Glaring Cats of Evil

Sure, they can seem like wonderful companions, purring sweetly and curling up next to you. But then you get this...the glowing eyes of doom! I suppose you might think that Finko is ticked off at having to wear a dickey. But you would be wrong. she actually enjoys wearing a dickey. She wears it rather well,don't you think? What she doesn't enjoy is being the subject of endless photography.
Rafik got a bit tired of the photo shoot as well and escaped onto my desk. Don't go blaming me, however. My eldest is the one who drove them mad. She took about 40 pictures of the cats - some with her in them, making various faces. You never know what will amuse a 16 year old. It's a wonder she didn't suffer any injuries before the shoot was done. No cats were harmed in the taking of these photos - mildly annoyed, yes, but not harmed.

Beaded Acorns

Just in case you don't have enough to do before Thanksgiving - here's something more! Beaded acorns!! A couple years ago one of the local beading shops featured these little sweeties. I couldn't resist making some for myself, however all but one have disappeared. Not to fear, though, I still have some supplies to make a few more.
If you would care to make some for your Thanksgiving table they are quite simple to put together. As you can see, they consist of a wooden form, some beads and some glue. If you want to be fancy you can use silk stems/leaves at the top.

To begin, you will string some beads on a beading thread, leaving a tail of half an inch or so. String about 6 inches of beads on and then glue the tail onto the base of the form. Now all you do is wind the beads around the form, gluing them in place and adding more beads as you go (the beads will cover the tail you glued down). When you reach the 'cap' of the acorn you will leave another half inch or so of thread and glue it down just under the rim of the cap.
Starting at the top of the cap you will first glue on your stem/leaves (or ribbon loop to make an ornament). Ignore the fact that in my photo I obviously started beading the cap from the rim...ahem.... Then you will repeat the same process as you used on the lower half, working from the tip down to the rim of the cap. That's it in a nutshell. Sorry - I couldn't resist saying that. Cheesy, I know.

If you want to get really crazy and obsessive about it you can find all sorts of wooden forms (fruits etc) and make ornaments or other table-top decor. If you want to make this even simpler you could use glitter or hole-less beads (known as micro-beads or micro-marbles) and just spread glue on your form and roll it in the beads. Happy crafting!

Relevancy

I was just reading online about the crazy things people do and I was reminded of one of the more shocking things that happened at my office. Over the years I've seen and heard a lot, and yet people continue to amaze me.

We had a client come in one day, flip open his cell phone and proceed to display a picture of he and his wife having sex. A very close up picture. As everyone's eyes burned in their heads and our brains screamed in agony, he explained to us that the reason he knew it was he and his wife is because of the tattoo on his penis. It was a bug. I won't tell you which bug, but I know I'll never look at that particular kind of bug ever again in my life without thinking of this client. I could be 90 and senile and forget my children's names but I'll still remember this guy.

You know what's even worse about this story? The picture was completely irrelevant to why he was in our office, although he certainly thought it was important. I have to wonder if he was on drugs when he got that tattoo. Seriously, I can't imagine getting a tattoo in such a sensitive spot, let alone the particular bug he chose. I wasn't about to ask either!

I'm Yours - Sing It With Me Now!

Alright, here's my latest favorite feel good song. I can't help but smile and sing along when I hear it:



"Scootch on over closer, dear, and I will nibble your ear..."

Catchy tune and fun lyrics. What do you think?

Fun With Graph Jam

If you'll look over in my left hand column you'll see a link to Graph Jam. If you haven't checked it out yet I encourage you to have a look. Not only can you enjoy other people's creativity, but you can create your own graphs and charts as well. Below are a few graphs I recently found there.

This is one I think we can all relate to:


more music charts

Cat lovers will appreciate this one. And people who are into godzilla cats with laser eyes:


more music charts

Several years ago when my youngest was about 4 we were driving in heavy rain. Someone exclaimed that it was raining cats and dogs. My daughter thought on that for about 30 seconds and then exclaimed, "Yeah! It's raining lizards and beetles! Not sure if I would rate that more or less absurd than raining men:


more music charts

This one really speaks for itself:


more music charts

Happy Jobs

I was cruising the internet this evening when I came across a story that listed the types of jobs that the happiest people in the U.S. hold. Number 8 among the top occupations in general happiness was "miscellaneous mechanical and repairing occupations". I knew it!!!!

You see there's an auto body shop on the corner, 2 blocks from the office where I work. Most mornings I'm stuck there waiting on a light. While I was waiting there the other morning I saw one of the employees setting up for the daily job of repairing and repainting. I so wished I were going there instead of to my office. Think about it.

1. I bet you don't have anything like office drama at an auto shop.

2. I never see them working late.

3. The work clothes are comfortable. Ditto for the shoes.

4. Fixing stuff creates feelings of satisfaction.

5. The large side doors are open all day so it's kind of like being outdoors.

6. The people who work there waive as you pass by and never appear grumpy.

7. They whistle while they work. Ok, I can't verify that but I bet it's true.

Of course I don't really want to breathe paint fumes or have grease under my nails, and when it's particularly cold or hot I'm glad to be indoors. But dang! I spend a lot of time dealing with people problems every day. It would be so nice to deal with inanimate objects! You know, problems you can literally fix with your hands. I suppose I could fix some people problems with my hands...namely through use of the slapping method. While the slapping method probably wouldn't go over too well, my level of job satisfaction would certainly increase!

Perhaps I could take up whistling. Then again, if I did, someone would likely use the slapping method on me....

Refrigerator Ken

I suppose I've mentioned before (or hinted at the idea) that my household isn't exactly normal all the time. Or ever, maybe. We have a certain sense of humor about us. Or maybe we're just sick and twisted. For example there's Refrigerator Ken.

In order to tell you about Refrigerator Ken I must first tell you that my oldest daughter had quite the Barbie collection back in the day. Lots and lots of Barbies. Just who did all those Barbies date? Well, Spiderman. And Dr. Octopus. And Hobgoblin. There's also this other dude (missing his tail in this shot) whose name eludes me just now. Oh, and we did have one Ken doll. Here are three of the fellows that are still hanging around. They used to swing by and take various Barbies out on dates in the fabulous Barbie Mobile.


Of all these fine specimens, Spiderman (unavailable for the photo shoot) was pretty much the preferred date. Years went by and the Barbies were given up, yet somehow Ken (et al.) remained. Dear, dear Ken. A couple of years ago, for reasons unknown to me, my daughters put Ken in the refrigerator. Now, some plastics can take the cold and some become brittle. Apparently Ken was not made for cooler climes and as he got moved around the refrigerator some of his parts failed to remain intact. To be fair, he was already a bit broken going in. There was a time when the occasional hand or foot would turn up under a bed or behind the sofa. From what I hear he was sent flying off a ceiling fan more than once. Anyhow, he is a beloved refrigerator fixture for us and we have done our best to keep his remaining parts together. Behold, one and all, Refrigerator Ken:

The tape across his chest extends across his back and helps to keep his waist from pulling completely loose. The freakish 'underwear' basically holds his legs on. I really don't know why one knee is taped and one not. His head came off once but luckily went back on and stayed without the assistance of tape.

Like I said, he has become a beloved fixture in our fridge. When my daughter was in the hospital I brought her some pictures of family, friends and some of her favorite things from home. Refrigerator Ken was in those pictures, right along side her soccer ball and a few other items, providing a much needed laugh. I suspect he will be with us for some time to come.

November Blog - O-Scope

With the arrival of November comes thoughts of Thanksgiving. As we begin to plan our Thanksgiving feast we consider which of our friends and family we will share dinner with and what foods (traditional or not) we will have on the table. When Thanksgiving Day arrives we will join together at the table and consider that for which we are thankful. Our family and friends, our pets and our health, our wide screen tv's and the long weekend off from work and school. Yet there is more, isn't there? Why yes...each of us according to our astral sign has something extra to be thankful for - something we probably won't share out loud. The stars have whispered your secrets to me and I will now divulge them because that's what I do. When the stars talk I listen...and then I share the gossip information!

No need to fret if Thanksgiving isn't a holiday for you. Anyone, anywhere can join in the spirit of thankfulness - heck, have a feast while you're at it too!


Aries The Ram: From time to time you get an itch. In your ear. Or some water. In your ear. That's why Q-Tips are your secret indulgence. Who cares if they're not supposed to be poking around in there? Not you! You're just a rebel that way.

Taurus The Bull: You're not afraid of hard work, so as the rest of us break a sweat you keep your cool. Which is why your bathroom has not one, not two, but three deodorants! Well why not? One for odor, one for perspiration, and one just because.

Gemini The Twins: Mark a page in a book, leave a note on the mirror, write a reminder and stick it on your phone. Post-it notes are high on your list of lovable artifacts. You own them in several sizes and put them to use daily. You don't leave home without them!

Cancer The Crab: Who would have guessed your love of cocktail picks? That's right, colorful umbrellas, crepe paper fruits on a stick - you love that stuff! Not just in drinks either. You'll decorate anything with a pick. You've even used one as a bookmark, haven't you!

Leo The Lion: Wash your face, clean the bathroom counter, eliminate the dust on the dashboard. Baby wipes! You love 'em and use 'em for everything. Why you've been known to color on them with markers just for the awesome watercolor effect!

Virgo The Virgin: With all it's uses and colors you could stay busy for days. You know what I'm talking about: duct tape! Go ahead and enter one of those duct tape contests,creative genius that you are, you'll take top prize.


Libra The Scales: You draw people to you through your powers of attraction. Or could it be your magnets? They're so much fun. Heck, you've dumped small, metal objects on the floor just so you could enjoy the magic of picking them up!


Scorpio The Scorpion: You like to create a special atmosphere to suit your every mood. That's why you so love the dimmer switch. Now it's bright, now it's not. It's like magic! And you know what? It's just plain fun to adjust the darn thing!

Sagittarius The Archer: Some are minty, most are not. The thrill of finding out is what keeps you licking envelopes! And stamps. And gummed tabs. Now if you could avoid the occasional paper cut on the tongue whilst moistening the objects of your interest!

Capricorn The Sea goat: Ever so useful for squeaks, WD-40 makes you happy. That enamel paint you got on the carpet came right off, didn't it? You really love that long, skinny straw that fits into the nozzle. Smells good too....admit it!

Aquarius The Water Bearer: You love the challenge of sudoku and the thrill of a maze. But there's a certain satisfaction you get from lining up the little arrows when you open a bottle of medicine that just can't be explained!


Pisces The Fish: Lots of flavors and lots of scents - these are the reasons that you're passionate about lip balms! No dry lips for you - kissably soft is what you're after, and variety is the spice of your life.

Coming Soon to a Blog Near You....

...November Blog-O-Scope. Soon. Not today, however, for today is too soon. I need a couple days to re-group after my commitment to blog every day in October.

I don't know about you but my October got off to a rough start. First my daughter spent a week in the hospital. Then the proverbial poop hit the fan at work because, well, some people over the age of 18 just refuse to grow up and behave like .... grown-ups! Then, as if Family Drama and Work Drama weren't enough, we rounded out the month with some good old fashioned High School Drama. Oh yeah. There's no drama like high school drama!

Now that I've had a couple of days off I'm thinking it's time to resume blogging, though probably not on a daily basis. I just didn't want you all to think you're off the hook and can breathe a collective sigh of relief because you don't have to read my musings anymore. Your not that lucky! I'll be back in a day or so with your November Blog-O-Scope. Why? Because I care. Yeah, touching, I know.