Friday, June 30, 2006

Still Alive

Well, at least I think I am still alive, the way things have been running ragged around here this week I would be the last to know if I wasn't...

Exactly how long DOES it take for Yahoo to upload a photo! Trying to get a photo for Alae's blog, would have been faster to walk back home and put it on a disk..... then post it directly to her site. Oh well, if it comes to that it will be done next week!!

Have been spending free moments (of which I have way too many) trying to untangle the now-clean hanks of yarn. It is easier to understand teenagers than to untangle these hanks.... but worth it when I finally succeed. Came up with a lovely philosophy in the process: life is like rewinding a skein of yarn, sometimes you just have to break it clean and start a new ball. Ooooh, that's deep....

Today began with a major wave of DBF. For those who have never heard me use that phrase before, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN????!!!! It stands for Deep Blue Funk, which is a nice way of saying major depressive cycle on the bipolarity ride. Sometimes they slide into Channeling, I only channel one spirit, and that is Sam Kinison. If you have ever seen me when I lose my closely-guarded temper, and have ever had the privilege of watching Kinison in action (thank God/dess for DVDs), all is clear. If you haven't had the privilege of seeing Kinison, go immediately to the nearest mall video store and buy one of his shows. You can't rent them at Blockbuster, and WalMart won't sell them, because Sam My Love is very----- politically incorrect! And loud about it! And if you haven't witnessed my temper blowing, say many prayers of gratitude and light many candles that it never happen to you! Especially if you are the recipient of my wrath... you don't want to know about the time I threw a bowl of mac-n-cheese at my son-in-law. But in all honesty, he deserved it!!!!!

Have been trying to organize my photos and files on the home computer, so that I can back up the important stuff on cd before Elvis (my computer) airplanes for the final time. Been making very bad noises on start-up, hey for as long as I have had it I think it is doing pretty good! My *FRIEND* John brought me some blank cd-rs so I can save everything, but I don't want to waste cd space by saving doubles and things I don't really need to save. So am going through all the files--and there are many-- and deleting, moving, cleaning, scanningdisk, and DEFRAGGING for hours at a time. Defragging is a gooooooood thing!

Still a pedestrian, think that status will never change. But I am trying to climb out of the DBF and that line of thought will only take me farther down.... So will focus on my accomplishments (which doesn't take too long). Most recent one is that I actually earned some ca$h with my heard-earned DTP skills (Desk Top Publishing, for the dirty-minded out there). Not a lot of $$$, but it was just a small job, and hoping it will lead to more work in that area. Every little bit helps, or so I have been told.

That brings up a subject to ramble on (hey, I'm making up for many missed days here!): finding money on the ground. Some people think I am stupid for picking up a penny when I see one, because we all know that the worth of a penny is-- miniscule. I explain to them that A) if I pick up enough pennies, they add up to a dollar, and B) if I bend over and pick up a penny enough times I will be doing my exercises for the week! And let's not forget C) sometimes the penny turns out to be a dime or is lying near a quarter. Then there are the "superstitious" ones that say, "oh, that was face-down, that's bad luck!" Hey, if I find money I don't care what side is facing up, finding money is good luck!!!

Well, my beloved son is getting antsy (severe ADHD) and I need to get out of here, so will end this and get to the post office and mail Al's letter. Happy Independence Day Weekend!

Friday, June 23, 2006

Me in Ones

Decided to make up my own variation of the “me in Fours” post. Not as easy as you would think... So here goes!

The one most favorite job you’ve ever had:
Office manager at STRIVE.

The one job you would like to spend the rest of your life doing:
Running a used book store!

The one job you would rather starve than do:
Prostitution.

The one book you would take if you were stranded on a desert island:
Impossible to answer, there are just too many good ones. Maybe if Dusty writes her novel and gets it published, that could be a definite contender.

If you were to change your name, what name would you take:
Already did, Lyn Marguerite McRae, aka Maggie.

The one word that describes you best:
Creative.

One activity that makes you forget all about time:
Reading.

What would you title your autobiography:
Geez, this is harder than I thought... hey, that's a good title: "Geez This Is Harder Than I Thought..."

You can only have one photograph in your home; what would it be:
A collage of my ancestors and descendants and spirit siblings.

Epitaph you would want to have:
Just one more stitch/chapter...

Yeah, ten seems like a good number to quit at. Can always do a “me in ones, Part Two” if I come up with more good questions!

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

My Clone


This is a (photoshopped) picture of my clone, aka oldest daughter, Alae and myself. We are both 14 in this photo, don't you just love editing software! She has apparently inherited more than just my looks; when she was two years old and we went to the Thrift shop in UC, she ran right past the toys and straight to the books. THAT'S MY GIRL!!! She has the same taste in clothes, music (for the most part), and movies. Same attitudes, religious beliefs, bipolarity, PMS cycle, same favorite colors. If it weren't for her addiction to romance novels, I would think I had been reborn before I died! Does reincarnation work that way??? And she loves to create, to write, to take pictures. Her writing skills are amazing... She made a pair of bracelets into earrings, they are Way Cool!
Crud, I got here to the library late and now it is time to get off the computer. So today was Short and Sweet for once!

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

"Me -- In Fours"

This is an interesting email I got from Sue. Thought it would make a fun posting, so here goes:

Four jobs you have had in your life:
1. Office Manager
2. Donation Processor (Goodwill)
3. Public Relations Writer
4. Waitress

Four movies you would watch over and over:
1.Dogma
2. Practical Magic
3. Ghostbusters
4. Rocky Horror Picture Show (I'm a sucker for a guy in eyeliner... and fishnet stockings....)

Four places you have lived
1. Union City, Mich
2. Battle Creek, Mich
3. Coldwater, Mich
4. Athens, Mich

Four TV shows you love to watch:
1. Crossing Jordan
2. House
3. Medium
4. South Park

Four places you have been on vacation:
1.Tishomingo, Mississippi
2. Winter Haven, Florida
3. East Lansing, Michigan
4. Toronto, Canada (for two hours, while in Detroit)

Four websites I visit often:
1. Dusty's blogs (does this count as three, since I check all three of hers?)
2. hotmail
3. Annie's Attic free pattern of the day
4. SciFi Book Club

Four of my favorite foods:
1. Spaghetti
2. Stewed Carrots
3. Macaroni & Cheese
4. Grandma's meatloaf, goulash, or milk gravy (there's nothing like Grandma's cooking!!!!)

Four places I would rather be right now:
1. Visiting Dusty in Ypsi...
2. In a theater, watching a new release with LOTS of popcorn and someone ELSE running to the concession stand for refills
3. Stonehenge
4. Shopping. With Bill Gates' credit card...

Four friends whom I have tagged that I think will respond (eventually):
1. Dusty
2. Sally
3. Brian
4. Alae

You've been tagged so here it goes...delete my answers, replace with your own and send it back to me and to other friends
>> lyn mcrae, a/k/a Aunt Maggie

Monday, June 19, 2006

Not as Much To Say Today

Guess I'll have to have nothing to say more often! When I went home and printed up the "Nothing to say today" post, it filled the page....

When I mentioned I don't know what to write about today, my oldest suggested I write about her PMS. I can sum up her PMS in one sentence: Alae PMSing makes Kali look like Mother Theresa! (For those of you who have no idea who Kali is, she is the Hindu goddess of Death, Destruction, and Revenge. NOW do you get the meaning!?!)

My other topic I have wanted to rave about, I already wrote about in an actual handwritten letter to Dusty. So for everyone else: I went to get into my Rubbermaid tub filled with yarn, that I had *told* hubby to put in the basement, but he had put in the (leaky) garage instead. He told me after the *SCENE* that he had checked it before he put the lid on, but it looks like he didn't check very hard, because there was almost two inches of water in the bottom. You can imagine the condition of the yarn... not pretty. Not pretty at all... and of course it was a BIG tub of yarn. So, being the frugal (re: CHEAP) (re: POOR) chickybabe that I am, I decided to try to save as much as I could. Got the old washtub out, started sorting skeins, and what was beyond all hope I pitched and the rest I washed out and rinsed.... and rinsed.... and rinsed.... then hung on the clothesline to dry. Hanks of yarn on the line are so pretty, I considered not actually crocheting anything but just hanging the hanks on the wall to look pretty-fied. Considered taking a photo, but only had B&W film in the camera, which would defeat the purpose of all the pretty colors, so just took a mental picture. Then when it all dried, took it down, put it in a laundry basket, and started crocheting a blanket for my brother Chris. Which I may very well finish before he turns 43... (He is 23 now, until Christmas).

Got a letter in the mail from my mom Sandy, nice to know that *some* of my family still love me. Thanks, Mom!!! I found a letter I started to her about a month ago, never finished, wish I had found before I started a whole new letter that I did get done and mailed.... oh well.... I might just write some more on it and send it anyway, it's only four weeks out of date....

Have to get to work on a birthday card for a friend, Rick will be 54 this Thursday. I won't be able to post that day, as the library is closed on Thursdays, but sometime between then and now and Friday I will find one of his photos on disk and post it here with a birthday wish. He won't get to see it because he doesn't have Internet at home and doesn't know how to work a computer at the library (and in Coldwater they are honestly too busy to spend much time in instruction; the ones working the desk in the reference room where the computers are, are also manning phones and copiers and helping find books on the interloan sites, and their hardest job, getting the kidlets to behave.) And they have a rule that only one person can be at a computer at a time, so * I *can't teach him how to Websurf... I understand the rule, because the kids get together to watch each other play games, and they get rowdy. But there are times when the rule is just plain stupid, like when I want to teach someone how to NetSurf!!!

OK, I am done ranting now. About that, at least. {grin} I can't believe it is almost Solstice already, where did the Spring go? Oh, I forgot, in Michigan Spring lasts about ten minutes... I modified a recipe to create Solstice Pancakes. Tried it today, they were pretty good. So will have to make them on Wednesday! Maybe the next time I make them I will be able to keep the pancake batter OFF my shirt!!! Of course I didn't notice the mess until I was almost to the library. No one has said anything rude about it yet, of course the day is young yet...

Milk and Pepsi both on sale at the grocery store. Yippee!! So, since I am going to be thrown off in a couple of minutes, I will finish this and post, then go buy groceries. How exciting.... Will end with my new favorite quote: Save the Earth, it's the only planet that has chocolate!

Friday, June 16, 2006

Nothing to say Today

Geez, is this allowed? I have nothing to write about today. Nothing that would not be either bitchy or boring, and I don't feel emotionally up to any more negative energy today. But in the spirit of maintaining the writing ability that made me start this blog in the first place, I will carry on and type about not having anything to write about. See why I named it "Ramblings"!

Must write. Must write. Must write something worth reading. OK, now THAT may be asking a bit more than the Muses will grant!

Hmmm, a little rambling on the techie survival saga: I finally managed to actually comprehend the directions for adding links to the sidebar! Yay me! I know that isn't much to the real techies, but considering how recently I was a total technophobe (there is actually a "correct" word for the fear of computers, but I can't for the life of me recall what it is, and personally I think that technophobe is far more accurate anyway)... where was I????? Oh yeah, considering how recently I learned that computers will *NOT* explode if I am in the same room, this is quite an accomplishment for me. Usually if I need something really technical done, or hardware or programming or all the techie stuff, I haul over to my guru Paul. He can do ANYTHING with a computer, except maybe bake a pizza. And I bet if I challenged him, he could do that too.... After all, he got me over my terror of 'puters! I still am technophobic about installing hardware, messing around with the guts of the animal, but there is good reason for that; the only time I actually attempted to do internal surgery, I fried my cousin's floppy drive. Luckily she loves me anyway, and we were able to pick up a replacement online absolutely dirt cheap. Then got someone else to do the installation!!!

Everyone has their talents/skills/strengths, and mine is just not hardware. So I truely appreciate those who CAN do that stuff! There should be a National Techie Day, where everyone buys their favorite techie a pizza and bag of marshmallows, and a pack of smokes for those who still indulge in lung cancer. And caffeine of choice, of course. Next challenge for Paul: a computer that brews coffee.... although I don't care for coffee myself, and would much prefer a computer that brews Pepsi!!!

Wow, I seem to have done pretty good for not having anything to write about! I have tried to compose my blogs at home, then transfer them online here at the library; but for some unknown reason it just doesn't work. I can't write anything until I get here and get online and to the blogsite.... weird, but then so much in the world is even weirder....

Tuesday, June 13, 2006

Quick Update

Well, the local librarian is back from Rachel's funeral. I overheard her say that the post-funeral dinner is going to be in Athens, she just left the cemetery herself and didn't want to go clear back to Athens after having just been there for the funeral. So, I still have a little bit of time to get home before my mother returns from the whole shebang. At least, I expect her to attend the dinner, after all it is her sister's youngest daughter that was buried today.
But that doesn't make her my cousin, not after the past twenty years of being shunned, by everyone in her little circle of blood relatives.
Yes, I am angry. And sad. And still confused over how two people who were raised by the same parents (meaning my mom and her sister) could have such polar opposite attitudes and outlooks. Mom and I, we believe in family, extended and not-so-extended. Mom's sister, however, only believes in family if they are Not Embarassing. Boy, that definition sure lets me out in a hurry! As my teen daughters would be the first to tell you, I am the Queen of Causing Embarassment!! Hey, it's a skill...

Lists: The Motherlist of Lists

I love lists. I recently wrote to my best friend, that I should make a list of lists to make; "wow," wrote I, "that sounds like a good blog topic!"

So, forthwith, my list of lists (Work In Progress)...

List of Lists


1. Things to make for sale:
sublist:
a) Crocheted
b) Knitted
c) Sewn
d) Quilted
e) Printed
f) Plastic Canvas
g) Miscellaneous Craft

2. Things to make for gifts:
sublist:
a) Crocheted
b) Knitted
c) Sewn
d) Quilted
e) Printed
f) Plastic Canvas
g) Miscellaneous Craft

3. Books to Read

4. Books I Have Read

5. Letters to Write

6. Movies I Own

7. Books I Own

8. Music (CDs, Tapes, Vinyl) I Own

9. Music I Want to Own

10. Things to do to Get House Cleaned
sublist:
a) Kitchen
b) Dining Room
c) Living Room
d) Hallways
e) Alae’s Room
f) Ruthi’s Room
g) Liam’s Room
h) Our Bedroom
i) Bathroom
j) Basement
k) Yard/Porch

11. Topics for Blogs

12. Photos to Post

13. Things to Do Before I Die

14. Things to Be Thankful For

15. Photos I Want to Take With Digital Camera

16. Cool Digi-toys I Must Have

17. People to Make Presents for

18. Lists to Write

19. Lists I Have Made

20. Favorite Movies

21. Favorite Books

22. Christmas Card List

23. Birthday Card List

24. Groceries

Rachel


Well, the funeral started about an hour and a half ago. I imagine it is done by now and everyone is on their way back here to UC to the cemetery. So why am I sitting here at the library blogging, you ask? Because I don't attend funerals unless I know the person or the family, and know that I will not be shunned for attending. Since I have not been part of Rachel's life or that of her immediate family, since my late teens in general and my early twenties in particular, and since I have been essentially not welcome at any family gatherings, and have no way to get to the funeral with no car (Factoryville is a LONG way away when you are a pedestrian!) other than to ride with the family, well, here I sit wondering where exactly in Riverside Cemetery the burial will be. I need to know, if only to know where NOT to go, so I don't offend anyone by my eventual presence at the grave.
What a frugged-up family.
More on "family" another blog....

Monday, June 12, 2006

Photos 1


OK, it isn't the most recent photo of myself, but it IS probably my favorite....

The tattoo on my shoulder is a heart with a sword through it, and a banner with my name in Japanese Kanji: literally translated, "Beloved" and "Waterfall" for Cheri (beloved one) and Lyn (cascading waterfall). Of course, a few years later I had the $$$ to get my name legally changed to Lyn Marguerite, instead, but never changed the tat. I wouldn't change it if I could, but that is a story in itself. For one thing, my son's middle name is Davelynn, and since Dave also means "beloved one", this way I do have my son's name tattooed, even though he can't read it because he is working hard enough just learning to read English.

Friday, June 09, 2006

Cooking

Sigh. Just received an email from my cousin Shelley. Turns out that her grandma kept her recipes the same way my grandma did: all in her head. So there goes any chance I would ever have of learning to cook as well as they did. When I finally expressed an interest in learning to cook, mamaw really did try to teach me. But it is difficult to learn when the conversation goes like this:
"OK, mom, how much yadada do I put in?"
"As much as it needs."
"Well, what temperature do I set the oven at?"
"Oh, about 350, 400, whatever."
"OK, how long do I cook it for?"
"Until it's done."
Well gee whiz, why didn't I figure that out on my own?! Needless to say, my cooking skills do not begin to match the Smith women's. But thanks to friends and neighbors, I have learned to make a few interesting munchies. Dusty initiated me to the joys of rice, scrambled eggs and bacon; Gail taught me sweet-n-sour chicken and rice, and chicken noodle casserole. Of course, I modified the chicken and rice, to a slightly cheaper version (chicken hot dogs), but the basic idea was put there by Gail, whose mother is a WHIZ in the kitchen and was good enough to teach her daughter those skills... And then I have developed a tendency to "change" standard recipes, add a little dash to them, and so far all my attempts have turned out to be edible! LOL Haven't poisoned anyone yet, and even managed to teach a male not to challenge me: he had the lack of intelligence to tell me I couldn't possibly make a taco sauce too hot/spicy for him. Wrong move, Einstein! Needless to say, half a gallon of milk later he admitted that yeah, it was pretty good sauce... Men, they can be so amusing....

Tuesday, June 06, 2006

Finally, a good day...

Wow, my own blog and spot to vent to the world about all my UPS and DOWNS. Today I want to concentrate on the ups for a change...

I finally got back into hooking (with a crochet hook!) and joined up for the round-robin from an online group I joined recently; got the package out to the moderator today, only two days late... made and experimented with my little grannysquare ornaments, had way too much fun playing with new ideas for them! LOL

Am finally back into reading again, currently catching up on all the Dean Koontz that I have missed while working at The Hellhole. Also getting into the conspiracy craze, haven't read the Da Vinci Code yet but did get to read Angels & Demons, the "prequel". Definitely a page-turner! While I want to see the Da Vinci movie, I also don't want to see it, because so often the movie ruins the book... and I haven't even read the book yet! At least this time, I won't have to put up with the same commentary I listen to during Harry Potter movies....NEVER see the HP movies with a teenager who has just finished reading the book for the eighth time! Unless, of course, you *enjoy* listening to "that's not how it was in the book" every three seconds or so....

Want to thank my beloved Dusty, for helping me get over my creating blockage and back into making things. I promise to get my stashes organized so I can do more.... especially now that I can actually keep my own stash and only have to fight my oldest daughter and my Dear Hubby for the contents. Which brings me to my next Happy Thought:
THEY'RE GONE THEY'RE GONE THEY'RE FINALLY REALLY GONE~!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Insert Snoopy Happy Dance here)
My hubby's nephew stopped by in April with his girlfriend, needing a place to stay for "a few days"... the only reason I agreed was because they promised she was getting a check on May 4th and they were getting an apartment then. Well, we all know how that turned out: they didn't get the apartment, so she agreed to pay a small rent to us to help cover the added utilities from her twice-daily showers, his showers, their lights and radio on all night long, etc etc etc..... Yeah, we had to practically break legs to get them to buy toilet paper after we went through a 12-pack in less than a WEEK. Any other time it would have lasted almost a month... but I promised to stay positive in this post..... so , finally, the good news. Her caseworker got off his *** and got her an apartment, NOT here in my town, and promised to have them out Friday. Since my landlord was supposed to be here Monday, I couldn't have been happier.... of course, no one showed up on Friday and she couldn't bother anyone else to drive her there (my van is comatose, believe me I would've had them moved real fast otherwise), so they ended up staying the weekend. Monday her caseworker showed up (while they were gone, surprise) to move her, luckily as he was leaving my nephew came back and ran and caught him. While the nephew was decent enough to say goodbye, she didn't say anything --- not even thank you for not making us sleep in the park..... so, if anyone wants to stop by the house, bring music and pop and we will party some more! (I threatened to get a cake from the store and have the baker write "Goodbye assholes and good riddance"...)

We've already had two parties this month! One on Friday, a "Freedom!" party, celebrating the end of the school year (and my neighbor's impending divorce from her jerk). Then one on Monday, celebrating Ruthi's 15th birthday (which also marked the 14th year living in this house). Wow, time flies......

Speaking of time flying, the librarian is going to throw me off the computer in a couple of minutes, so I guess I better get this posted!