Grow UP already!

Little girl voices and WHY does this bug me?


Why do parents allow their girl children to have little "cute" voices (Which really are cute when you're 7 but not when you are anything past 16) ? Most of these kids need a year of speech lessons to learn how to properly speak especially on the phone when you are calling to MARKET either yourself or a company you work for. < !! ending in a preposition.It is so annoying and perhaps it is just because I live in Southern Calif and they are versions of the old "valley girl speak" Grrrrrrrrr

GROW UP!

STOP speaking in a singsong voice that is about 3 octaves above your normal speech and making a statement with a question mark at the end.. Are you asking me or are you informing me?

TEACHER TEACHER MOMMU DADDY ~ John and Susie can't spell nor can they speak.

Ect etc etc no it's ETC!!!

Why do people use the abbreviation "etc." when they can't spell it? Do they stew over the spelling or just think they can spell it and spell it wrong? I hate seeing ect. Grrrr is it asking too much to use an abbreviation correctly spelled? SO ANNOYING!
Etc. Etc Etc Etc. and so on and so on :)

So. Tired. of. Cell Phone Manners or lack thereof

What is the deal? 20 years ago we used answering machines to screen our calls and now no matter WHAT we're expected to keep a cell within reach of our selves and answer all calls immediately? I called a vendor yesterday and clearly he had a ear bud in and I could not hear him, the quality was so poor. Unfortunately when I told him the call was so awful I couldn't understand him he said sighhhhhh hang on and I guess changed to just the cell and it GOT NO BETTER!
Its okay .. you can call me back. If you are under a house under a sink or under a car I GET IT .. call me back. It just rings of desperation and IMHO unprofessional... They get angry b/c we can't hear them. I GET it Bub Clean up your act! Or is it me who needs to get a grip?
I love cell phones I have a cell phone... but isn't there a time and place?

Death of a friendship

A very good friend of mine died unexpectedly the day after Christmas. We thought we had more time. To be totally truthful (Wow that's an oxymoron) We knew she was dying but expected it to be later in the month or in January. We knew that she would not recover this time. She had gone to bed the day after Thanksgiving and I think wished herself death. She had colon cancer and was 89. 89 people say.. she had a good long run. That's so true. But she has been a part of my life since high school more than 40 years ago and she was my buddy. She has been so much a part of the weave of my life..she was the 'go to' person in my life. When I have a cooking question, a sewing question, a life choice question. She was one of the few non judgemental people in my life.
She would always say...well I am not sure... and then start the weave... we would work on the issue step by step. If it was something physical she would say well let me look.. her you do it... but she would always be the one to encourage and teach and applaud every ones successes and gently grieve when it wasn't such a success. She was funny and silly and a good pal and I will miss her always cheerrful smile. Goodbye sweet friend... we had a good run.

a quote I resemble

"I do not want people to be agreeable, as it saves me the trouble of liking them." Quote courtesy of Jane Austen

Thanksgiving Eve and the Grocery Store Parking Lot

So of course there was ONE final trip to the grocery store before the locust... Whoops I mean family arrives. Loving family :)
I always always put the cart either back to the store or to the corral. It's a thing with me one of my little obsessive compulsive things. Is it asking too much that EVERYONE put their cart at least into the conveniently located corrals? Sometimes I will turn and say to the person closest to me just going into the store "would you like my cart?" 9 out of 10 times they will recoil (RECOIL!!!) and say uhmm no thanks. that's crazy you know that they are going to go and get an untried cart with funky wheels and what mine has cooties? That's so strange. hehhe Okay so is asking to much to not put the cart into the handicap space? Is it asking too much to not put the cart into the empty space next to you IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SPACE?
Okay I'm done.

Thanksgiving dinner table jokes

Shamelessly stolen from another blog :(
WHY DID THE CHICKEN CROSS THE ROAD?
SARAH PALIN: Before it got to the other side, I shot the chicken, cleaned and dressed it, and had chicken burgers for lunch.
BARACK OBAMA: The chicken crossed the road because it was time for a change! The chicken wanted change!
JOHN MC CAIN: My friends, that chicken crossed the road because he recognized the need to engage in cooperation and dialogue with all the chickens on the other side of the road.
HILLARY CLINTON: When I was First Lady, I personally helped that little chicken to cross the road. This experience makes me uniquely qualified to ensure right from Day One that every chicken in this country gets the chance it deserves to cross the road. But then, this really isn't about me.
GEORGE W. BUSH: We don't really care why the chicken crossed the road. We just want to know if the chicken is on our side of the road, or not. The chicken is either against us, or for us. There is no middle ground here.
DICK CHENEY: Where's my gun?
COLIN POWELL: Now to the left of the screen, you can clearly see the satellite image of the chicken crossing the road.
BILL CLINTON: I did not cross the road with that chicken. What is your definition of chicken? AL GORE: I invented the chicken.
JOHN KERRY: Although I voted to let the chicken cross the road, I am now against it! It was the wrong road to cross, and I was misled about the chicken's intentions. I am not for it now and will remain against it.
AL SHARPTON: Why are all the chickens white? We need some black chickens.
DR. PHIL: The problem we have here is that this chicken doesn't realize that he must first deal with the problem on this side of the road before it goes after the problem on the other side of the road. What we need to do is help him realize how stupid he's acting by not taking on his current problems before adding new problems.
OPRAH: Well, I understand that the chicken is having problems, which is why he wants to cross this road so bad. So instead of having the chicken learn from his mistakes and take falls, which is a part of life, I'm going to give this chicken a car so that he can just drive across the road and not live his life like the rest of the chickens.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN: We have reason to believe there is a chicken, but we have not yet been allowed access to the other side of the road.
NANCY GRACE: That chicken crossed the road because he's guilty! You can see it in his eyes and the way he walks.
PAT BUCHANAN: To steal the job of a decent, hardworking American.
MARTHA STEWART: No one called me to warn me which way that chicken was going. I had a standing order at the Farmer's Market to sell my eggs when the price dropped to a certain level. No little bird gave me any insider information.
DR SEUSS: Did the chicken cross the road? Did he cross it with a toad? Yes, the chicken crossed the road, but why it crossed I've not been told.
ERNEST HEMINGWAY: To die in the rain, alone.
GRANDPA: In my day we didn't ask why the chicken crossed the road. Somebody told us the chicken crossed the road, and that was good enough.
BARBARA WALTERS: Isn't that interesting? In a few moments, we will be listening to the chicken tell, for the first time, the heart-warming story of how it experienced a serious case of molting, and went on to accomplish its lifelong dream of crossing the road.
ARISTOTLE: It is the nature of chickens to cross the road.
JOHN LENNON: Imagine all the chickens in the world crossing roads together, in peace.
BILL GATES: I have just released eChicken 2008, which will not only cross roads, but will lay eggs, file your important documents, and balance your checkbook. Internet Explorer is an integral part of eChicken 2008. This new platform is much more stable and will never crash or need to be rebooted.
ALBERT EINSTEIN: Did the chicken really cross the road, or did the road move beneath the chicken?
COLONEL SANDERS: Did I miss one?

oh and if you know a 9 year old :) Why do gorillas have such big nostrils? Big Fingers :)
happy Turkey Day!

Poor George

George Bush is being given the short shrift these days. No on wants to shake his hand... no one wants to be seen with him nor hear from him. He is going to be retired and returned to Texas.
Obama says he is going to authorize another stimulus incentive check and this time he states that it will be enough "to make a difference". Uhmmmm a difference? What size check will make a difference in my life? A REAL honest to goodness difference? And where does this money come from? Isn't this going to go right back into my tax bill? Or do they print new money?

14 million more

14 million more American's voted last Tuesday than the last national election. 14 millionm more people. We must now become a nation of Ameican's yup plain ole' ordinary United Americans... but can we?

Language mishaps

Deliberative - "obama is deliberative in his manner" huh? Deliberative?

Obama is President

Oh MY GOSH!
We have a black President!
I pray for wisdom for our leaders and peace during this time of transition and throughout the next 4 years.
We all remember where we were ... "when" during different times of our lives.
I'll remember this day forever!
May God Bless Obama and his team.

Women that Speak Like Little Girls

Is it asking too much for women who are professionals or who work in a professional capacity to speak like an adult? These little tiny little girl voices make me nuts! It's almost like they need speech therapy to teach them how to move their mouths UGH it is so annoying!! Plus I really think it reduces respect for their message... Uhmmm I uhmm kinda need you to uhmmm answer a few questions uhmm okayyyyyyyyy? Instead of I need several questions answered can you help me? It's kinda like valley girl gone worse. As bad as that is it's a whiny sound. These are not 16 year old young ladies it's generally adults although - young adults 20 - 25. Mothers and Fathers please don't let your daughter use this kind of tone at home. Teachers can you beat it out of them... please? It's not in the least sexy (To me) nor is it appealing nor is it "cute". It's annoying and demeaning.

Monday Monday

It was nice having a weekend off with no work.. kinda caught up and getting ready for a busy week. Meetings Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week. No wait that's not right, just Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday HA! Big talk on the radio of someone in West Hollywood who has decorated for Halloween and hung Sarah Pallin in effigy. A bit too crass in my opinion. There could have been other options. Homeowners Associations have similar problems this time of the year. People put out decorations and other owners don't care for them and want them down. Neighbors live next door to neighbors and they each have their own preferences or taste in decorations and each feel they have their "rights" and they do... but one someone has more rights than the other ususally and it creates hard feelings. Sometimes neighbors poke their neighbors in fun or NOT and the battle begins... or continues. "Can't we all just get along?" That's a quote that is a crazy connection to the Rodney King trials in Los Angeles maybe 15 years ago. People are just people. :::Sigh::::: It's Monday and my Assistant called in sick. That sucks BIG TIME! So Is it asking too much to just GET ALONG? :)

Thursday's child is raring to go?

My dress today is ugly. My left foot hurts today I wonder why? It's hot outside and I want to go home and lie in bed and eat ice cream with a pink spoon and read a trashy novel. oh WAIT Survivor is on!!!! Yeahhhhh Things are looking up for the HOA Manager Lady :)

Budgets for HOA's

In California we are heavily regulated with regard to all things ...well many things HOA. While the majority of HOA's are 12-31 year ends; we are in the midst of getting budgets ready for approvals and out to their owners. Every single one of my HOA's is increasing their dues (Monthly Assessments) this year. Caught with more foreclosures than anticipated last year; budgets are cash strapped this year. Some are desperate desperate and Board's are angry.



Slowly we are seeing units being sold and some... maybe 40-50% of the lenders quietly paying the back i.e. past due assessments. I don't know if they are doing this because they knew it was a faulty loan and they are covering themselves from possible problems with the Feds. or are they rolling the delinquent assessments into the sales price (Great idea if they are) but I speculate it's not because they are benevolent.



Last time this happened there were two waves... the 1st group of owners went under... about a year later alot of people who bought those units went under. We are seeing many investors this time. I wonder if the relaxation of credit that I heard about on the news this week will jumpstart 1st time owners? I would like to see 1st time owners pick up some of these great deals. Having communities full of non-owner occupied units is not always the best thing for an Association.

I have a budget meeting tonight with a client who is FULLY funded in their reserves... have 20% of their owners in foreclosure and last year told me to double their bad debt line item. Smart Board :)

Next ..... maybe lol options for Board and their foreclosures. Whoo hoo I found spell check!

Weight Lox and me

OKOKOK SO I have lost 14 pounds and am working on more... I gotta be brave. Ok this is the scoop... Not that ANYONE reads this :)
I am having Gastric Bypass surgery in November Yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
I have been thinking about this for more than 10 years pretty seriously... It's a tool and I like tools.
I am soooo ready for this one and I have pinched my pennies for the part that insurance doesn't cover which will be about 6-8K.
All I am afraid of at this point is the pain of getting my house ready for visitors and pain... ok that's P.A.I.N. ouch.
I am soooo ready for this... I have 4 barium swallows the Dr. told me while I am in the hospital. Frankly after accidentally swallowing Hydrogen Perioxide one night when I thought it was water.... yummy 2 sips or was that two gulps GAG! It's not much worse and it's inert and you know what THAT means ? It poops out white hehehe
Oh there is so much more and I have so much to do before the surgery YIKES!

Monday Blues or is it Full of Grace?

Office is quiet today. This typically means that Tuesday will be a Monday... if you understand that logic. Today then is a day of grace... a day that's a pleasant suprise although the day isn't over yet. DBF says I'm cynical... on here and I'm really not so much IRL.
Okay it's a BOOTIFULL day in Ventura County today.. typical fall day.... it smells like fall in Califnrona... oh but without the smell of wild fires burning.

Is it asking too much?

Do you want to know what REALLY annoys me about Bloggers? Their incessant need to write
"I know I've been away for a while" WHO CARES?

Unless you are pregnant or on a death bed (And you've delivered or been delivered) we just go on to another blog or NOT! We don't really care that life has 'happened' to you or that you've been busy (DUH!). Or that blogging has become a low priority for you... just type an update and be done with it... this ain't reporting on Royalty folks it's just us and there a gajillion blogs... yawn ... okay I'm done :) well for the moment at least hehe.

cranky orney and weary...

Is it asking too much for me NOT to whine one day? Or am I whining? Let me be the judge hehe

Whoo HOOO Date scheduled

Ok I am scheduled for surgery on Novembr 19th or is it the 17th OMGsoh I've already forgotten!!