SUMMER READING LIST

Book one.

(Thanks to Brian Heffernan)

Comments

[Sarah J]

My friend wanted to name her son Cooper (her maiden name) but she was afraid the kids would call him "Cooper Pooper Scooper" and named him Myles instead

[Marie in Kourou]

Kids can make up mean nicknames for any name. As long as they hate you, you're game.

Yes, when it's time to potty-train, it's all about the poop. Even I congratulated my sister when she started potty-training!

[Jeff Meyerson]

Jeff.. Memory Book looks fascinating. I haven't read the other Cooperman books (not sure why) but I'll see if I can find that one.

Kaf, I read one or two of the early ones and was not particularly impressed, other than the nebbishy Jewish Canadian ambiance. This one is fascinating, however, as the review indicated. And it's only 235 pages so it won't take you long to finish!

My friend wanted to name her son Cooper (her maiden name) but she was afraid the kids would call him "Cooper Pooper Scooper" and named him Myles instead.

If I had to choose I'd pick Cooper over Myles. But that's just me.

As for the potty training, my sister is having a hard time (no pun!) with C.J. because potty training is a definite problem with autistic kids. But he's definitely making (again, no pun!) progress.

Jackie always says the reason she's neurotic is that her grandmother toilet trained her way too young.

[Brian B]

Ughh...this has been one of the longest Mondays in the history of Mondays.

Next up, an hour and a half drive up to P's parents' house to pick up CMB. Then more fun and excitement this evening.

Hopefully, I'll get around to blogging at some point, but don't be surprised if pics and video don't come until Tuesday or Wednesday.

Later MOATies...I'm off to find the meaning of life at the bottom of a beer bottle. (obviously, that will be after CMB goes to bed!)

[Jeff Meyerson]

Kaf: just checked. I read only one Cooperman book, The Suicide Murders (his first, I believe). But as a Hemingway fan I read his non series Murder in Montparnasse, set in Paris in the 1920s, with a "solution" to the famous story of Hemingway's lost suitcase of stories.

I liked that one a lot better.

[Jeff Meyerson]

Yes, when it's time to potty-train, it's all about the poop.

If we only had a product to advertise, that would make a great tag line!

Leetie?

[Kafaleni]

ooh.. sounds like a trip to the library website is in order!

I didn't get teased for my name when in primary school. Kathy is kinda hard to rhyme with anything that little kids find funny. However, I did wear glasses. Yeah, school was fun. I read a lot.

[Kafaleni]

Jeff, whatever you're selling, parents of small children want it.

Leetie, one of my cousins used to do the same thing that P-nut did. He's 17 or 18 now. I think he's over it.
I potty-trained quite early as well, or so I've been told. I don't remember, but apparently I was wearing panties in the daytime by the time I was 12 months. Someone advised my mother (a first-time mother with no experience of children) that as soon as a child can sit up independently, you sit them on the potty every time you change their nappy (diaper). Then if they do something, you make a big deal about it, and if nothing happens, you just go on like always. I don't know if that's a good or bad thing, but by the time my sister was born (I was 14 months), Mum only had to deal with nappies at night-time for me, so that was a big thing in the days of pretty much only cloth nappies being available.

[Jeff Meyerson]

Kaf, your potty-training story sounds very much like the one Jackie heard from her mother, except it was the grandmother who did the training.

This would seem incredible to anyone who met her, as she was a pretty selfish and self-centered person. On the other hand, Jackie was the first grandchild and always remained her favorite, so maybe that explains it.

I'm sure if I asked my mother she'd have plenty of stories to tell me but I am not going there. I do know that when my brother was born (I was 12 1/2 months old) I was already saying "pussycat".

/end genius child story

[Kafaleni]

Jeff.. one of the the two closest library branches to me has Memory Book.. and the library opened 3 minutes ago! However, I'm not dressed and I'm making a banana paake breakfast, so they may have to wait a little.

[slyeyes]

*imagines a young Jeff looking at the new bundle of joy his parents brought home from the hospital and saying "What's new, pussycat?"*

[Susan]

Ooohh...the playlist for today...

Monday 6-5-06 All Request Lunch Hour
News
“California Girls” David Lee Roth
------
“Bette Davis Eyes” Kim Carnes
“Be My Baby” Ronettes
------
“It’s All Been Done” Barenaked Ladies
“Red Red Wine” UB40
------
“You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman” Aretha Franklin
“Give Me One Reason” Tracy Chapman
------
“Mr. Blue Sky” Electric Light Orchestra---Kibby…for El
“Take Me Home Country Roads” John Denver---Mitch
------
“One Love/People Get Ready” Bob Marley---Jane
“Myrtle Beach Days” Fantastic Shakers
------
“My Love” Paul McCartney and Wings
“Another Day in Paradise” Phil Collins

I meant to say earlier...Pentecost Sunday was yesterday. Pentecost...you think fire, right?

We had fire at church.

Not the kind of fire you want when you say the church is on fire...in that case...you want to be on fire for the Lord...

We had FIRE.

After the first half of the service, during the sermon, the youngest children go to a classroom for childrens church. It's in the daycare kitchen/meal room area. There is a big window between the rooms, with a lattice that covers it, and a curtain, candles, a cross...

Well, Sunday, we got thru the first part of the service...kids sang, choir did the anthem, responsive readings, a prayer...and get into the sermon.

A few minutes in...I hear a faint beeping. Phone? No...watch alarm? No...the church has an alarm system. Maybe?

It's not very loud...but it's persistent. People are starting to kind of look at each other..."What's that?"

The minister finally stops...says one of the trustees is going to check things.

A minute or so later...the woman who was leading childrens church comes in the door behind the minister...and tells him the kids are out ok...but the daycare kitchen is on fire and everyone needs to get out NOW.

So we all exit.

Apparently one of the candles broke and fell over, catching the curtain on fire. A fire extinguisher was used and got the fire out...minimal damage. The fire department showed up...mainly just put up fans to clear up the smoke.

A little more excitement than I needed on a Sunday morning.

[Kafaleni]

we had a kid set off the fire alarm as a prank once, Susan.. but never a real fire.. glad there wasn't too much damage though!

[Kafaleni]

Your medical update..

[Sarah J]

Kaf, that's cool and kinda creepy, in a Tell-Tale Heart kinda way

[Marie in Kourou]

I was thinking the same thing when it was on the news today, Sarah. It's exciting, though, because apparently lots more transplants will be done with this procedure.

[Kafaleni]

Even if you were born 95 years ago, Clorine is a horrible middle name.

/random post

[Jeff Meyerson]

*imagines a young Jeff looking at the new bundle of joy his parents brought home from the hospital and saying "What's new, pussycat?"*

snork, sly, but apparently not. I didn't want to share with "him" and greeted him with a new trick:
Projectile Vomiting (GNFARB?)

We had fire at church.

Not the kind of fire you want when you say the church is on fire...in that case...you want to be on fire for the Lord...

We had FIRE.

Since it wasn't so serious, Susan, I can say that watching the Fawlty Towers reunion show on PBS over the weekend comes to mind, with Basil yelling, "FIRE!"

Incidentally, if it comes to your area you should give it a watch. Basil, Sybil & Manuel (who you'd never recognize) are all on - Manuel (Andrew Sachs) is the host - with appearances by other actors who appeared in the show (including Luan Peters, the Australian actress who played "Raylene Miles" in the "Psychiatrist" episode, which was apparently John Cleese's favorite, and one of mine - she looked amazingly unchanged after 30 years) plus the producers and directors. And there were naturally lots of clips.

[Mad Scientist]

not heinzed but i did see we are talking about poop and El is throwing a tantrum.

It is hot here.

Take care moaties. Work is kicking my bum.

[slyeyes]

I agree with Jeff about the Farty Towels Revisited. It's a tragedy there aren't more shows.

[Jeff Meyerson]

And that reminds me. One of the crew did anagrams so Cleese asked him to come up with funny things (like Farty Towels) for the sign out front.

One that I never noticed: on the "Gourmet Night" episode, Basil drives into a street only to find it blocked, so backs up and stalls the car. When it won't start he gives it "a damn good thrashing."

What I hadn't noticed was that when they filmed the first part the street was dry, but by the time they filmed the second part it had rained and the streets were wet!

[Kafaleni]

Hopefully, they'll show it here one day.. it sounds like a great show!

[BigD®]

Crap, some moron left my laptop power supply at the office Friday when he left *werk*. So , there is no Heizing for me, I have missed so much due to *werk* anyhoo (bastids want me to actually werk!).

Found out today I might actually get a "real" office in the near future - would be nice, but doubt it soon.

Susan, I don't think June 21 will work unless I can talk the daughter into being in a "live" radio broadcast - she is starting to cave, plus the "wifester" thinks I am nuts (I envy Jeff, Jackie understands the MOAT, the wifester does not) - I don't know. Do not expect me, plan your vacation for you, if we fit in OK, don't plan around us.

{FISHIE}

Thanks for the "not getting a car for the daughter thing" - all of you really helped me! {{{MOATies}}}

[Marie in Kourou]

I hope I'll get to see an episode someday, too. It sounds hilarious.

Chloris is pretty bad, too, Kaf. It sounds like "chlorine" and it's the name of a "minor Greek goddess of vegetation." Minor. Like your parents didn't care enough to name you after a more important imaginary being!

[BigD®]

I have always loved the fact that when they always "skidded or slid" a car in movies the streets are always wet even when the "sidelines" are dry.

[Kafaleni]

Marie.. there's Cloris Leachman as a prime example. Excellent actress, awful name.

(Private aside: of course, Bianca is a lovely name!)

[Kafaleni]

My apologies.

[Kafaleni]

*gives italics the evil eye*

[Jeff Meyerson]

MiK: it's interesting that both of my sisters' names derive from Elizabeth - Lisa and Betsy.

[Jeff Meyerson]

Now this guy has good taste:

Jeffrey is such a nice name. I am surprised it has died out of usage so much. The meaning, peace of God, is so nice. This is a great name to grow up with too.
-- Anonymous User 4/26/2006

[slyeyes]

*paces*

Isn't that what people do when there's an impending birth?

My niece's due date is June 24. Due to the same complications that caused Owen to make an early entrance into the world, they had to start inducing my niece tonight, expected birth to be tomorrow. And here they all thought they didn't have to worry about a 6/6/06 birthdate. Not that they believe any of that; they just don't want the baby to go through life dealing with other people's reactions and comments.

Excuse me, I have some serious auntie-style pacing to do.

*pace pace pace pace*

[Eleanor]

*zips in after 13-5 Yankee victory over the Med Pox*

*gets arm in arm with sly to pace with her* :)

pace, pace, skip, pace, repeat

[Jeff Meyerson]

"Hey dude, what was happening the day you were born?"
"The remake of The Omen opened."
"Bummer."

Good luck, auntie.

[Kafaleni]

Sly.. peace, peace, peace.

Everything will be fine, and we're here to do babywatch with you. Kinda like Baywatch, but with diapers.

[Kafaleni]

Jeff.. a friend of my brother's was born the same day that Elvis died (presuming that he is, as has been reported, dead.) August 28th(? not sure of exact date), 1977.

[slyeyes]

Oh, a little wrinkle about this. Some of the women on the dad's side of the family have an ocular anomoly. Cats eyes. The iris isn't round, but is shaped like a cat's iris. One aunt has one normal eye and one cat eye. A cousin and another aunt have two cat eyes. Freaky? Oh, yeah. At the baby shower, I had to remind myself not to stare; but how can you not? Mezmerizing. None of the men have this, only women. The baby is a girl.

Can you imagine being born on 6/6/06 and having cat eyes?

I've attempted to google this and haven't found anything.

[slyeyes]

And thanks, guys.

[Kafaleni]

eek.. all she'd need after that is to be an albino and have the red pupils to go with the cats' eyes.

She should be fine, though. It doesn't sound like it travels down the male line of the family, and because they only have one x chromosome, men are rarely carriers for genetic abnormalities, generally they either have them or they don't.

[Kafaleni]

Sly.. FWIW, I found this and about a zillion things that have nothing to do with anything (did you know that ocular anomalies and pupil symptoms can be a symptom of 38 innocuous things as well as death and dyng? Or they could just be random genetic variation)

[Kafaleni]

anyone with a cluestick want to go whack these guys in Washington? I smell a lawsuit...

[Kibby F5™]

BOOGER!

CAR!

[Jeff Meyerson]

Some of the women on the dad's side of the family have an ocular anomoly. Cats eyes. The iris isn't round, but is shaped like a cat's iris. One aunt has one normal eye and one cat eye. A cousin and another aunt have two cat eyes. Freaky? Oh, yeah.

*cue the 'Twilight Zone' music*

Freaky is right.

I forgot to say, give our best to Stacey & Carol.

Kaf, would The Ocular Anomalies BAGNFARB?

Detainee Abuse?

Probably not.

Happy Teachers Day everyone.

[slyeyes]

Jeff, you're up early!

No news here, yet. Still pacing.

[Jeff Meyerson]

Me? It's only 5:51 there!

I tend to get up around 6:00 lately.

[Meanie the Blue]

*Paces in opposite direction as Sly, passing repeatedly and saying "Bread and Butter"*

I've seen that in old Warner Brothers cartoons, and have no clue what it means. Anyone know?

Oh --- Good morning, MOATfolk.

[rita]

*envies those who don't have to get up at the @sscrack of dawn*

*mutters fourmoredaysonlyfourmoredays*

One nice thing coming up--our best assistant principal is leaving (that's not the nice part) to become principal at another school, so Friday night we're having a bash for him with adult beverages (that's the nice part).

But not at school.

[Jeff Meyerson]

Rita & the Adult Beverages WBAExcellentNARB

[Jeff Meyerson]

Rita & the Adult Beverages WBAExcellentNFARB
(whoops, proofreading error)

[rita]

Someone and the Adult Beverages WBAGNF anything.

[Marie in Kourou]

Good morning/evening, everyone. I'm off to the supermarket after this post. Kick me out if I hang around, OK?

*sees that Sly is slowly but surely wearing down the patch of floor she's pacing on*
Any longer and it will be a trench. Then we'll get her to pace at the opposite side of the room, so we can use the trenches for water balloon fights.
Seriously, though - hope everything goes well for your niece! {{{{Sly and family}}}}

I think the cat eyes are neat. I've heard of "people's eyes changing color, and that, too, can either mean absolutely nothing or a serious illness. Go figure.

I've heard of Cloris Leachman a couple of times, Kaf. Every time, I wondered if she liked her name, especially since, combined with her last name, it makes her sound like some kind of cleaning fluid. "Chlorine and bleach, for that extra-shiny look!"

[DDi]

{{Sly}}

I hope all goes well! Keep us posted on your niece and the babe.

Rita, I'm up at the crack of dawn everyday.
It. Sucks.

In other news, I need some advice. A cousin of mine who lives in Pol@nd, has recently gotten a divorce from her hubby of 13 years. The man has since gone absolutely postal. He's made attempts on her life, tried to get her fired (they worked at the same company, he has since gotten terminated for his behavior), he destroys anything related to her he can get his hands on, he calls her parents and bugs the heck out of them...

Now, he's obtained my parents number here in the states and has begun making annoying calls to us. At first it was amusing. He is totally convinced that my mother has C.I.A. training and has taught my cousin to manipulate him and his head.
*insert knee slap and ROFLMAO here*
This was all very disturbing to me to begin with, the police in Poland are obviously much more relaxed about this stuff than they are here, and as many times as my cousin and family calls the cops over there, they document it, and then let him go on his way. Or, they might lock him up for an evening or two to get him to calm down and then they release him again.

Thing is, he has found my Y! email addy. Its obviously all too easy to find because its my first initial last name, but still. If he found my Y! addy, its only a matter of days before he finds my other contact info... HELP!!?? What to do!?!

*begins pacing with Sly*

[rita]

Last night I saw Cloris Leachman on "Malcolm in the Middle". She plays a wonderfully crabby old woman.

[Jeff Meyerson]

Update from The Borowitz Report:

Elsewhere, President Bush said he would deploy National Guard troops on the border of Canada to keep gay married couples from sneaking into the U.S.

[wolfie]

DDi ~ report him to whatever email provider he has found and sent you things on. Yahoo and other services seriously frown on internet stalking/threatening/harassing. If he does it thru yahoo they can block his IP from using any yahoo page like mail or games and even general search stuff. Violating T.O.S. can get him banned at least by yahoo. The same should hold true to any service. Check for a 'Report abuse' option under the help page of whatever system he has found.

[Kibby F5™]

*goes to stuff the MOAT holes with cotton to keep DDi's Wackie ex-cousin-in-law out*

... maybe a "word of warning" to him that your Mother's CIA training could be used DIRECTLY against him and it might be a good idea he "drop" the issue? Site an example he could relate to, that is, of course, totally boggus.

Like her (you mother's) close ties to Putin .... and the KGB "favors" they owe her for helping them in a "training exchange" ... make a big conspirecy out of it. He'll eat it up! Maybe you could drop a hint at something you know about him that he doesn't think you know? Underwear brand?

*puts on thinking cap*

... this could be FUN!

[Kibby "It's not Paranoia IF they're watching you" F5™]

*goes to open "super secret-secret" e-mail account*

*dons Super Powers cape of You can't touch This!!*

*wonders if the "perp" will understand him or just sit there with a blank stare*

[rita]

*blank stare*

[Kibby "It's not Paranoia IF they're watching you" F5™]

*blank stare*

kibby gets that allot rita ....

[Kibby F5™]

Speaking of Paranoia, where's our favorite android? Still dead for tax reasons?

[rita]

Oh well. A teacher just heard me tell a student to forge my initials on her exam exemption form. It's STUDY HALL fer chrissakes.

He'll probably turn me in.

[Brian B]

DDi,

You might gently suggest to him that you know an Italian family in 'Waste Management' in Cincinnati that takes frequent trips to Czech Republic and that since Poland isn't that awful far away.......

Also..Happy 6/6/06 MOATies!

Today, we welcome our giant squid overlords!

**apologies to any and all taking this day seriously**

[DDi]

The man really does think we've got some sort of connections. He actually told my mom "I've seen movies! I've read articles in magazines! I know what you Americans are capable of!"... He's sick.

I almost want to open a fake email addy to mess with him. I won't though, no worries.

[MOTW]

MOTW's name of the day: Klaus Rommerswinkel
(a name to put a smile on your face)

[Kibby F5™]

I almost want to open a fake email addy to mess with him. I won't though, no worries.

*turns down alert dial from HOT to eeeh*

*retires attire*

*palms decoder ring*

... bummer

[DDi]

LOL @ Kibby and Brian B!

Thank you wolfie, I'm going to look into reporting him. I blocked him as spam on my email, but I'll have to see what I can do about taking care of it from his end. He's using a polish email addy off a site similar to Y!.

[Jeff Meyerson]

DDi, I agree it is no laughing matter. There have been too many of these crazies who actually kill the person. I hope your cousin is being extra careful.

I also thought along the same lines as Kibby - have your mother "threaten" him with the C.I.A. But if he is that crazy who knows how he might react.

Good luck.

MOTW's name of the day: Klaus Rommerswinkel.

(*wonders how MOTW knows the name of DDi's former cousin-in-law. Wonders if MOTW too has secret CIA connections. Decides to pretend nothing is happening.*)

Oh look, something shiny!

[Jeff Meyerson]

DDi's ex-cousin in law heads for the States:

Airport security: Sir, we've been informed that you are carrying a firearm aboard this plane.
Suit: WHAT?!
Flight attendant: I overheard him say he was going to disassemble his firearm!
Suit: FLY ROD! Disassemble my FLY ROD!
Flight attendant: Oh. Whoops.

[Jeff Meyerson]

Self-Loathing Tourists Are the Worst Kind

Tourist chick: Know what would be awesome? If we could manage to not sound like assholes for like 10 minutes.
Tourist guy: We're from Ohio.

[Leetie]

*checks bad album covers for cat eyes*

[Kibby F5™]

French Open update:

The Fed 5
Ancic 4

[Marie in Kourou]

*crawls into the MOAT on her hands and knees and promptly dies of exhaustion, dehydration or heatstroke - or possibly all at once*

*revives to rant*

That is it! We are buying bikes next Saturday or I will refuse to ever set foot out of the apartment again until French Guiana cools down due to global warming (as seen in "The Day After Tomorrow"). I swear even my hair sweats sometimes.

I had gone to the post office, then the Tuesday morning market right next to it (I bought tangerines and aubergines), and then the small supermarket.

*keels over, lets herself float on her back in the MOAT water*

Someone call me a cabana boy and a cabana girl. And get me an extra large ice-cold MOATarita.

[Marie in Kourou]

Di, ditto what Wolfie said. And I think it would be fun to toy with his delusions a bit, but at the same time it could backfire and make him even crazier than he is now. So "report and ignore" would be the way to go, I think.
How are the restaurant plans going? Any news?

This will be Rita at the end of the week.

[Kibby F5™]

French Open update:

The Fed 6 2
Ancic 4 3

[Jeff Meyerson]

That doesn't sound THAT bad.

[Marie in Kourou]

It doesn't sound bad until you add the one billion percent humidity. And a backpack and shopping bags that weigh several kilos. And mud from the recent rains.

[Eleanor]

*czeching in*

I haven't heinzed.

Just wanted to say I'm all better!
No cranky today. :) Yay for me!

Watching Roger beat Ancic - *fingers crossed*, but he's up 2 sets so it's looking good.

Will return and heinz later!

[Kibby F5™]

MiK sounds like she's been walking to school, up hill both ways, bare foot and in the snow.

[Leetie]

*wondering if slyeyes has any Swedish blood*

[rita]

Wow, thanks, MiK. The filter here categorizes that as sexual material, so it must be really good!

*settles in for a lunch-time snooze*

[rita]

Jeff, that's my kind of weather, although the humidity is bit much. It reminds me of Key West.

[Jeff Meyerson]

Leetie - *snork*

Love the hair!

[Meanie the Blue]

*Wonders if Slyeyes will ever tell her niece's family her screenname*

[Marie in Kourou]

If this is your kind of weather, then come on down and visit this far-flung MOATette. I'd be glad to lodge you - though you've been forewarned about the cooking!

The humidity is much worse at the height of the rainy season (December, January, February). It gets a lot hotter at the end of the dry summer months (when the sky is cloudless most days, or almost cloudless), and October is the driest month.

So the climate does vary, but you ask me to sum it up, I can only quote the great Adrian Cronauer:

"I just want to begin by saying to Roosevelt E. Roosevelt, what it is, what it shall be, what it was. The weather out there today is hot and shitty with continued hot and shitty in the afternoon. Tomorrow a chance of continued crappy with a pissy weather front coming down from the north. Basically, it's hotter than a snake's ass in a wagon rut."

[Marie in Kourou]

Also:

Lt. Steven Hauk: First of all, don't make fun of the weather here, and don't say the weather is the same all the time here. Because it's not. In fact, it's two degrees colder today than yesterday.
Adrian Cronauer: Two degrees colder, me without my muff.

[Eleanor]

Wasn't it nice and considerate of Roger to win the match in straight sets so I could listen to Susan? Yes. He's sooooo considerate.

How about a song to celebrate Roger's win, Susan?

*zips out to heinz*

[Leetie]

Blue Meanie: Found it!

Bread and Butter

"A phrase along the lines of Step on a crack/break your mothers back , in the sense that it was a phrase triggered by an event. If two people were walking down a street, and a pole or other obstacle happened to separate them, this phrase would allegedly be uttered, the idea being that the butter (the object) could not really separate the bread (the two people). Used in A Day at the Zoo (Avery, 1939) with the two big cats pacing in a cage, and separated by a tree, and at the start of Hare Trigger (Freleng, 1945) with the trains passing each other, with telegraph poles in between. "

From this page.

[Eleanor]

Statement:

I want to thank everyone who was so nice to me yesterday when I was cranky, irritable, and almost threw a temper tantrum.

I'd just been feeling like crap all weekend and into yesterday. I think I must have had some bug or something.

But I feel fine today, and it is NOT just because CG's coming over for lunch.
Really. It's not.
*grins*
/end statement

When I was heinzing I became a little concerned about my partner's zealousness re Di's cousin, so I was happy to see that he got a grip.
Di, IMO wolfie's idea is the smartest.

eeekkkkk - tech report coming up!!!!!!!!!!

[Kibby F5™]

SUSAN FORGOT THE TECH REPORT!

NOW she wants to put it back in!!!

aaaaack!

[DDi]

{{Laynie}} Glad to hear you're doing better today sunshine!

So the crazy E.C.I.L (abbreviated because its too darn long to type out each time!) also sent annoying emails to my cousin in Tejas. She is his ex-wifes sister and they used to be very close. That is, until he lost his mind during the divorce and all. His emails to her basically say the same thing "You hired people who drive Dodge Caravans to spy on me! What kind of crazy American antics are these!?"

My question is, if we hired people to spy on him, wouldn't they drive something less obvious? Like maybe a P.O.S. polish car or a horse and buggy or sumfin? (NTTAWWT - he lives in a far suburb of a major town, and there are still a few farms in his area, so a horse and buggy might be the perfect way to go!)

[Eleanor]

*grins*

[rita]

I do want to come down that way, Marie. It's a matter of not having money for airfare with this big trip coming up.

Love the quotes!

So here's what's going on right before exams start: We have exam exemption forms for students to have signed if they have don't have an exam in a class and don't want to come to school during that time. So far so good. Teachers sign for each class in which the student is exempted; also, the library and bookkeeper have to sign that no fees are owed (thousands of dollars will come in this week that they otherwise would never recover).

The bookkeeper and librarians get VERY upset if anyone signs the forms before they do. I try to remember not to sign the papers unless those two have signed, but I do forget occasionally (already twice today). So one girl was sent to tell me that I had to scribble out my name--I just use initials--then initial that I'd scribbled it out. WTFBBQ? I asked the girl if I should just keep initialing my initials. I told her to sign it herself when she gets the required "sign-offs".

Whoops, shouldn't have done that, should I?

Power trips.

Example: The bookkeeper (who is now the financial officer, although no one knows who changed her title; we suspect she did) practically requires an appointment to see her. If her door is open, come on in. If the door is closed (and usually locked, although she can easily be seen through the huge window next to the door), then she's not available. Do Not Disturb. She has refused to do things that her job clearly entails. Once she sent out a snotty email telling us to pretty much leave her alone, that collecting money from students for AP tests is NOT her job. A couple of hours later wee got another email, this one saying whoops, that IS my job.

People.

[Susan]

*sigh*

Yes...Susan forgot the tec report...and Susan put it back in...they pay to run it.

Susan got distracted with a new phone to play with-I mean set up and czech out.

Susan has not heinzed as yet...

[Jeff Meyerson]

"You hired people who drive Dodge Caravans to spy on me! What kind of crazy American antics are these!?"

Oh no, I think he knows about this guy.

If her door is open, come on in. If the door is closed (and usually locked, although she can easily be seen through the huge window next to the door), then she's not available. Do Not Disturb.

In other words: Pay No Attention to the [Wo]man Behind the Curtain (or, in this case, glass)

Too funny. Maybe working in schools is dangerous to your mental health?

Thanks Susan. My favorite song ever.

[Meanie the Blue]

Thanks, Leetie! Excellent researching. The main page from that link is a great resource for all this incredibly vital material.

Hold the onions!

[Eleanor]

I understand about the tech report Susan.

It's all about revenue to keep WCRE going so we can have the Request Hour, right?
I just hate that it has to be DURING the request hour. :)

[rita]

"Maybe working in schools is dangerous to your mental health?" you ask?

Answer: Definitely.

[wolfie]

Thanks Susan.
*sends happy vibes out into the karmic universe*

[sharon share-alike]

{{MOATies!!}}

Finally heinzed. Haven't been around much, but recovery is going pretty well. I had a horrible allergic reaction to the steri-strip stitches on my neck, but they've been removed and I'm getting better and can swallow again. I'm up and around, and even went to a movie the other day! I'm a bit self conscious about the large gash on my throat, but hey...that's what pretty scarves are for, right?

*SMOOCH!* to El--glad you're feeling better!

[Jeff Meyerson]

I just hate that it has to be DURING the request hour. :)

Maybe it's me, but I think there's something about Atticus's voice that just puts you to sleep.

[Jeff Meyerson]

Thomas Ravenel - He's Not a Career Politician But He is Full of Sh!t

/end PSA

I am so tired of these phony politicians who tell us they want "less government" when they really mean they want less government interference in how they and their friends run their businesses but they're perfectly happy to have government interfere in things they disapprove of: abortion, drugs, gay marriage, etc.

/end political rant