Swell!

Just swell.

The Olympics are over and the DNC begins.


Hurrah.

With a guest appearance by Hillary. And the Bill. That isn't as annoying to me as the endless analysis and speculating by the media. Who said what and how. Why? What will happen?!!


Again I say, the media has too much time on their hands.


And speaking of being annoyed...HELLO BLOGGER!! YOO HOOO! THIS WORD VERIFICATION THING? IT SUCKS. IT'S A PAIN IN MY ASS. TAKE IT OFF NOW, PLEASE. THIS IS NOT A SPAM BLOG. IT'S BEEN A REAL OPERATING BLOG FOR FOUR YEARS NOW. I THINK THAT YOU NEED TO REMOVE IT NOW. YOU'RE STARTING TO ANNOY ME. Thanks.



(holy shit, four years?)

Humpless Day

Or not, depending on YOU. Hah.

Nothing new to report. Tonight will be Chinese night here. Home made hot & sour soup and eggrolls. Eggrolls aren't such a pain if you use the BIG wrappers instead of trying to use the small ones. I don't know why it took so long to figure THAT out. No rocket scientist here.

I guess I'm going to have to break down and upgrade the cable TV system. One of our favorite movie channels disappeared into the great digital beyond last weekend, along with several other channels. Apparently not having THE BOX or digital, or anything but the standard cable package, is frowned upon by the great cable monopoly of the universe. I liked it though, I didn't have to have a box for every TV, I only had three remotes (TV/VCR/DVD) and it was fairly brainless. Alas, now that the impending digital scam is sneaking up on us, if I want to watch the 'higher' cable channels, I'm being forced to pay DOUBLE what I'm paying now for cable. I'll give the triple threat package a whirl, with cable, internet and phone, but I'm doing so under protest. (Don't be fooled by the 99 buck a month thing, by the time the taxes, fees, equipment, installation, and reaming are done, the bill is more like
130 a month. BUT IT'S SUCH A GOOD DEAL!!) I guess the idea of paying that much money for television, 150 channels of bullshit and crap, annoys me, but I'm dangerously close to sounding like my mother...OH THE HORROR.

In jewelry news, I got some new beads last night, yum. Hopefully I'll do something with them soon. After yesterday's fun at work, my shoulders were tensed up to under my ears, and I couldn't even get excited about the Amazon box and the new beads in the mail. With any luck, tonight will be better. At least I'm more relaxed now. Last night I didn't dream about contractors calling and yelling at me. Which is good. I haven't figured out a way to not give a shit about what happens at work. Those who are successful (there) have told me to not take it personally, to not worry about it, to leave it behind when I leave at 5:00. So far, I haven't quite figured out HOW to do that. Once I do, I think I'll be happier and more energetic.
Or at least not waking up in a cold sweat yelling, "I KNOW THERE ARE GOING TO BE LIQUIDATED DAMAGES! I'M DOING EVERYTHING I CAN!" Oy.

Carry on

Big Chill Part Deux

I called for oil yesterday.

I got lucky in the sense that it was 'only' 3.21 a gallon. Whoo. Yay me.

I got unlucky in the sense that the earliest they can deliver is FRIDAY.

Sooo, it's only THREE more nights of camping around the kerosene heater.

Lovely, eh?

The cold is going away. I'm in the stuffy head portion of the program. Everytime I talk to someone on the phone, they say, "Gawd you sound like hell" Um, thanks. 'Preciate that. But sounding like hell is preferable to feeling like I got hit by a truck. The truck that delivered 50 pounds of snot to my head. (Ew, sorry for that visual) (Heh...I won't be in to work today, I got run over by the snot truck....hahahhahaha....weirdo)

In other news, I'm gearing up for the process of jewelry making. A new forum I occasionally read has announced a color challenge using butterflies. You're directed to a website with some gorgeous butterfly pictures, and you're to pick one and use the palette of colors for that butterfly. You've got 6 weeks to accomplish your challenge. I signed up, and hopefully that'll motivate me to actually DO something. I've got to start making booth stuff too (no, I haven't started that yet, I'm getting there!!) I've got so many inspirational people I 'know' from online, but that's a double edged sword sometimes. It sets the bar higher, and in my peabrain I don't think I'm talented enough, creative enough, blah, blah, blah. The negative voices need to shut the hell up and go away and let me alone to work.

Do people still buy stuff on eBay? I've got a bunch of stuff, and need some extra funds. Is the stuff market still hot? Who knows. I guess I could be like everyone else, and go rushing to Etsy to open a shop, no wait, I opened a shop, just never put anything in it....never mind. Anyway, I need to eliminate a bunch of things from my world. I'm tired of living in clutter central. It's annoying.

And with that, I'm off. Today after work, I'm planning a big event. Cleaning the coffeemaker! Running the white vinegar thru it to clean out all the gunk and minerals and chit that has accumulated over the years, so a pot of coffee will actually get brewed before I go to work. Ah, progress!!

On and On and On

Still breaking resolutions left & right...Swearing like a sailor & not blogging daily. I'm sorry for that (not the swearing) Yesterday was terrible, terrible, terrible, and when I got home, I had a drink AND a shot. Just because it seemed like the thing to do. Just stupid brain numbing shit that is so unnecessary to me, but absolutely necessary to some people. Why do humans feel it necessary to make thing harder than they need to? I'll never understand it.

Truly nothing interesting is going on. Obbie & I are formulating Beadwhisperer things, which is good, but they'll all cost money....which we don't have right now. S'okay. There's time. I'm still attempting to get proper pictures printed of my stuff for the juries. I'm getting there!! I promise!

The Springlike weather in these parts has been very welcome, but it reminds me that in the coming months, in addition to the 'usual' BeadWhisperer stuff, there will be gardening and yardwork. Oy. I better find my Muse, and get some energy and get as much BW stuff done NOW before garden/yard season starts, and I'm going in too many different directions.

It's just a shame that I can't quit my job and be supported by my jewelry making. Alas, that is foolish to even ponder, so I won't. I just have to find a way to be as energized after work as I am when I first get up.

Carry on.

Meh

Last week was a total wipe. Totally. At least in my world. The beach was great, we had a bunch of laughs watching the boardwalk people, and had some very good meals. Alas, the business of selling jewelry on the boardwalk wasn't that great. At least we got a vacation out of it. These things happen, as it's always a crap shoot when one goes to sell.

Honestly, there isn't much else to report. Work is busy, Obbie's work sucks, and thats pretty much the whole summary of that particular subject.

Big hugs to my friends in Okie who tied the knot! Wow-whee! Good for you all.

And Paris-baby is getting out of the slam this week. I can't wait for her BIG INTERVIEW with Larry King. "But Ames" I hear you saying, "You're not the celebrity-watching type" This is true, but I could care less about her celebrity. I want to hear what her PR guys are having her say. Just for fun. Has jail changed her? Not bloody likely, but let's just see what she's got to say.

Here's a question for my gardening pals: I have a bunch of tomato plants that are all clustered together. Some are blossoming. If I seperate them, and replant the biggest ones elsewhere, will I screw up the works? Thank you in advance.

Here's some random stuff from the week.

Paris Hilton: Okay, at first it was kind of funny. Paris going to jail, then the world being outraged that she was let out, then put back in again. It's not really funny anymore. The paparazzi knocking each other down to get pics of her in the car - thats wrong. The blow by blow 'news' coverage on every major 'news' channel - thats wrong too. (Although on Fox, the initial commentary by that bitch Anne Coulter was remarkably sensible.) I'm just a little sad for poor Paris. She's never had a real life, and never will.

The Sopranos: Hahahahahaa....you guys! All the speculating, ruminating, dicussing and dissecting on how this show was going to end...and they have made you use your own imagination! IMAGINE! What nerve! I almost hurt myself watching the news last night. Some woman was OUTRAGED at how it ended, "I spent the better part of my life on this! I can't believe it ended this way!" She was actually PISSED. Get a life! I love the David Chase. He's left the ending up to the viewer. Brilliant. And people are mad because they weren't given the ending all wrapped up in a pretty little package. My hats off to you Mr. Chase. Rock on.

Public Radio Fund Drives: My favorite radio station is doing the fund drive thing. Luckily it started on Friday, and ends today. I send them money because I hate listening to them during the fund drive, so I switch to commercial radio. Commercial radio sucks. If I hear any music at all wedged in between the inane drivel of the DJ's and the commericals, it's either Freebird, Stairway to Heaven or George Throughgood. (Don't get me wrong, Freebird & Stairway to Heaven are both classics, but I can't hear them anymore.)

Bjork: New record & all, I still don't get her.

Big show in Jersey on Saturday. I am rather concerned about the amount of saleable items, as I passed out on the couch at 8:00 last night (damn Antiques Roadshow, I love that program, but lately it's like Valium) and slept hard til 11:00. Whereupon I woke up and twisted wire until 1:30 this morning. Guess who will break the "No coffee after 6:00" rule tonight? I don't know why I'm stressing about this one. We're making it a long weekend vacation thing, so the craft show is only part of the BIG!! FUN!! WEEKEND!!

Meh.

Rule Number One

Never go out to bars on New Years Eve, Saint Patricks Day or Halloween. Every non partying yahoo feels it's their God given right to get drunk IN BARS on these three occasions. And they don't know how to act.

So what do we do? Go out to the bar last night. Of course.

Let me say that it didn't start out that way. We did not go to the craft show, since after digging all that snow to move our cars, we weren't into sitting in an empty room with other vendors waiting for customers. I did find out that very few patrons came because of the weather. I'll write off the small booth fee as a donation to their church.

So we went to the movies. Ghost Rider is exactly what it is. A movie based on a comic book. Don't look for any messages or deep meaning here. It is what it is. But Nicholas Cage, Sam Elliot (Share him w/me Stevie) and Peter Fonda are all pretty good. Just don't expect Academy Awards, you know?

A quick side note about the movies. We usually go to matinees or discount movies at the local small, non chain places, where it's five bucks to get in, and you get change back from a five when you buy soda and a popcorn. That being said, I was slightly astonished that it cost 12 bucks for two of us to get in, and a small popcorn was 6.00. Slightly might be an understatment. The kid at the candy counter asked if I wanted anything else after ordering popcorn and Raisinettes. "Nope, I didn't get approved on my home equity loan yet." He did laugh though. For future reference we WILL be sneaking snacks into the flicks. Then came the 45 minutes of coming attractions, trivia and advertisments. I think we'll be going back to the second run movie houses, they're much cooler.

After the movie, we headed to dinner. For some odd reason, we thought that the local pub we frequent would be a good choice. We're so silly. Everyone and their dog had green on, and a beer in each hand. Ahh! Shit! Saint Patty's Day! Fuck! Rule Number One! Dammit! Oh well, we figured we were there, and could get dinner and get out before the real stupid began.

It should be have been a hint, when this obviously homeless guy wandered in, pulling luggage on wheels (!!) and came right up to me and asked if the bar was having a sale. Uh. Um. NO. It's St. Patty's Day! Everyone goes to bars on St. P's Day. After answering him, I went back to the wings Obbie and I were sharing and hoped he'd go away. He did, but only after his pants fell almost OFF, and I was treated to the sight of his pasty white asscrack and not so fresh jockeys. Yargh. Another beer please.

Then it started to get interesting. A 'hippie' boy and his 'hippie' girlfriend came in. He was wearing dreadlocks (white boys should NOT wear dreadlocks EVER...) and started chatting to some people at the bar. He was wearing a really neat pendant, so I had to call him over to admire his jewelry. Sigh. This prompted him to go off on this Wanna Be Bill Graham-ish spiel about the bluegrass band that was playing there tonight, and how he promotes them, and how he's got a couple different bands that are going to be in the area playing, and yadda, yadda, yadda......(oh shit, here we go) In a ten minute span we found out that this band playing was a bluegrass band from Wilkes-Barre. (Bluegrass from Wilkes Barre is kind of like Cajun from New York City.) We laughed and said we'd stay just to check 'em out. Mr. Dreaddy had much more important people to schmooze than us, and took off.

The noise level was getting worse and worse, and more people were coming in. The bluegrass band had started setting up their equipment and from the looks of it, this little band of four guys was setting up a sound system for an 18 piece orchestra at RFK Stadium.


TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW (blogger ate my post!!)

We'll Just Hunker Down and Wait This One Out

So today was to be the first day of the first show of the season. Of course, it started snowing at 6:30 am, and hasn't stopped yet. Did they cancel it? Oh no. Obbie called at 1:00 to see if they would be postponing it, and was informed that the show will go on, despite the sleet, snow and traffic advisories. As a matter of fact, they had vendors already setting up! Those wacky Methodists!

I had already scheduled the afternoon off from work, in anticipation of freaking-the-fuck-out because I don't have anything to sell, and I was going to spend the afternoon hyperventilating and making earrings. As I drove home in the snow, I made the choice (as the Bead Whisperer) that we were NOT going to the show tonight. The radio and news were full of dire predictions about the coming storm and not driving. Worked for me, and I came home and took a nap.

We will see what tomorrow brings. Thats tomorrow. Tonight I'm trying to make my headache go away, I'm listening to Obbie snore on the couch (oh, he's had a bad, emotionally draining week) and watching for the snowplow who will surely totally kill my mailbox before the night is over. There are some things that can't be helped, I suppose.

I've also got some more jewelry to make, because if we do go tomorrow, we might sell some. If not, theres another show in two weeks. Nothing like pre-empting a hissy fit. No. Don't be absurd. There will always be a hissy fit before a show. It's just me.

Oh, and I feel like crap this week. Not just because of the impending show, I physically feel like crap. Old and stiff and creaky. Not to mention that I've gone way off Weight Watchers this week, eschewing the good food I know I should eat for crap. I'll blame it on one of the cats. Obbie and I make up a weeks worth of menus on Sundays, then do the weekly grocery shopping. Monday morning, an unknown cat power-hurled on the list, making it unreadable, so I had to wing it. Then Obbie wasn't here on Wednesday or Thursday for dinner, so why bother cooking if it's just me?
Nice. I must like being a fat girl or something. Anyway, tomorrow is another day, and if we're home I'll make some nice soup or something. I have a feeling it'll be welcomed.

Carry on.

Oh My

I quit trying to chemically alter my conciousness years ago. There are many reasons why I stopped. First and foremost, it quit being fun. And if you know me, I'm all about the fun. Further down the list is the fact that this world is just so fucked up anymore, that I feel like I'm tripping. Seriously. So much weirdness, that I can't make any of it up, nor would I be able to deal with it if I was 'on drugs'.

Examples:

I-78, I-81, and I-80. The most traveled public roads in Pennsyvania were closed down last week. FOR DAYS. Then, the PA Turnpike, which was clear of snow, ice and stalled vehicles, announced that they were waiving all tolls for the day, to free up some of the backlog of traffic that had overtaken Central and Eastern PA. Alas, halfway through the day, a tanker truck overturned, and the resulting clean up closed BOTH lanes of the Turnpike, stranding motorists on both directions for hours. But at least they didn't have to pay to sit.

The whole ANSmith babydaddy debacle. How many more wingnuts will be coming out to claim fathering this poor kid? And just what kind of 'ho was ANSmith if all these mens are coming forth to claim fathering her child? Where's the pizza guy? Will he step up and claim that he donated some sperm during a hot and heavy pizza delivery? That, I do not want to know. Eeeek.

Brittany Spears. Who gives a hairy rats ass if she got tattooed and shaved her head? And why would this be considered news? Just shoot the bitch with a tranquilzer dart and take her to rehab for a month or so. Let her get over herself and move along. I hardly see where her non-panty wearing, head shaving, tattoo getting exploits would be on nation news, world news, and even local news. I guess they ran out of people screaming at the snowplows or hurling verbal death threats at local government officials because their streets aren't plowed.

Cell Phones. I can use my phone for phone calls and text messages. Why do I need one to download and play music, take pictures, shoot videos and manage my life? I don't get it. And who are these people who keep calling my phone and not leaving messages? Why do I have a voicemail?
Hey ass, if you're calling my phone, LEAVE A FRICKIN' MESSAGE!!

And then there's this gem: http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2007/2/19/225001.html (Don't mind me, I'm too lazy to set up a proper linky)

I'm sure there are more examples, but Obbie just called me and boggled my mind with some governmental doublespeak. Oy. My head hurts now.