What were you doing 12 years ago today? Were you obsessively stocking your basement with generators and bottled water, awaiting the end of the world as we know it because no computer anywhere could handle the four-digit year designation? A little bit of that was happening at my house, because my computer-programmer husband was not Continue Reading
ArchivesDecember, 2010
31DecDropping the Ball
Do you watch the ball drop on New Year's Eve? It looks like once again, Dick "The Eternal Teenager" Clark will be cohosting the Rockin' Eve celebration on ABC. And that's depressing. The guy doesn't seem to know when to call it quits. After my great-aunt suffered a stroke a few years ago, I learned Continue Reading
30DecMake a Plan
It's just about time to break out that new calendar! Did you get yours yet? I bought all 3 of my kids new calendars for Christmas; Mr. College Student got one that features famous electric guitars. Miss Freshman will puzzle her way through the year with a Where's Waldo calendar, and Mr. Third Grader received Continue Reading
30DecThe Hidden Costs of Free Apps
If you (or your child) received a new iPod Touch, iPhone or iPad this Christmas, you may be in for a rude awakening once your credit-card bill comes. It's a fairly well-kept secret that some apps for these and other devices contain options for in-app purchases--ones that must be made with real money. These purchases Continue Reading
29DecNo Pro in the Snow
I generally don't watch pro football; once Notre Dame's season is over, I'm done watching until the next fall. But I was going to watch a football game Sunday night. I wanted to see how a football game would be played in the snow. Lots of snow. Not to mention wind. With several inches on Continue Reading
29DecOnline Holiday Sales Increase
Holiday Online Sales Jump 15 Percent by Doug Desjardins As expected, online retailers generated a double-digit increase in sales for the holiday season, led by a strong Cyber Monday. According to the MasterCard Spending Pulse report, online sales increased 15.4 percent from Oct. 31 through Dec. 24 compared to the same period in 2009. The Continue Reading
29DecWhat Can I Bring?
We've been invited to visit some cousins later today, and when I accepted the invitation, I asked the hostess what I could contribute to the party meal. "Whatever you like," was her answer. That's way too open-ended for me. While I appreciate that I get to make the choice myself, thus eliminating anything that wouldn't Continue Reading
28DecDid Your Pet Get a Present?
We're big fans of "Calvin and Hobbes" comics around here. I remember one where Calvin wakes up early Christmas morning, only to discover that Santa hadn't left anything for his tiger, Hobbes. Not every pet might be so understanding as the stuffed tiger in this cartoon. But a recent survey found that more dogs than Continue Reading
28DecFor the Baby Who Has Everything
Want to really spoil your baby? Got a spare $17,000? Good, because that's what it takes to buy this white-gold-and-diamond pacifier. I am not making this up. Would you let your baby drool on something like this? Note that this binky is not intended for actual use. But I wouldn't be surprised if something like Continue Reading
27DecBirthday Laps
Miss Freshman is celebrating her fifteenth birthday today with a trip to New York City. It's not as fun as you might think, though--this is no pleasure trip. She's there for a track met. She'll be running in the 4 x 400 relay as well as a longer-distance race, and she had to wake up Continue Reading
27DecWeird Holiday Monday: My Daughter's Birthday Edition!
Fifteen years ago today, my daughter was born--and there's nothing weird about that celebration! For her birthday dinner, she wants a big tray of Chick-Fil-A nuggets. Dec. 30 is Falling Needles Family Fest Day. Even though I have a fake tree, there are still plenty of falling needles. I could make a whole new Christmas Continue Reading