I have always liked black and white animals.
Penguins are so cute.
Skunks are pretty, but they are pretty odoriferous.
Pandas are amazing.
And of course: the zebra.
It looks like a horse, but is striped.
I love the zebra.
When Kiddo was little she had a cloth book called The Rainbow Zebra.
It was about a group of normal looking zebras with one rainbow colored zebra mixed in.
Rainbow zebra learned how to love himself even though he looked different.
I really didn't like the zebra from Madagascar mainly because I don't like Chris Rock.
Other than that, I like zebras.
Been a good A-Z. I bid you adieu.
Saturday, April 30, 2016
Friday, April 29, 2016
The Young Obsession
Nobody really wants to get old.
Sure, we can be grateful when we live to be 80.
But, no one wants to start forgetting things and where opening a jar of spaghetti sauce becomes an exercise in futility.
But, to the lucky, we age.
It is inevitable.
There is the saying that youth is wasted on the young.
When you're young, you have the energy to do things, but not the time.
When you get old, you have the time, but not the energy.
What I have always hated was the "years young" phrase.
People are young and they are two years old,twenty years old, whatever.
But, at some magical age, they become years young.
Seventy years young. Ugh!
For awhile that phrase was used everywhere.
Thankfully, not so much now.
However, it has been replaced by the decade thing.
Sixty is the new fifty, fifty is the new forty, and forty is the new thirty.
Thirty is not the new twenty cause you are still in your youth.
Or maybe it is.
People like to be young.
But, that just sounds corny too.
I am 44 and that it how it is.
My niece tells me I don't look as old as I am.
And I am not even wearing make-up to hide fine lines.
Honeyman is two years older than I am and he feels old to him.
I don't feel old.
Even when I hurt or when I forget something..
Mentally, I still feel young.
And to people older than me, I am young.
My mother-in-law calls me kid.
That's just how it goes.
Sure, we can be grateful when we live to be 80.
But, no one wants to start forgetting things and where opening a jar of spaghetti sauce becomes an exercise in futility.
But, to the lucky, we age.
It is inevitable.
There is the saying that youth is wasted on the young.
When you're young, you have the energy to do things, but not the time.
When you get old, you have the time, but not the energy.
What I have always hated was the "years young" phrase.
People are young and they are two years old,twenty years old, whatever.
But, at some magical age, they become years young.
Seventy years young. Ugh!
For awhile that phrase was used everywhere.
Thankfully, not so much now.
However, it has been replaced by the decade thing.
Sixty is the new fifty, fifty is the new forty, and forty is the new thirty.
Thirty is not the new twenty cause you are still in your youth.
Or maybe it is.
People like to be young.
But, that just sounds corny too.
I am 44 and that it how it is.
My niece tells me I don't look as old as I am.
And I am not even wearing make-up to hide fine lines.
Honeyman is two years older than I am and he feels old to him.
I don't feel old.
Even when I hurt or when I forget something..
Mentally, I still feel young.
And to people older than me, I am young.
My mother-in-law calls me kid.
That's just how it goes.
Thursday, April 28, 2016
I Know an Xavier
You see the name in history: Saint Francis Xavier.
You see it in the movies: Charles Xavier from X-Men and Francis Xavier Cross from Scrooged.
There are high schools and universities with Xavier in the name.
But, do you really know anyone with that name?
I do.
My little nephew turns two this year.
Remember when I went to Ohio with my niece because she was having twins?
One of them got the middle name of Xavier.
So, it's not in use everyday.
But, it's in there.
You see it in the movies: Charles Xavier from X-Men and Francis Xavier Cross from Scrooged.
There are high schools and universities with Xavier in the name.
But, do you really know anyone with that name?
I do.
My little nephew turns two this year.
Remember when I went to Ohio with my niece because she was having twins?
One of them got the middle name of Xavier.
So, it's not in use everyday.
But, it's in there.
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
Cause Wages
Wages are a big source of contention in the good old US of A.
Raise the minimum wage.
Don't raise it.
Don't have a minimum wage.
Make a maximum wage.
Congress should make minimum wage.
It goes on and on and on.
Here's the thing:
People saying that raising the minimum wage is a bad idea because everything else will go up is so wrong.
Why, you may ask.
The federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour was implemented in 2009. Have prices not gone up since then?
It really doesn't matter. Prices are going to go up anyway.
Congress is never going to make minimum wage.
Why would they vote themselves a huge pay cut?
Same about the maximum wage.
True that no person is worth millions of dollars in salary and benefits to go to meetings.
But, the corporate world says differently.
And who sleeps with the corporate world?
The government.
The argument for not having a minimum wage is that people should bargain for what they want and wages will actually go up.
In theory, that sounds great.
In practice, there will always be someone to take less money because they need the job.
Should people get paid their worth?
Yes.
Sadly, that is not how the world works.
Raise the minimum wage.
Don't raise it.
Don't have a minimum wage.
Make a maximum wage.
Congress should make minimum wage.
It goes on and on and on.
Here's the thing:
People saying that raising the minimum wage is a bad idea because everything else will go up is so wrong.
Why, you may ask.
The federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour was implemented in 2009. Have prices not gone up since then?
It really doesn't matter. Prices are going to go up anyway.
Congress is never going to make minimum wage.
Why would they vote themselves a huge pay cut?
Same about the maximum wage.
True that no person is worth millions of dollars in salary and benefits to go to meetings.
But, the corporate world says differently.
And who sleeps with the corporate world?
The government.
The argument for not having a minimum wage is that people should bargain for what they want and wages will actually go up.
In theory, that sounds great.
In practice, there will always be someone to take less money because they need the job.
Should people get paid their worth?
Yes.
Sadly, that is not how the world works.
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
Once a Vegetarian
Oh, yes.
That was me.
Back in the day.
I decided to become full on vegetarian.
Actually, at first it was total vegan.
But, do you know how hard it was to find something to eat in a restaurant?
And with my work schedule, I had to eat out.
So, I let that go and just went vegetarian.
I even got my mother to start buying plain spaghetti sauce and not put meat in it.
No small feat.
After a couple years, I started wanting chicken.
I thought long and hard and ended up at Hardees ordering a chicken sandwich.
That was the end of my experiment.
But, even many years later, I could be happy with very little meat.
I've made some great veggie patties and some awesome mushroom and cheese burgers.
I don't think I could ever do vegan again.
Cause I loves the cheese.
Soy cheese is not all it's cracked up to be.
That was me.
Back in the day.
I decided to become full on vegetarian.
Actually, at first it was total vegan.
But, do you know how hard it was to find something to eat in a restaurant?
And with my work schedule, I had to eat out.
So, I let that go and just went vegetarian.
I even got my mother to start buying plain spaghetti sauce and not put meat in it.
No small feat.
After a couple years, I started wanting chicken.
I thought long and hard and ended up at Hardees ordering a chicken sandwich.
That was the end of my experiment.
But, even many years later, I could be happy with very little meat.
I've made some great veggie patties and some awesome mushroom and cheese burgers.
I don't think I could ever do vegan again.
Cause I loves the cheese.
Soy cheese is not all it's cracked up to be.
Monday, April 25, 2016
The Awesome Unitard
Remember the unitard?
The way tard is thrown around these days implying stupidity, one might think unitard meant an idiot of undetermined gender. Or any idiot for us all.
But, no.
A unitard is like a dance onsie for people old enough to dance.
You pull it on over you head and it has crotch snaps.
What, I always found weird and uncomfortable.
Snaps don't want to snap together?
Push harder.
Nope, that is not good.
But, we want to jazzercize or pretend we are an awesome ballerina.
Maybe get classy and wear some panty hose underneath and some leg warmers.
Maybe just the legwarmers.
Sure you can still find unitards, though they look a little different.
Without the legwarmers, they just are not the same at all.
The way tard is thrown around these days implying stupidity, one might think unitard meant an idiot of undetermined gender. Or any idiot for us all.
But, no.
A unitard is like a dance onsie for people old enough to dance.
You pull it on over you head and it has crotch snaps.
What, I always found weird and uncomfortable.
Snaps don't want to snap together?
Push harder.
Nope, that is not good.
But, we want to jazzercize or pretend we are an awesome ballerina.
Maybe get classy and wear some panty hose underneath and some leg warmers.
Maybe just the legwarmers.
Sure you can still find unitards, though they look a little different.
Without the legwarmers, they just are not the same at all.
Saturday, April 23, 2016
I Am Trying
Trying is my word for the day.
Because try as I might, I can't think of any other word to write about.
I am trying to be optimistic about the future.
Sometimes it works.
Sometimes it doesn't.
I am trying to get my resume written.
It is kinda hard when I can't remember employment dates.
I am trying to get my garden planted.
So far, the potatoes are in the ground.
I am trying to keep my house dusted.
But, it's a hundred year-old house in the country and two days after you dust, stuff is dusty again.
I am trying to think of more things to write.
But, I can't.
Have a good night.
Because try as I might, I can't think of any other word to write about.
I am trying to be optimistic about the future.
Sometimes it works.
Sometimes it doesn't.
I am trying to get my resume written.
It is kinda hard when I can't remember employment dates.
I am trying to get my garden planted.
So far, the potatoes are in the ground.
I am trying to keep my house dusted.
But, it's a hundred year-old house in the country and two days after you dust, stuff is dusty again.
I am trying to think of more things to write.
But, I can't.
Have a good night.
Friday, April 22, 2016
Me and My Spondylitis
There are two types of spinal pain: inflammatory and mechanical.
Mechanical pain comes from moving
Inflammatory pain comes from not moving.
Spondylitis is inflammation of the spine.
Spondylitis is also known spondyloarthritis.
It is not rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis.
Spondyloarthritis (say that three times fast) encompasses several types of spinal arthritis.
There is undifferentiated, juevenile, psoriatic arthritis, reactive arthritis, enteropathic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis.
Spodylitis.org has a lot of great information if you'd like to read more.
Right now my rheumatologist has given mean unconfirmed diagnosis of ankylosing spodylitis.
I have the symptoms, but my X-rays do not show evidence right now. I also have some family history.
Some doctors will diagnose before radiographic evidence and some wait until it shows on MRI or X-ray.
They will do that to start more radical treatment before damage actually occurs.
My eye doctor has it written down that I do as a cause for my iritis.
Iritis is inflammation in your eye and it can make you nauseous and hurts pretty bad.
Ankylosing means stiffness or fusion. Not all people fuse.
Historically, AS has been considered more of a man's disease. It can affect anyone at any age. Even kids.
Before I ever went to the rheumatologist, I was looking up something and I stumbled upon ankylosing spondylitis and I thought it sounded like me.
Low back pain, heel pain, shoulder pain, soreness by ankles, eye pain.
I didn't do anything about it though.
Later on I went to see my gastroenterologist and when I mentioned low back pain, he told me I needed to see a rheumatologist.
I went back to my doctor and told her that. She did an X-ray and checked my range of motion in neck and gave me a referral.
She thought maybe fibromyalgia. I didn't think so.
The doctor has it in his personal notes, but my chart doesn't mention it.
It kind of drives me nuts. My sister asks if I got a diagnosis yet and I have to say no, but he is treating me for it.
Or, I sort of have a diagnosis. That part is confusing to me
I know I am not the only one.
Some people have to wait years to get it confirmed.
I've even read on a forum a woman saying her doctor has never actually ever written it on her chart.
And then, there is that little part of me that says maybe he is wrong.
But, I remember the Schober's Test that showed loss of mobility and the degeneration of discs in lumbar and cervical spine.
The Schober's Test is to test for ankylosing spondylitis
Most older people have degeneration in their discs as part of the aging process, but the rheumy believes that is just the start of AS
Mechanical pain comes from moving
Inflammatory pain comes from not moving.
Spondylitis is inflammation of the spine.
Spondylitis is also known spondyloarthritis.
It is not rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis.
Spondyloarthritis (say that three times fast) encompasses several types of spinal arthritis.
There is undifferentiated, juevenile, psoriatic arthritis, reactive arthritis, enteropathic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis.
Spodylitis.org has a lot of great information if you'd like to read more.
I have the symptoms, but my X-rays do not show evidence right now. I also have some family history.
Some doctors will diagnose before radiographic evidence and some wait until it shows on MRI or X-ray.
They will do that to start more radical treatment before damage actually occurs.
My eye doctor has it written down that I do as a cause for my iritis.
Iritis is inflammation in your eye and it can make you nauseous and hurts pretty bad.
Ankylosing means stiffness or fusion. Not all people fuse.
Historically, AS has been considered more of a man's disease. It can affect anyone at any age. Even kids.
Before I ever went to the rheumatologist, I was looking up something and I stumbled upon ankylosing spondylitis and I thought it sounded like me.
Low back pain, heel pain, shoulder pain, soreness by ankles, eye pain.
I didn't do anything about it though.
Later on I went to see my gastroenterologist and when I mentioned low back pain, he told me I needed to see a rheumatologist.
I went back to my doctor and told her that. She did an X-ray and checked my range of motion in neck and gave me a referral.
She thought maybe fibromyalgia. I didn't think so.
The doctor has it in his personal notes, but my chart doesn't mention it.
It kind of drives me nuts. My sister asks if I got a diagnosis yet and I have to say no, but he is treating me for it.
Or, I sort of have a diagnosis. That part is confusing to me
I know I am not the only one.
Some people have to wait years to get it confirmed.
I've even read on a forum a woman saying her doctor has never actually ever written it on her chart.
And then, there is that little part of me that says maybe he is wrong.
But, I remember the Schober's Test that showed loss of mobility and the degeneration of discs in lumbar and cervical spine.
The Schober's Test is to test for ankylosing spondylitis
Most older people have degeneration in their discs as part of the aging process, but the rheumy believes that is just the start of AS
This was made by a lady in one of my AS groups.
It's something that is not going to get better. Most likely, I will get a lot worse.
But, for now I get along OK.
Thursday, April 21, 2016
The Reality of it All
Sometimes living inside your head is a nice place to be.
Shut out the world.
Reality can be such a harsh thing to deal with.
Thinking about something is one thing.
But, the reality...
That answer that you knew deep down has been confirmed.
And the reality is just inconceivable.
In our minds, we all win.
If we can dream such happy thoughts.
We don't get sick and die.
Our loved ones don't either.
Someday we will make the big bucks.
We will travel.
But, the reality of it all is that it isn't that simple.
Wouldn't it be nice though?
Shut out the world.
Reality can be such a harsh thing to deal with.
Thinking about something is one thing.
But, the reality...
That answer that you knew deep down has been confirmed.
And the reality is just inconceivable.
In our minds, we all win.
If we can dream such happy thoughts.
We don't get sick and die.
Our loved ones don't either.
Someday we will make the big bucks.
We will travel.
But, the reality of it all is that it isn't that simple.
Wouldn't it be nice though?
Wednesday, April 20, 2016
Que Sera Sera
I always really liked this song.
The lyrics always spoke to me so well.
The road of life has many twists and turns.
No one really knows what is in our future.
This song was sung by Doris Day and the lyrics are pretty simple.
Here they are.
Que Sera Sera
When I was just a little girl
I asked my mother, what will I be
Will I be pretty, will I be rich
Here's what she said to me.
Que Sera, Sera,
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours, to see
Que Sera, Sera
What will be, will be.
When I was young, I fell in love
I asked my sweetheart what lies ahead
Will we have rainbows, day after day
Here's what my sweetheart said.
Que Sera, Sera,
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours, to see
Que Sera, Sera
What will be, will be.
Now I have children of my own
They ask their mother, what will I be
Will I be handsome, will I be rich
I tell them tenderly.
Que Sera, Sera,
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours, to see
Que Sera, Sera
What will be, will be.
Tuesday, April 19, 2016
Exercising Patience
We are said to live in the land of Now.
Who likes to wait?
Nobody.
But, when it comes to dealing with anything medical or financial, you have to exercise patience.
You call a company and you seldom get a person.
You get a series of press 1 or 2 until you get to a person or to a queue where you patiently listen to a voice telling you thanking you for waiting.
15 times.
And don't forget the wait time.
Sure, I have an hour.
You have to show patience when waiting for medical test results or even just to get back to see the doctor or to have the doctor come in.
You have to have patience when you start medication.
If only it started working right away.
Some diagnoses take forever to get.
But, it's OK.
You're not dead.
You can wait.
When you want to get a loan, you have to be patient.
All you want to know is if you can have the damn money.
When you try and lower the interest rate on your credit card. you have to exercise patience.
You have to talk to several people who all tell you no.
Call it tenacity, bitchiness, whatever.
It is still being patient because you are jumping through all those hoops and not giving up.
There is that old saying:
Hurry up and wait.
Very apt.
Who likes to wait?
Nobody.
But, when it comes to dealing with anything medical or financial, you have to exercise patience.
You call a company and you seldom get a person.
You get a series of press 1 or 2 until you get to a person or to a queue where you patiently listen to a voice telling you thanking you for waiting.
15 times.
And don't forget the wait time.
Sure, I have an hour.
You have to show patience when waiting for medical test results or even just to get back to see the doctor or to have the doctor come in.
You have to have patience when you start medication.
If only it started working right away.
Some diagnoses take forever to get.
But, it's OK.
You're not dead.
You can wait.
When you want to get a loan, you have to be patient.
All you want to know is if you can have the damn money.
When you try and lower the interest rate on your credit card. you have to exercise patience.
You have to talk to several people who all tell you no.
Call it tenacity, bitchiness, whatever.
It is still being patient because you are jumping through all those hoops and not giving up.
There is that old saying:
Hurry up and wait.
Very apt.
Monday, April 18, 2016
The Offspring
I had a different post in mind for today.
Originally, I planned to right about offended.
But, a lot of things happened today and I can't even think of what I even wanted to say.
I am feeling sad and confused, I guess you could say.
Today was a day of some unwelcome, but not unexpected news.
At this point, I am not going to share.
In the future, I am sure I will.
In the meantime, I will share with you some music from The Offspring.
They are not everyone's cup of tea.
However, I love them.
Originally, I planned to right about offended.
But, a lot of things happened today and I can't even think of what I even wanted to say.
I am feeling sad and confused, I guess you could say.
Today was a day of some unwelcome, but not unexpected news.
At this point, I am not going to share.
In the future, I am sure I will.
In the meantime, I will share with you some music from The Offspring.
They are not everyone's cup of tea.
However, I love them.
Saturday, April 16, 2016
Friday, April 15, 2016
My Miracle
Life can be pretty crappy sometimes and something comes along to put everything into perspective.
About a year ago, my nephew got his miracle. He was speeding down a gravel road and lost control, Major rollover and the top of the car was smashed like you wouldn't believe.
He and his friend walked away.
I don't know how.
Three years ago, my father-in-law had heart bypass surgery.
At first, everything seemed great.
After that one by one things went wrong and he was on life support. The doctors even suggested to my mother-in-law that they take him off.
Honeyman went and talked her off the ledge and persuaded her to come home for a few days.
He also told my father-in-law that if he was going to fight, he needed to start. I am sure he probably heard him.
Slowly, he did get better.
He is still alive.
Missing toes and breathing hard, but here.
That was his miracle, but he really doesn't remember it.
My miracle came about 12 years ago. It was more my daughter's, but I am still counting it as mine.
I know that I have mentioned that my daughter almost died before and that is what this is about.
It was an extremely hot August day. I should have been working out in the garden, but it was over 100 degrees Fahrenheit so I stayed in.
That turned out to be the best decision I could have made.
I was upstairs on the computer. Kiddo complained of a headache so she was laying on the couch.
Suddenly, I hear her throw up and I called down to see if she was OK.
Nothing.
I start to head down and all of a sudden a horrible scream.
I came down and she couldn't talk.
I took her in the bathroom to bathe her.
While in the tub, her eyes rolled back in her head, she threw up again and went limp.
I thought she was going into a coma when her eyes rolled back in her head.
I called my in-laws.
They came out and told me instead of taking us to the hospital to call 911.
I hadn't thought of that.
The town near me has a great volunteer EMS crew and so many showed up.
They ended up life flighting her to Blank Children's Hospital in Des Moines.
It turned out that she was having non-stop seizures. They had to give her paralyzing medication to stop them or she would have seized to death.
Since, they did not know what was going on and Honeyman was there when the life flight landed he was taken to see her.
He said she looked dead. He thought she was.
At a children's hospital, they work back from worst case scenario to best because a child is more susceptible to things.
So, in the ICU, she got her stomach pumped and had ct scan, mri, eeg, etc,etc.
No cause was found so she was diagnosed with epilepsy. Epilepsy is two or more seizures of unknown origin.
She had one more seizure in the hospital before we left. It was not as severe because she was on medication.
All together, she was in the hospital for four days.
I am so blessed that she made it. I will always be grateful.
She was on Dilantin for 2-1/2 years and outgrew epilepsy. Children can do that.
That time will stay with me forever.
So, when something big happens and a kid dies and I hear parents talk about hugging their kids a little tighter it bugs me.
Cause it doesn't stick.
A few weeks down the road and it's business as usual.
It shouldn't be that way. You never know what is going to happen.
About a year ago, my nephew got his miracle. He was speeding down a gravel road and lost control, Major rollover and the top of the car was smashed like you wouldn't believe.
He and his friend walked away.
I don't know how.
Three years ago, my father-in-law had heart bypass surgery.
At first, everything seemed great.
After that one by one things went wrong and he was on life support. The doctors even suggested to my mother-in-law that they take him off.
Honeyman went and talked her off the ledge and persuaded her to come home for a few days.
He also told my father-in-law that if he was going to fight, he needed to start. I am sure he probably heard him.
Slowly, he did get better.
He is still alive.
Missing toes and breathing hard, but here.
That was his miracle, but he really doesn't remember it.
My miracle came about 12 years ago. It was more my daughter's, but I am still counting it as mine.
I know that I have mentioned that my daughter almost died before and that is what this is about.
It was an extremely hot August day. I should have been working out in the garden, but it was over 100 degrees Fahrenheit so I stayed in.
That turned out to be the best decision I could have made.
I was upstairs on the computer. Kiddo complained of a headache so she was laying on the couch.
Suddenly, I hear her throw up and I called down to see if she was OK.
Nothing.
I start to head down and all of a sudden a horrible scream.
I came down and she couldn't talk.
I took her in the bathroom to bathe her.
While in the tub, her eyes rolled back in her head, she threw up again and went limp.
I thought she was going into a coma when her eyes rolled back in her head.
I called my in-laws.
They came out and told me instead of taking us to the hospital to call 911.
I hadn't thought of that.
The town near me has a great volunteer EMS crew and so many showed up.
They ended up life flighting her to Blank Children's Hospital in Des Moines.
It turned out that she was having non-stop seizures. They had to give her paralyzing medication to stop them or she would have seized to death.
Since, they did not know what was going on and Honeyman was there when the life flight landed he was taken to see her.
He said she looked dead. He thought she was.
At a children's hospital, they work back from worst case scenario to best because a child is more susceptible to things.
So, in the ICU, she got her stomach pumped and had ct scan, mri, eeg, etc,etc.
No cause was found so she was diagnosed with epilepsy. Epilepsy is two or more seizures of unknown origin.
She had one more seizure in the hospital before we left. It was not as severe because she was on medication.
All together, she was in the hospital for four days.
I am so blessed that she made it. I will always be grateful.
She was on Dilantin for 2-1/2 years and outgrew epilepsy. Children can do that.
That time will stay with me forever.
So, when something big happens and a kid dies and I hear parents talk about hugging their kids a little tighter it bugs me.
Cause it doesn't stick.
A few weeks down the road and it's business as usual.
It shouldn't be that way. You never know what is going to happen.
Thursday, April 14, 2016
I Got Your Lotion
You got your hand cream, your body cream.
You got your sexy cream, aka motion lotion.
You have handy and body lotion or just hand lotion.
You've got your skin protective lotion and your healing lotion.
It's all about the lotion.
Wednesday, April 13, 2016
K
When you can't write out okay, just write O.K.
If that is just too much, write K.
If you really, really mean OK in a big way, write KK
Just never write KKK , cause that's bad.
Since I am totally uncool, I write OK in messages.
K seems silly to me.
And maybe a wee bit lazy.
I really don't understand shortening a word that has already been shortened to two letters.
OK, maybe if you were doing Morse code and had to do all those dots and dashes.
But, if you are using a keyboard...
Uh-uh.
If that is just too much, write K.
If you really, really mean OK in a big way, write KK
Just never write KKK , cause that's bad.
Since I am totally uncool, I write OK in messages.
K seems silly to me.
And maybe a wee bit lazy.
I really don't understand shortening a word that has already been shortened to two letters.
OK, maybe if you were doing Morse code and had to do all those dots and dashes.
But, if you are using a keyboard...
Uh-uh.
Tuesday, April 12, 2016
It's Time to Jerryrig
He was a master at jerryrigging.
Some people might call him a hoarder..
But, you could make a lot of birdhouses with all the busted tae kwon do boards.
You never know when your lawn mower wheels will fall off and you need to put different, better ones on.
To jerryrig is to do something in a unconventional way.
A more recent term is to McGyver it.
Sometimes, he'll say "It's not the right way, but it'll work".
The thing is, sometimes "the right way" is not always better and many times more expensive.
He turned an old playhouse into a chicken coop.
He used scrap wood and a plastic koi pond to build a habitat for Kiddo's turtle.
No longer have the turtle so he is converting it into a nice home for the ducks.
The ideas that he comes up with are great.
He comes from a line of jerryriggers.
His father did it.
His father's father did it.
And now him.
Who is the jerryrigger?
I affectionately call him Honeyman.
Some people might call him a hoarder..
But, you could make a lot of birdhouses with all the busted tae kwon do boards.
You never know when your lawn mower wheels will fall off and you need to put different, better ones on.
To jerryrig is to do something in a unconventional way.
A more recent term is to McGyver it.
Sometimes, he'll say "It's not the right way, but it'll work".
The thing is, sometimes "the right way" is not always better and many times more expensive.
He turned an old playhouse into a chicken coop.
He used scrap wood and a plastic koi pond to build a habitat for Kiddo's turtle.
No longer have the turtle so he is converting it into a nice home for the ducks.
The ideas that he comes up with are great.
He comes from a line of jerryriggers.
His father did it.
His father's father did it.
And now him.
Who is the jerryrigger?
I affectionately call him Honeyman.
Monday, April 11, 2016
The Informative Internet
You can learn so much from the internet.
You can earn thousands of dollars while you sleep.
You can learn why high fructose corn syrup is bad for you and WORSE than sugar.
You can learn why high fructose corn syrup is the SAME as eating granulated sugar.
You can learn that no matter what, everything is about politics and the Democraps and Republiturds are to blame.
You know the house that burned down last week?
Obama's fault.
You find out many politician seem to resemble a Munster.
From the TV show The Munsters.
Everybody has an awesome mother.
If you have no money, it's your fault.
You learn that SPAM isn't just for supper anymore.
You can learn that the tuft of hair on your duckling is called a crest making it a crested Pekin Duck.
You can learn that there are many bad spellers.
The internet is full of amazing things: Information, misinformation, funny stuff, smart people, and stupid people.
What would we do without it?
You can earn thousands of dollars while you sleep.
You can learn why high fructose corn syrup is bad for you and WORSE than sugar.
You can learn why high fructose corn syrup is the SAME as eating granulated sugar.
You can learn that no matter what, everything is about politics and the Democraps and Republiturds are to blame.
You know the house that burned down last week?
Obama's fault.
You find out many politician seem to resemble a Munster.
From the TV show The Munsters.
Everybody has an awesome mother.
If you have no money, it's your fault.
You learn that SPAM isn't just for supper anymore.
You can learn that the tuft of hair on your duckling is called a crest making it a crested Pekin Duck.
You can learn that there are many bad spellers.
The internet is full of amazing things: Information, misinformation, funny stuff, smart people, and stupid people.
What would we do without it?
Saturday, April 9, 2016
Friday, April 8, 2016
God... Like?
As some of you know, I am not religious.
I was raised Methodist and have a bible.
I am not sure where it is and when I last looked at it.
But, it is in the house.
As I got older, I questioned more and more things.
So, here I am.
I am a good person with good values and morality and I find great hilarity in the Flying Spaghetti Monster.
The Flying Spaghetti Monster, or FSM for short, is the center of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.
It is fictional. However, I did read that the Netherlands recently recognized it as an actual church.
If you'd like to learn more about FSM click right here.
I really don't find it rude to anyone.
I think it kinda says that things should not be taken too seriously.
But, I know a lot of people take their religious beliefs very seriously.
I am not knocking it.
My own mother is deeply religious.
But, I am still gonna laugh at stuff like this :
And this :
And this one :
I was raised Methodist and have a bible.
I am not sure where it is and when I last looked at it.
But, it is in the house.
As I got older, I questioned more and more things.
So, here I am.
I am a good person with good values and morality and I find great hilarity in the Flying Spaghetti Monster.
It is fictional. However, I did read that the Netherlands recently recognized it as an actual church.
If you'd like to learn more about FSM click right here.
I really don't find it rude to anyone.
I think it kinda says that things should not be taken too seriously.
But, I know a lot of people take their religious beliefs very seriously.
I am not knocking it.
My own mother is deeply religious.
But, I am still gonna laugh at stuff like this :
Thursday, April 7, 2016
Friends or Merely Friendly
So many degrees and types of friendship out there.
Where to start.
You have the facebook friends that you really don't know, but you may have something in common.
You have your BFF(Best Friends Forever) or BFFs.
You have your friends that you kinda sorta know and hang out with on occasion, but you don't talk about the important stuff.
You have friends with benefits. And we're not talking insurance, though the after-effects can leave you feeling pretty good.
Some people have frenemies. You like each other, but not really. It's complicated.
There are the people married to their best friend and people that have best friends outside marriage.
Some people's best friends are their pets.
Friendship is just all over the psychological map.
Some people need a lot and some people don't.
And to all my blogging friends: This is where I leave you for I have no point to make.
Where to start.
You have the facebook friends that you really don't know, but you may have something in common.
You have your BFF(Best Friends Forever) or BFFs.
You have your friends that you kinda sorta know and hang out with on occasion, but you don't talk about the important stuff.
You have friends with benefits. And we're not talking insurance, though the after-effects can leave you feeling pretty good.
Some people have frenemies. You like each other, but not really. It's complicated.
There are the people married to their best friend and people that have best friends outside marriage.
Some people's best friends are their pets.
Friendship is just all over the psychological map.
Some people need a lot and some people don't.
And to all my blogging friends: This is where I leave you for I have no point to make.
Wednesday, April 6, 2016
That Epic Emu War
It was a big war.
I don't know why it never made the history books.
A unit of former WWI Australian soldiers going up against twenty-thousand angry emus.
All the people wanted to do was farm, all the emus wanted was to eat and drink.
The evil emus were tearing up property so the army was called in complete with machine guns.
The troops were no match for the stealth emus and they had to admit defeat within a month.
Yes, this did happen in 1932 in Western Australia.
I don't know why it never made the history books.
A unit of former WWI Australian soldiers going up against twenty-thousand angry emus.
All the people wanted to do was farm, all the emus wanted was to eat and drink.
The evil emus were tearing up property so the army was called in complete with machine guns.
The troops were no match for the stealth emus and they had to admit defeat within a month.
Yes, this did happen in 1932 in Western Australia.
Tuesday, April 5, 2016
Decisions Decisions
I saw this picture this morning and thought it was pretty good.
It made me think of something I read or heard a long time ago. Not making a decision is in and of itself a decision.
Many times there is no clear cut good or bad decision. It is a decision that may set you on a different path that's all.
Obviously, some things are bad decisions.
Like eating something you are allergic to or buying something you can't afford.
But, sitting on the fence for days or months is going to accomplish nothing.
You can't decide so nothing changes.
It made me think of something I read or heard a long time ago. Not making a decision is in and of itself a decision.
Many times there is no clear cut good or bad decision. It is a decision that may set you on a different path that's all.
Obviously, some things are bad decisions.
Like eating something you are allergic to or buying something you can't afford.
But, sitting on the fence for days or months is going to accomplish nothing.
You can't decide so nothing changes.
Monday, April 4, 2016
Bock Bock Cluck Cluck
Here are my hens coming up to the door to say hi.
The tan ones are Buff Orpingtons, the white with a little black ones are a Leghorn mix, and the red one is a Rhode Island Red.
This is the run of their coop. This was last summer before they scratched up all the grass.
These are the newest additions. Five Buff Orpingtons and five White Leghorns are in there. They are getting big enough to divide up into separate totes. They are about two weeks old now and already have wing and tail feathers.
We have all girls. Unless one of the babies was sexed wrong, we won't be having a rooster.
Girl chicks are called pullets and boy chicks are called cockerels.
Chickens are pretty easy to take care of. They do get to free range part of the day and they love it.
They make noise when laying eggs. It's the egg laying song.
It will be 16-24 weeks before the pullets start laying.
I also have baby ducks.
One might say they were a parting gift for buying all the chicks.
We think the yellow ones are Pekin and the brown/yellow are Rouen. They came from the assorted bin so that is what we are guessing for now.
They were given to my husband because they were getting picked on and they were not doing too good. If we didn't take them, they would be taken back to die and tossed in the garbage.
Since he is a softy, he brought them home.
Saturday, April 2, 2016
Bout Those Butts
I thought long and hard about what I wanted letter B to be.
Guess what?
Chicken butt!
Yes, I know.
Hysterical.
What is something we all have in common?
We all have butts.
Some people have big butts.
Some people have little butts.
And some people are just gigantic butts that walk around.
For the ladies and gentleman that like to look at men's butts being painted up like Easter eggs, come on over.
There seems to be an abundance of songs about butts.
Type in butt songs on youtube and you can find a butt songs playlist.
Now, for your listening and viewing pleasure:
Samwell- What What (In the butt)
Sir Mix A Lot- Baby Got Back
2 Live Crew- Too Much Booty in the Pants
Foxy Shazam- I Like It
Eddie Murphy- Boogie in Your Butt
Have a great Saturday!
Guess what?
Chicken butt!
Yes, I know.
Hysterical.
What is something we all have in common?
We all have butts.
Some people have big butts.
Some people have little butts.
And some people are just gigantic butts that walk around.
For the ladies and gentleman that like to look at men's butts being painted up like Easter eggs, come on over.
There seems to be an abundance of songs about butts.
Type in butt songs on youtube and you can find a butt songs playlist.
Now, for your listening and viewing pleasure:
Samwell- What What (In the butt)
Sir Mix A Lot- Baby Got Back
2 Live Crew- Too Much Booty in the Pants
Foxy Shazam- I Like It
Eddie Murphy- Boogie in Your Butt
Have a great Saturday!
Friday, April 1, 2016
Always with the Acronyms
Here I am again. I just kind of leaped into this without a plan.
I am good at that.
I thought my A post should be Ankylosing Spondylitis or A.S.
That is inflammatory arthritis that affects the back as well as hips, knees, heels, etc. And also can damage heart, eyes, and lungs and fusing of back and hips can occur.
But, as I am still in denial, I am writing on another topic.
The beloved ACRONYM.
They are everywhere.
Not so much when I was younger. The military has always liked acronyms, but the general population really didn't use many.
An acronym is a group of the letters that stand for something.
We had BFE- Bumfuck Egypt which means being in the middle of nowhere.
We also had FUBAR- Fucked up beyond all recognition.
The acronym has a life of it's own these days.
Known as geek speak, text talk, or internet slang.
I admit to searching for some of these.
Some I can figure out by context.
Does FTW mean for the win here or fuck the world?
Are you playing soccer or having a bad day?
Maybe if you are Monsanto fucking the world means you are winning?
I kept seeing AF. Had to look that one up.
The band AFI means A Fire Inside, I knew that.
As fuck, really?
Does it seem to you that a lot of these have F as a bad word?
WTF is going on here?
OMG, do you think that is why all the acronyms? So people can say naughty words without saying naughty words?
I just have no words.
I am good at that.
I thought my A post should be Ankylosing Spondylitis or A.S.
That is inflammatory arthritis that affects the back as well as hips, knees, heels, etc. And also can damage heart, eyes, and lungs and fusing of back and hips can occur.
But, as I am still in denial, I am writing on another topic.
The beloved ACRONYM.
They are everywhere.
Not so much when I was younger. The military has always liked acronyms, but the general population really didn't use many.
An acronym is a group of the letters that stand for something.
We had BFE- Bumfuck Egypt which means being in the middle of nowhere.
We also had FUBAR- Fucked up beyond all recognition.
The acronym has a life of it's own these days.
Known as geek speak, text talk, or internet slang.
I admit to searching for some of these.
Some I can figure out by context.
Does FTW mean for the win here or fuck the world?
Are you playing soccer or having a bad day?
Maybe if you are Monsanto fucking the world means you are winning?
I kept seeing AF. Had to look that one up.
The band AFI means A Fire Inside, I knew that.
As fuck, really?
Does it seem to you that a lot of these have F as a bad word?
WTF is going on here?
OMG, do you think that is why all the acronyms? So people can say naughty words without saying naughty words?
I just have no words.
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