We’ve all experienced it, an ad that riles us so much that we turn the radio off, or click the mute button on the TV. We’ve all suffered through the expansion of pop up ads and banners and all forms of telephone harrassment…er marketing.
I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that ads like that contribute to road rage and violence in the home.
There’s one particular ad that we find so offensive that we RUSH to mute it. It’s an ad for Menard’s. It’s a chain similar to Lowe’s or Home Depot. Overly eager singers proclaim “Save More Money At Menard’s.” I can bear the singers and the jingle, it’s the spokesman who drives me wild.
He’s an old fashioned saleman with a huge smile and “Hail fellow well met” demeanor who hawk’s the week’s sales. I expect him to reach out of the TV and grasp my arm and pull me into the store, all the while telling me what wonderful things I’ll find within. I can deal with all that, but his tone of voice simply makes me want to take a header off a cliff to get away from him.
We thought at one point that our prayers had been heard when a young woman replaced him for a while, but we suspect she must be his daughter. Same voice. (sigh)
I want advertising people to take notice: If you persist in making your ads this offensive, you will drive customers away. I will NEVER shop at Menards.
I’ll save my complaints about pop ups, telemarketers, coupons in magazines, and fragrance ads that stink up an entire magazine for another rant.
If you shop at Menard’s, would you please tell them to change the ads??
It’s a Good Day to Die
Do you believe there’s a good day to die waiting for you out there?
We’ll always be reminded of the Klingons who felt it was good to die in battle, and the men of the Wild West who prefered to die with their boots on.
John Grisham, opens his book “The Testament” with a billionaire signing a new will and then jumping to his death.
But on the other side of the coin is the mountain climber who cut off his own arm this year rather than face theGrim Reaper.
Cheddar Chowder
I know that we are in the middle of summer, and I should be posting recipes for fresh produce and grillable meals, but I’m getting over a cold and I’m still in comfort food mode. With that in mind, here’s my favorite recipe for a cheddar chowder. If you have a Panera Bread store near you, serve this in their bread bowls.
This makes four hearty servings. You can double it without harming the output.
1 1/2 cups water
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
1/2 cup each sliced celery and carrots
1/4 cup diced onion
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1/2 to 1 tsp. dry mustard
2 cups milk
8 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
If you are short on time you can chop the carrots, celery and onion in a food processor, a Little Oscar, or a food chopper. Don’t be tempted to substitute cream for the milk. This makes a thick soup with milk. To make the cheese sauce, I highly recommend that you invest in a good wooden spoon. It will be kind to the soup, the pot and your hand.
In a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil, and add the veggies, salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are soft when you press a fork into them.
While the veggies are cooking, melt the butter in a saucepan and blend in the flour and dry mustard. Let the mixture heat, stirring to prevent scorching. Add the milk, and stir constantly until the mixture comes to a boil. Boil for one minute. Add the cheese and stir until it has all melted. Blend the two mixtures together in the large saucepan. Heat thoroughly, but do not boil.
For a heartier version of this soup, add 1 cup diced ham when you blend the veggies and cheese sauce together.
We serve this with French bread and a green salad. Tonight we added fresh strawberries.
Seen at the Grocery Store
A T-shirt announcing:
CO-ED NAKED GOLF!!
Jeeze……watch where you swing that thing!
More Comfort
Actually, my mind is still stuck on this weekend’s topics. Last night I still felt too rotten to cook, so DH did take out from Olive Garden. Two of the four of us are ill, and he brings back four full sized entrees, four salads that could feed eight people, complete with salad dressing, cheese and croutons, and a bag of breadsticks. I had lasagana last night. It was very comforting, but filling. I’m working on the salad for lunch. Despite eating strangely, and eating things that are NOT on my diet, I’ve lost more weight. That may be the only good thing to say about being sick.
I was a little surprised about Acidman’s reply to my question about comfort food. I rather expected that he would choose something inherently Cracker, but he likes egg drop soup. I guess that’s an upscale chicken noodle soup. Dr. D. could have been raised in my family; his choices match mine down the line. Bogie really surprised me, with “refried beans.” Actually, bogie, add a little cheese to that, and put it on a Tostito, and I might agree. See…..it’s that starch thing again. Cheese goes well with anything. Speedbump is probably thinking of a suggestion for the queso at Miguelitos’s right now! *WEG*
I was at the grocery store again today for more tush watching. I’m not a spring chicken any longer, and I recently realized that I’ve stopped watching the very young guys in favor of those who are a little older. Guys who are in their mid thirties to their late fifties seem to really draw my eye, especially if they have kept themselves fit. I’m happy to say that there are a LOT of guys who fit that description.
I wonder, after all the years that men have made it clear that they watch women, all the talk about “hooters” and “headlamps” and such, does it embarrass guys to know they are being watched? I don’t go around making appreciative noises and pumping my arm in the air, and contrary to public opinion, I DON’T DROOL! But (and I’ve learned this from my MOTHER..) when you stop looking you might as well be dead. Actually, I was talking with Mother about this today. I asked her if she found that she was watching older men too, and she said “No.” She didn’t care to elaborate on the subject (pehaps she feared being immortalized here), but it seems she just likes MEN. PERIOD! Especially if they happen to have small red convertibles!
If ya really want to do something nice for me, arrange for a parade of attractive men to pass my way, today. I need a gutter guy, and a lawncare guy, and a handyman. Send the UPS and the FedEx guys, and the postman, and have a poll taker and floral delivery guy visit. Heck, if you can’t think of any excuses, tell them to stop by and say they are LOST! Make my day!
Thanks, Sgt. Hook!
I have to say thank you to Sgt. Hook for the kindest of mentions. I’ve been trying to learn my way around Site Meter, and discovered that of the last 100 visits, perhaps half or more of them came through his blog.
Sarge, your support of new bloggers is a gracious thing. I’ll remember and pass the favor on as I spread my wings.
If you haven’t been to visit Sgt. Hook’s blog, you must! He’s a remarkable military man, and an incredible “human bean.” *G*
Anna Paquin
I discovered today that Anna Paquin, who won an Oscar at 11 for her role in “The Piano,” has continued to act. I don’t know where I’ve been the past ten years. She’s been in more than thirteen movies since she did “The Piano.” I’ve actually seen her in “Finding Forrester,” (my famous lack of memory creeping in here), and I have a copy of the movie “Amistad” which I’ll watch now. What caught my attention was that she also plays “Rogue,” a mutant, in the “X-men” movies.
Now I have TWO reasons to see the “X-men” movies: Anna, and Hugh Jackman. THERE’S a man who’s easy on the eyes. He played a pretty role in “Kate and Leopold,” but he plays “Wolverine,” another mutant.
Jamie….you can have Toby Keith…..I’ll take Hugh!
Just in the Nick of Time
Lately I’ve been reading a lot of political and militarily oriented blogs. I’m astounded at how far I’ve let my knowledge of current events slip. After all, I was once married to a political science teacher, and my life was filled with a constant flurry of newspapers, radio and TV news, canvassing, elections and government activity.
But that’s another story for another day. What I wanted to tell you about was a new site that I just discovered for those of us who are acronymly challenged:
acronymfinder.com
YEAH!!! Now I don’t have to ask dumb questions!
Security
Did you know that Fellowes has created a shredder that will shred CDs, paper clips, and credit cards? (Model PS70-2CD $180). Since we now store so much of our personal information on CDs, I suppose this is a wise thing. Pardon my ignorance, but isn’t it possible to erase a CD?? That would be a lot cheaper than shredding the suckers.
For those of you on a tight budget, the Royal MD 100 “Media Destroyer” is only a hundred bucks.
Comfort food
When you are upset or ill, do you have a favorite food that soothes?
When I was a child, any time one of us was ill Mother would give us cream of tomato soup and Seven Up (a clear soda for those of you non-US readers). That’s an odd combination. Chicken noodle soup would have probably been better for us, but Mother detests chicken noodle soup, so tomato it was. I’m sure the warmth from the hot liquid helped.
Today, the only thing I wanted to eat was a grilled cheese sandwich. It’s not on my diet, but the diet is in abeyance until I feel better. I doubt I have to worry about gaining weight, feeling like this.
When my husband is ill, ice cream is his comfort food. I know others who prefer chocolate, but most of the peope I know go for starchy things. I wonder if there’s a genetic reason for that? Maybe the body needs more fuel to fight the bug, and the starchy things are an easy source.
What’s your favorite comfort food?