I Ain't Afraid of No Daleks

does a man need a license to carry a purse...erm, I mean, wallet!

Read on...

Sporrans may become a relic of the past. New laws designed to protect endangered species like badgers and otters, kilt wearers may face prosecution if they do not have a license for the fur on their sporrans. Though the law applies to those animals killed after 1994, if a person cannot account for the source of the fur – even if it is a family heirloom – and produce a licence, a hefty fine and six months prison time may be levied.

A Scottish soldier in full dress marches into a chemists to speak to
the druggist. The Scot opens his sporran and pulls out a neatly folded
cotton bandana, opens it to reveal a smaller silk square which he
unfolds to reveal a condom. The condom has a number of patches on it.
He holds it up. "How much to repair it?" the Scot asks the man at the counter.
"Six pence," says the man. "How much for a new one?" "Ten pence."

The Scot folds the condom into the silk square and the cotton bandana,
places it in his sporran and marches down the aisle and out the door
of the chemists.A moment or two later a great shout goes up, followed by an even greater shout. The Scot walks into the chemist's again and back to the man behind the counter.

"The regiment has taken a vote," the Scot says. "We'll have a new one."

Ladies, if you want to humiliate your boyfriend or hubby in public, use these three little words: "Hold my purse."

"Waugh! Leave it to BBC Wales to serve currried laver bread and spicy jellied eels for lunch."

"For the last time, Doctor---No! You cannot try on my wedding dress!"

"Okay, Martha, I confess, I did nick a pair of your panites from the drying rack--and very comfortable they are, too."

So, I got that talking to, last night at work, about how my health is affecting my job. Now what? How do I turn this around--can I even turn this around? Is it worth it, anymore? Beats me. I really am getting tired tho, of being told how pale I look, how limp my hair is, how old I look and act (and feel)...yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. Deal with it!

For one thing, my health issue is looking to be a drawn-out affair, and not great to live with. Nothing much I can do about that. The apathy/depression, tiredness...just are going to be there.

I suppose I should ring up my sister, tomorrow. I've not seen her--or any of my few remaining relations, since the day we buried mum--Nov. 17th 2005, and I've not even talked to my sister--she's always gone her own way, she has---since the day I was in hospital, back in June, getting those blood transfusions. Don't know what we'll talk about, mind--we're more strangers who love each other, than sisters.

So, have a few things to do, today. Wrote Accord Hospice story #41, in the wee hours of the morning...this really is getting to be a chore, I must say--not that I mind, after all, it was my idea--daft idea, but mine, nonetheless.

Not feeling much like writing, of late--or doing much of anything. I'm trying to carry on as usual, but it's sometimes quite taxing on me. With no one here at all, some days are much longer than others, I have to admit. But, one day, is pretty much like all the others, and some days, I literally don't remember what day it is. I have to actually look at the calendar in my kitchen. Getting senile at 46, what a joy that is.

I know I have to make some re-adjustments to my life, somehow, but, unfortunately, am at a loss as to how to accomplish that.

The old cowhand came riding into town on a hot, dry, dusty day. The local sheriff watched from his chair in front of the saloon as the Cowboy wearily dismounted and tied his horse to the rail a few feet in front of the sheriff.
"Howdy, stranger..."
"Howdy, Sheriff..."

"Hold on, Mister..."
"Sheriff?"
"Did I just see what I think I just saw?"
"Reckon you did, Sheriff...I got me some powerful chapped lips..."
"And that cures them?"
"Nope, but it keeps me from lickin' em."

Geez--it's hot in here--81 F outside, but 88 F in my bedroom!

I have to finish the housework, but am loathe to move--sticking to everything, it's so humid in here. I hate this weather, wish it was cold again. It wasn't so bad when I had an air conditioner and a lake and/or river, with a public beach nearby. But have neither, now, so I just have to be uncomfortable and deal with it.

I am deeply sad Mr Tennant's leaving--but also, very happy for him. Hamlet would be a great role for him, I must admit. He must be very much looking forward to that.

I loved studying Hamlet, back when I was 44, during my summer class in World Lit. I got to watch the movie twice, besides reading the play. Despite having to drive the hour drive on the two-lane road to my school in Vermont, four days a week, in the hot July weather, behind long lines of senors in whopping huge caravans, with no air conditioning in my car, and then--having to roast in a hot classroom for 3 hours...it was a great class. We studied other stuff, as well, but the prof was really into Hamlet, so I got a lot out of it.

You Are 48% Cynical*

Yes, you are cynical, but more than anything, you're a realist.
You see what's screwed up in the world, but you also take time to remember what's right.

How Cynical Are You?
http://www.blogthings.com/howcynicalareyouquiz/

It has been confirmed that Mr. Tennant will be performing with the RSC, next summer. He will be playing Hamlet--congratulations to him for that, and also will be doing a small part in another Shakespearean play, as well.

Alas, therefore this news is also confirming that Series 4 will be his last stint as the Docctor. (There's no way he can do both at once, unless the filming/broadcast schedule drastically changes--and somehow I don't foresee the BBC doing that).

He's not leaving yet, tho', and DT fans and Whovians alike, will have one more year to take in the wonderful performances of this highly talented and brilliant young actor, who has come to win the hearts of Whovians and non-Whovian's, all across the globe.

Well, it's nearly 1 in the afternoon, and I'm still in my jim-jams. First time I've done that in a while, I think. I don't necessarily feel better, but I do feel more rested than I have in several days.

Charlie's being such a big baby lately, especially when I have to leave for work--he flops down at my feet, rolls over on his back (not a mean feat for my little bowling ball with fur) and rolls his pale soulful eyes pathetically at me--like that horribly sad-eyed look that Puss-in-Boots gave Shrek in the 2nd Shrek movie. God! They do know how to make you feel guilty, don't they?

I don't know what's got into him--he keeps picking on Flame for no reason--she doesn't like Charlie, and he knows it, so he deliberately teases her--stands close and stares at her, or just...purposely annoys her....then she spits and hisses at him, and he pouts and mewls--and if I yell at him to leave her alone, he will stalk off, crying piteously,in his squeeky little cat voice (why such a big cat, meows like a mouse, I've no idea) as if to say, "you don't love me anymore!" Kids! What are you going to do with them?

GLENS FALLS WEATHER AS OF 12:56PM EST:

80 °F / 27 °C
Haze
Humidity: 64%
Dew Point: 67 °F / 19 °C
Wind: 4 mph / 6 km/h / 1.5 m/s from the South
Pressure: 29.96 in / 1014 hPa (Steady)
Heat Index: 82 °F / 28 °C
Visibility: 6.0 miles / 9.7 kilometers
UV: 9 out of 16
Clouds: Clear - Hazy

So, I'm off to have what I'm laughably calling "lunch"---in this case, sliced hot dogs and corn in BBQ sauce, over toast, before doing the house chores. Today and tomorrow, I only work night shift, and Saturday off, so I am getting a bit of a rest, thank goodness, as I sorely, sorely need one.

Well, for some reason, I just could give a damn about writing in my blog, tonight--I feel a bit weird, and mysteriously depressed, today. Nothing I can really put my finger on, mind, just..a bit..off.

I've developed a twitch in my bad (right) eye, the one that I'm very marginally blind in..not sure what that is about. Not a bad twitch, just a several times during the day, I was having trouble seeing out of it. Might be just this cold that wants to start, but I'm managing to beat off, so far.

Wrote story number 40 tonight--a somewhat moronic Dr Who story...in my present funk, it's a wonder I was able to write anything. I wanted it to be funny, but it was just..stupid. Oh well. At least I wrote SOMETHING for day 40.

I'm not sure why I even decided to do this--now I'm stuck with it, and must see it through, of course, but it is a bit wearing, having to commit to writing a "fresh" story each day--my feeling is that if written in advance, this would hardly be a "challenge"--which is what it's meant to be. I mean, I'm very obviously not going after the Guiennes Book of World's Records for Drabble writing, but on the same token, the words "writer's challenge" wouldn't hold much meaning--in my mind--if the stories were all written well in advance of each day's blog entry. At least, that's how I feel.

I've not had a donation or new sponsor for Accord, in several weeks, so I have come to the realization that I'm getting all I'm going to get, so I've stopped asking for sponsors, and am just concentrating on writing the stories. I tried using my naf journalism skills to write a press release (I got an A- in my Public Relations class, but you'd never know it), but most of them got rejected, so I put a halt to that. I get, as a rule, less than 10 views a day--and okay. It's done all it can do, so I'm just cranking out stories for the next 60 days and acknowledging that I've gone as far as I can go with it. And, that's okay. I mean, I'm just one woman, sitting alone in my tiny apartment--usually after night shift is done, writing these daft little stories--and maybe, if one or two people a week, just visit Accord's website, then that's fine. At least I'm not just sitting here, petting a cat and playing cribbage on the computer, or re-watching Dr Who for the umteenth time (not that I mind that, ha-ha)...maybe that the best I can ever hope for...I don't know. But...no whinging, no complaints from me. I'm very grateful for my friend's support and caring, and that makes it all worth while.

But some days--or rather, usually, nights/mornings...I admit, I do dread having to think of a story to write. I'm only human.

"Tell me a story, Master?"

Well, I ain't got nothin' to say (My gosh, I have been ringing up the deep south too much, of late), but...I have a joke for you.

Q: What's the difference between a Scotsman and a Rolling Stone?
A: A Rolling Stone says "hey you, get off of my cloud!", while a Scotsman says "Hey McLeod, get off of my ewe!"

For once, I've got nothing at all to say. Meh. Who cares?

I'm guessing the wifey wasn't going to be having a cuddle with her hubby, after this game?

Ocean-Born Mary
retold by
S. E. Schlosser

After her death in 1814, Mary's ghost began to haunt the house where she had once lived with her pirate-husband. People would see a tall, beautiful red-haired woman come walking down the long staircase. Sometimes, she could be seen standing beside an upper window, or throwing something down the well. Others had witnessed Mary driving in her coach and four up to the front door of the house. The house was finally abandoned and later torn-down, although the house where her son Robert lived still stands and is sometimes called the Ocean-born Mary house.

THE ACTUAL GRAVESTONE OF "OCEAN-BORN MARY"

http://www.hetemeel.com/einsteinform.php

With thanks to "tobstv"

Last night, I wrote my 38th original story for Accord Hospice. www.nbgolash.blogspot.com/

Why not pay a visit to Accord's website, find out what they're all about? You can even leave them a positive message on their guestbook! www.accord.org.uk

DAY 38

DRABBLE STORY #38

The Starving Artist

Just before closing, he went into the gift shop. Alfred spent a great deal of time, looking through the art posters on display in the back of the shop. Surreptitiously, he shoved one of the posters underneath his long coat. He walked out the door--only to be arrested by a policeman. When they questioned him why he stole the poster, he replied, “I had no Monet.”

Just a reminder to new readers out there, that this material is COPYRIGHT. You may at no time reproduce this material on another website, book, magazine, contest, etc., without my express permission.

"Let's see what's happening on Big Brother...Oh, no-no-no-no! TheY can't get rid of Jonty!!"

"Doctor! Stop playing Playstation2! It's time to go!"

What the Doctor's (John Smith) really thinking: "Yes, I can see it's 1913..." (My God! She does look hot in that maid's outfit.")

Well, have to leave for my day shift, in about a half-hour. It's bad enough I don't like my job, I have no benefits, and am rarely allowed to work a full-time schedule...but to have my wages slashed to minimum wage, after giving them 9 months of my life--and some people in the office are worse off, they've been there 1 to 5 years--or more! Still, better than being laid off completely, I guess--tho' that's a distinct possibility.

You know, one of the company founders left suddenly, back in the spring, and I distinctly remember thinking, that that was rather strange...and it was right after that, that things began to go downhill at the company...then, also, we were told a major client was also having difficulties, and had slashed the workload that they'd given our company for the last five years--tho' that doesn't directly effect my department.

Ah well. It's just Tuesday, another spilt shift....I sucked at my job, yesterday--only one sale all day, and the car club guys, most of them totally sucked--behaving like a bunch of spoiled brats, rather than grown men--disgusting! So many American men, aren't very manly, any longer so many, these days, are just a bunch of mentally lazy overgrown rugrats--or at least, from my end, that's how it seems to me. I mean, how sad is it, that a grown man can't talk right to a lady, on the phone, but has a flippin' 5-=year old temper tantrum, because you are daring to call him after he gets home from work, or because you didn't say his name right? One guy got incensed, for me daring to suggest he do something about his problem, by ringing up the club to let them know about it (these idiots actually think a club with 50,000+ members, is somehow magically going to know that one member didn't get something in the mail--"well they SHOULD know I didn't get it!") Why are US men so terrified of picking up a telephone? Why are they so frightened of actually trying to fix a probalem? Why do they prefer yelling at an innocent lady, to getting off their bottoms and doing something? God, most US men have sunk low. Disgusting pigs. I really hate what the "humans" in this country are turning into.

Oh, and one whinging witch from Kentucky, was actually snarking at me, because she didn't like the way I talked, or how I answered th phone...in this case, "hello? May I please speak to __________?" What the f___ is wrong with that???? Damn! And you non-US residents, want to know why Bush is still in office? It's a no-brainer...literally.

Oh, and got turned down for yet another job, yesterday, as well. Nice to know you're wanted and in demand...not.

A Senator from Idaho was arrested recently for misconduct at a Minnesota airport.

Apparently, he was suspected of "lewd conduct" while in the men's room. This same senator has been accused in the past, of having a homosexual affair, which the married senator hotly denied--his closet door, it seems, is firmly closed.

Apparently, a airport police officer was...erm..doing his business in the stall next to the senator, when he noticed the senator "tapping his foot." It seems, that foot-tapping in a men's room stall, is "code" for wanting sex (with the person in the next stall).

(She raises her eyebrow) Ey???

Well...you learn new things everyday. The lesson: If you're a straight guy? Don't wear tap shoes in a men's room.

After having their 10th child, an Arkansas couple decided that that was enough. So the husband went to his doctor and told him that he and his wife didn't want to have any more children. The doctor told him that there was a procedure called a vasectomy that could fix the problem.

The doctor told the man that he was to go home, get a cherry bomb, put it in a can, then hold the can up to his ear and count to 10. The Arky said to the doctor "I may not be the smartest man, but I don't see how putting a cherry bomb in a can next to my ear is going to help me." So the couple drove to Missouri to get a second opinion. The doctor was just about to tell them about the procedure for a vasectomy when he noticed they were from Arkansas.

This doctor also told the man to go home and get a cherry bomb, place it in a tin can, hold it next to his ear and count to 10. Figuring that both doctors couldn't be wrong, the man went home, lit a cherry bomb and put it in a can. He held the can up to his ear and began to count, "1, 2, 3, 4, 5..." at which point he paused, placed the can between his legs and resumed counting on his other hand.

The Newlywed photo of a Kentucky couple, Bobby Ray Lee(left) and his wife, a topless dancer the local saloon, Scarrie Lee.

It's alllegedly been confirmed that actor David Tennant will be playing Hamlet for the RSC, in 2008.

It's also been confirmed that Mr. Tennant will see series 4 of Dr Who, through to the end.

Actresses Fenella Woolgar and Felicity Kendall both slated to definitely appear, as well as an actor from the old Blackadder series, Tim McImmerny. Also Keeping up Apperences' Clive Swift, and Geoffery Palmer (As Time Goes By) will also be doing Who.

Rumours: Actress Joan Collins (Dynasty) is said to be in the running as the Doctor's other Time Lord nemesis, the Rani. (GAG ME!!!) Other "big stars" rumoured to be in Who: Dennis Hopper and Woody Allen. (Meh.)

rumoured--and not denied, that Stephen Moffatt will replace Russell T. Davies as exec. producer/head writer.

Still being bantered about that James Nesbitt (Jekell) will replace Tennant for series 5--despite denials by Stephen Moffatt.

Also, as mentioned before, that there may be a two-Doctor, or mulit-Doctor eppy in the works.

Billie Piper has hinted that she'd like to reappear on the programme, preferably during Tennant's last episode as the Doctor.

That we haven't seen the last of the Doctor's "hand-in-a-jar."

...or, of the Master.

Also, that another monster from the past, will come back to the show.

And...that the Doctor will be "confronting his past" in the episode 13 of S4.

story settings I know of, so far:

Modern-day London (well..that's a give-me)

Titanic's launch

Ancient Rome

1920's England

Definitely one, and possibly three, alien planets

Had an ever-so-lovely meeting at work today--my work, the one that forces me to work under 40 hours (anything under 40 hours is officially part-time, in the USA), so they don't have to give me any benefits (medical/dental care, holidays/paid holidays, sick leave/paid sick leave, etc.)
is going down the tubes--temporaraily, they say. Yeah, right.

So, we get a 12% "temporary" pay cut, effective immediately. ("Temporary" meaning, maybe someday they'll reinstate it.) They've just let go two supervisors and the receptionist, and a number of people have either been sacked or quit. The office, which used to be jam-packed with people, is now virtually empty--and I'm not off in saying that most of us are very upset and worried--or, in my case, where this in nearly my entire source of income--just plain scared.

I also lose my 1 year raise, this October.

Life sucks, and then you die.

"Daleks and Mondays always leave me feeling blue."

"Hi. I'll have a Big Mac with fries and a Coke--oh, hurry will You? I only have 42 minutes for lunch!"

"No, I'm not constipated, why do you say that?"

It's not easy, living in a box. But, it's one I built myself, so who am I to complain?

I woke this morning, realizing that I no longer truly believe in anything--except debt and death. Ah, there's a future for you, ey? But, it's true. That really is my future. And, I can't whinge and moan, because I've put myself there.

I mean, no one made me go back to college, at the tender age of 39. No one forced me into this prison of debt and uncertainty and a perpetual low-income lifestyle. I walked into if of my own accord.

Ah well...I still have job, for the time being, my cats, my far-away friends, my blog...suppose that must count for something?

Having been seriously to moderately poor more than once in my lifetime--and homeless once, and nearly homeless twice, I'm all for anything that assists the poor and the homeless.

Being a closet transcendentalist, a lifelong animal person, and, a former teenage tree hugger, I'm all for protecting animals and our environment.

But what I'm also very much for, is preserving our cultural and artistic heritage. This is a reflection of who we are, as humans--what we imagine, what we create out of thin air. The ability by use of images, and sound, speech and body language, to move other people--to make people forget their stress and sorrow and angsts, and suspend their disbelief long enough, to allow them to be more than they imagined, through the magic of music, and live acting and cinema films. To make another human being laugh or cry or sit at the edge or his or her seat...a wonderful gift to humanity.

So, I'm always pleased when I read about people wanting to either create or restore, old and new theatre venues.

Here, in my area, there's venues in such unique buildings as an old NY State turn of the century public mineral spa (bath house)-the Homemade Theater in Saratoga Spa State Park, an actual real steel bridge, over the NY State Champlain Canal (I kid you not) was converted into the Bridge Theater, in Whitehall, NY. Here in Glens Falls, it's Wood Theater in the former Woolworth's store. The Rialto Theater in Glens Falls, is sadly doomed, I'm sorry to say--but they did save the original elaborate ticket booth, restored it, and put it to use in the lobby of the Wood. My earliest experience with an old theater, was the Palace theater in downtown Albany, NY...my first movie was seen there--a cartoon called, "The Snow Queen," and Santa Claus and the Martians"--or something like that. I'd seen several concerts there, over the years, and Steve Martin once, back in the mid-1970's. It was a wonderful old house, and I was so chuffed, to hear, a few years back, they'd restored it.

Here's some links to web pages, about organizations restoring old theater houses:

http://www.preservationdirectory.com/PreservationBlogs/ArticleDetail.aspx?id=42&catid=16

http://www.scottishcinemas.org.uk/

http://cinematreasures.org/theater/3264/

http://www.cbc.ca/arts/theatre/story/2007/07/30/oldvic-bristol-letter.html

Now, I've been handling phone calls in a business setting, since the summer of 1974--when mum did her mum thing, and turned my teenage "I'm bored" whinge in on me, and put me to work behind the library desk, answering phones when she was busy with a patron (not to mention shelving books, making the books on the shelves all nice and tidy, looking for file cards (this was pre-computer age, of course, everything done by hand)..all that good stuff. I had to learn how to answer a business phone in an absolutely professional manner--mum actually made me practice!

And in the ensuing years, I've worked incoming-outgoing as a truck permit agent, receptionist, switchboard operator, counter (shop) clerk, non-sales and sales telemarketer, museum volunteer, etc. I mean, I can rattle off any phone script, and sound professional, in a matter of minutes. ..I've even been accused of being a recording, back when I was making 500 plus calls a day, for a telephone directory publisher, verifying listings.

Now, my "working" voice varies according to the situation--from soft, articulate and pleasant (standard approach) to forcefully brusque and businesslike (for the city folks and business professionals and golfers), to laid back and twangy (for the farmers, truckers and rednecks).

But tonight...tonight, someone asked me, if I was "Sam." And said I sounded just like--"him." Huh????

Now, either I'm unknowingly getting a sore throat, or this "Sam" has had a recent testicle operation, or...is my voice getting "manly" in my late middle age? Maybe it's time for a gender change--heck, I'd probably have a better chance getting a better job as a man, than as a woman.

Your Five Values Profile
Loyalty:

You value loyalty a fair amount.
You're loyal to your friends... to a point.
But if they cross you, you will reconsider your loyalties.
Staying true to others is important to you, but you also stay true to yourself.

Honesty:

You value honesty a fair amount.
You're honest when you can be, but you aren't a stickler for it.
If a little white lie will make a situation more comfortable, you'll go for it.
In the end, you mostly care about "situational integrity."

Generosity:

You value generosity a fair amount.
You are all about giving, as long as there's some give and take.
Supportive and kind, you don't mind helping out a friend in need.
But you know when you've given too much. You have no problem saying "no"!

Humility:

You value humility highly.
You have the self-confidence to be happy with who you are.
And you don't need to seek praise to make yourself feel better.
You're very modest, and you're keep the drama factor low.

Tolerance:

You value tolerance highly.
Not only do you enjoy the company of those very different from you...
You do all that you can to seek it out interesting and unique friends.
You think there are many truths in life, and you're open to many of them.

http://www.blogthings.com/thefivefactorvaluestest/

"Geez--Martha! Where did you get your license--Woolworth's? A Dalek could do better!"

"Waugh! Time travel without a capsule, really gives me a bad case of the wind!"

Being an alien, when the Doctor gets over-excited, sometimes he gets the urge to hump the Tardis.

Visit the Drabble-a-thon story page, for Accord Hospice: www.nbgolash.blogspot.com/ Current story (#36) is, "Dr Who: Nothing to Brag About."

I went to bed at nearly half-past three, and I'm up at just past 8.30 am. Ah well, such is life.

Boots woke me up, licking my underarm--think I need to shave them, this morning. I say that, because I looked at my armpit this morning, and thought: "Hmmmmm-Darwin was right, after all."

A tiny bit cooler, this morning, but still promises to be a hazy and hot day...'tho partly sunny. Though it's a much cooler 69 F (21 C), there's still 87% humidity, so it's still going to feel rather sticky, out there today--going to be around 80 F (27 C)...but, by tonight, it'll drop back down to the upper 50's F, so I can at least sleep, maybe. I'm debating wearing a dress to work today, which would be cooler, even tho' jeans, shorts and tees are allowed on weekends--don't know. The building manager of our office tower, seems to somehow forget, sometimes, that there's people working on Sundays, there, and they turn off the air conditioning--and some of the hallway lights, as well.

Have to go do the laundry at 11am sharp, if I want to be back in time to leave for work by quarter to 2pm. Then, because dufuss here, forgot to bring the bill with her, yesterday, I have to go back to Price Chopper after work, to pay it.

And, tomorrow, it's back to four 9 hour split shifts. Well, at least I do still have a job, and am least I'm working. I wonder when the company is going to ax the rest of us? I hope I'll be able to get another job--takes a while to get unemployment benefits, I'm told--and you don't get much. So, more people working for sub-standard wages in India, can take my job away, as well. What the hell? They and a good portion of the Chinese and Mexicans, because they have such very low wage/living standards, have taken MILLIONS of jobs from Americans--this crap about the USA being the richest nation in the world? It's fast becoming a lie. The FTA is proving to be the unraveling of middle and lower income America...and the politicians couldn't care one whit--they don't even see the problem, so why come up with a solution, right?

There's now mostly only two America's: Rich and poor. The middle is melting away into the lower tiers, for those who have been laid off, down-sized or have become ill (no FREE health care here, you have to pay through the nose for it)...and, there's the well-off and rich. And one knows nothing about the other, mostly...in fact, most Americans on the other side of things, can relate more to a poor child or adult in Africa, than a poor child or adult, right in his or her own county.

Oh, don't get me started.

Anyway, rumour is, here in the city, they might fix up one of the old theaters, downtown--that'd be great! That's one thing I'm a 100% for--restoring old theaters.

The current theater here, the Wood Theater, is in the old Woolworth's building, down the street. I miss Woolworth's--mum used to take us to the one in our village, all the time. They had everything! Great soda fountain/snack bar, pets, housewares, toys, sewing stuff, records, tons of candy, books...heck, you name it, they had it...wonderful store. The fountain lady was always so nice--knew us kids by name--and when I ordered a black cow (a rootbeer float) or a sundae, she'd put a little extra scoop of ice cream in mine...which was really cool of her, I think.

Anyway, if I were rich, and could be a philanthrophist, I'd have a private food pantry, and also, I'd fix up some old theater--only I'd make it so anyone could participate and/or go to a play, and not just the rich people--the Wood Theater pretty much prices people like me out of going to stuff like that...most theaters do, as we have precious little community theater here...and us chavs are generally not encouraged to participate or attended. Oh, we aren't turned away, but we are treated differently, quite often...maybe it's that way, everywhere in the world, I don't know.

Most public schools don't have "Drama" here in the U.S.--that's reserved, mostly, as an optional after-school activity---usually consisting of rehersing and putting on some daft old musical, that's already been done, a zillion times over.

I didn't have access to a drama class, until I went to college, at age 39. The schools don't do much with literature--like Shakespeare--either, at least, they didn't in my day (1960's-1970's)...not much in the way of foreign languages, either. They more went into maths and science and business, stuff like that. I had a boy in my English class, in my senior (12th) year of high school, that could barely read, no lie. I always felt sorry for him.

Well, getting late, and I've some chores to get done, before leaving for Broad street, to the laundromat there. Hope I can find a dryer, or I'm wearing wet clothes to work!

Well, it's past 2 in the morning, and I'm still up--wasn't going to bed 'till I wrote my dang drabble for Sunday!

Once again, I was at a complete loss of what to write about. I've come to call it, "void brain."--a space of nothingness between my two ears.

So, I was watching Doctor Who's Runaway Bride again, when I hit upon an idea..then another, then another..suddenly--I had a story! Thank God. I thought I was going to be watching the blinking sun come up!

I freely have admitted, that I'm not much of a fiction writer--but I rather enjoyed writing this one...it's not that it's anything special, I just liked the idea, it made me smile--which isn't always easy to do, at 2am in the morning.

It's a Doctor Who story--with a note explaining where I got the idea from, at the end of the story. www.nbgolash.blogspot.com/

Being that I'm a yank, it's still Saturday, over here. Today marked the 138th running of America's top summer derby, the Traver's Stakes, at Saratoga Race Course, 35 miles south of Glens Falls, NY.

By WARREN ALBER
For The Post-Star
Updated: 8/25/2007 09:28:54 PM EDT

Prevailing in a stretch-long dual with Grasshopper, Street Sense becomes the first horse to add the Travers to a Kentucky Derby win since 1995, and is the third horse in the 23-year history of the Breeders’ Cup to win the Juvenile as a 2-year-old and come back to win the Travers the following year (Chief’s Crown 1985, Rhythm 1990).

Wow--what a night out there...just put away the groceries, and I'm literally wringing wet! It's horrible out! Like walking about in a blooming Turkish steam bath with your clothes on! The first storm this evening, brought marginally cooler air--the second storm, which came whilst I was shopping...yuck. Made it WORSE.

The lightning was rather cool to see, tho'. It was constantly lighting up the sky, to the east, and the lightning itself was horizontal! It was amazing! It wasn't going down, like it usually does, but spreading all this long and short "veins" of lightning sideways! It was really cool to see--and I don't even like lightning! (Got a mild shock from some, once).

So, I'm resting before dinner--found $40 stuck in the back of my sock drawer! So, I put $20 back, and decided to spend a little extra on groceries, and buy myself a nice dinner, tonight---something nice, that is, that I can microwave, so I don't have to heat up the kitchen.

I got microwaveable sliced roast beef with gravy, and a fresh ear of sweet corn and a jacketed potato.

Ran the bill up a bit, as well, because I've not been up to making any lunches during my break in the day shift, so I bought a frozen microwave pizza, two frozen dinners, and some creamed chipped beef--easy meals, just nuke 'em in the microwave and a quick lunch--more time to rest before I go on night shift.

Stormy night, tho' not nearly as bad as what I hear they're getting in parts of the Midwest. Hopefully it'll be a bit cooler tomorrow--laundry day, in the morning. Oh joy. Then off to work my 3 and a half hour Sunday shift...then back to the store, after work, as I forgot to take my blinking utility bill with me! Dang! Don't want my electric shut off!

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Well, the scuttlebutt is, about the Who forums, is that there MIGHT be a two-Doctor, or multi-Doctor eppy in the works. Tho' no clue how they'd do it, as the actors, bless them, are a bit on in years, and it's easier to age a man, than to make him look younger.

This rumour may have sprung up, because both Mr. Davidson and Colin Baker, have paid visits to the Who set, in the past couple of years, I don't know. It would be really neat, tho', wouldn't it?

Another rumour, is that the Doctor will come face-to-face with his past, at some point in S4--not sure what that's referring to, and it's just a forum rumour--always to be taken with the proverbial grain of salt!

Off for my big night on the town--at Price Chopper. Yup, it's time to get some groceries--I'm out of tinned cat food--wouldn't want a feline mutiny on my hands...or those soulful-eyed "Don't you love us any more?" stares--you pet owners out there, you know what I'm talking about!

Gotta' pay the electric bill, as well, so not going to be getting loads of groceries--just lunches and something for brekkie, mostly. Haven't been eating dinner much, of late, not terribly hungry by the time my night-shift's done.

It'll likely be 9pm--- 2.0 in the morning, over in the U.K., when I get back, so have a good night, all.

"No, you CAN'T type! You have to PET ME first!"

Drabble-a-thon is still going on, but the stories aren't always so hot, sorry. Jane Austen, J.K. Rowling,--or even Barbara Cartland--I ain't!

Anyway, you can participate in the drabble-a-thon! www.nbgolash.blogspot.com/

How, you ask? Very simple. Two ways: you can shoot me brief (very brief) story ideas. And, you can also visit the Accord Hospice website--if you like what you see, sign their guestbook and let them know you support their efforts. visit them at: www.accord.org.uk

And, you can always sponsor me, with a secure donation--even 50 pence would help, believe me. Accord has many needs: from medical equipment to a new carpet to an overhead projector..and every dime raised, goes to help the hospice patients and their families--free of charge to them.

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On another note, I'm relieved! The fangirl who was going to mail my David Tennant joke captions and fake "news" items to the actor, said she would not do it, if I didn't want her to. Thank goodness!

I honestly would have been mortified! I mean, I'm told by someone, that he has a great sense of humour--which I think is fantastic...still, I'd really be upset if something I did hurt anyone's feelings...even if it is someone I'll never know. I've been picked on, teased, made fun of, and treated meanly for most of my life, and honestly? You don't really get used to it--inured to it, yes--used to it? No. It hurt on day one, and it hurts 40 some-odd years later, as well...So, even tho' it was done in jest, I'd hate to be the cause of someone else feeling like that.

I thought about going through, and deleting all the DT captions, but not well enough to fuss with them, so they'll stay, I reckon. I mean, I'm safe, I think, in knowing the gentleman will never step foot in my little blog-land, so no really worries there, I think--hope.

Okay, storm's over for now...back online--didn't last long, but packed quite a punch...pretty much like yesterday's storms. These short storms are oftimes worse than the longer one's that hang about a while--tho' one year, I remember, we just had one bad storm roll in, right after another, all day, and into the night--that was a bit annoying--tho' I must say, not as annoying as getting three feet of snow dumped on you, in 24 hours--that sucked, well, I at least had the day off, that day...but it was no picnic walking to work, the following day.

Okay, where was I on that blasted meme thing, in the last post, before the storm? Oh, yeah...last four questions--long meme, ey?

12. What's your favourite car, that you've owned?

Well, despite the fact that it was very literally (as in you could see the pavement through the floor) falling apart, and sometimes you had to get out, open the hood (bonnet) and unjam the gears with a hammer and sturdy screwdriver, I was rather fond of my old rattletrap 1976 Dodge slant six 3-speed pick up truck, that I had in the late 1980's. I was also sort of fond of my 87 Ford Ranger, that I had in 2000--blinking fantastic on gas (petrol), that was!

13. You have five dollars (original said 2.50 pounds) to spend, and 20 minutes to make a full dinner, what do you make?

Open-face hot turkey sandwich w/gravy, peas, instant mashed or french fries (chips) with gravy.

14. If you cook, what's your favourite dish to prepare?

I don't have just one, but I'd say it's been a tie, this past year, between lamb (neck bones) & winter vegetable stew with a tomato-dill gravy--served with French bread, and also, cherried chicken (thighs) served over couscous, with brussell sprouts on the side. My actual favourites, are too expensive for me to make anymore, but they are my mum's New England pot roast, and my own version of a beef ragout.

15. If you could just hop on a plane, this weekend, and go anywhere, where would you go?

Um--the UK, I suppose. I'd like to see a play in the West End, and maybe take a jaunt out into some of the countryside, somewhere, maybe by train or something like that--of course, trying to get in a visit with some of my UK friends, that's I've never met, as well. That would be nice. Oh, and if it were possible, visit the Dr Who exhibit at Cardiff.

My second choice would be Iceland, in season--I really liked it there, even if it was only for 2 days, there was loads of fun stuff to do, there.

END OF MEME.

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Well, I was reading a blog, earlier, where some lady said she just paid 200 pounds for a custom made American purse!!! Yikes!!!

Who the hell pays $400 dollars for a blooming handbag???

Geez--some weeks, I've had to count pennies--literally, sit and count them, just to pay for things like cat food, milk, bread and toilet paper--I just am boggled by the fact that someone out there is chuffed because she or he got a custom made leather purse for around 400dollars--who the hell has that kind of money to throw around--just a little purse! There was a pic--okay, it was really pretty, but still...200 pounds for that little thing??? Dang!

I honestly cannot even fathom having that sort of money...

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1976 DODGE ADVENTURER PICK UP TRUCK (MINE WAS TAN)

But I like this blogger, and she did "tag" me politely...okay, what the heck.

1. What's the weather like where you are, right now?

Hot, hazy, sticky-humid, slight breeze, mostly cloudy, with breaks of sunshine--severe thunderstorms to our west, in neighbouring Hamilton County..heading our way, perhaps. Current temperature, 91 F (33 C), 57% humidity, winds 13mph from the south. Visibility: 5 miles.

2. When is the last time you went out to dinner with another person, where did you go?

The day of mum's graveside service--my two aunts and uncle took my sister and her family, and myself out to lunch at Friendly's resturant (a small New England-based restaurant/ice cream pallor chain), Nov. of 2005.

3. When is the last time you went out to dinner in a restaurant by yourself--what did you order?

I think it was in March or April, and I went to 99 restaurant in the local mall. I think I ordered the BBQ Turkey tenderloins, fries (chips) and coleslaw, with cornbread.

4. If you could do any job, what would you like to do?

I haven't a clue. I'd like to write, or do something where I can help/assist other people, or be outdoors a lot, or just get to do different stuff from time to time. And, I'd like to be good at what I do, of course. But as to what, specifically...not a clue.

5. When you were in school (Primary to college), what was your all-time favourite subject?

Oh, that's a tough call. In respects to college, that's really tough to say--there were so many! I'd have to say it's a four-way tie, between Western Horsemanship, playwriting, acting 101 and the overseas studies programme in the Netherlands--with World Lit a close runner up. In elementary (kindergarten to 8th year), it was either English or History. I didn't really have a favourite subject in high school (9th-12th year), as I recall...maybe English or cooking class, maybe chorus?

6. What type of town were you raised in: rural, village, town, estate (suburb?), medium-sized city? large city?

Village of approx. 3000 pop. Bit of everything: estate/suburb, semi-rural, semi-city.

7. If you could order some food delivered to you, right now, what would it be?

Don't laugh, but I'd love some Burger King right now--

by the way, I may have to cut this short--we're under a severe thunderstorm warning, and it looks very bad on radar--bow echo...not good, that's where micro-bursts and tornadoes come from.

8. What three things are you most afraid of?

A. homelessness/being sectioned

B. tornadoes

B. fire

9. What's are you three most favourite television shows of all time?

Doctor Who, and...I don't know...I haven't watched television in ages...MASH, maybe, or Are You Being Served? Beats me--I used to like Mcgyver and Law and Order...Columbo, Rockford Files, Quincy, Streets of San Francisco...

10. When's the last time you did something that could be called, "cultural?"

Went to the local history museum, last Saturday.

11. Have you ever volunteered for something, and if yes, what did you do? (gonna' wrap this up..storm's getting close now...)

Library aide, tour guide, side/walker & leader for theraputic horseback riding, secretary of a DR Who fan club, V-P of the college anthropology club, wait tables, cook, assist at a hot air baloon festival

DOCTOR: "Quick Martha, run!"
MARTHA: "Why?"
DOCTOR: "There's a sale on Doctor Who undershorts at Sainsbury's, and I don't want to miss it!"

"Just let me get out of these jim-jams and I'll show you my sword."

"I told you, I don't want any Tardis insurance! Damned intergalactic telemarketers!"

One of my co-workers went into labour, the other day. Then, after she left, someone else went into the old, "miracle of birth" stuff.

Yeah? Well, I've helped bring life into this world--not human life, of course, just cats and dogs. Attending a birthing can truly be a wonder and a joy--and, sometimes, sorrow--and a also lot of worry...but a miracle? I think that's giving us humans far too much credit, personally.

We just...are. There's no miracle about it. It's just life--something alive is born, lives, dies. It's a cycle, that's all.

Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote: "Man is a god in ruins." Okay, so, a man can contribute to birth and death, but surely, so does womankind, from time to time. And, what makes a "man?" It's ain't just the equipment downstairs--even a male hamster has one of those, and he's no more a "man" than I am. Is it pride, honour, courage, compassion, dignity, strength? A combination of these? Or none?

Beats me.

Thing is, deep down, there's nothing really special about us--no more than there is with the growing of the grass, the setting of the sun--it's just the world, and the way the world is. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Despite all of our "progress," we are not so different now, than we were thousands of years ago.

Oh, Nancy's being just a tad cynical, today, I'm afraid. So sue me. that's just the way I feel.

Our "Trojan Horse" was "Weapons of Mass Destruction."

Reckon I'll probably be going to bed early--left work an hour and a half early tonight, as I was a bit under the weather, again. Laid down when I got home, and feel a bit better now-- tho' it's blinking hot, in here, thank you very much. The tropical steam-bath weather returned overnight, unfortunately.

Had a bad storm blow through, this afternoon, brief tho' it was. I was walking home tonight, past the Presbyterian "cathedral" (Being a small town girl, born and raised, I actually do have a hard time calling a building the size of the one, down the street, a "church." Strange, but true.) Anyhow, I was walking past--and was caught by surprise--leaves on the ground, littering the sidewalk and grass. And, not just any leaves--but coloured ones, like one sees more in early October! It's still a week off from September! That's not good, is is?

I wrote my drabble story and posted it on the Accord story blog. Meh--well, my stories aren't great, not by a long chalk--I'm no professional, after all-- but..I'm trying. Only two readers yesterday, but that's the way it goes, some days. I got 8 lovely people to sponsor me, who helped to raise 90 pounds, and that's just got me chuffed. www.nbgolash.blogspot.com/

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Doctor Who news:

News is that Mr. Tennant's definitely staying on to the end of S4. So, let's all blow raspberries to those rotten old newspapers, ey?

Looking forward to the Agatha Christie eppy, and the trip to the 1920's--a historically fun era, I feel. But...that's just me.

I've read Mr. Tennant will be flipping on some lights at a place called Blackpool--sounds a bit like what we do here, at Christmastime, with our light shows in Albany's Washington Park, and the Saratoga Spa State Park---drive around and see this big, elaborate animated light shows. Took my late mum to the Saratoga one, about 5 years ago. It was nice, because she could enjoy herself, without having to leave the car.

Okay, that's not sexy to me--that's just...scary.

The Ghost Pilots of Times Square
retold by
S. E. Schlosser

The Harvard man stiffened, his eyes widening incredulously and his mouth falling open in shock. He gasped but could not speak. The phantom RAF pilot smiled sardonically at him, nodded, and joined his friend in the doorway. Then the pilots vanished before the astonished man's eyes, just at the stroke of twelve midnight.

...I could be stuck wearing a panda suit for a living...

Think of all the things we take for granted, as human beings...and don't miss until they're gone.

Breathing--now there is something we'd miss, ey?

The sun--My goodnes! Wouldn't our holidays be boring without it? Oh wait, you folks in the U.K., have already had that, of late, haven't you? (Just thought I'd rub it in, a bit).

The Stars...can you imagine? If the stars only came out, once every 500 years--how people would react?

Water--source of life and death. Well, the death part we'd probably not miss, I suppose...but think of it, no water--we'd be going to pubs and buying a pint of...pee?

"Brilliant! Millions of years of human evolution, and that's the best they can do? Soggy chips on a plastic fork?"

"I've been thinking about piercing my ear, and getting a nipple ring, what do you think?"

"No, I'm not pale at all...I just look...Scottish."

Morning all!

Well, had to switch work days, yesterday---I was scheduled to have today and tomorrow off, but yesterday was decidedly under the weather---same complaint that had me in hospital, back in June--so I switched days, and took yesterday off, and will work my 9 hour, split-shift today. Oh joy, oh rapture, oh--bother. Bugger it all...I still feel like crap, this morning..but hey, got some actual sleep yesterday, so it was worth it.

I'm a bit washed out and weak yet--but taking extra doses of iron and the meds, as well, and no fainting, this time, so reckon if I take her easy, today, at work, I should do okay. It's not like I'm back cleaning loos and lugging bin bags up and down stairs, and through car parks, or at the motel, standing on my feet washing and folding towels, seven days a week. I'm sitting down, talking on the phone, right--tho' honestly, talking to thoughtless, angry and mean people for 9 hours, is almost as exhausting as when I was cleaning stalls and kennels, I swear! Gosh, aren't my fellow Americans mostly an ignorant, mean-spirited lot? I mean, I've LITERALLY worked with animals, who've had better manners than many Americans...no joke, I'm being perfectly serious. Oh yeah. I mean, the Canadians can be rude, as well--but, they at least they know how to behave properly! And, they have phone manners--most Americans, I'm appalled to find, these last 10 months, have no concept of even the most basic of manners--they can't even answer a telephone properly, for pity's sake...it's quite sad, really, I think.

Anyway, I think I can get through today--having tomorrow off will help. I work 10-3 then go back to work the 5-9 shift. I can do this--I think. Hell, just toss me a script, man. I can do scripts in my sleep--in fact, nearly have, several times.

So, an overcast and cool day here--not chilly, just cool. I haven't a single clean Item of clothing--except my underwear, of course. I just haven't been well enough to do the laundromat, this week. I'm going to try and get there tomorrow or Sunday morning.

I dream of being able to have a magic genie come along, and help me with my literal mountain of laundry--dragging bags of heavy laundry up and down 2 flights of stairs, into and out of cabs, and fighting for a machine at the laundromat--yeah, that's my typical 'day out," every two weeks or so. When I had a car, it was easy enough to stay on top of the washing, but now...man, it takes the stuffing out of me, just doing a few loads.

Well, gotta go wolf down some breakfast--can't really snack during the day--as I'm talking on the phone, and only get a 10 minute break (ever try to eat in 10 minutes?), so it's often a good 6 or 7 hours between breakfast and lunch, usually, so I try not to eat breakfast too early.

Well, this concludes my dreadfully boring post, this morning--cheers all!

I've not posted any stories from my Accord drabble-blog in a while, so thought I'd do one tonight. As always, you can access the story blog by clicking on the "100 stories" banner above, or by going to: www.nbgolash.blogspot.com/

DAY 34

STORY #34

What's in a Name?

Mr. and Mrs. Robertson moved to the little village of Muirvale for their summer holidays. The couple then went about buying a small boat. After much searching, they finally found a sleek little craft.

However, when it came to naming their new boat, neither could agree on the other’s choice. They decided to ask someone on the street--whatever that person replied, that was what they’d name the boat. They walked up to an old man, made their query, and he shook his head, saying, “Damned if I know.” So, that was how the little boat, got its name: “DAMIFINO”

One of my Dr Who forums that I visit, has a section where you can "ask the celebrites." A while ago, I posed a query to Dr Who writer, Barry Letts, and later, one to the 6th Doctor himself, Colin Baker.

Recently, in the past week, they both replied! And not only that, but they were just so awesomely nice, too!

What a kind thing that was, taking the time to answer me, personally. Wow! I'm sincerely chuffed, I am.

And, this week, I finally got to see episode 13...now this Dr Who fan is seriously well-pleased ...In light of being told, the other day, that the company I work for is folding, I really needed something nice to happen--and got three nice things in one week!

At home, 1979.

As a teen, I had two best friends: My mum and my half-collie, Shamrock.

Well, of course mum was #1--but sometimes she wasn't so sure!

I went away to work in Yellowstone park, when I was 19. It was my first long-term stay away from home. Not only that, but my first long trip, anywhere. You see, my dad didn't do holidays...just short day trips, mostly. The only overnight stay we ever had, as a family (minus my wayward sister) was a weekend in Vermont, in 1977.

Until June of 1980, I'd never been further west from Albany, NY, than the 3 or 4 hour drive to the city of Syracuse, in central NY state. And that, only the year before! Before 1979, I'd never been further west from the capital city of Albany, than the small grubby mill city of Amsterdam, NY (hometown of actor Kirk Douglas)--which was about forty or forty-five miles west of my birth city.

Anyhow, mum loved Shamrock, my dog. Actually, everyone loved Sham, she was that kind of dog--smart and gentle--she really was just like Lassie! Even our local dog-hater--the guy on our street who normally loathed and detested dogs, liked her! (Caught the old grouch petting and talking to her, one day!) So, when I went away to Wyoming, I sorely missed my Shamrock. We went everywhere together--she was my constant companion, we even slept in the same room together (her mostly on the floor--'tho sometimes I'd wake and find a collie head on my pillow, and and collie back against mine--she took up the entire length of my bed!)

So, in Wyoming, once every fortnight, I'd ring up mum on a Friday--after she got home from her job at the village library, and apparently (she razzed me about this for years, tho' I honestly don't remember it), I'd often ask first, how Shamrock was! Well, I know she was pining for me, as the one letter my sister sent to me, that summer, said so.

I actually think mum was sometimes a bit jealous of Shamrock! But, as I said, mum loved Sham too, not quite--but, almost--as much as me.

OMG!!!

I just got an e-mail from someone I recently met on a Dr Who fan page--I barely know this person, but she (I'm assuming it's a she, as she said she was DT's "biggest fan"), anyway, this is the same person who e-mailed me the..umm--crotch pic, this morning. Now--she says she's went and printed out some of my pages from this blog (how she found this blog, I don't know--must've put a link somewhere, and forgot about it).

So, I thought, "Okay, whatever floats your boat, kiddo." Then, I read the rest--OMG!!!

She says, she "printed out my David Tennant captions"--and she's actually going to mail them to him!!!

No!!!

I wrote her right back and politely but firmly asked her to refrain from that.

My gosh, wouldn't I just be mortified, if Mr. Tennant saw my little jibes at him? Oh, yes. I very much would be, even tho' I will never have any contact with the guy, still...

I mean, they are innocent jokes, but still--I'd feel dead awful if I hurt the man's feelings or made him angry...especially in light of his recent loss.

Guess maybe I should cool it with the captions and the joke DT "news" items, for a while.

Man, that would upset me, that would. When I write these "captions," it's just a way to pass the time, take my mind off of things, you know? It honestly never occured to me...I mean, it wouldn't, would it?

Well, it has now. So, no more DT humour--Dr Who, yes, but DT--I think I'd better stop with that.

It's been a long and somewhat dull day. Nothing much accomplished, except to get a little much-needed rest.

I'm sitting here, wishing with all my heart, that I was somewhere else--well, I sometimes do that a lot, lately, I find. More and more, sadly.

Where would I like to be, right now?

Well, in my mind, at least, night like this...

It's cool and rainy this August night, nearly autumnal, really. Which is cool. I rather like autumn. Not as much as I used to mind, in light of the sadness past autumns have brought to me...especially November--two deaths in November, of the two lives that I loved most dear, in this life--yet...the wild winds of November, the roiling, racing clouds, the setting sun turning sad grey hills the colour of roses, the morning mist on the river, the frost on the fields--riming the grass and trees, watching my breath and the brown dead leaves, dancing on the air....it's both a sad time, and a time of freedom and free spirits, caught between the changing of the seasons--the dying summer, the coming of winter.

But, tonight, it's still summer. The leaves and grass are green, the crickets still sing, their songs drifting through my open window, in-between the traffic noises.

Sitting here, in my restlessnes, in my longing and sorrow, in my emptiness and, sometimes, fear, and also the quietude of another evening alone...I think of a place I'd rather be.

I'd love to be in a rural place, sitting on a screen porch, in a comfy chair, with a good book--- or perhaps in a garden, in front of a small open fire? I'd sit quietly..listening to the rain, the crickets, some soft music--perhaps some jazz or other instrumental tunes....sipping a cold drink, just...listening, enjoying the evening, the life around me--in a place that was my own...secure from the bulk of the turmoil and uncertainty and other stuff that plaques my everyday existence nowadays.

I'd like to just sit and not worry about things--just like the old days, back home. Just enjoy the night for what it is, without the storms of life, distracting my mind and soul.

Or, maybe on a night like this, I'd like to be with someone, maybe someday, have some quiet conversation over some cold sweet tea or hot coffee, maybe watch a movie, or play a board game or something. Just...ah, but that's not possible.

But, daydreams don't cost anything, do they?

It seems rumours that actor David Tennant has become addicted to the highly caffeinated Starbucks coffee are true, as witnessed by the above photograph.

What Doctor Who would be like, on a budget of 500 pounds, 25 P:

In this episode, the Doctor is in danger from alien dental floss.

In this episode, the Doctor must battle with a leak in the Tardis's upstairs loo.

And, in the series finale, the Doctor learns that he has gotten himself pregnant, by staring too long at a picture of the Pussycat Dolls in the nude.

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Please support Accord Hospice by sponsoring me: www.nbgolash.blogspot.com/

Exclusive! Here we see a photo of the official new US military salute--to be given during state dinners, and other White House functions involving foreign dignitaries.

Bush is said to have thought of the idea, in a meeting with former Prime Minister Tony Blair. It marks a new era in US diplomatic relations. A Bush spokesman says that the purpose of this new salute is, "to bring the USA to it's lowest common denominator--therefore eliminating the need for common sense thinking and good verbal skills."

NY state politics are much the same as elsewhere in the globe--mudslinging, backbiting, petty accusations, petty theft, etc.

Our new democratic state gov--former state attorney general, Eliot Spitzer has been in the news for going after the state's number one Republican blowhard, a guy named Joe Bruno.

Now, there's the news that a major player in the republican party--a consultant who's worked with Nixon, Regan and Bush--has made a threatening phone call to Spitzer's 80 year old dad, a real estate millionaire--over the fact that dad loaned his son funds years ago, to help repay campaign debt--which may or may not be illegal (still up for debate, it seems).

This republican left a nasty threating message on the elder Spitzer's answering machine, swearing profusely, and threatening to have the man hauled in and arrested, unless he came clean about the loan, publicly.

When charged with making the threatening call--recorded on tape and traced to a residence owned by this republican, the republican claimed:

1. that the residence was being rented by "some Spitzer supporter."
2. That that wasn't his voice
3. that someone "must have gotten into the apartment and used it" (the apartment phone).
4. that someone must have played an elaborate hoax, just to discredit him and somehow managed to make it appear it was his voice and phone number...
5. and he's going to pay someone to have the recording analyzed...(yeah, that'll be an unbiased analysis, do you reckon?)

Ah, politicians--gotta' love their sense of outrage and denial, ey?

Really...no.

Anyway, some fangirl e-mailed me this pic--found it in my in-box this morning, along with a couple of standard pics. She says she likes the pics of chose of him, to put on my blog, and apparently wanted me to have these, as well.

I swear--I did not go surfing for a pic of David Tennant's crotch, on my honour I didn't! At least, the sender, dtfanaticgirl14 (I'm thinking the "14" stands for her age) had good intentions...however misplaced. I'm too old for this fangirl stuff...besides the fact, however much I like the man, I'm just not physically attracted to him, at all. I'm not sure why some people think I should be. He's just an average looking bloke, to me.

Nice to know that at least he wears clean underwear...well, you can't see any skid marks, at least. Man, this guy's so white, you could shine a torch on him and use him as a homing beacon.

Okay, here goes, a young David Tennant's undershorts--hope you're not eating lunch, folks.

Accord Hospice Drabble-a-thon story page: www.nbgolash.blogspot.com/

I loved this song, when it first came out! Still do. Add in Dr Who--good video.

I was thinking of this joke I read, once:

A cop was responding to a large traffic accident--no fatalities, thankfully--involving three truck drivers, a traveling salesman and a farmer with a tractor. The men were all standing 'round, looking at sports car, that was sitting alongside the road, just before the accident site.

The blond chick replied that she'd broken down and she was just trying to warn other drivers that her car had stopped. The cop asked, "Why didn't you just use flares?" "Don't have any," the blond said. "Well, the cop said, "you have tail lights--why didn't you just put on your emergency flashers?" The blond pointed to her...endowments, replying, "What do you think these are, officer?"

Well, very tired so off to bed. Got story number 33 down--I was remember gran's old Lane mahogany cedar chest, in the attic when I was small--in later years, I would dread dusting the monstrosity--it had side rails and the huge clawed feet and was a major pain to keep clean. But mum would always yell at us, not to go inside--that we'd die of suffocation rather quickly.

Well, we later were forced to sell the chest, to pay for moving expenses--our movers, on the day before, changed their estimate, leaving us 100 dollars short. So, nothing for it, but to sell to a dealer--who insultingly offered $20 for a chest--even damaged, that was worth well over $300, because it was a limited edition piece, and very rare--with a two-tone effect with two different coloured woods, a fancy backsplash and side rails--some real mahogany veneer, and solid cedar inside. Anyway, mum cried, having to sell it--but there was no hope for it--my last valuable piece, an antique cowboy saddle from 1890, had already been sold, and that chest was all the dealer was interested in. 7 years later, when I was flush again, I tried to find the chest, to buy it back--or, at least, find a match for it--but..no luck. Looked at every dealer for miles, the internet..no other chests ever surfaced. The chest was nearly one of it's kind, and I doubt I will ever see its like, ever again.

Anyway, thinking about that old chest..I thought of a story for my Accord Hospice story thing..so I sat down and jotting something off, I called, "The Lost Bride." www.nbgolash.blogspot.com/

Well, yawning away--another long day tomorrow--night everyone!

Taken from actual U.S. Military manuals, solider quotes and troop advice:

"The slipping gear could let your M203 grenade launcher fire when you least
expect it. That would make you quite unpopular in what's left of your
unit."
- Army's magazine of preventive maintenance.

I had that goshawful nightmare, the other night--the one with the snakes and the tornadoes attacking me--now I know what it was foretelling: My company that I work for is biting the dust, soon. I will be in the ranks of the unemployed. I'm so screwed! I felt this might happen--this company is very flighty, very slip-shod with training, and benefits and such...basically, you could see the people in charge, running it into the ground. They've already eliminated or shifted jobs from the business-to-business section. Yet, the dipsticks are still hiring! They let people go, and then they hire people--stupid!

God, doesn't life just suck for some of us? I've been trying for months, to find either a better job, or a part-time job..nothing. Without a car, and with my recent disability from the accident, and my lack of Excell/accounting ability, I'm pretty much **** outta' luck.

I've been spending the past week, surfing for online jobs--but, the few legit jobs, that don't want me to pay for the privilidge, don't really pay off for at least 6 months or a year--not a practical solution, not by a long shot.

I don't know--can't make ends meet with a low-wage job, no way. But, I mostly don't qualify for high-wage jobs. Damned if I do, damned if I don't.

Ah well--so what, right? Not your problem. I just am stuck, no help for it. A bottom feeder. It's the worst feeling in the world, when no one wants to hire you--or, the ONLY one's that do want to hire you, are for the worst possible low-wage jobs, that no one in their right mind, wants. It doesn't do much for one's ego or positive outlook on life, let me tell you...

I've heard, since a gay magazine voted him sexiest Doctor, some people question Mr. Tennant's..erm...gender preferences.

Well, here's proof that he's a straight guy:

He's carrying a man-purse.

He's wearing a maroon velvet blazer.

He talks with his hands.

He plays with himself.

He...erm--he...ummm--

Didn't get much sleep--worrying about the electric now--and my apartment still looks like a tip--as it often does, when I work these blasted spilt shifts. Gah!!! I miss working 9 to 5, M-F, sometimes. Not that I mind, really, the crazy hours and flipping weird scheduling--I mean, heck, it ain't like I have any plans or anywhere else to go, is it?

Let's face it, for me, having my "plans" ruined, literally means I can't go to the laundromat or grocery store, as planned.

I wish this city had a decent museum or something--or that I had the time, energy and money to go to Saratoga Springs or Lake George for an afternoon. I mean, there are galleries here, private one's, and the Hyde--a museum featuring world-class art and some period furnishings. They had some Picasso sketches on display, as I recall, a few years back. But having been to so many museums, in Albany, NY, Manhattan--and lost track how many historic homes and local museums in NY state. Plus, Cambridge and Pittsfield and Williamstown (The Clark--a fine art museum with many works by great artists), plus MassMOCA (modern art), in Massachusetts, The rijksmuseum and other small museums (one with bog bodies, which was cool) in the Netherlands, and of course, the Cairo Museum---Glens Fall's museum--meh. I mean, who goes into a museum, and says, "Hey! Let's do a whole display around back yard living through the last 100 years! We can have lawn mowers and lawn chair displays, and lots of really boring pictures of gardens!" YAWN!!!

Okay, it's not as bad as Lake Luzerne's "Pulp Mill Museum" in Mill Park--literally, a small wooden shed with a mill stone and lots of black and white photos on the walls, and some old guy relating the history of making paper pulp, in a monotone. Whoo-hoo! Now there was an exciting day out. Next stop...the slate museum in Granville! Ohhhh!

It's overcast and chilly, this morning, 54 F (12 C), going to warm up a bit, later, tho'.

Just got a look at my drabble story from last night--day 32... (she winces)---bleh! I was very much more than half-asleep when I wrote it, and seriously, you can tell. Well, it's no big deal. At least I wrote something.

Gah! I feel like I'm a schoolkid again to day--I don't wanna' go, ma! I'd give anything, sell my soul, to just sleep in, this morning. I suck--totally suck--at selling these memberships..hate it with a passion! But, I've had loads worse jobs than this.

Off to do some stuff before work. Cheers.

I'd just gone to bed, was trying to sleep, when something woke me...my kitchen light was on--but...it had been off not five minutes ago! Then, it started turning on and off and on, of it's own volition! What the heck??? That's not good, for an electrical thing, is it?

Being that I'm slightly pyrophobic, that's worrying me, now. What if there's a fire--especially while I'm away? I no longer have insurance--and...okay, it's stupid to be scared and worried over a ceiling light turning on and off by itself, isn't it? But..I am...I am even shaking slightly, even tho' I know that's stupid.

Well, the apartment's a mess--funny how messy it can get in the space of three days, isn't it? Anyway, tho' I'm completely exhausted, I'll have to stay up and clean--and lose a day's work, waiting on an electrical guy (at 1.00am do not expect me to be able to spell "electrictian")

I got the Accord story done, at any rate. But Gosh, I'm ready to drop. Why me!?!

1. You've taken your kids trick-or-treating on Halloween, during a snowstorm.
2. You only own three spices- salt, pepper and ketchup.
3. The mosquitoes have landing lights.
4. You have more miles on your snowblower than your car.
5. You have 100 favourite recipes for venison, 25 for wild turkey, 10 for bear, and 5 for roadkill.
6. The local Hardware store on any Saturday is busier than the toy stores at Christmas--especially if it also sells fishing worms, guns, livestock feed and ammo.
7. You think sexy lingerie is tube socks and a flannel nightie with only 8 buttons.
8. The local paper covers national and international headlines on l/4 page, but requires 6 pages for sports.
9. You and your buddies spend a lot of time bragging about your chainsaws.
10. Your snow-blower gets stuck on the roof.
11. You think the start of deer hunting season is a national holiday.
12. You frequently clean grease off your barbecue so the bears won't prowl on your deck.
13. (My favourite): You know which leaves make good toilet paper. (I recommend maple)
14. The item at the top of your Christmas list is "ATV," followed by "Shotgun."
15. If you see more than two cars in a row, you know the light had changed in the next town five miles down the road. (Absolutely true, I swear!)
16. There's more bars (pubs) than there are churches in town.
17. You have to pull your wife to work on a tobbogin, in winter.
18. The church's big fundraiser of the year, is a chicken and biscuit dinner. (A biscuit is a dry doughy roll, not a sweet, over here)
19. You find minus 25 degrees F, a little chilly.
20. You know four seasons: Winter, Tourist season, hunting season, and winter.
21. Your town's main winter attractions are municipal snow removal and pee-wee hockey.
22. You like to snowmobile drunk and naked at four am, down the middle of the state highway (Yes--I've seen it--don't ask).
23. You have a "terrorist hunting permit" (joke) sticker on your truck, and think George W. Bush is the best president this country ever had, and really do believe everything he told about Iraq and Sadaam and 9/11 is the gospel truth.
24. The colour of your pick up truck or SUV is unrecognizable through all the mud spattered on it.
25. You have at least five mounted deer heads in your living room--and one more in the john (loo).

"Oi, you! Nice bum! Hey, sailor--going my way?"

"Yes, I do have a big bum in this regeneration, thanks!"

"Gotta' get myself some Preperation H!"

Currently on Day 31 of the Drabble-a-thon 100 Stories in 100 days Challenge, for Accord Hospice. Visit: www.nbgolash.blogspot.com/

I long to see the sky again,
To feel the joy of the sun playing
On the fluttering green leaves, sparkling off
Restless waters, the dance and the tapestries of
Life. I long to see the sky again, as I did
So long ago, I long to be free again, to know
Serenity, and the balance
Of earth and sky and water.

Well, had a fairly decent night's sleep, for a change, thankfully. Probably the first time in over a week. I was quite ill, last night--dizzy and weak, and feeling a bit worn down.

I think, besides the ongoing health problem, my schedule isn't helping things: I eat breakfast around 8.0 or 8.30, and then usually don't get lunch until around 3.30 or even 4.0...in my condition, that's a long time to go without eating. But, nothing for it. Have to work, and I only get two ten minute breaks during day shift, and one during night shift--barely enough time to use the loo and grab a cup of coffee, forget eating! By the time I get home during my lunch break, and make lunch, it's usually past 3.30. And, often, when I get home from night shift, a bit after 10, I sometimes am simply too tired to bother much with dinner.

It's a bit chilly and overcast here today, still very autumn-like. Glad to see that awful heat gone. Temps in the 90's (20 C's) are bad enough--but then bring in that tropical steam heat--yuck! You can keep it. I mean, I'm not exacting pining for January, and temps dropping to as low as zero F to -25 F or more (it got down to -40 F in Jan. of 2004), at times, but still...I can handle the sub-zero's a lot better than the blistering heat. I'm just a cold-weather lovin' gal, I suppose.

Well, had a very strange breakfast (leftover corn dogs--hot dogs on a stick covered with a cornmeal breading--and two left-over meatballs on a slice of bread). I ran out of cold cereal, and am out of eggs, and didn't feel like toast again, so I just grabbed whatever was fastest and handiest, and had done with it--don't know what my stomach's going to make of it, later, tho'.

I am reminded of when mum was lying in intensive care, those last few days--I was so utterly distraught and knackered, I was literally living on microwave popcorn, much of the time, because I just didn't feel up to shopping, at the time, and that was mostly all there was, in the caravan, was this whopping big box of Pop Secret Movie Theater Butter popcorn--it was either that or cat food.

Oh dear, have to get ready for work--where does the time go?

The cats hate my hours--they all hover about me when I'm home, when I work long days, begging for attention.

I'm back on the campaign I hate the most--in between two other different campaigns--good thing I'm flexible, work-wise, 'cause they had me all over the place, yesterday, shifting from script to script--selling, collecting and survey work--five different scripts--three different jobs, back and forth, all day. Which is fine--better than stuck doing the same thing all day, day in and day out. But, by 10 that night, I was stumbling a bit, over my scripts.

Well, off to finish getting ready for work. cheers. N.

Won't be seeing many posts by me, for a few days--just too tired to care, honestly. But..I have Friday off!

Not many blog entries at the mo' from me--I seem to be a bit unwell--same complaint that put me in hospital, back in June. Not that I'm rushing off to the ER, or anything. Just mildly dizzy and quite run-down, but no fainting or any such thing. I've been taking iron and vitamins, mostly, so I'm sure it'll be fine, hopefully, with a good night's sleep.

So, just wrote the Accord Hospice story (#31 @ www.nbgolash.blogspot.com/ called, "Baaa'd Language." )

Hope you all have a grand night, and a lovely tomorrow. Cheers.

I know, said I wasn't going to do any more of these stupid meme's but, promise, last one for a long time.

Vinyl or CD?
I only own four CD's--too expensive for my budget, and, I can only play them on the computer. Have lots of vinyl, tho', and a phonograph, so I'll say my lp's, thanks.

New York or London?
Been to NYC quite a few times, and tho' I'm not crazy about taking the bus, the four or five hours, to be there (it's the drive home that's a drag), but, I've always longed to see London, so I'd say, definitely London.

Night Club or down the Pub?
Not really either one--but if I had to say, I'd say pub. Never enjoyed nightclubs, even as a young person.

Sofa surfer or Gym bunny?
Nowadays, a sofa surfer, never a gym bunny...hate gyms, rather do something outside.

Money or Fame?
Beats me, never gave it much thought. I'd like to be comfortably well off, I suppose, 'cause someone like me doesn't stand a chance in hell of ever being famous.

Tent or Caravan?
Used to own a whopping big caravan, and have slept in a tent--not very comfy, tents. I could do either, but in my old age, I'd say caravan--easier on the arthritic joints.

Vodka or Gin?
Neither. Don't like alcohol much.

Chocolate or Cheese?
Cheese.

Camembert or Cheddar?
Either a nice mellow Vermont cheddar, or a New York State Extra Sharp cheddar.

Age & Wisdom or Youth & Beauty?
Never mind the youth and beauty crap, that's just to sell stuff--age and wisdom's where it's really at, baby. Ciao.

Burial or Cremation? Burial--preferably in the Albany Rural Cemetery, where I used to hang out with my dogs and mum.

Well, gave the kids upstairs holy hell, last night--what a bunch of dufuses's! They were told "no more noise past 11.00 pm---ever." And also, they were not to have guests over, after hours, without permission, unless they were very quiet--no all night parties any longer, without written permission--or so I heard. So, well...that worked...for about one whole night. Saturday, they were back to moving furniture around and heaven knows what else (playing field hockey, perhaps, having tired of playing golf in their little loft)...last night--started in a little past 11.00 pm--kept going, banging, racing 'round the apartment, dropping things on the floor, moving furniture about, playing the stereo...at 1.0am.

So, I rang up the intelligent roomate, told him I was ringing up the manager in the morning--last thing on earth I wanted to do mind, but at this point, it's me or them--and the landlord said it's me he wants to stay.

So, the kid acts all scared--whinges that if he gets evicted, he'll "have to move back in with my mother in Kansas." Oh, boo-hoo.

Turns out--they had friends over, against orders, and were having a party! Okay, what part of the written warning didn't these idiots get? I told the kid, that if he and his friends woke me up (they woke me twice, last night--which is why I didn't get to bed at 11.00 as planned, but 1.30am.), if they didn't cool it with the all-night parties every-single-blessed-night, I wasn't going to call them--I was going to call the manager, who is under orders to evict, if he gets one more complaint from another tenant (not just me).

From what I gather tho', their "friends" just let themselves in the apartment, and use the place as their own personal nightclub--man, I'd hate to see what that place looks like--the landlord's just fixed up the upstairs, to make it habitable, as the last tenant had trashed the loft, one of the neighbours told me.

Ah well. Here I am, working 10 to 10 shift today, and I'm knackered again. Typical.

Have to leave in a few minutes.

On another note, wrote my 30th story, last night, for Drabble-a-thon. Wow--my how time flies, ey?

Exclusive: It has been leaked out recently, that actor David Tennant has a secret phobia: He has become deathly afraid of black felt-tip pens.

Caught here on film is his reaction to being handed a black felt-tip marking pen:

It has also been rumoured, that the actor additionally suffers from an unreasoning fear of navel and toe lint.

READ Drabbe-a-thon story #29--"The Accident," which features actor David Tennant, at:
http://www.nbgolash.blogspot.com/

No, really!

First, a guy here in the states has invented (supposedly) a real working personal flying saucer, that hovers a short way over the ground, and carries up to two people. It's scheduled to go into production soon--still being tested.

And...

Tired of buying bras, ladies (and some gents)?

Never fear, the "bra implant" is here! Yup, now they've come out with a push-up bra that's permeanently inserted under your boobs--same day surgery, at that!

Forgive me, but I don't think Playtex has any big worries, for now.

Geez--why doesn't the bloke just wave a big flaming red flag that says, "I'M DESPERATE!"

I just had someone PM me, to tell me that my nightmares were very, very bad omens...well, what now, for pity's sake? I've had so much bad happen to me, I just don't give a damn--let it happen for pity's sake, and get it over with. Seriously, I honestly don't give a damn anymore. If a truck ran me down, so what? Six in one, half-a-dozen the other, and that's that.

First, this person, "zeekillalady," said that being attacked by snakes was one of the worst omens you can have--something horrible is about to happen to me. Okaay, then...and?

Also, the tornado dream (and yes, I already know this, been having these for over 20 years), also is foretelling of bad stuff happening.

Well, let's see..I can have 15 percent of my wages taken from me--and my disability money too, now, thanks to those bastards, the corporate-loving, totally evil blood-sucking Bush-ites--, or, I could be laid off permanently or fired, I could get sicker and really die next time, I could get hit by a car crossing the street, evicted, the apartment could burn down, I could hut my leg again and be even more unable to walk properly, lose my eyesight altogether, get beat up by some drunk coming home from the bars on South Street, erm--and that's just off the top of my head.

Life sucks, and then you die, people.

I'm tired still, this morning, but a bit more rested than yesterday. Had a horrible dream the night before, and it took me forever to get back to sleep. But, nothing like that last night--in fact, had an interesting dream. Can't really remember it, now, but I remember waking and thinking, "Hmm--interesting dream." Though...I do remember at one point, seeing a bunch of long black stretch limos stuck in the ice on a frozen canal, and also, being in the kitchen of some manse somewhere, standing in front of a minister, who's pants fell down around his ankles and he didn't notice, and I was trying very hard to ignore it... Weird, huh?

The nightmare the night before, consisted of me and mum and the cats, hiding from a tornado in a cellar with loads of windows (as in "oh yeah, this'll be safe in a tornado")--filled with all of these little baby snakes--the snakes weren't poisonous, but had sharp teeth and kept attacking my boot and chomping on and clinging to my feet, and trying to attack Flame, and I would stomp on one, and two more would attack me--then the all clear signal was given, the danger was over so we left the cellar--but the danger wasn't over--we looked out the window, and this big, thick, roiling black cloud was demolishing the buildings opposite the window, and headed straight for us, and I tried to run, but couldn't, thinking, just before I woke up, "We're dead..."

I need to get a shrink maybe?

Anyway, I wrote story 29 last night, about David Tennant, of all things. I wanted to do something different, and a DT fan made a suggestion, and I ran with it. Of course, anyone not familar with Tennant or Who, probably won't get the gist of the story, but I went ahead and did it, anyway. The suggestion was that DT had the radio on, and the Proclaimers--apparently his favourite band--came on. Reading the suggestion, something immediately clicked, and I wrote the story in about 15 minutes.

Sometimes, it takes a half hour or more to write one of these stories--sometimes they just get jotted off, quick as a wink. Guess it depends a lot on how creative I'm feeling--or maybe just my mood? Often tho', it takes longer for me to set up and design a new post, than it does to write the blinking story!

ACCORD HOSPICE 100 STORIES BLOG:

http://www.nbgolash.blogspot.com/

Yup, my friends, I've done been tagged...by a blogger I don't even know!!!

Well, for what it's worth, here goes--but I think this may be the last meme for a while, as this is getting a bit old, now.

PART I.

1. What is the most unlucky thing that has happened to you all week?

Having been kept awake all night by the teens upstairs for several nights, and having to take an afternoon off, and go into work on my one day off, to make up some time.

2. Do bad things happen more often to good people or bad people? Oh, I don't know--probably to good people--sort of like how drunk drivers never get hurt, just the innocent people they crash into, and George Bush is fine and well, but thousands of little kids in Iraq have been maimed and died.

3. How much do you believe that you can improve your outlook in life by doing good deeds and correcting past wrongs?

I don't know. I'm doing the drabble-a-thon, partly, to give myself something positive to do this summer--since I can't go anywhere, but I don't think it's significantly changed my outlook at all.

4. What do you think your future will be like?

What future?

5. Do you believe in fate, coincidence, or both?

Neither, I reckon, just based on life experience.

6. Overall, when bad things happen, how often do you believe the victim generally had it coming?

Mostly never. Except maybe for Texas.

PART II.

If you could be a nationality other than your own, which would you choose?

British or Dutch.

What is the most beautiful word you can think of?
Tranquil.

What two famous people would you most like to stand next to in a picture?

Hmm--I really couldn't care about celebs that much, but I guess, if I have to choose two, it would be David Tennant and HM The Queen of England.

What 2 beverages do you find most disgusting?

Banana Milkshake. Tomato juice.

What are your 2 favourite kinds of donuts?

Dunkin' Donuts Chocolate Honey Dip, and, homemade apple cider donuts from a roadside (orchard) stand--preferably fresh, as in hot from the fryer.

PART III.
If you could dis-invent one thing, what would it be?
Being half-awake, I initially said "cable television," but on second thoughts, I'd say the nuclear bomb.

What makes you want to vomit?
Neo-conservative fundementalist, gun-loving, biggoted, George Bush worshipping, republican Christians.

Who do you wish gave you more attention?
Don't know. I really don't have anyone around me, physically, just my internet friends, and they have their own lives to lead. I do wish I was wanted/needed by someone, tho', I suppose.

Given an unlimited ability to eat, how many slices of pizza could you consume?
Hmmm--nowadays my average is two--with a peak at 3 or 4. But, if I had the appetite and unlimited stomach space: probably 12, easy.

What natural disaster are you most frightened of?
A tornado, definitely.

Assuming you're an adult, what what was you favorite item of clothing as a young teenager?

My cowboy hat.

What celebrity makes you glad you are not a celebrity?

Paris Hilton

Besides a cat, goldfish, hamster or dog, what animal would you want as a house pet?
I once knew a guy who kept a leopard--even let me pet it. I think that would be really cool, to have a leopard.

Found this on a site called, "That's my Answer."

If you had the use of a time machine and could venture to any point in the future, how many years ahead would you want to travel? Let’s say that your time machine is broken and now you are stuck in your choosen time! What will you do?

Hmmm--well, not far, becasue I'm curious about something. I'd like to travel to 2018--being careful, if I am still alive in that time period, not to run into myself--anyway, it's said that there's this enormous meteor--about a mile wide, headed right for earth, and if it hits us, it will be in the year 2017. If it hits, it's said it will wipe out most life on the planet. (There's a cheery thought to start your Sunday, ey?)

I'm curious to see if that happens, and how any remaining life adapts-- And also, if it misses, I'd like to go back and see what has been revealed about George Bush, where the US and UK stand, after all the massive economic and cultural upheavals of these last couple of decades--and the true impact of the Iraq War/War on Terror, and if there did turn out to be another Cold War, like everyone's predicting. I'd like to see if the US has had a Civil War, or if everything's business as usual, and if Scotland became independent. I'd like to see if global warming has drastically altered life here, or if people have adapted okay. I'd also be curious to see how the towns and villages and cities I knew in the past and know in the present, have changed. And, I'd like to see where the entertainment field has gone--is theater still popular? What's radio like? Movies and TV? The internet? Where has technology taken us? Will 2018 be more or less violent than now? What is religion's role in the future? Will the USA get it's act together with the health care issue? Will there be massive poverty--the middle class gone, and only the rich and the poor?

Getting stuck in 2018---

Well, if the earth is messed up from the meteor, I guess I'd have to just use my common sense and my somewhat dodgy survival skill knowledge, to try to survive on my own--I'd bring my old wilderness camping book with me, just in case, titled: The New Way of the Wilderness. If there was no meteor, I reckon I'd just hunker down and get on with my life, try to adjust as best as I can, and keep a low profile...and try maybe, to find someone to fix my machine?

1. a movie that made you laugh: Rat Race
2. a book that made you cry: Black Beauty (when Ginger died)
3. a best friend: My late mum
4. a favorite childhood memory: Going to the World's Fair in NYC, in 1965.
5. your favorite animal: Horse.
6. your favorite food: Pizza
7. an item of clothing you can't do without: clean underwear--or, less pratically, my cowboy hat.
8. something you collect: model horses
9. your favorite store to shop in: Tie-- Walkers Farm, Home and Tack and Peter Harris Clothing.
10. your favorite flower: Iris

"Oh, my! Kylie's coming on set! Oh! Oh! I'm getting hot flashes!"


"I'm a Time Lord. Don't mess with me."

"Oh great, they're putting on the helmet, and I've got an itchy nose!"

Will Farrell, doing a very credible impression of the world's leading idiot--I mean the idiot world's leader...erm, well, you know what I mean...

It's such a gorgeous day today! Very autumn-like---in the good sort of way, of course. It's the type of day, I sorely miss my car/truck. It's the type of day, I'd get in my car--and just...drive. Open roads over rolling hills and farmland, going...no place in particular, just...going. Free, watching the gorgeous day and the lovely scenery (and, yes, of course, the road) slide by me, good tunes playing, free as a bird. Ah, how I miss that.

I did treat myself tho'--went to the little local museum across from my office building. Nothing much, just some local photographs from the 19th and early 20th century, and a historic home tour, and a gallery, which showcased "backyard living through the ages"--antiques and photos showing 100 years of garden photos, BBQ's, , gardening stuff, lawn mowers and porch chairs and what-not..very (yawn) exciting. But, it was somewhat to do, wasn't it?

My bad foot is aching something fierce though, from all that tramping around. You know, I almost wouldn't have minded, ruining my foot, if it'd been something more glamorous than a slip and fall in the kitchen.

Oh yes, I group my injuries into two categories: glam and bleh.

I mean, you gotta' admit, telling someone you got hurt being run over by a horse, is a lot more glam than saying that you slipped on ice while snowshoeing.

Or, you had a spectacular bike crash, vs. having your knee slammed in a car door.

I mean, which sounds better, from a conversational point of view?

"Oh, I hurt my knee getting bucked off by an out of control horse."

or,

"Oh, I hurt my toe because a friend dropped a big rock on it, while we were looking for fishing worms."

Off to work in a mo'--very autumnal today--like it. Hate the hot weather.

Went to a yard sale, spent around a dollar--and old metal Pepsi sign to decorate my kitchen, and a new storage box for my cultlery--as the old one looks rubbish.

Just finished writing drabble-a-thon story #28, called, "The Happy Clown," for want of a better idea. www.nbgolash.blogspot.com/

Have a good day, all. Cheers. N.

TEN FIRSTS
First best friend: Tommy G.
First screen name: Tardis27
First Pet: Buttons, a black cat
First Piercing: ears--not used in years.
First Crush: Bobby Sherman
First Record: The Beatles first Album
First Car: AMC Rambler, 1967?
First Love: Not Yet
First stuffed animal: Horse

NINE LASTS
Last alcoholic beverage: Seagram's raspberry malt cooler
Last car ride: Taxi back from Walmarts last Saturday.
Last movie seen: Cinema (drive-in movies)--40 year old Virgin. Computer--Night at the Museum
Last phone call made: to work
Last CD Played: Dr Who soundtrack
Last Bubble bath: 3 or 4 years ago
Last time you cried: day before yesterday

EIGHT HAVE YOU EVERS
Have you ever dated one of your best friends: No.
Have you ever been arrested: Refuse to answer on the grounds it might incriminate me.
Have you ever skinny dipped: Ditto.
Have you ever been on TV: Yes
Have you ever kissed someone, and then regretted it: Never been snogged.
Have you ever had a sex dream about someone: No.
Have you ever had sex? No.

SEVEN THINGS YOU ARE WEARING
1. Jeans
2. Nightshirt
3. Glasses
4. underpants
5.
6.
7.

SIX THINGS YOU'VE DONE TODAY
1. Woke up wishing it was my day off--oh wait, it was, but then I had to make up some hours..
2. Put on a pair of jeans so I could go in the front room
3. Pet Boots
4. Looked out the window--trying to decide if I wanted to check out the yard and garage sales around the corner--meh.
5. turned on the computer and blogged
6. Petted Charlie

FIVE FAVOURITE THINGS IN NO ORDER
1. Dr Who
2. My pets
3. My books
4. Anything to do with horses
5. Writing/blogging

FOUR PEOPLE YOU CAN TELL ALMOST ANYTHING TO
1. G.
2. G.
3. S.
4.

THREE CHOICES
1. Black or white: Black
2. Hot or Cold: Cold
3. Chocolate or Vanilla: Chocolate

TWO THINGS YOU WANT TO DO BEFORE YOU DIE
1. Be published on a large scale
2. Visit the UK

ONE THING YOU REGRET
Not saying goodbye to my best friend and my dad, when they died.

You Are 32% Massachusetts

You could pass for being from Massachusetts - until you open your mouth and start pronouncing R's. How Massachusetts Are You?

I spent a fair amount of time in the Berkshires of Massachusetts, as a kid. My Aunt Mary was a tad eccentric--she once drove her car down the middle of a railroad track, because she wanted to pick some flowers that grew alongside the tracks. The only dish she could could make, that wouldn't send you straight to the loo, was creamed potatoes--which were actually quite good. In her late 60's, she "discovered" the Beatles. She once got a ticket for parking her car in the middle of a roundabout, because she couldn't find a parking space close enough to the church. She built her own fireplace, stone by stone. Her best friend was a half-blind outsider (self-taught) painter, an old black man who lived in a trailer (caravan) next to the local dump (tip). She once played hookey from school, as a girl, so she and her girlfriend could sneak back to the farm to watch them breed a cow and a bull. She once took a painting someone else had done, blotted out their initials in the corner, and put hers in, instead.
THE BERKSHIRES OF MASSACHUSETTS:

It was a long day today--and guess what? They changed my schedule--AGAIN!
Dang! Good thing I have no life--I'd never be able to make any plans!

But, at least I'm being given two days off in a row, Friday and Saturday.

My new schedule's a killer, tho--work Sunday for several hours, then four 9 hour days in a row!

I'm gonna' need Friday just to sleep, ha-ha.

And, I have some good news, to report--not a huge thing, but..it'll help a little.

The government giveth--then taketh, then giveth, then taketh..and now, yup, it giveth.

Seems that mysterious check I got from Social Security--was a back-payment! Seems when they stopped my 600 dollar check in May (with no prior notice), they were supposed to give me and SSI check, according to NY State guidelines, as my income, in this county, falls just tiny hair below of the poverty level for one person, living alone, with only one source of income.

So, once a month, starting in September, I get a 92 dollar check. Not a windfall--but I'm squirreling them away for when there's another lay off--or using it to pay my internet/phone bill, whichever need is more urgent. In this case, for September, it'll probably be the internet bill, as I'm not sure I'll have enough to cover it, this month.

The United States is so incredibly flaky!

Here's a pic of a typical US government employee:

Almost got hit by a lovely Glens Falls police car, crossing the street tonight. Scared the pants off of me--especially since the light was red when I started crossing, and the guy just blew through the intersection--this utterly mindless city has a light that allows cars to go west bound (the main street runs north/south here, and the cross-street runs east/west) when all the other traffic has red--the thing is, there's no way a pedestrian in the crosswalk, on the west side of the cross-street can actually SEE, that the light facing the eastern side of the cross-street has changed! No way!

So, all lights appear to be red--except, apparently the east-facing light for west-bound traffic..that changed, and I never saw it, so this stinking GF policeman blows through the crosswalk at speed, and misses me by two feet--which may sound like a lot, but, this guy was doing 45 in a 35 zone! Jerk! So, I'm scared, and I, as a reflex, yell at him--didn't swear, but, you know, you're tired and sore, walking home-you react without thinking...and the son of a bitch (pardon my language, but I'm really, really angry and upset) actually makes an illegal U-turn, turns around, pulls in front of me and threatens to give me a ticket for yelling at him for almost running me down--and for jaywalking against a light that only a physic could possibly know was green! The bastard!

Look, I hate my country, okay--I hate it with a passion--not for what it stands for, I'm actually quite proud of this land, and my heritage, and what this country USED to stand for--I hate America for what it has become! Stupid, stupid, stupid! Thoughtless and mean. I'm in a thousand times more danger of being hurt or killed by a "normal" American citizen, than I ever will be, by some real (or imaginary) terrorist! Common sense has left the building, and is flying into outer space somewhere.

Forget all the patriotic propaganda drivel--America totally sucks.

It's only good if you live in an isolated little bubble, or are rich enough-- or stupid enough, to ignore reality and throw plain old common sense, and basic thinking and observation skills, out the window.

And, from a life time of observation and common sense, blended with very large does of true reality, I stand by my words/feelings. If you don't like it--get your own blog!

Reality, people, isn't a TV show.

There's nothing pretty or entertaining about life in the real world, when you are at the bottom, and/or, you are acutely aware of the nation's/world's flaws.

PS: Spending a good part of the day, getting screamed at and told to "fawk" off, hasn't put me in a splendid mood, I'm afraid. Even tho', financially speaking, this is the highest paying job I've ever had--9.00 (4 pounds 50) an hour, telemarketing sucks!

"Mmmm--love being the sexiest Time Lord in History."

"Here we are, Martha, the set of Saturday Night Fever, now shake your bootie and get out here!"

"Hey Martha! Quick! I need to pass gas to defeat these aliens--pull my finger!"

www.nbgolash.blogspot.com/

www.accord.org.uk

Good morning! Have a great day, everyone--working 10 to 10 shift today.

I'm not much into "The Donald," but I give him credit for not being afraid to voice his opinions. "Political dissent is the highest form of patriotism."--Thomas Jefferson.

You know, when I was a under 9 years old, my sister and I--and all the other kids on our little street--seven families--had to be in bed before ten. All the parents did this, as it was considered proper to have your kids in bed for a good night's rest.

Now, I know things have changed in the last thirty-some-odd years, but...now..there are no parents any more.

It's half-past ten here, and some guy has two very young children on the street corner, and is letting them set off--I'm not kidding--illegal firecrackers! Now, granted, they're only the popper kind--but they still a banned firework, according to the new fireworks laws.

Now, true, it's doubtful the kids will hurt themselves, as these aren't especially dangerous, but they just made them illegal--I mean, would you have your wee one's out, on the city's main street--where cops continually patrol--at half-past ten at night, playing with an illegal item out in plain sight? I mean, wouldn't you at least wait 'till you got home???

Well, I used to see young mum's taking their infants and toddlers to the night harness races--amid the beer-swilling, cursing, shouting men (and, sadly, some women)...I mean, what's with that???

Heck--they let their kids scream and curse at them, and scream and curse at their kids--they aren't parents, they are just...zoo keepers. Oh, maybe deep down, they love their kids--but those kids don't have a chance. It really troubles me, to hear little kids swear and be rude and dress like prostitutes and gangbangers, sometimes--it makes me very sad, for the kids, truly it does--with absolutely NO good, civilized, intelligent parental role models--what sort of future do this kids have? What sort of humans will they turn into? Will they truly be human, any longer?

Musically speaking, that is...

You Scored 20% Correct

You've heard of the 80s But you won't be showing up on I Love the 80s anytime soon You sometimes recognize a hit from the 80s Usually in the form of a cover song How Much Do You Know About 80s Music?

Meant to write about this--well, as I mentioned before, a chav couple in WalMart's (Asda) refused to move themselves or their shopping cart out of the way of a handicapped man, the other day, and the woman pitched a fit when I nudged the EMPTY cart aside a whole 12 inches.

Well, the other day, I had to go to get some meds from the big drug store downtown, and once again, a shopping cart was blocking the aisle--it had some assorted stuff in it, but no purse or anything of value, that I could see. But, it was right up against the shelf where the arthritis medicine (for some reason, my joints have been seriously stiff of late)--is kept, so, I pushed the cart over to get the meds--and was virtually accosted--this time by a little old lady! "That's MY cart!" She snarled. I just shook my head, said, "Sorry, didn't know you could own one of these things," gave her "the look"--you know, that awful, marytred "I'm sooo-disappointed in you" look, your mum's used to give you, when you mis-behaved? And, walked off to pay for my stuff at the cash register.

What the heck is with some people and their shopping carts???

Yeah, like I'm going to nip into somebody else's cart for some hair gel, rather than waste my time going down the aisle to get some? Wait a minute--hmmm..that would save some time though, wouldn't it? When they're not looking, I could just nick things I want out of other shopper's carts, as they go by, and never have to leave the front of the store! Very handy in these big mega-stores they have, nowadays.

So, recently, the county of Albany NY, passed a law prohibiting restaurants from selling any food made with transfatty oils.

Now, NY state lawmakers and tobacco activists, want to make it illegal for anyone to smoke in their car, if there is a child on board. Okay, why not just ban cigarettes, altogether? Cigarette prohibition? I don't smoke, but I really feel sorry for people who do. I mean, these people smoke around their kids at home--when I was wee, I used to sit on my dad's lap, as he sat in his chair, chain-smoking his Pall-Mall's and reading the evening paper. What are these people going to do, install CCTV cameras in every smoker's home, too?

Yet, the laws for drunk drivers--even tho' they are getting stiffer, like jailing parents who give their kids booze, raising the legal age to 21, "surprise" DWI road block patrols (which are stupidly announced days in advance, to avoid getting sued for entrapment) and carding everyone--regardless of age...yes, I'm 46, and when I bought some wine cooler a few months back, I got asked for my I.D--anyway, the laws are well enforced--but judges are too often way too lenient. Just a few years ago, a local man was driving drunk on a mountain road, took out a mum and her two kids--and the judge let him off with a suspended sentence! Why? Because he'd had no prior offences and...well, the judge was an ignorant arse. What other expliation could there be?

Ah, see? Good thing I didn't go on the lake cruise--just checked the local radar...they're having a big storm on the lake, even as I write this. More big storms coming in--really getting dark out there, and it's not even 7.0pm yet...Lake George is 32 miles long, so it's not exactly a small lake..and it can get rather nasty during a storm. If it's bad enough, despite the size of the boat, they may have to turn 'round and come back in, 'cause that lake can get pretty rough if the wind comes in over 40mph.

Everybody yodel!!

Well, yours truly is honestly knackered. Sort of sad to be missing out on the lake cruise--but office do's, unless they're mandatory, have never really been the highlight of any of my days--ever. I suppose, it might me different, if I loved my job, or worked in a close-knit group or something...but, tho' I have a few people I chat with at the office, I don't really have any friends there, to speak of. So, I'd have to spend the night making small talk--which I can do just fine, without too much discomfort, but...not my idea of a good time.

I mean, if I have to go on a lake cruise, I'd rather either go by myself, or go with one or two good friends or family--or even with a group I'm close to, like at college--at least in college, we had more things in common to chat about. It's not that I'm at a loss to do small talk--it's...well, I guess it's become so rare for me to have a good conversation, that I just throughly dislike banal small talk. I guess this may sound daft, but to me, a good conversation is a real joy.

Gah, I am just an old stick in the mud...forget about turning into my late mum, I'm turning into my late granny--not that I really remember my dad's mum...'cept her smile--she had a brilliant smile. All my grandparents were dead, by the time I was six--mum's mother died in the late 40's, and her dad died when I was about five or six. Dad's father was killed in a boiler explosion, in 1924--just before dad was born, and his mum, a deaf-mute, died when I was about four, I think.

Moving on,

I saw an advert on Blog.uk's homepage, advertising a hot pink waterless toilet--and I can't help but wonder:

Who out there goes 'round thinking, "What I really need, is a hot pink waterless toilet."
And, how do you clean that waterless loo, when you are having a bit of a tummy bug...? Ewwww! No, thanks.

It's gray overcast and quite warm here. A few pop-up showers and storms rambling about the nearby mountains and valleys, but nothing here as of yet. Bit humid, but there's been a stiff breeze, on and off, so not so bad.

So, gotta' go make dinner--left over chicken and gravy over mashed, with peas. Don't know how the mashed are going to be, as I have to make them without milk---I forgot to buy milk, and I'm just too dang hot and tired--did I mention that I'm tired? Well..just too much bother at the mo', to walk the four blocks down to the store.

I'm going to eat then go to bed for several hours. Need the rest. Hope you all have a good night.

This one's for all my male blog pals:

If Doctor Who were written by Jade Goody:

In this episode, the Doctor lands at an American airport, and must save himself from a pack of Jevhovah's Witnesses.

In this episode, the Doctor is nearly defeated by an impacted molar.

This episode, titled "snog-fest" involves the Doctor snogging everyone with a pulse, for the entire 40-some odd minutes.

Well, my Drabble-a-thon is at a complete stand-still. I'm only getting a couple of reads a day, so I guess I won't even be making the new reduced final goal of 250 pounds. I'll still write--I've committed myself to this, and am not planning on stopping it--but I'm done promoting it, now.

It's just too discouraging, I'm sorry to say. I mean, I didn't expect to make much--but no one has made a donation in 2 weeks, and only 2 to 4 people a day (zero one day) on average are reading the blog, so obviously nothing I do is going to work to bring people in.

I guess there's just to many people out there, raising money for Accord, in memory of Helen McDonald, actor David Tennant's (Dr Who) Mother--which is lovely, I think. I don't regret choosing Accord--but maybe I should have picked something else? I don't know. I never expected this to take off, but I had hoped that I'd get more readers, even tho' I suck as a fiction writer (I'm an essayist and journalist, not a story-teller).

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Meh, I'm just tired and a bit sad, today. I'm worried about freeasthewind. I've been there, and been on the cusp of being there--four of five times in the past two years--so I know the heartache and dread of homelessness quite intimately. It's no picnic, let me tell you---it's the worst feeling in the world. Not even being told I was going blind, was as bad as being told I was being evicted/foreclosed--when I was nearly pennyless.

The only worse thing that ever happened to me, than facing homelessness, was having to be the one that signed the paper shutting off mum's life support.

I was so exhausted last night, I nearly fell down--no lie. I hadn't slept much in four nights, and tho' I took yesterday afternoon off (make up on Saturday), my landlord was here, most of the afternoon, installing the new balcony railings, so no chance for a lie-down, like I'd planned.

Everyone keeps telling me how pale and awful I look. Except for Normalguy, he says I'm cute.

Well, have to get ready for work. Thank God I begged off my employer's lake cruise, tonight...I'm coming home at five and crashing, thanks very much. Do not disturb on pain of death, ha-ha.

Well, because they changed my hours on Tuesday without prior notice, no clean clothes--I had planned on going to the laundromat on Tuesday--so I had to wash out some tees and undies in the bathroom sink yesterday, and dry them on the new balcony railings--hope they're dry. No clean jeans, but I have a pair or two that are marginal, and that'll have to do.

I'm gonna' be sleepwalking through my phone scripts today, methinks. Was last night. Seven hours--I'll be so knackered when I get home--hell, I'm knackered now!

I must confess, I'm very worried about Freeasthewind. I hope she doesn't do anything drastic. I hope she's spending the day trying to get help, and not sinking into depression.

Anyone who doesn't grasp the terror of homelessness, should be knelling on the floor, thanking God. It's one of the scariest things any human being can go through--not even terminal illness, in my opinion, is as frightening as being alone and facing homelessness--losing all that you hold dear. If you haven't been through it, you simply cannot completely grasp the horror, let me tell you.

And I would call anyone who says otherwise, to this, a total ignoramus. Period.

Now I get a e-mail this morning, that some git has added a "trackback" to an old post of mine. He's pushing "Roulette Killer" or some piece of crap.

http://www.usfreeads.com/889878-cls.html

Arse! Feck! Why me???

::::::

The jackarse simply signs his comments "Thanks, B." Which makes absolutely no sense, whatsoever.

Just finished #26, titled, "The Dog that Diddled." You'll get the title when you read the story. You can view it at: www.nbgolash.blogspot.com/

To find out more about Accord Hospice, visit: www.accord.org.uk

Hey, diddle, diddle,
The cat and the fiddle,
The cow jumped over the moon.
The little dog laughed
To see such sport,
And the dish ran away with the spoon.

In astonomy all (nearly all) the characters in the rhyme are visible in the night sky in the month of April (planting season). This was a rhyme to remind early Europeans (primarily those in England) it was time to plant the crops.
CAT - Leo
FIDDLE - Lyra
COW - Taurus
MOON - literally the MOON
LITTLE DOG - Canis Minor
THE DISH - Constellation Crater
THE SPOON - The Big Dipper (Ursa Major)

This has been floating about the internet, of late:

A new priest at his first mass was so nervous that he could hardly speak. After mass, he asked the Monsignor how he had done.

Sip the vodka; don't gulp.
There are 10 commandments, not 12.
There are 12 disciples, not 10.
Jesus was consecrated, not constipated.
Jacob wagered his donkey; he did not "bet his ass."
We do not refer to Jesus Christ as the late J.C.
The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are not referred to as daddy, junior, and the spook.
David slew Goliath; he did not kick the shit outta him.
When David was hit by a stone and knocked off his donkey, don't say he was stoned off his ass.
We don't refer to the cross as the "Big T."
When Jesus broke the bread at the last supper, he said, "Take this and eat it for it is my body." He did not say "Eat me."
The Virgin Mary is not called "Mary with the cherry."
The recommended grace before a meal is not "Rub-a-dub-dub, thanks for the grub, yeah God!"
There will be a taffy pulling contest at St. Peter's, not a Peter pulling contest at St. Taffy's.

How we mortals do take time for granted, don't we?

Clock watching, pot-watching, sky watching...we refer to it all the time..."today," "tomorrow," "yesterday," "tonight" "this morning/afternoon," "in a minute," "just a second," "any time," "a long day/night," "see you tomorrow," etc...

But, for all our fuss and worry, what good does it do us?

In the end, six feet of earth is our final measurement, an eternity of sleep, never to wake and and worry, about what time it is.

Lay off is over for now--but had to take the afternoon off and make up on Saturday, due to the rugs upstairs keeping me awake all night---landlord says they were "re-arranging the apartment" one night, and playing "putt-putt golf" the other night, and having a party with their friends, the night before that. Playing miniature golf in their little loft, at 2.0am in the morning??? Chav-tas-tic!

Anyway, they've been put on notice, one more complaint (I'm not the only one, it seems) and they are evicted, no exceptions--seems I'm not the only one who's threatened to move out. The building manager even threatened to call the kid's parents! The kids were really scared, then, apparently. The one kid, Joe, is nice enough, but Josh is a real pisser and not the sharpest tool in the box.

So, nice day, bit warmer, partly sunny.

I do long sometimes for a regular job and a normal life. Is that wrong? Should I just be content with my lot, good or bad (mostly bad), and just live with it?

I'm getting my new balcony rails (insurance told manager the 100+ year old railings were a foot too low for safety regulations)--Charlie is delighted with the company--I was told he sat there on the other side of the screen, and watched the manager install the first set of railings yesterday--this morning as the manager spoke to me through the screen, Charlie started "talking" to him--chattering at him, like he does when he sees a bird outside or something. It was so cute! Nothing fazes Charlie, nothing at all--he's like a stuffed cat, he's such a mellow dude.

Well, I am off for a short nap, before work. Guess this isn't a very interesting post, but no one's perfect.

"Martha? Jack? You are so hot--will you sleep with me?"

"I don't think my hair is mussed up enough yet, do you? Gotta' keep those fangirls happy."

"I was checking out these great big knockers....one for my flat door in Cardiff, and one for my flat in London."

Accord Hospice Drabble-a-thon story #25, now online at: www.nbgolash.blogspot.com/

Over the past year, I've learned there's a lot of cultural difference between the UK and the USA--even in the way we speak of, and spell, a lot of words and things like that.

Spelling differences:

USA --- UK

Curb --- Kerb
Color --- Colour
Favorite --- Favourtie
Whine --- Whigne
Program --- Programme
Theater --- Theatre
Mom --- Mum
Check --- Cheque
Center --- Centre
Tire --- Tyre
I'm sure there's more, but can't think of them right now.

And then, there's different ways of saying things, or using different names for the same things:

USA --- UK
RETIREE--- PENSIONER
ELEVATOR --- LIFT
CAR HOOD --- BONNET
WINDSHEILD --- WINDSCREEN
GAS --- PETROL
FLAT --- PUNCUTRE
THRUWAY, FREEWAY, INTERSTATE, --- MOTORWAY
NORTHWAY, HIGHWAY
POTATO CHIPS --- CRISPS
FRIES/FRENCH FRIES --- CHIPS
HOMEFRIES/HASHBROWNS --- CHUNKY POTATOES
DESSERT --- PUDDING
TRASH/GARBAGE --- RUBBISH
TRASH BAG --- BIN BAG
GARBAGE CAN --- RUBBISH BIN
SUBWAY --- TUBE/UNDERGROUND
TRAIN TRACK --- RAIL TRACK
PHARMACIST/DRUGGIST --- CHEMIST
GOING TO THE HOSPITAL --- GOING TO HOSPITAL
ER/EMERGENCY --- A & E
MOVE -- SHIFT
TV -- TELE
MOVIES, MOVIE THEATER, OR DRIVE-IN --- CINEMAA
MOVIE --- FILM
FAST FOOD/TAKE OUT --- TAKE AWAY
SPACE HEATER -- ELECTRIC FIRE
TRAFFIC COP --- TRAFFIC WARDEN
BLUE COLLAR/WHITE TRASH/REDNECK --- CHAV
FISH FRY --- CHIPPY
GAS STOVE --- GAS COOKER
FURNACE? HOT WATER HEATER? --- BOILER?
LAWYER --- SOLICITOR
HORSE HALTER --- HEAD COLLAR
HORSE BLANKET --- RUG
TRUCK/SEMI/BIG-RIG/18-WHEELER --- LORRY
TRAILER/MOBILE HOME --- CARAVAN
CELL PHONE --- MOBILE
PARKING LOT --- CAR PARK
PAY CHECK --- PAY PACKET
SHOPPING CART --- TROLLEY
BABYSITTER/SITTER --- CHILD MINDER
PUBLIC HOUSING/HOUSING PROJECT --- ESTATE
THE PROJECTS
BABY STROLLER/CARRIAGE --- PRAM
VACATION --- HOLIDAY
LINE --- QUEUE
Those are the ones I could thing of.

There's other differences of course in government, education and policing.

In the UK there's the police and traffic wardens, bailiffs.

In the USA there's state police, county sherriffs, and independent local city/town/village police departments, and here in my area, there's also conservation officers--who mainly cover hunting and fishing offences--but can arrest you for any legal offence, at any given time-- and forest rangers, who protect the state forest preserve.

schooling is different here, as well. Summer break is from, roughly, mid-June to the first week of September.

We go by "grades" K--kindergarten, then grades (a "grade" is not to be confused with a class grade, such as "A" or "97") a grade year is from September to June, every year. Grades are from 1 through 12.

We have differences in schooling. My village's elementary (aka: common school) was K-8 (age 4 or 5 to ages 13/14)

Other places have middle schools and junior high schools. I don't know what grades are covered by middle school--think it's 5 through 8. Junior high, if a place has one, is--I think, grades 9 and 10?

High school is usually grades 9 through 12. You then graduate (hopefully) and either go to college, technical school or work.

Recently, in a bid to kiss up to George Bush to get more educational funds, students now have to pass a basic equivilency test to graduate high school. If they don't--they're plumb outta' luck.

Also, thanks to Bush, schools not have to make students take tests every year--and if enough students fail, the state is forced to close down the school--or, alternately, Bush's government withdraws all federal funds from the school/students.

Most colleges require US student to take the SAT test to get in. Anyone can take the SAT's, at any time...but, they either have to be a high school grad, or have had to pass a high school equilency exam.

Basically, Yanks are stupid because they are taught to take tests--and thinking is not really part of the American educational agenda.

A one point at work yesterday, in-coming calls had come to a near-standstill, so to pass the time, I did a word association-sort-of game. This is where one just keeps writing from point A to point B, non-stop, whatever words pop into ones head.

Here's what I wrote:
Beige, ink, keyboard, saddlery, blank, blank, Georgia, rude, scary, Satan, arse, mean, nasty, Hell, south, confederate, woman, dark, sleepy, loser, depressed, sad, brown, tender, earth, mine, breeze, who, rude, farm, Jesus, stupid, blank, blank, blank, blank, blank, feck, lonely, nuts, peanut butter, jelly, fat, debt, slow, doomed, death, deep, faucet, peaches, toffee, polka-dot, harness, jangles, loser, hopeless, tower, pull, bury, barrel, pulley, iron, sad, bill, trouble, poor, box, wheat, sun, rain, leather, nails, screen, palomino, leaf, string, boot, brother, stupid, math, peace, clouds, water, hose, roses, grass, blue, leaves, wind, blank, blank, blank, idiots, America, bush, chavs, dummies, pain, foot, check, lillies, pizza, tablet, broken, bills, later, tired, green, home, cash, ocean, boardwalk, late, blank, blank...etc.

Anyboday want to analyze that, go for it.

Well, it's quarter to five, I've had all of 1 1/2 hours sleep, it's dark but the birds have just started singing--the stereo's still going, tho' not as loud--I'm off to try and get an hour or two of sleep, if I can.

Once more, my motto: Life sucks, and then you die.

Get a load of those tits! Erm--I mean the COW, you dolt...geez...

Saratoga County Fair, Ballston Spa, NY (my favourite fair)

So, I'm stuck awake, might as well surf the web for Who stuff, right? So, here's what I've found:

FROM THE SCOTSMAN:

First things first

Not that that will stop the rumours that Gillian McKeith is the new Master. Actually, that's not such a bad idea...

Also found this:

The start of the new series will see Donna tracking down the Time Lord during an alien emergency in modern-day London. The couple are destined to experience a series of wonderful adventures throughout the new series including meeting one of Doctor Who's most popular aliens, The Ood in a brand new episode, Planet of The Ood.

SHEBOYGAN, Wis. -- Officers in Sheboygan said a man has stolen hundreds of thousands of dollars at a time from a landlord in the area over the course of several years and then used some of it to buy underwear.

Once again, the little monkey boy upstairs has woken me up! 2.30 in the morning, he starts in with the f'in stereo, which happens to be virtually right over my bed! I swear, I'm not one of these gun-loving Americans, but right now--oh yeah...I wouldn't shoot him, of course, I'd just fire through the ceiling at the f'in stereo! That'd teach him! And, in jail, at least I'd get a blinking night's sleep!

I'm probably going to wind up in hospital again. I've given the landlord's my notice, and I have to start looking for a new place to live--I can't afford to move mind--but, I can't afford to die, either. Not that I mind dying, but then, who's going to care for my 3 cats?

Someone out there tell me what good life is, because I can't see it--every time I get over one bad situation, I come up with another. Maybe I should let the git upstairs make me sick, then I could just lie in hospital and get some freaking rest already. with a string of long work days this week...life is beyond unfair, sometimes. Sometimes life is totally untenable, and completely, utterly, sucks!

Incidentally, I think, in this skit, Carol Burnett has one of the best one-liners I'd ever heard--this was made not that long after Watergate.

Just a notice that Story #25, "The Detour," has just been posted to my story blog: www.nbgolash.blogspot.com/

I am a quarter way through my "Drabble-a-thon," which is in support of Accord Hospice, serving Renfrewshire, Scotland. The Justgiving website stats, showing what has been donated so far, are in this blog's header, at the top of the page. UK residents get an automatic tax bonus, and they do take credit and debit cards--and there's even a phone number, for cash donations in the UK. Justgiving is officially approved by Accord hospice, by the way, and is completely secure.

Also, if you don't wish to sponsor my efforts, there are other ways you can support Accord: http://www.david-tennant.com/ is sponsoring a Doctor Who e-bay auction, to benefit accord--items include David Tenant's Dr Who script, signed by the big man himself, and, also, actress Billie Piper. There's also items like a signed Dr who action figure, and a life-size cut-out of David Tennant as the Doctor, among other things.

And, some comics from the Edinburgh Fringe are hosting an impromptu Doctor Who night, as well, to benefit Accord. It's to be held 18th August--first come, first serve, at a venue on 15 Brunswick street in Edinburgh. For more info, visit www.david-tennant.com

On another note--sorry I've not been around much, last day or two--not feeling great, and also, back to working 10 to 10 shift, most of the week--so just a bit knackered--have been reading blogs and comments--just simply to exhausted at the mo' to comment much--but thank you for commenting--and keep those blogs coming my friends, it's wonderful reading you!

Take care all, playwrite27

I don't think many people, really relate to the world around them--the natural world, I mean. They just use it and toss it aside--whether that use be oil, or coal, water, food, paper, wood, what-have-you...even a sunny day, or a gentle rain, are often only seen as a chance for a nice day out, or beneficial for our gardens and crops.

Nature is used, often abused, taken for granted--but nature is so seldom utilized for it's most positive purpose. For nature can be our connection to God, or, if you're not so religious, perhaps I should say, a great healer for our abused souls. For, for all its conveniences, the modern age often does abuse our insides--our minds, hearts and souls become numbed by the constant bombardment of people, gadgets, transport, job stress, bills, family and community problems...we lose touch with the simplest things--the joys of the life around us.

Our modern world disquiets and jangles us to our very core--and most don't even know this. We talk about this type of pollution, or that type of health hazard--but no one thinks how damaging their own existence can be. Noise and disruption is an enemy to contentment and serenity--those aren't just words--they are real, oh so very real. And, you don't have to be a hermit or have special religious training to know these things...you just have to learn to stop. Just...stop.

Look, listen, smell, touch--feel.

Modern life is like a pile of rubble--a jumble of our interaction with the world. Tranquility is the calm lake on a misty morning, a cup of tea, sipped while watching the sunrise, stopping to listen to a child's laughter, or a cheery bird's song. It's listening to the wind in the trees, or the ocean pounding the shore. It's looking at the reflection of sun and cloud, enjoying the music of the rain. It's all of these things, and more.

We don't have to all be miserable gits, you know...

Here we see a pic of actor David Tennant touring a local wax museum--he and the guide are seen here in the famous women celebrities section, discussing all the busts they've just seen

Please support Accord Hospice:

www.nbgolash.blogspot.com/

www.accord.org.uk

Well, the little...dear, upstairs has once again been at it, non-stop, for several hours now--once again, no sleep for me. The rug stomps back and forth constantly, and thumps the floors, and scrapes chairs, stomps around some more, thumps a bunch more times--and just when you think the little monster has stopped--"BANG!" There goes something else on the floor--the landlord has told him off, I've asked them to cool it, no good. I don't know if the boy has ADD or is on drugs or is just a thoughtless jerk, and I don't care. I'm so sick from lack of sleep, I'm ready to commit hari-kari, just to get some flipping rest!

I't 2.am, and no end in sight--they woke me at four am, yesterday--just a 2 hour break between stomping about. I'm so dead. I was just put back on a regular schedule--two week lay-off over early...so it's ten hours on Tuesday and Wed, 7 hours Thurs, 10 hours Friday, with Saturday off.

They told me about 1 hour into my shift that they'd changed my schedule-nice they let me know ahead of time. I'd made plans to do laundry and pick up some medicine, now I have to wait for Saturday, to do everything--I rather preferred the more flexible original schedule, but...what are ya' gonna' do--same total hours, just much longer shifts and Sat. off instead of working.

I'm glad to be back to my old schedule, but with no sleep--I'm so very run down, still...I don't know. I should be well-rested, but with the boys over me making noise all night--and blasting the stereo from 2 to 6 every afternoon--well, sleep's basically become a luxury when I can get it, at the moment.

Sometimes I feel more like a nameless prisoner in some gulag, than a human being, anymore. Ah, not your problem--forget it, I'll get over it, I'm just tired, that's all.

Well, here we are, day 24. Please support Accord Hospice, by visiting one of these websites:

www.nbgolash.blogspot.com/

www.justgiving.com/nbgolash

www.accord.org.uk

DAY 24

STORY #24

Be Careful What you Wish For

The silver plow blade bit deep into the dark soil of the prairie. Old Nick sighed contentedly, chucked to his sturdy oxen, Bill and Bang. The plow struck something that gave a metallic clang. Whoa, boys!” Nick stopped plowing and looked.

Stooping, he picked up something from the furrow--a funny looking lamp. Rubbing off the dirt, a cloud arose. A giant, half-naked man appeared who boomed, “You have three wishes.” Nick snorted: “I just wanna’ plow--get outta’ my way, and don’t come back. Abruptly, the genie vanished, and Nick--he wound up plowing ‘till the day he died.

In the latest issue of DWM magazine, Russell T. Davies has this to say about "Donna," and her reprised role in Series 4:

...Russell reveals secrets concerning the return of ‘Runaway Bride’ Donna… “She gives us the chance to be blunt about things, and be gobsmacked by things. Of course, she’ll still be brave and heroic sometimes, and she’ll save the Doctor’s life, but equally… for example, there’s one episode where they land on an alien planet, and the first thing she does is go back in the TARDIS to find the right coat!”

"Do you really expect me to spare your life, Goldpaw?"

Drabble-a-thon 2007 continues! Sponsor me, support Accord Hospice--- www.nbgolash.blogspot.com/

Here's another Playwrite27 Dr Who exclusive!

Here we see a picture of David Tennant's reaction to an on-set practical joke---the director, producers and crew, decided to wait until filming ended for the day, before telling Mr. Tennant that his fly had been undone for the entire shoot. Mr. Tennant apparently choose a bad day to be wearing a red spandex thong.

Please support Accord Hospice: www.nbgolash.blogspot.com/

I'm very sad and apathetic today, and I've no clue why. Strange, isn't it?

I see beauty in the day, and yet--don't feel it much. Not sure why. Maybe it's the knowledge that I really am old before my time. My life really is over. I'm not saying that to feel sorry for myself--it very much is legitimately how I feel, now.

I've been having problems accessing blog.uk, since last night, so haven't been on this site, until now, late Monday afternoon. Spent the day, looking at work at home schemes--to a one, they all required some cash outlay--or, were downright scams.

Pardon me, if I don't feel I should not have to pay someone for the privilege of hiring me--lic. fees and union dues excepted, of course. Even then, when you're making low wages, that sort of thing comes hard--and I have been in that situation: low wage job, with lic. fees and union dues and medical insurances, social secority, etc... taken out of my hard-earned pay packet each week--I was making 287, and bringing home 189, so not thrilled with having to pay for my job...that sort of thing is a bit more tolerable, when one is making a "living" wage, but when one very much isn't...

Anyhow, I'm looking at the blank TV screen--I'd ditch the TV set (it works but without a good antenna, I can't get anything on it)--but in the reflection of the tv, I can see out the side window, the one leading to the balcony--which I can't use, at the moment, as the landlord cut off the railings and has yet to replace them with new ones---but, in the reflection of the TV, I can see a blue sky with big fluffy white clouds, the Presby church's needlepoint spire, treetops, the brick doctors house down the way....God, I miss going somewhere, on a day like today...for a drive, the beach, walking down the lakefront...anywhere. There's nothing at all, in Glens Falls--you seen it once, you've...seen it.

Ah well...this ol' wannabe cowgirl has got the blues, today. That's life, I guess.

FIREFIGHTERS FROM THE CITY OF ROME, BATTLE THE CINECITTA BLAZE

Well, the Doctor Who crew has had to delay shooting for a bit, on one particular Series 4 episode.

Seems the good Doctor will be visiting ancient Rome in the 2008 series, and Who producers sent a crew over to a film studio in Rome, to shoot authentic scenery for the series.

Unfortunately, on 11th August, a serious fire broke out there, and destroyed much of the crew's equipment. However, despite this, plans are moving forward to continue to shoot around the damaged areas of the studio, as soon as clean up is completed, and the lost equipment replaced by the BBC.

Here's a news article on the fire, taken from Yahoo News:

ROME - A fire on the set of "Rome," a completed HBO series on the ancient empire, has damaged part of the famed Cinecitta film studios. No one was reported injured.
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The blaze, which started late Thursday, burned through about 32,000 square feet, firefighters said. The sprawling complex on the outskirts of Rome covers more than 715,000 square yards, including buildings, gardens, movie sets and offices.

ACTOR DAVID TENNANT, ON SET IN CARDIFF

Please support Accord hospice: www.nbgolash.blogspot.com/