Another Lovely Relaxing Three Day Weekend

comes to a close. I painted my ass off. (Wouldn't it be great if you actually COULD paint your ass off? We'd all redecorate once a year!) I did laundry. I did a tiddly bit o' Christmas shopping online. Boy is now on the "Done" list. He is getting one substantial gift, because he is impossible to shop for and because he needs it. I tried to take care of Girl, but had that lovely Electronics Counter moment, wherein if you do not have a penis you are rendered Invisible. I will be shopping at a different store, thankyouverymuch.

Yes, she does read this blog, but she knows what she's getting because she asked for it. She won't be getting it from Target, where the electronics counter guy looked at/right through me as I stood in front of him. He did not have any other customers. I stood there for a minute, wasn't even greeted. Best Buy will not ignore me, they have NICE guys at that counter.

It reminded me of car and major appliance shopping - go in without a man, watch the way they look through you. Especially at a regional appliance chain with really annoying commercials. I wanted an extra fridge for the garage (this was years ago, while both kids still lived at home and pre Cancer Hell) and stopped by after work. I apparently was wearing my cloak of invisibility, because though there were at least six salespeople sitting on their asses, nobody approached me. Finally one hoisted himself from his chair and listlessly asked if I needed help. No thanks.

Car shopping flashback, oh, 8 or so years ago - took my husband along just so he could see what it's like to be a chick buying a car. He stood there while salesmen talked OVER me, to him. I told them I was the customer, this was my vehicle, I'm the one paying for it, it made no difference. He kept repeating, "She's your customer, talk to her!" and they would direct a condescending word my way: "What color do you want?" and "Of course you want an automatic!" and turn back to him. That's how I wound up with my VW convertible - the VW dealership actually figured out that I was the one making the deal without anyone having to draw them a diagram, and was happy to order me the stick shift I wanted.

The muscles of my ass hurt. I climbed up and down a ladder for hours, the equivalent of a really brutal session on a Stairmaster, but...damn. My butt is punishing me for slacking off on the Pilates.

And now for a complete change of subject:

Knitters Review provided the answer to the question: What do I do with two big fat balls of natural kitchen cotton? Leper bandages. Yes, I know that sounds really weird, but it isn't. There is a need for soft, cushy, washable and re-usable bandages in many parts of the world. It's almost inconceivable to us, in our sheltered Western playpen, that leprosy still exists, or that AIDS patients develop nasty sores, and that those caring for them don't have the means to just order a shipment of disposable gauze from a supply house. A link to one of several organizations glad to get these things: Global Health Ministries.

I was going to do a rant on the lack of armor on Humvees, but I can't do any better than the folks at Operation Truth. And for a really eye-opening insight into the Hillbilly Armor issue, here's the Newsweek article.

This is disgusting. This is so freaking offensive. Let's remember, we were NOT attacked by Iraq! There is no excuse, no fucking excuse imaginable, for sending our soldiers into combat without adequate equipment in an "extracurricular" war that didn't need to be fought in the first damn place. Why aren't people pissed off? Why are we so passive?

I remember when I was a kid, learning about Nazi Germany in school, and thinking, "What was wrong with those Germans? Didn't they SEE what was going on?"

I'm starting to understand how it worked now.