Four.Twenty.Eight

Friday is supposed to be fun!

I guess I'm feeling a little blue today.  I see way too much about the stock market and the economy daily - it wears me down.  Hearing all this doom and gloom and then knowing you are going to be in the job-search field soon just gets me depressed!  Those Red Raiders better win this weekend so I can feed off the happy kool-aid!

So, to make me feel better about myself, I'd like to gripe about other people for a bit.  It's been a while since I've had a good traffic rant!

Things I wish Doris (yes, that's what we call the voice on our GPS unit) would say:

• Putting on your turn signal does not allow you to place your car wherever you please.  If there is a vehicle in the lane you'd like to be in, you should wait until the lane is clear to move over, this is known as "yielding the right of way."  The turn signal is not a free ticket, it is simply a cautionary device for other drivers.

• If you are having trouble finding your destination, please pull your vehicle to the side of the street or into a close-by parking area.  Do not slow your vehicle to 3 mph or stop in the center of the street.  There are drivers on the street who are trying to reach their destination.

• If you are in a straight-only lane and realize that you have arrived at the intersection where you intend to turn, continue straight.  You will have an opportunity to turn around in a block or two and it will only make you 43 seconds later to your destination.  Moving your vehicle over three lanes within a distance of 2 feet and then turning right is likely to cause paint and/or body damage to your vehicle.

I think I'll send an e-mail to Garmin and recommend the above be added to the vocabulary of their various units they currently have for sale.  Do you think it would fly?

Organization 101

You probably think this post will end your organizational sufferings forever.  Alas, I am here to tell you that as organized as I am (and I am pretty organized), I always, always need to be more organized, and I am constantly learning more ways to make organization easier.  I try and discover daily little ways to shave time off slavish menial tasks, and I wanted to share some laundry ideas that I've decided to implement.  Bear with me, this might be a little long, but lots of meat in this post.

Lately, with all the working out Sammy and I have been doing, keeping Axel exercised regularly, keeping up with all our favorites on the DVR (yea, sure, totally necessary), church activities, and the general busy-ness of life, I get really tired of laundry.  I get tired of having to get it all out, sort it into piles, and get it all done over the weekend.  We inevitably get too busy on the weekend, and the laundry we were doing Saturday turns into the laundry that's still sitting on the living room floor and still hanging out in the dryer on Monday Thursday.

So, here's our new plan:  Sort early, wash frequently.  Here's how:

We bought a hamper very similar to this one from Target.  You can get one from just about anywhere, but the one we bought fit the budget.

As you can see, it's a three-bin laundry hamper.  Easy way to sort your laundry on-the-go.  Therefore, I also bought one of these in a medium size from Container store (currently on sale!):

You may or may not know that I have a fairly limited amount of space as I live in a town home.  Closets are numerous, but small.  The three-bin hamper fits snugly into Sammy's closet out of sight.  The above mesh cube will tuck right in beside the triple-sort hamper for the underwear.  I am going to put the larger single hamper I already have into my linen closet for sheets and towels, beside a hamper I already use for things needing to go to the cleaners.

So, overall, here is the system:

• Three-bin hamper will sort whites, lights, and darks on the go (take them off, toss into appropriate bin).
• Mesh cube - underwear
• Two single laundry hampers will sit in the linen closet for sheets/towels and dry cleaning.

Second, here is my new plan for doing laundry that will alleviate the above issue of cramming all the laundry into a Saturday/Sunday:

• Sort it on-the-go style.
• Here's the real "rubber-to-the-pavement" part: Do a load every day or every other day, cycling laundry throughout the week. Tomorrow, I can pick up the whites and do only the whites.  Sunday, I can grab the darks.  Then, if I feel like it, I can wait until Monday or Tuesday and grab the underwear.  Then, the cycle is off and running, and laundry gets done regularly.  The way I see it, I can do one load or have to have the burden of multiple loads all at once.
• Continue the above cycle from day to day.

So, I'll give this plan a shot and see how I like it.  I'll report back on my progress.

P.S. - I am about to run over to my 2008 Goal List and make an addition: Clean out closets and unwanted garbage clutter.  Have garage sale in the fall.

Summer Is Upon Us. An Important Note.

As much as I like to have a nice glow during the summer, I really try to stay protected when I'm out in the sun. Skin cancer is very real, and can be very dangerous. I rarely burn and can tan pretty dark if I let myself, but that doesn't mean it can't happen to me.

Sammy, on the other hand, I worry about. He is fair, burns very easily, and has had bad sunburns as a child. The Skin Cancer Foundation says, "One blistering sunburn in childhood or adolescence more than doubles a person's chances of developing melanoma later in life. A person's risk for melanoma doubles if he or she has had five or more sunburns at any age." Kind of scares me. Sammy gets a full body check by the dermatologist yearly.

I always wear a makeup foundation with an SPF. I am also very excited that Aveeno started putting an effective SPF in their daily moisturizing lotion that I love. I previously was against a daily SPF on my body, because they were all slimy and heavy feeling, and they all have fragrance. I love the Aveeno because they put the SPF in and still kept the fragrance out. Also, it is the only body lotion I have tried that doesn't feel greasy on my skin. It is light and soft. Give it a try! You're sure to like it.

So, I encourage you to remember a few things I highlighted from the article below, and I encourage you to read this article from the Skin Cancer Foundation.

• A sunscreen MUST HAVE one of the following ingredients to be effective against UVA and UVB rays: avobenzone (also known as Parsol 1789 or butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane), titanium dioxide, or zinc oxide. If these ingredients aren't present, you might as well be putting on lotion.

• UVB is the chief culprit behind sunburn, while UVA rays, which penetrate the skin more deeply, are associated with wrinkling, leathering, sagging, and other effects of photoaging.

• A recent multi-center study showed that we get less than 25 percent of our total sun exposure by age 18. It is more important than ever to keep using sunblock as you age.

Source: http://www.skincancer.org/sunscreen/sunscreens-explained.html

Lookout below, this is a soapbox thread! I (against my better judgment) watched an Oprah episode from several days ago. I knew it was going to be on, and I planned on watching it. The episode I watched dealt with puppy mills and the pet overpopulation. I'm glad she finally did a show on this topic. I hope her influence can spread the word.

Now, I will begin with a disclaimer: I am not affiliated with PETA. :-) I don't feel that dogs and/or pets are equal to kids. I don't get overly sensitive about pets, and although I feel that cruelty to animals is wrong and despicable, I don't feel the need to form picket lines or harass people about it.

I do feel, though, that pets are very special to our hearts and can be a loving part of our families. Cruelty to an animal that has no choice but to depend on you for food, shelter, and love is exactly what I said above, despicable.

This episode was very heartbreaking. I knew about puppy mills, where momma dogs are kept in chicken coop-like crates and never even touched. I knew that they had litter after litter of pups and I knew they were often destroyed when they were no longer able to breed. I had seen it on television before, but it still is upsetting to see. It is upsetting to see people at "dog auctions" treating pets like a cash crop.

The portion of the show that just broke me up, though, was when they took cameras through a typical day for the Ft. Worth Animal Control department. It really stunned me (even though you know it goes on) to see the dogs being taken to the euthanasia room. If you must know, yes, I got the lip quiver cry. I can't help it! It sucks.

Here's my stand: I firmly believe that puppy mills greatly contribute to dogs being taken to that euthanasia room. I know that not spaying or neutering your pet also contributes, one must realize the puppy mills are churning out thousands of pets! Thousands. When people are out buying pups that come from these sources (whether they are aware of the source or not), dogs are falling off the other end of the seesaw.

I also firmly believe that puppies being sold in places like First Monday Canton or any other setting like it are at least 99% from puppy mills. Often there are no parent dogs present, breeders have multiple types, and they are at First Monday every month. Reputable breeders do not sell their pups at a flea market. Period. Reputable breeders do what is the very best for the breed, they know their breed and their pet's genetics, and stay very active in things like breed confirmation. They also don't sell their pups to pet stores. Pet stores are a haven for mill owners.

It really broke my heart to see such sweet, gentle dogs being put to sleep. Please be educated when making the decision to get a dog. Check shelters first and don't let the "aaawww" and "how cute" emotions cloud your judgment when making the decision to bring a pet into the family.

Thanks for listening. Putting the soapbox in the trunk and driving away now...

Maybe you've seen this video, maybe you haven't. But for a true Christian, this is a bit disturbing. Disturbing not for the reason that any person's individual beliefs should disturb your being or your faith, but for the reason that this particular person has influence. When she puts Josh Groban on her show, his CD sales double and triple. When she puts the best t-shirt ever on her show, they sell out. That's what disturbs me.

Be patient, it is a bit long, but it is something Christians should be aware of. I believe we should never keep our heads in the sand to what is out there. I really dismissed all this at first, but once I watched this person's actual comments, I was really taken aback. I'm not really into "boycotting" per say because I feel it is a bit emotional and extremist, but I will likely stop watching her show. Besides, lately, I've been deleting most of the episodes anyway because the topics just haven't been interesting enough.

There is another video here that I think has some interesting moments, but I didn't embed it because it tends to have a bit more of an agenda, and I'm not big on groups with an agenda. Take that portion for what it is, but the content not shown in the embedded video above is interesting.

What are your thoughts?

Public Service Message:

If you work in an industry where customer service is key, try to have some.  Especially if you work on a commission.

Instead of standing around and saying, "What's up?" to me, say, "Can I help you find anything?"

\End Public Service Message

Seriously... I went to Dillard's on Sunday afternoon to look for a pair of brown heels.  I've not had much luck finding brown shoes, but I thought I'd try.  Needless to say, I was unsuccessful.  They didn't have anything better than what I already bought at DSW.

So, out of at least 4 men and at least one woman working in the shoe department in Dillard's,  three of the men were all standing around talking.  I actually had to walk around one of them to view the shoe rack I wanted to see.  Then he said to me, "What's up?"  I replied, "Not much."  I should have told him I was there to buy about 10 pairs of shoes and needed some assistance.  Maybe that would have turned his light bulb on.  Unfortunately, from observing him while browsing, I think his light bulb was burnt out.

I also could have given him a lesson in customer service, like noting that "can I help you?" is the #1 statement in his line of work.  Customer service 101.  I've worked in a clothing boutique.  I know how it works.

Besides the fact that his "What's up?" kind of gave me the heebie-jeebies, like it was a feeble attempt at flirting rather than doing his job.

So, needless to say, I think I'll stick to Willow Bend or NorthPark for my Dillard's shopping.  Those two locations always seem to have employees eager to help you and I've always been met with friendliness.

Have you ever done a garage sale?  Well, I can say that I have now done two garage sales in my lifetime.  I am still not 100% sure if I think that they are really worth it.  I also think there is a whole psychological dynamic to the garage sale seller and shopper.  There have probably been very nerdy studies done on that very subject.

First, the seller must decide: Do I want to get rid of things or do I want to make a little extra cash?  Then, the seller must choose to completely abandon question number two and accept the harsh reality that he or she probably won't make squat.  The squat that you do make probably won't be worth your preparation time and effort.  Isn't that stupid?  But we still do the garage sales... year after year, people do garage sales.

Here is the dynamic of the buyer:

Buyer:  "How much is this?" (sticker says $3)
Seller:  "Three dollars."
Buyer:  "How about fifty cents?"

Here's the dynamic of the "I'm-just-sayin'-annoying-done-this-before-so-I-know-everything" buyer:

Buyer:  "You know, you've got some nice things here, but you really have them priced too high.  Most people just don't want to pay much at garage sales."
Seller:  "Yea, I know, but I just can't part with some things for much less.  Like that picture frame (pointing to said frame).  It is brand new and probably cost $30.  Four dollars can't possibly be too much to pay."
What seller is really thinking:  Mind your own business.  If you don't want to pay it, don't buy it.  Go to a store and pay full price for it.  See if I care.

You know, a lot of items at garage sales are not worth a nickel.  Truly.  I mean, a half-burned grapefruit nectar candle from White Barn?  That 25 cent tag I had on that might have been too expensive.  Oh, and that yellow silicone Live Strong Bracelet... it probably should be in a "free" pile.

But then there are some items that are absolutely rock-bottom price!  Glass wedding photo frames new in boxes...  $4.  Said photo frames probably cost $25-30 new and people still think that asking $4 is too much.  People want to haggle over clothing with the tags still on them and eventually wear you down to $1.  I can't seem to get over that dynamic.

So, it might be a while before I do another garage sale.  I can say that we did better last year, due to having some furniture items and "bigger ticket" items overall.  However, I grow really weary of the buyer who would be the happiest if you just gave it to them.  If I wanted to do that, I'd advertise a FREE SALE.

In fact, my friend and I on Friday inadvertently gave some shoppers some things.  As in STEALING.  Here's the whole story:

A group of approximately 10-15 people got out of one vehicle, I kid you not.  They swarmed and a couple of the women began haggling over clothing and shoes.  They managed to keep my friend and I in the back near the entrance to the garage with all their haggling.  (after the fact, we knew we should have come out in the open where everyone was looking.)

The two women approached me with shoes that had the prices removed and even had a pair of shoes with my sticker removed and my friend's attached.  I knew immediately and my friend noticed me beginning to get testy.  I bluntly asked them where the prices were and she said, "no price."  I said, "No, these had stickers.  Those were $2, those were $3, and those were $4."  She immediately put them back and began haggling over the clothing and acted like any price over a dollar was way too much.

I would say by the time the swarm was over and they began loading back up in their vehicle, they might have bought two or three items.  However, I am certain they got away with about 6 items without paying - a pair of my shoes, about 4 pairs of flip-flops I had at 50 cents a piece, and an (albeit inexpensive) bracelet of my friend's.

I was so mad for letting them get away with that.  It isn't like they got away with very much dollar-wise, but it stung that we weren't paying close attention.  We knew better, but we let our guard down.

So, that is the LONG story about Garage Sale Weekend 2007.  It was fun to hang out with my friend and we enjoy watching what sells.  We always have those items we really hope we can get rid of, and we usually make a few pseudo-bets on what we think absolutely will sell and what we think will never sell.  There are things we think are never going to sell, and somehow they are the first to go.  Isn't it funny like that?  Feel free to share your garage sale funnies and horror stories, too!

If you have music that automatically plays when I get on your website or blog, I exit the page as fast as possible. If I absolutely have to be on said web page or blog, I can't click on the "Mute All" check box fast enough.

So, for future reference, stop wasting your time putting the music on there. It is sort of like a fashion faux-pas of the internet. If I wanted to hear music, I would play some.

When did this phenomenon pop into being? I have never had a desire to put my website to a tune. I feel like if I did that, it would be forcing something on a viewer that they might not want. It is a bit like opening a book to find it has one of those little music players in there like the musical greeting cards.

So, now that I'm done griping.... on with the day! Have a good one all of you in bloggy-world!

Well, I knew when this happened I'd have to write about it in the blog.  I felt like throwing down right there by the Joann's fabric table.

Let's begin by saying that I am probably the most non-confrontational person you will ever meet.  I will also say that my biggest pet peeve is very likely the following:

People that believe the world revolves around them and the rules don't apply to them, their business, or their current situation that is right in front of their nose.

I guess this is because Christ tells us to be just the opposite and it chaps my hide when others don't get it.

With that information said loud and clear, here's my story from my errand I ran on my late lunch break.  I hope I can keep it semi-short.

I went quickly to Joann's to get some polar fleece for part of the dog bed cover I am making.  It has to be cut.  They had two ladies working at the cutting counter and a couple of people in line.  So, one line, two cutters, "Who's next?"  Follow this easy-cheesy scenario?

Next, I noticed a lady get behind me with a basket looking a bit impatient.  She then proceeded to move and I really didn't notice where she went.  The people in front of me were up to be waited on, so woo-hoo, I'm next.  I might just get back to work in a timely fashion.  I then noticed the lady that came up behind me was standing clear on the other side of the table near the other cutter.

Then, D-Day.  The other cutter said, "Who's next?"  I walked up to her, put down my bolt of cloth, and said, "I believe I was next."  The woman who was behind me attempted to begin putting down her things as I said this, so I kind of had to be sure to say that I was next.  I kind of felt a storm a-brewin'.  The woman behind the counter cut my fabric, I said thanks and proceeded to get some velcro.

As I looked at the velcro, the lady proceeded to tell the cutting clerk that "That was pretty rude." and "I guess her time was more important than anyone else's." within clear earshot of me.  Add a couple other things in there.

Now, remember my pet peeve?  I just couldn't take it.  With all the courtesy and kindness I could muster, I turned to her and said, "Ma'am.  I was standing at the counter before you came up.  I was right behind those people with that fabric right there." pointing to said fabric.  I'm about 99% sure that she heard about 2% of what I said because she proceeded to put her hand up towards me and say, "I don't want to hear you." about 5 times very loud.  Every other customer (okay, 2 customers) was staring as were the cutting clerks.  I tried to reiterate my point with a million scenarios going through my head all at once at about 2,000 mph.  Would she try and hit me?  Should I ask a customer?  Should I ask the cutting lady so I can be vindicated?  Help!  Get me out of here!  Should I keep arguing my point?  Should I make her listen to me?  Keep my voice down.  Stay calm.  Aaaaaaaahhh!

My last words to her were, "O.K.  That's fine.  You were very rude."  At this point my face was probably a tomato and I was probably shaking visibly.  My shy personality goes on overload like a nuclear reactor with large red flashing lights and loud buzzers when there is confrontation I have to deal with.

You see, I am not a rude person.  I make many attempts to smile, be ultra-polite, say excuse me, thank you, and everything else so maybe someone else can smile a little in their day.  This just put me over the edge and I just couldn't stand there and listen to it for another second.  I don't know if I was wrong for saying something, but I know 100% that I was not wrong in being next in line.  She was rude to the very end.

So, how was your afternoon?  'Cause this is how I feel:

Climb Up On My Soapbox For A Moment...

Lookout below, this is a soapbox thread! I (against my better judgment) watched an Oprah episode from several days ago. I knew it was going to be on, and I planned on watching it. The episode I watched dealt with puppy mills and the pet overpopulation. I'm glad she finally did a show on this topic. I hope her influence can spread the word.

Now, I will begin with a disclaimer: I am not affiliated with PETA. :-) I don't feel that dogs and/or pets are equal to kids. I don't get overly sensitive about pets, and although I feel that cruelty to animals is wrong and despicable, I don't feel the need to form picket lines or harass people about it.

I do feel, though, that pets are very special to our hearts and can be a loving part of our families. Cruelty to an animal that has no choice but to depend on you for food, shelter, and love is exactly what I said above, despicable.

This episode was very heartbreaking. I knew about puppy mills, where momma dogs are kept in chicken coop-like crates and never even touched. I knew that they had litter after litter of pups and I knew they were often destroyed when they were no longer able to breed. I had seen it on television before, but it still is upsetting to see. It is upsetting to see people at "dog auctions" treating pets like a cash crop.

The portion of the show that just broke me up, though, was when they took cameras through a typical day for the Ft. Worth Animal Control department. It really stunned me (even though you know it goes on) to see the dogs being taken to the euthanasia room. If you must know, yes, I got the lip quiver cry. I can't help it! It sucks.

Here's my stand: I firmly believe that puppy mills greatly contribute to dogs being taken to that euthanasia room. I know that not spaying or neutering your pet also contributes, one must realize the puppy mills are churning out thousands of pets! Thousands. When people are out buying pups that come from these sources (whether they are aware of the source or not), dogs are falling off the other end of the seesaw.

I also firmly believe that puppies being sold in places like First Monday Canton or any other setting like it are at least 99% from puppy mills. Often there are no parent dogs present, breeders have multiple types, and they are at First Monday every month. Reputable breeders do not sell their pups at a flea market. Period. Reputable breeders do what is the very best for the breed, they know their breed and their pet's genetics, and stay very active in things like breed confirmation. They also don't sell their pups to pet stores. Pet stores are a haven for mill owners.

It really broke my heart to see such sweet, gentle dogs being put to sleep. Please be educated when making the decision to get a dog. Check shelters first and don't let the "aaawww" and "how cute" emotions cloud your judgment when making the decision to bring a pet into the family.

Thanks for listening. Putting the soapbox in the trunk and driving away now...

Disturbing?

Maybe you've seen this video, maybe you haven't. But for a true Christian, this is a bit disturbing. Disturbing not for the reason that any person's individual beliefs should disturb your being or your faith, but for the reason that this particular person has influence. When she puts Josh Groban on her show, his CD sales double and triple. When she puts the best t-shirt ever on her show, they sell out. That's what disturbs me.

Be patient, it is a bit long, but it is something Christians should be aware of. I believe we should never keep our heads in the sand to what is out there. I really dismissed all this at first, but once I watched this person's actual comments, I was really taken aback. I'm not really into "boycotting" per say because I feel it is a bit emotional and extremist, but I will likely stop watching her show. Besides, lately, I've been deleting most of the episodes anyway because the topics just haven't been interesting enough.

There is another video here that I think has some interesting moments, but I didn't embed it because it tends to have a bit more of an agenda, and I'm not big on groups with an agenda. Take that portion for what it is, but the content not shown in the embedded video above is interesting.

What are your thoughts?

A Monday Grrrr...

Public Service Message:

If you work in an industry where customer service is key, try to have some.  Especially if you work on a commission.

Instead of standing around and saying, "What's up?" to me, say, "Can I help you find anything?"

\End Public Service Message

Seriously... I went to Dillard's on Sunday afternoon to look for a pair of brown heels.  I've not had much luck finding brown shoes, but I thought I'd try.  Needless to say, I was unsuccessful.  They didn't have anything better than what I already bought at DSW.

So, out of at least 4 men and at least one woman working in the shoe department in Dillard's,  three of the men were all standing around talking.  I actually had to walk around one of them to view the shoe rack I wanted to see.  Then he said to me, "What's up?"  I replied, "Not much."  I should have told him I was there to buy about 10 pairs of shoes and needed some assistance.  Maybe that would have turned his light bulb on.  Unfortunately, from observing him while browsing, I think his light bulb was burnt out.

I also could have given him a lesson in customer service, like noting that "can I help you?" is the #1 statement in his line of work.  Customer service 101.  I've worked in a clothing boutique.  I know how it works.

Besides the fact that his "What's up?" kind of gave me the heebie-jeebies, like it was a feeble attempt at flirting rather than doing his job.

So, needless to say, I think I'll stick to Willow Bend or NorthPark for my Dillard's shopping.  Those two locations always seem to have employees eager to help you and I've always been met with friendliness.

Musings from a Garage Sale

Have you ever done a garage sale?  Well, I can say that I have now done two garage sales in my lifetime.  I am still not 100% sure if I think that they are really worth it.  I also think there is a whole psychological dynamic to the garage sale seller and shopper.  There have probably been very nerdy studies done on that very subject.

First, the seller must decide: Do I want to get rid of things or do I want to make a little extra cash?  Then, the seller must choose to completely abandon question number two and accept the harsh reality that he or she probably won't make squat.  The squat that you do make probably won't be worth your preparation time and effort.  Isn't that stupid?  But we still do the garage sales... year after year, people do garage sales.

Here is the dynamic of the buyer:

Buyer:  "How much is this?" (sticker says $3)
Seller:  "Three dollars."
Buyer:  "How about fifty cents?"

Here's the dynamic of the "I'm-just-sayin'-annoying-done-this-before-so-I-know-everything" buyer:

Buyer:  "You know, you've got some nice things here, but you really have them priced too high.  Most people just don't want to pay much at garage sales."
Seller:  "Yea, I know, but I just can't part with some things for much less.  Like that picture frame (pointing to said frame).  It is brand new and probably cost $30.  Four dollars can't possibly be too much to pay."
What seller is really thinking:  Mind your own business.  If you don't want to pay it, don't buy it.  Go to a store and pay full price for it.  See if I care.

You know, a lot of items at garage sales are not worth a nickel.  Truly.  I mean, a half-burned grapefruit nectar candle from White Barn?  That 25 cent tag I had on that might have been too expensive.  Oh, and that yellow silicone Live Strong Bracelet... it probably should be in a "free" pile.

But then there are some items that are absolutely rock-bottom price!  Glass wedding photo frames new in boxes...  $4.  Said photo frames probably cost $25-30 new and people still think that asking $4 is too much.  People want to haggle over clothing with the tags still on them and eventually wear you down to $1.  I can't seem to get over that dynamic.

So, it might be a while before I do another garage sale.  I can say that we did better last year, due to having some furniture items and "bigger ticket" items overall.  However, I grow really weary of the buyer who would be the happiest if you just gave it to them.  If I wanted to do that, I'd advertise a FREE SALE.

In fact, my friend and I on Friday inadvertently gave some shoppers some things.  As in STEALING.  Here's the whole story:

A group of approximately 10-15 people got out of one vehicle, I kid you not.  They swarmed and a couple of the women began haggling over clothing and shoes.  They managed to keep my friend and I in the back near the entrance to the garage with all their haggling.  (after the fact, we knew we should have come out in the open where everyone was looking.)

The two women approached me with shoes that had the prices removed and even had a pair of shoes with my sticker removed and my friend's attached.  I knew immediately and my friend noticed me beginning to get testy.  I bluntly asked them where the prices were and she said, "no price."  I said, "No, these had stickers.  Those were $2, those were $3, and those were $4."  She immediately put them back and began haggling over the clothing and acted like any price over a dollar was way too much.

I would say by the time the swarm was over and they began loading back up in their vehicle, they might have bought two or three items.  However, I am certain they got away with about 6 items without paying - a pair of my shoes, about 4 pairs of flip-flops I had at 50 cents a piece, and an (albeit inexpensive) bracelet of my friend's.

I was so mad for letting them get away with that.  It isn't like they got away with very much dollar-wise, but it stung that we weren't paying close attention.  We knew better, but we let our guard down.

So, that is the LONG story about Garage Sale Weekend 2007.  It was fun to hang out with my friend and we enjoy watching what sells.  We always have those items we really hope we can get rid of, and we usually make a few pseudo-bets on what we think absolutely will sell and what we think will never sell.  There are things we think are never going to sell, and somehow they are the first to go.  Isn't it funny like that?  Feel free to share your garage sale funnies and horror stories, too!

Note to Anyone with a Website or Blog

If you have music that automatically plays when I get on your website or blog, I exit the page as fast as possible. If I absolutely have to be on said web page or blog, I can't click on the "Mute All" check box fast enough.

So, for future reference, stop wasting your time putting the music on there. It is sort of like a fashion faux-pas of the internet. If I wanted to hear music, I would play some.

When did this phenomenon pop into being? I have never had a desire to put my website to a tune. I feel like if I did that, it would be forcing something on a viewer that they might not want. It is a bit like opening a book to find it has one of those little music players in there like the musical greeting cards.

So, now that I'm done griping.... on with the day! Have a good one all of you in bloggy-world!

A Throw Down In The Fabric Aisle

Well, I knew when this happened I'd have to write about it in the blog.  I felt like throwing down right there by the Joann's fabric table.

Let's begin by saying that I am probably the most non-confrontational person you will ever meet.  I will also say that my biggest pet peeve is very likely the following:

People that believe the world revolves around them and the rules don't apply to them, their business, or their current situation that is right in front of their nose.

I guess this is because Christ tells us to be just the opposite and it chaps my hide when others don't get it.

With that information said loud and clear, here's my story from my errand I ran on my late lunch break.  I hope I can keep it semi-short.

I went quickly to Joann's to get some polar fleece for part of the dog bed cover I am making.  It has to be cut.  They had two ladies working at the cutting counter and a couple of people in line.  So, one line, two cutters, "Who's next?"  Follow this easy-cheesy scenario?

Next, I noticed a lady get behind me with a basket looking a bit impatient.  She then proceeded to move and I really didn't notice where she went.  The people in front of me were up to be waited on, so woo-hoo, I'm next.  I might just get back to work in a timely fashion.  I then noticed the lady that came up behind me was standing clear on the other side of the table near the other cutter.

Then, D-Day.  The other cutter said, "Who's next?"  I walked up to her, put down my bolt of cloth, and said, "I believe I was next."  The woman who was behind me attempted to begin putting down her things as I said this, so I kind of had to be sure to say that I was next.  I kind of felt a storm a-brewin'.  The woman behind the counter cut my fabric, I said thanks and proceeded to get some velcro.

As I looked at the velcro, the lady proceeded to tell the cutting clerk that "That was pretty rude." and "I guess her time was more important than anyone else's." within clear earshot of me.  Add a couple other things in there.

Now, remember my pet peeve?  I just couldn't take it.  With all the courtesy and kindness I could muster, I turned to her and said, "Ma'am.  I was standing at the counter before you came up.  I was right behind those people with that fabric right there." pointing to said fabric.  I'm about 99% sure that she heard about 2% of what I said because she proceeded to put her hand up towards me and say, "I don't want to hear you." about 5 times very loud.  Every other customer (okay, 2 customers) was staring as were the cutting clerks.  I tried to reiterate my point with a million scenarios going through my head all at once at about 2,000 mph.  Would she try and hit me?  Should I ask a customer?  Should I ask the cutting lady so I can be vindicated?  Help!  Get me out of here!  Should I keep arguing my point?  Should I make her listen to me?  Keep my voice down.  Stay calm.  Aaaaaaaahhh!

My last words to her were, "O.K.  That's fine.  You were very rude."  At this point my face was probably a tomato and I was probably shaking visibly.  My shy personality goes on overload like a nuclear reactor with large red flashing lights and loud buzzers when there is confrontation I have to deal with.

You see, I am not a rude person.  I make many attempts to smile, be ultra-polite, say excuse me, thank you, and everything else so maybe someone else can smile a little in their day.  This just put me over the edge and I just couldn't stand there and listen to it for another second.  I don't know if I was wrong for saying something, but I know 100% that I was not wrong in being next in line.  She was rude to the very end.

So, how was your afternoon?  'Cause this is how I feel: