Does "Niner" stand for 9 wins? (in 2 seasons?!)

So, they did it. They got rid of Dennis Erickson (did I spell his last name right?). They did it the day after I posted my "Down with Dennis" entry... not that THAT had anything to do with it of course... I'm not sure anyone's even actually read my blog entries, other than my husband... cuz I asked him to. But that's neither here nor there, other than to point out that I've been remiss in keeping up with 'Niner news on here. But they did it! Dennis is HIStory! When I heard the news, WOOHOO! I was ecstatic... and shocked to hear he'd been their coach for 2 whole stinkin' years?! See, told you it's hard to keep up on stuff going on in Cali, up here in sucky mucky washington. Of course, I guess if I actually got the paper here, it'd be a little easier... or maybe if I started using the internet to keep up on stuff... now that we have it. We've only had it here at home like a week, (only because of... well, I won't get off track here). So 2 years!!! No wonder every time they played the Seachickens they got "beat like they stole something!" (to put it in the words of Cheryl from Remember the Titans) Wow, 9 and 23. What a record. I'd just like to know why the heck they got him in the first place. I mean, c'mon! Like did someone say, "Hey why don't we get one of the worst coaches in the NFL, so we can suck really bad, lose our loyal fans, make ourselves a laughingstock... and get the top draft pick"? And now there's talk about getting another coach that doesn't have the best record as an NFL coach... what's going on? Seriously.
Up here, in the Puget Sound, they keep saying Mike Holmgren would be a great fit in SF. I agree. But it makes me wonder, what, is Seattle so fickle that they're already giving up on him? Hey, if Mike Holmgren went back to SF, do you think he could convince Jerry Rice to come back too? Hehe, as they say, "If wishes were horses..." I always thought Rice would retire in SF, I mean he started out in SF, played there 20 years or so... it really sucks he decided to leave. I don't blame him for leaving Oakland, I mean when someone says you're too old and tries to put you out to pasture, whaddya gonna do? But you can imagine my shock when he ended up here! First (that I can remember) was Merton Hanks... one of my fave SF guys... not just for his disjointed victory "dance" either. Seeing him in a Seattle uniform was a little disconcerting. Then Miracle Mike comes to Seattle ... from Green Bay, but once he was in SF as well. And now, the best wide receiver ever, EVER! is here, in blue and green.... weird. Playing with ... the Seahawks. I'm glad they're actually utilizing him, but to be honest, this was the stuff of my nightmares (well, sports-themed ones anyway).
So now, Seattle is doing better than I can remember (ok they lost the playoff game... how much can you expect.. it IS still Seattle remember?) and there's talk of Holmgren going back to SF. Hmmm. Well, I think it would be the smartest decision the 49ERS have made in a while... SOMEONE rescue them!!! Puh-lease!! It's not just Candlestick park sinking in the quicksand over there... and yes, I will always call it Candlestick. That's what it is... 3COMM or no 3COMM or whoever the heck the latest sponsor is. I'm sorry, -no, wait, I'm not- I don't think sponsors should get naming rights to stadiums. Not the whole thing, anyways, geez! Thank goodness at least at PacBell park (which I'm sorta okay with, because of the fact that they're like THE major phone provider in Cali... when I was younger I didn't know there WERE other phone companies... haha) they have McCovey field. But I know alot of people agree that commercialism in the sports industry is way out of hand. Name the seats. Name the entrances! Name the parking lot! But not the flippin stadium! I mean, what used to be the Oakland coliseum (the name makes sense, after all it is in Oakland) is now the Network Associates coliseum. Say WHAT? Talk about a mouthful. Doesn't exactly roll off the tongue. Next thing you know, it'll be like NASCAR, with players running around with sponsor's stickers all over their uniforms. Free Agent will take on a whole new meaning.
Ok so I've gotten waaayyyy off track here, but hey, then it wouldn't be random would it? (I'm at least staying in the same realm of thought). So I'm no authority when it comes to the Niners anymore, like I said, but I know enough that somebody needs to get their head out of the sand underneath Candlestick and start making some good decisions... or they're not going to have anybody coming to their games unless they're cheering for the other team. Seriously. I know I'm not going to another SF/Seattle game unil they've got something to show for themselves. There's only so much a young team can do with a horrid coach. They've made the first step in the right direction. Now let's hope the fog stays in the bay and outta their heads, and they find a coach who can actually make something of this team. I have a dream, of a SuperBowl contender.... they once were and they can be again... I believe!

A Day in My Life

Well, today was interesting. It all started about 3 am when I woke up to my older daughter crying in her room... usually I wait a minute or 2 to see if she just goes back to sleep, but I guess she had some urgency in her voice because all I remember is getting up to get her. She was really upset, and I think I smelled something in her bed, so I took her to my room. She definitely had gotten sick, I could smell it once I was back in my room. So I wiped her with some baby wipes, and I think I fell asleep for a few mins... cuz next thing I know she's getting sick all over me. I felt so bad for her, I don't think she's gotten sick like this before!
Once she was finished, we got into the shower to get washed up, and I woke up my husband long enough to be able to get the sheet off the bed. I don't think he even remembers what was going on. He's funny when he's sleepy; he tends to say things that make you go "huh?" and start talking about the most off the wall things... and he doesn't remember any of it. Frustrating sometimes, but mostly funny. At least I was able (after a bit of shaking) to wake him up; sometimes he's so out it's like he's unconscious. Or if he wakes up he practically jumps out of his skin. That kinda freaks me out.
Anyways, so Rose wanted to snuggle with Greg but couldn't get comfortable. And he was so out, that he didn't realize she was trying to lie down with him. She kept trying to get comfy but we stayed awake for at least another 2 hours... during which time she got sick twice more. Thankfully I'd gotten smart and kept a bowl nearby, but she hated that. Of course, getting sick was no fun either, poor girl was so shaky and upset.
Then Greg has to get up, to catch his ride. He's got duty today so one of his buddies picked him up. Duty days suck, he's gotta be outta the house about 6am to get to the boat in time. And knowing us, we never get to bed before midnight... although he's wont to fall asleep on the couch sometimes at 9pm or so. :) I try to get him to go up to bed but he says he'd rather be asleep on the couch to be near me... so sweet huh? Sucks too cuz I feel like I hardly saw him yesterday; he got home after 4:30 and the way things went... well, the way they've been going lately.
So he got up and Rose started again... but nothing. So once she was calmed down again, we finally fell asleep. Until Bryant woke up at 7:30 and we all got up. We went downstairs and everyone (but Rose) was hungry, so I put in a VeggieTale video for the kids, gave Bryant a yogurt smoothie (the ones by Stonyfield Farms are so yummy, and totally organic) and a baggie of Life, and fed Carlon. Rose kept asking me to hold her, so when I was done w/the baby and put her back in bed, I picked up Rose and we fell asleep to The Toy that Saved Christmas.
The rest of the day pretty much consisted of me alternately holding Rose, feeding Carlon, and telling Bryant to get dressed (he sat in his room for like 2 hours today, just looking at books and stuff... I'd have gotten more on his case- that usually doesn't happen- but for Rose and all). Thankfully my mom went ahead and took Bryant for the night, so that he could get some one-on-one, and I could manage Rose and Carlon. Not that I can't otherwise, but it's just nice for Bryant to get to be with my mom- they're really close- when Rose is really needy.
And Rose finally took a nap today, she was asleep this afternoon when my mom picked up Bryant. Then I finished with Carlon, and Rose woke up. That's kind of how it goes, see-saw with the girls alot.
Now they're playing on the floor, I think Rose needs to be changed, and it's definitely time for her to go to bed. She didn't eat much today (obviously) but tonight she had a couple crackers, a banana, and some juice. I haven't heard from Greg yet, he usually calls sometime on his duty day. Usually right before he goes to bed, so I don't get to really talk to him alot. Oh well. Such is life. I'm not sure how it's going to be this time with him gone. Things have been a little weird between us lately. Not sure if it's the stress of the Navy or what. At least now we have internet here so I don't have to go to my mom's anymore. That will help with her and my relationship. :) And I can check email more often... even though it's pretty sporadic with the silent service.
We had a really fun time the other night though, Greg and I. It started snowing Friday night, and I was hoping it'd continue all night, cuz it was really coming down. He had duty Sat. and I was (selfishly) hoping that the snow would prevent him from getting to the boat. It happens... though not very often. They were gone last year when the base got shut down for a few days. I remember hearing people in the middle of the night out playing in the snow (though technically "quiet time" is at 10pm on weekdays) and wishing he could be here to enjoy the snow with me. We've never really been in a snow together. So when it was coming down Friday, I took advantage and asked him to play in the snow with me. I tried to videotape a bit, but the batt. went dead... so I just have the video of my memory.
It was sweet, Greg being just like a little boy. His snowball aim though is dead-on. He always says he should be a sharpshooter because of his 20-10 vision.. well if his aim was like it was with snowballs... he 'bout knocked my glasses off! My right eyesocket was sore for ... well, it's still sore actually!
So we tossed a couple snowballs at each other, and threw this little foam football back and forth, and he threw some snowballs onto the carport, just to watch them get bigger as they rolled off (hehe, just another example of how guys and girls think so differently!) and we had fun. It was also really romantic... we kinda forgot all the other stuff that's been going on, and were able to be completely in the moment... it was nice. The kind of memories you revisit over and over when you're up late at night, and missing each other... and wishing for better days. I hope we can get things straight again. After this patrol, there'll be 3 yrs of shore duty. We'll see how things go when we no longer have duty every 3 days, and he gets off in the early afternoon every day. Oughta' be interesting...

Dangerous highchair needs to be recalled!! (Is someone trying to keep this a secret?)

Has anyone ever heard of J. Mason, or MTS Products? Do you know someone who owns a J.Mason highchair (available at Target stores as well as elsewhere)? Then you need to read this!!!

*To see the highchair in question, you can go to www.jmason.com/highchair.htm
It's the Deluxe model (mine is with the Ellie design)

I bought a J.Mason highchair in June '04. The kind you have to assemble. It comes in 3 pieces (well 4, counting the removable tray): the main piece consisting of the seat, the arms, and the upper portion of the legs; and the 2 lower portions of the legs- the front and the back. The legs are tubular steel, the bottom portions shaped kinda like a "u", and they have a small piece of metal protuding from the ends which fit inside the upper part of the legs. I'm not really sure what purpose this metal piece is supposed to serve... unless... well, first things first.

Everything was fine, sorta'... till November. I had noticed for a while that the legs didn't stay together all that well. They seemed to somehow work themselves apart, so that I would have to push the pieces back together before putting my daughter in. They didn't seem to separate all that much (sometimes up to an inch; the lower piece fits inside the upper piece about 3 inches or so, not including the other piece of metal attatched to the lower legs), so other than thinking "what the heck", I didn't do too much about it. My mistake. I just figured that with the way the legs are shaped that they just didn't fit together all that well. I never would've guessed that that particular feature would end up endangering my child.

I have 3 children (as referred to in my profile); 2 are under 2 yrs. old. My older daughter was (thankfully) the one in the highchair when the incident happened. Had it been my infant daughter (who was about 5 1/2 mos. old at the time... the same age as many babies who sit in highchairs and have started solid foods), she undoubtedly would've been seriously injured, or worse. Then I would be telling a much different story.

So my older daughter was 21 mos. at the time, about 24 lbs. or so, a normal weight for that age. It was lunchtime, and so I went to put her in the highchair. As she was sitting in it, I went to get her food... "CRASH!!!" and crying!!! I ran over to my daughter, and found her on the floor with the chair on top of her! I rushed to pick her up, and checked her over for any injuries. She was terrified of course, but seemed (thankfully) to be more shaken up than anything else. I looked at the highchair to figure out what happened and, lo and behold, the lower portion of the front legs had completely separated from the seat part! She had not been doing anything in the chair, other than sitting, when this happened.

The other thing I'm grateful for, is that it was the front, rather than the back, legs. Being that she fell forward, she was able to somewhat brace herself. Just think if she had fallen backwards... well, I'd rather not thank you. But I can guess I'd have been treated differently by the company in question... but read on.
Of course, I notified the company right away, by calling the number on the chair itself. I got the voicemail and left a msg... not to hear from them for a few days, when finally Joselle called to "follow up". She informed me that she was staying late to call me about this issue (oh, the inconvenience she must've been experiencing). Of course, the first thing she asked was whether or not Rose had been injured (read: Do we have a lawsuit on our hands?). Then she informed me that the legs were supposed to "click together" to keep them from coming apart, and mine must be defective. She offered to send me a new one, and asked if I would send mine back for examination (by whom? She didn't say).

Now here's where it starts to smell a little funny. She took down my address (after I had to tell her a few times... mostly that the "E" in my address did not stand for "east" but was part of our house #) and said that they would call with a tracking number for me. Ok, but then I don't hear from them... for 2 weeks or so. And so, I call. And then begins my nightmare.

Once again, somehow, Joselle was the one who picked up the phone. (Eventually I got the idea that she is the only one who actually answers the phone when you ask for the "juvenile products" division. She must be pretty busy!) So basically I asked why I hadn't gotten a new highchair yet... that I'd been expecting a phone call, blah blah blah... and that's exactly what I got back from her: "blah blah blah." Well, that and the information she apparently forgot to tell me before: that they wouldn't send a new highchair unless they had received the old one! (And what did they expect ME to do in the meantime?? Go rent one or something?) So she re-took my address, to see why I hadn't received a box yet... and, lo and behold!!! The address was WRONG!!! Big surprise. Hmm... I remember telling her before, explicitly, that the "E" in our address was NOT FOR "EAST" but was "just 'e'" as part of the house number. Whew!

So somehow she extrapolated that it was FedEx's fault that the box hadn't reached me (don't know who's fault it was that J.Mason, or more correctly Joselle, had never called me with the tracking # in the first place!!) So she promised that "the box" would arrive Friday (this was like, Tuesday) and went ahead and so generously "ordered" me a new highchair. (Why use quotation marks? Just wait). Well, what a surprise. Friday, I see the FedEx truck go by, whoosh!, and then it was gone! No box.

Here comes Monday. Here comes a box! For a completely different highchair. A smaller highchair. So I called them back (cue Twilight Zone theme music) and *gasp! Joselle! Of course, she didn't identify herself at first (and yet, working at Albertson's you could practically get fired for not identifying yourself when you answered the phone) but I knew it was her. I immediately asked for a supervisor. *Gasp! again, when she identified herself as such!!! And just to make sure, I asked her name, and yeah. Dead on. So I asked for her supervisor. And some guy named Jeff got on the phone. It's too bad, because I really like that name. My best friend growing up had that name (though he spelled it Geoph for a while... pretty koo). Anyhoo, it was about this time that I got the idea that I wasn't talking to Americans. In fact, I'm pretty sure the call center is in the philippines (just for the record, I don't have proof... just an inkling). If you wonder how I came to that conclusion... well, let's just say I've spent most of my life living on Navy bases. And if that makes no sense to you, well... never mind.
So of course, I explain the whole thing to him. (I apologize if this story seems particularly long and drawn out... try actually being the one to go through it! Better yet, don't!) So he tells me that it's "standard procedure" to not order a highchair for replacement till they have the other one back. (I should've just taken it back to Target! I would've gotten less run-around!) But he reassures me one is ordered "anyway" and should be there within days. His solution for the box problem? "Send a piece of the chair fabric back to us." And that solves the problem, how? Do they have some kind of seers that can peer into the fabric and tell you what went wrong with the chair? If it's actually defective or a problem with the actual design??? Whatever.
So basically I ask him what that would solve. And he puts me on hold. *Gasp! *Choke! NOOOooooo!! Joselle!!! How did she get back on the phone?! She tells me that ("poor me") whenever they send out the wrong box, she's the one that hears about it from the customers. (Um, excuse me, but is that not PART of the job of being a "supervisor"?) So she says they'll send another box. Ok whatever.
So I finally got the replacement, a chair that you didn't have to assemble - the legs are one solid piece. Kinda funny though (here's one for the Consumer Report's "Selling It" page) on the box it said "No Assembly Needed!" and then elsewhere on the box it said "Must be assembled by an adult only". Just an interesting observation. Another observation; my mom also has a J.Mason highchair (similar to the one I bought)... but it is all one piece, yet comes with the removable seat pad. But it isn't listed on the J.Mason website. Hmm... why don't they just sell those instead of the ones that come apart? Makes more sense to me. Legs that are one-piece obviously have no chance of coming apart!
And the missing box? Oh yeah, coupla weeks after I got the replacement highchair, I did get another box... for a SWING.
And just FYI I also did call the CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) and notified them of the problem. I have the report that they sent me, and I have to send it back so they can know whether or not they can release my name to the mfr., (I said yes) but it also says on the cover letter that they receive so many complaints about products, that they can only investigate a handful. So they usually just send the report to the mfr. and let them decide what to do about the issue. Considering what I've listed here, as far as J.Mason goes, I don't think they're too eager to do anything about it. Also the fact that the highchair in question is still listed on the website. Hmm....
Well, I couldn't just let it go, so I did also call the local Target where I bought it, and let a manager (Melissa) know exactly what happened. And that's why I'm writing this. That hopefully, someone, (if they're able to stand reading through the whole morbid ordeal) will bring this to the attention of someone who can do something. Or at the VERY least, that it will prevent someone else's child from being injured, or worse, by a similar incident. I don't think my highchair was defective, I think it's a faulty design. They can sell their lower-end compact highchairs as "Deluxe" models by adding the seat pad and the mesh bag (that hangs on the back). And then the whole issue would be moot.

My Niners Suck! -or- Down With Dennis!

So I don't know how many 49er fans there are, but I used to be the "Die Hardest" of them all... at least that's what I thought. I mean, I'm a very loyal person. I've stuck with the SF Giants through the years, never losing faith in them, and you know I was ecstatic when they made it to the World Series a few years back. Finally a chance to show the world that the whole '89 series loss was a fluke, you know, being flustered from the earthquake and all. (I was there when it happened too, right on the Bay Bridge!!)
And you know, even living in a completely different state, where I hardly get to see my teams play, I still stuck by them, loved them, cheered them on (Not a cheerleader... I can't stand cheerleaders... ok anywayz), and wore their "stuff". Borrowed my son's Terrell Owens jersey (hey, it fit!) to see the niners play the Seahawks (yuk)... and for a while, even when they kept going downhill, I didn't give up. Hey, they were my team!!!
Now, call me ignorant or whatever, but remember I don't get much news about my team up here in WA... but when I found out at the beginning of this season who exactly the Niners head coach was.... Remember how the seahawks used to totally suck? Like hardcore? My husband calls them the seachickens... anyways, so who do they have - Mike Holmgren, of course, and who did he USED to be with? My Niners. Just on a sidenote, how many Niners have eventually ended up here? Merton Hanks, now Jerry Rice, and I'm too tired right now to think of others but I know there were more. Back to the point... I don't remember a seahawk ever going to SF. Who used to coach Seattle when they sucked hardcore??? Who sucks hardcore now??? Think there could be a parallel??? My big question is, WHAT THE HECK IS DENNIS ERICKSON DOING IN SF??? Until they get rid of him, I have given up on the niners. I have been disenfranchised!!! They need to disenfranchise the big loser! I mean, really, what possessed whoever to hire the worst NFL coach in recent (and possibly not so recent) history??? Am I alone in thinking this? *sigh, for the good ol' days of George Seifert (I hope I spelled that right), and Steve Mariucci (I hope I spelled that right too). I am despondent. They were dead last this year. Surprise surprise. All I can say is, I hope they get their heads back where they belong, and do something different next year (I mean the front office). I just honestly can't believe it. They coulda' been contenders...

What about the Submarines?

Ok, so first of all, I just watched this armed forces tribute that my father forwarded to me, and now I'm sitting here with tears on my cheeks. *sigh Those things always get me... by the way the url is www.armedforcestribute.com it's pretty cool. I know there's alot of different good ones out there. I so appreciate all the support the military gets from civilians and others who may not actually be a part of the service, but know how important it is that they're out there doing their jobs.
Now, this is something I've been wondering for a while... ok well not really wondering, because... I already know, but it still irks me a little. What about the submariners? Well, Navy in general, but especially subs. Have you noticed that every where you look, (well, where I am anyway, surrounded by military bases in the Puget Sound) there are "support our troops" signs, magnets, etc.... but do you ever see "support our sailors"? Now this is not to downplay our soldiers at all - my bro-in-law is in Iraq as we speak, in an especially volatile area. But how often do you see our boys in blue mentioned? Maybe I'm a little more sensitive to this issue, being that my dad is retired Navy (he served onboard aircraft carriers) and that my husband is a submariner. But sailors are not "troops" and they're out there just the same. As far as the surface guys and fast-attack subsailors go, they're out there patrolling and doing ops in dangerous waters too. They face dangerous tasks and jobs everyday. Not just the pilots either. And their families are suffering just as much when they're gone. I know that whenever my dad went to sea, you didn't know what was going to happen, and unfortunately they always seemed to come home a few hands short. But how often do you hear about the sailors and what they're doing?
And especially the trident sub sailors, like my husband. I know they're the "Silent Service", which is why there's no fanfare, no publicity, or anything else like that. For good reason... the whole point of their patrols is "strategic deterrence", meaning they're out there, no one knows where, and that in itself is a deterrent. And I guess in some ways, for those men (a very special breed... who else could go out in a 500ft long metal tube and stay underwater for weeks at a time??? Not me!) the glory and honor comes, not in the public's eye and the people's appreciation, but in knowing how important their job really is, and doing it well.
But for them, peacetime or wartime, nothing changes. They still have to go out, patrol the deep, and keep us safe. Living side-by-side with weapons, underwater, for months... and doing it with no recognition, save in the sub community itself. And us wives, who never know when we might hear from them, when they'll be home (we only get approximations that we naturally aren't allowed to speak about)... our children go without any contact from daddy as well. Email is sporadic, phone calls are rare... and without being able to speak about it, you become very lonely. Only other sub wives have any idea what you go through. Sub and surface are very different worlds. I've been a part of both. They both have pros and cons... but back to my basic point. I think it would be nice if finally someone would recognize the huge contribution the navy makes to the wartime effort, and the submariners make every day, war or peacetime. My husband's job involves working on the weapons themselves. Every day. And you can't exactly "bail out" of a sub when there's a problem at sea. (I actually swore when I was younger that I'd never marry a submariner... God had other ideas) So next time you see something that says "Support our Troops", please remember the ones who aren't mentioned as often... those brave men of the sea.