Smarmy car salesmen
I don't trust them. I don't like them. They are trying to take money out of my pocket and put into theirs. It's why I don't like to play poker because I can't tell when people are bluffing. Plus I don't like it when someone is over my shoulder telling me how to play my cards. Only one person can negotiate the deal. Advice given on what to say is always easy advice to give and usually never what that person would really say or do if presented with the same situation. But all of this is offset by the joy of taking the new car home. There is no feeling quite like it. It's not quite as good as taking your baby home, but similar in some ways. Here's the result of my recent negotiations. It is a new 2005 Toyota Highlander. This is the automotive equivalent of buying at the bread store. I like it. Our last blue car lasted only about four months before it was wrecked. I hope it is not a tradition.
Click on the link above to see my summer Vacation Destination. How many people do you think will be joining me in Las Vegas? I haven't bought my ticket yet, but this event is on my "Things to do before I die" list. I probably won't take my accordion along, because I expect professionals to be there playing up a storm. Plus, then I might just have to buy an instrument to play while I'm there. :) I think that to be appropriately dressed, I should have to buy a polka dress or some leder hosen with leather suspenders. I'm sure I can find a costume that will be suitable.
Drunk Dialing your Mother
Normally I wouldn't recommend this unless you are pretty sure how it will be received. It was my birthday this past Friday and I got a drunk dial call from my middle daughter, Roxie. It was great. When she drunk dials me, she is usually laughing so hard that she can hardly talk. Speaking from the Mother's point of view, there is no sound more pleasing than the laughter of your children. Even if they are drunk. So if you are drunk and it's your Mom's birthday and you haven't called her yet, I think you should risk it.
Hurray for most of the US Athletes
We had a fine showing in the Torino Olympics. 25 medals is not bad out of the total offered. Aside from the pissing match between Shani Davis and Chad Hedricks, it looks like we had a pretty good team effort. I was disappointed that Lindsey Jacobellis didn't even seem to be embarrassed by the stupidity of the move that cost her the gold medal. I am not an athlete of Olympic caliber, but when I was a bowler, I would never have clowned around on the alley during the 10th frame and risked falling into the gutter. The figure skating is normally my favorite event. I don't know if it was the new scoring requirements, but I thought the event lacked "beauty" this year. And not very many of the skaters looked like they were having fun. The Italian ice dancers were definitely not having fun. The movie "The Taming of the Shrew" flashed into my mind as I saw her look at her partner after he dropped her. Every time the Olympics come to a close, I say to myself that I should go to the next Olympics. Vancouver is not that far away. Maybe it would work for me in 2008.
