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bonbon Status: Member Country: United States Gender: Female Type of artist: Digital Artist Registered: Feb 22, 2007

Written by bonbon
At Jan 3, 2008, 5:00:01 AM



Okay.... I know..... I suck. You must think I have been so derelict in my duty to harass you all but I do have a really good excuse,and no, PP it is not the dog's fault! hehe

Yes, I have been missing in action here and I have missed you all terribly. I really feel like this is home away from home and now that all the craziness has stopped,it is time to come home again. So, PLEASE PUT THE DART GUN DOWN!!
The job is going well and especially now that the yearly spending craziness is over with,things are starting to settle down. It was sheer madness!! First off, retail is not for the faint of heart. It is madness to even to try and explain it but in a nutshell, never ever EVER work in retail. I am finally out from underneath the mountains of cardboard boxes that have been piling up in my work area..... and don't hand me a price tagging gun or I swear I will go postal with it!! Let me tell you that you do not want me to put a price tag in a dark area of the anatomy that really is an exit only site! On one day,I had over 80 cartons amassed within the the walls of my work space!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGGGG!
(BREATHE DEEPLY) ok, im fine now....

Life is good now. The housing situation has calmed down and Kevin has moved in.... and also, has asked me to marry him!(said YES!!!!) I know, I know.... vowed to never do it again,what was I thinking? He managed to catch me in a weakened state and swooped down on me with a beautiful 1 carat ruby ring.... I am such a sucker for rubies! Now, it is hard to figure out how,when and where to have the wedding..... Hawaii? Bermuda? hmmmmmm, either way, it will be small,probably just he and i.... who knows.
Had an art show last month and did not sell anything.... major sigh but not expecting to sell anything as it was a small showing and my heart was not really into it. This year, the goal is to have more shows and maybe larger artworks.Now, that there is a small space for actually doing paintings, might take the digital artwork to another level... have no clue yet as to where it will go... but,hey! lol
How are you all doing? 2008 is going to be a really good year.....
Starting off the New Year with a new car.... proud owner now of a gorgeous midnight blue 2000 Jetta... omg, i own a real car! hahahaha.
to all that have been patient and to all those who left me notes and love and what ever that is in the corner over there!

Written by bonbon
At Aug 14, 2007, 5:16:59 AM



soooooooooo, its been a while... and a rather long story to go with it too... so get out your slippers,slide into something more comfortable and get ready for a bumpy ride! oh and please fasten your seatbelts and if you are prone to heart attacks, refrain from reading this story!

It all started when I lost my job,got moved out by the now ex roommate from hell... ahem, please ignore any bad thoughts at this point! hehe
so, scrambling to find a place to live while also scampering around for a decent job... i might toss in here that Kevin was a totally understanding man,who only offered me his shoulder without complaining about how soaked it got from tears of frustration but also made sure i was supplied with tons of hugs even in public! now that is one terrific guy... hugs in public,oh my! hehe  
I put my resume online and in a week had several offers,which the one I took was to be a receiving lead at Elephant Pharmacy(story behind the company to follow in the next journal about green business) I found a room in a house that soon turned to be Hell on earth! Long story shortened due to the possiblitly of producing yawnage in all, lets just say i gave a months notice a day later!Turned out that it was the local drug house! eek, so off I ran to Craig's list online to find another place. Finally, found a great place that is only a 10 minute bike ride(never mind the killer hill at the end)
So it is true... there is always a rainbow at the end of a dark and treacherous storm. Learned patience and to let go.... let the universe come to you. It is surprising how things always come out okay in the end,one just needs a little patience,drive to get something started and with a little loving support, you can overcome any mountain that pops up in your way. Lean on those who love you.... let them see you cry and above all, dont ever give up no matter how dark it seems... there is always a light on at the end of the hallway! lol

to you all and I have missed you so much....

Written by bonbon
At Jul 17, 2007, 11:41:15 AM



Hello all who manage to make it to this page and to all of you who watch me. I have been so derelict in being here and I do apologize for being gone so long.
I am not here to whine in this log but to explain.I have been gone due to other things than just being in love. let's just say it has been a bumpy road. I am slowly making my way back here..... not completely able to come back as I used to daily,but I am working on that. I just wanted to let you all know that I miss you all.

Written by bonbon
At Jun 3, 2007, 3:34:17 AM


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Written by bonbon
At Jun 3, 2007, 3:33:24 AM


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Written by bonbon
At May 30, 2007, 7:12:12 PM



So...... I have been on vacation now for a few days... and the reason for the vacation is this: i have been given a final(Fucking) warning in regards to my customer service.If i receive another Fucking complaint about me from a customer,i will be terminated and will no longer be working for Trader Joe's. What happened was a compilation of several events.
To start this sad tale,let me tell you again that i had quit smoking. Had been clean and smoke free for 10 days when i was tossed into a scene of utter confusion and extreme chaos.... yes, kids, they put me into the demo station. if you have ever been to a trader joe's, you know about the free samples that they give away. well, my particular store seems to attract the Fucking gimmegimmes like no other!! these people seem to think that the free samples are their Fucking right and if you are slow on giving them what they want,they will reach right under the sneeze guard to help themselves to what in their peafucking minds is their right. this one day,being tossed into demo without warning after having to be on a register for 3 hours.... this in itself made the day even more fucked than normal chaos.normally, i work the perimeter filling all the refrigerated items. this was not to be this day. so i am in demo,filling in.... and the person who had worked before me had left no back up items.so lets just say i was scrambling to make the food ready when i swear it seemed as if the local senior center sent their bus over with the whole center. i was awash in Fucking seniors! now, these particular seniors have regressed back into childhood and feel that free means that they can have it Fucking  NOW!lol. so i have around 15 people milling around,one tries to reach under the sneeze guard to help himself,which makes me say, not yet sir... i will give you some when it is ready. while this is going on, two ladies have approached the stand and are asking me questions in a barrage that any staff sarge would be proud of. im trying to serve and answer their questions at the same time, but what set me off was the fact that this lady is asking me questions and not waiting to hear the answer! how the Fuck  can you ask a question and not wait to hear an answer? why bother asking the question if all you want to do is establish how intelligent you are? lol. i snapped at her... and that is what got me my first writeup of the week.
The second write up is a few days later when i am singing along to the music that they play in the store. now, let me say i am not a bad singer ,in fact i have been told by several people at different times during my life that i should cut records lol. so this guy who is older than me, thinks he is going to be cute says: well, i can see why you work in a grocery store,you cant sing. i turn to him and not say anything but sing louder... and then walk into the backroom. his response to me as i walk away is: oh i thought you trader joe employees had a sense of humor. i find out later as i am escorted outside for a talk... that he had complained about my body language being angry... i was given a final write up for this. ok, i am fucked if i say something and im fucked if i dont..... i have been with the company for 4 years,was promoted to manager at 2 years and was forced to step down at 3 years because of bad managers(which is another story)i have never been written up for bad customer service,in fact, i have several letters of accomadation from customers in my file... so why do i feel as if i am being railroaded? i feel that a particular store assistant has a hard on for my being fired and is working on documenting anything against me to make a case for dismissal. i have started a campaign of customer compliments. i hand out the store manager's business card with his phone number on it.... now i am asking anyone to send emails to my district manager(kshephard@traderjoes.com)to say complimentary things about me... so i have documented proof that i am not a bad employee. this also will help me to prove that this particular person has a vendetta against me.
will you help? i decided to take a week off, to let things calm down and to give me time to think about what i want to do.... do i need this job? yes, i do,because of the amount i have in my retirement plan(the fact that i am fully vested in 3 years)the fact that i am almost topped out in wages and that i have the days off that i want.... so in fact, yes, this job matters to me. it is a sense of pride that i say that i work for trader joes. i do love the company and am just not happy with the current management at this store. it saddens me to see the games that this store assistant manager is playing with people. he has done this to others and has made my life miserable. other managers dont understand why he is gunning for me and have tried to deflect him.i give them alot of credit for doing that... so i go back to work on june 3rd. i am hoping that things will have calmed down and hopefully that he will see that i am a valuable employee who was missed... then again, i might just be looking for another job!

sorry about all the Fucks lol... but it does feel good to let loose... and Dad, if you are reading this... sorry!!

Written by bonbon
At May 13, 2007, 12:57:04 AM



So, it has been 7 days since my last cigarette and i feel fabulous!! Did manage to not chew off too many heads and only got verbally reprimanded by supervisors for snapping.... hehe they understand that i have quit and well, also know how hard it is!! I have had alot of support from my coworkers and also it has helped hanging out with nonsmokers... when i craved a cig, i would go out to a place where i couldn't smoke.. that helped alot. Now, i hate the smell of smoke!! hehe

Kevin has been so supportive of me and well,he says it is so nice to kiss me!! no smoky taste. hehe yes, that is another development.... we are a couple now... and it is wonderful!! so all the angst and worry and such paid off... it's funny but we both have apologized to each other for the roller coaster ride we have taken each other on!omg, he loves me!!! !!! ...  

Written by bonbon
At May 5, 2007, 8:40:34 PM



Ok, I have made the decision to quit smoking clove cigarettes and move onto smoking crack!! kidding... hehe

It is the first day of the quitting and well, it is not fun... have to find a solution for the hand to mouth fixation... and no dirty thoughts on that!! i know you want to say something,rene! lol
After having smoked since I was 24, it seems like a good thing to do now. My kids and family have nagged me for years to quit. So, now that I have made the decision... all ashtrays have been trashed,going to do all my laundry and try and clean everything...
I want to succeed at this.. not one of those people who finishes things,lol. i have 3 almost degrees from several colleges,but never finished... lots of hobby projects that after a while get tossed out.. so,let us just say, this is the new challenge. Probably should warn my supervisors that I have quit,so they understand what will come out during the proccess...
With support from you all,my family and a certain special person in my life.... I can do it!!!
Wish me luck... and if you smoke.... come join me in quitting... we can be bitchy together! lol

Written by bonbon
At May 3, 2007, 2:53:52 PM



Well, I got my review the other day... and one of the things that I need to work on is my attitude,seems that I am saying what I think too much.This is rather amusing as that some admire this ability to say it like it is... and people seem to like the fact,lol. the supervisors are not seeing it in the same light,and want the criticism to stop... so the vocal observations will cease and the sharing of thoughts will now be kept under wraps...does anyone have a punching bag? hehe


Just nod and smile!

P.s: still got a raise... 25cents!! oh boy... but we get raises every 3 months, so it's all good!

Written by bonbon
At Apr 29, 2007, 6:18:51 AM




# Alabama It is illegal to play Dominos on Sunday.
# It is illegal to wear a fake moustache that causes laughter in a church.
# Putting salt on a railroad track may be punishable by death.

Alaska
# In Fairbanks, it is illegal to feed alcoholic beverages to a moose.
# It is illegal to a wake a bear for the purpose of photography, although it is legal to shoot a sleeping bear.
# A law in Fairbanks, does not allow moose to have sex on city streets.

Arizona
# In Tucson, it is illegal for women to wear pants.
# In Globe, it is illegal to play cards in the street with a Native American.
# In Glendale, it is illegal to drive a car in reverse.
# In Nogales, it is illegal to wear suspenders.

Arkansas
# In Fayetteville, it is illegal to kill any living creature, including insects.
# In Little Rock, if a man and a woman flirt with each other in the streets, they could be jailed for 30 days.
# A man can legally beat his wife, but not more than once a month.
-Don't do it guys.

California
# It is a misdemeanor to shoot at any kind of game from a moving vehicle, unless it's a whale.
# In Pacific Grove, molesting butterflies can result in a $500 fine.
# In Pasadena, it is illegal for a secretary to be alone in a room with her boss.
# It is illegal to set a mousetrap without a hunting license.
# In Long Beach, it is illegal to curse on a mini-golf course.
# In San Francisco, it is illegal to wipe one's car with used underwear.
# It is illegal to cry on the witness stand in Los Angeles.
# It is illegal to eat oranges in a bathtub.
# Due to the ambled name of "Texas Instrument," the TI-82,TI-83,TI-83+,TI-86, and TI-89 were all banished from California. If caught with one, 4 weeks of prison is assigned.
# In Ventura County, cats and dogs are not allowed to have sex without a permit.

Colorado
# In Durango, it is illegal to go out in public dressed in clothing unbecoming to one's gender.
# In Logan County, it is illegal for a man to kiss a woman while she is asleep.
# In Pueblo, it is illegal to let a dandelion grow within city limits.

Connecticut
# In Hartford, it is illegal to educate a dog.
# It is illegal to dispose of used razor blades.
# In New Britain, the speed limit for fire trucks in 25 mph, even when going to a fire.
# In Hartford, it is illegal for a man to kiss his wife on a Sunday.

Delaware
# In Lewes, it is illegal to wear pants that are form-fitting around the waist.
# It is illegal to fly over a body of water unless sufficient supplies of food and water are on board.

Florida
# In Miami, it is illegal for a man to wear of any kind of strapless gown.
# Unmarried women who parachute on Sundays may be jailed.
# In Sarasota, it is illegal to sing while wearing a bathing suit.

Georgia
# All males in the state between the ages of 16 and 50 are required to work on public roads.
# In Columbus, it is illegal to sit on one's porch in an indecent position.
# In Quitman, it is illegal for a chicken to cross the road.
# It is illegal to change the clothes on a storefront mannequin unless the shades are down.

Hawaii
# It is illegal to appear in public wearing only swimming trunks.
# It is illegal to own a mongoose without a permit.

Idaho
# In Pocatello, the carrying of concealed weapons is forbidden, unless some are exhibited to public view.
# Also in the latter town, it is prohibited for pedestrians and motorists to display frowns, grimaces, scowls, threatening and glowering looks, gloomy and depressed facial appearances, generally all of which reflect unfavorably upon the city's reputation.
# Boxes of candy given as romantic gifts must weigh more than 50 pounds.

Illinois
# In Chicago, people who are diseased, maimed, mutilated, or deformed to the point of being an unsightly or disgusting object are banned from going out in public.
# Also in Chicago, it is illegal to fish in pajamas.
# One more in Chicago, it is illegal to take a French poodle to the opera.
# It is illegal to speak English, the officially recognized language is "American."
# A state law in Illinois mandates that all bachelors should be called master, not mister, when addressed by their female counterparts.
# In Oblong, it's punishable by law to make love while hunting or fishing on your wedding day.
# In Gurnee, it is illegal for women weighing more than 200 pounds to ride horses in shorts.
# In Joliet, it is illegal to mispronounce the name Joliet.

Indiana
# Monkeys are forbidden to smoke cigarettes in South Bend.
# In Gary, it is illegal to attend the theater within four hours of eating garlic.

Iowa
# State law forbids any establishment from charging admission to see a one-armed piano player.
# In Fort Madison, fireman are required to practice for 15 minutes before going to a fire.
# After lovemaking, men are NOT allowed to take more than three gulps of beer while lying in bed with their wives-or holding them in his arms.

Kansas
# It is illegal for restaurants to sell cherry pie a la mode on Sundays.
# In Wichita, it is illegal to carry a concealed bean snapper.
# In Lang, it is illegal to ride a mule down Main Street in August, unless the animal is wearing a straw hat.
# In Natoma, it is illegal to throw a knife at any one wearing a striped shirt.

Kentucky
# It is illegal for a woman to appear in a bathing suit on a highway unless she is a) escorted by at least two police officers, b) armed with a club, or c) lighter than 90 pounds or more than 200 pounds.
# It is illegal to remarry the same man four times.
# State law stipulates that a person is considered sober until he or she "cannot hold onto the ground".

Louisiana
# In New Orleans, fire trucks are required by law to stop at all red lights.
# It is considered simple assault to bite someone in New Orleans, but it is aggravated assault if the biter has false teeth.
# It is against the law to gargle in public.

Maine
# In Portland, it is illegal for men to tickle women under the chin with feather dusters.
# The most money one can legally win gambling is three dollars.
# It Rumford, it is illegal for a tenant to bite his/her landlord.
# In Waterville, it is illegal to blow one's nose in public.

Maryland
# In Baltimore, it is illegal to wash or scrub sinks, no matter how dirty they get.
# Every person who has bowled since 1833 may be fined $2 for each offence.
# In Hale Thorpe, it is illegal to kiss for more than one second.
# It's illegal to mistreat oysters.
# It's illegal to play Randy Newman's "Short People" on the radio.

Massachusetts
# In Salem, even married couples are forbidden from sleeping nude in the rented rooms.
# It is illegal to wear a goatee without a license.
# Dueling with water pistols is illegal.
# In Boston, it is illegal for someone to take a bath unless ordered by a physician.
# In 1659, Christmas was outlawed.

Michigan
# A man legally owns his wife's hair.
# In Detroit, it is illegal to ogle a woman from a moving car.
# In Port Huron, the speed limit for ambulances is 20 mph.
# Under state law, dentists are officially classified as mechanics.
# In Clawson, it is legal for a farmer to "sleep with his pigs, cows, horses, goats, and chickens".

Minnesota
# Women may face up to 30 days in jail if they impersonate Santa Claus.
# In Minneapolis, double parkers can be put on a chain gang.
# Every man in Brainerd is required by lay to grow a beard.
# It's illegal to tease skunks.

Mississippi
# It is still legal to kill one's servant.
# In Truro, a would-be groom must prove himself manly prior to marriage by hunting and killing 6 blackbirds or 3 cows.
# In Alexandria, no man is allowed to make love to his wife with the smell of garlic, onions, or sardines on his breath. If his wife so requests, law mandates that he must brush his teeth.

Missouri
# In Saco, women are forbidden from wearing hats that might frighten timid persons, children, or animals.
# In St. Louis, it is illegal for an on-duty firefighter to rescue a woman wearing a nightgown. In order to be rescued, a woman must be fully dressed.
# While children may purchase shotguns in Kansas City, they are not allowed to buy toy cap guns.
# In Merryville, women are prohibited from wearing corsets because "The privilege of admiring the curvaceous, unencumbered body of a young woman should not be denied to the normal, red-blooded American male".

Montana
# It is a felony for a wife to open her husbands mail.
# It is a misdemeanor to show movies that depict acts of felonious crime.
# It Whitehall, it is illegal to operate a vehicle with ice picks attached to the wheels.

Nebraska
# It is illegal for a mother to give her daughter a perm without a state license.
# In Waterloo, barbers are forbidden from eating onions between 7am and 7pm.
# In Omaha, barbers are forbidden form shaving their customers chests.
# The owner of every hotel in Hastings, is required by law to provide each guest with a clean and pressed nightshirt.
# If I child burps during a church service, their parents may be arrested.
# It is illegal for bar owners to sell beer unless they are simultaneously brewing a kettle of soup.

Nevada
# It Nyala, a man is forbidden from buying drinks for more than three people.
# In Eureka, men are forbidden from kissing women.
# Everyone walking on the streets of Elko is required to wear a mask.
# In Eureka, men who wear moustaches are forbidden from kissing women.

New Hampshire
# It is illegal to sell the clothes one is wearing to pay off a gambling debt.
# It is illegal to check into a hotel with an assumed name.

New Jersey
# It is against the law to frown at a police officer.
# In Neward, it is illegal to sell ice cream after 6pm, unless the customer has a note from his/her doctor.
# It is illegal to slurp soup.
# In Trenton, it is illegal to throw a bad pickle in the street.

New Mexico
# In Raton, it is illegal for a woman to ride horseback down a public street with a kimono on.
# The Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary is banned in Carlsbad.
# State officials ordered 400 words of "sexually explicit material" to be cut from Romeo and Juliet.

New York
# In New York City, it is illegal for a woman to be on the street wearing "body hugging clothing."
# In New York City, it is illegal for a man to ogle a lady. The accused are forced to wear horse-blinders.
# Also in New York City, it is disorderly conduct for one man to greet another on the street by placing the end of his thumb against the tip of his nose, at the same time extending and wiggling the fingers of his hand.

North Carolina
# In Charlotte, women must have their bodies covered by 16 yards of cloth at all time.
# In Ashville, it is illegal to sneeze on city streets.

North Dakota
# In Fargo, one may be jailed for wearing a hat while dancing, or even for wearing a hat to a party where dancing is taking place.
# It is illegal to lie down and fall asleep with your shoes on.
# It is illegal to serve beer and pretzels at the same time in any bar, club, or restaurant.

Ohio
# In Cleveland, women are forbidden from wearing patent leather shoes, for men can see the reflection of their underwear.
# In Columbus, it is illegal for stores to sell Cornflakes on Sunday.
# It Oxford, it is illegal for a women to undress in front of a man's picture.
# In Youngstown, it is illegal to run out of gas.
# Catch-22 is banned in Strongsville.

Oklahoma
# People who make ugly faces at dogs may be fined and/or jailed.
# In Schuster, it is illegal for a woman to gamble while wearing a towel.

Oregon
# One may not bathe without wearing "suitable clothing," i.e., clothing that covers one's body from neck to knee.
# In Hood River, it is illegal to juggle without a license.
# In Marion county, ministers are forbidden from eating onions or garlic before giving a sermon.
# As of January 1, 2000 all 5 bedroom homes will be evacuated and searched by police for drug substances every 2 months.
# If caught in possession of Marijuana during the month of February, you will be assigned to two thousand hours of community service.
# It is illegal to be seen in public with the number 69 on an article of clothing.

Pennsylvania
# Any motorist who sights a team of horses coming toward him must pull well off the road, cover his car with a blanket or canvas that blends with the countryside, and let the horses pass. If the horses appear to be skittish, the motorist must take his car apart piece by piece, and hide it under the nearest bush.
# In Morrisville, women need a permit to wear cosmetics.
# Ministers are forbidden from performing marriages when either the bride or the groom is drunk.

Rhode Island
# In Providence, it is illegal to sell toothpaste and a toothbrush to the same customer on a Sunday.
# It is illegal to throw pickle juice on a trolley.
# In Newport, it is illegal to smoke a pipe after sundown.

South Carolina
# Every citizen is obliged to carry his gun to church.
# No horses are allowed into Fountain Inn unless they are wearing pants.
# In Charleston, all carriage horses must wear diapers.

South Dakota
# It is illegal to lie down and fall asleep in a cheese factory.
# Movies that show police officers being struck, beaten or treated in an offensive manner are forbidden.

Tennessee
# It is illegal to use a lasso to catch fish.
# In Dyersburg, it is illegal for a woman to call a man for a date.
# In Memphis restaurants, it is illegal to give any pie to fellow diners, it's illegal to take unfinished pie home and all pie must be eaten on the premises.
# In Memphis, it is illegal for a woman to drive by herself, unless a man is walking or running in front of the vehicle, waving a red flag in order to warn approaching pedestrians and motorists.

Texas
# It is illegal for children to have unusual haircuts.
# A recently passed anti-crime laws requires criminals to give their victims 24 hours notice, either orally or in writing, and explain to the nature of the crime about to be committed.
# It is illegal to milk another person's cow.
# In El Paso, churches, hotels, halls of assembly, stores, markets, banking rooms, railroad depots, and saloons are required to have spittoons on hand.
# In Houston, it is illegal to sell Limburger cheese on Sunday.
# The entire Encyclopedia Britannica is banned in Texas because it contains a formula for making beer at home.

Utah
# Birds have the right of way on all highways.
# A husband is responsible for every criminal act committed by his wife while she is in his presence.

Vermont
# Women must obtain written permission from their husbands to wear false teeth.
# It is illegal to deny the existence of God.
# It is illegal to whistle underwater.

Virginia
# In Richmond, it is illegal to flip a coin in any eating establishment to determine who buys a cup of coffee.
# It is illegal for a man to kick his wife out of bed.
# It is illegal for a man to pat his wife's derriere.
# There is a state law prohibiting "corrupt practices of bribery by any person other than canidates".

Washington
# In Seattle, women who sit on men's laps on buses or trains without placing a pillow between them face an automatic 6 months in jail.
# In Seattle, it is illegal to carry a concealed weapon longer than 6 feet.
# It is illegal to pretend one's parents are rich.
# In the state of Washington there is a law against having sex with a virgin under any circumstances. (Including the wedding night.)

West Virginia
# In Nicholas County, no clergy members may tell jokes or humorous stories from the pulpit during church services.
# It is illegal to snooze on a train.

Wisconsin
# In St. Croix, women are not allowed to wear anything red in public.
# It is illegal to cut a women's hair.
# It is illegal to kiss on a train.
# Cheese making requires a license. Limburger cheese making requires a master cheese license.

Wyoming
# It is illegal to wear a hat that obstructs peoples' view in a public theater or place of amusement.
# It is illegal for a women to stand within five feet of a bar while drinking.

Written by bonbon
At Apr 27, 2007, 7:49:27 AM



Rules for Women
The female makes the rules.

The female is never wrong.

The rules are subject to change by the female at any time without prior notification

No male can possibly know all the rules. Attempts to document the rules are not permitted

If the female suspects that the male may know some or all of the rules, she has the right to immediately change some or all of the rules.

If the female is wrong, it is because of an egregarious misunderstanding which was the direct result of vagrant misunderstanding which was a direct result of something the male said or did wrong.

The male must must always apologize immediately for having been the cause of the misunderstanding without any clues from the female as to what he did to have caused the misunderstanding. See above rule.

The female may change her mind at any time for any reason or no reason at all

The male is never permitted to change his mind or under circumstances without the express written consent of the female which is given only in cases where the female wanted him to change his mind but gave no indication of that wish

The female has the right to be angry or upset for any reason, real or imagined, at any time and under any circumstance which in her sole judgement she deems appropriate. The male is not to be given any sign of the root cause of the female's being angry or upset. The female may, however, give false or misleading reasons to see if the male is paying attention

The male must remain calm at all times, unless the female wants him to be angry or upset. Under no circumstances may the female give the male any clue or indication whether or why she wants him to be angry or upset

The male is expected to read the mind of the female at all times. Failure to do so will result in punishments and penalties imposed at the sole discretion of the female

The female may, at any time and for any reason, resurrect any past incident without regard to temporal or spacial distance, and modify, enlarge, embellish, of wholly reconstruct it in order to demonstrate to the male that he is now or has in the past been wrong, insensitive, pig-headed, dense, deceitful, and/or oafish

The female may use her interpretation of any past occurrence to illustrate the ways in which the male has failed to accord her the consideration, respect, devotion, or material possessions, he has bestowed on other females, domestic pets or barnyard animals, sports teams, automobiles, motorcycles, boats, aircraft, or coworkers. Such illustrations are non-rebuttable

If the female is experiencing PMS, Post-PMS, or Pre-PMS, the female is permitted to exhibit any manner of behavior she wishes without regard to logical consistency or accepted norms of human behavior

Any act, deed, word, expression, statement, utterance, thought, opinion, or belief by the male is subject to the sole, subjective interpretation of the female, other external factors not-withstanding. Alibis, excuses, explanations, defenses, reasons, extenuations, or rationalizations will not be entertained. Begging the female for mercy and forgiveness are acceptable under some circumstances, especially when accompanied by tangible evidence of contrition.

PLEASE NOTE: These rules are subject to change as the female sees fit. All rules are null and void under the PMS Exception Law. New rules apply during different stages of a women's life.

Written by bonbon
At Apr 22, 2007, 7:25:51 PM



  Advanced
PC World
Security Experts Warn of Satellite Navigation Hacks

Nancy Gohring, IDG News Service Sat Apr 21, 7:00 PM ET

Two security experts have discovered a way to inject false messages-- some amusing and others potentially frightening-- into car satellite navigation systems.
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Andrea Barisani, chief security engineer for Inverse Path Ltd. and Daniele Bianco, a hardware hacker at Inverse Path, used off the shelf equipment to transmit messages to their car satellite navigation system warning of conditions ranging from foggy weather to terrorist attacks. They presented their findings on Friday at CanSecWest a security conference taking place this week in Vancouver.

Barisani and Bianco sent the messages over RDS (Radio Data System), a standard created in Europe but also used in North America that allows FM radio stations to transmit data over a sliver of spectrum that runs along every FM channel. RDS can contain information such as the name of the radio station. It can also transmit traffic information.

Over the past couple of years, satellite navigation systems have begun receiving that data so that users are alerted to traffic or weather conditions, Barisani said.

Barisani and Bianco found that they could build a device that transmits over the RDS channel. Through trial and error, they discovered that transmitting certain code numbers translates into certain warnings that are displayed on the satellite navigation system.

Some were amusing. One code number alerts users that there's a bull fight in progress. Another one indicates delays due to a parade.

But some weren't so funny. One tells users that there has been a terrorist incident. Another indicates a bomb alert and another an air crash.

The researchers demonstrated this capability in order to spread awareness that this type of hack could happen maliciously. Barisani advises satellite navigation users that if they ever see an alarming message on their device, "don't freak out immediately, listen to the news on the radio to get confirmation."

They found that the RDS data isn't authenticated or encrypted, which allowed them to broadcast the data to be picked up by any satellite navigation systems. Most satellite navigation devices cycle through the FM channels looking for the traffic data that could be broadcast over RDS, Barisani said. A hacker could obscure an existing station, like a man-in-the-middle attack, in order to transmit what they want. Or, a hacker could also transmit over an unused channel, he said.

Satellite navigation systems that are built into cars aren't easy for users to upgrade, so Barisani doesn't expect the manufacturers to be able to make any changes that could prevent this type of attack. But he hopes that future standards might address the issue.

    


  

Written by bonbon
At Apr 15, 2007, 6:46:41 PM



[link]

Written by bonbon
At Apr 12, 2007, 5:47:23 PM



CHICAGO - Dating used to be largely a matter of spending time with a love interest, discovering the good, the bad and the ugly in person. If you were lucky, friends helped fill in some of the blanks. These days, the Internet — and the ability to check people out before they ever meet up — has forever changed the rules. For better or worse, "googling" your date has become standard practice.
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"I often tell my friends that are still in the dating sphere to use the power of Google to their advantage," says Katie Laird, a 24-year-old Web marketing professional and self-proclaimed "social software geek" from Houston.

The results can be enlightening, surprising — and sometimes, a little disturbing. So Laird's advice also comes with a warning: "Don't google what you can't handle."

Hers is the voice of experience. In her dating life, she regularly did online research on her dates and turned up, among other things, "bizarre" fetishes and a guy who was fascinated with vampires.

"Not my scene at all," Laird says, "and nothing I would've ever guessed over an initial meeting and beer."

She also had to contend with an on-again, off-again boyfriend who googled her on a daily basis to try and track her every move. The story did end happily, however, when she met her future husband online.

In some ways, having a social networking page — or pages — has become the new calling card. It's a way for people to check out photos and find out what they have in common, even when they've already met in person.

That was the case for Brad White, a 23-year-old recent college grad in Chicago, who met his current girlfriend through friends at a bar — and immediately looked her up on Facebook. "The commonality of our music taste and friends is what prompted me to ask her out," White says, "obviously, besides the attraction."

The details people find also can provide a few talking points to get past the initial awkwardness of a first date — though not everyone likes to admit that they've done their research.

"It seems like in contemporary dating, it's this elaborate dance between two people who already know a lot of what their date is talking about, but they can't admit it," says David Silver, an assistant professor of media studies at the University of San Francisco who studies online culture.

"You nod your head with curiosity, but you already know what they're going to say."

Even he is amazed at the level of information that can be dug up these days.

With a little creativity and Internet savvy, a person can find anything from blog postings to news stories that might include personal details — and whether people are telling the truth about their age and where they've lived.

It helps to know some basic details upfront, such as an e-mail address that could help turn up an online nickname; some go as far as paying for an online background check.

Often, though, information is almost too easy to find.

MaryBeth Moore discovered that after she got a call from a guy her mother's hairdresser suggested as a good match. At first, Moore was game. But then she checked out his MySpace page and found photos showing him naked in a bath tub.

"Don't worry — I canceled the date," says Moore, who's 24 and lives in West Palm Beach, Fla.

There's also the problem of mistaken identity.

Lisa Phillips, a 31-year-old San Franciscan, was not pleased, for instance, when a search of online images turned up photos of a porn star who shares her name. She can laugh about it now.

"But it's definitely NOT the first impression I want to make with my dates," she says. "Very embarrassing."

It's a big reason people should take the information they find online "with a grain of salt," says Dr. Paul Dobransky, a Chicago-based psychiatrist and author of "The Secret Psychology of How We Fall in Love."

He says there's nothing wrong with doing a little online homework — but thinks the focus should remain on face-to-face interaction to make a final judgment.

"Our minds are more made for in-person, slow contact in getting to know one another," Dobransky says.

In the end, Danielle Martinetti says online research really only helps to a point, anyway. "The crazy stuff usually becomes apparent on the actual date," the 30-year-old New Yorker says.

"No amount of online searching is going to tell you that a person has issues with his mother, loves to be described as a George Clooney look-alike, has an overzealous obsession with hand sanitizer, or that he prefers to sit facing the door in a restaurant 'just in case.'"

Written by bonbon
At Mar 27, 2007, 7:18:41 PM



The art show reception was a great hit. Many people to meet and greet. Almost all of the artists were there,so it was really nice to meet them and put a name to the art hung on the walls. Looking at some of the art, you would be surprised to see how the artist looked in comparison! I mean that what you saw on the walls coming from someone in a tie, is surprising! lol
One artist talked to me about my art and how I was underselling myself greatly,he took the time to give me advice and was so very complimentary too. You know who you are... and I thank you from the bottom of my non-arrogant heart! To have another artist believe in you and to actually offer to help,when really we are all in competition with each other really moves me. I just might take him up on his offer of help... what do you think?
That takes me to my next point. How does one compete against another? Do we really need to compete? I would rather just co-exist harmoniously,sharing knowledge and techniques. But if in that exchange, does one acknowledge the help that one has received. A friend of mine,who is a big influence on my art, helped a struggling artist out with her technique. The artist never gave any thanks nor credit to her for her help,but just went and used the same ideas as her own. To me that smacks of plagiarism,only hope that some day, it will hit her how ungrateful she was!
Is art origional? not really. Think about all the styles that are out there.If it is out there, it has been done. All that occurs now is a fine tuning of the style... nothing is really unique but rather a refined aspect of something already done. This is a good thing because if art continues to evolve,it will take on a life of it's own!
Ok, now let me know what you think, I do want to hear it!!

Written by bonbon
At Mar 22, 2007, 6:01:55 AM



Tomorrow night is the opening for the Flower Power Art show at
Eclectix Gallery and Store in El Cerrito,CA. The reception is from
7 to 9 pm. All the artists will be there to meet and greet and smoooge...
it will be lots of fun. The camera is going along, hope to get some neato shots from the event. Maybe, even sell a piece. I have 2 pieces in the show... Adam and also Garden Spirit. Cross your fingers for me.... would love to have the cash!!
The gallery is having a hard time right now.Sales are down and the owner is worried that she might not be in business much longer. She has asked the artists to pitch in with the rent payment. I think it is a fair thing to ask as she doesn't charge us for the mailings,the website she maintains for the store and the gallery and  doesn't charge us for the time she spends advertising our work for us. So, in a sense,it is really the artists who should be offering to help pay the rent.I am going to see what I can help her with in a monetary sense. Will see who also comes up with help..... it would be nice... my feeling is that most will just fade away. oh, sigh

Written by bonbon
At Mar 16, 2007, 7:35:07 AM



OMG!!!
the camera came today and it was like being 12 all over again! I had left a note on my door as I had missed the delivery the first time. Asked really nicely if he would deliver the camera to my work. I had told everybody about it and so they knew when the UPS delivery guy walked in that it was for me!! The office person paged me on the floor... chris, come to front... hehe
I was like, oh boy, what did I do now? But, when I saw the guy in brown, I almost ran... instead did a skip... and grinned like a kid in a toy store! He laughed and said, I guess you were expecting me? haha hell yea! Signed for the box and walked in a dignified manner to the office.My boss had offered to lock it up for me,so there would be no issues at work. He had heard the whole saga on the first attempt... he found me crying in the back that day. So, he offered to keep it safe. What a great guy I work for!
So, now I am waiting for the batteries to charge up, I thought my journal need to a lighter note! I hate having negative journals for very long!
This is going to be so much fun, hurry up batteries, bonbon wants to play!

OMG
IT IS HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Written by bonbon
At Mar 12, 2007, 7:22:09 PM



Well, there is a story.... to unfold here.I just need to rant a bit and feel sorry for myself and then will move on.

I was wanting to upgrade my camera for quite some time and when i figured out my taxes,well, let's just say that Uncle Sam finally has been kind to me. After much reading of reviews and doing much research on digital slr cameras, I decided to get a Sony A100K. So, off I go to find out who has the best prices which were narrowed down to 2 companies.... new egg and 42nd st photography. 42nd st won out as they had the best prices on cameras and also on kits. So, I order the camera and the kit and they were really prompt on contacting me about the order, getting a phone call the next day! Not an impersonal email but an actual person talking to me on the phone! I was really impressed with that and agreed to place the order with them as newegg has never contacted me by phone ever!
OK, following me so far? If you have made this far into the saga, you must really be interested in the story(thanks).....
Ok, so I get a notification of the tracking number from UPS... so far everything is good. They say that the package should be delivered on time on the 8th of March,which I have to work. They don't give you an actual delivery time but just a window.... 8 am to 6 pm. I work at 1 pm. Our apt. is on the end of the building on the third floor and has very little traffic,as far as I can tell since the walls are made of tissue paper, you can hear people coming and going on the stairs. So, figuring, that since we had had no problems with deliveries over the Christmas Holiday when we lived down on the 2nd floor right next to the garage and parking lot access door, I thought the package would be safe.
I was wrong.... I get home that night of delivery and there is no package at my door. I go online to check my email,thinking maybe I will see an exeption notice from UPS. I had requested a delivery notification email. Well, it was in the inbox,saying that the package had been delivered and hour after I had gone to work. The notification also stated that it had been left on a PORCH. Most apt. complexes do not have a porch,as a porch is a stoop in front of a house. So, I am thinking maybe the delivery guy dropped it off at the wrong address....nope! it was delivered to the correct address.... So now I am thinking that someone who lives in my secured building(we have to have a key to even enter the building the apt you live in occupies)stole the package. I called UPS and also 42nd st to let them know that I did'nt receive my order... it will take up to 7 days before I get my camera that I was supposed to have on the 8th.
I gave my old camera to my Dad for his birthday, so I am without a camera today..... sigh

*End of Rant*

*UPDATE: Talked to 42nd street and UPS on a conference call today and the gist is that somebody at UPS thought I had acknowledged receipt of the package and closed the investigation into my missing delivery. Even though, UPS will take up to 8 days to finalize the investigation, 42nd street is going ahead and sending a replacement out by Wednesday 3/14, signature receipt only. I am really impressed with the way that 42nd street is handling this. Carla is fabulous! She gets a star in my book of good customer relations. Now, I get to meet the driver who delivered the origional delivery and get to ask him/her what the hell were they thinking? hehe

Written by bonbon
At Feb 22, 2007, 5:38:29 PM



Well, joe said i would like this place... he was so right... credits go to joe and denise for suggesting this place. i am looking forward to seeing many great artists here.... lets make this a great place to be for artists all....

to introduce myself, which i hate doing but i guess i have to practice writing bios for myself.
my name is chris and i am not really `13 years old! i just put that on there as a joke. age is irrelevent in my mind. i currently am a digital artist who resides in northern calif( if you need to stalk me, let me know and i will give you my address)have lived in calif for most of my life now... took up digital art way back when my pc ran on windows 3.1*hehe* was encouraged by an artist called shelly eicholz to go bigger and better... she was the one who was a major influence on my art. she can be found playing WoW most of the time now, yes, not much face time with her because of it*grr*.was an admin over at renderosity back in the day and *cough* am currently a senior member at deviantart. having decided that i wanted to post in a site that was free of porn, i decided to come to SA.N
I am so glad to be here!!
so if you like what you see, tell me.... and if you don't, well tell me that too, but nicely and why you dont like something.... i am so down with constructive criticism... i deal it out and i can take it!
to all my friends and future friends...
lets make this the best place on the net for art!