Due to my pervasive social ineptitude, I have not experienced an actual "Chick Flick" in the company of other "Chicks". I saw Beaches and Dead Poet's Society at a drive in, and I have viewed most others while blubbering in the privacy of my own home.
This evening, Chris & I went to see My Sister's Keeper. There were 2 men in the entire theater, and I surmised they were dragged by their significant other. Ok, so one poor fellow was holding "the purse", therefore I assume he either expected to get some kind of reward, or couldn't find anything worth watching in the other 23 theaters. Female after female poured into the room, and I was nervous for the first 10 minutes about how quiet the movie might be or if I should just escape now before I wasted my premium movie bucks. Evidently, there is some unwritten code of chick flicking that does involve immediate silence upon the first interesting thing that occurs in the film.
So this movie was a genuine tearjerker. I had tears within the first 20 minutes of the film. As the film progressed, I had to stop eating my popcorn because I got salt in my eyes everytime I tried to catch the tears, which brings me to the most interesting feature of this particular flick.
Often in a movie, if I need to cry for some unknown reason, I usually use my sweatshirt sleeve, or my t-shirt. I don't carry a purse for multiple reasons, so I have no special package of Kleenex that fits in my purse. I watched the row of 10 chicks in front of me get out their individual packages of Kleenex, apparently this is another important rule of chick flicking, and pass them around to each other.
Now, this was an incredibly depressing show. I mean, beyond the iceberg Jack in Titanic depressing. As the show went on, the women used up their stashes of Kleenex. At this point, the most fascinating thing happened. The youngest member of the group pulled a sandwich size zip baggie out of her purse, stuffed FULL of Kleenex. All I could think was, "All hail the queen of the Chick Flick!" Evidently it was her turn to pick the show.
I have been in a doctor's office full of sick people, and never imagined the amount of sniffling and nose blowing that happens in a Chick Flick. I can now fully understand why Chick Flick deserves it's own genre in the movie categories.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Monday, March 2, 2009
New Year
In an effort to get more money, which the State of Utah is threatening to keep instead of sharing, I have been taking several classes from UEN on various technologies usable in schools. Oh yes, and let's not forget I must renew my license this year if I plan to stay employed. The first class I took was on Microsoft PowePoint, and I made one fine presentation, if I may say so. I also know how to save files and send annoying spammed movies to all my friends and frenemies using e-mail.
The next class was a digital photography class, and not owning a digital camera personally (I do have one for classroom use) it was very enlightening. I learned about editing in Picasa ( a free program from Google) and then made a movie in Photostory. You can get Photostory from Microsoft. I am also learning to edit movies or music clips in MovieMaker so you can use just what you want of a clip. The best gift of learning was how to download files from YouTube.
So I now posess the unlimited potential to waste every gigobyte on my computer storing useless clips posted on YouTube. I have very quickly learned the limitations of a flash drive as related to space. I hope to add some of my best photos on my blog soon, so there will be something to look forward to!
I also plan to waste more hours using the many tools available on Google. The worst part of all this is I never realized what a geek and a nerd I am. I always knew I was a bit on the freakish side, but the past few weekends has really brought out my need for a virtual pocket protector. Who knew?
The next class was a digital photography class, and not owning a digital camera personally (I do have one for classroom use) it was very enlightening. I learned about editing in Picasa ( a free program from Google) and then made a movie in Photostory. You can get Photostory from Microsoft. I am also learning to edit movies or music clips in MovieMaker so you can use just what you want of a clip. The best gift of learning was how to download files from YouTube.
So I now posess the unlimited potential to waste every gigobyte on my computer storing useless clips posted on YouTube. I have very quickly learned the limitations of a flash drive as related to space. I hope to add some of my best photos on my blog soon, so there will be something to look forward to!
I also plan to waste more hours using the many tools available on Google. The worst part of all this is I never realized what a geek and a nerd I am. I always knew I was a bit on the freakish side, but the past few weekends has really brought out my need for a virtual pocket protector. Who knew?
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Procrastination
Well, as usual, I started a project, got distracted, and never got back to the blogging. I'll make what could be a terribly long and boring story short to keep me focused. I got a great payment from Progressive on the Honda. It was enough to buy the uber security system from Toyota, including an alarm for when the glass gets broken, and put a few payments in the savings account for when I blow my cash on unnecessary items to take up precious space in my house. (Better known as supporting my teaching habit.) I got more money if I let Progressive take the car, and since I only had so many things to do with the car, I let Chuck go. No funeral, no memorial service, but I did save Sir Chomps Alot (the patron shark of all vacations) and he is now on my computer monitor, watching over all I download. I would have put him in the van, but he is just a picture of a shark after all, and what if he gets stolen?????
Sorry. Got sidetracked with predators.
I finally got a copy of the police report in late May, and let me interpret for you what the fine servant of SLC wrote:
"I was driving around mad I had to work on a holiday, and saw a thug in a car that wasn't his. I swore to myself, turned carefully so I didn't spill my coffee, and watched him run away. I sauntered over to the vehicle, called in the plates, called the owner who annoyed me with a request to do something reasonable, and was too exhausted after the whole ordeal to deal with the car. So I sent it to impound, went back to 7-11 to refill my coffee, eventually wrote up this report, and eventually submitted it to my superiors."
I hope that is detailed enough. I took the van on the first big trip to Custer State Park with Chris, my SIL, and 3 slimy children who got gross things all over in the car. Coleman was bright enough to discover that a cup is not actually needed for the cupholder; you just pour the drink in the holder and use a straw. Note to Coleman: Wasn't that great of an idea with ice cream. Oh, and NEVER pass out Starburst in the summer. Guess what sticks to the carpet when half eaten!?! Well, at least the van is broken in. It could only be new for so long. And I found the worlds best carpet cleaner in a can at Wal-Mart. HooraY!
I got all the slimy kid germs and fingerprints out today when I was in Richfield. Yes, a fine small town in Utah. Long story, nobody cares.
It was a bittersweet moment. (No, I wasn't licking the Starburst on the carpet.) While I'm happy to have a sense of order restored, I'm gonna really miss the slimy little monsters that screwed it up in the first place.
Sorry. Got sidetracked with predators.
I finally got a copy of the police report in late May, and let me interpret for you what the fine servant of SLC wrote:
"I was driving around mad I had to work on a holiday, and saw a thug in a car that wasn't his. I swore to myself, turned carefully so I didn't spill my coffee, and watched him run away. I sauntered over to the vehicle, called in the plates, called the owner who annoyed me with a request to do something reasonable, and was too exhausted after the whole ordeal to deal with the car. So I sent it to impound, went back to 7-11 to refill my coffee, eventually wrote up this report, and eventually submitted it to my superiors."
I hope that is detailed enough. I took the van on the first big trip to Custer State Park with Chris, my SIL, and 3 slimy children who got gross things all over in the car. Coleman was bright enough to discover that a cup is not actually needed for the cupholder; you just pour the drink in the holder and use a straw. Note to Coleman: Wasn't that great of an idea with ice cream. Oh, and NEVER pass out Starburst in the summer. Guess what sticks to the carpet when half eaten!?! Well, at least the van is broken in. It could only be new for so long. And I found the worlds best carpet cleaner in a can at Wal-Mart. HooraY!
I got all the slimy kid germs and fingerprints out today when I was in Richfield. Yes, a fine small town in Utah. Long story, nobody cares.
It was a bittersweet moment. (No, I wasn't licking the Starburst on the carpet.) While I'm happy to have a sense of order restored, I'm gonna really miss the slimy little monsters that screwed it up in the first place.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
So Funny I Almost Wet My Pants...
I went to pay my insurance bill online, and here is what they have listed as the purpose of the Honda Accord on my account:
1990 Honda Accord Dx/L4d
Pleasure
Yes, I find it a car that I keep just for pleasure!
1990 Honda Accord Dx/L4d
Pleasure
Yes, I find it a car that I keep just for pleasure!
Saturday, December 29, 2007
My New Dilemma
Well, things seem to be going along as they should. I spoke with the insurance company yesterday about my car, they are pretty darn busy this time of year and will get back to me on Monday about my claim. I did talk to "Insurance Man" about the cost of a new paint job and the depressing low value of an 18 year-old car, and he thinks most likely they will consider it the vehicle totaled. Works for me! Then I don't have to figure out how to get cigarette smoke smell out of the car, and I don't have to worry about the next mechanical failure. I suppose I am a little sad about Chuck (the car) not making it to 200,000 miles, but he's had a good life.
I find myself in the unusual position as of the end of today with 3 vehicles. I have to deal with Chuck still, I have a rental car, and I am now the proud owner of a Toyota Sienna van. Thanks to the BOM (otherwise known as the Bank of Mom, branches open all over the world) I have signed all the paperwork and have entered the adult world of car loans. I did realize since I am 33, and have never purchased a vehicle of my own, it was time to see how this works. While I would be perfectly happy to keep getting free crappy cars, not that Chuck was crappy, he was a good deal, I think 40 would be a little too old to be asking my mother to come with me to finance a car.
Of course this all started out so innocently by looking at a used car lot to see how much a used car would cost. I have some simple priorities in a car: easy to get disabled people in and out, room for a wheelchair and passengers at the same time, and an extensive security system. I added the third priority recently. I fell in love with the Sienna we rented in Boston this summer. While most things about caring for a disabled person don't get to me, taking apart a wheelchair, driving 2 blocks to the doctor's office, and reassembling the wheelchair does get to me. My pants get kinda dirty too, and I look like I've been run over by a trike.
The Sienna has enough room to put the wheelchair, fully assembled, in the back with no extra effort, and without tire tracks on the khakis. It also has enough room since all the seats come out, that at some point in time it could handle transporting a power chair. I've been pricing them online, and I know I can't afford a new one. So I went pricing used ones. I don't mind getting a car, but I mind owning another Honda. While I loved it, I didn't love the demand for items of no worth that kept getting stolen from it.
So after the 1st car place, I went to Karl Malone Toyota to see if they had any used ones. I had seen one online, but it was not the color I wanted. Well, they had 2 Sienna's with low mileage that were 2007 models. In their great salesmen-like ways they planted the panic button explaining this was the last day of the great Toyotathon sale. Mostly what I needed to know was how much would we have to put down for me to manage the payments without making Chris wheel herself out to the street with a cardboard sign to earn money. Which reminds me...I haven't seen the one-legged guy with a dog for quite awhile. I think crazy neighbor lady scared him good.
Well, the BOM was open, so we went in, and I was totally expecting great disappointment. Instead we left with my mom planning some great trip to Vegas, and Chris planning the next travel adventure of Phillip the monkey. If you haven't met Phillip yet, be grateful, and don't ask questions you don't want answers to.
The salesmen drove the Sienna and my mom to American Fork, where there is room for it, and I will finalize the details of Chuck's great sendoff into the auto beyond, and call Hertz to take back the Mazda I never want to drive in with snow again. And amazingly enough, the insurance on the new van is EXACTLY the same amount as the Honda. I'm still in shock.
I find myself in the unusual position as of the end of today with 3 vehicles. I have to deal with Chuck still, I have a rental car, and I am now the proud owner of a Toyota Sienna van. Thanks to the BOM (otherwise known as the Bank of Mom, branches open all over the world) I have signed all the paperwork and have entered the adult world of car loans. I did realize since I am 33, and have never purchased a vehicle of my own, it was time to see how this works. While I would be perfectly happy to keep getting free crappy cars, not that Chuck was crappy, he was a good deal, I think 40 would be a little too old to be asking my mother to come with me to finance a car.
Of course this all started out so innocently by looking at a used car lot to see how much a used car would cost. I have some simple priorities in a car: easy to get disabled people in and out, room for a wheelchair and passengers at the same time, and an extensive security system. I added the third priority recently. I fell in love with the Sienna we rented in Boston this summer. While most things about caring for a disabled person don't get to me, taking apart a wheelchair, driving 2 blocks to the doctor's office, and reassembling the wheelchair does get to me. My pants get kinda dirty too, and I look like I've been run over by a trike.
The Sienna has enough room to put the wheelchair, fully assembled, in the back with no extra effort, and without tire tracks on the khakis. It also has enough room since all the seats come out, that at some point in time it could handle transporting a power chair. I've been pricing them online, and I know I can't afford a new one. So I went pricing used ones. I don't mind getting a car, but I mind owning another Honda. While I loved it, I didn't love the demand for items of no worth that kept getting stolen from it.
So after the 1st car place, I went to Karl Malone Toyota to see if they had any used ones. I had seen one online, but it was not the color I wanted. Well, they had 2 Sienna's with low mileage that were 2007 models. In their great salesmen-like ways they planted the panic button explaining this was the last day of the great Toyotathon sale. Mostly what I needed to know was how much would we have to put down for me to manage the payments without making Chris wheel herself out to the street with a cardboard sign to earn money. Which reminds me...I haven't seen the one-legged guy with a dog for quite awhile. I think crazy neighbor lady scared him good.
Well, the BOM was open, so we went in, and I was totally expecting great disappointment. Instead we left with my mom planning some great trip to Vegas, and Chris planning the next travel adventure of Phillip the monkey. If you haven't met Phillip yet, be grateful, and don't ask questions you don't want answers to.
The salesmen drove the Sienna and my mom to American Fork, where there is room for it, and I will finalize the details of Chuck's great sendoff into the auto beyond, and call Hertz to take back the Mazda I never want to drive in with snow again. And amazingly enough, the insurance on the new van is EXACTLY the same amount as the Honda. I'm still in shock.
Friday, December 28, 2007
The Impound Hearing
Well, I went to the City Courts for my impound hearing. (In case you haven't noticed, I want to drag this out as long as possible, so I'm making it as many posts as I can to keep the agony going.)
It took about 2 minutes, and they hearing officer asked me if there was anything I wanted to say besides I was getting hit twice with my car stolen and having to pay for impound fees as well. He pretty much made my case for me, but I did add that it was Christmas, and I didn't have anywhere to take it, and I certainly wasn't putting it back in the parking garage where it was stolen. He laughed and said that the City would return $180 of my charges back to me, but I did have to pay for some of it since the cops couldn't just leave it out on the street either. I'm not sure what difference it would have made at this point, except maybe the paint job would have been finished. So I gladly accepted my refund before he changed his mind.
I did have one thought as I was driving home from the bank that made me laugh out loud. My car only has AM radio, and intermittently works from one or both speakers. I imagined how cool the person must look that stole my car driving a two-tone Honda blasting Radio Disney from one or both speakers. Serves them right. I hope it was a Hannah Montana song!
It took about 2 minutes, and they hearing officer asked me if there was anything I wanted to say besides I was getting hit twice with my car stolen and having to pay for impound fees as well. He pretty much made my case for me, but I did add that it was Christmas, and I didn't have anywhere to take it, and I certainly wasn't putting it back in the parking garage where it was stolen. He laughed and said that the City would return $180 of my charges back to me, but I did have to pay for some of it since the cops couldn't just leave it out on the street either. I'm not sure what difference it would have made at this point, except maybe the paint job would have been finished. So I gladly accepted my refund before he changed his mind.
I did have one thought as I was driving home from the bank that made me laugh out loud. My car only has AM radio, and intermittently works from one or both speakers. I imagined how cool the person must look that stole my car driving a two-tone Honda blasting Radio Disney from one or both speakers. Serves them right. I hope it was a Hannah Montana song!
THe Impound Lot
I assumed that having my car stolen on Christmas was the pinnacle of events for the holiday season. I was so wrong.
The insurance guy called me on Wednesday morning to make arrangements for my car to be towed to a shop for estimates. He asked me to call the impound lot and get my car released for the tow truck driver. I called down to the lot, and they told me I had to go PAY and fill out some forms at the police station, conveniently located a mere 3 blocks from my house and the scene of the initial crime. So I dressed myself up in my winter clothes ( it was 20 degrees outside and snowing) and wandered down to the police station. When it was my turn, the woman took my case number and looked up a few things, then calmly said to me, "That will be $227." I, horrified and shocked, said, "Are you serious? I get my car stolen on Christmas and I get to pay to get my own property back?" She said, "Yes. That's how it works.", as she passed me a paper to call for an impound hearing. I then forked over all the money I had left in the world. She gave me a form, and I went outside to have another emotional crisis. I called the tow truck driver and explained that I had no way to meet him at the lot, and could he come get me since I had the paperwork he would need to tow the car. He didn't seem happy about it, but agreed to do it. I then called the city courts to schedule an impound hearing, and made an appointment for the next day at 9 A.M.
The truck driver appeared, and we went off to the lot. At this point, I'm really feeling like I've been repeatedly screwed without any Vaseline, and I've had about enough. After a few more forms, and a few unfriendly police workers, they led us into the lot to tow the car. The nice gentleman who showed us to the car did tell me that I was lucky the didn't burn it up. He had a whole row of burned up cars that had been stolen. I wonder if he realized he was not helping.
OK, I'd like to make a disclaimer at this point. I really don't mind being Hispanic most of the time, but when Hispanic people do things that make the rest of us look stupid, I have a problem with it. I assume only a Hispanic person would steal a Honda and then spray paint it with cheap white paint on the doors, mirrors, and license plates, and then realize there wasn't enough paint to do the whole car and add a couple of racing stripes to the hood. Not only that, but a window was broken, the hubcaps painted black, and the gas tank cover painted black. Hmm. Makes me wonder how the police officer noticed something off about the vehicle.
I took a couple photos with my camera phone, and went off with the tow truck to the repair place. At the repair shop, I heard about 2000 stories about stolen Honda cars. I love how everyone has a story to share. They did call a rental car company for me, and the fellow from Hertz had quite a sense of humor. He went with me to look at my car.
Somehow, whoever stole the car had time to take everything (including the trash) from the interior of the car and stowed it in the trunk. They ripped Sir Chomps-A-Lot (the guardian shark of the Honda) and threw him on the carpet, so I was able to save him. The back seat of the car was (and still is) filled with presents in various states of unwrapping, bags with ladies clothing, and boxes of who knows what. Its nice to know the police department has such a regard for others that they leave others stolen property in my vehicle. I guess fingerprinting is out of the question at this point.
Well, I am now set up with a rental car (thanks Progressive!). At least Hertz guy had a sense of humor when I asked him if this car had an alarm system, since he had seen what happens to them without one. Don't worry, the rental car has an alarm system as well as the engine lockout.
The insurance guy called me on Wednesday morning to make arrangements for my car to be towed to a shop for estimates. He asked me to call the impound lot and get my car released for the tow truck driver. I called down to the lot, and they told me I had to go PAY and fill out some forms at the police station, conveniently located a mere 3 blocks from my house and the scene of the initial crime. So I dressed myself up in my winter clothes ( it was 20 degrees outside and snowing) and wandered down to the police station. When it was my turn, the woman took my case number and looked up a few things, then calmly said to me, "That will be $227." I, horrified and shocked, said, "Are you serious? I get my car stolen on Christmas and I get to pay to get my own property back?" She said, "Yes. That's how it works.", as she passed me a paper to call for an impound hearing. I then forked over all the money I had left in the world. She gave me a form, and I went outside to have another emotional crisis. I called the tow truck driver and explained that I had no way to meet him at the lot, and could he come get me since I had the paperwork he would need to tow the car. He didn't seem happy about it, but agreed to do it. I then called the city courts to schedule an impound hearing, and made an appointment for the next day at 9 A.M.
The truck driver appeared, and we went off to the lot. At this point, I'm really feeling like I've been repeatedly screwed without any Vaseline, and I've had about enough. After a few more forms, and a few unfriendly police workers, they led us into the lot to tow the car. The nice gentleman who showed us to the car did tell me that I was lucky the didn't burn it up. He had a whole row of burned up cars that had been stolen. I wonder if he realized he was not helping.
OK, I'd like to make a disclaimer at this point. I really don't mind being Hispanic most of the time, but when Hispanic people do things that make the rest of us look stupid, I have a problem with it. I assume only a Hispanic person would steal a Honda and then spray paint it with cheap white paint on the doors, mirrors, and license plates, and then realize there wasn't enough paint to do the whole car and add a couple of racing stripes to the hood. Not only that, but a window was broken, the hubcaps painted black, and the gas tank cover painted black. Hmm. Makes me wonder how the police officer noticed something off about the vehicle.
I took a couple photos with my camera phone, and went off with the tow truck to the repair place. At the repair shop, I heard about 2000 stories about stolen Honda cars. I love how everyone has a story to share. They did call a rental car company for me, and the fellow from Hertz had quite a sense of humor. He went with me to look at my car.
Somehow, whoever stole the car had time to take everything (including the trash) from the interior of the car and stowed it in the trunk. They ripped Sir Chomps-A-Lot (the guardian shark of the Honda) and threw him on the carpet, so I was able to save him. The back seat of the car was (and still is) filled with presents in various states of unwrapping, bags with ladies clothing, and boxes of who knows what. Its nice to know the police department has such a regard for others that they leave others stolen property in my vehicle. I guess fingerprinting is out of the question at this point.
Well, I am now set up with a rental car (thanks Progressive!). At least Hertz guy had a sense of humor when I asked him if this car had an alarm system, since he had seen what happens to them without one. Don't worry, the rental car has an alarm system as well as the engine lockout.
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