I Ain't Afraid of No Daleks

...I'm just that exhausted.

Well, I got let off the hook until tomorrow, with going to Lake George with my neighbour's sister. She came to me sobbing, 'cos she and her brother had this massive fight....trust me, they're only on the other side of my living room wall, I HEARD.

So, had the day to myself. Meh--I'm not going to be churlish and complain, but it wasn't quite the nice day out I had intended--still, at least I GOT out, and that was the whole point.

I did play crazy golf at some lame little golf course--the only one I could get near, as the other one's were packed. I tried to ride a carriage, but was told I'd have to wait for more tourists to come along, and they refused to do rides for singles--something they DON'T advertise. Well, I wasn't having spending my 10 dollars ($9 for the ride plus $1 tip) riding in a buggy with a gaggle of noisy obnoxious tourists, so feck that!

The usual mob of downstate New Yorkers (Long Island, Brooklyn, Queens, etc.) posh New Yorkers (as in from Manhattan, Fire Island, the Hamptons, Westchester, and other high class neighbourhoods) and thoroughbred people from all over the country (saw number plates from: California, Virginia, Maryland, Illinois, Kentucky, Texas and Florida). And, the usual assortment of people from New Jersey. There were every kind of transport imaginable: big whopping caravans and motor homes, motorcycles and scooters, big pick up trucks and Hummer's, Mercede's and BMW convertables, classic old cars, SUV's and mini-vans, little cars, big cars, tour coaches...it was PACKED.

And foreign tourists actually almost outnumbered the Americans--something that you'd never have seen, as little as 10 years ago. Good heaven's! You know, this little village on the lake used to see few foreign tourist--mostly French-Canadians...now---wow. I have NEVER in my life, seen so many people from India, Japan, Eastern Europe, Hispanics...wow! And, also many religions we don't normally see around here: Hasidic Jews, Muslims and even a trio of fundamentalist Quaker women, in their old-fashioned pioneer style clothing (probably from Canada). Holy smokes!

Not that that is a bad thing--on the contrary, I love it! I feel like I've walked from dull old mostly white blue-collar (chav) Anglo-Saxon Protestant Glens Falls, into New York City, London, or Rome or Paris! Cool!

I am exhausted though. All I did was get a soda, play some crazy golf, look around, buy an ice cream, and it cost me, with trolley fare, $13! Then, I went to the shops in the suburbs, to get some things I wasn't able to buy the other day.

Oh, here's something funny. I was in a shop, whose name is literally "EVERYTHING FOR ONE DOLLAR." And while I'm at the till, this woman comes up and holds out a skein of yarn and asks the clerk, "How much is this?"

Latest rumours burning up the Who/Tennant forums: (THESE ARE RUMOURS--I make NO claims as to truth or fiction here)

Tennant is engaged to some actress who has a child from another marriage (I generally refuse to pay much attention to mentions of his private life)

Tennant is secretly gay

Tennant has just quit Dr Who, and 2009 will be his last stint as the Doctor--one person insisting that they actor is "growing tired" of all the massive insanity of the fans constantly hounding him "day and night" stalking him at home, at parties, outtings, and at work.

The new Doctor is going to be (make up your own list, I don't know any of the actors mentioned on the forums)

I'm colour blind when it comes to human beings. I see people as they behave, not as they dress or what culture they are, and certainly not based on physical attributes--colour, height, etc. This is simply the way mum raised me. I don't know any different.

Earlier this year, I wrote a Dr Who fan-fiction story called, "Rain of Terror." It was a Doctor/Donna story, involving the Daleks, and a race of alien snake people--who were, and yet also weren't, the "bad guys." (Long story.) In searching for some good snake-sounding names, I came up with (literally from my own imagination and no outside source) the names "Slahaartha," and "Matheen."

Well, as it turns out, apparently, "Matheen" is a real name! I honestly had no idea--none whatsoever, that there was anyone on the planet named "Matheen!" So, I just got an e-mail from someone who was visiting my fan fiction page ( see "My Other Blogs" /"Who's Stories" in the side bar to your right), and this person sent me a terse, snarky, ranting e-mail about how appalled she was, that I was "making insults" of the Indian people in my Doctor Who stories! Whoa.

I Googled "Shahaartha" and "Matheen." Now, there IS a novel by Herman Hesse about Bhuddists--which I do have, I admit--called Siddhaartha, which I subconciously may have thought of, when I named the Male snake person's character...but I swear, I've not read Siddhartha in something like 5 or 6 years at least--not even looked at it, AND, Siddhartha is not an Indian name, so far as I can tell, so I don't think that can be construed as a deliberate choice! In point of fact, there is no such name on the planet as "Slahaartha," so it can't be thought of as Indian, can it?

As for the name of the female snake alien humanoid, "Matheen," well, apparently, "Matheen," is a guy's name in India? I swear on my dead mum's grave, I had NO IDEA that there was ANYONE on the planet named "Matheen!" Besides which, apparently Matheen is a guy's name, and that's the female character's name.

Geez, well, I told her I was sorry she felt offended, but that what she was thinking was entirely in her own immagination, and no, I wasn't going to change or delete the story, because I had done nothing wrong, and she was, in fact, the one who was in the wrong, because she was accusing an innocent party. That perhaps she was the predjudiced one, because any anti-India sentiments never even entered into my brain--at any time, yet right away she was thinking racism---just who really is the bigot here?

Hopefully that last bit will shut her up. Good gosh. Do Davies and Moffatt have to put up with this nonsense? Probably not. It's just me, I'm the "lucky" one to get the nutjobs.

Hello all,

Had a nice, lovely long sleep-in, this morning, and I needed it too, believe me. Long night last night, but at least the bulk of my chores are done. Dread going back to work on Tuesday--but for the first time in a couple of months, I have two days off in a row! Only thing is, to get those 2 days off, I have to work a split shift (day and night shift both) two days this week, to make up for the time off.

Well, in the daylight, I looked at my dyed jeans--the light burgundy (or what I prefer to think of as "rose coloured") pair looks fine, but...dunno' about the purple jeans though. What can I even wear with them? Black tee shirt, maybe? But tee-shirt season is about over (tho' it's very likely we'll still have a few days over the next couple of months when one can still wear a tee outdoors comfortably, what with the season getting so weird and all). Still....purple jeans? Has there ever been purple jeans? Well, they're more like a stone-washed purple with tinges of burgundy around some of the edges.

Playwrite27's got funky jeans. Cool....or, is that not cool?

Anyway, last night, after manhandling that heavy laundry sack up and down the streets of Lake George, I was just too knackered to make my supper--so, instead of going to the drive-in cinema, I ordered a small 4-slice BBQ chicken pizza from East End Eatery for my supper. As I was coming back upstairs from paying the delivery driver, I met my neighbour's sister. I felt bad for her, 'cos she looked even more kanackered than I (she does what I used to do, works as a cleaner)---until I got a whiff of her, that is. Whoa! The woman was snockered to the gills! Bloody hell, she stank like a distillery!

But wait, that's not all, "Wot time ya' goin' ta' Lake George tommorra?" she asked me. I said I was planning on leaving mid-afternoon (I HAD planned on a morning departure, but then common sense told me I would enjoy myself more with a good sleep first), so I said around 1pm I'd be leaving..."Good, I'll go with you," she said as as she fell against the door jamb...then, the door closed and I was left standing there with my jaw hanging on the floor.

HUH?

Maybe I'll get lucky and she'll forget all about it. I know, I know, I WAS wishing for some company--but, I meant "company," as in COMPANIONSHIP, someone I can talk to and pal around with---drunken sister...first of all, the woman doesn't "talk," she YELLS, secondly...you can't have a conversation with her, 'cos she never listens to a word anyone says to her--she's one of these people that yak your ear off about their life, but the minute you try to inject something into the conversation, they turn suddenly deaf.

Well, there's my day out, shot to hell in little pieces. Oh well, maybe it won't be as bad as I'm afraid it will be. Maybe if she does go, she'll wander off on her own and I'll have the day to myself. I hope and pray she doesn't try to mooch off me. She tends to do that. I MIGHT loan her trolley fair, but I hope she doesn't think I'm going to pay for drinks or admission fees or stuff like that. No way Jose. Na, na na. Not gonna' happen. I got little enough spending money as it is. I've been looking forward to this weekend for weeks, and these two days off are very literally the closest thing to a holiday that I'm getting this year, and I will be quite put out if it gets messed up.

With Hurricane Gustav now a Category 4, with sustained winds of 140 Mph (120 knots), heading for Lousiana and the Gulf Coast region--same area totally devistated by Hurricane Katrina--, my thoughts go out to those tonight, who may not have been able to, or chose not to evacuate, and also to those who are still rebuilding their homes--and lives--down there, three years later. May you all be safe from harm.

Weather forecast is for the storm to have the potential to hit the Louisiana coast at 140 mph, but, it weather experts are hopeful that by the time it reaches landfall in the US, it may have lost much of its punch, and be downgraded to a tropical storm, with sustained winds of 35 to 60 mph.

Also noticed a tropical storm headed for Southern Florida or the southeast coast, eventually--my best wishes go out to those who may find themselves affected by Tropical Storm Hanna (sustained winds 50mph--45 knots), as well--and may she stay only a storm!

(And, apparently, there's the potential for two more big storms--these storms, tropical depressions? One a potential storm, the other very likely to become a storm-- may also be forming out in the Atlantic, right behind Hurricane Gustav and TS Hanna, as well!---still don't believe in global warming???)

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

LATEST FORECAST FOR NEW ORLEANS, LA. AS OF 2AM SUNDAY:

Overnight: Isolated showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 76. North wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Sunday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 92. East wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Sunday Night: Tropical storm conditions possible, with hurricane conditions also possible. Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce gusty winds and heavy rain. Low around 78. Northeast wind 10 to 15 mph increasing to between 20 and 25 mph. Winds could gust as high as 35 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Labor Day: Hurricane conditions possible. Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce gusty winds and heavy rain. High near 83. East wind 40 to 50 mph increasing to between 55 and 75 mph. Winds could gust as high as 95 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Monday Night: Hurricane conditions possible. Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce gusty winds and heavy rain. Low around 75. Chance of precipitation is 100%.

Tuesday: Tropical storm conditions possible. Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce gusty winds and heavy rain. High near 84. Chance of precipitation is 100%.

I'm left to wonder...will those purple jeans make me look like a flaming twit? And, do I even care? NO!

Ha-ha. Nite all, have a fantastic Sunday.

Well, the republican party seems to be on self-destruct, now.

Police are arresting political protesters.on grounds that they are planning a riot--with ZERO evidence to back up that claim, other than the fact that the head protesters are trying to pull in 50,000 MARCHERS. Marchers, not rioters...we're talking nurses, school teachers, union workers, grandmothers, children. What is this, Northern Ireland? No. It's....Minnesota.

In the run-up to the republican national convention, city officials (Republican city officials, from what I've read) are having some protestors arrested on very questionable and shaky grounds, claiming that the organizers of an anti-republican protest--who had hoped to draw in some 50,000 marchers, are planning to "stage a riot" at the convention. In her most recent post, blogger Sweetladyjane has added that these arrests have taken place at two organizer's homes, and one "undisclosed location."

As I commented to Sweetladyjane, the republicans are only hanging themselves, shooting bullets into their feet to save their faces...and any other gory and graphic analogy's one can think of. I told SLJ, that the conservative's ideal of "democracy" is exactly the same as Stalin's idea of socialism, and Hitler's idea of fascism. This definitely doesn't make McCain look good, that's for sure.

_______________________________________________________________________________

In other neoconservative news, we have McCain's pick for a running mate. This, mind you, is the same John McCain who has been dissing Obama's "LACK OF EXPERIENCE." McCain as chosen for his vice-president...a little-known govenor from Alaska, who has HARDLY ANY political experience. At least Obama was a senator, and chose a long-time SENATOR as his V-P pick.

The first thing that hits me,” said Stephen Hess of the Brookings Institution, "is that it suggests that John McCain is a gambler. This is a high-roller decision.”

“The next thing you have to ask yourself: Is it worrisome to have a gambler in the Oval Office? That’s an important question," he said, “perhaps more important than anything else today.”

Additionally, McCain's choice, the Gov. from Alaska, has a poor track record, in regards to her dealings with the people who oppose her--she allegedly doesn't take it very well. The woman is famous for her bad temper, and allegedly fired the head of a local police force, for failing to hire her brother--and also because he'd campaigned against her...the resulting law suit was later overturned by a judge, who delcared that the then-mayor Palin could fire anyone she wished, even on political grounds--so much for democracy and freedom of speech without fear of censure. The former beauty queen contestant and sports reporter only became a politician in the 90's, starting out as city council member, working her way up to mayor--amid a later bid by people in her city, to have her removed from office--a bid that was later withdrawn.

Pailn is strongly in favour of gas and oil development in Alaska's environmentally sensative tundra regions and ocean waters--she has shown that she cares very little for envronmental concerns. However, the one thing McCain may have in his favour, is that Palin is proactive over high energy costs, and has done much to assist Alaskans to help with petrol and heating oil and gas bills, from the surplus provided from oil company profits. Voters may forget the need to look after our environment, in their personal anxiety over energy costs....this is the only real card that McCain can play, in the battle of the vice-presidents, that I can see. Palin has no foreign policy background, and few diplomatic skills, unlike Senator Joe Biden, who, I THINK was on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee?

A fan of the nationally famous (bigot/racist/homophobe) Pat Buchannan, she eventually became gov. of Alaska, in (I think) 2002. Whereas Joe Biden has been a US Senator for decades.

McCain, who has gone on and on and on...about Obama's lack of experience, his lack of foreign policiy skills--the fact that Obama is new to Washington politics--McCain has just handed Obama the election, by picking a V-P running mate, who has no foreign policy skills, has been in polictics for only about 15 years--and has never held a national office--and certainly never in Washington D.C.!

“I think she is the most inexperienced person on a major-party ticket in modern history,” said presidential historian Matthew Dallek.

The McCain camp has also been at Obama for for "playing the race card"--and then McCain turns around and picks a female running mate, instead of the usual White Anglo-Saxon Protestant male that republicans have picked since before the Civil War in the 19th Century!

The McCain camp hit back at all the presidential historians quoted in a recent Associated Press article, who all expressed reactions from outright surprise, to dismay---McCain's people wrote in, whinging that all of the noted historical scholars quoted in the article were "Obama supporters" and "(that they) would criticise any choicehe (McCain) made."

And, on top of that, McCain repeatedly called Obama "elitist," yet when asked how many homes he owns, McCain couldn't remember (I believe the number of homes he owns was later revealed as around five or six, but can't confirm it).

So, though many of Obama's initial supporters have backed off of him, for abruptly leaning too far right, Obama probably will pull off the election, due to the republicans extreme bumbling---both parties have made their share of fumbles--but now McCain and the entire republican party are working hard at becomeing Political Campaign Fumblers of the Year, methinks.

Good. As my late mum used to say: "The only good republican is a retired republican--preferably one with Alzheimers or in a coma." For a straight-laced, tea-drinking, retired librarian, mum could sure be a rip, sometimes.

I decided, after reading about the films at the outdoor cinema this week, that I didn't care for any of them--tho' there's a mixed bag of reviews about the "Tropic" film, I don't know...I love comedy, but not really dumbed down comedy, and, despite the great cast, this sort of sounds a bit, well, dumb. Maybe it's not, but do I really want to sit outside for 2 hours possilbly regretting my choice of film...I'll wait and see what they have next weekend--though the daily showings end on Sunday or Monday, they run the drive in movies on weekends only, for the next two or three weeks. Also, someone told me they are showing the new Indiana Jones film at the "dinner and a movie" cinema here in our city centre downtown. Only thing is, I hear the "dinner" is usually mediocre to rubbish, depending on who you listen to. They don't allow you the option of just ordering a drink and watching the film, like other, similar establishments, you HAVE to buy dinner in order to watch the film.

Anyway, went to the laundromat instead, and I'm exhausted--carting a 20 or 25 pound full laundry bag up and down several streets, is no fun at my age, let me tell you!

I had ruined four pairs of jeans earlier this summer--one two weeks ago from a broken zipper, one from a bad rip in the thigh (couldn't even make a pair of shorts out of them, in that case), and two from bad stains that wouldn't come out in the wash. But, I grabbed onto an idea: dye the two pairs of stained jeans...which is what I did tonight.

They came out pretty good, if I do say so myself--you can't even see the stains now! I bought some wine colour dye, and added it to the wash water. The light blue jeans came out a light shade of burgundy, and the dark blue jeans came out sort of purplish-burgundy. So, I am pleased to to have been able to keep from having to throw two of the four pairs of jeans away. I admit, burgunday--in any shade--is not the most popular colour for a pair of jeans, men's or ladies, but hey--maybe I'll start a new fashion trend, ha-ha.

While waiting for the wash, I walked over to the betting shop nearby. I didn't gamble--gave that up years ago--not that I did it that often, but it's too tempting, too easy to get out of control (in regards to my certain condition), so I stopped--at most now, if I do bet (about once every two years, these days) it's generally only $1 to $10--usually in the $1 range, as I'm cheap.

So, no money changed hands, I only sat there, sipping my iced tea, and just tried to pick the first two winning horses in the 4th race---I picked two different combinations in the forth race at Del-Mar (California): I liked the looks of the 1 horse--and, his odds said I was probably right. I also, when they were showing the horses in the saddling ring, liked the looks of horse #4, and, later, horse #7. I finally decided that I liked either the 1 & 4 combination to win, or the 1 & 7. Well, should'a bet, I guess, 'cos 1 & 4 came in. Didn't notice where 7 finished, though. I don't generally pay attention to odd, so much as look at the horses themselves: attitude is 3/4 of the race, to my opinion--and I can sometimes "hunch" that a horse is going to do well, just by it's ears/eye/body language. Oh yes, animals have body language, personalities, moods, just like we humans do--believe that.

And, just like people, there are days when they are feeling in top form, and days--no matter how well-trained and/or fit they are, when they're just not feeling like giving it their best. There are days when race horses--even champions, are just not in the mood. No, really. Ask anyone who has an ounce of observational skills and/or common sense, they'll tell you the same.

I like four--the horse had its head up, it was alert, it looked eager--but, it wasn't wasting valuable energy acting up too much.

Growing in in the suburb/country, one of our spring to autumn past-times was berry, flower and apple picking. Wildflowers, wild berries, wild onions and thyme, even snitching apples from the ancient trees in the field next to our house, we were kept busy at times.

WILD BLACKBERRIES

WILD RASPBERRIES

THE TINY BUT EVER-SO-SWEETER THAN SWEET WILD STRAWBERRY

WILD ONIONS

EDIBLE WILD VIOLETS

SPRINGTIME FIDDLE HEAD (YOUNG) FERNS--MUCH SOUGHT AFTER BY LOCAL GOURMETS FOR SALADS

WILD THYME

YOUNG DANDELION GREENS (SPRING), ALSO EDIBLE AND USED IN SALADS

WILD CARROT (AKA: QUEEN ANNE'S LACE)

(Click to make larger)

Me, around age 12

I've not been to see a film in exactly 3 years...do I go tonight?

Will they even let me walk in to a drive-in theater?

http://glendriveintheater.com/index.html

Will it be worth spending $15 dollars (the buses stop running at 11pm, so I'll have to ring up a cab to come home) to sit in a lawn chair to see a couple of films?

The film choices changed from Thursday, as well, when I had my eye on "Dark Knight" and "Clone Wars." Now, the choices are, for this weekend, SCREEN 1: "Tropic Thunder" and "Mirrors" and on SCREEN 2: "Babylon A.D." and "The Rocker." Never heard of either one of them--worth sitting outside for 4 hours for? Or give it a pass?

Not even half-past eight in the morning over here, and already my hillbilly neighbours are at it again! Sister loud-mouth is yelling about something and slamming doors. Well, really, she doesn't actually talk ya'know...yell is the only volume her voice has, apparently.

And in the "ewwwww!" department, last night when I went to take the bin bags out to the skip out in the rear car-park, I heard erm---"sexual" noises coming from their apartment...from dear old sis, actually. As I was coming back upstairs, one of their friends had apparently let himself in (against the new building rules), and was banging away on their door...brother opened their door, yelling he was "busy," and who was it, so he opens the door and is standing there...in his underpants, and when he saw me, he ducked away from the door with an embarassed look.

Okay, I REAAAALLLLY don't want to know, if the guy was embarrassed 'cos he was in his pants, or if he was caught with his sister...ewwwwwwww!!!! Doesn't bear thinking about...and it you could see dear ol' sis, you'd probably lose your breakfast, too.

Anyway, I don't want to go to work today, but must, I fear. Nearly 5 hours of telemarketing hell, I must face, damn it. I hate my job. I've had a lot worse jobs, so I do try to keep that in mind, but I can't tell you how much I hate sales! I wish I was posh-looking, or thin, or had a 4-year degree--or all of the above... then I could get a proper job, but, I am what I am, and there's no running away from that.

And, after I get done there, I have to bus myself out to the laundromat--that's gonna' hurt, carting all that laundry around--my bad foot is hurting so bad, I can barely stand on it. (Last year I got a type III foot sprain/fracture--literally the worst one can get, which basically demolished my foot), it really hurts horribly, and I've no idea why. I mean, it hurts 24/7, but usually it's low-grade pain, and completely tolerable. This ache kept me awake part of the night. Nothing I or anyone else can do about it, so I just have to take some Advil and deal with it.

I'm weary of life, some days, but what can you do? Just keep my head down and keep going, I guess. Maybe tomorrow will be different...perhaps not better--but, different.

Bedtime for me, nearly a 5 hour shift tommorrow, then laundry. Yuck.

Must be a change in the weather coming, my right hand is stiff and sore--arthritis? My right foot has been more swollen and painful than usual, as well, and my limp more pronounced these day. It's no old wive's tale about one's joints and the changing weather, mine are better than a National Weather Service forecast!

I just found a $10 bill crumpled up in a pair of jeans that I've put into the laundry hamper...maybe I'll take a lawn chair and some insect repellent and go to the drive-in theater....Screen 2 is a double feature of "Dark Knight," and "Clone Wars." Are they any good? I've not been to see a film in exactly 3 years this weekend. Though I wonder what the ticket booth attendant would think of someone "walking' into a drive-in! Is it even allowied? I reckon I will be the first "walk-in" patron of a "drive-in" theater, ha--ha. That is, outside of people who used to sneak in under the fence (like my sister admitted she once did, at our local "Tri-City Twin" Drive-in Theater in our hometown. She was about 13 at the time, I think).

Gimme' some bug spray, couple cans of Coke, a bag of microwave popcorn and a comfy lawn chair, and I'm good--as long as it doesn't rain, that is.

ONE OF THE in-class group projects I had to undertake in one of my theatre classes, was playing "Polonius" in the "15-minute Hamlet."

Most people haven't heard about his short version of the Bard's greatest of all plays...probably for a reason.

Here it is on youtube--without sound any longer, I don't know how the quality is, but...you be the judge.

PART II

Guess who's Polonius in this pic:

Okay, Dah-dee, I'm pwesident. Now where's mah wolly-pop?

"Doh, ya'mean global warming is REAL? I thought that was just something the liberals made up to take our focus off of the war on terror."

"I'm too stupid to talk right, so I jus' give everybody the finger."

"See them there evangelicals can't be wrong. There's NO WAY we humans can ever have come from stupid monkeys."

"Now WHY can't we find Osama Bin Laden?"

"So, after you get it outta' my pants, then what am I supposed to do with it?"

"Yeah, I'm a mentally ill, alcoholic, narrow-minded, bigoted, stupid, war-mongering, coke-head Bastard, and I'm in charge of everything, ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!"

Just did a heavy-duty virus scan--four issues could not be resolved and I still have dead sound/audio fuctions. I may hang on to service until after my birthday in October, but if I can't use my sound on my 'puter, it pretty much is a waste of energy and money to keep it, in my opinion, 'cos half the functions are no gone forever, apparently. Someone asked me if I had my original disk--yeah, no. Probably not...from Nov. of 2001? Too many significant life changes and massive upheavals have gone on, since then. I'd say literally more than 3/4 of my possessions have, since 2005, been sold, or lost during times of trumatic emotional stress and/or very hurried moves, so even if I still had said disks, there's no telling where they might be.

Well, had another fan-girl, "Amanda," ask me if I was gay, 'cos I don't have any amorous intentions towards David "sex-god" Tennant. Geez. I probably spent too much time explaining myself to some hormonal teenager, in hindsight, but, who cares? Certainly not Tennant, ha-ha.

Overcast damp day here, but still around 75 F, so not too cool, warm enough for a swim, if I was so inclined--which I'm not....too much to do, what with chores to run and all. Decided to go in for night shift, as I've just got so much yet to do, this afternoon! Shopping and laundry are on the agenda, if I can find the time.

Wow, the cats were playful this morning! Especially Flame, she was running around the apartment like a loony bird, the goof. Even Boots and Charlie were playing with their toys. All are asleep now, at the mo', though.

Well, I'm having a ball looking at the search terms that bring people here-- (What can I say, I'm easily amused.)

Just in the last hour or so...Really fascinating look at the human mind, Google searches, don't cha' think?

DAVID TENNANT HAIRSTYLE
JACK FROST COWBOY
FIREFOX 3 IS CRAP
EYE DOCTOR POEM
DAVID TENNANT NUDE (Twice)
TENNANT FAVOURITE FOOD
REALLY BAD POEMS
SHEEP-DIP BARNS (Now WHAT in my posts would bring that search to me?)
HANDSOME BOY BUGGER
ANNE FRANK OH NOES
DR WHO JOKES
ACTING LIKE A BUNCH OF CHAVS
CHAVS
HATS AS SOCIAL COMMENTARY
PARTY FOR TENNANT

Latest scuttlebutt cloging up the Dr Who forum I visit every few weeks or so, is that two of next year's specials MAY be filmed in my country! How cool would that be?

Of course, they likely would never be shot in my part of the world--probably in California, I imagine--which is about the same distance from me, as Wales pretty much, so it wouldn't make a huge difference, really, would it?

Unless they're doing a hitorical piece, and need to use a log or stone fort--of which we have two? Nahhh. Oh well. It's only a rumour, and you all know how rumours are..this one's probably a dud, and won't pan out.

I am sure the US fan girls will be drooling over the thought of Tennant crossing the big pond...me? I just wanna' see the Tardis up close.

Incidentally, what IS the problem with some UK fans getting "insulted" by episodes being filmed in America? These same "fans" had no problem with filming in ITALY.

UK people seem to harbour a lot of HATE for America and American fans. When did Doctor Who fans become so mean and bigoted and disrespectful of other fans? In some ways, I really don't entriely like "New" Doctor Who--Classic Dr Whovians were all akin, and good friends and no one hated each other 'cos of their country of origin. Some "new fans" really act like rubbish, and that makes me very sad to see this stupid behaviour.

ELDERLY BARBIE:

PREGNANT TEEN BARBIE

GROUP SEX BARBIE:

EXECUTION BARBIE:

UPSCALE BARBIE

JOHN McCAIN--REPUBLICAN CONVENTION COMMEMORATIVE BARBIE

I am: a genuine old maid and closet transcendentalist

I know: That I don't know as much as I'd like to know

I have: Three cats as my sole companions

I wish: I had an occupation where I felt needed/wanted/useful, etc...

I hate: Spiders..and moths...and wasps...and cockroaches...and people with rubbish manners or no manners at all.

I make: My own paths to follow.

I miss: my mum who passed on 14th Nov. '05 and whom I loved very much, and my cat, Red--my best pal for 18 years, whom I had to put to sleep on 19th Nov. 2006.

I worry about: My mind and my eyes, 'cos my writing is getting bad--making mistakes I never ever made before, for no apparent reason, and words I had no trouble spelling a year or two ago, I suddenly can't remember how to spell...and, my eyesights getting really rubbish, but I can't afford to see my eye doctor any more (no insurance coverage--and he won't take you without a way to pay your bill).

I fear: homelessness, roller coasters, nightmares, fire, tornadoes, having my electricity shut off in winter, passing out when I'm alone.

I'm not afraid of: Death, heights (much), flying, change, people who are different than me, trying new things, and public speaking

I feel: sad a lot.

I hear: cars going down Glen St., my computer humming, my fingers tapping the keys of the keyboard, Bonnie Prince Charile, 'cos he's snoring.

I smell: tuna fish, 'cos I just at a tuna salad sandwich for my late supper.

I crave: A Hawaiian pizza

I get complimented on: my "working" voice, sometimes my posh clothes.

I get picked on about/for: my looks/body, sometimes my "me" clothes, my lifestyle, for just being, "me."

I search: for ways to improve my writing skills

I wonder: If I'll ever have a future.

I regret: Going to Egypt. If I hadn't gone on that school trip, I would have been home to be with my dad as he was dying, and I would have been there with him the night he died, 'cause I know he was always afraid of dying alone... not being able to put a marker on my mum's grave...not being able to afford finishing my communications degree....putting my cat Red to sleep...too many other things.

I love: my sister and nephew, my far-away yet very dear friends, my pets, Dr Who, writing, horses, being home, learning, helping people, excersizing my creativity, being outdoors, history, antique saddles, doing new things, travel to new places.

I am not: Into trendy stuff at all, or peer pressure.

I believe: That I'm not sure what to believe in, any longer.

I dance: like crap...unless it's disco.

I sing: like crap...but I do it anyways.

I cry: when life just seems totally unbearable.

I don’t always: take very good care of myself.

I fight: for injustice (doesn't everyone?), and to keep from being homeless and hungry.

I write: every single day.

I win: Sometimes.

I lose: more often than not.

I never: want to do drugs.

I always: try to be courteous.

I confuse: myself and a lot of other people 'cos I'm an idiot, ha-ha.

I listen: to music every day.

I can usually be found: in front of my computer, keyboarding away, or sitting up in bed, reading a book.

I am scared: Of any more bad stuff happening to me.

I need: help?

I am happy about: having such lovely friends!

I am unhappy about: My life coming to a standstill for a long time, and knowing I'm going to spend the rest of my life alone, and living at or near the poverty level, having to drop out of college...and lots of other things, I guess.

I really like: Doctor Who, pizza, being around nature, horses, the theatre, blogging, going for a drive in a car (I know, I know, carbon footprint, yadda-yadda-yadda, but I don't own a car anymore, so, who cares?), books, good music on a rainy night/day, sunsets/sunrises, good conversation.

I would like to be famous for: I don't care about being famous, but I suppose maybe for voice work or my writing, if I had to say something.

I imagine: what Dr Who series 5 will be like, ha-ha!

I care about: Poverty, the environment, equality, animals, sick and emotionally ill people, the arts, learning.

A nutjob in the state of Rhode Island has been sending "archeological finds" to the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C., that he'd been digging up from his back garden.

Here is the Smithsonian's very courteous response to the gentleman's "finds:"

Smithsonian Institute
207 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC 20078

Chief Curator-Antiquities

Ugh! Bad day at the office--oh, made a few sales, enough to keep the boss happy, but, there's this one loutish young girl, who's got the manners of a....well, methinks she may have been raised by wolves.

Both myself and a co-worker were very much driven from our seats several times, by this girl's stench. I don't me the type from not bathing (but hey, you never know), the kind that comes from too blinking much perfumey stuff.

And, to make matters really gross, she took off her shoes--while working at her desk, mind you--and began rubbing some highly scented lotion all over her bare feet! And, if anyone asks her to stop, she whinges that her feet are dry. She's a self-centered, spoiled little brat, who is totally obtuse about everything that is not concerned solely with her. She may be working in the adult world, but she's definitely 14 year old material! I mean, she really belongs back in junior high, not in a "professional" office.

And, would the supervisor do anything about it? Yeah, a "Oh, I smell some strong perfume, is that you? Oh, would you mind not doing that, there's people with allergies." Yeah, that'll work. Not. The dumb broad was only told several times already, that her co-workers are allergic to perfumes...I mean, this girl is so thick, it beggars belief! It proves how desperite my company is, hiring teenage dumb bunnies like this one. Jaysus!

I mean, perfume is meant to be alluring, not meant as human repellent!

There's a long drink of water between smelling sexy, and just plain stinky.

The teenage bimbo falls into the stinky category, ever blessed time.

The days are ticking down to autumn, the summer is waving her fair hand, and passing through nature's doorway, into the long cold slumber of winter. Already there's a splash of red and gold, amid the green and verdant mountainsides.

The leaves of the trees shiver in the breeze, which brings with it, a hint of the harsh breath of the frosty night. In a matter of weeks now, we will wake to a hoary white rime on our plants and car roofs. The first thief of the night, stealing away the comforting pleasure of seeing life growing all around us. Soon it will be dark, as dark and cold as the grave. One night, the black velvet sky will be filled with icy, piercing stars, shivering in the cold vacuum of space, and one's breath will come out in a suspended white vapor, drifting pleadingly up to the heavens, seeking respite from the glacial cold that sucks the life out of everything.

In the resonant silence of a winter night, the aloof full moon, blindingly white like the snow that covers forest and field, casts it's penetrating blue glow over the universe, throwing deep, dark shadows across in the midnight world, a prelude to the end of all time.

Today I had to hear some old lady, rant about how we can't allow gays and pedophiles in the White House (huh??? But, I guess drug addicts, adulterers and drunks are okay?)..then she admitted she didn't know what a pedophile was, and did I know?

Unfortunately, yes, I very much do, but I wasn't about to go into that with her. Old ladies in Florida, thinking they are hot stuff 'cos they are helping to elect a woman congress person...and then being so backwards and to not be able to separate a black man, from a gay man, from a pedophile. Jaysus!

Wow. America is so definitely not cool, sometimes.

Please, if you care at all about my sanity, get me the hell out this country...I'll go anywhere. Jobsworths? No problem. "Elf and safety?" not a hair will I turn. Yobs--hell, I'm American, we eat yobbos for breakfast, over here. Stupid bigoted people, who believe Republican radio talk show hosts, who say Barack Obama is really gay? And, who think gay = pedophile--an then admit they don't know what a pedophile is? Dear God, get me outta this country, NOW!!!!

Incidentally, it was BUSH who was involved int he child porn controversay, in 1989, not Obama.

Oh, and here's the web page of a typical Aemrican freaky nut-job....proof that my country is FULL of people ready and waiting to be sectioned, from the President, on down to the guys who work in petrol stations.

LIST OF FAMOUS SATANISTS,
PEDOPHILES, AND MIND CONTROLLERS
by David Icke

Mohammed Al Fayed, father of Dodi Fayed, who died in the car with Princess Diana. Satanist.

You know, I keep forgetting that "crap" is sort of a swear word in Britain. It's as common as dirt here, and just another slang word, I mean, if it's used as a dirty word at all, it's probably in the same category as "damn," or "hell," if even that.

You know, I might say, "Oh, cr*p! at that's pretty much the equivalent of saying, "Drat" or, "Oh, darn!" I might say, "I have to clean the cr*p off of my bed, before I can make it." And cr*p is just the same as me saying, "I have to clean this stuff off of my bed."

Cr*p can mean many things, in America. It can mean the same as "Damn!" or, it used differently, in a more stressed and/or shocked manner, (as when you've just discovered your kitchen is on fire) it can, in fact, mean the same as "Oh S_it!"

The word can also mean a mess, or it can refer to a lot of junk or stuff, lying around.

It can refer to useless junk that you don't want or need. Or, to some cheap gimcrack that you might buy or be given as a gift... like smiley face pens, beach towel kilts, a Chia pet, or, anything that's basically silly and rather useless.

It can mean poo, as well, in the literal sense.

And, cr*p can also refer to a a lot of nonsense you don't understand, like the instructions on your government income tax return, "What is all this cr*p?"

Taken as a whole, "cr*p" is a very versatile word indeed, here in America, wouldn't you say?

An appropriate time to say, "Oh Crap!" and mean it to be like "Oh sh_t!"

Just try to figure out all this revenue crap on your own..then wind up behind bars when you've gotten it wrong!

This guy seriously needs to clean all the crap off of his desk!

A crap novelty gift...Billy Bass---actually, I almost hate to say this, buy my late mum, LOVED Billy Big-mouth Bass. Ugh! I hated the dang thing...never told her that, though.

I used to have another blog of sorts, but left, 'cos, even tho' it was completely anonymous...no way for anyone to find out who you are, cos, they don't ask for personal info, such as location, etc., I still felt uncomfortable with it. That's because every once in a while, some nutjob would come on there and deliberately post mean or totally insenstive comments--and, you know he or she was most of the time, doing it sole for the attention, but sometimes I would get one, that was just...stupid and senseless, and realized that I'd rather not blog at all, than attract these freaks to me. It wasn't just sometimes, either---it was at least once or twice a week, if not daily.

Even now, over a year has passed since I quit blogging on that site--tho' I'm still a registered user, technically, and I am STILL getting nasty comments! From posts over a year old!

I wrote a deeply personal post about my brief stint of homelessness (only a month), and my genuine fear about being homeless, how it's literally become my worst nightmare, and tonight I get a notice that I've had a comment. So, I check it out, and some senseless creep going by the handle "muffinman," states flatly that he thinks 'EVERYONE" is homeless because they "WANT TO BE HOMELESS." Riiiight.

To me, that's like saying that smokers get cancer 'cos they want to get cancer, or that women get raped 'cos they want to get raped, or that every unemployed person on the planet WANTS to be jobless. How stupid is that sort of narrow thinking...or, really, non-thinking? Now you lot know how the George W. Bush's of this world, get elected--and, re-elected!

Thing is, this "man" is not alone. Sure, there's people who choose to be homeless...but, they are in the minority. It's like, I choose to be an old maid, but how many women do that? How many 47 year old virgins do you know? Minority. Women and children do not choose to be homeless--it is thrust on them. Trust me, in reality-land, the lower life drags you down, the harder it is to get back up again.

Unfortunately, too many humans are totally out of touch with their fellow humans. They have their own little circles they revolve around in, and never once do they try to leave that circle, out of fear of the unknown, or simply because of their distaste for the uglier side of reality. Reality is NOT a television programme. It is mean, it is ugly, it is hard to watch, sometimes.

Poverty is a runaway freight train without brakes or steering, and those of us caught in it's headlamp, can only try to struggle and wrest ourselves from the track down into the hell of homelessness, before the train of destitution remorselessly squashes us flat.

Yet, so-called humans take the easy way out, and toss away their conscious like a discarded burger wrapper, by telling themselves that these people enjoy being hungry and cold and alone , enjoy the intense inner-pain of being outcasts in their own society, not even considered human beings, by millions of their own people, not even counted as persons, by their own government. And you wonder why so many people commit suicide?

So, I'm doing a bit of mindless blogging before I slap on my good ol' trusty cowboy hat (Unlike Tennant, I'm no metrosexual, but purely urban-suburban cowgirl--who hates country music, btw), and grab the 7pm trolley for Lake
George, for some soft ice cream. Yeee-ha! Can you stand the excitement? It'll be just like going to one of them there London red carpet film premiers....not. Well, it gets me outta' the apartment, anyway, and I really do love the view from the lakeside. I was going to go tomorrow night, to watch the fireworks over the lake, but meh--I saw fireworks last week, at the downtown luau, so that's good enough, I reckon.

Had a nap for several hours, and feel much, much better. My blood sugar was okay--bit high, but close enough to normal for me not to worry about it, so I don't know why I was feeling so peaked, all afternoon. Maybe my blood count is low again, who knows?

Can't decide on what to have for diner later tonight. Wavering between Polish sausage and pierogi, or eggplant (aubergine) parmagiana with pasta and tomato cream sauce. Or, maybe I'll just have a toasted cheese sandwich and some tomato soup....decisions, decisions....

Have a lovely night, all.

Yes, we are experiencing global warming. Yes, it is effecting us, right now, affect you, where you live, whether you notice it or not. It is most telling in regards to wildlife: shifting migration patterns and territorial boundaries, changes in population and growth. For instance, where I live, we're seeing wildlife moving into areas they hadn't been in in decades--even a century or more. Moose and wolf are two species, drifting into the southern Adirondacks, which haven't been seen here, in a good many decades.

Some people attribute this to loss of habitat--true, but rising temperatures will not only change migration patterns, it also disrupts the long-established food chain, as well.

Now, global warming also is causing more wildfires in the American west, with longer periods between rain, causing forest and scrub land to become tinder-dry. Also, lakes and reservoirs to slowly dry up and water levels in the west are lowering at sometimes an alarming rate...in some cases lower than they've been since they were created. This is especially worrysome, in desert regions, where water is already scarce. Places like Las Vegas Nevada and Phoenix, Arizona, with their large urban populations, could be in for some tough times in the rest of this century.

And, it' just not the American west that will be having water problems. Between global warming, massive water pollution, and other problems, the world will most definitely see an massive increase in "water wars," as countries struggle to get clean, potable water to its people, and for agriculture. Ironically, in places like the US, agriculture is one of the polluters, with pesticides, manure and human waste (many commerical growers in the western US and Mexico, station outhouses right next to the fields, and guess where the waste is going?) Hence the massive e-coli scares within the United States.

Yet, the water situation isn't just about supply. Acid rain is a major issue in my part of the world. Midwestern coal burning plants who don't use the best scrubbers (thanks to George "Lets destroy the planet and make lots of cash in the process" Bush, they don't have to) send their pollution eastward, which comes down in the form of acid rain. Pollution from cars also contributes to this, though not on the scale of the coal-burning plants.

Acid rain kills. Period...trees, fish, aquatic plants, doesn't matter. This is what it does to high-peaks region lakes, here where I live:

LOOKS PRETTY--BUT CONTAINS NO LIFE! A lake effected by acid rain.

It even melts stone. This is what acid rain does to monuments and buildings, pretty soon, this angel won't be able to weep, as the eyes disappear, eaten away by the acid tears of mankind's folly:

An especial good morning to my Corinth buddy!

Tired, could use a bit more sleep, but the meds seem to be working. Foot still feels like rubbish though, alas.

Nice day here. The cats are happy and content, just lying about. Chainsaw buzzing across the street at 8am, I could do without though.

I want my sound back! I want to watch New Doctor Who! My DVD player will only let me watch Classic Dr Who, of which I have all of 2 DVD's...Five Doctors and Ark in Space....good DVD's to have but, they're aren't Davies' stuff, though, are they?

No internet radio, either, boo-hoo. Well, I put on my Proclaimer's CD yesterday, will do that today. Think I'll play some cribbage or euchre on the computer, before work. Having a nice fry-up of hash brown potatoes, scrambled eggs and a bit of fried Polish kilbasa sausage. Didn't eat yesterday until around 2pm, thought I'd make up for missing a meal with a good breaky this morning.

Have a brilliant day, my friends, cheers. N.

I'm in pain.

My back (kidney's) are killing me. But, also, I slipped in the shower this morning, and twisted my knee and hurt my bad foot--well, my bad foot hurts 24/7, so I guess I should say I hurt it some more. I really ache like you wouldn't believe. I took some Advil and put on some liniment, but not helping much.

On top of that, I had wet hands from doing the diner dishes, a few minutes ago, and went to put something away in the 'fridge. It slipped from my hands and fell under the 'fridge door. I went to retrieve it, and touched the bottom metal part of the 'fridge--and got a huge shock! I mean the muscles in my arm jerked and spasmed! Wow! That felt funky, let me tell you! But...how can the bottom of my fridge shock me? Is that normal?

Not one of my better days, is it?

I'm soooo-tired. I napped a bit. Went, by my estimate, around 33 hours without any sleep whatsoever, so I took a nap for about 4 hours, got up, had dinner, blogged and surfed a bit, did the washing up, had a drink of limeade, and...here I am.

Yup, still exhausted. I guess I've got a bad infection, 'cos I'm back on antibiotics again. Oh well. Gee, back in 2006, I was, despite my weight, extremely fit, except for a bit of high blood pressure, that is. I walked 1 to 3 miles or more a day, lifted heavy loads all the time, swam a lot (in season, of course), hiked...rode horses when I could afford it, or my bicycle when I had one, all the time. Now, I go down for the mail, or do the Hoovering, and I feel like I've run a blinking marathon! I've aged 20 years in one year's time. Whoa. There's a wake-up call for you, if ever there was one.

I need to be active, but my income and lack of car, lack of connections, lack of...well, I'm all chav these days, and with the people around here who run voluteer stuff, that's not acceptable. Very snooty--and just a little bit snarky, are many upstate New Yorkers, and, I know whereof I speak.

I supppose I could try the Salvation Army, but I don't like praying any longer--long story, but trust me, I have my very good reasons to be personally anti-prayer.

Speaking of snooty, snarky New Yorkers, I was literally limping home today, very slowly and painfully, and there was this trendy couple and their two kids, all on bicycles--all wearing their ultra-trendy bicycle helmets. Well, you know how one can tell, when a family is on an outing as a "family," and when a family is on an outing just for appearances? This was the Keeping Up Appearances type of mum and dad. Mum and dad, in their oh-so-trendy cycling helmets and 200 dollar bicycles, were walking along...completely oblivious to their daughter and son, going along behind them! I mean, they are going through one of the second busiest zebra crossings in all of the city, and not even looking behind them to make sure their flaming kids are there! And then, I get to the kerb, and go to step up, and the stinking little boy, comes barreling by me on his bike--the kerb has a "ramp" for the handicapped, which I needed on this day...and the little "darling," nearly rams into me, hurrying to beat me to the ramp, so the brat doesn't have to get off and push his bike up onto the kerb! I yelled out in alarm, as I nearly fell backwards--did mum and dad notice or even care? All got from dear ol' yuppie mum, was a disdainful scowl, over her shoulder.

Yeah trendy chick? Well, you may have the money, but you haven't got an ounce of class to go with it. Nouveau riche...god help us.

If I feel any better--not looking good, but you never know, I may go to the beach tomorrow, after work..not for long, maybe just a quick swim, as tomorrow is supposed to be the best day of the week. Or, I may just go for another ice cream. I do like my soft ice cream cones...yummy.

Weather's turning very autumnal--in a nice way. Mid-70's F during the day, but dipping into the low 40's--even into the upper 30's F, at night. Goodwin street just on the corner fro me, is already littered with dead leaves! We are in for an early autumn, as some of the leaves on the trees are changing weeks earlier than normal, this year. I believe the Farmer's Almanac about the cold winter we are in store for. Sod the National Weather Service. I believe my eyes! I may be wrong, but I wouldn't be surprised if we had a snow flurry or two, by or before Halloween night. Not the first time. One year--'86 or '87 I think, we had a genuine blizzard the second week of October, that dumped a half a foot of snow on us, and knocked out power to half the state, for about 3 days, because the leaves were still on the trees, and the trees couldn't take the heavy wet snow and leaves both on them, so hundreds and hundreds of trees toppled over like ten-pins in a bowling alley. I still recall the amazing sight, of an oak tree that had fallen over, on top of a huge black granite obelisk in Albany Rural Cemetery--sheering the solid granite in half! Whoa. The strength of living wood. Far out.

Well, I'm off to bed. Have a great Wednesday all.

...Yup, he's decided that he's tired of being Doctor Who, so he's signed on to play the captain of a starship, that goes out exploring into space. He'll be captaining a crew consisting of a pointy-eared klnow-it-all alien who everyone dis's behind his back, some American guy who has an annoying habit of talking in a really bad Russian accent, an Asian guy and a black woman--you know, to show the world that the future is very politically correct--tho' the woman still has to wear a low cut mini-skirt for tit and arse appeal, and, just for the hell of it, a really cranky doctor who whinges a lot, and says "he's dead, Jim" all the time, for no apparent reason.

Speaking of David Tennant's hair. I happened across some review of Hamlet, where the critic actually said that Tennant uses his hair onstage, as a sort of living prop....I'm paraphrasing, but...okay, that's probably the strangest comment I've ever read in a theatrical review--that the reviewer complemented the actor on the use of his hair! Which, must have made Patrick Stewart cringe, 'cos ya'know, he's bald and all--and even more ironically, I noted that the comment about Tennant's hair, was placed right next to a picture of Patrick Stewart's head! Was that meant to be deliberate, or was that just another one of life's cruel ironies?

...to fix the damn computer. MS support wants me to do a virus scan in "safe" mode...unfortunately, my computer objects. to that. Won't let me access the internet in "safe" mode, so I can run the online virus scan. Oh well, nice try, anyway. Four marks for effort. Sonuvabitch. And, you know when I swear on my blogs, Nancy ain't happy.

If you've noticed less "deeply" personal posts of late, it's 'cause I'm posting more, privately, only for friends. Someone recently e-mailed me, asking what happened to my more personal posts--wanted to know if anything occurred to shy me away from my more intimate posts--yeas and no. More yes than no, actually, tho' I suppose that's not very enlightening.

Anyway, most of my really personal posts are no either being published for "my eyes only," or strictly for people on my "friends" list. So, there you have it.

Another totally sleepless night. Have a fever, but not going to hospital until later, if at all. Wait and see...one thing I DON'T need, is another big medical bill. I know NHS has it's serious issues, but at least you lot don't to have to give up things or back off medical care, 'cos you're worried about the money.

I feel horrible, though. I haven't slept since 7am Monday morning.

No breakfast either, don't feel well enouugh to even bolt down a bowl of honey-nut cheerios or frosted shredded wheat.

Apparetnly, some time yesterday, the landlord shoved a notice under my door that a pest control man was coming today...didn't notice until 6am this morning. I must have walked right over it, last night. Fan-friggin'-tastic. My apartment looks like crap! I gave my bedroom a quick hoovering, but that's about all I had time for. I'm just too sick to do anything more.

I wrote that thing about Obama and now some whacko Chinese commie guy is plauging me with his "Yes, go China, we're number one!" rubbish. jaysus! Don't I get enough of that nonsense from the blinking republicans???? Good gravy on toast.

I've noticed that China is putting thse fake "white" guys on newspapers and blogs, to counteract the negative remarks about their country. Wow, and I thought Bush and his lot were paranoid adolescents! China is a lot more like Bush and the neo-cons, than anyone realizes. Or, are Bush and the neo-cons, like the government in China? China is a bunch of maroons, if they honestly believe that most of us aren't noticing their fake "commenters." I guess you get your share of obtuse jerks running the goverment, no matter what culture you belong to. But, with China, it's this propaganda blitz is alomost embarrassing. How insecure they are! They're becoming right proper little capitalists, ha-ha.

So, I wrote about my learning that ham was "gammon." I was remembering when I was a kid, during our school year.

Every year, my elementary school (Pre-year 1 to year 8) in my village always held a father-daughter dinner once a year. The mum's went to the school kitchen and made dinner, and the dads and kids sat and ate it (towards the mid-70's, they started alternating years with a mother-daughter dinner...didn't go down well with the dads, ha-ha.

Every year, they served the exact same menu...in 10 years it never changed: baked ham steak, buttered whole kernel corn, mashed potatoes, little dinner roll with butter, milk or coffee, ice cream for dessert.

I loved ham when I was a kid, it was one of my favourites.

have to leave for work in 4 minutes. have a good ay all. N

Just giving a shout out to my old buddy Skippy over in the next county. Hi'ya Skip! Hope your other half is still doing okay with that lung. Think of you both. Take care. No matter what you may think of me, I think that, stoned or sober, you're still a great guy...and so is J__.

Wouldn't it be great, if all humans were truly made like God...we'd have beauty, brains and brawn. We'd all be nice to look at, be able to hold both broad and abstract conversations--and, we wouldn't need politicians, and, no one would ever want to mug us or whatever, 'cos we'd be just so tough and strong, we'd make the bad guys wet themselves, trying to get away from us.

Alas, we merely human. Mortals confined to the soil from which we were created, over 50,000 years ago. 50,000 years...and we're still squabbling over land, and water and food, and our differences.

We still wear animal skins:

Cook outdoors over an open fire:

Still working with hand tools...

Hunting game:

Fighting over who's got the biggest erm...club:

So, I just wasted a half-hour of my life for absolutely nothing. Makes you feel real good, when your computer does that, doesn't it? God, I'm ticked off right now...I have no clue what I hit or clicked to make half my post disappear. Thankfully it was nothing, so no big loss....except now I'm a half-hour older with nothing to show for it, ha-ha.

Well, folks, looks like it's gonna' be a long, bitterly cold winter this season, according to the gold old Farmer's Almanac....which, in the last 200+ years, has had an 85% accuracy rate. However, the National Weather Service, just to get their two-cents worth in, says that we will be in for a mild winter, with either drought or potentially damaging freezing rain and/or ice storms predicted.

Speaking for myself--and my bad foot and other gimpy body parts, I'd rather be cold, thanks. You can't slip and end up in the ER with cold. Well, you can, but...you know what I mean.

I just spent 30 minutes of my life, blogging some totally mundane stuff, right? A flippin' click of the mouse, and HALF of it is GONE. ARRRRGHH! I blinking HATE computers!!!!

Geez, would you look at all the "Popular" posts? David Tennant this, and David Tennant that....wow, who knew?

People from all over the world--countries I've very literally never even knew existed, are searching for stuff about David Tennant...some of those searches being kinda' weird...and even downright kinky, truth to tell.

Wow, man. Blows my mind. I had no idea the gentleman was THAT popular. And here I was thinking people were coming on here to read MY posts. Good thing I don't have much of a writer's ego, any longer, ey? I'd be crushed. As it is, I'm just amazed and amused...and left to wonder how the man is coping with this insanity? Poor guy....okay, well, not poor, I'm poor, he's rich and famous. So, can't feel too, too sorry for him. Still, he must have to be a recluse, these days, just to get any rest and relaxation.

I reckon. Well, he could always come here--hardly anyone would even notice him, especially if he goes scruffy, he'd fit right in! He could go staggering out of some South street bar, uncombed and all stubbly, and everyone would take him as a native hillybilly/redneck/adirondack chav. Heck, I could even teach him Bubba-talk, put him in some combat trousers and a NASCAR tee shirt and a baseball cap, and he could walk around without a care...spit on the sidewalk, belch and fart to his heart's content, scratch his balls, swill beer, watch the game or race on the big-screen TV...or whatever he does when he's not in the public eye.

MEANWHILE, IN AN ALTERNATE REALITY...

The Doctor said, "Sod saving the universe. Up the Daleks, screw the Cybermen. Tell the Master to feck off and leave me alone! I just want to sell cappuccino."

Tardisgurl saw my meme this morning, and decided to tag me with another quiz, since I "stole" her meme. Cute, TG, real cute.

Oh, alright. I got dragged into the ER by my doctor junior this morning, just before work, and only just got home--she insisted that I HAD to go right away, and was rather put out with me that I didn't go on my own, yesterday--but I felt much better by early evening, so didn't see the point. I had called it in to her...if it was so important, why didn't the health centre get back to me on Sunday, via my emergency number (my neighbour's phone)?

Anyway, yes, they said there's still a trace of some very minute stones in my system, and my white blood cell count is up slightly, and I still have a trace of an infection--but, no fever, only minor pain--which is nothing, 'cos I hurt 24/7 what with the bad foot and all, anyway, so I'm used to that. I was cleared to go back to work, but told to come back in if I developed a fever or my problems returned.

So, I'm back to work at 3pm, and work into the night shift. I just realized that I may not have worked all my hours last week--I THINK I made them all up (I was out a day, sick, and wavered between feeling okay and feeling ill, on and off all last week). But now I'm wondering if I accidently was an hour or two short? I should have looked at my time card Saturday, but didn't really pay much attention to it. Oh well, too late now. Everyone keeps telling me how rubbish I look today--even the ER nurse! I don't feel rubbish, jut tired a bit, and sore. Not that bad, really.

So anyway, while my little mini Banquet beef pot pie is in the oven, I'll do this quick meme.
I think I may have taken this--or one like this, before, as it seems familiar.

_________________________________________________________________________________

WHAT WAS THE FIRST DOCTOR WHO EPISODE YOU WATCHED?

We're talking 25 years ago, but I THINK it was Ark in Space.

HAD YOU HEARD OF CHRISTOPHER ECCLESTON BEFORE DOCTOR WHO?

Yes, I'd seen him (and was impressed by his performance) in "Gone in 60 Seconds"

HAD YOU HEARD OF DAVID TENNANT BEFORE DOCTOR WHO?

Not at all, no.

WHO DO YOU LIKE BETTER, ECCLESTON OR TENNANT?

Tennant. Eccleston was a great Doctor, don't get me wrong, but Tennant has just taken the proverbial bit in his teeth and run away with his character. Best Doctor ever.

WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE DOCTOR?

Tennant.

WHO WAS YOUR "FIRST" DOCTOR?

Tom Baker--who, until Series 4, was my favourite Doctor. Midnight changed my mind, though, and now Tennant's nosed out poor ol' Tom...but I still love Tom Baker, really.

WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE COMPANION?

Catherine Tate has finally knocked poor Sarah Jane off her pedistal--but, it took four of the new series to knock Sladen and Baker off the top of the list, to give them their due.

ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 10, HOW WOULD YOU RATE TENNANT'S PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES?

Come again? Oh, I don't know. About a 2 or a 3, I suppose. Sorry, nothing personal, honest.

ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 10 HOW WOULD YOU RATE TENNANT'S ACTING ON DOCTOR WHO?

9 44/100. (Sorry, he's not Derek Jacobi or David Warner quite yet.)

HOW WOULD YOU RATE DAVES' WRITING?

8 out of 10. (That rating is mostly to do with the "soap opera" element--but don't mistake that as criticismim, it's purely a personal like/dislike thing--though I thought the last episode of S4 seemed rushed, and found a gaping continuity error in Episode 11--and I won't go back into what happened to me over episode 12--still, who cares? Despite all of that (except for E12 S4), I do genuinely think Davies is one of the best writers on British television. He brought back Dr Who--brought it back brillantly-- and I love him for that.)

HOW WOULD YOU RATE STEVEN MOFFAT?

I haven't seen his work outside of Doctor Who, but so far it mostly seems outstanding and astounding. Rating? Like Tennant, a 9 3/4 out of 10, so far, I suppose.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT MOFFATT?

Not sure what this question is specifically asking, so I'll answer on two fronts:

In regards to the programme, I think it's a logical choice: The man obviously adores the show, he's one of "us," a fellow Whovian, and, unlike Davies, he seems to relate better us "old" fans, as well as he relates to the brand new 8 year olds--fantastic! He also understands that it IS a kid's series and not a soap opera--though his series 4 two-parter had a "soap" element to it, alas. But, I really do think the gentleman will give it a whole new direction, energy and drive, so I'm really looking forward to the new scripts.

As for Moffatt--a friend of mine sent me a video she did of a sci-fi con (convention) she went to, where he was one of the guest speakers. He seemed genuine, friendly, had a good sense of humour and was intelligent and well-spoken, but also seemed to have a bit more of an ego, like he might have a bit of an artist's temper, and not be quite as laid back as Davies? Gosh, I don't know... Maybe I'm being unfair-maybe I'm 100% wrong--I mean, it was only a 5 minute video, for pity's sake--it's hard to form an impression of someone, after only 5 minutes of shaky video watching! I can only give my first, fleeting impressions, and may feel completely different about the man, a year or two from now, who can say?

FAVOURITE EPISODES OF SERIES FOUR?

Midnight, Turn Left, Planet of the Ood, Wasp and the Unicorn, the Doctor's Daughter, The poisoned Sky, Fires of Pompeeii.

LEAST FAVOURITES:

I can't say there were any "least" favourites, just some I liked a little less than all the others.

Stolen Earth, Forest of the dead.

WHAT GUEST CHARACTER(s) DID YOU LIKE LEAST IN SERIES 4?

You know, I wish I could tell you why (but I simply don't know) but something about Professor Riversong's voice/mannerisms really irritated me, it's silly, I suppose, but true. I didn't like Jenny for the first 10 minutes or so, but then the actress (Peter Davidson's daughter, I'm told--I didn't have internet until early June, so I couldn't keep up on any Who stuff), well, the actress did a great job of warming me to the character, to the point where I felt really bad when she "died," and actually cheered when she regenerated.

WHAT GUEST CHARACTER(S) DID LIKE MOST?

I thought the woman who played Agatha Christie was fantastic, of course Donna's grandad, (gosh, so many brilliant performaces!), The actors in Midnight were wonderful, especially the woman who played the "monster." Lovely!

LIST YOUR FAVOURITE DOCTORS IN ORDER: (oh, don't make me do that! They're each wonderful in their own way)

David Tennant, Tom Baker, John Pertwee, Peter Davidson, Slyvester McCoy, Patrick Troughton Paul McGann, Christopher Eccleston, Colin Baker, William Hartnell.

WHICH DOCTOR WOULD YOU MOST LIKE MOST TO MEET, OR HAVE MET?

Living: Tom Baker. Deceased: Jon Pertwee.

1. How early do you wake up in the morning, before leaving for work or school?

Oh, about an hour and a half, to two hours before leaving, on average. That's if I have to be to work by or before 10am.

If I'm starting work late in the afternoon, or on a night shift, then I get up whenever I want to, pretty much. If working nights, I generally will sleep somewhat later than if working days, as a rule of thumb. Back in the days, when I had to get up at 3am, 4am or 5am for work, then I might pair down my wake time to only about 45 minutes to an hour before leaving.

2. What's the earliest you ever had to leave for work or school?

In my first year of high school, our school bus came at 6:50 am, so we had to be up around 5:30 or 6am at the latest. That's because we had a full bus load of students--mine was the last class from our village, to be bussed out to this particular high school (my village didn't have enough kids to support a high school), so as time went on, the bus came later and later, and by the time I was in my 4th year, we were using a small van or a station wagon, and I didn't leave until 7:20.

For work? Well, as a breakfast chef, I had to get up at 2am in the morning, 'cos I had to walk to work (still didn't have my driver's license yet at that time). I had a job where we traveled all over, and sometimes had to be in a different state by 7am in the morning, so sometimes we had to leave at 3am, so that meant waking at 1am to be ready for work and drive to the meet up in an Albany car park. When I was a stablehand, I had to get up around 4am in winter, 5am in milder weather.

3. Best job you ever had?

Stablehand. No time clocks, loved being there, really enjoyed my job (most of the time, anyway...there were a couple of days, though, when I almost regretted giving up my cushy, better-paying office job)

4. Worst job you ever had?

Tie: working in the convent as an assistant cook, and working at the casino/race track as a cleaner.

5. How do you feel about your present employment (if employed)?

Meh--it's a living, and it's better than cleaning loo's.

6. Easiest job you've ever done?

Washing, drying and folding towels at a Lake George motel 7 days a week, one summer. A no-brainer.

7. Most interesting job you've ever had?

Never really had a job that could be construed as "interesting." Working rides at Six Flags? Stable hand, kennel assistant? Temping--I was, in my mid-20's, working for 3 different temp agencies, and that sometimes was interesting, as I was always working for a different company every two to three months, for about 2 years. I was also a trucking permit agent when I was about 24 years old--and that could get kind of weird sometimes, dealing with truckers.

8. First job? How old?

Waitressing special functions for the local Veteren's of Foreign Wars post a few weekends a year. I was around 13 or 14 years old. Worked for tips only, under the table (off the books), as we yanks say.

9. What do you do now?

Telemarketing--B2C sales, B2B leads, surveys, fund-raisers, collections.

10. What non-paid jobs have you done (volunteer work, and so forth)?

Library assistant, mostly. Also volunteer work: tour guide and docent at 2 museums, voluteer with handicapped riding programmes, 4-H (equine youth group) lecturer, delivered Measl-on-Wheels to seniors for 2 years, animal shelter help, Salvation Army Christmas kettle bell-ringer a couple of times, some Earth Day hiking trail and road side clean up activities, various activites at the Presbyterian church, various community functions through my 2-year college, ran sound (effects) for a theater production about six years ago. Oh yeah, at my 4-yr. college I was a features reporter for the college newspaper...you know the type of thing, writing about the Elvis fest, the snow sculpting competition, the professor who raised llamas, that sort of thing. Oh, and I've interned twice--very briefly, as a writer for two websites, a college recruitment website and also a travel website.

Feeling better this morning, at nearly half-past eight am. Still a bit weak and slightly more groggier than ususal, but somewhat more rested than I was, yesterday, but considering what I went through with the kidney stones--thankfully very minute ones--I'm not doing all that badly, at least, I'm well enough to go to work this morning. Thank God it happened on a weekend, and I didn't have to lose any more time (meaning also pay, of course) from work.

I even had a proper American fry up, for breakky: steak and eggs with fried potatoes. Well, one of those thin, tiny little eye of round steaks, one gets from the food section of the local All-for-One-Dollar shop, and a hash brown patty similar to the one's sold by McDonald's, and a couple of scrambled eggs. Still, no worries about my stomach growling at work--I don't get lunch 'till around 3pm or later, so I do get a tad hungry at work, sometimes.

Not quite as hot as yesterday--it's actually overcast and damp, this morning, but no rain at all in the forecast until maybe a week from now. Of course, that can change, but so far, so good for the last week of the summer holidays, over here. This is the last week for daily trolley bus service to Lake George. After that, it only runs on Saturdays, and perhaps Sundays as well, until some time in October--if that. We have a horrible bunch of jobsworths running the local transit company, so one never knows what totally moronic bus schedules they'll dream up--they have lousy PR, as well, and aren't well-known for actually advertising scheduling or route changes. Even the bus drivers themselves, don't always know what's going on!

Anyway, it's supposed to be sunny and in the mid-70's all week, and in fact, the sun's just come out, as I writhe this---at some point this week, I'll make a trip by trolley up to the lake, for one last quick swim. Too bad I didn't find my suit 'till summer was nearly done, but no crying over spillt milk, I say. (yeah, I know "spilt" isn't a proper word, but then, I'm not feeling very proper today, so sod it. )

Well, have chores to see to before leaving for work. Have a grand day, all. N.

As a last word before bedtime:

Sometimes my country genuinely makes me feel ill.

Obama is a two-faced, weakling. Seen by some of us liberal democrats as grossly unprepared and uncertain, Obama has backpedaled more and more, away from his vision of hope for America's future--positive thoughts about the economy, healthcare, housing and education, to a much more conservative stance, mainly focusing on foreign policy and tax cuts and the usualmindless, greed and power-driven Republican palaver.

He is a good speaker, but has lousy human relations skills. He's no diplomat, that much is certain. Rather than let the Clinton's do what they do best--speak about positive change, stress the good things that happened, when Bill was in power: NO wars, NO national debt, NO recessions, instead, Obama is literally forcing Clinton to talk about foreign policy, one of Clinton's weaker points! What an arse Obama is!

To me, Obama is more like Bush than McCain is. By that, I mean Bush is a very weak, immature person...he is, or rather, was, very good at relating to the "commoners," but in reality, he's weak, 'cos he doesn't listen to ANYONE's advice, but like a spoilt child he does whatever HE wants to do, and if anyone tries to restrain him, Bush throws a genuine temper-tantrum.

Now, Obama is also weak, but for different reasons. He doesn't listen to his heart, but listens too much to advisors--who are too often, giving the man the wrong damn advice! Already, a LOT of Obamas major key spporters--including many celebrities, famous authors, heads of major liberal charities and think-tanks---are slowly backing away, very quietly and carefully. They've begged the man to get back on track, and stay with the pulse of the people--but Obama is refusing to listen to the voices of reason, and instead seems to be solely relying on his "professional" council.

In other words, Since early this year, Obama has steadily turned from the Great New Hope, into Just Another Politician. Same old, same old, is the message that we liberals who are listening between the lines, are getting from the candidate.

We democrats win elections by swinging the southern voters. Obama seems to reject that established fact, glossing over his race (how's that for irony?) genuinely assuming blindly, that southern black voters will swing those states to the point, where he doesn't need the Southern Anglo-Protestant white male votes. In dumbing himself down by appeasing Israel and the anti-Iraq/Iran/Russia republican voters, Obama is bending over backwards--or really, just bending over, for the conservative vote, and in doing so, he is farting in the face of tens of thousands of his previously loyal supporters. My neighbour bragged that he'd always voted republican, but that he "really liked" what Obama was saying, "lately." This would be the drunken redneck neighbour who thinks bombing the hell out of Iraq, Iran and Russia would be a splendid idea, mind you.

I mean, it's like the man is being paid by the republicans to throw the election! And, maybe his is.

_________________________________________________________________________________

On the other hand, the republicans seem to not only want to destroy all of the Middle-east, Russia, parts of Asia and Cuba, now they are going after their fellow Americans.

The Democratic convention is coming to Denver, and the republicans have set up a press and public relations centre, to counter the various speeches of the dems. However, what are the republicans calling this nerve centre? Their "WAR ROOM."

That's right, the conservative republicans are so mindlessly aggressive, that even when they are merely counter-acting speeches ("freedom" is such a subjective term to these people--when THEY talk it's free speech. When anyone says a word against them, it's anti-American propaganda) the republicans take delight in showing their dictatorial bullying tactics.

I wouldn't be surprised if the neo-cons in Denver, ringed the convention center with tanks and threatened to imprison Obama in Cuba indefinately, as a terror suspect.

Doctor Who's going to be in for some real trouble, as he faces his most dangerous foe yet:

Floosie the Martian Hairdresser Trainee!

Floosie wants to ruin the hairstyles of every popular sci-fi hero on television and she's starting with the Doctor! Just look what she did to this chap!

Oh wait, that's just Nick Nolte, he always looks like that...sorry.

Anyway, the Doctor won't be having anyone mess up his sexy hair, and fights for his 'do with the help of his own personal intergalatic hairdresser, Butch Guye:

SONG OF THE OOD: "You, light up my life...."

In a bold and controversial move today, the Shadow Proclamation has ruled that Vulcan Priests may perform partnership ceremonies between Daleks and humans wearing ugly green costumes, Tribbles, Cybermen and other fake Sci-fi monsters. The Evangelical Vulcan Council has threatened to ban any priest who perform these marriages, but then were silenced when the Dalek told them to "shut their bigoted gobs," or it would exterminate them.

Well, I had a big bill come in unexpectedly this week, that I had to pay, 'cos it's medical and I need the services...of course, technically, most places can't deny you services for failure to pay, but, they CAN garnish your wages, or even take your possessions or (if you own one) home. And, some places in the USA, can in fact, deny people medical care, if they cannot afford to pay. Life in the USA is not as rosy as the neo-cons and other ignorant, selfish, inhumane Americans will try and tell you it is.

so, I had $55 dollars left over after the 102 dollar medical bill was paid. (My Friday pay check was 157 dollars).

My shopping bill (minus the kitty litter and shampoo and bin bags I forgot to buy) came to $34.66 for the week. About $9 of that was for cat food--the price of both tinned and dry food, like with people food, is escalating and an alarming rate.

Groceries weren't so bad this week, as I bought extra food last week, with the last of my food stamps (vouchers), while some good sales were on.

There were also good sales on this week, however, and I saved over $7 on my food bill--including some change for using my own bags--they take a few cents of the bill if you bring your own bags.

Besides the cat food, for my 34 dollars netted me:

12 pack of Price Chopper diet orange soda
1/2 gallon of milk
1/2 gal. jug of diet iced tea
1/2 gal. carton of limeade
1 sweet onion
1 package Price Chopper deluxe sliced American cheese
1 small ham (gammon) steak
1 1/2 pound of boneless pork "country style" ribs
1 loaf Price Chopper white bread
1 package Price Chopper hamburger rolls
1 package Price Chopper frozen potato and onion pierogies (or "pierogi" if you're British)
1 tin solid white tuna in water
1 Celetste frozen "pizza for one" meatball pizza
1 package of Price Choppper sliced deli honey ham
1 bag of Price Chopper potato chips (crisps)

I decided my lunches this week would all consist of sandwiches: ham and cheese, toasted or grilled cheese, peanut butter and jelly, bacon and egg, and tuna fish...whatever I'm in the mood for.

According to my indoor gauge, it's 80 F (24/25 C) in here right now. I pulled the fan from my room and brought it in here. I wish now that I was well enough to go to the beach, as it is getting somewhat stuffy in here. I shifted the fan from my bedroom to the living room here, but, even with the intermittent cool breeze and the fan both, it's still getting somewhat uncomfortable. I wish now, that i was well enough to go for a quick swim.

Boots has climbed into the ca'ts nylon play cube, and, after sitting there staring out the hole at me, looking a bit put out by the sudden heat, he's now curled up asleep in there.

BROKEN SPIRITS

At times I've tolled at being Me;
Have myself I lost in life's debris?
--Therefore two selves lost.
Changes that take hope far away;
As I attempt to keep gloom at bay,
And struggle with the cost.

...thought I'd add that since eating a quick lunch of toast and scrambled eggs, washed down with some cranberry juice, I feel much better.

Got a start though, when one of the new trolley buses went by--there's this new one, and when it goes to make a stop, it has an imitation trolley bell, that starts clanging--still not used to it, as the new bus doesn't go by, very often, or make a lot of stops out front (mostly just for me)...so I sort of jumped when the metalic "CLANG-CLANG-CLANG-CLANG" began ringing outside my window--reminds me of my elementary (primary) school's old fire alarm bell! That's exactly what it sounds like.

I'm not usually the jumpy type--I've had a co-worker who used to hide 'round corners and try to jump out at me and scare me--never worked, but I always gave her four marks for effort, ha-ha.
I will jump at a sudden bolt of lightning, or something like that, of course. I guess I'm just really beat today, to let something like some stupid trolley bell startle me.

Well...now I know why I've been feeling so ill, on and off this week.

Around 2am this morning, I began once again to have the sweats and chills, then my back--in the area of my kidneys began to hurt like hell, to the point when I stood--I couldn't. I had to walk bent over double. Then...around an hour later, I found that my erm--"plumbing" was stopped up. Which is rather painful in itself, by the way.

Yup. Nancy had a wee kidney stone. Being that I went through this before, around four years ago, and also due to the fact that I couldn't purchase a phone card this week--figures, now that they have the $20 cards back in stock. I had no way to go to hospital--short of walking the 20 or 25 minutes to the ER--if I wanted to. But, last time it resolved itself, as it did this time as well, as it turned out, around 6am. It's just passed noon and I've only just got out of bed. I feel much better--tho' weak and tired...and grateful that my "plumbing" is working again, ha-ha.

But, oh my gawd, what a horrible night that was. Flame stayed right by me, bless her, even giving my face and hands a bath at one point, sitting by my head, staring anxiously at me. Though she is quite loving, Flame can also be a moody, fussy, sometimes even temperamental little ginger cat, but, when one is ill, she's a totally different animal, a regular right proper little nurse.

I'm going to attempt to make something to eat--no idea what. Perhaps some eggs, or a bowl of honey-nut Cherrios or frosted shredded wheat, or perhaps a toasted cheese sandwich. Nothing too heavy, methinks.

I was going to make either my Cajun rice and sausage casserole, or some breaded eggplant (aubergine) parmigiana and pasta for dinner tonight. Guess I'll have to pass on those, as the last thing I need is spicy foods right now. Probably soup and a sandwich...or even just soup, would be best.

Despite my illness, outside of feeling wrung out, I really don't feel all that bad, all things considered. I'll just bum around the apartment today. I suppose I can find something to read. Since I deleted that play I began last week, I need something else to write--thought I might take a stab at picking up where I left off, with that naf Dr Who story I began on my Wordpress blog, called "Dark Holiday." We'll see how I'm feeling later, I suppose.

I was reading through a local weekly newspaper--one of those that's a mixture of classified adverts, business adverts and listings for upcoming community events. Some local community theater group, just put on the Merry Wives of Windsor at a theater that's been set up on a farm out in the country. There is some cheap theatre around here, but it's totally inaccessable to someone like me, as it's ALWAYS out in the middle of nowehere, far away from the nearest bus stop, and too expensive by cab. That sucks. They want $30 to $40 just to see a play at the theater downtown! I mean, when I first found out I'd be living a 15 minute walk from a "proper" theater, I was over the moon--then I got a gander at the cost of tickets, and walked away downcast. Stinking American "trendies" and their stinking unrealistic exclusiveness.

There was also an advert that I assume was a typo. This company sells warehouse supplies and were advertising "flammable" cabinets. I'd assume they meant inflammable, but...who knows? Maybe someone out there needs cabinets that catch fire easily?

Well, must go eat something. Can't go all day without food in me. Hope you all have or have had, a fantastic Sunday. Cheers. N.

...is not about the upcoming specials, not about Series 5, not about whether Tennant is staying or leaving or scratching himself, watching footie and swilling beer...no, the big rumour tonight seems to be..."is David Tennant engaged?"

WHO CARES?

I mean, really. Will it matter if the man is a sex fiend or gay, or a virgin...okay we know he's probably not been one of those in at least a couple of decades, but...you know what I mean...I hope. I mean, if he is, congrats to him, and I hope they both will be very happy....but is that anyone else's business (outside of his immediate friends and family, that is)? No. Why are people so obsessed with the intimate and petty details of celebrities? I'm afraid that is one thing that has always left me a little baffled.

I mean, we've got global warming, we're running out of clean potable water, we're in the middle of a massive global recession--not that far from a depression in some areas in the globe, there's massive famine, genocide, there's political, religious and social repression, homophobia, racsism and hate crimes, pedophiles, homelessness, unemployment, spousal, elder and child abuse, senseless murders, suicides, people dying horribly in drink driving accidents and of cancer and other illnesses, there's wars--we're on the doorstep of WWIII, revolutions...yet people get all atwitter if a female celebrity goes out without makeup, or someone has a baby, or gets married, or divorced. They twitter behind their hands when a celebrity goes out wearing something dreadfully ugly or changes his or her hairsyle...I mean, come on!

What does Tennant getting engaged--or not engaged, whatever--what does that have to do with Dr Who? I'll tell you what: NOTHING. Geez--leave the poor wee boy alone!

Well, went to Lake George for my ice cream--my only "treat" this week...tho' I do have a couple dollars in change to spare, and plan on popping up to the lake for a quick swim, at some point. Not tomorrow though. Too crowded with holiday makers.

I went into a little gift shop/snack bar, owned by the Lake George Steamboat Company. The building is the only "original" building on the whole boardwalk--that part of the lake front having been totally changed back int the 60's/70's. Inside was your typical touristy gift shop, but also there were real stuffed and mounted wildlife on the walls, as well as an old-time antique Adirondack canoe that had to be at least 75 or 100 years old. But my delight was in one section--you see, I grew up within sight of a rail track, grew up seeing and hearing blue-gray-gold Delaware and Hudson train engines every single day for over 20 years. And, I have to admit, I loved them. I loved the sound, I loved standing right next to a freight train as it rumbled past, waving at the engineer (by law they had to go slow through our village)--an awesome sight to a kid, standing next to those big engines and cars, feeling the ground vibrate under your feet. I didn't always like this one smartarse, who used to lean on the diesel hooter at 3am, though. We all were convinced he did that on purpose, cos the day engines never were that "enthusisatic."

Anyway, D&H went out of business about 10 years ago, much to my and a lot of other local train buff's sorrow. So, imagine my great delight, to look up on the wall of this gift shop--and there, running around a special shelf, high up on the wainscotting nearl the ceiling, was a rail track. and running merrily around that track: A great authentic model of a D & H locamotive! I was grinning from ear to ear--I must of looked a geek, 'cos when I let a a low, delighted "Oh wow, cool!" some lady standing near me gave me the sort of look, one generally reserves for the sectioned.

Oh well, what can I say, I really am very easily pleased, and fairly easily amused.

Gosh, I'd love to own this train...how cool would that be? I really miss model railroading--oh, I was never as good as grandad (who was an expert model railroader), but I had fun with it, yeah...making a detailed layout can be almost as fun as running the train!

Idiot girl forget to buy kitty litter--not a good thing to forget to buy, so I have to go back out to the shop. (martyrd sigh). After going to the shop, I'll hit the trolley bus to Lake George for some ice cream, then come home and relax for a bit. Cheers.

Tagged again by Tardisgurl.

What Five beauty or personal care products could you not live without?
Soap, shampoo, deodorant, razor, face powder

What’s the worst hair care mistake you’ve made?

Using the bottle of shampoo/body wash the nurse in hospital gave me, and forgetting to pack a hairbrush to brush out my hair, afterwards---I had that David Tennant with bed hair, un-curried Shetland pony, just-stuck-my-finger-in-an-electrical-outlet look, for days and days!

Favourite make-over programme?

I don't watch make-over shows (no tele), but I used to watch the American version of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy every chance I got.

Who would you want to do your makeover?

Carson Kressley and the Queer Eye Guys--they always make me laugh and smile. Fun!

Favourite discount clothing shop(s)?

Label Shopper, Fashion Bug, TJMaxx, K-mart.

Favourite posh clothing shop(s)?

Kohls, Peter Harris (plus), J C Penny, Talbots, Completeoutfits.com (I've had my eye on a 3 piece duster set in black/blue...waiting for it to go on sale, ha-ha.)

Other favourite clothing shops?

Walker's Farm, Home and Tack, Double M Western Store. Used to shop Tractor Supply Company, but they've changed they're selection and it's pretty much catering to the chav redneck, prostitute-cowgirl, pre-teen set now. Also, there's far less women's wear, as the men's wear department is crowding it out, these days. I used to also browse at Orvis and Abercrombie and Fitch (BEFORE they became "trendy" and were still an outdoorsy store), but they were priced a bit to upscale for my budget, mostly. Oh, and Carl Murphy's Clothing Store and Tack Shop in Fair Haven Vermont-- (interesting shop-- ladies fashions (used to buy mum blouses, trousers and decorative hair clips there when they had a sale on), outdoorsy clothing, jewelry and posh hair clips, decorative throws and bed quilts, AND riding breeches and horse womers, all in one go), there's a shop in Lake George that sells really cool sweaters and jackets and such, with an outdorsy theme, and also I like Woolrich.com.

Last time you went to the hair salon? What did you have done?

Around Easter. The shortest haircut I'd ever had in my life--a very, very short shag you might call it, I suppose. That's the name of the hairstyle, btw, not a quickie in the storeroom.

What’s your "must have" possession(s)?

A really comfy pair of boots for walking, my computer/DVD/CD player, some good music-- CD, tapes or records, Dr Who stuff, horsey stuff and some really good books to read.

What's you most posh possession(s)?

Price-wise, my computer. Non-price wise? I really don't own anything posh any longer, that I can think of...my few "antiques" aren't worth much. I have a Bestwick Shetland pony, and that decorative hand-painted fox hunting wall plate from Saxony. Cant' think of anything else, really. Most of my possession were bought from boot sales and consignment shops, and church sales, discount department stores and the like.

Favourite pop songs at 18?

Wow, 29 years ...well, I used to listen to America's Top 40 religiously, so this shouldn't be too, too hard:

Sad Eyes by Robert John
Babe by Styx
Still by the Commedores
Heartache Tonight by the Eagles
Pop Muzik (I forget who sang that)
Do You Think I'm Sexy (Rod Stewart)
Heart of Glass by Blondie
Tragedy by the Bee Gees
What a Fool Believes by the Doobie Brothers
and (a hate to admit this) "Rise" by Herb Albert

I didn't like this song initally, but it eventually grew on me, then I got so I hated it---it's My Sharona by those one-hit wonders, The Knack--had a college roomate who played this song over and over an (god help me) over again, to the point where I literally was dreaming about it. It's a bit rude--well, it was extremely rude (for the 1970's--nowadays probably not at all), so as you can guess, it was a big it with my peers.
S

Ummm--what else can I remember? Disco was still very big...

Le Freak
Hot Stuff
Bad Girls
Good Times--that was THE party song for about 2 years.
Ring My Bell
I Will Survive
Don't Stop 'till you get enough

What pop songs did you think were uncool, when you were 18?

I HATED the Pina Colada song! Wasn't real fond of Reunited, by Peaches and Herb, either.

For some reason I found the "No More Tears" duet of Striesand and Summer a bit annoying, as well, though I don't remember why.

Well, got through my shift last night and managed to go to the store--where I promptly forgot to buy shampoo. Dang. I've just about enough left out of my present bottle for this morning, but no hope for it, have to go to the shop and buy some more, after work.

A long work day ahead. Especially since I'm still ill...still have that pain in the kidney area, and a touch of nausea besides...the beginnings of another kidney stone? Or, maybe it's just my wonky stomach again. Trust me, I'd rather it be the stomach, by a long chalk.

Well, I'm not going to a doctor, today, I'm going to work today, come hell or high water. I will say that my employers have been very understanding during my illness, and that has indeed been a blessing. I don't work there 'cos of the $9 an hour, or for the non-existent benefits, ha-ha. I don't work there 'cos I love my job. I work there 'cos they are flexible....not to the point where one can get away with a lot of stuff, but they do get that some of their staff do have to work, with a long term chronic illness, and they are lovely about allowing for sick days and doctor's visits....especially if you do your best to make up your days/time off.

Normally my new schedule is 10 to 2, but I'm going to see if I can manage the full 10 to 4 shift--my health will decide that, of course. I do fell quite rubbish and run-down today, which seems to be the rule instead of the exception, these days. I wish they'd pin down what my illness is, exactly--they seem to fluctuate from this to that--last summer the doctor ws sure I was in congestive heart failure, and he was, appparently, wrong. I know my kidneys aren't great--no signs of failure yet,thank God, but that's my most likely scenario, in the end...runs in mum's family. It's what my mum and my great-gran both died of. Unfortunately lately, the infections and viruses seem to be taking over my body of late, to the point that I'm really getting fed up about it. I want my life back--it wasn't much of a life, I'll grant you, but at least I did have my health.

A nice morning, hot sunny day ahead. May go to Lake George beach tomorrow, if I'm feeling any better, that is. Or, perhaps to the Lake George laundromat--again, depends on my health, and also the weather...if it gets too hot, there's no way I'm lugging a heavy laundry bag down past the boatyard to the launderette! Great day for the big Travers race. No big-time horses this year, as far as I know--but I missed the Kentucky Derby this year. I will always remember the 2006 Derby though---out of that big field, I picked the first and second finishers! But, that is deeply marred by the horrible injury suffered by Barbaro in one the other races of the triple crown. I genuinely believed that Barbaro could be our next--if not Secretariat, certainly our next Native Dancer or Whirlaway...I watched him run in a race prior to the Derby, and he left me mezermerized with his dignity, his power and what we horse nuts fondly call, "the look of eagles." Barbaro was the first horse in a long while, that I'd seen with that look--a horse that KNOWS it's great...they don't have egos like we do, of course, but there's an intangible something that comes along in a rare while, that marks a horse as a champion among champions--and I sincerely believe Barbaro was one of them. You should have seen me bawl my eyes out, when I heard the news of his horrible accident, during the race! I was genuinely devastated. A true tragedy..and in incredibly brave horse. If an animal could ever be noble and brave, I'd slap that title on Barbaro.

Despite valiant efforts by vets and horse alike, Barbaro just wasn't able to recover from his awful leg injury, and was later euthanized--yes, I cried again. I haven't felt as much love for throrughbred racing since. They race them too young! Those horses you watch are literally babies! I horse doesn't fully mature until it's around 7 years old. They're racing 1 and 2 year olds--a "year" being January 1st--so a one year old may be as young as 9 or 10 months, or as old as a year and a half--babies! And you wonder why race horses break down so much? It's cos they aren't fully developed yet!

Keep getting a Windows update pop-up that wants to re-start my computer, pesky thing. I'd thought I'd set the update time to 4am, so I don't know what that's about.

Flame didn't want to wake up this morning..she was so sleepy, she didn't hardly touch her food...another bad night for me, and I think my tossing and turning kept waking her up. She's very persnickity about bedtimes--she used to whinge at mum, if mum was staying up too late. Flame gets genuinely upset if I'm not in bed by midnight, or if I toss and turn too much and disturb her beauty sleep. She's sitting on my computer tower right now, dozing. Charlie's sprawled at my feet like a big ol' furry ginger and white beached whale, and Boots is having himself a wash in the sunbeam on the floor.

Well, have to shower and change and force myself to eat some breaky. Bacon and eggs, methinks. Have a good day, all.

BARBARO:

I was looking for information about a town in Vermont, when a news article about a town of the same name (but in a different part of the nation) came up. The headline gave me such a fit of the giggles. Well, you may not laugh, but I found it hilarious...tho' the subject WASN'T funny.

It was about a crime in a small town: MURDER-SUICIDE TAKES PLACE IN HAMLET

(A "hamelet" is what we yanks sometimes call a town so small, it's too small to even call a village)

Talk about life immitating art...

Tomorrow (Saturday) is the big Traver's stakes horse race in Saratoga, drawing punters from all over the US and internationally, as well and various minor American celebrities and the US equivilent to Lords and Ladies--the Vanderbuilt-Whitney's and other old (and new) Yankee money. It is touted at America's oldest stakes race, dating from 1864. It's not unusual to see Kentucky Derby horses--including Derby winners--racing in the Travers. (see below) Some of the greatest American thoroughbreds of all time: Baden-Baden, Whirlaway, Man O' War (the greatest American race horse of all time--even greater than Secretariat), Secretariat and Secretariat's son--General Assembly, Gallant Fox, Seabiscuit (Ironically, part of the film was shot on the very track where this great horse lost in the Travers), Native Dancer, Affirmed, Easy Goer (I was there for that one). Some won, some didn't. The trophy--donated by the wife of Man O' War's owner--Sam Riddle, dates back to the 1920's, and was made by Tiffany's. A gold-plated replica is Presented to the winner each year, by a member of Riddle family, and, while the winner is still in the winner's circle, and artist is already on the grounds, painting the wining jockey's colours on a special statue near the paddock area. There's even a quirky tradition, that the previous year's winner, get their stable colours painted on a canoe, tethered in the pond in the infield--the canoe dates back to 1926!

A party atmosphere takes over the track, and it's literally one of the biggest attractions of the summer, in all of upstate New York. Since the 1970's, it's been nationally televised by ABC (American Broadcasting company) sports, live late Saturday afternoon...the race usually runs last or near-last, around 5pm, Eastern Standard Time, or 10pm or 22:00 in the UK. In the last two decades, Cable TV sports giant, ESPN, has also televised the race.

LAST YEAR'S TRAVER'S STAKES RACE AT SARATOGA RACE COURSE (as I recall, it was pissing down rain)

THE 2006 TRAVERS STAKES

Worked a few hours on the night shift, came out the door of the office building, and what happens? The bus roars by! Or, as I said under my breath, the bucking fuss. So, a good 40 minute wait for the next one, so I went home, grabbed my shopping bags--which I'd forgotten to take with me (the grocery store I went to, gives you 10 off your bill, for each of your own shopping bags that you use--so I saved 40 cents that way...and helped the environment, too, of course.

However, I found that it cost me one dollar at the store, to cash the two dollar and six cent check that Medicaid sent me.

My landlord reassured me that they believe me about the roaches and the smell and other things the neighbours have been blaming on me--apparently, one of them even tried to fob off the cat beer smell and the cat pee smell in the hall on me--which frosts my britches, 'cos I don't drink beer (not my favourite beverage in the world) and my cats NEVER leave the apartment...the few times Charlie has wandered out into the hall--out of curiosity, he's turned tail and trotted back inside when I ordered him to. He's a good lad, my Bonnie Prince Charlie. He even let me Hoover him again, yesterday (poor guy is shedding like mad with the change of weather).

I was sitting on the porch waiting for my bus, when a cop drove by, slowed down and gave me the once over. Lovely. I though he might stop and question me, the way he looked, but he just went on. Seems the city police will be watching the "undesirables" in my building now--nice how I've come down in the world, where I can't sit on building's front steps without being watched by the police. I suppose on the flip side of the coin, I should be thankful they are there--but, sorry, it makes me sad, knowing that's the kind of neighbourhood I live in, now. 3 years ago I lived in a place where I never had to lock my doors...now this. Sad.

The traffic was all tied up, up the road. The city police and the county sheriff's are doing a road block check--setting up a corridor of police in the middle of the road, both ways, checking for drink drivers, drugs users, expired New York State inspection and/or vehicle registration stickers, cracked windscreens, bald tyres, broken headlamps and tail lights, making sure people are observing the seatbelt, mobile phone, and child safety seat laws...they do this about once ever few months, in various locations. The city just passed a very unpopular law which now bans smoking inside cabs within city limits--ridiclous! I know it bothers some people, but with my having a dad who massively smoked Pall Mall's for years and years--his lifelong nickname was "smokey", I figure the damage has already been done to me, so why kick about smoke in a cab--where one can usually open a window?

Dinner is a cheap frozen pizza. I HAVE to have that pork chop tomorrow, before it turns. Want it, but too, too beat to cook tonight. Too tired to even make a ham and cheese sandwich. I'm going to shower and hit the sack early. I'm almost too tired to eat, truth to tell. I feel really wrung out, and have a deep throbbing pain in the area of my right kidney, at the moment, which is making me even more tired.

I cut my front bangs tonight. The Shetland pony look is all well and fine for David Tennant, but it's not my cup of tea. So, I grabbed the kitchen shears and took a stab (not literally, of course) at making it a bit neater--not exactly a straight cut, but...meh, close enough. Wish I was good enough to do my sides, as well. But a haircut isn't in the budget. As it is, my plans to have a day out, next holiday weekend, may be a bust. We'll see. After nearly a whole year of almost total confinement in this little apartment, I really wanted to get out and about a bit more, this summer, but at least I can still get in some swim time, for one more week--figures, I finally find my swimsuit, and there's only one more week left to the summer season up here. Sod's law. Still, it's only $2 to go to the beach and back, think I can manage that, perhaps. Not that I'm a beach type of person, but I can always take my lunch with me, go to a nearby park afterwards, and sit and watch the carriage horses clop by, and see the boats out on the lake.

I will keep trying stuff to fix the 'puter for a little while longer--but it seems the more I try to fix it, the worse it gets--I'm so devastated over the loss of my sound! Thanks to a dear friend, I still have the portable DVD player...but, losing my realpayer--meaning a big chunk of my Dr Who DVD's (which only play on the 'puter for some reason), I'm just shattered, really I am. Music is such a big thing for me--lifts my spirits, inspires me when I'm writing, makes the time go by faster. The Dr Who DVD's always made me feel better, and also gave me a needed lift.

But, I realized that the way all this stress and loss was making me feel, was worse than just not using a computer at all, any more...which is bad, for me, being totally isolated from the world and my friends. Only someone who has been alone, will truly know what I'm talking about, I suppose. I find over and over, that most human beings have little circles they belong to--don't even realize they have them, unawares, they take it for granted that EVERYONE has these circles of friends, family co-workers. I mean "circles" in the physical sense...people physically "there" in your life. Not everyone has this, but time after time, I come against people who just don't "get" it, not at all--it's like it's totally beyond their ken!

Well, have to try and finish supper. Want to blog some things..have to think about what, I suppose. Have a good Saturday everyone. xx

My computer is going. Unless a miracle happens (and God knows there's no such thing as those!), I will be shutting off my internet service. I've just lost ALL audio--not just the internet now, but all my media players are gone completely. I've lost system restore, this morning my computer dumped all my browser files, my computer is slowing down...and just doing all sorts of funky things. Sometimes it'll go nearly the whole day without issues, some days it's just issue after issue after issue. And, I can't handle the stress, quite frankly.

So, on or around 1st to 14th September I will no longer have anything more to do with this internet. It's not worth it anymore.

I haven't decided if I will completely delete this and all other of my blogs. That is something I must consider.

Just be aware that you may happen to not find me on here one day.

Thanks all for reading my blog and group. I deeply appreciate that everyone took time out of their busy day to come here. Take care, N.

Hello Corinth, NY.

Do me a favour please?

How 'bout introducing yourself? How's the re-building of those lost businesses going? What's new downtown? Is the Family Dollar and Dollar General still there? How was the fireworks this year?

If you know me and are a co-worker or former neighbour (S & J W ???)--or just want to meet a former resident--great town, Corinth, nice folks there--, please, don't be shy, say hello!

I enjoyed (most of) my time in Corinth, always nice to stay in touch.

...or if you are merely snooping, please show some class and mind your own business, yeah? Thanks.

A man was arrested last night, in this city, for doing a runner from a local cabbie.

The man took a cab from the neighbouring town of Hudson Falls, to a Glens Falls convenient store--a trip of around 4 miles. Once at the store, the fare indicated to the cabbie that he was just running into the store for a quick purchase, then, shortly after entering the shop, the fare bolted out the door again.

The cabbie gave chase, but lost sight of the man. The cab driver pulled over and telephoned city police to report the incident. Agreeing to meet police back at the shop where the incident occurred, the cabbie instantly noticed his wayward fare, back inside the convenient store. Pointing the runner out to the police, the police then arrested the man for theft of services, a misdemenor. The man was taken to the city jail, and borrowed $250 from a friend, in order to post his bail. He is on release pending a hearing before the city judge. It is not know how much the fare was, but from my general knowledge the one-way fare to Hudson Falls normally costs aroud $7.

In an effort for the BBC to show that it too, cares about global warming, Dr Who producers have decided that the Tardis' chameleon circuit will finally be repaired. In the opening episode in 2010, it is rumoured that we can look forward to a seeing the Tardis being changed into a Toyota Prius, a pony trap, David Cameron's bicycle and a nuclear reactor.

I don't know what firefox did to my computer, but apparently it KILLED my abiltity to listen to the internet. I no longer have a windows system volume control! I mean, it's there, but it's not there--I can see it, but it is basically dead--won't allow me to click on anything.

How do you restore it, anyone know?

There goes my rep...I signed up for this website's forum to see if someone could help me with my Firefox plug-in demolition issue...then found out too late that it was a drug (pot) promotion website, offering seeds for sale and growing tips. Yikes! S_it.

Not an issue for some of you out there, but I'm actually a bit proud that I've never been tempted--hate the smell, hate what it does to people...and, perhaps, it's my independent streak--I just simply prefer to stay in control, and also to naturally be happy or mellow, without any chemical assistance.

(Basically, tho' I rarely--if ever, look down on people who smoke pot, neither do I want anything to do with it.)

There is apparently no way to un-register for this website, either. I'm stuck there forever, the straight-laced old maid among the pot-heads.

Damn, now where'd I leave my roach clip....

I was expecting just a little mundane fireworks display--been watching fireworks for something like 40 years, so I am a bit jaded about it, I suppose. But this was....INCREDIBLE! No, really, it was really fantastic.

Usually, you are made to stand well back from fireworks, but these were being set off less 100 feet from the crowd, and I was literally standing right practically underneath them...so close we were sometimes getting slightly peppered with floating ash and paper debris. And it was...simply amazing. I have never been that close to a display before.

I met these two nice ladies from Boston, and we sat together and chatted a bit, and even they were impressed--and Boston, being one of America's founding cities, has some really spectacular fireworks in its own right, on Independence Day--usually nationally televised by the Public Broadcasting Service, and accompanied by the world renowned Boston Pops Orchestra. So, for these ladies to be impressed, really speaks to how well it was done.

I never did get to see the "volcano," must have taken it down before I got there. There was a pretty good live band, though, and some geeky looking fella standing between two buildings, playing a keyboard and singing old fashioned Hawaiian songs, and on the main street was a DJ and an impromptu dance floor--which seemed to be mostly being used by kids. There were the usual bouncy castles and popcorn and souvenier stands in the park. A beer wagon was set up near the live band, and there was a smoothie stand and a lunch wagon selling pork dishes, as well as the usual overpriced hot dogs and hamburgers that one finds at these events.

But, the fireworks were really amazing.
Anyway, the fireworks were really quite lovely, with tons of shooting streamers, star-bursts and standard fireworks--and just when you thought it was over, they'd set off a new round, that was even more impressive.

I put dinner on hold. I WAS hungry, now, after a quick hoover of the the living room rug, suddenly I'm not hungry any more. Go figure!

So, fireworks coming up downtown in about an hour or so. I missed the Tiki dancers, but will still catch the volcano. thought I'd freshen up and take a stroll, have dinner when I get back (or, save it for tomorrow night).

Listening the Ultimate Kylie CD that a good friend passed on to me. I'd never heard of her before Dr Who--and they don't sell her in any of the department stores, nor in our sole record/video store. (showing my age, still call them "records")

I CANNOT get back my audio on the internet. Guess it's gone forever. Sure as shootin' I can't afford to pack my tower off to anyone--besides the fact that my ethernet cable is stuck. I cannot unplug it to save my life! I'm afraid of damaging my computer if I yank too hard.

Damn arthritis! That's what I get for being a tomboy/stablebum for so many years...too much time out in the bitter cold without gloves. Yeah, I was one of those youthful, "fifteen below zero! (F) Ha! I don't need gloves and a jacket!" types. Actually I did have a remarkable tolerance for the sub-zero cold, when I was younger. Of course, the downside is that I have an equally remarkable intolerance for the heat.

I don't quite have that cold intolerance any longer, mind you. Still, with the right gear, I can take any cold life throws at me--I've lived without heat and hot water in -20 F weather...not a pleasant experience--okay, it was utterly miserable, but obviously I did survive. Maybe now some of you might understand better when I state that I'd rather be dead than homeless, though.

Well, I'm going to dress and go for a walk. Have a lovely night, my friends.

IT'S COMING! Closer, and closer....as the summer wains here in New York's north country, this is what we have to look forward to for months on end:

Well, it's past six pm, time for my dinner--a boneless baked pork chop, some frozen microwavable buttered brussel sprouts, and escalloped potatoes (the kind that comes in a box, I don't have time to mess about with home cooking tonight). Total cost: under 5 dollars-- (about 2 pounds 25 pence).

I'd posted this a while back, but the people I intended it for, may not have seen it, so I will post it again.

A while back, I was having serious issues with this website--thought it was the site, but it may have been that virus, and I didn't know it.

Anyway, I somehow lost several people unintentionally from my "friends" list--and I'm sorry, but by the time I discovered some people were missing, I'd forgotten you're blog "handles" to find you again. I know that sounds lame, but I can't keep track of the exact spelling of every blog name on my list. So, if you were on my friends list, and found you were dropped, either re-invite me to be a friend, or drop me a PM, and I will re-invite you.

Just for the record, I've only deliberately dropped two people from my friends list--one person hadn't been active in about 8 months, and the other hadn't been responding to my comments on their blog in months, and wasn't commenting on my blog, and never replied to a couple of messages, so I had to assume that he/she was no longer interested in me.

But, I've since found that five people were dropped from my list--no idea why three others were lost. But if you are one of those three--it wasn't me, really.

I'm forever trying to translate "britspeak." I've gotten pretty good at it, I reckon--as some people have assumed I'm British. Still, there's references, words and spellings that yet allude me.

One of these words was "gammon." I had NO idea what the heck a "gammon" was! I thought it might be a joint of deer or turkey. Nope.

Finally Googled it, and found that it's what we Yanks refer to as, a "ham steak," or if part of a joint, a "picnic" ham, or ham "shoulder" or ham "butt"...depending on what you buy. Or, of course a whole ham.

A CIDER-GLAZED "GAMMON"

A MAPLE-GLAZED "HAM"--STUDDED WITH CLOVES (Such as I have made for Christmas or Easter dinner)

Oh, now I've really got to remember to go in to my profile and switch my e-mail address to my "spare" e-mail address that I use mostly for junk mailings.

I just got SEVENTEEN--yes, 17, e-mails, all from one person, asking for David flippin' Tennant's e-mail address!

Why????? For heaven's sake, will SOMEONE tell me why the hell, these kids keep bugging me for the e-mail address of some skinny Scottish guy, whom I've never met, can never meet, and even if someone sprinkled magic fairy dust over us, and we ever did meet, we'd probably have nothing much to say to each other (Other then "Hello, nice to meet you," that is.) 'Cos why would someone like him want to be friends with someone like me? I mean, COME ON!!!

I've never even been to the UK! I haven't even been out of New York state since Jaunary of 2006!

Look at me, girls! Do I look like someone who would be friends with some big time British celebrity:

Okay, here's an e-mail address. It's not David's--I literally just made it up off the top of my head, but you're welcome to try it.

Scottishbloke.skinny@nospam_verizon.whatever

I sent the young fan a polite but to the point e-mail, but she says she reads my blog, so I'm posting this (again). I also asked her what made her think I would have this information, but have not had a response. If ANYONE out there knows who is circulating this information--and quite frankly, I am just about on the verge of losing my sense of humour over this, as 17 e-mails in one go is not fun to have to sort through when you're tired and not feeling so great. Please stop pestering me for something I will never be able to give you--and tell whoever is doing this, to set the record straight, okay? Thanks.

Talk about living between the worst of both worlds! I've got chav neighbours and yuppie landlords. Yeesh.

The daft chav neighbours have been scrambling around to tidy up their assorted messes, but inside the public areas of the building, and outside where they "party." They smashed this huge gaping 15 inch plus hole in the wall downstairs---which I'm sure the manager has seen, as it's been there for over a month, and he's been here at least once in that time--anyway, their solution to covering up the big, gaping hole?

Pin a map over it! Sideways! Oh yeah, I'm sure that's not gonna' get the landlord's attention. Especially since the map doesn't quite completely cover the edges of the hole....riiiight.

Yeah, the yuppie landlords have been getting notice of the large number of police calls for the new people, and complaints (not from me) about all the people tramping in and out of the building at all hours and hanging around outside. And the roaches--still being blamed on me, the lying

That really frosts my britches! I let them run an electrical lead into my apartment, when their electric was shut off, so they could see at night--even tho' they later confessed using it for their TV set, and not a lamp.

I've given them extra food from my cupboard (when I had it to spare), and leftovers when I made a big batch of stew or spaghetti, 'cos my neighbour hasn't been able to work on account of a very bad back, so when he confessed to going hungry a while back, I did what I could for him--'cos, well, that's what you do for your neighbours, isn't it?

Well, apparently not any more, I won't.

I was informed that it was his sister who blatantly lied, and told them I had cockroaches--after telling me she'd found one in her apartment. I set the manager straight on that one. I was really upset over that accusation.

I've had them hurl other accsations in my direction as well--and am getting right fed up with the whole thing. Cops banging on doors at 5 and 6am, wee children left to wander around the outside of the building on their own, or allowed to screech for hours on end under peoples windows, the scummy looking people coming and going at all hours, fights under my windows, woman beaters, drug dealers...there's three in the two-room apartment next door, and another bunch of the family in a small apartment on the other side of the building, all getting into trouble all the time...that family is not what you'd call on the upper end of the gene pool.

I can't possibly move--no money for it, and even if I could find a place that suited, and even if I wasn't too poor to move, there's no one to help me, and I'm simply not well enough to pack and shift boxes, cats and furniture entirely on my own, any longer.

But, things have gotten so bad, that I would almost welcome them kicking out, if I could get the hell away from these bozos. It's not nearly as bad as the brief time I was homeless in Feb. of '95, but, it's not very restful and peaceful here any longer, either. I contantly worry about a break-in, quite frankly, because the front door to the outside, is no longer left locked, and I no longer have a proper working inside door to lock--so there's only a single, flimsy apartment door, between me and anyone with unlawful intentions. Not that I'm paranoid about it, but it is one more thing to cause me slight concern. The landlord nixed my request to install a new lock, by the way.

Yeah, the yuppie slum lords--who seemed nice at first glance--but whom turned out to be shallow, greedy prats. The man used to come around, saying he was going to do this and that, and fix up the building. Bull. The man hasn't even changed the burnt-out hallway lights (that's the hallway without any windows in it) in 9 months!

But, with all the goings-on, rather than just get rid of these people, they are going overboard. They've contacted the police to do a "search" of all the public areas of the building, and are threatening to hire private security to watch the building--they can't change a lightbulb in a dark hallway, or remove thick dangerous ice from their walkways and car park in the winter, but, they can hire private security? Riiiight.

That'll be the day. I'm guessing it's an insurance thing--their insurance company is probably threatening to raise their premiums if they get any more police visits.

I WAS sitting out on my balcony a while ago, getting some fresh air. Had to go in though. My neighbour's sister, for a bithday party last Saturday, borrowed a long folding table and chairs from the Salvation Army around the corner, and didn't bring them back right away, and apparently someone broke the table and she's literally hollering that she "didn't do nutin' to it," that it was someone else that damaged it. The guy coming to get the table is being nice, but I can tell this is escalating, and I don't want to eavesdrop and, well, don't particularly want to hear about it, so I came in and checked my e-mails before doing a bit of blogging.

Anyway, sitting here, still under the weather--stomach cramps again, and headache, trying to get up the ambition to finish the dusting I began this morning. Gah--I'm tired!

Sorry about the "rant," but I've no one else to whinge and moan to, except my blog.

I'm off for another day of telemarketing...if we're doing those snooty, bad-tempered, ill-mannered craft women again, it's gonna' be a helluva long day.

I kind of don't mind talking to the hunter's group, 'cos, ill-mannered American male nut-jobs with guns--ya' gotta' love 'em, ya' know? Guns is what makes America great--where else in the world can you kill both harmless animals and innocent people, and call it patriotic?

Ah well, have a good day, all.

...to become a member of the Scots rockers, The Proclaimers (pictured below, with Tennant). Says Charlie Reid, "We auditioned him, and even tho' he sings like shite, he does play a mean tambourine." "And", Charlie's brother craig, added, "he's really fit and our manager says we need to sex up our image a little."

Still a bit ill, but well enough to go to work, thankfully.

Chilly morning, but a cloudless one, looks like another nice summer day on tap, over here--sorry if the weather's rubbish where you live.

Bit of a restless night's sleep for me, but I'm up early and don't see the point of returning to bed.

Tonight's the big free street party luau downtown: giant working volcano, ukulele music on the harp--what, they couldn't find anyone that plays the ukulele? Strolling comic, kid's games, free rum tasting (over 21 adults of course),special foods and non-alcoholic drinks, etc. Fireworks at the end of the night from the traffic roundabout. Yippiee. Meh. Trust me, if it's in this city, even a luau will be dull. From what I gather, none of the big city tourists are at all impressed.

Will I go? Maybe, maybe not. Depends how I'm feeling. Might stroll far enough down to catch a glimpse of the fireworks (I'm just a street or two, too far north, to see it from my balcony.)

Well, another dull week in my part of the world. This is what laughingly passes for our daily newspaper has to report today:

A Lake George man was found drink driving around 5am this morning in Glens Falls. The limit for DWI (driving while intoxicated) is .08, he was .22---or, in less journalistic or legal terms, the man was snockered. He's being held in jail pending his arraignment on felony drink driving charges, which happens when one has a prior drink driving conviction, which this gent apparently has.

Police were called (yet again) in to break up a fist fight outside a South Street bar, when a man from a rural town exchanged words with a man from this city and it resulted in physical disagreement called "Oh, yeah? Let me let my fist settle this argument."

The county where I live, Warren county, is under a serious investigation of fraud and mis-use of state funds, in regards to a contract with a construction firm which built a power plant for the county nursing home. It is alleged that there may be some underhanded dealings in regards to how they (county commissioners) awarded the contract, and it's also alleged that the county may have paid for it, with some Medicaid funds--which are to be used solely for health care for the poor/elderly. The state's investigation is continuing, and no other details are known yet.

A dance store is moving into this city's downtown business district.

Oh good, another useless specialty store, just what the people of this city needed. It'll fit right in with the "upscale" children's clothing store and the "upscale" (expensive/posh) children's bookstore, wine shop, jewelers, antique shop, and whatever other shops most working people in the city can't afford. It'll be great for the people buying the half-million dollar condos in the chav pub district...those would be the expensive new posh condos right next to the betting shop, the drug paraphenalia shop, the soup kitchen for the homeless, and the low-brow pubs where drunken fights break out practically every night, on the streets.

Six city police officers took part in a chase after a 17 year old, who was wanted for a probation violation. The teen had been arrested earlier in the year for 3rd degree burglary, for stealing prescription drugs from a home. However, an officer visiting the teens home, found alcohol present, which was against the terms of his 5-year probation. When officers confronted the teen on Glen Street, he fled, prompting officers to give chase. The teen was nabbed in someone's back garden about 10 minutes later. There were multiple officers involved in the chase, because the teen had a prior history of doing a runner. The teen now faces jail time, not only for the violation, but for resisting arrest.

Hopes are high for Saratoga county, when a major microchip manufactuer visits the area next week. It is hoped that the business will relocate to the area's newest high-tech industrial park, located in central Saratoga County.

Our city's mayor is barely cold in the grave, and the paper is reported potential candidates considering running for the mayoral slot in the upcoming election.

A music teacher in a rural middle school (grades 6-8)--which is right across the road from where mum and I used to live--was arrested for possessing child pornography materials, and other offenses-including unspecified charges involving two 14 year old girls--at least one including physical contact. He was charged on three felony counts. The man was a teacher for 30 years, having spent the last 19 of those years at the middle school. He was released on bail pending a formal hearing.

A notice that US Route 9 (aka; Glen Street) will be closed off during the street party tonight, and a detour will result.

Upcoming events for September at the city's civic center include: Barnum and Bailey's Ringling Bros. Circus, Willie Nelson and Jacob Dylan (Bob's son) in concert, "Pro"-Wrestling, the American version of the Lippizan stallion show, and indoor motorcycle racing.

A Vermont police dog was killed yesterday, being hit by a police car, while Vermont police were pursuing two robbery suspects also involved in a shooting incident. The police car was pursing the suspects when the dog ran in front of it. The suspects fled on foot into woods near the New York border, and New York State Troopers were called to the scene to set up a paremiter to watch for the suspects. They pair were caught a short time later, on the Vermont side of the border. The armed robbery took place in the town of Lancaster, Vermont, not far from Rutland, in the east-central part of the state.

For the bettors, it is reported that a horse name "Pyro" is the current odds-on favourite for the world famous Traver's Stakes this Saturday. The Travers is one of American's top summer derbys, and is internationally televised. The Travers stakes brings tourists into the Saratoga/Lake George tourist region, from all over North America, as well as thoroughbred fans from Europe and the Middle East.

Owned! Well, I tag whomever wants to be tagged back.

* 1. What is your first name?

Nancy

* 2. What is your favorite food?

Pizza.

* right now?
Hot rare roast beef with melted cheddar and BBQ sauce on a crusty roll

* 3. What high school did you go to?

Guilderland Central HS

* 4. What is your favorite color?

Blue
* 5. Who is your celebrity crush?

Haven't had a celeb crush in decades--but I was partial to Richard Dean Anderson (MacGyver, Stargate SG1) for a brief time, and an actor named Kevin O'Rourke (Remember WENN), but I wasn't dreaming about them or anything.

* 6. What is your favorite drink?
Coke Classic

* 7. What is your dream vacation?
Something different, like a windjammer, freighter or ferry cruise (not a cruise ship) holiday, or gypsy vanner holiday, or the Orient Express or Copper canyon train, or, if a package holiday, or something not ordinary--something where you do stuff you wouldn't normally do, like snowmobiling up a glacier, or horseback riding on a beach, or riding a camel--with some decent breaks in-between for some relaxing down-time, of course.

* 8. What is your favorite dessert?
Mud pie--coffee flavour ice cream, served on a crushed Oreo (chocolate biscuit) pie crust, topped with hot fudge, whipped cream and a marichino cherry.

* 9. What do you want to be when you grow up?
I'm 47, isn't that grown up enough? After all I've had to deal with, If I grow up much more, I'll be dead!

* 10. What do you love most in life?
I dunno'. Memories of my mum, my cats, my friends, my nephew (whom I've not seen or spoken to in almost 3 years), writing, the outdoors, and yes, Dr Who.
* 11. What is one word that describes you right now?
Tired
* 12. What is your Blog name?
Playwrite27

* 13. What is the last celebrity or celebrites you watched on television or DVD?

David Tennant and Catherine Tate.
*14 What is the weather like where you are?
Chilly--almost auntumnally so, partly cloudy, but the moon and a few stars are visible.
*15. What can you hear right now?
A couple of crickets outside on the lawn, a car whooshing past, the hum of my computer, my 'fridge clicking on.

(click pic twice to make larger)

Boots was playing with his little life-size furry mouse--he always plays before bedtime.

Well, he was tossing the thing up in the air, and batting it across the room, like he aways does...only this time, I actually watched him take stand up on his haunches, take the mouse in one paw, toss it in the air, then bat in across the room with his other paw, just like I used to do with a bat and ball, when I was a kid! Ha! Boots would make a great baseball player, ey?

I did some pre-beditme surfing, as I am wont to do. I took some pain killer and took a walk in the night air--oh, a lovely night. A night to be sitting on a porch or garden with your mates, joking around and talking, or a night--not that I'd know about such things having never done it myself, for taking a romantic moonlight stroll hand in hand with your partner.

Still have a headache, so I won't be doing a read before bedtime. Just looking at the 'puter screen is killing me.

Anyway, back to David "I'm a sex-god and I'm Scottish too" Tennant.

I still am having trouble getting into two of my favourite Dr Who websites, so I've been randomly searching other forums--yech. The drippy, gooey, fan-girl posts...what has the man done to mY wonderful non-sexual, just a regular sort of interesting alien guy, Doctor?

Oh, Tennant is so lovely in the role, it just completely suits him down to the ground. It's not him, really. It's those...squeeing, hormone raging, love-struck, sex-starved....fan-girls. Yech. Bleh. Phhoey. Oh yeah, and BLEH.

So, the hot topic on the forums is whether or not Tennant is staying or leaving.

Some "fans" positively assert (like they personally know...riiight.) that Tennant is leaving halfway into the 2009 shoot, even going as far as quoting drama coaches and spewing out all sorts of reasons for the man to leave.

Other fans shout these fans down, yelling that Tennant is staying for Series 5, and having this big contract waved in his face to lure him in--depending on who you "listen" to, it's a BBC contract for 1.3 million. Or, latest scuttlebutt is that they've upped the ante and are offering him, not only 1.5 million (3 million dollars approx.), to stay on, but, chances to play other roles while filming "Who", as well.

I say, "Meh-whatever."

I just want to be prepared. It really messed me up emotionally (on a weekend that I didn't need anymore emotional upsets, having just gotten no less than 20 different demands (more or less all at once) in the mail from my student lender, to pay them 29,000 dollars or else, a major loss of income due to illness, and told that I might be temporarily laid off the following week (thankfully it was only one day, as it turned out.) So, the literal shock of Tennant's regeneration, was very much the LAST upset I needed. The show was the one constant that got me through mum's loss, and the foreclosure, unemployment, repossession and my near-bout with homelesses, and...that other, darker thing, and all the rest. And, then, Davies pulled the rug out from under me, and I realized at the end of 12, that i couldn't even depend on Dr Who!

So, whether Tennant stays or goes, I've decided not to give a flying fig. I still love Dr Who, very much. But...not quite as much as I did, a few months ago.

I've read where he's one of the most entertaining and deeply riveting Hamelt's to come along in years, as well. I read on one of these forums tonight, that he's been out there at the stage door just about every night, to say hello to his fans and sign a few autographs. Wow, that's impressive. A tiring performance, but still has the energy to do that--was the man a hyper-active child, does he tank up on Red Bull before his performances, or is he just naturally wired? God, I'm just tired from walking four city blocks (streets). Must be nice to be so peppy all the time.

Back to telemarketing tomorrow. I was told by the physican's assistant I could take a few days off to rest, and she'd write me a note, but screw that! Lose a few days pay? Yeah, no. Not me. I'm poor enough already, thanks. It's going on half-past eleven here in northern New York, and I must be away to bed. Have a lovely day tomorrow everyone. Cheers.

WHEN IT COMES TO WHETHER HE'S STAYING OR LEAVING, DAVID TENNANT IS ALL WET!

This is soooo-cool! For those of you like myself, who will never-ever get to see this stuff, up close and personal, here's the next-best thing:

A nice video of a British Dr Who exibition

Well, it's getting late--only 9pm, really, but feels late to me, for some reason.

Something weird happened. I left the site, and came back, deciding to write another post or two, to pass the time before bedtime, and I'd been logged out. I didn't log out though. That was strange.

For the first time since I began it, I checked the stats of Roasting David (Tennant) group: some 70 hits a day, with a day with over 100 hits. Wow. That was fast. I think the first day I had maybe 8 hits. It's only been a couple of weeks. A bit thanks to my friends, who've contributed their humour to the page, by the way. Far-out, guys and gals!

I deleted the file with my most recent play on it. Bitter Revenge was a bitter disappointment. What rubbish! I was going to delete the play's post on here, but that would take too long, trying to find what day last week I posted it. So, that remains the only copy of this play that is in existence--well, I can't remember if I posted it on my Misc. blog, but if I did, I will probably delete it from there, when I go on it again.

I still have traces of a headache and nausea tonight, but I'll be damned if I'll take tomorrow off. I need the money. I do hate to admit this, but sometimes I genuinely envy people who get sick pay and holiday pay. Haven't had that in years. Being that I don't have a car, have minimal computer skills, live on a poverty level inocme and live in a tourist economy, my employment options are pretty damn slim. This is basically as good as I'm going to get. Period.

I need a haircut rather badly. Haven't had one since Easter week. Think I'll give myself a front trim, this weekend some time.

You have no idea how much I miss my internet radio. I can live without Youtube, but I really, really miss my music! It made the time go by so much faster.

I swear, if I have to hear the local station play Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On", or Roger-flippin' Whittiker singing "The Last Farewell" one more time, I'm gonna' throw that old clock radio out the window!

Who the hell listens to Roger Wittiker anymore?

How'd you like to wake up to this every freakin' morning:

1. Are you married or single?
Single--as in old maid, as in I don't even date.

2. Do you have brothers and sisters?

A sister.

3. * Are they older or younger than you?

Chronologically older, mentally...?

4. Have you ever met a famous person?
Yes. Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood, John Ritter, Ian Marter (Dr Who companion), Nichelle Nichols (Urhura in Star Trek), Louise Jameson (Leela on Dr Who), Adam West (the original Batman), and the guy who played Threepio in Star Wars-- Kenny something?

(can you tell I went to a lot of sci-fi cons years ago?)

5. What countries have you visited?
Netherlands, Iceland, Egypt. (does a 3 hour layover inside Heathrow count as England?)

6. What do you do on Sundays?

Either catch up with stuff I wasn't able to get to the rest of the week, or, bum around and goof off.

7. What kind of people do you not like?

Neo-cons, racists, homophobes, people who try to impress me with their impressiveness, irresponsible (ie: selfish/lazy) parents, people who put down anyone with a disability, people who are too crude/rude (way beyond what's appropriate), pedos and women beaters, anyone who hates or uses violence just to give him or herself a (false) feeling of power, people who are too mentally lazy to think for themselves, or who lack the basic life skills to care about how they behave in public (spitting on sidewalks, peeing on walls, swearing in front of kids, no basic manners).

8. Who has had the most influence in your life?

My mum, definitely.

9. Would you like to be famous?

Honestly, I don't think I've ever given it any thought. I don't think it would matter to me, one way or the other, to be truthful. I imagine it would change my life, perhaps, by affording me far less privacy, so I'd have to do things differently, I suppose...but, I'm used to changes, so...whatever. Though I think this blog is about all the "fame" I'm ever going to get, ha-ha.

10. How many different towns or cities have you lived in?

I've lived in two villages, four towns, a national park and one city.

11. Which do you prefer, sunrises or sunsets?

Tie, I adore them both. Tho' when younger, I preferred sunrises a bit more, but now that I'm older, I am more inclined to admire the sunset.

12. What was the last book you read?

I just finished the last page of Last of the Great Scouts (see previous post about Buffalo Bill) yesterday, also finished A study in Scarlet last night, and Sting of the Zygons this morning at the doctor's office.

13. What's your favorite food?

Kind of a tie between Italian and Tex-Mex/BBQ.

14. Do you live in a house or an apartment/flat or other?

A dumpy little one bedroom apartment.

15. How tall are you?

Five feet, six inches

16. What are your hobbies?

Reading, writing plays and Dr Who fan-fiction, blogging, playing cards on the computer (euchre, gin rummy, whist, cribbage, poker), silk flower arranging, collecting model horses, antique saddles and riding gear, listening to music, walking (when I'm able) around Lake George, an interest in history.

17. What's something you do well?

I've been told I have a nice speaking voice, but not sure what good that is.

18. Which sports do you like to watch/play?

Watch: Golf, show-jumping, polo, harness racing, western reining/cow cutting, snooker, basketball, sometimes local ice hockey games.

Play: horseback riding, horseshoe pitching, darts, ten-pin bowling, fishing, hiking, crazy golf. (mind you, I suck at each and every one of them)

19. Are you a 'morning' or 'night' person?

Anything goes, I've grown accustomed to working all sorts of strange hours, but in reality, I've always been more of a morning person.

20. What is your motto?

"Life sucks and then you die"

My state is in financial melt-down. After years of spending a budget surplus like it was water, the state blindly ignored all the signs of a pending recession, and kept spending, until one day--oh dear, they ran out of money. Surprise, surprise. Only to politicians, conservatives and others of the upscale set--the rest of us saw it coming ages ago.

Thing is, Americans such as myself, with little-or no, health care already sometimes must decide between buying food, and buying medicines. New Yorkers lose their homes, go hungry, go without heat even, thanks to unreasonably high costs in regards to medical care and medicine. Even those of us on state or federal health care plans for the poor, elderly and disabled, often have to--and I'm being 100% literal here-- choose between getting medical care and medicines, and keeping a roof over their head and/or food on the table.

I think that arts are hugely important. I think parks and recreational activities are important, as well---but sorry, I would rather see a cut in an theater or music programme, or in a parks or sports programme, than see someone get sicker or suffer pain, or even die, because some fat-cat politician didn't have the guts--or the basic sense of human decency, not to cut any health care programmes. They say that aid to health care will be okay--but what does "mostly" mean? That "mostly" makes me very, very nervous....it tells me that someone, somewhere is still going to suffer. Because even one cut to health care, to a poor and vulnerable person, is one cut too many.

And, what about food and community programmes? Heating assistance? How many will die this winter from lack of heat, in a part of the world where temps can get to as much as minus 20 to minus 40 C, for days--or even weeks on end?

Here's part of an article in my local paper:

ALBANY -- The New York Legislature agreed late Tuesday on a plan to cut state spending by about $1 billion over the next few years.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said negotiations continue.

Cameras wait silently near the steps of New York's capital building in Albany, while journalists await the outcome of an important legislative vote.

A legislative session in progress:

...doing pretty much nothing. I hate that. But, not much I can do when my body decides to shut down. I've been drinking lots of juice and water, as per the doctor junior's instructions and resting, but now I'm out of water, and nearly out of juice, so I will have to make a short walk to the store, to get some more, I suppose.

I can't drink the water in my city, 'cos quite frankly, it basically tastes like it's been filtered through mud. Even the cats aren't crazy about it--they drink it, but not very enthusiasically. They grew up on artesian well water, that was surprisingly pure (had it tested), and also town water orginating from a lake, not a river. Until I moved here, I'd never had treated river water--even tho' I grew up less than a mile from the Hudson River. Bleh!!!! It's tastes like poo! (Not that I actually know what poo tastes like, but I imagine it wouldn't be much different than this city's water supply, ha-ha).

There is some pollution along almost the entire 315 mile stretch of the Hudson River. Beginning in the far north, as the charmingly named "Lake Tear in the Clouds" High on a mountain in the Adirondacks, the Hudson winds and twists through the southern Adirondack mountain region, before straightening out on it's long journey through the Upper-Hudson, Mid-Hudson and Lower-Hudson valley's, all the way to New York City and the Atlantic Ocean.

There is some pollution near old mills in small Adirondack towns like Warrensburg and Corinth, to be sure. But, it's not until you hit the city of Glens Falls and it's opposing neighbour, South Glens Falls, with their two papermills bordering each side of the river, the waste treatment plant soon thereafter, followed by a closed highly dangerous former mill site--full of heavy metal pollution, that has yet to been cleaned up, ten years on--that the pollution begins in earnest. Despite the fact that the Hudson water used to supply this city is "treated," and supposedly okay--desptite scares in the past that have caused illnesses with something known as "beaver fever," I don't trust this city, when it comes to pollution. They are more interested in the jobs and funds provided by the mills, than in the health of its residents. The cancer rate here is enormously high, I've been told.

THE HUDSON LOOKING SOUTH FROM COOPER'S CAVE BRIDGE, ABOUT A MILE FROM WHERE I LIVE--Finch Pyrne paper mill on the left, SCA Tissue on the right bank. Sewage plant and toxic waste dump just a short ways downstream.

Here is a website worth visiting.

http://www.swimforcleanwater.org/swims/hudsonriverswimdiary.html

There was a local gent, several years back, who swam the ENTIRE course of the Hudson, in order to raise awareness for the need for clean water. As recent as ten years ago, issues were being raised about how this planet is running out of clean, safe water. Unfortunately, the "trendiness" of the global warming issue, has overshadowed the real, serious issue of the fact that we are---REALLY, REALLY WE ARE--running out of clean water.

Global warming won't mean a thing, if we have no clean water to drink. But, no one seems to get that, and so the global warming debate--which I concede is hugely important as well, keeps the water issue out of the picture.

and, I'm not talking water in places like Africa or Asia, I'm talking about in the US, Europe, pretty much all over the entire globe.

I really could use some expert advice.

When I downloaded Mozilla 3.1, I instantly lost all my ability to hear audio on the net.

Mozilla is washing its hands of the problem, blaming everyone but themselves, naturally.

I've noticed that browser providers are not run by responsible parties--I've found that the "help" people at Mozilla's forums rather immature--spending more time defending Mozilla, than actually trying to address the issue-- and abolutely no help whatsoever.

Anyway, I've tried downloading this, and downloading that--updating Quicktime, realplayer, etc.

The "new" Mozilla suddenly has decided that it doesn't recognize Realplayer, and Mozilla's response is for users to "take it up with Realplayer." ---I sense that Mozilla has an issue with Realplayer, as the that response was quite terse....and, in light of the fact that Mozilla HAD NO PROBLEMS with Realplayer six months ago, this only adds to my suspicions.

Anyway, there has got to be SOME WAY for me to get my plug-ins to work again!

It's not my speakers--I can still play CD's and DVD's on my realplayer and Windows media player.

I've updated most things--still can't get the Windows 7 version, but I'm working on that.

I've run a discheck, which solved some of the bigger issues, but it's maddening.

I'm back with Mozilla--after switching to Opera--which didn't bring back my audio.

I tried getting rid of Mozilla, also tried switching to an older version of Mozilla, NOTHING WORKS.

I've downloaded different flash versions, updated flash versions--zip. Nothing.

Someone suggested installing EZPro Backup Mozilla, or something like that, I did download it, but I'm leery of running it, as it's not from a group that I am familiar with, and am thinking of uninstalling it, out of worries of more viruses. Has anyone heard of this EZPro Mozilla backup? Would it work to restore my audio, or should I stay clear of it?

I am totally at my wits end, I simply cannot fathom what else to do, and every single suggestion I've found on the internet has proved worthless.

IS THERE A SINGLE HUMAN BEING ON THE PLANET OUT THERE, WHO KNOWS HOW TO FLIPPIN' GET BACK MY SOUND THAT WAS TAKEN AWAY BY STINKING MOZILLA?

For a regime--erm, I mean a Presidential party that is constantly blowing the "democracy" and "freedom" horn, why aren't we boycotting the Chinese olympics?

China has blatantly shown itself to be a bunch of lying, shallow, dishonourable and cowardly low-life's, all throughout the Olympics.

They outright lied about allowing protests during the games--arresting a British journalist who was NOT breaking any rules or laws, and detaining two elderly women and threatening them with a year of hard labour--their only "crime:" applying to protest in the designated protest zone during the Olympics. The cause of these two 70 year old's: Being evicted by the government from their homes.

China has given us false audience members, false fireworks, false singers and who knows how many "fake" things?

What happens to Chinese athletes who don't measure up during the games, after the games are over? What will their government do to those who fail their nation? Do our republican leaders ask this? NO.

In the end, Bush and his neo-con buddies, with their feeble "protests," are just as big a mob of dishonourable cowards, as the Chinese authorities are.

There's money invested in the Olympics, and of course, in a country that's steadily turned from an average free capitalist nation, into an extreme capitalist--and not quite as free- nation, a boycott of the Olympics? Even a small one? No, let's not show that we really do care about democracy. His dad wimped out about the Tinnemen Square protest as well, if you recall.

I've noticed that America's conservatives act like Rambo when it comes to smaller nations like Iran and North Korea, but when China and Russia do something...they turn into some skinny, wimpy guy on the beach, being taunted by a bully.

THE 2008 OLYMPICS: CHINA GETS THE GIRL, WHILE "DEMOCRACY" EATS SAND.

Just got back from the doctors a while ago.

Other than my blood pressure being a little high and my blood count slightly low--not unusual for me, and my blood sugar being slightly elevated--not surprising after the ice cream last night--the doctor junior's response was, "erm--I dunno'."

I "might have" a stomach bug, she suggested. I'm not running a fever, thankfully. Tho' she said I did look a bit "run down," and told I should take it easy for a few days. Changed one of my meds, but I couldn't get it, 'cos I'd only brought enough cash to pay for the cab, so I'll have to go back and get that.

So, lying down in a bit, after I make myself some soup and a sandwich...I was chastised for not eating "a good breakfast." Yeah, I'm going to stand over a hot stove while I am feeling light-headed and dizzy? Riiiight.

Ah well, so it goes.

Well, I'm up, but I have to dress and walk to the phone.

I rang up the store where I usually buy my phone's top up cards from, from the office yesterday, to find out if they had any phone cards in yet. And, after a long wait, they said, they had them in, but only have the really expensive ones, and not the $20 one's so, nuts to that. There's a Target at the mall, but the mall bus stops running after a certain hour, and I've only got about a couple hours leeway to use it--and it only runs on the hour, and so far I've missed it twice. The only other store that sells my phone cards locally, is K-mart--and it's $12 round trip cab fare to go there and back, 'cos there's no bus there--well, there is, but it has a wonky schedule that's just...impossible.

Bugger!

I mean, really bugger--'cos I seem to be quite ill this morning and need to go to a doctor, pronto. But, I have to use a phone to ring up sick to work and also to ring up a cab.

I've been fighting sweats and chills all night, and woke this morning literally shaking all over. Even now I have tremors in my fingers making typing a bit difficult. But, I have to walk 10 minutes to a telephone, so I'm wondering if I should just sod it, and go to work anyway--'cos then I'd have to either work a double shift tomorrow, or work on my day off, Friday, to make up the time. I don't know....maybe I'm not that sick. Maybe it's just...something I ate?

Whoa, just had a dizzy spell for a sec. Well, doesn't that just take the biscuit? So, no hope for it, need to see someone. Thought about going to the ER, but last time I went I was in there for 9 hours, hooked up to a very big IV bag, with an incredibly slow drip. No thanks, think I'll pass on the ER.

Well, hope you lot have a good day. See 'ya.

Wow. So, now I've got this blog tool, that tells me exactly what brought/brings people to my blog....whoa. This is only the third time I've looked at it--and really, the first time I've bothered to really read the information....needed to do something while I was eating...huh, this was sort of an eye-opener.

A good portion of my hits are from Google images--so if you're looking for more hits, copy and paste stuff from Google, I guess? Of course, this means, that probably most of my visitors aren't actually reading my posts--which is fine. Whatever floats their boat, I always say.

Nearly 45 percent of the searches, by my guesstimation, seem to be for David Tennant, at least a full quarter of those--or perhaps more, are in relation to him and sex: David Tennant nude, David Tennant sex, David tennant having sex, David tennant sexual, David Tennant gay, David Tennant Dr Who porn, etc....

Haven't had a "David Tennant Penis" yet, but I'm sure it's going to happen, sooner or late.

Also searches for the man's hair, of all things. And the DT hosiery model joke it my #1 blog post of all time--more than a quarter of my hits are for that one old post from last year.

Wow, that's....scary. Geez, the poor guy. I'm sure being a man, he doesn't mind, but I kind of feel sorry for him anyway, 'cos if it were me, personally it would sort of creep me out, knowing thousands of people from literally all over the world, want to have sex with me . Who knew? I'm sure it doesn't bother him--or maybe he chooses to ignore it, not for me to say.

Not me, by the way. I'm an old maid to stay, I'm afraid.

Another popular subjects/pictures that bring people here are food, with cats being a close third. Well, fellow bloggers, what d'ya think?

Han and Leia Go to the Secret Rebel Base Shopping Mall, so Leia can show off her new silicon titties.

I will have a sandwich, but this is what I really am craving right now--only I know that I can't have everything I want, and the sandwich is better for me, health-wise (well, if I leave off the bacon), than the pizza..well, that and I can't spare the cash for a pizza right now, if I want a day out, next week. But...ahhhhh! I have this horrible craving...that wasn't helped when some guy walked by me on the bus, with a pizza box in his hand, the smell of the hot cheese, and fresh hot crust....gah, I better go make my sandwich, ey?

It's going on to quarter past ten at night here, and I just got home a while ago from Lake George. Yes, I went and had my ice cream--yummy. Watched the big multi-deck cruise boat "Lac Du Saint Sacrament" come down the lake in the twilight, all lit up, and then stood there against the railings, as she came into dock.

Facinating watching a big boat dock. Not something I get to see that often. I've been on boats before, of course, including the Lac Du Saint Sacrament. I've been on board river cruise boats of varying sizes, a rowboat, a raft, motorboat, a wooden sailboal, a wooden sloop, a banana boat (freighter) and even an old navy sub, but some of them were tied up at the dock (the sloop, freighter and sub). I really like boating, a lot, even tho' in reality, it's a pretty rare thing for me to do. Generally I only go out on a boat once every three to five years, on average.

Sailing was a blast, tho' I've only sailed two days in my whole life, it was two days I'll certainly never forget--especially the second day, when we went out in a moderate gale--wow, that was way cool! Okay, at first it was a bit disconcerting, having the boat tip up almost parallel at times--but very cool, once I got used to it, better than an amusement park ride. Strangely, I've gotten travel sick on a bus and plane (not bad, thankfully), but I've never been seasick at all. Considering how little I've sailed or boated, I sometimes wonder why the motion of the ocean has never bothered me.

I was watching a pretty little white sailboat tacking to and fro on Lake George, yesterday, while at the beach. Looked like they might have been new sailors, 'cos they seemed to have a spot of bother with their sails at times, and when they came into short, I watched them take down the front sail (is that the "jib," I wonder?), and they guy was having a deuce of a time getting it down--there was only a little breeze, maybe about, I'm guessing, between 5 and 10 knots, at most, so that may have been a factor. I'm not knowledgable enough about sailing. I do know that that boat tipped badly at one point, in about a 10 knot breeze--it probably was only 5 knots where I was, but I know enough to know the breeze out on the wide lake will be stronger than the shore. And his front sail didn't seem to want to cooperate, whichever way he tacked, especially as he drew closer to the shoreline.

I want to do something this summer that's totally fun--a day out, more or less. Next week is the official last week of the tourist season here--after next weekend, most places close up the first week of September, until next May or June, and others are only open on weekends, until mid-October.

There's the pizza cruise on the paddle-wheel steamboat, Minne-ha-ha, the one with the steam calliope on board. For $17 you get a one-hour night cruise on Lake George, two slices of pizza and a soda. Meh. How 'bout I save 13 dollars and buy two slices and a soda, and watch the boat from the dock?

STEAMBOAT CALLIOPE

Well, I'm actually hungry, tonight. I've not been hungry in a couple of days, missing meals because of it, so I suppose I should strike while the iron is hot (old blacksmithing phrase, I believe), and have something. I'm thinking a bacon roll, but perhaps I'll make a turkey, bacon and lettuce sandwich. Or maybe, a bacon and egg sandwich. Meh, I guess I will figure out what I'm in the mood for when I go in the kitchen.

Have a great Wednesday, everyone.

Trust me on this.

I spoke with some crafts-witch today, (I hate American craft women, they are such rude, obnoxious...oh, don't get me started), anyway, this snooty person, was making very sure that I understood that she was a "Professional" craft person, and that HER dresses sell for $5000 a piece, and that SHE wasn't hurting for money, yadda-yadda-yadda. Oh, and didn't I hear that she just TOLD me that she sells her dresses for five thousand dollars?

Okay...and?

I've actually a cousin who--back in the early 80's-- was making over a half a million dollars (quarter of a million pounds) a year--as he is highly trained surgeon in a major American city, I imagine that inome is in the multi-millions by now. (I've not seen him in some 25 years) But, did that, or does that, impress me? No. Quite frankly, I'd feel the same way about my few remaining relations, whether they were car wash attendants or brain surgeons.

Do I genuinely care if Mrs. Snooty makes five grand off of her 'creations?'

Puh-lease.

Actually, I was thinking, "Who the hell is stupid enough to throw away 5 grand on some dress in the middle of a recession, when the stock market and banks have got the wobblies, and people are losing their (formally secure) jobs by the thousands?"

Superiority complexes are the children of some internal and/or external inferiority, and the real pity is, that these people don't understand that.

Stayed 20 min. beyond my time to make a sale--not that I ever get a thanks for doing that, of course.

I'm beat! I was having hot flashes--or maybe it was just my room was hot, as it often is, but couldn't sleep well. Felt like I was burning up, last night. So I've been having my own personal yawn-festival all day.

Quick lunch of some Feta Cheese and Spinach raviloi, that's made by a company out of nearby Putney, Vermont--mixed with a bit of my favourite jar of Vodka sauce )a pasta sauce made with cream and flavoured with vodka)...yummy!

....who actually get to go on holidays (unlike a lot of us Yanks who don't get holiday time at work, and have to make up our 7 holiday days we get off a year), all I have to say is....

...so I have to hurry and enjoy the summer whilst I can. At least I got in a swim, yesterday. Next week I need to try and get enough money together to do SOMETHING summery...last regular trolley to Lake George ends in about two weeks, and most of the seasonal businesses will close their doors come Sept. 1st.

My budget will decide what I will do, of course, whether it's going to an amusement park (not the Six Flags one, that is too costly, and I used to work there 6 days a week, 10 years ago, so it's "been there, done that" with that park), or, I could take the pizza cruise on the lake, on the paddlewheel steamer, Minne-ha-ha. I could "tour" Fort William Henry, and watch them fire off the cannon and flintlocks. Visit one of the naf 'haunted' wax museums, or the fake UFO museum, go for a carriage ride and play crazy golf...hmmm--gotta' do SOMETHING fun before the summer's over...

Autumn scene near Lake George's South Bay, in the town of Fort Ann, NY. (click to make larger)

Why the Doctor REALLY dumped Rose in an alternative universe...

"And I'm going to get some nice curtain's for the Tardis doors, and you know, that hair, would look so much better with a short back and sides, and really, I think mum would love it if we all sat down to a nice Sunday roast once a week, and by the way, did you remember to take the bins out to the kerb like I asked, and another thing, I saw the way you were looking at Sarah Jane, and I think you should keep it in your pants, mister..."

Hope everyone is well today. Computer is acting up a bit again. I'm tired, but what else is new. Bolted down my bacon and eggs, now am trying to wake enough to finish getting ready for work. Overcast, damp morning now, but supposed to clear later. For the next few days it will be in the low 70's (around 22 C)--which are my kind of temperatures, but then it's supposed to clear up for the rest of the week, and get blistering hot, for one last shot of summer. Dang. I hate really hot weather--nearly 90 F, (around 29 C), yuck. I know some people like the blistering heat, but I'm not one of them. Call me perverse, but I rather be cold, thanks. I can deal with rain (as long as it's not freezing (ice) rain, 'cos I've had enough slip and falls for one lifetime already, thanks), or 25 below zero, F.

Ah well, autumn will be here, soon enough. At least it will be nice for the big street party/Hawaiian luau downtown, Thursday night. Still seems odd to me, that here out on the opposite side of the country--6 hours from the state of Hawaii, in a mill city of 15,000 souls, in New York, in the mountains/country, that they'd choose a luau theme, over a country theme, western theme, or a lumberjack theme or whathaveyou. Any excuse to convince themselves that their city is a draw for the tourists--most of whom don't even know that this city exists, and probably could care less.

If you were to believe half the stories in the book, "Last of the Great Scouts," the biography of William F. Cody--aka: "Buffalo Bill," the man had one heckuva life. Written by his sister, it contains page after page of daring do--tho' painted in a glowing and positive life, written by his sister, it story underneath the dime novel-ish late Victorian-era romanticism, (First published in 1899) paints the picture of an impulsive, spoiled, sometimes temperamental--yet an often humble, good hearted and certainly courageous, young man.

Born during the westward movement, and having had grown-up adventures at an early age--leaving home on his own around the age of 13 or 14, venturing into the pre-Civil War wilderness of the Rocky Mountains--the man had countless adventures...but wasn't always fearless about them, in one account, young will was severely injured and had to be abandoned on the prairie to fend for himself for a month, totally alone--with winter coming on, and most of his blankets and food stolen by Indians. His sister paints a picture of a young man--still in his teens, who for the first time comes face to face with his own vulnerability, his own mortality. And, apparently, it scared him half to death. When his friend returned with help, a month later, Cody's sister tells of how the great frontiersman, upon seeing his friend walk through the door of the dugout where he was holed up, Cody broke down and bawled like a child, from relief and joy.

Cody was much-loved by his fellow westerners. One of his closest friends was none other than famous gun-slinger, Wild Bill Hickock, who, at one point, did stage shows with Cody and another famous western figure of that time. The lively accounts of his travels west with his family, his trips with the fur trappers and gold miners, his spying during the Civial war, Scouting for the US Cavalry during the Indian wars, stories of how the man wept over the loss of his childhood dog, and his favourite horse, the blossoming of his Wild West Show and his first British and European tours, the sad account of the death of his son and its affect on Cody, and other stories, made this a page-turner for me.

A facinating book--how much of it is truth, and how much embellishment, we'll probably never know. His sister often writes as if she witnessed many of these events personally--though she was there at times, other times it would have been impossible, and one has to take into account, that Bill Cody, was a western story teller--as most westerners were actually very good story tellers--that was their main entertainment in the wilderness. But, one wonders what stories are close to factual truth--like probably the abandonment tale, and what were stories perhaps slightly (or perhaps even wholly) embellished in the re-telling by Cody and/or his friends and family members.

Still, this long out-of-print book (a second or third American edition, published by Grossett and Dunlap, dating from 1918) is a wonderful read, and for a book of that era, highly colourful and entertaining. Though no longer published (that I'm aware of), used copies can be found, from anywhere from $10 on Amazon for a used newer edition, to a good first edition for $100 from antiquarian booksellers.

Or, you can save your cash, and read this book online, here:

http://www.kancoll.org/books/cody/

SOME OF HIS "WILD WEST SHOW" PERFORMERS-- (my late-aunt/godmothers hubby was a wrangler and roustabout with the Wild West Show)

Been sitting on my balcony with the cats, enjoying the refreshing cool breeze and sipping some Limeade. Storm coming in from the northwest, the St. Lawerence Valley and St Lawrence Seaway area, moving through the central Adirondacks and Tughill Plateau, and now coming into Great Sacandaga Lake and Northern Saratoga County, and then next here, into Warren County and the Glens Falls/Lake George Region, and then, very probably, into the Champlain Valley. Eventually this one will wind up in Vermont and New Hampshire--parts of which have been already inundated with rain, this summer.

I've been watching nature's fireworks show from afar, for the past half hour--even when it was some fifty or sixty miles off yet, it was lighting up the northwestern skies. It's about 20 or 25 miles away now--no thunder or rain yet. Just silent lightning. Gonna' be a humdinger, even if the loss of daytime heat calms it down from what it was an hour ago.

ADDENDUM: Just re-checked the Natl. Weather Service radar out of Albany, and once again, the storm's dividing before it gets here, and the worst of it is going north of Lake George, and south into Saratoga County--we'll just get some heavy rain and the odd flash of lightning, probably.

It's strange, but it's been doing that most of the summer--the worst of the storms going mainly south or north of my location--it's almost as if this city is the parting of the Red Sea when it comes to bad storms, ha-ha. Which is fine by me--we had some horrendous storms last summer...one had us all leave off our phones at work, 'cos there were so many direct strikes all around our office building--even setting a local pub on fire. Most phones and computers are pretty safe to use during a lightning storm--I mean, it really would have to be an extremely close or direct hit to hurt you any, but still--not wanting to touch electrical equipment during a violent storm with lots of cloud-to-ground lightning--that's not being a worry-wort, that's just common sense, I reckon.

"...I'll tell you what this is good for, it's very good at opening doors...and, it's an excellent copulation stimulator, as well."

Some upper middle class tourist from down around Long Island (New York City area) was asking me about the local theatre programmes--I think it's The Altar Boyz--she goes, "is it REAL (proper) theatre?"

It took me a second to take that in, then I replied, "Erm--Altar Boyz was on Broadway?" She's like, "Ooohhh, yes, so they do real theater there?"

What I felt like saying was:

"Noooo--it's really a dog and pony act with two lumberjacks named "The Really Butch Guys", juggling chainsaws and beercans, and a fat lady named Bessie, playing her rendition of "She Thinks my Tractor is Sexy" on a musical saw. You'll love it" DOH.

"The Butch Guys" Now appearing nightly at Joe's Girly Bar, juggling running chainsaws while swilling cheap beer.

Bessie, playing the musical saw--and waiting on tables, every weekend, at the Eighteenth Sort-of-Baptist Church, Golf Course and Snack Bar.

Just for the record; We have "proper" theater, community theatre, diner theeater, a world-class (but very small) art museum, art shows and craft festivals, opera, the symphony, chamber music, a downtown (here in my city) "art-walk" every Thursday of local art galleries, wine merchants, gourmet restaurants...yes, we have rednecks with guns in the back of the pick up trucks, and gin joints galore, and welfare shirkers, and drug dealers, real lumberjacks, farmers and cowboys, as well. We have outhouse races, and snowmobile/ATV races, Truck and tractor pulls, truck shows, Elvis festival, and country and bluegrass music festivals, as well.

I've not checked my stats in a couple of weeks, so out of curiosity I took a quick look--very odd stats for the last couple of days.

Date-- Total Pageviews-- Total Visitors
2008-08-18 --- 3032 --- 867
2008-08-17 --- 3136 --- 848
2008-08-16 --- 2381 --- 699
2008-08-15 --- 1761 --- 796
2008-08-14 --- 1863 --- 764
2008-08-13 --- 2083 --- 867
2008-08-12 --- 1961 ---900

Huh. I know, I know, the stats--especially pageviews, aren't really all that accurate on here. Still, that's an awful lot of pageviews, isn't it? Must be 'bots again, I reckon. Either that, or someone has got a LOT of time on his or her hands!

So, I'm actually hungry--the 20 minutes "swim" did me good, I guess. I've still got a cheap steak in the 'fridge, and yesterday, the All for One Dollar store had little packets of frozen breaded shrimp in their food section, so I thought I'd so a version of what we yanks call "surf and turf,"---seafood and steak, and have steak and shrimp for dinner, with a jacketed potato and some peas.

Then, it's time for chores and maybe do some reading later.

Not a very interesting post this, is it?

We have a large contingent of foreign students working in the area every summer. This is a HUGE resort area--mountains, lakes, rivers...amusement parks, boat rides, beaches, wax museums, crazy golf, rafting/tubing, horseback riding and carriage rides, rodeos, parasailing, fishing, hiking, cycling, go-karts, waterparks--good gosh, there's no end of things to do here--and, they can even take a Trailways coach, right from Lake George or Glens Falls, to the other resort town of Saratoga Springs--with two kinds of horse racing, posh botiques, museums, sidewalk cafes, concerts, and the like...it's only 15 miles away, and they can go there for about 10 or 12 dollars round trip.

But, WHERE do they always tell the trolley driver they want to go?

The SHOPPING MALL.

Not the big strip of major name brand outlets (Brooks Broshers, Hilfinger, Orvis (Vermont's answer to Abercrombie and Fitch), Ralph Lauren, and dozens of others. Nope they want the flippin' MALL. Or, Wal-Marts.

Imagine, traveling thousands of miles, surrounded by gorgeous scenery and tons of recreational activities, lots of posh brand discount outlets--and you want to go here:

Maybe they're going to see our local "mall moose," (pictured below) who's been sighted in the wetlands behind the rear car park:

Geez, got a PM in my box, from someone I honestly don't know, telling me that the (whatshould have been obviously FAKE) e-mail addresses I gave for e-mailing David Tennant (as a J-O-K-E), were "all wrong."

Oh, d'ya think?

She then gives me the man's "real" address (a number with the name "David" on hotmail or gmail or something with "mail" in it, I didn't pay much attention to that part or the PM)...okay, who here thinks Tennant actually uses hotmail? Anybody? This is about the 4th time in the last year, some person--both acquaintences and strangers--have pawned of a supposedly true e-mail or postal address of Tennant on me, that I NEVER wanted or asked for!

Anyway, this fan-girl thinks I should "correct" my post, and post his real address on there. Not gonna' happen. I mean, that just would not be right, plain and simple....it' would be outrageously ill-mannered and completely disrespectful of the man's privacy, in my opinion.

I suppose it's possible that I just got PM'd the man's real e-mail address, but c'mon. Common sense tells me....not.

Good gravy on toast with cheese! (I just made that up, it's a lot more creative than swearing.)

In other news, my trip to the health centre for my shot took all of a half-hour, which is a first. The cab was prompt not only picking me up, but taking me home--and also a first, the nurse actually saw me right off, without me having to cool my heels in the waiting room for over an hour.

I hate these shots--they HURT, okay? Not the needle--the medicine going in--stings like a bee sting in your tummy. Okay, so I'm wimpy about shots, so sue me.

Anyway, got back just before 4pm, and went to Lake George for an hour. Last night, Flame got into one of my closets, and knocked all the clean sheets on the floor. So, I was picking them up, when on the floor at the back of the closet, I spied...my swimsuit! I thought I'd lost it! But, when I moved in, it must have fallen out of one of the storage boxes...I have marginal nightblindness, so normally I can't see dark spots in closets at all, without a light. So, had my torch out, so I could make sure I didn't miss any linens that fell off the shelf--and viola!

So, I just came from a short swim at the beach--bit crowded for a Monday, but it was nice. I am not the type to hang out at the beach all day--boring! But I do enjoy a short swim, yes, maybe dangle my feet in the water, but....no. You'll never see me sitting in a beach chair all day. Bleh! I'd rather be out doing something--even if it's just walk around, or sit and watch the boats, tourists, etc.

I've not got the body to be a beach babe anyway...

Well, I have to go somewhere, so this must be quick--time for my thrice weekly shot in the stomach.

It was a less-than-lovely day at work. It was sooo-hot in there, felt like I was getting hot flashes! Then, to make matters worse, the teeny-boppers sitting near me--two teenage (or at least they act like teenagers) girls were spraying perfume about--one walked into the office smelling like a blinking perfume factory! Blimey! Hasn't she heard of showering? It's beyond me why some people have the urge to douse themselves--insecurity complex? The two of them have their little confabs, and get put out with anyone--especially anyone older than them , who asks them (nicely) to do anything--you know the type, won't do any more in life than the bare minimum, and resent being asked to do anything more. I asked them not to spray perfume (I have allergies to certain perfumes in certain quantities-and it did for a moment effect my eyes and breathing-- so I don't think my polite request was out of line--but they seemed rather miffed with me. Ah well, you get these types in every office, I suppose. I just moved to another station, sod them.

Well, my stomach was cramping and doing a tap dance half the day, and as I said, I was having hot flashes and breathing problems besides, but the stomach seemed to get better by 1pm. I was able to eat lunch, at any rate. I even made a credit sale, which is amazing considering how lousy I felt. I do wish the office would have a "no spraying perfume or other smelly stuff" rule, though. I'm not the only one with allergies...though mine are usually fairly mild, and I've seldom broke out in rashes and the like.

The boss looked nice today--she was wearing a nice colour that goes well with her complexion. I don't pay much mind to fashion, but I do notice when someone is wearing something especially attractive--this may sound hokey, but even if I don't tell them, it makes me glad to see someone I know wearing something that makes them look nice--NOT that I EVER judge by appearence--I've had too many (shallow) people do that to me! Some of my best friends have dressed like total slobs, ha-ha.

Well, gotta' run. Have a good night, all.

...I awoke to my scrollbar missing from Opera, so I quickly had to re-download Mozilla 3.0.01, in order to use the internet this morning. Life sucks, don't it though?

So, sometime in the next couple of days, I need to research why Opera decided to nix my scrollbar.

My audio plug-in's still aren't working on the internet. However, my disk check function suddenly decided to work. A lot of entries were "trucated," whatever that means, on start up this morning. At least, I think that was the disk check, I was kind of half-asleep.

Didn't sleep well last night. Almost every morning I've been waking to stomach pains, for the last week or so. They wake me up at night, as well. Stomach's been doing some odd things this week. Don't know now if it's a bug, or what. No big deal, of course, but it is a bit of a bother, as I can't go all day without eating, but don't want to eat in the morning. Lately, I've been doing with just one full meal a day, and a couple of light snacks or a sandwich, the rest of the day. Not 'cos I want to, it's just that my appetite isn't so hot right now.

Well, have to TRY and eat SOMETHING, before I finish dressing for work. Going to be a long, long day. Cheers.

...from deeply personal posts.

Once again, BCUK--or my wonky 'puter, won't let me do a "friends only" post, so I'm posting this publicly.

I've recently discovered someone is reading my blog who may personally know me (in the physical sense, not one of my blog pals, or overseas friends or internet acquaintences), so I will keep my personal life out of my blog for a while, except for mundane stuff, or maybe old memories, that don't have any impact on my life in the here and now.

(I'll still be posting deeply personal stuff, as it's turned out to be good for me to get this stuff out of my system, but the posts will be for certain of my friends, and won't be available to the general public.)

I don't mind getting personal to strangers, but that's just it, strangers don't know you, so there's no harm. And, my blog friends do know me, but are supportive of me. Now, I may be wrong, and actually, I rather hope I am. But, I know human nature, and there's a chance this local voyeur isn't reading my blog for innocent or compassionate reasons. I checked, and it isn't my IP address. I don't like people I know, prying into my personal life behind my back. It makes me feel...dirty.

It makes me uncomfortable--like the time that nutter started stalking me on the internet, and then somehow got hold of my e-mail and mailing address, and began writing me, acting like I was his instant girlfriend--just add water and stir. Even after I (repeatedly) told him I was a dedicated old maid, he persisted in trying to get me to move in with him--mind you, we'd never met, and hadn't exchanged any more than two or three e-mails when he came up with the idea that we'd make a great couple. No, I don't think so. That was...very strange, and just a little bit creepy. Honestly? I don't know how David Tennant deals with this sort of stuff. Well, he can probably afford a body guard and a good security system, I reckon. But, considering my looks, my personality, and my lifestyle, I found being stalked truly ironic and ridiculous...and like I said, kind of creepy.

In my life, I've had to deal with a pedo, and a bus passenger with roaming hands (in very much the wrong place!) while I was traveling alone on a full bus on a cross-country trip, a classmate who rang me up in the middle of the night moaning that he was going to commit suicide--then telling me he was 'fine now' 'cos his girl came back to hime (they'd just had a spat, apparently), before closing the door on my face after I drove like a madwoman the 15 miles to his apartment at 3am.

Oh, and then there was the not-so-fun experience of almost being kidnapped by my last date (no, really--why do you think I gave up dating over 10 years ago?), and some woman who kept copy-catting all my apparel and interests...another slightly creepy experience. So, I got through all that, I can get through this invasion of my life, it's no different, really.

So, yeah, find that my obscure, UK-based blog being read by someone in my own backyard sort of uncomfortable. I suppose it's inevitable, though. It's easier to pry, than when you're looking that someone in the eye, isn't it?

Well, that's what they make "private" posts for, isn't it?

So, still public posts, I'm not going away--unless my 'puter crashes, of course. No worries there, mates. Just shadowing the more intimate stuff from public viewing for a bit.

Well, time for bed, have to work tomorrow--gawd, three week's worth of laundry cleaned and I'm knackered. Didn't finish the Hoovering...my living room rug looks as good as an old ratty living room rug can do, but the bedroom rug still looks a bit scruffy, so I have a little task to do, when I get home from work tomorrow. At least the kitchen looks halfway decent...but I still need to clean the oven and the fridge, though..and probably should pick up a can of "Bartender's Friend" for the stainless steel sink, as its getting a bit dull-looking and could do with a shine. never did make my bed today, or clean the loo. Oh well, I'll get to it some time this week.

I've decided to delete my "Bitter Revenge" play. It's garbage! Maybe I'll finish the Dr Who story I started to write back in June.

Well, time to hit the hay. Hope you all have a good Monday, whatever you're doing.

Well, there's some interesting local free events coming up:

This Wednesday night is an open house at the local model railroading club, and this time they'll be running three track layouts for visitors to view. I've been invited, so I reckon I shall walk downtown (weather permitting) and check it out.

The very next night on Thursday, for some reason lost to me, the city of Glens Falls is celebrating the 50th anniversary of Hawaii's admission into the union (the anniversary of it becoming our 50th state), by having a downtown "luau." Yup, the entire downtown of Glens falls (two whole city blocks an part of the city park that's not under construction), will be transformed into the state of Hawaii, complete with a giant working "volcano," real Polynesian "tiki" dancers, a woman with a big harp doing ukalele impressions, a strolling comic pretending to be "Don Ho," free rum tastings (only if you're 21 or older, of course), and free tropical fruit drinks, games for the kiddies, etc. cumulating in fireworks display from the traffic roundabout at 9pm or thereabouts.

There's also a free folk music concert coming up at the city library, as well.

Can't afford the theatre events ( ) 'Cos they're priced for the posh people, but I hear there's a free lecture on Adirondack wildlife coming up--with a live red-tailed hawk and a raccoon (cool!), and I will try to mark that on my calendar.

Just clearing out some pics from photobucket--yiikes! Who's THIS tub of lard? Don't tell me I don't need a makeover. Well...I have lost about 35 or 40 pounds since these were taken, to be fair...still, ouch. The top one is me and my nephew at a beach on the Hudson River, back when I was in my mid to late 30's. The second pic was taken late May of 2001, at a little town on the IJsselmeer (a big lake) in the Netherlands. That's me petting one of the super-friendly, gentle, lovely (can you tell that I adore them?) and utterly magnificent Friesian horses.

My cat Boots, on a blazing hot day in our caravan, when he was just 1 year old (he's around 7, now):

Reckon most of my blog friends are happily snoring away in bed about now. It's half-past 8 in the evening over here. Dark outside--the long summer dusk is nearing it's end, and before we know it, it'll be dark by 5pm again. That's what I liked about living in Wyoming, the summer of 1980, was that being that far west, it didn't get dark until around half-past ten in the evening. That'll never happen in northeastern New York. Best we get is late-June, early July, when it gets dark around half-past nine, maybe 9:45 at the very latest.

Some of the leaves are turning already. Looks like we may have either a good peak year for foliage, or a cr*p year like last year, when the foliage didn't really peak all at once, but in dribbles and drabs. You need a lot of cold, frosty nights for a peak. The state of New York, as well as most local news broadcasts, actually issue "Fall Foliage" reports:

LEAF COLOURS FOUND IN NEW YORK STATE, FROM MID TO LATE OCTOBER:

Fall foliage season for Northern New York and Vermont, is a major tourism industry. We're talking big dollars if we get a prolonged "peak" year. When we do get a good peak year, it looks like this:

THIS PICTURE WAS TAKEN FROM A HOT AIR BALLOON, NOT MORE THAN 5 OR 10 MILES FROM WHERE I'M SITTING RIGHT NOW, BY A LOCAL BALLOONIST.

TWO OF MY OWN PHOTOS OF LOCAL FOLIAGE

THIS ONE WAS TAKEN IN THE TOWN WHERE I WAS LIVING AT THE TIME, AUTUMN OF 2004. (DURING IT'S "PEAK"):

THIS ONE WAS NEAR SOUTH BAY ON LAKE GEORGE, IN THE TOWN OF FORT ANN, NY. IT WAS TAKEN ABOUT TWO WEEKS LATER, WHEN THE FOLIAGE WAS "PAST PEAK."

Is this a photo of Dr Who's latest villan? Or, is Tennant just having trouble keeping it in his pants again?

There's a LOT of hits on my blog (I can see now, which pages are being looked at) for "David Tennant." Who knew?

That guy must really have to become a recluse, just to get some privacy. more than half my hits today have been for Tennant posts. Even tho' I've switched most of my DT references to my "Roasting David (Tennant") group--to try and discourage the fan-girls from leaving messages for Tennant--and nutty comments-- on my blog, they are STILL coming here!

Which is fine. Whatever turns them on. Actually, I get the feeling it's from image searches, more than anything.

Still, the man really is being stalked on the net, in a way, isn't he? I should think that would be hard to sometimes wrap your head around, no matter how intelligent or emotionally well-balanced one is.

David Tennant using his handy "Fan-girl Deflector" to drive off the girl's of the Squee-brigade.

I've both worked and played outdoors in the depths of winter--all day, okay?

I mean, I've been outdoors in minus 15, to 25 below zero (that's fahrenheit--not celsius!) weather, and, in minus 60 below zero F. wind-chills. I mean, I've had windburn, mild frost-bite, borderline hypothemia. I've had to thaw the ice from the front of my coat, before I could unzip it. I've shivered for hours, and been cold to the point of intense pain. THAT kind of cold.

I generally prefer a canvas barn or chore coat, with either blanket or insulated quilt lining, as my outerwear.

This is normally worn with a oversize genuine cowboy banana--aka: "wild rag," (nothing like those wimpy bandanas regular folks buy. I wore mine 'cos it kept the wind from blowing down my neck, and also was very easy to pull over my face when working in icy winds or facing blowing dust/sleet, etc. The REAL one's worn by America's cowboys are made of silk or heavy cotton, and look like this):

Generally, I also used either a pair of bib-type ski overalls, or, my work jeans with a heavy pair of longjohns (thermal underwear) under them, a pair or two of heavy socks, or one pair of insulated socks, and my work boots, or winter boots. My cowboy hat or one of these plaid wool caps--with a nifty fold down ear protector inside the cap, would complete the ensemble:

and special gloves that were a combination of mitten/fingerless glove--the miteen could fold down, and you would have half-finger gloves, enabling you to untie knots, or adjust the buckles on horse halters, or undo your snowshoes, without removing your gloves. When working at emptying and filling the approx. 50 water buckets at the one stable I worked at, in winter, I splurged on a pair of skin diver's gloves--which are, of course waterproof. They allow for dexterity, and were surprisingly warm.

This, however, is an example of what I would NEVER wear.

Only a city person--or someone in the antarctic, would wear this clobber. Yikes!!! Scary stuff, ey?

So, I'm going here:

Instead of here:

Well, I decided to be a good girl and go do the laundry...four big bags and two hampers worth, all told. I couldn't have gone to Lake George for a couple of hours anyway, 'cos I've nothing clean to wear from the waist up, 'cept a couple of winter tops, the short-sleeved blouse I wore yesterday, or my nightshirt.

No hope for it, but to bite the bullet, ring up the cab and go to Mid-town plaza to do the nasty. I toyed with the idea of just taking a few days worth of washing to the Lake George laundromat, and sort of killing two birds with one stone, but...their laundromat isn't exactly near the centre of town--it's a bit of a walk into the village proper and back, requires a smigeon of hill-climbing, one way or the other, and with having to lug laundry around on the trolley-bus, and all the way down past the boatyard to the launderette and back...I'm gonna' sweat--and who wants to hang around a bunch of tourists when one is all hot and sweaty? There's a lovely cool breeze, but it's still in the low 80's F, out there.

However, I may compromise later, and take a trolley ride up and back--without getting off, just to get some change of scenery...maybe get off and have an ice cream, and get back on, MAYBE, tonight, if I'm not too knackered, that is.

But yeah, I'd rather be swiming, or playing crazy golf or at the amusement park or riding, or...anything but flippin' laundry!

I was definitely a MacGyver fan--forget Tennant's wonky hair, I go for the mullet, any day.

..."David Tennant, Hosiery Model."

That's right, out of a total of 739,649 page views since Sept. of 2006, the number one most popular page is the one with that title.

It was written on the 5th May, of 2007, and has garnered both the most pageviews--over 80,000! Also, I believe it has the most comments, of all the thousands of blog entries posted to date.

Written as a joke, my spoof at the idea of the hairy, skinny-legged Tennant becoming a hosiery model (actually, one American actor did that, back in the 70's, for Leggs), has turned out to be the number one hit on my blog parade. Something that I just wrote, probably out of sheer boredom, as I believe I was recuperating from a recent serious foot injury at the time.

Go figure!

Waugh!!! It's a gorgeous day!!!! A perfect 10, in fact! Cloudless skies, cool breeze, but warm enough for a swim, if you're of a mind, or even a trip to one of the water parks (the kind with the wave pools and slides and inner-tube rides and spray fountains and such).

But...I need to do housework...my kitchen and bath need some cleaning, and my rugs need a hoovering, and--well, so much for domestic tranquility...flamey just walked over to Charlie--who wasn't doing a blessed thing--and just hissed at him, and bit him on the ear, and then he merely ducked his head, with a "Hey, quit that!" expression. Flamey's been in a bad mood for two days...think she's in heat again. I scoldeed her and she stalked into the bedroom, yowling. Charlie's sprawled at my feet with a very definite hurt look on his face, as if to say, "What did I do?" Poor Charlie!

Anyway, I do have to do laundry--badly, and housework...yet, such a perfect, perfect day....I want to do something FUN.

So, I'm a bit like a pendulum this morning..

Do I do the responsible adult thing, or do I just throw it all away and go to Lake George for the afternoon?

Tick-tock, tick-tock-tick-tock....

Well, I know I'll be a grown up and do my chores, but, I don' wanna' go to school today mum! At least, that's how I feel!

Well, I've tried downloading and running things--but this bug seems to sense when I'm trying to fix things, and gets worse (freezes my computer) and won't let me download. I tried the check disk function, and it, apparently, is not allowing me to do that, either. Life really does suck.

Twice tonight I had to abandon my computer usage, 'cos the darn thing just froze solid and wouldn't let me to a single thing...not even turn the computer off.

I do know that the compuer has given me friends I never would have had without it. It's gotten me a job once, even....not a great job, my second-least favourite job (cleaning at the racetrack/casino) ever, actually, but it got me the job, nonetheless. And, of course, Word is a lot easier to use, than my clunky old word processor/typewriter was, which needed all these codes you had to memorize or keep the book handy to look up stuff with, in order to perform specific functions, and also, the internet has allowed me to share myself, and my naf old Dr Who fics and plays and stuff, with the world, such as it is. It's allowed me also to see Dr Who and other stuff, to listen to radio from all over the world, that I certainly would have missed without it. It's also allowed me to raise awareness for pet causes, and funds for a charity.

But, on the downside, the computer has made me redundant---I used to be in demand as a receptionist and/or file clerk. Now, a receptionist has to know all these different computer programmes (which my learning disablility will not allow me to fully learn--especially Excell, that's a lost cause...yes, I have taken the course(s).

And, no one uses file clerks any longer--and even when they do, even a file clerk has to be computer savvy. And then there's all the stress that these problems are causing me, now. Due to the internet, I've been ripped off twice, to the tune of nearly $3000 the first time--only 3/4 of which was fully recovered, and more recently for over $300, early last year. I was contacted by a nutjob who started virtually stalking me, as well. (Gone now, thankfully.) So, pardon me if I'm not convinced entirely, that computers are a positive thing for humanity.

Well, computer froze up for about 30 minutes, then decided to be kind--after I curse it and kicked it and threatend to throw it under the wheels of a speeding trolley bus.

So, I was off-line for about 45 mintues all told. Very frustrating! I never know when this thing will crash, and when it will work, any longer. It's sort of become computer roulette, ha-ha.

It's 10:15 here...still haven't had dinner. Only marginally hungry. I have a small cheap steak in the fridge, and can boil a jacketed potato and heat up some tinned corn, I suppose. Or, have a turkey sandwich, or maybe just some cold cereal. I'm hungry...but not hungry, if that makes any sense--I mean, my body is telling me I need to eat something, but my appetite's telling me, "meh." Still, gotta' keep the ol' blood sugar happy, ey?

I really, really miss my internet radio. I'm itching to turn on Pandora and listen to my favourite artists, or hear some radio play or quiz on BBC (we don't have that, over here in the states), or the interesting DJ's on Virgin, or listen to new age piano or guitar music on Accuradio, while I write, or tune into the in-depth news, political analysis and radio magazine interviews, plus classical, celtic/folk and jazz music on WAMC--upstate New York's public radio station.

Still, on CD I've got The (best of the) Proclaimers, The New Pornographers Electric Version, The Dr Who Series I&II Soundtrack, The Ultimate Kylie Collection, Gary Ramal Malkin's Music of the Great Smokey Mountains, One of Rod Stewarts American pop standards CD's, and two other CD's that I'd forgot I had. And I've got some old vinyl records on my phonograph, from the 60's, 70's and 80's, and one station on the radio--sometimes. So, it's not like I've got nothing to listen to at all, really.

I love listening to the radio though, always have, almost as much as I like reading, probably.

As I wrote previously, my perceptions of what college would be like, were sometimes wrong.

I thougt it would all be class work and lectures and such. Not all the time. I certainly never thought I'd find myself taking theatre classes (I enrolled with an eye on journalism or broadcasting as a career--but signed onto Liberal Arts/Humanities, on my advisors advice, due to my uncertainty over a career choice), nor did I expect to take archeology, study jazz history, learn about how my government functioned, hear lectures from Iraq weapons inspectors (prior to the declaration of war) to write and direct a recorded radio play and news broadcast--even use a computer to record that news boradcast--incoporating taped inteviews I'd done--very complicated! Or, go overseas for a two week seminar in the Nethelands, incorporating a visit to Iceland, and later to Egypt on another study course. I also never thought my writing would take off like it did, either. Not that I was exceptional in any way, I mean that I would re-kindle the passion for writing I'd had as a young person, but had somewhat lost as I grew into adulthood.

I think the acting and the overseas trip to Leeuwarden, most changed my life though--changed me. The acting made me cut down some barriers that kept me from interacting more openly with poeple (basiclly, it did away with most of my shyness) and opened emotional doors for me that I never knew were there. The overseas trip made me more confident about myself and opened my eyes to the world at large. I am definately a better person because of that. Both these things made me challenge myself, made me stronger and bolder about trying new things, and being more open around people. Still not sure it was worth being $60,000 dollars in debt, but yeah, no regrets, really.

My Two colleges (2000-2005):

I'm knackered. I've love a lie-down, but the hillbilly's are having their all-night party down below my windows, and the kids are being allowed to shriek and bellow and wail and blow their stupid party horns. These gawd-awful zoo-keepers, erm, I mean "parents," (the one's who've had the police called on them repeatedly, for neglecting their brats--erm, kids, just let them do whatever they want, inclding screehing at the top of their lungs for hours on end, for no particular reason. Really, the little girl just likes screeching continually--not because she's unhappy, but, apparently, 'cos her mum thinks it's funny. Charming.

Someone paid me back 25 dollars she owed me--long story. So, I took 15 of it, and went and got another pair of those 45 dollar pair of Cosmopolotain jeans that were on sale for $14.99, while they still had some left--they only had two pairs left in my size, so my timing was good. Now that I have to work Saturdays, I need a couple of pairs of posh jeans for the office (casual dress doesn't me ratty old jeans, we can wear jeans, but they have to look half-way decent.) These have floral embrooidery around the front and back pockets--tastefully done, none of this garish chav bling-bling look that somehow took hold here in my part of the world, the last three or four years...thankfully, bling-bling seems to be dying out a bit, now. Now the country-girl/ amatuer prostitute look is in, with the Wal-mart crowd.

But, I'm a bit tired. Didn't sleep well last night, and then was sick this morning.

While I was waiting for the bus back home, I nipped into a local snack bar by the bus stop for a Pepsi. They sell submarine sandwiches and roast beef sandwiches--the roast beef is great, they roast it themselves...it's served warm, semi-rare, on a "wick" roll--that's a crusty roll with course salt and othe rseasonings on it, and then you if you don't want it plain, you can put any toppings on it you want: bleu cheese dressing, BBQ sauce, horseraddish mayonnaise, or honey-mustard. I used to eat there a lot, a few years ago, when I had the cash to spare. I have food at home, so don't see much point in eating out tonight---I got some Chinese takeaway last night (had a coupon for $2 off), anyway.

So, I'm ordering my diet Pepsi, and this tourist walks up to the counter and says, "what's the roast beef?" The server just sort of looks at him--(wouldn't you?) and says, "Erm--what's that, sir?" The guy gets a bit put out and says again, "it says roast beef, what is that?" Okaaay then. Dead cow meat, ya' dimwit, whadd'ya think? Well, one of the women servers piped up and said, "I think he means how do we serve it?" The server sighes and say's "It's shaved fresh roast beef, served plain on a roll." The tourist looks blankly at him for a moment and said, "So, you don't serve regular meals here?"

The poor server was really at a loss for that one, but thankfully the lady server piped up again. "We don't have dinners, no. Just sandwiches and subs, sorry."

Gotta' love the tourons.

I'm going to try and lie down for a bit. But if the screming brats, erm, little angels get too much for me, I might just go do my laundry tonight, instead of tomorrow.

FTypical summer wear for the blue-collar (that's Yank for "Chav") folks, at Walmart this summer:

Why do parents give their children party horns, toy firetrucks with wailing horns, pistols with lazer sound effects and other noise-makers, and then get flipped off and start yelling at the kid to stop making so much noise?

Why do we walk into the restuarant or pub, look at the "SPECIALS" board, then, after we're seated, ask the waitress what the specials are?

Why to we push on a door that boldly says "PULL?"

Why do we walk up to a vending machine that clearly is marked "COKE," and look to see what kinds of soda it has?

Why do we see a bus with the destination printed on a (often lit up) sign right on the front of it, and after we board ask the driver where the bus is going?

Why, at an airport, do we walk all the way to our gate (which I don't know about you lot, but in my limited experience, my gates are always, inevitably, the very last one's) but, why to we get up to our gate, and then ask if that is the correct gate--even tho' it has the number right there, plain as day?

Why do we pick something up at a flea market, yard sale or boot sale, and item with the price clearly marked on it--and ask what the price is?

Why, when we go to McDonald's, and tell the server that our order is to go, the server STILL asks, after he or she takes your order, if it's "for here or to go?"

Why would anyone let themselves be used as a human paintbrush?

Flame barely knows I'm alive when I wake up in the morning. She's like, "Oh yeah, it's you." (Yawn.)

Until, that is, I walk into the kitchen---mind you, I was only going into the bathroom for an aspirin, but it was the right direction for her...as I walked through the curtin seperating my bedroom from the kitchen, she ran ahead of me, meowing frantically, and doing everything but picking up her food dish and throwing it at me--which she probably would, if she could.

It was almost comical to see the genuine look of disbelif and disappointment on her little feline face, as I walked into the bathroom. Flame immediately ran after me, jusping up on the cast iron radiator, and whinging pitiously at me--waving her paw in my direction and looking at me, with a "don't you love me any more?" expression.

So, I walked into the kitchen, popped open a tin of food, Flamey once again rewnewing her frantic cries--as if she hadn't eaten in days, despite the fact that there was a very full dish of dry food sitting right next to her--, and the greedy smacking as she buried her snout in the plate with the tinned food (sliced chicken in gravy).

Now of course, she's no where to be seen, having gone back to bed. She does love me when she's hungry, or cold--when she's cold she'll bug me to let her sleep under the covers with me at night. There's a cat who knows what she wants, and how to get it, I'll give her that. Cats...sheesh.

Hope you are having a fabulous Saturday.

I woke with a bad stomach ache, so I can't say I'm thrilled to be here, ha-ha. Been dealing with this stomach bug on and off all week, it's not the worst one I've had, but it's stubborn...just when I think it's gone, it comes back again the next day.

Ah well. The computer actually is working--more or less, this morning, so far. Still getting the "Error Generic32" message popping up, which is horribly annoying.

A somewhat hazy and sunny morning. Supposed to be quite warm today, with a chance of storms possibly, later. Rained hard for about 20 minutes yesterday, then by mid-afternoon the skies cleared off completely, and it was a brilliant day. Unfortunately my errands and various other chores prevented me from enjoying it fully. Would have been a bang up day to have gone for a sail or a horseback ride or something.

Alas, I have to leave for work in an hour and a half, and work this afternoon. My hillbilly neighbours have invited me to a birthday party for the son of my neighbour's sister--the guy who's the convicted drug dealer/drug addict. Oh boy, there's the invitation of the year, ey? I'll have to pull my posh dress out of the wardrobe, ha-ha. I'll pop over of course, it was nice of her to invite me, and I'm certainly not going to be churlish about it...but not hanging around too long, 'cos I'm not a hypocrite, either.

I still need to do laundry.

I think that I won't go to the Lake George laundromat so often any longer...only in a pinch.

I just found holes in one of my newer tee-shirts. It's burnt orange colour with a small retro-California surfers motif on the front, so I don't wear it that often, burnt ornage not being a usual colour for me, tho' it doesn't look bad on me or anything. But, I've not only worn it maybe four or five times, and it's got all these holes in the back. Blimey! Don't make things like they used to, do they? I'd washed a pair of jeans there on a seperate occaision--jeasns that were also brand spanking new, and they came out all ripped, as well, so I'm thinking that either the laundromat's washers are not good, or that I have some really, really hungry moths.

Actually, I do have moths, so I'm thinking I'll get something from the store when I get the chance to ward them away from my clothing. They're only little moths though, and I can see the small holes, but find it hard to believe they'd rip a hole in my shirt the size of two of my thumb nails...tho' I suppose one never knows.

WEll, I've got to go scrounge around for something to wear, since I didn't do the washing yesterday. Have a good day everyone.

Gawd, my neighbour's sister is drunk--very obviously drunk, and standing under my windows, screaming out her son's name--don't know why. Either he's locked her out or he's stormed off again after one of their rows, and she's looking for him. I'm staying well clear of this one. I'm gonna' try to go to bed, but I'm doubtful if sleep will be coming soon. I hate Friday nights...and Saturdays, and Sundays--sucks living in a "party" building, when you don't particularly like loud drunken parties.

God, I miss my caravan in the woods. I miss my home I grew up in, on that nice, quiet little dead-end street, with mostly woods and fields and cemeteries for neighbours, in a time before there were cars with vibrating boom boxes and drunken hillbillies, and skateboarders at 2am. Those were the days.

Since my computer may crash at any moment, and since I own nothing on which to save my files, I thought I'd post this here, while I can.

I only know of two people who have actually read this, and certainly, I don't expect anyone to be reading it, so you can ignore this post, as it's mostly for me, and two people, Lydia from the writer's forum, and a certain blog friend.

I spent about an hour or so, jotting off a page and a half, roughly, of this play. It's not especially good, as plays go...bit of a snoozer, if you ask me, as are most of my plays. But, it's something to do, as I still suck at suduko. Also, I'm staying up later than planned, 'cos the building is especially nosiy tonight...big party going on up over my bedroom, someone hammering across the hall, people running (thumping) up and down the stairs, slamming doors and shouting.

I'd hoped to be in bed by 10pm, as I have to wake early for work, but..no such luck. I never did get to the laundromat, as the cab was forever getting me to the grocery store, and I missed the trolley to Lake George--and ringing up a cab to take me to one of the other launderettes, would have meant hoofing it over to the conveniece store, four or five streets away, to use their phone. So, I washed out some of my "delecates" for tomorrow, and will just have to make do.

Anyway, here's the play--about halfway through, a little more or less....haven't decided if it's to be a short one-act, or a 10-minute play, yet. Since it's been a week since my last post of the play, I'm posting the whole thing, with the new bits that I wrote tonight, in darker print.
____________________________________________________________________

Bitter Revenge

SHORT ONE-ACT PLAY

SETTING: Los Angles, California, the summer of 1941.

CAST:

DANIEL……...A retired police officer, working as a private detective.
RITA…………Daniel’s fiery ex-girlfriend, whom is presently dating Edgar.
EDGAR………A formally wealthy nightclub owner, who now tends bar on Skid Row .
TWO HIRED THUGS

AT RISE: It is late morning, on a hot August day. As the lights come up, they reveal a sun shining through the blinds, in the spartan surroundings of a private detective’s office. It contains a plain wooden desk and swivel chair, behind which sits a hat stand with a fedora hat and a wide striped tie hanging from it. The only other furnishings in the room, are a straight back chair in front of the desk, a worn sofa, and a dusty filing cabinet. A fan is sitting on the desk, going full out. Daniel is sitting at his desk, with his shirt partly unbuttoned and his suit jacket flung carelessly over the back of his chair. He is holding a glass, morosely contemplating a half-empty bottle of bourbon. There is a knock at the door.

DANIEL: (Calls out wearily) If you’re a bill collector, beat it! Nobody’s home. If you’re a client, obviously I’m here, so just come in already.

(RITA enters from stage right, raising an eyebrow at the sight of DANIEL. For just a split second, he seems interested. Then, feigning boredom, he chooses to ignore her, going back to staring at the bottle..)

Oh, it’s you.

RITA: Hello Daniel. (She sidles up to the desk, coolly giving DANIEL a demure look.) Long time, no see.

DANIEL: Not long enough, doll. Not nearly long enough. What do you want, Rita?

RITA: I see you’re still a smooth talker. I’ll bet the girls at Ciro’s nightclub can’t keep their hands off of you.

DANIEL: (Squinting up at her.) Something tells me you didn’t come here to discuss my sex life. On the other hand, if you have, I’ve the sofa over there, if you’re in the mood.

RITA: Still as crude as ever, Danny. You’re never gonna’ change.

DANIEL. (Lets rip with some flatulence.) Yup. And don’t call me Danny. Makes me feel like a little kid.

RITA: (Makes a face, and pulls a lollypop out of her purse and holds it out to him.) Here, have this then…Daniel.

DANIEL: That’s not what I’d like to be suckin’ on, doll.

RITA: Oh Cripes! How ‘bout you keep it in your trousers for a while, hot-shot? I’m here on business, not (distastefully) pleasure. And don’t call me doll. Makes me feel like some cheap floosy.

DANIEL: (Finally deciding to pour himself a drink.) You know what they say, sweetheart; if it walks like a duck, and talks like a duck—

RITA: You’d better not finish that sentence with a rhyming word beginning with the letter ‘F’, or I swear you’ll be wearing that booze instead of drinkin’ it.

(DANIEL appears as if he’s tempted, but then leans back with resignation.)

DANIEL: So, what are ya’ here for, Rita? Can’t be ‘cause ya’ miss me. Though you have to admit, for a while there, we made a pretty snazzy couple.

RITA: (Smiles) Yeah, we had our moments, didn’t we? If I hadn’t of caught you with those two young blonds in the back seat of my convertible, we might still be a couple…and don’t give me that same old song and dance about how you were on an all-night stake-out and it got cold, and the top wouldn’t come down, and then these two girl scouts happened along…

DANIEL: They weren’t girl scouts. And you know that’s not how things happened. I was keeping an eye on them for their father…

RITA: Child-minding a pair of nineteen year old twins? And if anyone buys that, I have a certain bridge in San Francisco I can sell them! But, that’s not why I’m here. (Leaning her hands on the desk, her look softening.) But, I have missed you, Daniel. How’ve ya’ been?

DANIEL: Oh, you know, same old, same old. (He smiles faintly) I miss you too, Rita. The nights get kinda’ long and quiet, since you walked outta’ my life.

RITA: Well, maybe I can help liven things up for you a little. I think I may have some business for you, if you’re interested.

DANIEL: (Puts down his glass and leans forward.) I’m all ears doll—I mean, Rita. What’s going on?

RITA: (Sitting down) Daniel, the truth is that when I left you, I thought that I’d never want to be with another man again. But then one night, that all changed.

DANIEL: What happened?

RITA: You remember my former room mate, Gladys? Her mother was ill, and Gladys had to work late at the nightclub, so I stayed up with her mom until Gladys could get there, then I took the last trolley home. Well, as I got off the trolley, a man got off with me. He began following me. So, I started running, and then he began chasing me. I just kept running and running—thank goodness I was wearing flats instead of heels! Well, I must have taken a wrong turn somewhere, because the next thing I knew, I was in the middle of Skid Row.

DANIEL: (Standing) What? (Abruptly sitting down again, he briefly runs his fingers through his hair, exasperatedly.) Rita, how many times have I told you to take a cab? The streets around there are hideously dangerous at night!

RITA: (Standing, she reaches into her purse for a cigarette, pulls one out, stares at it for a second, before tossing it back into her purse again. Then, she begins pacing while she speaks.) Yeah, I know, but cabs cost money hot-shot, and that’s not something I’ve had a lot of lately, since I quit singin’ at the club and decided to find a regular job. Anyway, Daniel, I’m obviously okay, so don’t get your shorts in a twist. You see, I was running past this alleyway, when another guy comes outta’ the dark. Well, my first thought is, ‘Okay Rita, your number is up, you’re about to buy the farm.’ But, as it turns out, this other guy gets between me and my pursuer, and pulls a knife out of his suit pocket. Then he’s standing up to the creep, tellin’ the guy that he can either beat it, or find himself with a second belly button. So, the guy that was followin’ me takes one look at that oversize ice pick the man was wavin’ in his face, and beats it outta’ there like his pants were on fire. (She stops, takes a breath, looks distractedly in the direction of stage right.)

DANIEL: (Whistles) Nice timing, him coming along like that. You’re one lucky woman, sweetheart. (Putting his feet up on the desk and sipping his drink.) So, who was this knight in shining armor?

Oh, now, on it's own, my PRINT on the internet just got smaller, and being extremely nearsighted (not to mention very marginally blind in one eye), I can barely see/read the print! No fix, either, it seems. That just...sucks.

I literally can no longer read my own posts! I'm telling you, life sucks and then you die, people, that's my motto.