October 30, 2005 ('01 )

These People Are Idiots...

You wanted an update? Here's an update:)

These people are complete morons: Conn. Wants to Ban Beer With Elf Label. Which ones? The ones that want to sell the beer.

Now, personally, I agree with the New York ruling [mentioned in the article] that there's no need for additional regulation regarding a products marketing effect on children when there's already a law in place against selling a given product to children. Beyond that, I don't think the label is likely to "entice children" to buy/drink the beer per se. I think people of all ages are more likely to want something that

a) they know
and/or
b) looks/sounds/etc. cool/clever/unique/etc.

... I'm under the impression that's why we have a marketing industry.

I do think, however, that it's ridiculous to assume that, knowing a states regulations specifically target an image you've chosen to display, you'll be the exception to the rule. Connecticut isn't looking to "ban" the product, they just aren't agreeing to sell it to begin with. State liquor regulations are public, if they wanted to sell in CT why did they use an image they knew wouldn't be allowed to begin with?!?

In addition - and, in all fairness, I have issues with the ACLU to begin with - it is NOT a violation of free speech! "Free Speech" isn't a license to do/say/print anything you want without heed to the consequences and I don't believe that it was ever intended to be abused in that fashion. The first amendment's "Free Speech" was intended to allow people exactly that, free "speech." It was included to protect a person's right to voice their opinion without fear of being hauled off to jail for saying that they disapproved of a government action. I'm thinking... this does not so much pertain to your alcohol marketing campaign.

The entire thing makes me nuts! Stop abusing the Bill of Rights to excuse a lack of integrity and character!

Posted by Phoxxe at 11:40 AM | 1 | 0

Listed in: News & Politics

June 24, 2005 ('03 '02 )

La-di-da...

So last night, after the great cat-gac episode of yesterday morning, we pulled out the steam cleaner. This machine is a miracle. It was a gift from my in-laws a couple of Christmases ago and so far we've only used it twice - eww, it should definitely be use once every month or two. Up until now, I have to admit, I've been a little intimidate by it. Silly, but true. This time I had Juan walk me through the process and ended up doing the rest of the carpet myself. It was so neat actually watching it clean that I'm almost tempted to run it again today:) It's really a very simple, if time consuming, process. Now the rug is so nice and new-looking it's almost as good as having had it replaced. It really brightens up the whole apartment.

Tomorrow is my sister-in-law's bridal shower.I got her a box of scented stuff and a gift card, both from Victoria's Secret. She's registered for the wedding (not at VS) and I'm never sure what to do for a Bridal Shower - do you get something appropriate to the shower, or something from the registry? The last one I went to I went with something off the registry and then I felt a little silly handing over this practical gift a relatively whimsical occasion so this time I went the other way. I hope she likes it.

On Sunday we're hoping to make it to the First Annual Manassas Wine and Jazz Festival. It sounds like fun. As a rule I'm not thrilled with living in Manassas, especially the end of it we live in. We're right off the main commercial strip and it always just seems kind of dirty to me. Over the past year, though, I've become more familiar with the... event... Manassas plays host to. Little local things, like the 4th of July and the above mentioned festival, but fun, too. It's starting, slowly, to feel more like home.

Today (this evening) starts Juan's vacation! Yay!

Posted by Phoxxe at 05:07 PM | 3

Listed in: Everyday Life, Friends & Family

June 23, 2005 ('03 )

Did you know...

... that a cat can projectile vomit? I did not know... until this morning. It would be the noise that woke me. I noise so disturbing, I might add, that it upset the dog. I've tried and tried to clean it o no avail, it's all I can smell and I can't even tell if the smell is in the apartment or just in my nose at this point. Out the carpet cleaner must come. Not and auspicious way to start the day.

I know... TMI.

Now I'm sitting here, catching up on all the blogs I've missed over the past month or two, avoiding doing the work that really should be my focus. I had plans for today but, unfortunately, not the energy to go with the. In the long run that'll probably turn out better, though, as it will allow me to devote my time to cleaning.

I'm counting down the days 'till Saturday (1 ½, now, not so bad). Juan is going to be on vacation for 10 days! I think I'm actually more excited than he is . Originally it was my intent to have the site I'm working on finished before his vacation started so that I would be free at the same time he is. Obviously, that's not going to happen. Again, it's probably better this way, it'll give him more time to play video games:)

Posted by Phoxxe at 01:13 PM | 2

Listed in: Everyday Life

My American English

A lingustic profilier (though I have to say it's missing some obvious answers) - What Kind of American English Do You Speak? Snagged from W3bgrl.

My answers are below.

Posted by Phoxxe at 12:59 PM | 0

Listed in: About → About Daphne

Happy Birthday, Cindy!

Happy Birthday, CINDY!

I hope it's a great one.

Posted by Phoxxe at 11:02 AM | 1

Listed in: Commemoration

June 22, 2005 ('03 '02 )

Father's Day...

This past weekend was Father's Day... the first one I've celebrated in over 10 years. That's how long it had been since I'd seen my Dad. The last time I saw him was the day I married my first husband. He had never even met Juan. ...and he only lives an hour-and-a-half away.

The last couple of months we've been in touch more... since everything that happened over the holidays, really, and he's expressed more of an interest in getting together than he had... well, ever. So, a month-and-a-half ago we made plans to get together for brunch on the 19th. I was feeling incredibly insecure about the whole thing. I mean, 10 years is a long time not to see a parent even if they've never really been parental. I'd worked myself into such a state over it that, without Juan's calming influence, I probably would have chickened out all together.

Well, I had a great time! Both my Dad and his wife were wonderful.

I remember having such disdeign for her [the wife] and I can only think it was one of the ways in which my Mother managed to twist my mind. I say that half-jokingly but the visit did make me start to realize how much she [my Mother] influenced my perceptions of my Father and his life. I always maintained that I was very lucky to have parents that didn't try to turn me against the other after their divorce, which is true... ish. I now realize that even though she [my Mother] didn't constantly rake my Father over the coals in my presence she did get in many other, more subtle, digs. For instance, she never said he was evil and rotten and didn't love me... but she would frequently say things like, "It's not that he doesn't love you, it's just that he's not capable of loving anyone more than he loves himself." A seemingly innocuous statement but to a child it pretty much mean he doesn't care. There were a million things along that line which lead me to believe, as a child and as an adult, that my Father really just wasn't interested in me. But the time I was grown it was so matter-of-fact that it didn't even bother me, it's just how things were. It all really started to hit me when it occurred to me (rather uncharitably, given the situation) that for the first time, now that my Mother is in the state she's in, I don't have to talk to her and make it sound as though I didn't have a good time with my Dad. It really opened my eyes to a lot of things including that fact that many of my own philosophies are very similar to his. I happen to believe you really can't love others if you don't love yourself and that, no matter what, you're the one person you have to live with forever. I now realize that she [my Mother] wasn't upset that he didn't love her, she was upset that he didn't put her far above himself... which is really a very typical attitude for her.

... but I digress....

I (we, I hope) had a wonderful time. We took the boat to brunch (my Dad's a a Marine Mechanic and keep a small, 20-something-foot, cruiser), sat around and talked, had a great meal, then went by a small pub near their place in Annapolis, talked some more, then headed home (stopping on the way to pick up some great food from Eatzi's for dinner). It was a wonderful day. I realize now, how lucky I am to still have a chance to build a relationship with him.

Posted by Phoxxe at 02:08 PM | 4

Listed in: Friends & Family

What I didn't write before...

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Posted by Phoxxe at 01:55 PM | 0

Listed in: Everyday Life, Friends & Family, Restricted

June 20, 2005 ('02 )

Recurring Theme...

When I picked this blog back up again in December I decided that I was going to write what I felt like and if people didn't like it, they didn't have to read it.... Well, that's all fine and good in theory but I've found that I'm still not comfortable writing things that may hurt people I care for, things that may influence people I hold contracts with, things I don't want the general public (or particular people) to know. So, once again, I'm back to the question of whether or not to password protect the whole thing. The password hack I've installed works well but, it does require that I password posts that contain any content I don't want everyone to be able to read, even if it's just one line, but if I were to PP the whole thing only people with the PP would read anything so... I guess the answer comes down to: if I'm really only writing for me than it's not really going to be an issue of not caring who does read it but also not caring who doesn't.

At this point I've replaced Arvind's brilliant hack with his even more brilliant plug-in - thanks Arvind!

Many entries will now be Typekey authenticated. If you've left a comment previously, signed into Typekey, and you meet the basic criteria (I either don't know you IRL or you live far, far away but I do know you, at least online) then there's a good chance you're already on the "approved for viewing list". If you're not, and you want to be, leave a comment (signed into Typekey) and I'll assign you to the group I feel is most appropriate. Note: not all groups see all posts.

This way, I'll (hopefully) feel more comfortable writing and will write more. That's the theory. If anyone sees any obvious holes, please feel free to point them out. I'm sure the system can be broken but the way I see it, if someone's going to do that, they deserve what they find.

Posted by Phoxxe at 01:15 PM | 2

Listed in: Bloggy Bits

May 09, 2005 ('03 '02 )

Happy Birthday, Maria!

Happy Birthday, MARIA!

I hope it's a great one.

Posted by Phoxxe at 11:09 AM | 1

Listed in: Commemoration

April 18, 2005 ('03 )

Patriot's Day!

Today is Patriot's Day! This is a really big thing for New Englanders - it commemorates the Lexington-Concord battle and serves as a reminder of all the events leading up to the revolutionary war.

Among other memorials stand some fine literary works, such as:

Paul Revere's Ride
by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Listen my children and you shall hear
Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere,
On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy-five;
Hardly a man is now alive
Who remembers that famous day and year.

... continued below....

Posted by Phoxxe at 01:34 PM | 1

Listed in: Commemoration