Beat Me Now, Please

Beat me with the idiot stick, please. Why do I have so much trouble spelling names right? First I get Charlaine Harris wrong, changed her to Charlene. Now I get Rett MacPherson wrong. Listen, children, THERE IS NO "H" IN HER FIRST NAME! Now that I have that corrected, my deepest apologies to the fabulous writer who also quilts. My goddess, I have found another Dusty!

Now if you see my kids' names, it may explain my weirdness for name spells. My oldest is Alanda, the middle kidlet is Ruthi, and the youngest is Liam - short for Uilliam, the Irish spelling of William. His middle name is Beathan-Davelynn; Beathan is Scots for Benjamin. Alanda is just made up, but seems to be pretty popular; there is a series of books with Alanda as a country, and in Piers Anthony's Xanth books, Alanda is the Earth Goddess. Pretty good for a name that my ex made up (he wanted to give her the name he would have had if he had been born a girl: Yolanda Susie Katherine. He suggested and we compromised on Alanda; he figured it would be easier for him to spell because it is shorther than Yolanda.) Nuff said about exes...

We have new kittens, one bluegrey (Alae named him Riffraff, after the RHPS dude), and one white siamese mix (originally named Magenta, to go with Riffraff, until I pointed out that she is a HE kitty; now named Rico). Don't know how many there were originally, at least one more blue that hasn't been seen since the first discovery after they got out of wherever their mother had them. Now momkit won't feed them, so I get to do the nursemaid routine. How happy am I... if they survive I will be surprised, as the last batch of kittens didn't make it past two months. Too much inbreeding, I think. Not that mine is the only tom in the neighborhood, but apparently he is the only one to breed here; and since half 0f the females are his offspring, it doesn't bode well genetically. Great, hillbilly cats.... (My daddy is from Mississippi, I can say stuff like that! But y'all can't! So there!)

Now I just find out that the gas company apparently never received their payments, which were made like three months ago, and I have 24 hours to come up with over $1000 or have my gas shut off. I cook with gas and have a gas water heater, so kind of need the service. Can't cook everything in the microwave, especially since I have a shortage of glass and plastic cooking pans/bowls/etc. Which really ticks me off, because I know the payments were made, but bet anything I won't be able to find the paperwork now that I actually need it. The gas company just changed ownership about two weeks after these payments were made, so somewhere Aquila has my payment and Michigan Gas Utilities wants more. I just can't seem to get ahead.

So beat me with the idiot stick really hard; maybe if I am in the hospital I can have a vacation from reality for awhile. Everyone knows I need one!

News and Reminisces from the Home Front

OK, today maybe I can get the stuff posted…

Got a “new” book by Rhett MacPherson today at the library, the title is A Misty Mourning. These books are just so cool!!! I probably won’t get this one finished tonight, though, as I have already started a Margaret Coel mystery and I am trying to get into the habit of only reading one book at a time. Hard habit to break, reading up to five titles at once, but it is about time. Not like I am in college anymore. Thank gods, although I wouldn’t give up the time I did do in college because while there were miserable times (ad design class) there were also FABULOUS times (every minute spent with Dusty, John, Lisa, MaryLou and Giggles a/k/a Dawn).

Of course, all these years later the only one I still am in contact with is Dusty; which is excellent because other than John (who later developed an attitude issue – HIS loss), Dusty is the one that kept me going through thick and thin. While Mary was still a good friend long after college, we went our separate ways about fifteen years ago. Her life went down the path of perfection, and she didn’t condone some of my life choices. I didn’t exactly like some of them either, but I am the one that has to live with them and the consequences. So, considering that the only thing we have in common anymore is our memories and (hopefully) a love of sci/fi-fantasy books and art, and of course our birthday (she is one year older, nyah nyah…); I guess I shouldn’t lose any sleep or tears over her absence in my life. Guess what, I still think of her at least once a year; every December 30 I psychically send her a “happy birthday Mary” thought. And once in awhile something else will bring her to the front of my mind, a cool picture or something that triggers a certain memory. She is an excellent artist, or was, I always wonder if she still does any drawing anymore, since the last time we talked she “didn’t have time anymore” for her artwork. Sadly, I can’t draw a straight line without a ruler or the shift key, so I really admire those who can draw anything they want to.

Which brings me back to Dusty. That girl can PAINT!!! Somewhere in my lair I have a book of photos and poems and drawings/paintings, and in that book are some of the mini-watercolors that Dusty shared with me when she was in East Lansing (more cool memories!). One of the reasons I am trying to get the house cleaned and organized is to find that book so I can scan them and send them to her. I have a nagging feeling that the volume in question is in Alanda’s room, though; translation, look behind Amelia Earhart!

OK, got to end now. Accomplishments for the week include half of the living room cleaned, books sorted through, tapes put back on shelves, and George’s dresser cleaned out and sorted…. No wonder I am tired today!

Some Good News at Last

OK, I just typed this post for twenty minutes and lost it. I don't feel up to sharing all that information again.... but will suffice to say that George's cardiac stress tests came back normal, looks like his recurrent chest pains are from the hiatal (sp?) hernia. He has two MRIs scheduled for next week. Liam is on meds at last for ADD, but we are having trouble getting him to swallow them, they keep sticking to his tongue. Ruthi is on meds for ADHD and is very happy with them, she is able to concentrate much better now. Alanda and I have appointments this afternoon, hers to check on her meds and mine to beg for pain pills and antibiotics for an abcessed tooth.

I miss all my friends (not that there are that many to miss), and am slipping into serious Kinnison-channeling. Even RHPS can't perk me up.

Have to do some email, let the teachers know what is going on with the kids....

Another Day Bites the Dust

SCHOOL IS BACK IN SESSION! I guess I am happy about it; it is weird that I now hate high school more than I did when I was actually in high school. At least we had choir, to keep us sane (more or less). And we could go into the school library during lunch hour. Nowadays the HS has no choir and the library -- excuse ME, the MEDIA CENTER -- is offlimits during lunch.

Al is a senior, gods how time flies. Seems like just yesterday she was starting pre-school. Her pre-school teacher was my college psychology teacher. Then her kindergarten teacher was my kindergarten teacher. Through her school years she has had only a couple of teachers that had no relation to my school years... spooky. Her fifth grade teacher, Mr. Smeltzer, ended up being Ruthi's fifth grade teacher, and I was looking forward to Liam having him next year for fifth grade. Unfortunately, Mr. Smeltzer passed away last weekend. He had the same birthday as Ruthi and died on Liam's birthday. Bizarre, you say. Freaking scary, I say... Not to mention very depressing.

Ruthi is a sophomore this year, and Liam is in fourth grade (obviously). While there are days that I wish I were back in school with them, eventually I wake up screaming and come to my senses.

Got an email from my nephew-in-law, George's late sister's husband passed away this weekend the day after Liam's birthday. He didn't even make six months after she passed; I can't say I am surprised, because they were so close to each other. At least the kids are all grown, and the grandkids fairly grown, so everyone is old enough to have good memories to keep.

Am trying to keep my depression at bay; with no income, no vehicle, no energy, no washing machine (five people's laundry being washed by hand.... it SUCKS). It is a challenge, and all my friends are so far away... and I can't even keep in touch through e-mail unless I can get my sorry asterisk to the library. So when I am too down to move, I go totally hermit. Which brings me down even more. Usually, anyway; there will always be days that I just really need the peace and quiet that I don't often get with four kids at home (three I gave birth to and the one I married)...

Have made a bit of a dent in the massive hellhole that is housecleaning. Even started on the basement, which is a REALLY scary place! I hope to get all my yarn together in one spot, all my fabric and notions in one spot, all my books given away or sold, and all my why-do-I-keep-this-junk either to the thrift shop or the trash can, depending on its condition.

Real coffee. He says real coffee. Dang nab it, instant coffee is real coffee!!! It certainly isn't fake coffee. Maybe I should get a coffee cup and fill it with brown cotton, and show little old Darrell what FAKE coffee really is! Men. If they didn't make such handy speedbumps.....

OK, now that I have drifted totally off-topic, I guess I should end this off and do some surfing.

The Sword of Damocles

For those of you familiar with RHPS, today's title should clue you in that I'm at the start of a pretty big downer.

Last week DH spent three days in the hospital from a heart attack and mild stroke. He is still not walking so good, was doing much better last night but then went and overdid himself. So today he can barely stand because his legs keep going numb. I had the thrill of trying to pick him up off the floor when he fell, now I get to go home again and find the Codeine because my back and arms are a-hurting, maynerd. I have a 5-pound lifting limit, so you can imagine what his 141 pounds (of dead weight) have done to me.

He has a doctors appointment next Wednesday, I am going with him (the one advantage to not being employed) and you can bet the baby's booties that I will be mentioning this numb leg issue. DH, being a Stubborn Man, wouldn't say anything about it otherwise.

And the worst thing of all to happen this week, because it is something I can't do a single freaking thing about: Elvis died. The monitor still works, but the tower won't even power up. Yes it is plugged in, duh I learned to check that little trick a LONG time ago. So, now all my writing will be done here at the library, or on paper... The home computer died, and I am extremely sad.... (To think I used to be Queen of the Technophobes, terrified of being in the same room as a computer).

There has been one good event this week; my neighbor needed a gift for a baby shower, and I should have it finished for her tonight. A granny-square baby blanket in blues and grays and whites. Purty... am on the final border round, making pretty little shells to classy it up. Second good event, Mom gave me some $$ to get the girls jeans for school. (Big sale here in town this weekend, hopefully can find some to fit them, sale is good but selection is iffy in Real People sizes). Also have to get Ruthi shoes for band, first performance is next Friday. School doesn't even start until Sept 5!!! I for one would be happy to put it off for a few more years...

Who would have believed it, I hate school now more than I did when I was actually in school!

One of my step-granddaughters, well, I still call them that even now that their mom has decided that my DH is not her father after all, has moved here to town with her father's parents and will be in Alae's grade at the high school. So, guess who Alae's locker partner is going to be! Yay, one good thing for the whole frigging year, that is a new record. Sheryl is a cutie, if her sister EVER gets off her patootie and emails me a photo I will post it here and tell lots of cute stories of when she was a little kidlet... (Are you reading this Jojo? HINT HINT) And got George's nephew's email from his daughter, so now can keep in contact with him again. Gods bless email!!!

OK, am going to end this now, and try to figure out why, with one week left before school starts, the Superintendant of Schools told me that he has no idea whether we will have a new principal at the high school this year. Either he is totally incompetent as an administrator, or he was bald-faced lying (technically I should say beard-faced lying)... either way, I am not impressed with the school anymore....

Leaf Goddess

This is a ceramic wall plaque that I bought many years ago and painted. I love painting ceramics, when there was a store here that I could buy them at to paint. There was also a Green Man plaque, but I didn't get it and now I don't know where to find one. Originally planned to buy three more of the Goddess one here and paint them to match the seasons. Unfortunately, the store closed and now I can't find anyplace to buy more (affordably). Need to get a better photo of this one, not to brag but I have to admit that the eyes are absolutely beautiful. She was so much fun to paint, and has hung on my kitchen wall as my "KitchenWitch/Kitchen Guardian" since the paint dried. I want to get some photos of the other statuettes that I painted and still have. I did a small gargoyle in purples, somehow managed to get the paint to look marbleized (sp?), it was **SSSOOO** cool. Yes, I gave it away as a gift without getting a photo. Sigh. And will probably never be able to duplicate the marbling effect again... Oh well! On to the Internet to surf for RHPS stuff.

Pretty pictures

Finally found some pretty pix of my own, ok actually of George's flowers, all my plants are plastic and dead anyway. How do you kill a cactus by not watering it enough? Don't know, but I do know that I did...

Rants: Episode 1

My gods, has it really been two weeks since I updated this? Seems like only a few days ago...

First rant: childproof bottles. If I don't want one, why give me grief over it? Yet the local pharmacist, smarmy fart, says "you don't need easy-open bottles, you're young." My dear clone informed him that "Mom has arthritis." Did I get an apology? No. Did I get the dammed easy-open bottle? No. Did I go back and demand a different cap? Hell yes. When I sprained my wrist really badly a few million years ago (Before Children), I went to the pharmacy with my arm in a splint, and when I got home with my pain pills I discovered that they had put the blanking things in a childproof bottle. Ever try to open one with a sling on your arm? And of course I was alone at home, even the neighbors were gone (probably a good thing...) I was less than cheerful that night!

Second rant: people that work in service-related fields that have no empathy for people. If you are only in the health-care field because the pay is good, GET A DIFFERENT JOB. When I or my hubby or kids are sick or injured, the last thing I want is a "medical person" who is rude or smarmy or sanctimonious. Last night my hubby had to go to the hospital (I have another name for the one in Coldwater) by ambulance, and the driver wouldn't let me ride with them because in my haste to get to the scene I didn't take the time to find my shoes. (Yes, I go barefoot at home. Sue me). When I (crying for criminey's sake) told him that I didn't have any other way there, his exact words were "That's not MY problem." Then he felt the need to call the police to "talk" to me, because I was so upset. Hey, my husband is having chest pains and you idiots refuse to let him take his Nitro pill, you won't let me go to the hospital and you're talking like he won't live long enough to GET to the hospital; WHY would I be upset????? And to top it off, the cop on duty is the one that tried to get me sent to prison because I told him not to shove my teenage daughter into a brick wall. Sehkmt cleared that little bushwa episode up, but there is no love lost between my family and this fascist creepoid. (His nickname in our house is Officer Cartman; re: SOUTH PARK. Don't get me started on that one...)

Rant the third: People who think that a uniform and gun make them better than civilians. Guess what: you're not. And to think, when I was young and naive I honestly thought we live in a democratic society. Now I see that fascism is as rampant as discrimination, if not more so. I have a very low income right now, I don't own a home, my taste in entertainment is not the most mainstream, my religion is not the same as the President's (Thank you Goddess!!!), my kids are opinionated and not afraid to speak their mind, my mental health is tenuous, but guess what: none of that makes me less "good" of a person. I love my family and friends, I try to help others when I can (and sometimes when I can't), I love to read, and write, I enjoy the beauty in nature, and I never kick a dog or kid. (Although there are times, I must say, that I might want to nudge them just a little...)

Okay, I guess that is enough for this post. I feel my blood pressure starting to elevate; fortunately it is usually in the low range, so I have farther to go before hitting the "danger" status. Will go home later and watch RHPS --again. At least my clone knows how to calm me down when I start to go postal on the planet... put on Dogma or RHPS, do the Time Warp again...

70 Diskettes

Yee godz of Technology, I have as much hard drive backed up as can be done. Took 70 diskettes to do it, still have a few things on there but at this point there is nothing I can't live without! Believe me, after zipping and saving that many files/photos/databases, I should be sick and tired of everything computer. But obviously I'm not or you wouldn't be reading this. (If you are actually reading this, and I'm not just blathering for my own therapy)...

Am uploading everything to my personal backup file on the internet, thanks to Dusty's ingeniousness. Of course every so often I get a floppy disk that worked just fine on my own computer an hour ago, but that just doesn't want to open here at the library.... foo bar.... but will persevere, onward and upward, stiff upper lip, yada yada yada.

Actually, there are probably a few things saved on diskette that I could live without, and I know that I did end up duplicating photos; but at this point I DON'T CARE. Better to have two copies of photos of my babies, than to discover that, OOPS, that one I deleted was the only copy after all. Can never have too many photos, of family, friends, and other miscellaneous memories. Especially after the object of the photo is gone.

OK great, now I am depressing myself again. I spent an hour this morning crying myself to sleep, I hate the thought that I might need new meds because everything else that I have taken has either knocked me out completely, zombified me, or made me more depressed than I was to start with. Don't know if it is the meds not working anymore, or just that there is so much extra stress in my life right now, or both, or that I am just a walking piece of oxygen-waster. To be more accurate, a sleeping/crying/useless oxygen-waster. I miss my Mamaw, my friends that all have moved away or moved on in their lives, I hate my wretched "cousin" that had the balls to off herself, because I don't have the guts or the strength or the plain intelligence to do the same myself, I hate that I haven't contributed anything to the world, that when I die there will be no grave, no headstone with The Perfect Epitaph, nothing to commemorate my life or death. Nothing to show that I was ever on this planet. Geez, life sucks. Poverty sucks. If it weren't for the local library offering free internet access and letting me sign out books, there would be absolutely nothing worth being in this town for. Which reminds me, I need to sign out another Dean Koontz novel, finished Dark Rivers of the Heart last night. I will have to stop reading his books if I can't get through them without crying at the sad parts. Literally bawling. After I finished the Koontz book, I found the copy of Charlene Harris's Dead in Dixie and started reading it. Got to the part where {SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT!! SPOILER ALERT!!!} Sookie's discovers her grandmother's murdered body in the kitchen, and had to put the book up because I couldn't see the print through my tears. Now I am crying about my grandma being gone, and how much I miss her, but I am glad that she isn't here to see what a hopeless mess I have made of my life.

I am in serious need of a Terry Pratchett novel, a new one that I haven't already read.

A is For...

Even though I haven't yet "officially" joined the WordPlay group, here is my first contribution:
A is For...

Alanda -- in Piers Anthony’s Isle of View, Alanda is the Earth Goddess. In Mercedes Lackey’s Wren series, Alanda is the country the story takes place in. But in our home, Alanda is my clone, oldest daughter, channeler of Kali and Poet Laureate.

Aqua -- water, cool, sweet water. Lovely to drink when the heat is in the 90s, even better with ice tea mixed in. Fabulous to swim in, except the local river which is kind of chemical and harbors way too much broken glass and stolen bicycles. Fun to play with the dog, Nakeyta likes to try and catch water from the hose like she is drinking from a fountain, I really need to get her on video one day. Fun to walk in during the rain, at least for Alanda, she dances in the rain even during thunderstorms. Me, I like rain but not the fireworks. And finally, a gorgeous shade of blue. Send yarn or fabric, please. {grin}

Adolesence -- a long word for HELL ON EARTH. Both for those going through it, and those living with those going through it!

Absolute -- there are none in this life, everything has shades of gray. Also a brand of vodka, but I have never tried it so I can’t give an opinion!

Adam -- the first man, according to Biblical history. Also, the oldest son of my friend from high school, who was in the play with my oldest daughter; he has AWESOME hair. My personal favorite definition: what beavers build.

Anthony -- the last name of my favorite sister-in-law, until she got married and became a Philps.

Antidisestablishmentarianism -- who cares about the definition, it is such a fun word to say and spell!

Attic -- the one room I never had in my home, but still want. The spot to hide all the trinkets and treasures, to play “let’s pretend.” The single coolest store in Battle Creek, even better than Barnes & Nobles! Check out Barb’s website here: http://the-enchanted-attic.com.

If Women Ruled the World

A conversation in the drugstore led to today's topic. While commiserating with a total stranger about the hazards of dealing with men, she opined that the world is in the state it is today because women aren't running the world. If we did, and had access to The Red Button, you know that everyone would be much more careful about what they said and did. Because darling, if we are PMSing and that button is within our reach: well, enough said.

This led me to the thought that we should all have Red Buttons in our homes. Guys, if we are heading for that Red Button, get out'da way! A clearcut signal that we have had enough and are ready to snap. And there will be consequences! Yep, that's what we need. Then she had the great idea of bumperstickers for our cars: I'm a woman and I have a Red Button. If only I had a working car to put such a sticker on!

So my next Bright Idea Project is to design, create, and sell Red Buttons for the household. Not the "Easy Button" that Staples stores use in their ads, but a true This is The Button Red Button. I wouldn't really hook it up to a nuclear detenator.... not only because I don't have that kind of technical expertise, lucky for the rest of the world; but also because as a Wiccan, and Quaker descendant, I don't go in for violence (98% of the time, anyway). I can't honestly say that I haven't had times when I wanted to commit Acts of Heinous Violence, especially when it involved someone hurting my kids. But those instances are few and far between.

I Found the Site!

Yay, after probably half an hour of surfing, I found the site that lets you design your own headstone! Or at least, I found *A* website, if there are others I would like to try them out. I made the DH's headstone at http://www.autowitch.org/?q=node/916. Just in time for the library to close for two days... I hate Thursdays, I have no excuse for not doing anything at home. At least when the library is open, I can use the excuse that I had to go to the library before they close!

So now that I have designed George's headstone and my own, Alae had to do some serious editing to get her epitaph to fit in the limited space allowed on this site. But here they are, just for S&G...

Short and Sweet

At one point, I decided that my husband's future epitaph (hopefully very far in the future!) would be "Anyway, as I was saying..." because that is the phrase that I hear the most from him. (He just won't let someone change the subject!!!) He just left the library, and as the door closed I heard him using his other most favorite phrase... It is going to be very special, when I have his headstone carved with "Hey, your shoe's untied!" He gets such a kick out of people checking their shoes, only to realize that they are wearing slip-ons or sandals or something equally untie-able. (Yes, he says it to barefooted people, too; and yes, fifty percent of the time they look!)

Although he can be a PITA sometimes (everybody can claim that title some time or another!) I still love the Old Fart. This isn't the best photo I have of him, but it is the best that I have with me at the moment. There will be other, better ones posted some time. Or check my website, or my albums. I will probably start up an album of his creative work, to go along with my stuff. While I knit, crochet, sew, photograph and quilt; he quilts, and has a wonderful touch with the flower garden. I have some gorgeous photos of his roses, of course they are all at home on disk and not here with me at the library.

Aren't you glad I don't have the Internet at home! I would be writing all the time! And posting pictures! But I have to admit, while I have a few great flower photos, Dusty has a LOT of great flower photos on her blogs! (I tend to download them and use them either as desktop wallpaper, screen savers, or in the Puzzle Master game where I can make my own photos into jigsaws and put together on the computer: which is way more fun than the traditional way because nobody can steal a piece while I'm not looking!) So if you want some awesome garden pix, just go over to the links and check out Dusty's blog!

Eventually I hope to get a photo of the shruggy-shawl that Dusty just sent me. The colors are DIVINE, and if you could only feel how soft it is! I am going to be cuddling with it tonight, while hubby cuddles with his oxygen filtrator thingie. (It isn't actually an oxygen tank, but it filters the air he breathes to provide him more oxygen so he can defeat the vile Sleep Apnea Monster).

OK, I really need to go and finish the other multi-tasks I am trying to do. Oh, one quick update on my List of Projects from Hell: I got most of the knick-knacks off of the windowsills in the kitchen, now I need to find a way to reach the windows without standing on my stove or in my sink so I can give them a good scrubbing. Then wash the yucky greasy sticky off the knick-knacks and find a different spot for them. OMGs, I am going to end up re-arranging my whole frigging kitchen. Put the Marines on stand-by.....

Thoughts From Home

Yes, I am actually writing a post at home to upload later at the library. I know I said previously that I have a hard time doing this, but it gets easier with practice. And this way I can write more than six words before Mrs. K announces "time to get off the computers, ladies!" Deep in my heart I doubt that she would ever use the word "lady" to describe me in real life... which is fine by me, because I seriously doubt that we share a definition of that word! I won't say that I don't consider myself a lady, but I will say that it isn't the first word I would use to describe myself to someone who doesn't know me.

Wow, what a change to go from Dean Koontz to a book by Terry Pratchett, back to Dean Koontz! The literary version of jet lag, or culture shock-- one of the two, if not both! I finally decided to read A Hat Full of Sky: the Further Adventures of Tiffany Aching and the Wee Free Men, after buying it through the bookclub last month. I like the Discworld novels, but thoroughly love the tales of Tiffany and the Nac Mac Feegle! Pratchett not only treats witchcraft with respect, but he gets the whole idea of witchcraft *right*. (If he had been a consultant on The Craft, it would have been a much better movie...) Now I am going to get totally messed up on the reading thing, because I started one by Koontz this morning, and this afternoon a book I had requested at the library came in (already!?!). This one is Labyrinth by Kate Mosse; a story about the Grail where the women have the swords. (How could I resist a blurb like that one!?!) Of course it is a new release so I only get it for two weeks, instead of the standard four weeks. Not usually an issue, when I get "into" a book I have no trouble finishing it fast; I just feel pressured to "only" have two weeks, it makes me feel like I won't be able to finish it in time. (This from a woman that normally reads Harry Potter in one night)... I never said that my brain works logically, people...

Update on Floppy Disk Hell: at this moment, now at 58 disks with a very few more files to back up, and THE FRIGGING HARD DRIVE NO LONGER MAKES A FUNKY NOISE WHEN IT STARTS UP. Which was the whole impetus for backing everything up in the first place.... this hunk of hardware is definitely of the MALE persuasion! No wonder I named it Elvis when it first got set up! Not that I hate men, mind you; I just completely agree with Maxine that "Computers are for women that don't get enough frustration dealing with men." (I adore Maxine! She reminds me of my late grandma: spunky, funny, and always right.) {grin}

Last post I mentioned my "Projects From Hell" list. It now has a total of nine uncompleted items, and I *plan* to not add any projects to it until every item is completed. Or until I think of another thing to do that will make me miserable to do but SO glad to be done. Bear in mind, most of these projects could require years to accomplish... Now, here for your amusement, amazement, and petrification, I reveal to you the terrifying List of Projects From Hell:
1. Clean/organize desk drawer (**ACCOMPLISHED!!** WHOOO HOOOO!!!)
2. Clean desk
3. Clean desk area, return Amelia Earhart's remains to her family...
4. Organize/label photo negatives
5. Inventory crafting magazines to sell
6. Clean & organize file cabinet, keep Marines on stand-by for rescue
7. Clean kitchen windowsills of cute little knick-knacks and dirt
8. Clean & organize basement (forget the Marines, get Vin Diesel on stand-by)
9. Organize crafting supplies
10. Switch kids' rooms between Liam, Alae, and my room

I suppose I could add "clean & organize dressers" to the list, but that would fit better on the "Fantasy Wish List"... right up there with "regain virginity" and "keep the house clean for more than one day with other people still living here with me".

REAL short today

Accomplishments this week: I can cross off one item from my "Projects From Hell" list-- I cleaned out my desk drawer and re-organized it (again). The things I will do to find a stamp!!!

I am still working on the floppy disk hell, am up to 52 or 53 diskettes now.... yee ha. Now the frigging Explorer is acting up on me, won't let me open file folders! I tricked it, though, added Win2000 to it and can open anything I dang well want to.... when I can find it on the two virtual hard drives and two operating systems. Yes, I know: I NEED A NEW COMPUTER but it ain't going to happen this year, sorry to say.

It's time, so got to end. SAID it would be short. More later!!!

TechnoWhining and BOOKS

The techno gods hate me. I am in floppy-disk hell. With all the blank CDs that my friend gave me, I should have had the frigging hard drive all backed up on disk three days ago. But NOOOOO, my external-drive CD-burner appears to only love music; every CD I burned with data instead of music, has not turned out. (Tip of the Day: Bad CDs make neat little "scarecrows" in the garden, simply hang them from a string and watch the wind twist them and the sun reflect... back in the "olden days of yore" the tip was to use broken cassette tapes, string the tape in pieces and the fluttering would scare off the birds and squirrels. So now you all have a use for the tapes and VHS tapes that you just can't seem to get rid of! LOL)

Back to the computer: I have pretty much weeded out the superfluous files, and zipped the rest (which I need to re-zip into smaller files in a few cases). And am now having all SORTS of fun putting everything on floppy disks, AFTER scan-disking each three or four times to get all of the blankety-blanking errors fixed. So far I am up to 29 floppies, with a banana-load of files (mostly JPGs) still to download. Even went through the ones I already did and made a list of what is on each diskette, which I am glad I did because I would have had about six files duplicated if I hadn't gone through and typed up everything. The one good thing about Windows 3.1 was that I could compile a list of files on a disk or drive with one function, instead of having to type it all out. Seems that a handy feature like that would have been maintained in the subsequent versions of Windows! Almost makes me want to delete 98 and install 3.1... yeah, right. Now that I finally got a cd for 2000 upgrade (just in time for Elvis to airplane) I am NOT going to go backwards, TYVM. (*Thank You Very Much)

So, now here I sit at the library, blogging, emailing, and surfing for the lyrics to the CD that Dusty sent me (Anne Hill's Circle Round & Sing) that I am listening to on the headphones right now. I love this CD!!!!! Oh, if the Fundie librarians only knew what I am doing! Contaminating their precious space with PAGAN MUSIC. Shame on me. **NOT!!!* Not like it is possible to get any pagan/Wiccan books from here, Herculean task just to get plain SF/Fantasy... But romance and Christian literature overflows. No prejudice here! (Yet, at the main branch I found a pagan book in the used book sale... and they even have books on witchcraft in the nonfiction AND the reference sections.) Some day, I will be a rich Mofo and will open my own library: the Beulah McRae Memorial Library, in honor of my grandma that originated my love of words. And she was fey, as well... My other fantasy is to own my own used-book store, with my apartment above the shop. Yes, I read Christopher Morley's The Haunted Bookshop and Parnassus on Wheels many years ago! Am trying to replace the copies that were lost over many a move. I found the e-books online and downloaded them, but it isn't the same as the old, musty books themselves....

Oooh, am surfing on some of Dusty's links and like what I see... wish I had the Net at home so I could bookmark pages, but here at the library everything gets deleted at the end of the day. Not that I usually get the same computer every time anyway! OK, I am going to finish up this post with two accomplishments: I did four loads of laundry this weekend, including two unfinished- and needing repair- quilt tops, since I currently use Grandma's Wash Tub to wash all laundry by hand, this is one hell of an accomplishment (thank goddess for Pain Medication, even if it did knock me out for a day afterward!). Secondly, I am past chapter 33 in From the Corner of His Eye by Dean Koontz. And don't forget that I am cleaning my computer (but not the desk) and got one ball of yarn rolled up from a very stubborn tangled skein. And did the dishes! And set up DH's meds for the week, except for his phenobarbital that the quack-- I mean, doctor-- needs to call in a refill for. Geez, all this and PMS, no wonder I am tired!

Going to end now, and check to see if Ruthi is done scanning my photos yet. (The advantage of sharing photos: fifteen or more years later, when you can't find your copies, there is some friend in the world with your pictures that you can borrow and recopy!) (Hey Dusty, still got that photo of me and Dave in front of the Xmas tree? Scan it if you do, I want a copy! I was SKINNY then!) LOL *** Love ya, Sis!!!

Short But Sweet

Had to publish a link to a site about Alan Rickman as Metatron, in the movie Dogma. While he is excellent as Snape in the Harry Potter movies, I will always and forever first think of him as The Voice of God! If you haven't seen Dogma, wow; but if you don't have a strong sense of humor, or you are easily offended by religious "comments" or lots of swearing or naked black men, then I wouldn't recommend it. Favorite line from the movie: pretty much all of them! Favorite charactors: Metatron, Serendipity, Rufus, and Silent Bob. And Loki, even though he is a "bad boy"... "You didn't say God Bless You when I sneezed!"

OK, have about three seconds left online, got here late as usual. Must now go home and clean house.... if I have any more Vault to drink for some energy.... I hate cleaning house, have I mentioned that before???? If only it weren't so useless, but with five people and uncounted spirits residing there, I get done in time to start all over again. Of all the spirits in the world, why can't I find one that washes dishes... and get him/her/it to move into my house!!!

GHOST STORIES--part 1

Alae got a book at the library about Hauntings in Michigan, wanted me to read it too. I still have a few pages to go, but it is going very fast because I have already read it a few years ago. Oops! LOL But it piqued my interest enough to get the other two books on the subject that they had on the shelf. I have been ignoring my beloved Dean Koontz to read these ghost stories!
Then of course, Alae had to do a blog post about some of her supernatural experiences. Ghosties, ghosties everywhere.... I hesitate to share my tales of the Otherside, but since it is still daylight out I might be persuaded...

The very first experience, was not really a ghost story but more of an out-of-body experience. In the house that I grew up in, the basement door was three feet in front of the back entrance door. If you were in a hurry and clumsy (like a young kid...) it was quite possible to barrel through the entrance and go right on through the basement door. When I was younger and less experienced with the paranormal, I insisted that my younger sister had done exactly that: bounced into the basement door and down the steps. My mother maintains that my sister never did any such thing; so of course I had to tell her about how I remembered the event. She gave me a sidewise look when I was done, because without thinking about exactly what I was saying, this is how my recollection went:
"I came in the back door in a big hurry, and tripped against the basement door. It flew open, and the next thing I remember is standing there at the top of the stairs and seeing a young child at the bottom of the steps. I guess I yelled for Grandma, because she came running. The next thing I remember is sitting down at the bottom of the stairs saying "yes, I'm alright" and trying to figure out how I got to the basement when I just came in the back door..."

The entire twenty-plus years that I lived in that house, I was never entirely comfortable in the basement; if I was doing laundry (the washer being in the room immediately at the bottom of the stairs) I would make sure that the doors to every other room were closed, and I would actively avoid looking down the hallway to the extra bathroom. I still can't say exactly what I was feeling, except that I was convinced that if I were to turn around I would see someone--- usually no one in particular, but sometimes I felt that if I turned around I would see my sister's father (this is twelve or more years after he was killed in a car accident when I was six years old). I wasn't ready yet to see the shades, with my eyes anyway; apparently I was seeing them with something else at that time. (I learned later that my sister had seen her father there, so it looks like I was right. There are a lot of ghost stories to tell about Danny, her father!)

But more stories occur about the house. My great-grandfather lived in an apartment next door, and he would come in to our home to use the bathroom or shower. One time, and I was too young to even recall how old I was, he came over very late (I think) to ask my grandma (his daughter) to take him to the hospital, he didn't feel good. I am fuzzy on the details, but it seems that this would be his last trip, he passed away at the hospital. For years after, until her death as far as I know, Grandma would still hear him knocking at the door some nights, calling her name. While I never heard the knocks or the calling, I don't doubt for a second that Grandma did hear them. Being of good Irish stock there was a long string of fey in the family, and Great Grandma Smith was fey as well. All I remember about the funeral for Great Grandpa is that I was scared because I had no idea what was going on, all I knew was that Grandpa was dead and I would never get to see him again (or so I thought, I was just a little tyke). I remember being furious because my aunt wouldn't let me go in with everyone else to the room with the casket, she thought I was "too young" to view Grandpa's body. Have to tell you, this instilled a huge fear of death in me for many years. I didn't understand why I couldn't say goodbye to my gampaw, everyone else was. And I knew it was a very important occassion, this funeral, because my grandma was wearing a dress. That scared me more than any thoughts of seeing a dead body! Anything important enough to get Grandma to wear a dress was important!!!

Partly in response to this first exposure to funerals, when my children were born I had no hesitation in taking them to visitations and funerals at a young age. I got flack from some people, but I really didn't care, because I was not going to let my kids grow up afraid of death and dead bodies. And they aren't.... afraid of spirits, maybe, but not of the bodies. Therein lies a tale or two, as well!

But I digress...

My two favorite stories about the house, though, are the ones about the angel, and Molly McGillicuddy. But since this has turned out to be so long, you have to wait for Ghost Stories - part 2 for those tales!

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!

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!