One of the many things I hate are people not speaking English when their conversation can be heard by those around them.

Like when I was on that 14 hour flight to S. Korea to go see Tommy and the two teen aged girls across the aisle from me chattered away...loudly...in Hongul THE WHOLE FRIGGIN' FLIGHT. I got not one wink of sleep. Needless to say, I was in a less than cheery mood when we landed in Seoul. Yes, the loudness of their chatter kept me awake..but more than that...it was the annoying sound of the language which I cannot understand. And the fact that it was constant. And that they kept their lights on when everyone was trying to sleep.

Or like my new next door neighbors. Now.....they are from India and I have met them and they seem quite nice although we would never hang out together because we have absolutely nothing in common. These nice Indian people moved in after the last nice Indian people sold the house to them when the husband got a good job in Seattle.

But I digress. The new nice Indian people are nice....however.....they talk rather loudly in the backyard in Hindi or whatever language it is they speak. And of course they have female members of the family which visit quite often (how nice for them). And when they all get together do you know what they do? THEY GO INTO THE BACKYARD AND HAVE LOUD CONVERSATIONS IN WHATEVER THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE IS. And they usually do this while someone is running the vacuum with the windows open so everyone can have the pleasure of listening to the vacuum coupled with the loud, multi-participant chatty conversation in their native tongue.

Now...they are certainly free to speak whatever language they want to. It's a free country. But...it IS all about me and I can't tell you how annoying it is to have to listen to a loud conversation which I cannot understand...over a vacuum cleaner...WHILE I'M TRYING TO TAKE A NAP!!!!! I mean.....if they're gonna talk and keep me up all afternoon, they could at least speak English so I can eavesdrop. Right? Right!

As an aside...if they were speaking Spanish I could at least catch more than half of what they say and that would be better. Yes, that would be much better. So I would be happy if they would speak either English or Spanish...just so we're clear. Oh, and I would be even happier if they didn't run the vacuum every day. I mean really....WHO vacuums every day? Even I don't do that.

Just a quick note to let you know how much I hate unexpected expenses...especially when they all seem to want to happen in the same month of a vacation overseas.

So...let's review:

1. Cracked tooth on the spouse in London ($500 out of pocket for a crown) - check
2. New pool filter grid ($350) - check
3. Rusted out garage door spring and worn out rollers plus trip charge ($333) - check

All this within the last eight days, mind you. Man, I HATE unexpected expenses....just when you think you're all caught up. Can't wait to see what happens next.....there ARE a few days left in the month, after all.

when you're at the 4-way stop and it's not your turn to go but a guy pulls up in the lane next to you and goes when it's not your side's turn but you don't go because it's not your turn and then you patiently wait for the lady in the green van on her cell phone to go because it's her turn but then she doesn't go so you pull out instead and then she suddenly decides to go...to not go...to go....to not go which forces you to go....not go....go....not go.....because you're already in the middle of the intersection trying to turn left....like five times in a row while everyone else just waits for the accident to happen?

Yeah, I hate that.

Man, I couldn't believe this story when I saw it on probably not your favorite site today.

Anyway...apparently a mother was taking money from a lawyer so he could have sex with her two teenage daughters (15 and 13 years old). What kind of person does that? How SICK do you have to be in order to think doing this to your kids is OK? This is one of the lowest forms of child abuse in my book. And I HATE hearing about child abuse no matter what the form. But this is truly a new low.

Luckily, the younger daughter was courageous and talked to child welfare about what was going on and the mom and lawyer were arrested and have been charged. I hope they get the maximum allowed under the law. Unfortunately, I don't think the maximum would be nearly enough in this case.

'Nuff said.

Why is that some people seem to think that if they go to the gym for a few weeks at the end of February and the beginning of March, they will somehow magically wipe away the long months of eating poorly and letting their physiques atrophy into gelatinous masses of flab?

Every year it is the same thing. Right after Valentine's Day and before Spring Break, the same group of people show up, taking advantage of a year's worth of health club dues which they only redeem during these (what they
think) are key weeks of the year.

Note: This is the same group of people that used to show up after New Year's Day but now have pushed the window back a bit and wait until "After the Super Bowl".

But I digress. So anyway.....they come to the gym, stand around staring dumbly at this piece of equipment or that, and try to access those dim memories of actually knowing how to operate the machine.

I can't blame them for trying. At least they are there. They bothered to put gym clothes on, drive to the place and actually get themselves motivated enough to walk past the front desk.

However...(and you knew this was coming)....it would be really, really nice if they actually worked out while they were there instead of either going at a snail's pace, never breaking a sweat, on the treadmill or on the ellipticals...or sitting on equipment taking five to 10 minute breaks between their prescribed three sets...and....GET THE HELL OUT OF THE WAY OF US GYM RATS WHO BOTHER TO SHOW UP EACH AND EVERY WEEK FOR OUR TORTURE.

I guess what I'm trying to convey here...is something these people deep in their hearts already know. A few weeks a year does not undo all the neglect of and bad things they've put into their bodies. Either go...or don't go. I just wish they'd decide once and for all either way because it would make it SO much easier for me. And we all know it's all about ME.

I'm just sayin'....

I think I've covered here many times (even recently) about how much I hate to shop. Of all the things I hate to shop for, groceries definitely tops the list. It's time consuming, tedious, and then there are the other people you have to deal with.

On any given Sunday, the crowd at the grocery store was almost manageable. Although very slow, most would recognize when they were holding up traffic or were in someone else's way and would apologize and move accordingly...after all, it's Sunday and you're supposed to be at least courteous on that day, right?

Well.....all that changed when my grocer decided to put a Starbucks inside the store. Not attached to the store off to the side....not the next store front down. Oh, no....it's INSIDE the front door. Right there. Near the entrance. And it's Starbucks so there's always a line...of people....strung right across the main entry which you HAVE to pass through to get to the groceries.

Anyway...so now.....apparently Sunday has become a key coffee event for the very social church crowd in the area. They all show up either before or after services (or in between for those all day die-hard worshipers). They patiently chat and wait in line...get their beverage of choice...and then....they descend upon the general grocery shopping population.

First, can I just say that if they were going to put a Starbucks inside the store, they should have thought forward and provided carts with cup holders. Have you ever seen someone try to navigate a shopping cart one-handed whilst trying not to spill their grande mocha late' or whatever all over the place or on their nice church clothes? This is the definition of un-ergonomic, people.

They stop, swerve, stumble, trip when they do decide to move the cart a few inches forward....whilst sipping their coffee or chatting with the odd neighbor or their spouse right in front of the apples or rice or cheese or yogurt or whatever it is that I need to get to. And they are talking and chatting so loudly amongst themselves you have to shout to be heard above the fray so they will move out of my way so I can like, ya know....SHOP FOR MY DAMN GROCERIES!!!!!

Don't get me wrong. I'm all for church if that's your thing. And I am definitely all about Starbucks. And I know grocery shopping is a necessary evil. However....church social combined with Starbuck's and all that goes with it combined with grocery shopping and handling a shopping cart equals NO...FUN....FOR....ME!!!!

People....if you want to go to a church social...go to church. If you want to go to Starbucks...go to Starbucks. AND...if you want to go get groceries....get your damn groceries and get the friggin' Starbucks on your way OUT of the grocery store!!!!!

That is all.

Shopping. The mere mention of the word makes many women in my family run away in terror. Yes, we go against the grain that way. We HATE TO SHOP!!!. So much so that some of us wait until all pairs of underwear are nearly unsalvageable before we will brave the elements of the shopping environment to restock with new supplies...and even then some of us just can't bring ourselves to do it and so we order online....hoping for the best.

Well...today I had to shop. First because I was looking for an excuse not to go to the gym (yes, I was THAT desperate not to go to the gym). But second...when the spouse is away.....money must be spent. It's a rule (don't tell Tommy).

So...I did at least start the dishwasher and sort the clothes for laundry...I even started the first load. I took a long leisurely bath, actually put makeup on since I would be seen by the throes at the nearby outlet mall...and off I went to brave the general public. I went to the mall for one thing and one thing only...I am nearly out of shower gel and lotion. For most, this would be no big deal...just get it with your groceries. But for me...well...I am allergic to most stuff from the store I have tried, and to be perfectly honest I don't like the way any of it smells. So Bath and Body was the target. I got there relatively unscathed by the unemployed guys, teenagers skipping school, and stay at home moms with their endless stream of whining toddlers and crying babies. Oh yes, I got the buy three get one free! But...what do you buy? You go through the lotion quicker but you need the shower gel more...oh well. I figured it out.

Then it was off to our local Kohl's which is at least not a mall but still full of more stay at home moms and their offspring. Only...the cell conversations were louder as the store was less crowded so that was a nuisance. But I was there for one thing and one thing only....a new bathroom wastebasket to match my pretty new bluey violety bathroom paint...only.....they had PJ's on sale. So I got some new PJ bottoms...so then I had to get Scytheboy a novelty tee.

Not to worry...I found the wastebasket too. And all was bought for less than $50 (at least at Kohl's).

I was out for less than an hour total....but it was shopping...and I hated it. But at least now I have a nifty new trash can and am currently wearing freshly washed new PJ bottoms (get your mind out of the gutter...I have an old tee on too).

In summary...hate to shop...but had to shop....good news is I found an excuse not to go to the gym and arrived home in record time unscathed with all targets acquired...plus a few more.

A couple glasses of wine later I am fully recovered from the ordeal.

But I still and always will hate to shop.

Tommy and I went to Home Depot today to get some paint. You see, SugarMommy is coming to visit and I wanted to spruce up the place a bit before she gets here.

Anyway.....at the paint counter was probably one of THE most high-maintenance customers I've ever seen...anywhere. There she was...bottle blond, Botox forehead, fake boobs, high heels, designer clothes, expensive purse - well, you get the picture.

She had her husband with her and three or four Home Depot employees surrounding her and her pillow she had purchased at Foley's (in the Foley's bag to make sure everyone knew she had paid top dollar), trying to help her decide what paint to get that would match just perfectly with the pattern. I'm not kidding...she had a crowd around her. She kept calling one service person after another over to ask their opinion, demand more samples, and generally ensure the maximum level of assistance was procured for herself and her needs - above all other customers in the store.

At one point one service person said to another in hushed tones..."He's gonna kill her if she doesn't make a decision soon."

Seriously...it's one pillow with maybe a total of three or four colors in the pattern. It is NOT THAT DIFFICULT. I mean....Tommy and I made our paint decisions - by ourselves....fetching our own paint brochures to compare...in way less than 10 minutes.

Clearly, this woman is used to very high levels of service wherever she goes...from home to Foley's to The Galleria (I'm sure)....and even the paint counter at Home Depot.

Certain people just shouldn't be allowed in stores. Neither indecisiveness nor narcissism are attractive traits...and they are doubly ugly when combined in one person.

I'm sure all the paint department personnel on that shift had to go home and drink after dealing with that woman.

Okay, so as usual I'm having a hard time coming up with something to post about on this beautiful, sunny February day in Dallas. So I was scanning the headlines and I ran across this article. I know...it's on the Fox site....sorry for those of you that don't like to go to that page but the story did catch my eye.

Apparently there are some businesses that have been complaining to sites like Yahoo and AOL that their emails are not making it through to their customer base. And some customers have complained that their needed emails have been taken out by spam filters. So....Yahoo, AOL and probably others are going to offer a program where in exchange for paying a fee, e-mail senders will be guaranteed their messages won't be filtered and will bear a seal alerting recipients they're legitimate.

Of course, we've all missed emails from companies that we do business with and that we probably need to see...but that's what the "Bulk Mail" or "Junk Mail" folders are for. We don't lose the emails, we simply delay looking at them until it's convenient. This way WE can control when we sort through what we do and don't want to read. So there are workarounds for those of us who like and use spam filters.

Look, we all know these sites are in the business of making money, and while they would like their customers to think their included spam filters will protect them from obnoxious, unsolicited ads.....this program (in my opinion) will negate the filters. Now, spammers will look at the additional fee as a normal cost of doing business.

The article didn't say if there are review measures in place that would disallow companies known for sending out pure spam (re-finance solicitations, Viagra ads, etc.). It only says that companies can pay for their emails not to be deleted by the spam filter. Here's an excerpt:

In exchange for a payment and a pledge to contact only people who have agreed to receive their messages, the companies would be ensured their e-mails aren't diverted to spam folders or have images or Web addresses filtered out.

The companies also would receive reports showing how many e-mails were received successfully - great, not only can they bypass the spam filter, they can ensure they sent the spam to a legitimate address and then sell that address to other spammers.

Wonderful. Sounds like this program is tailor-made to aid spammers, not deter them.

So the end result of this program will be, I fear, that now we will all start seeing many emails in our Inbox claiming to be legit that aren't, and our email addresses will be sold and re-sold at an ever-increasing rate through the spam community.

Happy Monday.

If you're only going to be on level one, not breaking a sweat, and refuse to actually use the arm things...GET OFF THE DAMN MACHINE and let someone use it who actually like, you know, USES it.

I should probably preface this post by telling you that I stayed up way too late reading last night, and as a result developed a headache behind my right eye which I still have. It's down to a dull ache after Excedrin and a trip to the gym, but nevertheless when I have a headache people in general just annoy the hell out of me. Following is a list of the people I encountered so far today which annoyed me:

1. The girl combing her hair while on a cell phone driving through the school zone at 15 mph and weaving between lanes.

2. Not sure if he counts as a person...but...THE CAT annoyed me this morning. You see, I went back to sleep after dropping Scytheboy off in an effort to get rid of the headache. And, at 10:00, for some reason the cat felt like I had slept enough and needed to be up. So he pounded on the door and meowed until I was fully awake. Damn cat.

3. The guy on the Kia commercial which runs on multiple channels at the same time in the morning. I HATE that Kia guy.

4. The person driving the truck in front of me at 30 mph in a 45 mph zone on the way to the gym. Hate slow drivers. Hate 'em.

5. The 2 yr. old girl that decided to unleash a high pitched screech while walking past me in the parking lot by the gym.

6. The screecher's mother which did absolutely nothing to stop the screeching hellion....she just simply continued to talk to her mother (the screecher's grandmother) as if nothing was happening. Some people just shouldn't be allowed to be parents.

7. The old guy walking up the stairs in front of me, taking up the whole wide staircase as he wobbled back and forth across the hand rails. Slowly. Very slowly. Hate slow walkers. Hate 'em.

8. The multiple guys with pasty white skinny legs and knobby which wore shorts to the gym. People with legs like that should wear sweats until they at least have some meat on their bones. Seriously. Nobody wants to see that.

9. The woman wearing the iPod behind me while I was doing flyes and bench presses which decided everyone needed to hear her sing along to whatever song she was litening to. Yes, I gave her the dirtiest look I have every given anyone, and yes...she stopped singing and looked away nervously. Don't mess with me when I have a headache, people.

10. The guy that arrived at the four way stop beside me at the same time on the way back from the gym, rolled through without even braking completely, and went out of turn. I HATE people who don't obey traffic laws...they are idiots and also the ones that will some day cause someone (maybe even themselves) to be seriously hurt due to their uncaring negligence.

I am going to take a shower and remain in the house for the rest of the afternoon...AWAY from other people. Tommy should be glad he's in London.

That is all.

Spam is definitely a ridiculous item. I had it under control for a really long time. For a while, I got no spam at all. Then, I launched this site. It started out with just a few here and there to my site email address. Then....someone got hold of the entire email list for the customers that use our ISP....and I was getting upward of 20-30 spam emails a day.

I was using Outlook for my email, contacts and calendaring because it was what I used to use at work and it was so damned convenient...didn't even have to think about it.

Tommy never has used Outlook, and he's been on Mozilla Thunderbird for quite some time. Every time I would complain about Outlook, he would tell me to use Thunderbird. But...I refused to move.....after all, Outlook is the standard, right?

Well, I got up today and was greeted with my daily dose of spam first thing in the morning (it comes all day, but I get a block of it every morning). And...I...had had....ENOUGH. The Outlook spam filters are either too hard for me to figure out or too labor intensive to keep updating constantly with all the new tricks the spammers have. Okay, so maybe I'm just too lazy to figure it out....

Anyway, I downloaded Thunderbird (by the way, when you do this it recognizes your current email program and then automatically moves everything over for you, except the calendar; all your emails, contacts and personal folders show up when you launch the program). I then whined about how it wasn't working like I wanted it to...so Tommy sighed and came down to fix my email settings and download the contacts and calendar extensions for me.

The only issue I've noticed so far is you have to manually move each calendar item over to Thunderbird as it is a new extension and doesn't automatically install with all your other items.

But the really cool thing about Thunderbird is it has spam filters that are intelligently designed so that as you give them new information they get better and better as time goes by - learning more about junk mail and filtering more of it each and every day. Way cool.

To summarize...had Outlook....with associated Spam.....got sick of it...finally caved and listened to Tommy....now have Thunderbird. Thunderbird is better - unless of course you love to get spam. That is all.

Okay, I admit it. I'm blogging because I feel like bitching. Deal with it.

I've been noticing lately while watching David Letterman that his production staff has chosen to move like almost every single commercial until the end of the show...before the last guest. This means that one has to wait through 10-17 minutes of commercials (with stupid, boring 20 second spots with audience shots thrown in here and there) before they can watch the last guest.

Ya know...sometimes that last guest is the best part of the show. Like a musical guest that you really want to listen to. Like Shakira, for example. I know, a lot of women hate her because of all that weird stuff she does with her chest and other parts of her anatomy. But I find it strangely intriguing. And I really, really like her Spanish music. I was hoping she'd sing one of those. But I was so pissed after waiting through almost 15 minutes of commercials that I was finally so disgusted I felt that writing this post was a better use of my time.

I think all those commercials at the end of the show do a disservice to that last guest, but also to the viewing audience who has in many cases been anticipating that last guest only to be disappointed and disgusted by all the seemingly endless commercials at the end of the show.

In summary...like David Letterman, usually like his last guests, but hate waiting through all the commercials at the end of the show, so much so that I usually miss the last guest. And then I am not only disgusted but disappointed as well. Like right now.

That is all.

I finally got to have my permanent on-lays (a step below crowns) installed in two teeth today. After last week's debacle, I was quite nervous to go in for my appointment today. In fact, I called yesterday to be sure the appliances were in.

They were in. The dentist numbed me up just fine. But here's the part I don't like. Apparently, I grind my teeth when I sleep. I grind them so much that I loosened the fillings that I had replaced and I had actually cracked one of the teeth that finally got its permanent solution installed today. So....to avoid further dental work I had to get a night guard (bite plate so I don't ruin my teeth when I grind).

I knew I had to get a night guard...so I tried an OTC one that you're supposed to be able to heat up and then mold it to your teeth. I tried it....by the second night I started experiencing jaw pain. I figured I probably didn't want to cause myself to pick up another dental problem (TMJ) that's much more severe than getting fillings replaced constantly from griding....so I had to suck it up and get the $500 custom night guard which our dental plan doesn't cover.

The night guard comes in next week. With that, hopefully I won't have to get any more damn fillings replaced. I said it before and I'll say it again...I...HATE....THE.....DENTIST.

That is all.

OK, OK, you've all heard me gripe about going to the grocery store, from people balancing their check books while you wait to people standing in the aisles to people talking loudly on their cell phones while the clerk's trying to ring them up, etc., etc.

So anyway...I'm sure you all are sick of hearing about my weekly trips to the store. But I thought it was worth one more post. Because I have yet to mention how the timing of your grocery store visit is key. So here's a handy-dandy checklist of items you should consider before deciding which day you will go out for supplies:

- Do you have a lot of time? Because if you go when the seniors do you will need to factor in about 20-30 minutes of waiting for them to move through the aisles and waiting for them to write checks slowly and balance their check books before handing said checks to the clerk.

- Again on time....if you go during in the daytime during the week, consider this is when the slowest checkers work. And I mean S-L-O-W.

- Another day time thing...get ready for crying babies and women talking loudly to each other and on their cell phones while said babies cry and toddlers whine. It's a given. I can't say I blame them for some of this...I mean they have to shop some time, right? And they care for their kids so they have to go...but do they all have to be so damn loud?

- Do you mind bagging your own groceries? If you go during the week, chances are you will need to bag your own groceries as they are usually short on baggers. At least at my store they are.

- How are you with a crowded store? If you go on the weekend or any time past 4:00 p.m. during the week, chances are the store will be quite crowded.

- However, if you go when it's crowded chances are they will have their super-fast baggers and checkers there so overall you will be in the store for less time. Something to consider.

So, for me...this is what I've decided. I really can't stand waiting for checks to be written or people to move or loud people or crying, whining, screaming children or slow checkers or bagging my own groceries. I can deal with a crowd if they'll check me out quickly and bag my groceries and generally leave me alone. So my new grocery day is Sunday morning when all the fast checkers are there and they have a full bagging staff and just before the church crowd gets there.

How about you? Do you really care either way, or are there certain things you try to avoid and time your food shopping accordingly? Do tell.

Yes, I've filed this under things I hate. Maybe it's because I'm older, or maybe it's just me...but have any of you noticed that the work ethic among the 20-something's and younger seems to be dwindling at an ever-increasing rate?

I first noticed this while I was working at a retail store just before graduating college. I had worked an 11 hour day with only one 15 minute break because my 20-something co-worker was late for work. Well, when it came time to close I got ready to head out, and she stopped me, saying "I got permission to leave early because I have to get to a party." I checked with the boss (also a 20-something person) - yes, she had given her permission to go to the party knowing I had been there all day with practically no break - and - get ready for it - SHE was going with her. They both left me to close all the registers while they went out and partied. Neither of them had worked more than six hours that day.

Needless to say...I quit that job soon after that.

And then there was the day the hi-tech company I worked for IPO'd. All the twenty-somethings with shares to spare bolted to the garage to drink and smoke (and I'm not kidding people - in the middle of the day) whilst I stayed at my desk finalizing a news release and handling paged calls for my merry marketing co-workers who only cared about how much money they made that day and could have cared less about the long-term success of the company or how what they were doing looked to the other business tenants in the building.

It confounds me - the sheer lack of consideration not only for co-workers but also for customers. Not to mention the fact that it's becoming increasingly acceptable to treat others with complete and total disdain in general and not take responsibility for actions that would have in the past been firing offenses. What is wrong with people? I have to believe it's probably a combination of several things:

1. Poor Role Models. These attitudes I'm sure are a direct result of like behavior exhibited by the parents of these people.

2. Apathy Unchecked. Parents too busy to notice or too tired to care about poor attitudes and behavior exhibited by their kids.

3. Entitlement Society. Yes, folks, we've evolved into an entitlement society - wherein most people think they are owed consideration or material goods by others, rather than taking responsibility for their own selves and having the gumption to go out and earn a buck for what they want - in short, an "IT'S ALL ABOUT ME" and "WHAT DO I GET OUT OF THIS?" attitude.

4. Political Correctness. Many adults - teachers because the system requires it and parents because of guilt issues surrounding not spending time with their kids - believe it's wrong to make a kid "feel bad" about themselves by making them take responsibility for/own up to bad decisions or behavior or by penalizing them for work not done or rules not followed.

5. Rewarding Laziness - Also in the case of parents, they don't want to "put pressure" on the kids by making them get a job to pay for the things they want or ask them to pull their weight around the house for an allowance; they'd rather just reward sloth and apathy rather than making the kid go earn the money he or she wants for extras.

6. Increasingly Lower Employer Expectations. Employers have learned not to expect more from their employees because, quite frankly, it just isn't there - when was the last time you saw a retail worker go the extra mile to get you what you need - they'd rather tell you they're out instead of checking in the back - and we won't even talk about the fact most cashiers are OK with remaining on their phone convo's with their friends while they check you out rather than actually making eye contact with you and paying attention to you personally in any way.

And I'm sure we all have our horror stories of co-workers who let balls drop and were totally okay with letting others pick up the slack so projects could be completed - without a word of thanks to those who covered for them.

I believe the only exception to no. 6 is gaming shops or electronics departments. Why? Because the subject matter is something interesting to THEM and important to THEM - so therefore they'll deign to actually acknowledge your existence and offer assistance in the way of advice or information. To be sure, it's more than likely not because they have a good, strong work ethic.

Having said all that....I do know there are some kids out there that have good parents and are being raised with a sense of how their actions can have an impact on others (both positively and negatively), are required to take responsibility for their behavior, and know the value of a dollar. Unfortunately, these model kids are becoming more and more scarce. Unfortunately, our society as a whole is going to suffer from parental apathy and rewarded laziness and all this "political correctness" when our work force slows to a screaming halt because there will be very few people with the drive and intestinal fortitude to achieve success in an increasingly permissive and entitlement-based society.

Look at France.....if we continue on the current course, it's coming here, people. Mark my words.

Thoughts?

Well I dragged Scytheboy out for shopping today as promised. I call it Christmas shopping...you can call it Holiday shopping...it's my blog so I get to call it what I want. You don't have to read it if you don't like it.

Anyway....The stops at Best Buy, Toys r Us and a department store (along with a few items I got online when we got back) helped me achieve the majority of my shopping for the season. I even got my gifts for all the Wisconsin relatives (those I'm buying for) wrapped and in the mail.

As soon as the online stuff gets here early next week, I can ship stuff out to Tommy's family in West Texas. Then, when Tommy tells me what he wants for Christmas (materially - get your mind out of the gutter) and I get that bought during his next trip - I should be about 98% done with my shopping. Stocking stuffers will be all that remain and I can get those at the grocery store.

I hate to shop...I hate it vehemently. So words cannot describe how relieved I am to be almost done with the shopping part and half way done with the shipping part. Shopping and shipping...shopping and shipping....the two things I hate most about the holidays.

So....how are you doing on your Christmas (or Holiday if you prefer) shopping? Started yet?

I just got back from driving Scytheboy to and from his guitar lesson and I was once again reminded why I absolutely abhore driving at night. I absolutely hate those damn halogen headlights people are using these days.

Let me explain...I have bad eyes. No, seriously...I have practically no depth perception due to multiple eye surgeries when I was young. Plus, my eyes are highly sensitive to light and I have a pretty bad case of night blindness.

Let's just say....having blinding high-beam halogen lights coming at me and in my rear view and side mirrors does NOT help my driving ability at night. When I get a flash of them in my eyes, I am completely and totally blinded for what could be a critical moment while driving down the road with the precious cargo that is my son.

For the driver using them....well sure it's great for them. I'm under no illusions that for people that use these headlights it IS all about them. Otherwise, why would they happily drive down the road, blinding everyone in front of them with out a care in the world?

If you have halogen headlights on your car perhaps you are not aware that you are blinding every single driver you pass or follow on the road. Well....you are. So stop it!

I've been home for 20 minutes and I'm still seeing white spots.

To summarize....I hate halogen headlights. H-A-T-E T-H-E-M!!!!!! They are evil.

That is all.

I have a dentist appointment this morning. I hate going to the dentist.

Why do I brush my teeth extra well the day of my appointment, thinking they won't notice the horrible job I've done the rest of the past six months?

Why do I floss my teeth before I go? They're going to floss them but for some reason I am horrified at the thought they might actually get something out when they do.

Why do I use mouthwash before I go? Things get really rough breath wise anyway, what with all the plaque scraping they do. Besides, they're wearing a mask...they can't smell my bad breath. Right?

I am convinced they scrape extra hard and prick my gums with an extra little jab when they check them for firmness. All dentists and hygienists are sadists....I'm convinced.

Off I go to the dentist, with my freshly brushed and flossed teeth and mouthwashed breath.

I hate the dentist. Did I say that before? Well, I do....I mean, seriously.

UPDATE: The news is not good. It seems that since I'm Irish and a Taurus I must worry doubly. Apparently, I've ground two already large fillings in some front bottom teeth down to nubs and now I have to get them replaced with what they call "on-lays". They're really mini porcelain crowns that don't require as much drilling and save more of the tooth. See? The last couple visits were good and I had no pain, so I thought all was normal....I wasn't even that clenched during the cleaning until I heard the loud persistent beep on the laser cavity check instrument thingy they use as it passed over the two problem teeth.

So now I have to go in tomorrow and get my teeth drilled, temp fillings installed, and molds made for the on-lays. I keep the temp fillings through Thanksgiving...so now I have to somehow not grind my teeth when I sleep so the temp fillings will last until through the holiday and into the first week of December.

Did I say hate the dentist? Well....I HATE THE DENTIST!!!!! Now, more than ever. I knew I shouldn't have gone....

A while ago, I was whining about how much I HATE for people to leave flyers, business cards, brochures, etc. by, on, in, and taped to my front door.

Today, when I got home someone had actually used masking tape - over my front door key hole - to attach a flyer to my door. It was for a martial arts place.

Yeah...I'll sign up for karate lessons....so I CAN KICK THE ASS OF THE NEXT PERSON WHO PUTS MASKING TAPE OVER MY FRONT DOOR KEYHOLE TO ATTACH A FRIGGIN' FLYER!!!!!!

I was ranting to Tommy on this earlier, and after a few minutes he broke in and said "So....are you pissed?" YES, I'm pissed!

That is all.

It seems every weekend I am out driving around running errands with my son, I find something new to hate/bitch about.

Today....it's people who don't use their turn signals. This can be quite dangerous for the rest of us who are driving around, assuming that because other people on the road (in most cases) have a license they know where various gadgets reside in their cars - like, oh, say....THEIR TURN SIGNAL SWITCH!!!!!!!!!

Today on no less than six occasions, I was stopped at a stop light or stop sign and the person across from me in the intersection or directly in front of me in the lane did not have their turn signal on....yet they turned.

This can be particularly dangerous when the guy at the stop sign goes, then you begin driving forward because it's your turn and after all they are going straight because they don't have a turn signal on....and then directly they make a hard turn to the left and you nearly plow into the side of their car because you took your turn, thinking they were going straight and therefore assumed it was safe for you to enter the intersection. But unfortunately, more often than not these days the car across from you is, in fact turning left without their signal and the driver is more than likely on a cell phone and is totally oblivious to the fact that you are in the intersection and they very nearly would up in a very serious wreck. Oh, no....they happily turned left thinking a) everyone else knew they intended to turn left, or b) everyone would realize soon enough they were turning left and would take appropriate action to avoid a wreck. I would bet that nearly all of these types of non-turn signal users remain blissfully unaware of how many close calls they (and many others) have had due to their negligent behavior.

THEN...the annoying ones.....the people in the ginormous SUV in front of you in the lane - an SUV so big you can't even see whether the light is green or red in front of you....that sit there, intending to turn left on a green light without an arrow...through many lights until they feel it is "safe" to go....while you sit there behind them, getting anxious because you think there's probably a wreck up there somewhere because surely the light would have turned green so everyone could go straight. But NOOOOOOO......about five or six minutes later after many cars have come the other direction, finally the SUV moves...and.....turns left without a signal indicator. By now, the SUV has caused a major backup behind them because they were too busy talking on their cell phone to bother to take the turn even when they could make it and heaven FORBID they should put the signal on so people behind them would know what the deal is. Oh no...that would be courteous responsible driving behavior, and we can't have that, can we?

Some people can just be SO rude.

P.S. I can totally understand if you don't use your turn signal when you're trying to switch lanes on the highway because then people will speed up and not let you in...but at stop signs and street lights....unacceptable. Just rude, negligent, and unacceptable.

Yes, hockey is one of the things I hate, and it's back. I guess I don't hate hockey itself, really....it's just that the season is so damn long and the games are so damn long and you have to listen to announcers and cheering and the spouse stays hold up in the media room all night, every night there is a game when he is home.

I should have known tonight was opening night. He spent the better part of the morning and early afternoon taking care of all the yard work. Now I know why he was so industrious.....trying to lead-turn all the time he's gonna be spending watching the damn hockey.

And others appear to be just as happy as he is that the season is upon us. At least some people are sorry....

Yes, I hate hockey season. Here's why in case you need a reminder.

As a side note, I've had a really bad headache since last night and it's still here...probably my body's way of letting me know the hockey season was to start today. SO not nice.

That is all.

This morning as I walked to the front door after dropping Scytheboy off at school, I noticed something was attached to the door handle. Can I just say that I HATE IT H-A-T-E it when people leave stuff attached to my front door handle, inserted into the door frame, taped to the front door, placed on our little table in the front door area, or taped to the side windows by the front door.

What is it with these people? I didn't ask for information about their cleaning services (I know I clean better than they ever could), their crappy Chinese takeout food, their lawn service, their seemingly cost-effective carpet cleaning deals....I don't care about ANY of it!!!!

I especially hate it when they rubber band the stuff to my door handle. Then when I take it off invariably the rubber band pops my finger, pissing me off even further. I think really that's what they're trying to do when they do the rubberband thing...piss me off. That's it, I know it. And I am NOT paranoid.

I guess what annoys me most about the whole thing is that by leaving the stuff scattered all over the front door area these people are forcing me to then DO something with it. Of course, what I do before I even walk through the front door is immediately walk to the dumpster and throw whatever it is away - WITHOUT looking at it.

And I HATE when they leave business cards or flyers in the door frame and you have to bend down and pick them up to throw them away.

Oh, I know. Their goal is to make sure you SEE what they've left. But at least with me, all they're doing is ensuring I never buy the product or service they're trying to advertise to me WITHOUT ASKING ME if I was interested.

The people ringing the door bell are bad too, but at least you can choose not to answer the door and they'll eventually go away.

Are you with me on this?

I am from Wisconsin, but I live in Texas. Texas is a lovely place. My husband is from Texas. There is no snow to blow, rarely are the streets slick and icy in the winter, there is no State income tax, they know how to manage natural disaster crisis quite nicely, the school system where we live is very highly rated...etc, etc, etc. I could go on and on about all the reasons why I live in this wonderful sate.

However.......I HATE THE HEAT! I cannot stand that sweaty, humid, icky feeling when I walk out the door of my beautiful air conditioned house into the blazing Texas FALL weather. Last time I checked it was the END of friggin' SEPTEMBER! Guess what the heat index is for today? 102! And tomorrow? 104!! Enough already.

Here are some reasons why I hate the heat:

1. I sweat when I'm hot. I sweat a LOT. Some might say I sweat profusely. I sweat constantly in the heat. It's so uncomfortable. I hate that.

2. Being hot makes you tired. Very tired.

3. Being tired makes you grumpy.

4. Being grumpy leads to petty bickering with your spouse, whom you are annoyed with because he is loving, L-O-V-I-N-G the heat. I think I even heard him singing a tune about how great the heat was the other day...seriously.

5. I can't sleep when it's too hot. It's expensive to run the A/C as cold as I'd like it when I sleep so I am constantly throwing the covers off, then on, then putting one foot out, then the other.....all this does not sit well with the spouse who is shivering in the corner of his side with what few blankets he can steal while I'm thrashing all over the bed trying to get comfortable in the stifling, 75 degree heat of our bedroom.

6. You can't really wear makeup when it's hot out. And humid. It basically slides right off your face while you sweat and then you get this icky, gooey look that is not so attractive. The spouse would say that's a bonus because look how much money we're saving on makeup and how much time we're saving while getting ready to go somewhere. Hmmmpphhh...I say.

7. When it's this hot out I can't even enjoy the hot tub we have with our lovely pool. The spouse loves to go out there and drink a beer and run the hot tub when the pool water is at 98 degrees and the heat index is 102. So at least someone gets some use of the hot tub in the summer months...at least that's what he'd say.

I could continue but I won't. because I'm hot. And tired. And grumpy. I saw the weather report and it said by the end of the week it MIGHT get down to the 80's during the day. I will keep my fingers crossed. In the mean time, I have to go get a tall glass of ice water and stand in front of the open freezer for a while....

I’ve complained here before about The Viagra Brigade. So we all know I can barely tolerate these people at the gym. To give you a clear understanding of what we’re talking about here I thought it would be helpful to provide the checklist I’m sure the lead guy on this brigade uses for his daily visits to the gym:

1. Wear low neckline tank top (front and back) to ensure that all body hair on chest and back is highly visible

1a. Always the good leader, encourage my fellow brigade members to also wear the low scooping neckline tanks for maximum body hair exposure

2. Wear white sneakers and black socks

3. Drink some sort of alcohol and smoke a cigar before going to gym to add that special “ambiance” to the air

4. Wear gimme cap at all times, but take it off frequently to smooth back what hair I have left to make sure everyone sees I still have hair and I’m not just trying to cover my massive bald spot

5. Eat something nasty before going to the gym to ensure I’m able to pass gas so everyone at the gym can enjoy it – not just me and my special someone at home

6. Ensure all nose hair and ear hair is clearly visible and eyebrows are unruly

7. Suck teeth frequently and loudly

8. Hock loogies every once in a while into the trash can next to the paper towels and spray bottles

9. NEVER, and I mean NEVER wipe off cardio or weight equipment when I’m finished with it

10. Talk at an extremely high volume to ensure everyone can hear what I have to say (even if their headphone volume is turned up to maximum)

11. When walking around the track, remember to look each female up and down, making a dramatic pause at chest and bumb level while leaving mouth at half mast (occasionally lick lips and suck teeth to draw attention to myself and ensure everyone realizes where I’m looking)

12. Generally, just look disgusting, act disgusting, smell disgusting and try to be the most annoying person in the gym

I know, it probably seems like I have nothing better to do than analyze with these guys and their leader are up to. But when you spend an hour on one piece of equipment, there really IS not much else to do. I can’t stand the brigade, especially their leader. I do believe he is the most disgusting, annoying person I have ever run across. Ewwwwwww!

People walking around aimlessly in parking lots while talking on cell phones.

Today I had a bunch of errands I had to run because I had either put them off or because they had been added to the list for things needed by Monday. I remember thinking..."This is gonna be ugly. Nothing good ever comes of running errands on a Saturday," as I was headed out the door. Anyway, I had no choice because I needed all the stuff so I went ahead and started the errands.

I won't even talk about all the people in their cars chatting with their unseatbelted kids while talking on cell phones and missing green lights. We all know about them.

It was when I got to my first parking lot that a whole new breed of cell phone users drew my attention. You know the ones I'm talking about. The people that walk into the crosswalk while talking on their cellphone and then walk about one foot a minute while continuing to talk as all the cars keep piling up on either side of them waiting for them to cross. Who the hell do these people think they are? No, I don't think I should have to wait for you to finish your thought before you take your next step, or wait for you to stop so you can "hear them now" in the middle of the freakin'' crosswalk. Put the damn phone back in your pocket or purse or whatever and MOVE IT! It's Saturday and everyone waiting for you is missing out on precious time with their families so YOU can finish YOUR conversation.

They don't only do this in the crosswalks...they do it after they open their car door while you are waiting to pull in the space in which their car door is hanging. They also do it while walking smack dab in the middle of the driveway so nobody can back out and nobody can pull in and nobody can drive past them.

I really think those people that act like common courtesy is not required while using their cell phones should not be allowed to have them. I mean, seriously.....

Today is the first day of school. I dutifully got Scytheboy ready and on his way. In an effort to start this school year on the right foot I got myself ready post-haste and trekked to the gym for my first school year workout.

And....I discovered with horror....they're ba-ack. You fellow gym rats that go religiously more than four times a week know who I'm talking about - the Chatty Kathy Coffee Club ladies. That's how I think of them anyway. You know the ones.....they've been up since six getting their perfect children their perfect breakfasts and making perfect lunches and drinking many, many cups of coffee and getting themselves ready for their big outing of the day - the gym.

When they arrive, they've had at least half a pot of coffee each (or have met beforehand at Starbuck's and downed some sort of high-octane caffeine concoction). And they all have on their match-matchy "cute" new workout clothes with their matchy workout towels and a FULL face of makeup. And perfume...or heavily scented lotion...let's not forget that. They are there, congregating around the machines - not using them, just congregating on them. Usually there are three or four around the machine with one person sitting on the seat or standing in front of it. Or one of them is walking s-l-o-w-l-y on a treadmill and another one is standing next to them - on the treadmill - standing, not walking. And they are all chatting and laughing really, really loud - loud enough so as to make those of serious gym rats turn our headphones way up just so we can hear the news or whatever we're watching.

Man, I hate it when those women return to the gym in full force. I don't realize how good I have it with giggly teenagers and younger kids during the summer until these ladies come back.

Ladies, if you are looking to have a social event...just go all out and have it at one of your houses or a coffee house somewhere. And stay off the equipment and shut up and lay off the perfume, will ya? Some of us are trying to work out here. Please?

Well the new school year starts this Thursday for Scytheboy. Not only is he moving up to Middle School, it is a brand new school.

I went to his orientation yesterday, and let me tell you the PTA was out in FULL FORCE. They had volunteers stationed (and I'm not kidding) every six feet or so in the hallway trying to hand out volunteer sign up sheets and making sure you had visited their table.

I have never seen a more organized fund raising operation in my entire life. I really do have to hand it to them...they could not have done a better job to achieve success.

So here's the deal. As we all know school supplies are very expensive and by middle school the list is extensive. I pulled the list from the school site, and buying them myself would have been very pricey. They had pre-packaged supplies for all grades ready for us to buy during orientation. But here's the catch and where they get you.....you had to fill out a whole form with all your information and check off which box of supplies you needed. Then you gave them the form and a check, and they gave you a little ticket you had to walk to another room with to redeem your supplies. Guess what was on that same form? PTA Membership sign up. So all those foolish people who handed back the form without the membership box checked and additional money in their check for the full membership (self and spouse) were then subjected to the sales spew on why they really needed 100% participation to ensure the PTA gets up and running in the right direction.

Seeing the writing on the wall, I did like I always do...I signed up for the full dual membership just so I could avoid the pitch and questions, the PTA telemarketers at home and the shame of being one of the last 20 people left to sign up. I'm not kidding about this...they put a chart outside the school that says xx more people until 100% participation! - each year - until they achieve 100% membership. Trust me, you DON'T want to be one of the last few to sign up and be part of that number. Oh, the shame, the torture, the phone calls, the conversations you'll have with fellow parents - who all know who you are - and will stop you while you are out walking with your family to talk about PTA membership and ask you if you've signed up yet (but of course they'll know if you haven't signed up because your name will have been circulated at all the meetings and your neighbor will have been enlisted to do the soft sell on you to get you to pony up).

Let me say this. I do believe in the PTA and I think no school could function without them. But I really do wish they wouldn't be quite so aggressive at extracting guilt out of parents to get them to pay the membership fee. We get it. Schools are underfunded. We all need to do what we can to support them with time, money, supplies, or all three. We do what we can in the way of membership fees and supplies for activities whenever we can.

But - and can I be honest here? - I cannot STAND those women!! It's like a Mary Kay convention gone bad. They do a lot to help the school and give the kids a lot of extras....but my GOD these women just need to chill out! Oh, and get more organized. And get better on communication. And check their fliers for typos and clear information before they send them home..and...and....and. Let's just say that if I were an active member in the organization neither they nor I would be happy. These are all volunteers and we have to remember that they are not going to do their work at the same standard that I demanded of myself and my PR teams in the work force. They just aren't. They have a lot else going on with their families and usually more than one kid to keep track of, activity wise. They do what they can and I do appreciate all their effort - questionable standards and all.

But I gave at the orientation.....quit asking me to volunteer and spend time with you people! I can't take it! I just can't take it!!!!! Okay, I'm done. Sorry. Just had to work through my post-orientation PTA trauma.

There are a lot of things about the gym I go to that I like. Most of the trainers look like real people and for the most part appear to be unenhanced. There are a lot of families that go there - husbands, wives, kids of all ages. And they have classes for all age groups too so that's cool.

What's NOT cool? There are a group of elderly "gentlemen" - some married, some not - that appear to be heavily dosed with some sort of, shall we say, drug that makes them over excitable. I've come to think of them as "The Viagra Brigade". They are usually out in full force when I go to the gym mid-morning, which sucks. I have never seen so many slack-jawed, glassy-eyed geysers in one place in my life....lined up by the wall outside the room where the mostly young gals in somewhat skimpy clothes are taking their yoga and stair stepping classes. Following is a conversation I ACTUALLY heard today while walking by two members of the "brigade" (keep in mind they were leaning against the wall across the track lane right outside the class room double glass doors staring glassy-eyed and slack-jawed into the class).

You know we could actually go in.

But I don't really want to take the class.

We could just stand in the back of the room and watch a little closer.

Later I walked by the class and glanced through the doors. There they were, in the back of the class watching all of those tightly clad stair stepping asses in front of them. Eeewwwwww!!

Like I said, for the most part I like my gym. I can get all the stuff I need to do done and I usually don't have to wait for most things. But the "brigade" members really do annoy me and I wish they would not show up at the gym pre-medicated to enjoy the sites. Just so you know, I do employ countermeasures by ensuring all my essential body parts are covered with loose, baggy material so the "brigade" members can set their sights elsewhere.

My post yesterday and lexagirl's comment got me thinking about other stuff I hate about driving where I live - especially the last year or so. Lexagirl does have to deal with the farm equipment as does my sister. I've experienced this with her during visits home and trips out to her house which is in a rural area of Wisconsin. It definitely sucks being stuck behind farm equipment on a two lane highway that's supposed to be for cars driving 55. Totally sucks.

What we're dealing with here in the area of LONG-TERM road construction might be worse (at least to me because I'm the one that's having to deal with it) - especially in the area of car repair cost. In the past few years, both Tommy and I have had numerous rocks to the windshield from gravel trucks (I had mine replaced - he didn't. He does drive a truck that he can haul things in, after all). I've had four tires replaced over the last two years. My tires are constantly in varying states of flatness and disrepair due to all the road debris I drive through on my daily runs to the gym, the school, the store, the airport to take Tommy to and from work, wherever.

And then.....there's the ever changing lanes. You never know which lane you're going to have to turn in because it seems they can't ever make up their mind which part of the road they're working on. I know , I know...I will be very happy eventually because the city will have turned all the single lane roads into five lane roads (2 lanes each way with a turn lane). But it takes for bloody E-VER!!

Dallas traffic has never been pretty. And our 'burb in particular has grown way faster than the road system. These are necessary projects. But it doesn't mean I have to like driving around on leaky tires, getting pelted with gravel constantly as I drive down the road, being stopped frequently for up to 10 minutes at a time so a guy in a dump truck can finish his smoke before he moves his dirt while my drive-thru food gets cold, or getting honked at from impatient cars behind me when I can't move - but they don't know it - because there are so many trucks and large pieces of equipment blocking their view that they don't know I've been stopped.

We won't get into the numerous accidents that have occurred because the workers couldn't place their equipment just a few feet one way or the other so as not to completely block the view. Many close calls, people. MANY close calls.

Hopefully one day I'll be able to post and tell you the construction is over and the roads are beautiful. Oh, how I look forward to that day. Until then, I know I have to put up with all the above very annoying by-products of said construction, but it doesn't mean I have to like it.

OK this is probably just going to sound like more whining. But you people in your SUVs - could you PLEASE stop talking on your cell phones and swerving into my lane without warning? And could you PLEASE drive at least the speed limit instead of 20 miles an hour? And if you are speeding, could you PLEASE stop tailgating me? And could you PLEASE use your signal indicator while you are turning left on a green light when I have the right of way instead of turning in front of me without notice and almost making me plow into you? And could you PLEASE park in the parking spaces made for your size vehicle instead of parking in the compact spaces, making it impossible for me to see anything whatsoever when I try to back out of my spot in the cramped parking lot (or should I say parking lot made cramped by all the SUVs parked in the compact spaces)?

Generally, could you PLEASE follow the rules of the road, get off your damn cell phones, stop eating while you drive, stop talking to the other passengers in your vehicle instead of concentrating on driving, and park in the spots assigned to your ginormous vehicles? PLEASE? 'Kay? 'Kay. Thanks.

As I was spending my almost hour climbing uphill on the stairs today, I observed several breaches of gym etiquette. All in the area of - IF YOU'RE GONNA SWEAT ALL OVER THE MACHINE, BRING A TOWEL TO WIPE THE DAMN THING OFF!!!! What a disgusting thing to do - sweat all over the machine and then walk away as if it's perfectly fine for your sweat to be dripping all the way down the hand rests to the floor. YUCK!!! I must admit, I do sweat a lot. But I always wipe off the machine before I step off. How in the world can ANYONE think it's okay to leave a machine dripping with sweat. Unbelievable.

The only thing worse than the cardio machines left with sweat on them are the weight machines left with sweat on them - in the shape of certain unmentionable body parts. Come on people! Have the decency to bring a towel and sit on it when you're using the weight machines.

Just so you know, I DO make VERY good use of those spray bottles and paper towels the gym provides - because the perpetrators of these awful breaches of gym etiquette do not. Geez, some people....

We went to see War of the Worlds today, and let's just say it's one of those movies you should wait until it comes out on DVD. Mediocre is a good word for this movie. The special effects scenes drug on and on and on...we get it. Scary aliens. Keep it movin' people!

Anyway, before the movie there were commercials. Lots of commercials. No less than eight commercials. I'm sure they had played some commercials before we went in to sit down since the pre-movie ads had already begun. I don't mind like maybe one or two commercials...like those really cool indy Coke commercials they used to show. But now it's gotten completely out of hand. Now you see commercial after commercial of those same commercials you spent money on a TiVo to fast forward through at home. Only you're in a movie theater. And you can't fast forward through them.

Seriously.....it's gotten so bad I rarely go to movies any more because of this. And it's really sad how they've ruined the whole movie preview part of going to the theater. I used to think that sometimes the previews were the best part of going to a movie. But NOW.....they've put SO many commercials before, during, and after the previews I'd just as soon not even bother. I guess the only alternative is to show up to the movie late...really late....like after the advertised show time so you can go ahead and skip the horrible TV-grade commercials.

I read somewhere last May that one movie theater chain was actually going to start letting people know the "real" start time of the shows so people can skip the commercials if they want to. But this is only one chain and I seriously doubt others will follow. There is just too much ad revenue to be lost in that proposition. We all know it's about total gross impressions, and if the people are not in those seats when the ads run then the theaters can't count them in the tally when they sell the ad time.

I'm glad Mr. Average built a nice theater room so we can watch most of our movies on our HDTV - and fast froward through the commercials on the DVDs.

I hate to clean the house. But I do have brisket to look forward to. So THAT is a good thing. It will be yummy, and the best part is I don't have to cook it!

One of the things I hate about retail store front shopping is dealing with those pesky sales associates. When you really, no kidding need help finding something or have questions about a product they are never around. In fact, when you approach them they usually pick up the phone or turn their backs and run away as quickly as they can to some back store room you're not allowed to enter.

Today I experienced the other side of the equation. Scytheboy's got money burning a hole in his pocket since his Birthday, and he wanted to spend some time in the store looking around to see what he could see. Anyway...and I'm NOT kidding...within 15 minutes eight - yes EIGHT - different sales associates asked us if they could help us find anything. No, thank you, I don't need any help finding anything, and for the 8th time could you PLEASE just let us look? That poor 8th associate really bore the brunt of our frustration. I truly believe there is a fine line between customer service and customer harrassment. We weren't bothering anyone, it was clear we were just browsing. Could you, would you, PLEASE just let us look?!!!

Perhaps I was a little sensitive in the area of too much help because I am still scarred by an experience I had in a Victoria's Secret store front several years ago.

Yes sir, I had all the "help" I needed - help telling the entire customer population of the store my underwear size, that is. Yes folks, no less than six sales associates asked me very loudly what size I was looking for and after me telling them very quietly what it was, they would say VERY loudly "here's a xxxx." I know they were trying to help but after the sixth time in five minutes of me running away from those "helpers" just so I could look around I ran out of the store without buying a damn thing.

I know, I know. There are a lot of people that like to feel they are getting special, one on one service. I'm not one of them. I don't like to be "helped" at the lingerie store, the electronics store or the car lot. If I need help I'll ask for it. Otherwise, PLEASE leave me alone!

Okay, maybe I'm being just a little too squeamish about the way some service workers handle my stuff. Why do these people feel the need to lick EVERYTHING they touch?! The lady at Walgreen's is the absolute worst offender I have ever seen. I am not exaggerating when I tell you that today alone, she licked many, many things she handled before they came into my possession. They include: The bag she licked her fingers to open; the paper bills she handed me for change; the cash register receipt; and finally, each individual item she picked up to put into the bag. I think this is the nastiest, most disgusting habit (outside of smoking) anyone could possibly have. I was so grossed out when I got home that I literally wiped down everything...and I mean everything, this woman touched with Clorox wipes. All the way down to the paper bills and even the bag just to make sure all her cooties were gone, gone, gone!!!! Ewwwwwwwwww!!!!!!!

Going forward, I am filing all things related to the carafe in its empty state under Things I Hate.

Yes, I can safely say that I HATE the gym. Those of you who go know it can become your own personal torture chamber. Today was leg day. I hate leg day. Especially since I do the leg stuff after climbing the stairs for 5 1/2 miles. Then I do the leg stuff on already shaky muscles. Then I walk uphill for 3/4 mile.

I'm sure you're asking....why would anyone ever do that on a consistent basis? Go to the gym usually five, sometimes four times a week and put themselves through that torture? Well....food, of course. One of the things I LOVE is food. Good food. And wine. I like wine too. So....I have to pay the price for my love affair with food by going to the gym...a lot. Oh, well. Time to go eat some of Scytheboy's Birthday cake.