I use stuff until it is totally busted- and that takes a while since I really take care of my things. My backpack is from the 8th grade (as is my calculator,) my hair comb is from the 6th, my retainer is from the 10th and my lunch box is from 2nd at the latest. I even used a discman from 7th grade that required a rubber band to stay closed because I dropped it all the time. It probably still works but I got a discman that played mp3s so I gave the old one to someone when I was in college. I just like to run stuff to the ground. Like I do Mike's soul.
You can surely understand how pissed I was when our first digital camera died seven months after we got it. SEVEN MONTHS. It was a Kodak Easyshare that can't be fixed by anyone who's not Kodak. No local shops can get the crap to fix any Kodak products. Kodak just doesn't give the equipment to people! Assholes. So because it took us five more months to find this out since we weren't feeling particularly proactive, we had to buy a new one to take to the Bahamas with us. And we did NOT buy Kodak. To be fair, the camera was a special offer to Mike's dad for signing a cable contract so it was totally free and he gave it to us in his incredible generosity (no- he does not read this site.) No real loss here. But we still need a camera for Vacay 2009.
I did some searching on the Internets and found a Canon Powershot for 65% off at Buy.com and proceeded to pay for it with my Paypal account only because I was too lazy to get my card out of my wallet. We were going to get it in four to fourteen days. Plenty of time. YAY!!! However, the next day the website refunded me my money with no note as to what was wrong. There was no email from the site directly telling me why and I waited for one telling me they were out of stock or something. Nothing. For four days. I emailed them and they tell me I have an unverified account (I can't verify because my bank account is linked to a Paypal account that I can in no way gain access to therefore they won't let me link the accounts) so my purchase was cancelled because they had no way of knowing I was a real purchase. Okay, sound business practice. But you know what else is a sound business practice? LETTING ME KNOW THIS.
I reordered the camera. Luckily it was still in stock so whatever. Then I find out that Buy.com doesn't ship anything, a third party seller does. That takes two more days to process and ship. When the package finally ships I look at the calendar and realize that if it does indeed take fourteen days to get here the camera will arrive while we're on Vacay 2009. Without a camera to take pictures of our sunburned asses. If I had known about my account being suspect this wouldn't have been an issue! Assholes! I should've paid the extra $6 to get it here in time!
I tracked the package as soon as the information is available, which is the day after receiving shipment notification, and find out that the package is in Albany and is being delivered as I read that it is in Albany being delivered. I got the package in two business days. If I did pay the extra $6 can you imagine how pissed I would be? Ugh.
March 31, 2009
March 27, 2009
Just Ask Tom Petty What He Thinks
Smoking pot is something I've never done. I've not done it for a multitude of reasons. When I was younger I just didn't hang with that crowd (well I did but never when they were smoking), D.A.R.E. scared the shit out of me, I didn't know where to get it for myself and I have total control issues. Who knows how I would react? Once I got to college I liked the fact that I could look my sister in the eye and tell her I never did it. That was really important to me. Once I got out of college I figured I'm too old to start and what was I missing in the first place? My friends who did it are over it, none of them miss it, so I'm good. I have enough vices anyway.
But the biggest reason I never smoked pot was because of my father. There was something about the way he approached drinking and drugs. He was never of the opinion that drinking and drugs were immoral or would send me to hell. He came from a different direction. I asked him one day why he never really drank, and he said, your mother drinks enough for the both of us. No seriously, (she did though) he said that all of his opportunities to drink were at military functions with his squadron and he had an example to set, he didn't really see the need and our family has a history of abuse. The same reasons applied to his complete lack of Mary Jane experience. He was so calm about it, no lecture about it being "bad," no condemnation of those who do. It made complete sense to me. (Full disclosure- I have a 60 year old uncle who lives in the Rockies and the man is a walking marijuana plant. I think he's a loser when really he's the equivalent of an alcoholic. He is incapable of clarity- my brother called him once while he was in the neighborhood and the guy didn't know who he was until my brother mentioned my mother- the dude's sister. How many Zachary's can this guy know? Moderation, dude.)
I don't really understand why pot is illegal. It grows in the ground, you smoke it and it makes you hungry or something. So what? Why does the government care what I do with my brain? It's like drinking, just don't drive or operate machinery while intoxicated. I firmly believe in making the shit legal. I know it's more complicated than this but I'm going to put it simply- legitimizing pot takes care of many problems such as prison overpopulation and increasing tax revenue. Prison? you say? In many parts of the country, such as New York State, first time pot dealing offenders are thrown in prison. No three strikes, nothing. I don't have specific statistics to back this up but a large portion of the prison population is in the slammer due to drug dealing. Incarcerating only the serious offenses is incredibly attractive for social and economical reasons that I'm not going to get into here. As for taxes, that's self explanatory. Also, if you legalize pot, the pot that would be on the market will be regulated and therefore safer- no chance of contaminates or whatever jerks put in their doobies. (Are the Doobie Brothers really named after pot? I love those guys.)
What bothers me the most about the argument of legalizing pot is that lawmakers assume those who want it legalized are addicted to the stuff. That is totally not the case. People are always going to smoke pot. Why not make money from it? Why not make it easier for cancer patients to get medicinal marijuana? Why not take the stick out of your ass and think outside the box sometime? Is it because you think all people who like to get buzzed are possessed by Satan? Yeah, think about it while you enjoy your second glass of Pinot Noir, Beelzebub.
But the biggest reason I never smoked pot was because of my father. There was something about the way he approached drinking and drugs. He was never of the opinion that drinking and drugs were immoral or would send me to hell. He came from a different direction. I asked him one day why he never really drank, and he said, your mother drinks enough for the both of us. No seriously, (she did though) he said that all of his opportunities to drink were at military functions with his squadron and he had an example to set, he didn't really see the need and our family has a history of abuse. The same reasons applied to his complete lack of Mary Jane experience. He was so calm about it, no lecture about it being "bad," no condemnation of those who do. It made complete sense to me. (Full disclosure- I have a 60 year old uncle who lives in the Rockies and the man is a walking marijuana plant. I think he's a loser when really he's the equivalent of an alcoholic. He is incapable of clarity- my brother called him once while he was in the neighborhood and the guy didn't know who he was until my brother mentioned my mother- the dude's sister. How many Zachary's can this guy know? Moderation, dude.)
I don't really understand why pot is illegal. It grows in the ground, you smoke it and it makes you hungry or something. So what? Why does the government care what I do with my brain? It's like drinking, just don't drive or operate machinery while intoxicated. I firmly believe in making the shit legal. I know it's more complicated than this but I'm going to put it simply- legitimizing pot takes care of many problems such as prison overpopulation and increasing tax revenue. Prison? you say? In many parts of the country, such as New York State, first time pot dealing offenders are thrown in prison. No three strikes, nothing. I don't have specific statistics to back this up but a large portion of the prison population is in the slammer due to drug dealing. Incarcerating only the serious offenses is incredibly attractive for social and economical reasons that I'm not going to get into here. As for taxes, that's self explanatory. Also, if you legalize pot, the pot that would be on the market will be regulated and therefore safer- no chance of contaminates or whatever jerks put in their doobies. (Are the Doobie Brothers really named after pot? I love those guys.)
What bothers me the most about the argument of legalizing pot is that lawmakers assume those who want it legalized are addicted to the stuff. That is totally not the case. People are always going to smoke pot. Why not make money from it? Why not make it easier for cancer patients to get medicinal marijuana? Why not take the stick out of your ass and think outside the box sometime? Is it because you think all people who like to get buzzed are possessed by Satan? Yeah, think about it while you enjoy your second glass of Pinot Noir, Beelzebub.
March 24, 2009
In Reality, the Gravity Makes the World Go Round
Every year my office has an NCAA March Madness pool and somehow for the last three years I've been the bookie. I know nothing about college basketball. I don't know whose programs are good or which schools have automatic bids or what any of this means. Heck, I picked my favorite player on (Mike's Alma mater) Siena College's basketball team because I'm drawn to goofy looking fellows. (And this player's pretty good at rebounding- the only basketball skill we share since I'm pretty sure he doesn't posses my on-court flair.) Imagine Mike's frustration when I'm bombarding him with questions. March Madness is one of his favorite sports time of the year and he's stuck with this yokel who doesn't really know what is going on.
One of the things that requires constant clarification is who gets into the tournament and why. From what I gather it comes down to how big you are, if you've won smaller tournaments and/or if the NCAA just flat out picks you to be in the whole thing. Mike says it's about season records and schools' history with the program and whatnot. OK, just tell me who has a nice coach and I'll pick that team but the fact that the teams aren't picked on merit alone sticks in my craw. There's one other thing that gets me all heated and that's the fact that the NCAA favors larger schools because that means more people will watch the games on television. Bull SHIT.
When Siena was playing Ohio State, the referees were making fairly unsubstantiated calls against Siena- fouls that they wouldn't call against Ohio and other sketchy behavior. It was infuriating because it almost cost Siena the game- a game they totally deserved to win. I can't believe that it's true- I mean I do believe it but I don't want to believe it. Sports shouldn't be determined by television ratings- they should be determined by who plays better, harder and smarter. (This doesn't apply to t-ball or other youth sports, k? I'm talking high school and up.) All this breaks my heart. Is nothing sacred? Does everything have to be skewed by the all mighty dollar?
It's not just sports that are affected- the Oscars are picked by notoriety and revenue, only Olympic sports that have celebrities are televised, and good television is yanked off the teevee if they aren't watched by the 18-35 demographic. It's all malarkey and a total buzz kill.
This is all the idealist in me. It never really was based on merit. Is anything? Was anything? Money is what makes the world go round. It doesn't have to be this way but it does. And it totally bums me out. Sigh.
One of the things that requires constant clarification is who gets into the tournament and why. From what I gather it comes down to how big you are, if you've won smaller tournaments and/or if the NCAA just flat out picks you to be in the whole thing. Mike says it's about season records and schools' history with the program and whatnot. OK, just tell me who has a nice coach and I'll pick that team but the fact that the teams aren't picked on merit alone sticks in my craw. There's one other thing that gets me all heated and that's the fact that the NCAA favors larger schools because that means more people will watch the games on television. Bull SHIT.
When Siena was playing Ohio State, the referees were making fairly unsubstantiated calls against Siena- fouls that they wouldn't call against Ohio and other sketchy behavior. It was infuriating because it almost cost Siena the game- a game they totally deserved to win. I can't believe that it's true- I mean I do believe it but I don't want to believe it. Sports shouldn't be determined by television ratings- they should be determined by who plays better, harder and smarter. (This doesn't apply to t-ball or other youth sports, k? I'm talking high school and up.) All this breaks my heart. Is nothing sacred? Does everything have to be skewed by the all mighty dollar?
It's not just sports that are affected- the Oscars are picked by notoriety and revenue, only Olympic sports that have celebrities are televised, and good television is yanked off the teevee if they aren't watched by the 18-35 demographic. It's all malarkey and a total buzz kill.
This is all the idealist in me. It never really was based on merit. Is anything? Was anything? Money is what makes the world go round. It doesn't have to be this way but it does. And it totally bums me out. Sigh.
March 23, 2009
This Guy's Going to Blind You With Behavioral Science
I am a terrible liar. TERRIBLE. I can't do it to save my life. Acting is one thing and lying is another. I can act my way out of a paper bag okay but I certainly can't lie myself out of one. I'm an open book, I wear my heart on my sleeve, insert other cliches here and I've been told I am honest to a fault. Though it is really annoying when I try to hide the cookie I sneaked from Mike this is actually something I wouldn't change about myself. I may not be able to hide the true number of baked goods I've consumed but people always know I'm sincere. And I can live with that trade off. So I just don't bother trying to lie. (There was this one time in the 3rd grade when I inexplicably lied to my swim teacher Mrs. Piester [she was a total jerk though- if the water was cold and anyone said anything about it she would call us a crybaby- my mother included. I blame all the times she cracked her head on the pool floor.] For some reason I told Mrs. Piester that my school teacher showed swimming safety videos and I was totally flippant about it until Mrs. Piester wrote down my teacher's name and wanted to talk to her about it. In the car on the way home I had a panic attack and once my mother coaxed it out of me at home, she drove me back to talk to the old coot and confess. This is probably why I don't lie. HUMILIATING! At least I'm a really good swimmer.)
I'm just as bad with cheating. I've only cheated three times in my life. Once in second grade I got the crazy idea to cheat on a spelling test. I had no reason to, I wasn't a bad speller. I guess I just wanted to do well? Whatever, I failed at cheating with flying colors. I think the only reason I wasn't disciplined was because it was a substitute teacher that day- she just gave me the evil eye. Maybe looking up at her all the time gave me away. Or maybe the paper with the answers I kept pulling out of my desk did it... Eh. I was scarred from the experience. I didn't cheat again until the 11th grade when I copied a homework assignment for History and that's only because I didn't consider that cheating at the time. The final time was AP Government class in 12th grade. We had already taken the AP exam so we spent the rest of the school year learning about Virginia Commonwealth government. We had a quiz about VA history and for the life of me I couldn't remember the name of George Washington's house and I REFUSED to get it wrong. So I peeked at my neighbor's test and instantly remembered freaking Mount Vernon. I even visited the stupid place years before but my mind was drawing a blank. So I cheated.
All this reminiscing brings me to this fantastic video of a lecture about cheating and by extension lying. This fellow was 70% burned and while he stayed in the hospital the nurses would rip his bandages off quickly despite the pain it caused him because they perceived it to be the least painful. All the while he insisted this was not the case. His experience lead him to study pain which in turn lead him to some interesting discoveries in why we lie and cheat. My description does not give his lecture justice. I've always found human nature fascinating so this held my rapt attention all the way through. This should make you think in a way you don't much these days. So think away.
I'm just as bad with cheating. I've only cheated three times in my life. Once in second grade I got the crazy idea to cheat on a spelling test. I had no reason to, I wasn't a bad speller. I guess I just wanted to do well? Whatever, I failed at cheating with flying colors. I think the only reason I wasn't disciplined was because it was a substitute teacher that day- she just gave me the evil eye. Maybe looking up at her all the time gave me away. Or maybe the paper with the answers I kept pulling out of my desk did it... Eh. I was scarred from the experience. I didn't cheat again until the 11th grade when I copied a homework assignment for History and that's only because I didn't consider that cheating at the time. The final time was AP Government class in 12th grade. We had already taken the AP exam so we spent the rest of the school year learning about Virginia Commonwealth government. We had a quiz about VA history and for the life of me I couldn't remember the name of George Washington's house and I REFUSED to get it wrong. So I peeked at my neighbor's test and instantly remembered freaking Mount Vernon. I even visited the stupid place years before but my mind was drawing a blank. So I cheated.
All this reminiscing brings me to this fantastic video of a lecture about cheating and by extension lying. This fellow was 70% burned and while he stayed in the hospital the nurses would rip his bandages off quickly despite the pain it caused him because they perceived it to be the least painful. All the while he insisted this was not the case. His experience lead him to study pain which in turn lead him to some interesting discoveries in why we lie and cheat. My description does not give his lecture justice. I've always found human nature fascinating so this held my rapt attention all the way through. This should make you think in a way you don't much these days. So think away.
March 20, 2009
I'm About to Blind You With Science
Two years ago Mike and I were discussing the first day of spring when his dad casually mentioned you can stand an egg upright on the Vernal Equinox. We didn't know if this meant all day or for a window of time or what so we Googled it. It turns out that the Vernal Equinox is at a specific time on the first day of spring and at that time, you can stand an egg upright without the help of some support. That year it was around 8pm. Mike and I had plans to go out to dinner but brought an egg with us so as not to miss it. Strange, I know but how were we going to pass this up? Even for Mexican food? When it was time to try it, we were prepared. The egg didn't stand up for a good few minutes and I was totally bummed. We figured there was no way the eastern seaboard would have the same time across the board so I kept trying and voila! The egg stood until we had to leave. (For the record, no one in the restaurant noticed.) Last year the time was in the middle of the night so we didn't do it but this year was at 7:44am! I was all alone, sigh, but I did it anyway. Like the last time, it didn't work right away. But after some perserverence, here's what Fluffy and I discovered:
Happy first day of spring!!
Happy first day of spring!!
March 17, 2009
Yeah, Whatever
Mike is just as Irish as I am Welsh. We may hail from different islands and he may know more about Ireland than I do Wales (not anymore!) but we are equally Celtic. I didn't know about Saint David's Day until last year when I went on a tirade about how stupid I think the American celebration of Saint Patrick's Day is. I was/am sick of people pretending to love Ireland when they don't give a shit about Ireland. What they give a shit about is getting pissed first thing in the morning and staying pissed the rest of the day. All while wearing green. Because that's what Ireland is all about.
My first issue with the celebration of St. Patrick's Day is an issue I have with the celebration of any saint's feast day- Catholics were and are persecuted in America for believing in and praying to saints. Other denominations believe praying to saints in lieu of God is heretical and blasphemous. Catholics would get beaten up because of it. So why would anyone and everyone celebrate saints' feast days? To get drunk or presents or drunk. Oh, you like beer but don't believe in saints? By all means, celebrate! (I am very well aware of the fact that many Irish are Protestant and therefore don't believe in saints but probably celebrate today as a heritage day- not a saint day per say.)
America has a long history of hating the shit out of Irish immigrants. Yes many, many Americans have Irish ancestry and that's cool, great even. However, there are probably just as many German Americans and Italian Americans as there are Irish Americans but we don't go around celebrating Saint Boniface or Saint Joseph to the same degree. And those groups weren't ostracized like the Irish. Is it simply because the Irish were Catholic? The Italians are known to be very Catholic. So why weren't they kicked around? Is it because they drink beer? The Germans drink beer. So bring on June 5th and let's get drunk and wear green for the Christmas trees St. Boniface is said to have invented. Oh, and just so you know- St. Patrick's color is blue. Not green. So why celebrate a day that remembers a people the Americans historically beat the shit out of?
Also, I find it horribly offensive and rude that the heritage day of Ireland is commemorated by drunkenness. Alcoholism is a real problem in the economically depressed Ireland. But by all means, honor Ireland by pissing your pants from being too drunk.
On the other hand, to those who take their ancestry seriously, Happy Saint Patrick's Day. May you enjoy your corned beef and your Guinness. Sincerely.
My first issue with the celebration of St. Patrick's Day is an issue I have with the celebration of any saint's feast day- Catholics were and are persecuted in America for believing in and praying to saints. Other denominations believe praying to saints in lieu of God is heretical and blasphemous. Catholics would get beaten up because of it. So why would anyone and everyone celebrate saints' feast days? To get drunk or presents or drunk. Oh, you like beer but don't believe in saints? By all means, celebrate! (I am very well aware of the fact that many Irish are Protestant and therefore don't believe in saints but probably celebrate today as a heritage day- not a saint day per say.)
America has a long history of hating the shit out of Irish immigrants. Yes many, many Americans have Irish ancestry and that's cool, great even. However, there are probably just as many German Americans and Italian Americans as there are Irish Americans but we don't go around celebrating Saint Boniface or Saint Joseph to the same degree. And those groups weren't ostracized like the Irish. Is it simply because the Irish were Catholic? The Italians are known to be very Catholic. So why weren't they kicked around? Is it because they drink beer? The Germans drink beer. So bring on June 5th and let's get drunk and wear green for the Christmas trees St. Boniface is said to have invented. Oh, and just so you know- St. Patrick's color is blue. Not green. So why celebrate a day that remembers a people the Americans historically beat the shit out of?
Also, I find it horribly offensive and rude that the heritage day of Ireland is commemorated by drunkenness. Alcoholism is a real problem in the economically depressed Ireland. But by all means, honor Ireland by pissing your pants from being too drunk.
On the other hand, to those who take their ancestry seriously, Happy Saint Patrick's Day. May you enjoy your corned beef and your Guinness. Sincerely.
March 13, 2009
A Wasted Opportunity
It seems safe to say that I won't be able to do much more snowshoeing or cross country skiing this winter. Even if we have another storm March is so temperamental that any snow we accumulate will disappear within a few days of itself. I'm really bummed I didn't get out as much as I have in previous winters. This winter I was a hermit whether I liked it or not. In retrospect all the precipitation was less snow and more icy slush that would freeze over into treachery. Such a shame and a waste of a winter season.
When I was a kid in Upper Michigan I was outside in the winter just as much as I was outside in the summer. I didn't ski, I wasn't allowed to, but I sled all the time. We made snow men, ice forts, snow angels and snow balls. I tried ice skating but the lake we lived on was really difficult for novice skaters since it was unbuffered ice. (The rougher the ice the harder to stay upright and we didn't go into the town 30 minutes away for the ice rinks much at all.) I even loved shovelling snow. I still do. Seriously. I was outside in the winter all the time- we were outside for recess every day unless there was nasty precipitation and I was outside almost all weekend. Winter doesn't bother me- I look forward to it and relish it- even in Albany with the terrible (shameful really) snow removal.
The few times the snow seemed cooperative, less ice and more snow, I didn't have the funds available to me. Silly, trying to be more financially responsible and junk. This spring I'm going to peruse the sales racks and see if I can get a deal on a pair of snow shoes so those are available to me on a whim's notice and also get me some snow pants. The last time I wore snow pants I didn't know what sex was. I will remedy that situation. Next year I'm going to enjoy winter more as a participant and less as a spectator. I didn't enjoy this past winter as much as I could have. Not next year! No siree. Winter 2009/2010 will be my bitch!
When I was a kid in Upper Michigan I was outside in the winter just as much as I was outside in the summer. I didn't ski, I wasn't allowed to, but I sled all the time. We made snow men, ice forts, snow angels and snow balls. I tried ice skating but the lake we lived on was really difficult for novice skaters since it was unbuffered ice. (The rougher the ice the harder to stay upright and we didn't go into the town 30 minutes away for the ice rinks much at all.) I even loved shovelling snow. I still do. Seriously. I was outside in the winter all the time- we were outside for recess every day unless there was nasty precipitation and I was outside almost all weekend. Winter doesn't bother me- I look forward to it and relish it- even in Albany with the terrible (shameful really) snow removal.
The few times the snow seemed cooperative, less ice and more snow, I didn't have the funds available to me. Silly, trying to be more financially responsible and junk. This spring I'm going to peruse the sales racks and see if I can get a deal on a pair of snow shoes so those are available to me on a whim's notice and also get me some snow pants. The last time I wore snow pants I didn't know what sex was. I will remedy that situation. Next year I'm going to enjoy winter more as a participant and less as a spectator. I didn't enjoy this past winter as much as I could have. Not next year! No siree. Winter 2009/2010 will be my bitch!
He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother
My little brother Zachary (well, he's not really little- the dude towers over me like a sentinel) applied to an internship that would take him around the world teaching students how to travel on the cheap. This is something he has tremendous experience with so he's a shoe-in for the job. It would really be a shame if they don't chose him. He was kind enough to let me post this video here so I hope you enjoy it as much as Mike and I did. Just look at his charisma!
Charisma oozing out of every pore. My favorite part of the video is the kid who says students don't like to travel because other countries smell bad. What? What does that even mean?
I couldn't be more proud of his video. Even if he doesn't get the gig, at least he made something frakken cool and very well crafted. Way to go little bro!
Charisma oozing out of every pore. My favorite part of the video is the kid who says students don't like to travel because other countries smell bad. What? What does that even mean?
I couldn't be more proud of his video. Even if he doesn't get the gig, at least he made something frakken cool and very well crafted. Way to go little bro!
March 10, 2009
Motivation Station
Lyrics aside, this song would be the song playing over my workout montage. It was the song in my head all throughout my first triathlon and it really kept me motivated. It's the powerful strings and booming drum that do it for me.
Another song of theirs was on my first 5k play list. In fact, it started my race.
People always put really clubby, thumping music on their workout list. I do, too. There's plenty of hip-hop and rap on my lists but there's something about Coldplay that really brightens my spirit and when my spirit is lifted, that's when I really take off in my workouts. (See what I did there?) So, their songs either begin my play list or I put them in the line-up where I know I usually drag. It makes a huge difference and my workouts are better because of it.
Another song of theirs was on my first 5k play list. In fact, it started my race.
People always put really clubby, thumping music on their workout list. I do, too. There's plenty of hip-hop and rap on my lists but there's something about Coldplay that really brightens my spirit and when my spirit is lifted, that's when I really take off in my workouts. (See what I did there?) So, their songs either begin my play list or I put them in the line-up where I know I usually drag. It makes a huge difference and my workouts are better because of it.
March 9, 2009
Let It Overtake You
Every once in a while two people reach out to each other in the darkness and between them both, they create a light. A light that they didn't know was there. But now that they've found it, they let it shine. They let it shine and grow and shine until it overtakes them. It overtakes them and creates something more beautiful than they could ever imagine. All they needed to do was open their hearts to let someone in. And the light was there all along.
Apocalypse Farm
Mike says he wants to own enough land one day to have a large vegetable garden. I call it his Apocalypse Garden because he got the idea when things started getting really crappy. I've since taken his idea a few steps further- I want to keep bees, a few sheep, some chickens, make a compost pile, set up a grey water system and some solar panels. I three-quarters anticipate some sort of crap hitting a fan and I would like to be fairly self reliant. I don't want to be totally off the grid. I would like to be self sustainable even if the crap stays where it should simply because that's how I roll- but I can live without the sheep should that be the case.
I would prefer to remain optimistic about the state of society and where it's taking us, but I don't know. Everything we thought about our country's stability and ability to lead in the world market is slowly crumbling around us. I think capitalism as we know it is collapsing onto itself and America must find a better, more effective way to exist. If that means more government involvement then what can we do? The big business model is failing horribly and we have a country with a constantly shifting populace- we cannot govern ourselves effectively. A single person possesses intelligence but put that person in a group and that intelligence is just gone. What you have is an unthinking mob. Just look at Congress. And that scares me. And that's why I'm turning to bees for some peace.
So, our Apocalypse Farm. The vegetable garden and compost pile are self explanatory- we grow vegetables and some fruit, reacquaint ourselves with the earth and save a little money along the way all while recycling our vegetable waste back into the earth through compost. Win-win! The chickens would also be a way to reconnect with nature and save some money. The bees, well, I just read an article about bee keeping and how it's very soothing for the keeper- the humming is calming and there's that reconnecting with nature again, you get some honey, and the bees pollinate your gardens. More winning! I chose sheep because you can milk them and sheer them. I can make sweaters out of wool for the sheep so they don't get cold, so don't worry about the naked sheep. Grey water is when you take water in the house and reuse it. For example, in a bathroom I would take the water from the sink drain and hook it up to the toilet. That way the toilet doesn't use fresh water- that fresh water will go somewhere else in the house. Think of the toilet as a way to recycle water. You can also hook up grey water systems with your washing machine, dish washer, kitchen sink and shower. There are kits I can buy for some of that. And solar panels are just a dream of mine.
I know what you're thinking- Katherine is full of crap, that's a lot of shit she has to learn. Yes, that's a lot of shit I have to learn, but even if we buy a house where zoning poses a problem for some things or the land is too small (can't have my sheep eating my tomatoes,) many on my list of self sustainability are possible. We can still grow some vegetables, we can still keep bees (seriously), we can still compost, we can still get a solar panel or two and we can still set up some grey water systems. I'm waiting for a book about urban homesteading. It has tips about how people living in apartments or on city blocks can still green up the way they live. I've been researching worm composting and will hopefully get that together soon. Just with recycling I've noticed how rarely we take out the trash- imagine how much better that will be when we compost our organic waste.
Good economy or bad these are things I would like to accomplish. Wish us luck! And send me some name ideas for the sheep and chickens. I'm thinking Wallace and Gromit for the sheep...
I would prefer to remain optimistic about the state of society and where it's taking us, but I don't know. Everything we thought about our country's stability and ability to lead in the world market is slowly crumbling around us. I think capitalism as we know it is collapsing onto itself and America must find a better, more effective way to exist. If that means more government involvement then what can we do? The big business model is failing horribly and we have a country with a constantly shifting populace- we cannot govern ourselves effectively. A single person possesses intelligence but put that person in a group and that intelligence is just gone. What you have is an unthinking mob. Just look at Congress. And that scares me. And that's why I'm turning to bees for some peace.
So, our Apocalypse Farm. The vegetable garden and compost pile are self explanatory- we grow vegetables and some fruit, reacquaint ourselves with the earth and save a little money along the way all while recycling our vegetable waste back into the earth through compost. Win-win! The chickens would also be a way to reconnect with nature and save some money. The bees, well, I just read an article about bee keeping and how it's very soothing for the keeper- the humming is calming and there's that reconnecting with nature again, you get some honey, and the bees pollinate your gardens. More winning! I chose sheep because you can milk them and sheer them. I can make sweaters out of wool for the sheep so they don't get cold, so don't worry about the naked sheep. Grey water is when you take water in the house and reuse it. For example, in a bathroom I would take the water from the sink drain and hook it up to the toilet. That way the toilet doesn't use fresh water- that fresh water will go somewhere else in the house. Think of the toilet as a way to recycle water. You can also hook up grey water systems with your washing machine, dish washer, kitchen sink and shower. There are kits I can buy for some of that. And solar panels are just a dream of mine.
I know what you're thinking- Katherine is full of crap, that's a lot of shit she has to learn. Yes, that's a lot of shit I have to learn, but even if we buy a house where zoning poses a problem for some things or the land is too small (can't have my sheep eating my tomatoes,) many on my list of self sustainability are possible. We can still grow some vegetables, we can still keep bees (seriously), we can still compost, we can still get a solar panel or two and we can still set up some grey water systems. I'm waiting for a book about urban homesteading. It has tips about how people living in apartments or on city blocks can still green up the way they live. I've been researching worm composting and will hopefully get that together soon. Just with recycling I've noticed how rarely we take out the trash- imagine how much better that will be when we compost our organic waste.
Good economy or bad these are things I would like to accomplish. Wish us luck! And send me some name ideas for the sheep and chickens. I'm thinking Wallace and Gromit for the sheep...
March 6, 2009
Butterbutts are Free, Too
This morning I decided to use the open shower at the gym. It seemed everyone was done showering and it was close enough to the normal work hour that anyone who would need the showers would have already used them. It seemed safe. I remembered how strangely freeing it was to shower in an open room. So, this morning, I bared all. And loved it. Even though my ass was on show I was comfortable. Maybe I should use that shower more often and learn to love my body. I mean, what can it hurt?
March 5, 2009
We Work Hard for Our Money
In Obama's stimulus bill there is $50 million portion going to the National Endowment for the Arts. Gov. Bobby Jindal says that's wasteful spending, that the $50 million needs to go to the private sector to create jobs. I don't know what he means by the private sector and I don't understand why he fails to recognize why the arts are a viable employer. His statement is ignorant and judgemental.
When my parents asked me what I thought I wanted to study in college I unabashedly said theatre. I didn't say acting, I said theatre. Even when I was in high school I understood the numerous professions that were available to me in the arts. My best friend at the time was an incredibly talented graphic artist, still is, so I knew of the possibilities in graphic art. I was also a choir geek so I knew of the possibilities in music. In college I learned about dance troupes, the culinary arts, photography and writing. There are endless ways people can make a working living in the arts. But when I told my parents "theatre" my father's whole body sagged as he sighed in futility. They just assumed I was going to live in a cardboard box and never be able to provide for myself. Over the years my mother pushed me to get a teaching degree so I "would have something to fall back on." I told her over and over again that I wasn't called to be a teacher and that wouldn't be fair to my students. She and my father finally gave up and let me pursue my aspirations.
While in college I found I wanted to work in not-for-profit theatre (something that exists almost completely thanks to NEA grants back in the 1960s.) When I met Mike's dad he asked me how I would get paid in non-profit work. It's an explanation I've made many times over- non-profit means that any proceeds go right back into the operation budget and not into the pockets of investors. Broadway is for profit- that's why it costs so much to see a play on the Great White Way. I find non-profit work much, much more interesting. It's smaller and can be more intimate for the actors and audience members. I feel like non-profit theatres are more of a community unifier. They offer community outreach and education. And I'm all about arts outreach and education. So I'm pursuing a career in non-profit arts.
The fact that so many people fail to realize that the arts is a viable career is frustrating. I feel I should be angry but I'm not. People just don't think about it. All the ads you see on television- the music, graphics, acting, the words they say, costumes, make-up- are all created by people with careers based in the arts. These people may not walk around saying, I make movies, or I make drawings or I play make-believe. But they are walking around trying to provide for their families in work they find fulfilling and rewarding. Isn't that something everyone wants? So don't be critical when funding is made available for these people to find work and take care of themselves. Just because they don't put on a suit everyday and have a B.S. in b-s doesn't mean their line of work is worth less than yours. So Jindal, and your fellow party members, get your head out of your ass.
When my parents asked me what I thought I wanted to study in college I unabashedly said theatre. I didn't say acting, I said theatre. Even when I was in high school I understood the numerous professions that were available to me in the arts. My best friend at the time was an incredibly talented graphic artist, still is, so I knew of the possibilities in graphic art. I was also a choir geek so I knew of the possibilities in music. In college I learned about dance troupes, the culinary arts, photography and writing. There are endless ways people can make a working living in the arts. But when I told my parents "theatre" my father's whole body sagged as he sighed in futility. They just assumed I was going to live in a cardboard box and never be able to provide for myself. Over the years my mother pushed me to get a teaching degree so I "would have something to fall back on." I told her over and over again that I wasn't called to be a teacher and that wouldn't be fair to my students. She and my father finally gave up and let me pursue my aspirations.
While in college I found I wanted to work in not-for-profit theatre (something that exists almost completely thanks to NEA grants back in the 1960s.) When I met Mike's dad he asked me how I would get paid in non-profit work. It's an explanation I've made many times over- non-profit means that any proceeds go right back into the operation budget and not into the pockets of investors. Broadway is for profit- that's why it costs so much to see a play on the Great White Way. I find non-profit work much, much more interesting. It's smaller and can be more intimate for the actors and audience members. I feel like non-profit theatres are more of a community unifier. They offer community outreach and education. And I'm all about arts outreach and education. So I'm pursuing a career in non-profit arts.
The fact that so many people fail to realize that the arts is a viable career is frustrating. I feel I should be angry but I'm not. People just don't think about it. All the ads you see on television- the music, graphics, acting, the words they say, costumes, make-up- are all created by people with careers based in the arts. These people may not walk around saying, I make movies, or I make drawings or I play make-believe. But they are walking around trying to provide for their families in work they find fulfilling and rewarding. Isn't that something everyone wants? So don't be critical when funding is made available for these people to find work and take care of themselves. Just because they don't put on a suit everyday and have a B.S. in b-s doesn't mean their line of work is worth less than yours. So Jindal, and your fellow party members, get your head out of your ass.
March 3, 2009
Everyone's Got Issues, Man
I schedule my therapy appointments for 8am so I can go before work. This means I'm the first crazy person in my therapist's day. Woo! Whatever, she thinks I'm really funny and it's really a great way to start my day. And since I've been taking the bus to therapy it gives me lots of time to go over the things we discussed in my head. All around, 8am is the way to go!
More often than not, when I leave her office there's no one waiting in the tiny waiting room. Lately, however, there has been a person waiting each visit. I don't care but I feel like I should because none of them look at me when I'm leaving like they invaded my privacy. I'm always smiling when I leave, it's not like my make-up is streaming or I have snot dripping out of my nose. If anything I'm a reassurance that therapy is AWESOME! But since they don't look at me, I only notice them peripherally, like oh there's a person there. But it's almost as if they are ashamed to be there. They even walk into the office with their eyes cast downward like someone caught them. I've never seen those people again but there were a few weeks in a row a few years back where I knew the person in the waiting room. I was like, oh hey- haha we go to the same shrink, whatever. We never talked about it. It was just like, oh I know you- moving on.
I wonder if these people think there's a stigma even within the mental health community. Like, it's cool if someone else needs a therapist BUT I DON'T! I'm FINE! Everyone's well aware there are people out there who feel that therapy is shameful or for people of weak character. Well, those people are full of shit and are likely the ones most in need of a therapist themselves. Therapy has helped me in ways I didn't anticipate. My therapist is not a yes-woman. That's not what I'm paying her for. I'm paying her to tell me when I'm really not thinking things through enough or with the right perspective or to tell me how to talk to people in a constructive way during an argument or to tell me that something I'm stressing about is neither here nor there. I've found my relationships to be healthier and happier thanks to therapy. And that is nothing to be ashamed about.
More often than not, when I leave her office there's no one waiting in the tiny waiting room. Lately, however, there has been a person waiting each visit. I don't care but I feel like I should because none of them look at me when I'm leaving like they invaded my privacy. I'm always smiling when I leave, it's not like my make-up is streaming or I have snot dripping out of my nose. If anything I'm a reassurance that therapy is AWESOME! But since they don't look at me, I only notice them peripherally, like oh there's a person there. But it's almost as if they are ashamed to be there. They even walk into the office with their eyes cast downward like someone caught them. I've never seen those people again but there were a few weeks in a row a few years back where I knew the person in the waiting room. I was like, oh hey- haha we go to the same shrink, whatever. We never talked about it. It was just like, oh I know you- moving on.
I wonder if these people think there's a stigma even within the mental health community. Like, it's cool if someone else needs a therapist BUT I DON'T! I'm FINE! Everyone's well aware there are people out there who feel that therapy is shameful or for people of weak character. Well, those people are full of shit and are likely the ones most in need of a therapist themselves. Therapy has helped me in ways I didn't anticipate. My therapist is not a yes-woman. That's not what I'm paying her for. I'm paying her to tell me when I'm really not thinking things through enough or with the right perspective or to tell me how to talk to people in a constructive way during an argument or to tell me that something I'm stressing about is neither here nor there. I've found my relationships to be healthier and happier thanks to therapy. And that is nothing to be ashamed about.
March 2, 2009
Timeliness Is Not a Strong Suit of Mine
Welsh Flag1. Unlike the other British Isle patron saints, St. David is a native of his patronage.
2. His birthdate is unknown. It ranges from 462 to 512. According to legend he lived to be over 100 years old at his time of death.
3. He is the patron saint of poets.
4. Women wear daffodils and men wear leeks in celebration on Saint David's Day. Welsh words for "leek" and "daffodil" are very close so both are considered Welsh symbols- daffodils are the national flower and leeks are the national emblem.
5. Saint David ordered his soldiers to wear leeks in their helmets as an identifier during a battle against the Saxons in a leek field.
6. The United States has the second largest population of people with Welsh ancestry, second only to Wales itself.
7. The Tudor Dynasty of Elizabeth I and her father Henry VIII is Welsh in ancestry.
8. The British Union Jack incorporates the flags of England, Scotland and Ireland but not the flag of Wales.
9. The title Prince of Wales is a title given to the heir apparent of the British throne. Right now it's Prince Charles and when he takes the throne the title will move to his eldest son Prince William.
10. Some common Welsh surnames are Bowen, Lloyd, Griffith, Rice, Davies, Meredith, Price, Owens, Edwards, Lewis, Morgan and Vaughn.
11. The well known Welsh phrase "do the little things in life" are said to be some of St. David's last words.
12. St. David drank only water.
13. Some famous people from Wales include Anthony Hopkins, Catherine Zeta Jones, Christian Bale and TOM JONES. (I want to walk down the aisle to "She's a Lady.")Flag of Saint David
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)