• Posted By panthergirl @ 8:44 PM • • •
Monday, June 22, 2009
You Can't Make This Stuff Up
I know I haven't posted in a long time... sorry!! But something happened tonight that is too long for Twitter OR Facebook, so here I am. I'm also posting this on top of another bizarre incident I reported back in '07, so you can see how weird my life is in general.
Last week, I received an email from a company called Camp Meds. They are handling all medications required by campers at my son's (and apparently many others') camp. I'm not crazy about the idea, because you have to pay a $50 handling fee and you really don't know who is doing the handling.
Anyway, to increase my anxiety a little more, the email I got from them was intended for someone else, and attached to it was the personal profile and prescriptions of a camper who is NOT my son, along with a copy of the girls' mother's insurance ID card, phone numbers, etc.
I was horrified. I let them know and they pretty much blew it off as a "mistake". On Friday I decided to call the mother in Seattle to let her know what had happened.
She called me back today. We talked for awhile, she gave me her email address so I could forward the email to her, and then she said "You live in Westchester, right?" (she knew from my area code). I said yes, and she said she used to live in NY, but on Long Island. I asked her where on Long Island and when she told me the town, I said that my son's dad came from there. She initially thought he had MY last name and said that she didn't know the family, but when I said HIS last name she said, "Oh I knew them! I used to hang out at their house! Tony used to buy us liquor... I went to high school with Cindy..." She knew the whole damned bunch.
I still cannot believe it. And I thought the story below was the weirdest thing that ever happened to me...
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Pay close attention to all the details, for each one is critical to how this story plays out.
I normally leave my house at about 7AM and get to work at 7:30. This morning, because I was watching the news from Minneapolis, I left at 7:50. No biggie, except I knew there was a big management meeting/announcement taking place at 8:30 and I wanted to be sure to get there on time for that.
Since I pulled into the parking garage at 8:25, I went straight to the meeting instead of dropping my things off in my office first.
Most people had settled into their seats already, but I found one open chair next to my boss. I had to climb over a bunch of people to get to it, but I did it.
After the meeting was over, the 200 or so attendees filed slowly out. A woman walking next to me noticed my little shopping bag from a jewelry store in a town near mine. "I love that store!" she exclaimed. "Me too," I replied.
Then she said, "I used to shop there because I lived in V--- (my teeny town)". "I live in V---" now", I replied. "Oh, do you live in the O--- Condos?" "Er... yeah", I said...now getting a little creeped out. "Where in O---- do you live?" she asked. I told her my street name. She looked pale. "I lived on that street too...what number?"
"173", I said. "I lived at 172", she replied. By this time, both of our jaws had to be scraped off the floor.
Now, I tell you... what are the chances?? Like I said, normally I would have arrived at work early enough to drop my little shopping bag in my office. I could have sat ANYWHERE in that room of over 200 people. I've been sick all week, so chances were good I wouldn't even have been at work today.
I'm buying a lottery ticket. Seriously.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Take Our Daughters to Work Day
Yesterday, I received a memo at work reminding me to register my kid for "Take Our Children to Work Day." I thought it was a good time to rerun my blogpost from April 2006 on this topic, which is a real ho-button issue for me:
Take Out DAUGHTERS to Work Day.
That's what it was designed to be. Our daughters. To work. Now, it appears that the Ms. Foundation has caved to pressure from people who normally despise "political correctness" and changed the day to "Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day". I'm really disappointed in them.
The day was created so that girls, traditionally not exposed to lots of career options, could see what women do in jobs outside the home. Sure, more women work now than ever before, but educating our daughters about the realities of the workplace, including inequities in salaries and the "glass ceiling" is important. Boys have always been exposed to men in the workplace. Have you ever seen a magazine called "Working Dad"? Of course not. Sounds silly, doesn't it? Then why do we need this:
I find it so interesting that the people who complained about TODTWD as being "sexist" because it excluded boys are the same people who couldn't care less about ACTUAL sexism, in the workplace or otherwise. These are the same people who complain about "Black History Month" as being "racist". No, you see...every OTHER month is "White History Month". That's the difference.
It's a shame that TODTWD has been watered down, and I intend to write to the Ms. Foundation to express my displeasure. If they wanted to add boys to to mix, they should suggest keeping boys at home with their stay-at-home moms or dads, to show them THAT option, and what's involved with it. After all, that should be a choice for boys as well.
Friday, March 27, 2009
South African Adventure!
Just got back from ten days in South Africa. It was a business trip to Durban, but I also managed to get a few days in Cape Town and an overnight in a game reserve (Phinda) which was completely amazing.
We got so close to this male lion that it was literally terrifying. He was just sitting there, very quietly, but then got up and walked toward our (open) vehicle. He walked right along side the jeep (next to me), close enough that I could have touched him. I could not BREATHE. But he just looked up and kept on truckin'.
We saw tons of game, as well as amazing birds, bugs and snakes! The lodge was gorgeous and had an outdoor shower. But I didn't enjoy my shower so much as there were monkeys in the trees hooting and hollering at me so I ran indoors like the sissy New Yorker that I am.
Here are some great images from the trip. Some of these were taken by my colleague who brought a better camera, so I can't take credit for all of them...
The people of SA are truly amazing. Sometimes you go places where people seem very friendly but you know the second you turn your back they are making funny faces at you. (or am I just paranoid?) Here, everything that people say and do is so incredibly genuine. Even when service at the hotels or restaurants is a little kooky (serving 7 dinners to 8 people and not quite understanding why one person, me, is sitting there with no food?) they are so adorable about it you can hardly get pissed off.
Prices were so good that I ended up buying a backpack to carry the clothes I bought! Of course, had I paid the almost $10K in airfare that it took to get me there, it might not have been worth the couple of hundred dollars I saved. :) But that's the joy of traveling on business! Not to mention the frequent flyer miles...
One of the best parts of the trip, though, was the domestic flight from Durban to Cape Town on my way home. The flight attendant who was delivering the safety information was hilarious. First, when explaining the usage of the life preserver, he suggested that we tie the ribbons around our waist as opposed to our neck. Then he pointed out the light "for shining into the sharks' eyes". And lastly, he told us this was a non-smoking flight and that there are "smoke detectors and video cameras" in the restrooms. LOL
It was a great way to see who was actually paying attention!
Next stop... Istanbul in May.
Friday, March 06, 2009
Vote for Tiger!!
And help him win money for Greyhound Rescue and Rehab:
Thursday, March 05, 2009
Cyber ADD - Has Microblogging Killed the Blog?
Facebook, Twitter... almost all of the people I've "met" online through blogging are now status-updating and twittering. 140 characters, a 2-second flash of what's happening in that moment. Instant blogging... just add words.
It's fun, I'm doing it too, but I'm also a little sad because this takes short attention spans to a whole new level. I used to blog pretty frequently, posting photos and writing little missives about everything from my crazy family to politics to pop culture. But little by little, I began to feel as though if I wrote more than a few paragraphs that even my loyal readers would read the first and last sentence and leave a comment.
For awhile, I thought I was being overly sensitive about this. But recently one of my favorite blog friends, Jamie of Kill the Goat wrote a post about infidelity. It was a plea for help about how and if to tell, about her inner struggle. If you actually read the whole thing, it was really an hilarious account of switching hairdressers. But a majority of the comments were about not telling her husband, or coming clean, or the evils of cheating on one's spouse.
If you're still with me, I'll keep going. In the first two years or so of blogging, I used to drive to work in the morning and think about things I wanted to write about. I'd keep little notes to myself when I thought of a good topic. I tried to make time every morning or late at night to write. I loved getting the instant feedback and the whole process in general. I felt as though I had my own newspaper column, but without the deadline.
I miss it. I've been extremely busy with work so I will admit that I've dropped the ball as well. But when I have thought about writing something, I often stop myself and just post the 140 word version on Twitter.
It's just not the same. :(
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Separated at Birth?
Carla from Top Chef:
and
Beaker
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Goodbye, Mr. Bush
And don't let the White House gate hit you in the ass on your way out.
I am so excited about the next few days, the next 8 years... I could just burst. I am going to be doing a lot of traveling around the world on business this year, to London and Durban and Istanbul, and it is so nice to feel like I don't have to be ashamed of our government and most of all, our President.
Here's a little ditty to send Bush on his way:
"So long, farewell, auf wiedersehn, adieu
You'd better go
Or I will throw my shoe.."
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Back By Popular Demand - Christmas 1962
You know, Hollywood really isn't "Tinsel Town". Brooklyn, NY circa 1962 was most definitely Tinsel Town. Not to mention Ugly Slipcover Town, Hideous Lamp Town, and Flocked Wallpaper Town.
Still, I hope you enjoy seeing these old photos, mostly to check out the hot toys of the period. (My sister is holding a Barbie with a blonde bubble hairdo). These were a few of my all time favorites! The "Showboat" by Remco included the characters and scenery for four different plays. My favorite was Heidi, and my friend Andrew, not yet out of the closet at 8 but already a theater buff, always wanted to play "Frauline Rottenmeyer".
Here's a closeup:
Another huge favorite that year was the "Haunted House" by Ideal. All I remember about it was that there were tons of little doors and windows to open, and that it scared the crap out of me. What's not to love? Please note the black and white bowling bag in the background. Bowling-related gifts were big in my house. See the previous post re: the bowling obsession.
And here is my mother, who'd usually venture out of bed at about 10 AM, hours after we had ripped through all the booty.
My father wasn't big into getting up with us at 5AM, but I think he did most of the shopping and definitely made sure he bought stuff that HE would like (note the "Service Station" in the first photo). And when I was about ten, he bought me a HO Slot Car racing set and I honestly remember he and my uncle elbowing us out of the way so they could go head to head with 3" Lotuses and Porches. Whatever!
More vintage Christmas posts to come...
Please keep doing your Amazon.com shopping through our links -------> Gift cards/e-certificates count too!
Friday, December 05, 2008
Yodel-a-e-oooooo
Well, as my international blogger friends like to say, "one more sleep" until I leave for Switzerland tomorrow. I still have so much to do (to prepare not just for the work part, but also to get everything in place for those who will be helping take care of Lucas while I'm gone.)
I'm a little anxious (10 days is a LONG time to be away from my loved ones!) but also excited about the adventure and the presentation I'll be giving. I know this stuff like the back of my hand, so it's really fun to be able to show that off.)
I'll hopefully have some internet access and time to post from time to time. In the meantime, keep shopping on Amazon!!
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Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Happy Prepare-for-the-Christmas-Madness Eve
If you're going to shop via Amazon again this year, please do it through the links on my blog if you can!! Lots of vet bills again this year, and every little bit helps.
What have I been doing lately? READING MY KINDLE!!! I absolutely love it. Buy one for someone you love...
And Happy Turkey Day!
