Right, Wrong ~ Sometimes a Pirate

1. I was reading an article in a magazine today about Email Etiquette. There were 5 rules, and I did badly regarding two of them.

One should answer an email with 48 hours. I ponder to long and do not do this. I angst over the fact that the person might be busy, so I wait ...and all this time I'm flunking etiquette.

Second one is that my messages are to long. Emails are supposed to be short. I can write auto-biopic novellas. I try to avoid moans and whines, but, ahhh, sometimes, they slip in. That wasn't a rule, but, it probably should be.

2. I do obey the speed limit.

Except when I drive and my husband is a passenger. According to him, there are not hardly any things I do right while driving. It's a game of constant (over)correction. At least he begins every sentence with "Honey". And the reason I don't drive the speed limit is that all the frustration in me at that time goes directly to my right foot! It must be a subconscious thing!

Now, however if the facts be known clearly, anytime there is a child in the car with me, my car goes only the speed limit. No faster. Ever. It's just a thing with me.

If you should ever want to find out exactly how long it takes to get from point A to point B driving the exact speed limit, just put my granddaughter in the car with me and you shall find out. Or, I could tell you the time is how many times it takes to sing "The Wheels on the Bus."

3. Left overs do well on baked potatoes. Just heat and serve. Add cheese and sour cream.

And steamed broccoli. I do mine just perfectly if I just pay a little attention to it.

Here's the broccoli tip: I put about an inch of water in the pan, a head of chopped broccoli, sprinkle with garlic powder, nature's seasoning, olive oil or sesame seed oil (very important) and if your palates can handle it, seasoned pepper (we love it).

Let the water boil, then turn the burner off. Cover with a tight lid. Here's the tricky part, don't let it over cook/steam. It will get to mushy (I mean if you like mushy, fine). Check it after about a full 2 minutes. And then decide from there when the perfect mark hits for you. You have to be independent and know what you like to cook well. And claim it!

Shout out words like, "Voila!" "Perfecto" "Finit!" "Whoa!" These are just suggestions, run with what moves you.

We happen to like our broccoli seasoned and looking really green. The fork goes through easily, but it is not mushy.

So take the left overs, like I mentioned, let's see, I had a chicken dish and some taco meat and was asking my husband, that man who anointed himself the driver corrector, which he would like and he said, 'Hey, let's mix it up! Heat it all up! Let's party!" So we did.

We served all that on the baked potatoes (which turned out to be great because I baked them in the oven) topped with cheese and sour cream if one should choose (and we all chose), and the beautiful green broccoli on the side ~ excellent. A meal fitting for a pirate who drives the speed limit and breaks the email rules and lives to tell about it.

Cats in the morning

I don't want to hate cats in the morning. I don't want to hate cats at 4 AM. But one of our cats is waking me up at 4 AM. I can't imagine he has an appointment. What is his deal?

He hides in our closet. We don't think of him when we go to bed. We close our bedroom door when we retire to our chamber. And,

at 4 AM, he decides he wants to leave.

He's a dark cat. I can hear him, but I can't see him. I look for him, but I can't find him. I want to fulfill his wish and let him out of the room so I can get back to sleep. And I feel like I hate that cat. He probably eludes me because he picks up my groggy negative vibes. A million questions in my head about why is that cat doing this? And knowing the answer means nothing.

I can type with my eyes closed. But that cat is sleeping now. It's after 10 AM. I am groggy and tired and have to work today. And that cat is sleeping. My head fills full of cotton candy and styrofoam and space.

Grrrrrr.

No cable service...

We canceled our cable service sometime last year. We did it for financial reasons, and my husband was thinking, too, that maybe he was addicted to it...addicted to the mindless place it put you, flipping mindlessly around with the remote, changing the channels constantly looking for something, anything that might interest you, stimulate you, ease your unrest, make you smarter and when he realized this was going on with him, he decided to just cancel it. That took awhile.

We attempted canceling three times before we finally did, and each time we were greeted with a cheery person who always called us back with the 'greatest cable offer in the world!'. And three times we accepted that offer, as the cable bill was getting cheaper and cheaper.

Finally, one day last year, my husband came out of the room with no intro into what he might be addressing in conversation and said, "I'm thinking of just canceling." I said, "fine." And that was it.

Phone call was made and it's been about a year, I guess. We don't know how the savings has affected us financially because we are still trying to spend less to make it every month, but mentally, not having that thing hooked up in my house has been wonderful.

I mean, there are times we want to be visually entertained and there is a lot available on the internet, as I'm sure most of the world knows, and movies from the library and friends are always offering to share what they have, so it's not like you are without if you wish not to be. It funny that saying about getting rid of something and having something else come in and take it's place ...it's true.

Anyway, I happened to visit three places in the past weekend that involved full cable service. I was free to use the remote as I wished, and guess what? There was nothing on. Hundreds of channels - and, for me, there was nothing on.

I'll take my mind over having one pumped into my house. Like the song says, 'you don't know what you got till it's gone."

Make peace with what's on your mind

The older you get,
the more you want to say the things that are on your mind,
and then along with that,
you begin to realize, there is a way it should be said.
And even then, it may not be taken as you meant it.
And so what do you do?
You think about the monk on the mountain top,
and you wish you were there?
You remember to be kind?
But, yet you wonder
Is anyone really listening?
They only will when it's their time to hear.

Miss Roxie's Thought for the Day

Think about unconditional love.

The heart of a mother is a mighty heart. Deeper than any ocean, wider than the sky, and perhaps like the wind, sometimes unseen. But, it's span of forgiveness and depth of caring about their children is immeasurable -- and more importantly, unconditional.

God's love is bigger. I thank God that I have been able to experience that love, that love that is in the heart of a mother. He gave me that love so that I could give it to my children while they are here with me, and I think, this kind of love reaches even beyond this world.

My prayer is that my children can know, beyond a shadow of any doubt, that this love is theirs. God's love. And my love.

Sherlock Holmes - the movie

I read that Sherlock Holmes was second to Avatar at the Box Office ~ And, I heard from those who didn't expect to enjoy it, that Avatar was very good.

My family opted for Sherlock Holmes. And truthfully, it is because we are Robert Downey, Jr fans. I mean, obviously, you cannot look for the real Sherlock and Watson in a Guy Ritchie film, right? (If, indeed, dear Holmes had been like a tiny dose of Downey, the books would not manage to be found anywhere in the world, as people would love and hoard them, so.)

We did enjoy the film, and knew half the way through that we were watching Part 1 ~ lol ~ not that your mystery won't be solved, so to speak, but much is left for more fun later.

And being the Sherlock Holmes in this movie takes a lot of energy! It appears to be a very exhausting part! When people criticize these parts, I think, 'good grief, you try it!' (I feel that way when people say they are annoyed with Brad Pitt's character in Inglorious Basterds - yeah, right - you try to talk like that for a whole paragraph! Tough assignment, that!)

Anyway,
I did enjoy the movie on the big screen, but more I enjoyed my family going out together and laughing together and poking each other, and hearing the whispers of ' I knew it! ' -- So, if you miss the big screen, enjoy the rental.

But I was surprised at my feeling toward Jude Law, whom I do not care for as an actor - he was brilliant with Downey - His Watson to Downey's Sherlock....They were the coolest representation of the one not having what the other one has, and needing it to survive. One can tell easily that Holmes is terribly dependent on Watson, and Watson most forgiving to everything about Holmes.

I think Rachael McAdams was too young for the part, but oh well, hotties rule.

It was fun. A no-lose, IMO, regardless of where you see it or with whom.

A List of (very bad) Movies

1. The Ugly Truth -- How ugly is the ugly truth? It's so ugly, that poor truth is lying in a ditch somewhere crying bitterly because it's name was teamed up with ugly in this terribly, horrible, no good, very bad movie,

good grief, this is so close to the most awful movie ever made, it's on the edge, if not falling over the cliff of bad.

Jumping off a cliff is better than watching this movie.

2. I Hate Valentine's Day - This movie will make you hate yourself if you watch it all, let alone feel some disdain for Valentine's day. I just had to turn it off; I have much life left to live.

Actually, poor Valentine's Day suffers needlessly, as this movie makes you suffer more each second it's on. Valentine's Day is innocent. Clean your refrigerator. Slice a tomato. Do not watch this movie. Buy a pound of your favorite candy and gorge yourself. You will suffer less.

3. Four Christmases -- Why did they make this movie? One more sad movie about Christmas and people who are from a dysfunctional family. One review said, 'only watch this movie if you are stranded on an overseas flight' -- No. He shall stand corrected -- the advice should be: Don't even watch it then. Sleep.

What we have here is just a sad display of talent (actually, I'm not even sure, now, that these people are talented or just super egotist) cast together in a really bad movie, maybe they had a contract to honor or something ... Take a walk around the block, several times, until you talk yourself out of watching this movie.

There was one thing interesting about this movie. And, since I'm telling you the possibly one thing, you don't have to watch it. Consider me a friend because I am sparing you. Tom Petty sings a song at the end about Christmas (it's good, of course, because it's Tom Petty), and I think (maybe) two kids he's related to were in this movie, as there were two children in the movie named Diamond and Destiny Petty, and since Petty is not a common name to me, I am just guessing ...

Why did I watch all the way to end to see the credits? I do not know. I was tired? I had some wine? It's raining out? Long day? No, it's because I was hopeful. But, trust me -- that said and I have no other excuse. The fool did not listen to herself.

But, I did watch it all so consider it done for you - and don't do it.

Tom Petty is cool regardless. Dwight Yoakam was in the film, but he was also in Sling Blade, so watch that instead (but not with your children.)

4. Ghosts of Girlfriends Past -- Matthew McConaghey was in it. Enough said. (Billy Bob was probably busy)

5. The Accidental Husband -- Uma Thurmond. Darlin', darlin', darlin' Uma--

Message to Uma: You go girl and get yourself a decent movie. Call Quentin - you know you still love the Kill Bill thing because you mentioned it in this terra-bad of a movie. That's right. It's so bad it now has a new word of it's own for good-grief-awful.

Best I can do. Now you are on your own. The choice is yours, grasshopper.

You didn't have to...

I was in the grocery store line. My weekly fuel of sale items was already placed on the belt and the lady in front of me was being checked out. She was a store employee, who was just getting off work, and the cashier was asking about her ride today. The lady said she didn't have one.

She seemed tired from her shift. She was purchasing about 10 bottles of soda for a Fourth of July get together, and the cashier commented about the walking home, with all that, was going to be tough. "It's okay," she said.

So, me, I pipe up and say, "Where do you live?" -- Like an idiot. Like I was qualifying my decision to help her with a condition! Anyway, she answered, and I had not one clue where that was.

But, I said, "I'd be happy to give you a ride."

The lady kind of smiled and said it wasn't necessary, but I thought to myself, geesh, I wouldn't want to be lugging all that soda even to my car even in the parking lot.

So, I just kind of babbled, like a bubble machine, and said, it wasn't a problem, I'd be happy to do it, and it looked like rain, that's what I would be worried about..blah, blah, blah. This prompted a concerned response from her, when I mentioned the rain, and she said, "Well, if it's no trouble then..."

Of course, it's no problem (I'm thinking that). Why would anyone let someone walk any distance in the possible chance of rain carrying all that stuff ?-- I'd be happy to do this.

So, I gave the nice lady a ride home. She said I could drop her off a couple of blocks from her house, but I took her to her door. It really was no trouble. She thanked me for the ride and we said nice good-bye greetings to each other and wished each other a Happy Fourth.

The last thing she said was, "You didn't have to, you know."

I know. I do. Should that make a difference?

Cats run on empty, too

This is our cat Shaddus.
He loves to sleep in all sorts of cozy places, just like most cats, and especially if the place is new.
This afternoon I decided to move my albums into a plastic box and finding that they didn't fit, I abandoned the project. Only to come back later and find Shaddus very comfortable.

I couldn't help by notice the titles of the albums. Maybe told a little story.

Forces beyond the known

1. I don't like when things get too complicated. I have enough problems complicating my own life, I decline to accept outside help.

Example: I say, "I don't know what I'm going to make for dinner." This is nothing more than a statement, a muse, and I have no idea why I blurted it out. There must not of been any more space left for quietness in there.

Then comes from, whoever heard the statement -- suggestions to me as to what to make for dinner.

I don't want any suggestions. I just don't want to make dinner.


"If the person you are talking to doesn't appear to be listening, be patient. It may simply be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear." ~Winnie the Pooh


2. Math has never been one of my strong subjects. When my children would ask me a math problem, my standard first response was, 'work with your known' because the only way for me to do it, was to go back to what was familiar (even if that happened to be one plus one).

I guess I do that in life, when possible. But yet, many times, one finds themselves in an area that doesn't make sense at the time, as there is no known. And even further exploration makes less sense to the explorer while it can make complete sense to those in that land of that kind of thinking.

Example: War. Very complicated matter, that. I don't believe in it. Not that I don't know that it's real, but why is it always necessary? I have more thoughts on this. They are trying to make their way to the front of the queue.

"All we are saying, is give peace a chance." ~ John Lennon

Packin' some Flares ...

1. I am a victim of bad lighting.

2. I learned today that you need ID to buy crazy glue. (But the girl didn't ask me for mine. Must have been bad lighting.)

3. Arthritis. I do not recognize my hands. My knuckles are swollen and my fingers are crooked and since I broke my pinky finger, it really freaks me out. Everyday, it's like "whoa! Whose hands are these!" Then, "Oh yeah, arthritis" (and I try not to think about bad lighting.)

4. I can't do store math. I can't convert Toilet Paper square feet to squares in a roll from rolls in the package to double rolls, which I know don't roll in my bathroom very well.

I can't convert 20 oz at *x* to 14 oz at *y*.

5. And why can't they just tell me the price of each one instead of 8 for $4.68. I don't even want 8.

6. Who is the person who puts all the food back in the wrong places? I would like that person banned from the store or made to complete some kind of test.

I mean wrong price place is one thing, but why put the grapes in the cereals? Does anyone have grapes in their cereal? I mean, actually grapes, not nuts or anything. And lettuce in the book section?

I mean, who are these people? I want to write them a memo:

Dear Scatter Brain,

Make a decision and stick to it. It won't hurt you, I promise. Eat the lettuce and the grapes. You will probably feel better, and your brain won't be so ADD.

Sincerely,

U. Uh Noyedme

7. A good friend of mine sent me a CD for my granddaughter. This song is on it (you need to go to 2:11 before he actually starts the song) called Because It's There. It's Ellis Paul. He explains it's his antidote to Barney. I don't know if he means this song, or the whole CD. But, it gave me such a laugh. And, I needed that. (Thank you, SuZie)

Just to name a few...

1. You can lead a horse to the water, but you just can't make him drink.

2. You can't always get what you want.

3. The sun and the moon will be in the sky.

4. Bad drivers exist.

5. Red lights don't care about you.

6. Not everyone thinks like you.

7. News travels.

8. Your children copy you.

9. Somethings are just not really there, and lots of people just don't really know.

10. Many, many things are better left alone.

There are clues in the Chaos

Now, I know I need a break.

1. I have lost my toothbrush. How does that happen? No one looses a toothbrush.

2. I took my granddaughter over to visit my Mom, and I didn't bring a diaper (what insanity is that?). I just put her in the car, we drove the three miles for a short visit. Something came up. I said, 'sure, Mom, I'll stay here with Zack (my nephew) ...and of course, there was poop.

My rationale said, 'years of no diapers were before carrying these extra paper strips with Velcro tabs. There has got to be a solution to this situation.'

So, I cleaned her up. Folded a small towel in a useful way, and put a pair of my 6 year old nephews underwear. I choose the pair that most closely matched her outfit. I asked her not to pee until we got home. She complied. And, she was quite comfortable in her new 'container', shall we say.

3. I found two contact lenses that I had lost. I was doing a quick cleaning in my bathroom and noticed these tiny little blue plastic looking thingies on the lower cabinet door. And actually, a whole new world opened up in my mind.

For these crazy two weeks, I have been totally perplexed as to whether or not I have my contacts in...like I wonder, am I blind today? I mean, I knew I just put them in...and then they seem to just not be there.

Well, they aren't!

I must be flinging them without knowledge of my own existence at the time I am flinging them.


(Above photo contains picture of flung contact)

And to sum up:

4. Here's the thing ~ One cannot lose awareness of one's own existence. If one does, then what is the point? The point of anything?

You have to be here to be here. You have to see 'now' to be.

Deep breathes and taking a moment to recollect ones thoughts in a nice little pile are among the most necessary things one can do. It's a reconnect to the you in you ~ the spirit self in you ~ that you need.

The spirit place in yourself is not a place of losing important things and flinging contact lenses. It's a place of peace and calm and love and hope and good cheer and smiles. Be there.

I have been pushed forward by my own idea of chaos. My own idea of whirling and spinning in all the emotions around me is what I allowed myself to do, when I should have stood still and taken a breath. I need to remind myself that I know this.

Deep Breathes.
Thankfulness.
Forgiveness.
Love and understanding.
These are all wonderful things that we can apply to ourselves. And God will still love us.

END - what does that stand for?

So, one of my nephews asked me what does END mean? I was thinking, since he's 11, maybe this is a joke? And I couldn't guess anything.

He said he read on the back of a Blackeyed Peas CD, that end means:

Energy Never Dies.

I thought that was pretty cool.

Again, in the queue ...

...I probably have 10 entries started for posting. But, my mind has been borrowed to much by other people and things and incidents, and I'm finding not quite enough room in there for myself.

I have many thoughts. But, they aren't ending in anything meaningful, that is to say, helpful; they are still just wondering around that great space that makes up the areas of my mind. I find myself at a place of non-understanding the actions of world and the people in it, so therefore, I must find some acceptance. Or room for allowance of certain things and people that are in the world.

It's like the world is speaking another language other than mine.

My granddaughter

My little granddaughter has an abscess on her back. It has to be lanced today. She is in such pain. She can't walk. Her fever was 102, but it finally dropped yesterday evening. She is on antibiotics already as she is understand a doctor's care. Please pray for her. She is so uncomfortable.

Updated: She's finally feeling better. She's limping a bit, but walking around. Thank you, God.

Busy is also a way.

...actually busy is exhilarating as well as exhausting. Seems I've been doing a lot of things involving people. My bones are tired. My brain is miswired.

I went to the school this week, not just to volunteer for a few hours, but to help with an ice cream party. I can't remember how long it's been since I had ice cream for lunch! Actually, I don't think I ever have. My granddaughter was there, too, and my son, my brother and my mom. It was my youngest nephew's class.

Every time I am in that class, I wonder just how do the teachers do this. 19 children in this class, all 5 and 6 year olds, all types of different families/home lives, nationalities, some are oldest, some are middle children, youngest, lots are step children, or just one parent ... all these different little head sets in one class room, learning how to read and write. And, no matter what happens in the day, they push each other in the lunch line. Why?

But my granddaughter, who is 17 months, did not see any of that. She was just loving the rug in there. She loved rolling on it, lying on her back and looking up. And. a room full of little children and a pile of dinosaur books on the floor was all she needed for total joy. She didn't even ask for the ice cream or candy because she has never had either one; perhaps that's why. I don't know. But she was good as gold.

I do love those children. They are all adorable in their own way, and they love having someone help them with their work assignments. They are interested. When I try to help them sound out words, they make a genuine effort to figure it out.

I love it when I have time to understand what their methods are for understanding and figuring things out. Like one little girl, she goes totally by the ending sounds. And when you think about it, that's a fairly reliable way to pick out the right word. This little girl speaks Spanish at home, English at school.

But they all have their ways of figuring things out, and as loud or unruly as they may get from time to time because they can get distracted by things we cannot interpret, many of them manage to complete their assignments. They just really love having help.

Their teachers do their best to help get them to higher goals every day. And then send them home. With 6 hours worth of ~happening~ inside their heads that parents will most likely never find out about.

Oh, maybe bits and pieces, but there is no way, that I can tell, that all that happens in the day of the school child will ever be known to the parents. As a parent, that saddens me. But, then again, I'm a push over. I was talked into ice cream for lunch. (It was good. I shall not complain.)

The Financial World Collapse Explained

The Financial World Collapse is finally explained out loud here. It addresses the questions regarding the circle of money, that I know, I have asked many times in my head.

You know, one of those places in my head, where I am sure that everyone else knows this particular bit of information, but you don't hear people out there on the air waves explaining it the way it seems to make sense to you?

Like these guys made sense ~~ But there's another question I have. If, indeed the buck does stop somewhere, could someone please tell me where the buck started in the first place, and whose making all the interest of that buck, and who backed that buck, then backed the buck that's backing that buck,

...and on and on ad infinitidum?

The circle of money .... serious business, that is. (And please, does it all begin and end in China, now? Hey, I do have some Beanie Babies in a plastic bag somewhere...)

Glenn Beck ~ still an idiot...

This Glenn Beck fellow, doesn't follow his own -- blah, blah, blah. He tells Sarah Palin that it's off limits to talk about the kids of political families and then...

He forgets himself ...

Because he's still an idiot.

Now, I am sorry if you are a fan of Glenn Beck, but here's the way I see it:

Okay ~ today, Beck apologized for this insensitive remark. But, what I find this to be is a great tactic for getting away with stuff. You say what you want, and then you apologize.

I don't call to many people idiots ~ But Glenn Beck is an insensitive, broadcasting idiot. And that is just my, not so humble good, opinion.

Don't ask, Don't Tell

Is that like a two part thing? I'll make it very easy for you.

1. Don't Ask.

Thanks to Mom

This You Tube video is just adorable, smart and clever!

A friend at Jacksons Cafe shared this with the message board. It was done by a friend of her son's. I don't know that much about the young artist personally, but I will offer this shot in the dark opinion, this young man will go as far as he wishes in the direction he chooses. And I wish him success.

I wish to thank him for sharing this. I sent it to my kids, and my daughter in law.

I hope someone out there finds some enjoyment, as well.

Why does Grammar Rule?

I will be the first to admit, I do not know every single rule of grammar, but I find I am more comfortable than not, obeying the rules. But really, some of them are silly. Are they really necessary?

Take this one for example:

Compound nouns in which the first part is a single letter can be hyphenated (T-shirt) or written as two words (X ray). X ray is written as two words when used as a noun ("His X ray came back clear"), but should be hyphenated when used as a verb or adjective ("We need to X-ray his ankle;" "He has X-ray vision").

Now, seriously, what difference is it going to make in anyone's world, except for some grammar-fanatic, for that hyphen to be there or not be there? Just how much order in the universe would go askew? I'm all ears for the explanation.

Here's another:

You may end a sentence with a preposition. Just do not use extra prepositions when the meaning is clear without them.

Okay. Since when?

I grew up in the sixties and ending a sentence with a preposition got me a red mark on my paper, so I didn't do it out of fear. And now, I'm phobic about it. So, after all these years of suffering and agitation, someone says it's okay to end a sentence with a preposition. But, not to many. And who decides? Well, la dee freakin' dah.

But here's one of my favorites in Grammar (along with the semi-colon) the Ellipsis:

Use ellipsis marks when omitting a word, phrase, line, paragraph, or more from a quote passage.

Ellipsis. I love this word. I think it originally comes from the Greeks and means to 'fall short'. I use these marks -- which are three little dots that I place just so ... -- when I fall short of thought. I probably drive people crazy with them.

Maybe someday I will go back and fill in all those blanks.

"Grammatici certant et adhuc sub iudice lis est. - Grammarians dispute, and the case is still before the courts."
- Horace

Okay. Now, say What?

What?

This oil company called BP spilled a ton of oil in the Gulf and they're attempting to clean it up with chemicals. It's really a very serious oil spill.

What?

Yes, with a chemical called Corexit. Seriously.

What is Corexit?

Well, guess what? You will be drinking Corexit for the rest of your life. Because *they* are dumping it in the Gulf of Mexico to stop the oil spill.

Corexit is said to be this:

"....[snip]... Corexit 9500, is identified as a "moderate" human health hazard that can cause eye, skin or respiratory irritation with prolonged exposure, according to safety data documents.

What?

Yup. A -- Moderate. Health. Hazard.

Wow. Seriously? Those three little words don't sit very well with me at all.

And "Prolonged exposure"? Well, we will be exposed to it for a very long time, because the guys at BP are ~pros~ at using something dangerous to clean up their wicked mess!

Okay, so, *they* are dumping corexit in the Gulf to stop the oil, and then the United States Government tells them to stop ?----

Stop. As in S.T.O.P.?

Then we read: written here

"After initially approving a chemical oil dispersant called Corexit, the U.S Environmental Protection Agency retracted it's allowance and ordered British Petroleum to stop dumping the mysterious chemical substance by Sunday".

However, the oil giant has ignored the government's deadline and was continuing to dump large volumes of Corexit into the Gulf on Monday, according to The New York Times, apparently to keep the massive sea floor oil plumes from surfacing and possibly washing ashore.

Now, fudge and pancakes, that article from The Raw Story says the Government as ordered them to stop, and then, this article here from Bloomberg Business Week says BP was told to scale back.

I don't know about another person's knowledge of the English language, but to me -- stop has one meaning, and scale back has another meaning.

So, just what did the Government tell them to do ~ Did they say Stop? Or did they say Scale Back? Maybe I am being old fashioned, but I would like to know the truth of the matter. Not just see catchy word phrases in order to make sensational bold comments in newspapers and on blogs and new shows, then, to be picked up by the internet, and people like myself who happened to live in Florida, and might want to actually know what is really going on.

One truth is, we all live on this planet. This is a universal problem. Water makes a lovely cycle all around the world ...mi aqua, su aqua, and on and on ad infinitum until who knows, we will have found that what we have been drinking, for years and years, this chemical that has altered the state of what we once knew as the human bean...will cause a change in us. Perhaps the stories of X-Men weren't to far off? I'd prefer to be a society of X-Man than a cancer ridden society, but choices aren't being given out, as far as I know, so we are going to have to deal with the unknown.

You think it not possible? Mix a few unknown x-factor chemicals in your water for a few hundred years, which will eventually get into everything that has to do with a person, and add that to all the chemicals that are already in all the foods you eat and drinks you consume. Gosh, name something left on the planet that doesn't have a chemical in it? (I'm thinking, give me a sec...)

Ummm, is not water the base of most things, now it will be water filled with corexist or something else like it ....what kind of water is that?

OH so much to learn! Maybe tomorrow I can become a scientist, after I become an environmental expert, and before I become a doctor, because we will be needing doctors and nurses as the morphing phase begins to happen...Geesh, until then, I have to trust other people. Drat.

Yeah, it reads like a grade B movie doesn't it? That is so sad. And, we are all in it.

I don't have answers. I'm not comfortable with chemicals being used in the water of the Gulf. No, not at all.

I'm banking on Kevin Costner. Where is Kevin Costner right now? Can't we just get him down there? I'd even watch Water World again and again, if Keven can shore this up. Just would love to find another way that didn't include chemicals, or that other stunt they tried, you know, throwing the garbage and stuff down there? oh, that was totally beyond my simple brain capacity to think that would work...

Nah, at the end of the day, my money's on Costner. Come on, Bull, hit us a good one...

Until we know, I'm just remaining a dreamer, dreaming about Everyman ~~

Note to self:
Coffee in the morning, maybe will see things more clearly then -- lot a doubt about that, though, lot of doubt.

"Tone it down"

The article I read is here ..President Obama says:

"What troubles me is when I hear people say that all of government is inherently bad," Obama said after receiving an honorary doctor of laws degree. "When our government is spoken of as some menacing, threatening foreign entity, it ignores the fact that in our democracy, government is us."

Government, he said, is the roads we drive on and the speed limits that keep us safe. It's the men and women in the military, the inspectors in our mines, the pioneering researchers in public universities.

The financial meltdown dramatically showed the dangers of too little government, he said, "when a lack of accountability on Wall Street nearly led to the collapse of our entire economy."

But Obama was direct in urging both sides in the political debate to tone it down. "Throwing around phrases like 'socialists' and 'Soviet-style takeover,' 'fascists' and 'right-wing nut' – that may grab headlines," he said. But it also "closes the door to the possibility of compromise. It undermines democratic deliberation," he said.

~~~ This article is not new on the scene, nor is the subject of the text mentioned new, from President Obama. It adds to the list of the confrontational comments that President Obama had made from time to time. Comments that are irritating to people who think when he says 'tone it down', he is saying, 'shut it up'

...which is the more dangerous, of course. That is having the leader of your country telling you not to talk about stuff, I get that, but what I don't get is,that, that is what he is doing...

I'm trying to sift through this, and I don't hear the 'shut it up',

Maybe, I will turn out to be one of the fools who is still hoping for a world, a country more specifically at this point, that can find a way to work together in their differences, without thinking that it's either ALL of something, all of the time, or NONE of something, all of the time. I mean, do we live in a country now where cooperation is just not possible? That's like bully in the play-ground tactics of a third grader, isn't it?

I know we are supposed to learn from history, but there are plenty of people who don't even learn from their parents~ and, that is certainly less of a generation away than WWII, so go figure. Who listens to what anymore? And when? I am in a fog about where some people are drawing some of their conclusions.

I'm thinking it might be better to hone up some knowledge of How Your Brain Works, specifically your own brain, so that you can understand why you react to things, to people, and what makes you do the things that you do...what makes you want the things you want, or the things you think you need for your security, rather than just focus a total reliance on history books and things in the past, because history books are being sorely altered from time to time, and people and population and life are changing faster than the history books can be written or rewritten, as the case may be.

It seems it's more about what safe compromises can be made to sustain the world, the earth, the planet ....I guess, I see more areas that involve compromise than are there are ways to compromise! And, the plan of 'my way or the highway' type America, is hard to conclude as being the one that should be successful.

I mean, really, which group having that philosophy has ever worked, in a long run, in the past?

I'm still thinking about it. It's all still going on. And, it will be when I get up tomorrow. After I have my coffee in the morning, I'll see what I think. I'm not that close to figuring it all out tonight.

What if you don't agree?

1. "I understand his viewpoint," she said. "And he understands mine." ...and she left it at that...that was Laura Bush, speaking to Larry King about her differences of opinions with her husband George W. Bush, regarding the issues of gay marriage and abortion rights. She thinks one thing; he thinks another thing. They disagree.

2. Disagreeing is not a bad thing. Understanding, before disagreeing is good thing, if one can do it. But, a lot of people just don't have the patience for it. That's a bad thing. Living with disagreement ~ agreeing to disagree ~ is what makes it a survivable thing.

I really don't know how easy I would be to live with if my husband disagreed with me on tons of things. I don't think I'm real opinionated or anything. I might have strong opinions, but I do respect someone's right to have strong opinions, or just plain ~ be wrong. Hah~! Isn't that what you call it when someone disagrees with your opinion? Oops. Okay. That's not polite.

3. Back to being polite:

Learning how to disagree is a necessary skill for moving through life easily. One should begin to accept that one can survive should someone disagree with their opinion on something. It took me awhile, but I learned this. It's really okay for my friends and loved ones to be wrong, oops, I mean, disagree with my opinion.

What it is, I think, is getting old. I just don't worry about it so much any more. I'd rather be polite.

What I have seen is that people with really, really strong opinions in one direction often turn out to be wrong in the long run. Life just does not go in one direction. I'm not sure why that is. You can try to make it so, but it just seems that life just sort of zig-zags in and out and back and forth and all around, and never gets done.

No one is really around long enough to know if they are right. Really. They aren't. You're here for a little while, and then you go. Somewhere. And maybe when you get there, you'll be right about all the things you thought you were right about, and you'll find a bunch of people who agree with everything you think and say and believe.

I just want it to be peaceful. I have my beliefs, and I am comfortable with them.

You can disagree with me all you wish. You can say I'm wrong. You can call me crazy. I hope you wouldn't say it too loudly because that would be embarrassing. Just whisper to yourself, if you feel that you must. And, go ahead and laugh out loud. It would probably be good for you.

4. "When you run into someone who is disagreeable to others, you may be sure he is uncomfortable with himself; the amount of pain we inflict upon others is directly proportional to the amount we feel within us."
~~Sidney J. Harris

Me and SuZie

My friend SuZie is an artist. She has an endearing way about her, and she and I have become friends. We have never actually met, but have talked to each other at length.

She is the person I confided to that my one secret dream was ~ that I wanted to paint. But, I could not find the connection inside myself to put the brush to the paper or canvas. Since I have told SuZie about this, and she has been so understanding of my feeling of fear about this step in my life, I have been able to actually speak my dream out loud to other people. I am now, not afraid to fail. Because I realize I would not be failing at anything.

SuZie has encouraged me, in the most gentle and kind ways, to please begin. Just begin, she says. Every time I encounter a road block, SuZie seems to say or do the right thing to help me keep on that path and further open the door that will help me fulfill this feeling in myself.

I have not yet found the way to do the big things I wish, but I have made a few small stokes on paper in my most private moments.

Anyway, SuZie made a suggestion to me, that she and I could encourage each other with quotes of motivation that we feel have meaning to us, and as they come , we send them to each other.

Here is the list we have so far:

Suzie's .... The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed. C.G. Chung A.W. page 35

Roxie's..... Creativity flourishes when we have a sense of safety and self-acceptance....
The Artist's Way, page 42

Suzie's... Dependence on the creator within is really freedom from all other dependencies. A.W. page 95

Roxie's ... Learning is movement from moment to moment. AW page 161

Suzie...What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies inside us. Ralph Waldo Emerson A.W. p. 6

Roxie... "Finish every day and be done with it. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities crept in - forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin it well and serenely, and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old mistakes and nonsense" R.W. Emerson

Suzie...It's not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that they are difficult. Seneca p 83

Roxie's...When you want to do something sincerely and are decisive about it; the power of concentration becomes available to you. Concentration allows you to achieve more in less time and respond to situations in a more effective way.''''''''''''''''''''''(Found in Thought For Today) Note from roxie: I spend my time afraid of the project instead of just letting all parts of me be involved with the project.

Suzie... Life shrinks and expands in proportion to one's courage. Anais Nin P. 156

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So there are our quotes of encouragement to each other for the week before. Perhaps others can find some encouragement from these thoughts we have stumbled upon in our journeys to feel the completion of the artistic calling.

Speed Evangelism

Well. It's been a long, long while since I have encountered a Jehovah's Witness on my doorstep. And, when I have, they have always wanted to talk longer than I wanted to, and I learned that there were several things you just did not mention to them, or they would try to never leave, all in the great efforts of saving your soul.

Then today, the weirdest thing ~

A little green car pulled right up in my driveway. An elderly lady with blonde hair got out. She was by herself. We saw her quickly walking up to the front door.

(I thought she had a summons or something, she was walking so quickly.)

My son opened the door, and as she was walking up she extended a paper towards him while she was still moving forward and said, "Here, this is for you to read," turned around, got back in her car and left.

We looked at the single flyer in his hand.

A Jehovah's Witness track.

Wow! That was some Speed Evangelism! I never thought I would see the day!

Smile on Cinco De Mayo

1..It is so nice to read stuff in the news about people doing really nice stuff.

Here's a story about an unselfish young athlete. And no reason to do what he did, but just being a good sport and an all round nice guy. He sounds like someone who just didn't need to be selfish.


There is a great deal of self-will in the world, but very little genuine independence of character. ~Frederick W. Faber

Character is much easier kept than recovered. ~Thomas Paine

Large Air Spill

It was refreshing to read this Breaking News Headline:

"Large Air Spill at Wind Farm. No Threats Reported. Some Claim to Enjoy the Breeze".
(Click on the link for the photo.)

Wouldn't that be absolutely lovely, should that be the worse breaking news?

There are no passengers on Spaceship Earth. We are all crew. ~Marshall McLuhan, 1964

I'm not an environmentalist. I'm an Earth warrior.
~Darryl Cherney, quoted in Smithsonian, April 1990

Till now man has been up against Nature; from now on he will be up against his own nature. ~Dennis Gabor, Inventing the Future, 1963

Some things I have noticed 'bout me

1. I am a critical proof reader of newspapers, etc. Mistypings and misspellings just jump off of the page on me. But, I make mistakes on my own posts all the time Seems I can proof read other peoples work easily, but not my own.

AND, it's easier for me to proof my own post, after I post it for everyone to see my mistakes. What is up with that? Maybe, that's some deep psychological need for being seen as human bean with flaws? Maybe, when my stuff is already 'out there' I am further back one space and can see more clearly? I don't know. I'll think some more on this. Maybe.

2. I have decided to break my habit of reading every morning. I'm going to have my coffee in silence, maybe while I enjoy looking at nature, and then, I'm going to color. Coloring in good. It's relaxing. It's nice to have a coloring book with well made paper, smooth paper, and also, to have nice coloring pencils or crayons. The stuff they give kids in school is sorry. What is going to happen to creativity in this world?

3. A friend and I are exchanging quotes by email as a way to inspire ourselves and each other to help our artistic selves flourish. I'm planning on adding those quotes every week. I am in the mood to be inspired.

4. I have injured my back again. I thought I was fine, but after I tried some exercise this morning, the message was loud and clear ~ whoooaaa, you are not! So, back on ice.

Tell me again how Corporations love America?

BP won't allow themselves to be sued by the very people they are hurting.

The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is a really, really, really big mess. And it is a mess that is going to keep on getting messier for a long while. It's going to affect and hurt a lot of living creatures and ways and means of living. And, guess what, it's not a Natural Disaster. It is, apparently, a man made screw up. A huge mistake and unfortunately, somebody has got to take a loss here.

The question is: Who?

BP doesn't want to take the loss. (And seriously, I know, who would?) The company will not let the fishermen who are affected by this awful tragedy help them clean up the mess --
because ---
because ---
because they do not want to be sued.

Nope, won't allow it. They will not accept that immediate help (even though, at the same time they would be taking care of getting some money in the hands of the people they are directly hurting.)

What they have done is make the fishermen who are going to help them, while getting paid money they need to feed and care for themselves and their families ... they are going to make them sign a Contract that says they will "hold harmless and indemnify ... release, waive and forever discharge the BP Exploration and Production, Inc., its subsidiaries, affiliates, officers, directors, regular employees, and independent contractors ... from all claims and damages" arising from helping to clean up the mess that BP has made.

And so what now?

I just don't get this. My guess is, just a guess, but I'll wager in the pool of life, that BP had some insurance policy going on somewhere, that payments were being made to. I mean, aren't insurance companies, like everywhere? I mean, isn't insurance like required for just about every, single business adventure. I mean, isn't INSURANCE what America is all about? I mean, like I.E. ~ *we don't want a national health care program, we want our own private INSURANCE policies* America? I mean, last time I checked there were... freakin' insurance company coverage requirements for just about every business thing going on in this country.

And, drilling for oil is risky. I mean, it's not like the words OIL and SPILL haven't come together before ...

So, Question:

Why are they, the companies and all their subsidiaries, affiliates, officers, directors, regular employees and independent contractors, NOT ready for the possible MISTAKES with all this insurance that America loves so much?

Are they not required to carry enough insurance to cover such a Catastrophe? I'll bet they got some somewhere. Because this is America, and we love our insurance companies, right? Well, where are you now?

So, Question:

Why is anyone, who cannot maintain their responsibility to the people in the surrounding environment (and the earth), and their subsidiaries, affiliates, officers, directors, regular employees, and independent contractors, even be allowed to drill anywhere in the freakin' first place?

Why?

Just so you know stuff...

1. Are you a fan of Sarah Palin. Then, you should go to Sarah Palin Digest, to help you learn everything you can about her.

2. The Martyr Personality is a tricky one.

The characteristics of neurotic martyrdom in adulthood can be summarized as follows: The person cares for and helps others while sacrificing their own needs.[snip]

On a deeper level, martyrs are very needy for love. Unfortunately, they unconsciously believe that the only way they can get love is through suffering. The suffering makes them feel special and wanted, and it brings meaning to their life. Their suffering is tied to their ego. They are actually proud of it. Take away their suffering and they seem lost.

It's interesting to read, if you are having to deal with a Martyr/Victim type. You will see it's a No Win Scenario.

It is easy to pass up on this type of person to have a relationship with, but, when they are in your family, it is difficult and frustrating. You really, really have to make up your mind not to let this person make you crazy or feel guilty because they really will not allow you to be nice to them. They must 'out-nice' you. You must accept this.

If one is not emotionally programed to function with a Martyr type, as I am not, one must just set the boundaries and carry on. One must dust off any negative feelings that are brought up from within, and just deal with it.

So yeah. That's about all there is to it.

3. A Waste Of Money Study, judging your personality on your sleep position. What does that have to do with any thing there is about anybody, anyway?

It's really all about snoring. That's what puts a strain on thousands of marriages. All they had to do, was ask all the wives, of men who snore, and the women would have told them -- he sleeps this way (whatever position, she could draw a picture, as that is inexpensive), and he snores, and I feel like punching him in the jaw, but I don't so I'm tired as all get no sleep and I am grumpy, and then I ask my doctor for sleeping medication for myself --

But see, there's the winner part. Instead of the money being spent on that ridiculous study, they could just supply the women with sleeping pills for free! Husbands don't have broken jaws, wives are happy because they are rested ...

Now, how easy is that?

4. When you get as old as me, which is Older Than Jackson Browne, you really begin to know things For Sure. And you also begin to realize that - There's Not a Whole Lot You Can Do About a Whole Lotta Stuff -- so, just accept it, and move on. (Dancing and Smiling, of course!)

5. Everyone needs a grandchild.

In the mood for thinking...

Anyone can become angry – that is easy. But to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose, and in the right way – that is not easy.
— Aristotle, 350BC

(That is Zen...)


Emotional intelligence is the ability to perceive emotions, to access and generate emotions so as to assist thought, to understand emotions and emotional knowledge, and to reflectively regulate emotions so as to promote emotional and intellectual growth.
— Mayer & Salovey

(This is a good thing. Calm yourself and get this way.)


Man can learn nothing except by going from the known to the unknown.
~~ Claude Bernard

(One should never be afraid to check out the beliefs they hold dear. It they are true, the beliefs will hold up to all scrutiny. And besides, who are you that you think you know everything, anyway?)



We have been taught to believe that negative equals realistic and positive equals unrealistic. ~~ Susan Jeffers

(Develop positive thinking. Work on it, want it, go after it. Beat negative thinking down with an ugly stick. You don't have time for that stuff.)

Too much, too fast, no way

1...Now, here is an article that says multi-tasking is bad for your memory. I'm not sure. I used to have a great memory. Then, I became a multi-tasker. Because I had kids.

How does anyone with children get anything done without multi-tasking? I actually thought I was pretty good at it. But, apparently, I have destroyed my mind.

But, see now! ~ I have a granddaughter! I don't have to multi-task when I'm with her! When I'm with her, that's all I'm doing, and it's great. If anyone asks me to do anything, I just say, 'oh, can't ~ have the baby.' Totally zen.

3... Martyr personalities. They drive me up the proverbial wall. I have some things I have been reading about these types. So, I'll have to sort through and post about them.

You see, someone I like very much, has one of these types of personalities, and I'm trying to work with it. I thought some additional information might help.

Right now, I'm looking at this one link here. Don't have anything definite decided yet. But, I have to learn how to deal with this.

2...What happened to two? I must have done that multi-tasking thing and lost it. I will need to come back and finish this entry.

Monday randomness...

...on a Tuesday~

1. What happened? Medication. Steroids up the nose, third round of antibiotics, Claritin D, Guaifenesin and Dextromethorphan. And, is that like too much? I have decided it is too much. I feel like I'm on speed with an attitude (like a smart a@@, not a good thing).

But, to survive this awful lung infection, which I'm sure is from all the pollen, which I'm sure is a sure sign that the bees are highly ticked at us for ruining their planet, and to keep from going into the hospital, which my choices were coming down to, I agreed to do this regiment ~

but, honestly, I'm cutting back. This is the 6th day. I can't do this for 4 more days. So, one thing I will eliminate today is the Nasal Spray i.e. steroid. I think that is the root of the Irritated Pirate in me. Well, see.


But, on the subject of other things, the Instructions on the pill bottle: Take one tablet twice a day by mouth (in Capital Letters BY MOUTH). (Uh, by ear? no? Nose? I'm not naming any other cavities, but still ...)

2. I was glad to read the Bob Cesca is making efforts to expose Glenn Beck for the sham he really is. I'm glad he's doing this because now everything can be in one place. Bob is keeping track. I just hope some of the people who are being brainwashed by this Animal Circus Act Bleck, will actually find their way to it, and read it.

Actually, I take that back. I wrote, "Animal" - I do not want to insult animals, and really, I don't even want to insult "Circus Acts". Ummm, I'll have to think of something else Generic and Insulting.

And, here's another suggestion, if a person finds their way to the truth about Bleck, please, please, pass it along to others so that this can end.

3. Control Freaks are so annoying.

4. Good coffee can be found in places like Home Goods and TJ Maxx for very good prices. I have heard, though from a lady at a bank. that if you shop at those places you should use cash, because these stores have like a second order of command for dealing with your credit/debit cards, and that means that it's easier for a thief to get a hold of your card (whew).

Just offering that bit of knowledge up ~ use it, don't use it but it happened to my sister in law, so there ya' go.

Now, she does use her credit card/debit card for everything, even a $2.83 purchase through a drive-through, but I'm thinking a lot of people do that, and what happens is that so many purchases get made and they don't realize that those purchases are not theirs for a long time, and believe it or not, by the time they do ~ those thieves are long gone from your card and moving onto another card. (I am not making this up)

Now, the bank did honor a refund to those charges that had been made in a fraudulent manner, and what manner of magic the banks use to know which is which, I do not know ...I'm just reporting in...
but, yeah, my sis in law got her money refunded ...

but the thief, got away with it. He got his stuff mailed to his house, and didn't get prosecuted, as far as we know as this time. Hopefully, the police keep track of these reports and nail these common thieves (Is there such a thing as an uncommon thief?. I really don't know either of those things.)

5. Quote from the Daily Om"

When we choose that which is not best for us, there can be a deep seated part of us that does not want to heal.

My brain is trying to rest....

...and I am not letting it. I'll try to do that today. Maybe. I love my brain and I want my brain to love me.

Reading is good, but brains are for thinking, right? But, I wonder, if you load them up too much, do they not need time to process? Just relax and look at flowers or the ocean, perhaps?

I'm going to the beach. I was going to take a book, but I'm changing my mind. I'm going to let my brain just float.

"Three Little Words"

"Three Little Words" by Ashley Rhodes. It is a true account written by Miss Rhodes of her life in foster care. A true nightmare that exposes the system as sad, needy and inept, and if one does not become angered at how children are treated, than that reader is unfeeling and probably in need of some counseling. No judgment, just sayin' ...

Miss Rhodes manages to survive this horrific ordeal with her thinking brain in tact. She tells her story through her eyes like an on the scene reporter, as the child who is living a nightmare. A child who is never told the whys or the wherefores of her situation. She is merely shuffled like cattle through the system without one word of explanation. What a stupid system is shown before us~!

But, she triumphs over all of them, and you begin to hope and pray, that children torn from their parents arms can overcome such a heartbreaking tragedy as this, a tragedy that is forced upon them by their neglectful parents and a broken system, you hope they all of them will triumph the same as Miss Rhodes, but unfortunately, that may not be the case.

It reads as if the system has no idea what it is children need. It reads as if Those Who Are Employed by this system are not aware, at all, that the children are what is important in all this,

and that if 'we the people' are going to allot money, to people, to take care of children, we need to make sure Those People are taking care of these children in a proper loving way. Yeah, that's right -- Proper. Loving Way. Come on, people ~ are we not that educated yet? Are we so heartless that we do not know that the number one thing a child needs is love? Tender Loving Care?

Are we so backwards, that we would think, that children from a troubled beginning would not need some Extra love and healthy attention?

This is not a rip against any foster parents who are kind and loving. This is rip against any of those who are not. Shame on them. And, shame on a system created in ln this country that allows such a person to participate in the lives of a child.

You go, Ashley Rhodes. You rock!

(Updated here: I had to go back and make some corrections on this. And, who knows, there could be more ~ I think this third round of anti-biotics has done my drain some bramage.)

"The Perpetual American Lynch Mob"

Frank Schaffer has a go at explaining The Perpetual American Lynch Mob.

In case one is not aware of who Frank Schaffer is - well, he was part of the original group of evangelicals who started the extreme far-right movement. He tells you so himself in many of his articles.

He states:

"Dad (my late evangelical leader father Francis Schaeffer) and I did our bit in the 1970s and 80s to pass on the torch of unhinged Lynch Mob hate when we helped create the Perpetual American Lynch Mob's "pro-life" incarnation. That movement -- Our Movement -- was begun by people like us wanting to save babies. It ended up in the swamp of homophobia, hate of the "other" and even inspired the murder of doctors."

I always like to read what Frank has to say. I was attending church at the time that The Right Wing heavies of that day, Jerry Falwell, Francis Schaffer, Pat Robertson, to name a few, were in the forefront in the news a lot. They set their train in motion and it's still running well.

I feel that now it is running with much prejudice, judgment, spanking children, and discrimination. I got off that train really quickly, but hung around in the station for awhile and feel like I got a good idea that things weren't headed anywhere towards Fairville. A lot of people don't want fair. I want fair in law, fair in rights ... leave the judgment issues to God and the laws of our land. And people need to participate to keep the laws fair, and all people should be able to participate.

If I have to err, I'll err on the side of fair as often as I can. I mean, seriously ~ why not? If there be a reason why we should not, perhaps someone can clue me in...

Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none. ~William Shakespeare

If you can't beat 'em...

...join 'em.
No.
Actually, what I would like to do is smack 'em.

My health insurance coverage just went up $80.00 a month. That's for 3 people. Two healthy young adults and one woman who is Older Than Jackson Browne by 4 days _and_

and I stress the AND ~ a $3,000.00 deductible per person.

Give me a break.

I'm sorry. But that is robbery. Legal Robbery.

Why can't I have what Congress has? Why?

Why not?

"Don't mind criticism. If it is untrue, disregard it; if unfair, keep from irritation; if it is ignorant, smile; if it is justified it is not criticism, learn from it." ~~ The Unknown Source

.A day not so bad

1. I received a package in my mailbox from a friend. I didn't expect anything so it was lovely to find a special surprised for myself there. It was some music and a hilarious card! I am grateful for that deep down smile of a moment.

And, added bonus ~ I love the music he sent~! Truly, it's new to me. There is nothing as wonderful as music some days.

2. I almost got hit by a car. Seriously. I was coming out of the UPS store and had just stepped off the curb and this car, in the parking lot area now, trust me, I was not stepping out onto Highway AIA, comes whizzing around this blind corner at about 60 mph. We all know that parking lot speed is about, what 15?

Anyway, she wasn't even on her phone that I noticed, but she sure was in a danged hurry to get to a parking space. Our eyes met and she slammed on her brakes. Then we stared at each other for a few seconds; no one's face giving away anything. She broke the stare with a deep breath and waved me across the street.

Anyway, one of those small moments you are okay with being alive and whole and walking across the parking lot.

3. Went to the dollar store to pick up some sympathy cards. Had to send out four as my mother in law's sister in law just passed after a year battle with cancer. While I was standing in line waiting, a store manager told me I would have to come to the other side.

Okay. No problem.

He was closing out a register, and I had to wait until he was finished doing that. I stood patiently.

An elderly man came up to the counter to the left of me and slammed his little book on the counter and said, 'How much for that?' The cashier, who was standing motionless at this time waiting for the manager to finish her drawer update, asked him what he had wanted. She knew he wasn't in line and wasn't sure what was happening, and he thrust his finger at the book and said commandingly, "The book. How much?"

She registered the request in her brain, the other man still clearing and setting up her new register, and she answered him, "One dollar and seven cents. Do you want this?"

He didn't answer. The cashier wasn't sure what he wanted,yet.

"Are you next in line?" she asked, knowing full well he was not but trying to be polite, and knowing full well that I knew, and the people behind me knew, he was not.

He didn't answer. I'm not sure if he was embarrassed or what he was thinking ...but as she kept glancing at me, I said, "It's fine. Go ahead and ring him up."

She began, "But you're ..."
"It's alright." I said.

She said again to him, "Do you want the book?"

He said how much again, she answered again, he fumbled through for the money trying to give her the exact change, he couldn't, so he settled on a dollar and a dime, while he grunted at that. Somehow this bothered him.

After he got his change, he just turned and left. The cashier turned and looked at me. I had a slight smile on my face which she probably could not interpret, and she began to apologize over and over, but I told her, "Really, it's okay. If he was young, I might have said something, but seriously, it's okay."

She talked about how she has to look out for her customers, that she needs to make sure they are treated right ... I told her again, it's okay, I'm fine. Because I am standing here with 4 sympathy cards. My husband's uncle lost his wife and his 3 cousins lost their mother, and the elderly man's inability to communicate his thoughts and lack of manners at that moment, just met nothing in the way of hurting my feelings.

But I sincerely appreciated the kindness of the cashier.

#. Watered my plants
5. Pet my cats
6. Talked with my family
7. Spent most of the day with my granddaughter.

So true, so true ... to me.

Daily Decisions ~

What I am experiencing at this moment is the result of choices and decisions made in the past; what I will experience in the future depends on choices and decisions I make now. Happiness is a daily decision.

from the site of Thought for Today ...

Yes, you got up this morning, got out of bed ~ it was you that was making a decision before your feet hit the floor ~ good day, bad day ~ ummmm ~

Would you take a little advice from one who is Older Than Jackson Browne? Choose Wisely. Choose a Good Day. Choose to be Happy in this Day.

I believe in God. And, every morning, before I get out of bed, I thank God. For whatever it was he did for me the day before. There are many things, of course, that I probably don't even know about, but I know he was there and did something to keep me safe and now able to wake, this one more day.

One of the things my God helps me do is find things ~ seriously. There is nothing spooky about this at all.

I learned through studying science that everything that goes on around us is in our brain. It's all recorded somewhere. All persons record all things going on around them in their brain. Whether you are a spiritual person, or not, your brain is still a functioning organ that records all you see and hear.

It doesn't, however, put everything in a spot right in the front, the way I file things on my desk. You know, that big pile I have where I put it all right where I can see it. No, your brain delivers it to different places where it thinks it should. And, that connection is a personal one between you and your brain. Every one's brain works a different way, okay, maybe that was more a personal thought than a scientific one, but still, very close to truth.

So, when I misplace something, anything, I ask God to please help me find that thing, to please help me set my eyes on it. I give God as much information as I can about it, what it looks like, what I need it for and when ~~ and I am here to tell you ~ I always find whatever it is ... Always.

Because God knows what is going on in my brain. He can clearly see where I put that object, and apparently, God does not mind stopping his busy day to help me find this missing thing, and I appreciate that so much.

Just as an aside thought - I believe that God is here for us, personally, to help. I do not believe that God is here to smite my neighbor for not believing what I believe, for being different than me, for being just what God made him to be.

Oh, and one more thing ~ I believe my God can help me find my way back to happiness, every time, if that should be my choice. Everyday I make one. Everyday I choose. I want the happiness, so I choose that. Thank you, God.


The feeling remains that God is on the journey, too. ~Teresa of Avila

God's will is not an itinerary, but an attitude. ~Andrew Dhuse

Have a nice day~!

"Frackles" ~ Jon Stewart

Had Fox News decided to lie?

~ decided? ~ is that a good word? I'm not sure, if they decided or not, but they lied ~ mislead? could it be mislead? I think, myself, the word would be lied ~~ about the information regarding President Obama, Russia, Ronald Reagan, and the Nukes ...

I just read the Huffington Post and found this article entitled "Stewart Rips Fox News for inaccurate reporting on Nuclear Arms Treaty."

The clip from The Daily Show can be found on the link below. Again, Jon Stewart and staff is left to inform us of the exaggerations, stories and tales of Sean Hannity, Sarah Palin, and Newt Gingrich

Here is it ~ Your Seven Minutes and 12 Seconds - Fabrication at it's best. If you don't believe the Daily Show, check your facts yourself, and whatever you do, don't believe Fox News. That is just this writer's opinion.

"Waiting for stuff to happen..."

...so my husband just said to me as he walked by. Huh?

If everybody contemplates the infinite instead of fixing the drains, many of us will die of cholera. ~John Rich

I had no idea what he was talking about. I was reading someone's blog. I love reading. I read lots of stuff - books, magazines, message boards, blogs (I love blogs) and much other stuff, newspapers, notes on the side of the road ... oh, and the stuff he is waiting to happen has to do with a virus scan thing he is doing on my daughter's computer, so he just told me.

Now my husband just asked me, 'do I want to go camping in the Keys?' to which I said, 'no', as I do not want to drive for 5 hours to sleep on the ground. I can sleep on the ground out in my front yard. I live near the beach, so, no. My family does go to the Keys every summer (we grew up around Key West) and we sleep in a very nice hotel at a kid friendly resort. That's lovely. But, 'no', I will not drive for 5 hours and sleep on the ground. (I would fly on a plane to Barcelona to see Jackson Browne in concert, but, that's not what he asked me. ha.!)

Life is one long process of getting tired. ~Samuel Butler

I am recovering from pleurisy. It is not fun. I don't really feel good. But, whatever, everyone has to get something some time. What I dislike most about it is not being able to pick up my granddaughter. She is just the most wonderful thing.

To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting. ~e.e. cummings, 1955

Today I took two of my nephews to Barnes and Noble. Oh my gosh, we had a lovely, relaxing time! We had a tea and a treat and read and read and read for three hours. Just sat there together and read. No talking, just reading. It was wonderful. One nephew bought a book. I didn't have enough money to buy anything today, but I will another day. We had thought about going to the library, but then the boys always get on the computer, so they decided Barnes and Noble's. I was glad.

My nephews (and great nephews) and nieces range in age from 38 to 6 ~ there are 12 of them. My granddaughter is 16 months. My kids are 33 to 20. And I spend time with all of them. It's like jumping in and out of universes. It's like visiting other planets. They talk so fast! Their minds are full of new and exciting stuff, and old stuff, too. And, what really makes me laugh, is when they learn something new, and they are so surprised that I know that~! Of course, they are constantly telling me stuff that is new to me, too, I can't lie about that. I enjoy it, though. I love learning new stuff. I really should write down everything the 6 year old says. I am going to be sad when he makes that final cross over into the 'real' world.

I will be looking for my granddaughter to keep that portal open ...

Updates on the Lydia Schatz's case

This is an update on the Lydia Schatz's case.

~~~Part one of this series on child abuse features the Lydia Schatz case and the connection to Michael Pearl and his teachings.

I haven't figured out how to link the video, so I have just linked to thatmom, and hope you can view it.

When you ...

When you think your kind words are all wasted ...

When you want to remember that our childrens feelings will always matter ...

When you think you are the only one who suffers ....

When you wonder if it's ever too late ...

When you think you no longer have a voice, think of who has, and then speak up, use yours to tell a darling child that some messages out there are so wrong.


God offers to every mind its choice between truth and repose. Take which you please - you can never have both.
~~~~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Message to the Tea Partyist

Geesh, honest, I am not really like all about politics, but lately my mind seems to find keep finding things that get me thinking about them ~

The following is copied and pasted from the internet from a site in a comments section at the Huffington Post. I thought it was very good food for thought. And I am hungry for understanding of what is going on in America today, as so much of it just does not make sense to me!

so here it is ~~ I take no credit for it, but I am not going to be shy about passing it along:


You didn't get mad when the Supreme Court stopped a legal recount and appointed a President.

You didn't get mad when Cheney allowed Energy company officials to dictate
energy policy.

You didn't get mad when a covert CIA operative got outed.

You didn't get mad when the Patriot Act got passed.

You didn't get mad when we illegally invaded a country that posed no threat to us.

You didn't get mad when we spent over 600 billion (and counting) on said illegal war.

You didn't get mad when over 10 billion dollars just disappeared in Iraq.

You didn't get mad when you found out we were torturing people.

You didn't get mad when the government was illegally wiretapping Americans.

You didn't get mad when we didn't catch Bin Laden.

You didn't get mad when you saw the horrible conditions at Walter Reed.

You didn't get mad when we let a major US city, New Orleans, drown.

You didn't get mad when we gave a 900 billion tax break to the rich.

You didn't get mad when the deficit hit the trillion dollar mark.

You finally got mad when the government decided that people in America deserved the right to see a doctor if they are sick. Yes, illegal wars, lies, corruption, torture, stealing your tax dollars to make the rich richer, are all okay with you, but helping other Americans...oh hell no.

Teabonics?

I was just visiting over at boremetotears ...
and read about Teabonics.

Are we serious here? Seriously ... Teabonics?

I have no explanation.
I do not understand what is going on.
I can't wait to see how, in the name of all things normal, that the history books are going to deal with this period of sheer ignorance.
Are they going to post these photos in the history books?

These people say they are going to take America back? Looks like they already are...going backwards that is, to a time when we couldn't think and couldn't spell.

Speechless. I am .... speechless.

Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.
~Abraham Lincoln

Wicked awful...

...that's how I feel. Got this cold or something, and I wish to thank the general public. People are so free with their germs. They just cough, cough, cough anywhere and everywhere. Gosh, people, can you not use some real common sense? Cough into your sleeve or better yet stay home. And stop sneezing in public, too. Idiots. (I have a tendency to use the word Idiot when I don't feel well...)

No matter where you go or what you do, you live your entire life within the confines of your head. ~Terry Josephson



Wouldn't it be funny if Wolf Blitzer worked for Fox News? They could call it the Animal Channel.


Why do people say that wine has to breath? Who is out there trying to make wine die?


Is Glenn Beck only here on this earth for Jon Stewart. Jon Stewart is the only one who can explain him really well. And why is Glenn Beck so Grossly Bigoted? Just askin' ...He says some very strange stuff, IMHO. I just don't get him, at all, not even a little twinky winky bit.

The fly that doesn't want to be swatted is most secure when it lights on the fly-swatter.
~G.C. Lichtenberg


Jon Stewart is on the Daily Show with more real fake news than anyone. And, why is it called the Daily Show if it's not on daily?


Yesterday, I told someone the (very old) joke about 'not driving on driveways, and not parking on parkways,' and they said, 'wait...what?' I felt like I had just dropped into another universe.

I know I am Older Than Jackson Browne, but seriously, I am stepping into another zone on the spectrum. I am looking around and seeing a lot of stupid people doing and saying a lot of stupid stuff. What is up with that? What are these people reading? And why are they texting while they drive?

Do we need legislation on reading materials to mark something 'drivel' 'lies' 'exaggerated stories' "stuff messing with your mind to scare you', or 'just plain bull-hockey' and, 'do not read this while driving? Whoops! Even musing that thought makes me an 'ist' person! (You can fill in the social-fasci-mark-whatever- in front of the 'ist').

The obscure we see eventually. The completely obvious, it seems, takes longer.
~Edward R. Murrow

I have to laugh at the 'government is getting to big' comments....well, duh~! -- the population is getting big-ger, so ergo, more representation, more ideas from our representatives, more legislation, more needs, and more people trying hard to find ways to do shady things (and that's on both sides - the politicians and the people. And the worse things happen when the politicians and the corporations get together! Oh wait, they gave that a name, right? -- lobbying? ...) But all that, does not mean, We Cannot Have Health Care for Everyone. Grow up, people. Learn to be kind to your neighbor.

I have always thought the actions of men the best interpreters of their thoughts. ~John Locke

Okay ~ blather, blather, insult, idiot ...I don't feel well, and should not be spewing my thoughts out at this time. I think I'll go smell some roses or something. Or maybe study an ant mound.

We are more often treacherous through weakness than through calculation.
~Francois De La Rochefoucauld


Alice came to a fork in the road. "Which road do I take?" she asked.
"Where do you want to go?" responded the Cheshire cat.
"I don't know," Alice answered.
"Then," said the cat, "it doesn't matter."
~Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

My Friend Doug Barnett

Do you like music? Music that will make you smile? Then check out Doug Barnett~! I love this guy.

You will find that I have written a song with Doug called End of The Dirt Road with me furnishing the thoughts and Doug putting his magic on making it a real song~ by adding the (great) music and some very, very important lyrics to complete my ever wondering thoughts.

One of the coolest things that ever happened to me was meeting Doug over at Jacksons Cafe.

I guess we've been friends, gosh ~ about 7 years now? I don't know. But he is one of the most clever people I have ever met!

Have a great day, Doug!!

A Thought for Thursday 2010

Exercise and Diet

Unhealthy lifestyles are rooted in the mind and seeded in the soul. The spiritual exercise of the mind involves taking the mind out of the physical body and to the subtle, angelic body of light and then to our state of being a soul - a sentient point of light and power. As for diet control, pure thoughts are the healthy diet for the mind.

Creative thoughts are like vitamins and positive thoughts provide proteins that build will power, while thoughts of serving others are like carbohydrates, which provide energy for the mind.

...From the Thought for Today site.

I really enjoy this site. I have them email something to me every day.

I have grown up in the home of negativity and fear. And I am "so done with that" as the youth of today might phrase it. I was fortunate enough to come close to the knowledge of what positive emotions can do for your life while I was parenting my children. They seem to be doing okay. They seem balanced.

Balance of the mind, body and spirit is important to me. I think if one leans to far in either direction, then things will become out of focus. And if one finds themselves leaning, one should stay quiet, don't comment, don't become engaged ...Relax and let your mind find it's way back to balance.

Be the grasshopper until you become the Zen Master. The Zen Master does not concern himself with which way the hose is facing, only that he has the hose in the hand and knows the knowledge of how to use it will come if one is patient long enough.