Join Me in Snarkville

Ok, naming the fur ball is becoming a problem.

Our last cat was named for a boat (despite anything you might have heard). When naming him, we decided that we would name our future animals from the wealth of  boat names. So we have a list to work with (a rather LONG list).

Now, we quickly eliminated dumb names like Fir, Birch, Blueberry, Anvil, Active, Durable — oh, did I mention we were working from Coast Guard Cutters? Seriously there are WHOLE classes of boats that will not qualify. Then there is a wealth of girl names (Spar, Isis, Althea); names that won’t work because of his color (Mellon; Blackberry); and other unacceptable names (like anything with just a number; most of the island and river names; the nautical terms class; American Sailor/Mariner/Seaman; you see where I’m going here). Finally, I was also veto’d on Semper, Cutter, and Cartigan — the last of which is one of my favorites.

Prince wants a name with distinguished record, which eliminates some (depending on your definition of distinguished).  URGH. Also, I should mention that the kitty in question has not shown any distinguishing personality characteristics, other than his very loud purring motor.  Seriously, how am I expected to know if a name fits this cat if I don’t know if he’s a cuddle bunny or a terror?

So, this has lead to me going through the list and trying to narrow the choices. I keep thinking I have a great name (Storis, Argus, Hamilton, Healy, Blake….) only to try to use it with the cat and  it just doesn’t work. Now, Prince thought it should be Healy, but I can’t stop thinking about the kids I HATE with the wheelie shoes. Now, he’s taken to calling the cat, Hudson. I’m currently thinking he should be Dexter because of the added dexterity of his extra toes.

And what I can’t shake is that I think his name should be Sherman, but even though he’d be named for a boat that wasn’t named for that horrible Atlanta burning general, I’m not entirely sure my mother (who already is pretty sure I have four or five screws loose now) will forgive me for it.

Oh and if I push hard to break the ‘tradition’ (which it isn’t tradition until there is more than one of them), his name should be Sterling (like in Silver).

What the heck am I supposed to do?

…I forgot the other furry thing I got over the weekend.

Saturday morning I got up and checked my mail and a friend e-mailed me about a “Yarn Warehouse Sale” (these may be my third favorite word phrase EVER).  Um, ok, I’m THERE.

So, I pack up Duke (because I thought child running wold would help offset the wool fumes) and we head off.  On the way, I pick up cash and call my friend to ask if she’s there yet.  I get the scoop on the sale and head off.

Fully expecting to not find much, I look around at the largest collection of dead muppets I’ve ever seen.  Seriously, there was more fun fur type yarn that should be allowed by law.  So, Duke and I wandered around, and then I spotted a small box of smooth yarn and I went digging.  Oh my, it was Alpaca (soft stuff).  I found 10 balls in this sage green that I love and Duke found a bag of traffic cone orange yarn.  He was in LOVE.  Nothing I showed him made him put down this bag.  NOTHING.

So, I offered to buy him ONE ball of the yarn.  He agreed and we went to pay.  The woman rang me up and I saw the total.  Gasp.

“Ok, let’s just add the other 9 balls of orange yarn, k?”

On the way home, I asked Duke what he wanted me to make him with the yarn and I think we’ve decided on a blanket — I’m considering doing it in a patchwork style to keep me from going blind.

This was birthday party weekend here in Snarkville. No, not Duke’s party weekend, but instead TWO parties for his friends. (more…)

Yesterday, I got a call from a friend checking in on me and she said, “wow, your posts have been more snarky than usual.” Um, I hadn’t thought so. Ranting, yes; but was there true snark there? Possibly. I mean seriously, I’m never too far from the snark.  So, today, I bring you true paragraphs that have nothing to do with each other.

If you think YOU were the one who rained on my parade* (more…)

I’m wondering if I should give up the snark and focus on the theme of late — total randomness. Seriously, I’m beginning to feel that I’m unable to pull together a complete snark filled thought, what with all the random things happening. I’m going to do what I love the most, um, a list:

• The MacBook Pro is in FedEx’s hands to take back to the Fruit folks. I’m ever hopeful that this isn’t a huge problem and that by the end of the month, I’ll have a new computer. I am fully intending to type up a real, letter to send to them regarding my experience…I may even include my bill.
  • This just in, the non-functioning MacBook Pro is in the hands of Apple now.  I’ve got a new ship date of 7/13 to 7/17.  Will time fly?
• I recently bought train tickets online for an upcoming trip. The tickets arrived and I looked at them. Something was odd. Now, I’m forced to ask you, if you buy TWO tickets at the same time, with the same last name and the same credit card; do you think these two people MIGHT want to sit together? No? Well, it seems the rail company didn’t think so either. I’m having to send THOSE tickets back to get my replacements that at least gets us close to each other.
• On the 4th of July, I tried to write a post about how I don’t understand why we must celebrate our nation’s birth with fireworks. This was prompted by fireworks going off in my neighborhood (a single block away from the HIGH fire danger line) until about 11pm. I wrote it three times, they all sucked — so I’m going to have to sum up the good points.
  • I’m not a huge fan of fireworks out of the hands of professionals. Heck, to be honest, I’m pretty sure in the hands of pros, the fireworks are pretty but a huge waste of money that could be better used to pave roads, improve schools, or plant a tree or 900.
  • I often wonder if while the Declaration of Independence was being written if any of the founding fathers would have appreciated a celebration of their treason with things that sound like gunfire?
  • This past 4th, I watched one of my favorite musicals, 1776. I love the perspective that these men, while educated and ahead of their time, were merely men solving the problem before them and hoping that posterity would forgive them the parts they couldn’t solve. And amazingly enough, there isn’t a single firework in the whole show, shocking I know.
• I’m beginning to have an addiction to Coke Zero with Vanilla. Just saying that this stuff is awesome, yet highly addictive. I do however, have no desire to try the Coke Plus, because soda as a health food kinda freaks me out.
• Rather recently, someone attempted to rain on my parade.  I want to publicly called them out.  I want to rant and yell.  I want to make them understand this is not how we deal with people.  But I can’t.  I want to, mind you; but I can’t at least not in public.  Once I figure out how to word it, it will be in the letter.
• Finally, I think I’ve been convinced to send my letter to Apple.  I seriously doubtit will go anywhere, but you never know, I just might get a $15 coupon to iTunes for my trouble.  But perhaps they need to know that people aren’t thrilled with the attitudes.

A return to the time honored tradition of writing my open letters to people who are in need of knowing: (more…)

Oh my word — random would be the word of the day around here.  I can’t even begin to explain the joys of my randomness.   Hence, I merely bring you my random thoughts and events. (more…)