Listeme

Saturday, July 4th • 11:38AM

In news of our yard, which we CAN see from our house:

I have been pleasantly surprised by how many plants -- with fruits -- have grown up out of our compost. These are all from seeds that came from grocery store produce. Since I had been under the impression that grocery store suppliers were somewhat deliberately trying NOT to let that happen (so as to increase reliance on the food corporations), this has been cool to see. Or perhaps letting them grow in our yard is some sort of violation of the canteloupe EULA that is on the little food sticker and Monsanto will be knocking on our doors any minute.

We are fully supporting at least one colony of squirrels. They take a lot of our first level compost. They also have made a hole in the bottom of the big trash barrel and pull good things out of the bags using this method. We thought we had won this battle by fashioning a heavier trash barrel lid. We were wrong. These days, I don't mind. Yesterday a rather small squirrel made off with a HUGE piece of pizza, scampered away from the deck with the point of the pizza jutting in front of him like an arrow towards his home. Pizza friday for squirrels!

Sagan the cat finds this all ridiculous. Why are we letting those squirrels cavort in front of her glass door? Why, oh why?

Sagan the cat probably would vote against our compost heap if she were on the board of directors of our homeowners association. She's prissy like that. She probably thinks the grass is too long, too. Silly cats. Silly humans.

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Bookkeeping Tuesday, June 30th • 9:41PM

When you share kids with a person, there's always a money connection, because kids drain every last resource from you and then sniff the ground interestedly for perhaps some blood droplets or something.

I kid.

But I was talking on the phone to Greg about a shared cost we have. However, we have not yet figured out HOW this cost shall be shared. Like will one of us write a big check and then the other pay their share? Or will we both pay our shares? And how do we decide which share is which and how much? It's exhausting and time-consuming, because it should be done fairly, and we did not have time on the phone to figure it out.

So I said: "go ahead and write on the white board that I'll pay my imaginary share of it this month, and then write that my entire share is imaginary, and then we'll figure out what those two numbers are later."

Those were my exact words.

His exact words: "okay, sounds great."

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Making wishes Monday, June 29th • 7:30PM

We ran into a couple of very nice mormon fellows as we headed out on our fourth or fifth mile today. I wanted to rub one of their heads for luck, but I thought it might alarm them.

But I'm ... open to suggestion these days. I'm not sure what that means. I don't mean that I am praying to Thor to keep the thunder away. I know better than that. (Although there haven't been any thunderstorms today, so think what you will.) I think it means I'm a foxhole kind of person, but I hate that feeling. Like I'm an opportunist. A fearful opportunist.

Do we humans go through every single possibility for solutions every time we are worried? "Exits? Check. Food and resources? Check. Superman? Check."

We keep picking up pennies. Fill a foxhole full of pennies, that's my new motto!

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wonderful Monday, June 29th • 6:47PM

My birthday card from John's parents.

2 comment(s) | Leave one

Going through old photos! Sunday, June 28th • 2:17PM

Doesn't everyone look at old pictures when they are feeling ancient?

Okay, so he was a really cute kid. But look at that expression! He can't be older than 4, and probably younger, and he is showing the teenager how to get through this next level.

He GETS games. And that's important.

Leave one

Blank designation Wednesday, June 17th • 4:34PM

If and only if there is binding of verbal designation, by your opponent's designated clarification -- thereafter -- only THEN may you use the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch.

Unless the director has been called over to record the blank designation, therefore.

10 comment(s) | Leave one

Warning signs Friday, June 12th • 11:24AM

The men installing our new security system, hollering from upstairs: "you guys were planning on replacing the living room wallpaper, right?"

1 comment(s) | Leave one

Holy cow Tuesday, June 9th • 5:43PM

Chris and I ended up at a Burger King today between errands. "Gosh," thinks I, "It's been a while since I ordered from BK. I always order the number 4, though." So I did. It was delicious. I even ordered the large size, and I'm still working on the soda.

So back home from errands, I'm reporting on my success to John in the kitchen. It's been at least an hour since "lunch".

I stop in the middle of my sentence to blurt out: oh my god, I just ate beef!

I hadn't even noticed what I was eating. It has been at least a year -- at least -- since I last ate mammal meat. My stomach is a little buggy at the moment, but I think it's just the guilt.

How I didn't notice while ordering and while EATING is a mystery to me. Maybe I'm stressed.

6 comment(s) | Leave one

On the other hand Tuesday, June 9th • 9:47AM

I'm not nearly as peaceful as my recent posts would imply. Like I tossed and turned (really!) about whether or not SWILLNS was rated and if it was, does NASPA plan to keep it up, and if SO, what is my position on such nonsense. Really, I tossed and turned about this.

Bitter is good in coffee, not so good in soft dark nights.

And that is only a minor issue!

So don't you worry; I'm not getting soft in my old age here. Brew up a cup of discontent and have a scone with me.

4 comment(s) | Leave one

In which I argue against imaginary arguers Monday, June 8th • 10:53PM

The internet is just a faster way.

Tonight, I facebook-friended a dear friend of my mother's from long ago. It so happens that the needlework that hangs above my nightstand was made by her and given to me exactly 25 years ago at my high school graduation.

The needlework is actually a cross-stitch, my favorite type of stitching (all those lovely squares) of the serenity prayer. I don't know to whom I pray that lately, but it is awfully nice and awfully appropriate for my circumstances these days. Grant me serenity and courage and wisdom. Indeedy.

Some days I feel the words of the psalmist, too, both his exclamations of the beauty of the universe -- and his crying out over the enemies that beset him. You don't have to be a member of an organized religion to appreciate the ancient words. Sunday School wasn't a complete waste of time. Honestly.

2 comment(s) | Leave one

10 earlier

	Saturday, July 4th • 11:38AM

In news of our yard, which we CAN see from our house: I have been pleasantly surprised by how many plants -- with fruits -- have grown up out of our compost. These are all from seeds that came from grocery store produce. Since I had been under the impression that grocery store suppliers were somewhat deliberately trying NOT to let that happen (so as to increase reliance on the food corporations), this has been cool to see. Or perhaps letting them grow in our yard is some sort of violation of the canteloupe EULA that is on the little food sticker and Monsanto will be knocking on our doors any minute. We are fully supporting at least one colony of squirrels. They take a lot of our first level compost. They also have made a hole in the bottom of the big trash barrel and pull good things out of the bags using this method. We thought we had won this battle by fashioning a heavier trash barrel lid. We were wrong. These days, I don't mind. Yesterday a rather small squirrel made off with a HUGE piece of pizza, scampered away from the deck with the point of the pizza jutting in front of him like an arrow towards his home. Pizza friday for squirrels! Sagan the cat finds this all ridiculous. Why are we letting those squirrels cavort in front of her glass door? Why, oh why? Sagan the cat probably would vote against our compost heap if she were on the board of directors of our homeowners association. She's prissy like that. She probably thinks the grass is too long, too. Silly cats. Silly humans.
2 comment(s) \| Leave one

Bookkeeping	Tuesday, June 30th • 9:41PM

When you share kids with a person, there's always a money connection, because kids drain every last resource from you and then sniff the ground interestedly for perhaps some blood droplets or something. I kid. But I was talking on the phone to Greg about a shared cost we have. However, we have not yet figured out HOW this cost shall be shared. Like will one of us write a big check and then the other pay their share? Or will we both pay our shares? And how do we decide which share is which and how much? It's exhausting and time-consuming, because it should be done fairly, and we did not have time on the phone to figure it out. So I said: "go ahead and write on the white board that I'll pay my imaginary share of it this month, and then write that my entire share is imaginary, and then we'll figure out what those two numbers are later." Those were my exact words. His exact words: "okay, sounds great."
Leave one

Making wishes	Monday, June 29th • 7:30PM

We ran into a couple of very nice mormon fellows as we headed out on our fourth or fifth mile today. I wanted to rub one of their heads for luck, but I thought it might alarm them. But I'm ... open to suggestion these days. I'm not sure what that means. I don't mean that I am praying to Thor to keep the thunder away. I know better than that. (Although there haven't been any thunderstorms today, so think what you will.) I think it means I'm a foxhole kind of person, but I hate that feeling. Like I'm an opportunist. A fearful opportunist. Do we humans go through every single possibility for solutions every time we are worried? "Exits? Check. Food and resources? Check. Superman? Check." We keep picking up pennies. Fill a foxhole full of pennies, that's my new motto!
Leave one

wonderful	Monday, June 29th • 6:47PM

My birthday card from John's parents.
2 comment(s) \| Leave one

Going through old photos!	Sunday, June 28th • 2:17PM

Doesn't everyone look at old pictures when they are feeling ancient? Okay, so he was a really cute kid. But look at that expression! He can't be older than 4, and probably younger, and he is showing the teenager how to get through this next level. He GETS games. And that's important.
Leave one

Blank designation	Wednesday, June 17th • 4:34PM

If and only if there is binding of verbal designation, by your opponent's designated clarification -- thereafter -- only THEN may you use the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch. Unless the director has been called over to record the blank designation, therefore.
10 comment(s) \| Leave one

Warning signs	Friday, June 12th • 11:24AM

The men installing our new security system, hollering from upstairs: "you guys were planning on replacing the living room wallpaper, right?"
1 comment(s) \| Leave one

Holy cow	Tuesday, June 9th • 5:43PM

Chris and I ended up at a Burger King today between errands. "Gosh," thinks I, "It's been a while since I ordered from BK. I always order the number 4, though." So I did. It was delicious. I even ordered the large size, and I'm still working on the soda. So back home from errands, I'm reporting on my success to John in the kitchen. It's been at least an hour since "lunch". I stop in the middle of my sentence to blurt out: oh my god, I just ate beef! I hadn't even noticed what I was eating. It has been at least a year -- at least -- since I last ate mammal meat. My stomach is a little buggy at the moment, but I think it's just the guilt. How I didn't notice while ordering and while EATING is a mystery to me. Maybe I'm stressed.
6 comment(s) \| Leave one

On the other hand	Tuesday, June 9th • 9:47AM

I'm not nearly as peaceful as my recent posts would imply. Like I tossed and turned (really!) about whether or not SWILLNS was rated and if it was, does NASPA plan to keep it up, and if SO, what is my position on such nonsense. Really, I tossed and turned about this. Bitter is good in coffee, not so good in soft dark nights. And that is only a minor issue! So don't you worry; I'm not getting soft in my old age here. Brew up a cup of discontent and have a scone with me.
4 comment(s) \| Leave one

In which I argue against imaginary arguers	Monday, June 8th • 10:53PM

The internet is just a faster way. Tonight, I facebook-friended a dear friend of my mother's from long ago. It so happens that the needlework that hangs above my nightstand was made by her and given to me exactly 25 years ago at my high school graduation. The needlework is actually a cross-stitch, my favorite type of stitching (all those lovely squares) of the serenity prayer. I don't know to whom I pray that lately, but it is awfully nice and awfully appropriate for my circumstances these days. Grant me serenity and courage and wisdom. Indeedy. Some days I feel the words of the psalmist, too, both his exclamations of the beauty of the universe -- and his crying out over the enemies that beset him. You don't have to be a member of an organized religion to appreciate the ancient words. Sunday School wasn't a complete waste of time. Honestly.
2 comment(s) \| Leave one

Beyond Memorization