I Ain't Afraid of No Daleks

"I just visited Playwrite27--and it was so hot and humid, my hand is permanantly stuck to my hair gel."

Have to grab a crowbar and pry myself out of my chair--my fingers are actually sticking to the keyboard! Off back to work, for another five hours of telemarketing really swell people...swell...erm...okay, rude and bonkers--God bless America!

It's unbearably warm today--nature's sauna. One of those days when you work up a sweat just sitting down in the shade.

It's days like this, make me long for winter again.

In northeastern New York, on a winter night, you first know it's snowing, when you are lying safe and warm in bed, snugged away beneath your quilt, and you are wakened in the night by the heavy metallic scraping of the municipal or state's snowplow, the huge blade throwing sparks as it scrapes the snow from the bare pavement--followed on the back end, perhaps, by the hissing of the sand or salt spreader, attached to the back of the enormous rig. The deep kettle drum-like grating sound of that four foot high blade on the roadway is, by the time you're an adult, both a comfortingly familiar--and also, somewhat obnoxious, sound.

You wake in the morning, and squinting against the glare, peer out at the bright gray or blue skies. Even after decades of living in snow country, you still find yourself blinking in astonishment, of what you see.

Your outside world has changed--perhaps, depending on the snowfall totals, changed drastically.

It's a fairy-tale land--trees, roofs, cars, the ground--all covered in fluffy white. A gingerbread setting that is truly magnificent to behold. A foot, two feet, three...of alabaster snow, enshrouds the world, smothering it a silence that is unique to winter. The world is hushed, after the storm, hiding from the riot of life and birth that is the spring.

Then, you see YOUR car...and your front steps, and your driveway. And...where on earth is your snow shovel? You'd left it leaning against the outside wall of the home, next to the steps. A deep rumbling gives you your answer--as an avalanche of snow cascades off of your roof. You sigh--perhaps say something naughty under your breath, and look longingly at your bed.

fOUND THIS ON THE WEB, "WINTER MORNING IN AVERILL PARK." Our parents used to take us to Averill Park all the time...a small town about a 25 minute drive from our village, in the foothills across the river from Albany. We used to visit a mineral shop, go to the drive-ins, restaurants and two lakes, there. AVERILL PARK, NY TRIVIA: Comedian Jerry Lewis once worked as a Soda Jerk in Averill Park. It was a resort, with a casino, way back then.

Doctor Who: Time Lords Don't Cry, by N. (Playwrite27)

CHAPTER 14: Shake and Bake

The Doctor appeared bored. Scratching the side of his nose he said to the armored creature--aka, Uncle Tobias, "Oh, the Droom, right. That's nice." He cocked his head. "But you're from the dark times. I thought your race died out eons ago." He stuck his hands in his pockets, studying the Droom like a less-than-interested student. "Your lot should be in a museum, somewhere. Huh. Well," he sighed, "I suppose", then he stifled a yawn, "that I should ask what are you doing here, bothering with humans." In a mere second, his demeanor changed. He leaned in, eyes flashing angrily, "Your lot has the whole of the universe to wander. Why choose to assimilate the human race? What are they to you?"

“Come on Marie!” He shouted, "We’ve got to get out of here! Where’s this tunnel of yours?” She pointed to a large wooden shelf that took up most of a wall. “It’s there. But the lever’s stuck. I can’t get it to move.” The Doctor saw a half-meter long thin piece of cast iron with a curved end. It had been made to look like a hook for holding a bucket or something similar. “You have to pull down on it, to make the cupboard swing open.” The Doctor pulled down with all his might, but the latch refused to budge. It was rusted closed. Straining with all of his considerable Time Lord might, he couldn't shift it. Sweat beading his brow, the Doctor reckoned they had maybe a minute or two, before the gas ignited and blew.

I didn't have to be up until nearly eight, this morning--but no. The cats all decided that they should walk all over me and meow and, Boots, bless him, decided that one of my armpits needed a good wash. So, they got me up an hour early--and now are all passed out asleep, in the front room, bless. Love pet ownership...not. Okay, yes, I do love them, but sometimes...arrgh!!

In a few days, I'll be posting personal pics. A co-worker in the office is scanning and loading pics from my photo albums onto a CD for me--about 15 or 20. Some will just be pics of my trips, or just some local fall colours, pets and such. A few will be of me/mum. I won't post pics of my nephew/sister, as I'd not consulted them, and, though I did love my dad, we weren't all that close, so I opted out of pics of him--not to be petty, just that I have in mind certain pics to put on CD, and can only do just so many. I don't--never have--own a digital camera or anything electronic--barring this no-name desktop PC. I don't even have a camera any longer, as I lost my beloved 35mm Kodak E-Z Load camera, a couple of years back. Not one of my happiest moments--I really loved that camera.

Hot again, today. Steamy, unhealthy, tropical heat. But, supposed to go down a bit, by the weekend, thankfully. Had breakfast on the balcony with Boots and Charlie (Flame's afraid of the balcony, for some reason, wants no part of it.)

May try posting another Dr Who chapter, before I leave. Another ten-hour day of telemarketing to slog through--tho', thankfully, suddenly they're breaking up the sales with collections calls--little bit of both, which certainly makes the day go faster. Unlike yesterday, I also get an tiny bit of extra time for lunch--and hour and a half sounds like a lot, but, by the time I walk home, make lunch, eat, freshen up--it's time to go back to work already. That extra half hour--a 2 hour lunch--really helps, I can actually digest my food before returning to work. It's better too, than when I'm working the 9 to 5 shift, as the 30 min. they allow for lunch, barely allows you time to get down to the building's caf, microwave leftovers or order your lunch, eat and get back upstairs. So a two-hour break is fine by me...tough going back to work tho', when 5.0 rolls around.

I made the mistake, the other night, of wearing my cheezy trainers without socks, and now have a rather unpleasant, very raw blister, on the top of my foot. That's what I get for buying cheap shoes. Sometimes, I think, it's better to do without.

"Ha! My laser screwdriver will turn you into David "oneinch"--who's the Master now?"

"Shake-shake-shake, shake-shake-shake, shake your booty!"

"I've got 50p riding on you in the Wheelchair Derby--now go out and win!"

I keep hearing, from comments overseas, in the UK mostly, since the Live Earth concert, mutters about Al Gore running for Prez. HUH?????

Am I missing something here??? When did Al throw his hat into the ring? Have I been asleep at the election wheel?

I haven't heard a peep about Gore running for Prez again. Where the heck are they getting this stuff from?

Okay, he hasn't officially announced he's running. Yes, they are polling dems in Iowa and New Hampshire, but...he's not on the ticket! They also poll for other non-canadates, and they too, sometimes do well in the polls--but that doesn't mean ANYTHING. Nothing. Zip.

If someone's not running, they're not running--political polls become near meaningless. Yes, he is CONSIDERING it, but...I think he will hurt the party more than help it, in the long run. He's just not a strong enough speaker--he failed last time, and I don't think he's up to par this time.

Do I like the man? Yes, I sort of do. He rather reminds me of a young and trendy version of Jimmy Carter. Do I think he'd make a good Prez? Yes and No. I think he'd focus more on the true issues that blight America/the World, but...I don't think he's forceful enough to get action from the narrow-minded, empty-headed, selfish Congress/US Senate. Seriously, no. It'd be great to have someone more or less genuine, but...he's perceived by those in power, and shallower Americans, as weak--because he cares so much about humanity, and the world around us. Sadly, too many Americans view that as a weakness, not a strength--not me, but..yes, I do in fact know Americans who really do feel this way.

Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama are the current Democratic frontrunners--in the end, I predict, in the Democratic primaries, that it'll be these two running neck and neck--tho' that could change of course, but I don't foresee that happening.

If Gore by some chance, does throw his hat into the presidential ring, he would only win because he's white male. Seriously, not joking. We're still a very arse-backward nation, when it comes to putting women and blacks into office. Makes many an insecure white Anglo-Saxon American very uncomfortable. So Al might win their votes.

IF Al Gore runs, it, in all likelyhood, won't be until 2012, I'm thinking. I may be wrong--I read he'd canceled 6 months worth of trips--one to Japan to discuss global warming--Ironic, ey?

But, I don't think he can run for VP again--tho' I'm not certain. It's possible, I suppose. I should know that, having taken a political science course in 2002, State and Local Government--but alas, I don't remember--and, quite honestly, right at this moment, I'm too hot and sticky and knackered to walk over to the bookcase and look it up in the old textbook.

But I've yet to hear that he's running for Prez, for certain. He's not even filed yet, as far as I know, and the deadline's not far off.

Ever have a song you just CANNOT get out of your head, all day?

I had watched a clip from Last of the Time Lords and this damn song (actually I rather like it, no idea who sings it, but the tune, the way it's sung (not so much the words), reminds me of the stuff I used to listen to as a young person). Anyway, this darn song has been playing in my head all day.

Then I figured out why. I'm a telemarketer, and "people" were being totally mean, rude and downright obnoxious to me--and my co-workers, all day.

Here' the tune:

Never heard of the "Scissor Sisters" But, I am a bit surprised , on hearing the full version, that they'd use this in a kid's programme, as the original uses a bit of bltatant swearing--do they not think kids will hunt down the full version?

I'm not an old prude--unfortunately, I'm not immune to swearing. However, I think kids should be protected from this, assault on the English language. They will grow up fast enough, without us helping them unnecessarily. Am I wrong? I don't know. I kind of like the song--but not crazy about the cursing. And..I don't know. Is Dr Who really for kids, anymore--or are children a myth now, and just wee adults we don't need to protect from the baser realities of life?

It's so terribly hot and steamy--the weather, not my bedroom. When it comes to my personal life, the words, "hot and steamy" would only apply to the times when I worked as a dishwasher one summer, and those fresh little "presents" I used to fork into a wheelbarrow, when I was a stablehand. Well, one ten-plus hour day down, one more to go

This was a horrible night. Nearly every American I called---literally coast to coast, bore a greater resemblance to a farm animal than a civilized human being. What is it with Americans and their crap manners??? Well, I know what it is, they don't have any! We have got to be, the laziest, dumbest, most morally back-arsed country of any industrialized nation in the world! I speak as a card-carrying leftest. No, really. I have this card, "LEFTIST."

Oh, America can be a brilliant nation when she wants to be--but that's just the problem: more and more lately, she doesn't want to be. That would take genuine effort: To think, to care, to act. And we can't have that, oh no! That might interfere with our own selfish, self-centred little lives. We might have to get up off our very well-fed (well, mostly) bottoms and actually MOVE. And, heaven forbid we should begin thinking independently, or abstractly--and God help us, if we should be courteous and respectful--that's a weakness you know. We need to be strong--that's why we have so many guns and hate and bigotry, don't ya' know.

And so help me, if one more little kid, answers the telephone with a surly, totally rude, "Who's this!!" I swear, I'm gonna' reach through the phone line and paddle the wee brat's bottom with a hairbrush--obviously mum and dad don't love them enough, or care enough to do it themselves--or are even dumber than their 6 year old. My late mum would'a had a fit, if a child adreessed her like that--and rightly so. She was a PARENT, not a...zookeeper.