playgroupolitics

test of post

liberalfeministrant — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 16:16:02 +0000

Interface between phone, computer, car, laptop, plug in cell phone

Use fingerprint recognition

New Year’s Resolutions 2011

liberalfeministrant — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 16:12:29 +0000

Entertain more (or some!)

Be nicer to husband

Exercise More

History repeats itself unpredictably

Death and 40-somethings

liberalfeministrant — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 17:02:55 +0000

Suddenly, I am preoccupied with death. Death didn’t barely garner a mention until I hit 35. Suddenly, moments of incompetence can no longer be blamed on inexperience. People that I assumed were much older than me turned out to be the same age. It became apparent I was not going to ever sit on the Supreme Court.

Tim Russert started it for me. He was just a permanent fixture, who would always be there, whenever I had a chance to tune in to Meet the Press on Sunday mornings, which was a lot pre-kid, and not very often post-kid. But I’d assumed that part of my life would pick up where it left off someday. However, all of a sudden he’s gone. Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett were stars of my youth. The stars of my youth are aging. When I watched Star Wars I was blown away by young Harrison Ford. I had forgotten what he looked like then. The passage of time is unstoppable, death is inevitable. It makes me wonder what the point is. And to fear something like the death of one of my children. I dread this so much that I suffer in advance. My recent decision that I no longer believe there is a god underlies the desperation and pointlessness of it all. I read that people get happier in their 40s and 50s. Hoping that shows up soon.

Heuristics (rules of thumb) My list

liberalfeministrant — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 17:01:02 +0000

What would you do if you were not afraid?

The perfect is the enemy of the good.

If a task takes less than one minute, go ahead and do it.

First things first.

Begin with the end in mind.

Spend money on things that alleviate stress.

Waiting is not the opposite of Talking. Listen more.

Look for the positive. Be quiet about the negative.

Complete one stale task every day. No matter how small.

Make an effort toward friendship every day.

Just keep swimming.

Soften criticism by first acknowledging what the person does well.

Scam of the week

liberalfeministrant — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 21:28:29 +0000

Scam of the Week

Beware! Many scam artists use commercial mail box services like UPS, Mailboxes etc. and others as their business addresses. Then they misleadingly use “suite 491” in their address, when what they really have is “mailbox 491.” The store accepts the mail addressed to Suite 491, because they don’t care about fixing this, it would affect their revenues. And they won’t release any information about the actual person who rented that mailbox. The scammer then gets all the mail forwarded from the mail box company to their address in whatever other state they live in, and are virtually untraceable. A movement by the United States Postal Service to require “PMB” (Private Mail Box) in the address was shouted down by small business owners, who apparently want to keep this ability to mislead consumers alive and well. Whenever I get a complaint about a fly by night, can’t be reached company, I google their address. Sure enough I often find it to be a UPS store, Mailboxes etc. or other commercial mail receiving agency.

Fight Childhood Obesity, Open up public school playgrounds

liberalfeministrant — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:20:31 +0000

I recently sent an e-mail to Michelle Obama regarding my brilliant idea to fight childhood obesity. Open up the playgrounds of the local elementary schools for after-school and weekend use. Here in the Phoenix area all the playing field and playground equipment are locked up tight after school hours. All we can is stare longingly at the jungle gym through the padlocked fence. Many subdivisions around here have playgrounds, but we don’t live in a subdivision. There are city parks within driving distance. And we have been known to trespass into the nearest subdivisions’ playgrounds successfully. But why do I have to? The brand new elementary school down the block has a beautiful playground. And didn’t my tax dollars go to build it? I know they’re worried about vandalism and graffiti, but those are issues at the public parks as well and they seem to manage. In other states we’ve played at the open school playgrounds. Should fear of the bad guys really be allowed to rule the day? I’m tempted to some civil disobedience. Perhaps some bolt cutters or a step ladder? New playgrounds are expensive to build. Open up the gates of my school playground to me!

FACEBOOK follies

liberalfeministrant — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 20:50:01 +0000

So, tell the truth about Facebook. Are you really friends with all your “friends” on there? I also want to know what how many friends you have on Facebook says about you. Does it say anything? What about people I will never see again? What sort of criteria should I use? I just use the criteria now of, I like you—except the one friend from law school that I didn’t like, but wanted to show her that I wasn’t holding any grudges. I don’t really have anything to say on Facebook. But it does make me jealous of other people’s exciting lives and healthy relationships!

Where Have All The Men Gone?

liberalfeministrant — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 22:43:43 +0000

When did this happen? When did I get relegated to the world of women? I find myself attending social events that are all female, working with almost all females, and having only female friends. I used to have male friends, who weren’t gay or merely passing workplace acquaintances. Guys I could talk to, hang out with socially, and dare I say it, even flirt a little bit. Attractive men. Not gay and not old. My age. Good-looking. Fun. Not boyfriends or hook-ups either.

Now, the only guys I see are my husband or the husbands of my female friends at coed events. Is there some rule that says once you are no longer a possible date you are off limits? Were the men of my past only posing as friends in the hopes of a fling? And now that I’m off limits, am I not worth the pose? But I don’t even run into any men to be friends with! I spend my days at playgroups and buncos and working at a government job where the pay is so low, no self-respecting alpha male would allow himself to work there. It wasn’t always like this! Women are great, but there is something to be said for the companionship of men. I don’t always want to talk kids, clothes and cooking, but unfortunately, that’s where I’m at.

Is it time for a boob job? Or time to accept the inevitable?

Premier Airport Security Line–Your tax dollars at Work!

liberalfeministrant — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:03:32 +0000

What does a first class ticket have to do with a shorter line to get through security (“TSA”) at the airport? Airlines are offering this as an incentive to their frequent fliers and first class customers–you get to go into a “premier line.” Since the screening is being done by a government agency, there shouldn’t be a buy your way to a shorter line option. Is there a buy your way to the front of the line at DMV? To get on the bus? To vote? Don’t my tax dollars pay the TSA employees in the “premier” line too?

I voiced this complaint over the phone to the TSA and they told me it was controlled by the airlines. What is controlled by the airlines? The lines to go through security? That doesn’t seem right in a democracy. Everyone should have an equal opportunity to miss their airplane if the security line is long, no matter how much they paid for their ticket. And all you frequent fliers who bitch and moan about the lady with the stroller in front of you, too bad. We know you are sooooo important and such an expert flyer. Why don’t you just offer to help? After all, just because I have two small kids doesn’t mean I’ve got all the time in the world to wait in line or that I don’t know what I’m doing. Let’s see you take off 3 pairs of shoes, collapse a stroller, get the carry on onto the conveyor belt, separate the juice boxes, hold onto 3 boarding passes, and convince the kids to walk through the metal detector. Then you’re an expert.

Terry Goddard Ain’t So Green–If he can’t handle his own office building can he handle the whole State?

liberalfeministrant — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 16:15:36 +0000

Why doesn’t AZ AG Terry Goddard recycle in his office? Soda cans and colored paper are merrily trashed and carted off to the landfill. These days should be long gone. Is Terry Goddard the guy we want to be Arizona Governor? These details matter.