Sunday, March 28, 2004
Headline News
In case you forget from time to time that I live in a teeny tiny isolated rural spot, let me share with you the headlines from Friday's Lamar Daily Snooze:
Implement dealer sells ten furrow plow
OK, admittedly that was below the fold. It seems to be newsworthy because the dealer claims it is the first of its size sold new in the US. You can go here if you are panting after further details.
The MAIN headline story was of course of much greater importance:
Yuma, Kit Carson county officials tour wind farms
To be just a LITTLE serious, I'm actually in favor of spreading the word about the wind farms. Wind is one of our area's most plentiful natural resources (with dust running a close second, especially at my house) and it just makes sense to be tapping into that. The four wind generators send their output to the Lamar power company, where it can either be used or sold and pushed down the line elsewhere.
Two weeks ago, Caro, Mike and I went out to see the local wind farm. Here are a few pics, if you are curious. Besides being astonishingly tall structures for this neck of the non-woods, they make a cool whoob-whoob-whoob sound as they turn. If I can figure out how to edit down the clip, I might post a little mpg of that.
While Mike and I were off in Denver last weekend, Caro drove down to Springfield for an auction. She says that, although the Lamar wind farm is cool, it doesn't BEGIN to prepare you for the wonder of cresting a hill on US 287 to see over 150 of those things whirling away!
OK, admittedly that was below the fold. It seems to be newsworthy because the dealer claims it is the first of its size sold new in the US. You can go here if you are panting after further details.
The MAIN headline story was of course of much greater importance:
To be just a LITTLE serious, I'm actually in favor of spreading the word about the wind farms. Wind is one of our area's most plentiful natural resources (with dust running a close second, especially at my house) and it just makes sense to be tapping into that. The four wind generators send their output to the Lamar power company, where it can either be used or sold and pushed down the line elsewhere.
Two weeks ago, Caro, Mike and I went out to see the local wind farm. Here are a few pics, if you are curious. Besides being astonishingly tall structures for this neck of the non-woods, they make a cool whoob-whoob-whoob sound as they turn. If I can figure out how to edit down the clip, I might post a little mpg of that.
While Mike and I were off in Denver last weekend, Caro drove down to Springfield for an auction. She says that, although the Lamar wind farm is cool, it doesn't BEGIN to prepare you for the wonder of cresting a hill on US 287 to see over 150 of those things whirling away!
Saturday, March 27, 2004
Still with the arrggh
I had anticipated feeling better today, but I seem to have been sadly mistaken.
I did fall out and present at 6:30a to go the yard sale rounds, but much more from duty than desire. Happily, Caro traditionally does the driving on these expeditions, leaving me free to gently moan in the passenger seat between stops. Once there I staggered out of the car, wincing at the bright and early morning sunshine, then snurffling into my extra-large handkerchief as I stared blearily at the goods offered. If anything caught my attention through my virally induced daze, I handed it off to Caro (she also carries the cash) and shambled back to the car, life of the yard-salin' zombie party.
Yeah, probably I should have stayed home. But I kept thinking I was going to be feeling better any time now....
Still waiting. Even after a four hour nap and another one lounging in bed finally finishing The Eyre Affair. Which was good. But not, seemingly, possessed of amazing powers of healing beyond mortal ken.
I did fall out and present at 6:30a to go the yard sale rounds, but much more from duty than desire. Happily, Caro traditionally does the driving on these expeditions, leaving me free to gently moan in the passenger seat between stops. Once there I staggered out of the car, wincing at the bright and early morning sunshine, then snurffling into my extra-large handkerchief as I stared blearily at the goods offered. If anything caught my attention through my virally induced daze, I handed it off to Caro (she also carries the cash) and shambled back to the car, life of the yard-salin' zombie party.
Yeah, probably I should have stayed home. But I kept thinking I was going to be feeling better any time now....
Still waiting. Even after a four hour nap and another one lounging in bed finally finishing The Eyre Affair. Which was good. But not, seemingly, possessed of amazing powers of healing beyond mortal ken.
Friday, March 26, 2004
Kindness
Funny that within the space of a couple weeks I've had two friends bring to my attention two different groups dedicated to promoting simple good deeds.
First was Rusty76 who mentioned JoinMe, a world wide group where the members vow to do a good deed every Friday:
http://www.joinmeusa.com/
Then Kibblemom wrote me about this guy and his group. His reason for starting a kindness group will astonish you:
http://www.jewishworldreview.com/0703/partners_in_kindness.asp
I will probably find this second group easier to work through, just because I am somewhat more email than web-base oriented--and they have a newsletter! But both are good, and it's not like we are currently at risk of having niceness take over the planet or something....
http://www.partnersinkindness.org/index.php
First was Rusty76 who mentioned JoinMe, a world wide group where the members vow to do a good deed every Friday:
http://www.joinmeusa.com/
Then Kibblemom wrote me about this guy and his group. His reason for starting a kindness group will astonish you:
http://www.jewishworldreview.com/0703/partners_in_kindness.asp
I will probably find this second group easier to work through, just because I am somewhat more email than web-base oriented--and they have a newsletter! But both are good, and it's not like we are currently at risk of having niceness take over the planet or something....
http://www.partnersinkindness.org/index.php
This just in
I thought I felt hot today because I was feverish. But actually it was probably because it got up to 88F, which broke a record and is now officially down as the hottest temp on this date in 90 years.
Man, it's over 100F here for half the summer, below zero for half the winter, and the wind blows about 30 miles an hour most of the spring and fall. Sometimes I wonder WHY I live here!
But then I remember, for the entertainment value. Here's a nifty bit from our local, The Lamar Daily Snooze. They were doing a special advertising interest insert on automotive stuff, and the feature story was our own favorite car crew at Ark Valley Auto. The quote is in regards to Shop Key CD-ROMS, which seems to be a subscription service so repair folks have all the latest data. (sic) "The cd's are updated quarterly which is about every three months, according to Francis."
I bet he kept his face perfectly straight when he explained that to the reporter, too, because Rick is a real nice guy.
Man, it's over 100F here for half the summer, below zero for half the winter, and the wind blows about 30 miles an hour most of the spring and fall. Sometimes I wonder WHY I live here!
But then I remember, for the entertainment value. Here's a nifty bit from our local, The Lamar Daily Snooze. They were doing a special advertising interest insert on automotive stuff, and the feature story was our own favorite car crew at Ark Valley Auto. The quote is in regards to Shop Key CD-ROMS, which seems to be a subscription service so repair folks have all the latest data. (sic) "The cd's are updated quarterly which is about every three months, according to Francis."
I bet he kept his face perfectly straight when he explained that to the reporter, too, because Rick is a real nice guy.
Getting ready to maybe think about starting to get up to speed
Yiy.
As you may recall (since I know many of you have better short term memory than I do), I went up to Denver last week for assorted exciting events. Sadly, the overall excitement seems to have overwhelmed my tender wee immune system. While driving home Monday, my ears and throat started hurting. By the time we actually arrived, I was cranky and whiny and yet had almost no available voice to complain with. Liberal applications of blackberry brandy helped somewhat, but only temporarily.
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday I spent trying to keep up with crucial tasks, like filling book and video orders. It's one of the things that sucks about being self-employed; you have the meanest boss in the world. That stuff pretty much used up all my available brain RAM. I've been READING my LJ and email, but not actually writing much.
I am subsisting on expectorant cough syrup, generic Sudafed and aspirin. Throat and ears are better, but I think an opportunistic cold bug jumped on board me, so the nose and eye systems are worse. Sucks.
So far I'm successfully resisting re-application of the brandy.
As you may recall (since I know many of you have better short term memory than I do), I went up to Denver last week for assorted exciting events. Sadly, the overall excitement seems to have overwhelmed my tender wee immune system. While driving home Monday, my ears and throat started hurting. By the time we actually arrived, I was cranky and whiny and yet had almost no available voice to complain with. Liberal applications of blackberry brandy helped somewhat, but only temporarily.
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday I spent trying to keep up with crucial tasks, like filling book and video orders. It's one of the things that sucks about being self-employed; you have the meanest boss in the world. That stuff pretty much used up all my available brain RAM. I've been READING my LJ and email, but not actually writing much.
I am subsisting on expectorant cough syrup, generic Sudafed and aspirin. Throat and ears are better, but I think an opportunistic cold bug jumped on board me, so the nose and eye systems are worse. Sucks.
So far I'm successfully resisting re-application of the brandy.
Saturday, March 20, 2004
Gross minor details
The one downside of the Thornton Rec Center pool is that they made it with a good solid sand-paint base in order to provide good footing. However, those of us who live in a dry climate and go barefoot 3/4 of the day by preference and therefore have heavily callused feet find that the combo of lots of warmish chlorinated water and a rough sanded bottom EVERYWHERE means that a 2 1/2 hour visit = sloughing off of a high percentage of the former bottom of the feet. Which hurts.
Friday, March 19, 2004
Too much fun, for varying values of fun
Hi all!
Well, it's 11:30p here, and I am finally winding down....
What happened today was that Damaris, my oldest Darling Child, was having a yard sale. Like the storied old fire horse, I rose up snorting at 6:30a when I heard the sounds of people carrying out furniture and talking to the early birds out in search of prime garage sale worms. I spent most of the day helping out here and there, which was fun in a large degree because it was not MY yard sale to fret over.
As you may recall, our spring break was this week, but Damaris' kids were still in school today, and get theirs NEXT week. When they came home, Mike and Zach jumped into Playstation Land, and I took the twin girlies out in search of birthday presents for the party they were to attend tonight. Plus also odds, ends, and cookie makings, as they wish to be entreprenurial tomorrow and sell things too.
The party was held at the local rec center, which boasts a fabulous indoor pool with all the trimmings; slides, Lazy River, periodic wave action and, most crucially, a hot tub.
Hello, I'm Susan and I'm a hot tub addict....
We got home at nine, and I summoned up my Amazing Grandmotherly Baking Powers and got the cookie action going. The kids helped until their vacation bedtime of 10p, and I finished up.
I won't be around to sell them tomorrow, though, because *I* am going to a...thing. Part seminar, part meet-up; it's a gathering of folks from Colorado who were on the Howard Dean mailing lists. The general idea is to network, to get ideas and training, to start pointing us all in the same direction to implement Dean 2.0, Democracy for America.
Call me a 60s throwback, but here is what I think is the coolest part right now. For our lunch break, we are going to go outside and have an anti-war rally!!!!
I've never been in a real protest march before! I'm SO psyched!!
I'll tell you how it all went tomorrow, if I'm not in JAIL!! :)
Well, it's 11:30p here, and I am finally winding down....
What happened today was that Damaris, my oldest Darling Child, was having a yard sale. Like the storied old fire horse, I rose up snorting at 6:30a when I heard the sounds of people carrying out furniture and talking to the early birds out in search of prime garage sale worms. I spent most of the day helping out here and there, which was fun in a large degree because it was not MY yard sale to fret over.
As you may recall, our spring break was this week, but Damaris' kids were still in school today, and get theirs NEXT week. When they came home, Mike and Zach jumped into Playstation Land, and I took the twin girlies out in search of birthday presents for the party they were to attend tonight. Plus also odds, ends, and cookie makings, as they wish to be entreprenurial tomorrow and sell things too.
The party was held at the local rec center, which boasts a fabulous indoor pool with all the trimmings; slides, Lazy River, periodic wave action and, most crucially, a hot tub.
Hello, I'm Susan and I'm a hot tub addict....
We got home at nine, and I summoned up my Amazing Grandmotherly Baking Powers and got the cookie action going. The kids helped until their vacation bedtime of 10p, and I finished up.
I won't be around to sell them tomorrow, though, because *I* am going to a...thing. Part seminar, part meet-up; it's a gathering of folks from Colorado who were on the Howard Dean mailing lists. The general idea is to network, to get ideas and training, to start pointing us all in the same direction to implement Dean 2.0, Democracy for America.
Call me a 60s throwback, but here is what I think is the coolest part right now. For our lunch break, we are going to go outside and have an anti-war rally!!!!
I've never been in a real protest march before! I'm SO psyched!!
I'll tell you how it all went tomorrow, if I'm not in JAIL!! :)
Tuesday, March 16, 2004
Big news!
Have you ever thought you'd like to try selling stuff on eBay, but you felt daunted by needing photographs and stuff?
Here is your chance to experiment with moving some specific items, easily and cheaply! EBay is promoting its new(ish) service, Pre-filled Item Information, with a special two day deal. Use this method to list VHS, DVD, CD, Cassettes,
AudioBooks, Non-Fiction Books, Education (Text Books), Children's Books,Fiction Books, and Video Games and it will only cost you 10 cents each (plus a percentage as a Final Value Fee if it sells). (Oh, and that's a rebate added later too. Some number juggling hocus-pocus, I suppose. Either that or it was too tricky to adjust the software to only charge the special rate on SOME auctions.)
This link tells more about it:
http://www.ebay.com/promo/10PreFilled/?ssPageName=CMDV:AB1000
Even if you don't want to sell anything, this offer is very likely to bring TONS of new goods to the site, so it will be a VERY good time to shop!
Have fun!
Here is your chance to experiment with moving some specific items, easily and cheaply! EBay is promoting its new(ish) service, Pre-filled Item Information, with a special two day deal. Use this method to list VHS, DVD, CD, Cassettes,
AudioBooks, Non-Fiction Books, Education (Text Books), Children's Books,Fiction Books, and Video Games and it will only cost you 10 cents each (plus a percentage as a Final Value Fee if it sells). (Oh, and that's a rebate added later too. Some number juggling hocus-pocus, I suppose. Either that or it was too tricky to adjust the software to only charge the special rate on SOME auctions.)
This link tells more about it:
http://www.ebay.com/promo/10PreFilled/?ssPageName=CMDV:AB1000
Even if you don't want to sell anything, this offer is very likely to bring TONS of new goods to the site, so it will be a VERY good time to shop!
Have fun!
Monday, March 15, 2004
Hey, where'd my weekend go?
It was actually mostly nice, but I got all sucked into projects, as I am wont to do, and only got a few little linky posts thrown on. I suppose LJ won't actually wither and die from the lack of me posting...but I hate to take the chance....
Here are the two best spammer names that have come to my inbox in a while, Contrariness G. Folklore and Snicker R. Mop, both porn (with identical come-on letters).
Speaking of spam, one of the tasks I spent quite a lot of time on this weekend was listing video tapes for sale. Last year I took a flyer and bought, oh, almost 700 video tapes from a guy. Yes, they have been sitting around my house in boxes ever since. But I am finally getting kind of organized and sorting through them. The very very common ones (can we say an original issue E.T. video from Blockbuster?) are going to the local flea market which takes things on consignment. The good stuff we sell on our own, and some of it is amazing. Staggering variety--Sesame Street, anime, horror, 80s fun, classics, sports, music. The only thing I can think of I haven't seen (yet) is actual porn.
As of this evening I had more than 300 media items (videos and CDs) for sale at our online site http://www.neonhearts.com
I want you to know that I do try to have the best prices on the items I sell--yes, I have some wildly expensive rare videos for sale, but I also have LOTS of good ones for $2-3 each. I only charge actual shipping AND you get to pick extras from the Penny Bonus Bin, 1 for each $10 you buy.
If you need fresh entertainment, check it out! Or, you know, not. No pressure or anything. :)
OK, spam's over for tonight. Tomorrow I will post some cool pics and such!
Here are the two best spammer names that have come to my inbox in a while, Contrariness G. Folklore and Snicker R. Mop, both porn (with identical come-on letters).
Speaking of spam, one of the tasks I spent quite a lot of time on this weekend was listing video tapes for sale. Last year I took a flyer and bought, oh, almost 700 video tapes from a guy. Yes, they have been sitting around my house in boxes ever since. But I am finally getting kind of organized and sorting through them. The very very common ones (can we say an original issue E.T. video from Blockbuster?) are going to the local flea market which takes things on consignment. The good stuff we sell on our own, and some of it is amazing. Staggering variety--Sesame Street, anime, horror, 80s fun, classics, sports, music. The only thing I can think of I haven't seen (yet) is actual porn.
As of this evening I had more than 300 media items (videos and CDs) for sale at our online site http://www.neonhearts.com
I want you to know that I do try to have the best prices on the items I sell--yes, I have some wildly expensive rare videos for sale, but I also have LOTS of good ones for $2-3 each. I only charge actual shipping AND you get to pick extras from the Penny Bonus Bin, 1 for each $10 you buy.
If you need fresh entertainment, check it out! Or, you know, not. No pressure or anything. :)
OK, spam's over for tonight. Tomorrow I will post some cool pics and such!
Friday, March 12, 2004
Music lovers, LOOK!
Well, actually anyone can look. But my Friends who are heavily into music might have the most fun:
http://www.showandtellmusic.com
This is a vast collection of crazed album covers, which it is quite possible to waste a LOT of time perusing...not that, uh, I would know that from personal experience or anything....
http://www.showandtellmusic.com
This is a vast collection of crazed album covers, which it is quite possible to waste a LOT of time perusing...not that, uh, I would know that from personal experience or anything....
Must! See! Now!
Totally freakin' hilarious!
http://www.thepoorman.net/archives/002403.html
http://www.thepoorman.net/archives/002393.html
http://www.thepoorman.net/archives/002403.html
http://www.thepoorman.net/archives/002393.html
Wednesday, March 10, 2004
Something fun for movie buffs
Which I am not. So I am hopeless here, but I know some of you will enjoy it.
http://www.hampusgard.se/AlphaGame_1.aspx
You have to ID the movie based on the graphic from one letter of the movie poster.
http://www.hampusgard.se/AlphaGame_1.aspx
You have to ID the movie based on the graphic from one letter of the movie poster.
Tuesday, March 09, 2004
On a lighter note
Celebrity To Do List
First off, I must state that I am more into characters than actors, on the whole. Not that I have anything against actors. I mean, they are, on the whole, probably half a bubble off plumb, but so am I in my own way, so no prob!
OK. So, in the TRADITIONAL meaning of the Celeb To-do list, I have Kyan (Oh my LORD!) Douglas of Queer Eye For the Straight Guy, and James (The Cheekbones) Marsters. Yes, I realize Kyan is Teh Gay. Duh. I have just as much chance with him as I have with James, so what the heck.
See, I have to face the reality a LITTLE bit. I'm a 50 year old grandma. My fantasies are going to be somewhat different from those of a woman in her prime.
I mean, I used to wish I had another daughter, so she could marry that ultimate cutie Steve from Blue's Clues. Keeping that in mind ought to protect you if you peruse the rest of my list:
Bring Back From Dead: Jim Henson, John Denver. I wasn't DONE with them yet!
Current Crew of Hotties: I don't have a strong opinion, mostly. I think I would enjoy a long languid afternoon of combing Orlando Bloom's Legolas hair like a My Little Pony.
Give Very Much Money To So He Can Keep Making Shows: Joss Whedon
Go On Wild Extended Boat Cruise Party With: Jimmy Buffett, Robin Williams, Steven Wright, Paul Reubens, Weird Al. The Fab Five can come too. And all my Friends List!
Doing the Not So Nice To: Certain political entities, self-censored so as not to have trench-coated Patriot Act/SS goons breaking down my door in the night.
And then this topical quiz:
First off, I must state that I am more into characters than actors, on the whole. Not that I have anything against actors. I mean, they are, on the whole, probably half a bubble off plumb, but so am I in my own way, so no prob!
OK. So, in the TRADITIONAL meaning of the Celeb To-do list, I have Kyan (Oh my LORD!) Douglas of Queer Eye For the Straight Guy, and James (The Cheekbones) Marsters. Yes, I realize Kyan is Teh Gay. Duh. I have just as much chance with him as I have with James, so what the heck.
See, I have to face the reality a LITTLE bit. I'm a 50 year old grandma. My fantasies are going to be somewhat different from those of a woman in her prime.
I mean, I used to wish I had another daughter, so she could marry that ultimate cutie Steve from Blue's Clues. Keeping that in mind ought to protect you if you peruse the rest of my list:
Bring Back From Dead: Jim Henson, John Denver. I wasn't DONE with them yet!
Current Crew of Hotties: I don't have a strong opinion, mostly. I think I would enjoy a long languid afternoon of combing Orlando Bloom's Legolas hair like a My Little Pony.
Give Very Much Money To So He Can Keep Making Shows: Joss Whedon
Go On Wild Extended Boat Cruise Party With: Jimmy Buffett, Robin Williams, Steven Wright, Paul Reubens, Weird Al. The Fab Five can come too. And all my Friends List!
Doing the Not So Nice To: Certain political entities, self-censored so as not to have trench-coated Patriot Act/SS goons breaking down my door in the night.
And then this topical quiz:
A thoughty one for a change
This is a post I have been mulling over and making mental notes on for a bit. It started with this post by maneaterlad
Sometimes, I think of an Alternate Universe Me. This AUMe didn't get out of South Caroline then he finished high school. Maybe he didn't finish high school. Maybe this AUMe actually did take a gun into school when he got tired of being bullied by Mike O. AUMe lives in a trailer behind his mom's house and works a shit job for minimum wage, a McJob that isn't going to take him anywhere and he knows it. Maybe he gave school another try, but it didn't work out. This AUMe is the Unlucky One. I think about him sometimes when I'm not entirely pleased with the direction my own life is going. I think about him and I'm suddenly a lot more thankful for what I have and the breaks I've caught. Have you thought of your alternatives today?
I will eventually (maybe) post a longer answer. But there is one crucial point I kind of stuck at, probably because I had no solid answer.
One day when I was in 5th grade, I was playing across the street from our house, floating stick boats in a little irrigation ditch. My mom called me to come home, but I pretended not to hear. So in a little bit, she sent my 6 year old brother to fetch me.
The street we lived on was a semi-busy one, and our house was on one side of a little rise, which cut off the forward view of drivers taking that route. A lady going just a bit too fast came along at just the wrong moment and hit my little brother as he was crossing the road.
He didn't die. It broke both his legs and did some other damage, but physically he was okay eventually. That's not the problematical part.
As far as I recall, Mom never blamed me for what happened, or, if she did, she never said so. No problem, I blamed myself enough for both of us and then some.
Way back then (the mid 60s), children didn't have visiting privileges at hospitals. But sometimes I (as oldest) went with Mom to keep her company on the drive over and back, and sat in the lobby waiting. On one visit, I was reading (always, always reading) one of those men's magazines from the coffee table, Argosy or some such. There was an article about spontaneous human combustion in one.
Now that I am older, it's pretty easy to track the psychological path of my sudden neurosis, especially given my Southern Baptist upbringing, which wasn't shy about pointing out the danger of eventual hell-fire to sinners. But at the time, I didn't know WHY. I just was all of a sudden totally convinced I was DEFINITELY going to spontaneously burst into flames one of these days. I mean, I was conVINced! I would lay awake at night, afraid to fall asleep, because if it happened at night in the bedroom I shared with my little sister, SHE wouldn't have a clue as to what to do to save me. Not that anyone probably would in any of the places I normally found myself. I was quite sure I was doomed to a hideous painful early death.
Of course, since Mom was so worried about my brother, I never mentioned my fear to her, or to any of my younger siblings. Eventually I did get over it, by slowly working out counter arguments to the examples listed in the lurid article, and deciding that perhaps all that stuff wasn't 100% true....
So. The brother in question had other problems, maybe or maybe not made worse by the accident and everything that followed it. But he eventually became a child molester, a thief, basically a sociopath preying on anyone foolish enough to trust him. He has hurt a lot of people I care about.
The question I came up with is this: If I somehow had a choice, would I choose to take what came later and let it all play out like it happened? Or would I risk MY mental health by choosing to let him be killed quickly and relatively painlessly while he was still an innocent child? (Thinking that if him just getting badly hurt was so traumatic to me, what would have happened if he had died?)
There is of course the option where I respond right away to my mom's call...but some of the other causative factors would still have been there *cough*alcoholic dad*cough*, so that might not change things enough either....
I just don't know.
Sometimes, I think of an Alternate Universe Me. This AUMe didn't get out of South Caroline then he finished high school. Maybe he didn't finish high school. Maybe this AUMe actually did take a gun into school when he got tired of being bullied by Mike O. AUMe lives in a trailer behind his mom's house and works a shit job for minimum wage, a McJob that isn't going to take him anywhere and he knows it. Maybe he gave school another try, but it didn't work out. This AUMe is the Unlucky One. I think about him sometimes when I'm not entirely pleased with the direction my own life is going. I think about him and I'm suddenly a lot more thankful for what I have and the breaks I've caught. Have you thought of your alternatives today?
I will eventually (maybe) post a longer answer. But there is one crucial point I kind of stuck at, probably because I had no solid answer.
One day when I was in 5th grade, I was playing across the street from our house, floating stick boats in a little irrigation ditch. My mom called me to come home, but I pretended not to hear. So in a little bit, she sent my 6 year old brother to fetch me.
The street we lived on was a semi-busy one, and our house was on one side of a little rise, which cut off the forward view of drivers taking that route. A lady going just a bit too fast came along at just the wrong moment and hit my little brother as he was crossing the road.
He didn't die. It broke both his legs and did some other damage, but physically he was okay eventually. That's not the problematical part.
As far as I recall, Mom never blamed me for what happened, or, if she did, she never said so. No problem, I blamed myself enough for both of us and then some.
Way back then (the mid 60s), children didn't have visiting privileges at hospitals. But sometimes I (as oldest) went with Mom to keep her company on the drive over and back, and sat in the lobby waiting. On one visit, I was reading (always, always reading) one of those men's magazines from the coffee table, Argosy or some such. There was an article about spontaneous human combustion in one.
Now that I am older, it's pretty easy to track the psychological path of my sudden neurosis, especially given my Southern Baptist upbringing, which wasn't shy about pointing out the danger of eventual hell-fire to sinners. But at the time, I didn't know WHY. I just was all of a sudden totally convinced I was DEFINITELY going to spontaneously burst into flames one of these days. I mean, I was conVINced! I would lay awake at night, afraid to fall asleep, because if it happened at night in the bedroom I shared with my little sister, SHE wouldn't have a clue as to what to do to save me. Not that anyone probably would in any of the places I normally found myself. I was quite sure I was doomed to a hideous painful early death.
Of course, since Mom was so worried about my brother, I never mentioned my fear to her, or to any of my younger siblings. Eventually I did get over it, by slowly working out counter arguments to the examples listed in the lurid article, and deciding that perhaps all that stuff wasn't 100% true....
So. The brother in question had other problems, maybe or maybe not made worse by the accident and everything that followed it. But he eventually became a child molester, a thief, basically a sociopath preying on anyone foolish enough to trust him. He has hurt a lot of people I care about.
The question I came up with is this: If I somehow had a choice, would I choose to take what came later and let it all play out like it happened? Or would I risk MY mental health by choosing to let him be killed quickly and relatively painlessly while he was still an innocent child? (Thinking that if him just getting badly hurt was so traumatic to me, what would have happened if he had died?)
There is of course the option where I respond right away to my mom's call...but some of the other causative factors would still have been there *cough*
I just don't know.
Check it out!
Now, while the numbers look like this! (Vast majority for Kerry)
***
AMERICAN FAMILY ASSOCIATION ONLINE POLL
YOUR VOTE IS NEEDED NOW!
You help is requested in gaining the opinion of on-line voters to the
following question. Whom do you favor for the next President of the United
States - John Kerry, George W. Bush, or Ralph Nader?
Go to http://www.onlinepolls.net/pollv1/default.aspx?pid=10 to express
your opinion.
Cast your vote. Forward to a friend. Help us feel the pulse of America.
***
Feel THIS, Wildmon!
On second thought, ew. Don't touch me, you rat-bastard freak.
***
AMERICAN FAMILY ASSOCIATION ONLINE POLL
YOUR VOTE IS NEEDED NOW!
You help is requested in gaining the opinion of on-line voters to the
following question. Whom do you favor for the next President of the United
States - John Kerry, George W. Bush, or Ralph Nader?
Go to http://www.onlinepolls.net/pollv1/default.aspx?pid=10 to express
your opinion.
Cast your vote. Forward to a friend. Help us feel the pulse of America.
***
Feel THIS, Wildmon!
On second thought, ew. Don't touch me, you rat-bastard freak.
Monday, March 08, 2004
Mike had the eventful day....
...so why am *I* exhausted?
Just because it was one of THOSE kind of days, I guess. Started out (and will no doubt close with) me deleting a few dozen bounce mail notices. Someone is running one of those games where they send out spam with a goofed address. This time mine. To everybody in Brazil, I think. So I am not only getting hundreds of bounce messages, I can't even READ half of them....
Mike had his consultation at the dentist's this morning. Dr. M's professional opinion was that Mike could get through the extractions without incident using a combination of Halcion (tranquilizer) and nitrous oxide, plus the usual injectable numbing agent. So that was one crucial question answered. The second was cost, and again it was a good answer, $271 being something we could scrape together okay, especially with the tax refund coming.
The next thing, the appointment date, was a surprise. How would that afternoon suit us? They'd had a cancellation. I asked MIke if he was ready, and he said, "WHY NOT?" in a very Eeyore voice. Well, alrighty then.
Took him back to school and hastened to the next task on my list, getting a new flasher installed in Dreamcloud so I can signal turns with the traditional blinking light, rather than an annoying buzz that is startling but nevertheless probably not loud enough to alert other drivers. Except the part wasn't in yet. Bummer. So I left Dreamcloud there with Rick the Car Doctor and they gave me a ride over to the middle school where I made off with the clone's Nimbus. (Ford Escort, not broom.)
Hit two groceries, came home and ate a nervous lunch, wondering if Mike was worrying and fretting at school. He seemed pretty normal when I picked him up, but you never know with him. I had come back to town early so he could take his Halcion tablet 40 minutes before the procedure, per orders. But as we were there at the dentist's early, they just took us back and got started.
They started up a light nitrous oxide feed for him and commenced the rest of the prep. That all took 10 times as long as the actual extractions, and we were only in there 25 minutes. Mike demonstrated that I was being a Silly Worrying Mom for nothing by sailing through the procedure utterly qualmless. He has quietly said "Ow" a couple of times this evening. That was it. Huh.
Yes, I have pics. I will let you decide if you want to see them or not:
http://www.neonnurse.net/Blogs/gone.jpg Caro and I think he looks like a reverse vampire.
They gave him his teeth in a little box, to amaze and freak his classmates:
http://www.neonnurse.net/Blogs/boyteeth.jpg
Brought Mike home and got the actual mail. Jackasses at American Family Insurance sent me a check to 'pay for' the upcoming dent repairs on Dreamcloud, which was roughly $800 short. So THAT is not going to be settled quickly and easily....
Threw away hundreds more emails, caught up on LJ reading, went back to town to fetch Caro. The part never did come and Dreamcloud is still buzzy, but we took him home and left Nimbus, whose turn it is tomorrow. Which means I have to get up early again and drive Caro to work. Not actually a bad thing, because I have at this point 14 books and videos to wrap and mail.
So pretty soon I am going to revert to nursely type and wake Mike up to give hima sleeping pill some Tylenol, and then go to bed myself, hoping tomorrow will be less FRAUGHT.
Just because it was one of THOSE kind of days, I guess. Started out (and will no doubt close with) me deleting a few dozen bounce mail notices. Someone is running one of those games where they send out spam with a goofed address. This time mine. To everybody in Brazil, I think. So I am not only getting hundreds of bounce messages, I can't even READ half of them....
Mike had his consultation at the dentist's this morning. Dr. M's professional opinion was that Mike could get through the extractions without incident using a combination of Halcion (tranquilizer) and nitrous oxide, plus the usual injectable numbing agent. So that was one crucial question answered. The second was cost, and again it was a good answer, $271 being something we could scrape together okay, especially with the tax refund coming.
The next thing, the appointment date, was a surprise. How would that afternoon suit us? They'd had a cancellation. I asked MIke if he was ready, and he said, "WHY NOT?" in a very Eeyore voice. Well, alrighty then.
Took him back to school and hastened to the next task on my list, getting a new flasher installed in Dreamcloud so I can signal turns with the traditional blinking light, rather than an annoying buzz that is startling but nevertheless probably not loud enough to alert other drivers. Except the part wasn't in yet. Bummer. So I left Dreamcloud there with Rick the Car Doctor and they gave me a ride over to the middle school where I made off with the clone's Nimbus. (Ford Escort, not broom.)
Hit two groceries, came home and ate a nervous lunch, wondering if Mike was worrying and fretting at school. He seemed pretty normal when I picked him up, but you never know with him. I had come back to town early so he could take his Halcion tablet 40 minutes before the procedure, per orders. But as we were there at the dentist's early, they just took us back and got started.
They started up a light nitrous oxide feed for him and commenced the rest of the prep. That all took 10 times as long as the actual extractions, and we were only in there 25 minutes. Mike demonstrated that I was being a Silly Worrying Mom for nothing by sailing through the procedure utterly qualmless. He has quietly said "Ow" a couple of times this evening. That was it. Huh.
Yes, I have pics. I will let you decide if you want to see them or not:
http://www.neonnurse.net/Blogs/gone.jpg Caro and I think he looks like a reverse vampire.
They gave him his teeth in a little box, to amaze and freak his classmates:
http://www.neonnurse.net/Blogs/boyteeth.jpg
Brought Mike home and got the actual mail. Jackasses at American Family Insurance sent me a check to 'pay for' the upcoming dent repairs on Dreamcloud, which was roughly $800 short. So THAT is not going to be settled quickly and easily....
Threw away hundreds more emails, caught up on LJ reading, went back to town to fetch Caro. The part never did come and Dreamcloud is still buzzy, but we took him home and left Nimbus, whose turn it is tomorrow. Which means I have to get up early again and drive Caro to work. Not actually a bad thing, because I have at this point 14 books and videos to wrap and mail.
So pretty soon I am going to revert to nursely type and wake Mike up to give him
Sunday, March 07, 2004
Nice smooth Saturday
Really, it's been a great day. I didn't win the lotto *AGAIN!*, but nothing bad happened either. Mike was a darling all day, which helps up the day's satisfaction level considerable....
He had another milestone today--his first brushing off of a telemarketer! Mike was closest to the phone, so he answered it. I thought he would bring it to me, but I guess the caller started talking as soon as she heard "Hullo?" So he listened a bit, then said, "Sorry, but we are not interesting."
That must have finally twigged the salesperson to the fact that she was currently dealing with the most junior member of the firm, because Mike brought the phone to me so I could verify that we are indeed not at all interesting. But we are very proud of his growing phone confidence!
In other phone news, my mom called, quite upset, because she is supposed to be organizing a bunch of photos onto CDs for her church building project, and she couldn't make it go. It's never a good start when your Mom calls and blurts out, "I'm trying not to cry." And naturally I worry that if she isn't crying at that point, she soon will be as I try to act as Tech Support....
But the goodness of today held out, and I managed to telepathically determine the actual problem and explain to her how to make the stubborn CD disgorge its files. So then she was all cheery again and told her about HER day, which involved one of my second most disreputable brother's disreputable friends coming over to her house. DB #2 is currently in jail, and this friend wanted to buy his car. Highlights of the story include the visitor asking for a place where he could make a "private call" and instead smoking crack in my mom's house (!), the cab driver who had been driving the guy all over calling the police because the visitor turned out not to have money for the fare, getting yelled at by a policeman for "being stupid" (that would be Mom, not the crack smokin' guy), and taking a break in the middle to give the young lady in way over her head (who had just been introduced to Crack Guy that day, and thought they were going on a normal date) a ride back home.
If you ever wonder how it is strange things seem to happen to me all the time? It's genetic.
In other NICE Saturday news, Mike begged me to buy him some post-blossom half-price daffodils at Wal-mart, which I did. We planted them in a big tub just before the wind got to whipping up again. See? Spring IS here.
Now an amusing bit just for fun, from Matthew Blaisdell's Today's Food for Thought list:
Today's Food For Thought...
The Hokey Pokey (W. Shakespeare)
O proud left foot, that ventures quick within
Then soon upon a backward journey lithe.
Anon, once more the gesture, then begin:
Command sinistral pedestal to writhe.
Commence thou then the fervid Hokey-Poke,
A mad gyration, hips in wanton swirl.
To spin! A wilde release from Heavens yoke.
Blessed dervish! Surely canst go, girl.
The Hoke, the poke -- banish now thy doubt
Verily, I say, 'tis what it's all about.
-- by William Shakespeare [Attributed,]
He had another milestone today--his first brushing off of a telemarketer! Mike was closest to the phone, so he answered it. I thought he would bring it to me, but I guess the caller started talking as soon as she heard "Hullo?" So he listened a bit, then said, "Sorry, but we are not interesting."
That must have finally twigged the salesperson to the fact that she was currently dealing with the most junior member of the firm, because Mike brought the phone to me so I could verify that we are indeed not at all interesting. But we are very proud of his growing phone confidence!
In other phone news, my mom called, quite upset, because she is supposed to be organizing a bunch of photos onto CDs for her church building project, and she couldn't make it go. It's never a good start when your Mom calls and blurts out, "I'm trying not to cry." And naturally I worry that if she isn't crying at that point, she soon will be as I try to act as Tech Support....
But the goodness of today held out, and I managed to telepathically determine the actual problem and explain to her how to make the stubborn CD disgorge its files. So then she was all cheery again and told her about HER day, which involved one of my second most disreputable brother's disreputable friends coming over to her house. DB #2 is currently in jail, and this friend wanted to buy his car. Highlights of the story include the visitor asking for a place where he could make a "private call" and instead smoking crack in my mom's house (!), the cab driver who had been driving the guy all over calling the police because the visitor turned out not to have money for the fare, getting yelled at by a policeman for "being stupid" (that would be Mom, not the crack smokin' guy), and taking a break in the middle to give the young lady in way over her head (who had just been introduced to Crack Guy that day, and thought they were going on a normal date) a ride back home.
If you ever wonder how it is strange things seem to happen to me all the time? It's genetic.
In other NICE Saturday news, Mike begged me to buy him some post-blossom half-price daffodils at Wal-mart, which I did. We planted them in a big tub just before the wind got to whipping up again. See? Spring IS here.
Now an amusing bit just for fun, from Matthew Blaisdell's
Today's Food For Thought...
The Hokey Pokey (W. Shakespeare)
O proud left foot, that ventures quick within
Then soon upon a backward journey lithe.
Anon, once more the gesture, then begin:
Command sinistral pedestal to writhe.
Commence thou then the fervid Hokey-Poke,
A mad gyration, hips in wanton swirl.
To spin! A wilde release from Heavens yoke.
Blessed dervish! Surely canst go, girl.
The Hoke, the poke -- banish now thy doubt
Verily, I say, 'tis what it's all about.
-- by William Shakespeare [Attributed,
Friday, March 05, 2004
Good hard fun!
http://www.eskimo.com/~miyaguch/schmies.html
It is pretty hard, I tell ya! I got 177 right.
It is pretty hard, I tell ya! I got 177 right.
Sun's coming out!
We had some unusual weather here the past few days. Drops of water were actually falling from the sky! Weird, huh? But that has all stopped now and the sun is out where it belongs. The wind's not blowing, though, so I guess spring is not REALLY quite here yet.
I spent a large portion of yesterday on something I OUGHT to have done a month or so ago--taxes. It isn't even that daunting a task, plus we always get $$ back, so the only reason I can think of that makes me avoid it is that it's...fiddly. You have to have a bunch of separate pieces of paper and read a lot of jargon-y fine print and be very VERY careful not to screw up. OK, maybe it's that last part I hate.
Anyway, done now, which is nice, as several annoying problems have popped up which need those $$ thrown at them:
There is a leak in the water line coming into the house which is costing us $30 a month and will probably not heal up and go away on its own.
Both our cars need some fairly normal used car upgrading.
Mike needs two teeth extracted, in prep for his braces. The orthodontist doesn't do that part. I consulted with Mike's regular dental person, and she agreed with me that it would not be a very good idea to expect Mike (considering his handicaps) to sit still for the usual inject and yank. Trust me, we are talking nightmares all 'round. Sadly, at the clinic he could get this done on Medicaid (which he qualifies for by virtue of his DD). Instead we have to find a dentist who gives full anesthesia. At full prices.
In case you wonder, there are two important reasons for us deciding to get Mike braces. (Which he continues to refer to as "bracelets".) First of course is general health. His teeth are way overcrowded and the ones coming out actually cross over other teeth, making it physically impossible to keep them clean enough to prevent cavities from forming eventually.
Second is the tougher dilemma of appearance. Mike's two front teeth stick way out--what's usually called buck teeth. It's an unfortunate truth that people tend to form judgments based heavily on appearance. Mike already has a handicap because of his mental challenges. A physical trait like those buck teeth, which are associated with being "a hick" or stupid, lets some people pigeonhole him that much more easily.
I personally think Mike is quite the handsome dude. But I'm a doting mom. So, being all doty, I'm willing to pony up for a procedure that will help other people have a similar impression.
Plus, healthy. Can't forget that part.
I spent a large portion of yesterday on something I OUGHT to have done a month or so ago--taxes. It isn't even that daunting a task, plus we always get $$ back, so the only reason I can think of that makes me avoid it is that it's...fiddly. You have to have a bunch of separate pieces of paper and read a lot of jargon-y fine print and be very VERY careful not to screw up. OK, maybe it's that last part I hate.
Anyway, done now, which is nice, as several annoying problems have popped up which need those $$ thrown at them:
There is a leak in the water line coming into the house which is costing us $30 a month and will probably not heal up and go away on its own.
Both our cars need some fairly normal used car upgrading.
Mike needs two teeth extracted, in prep for his braces. The orthodontist doesn't do that part. I consulted with Mike's regular dental person, and she agreed with me that it would not be a very good idea to expect Mike (considering his handicaps) to sit still for the usual inject and yank. Trust me, we are talking nightmares all 'round. Sadly, at the clinic he could get this done on Medicaid (which he qualifies for by virtue of his DD). Instead we have to find a dentist who gives full anesthesia. At full prices.
In case you wonder, there are two important reasons for us deciding to get Mike braces. (Which he continues to refer to as "bracelets".) First of course is general health. His teeth are way overcrowded and the ones coming out actually cross over other teeth, making it physically impossible to keep them clean enough to prevent cavities from forming eventually.
Second is the tougher dilemma of appearance. Mike's two front teeth stick way out--what's usually called buck teeth. It's an unfortunate truth that people tend to form judgments based heavily on appearance. Mike already has a handicap because of his mental challenges. A physical trait like those buck teeth, which are associated with being "a hick" or stupid, lets some people pigeonhole him that much more easily.
I personally think Mike is quite the handsome dude. But I'm a doting mom. So, being all doty, I'm willing to pony up for a procedure that will help other people have a similar impression.
Plus, healthy. Can't forget that part.
Tuesday, March 02, 2004
It's a whole new world
Another public service announcement from me. If you happen to be okay with Bush staying in office, go ahead and skip this one.
Here's the deal. The big money Republicans are going to be spending MILLIONS to hang onto the White House. We probably cannot counter that with cash. What we CAN do is spend some of our TIME.
MoveOn.org is helping to organize people to do useful things towards getting Bush out. What I found amazingly cool is that they sent out an email this morning, saying they hoped to get people to pledge 1,000,000 hours. One Million. And by the time I got there with my pledge of time, they were already almost up to THREE million!
Here is the link:
http://www.moveon.org/pac/pledge/?id=-1599998-PpYegsKIT3OSWR.y1.wBbA
You will be signing up to get their e-newsletter that gives you ideas for things you can do, like write postcards. They have come up with fun stuff in the past. If you don't have money to donate, it's cool. Time, that's what's of the essence.
Let's do it, guys. It's OUR country too.
Here's the deal. The big money Republicans are going to be spending MILLIONS to hang onto the White House. We probably cannot counter that with cash. What we CAN do is spend some of our TIME.
MoveOn.org is helping to organize people to do useful things towards getting Bush out. What I found amazingly cool is that they sent out an email this morning, saying they hoped to get people to pledge 1,000,000 hours. One Million. And by the time I got there with my pledge of time, they were already almost up to THREE million!
Here is the link:
http://www.moveon.org/pac/pledge/?id=-1599998-PpYegsKIT3OSWR.y1.wBbA
You will be signing up to get their e-newsletter that gives you ideas for things you can do, like write postcards. They have come up with fun stuff in the past. If you don't have money to donate, it's cool. Time, that's what's of the essence.
Let's do it, guys. It's OUR country too.
National Procrastination Week!
It actually started yesterday, but the person I heard about it from didn't post about it until today....
Trudge, trudge, shriek, shriek
Probably not too many people will get the reference in the subject line. I THINK it was a Muppet sketch, which Caro and I happened to both see at the same time, many MANY years ago. It was about two creatures slogging along together--I don't recall any explanation being given. One would say, "Trudge, trudge," and the other one would then hysterically shout, "Shriek, shriek!" Repeatedly. The phrase became one of our family shorthand references, trotted out when life turns glum, or boring, or just kinda hard.
What made it so hilarious to us was that it seemed like such a dead-on portrayal of our then newish partnership. We do switch off on who's to trudge and who's to shriek, but that's still how we motivate forward even now. One with gritted teeth, persevering, and the other empowered and empowering with strong emotion. Hey, it works for us. :)
So basically we were trudging and shrieking for much of the weekend. I'll skip over the boring detail and just say that Mike is somewhat resistant to the new Zero Tolerance Policy around here on things like shouting, violence and mutiny....
Yet he is a practical boy, and I think we will again see the triumph of enlightened self-interest, once he comes to grip with the idea I really really really really mean he will not get his computer and TV privileges back until he earns them with POSITIVE (as opposed to tepid lack of negative) behavior.
Until then, we trudge and shriek.
What made it so hilarious to us was that it seemed like such a dead-on portrayal of our then newish partnership. We do switch off on who's to trudge and who's to shriek, but that's still how we motivate forward even now. One with gritted teeth, persevering, and the other empowered and empowering with strong emotion. Hey, it works for us. :)
So basically we were trudging and shrieking for much of the weekend. I'll skip over the boring detail and just say that Mike is somewhat resistant to the new Zero Tolerance Policy around here on things like shouting, violence and mutiny....
Yet he is a practical boy, and I think we will again see the triumph of enlightened self-interest, once he comes to grip with the idea I really really really really mean he will not get his computer and TV privileges back until he earns them with POSITIVE (as opposed to tepid lack of negative) behavior.
Until then, we trudge and shriek.
