'Tis the Sunday before Christmas, and all through the US, the shoppers are crazy to find the best. Now only six days left to find the perfect gift, you can't disappoint or you will hear a rift. So settle down and don't risk your life, just go green and dismiss the mall hype. With a list of how too's and magic in the air, create lots of jolliness without any despair. Now I am done with my poem and have no more to share, consider the list of greenness that is more than fair. And Merry Christmas to all from here, until I email you again in the new year!
Done with driving, fighting traffic, no available parking, long lines? Why do we do this to ourselves every year? I am working on going green, and I will admit its hard. In line with gardening and recycling, I tried to incorporate some greenness (and not in a Scrooge way), into Christmas. Instead of creating more pollution, here's how we can take advantage of America's love for over consumption while giving great gifts.
1. RE GIFTING. Admit it, you probably have some really nice things that you will never use, do not like, or have no clue how to put them to use. They are taking up space in your cabinets. Or maybe you are a hoarder. Stop hording and give a little. I would be willing to place a bet that even Queen Elizabeth has re gifted.
2. JOEY'S GIFT EXCHANGE. My cousin Joey must have full credit for this idea, and I think it is awesome. Have a Christmas party and exchange. This is not necessarily a gift exchange or white elephant. It is where you bring unused or unwanted and unwrapped items (you are not re gifting) from your house. Everyone sets them out. Some people will find things they can use others will not. But the point is that the unused items in your house will be appreciated. You spend no money on buying gifts, but yet you make someone else happy, and potentially find something really cool that you want.
3. BUY PRODUCTS WITH LESS PACKAGING. There are lots of products on the market, including toys, with a lot of unnecessary and environmentally unfriendly packaging. Buy products with the least amount of packaging as gifts, like toilet paper. People always need it and will always use it!
4. SHOP ESTATE SALES. Real estate sales are a treasure trove of stuff. When old people die or are moved off to a nursing home, their stuff is often sold off. A true estate sale can contain 50 years or more of stuff including gifts they never re gifted that their own families do not want. You can find silver, china, sports memorabilia, and doilies. All good choices for someone on your list.
5. MOVIE EXCHANGE. Have a movie exchange with your friends or family. Now is your chance to get rid of all those movies you have watched over and over or those porno flics you have been hiding in the closet. Come on guys, you know you have purchased some tacky movies from time to time.
6. MAKE SOMETHING. Think you can't make something? Wrong, you definitely can create something. I have been to several art studios to with lots of expensive "art" that looks like a 5 year old put it together. You can compile a bunch of crap, glue it all together, and call it a masterpiece. Give the gift of art that will never go away. Make sure you use materials that will not compost and can be sealed so it will stand the test of time. This will truly test how gracious the recipient is, but also recycles materials that would otherwise be sitting in the garage, the shed or the trash.
Over the next six days, one of the six ideas above will help you have a Green Christmas. I think I will make this a tradition! HAPPY NEW YEAR!
p.s. On a more serious note, if you do not have a Kindle or cannot afford to purchase one, you can download the Kindle software for free on your PC. So if you receive or giving the gift of Amazon, remember to share the free Kindle for PC software.
Carpe Diem
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Go Straight to the New Year
I'm skipping right over Christmas as if Rudolph spooked and flew over North America. Every year I hear disheartening comments decrying the Christmas holiday. For a lot of people, 'tis the season of stress, overeating and credit card abuse. And if you don't submiss to advertisers pleas to lavishly spend on your children, buy a diamond ring or a Lexus, then really, whats the point? So this year, I am giving Saint Nicholas a vacation, and I'm letting go of the stress caused by a never ending cycle of seeking out the perfect gift that does not exist. I'm pulling the plug on Christmas. (Not really, I love giving gifts and visiting with family over the holiday, but for this blog, I'm throwing in the towel.) It's time to just let go. If the Christmas holiday brings you down, then you should pull the plug too.
The Christmas lights are out, but the new year is being pulled around the corner by eight white horses. To smooth over the loss of a major holiday, and to provide rejuvenation, I came up with a fantastic idea for new year's eve. Instead of the usual party horns and champagne, or the burying of deep thoughts in the yard to dig up next year, or the destruction of bad thoughts by burning them in a bonfire in the middle of your living room, ask the people around you for help.
How do we do that? We allow our loved one(s) to write our new year's resolutions for us and we write theirs! That's right. Your project for the next two weeks is for you to have the person closest to you write your new year's resolutions. Here is the example for women to write for their husbands and boyfriends around the world:
1. I will always pick up my dirty laundry
2. I will help with cleaning out the litter box
3. I will go to the mall with my girlfriend at least three times next year
4. I will plan more vacations
5. I will actually go grocery shopping
6. I will learn what to put in the recycling bin
7. I will remember that when I am nagged it is because I am not doing items 1-6.
See how easy that is? I'm sure my boyfriend's new year's resolutions for me will look something like this:
1. I will stop nagging him to clean
2. I will stop nagging him to clean the litter box
3. I will not ask him to go for a walk with the dogs
4. I will not ask him if he is mad at me
5. I will not ask him if I look fat in those jeans
6. I will go or watch the equivalent of 200 baseball games with him
7. I will love the catchers mitt he bought me for Christmas.
I would love to share your lists on the blog. Hope to see your lists soon. Just click on "Post a Comment" link to post a comment below.
Namaste, Carpe Diem and Merry Christmas anyway!
The Christmas lights are out, but the new year is being pulled around the corner by eight white horses. To smooth over the loss of a major holiday, and to provide rejuvenation, I came up with a fantastic idea for new year's eve. Instead of the usual party horns and champagne, or the burying of deep thoughts in the yard to dig up next year, or the destruction of bad thoughts by burning them in a bonfire in the middle of your living room, ask the people around you for help.
How do we do that? We allow our loved one(s) to write our new year's resolutions for us and we write theirs! That's right. Your project for the next two weeks is for you to have the person closest to you write your new year's resolutions. Here is the example for women to write for their husbands and boyfriends around the world:
1. I will always pick up my dirty laundry
2. I will help with cleaning out the litter box
3. I will go to the mall with my girlfriend at least three times next year
4. I will plan more vacations
5. I will actually go grocery shopping
6. I will learn what to put in the recycling bin
7. I will remember that when I am nagged it is because I am not doing items 1-6.
See how easy that is? I'm sure my boyfriend's new year's resolutions for me will look something like this:
1. I will stop nagging him to clean
2. I will stop nagging him to clean the litter box
3. I will not ask him to go for a walk with the dogs
4. I will not ask him if he is mad at me
5. I will not ask him if I look fat in those jeans
6. I will go or watch the equivalent of 200 baseball games with him
7. I will love the catchers mitt he bought me for Christmas.
I would love to share your lists on the blog. Hope to see your lists soon. Just click on "Post a Comment" link to post a comment below.
Namaste, Carpe Diem and Merry Christmas anyway!
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Baseball, Then Roller Derby, Then Football
If you were entertained by frozen pizza's and Saturday Night Live in the late 70's, you will recognize this line, "Baseball has bin bery bery good to me." If there is no recognition, pretend you are a Black comedian pretending to be a baseball player from the Dominican Republic. It was the age of Gilda Radner and it was funny. I didn't get the joke about baseball until Alex Rodriguez betrayed the Texas Rangers for millions of dollars to play for the Yankees. And although I am not making gazillions of dollars playing shortstop for the Yanks, baseball has been very good to me this year. This was the first time in my life that I watched baseball with purpose, that I went to the baseball games to cheer a specific player, that I purchased a jersey to show my support for the home team. I had no idea that 30 attended games and ten pounds later (all from $1 hot dog night at the ball park), that the Texas Rangers would go to the World Series and I would purchase a foam finger. Wow. And in reality, my boyfriend made the game come alive. He rooted for the home team instead of watching 500 other baseball games at the risk of making me feel benched. He taught me a lot about being a vigilant Rangers fan. The season is now over, and as I attempt to lose my hot dog buns until next season, I must find other forms of entertainment.
Ah yes, a good old fashioned roller derby. Awesome stuff. I went to my first Roller Derby match, bout, mash up, whatever you want to call it, the week before Halloween. Flashbacks from the 70's once again, except this time, it's flat track, it's fast, it's a bit crude and there are no ropes separating you from the skaters. This can be treacherous if your seat is not more than 3 feet off the ground. The women on a team make up jammers and blockers. As you can imagine, the jammers are usually small, agile and quick, and the blockers, well, you will see in the background of the picture below. None of the skaters understand that fishnets and big thighs don't mix and three feet off the ground is not high enough! Aside from a little pushing, hip checking and a lot of screaming, it was mostly an underwear show. The batman underwear was not to be outdone by the half time show in between bouts. I took a video of roller derby queens dressed as zombies recreating Michael Jackson's Thriller video. It was on YouTube until my boyfriend received a threatening email to take it down because of some crazy copyright thingy. Other entertainment was provided by a giant with a dead baby doll. You will just have to watch football for a real half time show.
Speaking of which, I still love the Dallas Cowboys despite their constant suckitude. As I was lying in bed after their Sunday night beat down, I asked, "Why doesn't Jerry Jones fire some people mid season and shake things up?" The answer given to me was "Because it's mid-season, teams will wait until the end of the year to change coaching." Ha, I guess Jones took my advice. For now, all I care about is how my fantasy football teams are doing. That's right, I said "teams" plural. I swore last year that I would never play again. It was a pain in my ass to remember to set my lineup every week. And God forbid a player had the week off. Yet here we are mid-season and I have two teams to maintain. And honestly, I am not doing too bad. Despite my connection of stupidity to fantasy football, I now enjoy it in a twisted way. Admittedly, I do not commit a lot of time to my research every week, but I know how to get the information. Wahaha. So now on Sunday when I get up, I hang out on the couch in my underwear, scratch myself, check out my lineup and wait for the clock to strike noon. If I don't make it to the playoffs, I think I will try out for roller derby.
Don't worry, I'm still doing yoga, cooking, wearing makeup and high heels and love horses. Namaste!
Ah yes, a good old fashioned roller derby. Awesome stuff. I went to my first Roller Derby match, bout, mash up, whatever you want to call it, the week before Halloween. Flashbacks from the 70's once again, except this time, it's flat track, it's fast, it's a bit crude and there are no ropes separating you from the skaters. This can be treacherous if your seat is not more than 3 feet off the ground. The women on a team make up jammers and blockers. As you can imagine, the jammers are usually small, agile and quick, and the blockers, well, you will see in the background of the picture below. None of the skaters understand that fishnets and big thighs don't mix and three feet off the ground is not high enough! Aside from a little pushing, hip checking and a lot of screaming, it was mostly an underwear show. The batman underwear was not to be outdone by the half time show in between bouts. I took a video of roller derby queens dressed as zombies recreating Michael Jackson's Thriller video. It was on YouTube until my boyfriend received a threatening email to take it down because of some crazy copyright thingy. Other entertainment was provided by a giant with a dead baby doll. You will just have to watch football for a real half time show.
Speaking of which, I still love the Dallas Cowboys despite their constant suckitude. As I was lying in bed after their Sunday night beat down, I asked, "Why doesn't Jerry Jones fire some people mid season and shake things up?" The answer given to me was "Because it's mid-season, teams will wait until the end of the year to change coaching." Ha, I guess Jones took my advice. For now, all I care about is how my fantasy football teams are doing. That's right, I said "teams" plural. I swore last year that I would never play again. It was a pain in my ass to remember to set my lineup every week. And God forbid a player had the week off. Yet here we are mid-season and I have two teams to maintain. And honestly, I am not doing too bad. Despite my connection of stupidity to fantasy football, I now enjoy it in a twisted way. Admittedly, I do not commit a lot of time to my research every week, but I know how to get the information. Wahaha. So now on Sunday when I get up, I hang out on the couch in my underwear, scratch myself, check out my lineup and wait for the clock to strike noon. If I don't make it to the playoffs, I think I will try out for roller derby.
Don't worry, I'm still doing yoga, cooking, wearing makeup and high heels and love horses. Namaste!
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Stop the Aging Process and Lose Weight Now!
I’m starring down the barrel of 45 . . . age that is. All of a sudden I’m ten years older and ten pounds heavier. I had never had an issue with weight, ever, before now. I was a toothpick growing up. That could have been due to the fact that we had a family of six, and many times seven, and if I didn't eat fast enough, there was nothing left. In reality, I would rather eat a bowl of sugar once a day than eat three healthy meals. Now, if I even think about eating a bowl of sugar I gain a couple of pounds and ten more gray hairs.
I know I'm in the same boat with many aging people, extra weight (commonly known as “Fat”), cellulite (ick!), saggy skin, wrinkles, gray hair, and really need I go on. And for all you young ladies out there that think you are immune, I have news for you. I used to be young too. Such sweet revenge, but still, doesn't help the fact that my body parts are falling, sagging, wrinkling, growing and/or shrinking. Once I think I have something under control through a new workout program, then I have to color my hair. Once that is done, I have to get stronker wrinkle cream.
There are few options in the battle of the bulge and fighting old age. Here are some ideas that are outside of the box but could have dramatic affects.
1. Get stranded on a desert island. This will certainly cause radical changes in your weight and probably improve your tan. Not sure your skin conditions are going to improve, but you will definitely lose some fat.
2. Start putting 100% of your salary into your 401K. This will leave nothing left for food.
3. Abandon earth and purchase a seat somewhere in space. Your comfort is certainly going to depend on losing some weight, especially if you want to fit into that space suit. We might as well, especially since Iran and Korea continue to threaten nuclear war for no reason whatsoever. Meeting with Professor Hawking anyone?
4. Rob a bank and get caught, or not. Either way, the stress of running from the law and then eventually getting caught and going to prison will cause you not to eat for a long time. However, the consequences are that you will balloon in weight once you start eating all the starchy food served in prison cafeterias. Yuk.
5. Add Cayenne to every meal. It will hurt and you will spend a lot of time in the bathroom, but you will lose weight!
6. Eat some eggs that have one of the following numbers on the carton P-1026, P-1413, and P-1946. Salmonella will not kill you, but it will make you very ill.
If you have any good suggestions you would like me to add, let me know!!
Carpe Diem
I know I'm in the same boat with many aging people, extra weight (commonly known as “Fat”), cellulite (ick!), saggy skin, wrinkles, gray hair, and really need I go on. And for all you young ladies out there that think you are immune, I have news for you. I used to be young too. Such sweet revenge, but still, doesn't help the fact that my body parts are falling, sagging, wrinkling, growing and/or shrinking. Once I think I have something under control through a new workout program, then I have to color my hair. Once that is done, I have to get stronker wrinkle cream.
There are few options in the battle of the bulge and fighting old age. Here are some ideas that are outside of the box but could have dramatic affects.
1. Get stranded on a desert island. This will certainly cause radical changes in your weight and probably improve your tan. Not sure your skin conditions are going to improve, but you will definitely lose some fat.
2. Start putting 100% of your salary into your 401K. This will leave nothing left for food.
3. Abandon earth and purchase a seat somewhere in space. Your comfort is certainly going to depend on losing some weight, especially if you want to fit into that space suit. We might as well, especially since Iran and Korea continue to threaten nuclear war for no reason whatsoever. Meeting with Professor Hawking anyone?
4. Rob a bank and get caught, or not. Either way, the stress of running from the law and then eventually getting caught and going to prison will cause you not to eat for a long time. However, the consequences are that you will balloon in weight once you start eating all the starchy food served in prison cafeterias. Yuk.
5. Add Cayenne to every meal. It will hurt and you will spend a lot of time in the bathroom, but you will lose weight!
6. Eat some eggs that have one of the following numbers on the carton P-1026, P-1413, and P-1946. Salmonella will not kill you, but it will make you very ill.
If you have any good suggestions you would like me to add, let me know!!
Carpe Diem
Sunday, July 18, 2010
FEELING FREE WITH REDNECKS BECAUSE I CARE
The big gasp everyone took at the first images of hundreds of gallons of oil gushing into the Gulf is finally being exhaled as the BP Cap appears to be holding. I wonder what my dad, an engineer of all sorts, would have thought of that debacle. Here is an oil and gas giant with massive amounts of resources, but none that could stop the deep sea monster they created. Some one at BP with brains finally stepped up to the monster and is resolving the problem. Maybe every one in the Gulf can start breathing again.
This makes me feel free. Free to go to the Gulf of Mexico for a vacation, maybe the redneck riviera in Florida. They have been advertising a lot here in Texas, and it looks nice. I can get out of the city and breathe, something we all need to practice more. Breath can do a lot of things. It is used as the basis of meditation and yoga. It brings life to our bodies and our minds. It creates a feeling of calm. We walk around all day taking in short breaths and don't realize we are suffocating ourselves. The more everyone practices breathing more fully, the happier everyone will be with each other.
On the other hand, sometimes being quiet and breathing is just not enough. There are times where you have to stand up for yourself or someone else because the other person isn't breathing. In fact, they are hyperventilating or choking on their own ego. (Kind of like Mel Gibson.)
The other day I was in bumper to bumper traffic. In front of me was a large man in a large pick up truck with really large tires. He was smoking a cigarette and tailgating a small Toyota in front of him. There was essentially no wear to go to escape, except slowly changing lanes. The guy in the truck was upset, smoking and providing multiple one-finger bouquets to the driver of the Toyota. The truck could have easily driving right over the small Toyota, but smartly the Toyota driver exited the highway (with his blinker) where I was exiting. All of a sudden, the big pick up decided to exit as well while throwing his cigarette out of the window, and continued the relentless pursuit of torture of the driver of the Toyota. I exited to the right turn only lane where I was all alone. The Toyota sat helpless with the big pick up truck behind in a long line of cars at a traffic light to turn left. I was free to do what I wanted. In my zen way, I pulled up next to the truck, looked at the driver and smiled. I rolled my window down, he rolled his window down. I asked politely with a smile "did that truck come with an ashtray?" He screamed at me "What do you care?" I smiled back and said "I care." His retort, "FU!" as I expected. So I asked, "Why don't you leave that person in front of you alone and have a nice day." And as I drove off, I could see his fat body bouncing around flailing his arms as he screamed. He was stuck in heavy traffic, and I was free in so many ways. God it felt good. (This is not recommended, especially in Texas with a lot of gun toting rednecks. Leave it to the professionals and those like me who are too stupid to know better.)
I'm feeling really good now, relaxed. Free to pursue my writing again, continue volunteer work, enjoy my new job, hang out with friends, and wait for my fantasy football league invitations. There is something to be said for breathing.
"Our grand business in life is not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand."
-- Thomas Carlyle
This makes me feel free. Free to go to the Gulf of Mexico for a vacation, maybe the redneck riviera in Florida. They have been advertising a lot here in Texas, and it looks nice. I can get out of the city and breathe, something we all need to practice more. Breath can do a lot of things. It is used as the basis of meditation and yoga. It brings life to our bodies and our minds. It creates a feeling of calm. We walk around all day taking in short breaths and don't realize we are suffocating ourselves. The more everyone practices breathing more fully, the happier everyone will be with each other.
On the other hand, sometimes being quiet and breathing is just not enough. There are times where you have to stand up for yourself or someone else because the other person isn't breathing. In fact, they are hyperventilating or choking on their own ego. (Kind of like Mel Gibson.)
The other day I was in bumper to bumper traffic. In front of me was a large man in a large pick up truck with really large tires. He was smoking a cigarette and tailgating a small Toyota in front of him. There was essentially no wear to go to escape, except slowly changing lanes. The guy in the truck was upset, smoking and providing multiple one-finger bouquets to the driver of the Toyota. The truck could have easily driving right over the small Toyota, but smartly the Toyota driver exited the highway (with his blinker) where I was exiting. All of a sudden, the big pick up decided to exit as well while throwing his cigarette out of the window, and continued the relentless pursuit of torture of the driver of the Toyota. I exited to the right turn only lane where I was all alone. The Toyota sat helpless with the big pick up truck behind in a long line of cars at a traffic light to turn left. I was free to do what I wanted. In my zen way, I pulled up next to the truck, looked at the driver and smiled. I rolled my window down, he rolled his window down. I asked politely with a smile "did that truck come with an ashtray?" He screamed at me "What do you care?" I smiled back and said "I care." His retort, "FU!" as I expected. So I asked, "Why don't you leave that person in front of you alone and have a nice day." And as I drove off, I could see his fat body bouncing around flailing his arms as he screamed. He was stuck in heavy traffic, and I was free in so many ways. God it felt good. (This is not recommended, especially in Texas with a lot of gun toting rednecks. Leave it to the professionals and those like me who are too stupid to know better.)
I'm feeling really good now, relaxed. Free to pursue my writing again, continue volunteer work, enjoy my new job, hang out with friends, and wait for my fantasy football league invitations. There is something to be said for breathing.
"Our grand business in life is not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand."
-- Thomas Carlyle
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Two Australian Guys Walk into a Bar . . . .
I'm seriously behind on my writing projects, but that's okay. One of my goals this year is to keep up my blog, and the other is to chill out. So I guess right now, I'm in the "chill out" phase of writing on my blog. Mostly because the world seems to be experiencing some really strange things, and I can't write any better than the world can create chaos. An acquaintance claims it is the position of the planets right now through October, at least. I can't disagree with her. It makes more sense then the Texas Governor who stated the oil gushing into the Gulf of Mexico is an act of God. This is a man that shot a coyote while out for a job with his dog. Once he felt safe, he and his dog continued on their run. So many things wrong with this story, and so little time, so here's the link for you crazed political junkies: http://law.rightpundits.com/?p=1523.
Regarding the Derby, I had no pick, but will predict Super Saver will NOT be the next triple crown winner. He just doesn't have it in him. And after meeting Lulu, I think I know who the 2012 Derby winner will be - her picture is below). Lulu is a 3 week old thoroughbred filly who likes her butt scratched!)
I hope everything is cool. Stay away from anything bad for you, aliens, and the Gulf Coast.
I went to Chicago recently and escaped. Now if you have to go to Chicago to escape oil leaks, Greece going bankrupt and your computer, than the planets are definitely not aligned. I did have a great time, and amassed a lot of writing material. Like the story of two Australian guys in a bar. I'll save it for later since it is one way to look at national health care, and right now everyone is sick, form national health care (except me).
Last, I usually write about the Kentucky Derby. Instead of writing about this year's race, I completely missed it. Yes, there is a DVR in my house, and yes, I set it to record. It just so happens that those darn planets caused the phone, the satellite and the DSL to all go down within a couple of days of each other. It was weird, like aliens visiting weird. In fact, the Saturday night before all of this, I was chilling out in a hotel lobby at about 11:00 at night. No, I wasn't hookin, I was waiting for a midnight movie to begin at the Texas Frightmare Weekend. (A story for some other day.) John Carpenter and Elvira were even in attendance. But as I am sitting in the bar, I was zoning in on Larry King Live on the television. He had two guests on, one was Stephen Hawking, who believes that we should not be talking to aliens, or encouraging in any way, their visitation here on earth. I think it's a little late for that. But for all you people out there coaxing them to land in your back yard, STOP IT! I don't want to become a lab human.
Regarding the Derby, I had no pick, but will predict Super Saver will NOT be the next triple crown winner. He just doesn't have it in him. And after meeting Lulu, I think I know who the 2012 Derby winner will be - her picture is below). Lulu is a 3 week old thoroughbred filly who likes her butt scratched!)
I hope everything is cool. Stay away from anything bad for you, aliens, and the Gulf Coast.
Cyn
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Watch Out Poison Ivy!
It was the first week in August of 2008 that I launched by blog "Jejune Advice to All." I can't believe it's been almost two years! My hope is that it has been mildly to very entertaining at times for each person who reads it. Poking fun at myself (and everything else in the world) has been liberating. And, as always, the world around me feeds great topics to blog about. However, there is one blog entry that I would love to forget . . . my summer long battle with poison ivy!
On the eve of summer 2010, I would like to celebrate my eventual win over the devious ivy (I may not have won the war, but I managed to not to pick a fight for the past two years). In celebration, I would like to report that a solution to the growing need for poison ivy control has been discovered. GOATS! That's right, you can rent your very own herd of goats to clear brush and eat your poison ivy. For those of you who need to rent a goat, I'm including a link to a great article from the Dirt Doctor with video on herds of plant destroying goats. So if you want to get rid of weeds, poison oak, squirrels and your lawn, a herd of goats can't be beat.
http://www.dirtdoctor.com/organic/garden/view_question/id/3093/
This may be old news to some of you, but for me it solidifies my decision to harbor a furry weed eating nanny in my backyard. I can claim it's a medical necessity. I wonder if the City of Dallas would buy that? I can't wait!
Carpe Diem.
On the eve of summer 2010, I would like to celebrate my eventual win over the devious ivy (I may not have won the war, but I managed to not to pick a fight for the past two years). In celebration, I would like to report that a solution to the growing need for poison ivy control has been discovered. GOATS! That's right, you can rent your very own herd of goats to clear brush and eat your poison ivy. For those of you who need to rent a goat, I'm including a link to a great article from the Dirt Doctor with video on herds of plant destroying goats. So if you want to get rid of weeds, poison oak, squirrels and your lawn, a herd of goats can't be beat.
http://www.dirtdoctor.com/organic/garden/view_question/id/3093/
This may be old news to some of you, but for me it solidifies my decision to harbor a furry weed eating nanny in my backyard. I can claim it's a medical necessity. I wonder if the City of Dallas would buy that? I can't wait!
Carpe Diem.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Solutions to America's Problems Anyone?
I'm going to pull the plug, and am publishing my most controversial blog yet. For years, I have pondered about homelessness in America, the population growth from both immigration and birth in America, how we can help others and help our own country, on and on. At times I seem to have flashes of brilliance only to be harshly admonished for being too conservative or too liberal. No matter what political party, religion or groups you affiliate yourself with, you have to admit, America may just be in trouble.
With that said, I am publishing my humble ideas, (which are subject to change at any moment), and hopefully will get to hear about your ideas.
PROBLEMS:
We have lots of unwanted children.
We have drugs.
We have gangs.
We have violent crime (not just crime, but violent crime).
Drugs, gangs and violent crime are frequently interrelated. Drug dealers are usually in gangs. Gang members usually carry guns. Guns usually lead to violent crimes when carried by drug dealers in a gang. Every once in a while you hear about the high profile murder of an unsuspecting family person or a crime of passion. But those are few and far between compared to the common violent crimes on the streets of any major metropolitan area. So where do we begin to fix it?
THE BIGGER PROBLEM:
It starts with the parents at home, the environment, the total unconsciousness of our society. Let's start with the reason you are married and have children. Most of you planned your children, or if you didn't, you took responsibility for your children and then maybe planned additional children. You work, raise your children, teach them between right and wrong, and your children go to school. If you don't have children, you probably made a conscious decision to not have children. Most parents that plan and/or take responsibility for their children live a life of consciousness.
The problem is, not everyone lives their life in conciousness, planning, and trying to make the right decisions. Many people live uncarring, ego driven lives. These people are usually drug addicts, drug dealers, gang members, come from abusive horrible backgrounds, or are just simply dark souls with no conscience at all (like Jeffrey Dahmer).
Everyone wants solutions, and everyone has great ideas, but this is where the controversy always arises. One person, side, party, religion, etc. may believe that their solution is better than the other. The truth is no one knows whether it is a good solution until it is implemented. Results will show whether it was worthwhile or not. And how will we know unless we have results? Kind of like the healthcare plan.
SUGGESTIONS??
1. Legalize certain drugs. I know that sounds crazy, and probably doesn't resolve turf war issues, but certainly will change the black market entirely (which also exists in prisons by the way), thus changing how drugs are sold. I doubt it would make them more prevelant because there would be strict rules as to the amount, control and sale of drugs. People would be going to prison for real crimes as opposed to some goofy college student with 1/2 ounce of weed in his pocket he was going to smoke on the couch.
2. Ban hand guns, ALL HAND GUNS (except for police and military). How can a drug dealer, desparate drug addict, or gang member shoot or rob anyone if they don't have a hand gun? Do you really need 20 handguns? What's wrong with a rifle? I like rifles, I think they are fun to shoot. I know, what about your constitutional rights? I think if our founding fathers saw what was going on in society today, they would be disgusted at the mutation and abuse of the meaning of the our constitutional rights. Having a well-armed militia does not mean allowing everyone the right to own a handgun, especially if 70% of the people with handguns possess them and use them unlawfully. I would give up my handguns in a heart beat if it meant the mass reduction of violent crimes in America. If you think I'm wrong, you are living in a bubble. Yes, there have been violent crimes committed with rifles and shotguns, and that can always go up, but you can't hide a rifle in your pants at a night club or in the arm rest of your car. In 2002, there were over 16,000 murders, over 8,000 from the use of a hand gun. You can check out stats (albeit old) and the 2nd Amendment at http://www.csus.edu/indiv/g/gaskilld/SocialIssues14/guns.htm
3. Pay people to have a vasectomy or a tubal ligation (tying up those tubes)! I had been racking my brains for years for a solution to the overbirth of unwanted poor children who are only going to be subjected to a life of poverty and crime. I'm not saying that everyone should just stop having children if you live in the projects or are poor, but those children should be planned or at least taken care of in a kind humane manner in which people were meant to live. America is supposed to be the exemplar country of power, truth and freedom, but we constantly hear stories of atrocities committed against innocent children who have no part in their own abuse or death. If you were a drug addict, what would you choose? To have a child you have no intention of feeding or caring for or to have money $$$ to buy more drugs? I know this is a hard one to swallow, but someone I know came up with the idea of paying people to spay or neuter themselves. I love the idea. Mine was always to provide free birth control, but you cannot force someone to use it. This provides permanent birth control. This does not mean you cannot first have children. Maybe you are 20, unemployed, and you have four children from three different daddies who are no where to be found. Don't you think its time for a little self control?
CONCLUSION:
As there must be, evil will probably find a way to sneak back in and ruin my great ideas once implemented. But think of the amount of money we will save without tax hikes and bigger government by decreasing the prison population, decreasing the general population, decreasing the medicaid outlays, and decreasing the amount of overtime our homicide detectives work. Some states would save millions of dollars in just one year from sales tax of marijuana alone!
Crazy, outlandish, but admittedly, sensible.
Carpe Diem!
With that said, I am publishing my humble ideas, (which are subject to change at any moment), and hopefully will get to hear about your ideas.
PROBLEMS:
We have lots of unwanted children.
We have drugs.
We have gangs.
We have violent crime (not just crime, but violent crime).
Drugs, gangs and violent crime are frequently interrelated. Drug dealers are usually in gangs. Gang members usually carry guns. Guns usually lead to violent crimes when carried by drug dealers in a gang. Every once in a while you hear about the high profile murder of an unsuspecting family person or a crime of passion. But those are few and far between compared to the common violent crimes on the streets of any major metropolitan area. So where do we begin to fix it?
THE BIGGER PROBLEM:
It starts with the parents at home, the environment, the total unconsciousness of our society. Let's start with the reason you are married and have children. Most of you planned your children, or if you didn't, you took responsibility for your children and then maybe planned additional children. You work, raise your children, teach them between right and wrong, and your children go to school. If you don't have children, you probably made a conscious decision to not have children. Most parents that plan and/or take responsibility for their children live a life of consciousness.
The problem is, not everyone lives their life in conciousness, planning, and trying to make the right decisions. Many people live uncarring, ego driven lives. These people are usually drug addicts, drug dealers, gang members, come from abusive horrible backgrounds, or are just simply dark souls with no conscience at all (like Jeffrey Dahmer).
Everyone wants solutions, and everyone has great ideas, but this is where the controversy always arises. One person, side, party, religion, etc. may believe that their solution is better than the other. The truth is no one knows whether it is a good solution until it is implemented. Results will show whether it was worthwhile or not. And how will we know unless we have results? Kind of like the healthcare plan.
SUGGESTIONS??
1. Legalize certain drugs. I know that sounds crazy, and probably doesn't resolve turf war issues, but certainly will change the black market entirely (which also exists in prisons by the way), thus changing how drugs are sold. I doubt it would make them more prevelant because there would be strict rules as to the amount, control and sale of drugs. People would be going to prison for real crimes as opposed to some goofy college student with 1/2 ounce of weed in his pocket he was going to smoke on the couch.
2. Ban hand guns, ALL HAND GUNS (except for police and military). How can a drug dealer, desparate drug addict, or gang member shoot or rob anyone if they don't have a hand gun? Do you really need 20 handguns? What's wrong with a rifle? I like rifles, I think they are fun to shoot. I know, what about your constitutional rights? I think if our founding fathers saw what was going on in society today, they would be disgusted at the mutation and abuse of the meaning of the our constitutional rights. Having a well-armed militia does not mean allowing everyone the right to own a handgun, especially if 70% of the people with handguns possess them and use them unlawfully. I would give up my handguns in a heart beat if it meant the mass reduction of violent crimes in America. If you think I'm wrong, you are living in a bubble. Yes, there have been violent crimes committed with rifles and shotguns, and that can always go up, but you can't hide a rifle in your pants at a night club or in the arm rest of your car. In 2002, there were over 16,000 murders, over 8,000 from the use of a hand gun. You can check out stats (albeit old) and the 2nd Amendment at http://www.csus.edu/indiv/g/gaskilld/SocialIssues14/guns.htm
3. Pay people to have a vasectomy or a tubal ligation (tying up those tubes)! I had been racking my brains for years for a solution to the overbirth of unwanted poor children who are only going to be subjected to a life of poverty and crime. I'm not saying that everyone should just stop having children if you live in the projects or are poor, but those children should be planned or at least taken care of in a kind humane manner in which people were meant to live. America is supposed to be the exemplar country of power, truth and freedom, but we constantly hear stories of atrocities committed against innocent children who have no part in their own abuse or death. If you were a drug addict, what would you choose? To have a child you have no intention of feeding or caring for or to have money $$$ to buy more drugs? I know this is a hard one to swallow, but someone I know came up with the idea of paying people to spay or neuter themselves. I love the idea. Mine was always to provide free birth control, but you cannot force someone to use it. This provides permanent birth control. This does not mean you cannot first have children. Maybe you are 20, unemployed, and you have four children from three different daddies who are no where to be found. Don't you think its time for a little self control?
CONCLUSION:
As there must be, evil will probably find a way to sneak back in and ruin my great ideas once implemented. But think of the amount of money we will save without tax hikes and bigger government by decreasing the prison population, decreasing the general population, decreasing the medicaid outlays, and decreasing the amount of overtime our homicide detectives work. Some states would save millions of dollars in just one year from sales tax of marijuana alone!
Crazy, outlandish, but admittedly, sensible.
Carpe Diem!
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
MONEY!
Hate talking about money? Me too! But instead of being clueless I decided to come face-to-face with something that I fear, saving! Who would of thought in high school that the term 401K would be music to your ears? Since many of us probably included a goal related to money in our new year's resolutions, I thought I would float out some information that might be helpful - maybe.
I'm not a financial advisor now, nor do I know much about investing. In fact, I'm terrible at it, and have rarely had access to a 401K from the employers I have worked for. I have scrimped and saved here and there only to blow it. Now that I am sort of getting older, (but still look fabulous), I start taking this saving thing seriously. I have relied solely on advice from friends, employers, financial advisors, investment books and free articles on the Internet. Most say, "diversify". How do you diversify if you have no money?
If you are like me and freaking out, then pull yourself up by the bootstraps and get busy. Social Security is bankrupt, the US may be bankrupt soon, and I don't think our exports are going to out perform Asia any time soon no matter how bad Toyota is performing right now. But alas, we are not doomed. There's lots we can do to try and secure our future savings.
First, since I do not have a 401K (the ability to save like crazy tax free and earn free money from your employer's match) I started a Roth IRA. I contribute after-tax money every month. Even a small amount adds up. I do this with an online account for free. And I am taking advantage of time and embarking on investing in overseas companies (except Toyota)!
Second, because of sky rocketing (I mean into another atmosphere) cost of health insurance, I got a high deductible health plan with a Health Savings Account. I had to research it, but several banks have separate Health Savings Accounts, like "HSA Bank" or "Bank of America". The account is similar to an IRA. You can deposit or rollover up to $3,000 a year into this tax free savings vehicle. You are not taxed on the deposits. The bank will send you a credit card just for your health care expenses. You can even use it on therapeutic massages, medications, dental, homeopathic remedies and vitamins, as long as it is within your defined plan. If you have out-of-pocket expenses for medical, you can repay yourself from your HSA. Or, you can be healthy, not spend the money and leave it in there to earn interest. Just be sure to watch the bank fee, which is usually a monthly maintenance fee. Maybe you are lucky and your employer offers this as well, if so, take advantage of it.
Third, I rolled over an old 401K I had into a free, no-load mutual fund with Vanguard. http://www.vanguard.com/. They have lots of mutual funds from low to high risk. It is a traditional IRA, so right now I am not making contributions to it since I would end up taxed twice, once before deposit my earnings, and twice when I withdraw the money at retirement. I have put it in a stock index fund that has grown over the years (except when Bush was President). If I roll it over to a Roth IRA, I will have to pay taxes on it, so I might consider eventually rolling it over to a Roth little by little so all of my taxes are paid on it before I retire. Definitely get advise on this before you proceed - yikes!
Fourth, if you have a 401K, figure out how much you need to live on, and try and put the maximum into your 401K, even if your employer doesn't contribute. You are not taxed on the money that goes into your 401K, therefore, you are paying less tax on your gross receipts, saving, and potentially getting free money from your employer. Wow. I know, you can't afford it, BS, give up the lattes, cigarrettes, buying three pairs of shoes every month, 500 channels on satellite (what's wrong with 120?) and lunch out every day, yeah you know who you are?
Fifth, I have a small savings account connected to my checking account. I try to keep a month's salary in there, but that is hard. It never fails that you have taxes to pay, emergencies, car repairs - ugghh, or you just have to have that . . . . . . . If you are tapping into emergency savings for things you "want" as opposed to things you "need" then you should re-think it by 48 hours. You will find that you can live without it for a little while. I also have that savings connected to my checking in case I get overdrawn. There are lots of fees related to overdraws now that the banks are suffering financially. Don't give them any reason to charge you extra.
Sixth, get down to one credit card. I have no annual fee and my interest is fairly low. I do not get points or awards because those are the cards that have a $25 to $75 annual fee. Since I do not spend that much money every month to earn points, it is not worth it. So reevaluate whether all those costs for a credit card with points is worth it.
Seventh, budget. I have tried this over and over, and hope to get it eventually. But if you are willing to attempt it, Microsoft Excel has a great template that will set you up and show you immediately whether you are in the red or not. I am going to utilize Mint from Intuit for free. If you file with TurboTax, it will give you the option to download Mint for free as well. You can also link to it on your "MyYahoo" page and see your budget every day.
Eighth, stash some cash away here and there for something just for you, like vacation. Somewhere that you do not look or think about every day. A shoe you never wear, a bra (like my cuz Debbie), or a sock with holes in it. (I wouldn't stash it in your car, bad idea). That's your play money. Maybe gamble with it, go on a vacation, buy something frivilous, or get some plastic surgery with it. I said "frivilous."
Last, I wanted to share an article from a blog I like to read "Get Rich Slowly." Lots of good articles and thought provoking posts. http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2010/03/03/the-problem-with-prognostication-why-you-shouldnt-invest-based-on-expert-predictions/
GOOD LUCK AND WISH ME LUCK!
C
First, since I do not have a 401K (the ability to save like crazy tax free and earn free money from your employer's match) I started a Roth IRA. I contribute after-tax money every month. Even a small amount adds up. I do this with an online account for free. And I am taking advantage of time and embarking on investing in overseas companies (except Toyota)!
Second, because of sky rocketing (I mean into another atmosphere) cost of health insurance, I got a high deductible health plan with a Health Savings Account. I had to research it, but several banks have separate Health Savings Accounts, like "HSA Bank" or "Bank of America". The account is similar to an IRA. You can deposit or rollover up to $3,000 a year into this tax free savings vehicle. You are not taxed on the deposits. The bank will send you a credit card just for your health care expenses. You can even use it on therapeutic massages, medications, dental, homeopathic remedies and vitamins, as long as it is within your defined plan. If you have out-of-pocket expenses for medical, you can repay yourself from your HSA. Or, you can be healthy, not spend the money and leave it in there to earn interest. Just be sure to watch the bank fee, which is usually a monthly maintenance fee. Maybe you are lucky and your employer offers this as well, if so, take advantage of it.
Third, I rolled over an old 401K I had into a free, no-load mutual fund with Vanguard. http://www.vanguard.com/. They have lots of mutual funds from low to high risk. It is a traditional IRA, so right now I am not making contributions to it since I would end up taxed twice, once before deposit my earnings, and twice when I withdraw the money at retirement. I have put it in a stock index fund that has grown over the years (except when Bush was President). If I roll it over to a Roth IRA, I will have to pay taxes on it, so I might consider eventually rolling it over to a Roth little by little so all of my taxes are paid on it before I retire. Definitely get advise on this before you proceed - yikes!
Fourth, if you have a 401K, figure out how much you need to live on, and try and put the maximum into your 401K, even if your employer doesn't contribute. You are not taxed on the money that goes into your 401K, therefore, you are paying less tax on your gross receipts, saving, and potentially getting free money from your employer. Wow. I know, you can't afford it, BS, give up the lattes, cigarrettes, buying three pairs of shoes every month, 500 channels on satellite (what's wrong with 120?) and lunch out every day, yeah you know who you are?
Fifth, I have a small savings account connected to my checking account. I try to keep a month's salary in there, but that is hard. It never fails that you have taxes to pay, emergencies, car repairs - ugghh, or you just have to have that . . . . . . . If you are tapping into emergency savings for things you "want" as opposed to things you "need" then you should re-think it by 48 hours. You will find that you can live without it for a little while. I also have that savings connected to my checking in case I get overdrawn. There are lots of fees related to overdraws now that the banks are suffering financially. Don't give them any reason to charge you extra.
Sixth, get down to one credit card. I have no annual fee and my interest is fairly low. I do not get points or awards because those are the cards that have a $25 to $75 annual fee. Since I do not spend that much money every month to earn points, it is not worth it. So reevaluate whether all those costs for a credit card with points is worth it.
Seventh, budget. I have tried this over and over, and hope to get it eventually. But if you are willing to attempt it, Microsoft Excel has a great template that will set you up and show you immediately whether you are in the red or not. I am going to utilize Mint from Intuit for free. If you file with TurboTax, it will give you the option to download Mint for free as well. You can also link to it on your "MyYahoo" page and see your budget every day.
Eighth, stash some cash away here and there for something just for you, like vacation. Somewhere that you do not look or think about every day. A shoe you never wear, a bra (like my cuz Debbie), or a sock with holes in it. (I wouldn't stash it in your car, bad idea). That's your play money. Maybe gamble with it, go on a vacation, buy something frivilous, or get some plastic surgery with it. I said "frivilous."
Last, I wanted to share an article from a blog I like to read "Get Rich Slowly." Lots of good articles and thought provoking posts. http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2010/03/03/the-problem-with-prognostication-why-you-shouldnt-invest-based-on-expert-predictions/
GOOD LUCK AND WISH ME LUCK!
C
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Talking to the Dead at a Seance
February 1, 2010 was a misty, cold and black night as we drove eastbound farther away from the lights of Dallas to a small rural community. With no street lights, we headed down a farm road bordered by barbed wire fences. We barely saw it, but managed to spot the dirt road we were instructed to take. At the end of the dirt road was a small light in the distance, it was attached to a lone house on a ranch. As we turned into the gate, we noticed lots of cars parked around a circle driveway, but didn't see any people. At the front door, we were greeted by a small blonde woman who was to be our guide for the evening. In a small 11 x 11 living room were two couches filled wtih people, as well as miscellaneous chairs around the room, half filled already. I immediately spotted our friends we were meeting. We did our greetings and took our places into the spirit circle.
We arrived right on time and had no interaction with the guide before the seance started. Everyone briefly introduced themselves and gave one reason for being there. Most were just curious, some seeking a message from a loved one now in spirit, others looking for their spirit guide. All in all, it would have been hard for the guide to know what each and every one of us wanted specifically. The guide turned out all the lights, which then made it hard for her to see us, our facial expressions or our body movements.
Being me, (as my boyfriend describes it "me, with the world revolving around me") I was worried objects would start flying around inside the house as she stood in the middle of the circle and began to summon spirits from the "other side." She ran the gambit, asking for Indians, mother earth, Jesus, Greek gods, to the plants out in the backyard. I envisioned mad vegetables and rabbits with big fangs coming in for the kill. As she circled around the room she called out to one of the ladies on a couch and said there was a big Indian standing behind her and asked if she was native American. She responded yes in a very apprehensive voice. By this point, I couldn't open my eyes for fear there would be a big Indian Chief holding a hatchet! But as the guide continued talking she moved on to the lady next to her, telling her that her deceased son was coming in with some other people and were laughing it up. The dead would show her objects and call out names and from that, she was able to connect the dead with the appropriate people in the room. The guide claimed at one point there were so many spirits in the room with us that it was hard for them to get through her, as she could only speak for one at a time.
She moved around the room the best she could standing mostly in the middle. When she sat down, she would lose her connections, and stand back up to pick up voices again. hmmmmm. At first, I felt like she really was channeling, but then she got kind of bizzare with her guesses telling a woman in the room that she used to be a dinasour in another life, the pretty kind, but got eaten by the mean kind. Yikes! Finally, she kept asking if someone owned a little store, a general store, or small store of some sort. No one responded. She kept saying it over and over, and said it was directed at someone on her left, which is where I was. I responded that maybe my great grandfather owned a small store. I didn't tell it was a candy store that burned down, probably for insurance money or by the mafia. But she dropped it and moved on anyway.
She then was speaking a lot to the family to my left. She was really trying to connect with them, saying there were spirits trying to reach out to them. The guide was being shown a chess piece, so was asking the woman next to me if a family member was named Chester or if a family member played chess. She said no. The guide asked again, she said they are holding up one single chess piece. It was directed to someone on her left. I finally spoke up again and told her that my father was a chess player. The guide asked about the chess piece. I told her that when we buried my father, I threw a single chess piece into the grave on top of the coffin. She said that my father was saying hi and he wanted me to know he was watching me. Was I reaching or was she really connecting with my dad?
Then the guide stated that he was asking about a Dolores. Did I have anyone in my family named Dolores. The answer is yes, it is his cousin, who, from all accounts, was a sister to him, someone I keep up with. I couldn't believe it, that was fairly specific. I wanted to believe it, but was still unsure. That was until the guide asked me if there was a monkey in our family. What??? She asked me again saying that my dad was showing her a monkey. Well, immediately my nephews popped into my head because I call them my "monkeys" . . . they are his grandchildren.
When we got home my boyfriend immediately clued me in to what is referred to as "cold reading." Something I had never heard of. I just thought people like Cleo, the psychic that got in a lot of trouble, were good at guessing. What I learned is there is a skill involved in cold reading. Those that are practiced at it can be very convincing. They stab at something in the dark and once they make a hit they take hold and run with it. I didn't give her much to go on, so I'm not sure whether she was really channeling or guessing and I reached out and grabbed. I had to believe she was channelling because how many people have monkeys and chess pieces floating around?
What do you think??
C
We arrived right on time and had no interaction with the guide before the seance started. Everyone briefly introduced themselves and gave one reason for being there. Most were just curious, some seeking a message from a loved one now in spirit, others looking for their spirit guide. All in all, it would have been hard for the guide to know what each and every one of us wanted specifically. The guide turned out all the lights, which then made it hard for her to see us, our facial expressions or our body movements.
Being me, (as my boyfriend describes it "me, with the world revolving around me") I was worried objects would start flying around inside the house as she stood in the middle of the circle and began to summon spirits from the "other side." She ran the gambit, asking for Indians, mother earth, Jesus, Greek gods, to the plants out in the backyard. I envisioned mad vegetables and rabbits with big fangs coming in for the kill. As she circled around the room she called out to one of the ladies on a couch and said there was a big Indian standing behind her and asked if she was native American. She responded yes in a very apprehensive voice. By this point, I couldn't open my eyes for fear there would be a big Indian Chief holding a hatchet! But as the guide continued talking she moved on to the lady next to her, telling her that her deceased son was coming in with some other people and were laughing it up. The dead would show her objects and call out names and from that, she was able to connect the dead with the appropriate people in the room. The guide claimed at one point there were so many spirits in the room with us that it was hard for them to get through her, as she could only speak for one at a time.
She moved around the room the best she could standing mostly in the middle. When she sat down, she would lose her connections, and stand back up to pick up voices again. hmmmmm. At first, I felt like she really was channeling, but then she got kind of bizzare with her guesses telling a woman in the room that she used to be a dinasour in another life, the pretty kind, but got eaten by the mean kind. Yikes! Finally, she kept asking if someone owned a little store, a general store, or small store of some sort. No one responded. She kept saying it over and over, and said it was directed at someone on her left, which is where I was. I responded that maybe my great grandfather owned a small store. I didn't tell it was a candy store that burned down, probably for insurance money or by the mafia. But she dropped it and moved on anyway.
She then was speaking a lot to the family to my left. She was really trying to connect with them, saying there were spirits trying to reach out to them. The guide was being shown a chess piece, so was asking the woman next to me if a family member was named Chester or if a family member played chess. She said no. The guide asked again, she said they are holding up one single chess piece. It was directed to someone on her left. I finally spoke up again and told her that my father was a chess player. The guide asked about the chess piece. I told her that when we buried my father, I threw a single chess piece into the grave on top of the coffin. She said that my father was saying hi and he wanted me to know he was watching me. Was I reaching or was she really connecting with my dad?
Then the guide stated that he was asking about a Dolores. Did I have anyone in my family named Dolores. The answer is yes, it is his cousin, who, from all accounts, was a sister to him, someone I keep up with. I couldn't believe it, that was fairly specific. I wanted to believe it, but was still unsure. That was until the guide asked me if there was a monkey in our family. What??? She asked me again saying that my dad was showing her a monkey. Well, immediately my nephews popped into my head because I call them my "monkeys" . . . they are his grandchildren.
I'm still not sure what to believe. She tried connecting with others in the room including my boyfriend. She apparently saw a General of some sort standing behind him, but he has never had military men in his life. Maybe the general was lost and snuck into the party. The two gay guys on the couch got visits from their grandmothers, bible thumping parents, and a poodle.
C
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Politics and Racism
With a title like this, there is just so much I could say. But for now, it is really all about one story. Have you heard of this book? Game Change:Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime? It was written by two political reporters who have been very succesful in indirect marketing. I know, some of you are bored already, eyes glazed over and a nap is creeping up. But wakeup - times have changed. What I mean by indirect marketing is the fact that the book contains what some have said is a racist statement; thus, causing quite a stir.
The authors quote a politician who referred to candidate Obama as a "light-skinned black without a negro dialect." Reading around the quote, you can understand the context of how it was written and that it related to finding a popular candidate who was crazy enough to run for President and lucky enough to possess the right attributes to be elected. It was not meant to offend. Obama does purport to be a black man does he not? Well an apology was demanded of course!
Now here's where it gets more interesting. I'm not sure who demanded the apology since I have been turning the television and all of my Internet streaming news feeds off lately, but according to the guy with two first names that is now hosting Meet the Press (my former favorite political show), the Democratic National Committee was seeking an apology on behalf of President Obama. (or something like that). So the Chairmen for the Democratic National Committee and the Republican National Committee were guests on Meet the Press. By the way, the Chairman of the Democratic National Committee is white and the Chairman of the Republic National Party is black. The black man says that comments like this (free speech?) sets us back 50 years. Hmmmm, that is interesting coming from a black man who claims he was "raised on the streets of D.C." and is now the Chairman of the most conservative political party in the United States of America. Wow. I'm surprised there have not been riots on the floor of the U.S. Congress.
Obama has not necessarily made a lot of popular decisions, but drastic times take drastic measures. Hopefully, with some skill and another couple of years of time, he will get things turned around. Maybe if the Chairmen of the political parties did something constructive, other than bickering over comments made for the purposes of recording history, then we might see slight improvement in the overbloated, hot air problem in the US.
Awake now, I bet you are. Last, and probably a lot more interesting to some of you, is a link to a blog I follow, Zen Habits. This contains really really really simple steps to dieting. Half the battle to losing fat and being healthy is your diet. Happy New Year again and again.
http://zenhabits.net/2010/01/fitness-blogs/
Carpe diem!
Cyn
The authors quote a politician who referred to candidate Obama as a "light-skinned black without a negro dialect." Reading around the quote, you can understand the context of how it was written and that it related to finding a popular candidate who was crazy enough to run for President and lucky enough to possess the right attributes to be elected. It was not meant to offend. Obama does purport to be a black man does he not? Well an apology was demanded of course!
Now here's where it gets more interesting. I'm not sure who demanded the apology since I have been turning the television and all of my Internet streaming news feeds off lately, but according to the guy with two first names that is now hosting Meet the Press (my former favorite political show), the Democratic National Committee was seeking an apology on behalf of President Obama. (or something like that). So the Chairmen for the Democratic National Committee and the Republican National Committee were guests on Meet the Press. By the way, the Chairman of the Democratic National Committee is white and the Chairman of the Republic National Party is black. The black man says that comments like this (free speech?) sets us back 50 years. Hmmmm, that is interesting coming from a black man who claims he was "raised on the streets of D.C." and is now the Chairman of the most conservative political party in the United States of America. Wow. I'm surprised there have not been riots on the floor of the U.S. Congress.
Obama has not necessarily made a lot of popular decisions, but drastic times take drastic measures. Hopefully, with some skill and another couple of years of time, he will get things turned around. Maybe if the Chairmen of the political parties did something constructive, other than bickering over comments made for the purposes of recording history, then we might see slight improvement in the overbloated, hot air problem in the US.
Awake now, I bet you are. Last, and probably a lot more interesting to some of you, is a link to a blog I follow, Zen Habits. This contains really really really simple steps to dieting. Half the battle to losing fat and being healthy is your diet. Happy New Year again and again.
http://zenhabits.net/2010/01/fitness-blogs/
Carpe diem!
Cyn
Monday, January 4, 2010
Introducing . . . the "I-Brain!"
I hope The Knife Show has inspired you to succeed in every way this new year of 2010. It did me, with the exception of my actual blog about the knife show. My last blog stunk so much, I thought I would try and make up for it by writing an exciting new entry that was sure to entertain and please. Let me start by apologizing now.
See, it all starts while I am doing something really important, like washing the gray right out of my hair or polishing my nails. It's usually some mandatory task that is designed to make manufacturers of beauty products rich and me temporarily satisfied with my appearance. There is always a requirement as well that both hands be put to full use, thus leaving me unable to jot down and shre those great ideas that pop into my head. For example, while taking a shower you remember something important, and as you step out, it's lost in space forever, only to appear again in your subconscious dream of you on a motor cycle riding across the country, rich and free. Except when you wake up, the great idea, like the winning lottery numbers, escapes once again into thin air along with the motorcycle, never to be retrieved.
Which brings me to this rambling piece of blog, and back to an idea I have injected many times . . . that of a device to be implanted in our heads for moments such as these. Just think, while you are dying that beard, you might have an epiphany, and alas, you don't need to reach for a pen and paper, or even leave the confines of your bathroom, simply start recording. You can continue applying your ebony gue with a miniature comb to your facial hair and record away. So instead of worrying about the limited built in RAM currently provided in our cabazas (that is Spanish for "heads"), we can store as much as we want in words and images (up to a certain amount of megabytes of course.) My RAM is so limited that even if I was able to hold onto a moment of brilliance from the shower to a notepad, I would surely dump some other important file on the way, like the one containing my name.
I can see it now, Apple will surely be the first to develop it, and it will be called the "I-Brain!" It will come with proprietary software, contain 100 terabyte of storage, sized smaller than a dime, and be outrageously expensive. I can't wait.
In the meantime, here are some websites to keep your brain busy, or at least to entertain yourself: Maybe something will catch your eye.
For People who want to Shut off the Brain:
1. Chill out by listening to XM Chill on your satellite. Don't have it satellite? See number 3.
2. Move your neighbor's satellite in the middle of the night. hee hee, just kidding.
3. Pull up your iTunes on your computer and click on the radio icon on the left. iTunes software is free at http://www.itunes.com/, and so are the radio stations on iTunes.) Pick a genre of music you like. For example, "ambient". Pick a radio station, for example, "Chill". Sit on your couch and close your eyes. Don't turn on the TV, just sit and see how long you can shut your brain off. For those of you who cannot "shut it off" iTunes also has talk radio - for free!
4. Watch a movie on Joost, http://www.joost.com/. It's free! Yes, there are a few commercials, but the movie is uncut and the commercials are minimal (and the same volume).
5. Put up lights in your back yard, not just for 90 days, but permanently brighten it up. Who cares what the neighbors think, or what the UL recommends on Christmas lights.
Can't Shut it off?:
6. Use "the Google" to search yourself on the Internet. It's amazing what you will find.
7. Take free Spanish lessons on the Internet, http://www.123teachme.com/learn_spanish/beginner/
8. Do a crossword puzzle that is interactive, http://www.usatoday.com/ (go to games).
Ode to the brain power and have a great week!
C
1. Chill out by listening to XM Chill on your satellite. Don't have it satellite? See number 3.
6. Use "the Google" to search yourself on the Internet. It's amazing what you will find.
7. Take free Spanish lessons on the Internet, http://www.123teachme.com/learn_spanish/beginner/
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