Category Archives: Need to Know

The Post I Never Thought I’d Write

Written on June 4, 2008 by in Go Fly a Kite, Need to Know

If you’ve been reading me for any length of time, you are probably aware of my extreme irritation with my cable provider, Comcast.  (Update:  Coming soon!)

You’re also probably aware that when I’m pissed off at something, I write about it here.  Bad realtor?  I’ll talk smack about you.  (Update:  that realtor may be losing her license for falsifying documents!  Keep your fingers crossed.  Evil wench.)

You don’t have the courtesy to wave at me?  You and your crappy attitude are going on the blog. (Update:  She has NEVER ridden her bike past my house again…do you think she’s read my blog!?)

Those rat bastards ADT refusing to help me?  I got my revenge via blog.  (Update:  I get lots of creepy google hits from people researching how to hack into home security systems.)

You are an idiot Walgreens worker who is unable to charge me correctly for a prescription that took HOURS upon HOURS to fill?  Blogged!  Boo-yah!  (Update:  None.)

Very seldom do I have a chance to tell you a story of redemeption.  And this is a story that I utterly CANNOT believe I’m telling you.  Please sit down if you’re not already seated.

Are you ready?

Okay.

Comcast had to come out to my house yesterday to fix my broken Internet connection and fuzzy channel problem.    They were scheduled to come between 1 and 5, or in other words between 1 and NEVER.  However, that wasn’t the case this time.

They called around 10:30 and asked if they could come early.  EARLY.  YLRAE.  early.  EAR-LY!  A most polite gentleman showed up and assessed the problem, very concerned for my well being and the well being of my Internet connection.  After about an hour, he realized that our line had been nicked when we had some landscaping work done.

We should have been charged for the new line he had to run (which by the way, he could have just repaired, but he thought it would be BETTER to just run a NEW line.) 

He didn’t charge us a dime.

So did you get that?  Comcast was early.  They were polite.  AND!  They didn’t charge us for the line repair.

Feel free to lie down and place a cold compress on your head while you recover from the shock.  (Update:  Tate has informed me that just because the nice cable man didn’t charge me, doesn’t mean we won’t be getting a bill.  Crap.  I didn’t think of that.)

61 Comments - Leave a comment!

Let’s Hear From Our Judges

Written on May 7, 2008 by in blogging, confession, Little Monkeys, Mommydom, Need to Know

The response I got to yesterday’s post truly shocked me.  I haven’t mentioned this before, but before I hit *publish* on a post, I like to guess the number of comments I’ll receive for it.  I guessed yesterday’s post to be a 34 and thought that it wouldn’t really be a post people felt compelled to comment about.   Apparently I underestimated people’s feeling about children’s bedtimes.   

Most comments were positive, but I got the feeling from a few comments that you felt very defensive about my opinion of early bedtimes, pointing out when I already had, that I was being judgmental (paraphrasing).  When I thought about it, I certainly cannot blame anyone for feeling defensive since I’ve read many others’ posts that have left me feeling that same way and wanting to defend my parenting decisions.   In fact, yesterday there were a few comments where I felt judged for judging.  How’s that for irony? 

I suspect, though, that each and every one of us has tsk tsked someone else’s parenting decisions.  If you were to say you’ve NEVER judged someone else, I’d probably call you a liar (under my breath).  Oh yeah, I said it, a LIAR. Liar, liar pants on fire.

There are many issues that I think, for me,  I can safely say are truly off limits for judging.  Choosing how to feed your infant, choosing whether to stay home with the kids or work, choosing how to birth your children, these are all things that I strive to never, ever judge or criticize.  In fact I cringe whenever I read a post about why breastfeeding is the best for everyone and that everyone MUST try it and that there is no reason not to.   Or when someone says that it’s okay for a mom to work when the family needs the money, but otherwise, no.  Or when people feel like they must educate people about a VBAC after they’ve already chosen to have a repeat C-section.

These are the type of things that literally make my heart all racy and my stomach flutter to read.  I get very nervous when people judge these sorts of things.

We all do the best we can do for our kids.

Conversely, though, I fully admit that I’ve judged for lots of other things.  A mom putting sweet tea in her kid’s sippy cup?  A little girl that I think is dressed like a tramp?  A mom not watching her brat kid at Chick-Fil-A?  Oh, I’ve judged.  

I think that through blogging, though, I’ve learned to be less judgmental about how others parent their kids.  There are millions of us mommy and daddy bloggers out there that come from different backgrounds with a wide-range of experiences and beliefs.   I’m continually learning and expanding my point of view through reading about lives that are not a part of my own reality.  So all the while, as I sit back and occasionally judge, I’m trying not to.  I’m attempting to be more understanding and accepting.

I’m not perfect and won’t ever be.  Neither will you.

We all do the best we can do for our kids.

Now! Moving right along!  *claps hands*  On a completely unrelated note, have any of you tried the Strawberry Banana V8 Fusion?  Oh.  Mah.  Gah.  DELICIOUS.   Just like a smoothie, no blender needed.  You’re welcome!

53 Comments - Leave a comment!

Tomorrow

Written on January 21, 2008 by in Need to Know, playing along

This post is for the warrior Whymommy.

Tomorrow is her big day, the day of her double masectomy.  If you pray, send her your prayers.  If you’re not the praying kind, send her your healthy, happy, hot mama get well vibes.  Sending comments is good, too.  *hint, hint* 

Tomorrow, Whymommy, I’ll be thinking of you. 

(Thanks Canape for this great idea.)

1 Comment - Leave a comment!

Gee, That’s Reassuring…Oh Yeah, ADT Can Kiss My Ass

Written on December 19, 2007 by in Go Fly a Kite, hear me roar, Life in LA, movin' nawth, Need to Know

Post #1 about moving.  I’m going to count them so that in the event I’m on Post # 548, I’ll know I need to shut up about moving already. 

One of the things I’ve had to do to get ready to move, was to get our dismantled alarm system fixed.  To save you from having to click the link and get caught up, I’ll quickly recap my (mis)adventures with said alarm system.

Caught up?  Good.

So I called ADT, for the very good reason that they were the first alarm company I came to in the phone book.  I got the ole run-around at the local office so they sent me to their 1-800 number.  Not surprisingly, I got the ole run-around when I called the 1-800 number and was switched from operator to operator.

“No, I don’t have an account.  I just need someone to reset a code or something.”

“You’ll have to call your local office.”

“They said I had to call this number.”

“That’s strange.  Let’s see what I can do.”

“That would be great.”

“I called the local office and they said that it’s not worth their time.”

“No they dint.”

“Yes, they did.  If you’d like to sign a 36-month contract we can help you.”

“Kiss my ass, you anal-wart-heads you.”

(I didn’t actually tell them to kiss my ass or call them anal-wart-heads.)  I did tell them that I thought this was a poor business practice and that when I am in need of having an alarm system installed or monitored that I won’t be calling their sorry-ass excuse for an alarm company. (I didn’t actually say the sorry-ass part.)  ADT Home Security Systems blows donkey balls.

So next up in the phone book was Brinks.  Brinks Home Security Systems was very helpful.  They came the very next day to help.  Brinks Home Security Systems didn’t give me the ole run-around.  Me loves Brinks Home Security Systems lots.

Actually the first guy that came out to fix the alarm told me that since the alarm was set he wouldn’t be able to re-program the alarm.  He explained that it was set up this way so that potential thieves couldn’t break into your house and simply re-program your alarm system, then proceed to rob you blind.  A new motherboard would need to be ordered and I’d be charged for at least an hour of labor.

“Fine, fine, fine.  Whatever,” I said.  “We just need this alarm system fixed.”

He told me he’d return the next day.  But the next day, a different Brinks Home Security guy showed up.  He proceeded to start pushing lots of buttons on the control panel and within about five minutes, he’d re-programmed the system. 

“I just saved you a bunch of money.  I hacked into your system and reset the code.”

While I do love to save money, I’m a WHOLE LOT disturbed that my alarm system was so easily hacked.  Gee, that’s reassuring in the event of my house being robbed.  But the good news is, is that the alarm system is now fixed and I’m ready to be hacked by every potential thief in Lower Alabama.

Did I mention my disdain for ADT Home Security systems?  No?  Well, ADT BLOWS.

Brinks Home Security systems gets my Binky Bitch seal of approval.



42 Comments - Leave a comment!

Pink is the New Haiku

Written on October 5, 2007 by in haiku friday, Need to Know

Haiku Friday

It’s October, friends
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Feel your boobies. Now!

Check Your Boobies

Click HERE to learn more. Click HERE to donate to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Wanna play along for Haiku Friday?! Please add the PERMALINK directly to your Haiku post when you sign Mr. Linky below.

18 Comments - Leave a comment!

Good Deed

Written on September 15, 2007 by in Need to Know, playing along

Blue Momma at Life in the Fish Bowl needs our help!

Her Granny is sick. She’s got a broken ankle, a staph infection, confined to her wheelchair, has decreased kidney function, and she is barely eating.

Her Granny is depressed and Blue Momma thinks we can all help.

“I want to ask you all a favor. If you have the time and would like to make a nice old lady feel a little better and a little loved, could you send her a card? A postcard? A note? It would mean so much to her and to me. I just don’t know what I’ll do if she doesn’t get better. If you could wish her well and tell her you’re thinking about her, tell her you’re praying, sending good vibes, talking to the goddess – whatever it is that you do – for her, I would be so grateful.”-Blue Momma

Here’s where she can receive mail:

St. Vincent’s Hospital
Nellie Vincent
810 St. Vincent Drive, Room 529
Birmingham, AL 35205

See how easy it would be to brighten her Granny’s day!! Let’s see if we can send her at least 100 pieces of mail! More would be better!

9 Comments - Leave a comment!

Inflammatory Breast Cancer

Written on July 24, 2007 by in Need to Know

The following post was written by Whymommy at Toddler Planet…

We hear a lot about breast cancer these days. One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetimes, in fact, and there are millions living with it in the U.S. today alone. But did you know that there is more than one type of breast cancer?

I didn’t. I thought that breast cancer was all the same. I figured that if I did my monthly breast self-exams, and found no lump, I’d be fine.

Oops. It turns out that you don’t have to have a lump to have breast cancer. Six weeks ago, I went to my OB/GYN because my breast felt funny. It was red, hot, inflamed, and the skin looked … funny. But there was no lump, so I wasn’t worried. I should have been. After a round of antibiotics didn’t clear up the inflammation, my doctor sent me to a breast specialist and did a skin punch biopsy. That test showed that I have inflammatory breast cancer, a very aggressive cancer that can be deadly.

Inflammatory breast cancer is often misdiagnosed as mastitis because many doctors have never seen it before and consider it rare. “Rare” or not, there are over 100,000 women in the U.S. with this cancer right now; only half will survive five years. Please call your OB/GYN if you experience several of the following symptoms in your breast, or any unusual changes: redness, rapid increase in size of one breast, persistent itching of breast or nipple, thickening of breast tissue, stabbing pain, soreness, swelling under the arm, dimpling or ridging (for example, when you take your bra off, the bra marks stay – for a while), flattening or retracting of the nipple, or a texture that looks or feels like an orange (called peau d’orange). Ask if your GYN is familiar with inflammatory breast cancer, and tell her that you’re concerned and want to come in to rule it out.

There is more than one kind of breast cancer. Inflammatory breast cancer is the most aggressive form of breast cancer out there, and early detection is critical. It’s not usually detected by mammogram. It does not usually present with a lump. It may be overlooked with all of the changes that our breasts undergo during the years when we’re pregnant and/or nursing our little ones. It’s important not to miss this one.

Inflammatory breast cancer is detected by women and their doctors who notice a change in one of their breasts. If you notice a change, call your doctor today. Tell her about it. Tell her that you have a friend with this disease, and it’s trying to kill her. Now you know what I wish I had known before six weeks ago.

You don’t have to have a lump to have breast cancer.

Help WhyMommy kick cancer's ass

P.S. Feel free to steal this post too. I’d be happy for anyone in the blogosphere to take it and put it on their site, no questions asked. Dress it up, dress it down, let it run around the place barefoot. I don’t care. But I want the word to get out. I don’t want another young mom — or old man — or anyone in between — to have to stare at this thing on their chest and wonder, is it mastitis? Is it a rash? Am I overreacting? This cancer moves FAST, and early detection and treatment is critical for survival.

Thank you.

*********************

Please go give your support to Whymommy. I’m turning off comments here.

0 Comments - Leave a comment!
« Older Posts
Newer Posts »