Mosquito Ringtones

From the site:

What is the Mosquito Ringtone?

The short version, A tone outside the audible range of hearing for most people over the age of 30. This means that you can get phone calls and receive text messages in class or school without teachers hearing it.

Mosquito Ringtones

Lots of other fun stuff on the site; mosquito games, printable mosquito coloring pages even some variants of the mosquito ringtones available for download.  One useful thing is the Hearing Test.

When I first came across this site, I thought "Oh, I bet my hearing is still pretty good...I certainly don't have "old" ears." I was wrong; I couldn't hear the upper ranges of the tones and after checking out the Hearing Test, I was dismayed to find that the only sounds I could clearly hear were the 10000 and 8000 Hertz Tones.

Dismayed, but not totally surprised. After the years of working on extremely loud drilling rigs, some hearing loss is to be expected. Up until a few years ago, I suffered from Tinnitus but that's gone away to where it's nearly unnoticeable. (I think getting control of my blood sugar has something to do with it, but I'm not sure.)There were times, however, during the dead of night it was maddening.

So, I guess I DO have "old ears".  I might not be able to hear like the young whippersnappers, but I bet most of them can't wiggle my ears like I can!

---

EDIT TO ADD: I had several tabs open and before closing the Hearing Test tab after posting, I tried a few more frequencies; I could barely hear some of the others, then thought to check my volume control.

Duh.  I had it turned down quite a bit while listening to online radio earlier. I could clearly hear the 14000 Hertz Tone. I can barely hear the next one, but not well enough to use it as a ring tone.  I don't need a ring tone anyway...don't have a cell phone, for one.  No one ever calls me, so I hardly need a land line except for my DSL. 

Anyway, good news and bad news:  the good news is my hearing isn't as bad as I thought it was.  The bad news?  Not checking my volume control means my mind is slipping.

Happy Groundhog & Garazon Day!

A"bump" since I'm too busy celebrating Groundhog Day to actually put up a new post about it.

 

(have to use a graphic because Blogger won't let me put in those special characters) means "grin" in IM chat or forum posts, but it in this case it also stands for "Garazon", one of my best and long-time online pals. The G for grin was first used by our mutual friend, Brad and I guess Garazon and I picked it up around the same time. It became a "nickname for the nickname" for me with Garazon and that's how I started abbreviating his screen name.

Garazon and I "met" in MSN Groups, but started to become good friends when he made a flashy Halloween page for his group, complete with embedded midi sound file and some other special effects. Making a page was one of my goals when I first got online and I was determined to learn how to do it, so I started asking Garazon all sorts of questions. I'm sure he grew weary of me bothering him, but he should have been flattered if he had only known how hard it was...and still is...for me to ask for assistance. 

I hope we don't ever lose touch, but even if we do, I'll always remember Garazon because of our time in Groups and that he once said Groundhog Day was one of his favorite holidays. I don't remember exactly WHY he said it was, but I thought that was very funny and every year since we met a dozen years ago in Groups, I always think of him on this day.

The 1993 Bill Murray movie Groundhog Day is also one of my favorite flicks and I try to watch it whenever it's on. I link to IMDb often when I post about movies, but sometimes I get so annoyed when reading posts about my favorite movies; the site is full of argumentative and insulting posts.  I can understand contention when discussing politics and religion, but movies?  Good Grief.  It gets extremely nasty when a movie contains plot elements of either of those two subjects and sometimes people try to interject one or the other into the discussion when there's no reason to do so.

Anyway...just heard on the news that the groundhog saw his shadow and there will be six more weeks of bad weather.  That doesn't mean much here in the Texas Panhandle; it was a beautiful, fairly warm day yesterday but this evening is supposed to bring freezing temps and rain and possibly snow. 

So Far, a Lucky Week

This just hit my email inbox:

I forget why I entered the contest; I'm sure the Grand Prize was something I really wanted or I wouldn't have made the effort. A magazine subscription isn't too bad of a consolation prize - I love to get magazines and after reading, they're good to line my trashcan with or to tear pages out of and put under the Beej's water and feed bowls. I used to take my old magazines to the laundromat but they would get stolen within the day.

It's been a fairly lucky week for me; I won this magazine subscription, fifty extra points for correctly answering the movie trivia question at StartSampling and last night I won $12 on the Powerball lottery.

It was also a very lucky week for some young punk in a red car.  I was out earlier and about to turn onto a busy street.  The light was red and there was a car ahead of me.  I started slowing as I normally do, easing to a stop. (saves gas, saves brake wear) There wasn't but a few car lengths between me and the other vehicle when the red car zoomed around me and cut in front.  I had to slam on my brakes to avoid slamming into the car.  I saw him glancing in his rear-view mirror and I gave him the bird.  He didn't look back again.  I was itching for a fight- he had scared me and that just about makes me angrier than anything else.

As we sat there waiting for the light, I got more angry.  He wasn't saving any time, he had to wait anyway.  When the light changed, he sped off, zipping from lane-to-lane w/out signalling. He also ran a yellow light when he got to the next intersection and turned. 

I wasn't in a very good mood, anyway.  I had tried to drop off my vehicle insurance payment last week, but there was a sign on the office door "Be Back Soon". I went back by several times, but there was no one there.  I put the check and invoice on the passenger seat and forgot about it.  When I got in my truck earlier, I noticed it and remembered that it was due tomorrow.  I got to the insurance office and saw the same sign on the door.  I went to the Dollar Store, did a little shopping and dropped back by only to see the business was still closed.  I killed a little more time and went back - the sign was still up, the door still locked.

Fuming, I went home and called the after hours number listed on the door.  Nothing.  I then called the regular number and a woman answered.  I told her I had been trying to bring my payment by and wanted to make sure someone was there to take it.  "Oh, I stepped out for a little while." she told me.  Yeah, a week is a "little while" I thought, but didn't say it.  She then informed me that the boss was gone, had been for a week.  That made sense then - she was enjoying her four hour lunch breaks.   She's lucky I didn't lose my temper with her.  She's even luckier I didn't have to file a claim for rear-ending that red car.

I'm lucky to win the few things I have this week.  To be honest - I'm even more lucky I haven't stroked out.   I seem to be getting more and more angry at things here lately.  I got a little angry earlier at a reply to my license plate post on Facebook.  An old friend and schoolmate wrote "Why would I want a license plate with 'Mike' on it?"  It shouldn't have, but it hit me wrong.  I started to reply "Well, it would be just as well....'smartass' wouldn't fit."  I've been a little snarky on Facebook myself lately, though, and didn't want to be a hypocrite.

To top all that off, the stray cat I've been feeding has been in heat. (I thought she was pregnant, but she is just fat.  I've cut back on her food- all she gets is B's leftovers now) I love cats, but the only thing more disgusting than the smell of cat urine is a female cat in heat.  Thanks to her "condition", there has been a dozen tomcats hanging around.  I've been woken up a dozen times  this week by the caterwauling;  it's either her and a male cat or two males dueling for her affections.  I've discovered one thing about cats;  you can't tell whether they're fightin' or foolin' around by the sounds they're making. 

It would probably help a great deal if I quit frequenting political forums.  If the Republicans nominate Gingrich, then they will have to give up the "party of family values" label they brag about.  If they nominate Santorum, then they'll lose any chance of getting a gay person to vote for them ever again. Both of them are a little...let's say "ethically challenged".  The Republicans definitely need to stop touting that they're for limited govt. and need to quit pretending they're conservative. (and the TEA Party has allowed itself to be hijacked by the neocons) I'm lucky I'm too old for the draft, because we'll need one for the war machine if we take on Iran.

I know I lowered my blood pressure at least fifty points by not reading posts in Dallas Cowboy forums.  The "Tony Homo" posts infuriated me.  Probably Santorum supporters.

Free 3-D Glasses

At your local Dollar General.



Was sorting through some stuff a few months ago and ran across a couple of pairs of 3-D glasses almost identical to the one pictured above. A few months before that I was doing the same thing and found another pair! I can't remember when I got them or what was supposed to be viewed through them. Seems as though one was for a movie and the others were for particular magazine issues.

I'm really wondering why I still have them. I probably didn't remember the reason why when I threw them in the box, hoping that the next time I found them I might remember.

I'm also wondering if there's any significance to this post mentioning Dollar General and the previous post mentioning Family Dollar. I go to both local outlets fairly often and will have to remember to get my free 3-D glasses...so I can keep them and then a few years later forget why I have them.

I'll also need to remember which store is which. Thank goodness two of the competing outlets are right next to each other. I'll probably go to the wrong one first, then instead of driving to park at the right store, will forget to look both ways and get run over crossing the street.

The advertisement says "The Big Game Just Got Bigger!" Hmmm.... Usually, 3-D glasses give depth to a printed page or a movie by using a stereo effect, but if these make things look bigger, I will have to try to remember that if I ever get a girlfriend.

'Barack Obama Has Refused to Be a President'

Heads-up from JammieWearingFool about cloned Obama websites with the above title and having been outfitted with a computer virus.

The malicious websites originate from China. Whodathunkit? I thought the Ruskies and other ex-Soviet bloc nations had cornered the market on that sort of thing.

"Jammie" is one of my new favorite blogs I follow and a multiple winner of the famous Weblog Awards

They're not up there in searches for "sister's feet" like this one, though.

LIKE MIKE TYPE CAPS

You Are a Ski Cap

You are a comfortable, low maintenance, and even practical person. You use fashion to look good, and you don't stray too far from the mainstream. You are friendly and accepting. You don't really judge other people for their fashion choices. You enjoy clothes and accessories as much as the next person, but you're not superficial about it!

What Winter Hat Are You?

I love sock caps, especially during the winter and most especially since I've been shaving my head. When I had hair I liked them, but my hair is so thin and fine it would practically tie in knots under the cap.

Back when I was a kid, there was a TV show called "Then Came Bronson" which starred Michael Parks who often wore a sock cap.



He wasn't a bad singer, either. I remember my big sister having this album:



I specifically remember "Long, Lonesome Highway" from the television show, plus he did a great version of "Oklahoma Hills".

Here's a couple of clips I found on YouTube:

Opening sequence



Closing Credits



Michael Nesmith of The Monkees (mentioned in a recent post) was another Mike who wore sock caps:

I'm A Flour Child

You Are Buttermilk Pancakes

Your prefer traditional, old fashioned foods. You shy away from anything fake, and you like meals with simple ingredients. It's not likely someone would find margarine or diet soda in your kitchen. Instead, someone might find a loaf of homemade bread baking or a soup simmering.

What Kind of Pancakes Are You?

This was today's Blogthing; just last night The Food Network's Alton Brown had several shows on pancakes, popovers and muffins.

I once had a very good friend who was manic-depressive and when he'd start going into a manic phase, he'd say " I'm goin' to see Aunt Jemima."

That was his way of saying he was starting to flip out.

If you'll go to the Wiki entry linked to above, and then visit the official site, you can see how Aunt Jemima has changed over the decades. (thank goodness) She still has some fine pancake mix, good for bachelors and kitchen failures everywhere, such as myself.

That said, I've always preferred Mrs. Butterworth for her syrup, even though she's now shilling for a corporate giant:



...but have always had the hots for Betty Crocker. (official website)

She not only had great cake mixes, she lent her name to the most-wished for and prized possession of many American pre-teen girls.



See how she's changed at Who was Betty Crocker?

This is one of my first memories of Betty Crocker:



I've always pictured her married to me, adoringly fixing me something in the kitchen.

Birds of a Feather

These are, anyway.

Top 10 Birds That Could Kick Your Ass



When I was a kid, we used to have a rooster that would kick mine every chance he got. Geese can inflict some painful nips, too. I once worked for a guy who raised fighting cocks and he had a hen that took a dislike to me and would spur me as I walked by. He used to move her around from her tethered position just so I would bypass her spot and walk right by where she actually was.

Dad quit raising chickens after leaving a coffee can full of sodium hydroxide (often called "caustic soda", it's a very concentrated form of lye, was used to "scrub" our house gas supply which came directly from a well) out in the rain, rusting it and leeching the contents into the surrounding soil. He said one morning he looked out and saw several of the chickens flopping around in the driveway...because the caustic substance had pretty much dissolved their feet.

paltry

From the Word of the Day:

---

paltry \PAWL-tree\, adjective:
1. almost worthless; trifling
2. of no worth; contemptible, despicable

1. describes this blog
2. describes politicians

There's an older post Zach is Back where I mentioned paltry.

Abcde...

Whatever...The world's longest alphabetical email address.

(from the website)

It's so long that...

- Some web forms are unable to read your email address
- Some email software cannot be configured
- People have a hard time typing in your email address
- Companies think that your email address is fake
- The Longest Alphabetical Email Address on Earth!

and...

It's Free!

I signed up for this several years ago and other than a novelty, I really don't understand what good it would be to use.

Still...a site that uses ellipses can't be all bad, plus...

It's Free!

Tequila Sunrise

One of today's StartSampling recipes is for a Tequila Sunrise. I've been told I make a fantastic Tequila Sunrise and I wanted to chime in on the comments section and tell them there are a few basic secrets for making the perfect Sunrise.

1. Always use a good tequila. That ten dollar bottle might fit your budget, but it has no place in a tasty Tequila Sunrise. You can't do wrong using Jose Quervo (I prefer white for most tequila based mixed drinks over the gold/aged, but it's a matter of taste. Cheap tequila uses food coloring. ) A few dollars can be saved by purchasing Sauza (look for the rooster on the back of the front label). Expect to pay $20-25 for a 750ml or liter of decent tequila; $50+ for premium. Patrón and Herradura are two brands I prefer in that price range, but even more expensive tequilas can cost over a hundred dollars a bottle, even two, three hundred. Spending THAT much money on booze seems obscene to me, though.

2. The recipe at StartSampling calls for one oz. of tequila and that might be the way to go if you're using cheap liquor; less nasty flavor in the mix and you won't taste it as much. OTOH, your taste buds will numb out on that rotgut, so it won't matter after a couple of swallows.

For the size glass (highball) that's illustrated, an oz. and a half of GOOD tequila would be the minimum. Good tequila is smooooooooooth. I never used a jigger anyway.

3. Don't stir. Repeat: Don't stir. The only way to have layers of color like a sunrise is to NOT STIR. Fill the glass w/ ice, pour in the tequila, then drizzle the grenadine over the ice. Some recipes call for the grenadine (which is pomegranite syrup and very good on grapefruit for breakfast or dessert) THEN the tequila, but I think it mixes better with the tequila poured first. Add orange juice to fill.(also, buy a good brand of o.j.; I prefer unsweetened because of the sweetness of the grenadine is enough)

4. They taste best when getting off of morning tour on a drilling rig, the frigid night shift behind you, wanting a drink to chase the chill out of your bones.

Then kick back and watch the beautiful Panhandle morning sky light up as you listen to The Eagles.



Yep, a couple of my Tequila Sunrises and the morning doesn't look so blue.

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