Rants

The following are rants and raves by site owner and webmaster at large, Marian, who admits, she seems to have no shortage of stuff to rant about.

Another Traffic Jam at Curves!

My last rant was about traffic jams at Curves, also. But this time, a new twist. This one was actually a Curves Employee On Duty causing it! One who usually isn't there when I work out. I am so peeved...

Traffic Jams at Curves

I go to Curves at least 3 times a week and do my circuit training workout. What has been irritating me is traffic jams in the circuit...it really bugs me...

Life in Suburbia...can suck sometimes

I guess you can call Fremont Suburbia...I live in a nice neighborhood - we all get along, but my next door neighbor on one side has 'dog parties' where she invites several friends with dogs and they all come over and bark. Anyone who knows me knows what a noise phobe I am...and barking dogs is one of my least favorite sounds.

Facebook not FEETBOOK

Okay, I hope I don't offend some of my friends on Facebook who have done this...but I've been thinking about this for quite a while and here it is.  

FOR CRYING OUT LOUD DON'T POST PICTURES OF YOUR FEET ON FACEBOOK!

January Rant Update (Better late than NEVER)

So I should have written this when it happened, but I found yet another reason why January Sucks.  Twice in my adult life, I have been laid off as part of a company RIFF.  Once was in 1994 and the other time?  You guessed it, 2012.  Yep!

January Gloom Part 2

The first part was written in 2006 - I talked about how bad the month of January is and how it holds no promise for the bulk of us who don't get special holidays like MLK day off (back then I was freelancing so it was different).  This year I feel the same about January, despite our sunny (drought?) weather, but January still sucks, but I think I've figured out why.

Being Tailgated...grrrr

I commute EARLY in the morning.  This time of year, it's dark.  The stars are out.  You get the picture.  So, I was on my way in this morning, almost here, and a car was behind me, jammping right up on my rear bumper.  I was not driving at a snail's pace either.  What made it worse is he had not only his lights illuminating the interior of my car, but 2 halogen fog lights on also.

Stroller Angst: Not a thing for crowded events

Strollers...a Godsend to parents all over to let them take a load off and let their little sleepy Johnny or little Mary ride along while seeing the sights of a local event...great for the parents.  Horrid for the rest of us.  I remember an ice rink across the bay from me - they actually SUPPLIED STROLLERS FOR USE ON THE ICE.  I kid you not...today's event was an annual flea market where an entire district of my hometown becomes a block sale.

Yappy Dog Chases Me Away at a Promising Yard Sale

So I was out at yard sales today, being a Saturday, and that's how I start my Saturdays - I don't do research, I just follow the signs.  So I came upon what looked like a very promising one...until I got out of my car...

Walmart Line Cutters

It's a given that going to Walmart can be an experience - almost like a visit to a different world.  As the popular site, PeopleOfWalmart.com, it can be a visual experience.  Or a downright frustrating one as I had tonight.

Youth today vs. yesterday

When I was a kid, adults used to bore me to tears with their tedious diatribes about how hard things were. When they were growing up; what with walking twenty-five miles to school every morning.... Uphill... Barefoot... BOTH ways...yadda, yadda, yadda

And I remember promising myself that when I grew up, there was no way in hell I was going to lay a bunch of crap like that on my kids about how hard I had it and how easy they've got it!

Communication Breakdown

Let's face it - we are more dialed in than ever.  We carry around our Smart Phones, we have wireless internet on our Netbooks etc.  We are almost NEVER unreachable.  But wait a minute.  Is that true?  How many times do you call someone on their cell and they don't answer?  Seems to me that before everyone and their cat had a cell phone, people actually answered their phones on a much higher percentage than they do in our current 'ultra-connected' society.

Going on a Witch Hunt for something 'normal'

I seem to go through this a lot...I'll be preparing a recipe that calls for a pretty ordinary ingredient - in this case, it was red food coloring.  I had watched Bobby Flay's Throwdown show and he did a Red Velvet Cake.  Intrigued, I decided I wanted to try my hand at this.

Car Pool Lane Cheaters

What is it with some people thinking they are above the law?  My commute to work takes me up the Nasty Nimitz into Oakland.  Many times I am on my Harley and therefore allowed to use the Diamond Lane. I'll be going pretty quick - 75 or 80 - and then it happens.  Someone is bearing down on me  because they want to do 100 or so...and I move over. 

The Joy of Calling the Unemployment Office (NOT)

Unemployment sucks.  What else sucks is when you are down to the last $50 in your bank account and your check hasn't come yet...and what sucks even more is calling the 'automated system' to see when your check was cut...

Walmart's Photo Center Hours vs store hours
Walmart has holiday hours where they open at 7am.  Great!  But guess what?  It's not so great.  Some of the departments have no service.  WHAT?  It's like the grocery store opening at 6 but you can't buy meat or produce until 10.

The "Hit Me Up" season is upon us...
It's coming.  The holidays.  We only have numbered days until the dingalingers show up outside of the grocery stores in their santa suits and otherwise.  But you know, these days it seems to be all year around.  I find myself checking entrances and parking based on where I won't be accosted...

If you're sick, STAY HOME!

Neutering a Cat - Add ons?
Yes, that does sound strange, but I went to inquire about getting my kitten neutered, and it was like ordering tires..you know the routine, each tire costs $x.00 and stems and valves are extra...yeah give me the tires without the stems and valves...well that's how it was when I inquired about neutering "Bomber."

That's how it ends?

They really got us going in this one...the tension building up the the very end.  It was one of the funniest episodes I have seen; the whole bit with Paulie and the cat, the FBI agent who said "We're gonna win this thing" (define WE?)  but I thought my satellite had gone out or something - as did millions of other viewers, I'm sure. ...

Arrogant B*tch

I cannot believe what is going down with this arrogant piece of work.  I used to watch her show "The Simple Life" - it was like a car wreck; you couldn't turn away from it.  Let out of jail because she's a crybaby?

Cats Must Have Meetings
I really really think they do.  A weekly staff meeting at an undisclosed location...

Huge Inflatable Snow Globes
So this seems to be the big craze this year; huge, obnoxious, inflatable snowglobes. Last year we were inundated with giant inflatable santas and other Christmas figures, but they just had to one up 2005 and come up with these things.

It's that Hit Me Up for Money time of year
You know, it seems to happen all year long - I hate it.  I'm coming out of Target and someone is there with their little table and can set up "we're collecting for the Save the Wombats society" or some such thing.  I don't mean to sound uncharitable but does it ever end? 

Is "Ovenable" a Word?
You hear the English Language being misused a lot these days.  Here's another fine example and I just have to wonder if it is a word.

Coins on the floor!!!!
I was in a Spring cleaning frenzy of sorts today and was picking things up and was AMAZED at how many coins I found on the floor.  I also found them on the tops of my dresser, headboard storage unit, shoe rack, etc.

Cell Phone Headsets: Way off the Deep End

Sometimes I fantasize...about days gone by...when you could drive down the street and you would see kids outside playing (instead of parked in front of their video games). They'd be playing atheletic games like football, baseball, etc. When was the last time you saw a group of little girls roller skating? And finally, when was the last time you went for a drive and DIDN'T SEE SOMEONE TALKING ON A CELL PHONE?

Rules for the Self-Check Option at the Grocery Store

I was happy when the self check-out lanes first came to my grocery store. It made it very simple if you were in the middle of cooking dinner and suddenly realized you had forgotten the basil. Just dash to the store, go to the self checkout, and you're back in business again. But, certain rules need to be adhered to in making the decision to use the self checkout lines.

120 Decibel Car Audio Systems

It's a bird...it's a plane, oh NO what IS IT! It's THE BIG ONE!!!! I get into the nearest doorframe, which they (who is this 'they?') say is the safest place to be during an earthquake is in the door frame of your home. I don't know if this is true, but I'm there...

The Trip From Hell

I went on a business trip to North Carolina for the US Aquatics Sports Association's Convention. Cool. Got a much better feel for US Masters Swimming who I am a contractor for, met people so I could put faces with names, etc. Sounds simple enough? Wrong...

The Waiting Game - Circa 1997

I came across this rant, written on a note pad (yes, I wrote it by hand), when I was trying to get steady - not temporary - work in Corporate America. This was before I even took my first formal website job--I was doing legal word processing work. Yuck!

What's in a Name?

I used to get really mad when someone wouldn't get my name right. I blow it off now...but really...is my name that tough to spell or say?

Garage Sale Etiquette

I was out garage saling about a week ago found a garage sale had wonderful signage but wait until you hear what they did!

How to Avoid Having Customers: Have a Barking, Aggressive Dog in the Shop

Some shops and places of business have their shop/store pets; a cat or a dog. Most of the time if it is a dog, it's of the temperment that is very mellow and it might come up to you to greet you, but never aggressive. Today I was out and had to go into a place and there was this smallish dog barking at me and baring its teeth. Made me really want to go in...NOT...

So Much Work, I'm Wearing Letters Off the Keys!

This is definitely a good problem to have. The dream of being self employed was a dream for so long, and then it was the dream to be busy enough to make ends meet. Well, they're meeting. I dont' know if this should be a rant; It's a happy rant!

E-Bay Sellers and Shipping Tape

I've been doing some bidding and winning on E-Bay Lately and have noticed that E-Bay Sellers really love their shipping tape!

A Web Developer's Pet Peeve

In the web bizz since 1995, this is my number one pet peeve. I just have to wonder what folks are thinking sometimes when I hear this.

Barney Goes to Breakfast???!!!???

The Scenario: Sunday morning, a family restaurant in my community. A nice mixture of hungry people eating traditional breakfast favorites, with their families in tow. I was with my husband and our friends, all ordering 'heart attack on a plate' variety of breakfasts.

Cover Your Mouth When You Cough!

I was disgusted, to say the least, and being the outspoken person that I am when it comes to this sort of thing, I said "Cover your mouth when you cough!" but he just breezed right by, oblivious. Okay, he probably wasn't born in the USA and there are cultural issues, but come on now.

(Meaningless) Web Awards

You've seen them. I have to admit, I had one on this site last year, begging a click through to 'win' this supposed major award known as the diamond web award. I put one up on my ever popular Miserable Melodies site since it gets so much traffic. I got all of my clicks and crossed the 100 click through mark. What did it get me? A graphic that said I had won an award, and an e-mail solicitation to purchase a plaque. So I can now boast that I have an award winning website. Caught up in a desire to proclaim "we have won awards!", I tried it on this site for the heck of it.

The Dreaded Refrigerator Cleaning

I've been on a cleaning kick lately. I guess it takes my mind off scary world events, gives my neck and shoulders a break from the computer, and it's nice not to apologize for the house if someone stops by. I have gotten really into it-I have a binder and it has a tab for each day of the week and a room to clean and what to do in that room--plus a daily list. Last week I was too busy on the Kitchen Day to deal with the Dreaded Refrigerator Task.

Grocery Store Floor Zambonis

I have learned that the best time to go to the grocery store (if you don't want to get stuck in ridiculously long lines, run into by shopping carts with unlicensed drivers, etc.), the best time is, if you're a night person, late at night, and if you're like me, a phsychotically early morning person, early in the morning.