PurrKitten's Furballs

You know you're over 50 when...

PurrKitten — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 20:46:01 GMT

More and more, I get daily, if not hourly reminders that I am over 50. I don't like it, but as my mother says, the alternative isn't so hot. So in the vein of Jeff Foxworthy, here goes.

You know you're over 50 when:

going to the pharmacy is part of your regular errands.
loud music in cars stopped next to you at a traffic light annoy you, especially when they are drowning out NPR on your radio.
doctors all look like Doogie Howser, except the ones that look like Barbie. And you actually know who Doogie Howser is.
hair is growing in places it doesn't belong, but you hardly care because you can't see it when you look up close in the mirror.
speaking of mirrors, the kind that flips between normal and magnification? Now they are always on the magnification side.
a wardrobe change means changing between an array of different eyeglasses for different purposes.
your knees make a weird crunching sound when you go up stairs.
cats like to sit on your lap because you don't move much once you sit down.
the AARP has killed a tree or two trying to get you to join.
a drug test concerns you because you have to actually list all the prescribed drugs you are taking and you might forget something.
while waiting at the dentist's office, you pick up Architectural Digest instead of People.
speaking of People magazine, you don't even know the people on the cover.
a Saturday night of board games with friends makes you tired and ready for bed.
all the "fun" drugs make you sick to your stomach.
you can remember not only what a slide rule looks like, but how to use it.
you drive a car that cops don't look twice at.
getting pulled over at a sobriety checkpoint is interesting, but you worry about the balance test because you recently had knee surgery.

When I think of more, I'll add them on. I need to stop now and take a nap.

DVR and OCD

PurrKitten — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 19:13:24 GMT

I have this thing about details. I notice some things that other people don't see. Oh, not everything, but there are some details that elude other people and they just scream "Hey, over here!" to me. I'm thinking this is some type of weird OCD, but I'm not a psychiatrist, so I'll stop trying to diagnose or excuse my weirdness.

So I'm thinking that the digital video recorder was invented just for the sole purpose of satisfying my need to verify what I see and hear, and to prove it to others. Which makes me a real pain in the ass to watch TV with, unless you are used to this. It's bad enough that I pick apart TV shows, but I always feel inclined to share. As if that reflects well on me.

The other night, we were watching a show where the two characters were lying in bed and one of them was reading a book. Depending on which "take" they used for the final version, the woman was either 1/3 or 2/3 complete with the book in her hand. And it went back and forth from shot to shot. Drove me crazy. After I got done watching the scene, and counting the number of changes in "reading progression", I had to rewind the entire scene because I hadn't heard a word the characters had said.

I see this all the time on TV. If only I could rewind real life so I could verify details of what I see and hear. But I find that people object to re-playing their lives just to accommodate my idiosyncrasies.

Don't worry, I won't stop taking my medication.

It's My Blog and I'll Rant if I Want To

PurrKitten — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 16:47:43 GMT

Just a friendly warning - this is going to be a rant.

People or institutions which display poorly thought out ideas and actions make me want to scream. I listen to a lot of talk radio, and it frequently sounds to me like people are spouting out a bunch of crap that they don't know a lot about. Take Sarah Palin and the Paul Revere story. I heard her comments described as "word salad". Can't think of anything better to call it.

A few months back, I got a letter from the Allied Health department at Orange Coast College to tell me that once again, I did not make the cut for the cardiovascular technology program for Fall 2011. When I first applied to the program in March of 2009, they said it would be about 1-2 years. Now they are saying that the list has been stable at three years. Really? Why weren't we told that two years ago?

This really irritates me to no end. I mean really, how hard is it to count the number of people on a list? I guessing the counting portion of keeping a list is not what they do well.

And all of this wouldn't bother me nearly as much if they took a student's qualifications into consideration. This is true for all of the allied health programs at OCC. They are first come, first serve. Let's think about this for a minute. During the economic downturn, many people are going back to school to pursue new careers. So these waiting lists have gotten longer in recent years. I understand that. The downside is that some of the people on those lists shouldn't be anywhere near a patient, but they get a chance to be in these programs just because they finished the pre-requisites and they got to the top of the list.

OCC doesn't care if a student has previously been unsuccessful in work or school. So someone who couldn't hold down a job, or decided not to apply themselves to an educational process still gets into the programs. Every student has to pass the "weed-out" class Anatomy & Physiology, but they have 3 to 4 times that they can attempt the class. OCC doesn't care how long it takes a student to pass the pre-requisite classes, as long as they pass with a C or better.

So if you are in a hospital, and a technician comes in to do an ultrasound or respiratory treatment, how do you feel about having someone treating you that just barely made it through school? Or maybe these students never get hired after graduation because the medical institutions see that they aren't all that great. In the meantime, more qualified applicants are sitting on the waiting lists.

Another downside to this "first come, first serve" policy is that the highly qualified students are finishing their pre-requisites and going to other schools that actually have a merit based application process. And that is most of the other community colleges in this area (e.g. Cypress, Golden West, Saddleback). Because of the merit based application process, the good students are getting into programs faster at schools other than OCC. The problem is that OCC is the only school that offers some of the Allied Health programs.

You may think this is just sour grapes, and I don't know what I'm talking about. I've worked with some of these students as a tutor, and some of them have no business pursuing a health profession. So my advice to the health care consumer: ask questions about the practitioners that you encounter. If you aren't happy with their patient skills or technical knowledge, request another technician. I know this has opened my eyes. I always thought that people practicing in the medical fields were the cream of the crop. Now I know that at least some of the them can wait patiently and have nothing better to do with their time.

End of rant.

Moderation - unfashionable?

PurrKitten — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 18:38:00 GMT

Politics seems to be an arena where extremes get all the attention. The views of Michelle Bachmann, Sarah Palin, Mike Malloy, Keith Olberman, and many others seem to get all the focus of media.

What happened to moderate views? Having opinions that straddle the left and right are completely out of fashion these days. And if you dare to think that the extremes should talk to one another to build consensus? Heresy!!

Okay, I do have some opinions that might not be considered moderate. I think they are moderate, but you be the judge:

get rid of the IRS and all the convoluted tax code. Institute a flat value-added tax for EVERYONE. Make everyone pay their fair share, including corporations that aren't currently paying anything.
cut spending in the areas of the budget that are the largest (e.g., social security, defense spending). These areas have more money to play with. Forget all the peanuts like foreign aid, NPR, and Planned Parenthood. There just ain't a lot of money in these areas to cut out that will make a real difference.
provide healthcare for everyone. Create more competition in healthcare insurance by eliminating state borders.
balance the federal budget. Stop borrowing money from foreign governments. Period.
stop busting unions. Who cares if public employees organize? Let them strike and hire around them. If there aren't any qualified people to hire, then maybe you need to pay attention to what they are asking for.
if you are a Christian - bully for you. I've done the church thing and it didn't work for me. I'd rather have a great discussion with a well-educated mind that knows how to think than a person who wants to talk about how religion guides their life.
if you watch Fox News, try watching MSNBC once in a while. If you watch MSNBC, try watching Fox News occasionally. Try to find something that you can agree with.
engage in a conversation with someone who doesn't agree with you. Find common ground. Don't yell.

I recently had a discussion with a staunch Republican about immigration. Believe it or not, we found common ground. But we also had areas we disagreed on. But we didn't yell at each other. Too often we have "discussions" that have the sole purpose to reinforce our opinions and views. Talking is about communicating, not a dictation of opinions.

Ranting complete.

Resolving to not resolve

PurrKitten — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 18:32:00 GMT

I've never been a big fan of New Year's resolutions. I've tried them and I usually fail. Then I feel like a failure, which leads to more resolutions to stop failing. It's a vicious circle. So I have stepped off that merry-go-round. Here are some of the resolutions that never made it to the success column:

Lose weight - who hasn't tried this one? And I continue to yo-yo back and forth, so that's just the way I am. Case closed. Well, not really - I'll be watching calories or points probably for the rest of my life. The best I can hope for is some kind of dementia that erases my thoughts about my weight but not everything else. Is there a calorie focused Alzheimers?
Hand write notes to people to say thank you or let them know I'm thinking about them. This has never even gotten off the ground - ask my family. I finally gave up on birthday cards because I never got around to sending them. Somewhere I have a pile of unsent cards some of which are years old. The best I can do these days is send an email that lets a friend or loved one know that I've been reading their Facebook page diligently. How lovely.
Get more exercise. See "Lose weight".
Eat a healthier diet. Again, see "Lose weight".
Stop drinking. When I used to drink, I would set a goal to stop for one month. Never made it that far. This resolution was abandoned and replaced with a 12 step group. And not at New Years. But visit a 12 step group in early January. The rooms swell with well meaning addicts. They are usually gone by February.
Watch less TV. Where do I start with this one? At one point in the past ten years, I was down to one 19" TV and if I wasn't in front of it when a show was telecast, I didn't watch it. Now we have three, soon to be four, flat screen TVs, all of which are hooked up to a satellite receiver and DVR. Once we find a show we like, we record it. We have every premium channel there is, and some sports programming that you pay extra for. I actually feel guilty if I don't watch some shows because we paid extra for them. Somewhere I have gone terribly wrong with the goal of not sitting in front of a TV as much.
Read more books. Okay, I've made some progress on this one since I got a Kindle, but with all the TV watching I have to do, playing with my iPad, and school work, who has time to read?

So I ask, why bother? This year's resolution: no resolutions! I'm just going to continue my on-going effort to lead a better life. Sounds good to me.

Crap

PurrKitten — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 14:41:00 GMT

This seems like an apt title for a mish-mash of topics with relevance in my life right now.

Yesterday afternoon, we had a neighborhood water main break under the street. Brown water was running in between the asphalt and the gutter, actually lifting the street up. Pretty cool to watch. Not fun to repair. The city got here around 4:00 in the afternoon, and despite budget cuts, they worked most of the night to get it fixed. This morning we are back in business. However, in the mean time, we had no running water. And being in the middle of remodeling, we had no containers to fill with water before they shut it off. If you read between the lines, that means no way to flush toilets. Crap.

Solution? We used the port-a-crapper currently sitting in our driveway for the construction workers. Gross? Yes. Functional? Yes. Do I have a new appreciation for running water. YES.

Speaking of crap, I'm just starting to go through the voters guide and all the eco-unfriendly voting clutter that has filled our mailbox in recent weeks. I've developed a methodology for making voting decisions:

For any particular ballot initiative or candidate, look at who supports them.
Research the supporting organizations or individuals. I can usually find more information on them than I can the candidates because they have a lot of money and money buys attention.
If I agree with who or what they are, consider voting for the initiative/candidate. Otherwise, no go from me.

Example: Proposition 23 was put on the ballot and is widely supported by oil companies. This initiative will suspend the new state climate change law unless unemployment is under 5.5% Ever wonder if oil companies support green initiatives? Ever wonder if the Pope has considered converting to Islam? We have installed solar panels, drought resistant landscaping, and low voltage lighting. I drive a hybrid. I think oil companies are full of crap. That was easy.

Now the hard part. Going through the entire ballot and doing the same analysis on every single issue or candidate. Crap.

My Bucket List

PurrKitten — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 00:40:00 GMT

I've been thinking about dying lately. No, not "I'm gonna die! Oh, sh$%^&*, what am I going to do?" More like, "what do I want to accomplish now that I'm in my 50's and I have a lot less time to get things done?"

I would like to take a whole bunch of science classes, like chemistry, biology, and physics. But they take a lot of time and energy. I could devote the next 10 years to this alone - for what? So I can be really smart?

I would like to get really buffed. You know, weight lifting, aerobics, the whole bit. But I don't know how, and I'm kind of lazy. This ship may have sailed.

I would like to be the kind of person who sends cards all the time, not just for special occasions. As it is, I don't send cards at all, and when I do, they are usually late. Accomplishing this would be like swimming upstream, I fear.

I would like to stop watching so much TV. But I think I really need an intervention to get this one done. I have the TV on even as I write this.

I would like to be more forgiving to people in general. Is this really possible? I've heard people say that they can forgive others, but I think they just secretly harbor resentments like the rest of us normal folks.

I would like to make a difference. Create or do something that really matters. This one I think has a real possible positive outcome. But again, I don't know who to contact to let them know that I'm available for being amazing. For free, even. What, do I write a resume that starts with a Job Target of "want to make difference by being a wonderful, stellar human being. Willing to work for free." I just don't think anyone would really believe me. I have done some volunteer work, but my current volunteer gig is kind of boring. I sit around doing nothing a whole lot.

I would like to throw huge parties that people were dying to attend.

I would like to attend all of the grand slam tennis tournaments. But only if the weather isn't too hot.

I would like to celebrate all the religious holidays in a decidedly secular manner. I fear this might offend some people. And I really don't want to do any fasting for those holidays that require it. Give me the feasting holidays only, please.

When I think of some more things for my list, I'll let you know. Maybe making the list is the closest I'll ever get to some of these things.

Summer? What summer?

PurrKitten — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 03:33:00 GMT

This weekend is Labor Day. I'm still wondering what happened to Memorial Day and the 4th of July. Although I did take a class this summer, it was more of a distraction than a pursuit of knowledge. Why? Because of THE remodeling project. Wanna have a good time? Invite dozens of contractors into your home to make your life interesting.

We have been planning this project for a year, and we finally got started on the first day of June. It's been pretty much non-stop ever since. I don't know how people work and remodel at the same time. I have spent so much time nearly everyday doing a myriad of tasks. Most of which I haven't done a whole lot of - ever. For example:

Trying to figure out how to "edge" tiled surfaces. I thought that tile just stopped when you were done. WRONG! There needs to be a quarter round or 90 degree corner to give the tile a "finished" appearance. So just picking out tile isn't enough.
Washing dishes in a bathroom sink. This has made me appreciate the fact that kitchen counters are higher (more back friendly) than bathroom counters. I never knew this before, and I had to use that information in specifying cabinets in the kitchen and downstairs bathroom. And now I REALLY appreciate dishwashers of the automated variety.
Shopping for large dollar amount items and writing some really large checks. This just isn't getting any easier. The second line of the check simply doesn't fit all those words when the amount is big. Oh, yeah, and my bank account is dwindling.
Walking by a port-a-potty in our driveway and not even noticing it.
Calling people to get references on contractors. This is so awkward. This involves calling complete strangers to ask questions about their remodeling [hell]. Then asking them if the contractor was wonderful or sucked. And hope like crazy that they don't give you one word answers. I don't like talking on the phone that much, so this one really isn't very easy for me.
Asking lots of stupid questions to anyone who will listen and possibly respond. Questions like "Why do sinks have to have vents?" and "Which comes first: flooring or appliances?". One of my favorite set of questions is: "How much does this cost?", quickly followed with "Can you do better?". Sometimes I follow that up with "I think I'll check online for a better price." That doesn't always work, but I've been known to check and come back later begging for the deal we made before I left.
Trying to regulate the amount of pain relievers/killers I take for all the headaches I've had this summer. Okay, I've had headaches before, but not usually with this frequency. Reminds me of "escrow" headaches. Homeowners, you know what I'm talking about.

But this too shall pass. It's going to make holiday shopping real easy this year. There ain't gonna be any presents. We bought ourselves a remodel. How am I going to wrap that and put it under the tree?

Shhhh...I want to listen to silence

PurrKitten — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 04:31:00 GMT

We finally got the plans finalized, the permits issued, and the contractors lined up. Well, most of them anyway. And the noise started today. First step? Build a temporary staircase (pun intended). It was so noisy, even the dog was nervous. But it is very quiet right now. I love silence.

In the next couple of days, they are going to start taking up parts of the foundation and putting down new pads and footers to support the new load distribution for the first and second floors. Important stuff since we are taking down the entire back (load-bearing) wall - all 25 feet of it. Oh, yeah, and the major interior wall that holds up the second floor is going away too. And we started by simply envisioning a kitchen remodel. This has definitely gotten MUCH bigger as the planning progressed.

When the concrete saws show up, I'm trying to think of how to put noise canceling earphones on the dog and the cats. I don't know what would annoy them more - the noise or the earphones.

Anyway, wish us luck. I'm stocked up on Aleve and my favorite anti-anxiety medication. I'm good to go.

Self Torment

PurrKitten — Thu, 27 May 2010 18:02:00 GMT

Why oh why do I waste my time watching American Idol? Although I have to admit, I did delete some of the episodes this season from the DVR without watching them due to lack of interest.

So Lee was crowned the champ. Really? Compared to Crystal, he really wasn't very interesting. Same result as last year: Kris whats-his-face won over Adam Lambert. Come one, Adam had so much more talent and was just plain more interesting. But I have read that the cougars have taken over the major demographic in the voting pool, so female contestants don't stand a chance. Sad, really. But compare that to other things going on the world, I don't know why I waste brain cells thinking about it.

So now I can catch up on my other TV watching: Law & Order, Criminal Minds, CSI. Real TV. Fake lives. I think I need to get one instead of watching TV so much. But how can I live without HGTV???

Crazy Politics - As Usual

PurrKitten — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 17:07:00 GMT

I haven't been writing much about politics lately. Actually, I haven't been writing much about anything. But politics has been something I've been really interested in - until the last few months.

The amount of rhetoric and spewing of vitriol has become toxic, at least for me. I used to listen to quite a bit of talk radio, but I can't stomach it so much anymore. I feel discouraged because we are becoming a nation of polar opposites, and no one wants to listen to anyone but themselves. When a politician starts to talk about working with the other side of the aisle in Congress, he or she is denigrated by members of their own party as "not team players". Seriously, aren't our elected officials supposed to talk to each other to work out compromises for the greater good? Or am I some sort of idealistic fool?

I have heard some pretty horrible things coming from groups that are gaining a following in this country. The tea-party folks scare the crap out of me. And they are growing. I have to believe that there are a lot of people like me who consider themselves in the "middle of the road", but no one is asking us what we want. And anytime we speak, we get drowned out by the crazies.

I was at 7-11 yesterday getting a snack, and there was a homeless woman outside the store ranting some kind of nonsense. Customers just kept going in and out, doing their quick convenience shopping. So who do you think any of those customers will remember? The quiet folks going about their day? Or the crazy lady outside, ranting and raving about the cataclysm in her head? This is what is going on in politics today. We listen to the people with the loudest, nuttiest voices, but the everyday person is largely ignored.

American Idol?

PurrKitten — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:26:00 GMT

One of my dirty little secrets is that I watch American Idol. Okay, truth be told, it isn't the only reality show I watch. This year is fun with Ellen on it even though I'm not a big fan of hers. Another long story that makes me look petty, but I digress.

I've noticed this year that several of the contestants having a praying habit that they like to talk about as part of the performance ritual. Others talk about their god in the course of their interviews. Honestly? I wish they would button it. I'm so tired of hearing how god did this, and god did that. And they wish god would do this, or not do that. God-lovers out there, here is my message: it's a free country. You can do or say whatever you want about god. But stop talking about it in public. I really don't care about your personal relationship with it. Shouldn't that be private? I don't want to hear about any of your personal relationships, really. Why do I care about your god relationship?

Let's talk about all of the dumb things that humans have done in the name of their gods:

the holocaust in Germany
the Christian Crusades
attack on 9/11/2001
Salem witch trials
passage of prop 8 in California and similar laws in other states
creation museum in Kentucky - are you serious??

I mean really, why do some people discard common sense and scientific knowledge in the name of some mysterious god? I think I'll start a religion that believes in food as a supreme being. Food gives us life, comfort, and energy. Why not? I'm passing the offering basket now. Any donors to the church of food? We'll have weekly meetings at restaurants in your area. I'm liking this a lot!

When To Shut Up

PurrKitten — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 22:00:00 GMT

I have a dilemma. It seems that some people I know have different opinions than I do. How can that be? I know my opinions are well thought out and logical. How can someone think differently?

Unfortunately, too many people think that way these days. And no one seems to care about the opposing opinions, except to have an opportunity to argue with one another. I like having discussions that involve rational thought and consideration for new information and other's opinions. But that simply doesn't seem to happen that much anymore.

So I am learning to shut up. It's not an easy task for me. For years, I didn't think my opinion counted (this is not therapy by blog, so let's not explore why I felt that way). So now that I have an opinion, I want everyone to know about it and enjoy it's wonderfulness. Whether it's gay marriage, abortion, religion, politics, gun control - I can say something about it.

Facebook is a forum for everyone to share their opinions in small textual bites. And sometimes the things I see make me cringe. I made the mistake of responding to a friend's opinion, and I got a rather curt response. I'm thinking a face to face discussion would have been a better idea. So now I'm just plain shutting up. This person has some opinions which obviously don't agree with mine, so I'm just not going to go there. Does it shade my view of this person? I would lying if I said it didn't. But I think my reaction is more to the curtness, not the actual opinion expressed.

We seem to be a country invested in doing small things rapidly without fully exploring all sides. This is true in politics, religion, and living life in general. Multi-tasking is practically worshiped even though it has been proven that the brain can't really do two things at once. We are a nation of distraction, not involvement.

Excuse me now, I have to go distract myself with some mindless television.

Pet Peeves

PurrKitten — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 19:03:00 GMT

During this time of year, most folks are feeling mellow and sweet just because the holidays can be so wonderful. I usually am, but this year I'm feeling a bit grouchy. So I decided to list my pet peeves - at least the ones that I currently have. Maybe that will put me in a different frame of mind before Christmas gets here. So here goes:

I detest "mood lighting" in public bathrooms. What's up with that? When I'm using the bathroom, I prefer to be able to see really well what I am getting into. Sometimes I think that they design the low lights to hide dirt. And who goes to the bathroom to get into the mood anyway? Turn up the lights please!
I get really cranky when I am following someone who is driving slow when I'm in the mood to go fast. And I get equally cranky when someone is tailgating me when I'm in the mood to drive slow.
I really don't like to talking to people who only talk about themselves. I'm pretty interesting, I think. Ask me what I'm up to. I'll try to entertain.
My dog irritates me. He needs to eat, go outside, and he barks and whines. His biggest crime? He's not a cat.
Sales people who talk incessantly bother me. Give me some information, then give me time to think. If you bombard me, I am more inclined to walk away. Even if it is a good deal. And please laugh at my jokes. I'm spending money, so that should buy at least a giggle.
I get irritated by people who don't answer the question that is asked of them. We've all met these folks. You ask them what color the sky is, and they will tell you that the grass is green. Most politicians fall into this category.
Why do doctors think they know more about me than I know? Okay, yes, they are highly trained in the medical field. But I am highly trained in living inside my body. I know what I know, regardless of what a doctor's education tells him.
I really don't like people who are not appreciative. However, I'm beginning to sound like one.

That's it for now. Happy Holidays!

Simple Pleasures

PurrKitten — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 20:13:00 GMT

Despite the odds, our solar array is officially installed. I'm sure some of the HOA board members still aren't happy, but I really don't care. My spouse is constantly teasing me because I like to watch the electric meter run backwards during the day. And today is our first rain since the installation, and NO LEAKS! It's the simple pleasures in life, don'tcha think? So the water-wise landscaping is done, solar is in - now on to the big project. Ripping out the walls downstairs. We are still working on getting the final plans drawn and through an engineering review. But it seems under control at this point.

Our holidays will be spent packing everything on our first floor to be sent to storage for the duration of the project. I do mean everything: furniture, dishes, pictures, decorations. It's like moving, but we are only going to the master bedroom for a few months. We are literally going to be stuffed in three rooms, cooking in a microwave in the bathroom. I think the cats may be okay, but we may kill the dog during the process. Me and the wife? Hopefully we will still like each other after this is all over.

The fun thing (at least it seems like it right now) is the shopping list we need to complete for the project. Cabinets, appliances, hardware, flooring, paint, fabrics, lighting - you name it, we have to select and purchase it. Even down to the baseboards and toilet seat. It's funny the things we already know we want (I have the toilet seat already selected) and the things we aren't sure about (maple or cherry cabinets?). I keep telling myself: it's a process, it's supposed to have a lot of unknowns at this point. The holidays seem like a distraction right now. But I'm getting some cool stuff, I think, so opening some presents between now and demolition day is something I think I can handle.

Free Country?

PurrKitten — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:12:00 GMT

As most of you know, I tend to be a bit on the liberal side of the political line. I got shoved there by the right wing crazies out there. But some of my notions tend to go down the other side of the fence. For instance...

We are doing a bunch of remodeling to our single family home. No big deal, right? Absolutely, as long as we get all the right signatures from folks who can really tell us whether what we are doing is okay. Big Brother, alive and well.

First, there is our homeowner's association. We got them to sign off on our new landscaping, but now that we have finished it, a few of them aren't so sure about our "no sod" look. We like it: no more "mow & blow" expenses (you know what I'm talking about), and our water usage is going way down because our yard only has drought resistant plants. No, it doesn't look like desert terrain. But it does look strikingly different from the rest of the neighborhood, yet it is tasteful and attractive. In drought ridden California, you would think everyone would jump on board. Then we had to get their approval to put solar panels on our roof. The laws in California basically say they can't stop us, but one board member tried to throw enough stones in our path so that we might just go away. He was worried that the glare off the panels might blind someone on the street and cause an accident. In spite of assurances that the panels have an anti-glare coating, and the physics of light waves simply didn't support that problem. They finally signed off, but the hoops were silly to say the least.

Then there are the building codes and the permits that have to be obtained from the city. Like anything they say is going to prevent us from hiring and implementing crappy work from a bad contractor. Okay, so maybe they will keep us from doing anything that infringes on our neighbors. But even that is a tad overboard. They are telling us how far from our property line we can build - even when we have NO neighbors in back of us. It's a wide open greenbelt. Why should they care???

So as we continue to pursue putting money into our ailing economy, we will keep up the good fight to get those who need to bless us to wave their hands over us in affirmation. Where is a priest when you need one?

"Marriage" Redefined - Orange County Style

PurrKitten — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:54:00 GMT

In November of last year, I blogged about my Assemblyman Michael Duvall and and an email message I received from him about the "undemocratic" protests of the those of us who were against the passage of proposition 8. Mr. Duvall has been an avid supporter of denying the GLBT community marriage equality, to the point that he put the existing same sex marriages in quotes.

Apparently same sex marriage has not been the downfall of Mr. Duvall's political career, or put him in bed with other women outside his marriage. Or as he is now known in the blogosphere "Spanky Duvall" (watch the video). He was able to get into bed with these women, presumably without any gay people pushing him there. Caught in a sex scandal where he admits on an open mike to sleeping with a lobbyist, he resigns in less than 24 hours. Besides the obvious hypocritical nature of this family values champion, I am amazed that he doesn't see the obvious conflict of interest in sleeping with a lobbyist who has interest in front of a committee on which he serves!

This is what it is like to live behind the Orange Curtain. Me and my wife are living quietly, paying our taxes, keeping up our property, and being good neighbors. And this guy is sleeping around and being unethical, while trying to deny rights to my GLBT community. My daddy told me life ain't fair, but really. This is just ridiculous.

Aging gracefully?

PurrKitten — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 18:19:00 GMT

I've talked a bit about the effects that I think that Topamax has had on my cognitive functioning. I've also had a chance to consult with an expert in the field of neuropsychology about how the brain and mind works during the aging process. Here is a surprise (no joke here) - the brain starts slowing down as early as our 30's! That simply sucks. I mean really - isn't that kind of a cruel joke? Just when I get smart enough and have enough experience, my mind can no longer keep up with it all? I've always said that about physical energy. It always seemed like energy was wasted on 2 and 3 year-olds. Think of what a 50-year-old could do with that energy. The world would be a different place. So now I have to face the reality that my mind works slower than it did 20 years ago. Just plain sucks.

This is so obvious to me being in a college environment. These kids are physically and cognitively agile. Some of them choose to use it to the fullest extent. Others are a tad lazy. Then I see us middle-agers, trying harder to keep up. As my father (who now has dementia) has said to me "life simply is not fair".

So in my world, I lean back and reflect on what I have that the whipper-snappers don't have. My car runs and is paid off. I have a beautiful home and a small mortgage. I am financially secure. I know who I am in so many ways that I didn't know when I was 25. I don't have to worry about getting pregnant. Or not getting pregnant (take your pick). I can afford to go out to eat just about anywhere I choose. I am secure enough in myself that I don't need to shop to make myself look, feel, act, or in anyway seem better. I'm not afraid to change my mind about my opinions on important issues. I know my flaws, and although I don't like them, I've learned to live with most of them.

The moral of this story is that there is some parts of being in my 20's that I would like back. But what I have achieved in knowledge and experience in my life, I would never trade in. But damn, I wish I could still go through my day without wanting a nap!

Facebook Phishing - Part Deux

PurrKitten — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 23:14:00 GMT

And the plot thickens...

The day after my wife's Facebook account got hacked (see previous entry), we scrambled to protect ourselves on all of our other accounts across the virtual world. And being the good internet citizen, I reported the problem to Facebook security.

What is the thanks I get for this? They disable MY Facebook account with no explanation. I received an email that said my account had been compromised and that I should change the password. Oh, and I should reply to their email with my security word in the email. Now that is just plain wrong. I have NEVER heard of entering a security word into an email. This looks like an email from the hacker.

So again, I sent a copy of this to Facebook security.

No reply. The big Facebook wall. Now I know why they call it a "wall" on Facebook. Because it is just a big computer. There are no people there to take care of actual problems. I'm not sure I should be into this anymore, but I'm kind of addicted at this point. I keep up with a lot of my friends this way. It's a conundrum.

Facebook Phishing

PurrKitten — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 18:54:00 GMT

This is from the bizarro file. This morning I was wasting my usual amount of time on Facebook when the chat window popped up from my spousal unit. This is interesting for a number of reasons: she rarely gets on Facebook, she is currently out of town playing golf, and she never calls me by my first name (which "she" did in the chat window). I simply couldn't imagine her standing on a tee box at the 10th tee musing "I wonder what my PK is doing at home? I'll use Facebook to find out!" Like I said, she doesn't use Facebook at home, much less on her Blackberry. So I called the bluff of the phisher:

Spouse:
Hey PK
8:28amPK
hi
what are you doing on FB?
8:29amSpouse
we are in need of help that why came on here for help
not good at the moment
8:30amPK
call me
8:30amSpouse
ouch all cell phone as being stolen away from us by the robbers
8:31amSpouse
we have being in big shit in London by the robbers

Would have been funny if it wasn't scary. So this morning has been about shutting down the Facebook account and protecting ourselves in other ways. So if you are on Facebook, beware. The phishers are lurking.