I Ain't Afraid of No Daleks

I just heard a reporter on the news, say "The war in Iraq..."

Now, answer me this, HOW can we have a "war" in Iraq, when President Bush stood on a battleship in the Gulf several years ago, and with great fan-fare delcared that we'd WON the Iraq War?

Pardon me for having a BRAIN, but when you win a war, doesn't that historically mean (as in for the last several thousand years at least) that the blinking war is over?

Call it a police action, call it a mopping up operation, call it a bunch of yobbos with guns, but it ain't a war, sweetknees.

God, Americans have to be the absolute stupidest people on the planet--and what's really scary is that we are morons with GUNS.

I really wanna' be Glaswegan....that's my new goal in life. Or, maybe..Icelandic.

I just saw a woman walking down the street in a posh evening gown--in broad daylight. Huh.

In Glens Falls.

Hmmmm---

Beats me...

I was moving some of my late mum's boxes (mostly filled with her genealogy papers) around, when I saw what looked like an old notebook page with my handwriting on it....I opened it up, and it was a faded poem I'd written--God only knows when. I don't ever remember writing it, tho' it is in my handwriting, and sounds like something I might have written in my youth.

It was stuck behind some papers in a folder. The date on the folder was 1982, but the poem looks much older than that--besides, I'd pretty much stopped writing poetry around my late teens--say 18 or 19 or so, and didn't start again until about ten years later. I'm guessing I may have written this around '76 or '77, as that was when I was first truly getting into the whole John Denver fan-girl, trancendentalist, tree-hugger thing.

The ink is faded and the paper waterstained (possible from a leak in the roof or cellar?) and it's hard to read some of it, but here's what I wrote---mind you, fair warning here, it's pretty horrid. Well, I think it is--tho' mum must have liked it, I suppose.

PS, I added the punctuation, but otherwise am posting it as written.

(UNTITLED)

As the snow falls down,
Down, down, down
On the forest and the town,
And, somewhere in the night, a train rumbles by,
I long to be under the swaying pines, singing.

To run with the river,
To soar with the hawk and fly with the wind,
To dance with the sun,
To call the earth a friend, and
Be one with all of them.

What lies beyond the stars,
Is our last great mystery,
What lies in the hearts of nature and ourselves,
Is there for us alone to find.

Afternoon, all.

Well, guess Lydia agreed with me about my play. Problem is, I'm not exactly an intellectual. I'm a bit...shallow, I suppose, or at the very least rather naive and simplistic. Don't belive that I have much of an immagination, either, if you were to ask me. So writing a "deeply touching" piece is a bit beyond my abilities. Or, at least I think it probably is. But, I am trying with this piece...not very successfully, I feel. I deleted it from my blog. Too embarrassing--OK, no. Too humiliating. That's the right word.

True, I've known a lot of emotional pain, loss and rejection. Yet, I truly have no clue about relationships, love, belonging.

If thought is the key to humanity, then emotion is the welcome mat at the front door of humanity's collective soul. At least, that's my belief.

Unfortunately for me, like with my try at acting--a rather pathetic try, at that--often when I write an origninal story--whether it's Dr Who fan fiction, or a play, I cannot seem to open my internal Pandora's box. I sometimes do, on this blog, but when I want to translate that, those elusive deeper feelings and issues, into a fictional character(s)---I bog down...I pull up short and shy away, like a high-strung thoroughbred having a gun go off in its face.

Nice. Not.

Yeah, the guy I yelled at who threatened to hit the his girlfriend, apologized to me today---but then ruined it by telling me that his girlfriend was "a whacked out bi-polar freak," who "needed to be slapped around sometimes, ya'know? (ha-ha)"

Yeah sunshine, you hit her in my presence, I won't be slapping you, I'll be planting my steel-toed boot in a very uncomfortable spot.

Well, really I'd just call the cops--and act as a witness. What a miserable low-life coward! THIS is why we need to bring back the draft--these scumbags want to hurt something, let 'em fight for real. 'Course it would probably cost the army a fortune in supplying them with clean pants all the time.

Well, lost a couple more friends, feel bad, but I'm used to that--it's something I got used to long ago...makes me sad, but nothing I can do but just move on. Doesn't do much for my ego, but then, I've not much of an ego any longer, anyway, so what the heck?

It sort of burns me when I talk to these retirees and unemployed people on the phone that whinge at me that they're reduced to living on 20 or 25 thousand dollars a year...CRIPE!!! If you can't live on that much, what the hell would you do if you had to live on my income of under 12 thousand a year? Hell, for part of 2006, my income was less than 700 dollars a month--what would have amounted to a bit over $6500 a year!

In fact, I've talked to disabled and senior Americans who live on as little as $5000 a year! If you can call that living--it really makes me want to happy slap someone who moans about making more than I have have earned. For a "united" country, I've found that we have become surprisingly isolated from each other.

The newly instated Gov. Patterson (who was Lt. Gov. but replaced Gov. Spitzer who was forced to resign over a call-girl scandal), has officially declared the state (incl the city) of New York in recession. Oh, whoop-de-do, as if we didn't know that already.

New York is presently suffering from a "mammoth collapse of revenue." Our state's banking reserve dropped from 179 million dollars in 2007, to just 5 million dollars, a year later. Gee, I wonder why? Could it be the CREDIT CRISIS? Could it be the state refusing to acknowledge last year that we were heading for a RECESSION? Could it be...SATAN???

He has called for a hiring freeze--yeah, let's not hire any unemployed people, that'll help the economy---and massive spending cuts.

They are looking at cutting--to start with, 900 million dollars from the executive and legislative budgets--oh yeah, I'm sure the state senators and legislators will really go for that, uh-huh. They refused to address the cuts earlier this year, what makes Patterson think they'll cut their own budgets now? Because he "officially" declared a recession?

The newly installed Patterson also created a tiff between him and legislators, when he said publicly that while the state was in crisis, legislators "were on vacation."

He backed up later, with an apology, saying he knew that many of them were actually in their home districts, seeing to the needs of their constituants. And said that he wouldn't be at odds with his underlings--bit late for that, meathead.

I love it when the girl/boy doll goes "What's it matter if you're a bit of both?" to the Dalek! What a hoot!

Slightly annoying video (well, to an old maid), but still a hoot. Note the colourful use of language--nice going mum and dad, you taught them to swear rather young, didn't you?

When I swore at that age, I got my mouth washed out with soap-didn't swear again until my late 20's (one of the hazards of being employed at a muffler shop 6 days a week for a whole year).

BEST THING ABOUT PETS:

IF YOU LOVE THEM, THEY'LL LOVE YOU BACK--UNCONDITINALLY.

I'm still very bleary-eyed. Tried to go to bed early last night, but could not sleep for the life of me, so I got up and fiddled around on the 'puter a bit. Finally dropped off around half-past two, but felt unwell, and woke up at 6am--went back to bed at 7am...and here I am at 9am, feeling like rubbish, but ready to tackle the day...erm--sort of.

Not that it matters, I guess. Just another day.

Yeah, still depressed. Why does that bother people? Funny how people are understanding when someone has a bad cold, but the minute you say, "I'm depressed," they run like a bunch of wild turkeys during hunting season.

I guess 'cos people all get colds, but only a few of us suffer from depression...and colds are much more visible and easy to grasp, I recokon. Hard to put a handle on depression, 'cos it's inside one's brain.

So, McCain is calling Obama a "celebrity," and the Obama camp is essentially calling McCain and old fart...na-na-na, and yer mutha' wears army boots, so there!

Oh God...the republicans are at it again..."the economy is improving..." "Don't forget we had those rebate checks..." Hint-hint-wink-and-a-nudge, as in: "hey, we just gave nearly everyone 200 to 900 dollars, so you'll think we're really a great political party and you'll vote for us and forget that we've just f_cked up the country and the entire blinking world with our false war, bad economic policies, health and education cuts, our dictatorial quest for global domination and failure to address gloabal warming and other vital environmental issues.,.but hey, we gave you a rebate on your taxes so SHUT UP and be grateful."

Oh, and Bush says we're making splendid progress in Iraq---and, this would be the same president that stood on a battleship in the Gulf and declared "victory" shortly after the invasion? Riiiight....

Oh, what I wouldn't give to be Glaswegan.

Hey, but at least the cops didn't wake me up this morning, pounding on the neighbour's door at five am, that's something anyway.

Tho' the neighbours did have a huge fight outside right under my windows last night...I just turned on the radio and ignored them.

And, they moved that stinking shopping trolley from out of the downstairs hallway--and all those big bin bags full of wiring and Christms lights and whatever. So now I can get my post from the box outside, without having to feel like a Marine on maneuvers.

Today they're using the stair rails to hang out their freshly washed sheets.

It was gorgeous most of the week, but then the humidity came back last night, and it once again feels like a tropical jungle out there--tho' there is a cool breeze at least, thankfully. But not a lot of fun, wringing wet with sweat, just walking a few streets away to the store, or to work or whatever.

Well, must get on, have some chores to see to before work. Going to be a rough few days 'till I can get back on my feet again...maybe a week, dunno'. It was really strange this time, 'cos I didn't know I was sick...oddly, I feel worse after the treatment, then before! Go figure.

Have a good day, all.

I've gotten to very polite requests via my e-mail. The first was from a young lady I met on a dr who website, asking if I would do her meme. I'm getting pretty jaded with these things---but, the last couple of requests were so very politely worded, how could I say no? I am a person that doesn't take well to being pushed, but you can lead in your direction with simple courtsey and respect.

I respond very negatively to bullying (after a pretty much a life time of it, wouldn't you?), but ask me nice and say please, and I'm putty in your hands, ha-ha. Well, as long as you're not trying to take advantage of me. I can, in fact, say "No" in five different languages...not counting English.

Anyway, I was first asked to do a meme. so here goes. The other request requires a seperate post, due to the length--and, I'm a bit shy...OK, very, very shy, about posting this particular thing, so I still am up in the air whether I will honour the second request, from someone else--a young woman I met on a writer's forum. She wants to see my rought draft of my play--it's not even half-way written yet, and is rough, so I don't know...it's awkward. People ask to see my work, and when they find out it really is rubbish, that I'm not just being humble about it, they don't know what to say...awkward situation for both of us--and I seldom get true constructive criticism any longer--except people pointing out my poor spelling--which I'm accutely and painfully aware of, believe you me! And my typing sucks, as well these days--sure I finally got a desk, but I've no proper chair for it--found every chair in the house is the wrong height--even the kicthen chairs!

Anyway, to the meme--thankfully a short one. This is roodgirl's meme (whom, despite her name is really very sweet).

WHO INFLUENCED YOU MOST GROWING UP:

My mum of course--she was a great mum, always there for me and always interested in helping me to learn and be a better person. She just wanted me to be happy, which is the best thing anyone can want for another person, isn't it?

TV was big growing up--tho' we only got in 3 stations. Don't laugh--please don't, but one of my big influeces were TV characters like Daniel Boone (Fess Parker), The Rifleman (Chuck Conners), and the guys on a short-lived western-comedy about Texas rangers called, "Laradeo."

CAST OF LARAEDO

Other people include: Neighbours--some of the mum's on my street, my home-ec teacher Miss Signer (who in one of those weird "small world" coincidences, grew up in Massachusetts, next door to my great aunt Mary--how strange is that?)--she was very big on manners, but also first got me interested in cooking. A couple of other teachers, my 5th grade teacher Miss McDonough (who later married) took a personal interest in me, and opened my eyes to new places and things--especially history, reading and the theatre. Mr. Norton, my 6th and 7th grade science teacher, got me interested in nature studies--especially bird watching and tree identification. Mrs. Avery, my 7th grade English teacher, who really spurred on my interest in writing stories, plays and journals, and introduced me to some of the classic authors, like Poe and Kipling. There was old Harry, the gardener for the Episcopal bishop's estate, behind our home. He always, always had time to talk to me. He was tremendously kind, told wonderful stories and treated almost as an equal. In my teens, I got hooked into John Denver's music, and also the "Nature" and "Circles" essays of Ralph Waldo Emerson. But mum was definitely number one, no doubts about that.

That was possibly my longest meme answer ever.

A FAVOURITE CHILDHOOD MEMORY:

Mum and dad taking us on a day trip to Frontier Town theme park, up here in the Adrirondacks (which finally went bankrupt in the early 1990's.) It had a real western style town, real horses and stagecoaches and a steam train you could ride, real indians, a fully kitted out troop of "seventh calvary," that came charging to the rescue, and outlaws--who held up your stagecoach and robbed the bank, and a marshall, of course... and a real rodeo, as well..even a staged "hanging" from the livery stable's roof--hey, it WAS 60's...no political correctness back then. It was soooo--cool. It would probably be like a young Dr Who fan going to a Dr Who theme park, I suppose.

Believe it or not, one of my favourite things, was this real western saddle, that was strapped on to an oil drum, and suspended from wires (which a family member--hopefully not your sibling--would sway and make the "horse" buck. You see it had padding on the ground underneath, and you could try your hand at riding a "bucking" horse--gosh, that was more fun to me than a thousand other mechanical amusement park rides--I STILL wish I had one of those! It really was a blast!

SADDEST TIME IN YOUR LIFE?

The morning I watched my mum die.

HAPPIEST TIME IN YOUR LIFE?

Hmmm--a two-part answer is called for.

I really liked growing up where I did--oh, still lots of bad times, sad times..even horrible times...but mostly, I think I was generally pretty happy, I think from about 1971 to 76.

As an adult, I'd say 2001/2002 were the best adult years of my life. Everything was happening for me--I had some dreams come true, like owning my own home and traveling overseas, and was on my way (or so I naively thought) to a career in theatre or journalism, mum was ill but still stable and holding her own, I'd won an top scholastic award and a small scholarship, and for the first time in my whole life, got straight A's, two semesters in a row. I had a new car, I was able to pay all my bills..I really was on top form and making my life work (Ha! My God, I really was naive.)

IF YOU COULD RE-LIVE PART OF YOU LIFE, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

Honestly, I'd just like to be a young girl--maybe about 11 or 12, and going shopping with my mum again...just something mundane, you know? Or maybe on a picnic or to a museum or something. Just out with her, on an ordinary day.

HOW DID YOU CHOOSE YOUR CAREER?

I was desperate, I just had been laid off from my seasonal job--the job paid two dollars more than the 6.75 I'd been making, and, I really do enjoy working with my voice--so I applyed, but being a telemarketer definitely wasn't a deliberate career choice--it's not a career, it's a job. (at least I hope it still is). I no longer pine after a career--it's a dead issue now. My writing and other skills are just not good enough to compete, and I'm not nice-enough looking to compete, either.

WHAT EVENT IN YOUR LIFE ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF?

In scale, it's not really a big thing at all, I suppose. But, it'd be finally graduating from my community college--and that my mum lived long enough to see it. (Dad refused to come.)

YOUR MOST DIFFICULT ACCOMLISHMENT?

Getting through the math requirement to graduate college--took the course at least 5 times in three years. I have dyscalculia AND a bit of dyspraxia (aka: DCD)...meaning it's mentally impossible for me to do even the most basic maths--like multiplication, simple subtraction and division...and not so hot at music and science, either. Finally, by special arrangement, I was allowed to write a math-based essay, instead of taking the final. My last math prof was a gem, and such a lovely, patient and compassionate lady.

HOW DO YOU APPROACH DEATH?

Of course I'm afraid of dying--most people are, it's human nature. But, really, I'm fine with it. We all die someday--some before our time, some quite old, some in agony, some peacefully, but die we do. And, I have learned the painful lesson that there truly are worse things than death, out there.

FAVOURITE OR MOST EXOTIC HOLIDAY SPOT YOU'VE EVER BEEN TO?

yes, I've been to Egypt, that's pretty exotic--and I loved the laid back life in the Netherlands, but you know, I LOVED Iceland. Really. I mean, at first I didn't--it looked really boring after Amsterdam and all that...but, I honestly had a fantastic time all on my own there (everyone else in our college group was either sleeping off hangovers or went on a bus tour to the falls and geysirs---well, I worked at Old Faithful and wandered around Yellowstone park for the summer of '80--been there, got the tee shirt (well, I used to have one). I choose horseback riding, a free seafood buffet and a swim in the Blue Lagoon hot springs. Whoo-hoo, first time in my life I ever truly felt like a "decadent American."

WORST HOLIDAY SPOT?

Well, in some ways, Egypt. But I don't wanna' talk about it.

MOST FUN THINGS YOU EVER DID ON HOLIDAY?

Go sailing in a real wooden Friesian sail boat for a weekend--super fantastic and totally cool! Ride a camel, ride a purebred white Arab mare in the dunes above the Spynx at dusk/dark, swim in the Blue Lagoon, go whitewater rafting, well--always horseback riding, visted a totally cool museum in Asen(?) in Drenthe to see bog bodies and other really neat artifacts, See the Lower Falls of the Yellowstone, sit alone on the desert sands outside of Fayoum Oasis, just drinking in the scenery and listening to the call to prayer over the Tannoy... Oh, just lots of things--I like doing stuff on holiday...never could get into that whole lay about on the beach bit--I can lay about for free here at home, why go away to do it? Or, to trudge around some corny amusement park--tho' I'd never say no to an amusement park, if someone else was paying for it, ha-ha.

have a girl next to my dorm room in Wyoming that was JUST LIKE THIS!!!

Between the girl from San Bernadino, and my new room mate from...Alabama...and her mum...I was SOOOO--GLAD to be on that bus back to good old uptight upstate New York...where people may be snarky and self-centered and in a hurry all the time, but at least they weren't completely stupid--well, they are now, 28 years later...but that's another story.

Until this week, I had no idea that Catherine Tate did comedy--she's BRILLIANT! Wow, this woman is not only a fantatasic proper actress, Tate is a delightful and witty comedianne as well! Love her! If I weren't straight, I'd might become a fan-girl. To hell with David Tennant--he's a 2, she's a definite 8 or 9.

Wow, I didn't sound much like a "genuine old maid" there, did I?

I just gave a big jump, 'cos there were three big bangs outside--I went on the balcony, and can hear now, that there's some kind of fireworks display going on over at the city's minor league baseball/football field. There wasn't anything in the local paper, the Post-Star (typical), but I Googled it, and found that the local state collegiate baseball team (which is weird 'cos Glens Falls doesn't have any colleges, just a beauty school--the only college is in Queensbury--and my alma mater's teams are known as the Timberwolves).

Anyway, seems tonight's the final game for the "Glens Falls Golden Eagles" baseball team until the autumn (the college kids go back to school in late August, usually), and they had a fan appreciation night--fans could hunt the outfield for buried treasure (in this case $600 worth of jewelry donated by a local jewelers), and watch a fireworks display after the game--they were playing a team from my sister's neck 'o the woods, the Bennington (Vermont) Bombers.

Meh--baseball's boring as hell...watching, playing, I don't care, snoozeville! Gimme' a action-packed basketball or soccer (football), or polo match, anyday! Even golf is ten times more exciting than baseball--heck, I'd much rather watch ten-pin bowling, pee-wee (junior) ice hockey or snooker, rather than baseball.

Actually, in my experience, watching paint dry, grass grow, bread dough rise and stews cook, are all a lot more exciting than baseball.

GLENS FALLS EAST FIELD

What day is it? Is it Wednesday or Thursday?

I guess I really am ill--geez, for the life of me, I can't guess what day it is...I THINK it's Thursday???

Can't stay away--know I should, as I've been pushing people away from me of late (completely unintentionally--one of the hazards of bi-polar, I suppose...or, maybe it's just me.)

Well, I've been in hospital for a bit, getting some IV's pumped into me, to treat a secondary infection that cropped up--feel horrible, and I've slept maybe all of 4 hours in the last 28, but happy to report I'll recover. Didn't even know I was sick!

Missed two days of work tho', and I'm terrified that I'll get the sack. Do you know how hard it is, for someone like me to find a job that pays $9 an hour? (that's the equivilent of about 4 pounds 50 pence) AND a sitting down job, besides---few and far between, in my area...even farther between, because even at the height of the summer resort season, the job market sucks...usually this time of year, there's tons of help wanted adverts in the local paper...hardly any this year. Despite what the ignorant conservatives who run this county say, about this being a good year for the tourism industry--I think they should look again...at the wanted adverts...to me that speaks volumes---sure, people are here, but are they spending the same amount of cash? Are businesses serving them, making shortcuts (as in cutting back on staff), in order to make ends meet?

The two-day loss is also hard on my budget--tho' I can make some of it up on Saturday.

In hospital, to pass the time, I took a notebook with me, and jotting down dialogue for a play I've been messing about with for the last 6 months or so. I've re-written it twice, still not happy with it. My plays are way too shallow and simplistic to suit me, and I am trying to challenge myself to dig deeper. It's hard, because I absolutely cannot write--much, about relationships--I mean of the romantic sort.

I've never had a romantic relationship, so it would be stupid for me to try and write about it, wouldn't it? I think it would--so, I'm focusing on family relationships..with a twist. Basing it loosely on stories that people I've known have told me about their families, and not my own family--tho' I think that may be fodder for another work, sometime in the future. I very probably will never publish these plays on the web--unless its on my private webpage that no one knows about (ooohhh, a secret).

The other play I've been messing about with, is about Rene Descartes, being sent by God/Satan/whoever, forward slightly in time, to meet Ralph Waldo Emerson. That's going even more slowly, as it involves a tremendous amout of historical and biographical research, on my part...especially the works by the author's themselves, as, of course, I need to somehow capture their indivdual voices.

These are both 10-minute plays, which is a rather difficult format. I was introduced to it at my 2-year college up the road from here, and really liked the challenge of it--trying to capture the essence of a full-length play in 10-minutes--whoa. Not easy...but a lot less tedious for me, than hacking out a full-length drama--which being that I suck at this particular craft, would be just too daunting for me, to be perfectly honest--if I can' write a good 10-minute play, then I'd be an idiot to try something longer--maybe that's wrong-headed, but it's just how I feel.

Well, I have to go out in a bit, soon as I'm rested. The nurse said she'd call work for me, but I want to be sure she did--I have NEVER in my life been what employers call a "no call, no show," and I don't intend to ever start.

Flamey is feeling much, much better. She cried again a bit last night, and was slightly stiff, but this morning she was running as if the pain never happened, and she's very happy today, a regular little minx.

I just had to post this...not because it's a pic of the great almighty DT taking his bows last night or tonight or whatever...but because things like this are in such incredibly poor taste.

I mean, theatre is a sacred cow--similar to most conventional churches, it is one of the last places on earth where there are certain rules and behaviours you--and EVERYONE are expected to adhere to.

One of the is that you NEVER record a performance! Never-ever-ever. Not even the final bow. This is very disrespectful to not only the actors--whom have worked very hard, trust me, to bring you their characters to life for you, but also for the people who are around you--you are expected to turn your electronic wonders off during the ENTIRE performance...including the bows.

I knew this would happen, the one thing I like least about some of these fan-girls is their total lack of respect, in their pursuit of all things Tennant.

Sorry, I may be rubbish at it, but still, I deeply love the theatre and hate to see it dragged down by thoughtless squeeing, simpering fan-girls. Hopefully this was an isolated incident.

I truly was hesitating over posting the offending video--I didn't want to give it creedence by posting it. Yet, it's out there, and I do want to illustarte that this is WRONG. Please, if you are going to see Hamlet--show some respect and decency and turn the phone off. I know you "love" David, but this is a really lousy way to show it, believe me.

...that my group, "Roasting David (Tennant)", is still open and still active.

I'm taking a break from blogging for a while.

I'm making some people unhappy with me, so perhaps I should just get the hell out of blogging for at least a day or two--maybe a week.

Cheers.

Now Los Angeles is getting ready to ban fast-food resturants!

Why don't these health freaks just lock all of us fat people up in concentration camps, and force feed us apples, celery and tofu?

The governments of a "free" nation, telling us what to do with our bodies, I do find that a tad ironic.

First it's abortions, then smoking, now fast food--notice there's no ban on alcohol consumption, though?

Damn! America a "free" country? NO WAY.

I remember, back in the early 70's, dad asked my sister to take the rubbish down to the bins. The following day was garbage pick up day, so we'd already put them out, down at the end of our driveway. Well, my sister went out with the bin bag from the kitchen..several minutes passed...and then we heard her scream bloody murder!

Me, my dad and mum, had been sitting in the living room watching television, and all stood up, when sis bolted through the door, all wild-eyed and pale as a goast, yammering about a big raccoon.

Turned out, when she went to put the trash in the bin, a raccoon popped its head out of the bin at the same time! I don't know who was more scared, her or the 'coon!

Ah, my street-tough sister (who once got knifed by robber while driving a city cab, but took it all in stride), never lived down the great raccoon scare--trust me, I made well-sure of that.

Raccoons are really very cute and curious creatures, and lots of fun to watch.

Here's a cute video of some babies.

Bleh. Rough night with stomach trouble--new meds, my stomach doesn't like them.

Hot morning. A junebug is buzzing, the birds are singing, the traffic is whooshing by.

I wore my new denim dress yesterday, and realized I haven't worn my posh blue dress-suit lately, so thought I slip into that, for a change. Means I'll have to don my navy blue tights--not a big fan of tights, I don't look exactly fab in tights, but my pantyhose has a great huge run in them, so tights it is.

Looks sort of like rain, as there's some dark clouds moving through, but checked the national weather service radar out of Albany, and nothing much is showing up on there, so no worries about getting soaked on my way to work (STILL can't find my 'brella.)

Well, not the most interesting post going, is it?

Hope you all have a good day, cheers.

Welcome to our modern gallery:

And in our traditional/impressionists gallery:

Flame is feeling much better tonight. First, I was sitting on the balcony, enjoying a very refreshing cool breeze, when I looked down to find Flame sitting at my feet looking up at me. So I spent a while petting her, which she seemed to enjoy a great deal--normally, except when she's in heat, Flame--tho' loving, is not a cat that likes to be cuddled. I think she was feeling a tad sorry for herself.

Now she's complaining that she's hungry...and outside of still walking a bit funny in the back end, she otherwise seems her old self again, so apparently the injury is only temporary. Thank God for that!!! `

I suspect she had a tumble from the closet shelf--noticed that a box that had been on the self was now on the floor...and there's an old disused huge metal air conditioner, that was in the closet when I rented the place..she may have hit that when she fell.

THREE FAVOURITE MUSICALS?
I don't care much for musicals, the only one's I can think of, are:

Oliver!
My Fair Lady

EVER APPEAR IN A MUSCIAL?

Once, I played the "third woman" (at the well) for the Presbyterian church's Christmas thing. And, as part of an acting excercise, I had to belt out Oklahoma standing on the apron of the stage, in front of the whole class--yes, I sucked like a Hoover, but I sucked with style. Oh, I don't suppose this counts, but my beat up old western saddle that I used for lessons, appeared as Curley's saddle in my high school's production of Oklahoma! (I got a lot of strange looks carrying it home on the bus, let me tell you)

THREE FAVOURITE TELEVISION PROGRAMMES:

I haven't had TV in years, so I honestly haven't a clue about what's on the box over here at the moment.

but..offhand:

Dr Who
Law and Order
Queer Eye (US version)

HAVE YOU EVER APPEARED ON TELEVISON?

Just in the background public television pledge drives and a "Breakfast" interview at the BBC's traveling Dr Who exhibit, in the late 80's.

FIVE FAVOURITE FILMS?

Arsenic and Old Lace
Vertigo
True Grit
The Out of Towners
Star Wars (1976)

EVER HAD ANY CONEXION TO THE FILM INDUSTRY?

Well, Al Pachno's former secretary's little sister was one of my best friends, growing up. And, I ALMOST was an extra in the film, "Billy Bathgate." And, they filmed a scene for "Ironweed," right near one of my family's cemetery plots, in my former hometown.

FIVE FAVOURITE RECORDING ARTISTS?

John Denver
Three Dog Night
The Proclaimers
The New Pornographers
Beach Boys

ANY CONEXION TO THE RECORDING INDUSTRY?

None whatsoever.

FAVOURITE RADIO STATIONS (LOCAL OR INTERNET)?

WAMC (American Public Radio, Albany, NY)
Pandora radio (internet)
Virgin Radio (Internet-London)
WRPI (Rennselaer Polytechnic Institute Troy, NY)
WNYV ("Lakes Region Radio", Poultney VT/Whitehall NY)

ANY CONEXION TO RADIO BROADCASTING?

A former neighbour (the brother to Al Pachino's former secretary) owns a big radio station in Ohio, I've written and recorded (on a special computer programme) the news on my college's station, as a broadcast writing assignment. Also, as a joint BW and playwriting course assignment, wrote, directed and recorded in studio a 20 minute radio play/skit. I also wrote several news broadcast scripts, and a PSA, though they were never recorded. I also did a recorded interview--and edited it, for a radio news broadcast. Broadcast writing is very challenging but also can give you

THREE FAVOURITE BREAKFAST CEREALS?

Honey-nut Cherrios
Frosted Shredded Wheat
Cap'n Crunch's Peanut Butter Crunch

THREE FAVOURITE FLAVOURS OF CRISPS?

Honey BBQ
Steak and onion w/worcestershire
Salt and vinegar

THREE FAVOURITE CANDY BARS

Snickers
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
Tie: Sky bar or Chunky bar

BOOK YOU READ THE MOST AS A CHILD:

Gosh, I don't know, other than a horse story. I read so many--most several times at least! It might be "Afraid to Ride" or "Dark Sunshine," "I'll Take Cappy, "The Black Stallion," "Black Beauty," or "King of the Wind." (both horse stories)

FICTION BOOK YOU'VE READ THE MOST IN YOUR LIFETIME?

The Walking Drum

NON-FICTION BOOK YOU'VE READ THE MOST:

Essays by Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Man on Horseback," or "Diary of an Early American Boy."

CLASSIC LITERATURE YOU'VE READ THE MOST:

Ivanhoe (I think), or maybe Wutherning Heights, Cannery Row or Black Beauty? I've really no clue.

HAVE YOU EVER HAD ANY CONEXION WITH BOOKS OR THE PUBLISHING INDUSTRY?

My late mother was the village's librarian for over 5 years. I was employed as a library aide in a college library when I was 19. I worked for a telephone directory publisher in my late 20's, checking the accuracy of listings for the copy department. I'm an amateur writer, but have only published a handful of feature articles and a poem, so far...not counting fan-fiction on the web, of course, that's not real publishing.

I just toook a life expectancy test. I'm going to die (barring murder, accident, natural disaster, war, a disease as yet not serious, etc...) in approximately 11,900 more days.

My average life expectancy is 76. My life expectancy is 79 1/2. My age is 47, but my "virtual age"--whatever that means, is 43 1/2.

What's YOUR life expectancy? Go here to find out:

http://www.peterrussell.com/Odds/VirtualAge.php

I delayed my trip to the laundromat, to hang out and check in on Flamey from time to time.

Last trip, she was a bit more alert, and has stopped whinging at me.

Now, with encouragment from me, she's come out of her box she was hiding in, and is sitting in the living room washing her front paw.

She's still walking a bit stiff in the back end though. I suspect--because she's slightly blind--that she may have hurt herself jumping down from a closet shelf or the 'fridge, but have no idea. At least whatever was ailing her, seems to be not as serious as it first had seemed. She even tried to drink a bit, which is a good sign.

Well, I am off to do the laundry, won't be back home 'till around 9 or half-past nine. Have a good evening, all.

There's nothing anywhere that I can see on this whole blog, that tells you how to deactivate the new design and go back to the old one. Does anyone know where on earth BCUK put these instructions, or are we non-computer geeks just supposed to guess?

I came home but couldn't find Flame..she was in the closet, and she's not well. Her back end is hurting her and she's crying. She won't eat or drink. She was fine this morning...what happened to her, while I was gone?

The worst thing is, there's absolutely nothing I can do for her, except keep an eye on her, make sure she's as comfy as possible and give her extra love and attention. There's absolutely no funds for a vet--last time we went, just for wormer and a shot, it cost nearly $100--and that didn't include the $15 round-trip cab fare. I just paid a bill that came in Saturday, so now I've got about $45 dollars--well, less than that, as I have to do the laundry yet. I just hope the wee thing will be okay. She's such a character and a loving cat, I'd hate to have anything happen to her.

BUCK has LOT of bugs, apparently--or am I the ONLY having multiple issues with this site?

What the heck is going on with this blinking blog lately????

Maybe I should just find another blog, if this one's very apparently not working properly, I don't know. I really like this blog--obviously, since I'm still here, nearly two years on. But, it's really getting tedious having to constantly re-do everything, and some of the features I liked about BUCK, are either working slowly, or not working at all, period.

Anyway..REPOSTING this entry:

Nice cool day on tap today...not going to be more than about 80 F, which is great.

The police just here, pounding on doors, looking for the nephew next door--with an arrest warrant. Lovely.

Scrared the hell out of me--oh, not about the arrest, but the pounding on the door--the cops hereabouts are not the gentlest souls, when it comes to banging on and bashing in people's doors--the landlord's STILL haven't fixed my kitchen door, from where the cop kicked it in (unwarrented--because I kept yelling at him I was coming...they'd woken me up from a sound sleep--I was on painkillers at the time, and I was sleeping a tad..rude).

Tired but feeling slightly better..still weak but at least I'm not listing to port when I walk, ha-ha.

Have to go to the laundromat after work, as I opted to stay home yesterday, to recuperate...whcih was a good choice, I think. Today will be a much more comfy day to be hanging around hot dryers, methinks.

I'll take the trolley into Lake George and hike down the street to the laundromat--wish is was a bit more closer to Route 9, the trolley drops me off, but, reckon I can manage...I'm a tough old broad, ha-ha.

So, grits with butter and salt for breakfast, hamburg and fries for lunch, another hamburger and more fries for dinner....but, no complaints. It's worth it. I get to wear my new denim dress to work today.

I forgot that I had a package of pork spare ribs in the freezer, talk about a happy discovery. And, by happy coincidence, I also have a bottle of State Fair Spedie sauce, yum-yum. (A "spedie" is a type American kebab--usually chicken or pork cubes, basted with spedie sauce, and then served on a wooden skewer, or on flat bread, by food vendors at county and state fairs--hence the name "State Fair.")

There's four construction workers on the street outside...two to manhandle the manhole cover, and two to stand there drinkking coffee and watch to make sure the other two are doing it right. Typical.

Why can't I find a job like that--"what do YOU do for a living?" "Oh, I stand around drinking coffee and watching other people work for a living."

So, listening to the radio and drinking...a pepsi. I'm out of coffee.

SONG/ARTIST

Tequila Sunrise/The Eagles
Hollywood Fix/The Pink Soldiers
Role Model/The Proclaimers
The Reason I'm Leaving/Fraz Ferdinand
Superman/R.E.M.
Round and Round/New Order
Accused of Love/Tom Petty
Selfish Jean/Travis
Kokomo/The Beach Boys
Come Back/Moshav Band
Sometimes I Remember/Pernice Brothers
Falling into Space/Don Diego
Flathead/The Fratellis
Disappointed/Electronic
You Spin Me Round/Dead or Alive
In My Place/Coldplay
I don't want to Know/Fleetwood Mac
DJ Culture/Pet Shop Boys
Love Rollercoaster (live)/Dazz Band
Falling by the Wayside/People in Places
The Only Rose/Runrig
Toy Soldiers (live)/Carbon Leaf
Tainted Love/Soft Cel
We're An American Band/Grand Funk Railroad
Star Bodies/The New Pornographers
Love's Lost Gaurentee/ Rogue Wave
I Can't Sleep/The La's
Modern Way/Kaiser Chiefs
The Last Waltz Suite (Take a Load off Benny)/The Band
Grade 9/Barenaked Ladies
Crazy for the Girl/Evan and Jaron

I was thinking a bit about the New Doctor Who series. It's definately something one cannot take at face value.

I don't always agree with Russell T. Davies or Julie Gardner's choices--but then, tough cheese. I don't imagine it's an easy job, and certainly I'm not smart enough to do it, so who am I to sit here on my arse, second-guessing?

So, while I disagreed with some things, overall, it would certainly be churlish of me to complain, because the show has just been so brilliant and unusual...most of the time, anyway. And well, as my late-aunt used to say, "only God is perfect", and the rest of us just have to be human, and muddle through as best we can.

Yes, I did have a huge problem with the "shocker" regen scene. I still am not comfortable with my reaction and the way it seriously disturbed me. I am doing all I can to curb in my Dr Who obsession--watching the videos several times a week, instead of every day, ceasing writing fan fiction, staying away from the forums, that sort of thing. As you can see from this blog, I haven't given it up entirely though.

It's like, just because I can't ride or be around horses any longer, and had to sell off all of my antique saddles and most of my other equestrian collectables to pay for mum's funeral, doesn't mean that I've stopped having an interest in horses. I still, several times a year, buy the mini-model horses that (mostly) sell for under $5.

I can't be involved in theater any longer, but I still read (and sometimes write) plays, and browse theatre websites.

You can enjoy something without being obsessed with it. Granted, it's hard when you really, really adore something. Like when I was a groom, it was some of the happiest days of my life, because I just loved my job so much--couldn't wait to get there in the morning, often lingered after quitting time. It was the same with some of my courses in college as well, especially the English, jounalism and theater classes.

Series Four had some good and bad points--mostly good, I'm pleased to say, thanks to Catherine Tate's brilliant acting. Wow, she's lovely! I really loved her character--especially when Russell revealed her to be so much like me--a woman who doesnt' think anyone cares what she thinks, who doesn't feel she's anyone special. I feel that way all the time--in fact, my motto these days is (besides the, "life sucks and then you die" one) is "somebody has to be nobody, and that's me, in a nutshell."

And, I was a temp for a while in the 1980's, by the way. A somewhat good receptionist and top-notch file clerk, I worked for three different temp agencies. And also, another similarity, is that my dad was a lot like Donna's mum, too.

As for the last two epidsodes of the series, at first, I was surprised at Sarah Jane's rather wimpy girly-screamy reaction to the Daleks--I mean, it's not like she hasn't had her life threatened by them, and other monsters, before--but then, I got to thinking that her character is a mum now, and much older, hence she'd not only be a lot more aware of her own mortality--she has a son to raise, and the thought of her not being there for him any longer, might scare her almost as much as the Daleks...well, that's my take on it, anyway...it could also be that the director simply had instructed her to scream a lot and look really scared.

I wonder where RTD came up with the number for the 27 planets? Why 27 and not 43, or 12, or 52? (Hey two more numbers, and I can go play the New York State Wednesday/Saturday Lotto drawing, ha-ha.) Of course, that's my birthday date, so that was sort of an unintentional personal touch, for me.

And, there was this whole "Music of the Spheres" thing (see previous blog entry for Sunday 27th July), at the end, there was this whole "music inside your head" thing...did I detect a bit of trancendentalism in that? Well, Russell T., old Ralph Waldo would have been proud of you with that bit at the end of the Doctor's monolouge.

I won't dwell any longer on how the regen scene messed me up that weekend, and shattered my trust in an old friend (Dr Who), but still, I find my solace in Doctor Who...just not using it as a mental crutch any longer.

Created by OnePlusYou - Free Dating Sites

You know, I am a person who aborbs things--sights, smells, feelings, sound.

Sound plays a big part of my life. Dunno' why, but I remember familar sounds, long after they are gone forever from my life. Sometimes, the associated smells, as well.

Some sounds bring back happy memories, some..not. Some are just ordinary noise, heard while working or doing chores around the home.

One of my first jobs, when I was around 18, was as short-order cook in a bowling alley. To this day, I can hear the constant rolling rumble and clatter of the balls, the ear-shattering clacking of the pins as they go down. The ka-thunk of the ball return. The smell of beer, french fry grease (before the health nazis banned animal-based cooking fats), and that chemical smell that pervades everything--the wax they used every morning on the alleys, to keep them up to snuff.

And then, there was our old lawn mower. A green model dad got from Sears or Wards or K-marts, I forget. I can still hear the whipping sound of the pull cord as I tried to start the engine. (The half-muttered curses when it wouldn't blinking start.) The tang of gasoline, and the sour smell of old mown grass clinging to the underside of the mower. The continuous clattering buzz of the engine as I walked back and forth, row after row, with the occaisional clunk-murph, as I hit a mound of dirt that the moles had thrown up in the back yard, or the blat-snap when I accidentally ran over a twig.

The high-pitched whine of mum's old hand-held, Sunbeam two-beater electric mixer, whipping up the mashed potatoes every Sunday night. It used to be a bother, when I was taping "Mostly Folk," my favourite folk-music programme, on WRPI, which ran from 6pm to 8pm every Sunday. That's because the electric mixer's noise would somehow come through the radio, and so some song would wind up having the high-pitched whirrring sound of mum's beater in the middle of a song track. It was like having a mosquito on Steroids buzzing through the middle of a really good tune.

The distinctive sound of the village's yellow and black school bus, it's old motor grinding up the steep four-lane motorway, with a loud, throaty humming of its engines, on the hill that our little dead-end street was located off of. You didn't need to look at the clock, you heard that bus and knew that it was 3:30 or thereabouts.

When I was taking a heavy-equipment operation class, in my early 30's, working on and around bucket loaders, bull-dozers, dump trucks and back-hoes for 4 hours a day, five days a week (the other 2 hours were spent in the class-room) I got so I would hear the back up alarm--you know, that pesky "beep-beep-beep"---in my sleep. To this day, I still find that sound really annoying.

The sound of the furnace clicking on, on a cold winter morning. The familiar light metalic ticking of the baseboard radiator, the quiet basso hum of the gas furnace firing up, down in the cellar. Me, rolling over in my blankets, trying get closer to the wall and the comforting warmth. Feeling the heat rising up, even as I perhaps could hear heavy sheets of icy sleet, hissing against the window pane above me.

I can remember, back home when I was a teenager, waking in the dark on a late June morning, at 4am, to the sound of dozens of robins singing merrily at the top of their lungs. Sometimes I would groan and put the pillow over my ears. Other times though, the pull of nature was too stong, and I'd throw on my hiking boots, jeans and flannel shirt. Slap on my cowboy hat and go outside and join them in welcoming the sun to a brand new day. It was glorius!

I remember, walking around the wetlands, the way the cat-tails swayed in the wind, a rattling sigh. The myrid little orange trumpet-shaped blooms of jewelweed, and the rasping yet melodic call of a red-winged blackbird, perched proudly on a swaying cat-tail reed. The musty smell of mud and the feel of the wind brushing my cheeks.

I remember the softly rising and fading whooshing sound of the wind, soughing and sighing in the boughs of a towering eastern hemlock tree. The way the sunlight danced off the little needles as they swayed gracefully in the wind--it was if the sun itself was laughing with joy. The tang of the pines, the deep rich smell of earth, the mildly exotic and mellow scent of Greek oregano (aka; wild marjoram), the sharp, wild call of a blue jay ("M-RAH! M-RAH!"), high in the tree.

The sound of the rain--the most amazing of all nature's symphony's. Each drop of rain that falls, makes its own distinct sound. Some drops fall on water, some on trees, rooftops, grass, my hat. And, taken altogether, they sing a hissing, pinging,, drumming, thumping, plopping, dripping chorus that no human could ever truly hope to emulate.

And the almost total lack of sound, on a cold and clear winter's night. Standing in a field of virgin snow, like standing alone on the moon. The brilliant white light of that moon, throwing shandows on the field as if it were daylight--but a rich, blue-toned light. The stars shining so brightly and fiercely in the ebony heavens, as to seem like diamonds which you could simply pluck from the sky. And the wind, the bitter, teasing winter wind. Softly stirring the great bushy boughs of eastern white pine. Their song so soft, you have to strain to catch the tune. The sound of your breathing, your very heart's beat. The night so still and so pure, it almost seems as if time itself were holding its breath until the coming of spring.

Two weeks ago, two women off the street, rang up the police on the neighbours, because they left their 4 and 5 year olds to just wander around the streets on their own---now, apparently, one of the kids--the boy, has been left to wander again...I can hear the loud-mouth sister (the one that lives in the two-room efficeny apartment next door, with my drunken hillbilly neighbour and God only knows how many other familiy members.

She's yelling and giving them hell, telling the kid's dad or mum or whom ever that the police will take their kids away if they don't shape up---kid of hard not to hear her--even when the woman is talking "normally," it's like she's speaking through a Tannoy. When she's screeching at someone, they can hear her clear into the next blinking state!

Well, she's stopped screeching and is yelling the kid's name at the top of her lungs. Hope they find the...little angel.

Guess she must have, as now I hear a kid bawling and she's finally shut her big fat mouth. The other night she was so drunk, she almost knocked me down the blinking staircase, as she went by me. They aren't the worst people I've ever met, heaven knows, but...man, I miss my caravan, sometimes.

It's steamy in here--89 F degrees. Time for another frozen frapachino bar

I've been alternating between reading several books of mine, lately. There's "The Medea," and "The Last Dodo" (a Dr Who novel), and also, I've been reading bits and pieces of "Last of the Great Scouts," a campy "biography" (methinks there's been some poetic license taken in the writing of this particular work) which was written in the 1900's, by William F. Cody's sister (aka: "Buffalo Bill"), with the forward written by early popular western novelist, Zane Grey.

In the book, is an excerpt--Arrgh! Oh dear....a book
which Boots has been ever-so-kind as to just get up on table and lay down upon--well...at least I won't have to lose the open page...a bookmark with fur, anybody want one? So, I'm going to write about this..sometime. But of course, I will have to pry a big furry ginger arse off of it, first.

Good boy Boots! I've managed to shift him to the opposite page, so now he's being truly helpful, by holding the book open for me, so I can type without having to stop and hold the book open! Cats do have their uses, sometimes.

Anyway, getting back to the subject of this post, in this very lively and romantic biography, is an except of a letter General Sherman (the famous American Civil War cavalry officer) to "Buffalo Bill," written to the western man about his return to New York City around 1886 or 1887, after a year spent in England with the Wild West Show (which played in London, Manchester and Hull).

The old general laments the loss of the 'Wild West' era in America, yet praised America's 'progress' towards "civilization". He wrote thus of the changes:

"As nearly as I can estimate, there were, in 1865, about 9 1/2 million buffalo on the plains between the Misouri River and the Rocky Mountains; all are now gone, killed for their meat, skin and bones. These seems like desecration, cruelty and murder, yet, they have been repaced by twice as many cattle. At that date (1865), there were about 165,000 Pawnees, Sioux, Cheyenne and Araphoes, who depended upon these buffalo for their yearly food. They too, have gone, but they have been replaced by twice or thrice(three times) as many white men and women, who have made the earth to blossom as the rose, and who can be counted and taxed and governed by the laws of nature and civilization.

This change has been salutory, and will go on to the end...this drama (of the Wild West) must end. Days, years and centuries follow fast; even the drama of civilizaion must end..."

This, is the TRUE "American Spirit." The spirit of the conquerer. To love something, but to want something else, and therefore, crush the thing you love to get at that thing you want more.

Well, at least that's the way I see it--it's a lot more complicated than that, I'm aware, but I think that's the genearl essance; that conquer all attitude that is the catalyst that has turned the cogs into motion, to achive what the world has today--war, recession, civil unrest, terrorism, corpororate empires.

Of course, that's just my opinion. I'm never against capitalism, but extreme capitalism is a destroyer, not a builder. And, that's where we are, today, in the "free" world.

PAWNEE BRAVES

BUFFALO BILL

GENERAL SHERMAN

OUR "PROUD" AMERICAN HERITAGE:

Well, it's going on to 3pm here, and I've got a burger grilling on the stove for lunch and not much else going on.

Overdid it in a big way on Friday, as my body isn't doing well today. Almost fell down again, this afternoon. Couldn't sleep last night, on account of the storms, so that probably didn't help. Finally fell asleep around half-past four in the morning, but wow, have I got the wobbly's today!

My blood sugar's a bit high, so that might be a factor. It's been pretty good, last few weeks. My PA was on me to check my blood pressure regularly--but hello! Not every one has a car they can hop in, to go to the drug store or wherever to check their BP--certainly I can't afford my own cuff! God, health people are thick, sometimes. "Do this, do that, do the other thing..." With what money, pray tell?

Even eating healthy is wildly expensive these days--and don't let anyone tell you otherwise...people like that are either completely naive or totally delusional.

Well, no complaints about my diet this week. It was my choice, for a change, to live on hot dogs and hamburgers for a week, so I could spare that $40 for myself...without the guilt. I decided that I needed a little pick-me-up, to help me out of my doldrums. It did help a bit, only the running around took its toll on my body---I DO miss having a car, sorry to say. Some days its much harder for me to walk than others, now.

Still, it's a good day to catch up with some chores around here, which I plan on doing shortly. And, I do hope you all have a fantastic day.

Filmed this past May exclusively for the Proms concert, is this one-off Dr Who skit, featuring David Tennant. Made available only on the BBC website for a limited time, it will never be seen broadcast outside the UK.

AND HE ACTUALLY, FINNALY, GETS TO SAY, "REVERSE THE POLARITY OF THE NEUTRON FLOW!!! Brilliant!!!!

AND...why didn't I notice this before? The Closing theme is from Tom Baker's era! How cool is that? This ALMOST makes up for the episode 12 fiasco...almost.

This advert was banned in some of the more uptight parts of my country. Personally, I think it's a hoot! (I wonder if DAvid Tennant does this?)

This "back-to-school" advert campaign by Staples office supply, was a big hit when it came out;

September is approaching...back to school time for the kiddies...and in America, that means that school supply shops are vying for parent's dollars...with funny adverts. Here's two from a "series" by Office Max, filmed in New York City recently:

I was going to pass on these blog quiz/meme things for a few weeks, but this person, (tardisgurl) said the word "please" no less than seven times!

I'm afraid my upbringing makes it hard for me to say "no," when someone pleads with me with seven "pleases," highlighted and in all caps.

So, with a marytred sigh, here I go, once more into the breech...

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A FAN OF DOCTOR WHO?

25 years this year.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A FAN OF DAVID?

Well, I supose since summer of 2006.

WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE COMPANION? An even tie between Sarah-Jane and Donna.

WHO IS YOUR LEAST FAVOURITE COMPANION?

I don't know that I have any "least favourites," But I sometimes did find Peri's whinging rather annoying. Okay, I sometimes found her character a bit embarrassing to watch.

Mel...erm--bit over-the-top bubbly, not a bad character, but not someone I'd want to be stuck sitting next to on long plane journey.

But, never really hated a character--although, there were/are companions that I didn't/don't relate to as well as others: Susan, 1st Romana, Adric, Teegan, Turlough, Rose, Mickey, Martha and Martha's mum. It's not that I disliked any of these characters in any way, just that I could not/do not see them as my peers or contemporaries. I mean, I have't been a teenager in 27 years, and have never done the gushy-flirty-girly thing (at least not that I recall), so I can't really relate to Rose or Martha in the new series.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT IS DAVID'S FAVOURITE FOOD IS?

How the hell should I know...Beans on toast? Marmite? Curried eels? Honey-nut Cherrios? (I only said that last one, becuase I'm sitting here eating some at...3:43 am.)

DO YOU WANT TO MEET DAVID?

Why? Does he want to meet me?

TO WHAT LENGTHS WOULD YOU GO TO, TO MEET DAVID?

Only if he sends me an invitation, chips in for the pet-sitter I'd have to hire and the lost pay from not working, buys the plane ticket(s) from Albany to London, and offers to me up at his sister's neighbour's cousin's house.

HOW BADLY DO YOU WANT TO KISS DAVID?

I don't want to kiss David...bleh, haggis breath. I'd rather kiss my cat.

DO YOU KNOW WHERE DAVID GREW UP?

A town near Glasgow, I think?

WHAT RELIGION DO YOU THINK DAVID IS?

Not that it's any of my business, but I've read in some Dr Who thing that his dad's a Presbyterian minister or something like that.

ON A SCALE OF ONE TO TEN, HOW SEXY DO THINK DAVID IS?

2 (and I'm being generous)

WHAT'S YOUR FAVOUITE NON-DOCTOR WHO PERFORMANCE OF DAVID'S?

I've not seen loads of his work, so it's hard to say--thought he was wonderful in that comic relief sketch with Catherine Tate. His Casanova was good. And, someone sent me a link to a couple of clips of his "Asylum" part, and I thought young Tennant was just fantastic. And, there was a couple of other thingss. And was right on target as Chris in Learners, showing how really versatile he is. I know I saw that bit where he was playing a character suffering brain damage, but I was quite ill at the time, and I don't think I remember much of it. Also, I know I've seen bits and pieces of a lot of his work, on Youtube, and it's not that it didn't make an impression on me, it's just that maybe I didn't care for the film or series he was playing in, and therefore didn't pay as much attention to Tennant's performance as I might normally have done. I'd love to see the man onstage though. I think what we see on film is just the tip of the iceburg.

ARE YOU OBSESSED WITH DOCTOR WHO?

Yeah, but I really am trying to back away from it.

ARE YOU OBSESSED WITH DAVID?

Erm--no. At least...I don't think so...oh hell, now you got me wondering if I need to see a shirnk...

ARE YOU GOING TO SEE HAMLET?

Sadly, no. But, I do hope to one day to go to a theater and see it performed (tho' not by Tennant, of course).

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF DAVID'S LATEST GIRLFRIEND?

He has a girlfriend? I thought he was gay.

Really tho', who cares? He can waggle his willie at any woman he wants, as long as it ain't me.

ON A SCALE OF ONE TO TEN, HOW WOULD YOU RATE DAVID'S ACTING?

9 1/2. (Almost as good as Derek Jacobi or David Warner-but needs a tad more maturity.)

I've got to find something interesting to write about..just...not tonight, I guess.

Wow, the storms began around 6pm, and here at nearly 2am, are still going strong. There are storm warnings in towns and counties all around us, but so far outside of torrential rains and a couple of lightning strikes, we've missed the bad weather--we do have flash flood warning, as I hear some of the creeks are close to bankfull, tonight, and some roads have been partially flooded. No tornados like the one that devistated New Hampshire on Thursday, thankfully. We've not had a bad tornado in northeastern New York in about four or five years, happily.

The lightning is still flashing on the horizon, but thunder is still pretty distant.

WATCH THIS AMAZING VIDEO:

I always assumed that the UK "mile" and our "mile," were the same...no.

In the UK a mile is, 5,280 feet--which comes to 1,609.344 meters.

In the USA, our mile is, 5,280 survey feet, which is a tiny bit longer, at 1,609.347 219 meters.

Who knew?

So don't whinge so much next time, my UK friends, when you have to do a 50 mile drive (which takes an average of 60 minutes, here in the US, without heavy traffic).

THE ROADS I HAVE TRAVELED

SOUTHBOUND ALONG THE HUDSON RIVER, FROM ALBANY NY, APPROX 2 MILES FROM MY HOMETOWN

SIGN FOR MY HOMETOWN, I-787--this is the first motorway I ever drove on.

Other local roads:

AERIAL VIEW, ALBANY, NY & HUDSON RIVER

I-87 Interstate motorway, direct north-south route from Albany, NY to Montreal, Que. (Aka: "Adirondack Northway")

"TWIN BRIDGES" OVER MOHAWK RIVER, SEPERATING ALBANY AND SARATOGA COUNTIES

I-87 NARROWS FROM THREE TO TWO LANES, JUST PAST LAKE GEORGE, APPROX. 70 MILES FROM ALBANY, ALL THE WAY TO THE CANADIAN BORDER.

I would have been soaked!

Storms moving through...severe storm warning for this part of the world, and I can hear the thunder in the distance--LOTS of thunder, close together, so methinks this is indeed, a bad storm. Tho', the storms mostly have a tendency to go around us, as we are between the Hudson River and Lake George--water is a magnet for storms..and, they tend to track along the same routes--some towns repeatedly getting hammered, while others get just a brush by, or a complete miss.

I'm gonna' log off probably, if the storm gets to bad--as a precatuion for my computer.

A STORM ROLLING IN OVER LAKE GEORGE--THAT "FOG" IS REALLY A WALL OF RAIN

Even tho' I don't have anything in common with the character of Medea, in Euripides' play, I still "get" her, in a small way. I can relate to where she's coming from.

I mean, no, I never betrayed my country and my dad, or killed my own brother, all for the sake of love. And, certainly, I'd never try to cope with my lover's infildelity (not that I've ever, or will ever, have a lover) by killing my own kids. Still, there's a raw emotion inside Medea, driving her to extremes, that I fathom inside the darker recesses in m own soul--NOT that I'd ever injure anyone, not that part of it. But, the part that is hurting, and guilty and feels boxed in on all sides. That's the part of Medea that I understand.

Medea, planning her future with Jason, set the dominoes in place that would eventurally tip and lead to the ruin of all she once held dear. Feeling betrayed and alone, she loses all sense of reason (not that witch had much to begin with, really), and self-detructs as a way of coping with her pain.

Tho' my situation isn't anything remotely like Medea's, I have known that sort of pain. Only, my lashing out was at myself.

But, I won't get too dark in this post.

I like this play because it is about our most deepest passions and emotions--sometimes, fleetingly, showing Medea's genuine motherly love for her children, but also, chillingly, revealing her selfish pride, fear and anger. It shows that the witch, Medea, while a powerful sorceress, is yet still, a vunerable and volitile woman. She has the power to enchant and kill, yet, she is powerless to stop Jason from marrying for wealth. Her revenge is both her strength (in her eyes), and her weakness.

At least, that's my take on the play.

Oh no. Someone's e-mailed me my horoscope again. Puh-lease.

But, people do believe in this stuff. I noticed that the live bait and tackle shop in Lake George village, has been replaced by another Lake George Physic. There's a useful shop, yesirre-bob. Answer me this though, if these people are so physic, why do they have to work for a living, when they could be winning lotteries and horse races?

What a bunch of malarkey!

Well, at least after I got done rolling my eyes and snorting, I did get a good larf out of it....sort'a...well...meh.

Today:
This is the time to start getting fitter, because you will for once be happy to take more exercise than usual. You will be brimming with energy, wanting to tackle activities that are more physical. All sorts of opportunities are opening up around you which you hadn't expected, so you need to be on top form to be able to make best use of them all. You are taking time and trouble to speak in as precise and effective a way as possible.
Week Ahead:
This week you will dislike more than usual being passed over for attention at work. You want to be noticed, not made to feel one of the crowd. Zippy Mars across from upbeat Jupiter can be a potent combination. Neither planetary influence is a long-distance runner and won't improve your spirit for projects that go on and on. So don't launch into schemes which you may run out of energy and interest for before they can be completed.

And this one---yeah, this one's beliveable...not. What a load of c*ap!

YOU will be adventurous and break free from routine now the sun and mind planet Mercury are in place to widen your horizons, showing you how much life has to offer.

Venus is in place to help you win, or win back, the heart that is right for you.

Gag me.

I just wrote something, and we had a quick power blip--storms in the area, and I just LOST everything---and since changing to the "new and (snort) IMPROVED (laugh) design wizard, BCUK doesn't automatically save my work any longer (which REALLy sucks--and how the hell is THAT an "improvment?")

I really don't care for this new design--got way to many little annoying bugs.

And, my bcuk homepage takes FOREVER to load now--it's like I have blinking dial-up...which I don't. Seriously, if I want to read one of my friend's posts, or do anything on my "my blog.co.uk" page--it can take up to 2 to 3 minutes to wait until I can actually click on something....which is why I'm not reading as many of your posts, as I used to.

I'm still thinking about the Great Glens Falls Ice Cream Robbery.

I was mulling over the thought that it might make a neat little 10-minute comedy playlet....a jail scene, four convicts....

OUR BUMBLING THEIVES: What are you two in here for?

OTHER TWO CONVICTS: Armed robbery, rape and muder. What about you two?

OUR BUMBLING THEIVES: We stole $400 worth of ice cream sandwiches for our kids.

..I feel like cr*p this morning!

I think I overdid it just a wee bit yesterday---my back, arms and legs are killing me, and I feel like I couldn't even lift a loaf of bread, let alone a shopping bag...but, day off tomorrow...well, except for the laundry. Working noon to 4 today. WAS planning on going in earlier (I don't have a set time to come in, on "make-up" days, just whenever I want to come in)...wish I could just fob it off, but, A. I need the money, and B. I don't want to get fired. It's not like high school, where I can fake a sickkie, and blow off a day...which is why I probably graduated at the bottom of my class, I suppose....

No regrets about yesterday, tho...well, maybe the visit to KFC.

Oh, I gotta' tear myself outta' my chair and feed the cats and myself, I reckon. Beatiful days this weekend! Hot, but not hardly at all humid. After the high humidity for the past week--not to mention the tropical storm, it's really refreshing--there's even a lovely cool breeze.

No plane problems, apparently. Guess the lunatic was just having a bit of fun, buzzing the city. Takes all kinds--it's a wonder the FAA don't get after him.

Apparently the sirens were out for two reasons--the one's in the distance that I heard last night, were probably on their way to a fatal car crash in a neighbouritng town, and the cops that went by were likely on their way to the donut shop.

There was a major, rather chilling crime here in the city last night though!

Oh yes, two guys walked into the hospital cafeteria and stole a mess of ice cream!

No, I'm not kidding.

The two theives broke into the locked cafeteria in the basement of the hospital, and filled their knapsacks with ice cream sandwiches, Snickers ice cream bars and other frozen delights, but were seen in the area by an off-duty hospital cook, who was acquainted with the two men.

The theives were caught cold with their goodies, estimated to be worth $384, when police visited their apartment and opened the freezer--and had a mess of choc-icces and other frozen wonders fall down onto their well-polished police shoes.

One of the men's girlfriend's was also charged, because she knew about the theft and also because she tried to claim that she was the one who stole the ice cream--because her boyfriend was on probation for a previous burglary charge. He claimed he stole the frozen treats, because he wanted them to give to his children.

Only in Glens Falls, people.

...from when I was a child.

I was thinking that I must be daft, buying clothes, when money's so tight. I really just went in for some replacement jeans--which I do wear to the office, one or two days a week, on causal dress days (the rest of the week, we have a strict dress code--which hardly anyone pays attention to, any longer).

But truth to tell, I do like shopping for clothing. I've been in denial over it for years. And, the odd thing is...I don't know why!

I know girls are supposed to LOVE clothes shopping, but I was the odd woman out, 'cos I didn't care for it, growing up..and even into my twenties and thrities. I mean, I was happy wearing what was comfy, but wasn't overly concerned about how it looked on me. I had certain things I liked--from western shirts, flannel shirts and cable-knit sweaters, to oxford shirts and polo shirts, long denim skirts, jumpers (see explaination below), cordoroy trousers, jeans and the occaisional blazer. Not exactly a fashion queen. I used to positively dread back-to-shcool clothing shopping! (We don't use uniforms in our public schools--what you in the UK refer to as "state" schools, here...so you wore to school whatever you or your mum picked out from the department store.)

Yeah, over the years I got dragged from one department store to the other--Topps, Westons, Montgomery Wards, Sears, Two Guys, Korvettes, Boston Store, Bradlee's, Stanley's, Lodge's, even Woolworth's.

To mum's disgust, I just plain wasn't interested in looking at dresses. I postively hated wearing them...jumpers (To clarify, we Yanks call jumpers, "sweaters," and "jumpers" are a type of sleveless pull-over dress which one may or may not wear a blouse with underneath--depending on the style, that normally has big front pockets.) jumpers--yes--maybe. If I liked the fabric and style.

I was then, and still largely am, seriously into natural fibers. Mum loved her polyester, I hate the darn stuff--I'll wear it in a pinch, but just NMS--Not my style. Cotton, a satan type of material, silk yes, but polyester--bleh!!!

Then, I hit 40. Viola. I am woman, hear me roar...well, maybe more like a loud "meow."

Suddenly, I am interested. I mean I don't think I'll ever be the shop-till-you-drop type, nor will I ever desire to own a closet full of posh clothing...but, when I do go shopping--usually only once or twice a year, if that, I get very serious. I know exactly what I like and don't like.

Mum often went along with me when I shopped. She used to complain that I had "expensive tastes."--not that I deliberately looked at expensive clothes! I just tune into what just naturally attracts me... Which unfortunately does seem to be right--too often I had to back off, because the item I coveted was really pricy. And the strange thing is, I, in all sincerity, really couldn't give a flying fig about designer clothing! So, how did I developed my high-flalutin' tastes?

But I will say, I love it when I do choose to dress posh--because even today, I still prefer jeans and a tee shirt/flannel shirt/western shirt, comfy sweater, over dressing posh...so when people see me posh, their jaws do actually tend to drop. They stop and turn and look at me funny. Like, "Who knew?" I am a bit vain I suppose, because I do sometimes get a kick out of it. Not that I care about the complements--they're nice, but not anything I've ever conciously craved.

Mum used to shake her head at me in wonder. One time, over dinner in a restaurant, she confessed that she couldn't fathom the change. She said something like, "How is it my daughter the tomboy, suddenly has become a clothes horse? You would never look twice at nice outfits, but now you can just walk up to the rack, pick out some things, and they look perfect on you. You dress like someone in my Town and Country magazine. What happened?" Oh, and then if memory serves me, I believe she added: "So why won't you dress that way all the time? And when will you show some interest in make up, and doing your hair? You'd have more men looking at you if you did." Always the mum!

I don't know. I don't really feel comfortable with the image of being a shopaholic or clothes horse. It's just that I have very specific tastes and ideas of what I like (in posh clothes)..and those tastes evolve and change--I sometimes dress like I've always done, and sometimes I dress like I'd never done before.

I do know, that even in posh dress, I still follow my own drummer, and would never-ever buy something just because it's popular. I hate trendy--if I happen to be trendy--it's purely coincidence. Just to set the record straight, you see.

I suppose it's just a product of change and maturity and exposure to other influences somewhere. But, I have no regrets about today's purchases. I hemmed and hawed about that money I decided to spend on myself (I put the other 40 dollars aside for next week when I'll have a smaller pay check)--I still have 9 dollars left over, which I'll save for a rainy day, when I may need something. I could have gone to see a film or a play, I could have played crazy golf, or gone out to Jake's Roundup for dinner. Instead, I decided to use it for something I could continue to get some use from, for years (I hope) to come.

And, I can't help it. I think those Ked's retro Triumph trainers really are AWESOME! (--found my new shoes advertised on the web for 32.45 Euros--on sale--they were originally the equivilent--in France--of 92 dollars! Makes my 8 dollar trainers seem practically free!)

(See Image below

Sorry, I do love it when I get a genuine bargain, though.

AN AMERICAN "JUMPER"

My daily David Tennant Teasers now have their own blog! And YOU can join in, too!

The new blog group is called, "Roasting David (Tennant)," and this is where we fan-girls (and guys) can go, to get away from all the slobbering and wittering over how sexy the man is, and how they want to tear his clothes off and make wild love to him...no, wait, that's the Ziggy fan-site, sorry.

Anyway, if you are a fan, and want to have a go at David, by trying your hand at a humourous caption, than be my guest. (NOTE: At no time will ANY mean, spiteful or excessively rude entries will be accepted!)

The group is: http://www.davidtennant.blog.co.uk

I'm exhausted! And, very sore...and sweaty, and did I mention that I was exhausted.

Today I:

Went to work
Cashed my check at Price Chopper
Popped over to Family Dollar
Went to the Doctor's..test took almost a whole hour!
Went to KFC for a very late lunch (not one of my better ideas)
Went Clothes shopping...more on that in a minute
Took a trolley ride up to Lake George and back
Went to Walmarts and did my food shopping
Came home, carted all upstairs
And am now sitting here blogging, slurping on a Starbuck's frozen Frappachino bar (mocha flavour), still sweating.

Oh, and I got buzzed by a single engine Cessna (I think, I don't know my planes as well as I used to--plane spotting was more mum's thing than mine), blue and white, with the landing gear down..he was so low, you could see right into the cockpit--don't know what THAT was about--he was going in the totally wrong direction to land....less than five minutes later, there were sirens in the distance and police cars screaming by, I've no idea if it was just some idiot buzzing Glens Falls--which, tho' possible, seems unlikely, or if there was an emergency landing of some sort. Of course, the sirens could have been for a car accident or something.

First, the good news. I won another charity raffle--this time a gift card to Family Dollar worth $10, so I used it and bought something I really, really needed, and that was a cookware set--pots and pats. Mine are rubbish-grubby, old and battered. I was a good set in its day a gift from my mum about 12 or 15 years ago, but now the handles are coming off, and..they're just a misery to use, and even bigger misery to try and clean. So, FD had a set on sale for just $12.50, and I got it--with the gift card, it cost me around $3 with the tax! And for the money, it's a surprisingly nice little set.

So, across the street from the KFC, is "Label Shopper," a deep discount clothing store that sells clearence items from every store going--like a TK Maxx only even cheaper. I've gotten $100 dresses there, in years past, for as little as $15.

All the bills are paid (that aren't twice what I make in a month), except for one. That one was $10. So, paid that, and figured I had about $40 I cold spend on myself.

And I had a GREAT TIME! For $30, I got: 2 dresses--a gauzy tropical style sun dress for $1, and a lovely simple little denim summer dress, a pair of Cosmopolitin Designer jeans--that look fantastic on me, a rather posh pair of Keds retro triupmph clockwork trainers in plum and gold. And, I had enough left over for the Frappachino bars!

I went in for two pairs of cheap jeans (you can get a pair of $45-$50 designer jeans there, for around $15)--I've managed to completely ruin three pairs of jeans in two weeks, but I loved the dress and posh trainers so much--they look really nice together--and I only own one summer dress, so after a long think, I decided some nice summer office wear really wouldn't hurt me...especially when both the dress--which I think looks nice on me-- and the trainers (which according to the tag on the box, originally cost $50), were both $8 each!

Now I'm well-knackered tho'. I won't go anywhere tomorrow, as I do have to work. But, Sunday will likely be a laundry day for me.

Wal-Marts was sold out of Virgin Mobile cards, so it means a trip to K-mart or the mall, sometime when can, this week.

So I'm sitting here, eating a roast beef and cheese sandwich, eating dinner at 10pm, sipping a non-alcoholic "cocktail" of 7-UP and tropical fruit punch--very refreshing.

I didn't finish my lunch--it was just too awful. Oh the fries/chips were okay, but I ordered the BBQ chicken sandwich and half-way through discovered that it was burnt beyond reckognition and comepletely inedible...and gosh, my spelling is getting worse and worse--and I'm getting dyslexic in my writing, as well.

I'm worried about Flame. She's hungry, but she's not eating much of her wet food. I don't know what's up with her. She seems healthy and happy. Maybe it's just a phase she's in right now. Or maybe she's just been filling up on dry food.

My appetite is off-kilter again, and of course I've ignored the instructions to be taking it easy--but with getting all but the laundry done tonight, I can "take it easy" tomorrow, (well, before and after work), and most of Sunday, and Monday morning, as well.

The short ride to Lake George and back was nice. Got to see the lake, the mountains, the hoardes of tourists...saw some car with a New Jersey number plate on it, sitting on the back of a towing rig...all smashed up on the front end. Some tourist out there, is having a lousy holiday this weekend.

Well, that's about it. I'll let you know if the plane thing was anything or not. With all the whacked out people in the world, it probably was just some smartarse buzzing the city. When I lived in Corinth, a small mill town just west of Glens Falls, we used to get National Guard Jets buzzing the village--they weren't supposed to be doing it, mind you, but do it they did. There was this deep goarge, and escarpment, on the Hudson River behind where I lived--between the Palmer Falls and Spier Falls dams, and I think they liked to buzz the gorge--but it got a bit noisy---one guy flew so low, I could not only read the numbers on the jet--I could actually see the helmeted pilot inside!

The plane looked something like this one

I used to put coins in an old Jukebox just like this one, in the mid-60's. It was at one of the local diners.

I distinctly remember standing in fascination, watching the record being slotted into place, then going 'round, and that wonderful deep booming tone that reached down into your toes, from the speakers...what memories!

Well, bit of a rocky start for me this morning. Still a bit wobbly. I just borrowed the neighbour's phone to ring up the doctor's office. Have to go do some tests today, both at the hospital and some specialists. Won't go into details. It's one of those things that might be nothing...or something, if you know what I mean. And, they want to make sure right off, that it isn't the something.

And, I'm supposed to take it easy for a few days--yeah, and pray tell, how do I do that, when I have to work, do housework, shop, go to the laundromat and run around like a loon trying to get all these tests done? LOL!

Well, I've got some music on, and am trying to get a few chores done...still very weak, though. Told to take it easy--yeah, how? I'm on my own, if this stuff (shopping, laundry, housework, etc.) isn't done by me, it won't get done. I need clean clothing and the cats need food--and I'm out of milk and bread.

Well, anyway, at least the music's good.

SONG/ARTIIST

Who Knows/The La's
Sweet Surrender/Bread
I've Never Been So Much in Love/The 23rd Turn Off
I Kinda Got Lost/Chris Best
Rockin' Chair/Heartsfield
Move out of Here/Fifty Theiving Bastards
Man on the Moon/R.E.M.
Sultans of Swing/Dire Straights
On the Other Side/Landon Pigg
Help/Beatles
Everyday/John Denver
Dirty Barry Stole the Bluebird/The Fratellis
Last Train/Travis
When it's all over we still have to clear up/Snow Patrol
For Reasons Unknown/The Killers
A Rush of Blood to the Head (live)/Coldplay
Fun, Fun, Fun/The Beach Boys
You Baby/The Turtles
Tombstone Shadow/Creedence Clearwater Revival
Going Up the Country/Canned Heat
This is Not a Love Song/Runrig
Letter from America/The Proclaimers
Born at the Right Time/Lindisfame
Dreaming of the Queen/Pet Shop Boys
Disappointed/Electronic
Miss Teenwordpower/The New Pornographers
Weight of the World/Tarklo
Ruby/Kaiser Chiefs
Girl Sailor/The Shins
Traffic/Carbon Leaf
There She Goes/The La's
Shambala/Three Dog Night
I'm Gonna' Be (500 Miles)/The Proclaimers

"Well, I'm so devilishly sexy, I had my hairdresser curl two tufts of my hair to resemble little horns."

...the Onion--a mock newspaper, who...mocks things...did an "article" about high school teachers hanging out in the teacher's lounge, dissing their student's work. The subject was a student's Hamlet essay.

How many of us have wondered what REALLY goes on in the teacher's lounge between classes?

Read the "article" here

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/38586

I don't trust Obama. Not one whit.

He says he's supportive of American Muslims, and yet...he's downright paranoid about them.

1. refuses to let a fellow politician speak to the Muslim community on his behalf.

2. refuses to be photographed with women wearing headscarves

3. insists that reporters accompaning him in Israel "avoid wearing green" because that is a "Hamas" colour...which isn't true. Green is the "colour" of Islam, not just Hamas--and it's nothing like "gang colours," where in places like Los Angles, if a person is seen wearing a rival gang's "colour" they can get attacked--Islam doesn't work that way! And, no Isrealli's would be offended by someone wearing green. I mean, maybe in certain parts of Ireland..but not in the Middle East--which shows up Obama to either be a complete ignoramus, or paranoid racist, I'm not sure which. Either way, I'm not impressed.

4. Screams foul over some stupid cartoon portraying him as a muslim. Okay, it was just a cartoon. But Obama's reaction was way, way over the top--beyond rational. The man's TERRIFIED of being thought of as a Muslim--why?

Personally, Obama sounds almost as much of a phycaitrist's field day, as Bush does!

You can give all the grand speeches in the world, but in the end, it's your actions and behaviour, that truly count in this life.

It has been in the press this week, that the BBC upped the ante, and sweetened the pot on actor David Tennant's pay raise, from 1.3 millon pounds to one and a half million.

Doctor Who is the BBC's #1 money-earner abroad, and the series finale drew in 10 million viewers inside the UK alone. Millions more around the globe--from Japan, to Australia, from North America to Iceland will tune in to the finale. Some estimates are that Episode 13 is expected to be watched by at least 40 million people, worldwide (while Series 4 is done in the UK, and winding down in the US, it is just beginning in other parts of the world, or has yet to be shown.)

Though David Tennant is still mulling it over, rumour has it that "he's very interested."

Well, DOH.

Yeah, well, wave the equivelent of a three million dollar pay cheque in my face, and I'd bloody well "be interested" too!

I mean, I suppose the man's wealthy enough, that he can afford to turn down that kind of money...but speaking as one of America's poor and downtrodden, "David, whattda' you, flippin' NUTS??? Take the effin' money boy! I know you have one of those expensive hybrid cars, and don't have to worry about the cost of petrol, but...geez".

Really hard to wrap my head around somone--who's not a priest or Mother Teresa, turning down an offer like that. Geez Louise. (I'm trying to stop swearing, hence the Yankee colouiqualism, or howsoever you spell that--what I really meant was "S !)

Tennant has already filmed the Christmas episode for 2008, and is slated to return to the BBC Wales studios in January, to film three Doctor Who specials, which will be aired in the latter half of 2009. It is not known who Tennant's new companion will be, for the specials. One rumour has it that Tate may evenually return--tho' Catherine Tate seems to be pointing in a different direction in her career, at the moment--The insider's rumours are mixed on this--with one person hinting yes, and the other saying absolutely not. But...hey, they brought back Rose, Davros, Captain Jack and Jenny--the Doctor's daughter all back from the "dead," so...? One thing I learned about DW a long, long time ago, is that...anything goes.

In Doctor Who, it ain't over till' it's over--and the Doctor regenerates!

I'm really fed up with all this yammering by both presidential hopefuls about terrorism, Iraq,Iran, Isreal, Afghanastan. Oh, don't get me started on that.

When it comes to reality, to politics, to THINKING, Americans are basically, the absolutely stupidist people on earth. A DONKEY has more intelligence!

People stupidly think that terrorism and Al Queda just happened one day, that one day, some guy in a headcloth got a gun and decided he hated America.

Erm--no.

THESE ARE KNOWN ESTABLISHED FACTS...THEY ARE HISTORY, NOT FICTION:

Back in the cold war (if any Americans tiny little brains can still remember back that far), the SOVIET UNION invaded a country called...(wait for it)...

AFGHANASTAN.

And who did the USA support? That's right boys and girls, the right-wing radical Muslims. Who taught them their warfare skills? WE DID. Who supplied them with weaponry? WE DID.

And furthermore, who overthrew the rightful king, AND helped to put the Ayatolla in power? WE DID.

And...this gets really good, read on....

Who helped put Sadaam into power in Iraq? That's right boys and girls, the good old US of A....only, Sadaam said, "Thanks for the help, now get lost."

And then, children, one day, two planes crashed into the World Trade Center, one into a field, and one into the Pentagon.

THE END.

..sitting in a theatre for four hours. Doctor Who/David Tennant fans have had the web all a-buzz this week, due to the fact that Mr. Tennant (along with Patrick Stewart and a superb ensamble from the Royal Shakespeare Company) is premering his Hamlet--as I write this, if what I've read is at all correct.

I cannot help but wonder, how the play has been interpreted by the director, or the dramaturg or whomever. If left on its own, Hamlet will run around 4 hours....a good thing if you're playing to either some real Shakespeare anoraks, or a house full of insomniacs.

If memory serves me, there are three main versions of Hamlet--and forgive me if I've gotten this wrong--we spent all of two weeks intensively studying Hamlet in college the summer of '04--so not a lot of time to memorize facts, while trying to read and comprehend one of the greatest plays of all time)...anyway, I THINK there's the first folio, the second quatro, and...sorry, I forget what the third one was. Then, there's all the modern edited texts, of course.

I'm guessing that whomever choose this play, would do a bit of re-writing, to make the play more palatiable for the modern audience--which, being that the play is being performed in Shakespeare's home town, so to speak, I'm guess the audience will be a mixture of Shakespearean scholars, advid theater goers, casual theater goers, first-timers and...fan-girls.

So, I'm of the mind that the director may be using one of the shorter original texts---now, if I'm correct in remembering, the origianl longest text, I think, had over 3500 lines in it. Waaayy too long for today's audiences! And, tiring for the actors, as well, to maintain. Yet, I'm sure, being that they are the RSC, they would want to be as true to the original texts as possible.

So, I am quite curious as to how the director or whomever did the re-write, pitched this play. What sort of balance did he (or she) choose, between the modern audience and the orginal Elisabethan text? I'm thinking three hours, in length--which means some cutting, but not so much as to lose the character and true meaning of the play--just enough to keep the audience from yawning.

Hamlet, the ultimate manic-depressive, has these mood swings--they are an intregal part of the play. But, it is a complicated play, and even one cut in the wrong place--I imagine--could completely undo the cohesion of an entire scene.

However it was done, I'm sure it was done brilliantly, and--whether Tennant is in the role or not, envy anyone with the chance to see Hamlet performed in Stratford Upon Avon.

LAST PIC REMOVED 'COS I DO NOT ADVERTISE PORN ON THIS WEBSITE! Do an effing Google search, you pervs.

It's heading into 2pm here in my part of the world. I'm home from work. Ordered to stay home and rest for the rest of the day, by the nurse at the health center.

Walking to work this morning, I almost fell over twice. Got to the office still feeling strange, so called off sick, went home and changed real quick into something cooler---I was wearing my posh trouser suit, which isn't the ideal thing to wear in high humidity--the lined oriental style satin jacket was literally stuck to my back--I couldn't blinking get it off! Getting my satin trousers off, was like trying to peel a ruddy bananna!

Anyway, grabbed a bus downtown, transferred to another bus, got to the center...turns out my blood pressure was almost dangerously low--for a while it was bandied about whether or not I should go to the ER--but they gave me some meds--and a stern lecture, and sent me home to rest. I have to go back tomorrow, if I'm still having symptoms....but I feel slightly better now, just very weak. My BP used to be sky-high, so it feels odd to me to be lectured about it being too low--wish these doctor's and such would make up their cotton-pickin' minds already!

A nice lady I met in the waiting room at the health center, offered me a ride home, when she found out she lived only right around the corner from me--isn't that nice? I think that was rather grand. Usually people are rather cranky in that particular health center--as health center's go, they are the bottom of the barrel around these parts. I'm told most of those with private health insurance do tend to go elsewhere. Probably 80 percent of the health center's patients either have welfare health care (like me, partially) or no health insurance at all (like me, partially). I have SOME coverage provided by the government, due to my being on disability, but a lot of things are not covered: hospital stays, eye exams, some tests, annual physicals and 20 percent of the cost of every time I walk through the door of the health center, no matter what the reason---that's 20% of 80 to 120 dollars or more.

So, I have to go back and lie down some more, with my feet elevated--seems I have something called "edema," and have to keep my feet propped up for a few hours. Well, I'll take Euripides with me and finish the play I was reading. It ain't Hamlet, but it's not half-bad. I'd love to play Medea.

Have a good evening, everyone. Cheers.

Another overcast day, following our tropical storm yesterday.

The city's Dept. of Public Works decided to be my own personal alarm clock this morning, by choosing to cut the pavement out in front of my apartment building with a concrete saw, at about twenty minutes past seven in the morning--how very considerate of them!

Sometimes I really hate Glens Falls.

Going to be a tough day. I fell ill again, during the night. I have to go to work, but it's going to be a struggle. I'm extremely light-headed and weak, for some reason. Keep wanting to list to the left, like a sinking ship. Otherwise I feel okay, though, so will just do my best to muddle through 'till 4pm.

Well, a quick lunch of Cajun black beans and rice with corn and smoked sausage, took my chicken I had roasting this morning, out of the oven, to have ready for dinner tonight, so I'm good to go, on that score.

Have a lovely day, all.

At a recent party, a slightly tipsy David Tennant admitted that he was secretly dating fellow celebrity Kerry Katona. "Gotta' keep ma'bhoy happy, ya'know," the actor quipped, after downing five whiskeys, "it's very fond of blonds with big knockers".

...rounding the club house turn for the first time, it was opening day at historic Saratoga Race Course yesterday, of the 2008 Summer meet.

Here's what a local reporter had to say:

Running in the rain
Wet weather helped usher in the start of the racing season

"My father was everything to me. And this place is like a church to me. I come here every year in his name so that the legacy can live on."

Racing silks of winning stables

An on-site mineral spring, named after the great horse, Man O' War

So, I was sitting here, minding my own business, 1 O'clock in the morning, when, FLASH-FLASH, the room lights up suddenly, with two blasting blue flares of light--makes me jump...but...no sound...until about 15 seconds later--about 15 miles away, the storm is.

For some reason, I find silent lightning more eerie than the kind that lands right in your own neighbourhood--oh, that's scary too--I've been mildly shocked by a near-miss. But...I dunno'. It's not scary so much as it seems...unnatural. You see a flash of lightning, you expect a rumble or crash of thunder--depending on the distance, and when it doesn't come right away...it just seems, well, weird. At least it does to me, anyway.

I remember as a child, we used to get heat lightning a lot a night--that's a term that's actually a misnomer. The name comes from the fact that this usually is only seen in the warmer, summer months. "Heat lightning" really is just far-distant lightning, that can't be heard--something, I think, to do with the way the sound bounces back and forth on the earth's surface...I suck at science so I'm only guessing. But, there was someting benevolent about heat lightning--it was too far away to hurt you, and was interesting to look at. Strangely, we seldom seem to get this type of lightning now--or, maybe it was just where I lived, growing up in the upper Hudson Valley.

I'm not crazy about thunderstorms--as a child I was terrified of them, for some reason...but, I was afraid of lots of things as a kid--I was a real wimp...boy have I changed.

I think the scariest lightning I've EVER seen, is ball lightning. Again, thankfully, this was too far away to hurt us, but I do remember sitting on our front lawn--with many of the neighbours standing on theirs, watching this strange natural phenomena--only time I've ever seen it in my life. Great balls o' fire? Oh yes. Balls of orange light, flaring up inside great looming grey clouds---wow. Scary stuff. I remember that it was reported later that night, that one "ball" passed right through the wall of someone's home--how strange!

Must have been terrifiying to watch, right where the storm was. People used to claim that there was no such thing--ha! Trust me, I've seen it with my own eyes, and so has my family and about 8 of my former neighbours. I guess it is very rare though. As I recall--and mind you, it was back in the 70's, but I recall that the balls of lightning lasted much longer than normal lightning--which adds to the weirdness and the fear factor, I suppose. Ball lightning doesn't flash--it flares up and glows before dispersing. Very, very freaky thing to watch, let me tell you. More than one person admitted to having it raise the hairs on the back of their necks.

I looked at the National Weather Service Albany, NY radar site-whoa. A big red and orange blob heading south to north....this tropical storm is really giving upstate New York ("upstate" is, generally speaking, anything roughly 50 miles north of New York City) a real pounding.

Just read where that lovely actress, Catherine Tate (David Tennant's co-star on Dr Who) recently injured herself while rehearsing her play, and was forced to miss opening night. How sad!

Well, even tho' she'll never read this, I do wish her a speedy recovery, and much, much success with her play...tho' I'm sure that will be the case...she may be known over there as a comic, but by gosh, I think she's a brilliant actress...and she just really seems like a geninely nice person--and of course, I've been told she's a cat-owner, so that puts her up a notch in my esteem, as well.

Cheers, Catherine.

Nearly every time I post a blog with a photo, I have to RE-POST it, because BCUK--since I changed to the new design, doesn't let me post blogs with photos...I have to hit "save," then go into "edit," and hit "save" again...that's a genuine pain in the arse. Anyone else had glitches with the new design?

Pleasant evening at work, for a nice change, I got to hang out with people who like me--well, like me enough to want to talk with me, anyway. Made the night just fly by, and I actually enjoyed myself at work--even made 7 sales...not the best number on tonight's shift, but not shabby.

I like working with my voice--the challenge of using only your voice to convey feelings and persuade people--well, I suck as a salesperson, so not so sure about the persuading part.

I got invited out to a co-worker's dairy farm, which would be awsome...don't know if anything will come of it, though. Was invited to a model train club's open house--but naturally, I was working tonight, and couldn't go.

Speaking of working, lay-off's temporarily over, and I'm back on regular shift starting tomorrow. My body's going to thing I'm nuts. It's not sure when it should be hungry or sleepy, anymore.

Been dealing with a migrane all day, which is highly unusual for me. I'm blessed in that I so seldom get headaches...unfortunately, when I do get them, they tend to make up for lost time. I spend a dollar on a candy bar--a dollar that I could ill-afford, but it did seem to help my headache to go away--suspect it was a blood-sugar problem. Now, that hurt--a month ago they were only 80 cents..can't even afford a blinking candy bar..what's the world coming to???

I've a fly in my front room, and it's driving me bonkers!!! Keeps landing on my bare legs (I'm wearing my comfy old soft denim skirt) and flying around my face, and it's too "flighty" for me to swat fast enough at. The building's new welfare residents keep leaving the lids to the dumpster (skip) out in the car park off, and the flies are horrible. I'd be surprised that the city doesn't get at the building manager, but this city isn't overly concerned with rubbish and other quality of life issues. They're more into putting new roundabouts and posh streetlamps and such. You know, all "free" governments are essentially the same, no matter what the country--some are just better or worse than others.

Got home just in time. It was only drizzling slightly when I left work, but now, ten minutes after I've come home, it's raining buckets again. Been raining on and off all day. Not that I mind. I mostly like the rain. There's a thunderstorm rolling in. Very sharp lightning--but thunder's very distant--so it's miles away yet. We're under a flash-flood watch in parts of our area to the south...tropical rain. Seems weird to hear of "tropical weather" in the mountains of northern New York, but, there ya' go. At least I didn't have to walk home in it. I couldn't find my 'brella, so I grabbed my old "Genuinie Crusher" hat.

I love my "Crusher"--pictured below--tho' I've shaped mine into a Fedora, rather than a bucket hat..and mine's navy blue...my old one used to be forest green, back when I was a teenager. I own one of the last "originals" ever made, by the company that first manufactured them..but have since found that a company in Oregon--AMJ Pacific, that sells to Northwestern American woodsmen and women, makes them, now. They're GREAT hats--virtually indestructable..and, they roll up in your pocket or knapsack easily, and are just as easily re-shaped again. I used to waterproof mine--that's their only downfall, is that in a heavy downpour they can get a mite soggy, but waterproofed they are fantastic.

You can tell I love my outdoor gear, can't you? Well, spend as much time as I have, getting soaked to the skin for hours, caught in the mud, having close brushes with frost-bite and hypothemia, and dang, peeople--you'd be in love your favourtie outdoor gear as well, trust me!

How often do we so-called "normal" people have the most awful, horrific things come casually sliding out of our mouths, about other human beings.

Now, I not taking about people speaking about violent criminals, pedophiles or brutal dictators...I'm talking about "normal," everyday cititzens talking about other "ordinary" people, just like them.

I was reading an online paper yesterday. There was an article in it, that mentioned how a woman in the UK had started a fad diet, and after a week on this restrictive diet, she'd begun feeling unwell, and vomiting. Rather than check with her physician, she contacted the "nutritionist" that put her on to this diet, only to be told by this so-called "professional," that vomiting was part of the normal de-tox process. Personally, I believe that if this "nutritionist" was TRULY a professional, she shoud have advised her client to contact her physician, just to be on the safe side--but that's besides the point.

The client listened to the "nutritionist" and kept on the diet. As a result, the client collapsed from an epileptic seizure, incurred as part of the brain damage this "diet" caused her body. The damage also changed this woman's life forever, in effect making it impossible for her to work, or even do simple everyday functions, and effecting her memory..it even changed her whole personality.

Now, on these newspaper websites, you get morons commenting, with things like, "I do these diets all the time, and that never happened to me." It always astounds me how many people out there, in this, the 21st century, still don't grasp the basic concept that human beings are individuals--we're all different...from our life experiences and personalities, to our living situations and health needs and concerns. But always you get these daft people, sniffing and whinging..."Well that would never happen to me..." Yeah, I used to think that too...when I was 15.

But, it was this one woman's comment that really got me upset. I mean, I just wanted to verbally happy-slap this woman--okay, I sort'a just wanted to just slap her.

On reading about how this woman went on a fad diet, and wound up with brain damage and epilepsy, "Bethan" from Cardiff, Wales, said that the client with the epiliepsy, was stupid and "probably deserved it."

What kind of horrible human being wishes epilepsy on someone?

My mother was an epileptic--also from a brain injury. Epilepsy is a HORRIBLE disease...epileptics get treated rather badly sometimes, by society. Petite mal seizure is often mistaken for drunkeness or drug abuse. Petite mal is where the person just sort of steps out of reality for a few minutes...they are awake, but absolutely do not know what they are doing. Mum used to get really happy, and start talking utter nonsense...sometimes she wave her arms around, sometimes she'd start doing something--which used to scare me--without knowing what she was doing...one time she tried to put a tin of tuna fish in the toaster and pop it down. It's NOT funny...it's just bad to have to live with.

Grand mal seizures are even worse. They can KILL you...or make your condition worse. Grand mal seizures are the worst type of seizures there are.

So pardon me if I just want to haul off and slap "Bethan" for being a total loser and an aboslute prig, for saying that someone "deserved" to get brain damage and epilepsy.

You know, you talk all you want about the "yob culture," over there--but these kids are getting it from somewhere, and that somewhere is YOU--YOUR CULTURE. I understand not everyone is like this "Bethan," but...far too many are.

At the heart of it, NO ONE deserves to have a life-altering disease. And saying otherwise? It's just...sick.

Despite my light-hearted jibes, I really do appreciate Mr. Tennant's talent, hard work, and devotion to his craft. As I learned the hard way, acting is not an easy skill to learn--well, it never was for me, yet, Tennant makes it look nearly effortless.

So, even though I am fully aware that he will never read this, I would like to extend my best wishes to him--and the rest of the ensemble, for an energized, untroubled, fantastic performance tomorrow night.

And for anyone privlidged to see this wonderful play live (with or without Tennant in the lead), I hope you walk away with the memories of a lifetime-Seeing Hamlet on a thrust (or so it appears to be) stage-how exciting!

PS: I just got a message that every performace has been sold out--no surprise there.

26. When's the last time someone gave you flowers?

Some time in the 1980's.

27. Have you ever had to apply for welfare or other public assistance?

Yup.

28. Do you believe marriage should only be between a man and a woman?

Nope.

29. When's the last time you went to church?

Spring 2007

(Do I detect a bit of fundemental Christian in these questions?)

30. What musical instrument lessons have you taken?

Guitar, recorder, cello (don't ask), piano. And, I STILL can't read music!

31. Outside of school, have you ever sung in front of an audience?

I was actually in a church choir for a year or two, and also in two theater things, and once in front of a seminar group. It wasn't pretty.

32. What was your high school's mascot?

The Flying Dutchman, I think. I so wasn't into sports in high school.

33. How do you like your coffee?

Lots of cream, no sugar, and, more rarely, black.

34. How do you take your tea?

Sugar and no cream, or just as it is.

35. What's your favorite alcoholic beverage?

Nothing.

36. Do you collect anything?

Model horses, anitque saddles and equestrian items (when I could afford it).

37. Are you an expert in anything?

Not really, though I do know quite a lot about antique saddles and the history of the Albany Rural cemetery.

38. Last time you used a public rest room? (loo)

Yesterday

Okay, now that's a weird question.

39. Last time you were on an airplane?

Jan. 2004

40. Last time you were on a train?

2001.

41. Last time you rode an animal?

2005.

42. Last time you visited another country?

2004.

43. Have you ever attended an auction?

All the time for about 15 or 20 years, every type of auction you can imagine.

44. When's the last time you went to a state or county fair?

2002, I think.

45. When's the last time you went to some kind of festival?

June.

46. Last story you read in your local newspaper?

How the River Rats semi-pro hockey team from Albany, might play some games in Glens Falls next year.

47. What's the name of the last place you bought pizza from, and what kind did you buy?

East End Eatery. It's been quite a while, but I think propably their BBQ chicken pizza.

46. Have you ever had Kentucky Fried Chicken?

Yes.

47. Coke or Pepsi?

Both...but lean towards Coke.

48. What three people do you think have the nicest smiles?

My late mum, my late gran (paternal), and (dont you rolll your eyes at me!) David Tennant...but I still don't think he's sexy.

49. How many fancy (that's Yankee for "posh") dresses or suits do you own?

One dress, one trouser suit.

50. Last time you baked dessert?

A couple of months ago.

Thought while I'm waiting for lunch to come out of the oven, I'd try my hand at a quatrain poem--well, it's SUPPOSED to be a quatrain.

ALONE

Through stars circling, and moonlit roads,
Wence came a soul flying sadly,
With song despondent, in blackend robes,
Sighs torn from an outcast madly.

I think this will be my last one--at least for another week or two. So if anyone reading this is or was planning on tagging me...give it a rest for a few weeks, ey? I don't mind getting tagged, mind you, but it's been getting a tad carried away of late.

This is another long one so this is: PART I

Anyway--last one (promise):

1. What book are you currently reading, or what was the last book you read?

I'm currently reading "The Medea" by Euripides, the Grene and Lattimore translation.

2. What do you do before bedtime?

Make one last check my e-mail, make sure the cats have enough food and water for the night, shower, sometimes sit up in bed reading.

3. What would your dream date or perfect night out with your partner be like?

Well, I dunno'. Not something I've given a lot of thought to in the last 10 years or so. I suppose, I'd just like to be with someone I'm really comfortable with, and maybe we'd talk over coffee or Cokes, or perhaps, maybe we'd go play some crazy golf, or shoot some pool, or ten-pin bowling? Perhaps we'd watch a flim we both like, or maybe play a board game and listen to music....I'm honestly not sure, all I can say is that I'm not someone who needs to be wined and dined, really, I'm just, by my nature, not the kissy-cuddly type.

4. If you could live in any city in the world, which one would you choose?

I'm not really a "city" type of person, but I suppose, because of all the cultural attractions--and also as some of my friends aren't far from there--I'd choose London.

5. What makes you most unhappy these days?

Me.

6. What makes you most happy?

Always happy when my friends tell me they are happy or have some good news.

7. Would you prefer being single and rich, or married and poor?

You know, I'm single and wouldn't mind at all being rich....but, if by some crazy miracle (and it would HAVE to be a genuine miracle) some guy actually truly loved me--even with all my faults, then it wouldn't matter at all to me, if we were living in a boxcar and eating vienna sausages all week long.

8. Which do you prefer, giving or receiving?

Giving.

Are you obsessed with a televison series, soap opera or reality show?

Yes...but trying to back away from it.

9. What's your favourite gemstones to wear in jewelry?

Never given it much thought, but I suppose I tend towards lapis, garnet or emeralds. I most like sapphire, but consider it (if it's the real gem) to be unlucky (long story)...sometimes turquoise, as well.

10. What color are your bedroom curtins?

Brown and beige.

11. What color is the chair you are sitting in?

The cushions are are a tan, brown and forest green plaid.

12. Have you ever owned an orange tabby (ginger) cat?

Yes, have three of them--well one's ginger and white.

13. Do you know anyone living in Paris, New York City, Los Angles, London or Rome?

I have a couple of internet pals who live in London, and a former classmate of mine is currently living in New York City, and I know two people in Los Angles--tho' not well.

14. Do you know anyone who lives in Vermont, Utah, Alabama or Oregon?

My sister lives in Vermont.

15. What is the last thing you put a postage stamp on?

My rent payment for July.

16. When's the last time you held a baby?

16 or 17 years ago, I think.

17. Puppies or kittens?

I've spent years attending cat and dog births. As for puppies and kittens, I think they're both wonderful! But, while kitens scratch you and run around like loons, puppies pee on you and fuss a lot, so prefer kittens, I suppose.

18. Favorite flavor of mouthwash?

Tropical mint

19. What kind of car were you driving 10 years ago?

I think I was still driving my Buick station wagon

20. When is the last time you went to a Six Flags or other amusement park?

I worked at an amusement park in 98/99.

21. Choose one: Day at the races or day at the shopping mall?

Races--if it's horses.

22. Do you have any wallpaper or wood paneling at home?

Some of that naf 70's dark wood paneling in my kitchen--hate it.

23. The closest thing to you that is green?

The cushion under my bottom.

24. Closest framed picture to where you are now?

A small framed photo of my mum when she was in her 20's.

25. Last time someone you know, cooked for you?

At least three or four years, maybe longer.

END OF PART I

I tag anyone who wants to be bothered doing this quiz.

Well, he's got long arms, he's hairy, the girls all think he's cute, he scratches himself, and is really hyper and jumps around a lot...hey! Darwin really WAS right! How 'bout that?

Erm--is that a bit of lavendar coloured underpants I see...????

It is true, that my total net worth tonight, is $9.87--just counted it. But I do have wealth--oh, I'm not talking about possessions or real estate...my wealth is my words.

I write, therefore I am.

When I write, I can transform myself back to happier days, show the world my true feelings and how I percieve things. Through my writings on this blog, I've had the marvelous privledge to meet some lovely people--some of whom I am truly blessed to call my friends.

I've satisfied my craving for more Dr Who, when the series ends or when I cannot afford to purchase a novel or DVD.

I've shown the globe bits of my part of the world, explored my past, railed at my present and simply discussed what was going on in my day.

I've written bland drabbles, bad fan-fiction, worse poetry and some really horrific plays.

I've written so many essays in the last eight years, that I feel like I could just sit down and write one in my sleep and no one would know the difference, ha-h.

True, I'm just your average American writer, with a less than posh CV, but..who cares? Sometimes I enjoy it so much, it really makes me feel like a great painter with a blank canvas, when I start writing something...and sometimes, quite honestly, (usually when I'm feeling unwell), it feels like just another job I must do. Fortunately, it generally tends towards the former, rather than the latter.

BIG BROTHER--HE'S REALLY MADE OF CARDBOARD, YA'KNOW

I'm sure most, if not all of you, have heard of product placement. Well, until now, American news has been free of that rubbish. The news is the cornerstone of a free state. Without unbiased news, we cannot have an informed democracy, but instead fall prey to propaganda and marketing, which more often than not, distort the news to whatever the corporate CEO's and shareholders deem it to be.

Rupert Murdoch is a corporate coward. In his greed, he murders IDEAS. Corporate media has NO INTEREST in an unbiased and intelligent press, to the corporate mouguls, a free-thinking public is an abomination--because give people the chance to THINK, and they might say, "No." No to advertisers, no to a political move that the big-wigs want approved, and so on.

Murdoch, like any true coward and bully, doesn't care who or what he damages, as long as he gets what he wants. Rupert Murdock is a zero. It takes balls of iron to care and do the right thing. Rupert's balls are pink and soft, like fluffy bunny slippers or fuzzy dice.

Murdoch's only power is his money--strip away the wealth, and all you have is a cardboard cutout of a human being, at best. If, like in some Frank Capra film, you were to suddenly put the man down, pennyless and homeless on the streets, I think you'd find that Fidel Castro has more character than Murdoch.

So far, the one sacrilidge the corporate media had avoided doing, was prostituing the news for advertising dollars. Thanks to Rupert and his Fox News, that is no longer the case.

Now, Murdock is allowing McDonalds to put fake glasses of "iced coffee" (not real ice and not real coffee), on news presenters desk's, to push their iced coffee product, for the next 6 months. News anchors will not (and cannot) drink the coffee--so there is no purpose

Yes, while news presenters and reporters are telling you how a baby drowned in a pool, or how a man burned to death in his car, or how an entire village was massacured in Darfur, you can sit back and admire that nice cool looking cup of McDonald's fake iced coffee, oh, that's lovely.

If you resent Rupert Murdoch's mental rape of the press, and you think McDonalds is nothing but a big ugly bully in a clown suit, here's your chance to get even. BOYCOT McDonalds--write them and tell them to peddle their iced coffees elsewhere. Tell them that it's tacky and demeans the democratic process. Tell them anything, just...tell them. Please.

Go here to this http://www address;

mcdonalds.com/contact/contact_us.html

Then click on "Marketing and promotions" And the form is right there

Wow, though I really rared back from moderating comments--I hate modding comments, it's a real pain, and sometimes holds people back from legitmately commenting on my blog.

However--today I got this comment from some nut-job named, "Ryan" (if that's his real name:

i am david tennants biggest fan fek off lalalalala....]

He must be a Brittish child, as he couldn't even spell a swear word correctly (It's "feck" nutter-boy--you just lost points on your SAT's).

Needless to say, that's one comment that got landed in the old rubbish bin.

David Tennant, wherever you are, you have some really messed up, whacked out fans out there...you have a lot to answer for, ol' son. You've just GOT to stop being so damn erm--(cough)..um...sexy (snort and a laugh).

And, Ryan, sunshine, they do make medicine for your condition..and there's some excellent therapists out there as well, I'm sure.

Another stranger tagging me? I think I'm on some kind of "meme" quiz hit list!

Ah well, sure, I'll have a go:

1. CLOSE YOUR EYES. WHAT DO YOU HEAR?

Those annoying safety back up alarms on a construction vehicle, a street sweeper, men yelling back and forth to each other.

2. TAKE A BIG SNIFF. WHAT DO YOU SMELL?

Slight odor of exhaust fumes, wet pavement, the hamburger that I just grilled on the stovetop, lemon furniture polish (I just dusted this morning).

3. WHAT DO YOU SEE WHERE YOU ARE?

My front room: tables, chairs, my desk, bookcases, a knick-knack shelf, knick-knacks, family photos, decorative pictures on the walls, some silk flower arrangements, books, lamps, the windows, the trees outside, a brick chimney on a nearby rooftop, my balcony railing, windchimes, overcast sky.

4. BESIDES YOUR KEYBOARD, WHAT'S THE LAST THING YOU TOUCHED?

Just tugged on my ear (one of my habits)

5. WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED SO FAR FROM VISITORS TO YOUR BLOG?

There's a lot of David Tennant fan-girls out there, and, I have some pretty cool blog friends, also that there's a lot of people out there who often feel as you do, or if not, are still interesting and compassionate people.

6. IF SOMEONE OFFERED TO PAY FOR A COURSE OR COURSES FOR YOU, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

I'd finish my requirements for my BA in Communications/Public relations and my minor in writing--and IF the person was being overly generous, maybe throw in a theater course (or two) as well.

7. ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH WHAT YOU HAVE ACHEIVED SO FAR IN YOUR LIFE?

Erm--yes and no. Yes, I did manage to do some things I'd alway dreamed about, but I've also suffered some tremendous losses and failures, so I guess my answer would be, not really.

8. WHAT ARE YOUR POLITICAL LEANINGS, FAR-RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT-CENTER, LEFT, LEFT-CENTER, FAR-LEFT OR NONE? (RIGHT BEING CONSERVATE AND LEFT BEING LIBERAL)

Left.

9. LOOKING BACK TO WHEN YOU WERE 15, WHAT THINGS ARE YOU DOING NOW, THAT WOULD HAVE SHOCKED YOU BACK THEN?

Living in a slum building in the city, working as a telemarketer, losing my ability to walk (properly), never being around horses again.

10. THERE IS A DISASTER, YOU HAVE LESS THAN TEN MINUTES TO PACK AND LEAVE, WHAT DO YOU TAKE?

My cats, my wallet/passport, a blanket, clean underwear, a few family photos, my Dr Who DVD's.

11. WHAT IS THE MOST FRIGHTENING CLOSE CALL YOU'VE EVER HAD?

Almost got myself attacked by an angry momma moose when I was 19. Scared the bejaysus outta' me, let me tell you!

12. WHAT WERE YOU DOING TEN YEARS AGO?

1998? Working part-time as a Six Flags amusement park as a ride operator, and also applying for college admission, taking care of my mum, and volunteering once a week in the local Meals-on-Wheels programme.

13. WHAT WOULD YOU DO, IF YOU SUDDENLY CAME INTO A LARGE SUM OF MONEY--LIKE WINNING THE LOTTERY OR A LARGE INHERETINCE?

Pay off all or most of my debts, arrange to move me, my cats and my stuff to another country, like Canada, UK, Netherlands or Iceland, and also try and finish my education or get training for some kind of other occupation...oh, and give to charity, of course, like cancer, AIDs or Kidney disease. And also probably, animal welfare, environmental causes--like clean air and water, and most especially to help the local elderly and/or poor.

14. UP TO SEVEN JOBS YOU'VE HELD IN YOUR LIFETIME:

Stablehand
cook
muffler shop secretary and office temp (two jobs that year)
telemarketer (both sales and non-sales positions)
amusement park ride operator
office/casino housekeeper
motel laundry

15. WHAT WERE YOU DOING FIVE YEARS AGO?

2004? I attended my dad's wake and funeral, was commuting 100+ miles round trip every day (down mostly B roads), to my 4-year college in Vermont, taking care of my mum, paying the mortgage and lot rent on my trailer, driving a 1995 Chrysler New Yorker, went with my former college on an international studies trip to Egypt, was actively looking into selling my trailer and buying a year 'round camp (bungalow), just down the road in Forth Lake, got a new pair of eye-glasses (the one's I use now).

For instance...

Inter-racial dating...

Homosexuality...

The desire for revenge...

Envy...

A sense of humour...

Love...

Went into work at noon, only to find that all day work for my department has been axed for a while.

However, I am being allowed to work nights, if I so desire--well, doh. I've this little thing about eating fairly regularly and having electricity and gas, you know...sort of a habit I need to support...

I just noticed--the old taped coin on the tone arm trick--I used to sometimes have to do that, with my old portable player! This is, sometimes the plastic tone arm was too light for the record, and would cause "skips," but if you taped a coin--say a 25 or 5 cent piece right over where the needle went, it would play quite well.

"No-no-no, David, it's not 'To be or not to be,' you're in Cardiff now, you're supposed to say, 'No second chances.'"

Some of the bigger animals found in New York's southern Adirondack mountain region include:

BLACK BEAR

WHITETAIL DEER

MOOSE

Some of the wildlife to be found in my part of New York state are:

EASTERN COTTONTAIL RABBIT

SKUNK

RACCOON

WEASEL (WINTER COAT)

EASTERN CHIPMUNK

OPOSSUM "POSSUM"

RED FOX

COYOTE (ALSO HYBRID "COY-DOGS")

BOBCAT (RARE)

Police are investigating an unbelievably horrible child abuse case, after a toddler was found partly clothed and seriously injured, wandering through heavy traffic on a major B-type road multi-lane thoroughfare, in the busy shopping district of the neighbouring suburb of Queensbury.

The three year old girl was found with multiple bites, cuts, bruises, and a broken arm and collarbone. There also is evidence of sexual abuse around her genetalia. After being in hospital for two days, the 3-year old is now in foster care. The child's father--a 15 year old boy, and his 33-year old mother, are both being held over by the police on multiple charges. The pair were living at a local motel, and were in charge of looking after the child while its mother was away.

Because the father is under 16, he is being charged as a "youthful offender," However, New York state law does allow in youthful offenses of a very serious nature--in this case the sexual assult, for children under 16 to be tried as adults, in extenuating circumstances, and that does seem a likely scenario for this young man. Crimes involving death, rape and extreme violence can change a juvenile's protective status under New York state law. This is also the case in the neighbouring state of Vermont.

The grandmother reportedly left the child unattended "for a few minutes," before coming back to find her missing. The grandmother also admitted to giving the child large quantities of the drug "Benedryl" for no apparent reason, other than to keep her calm. It is thought that no only the 15 year old father had sexually abused the girl, but also his 12 year old brother as well, when the family resided in South Carolina, though charges have not yet been brought against the 12 year old in either state.

The family had moved to the Glens Falls area, to be closer to the grandmother's fiance's family, whom reside in the neighbouring state of Vermont.

sandy (IP: 80.201.26.16, 16.26-201-80.adsl-dyn.isp.belgacom.be)

sandrine.verm21@msn.com

NOTE THE 'VERM" IN HIS E-MAIL ADDRESS--AS IN 'VERMIN'--very appropriate, yes?

Wordpress layouts.net is a garbage website, selling overpriced junk. Avoid it at all costs---and Sandy is STILL an asshole and a loser.

I got a heat rash in an odd place, from standing too long in the broiling hot sun (32 C, it was) too long, waiting for a blinking trolley-bus, on Saturday...right on the top of my head!

Started itching a bit last night...now it's not just itchy, it's hot and sore as well...dang...never had a rash on my scalp before...glad I don't wear a headset at work. The bad thing is, I can't put any cream or anything on it, on account of it would look ridiculous having a bunch of white stuff slatered all over my hair.

OUCH---I think I just heard a skateboarder crash outside...that must've hurt. They like to skateboard really fast down the sidewalks at night...less chance of them being pulled over by the police (it's illegal for kids to skateboard on sidewalks in this city, on the premise that it damages the pavement). The two kids are laughing and talking so, that's good. Most of these kids round here--while not little angels, are...okay. Sure, there's yobs, and some of them are stupid beyond belief, but then when isn't a teenager just a wee bit dumb? Come on, everybody that did something stupid as a teen, raise your hand, don't be shy....ah, about 700 hands I see...

Glad he's alright, I still don't have a phone, so I couldn't ring the ambulance if I wanted to. There is an indoor skateboard park across the Hudson river bridge, less than a 5 minute drive from the city, but not all these kids can afford that.

With the radio off, it's mostly quiet here, now. I can hear the occasional car whooshing by outside, the stinking bassett hound (sorry, I like bassets, just not this particular one) is barking on the other side of my wall at half-past midnight--the drunken hillbilly likes to make his dog bark and "sing" at all hours of the day and night. I miss hearing crickets, though they may crop up later in the summer--sometimes they don't really start singing until towards the end of summer.

No one here to talk to, but the cats--and they're all sound asleep.

I really miss converstaion sometimes. My co-workers where I sit at work, don't like me much, and are very taciturn with me...I'm okay with it, but sometimes it makes me sad, sure. I try not to think about it too much, though. I'm not afraid of making conversation, but on the other hand, I'm not that comfortable with it, either. I feel like I come off as a very negative person, or, just as bad, a complete moron. So, maybe it's just as well that I have no one to talk to...sometimes I feel more lonely after a conversation, then when there's no one to talk to at all....if that makes sense. I don't always make a lot of sense, I suppose. Probably the bi-polar in me, I dunno'.

Anyway, off to bed. Have a lovely morning all, see you on the flip side.

Just before turning in for the night, I always check my main e-mail address just in case one of my friends leaves me a note...well, not this time. Some girl wrote me saying some very nice things about my blog (I won't say what as I'm still a bit taken aback and blushing).

But then, she went on (and on, and on) about David Tennant. Yet another fan-girl who mistakenly (how, is something for a shrink, not me, to guess at) that moi here knows the esteemed (and not-so sexy) Scottish actor, David Tennant. This is INSANE, okay?

I mean, aside from the fact that I've never stepped foot in the UK, haven't left the confines northeastern New York since New Year's day of 2006, AND, most importantly, the fact that I'm less than pretty, overweight middleaged telemarketer (loser), there's NO WAY I could ever know David Tennant!

Okay, how many of you think the man actually has, or has ever had, any friends that match my description? If we were taking bets on this, I'd give it 500 to 1, easily.

Anyway, the girl (who I won't name as she was very nice) went on to say that "David must get a laugh" out of my blog. Huh???? The man's (or so it seems to me) a work-a-holic, obsessed with his craft--and Hamlet's a major undertaking, I very much doubt the man even bothers to surf blogs, nor do I think he goes 'round Googling his name on the web to see what people are saying about him. While I'm sure he's got an ego, and I may be completely wrong, but I don't come away with the impression that the man is that vain about himself.

Anyway, this girl...wait for it...

....wants to know if MOI can give her DT's e-mail address.

Oh sure, why not? And, while I'm at it, would she like size of David Tennant's underpants as well?

Well, I've come up with some e-mail addresses, and she's more than welcome to try these:

shavedmatchstickguy@gmail.com
doc10inch@yahoo.com
proclaimersfanboy@hotmail.com
glasgowscowl@aol.co.uk
10inchesmyarse@demon.co.uk
davidmcdonald@ntlworld.com
iamthedoctor@tiscali.co.uk
davidmctennant@btinternet.com
davidluvsshagging@freeserve.co.uk
theskinnyblokewhoplaysthedoctor@aol.com
djmcdonald@virgin.net
scottishhottie@compuserve.com
iluvbigmacs@blueyonder.co.uk
ihaveabigbhoy@fstnet.co.uk
ikissedjohnbarrowman@yahoo.co.uk
dmcten@msn.com
doctorshagalicious@ukonline.co.uk
davidbuddy@ntdirect.co.uk
friespaardfan@yahoo.com
mrfartsalot@btconnect.com

Could be anyone of these---or none of these, so go to town, fangirls--have a ball.

Obviously, the man's very proud of his bhoy, ey?

Just chillin' before bedtime, listening to some tunes. It's a few degrees less hotter in here, than last night. Last night my bedroom hit 33 C, tonight it's down to a whole 31 C. Whoo-hoo, haul out the antarctic parkas...not.

Anyway, watched some Dr Who---I know, I know; I swore off my addiction to the Doctor after episode 12....but, really, I can quit any time I want to...honest...I think...

Played some online cribbage (won this time), read a bit from a rubbish--but interesting--- biography, checked out the local and international news online, read "The Nation," and played with Flame and Charlie.

So, I've put on Pandora radio and have a random mix going on...

SONG/ARTIST

Queen of Apology/The Sounds
Dreaming in Red/The Calling
Who'll Stop the Rain/Creedence Clearwater Revival
Rise up in the Dirt/Voxtrot
Re-offender/Travis
Pin a Rose on Me/Steve Ellis
Read my Mind/Killers
The Stamping Ground/Runrig
Rockin' Down the Highway/Doobie Brothers
Alone at Midnight/The Smithereens
Naive Melody/The Mysteries of Life
Your Secrets/Belle and Sebastion
Maybe Someday/The Cinematics
I Still Feel/Autumndivers
New Kid in Town/The Eagles
This is my Song/Carbon Leaf
All for You/Cardinal Trait
Out of the Country/Three Dog Night
Diamonds in the Dark/Mystery Jets
From the Neck Down/Kaiser Chiefs
Chick It/We Are Scientists
This Boy/Fraz Ferdanand
Sweet Jane/Mott the Hoople
From Blown Speakers/The New Pornographers
Elevator Love Letters/Stars
Ruby Sees All/Cake
English Music/Destroyers
Radiophonic/Pet Shop Boys
Bad Girls/Donna Summer
Daylight/Coldplay
I'm Everyday People/Sly and the Family Stone
It's Saturday Night/The Proclaimers
This is Where it Ends/Barenaked Ladies
Roll to Me/Del Amitri
No Rain/Blind Melon
Rain King/Counting Crows
Soul Man/Sam and Dave

JUST SOME OF THE WILD FLORA AND FAUNA FROM MY PART OF THE WORLD;

FIELD OF WILDFLOWERS (Goldenrod, black-eyed susans)

FOXGLOVE

ASTERS

IT'S TIGER LILY SEASON NOW--EVERY ROADSIDE ANY DITCH HAS 'EM

EASTERN WHITE PINE

EASTERN HEMLOCK

WHITE BIRCH TREES, SURROUNDED BY MAPLE TREES (October)

Still overcast here. Watching the tailbacks starting to form as part of the big public works project on Glen Street.

Walking to work today, I noiced the wording on the Department of Public Work's traffic cones---"WCDPW." Now, aside from the fact that the cones are in Glens Falls rather than some place with the initials "WC"--I found the cones quite appropriate, as this city does rather smell like a toilet, after it rains.

Please note that ANY comments posted to my blog that are not directly related to that blog--most specifically, anything business-related, will be automatically deleted.

Anyone posting from a business or marketing blog, spammers, people pushing other people's websites, etc...In fact ANY LINKS at all, will (unless I know you, or the links are DIRECTLY related to the post in question) be automatically DELETED.

If you want to push a product or website, don't do it here please. I don't like having to go about deleting comments.

Likewise, any comments with excessive swearing will be edited or deleted. If you are incapable of commumicating intelligently (as in without excessively using the F-word), maybe you should just remain silent. Likewise any rude or agressive remarks will be deleted. This is not a newspaper editiorial and it's not YOUR blog. It's my personal blog. The bucks stops here, in regards to comments. Uncivlized comments will be deleted without consideration.

Word is that actor David Tennant has started refusing to take off his shirt on-camera, due to the fact that a blogger going by the name of "playwrite27," has been poking fun at size of Tennant's 'man-boobs'.

Sorry about the rant in my first post today---really does upset me though, the venomous hate I hear people have for those forced to live on welfare.

We fool ourselves into thinking we're safe, but even a millionare can become homeless--trust me, I've met former CEO's and engineers, reduced to washing dishes and working in grubby print shops, in my day. Despite the fact that we live in the 21st century, despite the fact that the Great Depression happened, the world is still a very naive place, methinks.

Anyway, the birds are singing and a plane is buzzing low overhead for a landing...and I must finish getting dressed for work. Have a good Monday, everyone.

WHAT DO YOU WANT MORE THAN ANYTHING RIGHT NOW?

A job where I'm actually useful and--if there is such a thing, valued.

WHAT DO YOU MISS?

My mum, my cat Red, a car, college, travel, a sofa...money.

WHAT IS YOUR MOST PRIZED POSSESSION?

I suppose it's the naf old oil on board painting that my late great-aunt gave me, when I was seven, by a black guy named George Hoose, called, "Colorado Roundup."
.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SMELL?

pine needles in the sunlight

DO YOU GET CLAUSTROPHOBIC?

Not very often, no.

DO YOU GET SCARED IN THE DARK?

I have mild night-blindness--mostly in dim light conditions. It's uncomfortable sometimes, yes...but I've learned to live with it....as for being scared of the dark--not at all..tho' I do worry about tripping and falling.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE COLOGNE / PERFUME?

Can't afford perfume...but tend to go for sandalwood type of scents.

COFFEE OR ENERGY DRINKS?
Green Mountain or Paul de Lima Coffee

IF YOU COULD EAT ANYTHING RIGHT NOW, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

A Ted's Fish Fry--tho' it probably wouldn't help my wonky stomach.

WHO IS THE LAST PERSON WHO MADE YOU MAD?
A rude guy at the health center the other day.

A HOLIDAY SPOT YOU'D LIKE TO VISIT AGAIN?

Iceland

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO TELL SOMEONE HOW MUCH THEY MEAN TO YOU?
Just...tell them, in your own words, as best you can.

LAST PLACE YOU WENT FOR FUN?
Saratoga Springs window shopping/shopping

YOUR FAVORITE TRAIT TO LOOK FOR IN A POTENTIAL MATE?

Anything with a pulse and a sense of humour

WHAT IS THE ONE NUMBER YOU CALL OFTEN?

The cab company

HAVE YOU BEEN TO ANOTHER COUNTRY?
Yes.

WHERE WERE YOU BORN?

Albany, NY

FIRST JOBS?

Party waitress, newspaper delivery, pet sitter, stablehand, short-order cook in a bowling alley.

WHAT DO YOU GET COMPLIMENTED ABOUT MOST?
Erm--I don't know...how pathetic is that?

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF ALCOHOL BECAME ILLEGAL?
Um, who cares? I don't drink.

WHAT DO YOU WANT FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY?
I don't bother with that any longer, it's just another day to me.

HOW MANY KIDS DO YOU WANT?
Exactly...none. Tho' I might consider leasing some on a trial basis.

WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
First name, my dad named me after a favourite Frank Sinatra song, middle name after my mum's favourite character in Little Women--or so I was told.

WHAT SUPERSTITIIONS DO YOU HAVE?
Tornado dreams are a bad omen, and saphires are unlucky.

WHICH FINGER[S] IS YOUR FAVORITE?
I'm an American, which one d'ya think?

DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
I have DCD and a crooked index finger, so no, I hate my handwriting.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MODE OF TRAVEL?

Horse and carriage or plane.

ANY BAD HABITS?

If I wrote about all my bad habits, I'd be here all day!

WHAT IS YOUR MOST EMBARRASSING CD ON THE SHELF?
Mokeees come back tour, live...yikes.

IF YOU COULD BE FRIENDS WITH ANYONE, WHO WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH?

Someone I can have nice conversations with, and has a sense of humour...but can't think of anyone specific.

WHERE IS YOUR HOME AWAY FROM HOME?

Used to be the woods or the library or college, or my job--but now I'm pretty much stuck where I'm at, right now.

DO YOU TRUST OTHERS EASILY?
Not as much as I used to, but not paranoid about it or anything.

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE TOY AS A CHILD?
Marx's Fort Apache, or my toy rifle that made a sound like a real gun.

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN A MOSH PIT?
No, but I fell in a manure spreader once...what's a mosh pit?

DO YOU UN-TIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
Sometimes yes, sometimes no--depends on how hot and tired my feet are.

LAST THING YOU ATE?
Honey-nut Cherrios and milk

SIBLINGS?
slightly older sister that I only marginally get on with.

FAVORITE ETHNIC FOOD?
Tie: Italian or Mexican

ARE YOU TOO SHY TO ASK SOMEONE OUT?
Nope...I swore off dating forever, 11 years ago.

Hmmm--for some reason the clock on my computer keeps jumping back an hour, despite my efforts to keep in up to date. At least three or four times a week, it mysteriously turns itself bac, and I've no clue why. And yes, I did click "apply" and "OK."

Overcast morning, but slightly cooler, thankfully. Woke with a stomach ache, not sure why, because I had no supper last night. I was going to have a sandwich and some soup, but it was too hot to eat, so I settled on some more cheese and crackers and a glass of orange juice for my dinner. Now this morning, my stomach feels like I've eaten a big prime rib dinner or something...go figure.

Once a week I take a peek at my stats on my Wordpress Dr Who fan fiction blogs--some days...well, actually most days, I get no hits at all, or maybe only one hit. But a couple of days, I've had 8 or 10 hits...weird how things like that are. A LOT of searches for "Doctor Donna fan fiction," apparently. Wow, I guess the fans are really missing Donna, to want to read my rubbish. But it's odd how my blogs might go several days without anyone looking at them, and then suddenly a whole bunch of people are...wonder what triggers that? Maybe a new issue of some DW magazine, or someone on a popular website talking about fan-fiction? Who knows. People aren't as fan-fic mad as they were two years ago. At least, that's my take on it. Used to be the internet was buring up with Whovians and/or Tennant girls, either posting fan-fic, or reading it. Wonder where they've gone?

I was reading in an online newspaper, how the British government is going neo-conservative, in how their going to start treating human beings on the welfare rolls. I love it when rich people, who have ZERO empathy or understanding for poor people, start dictating how the poor should lead their lives.

Yeah, well, the US government pulled that crap over here, and it wound up HURTING the poor, more than helping them, because the poor single mum's were given rubbish, low-paying jobs, that made it HARDER to support their families, and as a result, many more kids began getting into trouble, and/or mum's had a harder time feeding their kids, and also, the number (and this has been a proven fact) of homeless famlies has increased. This is because as soon as the parent is working, the government can't wait to yank away their supports, and leaves single mum's on their own, to fend for themselves, in poorly paying jobs that usually provide no sick pay, health care or holiday pay ....and also, many of these jobs are a LONG DISTANCE from where the mum's work, so the travel expenses--and more time away from the kids, also take their tolll--but of course...

NO ONE in the government had the slightly inkling that ANY of this might occur--the stupid prats had an "idea" and just pushed it through without ANY thought to the consequences of the human beings on the receiving end--much the same as the way German citizens ignored what was happening to the Jews in WWII.

Okay, the way our two governments--and many citizens--mindlessly hate and callously treat the poor REALLY makes me mad, alright? For every welfare scrounger (and I have a couple in my building) there's ten more who are NOT scroungers. And, even scroungers are human beings. What about all the civil servants who lie and cheat and steal, give themselves pay raises when jobs are being cut, and such? They're not scroungers???

For a nation that says it doesn't like America, your government is turning into a bunch of Republicans more and more every single day--and don't you think not. If your government keeps on like this, next thing you know, you'll be getting rid of the Queen, and having some prat with a fake Texas accent sitting in the palace.

Anyway, I've got to putter about a bit, doing things around here, before I leave for work around twenty minutes to noon.

For the most part, growing up, I didn't especially care for Alice Cooper--not him as a person, I want to empahsize. He's actually stuck me as a pretty nice guy, underneath all the make up and showbiz stuff. And certainly, my sister, who WAS into that sort of music, loved his work.

But, I have to confess that his music really wasn't my sort of thing, at that age...except for one particular song. I think this is probably the closest I ever got, about the age of 10 or 11, to listening to "hard rock." I really dug this song--and still do.

Sometimes, when mom was alive, I'd wake up in the middle of the night, an swear to heaven she'd called out my name. I'd rush out to wherever she was sleeping--either her bed or on the sofa, and she'd be fine. As mom grew more and more closer to the end of her days, I would have this same dream more and more. The dreams stopped after she'd passed on...and only once have they ever come back--just before..well, it was in the late summer of '06, when some really bad things were happening--and worse things were about to happen-- to me. Thing is, the "dreams" were so real!

You know, right up until the day she died, I couldn't give my mum any roses? That's because right after her mum died, she walked into her basement apartment, and it reeked of roses. Mum swore it was her mother saying goodbye to her (gran had passed on quietly, while my mum had been out on a date). My mum hardly ever freaked out over things...tended to take the most tragic and difficult and unpleasant things, right within her stride--but that thing with the scent of roses? It just plain freaked her out so bad, that she couldn't stand the sight of roses, ever again. Not just real roses, but even pictures and knick-knacks.

And what about my kitchen light, last year. That was reallly freaky. In the middle of the night--while I was in bed, sleeping, my ceiling light in the kitchen started turning itself on and off. When I went out into the kitchen--the switch was in the "off" position. Don't tell me that wasn't weird. I refused to touch that light switch again, for weeks. I'd like to think there's some logical explanation, but if there is, I can't think of a one.

And of course, the mystery of the necklace. I SWEAR I emptied that jewelry box out--there's only about 8 pieces of jewelry in there--but could not find my necklace that mum had given me--and, I'd been in and out of the box, at least a half a dozen times, since then. But, what did I find ON TOP of all the jewelry this week--my necklace that's been missing for nearly two months. Tell me that's not just a bit...strange.

And, how is it, that there's been times I've been out on a strange country road--that I've NEVER been on before in my life--but I just KNOW where the road leads to and where it comes out--I mean, not guessing, just...knowing...and I am right, too. I freaked my college room mate doing that, once. We were on a class trip in the college's van, and the driver turned off onto this strange road--neither of us had been on before, and my room mate turned to me and asked, "Where is he going now?" And without hesitation, I said, "Oh, this road comes out by ________." She gave me a strange look and said, "but you just said you'd never been on this road before." And, sure enough, about 20 minutes later, the road came out just where I said it would....and that REALLY shook her up. At the time I honestly never gave it much thought, and thought she got upset over the goofiest things.

I love french fries. Not the garbage they serve today in their "special" oils that are TOTALLY tasteless, though. You know, there's a whole generation out there now, that has NO CLUE what a really good french fry/chip should taste like, because of the health police and their non-animal fat based oils? For shame!

Used to be, when you were bringing home some food to the family, that one needed to order an extra order of fries from McDonald's because there was NO WAY that one bag of fries was going to make it home intact. They were just that good--now? Tasteless rubbsih. That's what eating "healthy" does to you people: it turns you into cardboard eating robots.

Let's face it: people would eat their own poo, if the healthy nazi's said it would be good for them.

So, to compensate for being forced to eat cardboard fries, I get around it by adding stuff to them. There's Chili-cheese fries....french fries topped with chili con carne and melted cheddar cheese, cheese fries, french fries with gravy, french fries with ketchup, french fries with salt and vinegar and fries with mayonnaise (a habit I picked up in the Netherlands).

And then, there's that wonderful combination, one can ONLY find in the province of Quebec. I've only had it once--a classmate brought some into a club meeting once, at college a few years bac. Oh-my-god. Good doesn't even cover it. I'm talking about: Poutine.

Poutine is a French-Canadian dish. It's served at a few fast-food places in Montreal and Quebec City. Basically, it's thick cut french fries, layered with fresh cheese curds and a lovely rich beef gravy. OHHHH--a piece of heaven, it is. I've often longed to have some again...alas, the nearest poutine place is a good 3 or 4 hours away to the north of me.

Don't let the photo put you off--it really is marvelous!

But, recently I found a recipe for poutine on the web:

QUEBEC POUTINE:

4 large russet potatoes
oil for deep frying
salt
2 cups beef stock
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cups cheese curds

8. Ladle gravy over the fries and cheese curds.

My little cat Flamey has some really weird tastes when it comes to begging for food...she adores things like pork lo mein and hot buttered popcorn...but just now, I was sitting here munching on some cheese and crackers, when she swooped in and sat perched over my shoulder--that's right, just like a vulture--begging for some cheese.

Now, Flame does like her cheese, yes. But...this was Cabot's horseradish cheddar. For those of you unfamiliar with horseradish, it's somewhat hot and has a definite bite to it--well, let's just say that when taken in strong enough quantities, it WILL clear out your sinuses, ha-ha. But, Flamey was insistant so I broke of a tiny piece and held it out to her...she sniffed it, then ate it...afterwards making funny faces and licking her lips a lot...then she came back for more...and now, since I'm done with the cheese, she's sitting on the tall bookcase, looking down at my head as if to say, "I know if I stare at you like this, I can make you feel guilty enough to gimme' some more of that CHEESE!"

It's pouring down rain, and overcast, and hoo-ray, getting slightly cooler, tho' not less humid. Minor thundershowers moved through the area, mostly to our south this time. Glad I opted to stay home today, tho' I still need to do some laundry, I have a window of a couple of days before the situation gets desperate, in regards to clean pants and socks and such. I do miss my clunky old washing machine, at times. It may have liked to eat bras (don't ask), but at least I wasn't dependant on a bus schedule or taxi--or whether or not I could spare the money--to have clean clothing.

At 6pm, I'm feeling better than I was most of the day--both physically and emotionally. Don't know if I'll be bright-eyed and busy-tailed to face another Monday, but at least I'll be reasonably rested, which is a good thing.

...for most on-set farts in a single day of filming. Way to go, David!

Getting tagged these days, by people I don't even know! (Though I like her username).

Okay, this time it's 25 questions--probably have had some of these, but...it's Sunday, it's hot and sticky in here, and ANY excuse to put off the hoovering, ha-ha.

1.) IF YOU COULD BUILD A HOUSE ANYWHERE WHERE WOULD IT BE?

Either on a hill overlooking a picturese rural valley, or in the mountains near a lake.

2.) WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE ARTICLE OF CLOTHING?

My western shirt.

3.) IF YOU COULD HAVE CHOSEN YOUR NAME WHAT WOULD IT HAVE BEEN?

What's wrong with Nancy? Now, my last name....

4. THE LAST CD THAT YOU BOUGHT?
The New Pornographers Electric (something) CD.

5. WHERE IS YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO BE?

In a stable or backstage at a theatre

6. WHERE IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE PLACE TO BE?

In a hospital bed or a dentist's chair

7. WHAT TIME DO YOU WAKE IN THE MORNING?

With my schedules? Whenevr! Used to be between 6:30 and 8am, now it's more like anytime between 7:30 to 10am, depending on what time I have to be to work.

8. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE KITCHEN APPLIANCE?

My microwave

9. WHAT MAKES YOU REALLY ANGRY

Bigots, rude people and neo-cons.

10. IF YOU COULD PLAY ANY INSTRUMENT, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

Piano or fiddle

11. FAVORITE COLORS?

Royal blue, forest green, brown, purple, burgundy.

12. FAVORITE CHILDREN'S BOOK?

As best as I recall, one of my favourite early picture books was called, "The Contest Between the Sun and the Wind," based on an Aesop's fable, I think.

13. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE SEASON?
Fall/autumn.

14. IF YOU COULD HAVE ONE SUPER POWER, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

Teleporting would be pretty cool...and I wouldn't have to worry so much about the size of my carbon footprint, ha-ha.

15. TATTOO, WHAT IS IT?

No offense to people who like them, but I personally wouldn't be caught dead with a tattoo.

16. CAN YOU JUGGLE?

The better question is, can I even stand on my own two feet, without falling over?

17. THE ONE PERSON FROM THE PAST YOU WISH YOU COULD GO BACK AND TALK TO.

Tie between Ralph Waldo Emerson or William Shakespeare.

18. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE DAY

My day off.

19. LOOK UP A COUPLE OF FEET AND TO YOUR LEFT. WHAT DO YOU SEE?

A cheap oil painting in a carved teak frame, of a bluebird sitting on a branch with blossoms on it.

20. SUSHI OR HAMBURGER?
Hambuger--I'm a meat and potatoes kind of gal, not a blinking dolphin!

21. SOMETHING YOU DID WHILE ON VACATION, THAT YOU NEVER DID BEFORE?

Go sailing on a real wooden sailboat, swim in a hot spring, come face to face with a moose, a bull elk and a buffalo, ride a camel, eat smoked herring and stinging nettle cheese, go inside a newly discovered Egyptian tomb, spend three hours inside Heathrow.

22. HAVE YOU EVER GOTTEN LOST?

A couple of times, yeah. But unfortunatly I always got found...darn.

.23. WHAT BOOK HAVE YOU READ MORE THAN ANY OTHER?

Not sure. Either Emerson's Essays, or The Walking Drum

24. IF YOU COULD HAVE ANYTHING FOR DINNER TONIGHT, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

Grilled seasoned Ribeye steak, zucchini sauteed in garlic butter, fresh mashed potatoes.

25. WHAT DID YOU, OR WILL YOU, ACTUALLY HAVE FOR DINNER?

Tuna salad sandwich and corn chowder.

Your result for The Canadian Test by TwoGuyswithaHat ...

Tim Horton's Addict
Congratulations! You scored ###!

Not only are you Canadian, but you have purchased enough coffee at Tim's that they know your order by heart. You can name all the provinces and have been to most of them. Or at the very least can find them on a map.

You scored 71% on canuckpoints, higher than 33% of your peers.

http://www.okcupid.com/tests/the-canadian-test

When I lived in Lake George in 06, I used to meander down the mile or so from my flat, to the Lakefront boardwalk, and listen to the caliope on board the paddlewheel boat, Minne-ha-ha, and watch them fire the cannon at Fort William Henry, stop and pet the carriage horses (and feed them a carrot if the drivers were agreeable), window shop, sit in the charming little botanical gardens, stand and watch the people para-sailing, and just hang out gawking like some goggle-eyed redneck, at the tourons.

And...unlike everyone else around me, I didn't spend a dime on my enjoyment...even used to bring my own cold drinks.

A steamboat caliope sounds like this:

I did some chores in the kitchen, sat down to cool down--I was wringing wet after just 15 minutes of wiping down the counters and cabinets--and I decided to read a book...only I fell asleep! One minute it's around 1pm, and the next, it's 3pm! Wow, now I know I'm getting old.

Guess I probably should try and eat some lunch. Don't really feel like a meal, tho' I am hungry. Meh--I'll nip into the kitchen for some honey-nut Cheerios and ice cold milk for my "lunch."

At least I remembered to take that little whole young chicken I got for 3 bucks last week, out of the freezer to thaw in the fridge. Not looking forward to running the oven in this heat, tho'. But, it'll take a day or two to thaw out enough to cook, so maybe by then the temperatures will go down.

Well, the tourists are coming in by the droves now, and I'm even hearing more private jets coming in to land at the little county airport outside the city. Saratoga race meet starts next week, drawing an international crowd of both the posh and the not-so-posh, by the thousands into the the Saratoga/Adirondack region. What with the thorobred and harness horse racing, the national museums, the polo, ballet, street cafes, and other cultural attractions in Saratoga, combined with the lakes and beaches, "fun" attractions, the rodeos, parasailing, cruises, mountains, amusement parks and such, up here, it's the one time of year when it can be truly hard to find an empty hotel room in a 50 mile radius--which is really saying something because there's literally hundreds of hotels, motels and resorts , within that radius--not to mention condo and apartment rentals, state and private campgrounds, dude ranches and rustic cabins.

Too hot to write. Can't think of anything interesting to say.

Chainsaws buzzing and growling and whineing away, across the street. For some reason, lots of trees are being cut down in the City of Glens Falls--perfectly healthy trees, many of them. What IS it with men and trees? It's as if the men in America are not truly happy unless they're killing or destroying something.

I see where Bush is chomping at the bit to start WWIII. When are people in this country going to wake up and see that the man is just plain insane? And stupid, let's not forget stupid.

People in other countries look at American culture, and I wonder what they see, these days? I know what I see, and it's not very pretty.

Well, I've chores to do. Even tho' it's been raining part of the day, it's still 92 F in my apartment, and actually quite steamy outside. I hate this weather. It saps the life out of you.

I'm in a mildly bad mood today, sorry. I need a life, but I just have to settle for being a vegetable today. Hope you all have a nice Sunday.

"Yeah, I sleep in the nude...everytime I wear pyjamas, something bad always happens--well, that and Russell just wanted the fan girls to get all hot and bothered over my sexy manly physique."

(excerpt from the "Kentucky Fried Movie")

It's HOT! 90 F in my bedroom at ten minutes to 11 at night.

Dull evening, for me, tho' I'm glad I didn't go to Lake George--they had a bad thunderstorm move through, and I would've likely been soaked through, as would have been my lawn chair and other items. It would have been a long wet walk back to the trolley stop at the pier.

The storms have been hitting Glens Falls--but just before they arrive, splitting to the north and south, so we've been dry all day.

Not much going on in my part of the world. According to tonight's paper:

Two people struck by lightning at the Saratoga County Fair. While waiting near an entrance gate for their families during a rain storm, a bolt of lightning struck a nearby tree stump, and traveled underground through the root system, striking the pair--and adult woman and a 15 year old boy--neither of them related to the other, and knocking them both unconscious. The boy is in critical condition and he was transported from the local hostpital to a more advanced treatment centre, the woman's condition is still unknown at this time.

A car caught fire from unknown causes, outside the city of Glens Falls. The driver was unhurt, but the car is a total loss. It is said that smoke from the burning vehicle could be seen for a couple of miles.

A young man was bounced out of a South Street bar Friday night, for being rude to staff, and when he kept trying to re-enter the bar, police were called. Upon his arrest, he began kicking the door and window of the patrol car, knocking it off its hinges, and the young man had to be restrained with both pepper spray and a tazer gun. Later, while being handcuffed to a holding cell, the young man lashed out at a passing officer, causing the policeman a minor injury to the head, which didn't require any medical treatment. The man is being held over until a bail hearing is set. He faces numerous charges from a misdemenor to felonies.

Another man was arrested here on Glen Street, for violating an order of protection, when he visited a woman who had a restraining order against him.

An author came to Crandall Public Library here in the city, to discuss his book, which addresses global warming, and our need here in America to change our way of thinking--both on a local and national level.

The town of Whitehall, on the Champlain canal near the Vermont border, issued a boil water notice, due to a leak in a water supply pipe. Residents are being cautioned to either boil water for a minimum of a minute before using, or to buy bottled water, until the problem is fixed.

The local Democratic party held a fund raising picnic in Fort Edward today.

The turn out for the community band concert in Lake George has been higher than expected.

The Adirondack Theater Festival is continuing through the week.

With a hot, steamy summer for much of the season so far, local beaches on various lakes and the Hudson river, as well as public swimming pools in Hudson Falls and Saratoga State Pak, plus several local water parks, are seeing full capacity crowds this year, as more locals are opting to stay home and visit these places, rather than travel to the ocean or other places in America and Canada.

And...that's about it. Dull stuff. Dull night. Have a good Sunday, all.

When I was growing up, my walls weren't plastered with photos of David Cassidy or Bobby Sherman, they were crawling with horse pictures. Pictures very much like these:

uGH---I'm covered in beetle bites!

The place where I had to wait for the bus, was near a grassy verge and the beetles are out in force this year. Now, I know some peoople love beetles--but I'm not one of them.

Already this summer, I found two big ugly poo-brown beetles, the size of my thumb, crawling 'round my living room.

Now waiting for the bus, the little beetles were flying all around me, and I've got bites on my head, neck, back and arms. There don't hurt bad, but are most annoying--feels like big pinch, and they get a little sore and midly itchy, afterwards...but they're not as bad as deer flies and mosquitoes.

Still..not a big beetle fan, I must admit. One got me right around the jugular vein...ouch!

Back from the post office. Still have the other errand to do, but not sure I'll have time now, as the bus to where I want to go stops running at 3pm...if I miss it, I'm plumb outta' luck--would take me three hours to walk home, from that distance.

Well, I did mail that bill, and I did do some window shopping---anything for a few minutes of air conditioning, ha-ha. And yes, in Label Shopper--a deep discount clothing store, I wound up buying something--truth to tell, I could have spent 100 dollars in the place, as they were having a 50% off sale, and they had some really, really cool clothing--and even the knick-knacks and lamps and stuff, were right in my taste range. But...I spent 5 dollars, and got a very nice pair of black cotton trousers, with and embroidered floral design in red gold and orange, flaring half-way up one like, in a flame-like pattern--very me. I have several blouses that will go well it it.

The clerk told me that next week, some stuff will be marked down as much as 70% off--and, as I have nearly the whole pay check to myself, I might see if I can pick up a pair of jeans or something. I just lost the use of two pairs of jeans this week--one, the brand new pair of Sarah Jessica Parker's "Bitten" jeans that I got back in early May, were ripped to shreds in the washing machine--they were only $8, and now I know why--they're rubbish! Then, while wearing my best (and only) pair of designer jeans that I bought early last year (from Peter Harris for 50% off), I sat in some wet paint--can't wear them now, except around the apartment as spares for when I'm doing something that requires me to get dirty.

Not that I plan on blowing my whole paycheck! Haven't done that in years--I'd feel to guilty, probably, or worry that I'd spend too much and not have enough left for emergencys--which would REALLY make me feel like a prat. But, I do think, after paying a couple of small bills and doing the shopping, laundry and getting my shots, I will take $20 or $25 and spend it on myself---buy a pair of jeans or swimsuit, go to see a film, buy a book or CD, or out to dinner, or play a round of crazy golf or..SOMETHING.

Anyway, I'm just trying to cool off. fortunely there's a bit of a breeze, and the overcast sky is keeping the temperature down. Since I found that I wouldn't be able to see the play tonight, I had planned on checking out the band concert, but someone told me that Lake George is so mobbed, there's barely any standing room anywhere...not my scene, really. I don't mind a crowd, I can live with it--but on the other hand, I won't enjoy myself in this heat, jammed in like a sardine with a bunch of tourists.

Once again today, I had someone tell me that I should get a car. Yeah, I should get a really good paying job, a proper sofa and desk chair, and some mates to hang out with...but not going to happen in this girl's life time--well, I dont foresee and big positive changes in my future.

I mean, if some weeks I have trouble just feeding myself, how the blinking hell could I ever afford a car? Sheesh.

I've gone through a lot of cars and trucks in the last 25 years or so, mostly old clunkers. My favourite? The 1987 Ford Ranger (5-speed) that I had in 2000-2001 ('till the engine blew)--gosh, that thing was comfy to drive, held the road well, and...was fantastic on gas! Got between 25 and 30 miles to the gallon, with that thing. Too bad about the engine though. I had a crap mechanic at the time--shortly after I'd bought the truck, I'd asked the mechanic to give it a thorough going-over...he had me replace a lot of stuff-nothing to do with the blinking engine, of course. I sometimes to this day, wonder if he ever actually lifted up the hood. Would have kept the truck, but couldn't find a reasonably priced replacement engine at the time. Turned out to be more economical (I thought) to just buy a whole other car (unfortnuately, I wound up with a brand new lemon--which proves that just because a car is new, doesn't mean it's going to run well).

Well, the browser's decided it wants to get its rear-end in gear and work properly--what was with that? It wasn't the keyboad, thank goodness--I just went into my Word programme, and it works fine. Then, I re-started my computer and now Avant has decided to get with the programme. That was really strange. And, as you could see from the typos, it's not a good thing for me to lost my ability to back-space.

I woke at 6am with one of the less pleasant and more rare side effects of Metformin.

I'll spare you the gory details, let's just say my stomach feels like it's been hit with a loaded boxing glove--you know, the one's the old-timer's used to put a horse shoe in, to make it hurt more. the Metformin hasn't given much trouble the last two weeks, so I assumed my body had finally adjusted to it, but, I guess not. Not a great way to start one's day. Very likely the chili-Frito pie ("Texas straw hat") that I had for dinner last night, didn't help things much.

My old iron-clad stomach seems to be made of cardboard, these days, ha-ha.

Have to grab a bus to the Queensbury post office, then go to K-Mart to do a return. Other than that, my day is reasonably free. I was going to go to Lake George tonight, just to get out of the city/this apartment, but may skip it, in light of my little fun time this morning.

Unless something happens that I do not foresee, chances are that I won't have a phone again, until next pay day. After today's errands--which I can't procrastinate on, my net worth until Friday morning will be less than ten dollars, so no phone card for another week. Well, I went a couple of months without a phone, reckon I can manage for a couple of weeks. Bit of a bother, though.

Since I'm at the Home Depot Plaza (where the post office is), I might pass the time doing some window shopping--Peter Harris Plus, my second-favourite clothing store is practically right next to the post office, I might just peek and see what the latest (well, the latest in 2006) New York City and knock-off Euro fashions are, these days, while I'm waiting for the bus. Then again, maybe not, if the heat's going to be as bad as they say. Besides, I might see something I really like that's on sale at a sharp discount, and kick myself because I can't buy it...you know how us women are, can't pass up a bargain...

Hope you are all having a pleasant Saturday, cheers! Nancy G.

I'm usiing a new browser, aveant--sorry, avant, and ai it, was working okay, but this morning it's suddenly not lette letting me back space or use my "enter" key to change paragraphs. I CANNOT afror affr afford a new keyboard, so this my be a major proba b problem if I can't fix my mistakes or space between paragraphs...ugh!!!

WHOOPS! HOW'D THAT ONE GET ON HERE....?

Okay, when I see David Tennant wearing a cowboy hat and driving a Massey Ferguson, THEN I'll think he's sexy.

This is why I stopped listening to country music twenty years ago, people.

"No David, I'm not going to stalk you, or drool over your pictures any longer! I'm in love with Justin Lee Collins now--he's sooo hot since he lost that beard..."

--Ralph Waldo Emerson.

History is what we humans deem it to be. Without mankind, there would be no history, only evolution.

History is usually seen through the eyes of the victor. The stories of the vanquished moulder and die....or sometimes festers in the minds of victims and losers, or perhaps is paraded by the winning cause as a placebo in the aftermath, a moment of guilty conscientous, a fleeting attempt to prove worthiness.

History is stories, history is what archelogists and professors, historians, the media and government officials, all deem it to be.

History is memories, some kept forever locked inside the souls of those who were there. It is in the imaginations of those who view history through the eyes of photographers, artists, televsion cameras and the words of journalists, academics and authors. It is inside the hearts of those who were not there, but who long to be. History is within the petty minds of those who see and read history, but cherry-pick only that which they are comfortable with, discarding the rest of reality into the dustbin of mindlessness.

And when the stories die, when history is ignored, discounted, discarded--it repeats itself, over and over and over again, like a recurring nightmare or a dull needle on a scratched phonograph record.

Tallest Thermometer:

Biggest Breast implants

Longest motorcycle

Most enormous buffalo statue

Largest Hawaiian shirt

Smallest handgun

Tinyest hamburger value meal

First flat-pack tractor

Sitting here with the sweat dripping off my hair. The storms are all going around us, and it's just hot and steamy and overcast at half-past five in the evening. ...and it's only going to get hotter, before it cools down, so I hear.

I'm scarfing down a quick--and not very nutritious lunch, but I'm just too hot to care. I nuked some Jeno's pizza rolls in the microwave, and am tossing them down with a diet orange soda.

I'll probably have a better meal tonight, perhaps. For only having $35 to spend on a week's groceries, I didn't do half-bad. I had to do without "luxuries" like orange juice, bacon, frozen veggies and chips (crips), but still got enough to keep the wolf from my door--they even had some pork ribs on sale for less than $3 a package, so I reckon there's a dinner of BBQ ribs in my future, this week.

They had tinned chilli on sale as well--I prefer to make it from scratch, but in this case, I'm going to use the tinned chilli to make some Texas Straw Hat---that's a type of pie--it's simply chilli (tinned or home made leftovers) that's been poured onto a bed of corn chips and topped with shredded cheddar cheese, then baked. After it comes out ot the oven, some people like to top it with more cheese, or a dollop of sour cream and/or some diced fresh tomatoes.

Might sound disgusting to some of you, but for a chili-head like me, it's yummy, trust me.

Well, actually, I now have all of eight minutes to type this stuff.

Happy news!!!

I'd thought I'd irretreivably lost the silver filigree heart pendant/necklace that my late mum had given me 15 years ago...but it "mysteriously" reappeared this morning...okay, now you'll have to believe me when I say my mind has gone on permanent holiday...

I EMPTIED that blinking jewlery box out, the day I discovered the necklace was misssing--it's the first thing I did--but, this morning...as I was rummaging around for another necklace my mum had giving me--one with a silver horse and rider pendant--the missing necklace was right there on top of the pile!!!

That knocked me back a bit, that did. I SWEAR, I emptied that blinking box out on the bed--it's not like I own much jewelry, only about 6 or 8 pieces...very weird experience.

But, I'm well-chuffed to have the pendant back. Mum had gone out of her way to buy me this, and I really do treasure it. In fact it's only one of two pieces of jewelry that I do truly value. (the other being the antique broach which was my very last birthday gift from her)

Wow. I'm not even 50 yet...and already I'm going senile....unless I've got gremlins...(wishful thinking, it's just me and my wonky brain).

"And now, by the power invested in me, by Shakespeare, the United Federation of Planets, The BBC, the Scottish Haggis Council and the Royal Overactors Society, I now pronouce you, husband and husband. You may now both snog each other 'till the cows come home. Mosseltoff!"

Well, considering that I haven't had any alcohol in over a year--not since I made the mistake of trying a cheap wine-cooler last June...BLEH, why do I feel so hung-over this morning?

I slept in 'till nearly 10am--not something I normally like to do, but seems to be a habit lately, for some reason. I suppose long gone are the days when I'd jump out of bed at the crack of--and even before the crack of--dawn...just beccause.

No more Sunday morning hikes at 5 or 6am (so I could be home on time for church), no flea markets to drive to, no horses to feed at a riding stable, no fish waiting for my fishing line, no journeys to interesting places, no sitting under an apple tree watching the sun rise, no classes to get to, no busses to catch, no 1st shift job to go to....nope. Now, the crack of dawn arrives and I'm a city girl and an old fart....snoring away oblivious.

Going to be a rather long day--cash my pay check after work--make sure I pay the 85 dollars I still owe on my electric bill--the bastards at National Grid....the bill is due on Thursday, one day before my next pay day...if it weren't for that...I'd have 100 for myself this week, with the 85 dollars I have to pay today, with the 10 dollars left over from last week's pay check, that gives me 75 dollars between today and next friday--so it will be a lean week with the groceries, I'm afraid, as I also have to shell out that 18 dollars in cab fare for going for those stinking Procrit shots---not to mention paying a $20 co-pay every time I have to go....yeah, being sick in America SUCKS SUCKS SUCKS when you're poor!

Here's the tab EACH WEEK for me to get these stinking shots--this DOES NOT include the cost of the medicine, by the way: $78 a WEEK. I have to go three times a week for a month, and then two times a week for a months. That's over $300 in just one month's time--and doesn't include my expenses for other medical issues or prescriptions...this is just the shots. That's more than half my monthly salary, just for the treatment of ONE of my medical issues--I know NHS has some awful problems over there, which need adresssing...but at least none of you are FORCED to go hungry just to get well. Put things in prospective, ey?

Speaking of which, let's put this in true perspective---I make, anywhere from $50 to the maximum of $166 dollars a week. Fortunately, I can--up to a point--have the health center bill me for the co-pay...heaven knows when or if I'll be ever able to pay that. Fortunately, now, I finally have good prescription coverage, and instead of paying $20 to $50 (or more) for meds, my costs have dropped to $10 or less---huge, huge relief...especially as these Procrit shots cost $500+ for 8 or 10 vials.

Oh, and I'm sooo---sad!

I so was looking forward to seeing Two Gentlemen from Verona, but just found out that the trolley-bus doesn't go that far--it's way to far for me to walk--I'd thought the park where they were showing it was in Lake George, but it's way over in Bolton Landing, and the bus doesn't go all the way into the town, just to some state campground on the outskirts of town, and it's a good couple of miles on a dangerous B road, to get there.

Life sucks and then you die...well, when that happens, at least I'll finally get a proper holiday.

Meh--maybe I'll just stay home and read or listen to some music on the radio or something...not like I'm rolling in enough dough to take in a film or go to an amusement park or whatever...can't even afford a round of crazy golf or a game of ten-pin bowling...no swimsuit now either, apparently...I've hunted and hunted for it...must have gotten lost in the move last year or something...so I can't even go to the blinking beach.