Category Archives: rant and rave

hats, rant and rave

When did?

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This weekend L and I took her mother out to celebrate her 80th birthday at the steakhouse. One of the topics of discussion that came up was “When did it become acceptable for people to wear hats indoors?” There is nothing that says “lack of respect” like the idiots that wear their hat indoors at restaurants, sporting events, even funerals. It has reached the point that one often has to request that people remove their hats for any event.

As we looked around the restaurant, it seemed that at least half the males were wearing their dirty, sweat stained, baseball hats. (Although this being a rural area, many of the hats had farm and seed company logos rather than a baseball team.) And it struck me that sometime in the last 30 years it has become socially acceptable to for people to wear their hats in all manner of inappropriate places. I have been to funerals where those same people have had to be reminded to remove their hats in the church. Likewise for the national anthem, religious services, oaths of office, etc.

Even when the hat idiots are reminded to remove their hats, the result is often a blank stare of complete incomprehension. Somewhere through the years, the idea that wearing a hat indoors was disrespectful to the others present and to ones self has disappeared from our culture. So when did it go and why?

Friday, rant and rave

Belated Friday Rant and Rave

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Due to the press of real work and getting material ready and packed for the precinct caucuses, I fell behind once more. So here is a belated Friday Rant and Rave for your perusal and edification.

Rant – the weather Thursday. After raining most of the afternoon, around 5pm the mercury began falling and the rain turned to snow. Of course, all the earlier moisture on the ground froze into to sheet ice underneath the new snow. It made the journey to deliver the precinct materials an adventure. Nothing is more awe inspiring that watching the semi beside you passing you while sliding with all wheels locked. It was slicker than snail snot for a while.

Rant – the utter confusion at the central committee meeting as they tried to go over the precinct captain instructions. Why someone doesn’t make the by-laws and rules more uniform so that there could be a simple set of printed instructions I do not know. Oh wait, I take that back – if that happened there would be less room for back door politics.

Rave – the nice clean snow covering all the brown grass. After weeks of dry and relative warmth, it is good to get snow and more normal temperatures.

Rave – three security fixes for programs I often use released on the same day.

Rant – three security fixes for programs I often use released on the same day.

Huh? Moment – Why does Molly like to sit in the snow? She will use her nose and paws to create a snow hill in the yard, then climb up on the hill and sit, surveying her domain. When you call her to come in, she will disdainfully turn her head, give you the doggy eye, and radiate the “Why would I want to leave my throne to go in where it is warm?” vibe. I suspect she is waiting for this friend to come over and join her.

Maybe it is just innate to Border Collies?

rant and rave, yawn

And Away We Go

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The low, the high , and the “eh, who cares” for the day.

Rant – The rising wind and cold. The air pressure has stayed low and my shoulders have been screaming. I just want the high pressure to get here so things will quit hurting.

Rave – The people at HarperCollins who generously selected me to get two Fiona McIntosh novels (Royal Exile and Tyrant’s Blood) in their give away. Special thanks to Katherine Nintzel, the Editor that sent them along to me.

Epitome of Tepidity – Molly snoring away on the floor by my feet. Makes me want to head for the bed as well.

rant and rave, weather

Five Rants and Raves

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Since Angela seems to have dropped off the face of the earth in recent weeks, I’ve decided to temporarily suspend the Friday High Five. We’ll see what the new year brings to determine if it returns.

Today I want to rant and rave a bit instead. To set the mood, let’s begin with a little Stray Cats for visual inspiration

followed by this important admonishment

Rant – The wind and the cold has Molly the dog pacing the floors and being a real needy girl. This is despite the fact that we went out for a five mile walk in the 4 degree wind chill today. It was cold enough that we were the only people out walking. The gusty wind out of the north had both Molly and I walking sideways to keep from exposing our faces when we headed north. (And Molly put her big bushy tail between he legs to keep warm when we faced south. I unfortunately am missing that appendage.)

Rave – There looks to be a good college football game on tonight. I am already beginning to suffer withdrawal as college football heads into the bowl season.

Rant – The weather forecast says it will warm up to highs near freezing for the next few days, but then fall back to a series of days with highs in the mid-teens. I really want this to be one of those years where Christmas is 70 degrees. I don’t think the weather is going to co-operate.

Rant – The bird that kept clunking into the bedroom window this morning, hoping to come in out of the cold. It got Molly all excited and made me get up and shoo the bird on its way and calm Molly down. It sat there in the bush and looked so cold just a few inches from my face in the pre-dawn light. I had to wave my arms and jump up and down to finally get it to depart.

Rave – The stark beauty of the outdoors the last couple of days as Molly and I walked. There is something absolutely wonderful about the stark windswept plains when it is frigid that makes my heart soar. (And getting home to fix a warm bowl of soup – priceless.)