Concerning Rants...

I have decided to change my blog's Pet Peeves to Rants because I like to mouth and say the word "Rant". It is an unusually-sounding word, though I suppose if I were from Iceland it would sound rather prosaic. I like to rant. Ranting enables me to feel empowered, even if noone is listening to my rant. Ranting gives some small shred of meaning to my life. The act of ranting makes me feel as if I think about things. So many people don't think about things. Or they think about the wrong things. Here are some topics which I will be ranting about in the future: the farce that is the high-tech washing machine, Obamacare for inmates, people who don't know how to store tomatoes properly, ranting parents, wrestling coaches, people who ignore speed bumps by driving around them, the death of cursive writing, and finally, states, capitols, and 5th graders who are geographically-challenged.

ApParently So

While organizing "hard copy" documents printed off my old computer, I recently stumbled upon these classic quotables from my kids when they were much younger:

My middle son, then 3 years old, announced "I'm going to be a talking animal".

I then asked him, "Oh yeah? What kind of animal will you be?"

"A yak." he answered. He had no idea that he had just made a joke.

My oldest son, then 5 years old, lamented that he could not find a particular Lego, "I can't find that piece I need!"

I try to reassure him, "Don't worry, it will turn up".
"Where?" he pressed, "I can't find it!"

Again I try to pacify him with Zen-like wisdom, "It will turn up when you least expect it."
"I least expect it now...(he paused)...What does that mean anyway?"

Word of the Day

I discovered tonight that I am a certified cartophile...

That said, how can people justify using GPS devices in their cars without insulting their intelligence at the same time? God forbid you have to use a map to guide you to your destination. This reliance on GPS has created a subtle yet very discernible sucking noise, most notable on weekends and near popular tourist attractions, which is the sound of our navigational neurons and good old-fasioned resourcefulness flying out the proverbial window.

Pet Peeves I

What's the deal with purchasing extended warranties on products such as appliances and tech devices (cameras, computers, etc)? Isn't the very fact that these companies offer such options an admission of producing an inferior product? Wouldn't it be nice to be able to buy a product that did not offer an extended warranty because (drumroll)....THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO!!

Hair Today

Hairy men lament: Scientific American reports that in an evolutionary sense, lack of fur and big brains are mutually exclusive. Sorry guys.

Hairy men beware: Scientific American reports that in an evolutionary sense, presence of fur and large brains are mutually exclusive.

Classic Quotes I

"If you cannot think of anything appropriate to say you will restrict your remarks to the weather." Mrs. Dashwood, from Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen