Birthday Activity - Rug Doctor?

So this week is my birthday, and when my wife asked me if there was anything special that I wanted to do, I said I wanted to clean the carpets in the family room and dining room. I know, pretty exciting, but the new dog and the old dog and the yucky cat have all contributed to creating ugly stains on the carpet and it was getting a little embarrassing to have people come over - and have to apologize for the stains.

Besides, I paid good money for that carpeting, and I did not want it ruined in 1 year.

So my son and I went over to the Stop and Shop and rented the Rug Doctor - pretty cheap - $25. Then we got the cleaner - not so cheap, $20 bottle for about 4 rooms (we were only doing 2), plus some pretreatment for about $9. In total, about $50.

It fit in the back of the minivan and we lugged it inside, mixed the soap with the hot water, read the directions, did a little play acting and let it rip.

UGH! The stuff that was sucked out of the carpet was nasty... N-A-S-T-Y! The water that was sucked out was just BLACK! We were grossed out, but also kind of happy that it was coming out and also pretty impressed with how it was all working. I mean, c'mon... it's kind of a guy thing. You got to use a noisy machine, mix all sorts of potions and in the end, things are even clean!

So, did it get all the pet stains (pee and cat gak)? Yes. Would we rent it again? Yes. Was it expensive? Not really?

It worked well, it just took a long time because in order to keep it small and light, the unit only holds about 2 gallons of water, so you have to keep emptying it and refilling it. About an hour for a regular sized room.

They have a wider Rug Doctor that covers more space at any one time, but because we were going around table legs and bookcases, the narrow one was better. If we were emptying out a large room that was pretty regularly shaped, I would probably use the wider unit to make it a little faster.

Unusual present, but worth it.

Finding "My Time" during the day

As I may have mentioned - I am starting to play the cello again after 30 years. It is daunting, it is fun, it is tiring.

Oh, I guess I have not posted about it yet. So a brief history. Way back in the Dark Ages, I decided I wanted to play the cello. Its a big instrument, but it makes a lot of sound, and I think I was on a Spanish kick at the time (Pablo Casals still being the greatest living cellist). I also wanted to be a bullfighter when I grew up. Anyway, I started playing both at school and at the University of Texas String Project. I played for a few years and was passably good, but never great.

I finally stopped playing when I discovered girls and the cross-country team.

Fast forward 30 years.

I was playing Guitar Hero on the Wii (see my review of Guitar Hero III) and having fun, but felt like I wanted more control of the music - you know, really make music. Right then and there, I decided to take up the cello again.

So I called my mom, who has been keeping my old student cello for all those 30 years - I guess a mom's hope springs eternal - and she said, "Sure, I have it. Take it away!" So the next time I was in Texas, I packed it up, stuck it under the plane and brought it back home.

I found a teacher, Steve Laven, who is pretty cool and pushes me and is supportive. And we jumped into the whole thing. After 2 lessons and a week or so of practice, I have discovered that I remember a lot of practical music theory. My hands are stiffer. I need to cut my nails more. Playing a cello from a wheelchair is harder than before. But it is fun.

Actually, the other evening I was practicing and I was concentrating on my bowing and had a wonderful moment of concentration on something that was not work, not chores, not kids or homework. It was a very pleasant time. A time of focus and removal from the day-to-day works and distractions of everyday life. Now, I feel all grouchy if I don't get some of my cello practice/away-time. It's like a little vacation in the living room.

I am curious. Does anyone else have some activity that they do that takes you away in a similar way?

The Myth of Conservative Morality

So Sarah Palin's young, unwed daughter is pregnant... I will leave the attacks to someone else, but I would have you think about what the neo-fascist conservative talk radio hacks would say if one of Obama's black daughters was unwed and pregnant. Obama says family is off limits, I say, "Cry havoc and let loose the dogs of war!"

But let's look at something else that is more telling. The Conservatives would have you believe that the Liberals are killing the American Family. Let's run a little scorecard:

DIVORCE:

Sen. John McCain - Check (and he divorced his crippled wife to boot!)

Sen. Barak Obama - Nope

EXTRAMARITAL AFFAIRS:

Sen. John McCain - Check

Sen. Barak Obama - Nope

FAMILY LIFE:

Sen. Joe Biden - raised sons for 5 years on his own after wife died in car accident. Result - no pregnancies

Gov. Sarah Palin - eloped with husband; raising family together. Result - unwed pregnant daughter

SCANDALOUS BEHAVIOR:

Sen. Joe Biden - Nope

Gov. Sarah Palin - under investigation for firing trooper who would not support her vengeful acts against sister's ex-husband.

FINAL TALLY IN BAD BEHAVIOR:

Conservatives - 4

Liberals - 0

Hey, life is hard. Things happen. But when you are pointing fingers at the people who are screwing things up, point them at the Conservatives, not the Liberals.

And keep a skeptical ear for when people talk about "Real Family Values."