Friday Critter Blogging

We have a new Kittlin in the house!!

Not sure what name he's going to end up with. Right now MickeyD's leaning towards "Tiger" but Mr. Stang & I keep calling him "Kittlin", and that's kind of sticking. Miracle of Miracles, he seems to actually LIKE having our little Tasmanian Devil torture him. In fact when he first wakes up in the morning he hears MickeyD's blissful murmerings in his sleep and can't resist the urge to pounce on his playmate and wake him up, ruining any chance of a quiet sleep in.

Cat Basterd.

Cute, but maybe not too bright.

He was born into a household with FOUR boys and a Rottweiler, so isn't phased in the least by our one little tyrant.

Cleo Cat ( soon to arrive at the ripe old age of 15) is more than happy to pass on the role of Crash Test Dummy to a younger, more energetic generation. Besides, the Kittlin still has all of his teeth which makes self-defense easier. It also helps Mr. Stang and I to know that this kitten can somewhat look after himself. He, at least protests loudly when he's being handled too rough. Silent Saint Cleo never would.

But she's still willing to stand in when MickeD wants to test the installation of his carseat. She's probably disappointed here that we are NOT, in fact taking her for a drive. I've never seen a cat who so loved to drive in cars. Since our last move she's had to content herself with occassional shoulder/stroller rides to the neighborhood park.

Heat Wave

Current Temp = 106 deg. F. May break the hottest all time EVER temp recorded of 107. Thanks to the A/C, new energy efficient windows and all of our shade trees... the house is staying a cool 72.

Yakkity Yak! (Don't talk back...)

Just got back from a fantabullous little family reunion in the Twilight capital of the world, Forks, WA. I don't know which was more entertaining, the cougars at the Olympic Game Farm or the "cougars" swagged head to toe in Twilight paraphenelia, stalking the soft spoken, adorable, Jacobean young tribal man working behind the counter of the local produce store. Sad as it was to see so many captive animals begging for handouts from cars like so many freeway offramp panhandlers, I did like the yaks.

We, OTOH were there for a little famliy reunion since my bro, SIL and nephew were in town for the summer. My Mom and stepdad rented a great cabin and were generous enough to let MickeyD and I crash on the couch for 3 of their 7 nights. Only fair since Mr. Stang was missing out on the always entertaining, drunkenly dysfunctional family campfire drama in order to petsit their canine tribe.

We didn't make it down to the beaches at La Push but MickeyD and I hit Ruby Beach on the way back out of town instead for the ritual gathering of rocks and dipping of feet in the Pacific. That's one of the coolest things about Washington beaches - the further north you go, the more rocky and pebbly the beaches are instead of the smooth, vast sand expanses of Oregon and SW. Washington. I could spend hours rockhounding. Came away with a couple nice handfulls of agate.

The fireweed was in full bloom. Weather was gorgeous for the Olympic Peninsula - about 75/80. We saw 8 deer while driving around Lake Crescent - including two little babies. One evening we were blessed with an entire herd of wild Roosevelt elk passing through the meadow behind the cabins, coming up from the Calawah River. I was too slow to get them on camera but did get a little blurry video. Here's one we took of the same kind of elk at the game park.

She Who Watches

In case you were wondering, the new image in my profile is of an ancient petroglyph found throughout the Columbia River Basin. Her name is "Tsagaglalal", or "She Who Watches". From the Columbia River Gorge Interpretive Center:

Tsagaglalal is located on a cliff overlooking the Columbia River at Columbia Hills State Park (formerly known as Horse Thief State Park) in Washington. It is one of the best examples of the aboriginal art in the United States. There are several versions of this legend, but the one told to the Museum by the Wishram people is as follows:

A woman was chief of all who lived this region. That was a long time before Coyote came up the river and changed things, and the people were not yet real people. After a time Coyote, in his travels came to this place and asked the inhabitants if they were living well or ill. They sent him to their chief who lived up in the rocks, where she could look down on the village and know what was going on.

Coyote climbed up to the house on the rocks and asked, "What kind of living do you give these people? Do you treat them well or are you one of those evil women?"

"I am teaching them to live well and build good houses," she said. When she expressed her desire to be able to do this forever, he said, "Soon the world will change and women will no longer be chiefs."

Being the trickster that he was, Coyote changed her into a rock with the command, "You shall stay here and watch over the people and the river forever."

People know that "Tsagaglalal" sees all things for whenever they are looking at her, those large eyes are watching them."

How they grow!

First time the cousins met each other, Nov. 2006. MickeyD not yet 2, on the left, CousinA on the right - almost 1.

This summer - second meeting. MickeyD on the left - 4 yrs old, A on the right, 3.

See What I miss?

Blogger now lets you pre-schedule posts??? Love it! - I can post a ton when the mood strikes and dole 'em out like bread crumbs :)

And yes, expect to see a lot of new posts in the coming days - I need to shove old content off the front page.

Columbia River Gorge Hotel

I know the economy is killing so many landmark businesses, but this was very sad to hear: Bank buys Columbia River Gorge Hotel at foreclosure auction.

I don't know how many times I've driven by this beautiful historic property and wished I'd had enough money to stay a night. If I only had $4 Mill I'd have snapped it up in a heartbeat. Maybe the McMenamin brothers will buy it.

If I were to win the lottery tomorow though, I think I'd buy one of these: Columbia Cliff Villas.

***Update: 8/11/09 - The bank who now owns the hotel has hired a local management company until they can find a suitable buyer. It could re-open as early as September!!

What I've been up to in the last 3 years. The Monkey turned 4 whole years old in March. This was his first bike bought for his 2nd birthday. Last week to celebrate 3 months with no training wheels we bought him a bigger one.

Tap.... Tap.... Tap... Is this thing still on?

Three years..... Wow there is a hiatus for you. That makes 160 or so Fridays since I last posted anything here. Longer still since it was anything of substance. Why? Well, when I found myself going days, then weeks, then months with nothing burning to say I thought it was about time to hang the blog up for awhile. Manufactured outrage is never entertaining. When things would get shitty and depressing (normally a trigger for me to take up the diary again) it seemed waaay to shitty and depressing to inflict on the internets (and too personal). When they'd get better I'd just try to enjoy life offline.

So why now when an amazing election, world and personal events haven't tempted me? The muse of the mommybloggers, Heather B. Armstrong of Dooce just made #26 on Forbes' "Most Influential Women in the Media" list this week. As she was huge inspiration for me to start this blog, I couldn't let the milestone pass without mentioning it. I'm shocked, amazed and thrilled for her beyond measure.

I quit blogging because I felt I was trying to be all things and not doing any of them well: Politics, personal, social commentary. Thank you Dooce for reminding me that my primary purpose with this blog was always just to get my voice heard. If that voice is as scatterbrained, irrational and eclectic as I am so be it. I'm not going to care so much how others may take it so long as I accomplish what I want - a digital "recording" of the myriad thoughts, joys, aggrevations, obsessions and annoyances that go through my brain on any given day.

Available to the masses at the click of a Google.

We'll see how it goes. Will work on updating links etc. as I go along.

This is a test

Friday Baby Blogging

In The Hood
Originally uploaded by MsMustangsally.

Nephew Aidan filling in again for the Monkey.

Thou Shalt Not Lie

So they can't even be trusted to keep one of the 10 commandments, Thou Shalt Not Lie, yet society is supposed to trust them to keep their pants on?

 

Virginity Pledgers often Dishonest About Past: snip:

 

Teenagers who take pledges to remain virgins until marriage are likely to deny having taken the pledge if they later become sexually active. Conversely, those who were sexual active before taking the pledge frequency deny their sexual history, according to new study findings.

 

These findings imply that virginity pledgers often provide unreliable data, making assessment of abstinence-based sex education programs unreliable. In addition, these teens may also underestimate their risk of exposure to sexually transmitted diseases...

 

Previous research shows that survey respondents tend to answer questions about sexual activity according to their current beliefs, particularly if their current attitudes conflict with their past behaviors. Survey respondents may also underreport or overreport their health risk behavior.

 

 

Girls can't change tires

I love Schwabbies... have been a loyal customer for years.  I've always said the minute they go public I'm buying stock.   They'll come change a flat tire or jump a dead battery for free... simply with the understanding that you'll bring the car in to get a repalcement from them.  Their customer service is superb... always very fast, good prices.  Their annual free beef promotion is a nice plus, too. 

Shortly after I began patronizing their establishments, however I noticed (while admiring the taut, muscular thighs and buttocks of the guy squatting down to change my tire...) how they always have such kind, courteous, clean-cut and cute guys working the bays.  Being young and single (and always looking for a summer job) I thought "Hey!  Wouldn't it be great if I could get a job here and meet all these hardworking, adorable, sweet, mechanically-inclined guys?".  Then I noticed.  The only women I ever saw working at Schwabbies were behind the front desk.  They answered the phones (maybe).  Perhaps processed a credit card. Never saw one out in the bay. I thought about writing a letter, speaking to management...but knew it would be pointless.  If there *was* discrimination going on, surely somebody would have filed a complaint by now?  They're a HUGE tire chain, with "over 400 locations throughout the West!"

Over the years, that has never changed. Despite what pictures/disclaimers they have on their website,  The folks working the bays are a) all male; and b) all white.  Maybe Hispanic.  Perhaps the latter is a reflection of the predominantly all-white parts of town where I've lived, but I would not be surprised if that were the case even in more diverse locations.

So, it was no surprise when I saw this article today on our local news website: Les Schwab Tires hit with gender discrimination lawsuit : snip:

"In 1996, I started at the bottom and worked up to sales and management for an independently owned Les Schwab Tire Center. But when Les Schwab corporate took over this store, they demoted me to bookkeeper," Strange said. "When I asked about my prior position, I was told 'No gal in the company would ever make that kind of money. Gals should work in admin.' I stayed for almost two years trying to move back into sales and management, but the company refused to consider me for that kind of job."

The women's charges, which allege Les Schwab failed to hire female applicants into sales and service department jobs, form the basis of the lawsuit.

The sales and service department jobs positions -- which involve mounting, dismounting, repairing and rotating tires -- are held mainly by men and are required for entry into more lucrative management jobs, according to the lawsuit.

The agency said it found that Les Schwab has excluded women from those roles for more than 50 years and only recently promoted one woman to the position of assistant manager. "

It's about time.  Can't wait to see how this case goes.  Maybe it's about time I did write that letter....

Peace for whom?

Congo President calls military rapes "Unforgiveable" after watching CNN report: Rape, Brutality ignored to aid Congo Peace.

 

"Locals say soldiers from one ethnic group are systematically raping and mutilating women from another group, with the intention, they say of destroying their child-bearing capabilities. Kabila was quick to acknowledge that more than 300 former soldiers have been convicted and jailed for sexual crimes, but admitted that is not enough. "We clearly need to do more for our citizens," he said. "But just imagine for a moment a country as large as all of Western Europe with few roads and little infrastructure. It's a difficult terrain to police and Congo doesn't have an effective policing system. But after the election, all this will change. If elected, I will make this one of my first priorities."

 

"Peace"... what a crock of shit. Apparently it's only "Peace" if men in uniforms are not running around brutally attacking *each other*.

 

Monkey See, Monkey Do

The Monkey has become fascinated with any and all utensils, tools, or gadgets that we adults use. The remote, our cell phones, the regular phone... he refuses to be pacified with any dead units or cheap plastic facsimiles thereof even if they play ringtones or announce numbers/letters pressed in an annoyingly chipper voice. And he can tell which one we're actually using at the moment, too.

On the positive side, he's a demon with the broom and lawn rake. And per his father (who was working on the deck one day), "pounds a pretty good nail, too". Oy. So now all I need to do is teach him to push 9-1-1 , recite our address and the phrase "Daddy's fallen and he can't get up".

He brings me my towels after my shower. He brushes his teeth. Tries to brush his hair, and mimics me when I put mousse in mine. He is absolutely obsessed with drinking out of a cup/glass - either direct from the lip or sucking through a straw; and using forks/spoons. It's such a fine line between "yay! you're using a spoon!" and "You already ate your breakfast. Leave mine alone!." But he's so happy pushing around little orts of food while muttering "dis dis dis" to himself....

Sometimes it's scary what he picks up on. I've already had to tell Curt to quit groping me in front of the child... I worry we'll be in a check-out line someday and he'll reach up and tweak Mommy's nipple. Yeah, try explaining *that* to Child Protective Services!

As it is we won't be getting to meet my adorable nephew next month. Something about some super secret security detail blah blah blah.... Fucking terrorists. Maybe in September. IF he doesn't have to respond to any hurricanes. At this rate he won't get to meet HIS nephew until he graduates from college. Instead this month we're focusing on getting Curt's pottery studio up and running. We've got the kilns and wheel hooked up and ready to go. Plenty of elbow room cleared out in the garage/shed. I forced him to go buy clay & supplies yesterday, so now there's really nothing to stop him except a demanding toddler. We've already got a few people very interested in taking classes... this might happen yet!

we eat feet

In honor of Mother's Day I've been drafting a huge Monkey Update, but then can't get any time to sit down and edit it into a coherent single post.  So I'm giving up and will just post snippets as I think of them.

 

Last night, the Monkey ate my toes!!  It's only fair, I devour his toes all the time.  Now that I'm fighting a prolongued case of Athlete's Foot, however I may have to put a stop to our mutual feasting.  Such a shame.

Friday Baby Blogging

AidanMay06
Originally uploaded by MsMustangsally.

The Monkey's cousin Aidan filling in as I haven't downloaded any recent pics of Duncan in awhile. Looks like we may, just MAY finally get to meet the little tyke in person next month! Cross your fingers!

Reply from Metpar Corp - RE: No Standing Room

Dear Ms. Sally,

 

    First and foremost, please be assured "we feel your pain".  In all seriousness, you are not alone in your concerns about bathroom stall sizes and door swings.  Although it is not an "industry standard" to swing stall doors into the stall, it has become common practice.  As a manufacturer, we certainly do not impose any such requirement.  All of our doors for any stall can swing either inward or out.  More often than not, when an architect is involved in 'designing' the overall bathroom, they usually dictate how the doors will swing for easthetic reasons [emph mine].  And since an architect or general contractor may be processing building permits and the Certificate of Occupancy along with the local building department,  it will be their final decision how a room is designed (hopefully in cooperation with the building owner).

 

You bring up some valid issues and some intersting scenarios to consider.  Although we may not be able to alter layouts that are already designed by the architect, we will certainly keep your comments in mind on jobs where we do have some "artistic license" to design it how we feel is best.  Thank you very much for taking the time to write to us.

 

Respectfully,

METPAR CORP

 

So it is the f*ing architects and general contractors that are the problem.  The majority of which use a urinal 90% of the time they ever personally use the facilities.  This, people is why we drastically need more women going into these fields (though apparently getting them to stay in the field is the bigger problem).

Petty, Whiny, Trivial Compaints...

Letter I just sent to some random manufacturer of public bathrooom stalls:

 

I've had a long standing beef with public bathroom stall manufacturers, and you happened to be the first one I found online (hazards of good search engine placement)  WHY, oh why do the doors on the "regular" (non-handicapped) stalls ALWAYS open inwards?  Is this by design or default? Do your customers have the option to install the doors either way or do you specifically instruct them to install them this way? Is this an industry-wide standard or building code issue?

 

I ask because like the majority of Americans, I am a bit on the obese side.   As such, when opening the door after using your facility, there is precious little clearance between the edge of the door and the toilet itself to stand while opening the door.  I basically have to straddle the toilet seat (not pleasant, safe or hygienic) in order to open the door to exit.  If I happen to be wearing a skirt or a long coat/shirt/sweater (and God forbid I have any sashes or drawstrings hanging down) the threat of the bottom of said item getting dunked is considerable.

 

And even if I were not on the obese side, I have a small child who many times must join me in the stall.  Opening the door with BOTH of us standing there is impossible.  Or when I'm out shopping and have many large packages.

 

For any of these reasons, I use the handicapped stall whenever possible instead of the regular stalls.  And feel slightly guilty doing so.  So I am launching a minor grassroots effort to lobby folks like you (or whoever actually decides which side of the door to put the hinges on) to design the doors on ALL stalls to open outwards.  If it's a sutiation where you're afraid someone emerging from the regular stalls will open the door into the path of someone else walking by, I understand.  But people are just as likely to exit into the path of someone from a stall that opens inwards as outwards (I've noticed).  And in most facilities (office buildings, for instance), there simply isn't that high volume of traffic to make this a concern.  In a sports stadium or airport I could understand that... but in those facilities the bathrooms are generally large enough to allow deeper stalls anyway.

 

Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to vent my frustration. If you can clear up this mystery for me I will be eternally grateful, and able to turn my mind to less trivial matters.  Like how to cure poverty & famine around the world.

 

Sincerely, Mustang Sally

 

We're #32!! We're #32!!!

Hey, wouldyalookat that! Eastern European countries are tying with the U.S. in infant mortality rates! They must be really coming along there, eh? Oh, wait...we're #32?? There's only ONE other "industrialized" country WORSE than us? Latvia??? Nevermind...

Snips: "The United States has more neonatologists and neonatal intensive care beds per person than Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom, but its newborn rate is higher than any of those countries," said the annual State of the World's Mothers report."

"The report...found higher newborn death rates among U.S. minorities and disadvantaged groups. For African-Americans, the mortality rate is nearly double that of the United States as a whole, with 9.3 deaths per 1,000 births."

Then buried waaaay down in the article, this: "Tinker said some nations ranked high in part because they offer free health services for pregnant women and babies, while the United States suffers from disparities in access to health care."

You'd think given this kind of information, the self described Pro-life nuts would be all over pushing for universal healthcare. Or at the very least free healthcare for pregnant moms and babies. But no. Can't do that! Why that would just ENCOURAGE those sluts to keep having sex and getting themselves* knocked up to begin with! It would be like giving them a license to be promiscuous. On the tax payer's bill!

*Because you know in Wingnut world reproduction is asexual... only the women are to blame.