Keep passing open windows

iPhone 4s, how do I love thee? AT&T How do I loath thee?

2011-11-05T23:42:00.000-07:00

To the AT&T Company, I cannot understand how you stay in business. Bravo for fooling the Apple people into letting you handle the iPhone. The iPhone is a wonderful thing. But your customer service is horrible. Actually, I think it should be called something else, because you’re certainly not serving the customer. I am appalled. My daughter’s phone that we’ve had since march broke. I pay for the insurance each month. Her phone just quit working. So, after getting the run around from several people, because apparently no one at your company has any records of a customer’s calls or issues, I went to my AT&T store. That’s right, 2 people in customer service said that since it was less than a year old, I didn’t even need the insurance, just go to the store and they’ll replace it. Well, when I went to the store, waiting a half hour and told them this, they laughed at me. I believe the quote was “who told you that?”. So then the guy at the AT&T store placed the order online for me for the replacement phone. I told him that my daughter is going to New York City and she HAD to have the phone by today, (Tuesday, October 25), so he asked if I was willing to pay $12 extra shipping to guarantee that. I said yes. I was told it would come in the mail by today. When I went to check on the order (they told me I could track it), my order said they were sending me a “headset”. I was concerned this was the case, so I called AT&T Customer Service (ha, ha), I talked to Stephen who said on his screen it said they were sending me a phone, not a headset. I have the screen shot of what mine said. He guaranteed everything would be fine. Said it would be here Monday, Tuesday at the latest. Well, surprise, my mail came today and it’s not here. I am just sick to my stomach. So I called AT&T (customer service ha, ha, that’s so funny), and I talked to Cynthia. She then, I guess, transferred me because after reiterating the entire story, I was suddenly back at the main menu (“if you are calling about a problem with a different phone, dial that number now...”). I really think it is polite to tell someone if you were going to transfer them. Next I talked to Ciera. Poor Ciera, I was pretty much a crying mess when I talked to her. I had promised my daughter her phone would be here by today. She is leaving tomorrow for New York City. I feel like I am going to have a heart attack, I am so upset. At least Ciera called the “shipping company” for me, she said they said it may be here tomorrow or Thursday. Well, that does me no good whatsoever. But, I’m pretty sure AT&T hasn’t done much good for anyone. Ciera did tell me I could take my new iPhone 4S back to the store and return it and only pay the $35 restocking fee. We’ll be seeing if that’s true because I plan on taking it back as soon as I leave work. And I’ll probably get AT&T’s signature line..” Who told you THAT?” Seems to be a way they can get out of actually helping anyone. I hear Verizon carries the iPhone now, I may check it out. Can’t decide. I so love the iPhone. But I will NEVER, EVER, EVER buy another thing from AT&T, and I encourage everyone on the planet to stay away from them. They are horrible. Their customer service is not even a joke. When we had US Cellular, they were at least very helpful. I wish they carried the iPhone. With Verizon getting in on the iPhone, I can’t imagine too many people with stay with AT&T. Truth is, people are going to need help with things and if your customer service and your website are so horrible, eventually people will go somewhere else. I know that’s what my family is going to do. Please feel free to repost, tweet or email this!

Tea Party Rally in Madison, Wisconsin

2011-05-04T17:26:00.000-07:00

Politics in Wisconsin are pretty messed up right now. It seems like a historical time, especially in downtown Madison around the capital. People are passionate about their political views. It's inspiring to hear people dialog about their viewpoints so passionately, and reading blogs and watching television and Youtube videos is very enlightening. I had always thought it would've been interesting to be alive in the sixties, to see the riots in downtown Madison, to stick up for what you believe in. To be a part of history. After attending the Tea Party rally a few weeks ago in Madison and watching Sarah Palin and a few other conservatives try to speak about their beliefs, I think I may have been wrong. I think maybe politics bring out people's true nature, be it good or bad. I was stunned at the way people were behaving. I understand these are important times. I understand there's a lot at stake. I know everyone thinks their opinion is the right one, but I was stunned at the behavior I witnessed. A lot of childishness, rudeness, and people being downright mean. To be honest, it was the people on the left wing that I witnessed this behavior from. Oh sure, one or two people in the Tea Party tried to crowd ahead of me to get closer to Sarah Palin, but that was nothing compared to the swearing, jeering, yelling, mocking and noise making I heard from the Democrats. Was this necessary? Did this help them score points with anyone? Did this help get their viewpoint across? I don't think so. I think it made them look petty and stupid. I know times are tough. I know people may not agree with the laws and decisions our government is making right now. And isn't it a great country that we live in where we have the right to criticize our government openly? What a gift that is. But shouldn't we do it reasonably, out of respect for our country? And if you vote for something and you lose fairly, shouldn't that be it to a point? I mean yes, get involved, write emails, join a committee, participate in a peaceful protest. But really, things were just so out of hand at that Tea Party rally. There was no respect by the left. There was no reason for those protesters to try to drowned out Sarah Palin with their milk jugs full of change, even though they were obviously worried about what she was saying. I would've had so much more respect if they would've shown up and protested respectfully and quietly, not like a bunch of out of control rapid psychos.
But hey, maybe that's what they were going for.
They convinced me they're idiots.

Celebrity Apprentice 2011

2011-04-11T14:54:00.000-07:00

So, this year's Celebrity Apprentice has been pretty good. Not the best, but not the worst season. Kind of interesting. The cast includes Gary Busey, Dionne Warwick, Jose Canseco, Hope somebody, Richard Hatch, LaToya Jackson, Star Jones, NeNe Leakes, Lil Jon, Marlee Matlin, Meat Loaf, Mark McGrath, John Rich, Lisa Rinna, David Cassidy and Niki Taylor.
These are just some of my personal opinions on this season and the contestants, and I don't mean to offend anyone.
As someone who watches way too much reality television, I think I'm qualified to voice my opinions.
So, week 1 was a pizza making and selling challenge, and David Cassidy got out. First of all, I was sad to see that he got old. But more than that, I think he's a total alcoholic who needs help. I think someone should help him. Just sad.
Week 2 - they had to write a children's book and perform it for kids. I don't remember who got out. I think Lisa Rinna because she wouldn't play the back stabbing, do whatever it takes to get ahead game. Makes me like her.
Week 3 - camping challenge. Here's where Dionne Warwick proved what a mean, self centered. and lazy person she is. I really like Niki Taylor. She seems down to earth and likable.
Week 4 - Celebs had to create a 30 minute promotional video. Nothing too exciting.
Week 5 - Celebs create and sell their own artwork (if you can call it that). Lil Jon impressed me. Meat Loaf about went off on Gary Busey. Pretty entertaining tv.
Week 6 - Celebs must create a marketing campaign for Australian Gold. LaToya Jackson is not living in reality. Surprise, surprise, a Jackson living in never never land, trading on her brother's death and fame. What the hell has she ever done? Gary Busey tries to pitch himself to the head honchos at Australian Gold to be their spokesperson in the middle of the task. Classy he aint... Mark McGrath gets out, and I'm sad to see him go. He seems like a good guy.
Somewhere along the line Richard Hatch got out (I was surprised he didn't seem very mean or tough - I had remembered him that way from Survivor). And Jose Conseco got out. He didn't make much of an impression. NeNe Leakes, Marlee Matlin are there, not real strong personalities that I can see. Meat Loaf isn't level headed enough to get much farther. Gary Busey is a total fake jerk. John Rich is pretty smart and seems pretty level headed and sincere. Star Jones is the sneakiest person I've seen in a while. She totally knows how to turn things around and make herself look good. I would hate to go up against her. I think she will do anything to win. I don't think she's a very nice person.
I predict it will come down to John Rich and Star Jones.
A typical 'good vs evil" Celebrity Apprentice ending.

Wisconsin Politics

2011-03-27T19:49:00.000-07:00

Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin has passed a budget reform bill that has folks in Wisconsin rushing to Madison to protest at the state capital. Union workers are saying the bill goes to far and strips bargaining rights from union workers. Republicans say these are cuts that need to be made and people in the private sector have been tightening their belts for years. It's a tough time in Wisconsin politics right now, and with elections on April 5, things are really heating up. Whether or not you're a democrat or a republican, you'll find a t-shirt or button to express your views at my Zazzle store, Creative Thought T-Shirts, llc. We've got "Kill The Bill" tshirts and mugs, as well as merchandise supporting the fourteen Wisconsin Senators who fled to Illinois to avoid having to vote on the Budget Reform bill. We've got lots of other fun designs...from t-shirts and coffee mugs to onsies and hats.

One thing that's very important is to get out and vote and voice your opinion! Contact your senator or other elected officials and let them know your views.

Christmas ideas

2010-11-30T18:26:00.001-08:00

make custom gifts at Zazzle

New Cigarette Packaging?

2010-11-10T15:57:00.000-08:00

Well,
I found this blog on the White House page about the new cigarette labels they're proposing. While I suspect the big, rich tobacco companies will prevent this from ever seeing the light of day, I think it's a great idea. What do you think?

Farm Aid

2010-10-05T19:06:00.000-07:00

The weekend of October 2nd I attended Farm Aid in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was the 25th anniversary of the Farm Aid concert, started by Willie Nelson to raise money for family farmers and awareness of the plight of local farmers. First of all, it's a great cause. I've always wanted to go to the concert, and I wasn't going to miss my chance. The show was at Miller Park, probably not the best venue (in my opinion), but it was nice that they closed the roof, as it did rain a little. The sound was actually better than I thought it would be. They had a "Homegrown Village" which had some information about issues and organic farming, I would've liked to wander through and talk to some of these people, but they were crammed into a small area and there were too many people milling around. They had it set up rather poorly, kind of like a dead-end, hard to get in and out of. Perhaps a limitation of the venue. Also, they had some organic food options, but they also had the regular Miller Park food options...hot dogs, popcorn, beer, etc. (Is there organic beer? They certainly weren't selling any. Probably because they were at Miller Park and didn't want to cut into profits).

Here was the line up of performers...
The Blackwood Quartet
Robert Francis
Randy Rogers Band
BoDeans
Amos Lee

Between 3 and 5
Band of Horses
Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real
Jamey Johnson

Between 5 and 7
Jason Mraz
Jeff Tweedy
Norah Jones
Kenny Chesney

Between 7 and 11
Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds
John Mellencamp
Neil Young
Willie Nelson

The concert itself was great. It had some wonderful moments - namely when Steven Tyler came out and sang with Willie Nelson. I loved it. It also had some not so great moments. Here's my rundown...

Didn't get there until the BoDeans. They were great. I wish the audience would've been more receptive and made them feel more appreciated! I'm not sure they heard me screaming from the cheap seats. They sounded wonderful. If you haven't checked out the BoDeans newest cd, Mr. Sad Clown, you should. I highly recommend it.
Amos Lee - very nice. I hadn't heard him before. I'll be checking out more of his music online.
Band of Horses - quite impressive. I liked their sound very much. Again, I'll be looking into their music more. Looks like they have a pretty cool website, too.
Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real - the nicest thing I can say about Lukas Nelson is that he is a good guitar player. I did not care for his voice at all, but out of my love and respect for his father, Willie, I will say no more.
Jamey Johnson - this guy can sing! He has such a strong, powerful voice! I loved it! Really a good musician.
Jason Mraz - I was never a big fan. I'll be honest, he seemed a little cocky, with his little hat. But seeing him perform live, I have a whole new respect for him. I like him. His little had even grew on me. He seems friendly.
Jeff Tweedy - again, I wasn't familiar with him. Apparently he was/is with Wilco. I LOVED him. A great voice. I am amazed at his talent and voice!
Norah Jones - I love Norah Jones. I think she has a beautiful voice. I have to admit, I liked her better when her hair was more natural and she didn't wear so much makeup. She's kind of modded herself up to look like everybody else. I liked the softer look better.
Kenny Chesney - what a nice, strong voice this guy has. He seemed really genuine, and I liked his singing. Impressed!
Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds - Never thought too much about him until I saw him in person. This guy has charisma. I think Dave Matthews is some kind of crazy, sexy genius. That's all I'm going to say.
John Mellencamp - I have to admit, I have always loved John Mellencamp. Saw him in concert about 20 years ago, and it was great. (Wait, maybe it was 25 years ago...) I have all of his albums, and was looking forward to seeing him. When he came out I wondered how he had gotten so old. Then I remembered, I too have aged in the last 20 years! I was blown away by the energy of his performance! This guy can rock! He sounded fabulous! I loved every minute of it. If he tours within 100 miles of my house, I'm there.
Neil Young - again, one of my all time favorites. I've seen him in concert four times. I am such a fan of his music. I admit, I mostly like the piano and slower songs. Love the Harvest Moon album. Anyway, he did a lot of "feedback", which I am not a fan of. And he spoke passionately about the plight of farmers and the big corporations and how we should read the label on everything we eat. He made some good points, but mostly seemed angry. Perhaps because the crowd seemed to be filled with falling down drunks. ( I literally had 3 drunk people fall down on me. I'm all for partying, but c'mon people, grow up a little ). Maybe he was disappointed in us?
and of course...
Willie Nelson - What can I say about Willie? I really like Willie. Like his music a lot. He did bring his son out and let his son sing even more, which was a little annoying, but, he's Willie Nelson, he can do whatever the hell he wants. And Steven Tyler came out and sang with Willie and that was surreal.
Overall, a fantastic concert! They played until after 11:30 pm! A very long day.

I think they did a great job keeping the down time between performers to a minimum, that had to be tricky, but it was appreciated. I wish the BoDeans would've gotten to do more than three songs. I think it would've been nice if they had shown video on the 3 big screens during the between the acts set up time. They could've had the artists talking about some of the issues/causes/successes of Farm Aid. I would've really enjoyed Dave Matthews and Kenny Chesney doing their "I'm Alive" song together.
My biggest sadness was when the night was over and we walked through the parking lot to our cars. There was litter EVERYWHERE. The place was trashed. Here I thought these were like minded people who all believed in something, but it seems a lot of them were just self centered drunks looking for a party.
Well, it was a good party.

Back to school time already...

2010-08-29T18:14:00.000-07:00

Yes, just a few more days and it's back to school for the kiddos.
I can't believe it! Another summer is almost finished.
The last few weeks have been filled with trying to fit in all of the things we thought we would do this summer. Going camping, going to the beach, going kayaking, watching a parade, and stuff like that. I hate to admit that we've spent way too much time in front of the tv and computer.
I've toyed with the idea of getting rid of cable tv all together. We did fine without it for the first 7 years of the kids lives, I don't know what possessed me to get cable in the first place. PBS is great. And we have wasted so much time watching mindless tv. Time when we could've been outside actually doing something, or reading a book. I feel like such a bad mom sometimes. So, now I think we're going to set some serious limits on time spent on the computer and the tv. It won't bring the summer back, but I can only change the future...not the past.
Hope everyone has a wonderful back to school year. I love fall!

Thanks and Giving

2009-11-29T15:24:00.000-08:00

Last week was Thanksgiving. Thanks and giving. They go together. I never really thought about it until this morning as I was watching Meet the Press, they had the author of "The Purpose Driven Life" on. I don't know his name, but he sure made some excellent points. I'm not even sure what religion he is. I'm going to google it. I think I need to read the book. They also had Bill and Melinda Gates on the show. They also had lots and lots of good points about things that would make the world a better place, and what they are doing, and what we can all do to help. It's very motivating to hear these people speak. Especially this time of year. And I know that the holidays are here, but it's good to remember these things all year long. It's been a tough year for a lot of people. The economy isn't great, I hope it's on the mend. I know so many people who are out of work right now, I really feel bad for them. It seems like there are so few jobs out there. I certainly hope things turn around soon. That is my Christmas wish this year. My husband and I both still have our jobs, so we are very lucky. But money is very tight. We don't want to go into dept, we want to be able to give our children a nice Christmas. It's a fine line.

I hate change

2009-11-19T21:02:00.000-08:00

I hate change. There , I said it. Not the Barack Obama change thing, not the change you get back when you pay for something, but the change that happens that we cannot control.
You know, when you get used to things a certain way, and then it changes, it throws you off.
I've always been like this, as long as I can remember. But the more I think about it, I wonder if I'm getting worse as I get older. Radio Shack changed it's name to the Shack. I didn't even know they were still in business. And people selling things, just making up words for their own benefit. Do they think it makes them clever? I'm sick of it. Everything from candy bars to fast food...they just make up words. It annoys me. I don't think they're clever. I think they should be able to say what they want about their product with words that already exist. If they're smart and truly clever, they could do it.

Halloween costume shopping

2009-10-29T19:09:00.000-07:00

So,
I always like to dress up for Halloween, yes, I am an adult, but I've always liked to create unique costumes and really get into the Halloween spirit. One year I was the bride of Frankenstein, and it really freaked my son out. There is a really cool store in a town near here (Mt. Horeb, WI), called "Vibe". They have clothes from the 30s thru to today. Lots of really cool 50's and 60's dresses. I thought for sure I could find a costume there. I found one really cool green dress...I don't know what it was from, I think the early 70's. It would be perfect for me to go as Mrs. Brady, a little blonde dye and I'd be fine. Well, that dress was tiny around the waist. So I tried on lots of different dresses from the 50's, 60's and 70's, and NOTHING FIT. Just around my arms and shoulders, not to mention my chest. I guess people were much thinner in the 50's, 60's and 70's (these were authentic clothes). I guess it's no surprise, since there is a McDonald's on every other corner. I was disgusted with myself, and embarrassed that I couldn't find anything to fit.
Now I'm not into Halloween at all. Maybe I should use this as motivation to get moving.

Looking for answers?

2009-10-18T11:56:00.000-07:00

If you're like me, you find yourself middle aged, with more answers than questions about religion and God. I really admire people who have strong faith. It's something I just don't have, but I know there's a God, and I know there are angels and miracles. I don't need to see concrete evidence to believe in that much, although I consider giving birth an absolute miracle, so I have witnessed evidence of God. That much I know for sure. I found an online store that sells some beautiful, hip designs pertaining to faith and a strong belief in God.(You can purchase this sweatshirt here -100% money back guarantee, so you can't beat that.)
The store is called Upstream Christian Designs, and I really like their graphics. They've got some really cute stuff that would make great gifts for a first communion, baptism, or Christmas. And I think even my teenager would wear some of these sweatshirts! Look through this store and tell me what you think!

This blog post is a part of a crossover blog. Other participants in this crossover blog are:

http://ateasetees.wordpress.com/

http://www.blogbydonna.com/

http://flyballfever.blogspot.com

http://cafeshoppe.com/TeeHee

http://randomshirts.blogspot.com/

http://skeetzteez.blogspot.com/

http://www.shopkeeperdesigns.com

http://autismshowucare.blogspot.com

http://www.gocamelphotos.blogspot.com/

http://beflip.blogspot.com/

http://tshirtholiday.blogspot.com/

Fruit Crate Labels are cool

2009-10-10T17:51:00.000-07:00

Some interesting information can be found about the history of crate labels here at
Labelstone, a unique store offering some of the beautiful artwork found on these labels over the years. Some of these apple and pear crate labels are my favorite. You can almost sense the history, and the artwork really is amazing.
There's also the Labelstone Zazzle store, offering a wide variety of Retro, Vintage, advertising artwork on lots of different products. I've always loved the Art Deco style, and there are some really beautiful pieces in their Beautiful Women collection. Here is just a sample of what I'm talking about.
The different styles of artwork here, sold a such a wide variety of products makes it one of my favorite websites to click around. Where else can you find advertising artwork from so many decades in one store? I think it's a unique website, you should check it out, especially if you enjoy the history of advertising artwork.

A special place in hell for this person...

2009-10-04T11:33:00.000-07:00

I was appalled at a recent article in the Wisconsin State Journal.

In this article from last week, this evil woman
"...sent a message on Twitter late last month while having a miscarriage of her unwanted pregnancy during a meeting of her company's board.

"I'm in a board meeting. Having a miscarriage. Thank goodness," Trunk tweeted to her 19,000 followers, "because there's a (expletive) 3-week hoop-jump to have an abortion in Wisconsin."

This woman has previously had two abortions. And I'm shocked that she cannot seem to figure out what causes pregnancy, or how babies are made. But she sure knows how to kill them.

But not only that, this woman has two children. I wonder why she didn't kill them when they were in her body? I wonder how she can be so cavalier about having abortions after actually experiencing the wonder of pregnancy and giving birth. I wonder what kind of example she is setting for her children. I am very sad for her children, both the living and the dead ones.

I think there is a special place in hell for people like her.

Whoopi Goldberg is standing up for Roman Polanski...are you serious?

2009-10-01T17:30:00.000-07:00

Okay, by now I'm sure you've heard about Roman Polanski. You know, the guy who drugged and raped a 13 year old girl, was CONVICTED of it, and fled the country 3o years ago. Yes, he's an award winning film maker and child rapist.
Here's an interesting article by the New York Times.
Polanski was indicted by a grandjury on 6 charges that had the penalty of life. The Judge in the case let him plead guilty to a lessor charge and dropped the 6 charges but informed them that he wasnt going along with "time served", for the 42 days he was in observation. So the judge allowed him to plea guilty to the lessor charge and set a date for sentencing. Polanski then ran to France. The USA tried to extradite Polanski but the French used a loophole in the Extradition Treaty to deny extradition.
Now, Hollywood is rallying around him. There is an online petition by these yahoo's SUPPORTING him.
Swiss filmaker, and Polanski's friend, Otto Weisser, is quoted as saying "This is for me a shock. I am ashamed to be Swiss, that the Swiss is doing such a thing to brilliant fantastic genius, that millions and millions of people love his work," Weisser said upon learning the director had been detained by Swiss authorities. "He's a brilliant guy, and he made a little mistake 32 years ago. What a shame for Switzerland."
Oh, rape is a LITTLE MISTAKE?! WTF is this guy thinking? Maybe he likes raping little girls, too? What a sicko. And the fact that Martin Scorsese and Pedro Almodovar signed it, well, whatever. And who would've guessed that Woody Allen would sign the petition? He probably thinks it makes him look good. Maybe they can start a club.
Another article on the petition...
Other people supposedly supporting Roman Polanski include... Studio chief Harvey Weinstein, and supposedly over 100 more people...

"We stand by and await his release and his next masterwork," said Zurich Film Festival Jury President Debra Winger on Monday on behalf of Polanski. I think she's sick too. Does this woman have kids? How would she feel if it were her daughter? How would Whoopi Goldberg feel if it were a poor, black 13 year old girl? Debra Winger is also quoted as saying "We hope today that this latest order will be dropped, It is based on a three decade old case that is all but dead, except for a minor technicality." What minor technicality? He did the crime and didn't do the time. Maybe these people should stand up for what's morally right!?
So, the list of people supporting Roman Polanski is also the list of people who's work I think we should boycott. What does America stand for? If not for what's right?
That's the side I want to be on.

Here's a link where you can sign a petition to boycott Roman Polanski petition supporters...

2009-09-26T11:18:00.001-07:00

Everyone I know is into Farmville on Facebook.
In a way, it drives me nuts. Just another "time sucker" as my friend Jane says.
But I do like their logo, so here it is on a t-shirt.
You can get this logo on sweatshirts, t-shirts, coffee mugs, anything. And it's all by Zazzle.com,
where I have my store Zazzle.com/creativethought, so I know it's good because I've gotten some shirts from them and they're very nice quality. The big thing I like about Zazzle is that everything comes with a 100% money back guarantee...I wish more things came with a guarantee these days!

Target Moms = zombies?

2009-09-19T12:33:00.000-07:00

Sure, it starts innocently enough. You're newly married and pregnant, you need some things, you go to Target and find adorable baby outfits, strollers, crib sheets, soft blankets, things for "kid proofing" your home, things you didn't even know you needed.
The blessed event happens, you are a mom. You are responsible for another human being's well being, their life is in your hands. You are completely overwhelmed and over tired, and lucky if you get to take a shower every other day. Where can you go to make yourself feel better? Go to Target. You can even get your coffee there. Hey, it counts as getting out of the house. And you know, everyone needs the essentials, toilet paper, shampoo, underwear. They've got all that and more at Target. They've got things you didn't even know you needed. They've got things you didn't even know existed. That red bullseye seduces you, it hypnotizes you. When you're at the end of your rope, just throw the kid in the car and run to Target. They don't call it retail therapy for no reason. There are lots of mombies there...you know, moms who walk around with that blank stare, sucking down their Starbucks, getting a little box of animal crackers for the kid.
This will be great, you think. Your husband will come home from a tough day at the office and not only will you have some bright new plates on the table, that will hopefully distract him from the piles of dirty laundry, but wait until you tell him they had that little orange/red sticker...you know the one...the one that says clearance! Yes, wait until you tell him how much money you saved! He'll be so thrilled with you.
Once, in February, I bought two light up Christmas elves. They're about 2 feet high, and I thought they were kind of cute. But then, I saw the clearance sticker and found out they were only six dollars a piece! Wow! They had originally been almost forty dollars each! What a deal! I had to have them. I was so excited! I brought them home and set one up in the living room to show the family. My dog just wouldn't stop growling at it, and my daughter (now a teenager), said it gave her the creeps.
The elves are in the basement storage now. Not sure if I'll get them out at Christmas time.
What made me feel wonderful once are now just a painful reminder of things I buy that I don't really love or need. Take my word for it next time you're wandering around Target aimlessly...skip the elves. Put the money into the kid's college fund.
Everyone will be happier.

The Green Mile

2009-09-18T21:11:00.000-07:00

The movie "The Green Mile" is on tonight. I haven't seen it for a few years.
It is such a good movie. I had forgotten what a good movie it is.
There are so many excellent scenes. Tom Hanks, Bonnie Hunt, Gary Sinese, they are wonderful. The interaction between them is incredible to watch. Each individual performance is so believable, you forget they're acting, and it's real. I love the movie, although it's hard to watch. Because it's sad. Like life, I guess.

Money?

2009-09-07T20:27:00.000-07:00

Can money pay for the all the days I lived awake but half asleep?
It's a line from a song, yet it seems so true.
I'm lucky to have a job, especially the way the economy is going.
So, I really don't want to complain that I'm not "happy" or "satisfied" at my job.
Sometimes I wonder though, what would I do if I won the lottery?
What would I do if I didn't need the money for food, clothing, shelter?
What is really important to me?
Well, right now it's food, clothing and shelter for myself and my family.
I know there are other ways to be "fulfilled", I need to find some hobbies!
I have a million things on my list of things I want to do, and a million things on my list of things I have to do. And we all have the same amount of hours in a day, how come some people can accomplish so much more than others? Is it focus? Ambition? Attitude?
Some things on my list of things I want to do include:
Yoga, Meditation, Jewelry Making, Scrapbooking, Genealogy, Candle Making, Painting, Collage, Photography, learning web design, and that's just off the top of my head...(and in no particular order),
these are things I dabble in when I have spare time.
There's just so much more I'd like to do.
Should I pick one thing and concentrate on learning and doing more of that?
Sometimes I procrastinate. Sometimes I start 18 things at once, and finish none of them.
Sometimes I feel obligated to do things.
Sometimes I just feel overwhelmed with all of the things I have to do.
I guess I need to remember that "a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

Have you ever been to Tulsa, Oklahoma

2009-07-19T20:33:00.000-07:00

Did you know that the Tulsa centennial was in 2008? If you're a fan of Tulsa, or Oklahoma, there's a great website with some fun and funky designs on t-shirts, mouse pads (mice pads?), coffee mugs, and stuff like that. All from a CafePress store, so you know there's a 30 day, 100% money back guarantee on anything you purchase.

From the Tulsa Tees website "You're not just an Okie -- you're a Tulsan! From boomtown to bust and back again, comfortably cosmopolitan and sweating like pigs in the humidity! Tulsa, Oklahoma, is back! Find original Tulsa designs on t shirts and other gifts here."

These gifts are great for anyone originally from Oklahoma, or any "Okie" at heart. Here's one of my favorite designs...Tulsa and me...
You can find it here at Tulsa tees. They also have some fun, political and humorous designs you might like, check them out, http://www.cafepress.com/tulsatees

This blog post is a part of a crossover blog. Other participants in this crossover blog are:

http://ateasetees.wordpress.com/

http://www.blogbydonna.com/

http://cafeshoppe.com/TeeHee

http://www.nanwrightart.com

http://randomshirts.blogspot.com/

http://skeetzteez.blogspot.com/

http://www.shopkeeperdesigns.com

http://autismshowucare.blogspot.com

http://www.gocamelphotos.blogspot.com/

http://beflip.blogspot.com/

http://tshirtholiday.blogspot.com/

A fundraiser for a boy with cancer

2009-07-16T13:39:00.000-07:00

Hello,

If you've stumbled onto this blog, I hope you'll stay for a minute and continue reading.
A classmate of my kid's is fighting cancer. The family is facing big medical costs along with everything else they're dealing with. There is a fundraiser going on, I thought I'd post to see if anyone in Wisconsin would be interested, or you can email a donation to the family (see address below to the Luckenbooth).

This fundraising event will benefit, 11 year old, Bradley Behling just before he recieves a bone marrow transplant. His parents have given up so much time at work to be at the hospital throughout the past year, and have months ahead, yet, to spend there with him. Plus their medical bills contiue to grow.

You can help easily, and your donation will double thanks to Thrivent Insurance, who is matching dollar for dollar up to $4,000. Almost half the goal to raise $4,000 has been met. 100% of the donations/ ticket sales will go directly to the Behlings!!

You can do 1 of the following things, in the next few days, to help reach the goal! :

Send a check for any amount: to Luckenbooth Cafe, 1204 Mills St. Black Earth, WI 53515 (or drop it off there). Write checks to "Luckenbooth Cafe" and write "Behling Benefit" on the memo line. Checks will be collected through next Tuesday, July 21. The amount you give to the Behlings will double so even a $5 donation is worth it!!
Donate a ticket: Purchase online,

and call Kathy at 401-1045 to tell her you are donating a ticket, if you want to donate but cannot make it to the event. Tickets are $50, so for every ticket donated $100 will be given to the Behlings!!

Attend the Murder Mystery Dinner: (which Bradley and his mom will most likely get to go to!) this Saturday, 7pm, Luckenbooth Cafe, Black Earth, by purchasing tickets online or by check. Tickets are $50, and will be held there for you. (See details of the dinner below.) It will be a unique evening! Middle/high school-aged kids would enjoy this too. For every ticket sold, $100 will be given to the Behlings!!

Call Kathy: at 401-1045 to purchase tickets, or for any questions. She has some donated tickets to give away if you are willing to purchase at least one or more!

Purchase tickets online at www.luckenbooth.org

MURDER AT THE LUCKENBOOTH!

Book a date with destiny on Saturday July 18th at 7.00pm.
Set in Victorian days, become a character in an original murder mystery by Jenafer Lloyd-Jones Humphries.

A formal dinner will be served.

Pianist - Raven
Singer - Jenafer Lloyd-Jones Humphries
Bagpiper - Randy Lagman

This is a special event being held to benefit Bradley Behling, a young classmate of Kathleen's who was in remission but is now back at the hospital. All proceeds will go to the family, to help them a little.

Your help is so very appreciated!
Please pass this on to others.
Thank you,

Pop Culture, Retro

2009-05-25T12:08:00.001-07:00

Popular Culture, or pop Culture as it's called, is all about the attitudes and ideas of the mainstream of any culture. In the year 2009, it seems that it's all about reality television, celebrities, everyone getting their fifteen minutes of fame. The media has had such an influence on what people believe, wear, and how they act, it's kind of frightening, but I guess that's the way it's always been. It just seems to me that there is undue peer pressure on everyone to conform, to fit in, for girls to dress like Brittany Spears and act stupid (like Brittany Spears, oh wait, is that acting?)
According to Wikipedia, "Retro is a term used to describe, denote or classify culturally outdated or aged trends, modes, or fashions, from the overall postmodern past, but have since that time become functionally or superficially the norm once again. The use of "retro" style iconography and imagery interjected into post-modern art, advertising, mass media, etc. has occurred from around the time of the industrial revolution to present day.

At least as of the present, "retro" implies especially before the 1990s and after World War 2, while retro fashion design is nowadays increasingly inspired by the 1930s and 1940s."

I think Retro also means classy and original in this day and age. I like to combine my favorite retro shirts, with the new, pop culture favored skinny jeans. Luckily for me, the world also seems more accepting of individuality, and different styles of dressing. When I was in high school, I just wanted to look like everyone else, to blend in. I'm glad that I feel strong enough now to not have that pressure, I feel good enough about myself, that I can wear what I like, what I think is in style, and what makes me feel good about myself.

Skeetz Tees t-shirt and gift shop has some cool retro shirts that I really like. They have designs from the 1960s, 70s, 80s and 90s. A lot of the pop culture references are from television shows, and things you'll remember from your childhood. I especially like these blast from the past designs for baseball and football...

They also have some designs referencing some of the classic movies of the past, like Airplane and Revenge of the Nerds. This Tri-Lamda t-shirt is hilarious. If you're looking for some popular culture that will make you stand out and feel good, check out the Skeetz Tees shop.

This blog post is a part of a crossover blog. Other participants in this crossover blog are:

http://ateasetees.wordpress.com/

http://www.blogbydonna.com/

http://getyergoat-goatgifts.blogspot.com

http://www.nanwrightart.com

http://randomshirts.blogspot.com/

http://skeetzteez.blogspot.com/

http://idesignbrian.wordpress.com/

http://www.shopkeeperdesigns.com

http://autismshowucare.blogspot.com

http://www.gocamelphotos.blogspot.com/

http://einselgaenger.blogspot.com/

Vintage retro artwork

2009-04-19T19:30:00.000-07:00

When I got married about fifteen years ago, we went to a small town in northern Wisconsin on our honeymoon. There, in a little shop, I found an old metal sign for Black Cat stove polish. It was so cute and retro, and I had a black cat that looked just like the one on the sign, I had to have it. Ever since then, I'm always on the lookout for old vintage postcards, signs, and artwork. I love the retro feel, and the originality of the artwork. So often the images used totally evoke feelings of a different time.
I found a great store on Cafepress called Labelstone, which features vintage poster art, fruit crate labels, Victorian trading cards and more, and they put all of these fabulous designs on everything from t-shirts to coffee mugs. Really great gifts for anyone who appreciates artwork and history.
Some of my favorites included this stunning advertising poster for Absinthe in early art deco style. It's a beautiful piece of artwork. According to Wikipedia, A revival of absinthe began in the 1990s, when countries in the European Union began to reauthorize its manufacture and sale. As of February 2008, nearly 200 brands of absinthe were being produced in a dozen countries, most notably in France, Switzerland, Spain, and the Czech Republic. Commercial distillation of absinthe in the United States resumed in 2007. So, this really is a historical piece of artwork, and any collector or appreciator of liquor would love this. If I had a bar, I would love to have this framed artwork hanging in it.
With Spring finally here, my thoughts also turn to gardening and flowers. There's an entire section in the Labelstone store featuring vintage seed packets for flowers and vegetable from the 1930's. If there's a gardener in your life, or you have a green thumb, you'll appreciate these gardening designs, which look great on refrigerator magnets or coffee mugs. Very colorful and just intime for Spring planting, these hyacinth and tulip labels.
And don't miss the section on vintage french fruit labels- very cool! It's nice to have something original, and the notecards are a great way to send a note to a loved one.

Colorful and cool artwork

2009-03-18T17:41:00.000-07:00

There are some beautiful, colorful photographs available on lots of different products at Go Camel art and Photography. Some of my favorites include beautiful images of different places in Australia, like this stunning Australian sunset over the hill of Canberra, the Capital.
These colorful images are especially beautiful on posters and greeting cards. I also like this magnet of the Red Sea Beach. I can almost smell the ocean and feel the breeze. I've got to get one of these magnets to put up in my cube at work.
There's a beautiful, colorful Australian parrot photograph that I also like. Go Camel Art and Photography has some very unique pictures, from all over the globe. Photos of the Sphinx and pyramids in Egypt, according to Wikipedia, "The Great Sphinx of Giza is a statue of a reclining lion with a human head that stands on the Giza Plateau on the west bank of the Nile, near modern-day Cairo, in Egypt. It is the largest monolith statue in the world, standing 73.5 m (241 ft) long, 6 m (20 ft) wide, and 20 m (65 ft) high. It is the oldest known monumental sculpture, and is commonly believed to have been built by ancient Egyptians in the third millennium BCE.^[1] The Great Sphinx faces due east and houses a small temple between its paws." The beautiful photograph makes a great framed print or poster, and I love the way it looks in the sepia tone, very historical and mysterious. It would make a great gift for any lover of Egyptian culture and history.
There is quite a variety of colorful photography here, very fanciful and original. Check out http://www.cafepress.com/gocamel.

What is the Canadian Boreal Forest and why should I care?

2009-03-05T17:25:00.000-08:00

So, I was wondering aimlessly about the internet, and I stumbled across an article on the Canadian Boreal Forest. "That's odd", I thought to myself, "I've never heard of that." So I started reading about it and was blown away by it's importance to the world, and a little embarrassed that I knew so little.
According to the National Resources Defense Council (nrdc.org),

"Conservation Opportunity: In the far north latitudes, just below the treeless tundra of the polar region, a forest of evergreen trees encircles the earth: this is the boreal forest. The last frontier of northern forest wilderness in Canada, the boreal forest is North America's greatest conservation opportunity. Although most of the world's original wilderness forests have been logged or developed until just about 20 percent remains, approximately 80 percent of the Canadian boreal forest is still unfragmented by roads. Mostly in public hands, over half of Canada's boreal has yet to be allocated to industrial use. This situation is quickly changing, however, as the boreal forest comes under imminent threat from industrial logging, hydropower, mining and oil and gas development.

Of Global Importance: Like the Amazon, the boreal forest is of critical importance to all living things on earth. It is home to the one of the world's largest remaining stands of spruce, fir and tamarack. The thick layers of moss, soil and peat of the boreal are the world's largest terrestrial storehouse of organic carbon and play an enormous role in regulating the Earth's climate. Boreal wetlands filter millions of gallons of water each day that fill our northern rivers, lakes, and streams. As a vast, intact forest ecosystem, the boreal supports a natural web of large carnivores, such as bears, wolves and lynx along with thousands of other species of plants, mammals, birds and insects.

Home to Indigenous Peoples: The boreal forest is home to approximately 500 First Nations communities and hundreds of Métis communities, many accessible only by water or air. As the Canadian government has leased boreal public lands to industry for logging, damming and drilling, the debate about indigenous rights and land claims has come to the forefront in Canada. The connection that the indigenous peoples of the boreal forest have with the land goes beyond land use or subsistence. Elders of communities in the boreal forest talk of being "born on the ground" -- literally born outside in the boreal forest. They describe their spiritual relationship to the land on which their ancestors have walked for thousands of years, as well as their dependence on the fish, medicinal plants and wildlife of the boreal forest.

World Class Wildlife: The boreal forest is teeming with life. The more than 1.5 million lakes in the boreal are a nursery for 40 percent of North America's migratory waterfowl, such as the American black duck, mallard, blue-winged teal and northern shoveller. Approximately 30 percent of North American landbirds, including common backyard songbirds such as the warbler, raise their young each spring in Canada's boreal forest. The elusive and threatened woodland caribou, known as the grey ghost, depends for food on old-growth boreal forests and the lichen that have taken 100 years to develop there. Black bears range throughout the boreal, preferring low-lying vegetation and the abundant food provided by shrubs.

Imminent Industrial Threats: Less than 8 percent of Canada's boreal forest is protected. This provides both opportunity and danger as the logging, hydropower, petroleum and mining industries continue to exploit the southern boreal forest and eye the still unallocated northern regions. In the west, oil and gas exploration and development have carved an ever-expanding network of roads and seismic lines into the forest. Industrial hydropower dams on the boreal forest's northern wild rivers have flooded wildlife habitat, clogged lakes with sediment and killed off critical fish species.

Destruction Driven by U.S. Consumption: The United States is driving much of the demand for boreal forest resources. The United States is the destination for approximately 80 percent of Canada's forest products, including lumber, toilet paper, catalogue paper and newsprint -- much of which comes from clearcutting in the boreal forest. The United States imports more oil from Canada than from any other country and approximately 90 percent of total U.S. natural gas imports come from Canada -- primarily from Alberta, but increasingly from further north in British Columbia, Yukon and the Northwest Territories' boreal forest. Canada is the largest producer of hydropower in the world, with much of this energy going to the United States from Manitoba and Quebec's boreal-forest rivers.

Finding a Solution: There is some good news. Canada's boreal is one of the earth's last remaining "frontier forests" -- relatively undisturbed forests large enough to maintain their biodiversity. In addition, Canada's forests are 94 percent publicly owned. These conditions present a unique opportunity to conserve a large, healthy forest ecosystem, a place of incalculable value not only to Canadians, but to all of us.

NRDC is working with many other environmental groups and with First Nations to forge lasting agreements that will ensure the survival of Canada's boreal forest, allow for environmentally sustainable development of its resources and protect the culture of First Nations communities"

Greenpeace has a wonderful blog, and lots of good information and links about how Americans' preference for soft toilet paper, and the paper companies and pulp companies brain washing advertising techniques have led us to believe that we need really, really soft toilet paper and tissues. "Dave Dickson, a spokesman for Kimberly Clark, said that only 14 percent of the wood pulp used by the company came from the boreal forest.
He does not dispute that they’re cutting down ancient boreal forest, just the percentage of their product made from a 10,000-year-old ecosystem."

What? They're cutting down ancient trees so that we can have really, really soft toilet paper? I can't believe it. Another statistic stated in the Greenpeace blog says that "Americans already consume vastly more paper than any other country — about three times more per person than the average European, and 100 times more than the average person in China" and that, “Barely a third of the paper products sold in America are from recycled sources — most of it comes from virgin forests.”

I think this is ridiculous. If everyone reading this would write to Kimberly Clark, and tell everyone they know to do the same, and if we would all use recycled toilet paper, (which is NOT HORRIBLE AT ALL), perhaps we could make a difference.

The Greenpeace website also has a wonderful pocket guide which rates and recommend certain brands based on how good they are for the planet. This is an invaluable resource, please check it out and pass the word!

Remember, every little bit helps. This planet is a wonderful place, let's do our part to keep it that way! And please check out www.FreshGreenTees.com for some cute t-shirts and gifts to help spread the word! There's a large selection, and everything comes with a one hundred percent, money back guarantee.