Today would have been Charles Schulz's 86th birthday. Happy Birthday, sir, and thanks for all the fond memories.
I've been reading the Complete Peanuts lately, thanks to the library. I finished the strips from 1959 today, and I've got the next 2 volumes (4 years' worth) from the library this week. It's interesting to see how things evolved over the years, and how many little things turned up later in the television specials. There are some pretty good biographical essays and interviews in the books, too.
A Charlie Brown Christmas is, in my opinion, the gold standard for the Peanuts specials and for most animated holiday specials. It's the closest to perfect that I can think of right now.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Another day at the library
Today's library numbers: 34 items out, 11 on hold.
Returned a book and a CD today, came home with 7 books and 2 CDs. We checked out two Clifford books, a couple of National Geographic photography books, and the next two volumes of the Complete Peanuts.
Returned:
Returned a book and a CD today, came home with 7 books and 2 CDs. We checked out two Clifford books, a couple of National Geographic photography books, and the next two volumes of the Complete Peanuts.
Returned:
- The Ship Avenged - the last hold-over from my McCaffrey Quest trivia contest reading
- a jazz CD with Vince Guaraldi as the pianist (it was a quartet, don't remember the name)
Lousy Customer Service
Okay, I've got to rant about this somewhere. I just had one of the lousiest customer service experiences ever.
We've got both a smoke alarm and a smoke/carbon monoxide alarm. The smoke/CO alarm is from First Alert. It's kind of interesting - it doesn't just beep, it talks to you. Including telling you that the battery is low (and where the alarm is located), so you don't have to search the house for an invisible cricket that won't shut up. You get to hear "Warning! Smoke has been detected! Evacuate! Evacuate!" (It sounds a bit like a Dalek.)
We re-installed the combo alarm last month, after the new furnace was installed. We hadn't been using it for a while, but I forget what beyond-annoying thing it was doing. I made a special trip to the store last month for fresh batteries, since we weren't sure how stale the batteries around the house were. Last night, at some unholy hour, we heard "Battery is low in the hallway." Stupid thing never talks during the day, it's always when we're sound asleep.
All right. Those batteries are less than a month old, and I was a little cranky about the wake-up call, so I went Googling this morning. First Alert had a recall on some of their models for a similar problem, but ours wasn't one of them. They don't believe in email or contact forms, so I called them today in spite of the non-recall. I figured it couldn't hurt, and someone might at least say "Sorry about that." or something.
Yeah, right. I was told, after waiting on hold for 7 minutes, that they recommend only Energizer batteries, and if I was using anything else, they can't predict how long the batteries will last. Otherwise, tough toenails. Not even a "thanks for calling" or anything.
All right. It's not mentioned on the back of the alarm (contrary to what the CSR said) and I can't find the manual right now, but it is mentioned in tiny, camouflaged white-on-white raised type inside the battery compartment. But still. I bought Duracells, not some $1-a-dozen generic crap that's been sitting in a warehouse for a decade. Duracells with a freshness date of March 2015. Duracells that still send the battery-tester arm waaaay over to the upper side of "Good" after only 3 weeks. I'll put some fresh-ish Energizers in the stupid thing, but if this happens again, I'm returning the alarm and finding another company.
Makes me even happier that the smoke alarm is hardwired and we don't have to mess with this kind of insanity so often.
We've got both a smoke alarm and a smoke/carbon monoxide alarm. The smoke/CO alarm is from First Alert. It's kind of interesting - it doesn't just beep, it talks to you. Including telling you that the battery is low (and where the alarm is located), so you don't have to search the house for an invisible cricket that won't shut up. You get to hear "Warning! Smoke has been detected! Evacuate! Evacuate!" (It sounds a bit like a Dalek.)
We re-installed the combo alarm last month, after the new furnace was installed. We hadn't been using it for a while, but I forget what beyond-annoying thing it was doing. I made a special trip to the store last month for fresh batteries, since we weren't sure how stale the batteries around the house were. Last night, at some unholy hour, we heard "Battery is low in the hallway." Stupid thing never talks during the day, it's always when we're sound asleep.
All right. Those batteries are less than a month old, and I was a little cranky about the wake-up call, so I went Googling this morning. First Alert had a recall on some of their models for a similar problem, but ours wasn't one of them. They don't believe in email or contact forms, so I called them today in spite of the non-recall. I figured it couldn't hurt, and someone might at least say "Sorry about that." or something.
Yeah, right. I was told, after waiting on hold for 7 minutes, that they recommend only Energizer batteries, and if I was using anything else, they can't predict how long the batteries will last. Otherwise, tough toenails. Not even a "thanks for calling" or anything.
All right. It's not mentioned on the back of the alarm (contrary to what the CSR said) and I can't find the manual right now, but it is mentioned in tiny, camouflaged white-on-white raised type inside the battery compartment. But still. I bought Duracells, not some $1-a-dozen generic crap that's been sitting in a warehouse for a decade. Duracells with a freshness date of March 2015. Duracells that still send the battery-tester arm waaaay over to the upper side of "Good" after only 3 weeks. I'll put some fresh-ish Energizers in the stupid thing, but if this happens again, I'm returning the alarm and finding another company.
Makes me even happier that the smoke alarm is hardwired and we don't have to mess with this kind of insanity so often.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Library Visits
Why is the library busy on Tuesday mornings? No clue, I just know that we had to park in the overflow lot again. At least it wasn't raining. :) And I get a bit aggravated at people who do the parking-lot vulture routine. Someone today was sitting in their car, blocking traffic flow, waiting for a family to back out. They weren't even in the car yet, so it wasn't a short wait.
Anyway, on to today's library score card: 31 items out, 10 on hold.
We returned 7 books and 2 DVDs last Thursday, and 3 more books today.
Today we returned:
Anyway, on to today's library score card: 31 items out, 10 on hold.
We returned 7 books and 2 DVDs last Thursday, and 3 more books today.
Today we returned:
- Living the Not So Big Life - never finished it, it was too deep for me right now
- The 4400: The Vesuvius Prophecy
- don't remember the third one
Monday, November 17, 2008
Why I hate shopping for shoes
I tried to buy a new pair of shoes this weekend (New Balance walking/whatever "tennis" shoes), and realized why I hate it so much.
Our first mistake: no stroller. So DH was riding herd on El Burrito at JCPenney while I tried on half a dozen pairs of shoes. Just three models, but various sizes. My current shoes are a 9 medium, the ones that I think will fit are a 9.5 wide in that model. Other models, a different size fits best. Go figure. Same brand.
After an hour, I finally get tired of trying to keep an eye on DH, El Burrito, my purse, and everything else. I decide on one model, and ask if they have my size in the back. Nope, sorry. No worries, I think, I'll check online and order them there. On the way out of the mall, I stop in at one of the shoe-only stores. They don't have a 9.5 either. In fact, they've only got a dozen pairs total of that model in stock.
That should have been a Giant Freaking Clue, people.
I checked the JCP.com website when we got home. 9.5 D is not even an available option. Joy. I Googled everywhere. No joy, unless I wear a size 6.5 narrow or a 13 medium. Then I checked New Balance's website. The model I want, 643, doesn't even appear there. I've emailed NB's customer service, but it seems like it's been discontinued. The most irritating thing is that they seem to change models so often, and I really wish they'd have some sort of conversion chart. Just tell me, is a 643 roughly equivalent to a 645? And where does the 603 fit in, because it looks similar to the 643 in the pictures at JCP.com, but it's an online-only item, shipping ain't cheap, and I'd rather not have to burn money ordering and returning things that don't fit, just because I can't try them on in the store.
So, after spending an hour trying on shoes, I'm no better off than when I started. I'll get to do the whole thing over at some point, and who the @#^^ knows when that will be - shopping with El Burrito and without DH is impossible, when it comes to clothes.
And that's why I was so frustrated last night that I was in a truly filthy mood, managed to teach El Burrito a few words he shouldn't know, and didn't fall asleep until 3 a.m. I still haven't heard back from New Balance, either. I'd settle for some explanation of their numbering system - do they number by purpose (running shoes are 5xx, walking is 6xx, etc), are sequential numbers similar shoes, or is it all random and I'm totally out of luck? (My current NBs are 552 and 608, but they're both a few years old and the new 608s look nothing like mine.)
In short, I hate shopping for shoes. And I don't have a choice - my current NBs are losing the sole, and my casual/dress shoes are too small now. Always have been, actually, I was just not in the mood to replace them.
Our first mistake: no stroller. So DH was riding herd on El Burrito at JCPenney while I tried on half a dozen pairs of shoes. Just three models, but various sizes. My current shoes are a 9 medium, the ones that I think will fit are a 9.5 wide in that model. Other models, a different size fits best. Go figure. Same brand.
After an hour, I finally get tired of trying to keep an eye on DH, El Burrito, my purse, and everything else. I decide on one model, and ask if they have my size in the back. Nope, sorry. No worries, I think, I'll check online and order them there. On the way out of the mall, I stop in at one of the shoe-only stores. They don't have a 9.5 either. In fact, they've only got a dozen pairs total of that model in stock.
That should have been a Giant Freaking Clue, people.
I checked the JCP.com website when we got home. 9.5 D is not even an available option. Joy. I Googled everywhere. No joy, unless I wear a size 6.5 narrow or a 13 medium. Then I checked New Balance's website. The model I want, 643, doesn't even appear there. I've emailed NB's customer service, but it seems like it's been discontinued. The most irritating thing is that they seem to change models so often, and I really wish they'd have some sort of conversion chart. Just tell me, is a 643 roughly equivalent to a 645? And where does the 603 fit in, because it looks similar to the 643 in the pictures at JCP.com, but it's an online-only item, shipping ain't cheap, and I'd rather not have to burn money ordering and returning things that don't fit, just because I can't try them on in the store.
So, after spending an hour trying on shoes, I'm no better off than when I started. I'll get to do the whole thing over at some point, and who the @#^^ knows when that will be - shopping with El Burrito and without DH is impossible, when it comes to clothes.
And that's why I was so frustrated last night that I was in a truly filthy mood, managed to teach El Burrito a few words he shouldn't know, and didn't fall asleep until 3 a.m. I still haven't heard back from New Balance, either. I'd settle for some explanation of their numbering system - do they number by purpose (running shoes are 5xx, walking is 6xx, etc), are sequential numbers similar shoes, or is it all random and I'm totally out of luck? (My current NBs are 552 and 608, but they're both a few years old and the new 608s look nothing like mine.)
In short, I hate shopping for shoes. And I don't have a choice - my current NBs are losing the sole, and my casual/dress shoes are too small now. Always have been, actually, I was just not in the mood to replace them.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Today's lesson
Today's lesson:
Always, always, ALWAYS thaw meat in a container - plate, bowl, baking pan, whatever. Do not fool yourself into thinking that the repurposed Walmart shopping bag will keep a thawed roast from bleeding all over the refridgerator.
Ask me how I know this. Go on. Ask.
It's because we tossed a roast in the fridge to thaw a few days ago. DH popped it into a plastic shopping bag first, to contain the leaks. I watched him do it, and thought at the time that it might not be enough, but I planned to cook Mr. Roast the next day (before it was fully thawed) and got distracted before I put a plate under it.
Skip forward a couple of days. Early this morning, my tired self reached in to get Mr. Roast ready for the crock pot, and found a nice bloody mess. Joy. At least it was on the bottom shelf this time. I only had to clean up one glass shelf and the crisper drawer (which, in our house, is full of chocolate in various forms, and two boxes of butter/margarine). Last time, we put the ham on the top shelf. Ham juice all over the fridge, top to bottom. I spent all morning cleaning it up, and the whole place smelled like ham.
This time, the only casualties were some out-of-date cheese sticks that should have been tossed months ago. The margarine seems to have been sealed enough to keep the blood out. And luckily, the foil on a giant-size Caramello bar is sealed around the edges now. I spent an hour or so scrubbing bloody juice off the glass shelf, washing the apples (even though they were in a produce bag), and cleaning up the chocolate chip bags.
The fridge is cleaner now. That's progress.
And now I'm off to read the Shuttle launch blog, since I don't get NASA TV and the news channels don't think a launch is worthy of air time anymore. (I gotta find a full-size copy of that image with Endeavour in the moonlight from the first link. It's probably amazing in a bigger size.)
Always, always, ALWAYS thaw meat in a container - plate, bowl, baking pan, whatever. Do not fool yourself into thinking that the repurposed Walmart shopping bag will keep a thawed roast from bleeding all over the refridgerator.
Ask me how I know this. Go on. Ask.
It's because we tossed a roast in the fridge to thaw a few days ago. DH popped it into a plastic shopping bag first, to contain the leaks. I watched him do it, and thought at the time that it might not be enough, but I planned to cook Mr. Roast the next day (before it was fully thawed) and got distracted before I put a plate under it.
Skip forward a couple of days. Early this morning, my tired self reached in to get Mr. Roast ready for the crock pot, and found a nice bloody mess. Joy. At least it was on the bottom shelf this time. I only had to clean up one glass shelf and the crisper drawer (which, in our house, is full of chocolate in various forms, and two boxes of butter/margarine). Last time, we put the ham on the top shelf. Ham juice all over the fridge, top to bottom. I spent all morning cleaning it up, and the whole place smelled like ham.
This time, the only casualties were some out-of-date cheese sticks that should have been tossed months ago. The margarine seems to have been sealed enough to keep the blood out. And luckily, the foil on a giant-size Caramello bar is sealed around the edges now. I spent an hour or so scrubbing bloody juice off the glass shelf, washing the apples (even though they were in a produce bag), and cleaning up the chocolate chip bags.
The fridge is cleaner now. That's progress.
And now I'm off to read the Shuttle launch blog, since I don't get NASA TV and the news channels don't think a launch is worthy of air time anymore. (I gotta find a full-size copy of that image with Endeavour in the moonlight from the first link. It's probably amazing in a bigger size.)
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Tuesday at the library
As of today: 39 items out, 8 on hold.
We returned today:
Then this afternoon I finished Shopping for God and am working through Paradox of Choice and volume IV of the Grantville Gazette. We'll have more to return Tuesday, now that the McCaffrey Quest is over. I just couldn't carry all of them today and still wrangle El Burrito.
We returned today:
- Dorrie and the Weather-box - I had the urge to read these, but the library doesn't have them all
- Dorrie and the Dreamyard Monsters - All right, these are expensive used books!
- Dorrie and the Goblin
- Moreta: Dragonlady of Pern - McQ book (interesting use of "dragonlady" there)
- Nerilka's Story - McQuest
- Far Horizons - short stories, also for McCaffrey Quest 2008
- Legends II - more short stories, also for McCaffrey Quest 2008
Then this afternoon I finished Shopping for God and am working through Paradox of Choice and volume IV of the Grantville Gazette. We'll have more to return Tuesday, now that the McCaffrey Quest is over. I just couldn't carry all of them today and still wrangle El Burrito.
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