I Ain't Afraid of No Daleks

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.

Bush has repeatedly made it easier for creditors and banks to give people loans and credit cards--at often ridiculously high interest rates...offered at (on the surface) easy terms, that it is hard for many people to refuse---people are human...and for those who pretend to be phony self-righteous types, that snif that they'd never surcumb to those shady offers...quit deciving yourselves! If you were hungry and desperate enough, most of you would do it, too! To say otherwise is to deny your own human weaknesses...which you do have, like it or not.

Yeah, Bush petted and stoked the creditors and the banks, while kicking the American people in the arse at the same time, by making it harder for them to re-pay loans and mortgages and other debts.

So, the recession begins. You can't let banks and investment firms and creditors have their own way, you can't. It leads to disaster, because when it comes to money, greed overcomes common sense every time. Fairness and money are the ultimate odd couple...they divorce each other in a heartbeat. But the republicans don't get this. They'll never get this.

Republicans live to hate, they live for money, they live for power and destruction. They are not happy, unless they are hurting someone or something--either with words, laws, bombs or cash.

When Hilary Clinton was First L-A-D-Y, while visiting a city to look at a job training programme designed to help those on welfare and disability, get back into mainstream society--a programme funded with democratic-sponsored funds. However, a republican spent his funds that day, hiring a sky-writing airplane to scrawl, "Hilary Sucks!" across the sky.

I think that says EVERYTHING about the republican conservative's mind.

Yes, the republicans have no qualms about insulting ladies. They tell women they don't have a legal right to choose what to do with their bodies--republican men tell American women that they cannot choose whether to have their own babies. Yet, when a democratic candidate, wrote a comic piece about pornography, this is what a self-righteous, hypocritcal republican party had to say:

“...the disrespectful writings of a nearly 50-year-old man who seems to think that women’s bodies are the domain of a man who just wants to have a good time.”

Mind you, this man they are referring to, Al Franken, is REPLACING a REPUBLICAN who was arrested, and later resigned, for attempting to have GAY SEX in an airport bathroom. Does anyone see the irony here?

They have no qualms about making racist remarks, or putting down gays. They wave their guns joyusly, even tho' in America--very factually, there are school-age children who die every day of the year in this country, murdered by guns easily purchased because of the republicans loose gun laws.

And, the republican party has done everything it can, to stop the automakers from getting the loans they need to stay in business...and, they've vowed to fight Obama on economic assistance for the American people--mainly, tax breaks for the working and middle class, and job training programmes and incentives for businesses to hire new workers...they even are fighting for state aid, to help states cope with the increased costs of helping the poor and unemployed!

How can a "Christan" based party, be against helping the poor??? Because they are NOT true Christians...they use Christ as a power symbol and a propaganda tool. The repubkcans were never really Christians, they are NOT believers. Christ would never approve of helping banks over helping the poor! Or...maybe he would. I'm not a practicing Christain any longer, so what do I know? I got too sick of the massive hypocracy, quite frankly.

The republicans DO NOT want America to recover from the recession. They refuse to wake up and see the damage they've done, they continue to rave and rant on talk radio and in the press--cowards that they are, verbally assulting innocent men and women they cannot see face-to-face, whom have done nothing but disagree with republican policy, or, simply want a better life for themselves and the rest of America and/or the world.

In continuing with their pathetic, petty hate-rants and naked arse-kissing of corporate America and foreign powers---instead of working on genuinely HELPING the American people who are truly suffering-- the republican party virtually guarentees that America will continue in a depression for years to come. And, this may well lead to arnarchy such as America hasn't seen since the union unrest of the early 1900's, or the socialist movement of the 1930's.

The republicans use an elephant as their party's symbol--because they say an elephant never forgets...but Ronald Regan and George W. Bush have well proved that to be a myth.

Before I trundle back off to bed, to let my medicine do its work, I thought I'd leave you with this.

BETRAYAL

Snow fall
Silently hushed
Smothering bold white flakes
Conceeding their sad defeat to
Cat paws

Flamey is such a drama queen and a little star--unlike the boys, she's very accomodating about having her picture taken...she is such an actress!

I mean, you can do anything with Charlie, taking a pic of him is a piece of cake...he's probably the most mellow and blase cat I've ever known--I mean, how many cats are there, that actually are perfectly OK about having their belly being Hoovered? Most of the cats I've had in my life (and we're talking over 50 in my lifetime) have been less than thrilled with vacuum cleaners--even running to another room, the minute the contraption is trundled out of the cupboard.

Boots is usually OK with having his pic taken--he's not the shapest tool in the ol' feline toolbox, but today he's just being weird...I could only get one where all you can see is his back and ears, 'cos he refused to sit still. ...maybe later.

Flame decided to go on top of the tall bookcase and act cute, so I took some snaps of her--one of her "shaking hands" with me..she reaches out her paw for me to touch. Little game she plays.

sometimes Flame can almost look like a life-size wild cat...a cougar or a lioness, in her expressions...think I captured that look in one of these pics, but that's for you to judge. I promise...these are the last! Don't want to bore blogland with continual pics of my pets...that's far too dull...unless you like continual pics of pets, I suppose.

BOOTS...sort of:

My 2+ stone Charlie, posing watching Boots slink away.

All except Boots--he was being decidedly camera-shy today, and refused to hold still long enough for me to snap a pic of him. Ah well, there's one in every family!

The photobucket is being horrendously slow! Its uploader is being a bear today, taking its own sweet time uploading my pics...(sigh).

Charlie in my $1 Victorian-era side chair (with throw pillow on it, in an attempt to cover up the tonnes of cat hair on the seat--found out the hard way that it's not a cat-hair friendly chair!)

I'm typing while Flame is sitting in my lap, trying to bathe my hands with her little pink tongue...I did wash my hands this morning...but then had a spot of tea with some cheese and crackers for breakfast (I forgot to buy bread and butter Friday, so no toast)...so being she loves cheese, I'm guessing Flame must smell it on my hands. But, it doesn't make it easy to type, she uses her paw to hold my hand down while she licks.

Still sick but the fever's down. Except for a couple of hours last night, I've slept almost 15 hours in the last 24. My stomach is holding down food, but I've a raging headache and am almost seeing double, so I will be going back to bed in a bit. Thankfully, I've a portable DVD player, if I get too restless having to lie abed. Don't think I want to read too much today.

I finally got my Disney Pix camera to work...apparently, somehow it managed to (entirely on its own) delete all 28 pictures I took of my first holiday in four years, last weekend. the thing. I just took some pics of the scenery outside, to see if it would work--it self-deleted the first set, but then decided to take the rest. Heaven knows...I would truly be ashamed to sell this camera to wee children---it's CRAP! It takes awful photos, as well. I did my best to change the contrast of the photos to make them clearer...but as you can see, the pics came out really rubbish...it's 11am in the morning here, and I just took these from outside on my balcony, just a few minutes ago....they are horrid!

DO NOT buy your wee one's a micro-pix camera! Get them a disposable 35mm with a flash or let them use your camera. It may not get you instant results, or be as eco-friendly, but the results won't be as disappointing to the child, as the crap pics this camera takes!

Judge for yourself...was the loss of 28 pics, all the aggravation, and photos like these, worth $20???

Where does the Queen keep her armies?

Up her sleevey's.

What do you call a dog with no legs?

Nothing, he wouldn't come when you called, anyway.

What do you call a cow that has just had a calf?

Decalfinated.

Knock, knock
Who’s there?
Adolf
Adolf who?
Adolph ball hit me in de mowf. Dat’s why I dawk dis way.

Hello all, just woke up. Left work 2 hours into my shift 'cos I had horrid stomach pains...apparently I have picked up a bug for certain. Got home and my temp was up from this morning. It's going for 9.00pm, and I've been in bed since 3pm this afternoon, alternating between sweats and shivers, and equally alternating between a stomach ache and body aches--woke with a sore throat as well...not the best way to be spending one's weekend, is it?

Ah well, I'm off until Tuesday, so hopefully I'll be better by then.

It's snowing here, and 15 F/-9 C. Bit warmer than it was last night, anyway. We've just missed the winter storm warning, but they've upgraded us to a winter weather advisory, so I expect we're to get a bit more snow than initally predicted...we were only supposed to get no more than an inch or two...pfft. For us here, that's like saying we're to get a sprinkle of rain.

The weather graphic http://www.wten.com/global/story.asp?S=9436254 now says 5 to 8 inches...still no big deal, but it will make the roads a bit slicker...won't stop anyone from going out tonight, most likely--traffic is slightly lighter than usual out there, but not by much, and everyone seems to still be doing the speed limit with no trouble. That's why we buy studded snow tyres over here, ha-ha, so we can drive like maniacs and scream at the winter tourists for going so slow.

I laugh at work when I'm on the phone and I call mid-westerner's, and they tell me, "I can't talk now, we're getting a snow storm, OMG, we're supposed to get 10 inches, eeekk!" Yeah, right. That's like me saying I can't talk on the phone 'cos it's raining outside.

It takes about 2 or 3 FEET of snow coming down, for us to even begin to get our feather's ruffled...even then, people will still get in their cars and go shopping at Walmart's or wherever. .

For the next week or so, night temps will be anywhere from the single digits to minus 10 fahrenheight--as low as -23 C. I've put my second patchwork quilt on my bed, and am wishing I had a third, ha-ha. The cats will help keep me warm, though. Can't beat the double layer of a patchwork quilt--with the addition of two or three warm furry bodies, to keep you warm on a cold winter's night. I used to love winter, but now, truth to tell, I can't wait for mid-May, when the snow finally leaves us for good...well, until October or November, anyway.

I'd never like living in a hot climate, but I wouldn't object to a climate without sub-zero fahrenheight temperatures, that didn't get snow and ice four or five or even six months out of the year. Rain's good, I like rain...a little snow once in a while, just for variety, that would be OK.

________________________________________________________________________________

So, I woke up, checked my e-mails---YIKES. I just got bombarded with SEVEN e-mails from some David Tennant fan-girl...whoa. And, like the last one, they are all bouncing back as undeliverable.

This girl--possibly the same one who bugged me twice for DT's address earlier in the week--is...odd. OK, let's call a duck a duck...she's a dyed-in-the-wool nutjob!

Seven e-mails, all wanting me to "tell David" that she loves him and...OK, I won't elaborate, let's just say one "letter" made several mentions of one of DT's body parts that I'd just as soon not see, if you don't mind. I've seen that particular body part before, in a photo someone sent me, and sorry Tennant, but I really didn't find it much of a turn-on. I may be a bonified old maid, but I have seen a naked man before, thank you very much and, erm--Fabio you ain't.

Tennant has a nice smile, though, I'll give him that.

But, really...this is just so bizzare...actually, this is going a bit beyond bizzare...it's sheer lunacy! Why me, for heaven's sake??? I have NEVER in my life said that I know the man!

Seven love letters for me to pass on to some guy I've never met, and am never going to ever meet! How bonkers is that???

Here's an excerpt:

"....please print out these letters, and give them to him next time you visit David in Crouch Hill, I know he will answer me back..."

Erm--hello, I don't live in the UK! I've never heard of bloomin' Crouch Hill, or Crotch Scratch or wherever! I assume that's in London??? Perhaps associated with Crouch End or Crotch Bottom or whatever it's called?

I've said it before, at the risk of sounding like a parrot, I'll say it again: I don't know David blinking Tennant! David Tennant doesn't live in my world, and never has, we likely have little in common...common sense would dictate that David Tennant's friends are probably other celebrites, actors, trendy London types...he wouldn't give someone like me the time of day, and certainly we would NEVER be friends!

I mean, come on! As my income shrinks, I will likely not be leaving Glens Falls anytime soon--unless it's in a cardboard box full of ashes. Tennant has never lived in my world, nor have I in his, and for all intents and purposes he might just as well REALLY BE an alien!

He's never been to--nor is he ever coming to, Glens Falls, and the way things are looking right now, it's a pretty sure bet that I'm probably never likely to ever visit London. I've only been out of Glens Falls twice in 2 years--and then only 10 or 15 miles away!

Why is this nutty fan-girl thinking I know that man? Why has she latched on to me, for pity's sake? And, quite frankly, even if I did know the gentleman, I'd not advertise it, for bloomin' sake! I keep my friends privacy as a sacred trust, I respect them too much to do otherwise...again, not that I'm friends with ANY celebrities. I don't do celebrities. In fact, I've never even met most of my real friends!

So STOP bugging me about David Tennant! I have a fake fan blog, that's all! I sometimes pass on news about the actor that I've read or been told about...doesn't mean I know the wee guy. Sheesh.