Moosic!

I like making lists. I can never quite remember what acts I've seen in concert, so I'll make a list!

• Moody Blues (1996)
• Kansas and ZZ Top (1998)
• Liquid Sand (2000)
  
• Squint (2004 or 2005)
• Benji Davis Project (several times)
  
• Weird Al Yankovic (2007)
• Jimmy Buffett (2008)
  
• Lifehouse (2009)
  
• Theory of a Deadman, Godsmack, and Motley Crue (2009)
  
• Pete Turner, Sum 41, and The Offspring (2009)
• Foreigner (2009)
  

Imagekind

I've added some new photos I took yesterday at DSBG. Lots of butterflies!

Here's a glimpse:


My imagekind page is here: http://smayer.imagekind.com.

Holy moly postcard!

I'm guessing that this postcard is potentially worth a lot of money...

The bids on it are up to $21.50! There are 6 watchers (most of whom I'm guessing are just watching to see how much it goes for). I usually post them for $.99 each and let the market decide. NC postcards are usually hard for me to move. Who knew?

Final bid: $26.51!!!

How Life Moves On

http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/personal/06/15/tf.single.girl.friends.die/index.html

But the days of "romancing" my friends -- of luxuriating in their company all weekend long and most weekday evenings is over. Given the choice -- which, thankfully, I have now that my relationship is not a long-distance one -- I'd rather spend most of my free time with my fiance.

And soon that fiance will be my husband, and one day he'll be the father of my children, and as we continue building a life and home together, I'll have even less time to devote to other relationships.

I still plan to maintain my own friendships, of course, bonds I hope will help guide me through various transitions my life is bound to make, but I'd be fooling myself if I thought those friendships could ever be like the ones I made when I was single.

There's a freedom that comes when you're unattached to any one person, a kind of freedom that seems to be almost magnetic. Other singletons and I found each other in a way that doesn't seem to exist among those of us who are coupled. There's a kind of kindred spirit-ness among single women (and gay men) that I haven't found anywhere else.

In being married to Michael for the past (almost) 3 years, I've noticed that this is true, especially since we moved so far away from our friends. It's not that I don't want to spend time with my friends, it's just that my priorities have changed. If we did live in LA, I would make weekend trips to see them, go out and eat, or anything else we would have done while single... Except for going to the bar looking for men!

The comment section of this article is disturbing. So many jaded people! However, there are some commenters that are able to express sentiments similar to mine, but in a clearer way.

Wow. A lot of you people didn't read. She was lamenting the changing of her relationships due to moving and no longer having complete 100% of her time devoted to friends. Guess what. That's called growing up. That doesn't mean she suddenly decided to drop all her single friends. It just means she has less time for them as she has new commitments with her fiance, his family, etc. And just wait until the babies come - the time for friends goes down tenfold. If the single friends are truly that good of friends, they will support you and understand the limitations you have.
-Steve

About 7 or 8 months ago, I moved to another state to be with my boyfriend as well. Glad I did it as now we are planning to get married. But, I do miss my single girlfriends who occupied all my free time from before I moved. We still talk once a week or so, text and chat on FB, but it's not quite the same. But there are many chapters to the book of life and each brings new and rewarding experiences and new friends to meet and cherish. Your true friends don't stop being your friend because they get married, or you get married. The dynamics may change some, but that's part of life.
-BG

I don't know why so many people are being such jerks on here, but I can completely understand where she's coming from. AT FIRST, I was completely and utterly immersed in married life. Part of the reason, however, is that I moved further away from my friends. Now that I have moved closer to my friends, they have also moved on. One of them is also married, with two small children. Another moved to another state, and lastly, another moved further away than we were originally, works strange hours and also is married with a small child. My husband and I are currently having trouble getting pregnant and have been struggling with this issue for a long time, making it very difficult to be around my friends that are mothers because, of course, everything in their life has to do with their children. Basically, we are at different stages in life right now. That is ok. We stay in touch and if something REALLY big came up, they'd be there. That is all I need to know. I have also learned to make friends with women of all different ages and walks of life, I think this is important in creating a full and well-balanced life. So, though my husband and I still spend a lot of time together, the newlywed years are now over and we're finding ourselves individually once again. We've both made friends with each others friends, maybe not the best of friends, but enough for occasional "couple night" which has its own spice to add to our life. I guess basically what I'm getting at is that SOME friends only serve a purpose for a time and some are for life. Time will tell which of those friends are which. The "sacrifice" is completely worth it, but I definitely still think fondly back on those memories of "single-life" and yes, sometime, I do miss it. Good luck!
-Shana

Kermit and the Lime

Mies! Mies!

VA bans (well, almost) cul de sacs!

http://www.virginiadot.org/projects/ssar/default.asp

This is fantastic! You have no idea how much I hate cul de sac neighborhoods and how unfriendly they are!

Y'know what?

Hugh Laurie as House is sexier than Hugh Laurie as himself. But, then again, women like assholes.

This is no good.

http://www.thenewsstar.com/article/20090311/UPDATES01/90311022

Weyerhaeuser has announced that it will indefinitely close its Veneer and Engineered Wood Mills in the Lincoln Parish town of Simsboro and the Winn Parish Town of Dodson.

The closure in Simsboro will eliminate 47 jobs, while the closure in Dodson will eliminate 138 jobs.

A company spokesman said the closures are due to the slowdown in the housing market, which has resulted in reduced demand for wood products. The spokesman said the mills could eventually re-open, but to set any timeline would be purely speculative.

The Ultimate Rejection Letter

http://www.chaosmatrix.org/library/humor/reject.html

Herbert A. Millington
Chair - Search Committee
412A Clarkson Hall, Whitson University
College Hill, MA 34109

Dear Professor Millington,

Thank you for your letter of March 16. After careful consideration, I regret to inform you that I am unable to accept your refusal to offer me an assistant professor position in your department.

This year I have been particularly fortunate in receiving an unusually large number of rejection letters. With such a varied and promising field of candidates, it is impossible for me to accept all refusals.

Despite Whitson's outstanding qualifications and previous experience in rejecting applicants, I find that your rejection does not meet my needs at this time. Therefore, I will assume the position of assistant professor in your department this August. I look forward to seeing you then.

Best of luck in rejecting future applicants.

Sincerely,
Chris L. Jensen

I have the hardest time singing this song

Separate Ways Remake

From Bill Simmons' latest mailbag:

Q: In Matt Cassel's first news conference with the Chiefs, someone asked Cassel if he was looking forward to meeting Bernard Pollard. Shouldn't he immediately take some of his new money and buy Pollard a new car? The best full circle moment is the fact Cassel would still be a nobody if it weren't for the Chiefs and now he is playing for them. GOD, I LOVE THE NFL!
-- David, Elon, N.C.

SG: I'll go one further -- imagine if we learned Cassel offered Pollard $3 million to take out Brady's knee in Week 1? Would that be one of the five biggest scandals in sports history? It wouldn't be bigger than the 1919 White Sox throwing the World Series, or the college basketball point-shaving scandals in the '40s and '50s … but it would be equally as big as Tonya Harding conspiring to maim Nancy Kerrigan, right? By the way, listen to Monday's B.S. Report if you want to hear me make the case for the 2009 Chiefs as a phenomenal bet at 100-to-1 to win the Super Bowl, thanks to my theory that the success of one team can become a sports colonic for that city's fans, turn them from "glass half-empty" to "glass half-full" and ignite every other team in the city. I see the Royals kicking off things by becoming this year's 2008 Rays, followed by an NBA team moving to K.C. in June or July. Then in September, with the pennant race heating up and K.C. fans already delirious, the Chiefs will charge out of the gate with four straight wins … although there's a sobering moment when Joe Posnanski's head tragically explodes as he's crafting a column trying to put everything in perspective. Just be prepared. Wait, you don't believe me?

Q: I listened to your Monday podcast and was interested in your "Kansas City Theory." I thought that a good example of these things being cyclical was Cleveland in 2007. Both the Browns and Indians had unusually successful seasons when compared to their normal vomit-inducing play. If you add this with the Cavaliers' play in the LeBron Era, it's hard for anyone to deny that this theory bears at least some merit.
-- Brad H., New York

SG: See? It happens! Some other good examples: the '84 Tigers (paved the way for the "Bad Boy" Pistons, the Barry Sanders Era and the Steve Yzerman Era); the '01 Pats (the '04 Red Sox and '08 Celts, as well as two more Pats titles); Chicago in the mid-'80s (the '83 White Sox, '84 Cubs, '85 Bears and the Jordan Era); Seattle in the mid-'90s (Sonics and Mariners); Pittsburgh in the late-'70s (Steelers and Pirates); Cincy in the late '80s ('89 Bengals, '90 Reds); Boston in the mid-'80s ('85 Pats, '86 Celts, '86 Red Sox); New York in the late-'90s ('98-'99-'00 Yanks, '00 Mets, '99 Knicks; '00 Giants); and L.A. in the late-'80s ('88 Dodgers, '87-'88 Lakers, '89 Raiders). There is ample evidence that a city can catch fire like a hot blackjack table. Just remember we had this conversation when they're calling it "The Year of K.C." in seven months.

(Or, feel free to e-mail me this whole section in a few months just to make fun or me. Either one will do.)

Q: Your "Year of K.C." has as much hope as the "Summer of George."
-- Alex R., Holden

SG: (Searching for a comeback.)

The market is so damn fickle!

Why does anyone pay attention to it? It doesn't matter what anyone says that brings it up, it's only going to go down because they aren't hearing what they want every day.

I forget it's Ash Wednesday...

One of the commentators on CNBC has the trademark black smudge on his forehead. Kudos to him for not wiping it off!

My Grout is Losing

So I've decided it's time to clean and seal our grout. Nothing seems to work so far!

• baking soda and water (from Mom) - she used this combo to clean her grout in the foyer. It hasn't worked for me so far.
• industrial cleaner - nada
• vinegar - nada
• baking soda and vinegar - nada

I'm trying glass-top stove cleaner right now.

Another trip to IKEA!

The glasses I bought were broken when I got home (and too small according to Michael), so we went to IKEA yesterday afternoon. I think Michael was impressed somewhat. We got a bottle opener for $2 and that digital thermometer with the wire that runs into the oven for around $7. We ended up getting 6 14-oz. glasses for $7. Good deal, good deal!

Whenever we get our next house, we're definitely getting this:

I LOVE baskets! Michael was also impressed by the build-your-own-table, where you choose the surface and legs. I foresee a trip to Atlanta if and when we move...

I now have 65 "Greetings from" postcards

http://sites.google.com/site/susanvmayer/postcards/Greetings

On the bandwagon (EDIT)

So remember that my boy's name is Carsten Joseph Mayer? Well, I've been told that it was stupid (basically), so I've changed it.

We have either Andrew Joseph "Andy" Mayer or Patrick Joseph Mayer. Good, classic names. Andy sounds like a laidback kind of guy, right?

IKEA!!

IKEA is finally open in Charlotte, and half the city made a pilgrimage this morning! It was like the day after Thanksgiving! Cops were directing traffic off I-85 to City Blvd. and onto Ikea Blvd. There were parking attendants directing traffic. It was nuts, but it only took about 15 minutes to get from I-85 to a parking place.

Once inside, wow! There are lots of neat goodies there and for cheap! I was a bit disappointed in the seating, though. Lots of the couches were covered in slipcovers, which made them look messy. The other upholstered seating just didn't look well-made. The fabric could have been tighter and the leather looks fake (I think it is).

I bought a majestic palm (real - $13), 8-pack of wood hangers ($4), 6-pack of glasses ($4, but one is broken so I have to take them back), fun-colored straws ($2 for 200), wooden plant roller stand ($5), stainless steel mixing bowl (dishwasher safe! - $7), energy-efficient incandescent-replacement bulbs (2 for $6.59), and a juniper blue bathmat ($10). You get 3% of your purchase toward your next visit (like Off Broadway, but a bit lame-o percentage). There were oodles of other things I liked, especially the wood cube and basket storage things (I don't know what they're really called). In my next house, I'll have them.

I definitely another trip to IKEA in our future, especially if all goes well and we have to sell our house.

Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show

Here's the 2008 champion, a beagle named Uno. The 2009 champion is a 10-year-old Sussex spaniel named Stump.

Mr. Rogers was awesome.

That's all that needs to be said. Read this.

On my way home...

..from getting lunch at Chick-fil-A, I noticed a mailman pulling his bag from his van. I could tell he was listening to an IPod. I bet that technology has been revolutionary for mail carriers.

Who's your favorite Muppet and where did they come from?

What a fun article from CNN - http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/wayoflife/02/10/mf.muppet.favorites.stories/index.html?iref=mpstoryview

My favorite is Mr. Wocka-Wocka - FOZZY BEAR!

Poor Fozzie. He's the perpetual target of Statler and Waldorf because of his horrible jokes and puns. It actually created a bit of a problem during the first season of The Muppet Show, because when Fozzie got heckled, he got very upset and sometimes cried. Viewers didn't feel sympathy; they felt embarrassed. The problem was solved by making Fozzie an optimist so that even when he got heckled he was good-natured about it. It's often thought that he was named after Frank Oz, who was his puppeteer, but Frank said it's just a variant of "fuzzy bear." Yet another story says he was named for his builder, Faz Fazakas. Wocka wocka!!

This may be a bit silly...

...but someone is watching out for me. I don't really like to attribute God to things happening, since I'm not too keen on God as the micromanager. Anyways, I interviewed at a firm and liked them a lot, but they decided not to hire at the time. Turns out, they're turning to federal work. I HATED when I worked on federal projects (even if it was just one). Not fun at all. So I wasn't meant to work there. And that's okay now.

Why won't anyone buy this postcard?

I just don't understand it. It's perfectly good. It's from 1946. Surely there's someone from or interested in Harrodsburg, Kentucky, that wants it. It's only $0.99! There are more random places in the world. Buy my postcard! Now!

The "New" Newsweek

According to this New York Times article, Newsweek is about to go through a major overhaul that includes dumping "big story" reporting, moving toward a newsmagazine that editor Jon Meachem describes as, "If we don’t have something original to say, we won’t." They also plan on raising the subscription price from the average of $25 (I pay $20, I believe) to around $50. The big question: Will I renew? Price means a lot right now. The new issues come out in May, so we'll see.

Expanding the Search

Since there are zippy-zero job opportunities here in Charlotte, I've decided to expand my search.

To Birmingham, AL.

We'll see how that goes!

Google Stalkertude

Regardless of whether you can activate it or not, it's still creepy.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29012946/

25 Random Things

Sooo... Since everyone else was jumping off the bridge, I thought I would, too.

1. I asked for my two front teeth for Christmas this year - and got them.
2. I have become hopelessly addicted to The Office.
3. Stargate SG1 isn't that bad; I may even like watching it.
4. I collect ducks - not real ones, though that'd be awesome. I have four scattered in my living room and a whole family of them for Sadie's room.
5. I moved to Charlotte, NC, because the economy here was great - and now I have no job. Boo.
6. I like to do photography but I need a better camera.
7. I have wore Dr. Pepper Lip Smackers for the past 12 years.
8. The only color of nail polish I wear is OPI I'm Not Really A Waitress.
9. I have discovered I'm a city girl at heart.
10. I watch CNBC but don't understand half of it.
11. Parrothead! Jimmy's coming to Charlotte April 21 and I hope I can go!
12. I sell postcards on eBay.
13. I'm about to start doing fiber art. Let's see how it turns out.
14. I have an addiction to tacky Christmas ornaments (Michael thinks they're awful). And Hallmark ornaments. And I buy a Snoopy one every year. They're just so cute.
15. There is a thing in my family where a bunch of us are born with 3's in our year - 1903, 1933, 1953, 1973, 1983, 2003. I hope to add to that in 2013.
16. Jazzercize makes me realize how little rhythm I possess and the only moves I am good at are acquired from waaaaaaay too much time at bars in college (the booty shakes well). And that one year of dance in first grade doesn't help at all.
17. I'm not very good at picking out furniture for myself. I have trouble remembering the couch/chair should be comfy and aesthetically-pleasing, but forget about the comfy. At least I have nice looking furniture. It just sucks to sit on it.
18. I have a bamboo rug on my wood floors because Michael is allergic to our dog's hair. The carpet one just wouldn't do.
19. I only drink one type of wine - Moscato d'Asti - and NO ONE serves it by the glass in restaurants. I am not paying $40 for a bottle when I can go to Total Wine and get it for less than $15. So there.
20. I like to research mine and Michael's genealogy. I have English, German, French, Acadian, and Swiss heritage, with perhaps some American Indian (possibly Choctaw). Michael has Bohemian, Irish, German, Finnish, and Danish heritage. Isn't it amazing how little common heritage we have? Our kids will be such mutts!
21. Our dog is obsessed with her ball. When I take a shower, she follows me into the bathroom with her ball. When I use the bathroom, she follows me into the bathroom with her ball and expects me to throw it. She brings it outside. When I let her in the house in the morning, she goes to look for her ball. When Michael comes home, she goes to look for her ball. Ball! Ball! Ball!
22. I hate cleaning. I should do it more often, but I don't really care. No one ever comes over.
23. I buy books, but end up reading my David Eddings books over. And over. And over. And over.
24. I can't mow the yard because I'm allergic to grass. It makes my eyes swell, and I need those.
25. I'm also allergic to cats. But I have one - she lives at my grandparents. Her name is Margarita and she's around 13 years old.

And one more to grow on...

26. I love rat terriers, but if I were to get another breed of dog it would be a great dane. They're so awesomely clumsy.

Farewell to All That: An Oral History of the Bush White House

Vanity Fair has an EXCELLENT article on Bush's presidency here.

The crap the past administration put our country through for political gain is just plain awful. Awful. Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney should be incarcerated.