Blogger Friend News

Two bits of news--neither of which has anything to do with me.  (That will likely make this the most popular post ever on this blog.)

First, I am now friends with a published author.  Well, a very soon to be published author.  Kristie of North of 49 has written a book titled, "Ting Ting".  It can be ordered here and will be available on Amazon.  Completely without Kristie's permission, I'd like to share a paragraph from the publisher's webpage:

"Eight-year-old Ting misses her parents, but her comfortable life in China hasn’t changed too much since they both went away to Canada. She’s living with loving relatives who care for her like their own child (even though her cousin is so annoying!). She goes to the same school with the same classes, including boring history and loads of homework. She has the same friends and the same favourites: hawthorn-berry candy and sticky taffy, outings to the park, visits with her grandfather in the country. If only she could be with her parents, life would be perfect!"

Having spent part of my childhood living away from my parents, I can partially identify with Ting.  That aside, it's a good story.  I think anyone will be able to enjoy it.  Yay Kristie!!!

Other news, hmmm, turns out there's more than just two items. 

Amy from Junghwa by Amy Stewart has re-launched her jewelry website.  It may be too late for the 25% relaunch discount, but you can still qualify for 20% off.

Rooth of A MIUSMIE fame is periodically doing book reviews for The Bibliophile's Adventures Club. You should check them out.

Lisa of expandng has written a piece for...hmm...is it called Next time, Twins???  No, no, it's a site called Red Tricycle.  :)

As for me, I'm hoping for a long weekend with no appliance problems, no plumbing problems and no fires.  I hope I'm not aiming too high!

If you're in the US, have a great Labor Day weekend....heck, have a great weekend everyone!!!

Feminism has failed me!

Yes, feminism has failed me.  Me personally.  I don't believe in "gender roles".  You do whatever needs to be done.  I do laundry (when my wife's not looking).  I grocery shop.  I cook ("feed the family" might be a better way to put that--to say I cook would be a stretch).  I clean.  I changed diapers and fed babies.  But I am still trapped by the other side of the gender equation.  I hear things like this all the time at home:

Rick, help, there's a spider-cricket!
Rick, the car won't start!
Rick, check the gutters (I was reminding myself, no one else cares about gutters).
Dad, there's no hot water!
Dad, there's water leaking out of the toilet!
Dad, the kitchen is on fire!!!

I'm expected to kill bugs (I AM really good at it), take care of the lawn and the cars, shovel snow, fix things when they break and, yes, I was called to put out a fire in our kitchen a few weeks ago.  That was scary (but the leaky toilet was much more work).

It's the 21st century! Why do I still have to handle those jobs??? 

Well, in part, because I know how to handle them.  But that's not the main reason.  My wife could do them (or pay someone to).  The main reason is because I want to do them.  We have a modern version of a traditional marriage.  My wife does most of the cooking and cleaning.  (Well, she does much of it....okay, she does some of it...well, she does a little of it...just kidding, she does most of it.)   But in the end, there are almost no jobs that belong to just one or the other--except for those jobs that are only mine (like those I mentioned above...and ironing).  :D

I was teasing about feminism failing me (it made for a good post title).  I'm content.  But if anyone ever figures out a way for me to be equal to my wife, I'd love to know how to get promoted.  (That's a joke my grandfather used to make--except he wasn't really joking.  My tiny grandmother ruled the roost.)

Life with Ricademus

The alternate title for these posts is, "Pity My Family"--because they have to put up with me.  Some of the situations I share in "Life" posts require some background, some lead-in.  But I don't think the two examples below need any introduction.  They are just normal, everyday types of exchanges at our house.

Conversation #1

Me:  I need a new pillow.
Wife:  Me too.
Me:  These wore out too quickly.  No more pillows from Macy's.
Wife:  Let's donate them to the animal shelter so the animals can sleep on them.
Me:  No, I don't want the dogs to get my scent!!!

Conversation #2

Wife:  I feel drunk (she was really tired).
Me:  (half-singing) Sober girls around me they be acting like they drunk, they be acting like they drunk.
Wife:  What did you say?
Me:  (half-singing, again) Sober girls around me they be acting like they drunk, they be acting like they drunk.
Daughter:  (incredulous) Why mom?  Why would you ask him to repeat that???  Please don't ask him to say things like that a second time!!!

My friend Rooth reminded me yesterday that my kids wish I didn't have access to current pop culture (slang, song lyrics, etc.).  But like them, I live and breath and I'm bound to pick things up here and there.  And it's so much fun to see how they react when I make use of that knowledge.  :)


PS - They don't like it much better when I use slang from my grandfather's time and talk as if I lived then (You kids don't know what it was like during the Depression!).  Can't make 'em happy.  lol

Happy Birthday, mom!

My sister-in-law's psychic says you stop by once in a while.  I'm not sure why they're talking about us, but you know how people are...always talking about someone!  :)

A lot of things have changed since I was 25.  You've missed a lot.

Or maybe not!  I do smell cigarette smoke once in a while at home.  Perhaps the psychic is right.

I'm not going to smoke a cigarette in your honor, but maybe I'll see if the kids want to play bingo.  :)

Happy Birthday! 

Orange Juice

I'm not a fan.  My tummy doesn't like acid in the morning and I don't like pulp.  My wife loves it (oj and pulp), especially when she's sick.  I buy gallons of orange juice for her when she's not feeling well.

Do you like orange juice? 

Saturday a fly was buzzing around the kitchen.  I spotted it inside a dirty glass on the counter, so I put my hand over the top to trap it.  I couldn't think of a sure fire way to kill it without running the risk of it escaping.  So I decided to take it outside to set it free.  As I stepped onto the front porch, the fly went to the bottom of the glass.  The moment it came in contact with the tiny amount of orange juice in the bottom, it immediately turned over on it's back...dead!

Humans and flies don't have much in common (except for those talking flies), but I'm going to remind my wife about this story every time she tries to get me to drink orange juice.  Yuck!

Should I worry???

I currently have no good ideas for posts, so I searched through drafts and found this old one--which I lost track of somehow.  Since it's weird to mention the same blogger two posts in a row, this one is perfect for today:

Have you ever stumbled across a fact about yourself or your life that made you stop and think?  Something you knew, but never really thought about--until something brought it to your attention?  That happened to me today. 

I was visiting blogs, enjoying the usual extraordinary offerings--posts about food, books, health, personal experiences, etc.  As an aside, one of the great things about blogging is meeting people from all over, with different backgrounds, different experiences, and being reminded that people are more alike than different.  It's easy to relate to people when you give them and yourself the chance. 

Included among my destinations was a stop at Always Maylee.  The idea of wearing pink came up in today's post.  Aside from once having worn a pink shirt as an usher at a wedding, that's something I never do.  And yet it reminded me of something.  When I was 11, my two older brothers and I switched bedrooms with the only sister who was still living at home.  The "girls room" was larger than ours.  It was also pink.  My brothers didn't mind and I was just excited to get a bed that didn't fold up and roll away.  So it stayed pink.  Eventually my brothers moved out and I finally painted it yellow (over the pink it ended up looking sort of peachy--it was a nice color).

What I knew, but hadn't realized (if that makes sense), is that from the age of 11 until 20 my bedroom was pink.  Nine years with a pink bedroom.  Throughout my teen years my bedroom was pink.  Pink!!!  That doesn't sound like a big deal today, but back in the dark ages of my youth it was.  I can't believe my dad allowed it.  Part of me wonders if the plan was to make sure we didn't invite people into our room.  If that was it, it was genius--and worked like a charm. :)

Question:  Do you believe the color of a bedroom has any effect on its inhabitants?  Did the pink help make me who I am today?  Is that what gets the blame???  lol

Reading the Room

I’d forgotten, but a recent post by Yi-chia (Always Maylee) reminded me that I have a story about shorts.  At least it starts out being about shorts, then evolves into something else. 

I was 17 at the time and dating my soon-to-be bride.  We planned to grab dinner and go bowling on that summery Saturday evening.  When I arrived to pick her up, she was wearing white shorts.  She’d had them since she was 13 (and they were her favorite).  A lot of things change between the ages of 13 and 17 and, well, I’ll just say more was showing in the back than I felt was appropriate.  Especially for bowling!!! 

I suggested she change.  She said the shorts were “fine”.  I pointed out she couldn’t see them from all angles.  She refused to change.  I was okay with that, but I also wasn’t taking her out.  I settled in to watch tv with her parents.  She kept giving me the stink eye and motioning for us to leave.  Feeling playful, I smiled, turned to her dad and said, “Do you think it’s okay for your daughter to go bowling in those shorts?” 

Ka-boom!!!  He exploded, angrily telling her to change.  She exploded too, saying she was tired of everyone telling her what to do.  Her dad was very mad and she was crying.  As I sat there, slightly stunned, my only thought was, “I did that.”  It was my fault.  (I may have also been thinking “Teenagers!!!” but it would be weird to admit that.)

I failed to “read the room.”  If I’d paid attention, I would have known her father was agitated that night.  It was the wrong time for me to (even playfully) drag him into the shorts discussion.  I made mess.  I was wrapped up in my storyline and didn’t consider what was going on with the other characters—specifically her dad.  I hate being that guy.   

I ended up having to take her out to end the hostilities—but I didn't take her bowling.  We grabbed a few burgers and spent hours talking about her dad’s situation (soon he would have to stop working for health reasons), her frustrations, and maybe something about me…I can’t remember that part. 

It was a good lesson.  Always try to take heed of what’s going on around you, what people are going through, and what mood they are in at the time.  If you don’t, you’re likely to make a mess like I did.  Also, think twice before you decide to suggest someone's clothing might not be "appropriate"...and then think about it again before actually saying anything.  My wife is still mad about that (but she did stop wearing the shorts).  :D