Thoughts for a Saturday Night...

"Aw jeez!" This is a direct quote from Karl Dinkuhn and Archie Bunker. My brother Jim says it a lot too I have noticed. I'm saying it now because I am so blocked lately with my writing. I mentioned this in my previous post. On FaceBook I posted, "What I'd give for a little inspiration." I've decided to just write whatever is willing to come to my fingers. So here goes:

OU and OSU are playing their annual "Bedlam" game. I am rooting for OSU. I do root for them both during the season but today the Cowboys get my support. (Let me clarify...these Cowboys NEVER those in Dallass!) Personally I think OU is too cocky. I mentioned this to Kevin at work. He claims that their cockiness is what motivates them to win. Yeah, maybe, but this year I want to say, "how's that working out for them?"

Phil is home. He's been in WNY all week to see his family. I encourage this because his mom is 89 and he needs to see her as often as possible. So once again I was home alone. I know many may find that sad...to spend a holiday by myself, but I'm really okay with it. I, of course, didn't accomplish all I had hoped I would while he was away. I haven't done much reading and I certainly haven't done much writing but what can I say. I got plenty of sleep and some much needed spider solitaire played. (That's sarcasm...so you know) I made my own Thanksgiving dinner; took me all of 30 minutes. I watched "The Bucket List." That was a good movie. Jo and Mary came over yesterday and we watched, "The Secret Life of Bees." Jo and I both read the book and planned on seeing the movie together.

Work has got me thinking about something. If a form asks a question, I want it to have an answer. I am in the process of completing CAQH for all of my mid level providers. This is something new because most insurance plans don't credential them...until now. CAQH is a service that insurance plans use to get credentialing information on providers. I complete their online form and insurance plans use the same info to credential the provider. It's a great service. Many of the questions have to have answers. Without answers you can't move forward in the process. Some of the questions, though, apparently do not require answers because not answering them doesn't hinder the completion of the information. Now, I am of the mindset that I want all the questions answered regardless of their importance. This means I'd have to put more time into it and I'm being discouraged to do this by my supervisor. Well, I can go back at a later date and fill in some of the extraneous info but I need to initially get in, get it done and move on. I understand this but at the same time, I want it to be clean, through and tidy from the get go. I know, it's a flaw.

Let's talk Bristol Palin. I am really surprised at how Bristol is so disliked. I just don't get it. People seem to think that she shouldn't have agreed to be on DWTS because she's not a "star." Um...if the producers of the show came to me and said they'd pay me $250,000 just to be on the first week with monetary incentives if I can continue, I'd have to say yes. Why wouldn't she? Don't hold it against her. Some have said she needs to stay in Alaska and take care of her son. Yeah, like he's fending for himself in her absence. I think she's a nice girl who gets a bad rap because of her mother.

Hey, I'm writing! Sort of.

I have a lot to say....

But I'm apparently too lazy to get it down on paper (or blog). I'm taking a class on "Writing for your Grandchildren." Yes, I'm there under false pretense but they don't mind. The problem is that I have nothing to say right now. For some reason I'm not coming up with stories of my childhood to write so I can pass them on to Kate and Jon or Amanda. Mostly I'm not sure they'd really care but maybe they would eventually. I guess they'd like to know about the adventures their dads got into while growing up. Here are some topics:

• The Tornado Story
• Getting Arrested Story (The great train robbery)
• Stories of their Grandparents

They sound like good stories and a great place to start but I'm not motivated at the moment. Well, I haven't been motivated for a while. I paid $80 for this class; I'm going to have to fake it.

I'm home alone for the holiday so I will be back to write more. I need to write more often, I know. Not that any one's reading but if they are...well, let's just say I'm doing it for me.

"Everyone's Different"

I've been hearing this a lot lately because lately I've been judgmental of some people in my life. I have complained about them to my cousin, Julie who lives in Florida. Julie's one of the good ones who doesn't complain about people much. She's big on "living and let live." She sees the good in everyone, a quality (and God love her) I find a little annoying.

I was commenting to her that I have people in my life who generally are not pleasant from time to time. Yeah, I know, everyone has their days but there are some people who have their weeks and it makes me nuts. You know those people who don't like to respond to your humor, who swat at your very existence like you were a gnat that just won't go away? They talk in short choppy sentences. My mother used to do that when she was upset with me, give me those one word answers...
"you okay?"
"fine!"
"you need anything?"
"No."
"Anything wrong?"
"Nope."

Maybe this is why I'm so sensitive to it.

Anyway, Julie's pat response is, "Well every one's different."
I say wearing bowling shoes to work is different; putting strawberry jam on your hamburger is different; playing the bagpipe is different. Being short and unfriendly is not different....it's disrespectful! To call it being "different" is basically rewarding bad behavior...giving justification to something that can't be justified. It's not so much the words that are being said, it's how they are said. It's basically rude and it shouldn't be tolerated. It's like passing gas: you can do it, it's not against any rules or laws but you, generally, don't. If one sqeaks out, you say " excuse me."