I Ain't Afraid of No Daleks

Yesterday, my playwriting blog got an odd hit--no sever no country listed...just an IP number...and a very odd IP number at that, consisting of the same numbers repeating over and over, "255" to be specific.

Well, I got curious and looked it up--supposedly, this is a weird ping that hits every computer network on the planet, all at the same time. In my cace it was 12:37pm EST yesterday.

Here's the address: 255.255.255.255

What the heck is that?

And why?

Very strange.

I like Avant browser, but it's rubbish, too many bugs...keeps totally freezing up my computer, to the point where the only way to turn it off, it to physcially unplug it!

I've gone on their help forums--twice, but never got a response from there, so I guess Avant can go kiss my well-fed American bottom, then.

Apparently, tho' the site looks professional enough, it's run by a bunch of amateurs. I really didn't like Firfox--it had some bugs, but mostly I found them a bit arrogant and arbitarary--the way they literally force you into downloading updates--whether you want them or not, with little warning...updates that have at least twice, messed up my computer, also, Firefox is impatient--it doesn't wait long enough for a slower website to respond, it just kicks you out of the queue. And, it's pop-up blocker--which I don't need at all, keeps me from using the copy and paste function on MS word, on some websites--which is totally unaccetpable. And, it made my type smaller--again, following an update--which is bad 'cos I have vision issues, and...it just sucked, okay?

IE keeps booting me off the net altogether, and will no longer intall updated versions, for some reason, so IE can go take a hike.

So, tried IE, Firefox and Avant--wonder if there is such a thing as an easy-to-use browser that actually WORKS?

And yes, did a virus check, have spyware doctor and a CC cleaner.

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Well, I was going to get some make up time in at work--really wanted to, but I can't. I'm so exausted, there's no way I can do the shopping and the laundry and work today all three. I almost fell down in the bedroom a few minutes ago, I got so light-headed. So, I have to lie down for a bit, and hopefully in a while will be well enough to get some food in the house, at least.

Boots is asleep in the playcube, Charile is out on the balcony watching the traffic go by, and Flame is alternating between sleep and yowling.

Charlie likes it when those naf little scoot cars go by...sorry, but these tourists really do look silly driving around the streets in these things, showing off. Seriously, I know they look fun, but really...don't. At least not on city streets-- The people in them really do look a bit absurd. In fact, if you look at online adverts for scoot cars (Or scooter cars), you'll not find many pics with people actually inside the things--except for a place in San Franciso, and well..it's 'frisco. But most adverts have the things alone, or with a person outside the vechicle, because they really do look...daft.

Got another person asking me what there is to do in my area, in way of recreation---well, last time I posted a blog about that, the guy who asked got all snarky with me after, as I guess I didn't post the info he wanted (tho' he didn't get very specific, so I had to guess).

So, all I will do is post a link to a good website, that list pretty much 90% of the attractions in the Lake George/southern Adirondack region:

http://www.lakegeorgeguide.com/Attractions.asp

"Mine hits bus with Afghan wedding party."

This is an actual Associated Press headline.

OK, who here thinks that a mine can "hit" a bus? Erm--isn't it usuallyt he other way around?

American jornalism totally sucks these days. It's almost completely worthless.

Yes, gentle readers, I done been tagged again, this time by "earthdancer," whoever he or she is. Where ARE these people coming from, and how did they all get my e-mail address? Well, at least they've been nice about it.

So, here goes:

CURRICULUM VITAE

Name as it appears on your birth certificate? Nancy Beth (will not disclose my surname on here--ever.)

Current name? same

Nicknames? My 5th grade teacher used to call me (laugh and I'll pull yer nose) "Nancyboo." In the latter part of high school, I breifly had the nickname of "Dusty" or Dustyboots.

Parents' names? June and Joseph

Did your parents have any nicknames?

Dad's was "Smokey," cos' he was a heavy smoker for years.

Siblings?

Slightly older sister.

Number of candles that appeared on your last birthday cake?

1 or 2 probably. (I've not had a birthday cake in years, and anyway, once you get over 30 you can sort of write off multiple candles, if you don't want to burn the house down, that is)

Date that you regularly blow them out?

27

Pets?

3 cats

Height?

5 feet 6 inches or thereabouts

Eye color?

brown

Hair color?

brown

weight: 212

Piercings?

Had my ears pierced once, but they're closed up now

Tattoos?

Not on your life!

How much do you love your job?

Yeah, riiiight.

Birthplace?

Albany, NY

Hometown?

Village outside of Albany with a population of around 3000 (at the time I grew up there)

Current residence?

Glens Falls

College attended, degree?

The local community college in Queensbury, AA degree in Liberal Arts Humanities, Culinary Arts I certificate from a technical training school, 2 years at a state college in Vermont--started out in Theatre Management, but couldn't get the classes I needed, so switched major to Communications with an empahsis on journalism/public relations--minored in writing.

What kind of car do you drive?

None currently

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PREFERENCES

Croutons or bacon bits?

Both.

Coke or Pepsi?

Both, but lean towards Coke.

Sprite or 7UP?

Both, but lean towards 7-up

Coffee or ice cream?

Starbucks Coffee ice cream.

Coffee, tea, or decaf?

Coffee.

Milk chocolate or dark chocolate?

Dark

Buttered, plain, or salted popcorn?

Movie theater butter flavor (heavy on the butter)

Red or white wine?

Neither, I rarely ever drink

Gold or silver?

silver

Two or four doors?

Two doors if on a pick up truck--otherwise 4 doors.

Bridges or tunnels?

No preference

Beach, city, or country?

Country.

Summer or winter?

Winter

Storms: Cool or scary?

Cool

James Dean or Cary Grant?

Cary all the way, baby, hubba-hubba.

Marilyn Monroe or Audrey Hepburn?

Audrey Hepburn

Beatles or Stones?

Beatles

counterpane (blanket) or stuffed animal?

Old fashioned patchwork quilt

One pillow or two?

Two--overstuffed, cos I have bone spur in my neck.

Adidas, Nike, or Reebok?

Keds, actually.

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WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE...

Favourite amusement ride?

Tie between the scrambler and the water flume ride

Favourite amusement park ride as a child?

There was a life-size mechanical stagecoach pulled by two fake horses, that ran around a track and through a wooden tunnel, that was pretty cool. Mostly tho', I loved the Merry-go-round, the train, and these little realistic boats that went 'round this little tank of water, that had real bells you could ring.

Salad dressing?

Bleu cheese or vidalia onion

Salad?

No preference. Lettuce is lettuce is lettuce.

Pizza toppings?

BBQ chicken, ham and pineapple, cheeseburger, pepperoni, sliced sweet Italian sausage, or sliced Polish sausage.

Sandwich fillings?

Turkey club, corned beef Reuben, hot pastrami, tuna salad, egg salad, chicken salad, ham salad, roast beef and cheddar, ham & swiss, mixed Italian (salami, ham, pepperoni).

Desserts?

Bread pudding, rice pudding, brownies, sundae, mudpie (ice cream pie), cheesecake.

Restaurants?

Jake's Roundup, The Peppermill, Ruby Tuesdays, The Golden Corral Buffet, The Log Jam, Massies, Roma in Whitehall, PJ's BBQ Saratoga Springs, The Wooden Soldier in Fairhaven Vermont. Also: Ted's Fish Fry, Papa's corner restaurant, Hot Dog Charlie's, Valenties, Spiaks and the Purple Pub in Watervilet/Maplewood New York. The Laughing Kow in Leeuvarden, Friesland, NL.

Fast food places?

Arby's, Ted's Fish Fry, Hot Dog Charlies, Long John Silver's, Taco Bell, Mr. B's Best Roast beef and subs, A & W drive-in, Quizno's.

Drinks, non-alcoholic?

Coke, Mug, Orange Crush, iced tea, limeade, flavoured water.

Drinks, alcoholic?

None.

Color of socks?

Whatever matches my outfit and/or is most comfortable or practical.

Place to be kissed?

Never been kissed.

Holiday?

Used to be Christmas, but now..meh. Who cares?

Color?

Cobalt blue

Car?

Ford Ranger

Day of the week?

No preference

Bands/Artists?

The Proclaimers, the New Pornographers, John Denver, Kate Wolf, Runrig, Heartsfield, Kaiser Cheifs, Carbon Leaf, The La's, Barenaked Ladies, Beach Boys, Three Dog Night, Grand Funk Railroad, Bread, Carole King, Mystery Jets, Carpenters, Glen Miller, Ramsey Lewis, Creedence Clearwater Revival.

Authors?

Louis Lamour, Kathy Reichs, Steven Saylor, Terrence Dicks, Gareth Robers, Elmer Kelton, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, C.W. Anderson, Raymond Chandler, Jack Higgins.

Films?

Star Wars (1976), Arsenic and Old Lace, Vertigo, James Bond films (except Moonraker), True Grit, Little Shop Around the Corner, Lilies of the Field, The Out-of-Towners (original), Galaxy Quest, Nine-to-Five, (can't think of any more, too tired).

Television programs?

Dr Who, Remember WENN, Law and Order, All in the Family, MASH, Queer Eye, Antiques Roadshow, West Wing, Are You Being Served? Father Ted, Keeping Up Appearence, Lovejoy, The Equalizer.

Television character?

Doctor Who of course!

Disney character?

None.

Warner Bros. character?

Bugs Bunny

Sesame Street character?

None.

James Bond?

All of them, but probably a tie between Roger Moore--the Bond I grew up with, and Pierce Brosnan--thought he was brilliant...haven't seen the new Bond yet, so I can't comment on him.

Funniest Quote:

"Do you have bad credit, or just bad taste?"--Carson Kressley

Serious quote:

"Political dissent is the highest form of patriotism."--Thomas Jefferson.

Flower?

Iris

Sports to watch?

Golf, polo, show jumping, basketball

Zoo exhibits?

Haven't been to a zoo in over 30 years.

Board games?

Monopolly, Sequence Dice, Trouble, Sorry.

Towns or cities to chill in?

Saratoga Springs NY, Cambrige (Harvard Square) Massachusetts, Manhattan (NYC), Leeuwarden and Heeg, Friesland, NL.

Website?

Don't have a particular favourite, tho' I used to go on Doctor Who Online a lot.

Least favorite subject in school?

Maths, chemistry, spreadsheets, anything with computers, technical writing, lyrical poetry, editing, Sociilogical ramifications of American advertising--yes, as dry as it sounds, physcology, art ('cos I suck at drawing), American Lit I--3 hours of snoozville--God, we are a boring country when it comes to our early literatrue.

Favourite subjects?

English, world lit, acting I & II, directing, playwriting, creative writing, marketing (that was a surprise), public relations (another surprise), jornalism, archaelogy, American History I and II, state and local government, enviromental issues in the Adirondacks, world geography, public speaking, jazz history.

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RANDOM PERSONAL QUESTIONS

Been in love before?

No.

Loved somebody so much it made you cry?

Yes--this is going to sound pathtetic, by cried over my half-collie Shamrock, I loved her so much.

Dumper or dumpee?

Dumpee generally.

What inspires you?

Nature, people overcoming physical or mental challenges, people who love what they do (without an ego), people who genuinely care.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Nowhere, just older.

What do you look for in a partner?

Nothing, I gave up over 10 years ago.

What characteristics do you despise?

Greed, selfishness, racism, homophobia, deliberate sutpidity, mean-spiritedness, lack of respect for others.

If you had a big win in the lottery, how long would you wait to contact people?

No idea, never given it any thought.

Where would you retire to?

The UK, or stay in the mountains somewhere.

Do you make fun of people?

I tease, but only harmlessly--laugh with them, not at them. Well, truthfully? I MAY say or think things to myself, but never-ever-ever in public, I've been hurt too many times myself, to ever do that to another person.

Last person you went to dinner with?

I honestly don't remember, it's been years.

What did you do for your last birthday?

Absolutely nothing.

Do you carry a donor card?

I used to, before mum passed on, but lost it somewhere along the way and have never gotten round to replacing it, things were just so chaotic for such a long time.

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RANDOM QUESTIONS

Been to Europe? yes

Been to Africa?

North Africa

Been toilet-papering?

Erm--no.

Been in a car crash?

Yes, but not serious.

Lucky Number?

None

Any really odd superstitions?

Yes. I think saphhires are unlucky and that tornado dreams herald that something bad's going to happen to me, and that Rainbows mean that I'm going on a journey (well, that last one is really more of a private joke).

When was your last hospital visit?

This past week.

First thing you think of when you wake up?

"Get your butt off of me, cat, I gotta' go to the bathroom!" (Usually Boots or Charlie likes to drape themselves over my legs)

What color is your bedroom's carpet?

A really ugly shade of brown

What color is your bathroom?

Off-white or beige--I don't know, it's a bathroom, what do I care what colour the flippin' thing is?

What's on your mouse pad?

A Friesan horse

What's under your bed?

Lots of dust bunnies and a pair of beat up 5 year old Indian-beaded deerskin Minnetonka moccasins

How many times did you fail your learners (driving) test?

Just the once, on the written, passed the driving test the first time.

If you could eat lunch with one famous person, who would it be?

maybe someone from Doctor Who, or perhaps Carson Kressley.

What was the last film you saw at the cinema?

Passenger 57 I think, and the second feature at the drive-in was that awful 40-year old Virgin thing.

What was the last film you saw at home?

Re-watched With Six you Get Eggroll, a couple of nights ago.

What was the last book you read?

The Medea

What was the last CD you listened to?

The Proclaimers

What do you have for breakfast?

Haven't had breakfast today.

Can you touch your nose with your tongue?
No.

How many keys on your key ring?

2

Where would you like to visit most?

Great Britain, or go back to Iceland again.

Hobbies?

Writing, silk flower arranging, collecting model horses, antique saddles and other equestrian antiques.

Which single store would you choose to max your credit card?

I don't have a credit card.

What do you do when you're bored?

Play cribbage and other card games on the computer, write stories or plays or poems, blog, read, listen to music, sit on the balcony watch traffic go by, take a trolley ride to Lake George pier and back, go for a walk.

What sports have you participated in (not in school):

horseback riding, fishing, hiking, horseshoe pitching, pool (I suck), darts, crazy-golf, ten-pin bowling (I really, really suck), croquet.

Friend who lives farthest away?

my friend in Croatia.

Best things in the world?

Riding/hanging around horses, going for a drive in the country, chatting with friends, being around nature, helping with a theatre production, writing, sailing, traveling, watching a really good film with someone, good music, learning about history, going to an auction (with money), having a nice home, doing stuff with someone (pretty much anything, at this point of my life), doing a job I enjoy, helping people, being around my pets.

When do you get up?

I don't work the same hours all the time so it can vary widely.

Bedtime?

Anywhere from 9pm to 2am.

Last new thing(s) you bought for yourself?

Pair of jeans, a denim dress, a pair of Ked's trainers, a beach pullover, a small photo frame made to look like a cowboy's belt buckle.

Disablity?

Yes, a couple.

Weather where you are?

cool and cloudy, supposed to storm later.

What are your plans today?

Work, shop for food, post my rent check.

Lst meal you made at home?

Pot roast with gravy, peas, garlic roasted instant mashed potatoes.

Last meal you ate outside the home?

Bacon double cheeseburger and a strawberry shake.

Anything hurt right now?

My bad foot.

Do you have trees where you live?

Millions of them, literally millions.

Well, it's going on to 1am, and I've only just finished my supper a short while ago--beef pot roast with gravy, peas and roasted garlic flavour instant mashed potatoes. I already had the side dishes, so I'd picked up the little ready roast this afternoon from Wal-marts.

I wish I could think of something brilliant to write, but I'm just so incredibly worn out, I can barely even remember my name! I wanted to write some more of my play, as I had a good idea for a shift in the action, but I just scribbled down some notes and let it be. Too tired to even type, tonight.

Have a trip to the post office tomorrow morning before work, then after work a trip to the laundromat.

I'd like to do something Sunday, to get out of the apartment for a while--even if its just spend $2 in trolley fare for a ride to Lake George pier and back. I suppose though, I might just sleep in and putter around the apartment Sunday, though. Geez, I feel worse now, then before they pumped me full of antibiotics earlier this week!

Despite the humidity, the breeze has been quite cool, which is nice--the cats like it...I leave the balcony window open when I'm home, so they can go out, and Boots has been loving it...he merely sits there and watches the traffic and pedestrians go by--he especially seems to delight in the late-night skateboarders, going down the streets and sidewalks.

The kids upstairs woke me up earlier--they're having a party. They've kept the music down, which is actually very nice of them, but they and their friends like to literally run around the apartment and up and down the stairs when they've been drinking, which sounds a bit like a bunch of big ol' lumberjacks, using the floor as an imaginary trampolene. Not very conductive to a good night's sleep, that.

Oh wait, I'm a librarian's daughter--I'll write about books!!!

Finished The Medea, earlier today. I liked it. American schools (at least when I was younger) arent' very big on teaching the classics. My introduction to Shakespeare was to walk into English one day and be told we were taking a field trip to see the film Romeo and Juliet--without any prior discussion or introduction, mind you--or any discussion post-viewing either, as I recall. Free education? Worthless, if you ask me. Oh, but we did an in-depth analysis of "Failsafe," though--which actually gave me nightmares for a week.

No, any Shakespeare I read was entirely my own idea--probably not a good idea, in hindsight, seeing as I didn't have a clue what all Shakespeare was about. Really, if memory serves me, I was merely curious, when I bought a copy of Hamlet at 19. Got about halfway through it , and realized that I was in way over my head and facing a rip tide of confusion. I did manage to muddle through Twefth Night and Comedy of Errors--which I remember somewhat enjoying, tho' it was a hard task, let me tell you.

In my late 20's, I'd found a good book of Shakespearean plays at a used book shop--plays based on some BBC dramas "An Age of Kings" from the late 50's or early 60'. It had a brilliant introduction to each story, that was both informative, and also outlined the basic plot to help me follow along. I read Richard the II twice. I really liked it, and could slightly relate to it. I read Henry V as well, though I didn't like it as well as Richard II. Not sure why. Even though the book based on the BBC series made the works more palatable for my less than well-educated self, I still struggled with it. I sensed that these were wonderful and important works, and indeed, found the chore of slogging through them very worthwhile, still, when you aren't the smartest person in the world, a lot of stuff that would enhance your understanding of the works, is lost on you, I think.

I also read, in my early 20's, part of MacBeth--which I didn't really appreciate until I saw it performed at the Shakespeare Company in Lenox, Massachusetts, back in 2003--my very first look at a live performance of one of the bard's works.

So, imagine my joy, in the summer of 2004, when I found out my 3rd year World Literature course would include the wonderful Hamlet! Of course, first I had to delve into the Bible (this is what you read in World Lit, when your professor is a fundemental (creationist) Baptist from Tennesee--every notice the word "mental" in fundemental, by the way?)--as I remember, we also went through, Beowulf, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Terese Raquan or however that's spelled. Nice guy, but I didn't agree with his all of his choices of reading material...but then, who cares? I got to FINALLY study Hamlet--albeit, only for 2 weeks. But, I really for the first time got a good grasp of the story--enough to apreciate the tremendous task that David Tennant has taken upon himself--Hamlet is one intense dude, man. Passionate, intelligent, and just a wee bit mad.

Later, I was given the assignment to choose a book on my own to read, so I choose the Epic of Gilgamesh, which long pre-dates the Bible--or anything else...basically one of the first "books" ever written. I'd discovered it purely by accident, again, at a used book sale.

Actually, I read very few classics in the classroom setting, pretty much everything I read in that line, were books that I got used, at library book sales, the Salvation Army, garage and yard sales and stuff that was donated to mum's library that she didn't want or need. In 1977 or 78, I once got an entire 8 volume leather bound set of 18th centruy British poets, dating from 1815, that mum's library board told her to "toss in the trash." Both mum and I were appalled, so mum thrust them at me--knowing my fondness for poetry, and until they were stolen by one of my sister's friends in 1983, they were truly one of my treasures. It was my introduction to Goldsmith, Cowper and a host of others.

Strangely, I didn't like John Steinbeck's books until fairly recently. When I was young, about 12 or 14 years old, mum--bless her, had enrolled me in a book club that specialized in horse stories. For a year I got a book a month from the club, everything from "National Velvet," to "The Horse that Played Center Field." I loved it! I remember though, that my one disappointment was "The Red Pony," by John Steinbeck. That was so sad...I hated sad endings--still do sort of..oh, how I bawled my eyes out at the ending of a foreign film (Iran) called "The Colour of Paradise". I was so devistated! I hardly ever cry with film or television stuff--well, except for when Ginger died in Black Beauty, old Yeller and Bambi's mum--when it comes to films, I tend to cry more over animal deaths than people--why is that? Maybe 'cos I relate to animals better than I do to humans? I found the ending of Red Pony really hard to take, at age 13 or so.

In 2006, and then in 2007 and, 2008, I read and re-read Steinbeck's "Cannery Row." Really, really liked that. It goes to show, you can't always judge an author by only one of his or her works. Cannery Row was great--it was funny and sad and interesting. The colourful characters making the best of their unfortunate circumstances. Little snapshots of the lives and characters of one small neighbourhood in the poor section of town. I wonder why no one ever made that into a play or film? Tho' some of the scenes wouldn't translate well on stage, I supose--there's this one bit with some runaway frogs....great stuff...and the cats..that bit was kind of sad.

I think my favourite book out of the 12, was one called "Dark Sunshine," About a girl with polio who loved horses and the outdoors, but who had lost interest in everything after her illness, so her family moved to a ranch out west, and one day, on a picnic to a canyon edge-- whose trail to the bottom had been cut off by a slide--the family found a horse trapped down there--so, they mounted a rescue operation--and the owner of the horse gave it to the girl...well, long story short, the girl fell in love with the horse, got interested in living again, and eventually, during a crisis, decided to try and walk again. It was such a moving story--as much about the girl as about the horse...wish I could write like that. I gave away my horse stories (which I now regret) in my mid-20's, all except two, which I still own.

Of course, I was very moved by Wuthering Heights, when I read it in the early 80's. Through the past 25 years or so, I've managed to work my way though quite a few old and new classics: Green Mansions, Three Musketeers, Prisoner of Zenda, Treasure Island, Robin Hood, Ivanhoe and Rob Roy, Ben Hur, Dracula, Frankenstein, Tales from the Arabian Knights, Guliver's Travels, Rebecca, King Soloman's Mines, The Mystery of Edwin Drood and A Christmas Carol, A Conneticuit Yankee in King Arthur's Court, A day in the Life of Ivan Densinovich, Last of the Mohicans, Robinson Caruso, The Good Earth, Hound of the Baskervilles and many other Doyle stories, the works of Raymond Chandler and Dashell Hamett, Rudyard Kipling, Edgar Allen Poe, Balzac...yet, there so many I've yet to read, aren't there? I recently read my first Agatha Christie.

I really, really miss not having a library card--still have $100 fine to pay off--which I vey much tried to do, a while back, when I got my tax rebate checque from the government, but the local library wouldn't take the funds, telling me that they'd been instructed (after a lengthy and mysteriously argumentive phone call to the other library) that I had to go and pay it "in person"...even after I explained that that would be physically imossible as being car-less and friend-less (locally), I had no way to get there, as the library in question was in another county, nearly 10 miles away! The stupid

Apparently, for some reason, the flaky librarian at that branch didn't want me to send the money via the post. Why??? If I sent it via registered post, she'd have to sign for it, so there's little chance of it being lost or stolen. I could have even sent it through FedEx or something like that. People around here can be really...strange.

So, even though there's an excellent public library a mere 15 or 20 minute walk away, It's pretty much useless to me, as far as borrowing things goes.

Well, it's late and I have to go back to bed--that's the problem with falling asleep too soundly when taking a nap--I stay up too late 'cos I'm not tired enough for bed any longer.

It's a bit past 7am on a Saturday morning in the UK, hope you all have a good day, and that the weather doesn't dun you.