# MMP - Bright & Early, Front & Center **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Tags:** mmp\ **Created:** [January 16, 2006, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-bright-early-front-center/340207 "2006-01-16T09:56:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-bright-early-front-center/340207/141 "2006-01-18T00:25:38Z")
> [@taxi78cab](#): > > Thanks for the info. Your profile says your email’s not available. Email me and then I’ll email you. 😃 is did ---
**Author:** ![Taters](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/taters/32/2845_2.png) [@Taters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taters)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-bright-early-front-center/340207/142 "2006-01-18T00:34:38Z")
Okay, guess I misunderstood, **Swampy.** I saw smashed and immediately thought you meant me. It would be ever so cool if you could come back up this way. I had a blast. **Spats,** that picture is just plain _WRONG!_ Good grief! \*\*Mika, \*\* I couldn’t see the second pic, but the first one looked nice. Simple elegance. I’m making jambalaya for dinner. It’s what I have the ingredients on hand for. Speaking of cajun food, **Mr. Taters** and I were very disappointed in our favorite cajun restaurant on Saturday. We felt bad because we took some friends there and it was their first time. Everything tasted, I dunno, off. I thought it was just me, but **Mr. Taters** wasn’t happy either. Salmon…salmon. I really don’t much of it anymore. I grew up eating salmon ALL THE TIME and just got sick of it. I do splurge when the copper river salmon is in season. I like that. I know salmon is good for you, but I just ate too much of it as a kid. We fished all the time and consequently always had salmon in the freezer. I think I’m gonna do some reading now. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-bright-early-front-center/340207/143 "2006-01-18T00:38:37Z")
Ok, both swampy and FairyChatMom think the clip is nice, so does my SO, that’s good enough for me. Everyone else’s opinion is welcome, of course! Here’s the very beginning of my sewing: [Project 1.](http://photobucket.com/albums/v713/Elenia25/Sewing%20Projects/?action=view¤t=Picture040.jpg) This is the little pillow, and it’s woefully unimpressive. It was just to figure out where the string goes, and make sure I threaded it right. [Project 2.](http://photobucket.com/albums/v713/Elenia25/?action=view¤t=Picture056.jpg) My first project of any ambition. It’s the drawstring bag. [Project 3.](http://photobucket.com/albums/v713/Elenia25/?action=view¤t=Picture061.jpg) This is a sarong. I purchased some fringe, and attached it to the edge. I did this last year by hand for my Renaissance Faire Costume (I dressed as a gypsy) and I decided to take it all apart and do it properly via the sewing machine. I also attached the little gold decorations, one on each side, although you can’t see the other one. It makes for a perfect gypsy head piece! Amazing how it took two weeks to sit there and sew it on by hand, and one evening to do it by the machine. Next - an apron! ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-bright-early-front-center/340207/144 "2006-01-18T00:56:28Z")
> [@Sean Factotum](#): > > if you flush them every two years from when it’s new, it’ll last a good long time. But if’n you wait until the thing is ten years old to start doing that, you’re just wasting time cause it’ll need to be replaced now. Flushing just delays the inevitable by about a couple months. Replacng electric water heaters are easy. It’s the gas ones that bite BTUs (see, BTU and BUTT are kinda close. I made a funny.) Yeah. My heater’s 16 years old, and apparently it’s never been flushed or drained once in its life. It thunks and rumbles frequently. Only problem is the cost to replace. Sears wants $270 for basic labor, the county wants $56 for a permit, the dump wants $15 for disposal if we haul the old one there, and that’s all on top of the cost of the replacement heater itself, which is in the area of $400. Last I checked, it’s about $800 all told. :mad: Oh, plus we might need a waiver for PENC - Pre-Existing Non-Conforming - as our heater’s not as far off the floor as the current code demands. We can’t raise it any without moving the furnace and its ductwork. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-bright-early-front-center/340207/145 "2006-01-18T01:10:18Z")
> [@Draelin](#): > > I still talk to my car. And my cats. And my coffeemaker. And the hair dryer, if it gives me a problem. And most of my furniture, and my keys when they get persnickety about fitting into locks and the television remote (usually “Hey, remote, where are you?”) talking to your cat is normal, sweetie. the other things - I suppose cases can be made for talking to any inanimate object. It’s when they start to talk back that I’d worry. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-bright-early-front-center/340207/146 "2006-01-18T01:13:03Z")
> [@anyrose](#): > > talking to your cat is normal, sweetie. > the other things - I suppose cases can be made for talking to any inanimate object. It’s when they start to talk back that I’d worry. Or when you lose the arguments. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Rue\_DeDay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/41988e/32.png) [@Rue\_DeDay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rue_DeDay)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-bright-early-front-center/340207/147 "2006-01-18T01:55:54Z")
> [@taxi78cab](#): > > Hey, I did this too! My parents gave me a santoku knife for Christmas, and I sliced my hand on Thursday. At least such a sharp knife makes a clean cut which heals quickly. :rolleyes: You’d think I’d know better and would be more careful! When you give knives as gifts you’re supposed to tape a penny to 'em. Then the lucky recipient takes the penny and gives it to the gifter. That way they “buy” the knives and they won’t “cut the friendship”, or take a “blood price”. Something like that. Anyway, you’re supposed to give the penny back. Which is OK since you can’t even get bubble gum for a penny anymore. ---
**Author:** ![susan\_foster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@susan\_foster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan_foster)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-bright-early-front-center/340207/148 "2006-01-18T02:23:16Z")
So I cut something else today. Or actually got it cut. I am shorn of my locks. In other words - hair gone. It used to reach my shoulders, but when it gets that long the natural curl becomes natural frizz. So I got it cut. Now it reaches just to the bottom of my ears. I like it a lot. I just have to see if I can make it as nice as it did coming out of the hair dresser. Of course, I never can. I also ordered a new TiVo. I had to return the one I got for my birthday. I got it just a month ago, and it was freezing on me. I did call TiVo technical support - I now have a case with them, so when I get this new one, the lifetime service can be transferred. I liked the TiVo service - now I really want to have a box that actually works. Susan ---
**Author:** ![Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spatial_Rift_47)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-bright-early-front-center/340207/149 "2006-01-18T04:02:29Z")
I did warn you, **Taters**. It’s almost enough to scare a guy out of having sex, I tells ya. Almost. While I’m on the subject, where did this “I tells ya” trend come from on the SDMB? I mean, I like it. I’m just curious. > [@Anaamika](#): > > Or when you lose the arguments. :eek: Or when it jumps onto your head and latches into your brain and starts controlling your thoughts and making you go buy lottery tickets in Granny’s dress and making you do all the cleaning and cooking and washing while all it does is sit in its underwear and watch sports and drink cheap beer (which you have to buy, this time in a plaid leisure suit) and you give and you give and you give and it takes and it takes and it takes and meanwhile the wound from where it went into your skull got infected and it’s all festering and pus-filled and oozing different colors and you DIE. Man, I _hate_ it when that happens. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-bright-early-front-center/340207/150 "2006-01-18T04:06:42Z")
Er…does that happen to you often? _runs and hides under the desk_ ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-bright-early-front-center/340207/151 "2006-01-18T04:48:45Z")
> [@Spatial Rift 47](#): > > I did warn you, **Taters**. It’s almost enough to scare a guy out of having sex, I tells ya. Almost. > > While I’m on the subject, where did this “I tells ya” trend come from on the SDMB? I mean, I like it. I’m just curious. > > Or when it jumps onto your head and latches into your brain and starts controlling your thoughts and making you go buy lottery tickets in Granny’s dress and making you do all the cleaning and cooking and washing while all it does is sit in its underwear and watch sports and drink cheap beer (which you have to buy, this time in a plaid leisure suit) and you give and you give and you give and it takes and it takes and it takes and meanwhile the wound from where it went into your skull got infected and it’s all festering and pus-filled and oozing different colors and you DIE. > > Man, I _hate_ it when that happens. that was _you_?? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spatial_Rift_47)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-bright-early-front-center/340207/152 "2006-01-18T04:54:42Z")
> [@anyrose](#): > > that was _you_?? :eek: Ssshhhh!! Keep it down! :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-bright-early-front-center/340207/153 "2006-01-18T06:52:41Z")
For those that wanted to see me lay a floor - hey, stop snerking! - I stuffed [a few pix](http://photobucket.com/albums/e347/gotpasswords/) up onto the web. Couple bonus shots of my apartment phone, rather than one that I just found via Google, and a ten-button phone before they invented the \* and #. Check out that stripe of bright, clean kitchen tile and carpet that I found when I pulled up the metal strip that held the two together. That’s 17 years of piss-poor housekeeping by the previous owners for you. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-bright-early-front-center/340207/154 "2006-01-18T12:05:33Z")
**Mika** --very nice job on the sewing. I can sew a straight seam, and hence, I sew the kids’ Halloween costumes each year. That is the limit of my skills. I lose arguments with appliances regularly; in fact, they mock me. Off to work (I may be home quite soon!)–I so wanted to call in, but can’t afford the PTO. **Spats** --HOW would you come across such a pic? Never mind, I dont’ want to know. Printed out most of the app yesterday–am going to do it with a woman who is already in the program, probably on Friday. It’s due March 1, so I have some time (not alot, but some). ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-bright-early-front-center/340207/155 "2006-01-18T12:06:47Z")
Oops! Forgot to say: NICE FLOOR! I love hardwood floors. Oh, and nice tie clip–nice and simple. ---
**Author:** ![indecisive1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/41988e/32.png) [@indecisive1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/indecisive1)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-bright-early-front-center/340207/156 "2006-01-18T12:18:04Z")
**Anaamika** I love the sarong thingy. I’m a big fan of beaded fringe. I have miles of the stuff. None of it actually applied to anything. It’s a sickness. I’ve even bought fringe because I thought it was the ugliest fringe I’d ever seen. I have the same problem with fabric. I just love fabric. I buy fabric and drape it around the room and just look at it. Then when it starts to get coated with dog fur, I pack it away. ::sigh:: ---
**Author:** ![swampbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampbear/32/467_2.png) [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-bright-early-front-center/340207/157 "2006-01-18T12:26:38Z")
Nice stuff **mika**. I like the fringey sarong. **Gotti** nice floor. Nice pick of you too. _ROWR_ We had a baby blue rotary phone in the house when I was growing up. Everybody else in the ‘hood had the standard ol’ black ones but we had a baby blue one. My parents were avant garde, what can I say! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![welby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@welby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/welby)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-bright-early-front-center/340207/158 "2006-01-18T13:01:54Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > Fear of **welby**?? 😕 > 😛 Careful, **FCM** , when I bring down the Wrath of Welby my aim isn’t so good. It might be one of the hecklers who get brought down with the Curse of The Early Morning Cold Bathroom Stubbed Toe, or the Paper Cut in the Bend of the Finger Right Before Peeling an Orange instead of **Swampy**. I have powers, and I’m not afraid to use them. ---
**Author:** ![Sean\_Factotum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-bright-early-front-center/340207/159 "2006-01-18T13:39:04Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#): > > Yeah. My heater’s 16 years old, and apparently it’s never been flushed or drained once in its life. It thunks and rumbles frequently. Only problem is the cost to replace. Sears wants $270 for basic labor, the county wants $56 for a permit, the dump wants $15 for disposal if we haul the old one there, and that’s all on top of the cost of the replacement heater itself, which is in the area of $400. Last I checked, it’s about $800 all told. :mad: > > Oh, plus we might need a waiver for PENC - Pre-Existing Non-Conforming - as our heater’s not as far off the floor as the current code demands. We can’t raise it any without moving the furnace and its ductwork. :eek: Well, youu can always cut up the old heater and put it in your garbage can in pieces, a few ata time until it’s all gone. This brings to mind a conversation I’ve had with some friends of mine. Literary types, no mechanical knowledge or ability at all. They are constantly paying professionals to come into their houses to do work, or go without the repair. I told them that they aren’t making enough money to keep paying other people, and that they have to learn how to do basic home repairs and projects themselves. My dad, when I was a kid, was one of the guys in our neighborhood that could do all of that, and I learned a lot from him and just as much on my own when I bought my first house. You might have to just bite the bullet and try to do a lot of the work yourself. (Yeah, I know, easier said than done.) ---
**Author:** ![welby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@welby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/welby)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-bright-early-front-center/340207/160 "2006-01-18T13:53:38Z")
> [@Sean Factotum](#): > > Well, youu can always cut up the old heater and put it in your garbage can in pieces, a few ata time until it’s all gone. > > This brings to mind a conversation I’ve had with some friends of mine. Literary types, no mechanical knowledge or ability at all. They are constantly paying professionals to come into their houses to do work, or go without the repair. I told them that they aren’t making enough money to keep paying other people, and that they have to learn how to do basic home repairs and projects themselves. My dad, when I was a kid, was one of the guys in our neighborhood that could do all of that, and I learned a lot from him and just as much on my own when I bought my first house. You might have to just bite the bullet and try to do a lot of the work yourself. (Yeah, I know, easier said than done.) This was one of my larger hurdles to becoming a grown up. I knew some of the really basic stuff (I change my own oil, can troubleshoot an non-working mower, etc.) but with appliances I just picked up the phone. Over time I’ve learned by trial and error what to do to fix a lot of crap around Casa Welby. Sean’s right, it’s easier said than done, but I’ haven’t paid a guy for labor I could do myself in years. On the other side, I’m having my water heater replaced. It’s gas, and has to have ducktwork for a fan to shoot the exhaust or gasses or whatever out of the house. I’m paying to have that done, but mainly because the wife beleives that explosive gasses and welby are not a good mix. She’s probably right. As usual. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-bright-early-front-center/340207.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-bright-early-front-center/340207.md?page=9)