I managed to finish a few more books this week. Two were by Victoria Laurie. Her website is http://www.victorialaurie.com. She is a professional psychic who became fed up with all the media portrayals of pyschics as total flakes. Her 2 books are in response to that portrayal. I found the books to be rather fun. The ist is Abby Cooper, psychic Eye and the 2nd is Better Read Than Dead. For a fun romantic mystery without a lot of sex and some actual thought involved then try them.
The main character, Abby Cooper, is a psychic who gets involved in a dating service, meets her date, and then is involved in a murder case her date is investigating because she gace a reading to the woman murdered. The man she thought was in "securities" is actually a detective who thinks she is a flake and possible the murderer. It all gets worked out, but the problems! Sheez! If they were not realistic, one-after-the-other type problems, the book would have been ruined. As it is, it actually made the story that much better.
The next book I read this past week is Julie Kenner's The Givenchy Code. I like her writing because the romance scenes appeal to me and while I can easily pass over the sex scenes (mostly because my memories are so foggy it is hard to tell how good the scenes are), the book is basically a fun summer beach read. I liked how the book ended with all the main mystery threads ties up, but there were several unanswered questions and plenty of room for more stories with different characters, or even the same characters but as supporters instead of as the leads.
Changing genres, I also managed to finish Steve Whites The Demon Gate. It was pure fantasy fiction. The setting was about the bronze age, but a lot of the problems I had were that after all the attention to detail to make sure that the setting was as close to accurate as possible, he blew it with the mind set of the characters. A person from the Bronze Age would never have the thought processes these characters followed. I am not saying that a Bronze Age person is dumb as dirt, just that they would not have logically cause and effect trains of thought. The last time I checked, the Bronze Age was still heavily superstitious and based heavily on "I saw it happen once and so it will hopefully happen again if the gods allow it to." Not "I saw "x" happen under these circumstances, so logically, if I duplicate these circumstances, it should happen again."
Fortunately, I am used to ignoring such blatant problems and once I figured out why I kept sneering at what I was reading, I was able to laugh, go back to the beginning of the book, and read the book with complete abandonment & enjoyed it immensely.
I really should make it clear that I love to read. The number of books I have not been able to read is an amazingly short list. In fact, the only book I can think of recently is the new book called The Historian. I tried to read that but it was so badly written and such a bundle of trite mawkishness that I never could get past page 2. Now, for me to say this given my horrible taste in reading should be a sign of just how bad the book was. I am not saying that it was a badly written book in the sense that it was ungrammatical or the ideas were bad, or there were gaping holes in the plot. From the 2 pages I read that is not it at all. The problem was that the author spent 2 pages delving in to why she was so passive about following her fathers orders involving her home and education while growing up. For 90% of humanity, it would take maybe a paragraph to delve in to that particular topic, and then get into stories and examples if necessary. The author took 2 pages just to explain that she was very passive about her educational life, how that played a role in where she lived, and then about 1/2 way in to page 4, I saw that was where she started giving examples. Quite honestly, I can't stomach that sort of mentral purging. Especially when I am reading for pleasure.
This past week I also managed to watch a few movies. "Ocean's Eleven" was a fun flick and I am not going to bother saying anything else beyond how Brad Pitt is an exceptionally attractive man & I really do prefer him over Clooney. Clooney is always too smarmy while Pitt seems smother & more solid - and not just in the chest.
I watched a few episodes of 1 of my favorite anime's. InuYasha is really just a fun story line and I like how I laugh when I watch the antics of the characters as they continue in their search to find all the sacred jewel shards and destroy all evil demons. I mean, that's a world of laughter in & of itself if done right. The fact that InuYasha has puppy dog ears and is an obnoxious white knight is tarnished armor & would deny all nobility just makes him that much cooler. And watching him try to not care is just sweet.
I watched a piece of teen drivel just so I could figure out who Hilary Duff was. I watched A Cinderella Story. I can not recommend it for anyone over the age of 13, unless you are like me & prefer having the TV on instead of the radio while reading or just taking care of those odds & ends that need to be done all the time. Then, maybe, if there is nothing else available, it might be suitable. I doubt it but I'll be generous. To put it another way, I not only read a book while watching the movie, but I made a pitcher of tea, cleaned the litter box, gather trash, cut my nails, weeded my cook books out, reorganized some files, and worked on a puzzle. All within the 2 hours this piece of intellectual stulification was playing.
Saturday, July 30, 2005
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
Odds & Ends Today
Today, I am going to wander all over the place so bear with me.
First off, welcome to anyone who checks out stephalupogus when they click to see who posted a comment on their blog. A friend of mine who writes the blog http://exmi.blogspot.com told me how he cons others in to looking at his blog. He clicks on the link for "next blog" and makes random postings. Since I enjoy reading others blogs and enjoy having people post to mine, I figured "Why not?" So welcome and thank you to one and all! :-)
I was also informed that I did not accurately answer the question on whether or not my aversion to being touched any more is physiologic or psychological. Well, I honestly do not know what the answer is, but here are more details on where I am coming from. Everyone and everyone is welcome to post their opinion, ask questions, or just tell me how weird I am.
First off, part of it is growing up. I spent a lot of my early college years being open to anyone & everyone touching me. That caused all sorts of headaches and I learned that lesson well in an amazingly short time. I only had to go through 1 really bad situation and then a few moments of absolute humiliation before I FINALLY learned.
Have I mentioned I am a bit hard headed and have issues with all sorts of things? The biggest being self esteem and trust?
Another aspects have a lot to do with how I hate the way 99% of humanity smells. It is not so much a matter of offensive body odor as a matter of most of humanity just smells bad. I have no idea why I have such a sensitive nose on this level, but part of the reason I do not control my allergies with the best modern medicine has to offer is because if I can't smell, then I can cope with the patrons who come in to my library, people walking by me in Wal-Mart, getting gas in the car, going out to dinner with an increasingly small number of friends, visit an even smaller number of friends, and cope with small children. If I could smell, I'd be constantly on the verge of throwing up. The few times I took Claritan were nose opening experiences and I never want to go through that again. It is hard to smile and be pleasant when a patron is smiling and gossiping and asking for the latest Harry Potter when all I want to do is throw up because they smell like a bad mix of bologna and cigarettes.
The other part is that so many people in this area of the coastal Georgia feel that touching is just part of the conversation. Now, keep in mind that I am perfectly willing to pay $60 for a massage once or twice a month. The problem is that it is rather creepy when Mr. "X" comes up, gives me a hug & some how the hand makes a passing stop at my breast. Or when the 70 yr old grandmother comes in and hugs me, loosening her dentures and smearing her make-up on my shirt. And I find it annoying beyond belief when small children are left to roam the building and they end up in my lap, smelling of dirty diaper and cheerios.
Then there is just the fact that I am out of the habit of being touched beyond these casual, disturbing/messy ways. When those are the main sources of physical touch I receive, then any touch is hard to cope with considering my Pavlovian response training.
For my next topic, I was asked by "anonymous" whether or not there was anyone who could help me relax, take on some of my chores, and generally just be there to help create a more relaxing evening. Well, the answer is no. Part of the reason I am moving in with my mother & sister this Thanksgiving is because of money on all sides, mixed with the fact that my sister is an epileptic with no job and forbidden to get a license, ever. I am hoping that will change, but for now, she needs someone to drive her around and while our mother is willing to do a lot, she is an elementary teacher with a school an hours drive away from home. There is only so much Mom can do so that leaves me.
Our father lives in AL and in an emergency can be here to help out in about 4 hours, but it is normally a 9 hour drive from his home to my sisters home. If anyone needs to run to the pharmacy, stop and pick up an extra gallon of milk, or whatever, the list of options is pretty short. So, that leaves me. I do not mind helping out, but I am physically at the point where I can not keep going this way.
As for having someone at home able to get the movie and popcorn ready, or the bath drawn, or whatever, I live alone. Moving in with my mother & sister will mean that my sister can help out a great deal on that level, but I will still be the one running errands and generally helping my sister out.
I just realized that this sounds as if my mother does nothing. That is anything but the truth. The problem is that she is a school teacher who during the school year gets up at 5 am, is out the door by 6 am, at work no later than 7 am, there until 5 pm, usually stays until 6-8 pm because of meetings or work that needs to be accomplished before the next day, and then gets home at 7 on a good day. So free time is non-existent and she really just can not get enough free time to get my sister and nephew's prescriptions, take the 3 hours at Wal-Mart necessary when my nephew goes along, and still help out with the basics of living. That is where I come in because I can. My schedule is a lot more consistent and I can leave my job for my lunch hour, I can stop at Wal-Mart before getting home at a time when the pharmacy is open. I can stop and get the milk because I pass 3 WalMarts & 15 grocery stores between work & Mom's. And don't forget all the gas stations!
OK, now that I have covered that subject, everyone is welcome to tell me if I answered in enough detail or not. But right now, it is time for me to start wrapping up so that I can go home and get some sleep.
First off, welcome to anyone who checks out stephalupogus when they click to see who posted a comment on their blog. A friend of mine who writes the blog http://exmi.blogspot.com told me how he cons others in to looking at his blog. He clicks on the link for "next blog" and makes random postings. Since I enjoy reading others blogs and enjoy having people post to mine, I figured "Why not?" So welcome and thank you to one and all! :-)
I was also informed that I did not accurately answer the question on whether or not my aversion to being touched any more is physiologic or psychological. Well, I honestly do not know what the answer is, but here are more details on where I am coming from. Everyone and everyone is welcome to post their opinion, ask questions, or just tell me how weird I am.
First off, part of it is growing up. I spent a lot of my early college years being open to anyone & everyone touching me. That caused all sorts of headaches and I learned that lesson well in an amazingly short time. I only had to go through 1 really bad situation and then a few moments of absolute humiliation before I FINALLY learned.
Have I mentioned I am a bit hard headed and have issues with all sorts of things? The biggest being self esteem and trust?
Another aspects have a lot to do with how I hate the way 99% of humanity smells. It is not so much a matter of offensive body odor as a matter of most of humanity just smells bad. I have no idea why I have such a sensitive nose on this level, but part of the reason I do not control my allergies with the best modern medicine has to offer is because if I can't smell, then I can cope with the patrons who come in to my library, people walking by me in Wal-Mart, getting gas in the car, going out to dinner with an increasingly small number of friends, visit an even smaller number of friends, and cope with small children. If I could smell, I'd be constantly on the verge of throwing up. The few times I took Claritan were nose opening experiences and I never want to go through that again. It is hard to smile and be pleasant when a patron is smiling and gossiping and asking for the latest Harry Potter when all I want to do is throw up because they smell like a bad mix of bologna and cigarettes.
The other part is that so many people in this area of the coastal Georgia feel that touching is just part of the conversation. Now, keep in mind that I am perfectly willing to pay $60 for a massage once or twice a month. The problem is that it is rather creepy when Mr. "X" comes up, gives me a hug & some how the hand makes a passing stop at my breast. Or when the 70 yr old grandmother comes in and hugs me, loosening her dentures and smearing her make-up on my shirt. And I find it annoying beyond belief when small children are left to roam the building and they end up in my lap, smelling of dirty diaper and cheerios.
Then there is just the fact that I am out of the habit of being touched beyond these casual, disturbing/messy ways. When those are the main sources of physical touch I receive, then any touch is hard to cope with considering my Pavlovian response training.
For my next topic, I was asked by "anonymous" whether or not there was anyone who could help me relax, take on some of my chores, and generally just be there to help create a more relaxing evening. Well, the answer is no. Part of the reason I am moving in with my mother & sister this Thanksgiving is because of money on all sides, mixed with the fact that my sister is an epileptic with no job and forbidden to get a license, ever. I am hoping that will change, but for now, she needs someone to drive her around and while our mother is willing to do a lot, she is an elementary teacher with a school an hours drive away from home. There is only so much Mom can do so that leaves me.
Our father lives in AL and in an emergency can be here to help out in about 4 hours, but it is normally a 9 hour drive from his home to my sisters home. If anyone needs to run to the pharmacy, stop and pick up an extra gallon of milk, or whatever, the list of options is pretty short. So, that leaves me. I do not mind helping out, but I am physically at the point where I can not keep going this way.
As for having someone at home able to get the movie and popcorn ready, or the bath drawn, or whatever, I live alone. Moving in with my mother & sister will mean that my sister can help out a great deal on that level, but I will still be the one running errands and generally helping my sister out.
I just realized that this sounds as if my mother does nothing. That is anything but the truth. The problem is that she is a school teacher who during the school year gets up at 5 am, is out the door by 6 am, at work no later than 7 am, there until 5 pm, usually stays until 6-8 pm because of meetings or work that needs to be accomplished before the next day, and then gets home at 7 on a good day. So free time is non-existent and she really just can not get enough free time to get my sister and nephew's prescriptions, take the 3 hours at Wal-Mart necessary when my nephew goes along, and still help out with the basics of living. That is where I come in because I can. My schedule is a lot more consistent and I can leave my job for my lunch hour, I can stop at Wal-Mart before getting home at a time when the pharmacy is open. I can stop and get the milk because I pass 3 WalMarts & 15 grocery stores between work & Mom's. And don't forget all the gas stations!
OK, now that I have covered that subject, everyone is welcome to tell me if I answered in enough detail or not. But right now, it is time for me to start wrapping up so that I can go home and get some sleep.
Monday, July 25, 2005
Some Questions
I have recently been asked a few questions and I honestly do not know the answers to any of them. They are 1. since I do not associate memories, what do I associate memories with? 2. What do I want for myself career-wise? And 3. Is my aversion to being touched physiological or psychological.
Taking these in order, the answer is still I have no idea, but . . .
I have never had a "special song," or associated music with an event or era. I just never have and doubt if I will start to now. Probably the closest I will ever get is the memory of being asked if I had ever been in love before by an old college roommate back when I played 1 CD incessantly. And that memory is ties mostly to the embarrassment of the fact that she drew that conclusion when the reality was I had few CD's to listen to & that was 1 I could listen to incessantly while studying.
So I guess my method of recalling memories is through emotions. I can recall in exquisite, painful detail every memory that deals with some form of embarrassment. I treasure my memories that deal with laughter and happiness. I brood over moments when something happened and I just do not understand the why's and where for's - an emotion otherwise known as confusion. But sound or music? No, can't say that there is any 1 song that I will hear and automatically think of an era or event. There certainly are no smells that trigger my memory. Cripes, the delightful smell of papermills in Savannah does nothing but make me curl my nose and then I shrug my shoulders and go on. So does that make me weird? Or just another sign that my memory works differently?
As for what I want for myself career-wise, I am at a total loss. In many ways my current job is perfect. I have lots of time to read and order more books to read. I get first dibs on any & all new books and that is great. The problem lies in how much I despise dealing with the public and the sector I deal with is the upper strata of society - they read! But I hate being a baby sitter during the summer because the parents are too lazy to come up with something for their kids to do. I hate helping people who have no idea how to turn on a computer and are too lazy to read directions on the screen.
So what does that leave me with? I enjoy writing and reading, but I also enjoy traveling and being active. I hate just sitting and answering questions. I feel like my brain is being wrapped in a fog and I will never escape. I am being urged by some to go back to school and get an American Library Association approved degree so that I can get a promotion and a pay raise. The problem with that suggestion is that I have no desire to get another degree and I most especially have no desire to go back to school. I put in my time & have 3 degrees. I MIGHT go back to get my Education degree certified just so I can say I have completed the degree, but that is as far as I want to go. I am tired of killing myself in classes I am not interested in.
The other option is the 1 that is sounding more and more appealing but I need support in a physical manner. I will need to keep the job just because of the benefit package. With fibromyalgia, arthritis, and migraines, I can not afford to give up the deep discounts on doctor visits and prescriptions. But I also can not keep up a home; drive 2 hours every day; work 40 hours a week; help my sister, nephew & mother out with the odds & ends they need; deal with all the problems of living by myself; deal with a 10 year old car; and still try to have a life. I need help with some of this and I know it. A roommate is completely out because I have little to no trust for a stranger and the few friends I have I want to keep.
So I guess what I am saying is that while the idea of writing appeals, and I have ideas that I want to write about, I can't do it with the way my life is now. I have little to no joy and happiness in my life. I spend my days in a fog and am constantly exhausted. Several somethings need to give and once they do, then I can start writing. Hopefully, if my life progresses the way I think it will, that will be this Christmas. I just hope I can survive till then.
I really hate being this tired. I know all the whys & where for's, but it does not help 1 bit. I could enjoy this job if I was not so tired 99% of the time. No job is perfect & I know it. This position offers all sorts of perks, including unlimited reading access which I love. The problem is that there are too many places I need to be and they are scattered all about. Traveling is 1 thing, but having to be in 1 of 4 places every day & none of them are less than 30 miles apart, is tiring & I cannot physically take it. I especially hate being in a mental fog so thick that the stories I want to tell are stuck in the background. I like writing. I mean really, look at how much I can spew forth on this blog. But to write a story takes a bit more than what I have now.
And revealing probably more than I should, I would love it if I could come home every now and again to that days perfection. Some days, the bed ready for me to crawl between the sheets with something light and soothing playing on the stereo. Other days, the pop corn and movie ready to go. Then there are the x-rated fantasies but those are mine and no one else's.
Taking these in order, the answer is still I have no idea, but . . .
I have never had a "special song," or associated music with an event or era. I just never have and doubt if I will start to now. Probably the closest I will ever get is the memory of being asked if I had ever been in love before by an old college roommate back when I played 1 CD incessantly. And that memory is ties mostly to the embarrassment of the fact that she drew that conclusion when the reality was I had few CD's to listen to & that was 1 I could listen to incessantly while studying.
So I guess my method of recalling memories is through emotions. I can recall in exquisite, painful detail every memory that deals with some form of embarrassment. I treasure my memories that deal with laughter and happiness. I brood over moments when something happened and I just do not understand the why's and where for's - an emotion otherwise known as confusion. But sound or music? No, can't say that there is any 1 song that I will hear and automatically think of an era or event. There certainly are no smells that trigger my memory. Cripes, the delightful smell of papermills in Savannah does nothing but make me curl my nose and then I shrug my shoulders and go on. So does that make me weird? Or just another sign that my memory works differently?
As for what I want for myself career-wise, I am at a total loss. In many ways my current job is perfect. I have lots of time to read and order more books to read. I get first dibs on any & all new books and that is great. The problem lies in how much I despise dealing with the public and the sector I deal with is the upper strata of society - they read! But I hate being a baby sitter during the summer because the parents are too lazy to come up with something for their kids to do. I hate helping people who have no idea how to turn on a computer and are too lazy to read directions on the screen.
So what does that leave me with? I enjoy writing and reading, but I also enjoy traveling and being active. I hate just sitting and answering questions. I feel like my brain is being wrapped in a fog and I will never escape. I am being urged by some to go back to school and get an American Library Association approved degree so that I can get a promotion and a pay raise. The problem with that suggestion is that I have no desire to get another degree and I most especially have no desire to go back to school. I put in my time & have 3 degrees. I MIGHT go back to get my Education degree certified just so I can say I have completed the degree, but that is as far as I want to go. I am tired of killing myself in classes I am not interested in.
The other option is the 1 that is sounding more and more appealing but I need support in a physical manner. I will need to keep the job just because of the benefit package. With fibromyalgia, arthritis, and migraines, I can not afford to give up the deep discounts on doctor visits and prescriptions. But I also can not keep up a home; drive 2 hours every day; work 40 hours a week; help my sister, nephew & mother out with the odds & ends they need; deal with all the problems of living by myself; deal with a 10 year old car; and still try to have a life. I need help with some of this and I know it. A roommate is completely out because I have little to no trust for a stranger and the few friends I have I want to keep.
So I guess what I am saying is that while the idea of writing appeals, and I have ideas that I want to write about, I can't do it with the way my life is now. I have little to no joy and happiness in my life. I spend my days in a fog and am constantly exhausted. Several somethings need to give and once they do, then I can start writing. Hopefully, if my life progresses the way I think it will, that will be this Christmas. I just hope I can survive till then.
I really hate being this tired. I know all the whys & where for's, but it does not help 1 bit. I could enjoy this job if I was not so tired 99% of the time. No job is perfect & I know it. This position offers all sorts of perks, including unlimited reading access which I love. The problem is that there are too many places I need to be and they are scattered all about. Traveling is 1 thing, but having to be in 1 of 4 places every day & none of them are less than 30 miles apart, is tiring & I cannot physically take it. I especially hate being in a mental fog so thick that the stories I want to tell are stuck in the background. I like writing. I mean really, look at how much I can spew forth on this blog. But to write a story takes a bit more than what I have now.
And revealing probably more than I should, I would love it if I could come home every now and again to that days perfection. Some days, the bed ready for me to crawl between the sheets with something light and soothing playing on the stereo. Other days, the pop corn and movie ready to go. Then there are the x-rated fantasies but those are mine and no one else's.
Friday, July 22, 2005
Today's Revelations
Nothing much has been revealed. I am just realizing that I am getting old and deciding that I detest the process. I miss being able to go all week on 4 hours of sleep a night. I miss being able to wear my contacts for 24 hours plus before my eyes started burning & itching. I miss being so relaxed and uninhibited that hugs were to be relished and not avoided like the plague.
It is rather depressing to know that at 1 point in my life, I had no problem sitting beside another, or under various circumstances even in another persons lap. Amazing how often that happened on trips to the beach. ;) Now, I am getting rid of my sofa partially because I want it gone but also because I want to reduce the odds of having to sit beside someone. At work, there are numerous individuals who are absolute dolls who love to hug. I manage about 90% of the time to avoid them by either being involved helping another patron or gathering an arm load of books up so it is to difficult for them to hug me.
Going back to the sofa tangent, but I really am looking forward to getting rid of it. I have never wanted any piece of furniture so big & heavy that I can not move it by myself. There are 2 massive exceptions - an old organ and even older commercial ice box - but everything else I can pick up and haul to a truck, another room, where ever I want to move it to by me, myself and I. That sofa does not fall under that category & I want it gone. My decorating ideal is very simple - pillows and color. Nothing else is needed except for the book shelves and light so I can see even without my contacts or glasses.
I really am tired today. Putting my head down and snoozing sounds like a magnificent idea. I think I will have to become energetic and productive soon. Being a snoozer at work is a BAD thing.
It is rather depressing to know that at 1 point in my life, I had no problem sitting beside another, or under various circumstances even in another persons lap. Amazing how often that happened on trips to the beach. ;) Now, I am getting rid of my sofa partially because I want it gone but also because I want to reduce the odds of having to sit beside someone. At work, there are numerous individuals who are absolute dolls who love to hug. I manage about 90% of the time to avoid them by either being involved helping another patron or gathering an arm load of books up so it is to difficult for them to hug me.
Going back to the sofa tangent, but I really am looking forward to getting rid of it. I have never wanted any piece of furniture so big & heavy that I can not move it by myself. There are 2 massive exceptions - an old organ and even older commercial ice box - but everything else I can pick up and haul to a truck, another room, where ever I want to move it to by me, myself and I. That sofa does not fall under that category & I want it gone. My decorating ideal is very simple - pillows and color. Nothing else is needed except for the book shelves and light so I can see even without my contacts or glasses.
I really am tired today. Putting my head down and snoozing sounds like a magnificent idea. I think I will have to become energetic and productive soon. Being a snoozer at work is a BAD thing.
Thursday, July 21, 2005
Newest Reviews
I just finished Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling and Undead and Unappreciated by MaryJanice Davidson. Both were excellent!
Rowling managed another impressive feat with her latest book. I hated how she ended the book though. I like how Harry has matured and how all the characters are developing, including Malfoy. I just hate how death plays such a devastating role! Just because it works and makes the book that much stronger is no reason why people have to get killed off.
As for Davidson's, well, it needs to be longer! I can't wait for the next installment because I laughed all the way through it. I adore this series about Betsy the Vampire Queen. She is shallow, uneducated, but such a happy person it just does not matter. I like her - Betsy that is. That & anyone who has a cat wandering around is a good soul under any circumstances.
This time around Betsy met her sister, the child of Satan, Laura. Laura is far too sweet but since she tends to also kick serious ass when she gets pissed off, it really does not matter. And since Laura helps Betsy out of various troublesome spots, it all works out. And of course there are all the normal problems of ruling a kingdom of vampires, compounded by having to plan a vampire wedding she is going to officiate. Its great!
I also read a few news magazines. The articles that caught my interest are mostly from the July 18, 2005 edition of Time. "A Jury of Their Peers" was particularly interesting because it answers all sorts of juvenile crime problems, ranging from cost to getting through the hormonal fog known as puberty. I acknowledge that juv crime is not only petty theft and malicious mischief, but there is a large body of statistics saying that is the majority of juv crime. In the article, several of the bigger cities are creating small "courts" of carefully vetted and trained teenagers who rotate through the various court positions and try the cases of their peers. The numbers support this move.
According to the article, "perps are limited to first-time offenders who are under the age of 19 and who admit guilt to minor crimes." It is far more cost effective. A youth court trail tasks an hour +/-, & the average cost is $480. Sentences tend to be creative forms of community service. In contrast, probation costs about $1635 and a regular juvenile trail in criminal court ranges from $210000 to $84000. The record shows that 99% complete their sentence, which includes creative community service projects like washing police cars, working at food banks, whatever.
Since the idea works, has been around since 1947 in Mansfield, OH, why is the concept not being implemented other places? Oh, wait! I know! Because it not only makes sense, but it also does the unpardonable of actually working! That's right!
I also have read the latest 2 Reader's Digest and Cooking Light magazines. Those were neat, but beyond an article about a girl from Afghanistan who was burned horribly and then, thanks to a Green Beret on duty and him being a big sap, flew to the USA and underwent numerous surgeries to release her arm and face from her chest, as well as giving her enough flesh & flexibility to close her eyes and mouth. That will stick in my memory for a while because those pictures were startling. She was adorable quite obviously, but now, after all those surgeries, she has the chance to grow up as cute. Since the doc's found an inch worth of scar tissue where her chin had melted to her chest, she also now has the chance to grow up.
The latest silliness I have indulged in is that I bought the winged My Pretty Pony set from Hasbro and it came with a DVD. I have yet to watch the DVD, but I have pulled out all my other ponies and played with them for a bit last night. It was such a cute little toy. Silly beyond belief, I know, but I like them. My justification is that I have only 2 vices any more and since I satisfy my book lust here at work 98% of the time, that leaves the My Pretty Ponies.
I definitely need to get a life if my days revolve around getting up, taking care of the animals, doing my yoga, going for a 2-3 mile walk, eating breakfast, showering, driving to work, staying there for 9 hours, driving home, reading for an hour or so, going to bed, repeat ad neaseum.
And my off days are a rotation of sorts. Weeks 1 & 3, I work Friday & have Saturday off. Weeks 2 & 4, I have Friday off & work Saturday. Every fourth week, I work Sunday. So on my 2 Fridays off I tend to get the car taken care, get any doctor appointments taken care of, do grocery shopping, maybe watch a movie at the theater, then come home and crash before working Saturday. Then on those Sundays, I tend to do a serious cleaning where I even get down on my hands & knees to scrub the floors and I wash anything & everything I can. The weekends I have Saturday & Sunday off, I go to my Mother's & help mow their grass, do any puttering & driving necessary, and veg out until I go home or to work on Sunday. It is extremely sad because I have no life!
Oh well.
Rowling managed another impressive feat with her latest book. I hated how she ended the book though. I like how Harry has matured and how all the characters are developing, including Malfoy. I just hate how death plays such a devastating role! Just because it works and makes the book that much stronger is no reason why people have to get killed off.
As for Davidson's, well, it needs to be longer! I can't wait for the next installment because I laughed all the way through it. I adore this series about Betsy the Vampire Queen. She is shallow, uneducated, but such a happy person it just does not matter. I like her - Betsy that is. That & anyone who has a cat wandering around is a good soul under any circumstances.
This time around Betsy met her sister, the child of Satan, Laura. Laura is far too sweet but since she tends to also kick serious ass when she gets pissed off, it really does not matter. And since Laura helps Betsy out of various troublesome spots, it all works out. And of course there are all the normal problems of ruling a kingdom of vampires, compounded by having to plan a vampire wedding she is going to officiate. Its great!
I also read a few news magazines. The articles that caught my interest are mostly from the July 18, 2005 edition of Time. "A Jury of Their Peers" was particularly interesting because it answers all sorts of juvenile crime problems, ranging from cost to getting through the hormonal fog known as puberty. I acknowledge that juv crime is not only petty theft and malicious mischief, but there is a large body of statistics saying that is the majority of juv crime. In the article, several of the bigger cities are creating small "courts" of carefully vetted and trained teenagers who rotate through the various court positions and try the cases of their peers. The numbers support this move.
According to the article, "perps are limited to first-time offenders who are under the age of 19 and who admit guilt to minor crimes." It is far more cost effective. A youth court trail tasks an hour +/-, & the average cost is $480. Sentences tend to be creative forms of community service. In contrast, probation costs about $1635 and a regular juvenile trail in criminal court ranges from $210000 to $84000. The record shows that 99% complete their sentence, which includes creative community service projects like washing police cars, working at food banks, whatever.
Since the idea works, has been around since 1947 in Mansfield, OH, why is the concept not being implemented other places? Oh, wait! I know! Because it not only makes sense, but it also does the unpardonable of actually working! That's right!
I also have read the latest 2 Reader's Digest and Cooking Light magazines. Those were neat, but beyond an article about a girl from Afghanistan who was burned horribly and then, thanks to a Green Beret on duty and him being a big sap, flew to the USA and underwent numerous surgeries to release her arm and face from her chest, as well as giving her enough flesh & flexibility to close her eyes and mouth. That will stick in my memory for a while because those pictures were startling. She was adorable quite obviously, but now, after all those surgeries, she has the chance to grow up as cute. Since the doc's found an inch worth of scar tissue where her chin had melted to her chest, she also now has the chance to grow up.
The latest silliness I have indulged in is that I bought the winged My Pretty Pony set from Hasbro and it came with a DVD. I have yet to watch the DVD, but I have pulled out all my other ponies and played with them for a bit last night. It was such a cute little toy. Silly beyond belief, I know, but I like them. My justification is that I have only 2 vices any more and since I satisfy my book lust here at work 98% of the time, that leaves the My Pretty Ponies.
I definitely need to get a life if my days revolve around getting up, taking care of the animals, doing my yoga, going for a 2-3 mile walk, eating breakfast, showering, driving to work, staying there for 9 hours, driving home, reading for an hour or so, going to bed, repeat ad neaseum.
And my off days are a rotation of sorts. Weeks 1 & 3, I work Friday & have Saturday off. Weeks 2 & 4, I have Friday off & work Saturday. Every fourth week, I work Sunday. So on my 2 Fridays off I tend to get the car taken care, get any doctor appointments taken care of, do grocery shopping, maybe watch a movie at the theater, then come home and crash before working Saturday. Then on those Sundays, I tend to do a serious cleaning where I even get down on my hands & knees to scrub the floors and I wash anything & everything I can. The weekends I have Saturday & Sunday off, I go to my Mother's & help mow their grass, do any puttering & driving necessary, and veg out until I go home or to work on Sunday. It is extremely sad because I have no life!
Oh well.
Monday, July 18, 2005
Some cat quotes
Cat Quotes
"How we behave toward cats here below determines our status in heaven." Robert A. Heinlein
"Thousands of years ago, cats were worshipped as gods. Cats have never forgotten this." Anonymous
"A cat sees no good reason why it should obey another animal, even if it does stand on two legs."--Sarah Thompson
"One must love a cat on its own terms."--Paul Gray
"Dogs come when they're called; cats take a message and get back to you later." Mary Bly
"No amount of time can erase the memory of a good cat, and no amount of masking tape can ever totally remove his fur from your couch." Leo Dworken
"As every cat owner knows, nobody owns a cat." Ellen Perry Berkeley
"You can't own a cat. The best you can do is be partners." Sir Harry Swanson
"Cats are smarter than dogs. You can't get eight cats to pull a sled through snow." - Jeff Valdez
"There are many intelligent species in the universe. They are all owned by cats." - Anonymous
"There is no snooze button on a cat who wants breakfast." --Unknown
"Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea." ~ Robert A. Heinlein
"What greater gift than the love of a cat?" ~ Charles Dickens
"There is no such thing as 'just a cat'." ~ Robert A. Heinlein
"One cat just leads to another." ~ Ernest Hemingway
"Cats, like butterflies, need no excuse." ~ Robert A. Heinlein
"Cats have enormous patience with the limitations of the human mind. They realize...that we have an infuriating inability to understand, let alone follow, even the simplest and most explicit of directions." ~ Cleveland Amory
"It's really the cat's house--we just pay the mortgage." ~ Unknown
"If you yell at a cat, you're the one who is making a fool of yourself." ~ Unknown
"Your cat may never have to hunt farther than the kitchen counter for its supper nor face a predator more fierce than the vacuum cleaner..." ~ Barbara L. Diamond
"Dogs have owners, cats have staff." - Unknown
"When God made the world, He chose to put animals in it, and decided to give each whatever it wanted. All the animals formed a long line before His throne, and the cat quietly went to the end of the line. To the elephant and the bear He gave strength, to the rabbit and the deer, swiftness; to the owl, the ability to see at night, to the birds and the butterflies, great beauty; to the fox, cunning; to the monkey, intelligence; to the dog, loyalty: to the lion, courage; to the otter, playfulness. And all these were things the animals begged of God.
At last he came to the end of the line, and there sat the little cat, waiting patiently. "What will YOU have?" God asked the cat.
The cat shrugged modestly. "Oh, whatever scrapsyou have left over. I don't mind."
"But I'm God. I have everything left over."
"Then I'll have a little of everything, please."
And God gave a great shout of laughter at the cleverness of this small animal, and gave the cat everything she asked for, adding grace and elegance and, only for her, a gentle purr that
would always attract humans and assure her a warm and comfortable home.
But he took away her false modesty.
Lenore Fleischer - The Cat's Pajamas"
"How we behave toward cats here below determines our status in heaven." Robert A. Heinlein
"Thousands of years ago, cats were worshipped as gods. Cats have never forgotten this." Anonymous
"A cat sees no good reason why it should obey another animal, even if it does stand on two legs."--Sarah Thompson
"One must love a cat on its own terms."--Paul Gray
"Dogs come when they're called; cats take a message and get back to you later." Mary Bly
"No amount of time can erase the memory of a good cat, and no amount of masking tape can ever totally remove his fur from your couch." Leo Dworken
"As every cat owner knows, nobody owns a cat." Ellen Perry Berkeley
"You can't own a cat. The best you can do is be partners." Sir Harry Swanson
"Cats are smarter than dogs. You can't get eight cats to pull a sled through snow." - Jeff Valdez
"There are many intelligent species in the universe. They are all owned by cats." - Anonymous
"There is no snooze button on a cat who wants breakfast." --Unknown
"Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea." ~ Robert A. Heinlein
"What greater gift than the love of a cat?" ~ Charles Dickens
"There is no such thing as 'just a cat'." ~ Robert A. Heinlein
"One cat just leads to another." ~ Ernest Hemingway
"Cats, like butterflies, need no excuse." ~ Robert A. Heinlein
"Cats have enormous patience with the limitations of the human mind. They realize...that we have an infuriating inability to understand, let alone follow, even the simplest and most explicit of directions." ~ Cleveland Amory
"It's really the cat's house--we just pay the mortgage." ~ Unknown
"If you yell at a cat, you're the one who is making a fool of yourself." ~ Unknown
"Your cat may never have to hunt farther than the kitchen counter for its supper nor face a predator more fierce than the vacuum cleaner..." ~ Barbara L. Diamond
"Dogs have owners, cats have staff." - Unknown
"When God made the world, He chose to put animals in it, and decided to give each whatever it wanted. All the animals formed a long line before His throne, and the cat quietly went to the end of the line. To the elephant and the bear He gave strength, to the rabbit and the deer, swiftness; to the owl, the ability to see at night, to the birds and the butterflies, great beauty; to the fox, cunning; to the monkey, intelligence; to the dog, loyalty: to the lion, courage; to the otter, playfulness. And all these were things the animals begged of God.
At last he came to the end of the line, and there sat the little cat, waiting patiently. "What will YOU have?" God asked the cat.
The cat shrugged modestly. "Oh, whatever scrapsyou have left over. I don't mind."
"But I'm God. I have everything left over."
"Then I'll have a little of everything, please."
And God gave a great shout of laughter at the cleverness of this small animal, and gave the cat everything she asked for, adding grace and elegance and, only for her, a gentle purr that
would always attract humans and assure her a warm and comfortable home.
But he took away her false modesty.
Lenore Fleischer - The Cat's Pajamas"
Saturday, July 16, 2005
Can I Go? Please?
http://www.dragoncon.org/index.htm
I just checked out this website today because a new friend of mine is lucky enough to be going this year. And I want to go too! Admittedly, part of the reason I want to go is Kevin Sorbo, but the list of events and shopping & just all the fun stuff also inspires a deep longing to go play.
All I have to do is figure out how to pay for the tickets, gas to drive to Atlanta, room rentals, and most importantly, how to get time off. Disgustingly enough, I could probably figure out all but the last because so many of my staff are taking off for various and sundry reasons and I feel guilty taking time off & leaving my remaining staff short handed. I do not know why I feel that way since they feel no qualms about going off themselves & I frequently shoo them out the door for their mini-vacations, but that's a trip to see a shrink & I don't care to go there.
I just checked out this website today because a new friend of mine is lucky enough to be going this year. And I want to go too! Admittedly, part of the reason I want to go is Kevin Sorbo, but the list of events and shopping & just all the fun stuff also inspires a deep longing to go play.
All I have to do is figure out how to pay for the tickets, gas to drive to Atlanta, room rentals, and most importantly, how to get time off. Disgustingly enough, I could probably figure out all but the last because so many of my staff are taking off for various and sundry reasons and I feel guilty taking time off & leaving my remaining staff short handed. I do not know why I feel that way since they feel no qualms about going off themselves & I frequently shoo them out the door for their mini-vacations, but that's a trip to see a shrink & I don't care to go there.
Some Randomness
Just went yesterday to see "Fantastic 4." It was fun! Pure cheesy comic book action with no redeeming value at all. It was great! Go to a matinee but see it on the big screen because the special effects really were cool.
I have been reading again and decided to post my personal reviews - again.
I just finished last night several manga books - Eerie Queerie, Naruto and Inu Yasha. Well, they are all fun but they are manga books. If you are not a fan of manga, do not pick them up. And if you are homophobic most definitely do not pick up Eerie Queerie. It was cute, especially since the poor characters are all such terribly confused teen boys.
I also read A New Leash On Death by Susan Conant. I enjoyed it, but that is mostly because I found the technical information about dog showing rather interesting. The story itself was nothing great and there was lots of dull prose, but for a beach read, I'd recommend it. The other book by her that I read is Scratch the Surface, a Cat Lovers Mystery. I preferred that book because there was more depth to the characters.
Then I read Ann Stuart's Black Ice. I enjoyed that except for 1 minor detail. OK, I understand that the main female character has been thrown completely to the wolves and the only 1 who might save her is another wolf who is technically a good guy. His big problem is that he has been playing international spy too long and is no longer sure who is wearing what hat, himself included. So here he is, all burned out, ready for a change, longing for a home, and in walks this innocent who sets of all his hormones. The adventure progresses, he saves her, she is willing to let him go because he is a lone wolf (GAG!), but he chooses to stay with her.
OK, that is sweet and wonderful. The problem is that there is no way this relationship will last. Come on! This is a man who has killed numerous times, is burned out, ready to sleep with 1 person, in his 30's - traditionally an age when the male gender decides to settle down - and here is someone he knows is safe. Gee, what a thrill that has to be for her. Here is Mr. Macho, who while he has literally saved her ass numerous times, is a serious bad ass with intense communication issues. Completely unbelievable.
And despite all my anti-ranting, I still say it was a fun book to read. I have already requested several of her other books from the library and am looking forward to reading them.
Next, I was playing on-line & at http://www.baen.com they have a schedule of upcoming releases. The one that I am sincerely looking forward to reading is John Ringo's Ghost. The excerpt published on-line is a bit on the graphic side for my taste and knowing that the main character considers himself a rapist in thought if never in deed is not the way to win brownie points. However, what happens in the 1st 9 chapters is interesting enough that I really do not care. The fact that the hard ass main character re-names the college co-ed's Bambi, Thumper & 1 other name I can't recall is just a bit of sarcasm that I enjoy.
Besides Ghost, I am also looking forward to David Weber's At All Costs. I am a fan of th Honor Harrington series, though anything involving a cat tends to grab my interest. It is just a pleasant bonus that the series is well written and the characters are interesting. The majority of what I read, the sequence of events and sarcasm/humor is what makes the book. Weber is 1 of the few author's who has characters whose evolving maturity and experiences are what makes the books so fascinating.
Let's see, what else is going on . . .
I am going to be giving the hunting dog to a good home once I find one. I keep thinking about what I would do if I kept her, but there is no way I can afford the medical care she needs now, let alone everything that goes with owning a dog. I will be moving in a few months and I do not know where to. I might be moving in with my Mother. Since there is already 3 cats & a dog there, adding my 3 is going to be a headache, a younger dog is not going to help matters at all. If I manage to find a better job and move some pace closer to the new position, that will mean greater pet deposits. Unless I am lucky enough to get a position paying well over $70k, I do not think I will be able to afford those deposits any time soon.
I am constantly beating my head against the wall as it is trying to figure out how to keep food on the table for myself, forget anything else. And what makes it truly depressing is that I still can't lose weight! I have barely anything resembling human food in my house, do not eat out at all, my indulgences tend to be carrots with hummus any more, yet I can't drop an inch let alone a pound. There is something definitely wrong with this scenario.
I have been paying attention to the news and all, but it is just so depressing. I am grateful that the London bombing had such a small number of deaths, but there were deaths. What is the point? What is the point of suicide bombers and bombers in general? It does nothing but piss people off, destroy resources that everyone uses, and generally accomplished nothing because as a rule of thumb, humanity tends to rebuild bigger and better.
If the land gets so bad that there is nothing to rebuild on? Move! So what if the entire country is now a mined waste land unusable by anything but the cockroaches. Everyone, pick a country and relocate! Lord knows humanity has done just that often enough. In case anyone forgot, we all come from nomadic tribal cavemen societies. Many come from nomadic tribal societies still - just look at the Native American tribes. It was not until the great settlements that it back a literal rule they had to stay on a set piece of land. Those famous Mongolia hordes really are not that far back in our history. Bandits of all stripes are an infamous example, both past and present. All of American history is a running example of what can happen when you screw up in 1 location and move some place else. Look at the Irish. They had the Great Potato Famine and America got its police force in exchange for giving all the Irish immigrants a new home and a chance.
Yes, I am being facetious and glib. Sue me. But it does not change the fact that blowing yourself up and numerous others really accomplishes nothing. I will always wonder why these suicide bombers think that they will go to a paradise. No one has ever come back and confirmed that why, yes, blow yourself up in the name of Allah to remove the capitalist pigs from this country, and you will go to the perfect paradise and be honored above all others. Reality check please! I would want that in writing, notarized, and blessed by a rabbi, priest and anyone else, including the IRS.If disappointed, I would sue for false advertising. But that is just me & my cynical untrusting self saying that.
I have been reading again and decided to post my personal reviews - again.
I just finished last night several manga books - Eerie Queerie, Naruto and Inu Yasha. Well, they are all fun but they are manga books. If you are not a fan of manga, do not pick them up. And if you are homophobic most definitely do not pick up Eerie Queerie. It was cute, especially since the poor characters are all such terribly confused teen boys.
I also read A New Leash On Death by Susan Conant. I enjoyed it, but that is mostly because I found the technical information about dog showing rather interesting. The story itself was nothing great and there was lots of dull prose, but for a beach read, I'd recommend it. The other book by her that I read is Scratch the Surface, a Cat Lovers Mystery. I preferred that book because there was more depth to the characters.
Then I read Ann Stuart's Black Ice. I enjoyed that except for 1 minor detail. OK, I understand that the main female character has been thrown completely to the wolves and the only 1 who might save her is another wolf who is technically a good guy. His big problem is that he has been playing international spy too long and is no longer sure who is wearing what hat, himself included. So here he is, all burned out, ready for a change, longing for a home, and in walks this innocent who sets of all his hormones. The adventure progresses, he saves her, she is willing to let him go because he is a lone wolf (GAG!), but he chooses to stay with her.
OK, that is sweet and wonderful. The problem is that there is no way this relationship will last. Come on! This is a man who has killed numerous times, is burned out, ready to sleep with 1 person, in his 30's - traditionally an age when the male gender decides to settle down - and here is someone he knows is safe. Gee, what a thrill that has to be for her. Here is Mr. Macho, who while he has literally saved her ass numerous times, is a serious bad ass with intense communication issues. Completely unbelievable.
And despite all my anti-ranting, I still say it was a fun book to read. I have already requested several of her other books from the library and am looking forward to reading them.
Next, I was playing on-line & at http://www.baen.com they have a schedule of upcoming releases. The one that I am sincerely looking forward to reading is John Ringo's Ghost. The excerpt published on-line is a bit on the graphic side for my taste and knowing that the main character considers himself a rapist in thought if never in deed is not the way to win brownie points. However, what happens in the 1st 9 chapters is interesting enough that I really do not care. The fact that the hard ass main character re-names the college co-ed's Bambi, Thumper & 1 other name I can't recall is just a bit of sarcasm that I enjoy.
Besides Ghost, I am also looking forward to David Weber's At All Costs. I am a fan of th Honor Harrington series, though anything involving a cat tends to grab my interest. It is just a pleasant bonus that the series is well written and the characters are interesting. The majority of what I read, the sequence of events and sarcasm/humor is what makes the book. Weber is 1 of the few author's who has characters whose evolving maturity and experiences are what makes the books so fascinating.
Let's see, what else is going on . . .
I am going to be giving the hunting dog to a good home once I find one. I keep thinking about what I would do if I kept her, but there is no way I can afford the medical care she needs now, let alone everything that goes with owning a dog. I will be moving in a few months and I do not know where to. I might be moving in with my Mother. Since there is already 3 cats & a dog there, adding my 3 is going to be a headache, a younger dog is not going to help matters at all. If I manage to find a better job and move some pace closer to the new position, that will mean greater pet deposits. Unless I am lucky enough to get a position paying well over $70k, I do not think I will be able to afford those deposits any time soon.
I am constantly beating my head against the wall as it is trying to figure out how to keep food on the table for myself, forget anything else. And what makes it truly depressing is that I still can't lose weight! I have barely anything resembling human food in my house, do not eat out at all, my indulgences tend to be carrots with hummus any more, yet I can't drop an inch let alone a pound. There is something definitely wrong with this scenario.
I have been paying attention to the news and all, but it is just so depressing. I am grateful that the London bombing had such a small number of deaths, but there were deaths. What is the point? What is the point of suicide bombers and bombers in general? It does nothing but piss people off, destroy resources that everyone uses, and generally accomplished nothing because as a rule of thumb, humanity tends to rebuild bigger and better.
If the land gets so bad that there is nothing to rebuild on? Move! So what if the entire country is now a mined waste land unusable by anything but the cockroaches. Everyone, pick a country and relocate! Lord knows humanity has done just that often enough. In case anyone forgot, we all come from nomadic tribal cavemen societies. Many come from nomadic tribal societies still - just look at the Native American tribes. It was not until the great settlements that it back a literal rule they had to stay on a set piece of land. Those famous Mongolia hordes really are not that far back in our history. Bandits of all stripes are an infamous example, both past and present. All of American history is a running example of what can happen when you screw up in 1 location and move some place else. Look at the Irish. They had the Great Potato Famine and America got its police force in exchange for giving all the Irish immigrants a new home and a chance.
Yes, I am being facetious and glib. Sue me. But it does not change the fact that blowing yourself up and numerous others really accomplishes nothing. I will always wonder why these suicide bombers think that they will go to a paradise. No one has ever come back and confirmed that why, yes, blow yourself up in the name of Allah to remove the capitalist pigs from this country, and you will go to the perfect paradise and be honored above all others. Reality check please! I would want that in writing, notarized, and blessed by a rabbi, priest and anyone else, including the IRS.If disappointed, I would sue for false advertising. But that is just me & my cynical untrusting self saying that.
Friday, July 08, 2005
Goofing Off Again
I just found a fellow tea fanatics blog site & 1 of her links is to an incredible shop. http://saphyrerose.blogspot.com/ is the blog & the eshops are rather fascinating, esp. if you are an avid tea drinker.
I should be working hard, being productive, and all that jazz. Instead, I am doing random searches on the net, wondering what people are doing, wishing more of my staff was not going through menopause because it is freaking cold in this building. Stuff like that.
I have discovered 1 thing today's thanks to work. Neil Gaimon's sequel to American God's will be out this September (supposedly the 20th but that involves publishers) & is called Anansi Boys. The blurb I read says," Charlie, 'Fat Chance" Nancy has received many gifts from his father, most of which he would rather have done without - Charlie's nickname, for starters. However, it turns out that old Mr. Nancy has quite a few nicknames of his own, such as Anansi the Spider, the Trickster God and the God of Mischief - and it is only once he has dropped dead in the middle of some phenomenal karaoke stylings that his final, most amazing gift to the quiet, serious and self-effacing Fat Charlie is revealed."
I don't know about anyone else, but that just sounds like a fun read.
Beyond those highlights, today has been rather dull and I am enjoying it.
I should be working hard, being productive, and all that jazz. Instead, I am doing random searches on the net, wondering what people are doing, wishing more of my staff was not going through menopause because it is freaking cold in this building. Stuff like that.
I have discovered 1 thing today's thanks to work. Neil Gaimon's sequel to American God's will be out this September (supposedly the 20th but that involves publishers) & is called Anansi Boys. The blurb I read says," Charlie, 'Fat Chance" Nancy has received many gifts from his father, most of which he would rather have done without - Charlie's nickname, for starters. However, it turns out that old Mr. Nancy has quite a few nicknames of his own, such as Anansi the Spider, the Trickster God and the God of Mischief - and it is only once he has dropped dead in the middle of some phenomenal karaoke stylings that his final, most amazing gift to the quiet, serious and self-effacing Fat Charlie is revealed."
I don't know about anyone else, but that just sounds like a fun read.
Beyond those highlights, today has been rather dull and I am enjoying it.
Thursday, July 07, 2005
It's Semi-Official
It's semi-official - I am a sap, a sucker, a wimp. Any time a 4 legged creature wanders up, I find ways to move it in. I do not need any more animals. I have the 3 cats of my own, the 2 dogs I babysat & the 2 other cats I watch, PLUS the start deer hunting dog that wandered up & has since moved in. I do not want any of them! Well, I will keep my 3, plus the other 2 cats because they are easy to take care of comparatively. But my lifestyle is completely opposed to being a dog owner. I do not have the time to devote to a dog and I travel enough that a dog is an unnecessary burden on myself. So what do I do? I start figuring out ways to keep my bills paid, some food in my tummy, and how to get the stary to the vets for shots & whatever else she needs.
In her defense, she is a sweet heart. I have been calling her Deerheart (& yes it is a bad pun). She showed up about 2-3 weeks ago with her hair falling out, fleas, scratches, cuts, bones sticking out, and obviously in heat since the unfixed males were following behind & trying to mount her. Since then, I put her in a pen and have been feeding her, she has had 2 baths, her hair is growing in. The funniest part about her hair growing back is her eye brows. I had not even noticed they were missing because she was so sad looking, but they are growing back & it is just silly looking. She has started moving around in the pen, and when I come out, she comes up to the fence or door, eager for attention.
I should be desperately looking for a new home for her, but I'm being lazy, bought her a collar named her. and am looking at ways to afford the vet bill & wondering if an indoor dog cage or an outdoor kennel is the better option. What is sad is that there are several cats I have fallen in love with, all of whom would be easier to take care of & would fall in to my current life style without any problem.
I really have to get over this weakness for 4 legs & big eyes. Its bad for my checkbook which is already beyond lean. If I had more money, I'd take all the fuzzies, but I am poor!
There seems to be some sort of correlation there. If you are poor, you end up taking in needy animals by the truck load. That's a cosmic rule that needs to be corrected.
In her defense, she is a sweet heart. I have been calling her Deerheart (& yes it is a bad pun). She showed up about 2-3 weeks ago with her hair falling out, fleas, scratches, cuts, bones sticking out, and obviously in heat since the unfixed males were following behind & trying to mount her. Since then, I put her in a pen and have been feeding her, she has had 2 baths, her hair is growing in. The funniest part about her hair growing back is her eye brows. I had not even noticed they were missing because she was so sad looking, but they are growing back & it is just silly looking. She has started moving around in the pen, and when I come out, she comes up to the fence or door, eager for attention.
I should be desperately looking for a new home for her, but I'm being lazy, bought her a collar named her. and am looking at ways to afford the vet bill & wondering if an indoor dog cage or an outdoor kennel is the better option. What is sad is that there are several cats I have fallen in love with, all of whom would be easier to take care of & would fall in to my current life style without any problem.
I really have to get over this weakness for 4 legs & big eyes. Its bad for my checkbook which is already beyond lean. If I had more money, I'd take all the fuzzies, but I am poor!
There seems to be some sort of correlation there. If you are poor, you end up taking in needy animals by the truck load. That's a cosmic rule that needs to be corrected.
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
Dream Interpretations, Please!
Tuesday, I woke up several times with some incredibly detailed dreams. The last dream I recall the clearest and am inviting any & all interpretations because I certainly am confused.
In the dream, I had won a lottery. My prize was a dubious one at best. I was going to marry a man I had never met before, a Samoan who was rather large & reminded me of the guy who played opposite Jackie Chan in a lot of the early movies, Sammo, just not as small or cute. Along with an unwanted marriage, I was getting a dream house built by Ty Pendington (spelling?) and it was in the middle of a swamp. I distinctly recall wandering around in all the mud and being shown blue tile chips that I had to choose from. It was incredibly surreal.
As I said, I am open to any & all interpretations because that is just bizarre. The only thing I can come up with to explain the dream is that I had pizza the night before.
Beyond that, my 4th of July was an excellent vacation from the daily grind. I was at my mother's &, along with my sister & nephew, saw several movies and generally did nothing of importance.
The movies we saw were "Herbie Fully Loaded," "The Pacifier," and "GI Joe VS Venom." "Herbie" is an incredibly fun movie and I'd recommend it for anyone who enjoyed Herbie while growing up. The only real problem with the movie is that the only tie-in to the previous movies was the introductory credits. That was annoying because there should have been something acknowledging the previous 4 movies beyond intro credits. "The Pacifier" was definitely a family movie and 1 that had LOTS of wonderful scenes of Vin Diesel running around in a towel. For that reason alone I'd recommend the movie. But there were also several hilarious scenes in the movie that made it worth seeing. There is 1 scene when the youngest daughter seriously kicks Boy Scout butt & it was enough to keep me laughing 3 days later. As for "GI Joe VS Venom," well, I grew up in that era so forgive me for enjoying such incredible trash. I can't recommend the thing, but it was fun in a cheesy kind of way. I just wish that the animators of America would stick to 1 style per series. Most of this new blocky character drawing is just ugly. But that is just my humble opinion.
In the dream, I had won a lottery. My prize was a dubious one at best. I was going to marry a man I had never met before, a Samoan who was rather large & reminded me of the guy who played opposite Jackie Chan in a lot of the early movies, Sammo, just not as small or cute. Along with an unwanted marriage, I was getting a dream house built by Ty Pendington (spelling?) and it was in the middle of a swamp. I distinctly recall wandering around in all the mud and being shown blue tile chips that I had to choose from. It was incredibly surreal.
As I said, I am open to any & all interpretations because that is just bizarre. The only thing I can come up with to explain the dream is that I had pizza the night before.
Beyond that, my 4th of July was an excellent vacation from the daily grind. I was at my mother's &, along with my sister & nephew, saw several movies and generally did nothing of importance.
The movies we saw were "Herbie Fully Loaded," "The Pacifier," and "GI Joe VS Venom." "Herbie" is an incredibly fun movie and I'd recommend it for anyone who enjoyed Herbie while growing up. The only real problem with the movie is that the only tie-in to the previous movies was the introductory credits. That was annoying because there should have been something acknowledging the previous 4 movies beyond intro credits. "The Pacifier" was definitely a family movie and 1 that had LOTS of wonderful scenes of Vin Diesel running around in a towel. For that reason alone I'd recommend the movie. But there were also several hilarious scenes in the movie that made it worth seeing. There is 1 scene when the youngest daughter seriously kicks Boy Scout butt & it was enough to keep me laughing 3 days later. As for "GI Joe VS Venom," well, I grew up in that era so forgive me for enjoying such incredible trash. I can't recommend the thing, but it was fun in a cheesy kind of way. I just wish that the animators of America would stick to 1 style per series. Most of this new blocky character drawing is just ugly. But that is just my humble opinion.
Saturday, July 02, 2005
Complete Trivia
I finally remembered to get some pictures developed this past week and this is 1 of them. It was almost embarrassing to look in my camera bag & realize that out of the 12 rolls of film I had, only 2 had yet to be used. So, I bought more film & added to my mid-year resolution list.
Looking at this pictures, all I can say is that I really do not like those curtains. Thank heavens I tossed them. As for the cats, the orange marmalade is my Murphy. He is the man of the house & considers it his duty to yowl at everyone & everything - the faucet, the door, me, the list goes on. Next is the grey potato on a stick. Her real name is Mickey. However, due to an unfortunate combination of short stubby legs & a serious weight problem, she looks like a potato on tooth picks. Last is my late beloved baby, Allison. She dies this year and it was a horrible, painful death that had me a basket case for months, before and after. There is 1 other cat, but she is not in this particular picture. Her name is Mallory and she's the old lady of the bunch. She has been living with me for 15 years now.
It is a rather sad statement that I have lived with a cat longer than I have anyone else in my life, and that includes family.
The next most important part of this picture is my bed. I adore that bed. I'd probably run back in to a raging fire to save it, after getting the animals & important papers out, of course. But that bed is the culmination of several years of acquiring blankets, quilts, tapestries, and various bed coverings. It is my version of the bed from the "Princess and the Pea" fame. I call it My Nest, though others have many other choice terms for it. To give the uninitiated an idea of just how seriously I take my sleeping comfort, that bed starts off with a standard box springs and mattress set. On top of that, I have 2 quilted mattress covers holding 2 small oriental rugs, an old car rug, a tapestry, 4 antique quilts, old curtains I will never use but are soft enough that I decided to use them anyway, sleeping bags, and lord knows how many blankets. On top of that, I have another set of quilted mattress covers holding 3 full size egg crate pads, 2 comforters, and 3 throws. Then there are the 3 body pillows, 2 standard pillows, and then the multiple throw pillows I sleep with. And of course, the cats sleep with me. And I have all of this crammed onto a full sized bed frame. I love it!
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