Moody Meow

Since I am on a bellydancing kick… I thought I would do some research about Portland and see if they had anything to offer. They do! This studio looks amazing. So, I will get a job, find a house, bike, run, laugh and belly dance. It’s going to be a good life out there.

This looks nice. I would like 2. One for me and one for D. I also like the pot rack. Good stuff.

I am going to listen to a few of these while I’m at work. Distractions are wonderful.

Oh my. This article could be about me. I think I have 3 iPods, and I proposed to D with one. It’s become a part of our everyday culture. Each morning I start my day with a cup of coffee and the soothing sounds of my iPod video. For a while, I even had movies ripped so that I could listen to them throughout my day. For some reason, movies are my audiobook. When I cook, I often have a movie playing on my laptop. But, back to the iPod. I own more than one and drool when the newer, slicker ones come out. But at this point, I think I’ve got all I need in mp3 players. Another laptop? That’s becoming a must.

The Pope has something to say about our addition to technology. He does have some valid points, but if God is a DJ, then the Ipod is his son.

**note — God is a DJ is a song by Faithless –

I am in a shit mood, so instead of whining, I will give you links.

Monet’s personal letters auctioned off.

Don’t fall for the anti-wrinkle hype. Age gracefully, that’s what I say.
Nature trying to fix our damage.  I always said She would try, but we have to fix global warming. She can only do so much.
I think everyone loves Obama. He’s charisma, I’ll give him that.
Where we get our pet meds. Pip has allergies, so we are on a maintenance thing to keep him from chewing his fur off. There’s an anti-allergy elixir.

The nicer Nike hack. I found directions for a cheap solution, but I think this works better. I really like my running shoes and didn’t want to change.

Bush goes on to ignore advice. I won’t go on a tirade. He gives me a headache.

More stuff later. I have to find that Excedrin.

D showed me this last night. I must say — holy SHIT!

I would like to state this for the record - this is a movie based on a graphic novel, and as such, is allowed to go into the color saturation and CG realm without any need for explanation. Suspend reality, for just a moment, and then watch it again.

If you want the whole story before the movie comes out, pick up 300 by Frank Miller (yes, the man that brought you Sin City).

I’ve gotten several notices about “lost property or unclaimed cash” via solicitations from these Asset Recovery companies. I thought about letting them do all the legwork, contacting the state and such. But why? I am an internet mas-tah (sound it out). So I went to this website and did a search of my maiden name and Miami. At that point in my life, I didn’t have a bank account and I had a lot of problems getting my taxes filed, much less trying to keep an eye on an old insurance policy. I am making a claim this weekend and it should take about 90 days to process. Do a search for yourself or someone you like/love. I think it’s a pretty neat system. Also, you can find the CFO’s of other states via their .gov site. Give it a look and see if some cash is headed your way.

As I stated before, this is the second coming of this entry. Perhaps the inadvertent deletion benefits me. This new blog post is making me rethink the negativity of my prior post. The weekend didn’t go as planned. I bailed on the Sunday study session with Dr. Laws. The study groups throughout the weekend disintegrated into social engagements. The fault was partially mine. I am going to spend today working on my flash cards and re-examining the study of generative rhetoric. I am responsible for my own studying – no one else. So, it’s not fair to dispense the blame for my confusion. I almost thought about not taking the test, of taking the C. But I need to prove to myself that I can do this. I don’t expect perfection, just improvement.

David and I are going to see the shuttle launch on Thursday. I have my last final, and when I finish (I usually take tests quickly) I am going to run home, grab the man and the dogs, and head to the cape. It’s scheduled to lift off @ 9:35 – and if you add travel time, I am going to get home way past my bedtime, but I think it will be worth it. NASA’s last night launch was four years ago. I’ve never seen one up close. We aren’t going to be on the cape itself, but close by. D knows where we are going. I’m just along for the ride. If all goes as planned, I am going to take my camera. It’s not powerful enough to get up close, but hopefully I can get something.

On Saturday, Vanya came by for a couple drinks. I will be glad when school is over so I can have those kinds of nights without the cloud of homework and studying hanging over my head. I can’t wait.

I didn’t realize how many leaves that my sycamore has. I helped D bag them last night. Our overlords would shit themselves if we left all of those beautiful leaves on the ground. It feels like fall in our yard, and we had to make it look like a weird Florida winter again. Give me leaves, or give me death. Or cake. Hee hee.

I made salsa this weekend. After a terrible experience at Baja Burrito Kitchen (for some reason, they can’t get our quesadilla right), I decided that I needed to make my own salsa. That’s really the only reason I go out for Mexican. The canned/jarred stuff doesn’t satisfy. My initial experiment into the salsa world worked, well, it was okay. I hold out hope for the next batch. And I have a food processor. Yes, I am now a danger to myself in the kitchen. Go me!

Onto bigger and more important things. I’m not sorry to see Bolton go from the UN. I don’t think it was a brilliant idea to put such an imperialistic ass in a place where the world can watch him muck up our already tarnished reputation.  Bush’s political degradation makes me happy. Admittedly, his cabinet and chiefs guided him into terrible decisions, but watching his obstinacy with Iraq, and his lambasting Congress for blocking the Bolton’s appointment, well I don’t feel sorry for him at all. This country has suffered at the hands of his clumsy, selfish rule. I’m glad the Dems took congress, although I don’t have much faith in them either. It’s all about the 2008 elections, not about fixing the fuck-ups from Bush. We need a new system of government, I think. If those in power are meant to represent the citizens of this country, then I think we failed in voting the right people in. Who knew there were so many rich people in this country? (note sarcasm). Fix the environment, help the poor, do some good for this country - That’s a government’s job.

On a lighter note, I hate my job. But I don’t think that’s news. And I shall not be chatting or conversing from now on. They seem to be tracking things, and according to this new law, they have to keep all of the crap we say. Joy.

Oh, and I don’t have cancer on my back. What I do have are impacted stitches. They are not going to be fun to pull out. I wonder if they will numb me. I think that’s too much to hope for.

Here are a few things that caught my eye.

Rummy last love letter, and other national stories. I’ve always liked Slate.com.

Holy shit! This guy is funny. Wrong, but damn funny.

Tracts of the Rainforest get protection. I am very happy. One day I will visit, but first, I have to get over my fear of bugs. And I hear they have big bugs. Like the size of your face bugs. Maybe I’ll just stay in Florida and admire it from afar.

As winter(ish) comes upon us I grow bitter again about my fireplace. But, this is for those of you who have one. At least you can light them up safely.

I am still waiting for this program to update (which is why I am killing time on my site), but it’s still running. I think I will grab an apple or something. I need to get out of this chair.

The weekend was too short. I am sure that many people feel that way, but my Sunday felt too colored by blue. D and I tried to combat that by going to the Aloma Cinema and Grill (not a bad place to see a movie!) for a little Casino Royale action. Frankie mentioned the uneven pacing, and I agree. However, Bond ruled the show and kept me enthralled. I was also under whelmed with Vesper Lyn. I love Eva Green when she portrays a heroines with a brooding nature. It’s her smile that bugs me -plastic, pasted on, a cardboard cutout – her lips are perfectly shaped but lack the warmth that a true smile should bring. Bright, green eyes and luminescent pale skin, her beauty is inescapable, until she smiles. If you were curious, Daniel Craig is a spectacular vision of man-flesh. And he plays a twisted Bond. There are many “holy shit” moments, like the intro action scene. Good stuff. I may have to watch it again. Why? Just for fun.

My parents seem to be at an impasse with their relationship. I don’t know if they would be bothered by the fact that I am mentioning it on my blog, but I figure this is my place to contemplate and understand. Their fucked up interactions effect me. I think it’s my right to discuss how I feel about it (end justification). I don’t have much of a relationship with my stepfather. Sometimes I really feel like I am missing out on something special with him, but I don’t think he has room enough in his heart for me. My sister (Alexis) and her family take precedence over everyone else, save his biological daughter. That’s understandable, really. My nephew and my sister spent many hours with the family, and he paid a lot of attention to my nephew and spoiled him rotten. And my stepsister is his only child. I was a dark creature, full of rage and malice, when I lived with my parents, and I idealized the relationship with my Dad — the man my mother divorced. I’m an adult (most of the time) now. My relationship with my mother remains steady. In one hand, she’s one of my closest friends, and on the other, I think she needs the hardest kick in the ass. I have not spoken to my Dad in over ten years, and in those years my stepfather and I never came close to an actual parent/child relationship. I come from a family of deeply flawed personalities. My family hides their drinking and denies the mental illness that marks everyone. Stable they are not. And this comes back to the stepfather and my mother. They’ve been at odds for years, yo-yo-ing between love and loathing. Right now, they are in a shadowy patch, and when I told Mom about graduation in May, she told me that she would be the only one coming, because she’s not inviting him. I feel like I’m going to have to choose between hurting his feelings by not telling him about graduation or have him come and feel the heavy hand of awkward disconnection. It’s a weird place to be. Our wedding highlighted the lack of understanding between us. He told D that we were not close because I still sought a relationship with my Dad and not him. D told him he was full of shit (nicely), and I think that really serves as a perfect sign of his lack of understanding of me. He still thinks that I am 10 and full of rage. My Mom knows differently, but won’t tell him that because they aren’t speaking half of the time. And now, I’m 30, and my parents are putting me in a fucking awkward position. It’s bullshit. But…enough ranting.

Thanksgiving was quiet. D and I went over his Mom’s house, and we were late. I didn’t read the directions on the tofurkey. Oopsie. It took a lot longer than I thought it would, but it tasted damn good. One of his brothers tried a small slice of the tofu. I was surprised when he told me he liked it. We stayed with the family for a short while. They were watching movies and D and I didn’t want to vegitate. On the way home, Cat called. She sounded amazingly happy, immersed in hostess duties and a kitchen full of food. I meant to call her back, but resting got in the way. Then Anne and Will came over for a few beverages and Frankie popped by to share his flan. It was a good day.

We tried to go biking several times throughout the break. I only made it through 16 miles without incident. The first time, I got in my own way. Sometimes I am my worst enemy when it comes to exercise. Red rage nipped at my heels throughout the ride, and I ended up cutting it short, riding home alone. That time by myself helped clear my brain. D tries to be supportive, but I always feel like I am holding him back when we ride together. So, this afternoon, I will ride alone. And when we make it to West Orange again, there will be more spots where he can let loose and I can focus on my endurance. I need to push myself harder with riding – On a similar note, I got up this morning to run. But, my damn Nano was dead. I think I’ve explained that I run to snippets of music, small increments that are supposed to help me build up to an extended run. Without the prompts, I run myself to exhaustion. I walked the beagle boys, since my run was toast. They seemed happy about it. It was foggy this morning, and very quiet. I think the misty air dulled the waking morn, stalling it for a few long moments before the sun burns away all of the mystery. I feel lighter for the walk.

I have finals coming up in the next two weeks. I should be freaking out, but I’ve come to a point of not giving a shit. I know, I know – bad place to be. But, I know all I am going to know right now and there isn’t much that will help pull me into any kind of illuminated, educated state. It’s hard being this close to graduation, because I’ve lost my steam. I’m trying to keep one foot in front of the other. It’s hard.

D and I watched Kinky Boots. Cute film. And the main character, Lola, is played by Chiwetel Ejiofor, the Operative in Serenity (which I’ve seen a million times). It’s hard to keep those two characters separated because they share the same face. I felt the same thing when Hugo Weaving played Mr. Smith and Elrond. One good character, one very bad one. Articulation and how their voices flex further muddy the waters. Once I spent a few moments with the new face, then I can let go of the other one, but it does take a second or two

I am sure I had more things to talk about, but I think I’ve run out of works for today. So, I hope you had a lovely holiday. Now, help me get through this week. I have a feeling it’s going to be a bitch. (have I mentioned that I hate my job?)

Oh - couple things that caught my attention:
No one noticed a man on fire? What does this say about our society?
I am in love with this winery. Well, I’ve never been there, but I love their Zin. I’m more than a little pissed that they won’t ship to Florida. Argh!
Only boys love podcasts? Okay, I’m not trying to discount their numbers, but damn! And I love podcasts.
Down goes the dollar? Why am I not hearing about this on our national news? Fishy, fishy.

Time for more work. Is it 4 yet?

I have class tonight and prior to class, I am meeting Anne for a quick dinner or coffee. This weather is so refreshing. I love it. I brought my blue hat (picture forthcoming), and I am wearing it right now. They keep my office overly cold. Any excuse to wear my hat.

What are your plans for Turkey Day? (or in our case - Tofurkey Day) D and I are headed over to his Mom’s house in Oveido. A few of his brothers are coming to have dinner with Mom and Grandma. Her apartment is tiny, but it’s more about the time spent together than the space and amount of food. D and I are bringing a tofurkey for the two of us and I expect us to get razzed by his brothers. They are hunters and die-hard carnivores. When they met me, I was a strict vegetarian, so this reversal back to vegetarianism isn’t that far out of the realm of possiblility, but D’s a veggie too. I don’t think they expected that. I am glad we get to spend time with his mom and grandmother. They are very cool women. Mom’s a little Buddha - so calm and steady. His grandmother is in her 90’s. She’s a ghost of a woman, with tissue-paper skin and a watery laugh. But when she smiles, it’s a sight to behold. It warms her face and gives life to her whole body. I am sure that I am not explaining this correctly, but it’s enough to say that I love being around her (she grew up with beagles and cats and reminds us of that every time she comes over to our house). After dinner, we will head home, and I think we will sip on some pumpkin beer. If anyone is free, give me a ring. We love company.

Next Thanksgiving, I see Cat and Brains at our house (or vice versa) and perhaps my sister and her all of her spawnlings, and there will be a lot of food (half veggie and half carne) and we shall all eat until we can’t eat anymore. I see it. It’s a hope that lingers just in the periphery. If you turn your head swiftly, it shimmers and glows and then fades into possibility again. Next year, I will celebrate my birthday in style, with friends and family. Next Samhain, D and I will do something crazy and unique. Next summer, I will find out how the west coast does things. But today, I am enjoying the frigid bite of a snappy Florida winter. There is time for it all. Plenty of time.
I’ve been kind of quiet lately. Going through a funk, I think. Sometimes it happens during the holidays, but I will do my best this year to stay away from the blue. I’m stressed about finals. I feel uneasy about work. It starts to wear on the little lumps of happiness that I carry around.

My fucking stitches itch. Gah!

Here are a few things that caught my attention this morning.

Draft? Well, this is enough to piss off the populace. It’s going to get “interesting” in this country.

Your phone as your wallet. On one hand I like this. If I carry too many things then I am more likely to lose them. But, if I lose my phone, I would be fucked. It’s an interesting concept.

No Hobbit for Jackson? I am obsessed with the LOTR series. That being said, I think Peter Jackson did an excellent job in recreating the stories for film. How could they not let him do the Hobbit? Why can’t film be about art and not money? Idealism - party of one.

The Far Side goes wild. I always think that I am the only one who laments at the loss of the wild land. I am sure that the forests where I used to play have been razed for developments, and the wild tigers in India will eventually become extinct. I find it inspiring that people like Larson see things the same way I do. If enough people pay attention, perhaps we can fix things.

Did I mention that my stitches itch? Have a happy Tuesday, and remember - it’s a short work week! Wh00t and stuff.

I am trying to pull out from beneath this pile of procrastination. It’s a slow process, but it’s happening. The plans are simple for this weekend. I am going over to Amanda’s house to get my Grammar homework done. I am also working this weekend in order to get caught back up on my paperwork.

The political climate remains nasty. The spin comes from both ends. I can’t help but think that if the tables were turned, if Foley was a democrat, that the Repubs would pounce on him harder than the Dems have. I thought I would higlight a few amendments that caught my eye.

Florida: No on Amendment 3
Florida is one of 24 states that allows direct democracy by giving citizens access to place legislative measures on the statewide ballot. Florida citizens can amend their state constitution by gathering enough signatures to place an issue on the ballot for citizens to vote on. When important issues fall upon deaf ears in the legislature, which is often held captive by special interests, ballot initiatives serve as a critical system of checks and balances to ensure citizens’ voices are still heard.

In 2002, Florida approved by a 55% majority the first initiative ever to be adopted in the United States to ban the confinement of animals on factory farms. The measure banned the caging of breeding sows in gestation crates—tiny, two-foot by seven-foot cages in which pregnant pigs are housed for almost all of their dismal existence. An initiative like this is a prime example of why Florida’s long-standing system of checks and balances needs to be protected and preserved.

Due to the recent success of citizen’s initiatives by several social movements, some forces in the state legislature want to make it nearly impossible for voters to continue to participate in this kind of direct democracy. Although Florida legislators have proposed nearly 50 constitutional amendments of their own every year for the last few years, they want to curtail the rights of citizens to amend their own state constitution.

The legislature has put a measure, Amendment 3, on the 2006 ballot that would increase the number of votes needed to approve ballot initiatives from 50% to 60%—a “supermajority”—of the electorate.

Trust the Voters, a coalition of citizen, environmental, and other groups, including The Humane Society of the United States, is urging voters to vote no on Amendment 3 and preserve the rights of Florida citizens by telling professional politicians that they cannot insulate themselves from accountability and silence the voice of the people.

A little fucked up, don’t you think?
Oh, but there is more

And here is a comprehensive list of what’s on the ballot.

Woman arguing on cellphone ends up in a pond

Somehow, I can’t feel sorry for this lady.

I was in bad shape yesterday. My right eye socked throbbed. Each heartbeat brought about another rush of pain. It didn’t let up. I managed to make it to school. I should rephrase that. I made it to the parking lot, finished my reading in the car, and then it started. My stomached clenched and seized. For a good 10 minutes I dry heaved in the parking lot. There would be no class (this is the second week in a row). When I got home, I called D, and I wrapped myself in a blanket and curled up into pained ball on the couch. He made me eat, and gave me one of the ibuprophins that I had for my back. I went to bed very very early. I feel much better now. This is a starting over point. Next week things will be different and my expectations for myself will be more realistic. I’m only human, no matter how much I deny that little fact.

So, I am working a little late, but this evening, D and I will start off our lovely weekend with a nice dinner at Babbo’s. Where it goes from there, who knows. But, we are planning a lot of rides (I would like to manage 120 miles in the time we have off.) and I am going to catch up on the homework. I still have to go to class, but I will in a good space.

Final Punking Party thingy!! Remember, it’s Saturday @ 9:00. Bring your drinks and a lawn chair. I’m providing snacks and a good time. Oh, and I am supplying punkins!!! Hollie — you asked about s’mores. Regular marshmallows have gelatin, but one of my friends is trying to make vegetarians marshmallows for me. If you want, bring s’mores stuff. I have the sticks for the marshmallows

I haven’t done links for a while, so here you go!

Alternative punkin patterns. Since we haven’t carved anything yet, I thought we should try one or two of these!!

Trade paperbacks! I am very into the trading thing vs purchasing at full price and throwing things away. I think this is a brilliant idea. So, what do you think?

Firefox 2.0. I updated Firefox as soon as I could. 1.5 ran slow on my Mac and got buggy on my work PC. But, 2.0 is like buttah. And little features, like the internal spell check make me very very happy. I won’t get into how much I hate IE, and I’ve been very disappointed in Safari. I heart Firefox. And because I am a total dork, I have lots of fun with the extensions and the themes. Yes, I’m a geek. Bite me.

Wil Wheaton reviews Sandman. I love his sense of humor. He always seems to make me giggle.

How much do you know about the Peanuts classic “It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown?”

And in honor of my beagles and the great pumpkin - a morning strip for you.

I am listening to his album “The Space Between Us” and I am happy. I just thought I would share the love.

Brains and beaks in dog food.
It seems that there are those out there who have a problem with this, just as I do. We’ve made sure that we buy foods that are not tested on animals (as in — no beagles in cages suffed with food until they puke) and have a high healthy meat content. We tried vegetarian food for the dogs, but they didn’t eat it. Yes, our dogs actually turned their nose up to food. Shocking, eh? It’s hard to get away from animal “meal.”

Last night I muddled through another grammar class. It’s been hell and I feel like I’m not getting it. We were writing sentence examples on the board. Dr. Laws asked me to write one of my examples. There were comments on my handwriting. Well, they were compliments. I informed the class that my handwriting masked my bad grammar. We dissected the sentence, paying attention to strong my strong adverbials and alliteration (I have a weakness for that literary device). Then the class got interesting. Dr. Laws asked one of my classmates to write his sentence pattern on the board. He did. His girlfriend and Dr. Laws talked about the confusion with commas and we all saw his sentence. We gasped. Dr. Laws asked him to read it. It was a proposal, and he got down on one knee and asked her to be his wife. It was a good class. We all congratulated them; ate the cake that Dr. Laws was so kind to provide and then she let us all go home early to “have some sex.” I love creative proposals. And, he gave her a pearl ring, not a diamond. It was beautiful.

All of us married ladies swapped stories about our weddings and proposals. It’s a wierd kind of bond or understanding that married women have. Then there was a discussion about wanting to have kids -vs- not wanting them at all. That arguement divided them from me. I am still the odd bitch out. But they respected my opinion and I honestly respect theirs. I am all for other people having children. I don’t begrudge anyone that kind of relationship, but it’s not something I long for. That’s just me.

I went home yesterday because I felt so shitty. I am much better today. I am digging myself out of a mental hole with my school work and I think it manifested itself via my sinuses. I internalize stress. This weekend I have a strategic plan to get my ass in motion and not shirk my school duties. I am going to make this work.

D and I are planning on riding West Orange twice this weekend. It’s an ambitious trip, but I think I need it in order to whip my ass into shape. I fear I’ve become one of those women in the magazines who has let her body go  and is searching for that way to lose all of her weight. I don’t think of myself as fat (understand, this is a conversation, not a plea for compliments) but there are obviously signs that I’m not as physically healthy as I used to be. When I was younger, maybe nineteen or twenty, I wanted to have the palest skin and the thinnest body. Now I long for strong legs and lean arms and I don’t care if my shoulders are tan. I don’t want to be one of those women in the magazines that need to help and inspiration to lose weight. I don’t want to be one of them, so I try to focus on being a little more like me. Dedication and consistency elude me. I need to find them. This blog has become a vehicle to vent my frustration with my physical issues. It’s self centered and I feel bad about being so narcissistic. I just wish I could get my ass into gear. I love working out – running, biking, lifting weights. Gah! Enough of my whining.

Battlestar!!! I am cracked out.  I know it’s a sick addiction and that I shouldn’t get so worked up about a frackin t.v. show, but I love it. So, here are a few Battlestar Links for your pleasure.

Summation of the characters. This is very surface level, but it gives you some idea as to what is going on with those particular characters

Go to the source. Of course, if you really want to know what’s going on, it’s a good idea to start @ Scifi. They have podcasts, behind the scenes clips, webisodes that pertain to the new season. It’s crack, I tell you!

Would you like to see the beginning? If you see the webisodes (which are a good place to start) you can see the first act of the new show if you go to “Watch Full Episode” and then go to First Look!

This has nothing to do with Battlestar, but the Huzzie would love this! If only all offices went virtual.

And St. Francis loves your animals. I’ve heard about blessing the animals before, but I just thought this was kind of cool. If I had to go to church, I would want to bring my beagles. I want to bring my beagles everywhere. The cats — not so much.

You actually do get your news from The Daily Show! I won’t start my tirade about the empty nature of news broadcasts. No news is better than obsessive fluff peices of celebrities. Who gives a shit?

World Destruction by Time Zone

Speak of the destruction. (x3)

This is a world destruction, your life ain't nothing.
The human race is becoming a disgrace.
Countries are fighting with chemical warfare.
Not giving a damn about the people who live there.
Nostradamus predicts the coming of the Antichrist.
Hey, look out, the third world nations are on the rise.
The Democratic-Communist Relationship,
won't stand in the way of the Islamic force.
The CIA is looking for you.
The KGB is smarter than you think.
Brainwash mentalities to control the system.
Using TV and movies - religions of course.
Yes, the world is headed for destruction.
Is it a nuclear war?
What are you asking for?

This is a world destruction. Your life ain't nothing.
The human race is becoming a disgrace.
The rich get richer.
The poor are getting poorer.
Fascist, chauvinistic government fools.
People, Moslems, Christians and Hindus.
Are in a time zone still searching for the truth.
Who are you to think you're a superior race?
Facing forth your everlasting doom.
We are Time Zone. We've come to drop a bomb on you.
World destruction, kaboom, kaboom, kaboom!

This is the world destruction, your life ain't nothing.
The human race is becoming a disgrace.
Nationalities are fighting with each other.
Why is this? Because the system tells you.
Putting people in faceless categories.
Knowledge isn't what it used to be.
Military tactics to control a nation.
Who wants to be a president or king? Me!
Mother Nature is gonna work against you.
Nothing in your power that you can do.
Yes, the world is headed for destruction.
You and I know it, cause the Bible tells you.
If we don't start to look for a better life,
the whole world will be destroyed in a time zone!

The world comes full circle. Yes, the song is very 1984, but I still like it. This is one song that will get D to dance. And unfortunatly, it’s appropriate, even now.

I am not hiding anything on this blog. I fill the pixels with TMI, emotive responses and concerns. I remind my dear readers of my mantra “If you come, you read, but I don’t justify.”

Oops – I wrote a whole part about something very embarrassing that happened to me, but I deleted it. Some things just won’t be shared. I just don’t feel like being mocked.

Battlestar Fridays – You will find D and I glued to our TV every Friday at 9 (the new time). This is the one show I get silly about. D bought me the 2.5 season. We haven’t had the time to sit down and watch it, but we will. I thought about reinstating the Battlestar Sundays (which started with Firefly) but am going to put that off. I just don’t feel up to it now. I heart Battlestar.

The Return of Shipyard Pumpkinhead – My favorite beer has returned. If you attended my punkin carving party last year, you will remember the beer. It’s great beer. A bottle of happy fall flavors. I love this beer in a sick way. I bought two cases. Obviously I can’t drink that much, but I am stocking up because you can only get this stuff once a year. I will pile up more cases in my kitchen until I have the equivalent of an end cap. My goal is to buy two cases every time we go to the grocery store. D and I contemplated a punkin carving party again. We shall see. I may just invite people over to drink Punkin Ale. So damn good.

I am a weed-eater: D and I cleaned up the yard this weekend. He mowed and I flailed around with the weed eater. The front yard looks nice now. I don’t think it looked terrible before, but it’s cleaner now and that should keep the Overlords off our ass. And that garden in the back that I fixed up for the wedding is dead. The bougainvillea and the killer fine from hell are back in force and have eaten my garden. It seems appropriate. We will move within the year and the backyard is returned to its previous state. The wildness of Florida plants, aggressive and green, sings in my soul. I love my tree, my yard and all of the animals that visit. But I can’t wait until we get to a place where the Overlords don’t dictate what I can and can’t do with my yard.

Cleaning house without the homework: My house is immaculate. I dusted everything; fans, floorboards, window sills. Before I headed to Target to pick up more toys for Pip, I cleaned under the couch and found: 3 squeaky tennis balls, the canvas frog, the squeaky snake, a stuffed fish, the rattle/squeak hedgehog type toy and a few cat toys. The trip to Target was crossed off the list. Everything smells nice. We kept the windows opened up all day on Saturday and the cross breeze helped clean the air. It’s nice to be in my house. Homework – finished some but not nearly as much as I wanted to. Oh well. At least the house is clean

Dune: What a crap-tastic movie. I’ve never seen the whole thing, and after watching the beginning half, I don’t think I ever will. The constant, whispered internal monologue is enough to drive me nuts. Then there are the effects – so very bad. The effects in StarWars felt more sophisticated although this movie came out in the middle of the madness of SW. D thought the book was far superior to the shite movie. I don’t know if I am willing to give it a chance now. The high points? A very young Patrick Stewart. Num.

Mole-y mole-y moley: I have to go to the dermatologist. I am not that thrilled about this. Thought I would share.

New battery: If you have a laptop, check with your maker to see if your battery is due to be recalled. Both of our Mac laptops were in the recall notice. A Dell, an IBM Thinkpad, and an HP have suffered spectacular deaths due to their defective batteries. The last one caught fire on a plane just before takeoff. A touch scary, methinks. Do everyone a favor and get it replaced.

Observation - When I am drinking, there are a few conversations that come up. I analyze the move to Portland and the one thing that makes me joyful about it - living near my sister. Because she is blood, and one of my best friends, I am eager to see her more often. And then we will be in the same time zone - no awkward timed phonecalls. Then I relive the shitastic trip to Chicago because it’s effected me more than I would normally like to admit. Then there are the peripheal characters involved in my life - friends and far off relations. They warrant conversation as well. I am trying to make sense of this unstable, insecure place in my life. The conversations soaked by the evil, fermented grape, give birth to undilluted truth. It’s a harsh experience and hasn’t gotten any easier. I am trying to shed the raw parts of me and get back to being a fearless, strong woman. So many things are tripping me up lately. I feel like I am hanging off a jagged cliff. Perhaps I will grow wings, but it’s my journey to make.

Ripples - Alexis is going to a wedding in March. Never mind. I was going to talk about this, but then I would have to give you the history of our family. A long conversation for another day.

Here are some fun links for your morning.

Be nice when passing bikes - or else!
*This lady is nuts! Why do people have such a problem with witchcraft? It’s a frickin pagan religion! It’s not about the devil and not about condemnation of Christian values. People really need to get a life.
*Reforestation of the rain forest. Happy stuff.
*Stolen monsters - this is just so damn rude. I feel bad for the homeowner.
*Dirty old men - This is just nasty. And I am offended because he is using alcoholism as an excuse. People use all kinds of diseases as “reasons” for their fucked behavior. This is bad for Republicans. I wish I could rejoice, but this guy is just nasty, and there’s nothing to celebrate with this shit.

I am going to get back to working. Sorry for the typos.

Oh - and it’s my little brother’s birthday! Happy Birthday Derick — you little snotface

It’s just dirty that I think these kids are damn adorable. I feel very, very dirty

I can’t believe that a teacher is about to get fired because her students saw nudity!Why in the hell is this country so scared of naked beings. We all have bits - naked, jiggly bits! Art idealizes (most of the time if a classical style is used) the human form. And even if the body was not perfection, art is not porn. And some porn is art. Who are they to choose? This was a school-approved trip that included a permission slip. If parents want their kids to be that sheltered then they need to homeschool them and not make it worse for the other students.