ooops... missing photos of 'Shorty'

 
 
 
I just learned that Picasa only loads so many photos at a time. Good to know. Here is Shorty (mentioned in the previous post.)
Watching the desparation grow is sad.

Busy on the corner today

 
 
 
 
But its busy every day. Lots of folks using the phone and waiting. And waiting. And even waiting around the apt. building too. The last couple of photos is of "Shorty". Thats what I've named one woman. She has a long torso and short legs. (last two photos) She must have waited there for two hours or more. I don't know if she scored or not... when I last looked, she was gone.

We've got a bird's nest up under the eaves of the apt. behind the gutter. I'm not going to report it until I know the birds have left. The momma bird comes often and you can hear the little guys chirping with delight. Okay, maybe not delight, but it sounds nice.

Time to go do the dishes. Again.

Stood Up

I was stood up. Stood up by my friend. When I went over for our prearranged visit no one was home. I waited 45 minutes and then left her a note saying I was there and we'll need to reschedule for another time. She does her weekly shopping on Saturday so I thought perhaps she had just been delayed. But I fear I was forgotten. Let me tell you, thats a real boost to the ole sense of worth, but I can understand it. After all, we're both seniors.

Yesterday I also found out my daughter-in-law had had her baby a few weeks ago. Her sister told me and she looked completely surprised that no one had let me know. Clearly she doesn't have a good understanding of our family dynamics. We don't have any. No one let me know about the delivery of his other five children so I wasn't expecting anything now, either.

I'm not a warm and fuzzy person. I feel I'm pretty adaptable to my surroundings, but my mother wasn't a warm and fuzzy person either... so there ya go. My father was a rapist. When I was in my 50's I asked my mother how I came to be. She said she was date-raped (drugged and raped by a guy in the service) and ended up pregnant with me. This was in the early 1940s. Back then everything was always the woman's fault and having a child out of wedlock was something to talk about in whispers.

Also back then a woman had to lay flat on her back for 10 days after delivery. Or at least my mother did. How does one take care of a newborn (bond) and stay flat on their back? Add to that... my mother had a very painful breast infection. Is it no wonder we were never too close. I have sympathy for her now that I'm older and an inch wiser.

I think I must resemble my sperm "donor" because my mother was smallish, had curly hair, and was neat and tidy. Think of the opposite and that would be me.

My mother passed in 2000. I had three dreams of her, space apart somewhat. With each one she became happier and happier. That was reassuring for me and I'm glad. I wish her well.

(Phone rings. Its my friend puffing from rushing...apologetic for not being there. She had expected me to call first, as I usually always do, because she had done someone a favor by taking them shopping and it took longer than planned. It didn't even dawn on me to call first. I find that interesting. Creating my own situations. Anyway, I reassured her that all was well, not to worry about it. I'm just grateful that it was because she was helping someone out and not because she forgot about me. If I had had a cell phone she would have been able to reach me. Anyway... I'm heading out the door again, feeling a lot better... and thinking there's a lesson in here somewhere. See ya later.)

Oprah Interviews Esther Hicks/Abraham

Oprah has interviewed Esther Hicks, who brings through Abraham, and here is where the three part interview (audio) can be found. I will be putting this link on the sidebar as well for future access.

Meandering

Its been pretty quiet around here, but not at our Last Thursday art walk. We have several 'first' and 'last' Thursday/Friday art walks around here. Last Thursday on Alberta Street had some excitement last night. From news reports and my personal experience of Last Thursday it seems a bunch of people hung around after the 'walk' to enjoy dancing in the street. One intersection was reported to have had 200 people in it and traffic could not move at all. A fight broke out and police were called. They must have called for backup right away after seeing how many people were there.

One office used a tazer on one of the fighters. He put his tazer down to arrest the man. That was his first mistake... putting the tazer down. Someone picked it up and the officer pulled his gun on the would-be thief. Thats when the crowd got out of hand and started throwing bottles and things at the police and backup swarmed in with riot gear. Even undercover police were on site.

A couple of young people interviewed (they showed only 2 or 3 seconds of them talking) said the police over reacted. There have been times I've seen police activity and thought they over reacted.... but I do want to say with a mob once they get all worked up its hard to get it quiet again. I'm on the fence with this one, especially since I wasn't there. In any event, its all quiet now.

On another note... I don't use my dishwasher, mainly because its easier just to wash things off myself. Last night I decided to give the dishwasher another try. The first couple of times I used it, right after moving in, it didn't get the dishes clean and things smelled of soap. Someone suggested it might be the cheap soap I was using. I got something better ... but that apparently was not the problem. The dishes still came out smelling like soap. Besides, it took 30-45 minutes for the dishwasher to complete its cycle (without drying time) and it only takes me 15 minutes washing by hand. And there is no soap smell. I'll continue with my hands-on approach. After all I only have four dishes, bowls, and saucers (4 each). It can be a struggle just getting a full load.

I hope to get a load of laundry done today. Yes. This is what I have to write about, but getting some laundry done is always a hilite in my world.

Tomorrow I'm going to visit a friend and I'm looking forward to it. I need to get out. I've been sitting in this apt. way too long. One needs to get out among people once in a while to keep a balanced perspective.

Doodling

 
I was inspired to try some ink and watercolor 'doodles' by this person's project. (sorry, I can't remember her name. My bad.) I've got to do more to loosen up. And just to say... I don't like uploading from Picasa because I can't do a copy/paste in the posting box. Bummer! (Thought I'd mention that Crazy Aunt Purl had over 700 comments on her blog entry when she announced her book deal. And the comments portion broke for a while.

Ole Crazy Aunt Purl went and did it!

That ole Crazy Aunt Purl went and did it. She went and wrote a book. And she didn't tell anyone until now. I'm so excited for her!!

I've been following Crazy Aunt Purl for years now, although I don't think I've commented more than once. I've enjoyed her blog very much and love her writing. I've laughed a lot with her and had to swiped a tear or two a couple of times. I've often thought she should write a book.

I wish her all the luck in the world... and I'll be keeping my eye out to see if she gets to go on a book tour that includes morning talk shows.

Rain drops keep falling on my head....

Almost literally. Water is dripping from my overhead light fixture in the kitchen. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. I went up to talk to my neighbor who lives above me.

Now kiddies, don't try this at home. Leave it to the professionals, okay?

The neighbor has soap suds all over her kitchen floor.... coming from her dishwasher. She confessed, too. Tried to make a plea deal. She was out of dishwasher soap. You know where this is going, don't you. She mixed up a little 'manual' dish soap with some shampoo and tried using it in the dishwasher. Now she's a few minutes older and more wiser. And water continues to drip from my ceiling.

So just remember... don't try this at home!

A short political rant

The news reported about President Bush's weekly radio program and his comments about the situation of Virginia Tech... a compassionate statement from the government. I have serious doubts about the president's ability to connect the dots. Federal funding for people-oriented programs have been drastically cut, if not removed all together. This includes funding for mental health. Is the president able to connect the dots between a mentally ill student killing 32 people and the lack of mental health facilities? External appearances would indicate 'no'. I believe this is what the president means when he "empowers the people". It means you're on your own.

If you were thinking of sending the president a paint-by-numbers kit for Christmas, you may want to rethink it. I wouldn't send any puzzles, either. I'm just saying.

Gawd I hope the democrates come up with a viable candidate... but I'm not holding my breath. One politician is the same as another politician.... or a horse by any other name would be called a jackass.

The Ole Watering Hole

 
 
 
 
Now that the house next door has been removed, I have a clearer view of the street. The store on the other side of the street has a public phone on its wall. Its used often. Sometimes very often. (phone is the black spot in the pictures.)

Many people come and use the phone and then hang out on the corner. Waiting for drugs would be my guess. I'm beginning to recognize some of the people. Well, recognize their clothing, anyway. In the last picture there are two people waiting. The short one is a female and she's out there waiting every day.

Whazzup in the Hood

 
 
 
 
This couple, with their pit bull, apparently comes to visit the woman who lives above me. Everything about their appearance and actions screams street druggies. I know. I know. Don't judge a book, but come on now... it doesn't take a meterologist to tell you its raining when you're standing there soaked to the bone.

When they left the apartment, they spent a few minutes hanging around on the corner. The guy changed or rather removed his jacket and shirt. (It was a little warm yesterday.) The guy then went across the street to talk to the person waiting there for a minute. (I'm guessing the wait was for a dealer.) A few minutes later the woman who lives upstairs left walking... thats her walking past the woman sitting on the ground. It didn't look like the women spoke to each other. I found that interesting.

The downside of warm weather is the increase in street activity around here.... at all hours of the day and night. But it does give me a few things to watch, something to do.

The Art of the Onion

Is It Over Yet?

Some things are over and others are not. The stunned reaction to the tragedy of Virginia Tech is beginning to fade, but standing behind it are all the following steps of grief. And for the families and close friends of the people directly involved, it will never be over. They and their loss are held gently in our hearts.

One thing that is over is Clyde, the Glide, Drexler. No longer will he have to dance to the tune of another. He has finally been voted off Dancing with the Stars. And he looked happy about it, too. hahahahahaha (no. I do not have a kernel of corn stuck in my keyboard. that is me laughing. well you don't look all that cool either when you laugh!) And, as I remember him, he remained a kind and gracious gentleman as he spoke his goodbyes. (I think I could actually see him mentally packing his bags and running for the airport.)

I heard Clyde had turned down two or three prior offers to appear on Dancing but his kids finally talked him into doing it. (Maybe he lost a bet.) In any event, it was nice to see him again.

Yawning is permitted if you do not follow the show. I've had my own yawns as I read other blogs commenting on TV shows, so I completely understand. And its over now.

Oh... one last thing, though. Guess who was a guest performer on the show? Macy Gray. And I had just discovered her voice a couple of days ago. Not a particularly "great" singing voice, but a unique voice. (like Rod Stewart)

Macy Gray

Macy Gray, Singer. Songwriter. Mother. Clothing somethingorother. I just heard an interview on NPR with Macy Gray. I'd not heard of her before. She has a very unusual voice. If you want to give her a listen, NPR has some clips for you.

The End of an Era?

Imus has been fired from CBS, now too. I don't have an opinion about whether or not his Rutger comments should have cost him his job. I don't have even an inkling of all the information needed to make a decent decision about it. But it certainly sends a message. You piss off the sponsors and you're outta here! Don't mess with my money. After all, Imus has been on the radio for 38 yrs or so, spewing out statements said in hateful terms. And he apparently has a whole lot of fans. He's gotten away with this kind of behavor for so long......

Call me a pancake. Two sides. I'm glad such a mean spirited and hurtful radio program is off the air. But its also a serious blow to the face (not to mention the ego) to a guy who a lot of people say is a "good man", beyond his ramblings.

However, CBS' initial response of two weeks off was nothing more than an unscheduled vacation. But I don't know if a longer suspension would have been any better. Imus has been on the carpet before, has been repentful before, apologetic before, but the nature of the beast always finds its way to the surface, given enough time. And thats what they were paying him to be or do.

I DO think, though, that once the dust has settled, that Imus and the basketball team deserve a huge THANK YOU for being instruments to bring attention to the still hidden racism that still exists in most of us. I heard the radio blunder and to me it did not seem that Imus intended his comments to be taken as a put-down. But what it did do is to bring up the buried racism that still exists. And you can't clean something if you can't get to it.

I should end this post here, but no matter.... I also want to mention that I'm not particularly a fan of Al Sharpton or Jackson. Personally, I think they are opportunists who jump into the spotlight, given the slightest opportunity, screaming "FOUL FOUL" and acting like they represent all people of color. I don't think so. But again... what do I know about it. Nothing.

The Chalk Guy

The Chalk Guy is a motivational speaker who uses art and humor and a little bit of storytelling to inspire and motivate. Go to chalkguy dot com. He also has a couple of other videos that have sample excerpts from his speaking engagements. Just use The Chalk Guy as your search key.

In List Mode

*I don't like Charmin toilet paper. Its like wiping your ass with a bed sheet. A 500 thread count sheet.

*Imus. Just another day at the park for him. I don't listen to his radio show. Too mean and bitchy for me. A friend of mine once told me she listens to him on her way to work and that sometimes he's just outrageously funny. That prompted me to listen. After all, I didn't want to miss any laughs. But I did. I found him arrogantly obnoxious and demeaning. I only listened a few days. All I can say is apparently there are enough people who can relate to him to keep him on the air. And thats a scary thought, to be sure. What I find interesting is that Imus' racial/sexual slur happened just a few months after Michael Richards' (Kramer.) complete melt down. Makes me wonder if the Universe is manipulating things so we take a good look at our complacency.

*I've got to get my car tags updated. Have I whined about this before? I'm bringing it up here because I had forgotten about it again... and I was reminded. Maybe I'll see how lucky I am by not updating them until May. Question is, would that be May of 2007 or 2008? I'm not sure yet.

*It works out better if I post a blog entry BEFORE going by my favorite sites. That can take a few hours sometimes and by the time I'm done, I'm done with the pc.

*I can't find my painter's tape. Waaah. Looks like it might be time to pick up things around here.

*"Whether you are painting or singing or acting or dancing, do it with passion. Do it every day and do it like you don't need the money." from John Ferrie's comments to the Painters Key newsletter.

*I'm currently testing the Law of Attraction with a specific request. I'd share the request but I think that would be manipulation. Besides, its a selfish request.

*I think I'm done with this list now. How are your lists going? I have a friend who always makes a list of things she needs to get done. She likes crossing things off. I tried it a couple of times but kept losing my list.

Clyde The Glide

He can't dance! He's still my man... still a gentleman, but dang, bulldog.... he can't dance.

The judges seem to be brutally honest, however, their scoring doesn't always match their critiques. But what the hey... its a popularity contest anyway.

I was glad to hear Clyde say something about the judging cause it certainly seems like they are judging professionals and these celebrities are NOT professional. They (the judges) don't give any slack. But the bottom line is... the man is not a dancer. And I don't really know how committed he is because I know the show is edited for the audience.

One of the judges said his moves were all the same... for all the dances. And I agree, but it is the choreographer who creates the steps, so....

I'm still a big fan of Clyde's and I still think he's classy. He just can't dance. Lets get it over with so I can go back to watching my regular programming. And Clyde can get back to his golf game.

It IS Possible

You can make your own vision statement... for a small penny. However, you can also make your vision statement in other formats, like collage, art, written word, etc. If you want to see other people's "vision statement", use it as a search key at youtube.

Law of Attraction. The Secret. Ask and It Is Given.

Another variation of "The Secret", more commonly known as the Law of Attraction or Birds of a Feather or "Get up from there!! You're going to get fleas, for gawd sake!!" Bottom line, I wanted to test this process of embedding.

OH! This is going to be FUN.

Illustration Friday : Green

My first entry for Illustration Friday. There was finally a subject matter, Green, that triggered a memory for me... this frog, which was done several years ago. "Hey... He's green!"

This pastel sketch was inspired by a splattering of white paint and dirt on an old shovel sitting in a storage shed. Every time I went into the shed and looked at the shovel, all I could see was this frog grinning back at me. Since I'm such a quick study, after several months, I finally decided to 'record' my vision. And once my 'vision' had been done I could no longer see the frog in the paint splatter. I found that very interesting.... its very interesting how sight and mind work together. Or don't.

You Little Honey, bucket

 
Only thing that was left behind was a honey bucket. And the street people have not let it go to waste. I don't know how these things work, but I'm thinking this stall has got to be getting pretty full.

Nuttin' goin' on 'round here. One day dips into the next.

I couldn't sleep last night. I slept good during the day, but I was wide awake from 11pm until... well, until now. How did poker get to be so "popular", anyway? And ohmygawd, is that Gab Kaplan from Welcome Back Kotter???? What the hell happened to him!? I didn't recognize him at all. I had to wait until someone called him by name.

Speaking of what the hell happened? I saw Curt Russell on Jay Leno the other night. (00) All I could do was mutter "but...but...where's Curt??" Curt wasn't anywhere to be seen. There was just a plain older man sitting there. Someone you wouldn't notice in the grocery store. It was kind of sad. (for those too young, I'm talking about Curt Russell from Goldie Hawn fame. And if that doesn't jog your memory then you're just too young to be reading this blog!)

We all peak at different times. The lucky ones just don't peak in front of the whole world.