From November 15, 2007:
It’s that time again, my every so often whine about stupid things happening in the world, few of which we can control. Some things are so inconsequential that I feel dumb even commenting on them, although that’s not enough to stop me from doing just that, is it?
So here goes: I don’t want to see any more commercials featuring talking, dancing, or singing food, mucus, foot fungus or cockroaches. My house doesn’t talk to me and if it did I’d call an exorcist. I’m tired of reality TV. It’s neither reality nor entertaining. I don’t care if a bunch of 20 somethings live together in a house and dislike each other. And watching other people lose weight? Pass the popcorn – I’m spellbound. Not.
I enjoy football, but recognize that not everyone does (ask Peyton Manning if he’s so keen on it right now), and I even understand the appeal of car racing, although I am quite immune. But poker on a sports channel? Hello? And the whispering of the announcers while they do a play by play of a poker game? Hahahaha! And it’s only going to get worse with the writers’ strike. Heaven help us.
One of my current biggest gripes is Christmas music in the stores. It’s November, not December, and not even Thanksgiving, and right now it’s in the 90s in SoCal. It’s bad enough that Christmas decorations are already going up, but do we really need the music now? Retailers, you’re ruining Christmas. And don’t even get me started on lead and date rape drugs on our children’s toys. I’m not buying anything made in China for the little ones this year. So call me a turkey and tell me to get stuffed, or that I should be tarred and feathered, but there’s a lot of dumb things going on our there in the universe, and I’m not going to stop whining about them. OK, your turn.
Help us honor Kathleen’s memory with a donation to her favorite cause, the Orange County Ronald McDonald House.
{ 24 comments… read them below or add one }
My whine for the day is NY State politicians. Race to the top? When we’re a gazillion billion in the whole? Think we’d be interested? Nah. Oh, Albany, Albany, wherefore is thou mind, Albany? Up thine arse. Sorry. Just needed to vent.
I’ve had it with politics this week, too. We were inundated with ads and calls for the past weeks leading up to this MA special election. The best thing about having the election over is no more ads! The worst part is, we’re now represented by the male version of Sarah Palin. But I will say no more.
I can almost hear her voice! Thanks for the pics Sherri! Rants: Peoplewho talk on their cell phones all the way through a dinner. We saw a couple the other night who were both on their phones and NEVER talked to each other at all that I could see. Give me a break… And I’ve had enough of the common cold — it just won’t die!
That was a great conference, Sherri–I remember sitting in the hotel bar with you and Sean and Kath and Russ. That was the year I got to wear my princess dress that wouldn’t fit in the suitcase the year before–because I could drive it to the conference hotel, LOL!
My whine for the day–getting ready to move is…yikes!!! I’m so tired of cleaning and painting and packing boxes. My back is killing me, my carpal tunnel is acting up, and the only thing keeping me going is that I know it’s going to be fun (although a lot more work) on the other end when we’re getting into the new house. But all this getting ready to leave the current house–with deadlines looming no less–is beyond stressful.
Okay, done whining–back to packing boxes!
jacquie, a few years ago when we moved, my editor (you know which one), asked me what was up with the book I submitted. It was not up to her standards. I said, i don’t know. I’ve been really busy moving. She gasped. She said, “never move! That’s the worst thing a writer can do!”
I still laugh about that. Trust me, this writer has done way worse, LOL
You know, Julia, I have to agree with it being the worst thing for a writer–it’s such an incredible time suck–plus, it’s physically exhausting. I never really felt OLD until a few months ago. Now I ache in places I didn’t know I had.
Hey–wanna come help pack boxes, LOL!?
Ah…NO. but thanks for asking
. Can’t wait to see pics of the new house!
Good luck with the move, Jacquie. It’s very sad to be getting the old house in spiffy shape, all while preparing to leave it. DH and I are flying to TX on Friday to, sigh, help my sister move. (Fair disclosure: I volunteered and was not suckered).
Moving Day, the day I realize how close I might have come to ending up on Hoarders.
I volunteered to help my parents move when the time comes (they’re planning to put their house on the market this summer.) However, I volunteered before I started packing my own house. I think they’re on their own, LOL!
Hey–you’re not a hoarder if you put it in a bin and slap a label on the bin. Go to Target or Costco and get bins. Lots of bins. Go to Office Depot and get labels. Lots of labels.
Lots of bins + lots of labels = not a hoarder.
That’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it.
any chance you’re coming south??
See, this is why Kath was an inaugural whine sister.
Dumb things in the universe: People who text while driving. Seriously, who can do that and really drive? I was driving yesterday and this guy almost sideswiped me. He was doing about 20 in a 60 and crossed the lane divider before whipping it back over. When I drove past, I gave him the evil eye, which he missed, because he was still texting.
And may I just say that Kath never changed in appearance. She always looked good
Didn’t she though? Remember she was talking about changing her hair, going a little lighter. I think she had something done to go a little lighter and we never got to see her. But she didn’t need to– she looked fantastic. Always. She had that beautiful dark shiny hair even as a little girl, as we learned through her life in pictures.
My husband is guilty of texting while driving, by the way. He yells at idiots who do it, as if he alone possesses the special talent to manage it properly but no one else should dare attempt it. I bet they all think that, all those crazy driving texters.
She got lowlights. Still black, just something a little lighter to soften the black.
Yes, that was it! I bet it looked great. Or not much different, but how I would have loved to see her again.
I’d texted Kath the day I got my highlights (for the first time!) just before Thanksgiving and she told me I’d inspired her to do something different with her hair. I kept meaning to ask her if she’d ever done anything–I’ve thought of that a thousand times since she died–that I never asked her. So glad to know she got the lowlights. I bet they looked great.
xox
LOL!!! I know you, Julia. I suspect you gave the texter more than the evil eye.
Now back to whining- my turn. It’s almost time for the basketball’s March Madness. I hate basketball on TV. All the squeaks of the shoes on the floor drive me nuts! What are you going to whine about today?
The squeaks are why I do not watch basketball. Just sayin’.
The more things change, the more they stay the same. I chose this one because Kath whined about reality shows, and Jacquie talked about them earlier this week. Kathleen wasn’t into them. She would watch American Idol, but only after they chose the finalists. Walmart had to pull children’s jewelry with harmful metals off the shelves over the holiday. Commercials remain stupid and annoying.
The original picture with the post was a photoshopped turkey with Kath’s head– something Julia London threw together. But I could no longer find the picture and it seemed inappropriate somehow, so I used some pictures I treasure from my own conference past, Kath goofing on camera, RWA Atlanta 2006. I had no books to sign that year, so I visited author friends and pretended to be blown away to “meet my idol” when I came to Kathleen. She was really proud of that book, ON A HIGHLAND SHORE. Julia London was nominated for a RITA. All of our husbands came for a few nights and we were all six of us celebrating together for the first time ever (and last, it turns out). We were on top of the world.
Sherri, you may only have had that one time, but you’ll always have the memories. My whine today is drivers who think it’s ok to go 65 in a 35 zone while California is having a deluge. I guess the saying that if you spit on the sidewalk people in California forget how to drive is true. Slow down, folks!
One time with us with all three husbands, just to add. We had lots of times with just the three of us, or with all of us currently whining, still not enough but I do treasure each of them. Thanks, Lady Celtia.
Yeah, you are getting some rain out there! A tornado touching down in Huntington Beach? Crazy!
Yes, we had big plans to do it again, too. Never got around to it. But that’s the problem when two of your best friends live in other parts of the country (in my case, all but one do. How lucky is Julie Kenner that she lives in spitting distance? LUCKY).