Farenheit 451...or...Gee I'm a late bloomer

Well, so here's the deal. I'm nearly 50 years old and I've only just recently read Farenheit 451.
I am a late bloomer.
On the other hand, I wonder if the impact of the book would have been as great
(on me) had I read it in my 20s or 30s .
I truly felt panicky during sections of the book. Most especially the sections dealing with the lack of inter personal relationships. And how people were plugged in to the racket surrounding them to the end that they were distracted from what was truly going on.
The theme of necessary destruction of evil to re-propagate goodness and truth is a really old one and seems to recur in print, film, etc. pretty frequently. Sort of the Phoenix of societies or cultures.

Anyway, all that aside, I thought I would share my favorite quote from the book as did my daughter some months ago.

Granger stood looking back with Montag. "Everyone must leave something behind when he dies, my Grandfather said. A child or a book or a painting or a house or a wall built or a pair of shoes made. Or a garden planted. Something your hand touched some way so your soul has somewhere to go when you die, and when people look at that tree or that flower you planted, you're there. It doesn't matter what you do, he said, so long as you change something from the way it was before you touched it into something that's like you after you take your hands away.
The difference between the man who just cuts lawns and a real gardener is in the touching, he said. The lawn cutter might just as well not have been there at all; the gardener will be there a lifetime.

there

Winnie the Pooh said it best..

So last night before bed, the weatherman predicted light snow with a possible accumulation of 1".
I believe he was mistaken.
So, I'm shoveling snow off the drive way this AM. ( I have the day off from work) . When I get to the foot of the drive, I look back up at my work and realize, hey Mary, I think you're losing ground here! Down the snow falls nearly as quickly as it's removed.
That's when I was reminded of my old friend Winnie the Pooh, who said it best...






The more it snows
(Tiddly Pom)
The more it goes
(Tiddly Pom)
The more it goes
(Tiddly Pom)
On snowing.

And nobody knows
(Tiddly Pom)
How cold my toes
(Tiddly Pom)
How cold my toes
(Tiddly Pom)
Are growing.


The only solution for a day like this is really strong, really hot, really sweet tea.

It was fun!

Part Deux @ The Booby Trap

Adrian To The Rescue @ The Booby Trap

What fun! I truly didn't expect to enjoy myself much last night when I played roadie for Rick's band and hung out in a crummy little bar downtown. What a cool surprise. Once I acclimated myself to the surroundings, it was a lot of fun. Honestly, I guess I had forgotten the crappy little bars that I had spent time in when I was younger. Certainly this was no worse and maybe even better than some of them!
Other than some equipment issues, Part Deux did very well. Extremely well at some points!
The second band is another high school band in Topeka, they have some really talented musicians. I was impressed! They also had some equipment issues. ie they blew a speaker! I actually felt the air blow over me when it blew. Crazy. Pissed off the sound guy though. The speaker was one that belonged to the bar. Guess he should do better sound checks eh?
The downside to my story is that I don't think I'm cut out for the staying out til 2 AM thing anymore. Not a drop of alcohol passed my lips all evening ( didn't think that risking being pulled over by a cop was worth it) and yet I felt totally hung over this AM. Probably all the noise,smoke and the really late hour. I'm still tired...
still, I'm glad I went..

A Girl and Her Contrabass

Last night I went to the annual Christmas Vespers Concert by the Washburn University music department. This student and her bass totally captured my attention.

She was so completely at ease with this enormous instrument cradled in her arms, and when she wasn't playing a piece, she sat there with her arms draped around it so casually.

I tried to figure what her image reminded me of. What kind of relationship.
A lover? No.
A child? no.

I think what she and her instrument reminded me of was someone with a beloved pet.
Like horse people are you know? The way they seem more themselves when they are with horses. Like there is some kind of connection between the human and the horse.
The same seemed true with this student and her bass. They were connected. Like she was more herself with her instrument than with out it.

I wish that I could have spoken with her.

there!

Today I've re-arranged my blog.
A little bit like rearranging furniture~only easier.

I felt cluttered.

Sometimes I think that I would like to live in a small 1 or 2 bedroom apartment with no space to clutter up.
The closest I've come has been 2 weeks spent in an extended stay hotel suite.
One bedroom,small kitchenette.
Two bathrooms and two televisions with a fireplace in the living room.
I liked it, but I was alone,so it's not a very good snapshot of what it would be like in the long term. I might actually be miserable.
anyway, my blog is uncluttered!

some things I've learned today..

• teen aged boys play rock music really loud
• teen aged boys eat a whole lot! ( I actually already knew this, it was just really noticeable tonight)
• when said boys come out of a 14 x 14 room with stacks of amplifiers, they talk really LOUD!
• Mitch Mitchell died ( The Jimi Hendrix Experience)
• sometimes those boys' music sounds amazing
• even though it's so loud!
  

this probably won't surprise anybody!

You Should Paint Your Room Green

Natural and balance, green can bring both calm and growth to your life. Your green room will promote a more spiritual and peaceful outlook. Green rooms are perfect for meditation, yoga, or just day dreaming.

What Color Should You Paint Your Room?

my new mantra ...if I had a mantra anyway

"Some of your hurts you have cured, And the sharpest you still have survived, But what torments of grief you endured From the evil which never arrived." -

-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

A Gloomy Outlook with Cheery Results

You Are 61% Likely to Survive Another Great Depression

Even though you may not be expecting the worst, you're the type of person who prepares for the worst. You live a relatively modest life. You don't overspend, and you aren't very materialistic. You are also quite self sufficient and independent. You have many useful skills. You can take care of yourself and those you love... which is crucial to surviving another Great Depression.

Could You Survive Another Great Depression?



Well how cheery is this?!

Borrowed from~ Julie
1. My eye color: blue/hazel
2. Favorite car: Toyota Avalon (my favorite car that I've owned, lots of cars I suppose I would like to have)
3. Right-handed or left-handed: Right
4. Shoes you wore today:New Balance
5. My fears: hmmm mostly I suppose that I'm not a very good mother
6. Goal you would like to achieve this year: quit smoking ; improve overall health
7. Thoughts first waking up: crap I hate that alarm
8. My bedtime: 10:30 when I'm being good
9. Pepsi or Coke: Pepsi, of the diet persuasion
10. Single or Group Dates: I've been married since 11 bc. ok maybe not quite that long..
11. Chocolate or Vanilla: Chocolate
12. Do you smoke: Yes
13. Do you sing: Yes , at home
14. Have you been in love: Yes
15. Do you want to get married : erm... my husband would be so pissed off! ;o)
16. Do you get along with your parents: They're both gone.
17. Do you play a musical instrument: nope
18. In the past month have you smoked: Yes.
19: Favorite candy bar: Probably Payday
20. In the past month have you gone on a date: Well, Richard and I went out for dinner one night and went to the bar that Ricky was playing at ( except I sat outside cuz the bar was so gross!)
21. All-time favorite sports team: that's tough.. Probably still the Minnesota Vikings
22. Ideal girlfriend/boyfriend: uhm no comment
23. My best friend(s): Probably Theresa and Debbie.. sometimes I'm a terrible friend and they never dessert me
24. Do you believe in love at first sight:Hah!
25. Favorite clothing brand: Coldwater Creek (I guess)
26. Dream vacation: Someplace warm
27. My favorite singer: Ella Fitzgerald, Michael Stipe, Ryan Tenholder ( ok, I just said Ryan cuz he's the singer for my son's band)
28. My favorite movie: Princess Bride, Blazing Saddles
29. Have you ever fired a gun: water pistol count?
30. Do you like answering these questions: that's a weird damn question..
31. Do you like yourself: yeh, pretty much
32. I am addicted to: cigarettes, photo editing,flickr, NFL football and Lost
33. Favorite drink: coffee, iced tea, diet Pepsi
34. Do you have a crush on anyone: Oh always!
35. Are you ticklish: yes
36. Favorite ice cream flavor: homemade vanilla (my Mom's recipe)
37. Define yourself in 3 words: short, middle aged, happy ( mostly)
38. Do you believe in God: yes
39. Favorite day of the week: Sunday
40. Heads or tails: Tails
41. Favorite author: JRR Tolkien, Terry Pratchett, tons more
42. What magazines do you read: People once in awhile and I hijack Ricky's Rolling Stone now and then....
43. Sweet or sour: sweet
44. Favorite chewing gum brand: I don't really chew gum much
45. My hair color: greying reddish brown
46. Height: 5′ 2" almost
47. My heritage: Scottish,German
48. My weakness: puppies, all dogs really... this list would never end if I wrote all of my weaknesses
49. My perfect pizza: vegetable with a really thin crust and no tomato sauce
50. My most overused phrase on IM: probably lol
51. My best physical feature:hmmm, maybe my eyes
52. Do you get motion sickness: sometimes
53. McDonalds or Burger King: Burger King Oh yeah baby! love that greasy Whopper!
54. Lipton Ice Tea or Nestea:Lipton
55. Cappuccino or Coffee: Coffee
56. Do you swear: yup..
57. Do you want to go to college:yup
58. Do you think you’re attractive: define attractive, people don't barf when they look at me, what's the standard?!
59. Do you like thunderstorms: Love them!
60. In the past month have you drunk alcohol: yes
61. In the past month have you been on drugs: cholesterol meds?
62. Favorite cartoon as a child: never cared a lot for them until I had kids. Then I fell in love with Rocko's Modern Life
63. Favorite sport: NFL football
64. In the past month have you been on stage: I feel like I'm on stage everyday at work.. but no, I haven't
65. Ever been beaten up: nope
66. How you want to die: another weird damn question
67. Number of piercings: 2. both ears :o)
68. Favorite color: green
69. Favorite food dish: BBQ chicken
70. My parents are: Jack and Vi, both have passed on.
71. Do you have children: 4
72. Do you have pets: Two dogs Bart and Peanut
73. My favorite music genre: The kind that makes my heart sing at the moment! The only "music" I don't much care for is Rap . Still you gotta love Snoop Dog !
74. My favorite season: summer
75. Silver or Gold: silver
76. Who was the last person that called you: Mandi
77. Are you a good driver: yes
78. Would you rather be rich or famous: Rich
79. When I’m sad or down, I prefer to: sleep
80. What is your phone’s current ringtone: different one for each caller
81. The longest you’ve gone without sleeping: probably about 36-48 hours
82. What would you do with a million dollars: give some to my kids and spend the rest!
83. What makes you laugh: irony
84. Your favorite book: The Lord Of The Rings
85. Most embarrassing moment: too embarrassing to mention!
86. Favorite item that you currently own: my rice cooker ( it's a phase)
87. Have you ever moved: yep
88. Kisses or hugs: hugs definitely!
89. Are you a very emotional person: fraid so

tofu?

So... today I have attempted to alter my Mom's yum-a-licious potato salad recipe by injecting tofu into the mix. Yup, bean curd. That stuff that has almost zero flavor and really is just all about texture and whatever other flavors you happen to mingle with it.


See, Richard has been hankering for potato salad. I actually do make a fair duplicate of Mom's , complete with 6 or 8 eggs, a couple cups of full on fat Miracle Whip and oh yes, some potatoes.

I decided to see if I could alter the recipe and still maintain the flavor. Cuz see, both of us recently had our physicals and while our cholesterol levels would make outstanding bowling scores, they simply caused our Dr. to shake his head and say " I don't know what you people eat but...." ( see previous post of Julie's Carbonara! Yum!)
Clearly it was time for a change. We've done really well actually. We don't do the NO fat foods, we've opted for lower fat and moderation. It seems more do-able. Richard actually lost five pounds the first four days of our new lifestyle. The bum.
Well, in any event, today I made the potato salad with TWO eggs and maybe 2 tablespoons of Miracle Whip in the dressing. I used tofu in it's stead. Lots of onion and celery and maybe a few more sweet pickles. Hoping that the extra flavors will meld nicely with the tofu and make a passable salad.

We'll be eating it tonight, so I'll update this post later!

Ceilings... glass or otherwise..

I've been thinking a lot lately about the Sarah Pallin / Hillary Clinton / glass ceiling thing and I think that Sarah and Hillary have more in common than anyone ( even Saturday Night Live) would care to admit.
I keep going back in my mind to the primaries when Hillary kept claiming to have so much more experience than Barack Obama
But what troubles me is that it would seem, based on her claims while campaigning, that most of her experience was garnered through her husband. Bill was the Governor of Arkansas.. Bill was the President of the US.
Isn't that the same as saying that ... I don't know .. Lucy would be a good conductor because Ricky was? or that I could install phone systems because my husband does?
God help me, Gloria Steinem may strike me dead.. but I think it seems sexist the way Hillary did her campaign.
Now, I have to qualify this whole thing here by saying that If John McCain ever had my vote, he surely lost it when he brought Pallin on board. That was just a pathetically schmoozy political move attempting to lure we fluffy brained women to his camp( dripping sarcasm here!). Stupid move too ( politically speaking) I mean who the hell were the uber conservatives going to vote for anyway? Not Obama that's for sure. He should have aimed a little more center of the road-ish. Where the moderates live and work. Really John, if you think so poorly of women, that we aren't any smarter than that, then I guess maybe you shouldn't be president.
Sad in a way, because I've always admired McCain very much . If the republicans had run him instead of Bush low these many years ago, think how much better off our country may have been. Maybe not, but I have a suspicion that John McCain would be much less likely to be led around like a child by God knows who was leading Bush around.
Well, having said all that, I'm so hopeful now, so much more optimistic that we have someone coming to power that will lead is out of this horrendous mess that Bush and his failed policies (had to use that term, it almost seems to be a colloquialism now) have brought us to.

Things are looking up indeed.

Oh yeah, I did vote for a winner this time!

footnote here: Clinton has been a US Senator since 2000. THAT does give her more experience.. not her husband's work

I've taken about 1000 blog quizzes this weekend. Pathetic, I know

This one I found interesting Your Learning Style: Personal and Passionate

You are very flexible and curious about the world. Human understanding is very important to you. You Should Study: Anthropology Architecture Art Art history Art therapy Classics Counseling Foreign Languages and Literature International Studies Linguistics Literature Psychology Sociology Teaching

What Should You Study?

So I'm at work today. as usual, and a customer approaches my friend Wen-Jin ( she's from Taiwan) and asks for the "Abraham Lincoln" stamp. She and I exchange glances, racking our brains to remember if an Abraham Lincoln stamp is due to be released. ( I don't think so, but then again who knows, I don't read every word of every memo they put out).

So Jin turns to the customer and says brightly, " We have Frank Sinatra."

I laughed so hard, that I cried.

the wisdom for today

Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I don't like that attitude. I can assure them it is much more serious than that.

Bill Shankly

Finally some hope....

Yes, it would seem we can

well there you have it..

You Are 86% Feminist

You are a total feminist. This doesn't mean you're a man hater (in fact, you may be a man). You just think that men and women should be treated equally. It's a simple idea but somehow complicated for the world to put into action.

Are You a Feminist?

Election Day

I hope the American public behave like adults ...

I'm so glad it's nearly over.

This is a photo that my six year old niece Sammy took yesterday. Her sister Jessica ( another niece of course!) had told me

" Sammy takes great pictures!"I was curious to see what kind of shots she would choose. Her choices are fascinating. Not at all what I would expect from someone only six years old. When I first handed her the camera, she said," everything is all blurry." So I showed her how to focus. I don't remember ever hearing a child that young making a comment like that, or even caring if the subject was in focus. ( the camera was not complicated to use for sure, but still!)
Additionally, she is about the most photogenic individual I know . Looks like she can hang out on either side of the camera!

This is Sammy! ( the marking on her cheek is a temporary tattoo that she refused to wash off all weekend!)

investment strategy

In light of the recent financial meltdown in the US (and globally I fear), I have embarked on a new investment strategy. I have begun investing in
night cream/wrinkle cream.
I've dabbled in this market for some years now, but because of recent fluctuations on Wall Street, I've become a serious investor.
I have the creams that guarantee to plump up your wrinkles, the creams that cause you to slide off your pillow at night,made from some highly viscous substance. And my personal favorite, the one that you apply after you use the fine grit sandpaper cleaner to remove make-up and
dead skin cells. (ew..)
Based on scientific calculations [ the number of creams purchased, divided by my age, multiplied by how many points the Dow drops on any given day, squared ] in several weeks I should have the complexion of someone 23.6 years old.
Seems like a sound investment to me!

I Had A Thousand Things To Say....

But instead I'll say....

Happy Birthday Richard!

like he said earlier, " I done wore out the better part of 58."

:o)

Birthday Cake
Originally uploaded by Caro's Lines

Today we honor Langston Hughes... because he was cool .......... and because it's raining like crazy.

Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby.

~Langston Hughes

Quote For the Day

Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.
Mark Twain

Mark Twain

A posting to remind myself that I'm not lazy

• Baked a cake
• Made baked beans
• Washed dishes
  
• Three loads of laundry
• Moved my retirement $
• Worked on the budget
• Plus regular stuff ....ie... made the bed,showered,fed the dogs, swept the floor. Edited some pics,played on flickr

sometimes I feel like I don't work hard enough or something. today, I decided to remind myself that I do.
AND it's only 2:45 pm.

Later~~~
Two more loads of laundry, cook-out at my sister's ( that's what the cake and the baked beans were for), vacuumed the living room and Bart's room ( I used to call Bart's room the family room and then I realized the only family member that ever hung out in there is our big dog Bart)and ran to Walgreens for a couple of things.

I'm not as lazy as I thought!

$ $ $ $ $ $

I just checked my retirement investment.
I've lost $30,000

Thanks Wall Street.

hmmmm....whatever happened to tar and feathering?

And these people, my friends , are the people that some economic plans would like to protect from taxation.

Does anyone realize how bad it is that the US government has to bail out the economy? With borrowed money I presume, since it doesn't have any. Something is terribly,terribly wrong.

14,000 Things To Be Happy About~~~Music For Wednesday

Troubled Hubble ~~~ 14,000 Things To Be Happy About

Quote For Today

If the world were perfect, it wouldn't be.

Yogi Berra

I made it!

Julie's Carbonara.
Yummy and not too difficult!

and there's white wine leftover :o)

Rats! I'd hoped I was a cuter dog!
(at least I'm loyal)

You Are an American Bulldog

You are a very imposing, powerful creature... but deep down, you're generally good natured. You are incredibly energetic, and you like to blow off steam with sports and horsing around. You are naturally courageous. You would run into a burning building to save someone you loved. You intimidate people without trying to. Some people assume the worst of you when they first meet you.

What Breed of Dog Are You?

That One '08

From Andrea's flickr site

some thoughts

I tried to log onto my retirement account today and apparently forgot my account number. They're mailing it to me in real old fashioned mail. Probably just as well.

John McCain seems to be facilitating an anger management group in Wisconsin today. It actually struck me as rather humorous to watch. That probably makes me a bad person.
;o)

I had auditors hanging around me all day yesterday at work. Rather stressful. They only found a couple things to mention and even the auditors admitted that the things they found were fairly insignificant. Whew, glad that's over..

Ricky score 100% on his photography final last week! Yippee! He brought some negatives home tonite that he's going to print at school . He's pretty good!


Well, I believe that I have unburdened my tired little brain of it's very last thoughts. I must go to bed!

I really like these guys...

Brothers and Sisters

what I'm listening to today..works well with the rainy weather.

Science Project

The effect of warm sunshine on a chihuahua

Why?

A few months ago, June or July I suppose, I was sitting in a lawyers office being
deposed as a witness in a lawsuit that thankfully never went to trial.

In the course of this deposition, it came up that the person filing the suit has a blog at which point I said " I have a blog" ( probably stupid, but oh well).

The attorney looked at me with complete puzzlement and asked " why would anyone
want to publish something on the Internet where it's available for the whole world to see?"

I'm sure I gave a brilliant answer at the time. ;o)

but it is something that I've been kind of thinking about ever since. Why do I spend time sitting here at the computer writing completely inconsequential blurbs about basically nothing , that very few people will ever actually read?

After giving it some thought I believe that I have the actual answer to the question..


I do it to avoid housework..

Sobering

Which is deadlier, french fries or car accidents?

We're far more likely to die from over consumption of trans fat.

In the United States, people have a one-in-84 chance of dying in a car accident, and one-in-five chance of dying from heart disease. That's greater than the risk of dying from cancer , which is one-in-seven [source: NYT].

http://health.howstuffworks.com/death-by-auto-accident-or-french-fry.htm

Do you know what this is?

Well.... it's gone and happened. My delux-o super duper 14 cup coffee maker has gone to the giant appliance department in the sky. A moment of silence please.

It was so nifty. 14 cups of hot fragrant coffee ready the second my feet hit the floor. Yum....

Above you'll see it's temporary replacement. and NO I did not steal it from an I Love Lucy set.
My husband bought it with real money after we had a power outage a few years ago and needed to make our coffee outside on the grill. Oh yes, we're that dedicated to coffee.
Actually mostly I am.

But the truth is , I LIKE perked coffee. A lot! it has a rich, dense flavor that the drip machines just can't match. Also, it make the kitchen smell incredible!

So, you ask, "how do you know when the coffee is done percolating? It doesn't just turn itself off you know." Very true. You know the coffee is ready when the coffee that is percolating up into the little glass dealy ( see photo) ( I don't have any idea what it is actually called). And when it smells right. Mmmmm.... The smell will always tell..
However, be advised that when you pour your coffee it will be hot. Think McDonald's lawsuit hot. Like scalding! Let it cool for a second or blow on it or something. Cream drinkers have an advantage here. The cream will do the cooling for them. I drink my coffee straight-up.
It's worth the wait .

hmmmm....

It is becoming quite clear that my brain is on hold or something.

I can not think of anything to say,
nor can I get excited about taking photos.

hope this passes soon....

musings

Why is it that so many people come to a place in their life that they quit exploring new music and listen only to stuff from their youth? Isn't that akin to eating the same food every single day?
It just seems so strange to me ..



I have noticed, that if someone expresses any kind of racism and I witness it, I never view them the same way again. On any level.
For instance, watch Michael Richard's racial tirade on You Tube then watch an episode of Seinfeld. He's not funny to me anymore. It ruins everything.
Additionally, I always tend to assume that they aren't very smart (racists)I just don't see how intelligence and racism could possibly inhabit the same brain.


What is the secret to successful childrearing?
Love?
Discipline?
Values?
Stability?


Why do so many people re-write their history? Is it unintentional? And how do I go about not doing the same if it is? I am what I am as a result of what I have participated in and witnessed thus far. I'd hate to lose that.



Just some stuff I've been thinking about the last few weeks.



9/28/08

Just feel the need to qualify my first statement here. I too listen to music from my youth as do almost everyone I know. I've just run across a few folks that listen to the oldies at the exclusion of all else. That it what I find odd.

Smart?

Remember the other day when I said that I thought Americans were fairly smart?
I may need to re-think that comment.


I'm just saying...

not for the faint hearted!

Once in awhile,something occurs in my life that I'm sure is unique to me.
Today, one such thing happened.
See, the sun is shining (finally!) and the air is fallish-warm and I thought that today would be a perfect time to clean up the living room windows and hang the insulated drapes in preparation for winter.
So far..so good...
SO, I remove the summer drapes and put them away. Then I take down the sheers to wash because I use the same ones for all seasons.
Now I run into my issue.
In the rod pocket; the deal that the curtain rod goes through, are... gawd this is weird..
a bunch of dead ants. Well maybe not a WHOLE bunch, but 8 or 10 I suppose. Little sugar ants like I do war with in the kitchen every spring.
How in the heck did these blasted ants get in there?
OK ... my ceilings are high. Ten foot probably, so the top of the sheers is w a y up there. What on earth would possess these tiny little ants to climb so high?! There's no sugar up there. Even Richard and Ricky can't manage to spill soda on the TOP of the drapes... I don't get it.
Then these poor little buggers maneuvered their way into the rod pocket to ultimately die... of starvation I suppose.
Now really.. is this a normal thing? Has Heloise addressed this in her column? I seriously doubt it.
I think it's one of those weird things ( that I normally don't bring up by the way) that happen only to me.

I Think It's Going To Be Alright

Like many Americans,I spent a few moments, now and again through out the day, thinking about terrorism. What it is and how it has affected my life. I came to some rather dismal conclusions.
See, terrorism isn't about killing people per se. Rather, it is about making people afraid. Killing people is just a pleasant side effect for the terrorist.

This is how wikipedia defines terrorism:

Terrorism is "the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion."[1] There is no internationally agreed definition of terrorism.[2][3] Most common definitions of terrorism include only those acts which are intended to create fear (terror), are perpetrated for an ideological goal (as opposed to a lone attack), and deliberately target or disregard the safety of non-combatants. Some definitions also include acts of unlawful violence and war. A common misperception of terrorist groups, especially after the 'Global War on Terror' began in 2001, is that they are solely Islamic-extremists or radical religious groups with religious motives.

Terrorism is also a form of unconventional warfare and psychological warfare. The word is politically and emotionally charged,[4] and this greatly compounds the difficulty of providing a precise definition. One 1988 study by the US Army found that over 100 definitions of the word "terrorism" have been used.[5] A person who practices terrorism is a terrorist.

Seven years ago today the most horrendous act of terrorism to ever be targeted at US citizens was carried out before our very eyes. The goal: To make America afraid.
My biggest concern is that to some extent it was successful and I find that very sad.

I miss the days when America was viewed as just a young pup with maybe too much bravado and swagger, yet always there to lend a hand when her friends and allies needed her. Sort of like best friends on the playground. Now we seem to have entered into the uncertain and difficult society of "high school" Where alliances are made and broken between 2nd and 3rd hour. Where rumors and fabrication are used to propel an individual to his or her desired status.

But what I believe, because I simply have to, is that when a society's comfort zone becomes disrupted, as it certainly did seven years ago, some of the uglier aspects of human nature are brought forward and in this case played out on a world wide stage. Additionally I believe that Americans are not stupid people on the whole; that Americans are basically kind and thoughtful and fairly smart. I think that the over zealous nuttiness of these years following 9/11 are soon to be drawn to a close, because we the people will require it to be done. It's run it's course and it's time to move on to a more mature mode. To think about our future after high school so to speak.

I think it's going to be alright.

Ira Glass Replaced My Mom

So , some months back , my daughter, knowing that one of my keen interests in life is the stories of my fellow human beings, sent me a CD of several such stories. My first exposure to This American Life . If you've not heard of it, it is a radio ( and now TV ..on Showtime apparently. ) program broadcast by Public Radio International and recorded in Chicago. The host of the show is Ira Glass.

Well after listening to the three stories on that CD, I was pretty much hooked. The perfect blend of human interest, slight sarcasm at times and plenty of humor. The kind of thought provoking humor that I like and a bit of touching or sometimes just plain sad moments that cause real tears to well up..

While in Montana my son-in-law ( first time saying that! ) burned me a CD of about 20 podcasts of the program.. and Ira Glass began his non violent takeover in my life.
See, I have this old Bose radio/CD player next to my bed, and I have discovered that instead of reading when I went to bed at night, I could put a CD in and Ira Glass would soothe me to sleep. Sort of like my mother reading to me or telling me stories at night when I was a child.
The only downside is that it takes me a real l o n g time to hear a whole program. Because , well, I fall asleep! Just like when Mom would tell me stories . Typically I eventually put the CD in my car and finish listening while I drive.
(Fortunately I don't fall asleep at those times!)
Now I subscribe to the podcast myself.

So Ira, if you find this little story on an rss feed or something. Know that a middle aged lady in Kansas, with a love for the stories of my fellow earthlings, is soothed to sleep each night with your presentation.

Oh... and also Ira, don't quit singing along with the theme song of The OC ! That's exactly the kind of human interest story that makes humans interesting!

J-E-T-S jetsjetsjets! or B-R-E-T-T brettbrettbrett!

Okay, so I know it's popular to be down on Brett Favre.... but honestly who on earth makes football more fun to watch?! Secretly ( or maybe not that secretly) I'm hoping that Green Bay rues the day they cut him loose to the Jets. Not that I have anything particularly against Green Bay, just that I'm pulling for Favre to go out in a true blaze of glory!
Gawd I love football...

Heh-heh!

You Are 85% Tortured Genius

You totally fit the profile of a tortured genius. You're uniquely brilliant - and completely misunderstood. Not like you really want anyone to understand you anyway. You're pretty happy being an island.

Are You a Tortured Genius?

Rant Free Zone

I officially declare this blog to be a rant free zone for at the very least one month!
You see, one week from today I will be in Missoula,MT helping my beautiful little daughter in any way that I can, to finish preparing for her wedding!
Yay! Happy times.. lots of family, lots of pictures, lots of fun.
AND as a bonus, I am gaining a remarkable and very sweet son-in-law!
It just don't get any better than this!
Yay Mandi and Luis!
Yay me! Yay my family!

Mandi and Luis
Originally uploaded by ~Mary~~

...Mandi and Luis a few years ago. Photo credit Luis' Mom...Doris

Help me Obi Wan Kenobi, you're our only hope

Princess Leia - Sending Message to Obi Wan using the USPS
Originally uploaded by @tak

..I have been a Postal Worker for 15 years...
that being said, I can not sit idly by and watch postal management continue to trash the United States Postal Service in the manner that they have been in recent months.
For instance, did you know that 14,000 new jobs have been created at headquarters in DC? True, although I may have to modify that number with further research. My information did come from someone in management (which, by the way inspires me to comment here that management on a local level is becoming quite disenfranchised with new operation procedures)
And yet, they continue to cut bargaining unit jobs and continue to apply pressure to management on the field to cut work hours. When I say "cut work hours" that means fewer people to do the same amount of work that more people previously did. Some of those people in the newly created jobs do nothing more than sit on a computer and monitor the activity in offices on the field. In real terms that means that when you go to the post office to mail a package, that computer that the window clerk is using is being "watched" from headquarters. I don't really have a problem with that on the surface,( being watched is part of the deal for a postal worker. We are after all handling very personal items that belong to millions of individuals. We are always being monitored on that level. The sanctity of the mail is always at stake and should be in my opinion) but if you break it down a bit and think about it logically, it makes no sense at all.
The individual sitting at their desk monitoring activity is making significantly more money than the person actually involved in the transaction. I don't even really have a problem with that except that they've put on all of these high $ jobs to monitor the lower paying jobs to see where they can cut . How on earth does that make any sense? Plus they tell us to beef up our transactions by using extra keys on the computer. Ever notice when you buy 3 books of stamps the clerk will scan each one separately instead of keying 3 and scanning just one book? They tell us to do that because it adds to our total transactions. So..... why make a rule and then figure out ways around it?
I have actually heard, with my own ears, someone from our district headquarters in Omaha say, "We aren't a service anymore, we're a business" Huh?! With business practices like these, we're sure to fail.
Which now brings me to the crux of the whole issue.
In 2006 george bush ( not only can I no longer refer to him as president, I can't even bring myself to capitalize his name. That would imply that he was an actual human being. ;-O )
signed into law the "Postal Reform Act of 2006" http://www.usps.com/postallaw/ Essentially lining up his good buddies in big business to swoop down and devour the remains of the USPS. Whatever is left after the current Postmaster proves that it can no longer be done the way it always has been. We are trying to fail!
Well, the truly sad thing about this is that the American public hasn't got a clue. They stand in line for 20 minutes to buy a book of stamps and by the time they get to the clerk they are PISSED OFF. Where are the damn stamp machines? Why are you guys so slow? How come you make so much money? ( one of my favorites) . Well, officially a 20 minute wait in line is OK with the big guys. They don't care. This has actually been discussed with the higher ups.
Gee, I wonder why they don't care? Could it be that they need the American people on their side when they humbly approach bush's big business cronies and say " help us please. we clearly can't do this right"? Did you notice that ALL of the stamp machines nationwide are gone. The one in WalMart, the one in your office, the one in the lobby of the damn Post Office? Believe me, there is a reason for that. They say that the cost of maintenance was becoming prohibitive. I don't believe it for a second. It's all part of the Design To Fail.
So, in my best Dennis Miller style I have ranted on about the topic long enough. My only advice, to anyone that cares, is to write to your Congressman, complain loudly, and PLEASE don't vote for any fat cat good old boys in your elections. We need some fresh thinking in Washington. Desperately... I'd imagine that the USPS story is just one of many that the American people are left in the dark on. It's scary to think about...


photo courtesy of-

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nicholaslopez/

Don't want to be an American idiot..

Just yesterday, a co-worker, after rudely attacking my political beliefs , went on to say that
the economy is stronger under the Bush administration than it has been for years.
I felt that I needed to get this written down immediately lest in the next week or so when I have recovered from some sleep deprivation I look back on it and assume the incident and comment to be a dream ... or something... because I truly can not imagine that I really heard a grown adult human being American type make this comment.
Do you suppose that Rush Limbaugh or a similar personality has truly gotten these people to believe that?!
The word that comes to my mind is unfathomable.
I can not fathom anybody buying into a blatant lie like that.
I'm pretty sure that people such as my co-worker are convinced that they will go to hell if they watch an actual credible news cast, so in light of that, I guess you can't know anymore than you've been taught.



ps. the title of this is a link to information regarding our economy in the US

Jemo

I've just finished getting more education in teenage-ism.
It's another culture you know....
Overall, I truly enjoyed the "class". Fortunately, teenagers don't want to spend any more time with adults than adults do with them, so my education was in small bites. Very palatable that way.
I learned many things, but I believe the most interesting tidbit that I picked up is the term
" Jemo"

Yup, Jemo. I was up to speed on the word "Emo" and it's different applications in the teen world. You know, kids that capitalize to the max on their teen angst. Hair in their eyes because it's too painful to view the world with both eyes I guess. Or maybe they don't feel they deserve the use of two eyes at the same time. Lots of black clothing...eyeliner...and some other rather unsavory and dangerous activities that I'm not here to talk about.
Jemo is, get this.... Emo kids that are "Jesus freaks" (that's the word used to describe them to me. I'm just quoting here) Hence, Jemo kids.
And apparently said Jemos that live in Auburn, Ks spend their spare time hanging out in the cemetery. I asked my informant why that would be and he shrugged and said "they're Emo, who knows. They do shit like that"
So there you have it.
Jemo kids.
Who knew?

*Compewing*

richard compewing


Recently I received a text message from my sister asking me if I shouldn't be "Compewing" I laughed so hard! Compewing you see is a Dill family word. It was used most frequently by my Dad. Another Grandpa-ism so to speak. It means.... sleeping. Actually it has direct reference to snoring. You know... Coooommm ----pewww. I suspect it originated with one of us kids, but I'm not sure. Incidentally, it was quite late at night when my sister and I were texting each other. Hence, her question.

Well, I've been thinking that it might be fun to compile a list of Grandpa-isms. Mandi has been making good use of one of his words. *Snibble*
My Dad had a unique approach to language. And singing. He never sang a song the same way twice and any words that he didn't know, he would substitute whatever he thought would sound good at the time. I miss him so much.
Well anyway, I'd love to have a list of the words that my family remembers and record them on real paper so they won't be lost forever. Priceless memories...


How DO you spell *stample* anyway?

What Goes Around Comes Around ....

For years I have been a firm believer in the "what goes around, comes around" adage. The interesting thing is that I sometimes forget to apply that wisdom to myself.. dang..
Recently,there have been several instances that I have not been pleased AT ALL with what was coming around. Just yesterday as I was working in the garden it occurred to me that perhaps I was planting bad seed, crud... I can't believe that I would consider myself above such simple principal.
Interestingly, best that I can tell , nearly all religions incorporate this concept in their dogma. Most Christians know that Jesus Christ said " what so ever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" and we've all heard the term karma...
Saying that one doesn't believe in this principal , to me , is similar to saying that one doesn't believe in say , gravity. It makes no difference if it's believed or not. It just is. Try jumping off a building if you don't believe me!

So, after a very short night's sleep, ( I laid awake for hours!) I'm off to improve the seed that I sow. Wish me luck! The ball is for sure in my court here!

For Mandi

The videography history lesson for my daughter.
This reminds me of hot summertime on 31st Terr. (no air conditioning of course) Linda,Bruce and Judy were teenagers..I knew all the words to the songs on the radio..

In 1969 The Small Faces disbanded. Steve Marriott went on to form "Humble Pie" and the rest of the band became "The Faces" of Rod Stewart fame. I guess all those rock magazines I read as a kid stuck w/me. :o)

Oh and PS Mandi, Steve Marriott played "The Artful Dodger" in Oliver Twist as a child. (since I know you love all things British!)

The right club for you | Here's why... - Anytime Fitness

The right club for you | Here's why... - Anytime Fitness


Tonight I toured a fitness club that I think I'm going to join. It's only four blocks from home, 24 hour access. I'll be hard pressed to come up with excuses.
I no longer take any prescription medication.Yippee! I figure the expense of the club will probably be less than the cost of the Rxs. Got to keep my doctor happy with my cholesterol levels and I'm tired of waging war against ulcers due to excessive ibuprofin usage. I really need to figure out a do-able way to keep my joints from being so rickety. Heck, I'm only 48!
Wish me luck. I think I'll call them tomorrow and set up an appointment with a trainer.
Woohoo! If my friends could see me now!

Happy Birthday Ricky!

Sixteen years ago today my baby boy made his entrance into the world. It was one of the best times of my life. Our family had been enduring unimaginable stress due to very serious illness. In fact , my mother was hospitalized for the last four months of my pregnancy. We had three children at home already that were being largely ignored due to my Mother's illness and then .... on July 6th 1992 here comes a tiny hope. A tiny little bundle full of happiness and light heartedness. We had something positive to look after, a bright spot every single day. It was like huge burdens being lifted from our household. And for 16 years, he's been up to the task.
I still remember so many details about the day Rick was born... some of them so funny!
Like the stray kitten that Mandi and Rachael found, they wanted to keep him and name him Houdini. They were having so much fun. I didn't tell anyone that I was in labor until well after noon. I just wanted to be able to do my labor at home, where I was comfortable. I played video games ( should have been a clue to the girls since I never played video games) Back To The Future to be exact, on Nintendo. The one we had to blow the hair dryer in cuz it would have moisture in it. Sheesh almost seems like a thousand years ago, not just 16.
I had been off work since the 1st of July because Ricky was due on the 4th and it just seemed easier to go ahead and start my maternity leave.My boss had to invent maternity leave for me,because no one had ever needed it before! That's a whole nuther story though.
Rachael had just come home. She had been living with her Mother in Tennessee. I remember how TALL she looked. She hadn't really been gone all that long, but she must have grown six or eight inches while she was there. Cristie was working at TacoTico and saving her money for a car and Mandi was doing that Mandi thing. Waking up happy every morning and going to the pool with her friends. Heather Moon seemed to be with us quite a bit then too. She was Mandi's friend from across the alley and her mom had just had a baby in March I think.
Anyhoo, when Richard came home for lunch that day I told him I needed to go to the hospital. That was around 1-ish I think. He went back to work to drop some stuff off and then ran an errand ( you wouldn't believe it, so I won't mention it). By the time he got home, I was dressed and about to call a cab. Remember, no cell phones back then. I couldn't get in touch with him at all!
So off we go to the hospital. Apparently every full term woman in Topeka chose that day to go into labor, because they didn't even have a room for me! I sat in some kind of equipment room with a monitor on my gigantic belly, eventually they did have a bed for me.... in a supply room. It had all the necessary stuff but it also had a big closet where they stored linens and things, there were nurses and doctors in and out getting things the whole time. They were very nice though! Asking me how things were going and stuff, so overall, I enjoyed it. Except the part where I talked the nurse into a drink of water and barfed all over the place!
Total labor time at the hospital was probably only three hours tops. That's how I wanted it! Out pops Ricky, off I go to a nice room and within minutes my Mom and Dad are there to see us. My Mom was still in the hospital so Dad just wheeled her down . A super special memory.
Richard went home and got the girls to bring them up and they came and laid on my bed ( I had a regular double bed. I think the hospital was making up to me for all the lack of rooms earlier) and played with their new little brother. It was just the best. The very best of times ever.
The next day when we went home the girls had cleaned the house ( with the help of their friends even) and I still remember the coolness of the air and the smell of peaches. Peach carpet freshener and peach candles. That fragrance, whenever I smell it, always reminds me of that day.
And now we had little Ricky at home and I started to feel like a family again. Building new memories that didn't involve such heart ache.
Thanks Ricky! Happy Birthday buddy! I love you!

On This Day....A Bit Of Kansas Trivia...Happy Independance Day!

On this day,in 1804 Lewis and Clark celebrated the 4th of July at what is now Atchison,Kansas. Their celebration included the naming of two creeks. The Fourth of July Creek and Independence Creek; firing the cannons off their boats at dawn and dusk and extra rations of whiskey. I believe we Kansans have been celebrating similarly for the ensuing 204 years! Well, except the creek naming part.
I totally love 4th of July celebrations. I love fireworks,greasy food,homemade ice cream and of course beer. Everything consumed on disposable "tableware" so there aren't dishes to wash.Majestic orchestra music played on the radio all day. The smell of gun powder and punks. Awesome! PLUS, no gift giving stress! It just doesn't get any better than that in terms of holiday celebrations. WooHoo!


On a slightly different note. What the hell is wrong with Americans today? I've been thinking about our country and the folks that populate it this morning and I almost can not believe that we are the same peoples that dumped tea in a harbor because we were pissed about oppressive taxation and a controlling government.
I wonder what the Boston Tea Partiers would think today of Americans pulling their GINORMOUS vehicles into the gas station and filling them up with with $4/gal fuel then whipping out their credit cards to pay for the whole mess.
Holy hell!
The popular thing to say is "In Canada, Europe,wherever, they pay even more than we do. We're so lucky."
Bah!
We didn't give a crap what the British were paying in taxes when we filled a harbor with tea,why do we give a crap what other countries are paying for gas?
Oh, I think we all know why. It boils down to our creature comforts. We aren't willing to give those up, now are we. After all, all the other soccer moms have big vans with dvd players in them. Poor Johnny might be made fun of at school if his Mom drove an economical vehicle and poor Johnny had to just sit in his seat and play license plate bingo instead of watching Shrek. God forbid any child should have a few minutes to actually just think and relax. They might realize that their childhood is being directed and run by ADULTS! Call a therapist ! Quick! Their autonomous feelings are being threatened!
Don't even let me get started on the Commuting insanity. I know, I know,it's very important to live miles and miles from where you work. It's a good enough place to hang out for 8 to 10 hours a day, but I wouldn't want to live there. The locals are so, well , poor and needy. Lets move to a "bedroom community" 50 or so miles away where Johnny and my soccer mom wife will have the life they deserve. I'm sure we have enough credit cards to pay for it all, and we can always transfer the balances if the pressure gets to be too much. We won't be like our parents and have cocktails every night to help us cope, (never trust anyone over 30. remember?). Instead,lets take anti-depressants and buy every pop-culture self help book on the market! That'll be better! Oh! Don't forget to give Johnny his ADHD medicine! Hey, while you're in the medicine cabinet, grab me some Prilosec. I got heart burn you wouldn't believe. Might have been that double Whopper I ate for lunch. I'm not sure...

Well, somewhere along the line, I have become completely disgusted with the excessiveness in our country. It's gross. And it's been a wonderful manipulative tool for the powers that be to swing things the way they want them to go. And yep, I'm a true "Conspiracy Theorist". Maybe our world is not quite The Matrix but it's right on track with that.
What if Rosa Parks had moved out of her seat? Rosa Parks had balls of steel and that's exactly what people need today. The guts to say Enough Already! Find me a damn harbor! I've got some tea to dump!


Happy Independence Day!
God Bless America!
She's a mess,but I love her!

Today is my birthday!

Happy Birthday to Me!

Ack! I've been away forever!

Nearly everyday I think of something I would like to write...then I don't do it and soon I forget what it was....alas,poor me.

My beautiful daughter Mandi is getting married in August in Missoula,MT. Just getting clothes,airline tickets,car rental, etc. has filled my brain to capacity. It's not that any one of those things is particularly difficult , it's just that I can only focus on one thing at a time very effectively. Argh! Good news is that the plane tickets are purchased, housing is secured, car rental, done. My dress on the other hand remains a struggle. I'm too short and wide for these formals that willowy models wear and the stuff intended for people such as myself are OLD LADY clothes! B@%*S*&@...not wearing them! I'll wear an old hippie outfit first!
Actually, I'm down to probably one of two choices. It's going to work out perfectly, I'm sure of it.

On a really cool note, my son-in-law to be, come Aug. just ran (swam, biked..I'm not sure of the appropriate way to say that he participated in... maybe that's the way!) his second IronMan triathlon. He IS Iron Man! He's a fantastic example of someone deciding what they want to be and then doing it. I'm extremely impressed. Very inspiring. Go Luis!!

Well, this pretty much explains what I've been doing with my brain for about a month now. I haven't even picked up my camera much... boohoo.. I do get to do a little shoot of Ricky's band later this week or next. I'm pretty excited about that. I actually like teenagers you know. Maybe don't broadcast that one around too much. But it's true, I enjoy their energy and zest for living. Fearless and ignorant. It's a real buzz for me. Not for a gazillion hours at a time, but in reasonable bites. In other words, I couldn't teach high school or something.

Well , that's me for today. Hopefully I'll be back in a day or two!

~Lost~

Oh my gawd! I just watched the season finale of Lost.

and now I wait HOW long for the next season?!

Locke is dead?! Claire is in California?! ( I know, I know , it was just Kate's dream..still, they showed her for a reason)

What the heck was Kate doing for Sawyer last show anyway? Was it whatever he whispered to her before he jumped off the helicopter?

And isn't there something a little odd about baby Aaron? Why do we never see a full view of him when he's awake?

Jack is the only one that makes sense.He's a tortured soul with a drinking problem, but we forgive him all that because he's gorgeous.

Going to be a long summer TV wise.. no Lost, no Heroes , no football.
I'd better learn to love baseball I guess..
bleah..

Unconscious Mutterings

1. Referral :: HMOs suck


2. Indiana :: Jones!
   


3. Foil :: fencing anyone?


4. Horizon :: Hamburgers ( it's a Topeka thing)


5. Event :: Planner


6. Sailing :: Jimmy Buffett


7. Footage :: carpet


8. Sunday :: relax!!


9. Breathtaking :: views
   


10. Dude! :: Where's my car?

blogging for the insanely lazy..
;o)

Things I Never Thought I'd Say

1. Hey, it was only $55.00 to fill the car up with gas!
2. I think I did OK today giving my deposition.
3. That's OK, I'll work my holiday. One of you guys can take off.

Three things in one week. It's been a strange week indeed. I was deposed by the *bad guys'* attorneys Tues afternoon. Very interesting actually. I think my experience as a union steward helped me to distance myself and feel kind of like an observer. I didn't feel particularly attacked as did some of the other folks that were deposed. It's the same old story that I see with Postal management. Try to find some shred of information that they can use to justify what happened. Only in this case they're trying to justify standing around with their thumbs up *you know where* while a young man died right before their eyes. Bizarre that anyone would even think this is defensible. Hmmm..

Only $55.00 to fill my gas tank. Wooowee! Of course I still had a 1/4 tank full. Still... we rejoice in what we can (dripping sarcasm)

AND! most surprising of all ( for anyone that knows me) I volunteered to work my holiday so my friend Brian could be off. The things we do for the people we care about..

All in all it was a week of new and surprising moments.

Reliving my rock and roll youth.... for just a minute.

Let the Midnight Special shine it's ever lovin light on you!

Hmmm.... so 30 years or so have fled past. How on earth did that happen? When did I become a grown-up? I don't feel much different than I did then. Arthritis etc aside! ;o)
Inside I'm the same..only actually, maybe I'm a little better. Certainly less critical. More forgiving of others. Traits that I've acquired along the way because I realized that I needed the same treatment from other people!
Anyhoo, today I feel 17, so I'm gonna let the midnight special shine it's ever lovin light on me!!!

Mothers Day

I love Mothers Day!

I didn't always love it though. I used to set unreasonable expectations, guaranteeing failure on all fronts.
What it is for me...... Mothers Day that is, is a day to treat myself to whatever strikes my fancy. A day to be thankful for my children, who are by the way the greatest kids in the universe!
A day to think about my Mom and remember some of her antics. Like the time she fell into The Dragoon Creek when we were fishing and the bank was too steep for me to help her out, and besides I was like 10 or something. Apparently I had a pretty good holler on me , cuz my Uncle heard me yelling from the farm and came running as did my Dad who was fishing on down the creek somewhere. Mom held on to a ratty old root growing out of the bank until they were able to get there and pull her out of that murky old Bullhead filled water. Anyone that knew my Mom, knows that the escapade never dampened (ha-ha!) her enthusiasm for fishing. Did I mention that she never learned to swim? Jeez, she was a nut! I miss her a lot, and I'm so glad that I have silly memories like this to think about on Mothers Day!

Happy Mothers Day to me!
It's going to be a great day!

I Got Soul but I'm Not A Soldier

Grrrrr

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
I am so annoyed with the d%&n post office!!
I'm writing this to keep from dumping all over my family.
It would help if the PO were not run by complete jackin idiots! (in Armani suits)
Does ANYONE realize that the PO will be able to raise postage every year now?! God Bless George Bush !
Oh but wait! The big mailers (read LOBBYISTS in Washington with buckets of money!), the ones that mail all that crap that gets thrown away everyday, those guys. They're going to pay even less! It all works out in the end though cuz all the Grandmas and Aunties out there will be paying more for their first class stamps to cover the loss from the jun....erm, third class mailers.
Oh and no, I can't afford an Armani Suit like the bigwigs wear. Neither do I have a private shower in my office ( oh wait, I have a locker room with no trash bags, not an office) like the wigs in Omaha, NE. And yet, who is going to hear over and over "AGAIN!!!!???" about the rate increase? You got it sister! ME! AND they will gripe about how much $ a postal worker makes (PUH_LEASE!) and even perhaps curse . Cool huh? If they treated an airline employee like that someone would call security to rough them up a bit. At the PO ....nothing.

Ok...I've ranted a bit. Guess that's all I've got to say about that right now.
God Bless Forrest Gump!

:o)



There I feel better now.


:o)

Dang, I wish I'd said that

If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange apples then you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas.

George Bernard Shaw


Why, I wonder do I enjoy reading quotes so much? I think it's because I like communication to be succinct and easy to grasp. A whole universe of ideas could stem from reading the quote above, or one like it. Gives me something to think about besides just myself and my immediate world.

Or... maybe I just have a short attention span...
:o)

Flip Flop Test

Since I'm kinda known for my flip flops....

You are an outdoorsy person. You feel most comfortable in nature. Beautiful scenery and good weather always brighten up your day. Being outside allows you to feel calm and connected to the world. Problems don't seem so big when you realize how small you are in the scheme of things. Your ideal warm weather place: Costa Rica

The Flip Flop Test

Unconscious mutterings

1. Thug ::gangsta


2. Slurp ::puppies


3. Alley ::Most Pure Heart school ( I have a rant for this one!)


4. Sweater vest ::Matt


5. Targeted ::middle class (for annihilation)


6. Snazzy ::Jaguar!


7. Oy! ::vey!


8. Jury duty ::civic stuff


9. Low fat ::salad dressing
   


10. Responsibility ::grown-ups

I Love This!

The History of Willie

Photo credit : Robert

Some months back, about last October I think, I started a project in which I was going to photograph the same object everyday for one year. I chose a wooden rooster that Richard, for reasons completely unknown to me, bought at an auction that the Kite Flyers Club in Topeka had as a fund raiser. Now that I think of it, I can't imagine why the poor old rooster was put up for auction to begin with. Well, he sat on the divider in our dining room for several weeks before the project was even conceived. Then another week or two passed as I tried to decide what object I wanted to photograph. One day my eyes fell on the poor old tattered guy and I noticed how colorful and (most importantly) how portable he was. So...that's where I began. After I took the first couple of shots, I mentioned to my son that I needed to come up with a proper name for the rooster and he told me that Dad had already named him..Willie. I thought that changing his name at that point might confuse the old guy, so I kept it. It suits him and he seems to like it. ( er...the old guy I refer to is Willie , not Richard ..snicker,snicker).Well, I truly had a blast trying to come up with themes and situations to place Willie in, but then, my life began to pick up speed and the time I had to devote to the shots was radically limited. I began using all of my spare time doing make-up shots and posts to the 365 day group. That wasn't so bad really, except that I wasn't getting much else done in my life. What really bothered me was that I would start to feel guilty about not keeping up. Harumph! yuk! Anyone that knows me (or most of my siblings) knows that guilt is such an easy path for us to follow. SO I decided to call it quits. Feeling guilty about a wooden rooster just seemed ..well... stupid. So, after much thought and even a few misty eyed moments, we posted our farewell shot. I still feel sad. Sometimes I wonder if he feels left out now. Ack! I've given him emotions! After 183 days he became my friend. A wooden friend, but a friend no less. Well, it seems that a few other people enjoyed his company too. We've seen Willie on other photo sets (in various settings) and obviously nearly related kin on more than a few, but the photo at the top is my all time favorite! I laughed so hard that I cried when I saw it! The photographer is a gentleman on flickr that I developed a friendship with because of his interest in Topeka and some special memories that he has regarding it. He's a songwriter, novelist, jumper to the boat and in a far, far away world ( prior to jumping to the boat) he was a Letter Carrier for the USPS. He's pretty funny too. So, that's the history of Willie. My good friend that just happens to be made of wood.

Unconscious mutterings

1. Questioning :: minds are good


2. Immunity :: from all blame!
   


3. Online dating ::is a very weird phenomenon


4. Calcium :: builds strong bodies


5. Dressing :: rooms are too small!


6. Bucket :: List. I want to see that movie


7. Stain :: remover


8. Advanced ::placement


9. Dramatic :: conclusion
   


10. Self-medication :: works sometimes! :o)

Unconscious mutterings

1. Upgrade:: expensive


2. Happy ending:: rare-ish
   


3. Stale:: bread


4. Tripping:: Billies


5. Working:: Man Blues


6. Explicit:: language


7. Happy place:: in the country


8. Tornado:: warnings and watches


9. Medication:: required
   


10. Muppet:: Kermit of course!

As much as I enjoy taking pictures, I love photo editing. This is one I'm rather proud of. It's three different photos layered, then cross processed. There is something very gratifying about the whole process for me...

Stop Thief!!!

I swiped my neighbors flowers!
Frost was predicted... snow flurries. She's out of town for another few weeks. It just seemed wrong to let them die.
I'm so glad I stole them!