Saturday, June 09, 2007

Things I Learned This Week: 6/9/07

Because I want to spare you from experiencing some of the things I endured over the last few days, I post “Things I Learned This Week” each Saturday. It’s educational, sometimes insightful and for some reason it never makes me look good. I hope that knowing about at least one item on this list will make your upcoming week much easier. So here are the “Things I Learned This Week” for the week of 6/3/07-6/9/07.

! I learned that when someone made a huge mistake at work, no matter how true my statement that ‘you all know me, I’m the least proactive person here’ might be, it still doesn’t portray me in a good light.

! I learned that not everyone who reads my blog (reference yesterday’s comments) knows satire when they see it. Sadly, this also holds true at work and at home. Despite the stats, I still think it’s everyone else that has the problem.

! I learned that ironing pants is more difficult than I had imagined. Fortunately, no one at work seemed to notice that all of my pants last week had three creases on each leg. At least they didn’t say anything to me, but there were sure a lot of chuckles every time I left the room.

! I learned that whenever you make a mistake while driving around town, there is always someone who knows you nearby to witness it. Then they just can’t wait to contact you and tell you that they saw what you did wrong, even if it’s in front of 300 other p
arents at a school function for your children.

! I learned that no matter what I order at a restaurant, Lucy an Ethel will want that instead of what they asked me to order for them, which means I get to eat their grubby leftovers while they dine on my expensive meal. As a result, I now am an expert on Southern California restaurant kiddy menu fare, which includes such specialties as Mac and Cheese, corn dogs and the chicken nugget.

! I learned that there isn’t a lot of difference between a preschooler’s birthday party and graduation. There’s a bunch of singing, crying and cake.

And lastly,

! I learned that being the only adult out of 300 to get into the rented bounce house with all the other children at Lucy and Ethel’s end of the year school picnic isn’t quite the badge of honor I thought it would be. It’s not like I made it deflate or anything.

I may still be learning, but at least I finally perfected this:

I finally mastered by own dry rub, which means the student has now become the teacher...Woo Hoo!

29 comments:

Patti said...

pants aren't supposed to have three creases?

AndreAnna said...

You got to go in the bounce house? Did you have a few drinks before going in? That would have been a hoot. LOL

Odat said...

Love the three creases too!!!
You just may start a new fashion trend!
Peace

Michael C said...

Patti: That's exactly what I said ;-)

AndreAnna: No drinking, but because of my heart meds I was plenty lightheaded before and afterwards.

Odat: Let's hope so. It would really make my ironing easier!

Patti said...

I like the grilling meat photo...I didn't see it yesterday.

Bon appetit!

The Rock Chick said...

Ironing anything is hard! That's why there's dryers! LOL..just throw it in, take it out right away and it's better than 3 creases on the legs....

Your ribs looks awesome!!! I don't cook, but my hubby is quite the chef! Thank goodness, or we'd be condemned to a life of Spaghettios around here.

He has a dry rub that he uses on ribs and then sauces them at the end with this orange/chipolte BBQ sauce he makes.....MMMMMMMMMMMMMM!

That dry rub is also great on beer can chickens, too! Really adds to the flavor!!

Jessica

Ralph said...

Michael, isn't there a weight and height limit for these bouncy things? And did you take off your shoes before you violated the weight and height rules?

300 parents now see you as a traffic scofflaw? Those are impressive numbers!

Finally, the ribs look great. I've not tried to do those over charcoal, afraid of destroying moisture content. The dry rub you described at my blog sounds great, except I haven't seen honey sugar in the store...

Just telling it like it is said...

Micheal C....No need to worry I always get your humor... even when you may not think I do...Ohhh like minds really... and I grew up Catholic too...I guess that is why I love to shock effect of my blogs... and then I say 3 Hail Marys and I am good!!!

And while you might not have gotten an A++ for effort with the bouncy house right now...they will turn out to be caring and given children because you gave up your food for them they will feel your love...remember our children learn by what they see not what we tell them...
Why my son comes home from school and says Mom did you have a good day... cut any abcesses today?? tell me what was in them...yep the apple definately doensn't fall that far from the tree...

Just telling it like it is said...

Oh and Nice ribs...so you in essences have graduated too!! Looks tasty!!

Michael C said...

Patti: They turned out pretty well. Perhaps I need more to do when I start posting pics of my ribs ;-)

Rock Chick: We have a dryer. Why did I not know about that before? To think of all the times I wasted ironing! ;-)
Your hubby's dry rub sounds awesome!

Ralph: We just got under the weight limit with me joining the kids! The honey sugar stuff is actually the powder from the honey glaze that comes with the hams we buy. It's the only ingenious thing I've ever done.

Just Telling: I'm glad you get my humor! The guy who commented on my post from yesterday sure didn't ;-)
Hey, I have to say Hail Marys after I do my blog posts too!!!!

captain corky said...

Those look incredible! I can smell them from here and this post is from yesterday in another state.

Just telling it like it is said...

Well..Micheal some people are just just arn't as fabulous as us!!He should read Mist1 blog...then maybe he could get the corn cobb out...if you know what I mean!!!

Patti said...

I'm kinda hoping Anonymous from yesterday comes back and gets all pissed off again about something.
Rather amusing to read.
;-)

CS said...

That's exactly why I don't iron. Even if I accidentally leave something sitting in the dryer to long and it gets all wrinkly, I just throw it back in with the next load.

As for the satire - you just kep writing what you want to.

Trundling Grunt said...

Note on the pants thing - try taking them off before you iron them. It avoids nasty scalds, especially when you're doing the crotch area.

heartinsanfrancisco said...

What's wrong with kiddy meals? Except right before going into the bounce house, of course.

Michael C said...

Captain: They were pretty good. I could use that food saver thing I bought but have never opened to freeze and mail some to you.

Just Telling: You know what, we ARE fabulous and yes, I do know what you mean ;-)

Patti: That would be fun, wouldn't it!

CS: I'm trying not to iron anymore. Thanks for the support ;-)

Trundling: I'm actually writing your tip down!

Hearts: I've already made that mistake today ;-)

mist1 said...

I find that not wearing pants significantly reduces my need to iron them.

Michael C said...

Mist: Sadly, that level of wisdom has thus far eluded me in life.

Patti said...

It's amazing how so many picked up on the pants thing, huh?
You never know what's going to strike a chord..

Merritt Fields said...

So are you gonna post that rub recipe or what???

Jenny! said...

Yum, you are making me hungry!

Michael C said...

Patti: who'd have thought ironing would be such a 'hot' topic?

Aisby: That would require me remembering it ;-)

Jenny!: Sadly, I keep looking at that rib picture. I wonder if drooling can ruin a keyboard.

magickat said...

I thought that other comment was so boring I didn't even finish reading it. But you said you learned something so I went back and gave it another try. I learned that people who are really really really really uptight usually leave long and boring comments to reprimand someone that doesn't need reprimanding using the moniker ANONYMOUS without fail.

This is usually the same m.o. for people who are pussies.

Funny how they always come back to keep reading though.

Rebecca said...

Oh my, it's taking me longer to read the comments than your posts! Um, what was I supposed to learn again? Oh ya, don't iron and drive within 30 minutes of using a bounce house.

Thanks for my weekly lessons!

Dizzie said...

Three creases at each leg - LOL! I bust out laughing over here, my coworkers think I'm mentally unstable (whom am I kidding, they know that about me)

It cracks me up!

Pants aren't hard to iron! You're such a dude! ;)

Michael C said...

Heart: Pants are very hard to iron. It take me like twenty minutes each pair. Just the thought of ironing them makes me mentally unstable...
;-)

Dizzie said...

Keep telling yourself it's the pants! :)


I iron my slacks on a regular basis. Guess it's like tennis - the more you train, the better you get at it!

Michael C said...

Heart: It's the pants, it's the pants, it's the pants, it's the pants
;-)