Haircut/Customs

I got a cute springy haircut from my favorite haircutter, Kasey. She’s in her early twenties, bubbly, cute, optimistic and talented, but what the hell, I still like her! I feel good every time I leave her place. That’s the mark of a good hair stylist.

I also finished a travel book I bought the other day: Behave Yourself! The Essential Guide to International Etiquette by Michael Powell. It’s a small tome arranged by countries. The Dos and Don’ts of each culture: Meeting and Greeting, Conversation, Dress, Eating and drinking etiquette. People in some cultures don’t like to do a lot of smiling (I know it’s hard to believe.) Maybe they’re like The Office’s Dwight, who proclaims that he never smiles unless forced to. A toothy smile is what submissive primates show. Standing with your hands in your pockets is a no-no in some countries, as is showing flashy jewelry.

Anyway, if I ever travel to Pakistan I’ll know not to ever accept anything anyone offers me, unless they make repeated offers. They think it’s polite to offer to give you anything that you comment on (“Oh, what a lovely scarf.”) It saves face. They’re poor, so don’t take them up on the offer. Also, lone female travelers are frowned upon and will be shunned. Ask a Pakistani about his “family and children” but NEVER about his wife.

Don’t insult a Norwegian by lumping him in with Swedes and Danes. They have their own culture. Would you like being mistaken for a Canadian?

According to this book, most people in the world dress better than jean-clad Americans. Doesn’t mean they have more money, they’re just more conscious about their appearance in public.

Chileans, Russians, Poles have very little “personal space.” They’ll stand very close to you. (Seinfeld’s “Close talker”?) Don’t back up. They’ll be offended and just move closer to you anyway.

Maybe Americans who travel abroad should research local customs. Maybe it will cut down on the stereotypical Ugly American.

Creed

One of my new favorite The Office characters is the old man Creed. Last night’s episode was about complaints to HR. The young temp Ryan had complained that Creed always had an “Old Man smell.” Creed smiled and said, “I know what he means. He opened his desk drawer to show a layer of sprouted mung beans on paper towels. “I sprout mung beans in my desk,” and as he popped some in his mouth he deadpans, “they smell like death.” Hahahaha. I laughed out loud. This was a good episode—I laughed out loud three times. I very seldom do that while watching TV.

I tried to Google a picture of the guy who plays Creed (I think his name actually is Creed) but no luck. He was in a background shot of one the of photos on the sitcom's website but it wasn't a good one.

email hoaxes

I received a forwarded email today telling me of the dangers of flashing headlights at a car driving without lights on. Supposedly this is a gang initiation and the occupants of the car will follow you and KILL YOU DEAD! Adios! Bye-bye.
I sent this person the www.snopes.com website with the information that this email has been around for over ten years and it is false.
What's worse, the guy who sent me the email is a police officer and it was sent to him by his captain. Sigh.

I voted today.

Indiana holds its primary elections on the first Tuesday in May. Today. So I went to vote. A bunch of school board people, and other assorted local politicians. People can’t solicit 50 yards from the polls so they stand in a line in the parking lot. This one pushy broard asks me, “Did you come here to vote?” I gave her a “why else would I be here at 6:15 am?” look. She then shoves her election brochure into my hand and pipes up with a “VOTE FOR ME!!!” Not an “I’d appreciate your vote,” or “Please vote for me.” So I looked at the name under her picture on the brochure, went into the polling place and voted against her.
Did anyone in the history of mankind walk up to a polling place and just by being told to vote for Candidate A as opposed to Candidate B, slap themselves in the forehead and say, “Wow! I guess I’ll vote for YOU!”?
My point: 100% of the people (Internet statistic) who haul their asses out of bed to vote in a PRIMARY of all things are pretty much set as to who(m) they’re voting for.

For Urban

Hands sounds like BP. He thinks all flowers should smell nice.

Check around the nursery, but also check out what your neighbors plant.

My Favorite Smell-gooders:
Lavender
Dianthus (pinks)
Nicociana (Flowering tobacco)
Heliotrope (smells like vanilla)
Lillies
Roses
Herbs
Allyssum

Spring bulbs:
hyacinths
Daffodils
Tulips
Lilac bushes

Crappy weather but lots of plants

I went on a wild spending spree yesterday. The way blu buys designer knockoffs I buy plants. Especially in the Spring time. But the weather turned shitty again so all of these plants are on my front porch huddled together in big cartons and in paper bags. Yesterday I looked at the weather forecast and it’s rain, rain, rain, showers, partly cloudy, rain, rain, cloudy, partly cloudly for the next ten freaking days. Mother Nature/God . . hello . . . my solar powered copper fountain needs sun to run, Honey. Cloudy, rainy days aint gonna cut it.

Anyway, Rural King (a seed/tool/cheapy-creepy store) had big ole pots of rosemary for $2.99 each!

Most of this stuff is going in the wine barrels. Here’s what’s living on my porch for awhile:

3 rosemary
3 different tomato plants (BP put them in the crat and expects me to plant them)
3 different pepper plants (BP again)
1 fernleaf dill
2 thymes
3 Italian parsley
1 curly parsley (for butterflies to use to have sex and lay their eggs in)
3 Basils (no bollocks on my basils either)

2 Wave petunias (a start for my hanging baskets)



I want some snapdragons but they were all in full bloom, and you do NOT buy bedding plants when their in full bloom at the nursery (no matter what Ded will try and sell you.) You want plants to bloom at your home, not in the nursery.

I’ve got my list ready for the other containers but I won’t buy anything else for at least two weeks.