New Glasses

I'm not sure why I am torturing myself this morning?

Don't I deserve some peace?

The smartest thing I could do right now would be to stop writing and go watch a movie or read a book.

But I'm not going to do that.

I'm going to grouse and complain and if you stick around and read this don't say I didn't warn you.

Yesterday I ventured out to Costco all by myself to acquire my new glasses. 

I was going to take a selfie and show them to you but I couldn't adjust it properly. The picture of the glasses included the rest of my face and believe me, that's not something you need to see.

I am sick to death of wearing these accouterments over my ears. I knew I'd be doing the "They're too loose geeky one finger center forehead push" when I walked out of the store, and I will.

Take my word for it, they look nice and after several adjustments will probably fit.

Here is what I'm dealing with this morning.

Because the new glasses are different I need to find a comfortable distance to work on the computer. So I'm moving the screen tilt, the laptop, my head and the height of the glasses on my nose.

I have no idea why it happened or how to correct this and I have tried. Yesterday the font changed on my lap top. After seven years I'm seeing a different type face.

This is screwing up my brain and it isn't the only thing that is.

I will need to vote soon. Our local State Senator was elected to Congress so five people are running for his vacated seat. In the last week I have received 15 mailers advertising their virtues, which in my opinion should be very small mailers. Two people seem to have all the money since I've received 2 from one of them and 13 from another.

I also received an 8 page booklet with one candidate's picture on each and every page.

With the state of our state why is she smiling?

Today is Take Out the Totters Tuesday. All this money is going right into the recycle bin.

Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald apologized Monday for misstating that he served in the military special forces.

In a statement released Monday by the VA, McDonald said: "While I was in Los Angeles, engaging a homeless individual to determine his veteran status, I asked the man where he had served in the military. He responded that he had served in special forces. I incorrectly stated that I had been in special forces. That was inaccurate and I apologize to anyone that was offended by my misstatement."

The VA website says McDonald is an Army veteran who served with the 82nd Airborne Division.

McDonald said he remains committed "to the ongoing effort to reform VA."

The White House issued a statement Monday saying, "We take him at his word and expect that this will not impact the important work he's doing to promote the health and well-being of our nation's veterans."

So it's all right to lie to a homeless person.

Joan River fans complain about her absence.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences issued a statement Monday acknowledging the complaints that Joan Rivers was not featured in the "In Memoriam" tribute during Sunday night's Oscar ceremony.

"Joan Rivers is among the many worthy artists and filmmakers we were unfortunately unable to feature in the In Memoriam segment of this year's Oscar show."

"She is, however, included in our In Memoriam gallery on Oscar.com."

God, I thought they were complaining about her absence from the Red Carpet. Thank goodness for Oscar.com where she will live forever.

And while I'm on the subject.

Yesterday I got a Facebook message reminding me it was a cousin's birthday; he died a few years ago. I think about him often and don't need or want a reminder on a milestone he can no longer celebrate. I could un-friend him but that seems like a terrible thing to do. I don't even un-friend people who were not my friends to begin with.

I recently read you can designate a Facebook executor to manage your page where you're gone.

Just great, now I have something else to burden my kids with.

Actor Tobey Maguire is selling his Los Angeles-area home.

The home was purchased through a trust for $8.45 million in January 2014.

Price: $10.25 million

Amenities: 6,320 square feet

6 bedrooms

5.5 bathrooms

I don't care.

Daniel Norris, a 21-year-old Toronto Blue Jays pitching prospect lives in a van despite a $2 million signing bonus.

“To keep this simple, they think I’m pretty weird,” laughs Norris, who says the people running the Blue Jays organization were wary at first of his unorthodox living situation. 

“They find it rather interesting.”

Besides the obvious freedoms that come with living in a van, Norris says that his choice was part of a conscious decision not the let the fame or money of his professional baseball career change his values.

“I think the simplicity of it all was the most appealing,” he explains. “I grew up with a simple lifestyle, and I knew going into professional baseball that would be tested. In my mind there’s no need for luxury, or at least society’s sense of the word.”

“I consider my life luxurious—I live on a beach with an ocean-front view, hearty meals and hot French-pressed coffee at my disposal. That’s fancy, right?”

It is easier to live in a van with 2 million bucks in the bank.

On Valentine's Day at the New York Toy Fair, Mattel unveiled Hello Barbie, a smart doll with speech recognition technology that lets her respond to questions.

She even learns people's preferences. 

If little Pat, Dakota, or Harley mentions loving space and wanting to be an astronaut Hello Barbie could remember that and bring up the topic in later conversations.

Hello Barbie will be able to tell jokes, play games and adapt over time to her owner, according to Mattel.

Hello Barbie needs to be recharged after 60 minutes of playtime, so your kids won't be able to drag her everywhere they go.

(She can be played with in her recharging station)

There is no need to worry about her becoming obsolete and running out of interesting things to say, like the old Teen Talk Barbie from the '90s, who spewed out such enlightening pre-recorded phrases as "I love shopping!"

Hello Barbie is connected to the Internet, her conversation topics and slang can be updated.

Hello Barbie goes on sale this fall for $74.99.

Parents.....Parents?

I don't need no stinking parents.