I Ain't Afraid of No Daleks

Well, no lay off...but I have been shifted to strictly night work for the interim, as there's no Sunday/day shift for the time being, in my department.

Flamey is sitting on the arm of my chair, staring at the computer screen: "What's she saying about me?" My little ginger cat is such a nosey thing.

Speaking of noses, (did you like that segway) I read where David Tennant's one of the hosts for Red Nose Day this year, good for him! I only learned about that particular charity last year, but think it's a fantastic idea.

I'm to meet some co-workers at 4pm, back at the office, and we're going all pile into my farm-lady friend's car, and go shopping...at Price-Rite supermarket...they're having an awesome sale...boneless chicken breasts for only $1.99 a pound! Whoo-hoo!

Well...I've told you life in Glens Falls is rather dull...do you lot need further proof?

I've 15 dollars to spare, so I thought I'd see what's what. Besides my Natl. Grid bill going up this month, my food stamps have been sharply reduced--just for this month though, oddly...so I'll be using more of my tiny little weekly pay packet to spend on groceries, so I'm taking anything I can get cheap, this month, and saving the food stamps for "special" (ie: more expensive) items.

Everyone likes my new hair cut. I had my pic taken at work with my dorky winter hat off--although it's not styled, and I'm dressed way down too, not like I normally would be, 'cos quite frankly, I'm nearly out of clean clothes...can't do the laundry until Wednesday, and I'm down to my last clean pair of jeans--which are my old barn/horse riding jeans from 6 years ago, and tho't hey still are wearable, they are pretty much the last pair I do wear, as a rule, cos' they're getting a bit beat...and I was wearing a 20 year old sweater, as well...not looking my best in the pic, in other words. Ah well. Maybe I can slip on my evening gown, and snag my hillbilly neighbour into taking my pic--in fact, maybe I'll do that tomorrow. He owes me a favour.

I'd posted, earlier this week--think Wed? or maybe Tues?, a request for feedback on the idea of putting in a Dr Who fan-fic blog, and re-posting my stories on there, while allowing others to do the same.

Yeah, that went over well. Theonly feed back I got was in the negative, in a semi-non-constructive kind of way. No one else could be bothered to respond...so I am left to assume either they didn't read it, were too embarrassed to respond, or just plain didn't give a shite, one way or the other...to me always, a non-response is generally taken as a negative (not that it hurt my feelings mind you--it's just that it tells me that it didn't make any impression whatsoever--or, that it made a negative impression, and no one wants to say so) So, no Dr Who fan fic blogs on bcuk then.

Anyway, that's that.

A Sunny Saturday morning for us, today. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, the boys upstairs are banging about...don't those rugrat teens ever sleep? Jeez--all night long...only time they were quiet was between 3 and 5am...and one point, the thunder of a couple of pairs of feet running up three flights of stairs woke me at 2am.

Where the hell do they get the energy? Well, this from the girl whom used to voluntairly wake at 4am on a late spring morning, just to watch the sun come up over the hills across the river. Was I ever that young...and that ambitious? Yeah, back in the day, I used to throw off the covers with a "oh boy! It's MORNING!" attitude...30-something years later, I'm like: "Dang! It's morning already?" What ever happened to that happy-go-lucky, can't wait to greet the day attitude? Life happened...or as we Yanks say, sh_t happens.

Have to work today, bleh. But, did my shopping yesterday, so for once I can just come home and relax. Unless I get invited to go to the cows again...and not sure I'd accept this time, lovely weekend as it is, 'cause I'm annoyingly tired, the last few days. Suspect it's either my anemia or my blood sugar, playing up, as I've not done anything overly stressful, of late.

So, find out in the next 72 hours, whether I'll have a pay check, the middle of February or not. If I wasn't getting my tax refund, quite frankly that would leave me in some very hot water...oh, I'd have enough...barely, to pay the rent, and probably, if I scrimp and save, the (now much higher as of Feb) National f'ing Grid bill....but feeding the cats and me, would be a challenge...and the internet and phone would most certainly have to go.

But, then, work may decide they can use me, and let me work some night hours...I may even be allowed to keep my current half-time schedule of 20 hours a week. So, not going to moan and rend my hair just yet...in a wait and see, mode.

So, here's some pics once again, of morning in snowy Glens Falls, NY. It's a balmy 4 F ( -15 C ) But supposed to rise to 22 F later today. One of the odd things about winter temps here, is that it can actually feel warmer at minus 15 C, than when it's say, minus 6 C, because a calm wind at minus 15 celsius with sun, is actually a dry cold, whereas the minus 6 C temps with strong winds, throws in a windchill factor--and it's a damper cold, and it just feels horrid....the kind of cold where you feel like your ears will fall off and you get chilled through...whereas with a dry -15 C cold with little or no wind, one can feel (if dressed properly) quite warm and comfortable.

Such is the case this morning, at any rate. I was out on the balcony--in my pyjamas, and the cold actually fooled me...thought it was in the low 20's F! It doesn't at all feel like it's 4 degrees F out there, not in the least. Yet, yesterday morning, it was actually 21 F, and I couldn't feel my face! My ears were stinging from the cold, by the time I'd walked the 10 or 12 minutes into work! Blimey, I was freezing!

Cat owners don't just have cats cos' we want to get rid of mice and of course, for the love and companionship they generously grant us....they're also a form of FREE entertainment...well, as long as they don't break anything.

Hello all,

Just woke from an unplanned nap. Around an hour after I got home, I started to feel woozy and nauseous...laid down, and suddenly I'm having massive amounts of gas...suspect it was the Burger King (or as some yanks say, "burger woof") onion rings I had for my early lunch this morning---haven't had them in a couple of years, and I guess I forgot why...they give me enough gas to power a hundred cookers. Yup, I was a walking bum trumpet, a fartcycle, a regular gut thunderer. Hopefully it'll be gone before I go into the office in the morning, or my cubicle mates are libable to be giving me dirty looks for the rest of the day. It probably didn't help that I ordered the rings with some "zesty" dipping sauce, which is marginally hot and very spicy.

I ate at 11am, and I'm still not hungry at 9.30 in the evening, so don't think I'm going to be buying any more BK stuff for a while. Well, I have been doing my best to steer clear of junk food anyway, but sometimes I just get a craving....48 years of American fast food, die hard I'm afraid.

BK has a new sandwich on the menu, laughably called the "prime rib burger." (Prime rib being an expesive type of steak, served rare to medium rare, au jus, in American steak houses and posher restaurants, and is usually really lucious, by the way.) This is a rip off of the same exact burger offered by another fast food chain, Hardee's (which is far superiour to BK), and also I believe I once saw it in an advert for some chain called "Carl's Jr." or something like that.

This is a prime rib:

Burger King's Prime Rib Burger, is just a small regular hamburger--very dry and tasteles, with a few thin slices of roast beef folded on top of it...on the bun is some black pepper sauce, a few measly pieces of lettuce and a slice of tomato (which I opted to not have on mine, as I thoroughly dislike fresh tomatoes)...the bun was just your typical bun, and being charged nearly $6 for a medium coke, onion rings and that rotten sandwich...left me wishing I'd gone across the street to the Quizno's sub shop, instead.

A Quizno's prime rib sub---that usually does look (mostly) like the adverts..for about the same price as that naf BK meal:

Wow, it was National Nutjob Day at work today, I reckon.

A co-worker had a woman on, who was fine with making a payment on her bill--who then, halfway through the conversation, with no warning, started screaming and swearing and ranting at my co-worker...so incoherenly that my co-worker hadn't a clue what the woman's issue was..and so loudly was this woman ranting, that said co-worker had to hold the phone well away from her ear...the woman slamed the phone down, apparently, without conveying what or whom had set off the mental fireworks display.

I had a 91 year old man, who....talked.........like........this......and......he...........couldn't.........tell....me

.......whether.....or....not......he...wanted....to.....continue.........paying.....his....bills.

(At this point, I felt like I was in a comedy show skectch).

He....did...how..ever.......manage.....to....bitch....and...complain....about...some..thing..--but--....I....couldn't...figure.....out...what...that...........was....because....I....had....to..

....put....the....phone...down.......to.....go....bang.....my............fore..head....on....the...desk....repeatedly.

Then, I was talking to a hunting club memeber, and he suddenly said, "Can I ask you a personal question?" Yeeesss? I said tentatively. "Do I sound like a man who talks dirty to women?" EY?

Apprently the man stands accused of fondling two girls on his school bus route. Ew. I have a past about this issue and won't discuss it, but let's just say he was probably talking to the very last person he'd get sympathy from, regarding that sort of thing.

God, the recession is just making more and more Americans really freaky...as if they weren't nutty enough already! I do so long to move to Europe. It's a dumb dream, but it's the only one I got left, these days, and it's nice to think about, even as I'm accutely aware that it's just not practical or feasible...or even advisable, I suppose, given the climate of the world today.

I've been toying with the idea of going away for an overnight somewhere...not really London, that's just--impossible, even for one day...over $1000 just for round-trip airfare, on average...that BA "deal" of 156 dollars for airfare to London is a RIPOFF. In order to take advantage of the incredibly low fare, one must go for an entire week--as this so-called "bargain basement fare" is only good on Tuesdays, LOL. Anyway, it really was just some stupid mental fantasy.

I had hoped for a more practical trip--like to New York City or Montreal, but now, even the door to that dream has shut. I got told there's not much work next week...and maybe the week after that. Won't know if I'm to be laid off until Monday...they only just now telling me 15 minutes before I leave work.

They're to be shut on Sundays, altogether, for the time being.

Ah well. I can still go down to Albany to put flowers on mum's grave, as soon as the snow's gone, come April or early May.

According to a poll by Politico, the majority of Americans think the republican's "economic stimulus" package was and is, not geared towards helping Americans get back on their feet. Americans seem to feel that the stimlulus package--hurriedly pushed through by a panicking Bush white house, made few provisions and gave little thought to assisting American citizens, but was only used to shore up banks and other financial institutions--including some whom helped to create this economic cesspool.

Americans are also seething over the news that bank executives continued to give themselves billions in cash bonuses, even while they knew they weren't on solid ground, financially...and some have even used bailout money for purposes other than fixing the credit crunch...such as supplying raises to executives. In fact, some banks are now being found out, to have used precious little of the bailout billions, to work on adjusting credit issues, nor have many of them gone out of their way to help their customers...in fact, just the opposite: as I write this, the financial/banking lobby is decending on Washington D.C. like starving locusts, to try and do all they can to prevent politicians from enacting legistlation that would enable many homeowners forego foreclosure and stay in their homes.

current results of the poll asking if Americans feel the October stimulus package is helping consumers/debtors/workers/local economies, etc., 64 % of those responding said "No." 28% said "yes." The rest were undecided.

Up early--sort of. Have to cash my pay cheque and do some chores before going into work. I could have slept in and do all that after work...but makes a long night, and tomorrow I go fairly early into work, so thought it'd be nice to have the evening to relax in, instead of running around like some kind of loon, trying to do everything Friday evening.

It's trying to snow a bit here, but it's just lazy flurries....a few big soft flakes slowly drifting down, taking their own sweet time about it. We're in for a nice weekend, actually, with seasonable temperatures for a change--upper 20's F, for us...maybe even the low 30's F...oooh, a tropical heatwave. Break out the sun tan oil.

Unfortunately, there's a massive storm brewing down in the southeastern US, that is supposed to bring us high winds and heavy rain/snow for Monday/Tuesday. Again??? Dang. I'd rather have -15 below zero F temps and raging blizzards dumping 12+ inches on us, than an ice storm!

I really am terrified of ice...I was told one more bad fall on that permanently sprained foot of mine, and I could well never walk on it, ever again. Since I am completely on my own here, and shank's mare is my main mode of transport--and I live on the second floor...the thought of not being able to walk, really does scare me. It was a living hell when I blew my foot out, nearly two years ago, trying to cope with going to work, cooking for myself, showering, grocery shopping, laundry, housework, etc., while in excruciating pain and on crutches...blimey! All those things I take for granted, suddenly seeming so incredibly hard to do. Just going upstairs was terrible...I'm ashamed to admit that I distinctly remember sitting on the staircase a few times, crying out of sheer frustration, 'cos it would actually take me as much as 20 minutes to go up to my apartment (a trip that normally takes 1 minute). I never want to go through that again, no way!

Anyway, I'm off shortly. Decided to have either a late breakfast or early lunch out, whichever happens to happen. I think I woke the cats too early, they don't seem very frisky this morning. They don't like it when I wake early, they're not "morning" cats...very nocturnal, them. Flame is usually positively nagging me---I mean that in an almost human way...reaching out and poking me with her paw--like a person would with their finger, or a kid tugging at mum's skirts, and actually whinging every five minutes, and getting all anxious looking, until I open her tinned food.

Wow, she's really out of it! I said the "magic words" to Flamey: "Wanna' EAT?" and she didn't even stir! She's cute when she's tired...gets that sleepy-eyed look, like she'd been out partying all night.

Well, must dash. Hope you all have and are having, a grand Friday. Cheers.

...Arkansas...he's a hunter...naturally.

I just thought it funny, I called a "John Sims" yesterday...ha-ha, can you tell I'm a Whovian? I called a "Rose Piper" one day, had got a big kick out of that. What can I say? I'm easily amused.

Could this be a regenerated Master???

This from an American hunting magazine:

The weather on that early June afternoon in northwestern Wyoming couldn’t have been gloomier. There was a storm brewing, the sky filled with dark clouds that promised heavy rain—which thankfully didn’t come until after nightfall. Yet despite the lamentations of our host, Ralph...who said the weather kept us from really seeing what the area could offer in terms of sheer numbers of prairie dogs, in 2 days four rifle barrels didn’t cool down from the time we set up at mid-morning until we left for supper.

When it comes to practicing your rifle shooting, nothing beats burning up a lot of powder at live targets, in particular, prairie dogs. Not only can you fire literally hundreds of rounds in a day, but in much of the best prairie dog country, the wind is always blowing. To consistently hit a pop bottle-sized dog at long distances, you must become tuned to the nuances of wind-drift. Also, you quickly learn the importance of taking a rock-solid rest, how to steady the crosshairs on the target, even how to squeeze the trigger between heart beats to eliminate muzzle jump at the wrong moment...(the rest of the article is all technical shooting stuff).

NOTE: the sole justification of all of this, is that ranchers are pissed off over all of the prairie dog holes in their pastures--a fact of the prairie that America's prairie-land ranchers have had to learn to live with for over 150 years. Why it's suddenly bothering them now, to the point of total extermination...especially in light of the fact that the numbers (scientifically proven to be true, despite the rancher's claims--true some populations in a few regions have increased, while in other regions they are quite clearly in decline, and close to being endangered) of prairie dogs are in fact, dwindling.

My computer is all bogged down. Running like it's on dial up when it's on a high-speed cable server. But, it's not just the internet. As I write this, I'm running my Kapersky virus scan--which usually takes only 15 or 20 minutes...it's been close to 40 min. and it's not even 30% done yet! It's running exceptionally slow!

It's not finding anything yet--is it even working? It's blocked several Trojan viruses in the last two weeks, so it must be. Am going to try a free spyware scan when this is done...something's wrong, and Kapersky isn't fixing it...yet, anyway.

UPDATE: virus scan is showing I have four corrupted files...two in my hardrive. Ouch. Doesn't say anything more about it, that I can tell..guess I'm screwed, because I don't have a clue what that means.

Found this on a hunting magazine's website, thought it rather cool:

Estimated cost: $15 (approx. £7.50)

12. Optional: Attach a nocking bead to the center mark of the string.

Have you ever had the experience where, you are out shopping or doing other chores, and you encounter a total stranger--whom you just keep bumping into...and whom eyeballs you, every time?

The other day, when I went out to the supermarket, while waiting for the cab, I decided to bop down to Tractor Supply Company, to see if they had any of the fall line clothing on discounted sale--they did, but nothing I'd wear...tho' I did see a really cool retro-style black hoodie with a vintage red Farmall tractor on it...I know, I'm such a tomboy, still...but it actually did look pretty neat...to me, anyway.

Anyway, as I was walking to the farm and garden supply shop, a man walks up to the sidewalk from the carpark, talking on his mobile. He's middle aged and dressed extremely posh--most definately a lawyer, banker or doctor, I'd hazard to guess. So, he is occupied with his mobile, and steps almost into my path--but not rudely or anything like that. He looks up at me--I mean, really notices me, and gives a sort of apologetic smile (he seemed extremely preoccupied)...I thought no more of it, and went into the TSC store.

Having done with my browse (better than waiting in the 16 F windchill, waiting for a cab), I had $1 to spare, so I thought I'd schlep into the Everything for One Dollar shop next door, to see if they had any cheap spaghetti (sometimes they have it for under $1)...and there was mr. posh again...and again, he made a point to look right at me...another little half-smile...what's with that??? Then, I found the cheap pasta, and who's in line in front of me? Yep, Mr. Posh...again, the (not unpolite) stare, and the little smile.

Okay, at that point, I'm like, "WHAT??!!??" What the heck was that about? Okay, you have to understand NO ONE ever-ever-ever looks at me like that. I mean, 99% of the people I meet around in the shops, on the street, etc., dont' even look at me. I'm not pretty, I'm not thin, I walk like a gimpy lumberjack, and dress like a country bumpkin (except for the office or a special occasion). Did I have a booger hanging out of my nose? Broccoli in my teeth? Did I look like someone he knew? (Highly unlikely unless he's Polish.)

It wasn't an unpleasant encounter, but it was a bit...strange-feeling. NOT that I'm being paranoid! But really, usually when posh people look at me...it's so definately not in a nice way. That's why they say to me (the very few times it's come up) "YOU'VE been to college?" Or "YOU'VE been overseas?" Or "You've read..." (Shakespeare, Thoreau, Cowper, Steinbeck, etc.).

People that look like me, doing low wage jobs, aren't supposed to have any education...or if we do, we're seen as defective, 'cos we don't have posh job titles. "What are you doing THAT for, if you have an education?" Erm--to eat, keep a roof over my head, etc.?

Anyway, not sure why I'm writing about it, except for some reason I happened to think about it, tonight. And you know...I'd kind of not mind meeting the gentleman again, sometime--tho' that's about as likely as me meeting someone from Dr Who...I so do not travel in posh circles...I am much more at home and relaxed around cows and horses, or just strolling around somewhere by myself, or chilling over a keyboard typing stuff. I rarely even go to the library to the lectures and films and stuff, any longer. I used to do that stuff all the time a few years back, when I was in college: art gallery openings, lectures, plays, concerts, etc. But...I'm not that person anymore. I've retreated into my own little world here in this apartment, and except for my weekly chores--and invites to my co-worker's farm--I rarely ever venture out, any longer. Just don't feel like it. Lost the glow..the thrill is gone, the social train has left the station without me, these days.

One of the supervisors at my office made this--giggle time.

more lol celebs!

I was physically threatened over the phone today. An older man was incensed that I had (or rather my computer dialer had) dialed his number incorrectly--this happens when someone is issued a phone number that had belonged to a previous person...it's happened to me, it happens to millions of people in America.

I did my best to apologize to the man--my best Doris Day approcach, and reassure him that I was putting him down as a wrong number--but the more I tried to be nice and apologetic and just get off the phone with the old freak, the more insensed he became and then--without warning, he because screeching profanity at me, and then said, "if you call me again, I'm gonna get a knife or a gun, and find you..." Thereby committing a federal offense (threatening or harrassing someone over the phones, across state lines, is actually a federal crime in the USA)...and which point I had been trying to tell him to calm down, that I was doing just as he was telling me to--but I hang up. You just can't reason with a rabid dog.

I suppose I could have written down his phone number and the exact time of the call (which is automatically recorded) and call the New York State Police. But, who cares? This is more or less "normal" American behavior these days...no joke.

Yes, Americans do often foam at the mouth like mad dogs, or something as innocent and completely HARMLES, as a wrong number. I mean, at best, it's merely an inconvenience! If it bothers these people so much, they can get the number changed, or get an unlisted number--or just yank out the damn phone, if it's making them that mentally unstable.

The 2nd Amednment of our constitution, was written when this country--a brand new country, less than 170 years after the first white settlers landed at Jamestown, was barely out of its proverbial diapers... and, we were on the brink of war with one of the world's major superpowers---with bloodthirsty native American warriors thrown in--in modern comparison, it might be a bit like New Zealand going to war with Russia. So, militias were sorely needed. This is no longer the case, for, despite the depletion of our military resources by the "war" in Iraq and the war in Afghanistan, outside of the National Guard--which is funded by both the state and federal government--there are no other RECOGNIZED militias in the US.

However, there ARE "club" militias...often white Arian (Nazi-style or KKK) "militias" that are totally independent of government control, and whom often have no real interest in preserving the peace or democracy--their true purpose is much more sinister and evil...they exist to wipe anyone who isn't white Anglo-Saxon protestant American, off the map. I kid yo not. Most especially, they hate blacks, Muslims and hispanics...and Jews, and the British, and the French, and the Russians...pretty much everyone but their own redneck little band of neanderthals.

I really wish I were kidding, but sadly, I'm not--these "militia-men" exist by the tens of thousands--every state in the USA has them. It's one of our better kept dirty little secrets. Something the National Rifle Association--which many white politicians belong to-- rather you didn't know about. It was two "militia-men" domestic terrorists, who blew up the federal building in Oklahoma city in 1995, killing over 150 people, and injuring some 450--including children in a day care centre inside the building.

These pseudo-patriotc "Americans" often wish to undermine the US constitution, because they don't understand its intent, and harbour some quaking fear of authority figures--anxeity disorder, mummy syndrome...who knows? These club memebers are so uneducated or mentally unstable, that they suffer from "end time" paranoia, and want to be "ready" for the "invasion"--whether that be Russia, North Korea, China, terrorists, nuclear or chemical weapons from the (laughably they really believe this) Middle East, The Second Coming of Christ, or UFO aliens---the reason for stockpiling weapons and food and learning survival techniques varies from one redneck "tribe" to another.

Also, in the USA, almost anyone can get a gun....whether they plan on using it for hunting (and tens of thousands of so-called American "hunters" quite and very literally, DO NOT KNOW what a deer looks like)--or for so-called "self-defense." The truth is, most guns in America, are used in crimes---are used on people the shooter KNOWS...their wife, child, husband, mum, dad, cousins, friends, co-workers and criminal associates. True, sometimes innocent people get caught in cross-fire, and sometimes an untreated mentally ill person, or someone suffering a sudden "breakdown," will take a gun and start shooting random people--either for some kind of power trip, or just for some attention.

Yes, there are responsible gun owners out there--but they are becoming fewer and further between. yet...even convicted criminals in many states, can very easily get hold of a gun.legally...even a hunting license!

In the wake of the recession, in California alone, FIVE families have fallen victim in the past several months, to murder-suicides with guns.

Many hunters and other gun owners actually BRAG about letting their 3 to 8 year olds handle and fire loaded guns! These would be the 3 to 8 year olds that TOALLY LACK any proper ADULT judgement when it comes to using a firearm, mind you. They can't drive a car, they can't drink a beer...but they can go out and shoot live ammo at anything that moves. What's wrong with this picture???

Here's what the Second Amendment has to say:

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Today, the National Rifle Association and gun lovers across America, take this to mean that every American has a right to own a handgun and/or rifle, or even an automatic weapon, like an Uzi. And, they are trying their hardest to see that ANY laws restricting that right--whether those laws are intended to save Americans from their fellow Americans--and do away with regulations...basically, the gun lobby wants America to back in time the wild west of the mid-1800's...they fail to see that laws and rules are what keep us civilized..they don't want the responsibility of keeping America save from Americans...they only care about defenseless animals, criminals only invading the gun owner's own personal space, and terrorists/Communists/aliens and the 2nd coming of Jesus.

I'm for calling a duck and duck, and making the Second Amendment Constitution of the United States, FINALLY taken literally--used to mean PROPER state militias (such as the National Guard), and NOT anyone who wants to own a gun.

Click here to vote--should every American be allowed to own a gun???

http://www.usatoday.com/news/quickquestion/2007/november/popup5895.htm

A bright sunny day out there...not much going on, here. My drunken hillbilly neighbours were going at it, hammer and tongs, last night and when I woke this morning. Lovely. Apparently they had complained (as had I, actually) to the landlords about the loud music coming from the boys upstairs--the yuppie-_itch building manager, made sniveling excuses for them, saying they'd just gotten a new video game and didn't realize it was so loud--yeah, and that's why they didn't turn it down when the neigbours started banging on the ceilings with broom handles??? Blimey! It was so loud, you could actually hear it the minute you walked in the outside door, down stairs--that's three storey's down, by the way.

But, the drunken hillbilly's loud-mouth sister was whinging at me about the kids upstairs and THEIR noise, and then she and her stoned brother kept me up till midnight with their little argument...and entertained me at breakfast with a continuation therof.

Ah well, life in the city, gotta' love it...not. God, I miss my caravan! I've been looking at apartments, but it's just not finacially possible--even with the 1st month's rent and security deposit, the cost (and headaches) of getting my electric/internet re-connected and all that palaver--the stress of packing...I can't afford to hire a proper removal firm. And, I would have to, because I'll be damned if I'm EVER going to depend on a co-worker, someone hired off the street or someone referred to me by a "friend." No-the-hell-way. I'm NOT going to go through any more moving nightmares! I just can't go through that kind of hell again. Blimey! It would put me back in hospital!

And, quite honestly, I'm just getting too damn old to play the part of a pack-mule, any longer. My body is just worn out to bits, and I'm not even 50 years old, yet!

The cats are in fine fettle this morning--well, Boots is passed out on a throw pillow on the floor in front of the radiator. Flame and Charlie are happy lovely today, though. They are alternating between playing with their toys, and being super-affectionate...and just stretching and rolling about in the sunshine on the floor, looking sweet. Awww.

Me, it's off to work again today, only noon to four. I dislike those hours, 'cos it throws my meal schedule all off--not good for my already wonky appetite, and worse for my diabetes. But, ya' do what ya' gotta' do, right? I'm not one for shirking--well, unless my body or mental state dictates otherwise, sadly. Don't exactly have total control over that, I'm afraid.

I only made one sale yesterday--I so SUCK at selling. I mean it! I totally suck. I'm not comfortable with being pushy or agressive--I'm such a Mary Poppins, sometimes, I enjoy being nice and helpful, and I'm not very good at brown-nosing people...which is essential in a good salesperson...sucking up and schmoozing, I mean...I really do stink at that.

Anyway, onwards and upwards--was hoping to change jobs in the new year, but that's just not gonna' happen. There are NO jobs. None. There were what? Maybe five jobs listed in the local paper--all of which I either am unqualified for, or would put me back into the world of low-wage mangy labour.

I am $30,000+ in student loan debt, because I wanted to get away from the trap of low-wage mangy labour...yeah, well, the fantasy was nice while it lasted...go back to college, get a career, follow your dreams, make a better life for yourself? HORSE PUCKY.
Go back to college, get so buried in debt you'll never get out, have George W. Bush yank your student funding out from under you so you can't finish your 4 year degree, then also have said bastr--erm, presideent make it HARDER for you to re-pay said loans and impossible for you to include said loans in bankruptcy proceedings...then TRY to find a job based on the skills you did learn in college, and find out that even if you would be hired, the only jobs you qualify for, are low-wage jobs!!??!!! Screw that. I should have blinking stayed on benefits...no really, I was financially more secure unemployed on benefits, than I was working...or even, working on benefits, like I am now!!!

So, that's my little vent, over and done with for the day. Have to change into my office duds. Have a great day, all. Cheers.

(Taken from my balcony window at 11.00am) THE MORNING AFTER THE STORM:

Oooh, I'm being cheeky again, aren't I? Poor Russell, have a ciggie on me, ol' son.

Well, after continuining for 18 hours straight, more or less, the snow has finally stopped. The public work's crew has been hard at it, and our main street (Glen St.) is now mostly clear and wet. Because the storm got such a late start, we only got about 10 inches here in the city, I reckon, just by an eyeball measurement..might be more like 8..it's hard to tell in the city...in the country I used to use trees as my measuring stick, in the city I pretty much have to use roofs, and snow slides off them, so it's slightly harder to gauge.

But, I can pretty much tell we didn't get the 14 to 18 inches forecast for us, which is nice. We already had around 24 inches on the ground, roughly--it's been snowing almost every week, or every other week, since early December--any deeper and I'll be needing to buy some snowshoes to get to work, ha-ha (kicking myself for selling mine in 2006).

Right now, the wind is howling 'round the eaves...maybe it isn't the winter wind at all, but the lost souls of all those who died with dreams forsaken.

Erm--that was a bit rubbish, wasn't it? Never mind.

Back! Okay, where was I? Oh yeah. Cold winters never used to matter to me. It's like everything else in life, you get used to it...well, until you hit halfway through your 40's, in my case. Whether it's the injuries catching up to me, or my diabetes, or whatever, I just don't have the tolerance for the cold like I used to. I still don't mind it too bad...as long as I'm dressed for it, but it does seem to physically affect me a whole lot more than it has done, for the past 40 some-odd years.

I used to think nothing of going for a walk in sub-zero temps after a winter storm--used to love it, actually. But now...I really hate to admit this, it's so...un-butch of me, but right now, you couldn't pry me out of my mangy old aprtment with a crowbar. I mean, the only way you'd get me to go outside on a night like this, is on a stretcher, or over a fireman's shoulder---well, if it's a handsome bloke, I don't reckon I'd object too awfully much, anyway.

A double-decker bus being shipped over to Dubai for filming of the Easter Special of Doctor Who was wrecked while being unloaded in Yemen.

According to the "Wired" website...Unfortunately, whoever brought the vehicle to Dubai delivered only a "bu-" -- having beaten the "s" out of it. Now Davies has a beat-up bus dumped off in the United Arab Emirates that he can't use for shooting.

The 1980 vintage double decker was wrecked by a crane operator during the unloading process...basically he dropped a 30 foot shipping container on it. Ouch. The two buses used in the episode were hired, at a cost of 20,000 pounds (doesn't say if that's each or for the pair). Also, it's been printed in a couple of online papers, that it would have cost the BBC around 7,000 pounds to ship the bus to Dubai.

Whoops. There's yer license fee down a very expensive loo, ey? Apparently it's too big a dent to fix with a sonic screwdriver.

Allegedly in the script, the Doctor was supposed to encounter the bus in the UK...and again in a very exotic locale--of course we now all know that locale is Dubai.

Both Russell--who reportedly (and rightly so) blew a gasket when he found out, and his co-writer for the special, Gareth, are completely and massively re-writing scenes (to the joy of the actor's, director and other key people, I'll bet) to get around the Doctor missing the bus.

(Well, now the bloke knows how I feel!!! Missing the bus sucks.)

Last year, the programme had another near-miss with a shooting disaster, when a major fire broke out at the Italian film studios in Rome where part of Fires of Pompeii was shot. The filming had only just finished, and some very expensive filming equipment was lost in the blaze--thankfully no one was hurt, though. It is believed insurance paid for the loss of the equipment, though...and hopefully the damaged bus was insured.

There were problems with the other bus as well, when disrespectful and overly enthusiastic "fans" (Okay--I'm an American... let's not sugarcoat it--obnoxious, ill-mannered idiots) kept interrupting the shooting in Cardiff, by pressing the pedestrian crosswalk buttons, forcing the bus to stop so they could shoot pictures with their camera phones and gawk at the actors inside.

Basically though, with the damage to the "desert" bus, the original Dubai shooting script is now toast, from what I understand, and I imagine Producer/writer Davies' must be having some very agitated and sleepless nights, right about now, the Poor guy. He has my complete sympathy...but he's one of the best.

(I say that, even when I don't always agree with Davies' choices in his writing--I may bemoan his theatrics and soap-ish dramas at times, but I still enjoy his work, think he's an awesome writer--and really, it would actually worry me, if I agreed with everything somebody wrote, said or did...bleurgh, no.)

Anyway--sorry, got off the beaten path again..that's the tomboy in me...

Recently released photos show the Doctor walking around with a chunk of gold--which some people refer to as a gold-wrapped chocolate. Hey, even Time Lords must have a sweet tooth.

There was a mention of what Michelle Ryan's character is, but I won't print that here--too much of a spoiler and I'm sorry I saw it...I try so hard to ignore spoliers, but sometimes they (the fans/media) sneak them in without the courtesey of warning of spoilers.

Someone actually sent me what was allegedly the outline for the Easter special plot but I deleted it. Don't wanna' know!!!

Well, got some e-mails tonight. Gah--would you believe another love letter to/about David Tennant? Why me? This girl (assuming it's a girl, it was just a generic username) didn't even tell me why she was writing me---actually, it was almost like an e-mail to the actor himself! And long? Jees....this one came with a deliverable address, so I sent a courteous but semi-terse reply asking her not to do this any longer, and why.

All I can think is that my e-mail address has been posted on some fan-blog somewhere out it cyberspace, and someone is telling these sweet little air-heads that either I know the man, or that this is the man's e-mail address???? Or, someone's taking the mickey out of me. One or the twain, I've no idea.

Anyway, the other e-mail was yet another meme, from my old pal Tardisgurl. Well, it's a long snowy evening, so I might as well...

This is a "photo fantasy" meme.

_________________________________________________________________

Find a picture to discribe...

1. What the best Christmas present ever, would be:

Tie:

Or:

2. Where you would like to live:

3. Your idea of the perfect place to live:

4.. Your dream home:

5. How you would furnish your dream home:

6. your dream job

Or

7. Your dream mate:

8. Your ideal city to live in: (note that I don't really have one..not picky about that)

9. your dream holiday:

Or:

10. The perfect sort of place to meet friends for a meal:

The head of the United States Postal Service has approched leaders in Washington D.C., hat in hand, to ask them to recind the federal mandate that requires postal delivery 6 days a week.

The U.S.P.S. now wants to eliminate Tuesday deliveries, with Saturdays being the second choice, as they say Tuesdays are typically the lightest mail delivery days.

Not sure how wise it is, to delete mail service on a weekday, in the middle of a recession. I mean, most offices aren't open on Saturdays, and people expecting tax refund, unemployment, social security disability and pensions checks--people who more often than ever, desperately need those checks, would then be forced to wait an extra day. To the naive and utterly ignorant, this may seem like no big deal. But to someone who might quite literally have no food in their kitchen, or needs money for transport to a doctor, job, etc, or, needs the funds for needed medicines...that one day can seem like a lifetime. And anyone who thinks not, is a complete fool....like the head of the U.S. Postal Service, apparently.

Who cares about Saturday deliveries? There's not much one can do business-wise on a weekend (all US Govt. Social Security disability and pensions checks, some some private pension checks, are only delivered on weekdays)...I mean, all I usually get on Saturdays, if anything, are bills or junk mail anyway--surely things that can wait for Monday delivery?

It's been a long day. A rough walk home on my rather stoved up pins. The snow has gotten so deep, that the plows are throwing it up off the road, over the tall banks, and onto the walks. This makes walking even a walk that's been previously cleared with a snow shovel or snowblower quite difficult to traverse...especially walks that are already covered with ice ranging from a skim to an inch thick.

Yeah, I almost bought it a couple of times this morning...jeez. Picture trying to walk on slippery and often lumpy ice, covered with an inch or two of finely granulated sugar. That was so NOT a fun walk to work today. Coming home, it was like trying to walk on a sandy beach--only it was fine sugar-snow....with big flakes of snow mixed with huge heavy drops of very icy rain pouring down on you. Yech.

I know that parts of the UK are supposed to get "cold" and snowy this week...yeah, try that for FIVE MONTHS, then whinge to me that it's cold! As I write this here in Glens Falls, at just past 6.00 pm, it's -6.1 C out there, and it's supposed to drop to about -9.4 later tonight.

Our office shut at 5pm, no night shift. We may be shut tomorrow, though that seems doubtful.

http://www.wten.com/global/story.asp?S=9436254

http://www.wten.com/global/story.asp?S=9436388

HEAVY SNOW WITH SOME ICE TODAY

through North of Albany a mostly all snow event is expected and this is where the heaviest snow will fall.

Storm began several hours behind schedule. So far, it's snowing hard, but not a heavy snow, very find flakes...but sometimes blowing sideways, so I'm REALLY not looking forward to walking to work, this morning..well, have to do the nasty and put on my ugly black wellies and tromp to work. Sucks to be me, sometimes.

But, I've a nice beef stew to make for supper, when I get home. That's a consolation, I suppose.

This is what my morning walk to work is going to be like, this morning (taken from my balcony window 20 min. ago):

Take Our Snow Please

by Jim Foulk

As out the window,
I look, more snow today,
have only one thing to say,
take our snow please.

Six week-ends straight,
snow, snow every where,
have only one thing to say,
take our snow please, today.

So much snow, so much cold,
snow in the streets, snow in the yard,
snow on the car, snow on my shoe,
have only one thing to say,
take our snow please, we don't know what to do.

Winter, oh winter please end,
all of this snow, we don't really want it,
snow falling, flakes dropping
have only one thing to say,
take our snow please, don't delay.

A while back someone suggested this to me: that I set up a Dr Who fan-fiction group blog on this site, and post my fan-fics on there, and also give other fans a chance to post fan fics ton there.

Well, I balked at that, mainly 'cos I already have two fan-fic blogs on wordpress, fan fics posted on moviefanficchains.com and also some older stuff on teaspoon and an open mind...do I really need another? That seemed to me to be more of an exercise in excess and maybe a bit of an ego trip (in regards to re-posting exisiting stories).

I suppose I could phase out my wordpress blogs if I re-post the stories on here, but that's an awful lot of tedious work! I'm doing that now, with my Not a TV Chef wordpress blog, as it's slightly easier for me to just have a new blog on here, than to totally re-design my wordpress blog--which is not presently very user-friendly.

Anyway, this person asked me again if I'd consider doing that...setting up my fan-fic blog on here, instead, while opening the door to others to share their Who-fics, as well.

What do you lot think? I won't be upset or hurt by honest opinions. I don't see the point in changing blogs, as I don't really care about readership levels. My fan-fic blogs seldom generate more than 20 readers a day--and some day, only 1 to 5 readers...somedays none at all...and that's totally fine with me. Yet the person in question doesn't like my wordpress blog, because apparently, it's hard to leave comments and no one else can contribute stories..

....which is another thing I balk at...too many Dr Who fan-fic tales today are either ridiculously pornographic, or trashy romance novel types of tales with very little action/sci-fi elements in them--pages of nothing but syrupy, gooey dripping teenage love/angst dialog between Ten and Rose, or Rose and Jack, etc., that really aren't in keeping with the series at all...or just plain badly written. Not all, there's some fantastic fan-fic out there, yes. I've had the pleasure to read it...unfortunately, I often have to wade through reams of dross to get to the real gems.

Anyway...what do you lot think???? I have no idea.

Well, it's snowing all up and down the eastern seaboard, and it's our turn in a couple of hours. Thankfully, we're still cold enough here in the north (lots of planets have a north, ya'know) to miss the 1/2 inch of ice and 6 inches of sleet and snow that's predicted for southern parts of New York state. Earlier they said up to 16 inches for us, but I guess the weatherman got a bit carried away.

HEAVY SNOW AND ICE ON THE WAY........

...in the north country, temperatures (fahrenheight) for the rest of the week will rise slightly, to the lower to mid-20's, but still be quite cold at night, with temperatures ranging from the teen's to single digits, with even some sub-zero temperatures in the central and far northern Adirondacks.

Yes, that was an actual lead in the Guardian today. Other leads (the headline that draws a reader into the story) that peaked my interest today:

(these are all actual headlines today)

"man shaves eyebrows for charity"

"man poses as female veternarian"

"services remove kids with Nazi-inspired names from home" (yeah, some guy in New Jersey named his kid "Adolf Hitler Campbell" Now there's a name for the Scots to be proud of.

"firefighter charged with theft of severed foot."

"woman arrested after teaching her chlidren shoplifting" Well, it's a trade, I suppose.

"Mexicans hoping voodoo will help them beat US in World Cup"

"Maine woman flunks driving test after running stop sign, crashing into car."

So, the Japense really do go into resturants and order a plate of blowfish testicles--and people here think I'm strange cos' I like to eat liver and onions???

David Tennant will be the voice over artist for adverts for the War Child charity--a charity that provides aid for children whom are victims of war.

The adverts will be for a newly released album, called "HEROES" by various recording artists, featuring artists such as Franz Ferdinand, Duffy and Elbow, covering pop songs by Paul McCartney, Blondie and others.

The album is slated for release next month, and every single bit of the proceeds will be going towards providing comfort and assistance to children caught up in war-time violence.

Here's War Child International's website, if you'd like to help:

http://www.warchild.org/

Nice little video of Tennant preparing to return to work on Dr Who, where he fusses over a curtain in his apartment, and admits he's not sure he remembers how to do his Doctor accent...but I'm sure he'll remember how to turn on all the twittering fan-girls...and boys. Nice to see Julie Garder's still around, and RTD, as well of course.

Well, it's still morning over on my side of the Atlantic, anyway. 9.53 am, to be exact.

I overlsept a bit, but that's okay, as I don't actually have to be into work until 5pm. My arthritis I'm happy to say is much, much better today, despite me having to have to go out into the cold yesterday on a bus, to get some "messages" as my glasgow friend would say.

Yeah, I accidentially underbought cat food on Friday...not a good thing, that. I'd have to hear Flamey whinge and moan every morning noon and night for the rest of the week, if I didn't give her a tin of soft food. I heard a big crash in the middle of the night, and woke to find their dry cat food bag on the floor, with half the contents spilled out of it. Nice. I looked at their three very innocent looking faces and told them I should make them eat that, just as it is. They of course, pretended that they didn't know what I was talking about, so I ended it sweeping it all back into the bag..so they may get a bit of dust or whatever in with their dry cat food this week, but it's their own damn fault, the cheeky little buggers.

I also had run out of milk, and had forgotten to buy the veggies for the stew I'm making tomorrow--and you know, I could just eat beef and gravy, but that's not all that nutritious, is it? But I did pretty well for my 10 dollars yesterday. I not only got the cat food, milk, one very large tottie, a bag of carrots and an onion, but also a can of Pringles, 3 tins of tunafish, a package of blueberry muffins and some margarine. Well pleased with myself, I am.

And, I had 5 dollars left over for cab fare, so I wouldn't have to freze my arse off for 30 minutes, waiting for the bus home...which turned out to be a very wise choice on my part, apparently. You see, I waited in the cold for the bus about 27 minutes (according to my watch), in a 11 degrre F windchill--and dang, that wind was rather brisk out there, yesterday.

I cam home and was quite chilled for much of the evening, and developed a rather unpleasant sinus headache. Thankfully gone now. Then I had traded the headache for heartburn part of the night through, from the turkey cutlet curry I had made myself for my evening meal. It's all good now, though. Had my breaky of honey-nut toastee-o's, and I'm raring to go this morning. Well...sort of. I had planned on getting up around half past eight, but didn't wake until 9am...not on my own. Boot's tail was the culprit today. He's a big guy and has a long, rather hefty tail. It started out thumping against my bum, which I mostly ignored...but then he shifted, and suddenly I had a furry snake-like thing whapping me in the forehead and nose....I have to say that I wasn't well-pleased by that, and I'm afraid I rather hurt the wee guy's feelings. Made it up to him, of course. He's really probably the most sweet-natured and gentle cat I've had in 40+ years.

It's a lovely sunny day today--not a cloud in the sky, and the sky as blue as a cornflower. It's still rather cold though. It's 13 Fahrenheight degrees as I write this. It's the calm before the storm though, as tomrrow the WTEN weather man says we're to get a one-day winter storm, dumping 9 to 12 inches of snow on us. Well, that's not so bad. Better than 2 or 3 feet snow, or worse, a flippin' ice storm...hate ice storms. I'd rather have snow. Guess I'll be needing my tall wellies to walk to work tomorrow, then.

I will say that one of the few blessings of no longer owning a car, is all the winter palaver us upstate Northern and western New Yorker's must go through, every year--getting your windscreen wiper blades changed to winter one's, the snow tyres or all-season radials put on the car, the windscreen washer fluid changed to one with anti-freeze, and yes, getting the antifreze checked, the battery checked, getting the snow brush-ice scraper and a blanket and a compact shovel all stowed away in your car...bleh.

So, I've got to go do some things, and I promised someone I'd read her stories she'd sent me, and I'd only gotten part-way through with that last night, and I've some minor chores that need seeing to, before I begin another work week. Hope you all are having a good Tuesday. Cheers.

Life is reflected in everything we as individuals say and do. If the world is not a happy place, it is because, in some small minute part we make it so. Our silence can condem us as much as our screams.

If we don't like the way someone behaves, if we feel outraged or sad or offended, we may decide to take a positive stance, and voice our displeasure and/or register our dissapproval to the world. This is always a risk however, leaving those brave enough to be a naysayer, open to ridicule, mass disapproval or abuse.

Or, we can remain mute, or equally possible, we might decide the offending behaviour is perfectly acceptable, and go along with low-brow and/or unsavoury actions--thus, rendering ourselves a co-conspirator rather than a victim, and lending credibilty to the negative sides of life.

Unless we are in a coma, even the most obtuse and mentally lazy person has to make choices every single day of their adult lives, if they converse with others, read, watch telly, etc. they must make some sort of choice in the course of a day--everything from the basic: turning on the television or radio or computer, whether to have cold cereal or eggs for breakfast, etc., to deciding how you should vote, or what cause to support, or how you are going to approach a new challenge or project on your job.

With every tick of the clock, the world changes, based solely on the thoughts and actions of billions of individual people. People are born and die, new ideas come to life, people lose or gain a job, or help or hurt, rent a flat, buy a home or become homeless...and every one of those things, in some tiny way, will indeed change the future, microsmically or on a grand scale...and we ususally never even notice, because unseen though it is, we are all tied to the universe...every atom in existence, every thought, every action...it's all microcosmic dust, swilling around in a vast cyclone of change. We can't stop it. We can change it sometimes, ever-so-slightly by degrees, by making more deliberate choices, by making the time to learn and to think about the world around us. By a chain forged of thought and word and deed.

Yes, I am very much hopelessly Whovian...I mean, I'm still watching it, going on my 26th year now as a fan of the programme.

Truth to tell though, the romance with the new series pretty much is over, for me. And, I do find that somewhat sad. For a while there, I was very literally watching Dr Who DVD's every single day--long before I bought my first soundtrack DVD, I'd recorded the beginning and ending themes, to play on my tape recorder while I was working at the travelodge, and also while I was driving about Lake George and other parts of the Adirondacks, in my car. I've read and re-read, and re-read some more, the books that I have. I wrote stores, I visited the webstites every day.

Why? Well, that's rather a long story. And why have I backed away from my fandom? Also a bit of a long story. Mostly, it all hinges on some massive losses in my life--and then, like a miracle, finding something I cherished again, totally out of the blue.

Some of you reading this well know about those terrible losses, one after another, after another. My whole life, everything I knew, everything I loved, everything I held dear--my security, my very home...ripped away from me, over and over again.

And then, in the early spring of 2006, I found...Dr Who. Doctor who was back! I adored that programme. In the 80's, I was an officer in the local fan club, did the conventions from New York to Boston to my own birthplace, pursued the comic books and paperbacks, bought the goodies I could find--I even remember driving miles out of my way, to find this little mum and dad shop that actually (and illegally, believe it or not) sold real jelly babies.

By 1990, the show was gone from the local airwaves, the club disbanded, the conventions disappeared and finding Who merchandise became a real problem. But...I never forgot. I never did. I even used to dream about Dr Who in my sleep, sometimes. So, in the mid-90's, when I found out they were doing a film over here..oh God, I was so terribly chuffed. Well, the movie was bad--but the acting of McGann and McCoy could certainly never be faulted. Still, I was so pleased to have it back in my life, even if only for one night.

And then, it came back again, in 2006. I didn't have tele at home--I could afford it even less then, than I do now--still, there were televisions at my job that I had then--the race track/casino in Saratoga, and I got to watch around 3 and a half episodes of the 1st series on the sly, during my breaks...and then, both series 1 and 2 in their entirety, thanks to the great kindness and generosity of a fellow Whovian.

And, I watched and watched those flippin' episodes, until I could actually close my eyes and follow along without looking.

I'd lost so much...but through the Doctor, I found one small part of myself again. In a time of my life, where I was floundering emotionally, trying to hold on to myself, before the intense emotional pain, the complete isolation and the emptiness destoyed me utterly.

I was floundering in heavy seas, on the verge in actual reality, of going under for good, and Dr Who absolutely saved me. Well, Dr Who and some friends I found through the internet. But, it was, truly, Dr Who that gave me something to hold on to---a televison programme from a country 3000+ miles away, threw me a life preserver.

So, when Series 4 episode 12 happened, and the ending threw me for such a loop--I mean, I spent much of the weekend, feeling like I'd been kicked in the stomach, feeling like I'd lost yet another part of my life that meant the world to me....I lost my trust in Russell T. Davies' Doctor Who. I lost my faith in something I felt I could utterly depend on. I...lost.

I know Russell T. Davies has said something to the effect that the fans being upset at the Doctor regenerating is silly, that it's not, I think he said, like a nuclear war, or some such palaver.

True, very true. But, then, I'm not an ordinary fan, am I? For me, the ending of episode 12, was for me, indeed, a bit like dying. Something I had faith in, something I loved and cared about, ended. RTD pulled the rug under from me yet again--and I'm afraid I didn't take it very well. It hurt me. I have to tell you, I'm rather tired, after 40 some odd years, of getting hurt.

In fact, it took me about six or seven months to get over it. That's a long time for me, as I really am not into holding grudges...not that I've never done, and not that I don't-- but it's something I really don't like about myself, so therefore is something I'm rather keen to avoid whenever I can.

Episode 12 may not have been a big deal to Davie's, Tennant, Gardiner and the rest of Whovian fandom, but it left me realizing that I was in too deep, and needed to get the hell out. So, I mostly did.

Now, instead of every single day of the year, I only watch Who a two or three nights a week, my Who-surfing is minimal as well, and I stopped writing Dr Who stories for five months...and even now, am not as keen on it as I was. I still read and re-read the stores, though, and play the soundtracks regularly. Yes, don't mistake me though, I still LOVE Doctor Who...just have toned it down my fan-dom to a less fanatical, more normal level.

Erm--did no one at the toy factory place this on a table and really look at it?

Can anyone say: "call an ambulance, I think I just broke my leg?"

According to both my feedjit widgets on both my blog.co.uk blogs--there are are at least a dozen people in Finland today, each and every one of them, looking for pictures of David Tennant in the gear he was born in.

Erm--David, you might just want to bundle up, next time you go to Finland...and bring a body guard, and a packet of condoms, just in case.

My appetite's been so funky lately.

I woke famished, but now at 4pm I'm not in the mood to eat. Had my usual ham sandwich for lunch several hours ago. I was going to flour my cheap steak, and make a swiss-style steak--braise it in some tinned onion soup and tinned stewed tomatoes, then make a gravy out of the soup with some flour/water paste.

Meh. Maybe I'll just do what I did last week--slice it up and stir-fry it with some teriyaki sauce, broccolli, onions and garlic, only instead of eating it, freeze it for use another time, and just have some cream of wheat or porage for supper, if I get hungry later.

Can't afford to ring up for food later, like for a pizza, sub or some Chinese take away, since my flippin' neighbour STILL hasn't given me back all the money he owes me from Friday night! First he was going to slip it under my door Saturday morning, then he was going to give it to me Saturday night, then Sunday morning---I've put my foot down, told him I want it by tomorrow or I'll ring up his boss at the cab company. I've been nice, I've been patient, but that was my LAST $20 bill!

I gave him that for my cab fare Friday night--the prat could have told me he didn't have change for a 20 when he picked me up at Wally-world (aka: walmarts), and I could have popped back inside to the in-store McDonald's and gotten change...but no, he waits until I'm back at our building, out of the cab with the groceries, before telling me, "gee, you don't have exact change?" DOH, noo-I would have, if you flippin' told me you needed it, BEFORE you dropped me off to home, dumbo.

Cripes! I am out of milk, butter and eggs, will be out of cat food as of tomorrow afternoon, I need veggies for my stew that I'm making--I need that flippin' 13 dollars change, matey! 8 dollars isn't going to get the job done (that's all he's paid me back, so far--he still owes me a fiver).

I don't mind being short of cash for a week, god knows I've had that experience more often than not...but, it's frustrating when you need things and you can't get them. What gets me is that dumbo is always bragging to me, how he's been making 100 to 150 dollars a night on his job...and his sister that lives with him, works part-time, as well...yet they tell me they're out of food. Even with paying bills, two people shouldn't be competely broke all the time--the guy works 4 or 5 nights a week, makes more in two weeks, than I do in a month, has a sister to help him pay bills, and he can't afford to pay me back 5 dollars---that wasn't his to keep in the first place???

I suspect he's got a habit he's supporting. He's not married, he doesn't have kids. He's got the horse races going on over there all the time (can hear their tele through the walls, and him yelling when his horse loses), and he has been drunk/stoned on a few occasions. His sister pays the rent, and he's not paying anything (according to her)? They have (according to her) a shut-off notice from National Grid and can't afford to eat. But, he's working full-time, making more than I did working full time--and he pays less rent than me? Something's not jiveing here.

What little trust I still had with these hillbilly's is ended for good. In fact, I'm going to think about changing the lock on my front door. Sooner or later, they're going to target me, I suspect. Them or his sister's ne'er do well yobbo sons...the drug dealers/addicts.

I'm not in a very good mood, at the moment. I really do need that five dollars, I need it bad. Damn it, life stinks.

Jeez, I had a lot of strange, very vivid dreams last night. I do dream at night, but not generally all night long, like I did last night.

Some dreams were nice, some not so nice. I obviously don't remember every detail, but here's the highlights:

I dreamed I went to the supermarket and there were these steaks in a little free-standing chiller cabinet, on sale really cheap, and some other womzn picked one up and it was covered with little worms, and she bought it anyway, saying something to the effect that that's what one should expect for that price. Did I mention that I actually AM having a cheap steak tonight for dinner? That dream was a bit off-putting, I must say.

I dreamed I came into a lot of money--don't remember how, I'd bought a little cottage or something, somewhere, and next thing I knew, I was going on this big, wonderful shopping spree with my mum and Russell T. Davies. How the hell Russell T. Davies butted into my dream, is beyond me, but he seemed to be having a good time, as I recall...we'd gone to the old fashioned Lou's diner from my childhood (that no longer exists) and had burgers and fries. He was marvelling at the music on the jukebox when the cat woke me up.

I dreamed I was riding a horse through a pasture and some trees, and then was riding on a train going to the mid-west somewhere, to a job interview.

And, I dreamed that was driving a car alongside a lake or river. I remember crossing a bridge, and being in a city, then I was in the countryside driving on a country road--but then a flood came, and I was trapped by the flood...then, the car became a boat, and I was sailing down a river, but then I was driving a car again, across a bridge, but then the bridge began to collapse, and I started falling, and woke up.

Gotta' not eat a ham sandwich and cheeseburger flavour Pringles before bedtime, I reckon.

Well, this was worth getting up on a chilly Sunday for--but gah..my ears and feet are freezing. Anyway, someone just e-mailed me this:

Hi,

Keep the doctor who stories coming. You may not get many readers, this reader loves your work and wants to see more of it. I've been a doctor who fan since Tom Baker's Doctor. I am one of those kids who hid behind the sofa and now as an adult, I still cannot get enough doctor who. Fan fiction like yours should be published on doctor who sites for everyone to enjoy.

It's freezing in here! Brrrrr! It's sunny out the the wind is very much whistling loudly about my eaves and I can feel the ice-cold breeze wafting through the room. It's 19 F (-7 C) with a windchill temp of about 6 F (-14 C). Not as bad as it was, but I think most of us 'round these parts wouldn't mind a week or two in the 30's F. No snow storms though, in the next week, just cold temps--but hey, it's January in the Adirondacks, that's a given. Unless something very unusual happens--like a Febraury thaw or an early spring--we probably won't be seeing the grass again until at least late March or early April...no joke.

Last year, there were still patches of snow around in early May.

I envy Dr Who people going over to Dubai for filming..wouldn't mind that, myself.

As it stands now, under current Bush-backed policy still in effect, judges in bankruptcy proceedings with distressed homeowners--some whom have mortgages twice the value of their homes, due to ajustable rates being allowed to escalate off the scale and run amuck by hugely greedy lenders--cannot help the homeowner re-negotiate for better terms with their lenders.

The US government...with the backing of the senate, congress and (still unofficially) President Obama, is trying to rectify that situation, by allowing judges control over negotions for easier re-payment terms on mortgages--thus allowing distressed homeowners to stay in their homes, and in the long run, helping the overall national economy, by putting more money in homeowner's pockets.

The banking and mortgage lending industry is pulling out their arsenal of lobbying weaponry and pounding Washington D.C. with everything its got, to stop this from happening.

One would hope that senators and congressmen and women will resist being a bunch of cowardly, un-American greedy-guts, and do what's right for the people whom voted them into office, and do the right thing for their country they claim they love so much. However, greed got us here, and greed is the bane of captialism and democracy, and greed is probably here to stay--so, I'm sure some Washington politicians will be conveniently forgetting their love of country, over their love of expensive gifts and monetary contributions to the old "campaign fund."

Am I being cynical? No, this is the way it's always been, in Washington, as long as the lobbying laws have been in effect. Trust me, if we didn't have lobbyists, this country would be a far, far different place...and chances are, we wouldn't all be in a recession, right now.

The bottom line is though, that the rate of foreclosures is at its highest since the Great Depression--if it gets worse, combined with the unprecidented unemployment rate, well, depression here we come.

Someone just rather snippily sent me a PM about some obscure joke post I did over a year ago, about where David Tennant lives (I was messing about, talking about where he might really live...it was just a dumb little joke!)

Anyway, she just told me David Tennant's Crouch End street address--his real one, new one, old one, correct or not--I have no clue. I din't ask for it, dont' want it, don't care.

I'm suddenly being overwhelmed with DT fan-girl e-mails and PM's of late...all being deleted. Some of them have come back as undeliverable, and some are rather rudely worded, and some are in unfathomable text-speak..and some...well...some are just plain--weird.

ELEVEN fan-girl missives for or about Tennant, in the last two weeks. Oh dear, I'm afraid I've been put on some fan-girl's forum or blog or whatever. But, why this girl chose to snipily tell me off for making up this Tennant's address, is beyond me--some of David Tennant's fan-girl's have a piss-poor sense of humour, it seems.

This has happened before--some fan girl giving me what she claims (which I take rather doubiously) to be the man's phone number, e-mail address, street address, etc. OK, if they had this information for real--why share it with me? I'm so NOT impressed--and also, I will so NOT publish that information on here!

Blimey! She even told me when he bought it (2007??) how much he paid for it, and where to find a pic of it on Google! Riiight. My god...one of Tennant's stalkers has made contact with me...ewwww.

Tell you what tho', Tennant ever wants to see where I live, we can do a swap, how 'bout that?

Wow....that was one very strange PM, let me tell you! Honestly...I don't know what more to say...I'm still sort of flabbergasted by this.

Leave the poor wee lad alone, for pity's sake. He has a life outside of his fame and Dr Who and all that blather, he should be able to relax in his downtime at home, and not be bothered by some simpery oversexed teenagers. I'm sure he has a girl he loves quite fondly already. Or a boy. Or both.

Oh, nothing's wrong. It's just that after over 2 years trapped inside this tiny little apartment with no one but the cats for company--and two trips to my friend's farm and a trip to Saratoga Springs, NY in all that time, pretty much being the only time I've been out of this city...well, except for a few brief trolley rides 20 minutes up the road to Lake George for ice cream and a walkabout or a quick swim this summer.

I do plan on going to Albany in the spring, to place some flowers on mum's grave. But I really do need to get the hell out of here for a day..or even overnight. So, I've been looking into some affordable day trips---notably, either Niagra Falls, Maine, New York City or Montreal, Quebec. I love going down to New York, but that can get pretty pricey...the admission to the Metropolatin Museum of Art, the cost of meals--unless I buy from a street vendor or eat at McDonalds...I'd love to see the Proclaimers at that pub, but I don't know...if there's any tickets left, I'm quite certain they'll be rather costly.

Ironically, though they're less than a day away, I've never been to either Niagara Falls or Montreal. I'm toying with the Montreal trip--the train ride is the most scenic in the entire country, and I hear Montreal is really lovely and has a very old world feel about it.

I've never been to Maine, either--It's the only New England state I've never visited.

Actually, tho' I probably won't do any of that. Life has changed me, these last few years. I know longer feel the freedom of being able to go on holiday---even for a day or two. I've been through the life's wringer too much...I'd worry the whole time if I was going to need the money for an emergency...god knows I've had more than my fair share of those!

I'd like to find a nicer place to live--where I can actually get a full night's sleep with out a bunch of drunken teens banging the furniture and ceiling over my head from 9 to 2 am pretty much ever other night. Or dumbo hillybilly neighbours who can only talk in three tones of voice: loud, louder and holler like you're standing half a mile away.

But, it's a nice fantasy, and I like to indulge myself sometimes...I know I'm superglued to Glens Falls, and the only way I'm ever getting the hell out of here, is probably very much in the cardboard box that holds my ashes.

Just read this big advert by BA, where i could fly to London for 156 dollars AND stay two nights for free! Whoa! Jeez, that'd be so cool...It would cost me 76 dollars just to hop across the border to Montreal Quebec!

(The New York to Montreal train by the way, is one of the most scenic trains in the USA--but takes SIX HOURS to travel from here in the Glens Falls area, to Montreal--a three hour trip by car!)

Oh, I'm sure the whole 2 nights free thing, probably has a very expensive catch to it--sounds way, way too good to be true. Yes, I'm being cynical again.

Only thing is, you have to book by 29th January...and I don't get my tax refund until the first week of February. Damn. Not that I would have probably gone, it's just a fantasy on a cold winter's night, going to London for the weekend. Well, it wouldn't be that difficult to arrange, really. I've got a valid passport. I can pack my laundry duffle (I had to sell my luggage in 2006, to pay for mum's funeral expenses) with a change or two of clothes and some basic necessities. I'd hop a Trailways coach here--it's only a 15 or 20 min. walk to the bus station from my apartment-- to Albany, transfer to either a direct coach to JFK, or a coach to the port authority and then transfer to a bus or cab to JFK...then bob's yer uncle, I'm in the UK, tra-la and hoo-ray.

Yeah...well, as I said, it's just a silly dream. I really can't do anything that impromtu, I'll need the money for emergencies or for moving to a new place, or something really important--dreams are definately not on my radar any longer. But, doesn't mean I've stopped thinking about them, entirely.

I'm sitting here alone--the cat's are off doing whatever it is cats do on a Saturday night--and intensely bored, I'm temporarily stuck--got a minor block on what to do next in the plot-- on my story I'm writing, don't feel like watching a DVD or reading, and I feel unusually restless today--okay, I'm going through a weird emotional anti-fugue state tonight, and need to get my mind off of things.

So, dropping a meme on you lot again, one that was sent to me a few weeks ago, that I wasn't going to bother with, as I susupect I've already done this, last year sometime, perhaps.

01) What celebrity would you like to throw a cream pie at?

OK, don't think I've evr been asked this question quite before! Erm--Jonathan Ross. I mean, it's not personal, but I do wish the child would stop acting like such a big girl's blouse all the time and just grow up and behave like a grown bloody MAN, already. He did wrong by a nice old man and his sick wife, whom I understand underwent a painful hip operation and woke up after surgery to face this crap...but Ross has made it worse by refusing to just let it go, by ignoring the very real hardship he's caused a family, and continuing to make jokes about the whole thing...for pity's sake, if the man hasn't the balls and the chest hair to feel genuinely sorry, at least show some manly dignity and courage by just shutting up about it and moving on, already! Pie face face for Jonathon Ross.

02) What was your dream growing up?

Owning a horse was a big thing, of course, but also over the years I dreamed of working on a farm or ranch and also for a short time (before my teens) of being an actress.

03) What talent do you wish you had?

I wish I could act--or, barring that, had the imagination to be a really good fiction writer.

04) If I bought you a drink what would it be?

Coke Classic, in a glass, with ice.

05) Favorite vegetable?

Cauliflower

06) What was the last book you read?

The Iron Marshall

07) What zodiac sign are you?

I think scorpio? Someone sent me my horoscopes for 2009 recently, and they were for scorpio...horoscopes are such complete rubbish, if they come true it's just coincidence.

08) Any Tattoos and/or Piercings? Explain where.

I'd rather spend the night at Jonathan Ross's house than get a tattoo or body piercing.

09) Longest Personal Quirk or Habit You've Had?

I have a habit of rubbing or tugging my ears, since I was wee--possibly a holdover from when I had lots of ear infections, but also I hate cold ears, ever since I got tiny bit of frostbite as a teenager, and lost a micro-dot size bit of my ear.

10) If you saw someone in obvious distress on a bus or train, would you offer to assist them?

Very probably--but I suppose it would depend largely on circumstances...I'm not sure I'd put myself in danger, but thanks to mum and other people I grew up around, I do have a conscience and wouldn't like myself very much if I saw someone in pain, or maybe scared or crying, and ignored them.

11) What is your favorite sport to play?

Horseback riding. But, also I like horseshoe pitching and crazy golf...yeah, yeah, I know they're not really "sports" in the proper sense. I like ten-pin bowling as well, but I'm quite rubbish at it--ridiculously so, and the bowling alley has to be near-empty before I'd dare try my hand at it.

12) Attitude Right Now?

Melancholy

13) What would you do if you were stuck in an elevator with me?

Try really hard not to start singing "That's Rock and Roll" loudly and badly, while farting to the backbeat, just to annoy you for sending me this boring meme.

14) Worst thing to ever happen to you?

Signing off mum's life support then watching her die.

15) Have you ever experienced death--animal or human, up close?

See above. But also animals, yes. I've stood there as a beloved pet was put to sleep, and also once drove a dying cat that was hit by a car and was crying out in mortal agony, 20 minutes to a vet to be put down. That's why my cats NEVER go outside.

16) Your idea of a fun day out?

Heck, I'm easily amused--exploring a historic site, going for a stroll in the country, helping to milk cows, going to a lecture at the library, going to a horse or farm or antiques auction, visiting a museum, window shopping, going to garage (boot) sales, getting ice cream, playing crazy golf or bowling, going to a horse show, a festival, a fair...whatever. Mind you, I also do love doing fun and adventurous things--horseback riding, sailing, etc., but really, at heart, I'm quite easily amused...just happy when I can get out and about, really.

17) Has anything been bothering you today?

Yeah. I have had a sense of nostolgia all day, that I cannot shake off--my mind and my emotions keep drifting back to when my parents were alive--that sense of security, the fact that there was someone there in my life I could be with and talk to...I've been feeling a bit at sea today, totally out of the blue, and I don't know why.

18) Any strange urges lately?

Last night--again out of the blue--I had an urge to play the lottery...which I resisted. I've not bought a lottery ticket in ages, and have no idea why the sudden desire to do it last night was all about. Very strange.

19) Do you consider yourself liberal or conservative?

Very liberal.

20) If you could change one thing about how you look, what would it be?

I'd figure out how to make my hair look so sexy like it did last night!

21) Would you like to meet a celebrity?

I don't care...why? Is there a celebrity out there who would like to meet me?

22) What color shirt do you have on?

I'm wearing a royal blue retro tee shirt that says "Los Angeles 85" on it.

23) Ever been to the top of a mountain?

Sure, about at least a dozen times in my life, probably.

24) Plastic bottle, glass bottle or canned soda?

I far prefer glass bottles or cans. Plastic makes things taste off...and doesn't get or keep as cold as glass or aluminum.

25) Have you done your 2008 taxes yet?

Yup, get my federal refund the first week of Feb, my state refund a few weeks after that.

27) What was your favorite place to hang out when you were a teenager?

The woods/fields around my home, the riding stable up the road, the local bowling alley, mum's library.

28) Do you believe in ghosts?

Having been face to face with one, I'd say that's a big yes.

29) Favorite things to do in your spare time?

Write, read, listen to music, watch Dr Who and old films on DVD.

30) Do you swear a lot?

I hate swearing, it's so unladylike and totally a waste of a good vocabulary, but yes, I do. I don't want to, but can't seem to help it.

31) Biggest pet peeve at the moment?

Lazy parents who are terrified to work at being a mum or dad and teaching their little brats--not only what should be basic and obvious manners--but also to display repsect for other people, and how to behave like a civilized person in public, how to answer a telephone like a human being, etc.

Mentally lazy and utterly selfish people who are so caught up in their own microscopic little world, that they deliberately shut out anything that doesn't automatically include themselves.

32) In three words, how would you describe yourself?

Independant, cynical, eccentric

33) Do you believe/appreciate romance?

I suppose anyone could appreciate romance...I don't personally subscribe to it myself, tho', I'm a bit past it for that.

34) Favorite and least favorite food?

Fav: pizza-Italian Least: anything with mushrooms in it

35) Do you believe in a deity?

I suppose part of me still believes in God--but I no longer have much trust in Him though, and I no longer care about religion all that much. I never really could relate to Jesus, either, for some reason.

Gosh, I did love this programme! The "fab five" really rocked, and Carson's antics always cheered me up--even my straight-laced tea-drinking librarian mum loved these guys.

I enjoy working with my voice--it's not as good as it used to be, what with a couple of bouts of pneumonia and my not being able to have any access to a dentist--and never having any formal voice training of course, which is pretty essential. Still, it can be fun, fooling around with your voice and using it to convey stuff...from a Doris Day attitude to Rambo, from redneck to posh.

Some people might not think voice work a high-class or desireable career--but, let's not forget: it IS a career, not a job.

I've been working jobs for 35 years. I KNOW the difference between a "job" and a "career," trust me.

Here are jobs I've personally done:

Flipping burgers, grilling sandwiches, making fries and milk shakes, filling coffee and soda cups, writing up cheques and using the till and cleaning the grill (soemtimes almost all at once when I was busy) in a bowling alley snack bar.

Rolling up, rubber-banding, bagging and delivering 1000+ weekly newspapers, door-to-door, seven route's worth...for 50 dollars a week.

Standing on a concrete floor 8 hours a day in a warehouse, printing price label stickers to go on record albums.

I've stood on a hard tiled floor, behind a wall-length dish washer in a restaurant for 9 to 10 hours, pushing mucky plates into a steaming machine, until the smell literally gets into your pores, and your feet hurt like hell, and you have steam burns on your fingers and arms.

So, maybe these people who think working in a low-level career as a voice-over artist or a tour guide or whatever is rubbish, would like to try peeling 50 pounds of potatoes first thing in the morning, followed by shucking 100 ears of corn, followed by ironing and starching a dozen aprons, followed by washing pots, counting a couple of hundred used beer and soda cans to take to the recyclers, taking out bin bags to a tip, getting a hose and washing off large rubber floor mats that you had to haul outside and bring back in, bringing 50 pounds (just under 4 stone) of flour up 2 flights of stairs from a store room, mopping floors, etc--again for minimum wage, is better? Riiight. Get real, people.

These jobs above, were in my teens and early 20's.

In-between, I've crawled in and out of dog kennels on my hands and knees with a vacuum (hence the bone spur in my neck), scooped poop, fed and watered 30 dogs cats and two horses, cleaned 8 litter boxes and mopped floors at an animal shelter.

Mucked 23 horse stalls in three seperate barns in weather ranging from nearly 40 C, to minus 31 C, carried over 50 gallons of water in buckets every day, unbandaged the legs of 15 horses every morning, took horses in and out of pasture every day--some of them barely trained to lead and very active--(yes, I've been dragged a few times...not fun).

I've stood in the rain, broiling sun and even snow for 8 to 10 hours with few breaks, running amusement rides.

In 2006, 7 days a week for 10 weeks, I stood, all alone, on a hard concrete floor, in a little shack sometimes in 38 C weather, often for 6 to 8 hours washing, drying and folding over 1000 towels, without so much as a tea break. For the equivilent of a bit over 3 pounds 50 pence an hour.

Before that job, I walked around 9 miles a night, five nights a week, up and down stairs and all over a big casino/horse racing complex, carrying really big heavy (and dirty/smelly) bin bags to two skips areas, from all over the complex---up and down stairs, across broad stretches of pavement, etc. I was cleaning loos used by grubby maintenance workers, CEO's who thought flushing a loo above them, and elderly people with bowel control issues. For very low wages, and finishing up each night, very literally bent over double from the pain and stiffness--and, doing this with a sprained and fractred ankle, for a while!

Now, I sit in a chair all day, listening to people whom I don't know, and whom do not know me, hurling verbal abuse at me, and trying to hurt my ears--often for nothing more than accidentally calling a wrong number, or maybe they hate the organization they belong to, and have decided to take their madness out on the first INNOCENT person that comes along. It's NOT a fun job, trust me. Americans are the dumbest, most ill-mannered, mean and obnoxious people on the planet, sometimes.

I would worship the person who let me into a career, matey's, no matter what it was! I would absolutely give up my eyesight, I would give up walking, or a chunk (but not all, and not the cats) of my remaining possessions, if I only could have a CAREER and not a JOB. I kid you not, I really would.

I should add, that also in my lifetime, I've also worked as a library assistant (unpaid), receptionist in a lawyer's office, worked for a Fortune 500 company in their verifications unit, as a secretary in a muffler shop (6 days a week), a trucking permit agent and a telephone operator/receptionist for a car dealership. Better jobs--but still just jobs.

I FINALLY got my phone to work, now am waiting on a call from the drug store--I'm supposed to take some meds right away, and they had a long que of about two hours--so they said they'll call me when the new meds are ready--which they just have, so I have asked my neighbour to give me a lift to the drug store as he's going right by there, then it's off to work. He's picking me up in 15 minutes or so, so I might as well blog while I'm hacking and stabbing and butchering time.

Hey, ANYONE can say they're "killing time," why be mundane when you can be brilliant? OK, not brilliant so much as over-the-top.

Well, as I wrote earlier, I cannot replicate the posh 'do the stylist gave me, to save my life--OK, more death reference...gotta' stop reading Raymond Chaldler mysteries before bedtime.

Next time I get a cut--probably not for another month or two, I'll ask her what she used and what she did, though I may not be able to afford all that muckety-muck, and I'm hopeless at dolling myself up--no clue how to do my makeup...hardly ever have used mascara, eyeshadow or all that nonsense..anyway, I was asked to try and take a better self-portrait, so I went out onto the balcony (very carefully, as I'm still rather stiff) with my wee pix camera, and did the dirty deed.

What with the sun on the snow, I figured it was light enough for the pic to come out a bit better than it did last night. Hope you have the stomach for this--god, I'll never be choosen to be on tele, that's for sure! I think I'm frowning 'cos the bright sun was hurting my eyes a little.

Well, I couldn't afford it, but I went to the health centre and got a cortazone injection and some pills--it's really bad, I'm afraid...the nurse's words those are, not my own. So, I called in semi-sick...leaving for work in a half-hour...providing I can walk downstairs and down the street. The nurse also gave me some stuff to rub on, and that's helped--at leasst I can type more comfortably, now.

I'm letting the heat of the sun coming though the windows penetrate my legs and feet--nature's liniment, ha-ha. Feels genuinely good, too.

Thought I'd look up some cheap recipes for February, since I'll be paying extra on Electric/gas, and since I've just found out my food stamps have been reduced, as well, next month. Oh, and I'm getting more money taken out of my pay check this year, on top of that--my weekly pay has been reduced by about 8 dollars less than what I made in 2008. Doesn't rain but it pours, as they say.

BEEF & EGGPLANT CASSEROLE

1 medium eggplant (aubergine), peeled and cubed
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground beef (mince)
1 small can tomato sauce, mixed with 1 teaspoon oregano or Italian seasoning
1 cup Italian style dry bread crumbs
1 Tablespoon melted butter
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzerella cheese

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F.

Boil eggplant in salted water until tender. Drain. (Note: eggplant will turn slightly brown, but that won't hurt the flavour.) Process eggplant in food processor or mash with potato masher, until smooth. In a deep heavy skillet, cook onion and garlic in oil, until onion is softened. Remove onion and garlic and set aside. Add ground beef and cook until brown and crumbly. Drain. Next, mince the garlic, and stir garlic, onions and beef into eggplant. Place mixture in a deep greased casserole dish. Top with tomato sauce. Mix breadcrumbs with butter until moist. Sprinke breadcrumbs over tomato sauce then sprinkle mozzerella over breadcrumbs. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes--cheese should be melted and breadcrumbs browned.

NEW YORK BEEF STEW

1 pound beef, cut into cubes
1 1/2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup flour
1/2 clove garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1 large can tomato sauce
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon thyme
2 small yellow onions, sliced
3 large carrots, sliced
2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed

Season flour liberally with salt and pepper to your own taste. Dredge meat in flour. Heat oil in a dutch oven or large deep pot, and brown meat. Halfway through browning, add garlic and continue to cook until meat is browned on all sides. Drain off oil, and stir in tomato sauce, water, bay leaf, worcestershire and thyme. Add vegetables and bring to a boil. Stir, and simmer over low heat, covered, for 30 to 45 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

TEXAS JAILHOUSE CHILI (no really, that's what it's called)

CAUTION: this recipe is somewhat hot and rather spicy!

1/2 cup olive oil
2 pounds beef, chicken or pork, coarsely ground
2 cloves garlic, minced very fine
1 1/2 Tablespoons paprika
3 Tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin, or, 1 Tablespoon comino seeds, powdered fine in a cloth bag
1/2 Tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayeene pepper
2 cans red kidney beans, drained (purely optional)
3 cups water

In a dutch oven or large, deep skillet, heat oil and brown beef with garlic, salt, pepper and spices. Simmer, covered, over very, very low heat, for 4 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. stir in water, and beans if desired, and continue cooking for 45 minutes to an hour, or until chili has thickened. Note: instead of beans, this can also be served over rice, or with cornbread or buttermilk biscuits, on the side.

Drat! I've just now tried to replicate what the hair stylist did to my hair last night--but I'm afriad the hottie hairstyle is alluding me, and I'm back to my wonky old uncoooperative hair again, today--oh, it still looks better than it did, but how she got it to look like that--well, she used several products, a couple of different posh-looking brushes and a super heavy-duty hair dryer...I've got two cheap hairbrushes, a can of mouse, and one travel-size hair dryer.

Ah well, back to being just plain ol' me...maybe it's for the best, anyway.

God, I'm having a tough morning. I'm so bunged up with arthritis this morning, I very much can barely move...from my feet to my neck, I'm so stiff and sore, that just walking from the lounge to the kitchen is slow going.

This is possibly the worst visit from "arthur" I've had literally in all my life. I keep telling myself, "you have to go to work, you have to go to work," but gah--I would dearly love to pull a sickie, and just lay abed a while longer, it aches that bad. I'm going to work, but it's going to be a brutal, brutal day...I'm going to try and scrounge up some change to take the bus in...kills me to pay a dollar for a 3 min. bus ride, but I sincerely am not sure if I can walk the ten minutes to work this morning.

It's 20 F out there right now--but a little over an hour drive to our north, in the heart of New York's Adirondack mountains at Saranac Lake/Lake Placid, it's minus 1 F. I noticed it's a comparatively balmy 36 F four hours away, down to New York City--lucky sods.

Well, can't sit here discussing the weather...I HAVE to go to work...I have to go to work... I have to....(sigh).

One of President Obama's first acts in office, was to strike down Bush's ban on providing international relief funds, to any groups who provide abortions or merely even suggest or provide information on abortions.

This ban was based etirely and solely on religious views--it has no scientific grounds, and it's moral grounds are somewhat subjective to personal viewpoints...most of which are dictated by religion, and not common sense---which goes entirely against the First Amendment of U.S. Constitution.

The phrase separation of church and state is believed to first be found in a letter written by Thomas Jefferson in 1802 to the Danbury Baptists, in which he refers to the First Amendment to the United States Constitution as creating a "wall of separation" between church and state.

In the First Amendment, Congress is admonished to "make no law" regarding the establishment of relgion, and can make no laws regarding religions.

Many people today, believe that to include, that the US should not make any laws or rules, which favour one religion, and that it should not push what is seen as a religious-based rule upon non-religious citizens. Which of course, an anti-abortion laws and rules, do, because over 75% of Americans whom are against abortions--are against them due purely based on religious grounds and church dictated bans on such proceedures. This then, could truly be considered, wholely unconstitutional, as the US government is banned from forcing religious views on the American people.

It is certainly ludicris to ban seriously needed funding to those suffering from hunger, disease or natural disaster, solely because the agency providing that relief, may happen to be OK with abortions. How is that a Christian response? Not the Christ I used to believe in, at any rate. But then, my Christ doesn't really seem to exist in the right-wing evangelical world.

Whoops! I hate spoilers, but it's too late now. I was under the impression that these were a few early publicity shots of Tennant back to work as the Doctor...erm--not quite.

Well, it's been given away that either the army or U.N.I.T. will be involved in Planet of the Dead. Sorry. I SWEAR I didn't know...but I know some of my Whovian friends get all impatient to know what's going to happen...personally, I prefer to be surprised--well, except for that whole thing about the ending of 4.12, that almost made me stop watching Dr Who, it upset me that much. (the surprise, not the story itself)...I don't like shocks--like I don't like scary movies...I've been shocked and scared for real--trust me, it's NOT a fun or entertaining experience! Anyone who thinks shocks and fear entertaining, is blessedly naive.

Well, he may be a brilliant actor now, but this old TV pilot that someone just e-mailed me the link to, proves that Tennant wasn't always all that picky about the work he chose to do:

Still trying to wrap my head around this...I look really hot in my new 'do? Whoa. That's very strange. The best I've ever had said about me, is that I look "cute." Here's my reaction to that "complement," to quote the Doctor: "No, no--don't do that...just don't."

So, the woman around the corner from my office--the one I wasn't allowed to ride in the lift with--has just been appointed to Hilary's Senate seat.

Yeah, I can't ride in the lift with her for security reasons...well, to be fair, I do eat a lot of curries, Mexican, and Polish food, I mean, it would look bad if our local US congresswoman *(now our US senator) got toxic gassed by some big arsed telemarketer...anyway, I can't ride in the lift with her, but she wouldn't say no to my vote, I reckon.

Kristin (I keep wanting to say 'christine,'for some reason) Hillibrand is our region's Washingon representative, whose Adirondack regional office is two doors down from our own door. She's not there very often, as she also has an office in Saratoga Springs, Albany (I think) and of course, one in Washington, D.C.

I'm not crazy about her, merely because she leans a lot to the right, brown-nosing to the heavily republican, very white and twice as uptight northeastern New York crowd. She's pro-gun, and anti-abortion (unless she's changed her stance like some politicians are wont to do, with revolving door opinions on certain issues). Yet, she has helped people who have come to her. She has shown herself to be a very caring and intelligent person, so I'm willing to forgive a little closet conservatism on her part.

I've personally met at least a half a dozen people in the last couple of years, who have said that Congresswoman Hilibrand has personally assisted them with problems such as getting disability and/or veteran's benefits, landlord-tenant issues and other red-tape brick walls which people sometimes find themselves facing.

In other words, Hilibrand--tho' completely unknown by most people outside of the Saratoga/Adirondack region of New York state--is a good choice! She's very proactive, very interested in making positive changes, in helping people lead better lives and in economic growth. Sure, she's still a politician, and she's hardly perfect, but...yeah, tho' Gov. Patterson is a total twit, I think for once he's done the right thing.

My plan, after I had a quick bite to eat, was to blog a tiny bit, write a paragraph in my newest Dr Who fan-fic on wordpress, watch the rest of Journey's End on DVD, and go to bed--but here it is 9pm, and I'm ready for bed now--not feeling great, all of the sudden. Decided to hit the bed at the unheardof hour of half-past nine. God, I'm getting old.

A local man here in the Glens Falls area, was recently convicted for having sex with a 13 year old girl. He was sentenced to 6 months in prison, ten years probation, and a 1000 dollar "sex offender fee." Sex offender fee??? What? It's like a club that you join, now?

Meanwhile, the 13 year old girl will carry the emotional damage inside her, for the remainder of her life.

The scales of justice sometimes get a bit wobbly, but this time they are downright completely out of balance.

Well, though I could scarcely afford it, I went to Walmart's beauty salon and had my hair re-done---my gosh, I just had THE best haircut in my life! Wow!!! This hair stylist is a keeper, let me tell you--finally, a stylist who understands my ultra baby-fine wonky ol' hair! Whoo-hoo!

I mean, I had two guys smile at me...and (ok, this is a bit off-putting sort of) my drunken hillbilly neighbour told me that I look "really hot" in my new 'do.

Although, I can truthfully say, that in 48 years, that is quite the first time anyone has every told me that I looked "really hot" before...a comment which my mind is still trying to process...somehow I've never equated myself with hottie-ness, it's a term for myself, which has never entered my mind before. Huh. Very strange. I'm getting too old for this, think I'll just go back to being plain (or butch) old Nancy.

Honestly though..wow. I mean, this really looks fantastic...I feel like a celebrity--ok, a D-list celebrity, but hey, I'll take whatever I can get, I'm not picky.

That woman last week really did give me a bad cut--even the Walmart's stylist said so--after she did a double-take when I told her that I'd just had it cut a week ago...she was genuinely flabbergasted by how poorly it was cut, and joked with me, asking if my stylist at the other salon had a vision problem. This Walmart stylist did things to my hair that no one ever bothered with before--I'm genuinely chuffed! Wish I had somewhere to go to show it off, but after paying the electric/gas bill, buying a phone card and my groceries, paying 15 dollars in cab fare and then 20 for the haircut...well, I've less than about 18 dollars between me and next Friday's pay check. But...yeah, it was worth it.

I tried to take a pic of myself, but I suck at self-portraits, especially with a less than 2 inch size camera! What you see is the best I could manage.

Well, I'm sitting here at my desk, on a bleary Friday afternoon--looks like it might snow flurry any moment now. I'm scarfing down spaghetti at half-past 11 in the morning, 'cos of my new work schedule. Starting shift at noon means, either one must have lunch practically right on top of breakfast, or, as is often the case with me, breakfast, no lunch, and an early evening meal. I'm told this isn't a good arrangement for a diabetic, but who cares? It's not like I'm going the whole day, fasting, for pity's sake (which sometimes I do, when I've no appetite for food).

Oh dear. An ambulance just now went tearing by, lights and sirens going, and some middle-aged git walking his dog just hurled out a steam of curse words at the top his lungs, at the long-since passed vehicle. Proably scared the dog...so, the ambulance, which may be responding to a heart attack or motor vehicle accident, is supposed to kill its siren as it rushes through morning traffic on the city's main street, because your dog is afraid of the noise??? Riiight. Nice language by the way mate, hope you covered Spot's ears when you screamed that.

Well, I'm off for work in about three minutes. Gotta' try and scarf down some more pasta. I bought what I thought was a tin of Chef Boyardee's spagetti and meatballs, but it turned out to be a tin of spagetti sauce, instead--I had no idea CB made spagetti sauce! Why didn't they have it in the pasta sauce aisle, instead of with the tinned food like spaghetti, chilli and stew? I dislike men setting up food aisles in the supermarkets...they have no common sense when it comes to local places to place food items--and then, once in a while, the supermarkets over here, will totally re-arrange the aisles, supposedly to bring the shoppers to new areas of the store...bollocks. All that little ploy has made me do, is shop somewhere else! I am not a huge fan of grocery shopping--every Saturday mum dragged me along with her to shop, as I grew up. Trust me, the thrill is long gone. It's a necessary chore, which is made more of a chore, when I have to trek all over god's creation, looking for a tin of baked beans or a box of rice pilaf!

My computer is soooo-slow lately! I have cable high-speed connection, but it's been acting like dial-up, at times. I've run scans, and nothing. Must be the server. I think I'll go in next week and downgrade...I mean, if this is the crap connection I get for 50 dollars, why pay the extra money I can't really afford that well?

Well, it's a nearly-tropical 30 F out there right now--cool! Love it!

Unfortuneately it's not going to last, and we're back into the minus 10 F (minus 23 C) Saturday night. Damn. Ah well, that's what they make winter clothing for. Cheers!

Dr Who has begun filming this week in Cardiff for the first of the 2009 specials, and it's been revealed that Michelle Ryan (Eastenders), who has been rumoured to be Matt Smith's new companion, is in fact David Tennant's newest villain.

Sexpot Ryan will be playing a character named Christina De Souza. They were filmed together during a scene on a double-decker bus in Cardiff. Like Morrissey's character, Ryan's will also have a mysterious past...only allegedly one which will have a big impact on the Doctor. Oooh, well, that sould keep the fan forums burning up the internet with speculation, ey?

Comedian Lee Evans (whomever he is), is supposed to be also joining Tennant on a Tardis tour this year. He will be playing a character named Malcolm, whose life will also be connected with the Doctor's....yeah, yeah, yadda-yadda-yadda. Davies is going bonkers with all the plot threads again, it seems. Tardisenders, As the Tardis Turns, Tardis Street, The Young and the Tardis--okay, I just went a bit mad with the UK/USA soap opera titles...sorry. Well, I'm sure it will be a delight to watch, as always.

The first special--which is rumoured to be also filming in Dubai shortly, will air at Easter this year. The rumour that another special is to be filmed somewhere here in the states hasn't gone away, either, but I will believe that when it happens, and won't speculate any further. Yes, I'm still in cynical mode this week, sorry.

The local radio station this morning reports that our local congresswoman, Madame Hillibrand, is being considered by New York's Gov. Patterson to replace Sen. Hilary Clinton, as she takes up her new post as Secretary of State.

U. S. Congresswoman Christine Hillibrand has a local office just two doors down from the office where I work. I've rarely seen her--twice in two years...and one time her bodygaurds refused to allow me on the lift with her...pfft. Yeah, I'm one dangerous mama jama, better watch out for me, Christine, I might go crazy and a fart in the lift, gas you to death.

Caroline Kennedy has pulled out of the running, due to a personal problem. Sounds scandalous---well, scandal is to the Kennedy's, as alcopops are to the yobbos. Mind you, despite that, the Kennedy's do tend to make fantastic politicians.

It was rumoured that Attorney General Andrew Cuomo (former Gov. Cuomo's son), was on the short-list, but he seems to have been dropped. Too bad, cos' he sucks as state attorney general--I'd rather they booted him out to Washington D.C. to do nothing, than keep him in such an important office.

Felt like some pathetic ranting/venting tonight. Promise, my blog will be a bit more upbeat and cheerier on the morrow.

I went to work today--it was 23 F outside...but with the stiff wind, the windchill was around minus 13 C! It was flippin' biting cold, that wind....so, get to the office...when out slumps one of those young late-teen guys, who slouch along like little old men, thinking it's actually cool-looking to move more like you should be bald, toothless and using a walker...or wearing skins and carrying a club, either one works for me.

Anyway, this young git is wearing nothing but shorts and a tee shirt!!! Dear lord, do these prats really think risking hypothermia or pneumonia makes them seem tough??? No dearies, it only makes you look like a ridiculous fool, in the eyes of all intelligent people.

But then, humanity does seem to be devolving these days, yeah?

The other night I forgot to take the meat out of the freezer, and decided to treat myself to a the reasonably priced special at a local favourite resturant--merely a open-face hot turkey sandwich, with cauliflower and mashed. It's a nice little resturant...not posh, but a family establishment. Sitting in the booth in front of me, was a mum and her 8 year old daughter. I thought, "oh, how nice." Erm--no, not really apparently. First, the little girl lets out this enormous belch. Was mum shocked, embarrassed, horrified? No. Mum thought it quite funny. Then, the little girl is sitting at table, with her food hanging out of her mouth...I mean, in a very stomach turning way...again, mum thought it quite the height of hilarity.

My mum would NOT have been laughing! In fact, when I told my similar-aged co-workers this, they all agreed...their mum's also would have punished this animal-like behaviour, not rewarded it with a laugh!

The other day, I was in a shop, and a three or four year old was saying sh_t and f_ck over and over...again, "mum" thought it quite droll. Again, me and other 40-something co-workers, all agreed that our mum's would have spanked us, or washed our mouths out with soap (turns out I'm not the only one to have had that fun experience as a child).

What the HECK is wrong with so-called parents these days? Are they parents? NO. They are zoo-keepers. HELLO, your job mum and dad, is turn turn out HUMAN BEINGS, not farm animals. MANNERS MATTER. How you behave in public MATTERS. It's what seperates us from the animal kingdom.

Well, I'm probably talking to no one who needs to hear this, and let's face it: if these people knew this stuff, wouldn't they be taking the pride to be good mum's and dad's and seeing that these kids grow up to be civilized people with some modicum of self-respect?

I just realized today, what a lousy job the hairstylist did on my hair, last Friday, so now I've got to try and get it fixed. Not sure if I'll be able to manage it over the weekend, but perhaps Monday I can find someone cheap--like a barber or the local beauty school, to even it off a bit, I dunno'.

I was told today that I had hair "like a kitten." OK, well, that's better than Shetland pony hair, I reckon. Things are looking up then. And you know, I really don't give a hang if my hair is getting a tad salt and pepper-ish, but this new cut made me realize that, whereas I was mostly getting gray on the front right...now I'm evening out more, and got gray on the front left, as well. Good to know it's a matched set, now.

I'm glad to have my shaggy do lobbed off, but the girl at Bo-ricks did a really lousy job, and I never realized it until today, for some reason. It's not as short as I desired, and I wanted the hair around my ears trimmed, and by the looks of things, she never even touched it. I know I was rather tired and not feeling my best when I went for the cut, and now I know that I will never do that again! From now on, I'm going to be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed when I go to a hair salon.

1. What did you think when you looked in the mirror, today?

"Damn, that's one crappy haircut."

2. What is your favourite planet?

Well, if Russell T. Davies hadn't of destroyed it, Galifrey. Shame on you, Russell.

3. Last song you listened to?

I've been listening to Dust in the Wind, by Kanas, Better Days by the Goo-Goo Dolls, Shout Shout by The Proclaimers, but now All for Swinging You Around by The New Pornographers is playing.

4. Last injury you had? Was it painful?

This morning somehow I unwittingly managed to slice open the bottom of one of my toes--and me without a band-aid (sticking plaster). Because of that, and the location of the cut, yes, it's uncomfortable and slightly painful, but no big deal. It'll be fine in a day or two...pain in the backsides though, having to walk with one toe pointing in the air all the time.

5. What did you have for your evening meal?

Again with the meal question? Why does every flippin' meme ask that? Well, if you must know (tho' I have no clue why anyone would care), I made sliced steak teriyaki (merely a cheap steak sliced up and stir-fried in a skillet with some sliced onions and teriyaki sauce), roasted potatoes with garlic and rosemary, and sauteed zucchini squash. There, you satisfied? Jeez...

6. What are you wearing from the waist up right now?

Who says I'm wearing anything? Thought I'd give the neighbour's across the road something to discuss.

No, really, I'm wearing a navy blue sweatshirt with a show jumper on a horse on it, jumping over a fence...the horse on the shirt, that is.

7. What's in your pockets at the moment?

A used tissue--want it?

8. Where is your nearest shop?

The Stewarts convenient shop, which is about four streets down the way, across from my office building.

9. Who is your worst enemy?

Myself probably.

10. Name of the street you lived on when you were 10 years old?

Sage Court

What the hell are you wearing, David? Are you trying to blind us all?

Hmmm--I see he's gone back to stuffing that tube sock down his trousers.

Seriously though, I'm all for dressing as you please--(when appropriate), simply because way, way too much negativity seems to be emitted enmass by the media, whenever some posh celebrity dresses down, or, in the case of Mr. Tennant above, dresses to suit themselves...albeit, sometimes one's fashion choices can seem a tad bewildering to those of us outside life's trendy little circles...but hey, whatever floats yer boat, matey. You go, bhoy!

Heck, outside of one summer in Wyoming, I've lived my whole life in northeastern New York state--and I've been wearing cowboy hats and shirts and such, for over 40 years (tho' not nearly so much now that I'm getting on a bit, and have been forced leave behind horses/saddles...I mean, except when the rodeo's in town, I will get odd looks wearing a cowboy hat in the city--it looked ever so much more appropriate, when I was driving around the countryside in my pick up truck ).

1972

Whoo-hoo! I just got an e-mail that tells me the Proclaimers are playing some pub down in New York City in March! How cool is that? Unfortunately, even if I could manage the coach fare down there, the cost of a ticket and other related expenses, I have no way to buy a ticket, cos' I've no credit card.

Well, the consolation is, that also in March, Enter the Haggis is performing not far from the village where I grew up...the city across the Hudson River from my hometown, so maybe I might manage to make a day/night of it, for that concert...certainly, I'm sure the tickets must be easier to get for ETH, since they're not all that well-known.

Off to work in literally 2 minutes. Just popping in to say hullo. It's actually a balmy 23 F out there right now--Yes! It's going to go all the way up to freezing (32 F), before, by the weekend, it drops back down to the teens to sub-zero's fahrenheight again...about down to minus 20 to minus 22 C again, by, I think, Saturday night. Ah well...global warming? HA!

Well, this actually is a normal winter for us--in 2007, we didn't get hardly any snow at all until mid-February, which is the first time that's happened within my lifetime. It's snowing a bit today, but just lazy flurries, no storms that I'm aware of. It's actually supposed to be mostly sunny, this weekend, which will be nice for the skiiers over to West Mountain fifteen minutes from here, and up at Gore Mtn. in North Creek about 40 min or so just up I-87. I don't ski...not that I wouldn't, but nowadays, I'm not sure I could even handle riding a horse any longer, without considerable pain after the first half-hour or so.

Well, I'm off to work. Someone burnt the popcorn in our office's microwave yesterday, triggering the alarm and evacuating the whole building, while the firmen came and sounded the all-clear. Don't imagine the office manager's going to be thrilled with the loss of 20 minutes productivity and being bitched at by building security.

Thanks for reading. Cheers!

"Aw, c'mon, Donna...premature rematerialisation can happen to any Time Lord."

Well, this will teach me to leave a roll of paper towels lying about after dusting...all the money we spend on toys for our pets, we coudl just go out to the discount shop and get a 79 cent roll of towels for our cats to delight in. Ugh. Well, that's what they make Hoovers for.

So, no angry feedback over me posting my playlist on Roasting David Tennant, so...thought I'd re-do the playlist (now that I've finally got the hang of it) and try it on my main blog. It only took me over 3 hours.

Unlike Roasting DT though, I've put the player at the top of the page, instead of the bottom, so people can mute it if it annoys them too much, or click on specific songs or artists.

However, if anyone doesn't like the playlist player, you can always click on my username and send me a PM ...nicely, please! If you're rude I'll merely do the old ignore and delete.

Because my musical tastes cover a pretty big territory (depending on my mood), you can expect to hear a wide range of tunes: progressive, contemporary pop, rock, oldies, folk/folk-rock, modern jazz, big band, western swing, 70's country, new age, easy listening, classical and even a touch of Dr Who.

I have shuffle turned off, so songs will play in order. But anyone can click the shuffle on, which is on the right-hand top of the page. Click the speaker/volume at the bottom right, to turn on the mute button, if you don't like the tunes.

This is a chance for some of you to get to know me better, through the types of music I like--some songs and/or artists are old favourites, and some are brand new to me, that I've "discovered" in the last year or two.

I got an odd e-mail today, when I got home from work. It said I had a message from Myspace Secret Standup. What the heck is that??? I don't even USE myspace!

So like, I'm getting spammed by myspace now? Fan-friggin'-tastic.

I don't know anyone on myspace, and I figure if it's a legit message, the person can e-mail me or click my username on this blog, and just send me a message, if it's really important. Otherwise, to quote a Cyberman: 'DELETE!'

I'm sitting here as I write this, listening to Moonlight Serenade on a Wednesday morning, looking out my windows at the sunlight shining down on the snow-covered roofs and tree branches outside.

This blog sometimes gets away from me. I look at past posts, and present posts, and see how I've changed in the last two years...possibly for the worse, or perhaps for the better, I've no idea. It's hard to objective with oneself, I believe. We truly are our own worst critics--unless we have an enormous ego, and then that's another matter entirely.

At times it feels as if I'm standing in a white spot of insight, at others, I'm regaled to the dark shadows lurking in the wings of life. Actually it's much more the latter than the former.

I think in a very human way, I have a tendency to dismiss myself rather easily. Not that I've ever written, said or done anything notable in my lifetime, mind you. But, sometimes I wonder what rejected thoughts I've had that I should have clung to. And, what thoughts lead me to disaster that I well would have done to ignore. Funny how our hour, our day--even our whole existance, can hinge on a mere thought, like a cobweb hanging from the rafters of our soul, which we choose to allow to cling or to be severed, seemingly at whim.

1 pound flank or round steak, cut into strips
1 large onion, chopped
2 small cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 tsp chili powder
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup canned or fresh (cored) diced tomatoes
2 cups thawed frozen broccolli florets
1 can beef broth
hot cooked white rice

In a deep skillet, soften onion and brown steak in hot oil. Stir in garlic and continue cooking for 2 to 3 minutes. Turn down heat. Stir in remaining ingredients (except rice). Cover and simmer on low for about 20 minutes, or until vegetables are softened. Serve over cooked white rice.

If you marri​ed the perso​n you last texte​d,​​​​​​ what would​ your last name be?

Erm--nothing. I don't text (eyesight's too rubbish and I'll be damned if I'm gonna' dumb myself down by learning "textspeak." I'm dumb enough already, thanks--I'm an American.

Baths​ or showe​rs?​​​​​​

Would love baths, but alas, my crap apartment comes only with one very tiny shower stall...I've barely room to stand up, as it is.

Are you getti​ng engag​ed any time soon?​​​​​​

Not unless someone out there knows something I don't. Pretty bloodly unlikely though, seeing's how I've not dated since summer of 1997.

​Last CD you playe​d?​​​​​​

Electric Version by The New Pornographers

Are you looki​ng for a ​​​​​​girlf​riend​?​​​​​​

Erm--not a lesbian...as far as I know, anyway. Then again???

Publi​c displ​ays of affec​tion?​​​​​​

That would be a no--well, hugging and handholding is fine...none of the crap with the hand glued to my buttocks though--sure way for a bloke to get a knee in the groin, that.

Last movie​ you saw in theat​ers?

Double feature at the Glen Drive-in: Passenger 57 and 40 year old Virgin (how ironic was that?).

How many pills​ do you take a day?

I'm supposed to take three or four, but I don't take any, any longer, cos' quite frankly, I've decided that I don't really give a damn, anymore--and, I just plain don't always have the cash for health care, anyway.

Do you get nervo​us befor​e docto​r appoi​ntmen​ts?​​​​​​

No...well, not unless I'm in the ER--I dread having to go in hospital overnight..not the shots or the IV's or transfusions and/or operations...it's stinking lying in bed alone for hours on end with no company (my cats) and no internet/Dr Who/writing to keep me occupied. That totally blows, I'll have you know.

What do you prefe​r to drink​ in the morni​ng?​​​​​​

Not picky: juice, coke, tea, coffee, milk...whatever.

What is your favor​ite resta​urant​?​​​​​

Around here, probably a local tex-mex resturant/steakhouse called Jake's Roundup, but back home I would say Ted's Fish Fry is my all-time favourite...not posh, but extremely yummy. Best chippy in all of New York state.

Name 3 emoti​ons at this exact​ momen​t?​

Honestly, all I feel is indifference, at the moment. Not happy, not sad, not..much of anything, really. I'm tired, I guess.

Favor​ite candy​?​​​​​

I don't know. I don't eat much candy any longer...used to eat Snickers bars a lot.

What color​ shirt​ are you weari​ng?​​​​​​

It's plaid--brown, dark blue, tan, cream...I think. I can't see well in dim light, anymore.

What was the first​ thing​ you thoug​ht of when you woke up?

Damn, I'm going to be late for work! (I forgot that I work night shift on Tuesdays, doh.)

Have you ever inten​tiona​lly made someo​ne jealo​us?​​​​​​

Never, not my bag.

What'​​​​​​s somet​hing you'​​​​​​re excit​ed about​ right​ now?

My pending tax refund.

Do you spend​ a lot of time with your paren​ts?​​​​​​

Both deceased. But mum lived with me, the last 10 years of her life. Dad...when he felt like having me around, I used to spend time with him, sometimes.

Have you ever been in a long dista​nce relat​ionsh​ip?​​​​​​

Yeah, it's fine. LDR's don't bother me in the least--but guys seem to have a bit of a hang-up about it, I've noticed.

Next party​ you'​​​​​​re going​ to?

I've hardly ever gone to parties in my lifetime...I'm not the type people invite to parties, I reckon.

Do you bump into someo​ne's arm if you want to hold their​ hand?​​​​​​

No, I used to just hold their hand...or maybe give them a eye-to-eye signal, first, I suppose..I really don't remember, haven't held someone's hand since mum died.

Last time you were truly​ happy​?​​​​​​

2001. Fantastic year.

Do you flip your pillo​w to the cold side?​​​​​​

Do the cold side? Sorry, never heard of that expression...I flip my pillow a lot, 'cos I've got to plump it up to support that stinking bone spur in my neck, in order for me not to wake up with a crick in my neck each morning.

Do you sleep​ with one leg out from under​ the cover​s?​​​​​​

I often have to sleep with my bad foot hanging off the side of the bed...not by choice though.

Do you want a small​ or big weddi​ng?​​​​​​

Erm--didn't we cover this engaged thing already? I have no intentions of ever marrying--I'm utterly committed to being an old maid, thanks...but if the impossible became probable...definately small wedding--hardly any relations left, so why bother?

What woke you up this morni​ng?​​​​​​

Flame pawing and whinging at me to wake up and feed her.

How many times​ have you eaten​ sushi​?​​​​​​

I'd rather eat leaves and twigs, thanks.

What made your day today​?​​​​​​

Boots--he fell off the bookcase and was wimpering, upset with himelf (but not hurt at all), so I picked him up and cuddled him, and he started purring and buried his head in my shoulder. (An "awww" moment.)

What'​​​​​​s somet​hing you are looki​ng forwa​rd to in the near futur​e?​​​​​​

Getting the tax refund...still haven't a clue if I am, and if I do, havent' decided yet which bills to pay and how much to put aside, and how much "stuff" I want to treat myself to, with it...but hoping to get either a $20 webcam or a c$30 digital camera with it..and maybe a new pair of walking boots or a Dr Who book, too.

What are you gonna​ do after​ this?​​​​

Go to sleep

Plans​ for this weeke​nd?​​​​

What's the point? I mean really...why bother? That's the one and only nice thing about being alone, if someone invites you to their home on a few hour's notice, you can go--if i were rich, I could hire someone to watch the cats, and just grab a train or coach to somewhere for a few days, with no one to care if I'm here or not. Mostly, all my weekends, all year round, consist of working, grocery shopping, housework, blogging/writing, laundry. Period. At least 50 weekends a year, year in and year out...the one constant of my life, is that I have no life, ha-ha.

What did you have for dinne​r?​​​​

Two leftover vegetarian tacos, and a bologna sandwich.

What is bothe​ring you now?

The teenagers upstairs still bouncing off the walls like ten-year olds on crack coccaine.

Why are you at home?​​​​

Because it's after midnight and where else would someone like me be, at that hour, if not working or in the ER?

This time last Janua​ry,​​​​ were you singl​e?​​​​

Very. Now bugger off.

If you're being​ extre​mely quiet​ what does it mean?​​​

Ey? I'm being normal???

What are you liste​ning to?

My cat Boots, whinging for reasons unknown, and Better Days by the Goo Goo Dolls.

Are you a big fan of thund​ersto​rms?​​​​

Got mildly zapped by lightning once, so that would be a big NO.

Would​ you ever live with any of your blog frien​ds?​​​​

Ey? Probably not--it would have to be a very good friend, indeed, to put up with the likes of me.

Have you ever liked​ someb​ody and never​ told them?​​​​

Of course. It's human nature.

Are you a jealo​us perso​n?​​​​

Nope, not that easily impressed--okay, just a tad jealous of Russell T. Davies and David Tennant, and everyone who got to, or gets to, work on Dr Who.

Do you curre​ntly hate someo​ne?​​​​

Meh--still not crazy about George W. Bush.

Where​ was your defau​lt pic taken​?​​​​

The Dr Who American tour, 1988, Latham Circle Mall car park, Latham, NY (I'm actually sitting in the 3rd Dr's car, Bessie.)

Who are you most annoy​ed at right​ now?

Boots, I wish he'd shut up...now he's upset, 'cos Flame hissed at him.

Is there​ anyon​e you would​ do anyth​ing for?

My friends, of course.

What do you think​ about​ when you are falli​ng aslee​p?​​​​

Stuff. Sometimes I think about stories I'm working on. Get some good ideas that way.

Last time you paint​ed your nails​?​​​​

Probably when I went for the interview for my present job.

Do peopl​e ever think​ you'​​​​re older​/young​er than you actua​lly are?

Yeah, despite my graying hair, and the fact I seldom wear makeup, people always think I'm in my 30's or early 40's.

Have you ever liked​ someo​ne way older​ than you?
lots of times...I'm not overly hung up about age--tho' I naturally tend prefer the over-35 set, I suppose, for conversational purposes.

What was the last thing​ to make you laugh​?​​​​

Flame playing with me.

Do you think​ men truly​ under​stand​ women?​​​​

Do conservatives truly understand liberals? Do evangelical Christians truly understand Muslims? Do Trekies truly understand Whovians? 'Nuff said?

Does the futur​e scare​ you?

No, I'm here, I'm not here, the world's here, it's not here--that's life.

Are you happy​ right​ now?

Meh.

Do you clean​ when you'​​​​re upset​?​​​​

No. I not overly fond of cleaning (not that I don't) I have to be in a good mood to clean.

Do you usual​ly tell peopl​e when they hurt your feeli​ngs?​​​

No, not usually.

What'​​​​s on your mind right​ now?

God, how much longer is this meme going to go on?

Are you keepi​ng a big secre​t right​ now?

Would I tell you if I was?

Do you alway​s answe​r your phone​?​​​​

No...right now I can't cos' I'm outta minutes

Is anyon​e overp​rotec​tive over you?

No. I live alone. Though sometimes my sister gets weird and suddenly remembers I exist and decides to worry about me--weird...most of time she doesn't know I'm alive.

What are you weari​ng on your feet?​​​​

socks

What do you think​ of peopl​e that do drugs​?​​​​

I'm sorry for them, but as long as they don't involve me, aren't screwing up someone else's life, commit a crime or make a serious nuisence of themselves, I suppose, if an adult, they bloody well can do as they please.

Do you like it when someo​ne calls​ you babe/​​​​baby?​​​​

Not a whole heck of a lot, no.

Since I saw the really cool trainers on Trinax's blog, I thought I'd post a pic of the "posh" Ked's trainers I got this summer for the equivilent of 4 pounds 50 pence from Label Shopper. They're not as cool as Trinax's, but they're the most posh one's I've ever owned. I thought I was hip when I bought a pair of generic brand ladies' black hightops from wal-marts in 'o7.

Sorry about the picture quality--this mini-camera takes really crap photos.

Well, the work slow down's begun and my work schedule's just been changed...meh, still working the same number of hours, only different times...keep my Saturday hours, but go in an hour later on Tuesdays, and three hours later the rest of the week. Will make it harder to get things done...especially the post office. I'm never gonna' get that stuff mailed!

Ah well. The supervisor sounded really apologetic and went into detailed explaination...which was kind of her, but hell, as long as I'm working the same total number of hours, I can still pay my bills--so what the heck do I care what schedule I have? It's not like I have to be anywhere else, or have anyone but the cats to care for.

So, quite a while back--November I think, I was getting bogus e-mails from some scammer, pretending to be a production company working for the BBC or some such bother, that was going to be producing a television programme about bloggers, and they wanted me to be on the show--but I'd have to send them my personal information. Riiight. Didn't buy that for a second! For one thing, WHY would the BBC bother with a programme about bloggers and blogging? And even if they did, why would they choose to film someone who doesn't live in the UK? And, more to the point, WHY would they want to film a blogger whose live is less than fascinating?

I mean, wouldn't the BBC want to show INTERESTING bloggers who are firemen, or mountain climbers or CEO's, celebrities and such? Cripes! If the BBC ever said they'd want to film me (for real), I'd know they'd gone and turned into a mob of nutjobs!

Anyway, I sent the scammer's info--they sent me several e-mails--to the BBC in early November...and the BBC only just got back to me, today...to confirm that it was a scam (DOH, no kidding, really?) and gee, there wasn't a damn thing they can do about it...really? Who'd have ever thunk it? Of course, I didn't expect that, I just wanted to bring it to their attention. Ironically, I also got another scam e-mail: "Dear blogger, good news! Your blog has been selected to appear on a new programme..." Mind you, my credit is so rubbish, and I'm so broke most of the time, after paying bills and such--literally half of my yearly income goes on rent alone, nothing else...how they'd get anywhere with my personal information, is beyond me, unless they use it for passports, driver's licenses or whatnot. If they try to get credit...good luck with that, matey.

I found an old play I'd written for my playwriting class in college, six years ago--horrible! I'd never turned it in, but did something else instead, I believe. It was a 10 min. skit, where a liberal lesbian minister gets stuck in a hotel lift with a very right-wing evangelical southern televangelist. God, what rubbish! Who in their right mind would sit in a seat for 10 minutes watching two people standing in an immaginary lift, bantering about..stuff? What was I thinking? I'll never be a real playwright, I know. I just don't have the makings for it. But, I enjoy the challenge of it, anyway. Dunno' why. Maybe 'cos I love the theatre, and this is the only way--outside of reading plays--that I can actually enjoy it.

So, I watched some Primeval last night, and Nunsense. Tonight it's Dr Who series 4...don't know which episode yet, though. God, the teenage boys are running around their apartment upstairs again--my ceilings AND floor, are actually vibrating heavily...it's like earth tremors when they do that! Crap. Not conductive to writing, let me tell you. That's why I do so much writing at 1 to 3am...it's the only time I can actually get any clarity to my thoughts, without unpleasant distractions.

OK, just got a message from someone I don't know--this woman had some lovely things to say about my Roasting David Tennant blog, which always never fails to surprise me, considering it's just something I do to pass the time, and don't take terribly seriously.

For quite a while, I'd been planning to install a playlist player on one of my blogs--but, had decided that music playing might be distracting...or even annoying, on my main blog, and my Wordpress Dr Who fiction as well. But, decided that my Roasting David blog would be a good experiement for this, as few people stay on there more than a few minutes (as far as I know), it gets less than 150 viistors a day generally, and reading it doesn't require any concentration. (I suspect a lot of people go on there just to look at the pics.)

So, I made up a player with a very random mix of my favourite tunes and artists--a rather electic selection, I may add. Well, this woman was all a-gush 'cos I'd apparently choosen artists and/or songs that actor David Tennant also likes (according to her, I'll have to take her word for it.) Mind you, outside of The Proclaimers, I've absolutely no clue what music the sex sensation that's sweeping the British nation (known as David Tennant) listens to! Really, no clue. How strange is that? If we have similar tastes in music, I would find that exceedingly surprising. I'd choosen these songs and artists before I'd decided which blog to put this player on, so it really wasn't any deliberate choice: "oh golly gee whiz, why don't I put songs on there that David would like?" Erm--no.

My playlist contains 200 songs. Sure, there's current popular artists on there, of course. I've no idea what this woman heard, but I have an idea that not all the artists and songs would trip Tennant's fancy: John Denver, Shaun Cassiday, Frank Sinatra, the Beach Boys, Barry Manilow, Ramsey Lewis, Mel Torme, Patsy Montana, Glenn Miller, Chopin, Christopher Cross...no way. I'm sure a trendy guy like that wouldn't be caught dead listening to those artists. Anyway, I thanked her, but told her it was only coincidence.

Do people really pay attention to the songs a famous actor listens to? I dunno', I'm not into celebrity culture. I suppose if these fans want to know what hair product the actor uses, where he lives, what he looks like nude, where he shops, what hospital he was in, what woman he's dating and/or engaged to, etc, that they probably do keep track of the types of music, film, etc, that he's interested in.

Anyway, this woman also asked me to do a meme for her...well, I've a half hour to kill before I have to change into my office clothes. I need a break from dusting--damn cobwebs...this place is horrid with the cobwebs/dust, can't keep up with it, used to only have to dust only a couple of times a month in my caravan--this place I can't go two weeks without cobwebs all over the place. Dang.

Anyway, heeeere's meme:

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1. Do you listen to music or talk radio in the car?

I've not had a car of my own since late summer of 06. But, mostly I listened to music, either local radio or a mix tape of my own...except in the morning, when I'd catch the news and in-depth discussions on public radio, or listen to the banal chit-chat on a small town Vermont radio station...usually discussions of maple sugaring, sheep raising, winter pot hole reports (holes in the pavement from winter errosion), club activites, the lunch menu for the Meals on Wheels programmes...real exciting stuff.

2. If you were to name the most creative outlet that you have, what would it be?

Writing...mostly just blogging--but also Dr Who fan-fics, poetry, plays and essays.

3. What do you do to make yourself feel better when you are sick?

Sit up and watch Dr Who, or snuggle up in bed with my cat(s).

4. What was your greatest accomplishment in 2008?

I didn't die and I didn't become homeless.

5. Are you a window person or an aisle person? Why?

Oh, definately a window person--I love to see where I'm going and where I've been, and where I'm headed--that's 50% of the fun of traveling, for me! If I were an animal, I'd be the dog hanging it's head out the window, barking my joy at the world that I was going somewhere.

6. What's your favorite beach in the world?

I've not been to many ocean beaches...just lakes and rivers, mainly. I suppose it would be the main beach on Lake Luzerne, NY here in the Adirondacks (after hours when the tourists have left)...I used to live just a mile walk from the lake, the "main" beach is on a side road, up a hill, away from the town's other beach on the main street (they've two beaches on the lake)...it's nice and tranquil....and on certain summer afternoons, you can clearly hear live chamber music floating across the lake, from the classical music camp across the way.

7. What's the last thing you bought yourself, just for fun?

I'm not sure. Think it was a cheap DVD about two weeks ago, of an old 70's comedy film with Chevy Chase and Goldie Hawn.

8. What would the child you once were think of the adult you have become?

In all likelyhood, I'd have run away and joined the circus, or committed hari-kari.

9. What is the sickest you've ever been?

Though I nearly died in 2007, a year ago I had that awful tooth/facial abscess for months that finally came to a head ('scuse the gross but unintentional pun), and that was really horrid to have to deal with...I was one sick puppy for a long time, with that.

10. What's the first fable you ever remember hearing or reading?

Not sure...I believe it was a picture book based on the fable about the wind and the sun competeing to remove some bloke's cloak.

11. What's one of the first books you remember picking out of a library on your own?

It would have been, I think, either a book called "Ferdinand the Bull," or one of the Billy and Blaze books (a series by C W Anderson about a boy and his faithful pony)...those were my two favourites, and I vaugely remember getting them from the big library in Albany.

12. What is your idea of a perfect romantic evening?

Can't say that's ever been something I've had to think about. I really don't know. Dinner, a quiet stroll, maybe take in a film or play, or go to a festival or something? I absolutely am at sea when it comes to romance, this is the wrong question to be asking me.

13. It's been said that, "The best things in life are free." Do you think this is true? Why or why not?

That's sort of a 50/50 answer, I think. Yeah, I've managed to have some brilliant times that didn't cost me a red cent--but then, it's a lot easier to enjoy your life when you have the funds to go out and do the things you like to do, or persue your interests, than say, in my situation now, where I'm mostly trapped by situations I don't have much control over, due to (mainly) financial considerations.

14. If you had to gain 10 pounds what would you eat to gain the weight?

Big Macs/hamburgers, chili-dogs, pepperoni pizza, hot fudge sundaes, french fries (chips).

15. If you could have had the starring role in an existing movie, which movie would you pick?

A classic western, maybe like True Grit, I'd get to act, ride horses and play cowboy, and be in a pretty location for shooting, as well. That would be super cool, I'd think.

...you're being stared at?

Well, maybe you are.

A former co-worker, whom I only barely knew, has just been sentenced to 20 years in prison, after pleading guilty to killing his girlfriend's baby.

He admitted he murdered the child, because he was jealous that the mother--whom also worked in my office, for a time, was also dating the man's brother. The co-worker then attempted to smother the baby as it lay on the floor, three times, finally succeeding.

I haven't followed this story too closely, for I find it hard to think that someone in my office would ever do such a thing--NOT that I'm being naive, trust me, after what I went through as a child, I know too well, that anyone can be capable of anything, no matter who they are, or what their social/economic status or background.

We've got petty theives in our office--tho' management stupidly is in denial over that fact...a denial that one day may come back to bite them in the arse, and end up putting us all out of work, due to their total lack of authority and control...sooner or later, I'm sure at least one of these petty theif reps will rip off a customer--which probably already has happened, but it's been covered up, and then the client will get wind of it, and there's the business down the old loo.

But, I just work there...I go in, sit my bum in the chair, field calls, try to make the client some cash, and go home. I tried to warn them, and was told to get out if I didn't like the petty theivery. No really, that was pretty much the attitude.

So, they'll just go on hiring anyone with a pulse who can sell stuff, that walks through the door--despite the company website stating that all reps are college grads, some of our reps can barely read! Who cares? I get a pay check every Friday--no benefits, no raises, no paid time off, nothing but a pay check...and causal dress days when we can wear jeans to the office--whoo-hoo. Why should I care about this "business?" They don't care, very obviously.

Just popped into my blog to say hello. It's Tuesday, which means I work night shift tonight. Slept in--that's always a treat, after years of having to get up at the ungodly hours for work. Not that I care really, what time I work...not like I have a life, is it? Still, that's the way the ball bounces.

Not got much to say really...that's not good for a writer, is it? Tho' I did write a few lines for a play I'm messing about with, and a couple of sentences in my Dr Who story. Not a very productive morning. I'm off to make some vegetarian tacos for lunch, then maybe I can get some stuff done around here, to make me feel less like a lazy layabout.

Well, it's snowing here--just lazy snow, nothing much, it's 16 F, so it's not too cold..not exactly tropical, either, but at least one doesn't have the worry of arriving to work with one's face falling off from frostbite.

Having grown up Catholic (which I got rid of as soon as I turned 18), and then as a brand new Presbyterian, finding myself the sole protestant employee in a Convent full of old nuns...well, I found this musical especially funny. Love nun humour!

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Something that I meant to write about the other day and never got around to, was my rather interesting walk to work on Friday morning. I say interesting, because it's not every day one gets to slog down the streets to work, in minus 20 F temperatures...I think that's something like minus 26 or minus 28 C? It's freaking cold, let's just leave it at that.

Well, Friday morning it was somewhat foggy and misty...but, it wasn't. Let me clarify that: it was misty, but, the mist was frozen. As the sun tried to poke through the icy fog and flat white clouds, the world changed in an instant.

I was walking, head bent down to the vicious cold, the howling, biting wind driving the bitterness of the frost deep into my soul. Then, I realized something was different. The sun had come out breifly, and suddenly I was surrounded by diamonds. In the sunshine, ice crystals danced in the air, all around me, like dust motes made of fairy dust. It was like walking inside a living snow globe...a nobody walking to her dead-end telemarketing job, abruptly finding herself being given the privlidge of being inside some wintery gimcrack, shaken by the hand of an unseen deity.

One of the papers in the UK reports that Michelle Ryan from Eastenders has been selected to be Matt Smith's companion for Series 5.

I want to emphasize that I do not know if this is true or not. I only hope that if she has been choosen, she can actually do some straight-up serious acting, and not just look like some chav lad-mag centre-fold model. ...and, more to the point, that the series won't dive down into the bargain bin for ratings, and go all sex-driven soap-operaish, to keep it's teenage fan-girls all titilated. God help us real Whovians if they do.

Though I imagine those knockers would be a splendid place for the Doctor to hide his Tardis key and sonic screwdriver. "Oh, have you got the Tardis key...never mind, I'll get it meself."

I just had someone ask me why I don't "simply move to the UK" if I don't have anything or anyone tying me down here.

Yeah. Right now, I couldn't even manage to move to the slightly cheaper studio apartment downstairs, let alone 3000+ miles away across an entire ocean to a different continent!

Blimey! People really must think all us Yanks are rolling in cash. I mean, it's not like I can just stuff a few changes of clothing in a duffle and hop a freighter to Dover, is it? I'm too old for that sort of nonsense. I'm a gimpy old maid with no life, not a Dr Who companion!

Do you know how much it costs just to apply for British citizenship? Over $600! Blimey! And besides, who would want me??? Then there's those rather tedious realities of where one would live, what one would do for money/transport/food/health care etc., And, I'm not as un-tied down as one would think..I have three cats, and possessions, clothing, etc, which--call me materialistic, but, after having already given up so many of my most treasured possessions already in 2005/2006, to pay for mum's funeral and moving expenses, etc, I'm a bit loathe to give up any more, unless utterly given no further choices.

I mean, IF I could take the cats and the bulk of my possessions, IF I had a source of income and definately had a place to live, IF I could afford citizenship...yes, I'd be there in a blinking heartbeat...and no, I'm not naive, I'm well aware of the negatives of life in Britain and that culturally, socially and politically, it's very different than life here--still, yes, I'd go, surely, given the right conditions. But...that's like saying if I found a magic bottle containing a genie, I'd wish for horse or a car or something.

Reality check: moving to Britain? That's never going to happen, no matter how much I might secretly--and not so secretly, wish it to be so. I can't even afford to move across the street, right now! It's nearly impossible to find a place that will take three cats, that's also affordable, secure and not far from my workplace or on a busline.

Well, it's nearly 1pm here. Laundromat day for me...later. I've got a bit backed up with the household chores today. I was intending to post a package to a friend in Scotland today, but totally forgot tht it was a national holiday (for the post office/banks/schools) here. This'll make the third time in three weeks I've not been able to post things. Ah, well..still ashamed to say I've not got all my Christmas cards posted...hard to get stamps, without a car. It costs an enormous sum to buy them from the supermarket, 'cos they only sell them in a big books...more stamps than I'd use in six months, and with the way the cost of stamps is always going up, they'd probably be no good three weeks after I'd bough them, ha-ha.

It's going between being sunny and snow flurries today. We had a few more inches of snow overnight, but the roads are mostly clear today--northeastern New York is very into snow removal--it's like a competitive game with the towns and state, when it comes to snow removal.

My back's better now...the deep cold always brings out the worst in my joints and stuff...aches and hurts I don't usually have, all come to the surface in the mid-winter deep-freeze. I don't think the old bad disc/nerve injury is returning, so much as the cold just made it a bit less flexible than it normally is.

well, this isn't a terribly exciting post, is it? Ah well. I miss college so much, sometimes...I had goals--both of the daily sort and the future sort...now--bleh. Nothing. I don't even care if I finish that Dr Who story...no one is reading it--which is okay by me, and I only write that stuff to give myself something to do with my time. I suppose I should really break down and get telly again...it's been, erm--nearly 4 years now, without it? Only thing is, I don't own a sofa--which is on my 'to do' list...get a small used sofa from the Salvation Army some day...so maybe after I do that, I'll get a converter box for the television. No point in it now...right now I have to either sit on the floor, or in my not overly comfy desk chair, 'cos I don't own any comfortable seating. I have three very hard-sitting straightback semi-antique chairs, and my desk chair, and that's pretty much it...another reason why I can't have company over.

So, have a good afternoon/evening all. Cheers.

Every once in a while, I post some of the DT search criteria that brings people to three of my blogs...not that I blog Tennant much on here, and not at all on my wordpress blog--that is purely fan-fiction (with DT's Doctor), mostly I leave DT references to the Roasting David Tennant blog...still, wow.

I thought it was odd having a co-worker I'm not really acquainted with, regularly stalking my blog in the wee hours of the morning...but some of the things people want to know and see about David Tennant...I can see why the man probably doesn't look at blogs or never surfs his name...wow, he'd probably lock his doors and become a recluse...really bizzare stuff.

Again, not making ANY of these searches up:

the usual "david tennant naked/nude" ten million times over
OK, not that I really give a damn about such things but...the man is pale as a ghost, has no abs to speak of, and doesn't have chest hair--he's got stomach hair...bleurgh.

David Tennant loo
David Tennant's new house
David Tennant hairstyle
David Tennant Christian
David Tennant engaged
David Tennant girlfriend
David Tennant gay
David Tennant smoking
David Tennant favourite drink
David Tennant vegetarian
David Tennant buying house
David Tennant crouch hill
David Tennant hair
David ten-inch
David Tennant penis
David Tennant e-mail address
Dr Who porn David Tennant
David Tennant spanking fiction

"It ain't the chest hair they're interested in, matey...it's my zipper protuberance."

Some may say that it's almost poetic, that on the day following a national holiday honouring America's most iconic black leader--Dr. Martin Luther King, America's first black president is being inaugurated into office.

Yet, will a man who is increasingly showing a right-leaning attitude, really change anything in the next four years?

A lot of damage was done by a regimeist-like Bush administration, who oft-times treated Congress and the senate more like employees than representatives of the people. From human rights violations, to treaty-breaking, wanton ignorance of citizen's constitutional rights, to environmental damage, financial disaster and war-mongering, the Bush administration has proved far more destructive to America's standing in the world, and the American way of life, than any terrorist organization could ever have done, if they'd planned this.

Americans stood by Obama, because of longing and a hope that the man could reverse at least some of the negatives that a pseudo-patriotic, crude, childish and single-minded Bush had heaped upon his own nation.

Yet, even before today, Obama has done an awful lot of backpedaling on his campaign promises. True, the world has changed slightly since the election year began...but not to someone who was awake and aware of what was happening. A year ago, millions were in ignorance--but six months ago, there should have been some awareness...and certainly in the month leading up to 14th November--when a president-elect Obama was still making the same campaign promises--should have lead to some more truthful statements from him...but he was quite silent about the realistic future.

And, Obama has shown his right-leaning conservative side, more than once since being elected. He's choosen outright conservatives to be members of his cabinet, he clearly supports Israel, has praised the policies of Ronald Regan, is having a conservative pastor--whose social outlook clearly is anti-abortion, anti-stem cell research and very much anti-gay--give the ignuagral benediction, he has vowed to pull out of Iraq...eventually, but wants more troops to go to Afghanistan, he has pulled back on some of his campaign promises in support of trade unions/workers, as he is doing with some of his economic promises, as well.

Some will say that Obama wants only to compromise--which after Bush, is indeed a breath of fresh air...but others say that the man is proving to be somewhat of a wishy-washy man, a jobsworth, who in trying to bring everyone together, is showing a weakness for backing away too easily from his promises to the American people.

I'm not saying Obama isn't going to be America's new savior, not by a long chalk...but, I am advising caution in putting too much faith in a man, who has yet to show us his true colours--it took Bush a year or so for some of us--and 7 years for the rest of the world--to show the kind of "man" he truly was...perhaps Obama really is a centreist liberal, or...perhaps he's just a progressive conservative in liberal's clothing.

..and go back to sleep for a while, even tho' it's noisy out there at ten minutes to five am.

Snowplows scraping the pavement, snowblowers put-putting, guys shouting...after all these decades of dealing with months of snow here in northeastern New york, you think the men 'round these parts would stop being so butch and bitchy about snow removal! Sheesh

It's half-past three in the morning, and I woke up and can't get back to sleep--back ache again...thankfully not serious, but enough to make it uncomfortable to sleep on my decidedly lumpy old mattress.

Anyway, I was going to do a bit of creative writing, but decided that I didn't want to get involved in a project at this hour--'cos once I start some serious writing (well, I mean I get a workmanlike attitude--it's still just a hobby), anyway, I don't like to stop until I've got something substanial to show...and I don't want to be up until 6am or 7am if I can help it...what the hell was that???

Something just went WHAM! against my front (outside) wall...that was weird. It's like someone kicked the wall--but there's no one up or about, that I can tell. It wasn't snow falling from the roof, that's a whole other sound altogether. Very strange. This building is falling apart at the seams...almost literally. Maybe the cold made something shift, or perhaps someone is sleepwalking and kicked the wall?

Anyway, got a meme sent to me over the weekend, whilst I was away with the moo cows and the taxes and the snow and the tele. God, who'd ever think I'd miss tele? But then, I never got BBC America, like my friend has.

___________________________________________________________________________________

1. Would you ever allow yourself to be set up on a blind date?

I have, a good many years ago. Meh, it was okay, nothing to write home about.

2. What eating habits disgust you the most?

I dislike being around livestock posing as human beings, who make way too much noise when they eat--gobbling their food like piggies--very American I'm afraid. Plus people who don't chew with their mouth closed are horrid little things...also, teeth suckers are extremely gross, to me, and belching at table (when you're with company--particualy a woman) without a sincere "excuse me," or "Pardon me," is very lazy and livestock-ish and a major turn-off, in my opinion.

2. Have you ever made any genuine, close friends on the internet? Ever met them in person?

Every last one of my best and closest friends, are friends I've made on the internet...and no, I've never physically met a single one of them, unfortunately. But, I'm not a person that has a real need to be surrounded by people all the time...tho' certainly, I wouldn't mind having a few mates around.

3. Do you ever give nicknames to inanimate objects?

Pardon the language, but I had a pick up truck once, which I used to affectionately call "s_ithead."

4. Did you ever have any themed lunch boxes, Pjs, sleeping bags or other television/film related childhood items?

Yeah, I remember going to school with "themed" lunch boxes: a Gunsmoke and Partridge Family lunchbox...sis had, I think, Man from U.N.C.L.E. and Adams Family--or was that Bewitched? Had a childhood blanket with a hippie theme (words like 'groovy' and 'ciao' and funky designs on it), that was similar to one seen in some television programme, and I think sis had a Mrs. Beasley doll from a programme called "Family Affair," in which the little girl on the programme had a doll by the same name. We had some Get Smart stuff, and Monkees stuff. And I had a toy pistol and holster which I loved, that was from a short-lived series with Chuck Conners, called "Cowboy in Africa." We had colouring books, from Disney films like Bedknobs and Broomsticks, and some children's books from TV cartoons, like Yogi Bear and Alvin and the Chipmunks. I had a Zorro sword, as well, as I recall. And some Batman stuff, too.

There wasn't quite so much TV or film "themed" stuff for kids in the 60's and 70's, as there are today...in fact hardly any, compared to the massive amounts of stuff kids are bombarded with today.

5. How old were you when you first moved out of your parents' house?

a few months before I turned 19...though I moved back in when I returned home a bit over a year later, when jobs became scarce, and I found that I couldn't find a job with high enough wages to support myself.

Jeez....I guess I shouldn't complain about my life being dull...one of my co-workers has visited my blog again...after two bloody o'clock in the morning! Crikey! Get a life woman! This person isn't a friend or even an acquaintence, heaven only knows what the hell she's reading my blog for, the stinking chav. Now I know a bit how David Tennant must feel. It seems a little bizzare, really...and just a tiny wee bit creepy, as well.

Gah--my writing is getting really horrid, of late...stupid mistakes I've never made in my life--just read my "hello all" entry--I'm writing like a flippin' illiterate redneck!
What's with that, lately? My brain isn't doing to good --like just now writing "to" instead of "too"--I've not made that mistake in 35 years! Yet, I'm making it on a regular basis, this past year or so.

Don't know what to do about it...but it genuinely upsets and disturbs me...I don't expect anyone to understand that, mind you, and that's okay, really. It's just that I used to very much take pride in the quality of my writing, making the effort to turn out as perfect a copy as I could (well, it saves editing time, and got me better grades in college too, if I do it right--or nearly so, the first time...doesn't it?)

Now, I'm not seeing my mistakes until later--if I see them at all, and I'm making such incredibly MORONIC mistakes...such as I've never made in my entire life! It's sort of scary to me, if you must know...again, don't expect anyone reading this to "get" that, but that is how I feel, and no amount of logical explaination can change that. It's like my brain is mis-firing and I can do nothing to tune it up again.

Life sucks and then you die. It's not just my writing, mind you--it's my whole entire existence--It's as if I'm deteriorating into eveything I've never wanted to be.

Well, it seems the rumours that Dr Who will start shooting in Dubai--a glitzy upscale tourist destination-- in the next week or two, may be true, according to the Guardian.

The Guardian has voiced objections to the series filming in the Arab Emeriates, due to their rather dire human rights record, regarding Dubai's oft-times draconian and highly abusive treatment of women, non-Muslims and other issues.

However, there's no word on whether the shoot will take place there, but the report hints that the BBC has stubbornly said that there were no restrictions to them filming there, so one would assume that this is one Dr Who rumour that may well be the truth. But, with criticisim coming at this late date, it's very probable that shooting will go on as planned--if Dubai is correct--as most likely all the arrangements have already been made, well in advance.

In other news regarding the first Dr Who special of 2009, writer-producer Russell T. Davies, OBE, has rather myseteriously hinted that the first special will be an "antidote" to Christmas--indicating the probability of a desert-like or sunny beachfront location--and, that fans have two brand new monsters to look forward to, as well.

Fans speculate that this means that it will either deal with the "time war," or, will take the Doctor into a totally different direction than he's ever gone before.

I've just read where a former Dr Who companion, the lovely actress Catherine Tate, will be a future Doctor---on the Friday Night Project, where rumour has it that one of the skits Tate will be doing, is where she regenerates into a future Doctor. Bet that'll be fun!

My appetite is weird today...my friend was quite upset with me, that I turned down her repeated offers for breakfast...but, tho' I was actually hungry, I simply didn't feel like eating...popped a frozen pizza in the oven when I got home, and had a couple of slices...didn't finish them. Then, tonight, made a lovely dinner of some chicken cutlets in an onion-curry sauce, with pureed eggplant and a rice pilaf...but it's sitting here in front of me, barely touched...again, was hungry, just have no enthusiasm for food today. Wonder why?

My back's been bothering me again, of late...not bad at all, just stiff and sore, and the nerve pain (buttocks to leg) is extremely mild...found a lump in my lower left side of my back, 'bout the size of half my thumb, which was where the pain was focused...seems to be gone now, so perhaps I pulled a muscle or something back there.

It's snowing again, this evening. We're to have nuisence snowfall on and off all week, but at least the temperatures are FINALLY back to normal--in the teens and 20's fahrenheight, for the rest of the week, with only a few nights dropping down to the single digits.

My friends poor partner--he works seasonally, tending a lock on the Champlain canal--at night, clearing debris and ice chunks from the lock and montoring the water levels and such. Then he comes home to the family's hobby farm and works with the small herd of cows...whom lately haven't had water, 'cos of the deep freeze, which means dragging a hose of heated water from their basement out to the water tank in the field, and chopping ice, etc. I remember well, the hell life on a farm or stable can be, in a winter deep freeze---you lose weight from the extra work, and you're tired as hell from the cold.

Well, I've some stuff to do. I was going to write a wee bit, but instead I think I might watch a DVD or read something.

Just got home. It wasn't quite the active weekend as last time--but that's just as well, for the cold was quite biting out there, this time. I didn't bother with a camera, 'cos i knew I wouldn't be outside quite so much. And, we have a brief snowstorm Sunday morning, which dumped about 5 inches of snow down, and made the viewing quite gloomy and gray, most of the day today.

My friend did my taxes for me--free of charge, and refused to take anything in return, other than my thanks. Well, I find something nice to do for her, anyway. I was made to feel like one of the family, and given the run of the house this time, which was quite lovely of her.

And, the really nice thing though, is that my co-worker used to be a bank clerk and tax preparer..and she actually got me a much larger refund this year, than last year...not huge of course, but still, I wasn't expecting a very big refund this year, so was pleasantly surprised to find it was much more sizeable than I'd thought it would be...not enough to pay off my debts or buy a car, but enough to leave me with a comfortable wee emergency fund...or to put aside for a move to some other apartment, or perhaps even for jetting away for a weekend holiday in London...okay, really I'm just kidding about that last one...that's purely fantasy. I don't think anyone will ever have to worry about me leaving a carbon footprint...the only footprints I leave are my own...to work and back each day, ha-ha.

But, it was a nice relaxing weekend, and again I enjoyed it. Didn't milk this time--in fact, only spent about 2 hours at the barn this time...mostly watching my friend's partner do the milking...tho' I did help to feed some calves, and of course I got to pet the cows again, and their horse, Corky, as well. Corky is cute as a button..he's a palomino paint horse...means he sort of looks like a dull-coated palomino, but with white legs and a white face, and his eyes are blue, not brown...and he's really got the cutest expresions...spoiled rotten of course, as well. Sort of like in the photo, but with more of a solid colour body.

So, Saturday after my friend did my taxes--which she says she actually likes doing ---we had a tuna salad and mayonnaise sandwich and watched tele....BBC programmes...after coming back from the barn Sunday morning, I watched tele while she got ready for work (It's my day off, but she works today), and I watched my first ever episode of Top Gear on BBC America (they have dish tv) and that was really good, and part of something called Dragon's Den...which was..meh.

We were driving back to Glens Falls, when, in South Glens Falls, just before we got to the bridge that seperates the two towns, I spied what looked like a gift shop or some such place, with a Welsh flag hanging outside it...about the last place in the world one would expect to see a Welsh flag...and it's no big deal, but I just thought that was odd.

It's 9 F out there right now, with a windchill factor of about minus 20 to minus 22 Celsius. I just found out it got down to -27 F last night, which is even colder than I'd thought. However, Island Pond Vermont, which is about an hour to hour and a half drive from where I'm at, got down to minus 42 F, last night! That's almost the same in celsius, by the way, minus 41 C.

There's another small storm on the way, but it's a southern storm so we'll likely see only 2 to 5 inches of snow, if that. Pfft. Where's the blizzards this year? I doesn't really feel like winter 'till we get at least a 12 inch snowstorm dumping on us one day.

Anyway, a naf ol' winter poem for you lot.

COLD

By Nancy G.

Driving hard, the tempest blows,
Obscuring the orbital eternal flame.
Piles of dull-tinged clouds smother the light;
Snow blasts the hills as the winds vent their rage.

Got a last minute invite from my co-worker again, so I'll not be online until tomorrow night sometime, as I spend one more weekend down (or in this case, uphill) on the farm.

Well...first we're going to visit her grandson down in the city of Saratoga Springs first, so he can show her his Christmas presents...then it's off to Fort Edward/Argyle again. This time I'll be doing what I should've done in the first place, and buying a disposable camera...that lousy little Disney micro-digital can stay here on my desk in the lounge, for all I care. Waste of $20, that.

I'm trying to wolf down a quick lunch of hot dogs and German potato salad. She's offered to help my file my state/federal income tax return online, which will be a godsend, as last year it cost me $70...can't do it myself 'cos of the dyscalculia, don't want to risk a mistake, do I?

If I get a refund at all, suspect it won't be much, but I'm not utterly desperate for funds, as I was last year, so it's all good.

I was going to write not only another chapter in my latest Dr Who story on my Who's Stories wordpress blog, but also going to start writing something a bit more deeper, and more personal..with a bit of humour tossed in...but that's going on the back hob for next weekend, now, I reckon...unless heaven forbid, we get laid off in the coming weeks...a very real possibility, all of the sudden, as I'm told the office is running out of work for us, on one of our major selling/collections campaigns. Hopefully if the worst does happen, it will be AFTER I've finished paying off the electric and internet bills.

I was also going to set up a new blog, and begin phasing out this one...I'm keeping Roasting David Tennant on here, but intend to gradully writing less and less in my Ain't Afraid of No Daleks blog, slowly transferring those entries to Wordpress--which has NO issues with spammers, I might add, thanks to Askmet, also no adverts, no pesters to go pro and few bugs as well.

I spent part of the day ringing up rude Canadians. The only difference between ill-mannered Canadians and ill-mannered Americans...is that the Canadians are less nasty and downright mean..and less moronic as well...about their rudeness...they're abrupt and discourteous yes, but they're not also obnoxious and brainless, like us Yanks tend to be.

Although here where I live, we've a 40 million plus acre state park on our doorstep, containing millions and millions of trees, mountains, lakes, rivers, etc., and a resort town somewhat like small-scale Blackpool--only with trees and a lake, instead of the ocean, there's not a heck of a lot here, in Glens Falls.

Oh, the tourists seem to like our very short three street quaint downtown...the locals....meh-not so much. Well, the work-shy and the party-heads like South Street: the Off-Track Betting, Alternative Silver Mine (drug and hippie paraphenalia), Irish Pub, South Street Saloon, The Bar, and Sandy's Clam Bar. The trendy upscale types like Glen and Ridge streets with the Ridge Street Coffee Company, the Wood Theater, the wine merchant's, Aimee's Dinner and a Movie, Wallie's Jazz Bar, Mikado's Japenese Steak House or Davidson's Brew Pub. And, People like me...we more likely to be found at the Burger King, New Way Lunch hot dog stand, Pete's Diner, the public library..maybe the model train club when they have a free open house.

Glens Falls doesn't really have much in the way of tourism attractions, really. It's just a small mill city--which is currently trying to pretend it's a small upscale city...not going to work, of course, but one has to give the republicans credit for trying. Yes, they're actually building super-expensive exclusive condos--in three parts of the city...two laughably on the benefits class ridden South Street...one currently under construction--an upscale condos/business offices space in an old theater building--is directly opposite a welfare hotel and low-scale bar, filled with drug addicts, work-shirkers, and what jokingly passes for gangs, in this city.

Anyway, for the most part, the tourists pass us by, except for special events, like the Adirondack Balloon Festival or the big Arts and Crafts fest. They stay at the historic Queensbury Hotel, and leave for the resorts of beautiful and trendy Saratoga Springs, "The Queen of the American Lakes"--Lake George, Lake Champlain and the Adirondack mountains, the Green Mountains of Vemont, etc. We have a ski area outside the city, a small upscale art museum called The Hyde Collection, and, across the Hudson River, Cooper's Cave.

As a decendant of James Fennimore Cooper (on mum's side), it falls on me to tell you about Cooper's cave.

James Fennimore Cooper was one of America's first popular novelists, penning stories like The Plainsman and Last of the Mohicans. The latter has been made into film several times. Cooper has a town named after him, west of Albany New York, called Cooperstown. Cooperstown today, is most noted for being the home of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and home of all-star games played by famous old-time baseball stars every few years. There's also a Glimmerglass opera festival and a few other museums in the area. But, Cooper himself is quite famous, of course. Until he came along, America really didn't have anyone to compete with British authors of the time, unless it was Washington Irving (who also has some ties to my mum's family), with his stories like Rip Van Winkle and The Ghost of Sleepy Hollow.

Anyway, in the mid-1820's Cooper explored the Adirondack Mountains...inclding the Glens Falls area. This area was extremely active in both the French and Indian (Queen Anne's) war and the American Revolution...quite bloody it was, too.

So, grist for a writer's mill, was a cave under the falls of the Hudson River at Glens Falls--this cave would one day feature in Last of the Mohicans, in a scene where the hero and heroine escape from the Indian's camp, by hiding out in a cave under a waterfall...yup, what's now known as Cooper's Cave.

Nestled under the Cooper's Cave bridge, which connects the Village of South Glens Falls and the City of Glens Falls, sits a viewing platform adjacent to the cave, with information on James Fenimore Cooper; and the Mohican Tribe. Access to the cave is strictly restricted, however, due to the potential hazards, and special permission has to be gained for entry.

It's a big deal around here--there's Cooper's Cave Bridge (which has the waterfall under it, which is a tourist attraction in South Glens Falls), Cooper's Cave Ale Company and Cooper's Cave Federal Credit Union, Cooper Street...well, you get the idea.

COOPERS CAVE TODAY:

Doesn't ANYONE in this stinking apartment building actually sleep at night???

Cripes! People have been running up and downstairs, slamming doors and stomping on the floors all stinking night long...I mean, like every couple of hours, doors slam and people are stomping around in their winter boots, like it's broad stinking daylight.

Midnight, half-past 1am, quarter after 2am, 3am, 3.30am..now one of the boys came home...probably drunk by the sound of things, at 5am...yeah, slamming doors, stomping in his boots, knocking over the furniture...kicking off his boots and throwing them across the room, by the sound of it... !!!

Then, hillbilly's next door join them--the same one's that had the big fight again last night, the same one's who were slamming the outside door downstairs and their apartment door every bloody hour on the hour...the kids upstairs joining them once or twice.

It's blinking cold, and all I want to do is sleep in my nice, warm snug bed. Fat chance with these chav drunks around me. I personally don't get the wonder of being drunk, myself. Making a patently deliberate arse of yourself, ticking off the sober, feeling like crap the next day...what the hell's the attraction?

I gave up trying to go back to sleep. It's freezing in here! The cats are cold--I woke to three cats snuggled all around me. I turned up the heat at 2am to a totally unheard of 82 degrees...and it's still only flippin' 62!...which is better than the 50 it was, at 2am.

I mean, what was with all the comings and goings all night long? It was flipping 15 below zero out there, last night! That's minus 26 C. Even now at nearly 6am, it's sill 4 below zero, apparently... (-20 C) Who the hell wants to come and go at night, with those temps? Who the hell wants to go out drinking? Someone seriously has a drinking problem, if they've got to do a pub crawl in those temps, even around here.

Well, I was a wee hungry, so I fried up the last of the potatoes and onions, a couple of eggs and some Canadian bacon, and had breakfast.

Figure maybe by the time I'm done eating and blogging it'll quiet down and maybe I can go back to my nice warm bed for another hour or so, before I have to get up to go to work.

Life sucks and then you die.

In light of the revelation that the first Dr Who Special--set to begin filming in about 4 or 5 days--will be at least partly filmed outside the UK, rumour is flying fast and furious over where this special will be filmed.

So far, the hot contenders are:

Tunisa
Las Vegas
Egypt
Barcelona or some other part of Spain
Malta

With other people hopeful guessing at:

Greece
Hollywood or southern California
South of France
New Zealand
Southern United States
New York City--in January??? Don't think so.
Australia
Mexico City
Canary Islands

PLACES I'M PRETTY SURE THEY WON'T BE FILMING:

Northeastern New York state (especially Glens Falls)
Western and Central New York state (aka: "the snow belt")
New England
Fargo North Dakota
Chicago
New Jersey
Alaska
Canada
Milton Keynes
Glasgow
Aberdeen
Cheapstow
A sheep pasture in the Gowers (but you never know)
Iceland
Greenland
Norway
Russia/Sibera

Anyway, wherever it's to be filmed, and whatever script Russell T. Davies OBE throws at us, I'm sure it'll be fantastic and well worth the wait to watch.

...it's not easy, living with a disability people can't see--and as we can see with that MP from Manchester trying to tell we that have them, that our learning disabilities don't exist, and, in the wake of the tragic death of Jett Travolta, the revelation that scientologists don't believe that mental illness is real, either ...it really is hard living with an "invisible" disability.

I imagine its much like a homosexual, being told by some fearful and ignorant homophobe that they're not really gay, I suppose. Sometimes human beings are just plain thick beyond words. Deliberately thick, I mean. Normally intelligent people, showing ignorance and/or verbal cruelty, for no other reason than these people are either too cowardly to face life's facts, or too lazy to take the time to fully grasp the truth...or possibly both.

So, yes, it's quite hard to live with a learning disability or mental illness--but living with three...it's a bit of a challenge, at times...but like most everything else, you get used to it over time.

I first learned that I had bi-polar disorder around 1990. I learned that I had dyscalculia around 2002. I only found out about the mild DCD (dyspraxia) a couple of years ago, because while my dad was alive, it was forbidden of my mum to tell me about it...well, that "clumsy child" diagnosis came when I began cursive writing in my second year class, around 1968, and it apparently--because if its association with mild retardation (even tho' it doesn't mean a child is actually retarded)--embarrassed the hell out of my easily embarrassed dad, and it became a taboo subject and so I was never told about until after the death of my dad, in 2004.

Pretty much I went through my whole life, thinking I was genuinely stupid, or at least mildly retarded...I was slower to develop, both physcially and emotionally, than my sister and my peers...never knew why, and having teachers and family treat me like an imbecile who couldn't tie her own shoelaces properly (well, actually...that bit's true)...it didn't do a whole heck of a lot for my personal self-esteem (as in, 'what self-esteem?').

I've learned coping strategies for all my invisible disabilites over the last few years, and they do help. Still, I have to say there are times when I wish I had some personal guidence, or at least someone around to give me a kick in the ol' bum from time to time, when I "slip up."

Yet, it's still so painful sometimes....and isolating, very isolating. It's hard to put it all into words. I tell myself that someday I will write a short story or play or something, about it...but, can't bring myself to do it. Too depressing I suppose...who the hell would want to read about something so hard to understand?

A rather horrid self-portrait taken a few minutes ago, with my nasty little 1 3/4 inch size digital camera:

Hope you lot aren't eating your dinner. Now you can see why I'm an old maid, ha-ha...but hey, at least my hair is neat.

Yup, this is one of the last weeks where I'll have a tiny bit of extra spending money...about $20...so I took the plunge and got my hair lobbed off..just my "usual" short layered shag...but gosh, it's so liberating not having my hair in my face or any which way but neat...now, no worries. Well, at least for a few months, anyway.

Then I went to the McDonald's across the way, and bought a $4 Big Mac extra value meal...I know, I know, but I can't help it: I had no desire to eat this morning, and therefore, I'd had nothing to eat all day but a little bag of cheeze doodles and a Pepsi...and, I've been eating McDonald's food since they came to my village in '69, and every once in a blue moon, I still get a wee bit of a Big Mac attack...they're rubbish, of course...but they do sort of taste good...the fries suck though, since they started using "healthy" fry oil in the late 80's. Forgive me, but am I the only one who finds the word "McDonald's" combined with the word "healthy," just a tad of an oxymoron?

I was going to go out to the laudromat, but found a clean pair of pants stuck in the back of my sock drawer, and I've got one clean pair of jeans left, so I'm good for work tomorrow, ha-ha.

We're at our daytime high of 12 F, right now, so things are looking up, aren't they?

It looks like a rather busy weekend for me...not a nice busy, just stuff that needs doing...and my job, of course, can't forget that. Haven't had a weekend off since last June, I think.

The sun is shinging, but not a peep from the birds this morning...they're smarter than us humans and are staying put, snug in their nests.

It's warmed up a bit out there...now it's only 18 below zero...minus 27 C.

Well, I've my combination pyajama bottoms/thermal underwear on, under my jeans, and a shirt under my ancient Field and Stream polar fleece top that I bought from the college shop in 2001--has the local 2 year college's initials embroidered on the front...like the name of the college is a local well-kept secret...which is sort of is, I suppose. "You have a college up here????" (tourist asks). Oh yeah, and some of us even have indoor plumbing and grocery stores and everything.

When I was living in a couple of rural towns in the touristy areas of the mountains here, you'd be amazed how many tourists were genuinely surprised to learn that the city-suburb was only 20 minutes away. I mean, it's just a short drive down the road, for bloomin' sakes! Still they see millions of trees and lakes and whatnot, they think they've just gone into the deep wilderness, and that the motorway they just got off the exit of--a few minutes down the road, was taking them to the blinking Alaskan tundra! I was on a horseback ride once, in the town where I lived...it's only a 20 minute drive from the city where I'm sitting right now--just a one hour horseback ride up to the top of a small mountain--really nothing more than a huge hill--and ths guy from New York City turns to our wrangler-guide and asks, "are we still in New York state?" Puh-lease!

I always wince when I see old stuff I'd written, so I wonder does Tennant wince when he sees his early stuff?

Someone e-mailed me a link to this...apparently Tennant's first TV acting job, from 1988? I don't know. I dont' follow his career or personal life all that closely, despite all the postings about him on here. People send me stuff, I read stuff, I pass it on.

Someone asked me yesterday if he was engaged...how the hell would I know that??? That's a barmy question, isn't it? I mean, if he is, that's nice, congrats to him and I hope he and his significant other have a long and happy marriage...but I'm not clairvoyant, so for all I know, he really could be gay and dating some plumber from Alabama.

It's nearly 20 below zero F outside right now...cripes! I shivered half the night, for once, I didn't turn the heat down, and I'm glad I didn't...the thermostat set at 75 F (WHAT global warming???), and my bedroom is a warm and toasty 53 F. Brrr! The radiators are giving off heat, but you'd never know it!

The cats are miserable, especially thin-coated flamey, who keeps alternating her nose and backsides to face the old cast-iron radiator here in the lounge. Poor wee girl. The loo is like the North Pole...and let me tell you people something, an ice-cold toilet seat is not exactly a joy in the morning.

While this isn't the coldest it's gotten in these parts, it's the coldest morning we've had in a good long while. Normally we have a short January thaw...sometimes it will go up to as much as the 60's F for a few days each January...not this year, apparently. We're to warm up Sunday...to the lower 20's F during the day. But at night it's still going to be in the sub-zero's and low single digits.

I had both my quilts on my bed last night, went to bed in my sweater (jumper) and long johns (thermal underwear)...still shivered half the night. Hopefully this won't last much longer

Thirty-five years ago, I would have been whinging, "I don't want to go to school today!"---we had to walk down the street and up the hill, and stand beside the motorway every morning, regardless of the weather, waiting for the school bus. Now, I have to walk down the street and go to work.."I don't want to go outside, I don't want to work today, I want to stay here and burrow under the covers for the rest of the day, wahhhh!"

It's just too cold to stay up any longer...my left foot (the one I just had the leg cramp in) is acting up--think I've just messed up the nerve slightly...nothing serious, but I've lost part of the feeling in a couple of my toes, and the foot is suddenly like a block of ice...I mean, it feels like I've just had it in the freezer for the last ten minutes.

It's supposed to drop to 20 to 30 below zero here, tonight. That's minus 28 to minus 34 celsius.

http://www.wten.com/global/story.asp?S=9436254

It's minus 26 celsius out there at 11pm eastern time--that's 16 below zero to us yanks. The living room even with the heat still up (I turn it down at bedtime), it's only 62 (16 C) in here. I may not turn the heat down quite as much, tonight. In fact, I think I'll leave it set at 74 F, which is extremely rare for me....my apartment isn't insulated and is freezing cold in winter--any time there's a strong breeze, I can feel it wafting through the room, even with the windows tightly shut. My closets--yikes. In winter I have to pull the clothes out the night before, because the closets are practically outdoor temperature...no joke. I have a themometer in one closet--it presently reads 26 F! That's right, my clothes closet as I write this, is a balmy minus 3 C. I've another decorative themometer, one of those little touristy souvenier one's, on the inside windowsill here in the lounge...it reads 29 F. No double glazing here!

thermostat is wonky, if you want the room temp to be 65 F, you have to set the themorstat to 75F...then sometimes, it re-sets itself, and you wake up with the room either being 55 or 80 F, depending on how cranky and unrealiable the stinking electronic themostat wants to be.

Still, I have in fact lived in winter without benefit of heat--or much heat..one little electric fire to heat my whole 72 foot long caravan...and no hot water, either. Not a lot of fun, that. So I really can't complain, honestly. There's folks in parts of europe tonight, without heat, and I truly hurt for them. Being cold all the time isn't much fun.

I was going to stay up a bit and write a bit more of my Dr Who story, but that foot is getting rather uncomfortable...think I'll take a hot shower, put some of my arthritis cream on it, and hit the bed. Long day tomorrow. Cheers.

How can I tell?

The Elvis/ Welsh lorry driver sideburns are back. (Tennant had them trimmed, I'd noticed, for his role in Love's Labour's Lost--it looked great, too.)

I was sitting up on my bed reading, when I apparently had dozed off slightly...was jarred wide awake by an excruciating pain from my bum to my toes in my left leg--the side affected years ago, by the slipped disc/sciatica. My first thought isn't reapeatable here, my second thought was that I'd somehown re-injured my back again...something I dread as much as re-injuring my bad foot.

Thankfully, it was just a really awful leg cramp, which went away after a few minutes. It'll be stiff and sore for a few days, but nothing I can't live with---the thought of being incapacitated in any way, scares the living hell out of me...being on my own, I have to do literally everything myself, so being forced to lie abed...not good. Last time I hurt my back, I had mum around to at least help me get meals and stuff...and her commode to have by my bed ('cos at its worse, I pretty much could barely move). Now...none of that. I'd be up poo creek without a paddle..or a canoe, if I hurt my back again.

I mostly don't think much about being on my own here, except times when I'm sick or hurt myself...then the reality that I could lie here for hours--even days, without anyone knowing...it does give one pause, at times.

I'm not in a very good mood, tonight. Maybe I'll have something nicer to write about, later. Cheers.

...I never turn a hair when a foreigner pans my politicians/country...I mean, unless it's an obviously anti-American and/or personal attack, that is. I figure everyone's entitled to an opinion--as long as they're not including me personally, in that opinion, ha-ha.

I dis my own country--and fellow countrymen and women on a regular basis...some people take great exception to that--which I usually ignore and don't bother to read, because, hey--it's a personal journal, not a newspaper editorial, it's my personal thoughts, not a public condemnation...if you don't like what I have to say, then for f_ck's sake, go away and DON'T READ IT.

This is a journal, a doodle page, a place for me to just write what's on my mind...it's not the flippin' Gurardian or New York Times, for pity's sake.

I state the fact that I am enormously appalled and truly upset that a so-called "intelligent" Briton would make a mockery of a very serious, very real brain disorder--one which effects my own family, and which does reflect on me, personally---and suddenly everyone is dissing Bush and America and treating me like I've no right to feel the way I do--well, news flash:

I've more a right than any of you lot, who have NEVER personally had to deal with the horrible sitgma of a learning disability!

You lot cannot even one iota BEGIN to comeprend, how horrible it is for a person to have a learning disability. It's every bit as awful as having a mental illness--in fact, some people cannot seperate a learning disorder with a mental problem...and the pain and hurt and anger and frustration, someone with a REAL learning disorder has to live with--all of their lives...that IS torture! Don't any of you, who have never had a learning disability, even dare for one second, tell me it isn't! I'll call you a fool and an ignoramus, right to your face, if you do.

Emotional abuse is often the norm for some people growing up with learning difficulties. Being told by teachers and family members that you "can learn if you want to," when the reality is, NO you can't....it's invisible torture, to be made to feel hopelessly inadequate, year after year after year.

And, if I think that some MP from Manchester, is no better than George W. Bush, by saying that disabilities like mine arent' real---that's my RIGHT. I've earned it, got that?

End of discussion. Good night.

I read something in a UK paper yesterday which greatly disturbed me. I read that some MP actually called dyslexia a "cruel fiction." EXCUSE ME????

My newphew HAS dyslexia, it's NOT a fiction! What kind of utterly stupid human being makes a statement like that? It's not dyslexia that's "cruel," it's human beings like this MP! How horrid is that? I'm genuinely appalled that ANYONE would call a learning disability a "fiction."

As someone with dyscalclulia, I can say, I'd rather that I had a real learning disability, than go through the genuine living hell I've been through for the past 40 years, thinking I really was retarded, 'cos I couldn't do numbers. I can't tell you how relieved I was to learn I had a math learning disorder! My 8th grade maths teacher...even my own dad, told me I was stupid, 'cos I can't do simple division or multiplication or subtraction. And...what choice did I have, but to believe them? Now, I know they were wrong. Now some MP is telling the world that my dad and my maths teacher were right?

I'd genuinely love to become a British citizen--no really, I've always wanted that, for years, that longing is nothing new, but now...maybe not...not if you're politicians are proving themselves to be DUMBER and MEANER than George W. Bush. Jeez, I thought you lot were better than us, but...guess deliberate meaness and stupidity are universal. What a shame. As for the learning disabled being more likely to commit crime--how DUMB is that???

Learning disabilites don't discriminate between income, class, race or creed. Does this politician think that there are no MP's with learning disabilities? How much do you want to bet there's been at least one, in the last 100 years?

I'm really honestly hurt, angry and outraged at this ignorant little pissant's statement!

Don't they EDUCATE their MP's over there? This is the worst thing I've EVER heard coming out of the mouth of a British politician...someone seriously needs to slap this guy down and put duct tape over his mouth...he's giving the UK a very bad image in the world outside your borders.

I expect mindless drivel and petty meanness like this from my own polticians and fellow Americans--sewage spewed from the lips of the deliberately mentally lazy...but from a British MP? Wow, not that I'm naive about things over there, really I'm not...but that sort of gross massive stupidity...that's a bit mind-blowing, quite frankly. I had no idea things had gotten so...American, over there.

Hello all,

It's nearly 8am over here, been up a bit over an hour, had my breakie and am just sitting here listening to some music--started my day with "500 miles," which is a great way to start the day, if one has to, I think. It was followed by a song by a group fairly new to me...one I stumbled upon while listening to Pandora radio several weeks ago. The group is called the Fratellis..don't know a thing about them, but I really like their stuff that I've heard so far.

I really, really, really, really, really, really don't want to go outside this morning. It's (and I kid you not) minus 12 F out there...that's MINUS 24 CELSIUS. So for gawd's sake my British friends, STOP whinging about your "cold" weather! I have to blinking walk to work in that stuff.

Guess I'll be piling on the thermals this morning, extra pair of socks, etc. Damn. I didn't used to mind this weather, mind you. I used to work outside in it all day, go snowshoeing, watch local pee-wee hockey games, take riding lessons...didn't think a thing of it--well, except for when the wind is blowing...that's a terrible thing, a sub-zero F windchill...it IS painful, if you're wondering.

My feet are like blocks of ice...and I'm just sitting here in my living room, with socks on! Wow, it's gonna' be a miserable walk to work this morning. Well, it's only 10 minutes or so, so I think I can bear it. I'm feeling marginally better today, heartbeat's still a bit iffy, but I'm a shade less tired and light-headed than I was.

Well, I'm off to get ready for work. Cheers.

Billie Piper has shown she's got a very good head on her shoulders, in her response to the unveiling of the 11th Doctor. Says Piper:

Addressing the concern that Smith, at 26, is too young to effectively play the good Doctor, Piper notes, "The fans get so concerned about these things, and they should just relax. It's going to be fine. They're in good hands."

Piper pooh-poohs talk that a female — perhaps even herself — was being eyed to helm the TARDIS. "David [Tennant] has joked about me doing it, but ... I don't think the Doctor should be a woman," she says. "It's like going, 'Let's make James Bond a woman.' It's a man's role."

I can't comment on Smith 'cos I've never heard of him, but as I keep writing on here, unless they (bbc) doesn't do something really stupid (like a air-head soap oprea/American idol type sex queen as a companion instead of a proper actress), I will wait 'till I've seen all of 5.2, untill I pass judgement. It's what I did with Eccleston. (Tho' I'd never heard of Tennant, either, he had me right from the ending of of the Christmas special, he was just that brilliant).

But, I totally agree with Billie Piper about a female Doctor--it's NOT a woman's role and a female Doctor just wouldn't be consistant with the part...and, not being racist, but neither would a Doctor work of a different race--only because for 45 years, the Doctor has been a white male, to change that now would splatter continuity all over the place--even for a sci-fi programme, which has much more room for a looser continuity than regular drama...to totally turn the character on his ear and out of the blue, 45 or 50 years down the road, suddenly decide to make him a different sex or race, that would just be stretching things way too far, in my opinion.

In other news:

David Tennant and what I assume is his current girlfriend, partner, fiance or whatever, Georgia Moffett, dropped in on Peter Davidson's son's birthday party unexpectedly...to the delight of some party-goer's, but to the boredom of others. Here's the scoop:

Former Doctor Who actor Davison, currently starring in ITV1 drama Unforgiven, told Digital Spy: "My son Louis had a birthday party and Georgia [Moffett, Davison's daughter] was coming to his party and she turned up with David Tennant, and every other child in the garden was [shocked] - but my children were like 'I've met him before'."

Davison, who shared the Tardis alongside Tennant in the Children In Need special 'Time Crash', explained the reaction: "Well, they don't know any other world in which their dad is not in Doctor Who, so they're not as impressed as their friends are. We had David Tennant around... and they were almost unimpressed with him, I have to say! That was really extraordinary - it was almost like he didn't exist, it was very weird."

There! I always said Tennant was probably dull as dishwater in real life.

(Now I've probably left myself wide open to all kinds of slurs from the fan-girl's. oh dear. )

Yes, call me strange, call me odd, call me a nutjob..just don't call me late for dinner, but I grew up next to cemeteries, and actually enjoyed it.

The above photo was taken on the "middle ridge" of the Albany Rural Cemetery--a 367 acre cemetery outside of Albany, NY, which dates to 1841 and at one time really was considered one of the most beautiful cemeteries in the entire world. It was the model for the new concept of a "rural" cemetery--whereas cemeteries were usually plots on street corners and church yards...the unhealthiness of such plots..which in urban environments over here, often stank of rotting corpses once they began getting crowded--the park-like rural cemetery concept changed all that. The early Victorians made a big deal out of it, too, let me tell you. A committee was formed, and they selected the grounds, bought the land--which was largely vacant, being on a hillside divided by several deep ravines and two streams...the Kromekill and the Moordenaerskill, which fed into the nearby ocean-going Hudson River.

The cemetery concencration was a big deal, in the 1840's--they even had an enormous parade with marching bands and school children and local dignitaries, that went all the way from capital city of Albany, the couple of miles to the cemetery, with long speeches after.

In the photo you can see sort just how deep some of these ravines that divide the cemetery truly are. This particular ravine is the home of the Moordenaerskill. The cemetery had, at it's peak, some 32 MILES of roads winding through it. Most of them still exist, but some are shut off forever...including the roads leading through both the deep ravines.

Before there was a cemetery, this particular ravine housed a school house and an ink mill. I rememer, when I was doing research on the cemetery, reading the account of an old man who went to the school there. He made mention of how the boys used to all strip off their clothes on hot summer days, and ride down the mill race into the pond. Of course, the mill is long gone. There is still a dam there, though. You used to be able to skirt the old road--there once was an iron bridge that took you there, long since demolished, but still standing partly. There's even a mausleum down there, in the ravine, long since forgotten and abandoned...a place for spooks and drunken nightime teenage parties, when I was growing up.

As you come to the end of the short but very deep and dark ravine, following along the chuckling stream, here's a small waterfall--the remnants of an old dam, which was blasted away. I used to sit many a time, on the blasted chunks of rocks and concrete, eating my lunch and listening to the rushing waters, the bird song and the wind in the eastern hemlock and spruce boughs...and enjoy the quiet and solitute and serentity of a place...amazingly, there is a whole other world, just a few minutes drive from this beautful place--one with a steel mill and a major motorway, Burger King, Hotels, supermarkets, etc. It really was like stepping from the modern hectic urban world, back into a time capsule to another age, when I went in there.

Then, I'd carefully walk across the top of the falls--the flat concrete moss-covered spillway, where there had once been a pond, and walk again from dark to light, as I came out on what had once been billed as "Sulfur Spring Dell," on Victorian-era maps, but was known in my youth as "Time Flies." It was a small sunny open space, bordering a marsh (the former pond), surrounded on all sides by the steep sides of the ravine...with only one dirt road leading out to the top of the middle ridge. It was like discovering yet another new world. Time Flies got its name from another abandonded mausleoum...one topped with a winged hourglass...which I suppose is self-explanitory. There was a stone bridge..oddly, a bridge leading nowhere, only to this mausleoum. I used to sit on the bridge and fish sometimes--only caught a couple fish in the Moordenaerskill...but it was a good one, a real trout! First and only trout I ever caught. Oddly, I didn't even have any proper bait, only a piece of pepperoni cheese left over from my lunch (they used to sell at the local farmer's market, these cheese snack sticks with little bits of pepperoni in them..always went out with some in my knapsack.) The other fish I caught was a mystery fish--never saw one like it. It was around 5 inches long and silver...suspect, since this steam was so rarely fished (actually, as far as I know, I was the only one of fished here), but I suspect it was an overgrown shiner (sort of like a minnow).

The glade--for that's what is really is, more than anything, was quite pleasant to hang out in, very private and lovely. It had (and may still have) an enormous and truly beautiful old Chestnut tree at the bottom of the dirt road, and ancient old eastern hemlocks and spruce on the hillsides.

"CYPRUS WATERS" Aka: "Cemetery Pond"

This is cemetery pond. Mum used to take us here for picnics. It used to have (before it was allowed to become polluted by an uncaring cemetery supervisor in the early 80's) carp--koi? Well, those giant goldfish..which were also in the Hudson River, by the way. They were extremely hard to catch, though, very clever, those old carp. Used to frustrate the hell out of me. I was better off catching sunfish and perch in nearby Little's Lake. I pretty much stuck to feeding them bread, ha-ha.

I remember once though, mum took us there one spring on a little picnic lunch, and we got out of the car (why we never walked there, I don't know, unless mum didn't know the way), anyway, we got out of the car--and there were all these tiny little frogs! Blimey! They were the size of a fingernail! The only time in my life I ever saw frogs that had just grown out of the tadpole stage and come out of the water...amazing sight, one I'll never forget to my dying day---there were over a hundred of the wee things!

There are two interesting monuments near the pond. One is a contemporary stone--a sailor's monument, with a famous verse on one side, and a note on the opposite side, honouring the sea captain, whom, in the 1950's, saved passengers from a shipwreck during a raging storm.

Not far from the pond, is a tall monument, with two smaller headstones in front of it...and two sadder, more poingnant stones cannot be found in all the thousands of stones in all that cemetery. You see, they are the gravestones of a little boy and girl, who died of sickness...and on the back of their headstones? The last words ever spoken by the wee one's...so simple a testiment to loved one's, and never one more sad, in my opinion.

The Hill on the South Ridge:

This is the hill going down the south ridge, with the hills across the Hudson river in the background...the far-distant darker-blue heights of the Green Moutain foothills in Vermont, some 45 miles away, just barely seen. Ah, how I loved those hills--you should have seen them at sunset..especially in late autumn and winter, when those gray trees would turn the colour of rubies and roses with the setting of the sun.

To the left of this photo are some graves that bear noting...graves with a story. For instance, there's the grave of the first man ever publicly executed in the elecric chair in the state of New York, back in the 1900's. The man, a druggist by trade, stood accused of poisoning his wife. He proclaimed his innocence to the day he died, and supposedly a plate on his casket reads: "They would not if they had known."

There's an odd pyramid-shaped monument, the only one I've ever seen, it mysterously has a small rectangular square carved out of one side--about, if memory serves me, 2 or 3 inches in diameter, no idea what that was for.

And, there's the remains--the bare foundations barely seen, of a monument that had to be torn down--because in the late 19th century some theives tried to blow it up. I kid you not! Some rich woman named Hamelton, back in the mid-19th century, left insturctions that her tomb be made three-thicknesses strong, and then, after her body was placed in there, that the lock to the tomb be filled with hot lead, and the key tossed into the Hudson river....well, that story was too tempting for some, and a couple of shady blokes had a go...unsuccessfully, I might add. The damage was such that the tomb had to be torn down, and the woman buried elsewhere--no mention if any "treasure" was ever found inside.

On that same side is the boy and the Bee--a statue of a young man in knickers carrying his schoolbooks in one hand, and holding his finger out in another. On the extended index finger is a small lump--that lump used to be a bee, however, when the story was published in the newspapers, someone actually "stole" the bee. You see, the young man was alergic to bee stings, and the bee stung him on his way home from school and he died.

Also, on the brow of the hill, facing east, are two more children's stones--one of these is of a little girl, and bears the exact likeness of her straw hat and little lace up boots carved in stone.

At the bottom of the hill is the cemetery office, housed in a cottage registered (like the cemetery itself) on the National Register of Historic Places. Directly behind the cottage still stands the old bell tower. The bell used to toll for funerals, tolling the age of the person who died...but eventually that practice was stopped forever during the disasterous Spanish Flu epidemic of the early 1900's, as the bell began tolling almost constantly.

It was up this very hill, I might add, that I went with my mum for the last time, following behind the hearse, as she was laid to rest in one of our family plots. Up the same hill I drove with her, many a time--this is where she taught me how to drive a car, you see, and this is where mum spent much of her time, pursing her genealogy, as well. It was, and still is, one of the saddest days of my life, that final "drive."

http://www.dreamit-doit.com/content/toolkit/quiz.php

Creative
A creative job is most likely to be your dream career, so you probably shouldn't bother with formulas and bar graphs. You usually like the challenge of creative something out of nothing. It's a skill not everyone has. Maybe you'll design the world's fastest production car. Maybe you'll be a staff writer for a stereo manufacturer or create the first full-body airbag. Either way, your creativity will be the key. Making things, big ideas, new ways to do stuff, it's what you are best at. We'd tell you exactly what you should do, but something tells us you've invented some pretty good ideas already.

Meh...???

Well, I took a nap shortly before 3pm, and didn't wake until around 7pm...still feeling a bit..meh, but at least I got some rest. Made a quick meal of Jambalaya and corn fritters, and here I am...sort of.

I'd really love to have something riveting or deep or truly interesting to say, but...sorry. I'm in dull mode, tonight.

It's 10 degrees fahrenheight out there, and I'm warm and snug in here, so I'm afraid that's the best news I have, tonight. I woke with Boots snuggled in my arms, he's been staying right close to me, the last day or two...guess he either senses I'm not well, or he just wants to stay warm, ha-ha. Probably the latter.

Just popped into my blog to give a shout hello. I'm off to bed as I'm feeling a tad unwell...not even bothering with lunch, don't feel like eating anything, not especially hungry anyway...had a small brownie with my coffee at work, and I had breakfast this morning, so it's not like I'm gonna' starve.

I Almost fell over this afternoon, walking down the hallway in the office. Touch of vertigo, perhaps...a bit light-headed again, and unusually sleepy. It's probably nothing a good rest won't cure. I'm fine, really, just need a little nap and I'll be right as rain in no time, but I might not be online until later, in case any of my friends is planning to skype me.

Work went OK, working collections, which is a piece of cake, not much selling...just convincing people to cough up the money they owe..which they mostly do, as it's only small bills. Got some weirdos, though. One woman, after I asked for her by name, told me (verbatim) "There's only one female and one male here, and I'm the female." EY??? Okaaay, then. I had to ask if she was Mrs. ____, and then she finally decided to tell me that she was.

My last call of the day was to some 78 year old dirty old man in Florida, who basically said that he'd like to go to bed with me....several times. Well, he was rich, apparently...but, nah...it's tempting...well, better odds at striking it rich than playing the lottery, anyway-but you know, I have this whole "genuine old maid" imagage to maintain and all that palaver, and he didn't drive and I don't own a car, so it really doesn't work out too well...although he did say he had a Volvo, a Caddy, a motorcycle and a caravan....

Anyway, it's 3.00pm here, and I'm off to try to attempt a nap for a bit, hopefully I'll feel better later. Cheers.

The DJ on the radio just told me rather cheerfully (natch..he's sitting on his bum in a warm studio) that the wind chill outside is 30 below zero---that's minus 34 C, if any of you over there in the UK, can even imagine that kind of cold---stick your head in the freezer for half an hour, that should work a treat.

Results for me:

You come to grips more frequently and thoroughly with yourself and your environment than do most people. You detest superficiality; you'd rather be alone than have to suffer through small talk. But your relationships with your friends are highly intensive, which gives you the inner tranquility and harmony that you need in order to feel good. You do not mind being alone for extended periods of time; you rarely become bored.

What's YOUR personality type?

http://www.cs.ucr.edu/~chua/test/test.html

It's just past 8am here, and I desperately long to go back to bed. Feel rubbish, but nothing for it. It doesn't help knowing it's 2 below zero out there. That's minus 18 C, for those of you keeping score in the UK. But wait, it gets worse...brisk winds throughout the day, mean that the wind chill temps will be between 10 and 15 below zero, most of the day. Lovely. Think I'll just pop out to the shop for some sun tan lotion and a new swimsuit.

If i were rich, I'd be ringing up work, going back to sleep for another hour or two, than going to see a doctor. I'm not rich, so I have to go make some eggs and bacon and toast, shower, change and walk out the door to four hours of hell as a telemarketer.

Didn't make a single sale last night...not for lack of trying. Did meet some real arseholes though...I was telephoning golfers...and golfer's wives. Yech. If there are any bigger popmpous arses than golfers on the planet, I've yet to meet them...and they're even worse, when they're lawyers or petty politicians. Double yech.

Oh, and don't forget the flippin' whingy wive's either. The one's that had their husband's scrotum removed and transplanted to them. "HE doesn't want THAT!" Or, the wifey's and "men" who freak out because you've dialed wrong or called them...heaven forbid...twice in the same day...oooh, break out the prozac.

You've heard of footballer's wives, well America has Golfer's wives...bleh, phoooey. Whingey-snarky women trying simultainiously to be both posh AND wear their husband's Y-fronts....jeez, doesn't sound good on my end of the telephone. And, it certainly doesn't impress me--sometimes makes me laugh though.

Why the hell anyone would want to marry someone who will lead them around by the nose, order them about and do all the thinking for them, well....beyond me. I suppose some of them must find it some kind of a turn-on...or maybe they miss their mum's so much, that they married a substitute mother...or maybe they just like having all their decisions made for them...must make their sex live's rather dull, I should think--Blergh!

Anyway, time is moving on and despite a few minor dizzy spells, I really do have to go this morning. Hope you all have a lovely day. Cheers.

CHAPTER FIVE

Spluttering and blinking water from his eyes, the Doctor clung to a small iron ring set into the canal wall. He was temporarily sheltered from the eyes of the police, by the flaming debris from the boat. But, he knew that time was running short. Another boat was pushing away from it's moorings, apparently trying to get away from the fiery wreck. The Doctor looked at it worriedly. In skirting around the damaged boat, the vessel coming towards him was holding close to the side of the narrow canal...too close.

The Doctor swallowed hard and frantically looked for a way to climb up the wall, but nothing offered itself. He would have to duck under the water, and pray that the propellers wouldn't chop him up into fish food...if he wasn't crushed by the boat, first. Taking a deep breath, the Doctor prepared himself to do a quick, deep dive.

Yet surprisingly, the oncoming boat slowed and moved slightly away from him, the pilot coming neatly alongside, within inches of the Doctor's body. A hand reached down from the boat. The Doctor let out his breath in an astonished gasp, as a vaguely familiar voice said, “Come on, then! Quietly now, don't want them lot on shore to get wind of what I'm doing.”

Soaking wet, his suit clinging tightly to his body, the Doctor stiffly clambered over the side. He then rolled out of sight, crawling into the cabin. Within seconds, the boat slowly glided on its way, down the canal. Minutes later, the door to the cabin opened, and the Doctor got a better look at his latest savior. He stood there gaping, open-mouthed. “Wilfred?” He stammered, “Bu-but that's...that's impossible!”

The Doctor's face suddenly became alarmed, and he glanced nervously around the cramped cabin. “Donna's not--?” Donna's grandfather shook his head, “No Doctor, she's not here. She's off in Canary Islands with her mum.” He sighed and smiled sadly,. “Last I heard she was para-sailing or something of the sort. Always after trying something new, our Donna.” Nodding sagely, the Doctor said, “Good, good. She's off living her life, then.”

But, for just a flicker of a moment, Wilfred could see that the Time Lord's face was sad and lonely. He put his hand on the Doctor's arm. “She's alight, Doctor, she's safe. That's the main thing, isn't it? She didn't die, because of you—and the universe was saved and all of us are alive today, because of her. None of that would have happened, if she hadn't of met you. Isn't that right?” He said hopefully, trying to console his friend...for he had come to think of the Doctor as a friend. Shoving his hands into his dripping suit, the Doctor nodded again. “Yeah, Yeah. You're right, of course you're right, Wilfred. It's just...” His voice trailed off, as the Doctor stared absently at the cabin wall.

Then, without warning, he abruptly whipped out his sonic screwdriver. “You don't mind if I just do a little check on something, do you Wilfred? No, of course you won't mind, didn't think so.” The Doctor rattled off, “'cos you see, Wilfred ol' son—if you are Wilfred...I just had a rather nasty encounter with a pseudo-human, so think it would be safe to say that I'd be rather amiss if I didn't do some double-checking from here on out, ey? Make sure I'm speaking to the genuine article, so to speak.”

Wilfred backed up slightly, puzzled. The Doctor pointed the sonic at him, and pressed down...only to be rewarded with a fitful buzzing. The Doctor frowned, held the sonic screwdriver to his ear, and shook it. Wilfred crossed his arms and waited. “Are you finished playing with that thing? 'Cos if you are, I'd like to get us out of here, some time today..get you some dry clothes before you catch your death of cold. Your lot do get colds, don't they? I never know with you aliens.”

The Doctor looked at the screwdriver, momentarily stunned. “But...it's...it's supposed to be waterproof!” Was all he said, as Wilfred threw him a towel and went back to outer door, to pilot the boat down to the next lock. “There, use that, Doctor! You can dry you and that little gadget of yours off while I get us to the next town.” he called through the open doorway.

His face creased with an annoyed frown, the still-dripping Doctor had dried his hair and was sitting on the cabin's floor. After wiping off his glasses, he'd put them on and was now fiddling with the sonic screwdriver. He heard Wilfred shout, "So what's all this about then? Exploding boats, pseudo-wotsits, police everywhere...there's no mistaking when your're around, Doctor." The Doctor looked up long enough to raise an eyebrow. "Yeah, I suppose not." He conceeded dryly, then shot Wilfred a puzzled look. "What are you doing here, anyway? How come you're not on holiday with the rest of your family?"

Wilfred stuck his head through the half-open cabin door, "I asked you first." The Doctor pressed down on the screwdriver. The feelble buzzing had stopped and had become stronger. H got up and started to slip the screwdriver back in his wet suit pocket, but instead thought the better of it, and put on the seat of the chair, which his coat was drapped over the back of, drying. Walking over to the door, the Doctor sighed and said, "it's a long story, Wilfred." Donna's grandfather grinned and replied, "Way I see it, it's gonna' take me at least a half and hour to get to the next lock, so I've got plenty of time...and, you are a Time Lord, you've got all of eternity." The Doctor grinned at the old man. "Ah. You've got me there, I'm afraid."

After explaining about the deaths, the police and the Umvots, the Doctor said, "The've always been agressive, but I've never heard of them going after humans before. Of course," he shrugged, "that could be, because they've never encountered humans." He scratched the side of his cheek, "still, they are carnavores, so perhaps anything is fair game with them." He sighed, "But what do they want? Why are they turning out human doppelgangers...and how do they know about Torchwood...?" The Doctor pondered, biting his lip thoughtfully.

Wilfred shook his head. 'I dunno' half the things you talk about, Doctor. But, it's a good thing I happened by. A friend of mine offered me the use of his boat for the weekend, and well, an old sailor like me, how could I resist. So, I told the girl's to go on their ol' holiday without me. Quite frankly,' Wilfred leaned down and said in a conspirial tone," I could do a break from the nagging and the gossip, if you must know." The Doctor chuckled. "That bad, huh?"

Wilfred glanced up at the next lock on the canal, looming ahead. Suddenly he reached down and tugged on the Doctor's suit sleeve. "Uh-oh, Doctor. We've got trouble ahead!" The Doctor had an idea what that trouble might be. "Police?" he asked. "uh-huh." The old man grunted. "About a dozen of 'em, by the looks of things. And no where for us to hide, out here in plain sight like this. And, once we enter the lock they'll be no place to run, they'll have us trapped like rats! We're the only boat on this stretch of the canal, and--" His sentence was cut off by bullet, which thunked into the wood above Wilfred's head, and another which flew through the cabin window, narrowly missing the Doctor.

Someone-mailed to me today, but I didn't read the e-mail until a few minutes ago, so I'm just getting 'round to posting what was sent to me. It's from a fellow Whovian I used to know from a DR Who website, who sometimes still e-mails me stuff about the programme. Afraid I don't know the source, and I keep my friend's info. private unless told otherwise, so I can't vouch for the accuracy of this information.

So far, it's pretty much been out there for a while, that the Doctor will be companionless AND Tardisless for the first special, to be filmed in an "exotic" location...whether that is Tunisa, Las Vegas or a soggy sheep pasture somewhere in the Welsh Valley's, is anyone's guess.

Also, the Doctor, when he has companions for the specials, they will be one-off companions. A regular companion will not appear until 2010, when Series 5 begins.

LATEST DR WHO RUMOURS FOR 2009 SPECIALS:

UPDATE: THE DOCTOR'S DAUGHTER TO RETURN
It has been leaked that Georgina Moffett, aka Jenny, The Doctor's Daughter, is set to return in one of the forthcoming 2009 Doctor Who specials! Of course, the Doctor believes she is dead following her being gunned down at the end of her first story, but viewers saw her return to life in its closing minutes. Her new return is going to be very interesting to see onscreen.

FIVE SPECIALS, NOT FOUR
There will in fact be FIVE special episodes to come before series five, not four as previously reported. There will of course be the 2008 Christmas special, and then 2009 will see a further FOUR specials, not three!

DOCTOR WHO 2009 SPECIAL SCRIPT PAGES LEAKED
Five pages from what is believed to be one of the forthcoming specials have apparently been scanned and leaked. So far no further information has been forthcoming. It may be only rumour, it may be true, or it may be a red herring put out by someone at the BBC...who knows? (pun intended.)

EIGHTH DOCTOR (Paul McGann) TO RETURN AT EASTER?

Here's the latest rumours about Matt Smith's companion for Series 5:

Gina Bellman, 42, from New Zealand, who has appeared in Jekyll and Coupling, is a favourite for the coveted role.

Other names being tossed about include former EastEnders star Michelle Ryan and Carey Mulligan who played Sally Sparrow in a previous Doctor Who episode.

GINA BELLMAN:

MICHELLE RYAN: (God, I hope not...jeez, no more Tardis soap operas, puh-lease!

CAREY MULLIGAN (Aka: "Sally Sparrow")

Well, it snowed a few hours ago...not a nasty snow, but it was a tad annoying..it was coming down sideways, great whopping huge thick flakes...so even with my hood up on my Carhartt jacket (the one that still vaugely smells like cow), I was getting snowflakes in my eyes, and mouth and (I kid you not) even up my nose. Bleh. Hope there wasn't too much nasty pollution in the snow, what with acid rain and the big paper mill down the way, spewing all sorts of rubbish into the local air, day and night all year 'round.

I was lucky and caught the bus home. I normally would forego spending a dollar on a 4 min. bus trip, but the walking was quite trecherous! There's still largely a 1 to 2 inch thick layer of ice on the walks, and with a 1 inch thickness of wet snow on top of it, it was slippery going, let me tell you! So, I shelled out for the bus...amazingly, got a very nice bus driver for a change, and bob's yer uncle, I'm home safe and sound--10 min. early! Hoo-ray.

So, time for supper--decided on a tortilla espanola...bascially a fancy name for a potato & onion omelet, and I've some apple sauce still in the fridge, so I'll spoon some of that on the plate to go with it. Meh, it's easy and it's quick and it doesn't taste half-bad, really.

Not a very interesting post, is this? Sorry. Think I'll watch a DVD, finish chapter 5 of Evil Waters (my Dr Who story) and turn in early. Still feeling a bit weird.

The wind is literally whistling and howling 'round my eaves, right now. I can even feel the odd chill breeze wafting through the living room, now and again. There's a restless crow that's been wheeling and flapping around, outside. The snow that fell on Saturday night and Sunday morning, is dropping off the branches...hopefully none of it will end up down my neck, as I walk to work.

The sky is flat and dull..pretty much like my week so far, actually.

I just snapped this pic of my front windows...what you see is pretty much what you get...can't hardly tell the sky from the snow, except the sky's marginally grayer.

Some things we can learn from a snowman (or snowwoman):

Wearing white is always in style - even after Labor Day.

Kids will always love you.

Not having a good afternoon...there's something wrong with me, and I probably should be in the ER right now, quite frankly...but, I just plain haven't got the cash to spare...it's not just the cost of the visit (which is only marginally covered by my federal Medicare insurance), and the cost of cab fare, it's the cost of not getting paid for being out sick when I have bills to pay. And, it's also the very real risk of possibly losing my job, for excessive absences.

I don't feel right, though. I'm excessively tired and my heart is fluttering...mostly though, I'm abnormally tired..not tired from lack of sleep, more of a weakness and tiredness like I'm going to pass out. I tried lying down for a bit, but it didn't help. Oh dear. Well, I really can't do anything about it. I HAVE to work tonight, I honestly do not have any choice...jeez, and I was feeling so much better, yesterday...and I shouldn't have dusted in here yesterday... I'm still sneezing my head off. Go figure.

Someone told me (again) recently, that I need someone to "look after" me and to take care of me. Ha! That's never going to happen..well, unless I get sectioned, heaven forbid. Sure, I know that I probably could use a helping hand, but...it's never going to happen, not in my lifetime. For one thing, I've got way too many issues, too much emotional baggage, to ever let anyone inside my life...no way. Not going to subject someone to that, I refuse. Why would I want to drag someone else down the loo of my life with me, for pity's sake? And, more importantly, who in their right mind would want to go there, anyway? Yeah riiight, don't think so, matey.

Well, I've got to jump in the shower and get changed for work in another half-hour or so. There's no way in hell I'm going to hospital, forget it. Blood transfusions, insulin injections, IV's...no needles for me this week, thanks!

Meh, the way I see it, I'll either get better or I won't, simple as that. What the hell do I care? It's just me and the cats...I'm very replacable on my job, anyone who can talk and read can do my job...and...you know, as awful as it must sound to some of you, I honestly have decided that that's the attitude I have to take to survive. Anyway, maybe this will pass on its own. So what? I mean, who in their right mind wants to sit in a hospital room all alone anyway? Sit there in a chilly room, in your threadbare hospital gown, eating tiny portions of horrid hospital food,, needles and tubes stuck in you, with nothing but beeping machines, chattering nurses in the halways, old people moaning, and soap operas on the telly, to keep you company all day...not me! Screw that!

Another week as a telemarketer begins, glory halelujah.

"Do I smoke? Erm--only the really good stuff...and I swear I never inhale."

"Would I consider a part in a porn film? Do you have a script you can show me, I'd like to take it home and do a little research."

"Am I gay? Well, I don't discriminate, I'll (ahem) have sex with anyone. What are you doing after the interview?"

Even tho' it's technically early afternoon over here..and it's heading into early evening over there in the UK, I felt the need to post this little tune.

Now, I know this is going to sound really pathetic and sappy, just like that "Touching the Stars" post a few posts back...but, what the hell. Anyway, I loved this song, sappy though it is. When I was a teen, I used to sing this on my morning hikes, I was just so chuffed to be out there, walking in the dewy grass in the sunrise...and, when I was around 30, I used to sing this to the horses in the barn, when I opened up in the morning to feed them. It was my favourite time of the day.

That last post was so dreadfully depressing, I felt it better to show that I'm not all gloom and doom today--no bad news in the post, ha-ha.

We've a bit of snow coming in today, nothing much though. I hear it's to be only at best, maybe 3 or 4 inches, just a nuisence storm, nothing more. We've had no big blizzards dumping a foot or two of snow, yet this year. Fine by me. The one blizzard we had only gave us around 6 to 8 inches...pfft. That's nothing.

It's the cold that's going to be a witch this week. Today's our last "warm" day for a while--it's to go up to the low 30's F, this afternoon. Temps will range from tomorrow on though, from a daytime high of minus 11 C...that's on Thursday, to a nightime low of minus 23 C, Thursday night. Supposedly it'll warm up to minus 3 C, by Saturday afternoon, though.

But Saturday night it's going to be...minus 20 F! That's minus 28 C! Brrrrrr!

And certainly, 20 below zero F, isn't the coldest it's ever been in these parts...I can remember more than a few times in my teens, in the late 70's, when it was 25 to 30 below zero fahrenheight, some days. And we did get down to minus 40 C/F, in winter of 2004. So really, put into perspective, minus 3 C seems rather warm, when you think on it.

I'm sneezing to beat the band this morning, for some reason. Must be something in the air in here. Maybe I should open a window a wee crack, for a bit, while it's still fairly warm outside.

I have to take my National Grid bill into work tomorrow, and see if I can figure out what the hell is going on, and why they've arbitrarily, without any sort of explaination, changed my budget plan agreement, that I've had for the past TWO years. I'm sorely pissed off about that, and still very depressed and upset. I swear, every time life seems to get better for me, it slams me back down into the sewers again. Do you see why I hate the word "hope" now? Hope is for idealists, dreamers, and rich people. The poor don't stand a chance in this life, not one gosh-darn iota of a chance! Every time we start to re-gain our feet, either big business or government slaps us back down into the poo again.

When you're poor in this world, the only motto you can hold on to is: Life sucks and then you die. Don't tell me otherwise.

Sometimes it seems like everything I'd ever cared about has, or is, just slipping away, like sand trickling through your fingers. From my family, to my dreams, my home, even Dr Who. Everything just trickles away, and I'm powerless to stop it.

Well, who cares? It's not like I'm alone...there's millions of us out there...invisiable people...barely registering as human. Let's face it: the BBC is never going to give the Doctor a poor, ordinary-looking companion....image is everything, the poor are invisiable because no one wants to look at them. Reality is not a television programme, reality is poverty. Reality is ugliness and imperfection and pain.

To go into solitude, a man needs to retire as much from his chamber as from society. I am not solitary whilst I read and write, though nobody is with me. But if a man would be alone, let him look at the stars. The rays that come from those heavenly worlds, will separate between him and what he touches.---Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Nature."

http://www.emersoncentral.com/nature1.htm

I first read those words as a teenager. I was sitting at the check out desk at mum's library. Mum was busy, and I was rather bored. There was this bookshelf behind her desk, which harboured new books for patron's, that were either very popular, or on waiting lists to be read...one such book was "Essays" By some bloke I'd never heard of, named Ralph Waldo Emerson.

I picked it up, wondering what this chap had to say, to make him so popular with the local English teachers and other upscale minds in our village. The first chapter was titled, "Nature." Hmmm--fancy that. I was in the early stages of tree-hugging, so the title intriqued me. Then, I read that first few lines, the same one's at the top of the page...

...oh my gosh, they just totally floored me. I mean it! My teenage brain was absolutely gobsmacked. I'd always had an affinity for words, and, for nature...and here was this fellow, whom lived more than 100 years before I was born, intertwining the most beautiful words, with thoughts and feelings and experiences, I'd already had--but had never been able to put adequate words to! Wow, what a heady experience.

I'd found, in these words on a page, both a peer and a hero.

You see, I was never alone when I walked outside, not ever. I was living in the heart of nature, surrounded by the everchanging days and nights and seasons. Filled to bursting with the joy of being part of everything around me, every tremble of a blade of grass, every sigh of the wind, every drop of rain falling on a leaf...they were a part of me, and I them.

I was standing in the center of the universe, the magical tapestry of the cosmos isn't just that stuff you see in the telescope..it's inside us, as well. It's inside the circles and cycles of the life around us...a never-ending heartbeat, a dust-mote in the sunlight or a speck of stardust...in a way, they are one and the same, because they were all formed of the same universe. The cosmic dust and gasses that created the earth, created all the life around us...including us, the human race.

It's difficult to describe, the feeling one gets, alone in solitude. Alone--but not alone. I watch the hawk swooping and soaring with a grace no human can ever truly match. I see the sun dancing off the pine boughs and dappling the leaves, making them seem as if they are laughing with joy, as they dance in the wind. I hear the wind as well, sighing and soughing, rustling and scraping. I feel my breath...my chest rise and fall, see the clouds shifting through the sky....and inside me, I hear a silent smyphony, a magical silent tapestry that knits and draws all the pieces of the picture together, until they make for a masterpiece so grand in its scope and magnificence, that the sheer serenity and harmony of it all, just makes me want to burst with such joy, as few people, sadly, shall ever know.

No one taught me this, no one ever can teach this. This is something you just have to find in yourself. Maybe you're born with it, maybe you find it somehow, but it's there inside most of us of us...Emerson knew, John Denver, Henry David Thoreau, and others, they knew it as well. Most people shut it off...many don't even know that have it in them--and perhaps some of them really don't. Maybe people shut nature out, out of fear of the unknown, or perhaps they simply just don't care and don't want to know. I don't have an answer for that.

I could never be as eloquent as Ermerson, but still...the words on the page, aren't merely words--they are truth, and life and the universe.

To me, the past is gone, but I can still hold those moments of quiet joy in my heart, forever. They are mostly long gone now; The days of me grabbing my boots and hiking staff and hitting the woods for some quiet time...they'll quite probably never return...but it's still inside me, it's been ingrained in me...once you've tread the universe, there's no going back again.

Got some junk mail in today, apparently one of the local pizza shops has gone electronic...you can now order your pizza, drinks, sandwiches, etc. online, without ever having to pick up a phone, and deal with some ditzy order taker, who puts you on hold for an eternity, then when he comes back on, seems totally obtuse about what you what to order, and can barely figure out how to write down where you live.

Yeah, you can order online, then watch the little graph that tells you who took your order..and follow the progress from "prep" to "baking" to "boxed" and finally, "Delvivered" Whoo-hoo! Now I have something fascinating to do on those long winter evenings! Oh, I bet the rednecks are thrilled, "Hey maw! This little do-hickey on my computer says here, that hey've baked the pizza, and NOW they're going to box it! Whoo-hoo! Isn't this exciting?"

That's progress for you, I guess.

Yeah, yeah, I took a stupid "love match" quiz, bite me.

Your perfect match:

Rocket scientist
You prefer someone who will never stop challenging your intellect. He's smart and independent and is on a constant search for knowledge. His tastes are eclectic—from Sci-fi to fine art, you never know what he's going to get into. Discovering things together is stimulating and quenches your thirst for self-discovery.
Things to watch out for: His over-logical nature can lead to inflexibility. He won't decide something's right until it's been thoroughly investigated. Instincts are not his forte.

Even when I'm absolutely not looking for it, I keep coming upon rave reviews of David Tennant's Hamlet on online newspapers in the UK.

One of the biggest complements to the actor's performance though--and to the director and cast, as far as I'm concerned, came from an 8 year old son of a theatre critic:

"What I really liked was the way it made all the old stuff about now."

How cool is that?

God, I would give an arm and a leg to see a live performance of Hamlet--by anyone. But gosh, I'd give up the rest of my eyesight, just to have seen a Hamlet as good as everyone says Tennant's was. I mean that, too.

Tennant's earlier reviews were mixed..mostly good, but a lot of people seemed to think Tennant hadn't quite gotten out of the box, yet, or perhaps even broken out of what some people call, the "forth wall."

Yet, from all accounts, Tennant's performance on his return from his injury, were deep, sweeping and moving. Perhaps the extra time off, allowed the actor the pause he needed to dig deeper into his heart and spirit and soul, to break down his inner walls, and find the perfect pitch for his performance.

Maybe, if theatre-goer's are especially blessed, maybe someday Tennant will do like Olivier or Jacobi, and perform the part once again..and perhaps the next time, will be even more expansive and deep. Well....I'll still never get to see it, but I'm glad Mr. Tennant finally got the opportunity to do it. It's a part that was just made for a craftsman of his scope, methinks. Give him some age and maturity, and I'll he'd really blow us all away, with an even better and far different Hamlet--who knows?

New York's Gov. Patterson...not our most popular gov, this guy...well, he was in the news recently, for trying to re-gain lost state revenues by adding on an "obesity" tax to sugared soft drinks and alocpops. Besides the questionable judgement of adding a new tax for consumers to pay, during a deep recession--bordering a depression, the fact that the gov's office and the media choose to name the tax in such as way, as to completely single out one portion of the population--the overweight--in a move that blatantly smacks of discrimination, should be an indication that the part of our new governor's brain that harbours common sense, is not firing on all cylinders.

Now Gov. Patterson is in the national news again...again, for trying to saddle consumers with new taxes....again, in the middle of a terrible economic recession, that currently has seen over 15,000 New Yorkers losing their jobs in the past couple of months.

The new tax would be an internet tax. As of now, any New York state resident, purchasing goods from a New York state based business...whether in person, through the mail, phone or online...must pay the 7% New York state sales tax.

However, ordering goods online from a business based in Vermont, Chicago, London or France, is currently still tax-free. Which makes ordering online--especially now, with some online businesses offering free or low-cost shipping to entice sales, very appealing to New York consumers.

Gov. Patterson is pushing for new tax legislation in Albany, that would force online businesses, such as Amazon.com, Abercrombie and Fitch, LL Bean, and even Walmarts, to cough up taxes for any products shipped to New York consumers. Amazon is already suing New York state over this, and the whole deal could wind up costing the state more to implement, than the proposed 3 billion in added revenues...should other online businesses jump onto the lawsuit bandwagon.

Opponents of the proposed change in the sales tax law, say that this will hurt the economy in the long run. Proponents say that it will give more even footing for local New York businesses, when it comes to competition for consumer spending.

New York is also controversially proposing to begin taxing songs downloaded from internet services such as i-tunes.

Who will win in this situation? Chances are...it won't be New York state consumers.

This fan-girl has either totally gone 'round the twist, or someone's having me on...can't figure out which. Wish she'd buzz off, though.

I'm feeling a mite better, though a little weak yet, which I suppose is to be expected. I was able to eat this afternoon, and the fever's pretty much gone, so I guess I'm on the mend, thank heavens.

A quiet afternoon here. I had the additional blessing this weekend, of the fact that the boys upstairs were away most of the time, so I actually did get lots of rest, without the usual coninual thumping, banging and clunking on my ceilings--puncuated by those fingernails-on-chalkboard annoying Barbie-girl giggles, all hours of the night into morning.

The cats are quiet, I've managed to get some chores done at home, despite how I'm feeling. Basically, it's a nice dull Monday, so far no crisis' or disturbances. Just the way I like it.

Well...there was ONE little disturbance....my "fan-girl' e-mailer. More love notes for David Tennant....dear god. I just got over a stomach bug...and I have to read that drivel? Jeez. This was a short one, thank heaven's. I can't tell her to stop, because the e-mail address is no good--how she (or he) managed that, is beyond me.

Is this for real? Is someone taking the mickey out of me? Not very funny joke, when one is ill, but, I don't suppose he or she would know that...or probably care. This is so...stupid. David Tennant wouldn't touch someone like me with a ten-foot pole, why does this person keep pestering me with this crap?

And, because I don't think that I should have to suffer alone, here's an excerpt, verbatum:

Hi David,

It's me again, I think ur the hottest actor ever! Did u get my other letters? I love u so much it makes me want to scream! I think ur so f_cking hot I hope that u will let me visit u so we can get to know each other bettur. I know you just moved to a home in Crouch Hill but no one will f_cking tell me where it is. Never mind I will find it. I got ur autograph this weekend! My friend was at the stage door and said u were nice to her. I am so f_cking jealous but will let it pass if you agree to kiss me . Pls send me ur email address so we can rite each other, pls?

It's a sunny 16 F degrees out there this early afternoon, here in my part of the northeastern US.

Not much in the local newspaper this morning...some guy was arrested for stealing copper pipes (that, CD's and baby formula seem to be the hottest theft items in our area at the moment) from a vacant home which was up for sale...the man stole the pipes from the basement of the home, without bothering to shut off the water, causing over $3000 worth of damage. He was caught shortly thereafter by police, after they visited a local scrap metal dealer, and discovered that the man had sold pipes exactly like the one's stolen, just a few days after the theft. The man will be going to jail for a long time, because of his criminal record: 40+ prior convictions, including two for escape...which the alleged thief hotly denied in front of the judge, despite evidence to the contrary, apparently. This outburst prompted the judge to order the theif to undergo a mental health exam before he can be tried again. The man is being held in the county jail for lack of bail.

The big headline is a "winter hiring freeze." No sh_t sherlock, I don't think most of us whom are awake and have half a brain need to be told that! A completely redunant feature article on how hard it is to find a job right now...newsflash for the newspaper...it's ALWAYS hard to find a job in our tourism-based economy in winter...it's just harder than usual, right now...but again, you'd really have to be ten different kinds of stupid...or a republican...not to already know all this. Waste of column inches, that story.

A bizzare twist in a theft case from my former hometown....a man and his son were accused of stealing...renting a lorry and physically stealing...6 new headstones from a cemetery monument company. Police were baffled by the motive, as there is absolutely no aftermarket for new tombstones. The two man lifted the 800 to 900 pounds of stones themselves, using prybars and handtrucks--and the theives were not forthcoming as to why they stole the stones...which have no other use than as monuments. Well, it seems that the mystery has been solved. Mr. Nutjob and son sent a note to a local TV station in my old hometown, explaining their motives. Last year, in New York's capital city of Albany, a ten year old girl sitting on her front steps at home, was shot dead by a stray bullet, fired by a fifteen year old gang member.

The man claims he intended to place the six monuments in front of the courthouse, where the trail of the fifteen year old--who is being tried under special state law, as an adult offender--is currently taking place. The man further claims that the tombstones were meant to represent the loss of youth and innocence, stolen away by bullets. The stolen headstones were to also represent those victim's whose lives were cut short by violence. Why the man couldn't have just made some fake headstones, is beyond me. It seems odd that someone would commit a crime, to honour the victims of crime...but, that's America for you.

This is just the rough draft for most of chapter 5 of Evil Waters...again, just on here 'cos Openoffice doesn' always like to work properly, and Wordpress sometimes doesn't accept my password.

____________________________________________________________________--
Spluttering and blinking water from his eyes, the Doctor clung to a small iron ring set into the canal wall. He was temporarily sheltered from the eyes of the police, by the flaming debris from the boat. But, he knew that time was running short. Another boat was pushing away from it's moorings, apparently trying to get away from the fiery wreck. The Doctor looked at it worriedly. In skirting around the damaged boat, the vessel coming towards him was holding close to the side of the narrow canal...too close.

The Doctor swallowed hard and frantically looked for a way to climb up the wall, but nothing offered itself. He would have to duck under the water, and pray that the propellers wouldn't chop him up into fish food...if he wasn't crushed by the boat, first. Taking a deep breath, the Doctor prepared himself to do a quick, deep dive.

Yet surprisingly, the oncoming boat slowed and moved slightly away from him, the pilot coming neatly alongside, within inches of the Doctor's body. A hand reached down from the boat. The Doctor let out his breath in an astonished gasp, as a vaguely familiar voice said, “Come on, then! Quietly now, don't want them lot on shore to get wind of what I'm doing.”

Soaking wet, his suit clinging tightly to his body, the Doctor stiffly clambered over the side. He then rolled out of sight, crawling into the cabin. Within seconds, the boat slowly glided on its way, down the canal. Minutes later, the door to the cabin opened, and the Doctor got a better look at his latest savior. He stood there gaping, open-mouthed. “Wilfred?” He stammered, “Bu-but that's...that's impossible!”

The Doctor's face suddenly became alarmed, and he glanced nervously around the cramped cabin. “Donna's not--?” Donna's grandfather shook his head, “No Doctor, she's not here. She's off in Canary Islands with her mum.” He sighed and smiled sadly,. “Last I heard she was para-sailing or something of the sort. Always after trying something new, our Donna.” Nodding sagely, the Doctor said, “Good, good. She's off living her life, then.”

But, for just a flicker of a moment, Wilfred could see that the Time Lord's face was sad and lonely. He put his hand on the Doctor's arm. “She's alight, Doctor, she's safe. That's the main thing, isn't it? She didn't die, because of you—and the universe was saved and all of us are alive today, because of her. None of that would have happened, if she hadn't of met you. Isn't that right?” He said hopefully, trying to console his friend...for he had come to think of the Doctor as a friend. Shoving his hands into his dripping suit, the Doctor nodded again. “Yeah, Yeah. You're right, of course you're right, Wilfred. It's just...” His voice trailed off, as the Doctor stared absently at the cabin wall.

Then, without warning, he abruptly whipped out his sonic screwdriver. “You don't mind if I just do a little check on something, do you Wilfred? No, of course you won't mind, didn't think so.” The Doctor rattled off, “'cos you see, Wilfred ol' son—if you are Wilfred...I just had a rather nasty encounter with a pseudo-human, so think it would be safe to say that I'd be rather amiss if I didn't do some double-checking from here on out, ey? Make sure I'm speaking to the genuine article, so to speak.”

Wilfred backed up slightly, puzzled. The Doctor pointed the sonic at him, and pressed down...only to be rewarded with a fitful buzzing. The Doctor frowned, held the sonic screwdriver to his ear, and shook it. Wilfred crossed his arms and waited. “Are you finished playing with that thing? 'Cos if you are, I'd like to get us out of here, some time today..get you some dry clothes before you catch your death of cold. Your lot do get colds, don't they? I never know with you aliens.”

The Doctor looked at the screwdriver, momentarily stunned. “But...it's...it's supposed to be waterproof!” Was all he said, as Wilfred threw him a towel and went back to the half-open outer door of the cabin, to pilot the boat down to the next lock. “There, use that, Doctor! You can dry you and that little gadget of yours off while I get us to the next town.” he called through the open doorway.

Oh dear God, anything but that...

Okay, still trying to wrap my head around being OK with a 20-something Dr Who..but now, the BBC has made it nearly impossible for me to not wince at the mention of Series 5!

Here's the latest scoop for the 2010 series:

The bad news: The BBC is considering non-actress for 11th Doctor's companion!

The singer Lily Allen is an early favourite, while sources say Strictly Come Dancing stars Rachel Stevens and Kelly Brook are high on the BBC's wish-list.

Auditions will take place over the coming months and filming begins in the summer. Piers Wenger, executive producer of the BBC One show, said: "Having got the casting of the Doctor out of the way, the companion role is where we will be looking next.

Oh no...I hope not. If I believed in prayer any longer, I'd be praying right now that this is just another ridiculous rumour.

I lost my childhood home, I can never go back there, ever again...it would almost literally break my heart! That's because I loved it so dearly...it was a part of me, a part of my heart and spirit and soul. And, it's mostly gone now, those hills and woods and fields I loved so well...destroyed, torn down, turned into posh, flashy upscale mansions.

Is that what's happening to my beloved Dr Who? The show that helped me grow as a person through the 80's (in association with me being a member/officer of a local fan club)..the programme that helped me through horrible bouts of depression..even helping keep me from doing...well, the old series helped me to become more outgoing and creative, the new series helped me to cope with some truly dreadful things and got me through some awful times. I wouldn't be lying if I told you that Dr Who (the series not the character) really did save my life! It's a part of my life, and just like losing my childhood home, rumours sometimes upset me terribly, because it's so much like losing my woods and fields, all over again.

Gosh, that probably makes me seem like a nutjob, doesn't it? Well, maybe I am.

Still, if the BBC isn't going to take Dr Who seriously any longer...I mean, at least Billie, Freema and Catherine all actually studied acting! And, personally speaking, I think that Catherine Tate proved beyond any shred of doubt, that she's truly a serious actress, not merely a comic.

Crikey! A 20-something Doctor and some stupid air-headed Barbie doll saving the earth/universe??? Erm--thanks, but no thanks! I was going to hold my judgement until episode 5.2, but now....I'm not even sure I'd stomach 5.1, if the BBC and the producers will insist on turning the programme into Doctor Who meets the X-factor/Strictly Come Dancing. Screw that! Jeez...someone pass me the vomit bucket.

HEY BBC--here's what I think of that idea:

Go take your Tardis and stick in a wee dark hole...and I don't mean in outer space!

1. What or who encourages the child in you to come out and play?

I suppose anyone who allows me to just relax and be myself, and doesn't mind being silly themselves.

2. If your house was burning and you only had time to rescue three non-living things what would they be?

My family pics, my passport/wallet, my Dr Who DVD's (no, really).

3. If you could spend a year in perfect happiness but afterward remember nothing of the experience, would you do it?

Sure, of course! I've known years of unhappiness, so it really wouldn't be a huge loss if I forgot, 'cos for me, it would merely be business as usual, afterwards, wouldn't it? Tho' I suppose I'd be very sad and maybe even scared, to lose those happy memories I suppose.

5. What new course would you like to see added to the nation's school curriculum?

Basic manners--how to eat, answer the telephone, behave when you're a guest in someone's home, conversation essentials, that sort of thing.

6. Have you ever attended a high school or college reunion? What was it like?

I've never been to a high school reunion--and I only just graduated college in 2003, so I doubt they're planning a reunion this soon. However, I did go to an unoffical five-year reunion of my village school's 8th grade (year) graduating class, in autumn of 1980. We sat around a former classmate's garage, drinking Miller beer and talking about what we'd been up to, and joking about school, stuff like that. It was OK, I mainly remember it as the first and only time I ever purposefully got sloshed...only because I amazed everyone by doing it...even then I was known as a non-drinker.

7. Has life made you more cynical or more hopeful?

Definately cynical, sadly. I'd rather be hopeful, but that's pretty much been shot down in flames.

8. What's your favorite food items that is in your kitchen cupboard right now?

I bought some vegetarian taco mix and some of those new Taco Bell buttermilk-ranch flavoured taco shells, I've some Cajun jambalaya mix, a packet of punjab eggplant, some rice pilaf, a jar of vodka cream spagetti sauce and some capellini pasta, a tin of LeSeur baby peas, and a tin of candied yams (sweet potatoes), and a packet of butter curry sauce for my turkey cutlets that are in the freezer. Hopefully my stomach will be up to eating them, soon.

9. How do you learn best? Watch and learn? Participation? Reading directions or technical manuals?

Probably at least partly due to my learning disability, I learn best through participation/hands-on. Though I do read on my own all the time, still, I find I do absorb new things best through interaction and hands-on experience...and yes, sometimes it is very slow going for me...depends on the subject, of course...some things I get right away...more of a verbal/language person, me.

10. What's the "lightest" book you've read in the past year? What's the "deepest" book?

I guess re-reading Dr Who "I Am A Dalek"--it was a quick read book, that was my book "lite," And I would consider most of Louis L'amour's westerns light reading as well, I suppose. I read an autobigorphy of sorts, called "Horse Tradin'" which was short tales from an old-time Texas horse trader, from the early part of the 20th century.

Heavy? Ummm--Shakespeare As A Dramtic Artist was slow-going...still working on it, actually. There was "This Was Cicero: Modern Politics in a Roman Toga." I re-read part of Hamlet, and re-read Walden. Fiction-wise, "My Father's Notebook" was sort of "deep" reading, I suppose, and I read Rob Roy for the first time, and some of Raymond Chandler's works.

11. Do you eat meals out often? Where do you like to go?

I don't eat meals out regularly...I know how to cook, but sometimes I need a break, so once in a while on a Friday or Saturday, I'll eat out...usually pizza or chinese takeaway, or fast food, like McDonalds, Burger King, Taco-bell/Long John Silvers, or Arby's roast beef...sometimes I'll do a chain restaurant, like Friendly's, Denny's...once or twice a year I'll do a proper resturant, like Jake's Roundup, Taste of Poland or The Pepper Mill, if I can afford it.

12. What was the last new thing you learned or did?

I milked two cows for the first time, last Saturday night.

13. Do you listen to music regularly? What's your favorite way to listen-- radio, CD, iPod...?

I listen to music pretty much every day. Usually on internet radio, but sometimes on my CD's, or a the one local radio station I get.

14. Are you strict about wearing your sunscreen in the summer?

I've never worn sunscreen in my life...I tend to tan naturally, and only rarely get burns.

15. What kinds of scenes in movies make you cry?

You know, I hate to admit this, but I hardly ever cry while watching television or films. I don't know why. Sometimes I'll cry when an animal dies--like Ginger in Black Beauty...always makes me cry...I do get emotionally involved with stories, and I do cry, of course in real life, but...not so much with fiction, apparently. Is that a bad thing? Not sure what that says about me.

Sorry, but he finally held still--sort of, to let me snap a pic of his actual face! Boy, I've never known him to be this camera shy...he's actually afraid of my wee camera! Maybe he doesn't like pink???

Oooh, that doesn't look good! The paramedic's SUV and a city detective's car just went round the corner up Grove street...this is only the second time I've seen the detective's car around here, they don't come out for nothing...something bad's going down. Drug deal? Suicide? Domestic assult? There goes the fire department rescue truck and EMT's, as well.

Well, guess if it's anything, I'll read about it in the paper...in a few days. It's become common knowlege that the Post-Star totally sucks as a local newspaper, since the big media conglomerate took it over. Used to be one of the best independent papers around...leave it to big business media mogals to utterly destroy a good thing for no other reason than profit...and we put these people in charge of global finances? Yeah, we're doomed.

The Post-Star has really gone to the proverbial dogs, last few years. Only people desperate for something to read, the mentally lazy and republicans (same thing, really), buy the Post-Star. But, I'm wondering if someone has died, becuase the firetruck was only there a few mintues...but the detective's car is still there, and no ambulance has been summoned.

Now, where was I?

Oh yean, got two pics of Boot's face, the second one is better, 'cos Boots moved his head for the first one--I accidentally touched his sore ear (I'm treating him for ear mites, and he hates having his ears messed with--probably why he's so grumpy today):

The republicans still seem bent on dividing and destroying the nation they so ardently (and falsely) claim they love so much. You see, republicans are notorious liars and hate-mongers, picking and choosing which part of the US constitution they decide they believe in...after they've totally got the interrperation of said amendment wrong, that is.

The republican party helped bring about the world-wide recession. To say otherwise, is to admit that either you know nothing about American politics, have a really rotten sense of observation/basic logic, or to admit that you've poured raw sewage into your brain cells for the last 28 years.

Oh, the democrats didn't exactly help either, by pushing forward the Free Trade Agreement...which allowed China and other third world nations to lure American businesses overses, causing the loss of tens of thousands of jobs since Clinton left office. But Bush and company did far worse things to our economy, than the FTA could ever be blamed for.

With the impeachment of Clinton, Bush came into office with virtually no national debt...he leaves office with a deficit that is totally off the charts...in the trillions...so high, the national debt counter literally ran out of numbers!

Bush made it harder for Americans to file for bankruptcy, Americans like myself with student loans, thanks to Bush, can no longer apply those loans to bankruptcy proceedings...and Bush made that situation even worse, by making it HARDER for student loan recipients to RE-PAY loans! This helps the creditors in the short-term, but is disasterous for the economy--and Americans--in the long-term.