Time to Repent

On June 27, 2016 By ls1228In Extreme Blonde MomentsLeave a comment

I love to travel and have plans to do a lot of it this summer, to places that will be hot and mean wearing a lot of these:

So I’ll be spending my next two days detoxing with these:
Ug! The price I pay for fun…hmmm.

The Last Straw

On June 16, 2016June 16, 2016 By ls1228In Extreme Blonde MomentsLeave a comment

Divorce-ART I came across an article this morning that gave me pause. It was entitled, “19 Divorced People Answer ‘What Was the Final Straw?‘ Having had the thought a few times over the course of my 25 year relationship and 16 year marriage, morbid curiosity led me to click on the link and see what led the people, who posted their responses on Reddit, to finally say enough is enough.

All I have to say before I summarize the reasons they gave is, you can’t make this crap up!

Real Life Marriage Breaking Points

Over 10 years of marriage, his wife gained 170 lbs. He supported and encouraged her weight loss attempts. He got an old jersey out of his closet and found it didn’t fit due to the 15 pounds he’d gained over their 10 years of marriage. He mentioned he’d need to go get a new one, she responded with, “We’re not blowing money on a stupid jersey. You’ll just have to lose weight.” Yep, he was done! 😐
10 years into the marriage, his formerly non-religious wife stated, “You’re going to Hell for believing in dinosaurs.” He was done, but really? Over that? Hmmm
Here’s a deal breaker: “When I came home to find her sister’s husband naked in my bed.”
“The day after my father died (which happened to be Thanksgiving Day) my husband erased and reset my phone. Everything on it gone. Pictures of my dad with my daughter, pictures that only I had. He did it knowing that I had not backed up my phone and it wasn’t connected to the cloud either.” Sounds like a real control freak she should’ve left well before this….
“…peeked into a jewelry bag at what I thought was my Christmas gift, on Christmas morning got a goddamn Nook instead. I was confused until a week later, via Facebook snooping, I saw his ‘friend’ showing off the gift.” There’s a real peach for you!
Ahhh the never satisfied wife: “When I did all the chores for us to have a relaxing weekend. I vacuumed the apartment, cleaned everything, did the bathroom, went grocery shopping ($250+), washed two loads of clothes and hung them to dry, new bed sheets, made dinner that was on the table when she got home. And all during the day I sent her texts telling her what I did. Her reaction when she got home? WHY HAVEN’T YOU DONE THE DISHES?!”
This one wanted to have his cake and eat it too: “My husband was cheating. I found out, and instead of immediately dumping his ass, I said, ‘Let’s try to work this out, but you have to dump the girlfriend.’ His response: ‘But what if you and me don’t work out?’ DIRECT F—ING QUOTE. And THAT was the final straw.”
The stark reality of this one cuts right to the heart of it: “The one they kept snorting coke with.”
Financial control broke this marriage up: “When he handed me several spreadsheets laying out every time I stopped for a drink at McDonalds ($1) on my way to/from running errands across the city in the desert. He then took my bank ATM card and cut it up. Because I got a drink, I wasn’t allowed to use or have any cash, it all had to be accounted for at all times.”
Can we all say “Asshole” together: “Called to tell him my mom had just died and he said, ‘Ok’ and nothing else.”
It is obviously ALL ABOUT HIM all the time: “Him leaving the hospital when I was in labor with our daughter because I was whiny. It stressed him out. For me to be whiny.”
Another “All About Him” scenario: This woman was hospitalized for appendicitis, released the next day to rest. Husband comes to pick her up, but sits in the car about a block away and makes her to walk to him. He took the day off but not to help her, he spent the day in bed or playing PC games. He refused to go grocery shopping because ‘that was her job,’ so she asked him to pick up dinner which led to a fight that ended with: ‘Well we can get a divorce if you want!’ She said, ‘Yes please. I’ve actually been thinking about that for a while.'”
Another version of the same old story: “I came home early from work because of a migraine. Found him in bed with my best friend. Oddly, I was more hurt by her behavior than his. Broomed them both that day.”
Never marry someone who can’t separate her gaming life from her real life: “She flew to Texas to spend spring break with a man she met on World of Warcraft .”
They say tragedy strengthens or destroys marriages…: “It was 3 days after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. I was a police officer in New Orleans and was standing on the levee at the NOLA/JP line. My wife and small child relocated to my father’s house a few hundred miles away…We established a checkpoint at the NOLA/JP line. Someone passing through the checkpoint had a Nextel phone (which were the only cell phones that could get a signal out). I stood on top of the levee so I could get a good signal and managed to get a call to my wife. The only thing she did was complain about ‘how hard’ everything was on her without once asking me if I was safe or even if I was okay.”

Kind of makes the usual day-to-day complaints pale in comparison. Hmmm

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Do You Really Love Your Dog?

On June 13, 2016June 13, 2016 By ls1228In Extreme Blonde Moments, Pisses Me Off, SafetyLeave a comment

dogsinhotcars I am shamelessly cutting/copying and pasting the article below (thank you American Veterinary Medical Association) because of a story a friend shared today that really pissed me off! “Today at Target/Diamond Bar as I was going to my car, I saw a dog in a car in the parking lot. It was panting heavily and trying to stick its head out the couple-inch opening in the window so I went back in to ask the manager to page the owner. It had been half an hour since I walked by the dog!! When the owner came out she said it wasn’t that hot! SMH! Please remember dogs have a higher temp than us and cars get hot fast! PLEASE DON’T LEAVE YOUR DOG IN THE CAR!”

Thank you for the inspiration for this blog post Simone!

TV, Internet and Newspapers all share stories just like this, often with tragic consequences. Still people leave pets, and babies, in the car. WTF? PEOPLE NEED TO SMARTEN UP! Please read the article below and keep in mind that, even on a cool day, a car is up to 40° F hotter inside. If your pet or baby can’t go with you, wherever you just must go, then leave them home in another’s care. It’s just not worth the risk and potentially deadly consequences.

You can see this article “Pets in Vehicles” at the highlighted link.

Every year, hundreds of pets die from heat exhaustion because they are left in parked vehicles. We’ve heard the excuses: “Oh, it will just be a few minutes while I go into the store,” or “But I cracked the windows…” These excuses don’t amount to much if your pet becomes seriously ill or dies from being left in a vehicle.

The temperature inside your vehicle can rise almost 20º F in just 10 minutes. In 20 minutes, it can rise almost 30º F…and the longer you wait, the higher it goes. At 60 minutes, the temperature in your vehicle can be more than 40 degrees higher than the outside temperature. Even on a 70-degree day, that’s 110 degrees inside your vehicle!

Your vehicle can quickly reach a temperature that puts your pet at risk of serious illness and even death, even on a day that doesn’t seem hot to you. And cracking the windows makes no difference.

Want numbers? An independent study showed that the interior temperature of vehicles parked in outside temperatures ranging from 72 to 96º F rose steadily as time increased. Another study, performed by the Louisiana Office of Public Health, found that the temperatures in a dark sedan as well as a light gray minivan parked on a hot, but partly cloudy day, exceeded 125^oF within 20 minutes.

**Estimated Vehicle Interior Air Temperature v. Elapsed Time**
Elapsed time	Outside Air Temperature (F)
Elapsed time	70	75	80	85	90	95
0 minutes	70	75	80	85	90	95
10 minutes	89	94	99	104	109	114
20 minutes	99	104	109	114	119	124
30 minutes	104	109	114	119	124	129
40 minutes	108	113	118	123	128	133
50 minutes	111	116	121	126	131	136
60 minutes	113	118	123	128	133	138
> 1 hour	115	120	125	130	135	140

Courtesy Jan Null, CCM; Department of Geosciences, San Francisco State University

Watch an animated video about in-vehicle temperatures.

This study also found that cracking the windows had very little effect on the temperature rise inside the vehicle. This is definitely a situation where “love ’em and leave ’em” is a good thing. Please leave your pets at home at home when you can…they’ll be safe and happily waiting for you to come home.

…but wait, there’s more!

The risks associated with pets in vehicles don’t end with heatstroke. Just as you should always wear your seatbelt to protect you in case of a collision, your pet should always be properly restrained while in the vehicle. That means a secure harness or a carrier.

A loose, small pet could crawl down in the footwell, interfering with use of the brake or accelerator pedal. A small pet sitting in your lap could be injured or killed by the airbag or could be crushed between your body and the airbag in a collision, and a large pet leaning across your lap can interfere with your view of the road and can be injured by the air bag in a collision. Unrestrained pets could be thrown out or through windows or windshields in a collision. And not only could your pet be injured in the collision, but it might also increase your risk of collision by distracting you and taking your attention away from where it should be – on the road.

To learn more about the importance of restraining your pets, visit Paws to Click.

Most of us smile when we see a dog’s face happily hanging out a window, digging the ride and the smells wafting on the breeze, but this is a very risky venture for the dog for three reasons. One, it means your dog isn’t properly restrained – and we’ve already told you why that’s so important. Two, your dog is at high risk of eye, ear, face and mouth injury from airborne objects when it’s got its face hanging out the window. Three, letting your dog hang any part of its body out of the window increases the risk that (s)he could be thrown out of the vehicle during a collision, lose its balance and fall out of the open window during an abrupt turn or maneuver, or jump out of the vehicle to threaten another dog or a person.

And let’s not forget the severe dangers of driving with your dog in the bed of a pickup truck. Dogs can fall or jump from the truck bed and be injured or killed on impact, or be struck by other traffic. And just as letting your dog hang its head out of the window puts it at risk of injury from debris, a dog in a truck bed is even more exposed to airborne hazards. Using a appropriate-length tether may reduce the risk that your dog will exit the truck bed, but the tether could tangle, injure, or even choke your dog. If you must transport your dog in the bed of a pickup truck, use a secured and appropriately sized and ventilated dog kennel. (For more information, read our Dogs Traveling in Truck Beds literature review.)

Before you put your pet in the vehicle, ask yourself if you really need to take your pet with you – and if the answer is no, leave your pet safely at home. If you must take your pet with you, make sure (s)he is properly restrained so the trip is as safe as possible for both of you.

Dog Owners Rock!

On June 7, 2016 By ls1228In Extreme Blonde MomentsLeave a comment

themorepeopledog If you own at least one dog, you are part of a whopping 44% of Americans who do. According to an American Pet Products survey, 54.4 Million Americans own at least 1 dog. Don’t fear cat owners, you are represented too. 35% of American households own at least 1 cat. 🙂

The survey also revealed that spending on pets has DOUBLED since 2001. Between 2001 and 2015 Americans jumped from spending $28.5 BILLION to $60.28 BILLION. That’s a lot of kitty litter, toys, food & whatnots for our pets!

Ranked by the number of households with dogs, the number of dog parks & trails, dog friendly restaurants & stores, pet stores and dog walkers, these are the 10 top cities for dog owners:

1. Charleston, S.C.

Median home price: $349,000
Households who own a dog: 68%

2. Temecula, Calif.

Median home price: $519,000
Households who own a dog: 85%

3. Las Vegas

Median home price: $249,000
Households who own a dog: 62%

4. Scottsdale, Ariz.

Median home price: $596,500
Households who own a dog: 69%

5. San Diego

Median home price: $689,000
Households who own a dog: 63%

6. Austin, Texas

Median home price: $450,000
Households who own a dog: 61%

7. Tampa, Fla.

Median home price: $230,000
Households who own a dog: 57%

8. Fort Collins, Colo.

Median home price: $419,000
Households who own a dog: 67%

9. Atlanta, Ga.

Median home price: $314,900
Households who own a dog: 54%

10. Seattle, Wash.

Median home price: $609,000
Households who own a dog: 52%

I didn’t notice any Orange County, California cities listed and that really surprises me! It seems everywhere I look there’s a person walking at least one dog, there seem to be dog parks springing up left and right, people are bringing their dogs to every store they shop at, and the number of dog friendly restaurants is going up. I’m sure we’ll be represented in next year’s survey, right NAR? Hmmm.

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Rare Treat: paid iPhone apps for FREE

On May 17, 2016 By ls1228In Extreme Blonde Moments, SafetyLeave a comment

I’m always on the lookout for technology I can run from my iPhone or iPad that will make my life easier, safer or more fun. The apps listed below will help me free up space on my devices, help me find my way to safety if I’m lost without a signal or in an area unmapped by traditional navigation apps, capture an entire website in one screen shot, and will help me get back into 5K form in just 7 weeks. The bonus is that, for a limited time, the apps are Free! Hmmm

Free Up Space – Normally $4.99 It recovers wasted space on your iOS device by:

Finding duplicate photos: If you take a lot of photos/selfies you should use this feature often. This helps you find duplicate photos of all levels ranging from least similar to exact duplicates.
Resizing Photos: You can save a lot of space by resizing large photos. Quality is maintained while reducing the size.
Compress Photos & Videos: You can save storage space by compressing large photos & videos. Once you’ve compressed them, you can easily share them with your friends via attachments, messaging apps etc.

SwiParty – Normally $1.99

Easy-to-use music map. Swipe to stream your personal party playlist!
SwiWorkout classifies and recommends workout music for you.
Fast tempo on the right, slow ones on the left; New on top, old on bottom.
SwiWorkout gives you a playlist immediately!
You can suggest/add workout music you love by contacting Swibeat directly: http://www.swibeat.com/Contact.p

Run 5K Pro – Normally $1.99 Train to run a 5K in 7 Weeks!

EASY TRAINING PLAN

30 minutes a day, 3 times a week – and you’ll be able to run 5K in 7 weeks;
Effective training plan from professional coaches;
Use outdoors and on a treadmill;
Audio cues during all workouts to keep you focused;
GPS maps saved for each training session;
Apple Watch support.

NEVER GET BORED

Gradual increase of workout intensity for best result;
Inspirational quotes keep you motivated while running;
Motivational tips on running with each training session;
Listening and managing your favorite music from the app;
Sharing results with Facebook & Twitter friends.

MUSIC TIMED TO YOUR WORKOUT

Unlimited access to the best running music right from the app;
Music tempo adjusts to your workout rhythm – music plays faster as you run faster;
New mixes from talented DJs are available every day;
All genres – from Classical and Oldies to Rock, Hip-hop and R&B;
Convenient search and suggestions to find perfect mixes.

TRACK YOUR PROGRESS

Calorie counting;
Detailed statistics: pace, distance, time and other parameters;
Synchronization of your stats & logs with an upgrade from the free version;
Synchronization with Apple Health app;
Integration with Runkeeper, Fitbit, MapMyRun.

WebpageShot – Normally $4.99

A simple tool to convert a webpage into an image.
It captures the whole web page not just what you see on the screen.
It also provides a screenshot extension for Safari on iOS 8.

iArrow – Normally $1.99 iArrow provides navigation where there are no roads. The app will lead you back to your car, campsite or hotel and help you reach the nearest settlement if you get lost. This app features a built-in database of 2,000,000 localities around the world and does not require internet or cellular connection.

Unlike navigation systems that show a blank map, iArrow instantly launches and very clearly indicates the direction and distance to the destination. The app consumes little energy and saves battery power.

Great for travelers, fishermen, hunters, extreme or off track athletes and anyone who works in remote locations. You can save the coordinates of key points along your route to your clipboard to share via SMS, Email, Twitter, Airdrop, etc..

APP FEATURES

User Guide
You do not need an Internet connection *
2,000,000 settlements in the database
Built-in online map
Ability to search for objects by address
Automatic detection of the address of the current position
Indication of GPS accuracy
Determination of direction using magnetic compass
Determination of direction using GPS coordinates
Radar mode that displays Favorites, History and settlements
Displays full information about position, speed, altitude, etc.
Lock screen
Settings
Metric and Imperial Units
Low energy usage
Support for iOS8 and iPhone 5/5s/6/6+

WORKING WITH COORDINATES

Support for the latitude/longitude, UTM and MGRS coordinate formats
Support latitude and longitude as decimal degrees, degrees/minutes/seconds etc.
Easy input of coordinates – special keyboards for each format
Setting destination using azimuth and distance
Convert GPS coordinates between degrees formats, UTM and MGRS on the fly
Viewing coordinates on an online map
Sending and receiving coordinates via SMS
Import and export coordinates via SMS, Email, and Airdrop
Import and export list of coordinates
Import and export links to Google, Apple, Yandex, and OSM maps
Import coordinates from the clipboard
Automatic determination of format of imported coordinates
Easily add, delete, or edit coordinates
Automatically save the coordinates in History
Search in Favorites and History
Sorting Favorites/History by new and nearest points
List of nearby settlements

I am not anxious to need the iArrow app, but I am going to load it in the off chance I ever get lost and need to find my way out of the wilderness. You can find all of these in your App Store.

Without Gen X there is no Millennial

On May 11, 2016 By ls1228In Extreme Blonde MomentsLeave a comment

generation-x While the Millennials are the darlings of the media (think Taylor Swift), Generation X (35-55 years old) are the parents of school aged children, and are/will be the leaders in government, industry and education for the next couple of decades. Hmmm

I am a proud 48 year old member of Generation X. I grew up in a rapidly changing medical, financial, social, and political climate. Between 1967 (when I was born) and 1985 (when I turned 18) a lot was happening in the world:

Flower Power is at its peak in California 1967
Civil Rights Champion Martin Luther King, Jr. Assassinated 1968
Man walked on the Moon 1969
Sitting US President, Richard Nixon, resigned amid the Watergate scandal 1974
Punk Music Exploded onto the scene 1976
Ronald Reagan elected US President, his inauguration ushered in an ultra conservative era 1980/1981
AIDS Epidemic began 1981 (Rock Hudson becomes most “famous” face to die of AIDS 1985)

In the preface to Generation X Goes Global: Mapping a Youth Culture in Motion, a collection of global essays, Professor Christine Henseler summarized Gen X as “a generation whose worldview is based on change, on the need to combat corruption, dictatorships, abuse, AIDS, a generation in search of human dignity and individual freedom, the need for stability, love, tolerance, and human rights for all.”

Born between 1961 and 1981, the roughly 84 million members of Generation X have been described in the media as

Latchkey Kids: Kids who came home to empty houses after school because their parents were at work or often away – I say this encouraged a strong sense of independence, inventiveness and entrepreneurialism.
The MTV Generation: Music Videos, Grunge, Alternative Rock, and Hip Hop are some of their contributions.
Heterogeneous: Embraced acceptance of social diversity: race, class, religion, ethnicity, culture, language, gender identity, and sexual orientation.
Revolutionists: Instead of replacing individual leaders as their parents did via the vote, Gen X employed social, economic and consumer pressure to enact systemic and institutional changes.
Highly Educated: According to a 2009 US Census Bureau report, Gen Xers have achieved higher levels of academic achievement than any generation before them.
First Generation in the Internet Age: 97% use the Internet, 75% use Online Banking, 62% use Social Media.

On the social front, members of Generation X:

Witnessed and learned resilience from the economic struggles their parents faced in the 1970’s (End of Vietnam War; Recession; Worldwide Oil Shortage; High Unemployment; High Inflation)
More likely to be workers – 86% of adults work 40 hours or more weekly
More likely to be satisfied with their lives – giving an average score of 7 out of 10
Life revolves around the family – 2/3 Married and 71% have children – 80% of parents expect their children to attend 4 year college
Involved in their communities – Schools (PTA), Religious Organizations, and Local Sports Clubs

While my parents were very definitely of the Baby Boomer Era (those born post WWII but before 1964) they were different than many of my friends’ parents. Mine were high school students in the mid 1960’s, my dad served 4 years “in-country” during the Vietnam War, neither graduated from college, yet we lived a pretty upper-middle class lifestyle despite the challenges they faced raising a young family in the 1970’s and 1980’s. My parents’ attitudes more closely aligned with Generation X in many ways. They were quite involved in our lives, they coached our teams, took part in school functions, my father had his own business and they encouraged our independence and resourcefulness, not via the latchkey, but rather via a focus on education and participation in this thing we call life.

The media wants tag Millennials (A.K.A. Gen Y/ those born mid 80’s to mid 2000’s) as “World Changers.” They may very well end up being great, but I believe that it is Generation X that has truly brought meaningful change to the world. Without the fearlessness with which my generation attacked life, challenging old ways of doing things and striving for bigger, better and more of all things from science and technology to arts and entertainment, the Millennial Generation would have no spring board from which to jump into improving the future.

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Where is the Love of the Game?

On April 12, 2016April 12, 2016 By ls1228In Extreme Blonde MomentsLeave a comment

basket As crazy as it seems, since I wasn’t a big fan of my own son (sorry Jason) during the same years, for nearly 20 years I have coached 6^th to 8^th grade boys basketball.

I Coach:

To see the love of the game shining at the youth level;
To see the light go on when a skill that’s been taught over & over finally clicks;
To see the bond that a team with great chemistry has in their 2nd & 3rd years;
To see the boys get to the point where they don’t have to be begged to play as a team;
To see the boys pull themselves together to erase a big deficit for the first time; and
To see the pride & confidence the boys develop between 6th and 8th grade.

The number of hours that are devoted to communicating with parents, preparation, practice, games, tournaments, recruiting new players, negotiating space to practice, fundraising, dealing with the politics of the ever-changing youth sports landscape and more is staggering. We play year round, rarely have a weekend without games and all of this is done as an unpaid volunteer without even having a child in the program anymore (it’s been 13 years since our son played). The years I’ve spent devoted to preparing middle-school boys for High School Basketball makes it really hard when I hear about boys, a few who were formerly in our program, that want to quit playing a game they once loved.

I completely understand the desire to quit or make a team change if:

A coach is verbally or physically abusive;
A coach displays an obvious and/or unreasonable dislike for a player;
A player is being bullied;
A coach favors their own son above all other players/employs a “Daddy ball” mentality;
They have had a bad experience with a coach at the next level;
I even get it if the player comes to a realization that they don’t genuinely enjoy the game and being part of a team (although I’d really want to talk about it and understand why).

Especially in the turbulent early teen years from 6th to 8th grade, in order to always know how a player is feeling about themselves and their team, I’d recommend having frequent and open discussions with your son:

Why does he play? I’d want to know he wasn’t playing because I love the game (as his parent or coach) but because he loves the game and wants to continue playing.
Does he like his teammates and coaches?
Does he feel like he is learning and getting better at the game he loves?
What are his basketball (or whatever sport he’s playing) goals?

It’s no secret that I was a tomboy. I played schoolyard ball as a kid and team ball from 4th grade all the way through high school. Although I had no female basketball idols, I loved watching the 1970’s & 80’s Lakers play anyone and everyone. To some extent, I tried to imitate the games of players like: Magic Johnson, Clyde Drexler, Dr. J., James Worthy, and I even loved the toughness of Dennis Rodman (before the strange behavior…) on the boards.

I don’t see the same focus or even knowledge of the game in today’s kids. When more time is spent playing basketball on their video game consoles than they do on the school yard, in the park or on a basket in their driveway, it’s no wonder that so many youth players are so badly out of shape and in possession of such poor ball handling skills.

I am also really worried about the influence the increased “Me, Me, Me” focus today’s NBA game is having on youth athletes. They know who the top scorers are, who can “hit a sick 3,” and who “throws down monster dunks,” but they don’t seem to care or recognize great rebounders, defenders or other team focused aspects of the game. It’s all about trying to imitate an ESPN “Sports Center Top 10” shot, and it’s really frustrating trying to teach them unselfish team play.

Sportsmanship, teamwork and humility are being replaced by bad attitudes, selfish play and unacceptable on-court behaviors that the kids on my team know will get them a spot next to me on the bench:

Throwing up 3 fingers after hitting a long basket;
Not getting back/walking on defense (only playing offense);
Intentionally fouling or hurting any other player;
Taunting the other team by word or action;
Using foul language on the court or the bench;
Showing disrespect to officials, coaches, or parents;
Questioning the officials;
Trash talking the other team or (even worse) each other;

Unfortunately it’s not just the NBA that’s teaching these kids to act the way they do. Respect for and love of the game is often killed by overly critical parents applying undue pressure, expressing disappointment in their sons, nit-picking their effort, and demanding perfection/excellence every game.

We need only look into the stands at any AAU game and we see parents and others:

Applauding/encouraging their son’s selfishness and arrogance;
Yelling at the officials, chirping back and forth with opposing team parents, loudly bad mouthing players on the court and openly questioning the coaches;
Unable to objectively view their kids’ within the context of the team as a whole;
Berating their kids in front of others for “poor performances” after games; and
Blaming the coaches for their kid not being ready for the NBA in the 6^th grade.

Over the course of 20+ years, there have been about 1/2 dozen times when we’ve had to cut boys because their parents were:

Convinced their son was recruited to play because the team needed a “savior;“
Angry that the offense isn’t designed to showcase their son;
Indignant when they are not treated as special and are asked to pay the same team fees as every other player;
Obsessively focused on only their son’s individual stats & achievements;
Unable to grasp why their son isn’t starting/playing every second;
Uninterested in hearing about the growth of their son as a team player;
Concerned that sons of friends/family were scoring more points per game or, even worse, are the star on their team(s) when their son is “better than ___” yet the same can’t be said of their son;
Openly critical of other players on the team: their son doesn’t get as many minutes as so-and-so, who (in their opinion) can’t dribble/dribbles too much, can’t shoot/shoots too much, turns the ball over/won’t pass to their kid, etc.;
We had a big lead in another game and, after we’d told the team to hold the ball, had a dad who yelled orders to his son, “You get yours _____.“
We’ve had kids who, after a specific play is drawn at a time out, ignore the coaches and jack up/miss a 3 and then aren’t at all apologetic about it.
We had a kid who, while really nice, couldn’t handle the ball to save his life. Ignoring that indisputable fact, his father (who admitted his own lack of athletic skill or basketball knowledge) insisted that his kid “deserved to be the point guard.” When I pointed out that the kid couldn’t dribble, couldn’t run the offense, refused to drive, and turned the ball over nearly every time he touched it, the father’s response was, “I’ve been working with him.“
We had a mother of twins who, despite many parent meetings where the reminder was given that equal playing time was never going to happen at the competitive upper AAU level we were at, attempted to rally the parents against the coaches because one of her sons wasn’t getting the exact number of minutes as his brother.
Another parent, after we’d lost a very close game, said loud enough for players, parents and other coaches/league officials to overhear and report, “It wasn’t the team’s fault. Your coaches are terrible.”

When a player wants to quit after so many years of working so hard, I have to question the real reason. How did they lose their love of the game? Is it because of a current coach? Did they have a parent who broke down their confidence? Was a parent trying to live vicariously through them without recognizing that they had a son who didn’t want to play the game? Or, in his years between beginner and future high school star, when he was in my care, did I fail, as a coach, to try and insulate him from the unreasonable expectations of his parents, or others influencing them, until he was able to voice his feelings himself?

When it all comes down to it, no matter what the answer is, it breaks my heart. Hmmm

Product Review: Ped Egg Powerball

On April 7, 2016 By ls1228In Extreme Blonde Moments, SafetyLeave a comment

I spend $75 every two weeks getting a gel fill on my fingers and a “Spa” pedicure. Somehow, despite that unreasonably high charge, the calluses on my feet never seem to get dealt with (even when I pay the extra for “callus removal”) nor do they become any softer. It’s frustrating to say the least.

pedegg-powerball-pivoting-callus-remover-set-d-20151204094858647~455041_100 Yesterday, while sneaking off to Rite Aid to get a scoop of Thrifty Ice Cream, I walked the aisles to kill some time and ended up in front of the “As seen on TV” display. I saw the usual unexciting things and then did a double take when I saw a product that I hadn’t seen before: Ped Egg Powerball. With a swiveling head and ability to be recharged (instead of running on expensive batteries), it looked interesting enough that I spent the $19.99 and left with one to give it a try.

The box instructions left a bit to be desired, so I headed to the internet to see if there was anything I needed to know, like, could I use it in the bath tub?

The first thing I noticed about the website was that I seemed to have gotten a good price. The website advertised it at $29.99. I didn’t get the 3 replacement rollers or the fancy organza carrying bag though, so the $10 was likely a wash. The website also promised me:

Beautiful younger looking, baby smooth feet
Easily buffed away calluses, dead skin, or dry and rough skin in seconds
A painless, blade free experience
Can be used on “Men’s callused hands” as well

What http://www.asseenontv.com did not give me was the ability to buy the add-ons, any instructions or warnings. Hmmm

I did a google search and found other sites selling the Ped Egg Powerball, but found the same lack of additional information and also some alarmingly low ratings – averaging 1 star.

According to Sue K, who bought it 2 months ago at Bed, Bath & Beyond, (who at least will take it back no questions asked) it doesn’t work, stops running at the least application of pressure, and she could do a better job with a loofa. UG!

Finally I came across the official website, but again, not a lot of useful information.

There was an accessories section, but no ability to buy replacement rollers
The F.A.Q. section only answered shipping/ordering questions
The Testimonials section had zero reviews…

Since I had struck out in my search for warnings and instructions, I forged ahead and just assumed that I can’t use it in water and that, after reading Consumer Reports and other reviewers, I should expect it to be slower/less powerful than advertised.

45 Minutes later and I’m not impressed. First I stood at the counter with my left foot, which has a thicker callus on the heel and big toe than my right, and tried the Ped Egg Powerball (with a full charge) dry.

If I pushed with any pressure at all the roll came to a stop
To the promises of: Easily Buffed Away Dry Skin, Dead Skin & Calluses in Seconds – NOPE nothing fast or easy about the process; Painless Experience – Yes, it barely registered as more than a tickle;

Because I seemed to be getting nowhere fast, and I had a hot bath with dead sea salts waiting for me, I decided to have a good long soak and attack it again after my skin was softened up. I soaked for 30 minutes, shaved with coconut oil (which also then ended up in my bath, then dried off and immediately gave the Ped Egg Powerball another shot. I still ran into the same pressure issue, but it seemed to do a much better job after the hot bath, salts and oil to soften the work areas up. I did notice that the roller seemed to gum up pretty quickly and that makes me feel like they would need to be replaced fairly often with regular use…HMMM

Final opinion: It’s not the worst $19.99 I’ve ever spent, but I have a hard time spending an additional $15.99 plus shipping every time I need new rollers. The only way I’ll be using it in the future is if I remember to charge it while I am taking a bath and feel like spending an extra 15 minutes doing what would take me 5 minutes in the tub with a pumice stone. It eventually does what it promises if you take the additional steps and time to help it work a little less hard, so I’d give the Ped Egg Powerball only 2 stars out of 5 for performance and only 1 out of 5 for a good value – considering the lack of replacement rollers included and the cost (+ difficulty) to acquire more.

Is Your Fear Irrational?

On April 5, 2016 By ls1228In Extreme Blonde MomentsLeave a comment

A phobia is an extreme or irrational fear of or aversion to something. Ok, I can work with that. Of the things I truly fear, I think the absolute annoyance I feel when someone is chewing loudly is probably my most irrational. But COME ON, how can someone not realize they are chewing so loud I can’t hear the television?

What kind of things scare or annoy the crap out of you?

Thanks to 9/11, I am not a big fan of being in tall buildings (acrophobia);
Thanks to Jaws, I was too afraid of what lurks in the ocean’s depths (thalassophobia) to complete the scuba lessons I paid for;
Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds” pretty much put me off of all things winged (ornithophobia);
Spiders (arachnophobia)? Snakes (opidiophobia)? Yep they’re both on my list!
Loud chewing bugs the crap out of me (Misophonia)…and I’m sure there are others

I was surprised to find out that some of these things that I fear have actual scientific names and qualify as phobias, even in extreme cases, could be described as anxiety disorders. Hmmm

Medial News Today takes the basic definition above and adds that a phobia can be labeled as, “an anxiety disorder in which the individual has a relentless dread of a situation, living creature, place or thing.” In extreme cases a person starts to organize their life around avoiding that which they fear. If they are met by the source of their fear, and in some cases even if they think about it, they suffer enormous emotional distress and often total panic and meltdown.

Phobia Fast Facts

Phobias are much more serious than simple fears.
Over 50 million people in the US have a phobia.
Females more commonly suffer from phobias than males.
Phobias often have their origins in early life.
Despite phobic individuals being aware that their fear is irrational, they can not control the feelings.
Symptoms may include sweating, chest pains, and pins and needles.
Specific brain areas have been found to be involved in phobias.

Hmmm I don’t think I’m that bad. I don’t like it, but I do go in tall buildings, I have been known to snorkel from a boat in deep water, I yell & jump if I am near a spider (then squish it) but it doesn’t alter my day, birds I just don’t like and avoid but I don’t melt down, and loud chewers? I can leave the room. None of those cause me to alter my life to avoid them, so I’m pretty sure I don’t really suffer from any phobias. Whew!

Some of those I came across, with “phobia” as part of their name were not phobias at all, instead they are words used to describe a prejudice or a term that discriminates like:

Homophobia: not a fear of, rather a dislike of homosexual people
Ephebiphobia: dislike of youths or teenagers by older people
Xenophobia: a dislike of strangers, foreigners or the unknown

Some are Simple Phobias: a disproportionate fear about specific situations, living creatures, places, activities, or things like

– Dentists (dentophobia)
– Bats (chiroptophobia)
– Dogs (cynophobia)
– Flying (aviophobia)
– Snakes (opidiophobia)
– Birds (ornithophobia)
– Frogs (ranidaphobia).

Some are Complex Phobias: linked to a deep-rooted fear or anxiety about certain situations, incidents or circumstances, which make them much more disabling than simple phobias and would be pretty hard to live with in everyday life:

Agoraphobia a helpless feeling of panic when traveling via public transportation, going into large shops or shopping malls. The most severe sufferers may be unable to leave their home.
Social Phobia (a.k.a. Social Anxiety Disorder) being in social situations is emotionally paralyzing for sufferers, who fear judgement, embarrassment or humiliation as a result of being the center of attention. Being forced to speak or act on a stage would terrify those suffering from this disorder.

In the 1980’s and 1990’s Robert Haining took the time to compile a list of phobias. The things that are there are head scratching and really, really make this thalassophobic girl go HMMM.

Dreadlock Warfare

On March 30, 2016March 30, 2016 By ls1228In Extreme Blonde MomentsLeave a comment

dreads31n-4-web — White student assaulted by black university employee for, “Cultural Appropriation.”

The viral video of a black San Francisco State University employee physically and verbally assaulting a white SFSU student with dreadlocks has resulted in some titillating headlines and opened up a national debate on the topic of, “cultural appropriation.” HMMM

The black woman accuses the white boy of not having the right to wear is hair in dreadlocks. Newsflash, angry black woman, there is evidence of many cultures, not just those with black skin hailing from the continent of Africa or the Island of Jamaica, wearing dreadlocks. They are worn for many reasons: an expression of deep religious or spiritual convictions, a manifestation of ethnic pride, to make a political statement, or simply as a fashion preference.

The Old Testament (you know, from The Bible Judges 16:13) recounts the tale of Samson and Delilah in which a man’s potency is directly linked to ‘the seven locks on his head’
Hair matching the description of dreadlocks is mentioned in the Veda scriptures of India, dated to 1800 BC;
Today in India, dreadlocks are spotted among Sadhus (holy men);
Historic accounts suggest that Germanic tribes, Celts, Greeks and the Vikings wore dreadlocks;
Egyptian King Tut (1332 – 1323 BC) wore dreadlocks. It is often, wrongly, assumed that Egypt (officially known as The Arab Republic of Egypt) is an African nation. Egypt is actually the world’s only contiguous Eurafrasian country: a country whose land mass spans two continents from the northeast corner of Africa to the southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge known as the Sinai Peninsula which divides the Red Sea and Mediterranean Sea.

The woman attacking the boy and accusing him of cultural appropriation doesn’t appear to be Egyptian. I can only assume that she is claiming it as part of her African heritage.

But no, that wouldn’t work for her argument either, as all of those cultures far pre-date the historically cited 1930’s Ethiopian Rastafarian protest-borne practice of men wearing their hair in dreadlocks until their Emperor, Ras Tafari, was returned to power.

Her argument certainly doesn’t hold any weight if she’s referring to dreadlocks as a right of Jamaican culture. Real mainstream cultural establishment came when dreadlock sporting, committed Rastafari, Jamaican Bob Marley came into his real fame with the worldwide success of his album, Exodus in 1977.

I’m not sure what culture this woman claims to be part of that this poor student was accused of stealing his look from, but I hope that she is prosecuted and fired for her assault. I also think she better review her knowledge of history before she continues spouting off at people. There are always video cameras/smart phones available to document public ignorance. Hmmm indeed!