What The *Bleep*

What The *#$& Do We Know... I missed seeing it in the theatre. For full effect, it needs a huge screen with the sound so loud it makes your liver quiver. A day late and a dollar short, again. What can I say....

I just got done viewing it on my pc. I don't have a DVD player which is okay cause my TV isn't all that great anyway. I'm just glad my pc has a DVD player in it.

Have you seen it? If not, I highly recommend it... and if you are at all curious about the world and how everything works (some of which are theories) you will probably want to view it several times. I have not yet viewed the special features so perhaps more suprises await. I'll watch it tomorrow.

Imagine my surprise when I began seeing Portland in the background. "Hey...Hillsboro...Goose Hollow?!? This must have been filmed in Portland!" Duh, I'm real quick that way. The city looked very beautiful. Shots of the Willamette River and the skyscrapers beyond... the water fountains in Tom McCall Water Front Park... the Hawthorne Bridge... the Max mass transit system... the South Park blocks... the Bagdad Theater on Hawthorne street. None of the dirt showed anywhere. Some of it might have been filmed in other cities as well. I didn't recognize some of the backgrounds, but I don't know every nook and cranny around here... or even there.

I don't want to speak about the film message because I need to view it several more times. There are many things that I can't wrap my mind around yet. And there were other comments that made me think 'hey...that's just what I was thinking!'

I was pleasantly surprised to see the credits at the end of the film scrolling slow enough so that you could actually read them. Many 'knowledgable' people spoke, including Ramtha. (JZ looks like she might have had some plastic done... I'd like to see an older photo of her to compare... Just out of curiousity, of course. She was always beautiful, however.) I found it interesting that Ramtha was billed as the authority and JZ's name was listed after... 'channeled by JZ Knight'. To me its a sign of growth when the non-physical entity(s) is acknowledged as the presenter. The credits also stated that many of the "authorities" did not necessarily agree with each other and/or the message of the film. Say it boldly, say it proud. Don't hide the fact.

The actress is deaf. I noticed her ears were on the large size, or at least they looked large in certain scenes. I found it ironic. *Note added later: upon second viewing I see that the ear was being exaggerated on purpose by film makers.

Anyway... just touting the film long after its time. Maybe you needed a reminder that you wanted to see it, too. Your welcome.

"Hello Wall"

Call me Shirley. Shirley Valentine. She talked to walls and occasionally made friends with rocks, too. I loved her in Greece. I loved her courage and who she turned out to be underneath it all.

"Hello Wall...."

You Go Oprah!!

Oprah's on your trail, sex offender, and she's coming to get you. God bless her. Her dander's up and she's going to get some of the most stupid laws changed. If she isn't able to, then we all need to hang our heads with shame. I can't believe how so many of these sick people currently get out of jail.

And what the hell is up with these stupid female teachers having sexual relations with a student. Stick them in with the male sex offenders, too! Stupid stupid females. But thank god we have viagra so when at least the men get too old to "get it up", there's medical help for them to continue raping.

Okay....oooommmmmmmm ohmmmmmmmm breathe deeply... cool down. Ohmmmmmmmmm.

Onto more mundane things. I decided to have a spur-of-the-moment yard sale. This may be the last decent day, weather wise. I only made one sale, but it made me enough for what I needed. And besides, the day was beautiful and I got to absorb vitimin D from the sun without it being too hot.

About 75% of the houses around here are up for sale. I wonder how many of those decisions were made because the neighborhood is going down hill. Too much drug activity. There's a huge new apartment complex across the street and it looks like someone (or maybe more) living there is selling. Of course, that's just based on skeleton people parking their cars down the side street and walking to the apartment complex. In a little while, back they come and leave. Could be just coincidence. Yeah, right. And I could be a nice person, too. (soft snickering is heard in the background.)

Did you see the msn article about the remains of a 'hobbit-like' person being found? Its not the first one discovered. It made me think of Jean Auel's book, Clan of the Cave Bear. She had two different species of homo sapiens in the book. Then I thought about faries but I think they are suppose to be even smaller. Who knows... certainly not I.

I just have to say it again... What a perfect day this was. Thank you!

Moving Day!

Its moving day for one of the apartments here. Its the one that has the most activity and arguments going on 24/7. In fact this morning at 5:30am somebody stomped off yelling obscenities as she left.

'The sun will come out tomorrow...bet your bottom dollar, tomorrow...'

I know, a career in singing is not in my future.

Protection from the Protectors Needed

Who would want to go to New Orleans? I mean under normal circumstances... no hurricanes or flooding. I guess one way of looking at it is the police hold a tight rein on the public. No public intoxication allowed. On Bourbon Street no less. I thought that was the draw for the French Quarter... get down and get drunk on your drug of choice. However, it looks like the upstanding police department isn't going to allow it. They will beat you and beat you hard. And we all know how dangerous an intoxicated 64 yr old overweight man can be. The really sad part of the police beating is that it happens all over, not just in New Orleans or LA.

Police said Davis, 64, of New Orleans, was booked on public intoxication, resisting arrest, battery on a police officer and public intimidation. He was treated at a hospital and released into police custody.

Resisting arrest... that probably came as he tried to keep his leg from being broken by one of the "officers" or because he tried not to fall flat on his face as they dragged him down. Those intoxicated guys can be really fast on their feet. And 'battery on a police officer'.... I bet it was because his head bounced off the cement wall too far and it touched an officer's fist. He should have known not to let his head bounce, drunk or not. But I couldn't see anything resembling public intimidation. Maybe he mumbled something along the lines of 'watch out, I'm falling on you' just to scare them.

"...the department, long plagued by allegations of brutality and corruption..."

My question still stands..... why would anyone want to go to New Orleans?

"In Her Shoes"

Have you seen the Cameron Diaz' interviews about her recently released movie "In Her Shoes"? I came across the (book)author's blog a while ago. Who's the author you ask? Well its none other than SnarkSpot, aka Jennifer Weiner (pronounced Wyner). It looks like Jennifer is making all the promo interviews associated with marketing but so far I seemed to have missed them. She's going to be on Tony Danza Monday. I hope I remember it.

I'm enjoying reading about her success. What fun it must be!

Sunday Afternoon

Miss me? Its been a couple of days. How quickly our intentions fall to the wayside, however, there just hasn't been anything to talk about. Not publically, anyway. Actually, that's just a teaser. There hasn't been anything to talk about privately, either. How exciting can it be to take out the garbage. Yeah, I thought so too.

If something comes to mind, believe me... you'll be the first to hear about it. Enjoy your Sunday and if you don't, lie about it.

Thursday's Thirteen #9

Thursday's Thirteen
13 Morsels About The Crusty Crone

1. Its 7:21am here and Leanne's list already has three other bloggers' links posted. What time to they get up... 3am? I think Leanne and I are in the same time zone.....

2. My daughter and I had a quick "head-butt" yesterday but soothed it over later in the day with both of us seeing the other person's point of view. It doesn't change the situation any but at least we each acknowledged the other.

3. The situation is/was over my daughter acting like she has a car when she doesn't. She drives mine like it belongs to her. I'm trying to help the car last a decade without major maintenance by using it sparingly and she's driving it as though its suppose to be driven every day. Both every valid perspectives.

4. Do I want to be happy or do I want to be right? I want both! Guess I'll settle for happy and let go. The guilt of being 'mean' doesn't feel good. The idea of ending up walking to the grocery store doesn't feel good either, though. Sigh.

5. Thursday's are my best TV night. There's Oregon Art Beat followed by The Apprentice.

6. I purposely stay away from murder/crime tv shows. This means I often am watching very stupid sit-coms, but that's okay with me.

7. I use to like the Today Show but lately Katie Couric gets on my nerves. Someone must have told her to put words in people's mouths and to "juice it up". She's becoming Charlie Rose.

8. I bought some needles and thread for mending. The mending still waits for me.

9. I wanted to have a small yard sale but the weather isn't cooperating. Maybe this Sunday.

10. Sometimes my snoring wakes me up.

11. I usually sleep five hours a night and relish naps during the day. (notice the 's'?)

12. I use to be able to nap at work during lunch time. I'd close the door to my office, put my feet up on the desk, and get a cat nap in... it was very refreshing. If the weather was nice I would go to my car for the nap. Its nice to be able to sleep wherever you want.

13. I'm out of Nag Champa incense. Not good. I've been using some air fresheners I got from the Dollar Store... that will gag you!

Another day

I splurged.....

I just got back from "creative grocery shopping". Time will tell about how creative I was, but it was a good trip. I did splurge and get some coffee and one box of my favorite coffee flavoring. So I'll have my spendy coffee while supping on two cases of Top Ramen noodles. Bwah ha ha ha ha

I got the refrigerator cleaned and it didn't take a lot of effort. Its an old clunker but it seems to continue on and on.

I dropped off the rent check while I was out and asked the secretary how much longer it was going to be before the two neighbors (both apts. have crack addicts living there) have to move. She didn't know about one of them, but the other apt. folks are going to fight the eviction. (They are probably thinking it will give them a little more time.) These are the worse ones of the two... strange people milling around all day and night, arguments every day and a lot of nights. There's broken glass and trash all over the street from their cronies. People going to the front door and the back door...boxes of belongings stacked up against the back wall... people trying to sell you things that you just know they stole. Right now there's stomping going on that shakes the floors to all of the apts here (six of them). The man and woman who rented the apt started off with having a older car for her to drive and a flatbed truck for the guy. First the car was towed away and then the truck seemed to be gone. I don't wish them bad things, but I don't want to live around them and I was here first.

My grandson Darius had his second birthday Sunday. And all the parents survived having a gazillion kids in a small apt. All the kids sat around the table while the cake was brought out. One candle in the shape of a two was lit. Darius' eyes went wide as he saw it and then he started patting the table in front of him. 'Put it here...right here in front of me!' But he got all shy and covered his face when the birthday song was sung. And he did an excellent job of blowing the candle out. oh..and an excellent job opening up his presents, too. Good thing his mom bought him two things cause a lot of the folks didn't bring anything except their appetites. He had a blast, though. All those kids to play with... he was in heaven.

One moment he's a little sweetheart doing something nice...like running to give me a hug when I arrived. (birthday was at a friend's place) Then the next moment he might throw something at you. Luckily he's still a weak thrower and his aim sucks. I hope his mom makes it through his teen years.


Is it any wonder we're confused?

A Way To Fix Social Security

(This reminder came to me in an email. I was aware of how things work regarding retirement benefits but its not something I keep in my thoughts all the time. I wonder how many voters are aware of it.)

Our Senators and Congresswomen do not pay into Social Security and, of course, they do not collect from it. You see, Social Security benefits were not suitable for persons of their rare elevation in society. They felt they should have a special plan for themselves. So, many years ago they voted in their own benefit plan. In more recent years, no congressperson has felt the need to change it. After all, it is a great plan.

For all practical purposes their plan works like this:

When they retire, they continue to draw the same pay until they die. Except it may increase from time to time for cost of living adjustments.

For example, Senator Byrd and Congressman White and their wives may expect to draw $7,800,000.00 (that's Seven Million, Eight-Hundred Thousand Dollars), with their wives drawing $275,000.00 during the last years of their lives. This is calculated on an average life span for each of those two dignitaries.

Younger dignitaries who retire at an early age, will receive much more during the rest of their lives. Their cost for this excellent plan is $0.00. NADA....ZILCH....

This little perk they voted for themselves is free to them. You and I pick up the tab for this plan. The funds for this fine retirement plan come directly from the General Funds; "OUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK"!

From our own Social Security Plan, which you and I pay (or have paid) into every payday until we retire (which amount is matched by our employer)we can expect to get an average of $1,000 per month after retirement. Or, in other words, we would have to collect our average of $1,000 monthly benefits for 68 years and one (1) month to equal Senator Bill Bradley's benefits!

Social Security could be very good if only one small change were made. That change would be to:

Jerk the Golden Fleece Retirement Plan from under the Senators and Congressmen. Put them into the Social Security plan with the rest of us then sit back..... and see how fast they would fix it.

Kansas' Hateful God

I saw on the news the other day that some "good christians" from Kansas brought their hateful god to Oregon. I wish outsiders wouldn't do that... we have plenty of hateful people here already. We don't need more.

One of our high schools is deciding what plays they will be doing later in the season. One of the plays under consideration is about the teenager Allen Sheppard who was beaten to death because he was gay. The "good christians" apparently felt they had to bring their hateful god here to protest it. And please remember, its not me saying God is hateful... it is these Kansas christians who say it.

Their picket signs said "GOD HATES FAGS", "FAGS WILL GO TO HELL", and their young daughter, around 8 yrs old, held a sign that said "RITA WAS PUNISHMENT". I assume it meant hurricane Rita was God's punishment. I can only wonder what mental and emotional turmoil this child will go through after she lives a 'perfect life so god loves her' and a tornado comes through and flattens her house. It will be a message that god hates her and that she is bad.

The news people talked to the mother briefly who was very confident in her beliefs. Apparently she felt the teenage boy deserved to be beaten to death and that he is in hell now because god hates him. I hope none of her children or grandchildren turn out to be gay. She might kill them.

I am always taken aback when confronted with such ignorance. Its scary, very scary. This happened a couple of days ago. I couldn't write about it then because I was outraged.

May God have mercy on their souls. They know not what they do.... but you can't tell them that! And God save me from christians.

More 'This and That'

Fall is officially here in my neck of the woods. For fall to be "official" it must be raining, which it is. And according to the prognosticators it will rain for the next five days. The great part is that, rain or not, its a mild day. I'm sitting here with the front window open, window fan on low, and theres an opened window at the back of the apartment for a nice cross-ventilation. Now how damn interesting is that!

So many young people today seem to be totally...TOTALLY...spoiled without a clue as to what it means to be a responsible adult and to support one's self. Mommy and Daddy gives them everything they want. Not need...but what they want. "Oh mommmie, I must have this $3,000 purse." WTF?! I hold a belief that these spoiled people are not the norm... even if I'm wrong, don't tell me, k?

Top Ramen Noodles... what a deal. They taste good, are fast and easy to fix, and cheap. I buy them by the case and get several bags of frozen mixed veggies of some kind. When heating the water for the noodles I put in a portion of the frozen veggies and when water/veggies are boiling, in go the noodles for three minutes. (I crush the noodles before cooking because I don't like long strands falling off the spoon or fork.) After cooking I let the veggie-noodles sit for a while so the juice can be absorbed. And there's lunch or dinner. Its a good way of getting some veggies into my 2 yr old grandson, too. He likes the noodles and doesn't seem to notice the vegetables.

I'm babysitting tonight. My daughter doesn't go out very often and this will give her a chance to get away. I don't ask where she goes, who she's with, or what she does. I don't want to know... I worry enough as it is. However, she doesn't get to use my car when she goes out. No way Jose.

Still raining......

Thursday's Thirteen #8

Thursday's Thirteen
Crusty's Thirteen Morsels

1. I hate to see a pen left around without a cap on it or without it being retracted. Don't people know how important a pen is? It's mightier than a sword, especially when writing poison-pen notes.

2. I use to be nice.

3. I use to be dumber.

4. I have three old pairs of reading glasses. Its a good thing too, because my "regular" glasses broke. I was in my fifties when I began needing glasses. My arms weren't long enough.

5. Even with glasses on I can not read the directions on medicine bottles. Whats up with that? "I bet I can get 1,000 words on this little 1x1 inch label!"

6. I love PBS, but I have not contributed to any of their fundraisers. Shame on me.

7. I love the color Banana Yellow on walls. Its a happy color. I rent so now I live with white walls. Well, except for the places the grandson can reach.

8. I keep things I don't need right now because I might need them later.

9. I'm out of coffee, gulp. And I still have some coffee flavoring left to use. Damn.

10. Yesterday was a crabby day...for everyone.

11. The crackheads are still here. How long does it take for an eviction to be completed!! They argue 24 hrs a day. They're awake for 24 hrs a day. They are skeletons.

12. I visited a friend last Saturday and she fixed dinner. Marinated baked salmon with asparagus. So healthy and so YUMMMMMMMY!

13. One of the crackheads is now on the back porch shooting a pellet gun at a makeshift target. I think its a pellet gun...it uses air to shoot. He's a bad shot.

Here are a few other Thursday's Thirteens to check out:
Leanne's
MommaK
E's Retrospect
Interstellar's Adventure

WTF?!

From someone in 'Nawlins'....

Demolition workers said that they are being paid $35 an hour. However, when they worked at rebuilding after Hurricane Ivan they were allowed to work overtime. For the Hurricane Katrina rebuilding they are only allowed to work 40 hours a week. Nevertheless, they anticipate that they will be in town for 6 months and they are thankful for the “endless supply of FEMA money.”

Your tax dollars at work... your government at play.

If we knew only half of what our government does with the money we work hard for I bet Washington DC would be burned to the ground. Of course, if you are making over $100,000 a yr then you'll have that tax cut that's suppose to be creating all kinds of jobs. I just don't know how someone with a personal income of over a $100,000 creates jobs. I can see it for the business sector, but not personal income.

Then there's the $300 a night hotel rooms booked by FEMA.

But if we all tighten our belts and not drive anywhere, then the rich will have enough gas for their Hummers.

I smell a revolution in the making. Its not a strong smell, but it still stinks.

Dylan

I watched American Masters on PBS last night. It was about Bob Dylan. I was impressed. Impressed not only by how well the program was put together but with Dylan himself.

I am not a folk music fan. To me folk singing is okay but nothing to write home about. However, it (folk singing) was a major component of the Sixties and the upheaval of the times.

This skinny little white boy, Dylan, did not have a strong singing voice. But it seems what he was good at was opening up to the cosmos and allowing the songs/words that needed to be said to come through him. And these words helped move civilization up a few steps on the stairs. He did not censor himself. He did not critique his creativity. He allowed the words to come and to be sung. And he seemed not to give a fig about what others thought of him. That, my friend, is a treasure indeed. To be free of "public opinion".

He was heard to say he often did not know what the song meant as he wrote them, but to those hearing the lyrics the words would touch a place in their hearts and bring about many layers of meaning to the listener.

How many times do we stop ourselves from creating anew. How many times do we criticize our efforts and throw them away. The Universe tries to express itself through the only animal currently able to use many modes of expression... but we close it down.

Open your mind. Do not stop to think about what you are creating. Do not stop to think about what others will think. Simply EXPRESS YOURSELF and then move on to a new moment in time which is waiting for another dose of full expression. Even the lowly dandilion is a full expression.

This and That

Government is so big it takes a week of Sundays just for it to turn around and scratch its own ass. There's a lot more wrong with FEMA besides Brown. Too many chiefs, too many 'authorizations' required, too many levels of bullshit to wade through. And talk about waste. Rumor has it that FEMA booked up 190 rooms of a hotel/motel (?) at 300% the going rate. Now why was it necessary to overpay? If you're booking one room or all the rooms, why does FEMA have to pay more for it? Is it because of, oh I don't know... GREED? Now there's talk of paying church associated volunteers for volunteering. I don't have a viewpoint on this cause I don't know anything about it... but doesn't that take away the point of 'volunteering'? Some church organizations are saying "no" but I hear a lot of other good Christians want in on the government bale-out, since they're flinging money all over except to the people who need it. Our society is so convoluted I get motion sickness just thinking about it.

I like Gregory Grenon's art work. He paints in reverse on glass (or plexi glass). I searched the web for examples of his work but none of the photos do it justice. There's a certain amount of 'realness' and life-energy coming from the portraits... maybe because we view them in reverse.

The weather is grey and overcast. We are suppose to have some sun this afternoon. It better hurry up or it will be too late. Rainy day blues.......Stormy weather..... consciousness streaming. Sorry.

(added later)How to promote yourself/website/artwork.

Thought I would also mention I added two more links, both virtual art pads for your amusement and enjoyment. Check out the links section on the right.

"Saying no can be the ultimate self-care."
Claudia Black

(geesh, I've had to come back three times to fix or add things. sigh)

They Aren't Swallows, But What The Hell....

I had a post ready to go earlier today but lost it. It was just a chitchat note saying how beautiful the weather has been for several weeks.

We may not have Swallows migrating here, but we do have Swifts. They come swooping in all together and stay in a grade school chimney for a month or so. Here's a short news article about it.

Hurricane Watch

I got up this morning expecting to check out our local news program for the latest developments with the Gulf Coast and Hurricane Rita... and nothing. We had a golf tournament going on...WTF?!

All during the week it was nothing but coverage of the preparations. "What? There's another hurricane coming? Lets send all our news anchors down there so they can be in the eye of the storm and report on it. Oh, wait.... its the weekend. Never mind."

Normally we have a local three-hour newscast on one of the channels Saturday and Sunday. (Don't ask me why its for three hours. I guess its a recap of the week's news.) Today we have golf. I guess this is where it could be said "no news is good news".

I did come across some live coverage from the Houston area. If you're interested, just click on the headline that says "Live Video" and you'll be able to see their newscast. Also, if you're into watching cams here is a site with lots of them listed. (and I don't know anything about the 'adult live' cam so don't ask me.) You can click anywhere on the "map" and a list of cams from that area will come up. It looks like a lot of the sites have cam "photos"... if you want "live" cams, check that column of the table.

Hope you have a good Saturday. If you don't, just lie about it. Thanks

Edit: forget that cam link above... here's a list of live cams from the Texas area and most of them are live.

Thursday's Thirteen #7

Crusty's Thirteen Morsels

1. Its not easy coming up with thirteen things.

2. Its time for me to get out of the house. I can feel the walls closing in on me. My thinking is getting petty.

3. I finally got some scissors with the thought of cutting my hair. I haven't done it yet. Once its cut then there's the upkeep... more cutting, trimming, cussing.

4. I need a transplant. A personality transplant.

5. I made several ATCs. Oh Yuck. Worse than 'yuck. I used Tombow pens because of ease, but they don't blend well. I also used a rapidoliner pen thinking the ink would be permanent. Not so, the ink smudged with the Tombow pens.

6. I just took half an hour to go read other blogs.

7. I watched part of Martha's show. Reality my ass. It looks like the producers have encouraged people to be assholes. "Now when you're in the conference room I want you to argue and get passionate. And when the other creep is fired, put on a smug look, k?"

8. And Martha smiling at employees... its always looked incongruous to me.

9. Now Tyra Banks thinks she's a psychologist. I know, I know... just turn it off. And that's what I just did.

10. I drag raced my Camero a few times.... back in my youth. That was a cool car... 1972 Camero... the Bullet. It was so low to the ground I often just rolled out of it.

11. One more tv thing... I can't believe that Patricia Arquette won an emmy. Was bribery involved? Probably. The only thing the character says on the show is "I'm sorry" "I'm sorry" "I'm sorry" "I'm sorry".

12. I know, I know... these are suppose to be 'my morsels' but I'm boring.

13. And I never cared for the Beatles or Elvis. I didn't see what all the hoopla was about.

Leanne's Thirteen (she's the originator)

A Village

"DO YOU WANT ME TO CALL THE COPS!?" It was a threat, not a question. "I KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN THERE. DO YOU WANT ME TO CALL THE COPS?" ('on your sorry ass' was implied.) "I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING!"

My consciousness floundered a bit as it struggled to the top of slumber. WTF? The dark of night still had its fingers clutched around the city. All was quiet except for the voice, a strong and forceful female voice.

WTF?

What is going on NOW?! You're going to wake up the monkeys, for gawd sake!

I couldn't tell where the voice was coming from, but it was close. Was something going on across the street? Was someone breaking into a car? I gingerly moved to the window and raised one blind up ever so slightly. There was my 40-ish looking neighbor (the only decent one here) standing on the sidewalk in front of another apartment wearing a tee-shirt that barely covered her panties. Her feet were bare and her fists were clenched. She neither looked right or left. She was presenting a solid wall of "non-acceptance".

The door to the apartment opened and some of the occupants tried to calm the woman down. "Where's Clyde and the baby?" she asked sternly. (Clyde must be the six year old they call Buddha and the baby couldn't be more than four months old.)

Apparently we were having some domestic violence going on and I had slept right through it. And the 'decent' neighbor was not going to sit by and let it happen as so many do. ('Its none of our business. That's his wife/girlfriend and he can do what he wants to her.') Plus, both apartments are next to each other and sound carries easily between apartments. Smack! Thud! Cry!

I don't know who actually called the cops, but they were there talking to the battered one the next time I looked out. There was talk of "PO" (parole officer), "work release", "drugs", "drunk" and "done it before". The police shined their flashlights at the woman to look at the evidence.

Several years ago one of our laws was altered. It use to be the woman would have to lodge a formal complaint before the police could do anything about domestic violence. That is no longer the case. Now they only need to be able to see the evidence of the violence... the bloody nose, the swollen eye, or the fat lip... and the perp (that's cop talk) can be arrested. The crime of violence is now done against society instead of an individual. Thank you.

The police got their information and left. The little dickhead had taken off, otherwise his ass would be in jail. Of course, he'd only be there a few hours before being released. Our criminals know the city doesn't have enough jail space to hold them all. But nonetheless, when there are consequences to your actions, you have a tendency to think before acting. When society as a whole says "Stop. This is not acceptable" then we will have begun to become a civilized society. It does, indeed, take a village.

I must remember that evolution is a slow process, a very slow process.

You can take the man out of the cave, but you can't take the monkeys out of the horse's ass.... or something like that.

I didn't wanna do it

I... I didn't.... I didn't wanna do it. I tried everything I could think of to ignore the need. It began with layers, layers of long sleeved shirts. It continued with wool socks. Okay, not really. I don't have any wool socks, but it did involve the putting on of shoes verses flip-flops. "Where's my left shoe?" I even closed all windows as a last resort.... but it did no good. With much regret and reluctant movement, yesterday I turned on the heat. Gasp! Dollar signs replaced my eyeballs. Cha Ching, Cha Ching.

Yes, it was cold enough here yesterday to turn on the heat in the apartment. It seemed too soon, but was it? If you can see your breath condensing in front of your eyes, can you truly ignore it? Like the elephant in the middle of the room.... no, no you can not ignore the fact that it was cold enough for artifical heating. Summer is over. (The death march begins to play slowly and softly in the background.) Shudder.

A month ago the cheapo toaster gave out. It was barely toasting anyway, so by the time it decided not to hold the bread down no matter how many times I tried, I was ready to throw it out. Luckily the window was still open.

Now the coffee pot has gone kapoot. It was a birthday gift over ten years ago... maybe even fifteen. It was a strong little trooper. Used almost every day. Lately use had slowed down to a couple of times a week. I used to play the role of corporate clone standing around with a coffee mug in my hand at all times. I fell for the propaganda about coffee being a symbol of working hard, when in reality it was hardly working.

"Will work for lattes."

I usually ordered an extra shot of espresso. Loved that jolt of caffeine. Now my body rebels, so I've gone decaf. I've also stopped buying lattes. It seems pretentious to order a decaf latte. The purpose of an espresso IS the caffeine, fer gawd sake. I am currently addicted to Folger's Cafe Latte mix, but only the mocha & almond flavoring. (I put it in my coffee rather than using it with water. I'm no wussie.) I have half a container of flavoring .... but no working coffee pot. So I worked around the problem. After all, I am a woman. Invention is our middle name.

The basic way coffee is made, at least in my world, is to pour hot water over coffee grounds. Simple, isn't it. Its the spilling and splashing that can be tricky.

I put the coffee into the filter holder, leaving it swinging out to the side of the pot. (In this position the water, aka coffee, will not be able to get out of the opening at the bottom of the filter cup.) The pot sits in its assigned place. I heated up water on the stove and then slowly poured the hot water into the filter. When full, I then pushed the filter holder into place over the pot.... and a tiny trickle of liquid worked its way through to the pot. Dark delicious coffee. I repeated this step about five or six times. I must really want a cup of coffee badly!

Its not efficient, but I did get two cups of coffee from it before it got cold.

Thursday's Thirteen #6

Crusty's Thirteen Morsels

1. If I had not read Leanne's blog I would have forgotten it was time for thirteen things about me. I remembered it was Thursday, but spaced out on the blog entry.

2. I got 3.5 gallons of gas for $10.00 yesterday. 'Errands to run' and the gas to do it with finished up in a tie. Perfect timing.

3. I splurged and bought an inexpensive set of watercolor brushes. They look like they will sop up the water and paint like a champ. I hate to do it, but if I have to I will delay cleaning the kitchen so I can test the brushes first. (weak smile)

4. I bought a couple of other things too. It felt good saying to myself "I'm an adult now and if I want to buy this stuff I will. hrmmph." I'm getting really good at being selfish. Not consistently, but I have a lot of 'moments'.

5. I buy up to four loaves of bread at a time from the Franz Bakery Discount store. I freeze them until needed. ($1.00 verses $3.79 retail) The Franz Discount store use to have everything priced at a dollar. One buck. Sigh. But it hasn't lasted... the pricing. Now you have to look to see if there's a different price tag for most items.

6. People taking phone calls at the IRS don't always know how to do their jobs very well. They give out mis-information/bad instructions.

7. I got two free ballpoint pens from my credit union. And yes, I got permission to take them. "Take as many as you want." I didn't want to look greedy so I only took two... but I had to think about it for a second.

8. I still have to put away the household items I bought yesterday. Space is at a premium I will have to maneuver things in order to make room. I think its called 'Creative Living'.

9. I finally remembered to get some sewing thread so I could do some mending. I may have to get my daughter to thread the needle for me. Last time I tried it was not easy. I had to have luck do it for me.

10. I use to have my own rollerskates when I was thirteen. It was cool to have your own skates. It meant you belonged a little bit more... a more dedicated skater.

11. I usually went skating alone. My hermit tendencies manifested early.

12. I could take a trolley to the skating rink from where I lived. The trolley line ran right behind our property. The trolley was creaky and totally put together using wood. Wood worn smoooth from repeated use...much of it turning white from the sunshine streaming through the large windows. Rocking this way and that... very easy to fall asleep.

13. I think its kewl how brussel sprouts grow so tightly on a stalk. I was in my late thirties before I saw a stalk of brussel sprouts in the buff. I thought they grew like cabbage does.

This and That

Boy, are there a lot of great writers in the blogging world. And there are some that are so damn funny (writing...their writing is funny) I check their blogs several times throughout the day. Sometimes its intimidating. I mean, these people bring laughter to the world... I seem to just whine. Oh well, too bad for you.

My life is so routine and predictable that some days there's just nothing to write. And sometimes days turn into weeks. Today I thought I'd try to come up with a little bit of that and a little bit of this.

that...this...that that that... this .... that.. well, you get the picture.

I'm learning how to share again. Today I get to share my income with others. 'Others' being corporate America.... money comes in, money goes out. Time to pay the bills. I've tried to simplify my life by getting rid of much, but getting rid of money is not one of my most favorite things to do, however, it does get me out of the house. With the price of gas being what it is, I get out about once a month. And today is my big day. Why...gasp....I might even blow $4 and buy a latte. hmmmmm. Or not. Scrouge, you know. Spend $4 on a latte and just pee it out within 30 minutes. Maybe I'll blow that wad on some Nag Champa instead. Yes... that's what I'll do. I'll go stand in the artsy-fartsy yuppie store (which I like) for a while and breathe in the atmosphere then buy the incense. I will have something to hold in my hand for a while and it will save me 10 or 20 trips to the bathroom. One right after the other.

The weather here is gorgeous.... fall-like weather. Cool at night with happy sunshine during the day. Looking at the national weather map I feel very fortunate to live where I do. But ya gotta love moss and rust here. I love the smell of wet moss. It gets my allergies going...adult onset of allergies. But its mild. When I smell wet moss I can visualize trapsing through a rain forest with everything green and freshly washed. Only my rain forest doesn't have any insects. I almost typed incest. Close enough to be an innocent slip of the brain/finger coordination thingy.

I thought I had more of 'this' to share but the moment I sat down the thoughts went poof! Maybe when I return from my errands I'll have some 'that' to write about. Anyway, I'm "poof" outta here.

Mountain Water

Nothing to talk about today.
Public Domain Photos

What the hell is this?

"Okay... grab 'em by the scuff of the neck and hold 'em down hard. They're going to get a dose of this whether they want to or not!! Not one sucker gets outta here without this damn concert, ya hear?"

I knew to expect the Katrina concert (yes, another one) to be on the three network stations.... but I was not expecting it to be on the independent stations as well. Talk about manipulation and control. Bullshit. I don't mind what entertainment people want to do, but to force it down EVERYONE's throat... doncha think that's a bit much?

Bullshit! Yes, its for a good cause.... Yes, the money will be put to good use... Yes, its wonderful that so many people suddenly got the spirit.... sputtering... but... but.... Don't force it down my frigging throat, fer gawd sake!!

Yes, there is a way out. Turning off the boob tube now, just on general principles!

(added later) Okay, okay... I will relent just a little. After all I got to see Morgan Freeman...so... okay.

Coming, Not Coming. Coming, Not Coming

The city was told by the Red Cross to expect 1,000 Katrina survivors and they began setting up facilities. Then they were told to stand down. Things were left as they were... in readiness. The city was then told to expect 500 survivors so the finishing touches were done. The last word is that survivors will not becoming after all and the facilities will be 'undressed' as it were. All to the tune of over $100,000. We have to pay it up front and then get reimbursed for it later. Hopefully.

Some of the volunteers are angry that they won't be getting their victims to take care of.... I'm glad that things are going well enough that no one has to get shipped out here. I can understand the frustration of the volunteers because they've put in a lot of work.

However, there are a few survivors coming as "private guests" of a church. The church is renting four apartments, which will be furnished by Goodwill, and they will help find the people jobs. Good luck to 'em.

Thursday's Thirteen #5

13 Super Sweet Morsels about Crusty Crone 1. I need to drop the habit of having the tv on in the background. 2. Once again I'm reminded that what ticks me off about others is the very things that I am guilty of doing/being. Sigh. 3. I often use liquid smoke when cooking a hamburger. 4. I keep two CDs in the machine... Mozart and Vivaldi, so I can mention it and perhaps sound a little couth. 5. My favorite (that means 'comfortable') summer pants have a growing crotch rip. And me without any thread. 6. I'm not going to tell you how I came to know about the aforementioned rip. 7. I'm counting the days on my fingers until my next "payday". It helps me keep track of the passage of time. 8. Its confirmed... you don't need talent to become a celebrity. 9. We've been having beautiful fall weather...loving it. Rain is due tomorrow. 10. I browse ebay's Self-Representing Artists listing in reverse order (when time to bid is running out) so I can see which works got any bids. 11. I like Debra Hurd's work. Especially the rainy street scenes. I found her via ebay. 12. Now I have to go find links to some of the things/people I've mentioned. 13. I like seeing pictures of people's studio/work areas. I'm nosey. Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. Leanne's Thirteen.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


Thirteen things is all I ask for, and what do you get in return? Linkage! If you do it, leave a comment here and link me to your Thursday Thirteen. I will be sure to update my entry with links to yours, and then you can continue the chain if you like! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

Whose Minding the Store?

September 7th, 2005 1:11 pm
Foreign offers of help ready, waiting


By Elizabeth Williamson / Washington Post

WASHINGTON — Offers of foreign aid worth tens of millions of dollars — including a Swedish water-purification system, a German cellular-telephone network and two Canadian rescue ships — have been delayed for days awaiting review by backlogged federal agencies, according to European diplomats and information collected by the State Department.

Since Hurricane Katrina slammed the Gulf Coast, more than 90 countries and international organizations have offered to assist in recovery efforts for the flood-stricken region, but nearly all endeavors remained mired yesterday in bureaucratic entanglements — in most cases, at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

In Germany, a massive telecommunication system and two technicians await the green light to fly to Louisiana, after its donors spent four days searching for someone willing to accept the gift.

"FEMA? That was a lost cause," said Mirit Hemy, an executive with the Netherlands-based New Skies Satellite, who made the phone calls. "We got zero help, and we lost one week trying to get hold of them."

In Sweden, a transport plane loaded with a water-purification system and a cellular network has been ready to take off for four days, while Swedish officials wait for flight clearance. Nearly a week after they were offered, four Canadian rescue vessels and two helicopters have been accepted but probably won't arrive from Halifax, Nova Scotia, until Saturday. The Canadians' offer of search-and-rescue divers has gone begging.

Matching offers of aid — from Panamanian bananas to British engineers — with needs in the devastated Gulf region is difficult in a disaster whose scope is unheard-of in recent U.S. history, especially for a country that is more accustomed to giving than receiving aid.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said yesterday that to his knowledge, all offers of foreign aid have been accepted but must be vetted by emergency-relief specialists.

"I think the experts will take a look at exactly what is needed now," he said.

FEMA spokeswoman Natalie Rule said the foreign complaints echo those from governors and officials across the nation.

"There has been that common thought that because [offers of aid] are not tapped immediately, they're not prudently used," Rule said. "We are pulling everything into a centralized database. We are trying not to suck everything in all at once, whether we need it or not."

Soon after the flooding, the government of Sweden offered a C-130 Hercules transport plane, loaded with water-purification equipment, and a cellular network donated by Ericsson.

"As far as I know, it's still on the ground," said Claes Thorson, press counselor at the Swedish Embassy in Washington. He said that along with 20 other European Union nations that have pledged money and goods, "We are ready to send our things. We know they are needed, but what seems to be a problem is getting all these offers into the country."

So far, Thorson said, the State Department has denied Sweden's request for flight clearance.

German telecommunications company KB Impuls contacted another company, Unisat, based in Rhode Island, with the idea of contributing an integrated satellite and cellular-telephone system.

The $3 million system could handle 5,000 calls at once, routing them, if necessary, through Germany.

The donor, KB Impuls, would contribute the equipment and two engineers, supplied with their own food, water and generator fuel, to set it up. Unisat contacted another firm, New Skies Satellite, based in the Netherlands with offices in Washington, which agreed to contribute satellite capacity.

New Skies arranged transport, securing a C-130 cargo plane from the Israeli Air Force, to pick up the equipment and technicians from Germany and bring them to Louisiana.

"With one call, I got an airplane," Hemy said. For four days, she and the owner of Unisat, Uri Bar-Zemer, called contacts at FEMA, the American Red Cross, the State Department and members of Congress, trying to find someone to accept the gift.

Finally, the State Department told them that to receive flight clearance, the gift must have a specific recipient.

"I was ringing, ringing, ringing — and nothing," Hemy said. Finally, yesterday, she got a call from the U.S. Air Force Joint Task Force Katrina Communication Operations division, thanking the companies for the gift and inquiring about the system's technical specifications.

As of late yesterday the companies were waiting for a written order from the Northern Command to begin the mission.

Forget Diamonds, give Gas

Flower Power

free domain photos

Another link

Here's a link to an information dissemination site. The mayor's appeal is especially moving.

Stand back

Stand back

That seems to be the words of the N.O. tragedy. The mayor of N.O. said FEMA used it often. To our National Guard ready to come and help, it was stand back, don't come yet. Don't bring any water or food, stand back. Don't use those school buses to remove the survivers, stand back. A long line of school buses waited for two days to get the okay to go in and take people out. Is this true? I don't know... it was on the news. And with each passing hour more people died. With help standing back. Once the dirt has settled, I hope they form a good, unbiased fact-finding committee to track down and hunt out the truth of it all. There are a lot of lessons to be learned.

And why didn't the Mayor of N.O. know where the people were being taken on the school buses? That seemed very strange.

We (the city) are preparing to accept 1,000 folks from the area. A secret place (I think its one of our high schools that has been closed for years) is being prepared. And what will the people of New Orleans come to... yup, another large room full of cots lined up. Just like where they left... only not so hot or humid.

And the citizens are being asked to stand back. It is because of the physical and mental trauma the folks have been through already. A crowd of people rushing to help out might traumatize them even more. I can understand the request... but will the New Orleans citizens know they are welcomed? People are offering to take folks into their homes, but are told to stand back. I suppose that might be coming later. And one never knows if the people offering up their homes might be on the crazy side. Yes, we have one or two of them here.

I hope the folks don't have to sleep on cots for long. We have a glutton of vacant apartments around here. I know these folks would just like to have their own space and regroup in private. And I also hope families aren't being completely separated from each other...all this shipping people around the nation.

Well... I'm just standing back.

Where were they?

Where has the federal government been? Up someone's ass? Watching NBC news interview the fema director and the director said the government just now heard about the conditions in the dome. WTF!! Its been on the news for days. sigh. I guess if you don't have a valid excuse, then you plead ignorance. Well, I agree. Ignorance it is. Geesh H C!

I'm sorry but this is the only place I have to vent. Now that we have the internet to get the "real story", government officials won't be able to lie as easily. Some heads need to roll. (figure of speech only) How long do you think incompetency would last in a job if it was corporate America. They would have been gone. I guess that's why so many go into politics. You just have to be a good con man.

Crusty is getting frigging cranky. I know... like that's going to do anything.

James Ransome, Illustrator

When I'm not doing anything I like to watch Reading Rainbow with Lavar Burton (public tv). I enjoy seeing the illustrations. Today one of the books, Visiting Day by Jacqueline Woodson was featured. I liked the artwork so I googled James Ransome. He's won about every award there is... or so it seems. He's got a long list of them. I checked out his 'gallery' but unfortunately the thumbnail pictures wouldn't enlarge...but you can get an idea of his work anyway.

If you are interested in how he finds his 'right voice' check it out here.

Thursday's Thirteen #4

I thought I should number my entries like Leanne does, thus the "#4". I think I've kept up with her.

Thursday's Thirteen Things You May or May Not Know About Me

1. I don't know anything about HTML coding except to copy what I think I've seen other people do... I may have to come back in here and delete some of it if it doesn't work.

2. I moved some things I had under my utility table, where my pc is, to another room. The now empty space has opened up the room a lot more than I thought it would.

3. I love nuts... I married one once. But my favorite is unsalted almonds. Great for cleansing the ole system too.

4. I'm sleepy at 9:30am. I'm going to see if I can get a cat nap in right now. You wouldn't be able to notice it. (It didn't happen)

5. I cleaned off the dining room table and, again, it makes the room look larger. I don't have places to put things... no drawers, no shelves and the closet is stuffed.

6. I downsized dramatically so whenever I moved I could fit things into my two-door car. Why do 'things' still keep finding me?

7. If I wanted to, I could have a yard sale at the drop of the hat. By that I mean I live on a busy thru street and would not have to advertise it.

8. Around here people expect you to give things away at a yard sale. "A dollar??! That's way too much."

9. The gray in my hair is increasing.

10. I have long hair but that is only because I don't have sissors that will cut hair.

11. My spelling quadrant in my brain isn't working today. Not to worry, its been this way for a long time.

12. I want to see the movie What the (bleep) do we know.

13. I will be babysitting a little later today while 'mom' goes shopping.

(ooops... I forgot to link to Leanne. My bad. I hot-linked her name at the beginning of the post. sorry. I seem to be saying 'sorry' a lot today.)

Soft... gentle

randomartdesign suggested we post, if we're so incline, something soothing, something gentle, something soft. I have nothing to say as I wipe tears from my eyes and feel my heart sob silently. I am so inclined.


Now for the not so soft. I found a blog of someone from Mississippi, thanks to dejablu503. I haven't checked it but there is suppose to be a live cam working there. Here is an entry from the blog:
"Looting: The police are looting. This has been confirmed by several independent sources. Some of the looting might be "legitimate" in as much as that word has any meaning in this context. They have broken into ATMs and safes: confirmed. We have eyewitnesses to this. They have taken dozens of SUVs from dealerships ostensibly for official use. They have also looted gun stores and pawn shops for all the small arms, supposedly to prevent "criminals" from doing so. But who knows their true intentions. We have an inside source in the NOPD who says that command and control is in chaos. He reports that command lapses more than 24 hours between check-ins, and that most of the force are "like deer in the headlights." NOPD already had a reputation for corruption, but I am telling you now that the people we've been talking to say they are not recognizing the NOPD as a legitimate authority anymore, since cops have been seen looting in Walmarts and forcing people out of stores so they could back up SUVs and loot them. Don't shoot the messenger....

The aftermath

From Damnportlanders via dejablu503, a personal video clip from Gulfport.

http://zero.imt.uwm.edu/aftermath.wmv

Show them you care....

Send them a jar of Jiffy peanut butter.

What? Yeah, to show someone you care give them some peanut butter. Jiffy to be exact. That's what their advertisement says. What a bunch of crock. Crock? Peanut butter? I wonder if there's a pun in there.

Emotional advertisement. Pull at their heart strings, that's how to sell crap. I can see it now. The young man, horny as hell, gives the stupid female a jar of Jiff hoping it will do the same as lying the words "I love you".

Another option is to use guilt and pride. If you are a good parent you will give your kids (insert product name here). The logical next step is to know you are a horrible parent if you haven't given your child that particular product. Gasp!

If I stand here with a phone, jar of peanut butter, and a bottle of coke, will you know I care about you? Call me cynical, but I don't think so.

'Nawlins' local news sites

Here are some links to news stations in New Orleans, if you're so inclined.

http://www.wwltv.com/

http://www.wdsu.com/index.html

http://abc26.trb.com/

~~
On another note... I just saw a headline saying "HoBo Chic is in..." YaHooo...woot woot woot
Just goes to show ya, if you live long enough you, too, can be in style. HoBo Chic... well, HoBo anyway, is my very favorite-est style. I'm so in!!

This and That

First comes words of concern due to hurricane Katrina hurling herself through the Gulf Coast states and stomping all over peoples lives. Second comes a reminder to send 'good thoughts', in whatever form suits you, to all the other peoples throughout the world suffering from Mother Nature's menopausal tantrums. I do have one word of advice for our Southern folks..... MOVE!
(edit: My most humble apologies for the above comment ("move"). Another lesson for me to use my brain before engaging my mouth in an attempt to be witty. Sooo Sorry.)

After things have settled down for the Katrina recovery efforts, if you know of someone blogging from the area would you please share the link with me/us. And yes I do rubberneck accidents, always giving gratitude that it wasn't me. (Of course, if you play the odds, well...... gulp)

Raining! We have rain today. Maybe not the heavy duty kind, but it is a notch up from 'showers'. I'm a rain person and the webs between my toes have started to shrink. Oh wait.... maybe its just toe-jam. Shrinking would be a good thing, then, huh. DOH!

I would like to add a stats counter for my site and I've come across some free ones but I don't have a clue as to what to look for or what to get. Experience is the best teacher, but she grades too hard. And what do these people get for giving out free coding...anyone know? There's always a payoff and its nice to know what it is. (And "payoff" is not a bad word in and of itself. I know I usually like getting paid off...its usually for my silence.)

I have around 100 blogs bookmarked. I say 'around' because I am always deleting and adding, but not at the same rate. A couple of blogs that I've deleted in the past have been readded to my list. I'm easily swayed.

I was checking out Michele's place. She's one smart cookie... she writes a sentence or two asking for reader participation and they comply. One entry had over 300 replies. I wonder if she gets email notification when people post comments. That would be overwhelming. Anyway... I got sidetracked. I was checking out her "site of the day" which was Sugar Mommy's.

She's my kind of blogger, Sugar Mommy. She has young children and I don't (insert a snicker from a surviving-parent-of-adult-children here). Ah, the memories. But I knew she was my kind of peeps when she wrote about her FIL (father-in-law for those not familiar with the abreviation yet...SIL, BIL, MIL) deciding to stay in his house since he's a whole mile from the coast in Nawlins'.... she called him a dumbass. Yes, my kind of people. And I, too, hope he's okay.

(00) I just realized I started blogging before I finished my morning ritual of reading my faves. That's not like me. And its not like I had something big to write about here. hmmmm Interesting.

I gotta go now.... might be back later.
Doncha jus luv her!

Blogging Protocol

I need a manual of instructions for blogging. A book of manners, if you will. Maybe someone will answer my questions here? (thats a hint and an invitation, if you so choose to accept the mission.)

If you add a link to someone's blog, is it necessary to let them know?

If you pilfer...I mean 'share' something on your blog that you got from someone else, I know you should reference your source on your blog, but is it necessary to let the other person know you've done it? (and I'm talking borrowing some little tidbit...nothing huge.)

Once you've figured out how to get email notification when someone comments on your blog entry, should a response be returned by email or posted on the blog? Or both?

And here's a couple of other generalized questions...

In layman terms:
what the hell is an RSS feed and what does it do?
what is a blogroll and what does it do?
why do people give out free blogging space (or photo space)...what is their payoff?
do you trust PayPal and how do you get your money from it?
should I wear this pink outfit today or go with the yellow?

What's the deal here?

I'm not political by nature. I try to stay away from talks concerning politics... it makes for a nicer environment. For the most part, I rank politicians in the same category as car salesmen. They'll say whatever they think you want to hear to get what they want. In any event, I try to give the benefit of the doubt to incoming presidents until there couldn't possibly be any doubt. I've done that with the current incumbent as well. And there is now no possibility of doubt. Sigh.

But what's the deal with Bush appearing in front of handpicked audiences only? What's up with that? Is the big, bad Texan afraid of something? Is it nothing more than a "photo-op" kind of thing? A manipulation of public opinion? Gasp.

I've had an "aha" moment. Its because the good ole boy would no doubt lose his beans if he had to stray from the script. We would see his brilliance uncovered. It must be pretty dangerous.... his intelligence would be loose. Yes, that could be very dangerous.

Its nice how writing things down can often give you answers. I wonder what the Bush girls have been up to lately. Keeping them under wraps must be a real challenge, too.

Saturday

It is Saturday, isn't it?

I've been wasting time brousing thru EBSQ, a site for self-representing artist. It has a wide variety of styles... mostly visual arts, with a few "crafts" thrown in for good measure.

The artists I looked at in detail seem to be mostly self-taught. Being a self taught artist is no indication of talent or lack thereof. Its a bag of beans. Some are very good, IMHO, and some should try cooking as their mode of expression. One such artist stated she was an English and Art Teacher. That took me aback. "She's teaching this stuff?!" Poor students...what a rip off. However, to put another spin on it, I admire her willingness to make a fool out of herself. Wait... that's not a very good spin. I...admire...her....gutsiness, yeah...her gutsiness, her willingness to put her art out for public display. Ya gotta have balls to do that. Did I mention I have big balls? Beach balls!!


(I hope I don't get in trouble with the Maxine people. Its a compliment, guys, a compliment!!)

My bookmarks

I have too many sites bookmarked. I had quite a few before even seeing my first blog...now they are running amok like seeping water. Thank goodness for file folders, yet even using those it has gotten to be too much.

So... I have created subfolders. Folders abound, folders galore...folders upon folders. You get the idea. I now have a "favorite blogs" for those I read each and every day. Sometimes several times a day. It currently has thirteen entries. Everything else remains in the original "blog" folder. There are 79 entries in that one. What do you mean I spend too much time on the pc?

Many of the 'regular' blogs are sites that don't necessarily update regularly, so they can wait for a while, then I go in and catch up on several entries at a time. Still, there needs to be some pruning, but I must do that when I'm feeling ruthless.

More folders are needed. Actually, what is needed is for me to just clear it out.

Thursday's Thirteen

1. ohmygawd...it's Thursday already?! Well, I knew it was Thursday, but I forgot about "thirteen". 2. I stood at the open bathroom window in the middle of the night listening to the sounds. That means it was quiet and I could hear the crickets. It was nice. 3. I've been observing my mood changes. It changes without any outside influence at all. My 'thinking' hadn't changed either... just my mood. Interesting. 4. I love the apartment in the movie "Green Card". An inside outdoor garden. I guess that would be called a green house, but since its in an apartment, I bet there is a specific name for it. Anyway, I watched the movie over and over just to see the green house. 5. I've done the same thing with "As Good As It Gets". Watched it a gazillion times just to look at the studio and art. (Nicholson's character has a great painting of two elderly black guys sitting together.) The movie is excellent, too. 6. Its suppose to be hot today... 90 degrees. Maybe we'll luck out and the weatherman will be wrong...again. 7. I have thirteen paintings hanging on my apt. walls... six are completed. (hanging unfinished paintings is an excellent way of keeping them away from my 2 yr old grandson's curious hands.) 8. My grandson is at that ADORABLE stage. His bulky diaper switches this way and that as his short little legs try to run, his cheeks shake, and he is totally focused on trying not to fall down. So damn cute! (ah..er..his facial cheeks shakes. I don't know about the other ones.) 9. I need to start making some money to supplement my Social Security. I did up a budget and I've got $12 mad money left over. Mad money because I've probably forgotten something that costs more than $12 and I'm gonna be mad. 10. I've started four different thoughts here but they don't fit. Number 10, number 10...what could number 10 be about? 11. My printer is out of ink. Not sure when I'll be able to get another cartriage. BUT... I did get some batteries for my digital camera. Now all I have to do ....... 12. I haven't been listening to enough music. I need to get back to that. 13. If any of my readers want to do Thursday's Thirteen, please join in...if you want to use this form, see below where to get the code for it. Whew...that makes thirteen. I wonder if these will get better with practice. Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

Grandma x twelve

I watched the boys today while mom took care of some errands and to check out a job fair. I managed, but mom came home right on time.... it had been five hours. I don't like to push my luck. Or theirs, either.

Tornado Boy (almost 2) and the wee one (4 months) seem to have a bond between them. It started upon the wee one's birth. I'm guessing the wee one came to help Tornado Boy get through life while dealing with his anger issues. In return, TB will protect his brother to the max. Its interesting to watch the births and see the baggage they bring with them.

The baby is grandchild number eleven. My son stopped by this afternoon and told me his new wife is pregnant. That will make number twelve. Then, if you add the 3 step children that has joined my son (he already has four children) ....that's fifteen. That's a lot. My son plans on having one more, too.

My son, who manages the apartments, brought more good news. Two of the tenents are going to be evicted. The ones who do crack. The third tenent, who also has some strange things going on, will probably happen next. They already have a ten day notice to get rid of the puppy they have. The rental agreement states no pets. (They had put new carpeting down and now the puppy, who has fleas, is pooping on it. She's also pooping in the grass. Tornado Boy stepped in it.) Since these tenents moved in there have been multiple incidents of loss... stealing ladders (they were chained and locked), porch things. People who look like holocaust victims go in and out of the places all hours of the day and night.... drug tranfers happen in plain site. Anyway, its a colorful life that I get to observe.

Oh gawd... I almost started to talk about the weather. Gasp. Its time to sign off.

But...but....but...

My daughter would take every thing I have and give it to strangers if they asked for it. (Actually, they wouldn't even have to ask for it.) And she'd walk away without a second thought about what is hers to give away and what is mine. Oh hell, what am I talking about....what is mine IS hers. At least in her mind. GGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRR!

She asked for my plunger and then handed it over to one of the neighbors. WTF? She didn't even ask if strangers could use it... And I don't know why I'm reacting like this because after all it is only a plunger... BUT I DON'T WANT OTHER PEOPLE'S SHIT ON MY STUFF! Know what I mean?

There's a damn principle somewhere in here that I can't articulate... but I know its in there somewhere.

Yesterday she asked if one of her no-account friends could borrow my vacuum cleaner. WTF? Oh yeah... like I would get it right back. And who knows what she would be cleaning with it. The friend can't even manage her own affairs, let alone someone elses things.... HELL NO!

And GAWD... I'm turning into my mother!!!! Nnooooooooooooo!

Just to top things off... my daughter just let me know there's no gas in the car. Again. I told her over and over "I need the gas that is in the car". DOES IT SINK IN? HELL NO! "I'll put some gas in it, mom...honest." Well DUH on me. You can just start calling me Mrs. NOOOOOOOOooooooooo from now on!!

Guilty (blush blush)

"Why should God give you more if you are not grateful for what you have?"

~~Write It Down, Make It Happen

Vblogging

I just discovered vblogging today. Video blogging. Check it out here. Rather than writing about your day, with vblogging you film it. Way kewl.

There are cameras EVERYWHERE! No more nose-picking in private... or in your car.

There are such juicy treasures out there in webville... so many delicious blogs and personal sharings. I'm so impressed with a lot of the writings.... and I'm even impressed by the not-so-creative writings of those whose talents lie elsewhere, for their voices can be as entertaining and helpful as the others.

I spent a good deal of the afternoon checking out As Time Goes By, a blog about the joys of aging. Anyway, I think it was 'the joys'. She has a "timeline" series where she shares photos from her life with short narratives explaining them. It doesn't take pages and pages of dialog to express a whole life episode... just the facts ma'm. They can rip your heart out if you've got a even just a few ounces of life exposure under your belt. I teared up a few times, I can tell ya.

Anyway, there's a whole community sprouting up arounding aging. After all, we are in the majority now. And that's great... except its too bad it had to come at the end when we are more sedate. Well, at least some of us are.

I need to find a site-counter... something that lets you know how many times your site is visited. But I've become a little paranoid over downloading anything (or adding coding to your site). Plus I don't know why someone would create a site-counter and give it away for free... I would like to know what the unwritten cost is to doing that. What is their payoff for doing it. And in case you wonder, "payoff" is not a bad word, in and of itself.

A Pledge

"Elaine made a pledge to herself that she would not do anything she did not enoy."

Write It Down, Make It Happen (pg 211)
Henriette Anne Klauser

Thursday Thirteen

Here I go... trying Leanne's coding for my "Thursday Thirteen" entry.

13 Super Sweet Morsels about The Crusty Crone 1. I'm wondering if this coding will work okay or not. Have I "inserted" things in the right place? 2. If it doesn't work, then I can always come back and take it out. 3. I was finally able to stock up on my favorite incense yesterday, Nag Champa. My true favorite is Prasad's Patchulie (that I can't spell) but its difficult to find. 4. I woke up too early this morning. Oh my, I'll have to take a nap! 5. This seems like such a simple thing... thirteen things, but damn! I'm stumped. 6. I have no more excuses left for not drawing or painting something today. 7. I live in an area with a lot of addicts and gang members. Its 10am and someone is out there yelling right now. I can't tell if they are arguing or just communicating to each other. 8. I've called the cops to come see about a domestic violence situation in one of the apartments here. 9. I don't have a phone, which makes #8 even more amazing, doesn't it. I don't need a phone. When I had a phone the only calls I got were for someone else. Or to ask me for money. I have no need for a phone. 10. After I watch the daily painting program on the public tv channel in the afternoons I continue watching the Bearstein Bears and then Reading Rainbow. (Lavar's such a cutie and I love seeing the book illustrations.) 11. I need to do laundry. Its becoming a desparate situation. 12. I love PBS programming...usually. But British sit-coms are a bit odd. 13. Now I get to figure out if there is some stuff to delete from the coding here. Wish me luck. Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)Note from me: I don't know if I can link 'here' or not, but I'll leave the words here just in case. Let's try this: Leanne's Morsels

"In order to thrive as artists..... and, one could argue, as people.... we need to be available to the Universal Flow."

~~ Julia Cameron
~~ The Artist's Way : a spiritual path to higher creativity

Unsolicited Advice

I was reading another blog about "hate emails" she receives. I guess I'm naive beyond just plain dumb. I would not have expected total strangers to 'ride someone's ass' as it were. What the hell are they thinking? If you don't like what someone says on their blog... and "their" is the operative word here... then don't read it. What? That's too simple? I thought so... to complex for them. Oh well....

Let me just say up front.... "They call me Crusty....Crusty Crone....and I'm not called that because I'm sweet. Ya got that?"

(insert evil wicked snickering here)

For consideration.....

"You will do foolish things,
but do them with enthusiasm."

~~Colette

Thirteen Thursday

Leanne's idea of listing thirteen things about ourselves sounds like fun. Its a way to join in... and the fact that it can be fiction of non-fiction is an added enticement.

**1. I don't know every much about blogging technical thingys ('You link here and I'll link there and we'll end up linking in circles') but I'm willing to bluff.

**2. I'm only on number two and I'm already drawing a blank. But its the first drawing I've done in a long time. Oh dear.

**3. There's a sink full of dishes waiting to be washed, but checking my favorite blogs comes first every morning.

**4. My first 'stop' each morning is at Sheila Hudson's blog and then on to her friends' list. It is thoroughly enjoyable and I love seeing the art work that is shared.

**5. I'm concerned about whether or not I can come up with thirteen items.

**6. I only drink coffee (I'm a Starbuck's snob) when I have some of Folger's Cafe Latte mix (mocha almond jive only) to add to it. Love the flavor!

**7. I'm "retired" and have just begun drawing my Social Security benefits. Its called "creative living" but I'm enjoying it... A LOT!!

**8. My favorite color is a deep rich yellow and all colors of green follow closely behind.

**9. I didn't realize what my favorite color was until I was in my fifties.

*10. I live in a tiny one bedroom apt. with the idea that the bedroom will be the studio. My bad. The bedroom is storage. Hopefully I will be able to change that shortly. Afterall, I'm practically making a commitment here in public. Perhaps I'll shame myself into getting it done.

*11. Three more to go....

*12. I love the rain, but some sunshine here and there is a nice change of pace. Sunshine makes people smile more.

*13. I haven't picked up a paint brush or pen in months... we're talking like six months or more. I don't know what my problem is, but I'm sure the head of the list is 'lack of discipline'.

I made it. Now I have to read it over to see if there's anything I want to change my mind about. Okay...its a go.

Fall is Coming

Autumn is in the air. I've been feeling it for a couple of days, now. The nights cool off and the days are mildly warm and happily sunny. However, its suppose to change this weekend and get up into the 90s. And yes, weather is all I have to write about. That's because the last few days have been perfect and deserved to be noted as such.

(Later) Looks like if the comments section is left open to all then I will be spammed. I've removed the ability to post a comment on this entry while I check around to see what I can do further.

Originality

What ever happened to original thinking? Has the human species been on earth so long that there's nothing to be original with?? I'm so sick of dumbassed reality shows. And lets get real here... they aren't reality shows. They are setups. The audience is not so stupid that they missed the brats on Nanny 911 saying something hateful and then looking off camera as though to say "did I say it okay?" Give me a frigging break.

And watching someone eat maggots...that's suppose to get me all tintilated? I don't think so.

Can't the networks come up with something original? Or must everything be overdone repeatedly? Over and over and over and over... only the names are changed to protect the guilty.

And did comedy die when I wasn't looking? Can't they come up with something funny without attacking someone? Always with the cheap shots. Its a sure sign that the writers are on sabbatical... permanent sabbatical. If they can't write anything funny without the cheap shots, then they aren't comedy writers and you shouldn't lie about it.

And what about Tuesday?

I almost lost Tuesday, too. Whazzup with this? I guess that's what happens when you don't have to keep track of what day it is... you know, when you're re-tired.

I'm just sort of bullshitting, though. I really didn't misplace Tuesday. It was here all along masquerading as Monday. I played along with it for a while, but then got bored. I yanked on the mask unexpectedly and Tuesday almost dropped a load of crap. You should have seen its face. TOTAL SHOCK... followed by disappointment. Tuesday's always disappointed when its striped to its bare essentials. (see...its essentials aren't all that big...but I don't mention it. Tuesday's a little embarrassed by it all.)

But ya gotta luv Tuesday. Without it the week would never end!

Sunday is missing!

Sunday is missing. I don't know what happened to it. I've looked everywhere but its no where to be found. Sigh. But I guess that's okay, because if I found it I wouldn't know what to do with it. What does one do with two days in one? Its Monday now... so what would I do with a Sunday as well? There's just too much to hold. How could I possibly cram 48 hours into 24? Its just not doable. (Is that a word?) Do-Able. Do I really care? No. This is my blog and I can have whatever words I want or don't want. Well, maybe not... I don't think I can not have words, otherwise what would a blog be?

Its all downhill... losing Sunday has turned everything upside down.

"SUNDAY.... SUNDAY, WHERE ARE YOU?"

Skip it. To hell with Sunday. I'm going to play with Monday today. Just watch and see if I don't!

Black as a Berry

That farmers' saying, black as a berry certainly fit Tornado Boy yesterday. He played with the neighbor kids ALL afternoon... and he held his own, too. The other kids ranged from five to probably eight yrs old, and TD comes in at 22 months. One of the neighbors has a wading pool and it was the center-stone of all play on this day. With all that sun and play, TD did indeed look like a ripe berry. A juicy ripe berry.

Tornado Boy was thoroughly engaged and totally committed to the pseudo freedom he had yesterday. And he was able to stand his own ground among these bigger kids. When baby-talk didn't return his toy, he fell back to employing his equalizer, which worked like a charm. Its a high-pitched, blood-curtling scream coming up from deep within the diaphram and hurled into the universe. It stops all activity immediately. And the toy (or whatever) that triggered the outburst is returned immediately. I saw it work successfully several times.

This age is so damn cute!! They will never look as innocent as they do at this age.

I watched the boys last night so mom could go have some fun. It was pretty easy. The minute mom left, TD took his very tired and tear-stained face (he still cries a little when mom leaves) and climbed up on the couch and was asleep within one minute. And he never woke again until this morning.

The wee one had some trouble getting comfortable enough for extended sleep. He has a cold and was all stuffy... it makes it hard to suck a bottle and breath at the same time. He has such a mellow outlook on life... calm and mellow. He spent some of the time giggling. Part of the time it looked like he was giggling at me and the rest of the time he must have had a spiritual visitor who was a standup comic. What an infectious giggle. Doncha jus luv it!!

Mom didn't come home until around 5am. She had to 'wait for someone not drunk' to bring her home. So I've been sleeping most of the day. Its so kewl to be able to take a nap whenever you want to...its just great.

Yawn...yeah I know. Its boring...but its done.

Another day, Another dollar

After reassuring the IRS they would get their money, you know, since they refused my first born, they lifted the hold and all is back to "normal". If/when I can show them I had already paid said amount, then all will be reversed.

I'm glad I didn't get all hysterical over it. I must be maturing. And life goes forward from here.

The I.R.S. came awalking......

The IRS came into my life today. Sunshine and rasberries.... NOT! My 2002 tax filing has gotten all screwed up and the ball began rolling because of a mishappen (yes, I'm wording this nicely) on their end of the stick.

This was the year I quit my job and cashed out my 401k. I knew I would take a tax hit but I was willing to do that. I just wanted out. I wanted freedom. I wanted no responsibilities. (BTW, I have never been successful with that one.) I paid over $12k for that year.

And here is where the records start getting screwed up.

The IRS sent me a form saying I only owed $9k and they sent me a $3K refund check. I remembered being very surprised but who am I to say the IRS is wrong. So I deposited the refund and went on about my way.

Several months later I remember getting notified that there had been an error on my tax filing (they didn't mention who made it) and that I owed them $3k. (I'm just rounding off here.)

Well, bummer but I was glad they sent the notice when I still have some 401k money left. They don't show it was received. ("Please Lord, don't tell me I forgot to send it in!") Now I need to verify if the check was ever processed and I don't have any records from that far back to even know what check number it was. Remember, I've been trying to downsize. I shredded a lot of papers. Now I have to see if I can somehow get information from my banking institution just using my faulty memory. This should be loads of fun.

In the mean time, they've put a hold on my checking account. I've made arrangements for monthly payments (and fees and interest and etc.) and they will lift the hold but it will take several days....maybe even up to 10+ days. And during this time I can look and see $50 in my account calling my name but I can't touch it. Sigh. And I was so happy when I looked at my account earlier today. Foolish me.

I hope I am able to find the proof I need to show the IRS I paid back the refund and this situation will disappear. And if I don't, then the best I can say is that all the arrangements have been made and I don't have to go thru that particular mess again. (I waited 25 minutes to be able to talk to a live person.) This is the best I could do regarding a positive spin on things. And I think its pretty good for me.

Actually, I'm handling this pretty well. Right now, anyway. There may be a time in the future when I'm feeling stressed and I bitch about it, but right now I'm doing okay. Its only money. wahhhhh

On a brighter note, its hot here.... got up in the 90s today and we might hit 100 degrees tomorrow. Be still my heart.

If nothing else, today has demonstrated how to stay in the centered place based on what's inside and not on external situations. We'll see how long it lasts.

Ooops...my bad!!

I think I might have egg on my face. It won't be the first time. I've had plenty of practice with it.

I just checked my profile/settings area and discovered a place where I can 'clear' it so anyone can post a comment. It needs to be tested to see if a comment can be posted without registering on Blogspot. I don't know if that's what "anyone" means or not. If everything works out then I will publically apologize for ranting about my misperceptions. DUH.

Added: ah...er....once again the Universe has given me a lesson demonstrating that 'I don't know what anything is for'. Sigh. The comments sections is now open to all. No need to register. My apologies to Blogger.

Added even later: I've updated the "about me" field in my profile, but (sigh) it hasn't changed it on the blog. Maybe its a timing issue.

Tree root growth rate

I was sitting on my porch (a slab of concrete with steps) having a break... you know, a break from sitting inside. Anyway, I was looking at the trees in front of a large apt. complex that was recently built across the street. The trees are young but look like they might just make it after a shaky start. I was wondering what is going to happen once the trees mature and their root systems spread. From that question came another one: Are there trees where the roots reach a mature level and then do not become any bigger...and by bigger I mean they don't spread any further? I think that would be something to consider when planting a "baby" tree next to a driveway or sidewalk.

I tried to google my question, but I just didn't have the focus to spend much time trying to find the page with the answer. Then I thought...'why not ask on the web...there are lots knowledgable gardeners out there'. Then I needed to decide where to ask the question. Here was the easiest place to ask. It also demonstrates my non-need for an answer.

To tell the truth, if I don't get an answer it won't matter. I'll no doubt forget I even asked the question in an hour or two.

As I peruse many blogs in an attempt to keep from doing anything productive, I've noticed many women say they love gardening...love getting their hands dirty and to watch their 'babies grow'. It sounds lovely but when I try to mentally put myself there...I get a very fuzzy picture full of drops of sweat, painful backs, and sunburned skin. Oh yeah, and very dirty fingernails.

Next time I get an urge, maybe I'll try keeping indoor plants healthy before I try anything outside. I use to always have leafy house plants. When first brought in they would appear green, full, and healthy. After acclimating they seemed to all slim down and lose compactness. They seldom actually died, but they weren't that 'happy go lucky' looking type of plant you see in the nurseries and garden stores.

I have to think about all this. I've spent the last couple of years trying to rid myself of an many responsibilities as I can. Caring the house plants bring some back. I'll have to really give it some thought. Perhaps I'll leave it up to the Universe. If I'm to try it again, caring for something living, then I'm sure a plant or two will come into my life. If anything happens I'll try to remember to post an update. And the operative word is "try".