ah -- found it.
remember my post about the russian who was recently poisoned, and the other strange poisoning i dimly recalled? here are some details:
Ricin has achieved a certain amount of notoriety in the past 30 years, due in large part to its use in the suspected 1978 KGB assassination of Bulgarian defector and BBC World Service commentator, Georgi Markov, in London. In a fashion more befitting a Hollywood spy movie, a poison pellet containing an estimated 0.28 milligrams of ricin was stabbed into his thigh with the tip of an umbrella. Three days later he died of cardiac failure, having been afflicted with a host of other ailments. Although no ricin was found, it was suspected by the doctor, who recreated the scenario, injecting a laboratory pig, which later died, in a similar fashion, and with similar symptoms. (http://www.cdi.org/terrorism/ricin-factsheet.cfm)
there is additional information here.
the deadly ricin is made from caster beans and should be avoided, although they're looking into it as a cancer treatment.
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
vignette
“He’s back! He’s back!” The prisoners picked up on the commotion and strained earnestly to hear what was happening. Their world was small, consisting of a group of cells, one per family. It was easy to pass along information as vents along the top prevented any amount of privacy.
“What’s going on? Tell us!” The air was tense with expectation as the news flew toward them. “He’s back! The Master is back! We’re saved, thanks above, we’re saved!”
Families crowded together, the old ones holding their hands fervently while the young darted about gleefully.
“Quiet! Quiet!” shouted someone. “If we’re quiet we can tell what’s happening. Remember -- we need to be prepared when he wins!” And there was no doubt he would win. Whenever the Master appeared and The Game was played, he always won and people were freed. Occasionally, though, he lost, and that was a fearful time as the Guardian executed as many as he could get ahold of.
“Be prepared!” The words were taken up by everyone as they struggled to contain their hope. Even the young knew the serious time was upon them as they stopped to concentrate.
“Two to three. Deal. Eight to nine, then seven. King to space. Deal. Six to seven. Queen to King. Deal...” No one spoke as the play began. “Four to five. Three to four. Ace!” The play went on through the silence. Until finally, “Eight, Jack, four ... eight, Jack, four.” Everyone gasped and ducked their heads. The Guardian laughed evilly and shouted, “Bring the prisoners for execution!” A group of tall ones went, their heads held high as they walked proudly to their deaths.
“Again!” shouted the Guardian gleefully, rubbing fat hands together. It started once more as everyone held their breaths. “Nine to ten, Jack to Queen, two to three, Ace! Deal. Two to Ace!” The tension increased as the play continued, until once again, “Seven, two, six ... seven, two, six.”
“What? Oh, no! What’s wrong with the Master?” Worried faces, wringing hands, and soft moans expressed the common disaster as they felt another group being led away. “What are we going to do? What can we do?” There was no encouraging answer as they listened to the Guardian laughing darkly.
Again, play resumed. “Seven to eight, two to three, Jack to Queen. Deal. Six to seven. Deal. Three to four, King to space. Deal. Ace! Deal. Ace! Deal...” Things moved along swiftly this time, until finally “... Queen ... Queen ... King ... King ... King ... King!”
The place exploded as shouts of joy went up and everyone grabbed the little ones as the doors clanked open. They exited in droves, hurrying toward the primary marker so as not to be left inside. “I love it when the Master wins!” “Praise be to the Master!” “I knew he would do it!” The comments flowed with them as they made their way to freedom.
And in a different place a mother gently said, “Come on, honey. Time for bed.”
“Okay, mommy.” The little girl with the soft brown curls shut down the computer and, with Teddy Bear in her lap, turned her wheelchair toward her bedroom. “I love playing solitaire, mommy. When I win it makes me feel good.”
“What’s going on? Tell us!” The air was tense with expectation as the news flew toward them. “He’s back! The Master is back! We’re saved, thanks above, we’re saved!”
Families crowded together, the old ones holding their hands fervently while the young darted about gleefully.
“Quiet! Quiet!” shouted someone. “If we’re quiet we can tell what’s happening. Remember -- we need to be prepared when he wins!” And there was no doubt he would win. Whenever the Master appeared and The Game was played, he always won and people were freed. Occasionally, though, he lost, and that was a fearful time as the Guardian executed as many as he could get ahold of.
“Be prepared!” The words were taken up by everyone as they struggled to contain their hope. Even the young knew the serious time was upon them as they stopped to concentrate.
“Two to three. Deal. Eight to nine, then seven. King to space. Deal. Six to seven. Queen to King. Deal...” No one spoke as the play began. “Four to five. Three to four. Ace!” The play went on through the silence. Until finally, “Eight, Jack, four ... eight, Jack, four.” Everyone gasped and ducked their heads. The Guardian laughed evilly and shouted, “Bring the prisoners for execution!” A group of tall ones went, their heads held high as they walked proudly to their deaths.
“Again!” shouted the Guardian gleefully, rubbing fat hands together. It started once more as everyone held their breaths. “Nine to ten, Jack to Queen, two to three, Ace! Deal. Two to Ace!” The tension increased as the play continued, until once again, “Seven, two, six ... seven, two, six.”
“What? Oh, no! What’s wrong with the Master?” Worried faces, wringing hands, and soft moans expressed the common disaster as they felt another group being led away. “What are we going to do? What can we do?” There was no encouraging answer as they listened to the Guardian laughing darkly.
Again, play resumed. “Seven to eight, two to three, Jack to Queen. Deal. Six to seven. Deal. Three to four, King to space. Deal. Ace! Deal. Ace! Deal...” Things moved along swiftly this time, until finally “... Queen ... Queen ... King ... King ... King ... King!”
The place exploded as shouts of joy went up and everyone grabbed the little ones as the doors clanked open. They exited in droves, hurrying toward the primary marker so as not to be left inside. “I love it when the Master wins!” “Praise be to the Master!” “I knew he would do it!” The comments flowed with them as they made their way to freedom.
And in a different place a mother gently said, “Come on, honey. Time for bed.”
“Okay, mommy.” The little girl with the soft brown curls shut down the computer and, with Teddy Bear in her lap, turned her wheelchair toward her bedroom. “I love playing solitaire, mommy. When I win it makes me feel good.”
we'll see, i guess
remember that job i applied for back in july? the one with the border patrol? well... i got it! hmmm, sort of...
i received an e-mail this afternoon at 1:30 pst which said they were offering me the job if i accepted before closing of today's business day! uhhh, what?
first off, this is the first indication i've had that i was on the short list for the position.
then ... the e-mail came from minneapolis so, uhhh ... closing as to which time zone: cst or pst? isn't it a little strange they would offer me the job with a nebulous either 90 minute or 230 minute deadline?
and then, by e-mail?
and ... they were offering me the job without even interviewing me? without once even talking to me?
i know it's been awhile since i worked for the feds and it's been a couple of years since i worked at all, but still ...
so i busily sent a return e-mail accepting their offer, saying i was happily awaiting my reporting date, and letting them know i had prior commitments for next week. an hour later i received another e-mail which stated they had to do the background check before i could report in and that it would probably take at least 3 months.
hmmm. i suppose it must have been like a 'bid' situation rather than an application, but it still feels like a strange way to do business. not that i'm not happy -- heavens, i'm delighted. just a little mystified.
i received an e-mail this afternoon at 1:30 pst which said they were offering me the job if i accepted before closing of today's business day! uhhh, what?
first off, this is the first indication i've had that i was on the short list for the position.
then ... the e-mail came from minneapolis so, uhhh ... closing as to which time zone: cst or pst? isn't it a little strange they would offer me the job with a nebulous either 90 minute or 230 minute deadline?
and then, by e-mail?
and ... they were offering me the job without even interviewing me? without once even talking to me?
i know it's been awhile since i worked for the feds and it's been a couple of years since i worked at all, but still ...
so i busily sent a return e-mail accepting their offer, saying i was happily awaiting my reporting date, and letting them know i had prior commitments for next week. an hour later i received another e-mail which stated they had to do the background check before i could report in and that it would probably take at least 3 months.
hmmm. i suppose it must have been like a 'bid' situation rather than an application, but it still feels like a strange way to do business. not that i'm not happy -- heavens, i'm delighted. just a little mystified.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
vignette
The old man sat on his front porch with his eyes closed, a blanket across his lap, the sunshine in his face. He rocked slowly so I knew he wasn’t asleep. “Uhh, excuse me, Mr. Parker?” He slowly opened his eyes and smiled at me.
“Hello, Miss Trixie. How are you this fine day?” His smile was always the nicest smile I ever saw on anyone so old.
“I’m fine, Mr. Parker. Can I ask you a question?”
“Of course you can. I was just enjoying the sunshine and this beautiful day, so I’ve got all the time in the world. What can I help you with?”
Well,” I said nervously, “I wondered if you could use your special talent and see if I’m going to get to go to college.”
“Well, now,” said Mr. Parker. “What’s this about college? Do you want to go to college instead of marrying and settling down here in Woodston? I thought you were sweet on Joey.”
“Oh, it’s a mess,” I sighed. “Joey wants me to stay here so we can get married. He wants to work with his dad down at the garage. But, Mr. Parker, I don’t want to do that. I mean, I really like Joey, but I want to go to college and learn more stuff and see more things. I just can’t stay here with Joey -- it’d drive me out of my mind.” I couldn’t help playing with my rings as I worried about my future.
“Trixie,” he said softly, “Trixie, Trixie. You always have been smarter than the average girl. It doesn’t surprise me a bit that you want to go farther and do more than most of the kids here in Woodston -- this town’s too small for you. What is it you think you want to do?”
“Well, I can cook and sew and all that, but what I'd really like to do is help animals. I think I want to be a veterinarian. I mean, that’s a pretty big thing to wish for, but I think I could do it. I’ve even looked at the schools and there’s one not too far on the other side of Daw City that I could go to.”
He reached out for my hand, then held it in both of his. “Look into my eyes,” he said simply as his grey ones looked into my brown ones. It was so quiet, as if all of nature was waiting for his remarks.
“Miss Trixie,” he said after a bit, as he gently let go of my hand, “you are destined for great things. Let your gentleman friend down as tenderly as you can, as we strive to do no harm to others. He has a big heart but can’t see as far as you can. Some people in town will be against your plan, but hold true to yourself. You have a gift inside you, but you must leave here before it can become yours.”
A huge smile spread across my face as I felt a lightness I’d never felt before. “Thank you, Mr. Parker. You’ve made me so happy. I don’t think I could have stood it if you’d said I was supposed to stay here. I better go now.” I turned and went down his steps, stopping to say “Thanks again” before going out his gate. I took a deep breath, then skipped down the lane and grinned ‘til I thought my face would break. At the corner I turned to wave good-bye, but he must have gone inside. The chair was empty and porch was quiet.
“Hello, Miss Trixie. How are you this fine day?” His smile was always the nicest smile I ever saw on anyone so old.
“I’m fine, Mr. Parker. Can I ask you a question?”
“Of course you can. I was just enjoying the sunshine and this beautiful day, so I’ve got all the time in the world. What can I help you with?”
Well,” I said nervously, “I wondered if you could use your special talent and see if I’m going to get to go to college.”
“Well, now,” said Mr. Parker. “What’s this about college? Do you want to go to college instead of marrying and settling down here in Woodston? I thought you were sweet on Joey.”
“Oh, it’s a mess,” I sighed. “Joey wants me to stay here so we can get married. He wants to work with his dad down at the garage. But, Mr. Parker, I don’t want to do that. I mean, I really like Joey, but I want to go to college and learn more stuff and see more things. I just can’t stay here with Joey -- it’d drive me out of my mind.” I couldn’t help playing with my rings as I worried about my future.
“Trixie,” he said softly, “Trixie, Trixie. You always have been smarter than the average girl. It doesn’t surprise me a bit that you want to go farther and do more than most of the kids here in Woodston -- this town’s too small for you. What is it you think you want to do?”
“Well, I can cook and sew and all that, but what I'd really like to do is help animals. I think I want to be a veterinarian. I mean, that’s a pretty big thing to wish for, but I think I could do it. I’ve even looked at the schools and there’s one not too far on the other side of Daw City that I could go to.”
He reached out for my hand, then held it in both of his. “Look into my eyes,” he said simply as his grey ones looked into my brown ones. It was so quiet, as if all of nature was waiting for his remarks.
“Miss Trixie,” he said after a bit, as he gently let go of my hand, “you are destined for great things. Let your gentleman friend down as tenderly as you can, as we strive to do no harm to others. He has a big heart but can’t see as far as you can. Some people in town will be against your plan, but hold true to yourself. You have a gift inside you, but you must leave here before it can become yours.”
A huge smile spread across my face as I felt a lightness I’d never felt before. “Thank you, Mr. Parker. You’ve made me so happy. I don’t think I could have stood it if you’d said I was supposed to stay here. I better go now.” I turned and went down his steps, stopping to say “Thanks again” before going out his gate. I took a deep breath, then skipped down the lane and grinned ‘til I thought my face would break. At the corner I turned to wave good-bye, but he must have gone inside. The chair was empty and porch was quiet.
in the last couple of weeks...
i read the amber series again. i want more...can't have more...why not...he's dead.
we watched 'nothing to lose' (1997) -- hahaha; 'presumed innocent' (1990) -- good one; and 'click' (2006) -- haha, if you like a.s.
in the next couple of weeks we're scheduled for 'computer animation marvels', 'inside man', 'firewall', 'the lake house', and 'sneakers'.
life's too short...
we watched 'nothing to lose' (1997) -- hahaha; 'presumed innocent' (1990) -- good one; and 'click' (2006) -- haha, if you like a.s.
in the next couple of weeks we're scheduled for 'computer animation marvels', 'inside man', 'firewall', 'the lake house', and 'sneakers'.
life's too short...
Monday, November 27, 2006
a quick note
husband's oldest son, J, and his wife of almost eight months, A, are heading off to argentina wednesday. they will have a two-week trip to buenos aires, hoping to effectively combine business and pleasure.
she was a lawyer there, before they got married, and needs to tie up loose ends in that arena. she also needs to attend to some details regarding her late father's estate. we met him at the wedding and really enjoyed him -- he always had a smile on his face. he didn't speak any english, but it was fun to have him be there and participate. he gave every indication of being in the peak of health and it wasn't until after he had returned home to buenos aires that he was diagnosed with cancer. it took him quickly and we were really shocked when he died a little over a month ago. very sad for all.
J will get to meet A's friends and family, and visit all her old haunts. i hope two weeks is enough for them to accomplish everything. godspeed.
she was a lawyer there, before they got married, and needs to tie up loose ends in that arena. she also needs to attend to some details regarding her late father's estate. we met him at the wedding and really enjoyed him -- he always had a smile on his face. he didn't speak any english, but it was fun to have him be there and participate. he gave every indication of being in the peak of health and it wasn't until after he had returned home to buenos aires that he was diagnosed with cancer. it took him quickly and we were really shocked when he died a little over a month ago. very sad for all.
J will get to meet A's friends and family, and visit all her old haunts. i hope two weeks is enough for them to accomplish everything. godspeed.
thanksgiving
we had a really nice thanksgiving down at My Older Son's new house. he and his wife had lots of yummy food and good cheer, and it was great to visit with her parents once again.
here is the hapless bird -- before...
and here he is after...
here is the lovely hostess...
and here is the comic relief!
it was such a good get-together and we look forward to a reunion again next time!
here is the hapless bird -- before...
and here he is after...
here is the lovely hostess...
and here is the comic relief!
it was such a good get-together and we look forward to a reunion again next time!
it doesn't look that bad
a snowplow came down our street a little while ago (midnight), but after 15 minutes i realized i hadn't heard him plow the other side of the street. i looked out the window and it appeared that the plow was stuck (down in the northwest cul-de-sac) rocking back and forth, moving only about 6 inches either way. (his lights are just visible, far right side of center.)
after another ten minutes he rumbled hurriedly back, plowing the opposite side of the street, then turned the corner and headed back downtown.
the southwest and south cul-de-sacs remain unplowed.
after another ten minutes he rumbled hurriedly back, plowing the opposite side of the street, then turned the corner and headed back downtown.
the southwest and south cul-de-sacs remain unplowed.
Sunday, November 26, 2006
3 hours later
update
when it stopped snowing last night, it looked like it was soft and was just going to melt. but this morning it is snowing again and husband says it's supposed to be below freezing for the next week. you'd never know there's a harbour beyond the little evergreen in the middle of the picture, and there's a hillside full of trees beyond the harbour.
but "come on snow" say i ..... we have yummy soup to keep us content!
but "come on snow" say i ..... we have yummy soup to keep us content!
Saturday, November 25, 2006
Friday, November 24, 2006
keep your card in sight/close
the husband just told me about a fraud called skimming. example: you have eaten at a lovely restaurant, a bouncy waitperson takes your card away from the table to run it through their machine, they then surreptitiously run the card through a skimmer, you sign the printed receipt not realizing that your bank account is being emptied out (debit card) or purchases are being run up worldwide (credit card) and before you even get out of the restaurant, you are flat broke or monstrously in debt.
we don't have debit cards (we're mega turbulent-1960's bred/distrustful persons) and continue to be glad we don't. there always seems to be some worry about debit danger. as for unscrupulous credit card deals, even though you probably are limited to $50 liability your credit rating will suffer big-time until everything gets straightened out.
the skimming problem seems to be especially wide-spread in europe, so kt -- as per your trip to italy .... this site has some good info about using three types of money (e.g., "Keep your cash, cheques and credit cards in separate pockets, so if you lose one you don’t lose all.") that i would suggest you peruse, and if you think you may actually have some time to play and plan to spend some money, i wonder if it would be better to get some euros before you leave, or to use your credit card (but not let it out of your sight), or change your dollars to euros at a bank once you get there. maybe you could talk with adam and see what he suggests.
tip: one euro = 1.3028 u.s. dollars.
we don't have debit cards (we're mega turbulent-1960's bred/distrustful persons) and continue to be glad we don't. there always seems to be some worry about debit danger. as for unscrupulous credit card deals, even though you probably are limited to $50 liability your credit rating will suffer big-time until everything gets straightened out.
the skimming problem seems to be especially wide-spread in europe, so kt -- as per your trip to italy .... this site has some good info about using three types of money (e.g., "Keep your cash, cheques and credit cards in separate pockets, so if you lose one you don’t lose all.") that i would suggest you peruse, and if you think you may actually have some time to play and plan to spend some money, i wonder if it would be better to get some euros before you leave, or to use your credit card (but not let it out of your sight), or change your dollars to euros at a bank once you get there. maybe you could talk with adam and see what he suggests.
tip: one euro = 1.3028 u.s. dollars.
taking advantage of idealism
religion seems to be one of the best places for evil to survive.
we watched the da vinci code last night. i was appalled and disgusted by the self-flagellation practiced by 'the bad guy' and thought maybe i'd spend just a few minutes looking up about opus dei.
this site told a bit of the history and confirmed that the self-mutilation is part of their beliefs. reading about the organization (and levels one can advance through) reminded me a bit of the moonies which were so visual back in the 70's. this site presented opus dei information in a little different way.
i guess my thought is that if an organization needs secrecy, deprivation, strictures, etc. to keep people in line and faithful, it probably isn't a good thing and nothing i'd want to be a part of. maybe i've overlooked a good one with those practices though -- if you think of one, tell me.
p.s. moonies are the unification church which is not to be confused with the unitarian church or the unity church.
we watched the da vinci code last night. i was appalled and disgusted by the self-flagellation practiced by 'the bad guy' and thought maybe i'd spend just a few minutes looking up about opus dei.
this site told a bit of the history and confirmed that the self-mutilation is part of their beliefs. reading about the organization (and levels one can advance through) reminded me a bit of the moonies which were so visual back in the 70's. this site presented opus dei information in a little different way.
i guess my thought is that if an organization needs secrecy, deprivation, strictures, etc. to keep people in line and faithful, it probably isn't a good thing and nothing i'd want to be a part of. maybe i've overlooked a good one with those practices though -- if you think of one, tell me.
p.s. moonies are the unification church which is not to be confused with the unitarian church or the unity church.
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
brane theory
the public speaks
both o.j. simpson's interview and book have been cancelled by the fox network. the only downside that i can see is that the goldman family which won their civil suit against simpson, still won't be able get any money from simpson -- he's as slithery as he is slimy. kudos to the public for talking to the network in a way that they heard. and shame on j. regan for trying to make that buck.
smiles
"The best eraser in the world is a good night's sleep." -Orlando A. Battista
"A professor is one who talks in someone else's sleep." -W. H. Auden
"Did you sleep well? No, I made a couple of mistakes." -Steven Wright
"A professor is one who talks in someone else's sleep." -W. H. Auden
"Did you sleep well? No, I made a couple of mistakes." -Steven Wright
secrets within secrets
this brings back memories of the cold war days -- part of the article follows:
LONDON - A former Russian spy and fierce critic of the Kremlin who is fighting for his life in a London hospital may have been given a radioactive poison, a doctor said Tuesday.
Litvinenko was under armed guard at the London hospital, the victim of what his friends and fellow dissidents called an assassination attempt by the Russian government.
Litvinenko joined the KGB counterintelligence forces in 1988, and rose to the rank of colonel in the FSB. He began specializing in terrorism and organized crime in 1991, and was transferred to the FSB’s most secretive department on criminal organizations in 1997.
Litvinenko quit Russia for Britain six years ago and has been an outspoken critic of the Kremlin ever since.
just the stuff of a movie, right? i still remember a man who had worked in the intelligence community who was standing with a crowd of people waiting for the light at a busy intersection, felt a slight prick on his leg, became sick later in the day, and died three days later (memory may have altered details slightly). autopsy authorities speculated he'd been injected with poison which had been placed on the tip of an umbrella.
pshaw, you say? ha, say i! there's always stuff that takes place which, if you put it in a movie, everyone would say was ridiculous and couldn't really happen. sometimes paranoia is justified.
LONDON - A former Russian spy and fierce critic of the Kremlin who is fighting for his life in a London hospital may have been given a radioactive poison, a doctor said Tuesday.
Litvinenko was under armed guard at the London hospital, the victim of what his friends and fellow dissidents called an assassination attempt by the Russian government.
Litvinenko joined the KGB counterintelligence forces in 1988, and rose to the rank of colonel in the FSB. He began specializing in terrorism and organized crime in 1991, and was transferred to the FSB’s most secretive department on criminal organizations in 1997.
Litvinenko quit Russia for Britain six years ago and has been an outspoken critic of the Kremlin ever since.
just the stuff of a movie, right? i still remember a man who had worked in the intelligence community who was standing with a crowd of people waiting for the light at a busy intersection, felt a slight prick on his leg, became sick later in the day, and died three days later (memory may have altered details slightly). autopsy authorities speculated he'd been injected with poison which had been placed on the tip of an umbrella.
pshaw, you say? ha, say i! there's always stuff that takes place which, if you put it in a movie, everyone would say was ridiculous and couldn't really happen. sometimes paranoia is justified.
Sunday, November 19, 2006
no formal training
i've been cutting my hair for about eleven years -- it usually ends up looking okay and every once-in-a-while it looks good. it's been looking pretty scraggly the last couple of days so yesterday i cut it, hoping to refine my latest style.
ohmygod. it looks terrible. and i'm not exaggerating. it's really bad. i am very tempted to give myself a buzz and start over clean. even the husband casually asked if i still had any of my 1970's wigs around.
ultimately it's no biggee, 'cause it'll grow out, but thursday we've got to go visiting for thanksgiving -- son and daughter-in-law are having the first big get-together in their new house! i'd just feel better about it if my hair didn't look so awful. i can hear you saying "well it won't be so bad since you won't have to look at it." yes, but...
what's that you say now? have i had barber skills training? well, no -- i spent my time getting a bachelor's and being an air traffic controller. you mean you're supposed to have training?
ohmygod. it looks terrible. and i'm not exaggerating. it's really bad. i am very tempted to give myself a buzz and start over clean. even the husband casually asked if i still had any of my 1970's wigs around.
ultimately it's no biggee, 'cause it'll grow out, but thursday we've got to go visiting for thanksgiving -- son and daughter-in-law are having the first big get-together in their new house! i'd just feel better about it if my hair didn't look so awful. i can hear you saying "well it won't be so bad since you won't have to look at it." yes, but...
what's that you say now? have i had barber skills training? well, no -- i spent my time getting a bachelor's and being an air traffic controller. you mean you're supposed to have training?
Saturday, November 18, 2006
dream 1
It was a dress rehearsal. I wore a soft buttery-yellow, floor-length dress with a ruffled v-neck and fitted waist. We had gone next door to the auditorium and were rushing around getting to the right area. I sat with my group and said my part, “This is a long bobbin upon which you can hold the rings for your curtains.” I suddenly realized we were ‘going on’ in a number of minutes and I didn’t have my change of clothes -- they were next door in my school room -- I needed to run and get them immediately.
I left the group, exited the building, and hurried to the school. All the doors were locked except the far ones and as I went into the hallway, I saw poster after poster lining the passage with students industriously working on yet more. Why were they doing this since the performance would be starting soon? No one would see the posters, would they? I quickly went down the hall to my area, burst through a doorway blocked by yet another poster, frowned my apologies, and headed for my things.
I realized I was wearing the wrong earrings, switched them, stashed the right ones in my pocket, realized i had on the wrong shoes, corrected that, grabbed the right ones and my black evening gown, and headed back to the auditorium.
I rejoined my group and it occurred to me that I had missed so much instruction I wouldn’t know when to say my lines. A woman seated at a table spoke with me briefly about it saying, sotto voce, that a spotlight would wander and randomly shine on us, and that was our cue.
Fast-forward to after our old-time performance, when we quickly changed clothes and re-grouped to present our vocal performance. I looked lovely in a slim, black, sequined sheath with my jet-black jeweled earrings and black strappy heels.
Then I awoke.
I left the group, exited the building, and hurried to the school. All the doors were locked except the far ones and as I went into the hallway, I saw poster after poster lining the passage with students industriously working on yet more. Why were they doing this since the performance would be starting soon? No one would see the posters, would they? I quickly went down the hall to my area, burst through a doorway blocked by yet another poster, frowned my apologies, and headed for my things.
I realized I was wearing the wrong earrings, switched them, stashed the right ones in my pocket, realized i had on the wrong shoes, corrected that, grabbed the right ones and my black evening gown, and headed back to the auditorium.
I rejoined my group and it occurred to me that I had missed so much instruction I wouldn’t know when to say my lines. A woman seated at a table spoke with me briefly about it saying, sotto voce, that a spotlight would wander and randomly shine on us, and that was our cue.
Fast-forward to after our old-time performance, when we quickly changed clothes and re-grouped to present our vocal performance. I looked lovely in a slim, black, sequined sheath with my jet-black jeweled earrings and black strappy heels.
Then I awoke.
Thursday, November 16, 2006
windy story
wheeee! we've been offline the last two days due to high winds! i'm not sure our little town has anyone who records this information, but i am sure we got hit with at least 60 mph winds. the bigger town twenty miles away recorded up to 75 mph winds. it was blowing like crazy and i have to say, "i don't like being offline."
i kept wanting to read somebody's blog or look up some information -- it was pretty inconvenient to not be able to do it. am i hooked on the internet? yes. am i addicted? probably. but, they say you can't get ahead in this world if you don't know how to navigate the 'net. oh wait, hahaha, i'm retired. okay then, i'm a getting-ahead senior.
side note: remember me telling you about the wind moving the grill last week? early yesterday morning it knocked two lounge chairs off the patio. about noon i heard a noise and looked out to see what was being blown around now. one of the two errant chairs was gone and the other was back up on the patio! amazing! then the husband walked in the front door. oh. hahaha.....
i kept wanting to read somebody's blog or look up some information -- it was pretty inconvenient to not be able to do it. am i hooked on the internet? yes. am i addicted? probably. but, they say you can't get ahead in this world if you don't know how to navigate the 'net. oh wait, hahaha, i'm retired. okay then, i'm a getting-ahead senior.
side note: remember me telling you about the wind moving the grill last week? early yesterday morning it knocked two lounge chairs off the patio. about noon i heard a noise and looked out to see what was being blown around now. one of the two errant chairs was gone and the other was back up on the patio! amazing! then the husband walked in the front door. oh. hahaha.....
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
ah, yute
as one gets older, one has a tendency to lose touch with the quirkiness of an age/era/generation. ergo: i'm not sure i realized the seriousness of the air guitar phenomenon.
did you know we have a 2006 u.s. champion? (this is not a venue whereupon one dresses to the nines.) i had watched him first so maybe that tainted my judgement -- when i went to youtube i was unimpressed by almost everyone else.
the 2006 world champion (competition was in finland in september) was from japan and after watching his performance i was mystified as to why he was better than our guy. i mean, yes, it was a really up-tempo piece, but.....
finally, after looking at quite a few videos, i decided this one was my favorite.
did you know we have a 2006 u.s. champion? (this is not a venue whereupon one dresses to the nines.) i had watched him first so maybe that tainted my judgement -- when i went to youtube i was unimpressed by almost everyone else.
the 2006 world champion (competition was in finland in september) was from japan and after watching his performance i was mystified as to why he was better than our guy. i mean, yes, it was a really up-tempo piece, but.....
finally, after looking at quite a few videos, i decided this one was my favorite.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
white elephants?
the catalogues that show up in your mailbox at christmas time can be really curious. one i received recently offered me several old-fashioned mechanical banks, a wide assortment of (wooden, metal) brainteasers, and a bunch of jigsaw puzzles several of which had really neat pictures.
the items i really stopped and looked at however were clocks: the digital chimes clock was a lovely idea but eventually i wondered if it would, in reality, simply be 6 metal rods that made noise (and i don't wake-up to an alarm anyway). the time machine clock was kind of a cute idea, but how long would it last before something went awry and balls were everywhere? the time pyramid was a little bit interesting, but ultimately i easily turned the page.
the twelve nesting dolls reminded me of a set i had way back when, but sadly i lost it somewhere along the life path. oh well.
i got warm feelings when i looked at the stitch in time jigsaw puzzle, as well as the home is where the heart is puzzle, the antique stove puzzle, and the american sewing machines puzzle (my grandmother's machine was bottom right).
if you need a strange gift to give someone they also had a roll-up 49-key electric piano, a heart-shaped teacup, a knitting nancy, a wagging tail cat clock, a bobbing thirsty bird, and various kaleidoscopes.
knock yourselves out!
caveat -- this is NOT to be construed in any way, shape, or form as a hint to get me something for christmas. i do not want nor need anything. enough said.
the items i really stopped and looked at however were clocks: the digital chimes clock was a lovely idea but eventually i wondered if it would, in reality, simply be 6 metal rods that made noise (and i don't wake-up to an alarm anyway). the time machine clock was kind of a cute idea, but how long would it last before something went awry and balls were everywhere? the time pyramid was a little bit interesting, but ultimately i easily turned the page.
the twelve nesting dolls reminded me of a set i had way back when, but sadly i lost it somewhere along the life path. oh well.
i got warm feelings when i looked at the stitch in time jigsaw puzzle, as well as the home is where the heart is puzzle, the antique stove puzzle, and the american sewing machines puzzle (my grandmother's machine was bottom right).
if you need a strange gift to give someone they also had a roll-up 49-key electric piano, a heart-shaped teacup, a knitting nancy, a wagging tail cat clock, a bobbing thirsty bird, and various kaleidoscopes.
knock yourselves out!
caveat -- this is NOT to be construed in any way, shape, or form as a hint to get me something for christmas. i do not want nor need anything. enough said.
Sunday, November 12, 2006
south dakota 8
friday was such a long, packed day and we were all tired when we got back to pat’s. but M and i wanted to fix supper (my husband’s favorite recipe: buntes huhn) and after enjoying great food and camaraderie, we said good night.
early saturday we got up and got away in pretty good time. just about three hours out we got a call from pat saying she was pretty sure she’d left her purse in our car and would we check...yes, there it was. oh boy -- i really didn’t want to drive all that way back but certainly would if she needed it -- she insisted that mailing it would work fine.
so i drove along wondering how in the world we were going to even start looking for a post office in the next real town we came to, which was going to be billings and four hours down the road (to say nothing of would-it-be-open), but lo and behold the very next “town” we came to, hammond montana, had an open post office! we stopped, got the errant purse into the system, and enjoyed our chat with the really helpful and pleasant postal gal. you must understand that hammond is TOTALLY out in the boonies and has about three buildings -- one being the post office and the other two being deserted. how lucky is that?! (and pat received it on-schedule on monday.) i’m not sure what the universe had in mind with that little exercise, but it worked out just fine.
we had a quick lunch at mickey d’s, at hardin i think, and kept on flying in the sunshine. we looked forward to supper again at schroft’s in deer lodge, but they must have had a different cook as it wasn’t quite as good. and the waitress was a little bitch. so we didn’t linger but headed on down the road and finally pulled into a sleepy little berg in idaho -- i think it was silverton. we stayed in an excellent little place with a huge breakfast bar and then we were on our way sunday morning bright and early.
we breezed through spokane and across the moon and got into seattle around 3 pm. i shoved M out the door and headed for home. actually i didn’t shove her but kidded her about it since i was ready to be home. after she got her stuff out and we hugged goodbye, i headed straight north and got home in time to see My Older Son for about 15 minutes before he headed back to seattle (he’d been visiting hubby). what great timing!
so as you can see, the trip worked out beautifully and we have many great memories added to our lane. the following are some random snapshots...
grandpa and grandma's old house...
rocks layered naturally -- cool!
typical beauty...
intrepid adventurers...
early saturday we got up and got away in pretty good time. just about three hours out we got a call from pat saying she was pretty sure she’d left her purse in our car and would we check...yes, there it was. oh boy -- i really didn’t want to drive all that way back but certainly would if she needed it -- she insisted that mailing it would work fine.
so i drove along wondering how in the world we were going to even start looking for a post office in the next real town we came to, which was going to be billings and four hours down the road (to say nothing of would-it-be-open), but lo and behold the very next “town” we came to, hammond montana, had an open post office! we stopped, got the errant purse into the system, and enjoyed our chat with the really helpful and pleasant postal gal. you must understand that hammond is TOTALLY out in the boonies and has about three buildings -- one being the post office and the other two being deserted. how lucky is that?! (and pat received it on-schedule on monday.) i’m not sure what the universe had in mind with that little exercise, but it worked out just fine.
we had a quick lunch at mickey d’s, at hardin i think, and kept on flying in the sunshine. we looked forward to supper again at schroft’s in deer lodge, but they must have had a different cook as it wasn’t quite as good. and the waitress was a little bitch. so we didn’t linger but headed on down the road and finally pulled into a sleepy little berg in idaho -- i think it was silverton. we stayed in an excellent little place with a huge breakfast bar and then we were on our way sunday morning bright and early.
we breezed through spokane and across the moon and got into seattle around 3 pm. i shoved M out the door and headed for home. actually i didn’t shove her but kidded her about it since i was ready to be home. after she got her stuff out and we hugged goodbye, i headed straight north and got home in time to see My Older Son for about 15 minutes before he headed back to seattle (he’d been visiting hubby). what great timing!
so as you can see, the trip worked out beautifully and we have many great memories added to our lane. the following are some random snapshots...
grandpa and grandma's old house...
rocks layered naturally -- cool!
typical beauty...
intrepid adventurers...
weren't they clever to arrange this view!
fabulously balanced scottish wine holder -- it's just a piece of wood cut at exactly the right angles -- add the bottle and there you have a thing of intrigue!
south dakota 7-b
from the top of the dam you can see there's more behind it -- there are a couple of hikes back there...
so you head on around and immediately have to pass under fallen rocks...eek!
part of the journey is supported by the strangest banister i've ever seen...
and the sentinel watches as you pass...
there's even a strange stairway in keeping with the strange banister...
and as you trek along, lovely views open up...
so you head on around and immediately have to pass under fallen rocks...eek!
part of the journey is supported by the strangest banister i've ever seen...
and the sentinel watches as you pass...
there's even a strange stairway in keeping with the strange banister...
and as you trek along, lovely views open up...
south dakota 7-a
friday was our last active day in the hills and active we were. we stole pat for a second time and before we left the city, we stopped at the local museum. this building was built after the 1972 flood and it’s supposed to be flood-proof. strange looking, but whoa! if you’re in rapid city you have to see this place. the museum is very well put together, combining indian/pioneer info, dinosaur info, and geologic info.
our next destination was deadwood where we caught a noon parade (high school homecoming) and ate at kevin costner’s place (the restaurant not his house), midnight star. if you can hold your breath through the smoke (casino) on your way to the dining level, you will see a large assortment of costumes (wall-mounted) from his various movies (but actually you can see them even if you don't hold your breath). he’s been in a lot of movies i’ve never even heard of, such as table for five (1983), shadows run black (1986), and dragonfly (2002). and although i don’t think many people saw it, i thought american flyers (1985) was a good flick.
after lunch we headed over through lead (as in lead the goats rather than pencil lead) then south through rocheford, mystic, and hill city (and somewhere in there was edelweiss and silver city) to sylvan lake -- one of the most beautiful places in the hills. and there we played.
see the rock that's smiling?
those rocks are startled and drawing back...
balancing act...
the dam bridge...
our next destination was deadwood where we caught a noon parade (high school homecoming) and ate at kevin costner’s place (the restaurant not his house), midnight star. if you can hold your breath through the smoke (casino) on your way to the dining level, you will see a large assortment of costumes (wall-mounted) from his various movies (but actually you can see them even if you don't hold your breath). he’s been in a lot of movies i’ve never even heard of, such as table for five (1983), shadows run black (1986), and dragonfly (2002). and although i don’t think many people saw it, i thought american flyers (1985) was a good flick.
after lunch we headed over through lead (as in lead the goats rather than pencil lead) then south through rocheford, mystic, and hill city (and somewhere in there was edelweiss and silver city) to sylvan lake -- one of the most beautiful places in the hills. and there we played.
see the rock that's smiling?
those rocks are startled and drawing back...
balancing act...
the dam bridge...
south dakota 6-b
when we realized we were getting hungry, we headed back to the car and on over to hill city, deciding we would simply muscle everyone aside if there were a line. as it turned out there was only one person ahead of us and we got seated immediately.
as i said, for lunch the alpine inn actually has a menu and we enjoyed perusing all the gourmet options. we each chose a different sandwich and when our meal arrived, we sliced our sandwiches in thirds and traded so we could taste what the others had gotten. everything was yummy! it's definitely a DON'T MISS place!
afterwards we headed into the shop next door which i can only describe as a mystical head shop/candles and placemats/gifty things store which opens onto a little museum. quirky concept but worked for me. the museum had some beautiful rocks in it and interesting history/geologic/dinosaur information.
on our way home we passed by pactola lake and i just had to get some pictures. man, has it changed!!! the lake level was waaaaaaay down...
when we got back to pat's we enjoyed a nice supper, then retired.
as i said, for lunch the alpine inn actually has a menu and we enjoyed perusing all the gourmet options. we each chose a different sandwich and when our meal arrived, we sliced our sandwiches in thirds and traded so we could taste what the others had gotten. everything was yummy! it's definitely a DON'T MISS place!
afterwards we headed into the shop next door which i can only describe as a mystical head shop/candles and placemats/gifty things store which opens onto a little museum. quirky concept but worked for me. the museum had some beautiful rocks in it and interesting history/geologic/dinosaur information.
on our way home we passed by pactola lake and i just had to get some pictures. man, has it changed!!! the lake level was waaaaaaay down...
when we got back to pat's we enjoyed a nice supper, then retired.
south dakota 6-a
thursday we insisted pat come with us as we headed out for a day's worth of exploring. we left her place and drove up and across on skyline drive, passing the dinosaurs on dinosaur hill, then took rockerville road, went on past mt rushmore, and stopped at the poet's cabin area. it was a beautiful day and we wandered through the trees -- this time i remembered to get a picture of the 'throne' (remember that, kids?).
it had actually been awhile since pat had visited the poet's cabin area...
and we spent the next 45 minutes looking around trying to figure out where, exactly, the cabin had stood...
nothing really shouted 'here i was' and it was evident the place was reverting to nature, with trees growing on rocks (nurse rocks?) and sproutlings everywhere...
isn't it a lovely area?
it had actually been awhile since pat had visited the poet's cabin area...
and we spent the next 45 minutes looking around trying to figure out where, exactly, the cabin had stood...
nothing really shouted 'here i was' and it was evident the place was reverting to nature, with trees growing on rocks (nurse rocks?) and sproutlings everywhere...
isn't it a lovely area?
restaurant soap
oh dear.
hubby and i believe that organized religion can cause many many problems, and that it can mess with a person to the detriment of that person being able to figure out his/her life lessons and move forward. to wit...
jean's pastor, who first said 'i will miss you', told her to wait a bit more for a miracle. jean's second husband (who moved out-and-back three times, and who instigated the divorce and the legal arrangements) frantically told her he didn't want her to leave the area and head to atlanta. so...
now the ex (second husband) wants to give her the money to open the restaurant in the bigger place. i assume he will shortly tell her he wants to move back in.
i think the pastor has so much influence here that it keeps jean from being able to figure out what's best for her (the pastor and the ex are very good friends and have worked closely together for the past 6 years).
to my mind, religion (plus teachings from when she was a kid) keep jean from becoming aware that she needs to stop (for many reasons) desperately hanging onto this dream of owning her own place (and being successful like she was x-years ago), and simply move forward to accept what the universe has in mind for her.
does that mean i'm right? don't be silly -- i'm not privy to the thoughts of the universe. but it feels right. and the religion stuff and the people pushing her to stay feels wrong.
for her sake, i hope i'm the one who's wrong.
hubby and i believe that organized religion can cause many many problems, and that it can mess with a person to the detriment of that person being able to figure out his/her life lessons and move forward. to wit...
jean's pastor, who first said 'i will miss you', told her to wait a bit more for a miracle. jean's second husband (who moved out-and-back three times, and who instigated the divorce and the legal arrangements) frantically told her he didn't want her to leave the area and head to atlanta. so...
now the ex (second husband) wants to give her the money to open the restaurant in the bigger place. i assume he will shortly tell her he wants to move back in.
i think the pastor has so much influence here that it keeps jean from being able to figure out what's best for her (the pastor and the ex are very good friends and have worked closely together for the past 6 years).
to my mind, religion (plus teachings from when she was a kid) keep jean from becoming aware that she needs to stop (for many reasons) desperately hanging onto this dream of owning her own place (and being successful like she was x-years ago), and simply move forward to accept what the universe has in mind for her.
does that mean i'm right? don't be silly -- i'm not privy to the thoughts of the universe. but it feels right. and the religion stuff and the people pushing her to stay feels wrong.
for her sake, i hope i'm the one who's wrong.
the floods
well, it's been an exciting (not to be construed as 'fun') week here in western washington. go here to see the first of eleven pictures of damage caused by water. it's always amazing to me that such an innocuous, sleepy little element has so much power. i recognize several of these pictures as places i've been or seen, and taken for granted. i guess there's a moral in that.
Friday, November 10, 2006
late breaking news
hubby dropped by a little while ago to say that jean has decided to move back to atlanta. her endeavours to try to move into the bigger building just kept meeting with resistance after road block after run-around, and i kept losing hope that she would be able to effect the move and become a thriving concern.
so finally she is looking in another direction. i don't have all the particulars, but at least in atlanta she will be back with family and friends. a family support network can be a good thing or a bad thing, of course, but hubby and i both wish her the maximum amount of luck and good breaks. she's just a neat person and deserves to live a happy and comfortable life.
so finally she is looking in another direction. i don't have all the particulars, but at least in atlanta she will be back with family and friends. a family support network can be a good thing or a bad thing, of course, but hubby and i both wish her the maximum amount of luck and good breaks. she's just a neat person and deserves to live a happy and comfortable life.
consumer alert
i just read about the next thing in credit cards: contactless credit cards. and there are already ways for miscreants to make trouble for you with them.
the cards are wireless (radio-frequency-identification technology -- RFID) and i'm not that sure of the advantage: instead of swiping your card through a reader, you just wave it in front of it. time-saving? hmm, nope. physical energy saving? nope, again. what then? well, i'm not sure...
it turns out that with a scanner, nefarious individuals can read the embedded information about us, our accounts, and whatever else is on the chip. there's no way to put a lock on the info -- no door with key, no closing of curtains, no chastity belt -- the data is right out front for anyone to abscond with.
the technology has been in use for a number of years for such things as id badges, electronic passes, plastic tags on clothing, id tags placed under pets' skin, books etc at libraries, and inventory tracking.
ok, ok, you just have to have your contactless card? well, then, the secret to blocking the inadvertent sharing of info is to keep your card in a protective sleeve -- one you can buy or one you can make: take a piece of aluminum foil, wrap it artistically and securely around the card, insert it in your wallet. works on the same concept as wearing the aluminum hat to keep out alien mind-reading beams.
just the same, i'm not sure that type of card is really necessary.
the cards are wireless (radio-frequency-identification technology -- RFID) and i'm not that sure of the advantage: instead of swiping your card through a reader, you just wave it in front of it. time-saving? hmm, nope. physical energy saving? nope, again. what then? well, i'm not sure...
it turns out that with a scanner, nefarious individuals can read the embedded information about us, our accounts, and whatever else is on the chip. there's no way to put a lock on the info -- no door with key, no closing of curtains, no chastity belt -- the data is right out front for anyone to abscond with.
the technology has been in use for a number of years for such things as id badges, electronic passes, plastic tags on clothing, id tags placed under pets' skin, books etc at libraries, and inventory tracking.
ok, ok, you just have to have your contactless card? well, then, the secret to blocking the inadvertent sharing of info is to keep your card in a protective sleeve -- one you can buy or one you can make: take a piece of aluminum foil, wrap it artistically and securely around the card, insert it in your wallet. works on the same concept as wearing the aluminum hat to keep out alien mind-reading beams.
just the same, i'm not sure that type of card is really necessary.
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
south dakota 5
we awoke wednesday morning to the threat of rain. it mainly spit stuff for awhile and never got around to amounting to very much. we headed out to jewel cave and very much enjoyed the 'scenic tour' which lasted about 80 minutes. information about jewel cave can be found here.
after the tour, we were starving so we decided to make a quick stop at subway in custer. you would think that all subways would be the same, but no. the service was amateur and the way they handled the credit card machine malfunction was not to be believed. no matter what, i will not give them my patronage again.
by that time it was somewhere in the afternoon, and we headed into rapid city to meet with our warmly welcoming hostess, and subsequent tour guide, pat and her husband tom. they had graciously invited us to stay in their snug little guest house, the offer of which which we had gladly accepted, and we enjoyed that little abode for the remainder of our stay. it was a most pleasant and comfortable experience for which we say a hearty Thank You!
we unloaded our stuff, then somehow it was quite late so we ate supper at the millstone and then dived into dreamland.
after the tour, we were starving so we decided to make a quick stop at subway in custer. you would think that all subways would be the same, but no. the service was amateur and the way they handled the credit card machine malfunction was not to be believed. no matter what, i will not give them my patronage again.
by that time it was somewhere in the afternoon, and we headed into rapid city to meet with our warmly welcoming hostess, and subsequent tour guide, pat and her husband tom. they had graciously invited us to stay in their snug little guest house, the offer of which which we had gladly accepted, and we enjoyed that little abode for the remainder of our stay. it was a most pleasant and comfortable experience for which we say a hearty Thank You!
we unloaded our stuff, then somehow it was quite late so we ate supper at the millstone and then dived into dreamland.
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