Landlord's Minions

An open letter to BOTH the landlord and his minions

Dear Sirs,
First, Mr Landlord. Please do NOT show up at my house at 9:30 in the evening without calling first. Yes, it so happens that we were awake, but it is the height of rudeness to show up that late without so much as a phone call.

And then, when you arrive, please don't ring the doorbell twenty times in twenty seconds. This is a THREE story townhome and since it IS late evening, did you consider that we might actually be upstairs and it will take us more than twenty seconds to get down the stairs.

When my husband arrives downstairs, please don't be so rude as to not even say hello, but to talk to your friend in a foreign language nod and walk off. You're telling me you couldn't have inspected your minions' work on the EXTERIOR of the door without ringing our bell. What was the point of my husband standing there listening to you and your friend chatting for ten minutes?

And please pass something very important on to your minions. If they ask to use my bathroom, I expect a few things. First, close the damn door. Do they not have an ounce of common sense?? I almost accidentally saw a minion doing his business because he was arrogant enough, stupid enough, or unconcerned enough to leave my bathroom door open.

Second, put the seat down. Disgusting!

Third, If you don't have good aim, clean up for yourself! Seeing a lake on my bathroom floor did NOT make me happy!

Fourth, WASH YOUR HANDS!

Yes folks, the disinfectants got a workout yesterday!

Another music poll!

This time up, year of high school graduation. Not so many songs I liked, LOL!

I grabbed this poll from Gryferin

Go to Music Outfitters and put your HS grad year in the search. click on the top 100 songs of that year. Bold the songs that you like, make red the songs you hated and make blue your favorite songs.

1. Look Away, Chicago
2. My Prerogative, Bobby Brown
3. Every Rose Has Its Thorn, Poison
4. Straight Up, Paula Abdul
5. Miss You Much, Janet Jackson
6. Cold Hearted, Paula Abdul
7. Wind Beneath My Wings, Bette Midler
8. Girl You Know Its True, Milli Vanilli
9. Baby, I Love Your Way/Freebird, Will To Power
10. Giving You The Best That I Got, Anita Baker
11. Right Here Waiting, Richard Marx
12. Waiting For A Star To Fall, Boy Meets Girl
13. Lost In Your Eyes, Debbie Gibson
14. Don't Wanna Lose You, Gloria Estefan
15. Heavan, Warrant
16. Girl I'm Gonna Miss You, Milli Vanilli
17. The Look, Roxette
18. She Drives Me Crazy, Fine Young Cannibals
19. On Our Own, Bobby Brown
20. Two Hearts, Phil Collins
21. Blame It On The Rain, Milli Vanilli
22. Listen To Your Heart, Roxette
23. I'll Be There For You, Bon Jovi
24. If You Don't Know Me By Now, Simply Red
25. Like A Prayer, Madonna
26. I'll Be Loving You (Forever), New Kids On The Block
27. How Can I Fall?, Breathe
28. Baby Don't Forget My Number, Milli Vanilli Boy was it the MV year
29. Toy Solider, Martika
30. Forever Your Girl, Paula Abdul
31. The Living Years, Mike and the Mechanics Even now this is a very special song for me
32. Eternal Flame, The Bangles
33. Wild Thing, Tone Loc
34. When I See You Smile, Bad English
35. If I Could Turn Back Time, Cher
36. Buffalo Stance, Neneh Cherry
37. When I'm With You, Sheriff
38. Don't Rush Me, Taylor Dayne
39. Born To Be My Baby, Bon Jovi
40. Good Thing, Fine Young Cannibals
41. The Lover In Me, Sheena Easton
42. Bust A Move, Young M.C.
43. Once Bitten, Twice Shy, Great White
44. Batdance, Prince
45. Rock On, Michael Damian
46. Real Lov, Jody Watley
47. Love Shack, B-52's
48. Every Little Step, Bobby Brown
49. Hangin' Tough, New Kids On The Block
50. My Heart Can't Tell You No, Rod Stewart
51. So Alive, Love and Rockets
52. You Got It (The Right Stuff), New Kids On The Block
53. Armageddon It, Def Leppard
54. Satisfied, Richard Marx
55. Express Yourself, Madonna
56. I Like It, Dino
57. Soldier Of Love, Donny Osmond
58. Sowing The Seeds Of Love, Tears For Fears
59. Cherish, Madonna
60. When The Children Cry, White Lion
61. 18 And Life, Skid Row
62. I Don't Want Your Love, Duran Duran
63. Second Chances, .38 Special
64. The Way You Love Me, Karyn White
65. Funky Cold Medina, Tone Loc
66. In Your Room, Bangles
67. Miss You Like Crazy, Natalie Cole
68. Love Song, Cure
69. Secret Rendesvous, Karyn White
70. Angel Eyes, Jeff Healey Band
71. Patience, Guns N' Roses
72. Walk On Water, Eddie Money
73. Cover Girl, New Kids On The Block
74. Welcom To The Jungle, Guns N' Roses This was hot in '88 not '89 ;)
75. Shower Me With Your Love, Surface
76. Stand, R.E.M.
77. Close My Eyes Forever, Lita Ford
78. All This Time, Tiffany
79. After All, Cher and Peter Cetera
80. Roni, Bobby Brown
81. Love In An Elevator, Aerosmith
82. Lay Your Hands On Me, Bon Jovi
83. This Promise, When In Rome
84. What I Am, Edie Brickell and The New Bohemians
85. I Remember Holding You, Boys Club
86. Paradise City, Guns N' Roses
87. Iwanna Have Some Fun, Samantha Fox
88. She Wants To Dance With Me, Rick Astley
89. Dreamin', Vanessa Williams
90. It's No Crime, Babyface
91. Poison, Alice Cooper
92. This Time I Know It's For Real, Donna Summer
93. Smooth Criminal, Michael Jackson
94. Heavan Help Me, Deon Estus
95. Rock Wit'cha, Bobby Brown
96. Thinking Of You, Sa-fire
97. What You Don't Know, Expose
98. Surrender To Me, Ann Wilson and Robin Zander
99. The End Of The Innocence, Don Henley
100. Keep On Movin', Soul II Soul

Dear Mr. Landlord

An open letter to my landlord...

Dear Mr. Landlord,

We understand that you don't really give two bits about the structural integrity of the house we rent. This is particularly ironic because you want us to purchase it after the lease is up. Let me give you a little advice when dealing with future tenants.

When we tell you this dishwasher leaks, please don't act incredulous. I realize that you and your wife never used the thing or cooked in the however many years you lived here, but sorry, we WOULD like to use the dishwasher.

When you finally determine that yes it IS leaking, please don't send a 16 yr old 'plumber' who doesn't speak a word of English and just shrugs and walks out...AFTER arriving at 10 PM!

When you tell us it is fixed and we try again, only to have massive puddles of boiling hot water on the floor, please don't whine that you have to send someone else out and that it is just our imagination.

When your next person comes out at 6:45 AM please understand our frustration that twice we've had no notice about these visits. And when this person too has not a clue and doesn't even pull the dishwasher out to check the plumbing connections don't act like we're the idiots here.

When a severe windstorm causes siding to rip off the wall between our unit and the next, please don't complain about having to come out. You've only been out here once since we moved in five months previously.

When you get here, please don't act annoyed and tell us it isn't your problem. Part of YOUR house is exposed to the elements, fucktard!

And now, when we tell you that the wood is ROTTING around the front door, PLEASE for the love of GOD, INFORM us when your people are coming over to inspect things. I work from home and it would be nice to have a little notice before your minions are trotting around my house. It would also be nice if your minions would be able to communicate with me beyond hand motions and the word 'door'.

As I sit here, my concentration fractured and my ear tuned to sounds of the doorbell ringing, or, dare I say it, the door opening, I'm cursing you, Mr. Landlord.

May I soon be in my OWN domain and never have to deal with you again!

music poll

I'm up wayy too early so I grabbed this poll from Gryferin

Go to Music Outfitters and put your birth year in the search. click on the top 100 songs of that year. bold the songs that you like (that you wouldn't change the station for), and underline(I made my entry red instead...ooh I'm a rebel) the one that's your favorite.

At first glance, I was sure that I wouldn't have many favorites but it turns out the year of my birth wasn't a bad one for popular music ;)

1. Joy To The World, Three Dog Night
2. Maggie May / (Find A) Reason To Believe, Rod Stewart
3. It's Too Late / I Feel The Earth Move, Carole King
4. One Bad Apple, Osmonds
5. How Can You Mend A Broken Heart, Bee Gees
6. Indian Reservation, Raiders
7. Go Away Little Girl, Donny Osmond
8. Take Me Home, Country Roads, John Denver
9. Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me), Temptations
10. Knock Three Times, Pawn
11. Me And Bobby Mcgee, Janis Joplin
12. Tired Of Being Alone, Al Green
13. Want Ads, Honey Cone
14. Smiling Faces Sometimes, Undisputed Truth
15. Treat Her Like A Lady, Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose
16. You've Got A Friend, James Taylor
17. Mr. Big Stuff, Jean Knight
18. Brown Sugar, Rolling Stones
19. Do You Know What I Mean, Lee Michaels
20. The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, Joan Baez
21. What's Going On, Marvin Gaye
22. Uncle Albert-Admiral Halsey, Paul McCartney
23. Aint No Sunshine, Bill Withers
24. Signs, Five Man Electrical Band
25. She's A Lady, Tom Jones
26. Superstar, Murray Head and The Trinidad Singers
27. I Found Someone Of My Own, Free Movement
28. Amos Moses, Jerry Reed
29. Temptation Eyes, The Grass Roots
30. Superstar, Carpenters
31. My Sweet Lord / Isn't It A Pity, George Harrison
32. Sweet And Innocent, Donny Osmond
33. Put Your Hand In The Hand, Ocean
34. Chick-a-boom, Daddy Dewdrop
35. For All We Know, Carpenters
36. Help Me Make It Through The Night, Sammi Smith
37. Rainy Days And Mondays, Carpenters
38. If You Could Read My Mind, Gordon Lightfoot
39. Gypsy, Tramps And Thieves, Cher
40. Never Can Say Goodbye, Jackson 5
41. Rose Garden, Lynn Anderson
42. Don't Pull Your Love, Hamilton, Joe Frank and Reynolds
43. It Don't Come Easy, Ringo Starr
44. Mr. Bojangles, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
45. I Love You For All Seasons, Fuzz
46. Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get, Dramatics
47. That's The Way I've Always Heard It Should Be, Carly Simon
48. If You Really Love Me, Stevie Wonder
49. Spanish Harlem, Aretha Franklin
50. I Don't Know How To Love Him, Helen Reddy
51. Yo-yo, Osmonds
52. Bridge Over Troubled Water, Aretha Franklin
53. Doesn't Somebody Want To Be Wanted, Partridge Family
54. Draggin' The Line, Tommy James
55. Proud Mary, Ike and Tina Turner
56. Beginnings / Color My World, Chicago
57. Stay Awhile, Bells
58. Sweet City Woman, Stampeders
59. Me And You And A Dog Named Boo, Lobo
60. Another Day / Oh Woman, Oh Why, Paul McCartney
61. If, Bread
62. Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology), Marvin Gaye
63. One Toke Over The Line, Brewer and Shipley
64. She's Not Just Another Woman, 8th Day
65. Bring The Boys Home, Freda Payne
66. I Just Want To Celebrate, Rare Earth
67. Never Ending Song Of Love, Delaney and Bonnie and Friends
68. Easy Loving, Freddy Hart
69. Liar, Three Dog Night
70. Stick-up, Honey Cone
71. Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep, Mac and Katie Kissoon
72. Love Story (Where Do I Begin), Andy Williams
73. Wild World, Cat Stevens
74. When You're Hot, You're Hot, Jerry Reed
75. Funky Nassau, Beginning Of The End
76. If Not For You, Olivia Newton-John
77. Groove Me, King Floyd
78. Watcmng Scoity Grow, Bobby Goldsboro
79. Woodstock, Matthews' Southern Comfort
80. Amazing Grace, Judy Collins
81. I Hear You Knocking, Dave Edmunds
82. Lonely Days, Bee Gees
83. Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again, Fortunes
84. Won't Get Fooled Again, Who
85. Trapped By A Thing Called Love, Denise Lasalle
86. Mama's Pearl, Jackson 5
87. Timothy, Buoys
88. I Woke Up In Love This Morning, Partridge Family
89. Theme From "Shaft", Isaac Hayes
90. If I Were Your Woman, Gladys Knight and The Pips
91. I Am...I Said, Neil Diamond
92. Wedding Song (There Is Love), Paul Stookey
93. Don't Knock My Love, Pt. 1, Wilson Pickett
94. Love Her Madly, The Doors
95. Here Comes The Sun, Richie Havens
96. Sweet Mary, Wadsworth Mansion
97. Right On The Tip Of My Tongue, Brenda and The Tabulations
98. One Less Bell To Answer, Fifth Dimension
99. Riders On The Storm, The Doors
100. It's Impossible, Perry Como

Ever have 'one of those nights'?

Warning rant/whine enclosed.

So, my husband decides that we're going out to dinner...YAY! But we have to take our roommate...GRR! Going out to dinner has become a huge treat and not something I necessarily want to share.

So...anyway, Mark decided he wants to go to a particular steakhouse...fine. I have to be VERY careful in steakhouses because I have terrible TMJ and can't eat a lot of red meat because it is too tough for me to chew.

We go to this place and it is LOOOOUD. Screaming barflies, music so loud that you have to yell to be heard...the works. Not exactly a relaxing place. I ordered a steak, a salad with *No EGG* and a loaded baked tater.

The soda tastes like slightly sugary water...ehh, I should have ordered iced tea, live and learn.

The salad arrives, loaded with egg. I complain and my roommate and I switch out salads. She has honey mustard on hers and I *HATE* honey mustard. Unfortunately, the little pot of dressing has tipped, so part of the salad is inedible. I was going to send it back when the dinners arrived.

No problem...come to Momma, red meat. I do stress *RED* meat. The first few bites were okay...not MEDIUM as requested, but okay. The third and fourth were much tougher. By the fifth, I was ready to give up. The thing looked RAW in the middle and USDA standards be damned, I am NOT eating raw meat.

In the meantime, when the food had arrived, I had asked for extra sour cream for my tater. Loaded in my world does NOT mean a matchhead sized dollop of sour cream. Unfortunately, just after asking that, the waitress disappeared, for maybe FIFTEEN minutes! We finally managed to snag another waitress after this timeframe, my husband's annoyed 'Excuse me', ringing louder and louder whenever a waitress would walk by.

Having finished his meal, he started picking at my meat and even he couldn't eat it.

Finally, victory, the sour cream arrives for my now stone cold potato. They offer to bring it back and get me a fresh one. ANNND, they offer to reheat the remainder of steak. We agree.

Another twenty minutes passes and I have only consumed part of my partially cooked potato. The steak returns annndd...it is just as freaking raw as it was before, only with a tougher exterior. My jaw was throbbing at this point so I gave it up. We should have sent it back but my husband ate it.

As we left the place, with nary an apology for the shockingly bad service, etc. Mark wanted to fill the car up. He gets to go to a job in DC today (lucky HIM!) and he wanted to catch gas before it jumped its .10-.15 a day (2.78 and counting and when we filled up last night it was 2.70. He handed me some money and pointed me toward the doorof their attahced convenience store, suggesting I grab a snack since I had maybe 4 oz. of steak.

It had been raining BADLY out all day, and apparently these fucktards had just WAXED the floor. I took one step in and went FLYYYINNG. I literally landed about five feet from where I'd been...heavily on one knee and a twisted ankle and badly on both my wrists. I felt something give in my right one and my roommate heard an alarming pop.

I must have stayed on the ground a few minutes , among bored/annoyed comments from the workers. Instead of snickering and making snide comments, perhaps y'all should have been a little more concerned...fucktards.

After I gathered myself and staggered outthe door and back to the car, the pain really started hitting me. By the time we got home (After the ensuing home vs. ER debate), my knee and ankle weren't holding my weight and my hand was numb but my wrist was throbbing.

Ice was my friend last night. Today the ankle is sore and swollen, the knee is back and blue but it holds my weight, but my wrist is in bad shape :( It won't bend, I can't put any pressure on it, etc. Hopefully Mark will get off work early and we can go to our family doc.

This may be the most one handed typing I do all day. The couch and a personal day are looking awfullllly inviting!

Claws out, memories, stepkids...a late-night ramble

Last evening, I had an extended 'claws out' session at a message board I've frequented for a decade. A poster was discussing the long-ago murdr of an actress and it got into a debate about fixations and stalkerish behavior, etc.

In the thread of posts, after I'd pretty much shealthed my claws, I spoke about a dear friend of mine who was killed 17 years ago. It is so strange to realize that she's been gone for so long. She was tragically murdered a few weeks after her 18th birthday.

Laur and I had become friends because we shared a Biology class together. She and another friend and I were lab partners and we bonded over the terribly twisted name of 'Stiffy' for our dissection cat. As the school year went on, our friendship strengthened and we soon became inseperable.

The next spring, we found ourselves working at the same establishment and driving together in her Jeep to the training store. Pink Floyd had just released their Momentary Lapse of Reason CD and we'd sing 'Learning to Fly' and 'On the Turning Away' at the tops of our lungs. Every time I hear those songs, I can hear us harmonizing at top volume.

One day, Laur asked me to drive across the state with her to pick up a family member. I said yes, but then had to cancel when our manager called me in to work a shift. No problem, see ya tomorrow, we both said.

The next day, the police arrived as the store was being opened. Laur had never arrived at her destination....did any of us have any ideas what had happened. The grim truth became clear a few days later, when we learned she'd been murdered.

Seventeen years on, her killer was never found.

Please join me in raising a glass to Laur.

What has me particularly reflective now is that my youngest stepdaughter, Rachel, has just turned 18. 18 years old...it seems so incredibly young and grown up at the same time.

I don't get the opportunity to chat with Rachel as much as we'd like (darn time zone differences) but Mark had an extended chat with her last week and I was able to listen in. I know parents say this all the time, but I have to stress something...I am SO impressed with Rachel. She's had an extraordinary amount of stress in her life, including her mother moving overseas when she was only 15 (Her dad has lived overseas for the last 4 years) and yet she's such a grounded woman.

I've known Rachel since she was 12, and it has been a sublime honor to watch her shape herself into an incredible adult. She's known what career she wanted since age 13 and has been working toward it for 5 years. She's now at university and knows how she intends to implement her degree. Her resolve and determination are a real inspiration to me and I just know she'll do well.

Got an update on my stepkids' new brother

My youngest stepdaughter emailed Mark last night nd we finally got news of her baby brother. The baby was born in early May, but since the kids have pretty much severed contact with their mom there hasn't been much info.

The news we heard today isn't the best. The poor little guy has never been out of the hospital since birth (3+ months) and he's still on oxygen. He's also a Downs Syndrome baby. Mark's ex is dealing with this alone after her husband was deported, so our thoughts and prayers go with her and the baby, as well as his siblings, Mark's kids.

workplace morale

My husband's company is going through some rather major changes. Yesterday, a lot of things came to a head in a discussion with his manager. It was not a pleasant convo and was really upsetting to Mark. His professional self-esteem has taken a HUGE hit.

I can understand constructive criticism...but an attack like the one he reported back to me just isn't productive at all. . It sounds like a symptom of the overall work morale in his company.

Please keep him in your thoughs as he navigates these rough waters.

Insomnia...working WAYYY too early

Insomnia has been a part of my life for a loooong time. As a child I'd lie in bed for hours before dropping off to sleep. In adulthood, this has gone in cycles. I've had months where 4 hours of sleep a night were a luxury and months when 9 hours was the norm.

These last few weeks, I've been sleeping 3-4 hours a night. I'm always up before 5 and usually working before 5:30. In many ways, I love working at this time. I'm a prime organizer and especially on Mondays, it is great to have all of my ducks in a row so early in the morning.

I can also stop working well before Mark's workday ends and curl up with a book. That is always a bonus :)