Monday, November 30, 2009

Stay Healthy

During these times when we are trying to avoid H1N1 and other contagious diseases, it is important to follow simple rules to maintain health and avoid transferring illness to our friends and families. We may need to encourage others to use these guidelines, if they are not familiar with them. As we get together over the holidays, etc., please be conscious of this.

We have probably all heard about keeping hands and food preparation clean. There is another very basic way to help prevent spreading germs and viruses. Everyone should use serving utensils when putting food on their plates. The fork or spoon you are eating with should never be used to take food from the communal serving dish.

This is why restaurant buffets and salad bars demand that you use serving spoons and a new plate upon each trip. This may seem to be standard for some of us, but it is not for everyone. Please help to encourage everyone to keep our friends and families healthy.

Thanks, and have a great holiday season!

K.

Saturday at Nine Mile Creek

On Saturday, we hiked along Nine Mile Creek in Bloomington, MN. Here are a few images.




Friday, November 27, 2009

8th Annual Red Wing Holiday Stroll

We went to the 8th Annual Red Wing Holiday Stroll this late afternoon/evening. It was quite festive with free chili, music and barrels stoked with burning logs!



Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Cutris Attacked by Mall Bear

Cutris Attacked by Mall Bear
UnAssociated Press
November 24, 2009

You may have heard of Mall Rats, but what about mall bears?

Cutris was posing for a picture at a local mall recently, when he was apparently attacked and bitten by a statue bear. Cutris said that the whole thing was "quite a surprise," but he was uninjured--because "mall bears aren't all that dangerous."

Saturday, November 21, 2009

November Hike

Today, it was sunny and 50 degrees (Fahrenheit). It was too nice of a day to pass up. My wife and I went hiking on the state trail parallel to the Bluff Trail in the Long Meadow Lake unit of the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge.

The three Bald Eagles that circled us, didn't wait for pictures. That did not stop me, however, from taking plenty of them. Here are a couple that I'm willing to share.

-KJC




Friday, November 20, 2009

Many People Suck

Many people suck. Some don’t, but many do. Certain groups of people have a higher likelihood of sucking, such as bosses, owners, politicians, lawyers and commission sales people. This is because they tend to have private agendas that often conflict with that of the rest of the population (who may or may not suck too).

It is important to give everyone a chance, even if they come from a group that elevates their personal likelihood of sucking. If you are open-minded when dealing with individuals, you can feel good about yourself—even if later you learn that they do indeed suck.

There are levels of sucking. For example, some bosses are incompetent. That sucks, because it makes it harder for everyone to do a good job. Still, that doesn’t mean that they are trying to suck. They may just suck and not know it.

In other cases, for example, a boss might actually try to make life miserable for employees. This is a malevolent boss, which is far worse than an incompetent boss. However, it is fairly common that an incompetent boss may assert themselves, in an effort to make it appear that the true cause of a problem lies with someone else. These, insecure bosses will try to limit communications and avoid following the recommendations of experts in the vicious cycle to assert their authority to hide their own suckiness. This is known as, someone who doubly-sucks.

The question gets down to, how does one function within the environment of someone who sucks—especially if that person is in a position of control? Obviously one can try to relocate to a new place, where the person who sucks has no authority. This is a good strategy, except that you may run into a new person, who also sucks.

A second choice is to try to work within the existing sucky realm. If you can exist in the realm of suck, without spending all of your time and energy avoiding the person who sucks, you might stick it out and wait to see if they eventually suck so bad that someone notices. This may or may not happen, and the chain-of-command may actually suck all the way to the top.

If you don’t understand this essay, it is quite possible that you suck as well. If you see yourself in the descriptions, I’m afraid I can’t help that. Hopefully, you enjoyed my commentary, and you didn’t think it sucked too much. If not, that probably sucks.

-Cutris

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

This Week's Sponsors

I Am Cutris is made possible in part by,

Rapid Ho, if your ho is too slow, call Rapid Ho!

Hellways Superstore, it's just like what Hell must be like!

Ghetto Foods, "...like you got it from a guy who sold it out the back of a truck."

Friday, November 13, 2009

Cutris had Previous Run-in with Garbage Frog

Cutris had Previous Run-in with Garbage Frog
UnAssociated Press
November 13, 2009

This picture obtained by the UnAssociated Press, clearly shows Cutris running like a girl--from the garbage frog that attacked him earlier this week. This photo was carbon dated, and appears to have been taken in early September of this year. This could explain why the garbage frog was so quick to attack.



This photo clearly shows Cutris running like a girl from the garbage frog.





While unpredictable, garbage frogs often prefer to blend into their surroundings to avoid confrontation. They are, however, predatory, and will try to eat anything they can swallow. "Cutris may have resembled a large cricket," said University of High Tuition, entomologist Bugs Malone. "Or, it may have just been a case of protecting its territory."

When asked to comment, Cutris flashed reporters an obscene gesture and ran away.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Cutris Battles Garbage Frog

Cutris Battles Garbage Frog
UnAssociated Press
November 11, 2009

The UnAssociated Press has obtained photos of Cutris fighting with a giant, garbage frog. The situation apparently got out-of-hand, when Cutris approached the garbage frog, and it suddenly attacked!

A bystander apparently snapped these photos before running to safety. Cutris would not comment on the incident, except to say that garbage frogs are "unpredictable," and that both he and the frog were alright after the altercation.






Cutris is shown pointing at the garbage frog.





Cutris takes on a defensive stance.




Cutris uses his fighting skills to protect himself.







Click on photos to enlarge.

Veteran's Day!

Today we acknowledge the United States of America Veterans.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Ann Taylor: No Men's Couch???

I've previously blogged about my experience at Ann Taylor, waiting for my wife while she looks at clothes. Recently, I found myself being led back into this place that is so strange for any heterosexual man.

Instantly, we were asked by one of the female employees (Note* I have never seen a man working there--which is further proof that this is no place for men), if "we" needed any help finding something. I answered that I wasn't actually looking for anything. When the next employee (Note* There were about two employees for every one customer) asked if "we" had any questions, I said that I did not.

As my wife continued looking, I began to read to her aloud, the "what we believe" sign, that was hanging on the wall. What propaganda/drivel! Then, I went to find the "men's couch," that has been my refuge several times before on these expeditions. It is usually "outfitted" with some kind of magazine (one, maybe two) that would have some appeal for a man. But... alas... there was no couch!!!

Suddenly, I did have a question!!!
"What happened to the men's couch???" I asked the nearest sales woman.
She said that it had been moved into the office in the back of the store.
"I have to go back there???" I asked, (fearing what might be hidden in the depths of the Ann Taylor store--unseen by the general public).

She told me I couldn't go back there. Relieved, I said, "You need to bring the couch back!" She told me that she would let the manager know.

As my petite wife led me back out of this strange and frightening place, I shivered at the thought that the last refuge for men had been removed from Ann Taylor. It was truly, no place for men.

Monday, November 09, 2009

News Headlines You'll Never See

For your enjoyment, Cutris has compiled a brief list of news headlines that you are probably never going to see.

1. Young Urban Males Decide to Wear Pants that Fit

2. Man Admits, That as a Child He Molested Priests

3. Hero Cat Saves the Day!

4. Paris Hilton Graduates

5. Cheney Admits Guilt

6. Government Center Condemned to make Room for New Lake

7. Woman to Lead Taliban

8. Phone Company Pays Customers to End Contract Early

9. Al Sharpton Makes Sense

10. Vikings Win Super Bowl!

Lighting

Saturday we spent some time at the Tamarack Nature Center, in the beautiful, 60 degree Fahrenheit, November weather.

The afternoon Sun made for spectacular lighting for photography. I usually don't put my best pictures on my blog (just in case I ever want to publish a photography book), but here is a sample.

Friday, November 06, 2009

Ten-Year-Old Bus Drivers

Since I first met him, I've been asking my nephew (now age 9) about his car. I'll ask him if I can see his car or his driver's license, and he always reminds me that he is still a kid. I usually seem puzzled by this, and ask how he can drive without a license? Then he tells me he doesn't drive, and then I ask him how he gets to school??? Recently we went through this, and he told me that he rides the bus to school. I exclaimed, "You drive a bus???" He said, "No! I take the bus!" Then I said, "Oh… you shouldn't take the bus if it doesn’t belong to you…"

Soon his four-year-old sister got into the conversation. She is a pretty opinionated four-year-old, so she put her hands on her hips and told me, "He doesn't drive the bus, he isn't old enough!" So, I asked her how old a person has to be before they can drive a bus. She thought for a minute, and replied, "You have to be at least ten!"

KJC

Tuesday, November 03, 2009

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Monday, November 02, 2009

Migizi Flies Closest to the Creator

An eagle flew over me as I left work Tuesday (just before my wife and I endured something very difficult). I took it as a sign that God had not abandoned us. My Ojibwe brother Joe says that Migizi flies closest to the Creator.