The personal blog of a genuine old maid and a closet transcendentalist. Blather about my everyday life, creative stuff, humor, political, and social commentary and, since I'm hopelessly Whovian, references to Doctor Who.
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So, Saturday. Big deal. It's snowing out--sometimes hard, sometimes not. Big flakes drifting and swirling every which way--very directionless they are today. Charlie was sitting at the window, watching all the flakes floating past, lifting a paw, trying to catch one through the glass--daft cat.
Foot's somewhat better now, after the near-fall on the ice yesterday, but my slightly twisted knee is still iffy, and doesn't seem to want to entirely support my weight this morning--tho' it doesn't actually hurt, which seems rather strange.
I barely slept last night--the foot was just incredibly achey most of the night, waking me periodically, and then when I finally fell asleep, the stupid bassett hound barking across the hall--at 3am, didn't help one whit, woke me up again, and I didn't get back to sleep until nearly 5am, when the pain woke me at seven, again. But I've had it propped up and iced since waking, and it's feeling a mite better. I'm out of Advil, asprin, anything to take for the pain...didn't have time yesterday to buy anything, so I'll just have to tough it out today..no big deal. I'll live.
Well, gotta' go change into my good jeans, and a nice top for the office. Hopefully the snow will settle down by the time I leave in about 30 minutes. Cheers.
I'm sort of sitting here at my desk in my lounge, in more or less a semi-pain/infection/tiredness induced stupor...staring at my computer screen--an acquaintence whom is aware of my enjoyment of model railroads, just e-mailed me a link to a lovely layout on youtube, she thought I'd like to see...and I was watching it...but not seeing it. I haven't even finished reading all my e-mails yet! So, if anyone sent me an e-mail or PM and I haven't responded...I'll do my best on the morrow...today...meh--I have to lie down before I fall down, ey? My foot needs some icing, methinks.
Decided to give up the goast and hit the hay--not even 9.00 in the evening, here. I am getting old. (big sigh.)
Yet, just as I was about to hit the shut down button on the computer, I had a flash of an idea--weird how things happen, isn't it? Anyway, between the model rail layout, and that whole red bus/Dr Who thing got me thinking--which probably isn't easy in my present state, ha-ha. Anyway, I realized that I don't think anyone (in film at any rate), ever did a really good Dr Who rail adventure---sort of a cross between Murder on the Orient Express (with monsters doing the murdering, of course), and an old fashioned western style train robbery....well, I still have Evil Waters on the back hob, that I've not finished--or even touched, in weeks...and here I am coming up with a scathingly tantalizing idea for another Dr Who story? Feels ood...I mean, odd, to me, to be thinking of such things, when I'm feeling the way I am...but, stuff happens.
Dunno' about me, these days---I've got Evil Waters on wordpress, a short play called (tentatively) "Cheez and Mabs" on my play blog (which will soon be deleted, so I don't think any of those plays will ever be finished...but they were never really meant to be read--let alone seen--anyway. Just a timepasser, like doing crosswords--which I'm rubbish at.
So, if I dump the plays as so much worthless flotsam, kiss off Evil Waters for now, as no one is reading it (as far as I'm aware of), anyway...since I have to put off going to my friend's dairy farm for the weekend, and have to keep off my foot as much as possible, I might as well fart around with a new Dr Who story--make it a real short story--maybe no more than 1 to 3 chapters...a little rail adventure for the doctor--sort of would be cool---maybe I could even put in a spectacular train wreck where no one gets killed--in the wreck...I wold leave that to the monster, mrawhahaha!
1. Have you ever successfully played a prank on anyone?
Oh yes.
2. Has anyone ever successfully played a prank on you?
yup. When I was working as secretary in a muffler shop, one of the boys in the shop rigged it so I'd get a very offical sounding call from a "radio station" DJ, telling me I'd won the $1000.00 prize.
3. Do you think they moon landings were faked?
nope.
4. What the best April Fools day prank you've heard of?
Locally, it was the fake "monster" in Lake George...everyone fell for it.
Whew! Long day. I'm gonna eat my 1/2 pepperoni 1/2 cheese pizza, when the Brooklyn Pizzeria finally gets around to delivering it, take a hot shower, feed the cats, and retire to bed early, and read a good mystery I've just become engrossed in.
It's pouring down rain--has done, naturally, since I went out today--wasn't raining BEFORE I left the house. I got quite soaked with it...also hurt my bad foot rather unpleasantly, as well, slipping on some thick ice, which the rain has yet to melt away...the foot's not bad enough to require any medical attention, but sore enough to make me mildly (only very mildly) grumpy, and to postpone my weekend on the farm, for yet another week, while I give the foot a bit of a rest.
Flame is still in heat and basically driving me bonkers, with her screeching...she's such a drama queen, she sounds like I'm ruddy well mudering her! I'm sure the neighbours are loving it. Right now, she and my keyboard are competing for lap space, and Flame is also attacking my arm, trying to do something rather rude to it.
And no, i CAN'T afford to get her "fixed." If I can't afford to see a dentist, optomotrist or doctor, I can't blinking well afford 200+ to get my cat spayed (lost her shots papers after mum died, she'd have to get them all over again, which seriously pads the vet's bill.)
The two boys are neutered and none of them ever leave the apartment, so there's no worries of her having kittens...it's just a massive pain in the arse I have to put up with, every other month, of late...ever since the neighbour's sister moved in across the hall, with her un-nutered tom cat, Flame's cycle has gone all nutso.
So....the appointment this morning wasn't medical, it was to figure out what to do about the stinking National Greed--erm...I mean National Grid bill. Nothing, apparently. They claim I'm using too much gas---my electric usage is way down, thanks to measures I've made to cut usage--but no matter how much I lower my thermostat, they say I'm still using a lot of gas, and that it's up to me to cut my usage down. Yeah, right. Well, maybe I can find a way to hook the furnace and cooker to my buttocks and eat a lot of curries and onions and beans, that'll cut down the bill.
In a twist that might be humourous, if it didn't have so many serious repercussions on my weekly/monthly budget, my electric usage has gone way down--and so has the price of electricity....yet my gas usage has gone way up--and so has the cost of natural gas--through the flippin' roof, apparently.
So, basically, I am now, 12 months of the year, literally going to have to work at my job, two to three weeks out of every month, merely to pay the National Grid bill. No extras, nothing. I'm going to have to slash my food budget to 150 to 175 dollars a month (this when the avergae weekly food bill for me, has shot up from 35 to 40 dollars a week, in early 2008, to 50 to 60 dollars a week, late last year--now...it's inching up to as much as 70 to 75, when I can't get to the "bargain" supermarkets, like Aldi's (which really isn't much of a bargain, any longer), Price-Rite and Walmart's Super Center.
I don't know...I was just getting ahead for the first time in over 2 years...actually, in more than 3 years...now this. Very depressed, me. When I realized, in Jan. of 04, that my slight pay raise in disability benefits, would allow me an extra 50 to 100 dollars to myself, each month--to save or splurge (hey, a haircut more than once a year--that WOULD be a novelty)....damn.
I did actually "splurge" today. Had a Big Mac value meal, while out with my co-worker...then we stopped by the Bargain Box...they were having a 50% off sale on red tag items (all the clothing at the consignment shop have colour coded tags)--got two lovely chic sweaters and a very lady-like paisley and turquoise spring/summer dress--for around 14 dollars. My sweaters are getting a bit on...none are any newer than 4 years old, and a couple are close to the 20 year mark...so, knowing these shops will want to leave off the winter stuff, and start getting in spring/summer wear, I talked my co-worker into checking out the shop to see what sales they might have, and got lucky. Saw a lovely brown pant suit by Chico in there--looked a treat on me, but...$18...too much for my budget...and, it was marginally long in the leg, anyway---am I shrinking? Or, are sizes getting longer in the leg, these days???
I have to go out and do my chores today--it's payday, which means i have to cash my check, and do a mite of shopping. Then, at 1pm, one of my co-workers is picking me up, and we're going to the laundromat together. She lives out of town, in a small town near the Vermont border, but has to come in to the city today, and she kindly offered to take me along with her to the laundromat.
That's great, 'cos it normally costs me around 8 or 10 dollars to go to the laundromat by cab, depending on where I go. I have to try and get to a post office, and I have an appointment later this morning--so, busy day for me. I'll probably have to grab something from BK, McDonald's or Taco Bell or something, no time for a proper lunch, and I'm still marginally ill, so no appetite for breakfast this morning.
Anyway, sorry I've not been too cheery with some of my posts of late. I've not been feeling very happy, lately. Whether it's depression, a case of late-winter cabin fever, or just me realizing my status in life...I don't know. Everyone's getting a bit stroppy, 'round these parts...even one of the editorial guys in the local paper, wasted newsprint complaining that he can't find his woodpile for the snow, and hasn't seen the inground pool in his back garden for months.
It's gloomy today, matches my mood. I hear the repetitive screeching of a blue jay coming from somewhere across the road. Yesterday I heard a phoeebe--my late mum's favourite bird, which was heartening.
But, it's grey again, grey sky, grey trees, white roofs, white ground....is it any wonder I'm a bit depressed?
My life seems like the inside of a cannon--the iron walls encircling my soul...I can see out the end of the barrel, at the open sky...but there's nothing and no one to touch off the shot. Just the cold circle of metal around me.
Wow...that's depressing, isn't it?
Gah--I'm hungry, but don't want anything to eat. That's depressing, as well. I woke to Flame yowling in heat--and for added measure, she threw up on the living room rug--good morning to you do, ya' daft wee cat. Grrrr. My life is such a pleasure, some days...not.
A fellow female co-worker and I, had been recently been lamenting on our inability to find decent bras...we both have "odd" bra sizes--and no, I'm not telling you what my bra size is, 'cos I really am not that kind of girl....anyway, it can be tough to find something decent in our respective sizes... practically impossible to find in most department stores...especially anything actually trendy, or useful--like those seperate cup underwire bras--the one's that sort of give you an artificial, how shall I say it? Erm--a "boost?"
Well, lo and behold, the knocker gods were smiling on me the other day, while I was in, of all places, the "Everything for One Dollar" store. They were rather posh, much to my surprise, black with a print design that would have been at home in the early Sixties--something I'd almost imagine that Audrey Hepburn would have worn under her frock, in Breakfast At Tiffany's. Well...maybe not quite. Still, for a dollar, I think I got a bargain.
This morning, I tried my new purchase on, under a turtleneck. Looking in the long mirror on the back of my living room door (came with the apartment), a big smile lit up my face, as I exclaimed, "Wow, cool! I have boobs!!!"
As it happens, my female co-worker also found a similar bargain bra--and we stood in the lift, admiring each others new, nicely formed erm--coconuts...much to the discomfort of another female co-worker. We exited the lift laughing, causing the cleaning guys in the office building's lobby to stare---to whit we replied, "We're fine--we've got BOOBS!"
Wow, Ryanair seems to have caused a bit of a stir in blogland, of late.
Seems that while a blogger was pointing out a bug he may have discovered on the Ryanair website, which shows that people can book flights for free--as the amount of the fare was coming up. "0.00."
In response--if you can very loosely call it that--a Ryanair employee blogged back...well, to say the reply was extremely unprofessional, is a gross underexaggeration.
In fact, Ryanair's whole attitute towards bloggers pointing out flaws in the Ryanair website, appears to be downright childishly tempermental.
And you'd trust someone with these sorts of temper tantrums--over something that any RESPONSIBLE ADULT would have simply acknowleged and said they'd look into?
Really, would you trust an airline that says this, about bloggers---who might well be actual and/or potential customers?
To the blogger whom pointed out a possible error on the website:
"...you're an idiot and a liar!! fact is!
Oooh, that's good customer relations during a full-blown recession, isn't it?
And these grammatically incorrect and totally tactless gits, are allowed to run an airline???
Riiiight.
A bit later, self-same chav-inspired Ryanair spoiled brat said this to the blogger, as well:
"Hehe - I found a bug that lets me show anything I want on your site.
"All I have to do is put something along the lines of javascript:void(document.write('hehe')) into the address bar, and I can do whatever I want with your site ( or indeed any other site ).
Oh, but wait, there's more!
After a travel news website tracked the chav who responded to the blogger, directly to Ryanair's H.Q., a clearly un-thinking, still very childish and downright yobbo-ish Ryanair finally decided to issue this statement:
"Lunatic bloggers can have the blog sphere all to themselves as our people are far too busy driving down the cost of air travel."
So, I've read on several blogs around the web already, where some bloggers--whom number over a 500 MILLION, are talking of a global boycott of Ryanair, until Ryanair grows into some long trousers, grows some hair on its chest, uses its collective grey matter, and puts some balls in their y-fronts, and issues a global apology, to bloggers everywhere.
I don't use Ryanair, and never will, now, if that's their attitude....in a RECESSION, towards potential customers---I wouldn't be caught dead flying with such an irresponsible airline! I'm not mad about the blogger remarks, so much as stunned by the sheer bald outright stupidity, at issuing such remarks in a global recession.
Personally, by the sounds of their response, I don't quite think the uneducated classless slobs at Ryanair are up to the task, but, hey, they might surprise us. Whether they will be boycotted by bloggers remains to be seen...but I rather expect they might deserve it, by their patently chav, and ridiculously un-businesslike attitude towards prospective passengers.
Obviously, Ryanir isn't handling the economic criss very well, and, like a spoiled bratty child, is lashing out at everyone is a massive temper tantrum---one that could well have repercussions for them, months down the road.
Had someone on a writer's forum...new person--never heard of him, suddenly decide to put me on their "friends list" and then he's jumping in on me, like that makes us instant best friends.
That's one of the weird things about the internet. In real life, how would we react if say, we were out and about shopping at Walmart/Asda, minding our own business, when some total stranger came bounding up to us, saying that we're his or her brand new friend?
I daresay, most of us would back off in a hurry, and wonder if the person's section papers had come through yet.
Yet, everyday on the internet, I'm getting blank friends invites--no introduction, not even a "hi, how are you?" Just a person out of the blue, who wants me to be on their "friends list."
What the hell is with that? Are friends now like those daft "sea monkeys" one used to get from the comic book adverts...just add water and stir, and you've got a bunch of new little friends coming to life in your home?
Have we become so detatched from each other--so socially lazy, that we don't even bother simply introducing ourselves, before we buddy up to someone? How totally insincere is that? I mean, really....would you be instant friends with a total stranger who can't even be bothered to say hello first? Likely not! But, people blindly abandon their common sense and do just that, every single day on the internet.
So, maybe what the shrinks say about Facebook, is far deeper-reaching than even they suspect.
Incredibly, the republican party is blocking every single effort of the Obama whitehouse and the Democrats to help Americans and the states, re-start the economy---all, it seems, in order to re-gain the popular vote in 2010.
Of course, the only way this will work, is if the economy is still in the toilet by then...which it probably will be, despite best efforts---it took a year for the recession to hit the country full-blast, so obviously, it will take at least a year for the recession to back off. So...it sadly, may actually work.
Really, the republicans are showing their utter cowardice and callousness though. Hurting millions of innocent people, just to gain votes? How rubbish is that?
So far, they've blocked everything Obama has done: new rules for the banks, help for homeowners in bankruptcy court (right now, under repubican-made rules, the judge has absolutely no control over the foreclousure...Obama wants to change that). The republicans have blocked aid to states for more unemployment insurance, more help for sick and injured Americans, more help for the jobless, for infrastructure---basically, the republicans are just sitting on their collective arses, whinging about the democrats and the president, and doing NOTHING to help America.
They are also against pulling the troops out of Iraq, and for the torture in Gitmo.
And they call liberals "traitors???" Personally, I don't think any terrorist organization could have hurt America, any worse than the republicans have already--and will continue to do, right into next year...and beyond.
If your doctor told you TODAY that you were pregnant, what would you say?
A miraculous conception? Me? Well, I hope that includes a miraculous nappie change, as well!
Do you trust all of your friends?
Is there a reason why I shouldn't? I'm bi-polar, not paranoid.
Would you move to another state or country to be with the one you love?
I have no one that close to me. I'd move to another state or country for a career, though...if, and only if, besides the work, I also had all moving expenses paid and a set place to live for the long-term.
Do you believe that everything happens for a reason?
Absolutely not.
Can you make a dollar in change right now?
Nope, just took all my spare change to the CoinStar machine at Price-chopper on Monday...netted $18.95 out of a month's worth of pocket change. Paid for the $10 cab fare and 3/4 of the shopping with it.
Which one of your friends do you think would make the best doctor?
Screw this question. I pass.
What naughty word do you use too often?
The f word. Hate it, but it just slips out sometimes.
Is there someone who pops into your mind at random times?
Some of my friends, sometimes.
What's your most favorite scar?
I have lots of scars, but no "favorite." Who has a favourite scar? It's not like I got into a sword fight! Closest thing I have to a "dueling" scar, is when one of the kids on the street stepped on a rotted log, while we were walking down a path through some brush, and it lifted into the air and the jagged end gouged a deep scratch out of my cheek.
When was the last time you flew in a plane?
Flying back from Egypt, Jan. 04
What features do you find most attractive in the preferred sex?
Nice smile, nice laugh, relaxed and genuine--no airs or phoney macho posturing.
Fill in the blank. I love __________.
Doctor Who--the TV show, not the actor(s).
What is a goal you would like to accomplish in the near future?
I don't know and I no longer give a damn about the future. Kiss off.
If you were to wake up from being in a coma for an extended time who would you call?
The cab dispatcher, after months in hospital, I'd just want to go home. I don't like this meme, it's flippin' depressing as hell.
Where was your favorite picture taken?
It's of my mum, dad and nephew, on our last family Christmas all together in one place (my sister's old caravan in the Vermont woods), in Dec. of '01? It sounds terrible, but I can't honestly remember exactly what year it was taken.
What's your middle name?
Mum based my middle name from a character in Little Women.
Honestly, what's on your mind right now?
I can't eat, what am I going to do with that chicken I've defrosted? I hate throwing it out.
If you could go back in time and change something, what would it be?
I dont' think I should mess about with stuff like that--might open an unexpected and unpleasant can of worms--besides, there's just too many regrets and mistakes in my past, for me to choose just one.
Who was or will be the maid of honor/best man in your wedding?
Why does everyone assume that everyone HAS to get married? I don't date, so I bloodly well am never going to be married, am I?
What are you wearing right now?
Does every meme HAVE to have this question? Oh, very well... a pink and burgundy plaid flannel shirt, blue jeans, pink slipper-socks.
Ever had a bar fight?
Yeah, Wyatt Earp was really getting up my nose one night, at the old Bucket O'Blood saloon, so I turned around and slugged him.
Who knows you the best?
Me.
What have you bought, so far this week?
cat food, Italian bread, some sweet corn, some potatoes, soda, milk, a carrot cake muffin.
Did you get in a fight with someone today?
What's with the fighting questions? No, I was too ill to fight with anyone--tho' I did yell at Flamey for yowling at the top of her lungs (she's in heat and it drives me bonkers, listening to her continual noise)
When was the last time you had a massage?
Never.
Last person to see you cry?
How the hell do I know? This meme SUCKS...it's not exactly a Doris Day meme, is it?
What was the last TV show you watched?
Same old crap questions again--doesn't ANYONE have any original meme's out there?
I don't have tele. I lay in bed and watched Vicar of Dibley on DVD, earlier this afternoon.
Who was the last person you hung out with?
My co-worker/farm lady friend, after work one Saturday, three weeks ago.
Have you ever taken a peek at someone else's diary?
Never had access to anyone's diary...not really my bag, anyway. I respect people's privacy too much, I suppose.
I sometimes still get pressured by people I know causally, about my non-relationship status. Everyone thinks that everyone else should be dating, or at least, shacking up with people. Well...for me, it's a complicated story, with more than one reason behind it...actually, nearly half a dozen reasons.
One of the more minor reasons--is that no guy has ever just accepted me as I am. I don't guess many people do, really. We all have pre-set expectations of everyone we meet, and I suppose I just slip through the cracks of those expectations...who knows?
Anyway, I really like the message in this video, it's a pity more people don't feel that way...there would be a whole lot less lonely human beings in the world.
As always, hit the pause button on the playlist player, to watch this video.
I've only just now read of the death of David Cameron's son, Ivan. I do express my deepest symptathy to the Cameron's and their family. If the death of a parent is hard, I can only hazard that the death of one's son or daughter must me ten times more so. Therefore, even tho' they'll never see it, I do want to send out my deepest condolences at this terrible time.
I haven't got anything interesting to say today, sorry. My fever's 102 and I feel like rubbish again. Can't do the doctor's, just no funds to spare for it right now. I have to use that "nest egg" I put aside from my tax money, to pay for a new bill that just came in--one of the kind that cannot be put off to whenever I get wealthy enough to pay for it...like never, at the present rate. Nope. This is a "serious" bill, for $117--and my "nest egg" is $125, so there's goes yet another attempt at putting aside some moeny.
I live in a trap. That's all my life is, a trap. I'm never going to make headway, so is it any wonder I REFUSE to hope or plan or dream any more? Why bother? Life has become a pointless, utterly, utterly pointless endevour...I'm just going to keep my head down and dogpaddle along on the flood, as best as I can, until life finally stinking drowns me.
I want to call in sick to work, but I can't. I want to see a real doctor that gives a shite about me, not some indifferent, snarky physician's assistant--but I can't. I want to feel like I'm worth something again, like I'm contributing something to the world, like I'm DOING something with my life...but...that's gone, blown away like everything else.
I don't like myself today, sorry. I hate it when bills come in the post. Depressing's not the word.
Well, no hope for me. I have to go to work, or I won't be able to pay my bills next month, and I'll have my internet, electric and gas shut off.
From a newletter I get from the Civil Liberties Union:
Countless Americans continue to be denied equal access to the ballot box, and now, as the Voting Rights Act heads for renewal, a handful of lawmakers from Georgia and Texas are trying to delay the process in an attempt to severely weaken the landmark law that has protected the rights of millions of minority voters from discrimination.
Your voice is needed now to keep the renewal process moving. Please contact your representative in support of the Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, and Coretta Scott King Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006 (H.R. 9). If passed, this bill will renew and restore the expiring provisions of the Voting Rights Act that protect minorities from discrimination.
A final House vote on H.R. 9 is currently scheduled for next week -- the week of June 12 -- so we need you to contact your representative right now and urge him or her to protect voting rights and oppose efforts to weaken the act and prevent it from moving forward.
States and local jurisdictions, mostly in the South, now covered by the expiring enforcement provisions will no longer be covered if the provisions are not renewed. Undoubtedly, the worst offenders of the Voting Rights Act would backslide by implementing discriminatory voting practices. It should come as little surprise that Georgia and Texas have the worst records of continued voter discrimination.
The Voting Rights Act is one of the most important civil rights laws ever enacted. It eliminated literacy tests, language hurdles and other discriminatory barriers that were used to deny minorities equal access to the ballot box. While progress has been made, voting discrimination remains a significant problem in the United States. We need the Voting Rights Act to ensure fair and equal participation in the political process for all citizens today as well as for future generations.
_____________________________________________-
A VOTE AGAINST THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT, IS A VOTE AGAINST AMERICAN DEMOCRACY.
Already this morning, I've got an e-mail from 'PRESIDENT OBAMA'---oh reaaally? Didn't know the chap had my e-mail address.
It says: "You heard me last night" (referring I assume to the televised address--which I didn't hear, 'cos I was at the office working...and wouldn't have done, anyway, cos' I can't afford television service)
Obama then says: "I have some money for you." Oh reaaallly? How much?
Yeah, right. There is NO stimulus check, people. The republicans only did that last year, to buy their way into the election, and try to fool us into believing that there was no recession, it was just a little "economic downturn."
There's a sucker born every minute--thankfully, I was born on the hour.
This kid is really cute, and I love his David Tennant spoofs--even posted one on Roasting David Tennant.
However, what he's saying is sadly, absolutely true. A good many of you know that I myself have gotten both messages for...and in a couple of cases, supposedly from, David Tennant.
Now, as most of you all know, and certainly I've said it often enough--I really don't know the actor. We really don't travel in the same circles, someone like that couldn't even fathom my sort of life, and certainly--we live over 3000 miles apart, so that should be a huge, huge clue that I don't know the wee bloke, right there, yeah?
Anyway, watch the video, and learn. Thanks. (Oh, and don't forget to pause my playlist player!)
I'm not tired enough for bed yet, watched a bit of Dr Who, no I'm bored outta' my gourd. A blog friend's post gave me a kernel of an idea---recite as many advert slogans and/or jingles as I can remember from my youth...
"If you've got the time, we've got the beer...mil-ler beeer--."
"Schaffer, is the, one beer to have, when you're hav-ing more than one."
"I'd walk a mile for a Camel" (ciggarette)
"Aye-yi-yi-yi, I'm the Frito bandito. I eat Fritos cornchips I love them I do, I eat Fritos cornchips I steal them from you."
"Ajax the foaming cleanser..."
"Plop-plop, fizz-fizz, oh what a relief it is..." (Alka-seltzer jingle)
"Call rooto-rooter, that's the name, and away goes troubles, down the drain...ro-to-rooter, sewer service..."
"At Beneficial (too-too), we're good for more (too-too).." (loan company)
"Let it be Lowenbrau." (beer advert)
"Hiiii-- KARATE!" (Hai Karate aftershave--a favourite slogan with us kids on the playground)
"Take it off, take it all off..." (shave cream advert)
"How 'bout takin' the Nestea plunge?"
"Less filling--taste's great...less filling...tastes great..." (first Lite beer advert)
"Pump up the volume with Body On Tap." (shampoo with beer in it)
"Palmolve, tough on dishes, but gentle on hands."
"Freshen Up--the gum that goes squirt!"
"Gee, your hair smells terrific!" (coincidentally, that was also the name of the shampoo)
"I'm a pepper, she's a pepper, he's a pepper, everyone's a pepper too..." (Dr Pepper soda ad)
"Twoallbeefpatiesspecialsaucecheesepicklesonionsallonasesameseedbun." (Big Mac Advert in the mid-70's.)
"Hold the pickles, hold the lettuce, special orders don't upset us, all we ask is that you let us serve it your way." (BK jingle, mid-70's)
"I can't believe I ate the whole thing...I can't believe I ate the whooole thing...I can't believe I ate the whoooole thing..." (Alka-seltzer advert, early 70's...I even got the tee shirt for Christmas)
"I want to give the world a Coke, and shower it with love, grow apple trees and honey bees..." (Coke jingle, early 70's, with a bunch of hippies in a meadow singing and raising bottles of Coke in the air--shortly after its release on televsion, this jingle actually triggered a top 40 song hit, only with the oringal song instead of the jingle "I'd like to teach the world to sing..").
"N-E-S-T-L-E-S, Nestle's makes the ve-ry best...Choooclate."
"My boloney has a first name, it's O-S-C-A-R, my boloney has a second name, it's M-A-Y-E-R...oh I love to eat it everyday, and if you ask me why I'll say, that Oscar Mayer has a way with B-O-L-O-G-N-A." (famous 70'S lunch meat jingle)
"Silly rabbit, Trix are for kids!" (cereal advert)
"Always after me Lucky Charms." (ditto)
"I'm cuckoo for Cocoa-Pops!" (ditto)
"When you've said Budwiser, you've said it all!" (beer advert)
"Finicky cats choose Nine Lives." (Good ol' Morris the cat--so famous he did tours, signed autographs and had a book deal)
Mother Nature in flowing robe with flowers in her hair, tasting tub of spread: " "Ah, my own sweet creamy butter!" Announcer: It's not butter, it's chaffon margarine." MN: "Ohhh--it's not nice to fool Mother Nature." (she then stops smiling and waves her hands in the air and ligthning flashes).
"Please don't squeeze the Charmin!" (Soft toilet paper)
"Candycoated popcorn, peanuts and a prize, that's what you get in crackerjack"--(well, that's what you USED to get in the crackerjack box...now the "prize" is a mini comic or riddle..my first Crackerjack prize was a little plastic mini-grand piano, in the early 60's.)
"HEY ANTHONY!!! (Woman in a tenement (council estate) calling a boy running home)--"It's Wednesday, Prince spaghetti day!"
"Will he be a dream?" Oooh! "Or a dog?" Ugh! Open the door to your "mystery date". (game advert)
"You deserve a break today, so get up and get away, to McDonalds!"
"Would you offer a Tiparillo to a lady?" (cigar ad)
"Come to where the flavor is, come to Marlboro country!" (macho male voiceover, with the Magnificent Seven theme playing in the background, and a real tanned and handsome contemporary cowboy lighting a Marlboro cigarette.)
"Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet." (car jingle)
"Put a tiger in your tank!" (Esso gas/petrol advert)--Esso later became Exxon here in the states.
"The cola-nut...Seven Up, the un-cola..." (Now, the black guy who did this advert in a Carribean accent, later appeared as a Voo-doo guy in a certain 70's James Bond film, doing pretty much the same character.)
I remember probably the most politically incorrect advert of them all: The customer at the "Chinese Laundry" asks young Mr. Lee how he gets the clothes so clean and white. "Ancient Chinese Secret!" he declares. His wife in the back lets us in on the real secret. "Here's his 'Ancient Chinese Secret--Calgon!"
"When E.F. Hutton talks, people listen..." (investment)
"American Express. Don't leave home without it!" (Vetern film and TV actor Karl Malden, dressed as his DI Character on the TV cop/drama programme (co-starring a young Michael Douglas), the Streets of San Francisco.)
"Have a Coke and a smile."
"Have a Pepsi Day"
"Catch that Pepsi spirit, drink it in, drink it in, drink it in."
"How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop?"
(Public service advert) "It's 11 O'clock, do you know where YOUR children are?"
"Who wears short shorts? WE wear short shorts! If you dare wear short shorts, Nair for short shorts!" (ladies hair removal cream)
TWO BOYS over a bowl of a new kind of cereal: "Are YOU going to eat it? No, are You going to eat it? No. I know--(both boys together) LET'S GET MIKEY! Yeah, he eats everything. (Mikey digs in) Hey, he's eating it! Hey Mikey! Let me have some!" (famous Life cereal advert, made the little kid "mikey" a small time celebrity)
THIS ADVERT Sparked a standing joke that sort of backfired on Post Grapenuts (which actually was rather tasty) later became indelibly linked with this cereal--where famous American presenter Johnny Carson spoofed the cereal advert on The Tonight Show, playing a very dead-pan Ewel gibbons, saying, "Hi, I'm Ewel Gibbons--did you ever eat a tree?"
I'm off to work in a bit...no idea what I'll be working on: sales, collections, surveys?
It's "food night" at work, in honour of Mardi Gras--a New Orleans themed night. We have to bring some dish to share, so I have to walk four city blocks lugging a slow-cooker full of cheesy jambalaya with smoked sausage.
Mind you, we're only allowed 10 minutes at 7pm, to queue up in a tiny little conference room, which is so small, it barely fits a conference table and 10 chairs--all 25 or 30 of us--lay on our plates, and go back to our desks to eat. Pretty much means one has to stuff oneself in about 3 minutes flat--it's a bit like an eating contest, to see who can finish first to go off break.
Well, that's what one gets when one works for chavs. This is the sort of thing they do--also allowing us a month of casual dress--instead of giving us raises or paid time off (holidays/sick days).
Anyway---at least I still have a job...I think. Cheers.
Well...America made millions on selling weapons to Israel...which used those weapons to kill innocent civilans in Gaza, enmass....and so now the American government is spending 900 million--about as much as they used for the bank bailout--to help fix up Gaza again...probably so the US can sell them more weapons, to kill more Palestinians, so the US can spend more money fixing up Gaza...
Are most Americans upset by this? No. Are most Americans angry by what happened in Gaza? No. Are most Americans protesting this very murderous and expensive cycle of death in the Middle East? Nope. All's Quiet on the American Front.
The Pentagon claims that it never once violated the Geneva Convention at Git-mo, but, evidence is surfacing that (hardly for the first time) that clearly contradicts this. Washington's military leaders are taking the extremely dishonourable route, and lying through their little rodent teeth to save their over-bloated pompous faces. (Can you tell how much I trust and respect our military leaders?)
And, are the American people up in arms about this patently reversal of everything this country is supposed to stand for (that whole "truth and justice for all" palaver, in our Pledge of Alligence)? Not a peep, not a placard weilding protester, not an editorial in a third-rate hack rural newspaper.
We're in a recession-depression in this country.
Are Americans worried about civil unrest? Are they worried about political instability or strikes or an increase in poverty and/or crime? Are they worried about their local enconomy, about vital services like health care, unemployment compensation and food stamps being cut? Are they worried about schools? Are they worried about the conditions of their roads, motorways and bridges, about money's being cut for wastewater treatment, and more pollution coming into their world? Nope.
While quite a few of us Yanks are fretting about the unemployment rate, and a few are upset about falling home prices, the majority of Americans, according to one poll--are concerned about interest rates.
Riight.
It's all about self-interest, self-isolaltion, extreme vanity and greed, and deliberate dumbing down of themselves...that's the true America. Its nothing like what they show in the films, trust me. Nothing in film can ever encompass what a massively deliberately ignorant and lazy country America as become--it isn't terrorists we have to fear, when it comes to the ruination of America--it's the ordinary person, living an ordinary life, in their little bubble of a world, that common sense (thinking/questioning/feeling) will never be allowed into.
I just had this notice pop up on Skype---I have anti-virus, so I should think it would have caught this...
I went to the website--and without pre-amble, it started "scanning" my computer...it doesn't look or sound right to me, so I backed off and got out of there before the scan was finished.
Does anyone who uses Skype, know if this is a legitimate thing, or what???
UPDATE:
I've been informed that this is indeed a scam--the "scan" is in fact, a video and not at all real. It's merely an effort to get people to buy a product--which may or may not be real.
If you use skype, you can block this spammer, by clicking on chat history, selecting the spammer, right clicking on that person, and when the drop down box comes down, you can choose to block this person from sending you any more messages.
ATTENTION ! Security Center has detected
malware on your computer !
Affected Software:
Microsoft Windows Vista
Microsoft Windows XP
Microsoft Windows 2000
Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0
Microsoft Windows Win98
Microsoft Windows Server 2003
I'm sitting here, minding my own business, shifting between blogging and figuring bills--the latter of which, is probably, next to balancing a check book, one of my least favourite activities---when, all of the sudden, I hear..."THUMP." What??? A pause, I shrug and go back to my figuring..."THUMP".........."THUMP." What the??? What ever is thumping on the front wall, stops, so I turn to blogging..."THUMP."
OK, now what the heck....is somebody doing some remodeling or something? Snow falling from the roof? Silence. Back to blogging.
*CRACK!!!"
What the hell???
I get up to see what just smacked into my window...there's a young yobbo downstairs, in his baseball cap, with a great big ol' snowball in his fist, ready to lob another one at the front of our apartment building....one of my hillbilly neighbour's relations, no doubt.
Why the hell can't these people just KNOCK on the damn door??? Or, use a telephone and let my neighbour know their coming over??? Why do they always lob snowballs, shoes and whatnot at the building? Why kick the door repeatedly with their feet? Why scream up the neighbour's name at the top of their lungs? I mean, there is no door bell, but someone knocking loudly on the downstairs door, can be heard, actually...there's no need to throw things, beller like a mad bull, or kick with the feet.
This is the second time--that I know of---that these neds have hit my window by mistake, with a snowball. I am not pleased about that. It's too hard to get to a hardware store for plastic, while I wait for landlord to come and fix the window--which by his usual measure, would take about 6 months.
Bright sunny morning over here. We're in for yet another storm, come the end of the week--not the good kind, either..no snow, but freezing rain...ICE. Gah--have I mentioned that I HATE ice storms?
So, Sunday we got 7 inches of snow...so, despite the warm spell last week, that melted off some snow, we're back to about 2 to 3 feet covering the ground, again. I really should buy a sno-tube or saucer and go to the little tobbogan run at the park up the way, have a bit of fun before the snow's gone by mid-April...at least, I hope it will be gone by mid-April. We've been known to have patches of snow lying around, into mid-May here, and it's not un-heard of to have an April snow storm, or even snow flurries in early May.
Then again...some years, we've shot right from winter in March, to two weeks of spring in April, right into hot weather and summer-like heat, in mid-May...so, one never knows. When I was living in my caravan in the mountains, a mile down the way from a public beach on a lake, I'd sometimes nip off for a quick swim, in late May or early June, weeks before the beaches actually opened for the summer. But, you have to be cautious about that--it might be warm in the valley, but sometimes there's still some snow run-off coming into the lakes from the surrounding mountains, so you could be in for a shock, if you hit the water too fast...of course, I never minded cold water...the trick is to dunk yourself, head-to-toe, as quick as you can, to aclimate your body to the cold. I've gone swimming in Lake George in Ocotober, without any problem at all...of course, it was 65 degrees F outside at the time, and not exactly freezing. Really, as long as you exercise some caution and common sense, swimming in the off-season is no more diffrent than taking a cold or luke-warm shower, really.
But, with all this snow on the ground, I don't think I'll be doing any swimming, any time soon (can't afford membership at the YMCA up the road, which has an indoor pool).
Another thing I look forward to, come tourist season, is the ice cream stands--love a nice soft ice cream cone, on a warm day. Nothing big, just a wee treat for myself--what can I say, I'm easily pleased in my middle-age years.
So, I wrote the BBC via its Dr Who webpage, stating my objections to its display of the original book online--the book in this case, being "Human Nature." The book with several glaring errors in text (one or two rendering the sentence unreadable)...and also the spacing of the words of the tetx.
Now, on reading the book online, I recalled that my version of this book, looked nothing like the book online. Mind you, I'd read it back in the 90's, so perhaps my memory is off--has anyone got the Virgin Dr Who book, "Human Nature?" If so, could you just sneak a peek at the online version, and compare it with your version? Does your print version of the book, look identical to the online version--as the BBC has suggested it does?
If it is true to the Virgin text, do you think it's OK for the BBC to post stories online, without bothering to edit them first, to check them for errors? Or, like me, to you think the BBC's "editorial guidelines" are a total cop out by some lazy gits who wouldn't take the time to actually edit something, even if they were under threat of death?
God, I used to be so awed by the BBC, respected the hell out of them...now---what the heck happened? Who is killing off the grand old Beeb, and why? They're turning her from a classy and intelligent grand dame into an mentally lazy rude chav street walker!
Anyway, here is the BBC's response to my e-mail:
Thank you for your comments. We would like to point out that thesenovels were not specially commissioned for the internet - they werefaithful word-for-word reproductions of the original paperbackspublished by Virgin Books. It is not our policy to interfere creativelywith the original content unless the stories contained language that wasnot acceptable under BBC editorial guidelines.
(NOTE Oddly enough, even their e-mail contained an error.
Someone asked me on a forum, if I knew if David Tennant was going to be headed back to Stratford and the RSC, after filming wraps up on the Dr Who specials.
Personally, I think that's great--after all of the (mostly) wonderful reviews he'd gotten, as Hamelt and Berowne, that seems like it might be a natural choice, but... how would I know? I mean, really--how would I know? The man could be queuing up for the first plane to L.A., or starting his own theatre company in Glasgow, doing radio programmes for BBC7, or starring in some new BBC crime series, for all I know.
Why ask me? The man doesn't live in my world, and I don't travel in his sort of circles, so...no idea. Sorry. I knew I shouldn't have sold my crystal ball at the flea market all those years ago.
I'd accidently underbought tinned cat food over the weekend, so I had to go back to the store tonight, so the cat's wouldn't drive me certified bonkers with their constant whinging for it. (They get 2 tins a day, besides their dry food--but you'd think they only got it once a week, the way they behave at mealtimes.)
Anyway, waited for the blinking bus---and waited, and waited, and...well, after 27 minutes, my ears were smarting on their way to falling off from frostbite---it's about 18 F out there, at the moment, with a stiff wind behind it.
So, I decided to give our crap bus company--whom cuts back service at night...when the temperatures drop drastically-- the ol' two finger salute, and add 8 dollars to the cost of a round trip to the supermarket a mile or two up the way, by ringing up a cab. Worth it, trust me.
Except my hillbilly neighbour was driving the return-trip cab...jeez. The man was so stoned on painkillers, he almost missed our street corner...that would be the street corner where our building is...the one I've lived in for 2+ years, and he's lived in for 5 years or so. Daft git...there's an accident waiting to happen with this bloke, and I only hope it's not when I'm in the cab with him.
I did treat myself at the store, to a carrot cake muffin with cream cheese frosting...a little puddin' after my dinner. It's half-past 8 and I've not eaten since noon-time, so I suppose I should go grab something. I was going to pick up some potato and mayonnaise salad from the supermarket deli--but, blinking heck, no way! 3.99 a pound for potato salad. They had a pound of already peeled and diced potatoes for 2.99...decided to save the dollar and make the salad myself, to go with the hot dogs and corn I've got.
I got stuck in the till line though, behind that most annoying type of shopper their is: The pokey payer.
Well, wouldn't you know it? I got stuck behind one of those upwardly mobile professional couples, who obviously were born with their heads up their woo-hoos, when it comes to checking out at a grocery store.
Now you'd think, that two people who very likely each have 4+ year college degrees between them, could simply go to the store, shop for groceries, pay for said groceries, and leave, right?
Wrong.
No, they have to make this big production number--seriously, I was looking for a chorus line of the Rockettes---out of shopping.
Now, myself, like most people, know that, when you get up to the cash register with your shopping, you are expected to pay your bill, after all the food and stuff is done being rung up, right? We have our wallets handy, and we're ready to pay. Erm--not the upwardly mobiles. The woman was franticly packing bags--as if her very life depended on it--yet, in what has to be the most flustered and disorganized manner, I've every seen anyone use before--I serioulsy question whether this woman had ever packed a grocery bag in her life--ditther here and dither there, I watched UM woman pack--and then unpack--and then re-pack, a bag in a very spastic manner....meanwhile, back at the cash register...
Upwardly mobile man is watching his partner anxiously, when the cashier says, "Your total is __dollars and __cents." UM man starts to pull out his wallet--then, for some reason, frantically goes over to the bags, and, in just as slovenly, frantic and disorganized manner, helps UM woman to pack. Now, mind you, this isn't a self-serve store, they do have baggers there...why this couple chose to pack their bags themselves, is something only they themselves know.
I saw a line open up on the other side, and bugged out of there. Cripes! You know, I'd checked out with my few items, and was leaving--and upwardly mobile couple STILL hadn't paid the cashier, and were still in a genuiine panic attack over packing their own groceries?
Man, human beings...scarier than any Hollywood monster, sometimes.
Someone mentioned the names I sometimes put on the recipes on my Not a TV Chef Group blog.
I just do what I fancy. Mostly I do it to distinguish one of my own recipes--or recipes I've added my own twist to, from vintage cookbooks--, from the recipes of my mum, gran, great-gran, great aunt made.
Take the "Tardis Burger" for example. I created this one last summer, and couldn't think of what to call it. I decided to name it after my favouirte television programme, but thought calling it the "Russell T. Davies Burger," or "The David Tennant Burger," a bit pompous.
And Tardis Burger just sounds better, I thought.
Nancy's Tardis Burger
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef (mince)
3 Tablespoon Butter or Margarine1
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh onion, or, 1/2 teasp of onion powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon curry powder
bare pinch, cayenne
1/2 tsp worcestershire Sauce
1 teaspoon orange juice
6 crusty rolls
6 tablespoons mayonnaise(optional)
Dijon mustard (optional)
6 green leafy lettuce leaves
Gently combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Shape into 6 uniform size balls, and gently press into patties. Heat butter or margarine in a large deep skillet. Fry each side about 5 to 7 minutes, or until desired doneness. Serve on crusty rolls with lettuce and, if desired, mayonnaise and/or dijon mustard. If desired, a slice of cheese can be added to the burger, 3 to 5 minutes before finished cooking, and in addition to lettuce, tomato and onion slices may also be added.
Sometimes of late, I feel restless....like someone who's found themselves at a country railway station on a balmy spring afternoon, waiting for a train that's yet to arrive. All alone, sitting on the edge of the platform, swinging my legss back and forth, staring at the cobwebs in the rafters, listening to a non-descript bird twittering in the brush, watching the dust motes dancing in a sunbeam.
Someone has sent me an e-mail showing off her photos of when she went to see actor David Tennant in Love's Labour's Lost. She said he played a character named Berowne...but...my copy of the play--a re-print of one that was published in the 19th century...has the character as having the name of "Biron."
What's with that??? Why does the character of "Berowne/Biron" have two names? When did it change?
As if Shakespeare wasn't blinking confusing enough, for someone like me, who's only spent two week's study on Hamlet, in 2004....now the characters in the stories have their names changed...by whom? Did Shakespeare change it, or did someone else?
Dang, I'm never going to get the hang of this stuff...I do hate feeling stupid.
Call center and telemarketing staff, are often under enormous pressure--espeically now, to make sales...often at the threat of being sent home early if no sales are made by a certain time, or even threatened with pay cuts and layoffs. Add to this stress, dealing with oft-times a dull-witted and/or paranoid and/or completely bonkers public...and, sometimes this happens:
You don't know me, but I sure to get a lot of your fans coming on here to my little ol' blog in Glens Falls--aka: Dullasdishwater, USA
Heaven knows why, I'm not anybody--I've never even been to your part of the world, ceptin' three hours I had to kill in Heathrow, once, back in 2004....and boy, time in Heathrow sure does die hard, took me three shots to nail that sucker dead.
Seriously though, what's with all the foo-foo-raw, that brings your fans to my blog---well, blimey! From all over the globe--most of them wanting to see you naked, nude, in the buff, in your birthday suit, in the raw, the skin you were born in, etc....Most especially, one gets the idea from looking at the search criteria, a good few of your fans would very much like to see the ol' zepplin come outta' it's hanger, my ol' son...but, not me. Sorry. I've been sent a pic of you (ahem) naked, and Long Dong Silver, you ain't. Hey, I'm an old maid, I'm not dead. But, seriously, Tennant, you could make a fortune posing for Playgirl or as a porn star, if what people Google about you, is anything to go by.
Yup, some of your fans are just a few chips short of a fish and chips dinner, by all accounts.
There's the person that was enquiring as to your Sunday underpants. You name your pants after the days of the week? That's...very erm--orderly of you. I've a feeling you'd not have to do much acting, if ever given the role of Felix Unger in the Odd Couple.
Then there's the person who wants to know if you like margarine. Personally, I have you pegged as a butter man, myself, but hey, if you prefer a little squirt of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter now and then, have at it.
There's the person every once in a while, whom wants to know if you're Christian. Don't worry, I won't tell them you are secretly a member of the Worshipers of the Onion.
Oh, and let's not miss out on the whole, "is David Tennant gay?" thing! Well, that very tropical shirt with your brown velvet smoking jacket and blue jeans, that you wore to the Radio Times event...I think that just screams "I'm not gay!" Cos' no gay man I've ever met or known, would be caught dead wearing that combination. Oh, the jacket's fine...but seriously David, no offence kiddo, but-- were you on painkillers when you bought that shirt?
And, quite frankly, that whole David Ten-inch myth, really needs to be dispelled--I mean, really, if it truly was, I should think you'd be wearing the kilt a bit more often...on (ahem) windy days.
oh, and a lot of enquiries as to your Tesco mobile a_vert*. Seriously? You use Tescos? I guess it's really true what they say about the Scots and their money, ey?
(*sorry, but a totally ridiculous bug in this blog, called an "adcode" will not permit me to ever write out the word "adv_rt.")
They want to know your e-mail address, David. They want to know where you live. They want your phone number and personal postal address, they want to smother you with chocolate pudding and whipped cream and...oh wait, that's my....erm--never mind.
They want to know about your girlfriend...or was it that prostitute in Coventry, named Elephantine?
Anyway, I don't care about all that. I like your style--even if you are a bit of a hyperactive workaholic, with hair that looks as if you just had stuck your finger in a live electrical outlet, chest hair around your belly button, and very unique tastes in clothing. You're a lovely actor and since I'm never going to know you, it doesn't really matter what I say or think, does it? So, you go on just being yourself, and enjoying your career, and ignore all the palaver about your life...don't let these overenthusiastic fans worry you at all--just keep doing the best you can, and enjoy your life. Cheers.
PS--but seriously dude, you might want to burn the tropical shirt, yeah?
Yeah, yeah, it's still snowing here. Was snowing when I woke up and snowed during lunch, now, as i think on dinner, it's snowing still.
I'm so sick of snow, I want to stamp my feet and hold my breath and scream for spring to arrive. Are we never going to see a bit of green again? Just white and grey forever?
I remember, there used to be a bright side to winter, though. That being, I sometimes could ramble places I might not normally be able to access in the warm months, due to thick brush, or deep mud. On snowshoes or on foot, I could get into some of the marshes or deeper ravenes and denser brush in the woodlots, when the snow was on the ground, and/or the mud frozen.
I did adore exploring--still do. There's this thrill that goes up my spine, when I've been somewhere new, or somewhere I can't normally go. I love to find things, to see things I might never have noticed before--or, have seen, but now am seeing it or them, in a whole new way. It is to me, like stepping on a new planet, exploring a new universe.
And, finding things. Oh, I love finding stuff...antique bottles, old coins, or even just animal tracks or signs, or a new type of flower or bird or whatever. I was always finding stuff on my hikes--'cos I was always looking...never stop looking. Even now, in this city, when I walk to work, I still often find myself looking around--at trees, birds, traffic, building archetecture, people. Every day out there, is an adventure, if you let it be. True, a itty-bitty wee adventure, and not very exciting...well, I suppose rather dull, when compaired to exploring ancient ruins, or visiting a new country or something like that...still, one sometimes just has to settle for what one has, and be content with it.
If any of my American readers get e-mails saying that they contain instructions for your "bailout" stimulus check---DO NOT OPEN IT. Ever.
There is NO STIMULUS CHECK coming your way. At least not yet! They'd only just passed the bill last week, os if any checks are coming--"IF" being the operative word here, and I wouldn't hold your breath--it will be MONTHS before any notification arrives--and it will come by postal mail ONLY.
This is a phishing scam to get your personal information--and possibly your money, as well, nothing more. Don't be so desperate as to do something daft like believe that the US govt. is sending you a stimulus check, only a week or two after passing a bill--which has not even said whether we're getting a relief check or not!
Just started "Sand," a western novel by a real-life early 20th century cowboy and illustrator, named Will James.
One book that changed your life:
Essays--specifically, "Nature," by Ralph Waldo Emerson...it blew me away as a teenager, because for the first time, I found I wasn't alone in my feelings and observations.
One book you’d want on a deserted island:
Two-way tie: Either the "Complete Works of William Shakespeare" or "Lives" by Plutarch...simply because they're so weighty they'd take forever to read..and, they are good writing as well, of course.
Three books you’ve read more than once:
Cannery Row, by John Steinbeck, To Tame A Land by Louis L'amour, Sting of the Zygons by Stephen Cole.
Two books you’ve never been able to finish:
Shakespeare As A Dramatic Artist--fascinating book, but incredibly dry reading, I'm afraid. Also, a book called Green Mansions, for sort of the same reason.
A book that made you laugh:
A Mulligan For Bobby Jobe--it's a golfing novel...the first one I'd ever read, and it's really funny..and sad too, sometimes...another book I've never finished though, because I can't get a library card, and I have to sit in the library and read it--and it's disappeared off the shelf, so I've only read it 3/4 of the way through.
One book that made you cry:
I'm just not a weepy type of person, when it comes to films or books and stuff like that, sorry to say. I dunno' why, I just don't cry over fiction, as a rule...that said, the mare Ginger dying in Black Beauty, makes me weep every single time, even after all these decades.
One book you keep re-reading:
The Walking Drum by Louis L'amour. I've read it over 50 times at least, since it was first published in the mid-80's.
Three books book you'd like to read:
The Triumph of Caesar by Steven Saylor, Beautiful Chaos by Gary Russell, The Fire Kimono by Laura Joh Rowland
One book you believe everyone should read:
I really don't like advising people on what book to read. I'm fond of Essays by Ralph Waldo Emerson, but he's not to everyone's taste..and I find The Walking Drum a highly entertaining read, but again, it's not to everyone's taste, so I'd hardly advise anyone to read it...same goes with a lot of mystery and western novels I enjoy, and some of the non-fiction works.
A book of poetry you've read:
A rare book by an obscure early 20th Century American poet, Lorna Greene, titled "Morning Moods."
Do you read short stories, and if yes, what?
I've short works by Raymond Chandler on my shelf that I like to read. And short stories by Mary Wilkens Freeman about 19th century Vermont life, that I enjoy.
Three non-fiction books you like:
Harper Collins Complete Guide to North American Wildlife, Man on Horseback (out of print), Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenrich.
If you still own textbooks from school/college, which one(s) do you still use?
Actually, I use quite a few--from both journalism and general English courses, when it comes to writing...and The Director's Eye from my theater class, is useful when writing plays, also, The Great Entanglement: State and Local Government from my political science class I still use for reference, from time to time...which is also where I got Nickel and Dimed from.
WHOOPS, COPY/PASTE MISSED THIS ONE---
Three 'classic' books you've enjoyed reading:
The Good Earth, Wuthering Heights, Ivanhoe.
Finally, grab the nearest book. Open it to page 56. Find the fifth sentence.
"Thus I could avoid all trade and barter, so far as my food was concerned, and having a shelter already, it would only remain to get clothing and fuel." ---from Walden, by Henry David Thoreau.
So, last week's filming in the secret desert location in Abu Dubai is done...what's next?
With an ear to the ground--or rather, an eye on the forums....I'm actually not hearing a lot. Which isn't a bad thing, mind you. I'd much rather be delighted and surprised on the first day of broadcast (on youtube, for me), than get a surprise from a spoiler.
Well, whatever's going down, I wish with all my heart, the best to the cast, crew and producers of Who, for a smooth and successful filming for these final (but sad, alas) days with David Tennant's Doctor. Cheers.
Everyone from the National Rifle Association, to New York's newest Senator, former Congresswoman Kirsten Hilibrand, is against gun control. Is against forbidding children to handle firearms.
America's children--who are not allowed to drive, vote or drink by law, because they lack the judgement to do those things repsonsibly and safely---but are allowed to handle firearms...from 22's, to shotguns, to handguns, even automatic weapons, such as Uzi's.
And, this is the result of these people's fanaticism and fascination with firearms, to the point where they completely mutate and sickenly twist the Second Amendment for their own selfish pleasures: adults die, children die, and an kids under 12 commit cold-blooded murder.
On a farm in Pennslyvania Friday morning, an 11 year old boy woke up, got himself dressed for school, picked up his shotgun that his dad gave him, walked into the bedroom where his dad's 8-month pregnant partner lay sleeping on her side, and blew the back of her head off with his gun---while the woman's 4 year old and another 7 year old, were in the house.
The 11 year old boy then calmly put his gun away back in his bedroom, and boarded the school bus to school. Later, the four year old went to some men, who were removing trees in the area, and told them that she thought her mum was dead.
When questioned at school, the boy lied to police, saying he'd seen a black pick up truck on the farm, earlier that morning--suspected now to be only the truck of the man who fed the cows...but it took police 5 hours to track down the false lead, before re-questioning the 11 year old--who apparently they realized wasn't telling the truth.
The motive: possibly the boy, described as "toubled," was jealous of his dad's girl. But, if the 11 year old hadn't owned or had access to a shotgun, would the woman--and her featus, who died minutes after she did--would she still be alive? That's hard to say, but certainly, without access to a loaded weapon, the boys chances of killing the woman and her baby, would have been cut down quite drastically.
America--and Americans---twisted at times by a long, bloody and violent history...will it ever change? Wars, slavery, violent riots, gang warfare, domestic terrorism, mass suicides, mass murders, serial killings, torture--even genocide, in the case of some Native American tribes--even into the new milenium. No, America really hasn't changed, all that much in regards to its attachment to violent solutions to problems...and perhaps, it never shall mature enough, to realize its errors.
An infantile nation, spoon-fed on violence, bigotry and greed. America may be the land of the free, but at a cost to the innocent, so many times over.
While I was out today, I checked into the cost of a rent-to-own sofa. I know this sounds silly, but I seriously do miss having one. Actually, 'cos of the size of my flat, I was looking into getting a love-seat or settee, rather than a full-size couch. Yeah, don't think so. Blimey! They want 30 dollars a week! Forget that! $120 plus a month for a small sofa, for 8 months! Cripes! I'll save my money and see what the Salvation Army's got at their thrift store...I am told sometimes they'll deliver for a small fee...which is a big plus, 'cos I don't think the cab company would let me tie in on the roof of one of their cabs.
My co-worker is ill, so again no trips to the farm...and again no apology...not that I'm being churlish about it. I think it just either would never occur to her to say, "sorry, but would you mind..." Or, something's happened and she's avoiding having me out again...who knows? Not sure what's going on with her. Not going to fuss over it, though. I'm disappointed yes, but it's not like it's going to kill me to stay home--one day is like another and it's all the same to me, regardless. Even if I never get invited again, I still appreciate those two overnights away, and will let it go at that.
I read where the BNP was voted in, in one English town. That's odd to me. The BNP is pretty much like Bush's government--at leas so far as I can tell. Seriously, reading what some BNP politician was saying one day, if I didn't know better, I would have thought that I was reading one of our own republican's going on a hate-mongering rant. Wow. You lot praised the removal of Bush, but then one town votes in a party that's more or less exactly the same in thought and attitude as Bush and his neo-conservative republican pals...oh, the irony of it all, ha-ha. Well, better them than me, I say.
I would have second thoughts about the UK, if the BNP ever came into power--hate-vomiting, bigoted and delibrately ignorant Brits? I shudder at the thought--be worse than America, that...we've had 200+ years practice being stupid and mean...you lot, you're not even rank amateurs.
Well, maybe the BNP isn't really like that---I mean, the media being what it is today, on both sides of the Atlantic, it's sort of hard to judge, isn't it? Media can be more and more one-sided in their opinions and news coverage these days, I think. So getting a fair, accurate and balanced view of politics/politicians, culture, etc., can be a bit tricky...at least that's my own humble opinion.
Well, my fever's back--it was gone last night and this morning, but I just took my temp and I've got it again. My co-worker claims I made her ill--she knows I've been ill this past week...but I don't think I've anything catching. Other than being weak and run-down feeling, I really don't feel iill--suspect it's another kidney infection, for reasons I won't go into now, but I don't care. I'll rest tomorrow, it'll be fine.
Well, I went and got some more grocers which I'd forgotten to get yesterday. Went to the farm store--they had shirts on sale for just 5 dollars each--men's shirts, but who cares? I live in a part of the world where a woman can wear a man's shirt and no one bats an eye about it. I sometimes use them as light jackets, if they're big enough. They had some twee model horses on sale for under $5.00, so I put one on layaway for myself, as well....a brown and white "Tinker" horse...to go with the wee black and white one I have on my shelf here at home. I have not treated myself a new mini-model horse in a very long while.
Layaway is nice--so much down, and so much a month--pay by the week, bi-weekly, or the month, depending what shop you go to. Very handy that, when one is on a tight budget. That's why I buy so many clothes from the farm store, 'cos I can take up to two months to pay. I got a burnt orange ladies' tee shirt, as well, with a little cartoon on it, of a cowgirl holding a horse by it's bridle, with the words, "The Perfect Date" underneath it...it'll take me to March to pay it off, but I don't need the stuff right off, so that's fine.
It was a lovely day here--not a cloud in the sky, and quite chilly, though not at all uncomfortably so. However, we're due for 7 inches of snow, tomorrow, and many folks are grumbling about "more snow," and chomping the bit waiting for spring--which is still a good 4 to 8 weeks away, sadly, depending on the weather.
Looks like I'll get another chance for some sno-tubing come March, after all, if we keep getting snow storm on top of snow storm, like this--so far, since early December, we've only had one week without any snowfall here where I live.
I posted a note on the other blog--but since have gotten yet another querey as to whether I'm errasing the Roasting David Tennant blog....
NO. Relax. Only the Dr Who fan-fics, Accord Hospice stories and my plays are being considered for deletion. Roasting David isn't going anywhere--tho' DT if he knew about it-- might wish it would, ha-ha.
I was told that my first name came from the title of a Frank Sinatra Song, and that my middle name comes from my late mum's favourite character in Little Women.
2. WHAT WERE THE LAST THREE SONGS YOU LISTENED TO?
On my player: Echo by Vertical Horizon, Angry Mob by the Kaiser Chiefs, and Letter From America (accoustic version) by The Proclaimers.
3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
No, not at all. I have dyspraxia--and a crooked index finger, so I write a bit like a five year old..cursive writing is a chore, so mostly I have to print...it's kind of shaming, when someone asks me to write cursive, 'cos I can't...and my signiture is totally illegible.
4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
Erm--not sure, maybe maple or honey ham (gammon), or liverwurst.
5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?
Heck no. I have all I can do to take care of me and the cats!
6. IF YOU COULD BE FRIENDS WITH A CELEBRITY (LIVING), WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE FRIENDS WITH?
I haven't a clue, it's not something I've ever though of. I really don't know enough about any celebrities to give a name to one...tho' I suppose it might be cool to be friends with Dawn French or maybe Russell T. Davies? I...just really...???
7. DO YOU USE A TOOTHBRUSH EVERY DAY?
Well, I would...except the cats knocked mine into the litter box, and darned if I keep forgetting to buy a new one, every time I go to the one-dollar shop.
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? WHAT ABOUT CHICKEN POX/MEASLES?
Hope, lost 'em in 1967. Also had CP/measles in the late 60's.
9. WOULD YOU GO KAYAKING ON A RAGING RIVER?
Well, I've actually been white water rafting through rapids on a river, in Montana, and here in the Adirondacks...not sure about kayaking, 'cos I can't swim that well...but, if I could swim good, and I were a bit more fit than I am now, sure, why not? Sounds like fun!
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?
Honey nut Cherrios, and all the generic store-brand equivilents...but I'm equally fond of Reese's chocolate-peanut butter cereal, but I can't have it any longer, cos' of the high sugar content.
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
Nah--usually my feet hurt so bad at the end of the day, I can't wait to rip those puppies off my feet, as fast as I can.
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?
Not as much as I used to be.
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?
Starbuck's...coffee almond fudge, or caramel cappuchino swirl
14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU DO IN THE MORNING?
Usually either yell at Flame to quit sticking her paw on my forehead, or tell Boots to shift so I can get out of bed.
15. RED OR PINK?
I'm so not a pink kind of woman...red, I reckon, if I must.
16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?
Everything. I don't like myself very much.
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?
My mum.
18. DO YOU EAT BREAKFAST EVERY DAY?
Not always, sometimes I'm just plain not hungry.
19. WHAT COLOUR TROUSERS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?
My posh jeans with the embroidery on them--'cos I'm going to the office in about five minutes, and just socks at the mo', cos' it's winter, and I don't put on my snow boots until I am just ready to leave.
20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?
Last night I had a tuna fish salad on a fresh-baked crusty roll (still warmm, yummy!), some Campbell's delicious won-ton chicken soup, and a coke-a-cola.
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
I Am The Cosmos by The Posies, and a loud truck just went by on Glen Street
22. IF YOU WHERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?
Royal blue
23. FAVORITE SMELLS?
Hay, saddle leather--well, nearly everything associated with horses, pine trees, the dirt in spring, apples, hazelnut, vanilla, and this may sound odd--but the dusty smell of backstage in a theater, erm--let's see...fresh-baked bread, sawdust, lilacs, wild marjoram, autumn leaves.
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
I think I'm going to start deleting some blogs--not this one...namely, my fiction blogs--my Dr Who fan-fiction blogs on Wordpress, and my Accord Hospice 100 story blog, and lastly, my blog with my plays stored on it.
I will still keep a couple of blogs--as I just wrote, this one, and probably also the roasting David Tennant group blog, and maybe the recipe blog--tho' that one isn't particularly interesting, and is under consideration for deletion, as well.
I just feel..I don't know. Like I'm writing out of habit, like a junkie needing a fix, rather than out of any dedication to writing, or for any specific purpose. I'm not enjoying it as much as I used to, that's for sure. It has gotten so it seems all rather pointless. I mean, the #1 reason anyone writes, is to express themselves or share an idea or information. Of course, the #2 reason anyone writes, is for an audience. #3 is writing for pleasure, naturally...although 2 and 3 are sort of on the same footing, I think. Maybe.
I've decided to mull it over for a few days, and not make a hasty decision.
My stinking landlords! I had to just send them yet another e-mail, to clear the stinking ice from the stinking walks--I was scared to death, carrying my heavy shopping down the walk---it's a blinking ice skating rink. You could literally strap on skates and glide!...and I can't take out the garbage now, to the rear car park skip, either.
I told them that my bin bags are going to pile up by the front door, until they get off their lazy posh arses and drive the feckin' 45 minutes down here, and fix the situation. Last time yuppie bitch whinged at me that.."well, it gets icy this time of year..." No shite Sherlock.
I told them as well, if I fall and get hurt, it's going to cost those muckty-mucks a lot more paying out compensation for a slip and fall injury, than if they'd just have their man throw down some stinking sand or ice melt!
Arrrgh. Now besides my usual sore right foot, my left ankle and knee hurts, too, from where I slipped. Posh chav....so and so's.
I came home to find I've lost a blog friend...no indication as to why they removed themselves. Ah well, I seem to be pissing off people of late....or just driving them away with my tetchiness and/or whinging.
I'm NOT in a good mood, in case you've noticed. I've only 50 dollars on me, after paying a bill and buying pet food, and that's got to cover a whole mess of stuff--50 dollars doesn't go as far as it used to---50 now, is like 30 a year or so ago, when it comes to the shopping.
Well, I forsee a lot of hot dogs and hamburger in my future..which is looking rather grim again, these days.
It is rumoured that the BBC is preparing to do a National Dr Who tour, as a stage show, with loads of visual effects, intertwined with 3-D Who baddies and videos featuring the Doctor and other characters from the show. It is up in the air at this time, however, whether any actors from the actual programme would appear on the stage show.
The Doctor Who live experience--or whatever producers choose to call it, would likely do a summer tour of Britain, while the show is normally in hiatus, and children are on their holidays. Unlike in the late 1980's though, there seem to be no plans in place, to bring the tour to Canada or the USA.
Well, it's Friday, that day when I go off to the office, for that little square of paper with the numbers on it, that makes me laugh...or, cry, depending on the amount of those numbers. I suspect today will be a crying day, alas.
I fiddled about this morning with that stupid play, read the news online, checked e-mails, blogged a tiny bit, did my grocery list up and made out a bill, only now just deciding to eat something. I wasn't very hungry until around 1pm. The fever that's been plauging me for the last several days, seems to be gone, or nearly gone, knock wood. Hopefully I'll be well for the weekend. I wish the snow would leave though. We've had snow cover you see, since early December, and it's just getting, around this time of year, all a little bit boring. I just wish spring would get on with it, already.
I'm a bit sad that we've had the lay off. I'd hoped this year, to have the extra money to go to West Mountain Ski Area--which is about a 10 or 15 minute drive from where I'm sitting now, here at home--to do a bit of snow-tubing...sliding down a long slope on a special rubber inner-tube. Unfortunately, the Friday lay off and the raise in my electric bill, has precluded any fun times...in fact, my office is dangerously close to laying us off for the whole week or more, 'cos it's running out of work for us to do.
We do snow tubing here, in the winter, and white-water tubing (and rafting), on the Sacandaga and Hudson rivers, in summer. It's reasonably priced and it's quite fun...though I'm a bit too gimpy now, for the white water tubing--you need to use your hands and legs to steer...I can still snow tube...tho' I confess I haven't actually done that in several years now. I grew up sledding and tobogganing every winter, and just had a ball with it, all the time. I sort of miss it.
OK, this is weird....I just got a call on my mobile...that caller I.D. came up with a number, consisting entirely of zero's.
What the????
What the heck does THAT mean?
Seriously--it just came up as "000-000-0000." What the???
Well, I didn't bother answering it--it came from the states, and none of my friends have a zero number of course, and chances are, if the caller is hiding his or her identity, it's a collections or scam call...forget it, I wouldn't answer it for worlds! Besides, I only have 2 minutes talk time left on my phone, not going to waste it on some rip-off artist.
In adding insult to injury, America's banks--whom have gotten 700 BILLION dollars of the taxpayer's money already, have now suddenly started charging bank fees, on America's unemployment benefits.
People receiving unemployment benefits---around five million Americans at the moment, are now given an ATM debit card by the government, to withdraw their money--and are having banks taking anywhere from 50 cents to $2 in fees from their sometimes very small checks--for some, their SOLE source of income. Everytime an unemployed person withdraws money from their account--all FIVE MILLION of them, the bank gets at least 50 cents. That's, by my reckoning, the bailout banks making a minimum of $250,000.00 on the backs of the very people they helped to put our of work!
If they call customer service to complain--that's another 50 cent fee...seriously, despite all the loans, banks have NOT changed their ways one whit. Few banks have made an effort to assist debtors, nor have the reduced the ridiculous number of petty fees they charge their customers.
Worse, the Bush administration had struck a deal with the banks, and in the process, some states give their unemployed no choice whatsoever, but to use these debit cards--with come with fees as much as $20, for things such as overdrafts---fees the banks could easily avoid charging debit card users, merely by declining overbalances....which too many banks, do not. Often, to add insult to injury, balances shown on ATM's, can be as much as several days, to even a whole week, out of date...so a contentious customer, who perhaps doesn't have his or her check register on them, may ask for their balance--only to find that what the ATM showed them, is totally incorrect! This makes it much easier for banks to charge these overdraft fees=--fees that have made them MILIONS, over the years.
Oh, and most greedy-guts banks are also earning interest on each and every deposit the US and state governments make into each and every unemployed person's account, as well.
And what is Obama doing about this? What did the republicans do about this? NOTHING. The banking lobby is so powerful, even after all the trouble they've caused, that chances are, America's poor and unemployed, will continue to feed the overfed pigs that are America's banking CEO's and shareholders.
In other news, the ultra-conservative republican-led trash tabloid masqerading as a legitimate newspaper (ala Daily Mail), the New York Post, on Wednesday, depicted a "political" cartoon, where two police officers shot dead Obama--portrayed as a monkey, which has, well over for 100 years, been very much a black racial stereotype in the south and other places in America--the cartoon came with the caption, to the effect that that would kill any more democratic stimulus packages being approved.
The depiction of President Obama as a dead chimpanzee, was supposedly meant as a reference to a real chimp that was shot by police this week in Conneticut, after it went beserk and attacked a woman.
However, that's not how many black New Yorker's are feeling, and protests were mounted at the New York Post's headquarters in New York, with calls for massive boycotts of buying the paper, and even some calls for Rupert Murdock---the owner of the New York Post--to be jailed for committing a hate crime. Others have shown disgust at the Post's suggestion that the presdient of the United States should be shot.
The Post has a long-standing history of hate-engendered and biased "news," and has often been mired in controversy. But this is one controversey that may back-fire on the pro-republican Post...and might even eventually put Murdock--whom, quite honestly, probably lacks the the little round things in his pants, enough to even care---put Murdoch in the hotseat with non-whites and others who adore President Obama, around the world.
The New York Post issued a half-arsed "apology," saying it was sorry it offended--but fell very short of taking the blame, instead turning the blame on the row it caused, by in turn blaming its "liberal" critics.
Riiight. OK, that's pretty much like a Nazi saying he's sorry about the concentration cames, then turning around and blaming the Jews for the holocaust, yeah? Murdoch, by allowing this, has proven himself to by a cowardly yobbo...a rich yobbo, but still...I don't care how rich and powerful the bhoy is...in the world's eyes, he's just showed himself to be a real loser.
Well, off work tomrrow with the lay off, and for once thankful for that, for my fever has incresed---gosh, the sweat was pouring off me at work tonight. Everyone was commenting on my red face. Ah well. I was hoping it was just menopause, but apparently not. Meh--who cares? Really, I shouldn't even bother blogging this, I'm sure everyone is tired of hearing off all my ailments. An ex-blog friend told to me, that she bascially thought that I was a mental hypochondriac (which is one of the big reasons, she's no longer a friend--there's just some boundries of politeness that a casual friend should know better than to cross. Apparently, this one (repeatedly) did not, despite my hints.
But, I suppose, in hindsight, she might have a point. I do talk too much about my various ailments--but trust me, they are "in my head," Anemia can lower one's immune system considerably. Diabetes and hypertension produces other complications, and a long cold winter, and too much heavy lifting as well, can bring out old arthritis and back pains...and some new one's, as well.
I used to be health as the proverbial horse, got loads of exercise, and all that palaver--but since my foot injury, walking is really tough, some days--I do it, but I have to say that it's no longer for pleasure--or a pleasure either. I do it for needed exercise, or just for some fresh air. Rambling is now completely out of the question--oh, I might still do it, but it would be a slow process, so I couldn't do any long rambles any longer--more's the pity. I did love a long ramble in the country or up a mountain. Ah well, those days are gone...not even sure I could manage it on horseback, now.
Not that I'm complaining, mind you! That'd be really churlish of me, because I'm all too aware, believe me, that I could well not be walking at all--that's how close I came to messing up my foot...and my back, all those years ago.
I used to go rambling every Sunday...up at the crack of dawn, lace on my Sears Roebuck Czeh-made work boots (lovely things they were, too), my jeans and flannel shirt, and trusty cowboy hat. I'd hike two or three or four miles--with the dogs when they were alive, by myself in my mid-20's. Out on my hike, I'd pack a light lunch of cheese and crackers, bit of pepperoni sausage, maybe a little tin of peaches or an apple, and some tea or lemonade...and my journal and maybe a book of poetry, or a copy of Emerson's essays...and my binoculars and trusty Guide to North American Wildlife (thank you T., by the way!).
Oh gosh, I adored my boots though. No, really. They were so incredibly well made, that I never once ever had to break them in--and they lasted and lasted--in ten years, I only went through four pairs...and balanced? Heck yes! I felt like I could walk up the side of a tree in them...not that I ever tried, mind you...though I did do some vertical hiking up a few very steep canyon-like ravenes. They had something you rarely find in a work or hiking boot any longer--the base around the foot, where the stitching is--which almost always today, is of manmade material, was on those boots--wood. Yup, those old Sears boots were just the most comfy and perfect boots ever made, in my opinion. They're no longer made that way, in fact, the closest manufacturer that makes a boot like that, that I've EVER seen, is Chippewa 8-inch work boots, and, unlike the approx. $25 my boots cost, in the 70's and early 80's..comparable boots today, run around $100 to $200!
They had steel toes--which once saved me from a crushed foot when a harness race horse I was holding by the foot, suddenly leaned his entire nearly 70 stone weight on top of me--I let go out of self-preservation, and his hoof came solidly down on my left toes--all 70 stones of that weight...dented my steel toe boot, and, fractured my foot, and to this day I still bear the scar. But...if I'd been wearing trainers, I shudder to think of what would have happened. It hurt, but not as bad as it would have, if that steel toe hadn't been there!
They were also insulated, which meant, that besides using them for rambling and riding and barn chores, I also used them for snowshoeing, come winter. Very versatile, those ol' boots.
Funny, but when I wore them in high school, the girls used to make fun of me...ironically, in the 90's, suddenly it became fashionable for girls to wear work boots--uglier one's, I made add, than mine ever were. For once in my life, I was ahead of my time, fashion-wise.
Having passed a nearly trillion-dollar bank bailout package in October--with virtually no oversight--only NOW are republicans vowing to nix any "wasteful" spending in the Democrats stimulous package--aimed at helping America's citizens, states and local economies get back on their feet, and turn the recession around.
Dripping venom and hypocracy, the childishly tempermental republican party, is taking out their bitter defeat on the American people. Well, nothing new there, then. Foot and mouth disease---it's not only for livestock, ya'know.
Arrrghh! ALL I wanted to do today, was WRITE. And...I did...all of a page and a half...mostly stage directions and stuff, hardly any dialog.
It's just not meant to be, today. Damn it! I have all these ideas bopping around in my head, and I CAN'T get a half-hour's peace to just flippin' write! Damn it!
My openoffice writer sucks, it keeps messing up the margins--which have to be very speicifc for play formatting purposes. It errased some dialog, and I had to re-write it.
The cats are driving me bonkers--Charlie wants to play--and he keeps reaching up his paw and putting his claws (not deliberately) in my upper thigh, instead of the chair cushion. And if you don't think THAT'S distracting...ugh.
Flamey is BORED too, and is meow-whinging at me, every five minutes.
The phone rang--some flippin' person in flippin' Virgina--I no NO ONE in Virginia, so it's GOT to be a telemarketer. That's ironic I know, and I know I'm being hypocritical, but I'm not amused, I'm afraid.
The snow removal man has arrived and his banging his snow shovel on the cement sidewalk.
Someone knocked on my door--which I have to get up, go out of the lounge, through the bedroom, through the kitchen, and into the vestibule to open....it was someone looking for apartment five. Erm--my door is clearly marked with my apartment number--in TWO different places....and it's NOT the number five.
I give up. I'm throwing in the towel...I'm not working tomorrow, so I can do the up till 3am thing--if my ideas will stay in my head that long, and write the blasted thing tomorrow.
I'm going to go make some spaghetti bolognase for my lunch, to hell with writing! Have I mentioned that I HATE my life?
I cannot get away from all the David Tennant fans--I swear, they're EVERYWHERE!
I was online last night, selling club memberships (it's a chain of North American clubs operated by a British or other European owned company)....anyway, I'm on this one club's webstie, looking through their forums, and what does one member have as their icon? Yup, a wee photo of David Tennant.
Gave me a giggle--I feel like David Tennant's stalkers are stalking ME now, blimey!!!
I won't be online much, today--blogging, I mean. I have had the idea of a 10 min. play bouncing around my head for months now, and suddenly I literally woke this morning, full of ideas and ready to rock n' roll with it, so I'm turning on the music, opening up my openoffice writer and plunging into writing full-bloody-tilt.
It's a private little project, and I don't intend to show it to anyone, it's just something I felt I've wanted to do, for a long time.
Anyway, I actually had a pretty decent night's sleep for a change. But...weird, weird dreams--nice dreams, mostly, but very vivid and strange.
Alright, have a go at these, and tell me you don't think them odd:
First, I was standing in a car park outside a medical building, and meet this dentist, and he tells me he's going to help me with my bad tooth (which actually still does bother me)---and he was soo--nice. (Usually what dentists I've had in my lifetime, were pompous jerks.)
Fast forward: I'm in a riding ring at a riding stable, with a couple of other girls. We're in a lesson, and this paint horse (that's what we call a piebald colour in the US) was acting up, and no one could ride it, but then I jumped up on it--without a bridle, and made it do all these fancy maneuvers with just my body language. Everyone was impressed...(especially me, I'd be hard-pressed to even get in the saddle, these days). Then, someone was upset, 'cos the horse had hardly any tail, and the riding instructor was reaching into the horse's arse (I kid you not) and pulling out something that was stuck in there, saying that's why the tail had stoppped growing.
Then, I'm at another stable--this time the one that I used to ride and work at when I was on a 30 day work-study aprenticeship project at my old high school. Only, I was told by the owner of the stable, that I could have a horse of my own, if I joined some kind of folk dancing group. EY?
Yeah, and then in my dream, I'm dressed in this ankle-length plain skirt outfit, and I'm at a garden party, talking with people, and then everyone turns around, and says, "oh look, it's David Tennant." (I SWEAR this is the FIRST TIME I've ever had ANY dreams about DT, I SWEAR it!) And the crowd parts like the Red Sea, and David Tennant comes swaggering by--I think I said hello as he passed me--then noticed that the man was positively blootered! I mean, snocked to the hocks nearly falling-down drunk. So, Tennant wandered around drunk (and as i recall, slightly disheveled) at this flippin' garden party for a while....
...then, I'm on a lawn somewhere, under a tent, and someone is telling me that to get the horse, not only do I have to learn to dance like I'm on Lord of the Dance, but...I have to learn to play the bagpipes as well! Dear heavens! I can't barely even read music!
Oh, and but then, I not only have to learn to play the pipes--but, I have to play Klesmer music on them--that's Jewish folk music. Oi Vay!!! I'm not ruddy Jewish, I'm Presbyterian! What's with that??? NOT that I'm anti-semitic--especially in my dream, because I just shrugged and said OK, and the guy handed me a pile of sheet music....
And then I'm at a flea market, and someone is trying to sell me some vintage adverts that I can then turn around and frame to sell my own self....then a massive pile of snow fell off the roof in a rumbling roar, and I woke up.
Whew! I don't often rmember my dreams--but that one was a real doozy, let me tell you!
Well, Michelle Ryan will not be traveling in the Tardis past the Planet of the Dead, but our dear ol' Doc won't be alone for long, never fear!
It's been announced that an actress by the name of Lindsay Duncan will be accompanying Tennant on the second of his final journey's into time and space and Cardiff.
Duncan is apparently known in her most recent role as Baroness Thatcher on a Drama called "Margaret," which was shown on BBC2.
Lindsay Duncan says that she's looking forward to working with actor David Tennant and the rest of the DW team in Cardiff. Filming for the second special is set to begin in roughly a month or two, according to various internet sources...which I cannot vouch for, so I personally can't say aye, yes, or no about that.
Well, it's something to look forward to, then...as I watch a Dr Who video, amid the rumbling thunder of snow sliding off the slate roof here, and the seriously loud metalic scraping of the city's snow plows on the pavement, as they pass by on the street below. A snowy winter night is an excellent time to watch Dr Who re-runs!
City police here, participated in a low speed police chase (ala OJ Simpson), after the local hospital reported a man causing a disturbance in the hospital, was refusing to leave. A police officer spied the man exiting the hospital car park, and attempted to get the suspect to pull over. The suspect didn't, and continued to drive home, with a police car, lights and siren, following him...at the posted speed limit, of 30mph. Police said the suspect not only kept within the speed limit during the chase, but also stopped at all the stop signs, and used his turn signals properly, as well.
Turns out the man drove home, pulling into his own driveway, because he didn't want police to tow his car.
Well, seems that was a wasted effort, and the man not only had his car towed, but also had the additional charges stemming from failure to obey a police officer. Our wild and crazy crimianal apparently wasn't supposed to be driving at all--with five previous suspensions of his driver's license, and a prior arrest for aggrivated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. The man is currently in the Warren County jail, for lack of $500 cash bond.
In other news, two teens from a rural town are now facing felony charges, of placing a false bomb, after a game got out of hand.
It seems there were three boys who played with paint or pellet guns, and two of the boys made some fake bombs, by placing foil wrap around some balls, and attatching wires and battery packs to them. The boys then placed the 'bombs' on a child's sled, with a note attached that read, "If you touch this you will get shot." They towed the sled to a nearby road, and left it near someone's driveway--intending for it to be seen by the third boy of the group.
Well, the thrid boy didn't see it--but the man whose driveway sat near the "bomb," did. He rang up the New York State Police, whom of course, dispatched a bomb squad. The police determined the true nature of the device, and after a brief investigation, arrested the two teens.
For all my efforts, once again I only got one sale tonight..but, in doing so, won the office raffle (you put one chance in bucket, for each credit card sale you make)--and won one of those "healhty" grills for burgers and steaks and chops and such...the same grill I won two years ago, and only used twice. No idea what to do with the wee thing. Put it on the shelf 'till I can either find someone to give it to, or sell it if I ever have a yard sale or whatnot.
Gah--people were exceptionally rude on the phone tonight. What the heck? Must be some bad news out there--some witch in Henrietta Oklahoma practically yelled at me to get lost.
It's snowing to beat the band out there--and very slippery...even the paramedic and rescue cars were going extra slow...God help anyone having a heart attack tonight--the snow is often falling so hard, you can hardly see more than a few yards.
I feel lousy, but at least I'm home, and can get some rest. I could ill afford it, but I took a cab home--they had the nerve to charge me an extra dollar, just to stop for 5 min. across the street at the convenience store. The cab company is NOT supposed to do that! You are allowed--as long as it's in the same direction--a five minute wait time at the stop, and no way was it more than three minutes...I ran it, grabbed the milk, paid the till clerk and went back out again--four minutes, maybe, not five. I was the only customer, the milk was right there, I had my money out and ready...
If I was stingy, I'd complain to the city about it. Outside the city, the cab companies can do as they will--but within the city line, they have rules to adhere to....which they don't. They don't always follow the wait rule---they tried to change the wait time to 3 minutes instead of five, but some elderly and disabled people complained to city hall, and the cab company did an about-face. A passenger is supposed to have the right--if they are first to be picked up--to refuse to have anyone share the cab....but the cab companies get around this rule often, by not bothering to tell the first passenger, let alone asking their permission, when they are picking up other riders. Glens Falls sucks sucks sucks. It just...sucks.
The cab service sucks, the bus service sucks more, the city sucks--because they learn NOTHING from past errors, and don't give a damn what's really needed...they are a bunch of stinking heads-up-their-arses, gun-loving, pseudo-patriotic republicans. I HATE Glens Falls.
I was looking out the window at the storm, snapping pics, when a Toyota slid into the back of a white passsenger van--no one hurt, thankfully...the van was stopped and the Toyota was going slow...it's just that even after three months of snow, SOME people just still don't get that the white stuff is slippery...and indeed, traffic that's not tied up in tailbacks, is pretty much going along at normal speed--30 to 40 miles an hour.
Unfortunately, Disney Micro-pix camera, SAID it had the shot of the fender bender--which happened at the exact moment I shot the street scene below me...but of course, it's NOT THERE. I still can't believe how low Disney has sunk, to sell a piece of outright RUBBISH like this camera, to kids.
Anyway, took this snap several minutes after the fact. The two fender-bender cars had pulled onto the kerb of the side-street by then, and are no longer in shot.
I was sort of hoping--though I can ill afford it, that they'd cancel work tonight...I'm feeling so rotten, and the weather is so rubbish...but, no, I'm not a lucky person, in that respect. I toyed with the idea of going to the ER, but they might put me in overnight...no way in hell I'm going to risk that. One day's loss of pay per week is bad enough...two or three, and I'm in trouble. I can kiss that money I put aside for a rainy day, clearly goodbye. Isn't that just always the way? Cannot win for losing, me.
Oh, it's NASTY out there! It's 35 F (about 3 C), with a 15 mph wind making it feel like minus 5 C, with heavy snow and sleet and even a bit of rain, driving sideways behind it...and I've got to go out in it, in about an hour and a half. Yucky-poo.
Bleh. I've got a slight fever today--no idea why, my legs are swollen and my heart is still got the flutters, but I cannot, absolutely cannot afford to take a day off, so nothing for it, have to do the nasty and go into work tongight. and to all the posh people who can afford to take a sick day off--go suck an egg.
I started out my day, by dropping a rather heavy box on my bare toes. Said a few choice words, but otherwise seem undamaged. Over the past several months, I've suddenly developed basal arthritis in my right hand--that's sort of like having a constant bruise in the basal joint under one's thumb...it's really no big deal and I seldom pay it much mind, but I do find I'm dropping things a bit more than usual. Maybe I should look into getting some steel-toed hiking boots again.
Actually, I started out my day, cursing my danged neighbours again....yup, the very one's that kept me up past midnight with their drunken yelling and the dog barking. They woke me a half-hour early, but dumping all their empty beer cans into a big bin they have in the hallway--about three feet from where I lay my head, on the other side of the very thin wall. Bastards..then they started arguing again, and then the danged bassett hound began barking again...I'd never deliberately wish ill on anyone, but, some days....
Bit of a gloomy, wintery looking day out there. After slightly over a week of far less cold and fairly sunny weather, we're back into winter again. The National Weather Service (our equivilent to the MET) has issued a winter weather advisory for tonight and tomorrow, alas. I'll be breaking out my wellies for the walk into work tonight, I fear. Who'd ever think I'd miss wearing trainers?
We're only supposed to get two inches of snow by early evening though, so that's absolutely nothing...the only bad thing about that, is that it will cover up all the patches of ice around here...but not enough to give traction, only enough to make a bad walking situation, even worse. By tomorrow morning, we're to have anywhere from 4 to 9 inches. No big deal, that. We've only had one fairly large storm so far this year--by large, I mean anything over 12 inches---and no really huge blizzards, dumping 2 to 3 feet at a time, like we've had other years. Mostly, it's just been 5 inches here, 8 inches there, that sort of thing.
But, ...still not very much--but, it's supposed to mix with sleet, not fun....and freezing rain....very not fun. Give me snow, any day of the week, but freezing rain I could do without. Ice scares the hell out of me--one more bad fall, and I literally might never walk again--that would not be a good thing.
At a talk recently in New York City, former chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve Alan Greenspan, was asked by an former Israelli banker and head of AIG--one of the recipients of the U.S.'s nearly trillion dollar bank bailout--what Greenspan could have done to prevent the banking meltdown.
Essentially, Greenspan said, nothing. That he did nothing, that nothing could be done, that nothing could ever be done, to prevent something like that from happening. Greenspan admitted that his total lack of oversight into the banking bubble allowed for so many bankers and mortgage brokers and investment firms, to practice bad lending, and run amuck with credit schemes...but stopped far short of casting actual blame on himself, saying basically that it would have happened anyway, regardless if he'd actually been proactive and did something, or not.
Oh, good. Nice to know the 80-something year old ex-most powerful banker in the world, could shed some light on things.
And, Greenspan wasn't proactive, of course...but wouldn't admit it outright. Well, let's hope the new chairman of the fed will have bigger balls in his pants and more hair on his chest, ey?
"I dunno' what happened to all our money, Ricky. I thought Alan knew what he was doing--WAAHHH!"
Somewhere in Wisconson, a father is regretting sending his son to school.
Seems junior had to write an essay for class, and wrote one titled "A Very Painful Afternoon With My Dad." After reading his essay, the child's teacher contacted the police, and handed them the paper as evidence.
Why?
Welll....seems junior was standing in front of the tele a bit too long, while dad was watching the football game or whatever. And, rather than get off his lazy American arse, dad instead, picked up a BB gun, and shot his son in the buutocks.
Dad told the police investigator, that he shot the boy after the child didn't move fast enough from blocking the TV. He said he aimed at his son's rear pocket because he thought it would be more padded. "I knew right away it was a stupid thing I did," the father said. "I told my kids the only way I'm going to touch them is to kiss them, hug them, tickle them. I was very, I was not under the influence of anything. It was a very stupid decision."
Oh, d'ya think, dad? How lame are you?
You see, people, this is what happens when you give so many Americans a free education with no strings attached and nothing to do to get it...it's often as not a total and complete waste of the taxpayer's money.
Anyway, dad made bail and was released over the weekend, with the admonishment not to show any more violence towards his son.
Here I am, under the weather, need some sleep--and brother and sister on the other side of my wall are having a knock-down, drag-out, drunken braw--complete with barking bassett hound...and the rugrats upstairs are having a loud party. Son of a....gun. Speaking of which, I wonder if Senator Hilibrand will let me borrow one of hers, so I can get some sleep--so what if I have to wear prison orange for the rest of my life--at least I'll have ONE decent night's sleep! Dang, dang, dang!!!
1. What magazines do you, or have you suscribed to?
In the last 20 years, I've gotten the following (that I remember)...the first one is the only one I'm getting now.
Western Horseman
Horse and Rider
Hoofbeats
Performance Horseman
Country
Town and Country
The Nation
History
Archaeology Magazine
Carnegie Magazine
Chapel Hill Magazine
Model Railroader
American Theater
Taste of Home
Adirondack
In-Britain
2. DVD's bought so far this year:
Mr. Deeds Goes To Town
It Happened One Night
Seems Like Old Times
3. CD's purchased so far this year:
None
4. Last article of clothing purchased:
A red chamois blouse by Chico, with a subtle but colourful oriental print. got it at the Bargain Box consignment shop.
5. Last book read:
An Ellis Peters mystery..finished it just last night.
6. Last thing eaten:
TGI Friday's frozen buffalo wings that I stuck in the oven, cut up some carrot sticks, and had some leftover Uncle Ben's long grain and wild rice with it.
7. Last thing you did, that didn't involve a computer?
Fed the cats
8. Last thing you watched?
Doctor Who Fires of Pompeii, preceeded by an episode from Primeval.
9. Last video game played?
Done have any video games anymore. Probably the last was either sim-golf or bowling.
10. Last time you went to a fancy dress party?
The late 1980's, my local Dr Who fan club put on this big Halloween do at the YMCA.
Well, last night it was the sciatica--improved thanks to some diligent exercises.
Tonight I had to leave half-hour before end of shift, 'cos my blood pressure is bad--or my anemia...very similar symptoms, so I never know quite which is which.
I'm not dying or anything, I'm not even in much distress, but I do feel...weird. Anyway, I'm sure with some rest I'll be right as rain in the morning---or I'll be dead and it won't matter anyway, ha-ha.
Washington D.C.'s newest senator--former New York Congresswoman Kirsten Gilibrand--who has a regional office two doors down the hall from where I work, admitted that she and her hubby are so paranoid, that they keep loaded rifles under their bed while they sleep.
I wish I was joking, people. How embarrissing is that to Americans like me? Talk about paranoid. Aparently security alarms or watch dogs aren't good enough for them. Mind you, they live in one of the SAFEST areas of the state--the rate for violent crime here, is one of the lowest in a hundred-mile swath of northeastern New York!
How many shootings have there been in our area in the last five years? Less than 6. How many murders in a 30 mile radius of her home, in the last five years? Less than 5. How many violent break-in's (by total strangers) in the last five years? Less than 10. How many terror suspects have been in our area in the last five years (that are known of)? A sum total of...one...three years ago.
The gun-lovers at the NRA are probably rejoicing in this statement by the senator:
"If I want to protect my family, if I want to have a weapon in the home, that should be my right," said Gillibrand, who grew up in a home with a mother whom owned 8 guns, and who has two small children. Gilibrand has shown in the past that she is positively anti-gun control.
Protect them from WHAT, exactly?????
In New York City, Mayor Michael Bloomberg has complained that Gillibrand has opposed efforts "to enact commonsense measures that keep illegal guns out of the hands of criminals." And furthermore, Long Island Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, who was elected after her husband was killed and son wounded in the 1993 Long Island Rail Road shootings, threatened a 2010 primary challenge. Although the congresswoman promises to get tough on violent crime--she mitigates that by supoporting the National Rifle Association's anti-gun control lobby.
I have a co-worker in the office, whom claims to not be homophobic, but who really hates it when I kid around about how butch I am.
What's wrong with that? I am, sort of. I'm still somewhat of a tomboy, certainly...not as much as I used to be, since moving to the city, still...what the hell is wrong with a woman joking about being butch? I've made no intimation that I'm gay...just that I have no problem getting dirty or hanging out with the guys, that I don't care one whit about my figure or make up or all the frilly-girly things so many women set their sights on.
I'm not bragging about being butch, just laughing at myself, being good-natured about who I really am! (who am I, anyway? I forgot.)
And speaking of makeup...oddly, when I do put on make up and doll myself up (which I'm perfectly capable of doing, tho' truth to tell, I've never perfected the whole eye-shadow/mascara thing)...people say I look my age. When I'm "au natural" and dressed casually, people always think I am younger than I am. So, I have to sometimes wonder about these girls and women, who layer on the makeup every day of their lives...do they realize that it ages them? Oh, it probably does make them look prettier to rather shallow eyes of the world at large...but what would they do if they knew that it also pre-maturely ages them? At least, that's my theory.
Anyway. Hi. I'm playwrite27, and I'm a butch old maid who's also a closet transcentalist and a dedicated Whovian. How do you do?
The BBC has reiterated what I've been saying for the past year or so (in regards to fans leaving messages for David Tennant on my personal blog):
BBC STATEMENT:
There have been several recent cases of people posing as David Tennant and other members of the Doctor Who cast in Internet chat rooms and forums - as well as setting up social networking profiles in their names.
So fans are not disappointed or misled, we'd like to point out that both David Tennant and incoming Eleventh Doctor Matt Smith do not use social networking websites, chatrooms or forums. They wouldn't want fans to think that anyone who uses these are talking to the real actors.
For their own safety, we would strongly advise all Doctor Who fans to ignore any such postings and not be fooled by these impersonators
See? David Tennant really doesn't read--has never read--and will likely never read--my blog! Most certainly he never in his life will ever see any messages left for him on here...unless I post them to him myself, and considering how difficult it is for me, just to get to a blinking post office around here...that isn't very likely, sorry.
Every once in a while, someone is trying to call me from an unlisted or private number. Usually it's around 11pm my time---which means that it CANNOT be a sales or collections call, as that if very specifically illegal, in the USA. All telemarketing and collections calls must stop by 9pm, by law. They can call you as late as 8.59.59, but they can't call you at 9.00 on the dot or later.
I mention that, 'cos sometimes I get irate responses to my computer dialing them at 9.50pm...some really snotty bitchy women...so pathetic to hear a grown man bitch and whinge, by the way.
Anyway, for the first time, I got an "unavailable" caller at mid-day. True, it could be someone different.
But, unless it's someone I know, and they've e-mailed me or PM'd me that he or she is ringing me up, I won't bother answering it. I've less than 3 minutes talk time left on my phone, and I can't get another phone card until Friday, so I'm hardly going to waste my minutes on someone who is hiding their identity from me, aren't I?
I mean, I rather doubt it's a celebrity ringing me up, or the Queen, or President Obama! I'm bi-polar, but very much not delusional, ha-ha. It's probably some scammer trying to lift my phone number or something...or a wrong number. They rang a good long while, though. At first, I couldn't find my phone...that's the downside of a lifetime of an old-fashioned landline...when you switch to a mobile phone, you sometimes forget where it is...so it was ringing away, and I'm roaming about the lounge, looking for the dang wee thing...finally found it in the pocket of my jacket, which was haning from my door...of course, just as I picked it up, it stopped ringing. Thankfully it (I'm assuming, of course) wasn't anything important.
Blasted phones. You know what gets me about people and their phones--the number of people who will pick up the phone, and then get mad at you for calling them, 'cos they were either on another line, eating a meal or busy. Well, diddlebrain--if what you were doing was more important than getting the phone--why not just let it ring? If it was important--and even if it wasn't, chances are the person will call back! Jeez---getting mad at the person for calling you..you were the one who CHOOSE to pick up the phone and answer it...if you don't like the call...too bad. That's life. Get some therapy, or go buy a gun and blow some innocent people away...that's the American version of "physco"-therapy.
...time to go back to work after two days off. Sunday I have to say, though my plans were rather abruptly changed, was rather pleasant and relaxing. I got some chores done around the apartment, read a bit, goofed off just wee bit as well, I have to confess. Monday was another matter. But, 98% of my clothes and sheets and whatnot are finally all clean. Well, except for the bedspreads, quite frankly, I didn't have the energy to drag them along as well.
That cab driver last night--he made a left hand turn...right through a red light--which I didn't hesitate to point out to him...I'm not generally a back-seat driver, but this is one time I didn't mind breaking my own rules. The driver said, "Oh, it was green when I started to turn..." No, it was very much not. A few minutes later, he sheepishly mumbled..."I was busy talking..." Yeah, about his girlfriend, his upset stomach, the fact that he wasn't in a hurry driving people around that day, 'cos he didn't "feel great," and, how much he liked to go out and party on his days off. Very stimulating one-sided conversation, that. Gosh, I miss having a car...you could turn on some music, and tune out all the inane blather people sometimes are wont to spew out at you. Behind the wheel, you can be free...just you and the road, and the scenery.
I'll get to the quilts on Friday, if we still are laid off that day. I won't know until tonight or later in the week, if the Friday lay-off is still on...basically, during a work slow-down, the office goes week-by-week work-wise...sometimes day-by-day, as to what we'll be doing...or not doing. It's can be a bit of a bother for those of us literally living from pay check to pay check. Thank goodness I'm back on disability. (Against my will, I'd rather be able t stand on my own two feet, but then if I wasn't on benefits, I'd surely would be going hungry, and most certainly have been homeless by now, so...knock wood for that.)
Flame has been in a right mood this morning. She keeps attacking Charlie. She's got some bee in her little feline bonnet, and I've no idea what it is. I calmed her down by brushing her fur...she's very vain, my Flamey, and is pretty much a little prima-donna...and a bit of a drama queen, too, anytime she's not getting her way about something. If I was one of those people who believed in reincarnation, I'd say Flame simply must have been an actress or model in another life. With that ginger hair, she was probably Maureen O'Hara.
So, back to the old grind tonight...god, I hope they don't put me on hunting club. Hunters are OK...but get them talking about killing something---or worse, about politics...dear heaven's, just shoot me and put me out of my misery. I have a few regrets...one being that I never did get a career...trying doesn't count, not when you have $30,000+ in debts for a pretty much useless 2 year degree. Yeah, just shoot me already.
Oh dear. I had to do the other half of my laundry today--too much of it to do in one shot, so I did half on Friday, and half today...very expensive...10 dollars Friday, and 15 today--not counting cab fares.
Anyway, as I was going downstairs with the laundry basket, I felt an all-too-familar painfull tugging sensation in my upper buttocks/lower back, on my left side. That's not good. That's my sciatica acting up. In 1991, when I got run over by that pony (it was a very large pony), I pinched my nerve and slipped a disc. Very painful that... more intense than when I got my grade 3 sprain that ruined my right foot, a couple of years ago. In fact, until my facial abscess in '07/'08, I'd never known worse pain.
Not having sick pay, and no health care insurance (aka: I would have to pay everything myself--hundreds/thousands of dollars, on a roughly 800 dollar a month income. Well, that wasn't going to happen, so two days after getting out of hospital, I was back to work, mucking stalls and carrying water buckets, hay bales, etc. Three months later, a second attack left me virtually unable to walk more than a few feet without agony.
Long story short, other than lying pretty much flat on my back for roughly 6 months, and after a lot of therapy--mostly at home, I got rid of the back pain....but, sometimes it comes back to haunt me. In 1995, briefly in 2006, and now, tonight, it's playing up again.
Thankfully, for some reason, each time it gets less and less prolonged and painful...in fact the last time it only lasted a few weeks, and while it made my life a misery, it never actually left me completely stove up and unable to function or anything.
So, I'm hoping this is just a warning sign for me to take it easy with the lifting--something I will have to be especially careful of, on the farm.
I'm already temporarily laid off on Fridays...down to a four-day work week. With that big National Grid bill hanging over my head each month...a four day work week will translate into me having to put aside three week's salary each month, instead of two weeks', to pay for the electric and gas bill. Yikes. If I have to take off work, 'cos I can't move with a bad back...doesn't bear thinking about.
Still, the good news is that it did (mostly) go away, and that, other than being unusually stiff and sore in my left leg and back, I'm otherwise fine, and was able to bring the two bags and the basket of laundry up the two flights of stairs tonight, without any issues cropping up. So...keeping my fingers crossed folks. A sciatica attack is the last thing I need, right now, with things being what they are in my life.
I was talking to a friend today, about the toys we liked, when we were kids.
My sister loved barbie, and mom bought us the little black carry case with the wardrobe/bedroom in it. My sister used to love to mess with Barbie's wardrobe, making changes and doing her hair, and going on dates with Ken and Skipper and Alan. Vomit.
The only interest I ever took, was when I got a Barbe and Ken ski set, then I'd take the time to crash ken off the ski slope--the footrest of my dad's recliner, into a deep gorge--the lounge carpet...as often as twenty times a day. It wasn't that I was a sadisdic lass ...it's just that Ken was way too tan to be hip...and he had a really silly hat, too.
A co-worker once said that she used to make her action figures kill Ken...me too! I had a Johnny West cowboy action figure, and I used to have Ken be the bank roobber, so Johnny could shoot him. And I was very polittically incorrect about it--I used to dress Ken up in Mexican clothes my mom found somewhere, and turn him into a bandito...sort of like the bad guys in The Magnificent Seven, and Johnny West was like Yul Brenner--only with hair...and a cooler horse.
I wonder, do kids today still kill Ken with their Daleks and G.I. Joes and stuff?
PS: LOVE THAT BOTTOM DRAWING OF KEN AND BARBIE ON THE BOX---Does it not look like Ken is showing off his lunchbox to his girl? Or is it just me?
My alarm never went off, and I woke two hours late--no idea why I slept so long this morning. I used to hate sleeping late, now it seems like that's all I ever do.
The cats are weird this morning. Charlie was just sitting at my feet staring at me, so I let him out on the balcony for a bit, so he could stare at people walking by on the floor below, and the traffic going by...and maybe a pigeon or crow or something, if he's lucky.
Flame was sitting in front of the wardrobe door, meowing at it. What in the world...???
Boots...well, he's Boots, so he's oblivious to everything, and snoozing away, snugged up against the radiator.
A bit chilly today, but not a cloud in the sky again, which is fab. Nothing gets you down like a grey day---the kind with no rain or snow, not even any interesting clouds, just....grey.
Well, have some chores to see to. Hope you all are having a pleasant enough Monday, and aren't too into the Monday blues. Cheers.
Like a lot of kids growing up in the 1960's and 70's, there were only 3 televison stations, and, unlike many parents now, back then, what your mom and dad said about TV watching--went. You had to watch what they wanted to watch...that's not to say that we kids didn't get to watch our favorite programs, as well. We did...but there were some things that we had to watch that, the six o'clock news aside...well, weren't really kid-friendly.
Take for instance, the Lawerence Welk Show...even today, some 35 or 40 years later, I still bear the scars of watching that programme. I mean, it's a proven fact accordian music can permanantly damage a 10 year old's brain! Blimey! Ok, maybe I just made that one up. Oh, yeah, and those stinking Lemon Sisters or Orange Girls or whatever they were---bleh, they were so sanitized, they made the Osmands look more like Ozzy.
And then there was Hee-Haw. Okay, do I have to say anything more? The name rather speaks for itself, because only a jackarse would find that programme funny. Well, okay, I admit, I did have a thing for Minne Pearl's hat. And if you ever tell anyone I said that, I'm going to have to kill you.
And how about Mutial of Omaha's Wild Kingdom. Remember that old fart with the 'tache, and the weird way he talked? Sort of posh American naselly...strange. And what was with him and that chmip? Don't ask, don't tell, ey? Gah--I love animals, but as a wildlife program went, that one was a real snoozer.
Speaking of snoozers, there was the Wide Wide World of Sports every Saturday...the highlight of which was every week during the opening credits, getting to watch that guy on skis break is backsides, while the announcer needlessly told us of the "agony of deafeat." I'm flat-footed, I know all about the agony of da feet.
And how about those old-time soap operas. "Like sands through the hourglass, so are the Days of Our Lives..." Yeah, how 'bout a shot glass so I don't have to suffer through 50 minutes of this crap?
Bless our parents for making us see what suffering truly is.
Echo by Vertical Horizon, Henrietta by The Fratellis, Letter to America by The Proclaimers, The Girl and her Horse by Carbon Leaf, and Won't Give In by the Finn Brothers.
2. Five things in your home used for enterainment?
My computer, DVD's, books, a few CD's, my cats.
--with these TV questions, bear in mind I haven't had television since 2005.
3. Five Favourite mystery and/or crime programmes on television?
Lovejoy, Law and Order, Columbo, Simon and Simon, Streets of San Francisco
4. Five Favourite Sci-fi or fantasy programmes?
Dr Who, Star Trek TNG, Battlestar Galactica (the 79 version, not the new one), Primeval, Red Dwarf (haven't seen enough or Torchwood to make a decision, so it's off the list, sorry fans)
5. Five Favourite comedies?
Are You Being Served? All In The Family, Keeping Up Appearences, The Vicar of Dibley, Remember WENN.
6. Five Favourite reality programmes?
Queer Eye (USA), Top Chef, Antiques Roadshow (both US/UK), Top Gear...those are the only one's I can say that I've ever watched (without cringing).
7. Five Favourite book titles you've read in the last year?
Horse Tradin', The Writer's Tale, Cannery Row, The Judgement of Caesar, The Walking Drum
8. Five random objects in the room you're in?
Table lamp, computer, pen mug, Edwardian treen vase/pen pot with silk irises stuck in it, a blue Eyptian cat statue, about 6 inches tall.
9. Last five people you spoke to?
Eh, well..working backwards, the cab driver, the drug store clerk, the cab dispatcher, another cab driver, and the cab dispatcher. I speak to the most interesting people, in the course of my day.
10. Five celbrities you would most like to meet?
Gah--I'm so not into celebrities. I don't know, honest! I really don't know...I suppose Russell T. Davies would be pretty nice to meet, The Queen--how cool would that be? Maybe either Catherine Tate or Dawn French, and I think Graham Norton seems like a pretty cool old dude.
In a rare thing for me, I have no inclination whatsoever to write anything today...so far. It's a sunny Sunday, and I want to go out for a nice walk, and then take a time out today, for some reading and some relaxation. So, see you all later tonight. Cheers.
My farm woman friend came up to me while I was on the phone at work today, all excited, and said that her partner had just invited her out tonight to a special Valentine's Day dinner. Then she walked away--and I'm like, "huh?" And what was I supposed to do, in the meantime--NOT that I'd ever begruge her a night out with her beau, mind you, not at all--very romantic, that.
But...she never said what I was supposed to do, and that was kind of rude, to me. I had to go over to her desk and ask, "soo, L__, are we on for next weekend, then???" I guess so, but she was so aflutter over the impromptu invite to dinner, that she never really said aye, yes, or no. I THINK we're on for next week, but...who knows? She never said, "sorry," or "would you mind terribly?" Or nothing. Jeez.
Well, it's a big treat for her, so I guess I can understand, and again, I'd never in my life think about begrudging someone a night out with someone they love...especially on Valentine's Day...still, it does leave me feeling a bit...like maybe...I don't know.
I took a stroll downtown, instead. Went in an Antique store--saw a lovely little desk/bookcase that was charming, and a few odds and ends--and tucked away upstairs, a fantastic set of horse blinders from what I believe was a beer wagon harness--really lovely and they'd restore beautifully--but, my days of collecting antique saddles, bridles and other equine whatnot, and restoring old leather (like one would furniture, but with leather products), well they are long gone. And blimey! He wanted $30 for the pair...which may have been reasonable 10 or 15 years ago, but is far to costly, now. They were nice--brown leather with a little brass (griffin??) on the outside of the blinder. Ah well. I bought a soda and a packet of sea salt and vinegar crisps at Quizno's subs, and walked home.
And...here I am. Well, I can find things to keep me busy this weekend, no doubt. Cheers.
Yes, I've got kids leaving messages for Tennant on my blog again, the little...dears. Yeah, right. Like someone like me, is going to be friends with someone like him. No, don't think so. The old-maid tom-boy who's highlight of the week is petting some cows, and the workaholic metrosexual trendy London celebrity? (snorts) Now that would be fodder for a Neil Simon play, har-har.
Yup, at 4pm my time today, I'm off to the farm again for an overnight stay, to visit with my farm lady friend--love having a friend almost exactly my own age...and with a sense of humour to match my own. It's brill! Some people don't know how to take me--my humour I mean. They think I'm all quiet and serious and all that--and I am, sometimes...but gosh, I love a good laugh...especially with a nice mate, who isn't afraid of me, when I suddenly get all silly and start goofing around.
I'd goof around a lot more, if it was more acceptable to people--but the Americans around here, have a rotten sense of humour, I gotta' say. They don't like silliness...not one whit. Life is too short to be taken seriously ALL the time. Northeastern New Yorkers are seriously wound tight! No really, regionally speaking, on a national level, most people here in the northeast, are truly an uptight bunch of boogers, let me tell you! From Albany to Glens Falls. In fact, people way down in New York City are less uptight than people in my part of the state. Yup, in my region, they don't like silliness, not one whit.
Anyway, I won't be online much until late tomrorow, cos' of my trip to the farm. Wow, I am so looking forward to it--even if I am, as I write this, still a bit run-down and tired. But, at the farm, it'll be a good kind of tired, and I'm gaurenteed a good night's sleep, if nothing else.
Can't wait to you all see the picutres---the farm is in such beautiful part of the country..well, you'll see, I reckon. Have a lovely saturday all! Cheers!
I noticed you've been leaving messages for David on my blog again.
I've been saying this for months, but have to reiterate it again, apparently.
I'm really, really sorry, but David Tennant doesn't read this blog. He has no connection with this blog. He doesn't know either I or my blog even exists, and I well doubt he would care if he did.
He's a busy man, boys and girls. I susupect that even if he knew I existed--and again, he does not, that he wouldn't want to be bothered to read some daft old blog by some cranky middle aged old maid in a tiny dull little city in the frozen north of New York state.
But, I bet if you write Mr. Tennant, and said to him what you said on my blog, and ask him nicely, he'd send you an autographed post card or something, as soon as he has the time. So, I did some research on the web, and came up with his fan-mail address:
David Tennant
Independent Talent Group Ltd.
Oxford House
76 Oxford Street
London W1D 1BS
UK
There, how 'bout that, ey? Is that not cool? Now you can write him yourselves, and tell him how you feel, and I bet the man would love to hear from some really nice kids like you lot are.
Really guys, I don't know David T. There's no way I ever could, sadly. We don't travel in the same circles and probably have precious little in common and...well, I've never been to the U.K., have I? And DT's never been to my little part of the world, either. I don't think he's even been in New York state, let alone to some whack redneck city 180 miles north of Manhattan. So, while it's really lovely of you to do, please stop leaving messages for Mr. Tennant on my blog, thanks very much.
I can't afford furniture--haven't had a sofa since early 2006, my bedding is ripped and lumpy, and my kitchen table is in pieces.
I really don't know--but, locally, with an unlimited budget, Sutton's Marketplace. Limited budget, probably the Salvation Army thrift shop.
3. Sweet:
Hot fudge sundae, I'm a sucker for ice cream
4. City: New York City (Manhattan)
5. Drink:
Coke Classic--cold, in a bottle, glass with ice, or in a can--not crazy about the taste of soda in a plastic bottle.
6. Music:
Only one? I dunno', I like so many, I really don't have one favourite--that said, I am really starting to like the Fratellis...just "found" them a couple of months ago, and they are really starting to grow on me.
7. Television series:
Dr Who, what else is there?
8. Film:
Arsenic and Old Lace, with Cary Grant--gosh, he was fantastic.
9. Workout:
Well, according to Hoofbeats harness racing magazine, New Zealand pacer Fernbrook Fiasco N, has had some awesome workouts of late, and her times will make her the horse to beat this racing season.
10. Classic Novel:
Cannery Row by John Steinbeck.
11. Coffee:
Green Mountain Coffee: preferably hazelnut, Vermont country blend, or mocha nut fudge.
I wasn't getting to first base with National Grid about the huge raise in my monthly budget plan, so I went into the state office of the aging/disabled, and spoke with one of the social workers there.
She agreed that 254 dollars a month for someone on my income, is rather ridiculous. She admitted that that is what she pays--and she's hard pressed to pay hers, and she's on a full-time civil servant's salary! (well, I suspect she might also have a mortgage and car payment and kids to also pay for)
So anyway, long story short, I'm to go back on Tuesday for an answer--the social worker promised to contact their liason with National Grid, to see if any adjustments can be made, and also, will see if I can't get some kind of emergency assisstnce, to bring the bill down to a more reasonable price--my check this week was $107 dollars--next week, it will be more like $87 dollars....if this keeps up, it would take 3 week's salary every month, just to pay for the electric and gas on this stinking place.
So, in wait and see mode, for a few days, and keeping a tight fist on my spending--need a new pasta strainer, but passed up one for $4, because I feel wary of spending anything more this month...not even a used pair of shoes. Work is still light as of this week, and then because I wasn't doing to good last night, I lost 2 1/2 hours additional pay, cos' I was too out of breath to speak on the phone--I didn't say anything, but it was a tough walk home last night. (Feeling marginally better today, breath-wise, knock wood.)
It's a sunny but somewhat chilly day here. We're to get another snow storm next week, but this week, outside of some misty rain and light sprinkles, has been remarkable in its calmness and moderation of temps, weatherwise.
I'm off to cash my pay, do a smigeon of shopping--gotta' keep the cats happy whilst I'm away this weekend. Then, off to the post office--hopefully getting there before it closes, for a change and some laundry for the week. While I'm there, in South Glens Falls, I thought I might pop round to the consignment store, and see if I can snag another pair of dress shoes--I have two and a half (the half being my old western riding oxfords, which often double as dress shoes in a pinch)...but in trying to keep my job, I'm also trying to dress nice in the office building--if my job goes, there's a couple of other offices in the building that may have some openings, eventurally. If I look good nipping around the hallways and loos and caf, I might be remembered if I need to walk in for an interview, one day...so it wouldn't hurt to have a third pair of dress shoes--if I can keep the cost at $5 or less. Some of the used shoes are like new, so who's to know the difference?
I've got about 15 or 29 pics left in my disposible camera, so I'll be able to snap some pics while out at the farm, this weekend. Hopefully the weather will cooperate.
Well, I had another rough night...only not my stomach. I was strangely restless all night, and couldn't get to sleep. I'd had little caffine yesterday--trying to cut way back, cos I've been having heart palpatations again, headaches, weakness and shortness of breath---damn anemia is playing up again...or my hypertension..or both, who knows? Who cares, ha-ha. I don't...seriously, I really have decided that I'm gonna' let nature take its course.
So, anyway, I had a weird night, with viturally no sleep, not sure why.
I'm rather unhappy about my eyes though. I really need new glasses, and planned on using part of my tax refund for them (since I have no health care coverage any longer, for an optomotrist) I found one at Walmart, that only charges $50 for the exam, and where I can get some nifty frames for under $100....problem: I have retinitis-pigmentosa, and am also extremely near-sighted...especially in my bad right eye. Told lenses may cost as much as $300 or more. Blimey! I'll just have to deal with bad eyesight then, nothing for it. I was thinking meaybe $200 or $250 for the whole deal...but that's nearly $500 just for a pair of glasses--forget it, I'll just deal with blurred vision...my old glasses I'm wearing now, that I got five years ago, cost me around $600, but then I had insurance, and it paid for slightly more than half the cost--all I had to pay for was the frames and the special "transition" tinting on the lenses, and also the slight extra chrage for lightweight lenses, as well.
Can't afford a doctor, dentist or glasses. Why the hell should I care about my health? My government doesn't--they don't even allow me access to state health care insurance, 'cos at 14,000 dollar a year, I 'MAKE TOO MUCH MONEY' to qualify.
Despite being handed nearly a TRILLION dollars in American tax money to help ease the recession, it has now been revealed that American lenders are doing NOTHING to ease the foreclosure rate. Already, since 2006, over 1 million American homes have been foreclosed on, with nearly 6 million more expected in the next four or five years--possibly even more than that, if banks continue on, unchecked.
The bottom line is, if banks don't stop smarten up and stop the rampant greed--something the recession has yet to stop, apparently--nothing anyone can do...not the president, or more stimulus packages, or anything at all--will stop a slide into a full-blown depression...of course, the govenment, like with the recession, won't admit we are heading for a depression, but trust me--we are.
The mortgage industry has learned ZERO from the recession--they are going along exactly as always...in fact, I got an e-mail just the other day, telling me that I could apply for a mortgage, even with a low income and "less-than-perfect" credit! The same song and dance that got us into this mess, is still being pushed by some mortgage lenders! How sick is that???
Fact: Banks and their lobbyists are doing everything they possibly can, to de-rail any assistance Washington politicians are trying to provide distressed homeowners. Fact; Banks and lenders are also doing all they can to water down legislation regulating their practices so that the economy can be better guided by (hopefully) neutral parties.
I say we label these brainless, greedy little pigs as anti-Aemrican, and send 'em all to Gitmo for a little holiday, yeah?
Despite some fans and others, upset with the BBC's choice of filming location--due to Dubai's human right's issues, regarding treatment of labourers, women, gays and other issues--BBC Wales has gone on with filming as planned.
News is that the location is stunning, and fulfill's writer Russell T. Davies' vision perfectly. Also in the news is that a new bus was hurriedly shiped overseas, owing to the fact that it is a vital core of the story, and a complete re-write would have been both too impractical and/or too expensive.
"Yes, those are alien creatures known as "Grips," and "Gaffers," they're completely harmless, except when they aren't putting enough light on my sexy hair...then I have to kill them, I'm afraid."
1. Insurance companies often report less claims for the Friday 13th than any other day as people are more careful. Do you change your behaviour for this day?
Nope, I'm not particularly superstitious.
2. Do you have a phobia?
Very mild phobias...spiders, fire, needles, walking on bridges, mushrooms.
3. Does your phobia affect your life?
No, only one of them, that I know of. I am scared of fire, but I've put out kitchen fires, used fireplaces and BBQ's, used a blow torch and use matches...smoke alarms probably scare me more than fire does. As to spiders, can't stand the sight of them, but I won't refuse to enter a room with them or anything like that. Needles--hell, between the blood transfusions, insulin shots, IV's, blood tests, etc...think I'm over it--except, I have a serious problem sticking myself with a needle...which does effect me 'cos I'm SUPPOSED to give myself procrit shots in the stomach..and I just CAN'T...also, have an issue poking myself to test my blood sugar. So yes, that phobia does effect my life. Walking on bridges goes back to my childhood, when a Victorian-era footbridge collapsed under my sister (she was unhurt)...and then later a plank board bridge broke under me (also unhurt, but scared me), and while I'm uncomfortable walking over bridges, I have walked across the Troy-Menands bridge which spans the Hudson River, and across a bridge over a motorway and all that, so that doesn't effect me much at all. Mushrooms...I can't even stand the sight of them. Dunno' why.
Okay...first we had the guy arrested for drink driving on the equivilent of our high-street...on his riding lawn-mower.
Then, we had the drug dealer who reported the theft of his money--and drugs to the police, right after a drug-deal went sour in a local car-park.
We had the drunk guy who vandalized some pizzas at a local pizza palor.
We had the other drunk guy, who left the ER cos' he was bored, and decided to do donuts with a stolen car, in the hospital's car park..just feet from a security guard.
We had the guy who stole copper pipes from a local home that was up for sale--forgetting to shut off the water, in the process...and then going to the scrap yard to sell said pipes, the day after the theft was publicized in the local paper.
There's the local serial criminal who keeps kidnapping people and stealing cars and transporting people over state lines...for no apparent reason.
And now, we have some looney, who deliberately stabbed himself in the leg--knocked on some total strangers door, saying he's stopped his car and some guy in a black coat came out of nowhere and stabbed him--later admitted to cops he stabbed himself...and then, hospital staff found him with a fake bomb in his coat pocket...a taped butane canister with wires protruding from it...the man says he was depressed from the anti-smoking medication he was taking.
In the rural town of Warrensburg, about 12 miles from here, police were called to a home to find a missing child--found the kid, but also found 69 marijuana plants growing in the basement of the home. Two men in their 20's were arrested and charged with possessing the plants, which is also a violation of the public health law, with having a medication for which he had no prescription and for endangering the welfare of a minor...the child by the way, was found hiding in a closet. After being processed, the two men were relased pending their court appearence.
Another man in a nearby town, was charged with Grand Larceny, for collecting $26,000 in benefits he was not entitled to--the man failed to report to social services, that he owned a couple of pieces of land, several cars...oh, and that he got married and his wife was working and bringing in an income.
Yeah, no. Sorry, my stats were way down, and I needed something to draw in more visitors.
I'm afraid this is actually a gag. Get a blowup doll and leave the poor wee boy alone, ey? Oh, and he is straight...most of the time, a Christian--when he's in the mood, doesn't smoke (ahem) tobacco, A BBC hairdresser named Steve does his hair..what else he does is none of my business, and Tennant lives in North London, Cardiff, Aberdeen, Craggy Island, Milton Keynes, Glens Falls and Glasgow, respectively...erm--I may be fibbing a little, by the way...or maybe not. Erm--not that I pay attention to such things, mind you....now where did I put that naked picture of David....?
Oh dear, the Trekies have started an anti-Time Lord campaign...well, we Whovians will just have to get our own bus adverts, saying, "Yes there is a Tardis, but there's no Enterprise, so stuff it you non-believing Star Trek geeks."
Well, deleted my last blog post, 'cos I just needed to blow off some steam last night, and didn't realize what a whingy nutter I must have sounded like. Sorry.
Yeah, I was just a tad cranky, crabby, crotchety...well, any "C" word with a negative connotation that would describe my mood last night would do--except the four-letter one, don't EVER call me that.
My stomach did a repeat of last night's personal hell--again around three in the morning, but not quite as bad--yet strangely, I really didn't eat anything for my evening meal this time, but a small bowl of honey-nut cereal. Checked my temp and no fever, so I guess it's just something going on internally, and probably it'll be sorted in a day or two.
So, it's....Thursday? That is right, isn't it? Sometimes when I have to change work schedules, my body clock gets a tad confused, and...of course, every day is nearly the same as the day before, so there's not much to mark the passing of days for me. I don't do religion any more, so nothing special about Sundays, and my shopping and laundry trips are pretty flexible, now that I'm older. I mean, I tend to do them whenever I please, and not on Saturdays, like I used to when I had a car, or when mum was still alive. So...it sometimes can be hard to keep track of the actual days, since they all sort of run on to each other.
Another riveting post by me, ey?
My hillbilly neighbours, brother and sister, were having a yelling festival yesterday--all blinking day long...and, he was letting that stinking mean ol' bassett hound of his, bark all afternoon long, as well. Today at least they're marginally quieter, and I don't have strains of "f_ck you!" and "Why don't you..." and "He's such a ___!" blasting away on the other side of my wall.
Ah yes, and some ten-year-old left a message for stinking David Tennant on my blog...gee, what a surprise. He loves your hair David, wherever you are (no, he's not here, it's just me and the cats and the less-than-dulcet tones of my hillbilly neighbours, alas). Oh god, there goes the bassett hound again. Damn, thought I was getting off easy.
It's colder today than yesterday, and dreary looking, tho' no rain. Some of the puddles have frozen over, and I think it might be a bit of a challenge walking to work tonight, and not falling on my backsides. Ah well. Another day, another....what?
There came a time in my life, about this time last year, when I just had to stop and see that brick wall in front of me. I had to reach out with trembling fingers, and touch the damp, rouch, mouldering bricks, built stone by stone, blocking the path of my life.
Envy, keeping up with the Jone's, hopes and daydreams...they don't serve much purpose in life, after a certain point. I reached that stop-line a year ago, staring illness, poverty in the face...just weeks away from homelessness, suddenly, I saw the bricks, in all their stark naked detail. And, hope died within my soul. It will never return. It can't. All the endless circles and cycles of ups and downs...it can kill your spirit, over the years.
That's not to say that I've given up, or that I won't try any longer. It is to say, that seriously, I just don't really care about the future, I don't want to care...it hurts too much, it's too...empty-feeling.
My life is much like the lowering rain-soaked clouds on this damp and dreary winter's day. Never-ending shades of gray, pressing down upon my sorrowed soul.
Well, looking out my window, I see that Goodwin Avenue is flooded, so I'll have to wear my big ugly ol' black wellies walking in to work tonight...I'll bring some trainers for wearing in the office. Can't very well wear my new fleece slippers--Flamey's busy attacking them...what this new-found fascination is, that she's got with those things, is beyond me, but she's well having a ball, beating them up...tho' I don't think she'd want to stick her snoot inside them, for very long, she might pass out from the fumes.
What I need, is something more fashionable...erm--then again, maybe black is not so bad, afterall?
Well, I was checking out an online newspaper, and a poll to select the 13th member for the Shakspeare Hall of Fame has actor David Tennant at something like 72 percent of the votes--beating out such illustrious actors as John Gielgud and Sarah Bernhardt....both of whome stand at 6% and 3% respectively, of the vote. A Russian author whom incorporated Shakespeare'w works into his writing, is DT's only serious contender it seems, with nearly 8% of the votes.
Well, that was a rough night, but I'm on the mend. No more rich food for a while. I was going to make vegetarian tacos tonight after work, but think I'll settle--if I'm hungry, for soup and a sandwich, or a bowl of porage or something, give my stomach a bit of a break.
Can't eat a thing this morning, which, while not good for my diabetes, is better for my stomach. Dang, it's tough getting old. I used to have pretty much a cast-iron stomach...spicy food? No problem. Now...well, stuff happens.
A gorgeous day! It's almost like spring! Wow! Won't melt much of the snow, but perhaps it'll take care of some of the thicker ice on the sidewalks and edges of the road, to make walking to work less of an obsticle course for me.
I actually did glimpse some brown straggly stuff at the edges of the pavement yesterday--then realized it was dead grass...first time I've actually seen any grass in months, no joke. It's sunny and supposed to get to almost 50 F, today. Very nice. I've opened the balcony window for a bit, to let in some fresh air. This is the warmest day we've had since mid-November...but, it's supposed to go back to the teen's and twenties fahrenheight, after today, unfortunately.
Hard to believe that we're less than 4 week's away from Daylight Savings Time...tho' spring...heaven knows when that will be, at least 6 to 8 week's more of winter is likely, unless a miracle happens. We've been known to get massive snow storms and blizzad's in mid-March, so I'm not holding my breath.
So, again, I had intended to go to the laundromat this morning, and again, overslept. Bugger. I don't like to go after 11am when I'm working nights, 'cos that just doesn't give much time to rest before work.
I only made one sale, last night--most of my prospects either had already cancelled their memberships, were laid off work and had no money, or had signed up for membership and hadn't gotten a single thing from the club, yet, and didn't know a blessed thing about it.
Do you know how many people I talk to, that buy so many magazines, that they have NO CLUE what magazines they even get, each month??? Blimey! No wonder Bush got elected and our economy's in the loo! Americans don't pay attention to ANYTHING...even stuff that effects their own spending habits! Jeez, I'm telling you, from practical DAILY life experience, that most Americans have shorter attention spans than my cats. It's sad, isn't it? Such a big world out there, and these people can't even tell someone what magazines they get in the post each month....probably look at the pictures and tell everyone they read, ha-ha.
Arnold Swarzenegger isn't getting his way, so like a tempermental spoiled child, he's hitting out at those whom have nothing to do with his problem.
In a state where just under 300,000 employees are already being required to take two Fridays off a month--that's a loss of a consumer's two day's income each month...and two day's services to residents, to save the state of California money---now, California's big brave governor is threatening to kill off the jobs of up to 20,000 innocent people...for no other reason that legislators are not doing what the "terminator" wants.
The brave and fearless governor said he will fire 10,000 employees if the California legislaltors do not pass some sort of budget deal, to close California's 42 billion dollar deficit.
Oooh, Arnold, you're soooo--brave! NOT.
Hey stupid, how is driving more people into poverty, going to help the California budget--when many of those people won't be finding new jobs, and will have to tap into the state's unemployment insurance, and also, possibly, social services? Oh, and there's going to be 10,000 people putting less money back into local California economy's as well.
Why the hell do people vote for these idiots? Oh, I know...."Oooh, we have a film star for a governor, how cool is that?"
Oh dear, up at half-past 3am, and not on purpose. Got really severe indigestion, alas. And, I'm sweating too, darn it...and my bad foot hurts, just to add insult to injury. Dinner last two nights too rich for me, I gather....tikka masala last night and pot roast after work tonight--or last night...it's nearly 4am, isn't it, so it's the next day...gah--gotta' go try and go back to bed, hopefully without seeing the loo up close and personal, first--I reckon my stomach doesn't appreciate my choices in cuisine of late, that sort of one-two punch in the guts.
Well, I have to say, I am totally in love with slow cookers. No, really. It's so nice, when you're working nights, and come in rather past the normal meal time, and have a nice lovely hot supper waiting for you.
Tonight, I was in American middle-class gastronomic heaven. I'd been wanting beef pot roast for ages--but for months, the cost of a big thick beef chuck roast was out of sight--11 to 15 dollars for a 2 pound roast? Outrageous. One of the reasons so many American mum's used to make pot roast on Sundays, was 'cos that fatty 2 or 3-inch thick flat roast, was cheap. You pot roast it, 'cos that's the only way to make it etible.
Finally, last month, I found proper chuck roast--more than 2 inches thick and nicely marbled with fat--for only 5 dollars and change! Whoo-hoo!
So, at half-past 3 this afternoon, I sliced up some carrots, cut the roast in half (Since it's just me, I only bought one of those tiny 10 dollar 2 quart size cookers), I then threw in the carrots, a can of Campbell's French onion soup, a bay leaf, a dash of worcestershire, cider vinegar and pinch of sugar, and set the cooker on high--and Viola! Dinner! I sort of cheated a bit though--I bought ready-made fresh mashed potatoes from the supermarket chiller cabinet, instead of making my own...tastes exactly the same, just slightly mushier.
Oh, I was in heaven! Yum! It's not my mum's recipe (tho' not far off from it), but still...pot roast used to be what mum always made for my birthday dinner, when I was growning up. I am forever stuck on "comfort" food--sure, I am perfectly capable of preparing posh gourmet stuff, Italian, Indian, Asian, and Mexican dishes, etc...but, I'm just a middle-class product of the 60's and 70's American meat-and-potatoes family cusine....and that's just fine by me!
Well, I'm off to bed early, in a bit. Didn't make the laudromat this morning, as my stomach was wee upset durning the night--appetite was off again, for a few days, but is mostly back to normal today, I'm happy to report.
Began my reading adventures with my "new" books from the book sale. First up is an autobiogrphy by a gent whom was an American children's book author, writing mostly about ranch life in the west...this book is about his young life as an American stockman in Kansas, shortly after WWI. Not riveting reading, and not all that well-written, like a similar book I own, called "Horse Tradin'," but still...not bad. A good insight into life out west, in the early part of the 20th century. And, like me, the gent had diabetes...and was forced to live on a diet of gluten bread, tinned salmon, sauerkraut and boiled cabbage--due to the lack of choice in groceries, back then. Blergh...I'll never complain about having to cut back on my salt, sugar, caffine and fats, ever again.
Well, I have to start getting ready to go to work. Bleh. Well, it's a lot better than staying home, and it does let me keep my internet serivce and pays for phone cards, etc.
So, shoved a chuck roast in the slow cooker, threw in some carrots, a tin of french onion soup, some worcestershire sauce, a bay leaf, a tiny splash of cider vinegar and a pinch of sugar, so when I get home, dinner will be ready. Need cloves for it, but I'm out. Oh well.
It's a bit dreary here--cloudy and almost early-spring like...saw some robins last week--how bizzare! We don't normally get robins until late March--they're here a month early. Hope that's good news for an early spring, and not just global warming, or the snow down south, driving them up here. I've never in my life--over 45 years, seen a robin red breast in February before...it's very strange...and ducks too!
Flame is in a bad mood today, not sure why. She keeps hissing at the bhoys. Last night, she even fought with one of them on my bed...scratched my foot right though the quilt, the little brat. Then, this morning, I was woken up by a cat barfing up a hairball alongside my head--Boots often sleeps alongside me at night, but is usually very, very quiet. I pushed him off the bed before he let go, and he was very hurt about the whole thing. I made it up to him...Boots isn't the sharpest tool in the feline toolbox, but he's incredibly gentle and sensative and hates being pushed away or yelled at, his feelings get so hurt, so easily, poor mite.
Well, time to shower and decide on an outfit for the office. It's supposed to hit nearly 50 F tomorrow! Wow. It hasn't been that warm in about 3 months, at least. That's great...it's only for one day, though.
So, I've been blogging on a regular basis now, for about 2 1/2 years. Who'd of thought it? I didn't even know what blogging was, 3 years ago.
I try to hide my true identity, but I have had, over the years, people somehow track me down...that's a bit discomforting. One of the advantages of blogging, is that you can say things to the world, you often can't say out loud in your own home or community, for fear of censure or ridicule...or being sectioned.
But, can we ever truly hide whom we really are?
Here's what my ol' buddy Emerson had to say about that:
"There is no privacy that cannot be penetrated. No secret can be kept in the cilivlized world." Yeah, it's called CCTV, hacking, identity theft and wiretapping.
Emerson goes on to say:
"Society is a masked ball, where everyone hides his true character, and reveals it by hiding...He is a strong man, who can hold down his opinion. A man cannot utter two or three sentences, without disclosing to intelligent ears precisely where he stands in life and thought..."
Well, if that's true, then surely in my time on this blog, there have been days when I have stripped my own soul naked on the catwalk of life, standing before an audience of the entire world, for all to see me as I am...if they choose to do so.
HOO-RAY!Your fairy godmum has decided to finally pay you a visit after all of these years. But, so she can help you get your three wishes, you must post three "impossible" items you wish for, with pictures and links.
Erm--??? Isn't that whole three wishes stuff associated with genies, not fairy godmothers? Who sent me this? And, do I really want to bother with it? And, what's it mean, "impossible" wishes? Wishes that could never possibly come true, or childhood wishes, or...what??? And, why would anyone care what my "impossible" wishes are, if they are truly impossible?? Sounds all very silly, to me.
But, I've overslept this morning, and have no time for the laundromat now..not unless I want to fall asleep at my desk at work tonight, anyway. Trust me, dragging several really heavy laundry bags up and down two flights of stairs, in and out of cabs, etc, when you're anemic, is no picnic.
Well, what the heck, it's not like I have any sort of life, is it? But you know what's really sad? I can't think of anything in particular, off-hand, to put down. I mean, living in the UK or working as a writer or in the media, and/or owning a horse are each and every one, impossible dreams--but I don't particulary know how to post something like that, with a "link," when those dreams are so..generic! Well, I'll think of something...something more materialistic, I suppose.
Okay....three "impossible" wishes, with pictures and links? Whatever...my computer is really sluggish today, but, here goes...
I got a big laugh out of this video--just goes to show, ya' never know...how many times had I driven past this apartment, the flat I had in Lake George, the place where I had my caravan out in the mountains...and never knew that I would one day live there? Kismet Or coincedence, life can be a funny ol' thing, sometimes.
This was a few years before Dr Who, when Tennant was playing a detective in a series called, I think, "Blackpool."
I was in a very dark place, many years ago. I had just been diagnosed bi-polar, and my sister and dad didn't take it very well, and suddenly were embarrassed around me. I was feeling really bad...very bad. For the first time in my life, I began to doubt my own existence. Then, one Saturday night, I was listening to the radio programmes...Prairie Home Companion, followed by a folk music show, called The Hudson River Sampler, when this song came on...and suddenly, I knew I could get through this.
I realize some of you may not feel the same way about this tune as I, but still the story and the song, in this video, is poignant--it's not about religion, or even about faith...it's
That's ironic I know, and I know I'm being hypocritical, but I'm not amused, I'm afraid. 
