Some advice for the men…

I’ve been having a problem lately. I’ve been bombarded with questions from my boyfriend about what to get me for my birthday. While I’m happy he even remembers, the questions are kind of irksome. All women like to feel like the men in their lives know enough about them to actually buy a gift or do something special for them without being consulted. Maybe I’m expecting too much, and I know if you ask you shall receive but nevertheless I want that surprise and I want to feel special.

Really that’s all there is to it guys. Women want to feel special on their birthdays and we’re looking to you alone to make this happen for us. I think this feeling comes because we run on emotions. We put so much into every birthday, every anniversary, and we think our gift to you is an expression of how we feel about you. That’s why we try so hard and get our feelings hurt so bad when our presents or acts of kindness are swept under the rug as an everyday act.

So for all the men out there in the same predicament that my boyfriend is in, here is some advice.

Number 1: Women just want to feel special. If you don’t know just what to get her, then buy her some small meaningful gift and then take her out for a night of romance. A lot of us women forget what it’s like. Oh, and if you think your woman is not the “romance type,” then you’re wrong. ALL women love to be romanced.

Number 2: If your woman is the gift type and you must get her a great gift, use your head! Really take time to think about what your lady likes. I know every woman is different and loves different things, so think about what makes her happy. Does she have a hobby? Has she been wishing for something, but not getting it for herself? However, I must warn you…be careful when thinking about this. If she’s been wishing for a toaster, and you get her only a toaster then she will be upset. REMEMBER: We don’t want something we need, we want something we want! (Watch the movie Love Actually for goodness sakes!) If all fails, every woman on earth likes jewelry. I don’t care who she is. Just make sure you get her jewelry that she actually wears. If you never see her in a necklace…don’t buy her one! There has to be some kind of jewelry that she wears…earrings…bracelets…rings….necklaces. Whatever it is, she’s going to equate your feelings with it. To us, your present is a representation of how you feel about us. I know it’s intimidating, but it’s so true.

Number 3: Don’t hand it to us in a shopping bag! I know a lot of men aren’t gifted when it comes to wrapping presents, but there are other alternatives out there. It’s called a gift bag and tissue paper!

Number 4: Just tell us you love us. Guys hate greeting cards. You hate to read them, and probably hate to buy them. It’s okay. I never expect a card, and if by chance I get one, I know not to expect a long handwritten message on the inside. I just look at the bottom and make sure he remembered to sign it at least. So don’t get strung out about a card. It’s more of a woman thing anyway. Just tell us you love us, give us a nice hug/kiss and you’ll be fine. I know us women expect a lot, but we don’t expect everything.

I’m sure if I were married I wouldn’t even expect this much. I’d probably be happy with him just watching the kids while I have a day of my own. This is just my advice to you based on the relationships I’ve been in. We hold our men to a higher standard when it comes to birthdays because in a lot of cases, they are number one in our lives. We want to know they feel the same about us.

So good luck with those gifts guys! If you follow my advice and the woman still cries when she opens your gift, then I don’t know what to tell ya. Maybe you just snagged a tough one.

Herenton, even Wikipedia doesn’t like you.

 

On the Memphis news a couple weeks ago, they were discussing the fact that Willie Herenton is going under review for the possibility of a pay raise. City Council voted 8-5 to increase the mayor’s current salary ($160,000) to $171,500 which will go into effect at the beginning of 2008. Why should our mayor get an increase when he can’t even do his job correctly? I know in the “normal work force” people don’t get increases based on their job title, but on the work that has been done in order to advance the company.

 

Outgoing City Councilman, Tom Marshall, even said he would keep taking the pay increase issue off the agenda until he believed it would get the vote he was looking for. Of course, Marshall is in favor of the Mayor getting a pay increase. “It was my intent to bring the salary in keeping with the same kind of salary that he was able to offer the city employees.” I know when he uses the term “city employees” he wants us to believe he’s talking about the MLGW electricians, the policemen, the firemen, but we know what he means. You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours. Ahh…Memphis City politics.

 

No wonder this can’t-hack-it is still in office. Bravo, Mr. Mayor!

While I was searching the internets, trying to find the result of the pay increase, I came across Herenton on Wikipedia. Even Wikipedia gives unbiased information on well…..everything in existence. So when I saw Herenton listed, I had to check it out. This is what I found:

• Failed to ensure sound fiscal management of the City of Memphis [3]
• Fraud allegations involving national money for the building of the FedEx Forum [4]
• Failed to communicate effectively with the City Council [5]
• Failed to address multiple allegations of improprieties regarding Memphis Light Gas and Water [6]
• Served as the prime target and catalyst for the City Charter rewrite [7]
• Angered citizens to the point of becoming a target of a citizen recall effort [8]
• Done little in response to the significant rise in crime under his leadership, stating that “No mayor in any American city can solve the crime problem.”[9]
• Stated that those who don’t like the way he has served as mayor can move out of Memphis.
• In June 2007, Herenton held a press conference to announce that he was the target of a conspiracy by “rich, white businessmen plotting to derail his re-election by videotaping him having sex with a strip club waitress.”[10]
• On September 19, 2007, as reported by the Commercial Appeal [11], Mayor Herenton called for a halt to early voting due to “irregularities”. The Shelby County Election Commission stated that early voting would continue.

If you think I may only be posting the unfavorable content, visit the page. Wikipedia-W.W. Herenton

I think I feel better knowing that Wikipedia is on my side.

FEMA is a crock.

So everyone knows about the recent fires in San Diego, Malibu and a lot of southern California for that matter. I’ve heard on the news from the citizens that they believe FEMA is doing a good job right now. They have water, they have shelter, they’re just fine and dandy. I even heard one lady say, “Well, we’re fine. It’s just a part of living in one of the most beautiful parts of the country.” The fires are STILL ongoing and they’re already receiving help. This is a predominately upper class white area. Yes, of course you’re receiving help.

New Orleans happened over 2 years ago. Yes, I’m stepping all in this issue, I know. No matter, it did happen over 2 years ago. I moved there for a short while last year and into a little bit of the beginning of this year. I don’t care what the news is reporting; most of New Orleans still looks like Baghdad. There are boarded up stores, some neighborhoods don’t have gas stations for miles because all the local ones are still shut down and boarded up, and the roads could permanently tear up your car. There’s no excuse for people still living in FEMA trailers the size of a large van. So while I’m glad to see that FEMA has learned from their mistakes last time, and are indeed helping these people in California, it still ticks me off to know New Orleans is still the way it is.

There are so many questions that need to be asked here. Is this really a racial issue? Why is New Orleans still in ruins? How much longer do these people have to wait until they receive the attention they deserve? People should be held accountable. Yes, Michael Brown was fired as he should be, but there are too many others, our President included, that should take responsibility for allowing something like this to go on and to continue.

What do you think?

I love my insurance company!

State Farm Insurance has to be one of the best insurance companies in the world!

 

With that being said, I would like to explain why. Today while I was sitting inside on my comfy couch trying to avoid the rain and while enjoying my latest book Invisible Monsters by Chuck Palahniuk, I get a knock on my door. “Is that your white car outside? This 18 wheeler out here is backing into your car!” Sure enough, I walk outside and the A-hole (excuse my French) is backing into my car trying to get enough room to make a left hand turn that he will in no way ever make. He stops, gets out and we all survey the damage. Yes, my car has a gaping whole in it all the way through the metal. Nice, buddy! Real nice.

After about 45 minutes of police questions and exchanging insurance information, I go inside to call my agent. If I don’t want to have to pay my deductable (500 big ones), I’ll have to call the trucking company’s insurance (rhymes with Burrrick). I see the 1-800 number and instantly know this is going to be a long afternoon. I call Zurich, they give me another number to call which in fact, yes you guessed it, leads me to another 1-800 number I should call. This pisses me off to a degree because while my insurance may be on the pricier side (as Progressive claims on their commercials) at least I get a local number and a nice, friendly, knowledgeable person on the other line. I’ve never had problems getting the information I need with my own insurance company so I hate coming to the realization that not all other insurance companies are like mine. I believe most of these other company’s headquarters reside in the deepest parts of hell.

I’ve been at it for 2 hours. Calling, holding, hanging up and doing it all over again. When will the madness stop??

Ugh, am I the only person that feels this way?

Why can’t I be sympathedic?

According to TMZ, tons of celebrities are being evacuated in Malibu due to the recent brushfire started by down power lines. While I understand that a fire of any kind is dangerous and malicious, I just can have sympathy for the celebrities forced to evacuate their million dollar estates. Yes, I understand these people work hard for their money, and I do realize that it is their homes we’re talking about. It’s the one place they probably get any kind of privacy in this celebrity obsessed world, but I just can’t be sad for them. When you look at the people in Africa dying of AIDS, living in clay huts, with flies buzzing around their faces, you soon realize that it’s not sad at all that these millionaires have to retreat from their lavish accommodations. Seriously, who needs an indoor swimming pool and a 6 car garage?

I’m sorry you will have to spend the night in some swank Beverly Hills Hotel while your multi-million dollar home burns to the ground. I hope you have a good real estate agent. Heh, I’m sure you do.