Chapstick

All right time to get this going again.

Vacation was nice and all, and a light November of ranting (due to depression over the coming “change”). But Christmas is coming and that is a perfect time for meaningless opinions.

So Chapstick it is.

Every year I get a chapstick from my mom and this year I got it early at Thanksgiving. It is a cheap gift yes, but a wonderful one. This chapstick (barring being lost or washed with the laundry) will last me all year. I have carried one with me everyday for the past 18 years (at least).

Now, we are talking about the black, original chapstick. Not cherry (don’t even get me started on crazy flavored ones—I mean perfect for little girls and all but…), or paba (or whatever) or sun this and that, or medicated or off brand or anything else. Only black, original chapstick. Some poeple will swear by carmex or something like that, but I associate that with some winter illness and you smear it all up your nose and all over your face and end up looking like the joker or something. No black chapstick only.

And, another thing about it. And the key to it lasting all year. This is the most important thing. Rarely do I ever raise the “stick” up or down. It stays just below the rim level so that you scrape your lips on it and clean off all that dead junk as you put on a new layer. Whenever my kids or wife borrow it they screw it all up (literally, or is it figuratively or is it both?) and raise the stick high and smear it all over, then when I lower it the concave shape I like is gone. Can you believe the nerve.

Merry Chapstick.

Boom

And “boom goes the dynamite.”

Not someone elses words about Tony’s beliefs. Tony on Tony. Tony Jones.

[ht:JT]

Told ya.

Corn

This is awesome!

And what I have been saying for years. It is made from corn. Hello, it is a vegetable for goodness sake. My whole way of living has finally been shown to be correct. My life is based on the principles in this ad. (That and the Bible, but whatever). You know what I am talking about.

Corn. Moderation. Sweet Surprise.

It is everything. And it goes with my farmer roots. No I didn’t grow up on a farm, but I knew some farmers. And I was on a farm once or twice. So I know what I am talking about. Farmers love corn and so do I. (Not so much on the cob—too much work, but in a can or even frozen, even creamstyle—all good.) And now, corn as a syrup gets the recognition it deserves.

Take that Little House!

ht: PinkHair

(oh, and just kidding little town, cause we have to spend holidays together and everything…)

Decisions

OK, trying to decide which way to go here…

Why do the same people who tell me to buy local drive foreign cars?

How wrong the following statement is: If you are not passionate about or working your dream job, resign today!

or How bad WalMarts return process is.

Can’t decide.

Trash

Need to brag about HyVee.

HyVee is a grocery store near us here in KC. Well multiple mornings and again this morning I saw an awesome thing. I see what appears to be the manager/assistant manager types out in the parking lot picking up trash and making the place look nice. That shows a lot. Now maybe they are just old baggers and checkers but I don’t think so (and I know they all where ties there…) I think it is the higher ups.

I think this trickles down to the whole staff and that is why they are always friendly and always have plenty of help on hand.

Anyways thought it was cool, and obviously something to learn from. You know I don’t like to get to spiritual or preachy on stuff that really matters on this blog. You can get that elsewhere. And I don’t like turning everything into some teaching moment. But, this one has been standing out to me.

Oh, I guess this gets me going on a related topic about getting older. (It stood out because I am getting older…) that is the older I get I am liking service more and more. Good service, that I am even willing to pay more for. And if you knew me that may shock you. I like cheap. I like quantity, but lately service has mattered. I bought a Wii from Best Buy because the guy was awesome. Talked to me for an hour explaining everything. I could have bought it from anywhere, but made a point to keep going back (they were out of Wiis at the time) to get it at Best Buy. And a friend of mine bought one there too. So that guys service sold two of them.

We redid our kitchen with mostly stuff from Lowe’s. Why? Because the kitchen lady was awesome, and probably spent about 10 total hours with me making sure all was right. I didn’t really shop things around even after that. She was worth it.

And back to HyVee. We have been doing some grocery shopping at WalMart. Well I hate it. My wife really hates it. And why are we doing it? To supposedly save a few dollars. Well, back to HyVee it is. They deserve it far more than WalMart. Do you think that gal bagging shoes and staplers and dvds knows where to put your bread? Sorry. We are done there.

I am getting old. Next thing you know Target and Old Navy clothes won’t be good enough and I will have to start shopping at some “Men’s Store” downtown or something.

We will see.

Slow

Feel slow this week.

So have a great weekend. Maybe I’ll see you Monday.

Enjoy this music by the Avett Brothers. My latest favorite. Their sound is me. Their sound is just right. Their sound is nothing more, nothing less.

Thank You

Thank you to all veterans. Thank you is never enough.

Good post for today here from JP.

Weekend2

Few thoughts from the weekend.

The boy cried when the chiefs lost. I can’t remember how many weeks this is of crying for him on Sunday afternoon. It is good for him. It is good for him to realize what it is like to root for sports in Kansas City. I am also trying to get him to root for Kansas State so that he can have pain at the college level as well. He told me the other day though that he is likes KU (Kansas) instead. What a sell out.

During church on Sunday morning I saw the massage train in action (or would it be in motion). I hate the massage train. Everyone turn to your right extend your arms and rub the back of the complete stranger you are facing. Then after a painful minute or so turn the other direction and rub that persons back. This is supposed to be fun and relaxing and set us all at ease and yada yada. What part is relaxing? Someone I don’t know is rubbing there hands on me or that I get to do that to someone else? Forget strangers, if it isn’t my wife I don’t need anyone touching me! This isn’t comforting, it is like daggers going into your shoulders, and you are just supposed to smile and say stuff like, “oh don’t stop, you could do that all day, Wow that feels so good.” Hogwash. If the goal is for me to relax, let me sit down and stop having to communicate with these strangers. Let me have a moment to myself. And then you have people who know you don’t like it, come and touch all over you just to prove some kind of point. Why don’t you tell me something you don’t like and then I will come do it to you. Maybe like kick your dog or something. That is how you make me feel. I could go on here, but I would really get myself into trouble. This hasn’t even scratched the surface yet.

Oh and lastly, I will get into this later, but why is prostitution illegal?

P-Marketing

Political Marketing.

OK, putting my communications hat on here for a second—I will give you some balance to the other side. The thing Obama was excellent at was marketing, and I am not even trying to be back handed here, or make some snide statement about it all being “marketing”—as in fake or something like that. I am not even talking about just his message, I am talking about getting your message out to the people. And from that viewpoint, McCain’s marketing was horrible.

His communication to the people and it what ways and mediums. Or is it media? was tired.

This article sums it up great if you are interested. It is a good read and pretty short.

McCain went for an old school campaign and that isn’t good enough anymore. Yes, the older crowd doesn’t need twitter, but they were not enough to get him elected. (This isn’t the only reason he lost, but as George Costanza says “it doesn’t help!”

Election

OK. My man lost. My party lost. Here are some random thoughts from yesterday, watching last night and waking up this morning (I was asked by my wife not to share all of what I thought last night, so this may or may not be partially pre-censored):

• “Free coffee. Free donuts. Free chicken sandwiches. Free ice cream. If this is the kind of socialism we can expect, count me in!” ht badbanana
• I turn on the TV at about 6:30 and McCain is up 8 to 3! Yes.
• I then try and explain the electoral college to my 7 and 5 year old. They are not getting it. We finally settle on calling them “points.” Each state is worth a certain amount of points and so on. So they are now constantly trying to figure out the score, and are excited with me about McCain’s 5 point lead.
• Things are turning rather quickly. Oldest boy is now in tears. Doesn’t understand why “we” are losing.
• Kids also can’t understand why different networks have different scores.
• ABC is having way too much fun with their interactive map. Gibson is giddy.
• McCain’s party looks laaaaaaame, compared to Obama’s Grant Park bash.
• That church on ABC, Emmanuel Baptist maybe? in ATL, are they going to lose their tax free status?
• Obama wins.
• McCain speech. Appropriate.
• Did the networks hire reporters to gush over the McCain supporters if they had won? This is journalism?
• I am tired of seeing that one couple in the all yellow Livestrong gear at Obama’s party. All yellow, really?
• I never knew Dr. King was for the killing of babies?
• God is sovereign = I didn’t get what I want. ht Jon
• Good speech by Obama.
• Love how he already told everyone that things may not get done in one year, or two, or even in one term…way to hold strong to your promises. And nice play by encouraging everyone to vote for your second term already.
• Lots of tears everywhere…me too (on the inside).
• Why is Oprah laying on that man? Has Jesse Jackson had the fake tears all night? Maybe this will mean we don’t have to see him or Al Sharpton anymore. ht justin
• McCain’s crowd old and white, Obama’s crowd young and mixed.
• Obama’s parties and website/web presence alone was probably enough to win the election. Superior to McCain’s in every way.
• Going to bed.
• Woke up this morning and the boy asked who was winning. It always comes back to who is winning. It is always about points. Don’t let anyone ever tell you different. (I am talking about you TBall people.) No tears this morning. He was all cried out I guess.
• Good point on radio on drive into work. Which Obama will be president? Senate Obama or campaign Obama? I agree and think they are very different. We will see I guess. I think it will be campaign Obama. You better hope so or hello France. (socialist that is…)
• Turned to sports radio. Awe…comfort. I like sports.