The Clock is Ticking

Last night I'm having a rather A.D.D. evening and what started as taking out the trash for pick up turned into cussing a snake.

Thursday mornings is one of my trash pick up days, so I always try to get the trash out after dinner the night before. Otherwise, I get caught up on this infernal computer in the morning and run late and never get the trash out. See? I'm trying to learn to be responsible!

Anyway, typically A.D.D. hour for me. Took the trash and spied the hibiscus by the back door. Previous resident never cleaned up the beds, never weeded. I tackled the front beds a couple weeks ago (I planted SHRUBS!) but never got around to the back. The poor hibiscus is suffocating with all the grass and weeds growing in the middle of it. So, I drop the bag of trash, grab a rake and start working my way through.

Snake. Damn it. Freaking thing was hanging out in all those weeds. (Knew there was a good reason to clean it out.) So I run it off, keep cleaning. An hour later, all the yard work is done. Except mowing, of course. I don't mow.

But that damn snake. Under the house. I hate snakes. I blame my father for trying to force me to pet one. Screw that.

(For the record, I finished a glass of tea last night before bed and went to the kitchen to wash the glass. Noticed then--4 hours later, mind you--that I'd never actually put the trash out. Sigh.)

I've heard for years about this concept of "sleeping in."  My first thought is always "in what?" Your bed? new pajamas? Socks (in bed, really? YUCK!)? A bowl of spaghetti? WHAT are you sleeping in?

Then the person will clarify--"I just love leaving the alarm clock off and getting extra sleep." OOOOOH, gotcha.

No, actually, I don't. I would love to sleep late. Hell, most nights I'd just love to sleep. But sleeping in would be good too. My plans to sleep in are always thwarted though. Sometimes my internal clock just says "get up." Sometimes there's just too much on my plate to sleep in. Other times, wakefulness comes in the form of a still, small....nose in my neck from a little dog who needs to potty NOW. The WonderDog's internal alarm is more finely tuned than mine. Maybe I need to replace the battery in mine. Oh wait, that's why I drink coffee. *grin*

Anyway, was up and moving at 6 this morning. I've given The WonderDog his morning constitutional, made coffee, watched the weather, and watered all my new plants. (Does anyone have any idea why my firebush is looking so peak-ed? Seriously..comment. I've been watering like the guide said to and it's just not happy.) Thought I'd get online and be the first commenter for the Friday Five at RevGalBlogPals, but I'm apparently up before that crew this morning. They, obviously, can sleep in when they want to.

As I sit here at my desk in my still new office (two weeks new), I'm watching the morning pilgrimage to the coffee house. My house is conveniently located at the other end of the shared alley. This is dangerous for me, but so far I've limited myself to two visits since moving in. Though I did borrow their patio for a little quiet Sunday afternoon. I've gotten to where I recognize the cars coming by, the regulars. It's nice to feel like there's a routine out there, even if it's not mine.

The WonderDog is nestled in my lap, I'm on cup of coffee number 2, and a glance at the clock tells me that I'm already behind schedule for my shower, seeing as how I have to drive into the Big City today to visit my doctors. Ah, well, there will be a break in there to do a little musing and grab a cup of coffee. I'm already trying to scope out a park in my brain, or a bookstore with a quiet corner for my in between times today.

Enjoy your Friday--when you finally get up this morning. *wink*

I can't believe I arranged my evening based on a reality TV show last night. That irks me.

I think what irks me more is that the show was "Jon & Kate +8." We all knew what was coming, how could ANYONE have been surprised. I can't believe I took pleasure in watching the disintegration of a marriage, complete with callousness and bitterness on air last night. But it was sold to me. I had to watch it.

I didn't realize just how ridiculous I was until much later last night. A good friend called. C. has recently gotten hooked on Jon & Kate. Who knows why--he's a boy and there are no good explanations for anything he does. *wink*

We got to talking about why the world has progressed to the point that we can't wait for the opportunity to watch someone else's pain, why we live for drama. Not literally all of us "we," but we, society in general. It's really rather sad that we've allowed ourselves to become this way.

We all know the why and the how. It's just really sad. And I understand that this is why some people don't mind not ever watching TV. It really isn't worth the drama or the pointless shows. Reality TV shows aren't for showing the world at it's best, they're for showing the world at it's worst.

Our whole conversation left me in a weird sea of emotions--the one I liked the least was having to admit that I'd succumbed to the ridiculousness. But if someone had to point it out (with out pointing and laughing, of course), I'm rather glad it was C.

Just stopping in. I actually have some things I want to post, but must get past some things at work, first.

Instead..these are the random thoughts in my head as of late.

1. "Hank the Cowdog" is still my favorite book character for young readers. The "Head of Ranch Security" guards my office, even.

2. I've been dared to try being a vegetarian for a month or so. I must say, it's not going too badly. I've only fallen off the wagon once and considering that the food (which is always wonderful) did a number on my tummy, I've learned to avoid meat again for the rest of the month. I haven't given up dairy products or eggs though.

3. I'm damn proud of myself. I saved $50 at the Kroger Friday. And only $18 of that was because of my Kroger card.

4. I'm going to rearrange my bedroom again. I'm also going to change the colors in my bathroom, to better match the bedroom. I'm gonna go with the red.

5. The Rockets kicked ass. YAY!

It's Thursday. This is a beautiful day.

It really is. I woke up, to find that The WonderDog had slept through the night, which he hasn't all week. In fact, we've been sitting here half an hour after our morning walk and he's dozed back off. He's seriously catching up after days of not being able to sleep.

More than that, I'm feeling renewed myself. I feel rested and happy today. I'm still not pleased with the things going on in the country, but I realize there's nothing left for me to do right now. I can, however, make plans for my garden in the spring, continue to save money and pay off my bills, and look forward to the Christmas season. This year will be good. And I need to plan ahead for the next. May seem a bit 'head in the sand' to some, but it's what I can function right now.

But, it's also just a beautiful day. It's Thursday, one more day in the work week. I'm heading to our land this weekend, and feeling way beyond content with me right now. It's beautiful today.

I'm so sad today.

My candidate didn't win. I worry about the future of our country. I worry about the future of our economy, our people, our rights. I worry about my own financial safety.

I think he was a poor choice. And I hope the predicted 'hard road to hoe' that the pundits say working with a Democratic Congress will be for him is just that.

What was the campaign slogan? "Change You Can Believe In?" I do believe there will be change. I don't believe it will be good for us.

So sad.

I have themes from SchoolHouse Rock going through my head.

I'm excited about election day this year. I'm also rather pensive. Yes, I'm worried.

I know nothing grander, better exercise, better digestion, more positive proof of the past, the triumphant result of faith in human kind, than a well-contested American national election.
~~Walt Whitman

I hope that, if you haven't already, you're planning to vote today. I don't care who you vote for. No, that's not true. I do care, I want you to vote the way I did. But I won't disown you for it.

Okay, I'm ready, I think I can actually pull 10 together this morning. It's been a nice out for a few days, it's been quiet in my world for a few days. Both of those are good things.


1. Good friends. You know, those make the world go round sometimes. Particularly, this week, I feel I must point out M. She knows who she is.


2. Catching up with old friends. A good friend from years ago popped back into my life last week. It was nice to sit and catch up with him over the weekend. I hope for many more chances like that.


3. Dads who call just when you need them. Daddy never calls just to shoot the breeze or check on things. We're very close, but I think most of the news he hears about me comes second hand from Madre. Last week, he called just when I needed a daddy. There's no way he could've known, but he did anyway.


4. Commercials that make me giggle. Like the Happy Cows from California. Even when I'm down, those will make me smile like you wouldn't believe. (BTW, I can't make these work in IE7, but they do in Firefox.)

5. Not being able to focus for a week. I'm self-diagnosed A.D.D. Seriously. I don't have that hyperactive bit, but yeah. I can't focus to save my life sometimes. A lot, okay most of the time that's a huge issue at home and at work. The last week, sure it's taken longer to get things done, but I've also got to do some interesting reading and worked up some neat ideas and turns of phrase that made it into my writer's notebook.

6. It feels so odd to put this one down, but...paying attention to the elections this year. I've gotten to have some meaningful conversations with some people, including my dad. He and I made a deal to never discuss politics, because I am historically more socially liberal than he is. And, because being more liberal than some members of my family got me blacklisted once, by his father. We didn't ever want that to become an issue between us. And so, because we're both stubborn, it seemed best to never discuss those things. But, this year, we're right on with each other.

7. Cool weather. Let's me pull out my long sleeve T's and sweaters, and toe socks!

8. Our campus is testing again this week. As much as I hate it for my students, because they really get worn out by all this testing, I like the quiet.

9. Curling up with a good book under a blanket. I don't even mind so much that I'm waking up at 4 a.m. when I get to do that.

10. My insomnia. I'm actually thankful for that. Regardless of all the negatives, I love that I get to lie in bed and think, and pray, and daydream. And read sometimes. The best part is that it's in the quiet. I've even bundled up and gone to sit under the stars in the middle of the night. Even in a smallish town like I live in, there's never really any quietness to town, unless a hurricane's just come through and the whole town is without power. But at 2 a.m. under the stars, I can almost pretend the noise away.

For more blessing and thankfulness, visit Mrs. Brownstone at XBox Wife.

I started the new diet this week. It's a mix between higher protein and the SlimFast plan. Totally mixed up enough to be obviously for me. My only problem seems to be that I'm not making it from meal to meal. I do what I'm supposed to, but find that the snacks aren't filling enough. But it's getting better. I guess it was just trying to adjust to the lower calorie counts.

This was a really rough week. Really rough. And I don't mean on the diet front. I'm dealing with something that shook me. It may not have been the best time to start a diet, since one of my mechanisms for dealing with being upset is eating. But then again, maybe it is the best time.

Even on the most solemn occasions I got away without wearing socks and hid that lack of civilisation in high boots.
~Albert Einstein

So, this week is Red Ribbon Week at our school. Today, is supposed to be "Sock it to Drugs," so we're all wearing crazy socks.

Oh yeah...these are making an appearance...

Luckily, it's been cool out, so there's more than just one reason to wear them.

1 Corinthians 10:23. Paul tells us,
"We are free to do all things, but there are things which it is not wise to do. We are free to do all things, but not all things are for the common good." (Bible in Plain English verision)
Paul's not just saying be careful what you do (which is the jist of the 1st sentence), he's also reminding us in the second sentence, we can't just take care of number 1, we have to think about numbers 2-infinity sometime. We can't be so focussed on "me", that we bring harm to someone us, either by commision or ommission.

Let me take this moment to get political for a second, something I rarely, rarely do. While I feel this is a good individually socially-responsible way to think and behave, I do not think it's fabulous all-the-time practice for nations. Particularly ours. We aren't intended to be police force for the world (regardless of what previous presidents have said). We aren't intended to fund the social programs, like welfare, for the planet. Sometimes, when talking about nation-size individuals, you MUST take care of #1 first, because #1 is who is filling your coffers with his taxes. But maybe I'm crazy for thinking that my government should use my money in ways that benefit my country--not others. And shouldn't squander it.

Off the political thing.
The real reason I'm posting today. It has something to do with this.

Yes, my friends, it's my birthday.

Gifts and cakes are optional. Embarassing me is not--don't do it on penalty of death. *hugs* Also, birthday suits are not optional--I prefer to not see yours. And I promise not to show you mine. It's nothing personal, I just don't want a messy cake incident.

So, I've resolved something. You may know already that I don't do New Year's resolutions. However, I see birthdays as a perfectly legitimate time to resolve some things.

So, I am.

1. I resolve to balance my life more, well..to get my life more in balance. For years now, I've been to heavy on the work-not-personal side of the scale, and I'm going to tie my church responsibilities into the heading "work." There's only 3 months left for some of that responsibility, and I will add no new church responsibility for at least a year, maybe 20. I've already got my work-work sorted into a more balanced place, so that helps.

2. I'm resolving to balance my checkbook. Stupid, I know. But I used to be fanatical about it. Then I got depressed every time I'd do it and have $2 left for the next 15 days. I'm going to do it again. I bought a new checkbook and got a new register and everything. Yay me!

3. I'm also going to resolve to really get back on my diet. A diet, rather. Because my diet right now is, frankly...bad. Any other diet couldn't be too much worse.

Somebody hold me to it. Please?

It's been a while since I've done a post on what I'm watching on TV when I get up. It's a lazy morning, so I'll do that.

I've turned on CMT this morning. I really do like to watch music videos. I like to see what other people's ideas about the music. I like to see if my ideas are in line with ideas.

The first one I see is a live performance by Taylor Swift. It's her performance of 'Should Have Said No" on the ACMs this year. I like Taylor Swift because I think she really is talented, and I'm amazed that a 17 year old is doing this. However, I think as a live performer she's not all that great. Her voice lacks quality in my ear.

Hehe..Julianne Hough "That Song in My Head." What a fun song. And she's fun to watch. She's one of the Dancing with the Stars actually dancers (not the celebrity wannabe dancers).

Kid Rock's new one "All Summer Long." I'm not really much a Kid Rock fan, but I sure do like this song. It's my new summer favorite. (ok, so maybe not the part about "smokin' funny stuff")

Miranda Lambert's "Kerosene." I like this pretty girl gone witch. All of her songs are well..anthems for women who've been walked on. I love it.

"Home" by Blake Shelton. I love this sexy man. And this song is great. It's one of those things I can't explain, but it gets to me.

Sugarland's Stay. A song about "the other woman" realizing she doesn't have to lay there and wait for him to choose her--not that she should've put herself in that position in the first place, of course. Jennifer Nettles (1/2 the duo) is an emotional singer. She puts everything she has into what she sings. I saw them when the opened for someone else last summer. Amazing. Utterly amazing. And I love this blackbox video.

Jimmy Wayne..new guy out these days. Song's called "Do You Believe Me Now?" Apparently, the voice in this song had a premonition about losing his girl to another guy who looked at her. She laughed it off And then the guy got her. I like the song. It gives credence to all those who fear that sort of thing.

Alan Jackson "Good Time." Okay, cute song, I guess. I have this fear that I'm being sacrilegious here, I don't like Alan Jackson. Never have. I recognize his now some sort of country music icon, but...no.

Ok..it's a beautiful day. Find me poolside.

This is WAY TOO COOL.

This 17 year old convinced his school board to let him take Latin via distance learning. Now, he's posting lessons on YouTube for others. He rocks.

LatinGuy

Trapster® - Speed Trap Sharing System

This is pretty cool. You can send a text message to this system, alerting others to speed traps and red light cameras. You'll also get to receive them. Cool.

Posted using ShareThis

Okay, so I saw this over at Miss Judy's, who found it at Apartment Carpet's. It sounds like fun, and is certainly a different take on a meme.

And well...I've got some free time.

Here's how it works...

a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
b. Using only the first page, pick an image.
c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd's mosaic maker.

The Questions:

1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What high school did you go to?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. Favorite drink?
7. Dream vacation?
8. Favorite dessert?
9. What you want to be when you grow up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. One Word to describe you.
12. Your flickr name


And here it is ....

Mosaical Meme,originally uploaded by jaynemarche

I know it's small..sorry. My Flickr skills suck. Just click the name to see the big one. *wink*

I think my mother's cat is possessed.

He's always had this "tail" thing going on. Sometimes he'll be lying there, seemingly asleep, and his tail is awake. Just his tail. It starts doing this thumping thing that you can hear in another room (big cat=big tail). Before you know it, he's attacking his own tail. Sometimes he won't stop until he draws his own blood.

He's been relegated to a strictly outside cat lately. His younger sister (who he normally dotes on) is scared of him. He's jumped her a couple of times. Like he wants to wrestle, not like he feels the need to be incestuous. No kidding. It's like some freakish kamikaze leap with a yowl that's only heard in horror movies. She now cowers in the corner if we let him inside (she's strictly and indoor cat because she gets lost and can't find home.).

We've suspicioned that this might in fact be hormonal on his part, as he's not fixed. But since he'd always been and indoor/outdoor cat, we figured he took care of his needs elsewhere.

This morning, I'm sitting on the back porch, quietly sipping at my coffee, a small WonderDog curled up next to me, and enjoying the quiet. Suddenly, I hear 2 cats sending warning rowrs at each other. There's a neighbor cat (Lucky, the one-eyed cat) who comes in the yard from time to time, but unless food's involved our big guy and Lucky get along just fine. I went to see what was going on, because I'd just put food down and I don't believe in serving a buffet for the neighborhood felines.

It was just the big cat. Both voices were coming from him. And that tail was just a thumping to beat the band. (For those of you who were in marching bands in other lives, it's like listening to a soft thump on bass drum #4, if #1 is the smallest one...freakish.)

What do you do when you think your cat might need an excorsism and you're not Catholic?

We finally have an answer. However, this is at 7:18 in the evening. I stopped drinking coffee at noon.


Free quizzes, widgets, and gadgets at OnePlusYou

I found this over at Sharon's blog, Reservoir.

Assault by Carrot