I Need To Find A New System

For Fredo in school. His teacher called me this afternoon, she got busy and forgot to put a note in his back pack, I looked at the time it was nearly 4PM. Crap! He's not going to learn what his limits are if I don't know when he misbehaves or not. I think we're going to move to a daily system where he brings something home each day saying how he was. Today, the problem was wandering when he was supposed to be working, okay, I had told him to do his work, but I hadn't covered the wandering issue. She said he whimpered a little but she didn't think he'd done his work.

I'm writing off today. We'll have to work something out and start fresh on Monday.

TGIF At Last

The kids got up, the dog is up, and everyone's waiting for the bus.

Now, the bus has left, and I'm back at the computer to fill everyone in on all the coming and goings. Duke, the family dog, has taken up an unusual habit. About a month ago, I started adding a bit of wet (canned) food to his diet and the dog has never been so excited to eat...It's funny to watch. Of course, this leads to the inevitable everytime we open a can he thinks it's for him thing that dogs do. Back to his nasty habit; he's taken to eating his poop. Dogs are truly stupid creatures, in his reasoning, according to the vet, since I've changed his food and it tastes so good the first time, the shit musts taste good also. I've never eaten anything so good that made me want to consume my shit .

Rainbird is driving me insane these days, what with the golf thing happening next week and all, and his preparations for the "event" all I can say is that I hope that he doesn't do this next year. Piss-boy, cleaned out his bird's cage and I think he picked up a little in his room. Inlaws bought a stained glass thing that they want hung in a window and of course are calling Rainbird to do this--Why don't they call their other son?

K (sister in law) called, she said that her husband D is excited about the baby and they are putting their house on the market to buy a bigger house. D has forever been jealous of Rainbird, though, its taken Rainbird years to figure it out, so I can't wait to see the bigger house. In-laws, meaning Rainbird and D's parents have already said that they aren't giving D a dime toward buying a home, I have a feeling that they were asked to donate.

Maybe K will one day wise up and leave D for good. Yeah, right.

Just Another Busy Day

After hearing that Fredo was good at school I started doing some housework, washed some clothes, dusted and vacuumed while I pensively waited for Fredo to come home. Then after seeing that he was good, no notes from the teacher, I did more laundry. K (sister in law) came over with nephew complaining that he won't nurse anymore because she's pregnant. I just listened while folding the clothes.

It's Getting Better All the Time

Fredo, last night before bed, I told him to put on his pajamas and he did it, then this morning I told him to get up and get himself dressed for school and the next thing I knew he was downstairs fully dressed. Well, he was wearing the same clothes as yesterday, I guess I wasn't specific enough, but we didn't have the morning argument about school. I just went upstairs and got him a different shirt, and clean socks, helped him with those and helped him with his school shoes, yes, he can put those on, but the socks he twists up. He drank his juice and ate all of a nutragrain bar. I'll have to remember to get him so pop-tarts also since I know he likes those and pick up some other granola bars for Piss-boy (more about him later).

I did finally speak to the teacher, she phoned this morning, and I told her to be sure to let me know if he does misbehave as he had before. If he does she'll send home a note or a piece of paper and said she'd follow-up with a phone call. The important thing for both of us, is when he does misbehave (which I'm sure he will just to check) we don't let it become a habit. It's also important that he knows that he won't get away with it.

Today was the first day they had all the kindergarteners walk to class by themselves. I asked Fredo if he did that and he said he did. I'll find out later if Piss-boy led him or if he really did by himself. I want Fredo to get used to the routine, in case Piss-boy ever misses a day of school, so he's not completely lost without his brother. Expecting him to just follow everyone else, isn't going to work, considering he was carrying around his hip-pocket information for a couple days, instead of giving it to the teacher when she asked for it.

Conversely, Piss-boy is ticking me off. This morning when I went into his room his bird's water was filthy and the poor thing had no food, his comforter was on the floor and pillows and toys were scattered. He's leaving his dirty clothes on the floor along with the wet towel and we've talked before that this is unacceptable. Okay, I could write off the comforter and clothing but not caring for his bird, and the wet towels aren't going over well with me.

Thanks to a couple of really good friends, namely Brie and Cindy, I'm learning that positive reinforcement works better than negative. Just not sure how exactly to apply it to Piss-boy, but I'm confident I'll come up with something. I've already decided on Friday, Piss-boy will get to play the game cube when he gets home from school and if Fredo is still playing it, he'll have to stop. I know it's probably bothering Piss-boy that his brother gets to play it during the week and he doesn't, but I also feel that if I let Piss-boy have that privilege he'll abuse it. After last year, I still don't trust him.

In other news around here, Rainbird, is preparing for his pilgrimage to California for an extended weekend of golf. He'll leave a week from today and return either Sunday or Monday. I'm studying to take the driver's knowledge test for here and I'm a little nervous about it...Not really so much about the test but the idea of having to go and do that. My old California license expires on my birthday in November so I'd better get it taken care of soon, preferably before Rainbird leaves again for California for a deposition in early November.

I'm Tired...

I haven't been sleeping well enough I guess the past few nights. I know, I shouldn't watch TV but last night I wanted to see the premiere of Boston Legal. It was a hoot and since on Sunday, I missed the first half hour of Desperate Housewives, I felt I was owed as much. That said, 5 am comes much to quickly, and I was dragging most of the morning but I did manage to get the cooktop cleaned thoroughly, the upstairs dusted and some laundry done before the little son came home from school.

I hope I can believe him that he was good at school today because I couldn't get a hold of his teacher. Maybe she'll call tomorrow, and hopefully he'll keep doing well so that he can play his game cube. I really need to work out a system with her so that I know right away if he's misbehaved but I swear I was talking to a neighbor, she's a teacher too, and she told me that she's too busy write a frown face on a piece of paper. Really that pisses me off, they want parents involved but they don't want to make any kind of an effort. This whole reward thing hinges on the fact that I hear from the teacher that he's been acting out in class...Otherwise what's the point? What's the point of allowing him to play the game cube on days when he's good when I can't get a hold of the teacher and find out if he was good to begin with? If I make him wait to play it and she doesn't call, like today, he'd miss a whole day and what's the point of being good in school?

I guess I'm just frustrated.

I'm Hopeful

The teacher said today he had an "awesome" day. I hate to admit it but Rainbird was correct. He's playing the game now, and he has just a little time left to play it. I told him if he's good at school like he was today, he can play it again tomorrow.

We're also going to do other rewards for longer periods when he's good. I'm going to make sure he goes to bed early tonight and encourage him to eat each morning too (most times he doesn't).

I hope it works.

Ugh

Fredo moaned this morning when I woke him up that he didn't want to go to school. He told me that he won't go. I ignored the comment and got him up anyway. Rainbird and I had a lengthy talk last night about him and we decided to use positive reinforcement, which means that if I get a good report from his teacher, he can play the game cube for a while today--since that's what he really likes. I've also decided that he may watch TV when he gets home from school until I hear from his teacher. If she says that he misbehaved then the cartoons are shut off, and no game cube. I hate being this way but I have to. I don't know what else to do with him.

I couldn't sleep well last night, just very tired and wish there was a way to make him understand but there is not. It pains me greatly to see him like this and know that he doesn't understand why it's important for him to try to do something in school. I'm supposed to be reading to him each day for 15 minutes and he refused--why does everything have to be such a struggle?

With Fredo, there are always more questions than answers. I wish he had potty-trained younger, then he could have started pre-school earlier; I wish I had never let him watch TV at all, but I thought it wasn't fair to his brother. I should have pushed harder when he was younger.

It's my fault.

The shoe dropped...Or...

I could just cry. I just got a call from Fredo's teacher, and it wasn't to praise him or tell me that he needs to be in first grade. Fredo is refusing to participate in school and crying now when he doesn't get his way. His teacher said he was crying so loud, he was causing a disturbance.

That is unacceptable and I told his teacher that. His teacher told me, "well, he's young still and needs to learn." I told her, "what? He's six!"

Long silence.

I then explained that Fredo was in Pre-K last year, because I knew he wasn't ready to start Kindergarten. She was floored. I said to her that I understood, he's small, but he was born in August, 1999.

Is it possible to make any more mistakes where this child is concerned? I've tried speaking with him but I doubt he hears what I say. I'm so frustrated, I could just cry. I will tell him that he's not watching TV until he gets a good report from his teacher, no movies or anything. No Game Cube, but I also fear that if I take away too much, he'll resent school even more because he's not connecting the fact that HIS actions are the cause and not because of school in general.

Let's just say that this is one of my worst fears being realized. The other fear involves him on a clocktower with a semi-automatic. He said that his teacher was mean and wouldn't let him go outside for recess and he'd rather go to jail than go back to school.

I Love You, but I Don't Like You Very Much

That's how I began my day. Rainbird is upset because his family is coming over for dinner and the house in his opinion is "wreck." I demurely shrugged him off. I hadn't slept well and last night, and wanted to go to K-mart to get Pissboy some new pillows for his bed (Kmart carries the best cheap pillows).

I don't even have a clue what I will prepare for dinner tonight, as I hadn't really thought about it and that led Rainbird to ask if I'm depressed. I have so much to not be depressed over, I told him as my voice dripped from sarcasm and I meant each word of it.

Maybe at times, my sarcasm button gets pushed at the wrong time and words just come out not exactly how I mean for them to come out--much like today. I really hadn't meant for the comment to sound sarcastic, though, Freud might argue that I had meant for it. Not that I subscribe to much of Freud's beliefs.

I wonder if everyone does that or if it's just me?

I'm aware that some are more sarcastic than others, but does that mean that there is something wrong with those of us blessed with the gift of quick wit and sarcasm. Or, does it mean that I'm somehow jaded in my views and when I have no sensible answer to a query, the sarcasm button is pushed. Maybe the problem is that my sarcasm button is pushed too often and maybe it's pushed more when Rainbird is concerned because he's so damn picky about everything and anything.

So, I guess he doesn't like me too much today, I know he'll get over it and I'm not so crazy about myself either. I really need to work not to push that button so often.

Bad day but still accomplishments

Today started off badly, see the post I fired off about Fredo not wanting to go to school this morning. So, finally I get both the kids out the door, on time for the bus to arrive. We stand there with other children and parents waiting. We waited for 40 minutes when finally, we saw a bus come up the street. The bus was empty and the man driving said there were "issues." What kind of issues, I haven't a clue.

Then I come back into the house and mother in law phones, she phones each morning, and asked why I hadn't called her yet. Well because the bus was late. OMG she asks why was it late. I don't know I tell her. She asks about our weekend plans, reminds me for the hundredth time that Survivor is on tonight and asks what I'm fixing for dinner. I explain that I have to pick something up, because tonight is Back-to-School night. Oh, she said, she'd like to come but there is NO freaking way I'm driving to her house to pick her up then driving all the way to school in the opposite direction. She asked if Rainbird was going, I explained that he was likely busy and would have to miss it. Of course that she understands because he has such an important job (whatever).

So, I sit down for a moment and the phone again rings, this time it's sister in law, K. She wants to go to Target, so I tell her to go--I don't need anything there. I know, I was surprised at those words coming from my mouth too. I tell her that I need to go to Costco more. She said she doesn't need anything from there and goes into a mini tirade about why I shop there in the first place. I ask how my nephew is, and she tells me, fine. Then, she tells me, well accuses me that I don't like D, Rainbird's brother. Okay, she had me there, I think D is an abusive cocksucker that doesn't deserve anything and K was better off when he wasn't around (gosh that felt good to say). I lie and say if you're happy that's enough for me. K then tells me that if she is pregnant again, she's keeping the baby because it makes D so happy. I feel my stomach lurch into my throat while wondering why idiots can breed/reproduce without any issues what-so-ever.

After seeing Fredo come off the bus, we got into the car and drove to a very crowded Costco. Of course Fredo was hungry, tired and still whinny from this morning, and somehow thought it was a great time to announce that he wasn't going back to school EVER. So, I decided to inform him that he's going to school tonight (for Back-to-School night). That shut him up and I knew that mouse wheel in his head was turning trying to figure out why we're going back tonight. Maybe he's afraid, I'll leave him there.

When I got home, I got a bug up my butt that I want the furnace checked and gas fireplace looked at, since they say prices of natural gas are going up. Don't get me started on that rant...I'm close to exploding as it is.

I also called for more estimates on gutters. So far the guy that walked passed my house was cheapest. I still don't know though about just hiring him.

So, you don't want to go to school, eh?

Fredo refused to get up this morning for school. Rainbird, naturally, was no help, ditto with Pissboy. So, it was Fredo V Me. Silly kid thought he would win if he didn't get off his bunk bed (he sleeps on the top bunk).

Let me explain Fredo's room, he has all his things out on every surface of the room, the lower bunk, tables, floor. He has them arranged, and throws a fit if you touch anything (though he doesn't always notice when I remove things). So, I start by removing thing off his toy box and he screams at me to stop, so I remove another. I put the things back and tell him to get off his bed NOW. He doesn't move. So I take my arm and sweep it across the toy box. He screams and I smile as I begin throwing things inside the near-empty box. I turn and physically pull him off the bunk bed, and he begins taking the stuff out of his toy box; I note a few extra things are being added, probably some fool attempt to punish me or something. LOL.

We go downstairs as Rainbird is leaving for work and Fredo gives him that pathetic look. Rainbird tussles his hair and smiles at him. Pissboy didn't say a word, just went along with his morning routine. Most mornings, he doesn't complain this much. Guess, he felt the need to push his limits a little. Maybe now he'll remember I push back.

My dog is a better mother than I

You might ask me why I say that. Duke, the family dog, wakes when little son wakes (he never woke when the older child went to school). Patiently, he waits for the child to decide if he'll eat his breakfast and doesn't hound or nag the child that he's running late. Gratefully Duke eats the left-overs and quickly dashes up the stairs with the child, watching him silently as he brushes his teeth and goes to the bathroom. I think Duke is secretly impressed with how high he lifts his leg when he pee's. Then, Duke makes certain that he walks down the stairs first, just in case the little one stumbles, Duke will break the fall. Duke carefully positions himself between the front door and the little one as he's putting his jacket on, protectively not allowing anyone to open the door until it's time. He watches pensively from the window as the little one, accompanied by the foster mom (me), and his sibling, and waits there until he sees the bus. Duke then, barks ferociously at the bus, as if to warn everyone that his boy is getting on board.

Then it would seem the child is forgotten. The dog goes outside and does his business, lays on the deck, eats his breakfast and then, makes his way up the stairs, laying on the floor outside the little child's messy room. He doesn't go inside the room, or eyes the plethora of toys on the floor so suitable for chewing; he just lays there waiting.

At precisely 10:52 AM, the dog jumps onto the sofa he's not normally allowed on, and looks out the window until he sees the familiar bus drive up the street about 2 minutes later. He yelps in a playful way, and jumps against the door, and seems to panic a little if no one rushes outside to greet the bus. The door is opened, but Duke follows the rules, no matter how badly he wants to run to his boy he waits until he's closer then he welcomes him home.

Tales of a disorganized housewife

Is it bad to say housewife, or is it homemaker, domestic engineer? Well, whatever you call it, I'm lousy at it at times. Home organization is huge issue in this house, husband is the very organized Virgo-type A personality, despite his Pisces birth, who
thrives in an organized space.

I'm not like that but it's not that I'm lazy, it's just that I lack the resolve when it comes to many things, like keeping the monthly bills organized. I am forever forgetting, or losing some bills. Even though, I have a spot right beside the computer for them, I never seem to remember to put them there. I used to keep them by phone, and that seemed to work better for me but then I'd forget to pay them (a bigger problem, in my opinion).

I don't always do laundry when I probably should either, sometimes I just let the clothes, towels or whatever pile up a little (okay, a lot). I also never seem to make sure my tires have enough air in them, another thing that my husband gets pissy about. Please don't ask me why, I don't know, maybe they don't appear to have no air in them, so I don't think about.

I don't vacuum the carpet as often as I should, husband points that out to me also, sometimes I let it go a whole week before doing it, when I know, especially with white carpets, it should be done at least twice a week, three times would likely be better. I do try to clean the toilets once a week, because normally the boy's bathroom stinks to high heaven and it starts drifting down the stairs. Nothing like walking into the house with strong piss odor coming from the boy's bathroom.

But, frankly my husband is used to these quirks in my personality, until a few weeks ago, I'd forgotten to take out the trash (I normally do it each week), and put it by the curb for pick-up. Garbage piled up for a week because of that mistake, and husband wasn't happy about it either. Now, the latest thing is that we need to have our gutters cleaned for winter, and as always husband has been asking me to take care of that.

I'll admit I don't look at the gutters daily, so I keep forgetting about it. He looks at them though. I don't even know if we should be doing this so soon, after all fall is coming, and the gutters will just fill with leaves anyway. Of course, it will start raining and if they're filled, they won't work and that can lead to roofing problems, he informs me. So, I get something in the mail from a gutter service, they also clean windows, so I put the card aside making a mental note to call them on Monday. I tell him that I'll take care of it.

Monday comes and goes, and as you can imagine, I made no phone calls, except to chat with a few friends. Tuesday, nothing, Wednesday, again, nothing. Suddenly, this morning he asked about it. Had I called? Um, no, not yet. He had that disapproving look on his face as he left for work, glancing around the house before he did.

I hate it when he does that! I know he's right but I still hate it. Sometimes, I know I feel like an obstinate child, who is not going to take orders, and I even feel like stamping my foot in opposition to his authority.

So, I go looking for the gutter cleaner's card. I can't find it. I thought I had put it on the fridge, but it's not there. I panic as I search through piles of crap that likely should have been tossed out weeks ago. I'm nearly in tears of shame as I finally locate it, Fredo had spied it and thought it was something fun to play with. He put it with his books. I tuck it in with the bills and hope I remember to call later.

I'm so...Continued

I don't know, I just would love for someone to explain to me how the world became such a fucked up place! Everyone blames everyone else and no one knows or understands how to accept personal responsibility for their personal actions. I have a friend that's driving me crazy, of course, she's a classic narcissist, so it isn't really her fault. Uh huh.

Then there is husband with his own issues he's struggling with. He's falling deeper into a depression, and though he's on medicine for it, it's not helping him. His anxiety is getting worse by the day and he's having trouble working, or concentrating on work. Odd because he truly loves his job and everything about it, but now he's got all this fear and he can't deal with it and I can't help him. Such a powerless feeling--it's overwhelming. I hope things improve, it's all I can do now.

I'm so.....

You can fill in the blank yourself. Disgusted, disgruntled, tired, mentally drained all spring to mind. Just down, I suppose is most accurate.

Where I'm from and where I am now

This is where I was from...

You Know You're From The San Francisco Bay Area When...

You go to "The City" on weekends but don't live there because you like your car.

You can drive 15 miles north, South or East of the City and hit 100 degree temperatures, but in San Francisco the predicted "high" temp is 63.

Your home computer contains mostly hardware/software that is not on the consumer market yet.

You spend more time in your office and car than in your house.

You stop asking how much things cost, but instead ask "how long will it take?"

You know where Woz Way, Resistor Avenue, and Floppy Drive are located.

You know who and where Woz is.

You know that 280 North goes west and that 680 North goes east.

It rained ... and the spiders came in ... and the ants came in ... and the mice came in.

You realize that even though Microsoft employs quite a few programmers in the Bay Area, they only work on PowerPoint.

None of the people you work with are bible thumpers.

You get email from a co-worker at 10:00PM ... and you are both still in the office.

Your favorite computer reseller speaks only Cantonese.

You get the same off-color email joke from 17 people in the same hour, and one of them is your spouse.

Your "personal shopper" has become engaged to your "career coach".

You know that "taking the Nerd Bird" means you're flying to L.A ... for the 3rd time in a week.

You recently built your children their first "tilt-up" concrete playhouse.

You bought stock in Starbucks just for the free chocolate-covered coffee beans.

You bought stock in Webvan just because you hate going to the market and were pissed off when the company went under because no one could shop there.

You make $120,000 a year, yet still can't afford a place to live.

Your combined household income is $150,000 and you can't afford shoes for the kids

You think anything slower than DSL is barbaric, but can't get it in your neighborhood

You and your spouse almost come to blows deciding to hit Peet's or Starbuck

You met your neighbors once

When asked about your commute you answer in time, not distance

Even though you work 80 hours per week on a computer, for relaxation you read your email and peruse eBay

You have worked at the same job for a year and people call you an 'old-timer'

You can name four different programming languages and you are not a programmer

You remember the names of the three closest cheap sushi joints, the location of all the Fry's in the area and which companies your friends work for that are going public in the next year, but don't know the name of the mayor

Standing in line at Starbucks you wonder why the employees don't call a head hunter

You work 6 miles from your home and spend two hours a day commuting and $60 a week on gas

Winter is when your lawn grows too fast and summer is when it dies

The median price of a house is $500,000...for 1000 sq. ft. with no yard because it's a town house

You live on some of the richest farm land in the world but most of what you eat comes from South America on a boat

Your best friend lives across town but you hardly ever see each other because after your commute you're too pooped to spend another hour driving to their home

You plan your vacation so that you don't have to drive back from the airport in commute hours

You don't go to sporting events unless you are given tickets by your employer

You could sell your home and live like a king in 99% of the rest of the world, but don't because it would be difficult to move back.

You have at least three computers at home.

You own at least one domain on the Internet, probably several.

You think it's normal to see chip-design software or relational databases advertised on freeway billboards.

You know that California isn't just one big beach.

You know that not everyone in California surfs.

You know there's lots of skiing in California.

You know your rotating outage block number at home and at work, and listen for them whenever there are rolling blackouts.

If someone refers to "SunnytogaDeAnzavale Road", you laugh and know what they're talking about.

You take your out-of-town friends to see the techie gadgets at Fry's. But you don't let them buy anything.

You know how to recognize re-sealed returned electronics at Fry's.

You don't ask the staff any questions at Fry's. You know they hire idiots and pass the savings on to you.

You watch dot-com boomers go back to the states they came from, and the traffic gets better by the month. But you are home so you're not moving.

You own a Sport Utility Vehicle and have never taken it off-road. You wouldn't know what to do if you tried. Same with all your friends.

You don't know how to drive in snow. You're a road hazard when you visit the mountains.

You think the horn and middle finger are essential driving tools.

You think bicycles don't belong on the road.

You think any car ahead of you doesn't belong on the road.

Your out-of-state friends are impressed at how much money you make... until you tell them how much you pay for housing.

You know that a "fixer-upper" home could cost a half-million dollars.

Or the half-million dollar price-tag is for the land that condemned house sits upon.

You do a "California stop" at stop signs. And you think it's only Californians who call them that.

You aren't bothered much by earthquakes because you're ready for them. But the thought of tornadoes and hurricanes terrifies you.

You clearly remember where you were when the Loma Prieta quake hit.

You know several funny stories about swimming pools in the quake.

You can't recognize a thunderstorm without seeing lightning first.

You cringe when a Southern Californian refers to highways like "the 101". It's just "101". No "the".

You call low clouds "fog" even if they're hundreds of feet off the ground.

At least once you have gone to San Francisco for the day wearing shorts and a t-shirt because it was a warm clear day in San Jose. And you froze your little *@#!% off in the fog, drizzle and wind.

You say you're from Silicon Valley because no one knows where San Jose is.

You understand the meaning of the term Oracle Mile.

You wonder why the traffic always backs up in Millbrae on 101 South.

You cringe when you hear out of towners say the names of cities or worse call San Francisco "Frisco".

And this is where I live now.


You know you're from the Pacific Northwest when...

1. You know the state flower (mildew)

2. You feel guilty throwing aluminum cans or paper in the trash.

3. Use the statement "sun break" and know what it means.

4. You know more than 10 ways to order coffee.

5. You know more people who own boats than air conditioners.

6. You feel overdressed wearing a suit to a nice restaurant.

7. You stand on a deserted corner in the rain, waiting for the'WALK' signal.

8. You consider that if it has no snow or has not recently erupted, it is not a real mountain.

9. You can taste the difference between Starbucks, Seattle 's Best, and Venetos'.

10. You know the difference between Chinook, Coho, and Sockeye salmon.

11. You know how to pronounce Sequim, Puyallup , Issaquah , Oregon , Yakima and Willamette.

12. You consider swimming an indoor sport.

13. You can tell the difference between Japanese, Chinese and Thai food.

14. In winter, you go to work in the dark and come home in the dark... - while only working 8-hour days.

15. You never go camping without waterproof matches and a poncho.

16. You are not fazed by "Today's Forecast: showers followed by rain." AND by "Tomorrow's Forecast: rain followed by showers."

17. You cannot wait for a day with "showers and sun breaks."

18. You have no concept of humidity without precipitation.

19. You know that Boring is a town in Oregon and not just a state of mind!

20. You can point to at least two volcanoes, even if you cannot see through the cloud cover.

21. You notice, "The mountain is out" when it is a pretty day and you can actually see it.

22. You put on your shorts when the temperature gets above 50, but still wear your hiking boot and parka.

23. You switch to your sandals when it gets about 60, but keep the socks on.

24. You have actually used your mountain bike on a mountain.

25. You think people who use umbrellas are either wimps or tourists.

26. You knew immediately that the view out of Fraziers' window was fake.

27. You buy new sunglasses every year, because you cannot find the old ones after such a long time.

28. You measure distance in hours.

29. You often switch from "heat" to "a/c" in the same day.

30. You use a down comforter in the summer.

31. You carry jumper cables in your car and your wife knows how to use them.

32. You design your kid's Halloween costume to fit under a raincoat.
33. You get into arguments with your spouse over Seattle's Best and Peets.

34. You can root for the Beavers without snickering.

35. You know all the important seasons: Almost Winter, winter, still raining (spring), Road Construction (Summer), Deer & Elk season (Fall).

36. Your amazed that nearly everyone you meet was born in California.