Monday, April 14, 2014
Sunday, April 13, 2014
I Was Driving Tractors
From Sunday Stealing
Bonus Questions Meme
1.What’s your favorite frozen treat on a stick?
A. I don't really have one. I guess a Popsicle. I don't do milk products at all so some kind of frozen water.
2.What’s your favorite lollipop?
A. What, are these questions for third graders? I have no idea. As long as it doesn't taste like coconut, I'm good with it.
3.When you passed notes during class in high school, who was mostly often the recipient?
A. Oy vey, they are questions for third graders! I didn't pass notes after the second grade. Do you really want to hear this story? When I was in the second grade, a boy passed a note to me, and I wrote something and passed it back. It was probably something such as, "I like you" and "I like you too." The teacher intercepted it and pinned it to the bulletin board. She then made each and every student parade in front of the bulletin board, one at a time, and read the note. I sat in my desk and cried the entire time. After that I never passed another note, I assure you.
4.Who among your high school friends was the first to get his or her own car?
A. Good Lord. That was 35 years ago. Do you honestly think I remember that? I grew up in a rural community. I was driving tractors and farm trucks by the time I was 12. So was every other kid who lived on a farm.
5.Who’s the black sheep in your family?
A. I think I am.
6.Who’s the family historian?
A. I am.
7.What was the last thing you sprayed from a spray bottle?
A. Does dishwashing liquid count? It doesn't really spray, it sort of oozes, but that was the last thing I used.
8.What was the last thing you sprayed from an aerosol can?
A. My guess would be Lysol.
9.When did you last make reservations for something?
A. Do doctor appointments count? In that case, Friday. If you're talking about fun things like restaurants or plays, it's been so long I can't remember.
10.What’s your next upcoming appointment?
A. Monday morning at 10:00 a.m. I am seeing a new physical therapist for my ongoing issue with abdominal pain. One doctor thinks it being caused by adhesions/scar tissue and somehow this is supposed to help. I have my doubts but am willing to give it a try.
11.What store’s departure from your preferred shopping mall most saddened you?
A. None of them, really. Well, I was not happy when Circuit City closed, leaving us with just Best Buy or Radio Shack for electronic shopping. But it didn't make me sad.
12.What’s good to eat at your preferred shopping mall?
A. I seldom eat there so I couldn't say. The last time I did was probably five years ago.
13.What services (as opposed to goods) do you pay for at your preferred shopping mall?
A. None. This meme sounds like some kind of advertisement for capitalism. I mean, who cares?
14.What’s a store you’ve never been inside at your preferred shopping mall?
A. I haven't been inside my "preferred shopping mall" in over a year. I don't even know what is in there anymore. As you can see, I am not a good consumer.
15.What kind of store would you most welcome in your preferred shopping mall?
A. Yep, definitely a meme for capitalism. Maybe an effort to indoctrinate third graders into the capitalistic system? Book stores are always good. A nice independent book store. I'll go with that for an answer.
16.What did you most recently purchase at an office supply store?
A. Ink cartridges for my HP OfficeJet Pro K5400 printer. They cost over $100, too.
17.What did you most recently purchase at a book store?
A. Duh. A book.
18.What did you most recently purchase at a drugstore?
A. Melatonin pills to see if they would help me sleep. So far I've been too scared to try them because I'm taking so many other drugs.
19.What did you most recently purchase at a convenience store?
A. I don't shop in convenience stores.
20.What did you most recently purchase at a thrift shop?
A. A friend brought me a few denim dresses to try on from the local Goodwill recently when I was too sick to go out. None of them fit and I donated them back.
Bonus Questions Meme
1.What’s your favorite frozen treat on a stick?
A. I don't really have one. I guess a Popsicle. I don't do milk products at all so some kind of frozen water.
2.What’s your favorite lollipop?
A. What, are these questions for third graders? I have no idea. As long as it doesn't taste like coconut, I'm good with it.
3.When you passed notes during class in high school, who was mostly often the recipient?
A. Oy vey, they are questions for third graders! I didn't pass notes after the second grade. Do you really want to hear this story? When I was in the second grade, a boy passed a note to me, and I wrote something and passed it back. It was probably something such as, "I like you" and "I like you too." The teacher intercepted it and pinned it to the bulletin board. She then made each and every student parade in front of the bulletin board, one at a time, and read the note. I sat in my desk and cried the entire time. After that I never passed another note, I assure you.
4.Who among your high school friends was the first to get his or her own car?
A. Good Lord. That was 35 years ago. Do you honestly think I remember that? I grew up in a rural community. I was driving tractors and farm trucks by the time I was 12. So was every other kid who lived on a farm.
5.Who’s the black sheep in your family?
A. I think I am.
6.Who’s the family historian?
A. I am.
7.What was the last thing you sprayed from a spray bottle?
A. Does dishwashing liquid count? It doesn't really spray, it sort of oozes, but that was the last thing I used.
8.What was the last thing you sprayed from an aerosol can?
A. My guess would be Lysol.
9.When did you last make reservations for something?
A. Do doctor appointments count? In that case, Friday. If you're talking about fun things like restaurants or plays, it's been so long I can't remember.
10.What’s your next upcoming appointment?
A. Monday morning at 10:00 a.m. I am seeing a new physical therapist for my ongoing issue with abdominal pain. One doctor thinks it being caused by adhesions/scar tissue and somehow this is supposed to help. I have my doubts but am willing to give it a try.
11.What store’s departure from your preferred shopping mall most saddened you?
A. None of them, really. Well, I was not happy when Circuit City closed, leaving us with just Best Buy or Radio Shack for electronic shopping. But it didn't make me sad.
12.What’s good to eat at your preferred shopping mall?
A. I seldom eat there so I couldn't say. The last time I did was probably five years ago.
13.What services (as opposed to goods) do you pay for at your preferred shopping mall?
A. None. This meme sounds like some kind of advertisement for capitalism. I mean, who cares?
14.What’s a store you’ve never been inside at your preferred shopping mall?
A. I haven't been inside my "preferred shopping mall" in over a year. I don't even know what is in there anymore. As you can see, I am not a good consumer.
15.What kind of store would you most welcome in your preferred shopping mall?
A. Yep, definitely a meme for capitalism. Maybe an effort to indoctrinate third graders into the capitalistic system? Book stores are always good. A nice independent book store. I'll go with that for an answer.
16.What did you most recently purchase at an office supply store?
A. Ink cartridges for my HP OfficeJet Pro K5400 printer. They cost over $100, too.
17.What did you most recently purchase at a book store?
A. Duh. A book.
18.What did you most recently purchase at a drugstore?
A. Melatonin pills to see if they would help me sleep. So far I've been too scared to try them because I'm taking so many other drugs.
19.What did you most recently purchase at a convenience store?
A. I don't shop in convenience stores.
20.What did you most recently purchase at a thrift shop?
A. A friend brought me a few denim dresses to try on from the local Goodwill recently when I was too sick to go out. None of them fit and I donated them back.
Saturday, April 12, 2014
One of Life's Little Adventures
I took some photos yesterday, and had a little adventure. As my husband put it, I can't even go down to get the mail without having *something* happen.
I waited until the sun was shining, and went down with my camera. I wanted a shot of the hayfield that is currently overrun with mustard.
That's a weed that is not great for hay but it is quite lovely to look at. And then I thought, well, I'll cross the street and get a picture of those Canadian geese on the pond.
The next thing I knew some guy on a bike went whizzing by. "Get your damn dog out of the road!" he shouted at me. I don't have a dog, much less a damn one, so I looked up to see this big bulldog-looking thing with its tongue hanging out heading towards me.
You must know I am not only allergic to dogs, I am somewhat terrified of strange ones I do not know. And I did not know this animal. I went into panic mode.
The dog was in the middle of the road and suddenly traffic was everywhere, backed up coming from both directions, and I was standing there helplessly scared of this dog in the street and the bicyclist was long gone by then. Part of me was thinking, I should call the dog and get it out of harm's way and the other part was yelling, that thing is going to take my leg off. A fleeting thought went something like, the dog should've chased the guy on the bike and bit his leg off, it would have served him right.
Fortunately one of the vehicles in the traffic was my neighbor, who is also the county sheriff. I waved him over and told him this dog had taken a stroll in my general direction. I thought it belonged down the street a ways, and so we walked it back and it went toward the rear of the house and we decided it must live there. There were no tags on its collar.
Then we walked back to my car, and by this time I was walking incredibly slowly given the issues I'm having with my tummy and the fact that I'd had some medical testing done earlier in the day, and wasn't prepared for all of this excitement when all I wanted was a scenic shot of mustard in the hayfield.
And darned if I didn't forget to take a picture of the dog.
I waited until the sun was shining, and went down with my camera. I wanted a shot of the hayfield that is currently overrun with mustard.
That's a weed that is not great for hay but it is quite lovely to look at. And then I thought, well, I'll cross the street and get a picture of those Canadian geese on the pond.
The next thing I knew some guy on a bike went whizzing by. "Get your damn dog out of the road!" he shouted at me. I don't have a dog, much less a damn one, so I looked up to see this big bulldog-looking thing with its tongue hanging out heading towards me.
You must know I am not only allergic to dogs, I am somewhat terrified of strange ones I do not know. And I did not know this animal. I went into panic mode.
The dog was in the middle of the road and suddenly traffic was everywhere, backed up coming from both directions, and I was standing there helplessly scared of this dog in the street and the bicyclist was long gone by then. Part of me was thinking, I should call the dog and get it out of harm's way and the other part was yelling, that thing is going to take my leg off. A fleeting thought went something like, the dog should've chased the guy on the bike and bit his leg off, it would have served him right.
Fortunately one of the vehicles in the traffic was my neighbor, who is also the county sheriff. I waved him over and told him this dog had taken a stroll in my general direction. I thought it belonged down the street a ways, and so we walked it back and it went toward the rear of the house and we decided it must live there. There were no tags on its collar.
Then we walked back to my car, and by this time I was walking incredibly slowly given the issues I'm having with my tummy and the fact that I'd had some medical testing done earlier in the day, and wasn't prepared for all of this excitement when all I wanted was a scenic shot of mustard in the hayfield.
And darned if I didn't forget to take a picture of the dog.
I Should Pay More Attention
Saturday 9: I'll Be There for You (1995)
You can hear the song here. It is the theme from Friends. I never watched the show but it was nice to see Courtney Cox looking better than she does in that Cougar Town show. She's kind of scary in that.
1) This song begins with, "So no one told you life was gonna be this way …" What do you wish you knew five years ago about your life now?
A. I wish I had known five years ago that I needed to take better care of my health. Well, I knew that, actually. But I didn't do it, and I wish I had. I also wish I had known that the economy was going to remain stagnant.
2) This is, of course, the theme from Friends, which is frequently shown back-to-back on TVLand and TBS. Have you ever "binge-watched" a show, catching episode after episode?
A. Of course. I own DVDs strictly for that purpose. Some of the shows I have binge-watched include Xena: Warrior Princess, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Star Trek: Voyager, Cagney & Lacey, and Charlie's Angels (the original). And many nights we watch four episodes in a row of Big Bang Theory, because truthfully there is absolutely nothing else on.
3) On the show, Monica and Rachel shared a beautiful 2BR/2BA Soho apartment with a private balcony. It's estimated that such a pad would cost at least $3500/month in today's real-life New York. Describe your dream home.
A. Ah, yes, the dream house. Mostly, mine would have a maid. Other than that, I don't care too much about specifics. The house I live in now would be just fine if someone other than I were the clean-up crew, although I might want maybe another 500 square feet of space and a nice covered porch. But otherwise I am content.
4) Of the six main characters, only Chandler was an only child. Do you have any siblings?
A. I have a brother. He is three years younger than I. He has given me a niece and a nephew, and he answers my calls when I need him. Can't ask for more than that. He also reads my blog.
5) Gunther was the barista at Central Perk, the coffee shop where the Friends hung out. He had an ongoing, unrequited love for Rachel. Are you crushing on anyone right now? Does he/she know?
A. I just crush on my husband of 30 years, and he is well aware of it. However, he says I have a crush on Orlando Bloom, but only in his role as Legolas in Lord of the Rings.
6) Currently Matt ("Joey") LeBlanc stars in the Showtime series Episodes, playing a character named Matt LeBlanc. If there was going to be series based on your life, who would play you?
A. I'm not sure what this says about me, but probably Kathy Bates, though she is about 20 years too old for the part. Other choices? Diane Lane. Susan Sarandon, though she too might be a bit old for the part. I'm not familiar enough with younger actresses to know who might play the role of a more youthful me.
7) Courtney Cox, who portrayed Monica, has the Twitter handle @CourtneyCox and has 628,000 followers. What was your last tweet?
A. I don't tweet. My last post on Facebook was this: "One full hour and 10 different sticks with a needle to insert an IV for five minutes for some testing. I look like a pin cushion."
8) The creators of Friends were massive soap opera fans. They named their characters after recurring characters on All My Children* and had Joey appear on Days of Our Lives. Have you ever been hooked on a daytime drama?
A. When I was quite young I was a fan of Dark Shadows. In my teens and early twenties I liked Guiding Light. Those are the only two I ever watched with any regularity.
9) The band who performed this song, The Rembrandts, took their name from the famous Dutch painter. Can you see any artwork from where you're sitting right now? Tell us about it (and yes, a school painting by your 7-year-old nephew counts).
A. I have a painting of a cabin in the woods on my wall to my left. It is by local artist Jessie Stull Burton. I bought it about 15 years ago and hung it in my office because I liked it. It's a peaceful, tranquil scene.
I also have a series of photos I took in 2006 pinned to the wall. They are not particularly good shots but remind me of the day when I realized a deer was my animal totem and that I should pay more attention to them because there were things I could learn from their ways.
You can hear the song here. It is the theme from Friends. I never watched the show but it was nice to see Courtney Cox looking better than she does in that Cougar Town show. She's kind of scary in that.
1) This song begins with, "So no one told you life was gonna be this way …" What do you wish you knew five years ago about your life now?
A. I wish I had known five years ago that I needed to take better care of my health. Well, I knew that, actually. But I didn't do it, and I wish I had. I also wish I had known that the economy was going to remain stagnant.
2) This is, of course, the theme from Friends, which is frequently shown back-to-back on TVLand and TBS. Have you ever "binge-watched" a show, catching episode after episode?
A. Of course. I own DVDs strictly for that purpose. Some of the shows I have binge-watched include Xena: Warrior Princess, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Star Trek: Voyager, Cagney & Lacey, and Charlie's Angels (the original). And many nights we watch four episodes in a row of Big Bang Theory, because truthfully there is absolutely nothing else on.
3) On the show, Monica and Rachel shared a beautiful 2BR/2BA Soho apartment with a private balcony. It's estimated that such a pad would cost at least $3500/month in today's real-life New York. Describe your dream home.
A. Ah, yes, the dream house. Mostly, mine would have a maid. Other than that, I don't care too much about specifics. The house I live in now would be just fine if someone other than I were the clean-up crew, although I might want maybe another 500 square feet of space and a nice covered porch. But otherwise I am content.
4) Of the six main characters, only Chandler was an only child. Do you have any siblings?
A. I have a brother. He is three years younger than I. He has given me a niece and a nephew, and he answers my calls when I need him. Can't ask for more than that. He also reads my blog.
5) Gunther was the barista at Central Perk, the coffee shop where the Friends hung out. He had an ongoing, unrequited love for Rachel. Are you crushing on anyone right now? Does he/she know?
A. I just crush on my husband of 30 years, and he is well aware of it. However, he says I have a crush on Orlando Bloom, but only in his role as Legolas in Lord of the Rings.
6) Currently Matt ("Joey") LeBlanc stars in the Showtime series Episodes, playing a character named Matt LeBlanc. If there was going to be series based on your life, who would play you?
A. I'm not sure what this says about me, but probably Kathy Bates, though she is about 20 years too old for the part. Other choices? Diane Lane. Susan Sarandon, though she too might be a bit old for the part. I'm not familiar enough with younger actresses to know who might play the role of a more youthful me.
7) Courtney Cox, who portrayed Monica, has the Twitter handle @CourtneyCox and has 628,000 followers. What was your last tweet?
A. I don't tweet. My last post on Facebook was this: "One full hour and 10 different sticks with a needle to insert an IV for five minutes for some testing. I look like a pin cushion."
8) The creators of Friends were massive soap opera fans. They named their characters after recurring characters on All My Children* and had Joey appear on Days of Our Lives. Have you ever been hooked on a daytime drama?
A. When I was quite young I was a fan of Dark Shadows. In my teens and early twenties I liked Guiding Light. Those are the only two I ever watched with any regularity.
9) The band who performed this song, The Rembrandts, took their name from the famous Dutch painter. Can you see any artwork from where you're sitting right now? Tell us about it (and yes, a school painting by your 7-year-old nephew counts).
A. I have a painting of a cabin in the woods on my wall to my left. It is by local artist Jessie Stull Burton. I bought it about 15 years ago and hung it in my office because I liked it. It's a peaceful, tranquil scene.
I also have a series of photos I took in 2006 pinned to the wall. They are not particularly good shots but remind me of the day when I realized a deer was my animal totem and that I should pay more attention to them because there were things I could learn from their ways.
Friday, April 11, 2014
Watch Me Glow
This morning, in about 20 minutes, actually, I am going for a CT Scan.
This will be the second one I have had. The first I had in the emergency room in September. This one should be a little less nerve-wracking, given that it isn't in the ER.
I continue to have severe abdominal pain that doctors so far cannot diagnose. It is everything from nothing to ulcers to muscle spasms to some kind of "pelvic floor disorder," depending on the doctor and his or her specialty. But so far no one can help.
Some days the pain and nausea are so bad all I can do is get up, maybe sit at the computer a while, and go back to bed.
So I don't know whether to hope this test shows nothing or something.
CT Scans involve drinking 32 ounces of something that doesn't taste very good. Then they use some kind of contrasting agent through an IV and run you through a scary-looking machine. It is round and it takes pictures of your insides "in slices," as my general physician described it.
Anyway, wish me luck, however it turns out.
Thanks for reading.
Update 12:05 p.m.
It was a difficult procedure. First you have to drink 32-ounces
of liquid that makes your stomach cramp up. Then you have to spend over an hour and have three people stick needles in you 10 times to try to find a vein. Then you have to try to stand up, after being stuck in a chair for that hour and getting stiff. Then you hobble over to the machine without moving your arm for fear the IV will pop out. Then you have to hold your breath for up to 10 seconds at a time while you are moved through the machine. Then they insert the stuff into the IV and it makes your nose, mouth and groin area feel like it is on fire. Then you go back into the machine a few more times. Then you sit up and they take out the IV. Then you squirt blood all over the room and they wrap a compression bandage around your arm to stop the bleeding. Then you hobble out to your long-suffering husband and beg him to take you home.
Or at least that is how it happened to me.
This will be the second one I have had. The first I had in the emergency room in September. This one should be a little less nerve-wracking, given that it isn't in the ER.
I continue to have severe abdominal pain that doctors so far cannot diagnose. It is everything from nothing to ulcers to muscle spasms to some kind of "pelvic floor disorder," depending on the doctor and his or her specialty. But so far no one can help.
Some days the pain and nausea are so bad all I can do is get up, maybe sit at the computer a while, and go back to bed.
So I don't know whether to hope this test shows nothing or something.
CT Scans involve drinking 32 ounces of something that doesn't taste very good. Then they use some kind of contrasting agent through an IV and run you through a scary-looking machine. It is round and it takes pictures of your insides "in slices," as my general physician described it.
Anyway, wish me luck, however it turns out.
Thanks for reading.
Update 12:05 p.m.
It was a difficult procedure. First you have to drink 32-ounces
of liquid that makes your stomach cramp up. Then you have to spend over an hour and have three people stick needles in you 10 times to try to find a vein. Then you have to try to stand up, after being stuck in a chair for that hour and getting stiff. Then you hobble over to the machine without moving your arm for fear the IV will pop out. Then you have to hold your breath for up to 10 seconds at a time while you are moved through the machine. Then they insert the stuff into the IV and it makes your nose, mouth and groin area feel like it is on fire. Then you go back into the machine a few more times. Then you sit up and they take out the IV. Then you squirt blood all over the room and they wrap a compression bandage around your arm to stop the bleeding. Then you hobble out to your long-suffering husband and beg him to take you home.
Or at least that is how it happened to me.
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Thursday Thirteen
Today I offer you 13 ways not to die too young.
1. Don't mess with bears. Bears will eat you.
2. Don't swim in shark-infested waters. Sharks will eat you, too.
3. Don't get in the way of a falling tree. A falling tree will squash you into the ground. Then you will be just as dead as if a bear ate you.
4. Don't drive your car, ATV, or motorcycle over a cliff. Odds are good you won't survive the drop. Your vehicle might go up in flames just like in the movies, too. Not a lovely way to burn. Not to mention start a forest fire.
5. Don't fall from high places. These includes ladders, roofs, treetops, and trapeze wires, plus lower places like are still high, such as the seat of that chair you stood on to reach the top of the refrigerator.
6. Don't walk beneath anvils, pianos, or other heavy objects when some idiot is trying to lift them to a second-story window. They might fall and squash you as dead as the falling tree.
7. Don't do stupid things while driving, such as texting, talking on the phone, playing video games, reading, putting on makeup, stuffing your face with drive-thru food, etc. It really is true that it only takes a second for you to lose your focus and then control of the car. Next thing you know, you've driven over a cliff and started a forest fire.
8. Look both ways when you cross the street. You never know when some jerk will come flying along and BAM, you're mincemeat, all because you were looking at your smartphone and not paying attention to what you were doing when you were in the crosswalk.
9. Don't jump out of airplanes without a parachute. Unless you're a Marvel Comic Superhero, doing so will most likely kill you. At the very least it will mangle you up pretty good. We don't need no manglings today.
10. Don't eat poisonous mushrooms. If you are not a poisonous plant expert, it's a good idea to keep anything that grows wild out of your mouth. Now if you plant a garden and something comes up, you can eat that. Unless it's a weed. Dandelions are okay but some weeds taste very bad. And they can kill you if they are poison.
12. Don't play with poisonous snakes. I know there are religious folks out there who do this on a daily basis, but I think the average person can greatly increase his or her lifespan simply by staying away from slithering beasties. Those forked tongues flicking in and out. Yuck. Who wants to play with those things, anyway? Not to mention that if they are poisonous they will by definition kill you.
13. Don't stand outside in a field during a thunderstorm. What, are you a fool? Get in out of the rain. If you can't find shelter immediately, crouch low to the ground and turn yourself into a ball. Don't lie flat on the ground! Lightning seeks out the highest thing around.
What do all of these have in common? Being alert to what is going on around you! How can you best do that? By being in the present moment and putting down your cellphone.
Otherwise, the bear will eat you and you won't even have seen it coming.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 339th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
 |
| This is NOT a bear. |
2. Don't swim in shark-infested waters. Sharks will eat you, too.
 |
| It would hurt if this tree fell on your head. |
4. Don't drive your car, ATV, or motorcycle over a cliff. Odds are good you won't survive the drop. Your vehicle might go up in flames just like in the movies, too. Not a lovely way to burn. Not to mention start a forest fire.
5. Don't fall from high places. These includes ladders, roofs, treetops, and trapeze wires, plus lower places like are still high, such as the seat of that chair you stood on to reach the top of the refrigerator.
6. Don't walk beneath anvils, pianos, or other heavy objects when some idiot is trying to lift them to a second-story window. They might fall and squash you as dead as the falling tree.
7. Don't do stupid things while driving, such as texting, talking on the phone, playing video games, reading, putting on makeup, stuffing your face with drive-thru food, etc. It really is true that it only takes a second for you to lose your focus and then control of the car. Next thing you know, you've driven over a cliff and started a forest fire.
8. Look both ways when you cross the street. You never know when some jerk will come flying along and BAM, you're mincemeat, all because you were looking at your smartphone and not paying attention to what you were doing when you were in the crosswalk.
9. Don't jump out of airplanes without a parachute. Unless you're a Marvel Comic Superhero, doing so will most likely kill you. At the very least it will mangle you up pretty good. We don't need no manglings today.
 |
| This might make a fine wine or dress up a salad. |
12. Don't play with poisonous snakes. I know there are religious folks out there who do this on a daily basis, but I think the average person can greatly increase his or her lifespan simply by staying away from slithering beasties. Those forked tongues flicking in and out. Yuck. Who wants to play with those things, anyway? Not to mention that if they are poisonous they will by definition kill you.
13. Don't stand outside in a field during a thunderstorm. What, are you a fool? Get in out of the rain. If you can't find shelter immediately, crouch low to the ground and turn yourself into a ball. Don't lie flat on the ground! Lightning seeks out the highest thing around.
What do all of these have in common? Being alert to what is going on around you! How can you best do that? By being in the present moment and putting down your cellphone.
Otherwise, the bear will eat you and you won't even have seen it coming.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 339th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
Wednesday, April 09, 2014
Morning Visitor
Was that movement behind that glass?
I know I saw something.
It was *not* my imagination, thank you very much!
Yes, there is definitely something looking back at me.
I've had enough of this game! I'm out of here!
Tuesday, April 08, 2014
My Tuesday Political Rant
Don't raise my taxes.
It's the rant I see on Facebook pages and in letters to the editor this time of the year. This is when localities set their budgets.
If you don't want your taxes raised, stop voting for the people in the state and federal government who are forcing your local representatives to raise them. That means the incumbents of whatever party. If the person has been there any length of time and you're not happy with your representation, why do you keep voting the same way?
A recent rant I read was complaining about unfunded state and federal mandates and how this forces the localities to raise taxes. Yes, that is a big problem. The feds or the state legislators say "locality, do this" but they provide no income to do the deed.
That's because the state and federal legislators don't want to be the ones to raise your taxes. They are foisting off something that should be done at the higher levels of government onto the lowest level of government, that is, the county or city. If your state taxes go up, then the legislator, senator, delegate, or congressperson might lose his or her job. And to lose that job is to lose power.
This country is in upheaval and heading toward third world, fascist status. I'm not sure where the stupidity came from, but it has rolled over us all, like or not, as if we were monkeys in a barrel being shoved around by a huge bulldozer.
Please note that I am not pointing to either party. Essentially I do not believe we are a two-party system. We haven't been for at least 30 years. Both parties have failed the citizenry, and as citizens, we have grossly failed one another. If I were Jesus, I would weep, not because religion has been taken out of the schools but because our population, on the whole, has forgotten how to care for one another. We don't know what kindness and empathy are anymore. We have to be one of the most selfish societies to ever have walked this earth.
We have allowed emotional issues that have no place on the political landscape to divide us while those in power do their moving and shaking with little concern or thought to the effect it has on those of us known as "the little people" or "commoners" or "middle class" or "poor." Because in the end, we don't matter. We're as replaceable as the sands on the beaches - just bring in another truckload and dump it, and there you go. Damage repaired. Never mind the hole we left over yonder.
Year after year, we elect people based on some silly "R" or "D" after their name. We don't pay attention to anything but a few issues - and then we are surprised when things happen that bother us. Red states lose welfare benefits and have some of the poorest among our population, yet they vote for those who would continue to cut the very programs that feed them. Blue states begin having pollution problems because their representatives are really for big business. The things that matter - the air we breathe, having a full belly, the love we feel towards one another - those things have no value in our amoral and capitalistic world. If we cannot place a dollar figure on something here, then it is considered useless and unworthy. What price, I ask, does one put on a full tummy?
I for one am tired of certain things being unworthy. Do you not think love is worthy? Clean air? Good health? Fresh water? To me there are certain basic human rights that every individual, no matter how large, small, fat, skinny, clean, dirty, short, tall, arrogant, humble, rich, poor, smart or idiotic, should have available. There should be some level of human dignity afforded to everyone. No one should have to live under a bridge unless they are a troll from the Three Billy Goats Gruff fairy tale.
Could we even agree on the basics? I doubt it. There are people who think you should pay for the air your breathe. They will always think like that, that you are nothing more than a dollar sign.
I guess the question for me is, how much longer will we let those people win? Have they always? Will they always? And do you not know that makes you the loser?
Sure, cry "don't raise my taxes." But don't make that catcall and then keep doing the same thing over and over, voting for the same buffoon. Stake your claim and then do something different. Make your choice count next time, and don't just vote for the "R" or "D" (especially if that person is an incumbent). Maybe it's time for a real party system in the U.S.A., and a real democracy with real choices.
It's the rant I see on Facebook pages and in letters to the editor this time of the year. This is when localities set their budgets.
If you don't want your taxes raised, stop voting for the people in the state and federal government who are forcing your local representatives to raise them. That means the incumbents of whatever party. If the person has been there any length of time and you're not happy with your representation, why do you keep voting the same way?
A recent rant I read was complaining about unfunded state and federal mandates and how this forces the localities to raise taxes. Yes, that is a big problem. The feds or the state legislators say "locality, do this" but they provide no income to do the deed.
That's because the state and federal legislators don't want to be the ones to raise your taxes. They are foisting off something that should be done at the higher levels of government onto the lowest level of government, that is, the county or city. If your state taxes go up, then the legislator, senator, delegate, or congressperson might lose his or her job. And to lose that job is to lose power.
This country is in upheaval and heading toward third world, fascist status. I'm not sure where the stupidity came from, but it has rolled over us all, like or not, as if we were monkeys in a barrel being shoved around by a huge bulldozer.
Please note that I am not pointing to either party. Essentially I do not believe we are a two-party system. We haven't been for at least 30 years. Both parties have failed the citizenry, and as citizens, we have grossly failed one another. If I were Jesus, I would weep, not because religion has been taken out of the schools but because our population, on the whole, has forgotten how to care for one another. We don't know what kindness and empathy are anymore. We have to be one of the most selfish societies to ever have walked this earth.
We have allowed emotional issues that have no place on the political landscape to divide us while those in power do their moving and shaking with little concern or thought to the effect it has on those of us known as "the little people" or "commoners" or "middle class" or "poor." Because in the end, we don't matter. We're as replaceable as the sands on the beaches - just bring in another truckload and dump it, and there you go. Damage repaired. Never mind the hole we left over yonder.
Year after year, we elect people based on some silly "R" or "D" after their name. We don't pay attention to anything but a few issues - and then we are surprised when things happen that bother us. Red states lose welfare benefits and have some of the poorest among our population, yet they vote for those who would continue to cut the very programs that feed them. Blue states begin having pollution problems because their representatives are really for big business. The things that matter - the air we breathe, having a full belly, the love we feel towards one another - those things have no value in our amoral and capitalistic world. If we cannot place a dollar figure on something here, then it is considered useless and unworthy. What price, I ask, does one put on a full tummy?
I for one am tired of certain things being unworthy. Do you not think love is worthy? Clean air? Good health? Fresh water? To me there are certain basic human rights that every individual, no matter how large, small, fat, skinny, clean, dirty, short, tall, arrogant, humble, rich, poor, smart or idiotic, should have available. There should be some level of human dignity afforded to everyone. No one should have to live under a bridge unless they are a troll from the Three Billy Goats Gruff fairy tale.
Could we even agree on the basics? I doubt it. There are people who think you should pay for the air your breathe. They will always think like that, that you are nothing more than a dollar sign.
I guess the question for me is, how much longer will we let those people win? Have they always? Will they always? And do you not know that makes you the loser?
Sure, cry "don't raise my taxes." But don't make that catcall and then keep doing the same thing over and over, voting for the same buffoon. Stake your claim and then do something different. Make your choice count next time, and don't just vote for the "R" or "D" (especially if that person is an incumbent). Maybe it's time for a real party system in the U.S.A., and a real democracy with real choices.
Monday, April 07, 2014
Definition of Insanity
If doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is the definition of insanity (Albert Einstein) what does it say about me when I play 300 games of Free Cell and win them all?
Sunday, April 06, 2014
I Can't Choose
From Sunday Stealing
The For Old Times' Sake Meme
Q. When was the last time you swam in a pool?
A. It's been years. So long ago I can't remember.
Q. Do you like to party?
A. No. Give me a book and a little soft music and I'm good to go.
Q. Describe the shirt you're wearing?
A. I have actually spent a lot of time in my nightie today. It is white with little Micky and Minnie Mouses kissing on it. I haven't felt well.
Q. What is one feature film that you don't like?
A. You Don't Mess With the Zohan, with Adam Sandler. I thought that was a horrible film.
Q. Would people describe you as happy?
A. Probably not.
Q. Sleep with or without clothes on?
A. Really? This is anyone's business how?
Q. Does it bother you if people swear around you?
A. Not usually. I can swear with the best of them.
Q. Do you prefer Wednesdays or Thursdays?
A. I have nothing against either day.
Q. Like to travel?
A. I used to. The older I get the more of a homebody I become.
Q. Think you're attractive?
A. Not particularly.
Q. Are or were you a good student?
A. I was the best student ever.
Q. Are you currently happy?
A. I'm happier today than I was yesterday.
Q. Colored or black-and-white photo?
A. Life is not an and/or type of thing; you can do both.
Q. Do you consider yourself the life of the party?
A. No.
Q. Do you drink?
A. No.
Q. Do you make fun of people?
A. No! Why would I do that?
Q. Do you think dreams eventually come true?
A. For some people.
Q. Favorite fictional character?
A. Xena: Warrior Princess. Or is it Buffy the Vampire Slayer? Or Frodo Baggins? Stephanie Plum? Nancy Drew? Puff the Magic Dragon? The Dragon Lady on Game of Thrones whose name I cannot recall. Oh, I can't choose.
Q. Go to the movies or rent?
A. Watch HBO.
Q. Have you ever moved?
A. I can move heaven and earth when I need to. And I can and have on occasion moved people with my words. I have also physically changed my address a few times, if that is what you're asking.
Q. Have you ever stolen anything?
A. Only my husband's heart.
Q. How's the weather right now?
A. Sunny and a little breezy.
Q. Last time you cut your hair?
A. About two weeks ago.
Q. Last person you talked to on the phone?
A. That fellow whose heart I stole.
Q. Last time you showered?
A. About 10 hours ago.
Q. Loud or soft music?
A. Soft.
Q. McDonalds or Burger King?
A. Neither, though I used to like the fish sandwiches at Burger King. That was before I knew better.
Q. Night or day?
A. Don't you kind of need both?
Q. Number of pillows?
A. I sleep with three.
Q. Piano or guitar?
A. Guitar. Top 50 Guitar Players According to Rolling Stone
Q. Current longing?
A. To feel like my old self again.
Q. Current disappointment?
A. Not feeling like my old self.
Q. Current annoyance?
A. Not being able to find a doctor who can help me feel like my old self.
Q. Last thing you ate?
A. Rice cakes.
Q. Last thing you bought?
A. Books. What else is there to buy?
Q. Pick a lyric, any lyric or a song...
A. "I'm not scared of dying and I don't really care. If it's peace you find in dying well then let the time be near. ... I can swear there ain't no heaven but I pray there ain't no hell." - Blood, Sweat & Tears
Q. Pick a movie quote...
A. What's 'taters, Precious? Eh? What's 'taters? - Gollum in The Two Towers movie
The For Old Times' Sake Meme
Q. When was the last time you swam in a pool?
A. It's been years. So long ago I can't remember.
Q. Do you like to party?
A. No. Give me a book and a little soft music and I'm good to go.
Q. Describe the shirt you're wearing?
A. I have actually spent a lot of time in my nightie today. It is white with little Micky and Minnie Mouses kissing on it. I haven't felt well.
Q. What is one feature film that you don't like?
A. You Don't Mess With the Zohan, with Adam Sandler. I thought that was a horrible film.
Q. Would people describe you as happy?
A. Probably not.
Q. Sleep with or without clothes on?
A. Really? This is anyone's business how?
Q. Does it bother you if people swear around you?
A. Not usually. I can swear with the best of them.
Q. Do you prefer Wednesdays or Thursdays?
A. I have nothing against either day.
Q. Like to travel?
A. I used to. The older I get the more of a homebody I become.
Q. Think you're attractive?
A. Not particularly.
Q. Are or were you a good student?
A. I was the best student ever.
Q. Are you currently happy?
A. I'm happier today than I was yesterday.
Q. Colored or black-and-white photo?
A. Life is not an and/or type of thing; you can do both.
Q. Do you consider yourself the life of the party?
A. No.
Q. Do you drink?
A. No.
Q. Do you make fun of people?
A. No! Why would I do that?
Q. Do you think dreams eventually come true?
A. For some people.
Q. Favorite fictional character?
A. Xena: Warrior Princess. Or is it Buffy the Vampire Slayer? Or Frodo Baggins? Stephanie Plum? Nancy Drew? Puff the Magic Dragon? The Dragon Lady on Game of Thrones whose name I cannot recall. Oh, I can't choose.
Q. Go to the movies or rent?
A. Watch HBO.
Q. Have you ever moved?
A. I can move heaven and earth when I need to. And I can and have on occasion moved people with my words. I have also physically changed my address a few times, if that is what you're asking.
Q. Have you ever stolen anything?
A. Only my husband's heart.
Q. How's the weather right now?
A. Sunny and a little breezy.
Q. Last time you cut your hair?
A. About two weeks ago.
Q. Last person you talked to on the phone?
A. That fellow whose heart I stole.
Q. Last time you showered?
A. About 10 hours ago.
Q. Loud or soft music?
A. Soft.
Q. McDonalds or Burger King?
A. Neither, though I used to like the fish sandwiches at Burger King. That was before I knew better.
Q. Night or day?
A. Don't you kind of need both?
Q. Number of pillows?
A. I sleep with three.
Q. Piano or guitar?
A. Guitar. Top 50 Guitar Players According to Rolling Stone
Q. Current longing?
A. To feel like my old self again.
Q. Current disappointment?
A. Not feeling like my old self.
Q. Current annoyance?
A. Not being able to find a doctor who can help me feel like my old self.
Q. Last thing you ate?
A. Rice cakes.
Q. Last thing you bought?
A. Books. What else is there to buy?
Q. Pick a lyric, any lyric or a song...
A. "I'm not scared of dying and I don't really care. If it's peace you find in dying well then let the time be near. ... I can swear there ain't no heaven but I pray there ain't no hell." - Blood, Sweat & Tears
Q. Pick a movie quote...
A. What's 'taters, Precious? Eh? What's 'taters? - Gollum in The Two Towers movie
Saturday, April 05, 2014
One of These Days
Saturday 9: Can't Buy Me Love (1964)
50 years ago this week, The Beatles made history with this song (hear it here). They became the first and only act in history to hold all 5 of the top slots in the Billboard Hot 100.
1) In this song, Beatle Paul offers to buy his girl a diamond ring. Do you wear rings?
A. I wear an anniversary band that my husband bought me for our 20th wedding anniversary in lieu of my wedding band, which got tighter as I grew fatter. One of these days I'll get that old ring back on. I also sometimes wear my college ring. Both are in white gold.
2) This song was written by boyhood friends John Lennon and Paul McCartney, who went on to become the most successful songwriters of the 20th century. Tell us about your best friend from "the old neighborhood." Do you know where he or she is today?
A. Hmm. Well, one of my closest friends in high school was Beth. We played together in a rock and roll band, back in the day. But after we graduated we lost touch. She used to be on the local police force but I think she may have retired. I'm not sure. I should check that out.
3) The Ed Sullivan Theater, where the Beatles first performed to a mass American audience, is now the home of The Late Show with David Letterman. Do you have a favorite late night talk show?
A. I go to bed at 10 p.m. I seldom stay up that late. But when I do I watch David Letterman. I have been enjoying clips from that new guy who took over from Jay Leno, though, when my friends post them on Facebook.
4) In 1964, when this song became #1, one of top TV shows was My Favorite Martian. Do you believe in life on other planets?
A. Sure, why not. It might not be life as we know it, but it's a big universe.
5) In those days, homes had rotary dial phones, often affixed to the wall, with the receiver always tethered by a curly cord. Does your home still have a landline phone?
A. Yes. My husband's job requires us to have one. Plus, our cellphones only half work in the house. Usually I have to go stand in the garage to get reception.
6) 1964 was the year GI Joe first appeared on toy shelves. Tell us about one of your favorite childhood toys.
A. I was a big fan of Johnny West. They were heavy plastic dolls that had an entire family - Johnny West, Jane West, Jamie West, and there was a daughter too whose name escapes me. They had horses, a buckboard, and a teepee. There was also General Custer, Chief Cherokee, Geronimo, and many others. I think I had most of them at one point; I lost the majority of them in a flood. You can see a list of the dolls at this link.
7) Ringo was the first Beatle to become a grandfather. His granddaughter, Tatia, is now a rock musician. If you were to follow your grandfather into his chosen profession, what would you be doing now?
A. One grandfather worked at Kroger in the warehouse, but also was a TV repairman. Maybe I would be a computer repair girl. The other grandfather was an insurance adjuster. I am not sure what that would translate into.
8) Paul McCartney admits he enjoys watching MasterChef. What show do you go out of your way to catch?
A. Not much. There is little in the way of TV that interests me anymore. I will watch Game of Thrones when it comes on, and I have enjoyed watching Cosmos of late.
9) The paparazzi has often caught Paul pedaling a bike around Martha's Vineyard. What's your favorite form of exercise?
A. I like walking.
50 years ago this week, The Beatles made history with this song (hear it here). They became the first and only act in history to hold all 5 of the top slots in the Billboard Hot 100.
1) In this song, Beatle Paul offers to buy his girl a diamond ring. Do you wear rings?
A. I wear an anniversary band that my husband bought me for our 20th wedding anniversary in lieu of my wedding band, which got tighter as I grew fatter. One of these days I'll get that old ring back on. I also sometimes wear my college ring. Both are in white gold.
2) This song was written by boyhood friends John Lennon and Paul McCartney, who went on to become the most successful songwriters of the 20th century. Tell us about your best friend from "the old neighborhood." Do you know where he or she is today?
A. Hmm. Well, one of my closest friends in high school was Beth. We played together in a rock and roll band, back in the day. But after we graduated we lost touch. She used to be on the local police force but I think she may have retired. I'm not sure. I should check that out.
3) The Ed Sullivan Theater, where the Beatles first performed to a mass American audience, is now the home of The Late Show with David Letterman. Do you have a favorite late night talk show?
A. I go to bed at 10 p.m. I seldom stay up that late. But when I do I watch David Letterman. I have been enjoying clips from that new guy who took over from Jay Leno, though, when my friends post them on Facebook.
4) In 1964, when this song became #1, one of top TV shows was My Favorite Martian. Do you believe in life on other planets?
A. Sure, why not. It might not be life as we know it, but it's a big universe.
5) In those days, homes had rotary dial phones, often affixed to the wall, with the receiver always tethered by a curly cord. Does your home still have a landline phone?
A. Yes. My husband's job requires us to have one. Plus, our cellphones only half work in the house. Usually I have to go stand in the garage to get reception.
6) 1964 was the year GI Joe first appeared on toy shelves. Tell us about one of your favorite childhood toys.
A. I was a big fan of Johnny West. They were heavy plastic dolls that had an entire family - Johnny West, Jane West, Jamie West, and there was a daughter too whose name escapes me. They had horses, a buckboard, and a teepee. There was also General Custer, Chief Cherokee, Geronimo, and many others. I think I had most of them at one point; I lost the majority of them in a flood. You can see a list of the dolls at this link.
7) Ringo was the first Beatle to become a grandfather. His granddaughter, Tatia, is now a rock musician. If you were to follow your grandfather into his chosen profession, what would you be doing now?
A. One grandfather worked at Kroger in the warehouse, but also was a TV repairman. Maybe I would be a computer repair girl. The other grandfather was an insurance adjuster. I am not sure what that would translate into.
8) Paul McCartney admits he enjoys watching MasterChef. What show do you go out of your way to catch?
A. Not much. There is little in the way of TV that interests me anymore. I will watch Game of Thrones when it comes on, and I have enjoyed watching Cosmos of late.
9) The paparazzi has often caught Paul pedaling a bike around Martha's Vineyard. What's your favorite form of exercise?
A. I like walking.
Friday, April 04, 2014
Thursday, April 03, 2014
Thursday Thirteen
1. Well, finally it is April. I thought it would never get here. The mustard is blooming in the hayfield - it's a weed but it looks gorgeous against the greening grass. The cows are calving, and we've got a truck right this moment going back and forth across the lower fields, spreading fertilizer so all will grow fast and well this season. My husband is trying to get all of his machinery ready for the upcoming year - he's hoping for lots of haying and ditch-digging and things of that nature. The stuff that makes him happy.
2. Smoke rises from what looks like the cement plant. Stuff is always rising into the air from that direction these days. It is hard to tell it if is smoke or dust from something they're doing in the quarry.
3. I saw what looked like a bob cat with a long tail when I was outside the other day. I thought it was a bob cat because it had tufted ears. I took photos - I had the camera - but they didn't turn out well. I guess it's just a regular ol' cat but it was a big 'un if that is the case. What do you think?
5. On Monday and again on Wednesday I went outside and watched the International Space Station fly over. I attempted to take photos on Wednesday but they didn't turn out. I will try again with a different camera. You can find out when the Space Station will fly over your area at this link. Looks like my next good viewing time will be Saturday night at 8:40 p.m.
6. Ordering flowers this morning to send to the funeral home, I was struck by the incongruity of it all. Why do we kill flowers to send to the living who are mourning the dead? I sent a live plant instead; it seemed to make a better statement.
7. The lead story in the local paper yesterday was about heroin. I wonder why human beings are drawn to drugs, alcohol, and mind-altering states? I think our lives are so full of despair and loneliness that we can't help ourselves.
8. Another day, another shooting. Do we now have license to simply kill one another because we want to? I think this entire country is suffering from PTSD, and has been since the World Trade Centers collapsed. If we are a nation of crazy - I really do believe we are - then what is to become of us? Why are we allowing this kind of thing to continue?
9. My new favorite game apps: The Sims Freeplay, Candy Crush, and Words with Friends. However, I don't have many folks to play the word game with because I chose not go through Facebook. Look up CountryDew if you want to play a game.
10. Pain, I have decided, can make you feel absolutely crazy. That includes mental pain. See #8.
11. We purchased replacement windows four years ago. It changed the look of the house for the better, but we have had to request warranty replacements on almost half of the windows installed. Something happened to the glass and many of the windows developed brown streaks. We have been told this happened nationwide to many glass manufacturers about the time we bought our windows, but I don't know if this is true. I can't find anything about it online. The local company has been good to work with but the window manufacturer has not. If I had to do it all over again, I would not have replaced the windows; I would have installed storm windows over what was there instead. Live and learn, I guess.
12. This is one of my new mantras: I am a thin and healthy person with manageable issues. That is not my reality but it is what I am trying to convince myself.
13. I recently learned about something called oil pulling. Basically you take a quality oil like sesame, olive, or coconut, and swish it around in your mouth for 20 minutes. It's supposed to detoxify and help with oral hygiene. I asked my dentist about it and she said she had a patient who had pitted teeth who did it and the pits went away.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 338th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
2. Smoke rises from what looks like the cement plant. Stuff is always rising into the air from that direction these days. It is hard to tell it if is smoke or dust from something they're doing in the quarry.
3. I saw what looked like a bob cat with a long tail when I was outside the other day. I thought it was a bob cat because it had tufted ears. I took photos - I had the camera - but they didn't turn out well. I guess it's just a regular ol' cat but it was a big 'un if that is the case. What do you think?
5. On Monday and again on Wednesday I went outside and watched the International Space Station fly over. I attempted to take photos on Wednesday but they didn't turn out. I will try again with a different camera. You can find out when the Space Station will fly over your area at this link. Looks like my next good viewing time will be Saturday night at 8:40 p.m.
6. Ordering flowers this morning to send to the funeral home, I was struck by the incongruity of it all. Why do we kill flowers to send to the living who are mourning the dead? I sent a live plant instead; it seemed to make a better statement.
7. The lead story in the local paper yesterday was about heroin. I wonder why human beings are drawn to drugs, alcohol, and mind-altering states? I think our lives are so full of despair and loneliness that we can't help ourselves.
8. Another day, another shooting. Do we now have license to simply kill one another because we want to? I think this entire country is suffering from PTSD, and has been since the World Trade Centers collapsed. If we are a nation of crazy - I really do believe we are - then what is to become of us? Why are we allowing this kind of thing to continue?
9. My new favorite game apps: The Sims Freeplay, Candy Crush, and Words with Friends. However, I don't have many folks to play the word game with because I chose not go through Facebook. Look up CountryDew if you want to play a game.
10. Pain, I have decided, can make you feel absolutely crazy. That includes mental pain. See #8.
11. We purchased replacement windows four years ago. It changed the look of the house for the better, but we have had to request warranty replacements on almost half of the windows installed. Something happened to the glass and many of the windows developed brown streaks. We have been told this happened nationwide to many glass manufacturers about the time we bought our windows, but I don't know if this is true. I can't find anything about it online. The local company has been good to work with but the window manufacturer has not. If I had to do it all over again, I would not have replaced the windows; I would have installed storm windows over what was there instead. Live and learn, I guess.
12. This is one of my new mantras: I am a thin and healthy person with manageable issues. That is not my reality but it is what I am trying to convince myself.
13. I recently learned about something called oil pulling. Basically you take a quality oil like sesame, olive, or coconut, and swish it around in your mouth for 20 minutes. It's supposed to detoxify and help with oral hygiene. I asked my dentist about it and she said she had a patient who had pitted teeth who did it and the pits went away.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 338th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
Wednesday, April 02, 2014
Not Standard Issue
My husband came home from the firehouse sporting a new hat.
He said the boys at the firehouse went and had it made for him.
It is supposed to be a floppy hat like Andy Griffith wore in an episode of his show back in the 1960s. The one where he is giving Barney a rough time and wears a floppy hat and a polka dotted tie, and has one of his pant legs stuck down in his boot.
I made him go outside and let me take a picture of him in it.
This is not standard issue, of course. This was an April 1 joke.
He said the boys at the firehouse went and had it made for him.
It is supposed to be a floppy hat like Andy Griffith wore in an episode of his show back in the 1960s. The one where he is giving Barney a rough time and wears a floppy hat and a polka dotted tie, and has one of his pant legs stuck down in his boot.
I made him go outside and let me take a picture of him in it.
This is not standard issue, of course. This was an April 1 joke.
Tuesday, April 01, 2014
Monday, March 31, 2014
Give All A Chance
My local Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing on April 9 about the budget for fiscal year 2014-2015. The year starts July 1.
They are not advertising any kind of a tax increase on the local real estate or personal property rates. Under state law, that means there won't be a tax increase because once the rate has been advertised, the supervisors can't raise it. They could lower it, but not raise it.
It always angers me when they have these public hearings on a flat rate. Why? Because people who want services, who would pay more for them, have no opportunity to be heard. Oh sure, they could go to the public hearing and have their say, but what is the point? They aren't going to actually be HEARD by these gentlemen, four of whom are Republicans. These men are following the party wishes, not necessarily the wishes of the people.
I know this because there are groups of people who want to see better schools, better libraries, a better Botetourt. They have created groups on Facebook. These people unfortunately don't understand the process and think that they can go before the supervisors next week and ask for money for schools. But it is too late. They aren't going to get anything. The budget has already been hammered out behind closed doors, and you, Botetourt resident, will not have had a say in it.
I don't necessarily want to pay more in taxes - I have been sick for months, I have bills like everyone else - but I would like the opportunity to say that I want to see improvements and think that I might be listened to and heard. What if someone comes up with a truly compelling argument for paying for something that would necessitate a tax increase? What if, for example, I won the lottery and I went to the public hearing and said, I will open a facility here but you must provide $550,000 in incentives, and I will provide 1,500 jobs. The supervisors wouldn't be able to raise the money, not through a tax increase, anyway. They have tied their own hands.
It is the lack of opportunity that I am lambasting, not the actual raising of taxes. The supervisors are taking the easy way out. They don't want their party supporters coming to the meeting and chewing them out for even thinking of raising the rates.
However, they don't have to raise the rate, they could just advertise it for a penny more and then leave it the same. That would give people who want more services at least the appearance of an opportunity to be heard. But they don't do that because they want things to be easy. They are going to limp along for the next two years until the land reassessment values are in, and then they will adjust the tax rates and blame it on the change in land values.
They have no vision. My local representatives can't see beyond the next tax bill. They need to be planning for 10 and 20 years from now, not tomorrow. It is their job to listen to the people, ALL of the people, not only the ones in their party. When they ignore 45 percent of the county, they are not truly doing their job. They certainly aren't acting as statesmen. They are lesser men than those who have gone before them.
What I am talking about is a fine line. I am not talking about raising taxes per se, I am talking about process and the rights of the public to have a say in the vision of the county. The path the supervisors have chosen is not what I consider democracy. Advertising a higher rate, even if they have no intention of lowering it, would be more in keeping with my idea of democracy. At least it would give the appearance of being a true representative democracy. Otherwise, they should hold a public hearing earlier in the process, before minds are made up, in order to determine what it is people want.
Instead what we have going on here is despot rule, and they might as well be little lords a'leapin' over the manors, ensuring their serfs are happy. The rest of the county be damned.
They are not advertising any kind of a tax increase on the local real estate or personal property rates. Under state law, that means there won't be a tax increase because once the rate has been advertised, the supervisors can't raise it. They could lower it, but not raise it.
It always angers me when they have these public hearings on a flat rate. Why? Because people who want services, who would pay more for them, have no opportunity to be heard. Oh sure, they could go to the public hearing and have their say, but what is the point? They aren't going to actually be HEARD by these gentlemen, four of whom are Republicans. These men are following the party wishes, not necessarily the wishes of the people.
I know this because there are groups of people who want to see better schools, better libraries, a better Botetourt. They have created groups on Facebook. These people unfortunately don't understand the process and think that they can go before the supervisors next week and ask for money for schools. But it is too late. They aren't going to get anything. The budget has already been hammered out behind closed doors, and you, Botetourt resident, will not have had a say in it.
I don't necessarily want to pay more in taxes - I have been sick for months, I have bills like everyone else - but I would like the opportunity to say that I want to see improvements and think that I might be listened to and heard. What if someone comes up with a truly compelling argument for paying for something that would necessitate a tax increase? What if, for example, I won the lottery and I went to the public hearing and said, I will open a facility here but you must provide $550,000 in incentives, and I will provide 1,500 jobs. The supervisors wouldn't be able to raise the money, not through a tax increase, anyway. They have tied their own hands.
It is the lack of opportunity that I am lambasting, not the actual raising of taxes. The supervisors are taking the easy way out. They don't want their party supporters coming to the meeting and chewing them out for even thinking of raising the rates.
However, they don't have to raise the rate, they could just advertise it for a penny more and then leave it the same. That would give people who want more services at least the appearance of an opportunity to be heard. But they don't do that because they want things to be easy. They are going to limp along for the next two years until the land reassessment values are in, and then they will adjust the tax rates and blame it on the change in land values.
They have no vision. My local representatives can't see beyond the next tax bill. They need to be planning for 10 and 20 years from now, not tomorrow. It is their job to listen to the people, ALL of the people, not only the ones in their party. When they ignore 45 percent of the county, they are not truly doing their job. They certainly aren't acting as statesmen. They are lesser men than those who have gone before them.
What I am talking about is a fine line. I am not talking about raising taxes per se, I am talking about process and the rights of the public to have a say in the vision of the county. The path the supervisors have chosen is not what I consider democracy. Advertising a higher rate, even if they have no intention of lowering it, would be more in keeping with my idea of democracy. At least it would give the appearance of being a true representative democracy. Otherwise, they should hold a public hearing earlier in the process, before minds are made up, in order to determine what it is people want.
Instead what we have going on here is despot rule, and they might as well be little lords a'leapin' over the manors, ensuring their serfs are happy. The rest of the county be damned.
Sunday, March 30, 2014
Sunday Stealing: Humpty Dumpty
From Sunday Stealing
The 20Q Meme
1. When you buy a greetings card are the words or the picture more important to you?
A. The words.
2. What's your favorite kind of cake?
A. I could go with some devil's chocolate cake with chocolate icing right now. But only because I haven't had one in ages. I'm not supposed to be eating chocolate.
3. Do you ever make gifts for people, if so what, or do you buy them?
A. I usually buy gifts. I am not that crafty.
4. You are chosen to have lunch with the President. The condition is you only get to ask one question. What do you ask?
A. Are you proud of whatever will be your legacy and why?
5. Which do you dislike most: pop-up ads or spam email?
A. I dislike them equally.
6. What was the best party you've ever been to?
A. I can't think of a favorite. Well, I liked the 50th birthday party my husband gave me last year as a surprise, but by most people's standards it wasn't a "best" party, I imagine. No drinking or anything like that. Just a nice little pizza party in the middle of the day with some of my friends and family.
7. Which is worse, being in a place that is too loud, or too quiet?
A. Too loud is much worse. I much prefer the quiet.
8. You are offered an envelope that you know contains $50. You are then told that you may either keep it or exchange it for another envelope that may contain $500 or may be empty. Do you keep the first envelope, or do you take your chances with the second?
A. I go for the second.
9. Do you wish cellphone etiquette was a required class upon purchasing one?
A. I think that is a most excellent idea.
10. What's the most messed up food combination that you've had that was actually good?
A. I thought pineapple on pizza would taste horrid but it's actually pretty good.
11. What's one of your most random pet peeves (something that annoys you)?
A. People who talk on their cell phones while they are standing in line. Honestly, you are not that important.
12. When is the last time you had home cooking?
A. Last night. We eat at home most of the time. We only go out about once a week or less.
13. If you could be a fictional character from a book who would you choose?
A. Nancy Drew. Stephanie Plum. Hermione. I can't decide. But wouldn't it be nice to live in such an ephemeral world.
14. If you could be in a television sit-com, which would you choose?
A. The Big Bang Theory. I have a sneaking suspicion I would fit in with that bunch quite well.
15. If you could be any animal or creature for one day, what would it be?
A. A Pterodactylus, just so I could prove to certain groups that it existed.
16. What's your favorite girl's name?
A. Susan. Haven't we been here before? Susan Pumpernickel.
17. What's your favorite boy's name?
A. James. Not only is that my husband's name, it was also the name of my favorite invisible friend when I was a child.
18. What's your supermarket of choice?
A. I shop at Kroger, mostly because it is close.
19. If you were to attend a costume party tonight, what or whom would you go as?
A. Humpty Dumpty.
20. What is your concession stand must-have at the movies?
A. Chocolate covered raisins.
The 20Q Meme
1. When you buy a greetings card are the words or the picture more important to you?
A. The words.
2. What's your favorite kind of cake?
A. I could go with some devil's chocolate cake with chocolate icing right now. But only because I haven't had one in ages. I'm not supposed to be eating chocolate.
3. Do you ever make gifts for people, if so what, or do you buy them?
A. I usually buy gifts. I am not that crafty.
4. You are chosen to have lunch with the President. The condition is you only get to ask one question. What do you ask?
A. Are you proud of whatever will be your legacy and why?
5. Which do you dislike most: pop-up ads or spam email?
A. I dislike them equally.
6. What was the best party you've ever been to?
A. I can't think of a favorite. Well, I liked the 50th birthday party my husband gave me last year as a surprise, but by most people's standards it wasn't a "best" party, I imagine. No drinking or anything like that. Just a nice little pizza party in the middle of the day with some of my friends and family.
7. Which is worse, being in a place that is too loud, or too quiet?
A. Too loud is much worse. I much prefer the quiet.
8. You are offered an envelope that you know contains $50. You are then told that you may either keep it or exchange it for another envelope that may contain $500 or may be empty. Do you keep the first envelope, or do you take your chances with the second?
A. I go for the second.
9. Do you wish cellphone etiquette was a required class upon purchasing one?
A. I think that is a most excellent idea.
10. What's the most messed up food combination that you've had that was actually good?
A. I thought pineapple on pizza would taste horrid but it's actually pretty good.
11. What's one of your most random pet peeves (something that annoys you)?
A. People who talk on their cell phones while they are standing in line. Honestly, you are not that important.
12. When is the last time you had home cooking?
A. Last night. We eat at home most of the time. We only go out about once a week or less.
13. If you could be a fictional character from a book who would you choose?
A. Nancy Drew. Stephanie Plum. Hermione. I can't decide. But wouldn't it be nice to live in such an ephemeral world.
14. If you could be in a television sit-com, which would you choose?
A. The Big Bang Theory. I have a sneaking suspicion I would fit in with that bunch quite well.
15. If you could be any animal or creature for one day, what would it be?
A. A Pterodactylus, just so I could prove to certain groups that it existed.
16. What's your favorite girl's name?
A. Susan. Haven't we been here before? Susan Pumpernickel.
17. What's your favorite boy's name?
A. James. Not only is that my husband's name, it was also the name of my favorite invisible friend when I was a child.
18. What's your supermarket of choice?
A. I shop at Kroger, mostly because it is close.
19. If you were to attend a costume party tonight, what or whom would you go as?
A. Humpty Dumpty.
20. What is your concession stand must-have at the movies?
A. Chocolate covered raisins.
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