"I would not know how I am supposed to feel about many stories if not for the fact that the TV news personalities make sad faces for sad stories and happy faces for happy stories."
~Dave Barry
It's been a strange week for news. The IRS targeting the Tea Party. Yet another sex scandal rocks the Pentagon. The government spying on the Associate Press. And it's only Wednesday! All very interesting mind you, but I think my favorite story so far this week has to be the CIA agent caught in Russia with 2 wigs, a map of Moscow and $130,000 to be used to hire a Russian security officer to act as a spy for the U.S.!
Damn!
2 wigs, a map, and a relatively low amount of money? Hello? 1940 called, they want their spy back!
LOL. Sheesh!
I think this story needs to be made into a movie, with maybe Bradley Cooper in the lead! The whole situation reminds me of the amazingly funny, "Don't Drink The Water" by the great Woody Allen! So it just seems like a natural for him film it. Woody, if you do make the film, all I ask is a minor mention during the end credits. Just something simple like... "As suggested by the weird girl who took my picture on 20th and Lexington, while I filmed Blue Jasmine in San Francisco! I will know who you mean!
"I was a little excited but mostly blorift. "Blorift" is an adjective I just made up that means 'Completely overwhelmed but proceeding as if everything is fine and reacting to the stress with the torpor of a possum.' I have been blorft every day for the past seven years."
~Tina Fey,Bossypants
If Only I Could Have Found My Blorift...
I read Tina Fey's book, Bossypants, and couldn't put it down. She is amazing! Truly, she is this generations Lucille Ball! Can you imagine if she and Lucy could have starred together? Wow, it would have been comedy GOLD! Recently, I saw her in her latest film, Admission. She impressed me yet again with her ability to entertain. This time, she took a bit of a break from her usual comedy escapades, to show a different side, her dramatic ability! She had me in tears at one point, but in a good way.
As I was mentioning in my post yesterday, movies give us a chance to shake off the stresses and distractions of everyday life, and when you can find a movie that is so good it actually makes you forget your cares for an hour or so then it's a not just a fun way to shake off the stress, but a smart one as well. Stress is a bad thing for the soul. I know of what I speak, because this past week was really stressful. For me it began last Sunday, when the current owner of the property I live on decided to help herself and walk right into my home. I have warned her before that under our contract that I am to have 24 hours notice, but there she was, once again, trespassing, and this time she brought friends!
People I have never even met!
As I said, this happened last Sunday afternoon, and the stress from that resulted in the headache from HELL! Then Monday came along, and well, we all know how the week played out from there. Compared to what some went through last week, my petty problems seem just that... PETTY. And in the grand scheme of things I suppose it doesn't compare, but that's just it, can you really compare problems with other folks, or can you just do the best you can do with the problems you own? Most of us are just doing what we can do to get by, for me that means explaining one more time that not only are my landlord's actions annoying... they are illegal! And remedying things by purchasing a decent little security system and installing it so it will be able to document the illegal entry.
I wish I didn't have to do that. I like the lady very much.
She doesn't want the fact to be true, that she can't walk into my home just because she owns it.
Stress happens... right? And with each new event, my headache seemed to pound harder. What can you do? I did what I could to get rid of it, but didn't have much luck. My usual coping mechanism, in lieu of a day at the movies, is watching General Hospital. It was preempted several times last week, so there went that! LOL. I get the news needed to report about the the terrible things that went on last week, but after a while the wall to wall coverage became downright horrifying and several times I found myself rethinking what leaving the house means. I hate that! I want to just live my life, but who knows what living in America is really about anymore. Things have changed so much from when I was a child. Sometimes it doesn't seem like America. Like it's something different, but I don't understand how to feel or think about it or who to trust.
Like I said. Stress. It was the word of the week! But like with everything, the stress did pass!
After the capture of the Boston bombing suspect Friday night, I went to bed happy and relieved for the people of Boston, and slept deeply for 7 straight hours, which seemed to be just what the doctor ordered! Of course it didn't hurt that Dylan cuddled into me, and Hendrix bit my toes all night, in that cute little way he does when he wants to play! And when I woke up yesterday morning, the sun looked a little prettier, and I actually felt like working in the garden! The headache had moved on, and my body was ready to play. Since there wasn't any movies I wanted to go see, I thought it would be good to finally get the Heirloom tomatoes planted, and start our newest project of growing Yukon Gold potatoes!
And if all that wasn't enough to put a smile on a stressed out girls face, look who fluttered by to say "HI"...
It was a sunny day! Don't you love sunny days and little blue butterflies?
"Here Comes The Sun"
The Beatles
Here Comes The Sun Here Comes The Sun And I Say It's All Right...
"I would not know how I am supposed to feel about many stories if not for the fact that the TV news personalities make sad faces for sad stories and happy faces for happy stories."
~Dave Barry
I didn't have a chance to get out this weekend for some new photos, but I do plan on a couple different photo jaunts later this week. In the mean time I thought I would share my newest online adventure. I have started my own online newspaper! Look out Rupert Murdoch, and step aside Ariana Huffington, The Ellipsis Daily is on the case!
LOL. Rupert Murdoch might have some things to worry about, but competition from me isn't one of them. Actually, all The Daily Ellipsis is, is a round-up of all my interested consolidated in one place. I like that idea, because this girl does not live by photography along. My second love is politics, but when that gets to be too much to take, I love learning new recipes, or reading about the latest Hollywood exploits.
I enjoyed customizing its content and appearance, and I think I will have fun seeing it publish daily. Once upon a time I thought about going into journalism, but alas college just wasn't in the cards for me. It's fine, it all worked out for the best, I love being a housewife and mom to by fur-babies. As things worked out, I probably wouldn't have had the energy to pursue that course in life, so I am happy to settle for being a news junkie!
Now, when you get the chance go have a look see and tell me what you think. Better yet, start your own paper and come back here with the link. I will add you to my newsstand.
NOTE: The photo above is from the state capitol grounds in Carson City, Nevada. In autumn of course. ;)
If you would like to join me on my quest of posting A Photo A Day For 6 Months, please, feel free. Just post your photo, and come back here with a direct link back to it, and I will happily link to you with tomorrow's post!
"Nothing travels faster then light, with the possible exception of bad news, which follows it's own rules."
-Douglas Adams
This entry is rated PG-13
A lot has happened in the last few weeks. I haven't written much about how I feel about things, because just as one thing took place, something else came along before I could reflect on the previous event. Sigh. Like I said, a lot has happened. So, to get it off my chest, is an ALL NEWS version of my series "Things I Think About While..." Feel free to share what you think as well.
Things I Think About While Watching The Evening News...
1. Farrah Fawcett. I am very sad about the passing of Farrah Fawcett. What woman my age didn't have Farrah hair back in the late 70's? I remember when I finally styled my hair that way, and how feminine and sexy it made me feel. I wore my hair that way for a few years, finally moving on to a Stevie Nicks mermaid perm in the 80's. As sad as I am that she has passed, I am relieved for her that Cancer will no longer be tormenting her. I HATE CANCER"S GUTS!
2. Michael Jackson. Sigh. While still feeling so sad about Farrah, the shocking news about the death of Michael Jackson came as an exclusive from TMZ. What strikes me is that it really didn't surprise me. So sad that. The first thing I thought of was that people of my generation took a jarring hit that day. Two amazing icons of my time, gone on the same day, for two different reasons. I began to hear some of Jackson's early music in my head, and remember a discussion I had with a friend when I was about 7 or 8. Who was better? The Jackson 5, The Partridge Family, or Donny Osmond? Clearly it was the Jackson 5! Yeah, I may not have realized it, but I was a fan. I am sorry about the torment MJ had in his life, like Farrah, I hope he is at peace.
3. Anderson Cooper or Keith Olbermann? Keith Olbermann. :)
4. North Korea. Shit. So, in an act of defiance, they decided to launch more missiles. I am so DAMN tired of little shit countries kicking America in the shins. For the most part I am a pacifist, but there are times when I wish AMERICA would stand up and just bomb the shit out of North Korea and really send a message. Then I reel myself back in, and think about the innocent people in that country who are being held in unspeakable oppression, and I comeback to my senses and ideals. I don't think I will ever forgive George Bush for taking North Korea, and the threat they pose, for granted. Thanks a lot George.
5. Al Franken. It's about time he take his senate seat. Norm Coleman dragged this thing out because he was worried about his political career more then he cared about the people of his state. Shame on him!
6. S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford. Sheesh. Ok, so another cheesy politician has cheated on his wife. Does this really shock you? Really? Now, what did shock me was his going to Argentina and not leaving someone in charge? It's like he wanted to draw attention to himself. Oh well, I guess I just think that the affair alone shouldn't be grounds for removal from office, especially in that he apparently has been cleared of using state funds to pay for his trysts. However, one thing Mark Sanford may want to know... Never... EVER tell your wife that you are going to "try to fall back in love with her!" Can't you almost picture him standing there making an "errr errr" sound like he has constipation and just can't make go!?
7. Bernie Madoff. 150 years in prison. Nothing more to say. See ya.
8. Ruth Madoff. If she didn't know about her husband's misdeeds, then I feel very sorry for her. She will now have to endure life as an outcast. It will be a very different kind of prison for her. There are news reports that say that some apartment houses in Manhattan refuse to rent to her because of the whole mess. Sigh. Understandable in some respects, and sad in others. If she made a deal with federal prosecutors, or they felt there wasn't enough evidence to bring her to trial, shouldn't she be able to exist at least on a basic level? In some ways, Ruth Madoff will have it much worse then her husband will. Maybe I am a hopeless chump, but I have a small amount of sympathy for her situation, but no sympathy for what brought her to it.
9. Sarah Palin. Nothing this lady does makes sense. I can understand how the pressure can get to a person, but she has embraced the national stage since her run for the vice presidency. Sigh. I think she will seek the presidency in 2012, but will the party embrace her after proving herself a quitter?
10. A Baby Gorilla Named Hasani. I thought I would end things on a happier note. There is a baby gorilla at the San Francisco Zoo, Hasani, that had been rejected by his mother. Well, they were able to find him a surrogate mama, and he is now doing just wonderfully. He makes me smile. If you feel like you need a smile, there are pictures and videos of him. Just click the link below. :) Say hello to Hasani.
"It is not necessary to change, survival is not mandatory."
-W. Edwards Dening
Well, I bet you thought I dropped off the planet. Well no, not quite, but I think I came close a couple times. LOL. They say things come in threes, and you know what? I think it might be true! Last week, my lovely EMachine computer died a slow, horrible, painful death. Sigh. It was probably about time, it was over 3 years old, and I had really put it through it's paces. We had all too many programs installed, including games and all their expansion packs, and I left it on almost constantly, because waiting for it to power up in the morning took a long time, and for some reason, since I jumped onto the Internet in 2002, my tolerance for waiting is almost non-existent. LOL. Have you noticed a change in your patience since you jumped on the net, or is it just me?
Anyway, I was all set to resume regular posting here at Ellipsis, when my computer, Megan, sighed her last sigh. It was sad, but reluctantly I, I mean we, moved on. We shopped around all last weekend, and finally found our new computer friend at Best Buy in Dublin, California. It is a H.P. Desktop, and it comes loaded with lots of nifty features that appeal to the gamer in Alan, and the photo nut in me. It has a lovely 19-in Flat screen LCD Monitor, which I am completely in love with, and it has the cool nifty tool of Light Scribe, for making wonderfully full color Cd's. I love making mixed Cd's for listening to in the car, and with this tool I can now make them look good as well. Fun, fun, fun. The computer also comes with Windows Vista program, which is of course, nothing like XP.
It is taking me a long time to get used to it, but I am enjoying having something new to challenge me. :) I am thinking about buying, "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Windows Vista," because I love the Idiot's Guides series of books. Every time I have felt completely lost over something, those guides have been there to show me the way. Nice, plain, easy to read instructions on everything from YOGA, to chewing gum while walking. LOL. Well, actually, I don't really know if they offer that last one, but wouldn't that be a great idea for a new Idiot's Guide? LOL. Maybe I should write that one. Hmmmm...
Anyway. It has been a rough couple months, and my diabetic numbers have been reflecting that. One day last week, my after lunch reading was well over 250. That is an extreme rarity for me, and the weird part was that I hadn't had anything extraordinary for lunch. I had Stouffer's Lean Cuisine Meatloaf meal. My usual reading after eating that has been 122. So, to see my glucose reading be over 250, signaled to me that all the stress has been getting to me... big time. I have all the tools I need to make the adjustments, I just have to be more diligent about things, such as getting the right kind of rest, and not paying too much attention to the evening news, and you know who! LOL.
Ok, so, that's where I have been the last week or so. I am definitely back to my normal schedule now. I hope you are all still with me, but if you aren't that's ok too, someone new will come along, and I will still be right over here running my big FemiNazi, liberal, girly-girl mouth, and spouting my opinion whether it is asked for or not. Lord, am I charming or what? LOL.
-OndineMonet "No News" Berkeley, California March 19th, 2008 Afternoon
