A Poem

Poetry has never been "my thing." I did, however, do the "worship of Rod McKuen" thing when I was young--I think it was required at the time. :) I completely blame my high school English teacher for my lack of enthusiasm for poetry. He never allowed us to read poetry just for pure pleasure--everything had to be analyzed to death. While I CAN appreciate good poetry, I never seek it out. So, with that in mind, I offer my only serious attempt at writing a poem. (This is several years old.)



TO YOU


you

HURT me

with your words

BUT

you

KILL me

with your silence

And Chicken Little Said, "Legs Are Falling From the Sky!"

"A man's severed leg--with a white Adidas sneaker still attached--plummeted from the sky onto a garage roof and bounced into the backyard of a Long Island home yesterday morning..." For more of this story go here.

Hi all, I'm back! I will write more later today or tomorrow, but I wanted to give you something interesting to read, hence the link to the story. Unbelievable!

THE MOTHER Attends a Graduation Party

I was sitting and enjoying the visit with K.'s family when I looked up and The Mother was coming into the living room. I honestly think the only reason they showed up was to see if I would be there. We said hi to each other--just as if we were acquaintances who happen to be invited to the same parties every few months. She, of course, made a big deal of fawning over my grandchildren--let everyone know how Marcus is shy with people he doesn't know. This said right after I brought him to her because he stared to cry with me. She made it clear that the kids know her much better than they know me. I don't quite remember what she said, but the message came through loud and clear. The trouble is, she doesn't ever think she does anything wrong--she REALLY doesn't see how destructive and hurtful her actions are. This is the kind of person you can't reason with--so it IS better for me to stay away from her. I only got a small glance of The Father as he walked through the kitchen.

The only real enjoyment I got was the realization that I would be raked over the coals for many days after seeing her. This was the first time she saw my tattoo since I got it--totally blew her mind, I'm sure. Of course, she is just too polite to say anything to me--at least in front of other people--but I KNOW it was a hot topic of conversation that night and will be for a long time to come. :)

Of Moose and Wolves

I know I have mentioned, in at least one post, the amount of wildlife we get to see in and around our house. Now that isn't such an incredible thing except for the fact that we live in the middle of a small city. Well, the wildlife is (are?) on the loose again! A couple of weeks ago we had a wolf about two miles from our house and the other day a moose was wandering a block from us. The police officer who saw the wolf watched it leave the area, but no one actually saw the moose leave town. I am assuming it has gone, but one never knows. I feel so sorry for the moose as it was just a baby and it probably misses its mother very much.

Of course, I never get to see any of this exciting stuff until it is shown on the local news or is in the newspaper. That is, until today. Now, it isn't QUITE as exciting as seeing it in my own backyard, but today I saw my first moose in the wild! It was grazing peacefully on the side of the road and I wouldn't have even noticed it (it was dusk and the moose blended in with the surroundings very well) but several cars had pulled over so the occupants could watch. This was an absolutely thrilling event for me! I guess that shows how exciting my life is. :) Moose are magnificent animals--very impressive.

About Shopping and a Bald Cat

We got back from our shopping expedition quite early yesterday--before 8:00 PM. I guess it shouldn't be such a surprise--after all, we left the house before 6:00 AM. The shopping went fast--we knew what we needed so there was no unnecessary meandering. I must say, though, doing that much in one day just wears me out--my feet and legs were just throbbing last night. I got to sleep earlier than usual, so it wasn't all that bad.

Now I don't know what I was thinking, but I decided to clean the upstairs room today. As if my legs weren't tired enough from yesterday, I have been up and down the stairs all evening. The cat has decided that the room is hers, so it is quite a job to keep it clean. If I don't get up there at least once a week, then it is a major bit of work to try and get it in shape. The allergist said I am only allergic to dust mites, but with all the fur I breathe in when I clean that room, I think I'm developing an allergy to cat dander! I swear, the amount of fur I vacuumed up would be enough to make three good sized cats. She should be completely bald by now!

It looks as if we will have a quiet Memorial Day weekend--which is quite all right with me. Other than the graduation party on Sunday, we have no other plans. Sunday will be busy, so I will be happy to just rest on Monday.

TP and Other Boring Stuff

There was a time when I actually could figure out just how much TP I would have to buy when I went shopping. Then when A. moved out, I had to reevaluate the situation and determined I would need much less than before. Everything was going quite well until the manufacturers decided they needed to Super-Size! Now it is a guessing game as to how much I need to purchase at a time. Charmin now comes in no fewer than 4 different size rolls. Do we really need rolls of TP so large that a holder extender has to come with each package? How much toilet paper do people use in one day? Unbelievable.

As you can tell, I really don't have much going on that is interesting. Tomorrow we will be going out of town to do some shopping. We will only be gone for the day, and that is fine with me.

On Sunday we will be going to K.'s great-nephew's graduation party. We only got one other graduation invitation this year and I don't think any more will be coming. An inexpensive year for us, thank goodness. Hopefully K. won't decide we have to stop and see The Parents while we are up there--I don't really need to see them any time soon. At least we WILL be able to see C. and the kids for a short time.

To Those Who Write Comments...

I will be handling the answering of comments differently from now on. If you leave a comment, I will post an answer right after, instead of answering on your blog. This will make it easier to follow a thread, I think. Does any of this make any sense? Thank you to Dragon Child and cantellya for commenting on my posts. It is nice that SOMEONE actually reads my drivel! :)

Crawlie Thingees

I can tell this is going to be a WONDERFUL summer. (Can you just feel the sarcasm?) This past week I have found more crawlie thingees: there was a tent caterpillar in the basement--never had one there before--and I found a red ant crawling on the bed. Yippee! I can't wait to see what I find next.

Anyway, I hope you all have a great weekend. I think we will be doing some gardening. :)

Staying Up Late and Scaring Small Children

Any of my friends and family know that I am a night owl--I would do very well working the night shift. This is why people don't hesitate to call me in the late evening/early morning hours. So with that in mind, I don't know why my heart skips a beat every time the phone rings late at night, as it did the other night shortly after midnight. My first thought was panic. Then I saw on the caller id that it was C., so I got even more concerned. And the fact that she was calling from her cellphone made me think she was on her way here because she was in premature labor. (How in the world can one think that many thoughts in the space of 5 seconds!?) As it turned out, she was driving through the next state on her way to pick up her husband. G. drives an 18-wheeler and had a 36 hour lay-over and she went to get him so he could spend some time with her and the kids. (He has been gone for over a week and won't be back until this coming weekend.) She called me because she was bored and knew I was the only person she could call who would actually be up at that time. I've always said, one way or another, my kids would shorten my life.

Some people wish they could go back and spend their high school years over again. Or they want to have their college years back. Or the early marriage years were the best times of their life. I don't yearn for the past--I am quite content to be in the here and now. There are only two things I would like from way back when. The first is: I want my old body back! I want the pre-pregnancy, pre-hysterectomy, pre-gravity wrecked, pre-OLD body back! And to think I felt I was too heavy when I was in high school. What a fool I was. The other thing I want is my former ability to wake up and leave the house in less than 15 minutes. These days it takes me at least an hour to get ready to leave the house--and this is just doing enough to myself so that I won't scare small children, not so that I will look great! Oh, the toll time has taken on me.

Not Truly Obsessive-Compulsive

At the risk of being accused of using generalities and stereotyping, I must ask: Why is it impossible for men to put things away? Granted, I only have my husband to point to when I ask this question, but I know the same thing goes on in other homes.

I don't understand why my hubby cannot put things (Doritos, chips, etc.) away in the pantry where they belong. What he does instead is leave whatever snack food he is finished with on the bench in the breakfast nook. Now this might not be cause for being annoyed except for the fact that he only has to take ONE more step to put the food where it belongs! And he cannot understand why this irritates me. After all, he's not finished with the snack--he'll be eating more tomorrow.

Another thing he physically is unable to do is put his bathrobe back in his closet. His robe has been on the floor next to our bed for so long that it is light blue--instead of navy--because of all the dust that has settled on it. This, I understand, might be harder for him to put away because he actually would have to open a door to get into the closet--very difficult.

Most of the time his inability to put things away only causes me to be annoyed. However, his inability to put his tools away DOES cost us money. At the moment his toolbox has one set of sockets in it. The man has more tools than you can shake a stick at and he cannot find a screwdriver when he needs one--because they are not where they belong. The first thing he does when he needs a tool is he heads for MY toolbox and uses what he can find. Of course, he doesn't put it back when he's done, so now MY tools are MIA, also. The biggest problem, though, is when even I don't have what he is looking for. This gives him an excuse to go out and buy whatever he can't find in the house. This in turn has brought us to the situation we are now in--we have a hammer for every room of the house, more screwdrivers in more sizes than anyone ever imagined they made, and enough socket sets that we could've left a set in every vehicle we have ever owned. All of this is moot, though, as I can only find one socket set, three screwdrivers and one hammer (brand new) at the moment.

Okay, okay, I can hear you screaming, "If it bothers you so much, put it away yourself!" Tried that. And for my effort I got blamed for putting things where they cannot be found. And I even get blamed for things I never touch--I'm just a good scapegoat when he can't remember where he left something!

So, to try and keep my house in some semblance of order, I clean and organize what I can get away with and leave the rest. And because I haven't had a breakdown, yet, I know I am not truly obsessive-compulsive.

Retainers, Bugs, and Rob Thomas

I don't really know why I haven't written for the last two weeks--maybe a bit of laziness, maybe the fact that I can't keep the days straight! Anyway, I mentioned in my short post of yesterday that K. has been working almost non-stop for the past several weeks, so it is hard to remember what day it is.

On 28 April I got my braces off. Yeah!!!! And then, I also was given my retainers. Boo!!!! After being without braces/with retainers, I now know why people won't wear the retainers. It isn't that there is any pain involved, it's just a royal pain in the kazoo! Of course, you can't eat with retainers, and I won't drink anything but water while wearing them. (Probably my being anal, but I worry about the acid from coffee/soda getting under the retainers and rotting my teeth.) Then, after eating, I won't put the damn things back in my mouth until I've brushed. I guess I will have worn the enamel right off the teeth by the time I'm told to only wear them at night. (Hint, hint: I eat WAAAAYYYY too much.)

Mother's Day came and went like any other day. K. worked the night shift, so we didn't even go out to eat. However, he did get me a card and a small box of fudge and 4 lottery tickets. Three of the four tickets were winners--I got $60! That will ALMOST pay for Photoshop Elements. C. called and wished me a good day--the first time in a LONG time that either of the girls have acknowledged me on a special day. I appreciated her calling. I never have expected a gift or any big fuss from the girls (not that I would turn anything down!), but I would like to be acknowledged as the woman who gave birth to them. A card would be nice--a phone call is fine--even an email would be acceptable (and it is free)--but too many times I get nothing. I don't understand it, they weren't raised that way. Even when The Mother and I have been estranged, I have always remembered her birthday and Mother's Day. ENOUGH WHINING!

We are experiencing our typical weather--one day so hot that I can't remove enough clothing to keep myself cool and the next day so cold that I'm bundled up in socks, long pants, and a sweater. We might even be getting some snow during the next few days. I guess we will be doing the planting a bit later than usual.

In one of my earlier posts I mentioned the spider problem we have in this house. There still are quite a few of them--and I kill every one I see--but I now have been having a much creepier problem--I have been seeing centipedes in the basement. Not only do those things have WAY too many legs, and are WAY too long to be considered bugs, but they are VERY fast. If I don't get to them fast enough, they crawl under something and hide from me. This is not something I can live with. I know beyond any reason that if I let any bug live after I have seen it, the next thing I know is it will be on my face as I sleep. And getting to the things isn't the last of the problems: they are next to impossible to kill! I have hit a centipede five times before the thing would die! That just is not right. I swear they are part cockroach--they also are hard to kill. I guess I would have to live in a very large operating-room environment to not have to deal with all the creepy-crawlies I can't stand. And I know that wouldn't even work: they would find a way to get to me.

What I've been listening to: Something To Be by Rob Thomas. Great!

I'm Still Here!

Just wanted to post this and will write more (hopefully) tomorrow: I'M FINE! Thank you for worrying, cantellya! Anyway, it has been a bit crazy here--nothing in particular, just slightly off of normal. K. has been working almost all of his days off--nice money, but he does need some rest, too. I can't remember what day it is, most of the time! So, I will catch everyone up with my life in the next few days. Have a good one.

Cows With Guns

Saw this for the first time quite a while ago and it still makes me laugh every time I see it. Enjoy Cows With Guns.

What I'm Reading, Watching, and Listening To

For the last week or so, I've been reading State of Fear by Michael Crichton. I'm enjoying it quite a bit--but, then, I enjoy all of his books.

The last movie I watched was Miracle. It's the story of the 1980 US Olympic hockey team and their miracle win. A great story done very well.

The last couple of weeks I've been listening to King of the Electric Blues (Muddy Waters) and Howlin' Wolf/Moanin' in the Moonlight (Howlin' Wolf.) Great blues.

Hope you have a great weekend.

Ch-ch-ch-changes

Yes, this is still my blog. Thought I would try a different look for awhile. Can't get too comfortable with the same old, same old. Hope you enjoy.

Hopelessly Romantic?

I re-read yesterday's post and had to chuckle to myself. I really got a sense that I might be a hopeless romantic from what I wrote. WRONG!! I could be described as a cynical, sarcastic, cold, hard-hearted bitch, but NEVER as hopelessly romantic. :)

Quite cold today--I'm just happy I didn't have to go out. But never fear, warmer weather is coming.

Cantellya asked me if I was having a "braces removal" celebration--actually, I hadn't even thought about it. I am thrilled to think I will be able to brush and floss in less than 20 minutes that I don't know how much more celebrating I could take! Actually, we might go out of town on a shopping trip, so I will see if I can celebrate by buying myself something!

A Little Bit of Me

Cantellya asked for the answers to the following questions:

1. Where did you grow up?
I was born and raised in the north central part of the U.S.

2. What is your favorite daydream?
One of my favorite daydreams: A musician would fall passionately in love with me. When he realizes he can’t have me, he writes a song about his love and it becomes a rock classic; e.g., Layla.

3. What are you wearing right now?
I can usually be found in a pair of yoga pants and t-shirt.

4. What is your favorite food?
If one could see me, it would be obvious this question is a bit absurd. I DEFINITELY don’t have any ONE favorite food. However, my biggest indulgence is carbohydrates. I am a carb addict.

5. Cat or dog?
I have a cat who is 12-years-old. A cat is much easier for us to have when we go out of town on a regular basis.

6. If you could go back in time to elementary school, is there someone you'd have been nicer to?
Yes—a girl named Mary. I wish her health, happiness, and a much more wonderful life than she had growing up.

7. Name one of your favorite memories....
When K. asked me to marry him.

8. Do you have a favorite pair of pajamas?
No favorite pair of pj’s, but I have a flannel robe I absolutely love.

9. If you could have any job, what would it be?
I would love to help “computer illiterate” people learn to use a computer—and learn to love computers as much as I do.

10. If you could have lunch with one person, who would it be?
I couldn’t choose just one person.

First, I would like to have lunch with God so I could ask Him, “Why”?

Albert Einstein: I would ask him to explain the theory of relativity—and, as a bonus, maybe he could help me understand chaos theory.

Any gossip columnist: I would ask for ALL of the dirt on EVERYONE.

Eric Clapton: I would ask him if he would be so kind as to sing one song for me—ANY song.

What Are Noogies?

On Monday, we had a record high temperature of 79 degrees. Today it is so cold that I'm freezing my noogies off. (Don't know what noogies might be, but if I have them they are freezing!) :) The forecast is even calling for snow over the weekend--which I told everyone would happen. The beginning of April is WAY too early for us to have the last snowfall of the season.

I have been thinking about what television character I would like as a friend and I finally came up with my first one: Lorelei Gilmore from the Gilmore Girls. She is the type of person you could have as a best friend and do all the best friend stuff with: have pajama parties, watch chick flicks, eat ice cream to help with depression, and tell your deepest, darkest secrets to. The character is quirky, smart, funny, compassionate and has just as much emotional baggage to deal with as is appropriate for a friend of mine to have. (A friend can't have more baggage than me, otherwise, we would never get around to MY problems.) Definitely Lorelei Gilmore is a friend worth having.

Only Freud Knows?

While working a jigsaw puzzle on the computer the other night, my mind started wandering--as is the case whenever I'm doing something that is fairly mindless. Anyway, I started thinking about the television shows I watch regularly and came up with this question: What character (not actor or actress) in what show(s) would I like to have as a friend. The answer I came up with was, "No one?" Or, at least, I couldn't think of any. What does it say about me that I can watch something week after week and not want to know the "people" I get so involved with? Why can I love to watch "someone's" life and yet not want to have that person as a friend? Hmmm. Maybe that's a question only Sigmund could answer? So, my dear readers, how would you answer that question? Or, don't you watch TV? I will be eager to read your responses.

Happy Happy, Joy Joy

Just got home from the orthodontist and the braces come off in two weeks!!!!!!! I am singing the "Happy Happy, Joy Joy" song! ( You can find the song here.)

Payback's a Bitch

You reap what you sow--what goes around, comes around--revenge is sweet. The Mother's Curse is alive and working--and I just laughed myself silly! The story follows.

C. called today and I could barely hear her because of the screaming and crying in the background. Asked her what was going on and she said Noelle was having a temper tantrum. What about, I asked. Well, she had a royal fit because her mother took her in from being outside! C. said she was afraid Social Services (or whatever it is called these days) was going to be knocking at her door because Noelle was acting like she was being beaten to within an inch of her life. (And she was sure she saw the neighbors peeking out their windows to see who was getting killed.) All I could do was laugh and say, "You are getting paid back for all YOU did!" C. acted the exact same way at the same age, so it is nice to see the "I hope you have children that act just like you" curse is still working! At least C. has a sense of humor about the whole thing--she admits she was a brat and can see why she is getting it with her own kids. :)

Gmail Invites and Pregnancy

If there still is anyone wanting a Gmail account, I have 50 invites to give away. Let me know via the comment section and we can go from there.

C. was supposed to see the doctor and have an ultrasound today, but I didn't hear from her. I will have to call tomorrow and find out what he had to say. At least she doesn't have to travel out of town for this pregnancy--the neonatologist said there was nothing more that could be done for her. Hopefully the doctor is correct in what is being done and this pregnancy goes as well as the last one. And I hope she doesn't have to be here for a week because of premature labor, as she did last time. At least they were able to stop it--that is a great improvement. I guess a mother's concerns never end, no matter how old the kids get!

Sunshine, Roses, and Tattoos

Today the sun has been shining beautifully. I guess it really is spring. I would love spring and summer if it wasn't for the bugs--especially wasps, bees, hornets, etc. Anything that can hurt me, actually.

The miniature rose bush I have in the dining is working overtime. Right now one flower is in full bloom and there are three more buds starting. I'm impressed--this is the most flowers we've ever had on it.

I'm seriously thinking about getting another tattoo.

Spring

I guess spring is finally here. Today we had our first thunderstorm of the year and I saw the first robin. Now, I'm sure this was not the first robin in the area, just the first one I saw. I also watched the crows gathering dried grass for their nests--rather fun.

Today K. finished working three days of overtime--just in time to start night shift tomorrow! I couldn't handle him doing shift work if we had young kids here--it would just be too hard.

The cat is trying to get me to feed her--she is just being too noisy! It's still a bit early for her to eat, so she'll just have to wait. I can imagine she is hungry--right after eating this morning, she hacked up a hairball and, of course, everything she ate. Animals can be very hard to live with at times.

And for the big news of the day: C. let us know yesterday that she is pregnant. Again. Marcus isn't one till July and Noelle isn't two till September and the new baby is probably going to arrive around November. Words fail me.

I'm Baaaaack!

We got home a few hours ago from a most enjoyable weekend. It was so nice to see people we haven't seen in years. I very much enjoyed getting to know--at least a little--the grown-up children of friends of mine. It is so nice to see the next generation is off to a good start.

While K. and I enjoyed the whirlpool suite we stayed in, we have decided it isn't worth the extra money. When we go out of town, we are just too busy to enjoy the time needed to relax in the whirlpool. However, we love having the "suite" part--the extra room , sofa, frig, and microwave are very nice to have. Might have to continue getting suites.

Now, while I am tired and slightly headachy from too much wine, I will get on with my bitchiness--must get it out of my system. :)

About the wedding:

--The mother of the bride wore an off-white lace dress. I thought this was NOT proper as the bride should be the only one wearing a shade of white. I don't know, just an observation.

--I felt we were in the land where old prom hair goes to die. Everyone from the bride's mother to the flower girl had hair that was curled, teased, and shellaced to within an inch of its life--all in styles not seen on anyone in 15 years or longer. Hmmm.

--While the women in the bride's family are very healthy looking--some more than a few pounds OVER healthy--I have never seen so many young and old men that are so skinny. And skinny isn't even the best word. There wouldn't have to be enough of a breeze to move a feather to knock one of these men over. NEVER have I seen such skinny men.

--The reception was, unfortunately, reminiscent of those I remember from growing up. The bride spent most of the evening on the dance floor--usually with the bridesmaids--and the groom mainly hung around the bar with his groomsmen. Every 30-45 minutes the bride and groom would dance, but they mostly were not with each other. Another hmmmm.

--The bride's mother and father left the reception almost an hour before it was over. A way to get out of helping clean up afterwards?

--And, finally, the star of the whole show was a Navy buddy of the bride's brother. A cuter, happier, friendlier person you have never seen. He was adorable and everyone fell in love with him just a little bit.

And now for my final rant before I close to feed the cat for the second time tonight:

--This morning we went for breakfast and got seated next to THE MOST IRRITATING WOMAN ON THE FACE OF THIS EARTH!!!!!!! First, she wore her sunglasses in the restaurant, as if she was a celebrity. Her voice was only SLIGHTLY less annoying than Fran Drescher's--not quite as nasally. Her pretentious attitude was bordering on condescension of her dining companions--in-laws, I think. She weighed about 95 pounds and had her clothes so tight they looked like they were painted on, so she had to walk through the restaurant just to make sure everyone would notice her. (She had no reason to walk through the restaurant other than to go and look at the muffins to see if she wanted one.) And to top it all off, she ordered her breakfast of strawberry waffles and a muffin TO GO. She wanted to take the food with her--presumably so she could be close enough to a bathroom when she stuck her finger down her throat after eating. If you haven't figured it out yet, she irritated the hell out of me! :)

So, on that note, I will close for now. Hopefully I will be in a much better frame of mind when I do my next post! It is good to be home.

Weekend Fun

Wanted to wish everyone a happy weekend. We are off to a wedding out of state AND the whirlpool suite at a local hotel. Hot damn, we will have fun this weekend! :) I'll be back posting early next week.

A Little of This, A Little of That

It has been rather quiet around here. Nothing terribly interesting, but here are some of the details of my unspectacular life:

We took a ride up north on Friday. Catie's birthday had been on Wednesday, so we had to bring her gift. I had never been to C.'s house, so it was interesting. She has really come a long way with her mom and wife skills--I was very impressed by what I saw. The house is quite small, but she had it very neat and done up about as nice as you can with a rental. She had just taken dinner out of the oven as we got there, so we only stayed for about a half hour. I guess that was fine for the first time--we still are being overly careful. I don't know if we will ever get back to being completely easy with each other. The kids sure are cuties--the babies are growing fast and furious.

Didn't do anything special at all for Easter. I don't know where my head was at this year, cause I didn't even make a special dinner like I usually do. No big deal--K. was on day shift so he didn't get home till after 6:00 pm. It was really neat to look out the back window that morning and see one of the neighborhood rabbits--the Easter bunny had arrived!

The weather has been rather nice. K. broke out the grill on Saturday and we had the first hamburgers of the season. Can't wait till we grill bratwurst--my personal favorite. Today the temp has been hovering around 60, so I have windows open in every room. The poor cat is trying to adjust (as she has to every spring) to the outside noises. For a relative of the "king of beasts," she sure is skittish--can't handle anything from a leaf blowing past the window to a UPS truck out on the street. Her "allergies" seem to be bothering her--she's been sneezing a bit more than usual. Oh, well, hers must be seasonal! :)

Interesting (?) Fact

Something only one or two people know about me: I have NEVER put gas in my vehicle by myself. Whenever it is needed--and I am forced to buy gas--I go to a full-service gas station.

Email Madness

I have somewhere in the neighborhood of 7 different email accounts--I should count how many, but I feel particularly lazy right now. :) Three of the accounts are my "main" ones--used for personal, business, etc. and the rest are there to, supposedly, keep my main accounts from getting too much junk mail. And this is where I am having a problem. My Hotmail account, one of my main ones, is again getting more junk mail than all of my other accounts combined! For awhile, there was next to no junk mail coming and all of a sudden the account was flooded--and most of it has reference to "Mark Gibson" (whoever that is supposed to be) in the subject line. I don't open junk mail, so I can't even block this junk, and there is no filtering that can be done just by words--it all has to be done by address or domain. I report all of this as junk, but it seems to increase what I get instead of stopping it. Microsoft sure has to get its act together or there will be a rebellion--more so than already! The main reason I got my Gmail account was to get away from Hotmail--unfortunately I can't get away from it completely. Too much of Microsoft depends on Hotmail as is the case with IE. I really am thinking about trying Linux--but that won't solve all of the problems, either! We just seem to be in a Microsoft world and there is little we can do about it--change is too slow in coming.

Peeps

I haven't quite figured out whether I consume more sugar around Halloween or Easter. The real difference is that there are some things that only are available at Easter, so it seems as if I eat more candy then.

Even after all these years, I wait for Cadbury creme eggs to show up on the store shelves. My favorites are the originals, but the fudge ones come in a close second. They can stop making the caramel ones any time--definitely not a fave.

Another thing I like at this time of year are Peeps. I know they make Peeps for different holidays, but the Easter ones are special--they remind me of Easter baskets from my childhood. I can't really eat too many of them--they are, after all, pure sugar. But they are fun once a year.

The candy that I wait for all year long is made by a local candy maker. Every year I must have one of their fudge eggs--they are to die for. I can gain 5 pounds just walking past the display, they are so gooey, fudgy, and rich. I think I have to go out and get one tonight--something to snack on while watching 24!

And finally, for anyone who has never been to the sites, here are the links to the Peep Research site and to the Bunny Survival Tests. Absolutely hilarious, even if they are slightly sadistic. Enjoy!

Uninteresting Post

I have a sinus headache today. I hope I can shake it off as I can't just baby myself today--way too much to do. Oh, well, this too shall pass. :)

Sorry

So I completely forgot to wish everyone a happy St. Patrick's Day, but more importantly, I forgot to say happy St. Urho's Day on the sixteenth! I can't believe it. I'm losing my mind. :)

Chipmunks, Hockey, and Not Guilty Verdicts

Just some random thoughts from my mind.

This month is well on its way to becoming one of the coldest, if not THE coldest, month of March on record. Needless to say, we still have snow several feet deep on the ground between us and the neighbors' house. With the snow and the cold, I cannot understand why I am seeing chipmunks running around already! In the past, the chipmunks have been out when there has been a lot of snow left, but it usually is during a nice spring thaw. I know they don't totally hibernate, but they usually stay in their dens until it's a little warmer. Just think it's strange, is all.

Was thinking about the non-hockey season this year. Imagine, there was NO NHL hockey, AT ALL, and NO ONE died as a result! Some people would have you believe they absolutely would die if they couldn't watch their favorite sport, but this proves you can get through it--even here in the land of hockey! Years ago I lived and breathed hockey--just couldn't get enough of it. For the past 20+ years I haven't followed it at all, so it wasn't as big a loss for me as it was for some. I really was hoping to get back into the game this year, but it just wasn't meant to be. The whole thing has been interesting, though. I would love to see the same thing happen to football--but that would NEVER happen. I'm sure they would get the Supreme Court to rule it unconstitutional to not have an NFL season and force them to play. :) But anyway, I think this has hurt hockey very badly--not here, of course, but in places (the south) that haven't had the game treated like a religion for decades as we have in the north. Hope the game can recover.

So Robert Blake was found not guilty. What to say?

It is amazing just how much my shopping habits have changed since I've started buying on the Web. For example: I searched high and low for a case for my Zen Micro--just don't want my baby to get scratched--and there are none here in the States. I know there are several companies planning on making the cases, but as of now, they aren't available. So, that brings me to the Web. Did a search, found the absolute best case I wanted--and there really weren't that many of them to choose from--and ordered it. Now, the beauty part of the whole thing is this: I had to order it from Hong Kong. Directly. Just blows me away to order things from other countries as easily as ordering from the next state. I find it a hoot.

Right now I'm writing this post using Internet Explorer as my browser. I really don't use IE very much at all--I use Firefox and love the living daylights out of it. However, I just don't seem to be able to do everything quite as easily on Blogger with Firefox as I can with IE. Can't figure out what the problem is--guess I should email Help and ask, but it isn't THAT much of an inconvenience.

More Geekiness

Something isn't right here--I tried to post an answer to the comment on the previous post and things went horribly awry, so I will answer the question in a new post!

iPods are small, portable MP3 music players--and the gold standard, according to some. You use your computer to transfer music to your player, so you can take it with you. Depending on the capacity of the player, you can transfer several hundred to 10,000 songs onto a player. Of course, this depends on the length of the song--the full version of "Stairway to Heaven" will take up much more space than "Pretty Woman" would. The physical size of these players are different, also. An iPod Shuffle is about the size of a pack of gum, my Zen Micro can fit in an Altoids tin with some room to spare, and a full size iPod is a bit bigger. These players appeal to several different groups of people (in my opinion): the "young ones," music addicts, and geeks. I bought my Zen Micro for two reasons: I love tech gadgets and this way I can listen to MY music while the hubby listens to HIS music on the CD player when we travel (I don't share his love of certain music, so he has to listen to something we both like all of the time). So, that is a VERY long answer to a simple question. :) I guess I just love to show my geekiness!

All Tech

Might as well get some of my tech geekiness out of the way, so here goes. I don't believe I ever posted about my new computer--probably scared to be too optimistic! Anyway, I got my new baby in December and I am absolutely thrilled with it! I went with a Dell, again, and so far everything seems to be fine. The small problems that have come up are more software problems than anything else--and I think it is a matter of two programs not wanting to play nice with each other more than any major concerns. I have put the baby through the paces except for burning DVD's--I have to get to video editing soon! I have been trying to organize ALL of my music and just seem to not have much time for anything else.

Talking about music brings me to my next item. I got my Zen Micro 5G MP3 player on Monday and so far it is one of the best purchases I have EVER made. I've wanted an MP3 player since before there was an iPod and haven't been able to decide on which one I wanted. I bought a Rio Chiba and had to bring it back because I just wasn't satisfied. It was so cheaply made I was afraid to hold it too tightly for fear of breaking it! Instead of looking like a $100+ piece of electronic equipment, it resembled something you might get in a McDonald's Happy Meal! Several years ago I bought a Rio CD player and that was built like a tank--I just don't know what is up with the Rio brand these days. Anyway, back to my Zen Micro. I got it in dark blue--I was too afraid of NOT being conservative--and it is absolutely beautiful. It will take me a little while to get used to the controls and the software was a bit confusing, but it is definitely worth what it cost. I know a lot of people really like iPods, but I just couldn't bring myself to buy one. (I guess I don't like Apple the way a lot of people don't like Microsoft!) While reading comments in a forum about Zen Micro, some people are calling it the "antipod." :) Funny!

I finally set up Trillian so that I could IM C. I don't care too much for instant messaging, but I find it gives a more immediate response than email does. Of course, if I want to have a regular back and forth conversation, I'll pick up the phone, but this will do every once in awhile. C. and I had a short IM session and she had to go and change a diaper. (She leads a REAL exciting life.) I was here reading my mail when a new IM came through and it was from her--only it was just a bunch of letters. I thought it was an acronym or something, like LOL, so I was about to ask her what it meant when a new message came through. This one made even less sense and then about five more gibberish messages came through. Finally C. came on and told me Noelle had been sending the messages! I laughed so hard. Noelle has been in the terrible twos since she turned one and she will continue until she's sixteen! I told C. that this one will be her problem child, and she sure is--and she isn't even two! That made my day. :)

Maximum PC magazine comes out with their Geek Quiz once a year and this month's issue had the one for 2005. About four(?) years ago I took the quiz and got almost 75% of the answers correct. After glancing though the quiz today, I don't think I will even get 10% of the answers right--even by guessing! I don't know if I just haven't kept up with stuff enough or if everything has changed that significantly, but it sure made me depressed. Oh, well, I still learn new things almost every day, so my brain isn't turning to mush, at least. :)

Some Bits and Pieces

The season premier of The Shield was on last night. It looks as if it will be another good bunch of episodes--I have high hopes for Glenn Close's character. A very good show if you like "gritty drama". (Translation of "gritty drama"--mature language, situations, nudity, violence, and sex.)

I am becoming truly convinced that I am addicted to gossip! I read WAY too many gossip columns online every day. Must just mean I'm missing much excitement in my own life! :)

K. has been suffering a very bad sinus headache today. He finally took a Claritin-D and said the congestion seems to be lessening. I don't understand why he waits so long to take meds. Maybe I would understand better if I didn't take a pharmacy's worth of meds every day. I told him to call in sick for day shift tomorrow, but he said he'll wait and see. I just want him to sleep through--if he can--and not have to get up with the alarm to make the phone call! Can't get him to see that, though.

I had to laugh, it just seemed so funny: I walked through the living room earlier and glanced at the TV and K. was watching the "Love Stories" channel! Now, I'm sure it wasn't a real "chick flick," but it just made me chuckle to see my big, brawny, middle-aged husband watching a movie on that channel.

I Have Arrived

After almost ten years online, I feel I have finally arrived. Today I received my first official "phishing" email! And the scary part of it is, if this wouldn't have come from a bank I don't do business with, I just might have clicked through and answered the email! ME! The person who goes on and on to anyone who will listen about being careful, and spyware, and viruses, etc. etc.! Hopefully this was my wake-up call and I now realize I am no more immune to this crap than anyone else!

On another note: I found out The Parents were in town recently and visited with someone other than us. A guy K. works with said they visited with him and his wife while in town last week. Now, I can say I don't care, but deep inside I do feel a bit hurt by it. I also feel a little grateful that they are leaving me alone. I am just one bundle of contradictions. I know I am doing better when I don't have contact with them, but I still feel as if something is missing by not having family to be with. I guess I got to get my sh** together and finally decide what it is I really want.

Where Are Our Priorities and A Creepy Feeling

First, the creepy feeling. Every time K. and I go to Milwaukee, we stay next door to the hotel where seven people were murdered. And to top it all off, K. has even stayed at that Sheraton when he's been there for work! Creepy.

I read Parade magazine's annual "What People Earn" article today and , once again, I wonder where our priorities are in this country. Lindsay Lohan earned $10 million this past year and a youth minister earned $30,000. LeBron James (basketball player) earned $21 million and a child-care provider earned $32,000. John Travolta: $25 million, teacher: $24,300. Jessica Simpson: $4 million, firefighter: $34,000. Lance Armstrong: $19 million, school-bus driver: $26,000. Peyton Manning (football player): $42 million, ER nurse: $47,000. If we really think these over-paid celebrities and athletes are worth so much more money than people who care for our health, safety, and children, then I have lost all faith in humanity. May God forgive and help us all.

Last We'll See Of Michael Moore? We Can Only Hope

Well, it sure looks like Michael Moore is finally getting his come-uppance. Seems pretty much EVERYONE is just plain done with him. Read Kathleen Antrim's commentary in the San Francisco Examiner here.

Are We A Little Paranoid?

I always thought Teresa Heinz (she has dropped the "Kerry" now that the election is over) was a bit of a whacko, but now she is just plain paranoid! Read the article here.

She's Out

"Someday, I hope to have the chance to talk more about all that has happened, the extraordinary people I have met here and all that I have learned." (a direct quote from Martha Stewart's website--bold emphasis, mine)

Does anyone ACTUALLY think she isn't going to milk her stay in "prison" for all it's worth? She must have deals made, or being made, to earn herself MILLIONS!

I know a lot of people think she should never have gone to prison, but I'm not one of them. Why should people with money and privelege not have to pay for their crimes? The trouble is, she still has not (I believe) accepted the fact that she did something wrong! Because she is Martha Stewart, and is rich and famous, she acts as if she can do whatever she pleases--and so far, there doesn't seem to be any indication of a change in her attitude.

Braindead?

I haven't quite decided whether Paris Hilton is a braindead twit or the smartest self-promoter there ever was. Whatever the case may be, she definitely has worn out her 15 minutes. I can't really believe any living being can be as brainless as she appears to be--you HAVE to have a brain so that you can walk and talk! And if she is as dumb as she acts, PLEASE, someone, stop her before she reproduces!

Political Chaos--But Lots of Fun

Once again I heard a politician give an opinion and hastily explain it is only a PERSONAL opinion--it has NOTHING to do with how s/he will govern. This is just another example of trying to please everyone, all the time. Am I supposed to be happy that elected officials believe as I do, but have them do just the opposite because it's the "law"? I want to be able to vote for someone and have them represent me as I would like. For example: Suppose I was against the 55 mph speed limit and I wanted to elect someone that would try to change it back to 65 mph. I DEFINITELY don't want to hear this person agree with me and then throw up his/her hands and say there is nothing that can be done because 55 is the law. Isn't this one reason we elect the people we do, so they will help run this country the way we would like and try to change things we would like changed?

I would love it if politicians told the truth--wouldn't everyone? But, they are not able to and it is the fault of the electorate. We won't elect someone who tells the truth if we don't like the truth. We need higher taxes--don't say it! We need the death penalty--don't say it! We need to outlaw abortion--don't say it! We need to legalize gay marriage--don't say it! I realize it would be absolute chaos, but it would be nice to have politicians who would truly vow to represent the people voting for them. We would have extreme liberals, fanatic conservatives, skinheads, black-power advocates, etc., etc., all trying for their own little niche--and a true democracy will emerge when the one with the most votes gets elected. I know this is totally naive and simplistic and could never work, but it would be fun to see it happen one time!

Nothing Important

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day and I don't think we are going to do anything special. K. is on his last night shift tonight so we COULD do something, but I don't think it will happen. Actually, I can't think of anything special to do, so we'll just stay home and get the garbage ready to be put out! :) We have to go and have the taxes done tomorrow PM, so that will be enough excitement for one day. I know I am getting some flowers delivered tomorrow--he ordered them online and had to tell me so I'll be here to accept them. I will be giving him some heart-shaped chocolate chip cookies, and that's the end of the celebration. After 30+ years, you don't need to do that much to say "I care."

Talk about feeling old--in binary numbers I am 110010 years old!

Amazing

I spent several hours yesterday browsing different blogs. I am truly amazed at the variety there is. I also am amazed at how many people haven't a clue as to how to spell even the simplest of words. Don't they know how to use spell check? Anyway, when you are done reading this very short paragraph, click on the link in the upper right hand corner that says "next blog." You just might stumble onto the most interesting and thought provoking site you could ever imagine! Enjoy.

Still Shockable

I guess it's nice to know that K. can surprise me after 30+ years, but he shocked me so much tonight that I'm still reeling! We were in the kitchen talking--about what, I don't remember--when he said as soon as the snow goes we'll go up north to visit with C. and the kids. And while we're up there, we'll stop in and see The Mother and The Father! As he said, we don't have to "be there all day" but we'll just drop in and visit with them for "a little while." I just cannot imagine why this has come about all of a sudden. Maybe something was said at Christmas time? Anyway, I'll never know what brought this on. Just another thing for me to tell myself not to obsess over! Good luck!!!

What's Going On?

Well, The Mother called again on Tuesday. That's twice in a week--and this is after not speaking for over a year! Can't figure out what is going on--and it kind of frightens me.

WHO Controls the Airwaves?

Watching television and surfing the net since the election, I just have to ask: Who controls the airwaves? From all of the "talking heads," newspeople, bloggers, etc., one would think the American people elected someone who NEVER DOES A THING RIGHT! Okay, he might not be God's gift to this world, but come on, no one can do EVERYTHING wrong. (Despite what members of my family think, even I don't do everything wrong.) Even Richard Nixon isn't considered the "anti-Christ" anymore. I think it's about time to accept the fact that George W. Bush is our president. If the people trying to tear him down would just try to meet the other side halfway--and the Bush supporters need to do the same--then maybe some good can be done in this world. At the rate we're going in this country, we are our own worst enemy--no one has to come in and destroy us, we are doing it all by ourselves.

A Little of This, A Little of That

I got a phone call from The Mother today. I don't know if she is that good or I am that weak, but it wouldn't take very long for me to get sucked into her circle again. All is just so much better if I have very little contact with her.

Not only is it cold out there, but we are supposed to be getting snow and blowing snow! Yippee! Just what I need when I have to go and do some shopping. It is beginning to look like Mother Hubbard's cupboard around here.

Watched 24 tonight and I still am hooked. You would think it would be just too incredulous to be believed--which it is--and it would become laughable by now--which it hasn't. Don't really know why, but I really get into that show. BUT what I really am waiting for is The Shield. Now that is a show that gets into your head and won't let go!

Deep Freeze

Well, the temperature outside is lower than some home freezers are set. I don't think it went above zero today, but I might be wrong--not by much, though. The lousiest part of the bitter cold is the fact that our windows frost over. Living in an old house really has some drawbacks. It isn't much fun to open the blinds in the morning and seeing actual ice built up around the window frame--is not very good for the windows, either. Oh, well, this too shall pass. At least we don't have to worry about tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes, heat waves..... As of a couple of years ago I would have put floods in with this list, but after the dam burst of '03 we know floods are a definite possibility! I'm not really sure how long the cold is supposed to last, but I really don't have to leave the house if I don't want to, so I don't much care. At least we aren't getting a lot of snow--keeps K. from having to be out shovelling and risking frost bite!

Total Scrooginess

Yeah, I'm still alive. I just happen to be in the middle of the worst time of the year for me. October through January are so terribly depressing that I wish I could just sleep through!

So it's less than a week till Christmas and my attitude is, "Ho, ho, ho--BITE ME." K. and I will be by ourselves again this year, so not much of a celebration. Also, he's working on Christmas Eve and Christmas day, so I will be alone for much of the time normal people are celebrating. Oh, well.

I can't figure out how I want to, or should, feel at this time of year. I find myself caught between wanting to love the holidays and hating everything about them. I really envy everyone caught up in the season and wish I could have any reason to look forward to it. I won't even have any gifts to get excited about--and even better, any gifts to be excited about giving! K. and I got the new computer as a Christmas gift to ourselves, so there won't be anything under the tree for me this year! I can't stand the sight of an entirely empty space under the tree, so I went and got some little things for K., but nothing to get too worked up about. So, once again, "Oh, well."

So, anyway, just wanted to drop in and do a little post to let the two or three people who actually read this thing know that I am still alive. Hopefully after the holidays I will feel more like writing. Maybe I'll actually write something amusing, or at the very least, interesting. If I don't write before, Merry Christmas!

Thought Provoking: please take the time to read

I happened to come across this blog entry today and had to add it to this blog. While I don't agree with everything this young lady had to say, I think she made some extremely valid points. If only everyone could read this with an open mind and try to understand what she says, there could be some real changes in 2008.

Friday, November 05, 2004

How You Could Have Had My Vote

It's been two days since John Kerry conceded, and all I am seeing, hearing and reading from the Democratic party is that you guys think you lost on "moral values." You seem to think this means nothing more than opposition to gay marriage. You seem to think that Bush voters waited in line for hours to stick it to the queers, to tell those faggots how much we hate them!

Nothing could be further from the truth. Many Bush voters, like myself, were not happy to be voting for the President's re-election. Many Bush voters agonized over our decision and cast our vote in fear, trepidation, and trembling. Many of us would have given our left arms for a Democrat we could have supported.

Because I am too young to be as disillusioned as I am, and because I know that one-party rule is not good for my country, and because it is my deepest wish to see the Democratic party change into one I can give my whole-hearted support, I am going to explain why you didn't get my vote, and how you can get it in the future.

First, for context, let me give you a bit about my perspective: I am a single, heterosexual, college-educated woman in my late 20's with an annual income of about $30,000. I live in a solidly red state in the South, the region you guys wrote off entirely without even trying to persuade us to vote for you. I am not an ideologue, and I experience painful ambivalence about many political issues. The notion of an abortion makes me queasy, but I don't want Roe vs. Wade overturned. I have friends who've been impregnated by rape and friends who found out late in their third trimesters that they were carrying babies too malformed to ever have normal lives. The pictures of Iraqi children who've lost arms from the bombs my tax dollars bought make me shed tears, but I recognize that the war was the right thing to do, given the information we had available at the time the decision was made. I had no health insurance for three years, but I'm still, hesitantly, not in favor of socialized medicine. I know people who abuse the social services, but I also have friends who would be dead without the food stamps and SSI checks they collect each month. I believe in God and consider myself a Christian, but I don't go to church, and Falwell, Robertson, and their ilk scare me more than they scare you. I believe that in a perfect world, Roy Moore would have to live with the stench of his own ego, just like the rest of us do.

I have gay friends who are closeted and gay friends who couldn't be more open if they had QUEER tattooed across their foreheads, and I think they should be allowed to get married if they want to. I read The Onion, Dilbert, Dan Savage's sex advice, Salon.com, and quite a few blogs. The local librarians know me on sight. I waited in line until midnight when the fifth Harry Potter book came out. I can't wait to see the new Chucky movie. I will probably shack up before I get married, but I won't be proud of it. I wouldn't buy an SUV, even if I could pay cash for one. I recycle. I shop at Wal-mart, but I feel guilty about it, and if they unionized, I would never cross the picket line. I think FOX News is about as fair and balanced as a seesaw with a gorilla on one end.

President Bush's close relationships to people like John Ashcroft scare me. I hate the PATRIOT Act and am fearful of what might be part of PATRIOT II. The two dumbest trial balloons I've heard floated for his second-term agenda are privatizing Social Security and abolishing the income tax. When he says that God chose him to be President during this time of trial, I am embarrassed. I roll my eyes.

I am a pragmatic, disillusioned, realistic, and entirely ordinary member of the radical middle.

Here is why you didn't get my vote:

1. You didn't give me clear positions on the issues. I followed the news closely all through the campaign, but I still don't understand Kerry's position on Iraq. I know he voted for the IWR, but then he voted against the $87 billion. To you, that seemed to be a symbolic stand against Saddam Hussein (the IWR) but also a principled stand against a President who was out of control (against the $87 billion). To me, that was just confusing. He said he would have done everything different, but he also said that, knowing what he knew today (the day he was asked) he still would have cast the same vote. He said that he would bring allies to our side to share the burden, but he also said he would be sending 40,000 more of our troops. He said that we must finish the job, but he also said it was the wrong war at the wrong place and the wrong time. Huh?

2. You didn't convince me that you would defend America against the threats of terrorism. Kerry seemed to think that terrorism is like any other crime. You catch the people responsible and put them in jail, and that's that. After seeing the destruction – physical, financial, psychological, and emotional -- wrought by the September 11th attacks, I do not understand how he could believe this. The hijackers lived among us, ate at our restaurants, shopped in our malls, and wounded us worse than we have ever been wounded before. How Kerry saw this as a crime, and not as a paradigm-shifting event that deserved a military response, both in direct retaliation and to keep it from ever happening again by going on the offensive, is something I don't understand.

3. You insulted my intelligence by the constant mantra of Kerry's service in Vietnam. Most of the men I know who are older than 50 served in some way, either in country or in the Coast Guard or other non-combat roles. I don't see the relevance, and the drumbeat of "three purple hearts" struck me as manipulation. It was as if you were saying, "These dumbshit hawks want war? We'll give 'em a real war hero! That'll get their votes!"

4. Your constant references to the opinions of the rest of the world scared me, and I'm not talking about the "global test" comment. I don't care what Europeans think about me or my country. I learned in high school that living my life with one eye on the opinions of everyone else leads only to unnecessary turmoil and pointless pain. Why didn't you?

5. You disturbed me with your demonization of the rich. Rich people were talked about in this campaign as though they were all evil cheaters who had wage slaves tied up in the basement to be flogged for minimum wage, and what they didn't earn from the wage slaves' labor, they stole from nursing home residents. I am not rich, but I work hard, am learning about investing money, am continuing to improve my prospects for earning more money in the future, and fully expect to end up at least well-off someday. If I do, it will be because of my efforts and work, not because of winning "life's lottery." I know two millionaires personally. Both are entrepreneurs who took big risks and worked their backsides off for years to get where they are. Given that Kerry is married to a billionaire, this seemed especially hypocritical.

6. Here is something you could work on right about now: I could not stomach to listen to your incessant hatred of President Bush. Bush is stupid, Bush is an idiot, Bush is Hitler, Bush is a Nazi, Bush masturbates to photos of dead Iraqi babies, I'd vote for my dog before I'd vote for Bush, I'd vote for Castro before I'd vote for Bush, the Rethuglicans are fascists, Bush voters are treasonous, Bush should be impeached, blah blah blah blah blah blah. It was old three months after Bush's inauguration, and it's now just tiresome. I don't hate my President, even though I voted for him with more reluctance than I can express and a queasy feeling in my stomach. Language like this makes you seem immature, needlessly vulgar, and obnoxious.

7. Lastly, and I hope this doesn't hurt anyone feelings, because my objective is to make you think, not emote: I don't think you really want my vote. I actively sought out your perspective. I tuned in regularly, for months, to your biggest media project, your serious effort to get your message out: Air America Radio. I listened all day on Good Friday as host after host mocked people like me for believing in Jesus's life, death, and resurrection. I listened as Janeane Garofalo, who was one of my favorite comedians for years, expressed hatred and disgust for Bush voters so vile that I ended my live stream feeling assaulted, as if I'd been vomited on. I listened the night that Mike Malloy told a young Republican to hang up the phone and go open a vein. I listened to pure, unadulterated venom that was so intense I sometimes cut the stream and cried. Tonight, your spokespeople on AAR have been calling people like me "snake-handling evangelicals," and that was about the kindest thing I heard. Um…y'all? I've lived in the South my entire life and have never met a single snake-handler. Your attitudes, language, and behavior toward people like me: reasonable, thinking Christians who are quite moderate politically and who are just as well-informed as you are (yes, I've read all the PNAC essays, too, and yes, they scare me, too) is reminiscent of nothing so much as an abusive ex-lover, a crazy and drunken stalker. "I'll make you love me, or you'll regret it, you worthless bitch! Come here and let me beat you over the head and tell you how stupid and worthless you are! Then you'll see it my way!"

I tried so hard to give you guys a chance. I'm young, I'm not extremely religious, and I'm supportive of liberal ideals like fighting for higher wages, stopping outsourcing of jobs, and standing up for the little guy. I wanted to vote Democratic this time, more than I can possibly put into words. You just didn't give me the option.

President Bush won on values, yes, but not hatred of gays or any other stereotype you have in your head about Bush voters like me.

He won because he has values, clearly defined values, and even though I agree with little of what he believes, at least I know what he believes. At least I know that he really does believe in something. At least I know that he will do what he says he will do.

That's disgustingly little, but unbelievably – you offered me less.

So, if you want my vote next time, and the vote of all my close friends, and the millions more like us that you refuse to believe exists, it's pretty simple: take positions and don't waffle on them. Stand up for America, especially with regard to terrorism. Shut up about what Germany and France think. Stop pretending that the only way to become wealthy in America is to cheat, for the sake of those of us who still want to get there. Treat the President with at least as much civility, if not respect, as you would've wanted right-wingers to give a President Kerry. Most importantly, please, please, please, please, please, please stop abusing me. No more verbal and psychological and emotional savagery. Treat me like a voter whose vote you would actually appreciate getting, and you will get it.

Do you maybe, just maybe, see where I'm coming from?

I doubt it. But I had to try.

Sincerely,

A Very Sad American

MORE Fun Things To Do During Boring Sermons

Start from the back of the church and try to crawl all the way to the front, under the pews, without being noticed.

Raise your hand and ask for permission to go to the rest room.

Whip out a hanky and blow your nose. Vary the pressure exerted on your nostrils and trumpet out a rendition of your favorite hymn.

Chew gum; if the sermon goes on for more than 15 minutes, start blowing bubbles.

By unobtrusively drawing your arms up into your sleeves, turn your shirt around backwards.

Try to raise one eyebrow.

Crack your knuckles.

Twiddle your thumbs.

Twiddle your neighbor's thumbs.

Wiggle your ears so that the people behind you will notice.

(found on the internet several years ago)

Fun Things To Do During Boring Sermons

Pass a note to the organist asking whether he/she plays requests.

See if a yawn really is contagious.

Slap your neighbor. See if they turn the other cheek. If not, raise your hand and tell the preacher.

Devise ways of climbing into the balcony without using the stairs.

Listen for your preacher to use a word beginning with 'A' then 'B' and so on through the alphabet.

Sit in the back row and roll a handful of marbles under the pews ahead of you. After the service, credit yourself with 10 points for every marble that made it to the front.

Using church bulletins or visitor cards for raw materials, design, test, and modify a collection of paper airplanes.

to be continued...........

More Nothing Much

"The only reason I would take up jogging is so that I could hear heavy breathing again."
--Humorist Erma Bombeck

Not a Newbie

Several days ago I was cleaning some files and drawers when I came across a paper with some of the specs on my last computer. It is unbelievable: my Zire 72 has a faster processor and the same amount of memory that the computer had--and I can hold the Zire in one hand! I can't even imagine how obsolete my FIRST computer would be today!

Compared to most people using computers today, I would have to say I know a bit more than a lot of them about the workings of computers. Now, that doesn't mean I am so very close to being an alpha geek, it just has to do with how easy computers are compared to what they used to be. Granted, computers are much better and complex than before, it is just that they are much easier to operate today. Programs have come a long way in becoming user-friendly. My first computer's operating system was Windows 3.1--something a lot of people never heard of, much less used! Considering I actually started out with a Windows OS, I am considered a newbie by some REAL geeks, and I truly admire their knowledge and longevity in the computer community. This is why, when some people consider me their computer guru, I can't get big-headed--I am too much of a newbie in certain ways. I wish I knew a lot more about computers and then I would NEVER have to depend on tech support again!!!!! Oh, happy day.

Politics

Today I went out to run errands I have been putting off: mailing a package, bringing "stuff" to the women's center, going to the pet store for cat food, etc. This would have been just normal, boring tasks except for the political discussion at one of the businesses. Nothing new or out of the ordinary was said--we all have heard it all before--it's just the fact it was said in a place of business that rather startled me. It's been said you should never discuss religion or politics, because people are so passionate about their beliefs in either subject, and hard feelings can occur. Hearing this business person speak, AND in such a way that I am POSITIVE this person is a conservative and will be voting as such, was something I don't recall ever having experienced before. Interesting.

The other thing that I found fascinating was the age of the person in question: younger than me. As a member of the "sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll" generation, I don't see many of my age group as particularly conservative in their views. I always thought of conservatives as the "older folks" and it always surprises me to find someone my age or younger as a staunch conservative/Republican. If the "younger generation" is becoming more conservative in their politics, could more conservative morality be far behind? I really don't hold out much hope for the morality issue. Oh, well.

So Sad

"...my breasts are so versatile now. I can wear them down, up, or side to side."
--Cybill Shepherd

It is really so sad...she could be talking about me! :(

Cat

Just finished feeding the cat--and considering she weighs about 15 pounds, that is no little task! Actually, she gets fed only once a day, so her weight can only be attributed to: 1) she comes from a family of big cats (brother weighs 20+ pounds), 2) she has a lot of very heavy fur, 3) she has been weight training--and we all know muscle weighs more than fat! The real reason, though, is that she is a cat couch potato. Her only reason for breathing is so she can eat, sleep, use the litter, and run through the house, once a day, like the hounds of hell are after her. Considering she sheds a pound of fur every day and hacks up fur balls on a regular basis, it isn't always easy to understand why she still takes up space in our home. Even though she isn't always a joy to have around, we still love her. We have had her for over ten years and consider her a member of the family. As she has gotten older, she is actually becoming more of a people cat--she will stay with us most of the time we are awake. She vocalizes more than she ever did and will come to be pet. She still isn't a lap baby, but with her weight that probably is a good thing.

Anyway, back to my original idea for writing. Most of the time I try to feed the cat on the sly--if she is in the kitchen when I do the job of feeding her, she is always in the way. It doesn't matter which way I turn, where I walk, how I move, she is ALWAYS under my feet. One of these days I am not going to notice her (not easy to not notice a 15 pound cat) and will trip, fall, and break my leg. Hopefully I won't fall on her because then, surely, she will be dead. So, I try to wash, dry, fill, and place her food and water dishes without her in the room. And this is something I can't accomplish. I only wish I had the hearing ability she does--I could have a brass band playing "76 Trombones" as loudly as possible and she would hear me lift her dishes off of the floor and come running. It is truly amazing to me.

Scrinch

Martha Stewart asked to be sent to prison to serve her 5 month sentence, as soon as possible. That is one way to get out of having to celebrate the holidays! Something I never thought of, that's for sure! If you haven't noticed, I hate the holidays. I'm a cross between Scrooge and the Grinch--a total Scrinch.

Nothing Much

"The trouble with jogging is that the ice falls out of your glass."
---Comedian Martin Mull

Just a Chuckle

"The reason I'm not losing any weight is that every time I complete an exercise, my personal trainer gives me a treat."
----dog talking to friends (Cats With Hands)

Important Stuff

There is legislation in a Senate committee that can have a devastating impact on technology and it is called the Inducing Infringements of Copyright Act (formerly the INDUCE Act). Whether you are technologically challenged or a total geek, this is legislation we all must urge our representatives to oppose. Following is an article written for The Computer & Communications Industry Association and it explains, far better than I can, the possible consequences if this becomes law—we ALL will be affected.

The following is taken from The Computer & Communications Industry Association website:

“The Computer & Communications Industry Association (June 24, 2004)

A bill introduced Wednesday in the name of stopping illegal duplication of copyrighted works in fact, threatens fundamental civil liberties, The Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA) said today. SB 2560 (The Inducement Devolves into Unlawful Child Exploitation Act of 2004) - being rushed through the Senate by Senator Hatch - is an overreaching bill that will have profound effects far beyond its original intentions. The measure is being supported by the leadership of both parties, including Senators Patrick Leahy, Bill Frist, Tom Daschle, Lindsey Graham, and Barbara Boxer. This new bill could make illegal any technology that might infringe a copyright, even if it is routinely used for legitimate purposes.

The Induce Act would kill innovation by giving the entertainment industry an effective veto over many new technologies. Under this bill, even the financial backers of a new technology could be held accountable for infringing activity they have no knowledge of, even for activity they could not foresee. It seems almost unthinkable that in a time of economic recovery, the Senate would cast a shadow of uncertainty over an industry central to our economic growth.

Had this measure been enacted twenty-five years ago, the following technologies might not exist:

· VCR
· DVD Players
· Tivo
· iPod
· Instant messaging
· Online media players
· Compression technology
· Search engines
· Camcorders
· Home video editing software
· Internet service providers

The Induce Act reaches into the heart of our Constitution by calling fundamental First Amendment rights into question. Even a journalist or website author discussing ways in which a technology might be used to infringe copyrights could be liable under this poorly worded act. The bill would likely restrict technology users’ access to legal counsel.

Legitimate academic research could also be chilled. For example, any researcher wishing to study hacker culture may not be able to mention where the hackers exchange their wares o­nline. This could be seen as abetting infringement.

“The purpose of this bill is clear - to give copyright holders complete control over the development and distribution of technology in the United States,” said Dan Johnson, CCIA Technology Counsel. He continued, “Under the bill, copyright holders have the ability to accuse anyone of infringement at any time - without proof. This will obviously chill innovation as technology companies will be forced to have lawyers guide their technology through development, or not release new technology at all.”

Mr. Johnson concluded, “We are alarmed by the speed at which this bill is being forced through the Senate. A bill that creates such undue burdens and has such far-reaching effects deserves a full public discussion. We call o­n Senators Hatch, Leahy, Boxer, Graham, Daschle, and Frist to hold public hearings immediately so the full effect of this bill can be examined."

###

CCIA is an international, nonprofit association of computer and communications industry firms, representing a broad cross-section of the industry. CCIA is dedicated to preserving full, free and open competition throughout its industry. Our members employ over half a million workers and generate annual revenues in excess of $200 billion.”

More can be learned about the IICA at Public Knowledge.

Playing Catch-up

Last weekend I realized that I pretty much know how I will die. I will perish in a car accident: that is why I sleep whenever we travel. Now, I don't just take naps, I am asleep by the time we get to the stop sign at the end of our street and I wake up when K. nudges me as we get within two blocks of our destination. I have often wondered why I do this and it became clear to me that I don't want to see my death approaching. Increasingly over the years, I have become more nervous by the way K. drives: too fast, passes too often, etc. He doesn't drive foolishly or recklessly, it is just that as I get older I feel as if slow and steady is the safest way to get anywhere. If I am awake, I find myself "putting on the brakes," gasping, cringing, and just making an annoyance of myself, so I sleep. One day in the (hopefully, distant) future, I will wake up outside the "gates" and know we were in a car accident--even before St. Peter tells me.


Some questions came to mind during last weekends wedding festivities:

1) Is it proper to ask the bride when the baby is due? When, exactly, is an appropriate time to do this? Obviously, it is not good to ask while in the receiving line after the wedding. (And this applies only to unmistakably pregnant brides.)

2) Is it actually proper to have the baby ultrasound pictures at the rehearsal dinner?

3) Do baby items really make a proper or appropriate wedding gift?

I guess I will just have to write and ask Miss Manners.


Watched Joey the other night and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked it. I never was a fan of Friends, but I always liked the Joey character, so I had hopes for the new show. I found myself chuckling over 50%+ of the jokes--sometimes right out loud. They still have some fixing-up to do with it, but there is a good chance this show could be a hit. The next door neighbor/married woman character was rather lame--they have to come up with something more than having her show up every-so-often. And the character of Joey's agent is just BAD. I don't know if it is the way the character is written, or the actress who plays her, but I found it painful to even look at the screen while she was on. The actress looked like she was suffering from collagen/Botox overload and as if she was reading cue cards instead of acting. She didn't look at Joey while talking to him--just looked like a news-anchor reading the teleprompter, and doing that badly.

Don't know yet how I will feel about this year's The Apprentice. I am just more than a bit tired of Donald Trump patting himself on the back, tooting his own horn, bragging himself up, etc., etc. Hopefully the candidates won't be "playing to the camera" and will just be their selves (themselves?), otherwise I won't watch too many episodes.

I'm Baaaaack!

Yes, we got home from our little trip. Actually, we got home on Sunday already and it has taken me this long to get back into my routine! I could never be a REAL traveler! The wedding went well and we had a good time being with K.'s family. Even though the weather was hot, it didn't seem to effect me as badly as it usually does--hmmm, wonder why?

I will write more about the weekend later--just wanted to check in and let everyone know we are alive and well!

Why Me?

I know, I know, I'm awfully paranoid, but I think there is a conspiracy to make sure I can never completely enjoy myself. Case in point: we will be out of town this weekend for a family wedding and the weather is supposed to be in the 80s! Now, anyone who knows me knows that I find 68 to be the absolute tops in temperature for me to be comfortable. So, wedding, lots of people, possibly no air conditioning, warm temperatures, equals my not being nearly as happy as I could be if the temp didn't go above 64! Such is life. But, I'm sure a good time will be had by all--me included!

Hurricane

I feel so badly for the people of Florida having to deal with another hurricane so soon after the last. (I know, it hasn't reached them yet, but it is supposed to by the weekend.) I can't imagine how devastating weather disasters are--and can't help feeling so grateful for the lack there-of that we have. Granted, we have blizzards and massive amounts of snowfall and the occasional ice storm, but they seem so minor compared to tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, etc. I guess that is one of the reasons I have never really wanted to leave here and move to another part of the country: I don't know if I could cope elsewhere. But, I guess you learn to accept what you live with, in so many things.

Fashion Statement or Being Warm?

Looks as if the Ugg craze isn't going away for awhile and the question is: Do I get a knock-off pair and be warm this winter (and look absolutely ridiculous) or do I continue the way I have been for years (sneakers or, at most, hiking boots)? I'm still not old enough to totally not worry about how I look, but I really like to be comfortable, so I'm getting to the "hell with fashion" state of mind that comes with getting older and wiser. Maybe if I could afford a REAL pair of Uggs, then it would be cool to be in fashion. Have to think on this.

Gmail

Got my Gmail account today. Didn't think it would happen until they were done with beta testing, but I found the Gmail Swap web site, posted to it, and the rest (as they say) is history. And I only had to give the cat's name to be used as a screen name, for the invitation. I am so happy!

Sunday Meanderings

Not much on mind today--but then, is there ever? :) It is quite chilly outside and I am enjoying every minute of it. I can't wait till it is cold enough to put the furnace going again--I guess I'm just plain weird.

I really should run to the grocery store, but I can't decide what time would be best. The students are back in town and it will be a zoo out there. You would think admission into a university would imply a certain degree of intelligence, but most of these students couldn't be too bright because they don't know how to read! At least they don't know how to read street signs! Eventually, they figure out how to drive in this town and then we get snow--and it starts all over again. I wonder if they could pass a law to force them to take a driving test before allowing them to operate a motorized vehicle in the city limits? Although, that wouldn't help because we still have the idiots on their bicycles--even better are the imbeciles who ride bicycles in the winter! And all year we have the tourists who could use some instruction on driving and the rules of the road. Oh, well, I guess they will give a driver's license to just about anyone--after all, they gave one to me, didn't they?

Great News?

Just found out that the Krispy Kreme opened in Appleton. Bad, bad news--now all I can do is count the days till we get to go there again! I only wish I had ANY amount of will-power.

The Scream

http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsPackageArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=4XFOS1HACXMN2CRBAELCFFA?type=entertainmentNews&storyID=570044&section=news

My favorite painting of all time has been stolen. And no, I didn't have anything to do with it! :) Click on the link above to read the story.

Windows SP2

Well, I forgot to turn off automatic update, and Windows SP2 was downloaded and installed on this computer. I had read that there were some problems with SP2, so I wasn't going to install it for a couple of weeks until some of the bugs were worked out, but it's too late now. I guess I could uninstall, but I'll just see how things go. I don't want to tempt the computer gods into doing bad things, but so far I haven't seen any real problems. Some things ARE different--I think getting mail and surfing the net are a bit slower, but with the firewall, pop-up blocker, and anti-virus going on, of course things will be slower. If I find it too slow, I'll just do some tweaking and turn off the firewall and/or anti-virus, etc. After all, the protection that Windows has now is just backup for me: I already have virus protection and a firewall. Oh, well, I'll just have to see how things go.

I have been using Mozilla Firefox as my web browser for a few weeks now and I really like it. It is as easy to use as Internet Explorer, but it has some neat features IE doesn't have. There have only been a few web sites I have had problems with, and they seem to be Microsoft related--go figure! :) Anyway, I think I'll keep using Firefox as my main browser and only use IE when I have to!

Going To The Fair

Yesterday, K. and I went to the fair. Wow, what an earth-shattering bit of news. Anyway, this was our annual trek, and all in all, not much different from other years. We did our walk-around as soon as we got there: went to most of the animal barns and saw nothing new. They did have a display for kids that was set up like a little farm, which was new and rather cute: if you were a grammar-school aged child! We didn't feel too badly when we saw their garden wasn't in much better shape than ours is--so much for trying to grow anything in the cold! I was very disappointed that there wasn't anything going on in the birthing tent--there were a couple of cows in the center ring, but they didn't appear to be in labor. They didn't even have any newborn chicks, just eggs in the incubator. What a bust. After seeing the animals, we made our way to our favorite food vendor to eat. Don't know what they did this year, but neither one of us was happy with the food--and it takes a lot for us to be unhappy eating! We finished our walk-through and decided what to get to bring home and that was that. All together we were there about three hours, which is normal. My biggest disappointments were, of course, food related: I really can't eat caramel apples right now, with the braces, so I didn't get any to bring home; the braces keep me from eating taffy, so I didn't get any of that; this year (and I have been waiting for a year for this!) they didn't have the apple dumplings, which were to die for! So, while the whole experience was not much different than other years, there was a factor that was rather unfulfilling. Of course, the best part of the day was that we got to spend it together, doing something together. Can't get any better than that.

Guilty Pleasures

My favorite guilty pleasure recently has been the Defamer blog. Although I don't know if everything written is completely true, I think the info is much closer to the truth than 90% of what you find in People magazine (for instance.) Very interesting reading--like it much more than what Rance's blog was. At least Defamer is straight-forward with information--Rance had too many name/circumstance/location changes to protect the guilty and it was too hard to figure out who was being talked about. I definitely like Defamer's "tell it like it is" style more. Check out the blog and find out if it could be YOUR new guilty pleasure!

WARNING: The site can be rather raunchy--both language and subject matter.

Ain't That The Truth!?

It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.
Mark Twain

If only some politicians took this advice!

Confused

Recently I watched a couple of Quentin Tarantino movies (the sanitized TV versions) and I just don't get it! Critics, as well as others, go on and on about how great his movies are and I fail to see what is so wonderful. Instead of using violence and bad language as devices to move the story along, he uses a (minimal) story to go from one violent act to another, all the while having the characters use language no one I know uses. To me, his movies are all about violence and language and very little in the way of plot or character development. I consider myself fairly intelligent and sophisticated enough for my life-style, but I JUST DON'T GET IT! Maybe I'm just getting too old and conservative to understand.

Time Goes On

It just doesn't seem possible that it is August already. I guess the time seems to go much faster now that I don't have kids to get ready for school. We did go out last week and bought most of the school supplies C.'s girls need. They seemed to be real happy with them. I think we will get them backpacks, too. I know they have backpacks already, but we thought we would get really good ones from LL Bean, so they will last for more than a year.

Anyway, C. was down here last week with the kids and stopped in to see us. Of course, the baby is just that: a baby, so he didn't do much more than eat and sleep. The two oldest ones seem to be so big and mature next to the babies. With both of them in school this year, at least C. will have a bit of a break during the day. Noelle, however, is just plain fun. Kids around a year old are just so fun to be around--if they aren't your own! She just was laughing and performing all of her "tricks" for us--after all, she had a new, captive audience! Such fun. I still don't know how C. manages with the FOUR kids--I do admire the fact she is managing and doesn't seem to be ready for the purple, padded room. I know for a fact I never could have handled having four kids--I guess that is why I never had four kids.

Haven't been doing too much out of the ordinary here. I've been doing a little bit of sewing--trying to get some of the already-started projects out of the way. We have a wedding to go to over Labor Day weekend and I was going to make something for that, but I decided I didn't need to bring any more new stuff into my sewing room. Hopefully, I will get some of my projects done this winter--thought I was going to get them done last winter, and didn't. Oh, well.

Time to get going. Will write more later.