Rupe's Value Added Services .....

Guest Post: Tara Shrodes

2012-01-31T00:01:00.000-08:00

Operation Occupy Rupe's Blog

I bumped into Tara on-line on the American Idol site years ago along with a group of like-minded individuals where we waxed and waned about the show. For the last year and a half we've been co-writing a couple columns, CommercialClack and MusiClack on CliqueClack. Among other accolades, Tara was the recipient of a Michigan Emmy in 1991 for Best Talent in a Non-News category for her work on Club Connect, a national PBS show.

Ladies and Gentlemen?

May I present Tara Shrodes ...

.......................... Ruprecht ( STOP )

I'm late to this game, mostly because of Real Life constantly creeping in and keeping me from sitting down to actually write about my thoughts and every day experiences, rather that just reacting to them willy nilly.

As I've been thinking about my contribution to my friend Michael's blog, I went over and over the many things I have rolling around my head each day that I could write about. A Mother with Alzheimer's disease? My part time job, where women talk to me everyday about the troubles and tribulations in their lives? The death of my cat, whom I considered my child? How much I hate it when I pull out of a parking space and no one is around, yet I almost crash into someone speeding behind me at the last moment? (Where do they come from anyway?) My fascination with Awards shows? My feelings about losing my radio job and the horrifying economy?

Yech. Why would you care about those things?

You read blogs and give up a valuable few minutes of your day to escape from your own stuff. We all have stuff.

So I'm not really going to go into anything in my personal life. But as you can tell from my mood, I need a good rant. And I'm hoping that sometimes, it's as cathartic to read one as it is to write one. 'Cause then, we're in a win/win situation. I've always liked those. Let's get started!

Recently, I got into a series of discussions with a friend of mine who happens to be of the male persuasion. We got to talking about the many differences between men and women; what each worries (or doesn't) about, how we communicate and deal with the complexities of being polar opposites.

Inevitably, we strayed to the topic of the manner in which men and women are portrayed in the media. Okay. I might have pushed it. After all it's one of my hotbed issues, and here's why ...

Thin! Way too thin! What's up with that? The average woman is a size fourteen, yet from the moment we become cognizant as people, women are constantly bombarded with the media telling us we're "not right." We're told we must look like this model or that one. We need bigger boobs. We need flat stomachs. We need big hair. We need perfect nails and faces free of (God forbid) a wrinkle or laugh line. We need liposuction or plastic surgery. We must entice and enthrall!

Our eyelashes are too short! Our thighs are too big. Our asses are massive.

And if you age?? Well, shame on you.

It's a kazillion dollar industry. Designed to make us women buy into feeling less and spending more.

And somehow? They have us believing.

That we should be a size zero. What??? A size zero weighs about ninety-seven pounds. Is that a good thing to encourage women to do? Is that healthy or smart? What is this obsession the media has about wanting women to be as small as possible and young forever? When I was teaching, I actually had my little girl students come up to me and tell me that weren't finishing their lunches because they were "fat." Grr! And where do you think they got this idea? Yep. From television and film and ads and billboards and peer pressure. It's become an expected and natural "norm."

Besides a very, very few actresses ... Hollywood and the entertainment industry in general shuns women over the age of thirty-five. And you hardly ever see a "fat" actress.Yet? Male actors with paunches and wrinkles and bald pates are everywhere. There's just not the same kind of pressure on men in society to look perfect. When a man gets old, he's "distinguished and handsome." When a guy is young, he's a stud and has his pick. (Of only beautiful and skinny girls, please.)

So after I said pretty much the above to my guy buddy, he pointed out that it's actually in part our fault as women that this is happening to us. His theory is that we should tell everyone we're ten years older than we are (for more compliments) and just stop paying attention to the lot of it. Walk away. Snip snap. Get over it. Easy peasy.

Sigh. So typical. But a part of me wondered ... wouldn't it be nice? It's impossible, considering the bombardment. But maybe, in this case a woman should be more like a man.

Maybe he's right.

But I'll never admit it.

And now? I'm going to eat an eighty calorie yogurt. Even though I want a package of cookies.

Guest Post: Brittany Frederick

2012-01-29T20:01:00.000-08:00

Operation Occupy Rupe's Blog

Brittany Frederick is an entertainment and sports journalist as well as a fellow colleague. As you can see from her many gigs (below), she is way too busy, follows Dan Le Batard for a reason I have yet to determine and boasts an unhealthy interest in Adam Levine of Maroon 5. You can find her work not only at CliqueClack and CliqueClack Flicks but also Digital Airwaves | Starpulse | Examiner | Fanbolt | Bleacher Report | eSports and Yahoo!

Ladies and Gentlemen?

May I present Brittany Frederick ...

.......................... Ruprecht ( STOP )

As a child, with my head stuck in the pages of comic books, I had a different taste in superheroes. My favorite was Christopher Chance, aka Human Target. He didn’t have any superpowers or even a costume, but he was really good at what he did. I admired that because it felt real to me. I wasn’t going to get a Batmobile or learn to fly, but it wasn’t a stretch to think that I could put in a lot of hard work (and some bruises) and save the day.

Obviously, I never became a superhero (although I did get to meet Christopher Chance himself when FOX launched a Human Target TV series starring Mark Valley). But I’ve realized something about myself recently: I’ve become a hero in my own way.

Sure, being an entertainment journalist is a far cry from stepping in front of a bullet; I know that first-hand, having been steps away from joining the Los Angeles Police Department a few years ago. Yet over the course of the last eleven years, I’ve been privileged to not only meet but learn from an amazing group of people, and then to turn around and reach out a helping hand to others.

I look at the people who’ve become part of my life and I can’t believe that I’m so lucky. It’s one thing to discover a new favorite TV series (that was Brotherhood), but another to count the man who created and wrote it (Blake Masters) as one of my friends, and have him invite me to call him up if I ever wanted to talk about the show. He’s not the only writer I’ve gotten a chance to learn from. Law & Order: UK scribes Emilia di Girolamo and Terry Cafolla are pals of mine who not only discussed the episodes with me as they aired, but sent me a copy of one of their scripts so I could study it. Aaron Sorkin wrote me a very sweet note that’s framed in my office. And Human Target creator Jon Steinberg emailed me personally to tell me how much he enjoyed my writing about his show.

One of my dearest friends is the truly talented actor Coby Bell of Burn Notice and The Game, who’s supported me just as much as I’ve been a fan of his. Coby and many other actors have given me a whole new appreciation for the craft. Law & Order: UK star Ben Daniels has given me plot ideas for my novels. Nikita star Shane West is someone I have a deep respect for, as he’s made me a better writer through our conversations about his work. Last year, I had coffee with my childhood favorite actor, Linden Ashby, and we email each other often. In October, I spent an hour picking the brain of my all-time favorite actor, Robert Patrick, because he invited me to. And I count as friends two more people I’d put on my all-time list: Suits stars Gabriel Macht and Patrick J. Adams. Not only has it been eye-opening to watch them work, but both of them were happy to spend time with me and share their views. I’ll never forget the most recent conversation I had with Gabriel, where he was actually asking me about my writing. It was humbling, awesome, and lo and behold, talking it out with him ended up giving me more ideas. I still think I wouldn’t be a very good actor myself, but I’m a student of the craft thanks to all of the knowledge I’ve had the chance to glean.

When I decided last year to take up music, it was because I was inspired by the best – and I can say the people who inspired me are the same people who have helped me. Grammy Award-winning musician Adam Levine is my hero, but he’s also become my mentor, because I’ve gotten to know him. There were so many talented performers that I met on The Voice, and I can reach out to any one of them when I need help. Tim Mahoney and Casey Desmond gave me advice and encouragement when I auditioned for the show’s second season. Beverly McClellan invited me out when she played my hometown of San Diego, and as we were sitting in the green room, told me how happy she was that I was there. Nakia had his publicist specifically call me up because he knew he wanted to work with me. Jeff Jenkins turned the tables on me and told me how much he enjoyed me interviewing him. Blake Shelton encouraged me not to give up on my aspirations. And that’s all before we get to Jesse Macht, who started out as “the brother of one of my favorite actors,” and has since become a good friend and an inspiration to me as a musician. When I pick up my guitar, I do so knowing that I’m surrounded by remarkable musicians. Some people dream of playing with world-famous bands; I dream about playing with Jesse or singing with Adam and know that it could actually happen someday.

I have the opportunity every day to become a better person because these people have welcomed me into their lives. It’s a mind-blowing thing to know that I have people I can turn to for nearly anything I’m doing – and not just any people, but people I consider to be the best at what they do, many of whom I was a fan of well before we ever met. I talk to some of them regularly and some of them not so regularly, but they’ve all taught me something, and I know they all support me.

And thanks to them, I’ve found my opportunity to save the day. I have the power (and the means) to help other artists, actors and writers – to tell their stories. I’ve had some of those same people use quotes from my articles in their press releases and on their websites. I’ve been called “sweet” and “genuine,” “heartfelt,” and someone’s hero. I’ve had more than one person tell me how they appreciate my help in bringing awareness to their work or the things about which they’re passionate. I’ve been somebody’s first call, and that always makes me smile. I’m in a position where I don’t have to concern myself with hits or headlines. Whenever I get an email or a phone call of thanks, or have someone tell me they discovered something they love because I said something about it, that’s what makes my day. It might not be earth-shattering, but I know for certain that I’ve made a difference in people’s lives. That’s how I’ve gotten to be a hero after all.

Sure, I wouldn’t mind having a Batcave or being able to move things with my mind. But I get up every day and know that I have the support of my hero and that many of the people whom I’ve admired are now the same ones that I call friends. Aspirations have been attained and others made that suddenly seem plausible. It might not be glamorous but I’m living a life that I could only have dreamed of, and I continue to learn and love every day. Not bad for a comic book geek from a small town.

SOPA ... or Mayans?

2012-01-19T00:00:00.000-08:00

Whoa.

Was that whole SOPA thing for real ... or was it more shenanigans from those Mayans ... ???

.......................... Ruprecht ( STOP )

Rupe's Value Added Services Goes On Strike

2012-01-18T00:00:00.000-08:00

The regularly scheduled programming for this site has been temporarily postponed as it blacks out in solidarity with thousands of other sites across the internet today, requesting all to contact Congress in an effort to kill the web censorship bill SOPA and PIPA.

Click on Mr. Burns above and get involved..

.......................... Ruprecht ( STOP )

Dogwood's No More

2012-01-16T06:01:00.000-08:00

Dogwood's, I was surprised to find last Saturday, is closing its doors for good.

I was shocked. I was just there a couple weeks ago to pick up some things. Everything seemed normal at the time ... vibrant ... busy. Customers were bustling in the aisles, inspecting fruit, loading up on spinach, comparing onions.

But the signs outside the store were definitive: "Closing Our Doors" is what they said glaringly on white banners with red letters. Time to go.

Dogwood's in Monrovia, CA was a community store selling produce, breads and specialty items. They had a deli specializing in interesting ethnic foods. Exotic breads were available. A salad bar. Baklava. Pickled this and marinated that. Sauces. Spices. Fresh roasted nuts. Cookies. Strange sodas.

All of it ... now gone. If I go there today, they're stripping the innards out of the place. Very sad.

The attraction of Dogwood's was the interesting and fantastic array of produce you could acquire. And for a song. Literally.

Brussel's sprouts available at Ralph's down the street for $1.99/lb. (more at times) were a mere 25¢/lb at Dogwood's. Caulifower? Not $1.99 a pound, 99¢ each ... and quite often twice the size of the ones purchased at the usual grocer's. Cherries for $1.50/lb, not $5.99/lb ... and Rainier cherries, too.

I used to love getting freshly roasted pumpkin seeds there. (I'm a pumpkin seed freak.) Pounds of spinach for creamed spinach. Squash at an insane price comparable no where else for miles and miles around.

There was an outside seating with a Hookah pipe for the gentlemen as the ladies shopped inside, complete with a "No Smoking" sign etched into the glass right beside it. (I never partook, but what a cool little distraction at a community market.)

I sought out the proprietor of the place, an amiable and smiling Persian fellow by the name Ali Baba. (No ... I'm not kidding.) He redesigned the place to his needs before he originally moved in, but found it too small for his ultimate needs. It was 5,000 square feet of building and he really needed twice that. He had sold it to some Asian investors and was in process of looking for another, larger location in Pasadena. I pumped his hand, told him a tale or two of my experiences in the place (all good) and that he and the store would be greatly missed when all was said and done. He thanked me and gave me leave to shoot some of the -photos you see here.

There wasn't much left in Dogwood's when I went in Sunday afternoon. I bought a couple bags of red pears (why in the world were there still red pears left ... ?!?), cranberries and Fuji apples.

The wind - so long fluttering in the sails of the store for years - had been taken out of Dogwood's ... and I'm going to miss it dearly.

................... Ruprecht ( STOP )

Guest Post: Marie Watterlond

2012-01-07T00:01:00.000-08:00

Operation Occupy Rupe's Blog

Marie (also known as "mehitabel") says:

"Blogging since 2006 on topics ranging from knitting and quilting to cats and grandkids and travel. Started the second blog a couple of years ago (too lazy to look it up) as part of the Project 365 challenge, which I'm once again embarking on. I spent my first 20 years in Mass. then came to California for a year to teach in L.A. That turned into *cough* quite a few more years here after I met and married Himself. I've had an eclectic working life--taught, sold real estate, got a law degree, worked for EarthLink, Vroman's, and the TC school district, as well as the quilt shop. Been teaching quiltmaking for over 20 years now. I love books, cats and dogs, traveling and learning new stuff. Working on reviving my French for a trip to France later this year, planning to go East to my grandson's HS graduation and my college reunion."

I've had the pleasure of not only meeting Marie, but rescuing her phone, too. You can see her shenanigans on her blog mehitabel's musings as well as her photography at Mehitabel 365.

Ladies and Gentlemen?

May I present Marie Watterlond ...

.......................... Ruprecht ( STOP )

Food. Comfort.

When you think of "comfort food" what comes to your mind? Oh, I know what the foodie media associates with comfort food--usually it's the rich, creamy, starchy, heavy stuff. Or maybe they expect you to feed your "soul" on boiled greens and fatty ribs. Perhaps it's pasta slathered in Alfredo sauce. The chocolate pudding your mom used to whip up.

Generally, we find "comfort" in familiar foods, the kind that we grew up on. But what if your mom was a terrible cook? Then what? My mother was. Terrible, I mean. Part of it was my dad and the things he'd eat or not eat. Part of it was the times I grew up in, and the place. New England in the 40's and 50's (soo last millenium!) was hard living. Fresh food was abundant in the summer, when we could grow tomatoes, green beans, onions, pick fruit and berries off trees and wild bushes, and we'd make the most of it, canning what we couldn't eat right away. That would take us through the winter pretty well. But gourmet? Or even palatable?

I grew up on plain food. Potatoes were peeled and boiled and served plain. Meat was pan-fried most of the time, and cooked to within an inch of recognizability. Then I got older and got out in the world a bit. What a revelation it was that a person could put ketchup on meat loaf! Casseroles--mac n' cheese, tuna-noodle with crumbled potato chips on top. Spaghetti with "real" sauce, not a jar of canned tomatoes and some boiled ground beef. Parmesan cheese!

As sometimes happens, I found myself a married lady with children, and by default I was the chief cook (as well as the bottle washer, but that's a story for another day). Determined not to saddle my growing family with the hideous food I'd grown up on, and blessed with an adventurous husband, I started reading cookbooks and following recipes. (About that husband. He told me before we were married that there were only two foods he wouldn't eat, plain white rice and boiled ham. It developed that there were one hell of a lot of foods he'd never tasted or even thought about eating.)

Turned out that I was a pretty decent cook, and living in SoCal where fresh food was available pretty much year-round really helped. I even was able to adapt a couple of old family favorites to something my kids would eat. Take what my mom called Chinese Dish. It's a shepherd's pie, folks, with ground beef, green peas, creamed corn and mashed potatoes layered together and then baked till it's hot through and has a nice crust on the top. Amazing what using frozen tiny peas and actually seasoning the ground beef can do for a dish!

Anyway, one point of this essay (I generally get to the point sooner or later, usually later if no one stops me) is to share what is probably one of my kids, and their kids and everyone I've ever been to a potluck with, favorite recipes. It's called Cranberry Pie, but it's really more of a cobbler or buckle or slump or grunt or...well, you get the idea. No crust, no rolling out, no fuss, no muss, not much bother. Mr. Rupe will vouch for its tastiness.

Cranberry Pie (recipe from a La Leche League cookbook, circa 1971)

Preheat oven to 325. Butter a 10" pie plate (or an 8.5" x 11" baking dish) and put in it:

2 c, fresh cranberries (I just use a bag from the market. Sometimes they are fresh, sometimes I've frozen them. Either way works.)

1/2 c or so of walnut pieces

Sprinkle this with 1/4 cup or so of sugar.

Melt (in the microwave works well) 1/2 cup of butter or margarine (that's 1 stick; I use the stick I used to butter the pan) with

1/4 cup of vegetable oil.

In mixer bowl, beat 2 eggs well. Add 1 c sugar and 1 c flour, then drizzle in the melted butter/oil mixture. Beat it thoroughly. Pour this mixture over the berries and nuts, bake it at 325 for an hour or until the center is set and the whole thing is nice and brown. If your berries were frozen, it may take an extra 5 to 10 minutes.

You can cut this like a pie. It's especially good warm--let it cool for half an hour or so before cutting into it. That's usually enough time to get to the potluck! You can top it with ice cream or whipped cream if you like, but it's not necessary. It also makes a great breakfast food the next day or two.

No calorie count given, and as with many foods that are meant to comfort the body and the soul, none are really needed. Take an extra walk around the block, or spend a few more minutes on the treadmill. It's worth it.

(P.S. I've had a piece of Marie's cranberry pie fresh baked. It was fantastic. - Ruprecht)

Guest Post: Nyela

2012-01-05T00:01:00.000-08:00

Operation Occupy Rupe's Blog

I'm pretty certain I "met" Nyela on-line during season 5 of American Idol along with a slew of other wiseacres who regularly blathered about the goings on of Taylor Hicks, Elliott Yamin, Chris Daughtry and other contestants. She's caused me little relief from consternation and laughter over those years. But I forgive her.

For some reason known only to her, Nyela continues to be an acquaintance of mine and even comments frequently on my CliqueClack posts and at other other social sites.

Ladies and Gentlemen?

May I present Nyela ...

.......................... Ruprecht ( STOP )

“Hey, whatta ya want from me? I did my best.”

Okay, I may be old, and I may be cranky, but this defense [?] of shoddy effort irks me to no end. I’ve heard this too many times from too many deadbeats, and I am looking for the perfect one-line response. Any suggestions? Here are some I have used:

I’d hate to see your worst. [Old standby.]
Are you spelling “best” m-e-s-s? [Worked better when people could spell.]
I’ll do my best not to laugh at that. [Immediately followed by maniacal laughter.]

Usually I just shake my head and walk away. Anyone willing to claim total failure as their best effort should be pitied. Or maybe they have never seen someone truly trying to do something their “best”.

Hattie McDaniel was one of the first black actors to earn a living at it. Condemned on one side for not knowing “her place” and the other for playing “Uncle Tom”, she had a simple response: “I did my best and let God do the rest.” Many a temporary celebrity today could learn from Hattie’s best.

I happen to know a young couple, Marc & Mandy, who are learning a lot right now about doing their best. [Marc tells their story in his own words at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/quinnseymour] As caregivers for their four month old daughter with the rare disease EB, they daily do their very best to change her neck-to-toe bandages without causing more damage to her already devastated skin. Fear that their best will not be good enough is a constant companion.

The next time someone lies to me about doing their best, I’ll think of Hattie, I’ll think of Quinn, and I’ll do my best to not slap that person. If I’m lucky, maybe I’ll fail.

~ Nyela

Guest Post: William Tubb

2012-01-02T00:01:00.000-08:00

Operation Occupy Rupe's Blog

I've known the esteemed Mr. Tubb for years on-line. Many of you will know him better as bronsont. He's the best of eggs.

On most Fridays you can hear him calling out his beloved lobster bisque for lunch, causing all within earshot jealousy we're not with him during this particular repast. We all drool a bit, grumble a lot and then go about our business ... albeit a bit sadder.

Regarding a bio, Mr. Tubb declined, instead stating only this about his post below: "Just tell 'em it was a dare & they should learn from this to never make a dare."

Ladies and Gentlemen?

May I present Mr. William Tubb ...

.......................... Ruprecht ( STOP )

Last week, by happenstance, I was made aware of Operation #OccupyRupe’sBlog. Naturally I immediately began making as many snarky comments as possible to our good buddy Rupe, offering my assistance, but in areas he could not possibly accept. Well we all know Rupe isn’t one to be trifled with, and he immediately called my bluff challenging me to present my offering or zip it!

I proposed a posting on the Bonus Depreciation available to taxpayers in tax year 2011. Now I ask you, who in their right mind would allow such to be included in their pride and joy of a Blog? The answer to that is simple … Rupe!

Being a hillbilly of the first order, fresh from the foothills of the Smokeys of Tennessee, and having consumed copious quantities of both Rolling Rock and moonshine, although seldom in the same glass at the same time, I am a very perceptive fellow. I felt the average reader of Rupe’s fine publication would give something less that rapt attention to a dissertation of Bonus Depreciation. What to do? What to do? What to do?

After several days studiously pondering the question, and several sessions of Rolling Rock/Moonshine consumption & fortification the answer came to me. The handling of Cancellation of Debt Income on the Federal Form 1040!

In today’s hard economic times, and in today’s horrendous housing market, I see several clients each year showing up at my desk with those pesky 1099-A and 1099-C documents in hand with the question, “Are these

things important?” The simple answer is, Hell Yes! The forms 1099-A and 1099-C notify the IRS that you, the taxpayer, had something happen in your life which, absent an explanation from you, the IRS assumes was a taxable event.

These events can be triggered by several things. You have all seen television commercials with the spokesperson offering to help you beat the terrible credit card company to their knees and get you relief from both the usurous interest charged and the principal debt on your credit cards. When the bank or credit card issuer agrees to forgive all or a portion of the debt you owe, BAM taxable event. You all know someone who is short selling or has lost their real estate to foreclosure, BAM taxable event. In essence what has happened is the lending institution paid you money, allowing you to pay off your debt, and that good friends is income.

Also ANYTIME that you have a foreclosure or repossession TWO separate and distinct things happen:

a. you may or may not have taxable cancellation of debt income
b. you ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS have a “deemed sale” of the property involved and need to account for it being sold on the tax return. Either by schedule D or form 4797 whatever is appropriate for the type of property. Remember the term “deemed sale” as it is important.

Let us consider several situations:

1. Taxpayer gets a 1099-C only for something not involving repossession or foreclosure:

Assuming this is a non-business bad debt it must generally be included as income on line 21 (Other Income) of the taxpayers tax return unless you can exclude it using the insolvency option.

A. Go over your financial status if it appears you are insolvent; fill out an “insolvency worksheet”. You need accurate numbers NOT estimates and that includes any sums you have in retirement plans. (see the page about insolvency worksheets for more detail)

B. After completing the insolvency worksheet you now need to review it to ensure it is complete. You then need to fill in the “Statement of Income from Discharge of Debt” (this statement is included in my software

package, but I can’t honestly say if it is in popular individual packages like Turbo Tax or Tax Cut. I would suggest seeing a professional if you find yourself in this situation, the cost of doing it wrong could be much higher than the cost of a tax professional, but if you feel comfortable with the concept, see the page about that statement for more details)

C. Once you have it, you need use that data to fill in the form 982

D. You now also need to complete a “Federal Statement” that details what you did and what attributes were reduced and by how much

E. Any amounts not excluded must then be included in income on line #21 Other Income and added to your total income.

2. Taxpayer gets a 1099-C or combination of 1099-A and 1099-C for their personal residence.

This scenario assumes that ALL of the debt owed on this home was “qualified mortgage debt”. If not the issue is more complicated. If so this is the easiest of all scenarios to do a return for because it falls under the provisions of the “2007 Mortgage Debt Forgiveness Act”.

I. If the home was not repossessed but the bank simply reduced the amount that the taxpayer owed to them to get the payments down.

A. Fill in form 982 line 10b with the amount of debt forgiven. The only attribute that needs to be reduced is the basis of the home (line 10b)

B. You now also need to complete a “Federal Statement” that details what you did and that the basis of the principal residence was reduced from X to Y. It would also be used to explain any combo of 1099-A and 1099-C if that occurred.

II. If the home was repossessed:

A. There are no attributes to be reduced since the taxpayer no longer owns the home as of the beginning of the next tax year

B. You need to account for either a 1099A or a 1099 C to show the sale. Usually this is done on a schedule D if there is a profit then you can add a line showing a section 121 exclusion (assuming they qualify). The section 121 exclusion is the $250,000 if single, or $500,000 if married filing jointly of profit on the sale of a primary residence which is tax free if the house has been owned by the taxpayer and used as a primary residence for at least 2 years of the 5 years before the sale. If you have a loss on the sale, it is a non-deductible personal loss. You cannot assume the IRS knows this is a personal home that is not taxable you must account for the sale somewhere on the return.

C. You will also need to complete a “Federal Statement” detailing what you did. It would also be used to explain any combo of the 1099-A and 1099-C if that occurred.

NOTE: Remember Qualified Mortgage Debt (QMD) is ONLY that debt that is incurred to Buy, Build or improve the home. For example;

a. Someone buys a home for 200,000 and has a 150,000 mortgage on it. That is all QMD.
b. When their Mortgage balance is down to 125,000 they refinance and now have a mortgage of 195,000 because they used the extra money for trips or whatever. Only 125,000 of that 195,000 is qualified mortgage debt,
c. When their Mortgage balance is 125,000 they hit the lottery and pay off the mortgage. Several years later their finances have eroded and they need cash so they refinance the home for 200,000. NONE of this amount is QMD.
d. When their mortgage balance is 125,000 they refinance the home for 200,000 to put an addition on. The addition cost 55,000. Their QMD is 180,000 other 20,000 of debt is not QMD.

3. Special case - Taxpayer gets a 1099-C or combination of 1099-A and 1099-C for their personal residence BUT they have non QMD debt that was forgiven.

The important thing to realize here is that any NON QMD amount is always taxed first. Any remaining amount can be disposed of using the “2007 Mortgage Debt Forgiveness Act”. For example:

a. A taxpayer had a 300,000 mortgage on a home that was foreclosed on. The FMV of the home foreclosed on was given as 170,000. Of the 300,000 mortgage debt only 160,000 was QMD. This means the taxpayer has 130,000 of COD income. Because the non-QMD portion of their mortgage was 140,000 that means NONE of the COD income is excludable under the “2007 Mortgage Debt Forgiveness Act”. You need to use insolvency to get them out of any COD income taxation.

b. Same case but the QMD portion was 220,000 and the non QMD 80,000. They still have 130,000 of COD income but in this case you can exclude 50,000 using “2007 Mortgage Debt Forgiveness Act” and the

remainder using insolvency using two for 982’s –OR- you can elect to use insolvency only for the entire amount if that works out the same or better for the client

You would complete the return using the methods already outlined in #2 and/or #4.

4. Any other property that was foreclosed on or repossessed including rental real estate:

A. Go over your financial status if it appears you are insolvent, then fill in the “insolvency worksheet”. You need accurate numbers NOT estimates and that includes any sums you have in retirement plans. (see page on insolvency worksheets for more detail)

B. When you complete the insolvency worksheet you now need to review it to ensure it is complete. You then need to fill in the “Statement of Income from Discharge of Debt” (see page on that statement for more details)

C. Once you have that, you need to use that data to fill in the form 982

D. You also need to account for the “deemed” sale of the property on a schedule D or form 4797 whatever is appropriate.

E. You now also need to complete a “Federal Statement” that details what you did and what attributes were reduced and by how much. I would also mention how the “deemed sale” was accounted for on this statement.

5. Special Case – Foreclosure and COD income based on a rental property

You do not always have to try to exclude COD income. If a taxpayer has a rental property foreclosed on and he has lost a lot of money on it, it might be simpler to enter the COD income as rental income (and not even

try to get the taxable income exclusion) then sell the property as you would normally using the form 4797. The end result is often the same with less hassle and less cost. You can try it both ways there is often little or

no difference in the end result. And…yes you would need a “Federal Statement” to explain the 1099C disposition and tell how you entered it as income on the Sch E.

Insolvency Worksheet

The IRS allows taxpayers to exclude from income any amount of cancellation of debt income(COD) that exceeds their net worth just before the COD occurred.

Assuming that you are in this situation, you need an idea of just how much tax might be due. I will usually do the easy part of the return first saving this till last. I then enter the COD on line 21 or Sch C or Sch E

wherever it might properly go. This shows what will be owed IF you do not try to minimize this income.

To determine insolvency you need to fill out the insolvency worksheet that lists ALL of your assets and liabilities immediately before the date of the cancellation. You cannot do this quickly. You will need to do your homework and enter the data in an orderly manner and fill out the other forms when you have time. It is my experience that there are always questions and modifications to the original data. If the COD is a joint amount you do it for the couple, if it is for an individual you ONLY fill it out for that person . If an individual COD then any joint assets/liabilities are counted 100% for that person.

You will also need to know in most cases the adjusted basis of the assets:

- immediately after the insolvency AND
- at the beginning of the next tax year.

This data will be needed to calculate something called “the basis limitation” on the “Statement of income from discharge of debt” which is discussed in the next section.

Once completed and you have added up all of the numbers you will know whether or not you are insolvent. If so continue with the process.

Note: Just because you are insolvent does NOT mean that ALL of the cancellation of debt is forgiven as taxable income.

For example: If all of your assets total 105,000 and your liabilities total 200,000. Then you are insolvent by 95,000. If you had 150,000 of debt cancelled then only 95,000 of that would be excluded and they would have

(150,000-95,000) 55,000 of taxable cancellation of debt income.

Statement of Income from the Discharge of Debt

This is the important form that generates the information that feeds on to the form 982. If your software does not have this statement, again you should see a professional, but you could visit one and ask for a copy of a blank form for your personal use.

Part IV. Is the most difficult part. The IRS gives and the IRS takes away. The rules may allow you to cancel debt BUT they also require the taxpayer to surrender other potentially useful tax deductions or credits (they call them tax attributes) in return, up to the amount of the amount of debt cancelled.

Part IV is where you calculate these amounts. There is what is called an “ordering rule” that requires you to reduce them in a specific order. The order is as listed on that worksheet.

Assuming that you still have things to reduce by the time you get to line 18c. You will need to do additional calculations. MOST time you do need to do these calculations. The reason is that the IRS does limit the amount of property basis that needs to be reduced and these calculations determine that limitation. To properly complete this part you will need to calculate it using the following data:

Line 18a The ADJUSTED basis of assets other than money at the beginning of the year following the year of discharge.

Line 18b is calculated by taking the adjusted basis of all assets including money immediately after the debt was cancelled and subtracting the amount of debt remaining

Line 18c is the lower of line 18a or 18b assuming you were insolvent.

That is the amount that you will have to use to reduce the value of any of the remaining assets. BUT you are not done yet. There is ANOTHER “ordering rule” that specifies the order in which the value of those remaining assets are to be reduced. It is in pub 4681. If you have more than one item in a category that needs to have its basis reduced you need to reduce them pro-rata.

For example if you get to that point and have two rental properties remaining with and adjusted basis of 200,000 for property A and 150,000 for property B. Assuming that there was 100,000 worth of cancelled debt that remained to have attributes reduced on, you would do the following calculation:

Property A’s basis would be reduced by (200,000/350,000) X 100,000=57,140
Property B’s basis would be reduced by (150,000/350,000) X 100,000=42,860

I hope you have enjoyed this little epistle, and more I hope you realize if you or a friend happens to be in this situation you need professional assistance.

Now Rupe bet me that I could not better his post of 11/21/11. Please be so kind as to back track, read that fine work (please access this link), and let us know which one made your head hurt and eyes cross the most.

Operation Occupy Rupe's Blog

2012-01-01T06:01:00.000-08:00

Beginning tomorrow - and throughout the month of January - I will host a variety of guest bloggers who have bravely stepped up to the plate and decided to guest post on my blog.

I don't know what's coming, but it should be fun to watch unfold.

Happy New Year, everyone. Stay tuned ...

.......................... Ruprecht ( STOP )

Joseph Spence Is Telling You Why

2011-12-24T05:01:00.000-08:00

Yes ... I believe he is.

................. Ruprecht (STOP)

2 Quarters, 2 Dimes

2011-12-21T04:43:00.000-08:00

You have to pause for a second and consider the ramifications of the above image. I've provided a few below ... and it's by no means an exhaustive list:

The paper it was printed on ...
The ink used to print it ...
The machinery used to create it...
The manner in which it was processed ...
The many hands it took to handle it ...
The envelope it came housed in ...
The stamp which enabled its journey ...
The method in which it was delivered ...
The entire history of this one single item ...

I'm going to stop this process right here, right in the middle of its tracks.

You see, I think it's rather ridiculous for it to continue its natural course. A seemingly logical conclusion will just have to be cut off at the knees.

And I don't think it will hurt one whit ...

................. Ruprecht (STOP)

Lunar Eclipse

2011-12-10T20:13:00.000-08:00

I wish I could have been there ... but the text message was just as good ...

Daughter: "I saw a lunar eclipse it was awesome!!!!!"

Father: "Very cool! I couldn't see it. Too many clouds here. What did it look like?"

Daughter: "It looked like an orange smiling at u ..."

................. Ruprecht (STOP)

The Best Comment Ever

2011-11-22T06:54:00.000-08:00

An associate of mine (I hear he's a fine, upstanding young man) received the following comment.

He got a gold star for recognition.

I unabashedly take the comment - in its entirety and exactly as received - and post it below for your dining and dancing pleasure.

Happy reading.

................. Ruprecht (STOP)

"Hello there, simply was aware of your blog thru Google, and found that it is truly informative. I am gonna be careful for brussels. I will be grateful when you continue this in future. Many folks will likely be benefited from your writing. Cheers!
It's perfect time to make some plans for the long run and it's time to be happy. I've read this submit and if I may just I desire to suggest you few fascinating things or suggestions. Maybe you can write next articles relating to this article. I want to learn more issues about it!
Nice post. I used to be checking continuously this weblog and I'm impressed! Very useful information specifically the remaining section :) I maintain such information much. I was looking for this certain information for a very lengthy time. Thanks and best of luck.
hey there and thanks in your information ? I've definitely picked up something new from proper here. I did however expertise some technical points using this web site, as I skilled to reload the web site a lot of instances previous to I could get it to load correctly. I have been wondering if your web hosting is OK? Not that I am complaining, but slow loading cases instances will often affect your placement in google and can injury your high quality ranking if advertising and marketing with Adwords. Anyway I am adding this RSS to my e-mail and can glance out for a lot more of your respective fascinating content. Ensure that you update this again very soon..
Excellent goods from you, man. I have take into account your stuff prior to and you are simply extremely fantastic. I actually like what you've acquired here, really like what you're stating and the way by which you are saying it. You're making it entertaining and you still take care of to keep it sensible. I cant wait to read far more from you. This is actually a great website.
Pretty great post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wished to say that I have truly loved surfing around your blog posts. After all I'll be subscribing on your rss feed and I am hoping you write again soon!
I like the helpful information you provide on your articles. I'll bookmark your blog and test once more here frequently. I'm somewhat certain I will learn many new stuff proper here! Best of luck for the following!
I feel this is among the so much significant information for me. And i'm glad reading your article. However want to observation on few common issues, The website style is perfect, the articles is actually nice : D. Good job, cheers
We're a gaggle of volunteers and opening a new scheme in our community. Your website offered us with useful information to work on. You've performed a formidable process and our whole community will probably be thankful to you.
Undeniably consider that which you said. Your favourite reason seemed to be at the web the easiest thing to take into account of. I say to you, I certainly get irked at the same time as other folks think about worries that they plainly do not recognize about. You controlled to hit the nail upon the highest and defined out the entire thing without having side effect , people can take a signal. Will likely be back to get more. Thank you
This is really attention-grabbing, You are an excessively skilled blogger. I have joined your feed and look ahead to in search of extra of your magnificent post. Also, I have shared your web site in my social networks
Hello There. I discovered your weblog the usage of msn. This is an extremely neatly written article. I will be sure to bookmark it and return to learn more of your useful info. Thanks for the post. I will definitely comeback.
I beloved up to you will receive carried out proper here. The sketch is tasteful, your authored subject matter stylish. however, you command get bought an nervousness over that you would like be turning in the following. in poor health surely come more previously again since precisely the same just about very incessantly inside of case you defend this increase.
Hello, i feel that i saw you visited my site thus i came to go back the favor?.I am trying to in finding things to enhance my website!I guess its ok to make use of some of your ideas!!
Just desire to say your article is as astounding. The clearness to your put up is simply great and that i could think you're knowledgeable in this subject. Well with your permission let me to take hold of your feed to keep up to date with forthcoming post. Thanks 1,000,000 and please keep up the enjoyable work.
Its like you read my thoughts! You appear to grasp so much approximately this, like you wrote the ebook in it or something. I feel that you could do with some percent to pressure the message home a little bit, but other than that, this is fantastic blog. A fantastic read. I'll certainly be back.
Thank you for the good writeup. It in truth was a amusement account it. Glance complex to more delivered agreeable from you! However, how could we communicate?
Hi there, You've done a fantastic job. I'll definitely digg it and individually suggest to my friends. I'm sure they'll be benefited from this website.
Wonderful beat ! I would like to apprentice while you amend your website, how could i subscribe for a weblog web site? The account helped me a appropriate deal. I were tiny bit familiar of this your broadcast provided vivid transparent idea
I'm extremely impressed together with your writing skills as neatly as with the structure to your weblog. Is that this a paid subject matter or did you customize it yourself? Either way stay up the excellent quality writing, it's uncommon to see a nice blog like this one these days..
Attractive element of content. I just stumbled upon your site and in accession capital to say that I get in fact loved account your weblog posts. Anyway I'll be subscribing in your feeds or even I fulfillment you get right of entry to persistently quickly.
My brother suggested I may like this web site. He was once totally right. This publish actually made my day. You cann't believe just how a lot time I had spent for this information! Thank you!
I don't even know the way I ended up right here, however I thought this post was great. I don't know who you're but definitely you are going to a famous blogger in the event you aren't already. Cheers!
Heya i'm for the primary time here. I found this board and I to find It truly useful & it helped me out much. I'm hoping to present one thing back and aid others like you helped me.
I was suggested this web site by way of my cousin. I am not certain whether this publish is written via him as no one else recognise such certain approximately my difficulty. You're wonderful! Thanks!
Great blog here! Additionally your site quite a bit up very fast! What host are you the use of? Can I get your associate link for your host? I desire my website loaded up as quickly as yours lol
Wow, superb weblog layout! How long have you been running a blog for? you make blogging look easy. The entire look of your web site is excellent, let alone the content!
I'm now not certain the place you're getting your information, however good topic. I must spend some time learning more or working out more. Thank you for great info I was in search of this info for my mission.
You actually make it seem so easy along with your presentation but I in finding this topic to be really something which I think I might by no means understand. It kind of feels too complex and extremely huge for me. I am taking a look ahead to your next put up, I'll try to get the grasp of it!
I've been browsing online more than 3 hours as of late, but I by no means discovered any interesting article like yours. It is pretty worth sufficient for me. Personally, if all web owners and bloggers made good content as you did, the net will be much more useful than ever before.
I do believe all the concepts you have introduced to your post. They are very convincing and can certainly work. Still, the posts are too brief for novices. Could you please prolong them a bit from subsequent time? Thanks for the post.
You can certainly see your skills in the paintings you write. The world hopes for more passionate writers such as you who aren't afraid to say how they believe. Always follow your heart.
I will right away seize your rss feed as I can not in finding your email subscription hyperlink or newsletter service. Do you have any? Kindly let me know in order that I may just subscribe. Thanks.
A person necessarily help to make severely posts I might state. This is the first time I frequented your web page and thus far? I surprised with the research you made to create this actual put up incredible. Magnificent activity!
Magnificent website. A lot of useful info here. I am sending it to some pals ans additionally sharing in delicious. And obviously, thanks on your sweat!
hi!,I love your writing so so much! proportion we keep up a correspondence extra about your post on AOL? I require an expert in this space to unravel my problem. Maybe that is you! Having a look forward to peer you.
Amazing things here. I'm very satisfied to peer your post. Thanks so much and I am having a look ahead to touch you. Will you please drop me a mail?
I just could not leave your website prior to suggesting that I extremely loved the usual information a person provide in your visitors? Is going to be back ceaselessly to check up on new posts
You are really a good webmaster. The web site loading speed is amazing. It kind of feels that you are doing any distinctive trick. In addition, The contents are masterpiece. you've done a excellent task in this matter!
Thank you a bunch for sharing this with all people you actually know what you are speaking approximately! Bookmarked. Kindly also seek advice from my website =). We will have a hyperlink alternate agreement among us
Terrific work! That is the type of information that are meant to be shared across the web. Disgrace on Google for not positioning this publish higher! Come on over and seek advice from my web site . Thanks =)
Helpful info. Fortunate me I discovered your site accidentally, and I am stunned why this twist of fate didn't happened in advance! I bookmarked it.
I have been exploring for a little for any high-quality articles or weblog posts in this sort of area . Exploring in Yahoo I ultimately stumbled upon this site. Studying this info So i am glad to show that I've a very excellent uncanny feeling I found out exactly what I needed. I so much no doubt will make certain to do not disregard this website and provides it a look on a continuing basis.
Woah this weblog is excellent i really like reading your posts. Keep up the good paintings! You realize, a lot of people are hunting round for this information, you can aid them greatly.
I appreciate, lead to I discovered exactly what I used to be looking for. You have ended my 4 day long hunt! God Bless you man. Have a nice day. Bye
Thank you for some other fantastic post. Where else may anybody get that type of information in such an ideal means of writing? I have a presentation subsequent week, and I'm on the look for such information.
It's actually a nice and helpful piece of information. I am happy that you just shared this helpful information with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thank you for sharing.
Wonderful put up, very informative. I'm wondering why the opposite specialists of this sector don't understand this. You must proceed your writing. I am confident, you have a huge readers' base already!|What's Taking place i'm new to this, I stumbled upon this I have discovered It positively useful and it has helped me out loads. I'm hoping to give a contribution & aid other users like its aided me. Great job.
Thanks , I've recently been looking for information approximately this subject for a while and yours is the best I have came upon so far. However, what concerning the conclusion? Are you certain concerning the source?|What i don't realize is actually how you are not really much more well-appreciated than you may be right now. You are so intelligent.
You understand thus considerably relating to this subject, produced me individually consider it from a lot of numerous angles. Its like men and women don't seem to be interested until it is one thing to do with Lady gaga! Your personal stuffs great. All the time maintain it up!
Normally I do not read article on blogs, but I would like to say that this write-up very pressured me to take a look at and do so! Your writing taste has been surprised me. Thanks, quite great article.
Hello my loved one! I wish to say that this article is amazing, great written and include almost all significant infos. I'd like to peer extra posts like this .
certainly like your website but you have to take a look at the spelling on several of your posts. Many of them are rife with spelling problems and I to find it very bothersome to inform the truth then again I will definitely come back again.
Hi, Neat post. There is an issue with your web site in web explorer, may check this? IE nonetheless is the market chief and a big component to people will pass over your excellent writing because of this problem.
I've learn several excellent stuff here. Definitely price bookmarking for revisiting. I surprise how much effort you set to create one of these wonderful informative web site.
Good day very nice site!! Guy .. Beautiful .. Wonderful .. I'll bookmark your blog and take the feeds also?I am glad to seek out so many useful information here within the publish, we want develop more techniques in this regard, thank you for sharing. . . . . .
It is really a great and useful piece of information. I am glad that you simply shared this useful info with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thank you for sharing.
Fantastic points altogether, you just received a logo new reader. What might you suggest about your publish that you simply made a few days in the past? Any positive?
Thanks for some other informative blog. Where else may just I am getting that type of information written in such an ideal manner? I have a undertaking that I am just now running on, and I have been at the glance out for such info.
Hi there, I discovered your site by way of Google whilst searching for a comparable subject, your website came up, it appears to be like good. I have added to favourites|added to my bookmarks."

Please Observe Frantically

2011-11-21T08:04:00.000-08:00

"Welcome to day one of National Lose Your Mind Month And A Half, when nothing aside from freaking out over the holidays is accomplished."

- Clark Brooks

................................... Ruprecht ( STOP )

Cup 'O Meat™

2011-11-17T19:02:00.000-08:00

................................... Ruprecht ( STOP )

This Could Be What The Beginning Of Alzheimer's Looks Like ...

2011-10-02T05:01:00.000-07:00

Not long ago, I was helping to cook dinner. A television was sounding off in the background behind me with some program that caught my attention, an intense situation or other which triggered a thought:

"You know what I ended up falling to sleep to last night?" I asked my cousin who was preparing one thing while I was preparing another. "No Country For Old Men, with Javier Bardem playing that strange Anton Chigurh character. I only caught a bit of it, but what I saw was interesting."

She replied: "Wait ... isn't that that movie with that cowboy guy? Kind of grizzled? Chased Harrison Ford in The Fugitive?"

"Yes, it was."

"What's his name?"

"The guy who was after Harrison Ford?"

"Yeah."

"Hmmmmmmmm ... he's on the tip of my tongue. Just can't place his name. And he's been in everything. Damn! Now that's going to bug me until I figure it out."

"I'll just go look it up on the computer."

"No! I need to figure it out for myself! Don't go look. It'll come to me."

We belabored the question in a myriad of ways. We shot off movie after movie after movie after movie trying to figure out who he was. (Of course, it was Tommy Lee Jones we were thinking of, but we just couldn't put our collective finger on his name.) Men In Black, Rules Of Engagement, Space Cowboys, Batman Forever, Natural Born Killers, JFK, Lonesome Dove ... nothing. We just couldn't place it. Cripes ... we even went back so far as Barnaby Jones where he played a doctor. Still didn't trigger any memory.

My cousin gave in first and headed for the computer. "Don't you dare tell me who it is, cheater!" I yelled after her.

She came back a minute later with a Cheshire Cat grin on her face. "You're going to die when you hear who it is ..."

"Don't! Don't you even think about it! Don't tell me who it is! I've at least remembered he has a unique name of some sort ... I think he goes by three names or something." I was pretty confident on that part.

But, as hard as I set my mind to the task, my mind was a desert.

"I'm telling you who it is," my cousin told me.

I glared at her.

"It's Tommy Lee Jones."

"Gaaaaaah ... !!! That's who it is!" I exclaimed. "I knew that ... !!!"

"Wait," she said: "What movie were you talking about he was in again?"

................................... Ruprecht ( STOP )

10 Years Ago ...

2011-09-11T06:01:00.000-07:00

The morning of September 11th, 2001, I was at home.

Home was 3565 Saddleback Road in Park City, Utah

The television was on, my wife and I were watching incredulously at the horrors unfolding before us ... the newscasts ... the reactions ... the images.

I remember playing with my daughters. I thought about my youngest daughter - not yet a year old at the time - and what kind of world she wouldn't know as a result of the day. I remember my eldest daughter and I petting her cat, Stigma. It was a very reflective moment, playing with her, watching her watch her cat.

I remember going outside and looking up at the sky that afternoon and marveling at the planeless sky above me.

I remember reciting a silent prayer to God asking for him to watch over all the people touched by the tragedies of the day ... I did that several times during the day.

And I know He heard me.

................................... Ruprecht ( STOP )

Independence Day

2011-07-03T22:55:00.000-07:00

"I pledge allegiance to the flag
Of the United States of America,
and to the republic for which it stands,
one nation under God,
indivisible,
with liberty and justice for all."

................................... Ruprecht ( STOP )

Thank You, Men & Women Of The Armed Forces

2011-05-01T21:46:00.000-07:00

(The following was originally published on September 11th, 2010. Given today's announcement, I thought a repeat was completely appropriate ...)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I wasn't necessarily looking for inspiration today.

I just figured it would come from out of the blue somewhere.

Sure enough ..... it did.

Boomer

withthebanned
Land that I love

Zoiks
stand beside her

Darmon
And guide her

Boomer
through the night

Boomerette
with the light from above

Darmon
From the mountains, to the prairies

Zoiks
To the oceans, white with foam

Ruprecht
God Bless America. *Our* home sweet home.

Boomer
nicely done (*second verse, same as the first*)

................................... Ruprecht ( STOP )

New Word

2011-03-13T08:10:00.000-07:00

... epigrammatic ...

................................... Ruprecht ( STOP )

Fooling Myself

2011-02-19T07:44:00.000-08:00

It'd been a while since I had eaten.

I didn't do dinner the night before and it was only coffee that morning, so I was hungry. I had several errands to run and thought I would just grab something on the fly.

The problem however was that between work and my destinations the quick in-and-out food purchasing options were practically nil. With the exception of my old nemesis: McCrappage.

*sigh*

Begrudgingly, I pulled into the drive-thru line and decided on a chipotle Angus burger. How bad could it really be? I'd had the mushroom and swiss Angus concoction previously and it was passable. I noted on one of the decorative lawn signs beside the order kiosk a picture with the burger I wanted spilling out red onion, so I made certain to place my order sans condiment. I don't like red onion. Matter'n fact, I verified it with the guy who took my request.

This may have been a mistake.

You see: While the burger was tasteless ... while the bacon on the burger had an inclination toward cardboardy-ness ... while I was thankful the overly pungent chipotle sauce slathered on the sandwich at least gave it some sort of flavor, I believe the red onion I asked to be held may have actually made the meal appreciative. Because, let me tell you something: This particular lunch? One I'll tuck in the back of my mind as a "order if desperate only" selection.

I keep fooling myself food at McCrappage will be good. It has to be every once in a while ... right? Especially if you're famished ... right? Anything's good when you're famished ... right? Right?

Right ... ?!?

Bueller??? Bueller ... ???

................................... Ruprecht ( STOP )

Customer Service Done Right

2011-02-13T05:30:00.000-08:00

This is the way it should be done:

I ventured into Claro's Italian Market early Saturday afternoon to pick up a couple sandwiches my cousin ordered. I was greeted by a full house, everybody and his brother seemingly "shopping Italian", looking for authentic foodstuffs for the weekend ... or to possibly whip up that special Valentine's meal two days hence.

Wandering over to the deli counter, I realized I needed to grab a number for "more efficient service". Understand, this isn't your standard "gimme half a pound of mortadella" and you're out the door; the folks purchasing meats and cheeses and whatnot linger and consider and question. So, if you're in a hurry, Claro's isn't the best choice for you to get in, get out.

A good 12 minutes in, my number was finally called: "Number 76!" by a loud and bit gruff deli dude. I tossed my number in a throw-away bucket and told him I was here to pick up a call-in order.

"Dude: You should have told me as soon as you got here ... you didn't have to wait around," he stated. As it turned out, it wouldn't have made a difference as they hadn't even started the sandwiches called in 30 minutes prior.

"Look ... sorry ... let me do this: I have some excellent roast beef on the slicer. Want a sample?" He was obviously in a mode to make up for the faux pas.

"Only if you have a little horseradish jack you can slap atop it," I commented.

"Done," he answered.

Inside 15 seconds, I was munching on a thinly sliced, rolled up layer of roast beef with an equally thin slice of exquisite tangy white jack nestled within. It was deli heaven.

"Isn't that outstanding?" he cajoled. "Now, I don't know about you, but make a grilled cheese out of that particular jack, add some hot tomato soup along with it and you have something satisfying." He slapped the counter. "Your sandwiches will be up in a minute ..."

But, before he left, I told him: "You know, you're good, you. You're a salesman. And not in a bad way. Give me a quarter pound of beef and cheese, please."

He smiled. "Thanks. Tell my boss I'm good. He's right behind you, down the aisle there ..."

I proceeded to do just that. I walked half an aisle down and confronted his superior while he took care of my order. His boss looked up as I approached, seeing I wanted his attention.

"Hey guy ... I just wanted to let you know: That gentleman there?" I pointed at him behind the counter "He's good. You might want to keep him around for a while."

The Boss smirked. "Good to hear. Because I was gonna fire his ass at the beginning of the week. Thanks." We both smiled at each other and as I returned to the counter, I was handed my sandwiches and my meat and cheese, professionally, tightly and neatly wrapped.

And that's what customer service is all about: Servicing the customer. Pleasantly offering advice ... samples ... friendliness to a stranger ... unencumbered assistance.

Deli Dude did his job and knew he did it well, made an extra little sale to boot.

And I got something I wasn't expecting: Faith and assurance there are still people out there who know how to work customer service in the big, bad world ...

............... Ruprecht ( STOP )

People Are People …

2011-01-25T09:25:00.000-08:00

There are certain things said which are totally worth it.

This is one of those things …

............... Ruprecht ( STOP )

Better

2011-01-17T15:48:00.001-08:00

You know what would make this show better?

If the name was changed to:

“Million Dollar Monkey Drop”

............... Ruprecht ( STOP )

I Think Her Name Was 'Dakota'

2011-01-05T12:45:00.000-08:00

Today, as I sat and ate lunch in my car, I saw a woman sitting on a bench waiting for a bus.

And she was good.

How good was she? You be the judge:

It was about 59°F degrees outside. Yet she was in a bare-armed tanktop, she was continually drinking from a soft drink container and she fanned herself incessantly.

As a matter of fact, after about 5 minutes of fanning, she put on a big, bulky jacket ... apparently because she grew cold from all the fanning she did.

I mean … this woman was that good …

............... Ruprecht ( STOP )

A Rather Boring Experiment

2010-11-21T21:54:00.000-08:00

I call McDonald's 'McCrappage' for a reason. I mean: Is there any reason I need to explain myself, people?

No ... I didn't think so.

Still, I'll admit to getting the occasional hankering for a Big Mac. Thankfully, those times are few and far between.

But, a week ago, I did something I wouldn't normally do (I hope you're sitting down): I ventured into a McDonald's and ordered a McRib sandwich.

Truth be told, it was an experiment more than anything else.

The way I figured it, I'd been working my ass off all day and, being McCrappage was the closest thing around, the remainder of the day's physical work would surely burn off any ill effects some McMysteryMeat on a bun might conjure up.

Yes, I've heard the wild tales involving people venturing hundreds of miles to satisfy their McRib cravings when they discover a McDonald's hours away is running the rare promotion. I've read of a few of these folks 'stocking up' on their needed BBQ sauce drowned fix, purchasing dozens at a time. (What in the world do they do with them? Eat them all at one sitting? Munch them continually over the course of days? Freeze'em for later consumption?) I've witnessed the frenzied looks of some overcome by the mere mention of a McRib. Sure, some of these stories are probably true, some fact-based ... and some so fantastical as to be fabricated, a result of hearing a 15-second radio spot for their beloved meal.

So, I decided to check out this sandwich for myself.

Sitting down with my purchase in a crowded Saturday McDonald's, I opened the container and discovered my order was misconstructed to begin with; I requested extra pickles and no onion. I got just the opposite - tons of onion, nary a pickle. (The beginning of my experience wasn't looking on the bright side from the get-go.)

Correcting the mistake in a (surprisingly) short amount of time, I sat down again, looked at the sandwich once more and took it all in: Oozing barbeque sauce dribbled down the sides of the sandwich. I wondered why so much sauce was necessary. Could this have been the work of an over-zealous employee? Or was this how it was supposed to look?

I took a deep breath and dove in. Savoring the flavor (I use the term loosely), I tried to come up with an appropriate adjective or two for the experience .... and couldn't.

You see, the taste I was met with was rather ... underwhelming. There was a hint of porky flavor to the sandwich, but it was overpowered by the abundance of sauce it was slathered in. 'Meh' was the best thing I could come up with. No taste explosion, not even that good, really ... but not in the least bit bad or repulsive, as some people have proffered.

I continued eating. I was hungry, after all. I needed fuel for the remainder of the day. I kept chewing, taking yet another bite, looking for something - anything - that hinted at what others found so enticing about a McRib. For the life of me, I just couldn't come up with a single idea as to its popularity.

Will I order one again? No. There's just nothing at all exciting about it, nothing that left me with an impression. Surely, nothing that would make me order another one down the line.

So, I'm confused: What's all the hoopla about? Why do so many people get whipped into a frothy herd mentality frenzy over this completely unremarkable fast food McBlandwich?

I. Don't. Know.

............... Ruprecht ( STOP )

It's Got That Bad Graphicky Taste, Y'know?

2010-09-21T22:22:00.000-07:00

I don't really know how something like this happens.

But it did.

The cup my Coca Cola came in today ... a cup exactly like the one above (and which was the subject of one of my photoblog posts March 10th of this year)?

Well, it tasted exactly like that cup looks. I'm not kidding. It wasn't pleasant.

Imagine that, if you will .....

........................ Ruprecht ( STOP )

Inspiration On-Line

2010-09-11T21:56:00.001-07:00

I wasn't necessarily looking for inspiration today.

I just figured it would come from out of the blue somewhere.

Sure enough ..... it did.

Boomer

withthebanned
Land that I love

Zoiks
stand beside her

Darmon
And guide her

Boomer
through the night

Boomerette
with the light from above

Darmon
From the mountains, to the prairies

Zoiks
To the oceans, white with foam

Ruprecht
God Bless America. *Our* home sweet home.

Boomer
nicely done (*second verse, same as the first*)

................... Ruprecht ( STOP )

Life Among The Dead

2010-09-07T11:00:00.000-07:00

I was at the L.A. County Fair Labor Day.

Admission was a buck ... the weather was gearing up to be picture perfect ... smokey meats and frolickous noise would be wafting in the air ... people everywhere. What's not to like?

I did the things I like to do at the Fair all by my lonesome. It's rather refreshing getting that opportunity. No needs, no hurrys, no unexpected restroom breaks, no doing what you don't want to do. Just the solitude of indulging in your very own whims.

Toward the end of the day, with seven hours under my belt, I thought it was about time to call it quits. I was still pleasantly satisfied at the smoked turkey leg I'd purchased hours earlier, my feet were beginning to get tired and it was beginning to get overly crowded with late afternoon revelers wanting nothing more than to go on carnival rides. But, finding myself passing the grandstands, I eyed an attraction: Our Body: The Universe Within. This was an exhibit I'd passed up in Vegas one year and missed somewhere else another ... but I saw here the chance to finally catch it and in a relaxed atmosphere no less. With the late afternoon sun beating down on everyone milling about at the Fair, this seemed like the perfect opportunity for physical as well as mental refreshment. (I mean, it had to be air-conditioned inside with all those plasticized bodies, right?)

Let it be said the exhibit was fascinating ... strange ... a bit weird ... brilliantly educational. It was a kick to see everyday average Joes and Josephines gawking in wonder at the exhibits, sometimes screwing up their faces in such manners as to be comical.

Questions by kids were directed at their parents. Boyfriends asked their girlfriends if this wasn't the coolest thing they'd ever seen. Old men and old ladies standing with their hands behind their backs contemplating the human form with steely intensity. Everyone gazed at lucite-encased exhibits of the hands and feet, then looked at their own, marveling at all the tendons within that moved their extremities in the unique and myriad ways they do.

For the most part, everyone was relatively quiet and respectful. There was an overall drone in the place; queries and oohs and aahs, even a few eeews and chuckles.

Relatively quiet, that is, until I got over to one particular exhibit showing a man in motion with muscle stripped away and hanging off his bones to show structure and relative positioning.

Each exhibit in the place was accompanied by a signpost that detailed various body parts and structures being showcased. At this particular model of the man with the dangling musculature, there was a rambunctious 4 year-old inside the roped off area around the display, merrily playing a self-absorbed game of Ring Around The Rosy with the pole holding the sign, gleefully screaming his head off. His parents - a young mother with a baby in her arms, a young father with another in his and several other kids milling about (no clue if they were theirs or not) - did nothing to corral the little boy.

I was right there when a fracas broke out. And it all happened in a span of 10 seconds: I saw the signpost begin to sway until it was at a point where it was coming dangerously close to banging against the plasticized man. I had half a mind to grab the little Buster Brown by his Buster Browns, but was patiently waiting for the parents to say or do something ... anything. Just then, a commotion behind me: a uniformed security guard rushed in and yelled at the kid. She saw, as I did, that the sign was perilously close to gouging the exhibit's head. As she climbed between the ropes to nab the child, the mother finally said something:

"Timothy ... don't do that. Come out here." The guard grabbed him by the shoulder; the mother hadn't moved an inch. "There's no need for that ma'am ... I'll take care of him." But ... she remained there while little Timmy ducked and dodged out of the way of the guard. The father just looked on in boredom.

Timmy finally escaped to his mother's side, a bit frightened by the guard who was stopping the sign from swaying. The mother yelled at the guard: "I said I would handle it!"

Words were then exchanged between the two. The mother walked off in a huff, Timmy in one hand, the other child still cradled in her arm. The father motioned the remainder of the children onward.

The guard, flabbergasted and out of breath, glared as the group retreated into another part of the room. She didn't take her eyes off them the remainder of the time they were in the place.

I continued my examination of the plasticized man on display ... and I could have sworn I saw him sigh in relief as little Timmy walked off.

......................... Ruprecht ( STOP )

The Pod People Want My Ass

2010-09-04T10:00:00.000-07:00

We're creatures of habit ... creatures of comfort.

You know how you get used to stuff? Little things that make life nice for you ... things you're used to ... stuff you come to expect ... preferences ... you're own little quirks and kinks which keep you calm, cool and collected?

Well, I'm no different. I'm just like you. I have my likes and my dislikes. I prefer my creamer poured into my coffee cup before my coffee ... I shave before I shower ... I fold my shirts a certain way for a reason ... 'Hokay!' is a real word in my book.

And I prefer lots of things hard. I don't like Three Musketeers candy bars. (That gooey soft center is yucky.) My mattress? Make it firm. Chunky peanut butter with lots of crunch, please ... not that wimpy smooth stuff.

And my toilet seat needs to be hard; no soft, foamy cushion for this tush.

But that changed a few days ago. You see, I recently moved out of my house and I am now the guest of friends. And I couldn't ask for more hospitable hosts than the folks I'm with currently.

However ... their bungalow, where I'm currently residing? The restroom toilet seat therein houses one of those foamy, collapsing rings that 'settles' when you sit on it. It feels like your ass is being sucked into the toilet. It's as if the ring is alive. When you sit on it, you feel as if you're slowly sinking into the bowl.

Which naturally spurs the imagination: What it really feels like is that there are Pod People in the toilet and they're trying to suck me into their underground lair, ass first. (All right - so maybe it doesn't spur your imagination as much as it does mine ...)

Rather the frightening thought, not to mention the frightening feeling, right? If you'ven't ever had the 'pleasure' of a cushy toilet seat (and, for the life of me, I have no clue who would), then riddle me this: What would you think if you sat on the pot and suddenly felt as if you were being sucked into its porcelain confines? Creeped out, that's what! It's like Pod People are sucking at your ass ... with the rest of your body to inevitably follow!

Hey, Pod People! There's nothing there you want! Really! It's just ass! Nothing more! You seriously don't want to go there! Trust me! Besides, I always thought it was our minds you wanted to possess ... to turn us into your zombific minions and commit your foul deeds! Right? If that's truly the case, you're working the wrong end of our bodies and you need to head north. You're starting from the bottom of our top and that route is going to take you that much longer to accomplish your dastardly deeds!

Not to mention (and most importantly of all): It's an 'exit', not an 'entrance'! If you want to get at us, that's the wrong orifice! You start violating our derrieres and you'll just have us screaming frantically and ruining any chance you might have in taking total control of us.

Bottom line: Our asses aren't the way to go.

I know ... I know: You Pod People are not of this earth, but believe you me: The majority of us will confirm the fact the ass is not the way to go.

And, while I'm certain the creators of the cushy toilet seat had initial good intentions, I'm not on board with the whole comfort thing when it comes to 'visiting the library'. Get in, get out, get done.

Give me cool, slick, hard ovalness anytime.

And keep the Pod People out of my ass.

........................ Ruprecht ( STOP )

This Is Nobody

2010-08-15T05:20:00.000-07:00

Garage Sales.

Some people love them. Some people hate them. Putting a sale together and working one? Some would rather dig a ditch than be subject to such an heinous production.

Now ... I can't say I truly love'em, but they offer the opportunity for fun and frolickry along with the wheeling and dealing. There's a certain thrill to formulating a transaction with someone who must possess your 'stuff'.

But what I want to do here is introduce you to someone in particular, someone named 'Nobody'. Let me explain:

A few weeks ago, I was the hunt for boxes to pack up garage sale items in preparation for the big event. Not only did I come across what I was looking for, but I also stumbled upon a bevy of discards obviously no longer needed or wanted. Among them: A retro vintage fan, in perfect condition, a brand, spankin' new magnetic chore chart for a child, still in it's original shrink wrap and the most awesome, gigantic rolling pin ever seen.

But the true find had to be the saddest, rustiest, most hole-ridden, cobweb-filled and grungiest watering can ever laid eyes on.

When I brought the treasures home and showed them to her, I beamed as I proclaimed "Perfect for the garage sale!" of the watering can.

She looked at the can, she looked at me. In a flat tone, emphasized only by her incredulousness, she noted: "Nobody is going to buy that thing."

Well, I would like to introduce you to 'Nobody'. She's real. She was a breath of fresh air and she was accommodating enough to pose for the picture I snapped below.

'Nobody' purchased that watering can for a mere 50¢. I'd forgotten it was even out there among our wares. I put it on our front stoop with our plants for decoration. When she asked if it was part of the garage sale booty for sale, I lit up like a Christmas tree.

"Of course it is! It's yours for four bits!"

She was delighted. I was delighted.

And I had photographic evidence 'Nobody' exists ...

........................ Ruprecht ( STOP )

Peg And Pete And Me

2010-08-08T06:53:00.000-07:00

Something interesting happened at McCabe's Guitar Shop last Friday night.

It was the introduction of Stan Ridgway's new effort "Neon Mirage", run straight through from track #1 to track #12, the same sequence as the album.

100 of my 'closest friends' and I crowded into the small, intimate room that serves as McCabe's performance studio, a terrific little venue perfect for a cramped, personal performance like this.

I counted myself fortunate to sit vulnerably in the front row, a mere 8' from the band. Slightly amazed no one was sitting in the front rows, I positioned myself at an aisle seat and waited for someone to come shoe me away, stating my seat was reserved for some producer, family member or VIP. But, as the minutes went by, that call never came and the staff at McCabe's busily went about their pre-show preparations, never giving me a second look.

When Stan came out - backed by a 3-piece band which included wife and keyboardist Pietra Wexstun, percussionist extraordinaire Joe Berardi (rumor had it Stewart Copeland might appear, but that was the grandest of rumors as it turned out) and a serial-killerish looking guitarist who's name escaped me - he greeted the crowd with a few words of appreciation and admitted he was a little nervous to be on stage. Imagine! This veteran performer, hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of shows beneath his belt, nervous and seemingly a bit twitchy at getting the show underway! I had a feeling the night would be more than just a simple telling of the new album.

"This is my period of dignity," Stan revealed to us. Another turn in his storied career. Four songs in, however, he would ceremoniously throw that proclamation out the window by flinging a couple expletives out in the midst of a tale and emphasize such by grabbing his crotch. You gotta love Stan.

I would like to say the performance of the entire album went off without a hitch ... but where would the fun be in that? Midway through the night, at "Like A Wandering Star", the band had to begin the song a second time. The timing didn't mesh during the intial performance. You could tell the band was out of sorts playing it. But they jumped back on the track once they got the thing going again.

Stan paused between songs to introduce Jackie "Teak" Lazar, his ever-present show-biz woodburner, manager, professed "Big Wheel" and foil. It was coming ... we all knew it. Jackie, after all, has been with Stan for years, asshat that the puny punk is.

A few more songs in, "Behind The Mask" began off key and out of sync. Whatever they did to try and correct their flubs at the start just moved them further into chaos. An entire 30 seconds into the song Stan cut the cord, stopped the music, bantered about the unprofessionalism in doing a new album and began again ... this time louder, with more punch and in perfect time. Warts and all, this is what an intimate performance is all about - seeing the true character of a performer come into play and watching how his reaction is handled, seeing how one accommodates a boner. Stan didn't disappoint. The apology he gave and banter resulting from the flub was nothing less than an added bonus to the song, making it more memorable.

With the conclusion of the final song "Day Up In The Sun", Stan thanked the audience for the privilege of having us attend, then launched into an old favorite, "Lonely Town". Some doofus chick behind me annoyingly kept calling out for "Lost Weekend", probably wishing to relive some alcohol-fueled end-of-week jaunt of her past. I heard her 'hurmph' and reposition herself in her chair as "Lonely Town" began.

Stan and band next performed "Mission In Life" and I sat there mesmerized, watching him tell the song's tale without blinking.

An encore saw fan favorites "Call Of The West" and "Ring Of Fire" (complete with acoustical distortion) sonically thrust upon a giddy crowd.

All in all, an absolutely outstanding show, warts and all. Those warts (few that there were) are what made the evening however ...

................... Ruprecht ( STOP )

Happy 234th and God Bless America

2010-07-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

From the Declaration Of Independence:

"We, therefore, the representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name, and by the authority of the good people of these colonies, solemnly publish and declare, that these united colonies are, and of right ought to be free and independent states ..."

Happy 234th ... and God Bless America .....

...................... Ruprecht ( STOP )

Disability (repost)

2010-06-24T07:00:00.000-07:00

I've decided to repost the following from an entry I contributed last year. It's appropriate today.

_______________________

I heard this in church a few months ago .....

Kevin was born with a disability that robbed him of oxygen to his brain.

Nevertheless, he had a pretty good life, a pretty normal life.

When grown, he towered at 6'2". But, at 35 years of age, he still had the mental capacity of a 5 year old. Kevin loved life, however.

He loved getting up in the morning. He did a fantastic job everyday at his work which he loved dearly and he never finished work until he was complete with a project. Kevin met each opportunity with the exuberance of a child. Not surprisingly because he was a child mentally.

Kevin loved macaroni and cheese - his favorite meal - which he ate every single evening.

Kevin prayed every night before he went to bed. He prayed with every fiber of his being.

And he also believed that God lived under his bed.

So ... what if God did live under his bed? Kevin was too much of a child to understand this really couldn't be the case.

But it was the fervor, the "gung-ho" attitude Kevin exhibited in his prayer to God that made me wonder.

You see: I worry about the state of affairs in our country. I worry about what I'm going to say during my meeting tomorrow. I worry about what's for dinner tonight. I worry about how I'm ever going to get through the week with so many things filling up my calendar. So many, many trivial things that just don't make a difference. I worry about future events when I don't have any real control over what the future holds.

So ... I wonder: Who really has the disability?

Is it Kevin?

Or is it me?

...................... Ruprecht ( STOP )

It's The Same Old Routine ... But It Never Gets Old

2010-06-22T07:30:00.000-07:00

It’s the same old routine … every road trip.

But it never gets old.

“I don’t like any of these,” she says.

“Yes. You do,” I respond.

“Which one? I don’t recognize any. Are you sure?”

“Yes. I’m certain. Put on any of the World Party discs and you’ll see. You especially like the songs on 'Egyptology'.”

“I think you’re wrong,” she states emphatically.

In my mind I prepare to start counting as soon as the first tune begins to play. I have a personal goal to meet, you see, as I rarely get to count up to the number 15 before she let’s on she does know what's playing.

The CD is slipped into the player and I begin to count.

At the 11 second mark comes the revelation: “Okay. Maybe you're right. I know this one …” She can't but help break out into a grin.

I look over, smile back at her and tell her I love her.

We'll gladly repeat this routine again in a couple weeks on our next trip .....

................... Ruprecht ( STOP )

The Annual Trek To Jamba Juice

2010-06-14T22:03:00.000-07:00

Jamba Juice and I ... we have an understanding.

And it is this: I go and pick something up from that establishment ... and at some point something goes wrong.

This is the way it's gone for as long as I can remember. You want proof? I present my case ...

For the last three years on or about the boss's birthday, "The Tradition" has been to trek over to a local Jamba Juice and pick up the drinks of choice for the entire office staff. Not a frequenter of the place, I've no idea what to get. Truth be told, the place is rather perplexing to me. Energy shots and protein powders and milk-fed wheat weeds and dollops of gordness knows what.

But ... I digress .....

Year One? The orders got all screwed up. Year Two? One hour wait ... and the drinks leaked all over the place on the way back to the office. Year Three .. this year?

Well, things were going rather swimmingly for a bit. The boss was pleased with his refreshment ... his assistant dug the new "5 Fruit Frenzy" she ordered ... and my Tourette's-infused computer operator was enjoying some pomegranate concoction containing "monkey juice" or somesuch.

As I was leaving the office for the day, I spilled my barely-sipped drink all over the building entrance, causing peach flavor to decorate the entry in a drab orange spray pattern that probably would have thrilled a crime scene splatter expert.

Of the few times I've been to a Jamba Juice of my own accord (and when I say this I mean with friends or family) some other mishap has inevitably occurred.

You see: Jamba Juice and I ... we have an understanding:

I go there and the establishment exacts some sort of inexplicable revenge upon me .....

..................... Ruprecht ( STOP )

Ladies & Gentlemen: Asshat Of The Week

2010-05-02T07:17:00.000-07:00

"When you ask to be ridiculed, it usually happens.
And it will happen here, nationally.”

- University of Virginia political scientist Larry Sabato

"An unscientific poll on the website of the Virginian-Pilot finds that 96 percent of the more than 4,000 people who have taken the survey think Cuccinelli’s decision was a 'bad idea.'"

They didn’t even bother to ask which decision.
- comment by toonguy

..................... Ruprecht ( STOP )

Going Deep

2010-04-26T08:20:00.000-07:00

click on image to enlarge .....

.................. Ruprecht ( STOP )

Am I Getting Old?

2010-04-21T00:01:00.000-07:00

I might just be getting old.

I remember as a kid using the word "kype" all the time.

But today - when I put it in a posting - one of the editors wrote me the following: "Can you tell me what this should say? '... but a thief kypes his tools ...'"

So do you know what "kype" means? I'm curious .....

Dear Word Detective: As a child my father would warn us kids not to "kipe" ("kype") things, meaning "steal." Is this a real word or one made up? -- Pat Benson

Well, the two are not mutually exclusive. Aside from the fact that every word is a human creation, many of the words we use every day were invented by specific individuals. Norman Mailer, for instance, invented "factoid" in his book "Marilyn" published in 1973, and "gobbledygook" was coined by U.S. Rep. Maury Maverick during World War II to describe bureaucratic jargon and doubletalk. Rep. Maverick, incidentally, was the grandson of Samuel Maverick, the Texas cattleman who never branded his cows and whose name became a synonym for "wanderer" or "rebel."

You're absolute correct, however, to wonder about the legitimacy of "kipe," because it seems to be a word that now teeters on the brink of extinction. According to the Dictionary of American Regional English (DARE), "kipe" or "kype" is found mostly in the western U.S., especially the Pacific Northwest, with some scattered usage in the Plains, Midwest and mid-Atlantic states. To judge by a discussion of the term on the American Dialect Society mailing list a few years ago, the variant form "kife" seems more common in the eastern states. To "kipe" (also spelled "kype" and "kipp") means "to steal or pilfer," with the same general sense as "swipe" of casually snatching something of small value (as opposed to robbing a bank, for instance). A citation in DARE from the Saturday Evening Post in 1968 gives a good sense of "kipe": "This typical teen-age shoplifter will brag to her friends about what she has "bagged," "hocked," "kyped" or "snitched," using the particular word that is common to the vernacular of her region." An indication of the fading use of "kipe" is that the later citations in DARE largely come from sources talking about using the word in their childhoods, not today.

The derivation of "kipe" is, as so often the case with slang terms, uncertain, but it may well have arisen as a modification of the now-obsolete English verb "to kip," meaning to take hold of or to snatch." This "kip," which first appeared in English around 1250, was based on the Old Norse verb "kippa," meaning "to snatch, tug or pull."

*sigh* .......................... Ruprecht ( STOP )

Oh ... and the photo above? Wrong kype, Sir .....

I Like It

2010-04-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

It was necessary to share this.

Click the creature above. Good stuff, Maynard.

...................... Ruprecht ( STOP )
Kudos to David .....

Stated ..... But Not Necessarily Heard

2010-04-10T20:00:00.000-07:00

Ruprecht had a satisfying day today.*

*In so stating, Ruprecht in no way suggests you should follow suit. Ruprecht has zero knowledge of what the reader's day was like nor how it went. Ruprecht in no way, shape or form is sticking his good day in the reader's face nor is he flaunting the type of day he had. He is only stating such. Ruprecht cannot begi ....

You know what? ..... never mind .....

.................. Ruprecht ( STOP )

For All The Fools .....

2010-04-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

............. Ruprecht ( STOP )

Ganas

2010-03-30T22:47:00.000-07:00

"If you don't have the ganas, I will give it to you
because I'm an expert."

Actor Edward James Olmos, left, compares notes
with high school teacher Jaime Escalante
during the filming of 'Stand And Deliver' in Los Angeles.

Jaime Escalante died Tuesday March 30, 2010 in Reno, Nevada. He was 79 years old.

Farewell, good sir.

................................. Ruprecht ( STOP )

Walk To School

2010-03-12T15:27:00.000-08:00

So ... what exactly was the mission here?

None, really. Reed and I just decided to hike to Riley's school and pick her up via foot instead of car. (Turn up your speakers and click that link!) Good opportunity to get out in the fresh air and get Bob The Dog exercised as well.

And, while we're at it ..... why not take the camera along? I decided it would make an interesting challenge to snap a shot every 30 to 60 seconds on the way there and on the way back. Get anything I could interesting and worthy of posting, if at all possible. So there was a mission after all.

Did I succeed? That's for you to decide. The results are below. (Click on any of the images to enlarge.)

Bob knew we were headed out. He was rarin' to go.

Mandatory sniffery.

Young tree proppage.

Back of the front.

On the main drag.

Fast moving Mexican on a mission.
(No. Bob did not growl.)

More sniffery.

Lost cat.

The unpacking of the kid.

Christmas lights still hung in the trees.
(Or, more likely, forgotten.)

Alley down there.

Electrical wires up there.

Crossing with care.

Bob's leading the way.

Ducks and rabbits in the shade.

See a penny, pick it up!
All day long you'll have good luck!

Here comes a paramedic.

Pumpkin? Still? Really?

Big dunk, obviously.

It must be margarita - thirty!

Freshly painted crosswalk.

Passing the grocery store.

Midget vehicle in wait.

Discarded.

Approaching the school.

The kids ... they're free!

Not the most conducive time for a delivery.

What in the world ... ?!?

"The Gathering Before The Crossing"

Seriously: What in the world are they wearing ... ?!?!?

Ready to venture home.

Kid throng at 2:45 p.m.

Texting ... waiting.

8th grader in coonskin cap.

There's that midget car again.

Approaching the main crosswalk.

Bob spies a friend.

Waiting.

The other side.

All together, now.

Shoes being moved by feet.

Mom patrol.

Trudging along.

Bob's anxious.

Still going.

Yet another alley entrance.

Time to get the mail
... and the paper ... and the flyers.

On the living room window
or plastered up and down the street,
the cat is still lost.

"Hey! You! With the camera!
Quitcher dilly-dallying and get a move on!"

Sign, sign,
everywhere a sign.

I know, I know ....
you wouldn't know what a road looks like
without this shot.

Nail ... asphalt.

Danger gate.

Thomas The (Entrapped) Train.

Not quite sure
what to do here in the park.

That lamp ... it seems out of place.

Obscure planter.

Type O Negative.

Bob's done.

Fresh water, anyone?

Relief.

..................... Ruprecht ( STOP )

False Advertising

2010-03-12T01:00:00.000-08:00

We were at a dead stop, stuck in mid-morning freeway traffic anyway, so why not?

I pulled up alongside him and motioned he roll down his window. When he did, I asked him his name.

"Bill," he replied.

"Last name?" I asked.

"Smith," he offered.

"Ever go by 'William'?" I queried.

"Nope."

I thanked him kindly and drove off, barely going more than four miles an hour in the miasma of cars.

Upon my arrival home later that evening, I looked up "Pasadena Ford" on-line. Nowhere on the site did I see where Bill Smith was number one.

His license plate frame "I'm #1 at PasadenaFord.Com" was blatent false advertising, I decided .....

................... Ruprecht ( STOP )

Let's All Go To The Movies

2010-03-09T22:55:00.000-08:00

I know .... I know. You're having drive-in theater flashbacks as well.

Ain't it great?

This reminds me of the theatrical version of M*A*S*H I wasn't supposed to see ..... my mother covering my eyes and yelling at my father when Hot Lips "put on the show" in the shower.

I remember piling friends in the back of my Mercury Montego and getting in the drive-in while stifling laughter.

I remember a bunch of friends meeting up when we were in high school for the triple-feature gore fest.

And I remember the advertisement above.

Good times .....

............... Ruprecht ( STOP )
Thanks, Douglas Arthur

The Way The Mind (Sometimes) Works*

2010-03-06T12:01:00.000-08:00

I was preparing for a new venture to my photo blog, an ABC Challenge. Each day, a photo would be posted referencing a different letter of the alphabet, from A to Z.

I looked at a calendar and began counting out the letters to see where each would fall. I figured if I started on the 4th of the month (the month in question being March), 'zee' would end on the 31st ..... or so I concluded.

"Ay ... Bee ... See ... Dea** ... Eee ... Eff ... Gee ... Aychuh ... Eye ... Jay ... Kay ... El ... Em ... En ... Oh ... Pea ... Khyou ... Are ... Ess ... Tea ... You ... Vee ... Double-you ... Ecks ... Why ... Zee"

Waitaminnit. That didn't work. 'Zee' landed on the 29th, not the 31st! How could that be?

I counted again. Same result.

I looked at the calendar once more. I subtracted 4 from 29, getting 25, realizing one letter had to be added in order to accommodate my starting point. That meant there were 26*** letters in the alphabet.

That couldn't be right. Everyone knows there are 28 letters in the alphabet.**** So why was the count not ending on the final day in March, the 31st ... ?!?!?

I pondered this over and over and over again, ultimately coming to the same conclusion each and every time.

I was perplexed.

Until ..... I counted the letters of the alphabet out loud to myself.

I mentally slapped the side my head, exasperated.

Can someone please tell me when the world changed the alphabet from 28 to 26 letters ... ???*****

* My mind, anyway
** Short for 'Deanna'
*** News flash!
**** Apparently not
***** Must've been sleeping that day

..................... Ruprecht ( STOP )

Redirect

2010-03-01T23:01:00.000-08:00

Here you go.

(Oh, the joy of having two different blogs .....)

...................... Ruprecht ( STOP )

Hideous Music

2010-02-26T22:01:00.000-08:00

Today, terror struck my heart.

Well ..... hokay ..... it wasn't so much terror as it was the fear I'd been put on interminable hold.

A hold from which there is no release.

A hold of which you cannot relinquish .... because if you do, you'll just start the process all over again. You would be required to start anew ... and there's nothing on God's green earth you can do about it.

A hold you sigh audibly over because you know "they" have you. By the short hairs.

Of course, I'm talking about telephonic purgatory.

I called my daughter's school Friday morning. Paperwork was required. I spoke with "Nancy". She was very accommodating. "Yes ... if you don't mind holding, I'll see if I can locate that for you right now and I'll have a copy waiting when you come in."

I thanked her and was immediately put on hold.

That's when my heart froze.

It only took a few chords and I knew what the music was.

It was the hold music of which I was oh, so familiar when I was dealing with EarthLink (my internet service provider at the time) back in April of 2009.

And May of 2009.

And June of 2009.

*shiver*

It was that exact same music I was submitted to each and every time an Indian-accented employee of EarthLink asked if I would kindly wait for a few minutes while he looked up my account. And those minutes turned into tens of minutes.

Many tens of minutes.

Which turned into "I almost have all your information pulled up, Sir, just another minute or two." Or twenty.

For two and a half months I was placed in an Escher-esque netherworld of time displacement ... an otherworldly, gray cipher of time. I spent a huge amount of my April / May / June, 2009 in between nothing and frustration, slow burning all the while.

*shiver*

And then Nancy came back on the phone after little more than 23 seconds. "I have it right here. You can come pick it up when you pick up your daughter this afternoon."

The fog lifted and I felt the cobwebs of my mind swept away, dissolved by the disconnection click of my phone.

The hackles on the back of my neck slowly receded and I breathed easier.

..................... Ruprecht ( STOP )

Someone Who Doesn't Want His "Great Taste" Speaking ... Not Even A Little Bit

2010-02-25T00:01:00.000-08:00

I don't know .....

Is it me .... or is there something a bit sinister and unbecoming about those anthropomorphic shredded wheat characters ..... ???

................................. Ruprecht ( STOP )

No Receipt Necessary

2010-02-14T20:27:00.000-08:00

When you care enough to pull over .....

..... just for a minute .....

..... because that overgrown white teddy bear wrapped in clear cellophane is calling out to you .....

..................... Ruprecht ( STOP )

A Saintly Conversation

2010-02-04T05:30:00.000-08:00

A conversation between two Saints fans (with three separate subject changes) all in the span of a mere 31 words.

The mind boggling thing here that needs to be pointed out: This will tide over 94.3% of Saints fans 'til Super Bowl Sunday.

Love it .....

"Who dat?"

"You dat!"

"You dat?"

"Knew dat!"

"Do dat!"

"Do what?"

"Do *dat*!"

"Who do dat?"

"You do dat, dat who!"

"I'm all dat!"

"You all dat!"

"We know'd dat!"

Saints fans at the bottom of Lake Ponchartrain.

(Note: Underwater flood lights and color enhancements necessary
in order to actually see these two at the bottom of the lake.)

................... Ruprecht ( STOP )

Thirteen

2010-02-03T21:38:00.000-08:00

Hokay ....

So far, thirteen is really annoying.

The tears. The drama. The noises. The screeching. The teen idols. The squealing. The haircutting. The clothing and how to wash it. The cooing. The cutesiness.

I'm just saying .....

.......................... Ruprecht ( STOP )

Good Advice

2010-02-01T05:01:00.000-08:00

I really don't have an opinion of Stephen Colbert (don't watch him), The Colbert Report (don't watch it), John Stewart (don't watch him) or The Daily Show (don't watch it) or any American political satirist.

But last night .... last night during the Grammy telecast, just for a moment, I enjoyed Stephen Colbert as he poked fun at Adam Lambert, singer, songwriter and runner-up of the eighth season of American Idol:

"Oh ... you know who I'd love to see on stage together just once? Adam Lambert and Any Sense Of Personal Restraint"

................. Ruprecht ( STOP )

The Beautiful People

2010-01-27T06:00:00.000-08:00

Per my daughter, they're not only beautiful and weird, but they're obviously a savvy bunch as well.

"Although a lot of beautiful, weird people
bought enough food to last them 'til February,
it lasted them 'til March."

(May I just state for the record my youngest daughter has her father's wit? Thank you .....)

But wait! In case you missed previous entries, there are more: Wordsmithery, Wordsmithery II and Wordsmithery III.

.................. Ruprecht ( STOP )

Side Note: The term "beautiful people" does not apply to those who might reside in Washington D.C. Because we all know there are no beautiful people there. (Rupe has this on good, solid authority.)

There Are No Such Things As Bad Words

2010-01-26T06:00:00.000-08:00

Good Gordness .....

I surely hope this does not become as rampant a panic as the (overly hyped) Swine Flu epidemic.

Seriously, people: Don't you have better things to do than be ignorant?

*sigh*

................... Ruprecht ( STOP )
Thanks for pissing me off today, David .....

Courtesy Charge, My Butt

2010-01-24T00:00:00.000-08:00

Check in hand, I entered Bank Of America.

After a short wait in line, I was suddenly called to the next available "associate". I signed the back of the check in front of her, took out my driver's license and handed both over. She scanned the check through her reader and confirmed I wanted to cash the check. I answered I did.

"Would you mind running your card to confirm your account?" she asked.

"I don't have an account here," I replied. She nodded at my response.

After a few moments of tapping away on her computer, she noted: "There will be a $5.00 courtesy fee for cashing the check since you don't have an account with us."

I looked at her. "I would appreciate it if you waived that fee."

She looked up at me. "I'm sorry sir, but I can't do that."

"Why not?" I asked. "I would get more of a courtesy if you waived it rather than charge me for it."

"Sir," she again told me "I can't do that."

"Well ... thank you very much. May I speak with your supervisor?" I politely asked.

She asked me to hold tight while she went over to speak with a woman a short walk from her. The Other Woman came over to me.

"May I help you, sir?"

"Yes," I replied. "It seems I'm being penalized for not having an account and I would appreciate you doing away with the fee you plan on charging me for conveniently walking into your bank and doing business with you."

"Well, I'm sorry sir, but if you don't have an account at this bank, we can't cash your check without charging you the fee."

"Sure you can," I stated. "You see, it's just a matter of waiving the fee. That's all. It would be an all together different affair if the fee was earned, but what you are doing by imposing the fee is not charging me a courtesy fee - which isn't "courteous" in the least, by the way - so much that you are penalizing me for coming in off the street out of convenience to me and conducting business with you."

"I understand your concern, sir, but I cannot waive the fee," she attempted to explain.

"Well ... maybe your manager can do what you cannot," I suggested. "Is he available?"

"I'll get him for you," she answered.

A full seven minutes later, the manager (who I caught eyeing me several times while The Other Woman went over to speak with him) finally sauntered over.

My position was relayed to him.

“You can always go to your bank, if you wish, sir.”

“You are correct. I can. However, it was convenient for me to stop into your establishment this evening instead of haul all the way across town to my home bank.”

“Regardless, the service fee still must be charged being you are not a customer, sir.”

“Oh? Now it’s a ‘service’ fee? When I was speaking with the other lady before, it was a courtesy fee … and not very courteous in my opinion. Let me ask you something: Would you be willing to pull out your wallet and pay that ‘service’ fee for me, good sir?”

“Now … why would I do that?” he asked.

“Doesn’t seem fair for you to do something like that now, does it? Just as I feel it’s not fair you are penalizing me for walking into your bank to cash a check. And that’s exactly what it is – a penalty. It’s not a courtesy fee … it’s not a service fee. You don’t even earn the five bucks, you just out and out zap me for it.”

“You can always go back to the person that issued the check and ask them to front you an extra $5.00. That way, you won’t be shorted the money coming to you.”

“Oh … that’s fair. Sorry … but that is a sad, sad suggestion and I don’t appreciate the manner in which it was given. On top of the way you treat strangers who come in to do business with your bank as well as the unearned charges the bank assesses, these reasons, among others, are why I choose not to do business with your establishment. Thank you very much for the your response and the zero help you’ve given me this evening. Please be so good as to give me one of your cards so that I may write the Bank Of America to let them know of my displeasure, if you please. And so that you know specifically, the bank I do business with - Chase - does not charge people coming off the street fees such as yours does.”

For the record: I’ve had this little verbal exchange with the employees of Bank Of America. And the managers I encountered and dealt with the previous two times this situation came up (yes, “managers”, as Bank Of America doesn’t seem to hold their managers for long lengths of time) did waive the fee involved after I had long conversations with them.

................. Ruprecht ( STOP )

"Teh" Three Responses

2010-01-20T06:00:00.000-08:00

I take no credit for the responses below.

Please enjoy .....

Why Do People
Intentionally Misspell "The"
By Writing "Teh"?

"While it could very well be a typo, people do actually do it deliberately.

"It goes along with chat-speak, really. It is considered 'cool' on the internet by some ill-educated teens to spell things badly.

"I find it rather sad that stupidity is thus aggrandized."

~~~~~

"Spelling "The" with the 'e' and 'h' reversed starts as an accidental error, like typing a "1" in place of a "!" (because you miss the shift key). So lovers of "Leet" (elite) speak deliberately adopt common misspellings of words as a badge of their "Leet"ness. It's a manner adopted in the main by people who spend a little bit too much time on line.

"If you find yourself replacing letters with numbers that resemble them in shape on purpose, if you replace exclamation marks with "1"s or you misspell "The" on purpose, it is nature's way of telling you that you are way past the point when you really need to get out more. It means you desperately need to make contact with other human beings in the conventional sense.

"Don't pretend now, you know you do."

~~~~~

"If you are going to use the English language, you should take the time to know its mechanics - especially when we go out there in the real word and look for jobs.

"I'm sure some of you are thinking "Say that will never be!", but as you get older and your writing is still at a third grade level, your options will be significantly limited. So why not fix that now? I think it's a worthy subject. "

.................... Ruprecht ( STOP )

Bear With Me, For Just One Tune .....

2010-01-13T20:34:00.000-08:00

It's no secret I love Grizzly Bear.

Now ... after listening to this, go get Veckatimest.

................... Ruprecht ( STOP )

Uh-uh-Huh .....

2010-01-08T06:00:00.000-08:00

Happy 75th, Big Guy .....

I'll see you at the 7/11 .....

........................... Ruprecht ( STOP )

Bird Is The Word

2010-01-04T22:09:00.000-08:00

If you really want to be in awe of this creature and its nest,
click on the photos to enlarge .....

It started with our arrival Sunday afternoon. Word had it there was a luncheon being played out by several of the decorating staff in a client’s backyard, at poolside no less.

Upon turning the corner, three women and the client were gazing upward at a lighted tree, pointing.

One of the women – “the boss” – acknowledged my arrival and pointed out the fact I was to be extra careful de-lighting the tree of subject as a mother hummingbird was sitting in a nest above, obviously guarding her stash of eggs. I affirmed I would.

She turned to the client and informed him that even after the baby birds were born and flew the coop "... do not remove the nest. It will be reused by her several times over." (This is true.)

Come the next morning, it was "to the branches". I carefully scaled a ladder and stayed as far away from the mothering bird as I could. Luckily, no lights were in her immediate vicinity; but still, some were close enough where I couldn’t avoid disturbing Mom in some way, shape or form.

Sure enough, as I came within seven feet, the purring, furious beat of tiny wings took to air. I could hear her annoyed chirping as she flew away. I took the opportunity to flick a few shots ... and even managed to get a peek inside where I witnessed at least one egg in waiting.

There was no attack. No dive-bombing. No yelping bird hovering and worrying herself to a tizzy as I was invading her space. Each time I moved the ladder to detach lights, she came back to eye the nest’s contents, satisfiedly setting alight once more atop her precious cargo.

You have to love Mother Nature and the (sometimes rare) opportunity to get up close and personal with her.

........................ Ruprecht ( STOP )

Yes ... I Love Jimmie Rodgers

2010-01-01T21:24:00.000-08:00

I blame KDFrawg for this.

But, that's not a problem .....

............... Ruprecht ( STOP )

Wordsmithery, Part III

2009-12-21T17:35:00.000-08:00

You've seen a few before ..... here and here.

Well, yet another writing assignment from my youngest daughter - for your dining and dancing pleasure:

Reed

Caring, kind and shy

Sibling of

Ryne, Riley

Lover of

Dogs, nature and horses

Who feels

Loved, safe and happy

Who needs

Understanding, generosity and friendship

Who gives

Kindness, love and friendship

Who fears

Earthquakes, spiders and heights

Who would like to see

Ant's point of view, Heaven and New York

Seriously ... where does she get this stuff ... ?!?!?

She's worried about playing her computer games ... reading her books ... watching her programs ... how long she's away from Bob The Dog ... bugging her sister ...

... and then something like this pops up?

You gotta love it .....

.............................. Ruprecht ( STOP )

Help Spread The Word

2009-12-07T14:05:00.001-08:00

Άτροπος, I couldn't have said it better myself.

Help Spread The Word.

.................... Ruprecht ( STOP inappropriate word usage)

Happy Birthday, Dea

2009-12-05T06:13:00.001-08:00

Happy Birthday to you ...
Happy Birthday to you ...
Happy Birthday, Dear Deanna ...
Happy Birthday to you.

You are the best thing that ever happened to me. My love for you goes to the moon and back again.

......................... Love, Michael

Foreign Object

2009-11-26T10:35:00.001-08:00

Honestly ..... Rupe believes there's not much he can do about this situation.

Instead, looking the other way, swallowing hard and keeping the peace .....

...................... Ruprecht ( STOP )

..... add 12 ..... carry the 3 .....

2009-11-03T19:02:00.000-08:00

A true conversation:

We pulled up to school early this morning. I stopped and glanced toward the back to see if Reed was still doing whatever homework she was doing when we first got in the car back home.

“Are you done?”

“No. I still have to add up the minutes for my reading log … then I’m done.”

“I can do that. Just tell me what they are.”

“Okay. Ready? Here goes. 30 … 30 … 43 … Do you have it?”

“Yes. Keep going …”

“… 39 … 44 … 28 … 53 …”

“Hold on … wait … okay …”

“… 43 … 53 …”

“Wait! Hold on a minute. Seriously? How many are there?”

“There’s the rest of the month, every day I did reading.”

“For October? Thirty-one days .. ?!? I’m going to need a calculator!”

“Nevermind. I can do it later.”

“I can do it. Leave it here, I’ll do it up real quick and leave it for you while you’re in rehearsal. ‘Kay?”

“Okay. See you later! Thank, Dad!”

I pulled out my cellphone and notched it over to the calculator function.

Ruprecht: Not the human calculator he thought he was.

*sigh*

....................... Ruprecht ( STOP )

Can I Borrow A $200.00 Bill?

2009-11-03T06:09:00.000-08:00

My daughter routinely carries around $200.00 bills.

It's what she uses to pay for things.

So, when new fish were needed - and throw in a few ghost shrimp to boot - she paid with a $200.00 bill. And a penny. Easy peasy, Japanesey.

Okay .... so maybe she didn't. But the lady working the register just insisted my daughter paid $200.00 for $5.71 worth of water-dwelling creatures.

The fact of the matter was it was nothing of the sort. It was a mere $10.00 that was given to the register lady. Seriously ... how in the world do you mistake $10.00 for $200.00 ... ?!?!?

A verbal volley ensued. $194.40 was due back as change and she wasn't going to take no for an answer. My wife countered. The register lady tossed it back. My wife re-countered. Back and forth and back and forth and back and forth. The register lady was very insistent we were due what we were due.

In the end, we were the winner. And in hindsight - and without probably knowing it because she was still steamed she couldn't give away free money - so was the register lady.

Because she would have had a load of fun trying to explain why her register was $190.00 light that night .....

....................... Ruprecht ( STOP )

No Scalp Too Big

2009-10-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

Years and years ago, Rupe dressed as a crazed, rumple-suited, gaunt figure with loads of powder in his hair, tons of make-up on his face and carried a (ceramic but realistic looking) life-sized skull around everywhere he went.

(The skull's name was - and still is - Bill. And Bill continues to make Halloween appearances each and every year. He's happy that way .....)

Rupe had the cards below printed up especially for the occasion. They were handed out to any- and everyone Rupe happened upon. And then, Rupe would simply walk off.

That was a fun Halloween .....

.................... Oom-Belli ( STOP )

Honoring An Agreement

2009-10-27T19:55:00.001-07:00

I lost a bet.

It was loads of fun to do. I recommend it highly.

Patty liked the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League Championship Series. I liked (and always have) The Los Angeles Dodgers. It was a match made in heaven to get us together and bet on the game.

The bet? Whoever loses wears the opposing team's colors, et al and posts pictures of same. It's a simple bet. And that's what makes it all the sweeter.

I must admit: It's usually a chore for me to lose a bet. But I had no qualms about losing this one.

Oh ... I grumbled and grouched and anguished mentally when my beloved Dodgers bit the dust with barely a whimper. They practically laid down their arms and gave up the fight, it seemed. Hard to swallow.

So ... under these circumstances, wouldn't it be equally difficult to come to terms with the ground rules of the wager? One would think so.

A bit surprisingly, however, at the final out and with the realization I had lost the bet ... no sinking feeling ... it wasn't a problem. I was actually looking forward to honoring my end of the bargain.

And so ... here it is. In glorious color, for your dining and dancing pleasure. Without a whimper, without a (genuine) tear shed.

Congratulations, Patty, to your Phillies. May they do well in the World Series.

I will be rooting for them ..... over those dastardly, pinstriped New York Yankees .....

Oh. And, just to make things a bit more fun and take the wager a bit further, I wore said shirt out in public, too. I did so while picking up my youngest daughter from school.

The look on her face says it all:

"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwwwww, Dad! How could you be dressed so in a Phillies' shirt ... ?!?!?"

..................... Ruprecht ( STOP )