testing, testing, 1,2,3...

I haven't blogged for days now. I tried to access "Blog This" yesterday and it kept pooping out on me.

It appears that the functionality is back online today.

I've been busy the past five or six days.

S and I played cards with Patrick and Kevin until about 3 or 4 in the morning Friday night.

Saturday and Sunday were absolutely gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous weather. Sadly, most of Saturday I spent sleeping like a rock, indoors of all places!

Sunday, we hung around the house, still rather zombie-like. Kevin came over and we knit for several hours. Sunday night, I finished up my taxes and submitted them electronically. Thank heavens for TurboTax!

Monday was a back-in-the-saddle day. It was also mi hijita's 29th birthday! Happy Birthday, Carolina!! In the evening, she and I had a nice long chat on the phone, comparing notes on our respective days. After that, S and I went for a lovely, long walk with the pooch. I really enjoyed her company and our walk.

Tuesday, I got word that my tax forms had been accepted. Whew! That's done for another year!

Last night, we went with our crazy neighbor, Jan, downtown (the BIG downtown) to check out a new Irish pub and also to hit one of the casinos. It was a relaxing, fun evening. I burned through $20 on nickel slots in no time. I have no luck as a gambler! Lousy, lousy luck!

Today, I'm back to rather zombie-like mode. I was up too late for this fifty-something body. My eyes look veddy, veddy sleepy!

And, I have work coming out the wazoo! Don't ask me where that is!

ANDDDDDDD ...... I still want to get this 3-column layout activated for Calypso Dragon 13, but I have to make some timmmmmmmmeeeeee!!!

Happy Birthday, Jess!

My niece, Jess, turns 20 today!

Happy Birthday, Jess!

Twenty years ago, it was Sunday morning, Easter Sunday morning. We got a call from Paul saying that Ruth had had the baby and it was a little girl! They were both ecstatic!

And then, two minutes later . . . we discovered that Josh, age 7, had the chicken pox!

Oh my . . . those were the days!

Jess, I hope that this next year is full of memorable adventures and exciting self-discovery for you!

Gorgeous Wendish-day

Dragon Mood? -- itchin' to go

It's pushing four o'clock, it's 70 degrees outside and I cannot focus on work.

I just wanted to post my congratulations to the MSU Spartans' Women's Basketball team, along with Coach Joanne P. McCallie on their outstanding play this season. While they didn't win the NCAA Tournament, I think history will remember them for their tremendous contribution to women's athletics at Michigan State. Be proud!

I also wanted to note that I'm working --ever so slowly-- on a 3-column layout for Calypsodragon13. I put it up for about a half an hour this afternoon. It looks pretty rough yet, so I reinstated the old 2-column layout. Once again, I will have to slowly piecemeal in the changes to the 3-column layout as I am an untaught CSS hacker, dangerous only to myself!

I'm gonna drag my dragon-self outta here!

A Sad Day in Spartan-land

Dragon Mood? -- ???

Well, the MSU Spartans lost to the Tar Heels of North Carolina by some significant point spread, 87-71, or something like that.

S and I couldn't even bear to listen to the talking heads after the game. We switched the channel, anesthetizing ourselves with some HGTV decorating drivel.

I am proud of the men's basketball team. I think they did themselves, Coach Izzo and all us Spartans proud. Proud with a capital P!

I'm proud of how they defied our too-low expectations of them, how they started afresh after Izzo's dramatic sledgehammering of videotapes from the regular season, how they appeared to really enjoy the post-season run. Those are all good, positive things that I want to remember.

Thanks, Alan Anderson, Kelvin Torbert, Chris Hill and Tim Bograkos for all your hard work, your great spirit and your senior leadership this past year. I appreciate it all! I hope that you carry powerful and positive memories from this experience with you in the coming years.

Love you, Spartans!!!

Lovin' Coach Izzo

Dragon Mood? -- snortin' a fireball for Izzo



"Do it like THIS!" (Photo taken by Betsy Shink for the Lansing State Journal.)



"Are you nuts, Ref?" (Photo taken by Kevin Fowler for the Lansing State Journal.)


Izzo's smirky smile. (Photo taken by Kevin Fowler for the Lansing State Journal.)


A directive? -- "Be tough!"


"Good job, guys!" (Photo taken by Kevin Fowler for the Lansing State Journal.)

Feeling twitchy

Dragon Mood? -- twitch, twitch, snort, TWITCH!

It's Saturday morning which is usually one of those times that I LOVE to post.

But this morning, I'm feeling decidedly twitchy. It could be because:

• TONIGHT, the Spartans are playing the Tar Heels in the second FINAL FOUR game! Arrrgh!
• the dog just threw up twice out by the back door. I heard some funny noises and went to investigate. Yellow, liquidy throw-up. Did she eat something she shouldn't have? What is going on with her?
• I put the teakettle on the stove to boil some water for some healthy iced green tea later today with the requisite basketball-game-watching popcorn. The teakettle made these very strange thumping noises! Is our teakettle possessed? Is this a sign? Is the teakettle about to throw up?
• my cell phone continues to behave oddly. I called Yosh on a fully charged phone this morning. We talked for 39 minutes and some seconds (as if seconds could make the difference!) and when we got off the phone, my battery was down to one bar. What is up with that? Then I TXT-messaged several people about the impending game, and then several more subsequent TXT-messages with Lina. Still at one bar. Arrrrgh again!
• the wind is blowing something fierce here in mid-Michigan this morning. Did Mother Nature forget that we have transitioned to April, not blustery March? She's two days late on the blustery winds. This is the month for birthdays, spring bulbs peeking their green heads out, winter-triumphant daffodils and gentle spring rains. Not blustery winds that are bending the 50-feet-tall pines over at alarming angles, careening back and forth with scary movements toward our oh-so-vulnerable roof.

Yes, after reviewing the possible reasons, I definitely have a RIGHT to feel twitchy!

Google Gulp?

What the heck is a Google Gulp? According to this site, it's ...

a line of "smart drinks" designed to maximize your surfing efficiency by making you more intelligent, and less thirsty.

I think the Google folks have been smoking something. Listen to this:

Think a DNA scanner embedded in the lip of your bottle reading all 3 gigabytes of your base pair genetic data in a fraction of a second, fine-tuning your individual hormonal cocktail in real time using our patented Auto-Drink™ technology, and slamming a truckload of electrolytic neurotransmitter smart-drug stimulants past the blood-brain barrier to achieve maximum optimization of your soon-to-be-grateful cerebral cortex. Plus, it's low in carbs! And with flavors ranging from Beta Carroty to Glutamate Grape, you'll never run out of ways to quench your thirst for knowledge.

The site goes on to pose the rhetorical question of "How to get Gulped?"

Like I said, I think the oogledy-googledy stuff has gone to the Mountain View folks' brains. Funny!

How I'm feeling about Saturday night

The Michigan State Spartans play the University of North Carolina Tar Heels and I am EXCITED! I think it's gonna be a great game. Makes me want to jump UP in the air and shout, "Go Green, Go White!"

We're behind you guys 100%!

[I think this is an archival photo of Oscar Roberson, obviously a heckuva leaper!]

Mid-week mid-March mid-madness

I haven't posted in several days.

So much has happened.

S's grandma had a heart attack last Thursday. She is now living with her daughter, Sally (S's mother) only two or three minutes from the garage where the EMTs are dispatched, so she was in the ER within minutes of calling 911. Thankfully, the heart attack was not too severe and she is now home, recuperating and recovering.

Friday, I remembered my mother's death twelve years ago, on another Good Friday morning.

Later that day, our dog, Cisco, was acting oddly, like she was in pain. S took her to the vet's and I met them there. The vet checked her out and prescribed some anti-inflammatory pills for possible joint pain.

It was also the second weekend of March Madness, where the sixty-four teams have been whittled down to the Sweet Sixteen. I love March Madness. Our beloved Spartans handled Old Dominion with no real difficulty and even put the Cinderella team, Vermont, permanently out of the Dance.

Friday night was the big MSU-Duke basketball game. And I mean BIG! After our scare with the dog, S and I were both ready to settle in for the night, geeked to watch what was sure to be a heart-thumper of a game. Instead, ... we went over to J & J's house after they called, as we hadn't seen them (or been invited over) in a too-long period of time. It was a fun evening and thankfully, we DID get to watch the game, thrills and all. I even broke down and drank three dirty martinis!

Saturday was more long-distance monitoring of Grandma. S spent quite a bit of time on the phone with two of her three sisters. Thankfully, S's mother finally called about Grandma's heart attack(!), despite her damnable game-playing and manipulations. We debated on possibly driving up north. Instead, we cleaned out one display cabinet, shuttled all sorts of delicate seashells, coral and sea effluvia to another display case, and then S arranged it all with great care and her good right eye.

I started on some early spring cleaning by laundering and ironing our lacy white cotton bedroom curtains (which have always reminded me of the lacy tips of a white slip showing from underneath a skirt -- does that sound Southern belle-ish or what?). Since it was the day before Easter, I decided it might be time to pick up all the last remaining remnants of Christmas decorations and yes, even put small Christmas trees away. I went through several stacks of fresh mail, as well as old, stale mail. We watched more basketball late Saturday afternoon and into the evening. Have I said how much I LOVE March Madness??

Sunday, I spent time on the computer, posting about my Easter/church guilt. I'm still thinking about that.

I love March Madness! Last night, S and I went over to the Oxford for a light dinner and an opportunity to watch the MSU Spartan women play against Stanford in the NCAA's Elite Eight! The Spartans smoked 'em, 77-69.

Yup, a lot has happened over this past week!

Those Germanic Heathens -- or the Wends?

Dragon Mood? -- ???

...a continuation from the previous posting...

The English and German names, "Easter" and "Ostern," seem clearly unrelated to Pesach etymologically and likely derive either from Eostremonat, an old Germanic month name, or Eostre, a Germanic goddess associated with the springtime, who as the 8th century English historian Bede records was honored with a festival during Eostremonat. It has been suggested that many of modern Easter's symbols, such as colored eggs and the Easter Bunny, are cultural remnants of Eostre's springtime festival and that Eostre merged with the Christian Pesach celebrations after the Germanic heathens were Christianized, even though giving of eggs at spring festivals was not restricted to Germanic peoples and could be found among the Persians, Romans, Jews and the Armenians.

This is from Wikipedia.

Am I thinking about, reflecting upon or celebrating Easter?

Dragon Mood? -- angry confusion; "shoulds" make this dragon want to swish her tail angrily and blow out fireballs!

I don't know why, but I'm definitely feeling some "shoulds" this morning. Like I should be going to church this morning. Like I should be "feeding myself spiritually," as my father is unhesitant to remind me. Like I should be celebrating Easter today.

[As an aside to no one in particular, I think of "shoulds" like rules or even the Law, as given in the Old Testament. They are prescriptive, telling someone how to live. Rules or laws, by their very nature, have consequences if they are not followed; do this or else. Otherwise, they wouldn't be rules or laws, yes?

I think of the "good news" of the New Testament as descriptive, describing to someone how they might live. There is an implied choice; you may do this or you may not. The choice is yours.

I rarely use the word "should" in my vocabulary for that very reason.]

But I am doing none of these things. I don't know how I'm feeling exactly about celebrating the resurrection of Jesus from death on a cross. Ambiguity, for sure. Guilt, for sure. Mule-ishness, for sure. (Who wants to be pushed and manipulated into something as private and personal as worship?) And ... as I think about it, how much of this is really about my faith in Jesus? Or is this ambiguity (and anger?) really directed at organized religion and its general failure to embrace lesbians and gays as children of God and full members in the body of Christ?

Well, those are questions I will leave for now and just post interesting facts, cool stuff about Easter. Most of this is from the site, How Stuff Works:

Easter is the Christian observance of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his resurrection days later. It is the central festival of the Christian church and, after the Sabbath, it is the oldest Christian observance.

Easter's Date
Unlike festivals such as Christmas, Easter has been celebrated without interruption since New Testament times. The dates of all movable feasts are also calculated around the date of Easter. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica:

...western Christians celebrate Easter on the first Sunday after the full moon (the paschal moon) that occurs on or next after the vernal equinox on March 21. If the paschal moon, which is calculated from a system of golden numbers and epacts and does not necessarily coincide with the astronomical full moon, occurs on a Sunday, Easter is the following Sunday.

The U.S. Naval Observatory's Astronomical Applications Department says that Easter is determined by the "ecclesiastical moon" as defined by church-constructed tables to be used permanently for calculating the phase of the moon. This full moon doesn't necessarily coincide with the astronomical full moon, which means, Navy researchers say, that Easter is not necessarily the very next Sunday after a full moon. It could be the next Sunday after the ecclesiastical moon. This happened in 1876.

How do you say...?
The origins of the names for the Easter holiday vary slightly. "Easter" and "Ostern" derive from Eostre. Other names are derivative from the Jewish word for Passover, Pesach.

* English: Easter
* German: Ostern
* Greek: Pascha
* Spanish: Pascua
* Italian: Pasqua
* French: P?ques
* Portugese: P?scoa
* Dutch: Pasen
* Danish: Paaske

These calculations say that Easter can fall between March 22 and April 25. This was decreed by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582 as part of the Gregorian calendar.

During New Testament times, the Christian church celebrated Easter at the same time as the Jews observed Passover. (The first of Passover's eight days is Nissan 15 on the Jewish calendar. Passover observes the flight and freedom of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.) By the middle of the second century, Easter was celebrated on the Sunday after Passover. The Council of Nicaea decided in 325 A.D. that all churches should celebrate it together on a Sunday.

The Eastern Orthodox church may celebrate Easter up to a month later, as its calculation of the date is based on the Julian calendar, which is currently 13 days behind the Gregorian calendar. In 1865 and 1963, Easter observance in both Eastern and Western churches coincided.

In some countries, Good Friday and the Monday after Easter are national holidays. In the United States, these two days are not federal holidays and observance varies from state to state.

One of the things that I have come to appreciate in my mid-life is that Easter is based upon the moon. Ahh, the old moon, wise and silent as she is, forever cycling around, as we live our lives.

Did you see the moon last night? or the night before that? Incredibly big and bright and brilliant! She, too, is celebrating the turning of the seasons and the return of spring!

I don't sound like much of a Christian, do I? More like a pagan who used to dabble in Christianity? I can't get away from or discount nature and our relationship to it. I appreiate the moon and I can imbue the moon with all kinds of symbolism and meaning in my life, just as the early Christians imbued Jesus with all kinds of messianic symbolism and importance.

Salim's Dreds ... or is that Dreads?

I don't know anything about Arizona's basketball team or anything about Salim Stoudamire of said aforementioned team, but I do know that I LOVE that dude's dreds ... or is that spelled, "dreads?"

Not just any Friday morning

Dragon Mood? -- breathing and remembering

This is Good Friday morning. And twelve years ago -- can it really be twelve years already? -- my mother died, in her car, coming home from walking in the mall, on a Good Friday morning.

I was home that day, as I am today, hanging wallpaper in my kitchen in the Lexington house.

I don't want to recall all the details, all the ambiguity and confusion and then, shock. But I do want to remember.

And that is part of the reason for my posting this post -- remembering my mom.

It is tricky remembering the dead, recalling someone you loved. It is so easy, so very easy to gloss over the wholeness of her being, remembering only the parts that I want to remember or need to remember.

My mom and I did not have an easy relationship. With the help of S, I had put energy into re-approaching my mother -- the wonderful French word, rapprochement, comes to mind -- because I wanted to like her more. I can recall a handful of things that I did in the last year or two of her life that I now hold like pebbles in my hand, smooth and soothing, to draw myself nearer to her. They are sweet, small, relatively insignificant actions or events that happened between my mom and me -- and they do provide some comfort when I miss her deep down.

I'm remembering you today, Mom. I'm remembering your eyes and your hair, the way your mouth moved when you laughed. I'm remembering the funny way you had of buttoning your winter coat. I'm remembering the delight I saw or heard whenever you anticipated being with your grandkids. I'm remembering the tiredness and sadness in your eyes that was usually explained away -- and usually without recriminations. I'm remembering your hugs and how their brief intensity never expressed fully all the big feelings I imagined stood behind them. I'm remembering all the "shoulds" that you seemed to embody -- and finally, how that physical body said, "Enough!"

What I have a hard time remembering, specifically and concretely, is your incredible nurturing, tenderness and compassion for others. I don't know why I have such trouble with those memories. Those qualities, those values, feel as much a part of you as your every breath. I can't tease those apart from how I saw you or now see you.

I don't know if that's a good thing, a real thing or just an illusion of my memory of you.

I do miss you, Mom . . . even now, after twelve years . . . a blink in the timeless stream of being. Are you a leaf on that stream? Floating, drifting here and there? Are you mindful and intentional in that stream?

I don't know. I don't have any clue. But, I do know that I miss you and I'm remembering you.

First Day of Spring!!

Dragon Mood? -- Annn-ti-ci-PAY-shun!

Tomorrow is the FIRST DAY of SPRING! Hooray!!

In the United States and the rest of the northern hemisphere, the first day of the spring season is the day of the year when the Sun crosses the celestial equator moving northward (on March 20th or 21st). This day is known as the vernal equinox.

Exactly when is this happening?? I must google and find out.

Oh shit! TODAY is the VERNAL EQUINOX!!!

Officially: Vernal Equinox Mar 20 2005 7:34 AM EST

Compliments of this site.

Sunday morning in Madison

Dragon Mood? -- happy, silly, frivolous

Once upon a time . . . I've been so busy frivoliating with my two chillens that I just haven't made time to BLOG!

I wish I had a dollar for every minute of basketball I've watched in the past three-and-a-half days! Or a thin silver dime for every basket that I've witnessed being made.

I'd be RICH! Drinks for EVERYONE!

I'm sitting in Caroline's office/computer station/massage room, listening to my children banter back and forth as they fix our breakfast. Josh just tried to stage a coup and take control of the computer to look up, of all things, quotes from the stupid movie, "Napoleon Dynamite." But I prevailed. Bwah-hah-hah-hah!

Hah! Or as I first typed it, "Jaj!"

They're making fun of me, but do I care? NO!

The sun is streaming into the room, warming it and making this Dragon feel oh-so-hopeful.

The Spartans are meeting up with the Vermont Catamounts this afternoon at 2:40 p.m. in Worcester (rhymes with ROOSTER), Massachusetts. Aaron, my nephew and their cousin, will be sitting in the stands, rooting on our guys. Yeah, Aaron! Yeah, Spartans! I usually would be worrying about the Spartans meeting up with such an unlikely Cinderella team as Vermont, but in the happy, hopeful place, I can't even muster the energy to worry. The Spartans will do okay OR they will be getting on the bus to head home early from The Dance.

In this happy mood, I'm also thinking about S, who is home in Michigan, sadly by herself, getting used to the idea of being a grandma. Preston Skylar Wilhelm Patrick was born on St. Paddy's night, just as all the revelers were streaming into every would-be Irish pub across the country. S was standing outside the birthing room, just wanting to be a witness and a support to her son becoming a daddy. Why does such a usually happy event have to be shadowed by such meanness of spirit and sadness?

Fie on you, you people of such meager care and feeling for others! I spit on your actions and feel sorry that you have such a limited vision of this life.

I love you, S! I can't wait to get home, take you in my arms and kiss you in the most un-grandmotherly way that I can imagine!

Exercise, exercise, exercise!!!

Dragon Mood? -- hugging and puffing

From CNN's Health Center:

... The panel of doctors and scientists that developed the recommendations put an emphasis on getting 30 minutes of exercise. The guidelines are being used to update the government's food pyramid, which is due out this spring.

People trying to fit the new exercise advice into their day don't have to start all at once. It's fine to break your activity into bouts of 10 or 15 minutes. But the idea is still to do at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity -- the equivalent of walking briskly, at about 3.5 miles an hour.

Try walking your dog in the park for 15 minutes in the morning and walking on a treadmill for 15 minutes in the evening, or take a walk at lunchtime, Pi-Sunyer said. "You don't have to change, put on a sweat suit, take a shower. You're not going to work up a big sweat, and you can go back to work," he said.

And it doesn't have to be walking. The panel gave several examples of moderate exercise: Hiking, light gardening or yard work, dancing, golf, bicycling, a light workout of weight lifting. Stretching also counts.

More vigorous activity is even better, the committee said. That could include running or jogging at 5 miles an hour, walking at 4.5 miles an hour, bicycling at 10 miles an hour, swimming, aerobics, heavy yard work such as chopping wood, more vigorous weight lifting or playing basketball.

"The idea here is small steps," said Eric Hentges, director of the Agriculture Department's Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, which helped write the guidelines. "Get the 30 minutes first, because independent of any of the other aspects, the 30 minutes alone will have benefits."

[It's now Thursday and I finally have time to get back to this posting.

I wanted to say how encouraged I am regarding these guidelines. I think encouraging all people, overweight or not, to take baby steps towards healthier choices and a healthier life promotes mental health and a sense of well-being because of its very do-able-ness. (Sorry for the clumsy wording.)

I struggle almost every day with getting my thirty minutes of exercise in. Some days are easier than others. And some days, I do get my exercise in smaller chunks of time, walking the dog, doing housework, whatever, just as the article says. Even that is far better than sitting on the couch eating potato chips!]

Another step in the (morally) right direction

From CNN, comes this heartening news:

A judge ruled Monday that California's ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional, saying the state could no longer justify limiting marriage to a man and a woman.
...
"It appears that no rational purpose exists for limiting marriage in this state to opposite-sex partners," Kramer wrote.

The judge wrote that the state's historical definition of marriage, by itself, cannot justify the denial of equal protection for gays and lesbians.

"The state's protracted denial of equal protection cannot be justified simply because such constitutional violation has become traditional," Kramer wrote.
...
Kramer is the fourth trial court judge in recent months to decide that the right to marry and its attendant benefits must be extended to same-sex couples.

Signs of early spring

...you know, that quality of light, the almost-forgotten intensity of the sun, the sparkling icicles, the drip, drip, drip of melting snow and ice? They all point to one thing: SPRING!!

Mozilla 1.7.5

Dragon Mood? -- pleased and relieved -- whew!

I downloaded Mozilla 1.7.5 late this morning onto our home computer. What a breeze! I am simply amazed at what a seamless process that turned out to be. We had been working on Mozilla 1.6, but because of some changes in Yahoo's interface, I kept getting this little message on my personalized Yahoo page encouraging me to download the most current release.

Which I did.

I guess I'm glad that I did.

Why can't Microsoft, Bill Gates, et al, have such high-quality products?

Kudos to Mozilla and all the folks taking "the road less traveled" out there!

early Saturday morning

Dragon Mood? -- tired and grumpy

What the hell am I doing up on a Saturday morning, this early? Geez, I woke up at 4, went to the bathroom, got back in bed and laid there, unable to sleep. Toss, turn, toss, turn.

Thinking about:

• the Spartans' loss to Iowa last night, 71-69. They played so well EXCEPT for their free throw shooting. Here's what Coach Izzo had to say:

  `We did not deserve to win the game,'' Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said. ``When you miss 15 free throws -- we went a month and we didn't miss 15 free throws. The game never should have come down to that. We missed free throws all night, we missed layups all night.''

• that S asked last night at 10 o'clock, "Do we have more coffee 'cuz this is the last of this bag?" Grrrr -- I just went to the store earlier today. I am bugged.
• back to basketball. Thinking about the Illini coach, Bruce Weber, finding out right after their quarterfinal game that his mother had been taken to the hospital in Chicago with reported chest pains. It actually turned out to be far more serious, a torn left aorta, and she died during surgery. She died. March Madness and the death of your mom just doesn't go together.
• the $169 I spent at Rite-Aid yesterday, what with two prescriptions, a three-month supply of multi-vitamins for S and me, a three-month supply of co-enzyme Q-10 for me, two 12-packs of beer (light and regular), two Pay Day candy bars, a Mary Engelbreit magazine (I'm a sucker for those), a box of Kellogg's Raisin Bran (it was on sale) and a bag of Lay's Salt & Vinegar chips (for the Chip Queen, S). One-hundred-and-sixty-fucking-nine dollars! That's 80% of my checking account money for the week. Grrrr. So, don't forget the fucking coffee!
• why I can't sleep? Are you beginning to understand why I couldn't sleep?
• that I should clean out the display shelves in the wall unit in our bedroom. S has promised her son, Matthew, an old china cabinet (that his now-dead grandpa had made), which currently sits in our fireplace room, holding all the seashells and beach memorabilia that S insists on keeping and displaying. I would practically bet my life on the fact that she will not take the initiative and clean that thing out. I will have to do that. Which, of course, is why I'm thinking about this at four fucking o'clock in the morning.
• and asking myself, "Self, why are you getting pissed off at four o'clock in the morning -- on a Saturday morning, precious Saturday morning when you COULD be sleeping?"
• that maybe I need to open one of those expensive prescriptions that I just spent $169 on and replace my Femring because obviously my hormones are out of whack at four o'clock in the morning on a precious Saturday morning when I could be sleeping!

I finally just got up and got online. Fuck it!

quote

Dragon Mood? -- happy and contented


"Wealth consists not in having great possessions but in having few wants."

--Esther de Waal, author

Ooh-ooh, the Big Ten Tournament has started!

Dragon Mood? -- excited!

Michigan is playing Northwestern. Purdue will take on Iowa, here in about two hours. I've got CBS Sportsline up, "watching" the games. CBS Sportsline does a darn good job to keep us b-ball junkies updated, when we don't have access to radio or TV.

Talk about upsets?!?!

Did I ever get a surprise when I accessed ESPN online this morning!

Hokey smokes, Bullwinkle!! Sunday was Upset Sunday!

I was hoping UNC would beat Duke and bless their little southern hearts, they did, 75-73! Duke has embarrassed MSU a few times and to my way of thinking, they've had more than their fair share of glory over the past ten years. Let somebody else in the ACC have a turn, for crying out loud! Now the University of North Carolina has won the ACC title out right! Good for you, guys!

Even more shocking, however, was the Ohio State Buckeyes' upset of undefeated, perfect-record Illinois! They stole the game from them with a 3-pointer with 5 seconds left in the game. All I can say is "Wow!"

A certain unnamed Mr. Sushi was happy (I am sure) to see that his Florida Gators upset #3 Kentucky.

And . . . unranked Missouri upset #7 Kansas, 72-68.

Can you believe I didn't see even a minute of any of those games? I was out, doing errands, buying yarn and drinking wine while visiting with friends. Living life outside the tube and the basketball court.

Can't wait for the Big Ten tourney and then, the grand-wench of
'em all, NCAA March Madness! Yeahhhh!

Instant Replay?

This relaxed, cyber-surfing dragon just spotted a full-grown deer trot across the road, clamber up a slight incline in our neighbor's yard, and then disappear into a stand of pines.

Wow! Got my adrenaline going and I'm not even of the canine persuasion.

I wish I could have an instant replay!

Another color-loving try

This is an abstract that I created in Photoshop, experimenting with the polygonal lasso tool, gradients, and a variety of different filters. This one I created using the "median" operator, but you know, honestly, I'd have to go hunt to find the operator now. Yikes!

Abstract 3

Good enough to . . .

Dragon Mood? -- dragons love orchids and sparkly things! Yum!

I don't mean to sound like a broken record (whoa!--there's a middle-age tip-off!), but I am longing for color.

Check this beauty out......

















And then this one:














Don't overlook this one --> --> -->

Don't these look good enough to bite? or eat? or at least gush over???

In fairness to the owners of this fine image (which I have just wantonly cropped hither and thither), go to Paramount Orchids and see the beautiful orchids that they apparently hybridize, grow and market. They are stunning!

Just what a Michiganian trying to survive another dreary winter needs right now!

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.

I am in Texas this morning

Dragon mood? -- a little bit sad

I am in Texas this morning in my thoughts. My uncle's wife, Liz, died Tuesday night of pneumonia, after a heart attack a month ago and after living in a nursing home for the past eight months because of her Alzheimer's disease.

None of us wanted to prolong Liz's existence, which frankly was not all that great. While she was loved and cared for, the Liz I knew and loved was gone, replaced with a child-like clone that stared rather vacantly at me when I visited.

The Liz I remember was vibrant and jovial and she had a great laugh. She was warm and effusive. She couldn't tell a story or a joke without grabbing you on the arm to punctuate the best part of it.

I never saw the pre-Alzheimer's Liz without her talking about my mother and what wonderful memories Liz had of her. With Liz's death, that is one of the biggest losses for me.

People are gathering this morning, just about now, to view her body together, as a family. The public visitation begins in about an hour. The funeral will be tomorrow morning, at the church in Warda, and she will be buried tomorrow afternoon, next to her first husband (I presume) in Nassau Bay, outside of Houston.

I grieve for you, Uncle George, and celebrate the love that you and Liz shared for too short of a time. I commend you for loving her and caring for her right up until the end. I wish you some quietness of your heart and peacfulness in your soul. You certainly deserve that.

Not in church on a Sunday morning

Dragon Mood? -- dragons don't fit in churches

Rayne Today has an interesting post about the "religion thing." I had to comment, of course.

And then, I found this quote which is so much closer to where I am spiritually:

I once listened to an Indian on television say that God was in the wind and the water, and I wondered at how beautiful that was because it meant you could swim in [God] or have [God] brush your face in a breeze.

-- altered quote from Donald Miller, "Blue like Jazz: Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality"

Hildegarde of Bingen also speaks about God as "moisture." I shared that with my dentist after he took his hands out of my mouth. "Everytime I breathe and fog up your little mirror that you put inside my mouth, did you know that is God?" I'm pretty sure he made a note on my chart about being a religious nut-case.

Ethics in Blogging

Dragon Mood? -- nodding sagaciously

Here's an article about blogging and ethical standards from the Freep:

...The growing influence of blogs ... is raising questions about whether they are becoming a new form of journalism and in need of more formal ethical guidelines or codes of conduct.

...So far, many bloggers resist any notion of ethical standards, saying individuals ought to decide what's right for them. After all, they say, blog topics range from trying to sway your presidential vote to simply talking about the day's lunch.

...Many bloggers believe standards of practices are inevitable, even if they aren't something formalized in writing.

As a relative newcomer to the blogosphere, I agree with the last sentence of the quotation. While not formalized, I think a generally recognized standard of etiquette and conduct, as well, will eventually prevail among bloggers.

Loving the snow!

While I have lived virtually my entire life in the north, I don't believe I've ever loved the snow so much I wanted to roll in it!

The photo is from this website.

speaking of Chuck . . .

Dragon Mood? -- thinking daredragon-y thoughts

On doing daredevil-y things that one probably shouldn't try:

His ego writing checks his body can't cash

From the incomparable dooce.com

Google, the New Year and Photoshop

Dragon Mood? -- hey, it's still January -- better late than never!




I found reference to this image on Eszter's blog. I'm inspired and a bit envious. That's the kind of work I would like to do in Photoshop!

Kudos to the Google graphic designer who thunk it up!

Longing for the sun

Dragon Mood? -- pale




Is it enough to say that I live in Michigan?

[Thanks to this site for the image.]

Dr. Ernest Drake's Dragonology

I received this dragon-lovely book from my dragon-child, Carolina.

You are seeing the cover, the image hardly doing justice to the richness and sheer lusciousness of it. It is deeply embossed, heavy book stock with three green orbs imbedded around the center circle. The interior, cover to cover, is full of the eminent Dr. Ernest Drake's knowledge and advice to would-be dragonologists regarding the study and pursuit of dragons. Here's an example:

Spell to Catch a Dragon
Take a mirror and sprinkle it with dragon dust. Then place a sapphire or other treasure outside the dragon's lair. When the dragon emerges to investigate the gemstone, quickly bring out the mirror so that the dragon see its own reflection. Cry, "Ecce Narcisso Dragonus Attractivae!" This spell will tame the dragon -- but watch out when it wears off! (For a small sample of dragon dust, see Appendix II.)

As a full-fledged metal dragon myself (metal, I believe in the Chinese astrological system?), I am thoroughly enjoying reading Dr. Drake's well-informed publication.

All dragons would do well to read this timely treatise.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dragon Mood? -- remembering

Today is the national holiday where we, as a people, remember the contributions of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dr. King advocated and agitated for civil rights for African-Americans. Most African-Americans' ancestors were brought to this country in bondage, existing and struggling their entire lives as slaves. While African-Americans were granted their freedom under Abraham's Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, they continued to be enslaved and oppressed by white Americans through segregation and racial discrimination for the next 100 years.

Dr. King came to the forefront nationally in the early 1960's, advocating civil rights through non-violent means. He was an eloquent speaker, who challenged peoples' acceptance of de facto segregation and encouraged all people to work for change through non-violent civil disobedience.

He was assassinated in the spring of 1968 by a white man from Tennessee, James Earl Jones.

What would Dr. King say if he were alive today? Have we, as a people, made any progress? What more can be done?

And, what would Dr. King say about the comedian/speaker Bill Cosby's recent comments in Detroit regarding parenting in the black community?

A shout out to . . .

Dragon Mood? -- dragon-mama snorts a little love-fire on her dragon-child!

A shout out to Wild Wend, who posted a week ago, after a long, long blog-coma. She not only posted once, but thrice! Wow!

I have tried very hard as her maternal parental unit NOT to bug her, but she is the person I credit with introducing ME to blogs. And that blogging world is huge! And so very cool!

Anyway, Wild Wend, I don't know when you will see this or if you will see this, but I sure enjoyed reading your posts (as I always do/did/have done) and hope that you continue to post. Run and hide from the blog-coma, run, run!!!

Looking westward

Dragon Mood? -- why am I not surprised?

Here's an article popping up on Google News from the CIA’s National Intelligence Council (NIC), called “Mapping the Global Future.” It says, in a nutshell, that Asia will dominate the 21st century, in much the same way that the United States dominated the 20th century.

"A combination of sustained high economic growth, expanding military capabilities, and large populations will be at the root of the expected rapid rise in economic and military power for both countries."

The report stated that "although the US will still remain the world’s dominant economy and military power, ... its authority may be reduced because of the growing clout of India and China, and possibly some other nations like Brazil and Indonesia." (In other words, to all Americans, "We'll still be powerful, even if we're less powerful!")

To that same end, I saw a brief clip on ABC News last night about North Korea. Evidently, the North Koreans have extended an olive branch to the U.S., as long as the U.S. does not disparage Kim Jong Il. The videotape showed massive military parades in Hanoi, with thousands and thousands of North Korean soldiers goose-stepping double-time through a plaza. It honestly gave me chills. There were so many of the soldiers, so identical in their dark uniforms, so reminiscent of old-time footage of Nazis in the 1940s. I hope Bush and company can except this olive branch and keep any undiplomatic comments to themselves.

Killer Fog

Dragon Mood? -- astounded



This photo was taken on I-96 between the Okemos and Webberville exits. A stretch just down the road from the stretch I used to drive every day!

I left work last night at 5:45 and the first thing I noticed was how warm the air was. My car thermometer registered an outside temperature of 49 degrees! There is a wooded field next to the parking area and there was the most ethereal, mystical-looking fog floating out of that wooded, snow-covered field towards my car. It was beautiful.

From the photo above, obviously, also pretty deadly.

[As a footnote: this morning, driving to work, the outside temperature was 57 degrees. Fifty-seven degrees, in Michigan, on January 13th! Wow!]

Healthy Son

Over the holidays, we talked quite a bit about all the health issues that I have been dealing with the past several months. Josh told me that he had a physical recently.

I called him this morning on a separate matter and he said that he had gotten the results of his lab work back. Here are his numbers:

• cholesterol: 158

• HDL: 77

• LDL: 67

• triglycerides: 68

Wow! I didn't know someone could have such good numbers! I have a disgustingly healthy son. His good health is a blessing in my life . . . and I am a happy Mamacita.

C Reactive Protein

From the New York Times Editorial page:

"The evidence has gotten much stronger that a substance known as C-reactive protein may be every bit as important as cholesterol in the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease. Back in 2002, a thought-provoking study found that a blood test for C-reactive protein, called CRP, was actually better than the standard cholesterol test at predicting the risk of a heart attack or a stroke. Now two studies published in The New England Journal of Medicine have shown that drugs that reduce the levels of that protein in patients with severe heart disease can slow the progression of atherosclerosis and prevent heart attacks and cardiac-related deaths."


"...After years of focusing on the role of cholesterol in clogging arteries, researchers now recognize C-reactive protein, a measure of inflammation in artery walls and elsewhere, as a prime risk factor in its own right."

"The key study published last week found that heart disease patients who were given high doses of a cholesterol-lowering statin drug also experienced a drop in CRP levels and in heart attacks. Thus the high-dose statin packed a double wallop..."

Kudos to my primary physician who has been checking my CRP for some time now. Last October, it was 3-1/2 to 4 times the level it should be. Something, somewhere, inside my body is INFLAMED!!

Uphill or Downhill?

My wild Wend daughter, Carolina, just sent me a link for this article.

In a nutshell, this Austrian researcher found that walking downhill may lower sugar levels and walking uphill may reduce triglyceride levels in a person's bloodstream.

While I don't have any Alps to hike up, I guess I could certainly benefit by walking up stairs on a more regular basis.

My new H-P toy

And while I don't have a new puppy, I do have a new toy -- thanks to my honey, S.

She gave this Hewlett-Packard rz1715 iPAQ, more commonly known as a PDA, to me for Christmas -- a total surprise, I might add! It does the usual stuff like calendars and contacts and to-do lists, but it also does photos and music and games! Very cool! I'm excited about having instant access to images that I really like!

After a rather rough start with it (why do new electronic toys always involve some sort of software or hardware hiccup? why?), I think I'm going to enjoy my new iPAQ immensely!

Coveting the First Lady's puppy

S and my kids and my friends and most of the world know that I would LOVE to have a Scottie. Because of numerous extenuating circumstances, including our aging and highly jealous pooch, Cisco, S and I have decided to put off pursuing a puppy, at least for now. Very logical, very commonsensical.

But when I saw the pictures above, part of me wailed, "I WAAAAA-nt one!"

By the way, her name is Miss Beazley.

Tsunami aftermath -- Two week update

Dragon Mood? -- still can't get these dragon arms around it

Salon reports that two weeks after the devastating tsunami that struck many countries around the Indian Ocean, there are over 150,000 dead and thousands still missing.

"In a rare positive note, the World Health Organization said no major disease outbreaks have been reported in the crowded camps where millions have sought refuge after losing everything."

When I try to hold these poor people in my heart and mind, I feel completely overwhelmed. God ... help them.

Cisco / Bed . . . Cisco / Bed ???

Dragon Mood? -- a dangerous combination: fatigue and fire-breathing

I am going to bed!

I am GOING to bed!

I am GOING to bed!

[This is a record of my conversation with the dog, as she shoves my mouse-manipulating right arm with her singularly powerful nose, trying to induce me to take her for a pre-midnight walk around the neighborhood.]

I guess I told her!

Easy Rider -- 35 years later

Dragon Mood? -- "uh . . . like groovy, mannnnnn!"

S and I just watched "Easy Rider" on the AMC channel. You know that was made in 1969? (I looked it up on the imdb website.)

What a trippy film! I honestly don't remember going to see it, but what do I know? I was seventeen at the time, dating my ex-husband and at that time, movies usually were for making out, not watching!

First of all, Peter Fonda has got to be the cleanest, most nicely-coiffed hippie guy I ever saw. Dennis Hopper is a little more authentic. Was this a satire on the hippie generation? Or was it a commentary on the rest of America, with their small-town parades, obnoxious rednecks and self-righteous law enforcement? I'm really not sure.

My favorite part, hands down, was the campfire conversation between the young and handsome George Hansen (Jack Nicholson, in all his youthful swagger) and Dennis Hopper. They talked about satellites, Venutians marrying into the earthly population, freedom, challenging the status quo and the dangers inherent in doing so. I could listen to it again!

The whole first half, in contrast, felt like a paeon to the beauty and natural wonders of western America. I wonder if that helped contribute to the founding of the first Earth Day, on May 1st, 1970?

Wow, do I feel old or what? (laughing)

Insulin resistance and --of all things-- vinegar!

It's Friday morning and I'm happy that the first week back "in the saddle" is almost over. Returning to the daily and weekly routine is always hard after the holidays and after time off from work. But with the erratic hours, hit-or-miss exercising and, dare I say, undisciplined eating, my body is relieved to be back in some routine.

I finally had a chance yesterday to do some investigation of "insulinemia," which appears to also be referenced as "insulin resistance," "insulin sensitivity," or most ominously, "Syndrome X." I was stunned at how many web-like connections there are between insulin resistance and --ready?-- diabetes, coronary artery disease, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), high blood pressure, high cholesterol, abdominal fat, and . . . well, the list seems to go on and on.

From there, I also "googled" my way to a reference about drinking a small amount of vinegar (mixed with water and optionally, some saccharine) before meals to help the body recognize the insulin that it's producing, and thus, ward off the blood-sugar spikes that occur for diabetics after eating a high carbohydrate meal.

I went home last night, cracked open a wonderful bottle of muscatel wine vinegar from the ever-delighting Zingerman's and had my vinegar "cocktail." It made me grimace, it made me shiver, but it was also surprisingly invigorating. And the wine in the vinegar definitely helped the flavor!

I am going to a luncheon today for a departing colleague, and safely tucked away in my pouch purse is a small leakproof container of wine vinegar and water! Cheers!!

quinoa

Dragon Mood? -- happy dragon tummy

While this may sound strange, I've been wanting to blog about quinoa.

What the heck is that? Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is a rather plain-looking grain that I capriciously picked up that turns out to be a superhero in disguise. Like most middle-aged, slightly overweight people with high cholesterol, high triglycerides AND insulinemia, I'm trying to eat more whole grains. (And like many middle-aged folks, I have a slight and foggy memory that someone mentioned it to me first. Is that true?)

[I do have to laugh, because I have truly come full circle. When I was young, married and idealistic, my husband and I were vegetarians. I worked at the local food co-op twice a week, for both philosophical and economic reasons. Then we started eating meat, he voted Republican, I got divorced . . . and now look: I'm back to eating whole grains. Isn't life funny?]

Since I'm no nutritional expert, here's what Whole Health MD has to say:

Nutritionally, quinoa might be considered a supergrain--although it is not really a grain, but the seed of a leafy plant that's distantly related to spinach. Quinoa has excellent reserves of protein, and unlike other grains, is not missing the amino aicd lysine, so the protein is more complete (a trait it shares with other "non-true" grains such as buckwheat and amaranth). The World Health Organization has rated the quality of protein in quinoa at least equivalent to that in milk. Quinoa offers more iron than other grains and contains high levels of potassium and riboflavin, as well as other B vitamins: B6, niacin, and thiamin. It is also a good source of magnesium, zinc, copper, and manganese, and has some folate (folic acid).

An ancient grainlike product that has recently been "rediscovered" in this country, quinoa has a light, delicate taste, and can be substituted for almost any other grain.

There's more good stuff about quinoa, but suffice to say it's on my eating list now, along with golden flaxseed and good ol' oatmeal.

I want to compliment Carolina, who fixed quinoa for all of us over the New Year's weekend. She said she cooked it like oatmeal, adding a touch of brown sugar and a pinch of black pepper, along with a handful of craisins (dried, raisin-like cranberries?) It was positively yummy! Thanks, Lina!

Our thieving dog and the sausage caper

We woke up Monday morning to find the dog scratching to be let into the house from the porch. There, lying on the floor of the porch was a big ol' sausage, at least a pound-and-a-half, if not two pounds. It looked like Cisco had begun nibbling on one end of it.

S just called me, alerting me to an article in the Free Press today entitled, "Alleged sausage theft could be a call for help."

Now, along with everything else, we have to worry about our kleptomaniac dog???

People of the Year: Bloggers

According to ABC News and PC World, 2004 was a big year for blogs!

Here's what PC World has to say:

Last year proved big for blogs and bloggers, according to data released from The Pew Internet & American Life Project.

Blog readership jumped 58 percent between February and November, and comprised 32 million U.S. citizens in 2004. More than 8 million U.S. citizens have created a Web-based diary, and one in 10, or around 14 million U.S. Internet users, has contributed thoughts or comments to a blog.

The figures released by the Pew Research Center are just the latest in a series of studies on the growth of blogs on the Internet, and show that the online diaries are becoming important sources of information for Internet users."

Interestingly, I started this blog in February of 2004 (thanks to my wildwend daughter!) and have been happily blogging ever since. In fact, I have started four blogs (one of which expired in its infancy).

All of this tells me, if I'm feeling the need to be a part of something larger than myself, well . . . the blogosphere is definitely that!

New Year, new additions

Dragon Mood? -- expansive??

In the spirit of a new year, amidst all the new technology which I am surrounded (and trying to embrace), I added a site meter to Calypso Dragon 13, which at this moment, I am unable to see!

Stay tuned, folks!

("Pay no attention to that man behind the screen," booms the Great and Powerful Oz.)