More beauties

 
 
 
Here are a couple of beauties from L's porch and the last shot is of the neighbor's day lilies (I'm guessing day lilies). I'm not sure how it will show up in the photo, but the neighbor's flowers were a deep orange/red.
 

Visiting

 
Went to visit my friend L. for a couple of hours yesterday evening. Each week, when she goes grocery shopping, she picks herself up some cut flowers from Zuppans.... or could it be Trader Joe's? Anyway, this is what she does for herself each week. It started when the house cleared out and she has it to herself. I always look forward to seeing them.
 

For Zebra

As I blog surfed this morning I discovered the web site of Tara Larsen Chang. (Love her work!) The illustration on her homepage looks like 'the little love of your life'... the little prince. Check it out.

Edit:Its a zebra kind of day. Here's another painting that made me think of you.

Where did it go?

I made a short post a couple of days ago... going through Picasa. I just now noticed it had never been posted. I'm not really surprised. The "upload" part of the process seemed to take forever. Next time I will know to go and check to make sure the entry made it. And to all my millions of readers, and you know who you are... yes, you over in the corner there, the post was just a note to say there was nothing going on and nothing to write about. In fact, this entry is longer than the 'lost' one.

Hoping to be back later with something a bit more spicy to read... spicy as in at least one grain of salt.

added HUH?! Now the lost entry has shown up. WTF?

Its Friday

 

Nothing much to blog about... we're still having Spring weather which means 'dramatic'. Dark clouds, occasional thunder storms with buckets of water, then a break, etc.

I've been sitting here for a few minutes and I was right... nothing to blog about. And that's a good thing. It means all is well.
 

Big Brother Alive and Well

The FBI has attempted to put a "mole" in our city government. (Is 'mole' the right term?) The Mayor has "outed" the attempt by letting the citizens know about it. Now why would the FBI be interested in having an informant, you may ask. One reason might be because our Mayor did not roll over and play brain dead when they wanted the city to supply them with personnel. We would be paying the salary of this person but would not have any idea what they would be working on (was it safe? was it legal?... you have to ask that legal question when you are dealing with the FBI or the CIA. Legal doesn't mean the same thing to them as it does to everyone else), where they would be at... absolutely no information about it. The Mayor refused. Go Mayor Potter!

(Now to make sure its clear, when I say 'we' would not know what the person would be working on, I meant that as in the Mayor would know... not anyone else.)

Perhaps there's some revenge seeking going on by the FBI. I mean after all... everyone is suppose to turn into puppets and think they are on the side of good. BWAH HAHAHAHAHAHA Does the name J. Edgar Hoover mean anything to you? If not, I strongly urge you to dive into some accurate history and find out. Check into his closet and see what you find... you may have to move some of his dresses aside, but look deeply. Its SCARY!

Apparently, Big Brother is alive and well.

The Last of them for Today

 
 
  

Hop Art More

 
 
The van belongs to SCRAP... a program that collects scraps and discards from artists and recycles them by giving it to other artists, students and teachers. I think that's so kewl.
  

Creative hats-Art hop

This lady had some very interesting hats... Corona Hats. If I had some money I would have bought me one.
 
 
 

More

Looks like Picasa limits the number of photos uploaded at one time to three. Here's some pictures taken in a gallery. (There wasn't a WHOLE BUNCH of visual art to look at and what was there didn't impress me... not my cup of tea, being the coffee drinker that I am.)
 
 
 
(these paintings look better in the photographs than they did in person.)
 

More Art Hop

I'm still learning how to use Picasa efficiently and I've got a ways to go. I will simply make separate blog entries for those photos requiring comments.

Here's a nice lady who was "trying to get it out there"... meaning trying to get her art/name out. Good luck with getting her name out there so people remember it. I grabbed one of her cards. "Signature Pieces by Oluwakemi". I can't even remember how to pronounce it, but she was very nice. She hadn't sold any of her paintings yet, but did sell several of her 'flowers'. (See the flower in her hair.)
 
 
 
 

Alberta Street Art Hop 2006

A community of artists has grown on Alberta St. in Portland. As with most art communities, it got its start because of very low rents. This portion of the street had been run down, with many vacant buildings, over the years. It had started to develop a reputation as drug alley. Now the investors and developers have moved in and I'm guessing the rents are already beginning to increase. It will be interesting to see what the street is like after a few more years.

In any event, this weekend was the Alberta Art Hop. It is much like the Alberta Last Thursday Art Walk only with more music. I drove down the street yesterday but it was too busy and I couldn't find a parking space. I returned today before it got really crowded. Here are some pictures.
 
 
 
 

The Big Bang - Trojan

Enron's Trojan Nuclear Plant cooling tower was imploded this morning. Everything went smoothly as planned. Well, as far as we know things were okay. I did some searching of info on Trojan and once again found how much Enron screws their customers. It caused my heart to race and my blood pressure to rise like it does anytime the name Enron comes up. The company seems to be the ultimate bloodsucker. The only good thing I can say involving Enron is that it no longer owns PGE (Portland General Electric).

The ratepayers paid for everything connected with Trojan... including making up the profits lost after Trojan was shut down early due to construction design flaws. Did you get that, what I just said? The ratepayers were paying and continued to pay to cover profits on a nonfunctioning power plant. (00) I need to leave this subject alone now because its so bad for my health. Its bad for my physical, mental, and spiritual health and the only thing I can think of to say is WHY IS THIS CORRUPT COMPANY STILL IN BUSINESS????????

I've got to go meditate for a couple of hours now. The only other thing to add is that I was a PGE "ratepayer" for probably less than a year. Pitiful little statement that it is. Life does seem to be a matter of survival of the fitest and that requires extremely long and sharp teeth coupled with very long and sharp claws... and no conscience. Greed is ugly.

What's in a Name?

Apparently more than we may have thought....

The following list of names and professions were garnered from an article on msn's home page:

Acupuncture
Dr. Aena Han Payne (University of Mississippi)
Anger Management
Dr. Richard Madden (Hudson, N.Y.)
Astronomers
Alan Heavens (University of Edinburgh)
Automotive
Fred Karr, drivers-ed instructor (Ann Arbor, Mich.)
Wayne Schmuck, used-car distributor convicted of fraud for resetting odometers (Wisconsin).
Cabinet Secretaries
Margaret Spellings (Secretary of Education)
Clergy
Jaime Lachica Cardinal Sin (former archbishop of Manila)
Climatologists
Elizabeth Weatherhead (Boulder, Colo.)
Dermatologists
Roger Whitehead (Germantown, Pa.)
Dentists/Orthodontists
Ngoc Quang Chu, DDS (Bethesda, Md.)
Dr. Ravi Doctor (Arlington, Va. A dentist so nice you call him "doctor" twice!)
Dalbert Fear, Jr., DDS (Ann Arbor, Mich.)
Ken Hurt, DDS (Albuquerque, N.M.)
Kenneth Krowne, DDS (Brookline, Mass.)
Les Plack, DDS (San Francisco, Calif.)
Anthony J. Puller, DDS (Richmond, Va.)
Randall Toothaker, DDS (University of Nebraska Medical Center)
Barth, Lacy, and Craig Toothman (Columbus, Ohio)
Economists
David Dollar (economist at the World Bank)
Electricians
Joe Shockey (Seven Hills, Ohio)

Food Critics
Jamie Maw (Vancouver magazine)
Football Players
Brian Baldinger (former defensive lineman, Dallas Cowboys, Indianapolis Colts*, and Philadelphia Eagles)
Joey Goodspeed (former running back, St. Louis Rams)
Quentin Jammer (cornerback for the San Diego Chargers)
Willie Thrower (first black quarterback in the NFL)
Garment Industry
Ravi Tailor, master cutter and managing director of Anthony J. Hewitt, bespoke tailors and shirtmakers of Saville Row (London).
Gastroenterologists
Dr. Angel Colon* (Washington, D.C.)
Gynecologists
Dr. Bonnie Beaver (West Hills, Calif.)
Dr. Harry Beaver, retired (Fairfax, Va.)
Sheldon H. Cherry (New York, N.Y.)
Dr. Hyman Meltzer, deceased (Chicago)
Laywers
Jeffrey M. Advokat, (Morristown, N.J.)
Sue Yoo (Sullivan & Cromwell, New York, N.Y.)

Leadership Expert
Jack Christ (Ripon College, Ripon, Wis.)
Liquor
Rosalind G. Brewer, board member, Molson Coors Brewing Co.
Lobbyists
Leon Billings
Robert Cashdollar
Nanotechnology
Richard Superfine (University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill)
Novelists/Essayists
Francine Prose (New York, N.Y.)
Office Supplies and Equipment
Dean Boring, president, Boring Office Supplies (Lakeland, Fla.)
Opthalmologists
Dr. Kevin Blinder (Washington University)
Ornithologists
David Bird (director, Avian Science and Conservation Center, McGill University, Canada)
Performing Arts
Sarah Slipper (former dancer with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet)
Podiatrists
Dr. Allen Korn (Washington, D.C.)
Poker Champions
Chris Moneymaker (Spring Hill, Tenn.)
Police
John Lawless (Haverstraw, N.Y.)
Psychologists/Psychiatrists
Dr. Jules Angst (emeritus professor of psychiatry, University of Zurich)
Ellen Winner (author of Gifted Children: Myths and Realities; professor of psychology at Boston College)
Roberta L. Nutt, Ph.D. (director, Counseling Psychology Doctoral Program, Texas Women's University)
William Dement, M.D. (professor of psychiatry and behavioral science at Stanford)
Race-car Drivers
Scott Goodyear
Scott Speed
Rapists, Convicted
Robert Raper (Boston, Mass.)
Realtors
Ann Greathouse (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
Cynthia Houser (Silver Spring, Md.)
Regulators
Charles H. Bronson (oversees Florida's "concealed carry" program allowing ordinary citizens to pack heat)
Religion, Professors of
Terry Godlove (Hofstra University)
Risk Management
John C. Chicken (author, The Philosophy of Risk)
Sexual Misconduct Researcher
Charol Shakeshaft
Spokespersons
Am Rong (Khmer Rouge spokesman, Cambodia)
Tony Snow (Washington, D.C.)
Larry Speakes (Reagan White House flak)
Textiles
Laura Knott-Twine, (founder, Windham Textile and History Museum in Windham, Conn., known as "Thread City.")
University Administration
Roger Printup, registrar (Stanford University)

Urologists
Dr. Richard ("Dick") Chopp (Austin, Texas)
Dr. Dennis Peters (Pensacola, Fla.)
Dr. Alexander Philpott (Wheat Ridge, Colo.)
Dr. Keith Waterhouse, retired (New York, N.Y.)

Testing Picasa

 
Maybe I should say I'm trying to learn about Picasa's features rather than 'testing'... naw, I'm doing both.
 

With Coffee in Hand

I'm sitting here at the pc with the window opened...the breeze blows in firmly. So firmly I almost feel like getting a jacket. I'm trying to get the apt. as cool as possible before closing everything up in a little while. Its suppose to get close to 90 degrees today. If I can get the apt. cool in the morning, then it stays fairly cool. And "fairly" is the operative word.

I've already ran a short errand this morning and I shot this picture of a bus stop.

A bus stop? you asked... yes, a bus stop. I was trying to get a shot of the artwork. If you see a yellow spot on the column of the roof area... that is the art. It looks like an American Indian design. When the city expanded the Max trains (public transportation option) they hired several artists to "prettify" the train stops.

Leslieann Butler was featured on last week's Oregon Art Beat. A loose, whimsical style with gobs of color. She is best known for her pet portraits. She started out doing realistic colored pencil art but when she experimented with a looser style she became instantly addicted. I like the looseness and color.

Brrrr... I think I'm going to have to go put on a jacket now.

Sizzler

**Its suppose to be in the 90s today. I'm sitting here with both windows open so cool air will be suck inside. Then I'll shut things up for the day. I did manage to buy a fan yesterday and I'm glad I didn't put it off until today.

**I won't be able to relax until I close the front window.

**I saw Candace and family for a short while yesterday. The 'wee one' is now a toddler, fer sure. And he likes to be held all the time. Unfortunately I forgot to grab my camera before heading out.

**I did manage to take a couple of photos yesterday, though. This is at the end of the day. It was warm and I had a hankering for a cold one.

It wasn't quite cold enough. The beer should be right at that place where liquid turns into slurppy ice crystals. The first swig was good.... but the rest of it was a chore. Good thing it was a short one.

**The after shot.

Dead Dog.

**Th...Th... That's All, Folks.

A week?

I can't believe its almost been a week since my last entry. I thought I had better post something... anything.

I bought $20 worth of gas the other day... got me a half of tank. I can't imagine what things would be like if I had to still commute to work. I think it was 17 miles one way... all freeway.

Sunny, Sunny, Bobunny.... fie vie mobunny.... Sunnnnnnyyyyyy.

Its That Kind of Day

I wish I drank. If I did I'd either have me a buzz going or be sleeping it off. I wonder how much revenue is generated from the sale of alcohol. The only legal drug. Bummer.

Mother's Day is coming. How many Mothers' Day cards are sent out of obligation and with hate.... I bet its most of them. Any thing that is wrong with a person has to be because of their mother. It couldn't possibly be because they are just screwed up all on their own. No bonified off-spring would ever think of standing up and saying "I screwed my life up." Naw, its always because of the mother. Well, I'm standing up. My mother didn't have anything to do with my life... it was all my doing.

Spoiled ass brats whining because 'mother threw away my raggedy, germ-encrusted teddy bear and I'm ruined for life.' Give me a frigging ass break.

If I wasn't the dumb-assed bitch that I was I wouldn't have had any children. Then where would they all be. All I've got to say is GET SOME PERSPECTIVE. Take a look at what a really truly "bad mother" does... bet I'd come up smelling like a... like a... well, something other than a rose. And if you have a lousy mother stop expecting her to be a good grandmother. Do you know what a good grandmother looks like? She looks like a fool standing there handing over gobs and gobs of money to you.... that's what she looks like. Its all about what she can do for you.

One of my daughters (I have four), when in her twenties, went through a period of time when there were no boyfriends... no dates.... no nothing. She's attractive, trim, and can be pleasant. I would wonder to myself 'whats up with these guys?!?' Then I found out what the problem was. It was HIGH MAINTENANCE. She's the center of everyone's universe and everyone else in the world is selfish. When the one word that keeps popping into a conversation is selfish you can pretty much be assured of what the deal is with her. She married a whimp. Someone she pushes around. And he's her hatchetman. He's the one she sends out to do her dirty work. "I don't like confrontation." Well, most people don't.

And speaking of blaming everything on mother.... what was Mother Nature thinking by setting it up so children can have babies? What's up with that?? Its all screwed up. Physically its better to have children when you're in your twenties... but there's no wisdom there. That doesn't come until some time in the forties, if it comes at all. So .... its not very logical.

And while I'm bitching here, let me say that I fully admit that I did not make a good mother. It wasn't intentional, though. You see... it was all my mother's fault.

PS... don't hate me because I'm beautiful. There are plenty of other reasons. BWAH HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

Playing with a Two Year Old

No, I didn't have a date. My grandson, Darius, spent the night. Each time I see him he looks like he's grown another inch. His torso is getting long and he's losing his two-year-old cuteness. I mean, he still has it, but its just not letting him get away with as much as it use to... fade to forty.

His vocabulary is improving.... shut up, you're not the boss of me, (I assured him I was... I think he understood)I'm not kidding, etc. However, the giggling after speaking his statements got him off the hook. The hook in the closet.

He's also into counting. We counted everything in the place as long as it didn't go over ten. Two, Tree, Five, Sebin, Ten. Then we repeated it.

Much to my chagrin, someone has taught him to box, and he certainly seems to have gotten a good grasp of the action. He knows how to hold his fists, swing a punch, and swing a one-two jab. Be still my heart.

It didn't take long before he was ready to go home. There's more action going on there than here... and that's where "mom" was. He was missing her. He let me know when he was ready to go home and we seemed to be on the same wave-length, same timing, etc. And mom came at the right time... just before naps.

Its Sunday

Like the title? Its so darn original, isn't it. It is evidence of my creative ability today.


Kind of says it all.....

I was reading some blogs this morning and once again a lesson in the power of the pen was demonstrated. I came across a blogger who seems to have very strong feelings about illegal immigrants. Strong negative feelings. I left her blog feeling very negative myself. Will this lesson for me stick this time? I don't know but it has caused me to temper my writeup about it. An ironic twist is that this person's last name is Slavic in nature, which would indicate immigration. Warning...opinion coming: her art is sick and twisted, too. Shudder.

We had rain yesterday. (yes, I have to talk about the weather in order to have something to say.) Today is sunny.

Saturdays I watch the BBC's comedies on the public channel since that is the best of the choices available. Up to this time I was not particularly impressed with the programs. Part of it could be a result of different cultures, but now I see it might be because of weak writing. Up until this time I was watching the last in the various series and we all know how a good comedy can peter out at the end of its lifetime. Last night I found myself laughing out loud several times. I think its because they have started showing the series of episodes all over again and the programs and writing is fresh and funny.

I find myself having the responsibility of a living thing... again. A plant. I made the mistake of saying to one of my friends that I thought I might be getting close to being ready to have a plant and I might be asking for a cutting soon. Before I knew what happened I was standing there with a very healthy mid-size plant in my hand. I've had it for little more than a week and there is a yellow leaf on it. Sigh. Maybe it was from the environment move... maybe not. I'll have to wait and see. Wish me...no, wish the plant luck and good care.

Life in the Hood

Was life any safer in the "olden days"? Hard to tell since history is written after the fact and in the "olden days" they didn't have the same ability for mass communications as we do now.

Our chief of police is under investigation for having a sexual affair with an employee several years ago. He gave the impression of being a decent guy but he apparently couldn't keep his pants zipped. His taste in women leaves a lot to be desired, too. She seems to have lived a tough life. I bet the sex wasn't worth what he's going through now. I would have thought he had more intelligence than what he's displayed... but 'my bad'.

Then our director of the State's Liquor Control Commission got arrested for DUII after crashing into another car. Although she stated she only had a couple of glasses of wine over a 4 or 5 hour period of time her blood alcohol level was twice what the legal limit is.... she has turned in her resignation. I'm guessing she was asked to do so.

Yesterday there was a drive-by shooting about four blocks away. It was steps from a high school. A 15 yr old was hit and he's currently recovering in the hospital.

In the middle of the night I saw a police car cruising through the area using its search light, obviously looking for someone. I then heard on the news that three fires were started two blocks away. We've got a lot of mentally ill people roaming the streets due to lack of money for funding mental hospitals. Maybe that has something to do with it. Or maybe just bored kids... too soon to know.

Picasa - free photo software

A friend told me about Picasa, from Google... free software for dealing with your photographs. I personally haven't used it yet but will probably give it a try soon. It sounds better than the HP PhotoSmart I currently use.

The Dark Ages

The human species has so very far to go to reach being civilized. We should be living in caves as evidence of our current "civilized ways". Oh wait... millions already do live in caves.

Darfur. First genocide of the 21st century and we are living it now. One can only guess at what our future generations will think of this time in history...this time of mass murder and mayhem. They will probably snicker at our ignorance much like we do now when we think of people believing the earth was flat.

The inhumanity of man boggles the mind.

Edit: Now the UN is slashing funding for food because of lack of funds. Apparently life is not sacred after all.

How about a cottage tour?

I came across an article from Cottage Living magazine about artist Lynn Hanson and how she's renovated her California beach cottage to accommodate her and a studio. I thought others might like to take a look too.

Are You Good at Bartering?

Following links from an article on msn's home page I came across someone who is using his blog, his personality, and he started with a red paper clip, and he's going to barter it up and into a home for himself. Here's the blog. If you just want a quick read, here is the msn article that explains things well.

No one is disputing that the bartering has turned into more of a 'love fest' for the guy, Kyle MacDonald, and several of the trades were blatant helping hands, more than trades... nonetheless, it is an excellent example of the magnetic energy generated by an enthusiastic, can-do attitude, with a touch of joy emanating from the heart, can accomplish.

A Delightful Excursion

I just came across a site giving a tour of an artist's home and whimsical gardens and I wanted to share it. Its called Weird Gardens. For maximum enjoyment, I suggest you view it when you are not feeling rushed. And be sure to check out the gallery if you are into mosaic art... very interesting and fun.

(It also have 5 second video clips to watch, too.)

I hope you enjoy it.

Down Cycle

"They" say life is circular... filled with up cycles followed by down cycles. I gotta tell ya, the up cycles don't compensate for the down ones. My up cycles seem to be flat... until I fall off into a down cycle.

I try to avoid confrontations with life but sometimes it has a way of seeping in under the door. Like now. I've got family members in dire straits and it ripples out to touch others in one way or another. Add to that I have several friends who are having to look at intense life situations dead in the eyes. And there's nothing I can do to help in any of the cases. Its like trying to hold your breath until the other hatchet falls. You know what I mean. You know the feeling... tight tenseness.
And the only thing I can do is wait.

And while I'm waiting, life is slapping around my reality. We had an Amber Alert today. Technically it was in Washington but the city of Vancouver is just across the bridge and its like a neighborhood. A witness saw a young girl get snatched off her bike... all indications are that it was a kidnapping. Broad daylight, busy street across from a police building, people all over the place but only one witness. We've had gobs of attempted kidnappings going on and this one seems to have been successful.

Humanity is going crazy. Crazy, I tell ya!

I had an errand to run and driving back I saw young people behaving like low-life thugs. And they're going to grow up and become low-life adults... without a chance for a decent life. How much of that is due to environment and upbringing and how much of it is simply who they were born to be. With their attitudes they don't have a chance. And it ripples out from there.

I've gotta go listen to Tolle... and do some meditation. Ohmmmmmmmm

Update: The Amber Alert was called off. Apparently some of the details of information doesn't add up to what the witness said and no one has reported a child missing. So the outcome is looking better for the child, if there was one, but its not looking so great for the witness. I hope everything turns out for the best.

Symptom free....

...for two whole days!!

Two weeks ago I watched "mom's" (my youngest daughter) wee one for a few hours. He, of course, had a cold. He always has a cold. In fact I can't remember when or if I've ever seen him without a cold.

After feeding him something messy I began to gather up the stuff off the coffee table and I slapped the spoon into my mouth. My hands were full. As soon as I did that I froze. "Oh man.... I shouldn't have done that!"

After two days, my eyes started feeling scratchy, my nose began to run, and coughing and sneezing ensued. It took a full seven days before the symptoms began to subside. Just in time for the wee one's birthday party.

At the birthday party, 'mom's' first born had his own cold going... one of those real messy ones. Yuck.

I reminded myself that I just needed to make sure to not to put anything in my mouth or rub my eyes or nose without washing my hands first. Did that work? I don't know. Darius insisted I share his Sugar Daddy with him. And I mean INSISTED.

Picture a two year old sitting on my chest, holding my nose closed so I was forced to breath through my mouth... and the contaminated Sugar Daddy was firmly inserted into mouth. "Here gra-ma, Here!"

Now he may not have been sitting on my chest, but he was that insistent. And I'm such a push over (he wouldn't let me go!!) that I surcome to the sharing. And just to make sure I was shared upon good, he brought another sucker for me to taste.

Since the first cold was just waning I wondered if the second group of cold germs would become confused and think they were part of the first group... you know, the group that was just leaving. But Noooooooooo.... Apparently the germs know they are the second coming. I am now sneezing, coughing, and blowing my nose. Sigh. Working on my second box of tissue.

Thirteen Million Dollars a Year

13 million dollars a year.... that's what Katie Couric made and what Matt Lauer will be making for the next five years. He's cute, but not that cute. And I can't imagine what Katie will be making with CBS. But this is America, folks. The land of opportunity.

I wonder what percentage of taxes they pay or will have to pay. My cynical self says 'not much'.

We can't have national or universal health care. We can't get our schools funded or pay teachers enough to keep the good ones around, but a talk show host...well, you know where this goes.

We can bomb other countries using weapons that can find their way into a smoke stack, but we can't get people out of harms way of a hurricane, or build decent levies... and we leave dead bodies in the street. But a celebrity...well, that's a whole different story. We can send people to the moon and cameras to Venus but we can't get trailers from here to there.

I don't get it. It just doesn't make any sense at all.

Are We Too Complacent?

Our "freedom" as a nation is being eroded, slowly and not so slowly. Have we become too complacent?

From the program Boston Legal... click on "Stick It" and listen to a viewpoint you may be familar with... or not.

Am I being biased?

Considering yesterday's post, I was thinking that some might be saying I'm biased. Please....please rest assured in knowing that Yes, I am biased. And there is done more biased than those who are sharing an opinion.

Females make very stupid choices, too, as evidenced by teachers having sexual relations with a student or them thinking "They said they loved me...they would never hurt me." It just seems that males are so good at it. But its a neck-and-neck race, to be sure.

It must have been lack of oxygen....

... lack of oxygen to the brain. You know, all the blood flowing else where. What else could explain the utter stupidity of the fourth ranking official in the public affairs office of Homeland Security. Was this position filled as a policial payoff? A 'good ole boy' payoff? These are the "competent" people running the show, people. I'm scared... I am very very scared.

And what is this with the male species?!? The internet is certainly illuminating by giving a glimpse of how many sexual deviates there are... and they are EVERWHERE. Its overwhelming at times. Scary.

Is the internet promoting the activity... or just exposing it? I suspect it is just exposing it.

I wonder if the species will ever be fully civilized. I have big doubts, big doubts indeed.

Damn. One of my high priority goals is to release all judgment. Oh man, do I ever have a lot to work on with that one. (I ain't doing too good with my other goals, either... but I keep plugging along.)

A vent... and I'm sputtering

I just received an email from a friend. Its one of what I call 'manual viruses'... an email that contains instructions to send it on to four or seven or ten other people and good fortune will smile on the sender within four days. If its not sent on, then doom and destruction will come to that one who broke the chain. Well, bullshit. I NEVER send these things on and I'm still here and nothing has happened to me.

This last one I received, as with most of the others, is Christian in nature touting that God will bless me if I send out an email. But this one is more offensive to me because it says if I don't send it on to other people someone I love will die. Yes. That's right.... DIE. WTF?!

Is the term 'extortion' familiar to you? Christian extortion?

Perhaps I should send my friend a reply saying "Its been nice knowing you. Go with God" since I'm not sending the email on to others and my friend could be the "loved one" that dies. If I was mean, that's what I'd do... but I'm not mean enough for that. And mainly its because my friend is so superstitous it would turn her into a wreck. She'd probably unconsciously walk in front of a bus because of her crazy beliefs.

If "my" God kills someone because I didn't send out an email, then let me raise my hand to volunteer to be the one to die. Fortunately, this doesn't reflect the actions of all Christians.

Brain people, Brain. You have one... why not use it.

Shhhh.... I'm babysitting

I'm babysitting and the wee one is asleep. I do believe its going to be one of the easy as pie sessions. One yr old Vyron (whose name has now been officially changed) was brought over late-ish, around 8:30pm. He looked tired... had probably fallen asleep in the car... plus he has his continous cold thingy going on, too. (Big bruddar, Darius, was staying the night with a family friend.)

I had told 'mom' to bring Vyron some food for him since I haven't been to the store lately. She sent yogurt. Two containers of fruit yogurt, fer gawd sake. They don't call me gramma for nuthin', know what I mean? This child, if he's to be content, needs solid food. He needs some sleep enhancing comfort food. He needs real food. But he had to settle for what I had available. And he needs his rest. (gramma rubbed her hands together slowly as a wicked snicker escaped from her sly mouth.)

I fixed him some fried potatoes, scrambled eggs, and a cup of orange juice.... and he was grubbing! As grubbing as one can get with only a couple of nubs sticking up through his gums... just enough to clank on the silverware. And as I had hoped, when he was done he toppled over on the couch and went to sleep. Okay, maybe not immediately, but certainly in baby-terms, he went to sleep quickly.

And now, lucky me, 'mom' just called to say she's on her way to get him. They didn't go to the movies after all... just had dinner.

Yes, an easy session it was.

Mother of Invention

I'm not a shopper. Its not my forte. And add to that the desire to be quick, you can see how it could happen. I grabbed the wrong product while grocery shopping a couple of weeks ago. I grabbed whole bean coffee instead of ground. And I discovered it after I had opened the package... so now I have beans with no grinder. As I do not plan on purchasing more beans I can't not justify buying a grinder. What to do?

Well, the first thing I did was go buy some ground coffee. I didn't want to wait on coffee while trying to come up with a solution. I don't like time pressure. (Its probably why I waste so much time. Please don't hate me because I'm late. You thought I was going to say beautiful, huh.)

Today was the day when I needed a solution... I had run out of ground coffee. And I came up with one, but its one for emergencies only. That's because its labor intensive.

The only thing a grinder does is break up the beans. Well I can do that. After thinking of several ways to do this I decided to try the ole pliers method. I broke up a small handful of beans.... one at a time. I couldn't call it 'fine' grind, but 'barely broke' works. Naw, I'm kidding... they are smaller pieces than 'barely broke', but not by too much.

Then I changed plans and made half a pot instead of a whole one. I am now sitting here with my second delicous Cup O Joe.


*"FEED THAT WOMAN!" Maybe Naomi Campbell needs to eat something. It might help with anger management.
*Biased Reporting. That would be NBC's National news program. They had a piece about a study done on the effects of prayer on healing. The study did not show it had an effect. The parting comment from the news anchor clearly outlined his personal opinions on the study. I found it an interesting example of the subtlities of influencing others. Mass hypnosis in a way.
*Reading the same blogs over time you get an idea of the kind of person that is on the other end. At least those who are a bit more comfortable and honest in their blog. There are some that I would not like to have as a neighbor....critical of others. And since I believe we are our own best teachers, perhaps I should apply that comment to me, too. Interesting.

It was soooo beautiful here, weather wise. Earlier I was debating whether to run an errand today or wait until Monday. I have a tendency to always wait, but after going outside for a few minutes, I decided today was the day. White billowy clouds, sunshine, birds singing, trees blossoming.... yes, today was the day. It was a good day.

What a difference a day makes...

...twenty four little hours. Actually, today the lyrics should be what a difference a dollar makes....

Today is my youngest daughter's 25th birthday. This morning she called with 'well, where's your memory...no phone call today or anything?', meaning I haven't called her to say Happy Birthday. (she got her present earlier in the month...$$ fits all sizes) Not so fast there, little missy.... I told her to go check her email. Her ecard was there.

She was very happy. Today her 'special friend' received a large check. (They think its a back payment, but they're not sure.) What a difference a buck can make when you are flat broke. She said the day started out lousy and crappy.... but everything is bright in their future now. (I did point out that it wasn't her money and she needs to respect it... don't go making plans to spend it all without mutual agreement, or at least asking first.)

They are on their way to purchase a $500 car from a friend. I only hope its a half way decent one... with two small kids, they really need a car. This may be the only lump sum they (he) will get so even a running $500 car is better than wasted dinners out or something.

I'm happy for them... and it couldn't have come on a better day.

Running Errands

One of my daughters ('mom') called and asked if I would take her on a few errands. It was gorgeous outside so that's what I did today.

When I got to her apartment and walked through the door there was the "wee one" in his diapers running around, falling, giggling and then jumping back up to run some more. This is the first time I've really got to see his walking skills. He was enjoying it to no end... thoroughly pleased to fall and have the chance to get back up and do it again. A lot like life, doncha think? His first birthday is in April.

Anyway, my guy Darius came with 'mom' and me... the wee one stayed with mom's special friend Darius displays such a macho attitude... Mr. Football Player in his walk, trying to talk so he can tell you what to do, but still a sweetie. I look at him and can see how many paths are available for him to take at this stage and its scary. Its his day-to-day world that is shaping his outlook on things and its scary to see how easily it is to step amiss without even knowing it. How easily he picks up a toy gun and points it at someone.... its just scary for me. 'Scary' is too strong a word. 'Concern' is a better description. Don't need no fear around here!

We completed the errands quickly and then I dropped them off at a friends. It was a nice ride back home... sun out, warm, birds and blossoms out... a very nice day, all in all.

Vocabulary word

Brobdingnagian

Pronunciation: "bräb-di[ng]-'na-gE-&n, -dig-'na-
Function: adjective
Etymology: Brobdingnag, imaginary land of giants in Gulliver's Travels, by Jonathan Swift
: marked by tremendous size
- Brobdingnagian noun

Bob's wife turned away screaming, "If you don't stop taking that damn Viagra, I'm leaving you!!"

Nuthin' Much.... you?

If you've noticed several repeats of "eye candy" its because I've been told by photobucket.com that I'm reaching the end of my free space on their site, so I haven't been uploading anything. Their email could have simply been regular advertisement, but since I've got 15 'pages' of photos I figure the free time is about gone.

When you don't have a specific subject matter for an entry, its kind of difficult to come up with a title for it.

I was contemplating whether to take a morning nap, take a shower, or simply continue surfing the web. My answer has come in a form of a phone call from someone who will be coming over to repay a loan. I shall straighten up first... shouldn't take long... and then shower. After that, I can see if I can sqeeze in a nap. Does it sound like I'm napping all the time? Well, I try. Please remember, crones don't necessarily get in an eight-hour stretch of sleep... its more like four or five hours of interrupted repose injected between trips to the bathroom. But I think its more natural to follow the promptings of the body, rather than trying to make it fit into certain schedules. Schedules created by commerce...gotta sleep eight hours so you can work eight-plus hours, etc.. It should be more like how a cat does it. Only without the tail. I'm getting the fur thing down good, though.... in the form of inappropriate hair growth. I'm just having some trouble with that grooming activity. My legs and back won't bend that much. Any more. (I'm such a tease sometimes.)

I was checking my stats details and it seems like most of my blog visits are coming from automated software searching. Anyway, that's my guess since the visits don't even register length of time (0 seconds) and it has something to do with "WhoIs". ??? Maybe its a software that searches to see if a user name has already been snagged by someone. If that's the case, then I have very few real visitors... and that's okay cause I'm not promoting my blog. Oh... and lurkers shouldn't be concerned because the stats do not show me enough details to determine who is checking it out. Honest...really.

Dontcha hate it when people do that... say one thing but make it seem like something else so that you don't know whether or not to believe them. I remember back in my thirties that I did not want to lie to my significant other but the truth would have hurt their over-sensitive feelers and I might have gotten my ass kicked... and we didn't want that.... So I told them the truth but made it seem like I was lying. And they swallowed it. And it got me off the hook as well. I can't even remember what it was about, either.

Well, I gotta go straighten up the place. Enjoy this day cause its the only time that this particular day will exist.

ooops... almost forgot our vocabulary word for the day:

pastiche

Used in a sentence: Telling [Jackson] Pollock's story had become somewhat of an obsession for [Ed] Harris, so it was important to balance the fine line between accurate storytelling, homage and pastiche.

Function: noun
Etymology: French, from Italian pasticcio
1 : a literary, artistic, musical, or architectural work that imitates the style of previous work; also : such stylistic imitation
2 a : a musical, literary, or artistic composition made up of selections from different works : POTPOURRI b : HODGEPODGE

Words of Wisdom

1. No matter how hard you try, you can't baptize cats.

2. When your Mom is mad at your Dad, don't let her brush your hair.

3. If your sister hits you, don't hit her back. They always catch the second person.

4. Never ask your 3-year old brother to hold a tomato.

5. You can't trust dogs to watch your food.

6. Don't sneeze when someone is cutting your hair.

7. Never hold a Dust-Buster and a cat at the same time.

8. You can't hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk.

9. Don't wear polka-dot underwear under white shorts.

10. The best place to be when you're sad is Grandma's lap.

What Kind of Writer are You?

You Should Be a Film Writer

You don't just create compelling stories, you see them as clearly as a movie in your mind. You have a knack for details and dialogue. You can really make a character come to life. Chances are, you enjoy creating all types of stories. The joy is in the storytelling. And nothing would please you more than millions of people seeing your story on the big screen!

What Type of Writer Should You Be?

Nuthin' in Particular

I'm tempted to just leave the illustration... no text. That's because there really isn't anything to discuss.

*As evidence of how mild the winter has been, my current electric bill is $27. Its all in the layering.

*I discovered Safeway carried a product I had thought only Albertson's carried. Holy Crap, Batman... the price difference is staggering. Its $4.59 at Albertson's (which, I think, is way over-priced anyway) and $4.89 at Safeway. That's a $0.30 difference. That's big!

*Yes... I did buy it, but only one. Any future purchase of said product will have to be as a reward for saving someone's life.

*(Sigh)Yes... I did exaggerate above item, but only by a little.

*The cursor has been blinking on this item for about 30 minutes now. That's my cue to shut it down for the day. Smiley faces to ya.

The Big Tease - Spring

Not much going on here, as evidenced by the subject line... Spring. You know its all over when you start talking about the weather... and older folks seem to talk about it more than younger ones. I call that an 'active symbol' for been there, done that.

We're getting a few hours of partly sunny weather then the rain is suppose to move in again. 'Partly Sunny' sounds so much more hopeful than 'Partly Cloudy'. But... I digress from what I really want to point out.

I want to point out my appreciation for the crocus... I hope I spelled that right. What a brave little ball of sunshine they are...poking up out of cold ground when its still winter. Such bravery. And such a sweet message they bring....don't dispare, spring is coming again this year. shhhh... its just around the corner, hold on...don't give up. Spring is coming.

I heard their name first. Crocus. Cro-cus. Its winter and my grandmother is saying 'the crocus are coming up' as though it was something important. I couldn't imagine what a crocus would look like...what could it possibly look like with a name like that. Cro-CUS. Was it anything like cactus? What else ended in 'cus'? Crocus, to my sixteen yr old mind the word felt like distaste and distain. (But that's how sixteen yr olds are suppose to be, right?)

Anyway... now that I'm as old as dirt, I occasionally pay attention to the mundane and pedestrian.... and I am usually always thoroughly intriqued by all I've been missing. And the beauty of crocus is one of them. I've finally connected the name to the actual growth and now I, too, get excited over the crocus acomin'.

But its still a little like calling a Playboy Bunny by the name of Bertha. It just don't fit.

Bullshit Litigation

Greedy people are copyrighting common word usages and then suing small home-businesses for using it. Here's an article I just read on ebsqart's website. Its like Trump saying (or trying to say it) no one can use the phrase You're Fired. Pulease. And the lawyers are going after small businesses who don't have financial resourses to stand firm. Is the word 'extortion' familiar to you?

Now here is where I would typically put in a sarcastic comment, that may or may not be understood (or even humorous), however I am attempting to be mindful of the energy I put out into the Universe... so I will say perhaps this is what is needed to fine-tune existing laws and to clarify things. And besides, I don't know anything more about it than what is in this article. There is always, no matter how dim, two sides to every situation. It still stinks.

Yawn

As I begin this entry it is going on 5am. I've been up since around 3am because Dyer's program, that I mentioned yesterday, is being repeated. It started at 2am and it will be repeated several more times this month. Lucky for me because I feel like I may be falling asleep soon, but with the repeats still to come I may be able to see the whole thing.

Dyer is so easy to listen to... plain language for us plain folks. If you have an opportunity to see/listen to it I encourage you to do so. Even with the 10-15 minute pledge breaks there are still treasures to be had if you choose to pick them up.

Edit: I managed to make it through the whole thing... and it was worth it.

Inspiration

Public Domain Photos

Inspiration... got any? I sure could use some.

I'm feeling blessed and a little bummed out because of OPB's fund-raising time. They put on some great programs during their continuous appeal for funding. (damn government should repeal the cutbacks...its just a drop in the bucket, fer gawd sake. But since they're cutting back on Medicaid, education, anything to do with people, what more can be expected. However, let me not get political cause I don't know that much about politics ...except its all crooked and I AIN'T VOTING REPUBLICAN. 'Course that isn't a change.) Since pros and cons are contained in everything, OPBs great programs are totally disrupted while they ask for donations. Its hard to follow a program when the train of thought completely derails all the time.

Wayne Dyer has another program/conference out for OPB on "Inspiration: Your Ultimate Calling".

Here's the write-up from their TV guide listing:
In his newest special, Dr. Wayne Dyer assures us that inspiration is not something that comes and goes. It's not something that you have one moment and then, in the next moment, it disappears. This program is a whole new look at inspiration. Dr. Dyer will engage the viewer through laughter, spirituality, and great emotion.

I don't think the synopsis is good...misses the point. Dyer breaks down the word to mean In-Spirit and explains how inspiration comes when you are in harmony with your Being and the Life processes. And I'm sure there's more, but I was only able to watch a little of it. I simply could not hang with all the interruptions and I fell asleep. (Now isn't that symbolic.) I woke up at the end of the program when they were playing a minute of his conference bookcased with 30 minutes of pleading.

If there is any billionaire out there reading this, please donate a trust fund to OPB so they can return to full programming. Thank you in advance. (Notice how a millionaire isn't enough any more?) Oh... and if you don't want the "gift" they give out for a $365 donation, you can send it to me, k?

Stupid Broad!

Bubba and Ray (Tennessee mechanical engineers) were standing at the base of a flagpole, looking up.

A woman walked by and asked what they were doing.

"We're supposed to find the height of the flagpole," said Bubba, "but we don't have a ladder."

The woman took a wrench from her purse, loosened a few bolts, and laid the pole down. Then she took a tape measure from her pocket, took a measurement, announced "Eighteen feet, six inches," and walked away.

Ray shook his head and laughed. "Ain't that just like a blonde! We ask for the height and she gives us the length!"

Chit Chat

Daffodils have been out for a few days. Actually, I don't know how long they've been out... I only noticed them from my window a few days ago. What a wonderful spate of color against the wet, dark mud.

Shadows can be seen today. Another good omen for the day... gotta dig out the ole sun glasses. You remember what they are, don't you?

One of my daughters (I refer to her in the written word as 'mom') borrowed my camera for a few days. Her family unit was going to OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry). I haven't seen all the pictures taken on that day, but here's a couple:

"Can You Hear Me Now?"


Here's the latest picture of the 'wee one' who will be one years old next month... look at those cheeks!!


The brothers seem to have developed a strong bond right from the get-go, although the wee one hasn't been very vocal about it yet. I figure the wee one is here to help Mr. Sparks keep balanced... to bring some "calm" into his world. And Mr. Sparks is here to protect the wee one from bullies. "Bruddar" was one of Mr. Sparks' first words... that and "NO!"

I was checking out one of my favorite blogs (those that I read every day religiously) and he had mentioned that he received a notification from the advertisers on his site... there have been too many "clicks" on their ads which indicates some padding was going on. He has a large audience and I guess some of them just wanted to help out. I clicked on a blog ad once (not on his site), but I was actually interested in the subject... I just didn't have any money to purchase said subject. It wasn't high on my priorities. To be honest, I can't even remember what the subject was now.

I hope your day is as beautiful as mine. The one downside to sunshine is that it shows up all the dust and grit when you have the blinds wide open. "SHUT THOSE BLINDS!!"

This was too good to pass up... I don't usually get good marks!

You Are 60% Open Minded

You are a very open minded person, but you're also well grounded. Tolerant and flexible, you appreciate most lifestyles and viewpoints. But you also know where you stand firm, and you can draw that line. You're open to considering every possibility - but in the end, you stand true to yourself.

How Open Minded Are You?

Friday

Its going to be a dry day here... finally. And the sun should be seen once in a while, too. Yahoo Spring!

I signed up for email notification from Illustration Friday. This is a site where each Friday a topic is chosen and people have a week to do (or find) art work depicting the topic... any medium, etc. Then they post it on their web site and send a link to IF (Illustration Friday)... others can then take a look at it. Any work is acceptable... doodles, photos, full fledged paintings.... done currently or done prior. It makes no difference.

Since this is Friday I took a look at the site and there were already 80+ entries for this coming week. I wouldn't be surprised if sometimes the participants are a thousand or more. We'll see how it goes (meaning my discipline to get drawings done).

I also found out (because I'm just plain nosy) that the free service of uploading photos to the web using Photobucket has a size limitation. Go over it and you will need to buy the space at a minimal fee. If one was to post photos to their blog and have their blog for a long time, I could see this charge happening in my future. This will make me more careful about what I want to upload, but since I now have a monthly income, small tho it may be, this will not be a problem for me. And I have certainly been grateful for their free service... there'll be no bitching from me. Surprised?

Oh... and I came across this awesome site via a Live Journal user. Ashes and Snow. There are two options to chose from... enhanced experience and basic. If you have high speed access, then you'll get the full experience of it. (be sure your sound is turned on) You will also need a large monitor screen. Unfortunately, mine is small and it kept me from being able to access the 'portfolio' link (it was beyond my screen display). I hope you enjoy it.

That's it for now. May your day be blessed with gratitude.

Well, Where have I been?

I was just checking the date on my last entry.... I didn't think it had been as long as it has. Man, time flies when you are having fun. I can't imagine how fast that might be, cause its racing now.

Meet Mr. Clean's son....

I like my grandson's hair cut really really short... shows his features better... but being completely bald was not what I had in mind. And it wasn't what his mother had in mind either, but I guess it got good to her and she couldn't stop. The picture was taken a couple of weeks ago so he's now got some fuzz on his head, but not much.

I watched him yesterday so 'mom' could go shopping. She didn't get everything done so she wants to borrow the car to go today. Since my wiper blades are non-functional, it will have to be between showers. I'm waiting for her to show up to get the car now. I have a feeling it might be tomorrow, but I'll just have to wait and see.

'Mom' would like it if I could watch both kids, but I just don't have the energy for it. Here's the wee one who is only a month away from being a year old. He's such a sweetie, but he's got a REALLY LOUD SCREAM.

He's not walking yet, but is beginning to stand on his own.