Dragon Mood? -- in a remembering mood
I must confess that I am rather startled that it is already the end of July. Wow! And this last week has flown by, evidenced by my lack of posting here.
The good news is that S and I finally got to spend the entire week together in our little pied-a-terre on Hyland. She was at the "office" in Warren, rather than being in the plant in Lansing. Being together felt lovely. Such a welcome contrast from the lonely months before this.
But let me digress. A week ago Tuesday(?), my ex-husband, Greg, called me and offered me my ex-mother-in-law's piano. He and his wife, Colleen, along with other siblings, were moving Joan from the apartment she has lived in for over thirty years to an assisted-living facility in the mountains of Arizona, near Greg and Colleen. To make a long and convoluted story a little shorter, I finally passed on their generous invitation. Do you know that feeling when you're trying to make something happen? . . . and then, virtually every step of the way, things don't happen? Nothing seems to fall into place, or there are impediments with every step? Well, that is how trying to work out the logistics of moving Joan's piano went. And, finally, I read the handwriting on the wall, and gave it up. And truthfully, if it had been anyone else but Joan, I wouldn't have even given it a second thought. It was definitely a sentimental thing for me, driven by my appreciation of Greg and Joan (and Josh -- he started it!) and their thinking of me.
So, back to this past week. Impelled by this offer of a piano, I began investigating digital pianos and keyboards. Again, I will cut through all the first-I-did-this and then-I-did-that-'s and record here that I bought a Kawai CA1000 digital piano for a handsome price (although, it *appeared* to be heavily discounted. Am I a sucker or what?). It will be delivered Tuesday. I will let you know my thoughts then.
So, on the Richter scale of domestic harmony and soul-fulfilling decisions (S with me and buying a piano), this has been an 8.9 week. Big!
Saturday, July 31, 2004
Monday, July 26, 2004
Monday, Monday
Dragon Mood? -- restless
I was just reading about all the security precautions that the city of Boston has put in place for the Democratic Convention. It actually makes me feel anxious and worried.
I will return to that thought in a minute. Saturday night, S and I took my nephew, Luke, to dinner at an upscale (for mid-Michigan and for us) restaurant, replete with flights of wine, $25-plus entrees, Sri Lankan stout and fat stogies to finish it off. We sat outside, next to planter boxes filled with flowers, watched the sun paint the sky with fantastical sunset colors and (yes, we drank that late into the night), then watched the stars emerge.
S loves a party, she loves to talk and she loves to talk politics with Luke. She was completely in her element Saturday night. We talked endlessly about politics, about society's continuing discrimination of women, and we talked about terrorism. (On a more mundane level, we talked about Dan Brown's allegedly plagiarized research on the DaVinci Code, and S must have brought up Mel Gibson's, "The Passion of Christ " at least four times, but no one --thank God!--bit on that conversational tidbit.)
One of the predictions that came out of our Saturday evening conversation was that if there is a terrorist attack between now and the November election, it's very likely that Bush will be re-elected. While the American people may be fed up with the Iraq war and the current administration's lies to them, they will put all that aside and rally behind the Commander-in-Chief.
I pray that there is no terrorist attack and I pray that the American people deal with Bush as they see fit.
You know how I feel about that!
I was just reading about all the security precautions that the city of Boston has put in place for the Democratic Convention. It actually makes me feel anxious and worried.
I will return to that thought in a minute. Saturday night, S and I took my nephew, Luke, to dinner at an upscale (for mid-Michigan and for us) restaurant, replete with flights of wine, $25-plus entrees, Sri Lankan stout and fat stogies to finish it off. We sat outside, next to planter boxes filled with flowers, watched the sun paint the sky with fantastical sunset colors and (yes, we drank that late into the night), then watched the stars emerge.
S loves a party, she loves to talk and she loves to talk politics with Luke. She was completely in her element Saturday night. We talked endlessly about politics, about society's continuing discrimination of women, and we talked about terrorism. (On a more mundane level, we talked about Dan Brown's allegedly plagiarized research on the DaVinci Code, and S must have brought up Mel Gibson's, "The Passion of Christ " at least four times, but no one --thank God!--bit on that conversational tidbit.)
One of the predictions that came out of our Saturday evening conversation was that if there is a terrorist attack between now and the November election, it's very likely that Bush will be re-elected. While the American people may be fed up with the Iraq war and the current administration's lies to them, they will put all that aside and rally behind the Commander-in-Chief.
I pray that there is no terrorist attack and I pray that the American people deal with Bush as they see fit.
You know how I feel about that!
Thursday, July 22, 2004
From my email bag . . .
Dragon Mood? -- liberally liberal
20 things you have to believe to be a Republican todayFeel free to pass these on. If you don't send them to at least ten other people, we're likely to be stuck with Bush for 4 more years
1. Being a drug addict is a moral failing and a crime, unless you're a conservative radio host. Then it's an illness and you need our prayers for your recovery.
2. The United States should get out of the United Nations, and our highest national priority is enforcing U.N. resolutions against Iraq.
3. Government should relax regulation of Big Business and Big Money but crack down on individuals who use marijuana to relieve the pain of illness.
4. "Standing Tall for America," means firing your workers and moving their jobs to India.
5. A woman can't be trusted with decisions about her own body, but multinational corporations can make decisions affecting all mankind without regulation.
6. Jesus loves you, and shares your hatred of homosexuals and Hillary Clinton.
7. The best way to improve military morale is to praise the troops in speeches while slashing veterans' benefits and combat pay.
8. Group sex and drug use are degenerate sins unless you someday run for governor of California as a Republican.
9. If condoms are kept out of schools, adolescents won't have sex.
10. A good way to fight terrorism is to belittle our longtime allies, then demand their cooperation and money.
11. HMOs and insurance companies have the interest of the public at heart.
12. Providing health care to all Iraqis is sound policy. Providing health care to all Americans is socialism.
13. Global warming and tobacco's link to cancer are junk science, but creationism should be taught in schools.
14. Saddam was a good guy when Reagan armed him, a bad guy when Bush's daddy made war on him, a good guy when Cheney did business with him and a bad guy when Bush needed a "we can't find Bin Laden" diversion.
15. A president lying about an extramarital affair is an impeachable offense. A president lying to enlist support for a war in which thousands die is solid defense policy.
16. Government should limit itself to the powers named in the Constitution, which include banning gay marriages and censoring the Internet.
17. The public has a right to know about Hillary's cattle trades, but George Bush's driving record is none of our business.
18. You support states' rights, which means Attorney General John Ashcroft can tell states what local voter initiatives they have a right to adopt.
19. What Bill Clinton did in the 1960s is of vital national interest, but what Bush did in the '80s is irrelevant.
20. Trade with Cuba is wrong because the country is communist, but trade with China and Vietnam is vital to a spirit of international harmony.
A Funny Story
Dragon Mood? -- amused
My parents visited S and me in May. During part of their stay, they traveled to Cadillac, Michigan, to see some friends. It turns out these friends were driving a new Buick SUV. When my parents returned to our house, they were telling S and I about the car and how much they liked it. They couldn't remember the name, but I asked if it was the Rendezvous? You know, the one that Tiger Woods promotes in TV commercials? Yeah, they said, that's the one.
After completing a whole bunch of other tasks on their to-do list, my parents were finally ready to sell their two cars and buy a new one. They visited a dealer last week and negotiated to trade in their Cadillac DeVille and their Chevy Tahoe for a new Buick Rendezvous. It was virtually an even trade and they called us to tell us about their new car. Dad said he really liked the "heads-up display" on the windshield.
Tuesday night, I was talking to him on the phone, He said they had discovered that they didn't like the hatchback door on the Rendezvous; it's so big and long that it actually hit their garage door when opened. They also didn't like the sunroof, as it evidently allowed more heat in this new car. (They live in central Texas.) And Evelyn kept saying that she didn't remember their friends' car in Cadillac being like this new Rendezvous.
Dad casually mentioned that day they had gone back to the dealership to get their plates. And, oh, by the way, they traded in the Rendezvous for a Buick Ranier. What?!? You traded in the car you just bought four days ago for another car?? Yup, that's what they did.
It turns out their friends' car was a Ranier all along, and that was the car they both liked.
I told Dad they got their "R-" words mixed up! He laughed and agreed.
My parents visited S and me in May. During part of their stay, they traveled to Cadillac, Michigan, to see some friends. It turns out these friends were driving a new Buick SUV. When my parents returned to our house, they were telling S and I about the car and how much they liked it. They couldn't remember the name, but I asked if it was the Rendezvous? You know, the one that Tiger Woods promotes in TV commercials? Yeah, they said, that's the one.
After completing a whole bunch of other tasks on their to-do list, my parents were finally ready to sell their two cars and buy a new one. They visited a dealer last week and negotiated to trade in their Cadillac DeVille and their Chevy Tahoe for a new Buick Rendezvous. It was virtually an even trade and they called us to tell us about their new car. Dad said he really liked the "heads-up display" on the windshield.
Tuesday night, I was talking to him on the phone, He said they had discovered that they didn't like the hatchback door on the Rendezvous; it's so big and long that it actually hit their garage door when opened. They also didn't like the sunroof, as it evidently allowed more heat in this new car. (They live in central Texas.) And Evelyn kept saying that she didn't remember their friends' car in Cadillac being like this new Rendezvous.
Dad casually mentioned that day they had gone back to the dealership to get their plates. And, oh, by the way, they traded in the Rendezvous for a Buick Ranier. What?!? You traded in the car you just bought four days ago for another car?? Yup, that's what they did.
It turns out their friends' car was a Ranier all along, and that was the car they both liked.
I told Dad they got their "R-" words mixed up! He laughed and agreed.
Tuesday, July 20, 2004
35th Anniversary
Dragon Mood? -- reminiscing
Thirty-five years ago, I was sixteen and vacationing with my parents. We had driven through Canada to New York State, to see Niagara Falls. I remember feeling really "dumb" at being with my parents at what was obviously a honeymoon destination. From there, we circled around Lake Erie to Sandusky, Ohio, where we visited Cedar Point, riding the rides, eating hot dogs and having fun. That evening we sat on the edge of a motel bed, our eyes glued to the television as Walter Cronkite announced that American astronauts had walked on the moon.
From the N.Y. Times article:
Thirty-five years ago, I was sixteen and vacationing with my parents. We had driven through Canada to New York State, to see Niagara Falls. I remember feeling really "dumb" at being with my parents at what was obviously a honeymoon destination. From there, we circled around Lake Erie to Sandusky, Ohio, where we visited Cedar Point, riding the rides, eating hot dogs and having fun. That evening we sat on the edge of a motel bed, our eyes glued to the television as Walter Cronkite announced that American astronauts had walked on the moon.
From the N.Y. Times article:
Two Americans, astronauts of Apollo 11, steered their fragile four-legged lunar module safely and smoothly to the historic landing yesterday at 4:17:40 P.M., Eastern daylight time.Even today, I am awed.
Neil A. Armstrong, the 38-year-old civilian commander, radioed to earth and the mission control room here:
"Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed."
The first men to reach the moon--Mr. Armstrong and his co-pilot, Col. Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr. of the Air Force--brought their ship to rest on a level, rock-strewn plain near the southwestern shore of the arid Sea of Tranquility.
About six and a half hours later, Mr. Armstrong opened the landing craft's hatch, stepped slowly down the ladder and declared as he planted the first human footprint on the lunar crust:
"That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."
His first step on the moon came at 10:56:20 P.M., as a television camera outside the craft transmitted his every move to an awed and excited audience of hundreds of millions of people on earth."
Dreaming of Crescent Moons and Dragon Wagons
Dragon Mood? -- elated
In someone else's blog, I saw a link to Crescent Dragonwagon. Crescent Dragonwagon is a person's name, a woman who happens to write children's books. I love her name!
At her what's-my-name page, she writes:
And, I found out that Crescent means "the growing." Another cool name!
I think the reason I'm so excited at finding Crescent is that S and I have had loads of fun sitting on the front stoop on Hyland imagining creating a name for ourselves. This woman is an inspiration!
In someone else's blog, I saw a link to Crescent Dragonwagon. Crescent Dragonwagon is a person's name, a woman who happens to write children's books. I love her name!
At her what's-my-name page, she writes:
"Many people do dumb things in their teenage years, but most have the sense not to cast them in concrete, which they then have to drag around for the rest of their lives...(laughing) Calling Dr. Agonwagon! Calling Dr. Agonwagon!
Thus we became Crescent and Crispin Dragonwagon...
But, I will say it's a great children's book name; kids love saying it. Plus, I enjoy seeing how various mailing list computers maim it. For instance, I get letters from American Express, beginning, 'Dear Mr. Wagon,' and solicitations addressed to Dr. Agonwagon.
And, I found out that Crescent means "the growing." Another cool name!
I think the reason I'm so excited at finding Crescent is that S and I have had loads of fun sitting on the front stoop on Hyland imagining creating a name for ourselves. This woman is an inspiration!
All you single women!
Dragon Mood? -- chagrined
from another (squarespace) blog comes this quote:
from another (squarespace) blog comes this quote:
I really hope my daughter reads this post."The thing is, telling women -- especially single women -- that they need to hurry up and have children is like telling an elderly woman with a walker that she needs to get across the street faster. She wants to get across the street. She's trying to get across the street. Yelling that the light is changing and cars are coming will not help her get across the street."- Cindy Chupak
Monday, July 19, 2004
Kudos
Dragon Mood? -- appreciative
I know that I'm a little late on the feedback, but kudos to the Google and/or Blogger folks for the tremendous improvements to the post editor.
As a novice to the HTML world, I appreciate how you have made the posting and editing process an easier one . . . by three giant steps forward!! Good job, folks!
I know that I'm a little late on the feedback, but kudos to the Google and/or Blogger folks for the tremendous improvements to the post editor.
As a novice to the HTML world, I appreciate how you have made the posting and editing process an easier one . . . by three giant steps forward!! Good job, folks!
Centered
Dragon Mood? -- a dragon with no heartburn!
I'm back from my two-week "layoff," feeling rested, refreshed and centered.
Aren't vacations wonderful?
The "centered" part of my outlook is the most critical as it speaks to balance in my life. Right now, I'm feeling pretty balanced. The other fifty weeks of the year, my life feels more out of balance, the scales tipped way toward the working side and time spent that is not my own.
How is it possible to re-create a sense of centeredness without quitting my job? Let me rephrase that question: Is it possible to re-create a sense of centeredness while working forty hours a week, maintaining two homes, nourishing and sustaining a valuable relationship and not being on vacation???
I hope I can retain this feeling for even a few days.
I'm back from my two-week "layoff," feeling rested, refreshed and centered.
Aren't vacations wonderful?
The "centered" part of my outlook is the most critical as it speaks to balance in my life. Right now, I'm feeling pretty balanced. The other fifty weeks of the year, my life feels more out of balance, the scales tipped way toward the working side and time spent that is not my own.
How is it possible to re-create a sense of centeredness without quitting my job? Let me rephrase that question: Is it possible to re-create a sense of centeredness while working forty hours a week, maintaining two homes, nourishing and sustaining a valuable relationship and not being on vacation???
I hope I can retain this feeling for even a few days.
Saturday, July 03, 2004
Daffy's
Dragon Mood? -- comfy in my dragon-jammies
Most of our loving family is gathered in Philadelphia this weekend, the word, "most" not including S and me. We were invited, encouraged, prodded and (even slightly) pushed to join the group this weekend, but finances, time pressures and sheer fatigue prevented us from doing so.
I called Ruth this morning, wanting to experience a little bit of the bonhomie long-distance. She told me a little about their Happy Hour conversation, missing some of the First Friday Art Gallery tour downtown, and watching the Philly fireworks last night.
When I asked her what was on tap for today, she replied there were a variety of possible places they might visit and activities they might do. The one that jumped out at me was her mention of Daffy's. Look at their website. Did you notice that it is subtitled, "Clothing Bargains for Millionaires?"
There must be some mistake on that lottery winner in Massachusetts. The universe is trying to tell me something. I should have been one of fourteen millionaires today, jetting to Philly, joining my loving family-of-origin and shopping at Daffy's.
Most of our loving family is gathered in Philadelphia this weekend, the word, "most" not including S and me. We were invited, encouraged, prodded and (even slightly) pushed to join the group this weekend, but finances, time pressures and sheer fatigue prevented us from doing so.
I called Ruth this morning, wanting to experience a little bit of the bonhomie long-distance. She told me a little about their Happy Hour conversation, missing some of the First Friday Art Gallery tour downtown, and watching the Philly fireworks last night.
When I asked her what was on tap for today, she replied there were a variety of possible places they might visit and activities they might do. The one that jumped out at me was her mention of Daffy's. Look at their website. Did you notice that it is subtitled, "Clothing Bargains for Millionaires?"
There must be some mistake on that lottery winner in Massachusetts. The universe is trying to tell me something. I should have been one of fourteen millionaires today, jetting to Philly, joining my loving family-of-origin and shopping at Daffy's.
Darn . . . not a millionaire!
Dragon Mood? -- amused & disappointed
As of today, I begin a two-week layoff mandated by an employer with whom I am contracted. Yeah, life is tough some times, especially in the midst of a gorgeous July summer. While there is an economic "gotcha" to this layoff, it is still a welcome break from the daily grind and routine.
Three days ago, I was approached by a "direct" employee of this same employer asking if I wanted to join a lottery pool. While I don't follow the lottery offerings or their sometimes massive winnings, my ears perked up. Lottery? Win some money? Sure!
As it turned out, I kicked in $10, there were fourteen of us in the pool and we had 140 chances (doesn't that sound like a statistically sure thing?) at winning the big pot: $290 MILLION DOLLARS.
And, while I consider myself a relatively contented person and generally don't covet money or material things, I was pretty sure that, by golly, we had a chance to win this big pot!
I eagerly jumped out of bed, this first day of my layoff and headed right here, to the computer, to find out if I had become a millionaire overnight. Could this be the first day of my new life after "my ship came in?" Could this be the end of worrying about paying off my credit card? Could this be the last time I worry about getting laid off? We've got all these tickets! Surely we've got a chance!
Well . . . that, indeed, is what it turned out to be. Just a chance. Actually, 140 chances. Out of over 130 million chances. And, as it turned out, our little office pool got sucked up in the spend-your-money-here shop-vac of the Mega Millions Lottery. Some poor, lone schmuck in Massachusetts won the pot. (Did you notice how I tried to make that person someone to be pitied? NOT!)
Ah, well. Time to be philosophical. I didn't really want my $10 million share (calculating that the government would take at least half of the $290 mil). I really do want to work for the rest of my breathing days for said employer who can cut my hours, reduce my pay and lay me off any ol' time they want to. Who needs $10 million?
Philosophical? Yeah, it's time to go out and smell the roses.
As of today, I begin a two-week layoff mandated by an employer with whom I am contracted. Yeah, life is tough some times, especially in the midst of a gorgeous July summer. While there is an economic "gotcha" to this layoff, it is still a welcome break from the daily grind and routine.
Three days ago, I was approached by a "direct" employee of this same employer asking if I wanted to join a lottery pool. While I don't follow the lottery offerings or their sometimes massive winnings, my ears perked up. Lottery? Win some money? Sure!
As it turned out, I kicked in $10, there were fourteen of us in the pool and we had 140 chances (doesn't that sound like a statistically sure thing?) at winning the big pot: $290 MILLION DOLLARS.
And, while I consider myself a relatively contented person and generally don't covet money or material things, I was pretty sure that, by golly, we had a chance to win this big pot!
I eagerly jumped out of bed, this first day of my layoff and headed right here, to the computer, to find out if I had become a millionaire overnight. Could this be the first day of my new life after "my ship came in?" Could this be the end of worrying about paying off my credit card? Could this be the last time I worry about getting laid off? We've got all these tickets! Surely we've got a chance!
Well . . . that, indeed, is what it turned out to be. Just a chance. Actually, 140 chances. Out of over 130 million chances. And, as it turned out, our little office pool got sucked up in the spend-your-money-here shop-vac of the Mega Millions Lottery. Some poor, lone schmuck in Massachusetts won the pot. (Did you notice how I tried to make that person someone to be pitied? NOT!)
Ah, well. Time to be philosophical. I didn't really want my $10 million share (calculating that the government would take at least half of the $290 mil). I really do want to work for the rest of my breathing days for said employer who can cut my hours, reduce my pay and lay me off any ol' time they want to. Who needs $10 million?
Philosophical? Yeah, it's time to go out and smell the roses.
Tuesday, June 29, 2004
Random quotations
Dragon Mood? -- restless
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"Creativity -- the power to connect the seemingly unconnected."
--William Plomer (1903-1973), South African-British man of letters
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"I like nonsense -- it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living. It's a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope...and that enables you to laugh at all of life's realities."
— Theodor S. Geisel, a.k.a. "Dr. Seuss"
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"Friendship is like money, easier made than kept."
— Samuel Butler
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"Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless."
— Mother Teresa
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"The world is so empty if one thinks only of mountains, rivers and cities; but to know someone here and there who thinks and feels with us, and though distant, is close to us in spirit --- this makes the earth for us an inhabited garden."
— Johann von Goethe
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"A friend is one who knows us, but loves us anyway."
— Fr. Jerome Cummings
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+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+
"Creativity -- the power to connect the seemingly unconnected."
--William Plomer (1903-1973), South African-British man of letters
+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+
"I like nonsense -- it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living. It's a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope...and that enables you to laugh at all of life's realities."
— Theodor S. Geisel, a.k.a. "Dr. Seuss"
+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+
"Friendship is like money, easier made than kept."
— Samuel Butler
+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+
"Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless."
— Mother Teresa
+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+
"The world is so empty if one thinks only of mountains, rivers and cities; but to know someone here and there who thinks and feels with us, and though distant, is close to us in spirit --- this makes the earth for us an inhabited garden."
— Johann von Goethe
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"A friend is one who knows us, but loves us anyway."
— Fr. Jerome Cummings
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Sunday, June 27, 2004
Albert H. Rebsch, circa 1914
Here is a photo that I actually discovered online . . . and it includes my Grandpa Rebsch, my mother's father. While I never met him (he died in August, 1950, about 2-1/2 years before my birth), I have heard stories about him all my life. He is the young man standing at the far left. I presume that this was taken around Port Arthur or Houston, Texas, and as the title indicates, the year was 1914. And you know, I don't recall what his middle initial, "H" stood for.
Posted by Hello
Friday, June 25, 2004
Recapping my typical week
Dragon Mood? -- tired remembering it all
Monday evening included a delightful surprise. I drove in the driveway, hailed my cross-the-street neighbors, Jan and Tom, and they invited me to dinner. We drank some red wine sitting out on their porch, smelled the yummy smells coming from the kitchen and talked and laughed. We had a delicious boiled dinner (melt-in-your-mouth corned beef, cabbage, and potatoes).
Tuesday evening I spent the first half alone, anticipating spending the second half alone, as well. But surprise(!), S showed up at 8:50 p.m.,bags and laundry and computer in tow. She was out mowing our little postage stamp-size lawn by 9 (bless her little lawn-mowing heart!), done by 9:25 and together, we sat in our crummy little sand chairs on the driveway, drinking a beer, watching the light slip from the sky and listened to the quiet night sounds deep within the city. Those are the present moments that stay with me and I treasure!
Wednesday night was a whirl of activity as I drove back to Okemos for a hair appointment, picked up mail, did some banking, scooted through Meijer's for a five-minute shopping spree, drove to the Perry house, showered and freshened up, and finally joined Jeanne, Joanne and Kevin for pizza, salad, martoonis AND birthday cake at their house. The excitement was hearing about J & J's trip out west (and their new rings!) and the sadness was that S was caught in her class in Warren and was unable to join us. :-( We caught up with each other for five minutes at the Perry house, with a quick kiss and then I was off, back to the big city. Talk about ships passing in the night!
Thursday evening was quiet with reading, walking the dog and snoozing in the padded plastic Adirondack chair. Oh yes, and laundry! Lots of laundry. Sadly, I totally forgot about the weekly "night on the town" events that our little community has on Thursday evenings! Damn! I hate missing out!
And now it's Friday, with a short work day and another high-intensity commute back to the country, through Friday afternoon big-city traffic (including loads of construction and millions of MDOT orange barrels).
Oh, I love my life!
Monday evening included a delightful surprise. I drove in the driveway, hailed my cross-the-street neighbors, Jan and Tom, and they invited me to dinner. We drank some red wine sitting out on their porch, smelled the yummy smells coming from the kitchen and talked and laughed. We had a delicious boiled dinner (melt-in-your-mouth corned beef, cabbage, and potatoes).
Tuesday evening I spent the first half alone, anticipating spending the second half alone, as well. But surprise(!), S showed up at 8:50 p.m.,bags and laundry and computer in tow. She was out mowing our little postage stamp-size lawn by 9 (bless her little lawn-mowing heart!), done by 9:25 and together, we sat in our crummy little sand chairs on the driveway, drinking a beer, watching the light slip from the sky and listened to the quiet night sounds deep within the city. Those are the present moments that stay with me and I treasure!
Wednesday night was a whirl of activity as I drove back to Okemos for a hair appointment, picked up mail, did some banking, scooted through Meijer's for a five-minute shopping spree, drove to the Perry house, showered and freshened up, and finally joined Jeanne, Joanne and Kevin for pizza, salad, martoonis AND birthday cake at their house. The excitement was hearing about J & J's trip out west (and their new rings!) and the sadness was that S was caught in her class in Warren and was unable to join us. :-( We caught up with each other for five minutes at the Perry house, with a quick kiss and then I was off, back to the big city. Talk about ships passing in the night!
Thursday evening was quiet with reading, walking the dog and snoozing in the padded plastic Adirondack chair. Oh yes, and laundry! Lots of laundry. Sadly, I totally forgot about the weekly "night on the town" events that our little community has on Thursday evenings! Damn! I hate missing out!
And now it's Friday, with a short work day and another high-intensity commute back to the country, through Friday afternoon big-city traffic (including loads of construction and millions of MDOT orange barrels).
Oh, I love my life!
Mixed feelings
Dragon Mood? -- slightly schizophrenic?
It's Friday and I'm feeling . . .
-- sad that, for the next two nights, I don't get to sleep in our silky sheets and huggable comforter and listen to the exuberant birds sing their early morning song;
-- excited that it's Friday and I do get to sleep with my honey ... AND play the piano;
-- sad that I don't get to spend more time with two of the most wonderful people in the world, my son and daughter;
-- excited that it's the end of a work week, especially when my work has been intermittent at best and boring at worst;
-- sad that time continues to pass, like sand slipping in an hourglass, even when present moments are golden and lovely and peaceful and I want them to continue without ceasing;
-- excited that perhaps this evening, S and I will finally get to ride on our best friends' new pontoon, drink cocktails, listen to the sand cranes cry their haunting cry, and watch the sun set on another gorgeous June evening.
Can a person feel so many sad and excited feelings all at once? No wonder I feel so jumbled up inside.
It's Friday and I'm feeling . . .
-- sad that, for the next two nights, I don't get to sleep in our silky sheets and huggable comforter and listen to the exuberant birds sing their early morning song;
-- excited that it's Friday and I do get to sleep with my honey ... AND play the piano;
-- sad that I don't get to spend more time with two of the most wonderful people in the world, my son and daughter;
-- excited that it's the end of a work week, especially when my work has been intermittent at best and boring at worst;
-- sad that time continues to pass, like sand slipping in an hourglass, even when present moments are golden and lovely and peaceful and I want them to continue without ceasing;
-- excited that perhaps this evening, S and I will finally get to ride on our best friends' new pontoon, drink cocktails, listen to the sand cranes cry their haunting cry, and watch the sun set on another gorgeous June evening.
Can a person feel so many sad and excited feelings all at once? No wonder I feel so jumbled up inside.
Wednesday, June 23, 2004
The world needs more *natural* BBQ sauce
Dragon Mood? -- hungry and salivating
My honey, S, likes to grill. She likes to grill meat. She is the grill-mistress in our family.
And, by the natural order of things, I am the shopping-mistress in the family. And, I've been looking at more marinades and BBQ sauces on the grocery store shelves in the past couple of years than I have in the previous forty-something years of my life!
And do you know what virtually all of these ready-made sauces and marinades have in them? -- many of them, the first ingredient (meaning it is the most plentiful ingredient)?: high fructose corn syrup. Yup, sweet corn syrup. Which, when you think about it, makes sense, because BBQ sauce does give meat a sweet taste.
Having said that, I happened upon the following recipe for BBQ sauce and (surprise, surprise!) its first ingredient is a cup of sugar. But I'm gonna publish it anyway, and then I'm gonna fix it and S can give it a try on the ol' grill this weekend:
And I found this recipe here.
My honey, S, likes to grill. She likes to grill meat. She is the grill-mistress in our family.
And, by the natural order of things, I am the shopping-mistress in the family. And, I've been looking at more marinades and BBQ sauces on the grocery store shelves in the past couple of years than I have in the previous forty-something years of my life!
And do you know what virtually all of these ready-made sauces and marinades have in them? -- many of them, the first ingredient (meaning it is the most plentiful ingredient)?: high fructose corn syrup. Yup, sweet corn syrup. Which, when you think about it, makes sense, because BBQ sauce does give meat a sweet taste.
Having said that, I happened upon the following recipe for BBQ sauce and (surprise, surprise!) its first ingredient is a cup of sugar. But I'm gonna publish it anyway, and then I'm gonna fix it and S can give it a try on the ol' grill this weekend:
Barbecue SauceRecipe courtesy of Gates BBQ. You can find more recipes at their Web site: www.gatesbbq.com.
Makes about 3 quarts
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup salt
2 tablespoons celery seed
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons ground red pepper
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoon chili powder
2 quarts catsup
2 cups apple vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons liquid smoke
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Directions:
In a small bowl, six together sugar, salt, celery seed, cumin, red pepper, garlic powder and chili powder. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine catsup, vinegar, liquid smoke, and lemon juice. Add dry ingredients and mix until very well blended. Serve warm of at room temperature.
Sauce may be stored in an airtight container in refrigerator for 2-3 weeks or in freezer up to 6 months.
And I found this recipe here.
Monday, June 21, 2004
Lesbian health issues
Dragon Mood? -- overlooked
From CNN, here is an article on the lack of information regarding lesbians' health issues. Here are some excerpts:
From CNN, here is an article on the lack of information regarding lesbians' health issues. Here are some excerpts:
SAN FRANCISCO, California (AP) -- Accustomed to neglect from much of the medical establishment, the lesbian community is assigning itself the task of assessing -- often bluntly -- its members' distinctive array of health problems.All I can say is it's about damn time!
Even without a specific crisis as grave as the AIDS epidemic, the diagnosis is sobering: Compared to heterosexual women, lesbians appear to have higher rates of smoking, obesity and alcohol use. Often lacking health insurance or wary of unsympathetic doctors, they also may be less likely to undergo routine medical exams that could identify cancer and other problems at early stages.
Complicating all these factors, researchers say, is a glaring shortage of comprehensive data, resulting from the fact that most health surveys -- as well as death certificates -- don't account for sexual orientation.
"We don't know the mortality rates, we don't know the suicide rates," said Dr. Patricia Robertson of the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine. "Lesbians are invisible."
...
Nationally, lesbian researchers are asking federal agencies to ensure that sexual orientation is included more often among questions asked in major health studies.
"We've gotten sick of having to give talks without data," Robertson said. "There's so much that needs to be done, and not enough funding. Our community is not being respected in terms of studying health."
Dark Promises
Dragon Mood? -- licking my lips
From my fourth Dove (the chocolate, not the soap) Dark Promises wrapper comes this delightful prescription: "Sleep late, dream more."
Do those Dove people know what they're talkin' about or what?
From my fourth Dove (the chocolate, not the soap) Dark Promises wrapper comes this delightful prescription: "Sleep late, dream more."
Do those Dove people know what they're talkin' about or what?
Herbs at Summer Solstice
Dragon Mood? -- herb-alicious
From Belief.net:
From Belief.net:
Shakespeare drew on ancient folk tradition when he made a magical plant that inspired the center of his play, A Midsummer's Night's Dream--for midsummer has always been the most important time of year to gather magical herbs. Like the sun, which is at its peak on the Summer Solstice, the plants are at the height of their power. In Latvia, Midsummer Eve (June 23rd) is also known as Herb Evening.I'm gonna leave work early and go pick some flowers . . .
Folk customs disagree on the most magical moment to gather these herbs: some say at noon, others at midnight and still others in the morning when the dew is still on them. The particular flowers and herbs to be gathered also differ by country, with carnations and lavender popular in Italy and violet and vervain in Germany. According to Elizabeth Luard in her book on Sacred Food, in Provence, five aromatic herbs—rosemary, thyme, marjoram, hyssop and sage--are gathered on the eve of Saint Jean (June 23) to make an "infusion aux herbes de Saint Jean."
St. John's Wort, with its solar yellow flowers, is the most frequently mentioned herb of Midsummer. According to old herbals, it is an herb of the Sun and of Leo. The botanical name is hypericum perforatum. Hypericon comes from hyper icon (because it was placed above icons); the perforatum refers to the tiny holes visible in the leaves and flowers if you look closely. St. John's Wort is named after St. John because it blooms on his day. Wort simply means an herb, usually a healing herb, thus it is attached to other herbs like motherwort and mugwort.
The plant is also connected with St. John because it appears to bleed. Pinch the flower heads or leaves and they will leave a dark red stain on your fingers. If the St. John's wort you are pinching does not do this, that's because you're pinching the ornamental St. John's Wort, hypericum calycinum (aka Rose of Sharon and Aaron's Beard). The ground cover is a low lying plant with rather thick green leaves and showy yellow 5-petaled flowers with a frilly center. The magical St. John's Wort grows about one foot tall and is rather spindly with small, 5-petaled flowers.
Herbalists often prescribe a tincture of St. John's Wort as an effective herbal anti-depressant—perhaps because it accumulates the sunny nature of Midsummer in its very being. As a magical herb, it's associated with protection. A poem from the year 1400 recommends rubbing "the red juicy flower" on the lintels of your home to protect from thunder and tempest. I use it this way in my house and car. I have a few sprigs pinned up over each entrance and a few above my rear view mirror and they've worked well.
Midsummer Wreaths
The symbol of the circle is as prominent at the summer solstice as at winter wSolstice. As a result, wreaths were integral to summer celebrations. They were worn while dancing around the midsummer bonfire, given as gifts, hung around the necks of cattle for protection, thrown into the fire at the end of the evening or taken home (slightly singed from the fire) to hang from the rafters.
Wreaths were also used as divining devices. Boys and girls gazed at each other across the fire through the wreaths, to see if they would be true and if they would marry within the year. (No indications are given on how they knew this.) Girls threw the wreaths across the fire to the boys to catch.
In Germany, people wore chaplets of mugwort and vervain and looked at the fire through bunches of larkspur, to keep their eyes healthy for the year. When they left, they threw their chaplets into the fire saying "May all my ill-luck depart and be burnt up with these."
I always gather up all the dried herbs, old wreaths and even the remains of my Christmas tree (stored in my closet since winter solstice) to toss into my midsummer bonfire. They burn and die just as the heat of the summer sun consumes the spring and brings us closer to the decline of autumn and the death of vegetation in winter.
Love and Flowers
According to Sir James Frazer in The Golden Bough, Latvian boys and girls went out into the fields at midsummer to gather cornflowers, water lilies and fragrant grasses to make into wreaths. It seems like the perfect opportunity for courtship, another favorite midsummer activity. There is an old Swedish proverb that says: "Midsummer night is not long but it sets many cradles rocking." This is, of course, because of the way the Swedes celebrate the holiday, with camping trips on the mountains and in the woods, during which much drinking and frolicking occurs.
In Estonia, lovers go into the forest on midsummer's eve to look for the flower of a fern which is supposed to bloom only on that night. Since ferns never bloom (as far as I know) this provides a good excuse for escaping into a shady and private grove.
In Portugal, at midsummer, lovers exchange little pots of magerico, a pungent plant, decorated with paper pinks to which love verses have been attached.
Plants were also used for love divinations on midsummer. In 17th century England, maids picked two sprigs of orpine (also known as midsummer-men) and hung them up in pairs from the ceiling, divining the future of their relationship by whether or not the plants inclined toward each other or apart. In Finland, girls go to the fields to gather seven different kinds of wild flowers and grasses. If you sleep with these tucked under your pillow, you will dream of your future mate.
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