My beloved Semele, the notebook on which I spend most of my evenings and weekends, needs to go back to the source tomorrow for a transplant of some sort. Jason at Toshiba promised she'll be back in five days, which may mean I can get her back before next weekend. But do I believe that? Meanwhile, will I use the time to actually read a book? Stay tuned. For the duration, I'll be on the desktop in the study.
Be brave, Semele.
Sunday, March 20, 2005
L'italiano Defarge, tradotto
"I do not travel very, indeed. I do not love the vacation and I do not love the escapes outside door. A small door, of province, within which I find all the turns and the faces of which I have need. For which what I have to tell it does not have no statistical value. True E' and enough. Then there are reasons that can induce also a animaletto of province to make the suitcases. Mine is two: the political job and appointments. These two reasons intercrossed to Paris for the November month. And in fact they are here. But a dialogue that anyone has left has had here to face, at least once in the life..."
Saturday, March 19, 2005
I know it's Saturday...
but if I've been scarce here it's because I've been loading up my new knitting sublog, Defarge, also under Links over there on the right, today. I joined a knitalong--I had no idea there were such things--and I thought I should put up some pictures of knitting I used to do so they'd have a clue who I was. Before my yarn gets here to start the project.
I also know it's ridiculous to knit in Florida, but I'm still grabbing every opportunity and this one looks so wonderful. All these folks knit such beautiful things and it looks like there's designing going on there as well, I've never had that kind of company before; I was always the only one around. Perhaps this will lead me somewhere, give me another string (ouch!) Anyway, it was fun taking the pictures of the old things that have been stored in the cedar chest for too long, like me. The sweater coat and shawl that took me to Italy; the giant one-size green aran that I lent J there. Boy, I've missed them!
Defarge, it turns out is a popular name. I couldn't use it for my actual blog address; there already is a Defarge on blogspot. But it's in Italian (!), seems to be defunct, and it doesn't seem to be about knitting (!!) Maybe it's about revolution? no, wait, Derrida?... Pizza? "e voi? V'intendete di rock'n'roll, di lirica, di formaggi piemontesi o di architettura decostruttivista? Siete generalisti o sistematici? Vi specializzate o prendete un po' di qua e un po' di la', come a un buffet? Fumetti? Televisione? Design? Nouvelle vague? Realismo sovietico? Esistenzialismo scandinavo? Soft-porno giapponese? Bombolo? Eleonora Duse?" It must be as eclectic as I am. Sigh. The most beautiful language I don't know.
So anyway, I used the name, just changed the address to one under my own eez rubric. Meanwhile, out in the larger world, and IRL as well I presume, the prototype, Lafarge, is become a French building materials company or something like (take that, Chuck!) and has been thus claimed. But I decided I still wanted to have a knitting Defarge, et voila! Ecco.
I also know it's ridiculous to knit in Florida, but I'm still grabbing every opportunity and this one looks so wonderful. All these folks knit such beautiful things and it looks like there's designing going on there as well, I've never had that kind of company before; I was always the only one around. Perhaps this will lead me somewhere, give me another string (ouch!) Anyway, it was fun taking the pictures of the old things that have been stored in the cedar chest for too long, like me. The sweater coat and shawl that took me to Italy; the giant one-size green aran that I lent J there. Boy, I've missed them!
Defarge, it turns out is a popular name. I couldn't use it for my actual blog address; there already is a Defarge on blogspot. But it's in Italian (!), seems to be defunct, and it doesn't seem to be about knitting (!!) Maybe it's about revolution? no, wait, Derrida?... Pizza? "e voi? V'intendete di rock'n'roll, di lirica, di formaggi piemontesi o di architettura decostruttivista? Siete generalisti o sistematici? Vi specializzate o prendete un po' di qua e un po' di la', come a un buffet? Fumetti? Televisione? Design? Nouvelle vague? Realismo sovietico? Esistenzialismo scandinavo? Soft-porno giapponese? Bombolo? Eleonora Duse?" It must be as eclectic as I am. Sigh. The most beautiful language I don't know.
So anyway, I used the name, just changed the address to one under my own eez rubric. Meanwhile, out in the larger world, and IRL as well I presume, the prototype, Lafarge, is become a French building materials company or something like (take that, Chuck!) and has been thus claimed. But I decided I still wanted to have a knitting Defarge, et voila! Ecco.
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Friday, March 18, 2005
Post of the day
"I blame it on sinusitis, too much exercise, not enough exercise, too much sugar, not enough magnesium, job torpor, bad attitude, reckless disregard for the time/opinions/hearts of others, cruelty to people who wanted nothing more than to be kind to me, not calling my mom enough, not calling my dad enough, spending money at the stationery store and then never writing letters, not working up to my potential, going nowhere fast and just general badness."
Sunday, March 13, 2005
Faces
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This image was quick sketched with an online tool that I've been having fun with. Whooda thunk it would be so useful for gesture drawings? Its particular link is "Pen & Ink."
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To my many commenter: has there been a problem here?
"To all you blogger users, we can bite our tongues no longer. Your blog host sucks."
Latin Term of the Day
"'The worry of all judges is 'pro se' persons,' he said. 'I've had organized-crime people before me, and I've never had a concern. It's the person who is 'pro se' and does not feel he is getting his medicine from the VA [Veterans Affairs].'"
Pro se. [For himself.] Alone. A fool for a client.
Read "desperate." Read "nothing to lose."
Read 'em and weep.
Pro se. [For himself.] Alone. A fool for a client.
Read "desperate." Read "nothing to lose."
Read 'em and weep.
Boys, boys, speaking of incestuous...
Meta-reflective Postmodern recreation of Las Meninas, this time titled 'Four Fools with Three Cameras'", THIS is positively homoerotic. "This is recursive..." Bloggingasahole...
Is anybody else reminded of the art world, here?
Is anybody else reminded of the art world, here?
Saturday, March 12, 2005
What are the odds?
Item One: Don't have no rain barrel
"Playmate, come out and play with me
Come bring your dollies three
Climb up my apple tree.."
Say, say oh, play mate… come out and play with me…
Coincidence? I Don’t Think So
"Playmate, come out and play with me
Come bring your dollies three
Climb up my apple tree.."
Say, say oh, play mate… come out and play with me…
Coincidence? I Don’t Think So
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The Weekend
Here it is again. How it got here I don't know. Much to do, much I don't want to, much I probably won't. And no pictures to post, either. Sigh.
Wednesday, March 09, 2005
Tuesday, March 08, 2005
Post of the Day Again...(we'll have to stop meeting like this.)
"I struggle with how I can connect my current research (I know that sounds a bit lofty, but it is that) with the sorts of things I was writing about four or five years ago. An easy answer, if not a very satisfying one, is that if one continues to write about the sorts of things one was writing about four or five years ago, one may find -- usually rather painfully -- that one has long since run out of useful things to say"
Monday, March 07, 2005
Ten Things I've Done...
. . . that you probably haven't:
1. I had the dubious honor of being the one to inform Isaac Asimov that the Challenger had just blown up (but I demurred.)
2. I spoke every morning for a year to the boys in the back room at Johnson Matthey in London, where they still opened the gold trading day by ringing little chimes on the front steps. (They sounded like Herman's Hermits. The boys did, not the chimes.)
3. I saw Titus Andronicus 28 times in succsession.
4. I once encountered Groucho Marx being walked by his nurse.
5. I was a volunteer at a Synanon Street Fair back when they were still respectable (pre-snakes).
6. I spent many after-school afternoons dancing in Golden Gate Park.
7. I worked for a year for an infamous pornographer.
8. I was a prototype for That 70's Show.
9. I trekked across Death Valley with the chandelier fom Gone With The Wind's "Twelve Oaks" strapped down in the bed of a truck.
10. I saw Duke Ellington, Marlene Dietrich, and Rudolph Nureyev before they left us.
1. I had the dubious honor of being the one to inform Isaac Asimov that the Challenger had just blown up (but I demurred.)
2. I spoke every morning for a year to the boys in the back room at Johnson Matthey in London, where they still opened the gold trading day by ringing little chimes on the front steps. (They sounded like Herman's Hermits. The boys did, not the chimes.)
3. I saw Titus Andronicus 28 times in succsession.
4. I once encountered Groucho Marx being walked by his nurse.
5. I was a volunteer at a Synanon Street Fair back when they were still respectable (pre-snakes).
6. I spent many after-school afternoons dancing in Golden Gate Park.
7. I worked for a year for an infamous pornographer.
8. I was a prototype for That 70's Show.
9. I trekked across Death Valley with the chandelier fom Gone With The Wind's "Twelve Oaks" strapped down in the bed of a truck.
10. I saw Duke Ellington, Marlene Dietrich, and Rudolph Nureyev before they left us.
Post of the day
"It's been said that blogging is incestuous. Yeah? Well hell, how could it not be? Many birds of a feather are worth two in the bush. Although... no, nevermind."
Sunday, March 06, 2005
Post of the day
"I have only four and a half more hours to change the world before belly dance class"
and then what?
1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the sentence in your journal along with these instructions.
5. Don't search around and look for the 'coolest' book you can find. Do what's actually next to you.
The sentence:
Arthur's block was eerie, kidless, no bus, the hospital's laundry stack cascading silent white steam to the sky, the bodega on the corner another sidewalk congregation of old men on milk crates but graver, less amused, less musical than Old Ramirez's bunch.
The book: The Fortress of Solitude
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the sentence in your journal along with these instructions.
5. Don't search around and look for the 'coolest' book you can find. Do what's actually next to you.
The sentence:
Arthur's block was eerie, kidless, no bus, the hospital's laundry stack cascading silent white steam to the sky, the bodega on the corner another sidewalk congregation of old men on milk crates but graver, less amused, less musical than Old Ramirez's bunch.
The book: The Fortress of Solitude
Saturday, March 05, 2005
Vita Brevis
"It is really interesting how few of them have anything at all meaningful to say about Jack."
Actually, I hadn't found that to be the case, and I thought Welling had more to say than most, but then maybe that's because his years rather corresponded with mine. Which would be another case in point. And I didn't notice all that disproportionate much about Weiner, really, especially since she ultimately declined to be included in the book. But I do agree that was was less about Jack in the reminiscences than one might have expected if one doesn't recall the title. I thought this was by design. After all, HE was the Jack Goldstein part; their job was to be the Cal Arts Mafia. Also notice that there was little kiss and tell in the book, for whatever that's worth. Those who might have told, for whatever their various reasons, didn't do so.
What meaningful things can be said, by those who knew him, about a tragedy like Jack? That's for analysts, not participants, to tackle.
Actually, I hadn't found that to be the case, and I thought Welling had more to say than most, but then maybe that's because his years rather corresponded with mine. Which would be another case in point. And I didn't notice all that disproportionate much about Weiner, really, especially since she ultimately declined to be included in the book. But I do agree that was was less about Jack in the reminiscences than one might have expected if one doesn't recall the title. I thought this was by design. After all, HE was the Jack Goldstein part; their job was to be the Cal Arts Mafia. Also notice that there was little kiss and tell in the book, for whatever that's worth. Those who might have told, for whatever their various reasons, didn't do so.
What meaningful things can be said, by those who knew him, about a tragedy like Jack? That's for analysts, not participants, to tackle.
International Relations, or: There, see? No wonder we shot her.
"Earlier, a video was broadcast on the Arabic al-Jazeera satellite network showing an apparently healthy Ms Sgrena thanking her captors for the way they treated her."
Balance
You Are 50% Left Brained, 50% Right Brained = 100% Bird Brained |
The left side of your brain controls verbal ability, attention to detail, and reasoning. Left brained people are good at communication and persuading others. If you're left brained, you are likely good at math and logic. Your left brain prefers dogs, reading, and quiet. The right side of your brain is all about creativity and flexibility. Daring and intuitive, right brained people see the world in their unique way. If you're right brained, you likely have a talent for creative writing and art. Your right brain prefers day dreaming, philosophy, and sports. |
Sports?
Friday, March 04, 2005
Post of the Day
"And then a funny thing happened, which was that I started to use this new tool for all sorts of things I'd never imagined I could do. Different ways to put things together. I became a cabinet maker. I bought a computer. I went to Tokyo and got myself hired into the hottest artificial intelligence project on the planet at the time. Yeah, just like that. With no background, no formal education, no credentials. Knowledge engineering struck me as another way to put things together. When I discovered that it didn't work, I started writing. Words, sentences, pictures, stories. Bricolage. Little bits of stuff you pick up along the way, having no earthly idea what they might be good for. Then encountering situations where, oh look, that bit might fit right here. How cool. And this thing that looks like a Dada bicycle pump might make a good paragraph ending."
Thursday, March 03, 2005
Post of the Day
"Sitting there in the closet with an imaginary friend and a ghost in a pickle jar, the path to truth suddenly felt very long."
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
Favorite Post of the Day
Topic Drift: "kheuh urhgi 4rgibflkur ???
When people say 'Physician, heal thyself,' I always start weeping uncontrollably, because what if the physician is walking around, minding his own business, when both of his arms fall off? He won't be able to pick up his arms, much less heal himself. Someone is going to have to pick up his arms for him - and this helper won't be able to hand the physician his arms, because the physician will have no arms to hold his arms in his arms. That's what I'm talking about."
When people say 'Physician, heal thyself,' I always start weeping uncontrollably, because what if the physician is walking around, minding his own business, when both of his arms fall off? He won't be able to pick up his arms, much less heal himself. Someone is going to have to pick up his arms for him - and this helper won't be able to hand the physician his arms, because the physician will have no arms to hold his arms in his arms. That's what I'm talking about."
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
Sunday, February 27, 2005
So instead...
Instead I will post a drawing made yesterday by Our Young Artist who, since last week her father tells us, has discovered a book on how to draw comics. It was inevitable, of course, and I predict she'll pass through this how-to phase very quickly. (I am confident, she's irrepressible :) Right now,though, she's in that phase my old drawing teacher Sam called wanting to record the world around you. I didn't see what was wrong with that then and I still don't, but I think he was referring to drawings that looked "right", "faithful" to "reality." Anyway, OYA can do that with her eyes closed, I'm sure and will move on (back) to work that truly is faithful to reality. Meanwhile, we shall admire her skill as she discovers it. And post this thankfully somewhat hybrid drawing...
February gloom
I am seriously affected by SAD. I knew this when I was in New York, but it's even more obvious here. It seems also obvious to me, since I grew up in the fogs of San Francisco, that I should be impervious to such things but give me one gloomy day and I'm in a hole. Give me three, it's raining in February, and I feel like I'll never get out. All it takes is a short patch of sunshine, though, and instantly I am out. Right now, though, it seems that that will never happpen. (I wouldn't worry, You. I live in Florida.)
A part of it, I'm sure, is finishing the piece I've been working on . Perhaps some of that "little death" stuff, but also the piece itself I find so sad. I also found it was a DVD when I had been looking for a painting, but a painting just wouldn't do it. But what the DVD does is so sad. It involves new territory for me, too and, although I welcome it, it affects me apparently profoundly. So I just will be sad this weekend, there isn't much for it, I guess.
A part of it, I'm sure, is finishing the piece I've been working on . Perhaps some of that "little death" stuff, but also the piece itself I find so sad. I also found it was a DVD when I had been looking for a painting, but a painting just wouldn't do it. But what the DVD does is so sad. It involves new territory for me, too and, although I welcome it, it affects me apparently profoundly. So I just will be sad this weekend, there isn't much for it, I guess.
Saturday, February 26, 2005
Thursday, February 24, 2005
Sunday, February 20, 2005
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Saturday, February 19, 2005
The Future
This young woman you may well hear much of in a decade or two. She's an artist of no little merit whose talent makes her father weep. As well he should. Me too: I should draw so good!
I actually am beginning to feel like myself again
can it really have been all that flu? After some 4 weeks, I think, I am finally beginning to feel human again, like getting up and doing things. I felt okay last weekend, but I still lazed. Can I really have been lazing off that same flu? This weekend I need to get out and get things done, get off this computer, read a book. Such things. I wonder what that was?
Friday, February 18, 2005
This week's analysis
Your Brain is 66.67% Female, 33.33% Male |
Your brain leans female You think with your heart, not your head Sweet and considerate, you are a giver But you're tough enough not to let anyone take advantage of you! |
Leans?
Mark - the narrator. You stay detached from the
things that matter. You make films, but you
don't really live. But all that can change, if
you just let it.
Which RENT Character Are YOU?
brought to you by Quizilla
Ah, the weekend...
Now THIS weekend I'm going to do something. Anything. I have done little or nothing for weeks. Back to me.
Now what will I do?
Now what will I do?
Wednesday, February 16, 2005
Somebody just kindly emailed me...
to let me know that my pictures were coming out as thumbnails when you click on them to get a better view. Darn. I can't seem to reply to that person, but thanks. I've changed a setting on Bloggerbot and, although I can't get it any bigger than this, it should now show at least the same size as it does here, and removed from its context (not something I'm normally in favor of, but I know how you photog'rs are :-) It probably isn't a good idea to try to push them any more anyway as I've pretty much pushed them in every direction I can before I post them in the first place.
If you're still out there, click on this one and see if it isn't better for you. And thanks again.
negative space
If you're still out there, click on this one and see if it isn't better for you. And thanks again.
negative space
Meanwhile...
I just joined Photoblogs. So of course, I don't have a photo up since I haven't made any new work in a while. So I post this random one, welcome Photoblogs! The link for stuff to see is down there on the right under "Pictures"--also scattered around in the archives, though. I haven't been on for very long...
negative space
negative space
still waiting
Got the car jumped and took it to Sears, as the guy said he couldn't guarantee it would start when I stopped it again and I sure didn't want to be in St. Petersburg at 5 pm with no start. Left ANOTHER message at work about that. Sears drove me home and promised (PROMISED) they would "try" to get it to me by noon. I really hope so, as I have a training session this afternoon....
sigh. Something is not working with the universe (mine), y'know?
sigh. Something is not working with the universe (mine), y'know?
waiting...
So this morning the car wouldn't start. I don't know why. It's a good car, it doesn't do this--it did it once last year too, though, I remember. I left a message at work and called the jumper, for which I'm waiting now.
They said they'd get here as soon as possible, which I figure means at least an hour since they say 45 minutes in general anyway. Car troubles have been foreign to me for 5 years or so now, surely they can't be happening again? I have a Corolla! Sigh.
They said they'd get here as soon as possible, which I figure means at least an hour since they say 45 minutes in general anyway. Car troubles have been foreign to me for 5 years or so now, surely they can't be happening again? I have a Corolla! Sigh.
Sunday, February 13, 2005
Self-Annihilating Sentences --- S. Gorn
"An artist without paints can't paint unless he has a canvas."
Most Happy Fella
Ted sent me this first, but I see it's been making the rounds. Nonetheless, look for fun where you find it: here's my new hero. Hallo? (Watch for the eyebrow.) Ciao.
Saturday, February 12, 2005
More on the recent non-bye-bye
"But in fact, the whole Emergency Alert System in the country is built on a bunch of cheesy plastic buttons that are marked with notations like 'Avalanche,' or 'Severe Thunderstorm,' or the ever-popular 'Immediate Evacuation.'"
Tu quoque, Or: What the HELL are we doing???
Franklin Park Episcopal church seeking help outside diocese: "'Nobody joins the church to go to war,' said Munz, who estimates her church will require oversight for up to five years. 'We decided we didn't want to be in a war any more. We want to get on with the ministry of the church. We know who we are as Episcopalians.'"
Awk!
"As John Mack, the dean of American oboists, put it, 'People are running around like headless chickens saying, 'Where are we going to find people?' '"
the weekend again
My first well weekend in three, woohoo!
Something has happened with Friefox (sic), I don't know what, but it suddenly reset itself and wiped out all my bookmarks and passwords and everything. So I'm building again from scratch. Forgive me if I haven't responded to something left on your page; I may not be able to find you easily.
I've been having difficulties with Semele, the notebook on which I spent most of this flu. Putting in the ipod was simultaneous to the trouble, although that seems to be working now. But Semele has amnesia. The desktop is still fine, but then I haven't been into the study in two weeks, just about, so lots of the stuff I've done is just...gone.
Ah well. Onward. Those still thinking I have a Juno address: I no longer do. To those with the verizon one, I still have that but it is a piece of junk and will not forward email ("still temporarily unavailable") so I don't check it often.
Something has happened with Friefox (sic), I don't know what, but it suddenly reset itself and wiped out all my bookmarks and passwords and everything. So I'm building again from scratch. Forgive me if I haven't responded to something left on your page; I may not be able to find you easily.
I've been having difficulties with Semele, the notebook on which I spent most of this flu. Putting in the ipod was simultaneous to the trouble, although that seems to be working now. But Semele has amnesia. The desktop is still fine, but then I haven't been into the study in two weeks, just about, so lots of the stuff I've done is just...gone.
Ah well. Onward. Those still thinking I have a Juno address: I no longer do. To those with the verizon one, I still have that but it is a piece of junk and will not forward email ("still temporarily unavailable") so I don't check it often.
Friday, February 11, 2005
I have an ipod
I cannot make it work. I stayed awake way too late last night trying. I am going to throw it against the wall.
Tuesday, February 08, 2005
Sunday, February 06, 2005
An argument for retirement
Saturday, February 05, 2005
So who is this impostor?
Way too weird for me. Somebody has stolen me and made me a character in a game, even choosing this icon which somewhat resembles a generic me as I looked nearly 25 years ago! How can this be??? Help me find her! I might just contact her as an emmissary from the future....Too cool!
She even signs herself as "E".
She even signs herself as "E".
Seen everywhere, but I'll bite
Respond to this with a comment and I'll put my answers there, too. Pass it on.
A. First, recommend to me:
1. A movie:
2. A book:
3. A sound artist, song, or album/work:
4. A visual artist of any stripe:
A. First, recommend to me:
1. A movie:
2. A book:
3. A sound artist, song, or album/work:
4. A visual artist of any stripe:
B. Ask me three questions, no more, no less. You may ask me anything you want (however, I reserve the right to weasel out of answering if I feel its necessary!).
C. Copy and paste this in your blog.
Brakhage on the process
"And it seemed to me, when I'd finished the film, that it had more to do with the history of painting than it did with some creature of the wood. It's like as you move through the world, things change for any person. You think you're doing this, it turns out you're doing that...but on the other hand, you were doing what you originally thought you were doing. Except it's not at all what you thought you were doing."
Appropriation explained
"Therefore, anyone presenting Brakhage films with music should not advertise this as a showing of a Brakhage film, even if you add, 'With music...' You are not showing a Brakhage film. What you are doing is using a Brakhage film in the creation of some new entity, and you should give a name to that new entity (or call it 'Untitled')..."
Friday, February 04, 2005
Friday evening
I was just thinking, I have been lying in (or on) bed now--with the exception of Wednesday, half of which I spent wishing I was--for 6 1/2 days! No wonder life looks glum. It's not glum; I am!
I watched the Brakhage documentary this afternoon and liked it very much. I hadn't seen the recent work, not anything after I was in art school in the early 80s after all (except the mock strips in the Whitney catalog.) I was taken aback at where he went, how so many of us went to the same places. I wish I knew more about his direct influences on others' work, including those of us who were/are not, or not primarily filmmakers. Of course, it's pervasive for all of us, but I mean direct influences. Some parallels seem positively unbelievable, but then the parallels to my own work sometimes seem uncanny and I hadn't seen the recent work at all. How odd it all is.
And those are the first thoughts I have had in a week, if I'm not mistaken.
I watched the Brakhage documentary this afternoon and liked it very much. I hadn't seen the recent work, not anything after I was in art school in the early 80s after all (except the mock strips in the Whitney catalog.) I was taken aback at where he went, how so many of us went to the same places. I wish I knew more about his direct influences on others' work, including those of us who were/are not, or not primarily filmmakers. Of course, it's pervasive for all of us, but I mean direct influences. Some parallels seem positively unbelievable, but then the parallels to my own work sometimes seem uncanny and I hadn't seen the recent work at all. How odd it all is.
And those are the first thoughts I have had in a week, if I'm not mistaken.
so here we go.....
My mother went to work in 1926 for the Peninsualar Telephone Company in Tampa, Florida which, through several permutations, has now become Verizon. She worked there for some 11 years, then took off and worked across the country and during the war and after the war and until 1951 when I made my presence known. She then became a stay at home mom, much to her horror. It was not until 1969, or thereabouts, that she was able to go back to work. She would have been 61 or 62 or so.
Sometime in those interim years social security, of which she would have been a charter member, was reconfigured and wiped out all contributions before a certain date that I'm unaware of. But my mother always says thank goodness she went back to work (which was all she ever wanted to do, really) for that last decade or she would have had no social security benefits at all. That was all she had to live on besides the proceeds of the sale of my childhood home, which put a largeish downpayment on this house and gave her some CDs, the interest on which she used to augment her social security benefits. Because she did work during the 70s, though, she had full social security benefits and suffered no diminishment there; still, she always rather resented her pre-me earnings being discounted.
So now here we go again. I, too, settled down around the age of 40 and started building a nestegg (robin's egg) toward old age that includes this house with it's varying mortgages and a job of some duration, with pension and social security and some little pre-tax money put away into an annutity that is still worth less than if I had put money under a rock every two weeks. And now our illustrious president has unveiled a vague plan to once again to redo social security.
Of course, we know this won't get ironed out for some time, if at all, but what I want to know is: he says those 55 and older will be unaffected but starting in 2009 those younger will be given the "opportunity" to put some of their social security contributions somewhere else but definitely not under the rock and meanwhile their social security benefits will be reduced.
Mind you, I realize this guy is an idiot. But you'd think using numbers altogether wouldn't be too hard for him. I don't know. Does this mean those under 55 today? does this mean those under 55 in 2009? is what he's saying that those born after 1950 will see their benefits reduced, or only those born after 1954? This, while perhaps not significant in the larger picture, makes a considerable difference to someone like, say, um, me?
Sometime in those interim years social security, of which she would have been a charter member, was reconfigured and wiped out all contributions before a certain date that I'm unaware of. But my mother always says thank goodness she went back to work (which was all she ever wanted to do, really) for that last decade or she would have had no social security benefits at all. That was all she had to live on besides the proceeds of the sale of my childhood home, which put a largeish downpayment on this house and gave her some CDs, the interest on which she used to augment her social security benefits. Because she did work during the 70s, though, she had full social security benefits and suffered no diminishment there; still, she always rather resented her pre-me earnings being discounted.
So now here we go again. I, too, settled down around the age of 40 and started building a nestegg (robin's egg) toward old age that includes this house with it's varying mortgages and a job of some duration, with pension and social security and some little pre-tax money put away into an annutity that is still worth less than if I had put money under a rock every two weeks. And now our illustrious president has unveiled a vague plan to once again to redo social security.
Of course, we know this won't get ironed out for some time, if at all, but what I want to know is: he says those 55 and older will be unaffected but starting in 2009 those younger will be given the "opportunity" to put some of their social security contributions somewhere else but definitely not under the rock and meanwhile their social security benefits will be reduced.
Mind you, I realize this guy is an idiot. But you'd think using numbers altogether wouldn't be too hard for him. I don't know. Does this mean those under 55 today? does this mean those under 55 in 2009? is what he's saying that those born after 1950 will see their benefits reduced, or only those born after 1954? This, while perhaps not significant in the larger picture, makes a considerable difference to someone like, say, um, me?
|
In the year you were born |
|
Harry Truman is president of the US Elizabeth II becomes Queen of England after the death of her father, George VI First explosion of a hydrogen device takes place at Eniwetok Atoll in the Pacific Christine Jorgensen becomes the first medically and legally certified transsexual US troops complete their pull-out from Japan Dwight D. Eisenhower is elected President of the US Sister Theresa becomes Mother Theresa and begins her charity work in Calcutta Rick James, Douglas Adams, and Liam Neeson also are born Charlotte's Web by E.B. White is published |
this is news?
|
You Belong in 1967 |
|
1967 If you scored... 1950 - 1959: You're fun loving, romantic, and more than a little innocent. See you at the drive in! 1960 - 1969: You are a free spirit with a huge heart. Love, peace, and happiness rule. 1970 - 1979: Bold and brash, you take life by the horns. Whether you're partying or protesting, you give it your all! 1980 - 1989: Wild, over the top, and just a little bit cheesy. You're colorful at night - and successful during the day. 1990 - 1999: With you anything goes! You're grunge one day, ghetto fabulous the next. It's all good! |
oh
i have been awake for a couple of hours. now my stomach is aching. what is going on?
i called in and left a message that i would call back as soon as possible, planning on taking a sinus pill that would make me sleep, but then i didn't take the pill thinking i might wait until the sun came up and see how the sinuses were, maybe i could go in sooner. i hope to go in this afternoon, but then i hoped that yesterday, too. this half of the week feels completely different than the first half of the week--that was mostly coldy flu-like fever. then I went in on Wednesday and now this last two days is coughing, achy head/stomach-like fever. i know i can't go in and expose people, but dam, i don't want to stay out all day again, i've got too much to do!
i called in and left a message that i would call back as soon as possible, planning on taking a sinus pill that would make me sleep, but then i didn't take the pill thinking i might wait until the sun came up and see how the sinuses were, maybe i could go in sooner. i hope to go in this afternoon, but then i hoped that yesterday, too. this half of the week feels completely different than the first half of the week--that was mostly coldy flu-like fever. then I went in on Wednesday and now this last two days is coughing, achy head/stomach-like fever. i know i can't go in and expose people, but dam, i don't want to stay out all day again, i've got too much to do!
Thursday, February 03, 2005
Awake again
Abed all day sleeping. Blankets piled up to the ceiling fan, just about. Now I'm awake and kicking them all over the place: it's hot in here!
Hoo boy. Thank god tomorrow is Friday and I can go in to work and then collapse for 2 full days if need be. That would be my second weekend with this thing. I'm about to lose my mind. If only the headache would go with it.
Hoo boy. Thank god tomorrow is Friday and I can go in to work and then collapse for 2 full days if need be. That would be my second weekend with this thing. I'm about to lose my mind. If only the headache would go with it.
Murals in Baghdad
"Fantasy images are popular with Iraqi artists, with a profusion of doves, symbolising a peace that eludes Iraq today."
It's baaak
Dam. Fever was back big time by the wee hours this morning. I was really hoping this flu was on the wane. But here I am shivering.
So I called in sick again. I am really hoping now that it will be down enough to go in for the afternoon at least. I really want to finish some things I started yesterday, and no telling how long this on-and-off-stuff will go on.
I feel like an ice cube with a bad cold. And this is in Florida.
So I called in sick again. I am really hoping now that it will be down enough to go in for the afternoon at least. I really want to finish some things I started yesterday, and no telling how long this on-and-off-stuff will go on.
I feel like an ice cube with a bad cold. And this is in Florida.
Wednesday, February 02, 2005
Whine
I went to work today. I thought it was a good idea at the time and I did feel much better in the morning. But it wasn't a good idea and I feel really awful now. At least I got my 100 emails gone through and the things sent out that were piling up. But, ow, my head hurts and I'm cold and I coughed myself into a state(perhaps Nebraska?) And I have --what-- 12 hours until I'm supposed to be back there again? (Work, not Nebraska.) Ow.
Time to take the temperature again.
Time to take the temperature again.
Evacuation of Conn: Hello? Is anyone out there?
"State police said they received no calls related to the erroneous alert."
Tuesday, February 01, 2005
Another day in the life of the flu
and it's come to an end. It never ceases to amaze me how quickly time goes by when I'm sick at home. I just lie here and the clock keeps going around and around. I managed to stay awake all day, at least. I put the pretty dancing people down there on the right. I like them a lot, there seem to be lots more of them than there are, and they're doing different things everytime I look. I heated up the page some too, for those of you in the frozen north. Other than that, that's all she wrote.
Awake all day, can you imagine?
Awake all day, can you imagine?
Well, perhaps...
| Eysenck's Test Results |
| Extraversion (62%) moderately high which suggests you are, at times, overly talkative, outgoing, sociable and interacting at the expense of developing your own individual interests and internally based identity.
Neuroticism (59%) moderately high which suggests you are worrying, insecure, emotional, and anxious. Psychoticism (41%) moderately low which suggests you are, at times, overly kind natured, trusting, and helpful at the expense of your own individual development (martyr complex). |
personality tests by similarminds.com
Brain Lateralization Test Results |
| Right Brain (50%) The right hemisphere is the visual, figurative, artistic, and intuitive side of the brain.
Left Brain (48%) The left hemisphere is the logical, articulate, assertive, and practical side of the brain |
personality tests by similarminds.com
| Global Personality Test Results |
| Stability (23%) low which suggests you are very worrying, insecure, emotional, and anxious.
Orderliness (43%) moderately low which suggests you are, at times, overly flexible, improvised, and fun seeking at the expense of reliability, work ethic, and long term accomplishment. Extraversion (80%) high which suggests you are overly talkative, outgoing, sociable and interacting at the expense too often of developing your own individual interests and internally based identity. |
personality tests by similarminds.com
Well perhaps, but who is Arthur Stewart???
and yet again
I got up and dressed this morning, and all the way to the interstate onramp before I gave in. How long is this coughing flu going to go on and I suppose it must be exacerbated by my asthma? They'll hate me at work. Thank goodness mine started at the beginning of a weekend, if I had to take 2 days off anyway! That keeps me nearly even with everybody else at least. Snarl.
On a better note: who knows what Verizon is doing, something, but their techs sure don't. I am now on Gmail and have set up easily viewable access to my other accounts (I now have two to taper off) from Firefox. This gets me out of Microsoft altogether, which Ted has been telling me to do, but now I have. If you send to the other addresses I should be able to see them and will respond via Gmail (thank you, THANK YOU, Karen!) I would forward Verizonmail to Gmail, but Verizon's mail forwarding feature is "temporariy unavailable".....
On a better note: who knows what Verizon is doing, something, but their techs sure don't. I am now on Gmail and have set up easily viewable access to my other accounts (I now have two to taper off) from Firefox. This gets me out of Microsoft altogether, which Ted has been telling me to do, but now I have. If you send to the other addresses I should be able to see them and will respond via Gmail (thank you, THANK YOU, Karen!) I would forward Verizonmail to Gmail, but Verizon's mail forwarding feature is "temporariy unavailable".....
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