ABC Wednesdays: B is for Baby

My grandaughter.

Self-Portrait of the artist reflected in an Autumn Pond II

This is a variation on a photart piece I did yesterday. It's a fairly
recent picture of me, not one from long ago. I enjoy doing variations
on a theme. I was considering doing another variation called the Ace
of spades and maybe one called the Ace of Hearts. Can you see where
I'm going with that? If I ever have time to play, that is.

I am expecting my mother in law for an early dinner this afternoon so
probably will not be on-line much today.

Book and Movie List 2008

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Sometimes when you live in a family, you do things you might not otherwise choose to do.

2008 Movie List:

1. Meet the Spartans, 0.5/10. This was probably one of the worst and stupidest films I have ever seen in my entire life. However, there were some very funny parts, including at the very end after everyone else in the entire theater had gotten up and walked out! Hint, if you go see the movie, against my advice, stay through the first section of credits at the end. The movie was a spoof of such movies, but it was a stupid juvenile spoof aimed at the age of someone just younger than our son, who was the one who wanted to see the movie. And aimed at men, not women. Stupid chauvinistic men, I might add. There were some funny parts and I did laugh out loud several times, but the laughs weren't worth sitting through all the upchucking and pooping. My expectations were very low, but the movie managed to be even more idiotic than I had imagined. It started out with upchucking and it continued throughout, and it was always really gross. I liked the break dancing and the yo-mama contest though. 1/29/08
   
2. Persepolis, 5+/5, Marjane Satrapi, based on the Graphic novel, directed by Marjane Satrapi, winner of the Golden globe and a long list of other awards. A feisty Iranian girl grows toward womanhood during times of war and strife and witnesses terrible things. She escapes to Vienna because her feistiness is getting her into dangerous trouble. But there is more trouble ahead for Marjane. The movie is animated and the illustrations are are very different than Disney-style animated films. They are lovely, well done, mostly in black and white, sensitively rendered. The story is touching and important. Striking, emotional, but humorous and understated. A fabulous film, I thought. A few pictures in another post of mine are here. Here is a link to the movie website. Read about the book here. 1/27/08
   

2008 Book List:

1. The Dolphins of Pern, by Anne McCaffrey. 3.5/5 This was not her best book ever and had some serious flaws, in my opinion, but we still enjoyed it. One of the things that I did not like about it is that it left the story to talk about ongoing Pern business without good background, so that it doesn't stand alone and the thread of the story was broken. It would be a much better story if those parts of the book were removed or woven in much more skillfully. The main story was good but had many of the elements of other stories, such as Dragonsong, which I really liked, but Dolphins seemed to be a bit of a rip-off of that story-line. One of the things I liked about this book is the intelligence of the Dolphins, their kindliness, and their willingness to help people even when people fail them.
2. The End of the Alphabet, by CS Richardson. 4/5. This little book is a wonderful read-aloud. The language works well. It is a sad book, and not terribly realistic, but beautiful and romantic and worth the read. It is personal, human, vulnerable, sweet fun, and tearful. Finished 1-21-08
   

A touch of red

We are always tramping around in the woods.  We have to be careful that snow doesn't fall off low branches down our necks--brrr!

I'm emailing this from the mac, and I can tell because the monitors
are so different how this is.  It upsets me that monitors are so
different, because then how can one know how other people will see
your picture?

Biker Buddy is being a touch of red for a theme shot I needed.

The nothing space and the nothing box

Over at Coffeypot's blog, there is a You Tube movie about Men and Women's brains. (Go there and watch it if you haven't seen it yet, it's very funny and you can follow up from there if you want more info.)

I just wanted to say, in response:

My brain is a ball of interconnected wires. In the center of my ball of wires is a spherical space, and at the center of that space is . . . nothing.

It's a bit hard to get to through all those wires, but I can do it and sometimes do. Not nearly often enough. It's a lovely nothingness and in the center of it is sweet waking relaxation. Around the outside of the waking energetic nothing is a duller sort of nothing. I get trapped there sometimes, between the energy of action and the energy of nothing in a tired and blah nothing space.

My inner spherical nothing space is different than BB's nothing box. It's a more active sort of nothing, and electrical buzzing nothing. But a kind of nothing none the less.

When BB zones out into his nothing box, he usually falls asleep. Sleeping is his favorite activity in his nothing box and he does a LOT of that kind of nothing.

While he's sleeping on the couch, I stay alert--bzzzt, bzzt, bzzt, connecting my wires and buzzing with thoughts, plans, activities. Sometimes it's hard to level down to the sleep nothing or energy nothing. This may be why I have insomnia. I need more practice with navigating the levels of nothingness and properly inhabiting them.

Book and Movie List 2008

Tuesday, January 28, 2008

Nope. I haven't finished reading any more books. I have written another chapter (Chapter 3 ) in my young adult novel called (at this point) Waking Up, Spies in the Land of Dreams. (See Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 ) And yes, I AM working on my other books as well.

What I did do is see a new movie which was made from a book I now hope to read: Persepolis (BB read it and said it was great!). I really liked the movie. I decided to add movies to my list for the year. There probably won't be that many, there usually aren't.

2008 Movie List:

1. Persepolis, 5+/5, Marjane Satrapi, based on the Graphic novel, directed by Marjane Satrapi, winner of the Golden globe and a long list of other awards. A feisty Iranian girl grows toward womanhood during times of war and strife and witnesses terrible things. She escapes to Vienna because her feistiness is getting her into dangerous trouble. But there is more trouble ahead for Marjane. The movie is animated and the illustrations are are very different than Disney-style animated films. They are lovely, well done, mostly in black and white, sensitively rendered. The story is touching and important. Striking, emotional, but humorous and understated. A fabulous film, I thought. A few pictures in another post of mine are here. Here is a link to the movie website. Read about the book here.
   

2008 Book List:

1. The Dolphins of Pern, by Anne McCaffrey. 3.5/5 This was not her best book ever and had some serious flaws, in my opinion, but we still enjoyed it. One of the things that I did not like about it is that it left the story to talk about ongoing Pern business without good background, so that it doesn't stand alone and the thread of the story was broken. It would be a much better story if those parts of the book were removed or woven in much more skillfully. The main story was good but had many of the elements of other stories, such as Dragonsong, which I really liked, but Dolphins seemed to be a bit of a rip-off of that story-line. One of the things I liked about this book is the intelligence of the Dolphins, their kindliness, and their willingness to help people even when people fail them.
2. The End of the Alphabet, by CS Richardson. 4/5. This little book is a wonderful read-aloud. The language works well. It is a sad book, and not terribly realistic, but beautiful and romantic and worth the read. It is personal, human, vulnerable, sweet fun, and tearful. Finished 1-21-08
   

Yummy Egg Rolls

Yummy Egg Rolls

Supper tonight was so good I have to mention it. I know that what I ate fascinates you, right? We made egg rolls. Biker Buddy helped. We grated red and green cabbage, a small carrot, slivered a piece of yellow squash, mushrooms, he put bean sprouts in his (I'm allergic). Chinese 5 spice powder and cayenne pepper, salt and pepper (he had soy sauce, I'm allergic to it). Use protein of your choice, tofu, beans, chicken, pork, beef, shrimp, etc (or none). Cook everything, then wrap 2 T in egg-roll wrappers and fry. SO SO SO good. I thought I should probably take some pictures but they were too good to stop eating and take pictures. (OH and I make a yummy sauce for it, but I didn't make it today because of my diet--just take jelly or jam (I used apricot, but another kind would also work), add water or fruit juice, and cut up fresh or dried fruit (I used apricots last time) and cook 'til thickened. Serve ladled over egg rolls--mmmm!)

October Wind SP

OK, here is yet another version of my October Wind Self portrait. I'll probably stop playing with it when I get one I really like. One that says, "this is it."

Or not.

I was about 19 when the photo from which this painting was made was taken. This version is a little gaudily bright. Oh-oh, I am feeling the urge to dabble some more. Click image to view larger.

Valentine and anti-valentine

No, I do not imagine these as part of the *same* conversation. They
are two *different* conversations occurring in alternate realities.
Again, for dabbler's theme.

Valentine and Antivalentine

Variations on a theme! Truly I wish you LOVE and not emptiness! The second one is for Dabbler's contest. LOL! See the anole on autumn leaves painting I made that gave me the idea for these.

Antivalentine: We Eat men for Breakfast

This is my third attempt at an antivalentine for dabbler's contest.
Not that I expect to win.

Another New Story

I'm writing another children's story, and it is dream-related, so it is posted to my dream blog. I wrote the prologue and chapter one yesterday and I wrote chapter 2 today. If you are interested, here are the links:

chapter 1
chapter 2. That's all I've written so far and it is in first draft form.

I've also written a whole new version of The Girl Who Loved Flowers, but haven't posted that yet. I may post it soon, or not. I hope to send it out soon.

Renew the Dream: Angelina at the Window

This is a really quick small sketch on a tiny piece of scrap paper: pencil, charcoal and pen. It also didn't scan terribly well. Click image to view larger (much larger than originally drawn!).

Angelina sees some transitions in American Politics allowing her to have a voting choice in the primaries between an African American and a woman. They might actually each have a chance of winning. She's eager for the transition that will allow her to vote for an African American woman and have some hope for her electibility.

I just read a post over at Boobs and Injuries and Dr. Pepper and I want to Renew the Dream for myself, my community, my nation, and the world.

• I have a dream....
• I, Mary, have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal." And all women, too.
  
• I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia and everywhere in the nation and in the world, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood and that all people will be seen as equals everywhere and that money will not decide who lives or dies.
  
• I have a dream that one day even our country, a desert country, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, and every other country, will be transformed into oases of freedom justice and love.
• I have a dream that all children will one day live in a world where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, their gender, religion or lack thereof or by their orientation, but by the content of their character.
• I have a dream that one day we will unite as a country to care for the deserving ones who cannot care for themselves. We will provide health care for our elderly and not force them into poverty with rising pharmaceutical prices for medicines that enable them to simply live.
• I have a dream that we will welcome our military home with joy and gratitude and not force our beliefs upon them about a war they fought while we watched it on the news.
• I have a dream that one day all schools will be public schools and all education will be good and safe.
• I have a dream that I, others like me and those who differ from me can speak freely and innocently, with no malice in our hearts and listen with an open heart and accept the words of others without seeing harm where no harm was intended.
• I have a dream that people will rise above misunderstanding, prejudices, hatred and old grudges and find ways to bridge the gap between them and work together toward a unified community, country and world.
• I have a dream that we will be inclusive rather exclusive, open rather than closed, loving rather than judgmental, and that we will choose to do no harm.

I am calling this a meme of sorts, and I invite YOU, dear reader to participate and post your dream. (PS, I had already done the sketch and earlier part of the post before I read the post that got me started on this.) What is your dream for America, or your country, and the world?

Soon Forgotten, an Anti-Valentine

Soon Forgotten, an anti-valentine. This is my first anti-valentine for dabbler's black-heart anti-valentine contest. * I thought it should be sort of the opposite of a real loving valentine, cluttered, ugly, dark, and with negative sentiments. The colors represent the jumble of emotions in a relationship gone bad. The snow is the freeze that comes between lovers when things go wrong. The hearts are dark and somewhat indistinct. I like the way the words are disappearing into the picture, dissolving into the background. (In my real life, though, my loves are not soon forgotten--this is what I might tell them in a fit of fury, but it is not the truth.) Click images to see larger.

(This is for when BB disappoints me or I disappoint him.)

*Ironically, I had forgotten it was called a "black-heart" contest, but black just seemed like the appropriate color!

My sweetheart at the DIA

BB and I had a bit of a falling out last night over PB and the idea of
revenge. I am against taking revenge.

Sometimes we are so happy and loving together that when we have a
disagreement, I feel so sad. I wonder if he is really the man I
thought he was when I married him. I was so upset I couldn't sleep.

Booklist 2008

Tuesday, January 23, 2008

One more entry for my yearly book list. Also been reading The Sun and enjoying that.

1. The Dolphins of Pern, by Anne McCaffrey. 3.5/5 This was not her best book ever and had some serious flaws, in my opinion, but we still enjoyed it. One of the things that I did not like about it is that it left the story to talk about ongoing Pern business without good background, so that it doesn't stand alone and the thread of the story was broken. It would be a much better story if those parts of the book were removed or woven in much more skillfully. The main story was good but had many of the elements of other stories, such as Dragonsong, which I really liked, but Dolphins seemed to be a bit of a rip-off of that story-line. One of the things I liked about this book is the intelligence of the Dolphins, their kindliness, and their willingness to help people even when people fail them.
2. The End of the Alphabet, by CS Richardson. 4/5. This little book is a wonderful read-aloud. The language works very well. It is a sad book, and not terribly realistic, but beautiful and romantic and worth the read. It is personal, human, vulnerable, sweet fun, and tearful. Finished 1-21-08
   

why I love BB

Because he is so danged cute and funny!

walking today

Another cold day, very cold but not quite as cold as yesterday. We
walked at Cranbrook, which is a mixture of architectural variety and
woodland trails. But it was kind of a blah day. Flat lighting and
all besides the cold.

Cold

We took a long walk at Belle Isle yesterday. Ever with long johns and
snow pants, we were uncomfortably cold.

Farm By Moonlight

A digitally altered photograph. Real Moon!

Self-portrait of the Artsit on a Diet II

Self-portrait of the Artsit on a Diet II, by Mary Stebbins Taitt.

I wish I'd put this on Imagik. And vice versa. BUT HEY, here it is.
Being on a diet is very depressing. My fear is that I will have to be
on one for the rest of my life.

How I felt yesterday

I feel a little better today.

This is an art piece from the Ella Sharp Museum in Jackson, MI and
unfortunately I do not know the name of the artist--if you know it,
let me know and I will add it.

A Filigree of Ice

I still find gentle joy in beauty and in discovery (in this case,
beauty in small, close things)

Happy?

I haven't been as happy, energetic, cheerful or spontaneously joyful as I used to be. Granted, I always had my moods, but I think I might be suffering from a low-grade depression or getting old sucks or both. Not that long ago, I used to have flights of joy and moments of utter happiness and I felt cheerful and energetic and hopeful at least some of the time. I still have occasional moments of contentment and happiness, but they are much fewer and farther between. They aren't a regular daily thing. And yesterday I was somewhat severely depressed all day long.

I used to lucid dream and dream I was flying regularly. Both of these dreams, which could also overlap, were full of energy and joy. I haven't had a lucid dream in years now.

I used to love the Christmas tree. All the sparkly lights and ornaments just filled me with delight. Last night, I stood a moment and gazed at the tree and was not able to find any of that delight in it. Nor have I since I moved to Detroit.

I used to love to walk in nature and my lifted and soared--but there is no nature here. And I have pain from my fibromyalgia so that walking is more difficult and painful. I still walk 45 minutes a day, but it is more akin to drudgery than joy.

I do still enjoy hugs and kisses and physical contact with K., but that contact is not nearly often enough.

The one moment of the day when I at least have contentment is when K. reads to me at night. Not every night, but often. I am also happy when I complete an art piece, poem, story or the draft of one of those or take a good picture. But that happiness seems less vivid and powerful than it used to. It is more like mild satisfaction than genuine clear untarnished happiness.

I am homesick for happiness, joy and delight.

Lucid Dreaming

I dreamed I was telling some women on a bus about lucid dreaming. How I prepare for it. But I wasn't lucid while I was dreaming of lucid (conscious) dreaming.

I hate the internet

The internet is a HUGE time sink.

Someone invited me to their poetry wall and I really didn't have time but I went anyway and spent a lot of time working on a poem and was watching my watch because I have all these other things I need to do and JUST WHEN I GOT IT DONE just the way I wanted, it disappeared--before I could save it.  I was so ANGRY and frustrated and felt like I HATED MYSELF and EVERYONE ELSE--mostly myself--because I didn't have the time to spend to begin with and I needed to do important crucial time sensitive things--like work on the adoption, shower, take Piano boy to his theory lesson etc, and I wasted time on something trivial.  It would have been somewhat LESS frustrating and upsetting had I not lost the poem I wrote, but it was the wrong time to do it and that was NO ONE'S fault but MINE.  I have ADHD and am very vulnerable to Internet time sinks.  I need to be MUCH more vigilant and maybe not even turn ON the computer at all.  GGGRRRRRRR!  I hate myself for being SO STUPID.  Over and over, I made the same mistakes.  I NEVER LEARN!

The Retreat of Darkness

Click image to view.

The Sunny Side of the Street

I shoveled snow for 9 minutes--we didn't have that much--and then walked for 9 minutes to make up the first third of my required exercise for my condition.  The sky was full of big grey and white clouds, but the sun was in an opening and shining warmly on the cold snow.  I altered my course to walk into the sun and on the sunny side of the street.  Made me smile, thinking of the song, "the sunny side of the street."  And then I wondered, does anyone know that song any more?  Do other people besides me still change their course to walk in the sunshine?

Love doodle

My scanner is a piece of $#!^! It won't scan things the same colors they actually are. This doodle is bright reds, oranges and purples, not browns and blues! Disappointing and upsetting! (Click image to view larger.)

But anyway, may love fill your life today and every day!

This doodle was made with an Andrea pen, some markers and crayons. (Andrea, if you happen to visit, I left you a "make-my-day" award on Detroit daily. You too, Coffeypot, JoAnn, Nadine, Berrybird, Blue Rose, Nicole, etc.)

Kisses at Dodge Park

Yesterday we rode our Motorcycles to Dodge Park. Brrr, cold ride.
But, in spite of the fact that I have a cold, and was very cold, and
that is was a bit dismal, and that they were threatening rain and
snow--90% chance--we still had fun and made it home safely. We do
enjoy our ONE day a week together (Biker Buddy is working 58-hour
weeks, 6 day-weeks).

No Voice in the Primaries!

We're voting tomorrow, but our votes won't count.

I blame it on Iowa. Iowa has a law that they get to have the first primary. Who says? Why is that fair?

I think that we should either ROTATE who goes first through all 50 states and whoever went first one year goes to the end of the list the next year OR have all the primaries on the same day like we do with the final election in November. Why should Iowa and New Hampshire go first every time? Those early elections influence those kind of people who think they want to be on the side of the winner. I don't think that's an appropriate way to vote, but I know there are people who vote that way. I would prefer people to vote on issues, not on who's going to win, what their gender is, or what color their skin is.

We're going to vote tomorrow, but our vote won't count. This isn't fair, in my opinion, that my vote shouldn't count when other people's do. How is that fair?

Not only that, but the palette of choices is very narrow. We don't necessarily get to vote for who we want to win. They may not even be on the ballot and if we write it in, that vote count. Wait a minute! Is this a democracy and if so--why does my vote for my candidate not count equally with every other vote--why does it not count at all?

Booklist 2008

Monday January 14, 2008

I used to read a LOT, but lately, I haven't been reading that much. I am reading The Sun regularly, and other magazines, but that doesn't count as reading BOOKS. Just finally finished the first one of 2008. I am also reading how-to books for my new Mac and for Photoshop, but they are not the kinds of books I generally read cover-to-cover, so I can't list them as "read" in my booklist.

1. The Dolphins of Pern, by Anne McCaffrey. 3.5/5 This was not her best book ever and had some serious flaws, in my opinion, but we still enjoyed it. One of the things that I did not like about it is that it left the story to talk about ongoing Pern business without good background, so that it doesn't stand alone and the thread of the story was broken. It would be a much better story if those parts of the book were removed or woven in much more skillfully. The main story was good but had many of the elements of other stories, such as Dragonsong, which I really liked, but Dolphins seemed to be a bit of a rip-off of that story-line. Finished 1-13-08.
   

Separating

We went to the Conservatory yesterday and took lots of pictures of
orchids. This one I separated from an overcrowded nacground.

art in progress

The first one is a doodle I made with pens from Andrea and some of my own pens and two heart stencils I made myself. I don't feel satisfied with it so I may play with it some more.

The second it a 8.5 x 11 acryllic painting I made from the digital smudge painting.

Neither of these scanned well--digital art is often better for posting. These are too red, for one thing. And dark.

But I'm not happy with the second one, either. I need to work on it some more.

Thinking of you

I made a painting this morning on my new Mac. It was quite an ordeal because I'm used to PCs and don't know how to work Macs yet, but I am making some progress. I made this card from the painting. HAVE A GREAT DAY. Click on the image to see it better. Click HERE to see the actual painting, latest version.

snake doodle

here is a crop of a snake doodle I did with Andrea's pens. Click here
to see the whole doodle.

Doodle on online drawing board

A quick doodle on Monday Artday's Online drawing baord. Try here.

Another from then

me then

Modeling

Modeling involved lots of different things. One of my photgraphers
used to like to put me in old buildings.

One by B

One of the Photographers I used to model for would take me to waterfalls and other interesting places to photograph me. This is NOT one of his pictures, but one taken by my second husband, B. Unlike Vince Galea, that photographer did not give me any of his pictures for my portfolio. (This was taken at Yellowstone.)

When I Worked as a Model

More than forty years ago, I worked as a model for a Photographer named Vince Galea in San Francisco. Here is one of the pictures he took of me then.

My body Image

Not all these quizzes are all that reliable, LOL! I just took a body image quiz and this is what I got:

Your Body Image is 36% Unhealthy, 64% Healthy

You're body image is quite healthy, though you're sometimes a little bit too hard on yourself. Chances are you've got a rockin' body - so enjoy it!

How's Your Body Image?

I would not say that I have a "rocking body!" Maybe I am OK with it because I am older and my expectations aren't as high as they used to be. I'd like to be leaner!

4 meme

I got this from Bea

Four jobs I have had in my life:

Animal caretaker

Model

Dancer

mail sorter (Also, tupperware salesperson/party giver)*

Four Places I have Lived:

Detroit

San Diego

Manhattan

San Francisco

Four Places I have been on vacation:

Slovenia

Italy

Austria

Black Canyon of the Gunnison

Four Places I would like to be right now besides right here:

Slovenia

Italy

Austria

Black Canyon of the Gunnison

Four of my favorite foods:

omelettes

oatmeal

stir-fries

brown rice

four things I really like to do:

paint on the computer

write poems

write stories

hug my sweetie (etc)

four people who might or might not respond in kind:

Berrybird, Nadine, Coffeypot, Pam

AK.

*jobs besides my regular work of museum educator and naturalist. (I could go on about that).

What's in a name: Mary

I got this over at Coffeypot's Blog. Do you think it sounds like me, now, or the old me? Then?

What Mary Means

You are confident, self assured, and capable. You are not easily intimidated. You master any and all skills easily. You don't have to work hard for what you want. You make your life out to be exactly how you want it. And you'll knock down anyone who gets in your way! You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection. You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive. You have the classic "Type A" personality. You are wild, crazy, and a huge rebel. You're always up to something. You have a ton of energy, and most people can't handle you. You're very intense. You definitely are a handful, and you're likely to get in trouble. But your kind of trouble is a lot of fun. You are a free spirit, and you resent anyone who tries to fence you in. You are unpredictable, adventurous, and always a little surprising. You may miss out by not settling down, but you're too busy having fun to care.

What's Your Name's Hidden Meaning?

What's the meaning of YOUR name?

Wordless Wednesday

(click image to view larger)

ATCs--artist trading cards

I am not very good at this yet. (I may never be good at it!) Each of these cards is 2.5 x 3.5 inches. They are small and hard for me to manage. The first three are pen and ink on card, the fourth is a block print on blue paper with white ink. If you click on them, you will see them 2 or 3 times as large as I drew them! The second and third were made with pens from Andrea.

A Doodle for Andrea

I made the original doodle with one of Andrea's pens. And various stencils (for curves and circles.) Then I colored
it with pastels and charcoal. 5.5 x 8.5. Click image to view larger.

Another Me Me For You You TOO TOO

I have been untagged to do this meme. I am suppose to link to the person(s) that untagged me, which was Coffeypot. Thank you, sweet cranky funny man! I guess.

Post the rules on your blog.

Share 7 NEW random and/or weird facts about yourself on your blog, tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs. Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

1. There's nothing new about me.  I'm old.  But I am always shocked at HOW old I am when I see pictures of myself.  In the mirror, I hold my head just so, and I look younger.  And besides, my eyesight isn't that good.  I like that fish in the mirror poem, it's exactly how I feel.  If I can find it, I'll link to it.  Meanwhile, one weird thing about me is that I used to be able to fold both thumbs back over the back of my hands and it always freaked people out, but now I can't do it any more.

2. I am wearing a Grateful Dead T-shirt right now.  I got it at a Grateful Dead concert--but it was new Dead after Jerry Garcia died.  Biker Buddy came too.  We stood up and danced in our seats.  I would have danced in the aisles but the rent-a-cops wouldn't let us.  Maybe that's not weird.  I'm so weird that I can't tell what's weird and what's not.  NOTE: if you are wearing a Dead shirt right now, tell me. 

3.  I love listening to my son practice.  I know a lot of parents don't, but I do.

4.  I don't like watermelon.  I don't like hotdogs.  When I was a kid, I didn't like anything people fed to kids.  But I did like liver and onions and spinach and the crusts on bread.  Really.  Not to be perverse, but just because that's what I like.  I always preferred whole wheat or rye to white bread, even as a child, and never liked soft white bread that kids usually like.

5.  I like science.  I liked science when none of my girl friends did.  I was the only girl in most of my science classes in college.  I got ragged on and mistreated by some of my professors.  I still liked science anyway.  That's prolly not so weird now, but it was then.

6.  I never file my nails.  Biker Buddy files his though.

7.  I like going barefooted.  I climb mountains in my bare feet.

7b.  I can't remember which things I've said in prior memes.

OK, I tag:  Nadine, Berrybird, jo(e), Blue Rose, and you if you are reading this.  If you did it before and can think of 7 NEW things, go for it.  I think these memes come around more than once, like forwards.

Male Bonding?

I guess it's male bonding Day.  After eating together, Biker Buddy and Piano Boy just left to go to Barnes and Noble, leaving me here alone to put away the groceries (We're just back from shopping).  I'm only a wee teeny bit jealous/left out.  I think the Father-son bonding thing is really important--and getting books is always good too.

Mixed Emotions

I am making what I hope will be the last meal of the day.  It's a stir-fry with one small pork chop, cleaned of fat, and lots of veggies.  The pork chop is left over from a few days ago when I didn't eat my normal portion.  Now, I am very hungry.  My stomach is complaining madly and vividly and somewhat profanely. 

Although it is dinner, I am cooking and eating alone.  We normally go out to eat every other week at the Coney, but there is nothing at the Coney I can eat.  So Biker Buddy and Piano Boy went without me.  Biker Buddy home and Piano Boy was waiting at the door and he almost turned around and left without even kissing or hugging me.

When they left, I was flooded with emotion.  Two emotions to be precise.  YAY!  I'm free, I can do whatever I want and BOO! I'm alone and left out and deprived and suffering terribly.  LOL!  Both at once. So here I am alone in the house, as I usually am a good part of the day, but it does feel lonely and sad because normally at this time of day I'm with Biker Buddy and Piano Boy.  It doesn't feel the same as when I am home alone during the day.  Weird, I know.

It's getting dark out.  It's very warm.  I have to say I prefer it this way, but not if it means polar bears dying and melting icecaps etc.  The reason I am mentioning the warmth is because I'd like to go outside--preferably in nature, and enjoy it.  But it always seems as if there is too much to do.

My food is very plain.  I would have liked to have flavored it with wines and vinegars, but when I tried that a couple days ago, I got sick.  But hunger is a great provoker of appetite and it makes food taste better.  Even plain food.

I used to be a vegetarian.  I liked being a vegetarian.  It seems to be the right thing to do.  Diet for a small Planet and all that, and normally, healthier too.  But I'm allergic to beans and tofu and nuts and dairy and every form of vegetable protein.  And contrary to popular belief, vegetarians don';t just eat veggies.  However, I am thinking I will eat more brown rice and veggies and less meat.  The amount of protein an adult needs is actually very small.  I am going to make the switch slowly and gradually and hope it works out.  The last time I did that, I lost enormous amounts of weight.  And I was energetic and felt great.  I hope it works again.

I also need to eat more slowly.  I've known this for years, but I always so HUNGRY when the food arrives I tend gobble it down.  Suddenly, that plate of food is gone.  Admittedly, I feel a little better.  I wish I'd eaten a little more slowly and savored it.  It was good!  When I am on a diet, it is amazing how good simple foods start tasting.

I am on a diet, but when I am done dieting, I want to make some small changes that will transform the diet into a healthy eating plan for life and not fall back into bad eating habits.  The concept is simple, but not easy:  fresh fruits and vegetables cooked (if at all) with minimal fats,whole grains, and minimal amounts of animal proteins.  Local organic foods whenever possible because it is not only better for me, but also better for the earth.  Sounds simple, right.  But here's what I can't eat:  dairy products (I'm allergic):  no pizza, lasagna, ice cream, etc, no chocolate, coffee, tea or alcohol, no refined carbohydrates (no desserts, no cakes pies, cookies, candy etc, no bread, rolls, crackers, snacks), no nuts.  It makes it hard to live in the world, at least in our world.  Which is why I am here alone and Biker Buddy and Piano Boy are at the Coney without me.

fog and longing

I don't know why it is, but I love fog. It seems mysterious and beckoning, it encloses things and makes them seem both wilder and simpler. It hides things. It was very very foggy yesterday, because of the thaw and melting snow. I desperately wanted to run around in the woods taking pictures, but by the time we got out of the motorcycle show, it was dark. WAHN!


These pictures were taken in the dark.


Right there at the arena where they held the show, I discovered a
frozen pond with many muskrat houses! YAY! It was already pretty
dark, but I had fun attempting to get some pictures. You can see the
lights from the surrounding area in some of the pond pictures. By the
time we got to Kensington Metropark, it was totally dark. I was very
disappointed, but I did take some pictures there with my tripod,
which, after adjustment, don't look like night.

I was really pleased to see the pond and muskrat houses. I like
muskrats. I like nature, and I don't get enough of it any more to
suit me. WAHN!

But it was nice to get a mini fix of nature last night. YAY! And to be somewhere a little different. I don't get out as much in the winter.