Saturday, January 12, 2008

A Smorgasboard of bits & pieces....

Let's see..... So last night, DD went to a sleep-over hosted by two of the girls on her team (sisters). Their mom is a very brave woman. Not only does she have 5 daughters of her own (ranging from about 12 to about 2), but she invited another 11 girls over (there are 13 girls on our team, including her own 2) for a sleep-over. And her hubby's out of town. He's coach for our local hockey team, and that team is currently wherever "Ferris State" is.

Anyway, so after dropping the kiddo off at the sleep-over, DH and I headed out for dinner at one of our favorite places to eat. If any of y'all ever get up here, and you like nachos, we've GOT to take you to Ivory Jacks for supper. They have got the OMG-WORLD'S-BEST-NACHOS! Or at least DH and I think so.

Ivory Jack's is kinda a blend between a sports bar, a resteraunt, and as close to an true Irish pub as you're likely to find in Alaska. The origional building burnt down in 1999, taking so much Yukon Quest (sled dog race) memorabilia with it, but the new one is this huge room with walls PAPERED in paraphanelia from the Yukon Quest, about sports, liscense plates from around the country, some signs from other countries, Elvis.... You name it, this place has PROBABLY got it hanging on the walls, somewhere. It's family friendly. They've frequently got local bands playing in the corner. There's sports on the TV's. Good food and Bar food, all available for eatting..... Just a great place to go.

One silly little thing I always get a kick out of, when we go, is the silly, somewhat raunchy poem printed on the paper placemats on their tables.

Ode to an Oosik

Strange things have been done in the Midnight Sun,
and the story books are full --
but the strangest tale concerns the male,
magnificent walrus bull!

I know it's rude, quite common and crude,
Perhaps it is grossly unkind;
but with first glance at least, this bewhiskered beast,
is as ugly in front as behind.

Look once again, take a second look - then
you'll see he's not ugly or vile -
There's a hint of a grin, in that blubbery chin -
and the eyes have a sly secret smile.

How can this be, this clandestine glee
that exudes from the walrus like music
He knows, there inside, beneath blubber and hide
lies a splendid contrivance -- The Oosik!

"Oosik" you say -and quite well you may,
I'll explain if you keep it between us;
In the simplest truth, though rather uncouth
"Oosik" is, in fact, his penis!

Now the size alone of this walrus bone,
would indeed arouse envious thinking -
It is also a fact, documented and backed,
There is never a softening or shrinking!

This, then, is why the smile is so sly,
the walrus is rightfully proud.
Though the climate is frigid, the walrus is rigid,
Pray, why is not man so endowed?

Added to this, is a smile you might miss -
Though the bull is entitled to bow -
The one to out-smile our bull by a mile
is the satisfied walrus cow!

**********

Well, the game that we were SUPPOSED to have this morning, wound up being another practice. Once again, the team that we were supposed to play, didn't show. NOBODY from that team showed. So rather than getting to play "out" like she was hoping, DD's team had an hour & 15 minute practice instead. *sigh* It's the same team as didn't show last time, too. I'm beginning to think that somebody who coordinates the games for that team doesn't like seeing that team play our team. It's just kinda odd that twice now, with only THAT team, we've wound up winning through forfeit because NOBODY showed up. That's good for our win/loss record, NOT for moral.

**********

Yesterday I did something I've been getting a lot of advice to do over the last couple of years. I opened myself a savings account. Not that DH and I don't have one together, but this one is just mine. And I purposefully refused an ATM/Debit card with it. I want to have to go in to the bank itself to take out money. But my purpose is NOT to take out money, but to put money in. I'm hoping to put in $180 per quarter (of the year). Of course, if I get a higher paying job, that amount would increase with my paychecks. But, at least $180 every three months. I'm turning 29 in a week and a couple of days, and it just doesn't make sense for me to not have a savings account to build up a nest egg. With how the feds keep lowering the interest rates I hope I'm not making a mistake by starting an account. (I'm not entirely sure if it's the same interest rate that produces interest on the money I place in the bank. I think it is, but I'm not really sure how that all works.) But, I've decided that I really need to stop spending so much money, and start saving more. I've typically withdrawn $20 or $30 from each of my paychecks for mad $$, but instead of spending every dime I take out, I'm going to take the money out of my paychecks and place it in the bank instead.

I'm not doing a "buy nothing" pact or anything, just trying to consume less and save more. And I can only do that if I've got my own savings account that DH can't touch. He got a little peevish yesterday, when he found out I did this. But that's ok. If something were to happen to him, or between him and I, I need to have resources of my own that aren't tied up with him somehow.

**********

I haven't yet heard anything back on the HS library assistant position. But I didn't expect to, yesterday. I figured it'd probably be Monday at the soonest before somebody from the school district's Human Resources can get back to me.

**********

The temp is currently -26 below zero, and snowing. We cannot figure out HOW it's so damned cold (not that it won't get colder) and snowing. I mean, clouds this time of year ALWAYS mean warmer temps. The cloud cover typically traps warm air close to the ground. It's only when it's clear, that it's cold. But it's actually snowing, and -26 deg. The forcast for tomorrow is predicted to be down to -40. *brrrrrrrrrrrr* Anybody wanna donate for a ticket to Hawaii, right about now???? *wink*

I think that's about it for now.

Have a Blessed Day!

7 comments:

DirkStar said...

Sorry about the no-shows and the lack of game experience. I hate when teams do that.

M-m-m-m-m... Nachos...

About the bank account. Last year in my journeys through the yard sales in our area I came upon an old safe deposit box.

The lady running the sale had worked at a bank and when it closed she got a bunch of the drawers for free.

She never got around to doing anything with them and at long last she decided to sell them for a dollar a piece.

I bought one. I then bought a little lock for it and I've had it ever since. I keep a little money tucked away in it at all times. (Just in case of emergency.)

As a house husband I've learned to do what mothers have been doing in this country for a very long time.

You take a coffee can and put a little money in it whenever you have a little extra. You discipline yourself not to touch that money unless an absolute emergency occurs. I have that emergency fund tucked away and if something happens I' ma little bit prepared.

Now, do I think you did a wise thing by opening a bank account? I am convinced that the American economy is about to collapse. Many economists believe the same thing.

In fact, several years ago when the Republicans had complete control of all the branches of our government and were instituting economic policies with no benefit to anyone except the corporate entity a strange thing happened.

The great economic genius, Mr.Green span assembled twenty of the greatest economic minds together and spoke to congress begging the Republicans and Mr. Bush to stop their insanity before it was too late.

Pride and hubris prevented the fools from listening to the great minds and the folly of Mr. bush continued unabated.

The economic indicators are proving Mr. Greenspan correct. The house of cards is falling down. It is not just the sub prime market that is crumbling, it is now the entire housing market.

The builders of new homes borrowed money to build new complexes and as housing sales are falling they are unable to pay back the loans the bank gave to them. They are going bankrupt and the bank is out the money.

Credit card companies are now reporting huge losses in the billions of dollars that they simply can not collect because people have no jobs to pay the money back with.

Eighteen thousand jobs were created in December when in reality with our population growth being what it is we need to produce alone hundred and fifty thousand jobs per month.

Christmas were the worst they've been in a very long time.

If corporate earnings come in as bad as it is expected they'll come in next week...

The fed is throwing quarter point interest reductions in loans to banks like a gambler throws quarters into slot machines in Vegas.

NEVER A GOOD SIGN.

Look into what was happening with the banking system just before the great depression.

If Americans began a run on the banks for their money they would collapse. The don't have our money because of the bad loans and bad credit card debt.

There are more and more places around the world refusing our currency all of a sudden.

Classes around the world are using our economy as a teaching tool of how not to run a healthy economy and are waiting the collapse.

I've pulled my money from the bank and won't be putting it back for a while. I have a child I am not willing to see go hungry.

Those of us who were warned by our grandparents "who lived through the last depression" are not being caught unawares. We are preparing ourselves for what we see coming.

There are an awful lot of young people who don't see the wave building and headed their way. I pity them...

Get your money out of the banks while you still can. What you see happening right now is only the beginning...

MarmiteToasty said...

IS THAT WOMAN MAD with all those girls lol

Its good to have a little bit of dosh put away, just for that rainy day, just incase.... its a nice feeling to know that should a little hiccup happen then there is always 'the savings' sitting quietly there in case of emergencies :)...... mine, well, I stash mine in a pair of me hiking boots in the cupboard LOL

KEEP WARM ;)

x

barefoot gardener said...

Good luck with the savings thing. DH and I have one together, and each of us have seperate savings. $$ is such a touchy subject in marriage, but you're right. Every woman needs to have her own money. You never know what might happen...

Anyway, hope you stay warm. You almost make me feel guilty for our temps hovering between 15 and 20 degrees! Almost, but not quite.

DirkStar said...

Yeah, I knew it was a little long, but it takes a little explanation to get the point across...

Toriz said...

That place sounds nice. If I ever make it over to see you I'd love to go there. (Yes, I do like nachos... LOL!)

LOL! Love that poem!

Yeah, it does sound a bit odd that twice the team hasn't showed up. I bet the girls are getting as fed up with it as you are (if not more so).

Hope DD enjoyed her sleepover.

I think a savings account of your own is a fantastic idea. I have one of my own (although, mine has an atm card) but I'm sorry to say I don't put money in it as much as I should.

Celticspirit said...

Ivory Jack's sounds like a very fun place. I love nachos, unfortuately. Love that poem too, it's very funny.

Good idea on the savings account. I've been thinking myself of opening an extra account that I can maybe use next year for the holidays.

I too try to follow the consume less and save more idea. Goes right along with the current Go Green campaign.

whimsical brainpan said...

I think it is a good idea to have an emergency fund. Granted I keep mine in the house rather than at the bank.

Has anyone called this other very rude team to see why they are not showing?

I love the poem!