what they did in the last paragraph. One character gets a drink and in the next sentence someone else pours him a drink. Of course he could be an alcoholic although it was never disclosed in the development. It’s terrible and when you remember all the little details, like I do, it’s annoying as hell. I would read sentences over and over trying to make sense of the time line or the actions of the characters.

The conversations between the characters are stilted and awkward. It would appear that the writers have no idea how people talk to each other. Conversations don’t flow and you can’t believe that two people would talk to each other like that. Interesting that the politicians seem to have normal conversations.

And then there’s the characters and the views. The fact that Neil Abercrombie is a screaming liberal comes across loud and clear. The portrayal of a conservative talk show host is so over the top it disgusted me. I can’t understand having such a low opinion of someone just because of their views. Apparently everyone who doesn’t think exactly like Neil is a slob, coke sniffing, idiot, who panders to the lowest common denominator and needs to be in drug treatment. It’s disgusting.

So, in short, this book is almost hard to follow, hard to read, and not worth the paper it’s printed on. I bought it as a joke since the folks here in the lab don’t have a high opinion of Neil. I’m really glad I only paid 99 cents for it at the used bookstore. Trust me, it’s not worth 99 cents.

Some people make things more complicated

Filed Under (General Nonsense) by Flo on 07-05-2008

then they need to be. I was cruising some forums and the management had made a pretty simple new rule. I read it and understood it 2 days ago and really thought nothing of it. I was just looking back and people are analyzing the rule and all possible permutations of said rule and asking what if, what if, what if. It really cracks me up. Some people have the ability to make something so simple, so incredibly complicated. It’s unbelievable. Not everything needs to be placed under a magnifier. Sometimes you really can just take things at face value. Unreal!!!

Sometimes I just want to give up…..

Filed Under (Fun Stuff, Life) by Flo on 07-05-2008

I’ve been really busy this week, our club has a big event coming this weekend, and I haven’t had time to drop Entrecards. I decided tonight to do a little dropping and wouldn’t you know my browser keeps shutting down on me. It’s very annoying. Anyway, I’ve given it up for tonight. My swearing wakes the bird up :) I apoligize for not dropping cards much and I will be back to it in a couple more days. This will never get me any cpm awards. Lucky I don’t drop Entrecards in the corporate world.

Make a decision

Filed Under (Blogging, Fun Stuff) by Flo on 07-05-2008

I have been going back and forth about getting business cards for my blogs for months now. Months I tell you!!! I look at cards and play with designs and layouts and then decide to wait. What exactly is my problem??? I saw the cutest card for a podcast the other day and it said, ‘We’re talking about this.’ So I had this fantastic idea to get cards made that said ‘I’m writing about this.’ I frequently take pictures and ask people if it’s okay to put on my blog, a card with the URL and everything would be perfect. Then they could see the pictures I took and the story I write. I think it would be a great way to generate more blog traffic too. Also, how about exposing blogs to people who may not be into them?? That could happen too.

Part of the reason I haven’t ordered some business cards yet is that I don’t want just boring, generic ones. I want something a little different that stands out. Well, I just discovered that VistaPrint, whom I’ve used before and think the world of, now lets you put logos on your stuff. They have a bunch of different types to choose from and they are somewhat customizable. It’s very cool. Also, since they do business cards, announcements, rubber stamps, checks, you could develop your own brand. Branding is so important these days.

Okay, that’s it.  I’m going to order some cards tonight. I think it’s a great thing to have and I’m going to get some.

Why Barbara Walters, Why???

Filed Under (Life) by Flo on 07-05-2008

We were just talking here at work about Barbara Walters appearance on Oprah yesterday and her book.  The conversation got me to thinking and inspired this post.  I must state for the record that I did not watch the Oprah interview and the information I got about the book came second hand, so to speak.

I had heard about the part about her affair with a Senator yesterday on the news.  When I heard it I thought to myself, why was it necessary to write about that?  Barbara Walters is, in my opinion, one of the last true journalists of our time.  The people on the TV now are entertainers.  They go for shock value or the sleaziest side of the story.  They are not journalists in the way that the TV newspeople of old were.  Barbara Walters is the last of a dying breed.  She has interviewed most of the world’s leaders, famous people, and infamous people.  I have no doubt that she could write volumes on the people she’s spoken to that would be interesting and historically significant.  Yet she chooses to divulge an affair with a married man.   In my mind she has now sunk to the level of todays so called newspeople.  She has played to the lowest common denominator.  She has showed us that she is as sleazy and tawdry as everyone else.  I could have gone forever not knowing that.  And it’s not about the affair.  I couldn’t care less if she slept with every Senator.  I just do not need to know the details of your sex life, thank you very much.

Apparently on Oprah she said it was something about telling the truth.  Telling the truth is great.  She could have told her daughter. She could have told her husband.  She could have told her best friend.  She could have told the doorman in her building if it made her feel better.  Why did she feel the need to share this bit of news with the world at large??  There really is a point where keeping quiet is the right thing to do.  I have done so many things in my past that will never see the light of day.  It’s not even that I’m ashamed or embarrassed by them.  People close to me, who know me best, know about them.  To others, sorry it’s none of your business.

I used to have a lot of respect and admiration for Barbara Walters.  Now it’s like she chose to play the lowest common denominator and that makes me sad.   She is, in my eyes, no better than the paparazzi who chase stars for a shocking photo or quote.  It’s sad when an idol falls.

Horror Movies

Filed Under (Movies, Fun Stuff) by Flo on 06-05-2008

I love horror movies. I have since I was a kid. I used to love to sit up and watch scary movies. My mom used to tell me they would give me nightmares. That’s okay, I love nightmares too :) My favorite author is Stephen King. Many of his books scare the piss out of me. I do wish he would keep his political views to himself but that’s for a different blog.

There is a movie coming out this Friday that looks to be really scary. Frontier(s) is apparently creating quite a stir in the movie world. As near as I can figure out it’s a French movie and there are subtitles but I’m not positive about that. It’s very bloody and graphic. There is lots and lots of killing, maiming, and general disgusting stuff in it. It’s opening Friday but only in limited release in certain areas. It will not be showing anywhere near me.

This movie is unrated and I’m going to go out on a limb and say it’s not suitable for children. I wouldn’t even let teenagers see it. I definitely wouldn’t have let me see it when I was younger. It starts in theaters on Friday and on May 13th you can buy it on DVD. Hmmm, that’s an interesting marketing ploy….. Anyway, if you are looking for a bloody, gory,Horror Movie for the weekend, check out Frontier(s).

*Be careful if you click on any links in this post. The pictures and trailers from this movie are extremely graphic and not suitable for all viewers. You’ve been warned.

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Sponsored by Sponsored by Frontier(s)

The week is almost half over

Filed Under (Life) by Flo on 06-05-2008

how did that happen??  I’ve been really tired for the last couple of weeks, I don’t know why.  I’ve been working out pretty hard but I’ve also been sleeping really well.  I wake up before the alarm.  So yeah, I have this annoying habit lately.  I wake up about 5-10 minutes before the alarm goes off.  I just lay there because I know it’s close to alarm time but I don’t want to look at the clock and see.  Then, when the alarm finally goes off, I end up dozing back off.  Luckily it’s only for a few minutes, but still.  Why can’t I just get up when I wake up???  Why.  Oh well.

What’s on TV tonight. I know the Women’s Murder Club is on, what else??  Not much.  I may record it and watch it another night and head off to bed early.  I’m tired, have I mentioned that???