Saturday, March 28, 2009
Sing It Baby! Follow-up
I love my husband dearly and find him quite funny on most occasions. That was a large reason why I married him. However, I have to say to him and all you people out there who sing in your car - I think you look weird and silly and I don't really plan on joining you anytime soon. Even though I know you all feel like this era of hands-free devices has given you license to belt it out, I am ashamed for you. Embarrassed even. I give you credit for not caring, but as I said before, I will still look at you like your crazy and if I do sing in the car, it will be when I know no one is looking.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Sing It Baby!
We have a guest blogger this week. I am very excited to introduce you all to my very funny and witty husband Greg. The things and ideas that come out of his mouth sometimes make me laugh really hard. I knew when he came home the other day telling me about this scenario, that it was worthy to be a post here. I hope you all enjoy.
Question: Is it cool to sing in the car when you are all by yourself?
About a decade ago I was walking across the campus of Washington State University and came across an individual having an animated conversation with himself. I warily gave this nut some distance, but realized as he passed by me that he was using a hands-free device to talk on his cell phone, making it look like he was having a good heart-to-heart with himself. I remember thinking that the whole thing looked kind of ridiculous, but little did I know that this device would indirectly be a source of brightening my day for a very long time to come.
My problem is this - I love to sing in the car. Some people prefer showers to sing Rogers and Hammerstein, but I prefer singing “O what a beautiful morning” right along with Slim on my tape player in the car. This behavior is of course totally nerdy, and I have always been very self-conscious about this, not wanting to appear uncool while I drove. Thus, I have always toned it down in traffic …but no longer. No one bats an eye at someone talking to themselves in a car, under the assumption that they are simply using an unseen hands-free device. In fact, we may actually applaud their safety-consciousness in driving with two hands instead of one. I have totally cashed in on this new trend. I belt things out at the top of my lungs in rush hour on Friday afternoon, all the while disguised as some thirty-something yuppie having a heated business conversation after hours.
I never thought that I could have it all, both make-believe American Idol auditions and public approval at the same time. I’m a star every time I get in my Honda, and I owe it all to the hands-free cell phone speaker thingy. So feel free to croon along with your favorite radio station, bang your head to your favorite metal songs, or leave your heart on the line with some sappy country tune. No one will think you’re crazy, and you might just get a bug thumbs up from the guy in the next car who thinks you are a model citizen.
Question: Is it cool to sing in the car when you are all by yourself?
About a decade ago I was walking across the campus of Washington State University and came across an individual having an animated conversation with himself. I warily gave this nut some distance, but realized as he passed by me that he was using a hands-free device to talk on his cell phone, making it look like he was having a good heart-to-heart with himself. I remember thinking that the whole thing looked kind of ridiculous, but little did I know that this device would indirectly be a source of brightening my day for a very long time to come.
My problem is this - I love to sing in the car. Some people prefer showers to sing Rogers and Hammerstein, but I prefer singing “O what a beautiful morning” right along with Slim on my tape player in the car. This behavior is of course totally nerdy, and I have always been very self-conscious about this, not wanting to appear uncool while I drove. Thus, I have always toned it down in traffic …but no longer. No one bats an eye at someone talking to themselves in a car, under the assumption that they are simply using an unseen hands-free device. In fact, we may actually applaud their safety-consciousness in driving with two hands instead of one. I have totally cashed in on this new trend. I belt things out at the top of my lungs in rush hour on Friday afternoon, all the while disguised as some thirty-something yuppie having a heated business conversation after hours.
I never thought that I could have it all, both make-believe American Idol auditions and public approval at the same time. I’m a star every time I get in my Honda, and I owe it all to the hands-free cell phone speaker thingy. So feel free to croon along with your favorite radio station, bang your head to your favorite metal songs, or leave your heart on the line with some sappy country tune. No one will think you’re crazy, and you might just get a bug thumbs up from the guy in the next car who thinks you are a model citizen.
Ruba' Dub' Dub' - Follow-Up Take 2
There are definitely some passionate feelings out there for and against baths in the master bathroom. Those who don't take baths don't really seem to care if there is a bath tub, while those who do, say the absents of one would be a deal breaker. Here are my thoughts.
When we went to buy our house I REALLY wanted a floor plan that had the kitchen open up to the family room. It was right up there at the very top of the list of must haves. My husband and I like to entertain and I thought it would be such a nice set up. So, it may come as a surprise that the house we finally ended up buying does not have that feature. Here is how I gave up that much wanted feature.
1st - I don't plan on this being the last home we ever live in. Therefore, I was willing to give that up at this time.
2nd - If we do happen to live here forever (so help me!), there is a way that the bathroom (which now separates the two) could be moves and my open floor plan would be accomplished.
3rd - The house had all the things that no amount of planning or money could change - i.e it's on a cul-de-sac and it has a great FLAT yard.
So my take home here is this. There are always gives and takes when buying a house. Our house had all the right things that money or planning couldn't change, as well as many of the other essential elements (essential being different to everyone). But, the fact that it DOESN'T have an open kitchen/family room floor plan was not a deal breaker for me. It is something I can change. So to all those out there that say not having a bath would be a deal breaker, you may change your mind when faced with several other factors that one does not always know, nor can anticipate in buying a house.
When we went to buy our house I REALLY wanted a floor plan that had the kitchen open up to the family room. It was right up there at the very top of the list of must haves. My husband and I like to entertain and I thought it would be such a nice set up. So, it may come as a surprise that the house we finally ended up buying does not have that feature. Here is how I gave up that much wanted feature.
1st - I don't plan on this being the last home we ever live in. Therefore, I was willing to give that up at this time.
2nd - If we do happen to live here forever (so help me!), there is a way that the bathroom (which now separates the two) could be moves and my open floor plan would be accomplished.
3rd - The house had all the things that no amount of planning or money could change - i.e it's on a cul-de-sac and it has a great FLAT yard.
So my take home here is this. There are always gives and takes when buying a house. Our house had all the right things that money or planning couldn't change, as well as many of the other essential elements (essential being different to everyone). But, the fact that it DOESN'T have an open kitchen/family room floor plan was not a deal breaker for me. It is something I can change. So to all those out there that say not having a bath would be a deal breaker, you may change your mind when faced with several other factors that one does not always know, nor can anticipate in buying a house.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
I'm A Dork!
So before I wrote my entry on tubs I was playing around with some of the settings and marked that all comments had to be moderated before they were posted. I did not realize where I had to go to read those comments so all this time I thought no one had any views on tubs. That's fine if that were true, but when I finally figured it out today (after some friends said they had left comments and they weren't published) I realized that many of you did have a comment. I'm sorry about that. I have undone that feature so comment away! I will post my 2nd follow-up this Saturday and then I want you all to come back on Sunday for a guest blogger who is going to share their feelings on a very funny subject. I don't think you will be disappointed.
Until then, enjoy your last day of winter, 'cause tomorrow is spring!
Until then, enjoy your last day of winter, 'cause tomorrow is spring!
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Ruba' Dub' Dub'
Topic: If you had a rockin' shower, would you miss your big tub?
When we were looking to buy our house we must have looked at over 100 homes. We were very picky. It was a scary investment. We didn't want to make the wrong decision. We ended up putting offers on 5 different homes. I see now why each on needed to happen and why the ones we didn't get didn't work out. We were blessed.
While some homes were much nicer than others, all of the homes were pretty much guaranteed to have two things in a particular room. The master bedroom baths all had huge tubs and carpet on the floors and around the tubs.
I will never get the carpet in the bathroom. It is just really disgusting to me. I would love to rip ours out, but that is a project a few years down the road. Other projects are more pressing at the moment.
I am not a big bath taker but when I was pregnant with Jack I decided to take a bath to relieve pressure from the heavy "load" I was carrying around. You can imagine my extreme disappointment when I found our water heater only has the capacity to fill my monster tub about 1/8 of the way before running our of hot water. What is the point of that? Why would you put a tub in that is too big to fill with hot water?
Thus the plans to re due the master have begun in my head. I don't think I will miss that tub one bit when we finally take it out. Where it now stands I want to put a big, beautifully tiled shower with an awesome shower head and glass doors. The dilemma is do I put a tub somewhere else in the bathroom to appease future buyers?
What are your thoughts. If you were looking at homes and walked into one that had a total master bath makeover with a rockin' shower, but no tub, would that make you think twice about buying the house and why?
When we were looking to buy our house we must have looked at over 100 homes. We were very picky. It was a scary investment. We didn't want to make the wrong decision. We ended up putting offers on 5 different homes. I see now why each on needed to happen and why the ones we didn't get didn't work out. We were blessed.
While some homes were much nicer than others, all of the homes were pretty much guaranteed to have two things in a particular room. The master bedroom baths all had huge tubs and carpet on the floors and around the tubs.
I will never get the carpet in the bathroom. It is just really disgusting to me. I would love to rip ours out, but that is a project a few years down the road. Other projects are more pressing at the moment.
I am not a big bath taker but when I was pregnant with Jack I decided to take a bath to relieve pressure from the heavy "load" I was carrying around. You can imagine my extreme disappointment when I found our water heater only has the capacity to fill my monster tub about 1/8 of the way before running our of hot water. What is the point of that? Why would you put a tub in that is too big to fill with hot water?
Thus the plans to re due the master have begun in my head. I don't think I will miss that tub one bit when we finally take it out. Where it now stands I want to put a big, beautifully tiled shower with an awesome shower head and glass doors. The dilemma is do I put a tub somewhere else in the bathroom to appease future buyers?
What are your thoughts. If you were looking at homes and walked into one that had a total master bath makeover with a rockin' shower, but no tub, would that make you think twice about buying the house and why?
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Some Rules
As was exhibited by the last topic, there are things that readers and commenter's are going to disagree on. I don't have a problem with that. Overall I feel like it was a good discussion and one that generated some "feelings". The purpose of this blog is to get input on different subjects and also to get people to maybe think about things that they may have not really examined before.
However, I feel a need to state a rule.
I have no problem with comments that are left that disagree with what someone else has stated on this blog. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. What I do have a problem with is when a specific person is targeted by name and information from an outside source - other than this blog - is used to discredit them (i.e. going to their personal blog to find information on them that may refute what they said). You may make a statement targeting a specific comment left, but I ask you not to state the persons specific name in so doing.
An example:
Correct way: "I find it hard to believe that after all the data proving the earth is round some still think it is flat."
Incorrect way: "I find is hard to believe that after all the data proving the earth is round that Sally still thinks it is flat."
I realize that if someone were to read the comments they could tell who made the statement, however, when a specific name is said it does take on a bit more of an accusatory tone.
There are several circumstances in life that we often know the right answers and know what we should be doing, yet our actions are not quite up to where we know they should be. There have been instances in my life where I have stated things in the past that convey one view point, but as I have grown and learned things, that perspective has changed. I would hate for someone to use my past actions against me in refuting what I may now feel. There also may be cases where having a subject raised here may cause people to truly reflect and rethink the way they thought about something, while their actions in the past may not reflect that change. They should not be blamed for that. So please keep that in mind and keep comments to material stated here.
I look forward to discussing a new topic this coming Sunday.
However, I feel a need to state a rule.
I have no problem with comments that are left that disagree with what someone else has stated on this blog. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. What I do have a problem with is when a specific person is targeted by name and information from an outside source - other than this blog - is used to discredit them (i.e. going to their personal blog to find information on them that may refute what they said). You may make a statement targeting a specific comment left, but I ask you not to state the persons specific name in so doing.
An example:
Correct way: "I find it hard to believe that after all the data proving the earth is round some still think it is flat."
Incorrect way: "I find is hard to believe that after all the data proving the earth is round that Sally still thinks it is flat."
I realize that if someone were to read the comments they could tell who made the statement, however, when a specific name is said it does take on a bit more of an accusatory tone.
There are several circumstances in life that we often know the right answers and know what we should be doing, yet our actions are not quite up to where we know they should be. There have been instances in my life where I have stated things in the past that convey one view point, but as I have grown and learned things, that perspective has changed. I would hate for someone to use my past actions against me in refuting what I may now feel. There also may be cases where having a subject raised here may cause people to truly reflect and rethink the way they thought about something, while their actions in the past may not reflect that change. They should not be blamed for that. So please keep that in mind and keep comments to material stated here.
I look forward to discussing a new topic this coming Sunday.
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