Can you believe March is here already?
And as it rushes past me, all I can think is what I have coming up - back-up mammogram, more lively dental work with a possible 'nother root canal, and COLONOSCOPY! Yes, fifty is here and we have such grand things planned!
At least Lillian got my taxes done for me. I don't make much money and my name isn't on the mortgage, so mine are the easy ones to face. Now ever they let us actually get hitched, the easy taxes will go down the drain, but I'll be past that first colonoscopy, so taxes may very well look like a piece of cake.
No, I'm not really obsessing about it. It was just one of those things my doc and I talked about yesterday when we were looking at my hand. No word on whether or not it's really broken, so I guess it isn't, which in a way is a nuisance, since it takes much longer for sprains to heal, but there you go, why would I do the easy thing?
Is it just me, or as we get older does time seem to just fly by? Okay, so it always flew past when something awful was coming up, say, a speech you had to give, or waiting outside the principal's office, or well, dental work. But it seems to me that, while some days still drag....on....forever....the weeks and years seem to be zipping past. You know, I was always amazed at people who could focus on Christmas presents at Easter, but now I understand: Christmas really is just around the corner! And when I was teaching, the breaks always seemed shorter than the ones the year before. Now of course I don't get breaks, so it's a moot concept, but the idea's the same. Ever I get vacation time, I'm going to go to sleep Saturday night when it starts and all of a sudden it'll be Monday night the next week, and I'll end up wondering where the hell the week went!
Which really isn't all that different from wondering where the hell my socks went, I guess.
And time slips away faster now. I was reading something online this morning, and the next thing I knew I was cursing traffic because I was gonna miss the bus, and wouldn't that just be a pain in the patootie, since I overslept on Friday and was late to work (although that's not entirely my fault, since JB said I could come in a little later, and he really didn't give me a timeline, and the bed was so snuggly warm and it was icy outside, and...well, there you go, I was really late).
I always taught my students that time isn't really a fixed thing, it's elastic, and sometimes it stretches out forever - like when you've just said something out loud you really only intended to think - and sometimes it's on speed. I wish I could get a handle on it, but there's so much else I have to do.
And not nearly enough time.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
02/27/06 Candlemaking
Okay, this is gonna be seriously short. I saw the doc today, got the paw X-rayed, and now it's incredibly tender. My pinkie is taped to my ring finger, and just typing this is nasty. Hence the short post.
I'm figuring out making candles again. The cool thing is that I can melt candle wax on the woodstove. I have the melting pot, and I can put candle leavings in there and they melt beautifully, not too hot, never catching fire, and then I can pour them into molds and empty glass jars or used candle glasses - badly phrased but you know what I mean so stop giggling at my word useage! - and it's nice to be able to make candles again.
We made candles back in Las Cruces one wild evening, and it was wonderfully successful and quite a mess. This time it's less messy, but I do miss the camaradarie at times. Light a candle, and smile for me, okay?
Grrr, the typing is frustrating. Love y'all much, but I'm gonna stop typing now. (((hugs)))
I'm figuring out making candles again. The cool thing is that I can melt candle wax on the woodstove. I have the melting pot, and I can put candle leavings in there and they melt beautifully, not too hot, never catching fire, and then I can pour them into molds and empty glass jars or used candle glasses - badly phrased but you know what I mean so stop giggling at my word useage! - and it's nice to be able to make candles again.
We made candles back in Las Cruces one wild evening, and it was wonderfully successful and quite a mess. This time it's less messy, but I do miss the camaradarie at times. Light a candle, and smile for me, okay?
Grrr, the typing is frustrating. Love y'all much, but I'm gonna stop typing now. (((hugs)))
02/26/06 Cats
Earlier today I sent the Sunday cartoon from 9 Chickweed Lane to some friends who have cats since it deals with the weirdness of cats. Here it is:
http://news.yahoo.com/comics/9chickweedlane;_ylt=An8hgVJW1CiORk19oIlIbFUDwLAF;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl
I do love 9 Chickweed Lane and Pibgorn, both drawn by the same guy - small plug there. But this does just illustrate some of the oddities of cats. I mean, I see why the Egyptians revered them. They're just too freaky to be natural! Have you ever noticed how they sometimes stare at nothing? Do you find yourself looking at the spot they're staring at, trying to see it too? And they can amuse themselves for hours with a feather, but if you buy them high-tech toys, they can't be bothered. Like children, they prefer to play with the boxes.
I'm watching X2, and the scene where Wolverine unsheaths his claws at the cat is perfect! Granted, Geordie would be hiding under something, but I can see Isis doing just what the kitty there did, lick his claws. They have that "it's all about me" attitude that adolescents can have. When I disturb Geordie, when he's sleeping on the bed, it's obvious I'm the one at fault, since I had the nerve to walk into the bedroom! What was I thinking? Laundry? Not at the expense of his nap!
And they taunt us, have you noticed that? Isis sharpens her claws on the little couch, and Geordie sharpens his on the bedroom carpet. Now, I'll grant you that we are going to be getting rid of the couch as soon as we can convince some sucker, um, that is, some lucky recipient to come haul it away, and the carpet is going to be replaced when we re-do the bedroom, but that's not the point, and they know it. It's sheer insolence.
But then they cuddle up with me and purr, and are all snuggly-warm, and I know they're evil and all, but still...Or they'll burrow under the fleece on Lillian's lap, just about the time she's had just enough of them, and they manage to appear to be loving and sweet. It's an act, I know it, she knows it, they certainly know it, but it works anyway. Every time.
And cats have variable gravity! And they flaunt it! You know they do. They can be light-footed and quiet coming up behind you so you almost step on them, and then they can thunder through the house, shaking knick-knacks off the shelves. Let one of them, from 30 lb. Maine coon cat to 5 oz. kitten land on your stomach, and anvils don't weigh as much! But let the same kitty pad softly across your foot or arm while they're trying to steal your tuna, and you can barely feel them. Why can't I have that skill when I'm standing on the scale at the doctor's office?
I've had cats all my life, starting with Sir Thomas the huge grey tabby, and I'll probably have them the rest of my life, but I don't think I'll ever understand them. And maybe that's why I enjoy them so much!
http://news.yahoo.com/comics/9chickweedlane;_ylt=An8hgVJW1CiORk19oIlIbFUDwLAF;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl
I do love 9 Chickweed Lane and Pibgorn, both drawn by the same guy - small plug there. But this does just illustrate some of the oddities of cats. I mean, I see why the Egyptians revered them. They're just too freaky to be natural! Have you ever noticed how they sometimes stare at nothing? Do you find yourself looking at the spot they're staring at, trying to see it too? And they can amuse themselves for hours with a feather, but if you buy them high-tech toys, they can't be bothered. Like children, they prefer to play with the boxes.
I'm watching X2, and the scene where Wolverine unsheaths his claws at the cat is perfect! Granted, Geordie would be hiding under something, but I can see Isis doing just what the kitty there did, lick his claws. They have that "it's all about me" attitude that adolescents can have. When I disturb Geordie, when he's sleeping on the bed, it's obvious I'm the one at fault, since I had the nerve to walk into the bedroom! What was I thinking? Laundry? Not at the expense of his nap!
And they taunt us, have you noticed that? Isis sharpens her claws on the little couch, and Geordie sharpens his on the bedroom carpet. Now, I'll grant you that we are going to be getting rid of the couch as soon as we can convince some sucker, um, that is, some lucky recipient to come haul it away, and the carpet is going to be replaced when we re-do the bedroom, but that's not the point, and they know it. It's sheer insolence.
But then they cuddle up with me and purr, and are all snuggly-warm, and I know they're evil and all, but still...Or they'll burrow under the fleece on Lillian's lap, just about the time she's had just enough of them, and they manage to appear to be loving and sweet. It's an act, I know it, she knows it, they certainly know it, but it works anyway. Every time.
And cats have variable gravity! And they flaunt it! You know they do. They can be light-footed and quiet coming up behind you so you almost step on them, and then they can thunder through the house, shaking knick-knacks off the shelves. Let one of them, from 30 lb. Maine coon cat to 5 oz. kitten land on your stomach, and anvils don't weigh as much! But let the same kitty pad softly across your foot or arm while they're trying to steal your tuna, and you can barely feel them. Why can't I have that skill when I'm standing on the scale at the doctor's office?
I've had cats all my life, starting with Sir Thomas the huge grey tabby, and I'll probably have them the rest of my life, but I don't think I'll ever understand them. And maybe that's why I enjoy them so much!
02/24/06 Photos and Other Things
As I'm sure many of you noticed, I added another photo gallery - Other Folks Fuzzy Families - and if you have pictures of your babies that you'd like to see here, just send them to me. I'd love to show them off.
On another note, a couple of friends have sent me pictures of their tattoos, and the work is magnificent. If you have a pic of yours that you feel is display-worthy, send it along and when I get a few more, I'll start a tattoo display. I think people's artistic and personal choices are endlessly fascinating! We do sometimes have younger folks who occasionally frequent this establishment, so if your tatt is somewhere...unique...well, I'll be sure that the pic gets a "Heads up" sort of title.
Tomorrow I probably won't be posting. It's going to be a busy day. We have two signings at the bookstore (WARNING: name dropping about to ensue!). First we have Aaron and Charlotte Elkins, and they'll be lots of fun, I know. But the true madness will come at 3, when we have Robert Crais coming in. He's a hunk, and we have women coming in just to drool. He's a sweetie too, so it only makes things more hectic. We close at 5, but I suspect there'll be folks there a bit after, although he has another signing later tomorrow evening, so he won't just be hanging about.
Then, after that, we'll be going down to Fado' for food and Irish music and just general merriment. Lillian and I will be taking our friend Robin down there, since she loves Irish stuff as much as the rest of us. We were supposed to go to a pasta-making party, but it fell through, and that's not necessarily a bad thing, since there would have been lots of people in a smallish space, and after a day of being nice to customers, I might have become surly. At a pub, I can let them do all the work! However, the reason it fell through isn't nifty - the hostess had severe chest pains, and is now home resting, so we're definitely thinking good thoughts for her!
Anyway, afterwards we'll be going back to Robin's new place (she just moved here from Boston) for good conversation, possibly dessert if I have my way, and tarot card readings, so all in all, it'll be a long, fun-filled day. Here's hoping that your day will be as much fun!
On another note, a couple of friends have sent me pictures of their tattoos, and the work is magnificent. If you have a pic of yours that you feel is display-worthy, send it along and when I get a few more, I'll start a tattoo display. I think people's artistic and personal choices are endlessly fascinating! We do sometimes have younger folks who occasionally frequent this establishment, so if your tatt is somewhere...unique...well, I'll be sure that the pic gets a "Heads up" sort of title.
Tomorrow I probably won't be posting. It's going to be a busy day. We have two signings at the bookstore (WARNING: name dropping about to ensue!). First we have Aaron and Charlotte Elkins, and they'll be lots of fun, I know. But the true madness will come at 3, when we have Robert Crais coming in. He's a hunk, and we have women coming in just to drool. He's a sweetie too, so it only makes things more hectic. We close at 5, but I suspect there'll be folks there a bit after, although he has another signing later tomorrow evening, so he won't just be hanging about.
Then, after that, we'll be going down to Fado' for food and Irish music and just general merriment. Lillian and I will be taking our friend Robin down there, since she loves Irish stuff as much as the rest of us. We were supposed to go to a pasta-making party, but it fell through, and that's not necessarily a bad thing, since there would have been lots of people in a smallish space, and after a day of being nice to customers, I might have become surly. At a pub, I can let them do all the work! However, the reason it fell through isn't nifty - the hostess had severe chest pains, and is now home resting, so we're definitely thinking good thoughts for her!
Anyway, afterwards we'll be going back to Robin's new place (she just moved here from Boston) for good conversation, possibly dessert if I have my way, and tarot card readings, so all in all, it'll be a long, fun-filled day. Here's hoping that your day will be as much fun!
02/23/06 Silly Things
When I was teaching, one of the things I told my drama classes to be aware of was silly things people do and say. If they added them into performances, it added that little touch of realism.
You know, things like testing pool water with your toe, and then with your fingers, in case your toes were wrong. Or flipping the light switch on and off repeatedly while staring at the light that wasn't coming on. Or tasting something that is a little off, then handing it to someone else, asking, "Does this taste funny to you?" - and frequently the other person actually tastes it! Have you notice that if you stare up at nothing in the air, others will join you at staring, and eventually someone will say they've seen whatever it is you say you're looking for?
But the silly thing on my mind right now is a something my doctor said about my hand. He said, "You don't have to brace your hand. Just don't use it."
JUST DON'T USE IT?!
Think about it. My right hand is my dominant hand. I'll grant you that ten years ago (ohmygod, it's been 10 years!) I broke my right elbow, and it was in a cast for a week, and a sling for four more, so I did get used to doing more things left-handed, but even then I could use my fingers. But now I'm not supposed to use my hand at all? I have to work, and a lot of people think that working in a bookstore is easy, but books are heavy, they come in boxes, and I'm naturally clumsy. Need I really say more? And cash registers need input, things have to be written down...well, like any job, you need your hands.
I mean, what job do you NOT need your hands for? Really? Sheesh.
So, my hand hurts, hence the rant. I go back to the doc on Monday, after what promises to be an incredibly hectic Saturday, and I may have grumpy things to say. But I'll be seeing my primary doc, not a substitute one like last time, and so I'm sure she'll be more realistic. I hope so, anyway.
Don't use my hand....grrrr....
You know, things like testing pool water with your toe, and then with your fingers, in case your toes were wrong. Or flipping the light switch on and off repeatedly while staring at the light that wasn't coming on. Or tasting something that is a little off, then handing it to someone else, asking, "Does this taste funny to you?" - and frequently the other person actually tastes it! Have you notice that if you stare up at nothing in the air, others will join you at staring, and eventually someone will say they've seen whatever it is you say you're looking for?
But the silly thing on my mind right now is a something my doctor said about my hand. He said, "You don't have to brace your hand. Just don't use it."
JUST DON'T USE IT?!
Think about it. My right hand is my dominant hand. I'll grant you that ten years ago (ohmygod, it's been 10 years!) I broke my right elbow, and it was in a cast for a week, and a sling for four more, so I did get used to doing more things left-handed, but even then I could use my fingers. But now I'm not supposed to use my hand at all? I have to work, and a lot of people think that working in a bookstore is easy, but books are heavy, they come in boxes, and I'm naturally clumsy. Need I really say more? And cash registers need input, things have to be written down...well, like any job, you need your hands.
I mean, what job do you NOT need your hands for? Really? Sheesh.
So, my hand hurts, hence the rant. I go back to the doc on Monday, after what promises to be an incredibly hectic Saturday, and I may have grumpy things to say. But I'll be seeing my primary doc, not a substitute one like last time, and so I'm sure she'll be more realistic. I hope so, anyway.
Don't use my hand....grrrr....
02/22/06 Indulgence
Now I suspect everyone who reads this knows I have a love of decadent and sensual things (get your mind out of the gutter - yes, I mean you!), like dark chocolate covered macadamia nuts and silk shirts and warm, cuddly blankets. I love soft, warm days, the smell of the ocean, fresh-baked bread and Havaarti grilled cheese sandwiches.
It's been chilly here at night, and my internal thermometer is beginning to slip away from being constantly on "high" and is heading quickly toward an annoying tendency toward icy fingers and toes. I've mentioned before that I love our fireplace, and we have candles burning, partly for the joy of them but also because they do take the edge off the chill in the room.
But as a complete and total indulgence, Lillian bought us a heated mattress pad, dual controls. We have a memory foam mattress, and once it gets warm, it holds the heat in, but when it's cold, well, you can just feel the chill radiating up out of the foam and into your body. So to be able to slip into the bed that's not overly warm but has that nasty clammy chill taken out and a gentle warmth waiting for me...well, it makes for a really good night's sleep. This is one of the nicest indulgences Lillian's ever gotten me (yes, it's for us, but her system's still on overdrive), and I love it! And her! So I'm going to go indulge in my indulgence. May you all sleep as well as I will!
It's been chilly here at night, and my internal thermometer is beginning to slip away from being constantly on "high" and is heading quickly toward an annoying tendency toward icy fingers and toes. I've mentioned before that I love our fireplace, and we have candles burning, partly for the joy of them but also because they do take the edge off the chill in the room.
But as a complete and total indulgence, Lillian bought us a heated mattress pad, dual controls. We have a memory foam mattress, and once it gets warm, it holds the heat in, but when it's cold, well, you can just feel the chill radiating up out of the foam and into your body. So to be able to slip into the bed that's not overly warm but has that nasty clammy chill taken out and a gentle warmth waiting for me...well, it makes for a really good night's sleep. This is one of the nicest indulgences Lillian's ever gotten me (yes, it's for us, but her system's still on overdrive), and I love it! And her! So I'm going to go indulge in my indulgence. May you all sleep as well as I will!
02/21/06 Food for Thought
On Dec. 18, 2005, Ben Stein made a speech on his CBS Sunday Morning Commentary, and lots of what he said I agree with. If you'd like the full text of what Ben said, let me know and I'll email it to you.
However, he made a couple of statements that I just had to comment on. What Ben said is next, in purple. My comments will be afterward in my traditional black.
"In light of recent events...terrorist attacks, school shootings, etc., I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found recently) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK.
Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school, the Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.
Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said OK.
Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves."
And so I say:
You know, I lost a lot of respect for Ben Stein when he blamed the online game EverQuest for his son's addiction to it. So I take everything he has to say with a shaker of salt.
I agree with most of what he has to say here (again, remember what you're reading here is NOT the entire Stein post!) except for the part about keeping God in school. As a teacher, I had to look that one square in the face, teaching religion (except in a a detached educational sort of way) presents all kinds of problems. Whose religion? I had Christians, Muslims, Jews, pagans, athiests, agnostics. Which God do we talk to? Okay, so this is a predominantly Christian country, then what flavor of Christianity? Do we go with what is predominant in the area? Catholic? Mormon? Baptist? Or do we go with whatever beliefs the teacher has? But we can't because teachers can't impose their beliefs on the kids, we're there to teach things like English and math, and really there's not enough time to concentrate on those with all the other nonsense the administration has us doing.
I told my principal that if he required me to post the 10 Commandments in my classroom, he was going to have to allow me to put up all the other basic beliefs of every other religion or he'd be faced with a serious lawsuit, and not just from me either, but I wasn't Christian and wasn't for imposing beliefs I didn't hold on my students. He agreed, but it didn't come to that.
I did allow a group of kids, who knew I'm not Christian, to use my classroom to hold a prayer group during my lunch break. They used mine because most of them had my class immediately after lunch, and I really didn't mind. However they decided not to continue when I pointed out to them later that they were the meanest, rudest group of students I'd had in a long time, and they were. Oh my, they were vicious to other students who didn't meet with them in that prayer group! I'd never had a group more dedicated to deriding their classmates, and they really didn't see that they were doing anything wrong.
I expected situations like this to happen when Bradley brought her Sociology 2 class to merge with mine for her religion section. With my honors students, every week or two we had a graded discussion on any topic. No topic was forbidden, they chose it and the rules were that everyone had to participate, you could disagree but name-calling was forbidden, you had to present a logical argument, and you had to stay in your seat. We had some wonderful discussions, and I'd play devil's advocate on both sides, depending on who had the most people backing it. Bradley brought her class in to talk about religion, just to get more people involved, and she generally had one or two teachers or principals come in and participate too. It was always lively, the questions posed and answered were invariably intelligent, and very few people got their feelings hurt, which honestly happened more when we had discussions on vegetarianism.
I do think that if people want God in school, they should send kids to a private religious school or homeschool, but a school funded with public money needs to leave religion to the parents, not the teachers.
Well, and Ben Stein should stop blaming a game for his lack of parental observation.
However, he made a couple of statements that I just had to comment on. What Ben said is next, in purple. My comments will be afterward in my traditional black.
"In light of recent events...terrorist attacks, school shootings, etc., I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found recently) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK.
Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school, the Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.
Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said OK.
Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves."
And so I say:
You know, I lost a lot of respect for Ben Stein when he blamed the online game EverQuest for his son's addiction to it. So I take everything he has to say with a shaker of salt.
I agree with most of what he has to say here (again, remember what you're reading here is NOT the entire Stein post!) except for the part about keeping God in school. As a teacher, I had to look that one square in the face, teaching religion (except in a a detached educational sort of way) presents all kinds of problems. Whose religion? I had Christians, Muslims, Jews, pagans, athiests, agnostics. Which God do we talk to? Okay, so this is a predominantly Christian country, then what flavor of Christianity? Do we go with what is predominant in the area? Catholic? Mormon? Baptist? Or do we go with whatever beliefs the teacher has? But we can't because teachers can't impose their beliefs on the kids, we're there to teach things like English and math, and really there's not enough time to concentrate on those with all the other nonsense the administration has us doing.
I told my principal that if he required me to post the 10 Commandments in my classroom, he was going to have to allow me to put up all the other basic beliefs of every other religion or he'd be faced with a serious lawsuit, and not just from me either, but I wasn't Christian and wasn't for imposing beliefs I didn't hold on my students. He agreed, but it didn't come to that.
I did allow a group of kids, who knew I'm not Christian, to use my classroom to hold a prayer group during my lunch break. They used mine because most of them had my class immediately after lunch, and I really didn't mind. However they decided not to continue when I pointed out to them later that they were the meanest, rudest group of students I'd had in a long time, and they were. Oh my, they were vicious to other students who didn't meet with them in that prayer group! I'd never had a group more dedicated to deriding their classmates, and they really didn't see that they were doing anything wrong.
I expected situations like this to happen when Bradley brought her Sociology 2 class to merge with mine for her religion section. With my honors students, every week or two we had a graded discussion on any topic. No topic was forbidden, they chose it and the rules were that everyone had to participate, you could disagree but name-calling was forbidden, you had to present a logical argument, and you had to stay in your seat. We had some wonderful discussions, and I'd play devil's advocate on both sides, depending on who had the most people backing it. Bradley brought her class in to talk about religion, just to get more people involved, and she generally had one or two teachers or principals come in and participate too. It was always lively, the questions posed and answered were invariably intelligent, and very few people got their feelings hurt, which honestly happened more when we had discussions on vegetarianism.
I do think that if people want God in school, they should send kids to a private religious school or homeschool, but a school funded with public money needs to leave religion to the parents, not the teachers.
Well, and Ben Stein should stop blaming a game for his lack of parental observation.
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