This came through by email at work today:
dear my grilfriend do you love me baby cause I love grilfriend may you like to kiss I by I love you and I kiss you I am 18 year old baby donyt think about it
I love working with office supplies. You meet so many innnnnnteresting people.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
A little from column A. A little from column B.
- purchases -
I thought the day I found Cliff Richard's "Devil Woman" on 45 was the best shopping moment of my life. Not so. Land's End Chalet shoes are the BOMB. They came just in time yesterday to walk through the snow to the bus stop. I'm tempted to ride the Le Tour in them today -- yes, it's still icy and will probably snow again, but I've got 4 interviews at work and 2 classes in between, you do the math. Bus don't go 'round here, law dog. And since the University of Oregon has a No-School-Closure-Until-An-H-Bomb-Drops policy, I've got to bundle up in 3 layers of clothes and hit the road. T'anks God for Lands End, that's all I'm sayin'.
- pet -
Waiting to pick up a Siamese named Checkers. Cousin/roommate and I are really against having a pet named after a Nixon graft scandal, so we're re-naming her Veda, after the spoiled bad girl in "Mildred Pierce". Trouble is the shelter's been closed because of the weather ... if only they all had Land's End Chalet shoes ...
- peevish -
Economics was canceled yesterday, so the exam is pushed back until next Monday, but while I was failing the pop quiz last Friday I realized that I've suddenly started living only in the present. I can remember 5 minutes ago, but not 2 days ago. Supply curve and the equilibrium? It was a complete mystery. It's just goes somewhere out of my head when I leave the class and I'm sure it's connected with Alzheimer's or the death of the pet. Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking with it all the way through the end of term. Maybe I can get some pity points -- which some kids were trying to get in Astronomy yesterday because they went to a funeral last week and couldn't study ... it had nothing to do with that bud with the long stem they had afterwards that was, dude, so awesome.
I thought the day I found Cliff Richard's "Devil Woman" on 45 was the best shopping moment of my life. Not so. Land's End Chalet shoes are the BOMB. They came just in time yesterday to walk through the snow to the bus stop. I'm tempted to ride the Le Tour in them today -- yes, it's still icy and will probably snow again, but I've got 4 interviews at work and 2 classes in between, you do the math. Bus don't go 'round here, law dog. And since the University of Oregon has a No-School-Closure-Until-An-H-Bomb-Drops policy, I've got to bundle up in 3 layers of clothes and hit the road. T'anks God for Lands End, that's all I'm sayin'.
- pet -
Waiting to pick up a Siamese named Checkers. Cousin/roommate and I are really against having a pet named after a Nixon graft scandal, so we're re-naming her Veda, after the spoiled bad girl in "Mildred Pierce". Trouble is the shelter's been closed because of the weather ... if only they all had Land's End Chalet shoes ...
- peevish -
Economics was canceled yesterday, so the exam is pushed back until next Monday, but while I was failing the pop quiz last Friday I realized that I've suddenly started living only in the present. I can remember 5 minutes ago, but not 2 days ago. Supply curve and the equilibrium? It was a complete mystery. It's just goes somewhere out of my head when I leave the class and I'm sure it's connected with Alzheimer's or the death of the pet. Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking with it all the way through the end of term. Maybe I can get some pity points -- which some kids were trying to get in Astronomy yesterday because they went to a funeral last week and couldn't study ... it had nothing to do with that bud with the long stem they had afterwards that was, dude, so awesome.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Oh pet, my pet
So, I'm not a cat person. Honest. I don't have a collection of Life Magazines in the closest or fluffy pink sweatshirts or junk like that. I'm regular folk. But, man, this has been a really hard week to get through without something fluffy to welcome me home (barring cousin/roommate). I'm desperate for a replacement pet, and I almost picked one up at the animal shelter, but cousin/roommate noticed a wonky eye and made me step away. Not that I have to have the perfect pet, but I just don't think I can handle another dose of deciding whether an animal lives or dies. It's just not my thing. Can I just get one without a wonky eye, diabetes, kitty HIV or chiggers? Am I asking for too much?
To help through the week I've been failing classes, trying to finish "God's Chinese Son" (which is really good, but I keep running out of time in the day to read it), and sorting through "The Best American Nonrequired Reading 2007" edited by my hero, Dave Eggers. Among the tonic inside:
Best American Names of Horses Expected to Have Undistinguished Careers
Ayn Rand's Condescending Sigh
Exit Strategy
For the Love of God Run Faster
Hell is Other Horses
- and my favorite:
Tripsy McStumble
Go buy this book. Buy it now. Even if it's just for "Bathing Ed Asner" (that's all I'm sayin').
To help through the week I've been failing classes, trying to finish "God's Chinese Son" (which is really good, but I keep running out of time in the day to read it), and sorting through "The Best American Nonrequired Reading 2007" edited by my hero, Dave Eggers. Among the tonic inside:
Best American Names of Horses Expected to Have Undistinguished Careers
Ayn Rand's Condescending Sigh
Exit Strategy
For the Love of God Run Faster
Hell is Other Horses
- and my favorite:
Tripsy McStumble
Go buy this book. Buy it now. Even if it's just for "Bathing Ed Asner" (that's all I'm sayin').
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
My Pet
So, this week Cat did not get better. She was still taking the steroids, but things deteriorated really fast. She was aware that cousin/roommate and I were in the room and figured that we were decent folk because we fed her n' stuff, but she just didn't seem to know really who the hell we were or why we were in her space. Her left leg was dead -- I'd pull on a claw and get no reaction. She didn't even get out of bed or eat yesterday.
Rather than take her in the car (which she hated) to the humane society, I called a house call vet, who gently put Cat to sleep on her favorite comforter. We played Cecilia Bartoli singing Mozart arias (Cat liked the Carpenters, and I had put it on, but at "We've Only Just Begun" I had to take it off the record player), and it was really lovely and still makes me cry, because it was very sweet and gentle, and I hope one day they make that service available for people.
Rather than take her in the car (which she hated) to the humane society, I called a house call vet, who gently put Cat to sleep on her favorite comforter. We played Cecilia Bartoli singing Mozart arias (Cat liked the Carpenters, and I had put it on, but at "We've Only Just Begun" I had to take it off the record player), and it was really lovely and still makes me cry, because it was very sweet and gentle, and I hope one day they make that service available for people.
RIP jungle cat
Monday, January 14, 2008
Mas
Two things left off of the Oregon Week in Review:
The rain paints from REI are sweeeeeeeet sweetback. Thank you, Santa! And I broke my pedals on the bike on Day 3, but they were replaced with pedals from the cousin/roommate's dad's old bike (not a Schwinn) and they're nice, like safety first solid feckin' a nice. Don't get me wrong, I loved the old school Japanese craftsmanship of the Schwinn, and, in considering the overall appearance of the La Tour, they were certainly part of the ambiance, but they broke like glass. End of story. If only there was a bicycle pick-a-part ...
And, all things considered, after looking at them side-by-side ... for all his faults Wes Anderson is more entertaining than Vittorio de Sica. Man ... "The Bicycle Thief" is just a great big super double-bummer.
That is all.
The rain paints from REI are sweeeeeeeet sweetback. Thank you, Santa! And I broke my pedals on the bike on Day 3, but they were replaced with pedals from the cousin/roommate's dad's old bike (not a Schwinn) and they're nice, like safety first solid feckin' a nice. Don't get me wrong, I loved the old school Japanese craftsmanship of the Schwinn, and, in considering the overall appearance of the La Tour, they were certainly part of the ambiance, but they broke like glass. End of story. If only there was a bicycle pick-a-part ...
And, all things considered, after looking at them side-by-side ... for all his faults Wes Anderson is more entertaining than Vittorio de Sica. Man ... "The Bicycle Thief" is just a great big super double-bummer.
That is all.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
The moral of the story is ...
Yesterday cousin/roommate and I went to the Pick-A-Park junk yard. Every time we pass it on the way to the supermarket I bounce around the car and make monkey sounds like my cousin's German pointer used to do when we went to the dog park.
You're supposed to sign in and pay a dollar to go in. We signed in, but didn't pay the dollar. They didn't make us sign out, so do they think we're still in there somewhere ...? It's a mystery.
There were lots of sweet cars. Really old Saabs, a Rambler, some fun panel vans like my dad used to have, and plenty of great treasures.
I axed the cousin/roommate where the cars came from, because a lot of them still had personal junk inside -- one even had toys, some had clothes, most of them had owners manuals and maps. He said they come from accidents where the car is totaled or they were in tow yards and no one picked them up.
So I peek into this Volkswagon and it's got two holes in the windshield, and the front end is pushed in and the top is crushed, and on the floor inside were about 20 empty cans of Coors Light.
Dude. It was worse than thrift shops: the clothes may be from people who died, but you don't really which ones. It could be that the sweater just didn't fit anymore. There's way to tell. And, sure, maybe those cans are from later when it sat in some empty lot somewhere, but since Pick-A-Part has an electric fence, it's unlikely that they were some recent addition. So it really kind of creeped me out.
The trucks with the buckshot holes tho' ... that's cool ...
I wonder if they'd let me in with a camera. I'd pay the dollar this time.
You're supposed to sign in and pay a dollar to go in. We signed in, but didn't pay the dollar. They didn't make us sign out, so do they think we're still in there somewhere ...? It's a mystery.
There were lots of sweet cars. Really old Saabs, a Rambler, some fun panel vans like my dad used to have, and plenty of great treasures.
I axed the cousin/roommate where the cars came from, because a lot of them still had personal junk inside -- one even had toys, some had clothes, most of them had owners manuals and maps. He said they come from accidents where the car is totaled or they were in tow yards and no one picked them up.
So I peek into this Volkswagon and it's got two holes in the windshield, and the front end is pushed in and the top is crushed, and on the floor inside were about 20 empty cans of Coors Light.
Dude. It was worse than thrift shops: the clothes may be from people who died, but you don't really which ones. It could be that the sweater just didn't fit anymore. There's way to tell. And, sure, maybe those cans are from later when it sat in some empty lot somewhere, but since Pick-A-Part has an electric fence, it's unlikely that they were some recent addition. So it really kind of creeped me out.
The trucks with the buckshot holes tho' ... that's cool ...
I wonder if they'd let me in with a camera. I'd pay the dollar this time.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Oregon Week in Review
Economics -- so you add the sunk cost to the opportunity cost or to the overall cost? And if it changes the value, why does going to a party still have a better net worth than going to the movies even if you've already bought the movie ticket?
Astronomy -- the first day I thought he was speaking in tongues because I was so flippin' tired, and he was doing an overview of last term. I thought I was going to cry. Day 2 was better. We learned how light is a particle and a wave -- dude, it's like physics n' stuff!
Media Aesthetics -- probably going to end up being the class with the most work to do, which is kind of okay and kind of not. Time is a sunk cost. But we get to watch some decent movies ("Halloween") and I like the instructor -- he was my GTF for History of Film last year and is a good egg. I think we may have differing opinions about John Wayne, and the meaning of the burning house in "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" but that's okay.
History of Film -- it's all global cinema, with the exception of "Rebel Without a Cause" and the 1976 version of "King Kong" (as an aside: I once said that if I was a guest speaker in the cousin's film class I'd show Ken Russell's "Mahler" ... now I understand how badly that would go down). The discussion section is irritating -- this week some oldster blabbed on about his last trip to Beijing and took up time which could have been spent discussing the effing film. But, whatever. We'd seen Zhang Ke Jia's "The World" and it was okay ... I don't know, anytime there's suicide at the end, it just screams "cop out" to me (yes, even "Romeo and Juliet"), so maybe it's better we didn't discuss it. This week we're watching the "Bicycle Thief" which I've got to somehow work into a presentation about "Hotel Chevalier" -- my partner has fallen into the "Wes Anderson as God" trap and really, really, really wants to use that for our film example. He'll require some leveling out if we're going to make this 3 minute presentation work. Vittorio de Sica ... Wes Anderson ... you know I love Wes, but ... well, you do the math.
Astronomy -- the first day I thought he was speaking in tongues because I was so flippin' tired, and he was doing an overview of last term. I thought I was going to cry. Day 2 was better. We learned how light is a particle and a wave -- dude, it's like physics n' stuff!
Media Aesthetics -- probably going to end up being the class with the most work to do, which is kind of okay and kind of not. Time is a sunk cost. But we get to watch some decent movies ("Halloween") and I like the instructor -- he was my GTF for History of Film last year and is a good egg. I think we may have differing opinions about John Wayne, and the meaning of the burning house in "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" but that's okay.
History of Film -- it's all global cinema, with the exception of "Rebel Without a Cause" and the 1976 version of "King Kong" (as an aside: I once said that if I was a guest speaker in the cousin's film class I'd show Ken Russell's "Mahler" ... now I understand how badly that would go down). The discussion section is irritating -- this week some oldster blabbed on about his last trip to Beijing and took up time which could have been spent discussing the effing film. But, whatever. We'd seen Zhang Ke Jia's "The World" and it was okay ... I don't know, anytime there's suicide at the end, it just screams "cop out" to me (yes, even "Romeo and Juliet"), so maybe it's better we didn't discuss it. This week we're watching the "Bicycle Thief" which I've got to somehow work into a presentation about "Hotel Chevalier" -- my partner has fallen into the "Wes Anderson as God" trap and really, really, really wants to use that for our film example. He'll require some leveling out if we're going to make this 3 minute presentation work. Vittorio de Sica ... Wes Anderson ... you know I love Wes, but ... well, you do the math.
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Salvation Post
For everyone who has Googled me for a patiza / potica recipe, your moment has arrived. Fellow-blogger Marigold has provided your key to pastry heaven.
Click on THIS
For help on rolling the dough go to You Tube and search on "Naked Potica Movie" and you'll see my cousin (and friends) put it together on the dining room table.
Or just click on THIS
Click on THIS
For help on rolling the dough go to You Tube and search on "Naked Potica Movie" and you'll see my cousin (and friends) put it together on the dining room table.
Or just click on THIS
Monday, January 07, 2008
First Day Back - This is not a Haiku
- pens - check
- books - sort of check
- notebooks (what good are notebooks) - check
- air in the bike tires - check
- scotch guard on the new tai chi stick bag - so check
- rain jacket - check
- rain pants - check
.... oh, but it's snowing, not raining ... I don't have snow pants
cruel cruel nature.
- books - sort of check
- notebooks (what good are notebooks) - check
- air in the bike tires - check
- scotch guard on the new tai chi stick bag - so check
- rain jacket - check
- rain pants - check
.... oh, but it's snowing, not raining ... I don't have snow pants
cruel cruel nature.
Sunday, January 06, 2008
I Heart Gritty Scottish Crime
In the last night of free media watching, cousin/roommate and I finished up watching the "Dead Giveaway" episode of "Taggart"-- by the way, the title seems to have nothing to do with the plot. I'm just sayin' ...
You haven't seen "Taggart"?? What's wrong with you? It was the Queen Mum's favorite show! I haven't seen the newer ones without Mike, and I only saw one or two after Taggart died, but it's the classic, older ones that are really worth watching. They employed more locals than the Glasgow Jobcentre.
Nuts that most of the DVD's are only available in the UK on that Region 2 encoding. Why? Why? Why? "Secrets", "Nest of Vipers" -- only in the UK. Cousin/roommate is fond of "Rogues' Gallery" which I have on a shaky television tape, and that's not available here or abroad. Dude, why?
However, in my search for episodes I found this available on Amazon:
I wouldn't ever wear anything like this, but I find it a comfort just to know it exists.
You haven't seen "Taggart"?? What's wrong with you? It was the Queen Mum's favorite show! I haven't seen the newer ones without Mike, and I only saw one or two after Taggart died, but it's the classic, older ones that are really worth watching. They employed more locals than the Glasgow Jobcentre.
Nuts that most of the DVD's are only available in the UK on that Region 2 encoding. Why? Why? Why? "Secrets", "Nest of Vipers" -- only in the UK. Cousin/roommate is fond of "Rogues' Gallery" which I have on a shaky television tape, and that's not available here or abroad. Dude, why?
However, in my search for episodes I found this available on Amazon:
I wouldn't ever wear anything like this, but I find it a comfort just to know it exists.
Friday, January 04, 2008
Madame Hateful's Predictions for 2008
I will fail Economics. Me + math = wha? Proof of this: I was not short about $300 on my school fees, but over. The amount having just been direct deposited into my bank by my school (which will subsequently be transferred back to the school when I buy all of the books I blew off buying last week -- 5 books for Economics and all over $70 ... used. What a racket. There's also a new edition of the film book I bought last year, which either means they've kept it current with recent examples and I'm f**ked, or they changed 2 words in Chapter 5 and they're just out to make a buck).
Cat will get better. I know, this is really dopey hopeful, but she chirped at birds the other day and this morning remembered that hitting the alarm clock is what wakes me up (she tries to hit it herself to make me get out of bed and feed her). She's still limpy and sleepy, but maybe the Barry Bonds are working finally. I've never had a pet die on me, or have had to personally consider taking them down the long walk. That was always dad's job. These have been strange days.
The political vision is very fuzzy. Though if Fred Thompson wants to run for President I think the field should be opened up to Scott Glenn, Courtney B. Vance, Alec Baldwin or any of the other memorable actors from "The Hunt for Red October." I'd vote for Jonesy in a half-minute. ("Con-sonar-crazy Ivan!")
I predict it will be rainy in Oregon this year.
That is all.
Cat will get better. I know, this is really dopey hopeful, but she chirped at birds the other day and this morning remembered that hitting the alarm clock is what wakes me up (she tries to hit it herself to make me get out of bed and feed her). She's still limpy and sleepy, but maybe the Barry Bonds are working finally. I've never had a pet die on me, or have had to personally consider taking them down the long walk. That was always dad's job. These have been strange days.
The political vision is very fuzzy. Though if Fred Thompson wants to run for President I think the field should be opened up to Scott Glenn, Courtney B. Vance, Alec Baldwin or any of the other memorable actors from "The Hunt for Red October." I'd vote for Jonesy in a half-minute. ("Con-sonar-crazy Ivan!")
I predict it will be rainy in Oregon this year.
That is all.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
This Year, Next Year
As a (trying to be a) practicing Daoist, I'm loathe to pick a best and worst moment of last year ... but since I hate so many things so actively you can tell that the Daoism is shaky. The real reason I'm loathe to pick best and worst is because I can't remember what happened this year and what happened last year and how it works into this great tapestry we will call life.
Although I remember that visual journalism class sucked. And then I failed the grammar test (after being a complete egomaniac about the Info Hell project -- me not know grammar? that's unpossible!). Then I turned 40 and spent the day in the California desert driving home from Vegas and having dinner at Wiernerschnitzel when we got back to mom's house. Then the car got hit again and residual damage from the previous accident (hello, Geico? yeah, if the body shop finds damage from the accident last year and ... oh, the case is closed? can you reopen? yeah, i know she was uninsured and ... oh never mind) cost me $1200. And two people at work left (one voluntarily; one not so much) at the busiest time of the year, which has lead to much overtime and stress.
Oh and the cat's tumor. It apparently is a tumor based on the tests -- her left side does not have the same sensitivity as the right, but she's not walking in circles or hissing, so they put it down to an on-going issue and not the results of a stroke. Now she's on steroids like Barry Bonds to see if that takes down the swelling, and she's still mobile and relatively happy and just walks a little funny and drinks and pees too much, so she's not a goner yet.
And the visual class did allow me to make a Formula 1 magazine that I was quite proud of, no matter what the grade was. And I passed the second grammar test, which was the last time they gave it, so I was saved from sitting in the boring grammar class. And my big birthdays have always been disasters (no alcohol on my 21st; food poisoning on my 30th), so the absence of flash-flooding means that the 40th was actually a great success, because I loves the Wiernerschnitzel corndogs, which are in absence here in Oregon. And my car drives better now that it's fixed and the brake light doesn't stay on anymore. And I got the cousin/roommate a job in one of the positions that needed filling and he's doing great even when he's sitting in the fire of customer craziness.
So, in the spirit of attempting to practice Daoism, overall it looks like the major events of the year are actually quite balanced and nature is still in control of the situation.
All hail 2008!
Although I remember that visual journalism class sucked. And then I failed the grammar test (after being a complete egomaniac about the Info Hell project -- me not know grammar? that's unpossible!). Then I turned 40 and spent the day in the California desert driving home from Vegas and having dinner at Wiernerschnitzel when we got back to mom's house. Then the car got hit again and residual damage from the previous accident (hello, Geico? yeah, if the body shop finds damage from the accident last year and ... oh, the case is closed? can you reopen? yeah, i know she was uninsured and ... oh never mind) cost me $1200. And two people at work left (one voluntarily; one not so much) at the busiest time of the year, which has lead to much overtime and stress.
Oh and the cat's tumor. It apparently is a tumor based on the tests -- her left side does not have the same sensitivity as the right, but she's not walking in circles or hissing, so they put it down to an on-going issue and not the results of a stroke. Now she's on steroids like Barry Bonds to see if that takes down the swelling, and she's still mobile and relatively happy and just walks a little funny and drinks and pees too much, so she's not a goner yet.
And the visual class did allow me to make a Formula 1 magazine that I was quite proud of, no matter what the grade was. And I passed the second grammar test, which was the last time they gave it, so I was saved from sitting in the boring grammar class. And my big birthdays have always been disasters (no alcohol on my 21st; food poisoning on my 30th), so the absence of flash-flooding means that the 40th was actually a great success, because I loves the Wiernerschnitzel corndogs, which are in absence here in Oregon. And my car drives better now that it's fixed and the brake light doesn't stay on anymore. And I got the cousin/roommate a job in one of the positions that needed filling and he's doing great even when he's sitting in the fire of customer craziness.
So, in the spirit of attempting to practice Daoism, overall it looks like the major events of the year are actually quite balanced and nature is still in control of the situation.
All hail 2008!
Friday, December 28, 2007
Christmas with My Special Needs Cat
New Year's Countdown coming soon, but wanted to pop in quickly to explain the absence.
It's mostly because of work being what it is, although I'm really trying to not go in at 7 and leave at 5. I'm really, really trying. But then nothing gets done. La. But it's also because my cat, Cat, who has this weird dilated-eye thing going on, which I thought was just a weird dilated-eye thing, and she's drinking a lot of water, which may be because she's big and black and when you're that furry and dark and sit in front of the heater vent all day you're going to get dehydrated, but then I call the animal hospital and the vet freaks me out with "Well, I'd be worried if it was my kitty" -- and, if you know me, then you know I'm a sucker for that line. I'm the schmo that buys junk at Buffalo Exchange because the nose-pierced sales girl says "Oh, I'd totally get that if it was me" even though it's a size too small and yellow. But I digress. Tell me you'd do anything if you were me and I'll usually end up doing it, like worrying in a panic about the cat.
So I take in kitty-kitty, which she hates and causes much noxious emissions as she's forced into the cage and then the car and then the vet, and they draw blood and she conveniently pees on the table so they get a urine sample, and they do tests and call me and it's not Cat AIDS and it's not diabetes and it's not leukemia -- so what the f..k is it, man?
She's going back in for behavioral tests today because they think it may be a brain tumor. Dude. First of all, I don't know what they hope to accomplish on these tests because she's going to be freaked out by the cage/car/vet for the second time in a week and is not going to willingly participate in any thing, but I can't imagine what they have set up for a test. Does she have to touch her nose with her paw and recite the alphabet backwards? Not that she can't, I'm just sayin' ...
But if it does turn out to be a tumor ... well, so she'll have special needs, I guess, and we'll truck her around in a wagon with a crash helmet if we have to. As long as she's happy.
The good news is she purred this morning for the first time in days, so I think she's getting better -- if that can be said about a brain tumor ... if it is a brain tumor. And, honestly, not to be cheap, but having just shelled out $1200 on the car and my entire Oregon tax kicker check (+ $10) on her first visit, I'm running out of funds for kitty behavioral tests. That and apparently my student loan is roughly $300 short of what I need for fees this term. Mother. Scrubber. That's what I get for being an official major at the J-school, yo.
"Gubmint do take a bite, don't she?"
It's mostly because of work being what it is, although I'm really trying to not go in at 7 and leave at 5. I'm really, really trying. But then nothing gets done. La. But it's also because my cat, Cat, who has this weird dilated-eye thing going on, which I thought was just a weird dilated-eye thing, and she's drinking a lot of water, which may be because she's big and black and when you're that furry and dark and sit in front of the heater vent all day you're going to get dehydrated, but then I call the animal hospital and the vet freaks me out with "Well, I'd be worried if it was my kitty" -- and, if you know me, then you know I'm a sucker for that line. I'm the schmo that buys junk at Buffalo Exchange because the nose-pierced sales girl says "Oh, I'd totally get that if it was me" even though it's a size too small and yellow. But I digress. Tell me you'd do anything if you were me and I'll usually end up doing it, like worrying in a panic about the cat.
So I take in kitty-kitty, which she hates and causes much noxious emissions as she's forced into the cage and then the car and then the vet, and they draw blood and she conveniently pees on the table so they get a urine sample, and they do tests and call me and it's not Cat AIDS and it's not diabetes and it's not leukemia -- so what the f..k is it, man?
She's going back in for behavioral tests today because they think it may be a brain tumor. Dude. First of all, I don't know what they hope to accomplish on these tests because she's going to be freaked out by the cage/car/vet for the second time in a week and is not going to willingly participate in any thing, but I can't imagine what they have set up for a test. Does she have to touch her nose with her paw and recite the alphabet backwards? Not that she can't, I'm just sayin' ...
But if it does turn out to be a tumor ... well, so she'll have special needs, I guess, and we'll truck her around in a wagon with a crash helmet if we have to. As long as she's happy.
The good news is she purred this morning for the first time in days, so I think she's getting better -- if that can be said about a brain tumor ... if it is a brain tumor. And, honestly, not to be cheap, but having just shelled out $1200 on the car and my entire Oregon tax kicker check (+ $10) on her first visit, I'm running out of funds for kitty behavioral tests. That and apparently my student loan is roughly $300 short of what I need for fees this term. Mother. Scrubber. That's what I get for being an official major at the J-school, yo.
"Gubmint do take a bite, don't she?"
Monday, December 24, 2007
then I got even MORE sleep
You know how people who have lived through the Depression are really weird about spending money, even if they have it to spend? They could have thousands in the bank, but they're not going to touch it, because they know that within a second it could all disappear.
I feel the same way about time off. I always suspect that when there's nothing to do I'm actually just forgetting that there's something to do. I can't trust the wealth of time and I have no idea how to spend it when I have excess hanging around.
I kept thinking yesterday that I had to get out and do something. We have to go to the market, we have to put gas in the car, we have to go into work and make the coffee so people don't freak out when there isn't any on Monday and and and... and I didn't really have to do any of that junk.
It wasn't until about 3 o'clock yesterday that I realized I could relax without penalty. I actually read a book and watched silly television. Long live leisure.
Oh feck -- have to go to work.
I feel the same way about time off. I always suspect that when there's nothing to do I'm actually just forgetting that there's something to do. I can't trust the wealth of time and I have no idea how to spend it when I have excess hanging around.
I kept thinking yesterday that I had to get out and do something. We have to go to the market, we have to put gas in the car, we have to go into work and make the coffee so people don't freak out when there isn't any on Monday and and and... and I didn't really have to do any of that junk.
It wasn't until about 3 o'clock yesterday that I realized I could relax without penalty. I actually read a book and watched silly television. Long live leisure.
Oh feck -- have to go to work.
Friday, December 21, 2007
and then I got some sleep
Okay, so the brothers are speaking to each other.
And it's getting a little quieter at work, although the mornings are still pretty horrendous (phone calls ring/are ya listenin').
And we rented another installment of Taggart, although it turns out it's an episode I already have on a Pal-converted video, but it was still fun to watch it without listening to the sound go wonky (yes I knorwr the city liawke a lowvah).
And I promised myself as a Christmas present that I would not work this weekend.
So maybe things will even out.
I was just a little over-yanged there. Yin is coming back at last.
And it's getting a little quieter at work, although the mornings are still pretty horrendous (phone calls ring/are ya listenin').
And we rented another installment of Taggart, although it turns out it's an episode I already have on a Pal-converted video, but it was still fun to watch it without listening to the sound go wonky (yes I knorwr the city liawke a lowvah).
And I promised myself as a Christmas present that I would not work this weekend.
So maybe things will even out.
I was just a little over-yanged there. Yin is coming back at last.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
I'm Mrs. Black Christmas. I'm Mrs. Grrrrrr.
I'm going to start a crusade against Christmas. Not against religion or holidays or any kind of spiritual celebration. You keep your religion and your feast days. But I don't get this kind of hassle during Passover or Ramadan.
Why do people yell at me on the phone because the stapler they ordered won't be there in time for Christmas morning? Will it honestly ruin Christmas if it gets delivered on December 26th?? And why aren't my brothers speaking to one another? Why isn't my little brother speaking to me? (Although, having not spoken to him in some time there's a good chance that he did not recognize my email address when it came through, but I seem to remember getting along with the brother and wife quite well the last time we met up.) Why is Christmas a monster instead of just a day off?
This is one day out of the year. One day. It's not the most important day -- and, if you're Daoist, there is no most important day ... except maybe Halloween -- and stuff that you can get on this day, you can usually get any other day. You can be nice to people any day you want and see family any day you want. Why the f**k is it so important that we all drop everything to get on planes, spend money we don't have and generally freak out if things don't go as planned on Christmas? Since I'm not yet the Papal See I don't have definite information on this, but I'm willing to bet that even the Christian God is irritated by the hypocrisy that gets thrown around in His name.
I declare the following truths to be self-evident: if you need to buy jewelry to make for a special Christmas, you have other issues you're not dealing with; if you can call you friends, brothers/sisters, mother on Christmas, you can call them on January 8, May 3, September 20, etc...; cards are nice to get any time of the year; and if things aren't going to work out as planned on December 25th, reschedule them for December 29th or January 8 or May 3 or September 20, etc...
And, before you get in my dish, yes, I realize that I've been suckered into the panic. I sent out cards, we put up a string of lights in the window, I made presents for my family and shipped them out to be delivered in time for Christmas. It's because I keep falling for the holiday freak fest that I'm taking this stance. It's turning my hair white and making me fear for humanity when I hear about families not speaking and people losing control over rubberbands.
If this plan fails and next year is bad again, I'm moving to Vanuatu and letting the ocean swallow me up.
Why do people yell at me on the phone because the stapler they ordered won't be there in time for Christmas morning? Will it honestly ruin Christmas if it gets delivered on December 26th?? And why aren't my brothers speaking to one another? Why isn't my little brother speaking to me? (Although, having not spoken to him in some time there's a good chance that he did not recognize my email address when it came through, but I seem to remember getting along with the brother and wife quite well the last time we met up.) Why is Christmas a monster instead of just a day off?
This is one day out of the year. One day. It's not the most important day -- and, if you're Daoist, there is no most important day ... except maybe Halloween -- and stuff that you can get on this day, you can usually get any other day. You can be nice to people any day you want and see family any day you want. Why the f**k is it so important that we all drop everything to get on planes, spend money we don't have and generally freak out if things don't go as planned on Christmas? Since I'm not yet the Papal See I don't have definite information on this, but I'm willing to bet that even the Christian God is irritated by the hypocrisy that gets thrown around in His name.
I declare the following truths to be self-evident: if you need to buy jewelry to make for a special Christmas, you have other issues you're not dealing with; if you can call you friends, brothers/sisters, mother on Christmas, you can call them on January 8, May 3, September 20, etc...; cards are nice to get any time of the year; and if things aren't going to work out as planned on December 25th, reschedule them for December 29th or January 8 or May 3 or September 20, etc...
And, before you get in my dish, yes, I realize that I've been suckered into the panic. I sent out cards, we put up a string of lights in the window, I made presents for my family and shipped them out to be delivered in time for Christmas. It's because I keep falling for the holiday freak fest that I'm taking this stance. It's turning my hair white and making me fear for humanity when I hear about families not speaking and people losing control over rubberbands.
If this plan fails and next year is bad again, I'm moving to Vanuatu and letting the ocean swallow me up.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
In Praise of Older Postings
I loves the Site Meter. Not only because it shows me how many people are interested in potica, but also because I can see what pages people were looking at when they hit the blog. Today it linked back to an older post where I referenced this great band call The Miss Alans. On the link I found a comment from a blogger named Neon Desert telling me that The Miss Alans are NOT from Bakersfield, as once assumed, but are actually from Fresno. Now, I'm sure this comes as no surprise to anyone else and you probably couldn't care less, but it reminded me of the "everything is Los Angeles" theory in that I figured Bakersfield and Fresno were interchangeable locations.
Fresno is 110 miles from Bakersfield.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I've officially become one of those people.
So, from now on, all of California -- with the possible exception of those splitters in San Francisco, Berkeley and Davis -- is Los Angeles.
It's just easier that way.
Fresno is 110 miles from Bakersfield.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I've officially become one of those people.
So, from now on, all of California -- with the possible exception of those splitters in San Francisco, Berkeley and Davis -- is Los Angeles.
It's just easier that way.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
The 12 Hates of Christmas
12. Holiday jewelry commercials
11. Parties that require a date (or where you're singled out when you don't have one)
10. Cards and the stress over whether or not to hand them out at work
9. Getting called "ma'am" at stores
8. Stress at work then stress at home because there's no time to do a f-ing thing to relax
7. Holiday television specials (except Rudolph, but only because Yukon Cornelius licks his pick axe)
6. Malls and people throwing things at your from kiosks or wanting to put lotion on your hands or "Clean your holiday jewelry, ma'am?"
5. Traffic and people who can't drive in it
4. Not finding the right gift for family members who hate you and are looking for an excuse to justify that hate by pointing to the fact that you bought a Costco gift basket instead of looking for that special something you thought they'd like, knowing they wouldn't like it
3. Airports and why I have to sit next to the stinky, sleepy guy on the plane every time
2. Not being in an airport because yet again I can't afford or have time to visit the family that I can't buy things for because they won't like it because they're looking for an excuse yah yah yah
1. Christmas music, and co-workers who think that changing to the other radio station that plays 24-hours of that fake happy sing-along shite is going to make a difference. "Oh, there's a better variety on this one." Let's call the emperor naked, okay? They all play "Jingle Bell Rock" on the hour, every hour.
Exception -- The Carpenters singing "Merry Christmas Darling" ... when I hear her sing about how the logs on the fire fill her with desire it cracks me up every time.
11. Parties that require a date (or where you're singled out when you don't have one)
10. Cards and the stress over whether or not to hand them out at work
9. Getting called "ma'am" at stores
8. Stress at work then stress at home because there's no time to do a f-ing thing to relax
7. Holiday television specials (except Rudolph, but only because Yukon Cornelius licks his pick axe)
6. Malls and people throwing things at your from kiosks or wanting to put lotion on your hands or "Clean your holiday jewelry, ma'am?"
5. Traffic and people who can't drive in it
4. Not finding the right gift for family members who hate you and are looking for an excuse to justify that hate by pointing to the fact that you bought a Costco gift basket instead of looking for that special something you thought they'd like, knowing they wouldn't like it
3. Airports and why I have to sit next to the stinky, sleepy guy on the plane every time
2. Not being in an airport because yet again I can't afford or have time to visit the family that I can't buy things for because they won't like it because they're looking for an excuse yah yah yah
1. Christmas music, and co-workers who think that changing to the other radio station that plays 24-hours of that fake happy sing-along shite is going to make a difference. "Oh, there's a better variety on this one." Let's call the emperor naked, okay? They all play "Jingle Bell Rock" on the hour, every hour.
Exception -- The Carpenters singing "Merry Christmas Darling" ... when I hear her sing about how the logs on the fire fill her with desire it cracks me up every time.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
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