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Greetings,
Quotaholics:
I love clothes.
I have lots of clothes. I have a work and a play wardrobe. I have sports
clothing. I have evening wear. I have the accessories to match as well.
I really like different clothing styles.
I blame all this clothes nonsense on the eight years I was compelled to
wear a school uniform. After wearing the same thing for 180 days for 8
years, or 1,440 days (unless I was home sick), I craved variety in my
dress.
Apparently I’m not the only person who wants to dress differently on a
daily basis. The
Japan Times reported on a clothing trend in Japan. It seems more men
are turning to a wider choice of clothing options and are wearing skirts.
Sometimes they wear skirts over their jeans or pants while at other times
they wear skirts alone.
One man said it was not much different than wearing a long coat in the
winter, something he did to keep warm. He said this while wearing a long
black wrap skirt layered over his slacks. The 38-year-old declined to
be identified (but allowed his picture to be displayed with the article).
He said he bought his first skirt more than ten years ago.
There is a boom in male skirt wearing in Japan. Some men are wearing skirts
in order to stand out from the crowd. One 19-year-old (from Chiba Prefecture)
said he was looking for a style his friends wouldn’t copy. Another 18-year-old
(from Kanagawa Prefecture) said he drew odd looks on the train when wearing
a skirt but was still wearing pantaloons during the day’s interview. He
added, "It’s no fun if you look the same as others."
Tokyo is a more egalitarian place and wearing skirts isn’t looked at as
odd behavior there – at last not AS odd there. Zooee Corp. is located
in Tokyo. The "venture apparel company" opened Japan’s first
online shop selling men’s skirts exclusively at their Cross Gender website.
They began selling in January with skirts priced from ¥5,000 to ¥13,000
or $55 to $144 (€40 to €106). The company received such a rush
of orders, they were in the black within a month.
Naohiro Yamamoto, one of Zooee Corp’s employees is also one of their customers.
He says the reasonably priced skirts were the reason for the online venture’s
success. These skirts are more affordable than skirts sold by top brands
like Comme des Garcons and Vivienne Westwood which start at ¥50,000
or ten times higher than the Zooee skirts.
Koichiro Yoshida, Zooee’s president, said, "We started this business
as a kind of joke to attract customers, but now it has become profitable.
I guess items that cannot be sold easily in the face-to-face setting fare
well in e-commerce." This seems to speak to the fact that the style
isn’t completely mainstream yet.
Yamamoto pointed to the Japanese custom of wearing a kimono leading to
men being more comfortable in clothes thought of as "feminine"
in the Western world. He added that young men in Japan were wearing skirts
because they thought it was cool. There was only so much one could do
with the standard male apparel, so adding skirts was a way to increase
the different looks available to men.
Hisaaki Oshima is a longtime fan of kilts and skirts for men. The 51-year-old
says the fashion boom also includes transvestites. "I hope it becomes
more conventional for men to wear skirts. If more men wear skirts, public
understanding will grow, and more people will realize it is foolish to
make value judgments about the fashion styles of others," he said.
Oshima is the father of two and only recently (three years) began wearing
skirts and kilts when out on the streets. He is hoping that like the stigma
attached to men with long hair or earrings, skirts will become acceptable
garb and the stigma will be erased. He said he often wondered at the latitude
given to women’s clothing choices while men’s choices were limited.
Both Yamamoto and Oshima run pro-skirt blogs and one of the recurring
questions is what should men do about leg hair when wearing a skirt.
For the male RGQ readers: Would you ever wear a skirt? What if it was
called a kilt – have you ever worn one of those? Is society more
stringent on dress standards for males? What would happen if you wore
a skirt to your day job?
For the female RGQ readers: Would you mind accompanying a man in public
if he were wearing a skirt? Does a man in a kilt intrigue you? Ever wonder
what was under the kilt? Do any of the female readers remember the time
when women did NOT wear pants/slacks with impunity but were castigated
or derided for doing so?
For everyone: What about leg hair and skirts – regardless of gender?
Stylishly,
Comment
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“Time is a great teacher, but unfortunately it kills all its pupils.”
- Louis-Hector Berlioz.
“Every one says forgiveness is a lovely idea, until they have something
to forgive.” - C.S. Lewis
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Blame Game
[Thanks Tesser]
How the world works
lately…
If a man cuts his finger off while slicing salami at work, he blames
the restaurant.
If you smoke three packs a day For 40 years and die of lung cancer,
your family blames the tobacco company.
If your neighbor crashes into a tree while driving home drunk, he
blames the bartender.
If your grandchildren are Brats without manners, you blame television.
If your friend is shot by a Deranged madman, you blame the gun manufacturer.
And if a crazed person breaks into the cockpit and tries to kill the
pilot at 35,000 feet, and the passengers kill him instead, the mother
of the crazed deceased blames the airline.
I must have lived too long to understand the world as it is anymore.
So, if I die while my OLD WRINKLED ASS is parked in front of this
computer,
I want all of you to blame Bill Gates.
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“Great literature should do some good to the reader: must quicken his
perception though dull, and sharpen his discrimination though blunt,
and mellow the rawness of his personal opinions.”
“Ale, man, ale’s the stuff to drink for fellows whom it hurts to think.”
“Nature, not content with denying him the ability to think, has endowed
him with the ability to write.” - All from English poet Alfred Edward
Housman born on this date in 1859
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Send
Comments, Limericks, Tips…
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Speak right up!
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Spring - Phase One
As if on cue, on the first day of spring, buds appeared on our lilac
bush. There had been sprouts of Hyacinth, Crocus, Daffodil and Lilies.
Watching them emerge slowly has been apprehensive as the weather has
been unstable and we are in a climate that can bring a killing frost
this time of year.
However, after a bland, monochromatic winter, the return of anything
green is welcome. A recent rain spurred the dormant grass to begin to
flourish. The patchy green, brown & gray was beginning to grow together
into a solid green carpet.
As I write this, there are visible buds on the honeysuckle. The honeysuckle
is usually the first plants to leaf out. The Lilac must have thrown
down the gauntlet this year as it has already sprouted leaflets. Leaflings?
Leafettes? What are those things that are leaf shaped that come from
buds, but aren’t fully formed leafs yet? Leafsters? Anyway, the Lilac
has out-produced the honeysuckle so far.
Some of the tree buds are beginning to swell. I hadn’t really noticed
before, but the ends of the branches have the buds remaining from where
the leaves dropped last fall. They remain all winter, just waiting for
the right time. Well, the time is soon arriving. These buds are noticeably
bigger, although they are not expanding as fast as other plants. That’s
ok. I’ll wait.
Life returns, albeit slowly, to the garden. Dormancy is replaced by
vibrancy. Monochromatic is replaced by a rainbow of color. Not just
yet, but it begins. A Daffodil has a flower bud promising a burst of
yellow by the end of the week.
As an aside, the animals seem to be pairing in the rites of spring.
While many similar animals would tolerate each other as they shared
the morsels of food we put out, they seem more territorial now. Only
one of a species is seen at the bird feeder at a time. What appears
to be mated pairs will, however, be seen together. They will feed until
another pair arrives. Even clumps of bunnies have been appearing regularly.
That must be the sign that Easter is not too far away.
Here’s your quiz:
What are the first signs of spring in your area?
What is usually the first thing to green up around you?
What is the first flower to bloom in your garden?
Spring - Phase One Complete, On To Phase Two
Cliff (the High-Tech Redneck who doesn’t rate a fancy ’signature pic’)
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Email Kirsten
“I
love being married. It’s so great to find that one special person
you want to annoy for the rest of your life.”
~ Rita Rudner ~
As some of you will know, about three months ago I got engaged to
my husband, Gerard. Sounds weird, I know, but these are weird times.
We no longer live in an age where boy meets girl, they date, he proposes,
she says yes, they get married, and then they move in together and
have babies. These days things happen every which way. Some people
still do it the traditional way, while other take the scenic route.
I have taken the scenic route, and so Gerard and I are married in
the sense that we have lived together for more than eight years and
have two children together. Our relationship is recognized by law,
he was able to sponsor my permanent residence application by virtue
of being my spouse, and our children bear his last name. However,
we are not married in the sense that we have stood up in an actual
wedding ceremony to proclaim our love for each other in front of our
friends and family, God and country.
On December 11th, 2009, I woke up all full of excitement, because
I was becoming a Canadian citizen that day. Gerard told me that this
would be an extremely special day for me. Little did I know what he
had planned - I thought he was talking about the citizenship thing.
At the ceremony, me and about 95 other people swore the oath of citizenship
(in both official languages, no less) and we were officially pronounced
to be Canadian citizens. The judge said that someone had something
special to say and to my complete surprise, he called on Gerard, who
was seated in the area reserved for family and friends of new citizens.
Gerard got up, pulled me to my feet, got down on one knee and proposed
to me right there in front of everybody. It was a spectacular moment.
I was so surprised that my “yes” came out a bit weird and breathless.
Now that we’ve been engaged for three months, it is time to start
the planning. I’ve been watching these bridal TV shows in which the
viewer gets to follow a couple as they plan their wedding. If these
shows are anything to go by, wedding planning is very involved. You’re
up to your neck in to-do lists, and the whole process is a constant
struggle to stay within your budget. I can appreciate that. Although
I’ve never actually planned a wedding, I’ve been to a few, and I totally
get how brides and their loved ones can get so fraught.
With this in mind, I decided that it would be a good idea to make
two lists. One would be for things that need to be done, and one would
be for things that have been done already. The “to be done” list is
far too long to repeat in its entirety here, and it includes things
like “set date”, “ask brother to walk me down aisle”, and “start guest
list”. Among many other things. The “already done” list is a lot shorter.
It has only two items on it: “figure out where to get dress” and “decide
on vague timeframe for wedding”. The answers, by the way, are “mother-in-law
said she will make it” and “summer of 2011″ respectively.
According to the Rich Bride, Poor Bride wedding planning guide
that I bought the week after I got engaged, planning a wedding can
take at least a year, especially if you’re planning to get married
in the summer. You have to book your venue and your officiant a year
ahead of time, navigate the ugly political landscape of seating plans,
and make sure your floral centrepieces don’t clash with the wallpaper.
Usually I’m a last-minute kind of girl, but I have a feeling that
won’t fly too well for this particular occasion.
There have been people - OK, a person - who has told me that because
Gerard and I have lived together for so long anyway, and because I’ll
be a 40-something bride, I should just go off and get married at City
Hall, and not make such a fuss about it. But I cannot do it like that.
Like most other brides, I’ve been planning my wedding since I was
six. I’ve always dreamed of having a magical wedding day, with a pretty
dress and flowers in my hair. Why should I be denied my dream just
because this is happening later in life for me than it does for other
people? OK, so I don’t want to get a dress with a million frills that
makes me look like a giant marshmallow, but I want to be a lovely
bride. I want Gerard and I to have this special day. There are people
who speak a bit derisively about wedding dresses that you only wear
once. I don’t mind having a wedding dress that I only wear once. Just
as long as I can look at the dress after the day and have fond memories
flooding into my head.
So here I am, about to embark on a challenge: planning a dream wedding
on a shoestring budget. I have a feeling that the next year or so
will be a very interesting test of my creativity.
Kaleidoscopically yours,
Kirsten
Comment
On This Article
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Miscellaneous Tips
Tenderize pot roast or stewing meat by using two cups of hot tea as
a cooking liquid.
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We had an pretty good response. Mike’s going to see this and ask me
to keep doing it. Hey, let’s tone it down out there!
Next opening line…
…"So Mike is off having fun"
Hints:
Here’s a great new rhyming/composition tool. http://www.writerhymes.com/
There’s also a great rhyming dictionary at http://www.rhymezone.com/
Limerick rules. http://freespace.virgin.net/merrick.sheldon/limerickrules.htm
Submit
Opening Line
Submit
Limerick
I
sat out some food for the birds
Now I only need to find the words
To describe what ensued
When descended a brood
Of pigeons, who ate, took flight and shat turds.
- Bonnie >^..^< |
I
sat out some food for the birds
And they did arrive in great herds
They picked at the feast
And their bellies increased
Now they’re fat like some online nerds.
- Marsha in Michigan |
I
sat out some food for the birds
Sesame seeds and bean curds
but to my dismay
the birds went astray
It was my cat said "i’m taking thirds"
- John in Oz
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I
sat out some food for the birds
They came back for seconds and thirds
They ate the food with glee.
So how to they thank me?
They covered my head with their turds.
- Anne Onimous |
I
sat out some food for the birds
Instead it was eaten by lizards.
But from up the food chain
Their fatness is their bane
As they become snacks for leopards.
- Anne Onimous |
I
sat out some food for the birds -
The sparrows, chickadees, and jaybirds -
Around me they did flap
Covering me with their crap
Why they’re just a bunch of winged bastards.
- E. Cole Aye |
Extra
Credit |
This is
the time of year none enjoy
For doing my taxes does annoy
So remember this rule
For the IRS’s cruel –
You can’t deduct anything you enjoy.
- E. Cole Aye |
Lately to
my wife I’ve been a turd
But I want us to be love birds
So I’ll take Donna
Out to the opera
And even pick her up afterwards.
- E. Cole Aye |
I wanted
my hair to look boff
Went to my barber who’s a goof-off
“Please take,” I said with tack,
A little off the back.”
So he told me to take my shirt off.
- E. Cole Aye
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Said
the fish, It’s not from eating bait
I’m naturally big due to fate
This may be a cliché,
But it’s my DNA –
My big mass is due to water weight.
- Anne Onimous |
I think
I just made a big oops
My optometrist supports scout troops
But not photography
Not even a trophy
For he does not sponsor focus groups.
- Anne Onimous |
The job
to which that I’ve aspired
I was very recently hired!
But my new boss told me:
With our economy,
If at first you don’t succeed, you’re fired!
- Anne Onimous |
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Re:
World Water Day
Patti asked: Did you even know there is such a thing as World
Water Day?
Yes, I had several notices about it in the mail this year.
Were you aware of the number of deaths attributed to the lack
of fresh water?
Yes, including the news that a simple folded-cloth filter can prevent
cholera.
Do you worry about the world’s water supply?
Yes, major irrigation systems depend on depleting ancient aquifers,
and my previous well was ruined by a fish farm hatchery.
Does it matter if you save gallons of water in Indiana where the
water is plentiful since water is a renewable resource?
I’m not sure about Indiana; there are major variations, but if we
are not careful, there will be more expensive, destructive water diversions.
Several world-class rivers are already seasonal at their salty ends.
Did you know Bruce had fresh water as a side effect to the Marshall
System?
Yes.
Have
you ever lived where water is/was rationed? How much water were you
permitted to use?
In Victoria, BC, lawn watering was restricted. They still have leaky
cedar water mains in several Canadian cities.
What sorts of behaviors did you need to modify? Are there areas
in your own life where you realize you are using more than your "fair
share" of the world’s water?
Here, I worry more about my hot-water use. I use a charcoal filter
to get rid of the agricultural influences in the town water. Soon,
it will be purified better, at considerable cost in energy, and mostly
used on gardens where it does not matter.
Does timing a shower to three-minutes make up for the in-ground
pool in the backyard or is this just a "statement" made
by many of the rich and famous who aren’t thinking clearly?
Short showers slightly mitigate other impacts, but they do more to
assuage a weak conscience cohabiting with impaired numeracy.
When I saw Mono Lake, I thought it was the ugliest example of nature
I’d ever seen. Then I learned that its beauty had been pumped to L.A.
- Bob of the North. (My bath water goes to Hudson’s Bay.)
Re: Cliff and Housing
Between 1956 and today I have lived in
a lot of houses, the early ones were rented. I always had the approval
of the Landlord to plant anything I wanted, and did so. Yes, it cost
a bit, yes, we left behind property improvements, and so what! I was
born with this nagging thing inside me that emerges every year yelling
at me to "Plant Now!" We’ve even dug up chunks of lawns
to make vegetable gardens. The first thing we ever did when moving
into a purchased home was plow up a space for vegetables, and plant
fruit trees. Flowers and shrubs followed. Life changed dramatically
for me in 1990 when we moved here. We bought a house with overgrown
landscaper’s orginal decorative little pine trees so tall they were
laying on the roof. The seller had apparently never heard of pruning,
so an enormous climbing rose had been planted right against the house.
It covered the whole living room picture window (after digging out
all the roots from under the house slab, two fragments of that rose
are now located in an appropriate perennial bed where they bloom profusely).
. A broken down ‘wishing well’ surrounded by 15 foot tall Rose of
Sharon bushes dominated the center of the front lawn. Lilacs had been
planted right on the edge of the road (in front of a fire hydrant),
and overlapping half dead Christmas trees edged a gravel driveway
full of weeds, limbs scraping on cars driving in and out.
The whole place just screamed Help Me! So we did. I seem to be drawn
to places more because the land needs help than the idea that the
house is what we want to live in. We’ve spent sweat and equity turning
the house into better living space, too.
Today all the pines, Rose of Sharon bushes and the what’s that shrubs
are gone. A neat row of dwarf hedge plants border an area of flowering
shrubs and help screen their roots from intense afternoon sun in the
front yard. A maple tree is doing well there, too. In the back yard
the vegetable garden takes up a 25 by 60 foot space along the north
side fence. Border plantings include fruiting and flowering shrubs.
Annuals border the vegetable bed. Altogether, there are seven floral
beds.
We have a problem, though. A maple tree in a neighbor’s yard behind
us has suddenly shot up so tall it blocks the morning sun from reaching
about a third of the vegetable garden. We’ve mused about taking a
few swipes at it since it is growing so close to the back fence we
can reach up and saw off limbs. That neighbor does no gardening at
all. The tree grew as a volunteer seedling from another neighbor’s
tree. We’ve also thought about walking around the block and simply
asking them if they would CARE if we cut down their tree. But they
aren’t there, and haven’t been since their house burned last fall.
A replacement house is currently being built. I am frustrated! Growing
some food has always been a priority - better nutrition, lower grocery
bills, a stocked pantry and freezer. Is it fair to us to have to modify
our lives because of a careless neighbor’s oversight? I have no idea
if previous plantings at former homes are still there. I don’t drive
back and look. If we ever sell this place I will hand the new owners
a list of what is planted where, some pruning shears, loppers and
a garden book - if they don’t have their own. - Nancy L in Ohio
Re: Cliff’s Animal Feeding
The quibbler is back. Someone said that Oprah helped put the
series "Life" together for the Discovery channel. Not Quite.
Sir David Attenborough created and narrated the series for the BBC.
His narration was deleted by Discovery in order subject the US public
to the voice of her majesty, Queen Oprah. Sigorney Weaver was better
in "Planet Earth," but I would have preferred Sir David,
as I remember him from earlier programs, and he and his explanations
are far more authentic. - bob in maryland
You are correct,
Bob. I, too, watched the series on BBC. Most Americans do not get
BBC, so the only reference to the "Life" series is the advertising
they see promoting the edited show. David Attenborough was a magnificent
narrator. — Cliff, The High Tech Redneck
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Disclaimer- All quotes printed in this publication are believed to be
accurately attributed, but no guarantees are made that some incorrectly
attributed, or even outright false quotes won’t get in here from time
to time. I assure readers that I will do my best to weed out incorrect
quotes, and will print a retraction as soon as I become aware of any errors.
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