The Age of Coddled Women

An Open Letter to Women:

Now don't get me wrong, chivalry is great and all. I love holding the door open for you. I've got no problem getting your car door. But let's talk about some facts.

It's 2011 (I hope that isn't a shock for you) and in 2011 you can go to the same schools I can. You can get the same degree I can. You can get the same jobs I can. You can make just as much money as I can. Remember all those rules about how the guy should always pay? Yea those are several decades old. In fact, they began in a time when you... couldn't go to the same school, get the same degree, get the same job, or make as much money as me. You've spent decades fighting for equality in income and decision making. Fighting to be treated independent and equal to any man. But then, when it comes to any form of courting, all of a sudden you magically travel back a century, and but of course the man must make all decisions, plan all happenings, and pay all expenses (How could you, (apparently) a 1910 woman, be expected to do any of that?)

Another wonderful facet of the modern courting system: The guy must make every move. Every move. For some reason you are only allowed to offer hints (Which guess what, you aren't really as good at as you think you are). That means every time someone makes a move and ends up looking like an idiot.. it's us! Yep, every time. It's really fun! (Trust me) In fact, maybe you should try it some time since it's so fun! But seriously... you should. Want to know something that drives me nuts? Hearing you complain about how no one will ask you out, or make a move on you. Yep. Drives me nuts.

Imagine a world where, after decades of fighting for equality, you actually acted... equal. Wouldn't that be crazy? What if half the time I asked you out and planned a date and paid (Because you're worth it!) and half the time you asked me out and planned a date and paid (Because... maybe I'm worth it too?). Wouldn't that be crazy?

I'm not saying we should switch roles. I'm not saying you should do everything and pay for everything (Like we've been doing for... a good long while). I'm saying we should play this game together! As equals. Equally yoked and all that jazz.

It's just a thought.

Love,
Ted

Terrible Blogger

Ya I'm pretty bad.

I took some pictures!

Playing with Richy's T2i and Picasa to do some post-processing.

I'm thinking I might buy a cheap DSLR next spring. Looking at either a Canon t1i (Mary's camera!) Nikon D3100 (It's new and a little pricey but I REALLY liked the interface) or a Pentax K-X (Very small and compact, loud shutter but for the price takes incredible pictures, especially low-light high iso stuff). I've always wanted to get in to photography... but when you actually try to take nice pictures with a point and shoot it's always just so... disappointing... blurry or grainy. Thoughts?

Another Fine Day

To those of you who live in Seattle, which is all two of you who read this blog, I hope you are enjoying this beautiful Seattle weather!

On top of the weather, I’ve had such a marvelous day so far that I figured it would be a crime not to share!

Fist came the bus. I take the bus to school from the Park & Ride. I normally listen to music through ear buds while I’m on the bus, and today was no exception. However, during the ride I paused a song I didn’t like to go find another one, and was a little surprised to hear some music still going on. I listened a little bit closer and realized someone nearby was sort of mumbling along with whatever music they were listening to. I couldn’t quite place this impromptu performer until I heard a very distinct, slightly above conversational level “Hit me baby one more time!” to my right. I looked over to see a very happy looking girl, who appeared to have down syndrome, listening to what must have been an original iPod (I forgot how darn THICK those things were!) and bundled up in a ski jacket, ski gloves, beanie, sweat pants and boots (Mind you, while I was wearing jeans and a short-sleeve polo). It was such a marvelous sight I felt I simply had to share it with you.

Second fun point of the day, after BCOM class one of my classmates invited me to grab lunch with him. He is a server at a Vietnamese restaurant in the international district and gets 50% off. Which means that I got a 3 course Vietnamese FEAST for $6. Not bad! I’ve decided I like Vietnamese food. They use LOTS of green stuff, so even after gorging myself I felt perfectly fit and ready to walk to meet my bus afterwards.

Next fun part of the day is future. Tonight a friend is coming over, and we’re going to cook Enchiladas, and then we’re off to see In The Heights at 5th Avenue theater with another friend. I’m excited!

Enjoy this beautiful Seattle fall weather!

Life Updates!

I stand rebuked, rebuffed, and chastised. (Aunt LoLo that's looking to you)

So, an update on LIFE!

Italian Dinners!!

Yes, my beautiful friend came over and cooked some delicious Ravioli in Light Mushroom Sauce with a parsley garnish (Very important!) (**FYI I am currently in negotiations to get said beautiful friend to make a guest post on The Chow Review with this recipe, so stay tuned for that!)

We simply couldn't let such a delicate entrée go unaccompanied, so we fixed up (microwaved) some delicious Broccoli in Light Sauce, broiled up some Garlic Bread and popped open a romantic bottle of Champaign (Blood Orange Sparkling Grape Juice).

Italia has nothing on our table cloth!

New Headphones!!

Oh look at those beautiful beasties. Those are a gorgeous (And very Retro) pair of Sony MDR-V6 Full Size Headphones. These things have been in production unchanged since the 80's, and are still pretty darn popular. They sound amazing, are VERY comfortable, and have a really cool retro looking "for DIGITAL" sticker *ahem* I mean to say DECAL on the side. Oh yes. We have sound, and we have style, and today we have them in one.

But, we wouldn't want our other headphones to get jealous, now would we? So we have:

New Headphone Mod!!

Do you have an old pair of headphones that could really use some... freshening up?

Perhaps you'd like to give them that... clean look?

Or perhaps they have displeased you, incurring your royal wrath and thus are deserving of torture akin to water-boarding?

Well if you answered yes to any of those questions, than this fresh, clean, potentially damaging headphone mod is for you.

Directions:

Coil earbuds around hand

Place coiled earbuds in pocket

Remove pants (In a decent place, please!)

Place pants in Dirty Clothes Hamper

....

Well you get the picture from there. I am happy to report that my earbuds still work, even the buttons for controlling the ipod still work, amazingly enough. The texture of the rubber around the rims to seal with my ears has changed slightly, and is not quite so comfortable... but we survived.

Well that's my life, how is yours?

Bad Subaru. I Quit Your Survey

Has anyone else actually taken the survey they beg you to take after you buy a car? I just gave it a shot.

I quit.

Throughout the whole thing I could tell I was being manipulated in to answers so Subaru could spout cool facts about how 90% of Subaru buyers think "this".

This last question so embodied this manipulation that I took a screenshot and refused to go any further!

In a normal survey, you would have a slider. On one side would be one quality, on the other side would be the opposite of that quality. "Active.........Inactive" But look at this crazy thing Subaru put together! "Active....Athletic"... wait what? Those are practically the same!  "Independent....Non-Conformist" Now that's just ridiculous... "Sensible....Resourceful" "Refined.....Stylish"

Bad Subaru. I quit your survey.

Thanks for the car though.

Temple

The Seattle Temple is open again!

Last night was the Bellevue 8th Ward Temple Night. So we went to the 7 o'clock session. Wonderful as always. It was fun to see where they redid doors and carpet and things. Had a nice "new" smell inside. When I returned to my car I found that the "Young Women of the Olympic Branch" had placed these little notes in zip-lock bags under the wipers of all the cars in the parking lot. Must have taken them a while! Neat little feel-good project.

Thanks Olympic Branch amigos!

Back!?

Well my sisters are just such incredible blogging machines that I feel compelled to step up to the plate.

Equipped with a new layout from blogger's nifty new design templates, this is to announce that Thoughts of a Ted is back.

Stay tuned to learn the intimate inner workings of the beast known as Ted!