So this is Christmas…

My husband has been giving me grief lately, because he feels like he married the next John Grogan. The only thing I seem to post about on this blog are my dogs.

Well, let’s face it, I’ve had a rough couple of years in terms of my life with dogs. First, I lose my best friend and our first family dog. Then we bring home Mugen and he starts sewing us up and then we adopt Lucy and feel like the family is complete only to have her taken from us by cancer less than two years later. Along the way, we adopted Jazzmin because she needed someplace to go and when Lucy was gone, I was so horribly lonely without her that my husband decided we needed a third again and we adopted Jet. That’s a lot of doing with dogs in three years, so I have a lot to talk about when it comes to my crew. I apologize if that’s not what you were hoping to read on my blog.

I know I have bounced around from topic to topic over the years, but a lot of that was due to my going through a growing up phase. I had to figure out who I was as an adult, you see, and I grew up way too fast in terms of taking responsibility. I didn’t have time to sort through this crap along the way, I was too busy being a mom and taking care of a family to do that. So… here I am, having stopped talking about all of the things that I used to discuss here because I made up my mind on the issues and I never really explained why or how I got there.

I’ve made up my mind that our entire political system is nothing but a big fat scam. The guys on both sides of the aisle lie to us to get votes. They say they are going to give you this or that and make your life better, but they fail to tell you the truth: The only person that has the power to make your life better is you. The only way to make the world a better place is to stop being a douche and start donating to charity, real charity that actually gives money to help your cause, not some BS lobbying group. You should be smart enough to do your own research and know the difference between a group of people who are really doing some good, like say your local animal shelter, and a bunch of guys who are lining their pockets so they can afford to live the good life in Washington DC, such as the Humane Society of the United States, and if you’re not smart enough to figure that out, then you’re probably not reading my blog either. So I don’t discuss politics anymore. It’s a waste of time for both of us. Hopefully, you will grow and mature enough to figure out that the only way your situation is going to get better, is if you get off your ass and do something about it and if you want to change somebody else’s situation then you have to get personally involved. The government is NOT going to help the homeless guy on the street corner get back on his feet, but you can, if you want to. You just have to reach out and choose it.

I’ve made my decisions regarding technology and I’m not really interested in debating my choices on the internet anymore because it really does feel like it’s Apple vs The Geeks and guys, I dunno if you noticed, but I’m not really a “geek”. I’m geeky. I love Star Wars and Star Trek. Some of my fondest memories of my childhood involve sitting in front of the television with my dad watching Max Headroom. I used to know how to code over a decade ago. I couldn’t build a website now, even if doing so meant saving my own life. I do appreciate what it is to be a geek though because I married one and because I used to live that life, but somewhere along the way, my geekiness faded away and melted into motherhood. I haven’t given it up completely, but I can’t sit here and debate with you about why Android is better. All I can tell you is that I think that using an Android phone is a pain in the ass. The web browser has never been in the same place twice on any phone I have handled. The battery life kinda sucks and I could give two shits if the CPU is faster or the screen is bigger. I want the darned thing to go all day AND fit in the back pocket of my jeans. That’s what I want. If it’s not what you want, fine. Go buy the phone you want and leave me alone with the one I wanted, k?

Then there’s the whole “Mac” issue. I’m gonna say this once: If you do not use a Mac as your primary computer and you admit to your friends that you hate Apple products, do not offer to do tech support for them! I get so frustrated with people complaining about how difficult Apple products are to use, when they can’t figure out three little words that would make their lives easier: “drag and drop”. Geeks overcomplicate and over think things to the point of putting themselves through hell rather than attempting to use the most obvious solution to their problems. In the Apple universe, that obvious solution usually works. I can’t tell you how many complaint sessions I have ended by saying, “Did you try this really obvious fix that would have solved the whole problem if you’d just done it that way in the first place?”

I get it though, really I do. Some people don’t like things to be easy. That’s a personal preference though, not a standard by which the device itself should be measured. So, you go ahead and work out how you are going to put that square peg in that round hole and I will see you later. If you have a friend that needs help with their Apple product, send them my way. I will be only too happy to bail them out. It will be a hell of a lot less stress for everyone.

But that’s not what I really came here to talk about, this post was supposed to be about Christmas.

Guess I got a little side tracked.

A letter to the entitlement generation.

I cannot change the ignorance of younger generations. It is not my fault, nor my responsibility that the rest of society has failed these children. I cannot change the fact that members of the younger generation feel that they are right, even when it is glaringly obvious that they are wrong and not only that they are wrong, but that they are completely and utterly stupid, because they defend their factually incorrect positions with phrases like “Whatever.” and then proceed with the argument.

If you claim you are not going to argue, then don’t. That means you have to shut up first. That does not mean you get to say, “I’m not going to argue” and then go on about how you are absolutely right. That’s not how it works. Either you are arguing, or you are not. Commit to one course of action or the other.

If you claim that you are right, maybe you could do something simple like… check wikipedia and post a link to back up your point of view, and then if you should happen to prove yourself wrong, which you will find will happen a LOT more than you think it will right now because you are young and think you know it all, and I know that you do because, believe it or not, I was once young too, then admit it and apologize for being a jerk.

If you really are that ignorant, get out there and educate yourself. I am sorry that your public school system failed you. I am sorry that your parents failed you. I, however, have not failed my children and my children and do not feel that I should be held accountable for the failings that are not my own. These things are also no reason for you to fail yourself.

My children know things like correct grammar and the fact that the word “grammar” does not have an “e” in it. They have large vocabularies and do not walk around acting like the world owes them anything. Everything that my kids come to in this life, they have earned and will earn. My kids have been raised on the idea that no one in this world gives you anything. If you want to succeed, you will have to fight for the things that you want. They know this, and I am here to tell it to you now.

The world does not owe you anything. This concept of the government owing you health care or new cars or new homes that are far more expensive than you would ever be able to pay for within your life time is precisely why our economy is in the toilet and is why many of your parents can’t find jobs. The government giving people hand outs does not work for our financial stability as a nation. It does not make this country a good investment. It does not make this country a good place to work or live. All it does, is make things more expensive. It drives prices up and income down. A system like this is unsustainable and will eventually collapse under the weight of demands for “more”.

The solution to the problem is for you to quit asking for things for yourself. Stop asking the government for things for other people.

Get up off your lazy, entitled ass and start doing things for someone else.

I’m not talking about doing things for the benefit of foreign nations. I’m talking about asking how you, yourself, can do something to change someone’s life today. What little thing can you do?

A few weeks ago, I paid for the order of the woman behind me at Starbucks because I saw that she was sitting in her car crying. It was obvious to me that she was having a bad day, so I did the only thing that I could to make her day brighter. I didn’t know her, had never met her or seen her before, but I know that what I did made her smile. My five dollars for her mocha changed her outlook on the world, even if it was only for one day. It showed her the kindness of strangers. It showed her that some people do care, no matter how bad things looked to her right then.

Another example, is that I helped a friend of mine, who is a new mom, move into her apartment last weekend. It was hard for her to take care of the baby and move house at the same time, but her friends came out for her. We showed up, we got her kitchen unpacked and found her diapers. It wasn’t much. It didn’t require a single penny to be spent on my part, and I know that it made her day.

There are all kinds of small things that you can do to help someone in need. These are the sorts of things that we should be doing. If you want to help your fellow man, then start reaching out to your fellow man. You, yourself, the individual. Do not expect the government to take care of the homeless in your community. There is a reason that we live in communities. It’s so that we can help each other.

Look at what happened in New York City on September 11th, 2001? The entire country rose up in support of New Yorkers that day and the courage and the kindness that they showed continues to be an inspiration to me, almost a decade later. I will never forget the sacrifices and the goodness that Americans did in the days following 9/11. I will never forget Red Cross blood donation centers having lines out their doors that went down the streets. Everyone pitched in to help, everyone.

The world would be a better place, and everyone would be happier, including you, who thinks the world owes you a living, if everyone would reach out and help the people that they can see and touch.

Now get off your butt. Stop whining about not knowing anything. Start learning and start showing the world what it is that you have to give.

That, my dear child, is the road to happiness. If there is one lesson that you should be taught, out of all the lessons you will ever earn in this life, it is that you aren’t entitled to happiness. Happiness is something you have to make for yourself.

Pet Peeves

This is not a meme, but if you want to do it on your facebook page or something, I suppose you could turn it into one. One of the gals on the Lab board posted and asked what our pet peeves are. These are mine, if you post yours somewhere, send me a link in the comments!

Door to door anybody. This is my home. It is a place of peace and serenity where I attempt to write novels that will probably never get published and periodically have to chase Mugen down because he stole a dish towel off the kitchen counter. I do not have time to answer the door. Mugen might be swallowing a sock while I am telling you to go away, so just get the hint when I say, “No thanks.” and shut the door in your face. Do NOT knock again. Go away!
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Dear Wal-Mart, You and I Are Through.

Every time I have headed up to my local wal-mart shopping center this summer, the savings have NOT been worth the trip.

There are solicitors standing outside trying to sell me girl scout cookies or popcorn tins or otis spunkmeyer cookies or wrapping paper or are trying to get me to sign a petition for some political cause. The ones that REALLY tick me off are the jerks that are standing on the grass with a laundry basket full of puppies stuffed in the bottom of a shopping cart with a sign that says, “AKC Puppies! 250$”

The AKC could go a long, long way toward stopping this practice by sending out paperwork to every dipwad that has a puppy that informs them about local low cost spay and neuter programs in the area, but I’ll take the AKC to task some other time.

I’m here to talk to you about wal-mart.

I am FED up with being bombarded with some form of social ineptitude every time I walk through the doors of that place. It is NOT worth the 2$ I save on a 24 pack of soda there to put up with some dork shouting at me through my open car window “Come see the puppies!” or stopping me from getting inside the store and then stopping me from leaving.

Every summer it’s like this. I do NOT have these problems at Target. I do not have these problems at Shopko. Heck, I do not have these problems anywhere except wal-mart! The reason I don’t run into these problems elsewhere is because other stores are pro-active about telling these people that they cannot use their property as a place to sell their stuff. Heck, Target is VERY careful about not allowing any political cruft to color its company image. It just flat out refuses to tolerate anyone showing up on their front doors and as a result, the place is always a nicer shopping experience.

It’s not worth it.

I do NOT save enough money at Walmart over shopping at my local grocery to have to put up with someone shouting “Hey baby, hey baby yo!” at me when I walk through the freaking door.

I wish I could say that I will miss our business relationship but I’m just going to be honest.

I won’t.

Why Bullying is a Problem.

Bullying isn’t a new problem.

When I was a teenager, I was bullied. My parents talked to the school. I talked to the school and told my teachers about the bullies in each of my classes in junior high. Every single time that someone called me a name, or hit me, they got caught doing it. Every single time, they got suspended and a phone call went to their parents that grounded them until the end of the school year.

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Facebook Sucks

The last few years have been very cathartic for me. I have had to say good bye to a lot of things that I loved from the time that I was very small. My grandmother passed away last summer, just ten days before my birthday. I had to haul ass to get home to talk to her just one more time before she left and she didn’t even get to say good-bye to my children. That was how fast I had to move just to be with her. After I said good bye to her, I said good bye to the house where I grew up. The yard was overgrown, but the trees were still there and I could still see the scars on the old maple where my swing used to be. I never knew how my grandfather managed to get the swing put up there, or if he made my dad do it. When I was a kid, it didn’t matter. But then, in that moment all I could see was that the swing was long gone and the remnants of my childhood hung in that yard like ancient material, too strong and durable to give way, and at the same time so delicate and fragile that a single touch would rend all to dust.

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The Teenage Song of Despair

As a parent, I have tried very hard to make sure that I do not buy my kids clothes that I will be embarrassed about later. Still, somehow, things manage to find their way into their closets that makes me stop in my tracks in the midst of my morning routine, stare at them, and say “Oh no… you are NOT wearing that!”

At least three times a week, I say this to my daughter, who comes out of her bedroom wearing some tank top or otherwise sleeveless contraption that she wore in the 6th grade. Since she will be starting high school this year, those 6th grade tops really do not work for me and I keep trying to find them as they come down the chute and dispose of them, but somehow they keep passing me by. This morning was a shocker though. I never have to have this lecture with my son, but today he changed all of that. This morning, my son was wearing these pants that have a hole very near the crotch area. I stared at him and shook my head and said, “No, you will not wear those pants out of my house.”

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Top 10 Reasons I Won’t Give You a Twitter Followback.

For those of us that tweet, getting new followers is a bittersweet event. There is that moment when you think, “Wow! Cool! Look at this! I’ve picked up ten followers in the last 24 hours! That’s great! People really care what I have to say!” and then you go to look at the people that followed you and you find that most of them are places like JimBob’sShoeShack, or Kedida’sLovelyHandMadeHandGunSales and you know… you have been plagued by the vague, but ever present.. twitspammer.

I’m sure that top 10 lists like this abound on the internet, and every blogger that tweets has written one, but I felt that for the sake of my sanity, I had to write mine as I blocked and reported ten spammers to twitter admins today alone. One of whom, only tweeted links to his ebay sales page… and somehow thought I would be interested in an xbox 360 controller, even though there is absolutely no mention of the console on my user info, or in my tweets.

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The Case For “Shat”

It is not often that I find myself inventing new words in the English language. I know lots of people that are fond of inventing words that are appropriate to the situation. My grandmother is fond of “hookenpocky” to describe when someone is sick and you have no idea what’s wrong with them. My husband, having spent several years of his youth in the South frequently rolls out the word “aight” which isn’t really a word, but is a contraction of the two words, “all” and “right”. For years, my friends and I have used “w00t!” to express celebration, but only after someone else coined it.

I’m not responsible for coining this one either, but it makes sense and I think we should consider adding it to our mental vocabulary because seriously folks, it is a legal word and it is the past tense form of “shit”. It is also infinitely more amusing and sounds hilarious when you say it, unlike the present tense form of the word.

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I Cannot Abide Thieves

I’m not just talking about the thieves that break into your car and steal your stuff, though I can’t abide those either. I’m also referring to those who do not give credit where credit is due. If I borrow a graphic from your website, I am going to ask your permission to use it before I download it and place it on my site, and I’m also going to provide a link to your website because you deserve credit for your original works. Likewise, I expect the same courtesy from others who reference my works. I should at least get an reference in the bibliography.

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