New Years Resolutions and Tears

Your New Year's Resolutions

1) Get a pet hedgehog 2) Eat more gummy bears 3) Travel to Russia 4) Study finger painting 5) Get in shape with capoeira

What Should Your New Year's Resoluton Be?

WTF is "Capoeira"??? Apparently some brazilian martial arts thingy, according to Google/Wiki. Yeah, right. Like my knees and back would allow that. And I hate to travel. However... finger painting, gummy bears and a hedgehog sound do-able. LOL

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Patricia Schroeder - former Congresswoman from Colorado.
Been trying to remember that name for ages.

I bet almost nobody remembers her. In 1988 she ran for President - briefly. If I recall correctly, she also had a tearful breakdown, sobbing that she couldn't manage to run for President and also take care of the concerns of her district, as she quit the race.

Didn't work for her - won't work for Senator Clinton, methinks. The whole "emotional female" routine pretty much fucks things up for women in government - in fact it's been 20 years since one ran for President, thanks to Patty's little tantrum. I suppose it will be another 20 years now that Senator Clinton has done her crying female act. *sigh*

Interesting side-note:

I own the metal-frame trundle bed that Pat Schroeder's kids slept on when they visited Grandma. When I was preggers with Manda, I had been scouring the classified ads to find a used trundle bed. I loved the idea of being able to pull out an extra bed if Manda had a friend sleep over or if I needed to stay close when she was sick.

There was an ad in the paper for one, about a month before Manda was born - and we went to see it and pick it up. The people there had this great huge plate on display in the china cabinet that was US House of Representatives commemorative type deal. I asked about it and they said their daughter was in the Congress.... Only after I got home did I make the connection.

Still have the bed. In fact, it's in one of the quilt photos, I think - under the quilt, of course.


377 Days

Cats!

Mindi and Kili are two old kitty ladies that live with me. Old in kitty years. Over 15 yrs old now. Mindi has some trouble with a hip - I suspect arthritis - she's rather fat and lazy. She is, however, a snugglebunny and manages to get up onto the sofa whenever I sit there and snuggle in the crook of my knee.

Kili, on the other hand, while looking "old and wise" - actually still has the physique of a young cat, thin, muscular - she still plays "string" with an old shoelace, and bats her stuffed-felt mice around and tosses them into the air.

Kili, however, has developed a very strange habit the last few days. I don't understand it.

She has taken to sleeping with her head and shoulders (only) under my "Rubbermaid©" plastic stepstool. It's the oddest thing in the world - rather ostrich-esque.

Cats. Go figure.

379 Days

Happy New Year

I sincerely hope everyone has a really great new year. Except George W. Bush. And Senator Clinton.

Not likely they read this, however, so I suppose I'm safe.

Well, it was a New Years to remember. I don't think I've had a year that ended on such a sour note as this one in ages, and I'm not going to go into it, so phlllhhbbbhhhttt to those who are morbidly fascinated with emotional traumas and the stamping-out of burning ducks. Suffice it to say that "Learning has occurred".

One of the things I learned was not to buy a roast beast from Butera Market. I love the Butera. Nobody goes there. There is always plenty of breathing oxygen, the food is good and fresh - but their meat department is wretched. The meat LOOKS great - but I've had 2 instances of late where standard preparation of ordinary meats has resulted in extraordinary failures. Meat from Caputos from now on.

This was a bit of an issue, as I had planned a nice dinner for two for Jan. 1 - Roast Beast, veg, orange AND white potatoes, and onion soup.

Fortunately, I had a couple of pork chops in the fridge, and had made extra on the soup, so the meal was adequate regardless the roast-from-hell.

I've never had a roast do this to me before. It got all hard and uncuttable on the outside, and was farking RAW on the inside. So I cut off the hard part, and tried again to cook it and it grew a hard shell again with THAT inside being raw. (and no - the meat was NOT previously frozen)

Enough is, in fact, enough, so I gave up and thawed out the chops and did a quick broil up on them. With a bit of bruschetta on top they were excellent.

S came over for lunch on the 29th (30th?) and we went to Applebees. (Yes, I realize I have just skipped around chronologically - deal with it) They have drastically changed the menu at Applebees since the last time I was there. This can only mean 1 of 2 things - either Applebees is being quite daring and innovative..... or it has been an awfully long time since I was at an Applebees. I suspect the latter.


381 days

(P.S. - Congratulations, Senator Obama!)

Balanced

On the tip
of the point of a needle
Arms outstretched
One tiny breeze can break the spell

balanced on the tip
of the point of a needle
like a dancer en pointe
untried, fragile gossamer wings spread

one breath can tip the balance
to soar and fly
or to fall and fail
never having flown, fear of breathing

Balanced on the tip
of the point of a needle
to fall without trying
to try and possibly fall

Antici..........



................




pation. (Sorry, Dr. Frank...)



I choose.
I fly.



387 days

End of the year...

Been away a bit again, sorry about that.

Lots of hassles around the hacienda - made for a rather tense Christmas weekend. Almost all sorted now, however. Few more days ought to bring things back to "normal" - as normal as it gets around here.

Got a few presents, sent a few presents. Have a couple more to send. In all, despite the hassles, not a bad thing.

I want to say something here... I'll probably regret this, but maybe it's time to comment on the comments and stuff.

Many years ago, I met a guy online who rather surprisingly became a dear friend very quickly. We have an extraordinary friendship, one that has withstood a lot of challenges and issues. We've "been there" for each other through some awfully rough shit in both of our lives. This isn't a "romantic" thing - (not that he isn't attractive that way, but we both have other "commitments") - but rather a soul-bonding friendship that transcends mere physical desire. We have both felt that we can tell one another "anything", without being judged or condemned. He's one of the few people who can bluntly tell me to get my head out - and have me listen, rather than telling him to piss off..

He's pretty protective of me - although he knows I'm capable of being Bitch of the Week on my own and has called me on it more than once. He knows what will make me laugh, and he knows me at my best as well as my worst. He's gone by a LARGE number of nicknames over the years, in many venues - but lately he seems to have settled in my blog as "Visionary."

A relatively short while ago, I also met online a guy whom I enjoyed sparring and teasing around with. Again, not in a romantic or physical sense, but someone I enjoyed talking with. While I didn't agree with everything he says, nor he with me, we had good times talking and discussing. He had started to learn about me, but didn't know everything - especially the bit about how I really am able to completely write off what I consider to be a toxic situation. You folks know him as BBC.

A few months ago, BBC made a comment about me that was based on partial truth - but more on his own assumptions based on those truths. I'm not going to go into it here - but it was enough for me to say to him "Goodbye" and stop reading/commenting on his blog or responding here.

In the midst of all the hassles and turmoil this week, one thing I got was an e-mail from BBC, with what I firmly believe was a very sincere apology. I respect that.

Bill - I accept your apology - thank you for it. I am trusting that you, unlike others, are smart enough to know that "sorry" doesn't count if you plan to do the same thing again, and I'm certain you won't.

All the rest of you? I suspect that BBC and Visionary may well continue to spar and spit in comments. I'm ok with that. I'm certain my "readers" know the difference between MY opinion and that of those who comment. With only a VERY few exceptions, I've always let comments stand.

Merry Christmas, All.
Happy New Year.
Bright Blessings to each and every one of you.

Sewmouse.


389 Days

Schlaf im Himmlischen Ruh

As a kid, we had to learn to sing that auf Deutsch (Schtille Nacht, Heilige Nacht). Such were the punishments of attending Lutheran grade school. We also TRIED to learn to sing Adeste Fideles - but since we weren't Roman Catholic we didn't do so well with the Latin.

We have carols playing here all day long. It's not as annoying as the stores, because they have ALL the songs, not just the 2 that annoy me. D, one of my co-workers has house-lighting fever. I fervently believe his family is single-handedly responsible for all global warming due to their conspicuous electrical consumption. ComEd must LOVE them.

In some ways, I miss the whole childhood Christmas Eve school pageant/service thingy. Practicing walking on the wooden risers on the stage in the Gym without STOMPING LOUDLY. Remembering the Auf Deutsch words and learning to walk up the risers in a choir robe without tripping and falling on your face and dropping the little electric candle you were holding as you marched in.

Enviously wanting to yank every one of the long blonde banana curls out of Rhonda's hair. (Mom thought I looked cute in a short page-boy style. Ugh.) Standing shoulder-to-shoulder with no breathing room in front of the kindergartener's chairs they brought in for us to sit on - and thinking you would faint from the lack of oxygen before the 8th graders ever finished the "Magnificat", and wishing we could just fast-forward and skip over to "Joy to the World" and get out of there and do the presents-opening thing...

Wondering why we had to bring TWO cars to church when we lived only 1/2 mile away, and Dad always left the service/program about 20 minutes before we did... (Hello, Santa!!)

On the other hand - putting up lights and a tree for just a few weeks is so much work for so little "perk" - I'd rather spend the time working on the house.

Tomorrow is my last day of work for the year. All this 4th Quarter vacationing is sooooo unusual for me. Not that I'm complaining. Much.

396 days

Winter Wonderland

I grew up near Addison, Illinois - a small town out in the rural area, but with a nifty little amusement park - now long gone - Adventureland

They have since widened the cross-street, built a "berm" in the former parking-lot and turned the area into a business park. Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to go wandering around in the remaining wooded area there - would I find old "Skee-ball" tokens? Perhaps a cheap metal ring with a plastic "stone"? I wonder if anything remains of the amusement park that once was?

I drive past it every day on the way in to work. Such memories. *smile*

In the spirit of "The Season" - whichever "Season" you choose to celebrate - here are a couple links. First the lyrics to "Walkin' Round in Women's Underwear" - sung to the tune of "Winter Wonderland" - couldn't find a YouTube version that I liked.

Then this video of a song that Kal Trauma Queen once sent me back in the days when we hung out in Harry's Bar. Ho Ho... EVERYBODY sing!!!

398 days

X-Mas Carols Rant

[rant on]

Since Nancy Pelosi still insists that impeachment is "off the table,

All I want for Christmas is for Mariah Carey to SHUT THE FUCK UP

And yes, John, This is Christmas - so shut the fuck up, you're dead and your wife's an old hag who can't sing.

What the fuck happened to the old fashioned "Firestone Christmas Album" carols that they played in the stores when I was a mere lass? Bing and Burl and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Handel, Tschaicovski and the Vienna Eunuch's Choir? Jingle Bells and Silent Night and Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, the Sleighride song, and roasting your chestnuts over an open fire? Tannenbaumen und Wassail?

While I think it's cute that Grandma got run over by a reindeer, and I'll gladly buy Alvin that Hoola Hoop he's wanted for years, and I always giggle at "Walkin' Round in Women's Underwear" - when it comes time for that "Old Xmas Spirit" - I just can't get it from John and Mariah. And unfortunately, those seem to be the ONLY two songs they're playing in stores I patronize this year.

Bah.

HUMBUG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[rant off]

402 Days

Ice, Ice, Baby...

Gah, I hate that song.

Anyhow.

There is ice all over my car. There has been ice all over my car for about 4 days now. Maybe 6. Time flies when there is ice on your car. The weather has been stupendously awful. Sn*w, Rain... Snain.... This morning it was raining, but it is supposed to change to Snain and possibly Sn*w this aftnoon.

The first day of the ice-car was interesting. Usually when I have to chip my windshield free of ice it is a gut wrenching nightmare of tiny chips and frozen hands, culminating in very bad words flying into the chill winter air.

This last time, I got in the car, started it and got the heater blowing icy air at the windshield (as it had not warmed up yet), then got out with my WID (Weapon of Ice Destruction) hand-ice-scraper and dragged a corner across the ice on the windshield. To my surprise, the whole sheet of ice shattered into bajillions (exact number) of pieces which politely slid down the hood and onto the pavement.

Now, this was not just a tiny bit of ice - it was approximately 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. It had been raining and snaining for most of the night previous. I was impressed - but cautious. I then attacked the ice on the side windows and the rear window - to similar effect. What do you know - polite ice!

Ever since the ice storm, I notice traffic has been lighter. Perhaps Governor Blagojevic has issued the ultimatum I suggested - that at Thanksgiving we deport everyone born or raised south of the Mason-Dixon line back south of it, or over to Indiana until Easter. After that they can come back. They just can't drive in winter. In Indiana, nobody would notice. (*Ducks from possible thrown things from John*)

I think I may have a line on that pheasant plushie - I was at Petco the other day and saw dog toys - pheasants, mallards and such. I think they are training toys for hunting dogs. Shhh - don't tell anyone, but Lea got her GrandDog a new stuffed plushy hedgehog for Xmas - it has squeakers in its tummy and has a santa hat.


405 days

Cold Call Cold Shoulder

Salesmen, as every sane person knows, are the lowest known form of life.

Insurance Salesmen are the lowest known form of salesman - thereby making the single-cell paramecium look rather like a galaxy-sized complex organism by comparison.

Hey, salesman? Coming to the door at NOON FIFTEEN - is NOT the way to introduce yourself to a potential new client. You have just managed to do several things...

1) you have pissed off the backup receptionist who

a) Does not want to have to deal with people at the door
b) Has her own work to finish and has reluctantly agreed to put up with answering the phone so the receptionist can eat

2) You are NEVER, EVER, EVER, under ANY circumstances, going to get to see the "Traffic Manager" - because HE'S EATING LUNCH, YOU FUCKING MORON!!!

3) You've committed the lower-level of sexual harassment by mentioning how "cute" the receptionist's nails are. Shut the fuck up and slink off back to the tar pit you oozed out of this morning, buttwipe. She's young enough to be your daughter - PERVERT.


Guess what, assmunch? The receptionist came back to my office and asked how to deal with you. You're lucky she's a nicer person than I am. What I told her, and what she told you are very different things. Same result, but at least she didn't call you what I did, foreskin breath.

So now, you've pissed off the accountant too. Which means that if the traffic manager ever DOES make the collosal mistake of doing business with your company - I'll make sure it takes a looooonnnnnnnggggggggg time for you to get paid.

Die in a fire.

409 days