Monday, February 28, 2005
Blah
I'm not sure why, but today I had no energy whatsoever. I even took a nap--didn't help. I managed to trudge through the few things I HAD to do, and now I am going to bed, hoping to be much brighter of eye and bushier of tail upon the morrow.
Maybe I will feel perky enough to write up the Weird Al story. Instead I will leave you with a brief Mike funny.
He came home from school bursting with the news that in ninth hour they are learning SPANISH! He has long admired some classmates who can do this, and he's eager to acquire the skill himself.
Then a thought occured to him, and he asked me, "Do YOU speak Spanish?"
"A little bit," I said. "Uno poquito."
"Hmm," he said, in an exact replica of my best non-commital noise. But he couldn't stick with his urge to be diplomatic for long. "That's ALL?"
Maybe I will feel perky enough to write up the Weird Al story. Instead I will leave you with a brief Mike funny.
He came home from school bursting with the news that in ninth hour they are learning SPANISH! He has long admired some classmates who can do this, and he's eager to acquire the skill himself.
Then a thought occured to him, and he asked me, "Do YOU speak Spanish?"
"A little bit," I said. "Uno poquito."
"Hmm," he said, in an exact replica of my best non-commital noise. But he couldn't stick with his urge to be diplomatic for long. "That's ALL?"
Sunday, February 27, 2005
Being Piccy
Last week I was the Costume Grandma. Today I am being the Science Fair Assistant Grandma, printing out the pictures and graphs and Stuff for Zach, the Future Mad Scientist Grandboy.
The above, and this next pic, were taken by Damaris. I thought it was a great example of Unintended Art. You should look, it's pretty.
The above, and this next pic, were taken by Damaris. I thought it was a great example of Unintended Art. You should look, it's pretty.
Saturday, February 26, 2005
Free Dump Day!
We've got a possible case of "the warm before the storm" going on here today. It's currently a sunny 59 degrees, but we have possible "thundersnow" for tomorrow. So, since I have missed the last two or three, I figured this was a sign from Above that I should get stirred up and haul all the accumulated trash to the dump--and not have to pay the usual fee!
It's a funny ritual to have and like, but I actually do like it. There's something very satisfying about dragging the sacks of trash out of Dreamcloud's bay and hurling them into the big waiting dumpster. Although today I almost made the newb mistake of hurling the whole full trashcan in, rather than just the liner sack. Well, okay, I did hurl it in, but the dumpster was pretty full so I was able to retrieve it from the deck and didn't have to climb in after it....
You aren't supposed to climb in, you see. Although I soothe my conscience when I do it by muttering it's only a rule because of insurance, and I am not the sort of person likely to sue when I have pulled some boneheaded stunt that got me hurt. Sometimes it's an issue of the greater moral value! I mean, what is worse, following some dumb rule the Lamar City Council in its infinite (lack of) wisdom made up to CTA, or letting something useful go to WASTE!
Well, exactly. So now I have a jolly 15 gallon aquarium I can clean up and use. Even if it leaks, because the metal tray under the guinea pig cage is finally starting to rust through, and won't last much longer.
In other acquisition news, garage sale season is trying hard to get started. There were supposed to be FOUR this morning. One cancelled and one we couldn't find (although we lazily did not exert ourselves much in the matter), but the other two weren't too bad for End-of-the-Month. We got a handful of okay stuff, and two very fun things. First, a robot parrot for Mike, which seems to also be a clock, except it had no instructions and I don't know how it works. Then we got 10 big plastic Easter Eggs in assorted colors, the kind you can set out in your yard on sticks. And Caro had the brill idea to go place them around at Damaris and Nigel's!
It was a great success, prank-wise. One of the girlies spotted us sooming away, but no one believed her ID of our getaway car. When Zach went out later and then ran inside with the news of the mysterious appearance of eggs, his dad thought he was joking and mocked him for coming up with such a lame fake-out. Which of course made the revelation of the actual present of the eggs that much more satisfying to the kids....
It's a funny ritual to have and like, but I actually do like it. There's something very satisfying about dragging the sacks of trash out of Dreamcloud's bay and hurling them into the big waiting dumpster. Although today I almost made the newb mistake of hurling the whole full trashcan in, rather than just the liner sack. Well, okay, I did hurl it in, but the dumpster was pretty full so I was able to retrieve it from the deck and didn't have to climb in after it....
You aren't supposed to climb in, you see. Although I soothe my conscience when I do it by muttering it's only a rule because of insurance, and I am not the sort of person likely to sue when I have pulled some boneheaded stunt that got me hurt. Sometimes it's an issue of the greater moral value! I mean, what is worse, following some dumb rule the Lamar City Council in its infinite (lack of) wisdom made up to CTA, or letting something useful go to WASTE!
Well, exactly. So now I have a jolly 15 gallon aquarium I can clean up and use. Even if it leaks, because the metal tray under the guinea pig cage is finally starting to rust through, and won't last much longer.
In other acquisition news, garage sale season is trying hard to get started. There were supposed to be FOUR this morning. One cancelled and one we couldn't find (although we lazily did not exert ourselves much in the matter), but the other two weren't too bad for End-of-the-Month. We got a handful of okay stuff, and two very fun things. First, a robot parrot for Mike, which seems to also be a clock, except it had no instructions and I don't know how it works. Then we got 10 big plastic Easter Eggs in assorted colors, the kind you can set out in your yard on sticks. And Caro had the brill idea to go place them around at Damaris and Nigel's!
It was a great success, prank-wise. One of the girlies spotted us sooming away, but no one believed her ID of our getaway car. When Zach went out later and then ran inside with the news of the mysterious appearance of eggs, his dad thought he was joking and mocked him for coming up with such a lame fake-out. Which of course made the revelation of the actual present of the eggs that much more satisfying to the kids....
Friday, February 25, 2005
Ten things
There is a fun meme going around on LiveJournal that asks you to come up with ten things you have done that you don't think any of your friends who are reading your blog have. So here is mine (yes, there ARE more than ten....)
1.
2.
3. I was a
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
1.
2.
3. I was a
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
Early start
I'm up and around a little sooner than I expected today, as I have the sickening girls (family joke) over, so they will not cough and/or hurl on their innocent classmates.
So I've been sitting here getting organized for the day (that's my story and I'm sticking to it!), reading early morning email and the e-news, and seeing as how I'm in Colorado, the Rocky Mountain News has had a lot about Hunter Thompson.
Which reminded me of a weird thought I had a long time ago.
**PSSST!! SPOILER ALERT if you have not read Stephen King's Firestarter!**
*
*
*
*
You know how, at the end of the book, the little girl is looking for a national publication that will listen to her tale of government evil and spread the news to the world without fear or favor? (Blogs not having been invented yet.) And the librarian she consults suggests...Rolling Stone magazine?
When she shows up there, a receptionist directs her down the hall to talk to a reporter.
You know that Hunter Thompson wrote for RS at one point in time, right? And that time was similar to when Firestarter was set. Can you imagine the result if little Charlie took a wrong turn in the corridors, and HE was the reporter she ended up talking to??
So I've been sitting here getting organized for the day (that's my story and I'm sticking to it!), reading early morning email and the e-news, and seeing as how I'm in Colorado, the Rocky Mountain News has had a lot about Hunter Thompson.
Which reminded me of a weird thought I had a long time ago.
**PSSST!! SPOILER ALERT if you have not read Stephen King's Firestarter!**
*
*
*
*
You know how, at the end of the book, the little girl is looking for a national publication that will listen to her tale of government evil and spread the news to the world without fear or favor? (Blogs not having been invented yet.) And the librarian she consults suggests...Rolling Stone magazine?
When she shows up there, a receptionist directs her down the hall to talk to a reporter.
You know that Hunter Thompson wrote for RS at one point in time, right? And that time was similar to when Firestarter was set. Can you imagine the result if little Charlie took a wrong turn in the corridors, and HE was the reporter she ended up talking to??
Early start
I'm up and around a little sooner than I expected today, as I have the sickening girls (family joke) over, so they will not cough and/or hurl on their innocent classmates.
So I've been sitting here getting organized for the day (that's my story and I'm sticking to it!), reading early morning email and the e-news, and seeing as how I'm in Colorado, the Rocky Mountain News has had a lot about Hunter Thompson.
Which reminded me of a weird thought I had a long time ago.
*Spoiler* in case you have *not* read Stephen King's Firestarter.
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
You know how, at the end of the book, the little girl is looking for a national publication that will listen to her tale of government evil and spread the news to the world without fear or favor? (Blogs not having been invented yet.) And the librarian she consults suggests...Rolling Stone magazine?
When she shows up there, a receptionist directs her down the hall to talk to a reporter.
You know that Hunter Thompson wrote for RS at one point in time, right? And that time was similar to when Firestarter was set. Can you imagine the result if little Charlie took a wrong turn in the corridors, and HE was the reporter she ended up talking to??
So I've been sitting here getting organized for the day (that's my story and I'm sticking to it!), reading early morning email and the e-news, and seeing as how I'm in Colorado, the Rocky Mountain News has had a lot about Hunter Thompson.
Which reminded me of a weird thought I had a long time ago.
*Spoiler* in case you have *not* read Stephen King's Firestarter.
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
You know how, at the end of the book, the little girl is looking for a national publication that will listen to her tale of government evil and spread the news to the world without fear or favor? (Blogs not having been invented yet.) And the librarian she consults suggests...Rolling Stone magazine?
When she shows up there, a receptionist directs her down the hall to talk to a reporter.
You know that Hunter Thompson wrote for RS at one point in time, right? And that time was similar to when Firestarter was set. Can you imagine the result if little Charlie took a wrong turn in the corridors, and HE was the reporter she ended up talking to??
I do not always do everything I mean to do.
I do not always mean to do everything I do.
I thought I was over my odd little episode of ditching LJ, but today I sort of got sucked back into that mental mode. Since I said was going to explain further, I believe I will--partly because I think that's where a little of my avoidance behavior is coming from (not wanting to think about it, eh?).
Part of the problem is just how I seem to be wired up. I get focused in on something and WHAP! I'm stuck there, or at least the main part of my attention and action/interest is. I'm really very bad at alloting set amounts of time per day to several different things that need doing. I tend to sort of pick one thing and fixiate on THAT. Except for the times I can't focus on any one thing at ALL and go pinballing at random from task to task....
Anyway, what happened just after I went away for the last weekend in January was I suddenly re-panicked about finances. As you may recall, we had been running behind for a while, for a group of reasons that kind of ganged up on us. Business was good in the holiday season, though, and then we did do pretty darned well out of the eBay Dime Listing Day. So things were looking up.
But things like this editorial in the NY Times have really gotten me, the former perennial optimist, pretty nervous:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/24/opinion/24friedman.html?th
My reaction is to drop everything else right now and work my head off doing everything I can to make some money. Otherwise we'll end up living in our camper down by the river eating government cheese, except there ain't a-gonna BE no government cheese, because the government hates us and wants all us poor people to die....
Maybe that's actually a rational approach instead of a paranoid one, I don't know (the doing more work part, not the cheesy thing). But on the other hand, all work and no play, you know?
So I am trying to keep balanced. Don't worry if I slip off now and then. I'm still here in my little e-nest surrounded by the towering stacks of books...and I'll be back posting again pretty soon....
I thought I was over my odd little episode of ditching LJ, but today I sort of got sucked back into that mental mode. Since I said was going to explain further, I believe I will--partly because I think that's where a little of my avoidance behavior is coming from (not wanting to think about it, eh?).
Part of the problem is just how I seem to be wired up. I get focused in on something and WHAP! I'm stuck there, or at least the main part of my attention and action/interest is. I'm really very bad at alloting set amounts of time per day to several different things that need doing. I tend to sort of pick one thing and fixiate on THAT. Except for the times I can't focus on any one thing at ALL and go pinballing at random from task to task....
Anyway, what happened just after I went away for the last weekend in January was I suddenly re-panicked about finances. As you may recall, we had been running behind for a while, for a group of reasons that kind of ganged up on us. Business was good in the holiday season, though, and then we did do pretty darned well out of the eBay Dime Listing Day. So things were looking up.
But things like this editorial in the NY Times have really gotten me, the former perennial optimist, pretty nervous:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/24/opinion/24friedman.html?th
My reaction is to drop everything else right now and work my head off doing everything I can to make some money. Otherwise we'll end up living in our camper down by the river eating government cheese, except there ain't a-gonna BE no government cheese, because the government hates us and wants all us poor people to die....
Maybe that's actually a rational approach instead of a paranoid one, I don't know (the doing more work part, not the cheesy thing). But on the other hand, all work and no play, you know?
So I am trying to keep balanced. Don't worry if I slip off now and then. I'm still here in my little e-nest surrounded by the towering stacks of books...and I'll be back posting again pretty soon....
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
Honk if you are tired of asking about my grandchildren
I didn't get all my packages packed and mailed yesterday (hmm, wonder why?) so today I am trying to be more responsible. But it's lunchtime, so I am posting a quickie with the photos of my grandgirlies from last night's play (and MY mistake, they are in second grade, not third. No wonder I think time goes by too fast....)
The play was an interesting choice, with many of the lines being straight from nursery rhymes, which I'm sure makes it easier for little ones to know their lines. The overall premise was one I agree with: when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Although for grown-ups, I also suggest you try to find a soulmate in the person to whom life has given potatoes. Help THEM make vodka, and you have the start of a fine party!
Morrissey as Chicken Little and Marisa as Little Miss Muffet. Although from the way she hammed it up, preening and flouncing her skirt, you'd have thought her role was Little Miss Thang....
(That's their "lemonade" hanging around their necks.)
Detail shot of Morrissey's tailfeathers.
The play was an interesting choice, with many of the lines being straight from nursery rhymes, which I'm sure makes it easier for little ones to know their lines. The overall premise was one I agree with: when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Although for grown-ups, I also suggest you try to find a soulmate in the person to whom life has given potatoes. Help THEM make vodka, and you have the start of a fine party!
Morrissey as Chicken Little and Marisa as Little Miss Muffet. Although from the way she hammed it up, preening and flouncing her skirt, you'd have thought her role was Little Miss Thang....
(That's their "lemonade" hanging around their necks.)
Detail shot of Morrissey's tailfeathers.
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
Things I missed out on complaining about in the past month
Remember when I had to get those silicon nose thingies on my glasses replaced, and I thought it was because they had just gotten old and crumbled away? The replacements have a minor version of the same problem.
Mice are eating my glasses at night while I sleep.
***
We must have had a spider hatching recently. I have, at four different times, been bitten on both arms and both legs in the past week.
Don't you wish you lived in the country like me?
***
Someone, possibly the UPS truck, ran over my baby maple tree, even though it is is a TIRE, and broke the trunk in two pieces. I am never going to have my own forest at this rate.
***
Mike threw a newish pair of his SIZE 18 pants in the general direction of the laundry, but failed to score the two points for a basket. Instead they fell on top of, then slid down the side of Climber's dog crate. Being an industrious sort of dog, she worked hard at pulling them through the little slots. Only part of them made it all the way in. Mostly the vital seat covering area....
***
I'm sure I will think of more later.
Mice are eating my glasses at night while I sleep.
***
We must have had a spider hatching recently. I have, at four different times, been bitten on both arms and both legs in the past week.
Don't you wish you lived in the country like me?
***
Someone, possibly the UPS truck, ran over my baby maple tree, even though it is is a TIRE, and broke the trunk in two pieces. I am never going to have my own forest at this rate.
***
Mike threw a newish pair of his SIZE 18 pants in the general direction of the laundry, but failed to score the two points for a basket. Instead they fell on top of, then slid down the side of Climber's dog crate. Being an industrious sort of dog, she worked hard at pulling them through the little slots. Only part of them made it all the way in. Mostly the vital seat covering area....
***
I'm sure I will think of more later.
Plots of Nature
I have been WANTING to get back to posting for pretty much the whole time I was off. A couple of weeks ago I felt ready, except I thought it would be a good idea to get our taxes all done first, since that takes a certain amount of concentration and all. So as soon as I decided this...Monday, sick grand-girlie needs to stay home from school. Tuesday, RE-2's first ever Black Ice day. Caro and Mike both stayed home from school. Wednesday, dentist appt for Mike and other time consumers. Thursday, I forget. But something. There was another grand-girlie sick day in there somewhere. Then EVERYONE started getting sick in turns. Luckily only the 24-48 hours and change kind of sick. But you see the pattern, right? The plot against me???
I FINALLY did the important (Caro's refund) part of the taxes Sunday. I still have to file the 1065 Partnership thingie and also PAY my Self-Employment tax, argh. But I defeated the mysterious invisible Plotters, and that's the main thing!
Here's a pic of our yard windmill through the trees on Black Ice Day
I FINALLY did the important (Caro's refund) part of the taxes Sunday. I still have to file the 1065 Partnership thingie and also PAY my Self-Employment tax, argh. But I defeated the mysterious invisible Plotters, and that's the main thing!
Here's a pic of our yard windmill through the trees on Black Ice Day
What happened, Part 1
Almost exactly a month ago, I had to go to Denver for a weekend. As you may recall, when the group Democracy for Colorado was started last March, I was elected as a a board member. Now, not quite a year later with a lot of election action under our belts, it was time to step back, take stock, and see what was working for us and what could be improved.
It was a good weekend, but very full. I slept at my mom's on the Couch of Not Quite Death Because That Would Be Too Easy. Also her computer connection was totally on strike and would NOT let me read my LiveJournal or other sites no matter what!!
So I fell behind. Once you get behind your Herd, she said darkly, it is all too easy to be picked off by the Wolves of Distraction....
We had our Saturday meeting at the downtown Tattered Cover, just across from Union Station. Because of the train aspect, I took this pic for Mike, and because I liked how it came out, I am sharing it.
It was a good weekend, but very full. I slept at my mom's on the Couch of Not Quite Death Because That Would Be Too Easy. Also her computer connection was totally on strike and would NOT let me read my LiveJournal or other sites no matter what!!
So I fell behind. Once you get behind your Herd, she said darkly, it is all too easy to be picked off by the Wolves of Distraction....
We had our Saturday meeting at the downtown Tattered Cover, just across from Union Station. Because of the train aspect, I took this pic for Mike, and because I liked how it came out, I am sharing it.
A Night at the Theatre
I have so many things I haven't posted that I can't possibly remember them all in order. So I am going to do some memory jogging by going backwards through pics I uploaded to post...sometime.
Tonight we are going to go see the 3rd grade play at Lincoln Elementary, because the grand-girlies are in it. Marisa remains a wee tad put out because she did not get her coveted role as one of the Three Billy Goats Gruff. (Marisa is a goat fangirl in the way that many little girls her age are horse-crazy. It is much harder to be goat-crazy because you have so much less opportunity to squee and point and leap and talk with like-minded fangirls.) She will instead be Little Miss Muffet, so she is at least consoled by having dress-up swag to wear.
Morrissey is Chicken Little. One of the tasks I had to devote an evening to lately instead of FINALLY getting back to posting was to make HER a costume. When a girlie comes to Grandma with the big pleading yet confident eyes, you know costuming will take place! Because I am the NeonGrandma, and know where to find cheap feather boas and what to do with them when they arrive in the mail.
In progress:
More pics to follow after tonight!
Tonight we are going to go see the 3rd grade play at Lincoln Elementary, because the grand-girlies are in it. Marisa remains a wee tad put out because she did not get her coveted role as one of the Three Billy Goats Gruff. (Marisa is a goat fangirl in the way that many little girls her age are horse-crazy. It is much harder to be goat-crazy because you have so much less opportunity to squee and point and leap and talk with like-minded fangirls.) She will instead be Little Miss Muffet, so she is at least consoled by having dress-up swag to wear.
Morrissey is Chicken Little. One of the tasks I had to devote an evening to lately instead of FINALLY getting back to posting was to make HER a costume. When a girlie comes to Grandma with the big pleading yet confident eyes, you know costuming will take place! Because I am the NeonGrandma, and know where to find cheap feather boas and what to do with them when they arrive in the mail.
In progress:
More pics to follow after tonight!
Thursday, February 10, 2005
I no verbs
"First they came for the verbs and I said nothing, for verbing weirds language.
Then they came for the nouns and I speech nothing, for I no verbs."
Peter Ellis
Then they came for the nouns and I speech nothing, for I no verbs."
Peter Ellis
