Stomping loudly and yelling

Dragon Mood? -- enshrouded in my safe, stomp-resistant bubble

A certain partner, who shall remain nameless, overslept this morning. At ten after eight, she jumped out of bed, ran to the bathroom, ran to the kitchen and then ran back to the bedroom, all the while stomping loudly and repeatedly yelling, "Fuck!" as she went. (*smiling*--I couldn't help but think of the movie, "Four Weddings and a Funeral," that starts out similarly.) She had an eight o'clock meeting, which she obviously was not going to make, except that the meeting was happening at her desk, her cubicle, at her computer. Oouuuuch! Embarrassingly late.

Being the smart partner that I am, I stayed out of her way, poured coffee into her travel mug, and handed it to her carefully as she stomped her way out the front door.

Whew, bad energy! I sat down in the green plastic Adirondack chair, sipped at my coffee and played let's-tug-on-the-chew-toy with the dog.

Later, at work, my cell phone rang. I opened the clam shell and it was her. The partner who shall remain nameless. She announced, giggly and lightheartedly, that she was still alive and still had a job. But, her boss is not talking to her. Not yet, at least.

And while, it was never put out there, openly, I think the question was, "Are you talking to me? Are you still there, like the job?" Which I am, in answer to both questions.

I encouraged her to apologize to her boss. She favored silence. Silence, she explained, was the best response -- based on her assumptions about his response to her lateness. I encouraged her not to assume. Approach him, explain, validate his feelings and apologize.

Knowing her, she won't apologize. Silence trumps all rationales. (Remember, her grandmother never once apologized to her grandpa, not in sixty-plus years of unhappy wedded bliss. How many times have I heard that cautionary tale?) What do you wanna bet?

[post-posting comment: While some may see this as an unflattering portrait of the partner who shall remain nameless, I actually wrote it as a reminder to myself that things are changing. She is changing. Several years ago, I would not have received even a phone call. Like her boss, I too would have been met with silence about this morning's outburst. I'll take the call as a glass-half-full experience and give her credit for caring enough to call.]

Oh, geez -- First Anniversary!

Dragon Mood? -- embarrassing dragon memory lapse

Oh, geez -- I forgot! Today is Calypso Dragon 13's FIRST anniversary!

Hey, look -- I been bloggin' a WHOLE year!

Yippee!!!!

(I need to do my homework and figure out how to put some padding around this image.)

Sunday, Sunday

Dragon Mood? -- Sunday morning stuporous (is that a word?)
S and I stayed up late last night watching "The Forgotten," starring Julianne Moore, which sadly I found quite forgettable. Other than watching Moore's beautiful mane of red hair and the lovely porcelain-like quality of her skin, the movie was just underwhelming.

After midnight, we started watching "Searching for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe," a one-woman extravaganza starring the inimitable Lily Tomlin. I must confess I fell asleep part way through (due to the late hour), but I woke up in the middle of the "feminist" segment where Lily is channeling about six different people, including Lyn, Bob, Edie, and Marge. It is a remarkable performance. Jane Wagner, the screenwriter (and also Lily's partner), writes such snappy "dialogue" that I think I could watch this numerous times and still find more content. I would like to get a copy of this on VHS or on DVD. I don't know if it's available.

I'm going to go make some banana/blueberry/oatmeal/flaxseed bread before noon yet. That's when the game starts. You know, THE game. Then I'm going to morph into a combo rabid Spartan fan/couch potato (actually, if you must know, I'm a futon potato). I feel pretty confident that MSU can handle the Hoosiers easily, but overconfidence can be deadly, especially in college sports. Let's hope for the best!

That's all, folks!

the LAST weekend in February!

Dragon Mood? -- quivering with dragon anticipation

It's Saturday morning (one of my favorite times to blog!) AND it's the last weekend in February! Hurray!!

Here are some more things I'm excited about:

• The sun is shining here in Michigan -- always a red-letter event! A-aa-aaand, I can actually see that the days are starting to get a little longer (*sharp intake of breath*). The wheel of the seasons is turning (ever so slowly, it seems) and we are heading for lovely, delightful spring and the rebirth of God's green heaven here in Michigan.
  
• I received two contacts by headhunters this week. (Imagine that, two in one week!) While these were not sterling employment opportunities, it does tell me that my resume out on the Michigan Jobs Bank site is garnering at least some attention.
• Last night, I saw S in her new "dark rum" heavy cotton canvas duster from L.L. Bean. I bought it for her as a "Polish-wedding" extension of her birthday, a week earlier. It was a slight extravagance for me, as money is rather tight (when is it not?), but the look on her face as she modeled it for me made it a most worthwhile extravagance. Your new coat looks gorgeous on you, hon!
• Tomorrow is the anniversary of my creating Calypso Dragon 13. I have my cyber-savvy daughter, Lina, to thank for inspiring me, encouraging me and lending all kinds of technical support to my neophyte-blogging endeavors. Thanks, Lina!!
• I am still high and flying from the Spartans' great win over Wisconsin in men's college basketball Thursday evening. They beat them convincingly, 77-64. Bo Ryan, the Wisconsin team coach, tried to spin the story that he doesn't follow streaks. Bah, humbug, Bo! Go sell your kind of crazy somewhere else!

• The other part of the Spartans' win that I'm still excited about is Alan Anderson's outstanding game. I think I'm gonna have to put his cute little countenance on my blog to honor him and his unselfish, go-get-'em attitude. Yeah, Alan! (Also, a big shout-out to the photographer who took this photo, Kevin Fowler, for the Lansing State Journal.)
• I'm pleased-as-Punch (does that refer to a Punch-and-Judy puppeteering show? -- gotta check on that) about the results of felting my first knitted winter hat. I have to take a picture of the results so I can publish 'before' and 'after' pix. Hopefully, that will be soon(!)
• Poking around on the web, I have discovered a wealth of blogs and general sites devoted to knitting and knitting projects. Most of them are by women, although I discovered a webring of men knitters.
  
  
  Also, did you know there's a webring of queer knitters? Many of these sites are extremely well-done, and chockfull of great pictures, patterns and inspiration to less-experienced knitters (like me). Just looking at some of them, like knitty fires me up and inspires me to pull out my knitting needles for a just a few more rows.



• A little surrogate or "by-way-of" excitement as S prepares to become a grandma for the first time. We were (secretly) rooting for a little Aquarian, but as that is not to be, we're just hoping for a healthy baby and an easy birthing for Lindsey. We can't wait to see you and hold you, Preston!
  
• March begins Tuesday. On March 16th, S (I hope) and I will head to Wisconsin for reconnecting with our two across-the-lake children, lots of great March Madness basketball, bowls and bowls of garlic-seasoned popcorn, a beer or two (grinning), a glass or three of wine (the redder, the better!) and maybe even the presence of my dear nephew, Aaron, or his crazy-sweet mama, Ruthie. Oh, the fun we will have!
• Saturday always feels like a day full of POSSIBILITIES! To a dragon Sagittarian like myself, that alone is enough to get my adrenaline pumping. Yeah for possibilities!!!
  

a belated birthday posting

Dragon Mood? -- remembering my fear as she drank a red-headed slut

Wednesday, February 16th was S's 49th birthday. I was sick. She was ready to celebrate.

More to come, later.

Red-headed slut:
+ Jagermeister
+ Peach schnapps
+ Cranberry juice

Longing for color

Dragon Mood? -- blue with the winter blahs



If I were at the market, I would buy the happiest, most colorful bunch of flowers I could find. As a cheaper alternative, here's some play time with Photoshop.

I knew about gradients. I have played with the polygonal lasso tool. And . . . I have played with Select | Feather only a smidgeon (like pigeon?). So that's what I used.

Is it a Q? Is it a space-flying dragon silhouette? Is it energy flowing through the cosmos? Enquiring minds want to know!

... running my hands through the sand

Dragon Mood? -- loving it

... running my hands through the sand, I look up from my book, scan the water's edge for S, meandering down the beach as she does, looking for that next exquisite seashell. Gulls are wheeling overhead, screaming. Children's voices, excited, shouting, float in the wind. I close my eyes. The air is so wonderfully warm. I dig my toes further down in the sand.

(sounds of someone waking up) Uh, er, ohh. Damn, I must have fallen asleep at the keyboard. Shit, I hate when that happens! I was dreaming of being in Florida, St. Pete's, on the beach. S and I, in our annual February getaway weekend. We were sitting on some old sand chairs. I could feel the sun on my skin. The air felt warm and full of moisture, like only Florida beach air can feel.

Can you tell that I'm missing our weekend this year? Yes, you probably can. I'm missing it more than I ever would have imagined. I'm really missing the sensory stuff, the sun, the wind, the sounds. The scritchy-scratchy sound I make walking on the sand. I miss the moisture in the air and the smell of the ocean water.

I miss watching all the people walking up and down the beach. Winter residents, usually pep-steppers, march determinedly towards their centanarian birthdays while vacationing couples tend to mosey along. Some people look so focused, determined to relax and have a good time (dammit); others looking lost and dazed, like "how did I get on this beach?" Parents try to shepherd their wandering children along. It reminds me of the old saying, "trying to herd a bunch of cats." I laugh at the image.

S and I have gone to Florida for a long weekend, usually on President's Day weekend, for a number of years. I forget how many. Usually we go with our friends, J & J, who are both teachers, and thus desperately in need of a reprieve from kids and classrooms. We have an easy comraderie with them. We can go our separate ways, enjoy our space, and yet, look forward to beach time and cocktail hour with one another, replete with stories, conversations and lots of laughing.

J & J are down there now, this weekend, with our mutual friend, Kevin. I'm sure they're out on the beach, running, sunning and having a good time. I wish we were there with you guys.

Flu fog

Dragon Mood? -- battle-weary from this flu bug

It's Saturday morning and I'm sitting here at my favorite spot on Saturday mornings.

I have been ill the past three days with some damnable combo of flu and cold. Fever, chills, congestion, runny nose, body aches -- I think I've covered the gamut of symptoms. One new one is that my eyelids have ached. Suffice to say that I'm sick of being sick. I thought that I was on the upswing, but this morning I have a new tightness in my upper chest and a cough. What new surprises does this flu bug have for my body?

...she has such good taste!

Dragon Mood? -- smackin' my dragon lips

And what, you may ask, did my true love give me for Valentine's Day?


Wine Pick Of The Week:
2003 Waterbrook Columbia Valley Melange




From a Seattle news source, dated December, 2004:

Each year Wine Spectator magazine publishes a list of its choices for the year's top 100 wines. The editors cull through thousands (12,500 this year) of wines to compile the list of "most exciting wines of the year," based on "high score, large production and value pricing."

Over the years, the list has become the most anticipated and honorific of all the year-end lists. This year five Washington state wines made the honor roll, including the 2003 Waterbrook Melange, which landed a 90-point score and the No. 84 spot on the list. Not too bad when you consider the competition (No. 7 was the $155 Chateau Lafite Rothschild) and that the wine sells for $12 a bottle. The average price of the top-10 wines on the list was $95.80.

Waterbrook was founded in Walla Walla in 1984 and began production of its Melange (French for blend) red wine in 1997. In the beginning, the wine was made up of wines that didn't make it into the winery's blend of other red wines. But the wine's popularity has grown so much that grapes now are sourced specifically for this wine. Each year the blend will vary according to the availability and quality of the fruit. According to the winery, the sangiovese grapes have been playing a larger roll in the blend as it is becoming more prominent in Washington vineyards. This year the blend is composed of cabernet sauvignon, sangiovese, merlot, syrah and cabernet franc. The result is a well-made, approachable wine that's chock-full of black and red berry flavors with a hints of oak on the nose and the palate.

I drank half the bottle last night. It was superb! I will probably finish it off tonight!

My honey loves me.

Blog-cleaning, a new link and immorality

Dragon Mood? -- coughing with all the blog dust I've thrown up in the air

I'm doing a little blog clean-up this morning, deleting some links that I no longer access and adding a few that are new to me and I'm excited about.

One new blog that I've added to my links list is Question of Intelligence. I first learned of this blog over at Rayne Today, a very politically (and nutritionally) aware Michiganian's blog which I enjoy reading.

A fellow named Todd writes QOI. Among other things, he is a chorale singer, an endeavor that is very close to my heart. He has an outstanding posting from Friday that I will cite and quote (almost verbatim) here. This is a speech delivered to students at the University of Oklahoma by the minister of a Congregational (United Church of Christ) Church in Oklahoma City. Please read it.

“Whose Values?”

Dr. Robin Meyers

As some of you know, I am minister of Mayflower Congregational Church in Oklahoma City, an Open and Affirming, Peace and Justice church in northwest Oklahoma City, and professor of Rhetoric at Oklahoma City University. But you would most likely have encountered me on the pages of the Oklahoma Gazette, where I have been a columnist for six years, and hold the record for the most number of angry letters to the editor.

Tonight, I join ranks of those who are angry, because I have watched as the faith I love has been taken over by fundamentalists who claim to speak for Jesus, but whose actions are anything but Christian. We’ve heard a lot lately about so-called “moral values” as having swung the election to President Bush. Well, I’m a great believer in moral values, but we need to have a discussion, all over this country, about exactly what constitutes a moral value—I mean what are we talking about? Because we don’t get to make them up as we go along, especially not if we are people of faith. We have an inherited tradition of what is right and wrong, and moral is as moral does.

Let me give you just a few of the reasons why I take issue with those in power who claim moral values are on their side:

* When you start a war on false pretenses, and then act as if your deceptions are justified because you are doing God’s will, and that your critics are either unpatriotic or lacking in faith, there are some of us who have given our lives to teaching and preaching the faith who believe that this is not only not moral, but immoral.

* When you live in a country that has established international rules for waging a just war, build the United Nations on your own soil to enforce them, and then arrogantly break the very rules you set down for the rest of the world, you are doing something immoral.

* When you claim that Jesus is the Lord of your life, and yet fail to acknowledge that your policies ignore his essential teaching, or turn them on their head (you know, Sermon on the Mount stuff like that we must never return violence for violence and that those who live by the sword will die by the sword), you are doing something immoral.

* When you act as if the lives of Iraqi civilians are not as important as the lives of American soldiers, and refuse to even count them, you are doing something immoral.

* When you find a way to avoid combat in Vietnam, and then question the patriotism of someone who volunteered to fight, and came home a hero, you are doing something immoral.

* When you ignore the fundamental teachings of the gospel, which says that the way the strong treat the weak is the ultimate ethical test, by giving tax breaks to the wealthiest among us so the strong will get stronger and the weak will get weaker, you are doing something immoral.

* When you wink at the torture of prisoners, and deprive so-called “enemy combatants” of the rules of the Geneva Convention, which your own country helped to establish and insists that other countries follow, you are doing something immoral.

* When you claim that the world can be divided up into the good guys and the evil doers, slice up your own nation into those who are with you, or with the terrorists—and then launch a war which enriches your own friends and seizes control of the oil to which we are addicted, instead of helping us to kick the habit, you are doing something immoral.

* When you fail to veto a single spending bill, but ask us to pay for a war with no exit strategy and no end in sight, creating an enormous deficit that hangs like a great millstone round the necks of our children, you are doing something immoral.

* When you cause most of the rest of the world to hate a country that was once the most loved country in the world, and act like it doesn’t matter what others think of us, only what God thinks of you, you have done something immoral.

* When you use hatred of homosexuals as a wedge issue to turn out record numbers of evangelical voters, and use the Constitution as a tool of discrimination, you are doing something immoral.

* When you favor the death penalty, and yet claim to be a follower of Jesus, who said an eye for an eye was the old way, not the way of the kingdom, you are doing something immoral.

* When you dismantle countless environmental laws designed to protect the earth which is God’s gift to us all, so that the corporations that bought you and paid for your favors will make higher profits while our children breathe dirty air and live in a toxic world, you have done something immoral. The earth belongs to the Lord, not Halliburton.

* When you claim that our God is bigger than their God, and that our killing is righteous, while theirs is evil, we have begun to resemble the enemy we claim to be fighting, and that is immoral. We have met the enemy, and the enemy is us.

* When you tell people that you intend to run and govern as a “compassionate conservative,” using the word which is the essence of all religious faith-compassion, and then show no compassion for anyone who disagrees with you, and no patience with those who cry to you for help, you are doing something immoral.

* When you talk about Jesus constantly, who was a healer of the sick, but do nothing to make sure that anyone who is sick can go to see a doctor, even if she doesn’t have a penny in her pocket, you are doing something immoral.

* When you put judges on the bench who are racist, and will set women back a hundred years, and when you surround yourself with preachers who say gays ought to be killed, you are doing something immoral.

I’m tired of people thinking that because I’m a Christian, I must be a supporter of President Bush, or that because I favor civil rights and gay rights I must not be a person of faith. I’m tired of people saying that I can’t support the troops but oppose the war. I heard that when I was your age—when the Vietnam War was raging. We knew that that war was wrong, and you know that this war is wrong—the only question is how many people are going to die before these make-believe Christians are removed from power?

This country is bankrupt. The war is morally bankrupt. The claim of this administration to be Christian is bankrupt. And the only people who can turn things around are people like you—young people who are just beginning to wake up to what is happening to them. It’s your country to take back. It’s your faith to take back. It’s your future to take back.

Don’t be afraid to speak out. Don’t back down when your friends begin to tell you that the cause is righteous and that the flag should be wrapped around the cross, while the rest of us keep our mouths shut. Real Christians take chances for peace. So do real Jews, and real Muslims, and real Hindus, and real Buddhists—so do all the faith traditions of the world at their heart believe one thing: life is precious. Every human being is precious. Arrogance is the opposite of faith. Greed is the opposite of charity. And believing that one has never made a mistake is the mark of a deluded man, not a man of faith.

And war—war is the greatest failure of the human race—and thus the greatest failure of faith. There’s an old rock and roll song, whose lyrics say it all: War, what is it good for? Absolutely nothing.

And what is the dream of the prophets? That we should study war no more, that we should beat our swords into plowshares and our spears into pruning hooks. Who would Jesus bomb, indeed? How many wars does it take to know that too many people have died? What if they gave a war and nobody came? Maybe one day we will find out.

Halfway through my R & R weekend

Dragon Mood? -- up early and contented this beautiful Sunday morning

I thought I would be posting every day of my four-day lo-o-oong weekend, but Friday and Saturday have already slipped away.

Friday, S chauffeured me to ThreadBear, where we spent two-and-a-half hours! The incredible colors and texture of all those yarns was like candy to my eyes, silk to my fingers. Actually I did buy some silk yarn, recycled sari silk, if you can imagine! Wow!

Saturday, we took a drive over to the produce place on the other side of town, bought bunches of alstromeria, coffee and beer (Warsteiners, of course!) and then visited son, Mark, and very-pregnant Lindsey in their new home near the hospital.

We got home in time to watch the Spartans totally dominate the Wolverines for another win, 64-49.

Late last night, S and I watched "Runaway Jury" on HBO. Neither of us had ever seen it. It was suspenseful, even if it did seem rather implausible. I had never seen Gene Hackman and Dustin Hoffman in a movie together. Their best scene together is in the men's bathroom. And then there's Jon Cusack. He has this odd quality of looking a little scary even while he's supposed to be the good guy. I'm not familiar with the actress, Rachel Weisz, but her role seemed a stretch for the imagination, too. Altogether, a curious movie.

It sure is great to have some time off.

It's a Good Day

I'm feeling particularly happy today.

And here are some of the reasons:

-- I got my "numbers" back from my labwork last Saturday. They are excellent! My cholesterol dropped over 100 points! My insulin is back in the normal range (barely). My cholesterol-to-HDL ratio puts me in the "half the normal" risk group! I couldn't have dreamed they would be this good!

-- The Spartans beat the Buckeyes last night, 83-69! S and I listened to the game on the radio, her catching up on the latest issue of Newsweek and me madly practicing my continental knitting on my felted hat project. It was an exciting way to spend the evening and a lovely way to be together.

-- Today is my last work day of the week. I have tomorrow (Friday) off and Monday, Valentine's Day, as well. I am so-o-oo looking forward to a four-day weekend, to take care of me!

-- I am excited about going to a new knitting store that I've heard about, a place called ThreadBear Fiber Arts. I hear they have nice yarns there. I have a quick-knit project in mind for a certain partner who shall remain nameless who is about to have a birthday!

-- And finally, the sun is supposed to show its shining face today, and in Michigan, that is always a red-letter day!

New links EVERYWHERE!

Dragon Mood? -- a little dragon-dizzy

At Rayne Today, I found a reference to tagging and social bookmarks. One site mentioned was del.icio.us.

I still don't pretend to understand the small or large implications of this "new" thing, but from there, I did find a link to zoto.com, which is currently in beta-testing. I signed right up and am exploring that, as well.

Exciting developments to be sure!

An auspicious day

• Today is the Chinese New Year. It is the Year of the Green Rooster!
  
  Gung Hey Fat Choy ("Wishing you Prosperity and Wealth")!

• Today is Ash Wednesday.

• Today the Spartans host the Ohio State Buckeyes at the Breslin Center.

• Today is Wendishday!

My last two weekends

Dragon Mood? -- weary


It's Monday morning and I'm heaving a sigh of relief just to be back at work.

I know, I know . . . that sounds crazy. But the past two weekends have been so devoid of quiet, rest and "down-time," that I am tired, emotionally worn and longing for some time just for me. Moments ago, I submitted a request to my supervisor for time off this next Friday and Monday. I want a long weekend, four days just for me.

The earlier weekend I spent up north, with S and two of her sons, Tim and Matthew, helping Sally and Grandma move into their new home. Now helping two older women move (you may be thinking) is not such a big deal. That is true for Grandma. She has moved enough times over the years, basically likes some order to her household, and she was reasonably prepared. Grandma is 89.

Sally, on the other hand, is a packrat of a different hoard. She had not moved for over 30-plus years. She loves to collect antiques, antique glass, antique crystal, fabric, yarn, Thomas Kinkade "art," (yes, I had to think about putting his name in front of that word), stamps, gee-gaws and many other things that you and I (sensibly) would have trashed long ago.

I personally believe that Sally has some sort of disease that contributes to her need for "things" and her inability to get rid of things when she doesn't need them. She needs them all and becomes quite anxious and indignant if challenged on that premise.

Moving Sally's things into this charming, new house was akin to realizing that you're losing a war. At first, we were able to keep some order, put things where they hopefully needed to be; eventually, however, we were simply overwhelmed by the quantity of stuff and not enough space to store it. Closets, rooms and then any horizontal surface were filled . . . to the brim . . . overflowing . . . claustrophobic. It was hard, it was demoralizing, and finally, it was downright depressing.

We worked, a party of anywhere from five to eight adults, 12 hours, both Saturday and Sunday. We quit, we ate soup, and then we all gathered our tired tails, and headed to our respective homes.

Then there was this weekend, the one we just finished. S and I couldn't wait for the weekend, to rest, to recuperate, to just have some quiet, relaxing time for ourselves.

WwroNNNNNGGG! Nope, instead we ran around shopping for a baby shower gift, played hosts somewhat unexpectedly to Sally and Grandma Saturday night and Sunday, and attended a four hour-long baby shower.

I know that I sound like I'm whining and being a "bad sport," but I really wanted and needed some time to myself. I didn't get it, so now I'm gonna whine.

Ranked #10

Hokey smokes, Bullwinkle! The Spartans are ranked #10 this week in the USA Today/ESPN Poll!

Yeah, Spartans! Go Green, go White!

Wear Red on February 4th

Dragon Mood? -- dragon-heart empathizing



Today is the National "Go Red for Women" day. Learn more about the #1 killer of women at this site.

Quote

Dragon Mood? -- in agreement

From the New York Times:

"We all want success in Iraq, especially us who lost sons. To see the Iraqi people thumbing their nose at insurgents and terrorists and saying, 'We're going to go vote,' there's a sense of pride and yet it can be sobering."
NELSON CARMAN, whose 20-year-old son died while fighting in Iraq.