my brother's new blog

I woke up this morning to discover an email from my sister-in-law, telling me that my brother has a new blog.

I already enjoy sister-in-laws blog very much, and it's nice to have brother blogging also. He used to write a newspaper column, and did a great job. So I'm glad to see he's putting his hand to a keyboard again. :)

Eugenics in America

Have a look at an excellent blog I read today.

amazon doesn't know what to make of me ...

I started my Christmas shopping this week. I know ... it's ridiculously early, but I find I make wiser decisions if I'm not doing it quickly, and I also find I enjoy Christmas more if the shopping is done before the busy-ness starts!

Anyhow, all that is to say ... Amazon is desperately trying to make recommendations according to my previous buying habits.

However, I've had one friend ask me to order power tools for her (she doesn't like shopping online.) I use my personal account to order books for the church where I work. I buy gifts for the adorable-nieces. Then there is my own stuff.

So ...

Amazon recommends power tools, and children's games, and deep theological books, and the occasional pretty necklace.

I'm almost tempted to throw in the occasional order for really cheap, random stuff, just to confuse their computers even more. :)

Have you seen this yet?

If not, take a second and watch it. This is one of our veterans.

communication confusion

subtitled:
how I discovered my sister-in-law's phone doesn't display from whom text messages come!

I texted my delightful sister-in-law to find out how adorable-niece-#1's doctor's appointment went. (Both nieces have selective mutism, and are going to begin treatment for it.)

She responded back with detailed reports, and a great deal of affection, and also mentioned that my absence was probably a contributing factor, but that treatment was promising.

I was thankful for the detailed reports, and I'll be glad to accept affection when I can find it!

(Insert information here ... that my brother was out in the field with Army-training-stuff, and didn't have his cell phone. He had told sister-in-law that he might be able to borrow someone else's phone to check in.)

Starting to get the idea?

Well, from my end, confusion wasn't too bad. There was only one text from her that made it obvious she thought she was talking to my brother.

I assumed she was texting both of us at the same time, and just had sent one to the wrong person.

So I responded back:

"I think that was meant for Cliff?"

This is where sister-in-law's day starts to get weird!

She, thinking she was originally texting my brother, assumes that last message was from "random guy" who had loaned brother his cell phone.

So the rest of the conversation she begins to assume is with "random guy" ... who is quite overly-familiar. Or with returned-to-phone-Cliff ... who doesn't sound at all like himself.

The text conversation ends ... and sister-in-law remains confused.

Until last night, when I again sent her a text message.

Which she now assumes is from either Cliff or random-guy. And doesn't know how to find out which.

A further comedy of errors continues until finally she asks, "who is this." It is then, after MANY messages, I finally think to mention my identity.

All becomes clear to both parties, and much voice-on-phone hilarity ensues.

On other news, I started my new job last night, and am having that first-day, lots-to-learn feeling. But I think I will really enjoy it. Need to find a copy of "Adobe Photoshop for Dummies". :)

a new job!

No, I didn't quit "the best job in the world" ... I'm not crazy. :)

But I did apply for a part-time job in the evenings to help fill in the gaps a bit.

I'm going to be making videos of families' pictures for a local funeral home. The hours are varied and flexible, and it's a nice low-pressure environment. Dead folks are SO non-demanding.

I'll be starting on Tuesday.

the mysteries of swimming pool etiquette

Situation:

You are trying to enter a pool full of children, in hopes of swimming laps.

Do you
a. tell the parent that you would like to have a little strip of the deep end for your very own?

b. try to swim back and forth, dodging children as you go?

c. ask the children to let you have a little strip of water, in hopes they listen to you, an unknown adult? (insert here the old saying about, "if you start to think you're powerful, try ordering someone else's dog around.")

d. stand outside the pool until a section drifts clear, and then start swimming in it like mad in hopes people will get the idea?

I tried "d." as it required the least communication.

It seemed to work for a while, until a young boy started jumping in right in front of me, causing me to snort water, and having to resort to a modified "b."

So ... I ended up giving up and coming inside after 15 minutes.

Isn't there a book somewhere on the proper way to phrase this kind of request, and to whom one should phrase it? :)

I am the allergy princess ...

what IS that body part halfway between a person's ear canal and the back of her throat ...

... the one that, somehow, reacts to pollen in such a way that the itching causes said woman to want to scrub the inside of her face with a wire-brush?

UGH! And this is me ON allergy meds.

I can still remember the first few weeks of school, when my allergies are the worst, I used to be so allergy-plagued I could hardly stand it - swollen itchy eyes, itchy ears/throat, runny nose, sneezing. I was the most miserable looking and feeling critter out there.

I'd beg my mom for allergy medicine, and when she would get it for me, it would put me into this half-trance state ... barely able to stay awake.

It was either misery, or coma ... no other option for September and October!

I'm thankful the allergy meds have improved since that time, but for some reason, they still don't touch the itchy ear/throat thing!

Now where IS that sandpaper?