INAUGURATION

I did not think that it would be possible for anything to overshadow my son's birthday. This year, I truly think that he has something to celebrate. Cliff is twenty this year (how the hell did that happen). He has always been a political animal, I guess it was too many years of quizzing him on capitals, senators, and electoral votes, but this election has energized him like nothing else.

A year ago he was working for Hillary in Iowa. Disappointed at her campaigns self-destruction, he quickly transitioned to an Obama supporter. Agree or disagree with our new President's views, you must agree, he has energized a new generation. All we can do is pray that the momentum is kept.


"Never in our national history has there been so dramatic a coincidence as this simultaneous transfer of power and the complete collapse of a system and of a philosophy."

The above quote seems as though it is perfect for this day, it is actually from FDR in 1933, and I found it in a great article by Katrina Vanden Heuvel
which is definitely worth a read.

When I was Cliff's age I had already worked on MLK's March on Washington, ad had found my causes: equal rights, women's right to choose. My generation spent alot of time arguing, questioning, and championing causes. I broke into school buildings and put up signs for abortion clinics (yes, this was illegal). Through acts like these and others we now have these rights, and our current generation takes them for granted. It is easy to take something for granted that you have always had.

II am thrilled to have lived to see this momentous event. I am thrilled to see a President who can read, write, and speak intelligently. That, alone, will be a pleasure for the next four years.

My hopes for my son for the coming year are as follows:

I truly hope for him that he remains energized and politically active.

I truly hope for him that he continues to take umbrage at injustice.

I truly hope that he continues to stand up for his convictions.

I know that he will always make me proud.

LIPSTICK JUNGLE MASCARA MADNESS

It is Friday night and I am watching Lipstick Jungle (the only show not being TiVo'd). There seems to be a commercial every 5 minutes. A commercial for mascara.




They are all the same...no matter the brand. They show a woman applying mascara and then there is the reveal of her lashes....long, lush, spectacular. They look like caterpillars...oh, wait, they are caterpillars, or at the very least 3 pair of false eyelashes.

Does it matter if it "oscillates" for $34?? I have this one. I look as though I have 23 eyelashes instead of 14, but still no caterpillars.




Where does truth in advertising land on this?

The disclaimers on aspirin run at least 5 minutes for each and every 30 second spot...even that you could get a headache. But there is no disclaimer that the mascara really did not make the lashes look like that--it was false eyelashes.

Just a teeny tiny rant that has been brewing for years!!

CHARGER GAME IN REVIEW

10:45AM Henry lays out our matching outfits for the game. Two powder blue sweatshirts and matching hats. I will have a fireman rain coat (the perfect yellow) to either ward off the rain, or keep in the heat. Did I mention he is excited.




At 11:02 this morning Henry and I left for the game. Allow me to repeat that...at 11:02 this morning Henry and I left for the game 5PM game. He is atsy (see picture) because he couldn't bring the car down yesterday and would not get "his" parking space. All the parking spaces would be gone--all of them. Scarily enough upon nearing the stadium, we were not the only insane people looking for parking...incredible. Of course, he probably finds it incredible that I am winding the yarn for my project.

There are NO parking spaces. He keeps driving by spaces saying, we'll fit in here, won't we? I said, Did you buy me a Smart Car when I wasn't looking. But he kept trying. These were spaces that unless we parked perpendicularly there was no way the car would fit. There were signs up parking $60--Sixty Dollars to park the car.....insane. Then we met Reno...ah, Reno.

Reno was out in front of Henry's normal space waving, of all things, a parking permit for the apartment complex. How much, I ask. You look like nice people (OK, I am waiting for $50..or $100), he says, $5. $5, I say?? $5. Done! Henry says..then do you have cash. As we know from blog 2...all I have is cash. I am able to loan him $9.00 to pay him the $5 and a tip.
This is a picture of my car happily parked in the parking space that Reno sold us that belonged to his friend Mike whom he gave none of the money to even though it was his rightful money. The picture above is of Reno and the dog that he rescued in Logan Heights named Lucy who was living on the streets. She jumped in someones car and ended up in Temecula. It made him cry. (Is this too much information....it clearly was for me we spoke for five minutes). We found out about the non-payment to Mike from the next door neighbor who also sells his parking space because he hasn't had a car since 2006 when they came and took it away for being late in his child support payments...shortly before his wife died. (This in the two minutes we spoke with him!) This is how my day is going.

We head up to the trolly to head to Perry's for brunch in Old Town. I had my usual...did a little note taking, read the paper (another cash loan for Henry). But, all in all, two happy campers.


At 1:45 we are back at the Trolley to finish Hen's pre-game rituals. Back to the 7/11 for an Icee and to listen to the game on the car radio (yipee) prior to heading over to the tail gate parties at about 2:15.

Ah, tailgating. A whole new animal...
Lots of people!
Nice people!
Did this car just escape from "Pimp my Ride"?
On to the stadium. This is the only time at a stadium that it is better to be a girl. The "strip search"--I guess it is really possible that I will be hiding a gun in the back of my pants, but highly unlikely. This is a shot of the line to get in as early as we were--imagine the plight of people who arrive timely for the game. Too bad! So sad!

This was the beginning of the "opening ceremonies". I spent most of this time wondering how much red tape was involved and who all had to approve the cutting of the American Flag into the shape of the United States....the mind does wander.
The guys on the right sit two rows up and could not believe that I came to a game.

In another mind wandering moment. The ball was handed to a guy named Sproules every four seconds and all I could think was Jack Black in the Jackal -- Sprowl baby....



Oh, btw, we won the game in overtime. OVERTIME!! Not only did I have to stay for a whole game--it was overtime! We were home at 9:10PM....it is now 11:42 and we are just finishing watching the game on TV. YUP!! Twice! Bonus--4 inches of knitting Hen's new gloves.

CHARGER GAME DAY

...and where the hell is "The Replacement." I count on her. I need her. I love her. I've never met her. She enables me not to go to ANY games. You have to love this girl. What are the chances that the Chargers (who have had a crappy year) would win the three games in a row that they needed. That their opponents would lose the three games in a row that they needed. That last week the Chargers would not choke...and that they would be in a playoff game...seriously!! Henry loves going to the games. It is the whole routine. Parking the car in his favorite spot....etc. He deserves to go to the game with someone who appreciates it...not someone who knits through it. Granted, realistically he understands that I can knit and watch the game at the same time..but the "fans" surrounding our seats do not understand. To them I am the loser...he is the loser's partner. So "The Replacement" is out of town and cannot use her normal ticket. That left me trying to find a replacement replacement or going to the game. On to the quest of finding a replacement. Everyone I could think of had a ticket already, except Betsy. Perfect Betsy would go to the game and enjoy it!! I could have a nice evening cuddled up in my chair with my computer and tv and a cuppa tea. Then the text message. She is going with a friend of hers from Palo Alto. I guess the words--I am already going with my dad were not forthcoming.

It is not good enough that I am going to the game---I have to ENJOY it! The ultimate oxymoron. I am getting ready for the 5PM game now. It is 9:53. Did I mention that it is raining--RAINING! I am deciding on what knitting to take. My DS is charging. I have downloaded Scrabble on my phone (shout out to Liz on that one).

On a high note I will be wearng my newly completed, always adorable cowl to keep my neck warm. You cannot see it here but this lovely yarn is infused with silver strands...sparkly, warm, charming...just like me!!

FRUGAL IS A FOUR LETTER WORD

I am beginning a new venture this year. A new take on all the years of New Year’s resolutions that last a very short time….actually my longest time of keeping my resolutions is 4 hours.


What am I resolving….the year of living frugally. Granted frugal means different things for different people. I am not giving up things like cable, DVR, you know, the essentials. The guy who picks up the dog poop. Having someone wash my car. Haircuts at Jet Rhys…uh, uh, not those things.


I just mean being prudent, because after all, my new blog is called FRUGAL IS A FOUR LETTER WORD. If you put your thinking cap on you can figure out the word of which I speak.


My New Year's Resolutions!


1. Buy only by things that I really need

2. Pay my credit cards off.

3. Eat less.

4. Exercise more (anything would be more, let’s face it)

5. Finish projects.

6. EBay what I don’t need.

7. Donate what I can’t eBay.

8. Divest myself of all (OK not all) my unnecessary objects.

9. Open my mind up to being more creative.

10. Paint.

11. Photograph

12. Write

13. Finish my works in progress

14. Use what I have

15. Create

16. Read

17. Blog



Your job…of course you have a job. You are to encourage me to be the best that I can. This is to a good year. I think that this year I can accomplish quite a few of these. I am resolute in my commitment to these goals.



I will continue to blog Good Directions, but I am committed to Blog FRUGAL every day. Every day. That means I will be thinking about it all the time. At this point it is organic (which hopefully does not mean sh…y).

UNCLE JAY EXPLAINS THE NEWS

This is laugh out loud perfect!!! Make sure your volume is on!

CHRISTMAS ROAD TRIP

What would the holiday be without spending some portion of the day with Clifford. Cliff had to work the Christmas Eve and the day after…retail, as we all know, is rough on holidays. So on to the Rosengren-Friedman version of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles...PTA without the P and T...but with one of the best scenes ever from a frustrated traveler.



This year I happened to have Christmas eve off, so ROAD TRIP. 600 miles—door to door. A very long 600 miles. We left Tuesday after I got off from work and stopped just outside (one side or the other) of Bakersfield. All I know is that there were cows involved, and the lovely odors that go along with them.

When we got to Chico Cliff still had a couple of hours to work, traffic was insane in little Chico (did I mention it was pouring), so what else would we do but go to our fave the Sin of Cortez for lunch and then Barnes and Noble to await the arrival of the prodigal son. 37 books, 1 tea, 1 coffee, 483 magazines later, Cliff arrived in the rain.

So officially Christmas began for us at 4:30. We went to Casa Cliff, met Ruth Bader Ginsberg Chinchilla, Harvey Two Face the cat, then to dinner at the Raw Bar for Sushi. Grocery shopping, gas shopping, sleep, Christmas gift opening, breakfast at the “Sin of Cortez” and on the road again by 9AM.

Let me recap:

10 hours driving to Chico
1 Motel room in Bakersfield
3 hours at Barnes and Noble
2 breakfasts at Sin of Cortez
1 dinner at RawBar
1 shopping spree at Safeway
10 hours driving to San Diego
and yes
Christmas morning with Clifford—priceless.