Dr. Scholl's Active Series Insoles

I was chosen to participate in the Influenster Dr. Scholl's Active Series Vox box, which means I was sent a free pair of the insoles to try.  According to the product literature, these insoles offer triple zone protection (ball of foot, arch, and heel,) and they are supposed to help prevent pain.  Now, anyone reading this probably knows (or can infer) that I am mobility impaired, and I use a cane for mobility.  I also have balance issues, due to a head injury.  I have chronic leg pain, as well as pain that radiates from my back.  I was really hoping I'd see a difference using these insoles, but they did not help alleviate my pain. 

The insoles I received were a size 51/2 to 8.  Depending on the shoe, I wear either a size 7.5 or an 8.  The photo shows the insoles placed into my size 7.5 Tevas.  As you can see, the toe area of the insoles is quite a bit narrower than the toe part of the Tevas, while the heel portion is wider than the Teva heel.  The instructions that come with the insoles state that you should remove the insoles from your current shoe and use them as a guide to trim the Dr. Scholl's insoles to the proper size.  When I pulled the old insoles out of my sneakers, a size 7.5, the Dr. Schools insoles were narrower at the toe than the insoles I was replacing.  The old insoles were a bear to get out, and the new insoles were smaller than the ones I was trying to replace.  I could not get the old insoles back in properly, nor were the new ones a proper replacement for the ones I removed.  Thus, I ruined my sneakers trying to change out the insoles.  I now have increased pain when I try to wear my sneakers, due to a too small insole which does not cover the toe area of the sneakers.  Additionally, the arch part of the new insoles hits my foot at the wrong point, negatively effecting my balance.  I am not sure they are appropriate for anyone that does not wear narrow width shoes.

I think Dr. Scholl's needs to make these insoles available in a wider variety of sizes.  Perhaps a 7-8 wide would have worked for me.  Perhaps these insoles would work better for someone without all of my issues.  But for this mobility-impaired person, the insoles were just not a good fit, and thus, I cannot recommend them.

Palmolive Soft Touch Review

I received 2 bottles of Palmolive Soft Touch from Influenster for review.  Now, I receive many free samples, and I'm very picky about which of these I integrate into my repertoire, but I WILL be buying Soft Touch again.  It's a great, all around household product.

I received 2 varieties: coconut and Vitamin E.  Unfortunately, both bottles leaked in shipping, so I received a slimy mess!  However, this allowed me to evaluate the product before I actually put it to use.  First thing I noticed was the pleasant scent.  This stuff is not overwhelmingly scented.  It's scented just enough to overpower those odors that arise from food remnants left on dishes before they hit the sink.  The next thing I noticed was the feel.  This soap definitely feels more like a body wash than like a dish soap.  It's thick and luxe like my expensive moisturizing body wash.  Its viscosity is closer to a body wash as well.

But this IS a dish soap, and not a body wash, so the big question is how does it do on dishes?  As good or better than the brand I had on hand (Dawn.)  It also softens your hands while you wash dishes, so there's no need to apply a separate lotion when you are done.  In fact, the soft touch has replaced the hand soap I used to keep by the kitchen sink. 

Years ago, when palmolive was green, Madge the manicurist used to tell folks "You're soaking in it."  Palmolive ought to revive that campaign for this new soap.  Soaking your hands in this palmolive does not dry them out at all.  My skin does not feel tight after washing with the palmolive.

It's also great for getting that crud that ends up on you, instead of on the plate, out of your clothes.  I spot-cleaned my dress after cooking food "popped" on me, and the palmolive did an excellent job of preventing stains.  Dabbing a soapy towel on the spots immediately got them out without leaving soap spots in their place.

Out of the two flavors I received, I prefer the coconut.  But then I love all things coconut anyway, so that's not surprising.  I haven't noticed any difference in how the different flavors perform.

If you are looking for a dish soft that softens while it cleans, try Palmolive Soft Touch.  You'll no longer need those rubber gloves for washing dishes.

Recycle an Old T-Shirt into a Beautiful Infinity Scarf!

Infinity Scarf Tutorial

I think it was on a BuzzFeed post that I first saw a photo of a T-Shirt Scarf, and I was immediately inspired.  Who doesn't have a ton of old T-shirts laying around, just awaiting re-purposing as something other than rags!  I hit google, looking for further inspiration and immediately found examples posted by other creative people.  None of those seemed exactly what I wanted though.  So, me being me, I took what I liked from each, put my own spin on them, and came up with my own potential design.  Then I grabbed a pair of scissors and an old shirt, and I started cutting.  After about the 3rd shirt, I had a process down.  Now, with about a dozen prototypes under my belt, I feel comfortable sharing my methods.

Supplies:

To complete this project, as shown, you'll need the following:

• An old, colored T-Shirt, the bigger the better.
   
  For an adult, you'll really want to use a Large, XL, or even larger, up to 3XL.   White-based T-shirts will work for the basic scarf, but not so well for the bleach-dying that follows. 
  
  Don't worry if there is a design on the shirt (it'll blend in), or even small holes (you can work around these when you cut.)
• A decent pair of scissors.
  
  I'd love to experiment with throwing pinking shears into the mix, but I don't own any.  If you do, feel free to use them.
• A couple of cups of good old-fashioned Bleach
• A couple cups of White Vinegar
   Optionally, also have a spray bottle of white vinegar handy
  
• Rubber Bands
•  A couple of buckets, bowls, and/or deep bins
• A basin or bucket full of Cold Water

Process:

 I suggest that BEFORE you attempt this with a full shirt, first cut off a sleeve,  and follow all of the steps using the sleeve as practice. You'll end up with a doll or cat-sized scarf  at the end.  Then, you can try it with the rest of the shirt, and you'll have a better feel for what you're doing.

Make the Scarf

 Lay the shirt out like a "t", so the collar is at the top & the hem is at the bottom. From now on, I'm going to call the top part side "F", and the bottom (hem) part side H. Remember that as I continue.

Cut the shirt across at the armpits, basically cutting off the sleeves to the collar. (It's a HORIZONTAL cut if you have the shirt looking like a T.)  What you'll be left with is a big tube and a little dickey. If there is any design left, do not worry. Cut off the hem (horizontally) as well and save for later use.

 

Cut fringe to desired length along side F. What's left of the design will disappear into the fringe.  (As you can see by the picture, I cheat a little and fold the shirt while I cut the fringe.  I suggest you NOT try this until you have at least one scarf under your belt.)

Next, turn the tube so the folds are at the top & bottom. Side F will now be on the left/West of the tube, and side H will be toward the East/Right.  (In the above photo, what is left of the design is on side F of the tube.)

Fold up the bottom fold so that it's about 1/2 -  3/4" from the top fold. You'll be making VERTICAL cuts from the bottom (South) fold, just up to the top (North) fold. You want to stop so that the loops are still attached by that solid, North/top strip.

For orientation purposes, I've run the piece of hem through the tube where you will need to run it through later.  You'll want to leave a width just a little wider than your hem piece. The clothespin represents the top fold, as it's hard to see in the photo, or the distance I'll be cutting to.

You'll want the western most cut to be about the same width away from the fringe as the length of the fringe. The easternmost loop/strip should be at least an inch wide, probably slightly more. The loops in between should be about 1/2 - 3/4  inch wide. I start at the fringe/left side, and start cutting loops/strips from left to right.

I like to vary the widths of the strips and cut them kind of wavy.

When you've gone all the way across, you'll have long loops attached by a solid strip at the top.  I've unfolded the loops on the right side of the above photo.

BEFORE threading the hem piece through the top, trim the solid piece to the length of the fringe for smoother knotting/hanging later.  I did some "clean-up" detail refining after taking the above photo, but it gives you the idea.  (I discovered this around the 3rd or 4th scarf.  It's not crucial.  It just makes the next step a little easier.)

When the loops/strips are all cut, thread that hem piece you saved through the top part, where you didn't cut the loops all the way through. Gather it up, so the string runs along the North, and the loops hang south. Make sure the hem piece is through all the loops. Tie a larks head knot.

DO NOT pull it tight until you make sure you threaded the piece right, through ALL the loops.  It often takes a 2nd try to get it right, even with a dozen or so scarves under my belt.  I had to do it a 2nd time making THIS particular scarf.

If the hem is still a solid loop, cut it so it has 2 strings.Then tie a regular knot. Wrap the tails around in opposite directions to cover ugly loop, and to make it look smoother, then tie another knot. Tie this one tight.  It's going to hold the whole shebang together.

I like to twist the tails into a decorative rosette, then knot that for a total no-sew project. If you wanted, you could wrap a scrap of leftover shirt around the knot, and then stitch it tight.

To make the rosette, first twist each piece of tail into a thin rope, then twist the two twists around each other to form one rope.  Coil it like you were forming a hair bun.  To secure, break remaining tail back into two twists.  Wrap each twist in opposite directions around rosette and knot to secure.

Cut the tails into "leaf" shapes, and you're done with your knot.  Last step is to pull out the loops/stretch them. Next, hold your finished infinity scarf by the knot and shake out.  Grab opposite end with other hand (or place on toes) and STRETCH.  (Sorry, I couldn't take a photo of this step.)  Do the same with the fringe, and optionally knot every other piece of fringe and/or bead. Shake out again, and you're done!

Optional: Bleach Dye the scarf

Sorry...no photos for this part.  We're basically going to tie-dye the scarves, but instead of adding color with dye, we'll be  removing color with bleach.   You'll want to use regular, old cheap bleach for this, and NOT any of those fancier color-safe types.  The white vinegar will stop the effects of the bleach.  This is important to remember during this process.

Also, remember it's easier to re-dip a scarf than to try to put the color back into it.  Use a slight hand with the bleach and a generous hand with the vinegar until you get the hang of this.  You can practice using leftover T-shirt pieces, or you can use scraps as test strips before you dip a scarf, if you wish.  I like the surprise element of this process myself.

To prepare your piece for dying, grasp the knot in one hand, and the opposite end of the loops in the other.  Twist the entire  length of the scarf.  Twist up the twisted scarf, knot it loosely, and otherwise ensure there are lots of areas "protected" by folds.  Secure in random places with rubber bands and/or use rubber bands to form patterns in the cloth.

Pour some bleach in a bucket, deep bowl, or bin, and pour vinegar to a similar level in another container.

Optionally spray small areas of your prepped scarf with vinegar before dipping the scarf into the bleach.  For a more ombre effect, dip each end in the bleach, but leave the middle un-dipped.  Immediately follow the bleach-dip with a vinegar bath.  Follow the vinegar bath with a soak in cold water.

If I'm doing a batch of these, I'll often let the washing machine fill while I'm dying, and I throw each scarf right into the machine after a quick rinse in the cold water.  I add a  half cup or so of vinegar to the water to ensure the bleach/dye process is completely set.  I also add some purex crystals or downy unstoppables to help get rid of the bleach smell.  I run them through the gentle cycle still banded, then into the dryer.  Once I remove the rubber bands, I throw them over a towel rack to let them finish drying.  (If they're still all balled up, they won't completely dry in the dryer.)  Alternatively, I hand wash them, again hanging them on a towel rack or drying rack to dry.

Caring for your Infinity Scarf

I provide the following care instructions with the scarves:

This "Infinity Scarf" is hand-made from a recycled t-shirt.  Each scarf is truly a one-of-a-kind item.

To care for your scarf, throw it in a mesh lingerie bag and toss it in the washer along with your other t-shirts.  Keep it in the mesh bag when you throw it in the dryer.  When you take it out, hold it by the knot and shake it.  Hang, if necessary, until completely dry.  You may need to gently stretch the loops after removing your scarf from the dryer,  Alternatively, you may hand wash it and fold it over a towel rack to dry. 

Hold your scarf by the knot and shake it out before each use.  You may loop it over your head more than once. Tug loops gently to adjust.  The knot can be worn behind the neck or draped decoratively to the side.  We suggest you loop the scarf over the neck of a hanger, with the knot at the top, or fold gently into a drawer/shelf to store.

Each scarf is hand-made by Laurel Nevans.

Wearing your scarf

You can wear your scarf with the knot in the back, or if you have neck issues like I do, with the knot on the side. (That's why you want to finish that part off nicely.)The larger the shirt you start with, the longer and wider your scarf will be.  The loops will start to curl up after going through the dryer for the first time; this is what you want to happen, and is part of the look. 

Gallery of In Process Scarves:

Here are some of the scarves I made, hanging on the laundry room towel rack to dry.  You can see the one white shirt hanging amongst the colored ones.  In the top photos, all the shirts (but the red one) started out black.  I thought the bleach hadn't "worked" on the charcoal one, as that looked solid black until it dried.  The green shirt in the middle photo has a subtle pattern that is not visible in the photo.  It's shorter as it was made with a size Medium shirt.  The shirts in the bottom photo started out black, red, navy, or teal.

I'll try to remember to keep adding pictures as I get more scarves made!  If you try this out, please share photos of your efforts!

Ideas for What to Do with your Scarves

I am making these for all of the women on my holiday gift list.  They make great gifts for teachers, mail ladies, your favorite server or bartender, your neighbor, etc.  If you have teen-aged children, they could recycle old school shirts into hand-made teacher gifts.  You really don't even need to be able to cut a straight line to make one of these!

EDIT: December 11, 2012

I've added a Gallery Page with some of the scarves I've done.  I'll be adding pictures as I complete scarves, so be sure to check back.  Send me pictures of your completed T-Shirt scarves, and I'll post them in the gallery!

The gallery is here.

Comments:

Please feel free to share your experiences making these scarves in the comments.  I'd love to hear any feedback readers have on the whole process as well!
 

Funniest Video I've Seeen in Ages!

You have GOT to watch this if you want a good laugh.  It's a group of "celebrities" from all eras, singing "Let it Be" on some beach somewhere.  I put "celebrities" in quotes, as it includes folks like Fab from Mili Vanilli, David Faustino, Alfonso Rivera, and Tonya Harding, along with the likes of George Wendt, Glen Close, Daryl Hannah, Kathleen Turner and Peter Falk.  We also get Rikki lake, Harpo (identified as "Movie Star") Ricky Schroder and Benny from LA Law.  You have to watch the whole thing--blik and you'll miss a celebrity.  It's some kind of promo for a NorwegianTV show, but it's corn at its best, and one of the most random assembly of people I've seen in a long time.  Makes me REALLY wonder what the show is about.

In Memory of K-Mart Dude

About five years ago, I picked up and moved to an island in Florida.  I didn't know a single soul there, and of course, I was apprehensive about picking up and starting a new life on my own.  To top it all off, I moved smack dab in the middle of the Summer, when the islanders all flee home for cooler climates.  Needless to say, no one rolled out the red carpet for me.  Except for one individual.

There is a duplex across the street from my condo unit.  At the time, an “older” couple lived there.  They were extremely friendly.  They smiled and waved and told me what day to put out the trash.  Were it not for them, it would have taken me a lot longer to settle in.  In fact, he was the first local I spoke to after taking possession of my house, outside of the Realtor.  No one in the condo took the time to even notice I arrived, but the couple across the street went out of their way to notice me and make me feel welcome.

I remember my first trip off of the Island.  I went to the local K-Mart to buy those things you inevitably find you need in a new house.  As I was browsing the aisles, I had a sense of someone behind me.  I turned around to see the friendly man across the street. 

“Hi there,” he said warmly.  “Are you finding everything you need okay?”

“Thank you.  I'm still trying to figure out all it is I need, “ I replied.

“Do you know who I am?”  He asked.  Without waiting for an answer or an awkward moment, he continued “I live across the street from you.  Welcome to the neighborhood.  Can we do anything to help you settle in?”  he asked.

Being that we live in a resort community, his next question didn't phase me at all.  “Are you a seasonal person, or are you going to be here more often?”

“No.” I replied.  “I'm not in a dual-residence income bracket.  I can only afford one home,” I joked. 

“Glad to hear that.  You're just what we need in the neighborhood.  We think we're going to like having you across the street.”

That conversation meant more to this scared little transplant than I ever let on. 

Two days later, Hurricane Charley approached, and we had to evacuate the Island.  K-Mart Dude saw me as I pulled back into my driveway, and took the time to welcome me back.

“Don't worry.  We don't have evacuations like that very often around here.  And as you can see, the Island made it through all right.”

A few short weeks later, another storm approached.  I still knew like nobody in the local area.  K-Mart Dude saw me out walking my dog, and he took the time to approach me, to calm me about the oncoming storm.  He told me that most of the locals were not going to evacuate, and I shouldn't feel like I had to either.  He told me we'd probably be flooded in, but said that they'd be sitting it out across the street if I felt scared.  When we all waded out front a few days later, again, he took the time to check on me to see that I'd made it through my first storm all right.  He joked that at least I'd had power a day longer than he, and we laughed while trying to figure out how to string an extension cord across the street so they could save what was still cold in their freezer. 

Unfortunately, after a few short years, K-Mart Dude and his wife moved off the Island.  I never saw him again, but I thought of him often.  Today, I heard that he passed away.

Ironically, in the time since K-Mart Dude moved, I have become very close with the person who lives in the other half of the duplex, someone I never really got to know until K-Mart Dude moved away.  Duplex-mate and I went out for a drink in K-Mart Dude's honor.  Duplex-mate always drinks Rolling Rock, but when we got to the local watering hole, they had run out.  He had a Bud instead, and we raised our glasses in a toast to K-Mart Dude.  Then we decided to we needed to invent a drink in his memory.  We called over the bartender, and we told him we were going to invent the Blue Light Special, in honor of a very special person who had ended his run on Earth earlier that day.  We mixed Blue Curacao, Vodka, and Pineapple Juice, dubbed it the K-Mart Dude Blue Light Special, and raised our glasses. 

“To K-Mart Dude.  A guy as special as you deserves a drink as tasty as this.  We love you, and were lucky to have known you.  Here's to you and your life!”

Two minutes later, the bartender came out from the back.  “Look what I found hiding in the back of the cooler—a single Rolling Rock.”

At that moment, we knew K-Mart Dude had heard us, and that he was sending us a drink in return. 

“How like him,” I commented.  “Only K-Mart Dude would decide to return a toast from across spiritual planes.  Even now, he's still making sure everybody else is okay.”

I never did tell him how special he was for me.  K-Mart Dude was the first person to help take a strange place and make it feel like home to me.  He was the first neighbor I met when I moved to this Island, and as it turns out, my first real friend here.  I never realized how much I appreciated having them as my across the street neighbors until they moved off the Island, and I surely never realized how much K-Mart Dude had meant to me, had done for me, until he was gone.  Now, he has literally and truly moved on to a better place, and this place is all the worse for it. 

Here's to you, K-Mart Dude.  You touched many people in your life.  We love you, and we'll miss you!

(Real names have been replaced to shield the individual's privacy.  But K-mart Dude, you know who you are!)

People with Disabilities: Where are Our Avatars?

Where's My Avatar?

I love the Internet.  On the Internet, folks just know you by your handle.  They don't know what you look like or what issues you may have.  Despite this, for several years, there has been a move to personalize the Internet experience.  Many sites and forums now allow you to create an Avatar to be your physical representation online. 

Yahoo, one of the largest Internet communities for decades, has a very intensive avatar-creating application.  Using it, you can create an avatar that has many of your own physical features.  You can adjust the shape of the face, the eye color, and the hairstyle.  You can dress your Avatar in a number of different outfits, and you can add cool accessories like sunglasses, hats, skateboards, and MP3 players.  But is there a single accessibility device amongst the avatar-decorating choices?  No.  My avatar can be riding a skateboard, but she cannot hold a cane!

1Avatar.com is a popular source for forum avatars.  They have 4 pages of avatars in just the “shoes and legs” categories.  But is a single one of these avatars wearing a brace or an orthotic shoe?  Is there a single prosthetic leg amongst the avatar choices?  Unfortunately, no.  Not a leg with a disability amongst the lot.

Try doing a site search for “disabilities” at 1avatar.com.  The result says: “Your search - disabilities - did not match any documents. “  You get the same results searching “cane,” “crutch,” “wheelchair,” or “hearing aid.”  At http://avatars.jurko.net/ you can find x-rated avatars, but a similar search on assistive equipment comes up empty.  Avatarsdb.com also comes up with no matches found when searching disability-related terms.  I can choose from a dozen Simpsons-related avatars though.

Avatarist.com actually has some search results for “cane” – a few sports logos and a picture of the doctor from “House”.  The Second Life store is the ONLY place I could find assistive equipment as accessory options for avatars.  Unfortunately, these have to be purchased through the second life marketplace, and they are more expensive than similar fashion accessories.

Wikipedia's definition of an avatar says:

“An avatar is a computer user's representation of himself/herself or alter ego whether in the form of a three-dimensional model used in computer games, a two-dimensional icon (picture) or a one-dimensional username used on Internet forums and other communities, or a text construct found on early systems such as MUDs.  It is an object representing the user”

My yahoo avatars DO NOT represent me.  I am “The Chick with the Stick.”  For my avatar to truly represent me, I should be able to add a cane.  (You can see my avatar at Laurelnev and at Laurel .)

Too bad all crips are not represented by House, M.D.  Is there a female with a disability on televison?  A happier character with a disability?  Any TV character that might come somewhat close to being "an object representing the user?"

I found another person complaining about the same thing at Yahoo Answers.  Here is the discussion:

Resolved Question: I am disabled and would like my avatar to reflect a truer image of me,how and where can I do this? including wheelchair, amputee and or nice clothing

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

I have someone added on Messenger who has a wheelchair in their avatar, so I'm sure it's possible somehow.

I don't know about the amputee part though. Generally speaking, avatars that contain imagery that others might be sensitive toward are frowned upon due to the fact that trolls can get them just as easily as anyone else can.

By that reasoning, we shouldn't have goth accessories, the ability to add Asian features, or just about any options that are not plain vanilla.  Can't a troll misuse an X-rated Avatar far worse than he can abuse an avatar with an assistive device?

We are about to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  Twenty years later, I still cannot have equal rights when it comes to my graphical representation.  The world still assumes that we want to hide our disabilities, whenever possible.  And that, my friends, is not always true.

Many people with disabilities spend more time in the virtual world than we do in “the real world.”  You will find a person with a disability amongst the most valued of contributors on any forum or Internet community you visit.  And other community members are still surprised when they discover their community guru is a crip.  Maybe that's because they've gotten used to our physically perfect avatars, staring at them day after day when they read our posts, avatars we can accessorize in almost any way with the exception of adding the equipment that helps get us through our days. 

Internet Behemoths, please hear our cries.  You have worked hard with us to make your communities accessible to us in every way except one.  You give us the tools to create graphical manifestations of ourselves, yet you leave out the accessories that are most important to our lives.  My avatar looks a lot like me in every way but one: where is my cane?

If you truly want me to feel welcome in your community, please make me feel equal and important.  I am the chick with the stick; my avatar should have a cane as well.

Sears Warning: DO NOT buy appliances from Sears

On March, 18, I purchased a brand-new HE washer/dryer set from Sears/K-Mart. I purchased delivery and installation with the machine. On March 22, the installer team arrived, hauled away the old washer and dryer, and supposedly tested the machine. I live on an island where houses must be elevated, so my laundry room is on the 2nd floor, above the garage. Since I had been several weeks without a washer, I was very excited, and washed a load as soon as possible. Bad idea. When I went outside, I saw a large puddle of water seeping out the garage door. When I opened the door, I found a large puddle of water (approx. 3 ft in diameter), as well as a large spot of water soaked drywall on the ceiling, directly under where the new machine had been installed. I immediately called the 800 number to report the issue and the damage to my home. Sears was unable to send anyone out until Friday the 26. I specifically told them that Sears had caused significant damage to my house, and that I needed them to send their insurance adjuster. They asked me to move the machine to look for an issue. I explained that I was disabled and physically unable to move the machine, which is why I had purchased delivery and installation services.

The 26th arrived, and a Sears van arrived at my house, 45 minutes after the 2 hour window they had given me on the phone. Instead of sending any type of adjuster, Sears had sent out another team of installers. I immediately showed them the damage. They responded that they were merely installers and would not do any kind of damage report. They verbally reported that a hose had been incorrectly installed, but they were sure that a leaky hose would not cause that degree of damage. When I asked who was going to come to assess the damage to my house, they called their supervisor to try to find out. The supervisor told them no one was going to come out to assess the damage; it was my problem and I would need to file with my own insurance company. I immediately called the 800 number. I told the customer service associate that instead of sending out an adjuster or a technician, they had merely sent out installers who had done nothing to help me with my issue. The associate informed me that the 1st associate had failed to initiate a claim, and he gave me a claim number. He assured me that the installation team would report the damage when they returned from the job, and told me they would call me back with additional information. He also told me they would send the proper personnel out the following day. I asked to speak with a supervisor. I was on hold for 30-40 minutes before the associate returned to the line to say no supervisor was available.

Saturday morning, another two people arrived. These 2 individuals could barely form a coherent sentence. I asked them if they were technicians or insurance folks, and they told me that they were just installers. They spent less than 5 minutes at my house, saying there was nothing they could do. I again called the 800 number, and they assured me that I should stay home, and that a technician would come out sometime that day. The technician arrived several hours later, and told me the machine was fine, but that my drain was blocked. He told me to call a plumber to assess the hook-up, and this was clearly not a Sears issue.

After wasting an entire Saturday (the 1st Saturday that it was sunny in months), I went back to the store that sold me the machine. The store manager and sales person spent about an hour on the phone with Sears and got no where. They assured me that they would try again Monday morning, during normal business hours. He called me early Monday morning to report someone would be coming out to assess the damage later that day. About an hour later, he called me back; no one was coming out. He said that the installers had reported there had been no installation issues, (despite the fact they had told me that hoses were not properly connected the first time,) and the technician on Saturday had said that my plumbing was the issue. So, as far as Sears was concerned, the case was closed. Sears told him that they had sent 3 people out, and that was more than they needed to do to resolve my issue. I needed to have a plumber come out, at my expense, to fix whatever the issue was.

The plumber came out today, and he spent several hours assessing the issue. The plumber's diagnostics showed that there was no issue whatsoever with my drains, pipes, or plumbing. He also said that the locations of the water damage (directly below the washer) was indicative of a washing machine issue, and in fact, was no where near where the drain pipe ran. The plumber's conclusion: my hook ups could not have caused the damage, my drain was fine, and I had no leaking pipes.

So, after spending about $1000 on a new washer/dryer, I am left with damages to my house that will exceed the cost of the appliances. I am left with a plumbing bill that adds another hundred dollars plus to my costs. I have a major mold issue developing in my house as well. Sears will not do anything to help me resolve the issue in any way. I can't get the old appliances returned, and if I try to return the new ones, not only will they not refund my delivery/installation costs, but I will have to pay a restocking fee.

I went to Sears when I needed new appliances because of Sears' stellar reputation. What did I get for it? I have spent literally 4 full days trying to get the issue resolved. My health is suffering. I am left with a destroyed laundry room floor and garage ceiling, an ever worsening mold issue, and absolutely unacceptable service from Sears. I have spent over a week trying to escalate this to a corporate level, to no avail. I am highly allergic to mold, and I have a stress-exacerbated disability. I have had nothing but elevated stress since the first set of installers left. I am still without functioning laundry appliances, and instead am left with a floor that may fall through any day. When that happens, I fully expect the response to be that THAT damage is not covered under my warranty.

I will share my experiences with everyone I know--stay away from Sears at all costs. You will be left with damages that far exceed the costs of the appliances to mitigate, and Sears will flat out refuse to do anything to help you. Just because Sears assigns you a claim number, do not believe that will get you anything. Be smart--call in your own professionals before allowing Sears to let the issue get worse. They will close your case and leave you worse off than you were before choosing to give Sears your money. Instead of an appropriate and timely response, you will get migraines, large bills to "verify" what you already know, and a "We didn't do it" response from Sears, despite hiring 3rd party professionals to verify that the damage was, in fact, Sears' fault. Do not waste the hours trying to resolve it through the channels Sears' suggests like I did. Read through the "MySears.com" forums BEFORE shopping at Sears so you are spared the heartache of having to post your own story of woe, echoing all of the others on their own forum. Don't waste the time and energy trying to accelerate your concerns through either the store or through the 800 number unless you actually like headaches. Do not expect Sears to send honest representatives out to address the issue, and ask for everything they say in writing. Be aware that spending money at Sears may leave you in a worse position than you were to begin with.

Sears' old "stellar reputation"? Well, that reputation is history, as far as I can tell, and in no way represents the "new" Sears. Every thing is outsourced, and Sears will not do anything to stand behind their subcontractors work. You will get robo-calls, asking you to complete a customer service survey. At the end of the call, you will be asked if you want a call back. Do not hold your breath waiting for that call back. I am still awaiting my call-back, and as of this minute, am unable to speak to a supervisor or anyone in corporate.

I will tell you all something--I know who I WILL NOT call to address my home damages--Sears Home Improvement Services. In fact, after this experience, I will never set foot in another Sears as long as I live.

Liberty University Usurps Students' Liberty

Falwell's Liberty University is a misnomer. Today, I read that the University demanded that the Student Democratic Club disband, and they threatened its 30 members with expulsion if they did not. They did not, however, place the same restrictions on the Student Republican Club.

University Administration evidentially decided that the Democratic Candidates are in direct opposition to the University's goals. They did not like the fact that its members actively supported Obama in the last presidential race.

Last I checked, universities' goals involved preparing their students for the "real world", and teaching them critical thinking skills. I guess at Liberty, the only type of thinking they want to foster is right-wing conservatism. Dare to have an opposing view on anything, and I guess you just don't belong there. They don't want your type in their hallowed halls.

Is Liberty trying to produce critical thinkers, or sheep? Are they trying to teach their students to challenge their belief systems, or merely to parrot what they're told?

I must confess: I went to a small, conservative, private Baptist University located in Virginia. Although the Student Democratic Club was much smaller than the Student Republican Club, it received the same University funding, resources, and support. During significant National elections, the two clubs sponsored debates in order to challenge the other side's views, and hopefully, sway a few attendees to change sides. It helped induce all students to vote according to the candidate and the issue, rather than following strict party lines.

Liberty University is also a small, conservative, private university located in Virginia. As a private school, it has a right to promote any viewpoint it so chooses. But it is doing its student body a great disservice by stifling the voice with which it doesn't necessarily agree, rather than encouraging students to listen to that voice, to assess what it has to say, and to filter it through their own view of the world. College is supposed to help you learn to see the weaknesses in others' arguments. They are also doing a disservice to their own mission. Their graduates will have missed the opportunity to experience the other side. They may be able to quote the company line, but they will have difficulty explaining why they do.

I'm glad I live in a country where the First Amendment gives me a right to speak my mind. I'm glad my country's educational system values critical thinking and examining all sides of an issue. I'm glad I live in a country that has educational choice and freedom, allowing me to go where I want to study what interests me. And I hope that all potential college students, of all political affiliations, who value choice will think twice about attending Liberty. Finally, I hope those free-thinking students at Liberty, currently being threatened with expulsion, start thinking about transferring to another school.

(Original Article: Washington Post)

You Know You're a Local When...

A few of us”regulars” were sitting in our normal area at the bar, conversing amongst ourselves, when we noticed a couple looking for seats together. We all moved “one to the left” to make room for them.

The woman sat down to my right, and instead of saying “Thanks for making space for us,” she blurted “So, you all on vacation?”

“No, we live here.” I replied.

“Well, we're locals,” she bragged. “We're not on vacation. We live here.”

My friend on my left chuckled, snarking “Yeah, that's why none of us have ever seen them before. They're old-timers.”

“Locals?” I queried.

“Yes,” the woman replied. “We're locals. We moved here last week.”

“Well, you're not locals yet, then, “ I joked. “You're still transplants for at least the first six-months.”

At that point, the man started coughing and waving his hand in the air, complaining about the smoky atmosphere. “He doesn't smoke, the woman explained. “I do.”

“That's one way we can tell you're still 'transplants'”, my friend commented.”Locals know not to sit in this corner of this bar if they don't like smoke.”

After the couple moved, our conversation turned to how to know when you're out of that “transplant” phase, and are truly a “local”. Here's some of the ways we came up with to know you've made the cross-over:

You know you're a local when...

• Your name and/or picture appears in the local paper.

• (You really know you're a local when your name appears in an entry in the Police Blotter, instead of just a vague description of the misdemeanor, or when you get a full page article, accompanied by a “flattering” mug shot.)

• You're approached by someone at the Publix. They know your first name, your last name, and in which neighborhood you live. You have no idea whatsoever of who that person is.

• You do, however, recognize your neighbors who are employed at the Publix. You can't even run in-and-out without stopping to chat with at least 3 people.

• Then, when you get to the checkout counter, you chat with the cashier concerning the number of clueless shoppers you encountered in the store, and wonder if they leave carts in the middle of the aisle when they're home in Ontario or Michigan.

• Several people owe you money. They'll buy you a drink, but it will be a long while before they consider actually paying you back.

• You curse the Bridge Tender as you approach, and see the gates going down, because according to your watch, you still have a full three and a half minutes before a scheduled bridge opening.

• It's the first time you've left the Island in a couple of weeks.

• Your idea of “going out of town” is a trip to Tampa.

• You know at least three of the local cops by name.

• You leave your house unlocked when you go to the beach.

• Your idea of crime is the loud renters in the unit behind you.

• You're glad you know those police when you call in your noise complaint at exactly 10:01 pm.

• You're riding a bicycle for the first time in too many years to mention.

• You're glad you know those policeman when that bike gets stolen. You know you can leave your house unlocked, but not your bike.

• You no longer think “The Sandbar” and “The Beachhouse” are the best places to eat on the island.

• Yet, when an obnoxious out-of-towner asks for restaurant advice, you send them to the Sandbar, hoping you won't run into them at your favorite eatery.

• You drag the old Down Parka out of mothballs the first day the temperature drops below 50 degrees.

• You see your beach buddy at the Publix, and you don't recognize him because he's wearing clothing.

• You get asked directions to the beach for the umpteenth time, and you just sigh and point toward the West.

• You no longer go to Manatee Public Beach unless it's to eat, and you only go to Coquina when you want to shop.

• The first thing you do when they're predicting a storm is to hit the liquor store before the stocks run low; the second thing is to check the battery in the cell and portable TV. You only stop at the Publix (for food) as an afterthought.

• You know which convenience stores have generators and are brewing coffee when no one else has power.

• You now own more bathing suits than business suits, and you've started wearing flip flops to work.

• Your income has decreased by 50%, but your quality of life has doubled.

What have I missed? Please leave your comments below.

Why I'm Applying for Food Stamps

I’m thinking of signing up for food stamps. I have been eligible to do so for almost a decade now, but I’ve resisted. But I’m thinking my time has come. Why now? Why not? Everyone else is doing it, regardless of their “true needs”. I figure it’s about time I joined the line of people with their hands out, begging the government for help. Why not jump on the bandwagon?

For most of my life, I worked serving the community. I have a bachelor’s degree in English and Secondary Education, and a Masters in Counseling and Human Development. I spent almost 20 years working for non-profits, earning the “little bucks”, helping others who were truly in need. My salary stuck me right in that “lower middle class” economically, and my low wage levels qualified me for a whole range of financial assistance programs. But I never applied. I could eek by on my modest income, as long as I forwent the small luxuries in life—things like cable TV, high-speed internet, meat on a nightly basis, and new, luxury cars. I lived in a modest house in a working class neighborhood and clipped coupons. I judiciously saved until I had enough for a modest down-payment on a “fixer-upper” and paid my mortgage each month, even if it meant eating Macaroni and Cheese for a week straight. Then, due to no fault of my own, I was involved in a car accident that required almost 2 years of rehab and left me physically disabled. Everyone around me told me to go on Social Security. I had earned it. But I resisted. Leave the government money for those that really need it. I’m neither poor nor illiterate. I can do it on my own.

Fast forward to the new Millennium. Who are sticking their hands out for government help? Those same entities that have been feeding off of the “little guy” for eons. The corporations who have been rewarding their executive misbehavior with multi-million dollar golden parachutes fir years, while raising the prices end-consumers pay for their goods. The automakers, who have been paying workers replaced by machines to sit around and do nothing for years, while raping the American people with thousands in bogus fees when they attempt to purchase a new car. The banks, who have been paying me less and less over the years for the use of my money, the money they have been squandering. And now, they are demanding more?

I have been bailing out the executives for years, watching as they use my money to buy $10,000 shower curtains, luxury McMansions, and gas-guzzling, oversized cars. I have bailed out the American manufacturers, time and again, by paying more and more for life’s staples (food, gas, etc.) every time I enter a store. I have bailed out retailers with my tax dollars, paying for the public assistance their line-workers need by funding housing assistance vouchers, Medicaid, WIC, and AFDC. Why can’t the mega-retailers pay their workers a living wag with a decent benefit package instead of expecting me to subsidize their costs of doing business?

My 10+ year old car needs about $2000 worth of repairs to keep it in running condition. Are the automakers going to bail me out and help me with the costs of these repairs? Or are they going to charge me $2500 for $2000 worth of repairs, all while sticking their hands out, asking for my tax dollars to help them get through these tough, economic times. Will the banks bail me out, and pay those ridiculous overdraft fees, should I not have enough money in my account for my inflated repair bill? More likely, they’ll attempt to process the under funded check twice, so they can rape me with twice the fees, all while asking for my dollars to help them out.

Maybe if the corporations, auto manufacturers, and banks had been as careful with my money as I had, they wouldn’t be sticking their hands out right now. Instead, they keep acting frivolously, while expecting me to eat canned beans so that they can continue having their nightly filet mignon. They want me to help pay for their McMansions, while I throw another tar patch on my leaking roof. They want me to pay to repair my own, aging goods, so that my tax dollars can pay for them to replace, rather than repair.

So now, I’m thinking of joining that line of people with their hands stuck out. I’m tired of eating stale bread so the “big guys” can continue to have their cake. I’m tired of being sick because I cannot afford the doctors and medicine that might make me well. I’m done with leaving the financial assistance for the “have nots”, only to have the rich butt into the line to grab the dollars from the poor. I’m tired of helping out those who are better off than I.

If I try to grab a piece of the pie to fill that hole in my empty stomach, will they make me regurgitate it back up, so that they may have it for their well-fed bodies? How skinny am I expected to get helping those that are already obese?

So don’t be surprised when you see me, and thousands of my hard-working cohorts join your assistance line. We’ve been dutifully paying our taxes for years, trusting our government to use our resources for the greater good. Instead, we’ve seen Robin Hood reversed—take it from the working poor to give back to those who have been taking from us for years. Now, we’re joining your line in an attempt to get some of it back.

Locals’ Bill of Rights (Otherwise known as Guidelines for Visitors.)

I live on a small barrier island on the West coast of Florida. From about Thanksgiving until the frost melts up North, we are inundated with seasonal residents and weekly vacationers. Many of these folks are warm, polite people. However, the dip in the economy seemed to bring us a dip in the quality of visitors. The following post is a humorous look at how some of us locals feel about THIS crop of visitors.

This is an open letter to all visitors to our humble Island. We welcome you to our little slice of Paradise, and hope you enjoy your stay. But we also implore you to show consideration for the locals, and observe our local customs during your stay.

Yes, there are some of us who are lucky enough to call this our one and only home. We live here. Year round. And a great number of us are neither snowbirds nor retirees. We’re working class, and we can’t afford the luxury of a second home. Many of us have jobs that have nothing to do with tourism or hospitality. We have to get up in the morning and do the Nine-to-Five thing. (Or the Seven-to-4 thing. Or sometimes even the Six-to-Three thing.) Others work the late shift, and appreciate quiet in the mornings so that they can sleep in.

The world may see the Island as a “resort”, but we view it as our home, a working-class city. Please be mindful of this while you are raising a ruckus in your rental house. Chances are, if you don’t see a shingle hanging outside your window that says “Motel”, you’re staying smack-dab in the middle of a quiet residential neighborhood. Especially if you’re staying in Anna Maria City or Holmes Beach. You have the privilege of being our “temporary neighbors.” We ask that you behave as you would have your own neighbors behave back home. If you want to scream and play loud music early in the morning or late at night, consider staying in one of our many beautiful motels, rather than in a quiet, residential neighborhood.

If your children need a place to run around and play, we have several child-friendly hot-spots on the island. We have playgrounds and tot lots. We have the Skate Park in Holmes Beach. And we have miles of beautiful beach front. All of these provide wonderful places for kids to run around and scream without bothering the neighbors. We even have a couple of playgrounds on the beach.

And speaking of our beaches, there’s no arguing that they’re the most beautiful and most popular part of our island. And we ask that you help us to keep them that way. Although the “No Alcohol on the Beach” rule is barely enforced, we ask you to at least respect the “no glass” rule. There are very good reasons behind this rule. There are trash receptacles by every beach access. Please use them. The Gulf is NOT an appropriate place to deposit your empties. Dirty diapers are especially bad for the wildlife. Likewise, the beach is not a giant ashtray, which is why you’ll see the locals carefully collecting their spent butts before they leave the shore.

We love the beach. We are fishers, and swimmers, and skimmers, and walkers, and we all co-exist peacefully. The skimmers try to stay away from the swimmers, and the swimmers try to stay away from the skimmers. The fishers try to stay away from both groups. If you choose to fish from the beach, rather from one of our many scenic fishing piers, we ask that you find a spot away from the swimmers. The walkers carefully watch the fishers and the skimmers, trying not to get in their way. They hate having to avoid the unfilled craters left by children long gone from that stretch of sand. If your children love digging holes, encourage them to make filling them back up the last activity of the day. It’s one less hazard for the walkers, joggers, and skimmers to have to avoid. And believe it or not, unless they’re below the water line, the surf will not fill the holes back in.

We love our dogs. This is probably one of the most pet-friendly destinations in the country. But the locals have to take their pets to the “Doggie Beach” at Palma Sola. Since we get admonished for bringing our pets past the Beach Access, expect us to do the same to you if we see you with your pets on the sand.

Yes, there are many of us who live here, part-time or full-time. Our island is more than merely a collection of rental units. We love our lawns, and we carefully tend our fruit trees. We get extremely miffed when someone parks on our grass, leaving tire tracks, helps themselves to our fresh fruit without permission, or ignores the local “pooper-scooper” laws. We get angry when we see people littering our beautiful paradise. When we drink, we recycle our empties. We are mindful of our impact on this island, and ask our visitors to show similar consideration.

We are lucky not to have to jump in our cars every time we want to go somewhere. We have wonderful, “green” transportation options on this island: the trolley, and the bicycle. Please take advantage of both. But also, be reminded that a bicycle is considered a motor vehicle in the state of Florida. While you may feel safer on the sidewalk than on the street, remember you are supposed to give way to pedestrians and dog-walkers on the sidewalks; they are not supposed to clear the sidewalk for your bicycle. And be mindful that cars use the streets too—pull over to one side when traffic is approaching, rather than staying three abreast, and use your headlights and tail lights at night. We’d like to see you go home with all your limbs intact, and our insurance rates are high enough.

Speaking of the roadways, we do have some beautiful stretches of scenic highway, replete with palm trees, beaches, and water views. We locals are not immune to the beautiful vistas. We just have someplace we need to get to. For many of us, that place is “work,” maybe even at your intended destination. And we’d like to go the speed limit while we’re going there. We ask that you not slam on your brakes in the middle of the bridge to admire the view. There are parking places on either side of each bridge where you may park and admire to your heart’s desire. Those brick things? They’re crosswalks, not speed bumps. You don’t have to slow down unless a pedestrian is approaching, in which case you’re supposed to stop. The whole circle at Bridge Street is a crosswalk. If there are no pedestrians, there is no need to stop. You’re supposed to yield to the traffic already in the circle or to pedestrians. If there’s neither, then there is no need to stop. And we’d like to remind you that the speed limit is over 25 MPH through most of Holmes Beach (and much of Bradenton Beach.) When you get to that restaurant, and your table’s not ready, it may just be because your assigned server was stuck in that traffic behind the guy going 25 in a 45 zone, slowing down to enjoy the view.

We love our island. We choose to live here because we think it is one of the greatest spots on the planet. And we have the best “locals” around. One of the things that make it such a great vacation spot is that we’re more than just an empty resort town; we’re a collection of colorful townies with eclectic histories. We welcome you to our little slice of paradise. However, we’d like to remind you that it’s our home, and we’d like you to respect it as such. You’re playing in our backyard. Remember those “guest manners” your mother taught you? Treat us with respect and observe our local customs, and we’ll welcome you back into our home, time and again. And we’ll even tell you the REALLY good places to eat.