Hurricane Hetta -- the Blog

Black Friday--day of the dead.

2011-11-25T11:20:00.000-06:00

I've never understood how Black Friday has always fallen on the day after we're supposed to be "thankful" for the things we have. Most of us stuff ourselves silly with tons of food on Thanksgiving day and afterward go out and indulge in the purchase of material objects that very night. Where's the gratefulness? Where's the humility?

I don't want to poo poo those folks out there who are grateful for a day off and are grateful to sit down to a nice meal and actually talk to one another and think about things. I don't want to blugeon those folks who are happy to be with family relaxing and visiting with one another and afterward, everyone goes home to rest. I think the reality is, not many of us do that. Not many of us talk with each other or think about anything too deep or promising because it's too painful or mentally laborious. It's sad to think that during times when we need peace and reflection the most, we choose chaos and unrest.

To be at peace and be thankful is too much trouble when there are better things to do like go shopping at midnight on Thanksgiving evening. How many of us are thinking about the fact that we can still afford to buy something even at a discount? Are we thankful for the bargain or do we simply believe we deserve it? How many of us have even wiped our mouthes dry and digested our lavish Thanksgiving dinners before we're ready to run out and indulge in the ability to spend money we supposedly don't have? Most of us are buying into the idea that it's been a hard year. The economy sucks. We've had to cut back. If it were really all that bad, would any of us be able to walk out of those stores and across the parking lot with our carts over-flowing with ALL of those things we can't afford?

I think, even in difficult times, we're as greedy as ever to have what we want. Maybe more so. Why not really get on the bargain by staying home for once and choosing not to buy?

The Media...

2011-08-29T09:11:00.000-05:00

is becoming the biggest joke of all time. I don't know about you, but I feel like I can't get any information from the news. More and more, these days, I am asking myself what is really going on out there? What is this school of journalism anyway? And what's the point of a weather man/woman?

I think this last hurricane "Irene" incident was ridiculous. I was shocked by the number of reporters who were hardly giving us any real picture about what was going on. I felt like I was wading through pages of debris that said very little about what was happening to the towns and the folks in line of this storm. There was a lot of trying to prove their was a hurricane with drama along the pier, but no reality of what was actually taking place. Prior to the storm, lots of folks along the coastline were sitting and looking out across the ocean as though they were at the movies. Surprisingly, weather.com wasn't there to hand out 3D glasses. This is what happens because of the media. Everything becomes entertaining and as a result, we get entertained and less informed.

Weather.com had reporters up and down the east coast during this hurricane and every last one of them was basically reporting about 10 feet from the coastline. What does that really tell us? What do we really get from the fact that you're screaming into your microphone, waves are crashing behind you, and you are pinned against a wall from the force of the wind? Dave and I actually watched a reporter fling himself against a wall while people in the background behind him, who were closer to the shoreline than he was, were walking along normally. Reporting such as this tells us nothing more than you're dramatic. It also makes it look like hype. Those of us not going through it are likely to not take any of it seriously, while folks a mile or two away could be floating on their beds down their driveways and out into the streets. We're not getting a very raw or honest picture about what this storm is actually producing and what is happening as a result, locally. To me, it would have made more sense to have reported from someone's backyard.

Which brings me to this: Most of what I gathered, concerning this storm, came from regular 'ol citizens who were video taping the situation at home and in their neighborhoods. None of us want to know the obvious: If you're standing along the shoreline during a hurricane, you're likely to catch a "breeze" from the water.

Lastly, most of what I was hearing concerned New York City. Everyone was concerned about New York City. Bleh...bleh...bleh. Afterward, most New Yorkers poo poo'd the exaggeration of the storm and said they slept through it and carried on with their usual weekend activities. After all, New York City survived 911 -- they can take anything mother nature dishes up. In all honesty, if you live in New York, you already live in hell every day; what's a hurricane in the bigger picture?

Hardly any focus was carried to other states like Vermont, for example, who no doubt got word out of conditions there due to local residents and "amateur" video takers. That's another thing, who is really amateur here? That's what I want to know. I get more news from the groggy, toothless guy with the cigarette protruding from his mouth on his iphone than I get from the dramatic fools at weather.com.

When Work Is Too Much...

2011-06-25T10:22:00.000-05:00

just call in sick.

That's what I'm seeing in "younger" folks when it comes to work ethics. I've only been working at this new job for about 4 months now. However, in that time, I have seen most of my co-workers taking days off pretty regularly. They've gone beyond both the alotted days for sickness and vacation. Vacation days are not only "me" days but days for "me and my friends" road trip to Montana or beachside wedding or so and so just had a baby or any other excuse that is simply "good enough" to miss work. In a lot of instances, not coming in to work is simply because "I didn't feel like it".

When missed work days happen, young people don't necessarily lose their jobs as a result. It's as though this is the norm nowadays. Employers are now conditioned to this behaviour in their employees and in some cases, the employers themselves exibit the same behavior. However, for many of us when you miss a day, you miss your pay. And that's tuff. Other folks looking for work find themselves competing for jobs with these youngsters who need a job, but don't work as though they want the job or are even grateful they have it. Nonetheless, these kids will most often first be considered for the job.

What I find is that for many of these younger employees, missing days isn't an issue. Why? Because most of them have their parents to pull them up out of their hole when they are running short of cash. I've heard them say things like, "My dad had to buy my medicine or pay my rent because I just don't have enough money this month." Some admit they have a spending problem that leads them up to this mess.

I notice that many of the younger folks really like their things and are regularly sporting new gadgets, wearing new shoes, clothing, and accessories. On top of that, many of them eat out every day and apparently can't be bothered with putting together a sandwich for lunch. They never get enough to eat. It appears to me that I'm looking at a very materialistic, incompetent lazy group of young people. It is a group of folks who fail to see that hard work is a priority. Spending habits in relation to that hard work are an even harder priority. You don't get to reward yourself everyday with what you're earned from your paycheck.

Who's fault is this anyway? Obviously, the parents who always dig their kids out of the hole they are in. But mostly, I don't think the parents even see their children as being in a hole. I think the newest generation of kids emerge from home where work was a priority with no personal or family balance. Parents were never around much when their kids were growing up. Their paycheck came in handy for giving the kids all they material things they wanted and needed but none of the quality time that was severely lacking. And so parents of the now college graduates have gotten into this habit of "making up" for lost time, a long time ago.

It makes me sad. I've heard some of these young folks say things like, "When I'm depressed, I go to my closet and look at all of my things."

Now, I realize that the economy has, as of late, played into some of the difficulty that many people are experiencing financially. Some college graduates, and folks in general, over the last 2 years have been faced with having to work 2 jobs or working a job that barely covers all of their expenses. In some cases, jobs just aren't available. But on the flip side, I don't see young people living as though we are in hard times. They still buy the stuff they want, they still eat all of their meals out, and many of them drive cars here in the city when it is not even necessary. Most of what they earn they "play around" with and their folks, by default, take care of the rest.

The job that I currently work is hard physically, mentally, and emotionally. I sometimes find I'm at my wits end from the demands of it. Oftentimes, your health isn't the greatest when kids are sick more than half of the school year and you're sick right along with them because you pick up every virus they get too. Sometimes with all of your hard work and trying not to miss workdays and scrimping your still come up short. But, in the end, you find your own answers.

In a job such as mine when you're working with children, you may find that you're calling in sick more often than you'd like to be. But you're not going passed your alotted sick days unless there is a death or you have to stay home or be hospitalized by doctor's orders. It used to be that sick days were for more serious illnesses like flu or pneumonia. Now you can stay home with a sore throat or headache. It used to be that you never even considered taking entire days off to go to an appointment or attend an activity that has nothing to do with anything that you should be doing right now that's more important than paying your rent or your utilities. It would have been laughable or unheard of that someone left work early because she was thinking of adopting a puppy. That person would have been fired.

The fact is, you work. You work because you are responsible for you. One person's lack of responsibility affects others even when it seems like others are more than happy to pitch in and help out whenever you need it. At some point reality needs to set in. Others, besides you, have to be considered. You do the best you can and your actions exemplify that and you are content with the results. Buying yourself something every time payday rolls around is not the end result to hard work. Then, when you're in trouble, some of us will be more sympathetic.

Guilt Free Childcare?

2011-06-14T08:39:00.000-05:00

I've never noticed anyone feeling "guilty" about leaving their child in daycare. I've talked with mothers who exibit no sense of remorse for spending their entire day at the yact club while their child sits in a cramped daycare room from 7 AM to 6 PM.

Apparently, there are some parents out there who do feel guilty. I have seen some parents play the part of feeling guilty. I did actually witness a mother tear up once leaving her baby at daycare for the first time only to later ask me if I was available on the weekends so she and her husband could go out. I've also given pep talks to parents who clearly see that their child is suffering from a sense of abandonment. In this case, the needs of the child are overlooked so that I can reassure the parents, "don't worry, he's gonna be okay".

Anyway, according to research reported by some Norwegian Institute of Public Health, there is no reason to feel this guilt anymore for those parents who feel they may have abandoned their child to be raised by strangers all day. Lets never mind these are the most important developmental years of a child's life. Their personalities, sense of well-being, self-worth and belonging are formed during this time.

So what are the defendable excuses for not feeling guilty? First of all, there are only 2 of them. The first reason is that a child who goes to daycare has far more advanced language development than one who stays at home with a parent. Why? Because they have lots more language stimulation by their peers and "teachers" in a given day. I can attest that the toddlers I work with aren't saying much and when prompted to do so they are often times less likely to say anything. I can also attest that many of the children have poor listening skills and are often very obstinate when guided or asked no to do something.

The second reason (which is a laugh in half) is that while daycare children tend to suffer more respiratory and ear infections, by the age of 5 these same children have fewer illnesses. I work in daycare. I am always sick and extremely fatigued. I'm wiping runny noses all day; it never stops -- EVER. What the study fails to recognize is that not only have these children been left to be raised by someone else in the most crucial mental and emotional developmental years of their lives, they have also been sick during most of that time. I can't imagine there is anything worse that to be a small child who is sick all of the time and mom or dad is rarely around.

What a load of nonsense.

No Agenda Day Off...

2011-05-30T09:41:00.001-05:00

is what I like to think of when holidays such as Memorial Day roll around. I have no relatives or friends who died in military service. I don't have a grill and I don't drink beer that often.

Of course, I understand and respect that the holiday does carry, for a lot of people, a time to remember and respect loved ones of our military who have risked their lives and died for our freedom. It's beginnings vary, I believe, but can be traced back to a time when soldiers of the civil war period were commemorated with flowers placed upon the graves of those lives lost during battle.

However, there are many people who like to celebrate Memorial Day with barbecues and beer. It's funny to me how these folks are conditioned by commercialism and buy into the idea of "grillin' and chillin'. I have even seen comments on my Facebook page about, "just sittin' here in the backyard grillin' and drinkin' a beer" activity like that's the most novel thing a person could do on a day off. Afterwards, many of these folks never touch their grills for the remainder of the summer and many of them probably spend their summer days inside, in front of the television, with their beer in one hand and the remote controller in the other hand.

I had to laugh yesterday when, finally, after a weekend of downpours and miserable temperatures, the clouds began to roll away and the sun made a momentous appearance by days end. At that time, I kid you not, like weird programming, neighbors emerged like clockwork from their homes to light the fires of their grills. It was kind of surreal. I mean, really? I saw not a soul all weekend. So, was everyone sitting around all weekend waiting for the rain to stop so they could run outside and start the grill? At days end?

I probably sound crazy to some of you reading this but I notice these things. It's really hard for someone like me (a cynical ass by nature) to not think about these things and respond. I know I should be a more positive human being. I should really turn over a new leaf and think of Memorial Day as the marker for the beginning of summer grilling and cultivating a jiggling beer gut.

Unfortunately, I can do neither when it comes to holidays like Memorial Day. I don't fall into any of the above categories. For me, I simply have to appreciate a day to relax and hopefully not forcibly do anything much at all.

Be Green Community Swap

2011-05-15T20:01:00.003-05:00

This weekend Dave and I paticipated in our annual community swap. The swap supports reusing and recycling items that you have around your house that you don't want anymore that are still functional or usable. The idea is to exchange something you own for something that belonged to someone else that is also preowned.

We thought this was a great idea and it ended up being a very interesting experience and way to meet people around the neighborhood. It was a little like being at a garage sale except you didn't have to pay for anything. However, the day prior to the swap, you had to bring your own preowned things for tickets equal to the number of things you contributed to the swap. The next day, swappers are asked to bring their tickets for the swap.

Obviously, you didn't have to leave the swap with the same number of items that you donated the day before. The idea of leaving with 50 different things is fun nonetheless. The idea is to contribute something to the community and at the same time walk away with something a little different for yourself. Plenty of people were leaving with loads of "new" preowned things -- like tables and chairs, lamps, dishes, books and more. By giving up a bunch of stuff you don't need anymore for 1 or 2 different things that you really could use, you are contributing to an earth friendly and practical endeavor.

Items remaining, not swapped by those with tickets, are then open for anyone in the community who wants to stop by.

So, we walked away with a few new preowned items and some stuff we plan on putting in our eBay store. Below are a couple of pics of some things I swapped for myself. The cat pillow reminds me of some kitty pillows I had when I was a kid in the 70s. I also picked up a bunch of dried flowers for a vase that belonged to Dave's grandma in Canada. Overall, it was a fun activity and I'm sure that we'll do it again next year!

Perhaps, if you're interested, you and some of your friends could organize your own community swap! What a great way to stop unnecessary waste by reusing what we have instead of always buying more!

6 Pack Beer Can Rings...

2011-04-10T10:57:00.000-05:00

thrown about on the ground annoy me to no end. I just can't understand how someone just happens to be out on the sidewalk or walking down a street with a 6 pack and they throw the plastic rings that hold the cans together on the ground.

It makes no sense. So, are these folks just walking along with a six pack? These things are pretty much everywhere. There must be a lot of unhappy folks wandering the streets with six packs.

These plastic rings are harmful to the environment. Mainly they get wrapped around the necks and bodies of small animals and birds. So please, if you happen to be strolling along or sitting on a street corner drinking a six pack, throw the plastic ring in a recycling bin or at least have the sense to throw it in the garbage.

Things that Irritate Me...

2011-04-03T12:54:00.007-05:00

what a surprise. I never write about things that irritate me.

In fact, one of the first things that irritates me is the fact that I haven't posted on my blog since before Christmas. Lame. Why have a blog if you're never going to post in it? I have the privilege of calling myself irritating.

So, here I am finally blogging after not blogging for months. As I type I feel irritated. My fingers feel as though they are sticking to the keys with thick, gluey angst. The only thing I can think of doing is bitching.

I've recently started a part-time job in a Preschool/Daycare setting to supplement our current income stream. Within this new setting I am working with all women. Most of these women are in their 20s. There are a few 'ol hens like myself in the coop, but I'm working mostly alongside people who are at least twelve years younger than me.

On the one hand it's a reality check of how old I'm getting, but on the other hand it's a lone jelly bean in the candy jar in comparison to when the competition and catty crap starts. I wanna fly the coop. I'm too old for this petty "i don't understand why she doesn't like me or why doesn't she like my ideas crap". Who cares? Why is it that at the end of the day I feel like the only one who has something better to do?

I don't do workplace friendships/relationships. I think one should conduct themselves in a professional manner and treat their co-workers with respect. Work should remain at work and so too, the people who work there. I mean, these folks are hangin' with each other on the weekends. How can they ever feel like they're going home or have a home or life outside of work? It's bad enough that you only have the weekends, but when you spend your weekend with your co-workers you may as well jump in front of a bus.

I've been sick now for about 5 weeks. That irritates me. I've had the cough from hell that keeps me up most nights and I've blown a few gallons of snot from my head, perhaps half my brain included. The kids at school have been sick since I started working there 6 weeks ago. It's a crying shame. If I were a parent, I wouldn't be thrilled with the fact that my kid has been sick since, forever. It's the norm. No one seems to notice the rattling coughs and never-ending thick, florescent green snot trailing down everyone's nostrils. That irritates me.

The one guy at work brings his personal relationship crap to work with him expecting sympathy and feedback from all the catty bitches who thrive on gossip and meaningless banter. Irritating. I mean, this 30 year old man is being given medicine and health tips for his cold, and support for his girlfriend who keeps beating him up and driving him to drink and I'm thinkin', who gets paid enough in this semi-hell hole for this?

Aside from that, there are a lot of other things that irritate me. Like people who manage to coin welfare as a form of elitism, a privilege, a system they pay into and therefore, an acceptable way of life. These same folks struggle to feed their own holes but want to have babies? What's up with that? These same people are above being repsonsible and believe that being so is a sacrifice. After all, you should be able to want what you want whenever you want it regardless of how it may affect others in the long run. That's self-centered, ignorant, and irritating.

There are people who fish for comments by running themselves down all of the time because secretly (they think we don't know) they think pretty highly of themselves. That irritates me. I wonder what would happen if I were to actually agree with them? These folks are pathetic actors who feel reality is overrated, thrive on the lies of losers, and who always get the support and applause they want for their meaningless existence while, in the real world, everyone in their viewing audience walks away from them feeling empty.

There are the emotionally retarded people who speak eloquently of their experiences and yours as though both of you stand in poppy fields with cotton candy clouds floating all around your giddy heads. That's irritating, pitiful, and just plain weird.

There are people who talk about subjects in your presence as though you're in the same boat as they are and when you happen to wedge in your own interest or that you do something differently, they get upset. So, I guess I'm just supposed to keep my preferences to myself while you yammer on and on about your own as though they're mine too?

There are the religious right, hill billies whose existence is a walk and talk two-step monotony. They think that the rest of us who think on our own should be shot to hell. That's irritating and sad.

How about people who point out how fat your cat is when they have at least 2 asses of their own? That's irritating.

Happy Holidays Everybody!

2010-12-01T13:06:00.008-06:00

got my favorite red hoodie on **thank you Rachel Christmas 2 years ago!** I got my red lipstick slathered all over my lips, my hair has been combed **thank you very much** and my finger is up my nose pickin' loose those frozen winter boogies ;)

Holiday Cheer and Have Yourself a Beer...
on me ;)

Green Tea and Weight Loss...

2010-10-28T10:04:00.000-05:00

go hand in hand. It's that time of year a-gain! Yes, the pumpkin pie march is just around the corner and the gut waits in gurgling gla gla for its annual expansion.

So, what can be done about this? Well, that's easy enough. DON'T OVER-EAT! Yeah right. Who is really that self-aware over the holidays?

There are ways to avoid that holiday gut expansion. Of course, first and foremost get regular exercise. Just because it's cold outside doesn't mean you sit and roll about inside the house on your blubber (like I usually do). We cannot allow the winter season to keep us grounded! In addition to physical activity, EXERCISE CONTROL. That doesn't mean give up all the goodies that come with this season. It just means eat less of it. One or maybe 2 (depending upon what we're talking about here) servings should suffice. You can keep the traditions without becoming a beached whale with no where to go.

I'm preachin' to the choir here people. I have a record. I AM THE COOKIE MONSTER.

Anyway, back to green tea. First of all, I've never really cared for green tea. I've tried, really I have. Just the sound of it sets my gag reflex. Everyone in my family drinks green tea. It's a religion back home. That's probably why they are so thin. (Nutt jobs.) Most of the green tea that I've tried tastes like hay water. I hate it. God Bless her, my sister-in-law Sonya isn't a tea drinker either -- at least the last time I heard. (I hope she hasn't converted.)

Coffee drinkers won't hesitate to slap you across the face if you even hint at tea as the other option. If you're a coffee drinker, you can still drink tea and visa versa (you tea freaks). There are different kinds of green tea. I would suggest drinking the organic version. You can also find flavored green teas, if you're leary of the straight stuff. I might recommend Good Earth brand organic teas, which can be found in most supermarkets.

It is important to note that if you are not a tea drinker like me, then you have to get an acquired taste for it. I've heard many people testify that after getting into the habit of drinking green tea, they decide they love it! So, I'm gonna give this "green" stuff a third chance.

Long story short -- GREEN TEA boosts your metabolism and chocked full of antioxidants that are even supposed to ward off cancer and heart disease. So, that being said, 2 cups of the stuff daily should help stave off diseases and unwanted holiday blub. Have a cup mid-morning and mid-afternoon before dinner. If you don't believe me, Google it. You'll find all kinds of info about Green Tea.

Happy Holidays Everyone!!!

Ebay Customers Give Back...

2010-10-15T15:12:00.000-05:00

with their photos! This was an enthusiastic customer who bought place cards from my ebay store. She has tea parties for every occasion all year 'round. I love these orange bowls! Thanks Michele for sharing!

How to Manage Sh A Hair

2010-09-14T09:30:00.000-05:00

The answer to this question is: DON'T EVEN TRY.

The reason is that if you're trying to change styles or grow out your hair you have to be prepared for it to look like sh** for a while. DO NOT FIGHT IT.

True, you're thinking, what WILL OTHERS THINK OF ME LOOKING SO UGLY? Won't people wonder why your hair looks like crap? You know the look -- the survey? The look that people give you when they're talking to you and they're not trying to hide the fact that they notice your "throw rug" loungin' up there atop your head like you don't even notice because you're dumb, right?

Wrong. You notice, and they probably KNOW you know that your hair looks like sh** but they're gonna stare anyway and passively rub it in.

So why not go to the hair dresser and fix it a little while you wait?

Believe me, I've thought about it, but that's stupid. It's stupid because the very reason you're not going to the hairdresser (besides the fact that it costs a months rent) is that your hairdresser is bored with you. Hairdressers get bored just like everyone else.

Essentially, a hairdresser is a kind of artist -- though they would never get credit for that. I'll never forget the time I told my hairdresser to do whatever she wanted, I was up for a little sparky, you know? I never saw my hairdresser so giddy. I mean, she had a good 'ol time. And, it was a good haircut I thought. But, it wasn't practical and no doubt if I had stuck with that style, she would have soon been bored with that too.

I'm in the practical stage I guess. I'd be lying if I said I didn't like to change it up now and then. However, right now my life requires practical, the "throw rug" will have to do for a time and "sparky" will just have to wait for another season.

Funny Statue...

2010-09-08T19:38:00.000-05:00

Man, I have not been in the mood to blog. Mainly, I'm not in the mood to complain :D Lately, it's just been flat-line for me. Oh, I'll think of something that bugs me and for a few moments my mind will become a war zone, but then it just kinda fizzles out. I don't have much time or energy for contemplative warfare.

Dave's mom was recently visiting and she brought with her a bunch of things that had been around the house for a while that she no longer wanted. We are now selling most of those items on ebay. However, there is a thing or two that I decided to keep. Most everyone thinks this little statue is hideous and I'm trying to figure out why it's not hideous to me. No answer. It does sorta remind me of my grandma.

Anyway, maybe one day I will think it's hideous too. But right now, I like it dammit!

Waves...

2010-07-25T20:33:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday Hayden AND Eden! July 20th!

2010-07-19T22:16:00.005-05:00

Selling on eBay is Fun!!!

2010-07-17T18:45:00.003-05:00

Here are some photos that a gal in South Africa took of my Strawberry Shortcake doll, which she purchased from my eBay store. I was sad to see her go, but I knew she was going to a fun place and the pictures Melody promised me speak for themselves!

Montana.

2010-06-28T09:05:00.002-05:00

Every summer Chicago features on buses, billboards, and other public places a "vacation" spot. Lately, it's been Montana. I think last year it was Mexico. The photos always look grand. They especially look grand when you haven't had a vacay in what seems like never. Sometimes, other places look extremely appealing when your body and spirit are craving some magnificent scenery, uninterrupted rest, and the silence that accompanies absence of humans.

Chicago doesn't offer breathtaking scenery and silence, and there are more humans stuffed into one block than animals (I imagine) circling a mountain in Montana. There isn't a lot of "peace" in the city. Chicago quiets down in the wee hours of the night, but for the most part, the city never sleeps, never rests, it's never entirely peaceful.

However, I don't find myself ill at ease in the city. I adjusted to city life surprisingly well, I think. I never grew up in a city but often imagined myself living in one. The only other cities I've lived in were Indianapolis and Istanbul. Indianapolis was heavily trafficked and it could sometimes take forty minutes or longer to drive form the west side to the north side. One has to drive everywhere in cities like Indianapolis and it never feels like you're getting anywhere because you spend so much time in the car.

Istanbul is more populated and busy than Chicago. It was also more polluted and I found myself with nauseating ear infections and black dirt dripping from my nose as I sometimes slipped and slid down oily streets after an afternoon rain shower. I don't want to rat on Istanbul too much though, because it was culturally rich and enticing with just about anything one's senses could appreciate. I will never forget that time.

Anyway, I digress. Dave and I were crossing the street at a busy intersection one afternoon after leaving Walgreens. We looked at one another and our eyes lit up in expectation for Montana! That's right, the subject of Montana came up when a CTA bus plastered with pictures of breathtaking scenery and wild animals swerved around the corner. What an adventure to live in such a place! Wild game, log cabin, crystal clear streams and the idea of riding horses into town to take a drink from one of those glistening, trash-free streams for a drink of clean, BP-free water.

I think that thought lasted about 10 seconds.

Neither one of us would want to live in Montana. But both of us wouldn't have any qualms with spending about 2 weeks there. Or maybe a week. After a while in (isolated places) I start to panic. I feel my four limbs tremor as they yearn to split from my body and escape to the borders. I start to miss Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts, or the idea that I can walk around the corner to buy my groceries. And as nice as a quiet morning would be right now with a breakfast-time mountain view, it wouldn't be fun to wake up to that kind of isolation every day, for me, that is. For as much as humanity makes me sick pretty regularly, I need humanity for perspective.

Places like Montana need to remain human-free. Why? Because with humans come destruction. And when I see a billboard in Chicago with pictures enticing our jerky city eyes with crystal clear streams, green pastures, regal mountaintops and wild game looking back at me, I don't see anticipation in the eyes of the elk. Instead I see, "Don't you even think of it, human -- you're just fine where you are and so am I!"

Tornados and RAIN! RAIN! RAIN!

2010-06-24T20:31:00.000-05:00

However, the tornado and torrential rain finally passed away to leave a more lovely vision last evening:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!!!

2010-06-17T12:45:00.000-05:00

Blackhawks Win Stanley Cup!!!

2010-06-10T10:21:00.000-05:00

City Kitties and Town Cats...

2010-05-20T12:58:00.003-05:00

have become a kind of creative refuge for me these days. I love working with my hands. I've always enjoyed manuel labor over any other type of work. I like making things and working from home because I feel like I get more accomplished.

And while my hopes are to someday make more money selling things I like making, I'm content, for now, to make a sale here and there and to simply give things away. I've learned how to ship from home, about the shipping process, and the different ways in which packages are handled before heading out into the mail. I've enjoyed selling online because I never know where a package is headed! I was surprised to find my first online sale was an elephant going to Sweden and to a lady who collects elephants! I feel like I'm making friends all around the world. Since then, I've had packages leave for Israel, Canada, and Mexico.

I'm learning a lot about what it means to be an entrpreneur and all that goes into a business that has a window to the entire world -- because that is what the internet is. I've had a lot of assistance from Dave, who has been a tremendous help with record keeping and keeping things organized. There are a lot of details that go on behind the scenes of a small business -- no matter how small!

Below I have taken a picture of some of my hand-made cats. They continue to evolve. The cats first emerged a couple of years ago, as kittens, when I made a "litter" of them for a dinner I gave for my brother and his bride-to-be. The idea came to me because I didn't have much money and I wanted to give all of the ladies a little something fun to go home with that day. It was amusing for me to see how excited my family got over something so simple. At that time, they were called something akin to 'Orphan Kitties' who just need a home.

Since then, I've made bigger ones with buggy eyes and different types of embellishments for personality. The buggy eye idea was inspired by our cat Miles, who is rather nervous and will jump at the slightest noise or movement. Nearly every time someone visits my apartment, they never cease to be attracted to the basket of cats that I've made. Much to my amusement, I always send guests away with a cat because I've never really thought as much of them myself. I only know that I have fun making them and that their personalities continue to evolve!

I Hate Dollar Tree...

2010-05-11T21:12:00.002-05:00

because every time I go in there some freakin' kid is screaming its head off, throwing stuff, or demanding something from a patronizing or aloof parent. I can never think straight when I'm in that place and I find myself wandering around in a store that I should only be in for 15 minutes, tops.

Dollar Tree is not a complicated store for crying out loud!!! But I swear every time I leave that store I want to come home and drink a 6-pak.

One of these days I'm gonna thrown myself down in the aisle and show one of those menaces to society what a real tantrum is.

Come Gather 'Round Little Minions...

2010-05-09T13:06:00.000-05:00

a glimpse of the courtyard where we live is kinda unique. Interestingly enough, this is not my doing.

My Own Crap Stinks...

2010-05-04T21:28:00.002-05:00

and so do my farts.

My poo is very explosive and smelly. I mean, for a very long time now, I've not been able to go to the restroom without, afterwards, using room spray or matches. But as of late, the stench has gone beyond normal.

I think I know what the problem is: I'm getting increasingly very cynical. It's affecting my digestive tract and turning out the most toxic-smelling aromas ever. I mean, I could clear a hockey arena with my vicious gases. I nearly wilted Dave recently while he was sitting at his desk trying to do some work. He was simply minding his own business and along comes my toxic fart assault. I knew it was bad because I thought he was going to cry -- maybe even jump out the window.

It's kind of embarrassing, but so far, only Dave has witnessed the really "ripe" ones.

Anyway, back to the reason for all this stench. It's hard for me to simply turn off to realities in the world that are going on around me. Even as busy as we've been, there is always some interference or some issue to be cynical about. Perhaps I can blame it on stress, lack of a vacation in what seems like ages, and a failure or two in varying degrees. I admire people who can turn themselves off to certain realities. Granted, many things that affect me on a daily basis most people probably don't give two farts about -- thus, my dilemma. My own farts are terribly smelly.

Something has to be done about the heavy smog wafting around me. I think I have to first start by paying less attention to other people and what they may or may not be doing: I recently discovered from a reader that I can't assume that one who doesn't buy cage-free eggs doesn't care about animals or the environment. I need to also limit my exposure to the media. In due time, maybe the stench will "lighten up" a bit.

I'm a cynic. It's a harsh aspect of my personality. And now you know that I know my own crap stinks.

My Farts Stink Horribly...

2010-05-01T12:54:00.002-05:00

and so does my poop. Stay tuned...

The Life of a Chicken Matters...

2010-04-28T17:58:00.003-05:00

and is no doubt a choice (as funny as that may sound) some people like myself faced more than a decade ago. You are faced with it when, at some point in your own life, the living conditions of a chicken matter to you. At that point you come to understand that those living conditions could have a direct effect on your own quality of life -- that being your health. This is why I don't understand people who buy coop eggs. The availability of free-range eggs at the supermarket has been for a while now.

Obviously, if you're intent upon eating eggs in your diet, then what you can afford may come into play. If you can't afford free-range eggs, maybe consider not eating eggs at all. No doubt, some Americans are trying to save money by shopping frugally and spending less on namebrands, entertainment, etc. However, with frugality we should at the same time try to use a little discerment about the quality of the things we are consuming.

If you buy chicken coop eggs when you can afford to buy free range eggs, then something is keeping you from being informed and only you know what that is.

The following are my own reasons for eating free-range eggs:

1) First of all, they taste better. It's been ten or more years since I've been eating free-range eggs. I was reminded of the difference when a friend gave us a dozen coop eggs and I took them with gratitude thinking, just this once isn't a big deal. I didn't want to reject a dozen coop eggs from a friend just because I wouldn't buy them myself. Unfortunately, I didn't use many of those eggs because something didn't taste right.

2) Secondly, how many eggs does a person/family eat a week? Hopefully not too many. I infer not many because of the cholesterol issue. However, (don't mark me as being completely accurate) two or three eggs a week have been deemed safe. I go through a dozen eggs over the course of about 4 - 6 weeks. Dave doesn't like eggs that much and I rarely want them bad enough to make them for myself alone. Eggs are also used in baking as well. Most of my eggs go into things I bake.

3) Thirdly, I don't see the harm in spending an extra dollar or two for eggs that come from the healthier, more humane environment. In this environment the chickens are not confined as they are in a coop and they roam freely as they would on a farm. As a result, the price of those eggs are more because of the upkeep required of that environment. I don't know about you, but doesn't that seem normal?

4) Lastly, you realize how ugly and unhealthy WE get sittin' on our own butts all day at a desk or a cubicle? How much more cramped and ugly does a chicken in a cublicle get when it is forced to sit all day, like a machine, and lay eggs! Ewwww!!! I think of it as something akin to sitting in your own crap. I don't know about you, but doesn't that seem abnormal?

Obviously, I can't know all the reasons behind why some people today are still buying coop eggs. Problems within our environment are never going to change if we don't start boycotting the things that are no good for us or the planet. I acknowledge that there must be a level of discernment when it comes to how we spend our money, but with that discerment recognizing what really matters should also come into play.

The life of a chicken matters -- especially when their lives play a role in our own.

Happy Birthday to 2 Studs!

2010-04-25T15:30:00.000-05:00

Someday...

2010-04-19T09:55:00.001-05:00

I'm gonna get to take a bite out of those cheeks!

10 Great Healthy Foods...

2010-04-13T22:22:00.006-05:00

I came across an article in the Mayo Clinic that named 10 foods that promote one's overall health. All of the following contain either antioxidants, fiber or Omega 3'. The idea is to get some of each regularly in order to reap the health benefits. I was surprised that Dave and I eat more than half of these pretty regularly!

Spinach we eat every day. Wheat germ is something you can sprinkle on your cereal, in a glass of juice, or you could also mix it up in a cup of yogurt. Eat some almonds and blueberries as an afternoon snack and consider an apple with at least one of your meals daily. These foods are high in antioxidants, fiber, and omega 3's. Try to buy organic fruits as the others contain pesticides or other chemicals.

Salmon and one other type of fish is a meal we try to have at least twice a week (other than tuna because of high mercury levels). Be wary of mercury levels in some fish like tuna and swordfish. Some doctors and dieticians would suggest that we eat at least two vegetarian meals a week -- one of which contains fish or beans. Dave and I usually eat chili beans. We don't eat sweet potatoes or drink vegetable juice, though I do like sweet potatoes I just never consider a sweet potato unless it's Thanksgiving :D

Since vegetables should be eaten in their most raw state, a glass of veggie juice daily would be a great idea and substitute. However, stay away from fruit juices and the like that contain modified sugars like Splenda and high fructose corn syrup, which is highly concentrated and no doubt hard on the stomach. Natural sugar is better when consumed in moderation and from a natural source. Cooked vegetables, like broccoli, should be steamed to maintain their vitamin content. If you think about it, there should really be no excuse why we can't eat these ten foods regularly:

1).     Almonds

2).     Apples

3).     Blueberries

4).     Broccoli

5).     Red Beans

6).     Salmon

7).     Spinach

8).     Sweet Potatoes

9).     Vegetable Juice

10).   Wheat Germ

Easter Baskets...

2010-04-02T20:20:00.003-05:00

As a kid I remember being pretty excited and content fishing around in my Easter basket, with the synthetic green grass, looking for jelly beans and foil covered chocolate eggs. My mom and dad bought bags of candy that they divided amongst us and then usually one or two big pieces of candy like a chocolate bunny or Cadbury egg. One year my dad colored a bunch of boiled eggs and left a silly note from the Easter bunny that he wrote. I remember the magic that radiated from the deep colored hues in those boiled eggs. I'm guessing my dad spent a lot of time on those eggs because they were flawless. Later he hid them about the house for us to find. That was a big deal in those days.

Just what can a kid expect in an Easter basket these days? It feels like the Easter basket has lost it's tradional meaning. Now kids expect similar things in their Easter Baskets that they might find under the Christmas tree on Christmas morning. I can't believe there are Easter basket themes. Easter baskets with themes? Isn't that getting kinda complicated? Who wants to be troubled with a basket that comes with a gardening or cooking theme for your grandma or mom? That's why we have Mother's Day! I thought Easter baskets were essentially for kids. Now everyone gets an Easter basket -- including the cat, the dog, and the neighbor.

I'm not against giving someone other than a kid an Easter basket, like a lonely old lady. I'm not entirely against putting something a little different in an Easter basket either. Maybe your kid doesn't like stuffed animals or chocolate? Maybe he or she is gettin' a little chubby and you're thinking a jump rope or frisbee might be better than a gigantic chocolate rabbit. Those could be associated with the coming of spring just as a plush rabbit or chick might I suppose. SUBSTITUTE -- don't add more to the basket!

I had to laugh to myself when I recently viewed a YouTube video by JPMETZ about Easter Baskets. I think she paints a good picture of the absurdity of the whole thing. Don't take me wrong here -- I LIKE EASTER BASKETS. But what I don't like are Christmas Easter baskets.

Nuff said.

E.L.F. Cosmetics Review

2010-03-26T10:17:00.006-05:00

Hold onto your seats...Believe it or not, I'm about to be positive about a makeup company.

I don't mean to insinuate there aren't any good makeup companies out there or that makeup is for shallow, fake, materialistic types. Mainly, I hardly know anything about makeup or the companies that produce it. I do know that makeup is expensive. I've noticed that even the drugstore brands are getting increasingly more expensive as they try to compete with department stores, the ever-changing needs of women, and the need for more earth-friendly products.

I'm not a makeup enthusiast. Throughout most of my life I have worn very little makeup or none at all. It was only when I entered my 30's that I started getting more interested in makeup products. It seems I'm trying to hide a thing or two now that I'm getting older. I'd rather think that I'm just trying to "spruce things up" a little :D (Without spending much money, of course.) Anyhoo...

The company E.L.F. (eyes, lips, face) is a company that has actually been around for a few years already. They are internet based, but are beginning to offer some of their products to stores like Target. It appears that they have been so successful that they sometimes can't keep up with the high-demand. I don't know this to be entirely fact, but I have come across a few blog posts and YouTube videos of makeup gurus who have waited at least a month to get their products. This fact alone may deter women from wanting to by from E.L.F. since they are an primarily internet-based store. However, with all the positive buzz surrounding the company, I've learned that women who've had to wait found the wait for their products to be worth it.

So what is making this company so successful? On the face of it, it appears that the the price is creating the success. Most of their products are $1 and their higher-end "studio" line typically doesn't exceed $3. Not only are E.L.F. cosmetics affordable, but they are surprisingly good quality, hypoallergenic, and animal friendly (PETA). Considering the corporate greed circulating these days, I think we should be impressed by this. Here is a company that is proving that a quality product can be successful while being affordable.

E.L.F. cosmetics may not be for everyone. Many people will look down their noses at products that cost only $1 - $3. However, if you're a makeup enthusiast and you're trying to save money, you might consider these products. I tried their eyeshadow, brushes, and face powder products because of the good reviews and animal friendliness, but mostly the price. Thus far, I've liked what I purchased and will buy from them again.

Many frugal-minded individuals will agree that the cost of cosmetics is absurd. Many women go from brand to brand spending gobs of money looking for the kind of makeup line that best suits them. If you are one of these women, consider trying E.L.F. because, unlike a lot of other brands, you won't be spending a lot of money to discover that you really don't like it.

If you've found a brand of makeup that you prefer and have been using it for a long time while avoiding breaking the bank, then E.L.F. might not be for you. If you're one of those women who happens to spend a lot of money on makeup and have never come within a foot of the drugstore brands, then E.L.F. probably isn't for you. But if you're frugal AND open-minded, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by this company.

Below, I have provided photos of the E.L.F. products I've recently tried and like:

Moronic Statements and "Research"...

2010-03-04T09:42:00.005-06:00

are being made pretty regularly by the media. I doubt that this is any kind of newsflash on my part.

If they say it on the news, well it must be true, right? Right. It's not necessarily wrong, but it's very slanted and most often overblown and insensitive. News, at its core, is gossip. It's the kind of information that gets people off at the expense of others. On the one hand, it's the force that drives fear and trembling. On the other hand, it gathers close to its bosom shallow ways of thinking and events that give everyone the warm fuzzies. It pushes and it pulls. It's totally bipolar.

So, I guess the earth's axis has been screwed with -- thanks a lot earthquake in Chile! Never mind all the people in Chile who are homeless and without food and water, we have to deal with a skewed earth's axis. Never mind the highest percentage behind all this volatile nature and disaster happens to be us -- no doubt, we, the catalysts are sitting at home in our cozy little neighborhoods doing our cozy little thing.

So what kind of constructive reporting of a slight shift in the earth's axis do for us, the public at large? Do all the people who use paper and plastic start recycling? Do all the people start downsizing and using less? Do all the people stop feeding their kids hormone-infused food that gives them terrible allergies and weakened immune systems as well as breasts by the age of 7? No.

No, we don't do a damn thing but tremble on our butts for a few seconds, our glassy emotionally stunted eyes blinking at the wonder of something called...the...earth's...axis...?

What would it mean to discover that the shift was something akin to a zillionth of a second? On the one hand, it sounds absurd, on the other, despite how fractional it is, it should be a matter for concern. Thanks news for helping us out here with the facts minus the info.

What would it actually mean for us, if we were to take some action and do a little research on our own? Things just wouldn't be much fun anymore because we'd actually have to open our conscious minds and discern a thing or two and try to reverse a dozen or more. We might actually start spending our hard-earned dollars on something worthwhile, like organic milk and free range eggs. We'd have to let go of a lot of things that we've been misconstruing in life as being important. We'd have to become more proactive and get our kids involved in something more emotionally substantive than the latest neighborhood amusement park.

Now, on the flip side, come gather close all my fearful and semi-conscious humans. The top 10 most safe and cozy suburbs for families is sure to be what every person who has lost his/her job and is struggling to put food on the table wants to be informed about! That's good news, right?! Good news for the bubble dwellers. But does the average American need to know that for most of these top 10 burbs the average median income is $110,000 and the home is worth three times that?

First of all, who is buying a home these days? Who has a job, let alone a good-paying one? Over the last year job loss has tanked. The same people who feed us the reality are also feeding us that which is unrealistic. They certainly aren't helping us put food on the table. In fact, the very person reporting this garbage is said individual, in said suburb, dwelling in said bubble. All of the above.

Where is the sensitivity to the difficulty and the loss of the times we are currently living? It's mindless babbling into the wind.

It's probably best we the people who are caught up in our cozy little neighborhoods don't think too long and hard about things like the environment, our real home. After all, as far as we're concerned, it will be here forever! It will still be here when we breathe our last breath, that much is certain.

The news is garbage. It is garbage for those of us who are actually in tune with our surroundings. Those of us who are actively taking part in change get nothing from the news. What we get is insulted. The people who reap any benefit from the news aren't doing anything and aren't likely to start doing anything any time soon. For them, the news has no affect one way or another because they just don't ever go there.

Nonetheless, some of us (namely myself) who are actively taking part in saving the planet still get angered by this sort of reporting. We fume about it for a while. We certainly get more animated than the average glassy-eyed individual who doesn't even recognize the earth let alone the importance of its axis. How can the report of the change of such a thing make any difference to those people living in their wasted space homes and two-car garages that house not one, but two or three of the very thing that is destroying our ozone?

In retrospect, who benefits from the reporting of the daily news? No one that I can see.

Q: What Planet is this Person from?

2010-02-14T21:08:00.002-06:00

A: Planet Scary. Yes, that's right. It's not a planet of this galaxy. My prediction? Plummeting demise from the starry skies of her diamond universe. My advice? Stick to the scrapbooking. Save the "life coaching" for your next bowel movement.

Pocket Rocket?!

2010-01-06T10:47:00.010-06:00

Hello people! Women, especially! Granted, I doubt if any SANE woman over 25 is carrying one of these, but really?

If you don't know what I'm talking about, it's a tube of lip gloss called a 'Pocket Rocket' (put on the market by some store called 'Urban Decay' whose motto is 'Beauty with an Edge') and of course, it comes in various shades of color. The cap has a "cute" little man, who when the package is held one way, is fully dressed (in a very unnattractive outfit I might add) and when held at a different angle is standing in his underwear. It is difficult to say, from the videos I've watched reviewing the product, as to whether this cute little man actually has his own pocket rocket.

You know, it would have been far more appealing (to me at least) to have used kittens or puppies wearing hats or mittens. What's further demeaning, for women, is that it's kinda cute that the ONLY MAN they can get, is a metaphorical penis that they carry around in their pockets all day and slather all over their lips. After all, what other kind of man is there? We don't need men anyway. We just need a goo filled container to give us the warm fuzzies.

Can I just say, again, demeaning? Not only is 'Pocket Rocket' the potty talk language of a sixth grader, (Yes, as a WOMAN I'm about to say) it is also demeaning to men (as we all should know by by now what a pocket rocket is, though from the look and sound of them, these stupid young females who review them on YouTube do not.) It demeaning to women for companies to offer, for sale, such ridiculous products for us to put on our faces! So ladies, you wanna 'Pocket Rocket' eh? Well, I suppose it is cheaper than a sex change.

Let's just take a look at anatomy while we're talking about it. What happens to women when the cold air hits a certain area of their bodies? Very embarrassing, if you happen to NOT BE WEARING a padded bra, or ANY bra. It's a similar situation for men. They too, get visible physical problems thar very often, cannot be covered up. Really? Yeah. Something that sticks up or sticks out can only be covered so much and we all still know what it is.

Down bitches, down. I know, I know -- ya'll want both sex organs. And I know, I'm just an old-fashioned cow who doesn't know how to have a little fun out here in the desolate field of mediocrity and mundanity. I'm so sorry that I don't feel like slathering a creamy irridescent, mauvy pocket rocket all over my lips. I need to sail the shallow, murky waters of the post-feminism boat whose sails point downward and rudder scrapes the bottom of that which NO LONGER MAKES RATIONAL SENSE.

While we're on the subject of post-feminism, I'm sure most post-feminists would just love to see a chapstick for men called A.TT.I.C? (know what I mean, I learned that phrase on the playground in grade school...heehee) that comes in flavors like grapefruit, cherries jubilee, or red hot. No doubt they've long since had that product, which is now, a seedy underground urban decayed product. But what a shame to not really know what the guys are carrying. Oh well, the moronic, materialistic types are so tickled pink with their 'Pocket Rockets' that they just can't help but feel so cute as though they've somehow evened the score.

Happy 60th Birthday Mummie!!!

2009-12-30T21:14:00.000-06:00

Hey, this kinda looks like dad with my glasses on! HAHA!!!

A Few Pics from Christmas Eve...

2009-12-29T17:21:00.000-06:00

I'd had a couple of glasses of spirits, so I apologize for the "blurriness" in some of the photos :)

Miles Thinks He Can Catch a Bird...

2009-12-22T09:14:00.001-06:00

from the kitchen window.

I Love Christmas Cookies!

2009-12-17T18:35:00.000-06:00

It's that time of year again when you're either baking cookies for others or receiving plates of divine morsels from others who are also baking cookies. Cookies are wonderful! Fudge is wonderful! For me, Christmas cookies are an essential part of the holiday season. Who doesn't like Christmas cookies?

I'll tell you who: Anorexic types who would claim they'd rather eat an entire bowl of fruit. I mean, what is wrong with someone who says that they don't touch the stuff?! Doesn't everyone get a little sick on Christmas cookies every year? I thought everyone did. I thought it was a tradition! I'm not trying to promote bad eating habits, obviously. I can't imagine going through the holiday season and saying I was a fruit glutton and never ate any Christmas cookies. It just seems wrong!

Eww!!!

2009-12-11T14:49:00.000-06:00

Dave just got his wisdom tooth out today! Nastiness! But also very interesting.

7 or 37?

2009-12-06T16:25:00.000-06:00

That is the question as to what my age really is...

Chocolate Pancakes

2009-11-29T11:12:00.000-06:00

These are a wonderful mid-morning or whatever-time-of-day treat. Typically I like to treat myself to a pancake breakfast on Sunday morning. Anyhoo...here's the recipe! Hope you like it as much as I did.

1 C milk
1 egg
2 TBSP butter melted
1 C flour
1/3 C cocoa powder
1/4 C sugar
1/2 tsp b. powder
1/2 tsp salt

Topping: Chocolate chips (for best results, melt in microwave and scoop onto pancakes), whipped cream, powdered, etc. You can also put the chocolate chips into the pancake batter, if you so choose.

The following is a photo of my loaded plate. As you can see, I pretty much put every topping I have on them. What? I'm really hungry in the morning!

My Desk.

2009-11-05T13:18:00.001-06:00

The following photos of my desk display it as being the neatest it has been in a while. I like my desk. I spend a lot of time here. My desk is hardly what some would describe as a place of stern concentration. Unlike a lot of folks, I need things around me, a lot of the time, to focus. I need these not-so-serious reminders that the world doesn't have to be such a complicated place all of the time -- even if I'm the middle of something that is driving me crazy. For me, those things are usually cute things like toys. This desk is actually an art/craft desk. I use it for crafts too sometimes -- when I can find room. To the left of my computer is a holiday elf I'm planning to put together soon. That shouldn't require much working space.

My favorite desk toy right now is the little monkey snow globe that Dave recently bought me during one of our many trips to the hospital. It has a switch on the bottom, that when turned on, the globe changes colors. It was another one of those little surprises when we're in a store together and I see something cute, funky, or fun. Dave usually finds a way to pick it up without me noticing and buying it. Many times this has happened and I've dicovered it once we've arrived at the checkout counter. Of course, I hardly protest the purchase. Though, I might add, my tastes in toys aren't expensive. So what the hey?

Other toys strewn about there have come from various places like Great America Amusement Park, McDonalds, Walgreens and other local stores. The big pink monster was an after Valentine's Day bargain for $1. When you squeeze its stomach, it sings a song about being a "love machine". The Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer pen (it lights up when you write) came from Office Depot -- it cost a whoppin' penny after the holidays last year. The bird pen was a birthday gift from Dave as well as the two Tiniest Pet Shop dogs, a little congrats for when I lost weight recently. I love the Littlest Pet Shop toys and will definitely buy my future kid a bunch of them so I can play with them too.

To the left of my computer (see first photo above) I keep scrap paper and notecards. Below, and to the right of my desk are three drawers with tons of pens, markers, stickers, and various other stationary type supplies. I also have a magazine basket for stowing my folders and files. You can also see my headphones there for listening to music or watching videos. There is a stool in the corner to the right of my desk that usually houses several of my purses, pouches, and other miscellanous items. I periodically find myself having fights with that stool. (Don't ask.)

The photo with our cat Miles is Dave's desk. It's, actually, more cluttered than mine (hehe).

As you can see, my computer displays this post in the making. So there is my desk, in all my own special pack-rat's glory. Cheers!

Fall Time Goodies...

2009-10-29T13:11:00.004-05:00

This is my favorite time of year because it's the time all sorts of goodies start to "inconspicuously" emerge in and around the aisles of the supermarket. I'm talking about new stuff like Kraft's vanilla, caramel marshmallows (which are fab with hot chocolate) and chocolate covered Ritz crackers and Oreos. Alongside of the newbies are the traditional goodies that never grow old like pumpkin pie and gingerbread. There is little around the holiday season that I don't like or at least won't try -- even fruitcake. One has to be careful or else she too will emerge, or should I say morph, into the seasonal blob that she will inevitably become by February of the new year.

Anyway, below are a couple of "healthier" items that you might wanna give a try. The gingerbread cake is good plain or with a drizzle of icing. For this cake you can also simply sprinkle some powdered sugar on top or slap on a layer of cream cheese flavored or lemon flavored icing that comes in the little tubs at the super (also, make your own!). The oatmeal cookies are kinda hearty and not very sweet. I left the dough in the fridge overnight to make it a bit firmer. The next day I mixed up a bit of cinnamon and sugar and rolled the dough balls into it before placing them on the cookie sheet. I found this made them a bit sweeter. You could probably drizzle a bit of icing on them while they're still warm. Let's face it, what's the point of a cookie if it tastes healthy? That's no fun. However, you can avoid too much butter, vegetable oil, or sugar in some instances.

So here they are:

Oatmeal Cookies (Oven Temp: 375 degrees, 10 min)

1 1/2 C all-purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 C canola oil
1/2 C sugar (you could probably add 1 C for a sweeter cookie)
1/4 C skim milk or regular low-fat milk
2 egg whites (I just used 2 eggs)
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 C rolled oats
1/2 C raisins (optional)
1/2 C chocolate chips (optional)

As usual, mix up all the wet ingredients in one bowl and the dry ones in a another bowl. Combine the two.

Low-Fat Gingerbread Cake (Bake at 350 degrees between 30 min - 1 hour)

1 1/4 C flour
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 C sugar
1/2 C low-fat or skim milk
1/4 C canola oil
1/2 C molasses
1 egg

Again, mix the wet ingredients in one bowl and the dry ingredients in another. Blend the two. Originally, the recipe called for 25 minutes of baking, but in a glass pan my took nearly an hour. After 30 minutes, you may want to begin periodically checking the cake depending upon your oven type and the pan you're using.

Enjoy!

Obama Wins Nobel Prize...

2009-10-12T13:15:00.003-05:00

Some folks are wondering, why? Some of these people plucked from the masses of the all-knowing are 82-year old English professors who've probably never lived a day of their lives in the real world. What's an 82-year old professor of English hope for other than to "hear a (hermetic) fly buzz when she dies..."?

I suppose that over-weight blow-hard who makes the enlightening videos about McDonald's should have received it? Or what about Rush Limbaugh, who with his sagging chops, blasts everything in his path with stale air and redneck demeanor? He's a good one for a noteworthy critique. While we're on that subject, maybe his big binky FOX News should have received it for their toothless insight and neverending pukey stream of "journalism" about people and the world? And of course, there are a slew of other potential candidates for such a noteworthy prize like David Letterman and his secret bedroom or what's-her-trout face from Alaska.

I'd venture to say that an alien could land on the white house, step out of his spaceship with a bible strapped to his waist and an American flag for a loincloth, and we'd give him a nobel peace prize -- never asking why.

I hate excuses like, "It's because he's black". "It's political". So, if a white guy gets it, what reason do we use for him, if any? Well, a white guy is likely a man who risked his life in the war, lost his marbles and is here wearing the armor of God to tell us about it. He's a good 'ol rogue proud to sit down with the meat and potatoes of this great country with a six-pac, handshake, and cowboy punch. He understands what God means to this land of the freedom shield and opportunity sword.

What irks me about the kinds of depthless reactions pinched from the public is that they rarely exemplify the real reasons. Barack Obama is a rare kind of individual -- I'm not talking about skin color or the fact that he's the first black American president. I'm talking about the fact that it shouldn't be news that his unique quality springs out of the practice of doing things like they aren't usually done. One can hardly say this is strictly a political agenda. I feel like he is proving to be the kind of person who makes a honest and serious effort to reach across dividing lines (that includes within political parties) and he's hardly wavered from that practice since before he took office. Wouldn't you agree? He didn't just ride the coattails of a slogan -- he is and does what he says he is.

Do most of us really know what the president is doing, ever? Some of us failed to smell the crap around here when it counted. We get to sit on our judgmental haunches as Obama tries to wipe away the tears and change all the filthy diapers from the Bush era, while at the same time work to settle dust around the world. While we sit, we should be asking ourselves what sort of person wins a Nobel Prize? How many average Americans even know what a Nobel Prize is? How many of us are reading books of note in the evenings? Do any of us read? Do we make the effort to discern what is news by weeding through the propaganda and sensationalism that is constantly being slapped across our faces and called news?

What are the real day to day events here and around the world? I know, we don't have time. But we don't hesitate to waste time with our complaining. It's a good thing that time isn't everyone's excuse. Many of us are content to go about life the lazy way: We don't do anything except complain about everything that is affecting us, on a personal level, without any thought to any person within out peripheral vision let alone issues, persons of other races, and countries. We complain when someone else gets something we don't have, even when we don't know what it is much less even want it for ourselves.

It seems that the only thing Americans can do these days is begrudge others of what they've earned and harp about what they deserve even after all this time, we've been all about giving ourselves things we've never earned. The question we should be asking ourselves is, what are we doing for anyone on a day to day basis? Just think of the positive change in everyone's lives if we were looking out for each other! It would make us more sensitive to what it is that people like Obama are trying to do. Whew! I'm preaching to the choir here, and I've stepped over the cliff I'm afraid.

I think if we can sincerely discuss and answer the kinds of questions surrounding such a thing as a Nobel Peace Prize, then it would seem acceptable to point our fingers and scratch our heads when someone of note gets honored for their ongoing attempts for making peace. After all, when dealing with the human race, peace-making isn't an easy job.

We Rats Maintain the Race...

2009-10-03T12:52:00.001-05:00

I can't understand what all the shock and tantrum is about. Chicago was doomed from the beginning from getting the 2016 Olympic bid. While the U.S. has its fair share of the "whale" population, it is no longer what we should all think of as the "big kahuna".

Lend an ear all ye self-important, overweight, spoiled, redneck people-- there are other countires on the world map. We act as though it's owed to us. We're struggling economically, we need the boost-- so of course, we shall host the Olympics! We deserve to. What we've failed to realize is that our consumptive blubber has a lot to do with the reason why we're beached and a lot of the reason everyone else around the globe has broken sails and sunken ships. If it takes something as smarmy and assanine as an Olympic committee to slap our greedy hands, then so be it.

Is Chicago an ideal spot for such an event? As someone who actually lives here I'd have to say no. True, we have a lot of sports arenas. We have a long and lean, elegant lakefront. Our park district is pretty first-rate. We have lots of museums and great places to eat. We run relatively efficiently (on the level of public transportation) but many would say (since the gas price hike) we are at the brim for passenger efficiency. Taking in the world by hosting the Olympics would pose a shaky endeavor for us, if you ask me. I can't imagine the security problems and congestion the Olympics would create here in the years leading up to it, much less the 3-week event iteself. One Cubs game alone already creates public transport havoc. Many of us could find ourselves trapped at home for the summer so that the athletes and Olympic elite could use the trains and buses. That doesn't include ALL of the other people who would be gathering here from all over the U.S. and around the world every day to watch the events.

I think what really bugs me about the whole thing is the arrogance of people like Oprah Winfrey. Who does she think she is anyway playing Olympic ambassador? Oprah is bragging about a city that many Chicagoans can appreciate and be proud of, but most don't recognize on an average day. She is going from her limo to her studio and back to her limo and home to a posh, lakefront condo.

Has Oprah ever been to Montrose beach on a Saturday in the summer? It's littered with plastic and every piece of garbage you can imagine. And it's not because the Park District doesn't do its job. Simply put, we have amenities to be thankful for but not everyone living here respects the environment or the amenities that Chicago provides. It's a lot of time and effort for the Park District to keep up. How many times has Oprah been on the redline? The ever-so-sweet smell of urine garnishes many of their entryways. How many of the hundreds of streets has Oprah been on lately littered with not one or two potholes, but about twenty or more? (It's so bad that residents have been filling them on their own because the city can't keep up.)

I'm not saying that Oprah doesn't have anything relevant to say about the best the city has to offer. However, living here almost 25 years doesn't make Oprah the face of the average day in Chicago-- especially when her average day isn't the kind of day most Chicagoans live.

So, newsflash (you probably haven't heard): The city of Chicago has problems that supercedes any of its amenities or even its potholes. Violence has reached a scary peak. Innocent children are its biggest victim. Innocent children are the current trend in lethal gunshots every day. Our current financial and social problems can't be tucked under the blankey of what an Olympic celebration will bring. Problems don't disappear in five years-- It would take that long, at least, to plan and prepare for such an event. The real issues that the city have been recently struggling to face haven't been getting addressed because of the Olympics. These problems would barely get addressed let alone tackled, if we had been chosen to host the Olympics.

And while Michelle Obama's speach was touching-- it was mostly, touching. It had more to do with her and very little to do with Chicago, it seems. I fear we are not living in a reality. The Olympics, from my own standpoint, seem so minute right now in the broader picture of world or host or humanity. I'm disappointed because we are a very liberal city. Once again, I feel we are catering to the whim of that which speaks greed, money, self-importance. How often still in our current economic crisis do we consider first the material reward? I've heard very little about teams or athletes or just people in general. What I've heard about mostly is the pampered Olympic committee, the rich who support them and the greedy, cities scrambling to present their cases and the kind of monetary reward this hosting city will reap from this event.

On the flip side, I respect the hard work and training that many athletes put forth-- whether it be short-term or a lifetime. However, over the span of former Olympic games a lot of those athletes are spoiled, little twits who are not above throwing tantrums when they don't win. It doesn't seem appropriate for a struggling city like Chicago (or any city right now) to cash in millions of dollars to host (for just a few weeks) what looks (on the face of it) to be a narcissistic obsessive compulsive behavior to win. Should we cancel something as important as the Olympics? God forbid! I think things are a bit too realistic here in Chicago to host a rather, pretentious affair, if you will.

I can't speak for most Chicagoans but I'm breathing easier now that I know we are free of this menagerie. Honestly, we're just not in the mood for it-- not now, not five years from now. I like Chicago without the Olympic hype. It's not like we need to be put on the map! We're the 3rd largest city in the U.S. Some cities like Chicago have a lot to offer outsiders on a better than average scale, but we have our limits and we can't offer everything, Mr. Daley. Haven't you got us in enough debt already with Millimeum Park?

Unlike Daley's vision, Chicago is not a resort. We're not really a tourist's buffet either. We're not here to make a legacy for a stammering buffoon mayor or some overweight, "humanitarian" talk show host-- I don't care how many orphans she's purchased. Right now, like a lot of Americans, we're just trying to get by in the gritty reality that many of us juggle and dodge every day but have grown to appreciate and love, on its own.

Poker Face -- (AKA) Toucan Sam

2009-09-30T16:14:00.006-05:00

By now we've all seen or heard of the new fashionable singer with the shocking lyrics and risque videos: Lady GaGa.

It no longer amazes me that folks like these are emerging from schools like Julliard, and they can't sing. Money talks people. If she ever could actually sing, we'll never really know. She'd much rather be muttering something about a poker face while wearing geometrically cut clothing and jerking about with asexual dancers. I can't understand a word of anything she is saying. However, I do find it amusing that her nose and song are pretty synonymous. Funny thing, the song unlikely has anything to do with her big nose but rather some connotation associated with a deadpan expression-- a face of which never hints at what's going on inside the head. Need we bother with guessing that anything at all is morphing around in that skull?

Some of us may not have heard of this stage wonder until her recent performance at the MTV music video awards. Dressed like a pornographic Goldilocks, Ms. GaGa ended her Paparazzi song with her poker and a drivelling blueberry juice face that shocked the (ever-so-intelligent) audience into the idea that she was displaying an original work of art. The fact is, like a lot us, the audience didn't know what was going on with her circus menagerie.

What's so "gaga" about this sort of entertainment?

The answer to the question is very typical. She doesn't wear a lot of clothing. Though, the clothing she is wearing is fashionably shocking (so we're told). Her fashion statements are sprinkled with well-trained vocals that robotically bleat her crass lyrics, and there you have it-- gaga. Starting a video by emerging from a pool of water and a black dog means what? Sexy? Dark and glamorous? Simply put, here comes the yellow submarine heralded by Fido to lend us some sort of helping hand to the understanding of a contemporary artsy feeling. Darling...it's sooooo...you're so...gaga.

Though most runway models look like Jack Skellington, Lady GaGa is a pygmy wearing outfits that hardly flatter her short and stalky figure. She would make a better Diva on the flying trapeze or while wearing one of those strange outfits, demonstrate her knowledge of the best golf clubs at Dick's Sporting Goods.

No doubt she fits the definition of gaga with silly, excessive, and foolish. She is a spectacle whether she believes she is glamorous or not. Either way, there is definitely some narcissism there. She does a good job of representing the nature of excessive wealth, it's grotesqueness and mundanity.

I know I've missed something very important here. I don't understand all the insider connotations, metaphors, double meanings and general nature of "performance art". This is all Lady GaGa's secret, inside joke as she skips along to cash in the money, her poker leading the way.

Pretty Easy Coffee Cake

2009-09-25T15:17:00.000-05:00

Topping:

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sifted, all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp cinnamon

Cake:

1 1/2 cups sifted, all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup sugar
*1/3 cup applesauce
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Topping: Combine ingredients with a fork (I use my fingers) and set aside.

Cake Portion: Sift 1 1/2 c flour with baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, beat egg, 3/4 c sugar, and 1/3 c of applesauce. Add milk and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture.

Pour batter into a greased and floured 8 or 9 in. cake pan. Sprinkle topping over butter (I found it difficult to "sprinkle" this mixture as it was not very dry. Instead, I dropped bits of it evenly onto the top of the cake batter.

Bake @ 375 degrees for about 25-30 minutes. Partially cool in pan on rack. Cut cake into wedges or squares while still warm.

*If you'd rather use butter in the cake batter as opposed to applesauce, use 1/2 cup. I substituted the butter with applesauce to cut back on fat.

My Previous Post: What's My Dilemma?

2009-09-16T14:20:00.000-05:00

Honestly, after re-reading the post, I'm not sure what my point is concerning "cash for clunkers". I do think it was a good program. However, I was mixing it up with some other rather pointless opinions. I don't feel like editing it as of now. Maybe I'll trash it.

I was initially ranting more against the stupidity of the media and how they always run with some statistic-- that being, retail sales have jumped the most since 2006 because of the "cash for clunkers" program. I'm not sure what to do with that piece of evidence. The media almost make it sound like our economy has recovered because of this program alone and that we can all rest easy and feel better now that the recession is over.

Cash for Clunkers: Cause for Retail Sales Increase!

2009-09-15T11:56:00.002-05:00

Duh. And...duh.

Retail sales are being deemed as the best since 2006! Why? Here was an opportunity for many Americans, who've been deprived for a year or so now and hungry for a new car and wanting to feel good about it, to cash in on something stale for something fresher. What sort of car-lovin' American is gonna pass the rattle of that one up? And, what other choice for the dying car industry than to roll over and partner up with such a active course of action?

Four parties are getting a little booster here: 1) The consumer; 2) The car industry; 3) The economy, and 4) dare I say such an irrelevant thing? Yikes! THE ENVIRONMENT.

It amazes me the kind of news we get spoon-fed by the media. It gets presented to us in a way that treats all of us as though we are sitting in high-chairs and whimpering in our poopy diapers. Granted, "cash for clunkers" was a very good incentive for several reasons. The most important, in my opinion, is the environment. Exchanging one's older, less environmentally-friendly car for a more cost-effective, fuel-efficient one makes a lot of sense. However, with our greedy record, I find it difficult to believe that that's the main reason everyone was interested in this government-created program for the dying car sales market. The exchange for the "clunker" came with a check to be put toward a new/er car than the car one already owned.

The program is a thoughtful one, but once again, while thinking of the consumer end of it, I can't help but imagine the type of tantrum-throwing consumers who benefit the most from such a program as being those greedy Americans whose identities continue (despite these hard economic times) to be caught up in their cars as well as the homes and everything else they can't afford. And while the eyes of the car industry remain teary-eyed and pitiful, it too, benefited from the exchange.

Pardon my cynical tone. I simply can help but get out my wooden spoon when I see news reports with their pat-on-the-back idealism that tries to misconstrue a good thing as the beginning of the return to potty training. What does it say about us when after months of economic drudgery this program seemed to have really boosted the retail industry? I think it suggests that we need cars more than pants or shoes. No doubt we're still getting plenty to eat-- maybe that's why, tight-fisted, we continue to latch onto our cars-- the new wave of clothing that seems to fit better. Anyway, now what? The funds for this program have been sucked dry. I'm curious to see what the next cup of milk will do for our now thumb-sucking, insecurity complexes when it comes to spending a "little" money.

From my own perspective, one size does not fit all. What about those of us who don't need or even want a car? How about those of us who've decided that a car is simply an unnecessary luxury that we can do without in urban America? If Dave and I had been given an opportunity to cash in our old car and use the money toward debt, food, rent or something else practical-- it too would have had its own kind of retail/financial boost. Alas...such practicality does not exist for reasoning individuals who have long since handed their baby teeth over to the tooth fairy.

Regardless of the positive economic boost, I can't help but look at it as a feed the greed notion while doing a little something extra for the environment, for once. Though Obama may have unintentionally left some of us out (on a larger scale the thought of "I don't need a car types" probably never crossed his mind), it is quite obvious he is no dummy.

Why Can't We Accept, NO?

2009-08-18T11:05:00.031-05:00

There is such a word. Though, these days, it's hardly in many people's vocabulary. I think the reason for that is we have been trained to believe that anything and everything is at our disposal whenever we want it. Strive! Strive! Strive! You will get the prize!

Unfortunately, as a result of not being able to accept NO, we've robbed ourselves of the freedom that often comes with finality, (the end of the road if you will). It's funny how often many of us also get sick of the road that never ends. All that being said, none of us like to be told we can't have or do something that we've set our minds to do. None of us want to embrace such concepts as patience on the long road or humility on the road that has long since come to an end.

It's too bad really. I've seen a lot of miserable individuals around me who would be better off if they just accepted the word NO and moved on to something more productive. That productivity could be helping another person who has had more than his fair share of doors slammed in his face.

So often we open the same door over and over again only to find emptiness and disappointment. We stay on a treadmill running away from NO to something we believe we really want or think we need. How often could we have put that same energy into someone or something else that could really benefit from our attention? Simultaneously, how often would the quality of our lives increase from saying to hell with it?!

In my own experience I've often discovered that what I thought I wanted wasn't all that I am or all that I need, but rather my desires had become a trap I had set for myself. One can get caught up in her desires so much so that she forgets their original purpose. We can get trapped within desires that frame us as limited human beings fit for a handful of experiences in life. Unfortunately, we fail to look for all those other equally important purposes to be experienced.

Many times I have been faced with NO as a possibility. More often, NO has been my reality. Either way, there are more than two sides to every coin and in the end, none of them may have much to do with what we originally thought, planned, or believed in.

The word NO doesn't have to be the end to all roads travelled. Rather, I like to think of NO as a possibility, one of which encourages me to simply turn around and take another path. I don't mind discovering what's around the next turn even if, it just happens to be another dead end.

The World is a Sick Place...

2009-07-06T20:21:00.026-05:00

and I say that because there is nothing more disgusting than giddy people who win tickets to a dead man's memorial. I'm referring to the Michael Jackson memorial and some of those "jackpot" ticket winners to the event. You'd think they won the lottery! Where is the sense of respect here? I just want to kick these folks in the face.

I can't believe how this man's death has escalated the actions, once again, of what I feel is a country that continues to display its greed-- even in these "difficult economic times". Every person/business is taking full advantage of what they can get out of the unfortunate demise of a long-time public entertainer.

What's worse, of course, is the (as usual) sensationalism and disrespect exhibited by the media that reports this ticket-winning behavior as noteworthy/tasteful news. Their own (the media) giddy manner suggests that this is not a memorial, but some sort of entertainment venue like the Superbowl.

I don't expect Michael will be rising from the tomb to enthrall us with a golden never-seen-before Thriller performance that has since then and never before been, matched-- HEAR YE GREEDY BASTARDS OF THE UNIVERSE: Michael Jackson is dead, there is no half-time dance-- there will be no live, dancing corpses. All of this I can only presume of course, I may be biting my tongue once the service is actually over and the Staples Center is littered with beer cups, popcorn bags, and Mardi Gras beads.

It saddens me. The media interviewed maybe one or two humble people who won tickets and didn't scream, jump up and down, and wave their tickets in the air like they were going to Las Vegas.

Summertime is Here!

2009-06-26T11:25:00.029-05:00

And I have not blogged in forever! No excuse other than just being busy with work.

Over the last month I have come to love a thing or two and HATE at least one thing. But first, the things I'm lovin' this summer:

1) Newman's Thin and Crispy Pizza: The best store-bought pizza ever! It's actually crispy unlike, a lot of pizzas that "claim" they are thin and crispy, but are actually just thin and soggy.

2) Starbucks Doubleshot Energy + Coffee drink: Great afternoon pick-me-up and half the cost of a Frappucino. You can probably get these at about any drug store or your local supermarket. I like the cinnamon dulce flavor.
3) Hagen Daz Vanilla Honey and Granola Frozen Yogurt: Yummy! The honey really makes this a great ice cream treat.
So those are my 3 things that I'm lovin' this summer.

So far, only one thing thing I hate-- actually, Dave and I both hate and DO NOT RECOMMEND: The Portable Air Conditioner. I won't bother with an image here. You can find it in Google or Bing. Anyway, the thing DID NOT cool off our tiny apartment. And it's actually a very inconvenient device. You're led to believe it is "convenient" because it is "portable". Ha! It is a pain in the butt to move from room to room and place it in the window. I mean, at least with a regular air conditioner you put it in the window and leave it-- no hassle.

Portable air conditioners are more expensive, bigger too and take up a lot of space. In comparison, we saved about $400 with two window air conditioners that cool off the apartment superbly. The portable air conditioner is truly a joke. If you've found that it works for you and it's convenient, well kudos to you.

The Simple Things...

2009-05-10T17:48:00.014-05:00

Ahh...yes...we've all heard this little phrase. In fact, we probably utter it at least once a month when we actually find ourselves taking the time to notice something other than our harried lives.

Our lives have been just that. I'm not complaining because everything that is currently been making our lives harried has been by choice. We recently moved. Mainly, we were sick of the area we were living in. Six years there was well spent, but we found it was time to move on to other pastures.

It was my first "big" move. It was hard. It was emotional. It was physical. It was mentally challenging at times. I don't think I've done anything so laborious. With both Dave and I having bad backs, it was even worse. We should have bitten the bullet and hired some dudes to move all the heavy stuff. But, we thought we could do it ourselves. And, we did do it ourselves with some help, but we've been recovering now for about a week.

Now with everything unpacked and in place, we can breath less raggedly.

I was sitting at my computer yesterday and happened to glance out the window. There, on the roof, was the most curious looking bird. Personally, I'd never seen that bird before in my life. I soon discovered, from my brother Nicholas, (with my best description) that it was a common American Kestrel.

Well, long story short, it was far from common to me. Once again, I was reminded of the simple things and how much time the other, less interesting things consume my everyday life.

Cheers! Here's to the common, American Kestrel!
For reference, see this link: http://www.fnal.gov/pub/today/images06/American_Kestrel.jpg

Instinct is a Powerful Thing

2009-05-07T09:35:00.009-05:00

Thank Your Misty and Stephanie for the boxed set! The gift is greatly appreciated!

I'm not a teenager but I am hooked on the young adult Twilight saga by Stephanie Meyer. The story is about the young, turbulent romance of Bella, a young teenage girl, and Edward, a 110 year-old vampire forever trapped in a 17 -year-old body.

Stephanie Meyer has been both praised and criticized, but I'm sure the praise has outweighed the criticism. Her story is sexually charged, suspenseful, and sometimes violent. But in retrospect, the story is very descriptive of the somewhat hostile, and uncertain period that young adulthood is.

I have found a moral to the story that avid readers like myself have probably recognized while reading the books. As I said, the story has a lot of sexual tension. I was pleasantly surprised by the admirable character of Edward. He is in more control of his hormones than what a lot of young men would be at the age of 17. This could be in due part to his 110 year-old reasoning/rational mind. Throughout the story his old-fashioned disposition is constantly battling Bella's contemporary reality.

You discover early on that (as a vampire) Edward indeed has a nearly uncontrollable physical desire to "bite" Bella and end her life. As time progresses, by choice, he is able to control that "urge" and be with Bella and stay with her in her room alone at night without endangering her. There are several times when Bella physically pushes the limit with Edward who, in turn, repeatedly pushes Bella away. Typically, it would be the male character who is portrayed as being unable to control his physical desires, but surprisingly it is Bella who has a hard time saying "no" to her own physical needs.

You begin to understand that Edward has learned self-control from his father (the man who changed him into a vampire) and that his entire family sustains themselves on wild game as opposed to killing humans. I believe Edward knows what self-control is for two reasons: 1) his mind is a very mature 110 years old and, 2) he doesn't want to be the monster he believes he is.

The author doesn't hide the fact that it is a very precarious situation. Both characters are frustrated and constantly at the mercy of their instincts. Bella is unable to fully understand how Edward is able to control himself and not "bite" her or "crush" her skull. As time passes, Bella becomes more adamant about wanting Edward to "change her" (into a vampire). Edward, on the other hand, is content to preserve Bella's humanity/purity and not "take her soul. Bella's anxiety about aging frustrates Edward (as he remains 17 and she turns 18) because what she looks like makes no difference to him-- it's who she is.

Before going any further, if you haven't read the books I think I've said enough. The plot has its twists and turns. Thus far, I've read the first two books. I have no idea what to expect, but I suspect that Meyer will surprise me again.

Lead Anyone?

2009-04-12T20:48:00.014-05:00

Ok, I'm starting to get freakin' paranoid about the lead contents found in everyday things. Now, it has been discovered that we ladies are likely carrying around, on our shoulders, a lead infested handbag.

What is going on here! I'm so sick of this crap. I just want to carry a bag with my sh** in it! Is that too much to ask without having exposed my fetus to unnecessary harm? What about myself? Am I going to have cancer or brain damage by the time I reach retirement because of my freakin' handbag?

First of all, who is making these things? Probably China. Who is buying them? We are. When in the heck are we going to start making our own stuff? All I hear is the drama from the media informing us of the latest lead-containing product that we're all carrying or that our kids are playing with and putting in their mouths. We're licking, sniffing, carrying these things around unknowingly in our reverie, zombies floating in the breeze.

Can you imagine working for the FDA or the EPA or any other food, environmental, or safety coalition? How can any person who works for either of them put their heads to the pillow at night without feeling the worst imaginable panic, ever? I would shoot myself.

I'm really starting to hate a lot of things. I mean HATE. We all need to start hating stuff and just run these companies out of business. They buy cheap, they get cheap, they sell it to us "cheap" and then stand around pretending to be shocked by their actions as we start dropping like flies. Like it's all China's fault! Dammit!

Dave just bought a lead-testing kit online. I've got to test my handbags. I have to get rid of the ones that aren't safe. THIS IS VERY ANNOYING. MY FAVORITE PURPLE HANDBAG COULD BE THE DEATH OF ME.

The Great White Whale

2009-04-01T09:49:00.040-05:00

There are plenty of people out there who see eBay rise in the east every morning before stepping out of bed. They waltz with it throughout the day. And they watch it set in the west before snuggling up to it in bed every night. People whose lives revolve around eBay can't even drive down the road or take a crap without looking at eBay on their Blackberry mobile device.

EBay is probably the biggest online "sucker" store. People who suckle eBay are like the leeches that suck from the killer whales in the great Pacific. And Mr. Whale, as big as he is, will go merrily along and humor the peons who are living off the "thrill" of his fat.

Don't get me wrong, I like eBay for its unique quality. I liked it in its beginning stages when it seemed more purposeful. You can find things on eBay that you had when you were a kid and sometimes you can find things you wouldn't be able to find elsewhere, like Dolly Pops or Weeble Wobbles.

What I don't like about eBay is the excessive greed that it has become. It's the place where EVERYBODY goes. You can even bid on laxatives and condoms here. Anyone heard of prune juice? Are we too modest? You can buy these things at your local market without much hassle.

Everybody would prefer to leave the other guys in the dust when it comes to consumerism. Lots of people don't even bother with other online stores unless its Amazon. All these senseless zombies see eBay swirling within the irises of their eyes every time they need or want something online. It's sort of like the Wal-Mart of the Internet. People who shop in one place have a paradoxically lazy yet, crazed one-track mind. They think they're saving money but their motive is really set for more, not less.

I don't know what's fun about going neck to neck with someone over a used book.

These leeches who think they're getting a deal are addicted to buying. They're also addicted to making someone else feel lousy who is bidding on the same thing. How do I know? I'm one of 'em. I was recently in the market for a used book. This morning I realized my bid of $7 had been surpassed to $10. What was my first thought? Forget it. But then I had a nasty thought of going back and bidding $10.50 just to show that last bidder who is boss.

Don't tell me others not only get caught up in the greed of wanting something but really wanting it to the point of nastiness and senselessness. If I had bid $10.50 this morning, most certainly someone else would have bid $11 with 10 hours left before closing bid.

Sure the used price is competitive, but it's used. Why would anyone bid more than $10 for a used book when they can get it new for the same price?

EBay is good for some things like old nostalgic toys or gadgets. However, in my opinion, if online stores like eBay or Amazon are always the answer to your needs, there's a good chance that you're not spending money wisely. Spending wisely, no matter what it is, requires some effort and patience. Sometimes it means, dare I say it? Doing without.

Goop?

2009-03-12T09:36:00.017-05:00

How about, Out of the loop? That's what Gwyneth Paltrow's newsletter is as far as I'm concerned. And certainly, she doesn't care and she's told all of us "haters" to go f*** ourselves. So much for the Zen advice she's giving all of us. You'd think she could come up with something more thoughtful for us down and outers. My guess is she's taking cues from her "I don't know who I am at the age of 50 and never will" best buddy Madonna.

First of all, the homepage of this "Goop" is hardly professional. Who lined up those feeble icons anyway? And, there's more than one definition of "goop" I might add. Aside from this sticky, encouraging substance that Gwyneth is hoping to provide us, goop is also a bad-mannered or inconsiderate person. In my own words, a worthless booger.

It looks to me like someone who is out-of-touch is trying to convince all of us that she actually lives in a similar reality that normal people do every day. It's really poop. It gets chewed in the shallow end and tooted out the other, rotten as ever. (I wonder if she's ever actually wiped her butt?)

I think if she were to actually to dip us up a scoop of the real goop, we could appreciate her newsletter more. It would be nice, for once, that someone like her could actually show us they're really like the rest of us. Instead, she's telling us about her amazing life and (like that booger) she really doesn't know what to do with it. I suppose, if she were to be realistic, her life wouldn't be that amazing.

This so-called knowledge she has that she's "sharing with everyone" is old and rather cliched. She's discovered ideas like the usefulness of doing something nice for someone. So what? How is that new or enlightening? Shouldn't that just be a life-thing? Something you do regularly, naturally?

It would seem to me that her newsletter is best suited for her other shallow friends who don't know what usefulness means. They need the Zen Gwen expert to teach them.

If we're to believe this flake from the states, now enlightened foul-mouth of England, has any knowledge about reality then we can expect she wouldn't know how to share it with any of us. Could she be sticky? She'd have to be real for that to happen. It looks like a stagnation phase--An identity crisis of sorts. People like Gwyneth Paltrow who have been "blessed with this amazing, glorious life" don't actually know anything else. Is she so naive to think we will take her advice? I can get as much out of rubbing a Buddha belly.

Jaba the Pundit (aka, Rush Limbaugh)

2009-03-04T13:07:00.020-06:00

It should anger Americans, (whether they are liberal in their political views or conservative), that some people in this country make their living by running down the current economic conditions and how badly they think our government is handling them. Quite frankly, I hardly think it should be the responsibility of the government to pull America out of the greedy slum it has thrown itself into. The fact is, the government has no choice.

How does Rush Limbaugh suppose he has better answers? What exactly is this slob without a real job doing for the public anyway except keeping people bloated with anger and futility? Are we informed? Are we entertained? Could we put him in the office of president right now without believing that he'd soon forget about us, have a nervous breakdown, and put Hostess out of business?

He looks like hell. He spews garbage. But he does better financially, I'm sure, than a lot of Americans are doing right now. And for what? Making absurd, emotional gesticulations about things he doesn't really understand let alone know how to do anything about.

Oh, but he should be lauded for never tiring of sounding his senseless, opinionated cream horn that is forever being pumped by his stomach and into the ears of the public. But, what kind of trans-fats is he really regurgitating in private when none of the rest of us can hear? I wouldn't want to know.

One thing I do imagine clearly and that is when, by chance, I come across this has-been, this is the first thing that comes to mind:

And not a gravelly word he says makes a lick of sense.

Lots of Buzz for this Winter Bee

2009-02-23T18:22:00.010-06:00

I know it has been weeks since I've posted. Honestly, I've been a slacker when it comes to writing. I've been pretty consumed with the excitement of our new home business and the fact that we have to move soon. I've come to realize that I have an obsessive behavior that leaves little balance in my life. I find it hard to juggle several things at one time. There is no logical reason for it; it's just a bad habit.

Anyway, throughout all of this buzz..buzz busyness, I am not completely living in my own world and unaware of the condition of reality. I've noticed prices at the market are getting progressively higher and competition for sales, generics, and bargains is on the rise.

People aren't spending as much these days and the hawk-like eyes of consumers are on everything-- but a lot of things are left untouched. What we've been buying has become what we're avoiding and as a result there are a lot of sitting ducks these days. And that includes the merchandise as well as the consumer.

We don't have a lot of money right now. However, a little enjoyment must be had in life if we are to keep our sanity. So, if you're feeling tight-fisted with your money these days, there is no reason to not still indulge in a little something you like that isn't too expensive.

This is the time to get back into really appreciating the simple things. Aside from food items or the gratitude one can find in the invigorating or sweet scents of personal care items, there is an appreciation to be had all around and it exists in moderation.

Unfortunately, we've become so used to having nearly anything we want that we've hardly taken the time to savor that gourmet chocolate bar. A lot of us have been accustomed to indulging in these things regularly, almost every day even. But now, is a good time to cut back and look forward to something that we used to get too much of.

I know this cold, bitter winter I'm appreciating hot cocoa and marshmallows more than ever before.

Proud to be American

2009-01-26T14:36:00.005-06:00

For the first time in my adult life I feel a sense of pride in being American. I do not say so based solely on history being made with our first black president, though it is significant. The more significant issue here, for me, is that American citizens are being represented by someone who is more than intelligent, but someone who is thoughtful and sensitive to the needs of others. I think he has made it clear that he’s interested in being a leader of change.

Thus far, I see in Barack Obama a man who is what he says he is. For the first time I want to believe in someone who will do the right thing even if seeing positive results takes a long time. Seeing results comes with some trepidation because change is not an instant process and the magnanimity of world problems as well as U.S. problems is huge. I don’t agree with all of his policies and despite the uncertainties, I recognize that he is not perfect and won’t be able to clean up everything.

Regardless of existing uncertainties, I’ve seen over and over again Barack Obama’s way of doing things as exemplifying the kind of character that takes the punches and doesn’t feel the need to punch back. Rather, he takes a slap and then another slap and he wraps it up and ties a binding bow of kindness around it. From there he forgets and moves forward, including within his path all of those who’ve done most of the slapping. He keeps doing what he believes in. How can one not respect that? His continually draws attention away from himself and focuses on others and as a result elicits from others mutual respect.

What this new president has really done has initiated a new way of thinking in American leadership. It is the kind of thinking that is not political or elitist in nature, but it is the kind of thinking lived out with openness and humility. It is an active choice to be bigger than the enemy. It is actively choosing to not point fingers but to first take responsibility for one’s own actions, big or small.

Barack Obama doesn’t need, with a gavel in hand, to pound the podium with his resume. He doesn’t give us a history of personal accomplishments for why he is a good leader. True it seems he emerged out of nowhere and with little experience behind him, but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that he is where he is because he is a risk-taker. He believes in the challenge of an uncertain and fragile task.

I think Barack Obama will be one of the most notable American leaders I get the opportunity to witness in my lifetime. I think this new American president is changing the way America thinks about government. I also think that for many politicians it will change the way they conduct government. His methodology for reaching across the aisle of differences, fear, and doubt will make the dividing lines more transparent and will result in a collective initiative that I don’t think any of us, prior to now, thought was possible.

Less Greed, Less Need

2009-01-13T13:03:00.005-06:00

I recently heard a comment on the radio by an economist that I found quite shocking. For the first time, someone was actually being honest about why our country is in a serious economic recession. According to him (and me!), the problem rests mainly with Americans living beyond their means.

We must be willing to admit all of the causes of a financial recession before we can really expect things to improve. That might mean that a lot of us will have to give up some things and start changing our expensive lifestyles. Although many of us do have a lasso around our wallets and are watching more closely where our money goes, I fear we are still not willing to admit that we are actually most of our problem.

Though I’m not certain, I’m afraid people are becoming bitter and perhaps, more greedy than ever before during this current economic recession. I’m afraid that everyone is waiting to go back to the way things were and are waiting for Barack Obama to simply make it so as if by magic.

Food is expensive. Gas prices are erratic. And things in your local store just aren’t selling. These are realities that we as consumers cannot change, but we can start making changes now. By the time things get better economically, we may discover that we’re doing better than we were before the recession.

I believe that when we make a conscientious choice to live within our means, the less we will want and the less we will think we need. We will be the kind of people who are content with less, and when given the opportunity to be generous, we may just act with confidence, sensitivity, and appreciation.

What Is "Peace on Earth"?

2008-12-25T00:28:00.002-06:00

Off the cuff? Man, our website is done! Yayhooooooooo!!!

Anyway, this Christmas, many of us may be craving some peace. For my husband and I, and many family members, this has been a very difficult year. Generally speaking, I’m sure it has been a difficult year for many Americans and individuals all around the world.

This year many of us may have come to the end of a battle or two we’ve been fighting. However, we can always with joy and humility express what really matters to us most, and that is each other, our families, our friends, and even our pets!

I hope that everyone can at least put up their feet this Christmas and not take for granted a sugary dessert and a cup of steaming coffee or tea…Oh, and don’t forget to stir in a little solitude.

It seems essential to ponder close the solitude of the moment of peace when we have come to the end of a difficult journey. However, it is not the finality of any one difficulty that should bring us peace, because that is fleeting as we soon turn to discover another obstacle down the path we travel. Peace comes from the knowledge that we can face the challenge again, in a new year, and that giving up is never an option.

May the new year bring you that Peace and continued strength!