New Old Folks Home

[AntiArbitrator]

I am sitting in a nice cool movie theatre with my 14 year old baby. We don't chat with each other. We just chat on our phones. Modern day bonding. Lol

[Aeryn]

Jul 2, 2012 9:57:54 GMT -5 AntiArbitrator said:

Jul 1, 2012 22:07:02 GMT -5 Aeryn said:

I still have the avatar, smarty pants.

Only to prove me wrong! lol

I like Anna. I'm keeping the avatar until I have another mood swing.

[SoCal]

Mood swings? That sounds way too normal.

I think you have mood tsunamis. Yeah, that sounds more like it.

[AntiArbitrator]

****

This tree was felled by lightening and is blocking passage on my street. No one has started work on moving it. I am so fortunate that we only had large branches fall off of trees in my yard.

[SoCal]

Wow! What a mess! Hope things are starting to get back to normal for you. Of course, only if normal is a good thing for you.

[AntiArbitrator]

Thanks. Yes, normal is a good thing for me. Detouring is easy. Problem is, I need to remember to detour before I get to the various blocked roads.

The out-of-town crews are working from 6 AM - 10 PM daily during this extended heatwave. They need to move the fallen trees first because the trucks cannot get close enough to the poles.

[SoCal]

Blech - summer. Heat and too many kids with nothing to do. I prefer fall.

[AntiArbitrator]

I hear you! There is no forecast in the near future for a break in the heat - 100+ everyday. I do not want to go anywhere in this heat.

I have had too much experience with young folks who are bored during the summer. I feel no sympathy for them. Read a book!

[AntiArbitrator]

Things had been going very well for me in spite of the heatwave and extended power outage. Then suddenly, five things went awry within 24 hours.

But, at least something improved. I have been using Wii Fit for physical fitness for four years. I must take a balance test before the system will give me my weight, and at long last, I got the following message. ;D



Not bad for an old woman.

[SoCal]

Wow, the end of July is coming up fast. I'm so glad school starts in mid Sugust. Anything to get the roller skating, bike riding, noisy kids off the streets and out of the stores. That way I can walk and shop in peace.

[AntiArbitrator]

I think I should have read the following excerpt from AARP before my last shopping trip to Sam's Club, which is similar to Costco's. I started counting the ones I am guilty of and realized I just recently stopped some of the others or it would be a higher number.

"Take yourself by the hand, and turn away from the habits of a lifetime, in favor of a new life. Take the shackles from your wallet and the shades from your eyes and repeat with joy: I'm not paying for economy size anymore!

Once you hit 50, there's no need to get that family size pack of paper towels. It's not economical to buy a bag of chocolate chips that can make enough cookies to stock all the airline lounges in the Western Hemisphere until 2014. It's not economical to have more trash barrels than the doggy day care.

Let someone else do it. Let someone else clean it. Let someone else make the payments.

Let it go. Here's to no more … more. Give it up:
1. The three-dozen-egg carton, the 2,000-pack of Sweet'N Low and the Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar-size ketchup.
2. Super-sized fries (no one in the minivan to take the last handful, or take the edge off the guilt).
3. The minivan. How about a snazzy car, a smart car, even a wiseguy car?
4. A brand-new model four-over-four house — even on the golf course. Even if your kids live next door. Especially if your kids live next door.
5. A one-horse open sleigh. Yes, you've been meaning to get the horse but …
6. A Costco membership. You'll never need that many paper towels, unless you run a car wash. You'll never need that much toilet paper unless you run … out.
7. The gym ultra-membership. How about the dog, the shoes, the SPF 50 and the open road?
8. Those seven, nine or 20 unfinished quilts and birdhouses.
9. All those teaspoons, fruit spoons, salt spoons, cheese knives, crab picks and lobster crackers liberated from the restaurant along with the extra lemon, the fistful of sugar bags, the basket of rolls.
10. Fourteen matching place settings … 14 unmatched place settings are more fun, funky and functional.
11. Just one extra shot — tequila, espresso, Botox.
12. Your very own chickens (really, really not).
13. Four-inch heels for the wedding reception.
14. Another cat.
15. Another hat.
16. Another hobby.
17. A bigger flat screen.
18. A bigger boat.
19. A bigger mortgage.
20. More than 700 channels in one night.
21. More than 700 calories in one hand.
22. Double cheese.
23. 3-D.
24. Four-wheelers.
25. Quintuplets."

[Aeryn]

Jul 6, 2012 20:19:40 GMT -5 SoCal said:

Blech - summer. Heat and too many kids with nothing to do. I prefer fall.

I hear ya! I'll be dancing in the streets when school is back in session. And when I don't have to take 3 or 4 showers a day just to cool down.

[SoCal]

Aug 8, 2012 16:18:03 GMT -5 Aeryn said:

Jul 6, 2012 20:19:40 GMT -5 SoCal said:

Blech - summer. Heat and too many kids with nothing to do. I prefer fall.

I hear ya! I'll be dancing in the streets when school is back in session. And when I don't have to take 3 or 4 showers a day just to cool down.

If I can just make it through this miserable August heat.......

[evilsquirre1]

So I got birthday money. I'm hording it in hopes of attending another Con. But it's not enough to cover so I would need to convince my hubby. Las Vegas is out no gold passes left. Next one in 2013 is New Jersey. I have never been there before it might be a kick. Tickets sales aren't open yet. I will have to wait and see. If I do go I'm for sure making another centerpiece something light enough for plane travel. My Dean bust is hanging here at my work desk. I'm going to put worms in his head for halloween. ;D

It is hotter then hell here in Northern California. I heard you Southern California people had some shaking yesterday a couple of earthquakes centered in Yorba Linda both were 4.5.

[SoCal]

Aug 9, 2012 14:10:12 GMT -5 evilsquirre1 said:

It is hotter then hell here in Northern California. I heard you Southern California people had some shaking yesterday a couple of earthquakes centered in Yorba Linda both were 4.5.

We don't get out of bed for anything under 5.9.

The only thing a bit worrisome were the geologists talking about an earthquake swarm here in the south. That didn't sound good. Other than that........

[Aeryn]

Yes, it has to register at least a 7.1 then perhaps we'll take notice.

The big one is coming. And I'm not referring to my last roll in the hay.

[SoCal]

This song is from 1969 when there was lots of talk about "the big one" hitting L.A. It was supposed to strike on Good Friday, 1969.

A one hit wonder:



Needless to say, the earthquake never happened, but in 1971, we had the San Fernando quake that was 6.2. Very scary. Until the Nortridge quake in 1994...6.7. That one was terrifying.

[Mistermoonlight]

I just found that song about a week ago, after searching for it for decades, and it was so amazing to hear it again.

Weirdly enough, it was listening to Jimmy Buffet's "The Volcano Song" that did it. Something about the melody of that song was similar enough that it sparked a memory that the one I was searching for was about the scare of California falling off into the ocean from that time period, and that led me to it. I was so happy when I found it.

And the Shango song is one you never hear on the radio most places any more. Although I'm betting it still gets played in Southern California.

When I finally heard it again, after all those years, the first thing I thought was 'these guys must have listened to a lot of Harry Belafonte.'



Oh, and an added bonus--when I was searching for "Day After Day" and not succeeding, I found this one that I'd almost forgotten about:

[SoCal]

I can't listen to "Jump in the Line" without thinking of Beetlejuice.

[SoCal]

Aug 9, 2012 20:25:44 GMT -5 Aeryn said:

Yes, it has to register at least a 7.1 then perhaps we'll take notice.

The big one is coming. And I'm not referring to my last roll in the hay.

This is how WE feel about a 4.5:

[Aeryn]

Or this one.

[Mistermoonlight]

Back in the days of cassette tapes I wore out three copies of Harry Belafonte's Greatest Hits in my car. Wonderful traveling music. He's got so many great songs.

[evilsquirre1]

Aug 9, 2012 20:25:44 GMT -5 Aeryn said:

Yes, it has to register at least a 7.1 then perhaps we'll take notice.

The big one is coming. And I'm not referring to my last roll in the hay.

I know better than that you can't fool me I grew up in the California Bay Area. I remember Loma Prieta quake 10/17/89 was 6.9 with a 7.1 surface waves. That one was nasty, many people died in the Cypress structure collapse. I was cutting this guy's hair I didn't stop want my haircut at first, but the thing keep going. Plus my co worker was screaming we are going to die. It was kind of distracting. The quake felt much longer and stronger then any other earthquake I have been in.

Anything over 6.0 is bad news. 4.5 is kind of like a gentle roll ocean. Relaxing. But if they had two 4.5 in Virgina on the same day people would be freaked out. Did you guys have earthquake drills in grade school also. Like hiding under your flimsy desk was going to help.

[Aeryn]

Aug 10, 2012 0:09:45 GMT -5 evilsquirre1 said:

Aug 9, 2012 20:25:44 GMT -5 Aeryn said:

Yes, it has to register at least a 7.1 then perhaps we'll take notice.

The big one is coming. And I'm not referring to my last roll in the hay.

I know better than that you can't fool me I grew up in the California Bay Area. I remember Loma Prieta quake 10/17/89 was 6.9 with a 7.1 surface waves. That one was nasty, many people died in the Cypress structure collapse. I was cutting this guy's hair I didn't stop want my haircut at first, but the thing keep going. Plus my co worker was screaming we are going to die. It was kind of distracting. The quake felt much longer and stronger then any other earthquake I have been in.

Anything over 6.0 is bad news. 4.5 is kind of like a gentle roll ocean. Relaxing. But if they had two 4.5 in Virgina on the same day people would be freaked out. Did you guys have earthquake drills in grade school also. Like hiding under your flimsy desk was going to help.

I remember that quake. I had just moved backed to LA before it hit, thank God! I'd been living in Russian Hill, but the rent got too expensive, so I left.

Lord, when the Cypress structure pancaked like that...it was awful. Saw it on the news. We used to call it the Nimitz Freeway.

Earthquake drills. Just as useless as the old "drop drills" from the 1960's.

[evilsquirre1]

Aug 10, 2012 8:09:59 GMT -5 Aeryn said:

Aug 10, 2012 0:09:45 GMT -5 evilsquirre1 said:

I know better than that you can't fool me I grew up in the California Bay Area. I remember Loma Prieta quake 10/17/89 was 6.9 with a 7.1 surface waves. That one was nasty, many people died in the Cypress structure collapse. I was cutting this guy's hair I didn't stop want my haircut at first, but the thing keep going. Plus my co worker was screaming we are going to die. It was kind of distracting. The quake felt much longer and stronger then any other earthquake I have been in.

Anything over 6.0 is bad news. 4.5 is kind of like a gentle roll ocean. Relaxing. But if they had two 4.5 in Virgina on the same day people would be freaked out. Did you guys have earthquake drills in grade school also. Like hiding under your flimsy desk was going to help.

I remember that quake. I had just moved backed to LA before it hit, thank God! I'd been living in Russian Hill, but the rent got too expensive, so I left.

Lord, when the Cypress structure pancaked like that...it was awful. Saw it on the news. We used to call it the Nimitz Freeway.

Earthquake drills. Just as useless as the old "drop drills" from the 1960's.

I lived on the Hayward fault. My first house, after Loma Pierta it had earthquake damage. I'm 5 feet 1 inch and my hubby is 5 feet 10 inches when we stood in different corners of the kitchen we were also the same height that's how messed up the house was. Thank goodness the housing market took off and we sold the house of a nice chunk of change. I'm upside down in my current house of course. So glad I put 50% down Hey at least my house payments are low. I can wait out the crappy market I have done it before. Oh BTW if your house has dropped in value now is the time to file an appeal to reduce the assessed value of your home. That will lower your property taxes. Here is a how to link. My hubby and I have already submitted ours. I have done this before and they have never had a hearing or had to meet with the assessor in person they just lower my house value and my tax base. The appeal is normally on your county assessor's website. But there is strict deadlines so be sure your appeal is before the deadline.
homeguides.sfgate.com/property-taxes-lowered-house-value-down-2876.html
More information for the Sacarmento county assessor's office.
www.assessor.saccounty.net/DeclineinValueReassessments/SAC_ASR_DF_Decline_Value

[SoCal]

I can't believe it's already practically the middle of August. Soon the kids will be back in school leaving the streets free from the skateboards and bikes and the department stores will be easier to navigate during the weekdays.

I hate summer. I hate the heat, the kids, the higher gas prices and the "in season" prices at various vacation spots.

Come on fall.......you can't get here soon enough.

[SoCal]

My lower back hurts.............constantly. Nothing over the top, I can still get through my day doing all the things I need to do, but there in the background is this dull ache.

Dammit. I'm starting to sound like "old" Dean.

Where's the Celebrex?

[AntiArbitrator]

Aug 30, 2012 15:37:22 GMT -5 SoCal said:

My lower back hurts.............constantly. Nothing over the top, I can still get through my day doing all the things I need to do, but there in the background is this dull ache.

Dammit. I'm starting to sound like "old" Dean.

Where's the Celebrex?

Just avoid the cheeseburgers. Remember what they did to "Old" Dean.

[SoCal]

Aug 30, 2012 16:45:17 GMT -5 AntiArbitrator said:

Aug 30, 2012 15:37:22 GMT -5 SoCal said:

My lower back hurts.............constantly. Nothing over the top, I can still get through my day doing all the things I need to do, but there in the background is this dull ache.

Dammit. I'm starting to sound like "old" Dean.

Where's the Celebrex?

Just avoid the cheeseburgers. Remember what they did to "Old" Dean.

You're not helping!

[AntiArbitrator]

Hey everyone I survived the heat here on the East Coast, but it sounds as if the West Coast has a never-ending heatwave.

I'll be posting more after today. I feel like I am cramming for finals. I am playing catch-up for the book club and need to give my views on 15 more chapters. I have posted some, but several more chapters to go. I was extremely irritated for awhile and was unsure if I would continue with participation. I enjoy MisterMoonlight's input and that is the driving force for me to continue. I do not recommend 15 chapters at a clip, though.

I watched the DVD of Tropic Thunder over the weekend because when I saw it in the theater, I knew I was missing the irony because people were practically rolling in the floors laughing. I recall thinking it was funny, but I must be missing something. Usually I read reviews prior to attending a show, but it was a last minute invitation. After watching the credits, I knew what was so darn funny. If you are ever in the mood for a good laugh, I recommend it.

I just needed a break. Now, I'm going back to work.