Ramblings and such...

What a day!

2008-08-06T21:12:00.002-04:00

So work is nutty crazy. I know, unbelievable considering my place of employ. Lots of books coming in, lots of paper to proof. Lot of questions. And the pile is winning.
I've spent the past few weeks trying to stay ahead of the pile. Let me 'splain what I mean by this. I have not eliminated my in box, let there be no mistake. In fact, my in box would not physically fit in my in box - it's more the in pile on my desk. Since my pile has been so large, my idea of winning (okay, treading) is when the pile of stuff i've already edited and scanned back is larger than the pile of stuff i still need to do. I broke even today. I am swimming in paper. Hmmmm....I'm actually kind of fond of the visual - goes along with the treading water metaphore and kinda makes me chuckle inside and hey, if the chuckle can last through Friday, I'm golden! Oooh, stream-of-consciousness. On Friday i'm going to attempt to try to to order glasses and not spend a fortune. My glasses prescription is like three prescriptions ago so when i have my glasses on Joe can actually read things better than I can. I know, i know, this means it's time for new glasses. My glasses; however, are EXPENSIVE 'cause i'm relatively blind. I sport a -9.5 in one eye and a modest -9.25 in the other and i've got an asigmatism. Woo Hoo! Tres excited! I might have to purchase with a pancreas, but at least i'll be able to see.

Two down

2008-08-05T07:53:00.002-04:00

Since I know so many were curious - the hand weights have been located. The oven is also now functional. Woohoo! Now to just finish unpacking and settling in.

So I'm posting...

2008-08-03T19:29:00.002-04:00

While keeping up-to-date on the going ons of others, it dawned on me that it's been about a year since last I posted. I believe that's my current average so I thought perhaps I might could post something. Hense this "something".
Stress level currently high-ish, though church this morning helped that out quite a bit. I need to work on a "living sacrifice" mantra - and stop crawling off the alter. I'm fully aware i struggle with control issues, and when i'm more obedient, my prayer life confesses that. With the help of the Most High, we'll work on it.
And the reasons why i'm aware I need to work on it:
The move is complete, thanks to Meg and Justin, Curt and Sheryl, Mary Anne, and the Fam (Caryn and Ryan, Shawn and Rachelle, Maw and Paw Shaw, and Aunt Patty). The boxes are not unpacked. The computer desk is closer to put together (i'm sitting at it to type, so that's a good sign - now, if i want to put anything in a drawer or close a door, i'll have to wait a bit).
The TV stand is the new saga. We got a new TV. Least anyone think this is an impulse decision, Joe and I have looked at larger TVs (as my husband is a smidge blind) for the past year and have never purchased. We've set aside money, wandered into Best Buy, Costco, or Target and purused the televisions, we've done research and have almost taken the plunge multiple times. As is generally good (and actually might have been good in this instance as well...), we are very hesitant to spend large amounts of money even when we have the money to spend. But today we got the TV home and began to set it up. We had measured the width of our current stand but neglected to measure the height. It fits width-wise, oh it fits - but it's 1 inch to tall for the stand. Let me repeat that - ONE STINKING INCH! We currently have it in the stand with the top loosened. We're going to have to rig a few inches of wood to somehow raise the top, attach both the stand and the top of the stand to this piece of wood and stain the wood to match with the handy little vial of stain that came with the TV armoire. Being completely honest, I don't move well. My husband will atest to this. I like order and moving defies order. I like to be able to find things and not have to trip over boxes. I like to be settled. I did relatively okay this move, comparitively, but i'm still on edge. Hense the awareness of control issues. True, the raging hormones are doing nothing to help the moving craziness, but i'm crazy on my own. If we make it to March without Joe killing me, the man is a saint!
Now if i could just find my hand weights...
Seriously, we really like the new place. We have a ton more space which we're sure to fill. I'll be tickled pink when i can get the pilot lights lit.

Wow Thursday.....

2007-11-16T09:51:00.000-05:00

It amazes me that so much happened on Thursday and I didn't find out about it until Friday! Baseball was shaken in two respects. Barry Bond's is indicted for purgery. Guess it doesn't matter how I feel about the record, now. It's an interesting legacy. While there will still be the staunch supporters, I have a feeling those sitting the fence in "benefit of the doubt" catergory might swing the way of "if he could lie to the grand jury, it's highly possible he could lie to the American public". I personally found his rapid pump up a tinsy bit fishy. All in all this development further adds to my respect for the guys, like Ken Griffey Jr., who chose to honor the game and play without performance enhancing drugs.
My heart breaks on the second count. Granted Cincinnati folks may love him more than others, but you cannot deny Joe Nuxhall's contribution to the game as a player or as an announcer. It makes me sad that I'll never again hear "Rounding third and heading for home". Thanks for everything, Joe.

i annoy myself

2006-10-05T22:40:00.000-04:00

I've always been exceedingly good at being alone. In fact there's a song I love entitled "Alone But Not Lonely". People tend to be too much for me. Be it the way I grew up or the baggage of my past, or even the only child mentality, I don't enjoy large groups of people. In fact, i'm more prone to a hermit-like existence. I like my rock! In fact, in the current information age, I could completely isolate myself and still remain connected to the world at large...granted, not people, but the world at large, and really, society doesn't beg for deep meaningful relationships. We tend to exist on the surface level anyway. (Before I get reamed...i'm aware that the hermit existence is not what God intended).
That being said, I'm frustrated by how lonely i feel. Alone is good; i like alone. I can be alone in a crowded room - that's comfortable, but lonely in a crowded room just sucks. As does lonely in an empty room.
Now, what to do with this bit of information i've discovered about myself...
I'm not inclined to want to do anything about it - actually this is not truly the case. I'm mentally processing a new found desire to be with people on occasion. This, in addition to the general lonely feeling, does not make me comfortable. I believe i mention that i don't particularly care for people. It's easier not to depend upon them for anything...including community. Perhaps i'll head back to the bubble - it's self contained and sanitary. No germs except my own.
Of course, this course of reflection makes me aware that the bubble would suck as well...in fact the germ-free existence would mayhaps kill me. That's the problem (or at least one of them) with love. Separation is more painful than interaction. What a k-nifty system.
Note that i am not insane enough to surmise that the creator of the universe may have made a mistake here. No, i get that relationship is the key and i get that it's not always easy. I could drop the trite, "you're never alone because God is always with you". While this is accurate (and a fundamental truth of the trinity), God isn't exactly the warm fuzzy that is sometimes needed. Yup, no doubt he could be, but solid form is occasionally more reassuring. Not to mention the whole connotative difference between "alone" and "lonely".
Although it's too late, in short, i'm cool with alone - bring on the alone, just get rid of the lonely.

marketing at it finest

2006-09-13T14:54:00.000-04:00

Okay, so despite my extreme shame, there are just some products I go nuts over.
Drano's max gel has recently been added to the list. With the help of the Drano, I have triumphed - i know, it doesn't take much.
Magic Eraser tends to kick my butt as well. And i do love the bleach pen for tile...i haven't used it for it's intended purpose so i'll reserve judgement there.
Tide To Go, which had trumped shout wipes (smaller surface area), has been letting me down recently, which saddens me. I'm hoping that it's merely a temporary slump.
I know there are other things out there that i marvel over - again, it doesn't take much, but they aren't coming to mind as readily. Don't get me wrong, i can't live without my zebra fine pens, but that's a matter of preference as i write small, for which my third grade teacher, and the C's i received in handwriting, are responsible. I'm a big fan of gmail, but that's logic....gotta love that organization, I don't care who you are.
Oh, and those standup staplers - love them, although it isn't the same passion i feel for the magic eraser.
Basically i'm just further fueling my stance as a big geek, but i'm okay with that. I figure that there really aren't that many products out there that offer absolutely no viable substitute (I tried the liquid plumber, I tried the works) and with the wealth of junk on the market, you've just gotta give props to the few truly good products.
I'm open to recommendations and suggestions.

learnings...

2006-09-01T12:17:00.000-04:00

Today i have had an opportunity to evaluate some of the stuff God is doing in my life. An old roommate of mine recently sent a forward and since i hadn't heard from her in years, i sent an email to her. We got to dialogue about what God is doing and where we are. It was pretty cool to reflect on the stuff God has shown me and then woohoo, call out something new to work on. Gotta love that! seriously, it was neat to look at the things i've been working on and really see the progress but also note the aspects i still get to wrestle with. ahhh growth!
Reflection and introspection often come as the world spins crazy as well. if grounded in it, Truth seems to speak more strongly through lies.
just some thoughts...i haven't reread what i just wrote, but i'm not so sure it makes sense to anyone but me. I'm sure some of the vagueness will be address in detail later (or if you really want to know, ask) when my brain is capable of writing it...although i could cut and paste what i wrote to Lisa, but i think it would need some additional stuff seeing as it's been a while since i sent the email and my brain hasn't stopped.
yeah....

arghhhh

2006-08-30T02:10:00.000-04:00

It's the freaking Dodgers for goodness sake! 12 innings and counting?!? are you kidding me?
people i've never heard of are pitching....we actually may make it competely through the pitching staff - which is NEVER a good thing.
okay now it's 14 innings and i can't stop watching. It's 2:30am and I can't stop watching what i fear will be a train wreck, 'cause i'm realistic, there's no way this can end well. nope, no way. anyone who could actually pitch was out of the game during the actual game. It's late; they're tired. and more importantly i fear it shant happen 'cause that's what I want and that's what I would expect - again, they're the freaking dodgers. but seeing as the past games have been less than encouraging....
alas, i still have blind hope and i remain awake.
and posting...
okay, so at ten after 3 the game is officially over - lost in the bottom of the 16th.
At least the Indians won their game. of course, this doesn't make much difference seeing as they are 20 games out of first and 15 out of the wild card and it's the end of august. The Reds, on the other hand, were briefly (very briefly) in first and until recently held the wild card. As my boyfriend says "snatching defeat from the jaws of victory", although not in the usual dramatic fashion.
But man, i still love this game!

Snakes on a Plane -'nuf said

2006-08-19T10:24:00.000-04:00

I have an overly active imagination - blame on on the the only child thing, blame it on too much time spent alone, blame it on a love of legends and fairy tales or a general love of reading - the reason doesn't matter much at this point. My imagination tends to run wild, creating scenerios often more extreme than those that actually occur. It also has been pointed out to me that I have a tendency to overthink things. One would assume that the latter quality would bring about a rationalization thus eliminating the creation of possible scenerios in a completely fictional and contrived setting. That assumption would be wrong.
Yes, i expected snakes - i'm not addled. And yes, i expected them to jump out. This knowledge lead me to the proper expectation that I would be started at the sudden motion. But come on - it was Samuel L. Jackson and snakes on a plane!
The movie, despite my racing pulse (and no, it really isn't scary - more funny if you are a normal human being) was entertaining. Again, Snakes on a Plane - it's gotta be funny. It was enjoyable and the cheese was quality.
This being said...i had weird dreams last night. Not frightening in any realm of thought, but wierd. I don't remember them completely, in fact, i don't remember the first one at all, really, but i do remember awaking, mentally processing the oddity of my subconscious then immediately going back to sleep.
yeah....

Breaks and Faith

2006-08-08T15:28:00.000-04:00

Why is it that i can feel completely and utterly safe in my vehicle until the man mentions that i might want to replace my breaks sometime in the not so distant future? I have been driving without knowledge of said problem (and is it really a huge problem when i haven't felt or heard them?) with no issue or fear. All it takes is a few words. This, of course, doesn't hold much bearing anymore seeing as i haven't fixed them yet (it'll happen, it'll happen) and i apparently have no issue driving my car. Okay, so occasionally when i hit the breaks i wonder, but it doesn't happen every time. just sayin'

Very Excited...

2006-07-21T22:38:00.000-04:00

Okay, so while i'm packing (and packing and packing and packing and avoiding packing) i have comedy central on in the background. Earlier today it was music, now it's comedy central - i was much more productive during the music. To follow my stream of consciousness...why does it always get worse before it gets better? and will it possibly be better before original mattress man comes tomorrow morning?
anyway....so while i'm completely entertained by Ron White, who is outrageously funny, i have half caught an advertisement during the evening. Usually i'm out of the room, diligently working on my bedroom, but i JUST caught the advertisement all the way through. I had thought it was what i heard, but was afraid to believe just to have my hopes dashed. It is official - Animaniacs is on DVD on Tuesday. (so is pinky and the brain) i don't know the specifics, but i'm very very excited. woo hoo! It takes so little....

Twilight zone

2006-07-19T20:32:00.000-04:00

On my TV the Reds are in a rain delay....the field is completely drenched and rain is pouring down in sheets. Outside my window roughly 10 miles away, it is completely dry. I flipped back to the game to see rain streaming from the sky. It registered and I promply looked out the window. I hadn't heard rain, i hadn't seen rain, so i decided to check - i have had a glass or two of wine. The announcers are discusing the fact that the radar had them fooled. They apparently didn't think it would be raining as hard or long as it has at the stadium. I'm now hearing some thunder, but still no rain. Seeing my city on TV with completely different weather than i am currently experience tends to wig me out a bit...just saying.

wow!

2006-06-21T21:22:00.000-04:00

The Spirit was alive tonight! Church was absolutely amazing!
Worship alone was a powerful, powerful thing. We started with a song based on 2 Samuel 6:21-22 and then went into a song based on John 10:27. We followed with a rocked out version of Amazing Grace and two more songs (one being You Have Done Great Things). Last week's worship service was music light so my heart was totally blessed this evening. It was an amazing time to rejoice and celebrate before the Lord. And the place was jumping! One of my favorite passages in Isaiah (and there are many favs in Isaiah) came to mind near the end of the singing portion of worship: "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, 'Your God reigns!'" God rocks!
The opportunity for this was God ordained as the scheduled speaker had flight delays and was not able to arrive until close to 8. Harvey Carey spoke. The man is being used by God! I cannot wait until we have tonight's service available as my note taking wasn't nearly fast enough...and at times i was too engrossed to even take notes - which is how you know it was really good! 'cause i can always take notes. He spoke passionately from Matthew 5:13-16. God has laid on his heart the fact that the church, by and large, has lost its purpose to be salt and light. Powerful stuff! To quote Dave, "it was kick ass". As he was speaking of the purpose salt and light and the fact that we "are" indeed salt and light, not becoming, but already "are", the first few verses of Philippians chapter 2 ran through my head. There is responsibility laid before us. If ANY encouragement, comfort, fellowship, tenderness and compassion are felt THEN make my joy complete in these ways... Being salt and light is not optional. We are....and we must act as such, bringing flavor and preservation while causing the darkness to flee.
He spoke for a time about joy, true joy. Life abundant is what we are called to but rarely does the church have even an iota of the excitement of a stadium. Where is the passion for God?
I pray fervently that I may put into action the words I heard. That I may truly live what I hear and be a doer of the Word.
I walked out with 2 songs running through my head, neither of which we had sung this evening. One was "Give Us Clean Hands" and the other was "Here I am to Worship". I do a lot of my worship, a lot of my connecting with God through song (which is also why i love the book of Psalms). While verses occasionally pop to mind, as the two did this evening, more often it's a song that captures my heart and marks a moment. I now get to meditate on those in relation to what I experienced tonight. I'm looking forward to my God time tonight!

I don't get it

2006-06-21T09:16:00.000-04:00

Whether I live here 10 years or 100, I shall never understand how or why precipitation paralyzes this city. Water, in any of it's forms, falls from the sky and the general population can be heard crying "Retreat! Retreat!". I've thought about it over the years and I simply cannot come up with a reason. People have told me it's the hills. This argument may work for the ice, but has no real bearing on the rain portion. Sure, it's slightly more slick, but the breaks still work - i know this full well because when i travel the interstate in this virtual natural disaster, i'm on and off the break the entire way. What is it about rain that makes the same drivers who usually barrel down the road with no regard to speed limits now unwilling to travel more than 35mph? While i understand caution, i do, I just don't get why the highway turns into a parking lot at the sight of a raindrop.
Another thing I don't get related to rain - it has been my understanding through life that one generally avoids mowing the lawn in the rain. At work it seems they ONLY mow in the rain. Is there something i'm missing here?

c-c-c-cold junior!

2006-06-19T23:25:00.000-04:00

There was a brief and lovely respite from the oppressive ohio humidity this afternoon. my drive home was wonderful! The clouds had rolled in, the sky was dark and ominous. Sheer beauty! The wind whipped about, dead leaves flying though the air. And in this amazing show of power the temperature dropped and there was a great deal of relief. I was able to keep my windows down the entire drive as the thunder rumbled; the sky threatening to open up and release the weight of the raindrops.
God pretty! I today was struck by the amazement of the precursor to the storm. I've witnessed the calm, I reveled in the bluster. Completely different experiences yet beautiful both. I could not help but grin, my hair blowing around me, as I enjoyed the refreshing blessing of the "breeze" - an amazing display of nature.
Yipeee!
Thanks, Lord!

mustard seeds and ramblings...

2006-06-14T13:13:00.000-04:00

Faith astounds me. It is something so simple yet something so complex. I believe that part, but not all, of the complexity exists because we want to complicate the simplicity.
We seem to trust so much in our daily lives with nary a thought, yet the faith that is integral to theology is dissected. I'm not encouraging blind faith, by any means, but it seems that we seek to locate holes, or to rationalize the sometimes incomprehensible to human minds. I live in a second floor apartment but i have never given a thought to questioning the structure of the building. This is curious because I have lived in a second floor apartment where our bathroom was literally falling into the first floor apartment. I am aware that buildings can fail yet I don't think about structural integrity as I fall asleep at night. I get in my car each day knowing that break downs and accidents are a possibility yet this knowledge does not stop me from driving. I surround myself with any of a variety of electronic devices containing circuitry that could overload or short, yet until my television exploded (okay, perhaps the literal exploded isn't accurate, but there were sparks and smoke) I didn't give pause (nor do i even after the event) to the possibly, admittedly unlikely, that dangers may exist. Quite frankly, I spend my day putting my trust in a multitude of things I know very little to nothing about and i do it without blinking an eye.
Scripture tells us that the faith of a mustard seed can move mountains. There is a song by Rich Mullins that says "And the Master says their faith was gonna make them mountains move / But me, I tremble like a hill on a fault line just at the thought of how i lost you. / Oh, we are not as strong as we think we are." The mere thought of such faith is awe-inspiring and humbling. I know, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that such faith is real; such faith is alive.
As I sit on a warm summer's evening (and heartily refrain from bursting into The Gambler - i do so love Kenny!) listening to a sermon on the book of Job, I am struck by the scenario and by the faith of Job. What an amazing illustration of faith!
And what a sorry example my life is. The cost is minimal in the current day and age in the nation of my birth. What should be easy, as there is no opposition, becomes hard precisely because of the lack of opposition. The father of lies is crafty..."freedom" here is often enslaving. My view is muddied by the bright lights, the temptations of this "free" world. I place my trust - my faith - so frequently in the things of this world; the things that shall pass, all the while missing the eternal. Job was a man of faith, "blameless and upright". The depth of his faith is what made him a prime candidate for his ordeal. God knew that Job wouldn't waver. There was nothing that could happen that would cause Job to turn away. This astounds me. And leaves me broken. What is my faith? Could God move mountains through me? Certainly! But do I trust that He would? Oh, I have faith. I believe that God is good....but i've discovered that I don't quite conceptualize "good" in the "abundant life" type of way but rather in an "eat your vegetables" type of way. WOW. I know my time and God's time are often different, but where did my mind come up with my good and God's good being different? I find that I am often afraid to trust the good...i spend time waiting for the other shoe to drop. (not that there's anything in my life that emphasizes this right now, but I made this discovery in the past 6 or so months and sense i'm in a stream of consciousness faith topic, i'm running with it) But the kicker is this the "good" doesn't and shouldn't, impact my faithfulness. I both deeply desire and live in terror of a life that cries "The name of the Lord be praised" in all circumstances. What God could do with a life so surrendered!
All of creation is under the dominion of God. All creation except man. We have been given free will; we must give dominion by daily climbing onto the alter and proclaiming Him Lord.
(At this point I freely admit my lack of main idea)
If I truly believe what I profess, surrender should be easy. For I know God's character. I rest in his love. I am astounded by grace. I can point to time and time again where God has sustained me. Yet amazingly enough I struggle to surrender. Coming like the children, with the simple, trusting faith, seems so foreign.
No, I don't have all the answers, but I know the only answer i need is faith. God is in his heaven and God is in control. I have nothing to fear and great cause to rejoice. That is all it boils down to ultimately. Such simple faith is all i need and all i want.

confessions of a musical nature

2006-06-04T22:55:00.000-04:00

Alright, i admit it, i listen to a wealth of what can only be termed bad music (okay, it can be termed something else, but "bad music" is most gracious for polite company). I'd love to claim that I listen to it because of the memories associated with the songs, and to some extent, that's actually true. But, honestly, there is no excuse for half of what I sing along to... oh yes, i sing along. Every verse, every tune. I know it by heart. Lest this further frighten any reader, i do have a disturbing memory, so it isn't as alarming as it seems when i burst into song - at least not in the "dang, she knows every word, she must listen to it a lot" sense, but perhaps in the "dang, somebody make her shut up, she's only making the song worse" sense. That being said, yes, i listen to 80's music, and yes i listen to country music. The country music i simply like, but i figure since it's scorned by a decent amount of the population, i'd throw it in for good measure. The 80s music tends to fit in the nostalgia category. I listen to a lot of contemporary Christian as well. Yes, i know it's generally bad, but i get draw in by the lyrics. i'm a sucker for lyrics.
I'm also very mood related as far as music is concerned. I have certain songs i listen to for certain moods. I'm currently listening to power ballads like they're going out of style...okay, perhaps not quite that much, but they do make it into the rotation on a disturbingly frequent basis. Note, when discussing power ballads, any play in the rotation is disturbing, of this, i'm well aware.
So if you need me, i'll be packing to Foreigner.

silence is golden

2006-05-23T19:19:00.000-04:00

I should never be allowed to enter a hair salon alone. Not only that, but I should have folks on speed dial to keep me accountable, kinda like a sponsor to keep me from the inevitable emotional meltdown. It is simply not worth the trauma that I go through upon leaving the salon (not to mention the weeks that follow to get a hair cut. It honestly is not as bad this time because in the back of my head i was able to prepare myself as the hair just kept falling. The word "layers" should not be in my lexicon. It's not so much the shock of the chia pet look - which anyone with thick curly hair knows well, but more so the fact that the 3 inches taken off the bottom that I ask for when I walk in turn into many many more as the layers are cut, then evened, then the bottom has to be cut to work with the layers. All this added with my forgetting just how curly my hair really is. When it's long (and to the credit of the woman who cut my hair, it is still "long" by all standards, it's just "short" for me, hitting upper mid back instead of lower back) the weight lessens the curl. The shorter it gets, the less it weighs (duh!), and consequently the more it curls thus making it even shorter. Logical, to be sure, but a fact that I tend to forget when I'm used to the curl being weighed down. On a positive note, it grows like a weed, so it should be back soonish. At least it's different. For me. Not really different because all I did was make it slightly shorter than it was previously. All in all, it is cute, but i'm too busy lingering in shock to freely admit this to myself. The kicker is that a year from now i'll go through it all again.

puzzles i create for myself

2006-05-22T22:38:00.000-04:00

So I love to work logic puzzles. This doesn't mean a lot but does set a bit of the context to this post. Logic puzzles are like a good mystery to be solved. There is an answer and I must eliminate variables in order to decipher it. Solving problems (of a non-mathematical nature) gets my juices flowing. That being said, I'm not fond of the little mysteries i leave for myself.
I have an alarming habit of jotting things down on random scraps of paper - phone numbers, partial addresses, company names, words, etc. I would like to claim that I jot in haste and therefore omit vital information inadvertently. As much as convenient shifting of blame pervades our society (a post for another day), I must admit full culpability in my current circumstance. At the time I write the small, yet seemingly important bits of information, i am certain that I will remember the relevance of a word or number, not to mention the corresponding scrap of paper on which it was written. In all honesty, I don't even think about the possibility that I could have problems in the not so distant future, so i suppose the previous "certain I will remember" statement is in error. No, my mind simply fills in the relevant blanks at the time I write it, and my brain apparently gives no thought to attributing corresponding details to assist in the assimilation of the information. The result is a joyous experiential period as I gaze inquisitively at the scrap I had intended to throw away moments before. What, pray tell, is the relevance of this phone number? To whom does it belong? Do I dare call it and find out? And just when did I "need" the number? For obviously, the time has passed, evidenced by my inability to place the number.
I do manage to figure out almost each scrap in time, but it would save worlds of time and frustration (although thereby eliminating the "game") if I just learned to write everything down at the beginning. An element of my frustration springs from the fact that this never used to be a problem as I have both the blessing and curse of a rather extensive memory. Apparently my ability to juggle all information and keep it at the forefront has waned slightly. And this requires adaptation which i seem to be too lazy to appropriately enforce.

Them's good eatin'

2006-05-08T17:29:00.000-04:00

So i was driving home from work today contemplating roadkill. Before I get too deeply involved in this post, it should be noted that I am a girl, and despite occasionally wishing it weren't, my behavior is, as such, girlie. I don't dwell to deeply on the fact that it was until recently a fuzzy animal, and despite my sciency background, my initial response is always "ewwwwee". That being said, I was thinking about my history with roadkill. You see, I grew up in a rural area. Roadkill came in all shapes and sizes and with the reasonably light traffic flow, would lie by the side of the road until it bloated and began to decompose, only occasionally being scattered by an unsuspecting vehicle. I have also visited parts of the world where a cow can lie dead in the middle of the road and everyone knows to just go around until the vultures have finished their work. Roadkill in the city is an entirely different experience. First, I wonder how, exactly, there comes to be roadkill on the highway. There are fences, people. And the highway wasn't built yesterday. It's not likely to surprise Bambi because heaven knows it's loud. Yet still there is roadkill. In the past few days i have driven past/through the scattered remains of some poor animal, now unrecognizable. I know, based on the state of different parts of the carcass, that the roadkill is relatively fresh. I also know that it will be gone in the next few days. This is not because birds of prey will find a feast, but instead because the sheer multitude of vehicular traffic will have pulverized anything that remains.
Thus my morbid observation.
In other news, I am a total and complete klutz. This, of course, is not new to me as I have always been a klutz, but is more relevant at this moment in time because I just fell up (yup, i said up) the stairs not once, but twice before I made it to my apartment.
Because I am such a klutz, I frequently forget I have fallen or bumped into an object only to wonder where the bruise that develops in the not so distant future came from.
That's all I've got right now.

needle in a haystack

2006-05-07T23:37:00.000-04:00

So I spend an inordinate amount of time in bookstores and I particularly enjoy Half Price Books, for reasons that an idiot would be able to deduce. There's also something about books that, at least in my mind, makes them more interesting if others have read them as well. Perhaps it's the literary theorist in me, but there's an odd back story involved. Not only am I reading this text (taking into consideration, of course, time, place, and manner in which it was written - yup, i'm a geek) and therefore involved in my own unique reading at that very moment in time, but am also involved in the lingering of someone else's experince with the very same text, which is bound, by nature of humanity, to have been a very different but equally impacting interpretation/experience. Which (sidenote) is why library stalking brings shame, yes, but also a great deal of excitement - the ability to interact with another reader and gather their impressions of the text; i'm almost overjoyed with the possibility.
This is not the reason for the posting....instead it's a commentary on the gleaning (of a hunt a peck variety) required when searching through the clearance CDs at Half Price Books. I've worked a ton of overtime recently so i engaged in a splurge, settling myself before the understock CDs and purusing at leisure. One must be strong in fortitude and possess a unique sense of humor to commit to such an undertaking. This, you see, is because you must search through multiple copies of the Titanic soundtrack (how could anyone part with such a gem?), a virtual boy band grave yard (yup folks, Backstreet Boys, 98 degrees [there isn't a key for that on the keyboard?] NSync, and O Town are all represented), and easy listening that would make any John Tesh/Yanni/Kenny G lover's heart flutter. The CDs I tend to pick up are CD's i've never listened to but am intrigued and have decided I can't pass up for a dollar or two. I do realize that there is most likely a reason that said CD is priced at a dollar or two, but i don't entertain that thought long. Occasionally I come across an early releace from a band I enjoy, or a movie soundtrack that has a great (or just really nostalgic) song involved - hense why I purchased the City of Angles soundtrack (the Goo Goo Dolls Iris is such a song).
** right now i'm pissed at having inadvertantly deleted half of my post because i'm writing under the influence of a lovely merlot. Damn pop up blocker.**
Today i have listened to some of the random purchases I recently made. There is always a risk involved in purchasing an unknown band/album and although I am far from a risk taker by nature - i prefer to know good and well what i should expect before i commit, I happily piled CDs atop of books a week ago friday. I can say that a few of my findings have far exceeded my expectations (of course I tend to live with low expectations in order to avoid dissapointment). Overall I am pleasently surprised. A few of my selections turned out to be duds, but at least one of my impulse buys has proved a keeper. And after all, isn't that all you can hope when searching for the proverbial needle in a haystack?

Let's see you do it, Dick Button!

2006-02-14T22:26:00.000-05:00

Sports commentators, in general, tend to annoy me. Aside from the fact that I would much rather watch the game with my own bias in full form*, the inane comments get on my nerves. While I do bow to the experience level of most sports commentators as the trend is to use individuals who were former stars in their respective fields to lend an air of authority and, let's face it, "big name" quality to the broadcast, some of these voices of authority haven't seen the rigors of competition in years. It is in some of these circumstances, therefore, that i find myself talking back to the commentators (I know, I know - a commentary on my own mental state more than the issue at hand) incensed that they are making some of their statements when there's no way they have a hope of doing half of what the competitor is doing. I am aware that these commentators are there with the purpose of calling the game and are bound to have some editorial comments and i fully support the fact that occasionally professional athletes aren't having their best day, or even perhaps generally suck, and that fact might call for mention. I merely contend that no matter how knowledgeable Dick Button may be, I don't take kindly to his tone. The job is to report, not to condescend. I'm just saying.... Not that Dick is the only individual to hinder my viewing experience (hmmm...or would it be as fun if I weren't yelling at the announcers?) - no matter the sport I tend to find several games when my sports crazed mind has me contemplating tracking down the announcer to give him my two cents worth. True, this may make me no better than the offender, but i'm not getting paid to share my thoughts so I get to freely indulge my personal bias.

*the exception to this is the amazing and highly entertaining Bob Uecker who is, beyond a doubt, genius and the highlight to watching a Brewers game. He can say whatever he wants whenever he wants to whomever he wants. There are a few others as well, but they don't come to mind nearly as quickly and easily.

Ouch!

2006-02-09T22:25:00.000-05:00

Okay, so why do paper cuts hurt so much more than anything else? I can forego any type of numbing agent when the dentist starts to drill and suffer barely a grimace; I can handle the burst of a cyst by curling into a ball and slowly exhaling, but a paper cut prompts a high pitched screech, immediate insertion of the injured area into the mouth for the purpose of sucking (and why do i do this? It doesn't make the pain go away. sure, i get the lovely iron flavor of my blood, but i am fully aware that my mouth is not the most sanitary option for an open cut - a fact that seemingly eludes me when presented with the sight of my own blood) soon followed by requisite flailing of the offending hand/arm. And then there's the stupid resulting skin flap thing that ensures the general annoyance of the injury for several days. Exhibit A - the three (yup, three - if i'm going for it, i'm going all the way) paper cuts I managed to get on the tip of my finger yesterday are still driving me nuts. Granted, i'm irritating my fingertip every time i type an "a", but even if i weren't typing, at least one of said cuts would still be associated with a dull throb. On a positive note, one of the three cuts was rather shallow and the flappy thing has managed to adhere (woohoo white blood cells!) but i have a feeling the other two are in for the long haul considering the largest opens up and bleeds every once in a while. It should be noted that fingertip bandages were not designed for a pinky - not that it makes that much difference considering the location of the cuts are inopportune for bandage placement of any type as the bandages only succeed in pulling one of two cuts open. arghh!

Disturbed

2006-02-05T22:47:00.000-05:00

Dude, "dork" isn't recognized by the spell check. It's a blog for goodness sake, dork seems rather important in light of this. Ahhh, irony at it's finest.
Okay, I was done, but i hit the spell check - yup, blog isn't recognized either.

Every week without fail

2006-02-05T22:00:00.000-05:00

On a weekly basis I turn into a blubbering idiot (at least the weeks I'm home and I remember to turn on the TV at 8 on Sundays - or during the syndication sightings). It has even happened this week. Yes, I was watching the Super Bowl as well, but hey, one can only handle so much when the Steelers had been winning since the second quarter. As I write they now have officially won, confetti and all, arghh! So, knowing it was a repeat but not having the past viewing pleasure and frustrated that the Seahawks weren't coming through for me, I flipped back and forth to Cold Case. While I am painfully aware that the show is far fetched at best, (I can seldom remember events from last week in great detail let alone even attempt to recount what occurred 15 years ago with any type of authority, yet characters on the show have an uncanny ability to recall anything and everything about cases that took place anywhere from 10 to 40 years prior) the music is great and I typically find the stories entertaining - what can i say, i'm a sucker for the flashback premise. I admit, i get sucked in. And while i would love to be able to blame it on hormones, I believe the fact that I cry each and every time I watch (note that i don't even have to catch the entire episode - kinda like the weird ability to start watching 15 minutes from the end of A League Of Their Own and bawl for the last 5)discounts the possibility. Call it girlie, but i can't stop. I don't want to feel like a big dork and I don't go into it thinking that i'll cry (although why i don't in light of my track record is truly amazing, but my propensity toward self denial is for another post) yet at the end of the episode as the friends/family are gaining closure and the detectives are feeling all justified as they write 'closed' on the box and replace it, i begin to well up. If by some odd chance i haven't begun blubbering at this point, i'm sure to lose it as the deceased makes their final appearance. I am not an attractive crier. This all being said, I don't know why i continue to subject myself to this show on a consistent basis even if i like it, but i doubt i'll stop.
I'll blame this evening's cry on the Steelers - if they had just been losing as they should have been i wouldn't have been wiping tears and blowing my nose during the last minute and a half of the game, no matter how appropriate that may have been given the circumstances. Man, i hate the steelers! Yippy Skippy coach finally has a Super Bowl win and oooh ahhh, Jerome Bettis can leave the sport "where he began" and on a high (okay, i really am not completely immune to these moving stories, i mean, come on, i've already discussed how i cry for no apparent reason), but sheesh, the steelers?!?
What's the count down to opening day? It's a good thing i have march madness to possibly look forward to - we'll see if i actually do in the coming weeks. If nothing else it'll offer some entertainment before baseball season.

Don't pick at it!

2006-02-03T00:25:00.000-05:00

Ughhhhh!!!! Yet another return to childhood. Yes, I picked a scab, of course I picked a scab. It was there, it itched, i scratched - a natural progression, if I do say so myself. I love how we tell children not to pick but there is not a single adult on the planet that will leave a pimple hanging out on their face when they plan on interacting with society. The scab thing may be less of a temptation for others, but i'm trying to make a point. Of course I'm attempting to make my point as a truly amazing amount of blood is continuing to ooze from the tiny little scab i picked. It should be noted that this "pick" wasn't intentional - not that this means anything in the grand scheme of life; i'm a picker, i'll freely admit it. I merely mention the lack of intent because i was caught unaware when I noticed dried blood on my arm which, of course, i had to wipe off, leading to more bleeding. It apparently (known because I more recently noticed a blood stain on my shirt - now to contemplate whether it's a good or bad thing that my chest, being larger than my stomach, obscured earlier detection) had been bleeding for a while before i noticed the dried blood and started the cycle again...because I picked. I know i'm not supposed to, we all know we're not supposed to, I have biological reasoning for not picking, but it's just so hard to resist. and i'm not so sure that's a commentary on my level of self control. The clincher - it still itches.

I shall never understand

2006-02-02T23:45:00.000-05:00

The male mind, at any age, is completely foreign to me. I am not, nor shall I ever be male - a fact for which, despite the inescapable physical joys of womanhood, i hit my knees and fervently thank God. And why, you may wonder, do I feel the need to share the utter but very basic difference of the sexes? It isn't as if such posits are new. From our first words, or even prior, each and every human being is aware of the underlying differences between man and woman. Why then, do i marvel at the ways we choose (or are biologically ordained?) to express ourselves? I am not seeking to entertain a nurture/nature debate, although the theories are intriguing. No, I am merely executing fundamental statement of fact. Our minds do not function in the same manner, regardless of union or commonality. This, to me, is amazing.
It truly does not matter the age of the male creature, inevitably he will do or say something to which my only possible response is a look of utter confusion. While it is possible this might be indicative of a personal problem in synapse functionality, if I glance about the room, my expression is not seen exclusively on my face but instead graces the countenance of other XX bearers as well. I believe that the primary root of incomprehension on our part has to do with our incapable to conceive of a possible motive for whatever statement or behavior that lead to a confounded expression as response. Why do you persist in risking life and limb for no other reason than "it was there" or "i could"? Why does physical humor delight you so? How is it possible that you can entertain yourself for hours with a fight sequence? Young or old, alone or in packs, I will never understand men. On a positive note, I have discovered that rarely is the source of my confusion new. From birth to death there are simply variations on a similar theme. I'm not sure if this should bring me comfort or frighten me even more in the fact that i still have yet to figure it out.
Women aren't nearly this perplexing!

Things I've learned thus far in my 28 years on this planet

2006-01-29T20:17:00.000-05:00

-That which you plan will never occur exactly as you plan it, so you might be better off not wasting the time it took to plan in the first place.
-While the smell of incense when burned in a dorm room in effort to mask the tell-tale odor of pot (a method only those high off the pot think will work) tends not to affront the senses, but incense burned in a 550 square foot apartment will give you a headache and linger for days.
-You should move at least every 2 1/2 years just in order to purge the crap you've accumulated over the span of those years.
-Life is seldom what it seems and never what you expected.
-Apartment walls are paper thin. If you can hear them, they can hear you. And although you regale acquaintances with the neighbors' particularly entertaining argument or involved sexual escapades, you know deep down no one would respond to another tenant's cries for help.
-The concept of eating all left-overs in due time is an evil plot against single people.
-Often acquiring a degree just proves you're stupid enough to spend a lot of money on a useless piece of paper - woohoo higher education.
-Inevitably you will need a glass/cup of milk the day after it has turned....the same holds true for fresh veggies.
-Nothing can stop freezer burn, i don't care how well you seal it.
-There will always be basic plot points where i and the author fundamentally disagree.
-If it is logical, it will not be employed by big business or any branch of government.
-Those who truly could make a difference will never be afforded the opportunity to do so in the current political climate.
-The haircut you receive will never look the same as it did when you left the shop....and this could be a good thing.
-In addition, one can only survive so long in a ponytail or baseball cap and although you may think no jury would convict if you followed through with your threat of bodily harm on she who made you look like a chia pet, prison, though potentially presenting a better chance of a dating life (if you're okay with that kind of thing) just is not worth it.
-Despite your hope in the contrary and despite the lovely moral lesson in The Breakfast Club, you really will forever be seen, in some respect, as the person you were in high school.
-Being a grown up isn't what it's cracked up to be.
-If you're doing something stupid and you know what you're doing is stupid, do it with gusto; it'll never be less stupid so you might as well enjoy it.

That's what I'm talkin' 'bout!

2006-01-19T23:36:00.000-05:00

"Xavier pulled out another classic Crosstown Shootout matchup Thursday night, holding off the University of Cincinnati 73-71 in overtime."

*note that in real time, this was accompanied by a happy dance and a scream of glee.

Alas, poor Yorick

2006-01-19T22:59:00.000-05:00

Bummer! There went my weekend plans. It is with great remorse I note the closing of the Dubliner. The remorse is due in part to the pint, but mostly to the music and atmosphere....and the fact that I had intended to see a band i'm fond of on Saturday. The doors closed last Wednesday. If the Post is to be believed (i know, i know, but the Post was the first hit when i did my online search of news and really, it's six of one half dozen of the other when dealing with our prestigious print media)the establishment is under new ownership and will be open by St. Patrick's Day. We shall see...

Distracted by my earlier "HA!" rant

2006-01-15T23:54:00.000-05:00

Hmmm...my original reason for hopping on and writing (prior to my curious nature taking over - damn MSN for the catchy teaser!) was my somewhat embarrassing love of "Strange Days at Blake Holsey High". So i know i'm a freak, but i love this show. I started watching by accident and it sucked me in. Is it sad that the series i am most anticipating coming to DVD (please let happen, please!!) is a show geared to the pre-teen set? In preparation for the "Conclusions" episodes that will air on the 28, marathons have been running each weekend. I taped it this afternoon in order to take a much deserved nap. Unfortunately, I truly am a spaz as I began watching it this evening after returning from Bible study and completely missed Crossing Jordan. Okay, by now anyone that may be reading might be thinking i'm a bit obsessed with my television viewing, but remember, i'm single and live alone...and i love forensic dramas. "Blake Holsey" is an aberration in my discretionary viewing. Hence the motivation for the post. I live in hope that life will return to normal on the 29th - it's not like i have anyone to obsess with.

HA!

2006-01-15T23:22:00.000-05:00

Okay, so i need to stop reading...or lose 100 lbs. (hmmmm...perhaps both) I believe the most accurate statement made by the article is that "Others argue that people are merely becoming more politically correct and that bias against fat people is actually growing sharper." Don't get me wrong, I freely admit that i'm huge, but i don't believe that it has become more acceptable in society to be that way. Yes, i think the fact that i'm fat is a problem, but trust me, i'm aware of the problem. And if I weren't, there are oh so many people ready on a daily basis to make sure i am. Face it, (we who are fat have) overweight folks may be great, but they aren't preferable to their skinny, or even average, counterparts. Granted I may be slightly jaded, considering i've always been the token fat girl, but i honestly don't think that by and large, Americans are more accepting of us. I think it's more a case of "fat" being a majority. I believe that a large percentage of that majority truly knows the way things are...shoot, even they may not like themselves/us. But if, like me, they've always been fat, they know it's best not to make waves. Life is so much better if I can somehow escape notice - and there's irony in how the larger you are the easier it is to blend. Invisibility seems to be size related.
Check it out:

MSNBC.com

Americans are more accepting of heavier bodies
Fewer people say overweight people are less attractive, survey finds

The Associated Press
Updated: 4:13 p.m. ET Jan. 11, 2006

Thin is still in, but apparently fat is nowhere near as out as it used to be.

A survey finds America’s attitudes toward overweight people are shifting from rejection toward acceptance. Over a 20-year period, the percentage of Americans who said they find overweight people less attractive steadily dropped from 55 percent to 24 percent, the market research firm NPD Group found.

With about two-thirds of U.S. adults overweight, Americans seem more accepting of heavier body types, researchers say. The NPD survey of 1,900 people representative of the U.S. population also found other more relaxed attitudes about weight and diet.

While body image remains a constant obsession, the national preoccupation with being thin has waned since the late 1980s and early 1990s, said the NPD’s Harry Balzer.

Those were the days when fast food chains rushed to install salad bars. In 1989, salads as a main course peaked at 10 percent of all restaurant meals. Today, those salad bars have all but vanished and salads account for just 5½ percent of main dishes.

“It turns out health is a wonderful topic to talk about,” Balzer said. “But to live that way is a real effort.”

Fewer people said they’re trying to “avoid snacking entirely” — just 26 percent in 2005, down from 45 percent in 1985 — while 75 percent said they had low-fat, no-fat or reduced fat products in the last two weeks, down from 86 percent in 1999, according to the survey.

At 5-feet-6 and 230 pounds, Lara Frater likes her body just fine and turns up her nose at trendy diets.

“I don’t beat myself up if I have a piece of cake,” said Frater, a 34-year-old New Yorker and author of “Fat Chicks Rule.”

No surprise
The survey’s findings aren’t that surprising, as attitudes about weight constantly shift, said John Cawley, associate professor at Cornell University’s College of Human Ecology.

While heavy women were idealized at times — think “Rubenesque,” a term born of 17th century painter Peter Paul Rubens’ full-figured women — corseted women with tiny waists were preferred in other eras.

“I don’t think we’re going to go back to worshipping obese women, but it’s interesting to see how attitudes change as more people become overweight,” Cawley said.

Others argue that people are merely becoming more politically correct and that bias against fat people is actually growing sharper.

“These studies don’t pick up on implicit, unconscious bias,” said Kelly Brownell, head of the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University.

“It’s like if you asked people around the country if they had racial bias. There’s a difference between what people say and what actually happens,” Brownell said.

Researchers at Cornell also found that negative attitudes about obesity persist.

The NPD study results may simply be a sign of “resignation from overweight people,” Brownell said, noting that it’s likely a majority of survey respondents are overweight.

The survey, to be published in February in the journal Rationality and Society, also found obese boys and girls were half as likely to date as normal weight kids.

At an obesity doctors meeting in 2003, a University of Liverpool study indicated that just standing next to a large woman can be bad for a guy’s image. The study had young women look at one of two pictures: One of a trim young man standing next to a svelte woman, and the other showing the same man next to a heavy woman.

When the man was shown standing by the large woman, he was rated 22 percent more negatively by the study volunteers than when he was next to the thin woman. When seen with the large woman, he was more likely to be described as miserable, depressed, weak and insecure.

Marilyn Wann, board member of the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance, said fat people are the target of a witch hunt in a fitness-obsessed nation.

“Everyone thinks it’s OK to make fun of fatties,” said Wann, who won’t use the word “overweight” because she says it’s judgmental.

Even if people say they are more accepting of overweight people, many still yearn to be thin. The NPD survey shows the number of people who said “I would like to lose 20 pounds” jumped from 54 percent in 1985 to 61 percent last year.

© 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

© 2006 MSNBC.com

URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10807526/

Stream of conscious....

2006-01-11T00:24:00.000-05:00

I wonder if using a password that brings to mind an ex-boyfriend has doomed me and prevented future romantic entanglements. Every once in a while i think of this as i'm prompted to choose a password, but by now it's one of my standard passwords. Even if it's not a contributing factor, i'll take it as reasoning for the past 10 or so years. And there's always the contract, doh!
I'm currently frustrated with myself because i've yet to determine what I want permanently inked upon my body. I want a tattoo, but i just can't figure out what to get. I even have a friend who has volunteered to do it! I'm not sure why i'm surprised - i can't make a decision to save my life. This, of course, is why i've yet to commit to an image. When i'm hurdling toward 50 it'd really suck to have to explain an extremely poor choice. Okay, i realize that to a vast majority, placing anything permanently on my body is seen as a poor choice. While this may be true, there are levels of stupidity associated with what i choose to tattoo. It's possible that i may regret the tattoo in 20 years (although since I've been in the process of deciding "what" not "if" for the past 3 1/2 years, i'm thinking no), but it's probable if i go with something i no longer like. Foresight sucks!
I desperately want to know who is reading the same library books i am. Not the collective who, but specifically one individual who writes the due date on a post it and puts it in the front of the book and then doesn't remove it. I'm guessing a woman, and i've caught up with her November check outs of last year. She doesn't seem to read as quickly as I do. I feel an odd kinship with her so i find myself varying the hour of my library attendance in hope of discovering her identity. Yup, i'm a library stalker...never a dull moment. hmmmm, now i'm struck by my need for a hobby!

Counting sheep

2006-01-10T16:24:00.000-05:00

I'm completely alarmed by the viewing selection during late night/early morning TV. Granted, I probably should be asleep instead of engaging in incessant flipping, but it's similar to a car crash, i just can't look away. I'm not sure what the most disturbing offering is...at first i was going to go with infomercials, but after last night's perusal, i'm not so sure. The infomercials are annoying and seemingly ubiquitous (and really the more frightening aspect is the fact that people do buy these things, but i don't want to contemplate everything that goes along with that), but the girls gone wild/love line chats are truly alarming. I am relieved to know that if by some strange stretch of the imagination i'm desperate for Oprah at 2:30 i'm in luck. And if my tastes lean the way of late night talk shows, Jay Leno is apparently on a continuous loop beginning after the regularly scheduled late night shows. On a positive note, I can watch my choice of nun on the religious channels if the girls gone wild becomes to much. I really have to work on my sleep patterns!

Deletion

2006-01-10T01:31:00.000-05:00

There have been multiple times that i've wished my life had an edit button. Instead, my mind replays the stupid thing i've said or done in slow motion while giving a play by play commentary. Thanks to the advancement of technology (or something like that) i have recently been able to delete a previous post. I have to admit, there's something beautifully freeing in being able to purge thoughts by writing them but then send them to oblivion upon sobriety. While the words hold no less truth now than they did a week ago, embarrassment has become a possibility. Of course I could be wrong and I'm merely going all Doogie (how do you spell that?!?) and i really am the only one reading this (which is probable), but do I really want to risk it? Unfortunately, my present musings only serve to reinforce my adolescent regression mention in the deleted post. ain't life grand?

I'm dreaming...

2005-12-30T19:54:00.000-05:00

As I glance about my humble abode i'm wondering how long can one's Christmas decorations remain in place before the culprit is brought before the white trash review board. That being said, I'm going for the first of the year...it sounds reasonable considering I could have been traveling and then have found myself oh so busy upon my return, much too busy to concern myself with ornament removal and proper storage of snowmen. This, of course, is not my situation, but could very well be the case for some poor bedragled soul who is pondering consulting Emily Post for a firm judgement on the matter but due to more pressing responsibilities has not yet found the time for an interview. In the midst of my wonderment, i'm also considering just how I am going to remove the lights strung about my living room. I feel like a small child who needs to be scolded - you got them up now you must find a way to get them down. Alas, it's too daunting a task; I'll deal with it tomorrow! Perhaps by then story book elves will have done the dirty work for me. Someone really ought to rethink the prudence of telling such tales to small children; it only sets us up for nostalgic and unreasonable longing as adults. One can hope...

ummmm....yeah

2005-12-29T14:00:00.000-05:00

As usual, I'm several years late entering the craze - no biggy. My internal musings often result in random outward ramblings....gotta love that anyone reading was forewarned, but writing them down is new (talking out loud to myself has never been a problem). If nothing else i'll have opportunity to later wonder in shock why I would write such drivel. Of course, my daily excitement rivals that of a troglodyte so i'm sure i'll never want of available topics.
By this point i've noticed, you've noticed, we've all noticed (and I'm betting a few are more than slightly perturbed) that i'm not a stickler for capitalization of the letter "I". Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't. Perhaps it can be seen as an editorial on my level of intelligence (or lack there of), or perhaps merely a symptom of laziness, or a diabolical plot to annoy the church of proper grammar, or even a commentary on casual vs. formal communication in today's society. Whatever you chose, know that it will continue and i won't lose sleep.
Does it happen everywhere or is it just this lovely land of orange cones and sinus infections? Mid-Fifties one day, thirty the next.... I know I have to expect it but that doesn't mean i have to like it. I'm just wondering, before I pack my worldly possessions and drive off into the distance, whether it would be worth it. Am I merely going to find another such place? Are schizophrenic weather patterns the norm everywhere? Do other places have something more delightfully and unexpectedly menacing in store? Will I have what equates to a small apothecary in my linen closet no matter my locale?