July top commenter winners!

Wow! First place was close. Surprisingly Harriet (*cough* comment whore) passed Lin, by just 2 comments, even though Lin was on vacation for a week.

Here are the results:

1st Place - Harriet @ I Am Harriet 1000 Entrecard Credits.
2nd Place - Lin @ Duck and Wheel With String 750 Entrecard Credits.
3rd Place - Auntie E @ At Home With Auntie E 500 Entrecard Credits.

Congratulations to the winners! Entrecard Credits will be in your accounts shortly.

Don't forget, I will be awarding my Top Commenters in August!
In case you didn't notice, I upped the ante. 1st place 1000 EC, 2nd place 750 EC and 3rd place 500 EC.

Let the comments begin! (That means comment now.)

Thank you for all the wonderful comments in July! Especially all the warm birthday wishes.

My commenters rock!

Lola's Diner
©2008-2009

TGIF VGNO!

Time For A Question - From Ann

I know where I would rather be right now. I would love to be in Calistoga, CA enjoying Sparkling Wine at Mumm. Then (after the appropriate amount of time ;-> )drive along the winding roads with our top down and the tunes guiding us along. 'What's that? Another winery? Let's visit!' Ahhh, dreamy. Where would you rather be?

Gosh, I would settle for anywhere but here right now. I have to meet my ex at the train and drop off my son, so that means...well, let's just say that means aggravation.

I would like to be in a hotel (I'm not picky, doesn't have to be a luxury hotel, Holiday Inn or Best Western will do). A nice indoor pool (not too many little urchins splashing it up). And enough money to dine in a few nice restaurants (ones that doesn't have paper napkins) during our stay. In a place that's a nice scenic drive from home. That's not asking for too much is it?

We were hoping to have such a getaway in about a week to the Wisconsin State Fair, but it doesn't look like our finances can swing it, so we will be missing yet another year of what was always a family tradition.

Of course a cruise would always be nice...

I'm looking for new topics for my meme, If I Could Blog Back Time Thursdays.
Click here for more information.

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How do you become a regular? Become a Follower!

Come on, all the kewl kids are doin' it!

Lola's Diner

©2008-2009

Topics Needed - If I Could Blog Back Time Thursdays

For each edition of If I Could Blog Back Time Thursdays! We take time out to share memories. We Blog Back Time with possible ways to right past wrongs or about how times have changed. We share childhood memories, school/work memories, family and friend memories.

I'm soliciting topics for future If I Could Block Back Time Thursdays. Please post your topic idea in the comments.

As an incentive, I will award 100 Entrecard Credits for each new idea I use. (Yes, that's right, I've upped the ante. I used to give only 50. But hey, I'm all generous like that.)
I will also give linky love on the If I Could Blog Back Time Thursdays' post your topic is used, and where I post the topic in advance.

What are you waiting for? Let's hear your topic ideas!

Thank you!
Lola's Diner
©2008-2009

If I Could Blog Back Time Thursdays - Worst Dating Disasters

Come join me for this week's edition. Post yours and comeback and sign up with MckLinky.

This Thursday's topic is: Worst Dating Disaster -

Come on, even Lola has had a few dating disasters, what about you? Was it a blind date? Was it your date or the venue? Did you ever date that person again?

I've had a few doosies! One I can't even clean up to make it PG-13. Well, that and I don't want to divulge any ah, er, ahem, lesbian dating secrets, after having taken the oath and all. Let me start out by saying nearly all of my dates had been blind dates, unless someone provided a photo. I always tried to not have any preconceived ideas and I had always been a person more interested in personality and what's on the inside. (Really!)

So, on to one of my straight worst dating disasters. I put an ad in The Chicago Reader in the Personals. I met most dates at coffee shops. This one in particular, I drove out to Ryan's (not his real name) mommy's house in bum flippin egypt.

Here are the stats on Ryan - early 30's, big guy, bragged about owning a new Honda Civic (like that's a plus?), still lived at home with mommy, and he said he looked like a cross between Bruce Willis and Billy Crystal. Oh and yes, he was unemployed. He was a talker. He monopolized my every waking minute from his first contact, until the date. That should have tipped me off. I can't tell you how many times he told me about his celebrity looks. He also talked a lot about his hair and how he was getting scalp treatments. (I had visions of that Dick Van Dyke Show episode - I'd Rather Be Bald Than Have No Head At All.)

Date night was the night of the All Star Game. We were going to have dinner at his place (his mommy's place) and watch the game. If I had to describe what he looked like, picture a grown up Lumpy Rutherford from "Leave It To Beaver". (I Googled "Frank Bank", the actor who played Lumpy. Knock off 10 years, lose the goat-tee, and thin the hair quite a bit, and you've pretty much got Ryan back when I met him.)

The date...Ryan was cooking fish that he caught himself. Along with potatoes. (In the same pan.) He cooked it 2 inches of oil, in a cast iron skillet on the outdoor grill because he didn't want to smell up his mommy's house. The minute I saw it, I kept trying to think of how to get out of eating it. I partied a bit too much the night before and the thought of that oil and the smell of that fish just about put me over the edge. I don't know how I did it, but I managed 1 bite. One very slippery, fishy bite. He saw the look on my face and immediately jumped to the conclusion that I hated it. Oh no, I'm not going to subject myself to any more of his culinary skills! I'm not proud of it...but I faked sick. I said I hadn't been feeling well all day, made my apologies and then tried to make a quick exit. I was very polite. He followed me to my car. Oh the look on his face! Then he says something like "If you don't like balding guys then why did you agree to this date?" Oh my, that was it, I locked the doors, started the car and drove off. Of course he called me for several days after that, but I didn't answer.

The guy just seemed off. He was preoccupied with his hair, he had serious self esteem issues and there was just something about him that screamed stalker. It wasn't the balding. It really wasn't even the embellishment about his looks.

I just remembered one lesbian dating disaster that I can tell. Click over to my other blog, Fire Crotch Rocket.

Please post your "Worst Dating Disaster" on your blog. Then come back to Lola's Diner and leave the actual post link here. Please grab the html code for If I Could Blog Back Time Thursdays! Badge HERE.

Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!

IF YOU SEE THAT MckLinky APPEARS TO NOT BE WORKING, PLEASE POST A LINK TO YOUR "Worst Dating Disaster" IN THE COMMENTS TO MAKE SURE WE ARE AWARE OF YOUR PARTICIPATION. THANK YOU!



PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS MckLinky IS STRICTLY FOR 'IF I COULD BLOG BACK TIME THURSDAYS' PARTICIPANTS ONLY.
ANY OTHER LINKS WILL BE DELETED WITHOUT PREJUDICE!

Lola's Diner
©2008-2009

Controversy over Wikipedia

Have you seen this article? A Rorschach Cheat Sheet on Wikipedia? - NY Times. Actually, Wikipedia must have added this content within the last year or so, because when our daughter took the test I wanted to see what the ink blots were. The reason that I wanted to look was because I was in the next room and I overheard some of her answers. I was curious to see what she could have been describing. No, I'm not going to divulge what I overheard. It was quite disturbing, given that this exam was given well after she had some stability in her illness.

As far as anyone saying this is wreckless and some people may memorize the test and thus skew the results, I think that's a bit ridiculous. If a person is ill enough that the Rorschach Test is being administered to develop a diagnosis, they may not even have the cognitive ability to recall reading that content. Due to their illness they may not be able to override what their true impressions are of the ink blots. And let's not forget that the person administering the test is also noting the behavior of the individual while being tested. (Hand gesturing, etc.) Also, any responsible psychologist will use a number of diagnostic tests and tools to diagnose an individual. There are a ton of tests. For a list, click here. Tests such as:

Intelligence tests

WISC-IV (Wechsler Intell Scale for Children)
WISC-R (Wechsler Intell Scale for Children - Revised)
WAIS-III (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale – III)
WAIS-R (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale – Revised)
Woodcock-Johnson Psychoeduca Battery (Achievement)

Neuropsychological tests

Cognistat
Neuropsychological Impairment Scale

Personality tests

Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), or the revised MMPI-2, composed of several hundred “yes or no” questions
Rorschach (the “inkblot test”), composed of several cards of inkblots—you simply give a description of the images and feelings you experience in looking at the blots.

The MMPI or MMPI-2 are commonly given at the beginning of any hospitalizations for psychiatric evaluation.

I'm all too familiar with many of the tests listed and will soon become familiar with a few more, as our daughter must undergo more testing for the care grant I am applying for and most tests cannot be re-taken within a certain prescribed amount of time.

P.S. - In case you were wondering, that's a plain old ink splat. (That is unless you see something completely different. Lol!)

Lola's Diner
©2008-2009

Human Award - Thank you!

I received the "Human Award" from Baba @ Baba's Farm Life. Baba, thank you for the award, it was so kind of you.

The "Humane Award" rules are as follows:
"The Humane Award honors certain bloggers that I feel are kindhearted individuals. They regularly take part in my blog and always leave the sweetest comments. If it wasn’t for them, my site would just be an ordinary blog.

Their blogs are also amazing and are tastefully done on a daily basis. I thank them and look forward to our growing friendships through the blog world.

Link back to the person who gifted you with the award and share the love with other bloggers.”

I will pass this award on (in no particular order) to:
Auntie E @ At Home With Auntie E.
Lin @ Duck And Wheel With String.
Stephany @ Soulful Sepulcher.
Rita @ Look It's Megryansmom.
Patricia @ Subjective Soup.

Lola's Diner
©2008-2009

i love targhay!

In my previous post I mentioned that Anastasia got me the exact watch same watch as my previous watch. (Because that is exactly what I wanted.) I took the new one to have some links removed and decided I would have those links added to the old beat up watch, have a new battery installed and give it to our son.

After golf we went back to Targhay to have the links added to the old watch and a new battery installed. It was supposed to cost $3.99 or $4.99 for the new battery. No big deal. Well, the clerk who was installing the battery broke my old watch. So they went to the floor, grabbed the same watch new and told me they would send my old beat up watch back as defective. They adjusted this new replacement watch for my son and now he also has a brand spanking new watch.

And bonus, they didn't charge me anything.

Lucky day! Too bad I don't have any money to go on the boats.

Lola's Diner
©2008-2009

a belated thank you

Thank you to everyone who made my birthday on Friday special. It was really great to see my inbox fill with well wishes throughout the day and throughout the weekend.

And to a certain very creative commenter...
You only get credits for the July Top Commenter contest under your name. You do get bonus pally points for creativity though.

What did I do to celebrate, besides VGNO, BlogNerd Bash and BlogHop 09? Not a lot. Anastasia popped a roast in the crock pot before heading out for her caregiver gig. While I VGNO'd, BlogNerd Bashed and BlogHop 09'd I got to watch my kids play video games on the big screen tv. (I can't tell you how much I enjoy that. Really! I can't!)

I got a little dyke bling. I got a new Timex Expedition watch that I love. (Yes, it's exactly the same as my old watch that I've had forever. Only this new one is bright and shiny and working and not scratched and pitted and needing a battery. I love it. I asked for it. And I got it!)

No birthday cake and ice cream. :( But the kids did bring me back a funnel cake after they left a local festival. I took a pass on joining them because I was having a worse than usual back day. Kind of sorry I missed it though. Anastasia talked them into going on the ferris wheel. She said she about wet herself laughing at the looks on their faces as they went round on the ferris wheel. Damn! I miss all the good stuff.

Lola's Diner
©2008-2009