Tuesday, January 20, 2009

OPEN DISCUSSION

Feel free to discuss whatever is on your mind.

81 comments:

lulubae said...

I've been dying to ask... What do you guys think of this new show starting about about Toddlers and Tiaras?

I will say that this concept freaks me out WAY more than J&K. Seeing little tiny girls getting bronzed, curled, wearing fake teeth, made up to look older or "sexier" doesn't sit well with me. Maybe if the girls just looked "normal" (no makeup, bronzer, fake teeth, etc.) it could work, in my mind at least.

Jamie said...

At add to lulubae's comment,
Anyone see Pre-Teen Beauty Queen?
The mother made her change 3 different times before she looked good enough to go out to dinner. One of the girls trainers said the mother was more into it then the child. The mother posed nude several times in some magazine.(I dont remember the name right now) gwop should be tearing her apart but they have tunnel vision only seeing Mrs.Katie Irene.

Anonymous said...

I haven't seen those shows but have always been fascinated with the concept.

I just got a glimpse of what's scheduled to record today and I have 9 shows! Two of them to my delight are Lost.

Since I work from home on my laptop I run a lot of shows to have some "noise" in the background.

Samantha@IW said...

Toddlers in Tiaras: DISTURBING

The makeup, the spray tans, the false lashes, fake teeth, big hair- it's weird. I highly doubt any toddler "enjoys" that and I have a very hard time understanding why any mother would do this. When I was 13 I entered a beauty pageant- Small town, no big deal, no fake teeth, spray tans, or false lashes.

Suprisingly to me I won- I spent the next year in parades and the festivals that accompany small town life. I liked it for about 2 months- I can't imagine why you would put a small child through such ridiculous paces or why you want your baby to look like an adult. I find the whole thing creepy beyond belief. **Cringe**

On another note I'm reviewing the most boring manuscript I've ever read. The main character is female but the author is male and its obvious. You can't just slap lipstick on a character and expect her to be a heroine readers will believe or love. Insert long suffering sigh here.

merryway said...

I missed the Toddler in Tiaras. I wanted to see it too. I have seen a couple of the other specials on the subject. It was one with a few little girls (I can only remember the one named Brook) and then they went back when the girls were in their teenage years. The first one showed the little girl wearing a dental clip to hide where she had lost her baby teeth. I kept thinking “what's cuter than a kid with a jack-o-lantern smile?” I couldn't do it and don't see the value. Another little girl wanted to win the money for a cow which I thought was hilarious. The clip of her winning and thrilled she got to buy a cow made The Soup. On Wife Swap a week ago they had a mom who was into the pageants and they showed her painting her 13 mo. old baby's fingernails and she said she had asked her stylist about highlights for her baby's hair. The baby had whispy light hair. I don't know who would do that to an infant? The mom appeared to be rethinking some of her ways due to experience. Oh, that one also made The Soup.
I've never known anyone who was into that.

Samantha@IW said...

cincymom-

I have to have background noise to. Silence is deafening!

Anonymous said...

SamanthaNC

I'm watching a taped Ellen from this a.m. right now.

Your manuscript comment was funny. My old boss (male) wrote on the side and would bring me his chapters as he completed them. I had to read about his sexy vampires! AAAAh.

themrs said...

when my oldest was little, people used to tell us all the time we should put her in pageants. it drove me crazy. my husband became paranoid that she would grow up to think she was only worth her appearance since people always told her how beautiful she was (first time parent:) anyway, he always told her how smart she was. by the time she was 18 months old, every time someone would tell her she was pretty she would say "i'm bery smart, too" which was hilarious! i'd have less issue with those pageants if the girls just looked like themselves, sweet little girls. the attempt to make four year olds look sexy creeps me out. i have a hard time shopping for both of girls (4&9) finding things that aren't sexy looking. especially my older daughter. why do i want my child wearing super short shorts and a halter top? it really bothers me!

Anonymous said...

Did anyone see the movie Little Miss Sunshine? It was about a normal girl named Olive in a beauty show and her unusual "normalness" was so neat to see. Cute movie!

merryway said...

i have a hard time shopping for both of girls (4&9) finding things that aren't sexy looking. especially my older daughter. why do i want my child wearing super short shorts and a halter top? it really bothers me

Themrs,
I clothed two boys for 18 years and then started all over again with a little girl. I could not believe how sexy the clothes were for a two year old. I do think it's cute when they have some mini-adult clothing, but it I have to dig hard to find something dressy or nice casual that doesn't make her look like a mini-teen sex queen. I want her to look like a 5yo child.

Samantha@IW said...

i have a hard time shopping for both of girls (4&9) finding things that aren't sexy looking. especially my older daughter. why do i want my child wearing super short shorts and a halter top? it really bothers me!

Amen honey- its a sad day when you have a hard time finding appropriae clothing for a 5 year old- which i do every time we go shopping. Who are the idiots that make these clothes????????

My old boss (male) wrote on the side and would bring me his chapters as he completed them. I had to read about his sexy vampires! AAAAh.

You poor thing, I feel your pain ;)

Darlene Williams said...

When Britney Spears was in her prime and her clothing style was the in thing I had a hard time finding clothes for my 5 year old neice. It's crazy some of the clothes out there for little girls. The kiddie pageants are just weird. That's all I'm going to say about that :)

Mom said...

cincymom -

I LOVED Little Miss Sunshine! I was laughing out loud during the performance when the parents got up on stage to support their daughter! It was a dark movie overall - a similar tone like Muriel's Wedding (another fav of mine), but that little girl was darling, and the family was awesome! Wasn't the dad a motivational speaker?

I had the opportunity to be a judge at a state "Miss" pageant where we chose the girl to represent her state for Miss USA. It was weird! I was an "outsider" as far as the panel of judges (many of whom have been doing pageants for years). It was quite interesting to say the least.

The girl who won the state was beautiful! She had naturally curly hair and just stunning overall look. Later that year when I watched the Miss USA pageant, she looked like another person - they had flat-ironed her hair and just looked like the rest of the bunch. It was kind of sad to me, because her "look" was so unique and I thought she had a really good chance. Goes to show you that sometimes the stylist (who are supposed to be experts) really don't know what the heck they are talking about either! LOL!

Anonymous said...

Toddlers in Tiaras: DISTURBING

I totally agree!

The main character is female but the author is male and its obvious. You can't just slap lipstick on a character and expect her to be a heroine readers will believe or love.

I strongly prefer woman authors for that very reason.

Yawn! I'm very tired. Our new puppy (1.5 year old rescue lab) is adorable and very energetic! As soon as she hears my husband turn the shower on at 5:30 a.m., she won't stop barking! I'm not very pleasant at that hour - my poor husband felt my wrath this morning.

Unknown said...

Lul,

I agree with you-YUCK! But I still watch it! :) I like the weird stuff.

I wouldn't say it freaks me out more, just in a different way.

Unknown said...

The Mrs,
I had the same problem several years ago shopping for my daughter. Limited Too, out, alot of Gap Kids worked, Gymbo, Lands End and LL BEAN kids have great clothes for active girls.

Samantha@IW said...

Ditto Lands End

Unknown said...

i have a hard time shopping for both of girls (4&9) finding things that aren't sexy looking. especially my older daughter. why do i want my child wearing super short shorts and a halter top? it really bothers me!

Completely agree and understand. It took me over 20 minutes to a one piece bathing suit for my then 5 year old. I couldn't believe the types of skimpy bikini's that they have for young kids. And don't get me started on the clothing.

I agree Fiona, those stores do have good girl clothing as well as old navy.

Anya@IW said...

I think I have "Toddlers and Tiaras" on my DVR, but I haven't seen it yet.

Jamie - I haven't see Pre-Teen Beauty Queen. Sounds equally concerning.

I am working on being less "judgy" overall, but the pagent people lose me with the attempt to make a 4 year-old look like an 18-year-old. It *is* weird and unnecessary.

"Little Miss Sunshine" - totally awesome movie. As Mom said, it had some dark elements, no doubt, but the overall theme I think was positive. Just be yourself. Let your freak flag fly!

I am getting a kick out of everyone's new avatars...!

Lizzy said...

As far as the slutty clothing goes, *I* have a hard time finding trendy outfits that are modest and appropriate for things like business presentations. I am glad that many stores (Old Navy, New York and Co.) are starting to sell longer tank tops at least-- my outer shirt may be a bit short but with a tank top under at least I don't show 3 inches of my back if I lean over.

Its unfortunate that little girls have fewer options now-- makes me wonder what will happen by the time I have kids!

Little Miss Sunshine was adorable :). Abigail Breslin was wonderful. All the pre-teen and Toddler beauty shows creep me out. Its like when you see those realistic porcelain dolls-- at first I get a bit wary because they look so real, then I am kinda shocked they even sell as much as HSN says they do. Granted those figurines are adorable, but at least for me (with my complete lack of a collection of anything except really great quotations) is something I can't wrap my head around.

Toddlers and Tiaras definitely focuses more on the stage mothers then on the kids. I really wish people would try to advocate for those little girls though. Seems like a ton of pressure for a 5 year old to be under. Now when we compare that to Jon and Kate whose kids are able to play and go on trips as well as tell their parents when they don't want to be filmed, I have to say that the Gosselin kids win hands down.

Portia said...

I just noticed the Maxine cartoon on the site. How long has that been there? I like her crabby sentiments.

Lizzy said...

'mods' comment writer-
Thanks for the heads up, but we were already aware of what some other sites had posted. We also have no intent to parade personal information around, so feel free to get whatever you would like elsewhere instead of seeking it out here.

Thanks!

Anonymous said...

Since this is open discussion, I'm interested to know among you busy women (and men), what technical toys do you use constantly and/or are addicted to? For instance, my iphone. Are there neat applications that you like on these gadgets and use daily?

Lizzy said...

That's a great discussion question, Theresa! I have an iPod which I love but since I work from a computer 10 plus hours a day don't really have a need for a nicer product like that. My dad and brothers have iPod Touches which they love-- I have to say they are pretty neat (one brother got a cool crossword puzzle app that he loves) but I have no real use for it.

There are definitely websites which I use daily which help me stay organized. I love Google Reader and have about 30 subscriptions I read through each day. I'm also a big fan of Facebook since I can share pics and videos with whomever I choose on there. As far as gadgets though I am a laptop/desktop girl most of the time :).

Darlene Williams said...

Theresa: the only technical toy I use is the PS3, mainly for movies. My hubby is a tech nerd and has it all. I do like his blackberry with some of the cool games he has on it so when I'm in the car I like to play poker. :)

Anya@IW said...

I wouldn't consider myself the most technically advanced person on the planet, but I did get an iPhone for Christmas and I am having a lot of fun with it. So far, it's more a toy than something I really use to organize my life, but I love having the applications, like WikiTap or the New York Times, available with just a touch. Because it's so easy, I have finally given in and am doing a limited amount of texting - but, I don't plan to make a habit of it.

The one area where I feel technology really saves me time is bill paying. I pay everything online directly on the creditor's website. Did you know you can even pay parking tickets online? :-) It drives me crazy when I have to write out a check, put a stamp on it and find a mailbox. I have become quite spoiled!

Is anyone using a GPS navigator in their car? I priced those a few months ago, but I don't know that I travel enough by car for it to be worth it, although I do rival Kate as the "most directionally challenged person on the planet" (to quote Jon).

Anya@IW said...

I wouldn't consider myself the most technically advanced person on the planet, but I did get an iPhone for Christmas and I am having a lot of fun with it. So far, it's more a toy than something I really use to organize my life, but I love having the applications, like WikiTap or the New York Times, available with just a touch. Because it's so easy, I have finally given in and am doing a limited amount of texting - but, I don't plan to make a habit of it.

The one area where I feel technology really saves me time is bill paying. I pay everything online directly on the creditor's website. Did you know you can even pay parking tickets online? :-) It drives me crazy when I have to write out a check, put a stamp on it and find a mailbox. I have become quite spoiled!

Is anyone using a GPS navigator in their car? I priced those a few months ago, but I don't know that I travel enough by car for it to be worth it, although I do rival Kate as the "most directionally challenged person on the planet" (to quote Jon).

Portia said...

I do have a GPS and find it easy to use. I bought it for my vacation in San Diego last summer and it was a great help. I really don't use it much around home unless I need to get somewhere I'm not familiar with, which isn't often.

Darlene Williams said...

Oh right, I'm a facebook junkie. I think this website is great. I can stay in contact with everyone from back home to new friends I have met. It's great! You're in control who gets to see what's on your profile.

merryway said...

Theresa

I don't use an ipod or anything. I think the ones that I see my kids use are pretty sharp. I use to leave my laptop in the lr where I work. Now, I carry it around with me whenever I'm cleaning or doing stuff around the house and watch tv shows or movies. It's a teeny one and I can set it anywhere. I love being able to watch the sitcoms or movies I pick. I used it to watch all the Murphy Browns while soaking in the tub. Those are my own little blissful mommy things.

I've also started taking to some of the classes my little one attends because the have wireless and try to get caught up staying in touch with friends and family. We mostly do email due to schedules.

Fiona, are you still having fun on your new laptop?

merryway said...

Anya you are so funny!

Guinevere said...

Re Toddlers and Tiaras - yes, I have judgment though I am also trying to be less judgy as a result of my experience with Gosselin blogging. I just think it's so weird the way they tart those little girls up. But, on the other hand, I might just have an essential problem with the concept because if they let the girls stay "natural", they'd still be being judged mostly on their looks, and I don't think that is that healthy at such an impressionable age.

I'm kind of morbidly interested in the show, though I forgot to DVR it.

I generally don't think that even grown up beauty queens such as those in the Miss America or Miss USA pageants are that beautiful, because they are all so generic looking. I mean, they are usually perfectly attractive, but knock-out beautiful? I don't know, it seems to me that they get picked more for having regular features and being kind of blank pallettes rather than really being extraordinarily beautiful.

I tend to find high-fashion model beauty more "interesting" - though sometimes the choices there are a little out there!

Anonymous said...

Im a newbie facebook junkie. Im still trying to get a feel for it.I don't like that every post one of my friends makes to other people shows up on my page. Why would I want to read their comments to other people I dont know? I am also kicking myself for putting my high school info in there. Honestly, those people were awful and now they are contacting me as if we were friends. My almost 15 yr old is mortified that I have a facebook page, she says Im too old! LOL

Anonymous said...

Anya - its easy to get sucked into the texting even after promising yourself that you won't make it a habit. I am even guilty of texting my husband from upstairs when he is downstairs. Maybe I need an intervention! I like being able to communicate with my oldest daughter during the day, she writes to me during her free periods.

themrs said...

jersey girl- i have the same problem on facebook! i didn't like most of those people in high school, i have no desire to "friend" them now! but i have this guilt problem, i can't deny anyone's friend requests unless i don't know them. it makes me feel bad :) i'm not a huge fan of facebook but got "peer pressured" into it because EVERYONE i know is on there. i got tired of people nagging me to join, LOL

Daisy said...

JerseyGirl,

I have 2 teenagers on facebook and I'm on too. It's a great way to keep tabs on your kids and hopefully it keeps them honest with Mom knowing what they write. Both of them have said they're not embarrassed having me on facebook.

When it's time for dinner I let my son know on facebook instead of calling down the hall. We laugh about that. O how times have changed.

Samantha@IW said...

Jersey girl:

I text from upstairs sometimes too. . . . its easier than yelling!

themrs said...

jerseygirl- all four of my younger brothers are on myspace and so am i. my mom has me keep tabs on their pages and report back if there's anything inappropriate on them!

Mom said...

themrs -
I totally agree about the HS or even grade school girls. I used to feel guilty, but now I just delete those requests.

MoreCowbell said...

I think that anyone who uses the words "Gosselin" and "exploited" in the same sentence, needs to take a hard look at "Toddlers and Tiaras." If they're not more outraged over this show than they are about J&K+8, then whatever is left of their dwindling credibility is shot to Hell.

I mean, seriously. Spray on tans, make-up, hair extensions, phony teeth worn over their real ones, bathing suit competitions. YUCK.

I remember watching a couple specials that TLC ran on pageants. One with the two little girls named Asia and Brooke. They did a show when they were four and a follow up last year when the girls were 17. WOW. The guy that sings to the girls in all these pageants creeped me out in a big way.

I'd have no problem showing a child in a contest where they just dress in something cute and did away with the fake tans, teeth and hair. Not to mention, as someone above said, "tarting them up." I think the Gosselin and Duggar tots are a hellava lot cuter than one of those little pageant girls wearing a $2500 dress and fake everything.

Anonymous said...

Thanks all. I was interested because I use my bluetooth a lot in the car and iphone and realized that I really depend on a lot of these new creature comfort tech gadgets.

Texting certainly is another great our family keeps in contact, too.

Anonymous said...

Is anyone using a GPS navigator in their car? I priced those a few months ago, but I don't know that I travel enough by car for it to be worth it, although I do rival Kate as the "most directionally challenged person on the planet" (to quote Jon).

Anya, my husband is one of the most directionally challenged people on earth too, and I got him one for Father's Day. We don't use it much, but I think it was worth it, especially when you are on a highway that you are unfamiliar with. Having said that, my husband STILL missed 1 exit and made 2 wrong turns (sometimes the warnings to get off come too slow, or there were 2 ways to turn and his was too impatient to listen to the right one) in our first long trip, but the GPS just told us to turn around and got us back on track.

MrsRef said...

I hate those pagents. I just keep thinking of poor Jon Benet Ramsey. To be honest, my daughter was little Miss South Octagon Road when she was 5 (23 years ago) Anyway, it was a town thing where kindergartners vied for Little Miss/Mr Fairview. They just wore Sunday dresses, shirts and pants and sang the little silly songs they learned in school. She sang something about frogs I think. Every kid got a trophy, gift certificate from Toys R Us and got driven around the community on the 4th of July in convertibles and horns honking. No make-up, thousand dollar dresses or sexing up. I agree Toddlers and Tiaras is child exploitation at it's finest. There is nothing wrong with silly little contests but this is just so over the top wrong.

marci said...

Anya, Theresa,

I'm getting an iPhone in the next week or so (just waiting for my contract with another carrier to expire) and I was wondering how you like it.

I went into the Apple store and fiddled with one and the typing/testing keypad was a little hard to use.

Do you just have to get used to it?

marci said...

Also, did you all get the 8G or the 16G, and if you chose the one with the bigger memory, what are the benefits (besides the fact the 16G comes in white? :) )

Oh, and by the way, if you own an iPhone apparently you have to list yourselves amongst the ranks of the Rich and Famous since Kate owns one....which is why I'm getting one, of course. :)>

Guinevere said...

marci, I love your avatar!

I've had my iPhone since Christmas and manage to do okay on the keypad. I don't text a lot but I'm getting better at not touching the wrong letters (it would help if I had skinnier fingers!).

The only feature of the touchscreen I have problems with is the enlarging of web pages - you can enlarge a page by double tapping on the screen, but it doesn't always work, and I'm not sure why. I'm sure there is some obvious explanation that I just haven't bothered to look for.

I have the 8GB. I prefer black over white (though a pretty color would've been even nicer!), so that wasn't an issue. I didn't/don't think space is really an issue, though I just checked and noticed I only have 1.8GB left. I have 1,250 songs on it, 55 photos (I could probably get rid of some of those - upload them to my computer or just delete them), and no videos. It seems sufficient for my needs - it's so much fancier than my last phone I'm not complaining!

I think I'll need to buy a water-filter pitcher before I can claim Kate-level fanciness.

Anonymous said...

Marci-

I really didn't need an iphone, but was forced into it :) and I really grew to like it. It does have a lot of things at my fingertips....there's a GPS system on it and many applications I still have yet to get to. If you're going to have it for 3 or 4 years, I'd go with the 16 gig so that you'd have enough memory to be compatible in the future. Heck, 8 gig is still really good, too. Second thought, go with what is most affordable according to how many years you think you're going to need it.

I also like the whole look of the icons and just the itouch feature is pretty cool.

Yes, join the ranks of the rich. :) I do have the pink one. It was either that or black, and I didn't want to see a bunch of fingerprints all over it. :)

Anya@IW said...

Que, thanks for the additional information! Good luck on your next trip. :-)

Marci, I too love your avatar. I have the 8G. I couldn't see paying another $200, but then, as stated above, I am a pretty low-tech girl. I am on the two-year contract with AT&T. I'll wait and see when I renew what's available and if I really need it.

Theresa, yeah, the fingerprints are annoying. I find myself wiping them all day long.

So the pink one is the phone that some alert (ha!) viewers think Kate owns, right? I bet you feel special. Next thing you are going to tell us that you have been to Banana Republic and replaced a stove when it broke. This blog is getting to be so high-end!

Anonymous said...

um, Anya, no, I don't feel special. I was sarcastically going along with Marci's joke? Thus the :)

Anya@IW said...

Theresa said...
um, Anya, no, I don't feel special. I was sarcastically going along with Marci's joke? Thus the :)


As was I! I guess it didn't come out right.

Sorry. :-)

My larger point was just making fun of those folks who begrudge J&K (especially Kate) what are really pretty middle-class items....

marci said...

Hold the phone!

There's a PINK iPhone????

I thought Kate just had one of those pink, acrylic sleeves that you can get to protect the phone.

I thought the 8G came in black only and the 16G came in black and white. Where do you buy a pink one?

marci said...

By the way....

thanks for answering my questions, ladies!

Theresa,

I think Anya knew you were playing along. ;)

Anonymous said...

Marci/Anya...sorry, it's that time of the month.

thanks for clarifying. :)

Damn hormones....

marci said...

Guin, about enlarging the screen...

I had someone show me how to enlarge an e-mailed document on their iPhone and he kind of put his thumb and forefinger together on the screen and then swept them apart to zoom in.

At least that's what I remember...he was making things move around so fast I might not have that right.

By the way...some of your past posts were the inspiration for the avatar!

marci said...

Theresa,

Please....where did you get a PINK iPhone??

Must....find....out....

Anya@IW said...

Marci, of course, you must be right, it must be a sleeve. That's something I still need to get for mine. $30 seems like highway robbery, but that seems to be the going rate.

Theresa, no worries. I have been there!

Anya@IW said...

Marci, of course, you must be right, it must be a sleeve. That's something I still need to get for mine. $30 seems like highway robbery, but that seems to be the going rate.

Theresa, no worries. I have been there!

Darlene Williams said...

Apple Pink Iphone and Pink ipod touch makes their debut and the rumor is they are coming out around Valentines Day. Not sure who will carry them. Let you know when I hear more.

Jenn said...

I'm addicted to my Blackberry. It sends my email right to the phone. It's super easy to text on. My husband thinks I need an intervention from the dang thing.

And if I get on the PC, forget it. An hour passes without me even realizing it. I do keep my ipod with me. I listen to it in the car and at work.

marci said...

indianprincess,

A pink one coming out for Valentine's, huh? I might wait a few more days than I'd planned to see if it happens! Thanks for the heads up!! (Whoops...too many exclamation points!!!!!!)

Did I read Theresa's post wrong? I thought she said she has one already??

marci said...

Well, I looked online a little bit...just found a place you can have your iPhone customized and some bogus-looking sites.

Who am I kidding? I'm going to buy a sleeve for it anyway....maybe orange. :)

Again, thanks for the input, everybody!

lulubae said...

I was forced into a Blackberry Curve for work (I was afraid my boss would own me but we've set limits that she's respecting!), and I haven't looked back since! Everything is just there at your fingertips. It really has spoiled me! My phone is like a dark charcoal color but I bought an orange sleeve for it cause I'm paranoid schizo about getting it dinged. Oh and fingerprints and makeup goo get on my last nerve. But I was at Best Buy last week and noticed they sell this film that you can put over the screen of Blackberrys and Iphones to protect them from that. Of course I had already payed so I must go back and purchase!

I too have an Ipod I can't live without! I can't work/study in silence either!

Darlene Williams said...

Marci, It's still a rumor and you know sometimes rumors are not true. Sad, I'll ask some people in the in's with this stuff to see if they heard anything. Some company online just did a scam on the pink iphone's when they had no intention of giving any away because they haven't made them yet or selling them. http://pinkiphone.net/

themrs said...

lulu- they sell that film at walmart also, for cheaper. we use it on our phones, ipods and the screen of our digital camera!

MonicaW42 said...

I don't trust the pink iphone rumor. I ended up buying a pink playboy bunny cover for mine :) I would be lost without this phone. I have GPS on here to help me with directions and a ton of other applications that are awesome. I am waiting on an email confirmation from apple that there is an application to put all your frequent shopper card info into phone so you don't have to carry all your cards around.

Samantha@IW said...

I'm watching Celebrity Rehab Sober House right now- do any of you watch this? I love it, its crazy.

MonicaW42 said...

Samantha,

Is that the one with Dr Drew? If so, I caught a bit of it at like 3am when I couldn't sleep. LOL @ Rodney King in the house.

Anonymous said...

Marci-

Yes, I already have one.I got it thru an endorsement deal that I had to do and it's running on our station thru this quarter. That's why I said I was "forced" to get it. It was provided for me. I've only had it for about a month or so. I bet they gave me a prototype. But, I didn't get any copy points reagarding color. But, yes, it is indeed pink.

Guinevere said...

Guin, about enlarging the screen...

I had someone show me how to enlarge an e-mailed document on their iPhone and he kind of put his thumb and forefinger together on the screen and then swept them apart to zoom in.



Thanks, marci - after I wrote that, I did some googling and saw mention of "pinching" an image. I had the feeling that I wasn't quite doing it the right way, and that was why my success was spotty. I'll have to try the pinching thing.

MoreCowbell said...

Call me when they come out with a PURPLE I-Phone.

I was so bummed last year after I bought a brand new Dell desktop computer set up, with all the bells and whistles, and the next week saw that they had added purple to their high powered laptop color selection. If I had seen that purple one, I would have gotten that computer instead.

Gina said...

This past week, we lost a sixteen-year-old student from a near by community who died in a house fire that was caused by a build-up of lint in the dryer vent. The link below is a video about preventing house fires by keeping your dryer vents clean.

http://www.kcci.com/video/18529059/index.html

Please take a moment to look at the video. It could save a life.

Anya@IW said...

Glo, thanks so much for sharing. That is so tragic.

Honestly, I did not even know dryer vents could block up and cause a fire. I generally clean mine out after every load (I occasionally forget), but it is mainly because I was under the impression clothes would not dry as efficiently if the vent is not clean.

Very sad, but again, thanks for passing this on....

Anonymous said...

Completely off the technology topic (I'm a poor college student) but I must shake my fist (well just a little bit. =)

I've already said that I'm pretty indifferent to J&K, what they do with their kids, etc. However, I hate (well, not hate but extremely dislike) when people put Jon on a pedestal like he's the golden goose that Kate was just lucky to snag. I'm sorry, Jon's a bum. People ride Kate's a** all the time about 8 kids, no way to support them, blah, blah blah, but they seem to forget that Kate had a JOB! A job you have to go to school to get! Jon, on the other hand, while he did have a job, had no schooling, no training, zip. Who cares if Kate wanted a bunch of kids young? She had a JOB (not shouting at you all, lol) so she had some way to support them. There is nothing cute about a grown-a** man admitting that he has no ambition. You just look like a loser to me. Note: I'm not saying that Jon can't be a stay-at-home dad, that (and stay-at-home moms) is just as important as a job that brings home a paycheck. However, he wasn't in the position to be a stay-at-home dad before the show and he has yet to change his "I'm a lazy bum" stance, as far as viewers know. People can complain about Kate all they want, but obviously she had some sort of plan for her life and how to support herself before getting married and having kids. What was Jon going to do, mooch off his parents forever? /End rant :-)

Anya@IW said...

BigSis88...However, I hate (well, not hate but extremely dislike) when people put Jon on a pedestal like he's the golden goose that Kate was just lucky to snag...

There is nothing cute about a grown-a** man admitting that he has no ambition. You just look like a loser to me.


I could not agree with you more.

I do take into consideration that Jon was young when they met (21 or 22). I am not certain of what post high school education he has had, but it doesn't appear to be a lot. Maybe some technical school for PC support?

He was bumming around and admits he didn't have much ambition. Now, I know some people are late bloomers, but to your point, the idea that he was a "great catch" is kind of absurd. Of course, Kate picked him!

In my opinion, Kate is smart (most of the time) and goal driven. They would not be where they are without her. It would be interesting to see where he would be if they had not met.

Now to give Jon the credit he is due: after getting off to a less than auspicious start, he did step up to the plate when he had to. His easy going personality is a nice complement to Kate's character and I think the kids need that balance in their parents. I think he is generally a really good dad.

Anonymous said...

Glo - thats heartbreaking. Dryer fires are so scary and obviously very dangerous. We had our smoke detector go off one night last week from the dryer. My husband smelled something funny but it wasnt like smoke was pouring out of it. It was a dryer that was here when we bought the house and it was FULL of lint (behind the drum) when he took it apart the next day. I just decided its better safe than sorry so I replaced it. Now I need my washer to conk out so I can replace it too!

Guinevere said...

I was so bummed last year after I bought a brand new Dell desktop computer set up, with all the bells and whistles, and the next week saw that they had added purple to their high powered laptop color selection. If I had seen that purple one, I would have gotten that computer instead.

Oh, bummer! I am completely shallow and girly when it comes to electronics and colors. Also, cars - I care less about the engine (whatev, as long as it gets me where I need to go), and more about the prettiness factor.

I want to get a new laptop and I'm trying to keep the cost down, but I might be willing to pay a *little* more for a pretty color.

I've already said that I'm pretty indifferent to J&K, what they do with their kids, etc. However, I hate (well, not hate but extremely dislike) when people put Jon on a pedestal like he's the golden goose that Kate was just lucky to snag. I'm sorry, Jon's a bum. People ride Kate's a** all the time about 8 kids, no way to support them, blah, blah blah, but they seem to forget that Kate had a JOB! A job you have to go to school to get! Jon, on the other hand, while he did have a job, had no schooling, no training, zip. Who cares if Kate wanted a bunch of kids young? She had a JOB (not shouting at you all, lol) so she had some way to support them. There is nothing cute about a grown-a** man admitting that he has no ambition. You just look like a loser to me. Note: I'm not saying that Jon can't be a stay-at-home dad, that (and stay-at-home moms) is just as important as a job that brings home a paycheck. However, he wasn't in the position to be a stay-at-home dad before the show and he has yet to change his "I'm a lazy bum" stance, as far as viewers know. People can complain about Kate all they want, but obviously she had some sort of plan for her life and how to support herself before getting married and having kids. What was Jon going to do, mooch off his parents forever? /End rant :-)

bigsis, I don't have quite the disgust you have of Jon - I don't consider lack of ambition to be a huge moral failing; it's more just a personality trait, IMO, though one that can limit a person's opportunities in life. But I do agree that the idea that Jon is just way too good for Kate is absurd. Each has their faults and virtues, IMO, and neither is "better" than the other. I do think a lot of where they are at is Kate's doing, which I guess can be seen as to her credit or to her blame, depending on one's perspective.

themrs said...

also, about the dryer issue. i learned a few years ago that if you use dryer sheets, a film can build up on your filter. once a week you need to wash it in warm soapy water. if you take it out and run it under water you'll see that the water just sits on top of it. apparently that is another way that many dryer fires are started. i never knew that and when i tried it i was amazed. no water went through! we never run our dryer when we're sleeping now, nor our dishwasher. i used to run the dishwasher every night before going to bed. one night i awoke out of a dead sleep because i smelled something burning. i went into the kitchen and our dishwasher had a short and the wires were smoldering. it sits against the wall that is the stairs to our second level. if it had started a fire, our kids would have been trapped upstairs (our master bedroom is on the main floor, all the kids are upstairs) it scared me to death and now i never run it at night.

Gina said...

Jerseygirl-
You and your family are very lucky that your smoke alarm woke you up and the dryer hadn't caught up too badly. I would have bought a new dryer as well. As a matter of fact, I told my husband we should by a new dryer and washer with our tax refund this year. Our current set came with the house also, and they are at least ten years old.

Themrs-
I seem to recall seeing a special on 20/20 or one of those shoes about dryer sheets now that you mention it. I usually use liquid softner (god bless the Downey ball!), but since my baby was born, I've been using a hypo-allergenic, all-natural, organic dryer sheets on her clothing. I will definitly be checking out the vent screen.

The family whose home burned down were renting that house and did not have renter's insurance. They lost everything in the fire. A great thing about living in small communities is how everyone around is pulling together for this family. Donations are being made for the family, both monetary and clothing/housing items. I am so proud of my students, who as soon as they got the news immediately began discussing what they could do to help. Aren't people great sometimes?

Guinevere said...

themrs, thanks so much for the dryer vent/dryer sheet info. I will be washing mine tomorrow. I'd never heard that before, and I use dryer sheets all the time. I don't usually run the dryer when I'm not around, but I do occasionally.

Anonymous said...

One of the stories I wrote (I'm a freelancer) was about a guy starting up a local franchise of Dryer Vent Wizard. The story was pertinent because a family had a fire running the dryer while they were gone and lost the whole house. All were safe, but I've always remembered that lesson.

He also told me it is not enough to clean the lint trap, but it is just as important to have the connector to the dryer to where if vents outside your home cleaned annually.

Whether a home is one-story, two-story, or more, some configurations are pretty weird venting the dryer to outside. And the many 90-degree turns can cause build up.

FYI...

Good topic because it is something that can really save a life. I don't run my dishwasher either if going to bed or leaving. Too paranoid about plastic catching on fire.

Anonymous said...

People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.
If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.
The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.
The biggest people with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest people with the smallest minds.
Think big anyway.
People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
Fight for the underdog anyway.
What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.
People really need help, but may attack you if you help them.
Help people anyway.
Give the world the best you've got and you'll get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you've got anyway.