Squid-who?? International Trade Lens

A new "lens" has been set up at Squidoo, by a good friend of mine - John Michaels - who has forgotten more about B2B and China trade then I'll ever know.

The International Trade Squidoo lens is here, and I hope you'll be there too.

Peace and love to all e-commerce adventurers -x-

Olympic Sponsors

With just four days to go, I found this smart little feature showcasing the top Olympic Sponsors for this years Games in Beijing.

Strange bedfellows, huh? I guess the Olympic Games really do bring peoples together from all walks of life!

How can a Tootoo help my business?

So what does resting in the Tootoo mean? And what has it got to do with business, B2B, and all that jazz?

Well, Tootoo's name comes from the ancient Chinese name for the small natural bays found near the source of the great Yangtze River, often used by trading ships as places of rest. Okay, a tiny connection to trade - even international trade - but what has it got to do with B2B vertical search engines, like Tootoo.com? Here comes a list!

◇The waters of tootoos are pure, being at the source of the Yangtze, where melting snowcaps invigorate the surrounding land. Tootoo.com, like the water at the source of the Yangtze, is a symbol of vigor and also purity, filtering the dirt from the clean water as it begins it journey.

◇ The tootoo's of the Yangtze were places where the merchants of old began their journey, before travelling the many tributaries and waterways of the Yangtze basin. Tootoo.com is also a gateway to Chinese trade, and more, the networks of our community platform reach around the world.

◇Just as the tootoo's of the Yangtze contribute towards making China's longest river, Tootoo.com believes in contributing towards empowering global trade. From small acorns, might oaks grow – and one step at a time Tootoo.com strives to make your business, as a buyer or a seller, grow.

Journey from introspection to international trade

So, yeah.... it's been a while! And what's happened to your Marietta in that time? Well, for one thing you can see I'm posting under a new name -- Ti'en Tze -- wha' the..!?

Well, Ti'en Tze means gift from Heaven, and I believe that my life in the past few years is a gift from Heaven too. This is the journey I want to share with you.

The journey ended with Tootoo.com, a little something that meets the business requirements you need. I will go more into what Tootoo can do for you in future posts. That B2B website is the destination, and for those enlightened enough in trade practices you can go straight there now without reading further.

For the rest, the majority, please follow me on a journey from introspective ramblings (see ALL previous posts) to international trade, forging links with suppliers and manufacturers - bridging national boundaries, and transcending the fundamental "otherness" that separates people. Yes, trade brings people closer together.

I know this, because I lived it. Please keep tuned.

They're making me miss my scene, man...

...is what my sister said at the Medeski Martin and Wood show the other night. Which was the first time in a week that I wore a bra, and probably the one place that was optional.

Sidenote, my sister ran away with The Rainbow People at the age of eighteen.

Enjoying more than the acid jazz fusion combo, as the music built to a crescendo, my sister confidentially voiced, "If he can do that to a bass...," in a delicious Janis Muppet moment where everyone fell silent to hear her musings. I couldn't stop laughing for a good ten minutes, much to the chagrin of the guy infront of us.

An-t-way, I'm still looking for a yob. But since my man is off for the next two weeks, I'll be on hiatus.

The Bends

My husband's best friend was the best man at our wedding. He and his live-in girlfriend became engaged. More accurately, she and her mother went ring shopping and I guess told Gary as an after thought.

I can't stand this bitch- she's all wrong for Gary. (Get comfortable, this may take a while). She always has a sour puss on her face coupled with the personality of a man hole cover; and will henceforth be referred to as MHC.

The first few times we hung out, she was quiet. I thought it was just because of meeting someone new. Gary had a "divorce party" (has ex wife and four kids), and it was mostly MHC's friends. Same thing- an expression like she perpetually smelled shit.

We send out wedding invitations, she has gastric bypass surgery. I'm not saying it's a coincidence - just giving you a timeline.

I give my husband the green light for his bachelor party. My exact words, "Don't pork anyone or get your dick sucked." So that bitch, somehow, muscled her way into the party. I found out the weekend before and put the kibosh on that right quick. Apparently, Gary had cheated on his ex wife and stupidly told MHC. Obviously, she didn't trust him. Now, if my man is allowed to have titties in his face- I don't want her there screwing it up. And you know if poor Gary even looked up from his drink, it'd start World War III. So I put my foot down- no vagina at the party unless they're of a professional nature.

So she plans a trip for them. One week in Mexico, returning the day of our wedding. According to Gary, they got off the flight, sped home to change, got right back in the car and drove to the ceramony. Arguing the entire ride up.

So, I hadn't seen her in a few months and she lost a good 50 pounds. During the reception at the first chance I had to speak with them, I said to her, "You look fantastic." And with the same goddamn look on her face she squeaked out, "Thanks." That was it. I mean- HELLO! I usually don't fish for compliments (I outright ask for them) but c'mon! IT'S MY WEDDING DAY!! PRETTY PRINCESS DRESS!! FLAWLESS HAIR AND MAKE-UP! I got nothing.

That's when I was done.

So she's busy with a wedding coordinator for nuptuals in Venice. Honeymoon in Egypt with a reception at the Camden Aquarium for those who could not make it to Italy. Meanwhile, she's been out of work for months and Gary is on a civil servant salary. He expressed to us, in confidence, remorse for only being able to afford one Christmas present for each of his children. Did that deter her?!

My husband could not understand her selfishness. I tried to elaborate that every woman has the idea of this grandiose day pounded into her head since the age of three, with Disney and whatnot. And I bet that if you asked twenty single women to describe her ultimate wedding- seventeen of them would elaborate on the event itself. Not marrying the perfect man. Her actions were not out of the norm for people of that mindset.

Okay, so last week Gary called my man three times in one night. By the fourth call, I told him to pick up the phone- obviously something's up. I knew what it was. They got into a fight over money, it started with her wanting a box of Dunkin' Donut. I shit you not, a box. Gary already vanquished his play money for the week. Things escalated, she packed a bag and split. It was over.

I reigned in my excitement knowing these things take a few bends before it breaks completely.

And like clockwork, Gary called last night. They patched things up and are going to counseling. And may postpone the wedding.

Uh, ya think?

Word

From Savage Love:

Straight Rights Update: Earlier this month Republicans in South Dakota successfully banned abortion in that state. Last week the GOP-controlled state house of representatives in Missouri voted to ban state-funded family-planning clinics from dispensing birth control. "If you hand out contraception to single women," one Republican state rep told the Kansas City Star, "we're saying promiscuity is okay." On the federal level, Republicans are blocking the over-the-counter sale of emergency contraception and keeping a 100 percent effective HPV vaccine—a vaccine that will save the lives of thousands of women every year—from being made available.

The GOP's message to straight Americans: If you have sex, we want it to fuck up your lives as much as possible. No birth control, no emergency contraception, no abortion services, no life-saving vaccines. If you get pregnant, tough shit. You're going to have those babies, ladies, and you're going to make those child-support payments, gentlemen. And if you get HPV and it leads to cervical cancer, well, that's too bad. Have a nice funeral, slut.

What's it going to take to get a straight-rights movement off the ground? The GOP in Kansas is seeking to criminalize hetero heavy petting, for God's sake! Wake up and smell the freaking Holy War, breeders! The religious right hates heterosexuality just as much as it hates homosexuality. Fight back!

Ted, Just Admit It

Over at The Stranger, there's an interesting article about a man recently convicted of murder. He acted as his own attorney and this is part of his closing argument:

We all bleed the same blood. We all cry the same tears. We all urinate the same urine. We all poop the same poop."

Captivating.

Wait, it gets better- this is what he said of his accomplice-

"I said we'd have sophisticated times together. I wanted to eat her booty, suck her booty, suck her toes, eat her pussy—so I was real articulate."

Speaking of insane (SOUTH PARK SPOILERS AHEAD)

That had a parade infront of it, right? Except for the Darth Vader thing. My husband doesn't think it was a particularly funny episode, especially if you weren't caught up on the inside story. I had heard that L. Ron was caught with young boys, and was going to put it in a past post, but couldn't find anything on the web to back it up. Obviously Trey and Matt heard the same thing. The ending was great- how they will remember Chef for all the laughter and not about the fruity little club that scrambled his brain. Fabulous!