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The Waking
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I feel my fate in what I cannot fear.
I learn by going where I cannot go.
We think by feeling. What is there to know?
I hear my being dance from ear to ear.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
Of those so close beside me, which are you?
God bless the Ground! I shall walk softly there,
And learn by going where I have to go.
Light takes the Tree, but who can tell us how?
The lowly worm climbs up a winding stair;
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
Great Nature has another thing to do
To you and me; so take the lively air,
And, lovely, learn by going where to go.
This shaking keeps me steady. I should know.
What falls away is always. And is near.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I learn by going where I have to go.
--Theodore Roethke
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Joy's Updates - Straight from the Horse's Mouth.
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Sunday, March 30, 2003
Taxes
Jeff Daiell ~ To steal from one person is theft. To steal from many is taxation.
I've started the scavenger hunt to gather all the paperwork so I can start filling out my income tax forms. I'm one of those people who wishes we had a state income tax if it would lower the sales tax and eliminate it on medicine and food. TN and WA are the two states that have the highest sales tax in the country, which is almost 10%. I think that's right. Tennesseans buy groceries, gas, clothing, and lottery tickets in surrounding states as well as lots of other things. I don't claim to have the answers to all this, but something needs to change. As much as I like to receive checks and have more money, I didn't want my tax "rebate" check or the cuts since the federal budget is now in the trillions of dollars in deficit after that surplus we had when Clinton was President. As Clinton said, they're giving the money to him and other wealthy people who benefit the most from the tax plan. The states don't have as much money to work with either. This war costs more than we can imagine, especially the biggest cost which is human life and destruction of homes. It's going to be a really long time before we (the world "we" and the US) can recover from all of this. I feel so sad all the time about it.
2:07:00 PM
James A. Pike ~ The eleven o'clock hour on Sunday is the most segregated hour in American life.
1:46:00 PM
Thursday, March 27, 2003
Grrr
My mail problems are not solved yet. Still working on it. Male problems are non-existent since so are the males! I was sadly correct when I explained on here about menopause and how women are invisible after a certain point. Men pause, glance, don't see me, and then move on. Now I'm a cliche with cats. It could be worse and has been actually.
You know, this invisible thing has its advantages. When asked which superhuman quality we'd most like to have, some of us did reply that we'd like to be invisible. Be careful what you wish for! At times I feel like a spy who can mingle unnoticed by the masses and gather information. Not much of it I care to hear, but that's beside the point. It might one day come in handy. I use it for my amusement most of the time since I have this idea that people are out there to entertain me. This is why I do not, however, watch reality TV. They know they are being watched. I'm beginning to wonder just how abby-normal this is. I've always been this way and learned about people-watching and making up stories about them from my mother and aunt. Maybe you shouldn't tell anyone.
MOAT
A friend gave me some articles to read about choosing toilets. Thanks very much for them! Wish I'd read these before I got the low-flow toilet from hell that must be the diva drama queen of them all because of all the attention it requires. I really hate it. Low-flow = high maintenance. Now that I'm armed with this new information, I'll try to make a better choice when I replace this one - which is a nicer way of saying it than how I feel - smashing it to porcelain bits and sending them to the EPA. Or perhaps a better use of the MOAB would be to take all those toilets, stack them up, and bomb them to oblivion.
12:03:00 PM
Shamless Self-Promotion
My name is on Dave Barry's blog today under the heading Morale Booster. Unfortunately, even though that applies, he's not referring to me. How I happened to be mentioned was by sending him a link to a site I thought was funny and hoped he'd like, too. The one I sent was something Scary Duck mentioned on his hilarious site. I must give credit to him and the Viking Kittens. I'll bet they are wondering why many extra thousands of people are visiting them today. This causes problems sometimes - something about bandwidth. I noticed that it's taking a long time to open and am a bit concerned. Hope this brings me good karma even though that's not why I did it. I thought Dave might think it was funny. Anything to bring a smile to someone who's made me laugh all these years and who wrote for Steve Martin's Oscar hosting Sunday night. He was a fantastic host. Loved it! The jokes were great, too! I read writing credits and noticed the list of writers and understood why.
ps - This from Scary Duck: Don't worry about Crab Bloke's bandwidth, he gets loads of hits - he does the animations for a music show on channel four using our favourite kitten - nohands.
We Americans don't know this.
10:23:00 AM
Wednesday, March 26, 2003
Mail Problems
I'm not sure which is more frustrating male or mail problems. Well, yes I do. Anyway, until recently I've been able to send mail to anyone from my Comcast address on Microsoft Outlook, but for a while now they aren't going to AOL. I found this out from my cousin and a friend, so some of you on AOL have mail from me you haven't received. It's lost in cyberspace. I still have my AOL account and test it by sending myself mail. I can receive mail from AOL but not send it there from MO. I checked my mail controls and nothing there that should conflict with it. The only settings I've changed are the ones to stop those pop-ups that are so annoying, but that was on the computer, not the mail server. I undid what I changed but still no difference with this mail problem. Here's another odd thing - I can send mail to myself on AOL with Outlook Express. I checked. I used to be able to from Microsoft Outlook. Different versions? What? This is weird. If any of you have any suggestions that can help me with this, please email me. I've worked on this off and on for too long now, and nothing changes. At least I learned that OE works. Argh!!
12:26:00 AM
Saturday, March 22, 2003
Babies
Mother and I went to Bellevue to shop for things for Brendan yesterday. There are such cute things for babies now, and so much has changed. It was fun looking around at them and asking questions. I'm thinking maybe my new job could be at Toys R Us since I'll need a discount. We're having a small family shower for Brian and Melissa tomorrow afternoon. Angela & Andy and Janelle & Butch are hosting it at Angela's and Andy's house in Bellevue. Their friends are giving them a shower tonight, and the women at Melissa's dojo are going to soon. I haven't heard when it's planned.
The weather is sunny and beautiful again but quite a bit cooler. It's as if pear trees, forsythia bushes, and redbuds burst forth overnight. Spring feels so hopeful and new. Having four seasons with changes involved in each illustrates the cycle of nature and life.
9:39:00 AM
Thursday, March 20, 2003
Reason
This is from part of an article by Molly Ivins which I agree with and hope many people read. She's been a favorite of mine for a long time and says things I think, only much better. Here it is:
Maintain kindness at home, pray for peace abroad
By Molly Ivins
Published 2:15 a.m. PST Thursday, March 20, 2003
In the meantime, I have some unsolicited advice for both those who are pro- and anti-war at this point. If you are anti-war, keep in mind that anyone who suggests or urges that you do anything illegal or violent to oppose the war should immediately be regarded as poison. Peaceful civil disobedience is another matter, but I have always maintained that there is a good case to be made for taking out Saddam Hussein. I'm just sorry the administration -- by constantly changing its rationales, making dubious or unprovable claims about nuclear weapons and links to Al Qaeda, and relying on what turned out to be forged evidence in the case of the Niger papers -- has so muddied the water and alienated the rest of the world.
To those super-patriots who are now picking on the Dixie Chicks, I would suggest you curb your enthusiasm. In World War I, "patriots" used to go around kicking dachshunds on the grounds that they were "German dogs." It's the kind of thing that gives patriotism a bad name. Dissent is not unpatriotic, even during wartime. Try not to be as silly as Congress was about renaming French fries.
Even if the war goes well, and we all pray it does, it's going to be the peace from hell. Let's try being a little gentler with one another. If you don't want to drink French wine, instead of pouring it out, why not make some bum really happy?
3:46:00 PM
Harmless Diversion
During this time, we might want to discuss some frivilous things. Something reminded me of what I thought the Iron Curtain looked like when I was a child and before I realized it was a political metaphor. I thought it was a sort of wavy, heavy iron wall that looked like a curtain. I couldn't figure out how they got it there but was sure no one could get into or out of it. I had no idea exactly where it was - just "over there" somewhere around Russia, but I heard so much about it that I thought it was a real structure and couldn't figure out why it was called a curtain. What about you?
Next topic: the Tooth Fairy
2:07:00 PM
Wednesday, March 19, 2003
The Full Monty
If any of you are interested, I've typed and posted a paper I wrote for extra credit in the screenwriting class I took. Warning: it's long. The assignment was to watch The Full Monty which was showing in theaters at the time, write a character analysis of the six main characters, and analyze what they wanted, needed, and their motivation. It's on Around the Bend if you want to read it. Feel free to comment. That blog has no comments or anyone but me on the map. The cheese stands alone. Notice how I'm getting better about not whining and begging for comments? Haloscan restored all of mine. I thanked them.
Brian and I went to see the movie together on my birthday and took notes in the dark (I did - he could probably remember) and wrote our papers. If he wants me to post his paper or anything else he's written, he is welcome. Well, since he has the password and knows how, he could anyway. Guess I hadn't thought about a coup.
9:54:00 PM
Cancer Relay Information
I found out much more about the Cancer Relay last night at the team leader meeting. First of all, it's an overnight event to illustrate that cancer doesn't sleep. It's from 7:00 pm Friday, June 6, until 7:00 am Saturday, June 7, at the DCHS football field. Mark your calendar! It's really going to be a lot of fun. Those of us who are night owls will be able to stay up, so let's all take a big nap before heading out there. Someone from or representing each team is supposed to be walking around the track all the time. The survivors do the first lap and then we take turns. We are supposed to have a theme and decorate our tent accordingly. I already have an idea. Glamour is involved. Can you guess it, Cindy? Speaking of feathers (I was - mentally), some of you will be hearing from me soon asking you to join my team. We'll have the most fun people there. Others will flock to our area just to be near us.
A committee plans on-site activities to take place every hour. We don't know what they are yet, but the ones they do at other places sound fun. The teams compete to raise the most money. There are ways there to get points, and prizes are involved - good ones. The Nashville Relay is at Vanderbilt Stadium Friday night. If any of you are in the area and have a chance, drop by and let me know what they did. I'm not sure if I'll make it there or not but will try. At first I sort of dreaded getting involved in this, but now I'm looking forward to it and know it's going to be lots of fun. We all know it's for a good cause since it raises money for the American Cancer Society.
If you're interested in being a team leader, on my team, or on any team, email or call and let me know. If not, please come to the Relay and take part in it. It's a community event. Come by and say hello and have fun with us. Keep us awake!
12:45:00 PM
Monday, March 17, 2003
Happy St. Patrick's Day
Feast or famine on my blog lately, I just noticed. I actually managed some physical labor today and raked leaves away from the buttercups. Imagine that! In honor of the day, I cleaned and arranged my patio furniture. (Paddy O'Furniture! Get it? Hahahahaha!) My apologies. I was taken over by my evil punster side and got carried away. Sometimes I'm really not as funny as I think I am.
Saturday I went to the Bellevue Public Library to return books on tape (and CD). Books can be returned to any of the branches, which is convenient. I'm so glad Emma told me about being able to get a Nashville library card when we live outside the county. My favorite one is the downtown main library. I might start going there regularly and hanging out. It's becoming clearer to me that I need to be independently wealthy. I didn't plan things well somehow, but it would take less to make me independently wealthy than it would many others. All I need are the simple things - a house with enough room to keep my books and have company, computers, music, TV, central heat and a/c, a dishwasher, and the means to travel fairly often. I have found a niche between the jet set and trailer trash that is comfortable for me. Middle class is where I'm at home. I just need to find a way to manage this without going back to work. My pension isn't enough to support me in the fashion to which I'd like to become accustomed, so I suppose I must find a job soon.
I met my friend Linda at Calypso after the library. We had a good time talking and enjoy the food there.
Yesterday Mother and I went to see Steel Magnolias at the theater on 70W - Patchwork Players. We enjoyed seeing a lot of people we know and the performance, too. They are doing Pirates of Penzance next which sounds as if it will be a different kind of production of it from the usual. I saw it in London at the Palladium. I want to go back and stay a while. (there's that independent wealth fantasy again) My photo album from the trip has the usual tourist photos in it but also a tour of the bathrooms of Europe. I was fascinated by the various styles of showers and tubs but mostly by all the creative ways there are to flush a toilet. (perhaps I need to work in the bath section of Lowe's) It's interesting how the hotels had no washcloths. There were bath towels and hand towels, but no washcloths. Why is this? Don't Europeans use them? Or just not in hotels? I'm taking my own the next time I go there. There aren't many shower curtains either, so I got water in the whole bathroom. This reminds me of something Stephen Fry said when he hosted the BAFTA's. He mentioned something about igloos and then said ig-bathrooms as the Americans call them. I thought that was funny. I wonder if they have those low-flow toilets there that I hate so much. And how did I manage to digress into this topic again? I worry about myself OR could think of it as stream-of-consciousness which brings us back to the Irish and James Joyce. There's often a method to my babbling even though it makes some people dizzy.
So ... how are you doing? Haloscan is messing with the comments again. I checked their site, and they said they would have them restored, but like last time, not all of them have returned. You know how thrilled I am to get them and don't want them deleted.
1:10:00 PM
Thursday, March 13, 2003
Cancer Relay
I'm organizing a team for the Cancer Relay June 6 and 7. We'll need to do things to raise money for cancer research and sit around and walk around the track at the DCHS football field. So if any of you are interested, let's get together and have fun. I'll be calling and emailing some of you and hope we can get together. Let me know if you would like to and can contribute to the festivities.
10:25:00 PM
Quotation
Why of course the people don't want war. Why should some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece? Naturally the common people don't want war neither in Russia, nor in England, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.
- Hermann Goering
(1893-1946) Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe, President of the Reichstag, Prime Minister of Prussia and, as Hitler's designated successor, the second man in the Third Reich.
10:14:00 PM
Music for Peace
Last night Brian, Melissa, and I met at Fido and then went to the Belcourt Theater for a concert to support the Nashville Peace and Justice Center. There were bumper stickers, posters, and literature that reminded me of the 60's. I had a t-shirt with what one of the bumper stickers had on it, "I will be great day when schools have all the money they need, and the Air Force has to have a bake sale to buy a bomber." Something like that.
The music was great! Nashville isn't called Music City for nothing! What many people don't realize is how many different kinds of music besides country are part of the music business here. I have many of Maura O'Connell's CD's and really like her singing. She's Irish and has lived in Nashville for quite a while. It was great seeing her in person and hearing her enthusiastic performance. I haven't seen Gangs of New York yet but understand she's on the soundtrack and possibly in the movie. Hope so.
Bela Fleck and the Flecktones were absolutely amazing. They are Grammy winners and nominees in several categories - jazz, bluegrass, pop, country, spoken word, Christian, composition and world music categories. Bela Fleck can create sounds from a banjo I never knew were possible. Please check out their website, and if your browser will handle the Shockwave version, it's quite entertaining and informative. You can hear their music there, which is such a treat if you aren't familiar with them. The Flecktones comprise Victor Wooten, FutureMan, and Jeff Coffin - all Grammy-winning musicians.
John Prine showed up and confirmed the hints. He sang "Souvenirs" and "The Great Compromise" by himself and "Angel from Montgomery" with Maura O'Connell. Before he sang "Your Flag Decals Won't Get You into Heaven Anymore," he said it was just as appropriate now as it was around 30-odd years ago when he wrote it and then said this was a hell of a way for a folk singer to have a career.
There were many who asked to perform, and there are more concerts planned with advanced ticket sales. Some of these other performers will appear at the next ones. I signed up for a newsletter and will know more later. I do know the next one is scheduled for April 9 at the Belcourt.
Those of you who know me well realize that I can only go so far in one direction before I have to pull back some - must be that Libra balance and my short attention span. I've been called a liberal for a long time which doesn't bother me because I think it's a good thing if it means wanting to eradicate labels and superficial judgment that keep people from living their lives as citizens of the world. Even though some might think I'm an aging hippie, in some ways I could be but not in many of the ways they possibly intend it. I wasn't at Woodstock but was nine months pregnant with Brian then. At the time we didn't know it would be that big a deal and just sort of heard about the planned concert. We did go to the documentary of it at a movie theater and bought the soundtrack album and enjoyed both. If I'd been there, I'd have been complaining about the rain and mud and crowd and no bathrooms and probably would have wanted to go home. I have a low tolerance for being uncomfortable and inconvenienced.
I was against the Vietnam War even though (and also because) my then-husband was riding around with the bomb on a nuclear submarine. I remember feeling that I'd never forgive this country if he died on that submarine. Eventually government leaders agreed that we didn't need to be involved in that war. I didn't actively protest it in marches or demonstrations. I was teaching school, voting, and being a mother. We can be patriotic citizens who love our country and still disagree with our political leaders. The American government started out being revolting. Its first act of violence was committing mass genocide of the American Indians, many of whom live in the same level of poverty as Third World countries right here now in the land of greed and acquisition. Pine Ridge and Rosebud Reservations are two of the most poverty-stricken.
I love my country, the South, my family, and my friends. I can love them and see the faults and problems we all have. We disagree and learn from each other by healthy exchanges. I don't just complain but have tried to help in whatever ways I could and with whatever talent and abilities I can use to make things better. Even though not many people care to have conversations about using a possessive pronoun before a gerund (this led to some funny student questions such as "his 'what' was walking the dog?"), I do hope I taught skills and ways of thinking that transferred to other areas of their lives. It was more fun and invigorating to discuss literature than grammar, and I hope that taught them how to analyze information, support their opinion, and think for themselves.
1:36:00 PM
Wednesday, March 12, 2003
Healing
Healing from a major illness, accident, or other trauma takes a while and isn't that easy. Just when we think we're making progress, something triggers emotions and carries us on another roller coaster ride. I suppose that's progress too. The strangest things make me cry now. It's generally something on television and unexpected. Mostly I feel scared and haven't calmed down from it all. Takes time, I know!
We discussed the Cancer Relay last night at the support group meeting. It will be June 6 & 7. You'll be hearing more about it.
11:02:00 AM
Monday, March 10, 2003
Rutland
Eric Idle's done it again! I saw this on Bill Mahrer's new show on HBO, which I checked out but not sure how much I'll continue to watch. Anyway, the Rutlands site is pretty funny and is as he claims, an award-seeking documentary.
It's really no mystery why my house looks the way it does, is there? Sad to say, but I could be Mrs. Haversham with a computer, TV, phone, and books - loads of books.
1:04:00 PM
Plans
Brian, Melissa, and I are going to this concert Wednesday night at the Belcourt. We're going to eat at Fido's and then go to the concert. I really like Maura O'Connell and look forward to hearing her, Bela Fleck, and the others. Brian said he heard John Prine might make an appearance, too. That would be great!
Tomorrow night is our monthly cancer support group meeting. It's an add-a-dish event. Not being domestic other than being born in this country, I volunteered to bring the plastic and paper products - dishes, utensils, cups, napkins, etc. I try to manage to get on that list even though I could take Kentucky Derby pie or fruit. Sometimes I do that and cut melons and add various fruit to the bowl. I'm a person of extremes - it's either healthfully luscious or deliciously decadent. I'm giddy with spring!
12:54:00 PM
Roxy Theater Movie Line
Because of my generous nature and willingness to be of service (OK got carried away a bit there), I have come to the aid of those of you who are looking for the movie schedule for the Roxy 8 in Dickson. Look here. There is also a phone number to call for information as well. It's 615-441-8788.
Email or leave a comment to express your gratitude! I need the attention. See you at the movies!
11:32:00 AM
Possums Made The List
The search requests have become more interesting. Someone even did a search for my hair. Maybe it's famous. Perhaps they, too, want the Chia pet look. Which one of you typed that one in there? Go on, tell me! Notice how odd some of these combinations are. I think about it and type in really odd combinations now when I'm avoiding useful activities. Anything to fritter away my life, I suppose. I'm considering as a public service providing the phone number for the Roxy Theater's recording of their movie schedule. If I'm in a really generous mood, I might even post it here. Wouldn't that be nice of me? For now, here's a list of the most recent searches.
Yahoo: baja burrito menu, nashville, tn
MSN Search: opossum cartoon characters
Google: "detachable arms and legs" monty python
Google: +lymphoma+mouth
Google: roxy movie theater dickson tn
MSN Search: pictures of horse's having babies
Google: horse mouth pictures
Google: roxy theater dickson tennessee
Google: dickson movie theater the roxy
Yahoo: the roxy movie theater dickson tennessee
Google: "charlie kaufman" bafta "acceptance speech"
Yahoo: horse jobs for teenagers in florida
Google: Saul Zaentz bush bafta
Google: "Roger Ebert" thyroid mouth
Yahoo: nature vs nurture jokes
MSN Search: horse birthing pictures
Yahoo: bafta acceptance speech streep
Yahoo: Joy Durham Hair Etc.
MSN Search: lymphedema and stem cells
Google: roger ebert mouth problems
11:03:00 AM
Sunday, March 09, 2003
SAG
Just watched the SAG Awards. I'd watched Renee Zellweger on Inside the Actor's Studio earlier and then she won Best Actress for Chicago. Clint Eastwood got a Lifetime Achievement Award and said he hoped it didn't mean that he was finished because that wasn't in the plan. I hope not too. The Oscars will be interesting. Chicago won for Best Ensemble Cast. All my life that I've watched the Academy Awards, like many people, I've envisioned myself up there accepting my Oscar and have written my speech in my mind, revising it periodically. I used to think I'd win it for acting but now have changed it to screenwriting. This is one of my favorite fantasies but not one I've spent as much time with as winning the lottery. I've spent that money so many different ways and enjoy thinking about what I'd do with it. One thing that never changes is traveling. It's a good test really to think about it because it leads to wondering why not do some of the things I'd like to do and figuring out ways to accomplish them and why I'm not doing them now.
There was an interesting speech in The Life of David Gale where the Kevin Spacey character is a philosophy professor and discusses fantasies and dreams. I hope I can find the screenplay and read those words. If I do, I'll put them on here so you can see what you think about that observation.
Brian called from Babies R Us to tell me how much fun they were having looking at things there. We're going to shop at consignment shops and yard sales from now on for the baby, too.
I can't believe the time goes by so fast now that I'm not working. Every week all of a sudden it's Thursday!!
11:41:00 PM
Sunny Days
Love this weather! It's sunny and crisp! The buttercups are peeking out of the ground and will probably bloom soon. What a difference the weather makes! I hope we have a long spring, short summer, and long autumn.
I discovered a new blog when I signed on in the Blogs of Note. It's just begun and is a movie review blog. I don't know about the blogger but suspect he's probably a student in his 20's. It's called Sunset Blvd. Do not read about any of the movies unless you've seen them or don't care if he tells the ending. His comments are interesting and offer a different perspective on some of the movies.
11:46:00 AM
Friday, March 07, 2003
Health Metaphor
While I was rearranging things in the cabinet, a can of non-fat chicken broth flew out of my hand and knocked a jar of mayonnaise off the counter onto the floor where it smashed and shattered into messy pieces. The irony of this happening the day after receiving results from the health fair indicating that my triglycerides are high wasn't lost on me.
4:30:00 PM
War
If it happens, this will be an entirely different war in ways that we haven't experienced before. For one thing, we'll probably see it fought in real time on CNN. Then there are countless blogs that detail events of daily life and opinions from people all over the world. Ariel mentioned two of them on her blog that are interesting. One of the bloggers is from Iraq and writes about life there. Another interesting one is by an indie journalist who went back to Iraq to write about what he sees happening there. There are quite a few links on their blogs that I checked out and found informative but haven't read much yet. There are some links I want to check into that I found on those blogs.
War correspondent Chris Hedges was on Bill Moyers NOW tonight and said so many things about the horrors of war and how it is about betrayal of the young by the old and the military by the politicians. I really hope this doesn't have to happen. I'm reminded of a poster from the 60's that said, "War is good for the economy. Invest your son." Now that women serve, we could say, "Invest your son, daughter, wife, husband, mother, father, brother, sister ...." It's too horrifying to think about not only the loss of life but what war does to people emotionally and spiritually.
3:39:00 PM
Yuck
There's a commercial that shows a couple driving a car with someone we later learn are their PARENTS in the back seat making out. It's so irritating that I don't even care what they are advertising. Tell me, are there many things more annoying than the sound of other people kissing? All that smacking and slurping grossed me out in that commercial. The whole thing is inappropriate and creepy. Not as much though as that commercial with little kids, yes young children around seven or so, sharing a sandwich while Marvin Gaye sang "Let's Get It On" in the background. Now that was just wrong!
1:49:00 AM
Wednesday, March 05, 2003
This 'n That
Here are the last 20 searches according to what they typed to get here:
Saul Zaentz speech BAFTA (6)
Roxy Theater Dickson Tennessee (4)
HORSE WITH ITS MOUTH OPEN (1)
"Joe Millionaire update" (1)
From schoolteacher to corporate trainer (1)
horse picture inside of mouth (1)
end stages of non - hodgkins lymphoma (1)
knuckle replacement surgery pictures, before and after (1)
Lamaze (1)
"I want to spank" Spike Meryl Bafta (1)
horse (1)
harvey fierstein grammys pictures (1)
Why does one have knuckle replacement surgery? Arthritis? Accidents? What? Some interesting entries and some regular ones.
9:43:00 PM
B's
Butch got home today and is feeling pretty good considering everything. He has to start over with his rehab and be off work a while.
I noticed Brian had several of the John Lennon Collection baby things on the registry. I bought a couple of those outfits, blanket, and bib a few years ago in preparation. They are really cute and have John's drawings of whimsical animals and are in pretty colors. (and goodness knows, Yoko needs the money so I try to help out) Mostly I'd bought books for the Grandchild Hope Chest, and then when Kathy found me, I starting adding some books and games for specific grandchildren. I have three grandchildren, but as Kathy said when I told her Melissa was pregnant, "Oh good! Now you'll have a grandchild you can be in on from the beginning!" She has such a good attitude.
Brian liked The Beatles from an early age since I had so many of their albums, and he played them often. He grew up on an eclectic mix of music from folk, rock, blues, bluegrass, country, and other popular music. Unlike Melissa, he wasn't exposed to classical music, Gilbert & Sullivan, and many others since her father was a university music professor and symphony concert master. Brendan has a chance of being musically talented if he gets the right genes. I think he might have red or reddish-blonde hair. This is so exciting!
1:44:00 PM
Tuesday, March 04, 2003
Third Time's the Charm
Butch had to have another procedure today at Centennial Hospital. He had a blockage again in one of the vessels in the lower part of his heart that was 99.9% blocked. He was in Horizon last night and had an agioplasty, but I didn't know it until Mother called and told me this morning. Dr. Blazer decided to send him on for this since all the vessels leading to his heart and his heart are in good shape. He's had no heart damage. Dr. Webber said it was a stubborn blockage, and he put in another stent that's a little different from the others. He said that open-heart surgery isn't recommended for one vessel. We saw Butch before and after the procedure, and he was sore but doing well. I told him we need to give Mother and Janelle a break. He said we were going to get better this time. Sounds good to me!
7:50:00 PM
Map
Please put yourself on my guest map. Helpful instructions are four posts down under Map Assistance. Thank you!
12:25:00 AM
Monday, March 03, 2003
Baby Info
Brian and Melissa are making a Wish List on Amazon for the baby. Some of you asked me what they needed, so this will help. The Brendan's Baby Registry items can also be found at Babies R Us and Toys R Us retail stores. If some of you have suggestions about things they might need that have been really helpful or haven't worked well for you, please let us know. Thanks!
I went with them to their last Lamaze class and got to see the birthing room. This is really exciting! It won't be long now. Melissa is 34 weeks along and doing really well. Things are so much better now than they used to be. Grandchildren - wow!!
11:58:00 PM
The Sun Came Out Tomorrow!
Finally!! At last!! The sun is shining! We've all been nuts because we had 17 straight days of no sunshine. Not that January and the beginning of February were much better. There were occasional but weak bits of sunshine through the rain, gray skies, snow, rain, cloudy days, snow, rain, bleakness, more rain, and dismal dreariness. My cousin Sally and I went to see The Life of David Gale Saturday and cringed during the rainy parts and rejoiced when it was clear. If we'd seen Angela's Ashes, we'd have gone over the edge for sure. This miracle of nature is supposed to last all week, so perhaps our spirits will lift and our energy will return. It's been so blah that it's made me rethink wanting to live in the UK but not wanting to visit there and have a British man of my own. Maybe the Brits don't miss what they haven't had - sunshine and blue skies, among other things. When I was there during the summer of 1990 it was sunny and not too hot, though.
That's one of the reasons I really like Arizona. I've discovered that the secret of happiness is low humidity. I'd like to live there in central AZ since it's 15-20 degrees cooler in the summer than it is here and has low humidity. It's just too hot in the southern part. As my cousin Emily said, the air feels like a blow dryer. Maybe I can work things out and live in different places during the year. Sometimes I have had the fantasy of roaming about in an RV and living in various places for a while. I could get jobs there, meet people, and move on somewhere else like the Lone Ranger. I already have a silver car but need a Tonto. Well, now I'm just getting silly. Must be the sunshine!
Sally and I liked The Life of David Gale despite all the rain in it. Mostly we like it because Kevin Spacey is in it, and he's such a good actor no matter what he's in. It was suspenseful, and we didn't anticipate the ending. It wasn't one of the best movies I've seen but entertained me. I like it when I get involved in the story of a novel or movie instead of noticing how they wrote it. When a movie is really engrossing, I like to watch it again to see how it was structured. In The Bedroom was that way and hit all its marks. The acting (Sissy Spacek, Tom Wilkinson, Marisa Tomei) was wonderful in it, too. Tom Wilkinson, who was also in The Full Monty, is in a new movie that won an award at Sundance and will be on HBO - NORMAL with Jessica Lange - which should be good. They are both incredible.
12:15:00 PM
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