Grumbleeze

This week's questions; all about birthdays!
Happy Birthday Natalie!!! (Natalie/Otto's birthday is tomorrow.)
1. Name one thing you received as a gift on your last birthday. Love! It may be a phone call, a visit, a card, or some other token of acknowledgment... but bottom line, the message is 'I'm glad you were born.'

2. What would be the "perfect" birthday gift? Okay, call me sappy but my answer is in number one.

3. Do you look forward to birthdays? Not really, but I am more aware of my age on my birthday. I guess my attitude still is '...better than the alternative.'

4. On your birthday, do you treat yourself to something special each year? Not really but then again, I've never been overly excited one way or the other about my birthday.

5. Do you bother keeping up with your horoscope on a regular basis? Yes... it usually has some relationship to my life - except when it refers to my 'love life' - which is nonexistent. I'm a widow with no intention or desire to resume a brand new love life. I find mine, not on MyYahoo, but the regular Yahoo page which can now be customized & is faster loading the MyYahoo! Matter of fact, here's my horoscope for today:

Quickie: Improving your health is admirable -- lecturing other people to do the same is not.
Overview: Branch out. Take a language class. Try some exotic delicacies. Attend art galleries, poetry readings and cultural festivals. If you make an effort to enjoy and indulge in the new and the sublime, it will indulge you.

6. What zodiac sign are you, and do you think you fit the description for that sign? I'm a Pisces & pretty much fit the sign. I also read an inspirational quote of the day - arriving every weekday in my email. I always think it's a good way to find something to blog about... and today's was NO exception:

... that today is the birthday of the Automobile Speed Limit? In 1901,
Connecticut enacted the first automobile speed limit:15 mph on country
highways and 12 mph within city limits.Celebrate by keeping to the speed
limit on our roadways.
~~~
Today's Inspirational Quote:
"The moment of enlightenment is when a person's dreams ofpossibilities become images of probabilities."
--
Vic Braden, American Tennis Coach

The auto speed thing? Appropriate! Not gonna tell the whole story here but... Friday late afternoon I was stopped by a policeman for speeding. I was going fast - didn't know how fast! It's a new car and moves 'easier' than my old pickup truck did. I was going 72 in a 45 mile/hour zone... and honestly didn't realize it. The WONDERFUL officer actually let me off with a warning! You know, I actually like and respect police officers and that must show through. I was not frightened (although my passenger was a bit nervous) and I guess that's a good thing too.

Labels: celebrations, challenges, commentary, family, life, monday madness

Labels: critters, family

Heard from some and enjoyed visits with others... all in all none of my beautiful six daughters missed it! I will be visiting my mom today (she didn't want me to stop by on Sunday). Don't ask - she's 91 and deserves to do it any way she wants to!

Now here's my Monday Madness. Natalie (OttO), you outdid yourself this time. The questions concern something I'm a bit opinionated about, so here are my answers:

1. Which web browser do you prefer? I use MSIE7, MSIE6 and Firefox. I prefer MS internet explorer 6 best because i'm most comfortable with it. Microsoft made it too safe in MSIE7 - so safe that it's too time-consuming to use. Using Firefox sometimes to get used to it... because Microsoft, unfortunately just becomes bulkier and bulkier and i'm losing tolerance for all of the new products!

2. Are you a PC user or MAC user? PC but might have to go over to the more expensive MAC in future. Don't like all that overhead built into Microsoft products. If I decide to stay with PC - am trying to learn more about Linux - especially the newest version - Ubuntu (http://www.ubuntu.com/).

3. Will your next computer purchase happen within the next year (do you think)? I hope not!!! I like the ones I have - except maybe... just maybe..... a bigger notebook some day.

4. Will you purchase your next computer at a local store or via the internet? Whereever i can find the best deal.

5. Have you had any experience with Windows Vista? Not personally but as recently past president of a computer club i had a fullblown legal Vista OS when it first came out. Couldn't even give it away to any of our members. Have since given it to a nephew who might try it when he builds himself a new computer.

6. What are your feelings about this new operating system (if any)? All based on reviews by friends in a computer club...

• It's too bulky and not compatible for use on existing older computers already set up with XP (or older) OS.
• There's a bit of a learning curve involved for those of us that are comfortable with all previous Microsoft operating systems so one friend who evaluated Vista & uses it in his workplace suggests unless you are going to have to use it in the office, keep your old Windows versions. You can still purchase new computers from sources - one is Dell - with XP OS and soon to come, with Linux OS.
• Another friend bought a laptop with Vista just to learn and evaluate it. He says Vista does not work well with older versions of MS programs.
• Yet another friend, who works with multiple computers in a school, likes Vista just fine... but he still has the old OS on his system at home.
• Linux is not as fancy... it's open source (free)... and updated every six months.
• Linux works with your old Windows programs (I think) - but if you're starting fresh you can also get just about any program you want online - open source. So far all I hear is good & will be trying it on one of my computers soon!

What was the question again?

Labels: commentary, computers, monday madness

...the best reason to TIVO Letterman! Today I played two nights of David Letterman Latenight while folding laundry and other mundane tasks around the house - without zapping through the commercials. I would guesstimate that at least a half hour of each hour is commercials. If I tried watching it real time I'd probably fall asleep during the first set of commercials.

Hey kids! Go visit Foggybloggy - and don't forget to leave a message. She blogs more regularly than any of us. Go, Patti!!!

Labels: family, home, other blogs of interest

Labels: celebrations, family

Have a good one! Today a friend told me it doesn't matter so much who reads her blog... it's therapeutic. Know what? That's the way I used to be... and now it's not so much fun. Why? I think I started writing to get other bloggers to come and leave comments.

No more! It's back to basics for this lady. Some days may be different than the old days BFD (Before Frank Died) - but they are days nonetheless - they are my days - and by golly, I'm gonna make the best of it.

I went to a meeting Thursday. We call them 'dioxin meetings'. The chemical company and the state government regulatory people are working together to clean up a chemical they couldn't even find in such tiny amounts a century ago when it all started. I don't attend those meetings to make sure they're doing it right. They know what they are doing. I attend because I find it therapeutic! I attend because there's a gang of bullies who want to get something for nothing from the giant company. I attend because those bullies want to drag me and my neighbors along with them by claiming they represent all of us. I attend to represent me and the majority of my neighbors!

Now I'd better go over to TRVoice & blog about that meeting. If you happen to stop by there, don't think ill of me - I plan on using that last paragraph to get the thing going. I think my writer's block just got unblocked!

Labels: life, me me me

1. Currently, what television commercial is your least favorite? 'Head on!!!'

2. And which commercial is your most favorite? hmmm - do you mean the least obnoxious? I guess I usually don't watch the commercials actually.

3. Of the sitcoms that are on during "prime time" how many do you watch on a regular basis? Please share. The only one i set my DVR for is - 'Til Death' and 'Ugly Betty'. A real time must watch is Desperate Housewives. There are others i watch whenever i can including - 2-1/2 Men, Adventures of Old Christine & whatever others might be on when there's nothing else to watch.

4. Is there a television series that you enjoy watching that is ending this season? Not that I'm aware of.

5. Is there any type of program you'd like to see more of on television? Comedies & Comic Dramas (like Monk).

6. Is there any type of program you'd like to see less of on television? Not really. If I don't like it, I don't watch it.

7. Is there a series that is no longer aired that you wish would come back? None I can think of.

8. Do you watch re-runs of anything on television? Yes, if they are not reruns to me. ;-)

...and now..... what's the latest? 1 - Foggy is back!!! Go visit her. We want to keep her blogging! You'll find her at http://foggybloggy.blogspot.com - & she's a busy one! Been blogging regularly - not like yours truly.

Labels: life, monday madness, other blogs of interest