Ramblings from Basho

Back to Blogging

2011-09-19T15:04:00.003-05:00

From day one of blogging, it has been a passion. Writing has always proven to be the easiest way for me to express myself, sort through my own thoughts, and sometimes just get the gunk off my soul. This one is where it all started and later, I found that writing them from the perspective of my cats and ferrets was also a fun way to let people know how my life was faring.

Eventually, I had two MySpace accounts where I did the majority of my blogging--an edited and unedited--if you will. And well, we all know where MySpace went... As for the facebook account which soon took over my life in an unhealthy, obsessive manner--there is no real blogging. You can write "Notes" but it doesn't have the same feel or appeal to me. If I ever happen to remember my MySpace passwords or develop a lot of extra time and ambition, I plan to transfer my blogs back to where they belong... here. But lords knows, extra time and ambition are rarely my friends.

So anyhoo, a lot has changed in my life since I was a dedicated blogger. I am not even sure that I would describe myself as the same person. Much as the events in my life when I was nineteen changed me drastically and transformed me into a person unrecognized by those that knew me before 1/10/93--the events of 4/22/10 led to another transformation. I would say those are the two major days in my life that have shaped me into who I am today. The first being the day my mother was murdered, the second being the day I found myself to be an orphan. While my father is still alive and well, he made decisions that day that led to the final decision that I am a stronger, safer, generally happier person without him in my life. Many people would label this harsh, callus, unforgiving, etc--the people that know my father and know the situation ask why I waited so long.

At any rate, I have started a new blog: Love Shouldn't Always Hurt. While I don't generally like to put too much of my personal life out there in cyberspace, this one is about as personal as it comes. It is painful to write, but necessary. I recently shared bits and pieces of this story at a Penn State event for Taking Back the Night, a domestic violence awareness gathering. I am not a fan of public speaking, but was invited to share my story there and not only felt it liberating and healing, but discovered other women in similar situations that felt as lost and alone as I did when I was going through my situation. I also shared parts of my story in a newsletter that Crossroads puts out for victims of domestic violence.

My goal is to reach out through speaking, writing, and blogging with the hopes of sharing my story and putting it to some good. Otherwise, it was nothing more than a horrible chapter in my life and I would much rather see some good come from it.

blink (Malcolm Gladwell)

2011-07-22T07:16:00.003-05:00

"When making a decision of minor importance, I have always found it advantageous to consider all the pros and cons. In vital matters, however, such as the choice of a mate or a profession, the decision should come from the unconscious, from somewhere within ourselves. In the important decisions of personal life, we should be governed, I think, by the deep inner needs of our nature." ~Sigmund Freud~

Thought of the Day

2011-07-12T08:49:00.000-05:00

"This life is what you make it. No matter what, you're going to mess up sometimes, it's a universal truth. But the good part is you get to decide how you're going to mess it up. Girls will be your friends - they'll act like it anyway. But just remember, some come, some go. The ones that stay with you through everything - they're your true best friends. Don't let go of them. Also remember, sisters make the best friends in the world. As for lovers, well, they'll come and go too. And babe, I hate to say it, most of them - actually pretty much all of them are going to break your heart, but you can't give up because if you give up, you'll never find your soul mate. You'll never find that half who makes you whole and that goes for everything. Just because you fail once, doesn't mean you're gonna fail at everything. Keep trying, hold on, and always, always, always believe in yourself, because if you don't, then who will, sweetie? So keep your head high, keep your chin up, and most importantly, keep smiling, because life's a beautiful thing and there's so much to smile about."

~Marilyn Monroe~

Hmm...

2010-12-16T18:30:00.000-05:00

"We have a deeply ingrained belief that our spiritual life, our spiritual practices, must tend in a direction opposite to our nature. Spirit, we imagine, rises upward, into transcendent realms, whereas nature, which includes bodily sensations and feelings, draws us downward. In some versions of this core image, the contrast between the two realms is even sharper: spirit is not only separated from nature, but incompatible and opposed. The human spiritual is then always regarded as superior to the animal natural."

~Ralph Metzner~
Ecopsychology:Restoring the Earth, Healing the Mind

Random Quote of Excellence!

2010-11-16T21:58:00.001-05:00

"When we're incomplete, we're always searching for somebody to complete us. When, after a few years or a few months of a relationship, we find that we're still unfulfilled, we blame our partners and take up with somebody more promising. This can go on and on--serial polygamy--until we admit that while a partner can add sweet dimensions to our lives, we, each of us, are responsible for our own fulfillment. Nobody else can provide it for us, and to believe otherwise is to delude ourselves dangerously and to program for eventual failure every relationship we enter." ~Princess Leigh-Cheri~

Love Me Forever Lyrics

2010-03-08T08:21:00.003-05:00

Good Doro Pesch Lyrics Link (This one is Doro, with Lemmy; my song of weekend past and Monday morning)

Love me forever, or not at all,
End of our tether, backs to the wall,
Give me your hand, don't you ever ask why,
Promise me nothing, live 'til we die,

Everything changes, it all stays the same,
Everyone guilty, no one to blame,
Every way out, brings you back to the start,
Everyone dies to break somebody's heart,

We are the system, we are the law,
We are corruption, worm in the core,
One of another, laugh 'til you cry,
Faith unto death or a knife in the eye,

Everything changes, it all stays the same,
Everyone guilty, no one to blame,
Every way out, brings you back to the start,
Everyone dies to break somebody's heart,

Love me or leave me, tell me no lies,
Ask me no questions, send me no spies,
You know love's a thief, steal your heart in the night,
Slip through your fingers, you best hold on tight.

Everything changes, it all stays the same,
Everyone guilty, no one to blame,
Every way out, brings you back to the start,
Everyone dies to break somebody's heart.

Just the Highlights...

2010-02-27T00:55:00.003-05:00

Jonathan Livingston Seagull ~Richard Bach~

Pt I

"Jonathan Seagull discovered that boredom and fear and anger are the reasons that a gull's life is so short, and with these gone from his thought, he lived a long fine life indeed."

***So much more, that is only the beginning! Read it and Illusions, also! :)

My Valentine's Gift

2010-02-12T18:53:00.003-05:00

Long time since I've been in here. Did a run with two MySpace pages and blogged pretty regularly there, thus neglecting this one. Have since joined up on facebook and LOVE it, but I always have a bit more to post and say than they create room for. So anyhoo, here I am. Been a long time, so I am guessing it will be a while before anyone even discovers that I have returned to my ramblings...perhaps I will be the only one to know! ;)

Anyhoo, imparted my Valentine's Day gift today...VERY DIFFICULT. I called Keith this afternoon and asked him if he wanted Harrnh for the weekend. Silence, followed by a mouse's whisper, "Why, what are you doing this weekend?" Ouch. Explained that she misses him and that I knew this weekend would be rough on him, so "Do you want to pick her up tonight and keep her until Sunday?"

Childlike excitement follows: "I can take her for walks! Play with her! I'll take her up to see Niko! Oh, Alex! This is great! Thank you, so much!"

Of course, he need not know how hard this will be on me...

Already I panic. What if something happens? What if she gets hit by a car? What if they go somewhere and they wreck? Too overprotective, I am. Smothering... UGH. I suppose in some ways this may be good for me, too.

It will be good for them both. Harrnh misses her littermate greatly and it pains me to see her going through this. This was as much a gift for her, if not more so.

Wish me well, silent voice of no longer having readers, for this will be a tough weekend for me.

On a happy note, the DuBois pet store got one of their tarantulas in. A fantastic King Baboon! She is huge! Like WOW HUGE!!! Very beautiful brilliant orange. Their other tarantulas will not arrive until after the weather gets a tad warmer, but are ordered and awaiting shipment. Which I praise up and down, a supplier that cares more about the spiders than cash flow--Good, good! So anyhoo, I am now the proud owner of a King Baboon--my gift to me for Valentine's Day. :)

Some YouTube videos to give you an idea of what is now living with me: I suspect this one is actually a male. Neat little video of one hissing and striking. And a bit more of the same. Enjoy!

Save $$$ With Allstate VS Liberty Mutual

2009-10-24T14:47:00.005-05:00

Do you believe the commercials? GEICO, Progressive... They all want to save you money. But switching insurance sometimes has hidden costs too.

I've had my auto insurance through Liberty Mutual forever. At one point in time, as Penn State alumni, it was a great deal. It was cheap then, but I've watched the rate soar over the years. It finally reached $800 every six months which seems ridiculous for a clean driving record. So I did it. I switched to Allstate and now pay less than $240 every six months. Plus my insurance agent found a way to save me another 10% on top of that. Nearly $600 less every six months + BETTER COVERAGE!

But I may have occurred other penalties for switching. My home owners insurance was still with Liberty Mutual. Or so I thought...

I called Liberty Mutual on 10/9/09 to inform them that I found cheaper auto insurance and would be canceling my auto insurance with them effective on 10/12. When I called them on 10/21 to extend my homeowners policy which was set to expire on 10/26, they informed me that they had dropped me on 10/15.

Apparently, I'm not the only one to have my home owners insurance dropped upon switching my auto insurance. Liberty Mutual Punishes "Disloyal" Insurance Customer. Can I prove that was the reason that they dropped me? No. Who am I against them?

After reading numerous other complaints, I came across one from: Cindy of Worcester, MA February 20, 2008 who discovered that she had no homeowners insurance coverage for a year and a half after using Liberty Mutual for eight years in a row because she paid for it from her mortgage escrow and didn't know they had dropped her coverage. Again, I am not alone in this case.

Welcome to my world. Liberty Mutual claims they dropped my insurance because my home is vacant. Great, but couldn't they have told me so that I could find other coverage? They claim that they sent me letters on 9/2, 9/10, and two on 10/15. I keep impeccable records. Where are these letters? Had I received letters that I would be losing my insurance, I would have started the ball rolling with finding another company much sooner.

When I spoke to them on the phone on 9/2, they informed me that my homeowners policy runs until 10/26. No mention of being dropped. When I spoke to them on 10/9 to cancel my auto insurance, they confirmed that my home owners was paid until 10/26--again, no word of being dropped. Not until I called on 10/21 to renew my insurance was it even mentioned. What if I hadn't called and just assumed everything was okay? I pay my homeowners through escrow--I never see the bills. I would have never known that they dropped me on 10/15 if I hadn't called.

When I called my Allstate rep, he told me that Liberty Mutual could terminate my coverage on 10/26 due to it now being a vacant home but that dropping it before the 26th seemed unprecedented. He also stated that they are supposed to give 45 days notice PRIOR to terminating coverage. September 2nd would have ALMOST been within that guideline, had I received a letter. Now I am without coverage. Thank you, Liberty Mutual.

So what's the real deal? Was my homeowners insurance dropped due to finding cheaper and better auto coverage? They never claimed that it was a misunderstanding and thought that I wanted to drop both. They have known that my home was for sale and vacant for months--why is it suddenly an issue and uncoverable now?

Obviously others have had similar issues with Liberty Mutual. But when it is us against them, I guess all I can do is add my voice to the collective consumer complaints and hope that at least one person will think twice about the coverage they have and investigate where their money is really going. Is it worth it to think you are insured only to discover that your company neglected to share such key information with you? I think not.

Here's to saving a bundle with Allstate and to getting better and friendly coverage at the same time. Now if I can get my house insured again with equal ease I will be truly pleased. I just wish Liberty Mutual could have been ethical about their consumer dealings from the start.

Donation or Scam?

2009-10-16T17:16:00.006-05:00

I'm sure you have all seen the commercials. Maybe a few of you even pay more to buy the product because you think you are donating to a good cause. $1 for every bottle of Dawn Dishwashing Liquid goes towards helping animals... But have you ever read the small print?

Surprisingly, of the numerous people I have asked, nobody has. And the sad thing is, of all of the people that pay the extra money buying Dawn thinking that they were supporting a good cause, not a single dollar from the people I have talked to went to helping.

Why?

Because, as it states:

1 BOTTLE = $1
TO SAVE WILDLIFE
Up to $500,000. Must visit www.dawnsaveswildlife.com to activate donation.

My next question, upon knowing that, how many people will even bother "activating their donation" and doing that for each bottle they buy? Who has the time and is it worth it? My big question is... will I even remember???

Granted it does take less than five minutes... They do help you figure out what the hell they want for the Bottle Donation Code (not so easy to read on the bottle, however) and you do have to enter your zipcode, purchase location and a really silly security question--but hey, at least I already typed in the website address for you!

True charity shouldn't have so many hoops to jump through, at least in my opinion. So I guess my point is, if you are spending the extra money--please take the extra time to make sure that your money genuinely goes where you think it is. Or you may as well just buy that cheaper brand.

SOLD!!! Irony and Weirdness Follow...

2009-09-27T16:40:00.006-05:00

It's hard for me to believe that three years ago, at this time, I was a proud first-time home owner. September 13, 2006, I was officially handed the keys to my safety, sanity, and serenity. No more rotten landlords, neighbors or roommates. My very own home!

As most of you know, I moved in with Keith in March of 2009. This left me with $1000 a month in payments for a house I no longer lived in. Quite silly, really. Why would I pay for an extra house? So we began getting it ready to sell. Remodeling. Time, sweat, tears, extra money, blah. Interviewing Realtors. More time, tears, frustrations--which one to choose?

The irony? I get a text message from my neighbor on Friday, 8/28 asking how many rooms my house had and how much I was asking because he knew someone that may be interested. On Saturday, 8/29 she came to look at it. The following Monday, 8/31, she started the paperwork. TUESDAY I was supposed to sign the paperwork with a realtor. Close call!

Also odd, she had started the loan process for a different house in the exact amount of the random figure that popped into my head--but liked my house better, so she switched the house address on the loan papers. Why did I chose that amount? No clue, at the time.

Another odd fact, through out this process, I discover that the house I bid on and almost bought before finding the one I did go with--well, she is the one that out bid me and bought it! So she moved into the one I almost bought as I was moving into the exact one she would later move into three years later...

From Picture Pages 6/25/06, the house she bought AKA The House I bid on or more specifically, the Coder Farm. She saved me from house #1 by outbidding me. Now she is taking house #2 off my hands and saving me thousands by preventing a Realtor from becoming involved. Life is so strange at times. I also went to school with her in Brookville. It just seems our paths were meant to cross here and there.

UPDATE POSTED ON 2/12/10:

Ah, yes. So what happened? How is it that I am back in my house? Long story and drama aside... My contract with this woman ran out on 11/5/09. She refused to do any more with the "good faith fund," would not agree to my terms, so I refused to sign another contract. The universe works in strange ways. This woman had significant issues with the mortgage company she was dealing with (suing them, last I heard) and eventually sought out another.

In the meantime, things were changing dramatically in my life, not so much for the good. I moved back into my home on 11/26/09. Was almost ready to move back in starting on 11/5--but knew it had to be fast and quick due to circumstances beyond my control. Events on 11/12/09 confirmed what I suspected and felt and truly began the ball in motion. Discussed it with family and planned an abrupt, quick move.

Oddly enough, I received a call on 11/24/09 that the paperwork was ready, sale would be finalized on 11/29/09. Felt a twinge of guilt that I was not going through with the sale and she was back to square one. But not much guilt since along the journey I discovered much about this woman that I did not wish to know. I bought into her sob story, hook line and sinker. For see, this was part of her karma biting her in the ass and these things she brings upon herself. She IS NOT the innocent little victim that I reached my hand out to, but a very troubled soul indeed. Manipulation, lies, free rides--karma.

There is the part of me that wishes I could explain these things to her but she isn't ready to hear. It is just more of her "Woe is me" story and she thrives on such drama. I suspect when I heard the story about the guy that thought he was about to get lucky with an easy gal, took her to his car in the parking lot and began; only to find that she was crying the blues about this and that and he immediately lost all desire--that he too had encountered this same woman, as I.

I have left the title to this posting as it was originally written, only to add the update. Because looking back, there was more truth there than I could ever have even guessed at...

Ambystoma maculatum

2009-04-20T14:00:00.004-05:00

AKA the Yellow Spotted Salamander, Ambystoma maculatum

The following quotes contain the links they are referenced from. Since I have limited Internet access at this point, I had no choice but to do a little cutting and pasting. Sorry...

"Adults maintain a small home range rarely exceeding a few square metres, although they migrate up to 500 metres to reach a breeding pond. This salamander is secretive, avoiding others of the same species, never basking, and exhibiting little movement except during breeding season. It may even remain in a single burrow all year except during breeding season."

"Yellow Spotted Salamanders begin to breed in the springtime. They follow the streams of melting snow to breeding pools. The male will arrive sooner than the female, and there will be an overabundance of males, who will compete by swimming around and rubbing each other."

"Adults breed in the same pond throughout their lifetime."

"Scientists are concerned that this species of salamanders may become eliminated due to decreased water levels, habitat destruction and reduced water quality."

So anyhoo, why the big piece on a relatively common critter? Because of their behaviors, they are rarely seen and they are genuinely breathtaking to see live.

Keith first brought me one last spring and in all my years of catching reptiles--I had never seen one. They can generally only be seen one to two nights a year and unless you are willing to venture out into the rain late at night--you will most likely never see one.

Last night, I captured some videos of them making their annual migration to their breeding grounds and thought I would share them.

Their habitat may soon be destroyed due to plans to put yet another landfill in Elk County. This may be the end for our little population of Yellow Spotted Salamanders, so I wanted to share these while I could...

Videos of their annual migration (April 19, 2009). A truly rare sight.

Smaller Size
Close-Up
Migrating
Larger One
Migrating II

Pictures of the one Keith brought me last year (April 8, 2008).

I also found a cool blog piece regarding the "romantic," but often tragic nature of breeding season for these fascinating creatures (along with fun drawings). Of course, it is this tragic nature that has caused Keith to search for them on wet, rainy, spring nights over the years and assist them safely across the road.

To learn more about the Yellow Spotted Salamander, click here.

A Tip For the Men Out There

2009-02-22T00:12:00.000-05:00

Have you ever wanted to be the guy that got all of the girls? The guy that had his choice and repeat flings with the ones you truly enjoyed? It really isn't difficult... and I might add that I am not an easy girl to hook-up with. I am EXTREMELY picky... just ask any of the guys that never made it beyond my "just friends" list.

Let me start off by saying, I am very happy with the person I am with. I love him like I have never loved anyone before. He completes me; compliments the person that I am and makes me feel whole--he's like finding the piece of me that I didn't know was missing. But I still find myself thinking of someone from my past--a lot lately. That has been bothering me and I realized that I needed to do some soul-searching to find out why.

This person from my past was an occasional connection. I looked forward to our times together, but it wasn't an "exclusive" relationship. He was the one that I chose to be with when my year of abstinence was up (after my six-year relationship). Not an easy choice! He became an on-again/off-again thing throughout the next several years--an occasional "pick-me-up," you could say.

We had a lot in common--a deep love for the Simpsons, an even deeper love for the Beatles, a thirst for knowledge, a deep love of books and music--a passion for life and to experience as much of it as possible. Most of all, we always had fun. Whether we spent the night singing along to Johnny Cash or practicing twirling his toy cowboy guns; we always laughed and enjoyed our time shared (if you can make her laugh, you are golden). Granted, most evenings involved drinking until we passed out in each others arms; but they were always mornings that I woke up feeling alive and refreshed.

But this guy was also your classic playboy. Not the type I would normally look twice at, let alone go home with. So how did he do it? Simple.

No matter what else was going on around him--he only focused on the girl he was with. Once he made his choice for the evening, he had eyes for no one else. He didn't flirt with anyone else or even look at the other girls around--once he chose his target, that was it. He made you feel like the only woman alive; like you were the most beautifully divine creature he ever laid eyes on and no one else existed. And it felt like no one else did. He swooped you up and made you feel like a million dollar trophy.

If his friends came over and tried to talk to him, you were still his focus. He would casually tell them to get lost. If other girls tried making a move on him, he'd say he was busy and promptly return his focus to you. It was impossible to resist the feeling of being special.

He would start out simply by standing next to you and perhaps lean into you a bit. I suppose an uninterested girl would probably move away or tell him to mind his space. Next, he would gently begin talking to you. For me, it was always books. Thankfully, we shared a love for Stephen King and had not only read all of the old stuff, but were embarking on the Dark Tower journey together. In fact, I'm pretty sure that he was the one that turned me onto the series and it became a connecting point throughout the years.

Sometimes, he would approach by asking if you wanted to pick out music on the jukebox with him (always a moment when you are required to stand closely by the one you are talking to and a great way to discover common music interests, which leads to further conversation--while still seeing if her body chemistry is connecting with yours). Sometimes, he would start out random conversations about whatever was going on where we were at or he would talk about something random going on his life.

Wherever the conversation picked up, he made a point to listen as well. It never seemed as though he was waiting to "top" what you last said or that he was thinking about what he would say next. It flowed because he seemed genuinely interested in the conversation, you felt like he was genuinely listening and he NEVER gave the impression that he was just trying to get laid. He focused on your mind and what you were into.

I believe that stimulating a person's mind is the first step to stimulating the rest of them. Sure, sometimes simple chemistry will take you far, but sometimes there is more work than that involved. Besides, a stimulated mind is going to lead to more intense stimulation of everything else. And truly, even if you are just going for a "one-nighter," don't you want it to blow her mind (and yours), while possibly leading to repeat sessions? Plus, a girl that has had that one-in-a-million experience will tell everyone--which potentially leads to advertising and making other women wonder what is that you've got. I've never met anyone that didn't want to feel special.

Let's face it. Geeky girls are harder to get. Easy girls are, well, easy. But these things work with them, too--even more so, because guys usually don't try as hard. A guy that does make the effort to get to know her mentally before physically is sure to knock her socks (and everything else) off! So there you go guys. Make her feel special. Make her feel interesting. Make her feel like the only girl in the room. Eventually, YOU will be the only person SHE SEES in the room.

Finally, a side note here. Don't give up. Especially when faced with geeky, selective women. It sometimes takes time. But if you apply these things and truly want it to happen--SHE may eventually seek you out. The interesting note here is that this love guru never made a strong move on me or suggested anything of the sort. I watched him quietly, as I do and soaked in the pleasure of being beautiful to him. When I was ready, I made the move and he didn't have to do a thing. Not a single thing. I was ready and chose him.

Once I made that move, the door was then open to him. Down the road, I'd see him out and hoped I'd be his target for the night. Sometimes it was someone else and that was okay, too. Why? Because I knew that she was savoring in that feeling of being special and beautiful. He didn't always pick the beautiful or easy chics. I don't know what his logic was, other than he truly loved women and experiencing them as people. I guess he was enough man for more than one woman. But the nights when we did connect were some of the best in my life.

He wasn't drop-dead-gorgeous or a phenomenal lover. He simply made me feel special. He made me laugh. He listened. Some nights were just hanging out and falling asleep in each other's arms. He never had to make the moves because he took the shy, quiet girl and made her sparkle. And let me tell you, if you truly love a girl--your girlfriend, wife, whatever--these tricks will keep her happy and coming back for more through the years to come. Not only are these the tools of the trade for picking up women, they are also the tools for keeping them. Did I mention that everyone likes to feel special? Like the only other person on Earth?

The guy was a genius. And even years later, while in the best relationship I've ever been in--hopefully my forever relationship--that love guru still has a special place in my heart and thoughts. I'll always love him for seeing beauty in me and for making me feel like I was the only girl in the world. I wish him well and hope that he is happy wherever he is in life. Making me feel beautiful made me see him as beautiful. And truly he was a beautiful person.

Piece of useless trivia for you... How do you make a person see you as more attractive instantly? By letting them know that you find them attractive. It is very true.

It Was Only a Matter of Time!

2009-02-11T01:47:00.003-05:00

Keep your eyes open for more random YouTube video postings! Most will be located in my Picture Pages! blog and I suppose it is possible that they will appear on my other blogs from time to time, also! :)

Celebrating the Massacre

2009-02-10T22:22:00.000-05:00

Here you go, guys, the Valentine's Day present that she wants most:

APPLICATION FOR A NIGHT OUT WITH THE BOYS
Name of Boyfriend/Fiancé/Husband: ________________________________
I request permission for a leave of absence from the highest authority in my life for the following period:

Date: __________ Time of departure: __________

Time of return NOT to exceed: __________

Should permission be granted, I do solemnly swear to only visit the locations stated below, at the stated times. I agree to refrain from hitting on or flirting with other women. I shall not even speak to another female, except as expressly permitted in writing below. I will not turn off my mobile phone after two drinks, nor shall I consume above the allowed volume of alcohol without first phoning for a taxi AND calling you for a verbal waiver of said alcohol allowance. I understand that even if permission is granted to go out, my girlfriend/fiancé/wife retains the right to be pissed off with me the following week for no valid reason whatsoever.

Amount of alcohol permitted (units):

Beer _____ Wine _____ Liquor _____ Total _____ Amount of money permitted to be spent during evening: _______

Locations permitted to be visited:

Location: _____________ From: _____ To: _____

Females with whom conversation is permitted: ________

IMPORTANT – STRIPPER CLAUSE: Not withstanding the female contact permitted above, I promise to refrain from coming within one hundred (100) feet of a stripper or exotic dancer. Violation of this Stripper Clause shall be grounds for immediate termination of the relationship.

I acknowledge my position in life. I know who wears the trousers in our relationship, and I agree it’s not me. I promise to abide by your rules & regulations. I understand that this is going to cost me a fortune in chocolates & flowers. You reserve the right to obtain and use my credit cards whenever you wish to do so. I hereby promise to take you on an unlimited shopping spree, should I not return home by the approved time. On my way home, I will not pick a fight with any stranger, nor shall I conduct in depth discussions with the said entity. Upon my return home, I promise not to urinate anywhere other than in the toilet. In addition, I will refrain from waking you up, breathing my vile breath in your face, and attempting to breed like a (drunken) rabbit. I declare that to the best of my knowledge (of which I have none compared to my BETTER half), the above information is correct.

Signed (in blood)- Boyfriend/Fiancé/Husband: _________________________________

Request is: APPROVED _____ DENIED _____
This decision is not negotiable. If approved, cut permission slip below and carry at all times.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Permission for my boyfriend/fiancé/husband to be away for the following period of time:
Date: ______ Time of departure: ______ Time of return: ______
Signed – Girlfriend/Fiancé/Wife: ____________________________

But wait! Ladies, we've got permission slips for you also!

APPLICATION FOR A NIGHT OUT WITH THE GIRLS
Name of Girlfriend/Fiancé/Partner/Wife: ___________________________
I’m going out.
Signed: (me) _____________________________

Anyhoo, Happy Valentine's Day! :)

New Pictures!

2009-01-20T00:37:00.001-05:00

Check out my Picture Pages! site for pics of my new baby! :)

A Gem from Douglas Adams

2008-11-18T16:40:00.002-05:00

Imagine a puddle
waking up one morning
and thinking,
'This is an interesting world
I find myself in,
an interesting hole
I find myself in,
fits me rather neatly,
doesn't it?
In fact,
it fits me staggeringly well,
must have been made
to have me in it!'

This is such a powerful idea
that as the sun rises in the sky
and the air heats up and as,
gradually,
the puddle gets smaller
and smaller,
it's still frantically
hanging on to the notion
that everything's going to be alright,
because this world was meant
to have him in it,
was built to have him in it;
so the moment he disappears
catches him rather by surprise.

I think this may be something
we need to be on the watch out for.

Slowly, but Surely...

2008-11-07T04:28:00.003-05:00

Pictures and albums are appearing in my Picture Pages! section.

Many, many, many more to come! :)

There is, after all, a very good reason that I haven't been posting...

As the pictures will tell, I've been a very, very busy girl!

~HARMONY~

2008-08-26T21:52:00.002-05:00

"Restore harmony.

Create PEACE in

all situations. Rather

than pushing the river,

FLOW with it."

And that was the answer to my day's issues. Good Lords, that sucks. I'm not sure what to do with that. Especially if I listen to the confirmation of my Magic 8 Ball... Yes, I'm slightly superstitious... Well, really, I only go there when I already know the answer in my heart and have my stupid indecisiveness to battle...

Damn Zen cards. I thought I had it figured out!

She Said She Said

2008-07-14T03:42:00.000-05:00

She said "I know what it's like to be dead.
I know what it is to be sad"
And she's making me feel like I've never been born.

I said "Who put all those things in your head?
Things that make me feel that I'm mad
And you're making me feel like I've never been born."

She said "you don't understand what I said"
I said "No, no, no, you're wrong"
When I was a boy everything was right
Everything was right

I said "Even though you know what you know
I know that I'm ready to leave
'Cause you're making me feel like I've never been born."

She said "you don't understand what I said"
I said "No, no, no, you're wrong"
When I was a boy everything was right
Everything was right

I said "Even though you know what you know
I know that I'm ready to leave
'Cause you're making me feel like I've never been born."

She said , she said "I know what it's like to be dead"
("I know what it's like to be dead")

I know what it is to be sad...

Self-Acceptance

2008-06-30T20:42:00.002-05:00

"Your TRUE nature is neither good nor bad. It is not found in enlightenment or lost in delusion. It is the spotless BEAUTY of all creation. Who then is the self you are accepting or not accepting?"

More Than a Lifetime Ago

2008-06-09T17:15:00.004-05:00

I realized the other day that half of my lifetime puts me back at seventeen and I got to reminiscing about where I was, at this time, seventeen years ago...

I had just graduated from high school and was enrolled to begin at the Art Institute in the fall. I was still living at home in Corsica with my mother and two younger brothers. I had just quit my cashiering job at the 76 Truck Stop and had cashed in my measly childhood savings account on a Greyhound ticket to Modesto, CA.

At this time, half a lifetime ago, I was exploring California with the man that would later murder my mother. We spent several weeks seeing the sites--Yosemite, San Francisco, local attractions. By the time we started back to PA, I was so homesick that I couldn't stand it.

Upon returning home, I entered into the one relationship in my youth that I would consider healthy and enjoyable. I'm thankful for that because he held my hand through many of the events that I was soon to experience. I was seventeen and had a whole future ahead of me--little did I know...

The next two months would see my mom putting our house up for sale--auctioning off all of our things and me burning most of my most personal possessions (yearbooks, clothes, letters, pictures) because I didn't know where I would be living. In early August, Mom sent the boys (eight and twelve) to live with our father and she left for California. Her words? "You will grow up to leave me, so I am leaving you now."

Eventually, I ended up in Ridgway with our father. At the time, he was just that guy that came and got us every now and then--lectured us as he took us to family gatherings and then did his own thing until it was time to take us back.

We didn't have visits just with him or go stay at his house--kids weren't a part of his life. In fact, when I moved to Ridgway that August, people thought that I was his new girlfriend and that the boys were my kids. They never knew that our father even had kids. And so began our adventure--living in a one bedroom trailer with a guy that we didn't know and that took us out of obligation.

From here, everything in my life changed. The transitions that started here, began some of the hardest years of my life.

Granted, childhood wasn't sweet, innocent, or even what I would call a childhood. Maybe that is the reason I was able to survive--who knows?

Essentially, this was when we lost our mother. She was permanently taken less than two years later--but this is where she truly left and told us we didn't need her; that we weren't important. She said that he was the one she would save if all of us were drowning. Seventeen years without a mom, seventeen years that Rickey forced himself to become a major part of our life.

He had his most recent parole hearing the week of Mother's Day. They gave him another three years. When I was in California for Kristin's wedding, we passed the facility that Rickey is living in and I discovered that her sister-in-law works there. Small world.

I traveled through many of Mom's favorite places in CA--places she lived and loved. I should be past this, I know. But it is so hard to forget when I know he still lives and breathes and will eventually be walking the streets.

It's hard when I see families together--kids with their mothers and knowing that my brothers missed out on that. Sitting in so many of the classrooms I've worked in and wondering what my brothers did when Mother's Day rolled around--the cards, gifts, school programs--all kids have moms... What did they do???

Would I go back and change it? I generally wouldn't change anything in my life.

If I could go back and stop Rickey from meeting my mom? I arranged their first date (he had been dating one of my friends prior to that). He agreed to give me his Einstein poster if I could get my mom to go out with him. Not a fair trade, by any stretch of the imagination.

If they never had that one date--if she never left--if he hadn't murdered her--who would I be now? And my brothers? Of course, we would still have those other childhood scars--but our hearts might still be intact.

That one event flipped our worlds and ensured that there could never be true safety, security or faith in the world. Are we better because of it in some ways? Or are we just broken pieces of who we were meant to be?

All because I had to stop and realize that half a lifetime ago, I was seventeen--fresh out of high school and naive to the events to come. A time so fresh with hope and promise...

Differences & Difficulties--Ramble on...

2008-05-26T19:00:00.005-05:00

A friend and I were talking about differences in traditions that sometimes cause difficulties in relationships. Her recent one was her boyfriend losing a close family member and not wanting her at the viewing because it was "just for family." Meanwhile, she was under the impression that significant others are supposed to be there as support for their partners... and well, that's what I always thought.

And so it brought back memories of the final straw for Ray and I (my six-year relationship, for those that don't know).

December 9th, 1999--one of my close friends, Don was killed in an accident. I begged Ray to go with me to the viewings and such--and got the simple response. "no, I don't want to." This led to frozen hotdogs thawing in the sink with a note (taped to the fridge) that his dinner was thawing in the sink (Simpson's fans should get this one--old, obviously, but Homer's hint that Marge was leaving and as an avid Simpson's fan--Ray should have known what that meant).

At any rate, that was where I began truly pulling away. I got an apartment elsewhere and began moving my things out, bit by bit. It was the first Christmas he bought me anything (a heart necklace because "that was all they had, other than crosses" and he KNEW I wouldn't want a cross... when meanwhile, somehow, he missed in all of those years together that I COLLECT crosses) but at any rate, it was the first Christmas that I bought him nothing. Absolutely nothing--mind you, I always bought him tons of crap--birthdays, Easter, just random--and imagine his surprise when I had NOTHING for him.

And so I parted with him. Yeah, there were six years of wretchedness wrapped up in that, but somehow, that one act to me was unforgivable.

And now I stop and look at other friends that don't go to funerals with their significant others because "they don't like funerals." Yet it is funny, when their losses roll around they expect everyone to be there for them... Such a one-sided thing sometimes. Perhaps they forget that funerals are for the living--nobody likes going to them, but it is a form of respect that you pay to the passed and their loved ones.

Somehow, to me, supporting your significant other is a huge reason to be present at such things. Am I wrong?

I guess this conversation just has me confused and I have never heard of NOT wanting anyone other than immediate family present. Spouses, significant others--not invited, not included. This couple has been together for three years--so it isn't like she's new to the relationship or the family. They are fairly happy overall. Has anyone else ever heard of this? I'm just perplexed, I guess. And perhaps wallowing in memories... I suppose to some people, funeral attendance with significant others is optional? Perhaps that was not an acceptable catalyst? I always felt that it was...

Well-Trained

2008-05-16T15:52:00.010-05:00

My crow is back. She was here last spring and early summer, but then she vanished. I feared the worst since most people find them to be a nuisance and use them for target practice.

About a week ago, she reappeared in her familiar, bold manner. As soon as I pull the jeep in or leave the house, she flies over and lands in a nearby tree. She then follows me from tree to tree as I get the mail or whatever else I may be doing--finally, perching herself in the tree above the feeding spot; ruffling her feathers and waiting.

From here, I know I am to go into the house and bring her back human food--which I always do. She waits, watches and doesn't care if I've made it back to the house or not, before feeding. She recently discovered my computer room window (where I am most likely to be sitting if I am home) and she now also sits outside that window--watching and waiting.

Think I'm crazy? I'm not the only one that notices her behaviors; others have commented on "whether or not I knew that I had a crow following me..." Anyhoo, this bird has taken advantage of my inability to waste or throw away food and has trained me to bring her any tasty morsels that I may find in my kitchen.

Both of these articles from National Geographic support the idea of such intelligence, as does the YouTube video:

Crows Have Human-Like Intelligence, Author Says
Crows share many hallmarks of higher intelligence with humans, including tool use and sophisticated social behavior.

Crows as Clever as Great Apes, Study Says
Crows may provide clues to understanding human intelligence.

YouTube - Crow intelligence
Crow uses wire to get food out of the jar.

Regardless, I'm glad she is back and it appears that there is another crow that has noticed her trick, follows from a distance and scoops up her scraps. I suppose in a matter of time I will be a slave to the crows, in addition to my cats and ferrets...

Been a lot of it lately...

2008-04-03T22:23:00.002-05:00

More Brockway tragedy.

Excuses, Excuses...

2008-04-01T22:24:00.006-05:00

I started this blog in May 2005 and prided myself on the fact that even if my postings were minimal, I posted AT LEAST once a month. And here I am recognizing that I completely missed February AND March...

Is it due to my new job as the Note Nazi? Is it due to winter hibernation (the sleep study diagnosis was Narcolepsy--surprise, surprise)? Was it due to strange things in my soup sending me into alternate hallucinogenic realities (I will post with the official findings on that soon--I promise)? Nah...

Remember the ad I ran back in October?

Wanted: Occasional Husband
Prefer slightly intimidating looking fellow--the kind that may kick your ass for trying to cheat him. Must have some level of intelligence or at least be a smoother talker than the salesman, repairman, contractor, etc. Bonus benefits for a good wheeler and dealer (will discuss this in private). Attending funerals, weddings, family/ class reunions and other miserable, unavoidable functions may also be part of duties (attractive and attentive applicants will receive regular raises--of sorts). Housecleaning, cooking, etc--optional. Please apply privately via email address provided in profile information.

Ask and you shall receive? He was my official Christmas present to myself and yeah, he does it ALL!

Cooking (he even makes sure I have gourmet lunches to take with me to work); cleaning (including litter boxes, cat puke, and ferret messes--without asking, he just does it--my dishes, too); and speaking of ferrets--not only have I never had a man that liked them or even tolerated them--Keith also cooks for them (and the cats) and takes the ferrets on private tours of the house and other adventures--he actually likes the weasels and gets them out on his own.

Plus there is the other stuff... he just fixed my washer, my stove and put laminate flooring in the ferret room. He fixed my bathroom and game room doors. He has plans to take down the rest of the bad trees in my yard. He's also completely OCD (thank Gods, someone that finally understands my strange idiosyncrasies)--so he pays extreme attention to detail and makes sure things are done right and in a manner that pleases even me (I'm a total perfectionist, too).

My family likes him--including my dad. Bizarre... You have no clue... I was relatively sure that my dad liked no humans or other living creatures, for that matter. Yet Dad made a point of telling me after the first family gathering that Keith seemed like a good guy. Huh?!?

And mind you, this was after Keith's story AT THE DINNER TABLE (in front of the entire family) about having met my dad a few years ago in the woods after having shot twenty to thirty chipmunks and being so relieved that my dad was only interested in finding deer poachers--missing the mini-massacre Keith had created of chipmunk corpses. I'm pretty sure that telling that story was what cinched him with the rest of the family... but Dad??? Wow...

He is an occasional reader and was willing to read the Tom Robbins book that I threw at him--and he enjoyed it--despite the ultra-feminine title of Jitterbug Perfume...

Music, movies, animals (he also wants a pet skunk and goats someday), a love for the outdoors and the desire to explore and savor them (+ camping, canoeing, hiking), beliefs, dreams, rants and raves--there are few things that we don't agree on--I'm over-opinionated and few share my beliefs--he does. All of this he has brought to the table first, not just chiming in to please or impress me--he's as twisted, strange and warped as I am. Positively eerie...

To find myself randomly singing his praises and catching myself saying that I have the best boyfriend in the world--ew! All that mushy girl stuff! Yup, I'm snagged. I think it's love...

And he's incredibly easy on the eyes--positively makes me melt--who would expect all of that in such a pretty package?! Admittedly, lust was the initial motivator--hey, five years, I was allowed to splurge! I just didn't expect to find all of the rest that came along in the deal...

So anyhoo, along with computers crashing, my love for MySpace, and this new found pleasure--I've just been kind of bad at keeping this up-to-date. You can always add me to your MySpace to read my more regular blog postings...

Today's Horoscope & Zen Card

2008-04-01T21:07:00.002-05:00

"Some of your recent daydreams have been giving you good ideas about where to take your life next -- why not explore one of those paths today? The universe is sending you some solid energy that will keep you grounded when you're in unfamiliar situations. You'll stay cool, calm and collected even when you're not quite sure what the heck is going on. Feeling like a fish out of water can be exhilarating, and it can show you a lot of qualities in yourself that you never knew you had."

~REFLECTION~
"When the pond is still, the reflection is clear. When the mind is still, the reflection of life is clear. Reflection brings clarity."

Somebody Put Something in My Soup!

2008-01-21T12:15:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure which ingredient this is--perhaps somebody out there can help me identify it? Anyhoo, I found this in a can of my Campbell's Vegetarian Vegetable soup. I ate most of the can and then found it lurking in the bottom. At the time, it looked like a green bean with spiky, black hairs--thankfully, I spotted it before it entered my mouth! It dried into the odd, thistle-like, seed-pod looking thing that you see before you.

I've been eating the Vegetarian Vegetable for around fifteen years (and lots of it, since it is one of my favorites) and I have never stumbled across one of these before. So what is it? With all of my food allergies, I am just extremely grateful to have seen it before eating it--of course, I think that with all of the spikes, I may have noticed before swallowing...

I called Campbell's and they requested that I send the sample to them for identification purposes. They promised to notify me as to what it is when they figure it out. There was that part of me that really wanted to dissect it myself or to take it to the science lab at Penn State for identifying--but by surrendering it to the company, I may now never know. Of course, unless some kind soul out there has a clue?

~UNDERSTANDING~

2008-01-18T19:18:00.000-05:00

"What happens to you does not matter; what you BECOME through those experiences is all that is significant. This is the true MEANING of life."

Today has been a significant day of learning for me. Learning what I expect; what I will tolerate; and what I still need to work on. It has been a good day.

Plus, it is always good to learn that I am much stronger than I realized and that I can endure while taking the lessons in stride.

And it seems that as always, the card I pulled fits in, oh so well, and just adds the finalization to my soul-searching...

And now a message from Ed...

2008-01-17T21:00:00.000-05:00

Ed sent me an email I felt worthy of sharing with all--and yes, this would be the same Basho that inspired my user name...

ENTS:

Here is a humble book recommendation:

Basho's Narrow Road: Spring & Autumn Passages : Narrow Road to the Interior and the Renga Sequence : A Farewell Gift to Sora : Two Works (Rock Spring Collection of Japanese Literature) (Paperback)

Review from the Amazon Website:
"Matsuo Basho (1644-94) was a famous Japanese haiku poet. In 1689, he took a 1,233 mile journey across Japan. His travels lasted five months. He was joined by his friend Kawai Sora. Basho wrote about this trip. He titled it, "Oku No Hosomichi," which translates to "Narrow Road to the Interior." This story is considered to be a masterpiece of Japanese literature. He took four years to write it and revise it.

Basho started this trip when his house burned down. He had two goals. One goal was spiritual; it involved "poetic truth." The other goal was a practical one in which he would use his travels to become well known as a poet. Sora developed stomach problems and had to end his travels with Basho. Basho wrote a short piece for him. In the second part of this book, there is a translation of "A Farewell Gift to Sora."

Basho funded his travels with donations from wealthy friends and students. He felt that there were three types of poets. The first type is confused noisemakers. The second type is wealthy people who desire to write instead of gossip. The third type is poets who work hard at writing true poetry. These poets write to "soothe their heart." Basho was the third type of poet.

Hiroaki Sato includes annotations to go along with the writings. This adds richness to the story and helps explain more about the culture and what was happening at the time. I read the story first with the annotations to gain understanding of what I was reading; then I went back and reread the story by itself so that I could feel how it flowed. Without the annotations, I would have enjoyed Basho's story, but I would not have understood much of what was written. Sato also includes pages of notes and commentaries. This is a well researched piece. "Basho's Narrow Road" is a beautiful story about Basho's travels. In it he reflects on the beauty of the countryside and the spirit of the people that he encounters.

I recommend "Basho's Narrow Road" to people that enjoy Japanese poetry, especially Haiku. It would also be a great book to use for a college literature class. I really enjoyed Basho's journey."

Amazon Link

Words from a Client

2008-01-17T20:50:00.000-05:00

Every now and then a client's statements ring true for me, too:

"..... prides herself on being outspoken; but when it comes to hurting your friends, some things are better left unsaid. If you have nothing good to say--don't say anything all."

Kind of liked it...

Yup...

2008-01-07T21:12:00.000-05:00

"Be the change you wish to see in the world."

~Gandhi~

Requesting Suggestions for Sound Sleep

2007-12-21T20:25:00.000-05:00

I know some of my readers here have had sleep studies done and I just wondered if they were helpful at all? I had one done last night/today and it was wretched! From my MySpace entry:

Is that meditative state when the mind is entertaining odd notions and strange images are appearing--is that what others consider sleep? While it can be pleasant and even entertaining--and perhaps some of the best philosophical notions arise during this time--it just doesn't replace sleep in my book. How much longer am I going to be forced to permit that as a substitute?

I miss deep sleep! Sleep where my mind plays and my surroundings aren't meddling with me. Sleep where sometimes there is just blissful nothingness. Not this constant chatter and trickery as my surroundings move and do strange things--making me get up and do strange things in response. No more of these nightly hallucinations and talking to inanimate objects and people that aren't there. No more X-Ray vision seeing through my walls and into the floors below. No more moving things around as I sleep and thinking that they are other things that I am dreaming about.

And most of all, no more sleeping through the alarm for at least an hour each morning--hitting snooze and believing that I am working out calculations on a calculator or pushing a button to save the world--whatever my mind can convince me to prevent awakening because it understands that I can't keep functioning like this. All because my night is filled with such movement and activity that when I finally reach that state of nothingness, my mind refuses to come back... and who can blame it?

Any advice or suggestions?

Cherokee Wisdom

2007-11-17T00:01:00.000-05:00

Two Wolves

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.

He said, "My son, the battle is between two 'wolves' inside us all."

One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: "Which wolf wins?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

My Animal Totems

2007-11-16T22:50:00.000-05:00

I had a totem reading done back on March 6th and just never got around to putting all of this together. So anyhoo, for those of you that truly know me--pretty neat, huh?

The Nine Totems--Each person has nine animal essences or totems that walk through life with them, teaching and guiding them and in some cases, protecting them. These animals are found in 7 directions around your spirit: East, South, West, North, Above, Below and Within. The last two animals are walking beside you at all times; your Right Side (male) and your Left Side (feminine). While sometimes the live animal is with you, often times they are not--your totems are animal essences or spirits.

Special Helpers and Protectors--There are also animal totems which appear when you need them and stay for only the time necessary. These are helper totems. They flow in and out of your life as they are needed. You can also have protector totems that stay with you for an indefinite period of time, depending on the challenges that you must face.

EAST—The East totem guides you through spiritual challenges. It guards your path to illumination.

MOOSE

Self-Esteem, Primal Feminine Energies

Moose is one of the most ancient of the power totems. A Moose totem gives you sacred and unique energy. With a Moose totem you will be full of contradictions. Awkward yet graceful. Large yet able to move swiftly and silently. Moose people usually have excellent depth perception.

Moose is also associated with the maternal forces of the world, the primal feminine energies. This can be awaken through water or the sea, the womb of life. Mediate using the sounds of water or ocean.

Autumn is the power time of the Moose.

People with a Moose totem instinctively know balance: when to use gentleness, when to use strength. They know what to say, when to say it and to whom. Moose people are usually wise beyond their years.

SOUTH—The South totem protects the child within and reminds you when to be humble and when to trust. It also helps heal your inner child.

MOUSE

Scrutiny, Detail

Mouse medicine is both a great power and a great weakness. It is good to pay attention to all details, but bad to overanalyze every little thing.

Mouse people can be fixated on methodology and appear to be nit-pickers. They will make the simplest task fraught with difficulty. Everything must be in order in a Mouse's house.

Often, Mouse people are fearful of life. You should try to see the larger picture. Even if you live in a small house in Los Angeles, you are also part of the Earth, galaxy and universe.

If a Mouse totem has recently entered your life, ask yourself if you have neglected the trivial but necessary things in life. Have you become too focused on one or two activities and neglecting opportunities around you? Or are you trying to do too many things at the same time?

WEST—The West totem leads on your path to personal truths and inner answers. It shows you the path to your goals.

SPIDER

Creativity and Weaver of Fate

A spider totem teaches you balance--between past and future, physical and spirit, male and female. She is strength and gentleness combined. She awakens creative sensibilities and reminds you that the past is always interwoven with the future.

Spiders are the keepers of the primordial alphabet and can teach you how to write creatively. Her body is shaped like the number 8 and she has 8 legs, which is symbol of infinite possibilities of creation. Her 8 legs represent the 4 winds of change and the 4 directions of the medicine wheel.

Spider's message is that you are an infinite being who will continue to weave patterns of life and living throughout time. Do not fail to see the eternal plan of creation.

Those who weave magic with the written word usually have this totem.

NORTH—The North totem gives wise counsel and when to speak and when to listen. It also reminds you to be grateful for each blessing each day.

HAWK

Power, Magic, Messenger

Hawk is the messenger, the protector and the visionaries of the Air. It holds the key to higher levels of consciousness. This totem awakens vision and inspires a creative life purpose.

A Hawk totem is filled with responsibility because Hawk people seek the overall view. They are aware of omens and spirit messages.

A Red-Tailed Hawk Totem is special. It has direct ties to the Kundalini, the seat of primal life force. It is associated with the base chakra. If you have this Totem, you be aware of and work toward fulfilling your soul's purpose. It reflects a greater intensity of energy within your life: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual forces will all be strong within you. The Red-Tail Hawk is a permanent totem -- it will always be with you.

It is associated with the number "14" with the Tarot card Temperance. This card represents the teaching of higher expressions of psychic ability and vision.

ABOVE—The Above totem is the guardian of the Dreamtime and gives you access to other realms and dimensions.

FOX

Magic, Shapeshifting, Invisibility

Fox are seen as totems throughout the world: the Chinese believed they could take human form; in Egypt the fox brought favor from the gods; there was a fox god in Peru; foxes help the dead get to the next life in Persia; Cherokees, Hopi, and other American Indian tribes believed in its healing power; the Apache credited the fox with giving man fire.

Since the fox lives "between times" --on the edge of land, visible as dusk and dawn, and can guide the way to the Faerie Realm.

A fox can teach you to control your aura so that you can be more in harmony with others and the world.

If you have a fox totem, learning to be invisible is very important in your life. Imagine yourself blending in with your surroundings, becoming part of the background. Be very still and quiet. Through practice you can be unnoticed even at a party or in a crowd.

A fox totem also teaches good eating habits; the fox eats small amounts frequently which medicine is now telling us is better for our health. But fox people already knew this.

The fox is a wonderful totem to have.

BELOW—The Below totem shows you how to stay on your life path and how to stay grounded to Mother Earth.

SQUIRREL

Gathering, Activity, Preparedness

The gathering power of Squirrel is a great gift. It teaches us balance within the circle of gathering and giving out. They remind us that in our quest for our goals, it is vital to make time for play and socializing.

Squirrel teaches us to conserve our energy for times of need. If your totem is Squirrel or Squirrel has recently entered your life, lighten your load of things that are unnecessary – things that you have gathered in the past and may be cluttering your life – thoughts, worries, and stresses.

Squirrel is also the totem of action. Ask yourself are you too active, not active enough, afraid of enough, hung up on accumulating and collecting. Squirrel people tend to be a little erratic – trying to do many things at once. Take the time to stop and listen to your inner self – and don’t forget to play!

WITHIN—The Within totem in the protector of your sacred space. It teaches you how to find your life's joy. This is a reflection of your inner self and often your power animal.

TURTLE

Mother Earth

Turtle is the oldest symbol for the Earth. It is the personification of goddess energy and the eternal Earth itself.

If you have a Turtle totem, you must be mindful of returning to the Earth what she has given you. Honor the creative source within you. Use water and earth energies to create a harmonious flow in your life. Ask the Earth for assistance and her riches will pour forth.

If a Turtle totem shows up in your life, slow down the pace of your life. Bigger, stronger, faster are not always the best ways to reach your goals.

Turtle is fine teacher of the art of grounding. When you learn to ground yourself to Earth's power and strength, you place focus on your thoughts and actions and use the Earth's limitless energies rather than your own to accomplish your will.

Turtle is the keeper of doors and one of the ways into the Faerie Realm.

RIGHT—The Right totem protects your Male side and it is your Father protector. This animal carries your courage and warrior spirit. If your Within totem is not your power animal, then this totem is.

SNAKE

Wisdom, Healing, Initiation

This a powerful totem -- it is the symbol of transformation and healing. The Snake is wisdom expressed through healing.

The Snake is the symbol of eternity.

It is a protector and guardian totem, along with its sister totems, the Dragon and the Serpent.

If a snake totem has come into your life, your creative forces are awakening. Your intuition will sharpen and be more accurate.

Snake energy is the energy of wholeness, cosmic consciousness, and the ability to experience anything willingly and without resistance. It is the knowledge that all things are equal in creation.

It also signals a transition in your life. New opportunities and/or changes.

Snake is fire medicine, the medicine of transmutation. On a material level, it is vitality; on an emotional level, it is ambition and dreams; on a mental level, it is intellect and power; on a spiritual level (the highest level), it is wisdom, understanding and wholeness.

LEFT—The Left totem protects your Female side and teaches you how to nurture yourself and about relationships and mothering.

BUFFALO

Prayer and Abundance

Those who have a Buffalo totem must walk a sacred path, honoring every walk of life. You will achieve nothing without the aid of the Great Spirit and you must be humble enough to ask for assistance and then be grateful for those gifts.

A Buffalo totem will seek to help you establish a deep connection to Mother Earth and it will ask you to help the endangered species of our planet. He will bring you strength of character and an independent spirit.

It is the totem of abundance. Do not push or force, but follow the easiest path. Buffalo medicine is knowing that abundance is present when all relations are honored as sacred and when gratitude is expressed to every part of creation. Buffalo medicine is prayer, gratitude and praise.

Praying for the needs of all creatures, for harmony and give praise for the gifts you have already received.

And the ferret? Although not one of my nine totems, it certainly has its place:

FERRET

Strength, Energy, Ingenuity and Stealth

Curious, mischievous, high-energy. Ferret people are often playful spirits with a calculating mind. Ferret medicine teaches resourcefulness, self-reliance, and ingenuity.

Ferrets are opportunists. They will steal anything that they can drag away hiding it in a safe place to be used at a later date. Intelligent and crafty, this little animal teaches us how to use our ingenuity to create a safe haven for ourselves. They remind us to stock up on necessary provisions that might be needed. Always well prepared for any situation that might appear, the ferret is a helpful ally in times of hardship.

Extremely focused on what is in front of them, ferret reminds us to stay centered on our goals to reach a desired outcome. Ferrets hold the power of observation. Its intuition is sharp and its sensitivity acute. Ferret has the ability to see and know the hidden meaning behind all things and can assist those with this medicine in understanding themselves, their lives and the experiences they have more clearly.

Those with this totem need to remember to use all of their senses equally. If this medicine is undeveloped, the tendency towards tunnel vision is common. Rigid consciousness creates unnecessary worry and anxiety, so caution is advised. Playful activities and a lighthearted attitude is helpful.

The ferret does not feel completely safe until it has burrowed deep inside its tunnel. In man, this symbolizes a need for a secure home life. A place for reflection and nourishment is mandatory for those with this totem.

Always remember that the ferret is a powerful ally and can help you discover a hidden part of yourself. Buried deep beneath the surface are the answers to life’s mysteries.

The ferret is very similar to the weasel, with a slightly less serious edge.

WEASEL--Stealth, Silent Observation

This totem is a difficult power totem to have. It is a rare gift and great ability. Weasel medicine can teach you to find out secrets through the power of silent observation.

Most Weasel people are loners, graceful, solitary and silent. They are very intelligent. People do not see their power immediately and often underestimate them.

Weasel totem will awaken your innate ability for observation. Trust your own instincts and you will avoid trouble and pursue your goals to greatest success. Use your Weasel medicine to observe what or who needs attention and offer assistance in your quiet or discreet way.

And what to get your favorite person sporting a ferret or weasel totem? You won't go wrong with this. *HINT HINT* ;)

I Know It Will Happen Eventually...

2007-11-15T23:45:00.000-05:00

I know this could be the time and I am coming to terms with that.

Tomorrow at 10:30 AM (1:30 ET)--Rickey will be having his second parole hearing. Positive thoughts and prayers to keep him behind bars would be appreciated...

I guess whoever they have in office right now has been good about keeping convicted murders behind bars--despite what happens at the parole hearings. That does give me some hope. We'll know more hopefully by Monday or Tuesday.

Woo Hoo!

2007-11-14T10:51:00.000-05:00

My brother, sister-in-law, and two nephews might be moving up here! Matt is looking at a job in DuBois--which would totally rock! I'm already envisioning everything and of course, totally getting my hopes up! Hell, I'm happy even to have them within a four-hour drive--imagine having them right in the area! My fingers are crossed! :)

Today's Horoscope

2007-11-11T23:11:00.000-05:00

"Sure, there are some problems in your life right now -- but they are as minor as a fly buzzing around your head. So it's really more about being annoyed than being in any danger. Deal with this annoyance today by separating yourself from the things (or the people) who are annoying you the most. Stick with the folks who make you feel good. You need to rely on the positive energy from loved ones to bolster the positive energy that is struggling to grow inside of you."

astrology.com

My home page has a daily horoscope that comes up and it never fails to amaze me how accurate it is. There's a lot of other crap that comes up with this link, but the horoscopes are actually really good! Just thought I would share...

Remember...

2007-11-01T23:17:00.000-05:00

November is American Indian Heritage Month.

Here's an easy way to raise money for your favorite cause...
Use GoodSearch.com as your search engine and online shopping mall. Every time you search the Internet or make an online purchase at one of their partner merchants, GoodSearch makes a donation to your favorite nonprofit or school.

I GoodSearch for the Native American Church Of the Ghost Dancers.

Happy Halloween!

2007-10-31T00:12:00.000-05:00

We all love him--he's one of Brockway's finest... Any one
wanna take a guess as to who the lovely young lad may be?

And of course, Halloween wouldn't be the same without
the animal torture that some pet owners subject to their
little ones to. My pets, sadly, don't tolerate such acts...

Just a Reminder

2007-10-29T19:56:00.000-05:00

Remember Me by Lizzie Palmer

IWA Event--This Weekend!

2007-10-25T01:07:00.000-05:00

This is a reminder that IWA is hosting a Community Open House Program at Reynlow Park this Saturday, October 27th from noon-8pm and this Sunday from 1-5pm.

This family-friendly event is FREE and open to the public, so bring your family and try your hand at mudding and thatching a wigwam, exploring native music and learning about bones, stones and animal skins! Pack a picnic and come on out!

If you have any questions or need directions to the site, please call at 814-371-4130. Tell a friend!

Integrated World Arts

WANTED: Occasional Husband

2007-10-20T12:35:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I am getting tired of being screwed over because I am female--most of you single women know what I am talking about...

You go to the garage and get a $200 bill for the 28 spark plugs that they needed to replace. You try to buy a vehicle and get jacked up prices and unbelievable lies because they assume women know nothing about vehicles. I have a huge long list of the crap that I got from the area auto places when searching for my Jeep--I wish I would have remembered that song a local band plays--something along the lines of "If you don't want to get screwed, don't buy your vehicle at that place in town that also serves food." Live and learn.

Catch what I am saying? But it isn't limited to autos.

Tomorrow, after a month of waiting, the gutter guy is supposedly going to come do the job as he originally stated that he would--with the drain running under the deck and out away from the foundation. How did he do it? He ran the gutter straight into the dysfunctional French drain that like everything else, the last people didn't do right--in other words, gutter guy decided to connect the gutters so that the water drains STRAIGHT INTO MY BASEMENT--exactly what I was trying to avoid. His story, "Mam, those tubes are there to drain water away from your house...blah...blah...blah." "Yup, and do you remember me explaining that part of the reason I needed to get the gutters up was because the French drain doesn't work--remember, I showed you all of that?" But, apparently, he thought that I wouldn't notice his shortcut.

Sears. My refrigerator died--all kinds of badness by the delivery men that I won't even go into detail about--my favorite part is the repair guy that came a week after the brand-spanking-new, slightly expensive necessity was put in and he told me that NO they would not be replacing the refrigerator because all freezer doors pop open when you close the refrigerator door. I guess my thirty-four years of experience is out the window because this is my first new refrigerator and that is what they do. So I will ask you, go open and close your refrigerator door. Does the freezer automatically pop open as soon as the refrigerator door closes? No? You better go buy a new one, cuz yours is broke! I think you can only buy these high-quality models like mine at Sears.

Sears. My grandmother bought a gas stove a month before I bought my fridge (had I know all of her story, I would have NOT bought from Sears). They refused to hook it up because they don't do that (they wouldn't deal with my ice maker either--they MAY plug the appliance in when they deliver it--but you'll be lucky if you get that)--her oven bakes on one side not the other, the burners don't work--will they take it back? Will they even come fix it? Are you kidding? She's an elderly widow.

I could go on and on--but I think you get my point.

And so, I am putting an ad out there:

Wanted: Occasional Husband
Prefer slightly intimidating looking fellow--the kind that may kick your ass for trying to cheat him. Must have some level of intelligence or at least be a smoother talker than the salesman, repairman, contractor, etc. Bonus benefits for a good wheeler and dealer (will discuss this in private). Attending funerals, weddings, family/ class reunions and other miserable, unavoidable functions may also be part of duties (attractive and attentive applicants will receive regular raises--of sorts). Housecleaning, cooking, etc--optional. Please apply privately via email address provided in profile information.

The Weeks to Come

2007-10-19T22:49:00.000-05:00

Maybe you are familiar with American McGee's Alice; if you aren’t, here’s your opportunity to check out one of the coolest games out there (in fact, the only game that I play).

I found this game several years ago and was instantly hooked. It came with Clive Barker’s Undying (as most of you know, Clive is my all-time favorite)—but I have never even put in Undying, because Alice is that addictive.

Check out this teaser:

Or download a demo; check out some of the cool screenshots of places you'll probably never get far enough to see (ask Nikki, it's tough even with cheats); or find out more about the movie to be released July 2008 (just in time for my birthday). There is also American McGee's Grimm to look forward to around the same time.

Why does any of it matter? I'm heading to Winchester, VA for Halloween to hang out with my brother and his family--we are going as characters from the game. Matt's going to be the Mad Hatter, Jennifer will be Alice, James the White Rabbit, Asa the caterpillar, and I'm going as the Ace of Spades...

We also plan to visit The Devil's Den while I'm there (perhaps loosely based on serial killer, Henry Lee Lucas). And a few other miscellaneous cool things are planned...

For those of you in the Pittsburgh area, I totally recommend Hundred Acres Manor a really cool haunted house that Heather, Pinky and I checked out last weekend. We won't go into details about getting there or about Pinky peeing herself in the clown house or Pinky losing her glasses in the birth canal--we'll just say we had a lot of fun!

The following weekend welcomes in Dia de los Muertos, with my traditional journeys planned + a few extra stops this year. So I will soon be buying the gifts, food and other necessities for the celebration.

Soon after is National Day of Mourning, which I will be observing for the first time (in person, that is). A few days in Rhode Island with some new found places to explore and then off to Plymouth for the gathering. Happily, I will have a co-pilot for the journey this time!

Finally, looking ahead to April 2008--my little sister, Kristin, is getting married in Auburn, CA. She found this awesome hundred year old mansion, Power's Mansion Inn, for the celebration. Check out the website, go to the bed & breakfast pictures--my first choice for my room is the Irish Immigrant's Suite, followed by the Anniversary Suite. Pretty sweet, huh?

So anyhoo, Happy Holidays and Blessed Be!

It's Back!

2007-09-03T23:57:00.000-05:00

Happy news! The Renaissance Festivals are back and at their awesome original site! I'm including the link--if you are interested in going along, let me know!

I'm thinking Celtic weekend--Mmm... Kilts! AND bag pipes! Woo Hoo! :)

Playlist & Picture Issues

2007-09-03T22:24:00.000-05:00

Okay, hopefully my music playlists are now off. If there are still complaints that two or more songs are playing at once--let me know. I don't think it was a problem on here so much, but I figured that it would be easiest to just disable them across the board. For those of you that don't mind my music, you can still access it; it just won't begin automatically when you enter my sites.

As far as the song links that no longer play or force you to listen to gibberish, I am aware of the problem and will fix it as soon as I get something other than dial-up. I should be switching to something a little faster within the next couple of months; right now it just takes too long to sort through the mess.

I did get my Photoworks upload working again, so I should be able to post the rest of my pictures soon. It is still running weird though and my new Internet provider automatically shuts off when it feels that I have been online too long (another reason that I won't be keeping it). The automatic shut-offs coupled with the fact that it takes at least fifteen minutes to upload each photo on a good day and currently I am on only 29/399 (fourteen hours later)--well, it may still be awhile! Soon though, I hope! :)

On Aging...

2007-08-18T02:22:00.000-05:00

"Don't worry about avoiding temptation.
As you grow older, it will avoid you."

~Winston Churchill~

Little Messengers?

2007-08-07T01:11:00.000-05:00

I came home this evening to find tiny tree frogs lined up within my mudroom. I opened my door and there sat 10-15 little frogs all in a row across my doorstep and random frogs just hopping about. For some reason, I found this rather strange and decided to look up frogs in my books, just out of curiosity...

From Joseph Epes Brown--Animals of the Soul: Sacred Animals of the Oglala Sioux:
FROG: Related to water powers

"Lone Man explained: The frog must not be harmed, as he watches everything in the water and has been given this peculiar power. They told me (i.e., voices in a dream experience) a great deal about the creatures that live in the water, saying they are taken care of, and water is sent them from the sky when they need it: therefore they should be shown special consideration."

From Brad Steiger--Totems: The Transformative Power of Your Personal Animal Totem
FROG: Rebirth; fertility; transition from earth to water and vice versa

"For many Native American tribes, the frog was the great rainmaker of spring, summer, and fall." "You may be about to undergo an unexpected change in your lifestyle or a transformation of a highly spiritual nature. In either event, you may rely on your frog to guide you safely through what might otherwise be a rather difficult transitional period. As a spirit helper, you may expect frog to encourage you to spend more time in meditation and in more active study of the ancient mysteries."

From Ted Andrews--Animal Speak:
FROG: Transformation through Water and Sound

"Frog holds the knowledge of weather and how to control it. Frog medicine can bring rains for every purpose--to cleanse, to heal, to help things grow, to flood, to stir. Its energies can be used to bring light showers or downpours for most any purpose."

"If frog has hoped into your life, you may need to get in touch with the water element. It may reflect that there are new rains coming or that you need to call some new rains forth. Maybe the old waters are becoming dirty and stagnant. Frog can teach you how to clean them up. Are you becoming too mundane? Are you mired in the mud of your day-to-day life? Are you needing to dive into some fresh creative water? Are those around you? Are you feeling waterlogged, becoming bogged down, or drowning in emotions?"

Interestingly enough, the first page I opened to was groundhog when opening Animal Speak. Since Piggy has made a permanent home in my yard and daily entertains me, I figured that I would take a peek...

GROUNDHOG: Mystery of Death without Dying--Trance--Dreams

"It is known for its digging and tunneling ability. Symbolically this reflects the ability to get deep within an area of interest. It is not unusual to have a groundhog appear at a time when a new area of study is about to open up. Since groundhog does not fully mature for about two years, its appearance as a totem can reflect an endeavor that may take two years to come to full fruition. This may reflect two years of intensive study, digging, and building."

"It is a symbol of opening fully to the dreamtime, the heavy winter sleep, allowing the individual to use dreamtime more powerfully. Those with a groundhog totem will find that there will be an increasing ability to develop lucid dreaming. Any time groundhog shows up, the clarity and power of altered states will be amplified. Dreams will become more significant. Lessons associated with death and dying and revelations about its process will begin to surface."

In light of everything that has occurred over the past two months and the topics discussed this weekend (Michele and Matt will probably understand best), I found all of this to be rather interesting. Plus there are the personal endeavors that I initiated Thursday of last week--spiritual in nature and requiring study, dedication and further training...

Of course, my actual first thought when opening the door and finding tiny frogs everywhere was "Yikes! A scene from that oh, so scary movie, Frogs with Sam Elliot!" Which interestingly enough, was also brought up with Michele this weekend at SOCO and it was Matt and Jennifer that bought the movie for me in the first place. What fun, huh?! Hey, no one forces you to read this blog, so don't complain if it is sometimes just random strangeness--does the blog title not already warn you? ;)

WITHIN YOU WITHOUT YOU

2007-07-06T20:40:00.000-05:00

We were talking—
about the space between us all
And the people—
who hide themselves
behind a wall of illusion
Never glimpse the truth—
then it’s far too late—
when they pass away.

We were talking—
about the love we all could share—
when we find it
To try our best to hold it there—
with our love
With our love—
we could save the world—
if they only knew.

Try to realize it’s all within yourself
No one else can make you change
And to see you’re really only very small,
And life flows on
within you and without you.

We were talking—
about the love that’s gone so cold
and the people,
Who gain the world
and lose their soul—
They don’t know—
they can’t see—
are you one of them?

When you’ve seen beyond yourself—
then you may find,
peace of mind, is waiting there—
And the time will come
when you see we’re all one,
and life flows on
within you and without you.

~George Harrison~

Home Soon

2007-07-04T23:25:00.000-05:00

I should be home late tomorrow and have tons of pictures to post~Rhode Island has been a blast! See you soon! :)

Personalized!

2007-06-22T21:00:00.000-05:00

There really is no contest. My S&M Mr. Burns on the back of the Blazer was the best. Granted, people didn't get it--AT ALL--"Why is there a rat with a whip on your vehicle?" It was even worse when I had the "Stept On" sticker (local band) below him; people would ask why my vehicle said "Slept On" and had an old man with a whip on it. Apparently this meant I liked to have old men sleeping on me? Guess it's a good thing that I didn't have that sticker combination when I worked at the nursing home...

Of course, my current employer has since asked me (now that I have the Liberty) about the S&M Burns (she knew what it was!) and I'm not sure that she was entirely convinced that it was Mr. Burns whipping on my vehicle to keep it running. Other coworkers have asked me about my current selection and don't seem to get it either (who would guess that people have never heard of Spy vs Spy or even worse, Mad Magazine). I even explained to one of them that I had to do that to keep from getting in the wrong vehicle. I think that made it even worse...

GD Bertha Plate/Jack Skellington Pirate Antenna Topper

Tribal Skulls on side windows/Spy vs Spy Tire Cover

Hello Kitty Pirate/ GD Steal Your Face Star

Perhaps this email that I recently received will help make it clearer:

Supposedly, this is recorded in the Police Log of Sarasota, Florida...

An elderly Florida lady did her shopping and, upon returning to her car, found four males in the act of leaving with her vehicle. She dropped her shopping bags and drew her handgun, proceeding to scream at the top of her voice, "I have a gun, and I know how to use it! Get out of the car!" The four men didn't wait for a second invitation. They got out and ran like mad.

The lady, somewhat shaken, then proceeded to load her shopping bags into the back of the car and got into the driver's seat. She was so shaken that she could not get her key into the ignition. She tried and tried, and then it dawned on her why. For the same reason she did not understand why there was a football, a Frisbee and two 12 packs in the front seat...

A few minutes later, she found her own car parked four or five spaces farther down. She loaded her bags into the car and drove to the police station to report her mistake. The sergeant to whom she told the story couldn't stop laughing. He pointed to the other end of the counter, where four pale men were reporting a car jacking by a mad, elderly woman described as white, less than five feet tall, glasses, curly white hair and carrying a large handgun. No charges were filed.

THE MORAL OF THE STORY?

If you are senile, blonde or just plain dumb--personalizing your vehicle can save you much grief and embarrassment! I haven't gotten into the wrong vehicle since! ;)

Picture For Poem

2007-05-18T02:17:00.000-05:00

Tammy sent me this cool picture that she recently took of the moon because it reminded her of the Thich Nhat Hanh piece in my last blog posting.

It is awesome enough that I figured I would share it with all...

Always With Me

2007-05-13T01:11:00.000-05:00

Seven years after the death of my mother,

I woke up suddenly one night, went outside,

and saw the moon shining brightly.

At two or three o'clock in the morning,

the moon is always expressing something

deep, calm, and tender,

like a mother's love for her child.

I felt bathed in her love,

and I realized that my mother is still alive

and will always be alive.

A few hours earlier,

I had seen my mother

very clearly in a dream.

She was young and beautiful,

talking to me, and I talked to her.

Since that time, I know that

my mother is always with me.

She pretended to die, but it is not true.

Our mothers and fathers continue in us.

~Thich Nhat Hanh~

2007-05-11T23:12:00.000-05:00

I'm on a journey in search of myself. If I get back first, let me know that I'm looking for myself and don't let me leave.

Matt's Squadron

2007-04-29T21:25:00.000-05:00

I hope he makes it home soon.

1920-2007 A Lesson in Biodegradation

2007-04-25T00:12:00.000-05:00

Many thanks to the previous generations of families whom have lived in my house. The ninety years worth of garbage buried in the woods behind and beside my house are proving to be delightful lessons in archeology, decomposition rates, biodegradable materials, and have surely been a treat to the wildlife and habitat in so many ways through the years! I am most ever grateful that I pay for city water.

Of course, the recent public notice of 69 violations pertaining to the quality of our drinking water spanning from April 2006 to present and the many lovely symptoms I had the pleasure of experiencing should maybe make me reconsider bottled water~but since most of it is also regular old tap water in fancy bottles with pretty pictures...

Anyhoo, I have been digging up the most amazing things while cleaning the yard. Seriously, what were they thinking? And sadly, there is quite a bit of newer garbage from the generations that should have known better (including QUITE A BIT from the last owners, also responsible for the horrible paint jobs covering my walls). There just better be something really cool like hobbit remains or an alien aircraft at the bottom of all this crap or I am going to be seriously ticked!

And for the record, I'll take the city drinking water with numerous EPA violations as opposed to drinking any water that comes off of my property~hell, if the rest of our town is as bad as my property, it's no wonder that our drinking water is toxic!

But seriously, let's hope that our lovely, local Italian mafia members buried corpses on my property or that I find something similarly cool for all this work! :)

PEACE.

2007-04-23T20:57:00.000-05:00

It does not mean to be in a place
where there is no noise, trouble
or hard work. It means to be in
the midst of those things and still
be calm in your heart.

How Well Do You REALLY Know Me?

2007-04-21T13:16:00.000-05:00

Just a few of the cover choices that I had. I ended up picking the Spy vs Spy cover. Any guesses as to what my second choice was? C'Mon, be brave! :)

SERIOUSLY TWEAKING

2007-04-20T19:52:00.000-05:00

It is playoff season. I have not seen a hockey game--live or televised in literally years. I am FREAKING out! I used to go to the bar and catch them years ago when I didn't have cable. When I did have it, I was never out until after the game was over--playoffs or regular season. Now, going to the bars on a Friday night when all I want is to watch the game--can't see it flying.

I can not even pick up sound on any of my TVs. I can't find the rabbit-ear antennas that Monique bought me. I can't even pick up the game on the radio. The best I can get is online playoff scores and it isn't cutting it.

Apparently, I am going to have to start dating during hockey season. My standards would be very low... Only prerequisite--access to the games--I don't care if it's cable, satellite, whatever... I just want hockey!!!

Hmm. Find me season passes and I may even put out! ;)

Thoughts and Journeys

2007-04-17T20:54:00.000-05:00

Visit www.spiritualnetwork.net/native for information on medicine wheels, animal totems, and for some of the central themes of the Native American philosophies on life.

Decisions, Decisions

2007-04-09T13:42:00.000-05:00

I traded in the Blazer (1996--110k miles). Much as it pained me, it was time. I feel like the doctor who graduates from med school and dumps his faithful wife for a newer, younger one...

And so anyhoo, I bought a white, 2003 Jeep Liberty--only 38k miles. Woo Hoo! Love it so far! But now I need to personalize it and make it look stupid (as my dad would say), as I do to all of my vehicles...
My front plate will be white, with the Grateful Dead logo and the skeleton surrounded by red roses design (Bertha).
My steering wheel cover will be black with Jack Skellington from The Nightmare Before Christmas (I love Tim Burton).
I got tribal skull decals for both of the back side windows. Of course, I still have my Pirate Jack antenna topper. Now, for a spare tire cover.

I am checking out the four designs above--all would be white on a black cover. I could choose from Om, the Hello Kitty Pirate, Jack Skellington, or Spy vs Spy. Or I could do the top three as window decals instead of tire covers (I'd either have to have them custom made or make them myself if I choose one of those as the tire cover--the Spy vs Spy is the only one that already comes as a tire cover).

I guess what my dad doesn't understand is that the only way I can tell my vehicles from all of the other ones is if it is personalized. Otherwise, I wander around parking lots searching and have more than once gotten into other people's vehicles before realizing I'm at the wrong one. Hey, I'm blonde, what can I say?

You already have it within you.

2007-03-31T00:51:00.000-05:00

Alrighty Then!

2007-03-17T22:12:00.000-05:00

Belief-O-Matic. Even if YOU don't know what faith you are, Belief-O-Matic™ knows. Answer 20 questions about your concept of God, the afterlife, human nature, and more, and Belief-O-Matic™ will tell you what religion (if any) you practice... or ought to consider practicing. (Gotta love the disclaimer!) Warning: Belief-O-Matic™ assumes no legal liability for the ultimate fate of your soul.

What will they think of next???

Results: The top score on the list below represents the faith that Belief-O-Matic, in its less than infinite wisdom, thinks most closely matches your beliefs. However, even a score of 100% does not mean that your views are all shared by this faith, or vice versa. Belief-O-Matic then lists another 26 faiths in order of how much they have in common with your professed beliefs. The higher a faith appears on this list, the more closely it aligns with your thinking.

1. Mahayana Buddhism (100%)
2. Sikhism (95%)
3. Jainism (91%)
4. Hinduism (91%)
5. Neo-Pagan (87%)
6. Unitarian Universalism (85%)
7. Liberal Quakers (83%)
8. Reform Judaism (81%)
9. Theravada Buddhism (80%)
10. New Age (77%)
11. Bahá'í Faith (72%)
12. Orthodox Judaism (72%)
13. Scientology (70%)
14. New Thought (68%)
15. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (67%)
16. Orthodox Quaker (61%)
17. Islam (60%)
18. Taoism (54%)
19. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (50%)
20. Secular Humanism (48%)
21. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (34%)
22. Jehovah's Witness (34%)
23. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (34%)
24. Eastern Orthodox (28%)
25. Roman Catholic (28%)
26. Nontheist (24%)
27. Seventh Day Adventist (24%)

Sadly, as an ordained minister and self-proclaimed theologist, I am not even sure what some of these religions that I am supposedly sharing faith with are! And lord knows, buying a house in a VERY Catholic town might not have been the best idea. Seriously, we only recently got MTV, Comedy Central and such added to our cable line-up because the head honcho Catholic dude (damn! I can't remember what they are called) didn't want such evil channels corrupting our minds. Oh well, the Catholics still have the most kick-ass artwork in my book! ;)

Anyhoo, thank you to The Obsidian Cat for providing her usual thought-provoking banter!

What a Fun Trucking Day!

2007-02-15T23:25:00.000-05:00

It is with good reason that I buy all of my clothes from Goodwill. Of course, there is the standard working with children aspect that guarantees your clothes end up covered in all sorts of odd nasty stuff—but then, there are also those days like today…

Yes, I love winter, I love the snow, but I didn’t love today!

After three straight hours of shoveling yesterday (that included SHOVELING the snow OFF of the Blazer), I still managed to get stuck in my driveway today before work. I get to work, no parking—so I spin tires trying to get back out of the parking lot and proceed to go zigzagging through the parking lot in front of several co-workers and just barely manage to straighten out again as I enter the parking lot to the police station. I finally park in the “I’m Afraid I May Get Towed” zone, forever and a day away, and end up late.

No show after no show. I have two siblings in a row—first is a no show, so I know the second will be a no show. I decide that I am going to get my Blazer out of the scary “I’m Afraid I May Get Towed” zone (I’m always at the office until well after dark and don’t enjoy hauling my stuff back up there in the dark with weird people lurking about) and go get gas, hoping that there will be an opening closer to the office when I get back.

At the gas station, I manage to cover myself in gasoline, which is just downright swell. I head back to the office—almost slide into the path of an oncoming truck (the look on his face was priceless—can’t imagine what mine must have been like)—man, Blazers are a blast when the 4-wheel drive doesn’t work. Happily, I find a parking spot within sight of the office and head back in.

None of my other clients showed or even called to say they weren’t showing. All in all, I was at the office from 10-7 and only two of my clients showed up. So, two paid hours for my day in. Woo Hoo. Add that to the five hours from the rest of the week and I know this will be a mighty fine paycheck.

Snow days = No work :)
Snow days = No pay :(
And to think I complained about only having 17 hours last week…

So anyhoo, I’m on my way home when this big old truck goes whizzing by me and decides to rocket launch debris at me. Swell. I dodge most of it—except for a big, old plastic bucket that decides to become one with my Blazer.

So I’m cursing, dragging this nasty old bucket underneath me—cannot see for anything—don’t know where to pull off because my Blazer gets stuck in even a dusting of snow (HONESTLY)—finally don’t care because I’m not getting anywhere with the bucket dragging under me—off into some random driveway I go.

Kicking it out didn’t work, pushing it didn’t work, too lazy and cold to get my crappy jack out (not to mention the back of my Blazer doesn’t open so the jack would have been nearly impossible to even get to)—I finally laid down under the Blazer—smashed the lid of the bucket in and then pulled on the bucket until I busted two nails down to painfulness, one bleeding—ripped my Oscar the Grouch gloves—covered myself in motor oil— I’m sure there was an easier way—but I am blonde, female and don’t always think rationally when I am that annoyed.

Half an hour later, covered in oil, snow, ashes, and lord knows what else—I finally make it up to the gentleman’s house to explain why there is this huge mess in his driveway and apologize for the smashed up pieces of oily plastic bucket in his driveway. His dog decides that I look like I would enjoy being jumped all over and coated in its hair and then tries to follow me home. Swell. And then of course, didn’t the Blazer try getting stuck in his driveway?

So I’m back on the road, hood bouncing because it doesn’t latch, wind whistling in the driver’s side door because it doesn’t close right and sometimes the wind pulls it open, snow blowing in my face from around the windshield (don’t even ask), the smell of burning oil and plastic hopefully only the remnants of the oil bucket and nothing more, only able to go 35 mph because that’s all the faster it will go in the cold, I brush the hair out of my eyes only to deposit the oil from my gloves all over my face—and that’s when the next big truck decides to come barreling down in the opposite lane and throws approximately a third of the snow and ice from its roof onto my windshield. Swell. No cracks though. Didn’t wreck. Just more annoyed.

Finally get home. Managed to saddlebag the blazer on all of the ice and crap they plowed in front of my driveway. Would have left it there if it weren’t for the fact that it is a blind turn, people come whizzing around it and well, I was trapped in the Blazer. Quite honestly, the LAST place that I wanted to be. But anyhoo, all said and done, managed to get the Blazer to the top of the driveway and back where it belonged.

Got inside—coat torn and quite filthy, dress pants oil-stained and fit only for the garbage, and how many times will this make sewing my poor Oscar gloves? Will the gasoline and motor oil even come out?

Bandaged my fingers to prevent further pain, washed the motor oil off of my face and out of my hair, finished the rest of my bottle of aspirin (shoveling yesterday KICKED my ass!), and off to bed I go. I have a feeling tomorrow will be a repeat of today. Ugh, and I’ll have to see about hacking away and shoveling out the ice mound at the bottom of the driveway before I even THINK of trying that again…

Oh the drama—oops! I mean trauma! We really need Mental Health Days at my agency--or maybe they could provide company vehicles. Yeah, I like that! Think I'll suggest it in our meeting bright and early tomorrow morning! =P

Title Deleted By Server

2007-02-04T05:13:00.000-05:00

Many thanks to Heather!

2007-01-27T22:37:00.000-05:00

Anubis. Certainly a fitting name for the new kitty. Barnabas just didn't sound right (although everything else certainly fit)... Pork Chop (to go with Mashed Potato) (or Nandy's, Meatloaf) was cruel even for me... PUK (Dar's = P U Kitty) sounded like I was swearing at him...

And way cool... Goth~the game of horror trivia... Highly recommended! :)

Beware of Sleestak!

2007-01-18T00:53:00.000-05:00

Why is it, that I can watch episodes of Land of the Lost over and over and I don't get bored of them? Laugh if you must... I don't care. I still think that it is one of the best shows of all times! Really now, how many children's shows address parallel universes, wormholes, and the space-time continuum theory? Plus there is that groovy opening song that just totally gets stuck in your brain! You know, come to think of it, the new kitty kind of resembles a Sleestak, wait until I post Nikki's Christmas pictures and you will really see what I mean! :)

Dust

2006-12-25T19:24:00.000-05:00

Email that I got from Ed regarding house cleaning:

I can't tell you how many countless hours that I have spent CLEANING! I used to spend at least 8 hours every weekend making sure things were just perfect "in case someone came over." Then I realized one day that rarely did people come over; they were all out living life and having fun!

Now, when people visit, I find no need to explain the "condition" of my home. They are more interested in hearing about the things I've been doing while I was away living life and having fun. If you haven't figured this out yet, please heed this advice. Life is short. Enjoy it!

Wouldn't it be better to paint a picture or write a letter, bake cookies, ponder the difference between want and need? With rivers to swim and mountains to climb, music to hear and books to read, friends to cherish and life to lead. This day will not come around again.

Just thought it was a good reminder during the holiday season... Don't allow the bright moments of your holiday to be dulled by the concept of hassle and stress!

Merry Christmas!

Any Ideas?

2006-12-16T18:17:00.000-05:00

Okay, the new kitty has lived here for nearly two months and is still cruising around without an official name. Click here for Mash's blog photos of the new kitty or go to my Picture Pages blog for the online albums that I currently have for the new kitty.

He almost got named "Oscar the Grouch," due to his super grouchy appearance (which no longer fits) and in honor of Pete and Guffey--the whole "Black Oscar" and "Cat Oscar" joke.

Toyed with "Barnabas Collins" (fitting because he lurks in the shadows, is in love with a kitty he can never have, has a passion for giving love bites--not to mention that at one time it was the chosen name for my first born son--cruel, huh?). For those of you that remember the show and loved him too--you can also purchase the Dark Shadows Board Game. At any rate, the vet calling him Barney for short, kind of put a damper on the name Barnabas.

Almost got "Slinky Siam, I Am." Siam for short (in honor of his heritage + the whole Buddhist thing, his slinky build, due to his resemblance to Si and Am the Siamese cats from Lady and the Tramp, and in honor of Dr. Seuss).

And lately he has just been "Mash's Kitty." Kitty for short. He is also often known as "Bad Kitty," due to his love for household destruction.

Nothing has really stuck though. But hell, I suppose he's lucky not to have gone to "where bad kitties go" and to have a home. A name isn't a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but I suppose he still could use one...

What IS Her Problem???

2006-12-06T20:18:00.000-05:00

That nasty lady
at the post office...
They say
"Kill them
with kindness."
I do.
But it hasn't worked.
She's still there.
She still hasn't grown
that big old bushy beard
I wished upon her either...

This is Great!

2006-11-20T22:53:00.000-05:00

This is pretty cool... Click on the link below. Ignore all the crazy Russian on the site, just type your first name in the text box and click to see what your name looks like in Russian!

http://www.callme.nm.ru/

For Stine

2006-11-05T01:46:00.000-05:00

Caught some pictures of my morning mowers...

Living here is SO MUCH better than living on Main Street! :)

Just an Early Greeting

2006-10-26T23:40:00.000-05:00

Reminds me of the set-up at my apartment... Halloween stuff all-year-round always made the other holidays seem a little strange...

Anyone remember Satan Claus? He was a huge, light up Santa that I painted Alice Cooper make-up on and I gave him devil horns--he was my guide for lost Halloween guests when I would have Halloween bashes. I'm sure that the neighbors thought it was a little strange! :)

Just for fun, check out this pumpkin carving site and see what you can create.

So anyhoo, have a HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!! Hope your hauntings are all good ones!

A Home of My Own

2006-09-24T21:22:00.000-05:00

Well, I closed on Wednesday the 13th; moved my stuff and myself (with the help of eleven friends, considering that I wasn't even packed and I have A LOT of stuff) on Saturday the 16th; and had the apartment empty and scrubbed by Tuesday the 19th. Busy week.

So, anyhoo, I am back online and will try to get back to everyone before too long. However, since I have been given a bunch of crazy time-consuming assignments at work, it may be awhile...

They're Here...

2006-09-04T13:51:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow, The Beatrice Letters will finally be available to the general public. Will Mr. Snicket finally unlock the mystery of Beatrice or will we be forced to continue with our insane speculations?

And still we draw nearer to The End. Friday, October 13th, my schedule will be completely cleared so that I may indulge...

For those of you that are absolutely clueless, you can check out The Vile Videos AKA "12 Books in 120 Seconds," the first in a series of three videos leading up to The End. Surely, the fact that they are narrated by Tim Curry should be enough to peak your interest and permit you to dive into the wonderfully unfortunate world of the Baudelaire orphans?

Quick Update

2006-09-03T19:31:00.000-05:00

I know that I’ve been neglecting my blog and just as the case was during grad school—I have ten million other things that I am supposed to be doing right now—work projects, paperwork in general, stripping and refinishing furniture, packing—the list goes on and on—so of course, I’m choosing to write in my blog…

Anyhoo, closing is set for September 7th. There are still a few glitches that could make the deal fall through (and after talking to M&J last night and them convincing me that I’m buying the poltergeist house complete with graves located in the dirt floor basement to scratching trees at the window that are ready to eat the ferrets or me—and yes, the creepy clown under the bed was even brought up—THANKS GUYS—I might find myself creeped out there anyhow!!!). But at any rate, I am ever grateful that I went for the pronto closing date at the extra cost. It has been brutal waiting this long and I am not quite sure that I would have enjoyed waiting a whole extra month.

But I do apologize and can’t say that I will be much better anytime soon. The next couple of months will quite likely entail me cleaning, painting, and unpacking in hopes of setting up a semi-comfortable home before the first snowfall. But at any rate, I’ve added a few new links to other blogs and J AKA the Nipper is back online, so there should be other reading to check out and as always there is the ever faithful Obsidian Cat to enjoy.

So until next time—Blessed Be!

Update

2006-08-11T20:57:00.000-05:00

Well, we finally agreed upon a price for the Treehouse. I now have a choice between two loans:

Loan 1: Move in by September 7th (may be sooner)--Interest rate 6.375%; $16 more a month; $192 more per year; $5760 more when all said and done; at least two weekends for cleaning/moving/cleaning--FHA loan.

Loan 2: Closing set for October 10th (could be later)--Interest rate 6%; added $325 at closing + would have to pay another month's rent (currently paid until September 19th), so another $300 there (since only leaves 9 days, maybe less, for moving and cleaning this place--that's only one weekend--YIKES! ...may end up having to pay another $300 rent for October 19-November 19 and means probably wouldn't have guest room set up by Christmas), so possibly $600 in rent + $325 fee = added $925--PHFA loan.

Before I move in, I need to pay $300 for basement bugs, several hundred for ventilation in the basement, carpets all professionally cleaned, linoleum in office and kitchen, need to get a refrigerator and other miscellaneous crap.

That place needs a serious cleaning before I'll be comfortable with any of my stuff being put in there + I'll need time for moving all of my crap + will need to completely clean this place--I'm leaning towards the earlier date and loan one. Plan to paint the upstairs over time--doesn't need to be done immediately. Ferret room does have to be set up first, the rest can be done over time too--but if you've ever been around ferrets, you know they can't be kept in a cage 24/7 and having them loose and getting into crap is a nightmare. So that room will be my first priority.

Hope to be settled in by Christmas. Plus I am a huge fan of instant gratification! ;)

The Treehouse It Is

2006-07-30T16:22:00.000-05:00

I spent three hours at the Treehouse on Tuesday with one of S’s friends that does contracting + I spent two and a half hours there yesterday. The Realtor has been going and unlocking it for me and I lock up when I leave. That’s really what I needed, time there alone to see how it feels and if it fits. I have no doubts now.

I worry about the thirty years part—what if something happens and I lose my job or I become disabled and can't make the payments, but I am realizing that could happen anywhere and that I am allowing fear to hold me back. I worry that I might meet a guy that already has a house or lives out of the area and that the house would become an unwanted burden. But I will cross that bridge when (and if) I ever come to it. I’ve done enough soul searching that I realize this is the place for me now and that I will take whatever lessons come with it. I feel good about the choice. It feels like the right one.

Lots of painting ahead—not only did she have horrible taste; it was a slop job in an attempt to make things appear better than they were. They didn’t even paint to the bottoms of the walls because they could hide the fact with furniture—they didn’t remove outlet covers or anything—oh yes, much worse than I realized—why did they even bother? And those horrible splotches they painted in the kids’ rooms, so nicely hide the fact that the paneling is warped and bubbling out in numerous places. I’ll probably have to replace it all together on several walls.

The carpets are beyond just needing scrubbed—many have dog damage (chewed up spots, pee stench) and kid damage (kool-aid, markers, pee stench)—which again was cleverly hidden with furniture and air fresheners. But I guess they are also old and icky for the most part too. Needs new floor tile and linoleum in some rooms, too.

But regardless, it is still not as bad as the ones that I looked at in the $90,000-$125,000 range. Those all needed major make-overs! Carpet, paint, roofs, windows, plaster work, heating systems, everything! This one is mostly superficial—I can move in now—it's all good.

DOWNSTAIRS
Kitchen: Birdhouse border, cream walls, Grateful Dead art prints (1995—sunflowers & dragonflies). Dark blue canisters & Tupperware will be fine; light blue/cream dishes will be given to M&J—trading in for set at Grandma’s that actually originally belonged to my maternal Grandmother—white with yellow and green flowers. Will need to buy a refrigerator and eventually a larger stove (it’s a wall unit) and a new range top.

Main Bath/Laundry Room: Zen, Quan Yin. Colors: Cream, sage green and tan.

Guest Bedroom: This will be the computer room from the virtual tour (yes, the room with the incredible wood walls). Native American theme, two twin beds. Since this room also houses a lovely view of the dirt under the deck, I am contemplating different ways to spruce up the dirt view. Have contemplated a few different ideas—including doing a landscape/model of the homes of cliff-dwelling Indians to maintain the theme. Colors: Cream, powder blue, tan.

Ferrets/Office: This will be the downstairs living room which has a double window and the most incredible view! Decided to forgo the Halloween theme (yup, it’s all being stored and will only appear in April and October—can you believe it?), but will still keep the tarantulas, weird stuff, and unique items here. My Edward Gorey art, Ed Beard, Jr. art, and Alice Cooper art will still appear—even though they are on the darker side, as well as some of my charcoal and black and white work that I did as an undergrad.

Computer desk and chair, filing cabinets, all that crap + my sofa from here (since it is already ferret destroyed—stuffing ripped out of the arms to make hammocks; holes ripped in the sides, so they can pop their heads out and see what is going on), just because there NEEDS to be a sofa where you can kick it and admire that amazing view! I will have to get a slipcover for it though…

Library/Plant Room: This will be the dining room from the virtual tour. Religious artwork and pieces, bookshelves (eventually built-in shelves), old antique stove as a plant stand, possibly the loveseat from here (also ferret-damaged and requiring a slip cover)—if not, a few comfy chairs and eventually a rocking chair.

UPSTAIRS
Parlor: The dreadful family room from the virtual tour! Jack Vettrianno artwork, Harmony Kingdom pieces, two sofas, antique chairs, crocks, and other antiques. Colors: Tan, brown, red.

Game Room: Formerly known as the “boy’s room” in the virtual tour. Simpsons, Spiderman, Scooby-Doo, etc. Dartboard, card table, games, stereo, etc. Colors: Red, blue, yellow.

Playroom: The super tiny “baby room” from the tour will become a playroom for the kiddos. Since many of my houseguests have children, this will be the place they can go and not be told “Don’t Touch That!” Will include a fort/hiding place, kid’s rocker and toy chest from when my brothers and I were little. Walls will be yellow. When I bought the toys—in addition to trucks, blocks, and the traditional toys, I also bought Spiderman, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and such, so they can have their own toys to play with that look like the ones of mine that they aren’t allowed to touch! ;)

Master Bedroom: Renaissance and will actually keep the ugly flowered wallpaper! The colors match my Renaissance pieces and will look swell when I am finished with it! I am currently stripping down an old desk and chair that I picked up from Mo’s sale and redoing them to match the bedroom. Colors: Cream, tan, sage green, lavender.

Master Bath: Since bathroom has pink splotched tile and pink fixtures (yes, my worse nightmare and I can’t bring myself to do a Powerpuff Girls theme)—I’m going to roll with it and do dusty rose walls (that wallpaper has to go at the very least!) with magenta accessories (simply because I already have them—this isn’t the first pink bathroom that I have been forced into) and wicker pieces (hamper, cabinet, etc also picked up from Mo’s sale).

Yup, the vision is there. The yard I can do over time and I can already totally envision what I want to do with it, too. I do wish the yard were a little bigger, but I can make it work. I definitely want a fire pit, a pond or water feature, birdbaths and birdfeeders. I’d like to do gardens with benches—the whole HGTV yard!

I am sure I can do all of that with what is there, but I would like a pool someday too and I can't imagine where that would fit in! There are decks, but no covered porch to sit and watch storms which is one of my favorite pastimes (and where on Earth will I hang my plants and extensive windchime collection???)—anyone with tips or advice, I’d be ever so grateful. No garage—huge bummer. But hey, can't have it all right?

I am still scared about having enough for the downpayment, closing costs and for covering initial repairs and things I will need--but again, things will work out. I need to relax and trust that things will work out exactly as they are meant to.

Henry Miller (1891-1980)

2006-07-27T23:26:00.000-05:00

"Art teaches nothing,

except the significance of life."

Jack Vettriano

2006-07-16T00:54:00.000-05:00

The Singing Butler

Narcissistic Bathers

Elegy for a Dead Admiral

Mad Dogs

Billy Boys

Amateur Philosophers

Dance Me to the End of Love

I finally received my Jack Vettriano prints. They are all 20 X 24 (except Narcissistic Bathers, which is 24 X 32), most are double-matted and all have black, wooden frames.

They were a graduation present to myself (the Florida trip was too, but these were a little different). I am so excited to finally have them! I think it is kind of fun that Jack Nicholson also collects Vettriano's work. I suppose though that he probably collects those ones that the critics consider soft porn! ;)

When I got my bachelor’s degree, I went crazy with Design Toscano and bought two paintings and several sculptures from them. In addition to my own, I also bought the angel sculptures for Pete (in memory of Andy) and for both of my brothers (in memory of mom) that Christmas.

These are just a few other random favorites that for one reason or another I decided to take pictures of also that day. What can I say? I am a sucker for art; always have been!

The 3 Finalists

2006-06-24T19:59:00.000-05:00

Really, really, really like the house on Horizon Drive. I think it is super cute and would be like living in a treehouse. There is a house fairly close on the left hand side, but the trees hide it pretty well. No other houses anywhere close. Sits up on a hill and you really have to look to even notice that there is a house up there.

Perfect number of rooms—exactly meets my needs and requests. And oh yeah, the house is much cuter live! All carpeting, woodwork, everything like that is in awesome shape. The last person that lived there and I have TOTALLY different tastes—I think the walls in some of the rooms are truly putrid. But other than painting some rooms, it looks REALLY good.

The land is actually pretty decent. The top part of the yard is huge, level (already has a fire pit) and is surrounded by woods. The sloping part of the yard would be a horror to mow, but I am thinking that maybe planting something that didn't require mowing might be the way to go. Still not sure what they were doing with the little deck thing at the top of the hill, but I’m guessing that it would be a nice place to sit and watch the sun rise and set.

No inside entrance to basement, have to go through the outside doors (great if you’re in the midst of a tornado). Dirt floor in basement (YIKES). It didn't smell musty or anything down there. Could see where water was trickling in some of the side walls in back (how fixable is that?)--Slim suggested that I run! :) He brought up a good point, that even if I were able to fix the inside leaks, what would be going on that I couldn’t see? The foundation could be crumbling and ready to cave in and I could have a real disaster on my hands! He hasn't seen it in the flesh yet though. The driveway bites, too.

This place is A LOT cheaper than the others that I have looked at (by like $45,000) and I would have more money to play with for repairs, life and fun. If it passes the basement test, I would love to call it home.

Here's a rough sketch of the property from one site.

The Coder farm is great--love the giant oak tree and the bushes—love the idea of a Mother-in-Law apartment and I love the house (even the blue bathroom!), but I’m afraid that it would break me financially.

DuBois/8.2 acres/pond/stream lady isn't ready to let people look at her home. She wants to find something else first. She still hasn’t set a price yet either, although the Realtor originally said it would be under $100,000. It’s hard to make a decision based on just the outside and the yard (although it is incredible).

Who knows? Don’t know how much longer I can wait…

Inconceivable!

2006-06-24T17:20:00.000-05:00

Is it possible to improve upon the The Princess Bride? Could there be anything better than the Collector's Edition? Thank you to The Obsidian Cat for cluing me in on the Dread Pirate Edition! Woo Hoo! And for those of you interested, there is also a special Buttercup Edition. I may have to collect them all...

And another thank you to DaftKitty for also providing this awesome link!

Food For Thought

2006-06-24T16:07:00.000-05:00

LAWS OF THE NATURAL UNIVERSE (sent by ef)

Law of Mechanical Repair: After your hands become coated with grease, your nose will begin to itch or you'll have to pee. Law of the Workshop: Any tool, when dropped, will roll to the least accessible corner. Law of Probability: The probability of being watched is directly proportional to the stupidity of your act. Law of the Telephone: If you dial a wrong number, you never get a busy signal. Law of the Alibi: If you tell the boss you were late for work because you had a flat tire, the very next morning you will have a flat tire. Variation Law: If you change lines or traffic lanes, the one you were in will start to move faster than the one you are in now. Law of the Bath: When the body is fully immersed in water, the telephone will ring. Law of Close Encounters: The probability of meeting someone you know increases when you are with someone you don't want to be seen with. Law of the Result: When you try to prove to someone that a machine won't work, it will. Law of Biomechanics: The severity of the itch is inversely proportional to the reach. Law of the Theater: At any event, the people whose seats are furthest from the aisle arrive last. Law of Coffee: As soon as you sit down to a cup of hot coffee, your boss will ask you to do something which will last until the coffee is cold. Murphy's Law of Lockers: If there are only two people in a locker room, they will have adjacent lockers. Law of Rugs/Carpets: The chances of an open-faced jelly sandwich landing face down on a floor covering are directly correlated to the newness and cost of the carpet/rug. This one also works with clothing. Law of Logical Argument: Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about. Brown's Law: If the shoe fits, it's ugly. Oliver's Law: A closed mouth gathers no feet. Wilson's Law: As soon as you find a product that you really like, they will stop making it.

BUMPER STICKERS (from catalog sent by ms)

According to my calculations, the problem doesn't exist. Always remember that you are unique. Just like everyone else. Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in his shoes. That way, if he gets angry, he'll be a mile away--and barefoot. Born again (and again, and again...) Boyfriend wanted: No experience necessary. Will train! BUCKLE UP! It makes it harder for the aliens to suck you out of your car. Ferrets not kids. Christianity has pagan DNA! Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult. Control your destiny or someone else will. CONSCIOUSNESS That annoying time between naps. Don't believe everything you think. Earth First! We'll strip the other planets later. Freedom of religion means ANY religion. Growing old is mandatory. Growing up is optional. HATRED is a learned behavior. Heavily medicated for your safety. How do I set my laser printer to stun? If going to church makes you a Christian, does going to the garage make you a car? If ignorance is bliss, you must be orgasmic. I'll try being nicer, if you'll try being smarter. If only closed minds came with closed mouths. If what you seek you find not within, you will never find it without. I'm already visualizing the duct tape over your mouth. In just two days, tomorrow will be yesterday. I took a pain pill. Why are you still here? If you lack enemies, you are not doing something worthwhile. Last time we mixed politics with religion... people got burned at the stake. Legalize Freedom. Live simply, so that others may simply live. Love your enemies. It really gets them confused. Madness takes its toll. Please have exact change. Next mood swing... 6 minutes. No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. Obedient women are rarely remembered in history. Reality is for people who lack imagination. Sometimes I think I understand everything, then I regain consciousness. Sure you can trust the government... Just ask an Indian. SUBURBIA: where they tear down all of the trees and name the streets after them. SMILE! Your government is watching. The beatings will continue until morale improves. The more people I meet, the more I like my pets. Watch out for the idiot BEHIND me. :) What's POPULAR is not always right. What's RIGHT is not always popular. WWJB--Who Would Jesus Bomb? Would it be you?

PONDERISMS (sent by kp)

Gardening Rule: When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it is a valuable plant. The easiest way to find something lost around the house is to buy a replacement. Life is sexually transmitted. Health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die. Some people are like Slinkies. Not really good for anything, but you still can't help but smile when you see one tumble down the stairs. Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in hospitals dying of nothing. Have you noticed since everyone has a camcorder these days no one talks about seeing UFOs like they used to? I used to eat a lot of natural foods until I learned that most people die of natural causes. In the 60's, people took acid to make the world weird. Now the world is weird and people take Prozac to make it normal. How is it one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire? Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, "I think I'll squeeze these dangly things here, and drink whatever comes out?" Why does your OB-GYN leave the room when you get undressed if they are going to look up there anyway? If quizzes are quizzical, what are tests? If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons? Do illiterate people get the full effect of Alphabet Soup? Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog's face, he gets mad at you, but when you take him on a car ride, he sticks his head out the window? Does pushing the elevator button more than once make it arrive faster? Why doesn't glue stick to the inside of the bottle? Do you ever wonder why you bother reading this blog?

Blue Toilets and Tubs

2006-06-17T18:17:00.000-05:00

Well, to look on the bright side of things, I figured out what I would do if I ever had the misfortune of purchasing a house with blue bathroom fixtures…

That shade of blue generally tends to be the same shade as the Mystery Machine. So Mystery Machine green for the walls, orange daisy flowers for the border, orange towels and shower curtain (yeah, it would be horrible, but blue bathroom fixtures are horrible—you gotta roll with it), a huge mural of Scooby and the gang on one wall, plus your standard Scooby garbage can, toothbrush holder, you get the point… It would be horrible seventies, like the fixtures, but it would be cool, like Scooby!

Or since everyone said “Well, you could do a beach scene” and since EVERYONE does beach scenes in their bathrooms and when has any room in any place I have ever lived in been even close to being normal? I decided, yeah! I COULD do the ocean thingy! BUT, my way!

So I decided the walls would also be that horrible blue and maybe the floor, too (or I could be really ambitious and paint the floor tiles green with large black holes to resemble the Sea of Holes/ Sea of Green). Brightly colored stars would be the border (like it is on all of my stuff in that collection), the shower curtain, towels, and all of that stuff would be bright colors to match the border, and of course, murals all the way around! The odd creatures that inhabit the Sea of Monsters would be there, the Blue Meanies and some of the other Pepperland friends would make a guest appearance, and of course, my Fab Four would be swimming by in a very large Yellow Submarine! Can you picture it? I can! :)

I'll almost be disappointed now if I move into a house without a blue bathroom! Let's just hope I don't ever get pink (Powerpuff girls?)...

I know one of my goals of getting a house is to learn to be a little more normal and “adult.” But lots of people go crazy with their bathrooms—so it would be okay right? As long as I can refrain from doing the kitchen in Simpsons or Spiderman, we’ll be set! ;)

X-Men 3

2006-06-17T17:16:00.000-05:00

We went to see it Tuesday. Despite a few things that never happened in the comic books and never would happen in the comic books--I loved it!

Seeing Wolverine shirtless was enough to make the whole movie and thankfully, he is in it A LOT. Mmm... Logan...

Missed Nightcrawler and could have used more of the Beast, but I left appeased (if not slightly irritated).

Favorite line: "Don't you know who I am, Bitch? I'm the Juggernaut!" in that cool British accent... Yeah, sweet!

And happy, happy! The previews included a glimpse of the up and coming Ghostrider movie! Yea for more Marvel movies!!!

The Animal Collector

2006-06-08T22:34:00.000-05:00

Yup, that’s what she was. The stench was unbelievable. Dogs and cats everywhere imaginable. Yet the house was relatively clean. She obviously means well, but wow! Scary!

She told me that the ferret was in such bad shape when she got it that its teeth were overgrown. She had to give it stuff to wear its teeth down… Ferrets are not rodents! Their teeth do not grow like that! Sure enough, little weasel girl no longer has the normal “snaggletooth” appearance. I’ve heard of people filing ferrets’ teeth down or removing them altogether, but this is the first I’ve seen anything like it.

She explained to me that the ferret would bite so hard that they would have to pry her mouth open with a metal file.

She told me that she could not use Bitter Apple because it makes the ferret flip out and attack. The ferret even destroyed the Bitter Apple bottle. My guess is that she had probably had it sprayed in her face a few too many times or was tormented with it in one manner or another.

She puts her other ferrets in her fish tank to swim.

She truly seemed like a nice lady. Her heart is in the right place. But I wish she would stick to cats and dogs.

The crazy part? The weasel’s name is Stitch. She is a tiny sable, approximately a year old. My Nanook was originally part of a twosome. They started out as (when I met them) Tootsie and Roll. They went to the next home and became Lilo and Stitch. The little girl was sold for $50 because the guy needed quick cash. Several months later, I finally convinced him that his was no home for a ferret and after a major battle for survival; Nanook is now a part of my household. The age frame is right. How weird would that be???

Yup, weasel girl came home with me. What choice did I have?

Nanook has shown his first interest in something other than food and sleep. I can’t help but wonder if this is his old cage mate. He’s obsessed with her. Unfortunately, Link is being my little bully girl and saying no more females. We’ll have to see what happens…

And oh yeah, she is not nearly as nasty as half of the ferrets that have come through my doors. I think once she realizes that she is safe here, she is going to be a great little girl. And she (so far) has only left teeth marks (never even broke the skin) on my foot once! :)

The Dreamer Wipes the Sleep From Her Eyes

2006-06-06T22:54:00.000-05:00

I went to look at the 16 acres/house/MIL apartment. All the windows would need replaced; two of the porches would need ripped off and replaced; the equipment barn would need torn down and hauled out of there; the dozen or so rusty old fuel oil tanks and other large rusty things would need to be hauled out of the high grass hiding them and taken to the dump; the neighbor's dog needs chained and muzzled (Mo and I were trapped on the enclosed porch and narrowly escaped attack--pretty scary)--and that was just the outside!

I haven't even seen the inside yet!

It's by the BP Inn (first road to right off Keystone--not even 1/2 mile from 219). 12 miles from DuBois. 3 miles from Brockway.

It would need a lot of repairs. I still need to see how bad it is inside.

Anyhoo, since Mo is moving back to Hawaii on August 1st--she is selling everything she owns (including CDs, DVDs, her car--if anyone is interested) the second week of July--I want to buy her washer, dryer, king-sized bed, TVs and other miscellaneous stuff that I would need when I get a place. Of course, who knows when that will be and I dread dragging all of that stuff up my three flights of steps and worse yet--where will I store it until I have my own home???

Oh yeah, ferret #6 may be coming tomorrow, too. We'll see.

Always the Dreamer

2006-06-04T19:27:00.000-05:00

Found this last night. 16 acres--good. Yard, trees, bushes--good. Garage--good. Essentially, 3BR and 2 Bath--that's what I have been looking for. House has 2 BR, full bath, LR (with fireplace), kitchen + Mother-in-Law apartment over garage with 1 BR, 3/4 bath, LR, semi-kitchen. The MIL apartment is attached by a breezeway (separate living quarters would make everyone happy during extended visits!).

The location kind of bites--farther from DuBois and Reynoldsville than I wanted (where most of my work cases are)--I would need to look into back roads and shortcuts. No mention of ponds or streams on the property. A bit more than I am looking to pay. And what the hey is this deal of making a bid without seeing the house? Yeah, right!

I really don't like the interior of the main house (Blue toilet and tub? Yuck!). I don't like all of the wood walls--too country/rustic for my taste (but would have been perfect in the MIL apt because the guest room and all of that is going to be in the Native American theme).

This has been the plan for when I get my house:
LR: Jack Vettrianno artwork /fantasy; Harmony Kingdom pieces (colors: black, red, brown, tan)
K: I currently have dark blue canisters & Tupperware; light blue/cream dishes--but if kitchen/dining room adjoins the living room, kitchen colors will be the same as the living room.
Master Bedroom: Renaissance/Religious pieces (not sure on colors)
Master Bath: Zen (colors: cream, sage green and tan)
Ferrets/Office: Heroes (Simpsons, Spiderman, Scooby-Doo, etc) (primary colors: black, white, red, yellow, blue)
Guest Bedroom: Native American (colors: cream, powder blue, tan)
Guest Bath: Powder Blue (coordinating with Guest Bedroom)
Game Room (if I have an extra room--if not this is scrapped): Dartboard, Card Table, etc (Halloween Theme--tarantulas, my tons of Halloween and weird stuff, Clive Barker/Hellraiser collection)

I suppose I could always make the MIL apartment my main living space (cheaper to heat and cool, too). I really like the sliding glass doors out to the back deck. It's like they did this place completely backwards to my taste!

I could do:
MIL Apartment
My Bedroom: Renaissance/Religious pieces
My Bath: Zen (already has cream fixtures and I prefer showers)
LR: Jack Vettrianno artwork/fantasy; Harmony Kingdom pieces
K: Kitchen to match the living room.

Main House
Master/Guest Bedroom: Native American (needs to be big enough for when Matt, Jennifer and the boys stay--going to have two twin beds to start)
Bath: Powder blue (like I would have a choice!)
Ferrets/Office (Second Bedroom): Heroes & Halloween Theme--tarantulas, Halloween and weird stuff, Clive Barker/Hellraiser collection, computer, filing cabinets, etc
LR: Native American (colors: cream, powder blue and tan--furniture that I have now)
K: Dark Blue (canisters & Tupperware); light blue/cream (dishes)

So I guess maybe I could make it work to my liking. My main issue would be having the ferrets so far from me. They would probably have to share the LR of the MIL apartment with me! As for Mashie, maybe a cat door between the two living quarters?

And oh yeah, there is a barn, a fenced-in pasture area and all that. Not of major importance to me, but if I do eventually decide to have goats and sheep (yes, Ms. S, you most certainly may keep your goat Morrie there!) then I would be set! :)

Ah, silly dreams and too much thinking about things that I shouldn't be wasting energy on. I better get back to working on program books for my clients!

yeah, it's orange too...

2006-06-03T00:13:00.000-05:00

We picked out the dresses (maid-of-honor—S&S) today—I have to say, I honestly like my dress! It’s by DaVinci and it didn’t cost me a bloody fortune (under $200 including express shipping, taxes and such). I also have to recommend the staff at Trousseaux—friendly, helpful, low prices, awesome selection—the logo should be “Finally, a friendly formal dress store in DuBois.” But instead they chose “An elegant boutique for a cherished memory.” Hmm, well, whatever.

So anyhoo, you know me. I’m cheap—but I willing shelled out the cash for the dress: 1) to please S&S and because I love them—they should be married—so I will happily participate! 2) because I was so pleased to find a boutique that isn’t snooty, rude, overpriced, and full of ugly dresses—I am more than pleased to pay for good service! I even volunteered to take a bunch of their fliers to pass about... Seriously, I was impressed!

Yup. This coming from the exclusive Goodwill shopper. I think the most I ever pay on clothing is my damn Converse shoe collection (girls and their shoes) and I suppose the dress for H.’s wedding, but I like that one, too and get to wear it to Renaissance festivals, so it doesn’t count as the normal bridal attire!

Another happy note: my insurance finally started again! Yea!!! No charge on my allergy shot today! Yea!!! My meds were still pretty high; two at $35, one at $20, and one at $10—of course, without insurance, the four would have racked me $591.56 for the month (as opposed to $100) and the shots are $80 a month—higher when I get new bottles and bubbles. So yeah, $670+ verses $268 with a $100 co-pay for the month—I’ll take it. Since I haven’t had any of my meds since March and realize how much I can’t breathe or function without mass quantities of Tums—yeah, I’ll gladly take it! :)

Blah, Blah, Boring, Blah

2006-05-29T23:16:00.000-05:00

The 20 acres of paradise. Of course, we knew there had to be a catch (even beyond the railroad tracks running through the property).

I have been waiting for weeks for a property map. First the realtor emailed me and told me my map should arrive via snail mail in a matter of days. Cool; but I never gave them my name or address. So I emailed my name and address, still nothing (recently received an email from the realtor stating that they never received the email with my name and address).

Visited the Assessment Office for that county—owner has several hundred acres in the area—no specific lines for the twenty acres that I am looking at—the roads, streams, etc weren’t even labeled on the courthouse’s map. Called the realtor’s office to see about having a map mailed—they didn’t know who I had been talking to, but they could email me a copy of the map—no problem, just give them a couple of minutes (it has been a week, still no emailed map either). No snail mail map, no email map—just remind me, if I ever decide to sell my home or land, NOT to use them.

The Conservation District. Can’t build within 100 feet of water; red water in some of the standing water (most likely iron); cattails across the road; honest opinion? Doesn’t sound good. Sure, for $800 I can have the property perc-tested—however, land is being sold “AS IS” (red-flags, red-flags)—so that $800 is out of my pocket before I would even bid.

Took P. to look at it. He brought up great points and not only did I hear the voice of reason, I even listened. How much does the railroad own? How close can I (or do I want to) build to railroad tracks? Sure, $40,000 for the land—great deal. If they refuse to lower the price after paying for the perc-test and all, suggest they give a bit more acreage for the asking price. Between the streams and railroad tracks cutting through, how many areas am I really left with to build on (if any)? Estimated $20,000 to put on a well and sewage system—great. But what if it goes way beyond that, as it very well may?

And so P. looked at the 8.2 acres, pond, small stream, etc. that I am also considering and gave it two thumbs up. I know P. is right; I know it all makes sense; I know the twenty acres would be a huge gamble—likely a losing one. But I can’t sleep without dreams of the twenty acres jumping in—mathematical figures floating around and giving me different ways that it could be done—reciting of emails that I need to send to get the ball rolling… Torture.

Also took family members to view both today. Same opinions.

My plan? Check out the 8.2 acres—may end up being home. Quite sure the twenty acres will still be on the market years down the road—establish a home first—buy the twenty acres later for play if I still really want it…

"I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge; that myth is more potent than history; that dreams are more powerful than facts; that hope always triumphs over experience; that laughter is the cure for grief. And I believe that love is stronger than death." (Robert Fulghum)

Blue on Black

2006-05-16T22:25:00.000-05:00

Wrong
can't be undone.
~Kenny Wayne Shepherd~

Four Eggs and Some Shells

2006-05-13T22:56:00.000-05:00

Mo crossed the stage today; I am so proud of her! This is a big year for her—the 5 year anniversary (April); getting her Master’s (May) and next, moving back to Hawaii (August 1st). I am so happy about the first two! Still trying not to think about the last one, but I know she wants that just as much, if not more.

I really enjoyed spending time with them today. Her kids were cracking me up! Bully is pretty cool, too—today was the first that I’ve really seen him open up. He reminds me a lot of Kama (they even have the same laugh—maybe it’s a Taurus thing).

Overall it was a pretty nice time. I’m glad that I went. Pictures to be posted soon...

I also decided to check out that land (the 20 acres) since it was pretty nice out. I could have spent the whole day there! Several nice crayfish catching creeks, a stream for canoeing and fishing, two decent swimming holes, all wooded—I am so in love!

Water should not be a problem (most likely spring)—electric and utilities should not be a problem— and even if it doesn't pass the perc test, I could still have a sand mound put in (unfortunately more expensive and quite unsightly)—main problem? The ground may be too wet to build on.

Plus, if I buy this now, that means I probably can't afford to buy a house or build until it is paid off. Maybe I should just wait for a house and some land to come along. But this acreage would be great for camping, fishing, hiking, camp-fires--so many things! It would be my little piece of paradise! I wish that I had enough money to just buy this as my play place! :)

I took tons of pictures—I’ll post them on my blog as soon as I can.

Another note, the eggs on the cousin’s grave? Today there was a Killdeer on the nest and four eggs (on April 28th there were two). Yup, really glad that I didn’t break one to see if they were real…

Well, I guess since I didn't go out with the Spooky-Ooky Crew for T.'s bachelorette party (St. Mary's); I passed up C.'s camp-fire and three single men (Beechwoods); I skipped out on A. and N. with the offer to check out the band (Treasure Lake); and I left S&S's due to extreme fatigue (Brockport)--I'm going to finish getting T.'s birthday present ready and I'm going to bed (YEA!!!) ! I am getting so lame as I age! :)

Happy Mother's Day to all!!! (and I hope my Mom is giving Baron, Buddy and Banter big hugs--this first year anniversary without them sucks).

Double-Whammed Wednesday

2006-05-10T20:33:00.000-05:00

Found out today that Mo bought her ticket to move back to Hawaii and N. is moving to Rhode Island within the next couple of weeks (which means Sassy, Loki, and Kali are leaving too). Must all of my friends be coast-to-coast and over seas?

I suppose the bright side is that no matter where I go, I always have a place to stay and loved ones to visit...

Ode to Halloween in April

2006-04-30T09:31:00.000-05:00

Some of these are new scary, supernatural, or superstitious sites; some are for those that missed them the first time around...

Some stuff from Shel: The Waverly Hills Sanatorium is located in Louisville, Kentucky and was recently featured on Ghosthunters. It housed tuberculosis patients during the early 1900s. Two-hour tours are $20. They also offer supernatural tours and overnight visits. Road trip?

While we are heading south, tours for the Former West Virginia Penitentiary, which is supposedly haunted, have started for the season (overnight stays are also available, for a small fee).

Also from Shel: Check out this site on Electronic Voice Phenomenon (creepy); information regarding Ghost Hill AKA Gravity Hill (there is also one in the Munderf area) and some odd and spooky stuff caught on videocams.

While contemplating the fate of the deceased, check out these sites. Dia de los Muertos is when the dead are thought to walk the earth and are visible to the living. Also known as Day of the Dead, this is when the souls of the dead return to visit their living relatives--to eat, drink and celebrate. Visit Cemetery Studies for interesting information regarding those final resting places (additional cool links here). Also check out Graves, Tombs and Cemeteries for awesome photos from all over the world.

For a listing of haunted houses throughout the U.S., this is your site. Visit Keith Lerch's site full of Halloween props and such (I'm thinking that I could have an awful lot of fun with either the Santa or Easter Bunny suit, year round--imagine the looks on the children's and parents' faces when they see THAT sitting in the "Get Your Pictures With Santa" seat???). Scary or funny? You decide.

Pictures of Spike. I realized last night that it will soon be Spike Season. *shudders* Pictures of the plates on its back and a view of it gnashing its teeth. I hope that my jumping spiders are seeking out nests and destroying them...

More from Shel: These ones aren't spooky, but still good: For all natural products and healthy tips try here; reasons to avoid Aspartame (NutraSweet) (this may actually be the scariest thing in this post) (seriously); download the awesome mixes played on B94; check out this videocam of a live Eagle nest (go down slightly on page and you'll see the link to the cam) and finally, volunteer or order from Angel Food Ministries here.

Side Note: We are planning the next Halloween in April for 2007--taking place in Ridgway this time. Check here for creative homemade costume creations. And if you still didn't find the right one, here are hundreds of other ideas for making your own Halloween costume. It's never too early to be thinking about your Halloween in April attire! :)

One Rabbit, Two Eggs and a Pocketful of Shells

2006-04-28T11:21:00.000-05:00

My days often end up with gaps of time sitting in the middle of nowhere. Client no shows and other unexpected events often mean that I have time between clients, but not enough time to bother going home between the visits.

So I have random areas throughout the two counties in which I’ll go sit and catch up on my work calls or paperwork. My sitting spots are generally quiet and where I can reminisce upon the day’s events without distractions. Sometimes I end up at the side of a stream; other times on a back road under the forest’s canopy; during less ambitious moments, I may be hanging out in a school or store parking lot. But most times, I end up surrounded by nature.

Today I ended up checking in on the ancestors.

Grandpa’s grave had a tiny baby rabbit lying across it under his name on the headstone. I’m guessing that it was too small to be away from the nest and it ended its journey there. A rather odd discovery, but I’m glad that I came across it before Grandma did.

The cousin’s stone had two small brown-speckled eggs nestled within the longer grass under the cross I had placed there on Dia de los Muertos. I’m not one-hundred percent certain that they were real; they felt like it, but I figured breaking one to see wasn’t cool, either way.

No odd nature things at Mom’s stone. I didn’t have the shells that I had gathered during Christmas, so the holding area remains empty or to put it into alternate terms: “the empty bowl contains all there is” (although I doubt that it has invited higher consciousness into anyone’s awareness as of yet).

Definitely a beautiful view from there.

I suppose I should probably play the good daughter and visit more than my normal once a year (or every two to three years, as the case may occasionally be). At least my visit today helped to ensure that the next visitors will find the sites favorable...

July Isn't Too Far Off!

2006-04-23T02:40:00.000-05:00

Okay guys. Here’s what I REALLY want for my birthday. Two and a half months should be enough time to have it all official and complete with a bow…

You know I never really ask for much! :)

***************

2006-04-18T19:18:00.000-05:00

“How old would you be
if you didn’t know
how old you were?”
~Ruth Gordon~

Happy Birthday Baby Brother!

2006-04-18T15:18:00.000-05:00

Maybe now that you are back on the ship
you'll update your blog once in awhile? :)

Love and Miss You!

Videos, Clips, and Stuff

2006-04-17T04:11:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I don’t have cable. I am sometimes a bit behind on these things; laugh if you must. I discovered this today while searching for Stein’s answers and was a bit blown away. Some of you will understand—most won’t. That’s fine. I think that those of you that do understand will equally be in awe...

I tried to find a decent set of the lyrics, but it seems that everyone has their own versions.

And for Stein: The song is “Pepper” by the Butthole Surfers (4/01/1996, Electriclarryland). That was the piece that was stuck in my head for ever so long (and also the lyrics). (A side note for Stein: Keep your chin up, you gained weasel trust and there is none harder to gain!) Here are a few videos from the Butthole Surfers courtesy of youtube.com: Who Was in My Room Last Night; Hurdy Gurdy Man (and before I get a million and one people telling me otherwise--yes, I know that it was Donovan's song first); Lonesome Bulldog Pt. 1 and an alternate version of Pepper.

Ahh, the sweet bands of my youth!
Long may they live!

Pepper

2006-04-09T17:50:00.000-05:00

"You never know just how you look
through other people's eyes."
~Butthole Surfers~