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Sunday, August 13, 2006

So Much for Good Resolutions

It's midnight and here I am.

The good news. We're almost ready for school. I finished up the sorting of clothing today, at least until cold weather sets in (usually mid-October here). All we have left is making sure their clothes are laid out tomorrow (without too many mind changes in between) and their backpacks are ready.

We have a new visitor. Welcome to Josie from Vancouver BC.

One of my commenters had a couple of questions; reminding me once again that even though we all speak English, we don't always share a frame of reference.

She asked first about Rice-a-roni (a food peculiar to America). The commercials call it the "San Francisco treat" but it has nothing to do with SF. It's a packaged food, rice and small pieces of vermicelli (thin spaghetti) with a seasoning packet. Brown the rice/vermicelli mixture and add water and seasoning. Cook until rice is done. I sometimes make it into a complete one dish meal with veggies and chicken and sometimes turn it into Spanish rice. There must be at least 20 different varieties by now. It's been around a while. I admit it, I cheat occasionally.

She asked about "flaming". It's usually a one time attack on a blogger, also called "hit and run". Always anonymous and nasty and written by some idiot with nothing better to do than to surf the blogs and cause pain.

I think of "trolls" as something else although they're usually discussed together. They do come back over and over and they're more apt to criticize your writing, your blog style, your parenting, your subject matter. Anything that will feed their appetite. They might or might not be known to us under their actual names (which they generally don't use). They're angry and they're attention junkies.

I'm not talking about a discussion and opposing viewpoints. That's entirely different. Of course we're not all going to march in lockstep. It would make for a boring world. You should see the comments when someone mentions Spam (the meat, not the garbage that poses as email).

The best way to lose a troll is to starve it. Don't respond to the comment or the email. We can't win and they'll keep coming back for more. Negative attention is better than no attention. Whether you delete the comments is up to the individual blogger.

Here's the Wikipedia link

Enough of that. I hope none of you have to deal with either one.

The bad news. Golly, there isn't any. No complaints, no whines about the weather, I'm not even going to be upset because the Giants have lost 14 of their last 17 games.

Did I ever mention how much the girls and I like ABBA? (I don't know how to do the backward "B"). Probably. PBS (Public Broadcasting - educational channel) ran a special tonight (pledge time again) of the 1979 Wembley (London) concert. Too much talk; not nearly enough music but we still enjoyed it. Surprising how that music has stayed around all these years. I seem to be raising three Dancing Queens, bouncing around the living room singing Take a Chance on Me and Super Trouper (which wasn't part of the concert but they have memorized) from our dvd and cd's.

My older son is home from El Centro (National Guard) for the weekend. It's his and Melissa's second anniversary. Baby Jonathan is thriving. I don't see as much of him as I'd like with Melissa working and me busy. It's hard to coordinate visits.

And now it's 1:00 a.m. I'm not sure about church tomorrow. I'll decide when we wake up.

Take care everyone.

23 comments:

Janice Seagraves said...

Hi Ann,

I'm up late too! You must have logged off something like 25 minutes ago.

I just wanted to say hi, and say thank God everythings quiet today.

I hope you have a good week.

Later, Janice~

Atasha said...

OH my you like ABBA? I love them. I actually have some songs that I downloaded from online. I couldn't find them anywhere else I am sure people were wondering what the heck is wrong with this woman. As if the classical music wasn't enough here she is blasting ABBA. It's the best. And I sing out loud too, most times with the window up but on occasion it's down and watch out people.

I sound darn good too. Come on Ann sing with me:

Chiquitita, you and i know
How the heartaches come and they go and the scars they're leaving
You'll be dancing once again and the pain will end
You will have no time for grieving
Chiquitita, you and i cry
But the sun is still in the sky and shining above you
Let me hear you sing once more like you did before
Sing a new song, chiquitita
Try once more like you did before
Sing a new song, chiquitita

Ahhh...I love it!

Sheri said...

Hi Ann,
Glad to hear that everyone is doing well there and you are almost ready for school...When do the girls start?
Take care,
Sheri

Anonymous said...

Mmmmm...Spam. Slice it up, brown it in a skillet, and eat it as a sandwich. Yum! Maybe occasionally add some BBQ sauce.

Good luck tonight with the outfit selections. My bet? At least 3 changes apiece before they're settled. :)

Yondalla said...

Good morning!

I got the same thing Baggage got. Mine is in my comment. You know...children in foster care being taken away from loving parents. I'm sure it happens, but it is odd.

I don't know how I feel about someone using our blogs to politicize their own cause. The poster is clearly not someone who is reading my blog...just using it as a platform.

I hope this is not the beginning of a new trend.

Lionmom said...

My kid is freaking out about school starting. I'm glad you have some relative calm.

Susie said...

Good explanation of flamers vs spammers.
I've dealt with both. NO fun!!
I guess the Rice A Roni connection to SF was because of the cable car in the commercial.
I love it for a quick side dish, but just wish it wasn't so very high in sodium. (Like half your recommended daily allowance!) LOL...

TJ said...

ahhh...now I see!!!
I had no idea what you were talking about in Robyn's comments...now it is all cleared up!!
I now realize you usually email and she did not have an email addy!
And I do stand behind what you wrote in that they don't always show up in comments...sometimes it is a hurtful email...and the very best way to get rid of them is to starve them of the attention they crave!!
I've learned that lesson myself and each blogger at some point has had this experience or will have it.
Too bad there is not more info out there so people would not have to learn these things the hard way...Like and information blog or something...

Rowan Dawn said...

Wow. The giants aren't doing so good. My dad must be turning in his grave!

Kristen said...

Ah, trolls. They're sad people.

Hey, you should read my latest post on our trip to the science museum yesterday - you'll never believe what the omniplex movie was about.

Puss-in-Boots said...

You surely do not believe you will get away with the first lot of clothing you laid out for the girls for school???! No way, Ann. There will be several changes of mind. lol But then again, they may be so looking forward to going back to school that the clothes will be flung on, they will be that eager to get going!

Thank you for your explanations. Pity there are these negative souls around who have nothing else better to do, and in their tiny minds think that their ugly comments actually add something to the world.

Take care and don't let the turkeys get you down...

-A said...

My only "trollish" person (whose name I won't include here because every now and then she googles herself to see if I've said anything new (hahaha, but I know! because I check stats!) only visited once and called me out about something (which I posted and you read)! I'd agree that it was more like flaming and less like trolling - she's never said anything else and I'm happy with that.

Hmm, those poor Giants (says the A's fan, who has won at least 14 of 17!) and yet they are still technically in the wildcard race!

Sarah Elaine said...

Funny... I live in Canada and I've eaten Rice-a-roni more times than I care to admit. Maybe they just don't have it in BC?

Sandy Hatcher-Wallace said...

OMG...I just went over to the Wikipedia and read the definition of 'flaming,' and I think I have been doing this to my brother's blog. *LOL* I've stopped and I'm being nice to him because he's old (and will be older on the 24th).
I didn't do any drive by anonymous flame throwing...he always knew it was me.

Getting everything ready for school is a job and I'm wondering how all the parents who drive their children to school are going to be able to afford the extra cost of gas...may have to go back to carpooling.

Glad you got a visit from your son, wife & baby...it's always nice when your children or grandchildren come for a visit.

Moms & grannys with children keep late hours...it's the only way to fit everything into the day.

thordora said...

ah trolls....too bad there's been a few lately huh?

hang in there. Everyone's got yr back...

FRIDAY'S CHILD said...

Looking back to when my kid was just starting to go to school, sometimes I'm glad I'm over it. But thinking about my grandson, I think I'll be starting all over again.
Thanks for coming by and that was a good comment but psssst!

Andie D. said...

Learn something new every day! They say you haven't hit it bigtime until you've been "flamed" by a "troll". Always knew your were BIGTIME! ;)

I recently learned another new term from Fuzzbox over at http://blugstuff.blogspot.com/.

Googlewhack: "...a google whack occurs when a two word phrase is typed into a google search and only one result comes out."

kittenpie said...

Ha, I always have a hard time making myself go to bed early too - have always been a night owl. It's 11:45 and I should so be in bed!

And oh, ABBA rocks, how could you not love them?!

Bacchus said...

Granny,

Actually Rice-a-Roni is a local treat. The inventory and orginal company were in San Francisco until they sold it to Quaker in the 80's.

Here is a recent Chronicle article on it.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/07/16/MNGTUK06P31.DTL&hw=rice+roni&sn=001&sc=1000

Pat said...

Twice I have had a comment berating me for a blog friendship to someone she libels. As both times they have been anonymous I just delete them and ignore them. why do they bother?

Madcap said...

My very first album was Super Trouper. I was so proud of myself, buying "worldly" music at 10 years old.

Kendra Lynn said...

Glad all is well for you. :)
Sounds like you have everything under control for school.
Have a wonderful day!

Kendra

Meow (aka Connie) said...

Rice-a-roni sounds like something similar we have here. I love those prepackaged meals, that you just add water to. Quick and easy when you're out of time. Also great when camping !!
Ooooh, I love ABBA, too. Their music is timeless, and lots of fun. We have a revival band here, called Bjorn Again, who are ever so popular.
Hope you have a great week.
Take care, Meow