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Oct 2, 2008

For Once, It’s OK To Follow The Herd

October 2, 2008 By

To my US readers:

Are you registered to vote yet? No? The deadline is quickly approaching – for many tomorrow is the last day to register. Here in Ohio, you have until October 6 to register. After that time, you’re out of luck, and no matter what your opinions are on issues at the city, state, and national level, your voice will go unheard.

It’s a close race this year – not just on who will be the next commander-in-chief, but on several other issues, too. Ohio, for instance, has like a billion constitutional amendments proposed, some of which you may not want to see written into state law.

If your excuse is you won’t be able to vote on Election Day, there’s a workaround for that, too: vote absentee. Ohio has already started sending out absentee ballots, or you can vote early in person anytime before November 4, even on weekends. Surely you can spare 15 minutes in the next month, right?

I received my absentee ballot today, and by early next week my vote will be cast. Easy-peasy.

So if you’re not registered, don’t wait any longer. Do it now before it’s too late. And yes, I know that means I’m encouraging people who would vote differently from me, too. You know what? That’s OK. Because while I certainly hope my guy wins the big race, I think everyone should exercise their right to vote, even if they vote differently from me.

And if I can’t convince you to vote, watch this video and let these famous people convince you. After all, celebrities make any argument stronger, right?

Filed Under: daily life, politics


Oct 1, 2008

Old Navy’s Insane Exchange Policy

October 1, 2008 By

Have I mentioned how hard it is to dress Cordy? The kid has a long torso, shorter legs, and isn’t lacking in hips or butt. (More proof that she wasn’t switched at birth.) As a result, very few clothes fit her well. Anything that fits her waist and hips is always too long, and if the length is right, chances are it’s skin tight around her middle.

But I still had high hopes that Old Navy would work out. After all, she can wear their shorts and t-shirts without any problem. She’s never been able to wear jeans, but it was time to try the jeans – she’s four years old, and she’s noticed that other kids wear jeans and she doesn’t. Just to be safe, I ordered a pair of boys jeans, which are always looser in fit than girls. I also ordered some knit pants.

My mom paid for the online sale as a birthday gift for Cordy. When the package arrived, it was a disaster. Everything was way too long – far too long to even hem. The size 6 pants fit well in the midsection, but you could fold the extra length back over her feet. The boy jeans were a little too relaxed – not only were they too long, you couldn’t even tell where her legs were in these clown pants. I had to return them.

When I went to Old Navy today, my primary worry was that the store wouldn’t have the same items in a size 5. But I found each item easily, and decided to try two pairs of jeans made for girls instead of boys. I walked up to the register and explained that I needed to exchange two pairs of pants, return one pair of jeans, and buy two pairs of jeans.

“Oh, we no longer do exchanges for online returns,” I was told, “We can only do a return and then you can buy them again.”

“But these were purchased as a gift. Can’t I just switch the sizes? Or get a merchandise credit?”

“No, they must be processed as a return and the money returned to the card it was paid with. If you have the same card, you can charge it back to the card again.”

“I don’t have the card – I told you these were a gift.”

“Well then you’ll have to use another form of payment.”

I was sure she wasn’t understanding me. “Let me get this straight: if someone buys my children a gift online and I need a different size, I have to return the items, and the money will go back to the gift-giver, and then I can then pay for the items with my own money. How does that make sense?”

“I’m sorry, but that’s the policy.”

“Well it’s a stupid policy then.”

I’m more than a little angry with Old Navy over this. Unless you read some fine print written on a different page on the website, you’d never know this was the policy. Instead they advertise their “Returns can be made online or in-store!” making you think it’s all so easy.

While I do like Old Navy’s clothing, this has discouraged me from ever buying from them online. Which means I’ll be buying less from them in general, since how often do I get the chance to go clothes shopping?

And I’ll never again suggest Old Navy if relatives want to buy clothing for the girls online. I don’t care how big the sale is – having to pay for the exchanged items myself and then ask my mom to send me a check when she gets the refund to her credit card is a hassle. Old Navy is unnecessarily complicating the returns process when I only wanted to exchange two size 6 pants for size 5 instead.

Sorry, Old Navy. You need to change your policies or you won’t be seeing me in your store again anytime soon.

Filed Under: money, rant Tagged With:


Sep 30, 2008

Checking For Black Cats & Avoiding Ladders

September 30, 2008 By

Ever feel like you’re cursed? Like you passed by a penny on the ground, or broke a mirror, or walked under a ladder or stepped on a crack or any other crazy daily activity that is rumored to bring you bad luck?

I’m feeling that way right now. Friday was probably the worst day I’ve had in a long time. I first had to go to orientation for the new quarter of nursing school, where I would be meeting the person who will be in charge of my education for the last year of my program, and also meeting my clinical instructor for this quarter.

As I drove out of my neighborhood, I realized that I would get there just on time. And then I got behind a school bus. While waiting the second time the bus stopped to pick up a student (not more than 30 feet from the last stop), my car suddenly began sputtering, shaking, and jumping, with a loud noise coming from the engine. The Check Engine light began flashing quickly – not the steady hey, you might want to get this checked out sometime light, but the holy shit! critical fail! abort! abort! kind of light. I realized the car would not make it to school, so I turned around and went home to switch cars.

The switch made me about 10 minutes late for orientation. I worried about how it would look for me to be late, but that was nothing compared to when I walked in and saw all of my classmates in uniform. We’ve never had an orientation in uniform – what was going on? I took a seat in the back, and a friend turned to look at me in my t-shirt and shorts, asking “Do you notice something a little different between you and the rest of the room?” Apparently the instruction to wear our uniform was in the e-mail, but I missed it somehow.

So now not only was I late, but I had no uniform, making me truly look like the class slacker. I apologized to the orientation leader afterward, and then went to meet with my clinical instructor, who also was unhappy to see I wasn’t in uniform. Hello – meet the student who will have to prove herself more than anyone else this quarter.

When I came home later that day, I had to lay down due to the pressure building in my sinuses. I spent the weekend in agony from a sinus infection that just won’t go away. Today wasn’t much better. I may have to give in and visit a doctor tomorrow if I can’t sleep again tonight.

So seriously, am I cursed? We tried to start the car again yesterday and it still shook violently and there was a strong smell of gas. Until Friday, it didn’t have a single problem and saw a mechanic recently. It’s still sitting in the driveway, because we don’t want to pay to tow it and get it looked at if there’s a chance it’ll be too expensive to fix. (Side note: if anyone knows anything about cars, I’m open for advice. It’s a 2000 Nissan Sentra. If no one else knows, I may have to try Amelia’s suggestion of calling the Car Talk guys. I should have known that taking shop in junior high was more valuable than home ec.)

Even my mother, upon hearing the news of the car, said “You seem to have a large amount of bad luck. I don’t know why, but for the past couple of years it’s been one thing after another.” This was coming from a woman who doesn’t believe much in luck. I’m wondering if I need to find some quartz crystals and a white candle to rid myself of all of this bad luck? Or should I remind myself that adversity builds character and keeps me in a wealth of blogging topics?

(And should someone have cursed me – not that I really believe in that – they say anything bad you send out comes back to you three fold. Can’t imagine how much your life will suck soon, dude.)

Filed Under: clearly insane, fate laughing at me


Sep 28, 2008

Mom or Zookeeper – What’s The Difference?

September 28, 2008 By

When I was little, I wanted to work in a zoo. I loved everything about animals, and knew that no matter what, the only job that would be right for me would be one that involved caring for animals somehow. At first it was a vet. Then I wanted to be a zoo keeper after spending a summer at zoo camp. After that it was a marine biologist after a visit to Sea World.

Now when I think back on that first career choice (followed by many, many others), I realize that being a mom really isn’t that far off from zoo keeper. Oh sure, the animals I’m in charge of are directly related to me by birth, but you’d be surprised by many of the similarities.

First off, I spend most of the day dealing with keeping them in their pens. I set up gates around the house to protect Mira from certain doom, and protect precious electronics from her as well. Then I move them to their outdoor pen (aka: the backyard) where they can play in the safety of the fenced-in yard. I’m also in charge of keeping their habitats cleaned each day.

Mira is still non-verbal, so just like a wild animal I can never be sure what she’ll do next, requiring me to always be on my toes. When she needs something, I have to carefully study her body language and behavior to figure out what she’s trying to tell me.

At feeding time, I put together healthy, nutritious meals for my little animals. They pace back and forth like lions while I make meals, anxiously awaiting the tasty treats on the counter. When they get their food they tear into it, with no concern about manners or keeping their faces clean. And like a zoo keeper, I have to ask others to please not feed the animals, because food other than what I prepared for them can often make them sick. (Especially Cordy’s food allergies.)

Of course, while I have to keep them safe and healthy, I also want my children to have as much fun as possible. And this is where they truly act like zoo animals. Or more specifically, monkeys and bears. During the “witching hour” (most moms know what this is, right?), they always start out as monkeys, jumping up and down, shouting loudly, bouncing off of everything as they burn off that late-day energy. But by the end of the witching hour, just before dinner and bedtime, they become bears, wrestling each other for fun, each trying to overpower her sister.

Let the wrestling begin.

And just like any good zookeeper, I love the ones I care for. I may not always like my job, and my little animals can (often) get on my nerves with their crazy behavior, but at the end of the day when they’re happily asleep in their beds, I sit back and think how lucky I am to do the job I wanted to do.

Are you living in a zoo? If so, join in on this blog blast, sponsored by the Parent Bloggers Network and Generation Next’s new iKnow Animals, Letters & Sounds DVD collection. You could win a copy of the DVDs, along with a $250 Visa gift card. The blog blast ends at midnight tonight.

Filed Under: Cordy, daily life, Mira Tagged With:


Sep 26, 2008

Haiku Friday: Simple Pleasures

September 26, 2008 By
An unexpected
surprise tonight, hidden in
a closet corner

One final box of
Thin Mint Girl Scout cookies I
forgot months ago

The perfect hiding
spot, and now the perfect snack:
chocolatey goodness

I was searching the house tonight for something chocolate to snack on while watching TV (Grey’s Anatomy premiere, anyone?), when I remembered that at one time I stashed a bunch of Girl Scout cookies in the hall closet. I peeked in there, moving a few things aside, and there it was: the lone box of Thin Mints. I think this is the longest a box of Thin Mints has lasted in my house.

And they were delicious.

To play along for Haiku Friday, follow these steps:

1. Write your own haiku on your blog. You can do one or many, all following a theme or just random. What’s a haiku, you ask? Click here.

2. Sign the Mister Linky below with your name and the link to your haiku post (the specific post URL, not your main blog URL). DON’T sign unless you have a haiku this week. If you need help with this, please let me know.

3. Pick up a Haiku Friday button to display on the post or in your sidebar by clicking the button at the top.

REMEMBER: Do not post your link unless you have a haiku this week! I will delete any links without haiku!

Filed Under: daily life, Haiku Fridays