I'm leaving tomorrow morning to drive to New York. Didn't think I'd make any long drives for a while, after the cross-country adventure of late April, but with a slippery mind and a gluttonous appetite for punishment, I'm off on another long drive!
I won't be posting anything for the next several days as I spend a gazillion dollars on gas cruising through Kentucky, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania and, finally, New York, but, since it appears that my readership has "left the building" along with Elvis, it mattereth not.
When I return from my sojourn in the Big Apple (not to be confused with the computer manufacturer), I'll check to see if anyone besides my invisible friends has been reading my blog. My invisible friends won't leave comments since they're invisible and no matter how hard they try, they can't depress the keys on the keyboard and I don't have "speak and type" software for my computer. My papier mache pig has no interest in reading or leaving comments, so that leaves me with a very small fan base. Actually, it leaves me with no fan base at all, but, being a Pollyanna, I write regardless of the strength or length of the readership. So there....
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Why it's dangerous to write after midnight
Well, for some people, it's dangerous to put anything in writing at any time. There are always critics out there (wherever there is) waiting, no, lurking in the proverbial bushes ready to pounce on anything that someone else dares to put in print. These self-appointed critics love to find grammatical errors, misspellings, poor sentence structure, lack of logic, etc. I know this because I am a "lurker". Yep. I admit it. I'm currently in a twelve-step program to unlurk myself and I've been doing reasonably well. The downside is--I can't read anything except the labels on cans and boxes of food, and then I can only read the ingredients or nutritional facts. That's part of the therapy. I have become so much less critical over the past few days as I've limited my reading material. However, I find that I am only able to speak or write about food items and nutritional values, which is rather limiting and quite boring unless you get excited about serving portions, sodium amounts or how to pronounce certain preservatives that the government allows food producers to use so we won't be offended by odd colors or smells when we open cans of food. I'm working my way up the food pyramid, but meanwhile, it's after midnight, so I'd better mind my peas and carrots and sign off before I'm tempted to venture beyond the "safe zone" and backslide into my critical mass mode....
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Am I losing my mind?
Probably. But I think I've lost the part of my brain that tells me I've lost my mind and so I can't be sure. I have noticed a windy sound whenever I tilt my head to the left, so I'm thinking (with much smaller results) that the vacuous place is where the gray matter used to be that helped me keep my brain intact. Or it could just be the alternating stuffy and runny nose I woke up with this morning. Some people hate to wake up alone....
I went to bed last night feeling a little under the weather--now where in heaven's name did this saying come from (or should I be Englishly correct and say "from where did this saying come")? Does the saying mean we can actually avoid the weather patterns by crouching under them (crouching is not an easy feat for me anymore, so I'll have to weigh the merits of that versus ever walking upright again)? At any rate, I fell asleep wondering if my nose would still be with me when I awakened in the morning. It was, but it was elusive--running all over the place. And when it isn't doing its best imitation of a small, fleshy waterfall, it's doing a rendition of a plumbing pipe that desperately needs a Draino fix. Since I'm home alone (and not attacking two burglars at the moment, like the kid in the movie), I can stuff tissue up each nostril and call it a "look" or I can test myself to see how quickly I can sprint for the box of Kleenex when my nose bolts out of the starting gate, running wildly down the track.
Whenever I have a stuffy nose, it feels as if my brain is also stuffy (and not the British stiff upper lip kind of stuffy either). No. My head feels as if the six visiting spiders, who have been assigned to be swallowed by me this year, have been pushing dense, web-like materials up my nostrils all night long, and I realize that I have a lot of empty, open space in my cranium. Poor spidies must work all night just to fill it up. Now, having a stuffy head means sleeping with one's mouth wide open and we know what the spiders plan to do with the gaping yaw. Beyond the tickle in the throat that may just be an arachnid slip-sliding his or her way into oblivion (also known as the stomach), there is the issue of a very dry mouth, and the question of whether to quench one's thirst and risk middle-of-the-night bathroom trips or to stay parched and sleep poorly, dreaming all the while of large lakes and running water that you walk toward but can never reach. Another side effect of "mouth open and dry" is snoring. If you are sleeping with another individual right next to you, there may be a homicide in the offing. If there are others in the household with normal hearing, there may be a group beating. No wonder I'm losing sleep and my mind worrying about my personal safety. Maybe I'll give the NyQuil to everyone in my household so they'll sleep soundly and my blowing, sniffing and occasional snoring won't disturb them. I can spend the time while they're asleep searching for my mind amid the mountain range of rumpled tissues....
I went to bed last night feeling a little under the weather--now where in heaven's name did this saying come from (or should I be Englishly correct and say "from where did this saying come")? Does the saying mean we can actually avoid the weather patterns by crouching under them (crouching is not an easy feat for me anymore, so I'll have to weigh the merits of that versus ever walking upright again)? At any rate, I fell asleep wondering if my nose would still be with me when I awakened in the morning. It was, but it was elusive--running all over the place. And when it isn't doing its best imitation of a small, fleshy waterfall, it's doing a rendition of a plumbing pipe that desperately needs a Draino fix. Since I'm home alone (and not attacking two burglars at the moment, like the kid in the movie), I can stuff tissue up each nostril and call it a "look" or I can test myself to see how quickly I can sprint for the box of Kleenex when my nose bolts out of the starting gate, running wildly down the track.
Whenever I have a stuffy nose, it feels as if my brain is also stuffy (and not the British stiff upper lip kind of stuffy either). No. My head feels as if the six visiting spiders, who have been assigned to be swallowed by me this year, have been pushing dense, web-like materials up my nostrils all night long, and I realize that I have a lot of empty, open space in my cranium. Poor spidies must work all night just to fill it up. Now, having a stuffy head means sleeping with one's mouth wide open and we know what the spiders plan to do with the gaping yaw. Beyond the tickle in the throat that may just be an arachnid slip-sliding his or her way into oblivion (also known as the stomach), there is the issue of a very dry mouth, and the question of whether to quench one's thirst and risk middle-of-the-night bathroom trips or to stay parched and sleep poorly, dreaming all the while of large lakes and running water that you walk toward but can never reach. Another side effect of "mouth open and dry" is snoring. If you are sleeping with another individual right next to you, there may be a homicide in the offing. If there are others in the household with normal hearing, there may be a group beating. No wonder I'm losing sleep and my mind worrying about my personal safety. Maybe I'll give the NyQuil to everyone in my household so they'll sleep soundly and my blowing, sniffing and occasional snoring won't disturb them. I can spend the time while they're asleep searching for my mind amid the mountain range of rumpled tissues....
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Strange bedfellows and more...
There is a saying (author unknown) that politicians make strange bedfellows. I believe the origin of this has to do with the limited hostelry, funds and need for politicians back in Revolutionary War days, who traveled together, to bed down together--not only in the same room, but often in the same bed. However, this little historical background fact does not explain how today's politicians (candidates running for the same office), who spend volumes of money, time and energy bad-mouthing their opponents at every turn by telling all of us why we must vote for them and why it is urgent that we do not support the other candidates unless we want to bring about the world's worst calamity, can acquiesce so easily and become the staunchest of supporters if and when they lose the nomination. All of a surgeon (yes, I know I wrote "surgeon" not "sudden"), the horrible, terrible, heinously bad person who was running against them is now the individual behind whom all "losers" (yep, that's what they are technically and otherwise) stand and wholeheartedly endorse, spending their efforts to get that former enemy elected.
In my world we call this hypocrisy. We call it two-faced. We call it phony. We call it insincere. We call it bizarre. Call me crazy, but doesn't it bother anyone that politicians can so quickly change from "he/she is a disaster in the making" to "it's all about getting someone (anyone) from my party elected, even if I think the nominee is a Philistine, a Cretan, a character from the comic books who doesn't or can't save the day"? This attitude bothers me. A lot. If the losing candidates didn't think that the primary/delegate "winner" was the best person for the job when they decided they needed to throw their hats into the ring, then what has changed over the months to bring any of them to the conclusion that this individual deserves to win? We have heard some pretty ugly comments and criticisms made by competitors about other candidates abilities to think, to formulate appropriate policy, to know how or whether a policy is even viable, to deal with major, important issues at home and abroad, how often they have flip-flopped on issues, and how they plan to keep the promises they have made. We seem to have a collective amnesia. How convenient for the two major political parties, but how devastatingly inconvenient for the public, the constituents. How can we trust endorsements by individuals who are willing to trade their once insistent/uncompromising view of how the country needs to be run at all levels and by them, for a party victory at all cost? Candidates, who have lost, want to stay in good standing with their party--hopes for a future run at the presidency abound, or a vice-presidency selection awaits, or whatever. Isn't there anyone out there who lost, but still feels strongly about what he or she said during the primary campaign period and who can't compromise his or her standards just to be popular or acceptable by a political party system that seems to be feeding on itself? Someone will be elected president in November and take office in January. Delegates and Super Delegates will cast their votes at summer conventions. People will wave signs and flags and toss confetti and act excited about the prospect of their party's candidate assuming the highest office in the land. Approximately 1/4 of the adult population of this country will fill out a ballot, pull a lever, use a touch-screen to vote. Maybe this is the percentage that isn't bothered by the process we currently use to choose our candidates. Maybe the remainder of the population is numbed by the process, doesn't care, thinks it doesn't matter anyway, or is protesting the whole event by not voting. This voter apathy is a huge price to pay for a system in need of review and repair, as is a "victory at all cost" where politicians sell themselves and their platforms to remain at the table.
I have a friend who opined that we should have one day for all states to hold their primaries, so everyone can vote for all the candidates, for all the individuals who feel that have a vision for America. This would eliminate a lot of time and money (an political ads) that could be better spent solving the problems we face as a nation--poverty, immigration, the undereducated, lack of health care, unemployment, etc. It would also level the playing field. Good, solid candidates don't always "make it" to the latter part of the primary process because they lack funds, local party endorsements, or a mud-slinging campaign by other candidates or the media sullies their reputation even when there is no truth to what is said. I like my friend's idea. I think it makes sense. Now that's a concept--a political process that makes sense, puts all contenders on equal footing, and limits the ad-nauseum media analysis and exposure. I'll vote for that! Meanwhile, I keep my TV remote handy and am becoming adept at clicking away from any and all politicals advertisements, "intellectual" dissections of campaigns or candidates, or the like. By the time November rolls around, I should be down to a nanosecond clickability. And Thanksgiving comes shortly after the national election. Carve the bird. Pass the potatoes and stuffing and offer gratitude for four more years before it all starts again....
In my world we call this hypocrisy. We call it two-faced. We call it phony. We call it insincere. We call it bizarre. Call me crazy, but doesn't it bother anyone that politicians can so quickly change from "he/she is a disaster in the making" to "it's all about getting someone (anyone) from my party elected, even if I think the nominee is a Philistine, a Cretan, a character from the comic books who doesn't or can't save the day"? This attitude bothers me. A lot. If the losing candidates didn't think that the primary/delegate "winner" was the best person for the job when they decided they needed to throw their hats into the ring, then what has changed over the months to bring any of them to the conclusion that this individual deserves to win? We have heard some pretty ugly comments and criticisms made by competitors about other candidates abilities to think, to formulate appropriate policy, to know how or whether a policy is even viable, to deal with major, important issues at home and abroad, how often they have flip-flopped on issues, and how they plan to keep the promises they have made. We seem to have a collective amnesia. How convenient for the two major political parties, but how devastatingly inconvenient for the public, the constituents. How can we trust endorsements by individuals who are willing to trade their once insistent/uncompromising view of how the country needs to be run at all levels and by them, for a party victory at all cost? Candidates, who have lost, want to stay in good standing with their party--hopes for a future run at the presidency abound, or a vice-presidency selection awaits, or whatever. Isn't there anyone out there who lost, but still feels strongly about what he or she said during the primary campaign period and who can't compromise his or her standards just to be popular or acceptable by a political party system that seems to be feeding on itself? Someone will be elected president in November and take office in January. Delegates and Super Delegates will cast their votes at summer conventions. People will wave signs and flags and toss confetti and act excited about the prospect of their party's candidate assuming the highest office in the land. Approximately 1/4 of the adult population of this country will fill out a ballot, pull a lever, use a touch-screen to vote. Maybe this is the percentage that isn't bothered by the process we currently use to choose our candidates. Maybe the remainder of the population is numbed by the process, doesn't care, thinks it doesn't matter anyway, or is protesting the whole event by not voting. This voter apathy is a huge price to pay for a system in need of review and repair, as is a "victory at all cost" where politicians sell themselves and their platforms to remain at the table.
I have a friend who opined that we should have one day for all states to hold their primaries, so everyone can vote for all the candidates, for all the individuals who feel that have a vision for America. This would eliminate a lot of time and money (an political ads) that could be better spent solving the problems we face as a nation--poverty, immigration, the undereducated, lack of health care, unemployment, etc. It would also level the playing field. Good, solid candidates don't always "make it" to the latter part of the primary process because they lack funds, local party endorsements, or a mud-slinging campaign by other candidates or the media sullies their reputation even when there is no truth to what is said. I like my friend's idea. I think it makes sense. Now that's a concept--a political process that makes sense, puts all contenders on equal footing, and limits the ad-nauseum media analysis and exposure. I'll vote for that! Meanwhile, I keep my TV remote handy and am becoming adept at clicking away from any and all politicals advertisements, "intellectual" dissections of campaigns or candidates, or the like. By the time November rolls around, I should be down to a nanosecond clickability. And Thanksgiving comes shortly after the national election. Carve the bird. Pass the potatoes and stuffing and offer gratitude for four more years before it all starts again....
Sunday, June 1, 2008
It's 10 PM. Do you know where your brain is....
It's Sunday night, June 1st, and I'm spending my first night in my new place. It's a townhouse, but all on one level. I have a full basement--great for storing stuff!--which adds an additional 1000 square feet to the total space I have available. There's no one above me or on three sides of me. My only contiguous wall is a fireplace wall, so I should have minimal "noise" transference from another dwelling. That makes me happy.
The thought of being back in an apartment setting with tenants over my head doing their version of the unrepentant clog dancer's lament every day and night or entertaining me with music or TV I don't want to hear was sending me off the deep end. As I started my search for a place to live, I determined that I would only rent a townhouse style apartment--no one over head or underneath me. I saw several places that were nice, but, with my penchant for accumulating "stuff" that I am sure I cannot live without, I was concerned about fitting everything into those spaces. Then my Sister and I drove by Heritage Hill Townhouses & Apartments, and, voila, there was a one-storied townhouse with a full basement, just waiting for me. Not only was the rent reasonable, my new abode is located in Middletown (a suburb of Louisville) and everything is nearby. The bonus was a month's free rent and the basement--where it will be cool in the summer and a place to hide out if a tornado threatens to touch down (something that does happen in this part of the country). I am moving my art studio downstairs where I can make messy and not have to clean up unless I'm in a very, very, very good mood (last one of those occurred about 10 years ago). I have my computer and my sewing table in my bedroom, so I can work in comfort, and my living room can be just that--a place to relax or entertain. I have two full bathrooms--one for guests and one for just me and a kitchen with a skylight to bring in the sun. I love it!
So, yes, it's 10 PM and I know where my brain is, now that I have some sense of order in my life. And, as soon as I get up from my chair, I'll pick it up off the floor (where it fell when I bent over a few minutes ago) and I'll put it back in my cranium.
The thought of being back in an apartment setting with tenants over my head doing their version of the unrepentant clog dancer's lament every day and night or entertaining me with music or TV I don't want to hear was sending me off the deep end. As I started my search for a place to live, I determined that I would only rent a townhouse style apartment--no one over head or underneath me. I saw several places that were nice, but, with my penchant for accumulating "stuff" that I am sure I cannot live without, I was concerned about fitting everything into those spaces. Then my Sister and I drove by Heritage Hill Townhouses & Apartments, and, voila, there was a one-storied townhouse with a full basement, just waiting for me. Not only was the rent reasonable, my new abode is located in Middletown (a suburb of Louisville) and everything is nearby. The bonus was a month's free rent and the basement--where it will be cool in the summer and a place to hide out if a tornado threatens to touch down (something that does happen in this part of the country). I am moving my art studio downstairs where I can make messy and not have to clean up unless I'm in a very, very, very good mood (last one of those occurred about 10 years ago). I have my computer and my sewing table in my bedroom, so I can work in comfort, and my living room can be just that--a place to relax or entertain. I have two full bathrooms--one for guests and one for just me and a kitchen with a skylight to bring in the sun. I love it!
So, yes, it's 10 PM and I know where my brain is, now that I have some sense of order in my life. And, as soon as I get up from my chair, I'll pick it up off the floor (where it fell when I bent over a few minutes ago) and I'll put it back in my cranium.
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