SOCIAL MEDIA LURKING, AND MASKS WE WEAR

I ditched the Dash for the past three months, but here I sit (my dog is snoring beside me on the sofa) and contemplate the world.

##

*Here we go...Sunday brings an end to Daylight Savings Time. Again. I have ranted on this enough. Common sense will never prevail on this issue, and we continue to gain and lose hours while the earth spins in an unconcerned orbit.

Although I prefer Standard Time, I am in favor of simply staying on DST, permanently. But, no-that just makes way too much sense.

##

Boo on US!

Adults can play with masks anytime, right?

Visiting a Halloween costume shop last evening made me long for the simple days when kids roamed the streets in homemade costumes, while parents only had to worry about razor blades in candy.

Now, the kids (witnessed first-hand) costume aisles are semi-empty, while adults push and shove for the best gory get-up.

Yes, I slip into a costume when I feel the urge (not just on Halloween, but that's another blog post), but the youngest in the family is why I decorate. It should be all about the kids. Adults have enough party days in the year...365.

##

Halloween, is not the only time we hide our faces, and thoughts behind masks.

Social Media lurking behind masks.

Lately, random comments have led me to reflect (yes, I do that from time-to-time) on social media antics. The world has become nothing more than one gigantic lurker.

Peeping-Tom Voyeur shall be our name.

Oh, we all do it, right? Plus, this is not a new topic, here or anywhere.

I visit a mega amount of blogs and news-sites, peruse the content and vamoose. I rarely leave comments, so I'm not judging those who snake around Facebook Timelines, yet rarely (if ever) post on their own Timeline.

Personally, I am trending into the...I don't really have an interest in most of these posts (celebrity or 'the regulars'), so my lurking is minimal.

My real point today is...lurk on people, but Social-Media-Boredom is now my name.

Gotta dash...

TUNING OUT WITH MANNERS

From The Right-Side...

The world has gone a bit off-center it seems, and sometimes it is just good to tune it all out and be simple.

A restaurant lady in Maine shouts at a toddler, yet another gunman strolls into a movie theater in Louisiana and fires into innocent people, marginally talented idiot girl singers have spats on Twitter like they are in Junior High.

Enough!

Time to shut it out.

With many things to accomplish today, I decided to quietly shut it all out.

So, my Friday lunch was a simple sandwich on a tray. I sat on the floor with my sweet and trust-worthy dog, looked at the palm trees, and flipped on a cornball movie.

The best part of my lunch?

Appreciating the simple fact that this Cavalier King Charles Spaniel has such amazing manners. There she sits and patiently waits as I waltz around the place. She is inches from food, but remains perfectly in place, not making a sound or move.

All her waiting really paid off, because she was rewarded with tiny Lima beans. She loves them (well, likes).

Indeed, this girl has better manners than some people out there in the world.

Have manners, and keep it simple, people.

Gotta dash...

##

 

 

MASHED! TELEVISION ENSEMBLES SHOULD NEVER CHANGE

From The Right-Side...

Thanks to Netflix, watching shows you have never viewed, or even heard of in some cases, has become quite simple.

But, watching these shows makes me curious.


Cheers to original ensembles!

M*A*S*H, the television show with Alan Alda, and a cast of many, is one I have been watching late at night when my insomnia rears its head into my head.

I am on Season Four, and the show has lost Wayne Rogers and McLean Stevenson.

While their replacements are perfectly fine, it is too bad the change happened.

Ego, money, boredom, lack of good writing, lack of screen time are probably issues actors face and manage throughout their careers. But, a show designed around an ensemble, needs the ensemble to really click.

The Korean War saga clicks well enough, but the tone did change when the curtain came up on the new Colonel (Potter) and the new Doctor (BJ).

So, I have to wonder what kind of show M*A*S*H would have been throughout its run with the original cast.

I adore an ensemble. Some of favorite shows are built around a strong group with individual quirks.

Watching the antics in Korea created a curious state-of-mind, and I wondered about other shows.

Would the 60's Dick Van Dyke (Mary Tyler Moore) show have been the same without; Jerry, Millie, Buddy and Sally?

Trying to imagine the show Frasier without; Daphne, Miles, Martin, Roz and Bulldog is impossible. I mean, even Eddie (yes, I know he was played by a couple of hounds, but just go with me) rounded out this zany group.

Perish the thought of an I Love Lucy show without the original Fred and Ethel!

But, thanks to Netflix, I will continue to dig around old television shows for groovy ensembles!

Gotta dash...

##

FB ADVICE, PALTROW AND MARTIN SHOULD UNCOUPLE ALREADY

From The Right-Side...

Gwyneth Paltrow is constantly blathering on about something.

If it's not vagina steaming, she instructs us on the proper way to yawn!

I have no Paltrow photo, but it would be fun to see her driving this curious truck.

The Today Show spilled more from Paltrow about how difficult it is to co-parent with estranged (is/will that divorce ever be final?) uncoupled musician, Chris Martin (he deserves an Oscar for putting up with this pretentious stream of luke-warm air).

According to the Oscar winner (did she deserve it, really?), even if they are feeling the hate for each other on a particular day...damnit, they are STILL going to brunch with Apple and Moses (those names).

Kids are quite intuitive, and probably know that their parents are sucking it up for their sake. It seems like a recipe for a very uncomfortable setting.

How much fun is brunch with a couple of haters?

Yes, I understand they are trying to make a new family dynamic work for the benefit of their children.

Perhaps they should consider just making a clean break and giving those kids a little credit for being able to handle the real situation.

Their parents are no longer coupled.

But, maybe it is not the kids who want to continue to control every little thing in the universe.

Sometimes you just have to sever things, and move on.

##

Dog on bed with pillow.

Speaking of insufferable control. I am weary reading all  the instructions being constantly dished out on Facebook.

I appreciate information. I ask for advice when I feel so inclined.

But, I wish people would live and let live, for a change.

As a pet owner, it is especially tiresome, this constant barrage of tidbits from experts (everyone is one).

Any animal-loving human tries to do the right thing by their pet, be it turtle or tarantula (going for the dramatic).

Here is a sampling of advice streaming in a steady flow...

*Don't feed animals people food (yeah, we know)
*Feed only raw food
*Don't give treats
*Make your own dog food
*Make your own treats
*Don't use a retractable leash
*Don't use a dog collar
*Don't let dogs off-leash even if you have thousands of acres
*Don't let dogs ride in the front seat of a vehicle
*Don't get dogs professionally groomed
*Don't vaccinate
*Vaccinate
*Don't let pets sleep on the bed
*Let pets sleep on the bed
*Don't let pets on the furniture
*Have more than one dog

Stopping because this list is endless.

I heed good and asked for advice. I also use my own common sense.

I am such a radical.



##

Gotta dash...

BRITNEY SPEARS GARBAGE SELLS

From The Right-Side...

Isn't it grand to know, evidently, that Britney Spears is just like us common-types and scrawls out grocery lists?

Isn't it grand to know she, or someone she knows, likes Dr. Pepper (it is on the list)?

Trash pays, and no recycling involved.

Isn't it the complete opposite of grand to know that several grocery lists were retrieved from her garbage and sold on eBay for $60.00 each?

First of all, who knows if that chicken-scratching on crumpled paper is really her handwriting?

We do not need to know that she buys Red Bull to, maybe, go with her Dr. Pepper.

The worst part of this is how people are calling her out for her selections. There is finger-pointing going on, and I say it is so unfair.

Plus, it makes we wonder about my own grocery list. Say I accidently drop it in the Publix parking lot, someone grabs it with glee, and reads it with abandon.

Would I be judged for my lack of sophisticated culinary delights?

Pretty sure I would fall into the same category as Brit. Not that I purchase any of the items on her list, I don't. But, people can really cast a side-eye when you purchase ten cans of chicken noodle soup all at one time.

Seriously, Brit needs to be left alone to enjoy her vanilla ice cream. Maybe she is going to make Red Bull or Dr. Pepper ice cream floats. Maybe both.

No matter, stealing her trash is just so Toxic (see what I did there?).

##

MAGIC CARPET RIDING OVER WOODEN FLOORS

From The Right-Side...

Everything is cyclical.

Almost.

I don't think the Beta-Max will be zipping back into society anytime soon, but almost everything does go into and out of style.

Take carpet.

Time to hide the flooring?

All those semi-antique houses with glorious wooden floors hidden for years under plush carpet and padding are no longer a giant mystery to me.

I finally get this concept.

Anyone stepping into any random Home Depot over the past, what almost twenty years, knows carpet is...O-U-T!

Okay, some still have carpet in the bedroom.

Okay, some still have wall-to-wall carpet, even in bathrooms.

You know the ones I'm talking about. They don't succumb to trends. They don't even know trends are going on, for the most part.

These types are completely secure in their decorating choices. They slap it all together one day, and there it remains...forever!

I know this because I have seen it first hand (no names or affiliations to protect myself).

But, here's the deal, I have suddenly come to the realization that these non-decorators have it right. Just stick with out-of-style crap because it will return to favor on HGTV.

But, what about this wooden (real or faux) floor phenomenon?

Wooden floors really are lovely. Lovely to look at, decorate around and a lovely pain to keep looking great. It can be done. I try to do it every single day. Bona (it's a floor product if you need clarification) is my friend.

As I clean these floors, I think of my mother and all the women who lived in those semi-antique houses when they were spanking new. They cared for those floors, I suspect, until they had no more wax or care to give.

I never heard my own mother say it, but I can imagine their mantra became..."Install that glorious roll of carpet, immediately."

So, like granite countertops, are wooden floors dead, or trending downward?

Is livingroom carpet cyclical?

Will fluffy carpet magically rise and be trendy once again?

We shall simply have to wait and watch.

For the moment, I will be busy with my Bona wet pads!

Gotta dash...

##

BRAD, ANGIE AND JANUARY COULD SMILE

From The Right-Side...

BIG NEWS...Brad and Angie took part (Pax and Shiloh) of their kiddie-troop to some Subway in California.

Sandwiches should make one smile.

Evidently, they ordered three adult subs and five kiddie ones. That either means one of the kids has a hearty appetite, or Brad or Angie planned to scarf down two, and one kid goes hungry. I'm betting on Brad. Angie could use to eat a couple of subs.

The Jolie-Pitt crew looked kind of miserable in front of that Subway. What do they have to be miserable about?

You get take-out grub, grubby creeps shout your names, snap photos, you pile in a nice car, and go home to your millions.

Get happy!

##

Taking the stale cupCAKE in the misery-looking arena is, January Jones. Again.

It is being said that she was hanging out in the area of the recent Comic-Con event; smoking her e-cigs, looking vapid and miserable.

January Jones has that reputation...unpleasant.

I don't know, could be rumor after rumor.

Again, why, if true?

Can't she just be a tiny bit classy, and be grateful she was a part (albeit a boring one) of that Jon Hamm spectacle, Mad Men.

Celebs are so mercurial.

Perhaps she is a born brooder.

Still, the world is in chaos, and if you are one of the few actors working in Hollywood, I can not imagine why one would not find it within to just...smile!

You people are rich and famous, show some appreciation.

TMZ, DListed, Lainey Gossip and every other gossip site is never going to give you a privacy break. That's the way it crumbles, cookie-wise!

Gotta dash...

##

UNFRIEND, CHOSEN LAST, LET US DANCE

From The Right-Side...

There is so much scamming going on all over the 'net, I never know what is real and what is as fake as Hollywood. I tend to be a skeptic.

Yesterday, making the rounds, was a $100.00 coupon from the grocery chain, Publix.

It was splashed and shared all over Facebook.



No, I don't know them!

Spend $120.00 and get a $100.00 refund.

SCAM!

But, before it went crashing into the recycle bin, it went like wildfire.

Which brings me to that so-called Unfriending App. You know the one telling you who has unfriended your little self on Facebook?

Supposedly, the Facebook police have shut that little party DOWN.

Was it ever a real app, or was it just another fake?

Personally, I don't care either way. I just wish Facebook would stop hounding me with the constant flow of names of people...I MAY know because we have one mutual friend.

More importantly, I do NOT care to know who Unfriends me, and my MAJORLY IMPORTANT status updates, posted with wild (not really) abandon.

Why would anyone care about my mundane stuff (HINT: they do not)?

The way I figure it, WAY more than half of my FB connections, have un-followed (way different than blocking or unfriending) my shenanigans.

I don't need an app to tell me I am not popular.

Listen, as someone who was ALWAYS chosen last for any athletic-type team in school, this is small-potatoes! Trust me.

No pity. I was never picked last in dance class!

Those volleyball (insert ALL the sports) chicks, had a hard time working that barre (the ballet kind).

Dance never unfriended me!

##

RUMORS AND FAREWELL OMAR SHARIF

From The Right-Side...

So much stuff that just makes me go...oh, dear.

TLS and I lift a glass to Omar Sharif.

##

Sad to hear about the passing of the legendary, Omar Sharif.

He was so gorgeous and heartbreaking in, Doctor Zhivago.

He was so urbane in, Funny Girl.

Farewell...

##

Rumors are flying that Reese Witherspoon and Sofia Vergara loathe each other because their movie, whatever it was called, tanked.

All the gossip points to a blame game going on. Could it be that people are simply over these two?

They have the same agent (Reese's hubs), so that sounds like escalated drama, for sure!

My real interest in this is zero. They have enough money, they should move on.

##

Out along Highway 101, you know the PCH, accusations are flying in the general direction of Magnum P.I.

Seems Tom S. needed water for some avocados (or something) so someone (this part is vague) snatched water from a hydrant, illegally.

Who knows, just more rumors or fact?

This is some real P. I. stuff going down. Time will tell.

##

So, let's just lift a glass to honor Mr. Sharif, and hope all those Hollywood-type rumors will resolve themselves, one way or the other.

Gotta dash...

##

SUCCESS AT HOME GOODS, TEXTING FAIL AT STARBUCKS

From The Right-Side...

Wicked is as wicked does, right?

Random is...random.

This Wednesday I am posting random or wicked. I am still on the fence about it, but here goes.

##

You know why I love Home Goods? Because occasionally the crowd is the perfect mix of cool people (excluding me, of course), interacting. Actually speaking to each other...not texting, or cheeks buried into a cell phone.


My model girl. Sitting on Home Goods-Goods!

Yesterday was one of those days.

A few people gathered in the furniture area, discussing likes, dislikes and approving choices.

The piece I selected got rave reviews all over the store. I reciprocated by approval stamping the choices of others.

RANDOM social success!

##

Girls day out yesterday found us at a Starbucks (they have more than one) at a place in Palm Beach Gardens called, The Gardens Mall (super original).

Starbucks customers lack social skills.
 

Anyway, leaving the joint a guy behind me sort of touched my back with a cardboard tray of drinks he was balancing. I turned and made a half-assed apology for not seeing him behind me (yeah, I really did, but I had a method to my madness).

He gave me a very HARSH glare and muttered something unintelligible under his breath.

I turned back and said, that I really had NOT seen him (um, because he was BEHIND ME). Silly me, I thought he would acknowledge that he had touched my back, but nope.

We were moving slowly as we were corralling a toddler, so I get that he was in a hurry to get back to his high-stress job at H&M.

Instead of crowding his way out of the store, he could have used his voice to alert me he was behind me, said excuse me, coughed loudly...you know, been a human being. I would have moved.

The super suave (not really) guy could have said he was sorry for nudging me along with the back-touch, could have smiled, but nope.

He looked miserable (he needed that coffee, tea or whatever) and probably has no idea how to speak in a social setting. Sadly, he didn't know my number, so he could not text me, so he was at a complete loss at verbal, person-to-person communication.

He seemed a bit old to be an intern, but whatever his ranking on the mall-food-chain...getting drinks for colleagues is really NOT that serious.  

With that scowling face of his, I was just glad we didn't drop into that H&M (or some equally snazzy joint) and have to deal with him as his customer.

WICKED...right there in the mall!

##

Well, there you have it...wicked AND random!!

Gotta dash...

BEING SHADED, NO TREES REQUIRED

The Right-Side...

There is so much shade being throw around on the internet, around the dining table, at the check-out of every store, and everywhere else.

Shade?

Being shaded is NOT about trees! Even our mutt knows.

Not the kind that cools you down. No, this kind can really heat you up.

You know, judging people, places, things and making comments (mostly rude) about all of it.

The recent cover of Rolling Stone has brought the house-of-shade down on the vapid human striking a pose with her smushed boobs (they are being squeezed to the max on that cover, but rumor says she is so full of plastic, one wonders if there is feeling in her nips?).

See, shade. Yeah, so easy to do.

Reality STARS like KKWest ask for it by their actions. They want to be shaded, as it were.

Here is what I wonder.

When people throw shade all over regular types like The Left-Side and I, do they know WE know they are doing it?

Yeah, it happens to us regulars with regularity.

People insult about age, weight, the state of residence (Florida tops the list of shade-tossing) and almost anything else.

On a semi-regular basis TLS gets comments on his grocery store selections. Once another customer asked him why he was buying so much soup (it was on sale). A lady even commented on his vegetable choices and made her own recommendations.

I don't get that at the grocery store, just everywhere else.

Shade to the face is alive and thriving!

Once, in Las Vegas, TLS and I were shaded BIG time.

Standing in line to get into a, very average and nothing special, club, we looked around and our, much younger, companion had abandoned us. Across the lobby of the hotel, said companion could be seen. Hm.

Wordless SHADE, but shade nonetheless.

Oh, we got it. Who would want to be seen with us amongst the beautiful (uh-huh) types in line at a Vegas almost-dive.

We abandoned the line, and went on to lurk in darker establishments. Fun ensued with younger companion. Who cared? It is what it is. Period.

So, for me...yeah, I usually know when I am being shaded by words, looks, and rolling eyes.

I try to keep this in mind when I am shading others. I try to make sure TLS can take 'em.

Gotta dash...

##

BEN AND JEN DIVORCE IS NOT OUR BIZ

From The Right-Side...

In the least surprising news of the year, Ben (Affleck) and Jen (Garner) are splitting.

This highly expected announcement caused the Peanut Gallery to open the floodgates for Ben-Bashing.

Ben at his best in this film. JMO!

It is being said that Mini-Van-Moms are outraged and are praising Jennifer Garner for her amazing Mommy skills, and trashing Ben as the worst sort of cad.

The thing is, we don't know what their personal life is all about.

We do not need to know what their personal life is all about.

Do we enjoy Jennifer Garner as an actress?

If so, terrific.


Jennifer Garner dimples it up!

Do we enjoy Ben Affleck as an actor?

If so, terrific.

That should pretty much be the end of it, as far as the common folk are concerned.

To me, it seems sort of a perfect arrangement, this movie-star/movie-goer business.

The ticket seller at the local cinema does not ask me personal questions prior to purchasing a movie ticket. My business is not his/her business.

We, as a movie-going public ,need to know zip about the personal lives of the stars (using that term loosely for some) we pay cold cash to watch in a darkened theater or wrapped in a comfy robe on the sofa.

There is no harm (guilt) in reading the gossip about these Hollywood types. It is what they signed up for, and publicity is what they get. They don't get to pick and choose what is written. Well, they do to some extent (Publicist types don't get paid for twiddling their thumbs, now do they?).

But, it does take two to tango, two-sides to every story...well, you get it.

If I were guessing (and I am), I would imagine that Ben AND Jen contributed to the demise of their celebrity marriage. They looked cute enough together (also, pretty miserable), but perfect couple? Nope. That does not exist.

My opinion (worth less than two-cents)...if a marriage is not working...end it.

Children being raised by miserable parents, is not the best scenario. Ever.

Gotta dash...

##

TEXAS AND OHIO WERE, BUT FLORIDA IS

From The Right-Side...

One January, over ten years ago, The Left-Side and I pulled out of urban life in downtown, Dallas, Texas, and pounced upon the hamlet called, Columbus, Ohio. It is sort of like Fort Worth, Texas, with more frigid temps.

Juno Beach on a random Tuesday.

For almost three years we did things like...reside in a place in downtown called Arena Crossing, purchase a historic house (built in 1905), found great food and drink and attempted to acclimate to the weather. We traveled, A LOT, in and out of the country.

The move was job related for TLS. It was an adventure.

Having left my job in Corporate America for the move, I found (made) new adventures...my art gallery for one.

We found (made) new adventures together.

Ohio, (and those adventures) is not what I want to harp on today.

We are fast approaching our 8th anniversary as residents of Florida. First, Tampa on the Gulf side, but mostly on the Atlantic side of South Florida. Again, career stuff for TLS.

Yes, it can be insane. Is insane.

People wonder if we miss Texas (they never ask that about Ohio), where we spent most of our lives.

Of course, we miss people. Very much.

The state?

No even one tiny bit. With every article I read, every politician I hear, I have no longing for the Lone Star State.

People have stopped asking about us moving back.

Each and every day I ignore the crazy that is Florida (traffic, tourists, seasonal types, politicians and zealots) and focus on the gift of the beauty surrounding us.

The flora is exquisite, and it stays that way 12-months of the year.

The setting sun is a glorious burst of gold, over palm trees.

The Atlantic of South Florida brings a serenity to the soul, and with each beach visit I whisper a wish into a shell I lift from the sand, and toss it as far as I can into the azure waves.

We are teaching Cate to do this, as she is a Florida born beach-baby-girl.

The fierce or serene waves swirling on the sand brings a calming to the soul.

So, cheers to So-Flo, we join in the crazy with relish!

Gotta dash...

##

KIMPTON VERO BEACH KEEPS IT FRIENDLY

From The Right-Side...

Even pets need a get-away, am I right?

Who cares if the pets people need a change of scene, it gets old hanging around the same old digs, day after day, snacking on the same boring treats. Lounging around on the furniture, zipping (dragging) out for a pp on the same old grassy knoll, chasing a random bird, barking at animals on the television screen can only entertain a pup to a point.

Occasionally, a dog must have time to strut their stuff, and inhale the good sniffs in strange lands.

Now, strange lands don't have to be thousands of miles away. Nope, some times an hour away from the dog house will do it.

For us, that was Vero Beach last weekend.  An hour away in time, but MILES away in spirit.

Now, as any pet owner realizes, the problem with pet travels..pet -friendly hotels are NOT that easy to stumble upon. They are not even that easy to find with extensive internet searches.

The Left Side leads the way while our Cavi struts her stuff at Kimpton.

When you do find one, they are...how do I say this...sometimes not so, um, people-friendly. I think you know what I mean.

Enter the fabulous world of the dog-friendly Kimpton Hotels.

With 65 boutique hotels scattered around 30 cities in the U.S., they know how to treat pets and people, royally.

Cocktails done right by Vero Beach Hotel.

Not only can you take your dog along (they even provide pet bags for curbing) for a little R&R, but Kimpton, Vero Beach has a beautiful location, lovely rooms, top-notch staffing, food and drink.

It's all good!

Mostly, I am showing you in these photos, but TLS, our Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and I frolicked (no dogs on the beach, but that is okay with us) with abandon in the beauty and attention to detail at the Kimpton ,Vero Beach Hotel and Spa,

Oh, they also have an awards program...my favorite thing. One of them.

Woof!

Pet-Friendly Kimpton is simply GRAND!

Gotta dash...

##

TOTAL WINE NEEDS TRAINING CAMP, DSW IS CHAMP

From The Right-Side...

Every hole-in-the-wall joint is now asking for your email address. Like an idiot, I usually spill it. I mean, as I am reciting one of my many email addresses (I use them for different things), my brain is giddy with the possibility of getting bonus points and discounts.

Email marketing by Total Wine is not working.

Honestly, I do not mind giving out ALL my personal information in anticipation of free stuff, at every lame retail establishment in South Florida.

Okay, I draw the line at giving my preference for Yahoo or Gmail, but other than that, I spill it.

We all know, they want to hit us with marketing emails, special offers and generally tracking our purchasing habits. Yes, I buy way too many York patties, okay?

The best alcohol distributor in town, Total Wine, tries to market their wares via email, but they need major marketing lessons from that little old shoe seller among us.

Beyond question, DSW is the all-time master in tracking our purchases (I prefer not to call it what TLS does, addiction). BUT, to their credit, as they spy on us with abandon, the shoe people reward us with excellent monetary certificates.

I can not (will not) even begin to tell you how many times (because TLS reads this) I have pranced (you do that when you get free stuff) out of those stores with BONUS feet attire.

You can't kid a kidder (you can, but not about this). I fully realize that I pay for all that  'free' faux-leather by purchasing WAY too many shoes. Plus, it's like a drug...or the Mob. You try to get away, but they keep pulling you back in with the intoxicating allure of  monetary certificates, and those sales racks.

DSW knows my brands and has had me in their clutches for YEARS. There is no escape, as they even have shoes-via-mail.

Total Wine, listen up.

Your tracking tactics are sorely lacking. The marketing emails I receive from your marketing/advertising types are quite perplexing, and meaningless.

We purchase certain brands, consistently, yet the coupons NEVER reflect anything remotely related to our taste.

The emails hit the inbox and I hit delete. Waste of their time and mine. Ramp it up!

But, the biggest waste of marketing tactics is done by Tuesday Morning. They get your information, you get their little customer card. That's it. It means nothing, not even discount coupons. Well, you do get email messages promoting their sales. We already know they have sales. Even their sales staff can not defend the utter lack of meaning.

I will continue to give my email address, I will continue to seek good deals. It's the least I can do for TLS.

Gotta dash...

##


From the Left-Side:

YOU GO, GIRL!

 

TYRA BANKS BARES HER FACE, I COVER MINE WITH EVERY PRODUCT I OWN

From The Right-Side...

So Tyra Banks (and every other STAR) posted a frank and honest, make-up free photo.

SANS FARDS FOREVER! Whatever.

Not very original as everyone is posting their pure souls for the world to enjoy.

For the love of Max Factor, we are nothing if not a bunch of sheep.

Wear make-up.

I am fickle when it comes to my cosmetics!

Don't wear make-up.

Big deal.

I wear make-up and I don't care what anyone thinks (except TLS because he has to stare back at me with regularity). He approves of make-up, let me tell you. He sees me plenty with a 'pure' face. Uh-huh!

Once upon a time, I was told (gossip around the Evian water cooler) one of my colleagues complained about me because I came to work everyday 'all dolled up' with make-up and professional attire. Apparently, it was quite annoying.

I was flattered that she did not have more important things to complain about...such as...the lack of two-ply toilet tissue in the LADIES.

Looking in my make-up drawer/s this morning, I realized that not only do I enjoy my make-up wearing ways, I am a fickle make-up wearer.

Yeah, I have every brand of mascara, eye shadow, foundation, powder, blush...well, you get the idea. I have zero loyalty, except to the idea that make-up is my friend.

To those who shun make-up...I say, knock yourself out. It really is not that important in the scope of the universe.

But I also say, here's to Sephora, Neiman Marcus and all the fabulous products out there

Oh, let's lift a mascara brush to the fabulous Max Factor, who sort of started it all.


Gotta dash...

##

WHY I SHUN CAMPING

Left-Side here. I am a little late to the party but I had to give my two cents on the Right-Side's camping post. Why do I shun camping? Two words: Jason Voohrees. You do remember Crystal Lake, right?

FRAGRANCE FREE WORLD, IS NOT FOR ME

From The Right-Side...

Ugh, I spy another trend.

A FRAGRANCE free world is trying to happen.

Fragrance is everywhere.

Many are wildly applauding as signs are being posted in a slew (interpret that as you will) of establishments proclaiming an "FF" Zone.

Okay.

How, exactly, does this work?

Oh, I understand the premise...people are nasally offended, allergic or just busy deeply inhaling their surroundings. So, those who have no odors on their bodies want the world to tone down the lotions, perfumes, colognes and after-shaves. Understood. Less is more.

The perplexing thing is how do controlling people control the scents of others, and where does it end?

Who, exactly, gets to define fragrance?

I mean the world is filled with odors. Step outside, inhale.

Yeah, fragrances of all sorts, and many are a great deal more offensive than the sort sprayed from a designer bottle, or scrunched into our hair.

Say someone walks several blocks to a Fragrance-Free lunch spot. It is 90 degrees, with 80 percent humidity. Think they are fragrance free when they step through the door? Are they welcome to have a seat and a bite of lunch?

Ever been in a confined space with those who shun potions (scented or non-scented) such as deodorant? Makes me want to assault them with a large bottle of Febreeze.

Personally, my nose hurts, and my eyes water when I walk through a heavy veil of cigarette smoke as people gather on a sidewalk, just outside the door of Smoke-Free haunts. I hold my breath and keep walking. I don't approve, but I can not control their actions.

Fragrance is perpetual. Cars emit fumes, trees, onions and garlic simmering in a favorite restaurant, flowers, the ocean, the air...are all about scent. People emit scents, with or without the aid of anything artificial.

Sorry, I don't think it is possible to have a fragrance-free zone. Smells evoke powerful memories and emotions in the heart and mind. How sad if we could not experience those feelings.

The world smells.

Deal with it, but go ahead and keep trying to control every damned thing. The thought of dwelling in a world devoid of  a variety of smells makes me laugh a little. How very boring.

Gotta dash...

##

CHIC CAMPING IN THE SOLSTICE

From The Right-Side...

Leave it to a snazzy magazine to try and make something mundane seem super snazzy.

Food and Wine just posted bullet-points of information about Summer Solstice lurking, and it is time to pack up your troubles and potted meat (I added that) and go...camping.

Camping.

Yes, I have been camping. Please note the usage of PAST tense.

If swatting random bugs and sleeping in fabric among nature is your thing, I am giving you a slow clap. Enjoy.

Wining, dining and returning to a lovely room where 24-Hour Room Service is at my fingertips is my definition of camping. I mean eating a limp cheese pizza at two o'clock in the morning IS roughing it!

Being the curious type, I gave a quick glance to camping suggestions Food and Wine coughed up, and they were not earth shattering. Mostly tips on making it easier to lug alcohol on the trail. Not one word about the holy-grail of camping. You know what I'm talking about.

Sorry, but making beer from concentrate (see Pat's Backcountry Beverages for details on this sort of mess), is not my idea of making camping more enticing.

Yes, the hip magazine failed us. There was not ONE word about making S'mores more elegant by using colored marshmallows and imported chocolate.

Beer without S'mores?

Camping is sill OUT for me!

Gotta dash...

##

MASHER AND GRATER HEADS ARE EPIC FAILS

From The Right-Side...

Shenanigans in our kitchen can be more fun than watching The Food Network (MUCH more fun).

Picture this...two people sipping wine while boiling tofu.

Super exciting.

Tofu?

Yes, while some gourmet types boil meat (they never do), I opt for more exotic things, and just saying the word-Tofu-makes me HUNGRY!

Plus I shun red meat, pretty much.

I prefer headless gadgets. I

Here's the real deal though...I have an addiction (one of many-said TLS) to kitchen Doo-Dads (I like to keep it technical).

 I have been known to lug home all sorts of unnecessary (agreed-said TLS) gadgets. They do serve a purpose, of course. Yep, taking up cabinet, counter and space in the trash.

A recent stroll through the housewares at Tuesday Morning (they seriously need a new Assistant Manager) found me gaping at a potato masher and cheese grater...with heads! Tacky heads, no less.

Right then and there it had finally happened. Kitchen gadgets that were so absurd, even I had to cast a side-eye, keep walking and asking myself questions.

Why do this to an innocent cheese grater?

What did lovely potatoes ever do to the world to have some idiot create such a masher?

It's cooking, not creating a stylish Mr. Potato Head, for the love of tater-tots!

Utensils do NOT need heads. Ever.

If I didn't know better, I would suspect TLS had a hand in this. A plot, to cure me of my gadget addiction.

FAIL.

I came home with a new cookie sheet! It's bronze-ish, and totally made up for the horror of the heads!

Gotta dash...

NOTE: The comments credited to TLS (The Left-Side) were totally written by TRS (me)!

##

WINE AND DONUTS IN A PERFECT STORM

From The Right-Side...

So, the other day was National Donut Day, and a tiny yawn erupted from my sleep-deprived face.

I shun DAYS, and getting into long queues with random cheap people. I prefer to be cheap, solo.

But, then I hear, via Business Insider, that Dunkin' Donuts is testing home delivery of their food products. Stifling my yawn, I felt a tingle of interest.

Can home delivery donuts be far behind?

Getting their coffee home-delivered is nothing new for The Dunk (I like to pretend familiarity). Well, ;you have to add the water, but you get the picture. If you don't, I provided it for you.

But, back to donuts, right at the door. Now, that is something I can endorse.

I get that some donut-snobs (I am not judging their taste, just an observation) think the D-Donuts are not really donuts. Not me. Sugary dough, served up in a clump, washed down with coffee? Sounds about good enough.

According to the story, the testing is in the very early stages, don't expect it soon; blah, blah, blah. However, a perfect-storm-meal is already forming in my head.

Friday Night Menu-Home Delivered:

*Chinese Food (assortment of Dumplings, Sesame Chicken and Rice, etc., etc.).

*Pizza (for later, because we will get hungry again).

*Dunkin' Donuts (they better have evening delivery), one dozen (more?) assortment.

Perfection!

Wait, to complete the savory and sweet party, we need to have a conversation with Total Wine. I want to see some delivery guy, sashay up to the door with chilled (this will vary each Friday).

I mean coffee is great, but isn't always the answer.

Now, THAT is perfection.

Gotta dash...

##

PCU: RAISE THE ROOF!

Left-Side here. Today is Monday and you know what that means? (With a shout-out to the original Mickey Mouse Club, which was really about Tuesday, but I stretched it a little, OK?).

It means, here's your PCU (Publix Construction Update). Check it out: The walls are finished and now it's roof-time. And that's coming along nicely as well:

At this rate, we'll be shopping in no time flat.

Oh, and about that Tuesday Mickey Mouse thing: