It’s about 10:30 am and I’m still on my third cup of coffee. I just sent my better-half on her way for a day of shopping with her daughter and new grandson. I don’t have to tell you how important “alone time” can be for a person’s overall mental health and I cherish every minute of mine. It’s just me and my shadow, my cat Stormy, sitting in my man-cave and trying to decide what we’ll be doing today.
It’s another dreary day but fortunately all of my outside work is almost completed and I’m ready to settle in for the winter. I think I’m in a minority but I’m hoping for lots of snow this year. Last year was a mild winter here in Maine and I missed not having that beautiful white snow-cover for the entire winter. On top of it all without proper snow-cover many of the plants in my herb garden won’t survive. Anyone who knows anything about herbs knows that many are almost impossible to kill and they’ll run rampant through your garden. But with a mild winter and not much snow-cover they won’t likely survive the winter here in Maine. Last Spring I was forced to replace many herbs transplanted from my late mother’s herb garden which had a great deal of sentimental value to me. Such is life, replant and move on.
Today I’ll be be returning to work on a small sculpture that I’ve been working on for almost a year. I seem to do a few things on it then stare at it for about a month and then do a few more things. I’m trying to picture in my mind the finished piece and where I want the project to go. It’s finally coming together for me as I hoped it would and as it usually does.
Not to give too much away but it’s a somewhat bizarre and outrageous sculpture of my better half’s bust. That’s a “head and shoulders” bust not a “boobs” bust. The hair will consist of twelve tubes of white caulking compound applied in a manner I’ve never tried before. Today I’ll have a few hours where I can properly focus on my project and maybe make a little headway. I really wanted to have it completed by Christmas but I just can’t rush it. It moves at it’s own speed and when it’s done, I’ll know.
More coffee to get started and if I’m a good boy, a brandy later in the day. Hoorah!
Did you ever have one of those days where no matter what you tried to do, it just had no pizazz. That’s today for me unfortunately. It’s gray, dreary, and just cold enough to force me into wearing my winter apparel. Then I walk outside, take about twenty steps and all of a sudden I’ve sweated through my shirt. Then off comes the jacket and once again I’m freezing my ass off. It’s simply a no win situation with the cold or flu lurking in my near future. My decision is to be as lazy as possible and not work up a sweat of any kind.
I love the fall but it does have certain drawbacks. They are called LEAVES. I love Mother Nature and I love living in a rural wooded area but OMG the effing leaves. For years I’ve raked those bastard leaves into piles large enough to hide my car behind. Then I get to rake them again onto a huge tarp and attempt to drag them into the nearby woods. Saying that raking leaves sucks just doesn’t cover it.
A few years ago I lived in an area where burning leaves wasn’t permitted and most people were required to bag them and set them at the curb. If I did that now it would cost me a freaking fortune for bags and a week to fill them and stack them along the road. The town would be obliged to bring their entire fleet of trucks to cart them away and then later try in their slick governmental way to make me pay a fee. It’s just one of the few things governments do really well. They love to interfere with your life whenever possible and then work extremely hard to take money from you.
I decided this year I would win the battle with Mother Nature by becoming mechanized. I made the grand purchase of a riding mower with a grass collector figuring it would also be a great leaf cleaner-upper. Wrong again. It turned out to be a hugely expensive, red, leaf blower. For every leaf it sucked up, it threw three hundred into the air where Mother Nature could redistribute them around the yard. After my fourth pass, becoming more pissed off with each pass, I parked that mother and went inside for a cup of coffee.
After a half hour of quiet meditation to lower my blood pressure, I had another cup of my terrible coffee, and also an epiphany. A leaf solution came to me out of the blue and as always it was perfectly simple. All I had to do was pray for a week of high winds and rain storms that would blow most of the leaves into my neighbors yard. Any that were left after that would be allowed to stay right where they are until Spring. Problem solved!
So I’m off to visit my better-half who is happily slaving away for “The Man”. I think I can convince her in my charming way to eat some Chinese food for lunch and if I’m lucky she’ll get to pay the tab too. Things are looking up and screw the freaking leaves.
My sincerest sympathies go out to all those folks in New York New Jersey and the surrounding areas who are suffering through the terrible flooding and destruction. I can’t begin to imagine how devastating and horrible that situation must be.
I expect the media to now turn it’s attention to the recovery efforts with all of the poignant stories they’ll report or create as need be. It’s critical that they don’t lose the ratings surge created by Sandy. They’ll milk the recovery for all it’s worth until we’re exhausted from their incessant preaching and dire predictions of the next “epic” event.
My best estimate for their switch to the next great catastrophe will be just after the Thanksgiving weekend. The History Channel will lead the charge with a constant barrage of bullshit programming on the end of the world as we know it on December 21, 2012. They’ll be forced into continuously reporting something exciting and scary because we all know you can’t get much ratings mileage out of the big countdown of shopping days left till Christmas.
Can 100,000 dead Mayans be wrong? The media is a fine tuned albeit liberal machine and should be reasonably successful in terrorizing a large portion of the population about the upcoming “end of days”. Ahhhh, it takes me back to December of 1999 when the dire predictions of Y2K were being pumped for all they were worth costing businesses billions of dollars in computer time and to what end. Nothing happened. Planes didn’t fall from the sky, thousands were not killed when traffic lights malfunctioned around the world. Just so much BS.
Could I be wrong? Maybe, but don’t bet on it. I’ve had enough of the media and their games and I hope you have too. I need a fresh cup of that horrible coffee I made this morning and a handful of Halloween candy leftover from last night. That’ll teach me.
Well, we survived the “Storm of the Century” and I thought I was home free and clear. I should have known better than to think I could sneak by for a week or so without something or someone irritating the hell out of me. With a great many people without power I thought I’d be safe from those annoying individuals calling or sending me emails about the upcoming election. Wrong again. The phone calls began as soon as the rain stopped and the power was back on; “Vote yes for gay marriage”, “Vote no for gay marriage”. The TV bombardment hasn’t stopped either and will continue until the election has come and gone.
Yesterday a stranger shows up at my door telling me that gay marriage is a threat to the foundation of this country and I must vote against it. I couldn’t believe my ears. What a lame ass argument to try and use on me, an actual informed and thinking American voter. This is just another attempt at propagandizing from the religious right and all of their special interest groups. Needless to say I sent her packing with a tidbit of my advice to help her along, “Get a freaking life”.
I’ve written on this subject before but I guess it bears repeating. To qualify myself, I’m independent, extremely conservative, and a well informed citizen. I can’t even begin to understand this whole gay marriage argument and the idiocy I’ve been hearing about it. Freedom apparently no longer applies to you in this county unless you belong to the right religious or political group. Certain groups are spending millions of dollars to argue a point properly made by the founding fathers and later confirmed by President Lincoln. Freedom you morons! Any color, any religion, any sexual preference, anything at all. We’re all FREE citizens with the same goddamn rights.
How did it happen that so many people have forgotten why and how this country came into being. Live and let live. Freedom for all, not just for those who agree with you. Shame on all of you who are fighting against others who are simply requesting that their freedom be honored.
Everyone in this country is in a huge “shit and sweat” over the Muslim’s and their outrageous religious beliefs. I see almost no difference in this gay marriage argument. It’s a group of organized religions attempting to force their beliefs on a portion of the population who isn’t interested. America was founded initially on a desire for religious freedom and also I might add to protect people from religious fanatics with an agenda. I hate to admit it but the biggest problem in this country isn’t the economy, it’s too many people trying to tell to many other’s how to live their lives. The government is relentless enough without help from a bunch of frightened religious types who are defending marriage with apparently no clue as to what a real marriage is.
There haven’t been many times I’ve found myself embarrassed to be an American, but this is one of them. Shame on all of you.
I refuse to be drawn into the hysteria that is Sandy. I’d prefer to spend this day in the kitchen where I’m creating another batch of my signature chili on this gray and rainy day. I’ve made about a gallon of it so I’ll be sharing with nearby family members who are currently hunkered down awaiting the storm. The house is quiet because my better-half is off to see the new grand child for a few hours and I plan to enjoy it.
I’m considering a ride down along the coast a little later this afternoon to possibly get a few interesting photo’s of the storm’s approach to Maine.
I love Mother Nature in all her scary ferociousness.
I spent more than a few minutes Monday and Tuesday doing my weekly food purchasing and what did I hear in almost every aisle in every store. "It’s the end of the world as we know it". "It’s a storm of epic biblical proportions". Run to the store, buy food, water, batteries, and then hunker down in your cellar and pray to God you’ll survive. WTF is going on.
I’m all for early warnings being issued to help people flee areas in serious danger but the fucking media started this drumbeat of impending doom when this damn storm was still in the mid-Atlantic. They need to jack up those ratings quickly so they decided to scare the shit out of every elderly person in a twelve state area and then just kept pouring it on. A little panic won’t kill many people but it will make the media a candidate for those big news awards and better pay.
They never seem to be held accountable for things like this or for all of the other scams they’ve perpetrated on the American people over the years. It’s impossible to hold anyone responsible when both the politicians and most of the media are in bed together.
This is the perfect way to end my day. I’d like to write more but my better-half is getting ready to close the hatch to the bomb shelter. Once she closes it I’ll be stuck out here where the big bad storm will get me.
Don’t get me wrong, this storm may be big, bad, and dangerous but the level of concern is way over the top except for a few critical areas. I’m just asking for responsible reporting in a timely fashion so people can be spared a catastrophe.
Another restless night for me last night due to a constant stream of really odd dreams. I’ve always liked dreaming and I find myself looking forward to them. Of course there’s the occasional, sit up and scream, nightmare but they can be interesting too.
Dreaming is the great way our mind can play with us a little. You fall asleep and can be instantly visited by old friends and family who have passed making it seem like they’ve never left.
Last night I was traveling by car with an unidentified female when we pulled into a wooded area and stopped. I looked down the nearby trail and saw a pack of approximately fifty dogs just sitting there staring at us. The leader was a huge brown Great Dane. I told my friend to stay in the car because if we wandered off they’d be on us immediately. I slowly opened my door and they all ran away in the other direction. Go figure.
I’m not much for dream analysis since I believe it’s just our mind drawing on random memories to create a story. I do find it a little strange that there seems to be an overlying theme in many of my dreams. I’m always searching for something. My car, a briefcase, and very often my clothing. I occasionally have those dreams when I’m naked in public somewhere but they don’t bother me much because I truly love being naked. Some times I find myself in flying dreams and they’re a great dream to have. My ultimate favorite without question is the dream where I’m flying and naked.
Well I’ve had my coffee and I’m ready for the day.
Well, as I mentioned earlier today I finally was able to spend some quiet and interesting time in a nearby wildlife sanctuary. It was a beautiful sunny day and I seemed to be totally alone in over eighty acres of woods and fields. You should understand that this sanctuary is located adjacent to the Scarborough River and it’s 1100 acre fresh water marsh. It’s really a beautiful place to spend time. I made my way to the river bank where I sat in the trees observing no less than a thousand birds slowly circling the marsh. I can only assume they’re gathering for their migration south but it was really something to see. I attempted to get a few photos but they were too far away and I didn’t have my telephoto lens with me. It’s things like this that have a real calming effect on me and actually made my day.
As I worked my way back to my car I walked into an open field and found myself surrounded by at least fifty wild turkeys. I stood perfectly still as they wandered all around me. If I had moved the least little bit they would have been gone in a flash but I managed a few shots as they left the area. It’s been quite the year for wild turkeys here in Maine. I’ve seen hundreds in the last few weeks and even had a dozen in my back yard for a time a week or so ago.
It’s that time of the year in Maine when walking in the woods can become a life threatening experience. It’s like being in a war zone except many of the soldiers are under the influence of alcoholic beverages. I don’t want to be the headline in the papers: Man Shot by Hunters, Mistaken For a Cow, so I’ll be staying home until hunting season is over.
I’m making my special chili tomorrow for a group of my better-half’s friends and family and I need a few habanero peppers to spice things up a bit. A quick stop at Hannaford Foods and then back home.
The radio tells me Sandy is making her way up the coast and will be here in a day or so. Sixty mph winds should make for an interesting night or two. Thank God for our generator.
I’m looking forward to movie nite with my better-half. We were recently introduced to a BBC program made for TV that is an updated remake of Sherlock Holmes. You should know I’ve been obsessed with Sherlock Holmes for years and I’ve read everything ever written about him. I stumbled on the DVD at a local store and now I must find the second season. It’s absolutely addicting. We can kick back and relax for a while before sleep.
Tomorrow is another day.
Today I’ve scheduled a few hours to complete the close out of the Anti-Stupidly Central blog. I was a slow starter this morning but I finally downed a couple cups of coffee in an attempt to get my motor running. Last night was another cold night with winter just around the snowy, sleety, freezing corner. Thank God for that lifesaving electric blanket because without it I might have frozen off an important body part or two.
The closeout article for Anti-Stupidity is now completed and I’ll post it on the 31st so I can get to work on this journal. I keep second guessing myself about the reasoning behind the closing but I’ve just got to let it go and move on. It really was a great two year run and I learned a lot more than I ever anticipated about blogging and writing. Life truly does goes on.
I’m forcing myself to get the hell out the house later today and make a short trip the my favorite spot, the Scarborough River Wildlife Sanctuary. It’s the perfect place to take a few photo’s, breathe a little clean air, and commune with good old Mother Nature. I haven’t been there nearly enough this summer but I’ll make up for it this winter. Besides, I can’t wait to break in those new snowshoes I bought last Spring. As much as I like Summer and Fall scenic shots, I think the winter snow scenes are even more beautiful. I plan on going overboard this winter on them if we get the amount of snow needed to make them perfect. Everyone including Poor Richard is calling for large snow falls this year and I hope their right.
It’s time for a hot bowl of soup, a little reading, and then back to the computer. I‘m slowly getting the hang of blogging with my new IPad but I’m a long way from being as proficient as I need to be .
Well, the time has come to start fresh with a new blog with a more personal approach. This journal will contain whatever I feel like writing at any given moment. I think I’ll skip posting photo’s for now and just let the words come. Since I may be the only person to ever read this blog I’d better make it meaningful or I’ll just piss myself off all over again. The narrative will be ongoing and hopefully worth reading.
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Today was “Dutiful Spouse Day” where I was permitted to travel all over the countryside with my better-half as her loyal chauffeur and chat buddy. She shops and I read a book, maybe window shop, or just people watch.
I decided that a visit to a nearby Home Depot might be fun while she does her shopping thing. I watched a seventy-five year old woman attempting to buy paint from a young lady with a body full of piercings, a red strip of hair down the middle of her head, and a voice that could curdle milk. They discussed and discussed the color match and then cussed about the eventual results. One talking with her hands and the other rolling her eyes and shrugging her shoulders. It never got too heated but it easily could have. The older woman threw the samples down and stormed away in a huff. The young Paint Department associate appeared frustrated by having to give the company required Customer Service to such a bitch. She held her temper pretty well but her facial shade of purple made it abundantly clear just how much more she had to say but didn’t.
The day drags on with no better-half in sight. I just finished another two chapters of Satanic Verses. That’s the book that caused a great deal of turmoil in it’s day with a fatwa ordered on Salman Rushdie and blah, blah, blah. I don’t really understand why it was such a big deal because it’s unlikely if more than a handful of Muslim’s ever read the damn thing. Listen to this first sentence: “To be born again, sang Gibreel Farishta tumbling from the heavens, “first you have to die. Ho ji! Ho ji! To land upon the bosomy earth, first one needs to fly.” It’s a tough read and I have 545 more pages to go before I shoot myself. On a extremely good day this tome would make an excellent door stop.
Why is it that not one religious piece of writing more than five hundred years old makes any sense to me. I’ve read them all and found them vague and repetitive. It’s no wonder people continue to disagree over them and try to kill each other. Give me John Grisham any day.
My better-half’s birthday is on the horizon and I’m still struggling to find one more meaningful gift. Add to that my being told today that I’m in need of a Whooping Cough immunization if I plan on spending much time around my step grandson. He’s only a week old and already exerting his control over me. I’ll just add him to the list.
We’ve now visited another three stores, I’ve downed my fourth cup of Dunkin Donuts coffee, and now I have coffee breath, a coffee headache, and a seriously distended bladder.
Things I’ve learned today:
1. Seeing skinny jeans on a woman in her fifties is just as bad as seeing them on man in his fifties.
2. If you see a huge car moving at an extremely slow speed and there’s no driver’s head visible, slow the hell down and give them room. Eighty years old and going eight miles per hour. Yikes.
3. Don’t drink four large coffee’s in four hours.
Well we’re finally at home and I’ve finished dragging bag after bag of purchases into the house. I still haven’t found that special gift for her but I’ll worry about that tomorrow or the next day.
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