tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-168118592024-03-12T16:59:00.271-07:00The Thing Of It Is...Comic books, parenthood, and miscellaneous whatnot.Sara Kocherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01707328981781256037noreply@blogger.comBlogger61125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16811859.post-75448406415734574672009-05-11T18:08:00.000-07:002009-05-11T18:11:05.967-07:00WTFToday the Bunster brought home #68 in the series of tiny little pamphlets that his school uses in place of the old Dick-and-Jane books I remember from my childhood. You know the stuff: "See Spot. See Spot run. Run, Spot, run. See Jane. See Jane run." and so on. Well, compared to these modern little gems, the D & J's were major works of literature.<br /><br />Here's the latest, in its entirety:<br /><blockquote><span style="font-weight: bold;">Music</span><br />Don likes music.<br />Don's mom also likes music.<br />Mom says humans can make nice music.<br />Mom drops Don off for music class.<br />Don plays the bugle.<br />Don makes music with his bugle.<br />Don is a pupil in music class.<br />Don likes music class.<br />Mr. Cupid is starting a new music unit.<br />It is a unit of new music.<br />Don is a human who makes music.<br />He makes music with his bugle.</blockquote>Yes, it's plotless and written by a robot with a tin ear. Why don't they just have the kids read a random list of words with the "u" sound? It would at least be less of an affront to the sensibilities of anyone who values literature and the English language.<br /><br />The previous sixty-seven booklets were varying degrees of awful. Meaning that none were actually good, but about a half-dozen of them were passable and at least another dozen were as bad as this or worse.<br /><br />I know I can do better. Indeed, it would be quite difficult to do worse. So here's my first attempt:<br /><br />See this pamphlet? It is a unit of words. It is a unit of words with the sound "u." You are a human. You can read the words. You are a human who reads words with your eyes. Mom says humans who read words like this will grow up with no appreciation of the beauty of the English language. Mom despairs for the young humans being taught with this crap.Sara Kocherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01707328981781256037noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16811859.post-7026278901132371802009-04-23T21:29:00.001-07:002009-04-23T21:35:10.013-07:00FacebookedWow, it's been a really, really long time since I've posted anything here! It seems that at the moment I don't have anything coherent and public to say, alas. It's times like this that I wish I'd kept a few inventory blog posts, from back when I was more prolific.<br /><br />I have laid off of Facebook somewhat, but it's still the best online place to catch up with me. Someday I'll be back here...Sara Kocherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01707328981781256037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16811859.post-51277480642505611572008-12-11T21:34:00.000-08:002008-12-11T22:07:35.608-08:00FacebookaholicHi, my name is Sara and I'm a Facebookaholic.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">(everyone) "Hi, Sara!"</span><br /><br />It started small. I only opened an account because my friend L.M. asked me to, as part of a "project" he was doing for business school. Of course, now I can see he's just a pusher, but I was so naive then. That was it, just one time, plus a quick hit to enter a little minimal profile info. No photo, even. I could have just walked away, but I didn't.<br /><br />A little while later, a friend request came in from J.B, whom I'd known at Renaissance Faire. So of course I confirmed. I mean, who wouldn't?<br /><br />And then it slowly snowballed. One friend after another. I kept confirming and confirming. Once, I even went through my husband's friend list, just looking for people I knew so I could add them.<br /><br />I did manage to ignore the apps. That's good, right? That shows some will power. I didn't accept the title of nobility, you know. And I didn't take my move in Scrabulous. Okay, okay, I admit it...I did try to do Scrabulous, but I had some kind of weird computer glitch with Firefox and it wouldn't work. I'm trying to be honest, here, okay? Cut me a break.<br /><br />Besides, there's a good side, too! I'm getting back in touch with old friends...people I haven't seen in 18 years, people I've missed and wondered about. And I'm seeing photos of myself and my friends from back in the day. Bringing back to memories. It's great stuff. Really, it is.<br /><br />So now I have this karma request. And I'm rethinking the no-apps thing. How bad could it be? I can quit anytime. Or at least pull back a bit. I don't have to check the "Friends Of Ol' Marvel - Marvel Comics Alumni" discussion board twice a day. That's totally a choice. And I can stop.<br /><br />Sure I can...you know, right after I just comment on that great photo S.B. just scanned and posted, that is...<br /> Sara Kocherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01707328981781256037noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16811859.post-17153588583720366422008-11-11T16:03:00.000-08:002008-11-11T16:31:03.879-08:00What? Wait, Halloween's OVER already? How?!Oh, hey, it's November. Whoops, I completely missed my October post. I'm trying to check in here at least once a month...you can see how well that's working for me.<br /><br />And I even had a few topics to blog about, too: my first mammogram (not too bad, once I quelled the panic), our yard sale (also not too bad), the Bunster's Halloween costume (another not-too-bad one), and of course the election (which was both fantastic and awful, depending on which part you look at). Hey, I even found a use for <a href="http://sarakocher.blogspot.com/2008/05/six-months-already.html">this blue to</a><a href="http://sarakocher.blogspot.com/2008/05/six-months-already.html">ol</a>. But despite having plenty to say, I didn't find the time to say it.<br /><br />And I'm not going to be able to say it now, either, because I'm out of time. Ain't that always the way?<br /><br />So here's the Bunster in his light-up satellite costume.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Hh9Uuzxyf8/SRoijkH93hI/AAAAAAAAACc/QOeHJiOHCwM/s1600-h/SatalliteKid.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 177px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Hh9Uuzxyf8/SRoijkH93hI/AAAAAAAAACc/QOeHJiOHCwM/s320/SatalliteKid.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267560708551073298" border="0" /></a><br />See you next month!<br> Sara Kocherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01707328981781256037noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16811859.post-57926362946606324442008-09-29T10:52:00.000-07:002008-09-29T11:45:41.290-07:00The Bad SarahBonnie Fuller has <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bonnie-fuller/sarah-palin-has-the-same_b_130102.html" target="_blank">a piece in the Huffington Post about Sarah Palin</a> that I wish I'd written. That woman is scary (Palin, not Fuller....well, actually, Fuller is a little scary, too, but for reasons related to women's fashion magazines, not international politics).<br /><br />I think my least-favorite story about Palin is how, while she was mayor, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/26/opinion/26fri4.html?bl&ex=1222574400&en=cd491cbff8aac3b9&ei=5087%0A" target="_blank">Wasilla billed rape victims and their health insurance companies</a> for the cost of the rape kit used to gather evidence. And no, they didn't change burglary victims and their homeowner's insurance companies for fingerprint kits used to investigate those crimes.<br /><br />My theory about her nomination is that McCain believes that he can attract the independent and undecided votes himself (remember...he's a maverick!...not in Bush W.'s pocket at all! No sir!!), but needs someone to turn out the socially ultra-conservative voters in large numbers. By picking inexperienced Palin, he gets that running mate with far-right credentials, but without a lot of political capital she could use to challenge him. So he can run a more middle-of-the-road Republican administration without a powerful Cheney-type VP meddling in his policies.<br /><br />No idea whether he's correct, but boy do I hope he's miscalculated. Having Palin one fluttering heartbeat away from the presidency is more terrifying than another four years of Bush Jr. Although you could argue that by voting for McCain, we can get both!<br /><br /> Sara Kocherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01707328981781256037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16811859.post-73819844575988253332008-09-23T10:05:00.000-07:002008-09-23T10:47:26.730-07:00RIP, not so CoolPixLast post, I promised something more fun. And then every post topic I thought of after that was some kind of frustrated rant about something or other. My dishwasher, Sarah Palin, political and moral hypocrisy, childhood temper tantrums, same-sex marriage bans...all the really <span style="font-style: italic;">fun</span> stuff in life.<br /><br />So then I decided to just snap a photo of something cute the Bunster brought home from school. That's heartwarming, right? Good plan, until our little camera died. "No photos for you!" it said, "I'm going to jam my lens cover shut and refuse to open!" Sure, J. opened up the camera and unstuck the cover, no problem. But then the camera decided that if <span style="font-style: italic;">it</span> wasn't the one to open the cover, it didn't count. So no more camera.<br /><br />Here's a diagram of my camera now:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__Hh9Uuzxyf8/SNkrKInRObI/AAAAAAAAACU/rLDgVDMup8M/s1600-h/MyBrokenCamera_wSkull.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__Hh9Uuzxyf8/SNkrKInRObI/AAAAAAAAACU/rLDgVDMup8M/s320/MyBrokenCamera_wSkull.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249274293787900338" border="0" /></a>Sara Kocherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01707328981781256037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16811859.post-59604513818677855872008-08-09T20:03:00.000-07:002008-08-09T21:37:01.576-07:00Same old same oldSo how many times today have you heard some variation of "Holy crap, what if we'd/they'd nominated <a href="http://www.johnedwards.com" target="_blank">him?</a> McCain would have the election on a platter!"?<br /><br />For some reason, I find that I am shocked by this whole thing, despite myself. I thought I was cynical enough that this would be just another idiot politician acting like a complete moron...business as usual. But no, I'm actually feeling a certain degree of betrayal. Not on the level of Elizabeth Edwards, obviously. But I had supported this guy and thought he'd make a good president. Yeah, not so much anymore.<br /><br />I even feel a little betrayed by Elizabeth, actually, if she really knew about this back in 2006 and that's not just spin. Did she really hit the campaign trail with him, knowing about this huge skeleton in his closet? It pains me to criticize her, obviously. But what was she thinking?!<br /><br />So John and Elizabeth Edwards campaigned knowing what happened to Gary Hart, to Bill Clinton, to so many idiots before him. He would presumably have accepted the nomination if he'd won it, all with this mess lurking just below the surface to blow the Democrats out of the water completely. How arrogant and stupid must the Edwards have been to think that this wouldn't come to light?<br /><br />So now what? For Edwards, he becomes an minor footnote in history, one of a growing list. For the rest of us? I guess we all have just that much more reason for cynicism.<br /><br />My, I'm cheery today, aren't I? Next time, something more fun.<br /> Sara Kocherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01707328981781256037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16811859.post-67125432084069029882008-07-31T10:33:00.000-07:002008-07-31T13:27:21.640-07:00Funny pagesSo it's been another month with no blog posts, but then this morning I realized that I can just piggyback on someone else's brilliance and finally post something. God, why did it take me so long to catch onto this?<br /><br />Anyway, I just stumbled across the web comic <a href="http://www.medium-large.com/" target="_blank">Medium Large</a>, which is written (and drawn?) by Francesco Marciuliano, the writer of <span style="font-style:italic;">Sally Forth</span>. This is the second go-round for the strip, but I didn't see the first ones. So far, I like every single strip he's posted. Not often I say that about any comic strip...most are hit or miss, even the good ones. Check it out. But maybe not in front of any kids who are old enough to read.<br /> Sara Kocherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01707328981781256037noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16811859.post-20396193269922322152008-06-30T09:34:00.000-07:002008-06-30T10:00:25.982-07:00EntitlementAccording to the BBC, some parent in Sweden has decided to <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7479758.stm" target="_blank">prove that Americans don't have a monopoly</a> on raising children with an outrageous sense of entitlement. He's complaining to <span style="font-style:italic;">Parliament</span> that his eight-year-old should have the right to publicly snub other children when handing out birthday invitations at school.<br /><br />I don't think he should stop there. Here are a few other rights that children in Sweden and their helicopter parents should immediately campaign for, perhaps before the UN Commission on Human Rights:<br /><br />The right to go first on the swings, every time.<br />The right to eat paste.<br />The right to stay up as late as they want.<br />The right to replace vegetables with chocolate at any meal.<br />The right to an "A" grade regardless of test scores or homework completion.<br />The right to slap that one girl who's always so mean.<br /><br />And finally, and perhaps most importantly, the right to remain frozen in childhood, supported by their parents, until that point in adulthood when their parents finally die, at which point the child's own children can proceed to do the same.<br /> Sara Kocherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01707328981781256037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16811859.post-73700469914185728552008-05-31T11:08:00.000-07:002008-05-31T11:27:38.938-07:00Six months already?Writer's block? Procrastination? Ennui? Intimidation? Lack of time?<br /><br />All that and so much more, I guess.<br /><br />Some of the things I didn't blog in the last six month: Kindergarten, taking a Japanese class, a trip to the desert, the Bunster's first trip to the emergency room (he's fine now, after three stitches), reconnecting with my sister, and a trip to Ren Faire. Among others. I don't think the problem is a lack of material, anyway.<br /><br />No promises to get back on track. If I do, then you'll know by reading (all two of you left, that is!). And if I don't, then I shouldn't have promised what I couldn't deliver.<br /><br />One of the things I've been doing in the past months is trying to dig myself out of years of accumulated clutter and keepsakes. Any idea why I kept these?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__Hh9Uuzxyf8/SEGYFd3GmgI/AAAAAAAAABk/4XCMw-QRMFQ/s1600-h/Marvel_tools.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__Hh9Uuzxyf8/SEGYFd3GmgI/AAAAAAAAABk/4XCMw-QRMFQ/s320/Marvel_tools.jpg" alt="Rubber cement pick-ups and a burnisher from the Marvel days" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206609863899519490" border="0" /></a><br />Maybe I'm planning to open a museum of defunct comic book production materials? I can't really think of any good reason to keep a couple of rubber cement pick-ups and a burnisher...and yet here they are, fresh out of my desk drawer. At least I'm not putting them back.<br /> Sara Kocherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01707328981781256037noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16811859.post-19948586161548322242007-12-01T01:01:00.000-08:002007-12-01T01:09:33.831-08:00Benefits of the writer's strikeApparently, spammers are one of the prime beneficiaries of the writer's strike. I recently cleaned out an e-mail filter and found that the quality of copywriting in spam subject lines has substantially improved recently. In the past, I've noted efforts along the lines of "Make it bigger to please her," which, while reasonably direct, lack a certain poetry.<br /><br />But now, in one short day, I've received at least a dozen almost literary spam haiku. The following examples are among my favorites of this new genre.<br /><br />Everett Banks's brief composition "Elongate your short sword to fit her scabbard better!" combines metaphor, medieval imagery, and sexual politics into a compelling piece of blank verse.<br /><br />On the other hand, Erich Roach's "Grow an anaconda out of your trouser snake!" uses both humor and metaphor mingled with more modern imagery to promote his client's product.<br /><br />Even those writers who opt for a straightforward approach do so with greater attention to the nuances of language. Ann Rouse's "The advantages of having a big pen!s are innumerable!" is a key example of this school of thought. Not only is the reader encouraged to flights of fancy, rather than crudely assaulted with mere vulgar detail, but Ms. Rouse cleverly uses punctuation to pun on her own professional capabilities.<br /><br />Naturally, since these are primarily television writers, some stoop to merely capitalizing on another's success. Angelo V. Barrett's "Become a s'e_xual magician in a new year! Increase your stick!" seems fresh and appealing, if you are unaware of Kathy X. Crowe's earlier and more lyrical "Kindle a passion in her heart with your magic stick."<br /><br />Ms. Crowe herself is unmistakably influenced by other writers as well, although her "Increase your dik and get ready for real s'e_xual fest" is clearly a homage to <a href="http://mariejavins.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Marie Javins</a> and not akin to Mr. Barrett's outright plagiarism.<br /><br />I must confess the most delicious of these literary endeavors to cross my junk folder to date comes from a truly unexpected source. The diamond in the rough "Do you like it when things are easy?" could easily be assumed to be the work of Mr. Banks, Ms. Rouse, or a number of other established spam poets. Instead, this slender masterpiece was provided by none other than <a href="http://www.fidelity.com/" target="_blank">Fidelity Investments</a>. Poetry is where you find it.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Poetry is not a civilizer, rather the reverse, for great poetry appeals to the most primitive instincts.</span> -- Robinson Jeffers<br /><br> Sara Kocherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01707328981781256037noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16811859.post-44913089111903266322007-11-13T14:12:00.000-08:002007-11-13T14:56:51.676-08:00Orange you glad?After much deliberation, the Bunster decided to be an orange crayon for Halloween. "Fantastic!" I thought, "This will be easy to make." And it was, since I made it out of felt and didn't have to hem anything.<br /><br />Here's how it came out:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__Hh9Uuzxyf8/Rzoq4ZINv_I/AAAAAAAAABc/KEksK3doUg4/s1600-h/OrangeCrayon.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__Hh9Uuzxyf8/Rzoq4ZINv_I/AAAAAAAAABc/KEksK3doUg4/s320/OrangeCrayon.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132461873648484338" border="0" /></a><br /><br />He went trick-or-treating with a group of kids from Kindergarten and they all had a great time. He got so much loot that he still has a bunch of the "good" candy left. So far, I've been very good about not stealing it from him, despite the temptation.<br> Sara Kocherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01707328981781256037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16811859.post-72360948818480628092007-10-05T13:53:00.000-07:002007-10-05T14:45:36.194-07:00All dressed upThe Bunster has started Kindergarten and I have a little free time again. Which I'm using to update the ol' blog constantly with amusing anecdotes from my super busy yet fulfilling life. At least that's the fantasy.<br /><br />Also, in this same fantasy, the house is beautifully organized and dust-free, my wardrobe is perfectly color-coordinated, I'm running four amazing-looking web sites, our cocktail parties are the delight of all our friends, my hair is always shiny and bouncy, and my nail polish never smudges. Actually, I do have that last one, since I'm not wearing any. I have commando fingers.<br /><br />Back in reality, I'm currently figuring out how to make a rainbow Halloween costume for a five year old boy that looks both boyish and rainbow-ey. And that he can walk and sit down in. Maybe I'll get lucky and he'll change his mind and be a pirate instead. Or a rainbow pirate.<br /><br />Halloween is always one of my favorite holidays, even though I'm not really into the whole gory, scary thing. It's a holiday where you can dress up in a cool costume and eat lots of candy. What could be better?<br /><br />The Bunster, though, only likes the candy part. He's really not interested in dressing up, on Halloween or most other times. Growing up, my sister and I had a large dress-up box full of glittery fun costumes. Before becoming a parent, I assumed my kid would, too. But the Bunster just isn't into it. He does like to play pretend and he has a good imagination, so it's not that he's unable to understand being something else for an evening. It's just that he has no desire to. He says he just wants to be himself.<br /><br />I have to admire that, even though I don't completely understand it. I've always wanted to be someone else or some other version of myself, even if only temporarily. Whether the transformation is something as simple as evening clothes or as dramatic as an over-the-top Halloween costume, I still enjoy it tremendously, even though my trick-or-treat days have been over for decades.<br /><br />I've never really examined this before, particularly since so many of my friends feel the same as I do. (That might have something to do with where I met many of my friends...comic book company, renaissance fair, martial arts class...hmm, I kinda see a pattern.) Plus, there are always tons of ads for adult Halloween costumes, so clearly I'm not alone here. But now that I have the Bunster so adamantly himself and nothing but, I have to wonder. Is it really human nature to want to transform yourself? Or is it just a cultural impulse that I might not even have if I hung out with different people? I'm inclined to the former, since so many cultures embrace some form of dressing up. But I am wondering.<br /><br />Meanwhile, I've explained to the Bunster that you have to have some kind of a costume to go trick-or-treating. It can be Bunster-the-firefighter or Bunster-the-geophysicist (don't ask), I told him, but it has to be something. And he picked a rainbow. Maybe I should have let him go as Bunster-the-Kindergartner instead.<br /><br />At least he likes the candy. Not liking that would just be weird.<br /> Sara Kocherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01707328981781256037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16811859.post-67493694143736343232007-09-14T22:25:00.000-07:002007-09-14T22:43:29.959-07:00Somewhat mollifiedSo I was at least somewhat wrong in my <a href="http://sarakocher.blogspot.com/2007/09/im-backand-singing-lead-toy-blues.html">last post</a>...I did get a form letter, as I expected. But it wasn't just pablum about how "the subject of children's safety is extremely important to us." Nope, this form letter apologized for the last one and explained that the information on paying postage was in error.<br /><br />Hmmm. Apparently, some Mattel staff got the memo about how to handle the recalls, and some didn't.<br /><br />I do wonder if this second letter went out to everyone who got the first one, or only to those who wrote angry notes back...<br /><br />Anyway, here's the full form reply I got from Mattel in reply to my e-mailed rant:<br /><br /><blockquote style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Dear Consumer:<br /><br />Recently you should have received one or more emails and mailing labels from Mattel, for the purpose of returning products affected by the recently announced recall of Barbie® Accessory Sets, GeoTrax™ Engines or It’s a Big Big World™ 6-in-1 Bongo Band Sets.<br /><br />The email incorrectly stated that you would have to pay for the postage on the included mailing label. We apologize for the erroneous details on the email, but the mailing label you received IS a prepaid mailing label and will not cost you anything to mail.<br /><br />We apologize for any confusion created by the previous email(s). Please use the mailing label(s) you received to return only the affected part(s) of your product(s). Your return(s) will be carefully assessed and replacement(s) along with bonus piece(s) will be sent to you within 10 - 12 weeks.<br /><br />To ensure your package is received by us quickly, please take your package to your local post office to receive a round date stamp on your merchandise return mailing acknowledgement or online e-label record (included on bottom half of mailing label). This confirmation stamp is provided by the postal service at <span style="font-weight: bold;">no cost</span> to you. [<span style="font-style: italic;">Bold is theirs, not mine. -SK</span>] Packages dropped at a mailbox or collection box are not scanned prior to delivery and may delay the return of your package.<br /><br />In closing, we would like to apologize to everyone affected by this recall, especially those consumers who bought the affected toys. We realize that parents trust us with what is most precious to them - their children. And we also recognize that trust is earned. Our goal is to correct this problem, improve our systems and maintain the trust of the families that have allowed us to be part of their lives by acting responsibly and quickly to address their concerns.<br /><br />If you have any further questions or concerns, please call us at 1-800-916-4957, Monday through Friday between the hours of 9 AM and 7 PM Eastern time, and Saturday between the hours of 11 AM and 5 PM Eastern time.<br /><br />Thank you for contacting Mattel.</blockquote><br /><br />So my Cranky Total Mattel Ban is a bit relaxed. On the other hand, I still don't feel great about buying their stuff. Maybe I should, since they're the ones being tested constantly right now. Although I'll bet Hasbro is just as afraid of messing up. I'm sure they can already see the headlines that would make.<br /><br />I think I'll buy Legos. Although Lord only knows which chemicals they're made of.Sara Kocherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01707328981781256037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16811859.post-9456603190405727172007-09-14T10:18:00.000-07:002007-09-14T10:49:04.084-07:00I'm back...and singing the lead toy bluesSorry about the long hiatus. Blogging doesn't combine well with summer vacation, at least not without camp. The Bunster and I had a good time, but I didn't get a chance to get online very much. Anyway, now I'm back and already ranting. Maybe something on comics next week...<br /><br />We finally got caught up in the Mattel recalls, after having to run several toys through their online check. The first few turned out okay, but the Bunster's little red Geo Trax engine turns out to be decorated with large quantities of lead. So I sent in the recall info, waited a couple of weeks (so much for 3 to 5 business days...but I guess they're kinda busy at the moment), and today I got an e-mail from them. Turns out the "preprinted mailing label" I've been waiting weeks for isn't <span style="font-style: italic;">postage paid</span>, it's just got tracking numbers for <span style="font-style: italic;">their</span> convenience.<br /><br />So now I get to pay <span style="font-style: italic;">again</span> for the lead-laced toy, this time to replace it with something safe.<br /><br />So I just wrote the following extremely snippy e-mail to Mattel:<br /><br /><blockquote style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Excuse me, are you telling me that I have to PAY POSTAGE for the privilege of safely disposing of and replacing the toy that you tried to poison my child with?<br /><br />You've now put me in a position where I either tell my son that the toy you promised to replace won't be returning after all, or paying even more money to get the toy again. It really doesn't matter to me that the money is going to the post office and not into your coffers...the fact is I have to pay AGAIN to get this toy.<br /><br />It's bad enough that your quality control is so poor that you have to be caught before you start protecting children from poisons that have been banned for years, but making parents pay to have YOUR NEGLIGENCE corrected? That's adding insult to injury.<br /><br />I have three birthday parties to shop for this week alone, one of which is my son's. I can assure you that NONE of the presents I purchase will be a Mattel product.<br /><br />And I'll also be telling any parents who ask what my son wants for his birthday "Legos, cars, trucks, trains, and please, nothing from Mattel."<br /><br />Sincerely and not at all happily,<br />Sara Kocher</blockquote><br /><br />It's actually four parties now, but it's not likely they're going to actually read it anyway. I get to vent, get a minimum wage customer service clerk to send me another form letter, and then either pay the postage or toss the toy and live with the guilt of dumping lead into the environment.<br /><br />You know, the post office could really make a fortune on these recalls if they just got a few more Chinese factories to play fast and loose with the lead paint...<br /> Sara Kocherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01707328981781256037noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16811859.post-47966708936557438702007-06-21T15:32:00.000-07:002007-06-21T16:35:00.857-07:00Filler, aka update 'n' rantSo the graduations both went well. The Bunster's surprised me by being quite age-appropriate and kind of cool. They all wore tee-shirts, black pants/skirts/shorts, Hawaiian-style floral leis, and little "grass skirts" made of what looked like sturdy construction paper. A few songs were sung ("Each of us is a flower, growing in life's garden," in case you weren't aware), the director made a quick speech, and each child received a fake diploma tied with a ribbon. And then were were done and it was time for the bounce-house, the hot dogs, some snow cones, and a bit of cake. Not simultaneously, of course.<br /><br />The Bunster's older brother G.'s graduation also went well. Although the senior class was pretty large, J. was able to spot G. from the bleachers and got some pretty good photos and video, considering the distance. They had a party afterward (which the Bunster and I also missed, alas), which was low key yet fun. So that was good.<br /><br />On a completely unrelated note, I read <span style="font-style: italic;">Luann</span> (I know, shoot me now. I also read <span style="font-style: italic;">For Better or For Worse</span>, and <span style="font-style: italic;">Cathy</span>, so clearly my comic strip taste is suspect to say the least.) and something really bothered me today. Which, to be honest, I should say about this strip everyday, but anyway....<br /><br />Luann's brother Brad is talking about his complete ignorance in the kitchen and appears to believe that antipasti, minestrone, risotto, and "a nice chianti" are French food. Leaving aside the Silence of the Lambs reference (what, he's going to eat his girlfriend's liver?), how has he managed to get to age 20-something and not know this? Did his parents just keep taking the kids to Chuck E. Cheese even when they hit their late teens? Did they simply never take them to a restaurant at all? Who gets to early adulthood without at least one trip to an Italian restaurant? I grew up in the <span style="font-style: italic;">midwest</span> and we all knew this stuff (admittedly I have foodie parents, but still!).<br /><br />And now I'm off to Chuck E. Cheese with the Bunster for a 5 year old's birthday party. I know...setting a great example for his future. At least his favorite foods include goat cheese and sushi.<br> Sara Kocherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01707328981781256037noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16811859.post-24247189803181543032007-05-23T11:13:00.001-07:002007-05-23T21:56:55.764-07:00Moments such as theseOn my way out of the Bunster's preschool, there was a big sign "Graduation and Make-up Photos are Here!" I vaguely remembered there being a picture day a few weeks back, so I stopped to check if we had a packet to pick up. Sure enough, there was a thick envelope with a horrendous photo of the Bunster peeking out.<br /><br />At the Bunster's old school, school pictures were done just as I remember them from my elementary school years. There was one picture day per year. A few weeks later, you got a proof sheet and an order form that featured a variety of options, none of which were exactly the combination of photo sizes and numbers that you wanted. You bought the assortment you compromised on and it arrived not long afterward, along with a copy of the class photo. If your eyes were closed, you got one chance to retake the photo. And that was it.<br /><br />Not at the Bunster's current school, though.<br /><br />We've now completed the fourth "picture day" of this school year and I'm not sure we're done yet. We had the Fall photos, the Spring photos, the Graduation photos, and also a Natural Poses photo day, which we skipped (I think Natural Poses means positioning the child awkwardly with his hand curled under his chin in front of a cutesy backdrop, then photoshopping the image to make it look as much as possible like those fake vintage greeting cards. At least, as far as I could tell from the samples.).<br /><br />With all this practice, we've gotten to know the drill. Each photo shoot involves several poses, some with accessories like wicker chairs or baskets of fake apples. A few weeks later, we receive a large packet with multiple photos of each pose. We select the ones we want to keep and return the rest along with payment for the prints we kept. The Spring photos also include the option to buy a class photo. And of course, each time we are also solicited to buy additional prints and miscellaneous photo-related keepsakes from their handy web site.<br /><br />The Graduation photos, however, turn out to be a little different. There is only one pose, which they printed in various sizes. It shows the Bunster grimacing in a white gown and mortarboard, while clutching a white diploma tied with a gold bow. If you swapped out the mortarboard for a halo and the diploma for a cardboard harp, he'd look like a little boy who <span style="font-style: italic;">really</span> doesn't want to play the angel in the Christmas pageant but is putting up with it, having failed in his struggles to break free. The photo is certainly a keeper, but not in quite the way they intended.<br /><br />In addition to this, they included a handy ready-to-fill-out "Graduation Certificate" and photo holder, with gilt lettering (<span style="font-style: italic;">presented to ______ for successful completion of study and active attendance</span>), and a pre-scrapbooked photo, with little mortarboard-and-diploma graphics and the slogan "Moments such as these only happen once."<br /><br />Mmm-hmmm.<br /><br />"Moments such as these" aren't going to only happen once. The photos seem to happen at a pretty steady pace. And as for the graduation, if this early start is any indication, moments like this will happen five more times. Maybe more, if he heads for grad school.<br /><br />Why is there is such a thing as pre-school graduation at all? Sure, leaving preschool and heading off for Kindergarten is a milestone. But it's one that should be celebrated with cupcakes and juice. Perhaps a Spring Concert for parents to admire their kids as they sing and do a little play. Maybe even a bounce-house if you're going all out.<br /><br />Instead, the Bunster's graduation involves the following:<br /><ul><li>Six weeks of almost-daily rehearsal.</li><li>Photo in cap-and-gown, with diploma and little blue "Class of 2007" tassel.</li><li>A $25 "graduation fee" to the school.</li><li>A requirement that we send the kids to school on graduation day in black pants (which is, of course, about the only color the Bunster does not already own).</li><li>A special graduation tee shirt (nice, except that he has about 47 tee shirts already).</li><li>The presentation of a fake diploma, so that the real one can be handed directly to the parents afterward, to preserve it in pristine condition.</li><li>And worst of all, missing his brother's high school graduation, because the ceremonies are, by awful coincidence, on the same day, one hour and 56 miles apart.</li></ul>I thought, briefly, about skipping the fake graduation in favor of the real one. And then I remembered the six weeks of preparation, the new songs, the constant hype the kids have all received. I thought about how I'd have felt, missing a party all my school friends were going to. And so the Bunster and I will be there, fakely graduating, while big brother G, J, and the grandparents will be doing the real thing.<br /><br />At least we're sure to have plenty of photos.<br> Sara Kocherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01707328981781256037noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16811859.post-80635207061469402622007-05-19T22:06:00.000-07:002007-05-19T22:53:46.960-07:00Unclear on the conceptAm I the one who's missing something here, or are the guys over at B&H really showing what century they're stuck in?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Hh9Uuzxyf8/Rk_eNifY84I/AAAAAAAAABU/7n22J5eXz8Q/s1600-h/BH-DigitalPhotoBook.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Hh9Uuzxyf8/Rk_eNifY84I/AAAAAAAAABU/7n22J5eXz8Q/s320/BH-DigitalPhotoBook.JPG" alt="B&H Catalog" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5066512429993227138" border="0" /></a><br />Because it seems like you'd have to be really unclear on the concept of <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">digital</span> to spend all the money to print a 720-page full-color catalog, call it <span style="font-style: italic;">The Digital Photography SourceBook</span>, and pay to mail it all the way from New York to California.<br /><br />So I can't figure out why this thudded onto our porch this afternoon. Well, the thud I understand. And when I went to fetch the mail, I quickly understood the slightly peeved expression on the mailman's face, which seemed so inexplicable when I glimpsed him briefly though our front window.<br /><br />What I can't figure out is why the guys over at B&H are sending this out.<br /><br />You'd think they'd never heard of a little thing called the internet before. Except that that's where we found them in the first place.<br /><br />If it were a catalog for film photo buffs, I could see catering to a customer base that includes people who really prefer the giant catalog. But anyone interested in 720 pages of digital photography equipment is probably going to be pretty comfortable with the overall concept of <span style="font-style: italic;">digital</span>. Which would almost certainly include computers and web browsers.<br /><br />If they're hoping we'll keep it until we need something...well, hoping that your inventory is sized better than the yellow pages for placement under a preschooler's bottom at Gramma's holiday table doesn't strike me as a particularly successful marketing strategy. Or are printing and mailing costs so low now that it's cheaper than e-commerce?<br /><br />All we've ever bought from them was a pair of inexpensive computer speakers, so we're not exactly their bestest customers ever, either. At least I hope not, for their sakes.<br /><br />And I really hope the mail carrier forgives us and we don't spend the next few weeks retrieving our mail from the shrubbery as payback for having to haul that useless catalog.<br> Sara Kocherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01707328981781256037noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16811859.post-81779739035684667112007-05-15T16:55:00.000-07:002007-05-15T17:05:48.702-07:00Why I don't blog muchAs all three of you know, I don't post very often. And there's a very good reason why. I'll spend a few days coming up with something pithy, maybe a bit funny, and start writing in my head in spare moments before sitting down to pull together a few paragraphs for the blog. And then I'll stumble across something like <a href="http://qcreport.blogspot.com/2007/04/fall-fashion.html" target="_blank">this</a> and spend all my blog time reading and laughing instead.<br /><br />And when I finally hop up from the computer to run out and get the Bunster from school, I'll be thinking something along the lines of "Oh my god that was so funny. I'll never write like that. What was I going to blog about anyway?"<br /><br />Then whatever I was going to say has completely flown out of my head and I have to start the process all over again.<br /><br />As the Bunster said in his very first swear: Darnut!<br /><br /><br />p.s. If you didn't click the link above, go back and do it now. You should read <a href="http://qcreport.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Quinn Cummings's blog</a>...she's amazingly funny.<br> Sara Kocherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01707328981781256037noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16811859.post-19778006636843505672007-05-11T13:37:00.000-07:002007-05-11T13:54:50.963-07:00This is just to say...Well, that was a nice, although unintentional, hiatus. I'd been doing so well, too, posting about once a week, generally on a Monday. And then all of a sudden, I just sort of lost interest. I was still reading other people's blogs, but found myself without much to say on my own.<br /><br />I was going to write "it's probably better to stop than to post meaningless content," but unfortunately if I went with that philosophy I'd probably never post again. I'm pretty confident that none of what I write here is particularly meaningful, really. It's not like I'm <a href="http://mariejavins.blogspot.com" target="_blank">traveling the world</a> or <a href="http://amweeden.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">fighting cancer</a> or <a href="http://www.comiculture.com/creators/stevebuccellato/index.html" target="_blank">creating</a> <a href="http://www.comiculture.com/creators/donhudson/index.html" target="_blank">art</a>. I don't have a lot of <a href="http://idmx.blogspot.com" target="_blank">insights</a> into the human condition or <a href="http://marcsiry.blogspot.com" target="_blank">anything</a>.<br /><br />Every now and then, I start to think that a blog should have some kind of purpose or focus or main topic. Which mine really doesn't. It's pretty much just short notes to people I already know, to let them know how I'm doing or what I'm thinking about. Which I then post to the internet, just in case some random person somewhere is also interested.<br /><br />Not exactly a purpose, per se, but it'll have to do.<br> Sara Kocherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01707328981781256037noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16811859.post-49081547314440713202007-04-10T14:59:00.000-07:002007-05-11T13:50:49.351-07:00Snarky<a href="http://marcsiry.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Marc Siry</a> called on bloggers to post our opinions on what he calls "<a href="http://marcsiry.blogspot.com/2007/04/so-funny-i-forgot-to-laugh.html" target="_blank">name mockery</a>." You know, changing the name of something, especially a brand, in order to mock it. Like Star-yucks, WinDoze, MicroSloth, etc.<br /><br />And he's right, it is asinine. And childish. I vividly recall the "chicken a la barf" served at my elementary school's hot lunch. I've never even tried chicken a la king because I always flashback to that name and I just can't bring myself to order it.<br /><br />Adults who use name mockery in lieu of actual criticism are just showing their level of immaturity. Same for acronym mockery, like <span style="font-style: italic;">Fix It Again, Tony</span> for Fiat.<br /><br />And yet, nearly all of us do this. Come on, haven't you ever used one of these? Maybe ironically, maybe rarely. But <span style="font-style: italic;">never</span>?<br /><br /><span class="postlinkz"><div style="text-align: right;"><a href="http://sarakocher.blogspot.com/2007/04/snarky.html#keep-reading">Keep reading...</a><p></p></div></span><span class="fullpost"><a name="keep-reading"></a>It's all part of snarking instead of offering cogent criticism. Or maybe the snark is intended to be the criticism, funny and a little mean-spirited, but certainly getting the point across. If I worked in the affected industries, I'd be checking sites like <a href="http://www.televisionwithoutpity.com" target="_blank">Television Without Pity</a> and <a href="http://gofugyourself.com" target="_blank">Go Fug Yourself</a> to see what people were saying about my work. Since I don't, I read 'em for entertainment. If either site dropped the snark in favor of relevant critiques complete with ideas for improvement, I doubt they'd have a tenth of the readership.<br /><br />The other reason for name mockery in place of real commentary is that the victim brand can't defend itself, as it could against real criticism. Starbucks could reply to a comment about the burnt flavor of their beans with information on how they're processed and what "true" coffee connoisseurs "should" be looking for. But what are they going to say to "Star-yucks?"<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">-- We are not yucky!</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">-- </span><span style="font-style: italic;">Are too!</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">-- </span><span style="font-style: italic;">Are not!</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">-- </span><span style="font-style: italic;">Are too!</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">-- </span><span style="font-style: italic;">Mom! He's calling us yucky! </span><br /><br />Guess this just means we're all immature. Nyah nyah na nyah nyah...<br> Sara Kocherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01707328981781256037noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16811859.post-6753179082220992202007-04-04T13:59:00.000-07:002007-04-10T15:51:59.672-07:00The Eternal Lunch QuestionWhere to go to lunch? I dunno, what do <span style="font-style: italic;">you</span> want to eat?<br /><br />Spin the <a href="http://www.coverpop.com/wheeloflunch/" target="_blank">Wheel of Lunch</a> and end yet another of the great inane debates. But be forewarned, it seems to pick Sizzler pretty often.<br> Sara Kocherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01707328981781256037noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16811859.post-82457181026257897862007-03-26T13:29:00.000-07:002007-04-10T15:55:12.476-07:00Preschool bluesA few days ago, a friend gave me a collection of articles about preschool and kindergarten. One of them was <span style="font-style: italic;">How Much is Too Much? The Influence of Preschool Centers on Children's Development Nationwide</span>, which discussed the effects of preschool on later behavior in kindergarten. The authors analyzed data from the National Center for Educational Statistics and came to the conclusion that preschool has positive benefits for developing cognitive skills, but detrimental effects on learning appropriate social behavior.<br /><br />After controlling for a number of factors, including family income, ethnicity, and "32 different features of the child's home and family," they found that attending preschool will typically increase a child's pre-reading and math skills, but at the cost of hindering social development in several areas, including levels of aggression, bullying, acting up, sharing, cooperation, and self-control.<br /><br /><span class="postlinkz"><div style="text-align: right;"><a href="http://sarakocher.blogspot.com/2007/03/preschool-blues.html#keep-reading">Keep reading...</a><p></p></div></span><span class="fullpost"><a name="keep-reading"></a>And then today I read <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/26/us/26center.html?em&ex=1175054400&en=3ffc7828124227ac&ei=5087%0A" target="_blank">this article from the NY Times</a>, in which different researchers not only came to pretty much the same conclusion, but also say that the effects last at least into middle school.<br /><br />But in each case, since I haven't read the actual studies, I have to wonder, is this negative social behavior that they describing actually undesirable for the child's future development, or just behavior that's inconvenient for the rigid style of instruction used in some elementary schools?<br /><br />A docile child who does what he's told at all times is certainly easy to handle in a classroom. But does such a child turn into an adult with critical thinking skills?<br /><br />A child who can sit quietly through a dull lecture and reliably regurgitate the answers to the weekly quiz will probably get good grades and do decently on multiple-choice standardized tests. But will that child actually be educated? Will she know how to learn new information on her own?<br /><br />I am not arguing for letting bullies run free in the classroom, nor for children to run wild and not have age-appropriate discipline at home and at school. But I do wonder...do we need to tolerate a certain level of disruption and minor misbehavior in order let children be children? And to produce adults who can think for themselves?<br /><br />One of the other articles my friend gave me seems to say yes. It describes Japanese preschool/kindergartens as places where teachers try to nurture a "childlike child" and allow high levels of noise and activity. The teachers in the article expect the children to be kind to one another and cooperative, but also highly energetic. When discipline problems arise in the classroom, the teachers encourage the children to work out solutions with the teacher gently guiding them.<br /><br />I wish the abstract and news article said more about what kinds of negative behavior the teachers were reporting. I guess I have some more reading to do.<br> Sara Kocherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01707328981781256037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16811859.post-72423453968813689462007-03-19T16:36:00.000-07:002007-03-26T14:48:32.988-07:00Service callSo I'm sitting here waiting for a repair guy for the <a href="http://http://www.prizer-painter.com" target="_blank">Blue Star</a> range. It's only been seven weeks since the <a href="http://sarakocher.blogspot.com/2007/02/completion-explosion-coughing-and.html">grill exploded</a>...they sure aren't in any hurry here. Ahem.<br /><br />I'm feeling a little cranky in part because of one of those frustrating facts of life. Any time a repair or service person gives you a window of time ("<span style="font-style: italic;">I'll be there between 3 and 5 pm</span>"), they're going to arrive at the very, very, very end of it.<br /><br />Unless, of course, you're not there on time and <span style="font-style: italic;">then</span> the repair guy'll arrive at the very first second of the time window and be gone by the time you come panting up to the house three minutes late.<br /><br /><span class="postlinkz"><div style="text-align: right;"><a href="http://sarakocher.blogspot.com/2007/03/service-call.html#keep-reading">Keep reading...</a><p></p></div></span><span class="fullpost"><a name="keep-reading"></a>Since I wasn't late today, that means that I've just spent the afternoon sitting at home waiting for the Blue Star service guy, who's still not here. He's got twenty-four more minutes before the window expires. And then another 15 because I'm sometimes late, too (yeah, I know, <a href="http://www.comiculture.com/creators/stevebuccellato/index.html" target="_blank">Steve</a>, I know. Pot, kettle, etc...I got it.). And then I'll be ticked off. And still grill-less.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />UPDATE 5:57 PM</span><br />Well, he didn't show up at all. I left him a voice-mail back at 5 pm and hopefully he'll have a good reason for standing me up. Maybe he had a flat tire on a wilderness road and a mountain lion ate his cell phone before he could call me to say he's running late. Something reasonable like that.<br /><br />So much for grilling something when J's cousins come by tomorrow. Oh well.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />UPDATE 6:20 PM</span><br />The service guy finally called...he's feeling sick and couldn't make it. No mention of how his cell phone is feeling. I sympathize, but only up to a point. He coulda called. Guess we'll reschedule when he's better. Unless Signature Marketing, the Blue Star distributor we're working with, can come up with a service guy who'll actually, you know, show up and do the service.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />UPDATE ONE WEEK LATER</span><br />The repair guy showed up when he promised and fixed the stove. Nice guy, too. More on this in the comments, if you're interested.<br> Sara Kocherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01707328981781256037noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16811859.post-67364021876200678662007-03-12T23:01:00.000-07:002007-03-13T00:49:50.137-07:00Random thoughtWay back before my Marvel days, when the world was young and no one had any fashion sense, I once attended a party at Antioch College while wearing a dress made out of two (clean) black plastic garbage bags.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://gofugyourself.typepad.com/go_fug_yourself/2007/03/alice_fugans.html"><img style="margin: 0pt 10pt 0px 10px; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__Hh9Uuzxyf8/Re9iOnw9tuI/AAAAAAAAABI/nAuVKM-QhqY/s200/GoFugYourself_GarbageBagDress.jpg" alt="Photo of actress from GoFugYourself.com" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5039354511382918882" border="0" /></a>Although I didn't look as pretty as this actress does, I'm pretty certain that I had the sense not to wear bright orange shoes with huge bows on them.<br /><br />Apparently, that late-80's trashy fashion sense would stand me in good stead if I was now a happening young starlet dating the actor of the moment.<br /><br />Wonder if her casual wardrobe includes those neon-bright fishnet slouchy ankle socks I used to wear. Or maybe some striped leg warmers.<br /><br />Ah, this takes me back to the bad ole days.<br> Sara Kocherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01707328981781256037noreply@blogger.com2