From Sunday Stealing
Love Is In The Air Meme (You can hear the song by that name here.)
1. Define love in your own words.
A. Love is like a butterfly - no wait, that's Dolly Parton. Love is a feeling you have for another person that makes your heart smile when you think of them.
2. What do you want in a relationship?
A. Understanding, compassion, loyalty, and intelligent conversation.
3. What do you contribute to a relationship.
A. Hopefully the same as in #2. Plus I clean the house and fix dinner.
4. Do you have a Valentine?
A. I have a husband.
5. If not, are you happy being single?
A. Does not apply, though I will say that I do not believe I would ever marry again.
6. Describe the perfect V-day date in your opinion:
A. A night somewhere warm, like in Florida, dinner out with a little cheek-to-cheek dancing, then standing out on a balcony watching the moon rise over the calm ocean, a toast to one another, and then a slow, tender kiss.
7. Dream Date?
A. Isn't this sort of the same thing as #6?
8. What is your crush's name?
A. I call him lots of names. Darling. Pookie. Pigman when he comes in all dirty from farming. I say it with love, of course.
9. Do you believe in love at first sight?
A. I think it is possible, yes.
10. Chocolates or Flowers....you must pick one!
A. Chocolate.
11. A short kiss or a big hug?
A. Hug.
12. Cute and dimwitted, or Average and brilliant?
A. Average and brilliant.
13. Turn-ons?
A. Intelligent conversation, laughter, blue eyes.
14. Turn-offs?
A. Idiotic conversation, smoking.
15. What thing should a guy never say to you?
A. Do you GGH.
16. How do you feel about kissing on the first date?
A. Apparently okay, since my husband of 31 years and I kissed on our first date, which was also my last first date.
Sunday, February 15, 2015
Saturday, February 14, 2015
Saturday 9: All Dressed in Love
Saturday 9: All Dressed in Love (2008)
For Valentine's Day, we need a happy love song. Hear it here.
1) In this song, Jennifer sings, "I look good in love …" What about you? When you're happy, or sad, does it show? Or do you keep an even demeanor, no matter what?
A. Apparently I have incredibly expressive eyes. I mean, STRANGERS ask me if I'm feeling okay in stores sometimes. My physical therapist merely has to look me in the eyes to know if I'm having a bad day. "Your eyes don't look right," she told me just Thursday. "You're in a lot of pain." So even when I'm trying really hard not to show it, to keep that even demeanor, what I'm feeling shows in my eyes.
2) This song played over the closing credits of a hit movie, Sex and the City. When you go to the movies, do you visit the concession stand for popcorn, or a soft drink, or candy?
A. We usually get a bottle of water at the beginning of the movie. I have, on occasion, simply snuck in a bottle of water in my purse.
3) Think of the last movie you watched at home. Was it a DVD, DVR, streamed or cable presentation?
A. It would have been a cable presentation, I'm sure, though I haven't watched a movie in a good while.
4) Jennifer Hudson got good grades in high school and went away to Langston University in Oklahoma. But she was homesick for her family in Chicago and came home after just one semester. Have you ever been homesick?
A. Yes.
5) Jennifer received acclaim for her renditions of "The Star Spangled Banner" at the 2008 Democratic Convention and Super Bowl XLIII. Do you agree with critics who say that our National Anthem is hard to sing?
A. It's not the easiest song in the world. Especially those last high notes.
6) Jennifer is a spokesperson for Weight Watchers and, with diet and exercise, went from a size 18 to a size 6. She says that while she's committed to healthy eating, she still enjoys ice cream occasionally. Do you prefer your ice cream in a cone or a cup?
A. I don't eat ice cream. I do eat frozen yogurt, and that's usually in a bowl.
7) Her fiance, Daniel Otunga, is a graduate of Harvard Law School. Harvard is the most famous of the eight "Ivy League" schools. Do you know the other seven?
A. Not without looking them up. I suppose Yale and Princeton are two of them.
8) With a Grammy and an Oscar, Jennifer Hudson is one of the most successful American Idol contestants. Can you name another singer who appeared on AI?
A. I never watched American Idol, so I really have no idea.
9) Last year, Jennifer nearly bought a brand-new Ferrari because it was so great looking. At the last moment she backed out of the deal because she doesn't drive enough to warrant such an expensive car. What's the last impulse purchase you either made, or resisted?
A. I still don't have a smartphone. I resist that every time I use my flip phone.
For Valentine's Day, we need a happy love song. Hear it here.
1) In this song, Jennifer sings, "I look good in love …" What about you? When you're happy, or sad, does it show? Or do you keep an even demeanor, no matter what?
A. Apparently I have incredibly expressive eyes. I mean, STRANGERS ask me if I'm feeling okay in stores sometimes. My physical therapist merely has to look me in the eyes to know if I'm having a bad day. "Your eyes don't look right," she told me just Thursday. "You're in a lot of pain." So even when I'm trying really hard not to show it, to keep that even demeanor, what I'm feeling shows in my eyes.
2) This song played over the closing credits of a hit movie, Sex and the City. When you go to the movies, do you visit the concession stand for popcorn, or a soft drink, or candy?
A. We usually get a bottle of water at the beginning of the movie. I have, on occasion, simply snuck in a bottle of water in my purse.
3) Think of the last movie you watched at home. Was it a DVD, DVR, streamed or cable presentation?
A. It would have been a cable presentation, I'm sure, though I haven't watched a movie in a good while.
4) Jennifer Hudson got good grades in high school and went away to Langston University in Oklahoma. But she was homesick for her family in Chicago and came home after just one semester. Have you ever been homesick?
A. Yes.
5) Jennifer received acclaim for her renditions of "The Star Spangled Banner" at the 2008 Democratic Convention and Super Bowl XLIII. Do you agree with critics who say that our National Anthem is hard to sing?
A. It's not the easiest song in the world. Especially those last high notes.
6) Jennifer is a spokesperson for Weight Watchers and, with diet and exercise, went from a size 18 to a size 6. She says that while she's committed to healthy eating, she still enjoys ice cream occasionally. Do you prefer your ice cream in a cone or a cup?
A. I don't eat ice cream. I do eat frozen yogurt, and that's usually in a bowl.
7) Her fiance, Daniel Otunga, is a graduate of Harvard Law School. Harvard is the most famous of the eight "Ivy League" schools. Do you know the other seven?
A. Not without looking them up. I suppose Yale and Princeton are two of them.
8) With a Grammy and an Oscar, Jennifer Hudson is one of the most successful American Idol contestants. Can you name another singer who appeared on AI?
A. I never watched American Idol, so I really have no idea.
9) Last year, Jennifer nearly bought a brand-new Ferrari because it was so great looking. At the last moment she backed out of the deal because she doesn't drive enough to warrant such an expensive car. What's the last impulse purchase you either made, or resisted?
A. I still don't have a smartphone. I resist that every time I use my flip phone.
Friday, February 13, 2015
Screenshots of Skyrim
Skyrim is a Bethesda video game that I play. It's an RPG (role playing game) where you are the hero. I like these because they have puzzles and mysteries.
The graphics are also amazing.
The graphics are also amazing.
Pictures of My Grandmother
I was deleting some photos from my computer and came across a few I wanted to save. These are of my maternal grandmother, who died in 2007. I print my blog out every few months and so I am putting these here so I can save them forever in that printed version.
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| My grandmother holding my mother. |
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| From left: my mother, my grandmother, my aunt. Photo taken at my wedding. |
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| From left: my mother, my great aunt, my grandmother, my aunt, and my other great aunt (sitting). |
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| My grandmother with my niece. |
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| My grandmother with my niece and nephew. I think these were taken around 2003. |
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| From left, one of the grandkids, my uncle, my grandmother. |
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| From left, my aunt, one of the grandkids, my grandmother. |
Book Review: Why Pelvic Pain Hurts
Why Pelvic Pain Hurts: Neuroscience Education for Patients with Pelvic Pain
By Adriaan Louw, et al
Copyright 2014
67 pages
This book is a little primer for people suffering from pelvic pain. It talks about how it affects your life and how doctors don't understand it.
Pelvic pain/abdominal issues range from bladder issues to IBS to bone misalignment, join dysfunctions and digestive disorders. And sometimes you just have pain for no known reason.
The book uses several different metaphors to make its point, such as pain being like a cup running over, or having a lion on your back all day.
It talks about the body's alarm system and how chronic pain means your body can't get the alarms to shut down. It emphasizes that just because you have pain it doesn't necessarily mean that something is wrong.
I think that in part it is an effort to comfort those who suffer from abdominal/pelvic pain issues because you can't see what is in there and the fear that something is drastically wrong tends to be rather high.
In my opinion, this book is too brief. It starts out well and introduces some concepts, such as cortisol production, that someone might need to pay attention to, but it doesn't say where to look for help. The book then goes on to advocate things like eating right (but doesn't say what that means), and exercising such as stretches, but doesn't spell out anything specific. Just saying "do aerobics" is not especially helpful, especially if you're so sick you can't actually *do* aerobics.
So far none of the books I've read on abdominal and pain issues actually go far enough or offer the kind of help I am seeking. Maybe I just haven't found the right book.
This is a good book to give to people who want to understand what I'm dealing with - my husband, for instance, or close friends. It helps them understand how much pain I'm in, if nothing else.
By Adriaan Louw, et al
Copyright 2014
67 pages
This book is a little primer for people suffering from pelvic pain. It talks about how it affects your life and how doctors don't understand it.
Pelvic pain/abdominal issues range from bladder issues to IBS to bone misalignment, join dysfunctions and digestive disorders. And sometimes you just have pain for no known reason.
The book uses several different metaphors to make its point, such as pain being like a cup running over, or having a lion on your back all day.
It talks about the body's alarm system and how chronic pain means your body can't get the alarms to shut down. It emphasizes that just because you have pain it doesn't necessarily mean that something is wrong.
I think that in part it is an effort to comfort those who suffer from abdominal/pelvic pain issues because you can't see what is in there and the fear that something is drastically wrong tends to be rather high.
In my opinion, this book is too brief. It starts out well and introduces some concepts, such as cortisol production, that someone might need to pay attention to, but it doesn't say where to look for help. The book then goes on to advocate things like eating right (but doesn't say what that means), and exercising such as stretches, but doesn't spell out anything specific. Just saying "do aerobics" is not especially helpful, especially if you're so sick you can't actually *do* aerobics.
So far none of the books I've read on abdominal and pain issues actually go far enough or offer the kind of help I am seeking. Maybe I just haven't found the right book.
This is a good book to give to people who want to understand what I'm dealing with - my husband, for instance, or close friends. It helps them understand how much pain I'm in, if nothing else.
The Two Americas
I've come to
the conclusion that there really is two Americas, but not the two Americas that
former Senator and presidential candidate John Edwards talked about. He was
talking about class: wealthy Americans and the rest of us who live from
paycheck to paycheck.
The two Americas I see are these: the secular one, that everyone sees and functions in, and a contingency of fundamental or evangelical so-called Christian soldiers who have created their own world. They truly live and operate in a different plane than the rest of us.
Isn't it interesting that some people have segregated themselves off from the society they are supposed to be saving, to live in their own little bubble. And the only way anyone else can have access to them or to their business is to buy their dogma and become one of them. They don't do much reaching out.
The two Americas I see are these: the secular one, that everyone sees and functions in, and a contingency of fundamental or evangelical so-called Christian soldiers who have created their own world. They truly live and operate in a different plane than the rest of us.
Thankfully,
I hasten to say, not every Christian is a part of this, though I suspect they
partake in the private networks that Christianity on the whole appears to have
established for itself. I have learned
that churches have set up their own networks of various things that the rest of
us aren't privy too. In other words, they are free to come into our world and
do as they wish, but theirs is a private club. They have set up private coffee
shops, for instance, and have their own forms of Christian diets and weight
loss things, and even Christian products sold by companies that sell
exclusively through churches and their networks. Christian bookstores,
Christian books, etc. And of course its rampant on the Internet, where people can find folks of like-minded thinking and never again have their beliefs challenged.
Isn't it interesting that some people have segregated themselves off from the society they are supposed to be saving, to live in their own little bubble. And the only way anyone else can have access to them or to their business is to buy their dogma and become one of them. They don't do much reaching out.
My guess is
most of this business takes place in the guise of non-profit religious status,
and very little taxes are paid on these monies.
Some companies try to straddle both worlds; it's still mostly secular in
offering but if you look closely you can see this other stuff creeping in
there, particularly in books, magazines, and music. They want that money.
Walmart is a good example.
This type of
fundamentalism seems to appeal to people who feel like they have not won the
game that America promised them when they were children. They did not grow up
to be wealthy or president. To me, they come across as very angry that they
have been wronged and denied something, and they don't want anyone else to have
anything, either.
I find these
people incredibly scary. It saddens me that many of the people who walk around
with KJV tattooed on their forehead, so to speak, are among the most hateful
and hate-filled people I have ever had the misfortune to run across. I have to
agree with President Obama, who was recently called to task because he compared
Christian deeds such as the Crusades with the amoral and animalistic behavior
of Islamic extremists and terrorists. I don't really see much difference in the
fundamental Christian who calls for the death of those who oppose his opinions.
While the
numbers I can find on the Internet range from 20 to 40 percent of US residents
attend church, nowhere in the numbers do I find a majority. And I would say
that the number of fundamentalists is smaller still, because I know not every
Christian falls under that moniker. Not every Christian is a Republican and not
every hippie is a Democrat. It's a mixed bag world.
This is a
good thing, because I personally feel that the fundamentalists are a threat to
national security and public safety. These are people who would violate our
laws because in their eyes they are following God's laws, not humans, and I
find anyone who would take justice into their own hands to be a scary sort.
These people are not my idea of a Christian at all, and apparently they read a
different Bible. They also seem to have a wrong-headed worship of the U.S.
Constitution, which is not something to be worshipped or idolized, but is
instead a manmade document that can be changed at any given time. Unlike the
Ten Commandments, the US Constitution is not set in stone.
My part of
the world used to be an area that voted with the Democrats as a majority. That
changed, apparently, in the 1960s, when Civil Rights came into play. That was a
game changer for rural areas, which are mostly white and, I'm sorry to say, racist.
After the Civil Rights movement flowed through the federal government and the
world changed, rural folks out of spite began voting Republican. It has never
had anything to do with political theory or political integrity. Voting blocks
tend to be emotional and instinctive, not based on knowledge and understanding.
Many people are single-issue voters and have no idea what they're actually
voting for.
My immediate
community is quite conservative. When the votes run 70 to 30 in favor of
Republicans in every election, I feel certain that I am correct in my
assessment. That is a very large difference. I wouldn't say it if it were even
60-40, but 70-30 is huge. I have not made it a secret that I am not a
conservative, so that puts me in a very small minority here.
I am scared
that we are a nation so divided, not just by political theories, not just by
class, but by religious demagoguery that has the ability to turn sane people
into irrational, scary gunmen. We are a nation in decline, one with enough
firepower and nuclear capabilities to demolish the world. Our entire language
is now one of hatred and personal animosity, with a putrid political climate
that has allowed our country fall into a state of disrepair.
I say it's
time we take the country back - not back to the founding fathers, but back to a
state of compromise and goal-settings, a state where we can reach agreements
through handshakes and polite public discourse. I don't want a nation where we
have secret coffee shops for believers and Starbucks for the rest of us. That
is crazy. And I don't want to live in a crazy country.
Thursday, February 12, 2015
Thursday Thirteen
http://themindunleashed.org/2015/01/reveal-lifes-purpose-asking-15-questions.html
Here are 13 questions (the list originally was 15, I left off the last two) to ask yourself, which will set you in the direction of your life’s purpose:
1. What gives me energy?
A. Activity pursuing and investigating a question. Writing. Learning. Playing music. Reading, studying. Intense intelligent conversations. Tai Chi. (Cleaning the house most definitely does *not* give me energy.)
2. What excites me?
A. Learning something new, finding answers to difficult questions.
3. What kind of ideas come to me in the shower?
A. Poems, lines for stories, plots, opening sentences. Songs. Answers to questions.
4. What kind of things do people always ask me about?
A. How I find ideas. How I live "a writer's life" (whatever that is).
5. What kind of conversations do I have with those closest to me?
A. Intense and personal. Discussions of religion, books, ideas, philosophies. And lately, unfortunately, a lot about health care.
6. What do I do with my free time?
A. I write, read, play guitar, take photos, and play video games.
7. What topics do I regularly read about?
A. I read about writing - journaling, plots, types, etc. I also read personality and psychological books, fantasy, mysteries, and I prefer strong heroines, not wimps.
8. What recurring dreams do I have?
A. I have night terrors that I would prefer not to discuss.
9. During which experiences in my life have I felt the most alive?
A. When I am chasing a story for the newspaper, when I was doing a lot of reporting work.
10. What unique interests, or abilities, did I have as a young child?
A. I was interested in writing and reading, as well as archeology, geology. At one time I had a great collection of quartz rocks.
11. What would I be doing if money were no object?
A. I would be in school getting a Ph.D., and traveling.
12. What would I be doing if I absolutely, 100%, did not care about what other people think?
A. I would be getting my Ph.D., writing lots of stuff, including a book called "Dumbass Doctors and What You Can Do About Them," and telling doctors to kiss my rear end on my way out of their doors. I would also travel.
13. What is on my bucket list?
A. Writing a book, going to Egypt, England, Scotland, and Ireland, and dying without debt.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 382nd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
Here are 13 questions (the list originally was 15, I left off the last two) to ask yourself, which will set you in the direction of your life’s purpose:
1. What gives me energy?
A. Activity pursuing and investigating a question. Writing. Learning. Playing music. Reading, studying. Intense intelligent conversations. Tai Chi. (Cleaning the house most definitely does *not* give me energy.)
2. What excites me?
A. Learning something new, finding answers to difficult questions.
3. What kind of ideas come to me in the shower?
A. Poems, lines for stories, plots, opening sentences. Songs. Answers to questions.
4. What kind of things do people always ask me about?
A. How I find ideas. How I live "a writer's life" (whatever that is).
5. What kind of conversations do I have with those closest to me?
A. Intense and personal. Discussions of religion, books, ideas, philosophies. And lately, unfortunately, a lot about health care.
6. What do I do with my free time?
A. I write, read, play guitar, take photos, and play video games.
7. What topics do I regularly read about?
A. I read about writing - journaling, plots, types, etc. I also read personality and psychological books, fantasy, mysteries, and I prefer strong heroines, not wimps.
8. What recurring dreams do I have?
A. I have night terrors that I would prefer not to discuss.
9. During which experiences in my life have I felt the most alive?
A. When I am chasing a story for the newspaper, when I was doing a lot of reporting work.
10. What unique interests, or abilities, did I have as a young child?
A. I was interested in writing and reading, as well as archeology, geology. At one time I had a great collection of quartz rocks.
11. What would I be doing if money were no object?
A. I would be in school getting a Ph.D., and traveling.
12. What would I be doing if I absolutely, 100%, did not care about what other people think?
A. I would be getting my Ph.D., writing lots of stuff, including a book called "Dumbass Doctors and What You Can Do About Them," and telling doctors to kiss my rear end on my way out of their doors. I would also travel.
13. What is on my bucket list?
A. Writing a book, going to Egypt, England, Scotland, and Ireland, and dying without debt.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 382nd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Monday, February 09, 2015
Waning Full Moon
Last Thursday night the moon rose like a fireball in behind me. It was bitterly cold and I shot a couple of photos through the back door in the garage.
The next morning, the Snow Moon hung high in the sky, visible even in the brighter hours of the day.
“The moon is a loyal companion. It never leaves. It’s always there, watching, steadfast, knowing us in our light and dark moments, changing forever just as we do. Every day it’s a different version of itself. Sometimes weak and wan, sometimes strong and full of light. The moon understands what it means to be human. Uncertain. Alone. Cratered by imperfections.” ― Tahereh Mafi, Shatter Me
The next morning, the Snow Moon hung high in the sky, visible even in the brighter hours of the day.
“The moon is a loyal companion. It never leaves. It’s always there, watching, steadfast, knowing us in our light and dark moments, changing forever just as we do. Every day it’s a different version of itself. Sometimes weak and wan, sometimes strong and full of light. The moon understands what it means to be human. Uncertain. Alone. Cratered by imperfections.” ― Tahereh Mafi, Shatter Me
Sunday, February 08, 2015
Sunday Stealing: Why Do You Want to Know
From Sunday Stealing
Why Do You Want To Know That Meme?
1. What TV gameshow/reality show would you like to be on?
A. What is Jeopardy?
2. What was the first movie you bought in VHS or DVD?
A. I have absolutely no idea. This is not a question for older people. My first movie purchase would have been about 35 years ago, while I was still a teenager living at home with my parents. I'm pretty sure they had a VHS before I left home. I know that a wired remote VHS player was my first purchase as a married bride. I actually *borrowed* $300 from the bank to buy it with, and it was made of metal, not plastic. That was how I established credit for myself. You can't do that now, I don't think.
3. If you had one million dollars to spend only on yourself, what would you spend it on?
A. If I had to spend it on myself, I'd get some decent healthcare, first of all. Then I'd travel after I was well.
4. One place you've visited, can't forget and want to go back to?
A. I found Paris interesting.
5. Do you trust easily?
A. Probably. I think anyone who answers these questions is probably overly trusting.
6. Do you generally think before you act, or act before you think?
A. I do both, as I am sure most of us do.
7. Is there anything that has made you unhappy these days?
A. Not feeling well and being unable to function like I did before I turned 50 makes me very unhappy.
8. Do you have a good body image?
A. Nope. Not even sure what that is.
9. What is your favorite fruit?
A. Apparently banana, since I eat one every day.
10. I’m always being asked . . .
A. If I've had any sleep lately.
11. The last big belly laugh I had was . . .
A. Can't remember.
12. What websites do you visit daily?
A. My email accounts.
13. What have you been seriously addicted to lately?
A. I'm always "seriously addicted" to chocolate.
14. What kind of person do you think the person who tagged you is?
A. I don't know what this question means.
15. What's the last song that got stuck in your head?
A. All That Bass. Except I keep making up weird lines to the song. Like when my husband's company wanted "proof" that we'd been married forever, I started singing, "'Cause you know that we're all fakes, we're all fakes, we're all fakes (and liars) yeah we're fakes, we're all fakes, we're all fakes (and liars)." Yes, I am strange.
16. Favorite clothing?
A. Jeans and tees.
17. Do you think Rice Krispies are yummy?
A. I wouldn't call them yummy but they are one of the cereals I can eat because they don't have wheat in them.
18.What would you do if you saw $100 lying on the ground?
A. I'd pick it up, and then my action would depend on where I was. If I was in a store, I'd turn it over to the store manager. If I was out walking along the road or something, I'd probably put it in my pocket. The odds of finding the owner greatly diminish depending on the location of the find.
19. Items you couldn't go without during the day?
A. Glasses, wristwatch, wedding band, clothes.
20. What should you be doing right now?
A. Anything but this.
Why Do You Want To Know That Meme?
1. What TV gameshow/reality show would you like to be on?
A. What is Jeopardy?
2. What was the first movie you bought in VHS or DVD?
A. I have absolutely no idea. This is not a question for older people. My first movie purchase would have been about 35 years ago, while I was still a teenager living at home with my parents. I'm pretty sure they had a VHS before I left home. I know that a wired remote VHS player was my first purchase as a married bride. I actually *borrowed* $300 from the bank to buy it with, and it was made of metal, not plastic. That was how I established credit for myself. You can't do that now, I don't think.
3. If you had one million dollars to spend only on yourself, what would you spend it on?
A. If I had to spend it on myself, I'd get some decent healthcare, first of all. Then I'd travel after I was well.
4. One place you've visited, can't forget and want to go back to?
A. I found Paris interesting.
5. Do you trust easily?
A. Probably. I think anyone who answers these questions is probably overly trusting.
6. Do you generally think before you act, or act before you think?
A. I do both, as I am sure most of us do.
7. Is there anything that has made you unhappy these days?
A. Not feeling well and being unable to function like I did before I turned 50 makes me very unhappy.
8. Do you have a good body image?
A. Nope. Not even sure what that is.
9. What is your favorite fruit?
A. Apparently banana, since I eat one every day.
10. I’m always being asked . . .
A. If I've had any sleep lately.
11. The last big belly laugh I had was . . .
A. Can't remember.
12. What websites do you visit daily?
A. My email accounts.
13. What have you been seriously addicted to lately?
A. I'm always "seriously addicted" to chocolate.
14. What kind of person do you think the person who tagged you is?
A. I don't know what this question means.
15. What's the last song that got stuck in your head?
A. All That Bass. Except I keep making up weird lines to the song. Like when my husband's company wanted "proof" that we'd been married forever, I started singing, "'Cause you know that we're all fakes, we're all fakes, we're all fakes (and liars) yeah we're fakes, we're all fakes, we're all fakes (and liars)." Yes, I am strange.
16. Favorite clothing?
A. Jeans and tees.
17. Do you think Rice Krispies are yummy?
A. I wouldn't call them yummy but they are one of the cereals I can eat because they don't have wheat in them.
18.What would you do if you saw $100 lying on the ground?
A. I'd pick it up, and then my action would depend on where I was. If I was in a store, I'd turn it over to the store manager. If I was out walking along the road or something, I'd probably put it in my pocket. The odds of finding the owner greatly diminish depending on the location of the find.
19. Items you couldn't go without during the day?
A. Glasses, wristwatch, wedding band, clothes.
20. What should you be doing right now?
A. Anything but this.
Saturday, February 07, 2015
Saturday 9: A Sleepin' Bee
Saturday 9: A Sleepin' Bee (1957)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) This song is about the wonder of first love. How would you describe the sensation of falling in love?
A. It's like seeing the moon for the first time, coming across the Grand Canyon without knowing it is there, or walking through virgin woods.
2) This 1957 album was the first Diahann Carroll ever recorded. More recently she recorded "A, You're Adorable," a nursery rhyme. (The lyrics are here.) Give us some words to a children's song that remain in your head to this day.
A. Daisy, Daisy, give us your answer, do. I'm half crazy, all for the love of you. It won't be a stylish marriage, I can't afford a carriage. But you'll look sweet upon the seat of a bicycle built for two.
My grandmother used to sing that to us grandchildren when we'd come to her, all teary from some fall or harsh word. She's swoop us up into her arms, plop down in the rocker, and sing.
3) 1957 was the peak of the Baby Boom (1946 to 1964). Are you a Boomer, a Gen X-er, a Gen Y-er, or a Millennial?
A. I am at the end of the Boomers, but I have never thought I was a boomer. I've always considered those us born from about 1960 - 1968 to be a sort of lost generation. Marketers refer to us Generation Jones, which is not a moniker I care for. They consider that to be from 1954 to 1965.
4) In 1974, Diahann was named to the Best Coiffed Hall of Fame by the Guild of Professional Beauticians. How often do you change your look?
A. However often time makes more wrinkles and more gray hair. I personally never change a thing.
5) Ms. Carroll made history as Julia in the first network TV show to star a black woman. She played a nurse. Do you/have you ever worked in the healthcare profession?
A. No. I don't have the personality for it.
6) She also played glamorous, scheming Dominique Deveraux on the nighttime soap, Dynasty. Who is the most memorable female villain you've ever seen in a TV show or movie?
A. Cruella Deville in the cartoon version of Disney's 101 Dalmatians.
7) Ms. Carroll began her career as a model. Her height (nearly 6' tall) is an asset in that profession. Are you pleased with your height? Or do you wish you were taller, or shorter?
A. At 5' 2" and shrinking, I wouldn't mind just a little more height.
8) Now in her 80th year, she keeps on working. Recently she's appeared on TV in Grey's Anatomy and Blue Collar and on the big screen in Tyler Perry Presents Peeples. How do you feel about retirement? Is it something you enjoy or look forward to? Or would you prefer to continue working?
A. I would like to continue working though health issues have derailed all of my plans. I had started an effort to teach at the college level when I started my downward health spiral and ultimately had to give that up. I'm still doing freelance writing but nowhere near as much as I once did.
9) In her long movie career, Ms. Carroll has played love scenes with some very good looking men, including Sidney Poitier and Billy Dee Williams. If you could steal a kiss from any actor or actress, who would choose?
A. I wouldn't mind a kiss from Orlando Bloom, so long as he is dressed like Legolas from Lord of the Rings. And I would like to get a hug from Oprah.
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) This song is about the wonder of first love. How would you describe the sensation of falling in love?
A. It's like seeing the moon for the first time, coming across the Grand Canyon without knowing it is there, or walking through virgin woods.
2) This 1957 album was the first Diahann Carroll ever recorded. More recently she recorded "A, You're Adorable," a nursery rhyme. (The lyrics are here.) Give us some words to a children's song that remain in your head to this day.
A. Daisy, Daisy, give us your answer, do. I'm half crazy, all for the love of you. It won't be a stylish marriage, I can't afford a carriage. But you'll look sweet upon the seat of a bicycle built for two.
My grandmother used to sing that to us grandchildren when we'd come to her, all teary from some fall or harsh word. She's swoop us up into her arms, plop down in the rocker, and sing.
3) 1957 was the peak of the Baby Boom (1946 to 1964). Are you a Boomer, a Gen X-er, a Gen Y-er, or a Millennial?
A. I am at the end of the Boomers, but I have never thought I was a boomer. I've always considered those us born from about 1960 - 1968 to be a sort of lost generation. Marketers refer to us Generation Jones, which is not a moniker I care for. They consider that to be from 1954 to 1965.
4) In 1974, Diahann was named to the Best Coiffed Hall of Fame by the Guild of Professional Beauticians. How often do you change your look?
A. However often time makes more wrinkles and more gray hair. I personally never change a thing.
5) Ms. Carroll made history as Julia in the first network TV show to star a black woman. She played a nurse. Do you/have you ever worked in the healthcare profession?
A. No. I don't have the personality for it.
6) She also played glamorous, scheming Dominique Deveraux on the nighttime soap, Dynasty. Who is the most memorable female villain you've ever seen in a TV show or movie?
A. Cruella Deville in the cartoon version of Disney's 101 Dalmatians.
7) Ms. Carroll began her career as a model. Her height (nearly 6' tall) is an asset in that profession. Are you pleased with your height? Or do you wish you were taller, or shorter?
A. At 5' 2" and shrinking, I wouldn't mind just a little more height.
8) Now in her 80th year, she keeps on working. Recently she's appeared on TV in Grey's Anatomy and Blue Collar and on the big screen in Tyler Perry Presents Peeples. How do you feel about retirement? Is it something you enjoy or look forward to? Or would you prefer to continue working?
A. I would like to continue working though health issues have derailed all of my plans. I had started an effort to teach at the college level when I started my downward health spiral and ultimately had to give that up. I'm still doing freelance writing but nowhere near as much as I once did.
9) In her long movie career, Ms. Carroll has played love scenes with some very good looking men, including Sidney Poitier and Billy Dee Williams. If you could steal a kiss from any actor or actress, who would choose?
A. I wouldn't mind a kiss from Orlando Bloom, so long as he is dressed like Legolas from Lord of the Rings. And I would like to get a hug from Oprah.
Friday, February 06, 2015
Book Review: Top Secret Twenty-One
Top Secret Twenty-One
By Janet Evanovich
Read by Lorelei King
Unabridged
Approximately 6 hours
My latest "read" of a Stephanie Plum novel did not disappoint, though this is the first time one of the books has made me gag, literally.
I like listening to these books because Lorelei King does such a good job with the voices, and the dialogue works when listening. Storytelling, after all, is our oldest form of "writing," so I do not have the aversion to audio that some have. I like being told a story, especially if the reader has a good narrative voice.
To be honest, I would not spend valuable time reading these books, so that is why I listen to them while driving. Multi-tasking, you know.
In this 21st Plum novel, Stephanie spends more time with Ranger. I think in the last book, she hung out more with Morelli, her other boyfriend. She's in love with both guys so maybe Evanovich's plan is to alternate storylines for a while as our heroine untangles her feelings.
Plum, a bounty hunter, is on the trail of Jimmy Poletti, a car dealership guy who was also trading in sex slaves and drugs. Since he skipped a court date, Stephanie has to hunt him down. Unfortunately, his path leads to a trail of dead bodies, and also brings to her Randy Briggs, a distasteful character from previous books.
She's also helping Ranger with some of his special work, and is distressed to learn someone is after her tall handsome ex-Black Ops fellow. The two plot lines are not intertwined, exactly, though I must say Stephanie would be a very poor bounty hunter indeed if Ranger's men didn't give her a hand frequently.
These books are quick listens and even though I enjoy them in the car, I must say the car bombings, the deaths, and the stress, none of which seem to phase Stephanie except for an occasional leaking of a tear, have grown a bit tiresome. I wouldn't want to live in her area of New Jersey, that's for sure.
By Janet Evanovich
Read by Lorelei King
Unabridged
Approximately 6 hours
My latest "read" of a Stephanie Plum novel did not disappoint, though this is the first time one of the books has made me gag, literally.
I like listening to these books because Lorelei King does such a good job with the voices, and the dialogue works when listening. Storytelling, after all, is our oldest form of "writing," so I do not have the aversion to audio that some have. I like being told a story, especially if the reader has a good narrative voice.
To be honest, I would not spend valuable time reading these books, so that is why I listen to them while driving. Multi-tasking, you know.
In this 21st Plum novel, Stephanie spends more time with Ranger. I think in the last book, she hung out more with Morelli, her other boyfriend. She's in love with both guys so maybe Evanovich's plan is to alternate storylines for a while as our heroine untangles her feelings.
Plum, a bounty hunter, is on the trail of Jimmy Poletti, a car dealership guy who was also trading in sex slaves and drugs. Since he skipped a court date, Stephanie has to hunt him down. Unfortunately, his path leads to a trail of dead bodies, and also brings to her Randy Briggs, a distasteful character from previous books.
She's also helping Ranger with some of his special work, and is distressed to learn someone is after her tall handsome ex-Black Ops fellow. The two plot lines are not intertwined, exactly, though I must say Stephanie would be a very poor bounty hunter indeed if Ranger's men didn't give her a hand frequently.
These books are quick listens and even though I enjoy them in the car, I must say the car bombings, the deaths, and the stress, none of which seem to phase Stephanie except for an occasional leaking of a tear, have grown a bit tiresome. I wouldn't want to live in her area of New Jersey, that's for sure.
Thursday, February 05, 2015
Thursday Thirteen
1. I woke this morning to an email from my health carrier stating that they'd been hacked. Since this was the second time in less than a month I'd received a notification from a company I do business with that my information had been compromised, I spent an early hour accessing my credit report and placing a fraud alert on my accounts. You can access your credit report for free at annualcreditreport.com, which is the only one authorized by the government. It can be a little confusing to get the thing but if you have never checked your credit report, I urge you to do so.
2. The first thing I remembered this morning, though, was that I had not updated the New Thursday Thirteen website but thankfully and gratefully found that my co-host, Colleen, had taken care of it. That's why there's two of us! Thank you, Colleen.
3. The stuff on my computer is so horrifying anymore that I am grateful all I have to do is look out the window to see a blissful pastoral scene.
4. Cows have a fairly easy life, though they have a lot of babies. And it can't be pleasant to have the children hauled off in a truck when we take the calves to market (though by then the babies are grown). Except for that, and occasionally being scared by a bear, though, they seem to have it pretty nice time.
5. Our blue spruce trees are suffering from a fungus. It developed last year and we sprayed for it. The recent winds have sent little blue spruce pieces all over the yard, though, and I really fear that we will not be able to save these trees.
6. I just ate a Skinny Cow truffle and wasn't all that impressed. I like the caramel filled ones better. Of course, one should not eat such things for breakfast but we do what we must.
7. Yesterday was a pleasant day, with warmer temperatures and little wind. Today the wind blows hard again. Of all the weather types, I dislike wind the most. I can take cold temps if the wind isn't blowing.
8. I am running out of things to say here and I'm only at number 8.
9. A quick glance around my office shows me this: a pile of magazines, a coffee cup that says "Roanoke" on it, an unused drawing pad, a Fincastle Herald newspaper with three of my articles in it, and some Bach Rescue Remedy.
10. The clouds are bouncing across the mountains like the plastic ball in a game of Jacks (or is it Jax?).
11. As metaphors go, that is probably not the best one I've ever come up with but it's early and I'm in a hurry.
12. If you live in the US, have you finished your taxes for 2014?
13. The magic number! What a mess my mind is in this morning.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 381th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
2. The first thing I remembered this morning, though, was that I had not updated the New Thursday Thirteen website but thankfully and gratefully found that my co-host, Colleen, had taken care of it. That's why there's two of us! Thank you, Colleen.
3. The stuff on my computer is so horrifying anymore that I am grateful all I have to do is look out the window to see a blissful pastoral scene.
4. Cows have a fairly easy life, though they have a lot of babies. And it can't be pleasant to have the children hauled off in a truck when we take the calves to market (though by then the babies are grown). Except for that, and occasionally being scared by a bear, though, they seem to have it pretty nice time.
5. Our blue spruce trees are suffering from a fungus. It developed last year and we sprayed for it. The recent winds have sent little blue spruce pieces all over the yard, though, and I really fear that we will not be able to save these trees.
6. I just ate a Skinny Cow truffle and wasn't all that impressed. I like the caramel filled ones better. Of course, one should not eat such things for breakfast but we do what we must.
7. Yesterday was a pleasant day, with warmer temperatures and little wind. Today the wind blows hard again. Of all the weather types, I dislike wind the most. I can take cold temps if the wind isn't blowing.
8. I am running out of things to say here and I'm only at number 8.
9. A quick glance around my office shows me this: a pile of magazines, a coffee cup that says "Roanoke" on it, an unused drawing pad, a Fincastle Herald newspaper with three of my articles in it, and some Bach Rescue Remedy.
10. The clouds are bouncing across the mountains like the plastic ball in a game of Jacks (or is it Jax?).
11. As metaphors go, that is probably not the best one I've ever come up with but it's early and I'm in a hurry.
12. If you live in the US, have you finished your taxes for 2014?
13. The magic number! What a mess my mind is in this morning.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 381th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
Tuesday, February 03, 2015
Two Mornings
"I'm so glad my window looks east into the sunrising . . . It's so splendid to see the morning coming up over those long hills and glowing through those sharp fir tops. It's new every morning, and I feel as if I washed my very soul in that bath of earliest sunshine." - L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
Monday, February 02, 2015
An Ad for an Ad
I didn't watch the Super Bowl. I haven't for many years. There was a time, back when there were Budweiser frogs, that I did check in for the commercials, but with youtube previews and Internet recaps, I don't need to do that anymore.
So I saw the Budweiser puppy commercial before the Super Bowl and I wasted about 15 minutes of my morning reading a Slate article about other commercials.
When I went to watch the commercials - because of course I wanted to see the maudlin one about preventable accidents and the Nissan commercial that everyone was calling crass - I had to watch an ad to see the advertisements.
It was like an infinite loop of commercials. And then I started wondering, have we all turned into a commercial?
Of course we have. We wear branded outfits and baseball caps with logos on them. My sneakers sport a bit ol' "N" for New Balance on them. My watch says "Timex." My titanium-framed glasses on the inside of the frames say "Charmant," whatever that is (maybe that's a color).
My car says Toyota Camry on it, my cameras all say Nikon, my cell phone says . . . well, whatever it is, it's an old flip phone and I can't remember what it is but it says its name on there (and indicates that I am not yet into this decade). My husband's flip phone is a Motorola, I know that.
I have T-shirts that advertise insurance companies, Hanes on my underwear, and St. John's Bay on my sweater. ACE is tattooed on the elastic bandage on my ankle.
I don't consider myself a name-brand kind of girl, and yet there it is, proof that I'm a walking billboard.
Just like you.
I have ads on my blog just because - I don't make much money from them, but there they are anyway. One hopes, I suppose.
Looking around my office, I see a Samsung monitor, a Dell computer, a Sphere light, a bottle of Purell hand cleaner, a Panasonic cordless phone, a Casio calculator, and a box of Kleenex. And that's without hardly moving my head. A turn to the left and there's Energizer batteries, a Sterling & Noble clock, an RCA stereo, and a Staples bag with notebooks in it. Oh, and let's not forget the HP printers, Norcom column pad that I keep my freelance billing in, and the Quaker popped rice.
Good grief.
We really are trapped in an infinite loop of commercials.
Maybe I'll put a "For Sale" sign on my forehead. I wonder what someone might want to put there.
So I saw the Budweiser puppy commercial before the Super Bowl and I wasted about 15 minutes of my morning reading a Slate article about other commercials.
When I went to watch the commercials - because of course I wanted to see the maudlin one about preventable accidents and the Nissan commercial that everyone was calling crass - I had to watch an ad to see the advertisements.
It was like an infinite loop of commercials. And then I started wondering, have we all turned into a commercial?
Of course we have. We wear branded outfits and baseball caps with logos on them. My sneakers sport a bit ol' "N" for New Balance on them. My watch says "Timex." My titanium-framed glasses on the inside of the frames say "Charmant," whatever that is (maybe that's a color).
My car says Toyota Camry on it, my cameras all say Nikon, my cell phone says . . . well, whatever it is, it's an old flip phone and I can't remember what it is but it says its name on there (and indicates that I am not yet into this decade). My husband's flip phone is a Motorola, I know that.
I have T-shirts that advertise insurance companies, Hanes on my underwear, and St. John's Bay on my sweater. ACE is tattooed on the elastic bandage on my ankle.
I don't consider myself a name-brand kind of girl, and yet there it is, proof that I'm a walking billboard.
Just like you.
I have ads on my blog just because - I don't make much money from them, but there they are anyway. One hopes, I suppose.
Looking around my office, I see a Samsung monitor, a Dell computer, a Sphere light, a bottle of Purell hand cleaner, a Panasonic cordless phone, a Casio calculator, and a box of Kleenex. And that's without hardly moving my head. A turn to the left and there's Energizer batteries, a Sterling & Noble clock, an RCA stereo, and a Staples bag with notebooks in it. Oh, and let's not forget the HP printers, Norcom column pad that I keep my freelance billing in, and the Quaker popped rice.
Good grief.
We really are trapped in an infinite loop of commercials.
Maybe I'll put a "For Sale" sign on my forehead. I wonder what someone might want to put there.
Sunday, February 01, 2015
Sunday Stealing: Nosy
From Sunday Stealing
Nosy Meme
1. Average hours of sleep:
A. Six, on a good night. I wake up a lot to take medication.
2. Last thing I googled:
A. Anti-inflammatory diets. And then I ate chocolate, which isn't on an anti-inflammatory diet.
3. One place that makes me happy:
A. Sitting on the couch beside my husband.
4. How many blankets I sleep under:
A. A sheet, a blanket, a bedspread.
5. What are you wearing right now:
A. Jeans, T-shirt, sneakers.
6. Last book you read:
A. The last one I finished was The Signature of All Things, by Elizabeth Gilbert. I'm currently listening to a Janet Evanovich Stephanie Plum one, #21, I think.
7. Favorite fictional character:
A. Nancy Drew.
8. Last movie I watched in the cinema:
A. The Hobbit: Battle of Five Armies
9. Dream vacation:
A. A year in a well-stocked $1 million RV (complete with satellite TV, Internet, lots of space, and a driver) in which I could tour the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, followed by another year of visiting Europe staying in 5-star hotels only, following by 6 months of visiting South America, 6 months in Africa, 6 months in Australia, and at least a month in New Zealand. All of my needs would be met by someone, including a personal coach who would travel with me, and a personal chef who would prepare good, healthy meals. And my husband would be there, too, of course, hating every minute away from the farm.
Well, it said *dream* vacation, right? A girl can dream.
10. Dream wedding:
A. I've been married for 31 years, I have no desire to do it again.
11. Dream pet:
A. I would like one of those little tea-cup poodles, if they made them totally hypo-allergenic.
12. Dream job:
A. I would like to be an already successful novelist with dependable royalty checks coming in. That is why it is called a dream job.
13. How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?
A. What an interesting question. I would be 35.
14. Which is worse, failing or never trying?
A. I live my life as if failing is the worst thing ever, but intellectually I think never trying is probably worse.
15. If life is so short, why do we do so many things we don’t like and like so many things we don’t do?
A. Because we are brought up in a society that demands we contribute to the economic and social benefit of others, and in the U.S. especially we are all quite ensnared by the Puritan Work Ethic. Said ethic emphasizes hard work and diligence and has been twisted into crapitalism so that we all want money to have those aforementioned dream vacations. We are not taught to accept and enjoy what we have but to always strive for "other" - and it's killing us, one by one. We live for the end of the journey, not the journey itself, and it is really the journey that is important.
Nosy Meme
1. Average hours of sleep:
A. Six, on a good night. I wake up a lot to take medication.
2. Last thing I googled:
A. Anti-inflammatory diets. And then I ate chocolate, which isn't on an anti-inflammatory diet.
3. One place that makes me happy:
A. Sitting on the couch beside my husband.
4. How many blankets I sleep under:
A. A sheet, a blanket, a bedspread.
5. What are you wearing right now:
A. Jeans, T-shirt, sneakers.
6. Last book you read:
A. The last one I finished was The Signature of All Things, by Elizabeth Gilbert. I'm currently listening to a Janet Evanovich Stephanie Plum one, #21, I think.
7. Favorite fictional character:
A. Nancy Drew.
8. Last movie I watched in the cinema:
A. The Hobbit: Battle of Five Armies
9. Dream vacation:
A. A year in a well-stocked $1 million RV (complete with satellite TV, Internet, lots of space, and a driver) in which I could tour the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, followed by another year of visiting Europe staying in 5-star hotels only, following by 6 months of visiting South America, 6 months in Africa, 6 months in Australia, and at least a month in New Zealand. All of my needs would be met by someone, including a personal coach who would travel with me, and a personal chef who would prepare good, healthy meals. And my husband would be there, too, of course, hating every minute away from the farm.
Well, it said *dream* vacation, right? A girl can dream.
10. Dream wedding:
A. I've been married for 31 years, I have no desire to do it again.
11. Dream pet:
A. I would like one of those little tea-cup poodles, if they made them totally hypo-allergenic.
12. Dream job:
A. I would like to be an already successful novelist with dependable royalty checks coming in. That is why it is called a dream job.
13. How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?
A. What an interesting question. I would be 35.
14. Which is worse, failing or never trying?
A. I live my life as if failing is the worst thing ever, but intellectually I think never trying is probably worse.
15. If life is so short, why do we do so many things we don’t like and like so many things we don’t do?
A. Because we are brought up in a society that demands we contribute to the economic and social benefit of others, and in the U.S. especially we are all quite ensnared by the Puritan Work Ethic. Said ethic emphasizes hard work and diligence and has been twisted into crapitalism so that we all want money to have those aforementioned dream vacations. We are not taught to accept and enjoy what we have but to always strive for "other" - and it's killing us, one by one. We live for the end of the journey, not the journey itself, and it is really the journey that is important.
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