Style Rules for Condiments

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Courtesy food.com

Style goddess Coco Chanel said, “Before you walk out the door take one thing off.” Bottom line, don’t over accessorize.

How do relish and fashion advice fit together?, you ask.

I see condiments as accessories to, say, hot dogs. They are unnecessary but add some “interest” to an outfit, as Stacy London puts it. The only condiment I care for on hot dogs is mustard, and I could actually take or leave hot dogs, period (I promise I’m not Communist).

Again, using hot dogs as a metaphor, some people go condiment crazy, which, in my book, is a no no-no. Dad is an offender. We now have a Portillo’s (if there are readers in the Chicago area they know the restaurant I’m talking about). If he gets a hot dog or bratwurst I can’t believe how cluttered his “outfit” is. Hot mustard, onions, sweet peppers, hot peppers. Over accessorized 101.

So, whether we are talking about fashion or hot dogs, in my opinion, we need to follow the old less is more rule. It’s just good taste.

Enough!

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I’m so sorry about the subject of this post. If you are like me, you had enough long ago!

It’s as if you are bludgeoned with it! You have commercials where Hillary is attacking Trump. Change the channel and you have another one where it’s the opposite. Luckily, because California is so liberal, the candidates don’t spend much time focused on us. Unfortunately, Dad is a HUGE Fox News fan and that’s all they talk about.

I have already voted. That makes it worse, because I still have to listen to it. I voted to keep the death penalty, raise cigarette taxes, as well as on probably ten other propositions.

I left president blank. You know that I am a Republican. I couldn’t believe my choice of candidate.

As bad as Trump is, I like Hillary less. Besides the trustworthiness issue, she doesn’t seem genuine. While talking to people on the campaign trail she looks forced, like it’s an effort to be there. Like she has little in common with the common folk.

Thank you for allowing me to vent. All I can say is Tuesday can’t come soon enough.

Bridge Over Troubling Waters

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Mom and I really look forward to “Project Runway” every week, which we watch on the TV in the kitchen. Friday at lunch. It’s almost a tradition. We critique the fashions and make predictions. We also look for Swatch at Mood. If Dad is eating his lunch at the bar in the kitchen, he gets glimpses of the show and provides commentary, which usually isn’t flattering.

I admit that I’m not the most creative. How can the designers get a challenge, two minutes later begin to sketch, thirty minutes later get fabric. And the challenges! The one that sticks out in my mind was where the designers had to create a dress that would look pretty under black light.

The worst for me would be the avant guarde challenge, although I would definitely say “uncle” before point. One of those challenges was to create a dress that’s inspired by a New York City bridge. All of the avant guarde dresses come out bizarre, but I guess that’s the definition of avant guarde.

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This dress won the “bridge” challenge. See what I mean?

Maybe the moral is this: I think it would be fun to be a designer, but you have to have an ounce of creativity. Guess not.

Just a Suggestion

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Courtesy designpublic.in

Dear WordPress,

In my opinion, as I’ve said, I don’t think the one-word prompts are fun. I also said that I’m sure I’m not the only blogger who feels this way. Did you run out of ideas? If that’s the case, I have some.

  • Did you have a security blanket or stuffed animal as a kid? Why were they so special?
  • What decade were you born in?   Do you like the music from then? Why?
  • You just won the lottery. What do you do with your fortune?
  • Write a dialogue between you and your pet. If you don’t have one, an animal you know.
  • What is your middle name? Do you like it?
  • Are you an optimist or pessimist? Why?
  • What’s your favorite memory from your favorite season?
  • What are your thoughts on the election?

It Would Be Awesome If These Words Literally Disappeared

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ban

As I’ve said, I love words. I’ve also said that I could read the thesaurus as a novel. Both are true, but then there are some words/phrases I despise. It’s how we use them. It wouldn’t break my heart if the following were banned.

The list is extremely scary. It actually gives me chills. After all, Halloween is Monday.

  • Man cave
  • Hashtag something- #annoying
  • Awesome- The Grand Canyon is awesome, not your new TV
  • Selfie
  • Literally- Unless you know how to use it
  • Bling
  • Vape
  • Tweet- Only birds tweet

Did I miss any? I would love to hear your additions!

It’s A Small Disappointment

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My sister’s boyfriend works for ESPN. Since Disney is their parent company, he gets passes to Disneyland a few times a year. Oh, darn. Mom, Dad, and I used them over the summer. We just went to walk around, though did go on a few rides. I asked to go on Small World. Dad grumbled, but obliged.

I obviously can’t get into a boat. There is one with a lift, but it was being used at the time. It was 4:55. As the clock ticked, I wondered how in the world the employees did it. That thing would drive me crazy. Eight hours!?

Our boat came before five. As we floated along, listening to that song, which I was extremely annoyed to have in my head when I went to sleep hours later, I started noticing things. As all of the dolls sang, their “jaws” would clack, the outfits looked a little tired, and when you looked over the boat’s railing you saw all the mechanics beneath the dolls.

I was a tad disappointed seeing that, as I said, that was my favorite ride as a kid. There was “Disney Magic” at work. But as an adult, you become wise to it. Wouldn’t it be nice to keep that childlike innocence all of our lives?

Calling

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Courtesy lightevangilismministry.org

As you know, I volunteer for Free Wheelchair Mission, a Christian charity based in Orange County. They provide wheelchairs at no cost to the recipient to the disabled in developing countries. I “speak” for them. Actually, Dad does the speaking—I write what I want him to say. Together we have been to churches, Rotary Club meetings, and city counsel meetings.

Sometimes I feel guilty. Charity isn’t supposed to be about you. Free Wheelchair Mission has given me confidence, friends, brought Dad and I closer, and has given me a new perspective on things.

I’m not going to tell you exactly how I came to volunteer for Free Wheelchair Mission because (1) it’s a very long story and (2) I think my doing so would take away from the work this wonderful organization does.

So I’ll just say this: I believe I was literally called by God.

I guess He knew what He was doing when He interrupted my sleep in 2013.

Money Makers

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According to Salary.com, the median salary for an elementary school teacher in Los Angeles is just over $60,000. The average police officer makes less than $50,000.

Now compare teaching the next generation and keeping our streets crime-free to the 20 to 30 million dollars that some celebrities make per movie.

Is something completely backwards?

My sister is a teacher. I’m positive she would be the first person to tell you that teaching is a lot harder than $60,000 worth. And it’s a disgrace about police officers! They put their lives on the line every day to keep us safe. We have family friends whose son is a police officer in Pomona, a crime-ridden city just outside of Los Angeles. But he, like my sister, didn’t choose his profession to become a millionaire.

Maybe sister or our friend can’t cry on command like celebrities (actually she can, which got me in trouble many a time as kids), but aren’t their jobs more valuable than memorizing lines?

Strong Like Ralph

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I must have ten or eleven. I would have been off-track. Dad, along with his daughters, ate lunch at Taco Bell. Although I loved the restaurant, I almost dreaded going there. We might see him. Ralph was an employee of the restaurant, wiping tables or sweeping the floors. Although Dad always chatted with Ralph, to me, Ralph was awkward, borderline scary. Ralph had Down syndrome.

Was I scared because Ralph was different from me?

I’ve obviously grown up. I don’t know if it’s being disabled myself now, or just maturity, but I so admire people with any disability, especially an intellectual one. Part of my old thinking could have been because I didn’t know anyone with Down syndrome. But thanks to shows like “Born This Way,” which I highly recommend (Tuesday at 8 on A&E, though it’s on haetis right now), or inclusion in our schools, I’m glad the old “stigmas” attached to people with any intellectual disability are slowly going away.

 

I so wish I could find Ralph. I would give him a big hug.