The BlogLess Conference

Most of the blogs I read daily are friends or friends of friends and sometimes friends of friends of friends. Well the most amazing thing happened last week. One of the blogs I read is BECAUSE I SAID SO. I don't know how I found Dawn but she's got way too many kids for any sane person. Of course it stands to reason that her life is rich with mishaps and such - however, I don't think I'd go that far to have good writing material...she must have wanted kids.



And she appeals to my weird sense of humor. I read her at least once a week. She is way ahead of me in readers, she's written her own book, however, she has the much admired "quality" of self-deprecating humor that I have about myself. My glass is always half full, somebody just happens to knock it over every day, sometimes several times a day. Never me.

So she spoke briefly many days about an upcoming Blogher Conference she was going to in San Francisco. I didn't think much of it until it was over. Dawn had a link to a fellow blogger who also attended. I think that conference is where they all go to learn to make money blogging and have sessions that teach you how to enhance your blog (boy do I need that), presentation, writing, etc. They look like they all had a blast. BUT folks I found the motherlode of blogs that ARE SUPER. You must visit everyone of these at least once. Of course there are many more but I'm slowly going through them all. I feel like I've found a gold mine. The very best blog was DOOCE.

I love her sense of humor. She has a beautiful daughter, two totally needy and insane dogs. Her daily photo, daily Chuck and daily style are worth checking out.

And then there is BOSSY. She has a hilarious video of her and John Cusack on her website. She is indeed bossy, single with a college bound son. I can identify. Bossy is also fond of plastering her site with pictures. I love that. I think pictures always help tell a story.

Next is BABY ON BORED. She has a wonderful blog. She went to the conference and had a migraine, ended up at the hospital looking for serious drugs. A woman after my own heart. She also has a great post with an Open Letter to My Brain sent by her Ass. Good stuff.

I don't think for a minute that that is a picture of her, but that picture is the most vivid picture of happiness I have ever seen and is precious. She's written books and I think she was part of the conference.

Other super blogs I visited were:

The Wind in Your Vagina

Mighty Girl

The Bloggess

The Newborn Identity

Halushki

Try them.

That was the very best Blogless Conference one could have by one's self. I invited myself. And the Blogher Conference? I know what they learned...they learned to publish each others blogs and more. They had tips from a super photographer that I have in my favorites at work but can't think of the name right now. In conclusion, my super Blogless Conference was a success for me. No flights as I'm deadly afraid to fly. Besides, San Francisco is a safe harbor for illegal aliens and I am so weary of pressing 1 for English. I can have my adult beverage in the comfort of my own home. I'm signed up at LSUS for a Graphics Design and Web Master course online in August. Dont' have to bother with a swanky hotel, sightseeing, cable cars, Pacific Ocean, etc...what could be better?

On a lighter note, our weekend consisted of scouring RV (yes, we're back there) Dealerships for the perfect RV. We ventured way South to Carencro, Louisiana (home of LSU's own Kevin Faulk-now a New England Patriot)

and Breaux Bridge, Louisiana. Down South there is an RV Dealership on every corner.

We found the perfect RV at Primeaux but it is going to be a couple of weeks before we can set everything up. I am getting very excited.

It's a Rockwood made by Forest River. Impressed? Me either, but I loved it. Check it out.

Clif came over from LSU after class and tutor and met us to evaluate it. He thinks strictly in terms of will it work at Talladega next year with my frat brothers or the South Carolina Gamecocks football game this fall. NOT! We went to Prejean's to dine on oysters and shrimp and crab...with a little alligator for appetizer. Great Friday!

Ruffinism for the day: Be who your are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind. - Dr. Seuss

Rejection Reflection

How do you get your feelings hurt by your 21 year old son? Other than missing your Lexapro for four days, you listen to him tell you that you almost ruined Christmas last year because you underestimated spring tuition by a couple of thousand dollars. We actually had that conversation last night by telephone. I've raised my sweet child, this beautiful child:

to be, well, to be me. But I got mad this morning when Clif said it again over the phone from Baton Rouge. How mean! And then he hung up on me...where in god's name did he get that attitude? Jim, mr. i'm the adult in the family, said it was hilarious, I've run into my own nemesis. It began easy enough, fall tuition is due at LSU and I went to the website to check out Clif's fee bill. When did the fraternity go up to the price of an old used car? My lord, it's not a hotel...and they're charging hotel prices!

Oh that got him going. "Mom that's the same thing you said last December and you almost ruined Christmas by not saving enough money." This comes straight from the lips that asked for $250 to buy a dog with his girlfriend last weekend. What dog is $500? It better walk on two legs and and speak Tibetan. Ruff! Ruff!


I've always been a very sensitive person. I get my feelings hurt easily. I've tried the "big girl" stiff upper lip thing, but inevitably it takes virtually nothing to reduce me to tears. Jim gets a kick out of watching my face during movies or tender moments on TV. He gets more enjoyment out of my scrunched-up face than the actual movie. Will she? Won't she? Are her eyes welling up? Wait! Wait! There's actual moisture on her face, yes, yes....she's letting it slide down to her mouth...and it's off her ski lift lips to the floor!

When I was about five years old, our neighbors Drew and Dwight (around ten years old) were swinging kids one at a time in a gunny sack hanging from a high tree limb in their back yard. My sister did it...I was so proud of her. They asked me if I wanted a ride. I said yes but when I got in the bag and they closed it, I got claustrophobic and screamed to get out. They dumped me out and told me to get out of their backyard. I remember being mortified. I cried all the way home where I got two nickels I had been saving for the ice cream man and paid those stupid idiots to get back in their yard and take a ride. I'd show them. And what happened? I took the ride and everyone in the backyard took a turn at slapping my butt.

And why did I tell that story? Probably because I haven't been taking my Lexapro...

Ruffinism for the day: "One can't complain. I have my friends. Someone spoke to me only yesterday." -Eeyore

Let's Go RVing

Clif came in briefly this weekend. Now that he has a good tutor helping him with calculus, there is hope in all of our lives. He has to have a C to get in Construction Management and we did not quite make it spring semester so he is giving it a shot in summer session. The tutor we found does not charge minimum wage. He is the calculus coordinator for the LSU Math Department and an instructor for LSU. He kind of looks like Tom Kite, the golfer.

We all piled in my new truck Saturday to look for a fifth wheel rv. We hit quite a few places. The pop-up, we dropped off at Southern RV with electrical problems. Then we went in search of a fifth wheel RV light enough to tow with a half ton pickup truck (no small feat), which included Southern RV and Bayou Outdoor Supercenter in Bossier City, Camper's RV in Shreveport where we found a beautiful Rockwood!!! But it's too heavy. But it is beautiful, so what if we can't stop it going down a hill...

Well after Camper's RV we were geared up to go farther...how about Longview, Texas and Haye's RV? Clif left us at this point because he has no stamina for RV shopping. Spent an hour and a half getting there only to find out they close at 2:00 P.M. on Saturdays. It was 3:30 P.M. when we got there. So, next stop was Nacogdoches, TX, an hour away. I called ahead on On-Star this time only to find out that RV Station in Nacogdoches closed at 4:00 P.M. on Saturday and we were over an hour away. The upshot of everything is Clif and Jim figured out that the Spree RV is what we need...curb weight is 6000 pounds. Oh, they (Jim and Clif) can quote you statistics on tongue weight, dry weight, gross vehicle weight, curb weight, height, storage space...and on and on. I want a place I can go to the bathroom in the middle of the night...with an air conditioner that works and the fact that I, I, I, I, I, I, do not have to go to the bathhouse ever again. I did ten years of tent camping, ten years of pop-up camping, folks, I want a hotel on wheels now...I can cook, but I want a microwave, a sink, a bathtub, a TOILET, and a bed where watching TV is the norm, I can crochet, I can read a book, I can watch movies, I can sit outside and look at a fire while all of us are under an awning. We can go in the boat WHENEVER we want.

I want a little comfort, I'm 53 and I've earned it. I've worked my tail off since I was 16 years old...and oh, baby, I'm so tired. I never signed on for the grind, I wanted the sewing, decorating, raising children, domesticated life. Yet I'm not disappointed...it is what it is...I have great plans for the fall semester in Graphic Design at LSUS and Web Site Management.

And until then, ZEN to all:

Ruffinism for the day: "Those who know don't tell and those who tell don't know." - Zen Proverb

25 days to go...Beijing Olympics

Well, well...after watching the U.S. gymnatics finals last week, I find myself actually looking forward to the Beijing Olympics. Not the ping pong, beach volleyball or synchronized swimming, but the competitive swimmers, divers, gymnastics, field games and marathons. These Chinese people are an interesting culture. Jim's grandfather said in an "end" war, they could beat us all with ax handles. I could not believe there are 1.3 billion Chinese people. If you don't believe me, click on the Chinese Population Clock. With the population of the U.S. being only 304 million, they outnumber us by a good billion. Yeah, ax handles would do it.

I think they just recently completed the National Stadium. It looks like a ball of rubber bands or a bird's nest.

It's pretty interesting. And below is the National Aquatics Center (outside and in).

I would like to travel to China if it weren't for the language barrier. I have enough trouble getting "Jack Gamble's office" out of my mouth in less than 10 seconds when the phone rings. To me, the Chinese talk at the speed of sound. I watched Ted Koppel's Discovery Channel special on China...very interesting. They're also a very short nation. Ted looked like an NBA player next to most of them.

We've had a quiet weekend puttering in the yard and getting some things done around the house. Jim filled his truck (the old Sierra) up to the tune of $83.00 and then we had no money to go anywhere this weekend. But the truck is clean and waxed and full - it looks nice sitting in the driveway, along with the new Sierra.

My favorite newsman, Tony Snow, died this weekend. He was my age. His dry wit was one of the reasons I started watching political shows, especially Fox News Sunday. I got him. My prayers go out to his family.

Ruffinisms for the day: Voting is a right best exercised by people who have taken time to learn about the issues. Tony Snow

We believe. We believe in our destiny as a nation. We believe we have been called to do good, to spread the blessings of liberty and encourage the sense of trust upon which free societies depend. Tony Snow

Finally Friday

Oh, there is such hope every Friday for the possibilities of the weekend. Perhaps winning millions of dollars from Powerball or Lotto, a truly life altering event when I win it. It could happen...or a ride at Lake Sam Rayburn in the boat (nope, boat is in Baton Rouge.) Jim suggested a ride to the Barksdale AFB Air Museum (I'd rather be dragged down a runway by a B-52.) I embrace that field trip about like he embraced my suggestion of going up to Gilliam two weekends ago and walking through the fields of sunflowers:

The Dog Whisperer, Caesar Milan, scores every Friday from 7 to 9 and I love it. And I am the pack leader when he is on. Only problem is, when Norman starts chasing cars, he totally ignores my leadership.

The thought that I could awake Saturday morning and do fantastic feats like washing all of the windows on the outside, cleaning the flowerbeds of weeds, trimming all of the bushes around the house, vacuuming the ceilings, repairing the ceiling fans, cleaning closets, fireplaces, etc. It's a virtual vast expanse of hope and possibilities. Until Sunday comes and you have a finite amount of time to iron clothes, fix dinner, and get ready for Monday's slave trade. And all you have to show for it is a half dozen movies watched on TCM.

Capital One Bank _ucks

We bank at Capital One and I'm ready to out them from their closet. Their computer skills suck. In the past few months, I have been unable to rely on their website to balance my account daily, a skill that is classified "imperative" since I have become addicted to the daily micro-management of checking, savings, Clif's account, etc. (Read previous post about Clif's debit card being denied even though he had plenty of money in his account.) I tried to balance my account from my computer at the office after work this afternoon, and of course it would not allow me to access our accounts (a very common occurance during the day.) I just got on tonight to balance from home, and although I could access all of our accounts, they said "balance unavailable." I'm feeling very...

We're still dealing with Clif's vehicle. We got it fixed (new power steering pump to the tune of $510) and he was on his way back to Baton Rouge, LA, by 11:00 a.m Monday. He swung by Lake Sam Rayburn to pick up the boat and got to the frat house in Baton Rouge by about 9:00 p.m. last night. He had homework due (by computer by midnight) and I don't know how that turned out but he was back on track this morning. Mansfield Auto World is supposed to reimburse us for the power steering pump, but we will see.

The empire is biting us in the backside (Mr. G's and mine) at present, but I have great plans to get caught up when he and Joye take Hanna back to Boston and her new apartment for the fall semester. A lot of this has to do with learning Jim Ruffin's daily diary regimen, the many colored highlighters, the red, blue and black pens, etc. Order must be regained. It is my desire, it is my goal. Jim Ruffin juggles about a thousand balls in the air for the City...I too, can do that if you'll just loan me a hand or two.

On a happier note, my afghan is gorgeous...No, I have not finished but it is big and beautiful. Will try and take a picture for an update.

Ruffinism for the day: Life is like a hot bath. It feels good while you're in it, but the longer you stay in, the more wrinkled you get. Robert Oustin

Fourth of July Weekend from Hell

Oh, come on Susan, it wasn't that bad...YES IT WAS! Here I am talking to myself and I haven't even gotten started yet. But one never remembers the trips that are good unless they're VERY good. The ones you remember are like the tent camping weekend at Lake Catherine, Arkansas in the dead of winter when everyone has gone home BECAUSE IT IS SLEETING and Jim does not want to leave (Clif and I spent the whole time in the bathhouse with the heater). When we finally talked Jim into leaving we no sooner get to Hot Springs and we have a blow out in 3 feet of snow. Clif and I had to stand on the side of the Highway for Jim to change tires. Or there was the time at Lake Ouachita tent camping that so much snow fell that even the Boy Scout troop that was camped near us left. Of course, Mr. Ruffin growled, "what's a little snow going to hurt?" Or how about the first summer we primitive camped at Broken Bow in Oklahoma and we had torrential rains and wind and even a possible tornado. Clif and I spent the night in the Explorer (not an easy feat) while Jim and the dog "toughed" it out in a half collapsed tent. Enough....

Cut to the chase, Susan. I got off early last Thursday and got us packed ready to leave. Jim arrived at 3:30 and we got off about 4:30. We got there at 6:30 and had to get the pop-up out of storage so that took a little extra time. Finally got set up around 9:00, just in time to enjoy the lake in the moonlight and an adult beverage. Looking forward to a relaxing weekend. Got up Friday on the 4th, made "cowboy" coffee as Jim likes to call it only because he drinks it outside. Actually, we used to make it over a fire in a metal pot, but we now have a percolator in the pop-up.

Jim's second cup started it all. He said it was not very hot. Sure enough, pot was off; check manifold, manifold off; check plug, nothing works in plug; check other plugs in pop-up, they're not working. Only thing working in pop-up is air-conditioner. Check electricity source to see if breaker or fuse has blown. Everything fine outside. Take cover off of electrical inside pop-up, only plug getting power is one the ac is plugged into. Plug coffee pot into that plug - coffee being the all important morning thing. You see it coming, don't you? You know how stupid we are. AC goes off, everything dead. No coffee, no AC, no fans, no nothing. Flipped breaker in pop-up. AC back up.....for maybe 15 minutes. Thunk. AC off. It's about 10:00 a.m. now and sun is up in God's sky. Lower all zippered windows in pop-up to devise a plan. 11:00 a.m on the point at Rayburn, sun beating down...temperature rising... A time out here is necessary. We started tent camping in 1992 when Clif was 5 years old. I was 38, Jim was 43. We loved camping, we were relatively young. We hiked, we roughed it, we had some very good times. Fans in the summer, heat thrusters in the winter. Coleman stoves and lanterns. We're not amateurs. Fast forward to 2008, I am 53, Jim is 58 and when we bought the pop-up in 2001, it was like going from the Alamo Plaza Motel to the Waldorf Astoria. However, of the 30 or so elite spots on Rayburn Point in 2008, we are the only pop-up. Everything else is 30 or 40 feet long, brand new and has an engine or at least 3 to 4 pull outs, it's a virtual Beverly Hills of RV vacation trailers, complete with rope lighting, 200 to 300 hp bass boats/runabouts/deep sea fishing boats, and 3/4 or full ton brand new Texas edition trucks...

I am taking an awfully long time to get there, aren't I? Well, things went downhill from there. It got hotter and hotter by the minute. We had small fans in the pop-up working from the 120 plugs outside but I suddenly realized how old people die inside dwellings even though they have fans. We had to make a decision. I did drive Norman over to the primitive area while Jim was at the bathhouse. How sad there were no tents in the primitive area, no young campers starting out at the bottom...but it was an opportunity to let Norman off the leash. It was by far the best part of my weekend. Norm and I walked, he swam, then continually threw himself in the dirt and did the hoochie coochie on his back to his utter delight. I thanked God for the little pleasures in life.


When we got back, Jim and I both decided we were not up for the task of 3 more days in total heat. My idea was to leave everything as it was, put the boat back in the stall at Powell Park and go home and come back the next day to pack up, it's only an hour and 45 minute drive, read actually Jim coming back the next day and packing up without me. Jim won, it took quite a few hours to pack up, put the boat back in the stall and leave. We got out of there by 7:00 p.m. that night. We saw fireworks when we got closer to home. I won the "leaving the pop-up and unloaded truck" battle when we got home. We did not smell good, no shower for 2 days, same clothes.


OK, salvage the weekend. Got everything unloaded, and house cleaned by 1:00 Saturday, only to get a phone call from Clif, who is in the Woodlands, TX visiting his girlfriend, Megan and her family. His debit card was declined when he and Megan were eating lunch...horror of horrors. Got online only to find he had plenty of money in his account. Tried to transfer him some money from me, only to be declined myself. We bank at Capital One. You might think better of that. Was on the phone for over an hour trying to find out the story. When I finally got through after many attempts, they said their computers were down momentarily, ahemmmmm, 3 hours. I can only imagine the Capital One customers who were "screwed" for those 3 or 4 hours. Outrage, I imagine.

And then the final insult this Sunday at about 1:00 p.m. Clif called from the Woodlands. The used truck we bought him a week ago from MANSFIELD AUTO WORLD in Mansfield, LA, BROKE DOWN. The power steering went out. OMG, I was sooo mad I could spit nails. We called the general manager at home to get him involved...I hope he knows how angry I am. It has a 90 day warranty and although the truck is used, you don't expect that they sold you a substandard vehicle, but at this point I'm ready to call MANSFIELD AUTO WORLD less than an automobile dealership and more a fly by night operation. Thank God I did not buy my new Sierra from them....Oh, there will be more to come, stay tuned. We called On-Star and got Clif's truck towed to a GMC dealership in Conroe, TX, but he is stranded (at his girlfriend's parents house) and has Calculus homework due tomorrow and will be missing class, and he has a test on Tuesday.

I love relaxing vacations. Maybe I could have a root canal instead next time...or perhaps a lobotomy.

Ruffinism for weekend: When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on. ~Franklin D. Roosevelt