Trivia

What children's television show had the theme song, "Every Time I Turn Around?"

This one even has a few hints!

The song starts, "Maybe the world is blind."

The star of the show was Soleil Moon Frye.

Trivia Answer

The last trivia question asked was, "What was the very first song played by MTV and can you name the artist?"


The answer to this question is "Television Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles.

Hotels

Hotels can be nice at times, but it does get tiring staying in them if you are not in them for a vacation.  Of course, the one (Crossland in Sulphur, LA) before the Studio 6 in Sulphur was horrible.

However, the part that was supposed to be in yesterday to fix our air conditioner was still not in today when I called the air conditioner repair company.  I'm not angry with the repair company.  I am angry with  Maratherm as this is taking too long.  We would stay at home if  it weren't too bad to stay there, but it is too hot in the house to stay there.

Yes, when I manage to save up some money for things other than general expenses and we have the rooms switched, I'd want to get some window air conditioners as long as a power source is near them and some of the tower fans, too.

Of course, our house needs to be clean for that.  I'm thinking about when it is cooler, if I have money for general expenses, that I am going to have a "lazy relative sale" like I saw a person online having an "ex husband sale."

Maybe that will get their butts in gear and if they don't get in gear, I get the money for general expenses, bills, or whatever.  Those two really don't understand what it is to HAVE to work to get money.  SSI comes no matter how active or how lazy they are.

I am the one doing the budgeting and I have to keep telling them that they can't tell me what they can and can't get now.  That's MY job.  We're not going to go out to eat all the time like they always want when we're at home (and I get sick of doing).

Thankfully, at this hotel, Briana has actually wanted to cook!  I'd cook, too, but she actually WANTS to cook.

I'd cook at home if Briana cleaned the kitchen and if I didn't have to take time to work, clean up  after my mom and my sister, take care of other things around the house, run my sister to school and pick her up, and a lot of other things.

If you are wondering, my dog actually gives me relaxation!

It looks like we'll need another week in this hotel. Hopefully they won't make us pay the dog fee again, though. That's what is so bad.

Trivia Question

I thought I'd go with some pop culture/music trivia today!

What was the very first song played by MTV and can you name the artist?

Trivia Answer

The last trivia question I asked was, "What is a shark's keenest sense?"


A shark's keenest sense is its sense of smell!

Dealing wioth a Possessive Dog

Today, we found out that Toggle is both friendly and possessive.  He's protective of his whole family, but he is also easily accepting of people when we are comfortable around them.  However, I'm not sure how to deal with a dog that is possessive of people when trying to work.

Yes, Toggle, if he is near me while I am working, is extremely possessive of me.

Thankfully, I was actually finished writing and submitting the current article and was looking for something else that had to do with Briana registering for school for the summer session when he started acting possessive.

I would try to type, and he would come up and snoot my arm away from my keyboard.  I would try to move my mouse and he would come up and snoot my hand away from my mouse.

I love that he protects us, but I don't need to be protected from my own computer or my own laptop. 

(Right now, I'm using  a computer up in Sowela's computer lab as we wait for registration for my sister to begin - which was supposed to start 21 minutes ago).

However, up in the hotel, I have a laptop and a USB keyboard (because my laptop's keyboard has gone all wonky) and a USB mouse (both because the touch pad is a bit odd and it is a bit difficult to use the touch pad wit the USB keyboard).

So, Toggle is a bit possessive.  I already knew Toggle sometimes tried to be possessive of Woofles (though Niblet is more possessive of Woofles).  Niblet is the alpha dog.  Woofles is the "beta dog."  Toggle is the "gamma dog."   They all get along with each other, though.

Toggle is also very possessive of his toys.  A few weeks ago, Niblet started playing with one of Toggle's toys that is in our backyard (it's a toy that's soft, looks like half a lime, and squeaks.)  Niblet loves toys that are like "balls" or flattened balls, so the lime was something he'd love.  Even though Toggle had two more of those, three toys squeaky bananas, three toy pineapples and other toys, he whined about Niblet playing with the toys!

Thankfully, the possessiveness isn't that bad.  It's whining and snooting. 

Trivia

What is a shark's keenest sense?

Trivia Answer

Yesterday's trivia question was, "The movie, Cruel Intentions, was based on a book.  What is the book?"


The book is Les Liaisons Dangereuses (I would accept "Dangereux," too, as I've made that mistake).   However, nobody gave an answer.  The book is by Choderlos de Laclos.

Overqualified

Overqualified is a word that I hate.  Ever since I started applying for jobs, I've been told that I was overqualified.  I didn't apply for a job directly after high school.  That's because I spent the end of my senior year and my summer applying for and getting ready for college.

I started applying for jobs when I was in college because I wanted to make more than I was making in my work-study job.  This is when I started hearing the word "overqualified."

How could I possibly overqualified if I had no work experience, but they were supposed to count schooling?   I could never understand the employers.  When I was in college, I was obviously younger and I could even get up to go faster and some further distances than I can now.  My back wasn't feeling as bad as it does on some days that it does now.  I didn't use a transport wheelchair at all  (I still prefer NOT using it when I don't need it, but sometimes my back is so sore that I need it.  Also, my legs aren't great - genetics - so I can't do anything about it).  Anyway,  things were more like employers would have wanted them.

The restaurants would tell me that I was overqualified to work at them.  I went to temp job places and took the tests at them. They never said anything, but they'd tell me that I didn't qualify for their type of work.

My mom says it is the "Conchis Curse."  (Her maiden last name is Conchis.)  I may be her daughter, but I am NOT a Conchis and I DO NOT believe in curses.  Believing in them only furthers them and makes things worse.

I know that overqualified is a real word.  Merriam-Webster even defines it as, "having more education, training, or experience than a job calls for."


Their example sentence is even, "They didn't hire her because she was overqualified for the job."


It says that the first known usage of "overqualified" is from 1954.


However, I don't think there should be a word such as "overqualified."  At least, if the word exists, it shouldn't be allowed for hiring people.  


If a person is overqualified for a job, the person is obviously qualified!  They have the qualifications and more!  It shouldn't be a penalty!


I'm sure that sometimes the word is used to mean, "You don't have the physical qualities that we want for our workers, so you can't work here."  I know it is stupid and it truly isn't legal, but I'm sure that is what some of the people who are hiring are really  basing a decision on when they use the word "overqualified."


I know that others use it in the way that it is meant because the first interview was over the phone.


I hate the word overqualified.  It's been a bane in my life ever since I started hearing it. 


What are some words that you hate?

Trivia

Inspired by a friend's status update:
The movie, Cruel Intentions, was based on a book.  What is the book?

(Sorry that I've got no prizes for correct answers, but you win the prize of feeling good that knew the correct answer!)

Riddle Answer

Last time I asked a riddle.  It was, "Who makes it, has no need of it.

Who buys it, has no use for it.
Who uses it, can neither see it nor feel it.
What is it?"

Nobody answered.  The answer is "A coffin."

Obviously, the person who makes the coffin doesn't need it (okay, unless that person is planning on dying and being buried in it, but in general, that isn't the case).

Coffins are usually bought for the body of a dead person after they have died, so the buyer is usually not the person who is going to be using the coffin.

Since coffins are usually bought after the person died, the "person" who uses it usually does not see or feel the coffin.

Of course, there are rare exceptions to these conditions, but in general, they are true.

Love and Supoort

People wonder why I don't just move out of the house.

I have thought about that, but I don't have a job that pays enough money to actually pay bills.  I can't even afford rent with what I make from freelancing.   I know it's pathetic, but people just don't respect writers unless they are in a huge market area and can get into television or something like that.

I've tried to find jobs, too.  I've put in so many applications at the mall.

There is a huge problem when people are biased against anybody with any disability.  I have scoliosis and  only now are they finding out the later problems a Boston brace can have on a person.  That's what I had to wear.  I can't walk for long distances or stand for a long time.  Because of this, I sometimes use a transport wheelchair.

People look at me like I'm helpless a lot of times when I use it when that is the furthest thing from the truth.  It's an aid to help me.  I could technically move without it, but not as well.  I'd be sore and out of breath.  I'd have to stop after a little bit of walking, the slow down, and it would probably be about after every three steps.

People don't hire me.  Even before I had my transport wheelchair, people didn't hire me because they said I was "overqualified" (which is a stupid word and gives me a blog topic for tomorrow.

So, I do freelance work.

I'd like to find the time for a few days to stop writing for a bit so I can take some time to writer and gather information and prepare an application for a magazine.  I really want to do two things:  work for that magazine and be in the MFA program at McNeese.  (I tried poetry at first - program was full - things came up with my Daddy's health - more stuff came up - I've been writing more fiction lately, so I'd like to try to get an application for the fiction - then if I don't get that, I'd try for poetry again.)

Anyway, my sister, my mom, and I all help each other in ways, too.  Since I don't make enough money to pay for a place on my own, I can easily live at home (which we all own outright - no payments need to be made on the house at all).

My mom gets SSI and payments from  my Daddy's life insurance policy.  My sister gets SSI.  My mom pays most of the bills.  Briana pays for the "at  home entertainment," meaning cable, internet, phone (ours is a bundle) and the cell phone.   (She has been paying my credit card bills as instead of me because then I pay other weekly expenses she used to pay like groceries).

My mom's money cover utilities.

I do all the budgets because I found out that my mom can't handle hers as she was always overdrawn and Briana and I were always scrambling to help her find how to make it so her bank account wasn't overdrawn.

Briana was already horrible with money and I've been trying to teach her.

Yes, my mom did make it some years before me, but honestly, not much.  She lived with her parents.  She got married to my Daddy (never lived on her own).  My Daddy did the bills and things were fine.  When my Daddy got sick and she started doing the bills, we had tons of problems.

Then, she got worse and we found out just recently that it was the Paxil.

However, she still doesn't make much sense.  She can't drive because it is dangerous because of her low blood pressure.  She's passed out at the steering wheel of the car at least three times.  My sister can't drive.

With my mom's low blood pressure, she would not make it on her own.  She'd fall and she'd hurt herself and that would be it.

Riddle

Today, I thought I'd post a riddle.  Here it is:

Who makes it, has no need of it.
Who buys it, has no use for it.
Who uses it, can neither see it nor feel it.
What is it?

Trivia Answer

Yesterday's trivia question was, "How many knees does a spider have?"  The answer is 48.

Yes, a spider has 48 knees!  That's six knees per leg!

No more words . . .

I need to think of another topic or get some journaliing questions or topics in general, but right now, I don't have much time to journal because I need to write to try to make some money.  I hate to beg.  I hate to ask for help.  I'm the one that likes to help how she can.  However, lately, it seems that I have needed help.  Just quickly, right now, I HATE to ask or beg for help.  It seems it is all I can do lately to take care of my mom, my sister, our dogs, and myself.  However, our air went out and the stupid company hasn't gotten the part in YET.  We can't get window air  conditioners installed because they need an electrical source and the house is way too messy.  Can anybody help out monetarily in any way?  My paypal e-mail is fuzzyguy1982@hotmail.com


I thank anybody and everybody so much.  You have no idea how much it means to me!

Trivia

Today's trivia question is, "How many knees does a spider have?"

Trivia Answer

The last trivia question asked was "If a piece of music instructs you to play it "adagio," how should you play the music?"

Nobody replied.  The correct answer is "slowly."

What?

I know that I haven't written for two days. There is a good reason for this. Our air conditioning went out on Friday afternoon, and of course, it was after everything closed. We were able to get a hotel room thanks to our Grandpa. We were able to get a nice room at the Candlewood Suites.


When we went again because we came home on Monday after our scheduled stay and to meet the air conditioning guys, we found out that it is a leak in a tube and we won't have air conditioning until that part comes from the company. We are irritated because we know that we don't have the money to keep spending on hotels (the Candlewood was booked on Monday when we called again, so now were at Crosslands and it is not as nice . . . the beds are hard and we have no internet, so I'm at the Sulphur library).

[I absolutely HATE HATE HATE begging for help, but, obviously, when I, my sister, and our mom can't be in the heat as it is 90+F in the house without air, we need help. Anything that you can donate is great. We are more than appreciative and believe me, I cry every time a person gives a donation.]

At least we now have food for the week as I did go grocery shopping with Briana today.

Walmart was not fun to say the least, though.

After that, I also spend most of the day chasing the dogs.

Anyway, onto my word - what.

"What" is one of those words that I sometimes say at the end of sentences. I use it more with my mother and my sister. My sister would use it a lot, so I'm sure I picked it up from her.

I'll end a sentence and ask, "What?"

I'm pretty sure it stands for, "What did you expect?" or "What did you think I was doing?" or "What did you want me to do?"

After all, my mother and my sister can be confusing. I also say just "What?" alone a lot of times because I don't know what my mother or my sister is saying. This is many times my mother, but it can be my sister, too.

I don't understand my mother because she tends to mumble and she also has dentures. She's never learned to talk properly with them. She mumbled for a long time before that, too. It seems like she is losing, like, really losing, the ABILITY to speak. She seems to have forgotten how to form sounds.

My sister is just confusing and sometimes talks under her breath. Sometimes it is a mumble, but as loud as she is, she'll get quieter and quiter and quieter as she talks to me. This is especially true if she reads something. She'll also laugh while reading if she finds that something is funny.

So, there's the word for the day - "What?"

Trivia

If a piece of music instructs you to play it "adagio," how should you play the music?

Trivia Answer

Yesterday's trivia question was, "What is the name of the novel that was written that never contains the letter E?"

Ruth Cox said that she knows the answer, but didn't answer the question.  This means I'll have to assume that she knows the answer.

The answer to the question is "Gadsby" which was written by Ernest Vincent Wright.  The novel should not be confused with "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald.    After all, there is an E in the title.  "Gadsby" does not contain the letter E in any of the words.

Wright said the hardest challenge for him was avoiding the "ed" suffix for past tense verbs.  The novel is a favorite for fans of constrained writing (a literary technique in which the writer is bound by some conditions or bound by a certain pattern).

My sister just issued me the challenge of writing a poem where every stanza is a pangram.  That is a form of constrained writing and feel free to join me in this writing challenge.  There's no time limit for it, so just give it a try!  Share you poems in the blog!

Stay tuned for today's trivia question!