K is for Kid Bro's Kid

I am late on the draw, so to speak - although technically any time today is just fine for getting my “K” out there!

I’ve been preoccupied with my kid brother’s oldest kid - Desi.

She recently moved to my neck of the woods and I find myself in the position of keeping the role of Auntie alive by extending a little kindness to this sweet kid.

Desi’s passion is hairstyling - to this end we are kindred spirits.

She had accepted an offer to do the hair for a stage production running for two days at the University of BC - not that far from me, but a much further distance from where she currently resides.

As the halfway point I was tickled when she called to ask if I would lend use of the spare room as her midway pitstop point.

Coming in late, from a very productive night, we kindred kinfolk sat and had a beverage while catching up on the evening’s events.

We covered a kaleidoscopic range of topics under the heading of hairdstyling; finger waves, updos, twists, french braids and the different kinds of period hairstyles for the production she was working on.

After saying our goodnights and heading in opposite directions in the house I lay awake thinking how wonderful it is to have one’s passion as one’s profession.

For thirty years my passion has been my profession - I love what I do - I wish my dear niece equal felicity as she endeavours to fulfill her dreams of become a great hairstylist.

Tools of the trade.

Now… as a little sidebar…

When I was about seven, I got a hold of a pair of my mom’s sewing scissors. I lined up all the kids in the neighbourhood and gave each a haircut.

Not just a trim - a serious cut. 

In this group was my bestest little buddy, Maria, a beautiful Italian girl with hair down to her waist… yes, you know where I am going with this.

I cut it ALL off!  (just recounting that experience gives me goosebumps)

Well… let me say, I was under constant supervision over the next few months because Maria’s papa was not a happy Italian man… need I say more. (possible mafia connections… I always wondered) 

He cursed me as the devil’s daughter herself (which must have pleased my dad to no end… Satan himself) and warned my parents to keep me away from his daughter.

Of course… Maria would tell you she was beyond happy as her beautiful mane was so long and so heavy she actually walked with her face looking to the heavens. 

We still played together when Mr. Mafia was at work - Maria’s mother gave me extra cookies, for some reason, every time I came over… her long locks always fascinated me too. And, on occasion, I think she left a pair of kitchen scissors within easy reach, ever hopeful.

So began my passion… 

Have you turned your passion into a profession?

Cheers, Jenny

J is for Just Jenny - back by popular demand

Well, back by my demand… popular or not!

Sorry, my lovelies… I’m knee deep in paperwork - busy sticking it to the rezoning department and the city planners… can’t be everywhere so I’m hauling out one of my personal favourites.

This was my entry for “J” back in 2011 so it will be new to many of you, and I know those of you that read it the first time will be tickled to see it here again. (no vanity… just sanity… )

Enjoy…

In the dark ages it was the wish of every father-to-be that at least one of his children be a male to carry on the family name along with the family business.

Not much has changed - a man still wants a son. (even if he won’t admit it publicly because the missus would tear a strip off him) Some things never change.

I’m the second of four kids - girl, girl, boy, boy.

Okay, the first child can be a girl - after all every dad secretly wants a little princess too.

But...all bets are off when it comes to kid number two - if number one was a girl, number two better be a boy or else.

Here’s the or else.

So, I’m the second girl… my poor mom was under tremendous pressure to produce the heir apparent - but apparently failed at such a simple task - what was she thinking. (even though it’s the sperm that determines gender)

Now, as mom tells it she really had her heart set on a boy, she’d done her duty the first time without success and really, really wanted a boy. 

Mostly she was not a big fan of the ‘state of pregnancy’ - can we blame her!

Yes, there are some women that love being 'with child' - I say, “Good on you, whatever floats your boat.” Apparently in mother’s case it sunk her ship - four times.

When I was brought to my mother (after being tidied up and made presentable) the nurse congratulated her on her sweet, adorable, lovely, cute-as-a-button little girl.

“No, No, I vant a boy, take it back!”

I kid you not - those were her words - and we wonder why I’m in therapy! 

Well, after some arguing about the fact that I couldn’t be swapped and given to someone else who might have wanted a “girl” baby, I was taken back to the nursery to prepare for my fate.

In the meantime, my mom received a visitor - the woman who would subsequently become my godmother - TW. 

TW was so excited mom had another beautiful little girl, she had been by the nursery and was cooing all over the place about how lucky my mom was. 

“Ya, dann take her, she’s yours. I vant a boy - no more girls.” (said like she’d just had her nineteenth girl)

After some explaining, by TW, my mom finally acquiesced - even though she knew it meant going through yet another birth to get that elusive but highly sought after boy - I was adorable and she had already fallen for my "cute-as-a-button" charm.

But that didn’t stop her from still being ticked at me for being a girl. 

She told TW she had already picked a boy's name (for her son) and therefore I would be called Peter; it would teach me a lesson for being a girl.

TW went on to explain that Peter was not a suitable girl’s name whereby my mother leaned back in her bed and said, “Fine, dann ve call her Petra!” 

I can only say there is a god - and it was manifesting itself through TW - because she said, “Absolutely no, dats not a goot name.”

“Ya, dann you pick da name vat ve give my boy,” retorts my mom. (note how she still called me her boy - and we wonder why I’m good with a hammer)

Okay…

Without hesitation TW says, “I alvays liked Chainy und ve name her Chainy.” (this was how they said Jenny - I kid you not, there is no way I could make this up)

Fast forward to Kindergarten…

Mrs. S, an elderly teacher, (they all look old when you’re that little) called in my parents for a little chat. It appears I was not responding well to my name Jenny and she was concerned about some learning difficulties because of it.

“Ya, dats her name Chainy, vats da problem,” says mommy dearest! 

With that the meeting was over. Mrs. S had her answer - it was not adorable little “me” that had the learning problem…

I’ve always liked my name, never wanted a different one and can safely say I am eternally grateful to my godmother for it.

It’s a good name. It’s not Jennifer or Jen - it’s just Jenny! (try to remember that, will you)


___________________________

So… now you know a wee bit more about moi. Fascinating, huh! 

What about your name... is there a story behind it too?

Cheers, Jenny

I is for Invisible... Part 2

While I am still incognito this Cherry Blossom tree is not.

I thought you all might like to see it from a different angle, and with the gorgeous blue sky as its backdrop.

I had a chance to go for a brisk walk, between clients, and could not help but enjoy the wonders of nature. What a way to recharge my energy reserves.

Are you enjoying the wonders of nature around you as the seasons change?

Cheers, Jenny

Footnote: This little church has just been sold - upon the land will now stand a small apartment building.

I is for Invisible

I saw this beautiful Cherry Blossom tree as I walked to work - that was before my day went South.

Yes, I will be invisible today; at least here on my blog.

As I type this it is 4:11 am… well past my bedtime!

I had an incredibly long and tiring day - issues with City Hall. 

I just finished a strongly worded email to City Council about their blatant disrespect for due process. (I sent a copy to every newspaper and talk show host too - could get messy)

Far too much to get into right now though… must sleep.

Have a wonderful “I” day - I will be visiting and enjoying your insights.

And, regarding my “H” post - you all made my day with your lovely comments!

Thank you, you all rock!

Now… quick question… any ideas for idling away the day, once I wake up?

Cheers, Jenny

H is for Helping Hand

Occasionally, during the A-Z Challenge, I encounter the voice of distress and frustration in the form of a blogger who is unsure of what to do about spam; how to handle comments and change a password.

Many of you seasoned bloggers know all about this stuff, so please bear with me. 

Today, I’m lending a helping hand; Linda, I hope this helps!

SPAM AND COMMENTS

When you first sign into your blog you arrive at the page which shows your Blogs and your Reading List.

Click on your blog’s name, this will take you to the Overview Page of that blog.

In the Overview Page, on the left side is a vertical menu bar - Click on Settings (#1 in my screen shot). Next, Click on Post and Comments (#2).

Now you are on the page where I took this screenshot. Click on photo to enlarge.

Look at #3 - Who can comment.

Anonymous lets anyone comment which is often where spam comes into play. 

Registered User, including OpenID is definitely a preferred option as bloggers leaving comments are identified. (I have linked you to Blogger’s Help page for Comments - worth looking at)

The last two options for who can comment are self-explanatory.

Next up is #4 Comment Moderation 

 Always  means that every comment will require your approval before going public on your blog.

I use Always when blogging sporadically to have control over comments when I'm not around.

Sometimes can be a useful tool. You can moderate comments on older posts while allowing some freedom with current posts. 

During the A-Z Challenge I have it set for 2 days; if someone is leaving a comment on a post older than that I will have the chance to see it first before it goes to my blog. 

If you use Always or Sometimes for Comment Moderation - then you must provide an email address (#4a) for those comments to go to. I do recommend having an email address designated for blogging comments - it's easier that way. 

If you chose Never then all comments will go directly to your blog.

You will still see them in your email Inbox but they will not be moderated. If there is a comment you don’t like you will need to manually delete it in the Comment area (circled in green), on the vertical menu bar. 

Remember to report spam to Blogger - they do try and block as much as they can but they need our help to keep on top of it.

A note about Word Verification - it does cut spam down - but it also deters commenting. It is a frustrating step and many visitors will move on rather than jump through the hoop. So try the other options listed above first. If all else fails with cutting down spam then try word verification. 

Also...a fun fact - did you know you only need to type the WV letters not the numbers. I found this out some time ago and when I come across WV I now just put in the letters - works like a charm. (not that WV is charming - I still dislike it)

Last, #5 Comment Form Message - if there is something specific, or just a simple salutation, you want to leave for your visitors that are commenting this is where you do it, they will see it when leaving a comment.  

CHANGING YOUR BLOG PASSWORD

Click on the little arrow on the right side of your avatar which is located in the upper right hand corner of your Dashboard.

Once open Click on Account Settings... the rest should be straight forward.

Anytime you see a little ? next to something it means there’s an explanation for that item you're looking at. 

Note: within each of the Dashboard pages there is a Send feedback button on the bottom right-hand corner - I use this often when I am having a problem. Although Blogger does not respond directly to them they do take feedback seriously. So don't be afraid to give them what for if you're having a problem.

That's it!

I hope this has been helpful - I remember what it was like as a new blogger; it can be very frustrating and lonely out there when you're trying to figure things out behind the scene.


I'm far from being an expert but I like sharing what I do know and what seems to work.

Good luck!

Cheers, Jenny

To those with a few more blogging miles under your belts:

How many of you remember those early days?

Do you miss the old Blogger Dashboard? Or are you liking the current setup?

G is for Go Go Gadget

Before I get into my "G" topic...

Let me start by saying the girls got together for a glorious time Saturday evening hence I never got over to glance at your great “F” posts.

However...I’ll be grabbing a look and leaving a comment after I give you the goods about the gluten free cake that graced our table after we gorged ourselves on chicken, with raspberry glaze, and a host of gourmet fixings.

Here’s the cake...it’s only 4” in diameter but about 6” tall; we five girls only managed to gobble half - and trust me, we weren’t worrying about looking gluttonous.

Damn...it was way too good for a wheat free/gluten free cake. It had four layers of luxurious dark chocolate silk filling and it was amazing.

☀  ☀  ☀  ☀  ☀  ☀  ☀  ☀

NOW, FOR MY ACTUAL TOPIC

It might be hard to focus after staring at the gorgeous cake but give it a go.

G is for Go Go Gadget

Today, in the role of Gadget Inspector, I’m going to share with you three gadgets I enjoy using when visiting blogs.

In no particular order, here they are:

1 - The Blog Archive gadget.

I particularly like Blog Archives where the Post Title is included as part of the drop down menu. 

When I’m visiting a blog I actually spend a little time checking out this gadget...but only if the Post Titles are there otherwise it’s a huge fishing expedition in which case I let the fish go.

2 - The Profile gadget.

I do read Profiles - not only for new blogs I visit - but for blogs I've been following for a while; surprisingly enough profiles do change...who'd've thought.

3 - The Blog List gadget.

My Blog List (Blogs of Note... ) lets me see whose updated their blogs, it acts as a condensed Reading List when I'm short on time, rather than using the one on my Dashboard. 

Your Blog List(s) gives me, or any visitor, exposure to the blogs you're reading. From these lists I have had the opportunity to read blogs I might not otherwise have found on my own.

A couple of questions for you:

Do you read Blog Archives to see what’s lurking in the past?

Do you check out the Profile Page to find out more about a blogger?

How does your Blog List work for you?

Is there a favourite gadget you like seeing on a blog?

Cheers, Jenny

F is for Fascinating Facts

“Are airline’s fat fares fair?” screamed the headline of a local paper I was perusing the other day. A sub-heading further shouted, “Pay-as-you-weigh.”

Source: Vancouver metro, April 3, 2013
Click to enlarge if you want to read it. 

Hmmm, interesting, thought I, and worthy of delving deeper.

I live on the North American continent, specifically in Canada. We have been known to be rather fit and hardy folks; we do, after all, live in the frigid cold most of the year; we travel to our igloos by dog sled and hunt and trap our own food; naturally we’re fit.

Well, that might have been so a hundred years ago but a lot has changed since then, including the size of our belts.

So this article tweaked my curiosity…

“Who would impose a fee for a person’s fat when flying?” ponder I, while me and myself rustled up a hearty meal of flash frozen fish from the freezer while waiting for my pot of fennel tea; it needed to steep for a full four minutes. (say that fast with a mouth full of fish)

Well, it appears Samoa Air has done just that. And, given the size of their plane you might just be nodding in agreement.

Source
The article that goes with this picture is great.

Now, while this may seem funny to some folks, it got me thinking. 

What if you were Ele Opeloge, the Samoan weightlifter in the +75 kg class at the 2012 Olympics, weighing in at a comfortable 270 lbs (124 kg).

Is it fair that you should pay more for the same space on Samoa Air than your teammate Maureen Tuimalealiifano, an archer who also represented Samoa at the 2012 Olympics, and weighs in at a measly 150 lbs (70 kg).

Think about this - are we to assume that Samoa Air will waive the extra 120 lbs that Ele carries because she is an athlete?

Is Ele’s extra 120 lbs necessary, she is, after all, the same height as her 150 lb teammate, Maureen? What purpose does her extra weight serve - other than to lift dead weight?

Should Ele be singled out to pay more?

As you can see it’s not so easy to say to a fat person you should pay more because the person you ate for lunch needs to be accounted for.

Tell that to Ele and see if you survive her clean and jerk...that’s after she’s ripped your gizzards out!

Source

Now, lighthearted bantering aside...this is worth pondering because there are certain things about our physical makeup we cannot change - height, foot size, hat size and even bone density.

I would be very careful if I was Samoa Air...not all fat people are jolly and I can’t imagine many laughing at this poorly thought out money grab, least of all Ele.

Well...there you have some fascinating facts.

What do you think about charging a person by weight to fly?

Cheers, Jenny