It's been a while, eh? Not sure I even remember how to type on anything but an iPad. Let's go rusty typing fingers.
OK, it's winter. And despite the extensive article I read in the paper predicting another warm winter, it has been a doozie thus far. Oh, and let's be clear that, technically, it is still fall. It has snowed a lot, and it has been really cold. Plus this week we have been blessed with my personal favorite, freezing rain. Oh, and let us not forget our ever present friend freezing fog. Did you catch the word freezing in there a couple times? For clarification, that's the opposite of warm.
So, my complaint (because you knew this was going to be a rant, didn't you?) is not for the presence of winter. Winter's winter. It cannot be judged to be wrong. That's like blaming a tiger for eating a gazelle, or whatever they eat, or a snake for being a snake or an idiot for being stupid. No, I get that winter just has to be. Seriously fine with it. What I am not fine with is this new, not surprising trend of cancelling everything when things get the teensiest bit rough. It's one thing to cancel an event when it just dumped 2 feet of snow in and hour and you can't get out of your driveway. There needs to be given a little time for the plows to get out, etc. But nowadays it seems like if it's even potentially a little slippery out there, CANCELLED is the word of the day. Jeez people...are we really that lame?
I blame the schools. It's all about the buses. Everyone seems to follow in behind whatever the schools decide. This seems like a very slippery slope indeed. Ha? get it? If we follow the uber-err- on- the- side- of- caution attitude the schools take on matters we are truly going to be sliding down the slope of competence to the stinking bottom heap of inadequate, lame woosies. I personally feel we are close to the bottom already. I heard something on one of the morning talk shows earlier this week that is kind of on the same subject. Some lady was saying that in her daughter's class there were 4 girls with the same name. The school decided to put the one girl in a different class where no one else had that name so she would feel special. What?! What if she's not special? What if she needs to develop skills or a personality that makes her rise above and be special? What did they do back in the day when everyone was named John or Tom? I know!.....John and Tom developed traits that distinguished them from the others. Or they made up nicknames. Good grief, people...a little imagination goes a long way!
I know that I have been remiss at writing on this blog for a long time. I sincerely apologize to both of you (Hi Jeff, Hi Mom!) And it seems rather crass of me to start back up with a complaint. Well.....let's blame the weather! A) I have more time stuck inside and therefore more time to ramble on and B) the weather is making me cranky.
So, this in and of itself is my solution. When life gets you down sometimes you just gotta purge it off your chest! Done.
Friday, December 5, 2014
Saturday, August 17, 2013
In this case, ignorance may be gross
Hi!
I haven't written in a while... not because I don't love you, God no! Mostly because I got a new computer and everything changed. I couldn't figure out how to make it work. Lame, I know. Anyway.....
When I got up this morning, the day was full of possibilities. I could ride my motorcycle to the OVMA meeting. I could go lay on a boat on the lake with some friends. I could go hiking...I could do anything. What I chose to do is stay home and clean the oven. What??! Then I made coffee and got on my iPad.
I get a lot of things on facebook and email about our food industry. Frankly, I don't read half of it because it depresses me. Can't eat this, can't eat that, bla bla bla. But today I saw something about how a product may be distributed through an American company, but the actual food is grown in China or wherever, where they have little or no food safety inspectors or regulations. Now, I already knew this, of course. But I really started thinking about that. I know that in some parts of the world, they practice what's called "Black Farming." You probably already are aware of what that is, but just in case you don't, I will fill you in. Black Farming (why am I capitalizing that?) is when you use human waste as fertilizer. That's right.......gross. So, just for fun (you know, like riding a motorcycle or clutching an inner tube behind a boat fun) I looked in my pantry at my food. Dole pineapple comes from Thailand. My raspberry preserves come from Poland. My grape tomatoes are a product of Mexico. The dog's biscuits are from New Zealand. Luckily, I didn't find anything from China (well, except this computer and everything else in my house, probably.) But at least my food isn't from there. The article (and I believe this to be true) says that China is the worst offender as far as the black farming thing goes. And I suppose that if I checked further back in the pantry I would find something from our Chinese friends.
Things are tough here in the USA nowadays. Part of the problem, of course, is that we are buying all this crap from overseas because it's cheaper. But, honestly, I think that we assume we are getting our food from here. I mean, we have farms here, we have huge plants that put our food in packages here.....we can do it all. But we don't, I guess. It's an easy mistake to make. I really want there to be jobs in America. What did Ronald Reagan say? "the best social program is a job." I want us to be eating what our farmers grow, (yes, I know that huge corporations run our farms now, but that's a topic for another blog.) I want to have some assurance that our food is safe (yes, I know that the FDA and Dept of Agriculture are not to be trusted either.) I want to eat stuff that is grown and packaged here. I vowed to myself this morning while my oven is cleaning itself that I am going to do one simple thing to make this country stronger. I am going to wear my glasses when I shop. I am going to read where this stuff comes from and I am going to buy American. Food, I hope, will be simple. Clothes, electronics, etc...I'm just gonna have to do my best there.
Have a good day everyone!
I haven't written in a while... not because I don't love you, God no! Mostly because I got a new computer and everything changed. I couldn't figure out how to make it work. Lame, I know. Anyway.....
When I got up this morning, the day was full of possibilities. I could ride my motorcycle to the OVMA meeting. I could go lay on a boat on the lake with some friends. I could go hiking...I could do anything. What I chose to do is stay home and clean the oven. What??! Then I made coffee and got on my iPad.
I get a lot of things on facebook and email about our food industry. Frankly, I don't read half of it because it depresses me. Can't eat this, can't eat that, bla bla bla. But today I saw something about how a product may be distributed through an American company, but the actual food is grown in China or wherever, where they have little or no food safety inspectors or regulations. Now, I already knew this, of course. But I really started thinking about that. I know that in some parts of the world, they practice what's called "Black Farming." You probably already are aware of what that is, but just in case you don't, I will fill you in. Black Farming (why am I capitalizing that?) is when you use human waste as fertilizer. That's right.......gross. So, just for fun (you know, like riding a motorcycle or clutching an inner tube behind a boat fun) I looked in my pantry at my food. Dole pineapple comes from Thailand. My raspberry preserves come from Poland. My grape tomatoes are a product of Mexico. The dog's biscuits are from New Zealand. Luckily, I didn't find anything from China (well, except this computer and everything else in my house, probably.) But at least my food isn't from there. The article (and I believe this to be true) says that China is the worst offender as far as the black farming thing goes. And I suppose that if I checked further back in the pantry I would find something from our Chinese friends.
Things are tough here in the USA nowadays. Part of the problem, of course, is that we are buying all this crap from overseas because it's cheaper. But, honestly, I think that we assume we are getting our food from here. I mean, we have farms here, we have huge plants that put our food in packages here.....we can do it all. But we don't, I guess. It's an easy mistake to make. I really want there to be jobs in America. What did Ronald Reagan say? "the best social program is a job." I want us to be eating what our farmers grow, (yes, I know that huge corporations run our farms now, but that's a topic for another blog.) I want to have some assurance that our food is safe (yes, I know that the FDA and Dept of Agriculture are not to be trusted either.) I want to eat stuff that is grown and packaged here. I vowed to myself this morning while my oven is cleaning itself that I am going to do one simple thing to make this country stronger. I am going to wear my glasses when I shop. I am going to read where this stuff comes from and I am going to buy American. Food, I hope, will be simple. Clothes, electronics, etc...I'm just gonna have to do my best there.
Have a good day everyone!
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
The day after the election
Today, about half the country is disappointed. And being the "glass is half full" kind of person that I am, that also means that half of the country is happy today. I hope that the happy people really throw that good energy around because I feel like we have all been holding our breath for the last few days. I was driving on the highway yesterday in the middle of the day and it was deserted. I was, like, "did Armageddon happen and I didn't get the memo, or what?" Where was everyone? I guess people were holed-up in their bomb shelters or root cellars waiting for the real storm to start.
I am happy the election is over. Admittedly, I watched very little of the talking heads. I can't take it. Everything has to Be. Such. A. Big. Deal. But still, I am alive, I am breathing, and I do have a television so I got the gist of the campaigns. Basically, this is what I got from it....(and, yes, I realize that this is not new.) Both parties are essentially accusing the other party of being selfish. One side is selfish with their money in that they want to hang on to some of it. The other side is selfish in that they want to alleviate their guilty consciences by helping every perceived abused person on the planet. So is everyone selfish? Yes, I believe they are. It's human nature to want to take care of yourself and your family at the highest standard possible. There are maybe 5 completely selfless people in this entire world..and even they benefit from being that way because they are on the fast track to enlightenment. So, why don't we all just come clean with our selfishness already?! I'll start: last night when I went to bed, in those moments before I fell asleep, I asked God for two favors. One was that my choice of the lesser-of-two-evils would win the election. The other was that my hand, which had been really hurting all day, would be better in the morning. Both of these favors I asked of God were to benefit my business...and therefore me, (although, Hi! Massage does help others.) I just want to be able to do my massages without pain, and in return, I would like to make enough money to eat and have a roof over my head. I really don't think that is asking too much. But is that selfish, or self-love? Selfish is "concerned only with oneself, without regard for the well-beings of others," Self-love is, "the instinct or desire to promote one's own well-being." I think both sides are guilty of self-love. And that is OK.
So, when I woke up this morning I realized that only one of my favors was granted. But it was the important one....my hand feels fine today! But that doesn't mean I will quit worrying about the state of our nation. When I stopped at the bank this morning to make a deposit, the bank cashier asked me, "what kind of check is this?" I stared blankly at her for a second before answering that it was a paycheck. I thought, as I drove away, that maybe that was the first time the poor girl had ever seen one.
I am happy the election is over. Admittedly, I watched very little of the talking heads. I can't take it. Everything has to Be. Such. A. Big. Deal. But still, I am alive, I am breathing, and I do have a television so I got the gist of the campaigns. Basically, this is what I got from it....(and, yes, I realize that this is not new.) Both parties are essentially accusing the other party of being selfish. One side is selfish with their money in that they want to hang on to some of it. The other side is selfish in that they want to alleviate their guilty consciences by helping every perceived abused person on the planet. So is everyone selfish? Yes, I believe they are. It's human nature to want to take care of yourself and your family at the highest standard possible. There are maybe 5 completely selfless people in this entire world..and even they benefit from being that way because they are on the fast track to enlightenment. So, why don't we all just come clean with our selfishness already?! I'll start: last night when I went to bed, in those moments before I fell asleep, I asked God for two favors. One was that my choice of the lesser-of-two-evils would win the election. The other was that my hand, which had been really hurting all day, would be better in the morning. Both of these favors I asked of God were to benefit my business...and therefore me, (although, Hi! Massage does help others.) I just want to be able to do my massages without pain, and in return, I would like to make enough money to eat and have a roof over my head. I really don't think that is asking too much. But is that selfish, or self-love? Selfish is "concerned only with oneself, without regard for the well-beings of others," Self-love is, "the instinct or desire to promote one's own well-being." I think both sides are guilty of self-love. And that is OK.
So, when I woke up this morning I realized that only one of my favors was granted. But it was the important one....my hand feels fine today! But that doesn't mean I will quit worrying about the state of our nation. When I stopped at the bank this morning to make a deposit, the bank cashier asked me, "what kind of check is this?" I stared blankly at her for a second before answering that it was a paycheck. I thought, as I drove away, that maybe that was the first time the poor girl had ever seen one.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Team Awesome
We went camping on a creek, we went camping on a lake, we went camping on a creek that we called a lake. We went thunder egg finding (not hunting, not searching.....FINDING) and we did it all in our backyard! You don't have to go far to find fun in beautiful Central Oregon. We spent a decent amount of time trying to stand up on half- flat rafts in the lake, which provided entertainment for those on shore. (You are welcome.) We put the dog in the kayak and he pretty much told us with his eyes that is was about damn time! The only time we did different things was at the campfire in the evenings. "The Kid" made s'mores and I had a cocktail(s). Other than that we were pretty much on the same page.
How refreshing it is to have a relationship where you pretty much agree on what to do that day. No arguing or vying for control, no hidden agendas. Just peace and quiet and contentment. It was great.
I always think this is going to be the last summer my niece will want to hang out with her old aunt. She is a teenager, after all. She has lots of friends, and she does plenty with them, but she seems to be pretty happy getting outside and exploring what there is out there with me. (Maybe because I have a car???) Her priorities may change...and that is OK. I'm just happy that we have been able to do so many fun things in the last few years.
Next summer, Team Awesome to the Steens?
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Life is Good...enough
I sort of like the logo that is on T-shirts and hats and spare tire covers.. Life is Good. They are cute...there is usually a dog involved. But really it should just say, Life is Good Enough. Because sometimes life isn't that good...but it's good enough. Do we really have to go around acting so damn happy all the time? It's not normal.
For instance, I just turned 50. This is not particularly good news...but it's not the worst news ever, either. I could be 60. But the bitter pill of turning 50 was washed down with some good friends and vodka. The fact remains that the pill still was bitter, but I didn't really taste it going down. And that is good enough.
I'm still not overly happy about this age thing, but I am happy that I have some of the most awesome friends of all time. This includes some people that are actually related to me..but I'm putting them in the friend category for this. They took me to Nashville for my birthday. Nashville is the new Vegas as far as we are concerned. Cheaper, less hype, much less walking and way more hot guys who sing country songs to you. What's not to like about that? If you like country music...you should totally go there. If you don't, do not go...they have speakers on every street corner playing country tunes all the time. And every bar (and there are plenty of them) has live music playing around the clock. Really good, really talented musicians who are playing for tips. They are working their butts off trying to be somebody!
I do try to dwell on the positive and not the negative. This is a good example of that. I have been on the Earth for a pretty long time......sure....but In that time I have acquired a lot of really good, funny, smart and generous friends!!! Which reminds me....where are we going for my 60th??
For instance, I just turned 50. This is not particularly good news...but it's not the worst news ever, either. I could be 60. But the bitter pill of turning 50 was washed down with some good friends and vodka. The fact remains that the pill still was bitter, but I didn't really taste it going down. And that is good enough.
I'm still not overly happy about this age thing, but I am happy that I have some of the most awesome friends of all time. This includes some people that are actually related to me..but I'm putting them in the friend category for this. They took me to Nashville for my birthday. Nashville is the new Vegas as far as we are concerned. Cheaper, less hype, much less walking and way more hot guys who sing country songs to you. What's not to like about that? If you like country music...you should totally go there. If you don't, do not go...they have speakers on every street corner playing country tunes all the time. And every bar (and there are plenty of them) has live music playing around the clock. Really good, really talented musicians who are playing for tips. They are working their butts off trying to be somebody!
I do try to dwell on the positive and not the negative. This is a good example of that. I have been on the Earth for a pretty long time......sure....but In that time I have acquired a lot of really good, funny, smart and generous friends!!! Which reminds me....where are we going for my 60th??
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Everybody's scared of something
I'm really not afraid of much. I'm not afraid of the cops.....I'm not breaking any laws, usually. I'm not afraid of terrorists....if they are gonna kill us all I hope I am in the first strike. I'm not afraid of people getting mad at me...I've had plenty of experience with that. But there is a group of people over in Salem that scare the crap out of me.
Every two years, the Oregon Board of Massage Therapists makes you renew your license. Simple, right? No big deal; all professions have their licensing requirements. I understand their need for my money so they can keep massage therapists on the up and up..I don't just get it ...I'm OK with it. But I have to confess that the OBMT scares me more than any group of people ever have. Seriously. It might be because of the practical test they administer which was the scariest hours of my life. It might be that I assume that they are completely lacking humor. It might be that they have the power to completely ruin my life. That last one is probably it, isn't it?
Anyway, I went online a couple weeks ago to renew my license by the appropriate date (and believe me when I tell you that that is not as clear-cut as you would think.) I submitted all of the classes that I took for the continuing education requirement and with each entry I actually thought, "I hope they like this one." Like I was some little kid making a card for my "mommy dearest" and praying that she would think I was "special." It's embarrassing the omnipotence I give these people.
Now you want to hear something completely stupid? I got my mail today and in the box was something from the OBMT. My heart fluttered. I was filled with dread. What if they didn't like my CEU's? What if I made a mistake? What if they are auditing me? What if they just decided for no reason that they don't want to renew my license and this is a 'cease and desist order.' I had all of these thoughts at once. So I brought the mail inside and opened up all the other things first. I had to ease into it. I got a rebate check for $7.00 from Castrol Oil. So far, so good. I got a notice from my credit union about some change they are making that I have no idea what it means. OK, all seems well. Then I opened it. And there before my very eyes was my new license that is good until March 2014. And I actually cried. I'm not joking. I teared-up. With relief. How stupid is that?
When I took the written tests to get my license initially, the computer I took the test on informed me that I passed and went out to my truck and cried really hard. It's the only time in my life that I cried over a test. Tests don't freak me out...I either know the stuff or I don't and I set my expectations for the grade accordingly. But this test was important. And I was so relieved I bawled like a little baby. I wonder what I would have done if I failed? I probably would have gotten mad.
It's the silliest things that get us.....that are important to us. It's not that I think I have done anything wrong to make the OBMT pull my license....not the case..I am following the rules to the letter! It's not that I think they are unfair and want to mess with me...I don't. I guess it's just that that little stupid piece of paper really means the world to me. Not because I think I sacrificed so much to get it. I did sacrifice some things...but willingly and certainly nothing huge in the great scheme of things. I'm really not sure why it's so important to me...but it is. So, thanks OBMT for not screwing with license # 15999 because I am not sure I could handle it!
Every two years, the Oregon Board of Massage Therapists makes you renew your license. Simple, right? No big deal; all professions have their licensing requirements. I understand their need for my money so they can keep massage therapists on the up and up..I don't just get it ...I'm OK with it. But I have to confess that the OBMT scares me more than any group of people ever have. Seriously. It might be because of the practical test they administer which was the scariest hours of my life. It might be that I assume that they are completely lacking humor. It might be that they have the power to completely ruin my life. That last one is probably it, isn't it?
Anyway, I went online a couple weeks ago to renew my license by the appropriate date (and believe me when I tell you that that is not as clear-cut as you would think.) I submitted all of the classes that I took for the continuing education requirement and with each entry I actually thought, "I hope they like this one." Like I was some little kid making a card for my "mommy dearest" and praying that she would think I was "special." It's embarrassing the omnipotence I give these people.
Now you want to hear something completely stupid? I got my mail today and in the box was something from the OBMT. My heart fluttered. I was filled with dread. What if they didn't like my CEU's? What if I made a mistake? What if they are auditing me? What if they just decided for no reason that they don't want to renew my license and this is a 'cease and desist order.' I had all of these thoughts at once. So I brought the mail inside and opened up all the other things first. I had to ease into it. I got a rebate check for $7.00 from Castrol Oil. So far, so good. I got a notice from my credit union about some change they are making that I have no idea what it means. OK, all seems well. Then I opened it. And there before my very eyes was my new license that is good until March 2014. And I actually cried. I'm not joking. I teared-up. With relief. How stupid is that?
When I took the written tests to get my license initially, the computer I took the test on informed me that I passed and went out to my truck and cried really hard. It's the only time in my life that I cried over a test. Tests don't freak me out...I either know the stuff or I don't and I set my expectations for the grade accordingly. But this test was important. And I was so relieved I bawled like a little baby. I wonder what I would have done if I failed? I probably would have gotten mad.
It's the silliest things that get us.....that are important to us. It's not that I think I have done anything wrong to make the OBMT pull my license....not the case..I am following the rules to the letter! It's not that I think they are unfair and want to mess with me...I don't. I guess it's just that that little stupid piece of paper really means the world to me. Not because I think I sacrificed so much to get it. I did sacrifice some things...but willingly and certainly nothing huge in the great scheme of things. I'm really not sure why it's so important to me...but it is. So, thanks OBMT for not screwing with license # 15999 because I am not sure I could handle it!
Sunday, February 12, 2012
A super hero for today
My favorite character is back for his new season on the Science Channel. That's right, Karl Pilkington. He's the funniest man (bloke) on TV. I seriously want this guy to be my new boyfriend because he makes me laugh more than anyone has in a while. Certainly, you have all watched An Idiot Abroad?? (I've written about it before.) Well now his new season is subtitled The Bucket List. The producers of the show come clean that it is not in fact Karl's bucket list....not sure what would be on his bucket list except to sit quietly somewhere with some potato chips (crisps) and have no one bother him. (Just that image alone makes me love the man.) Anyway, as much as I would love to tell you every funny thing that he says (I really would love that) I think that you might get bored...and honestly you should just tune into the show and hear it straight from his beautiful lips.... I do want to tell you about something that he said that resonated with me very much.
So Karl is on the Trans-Siberian train with a Russian guy who is magnetic. I mean that objects stick to him, like he is a human magnet. So Karl thinks this is not the most handy power to have and the camera man asks, "Well, what super powers would you want to have, then?" And Karl came up with the best answer of all. He would be "Bulls*** Man." He would wear regular clothing, no cape or anything and would swoop down when appropriate and call "bulls***" on people. His hope being that if he calls people on their bull**** they will eventually stop it. It's as if Karl can read my mind. This is my greatest hope for mankind.
This is the kind of thing that I run into all the time and I am pretty sure Karl and I are not alone. I realize that I am a bit odd. I don't ever quite fit in with people who do what I do. When I did mediation, I didn't fit in with the soft spoken, never-say-anything-to-offend-anyone-ever crowd. Now that I do massage and Reiki I don't fit in with the peace, love and granola crowd. And I know why....it's because I am able to spot bull**** when I hear it. Simple as that. Oh what a world (and a personal relief to me) to have Karl be Bulls*** Man so that I didn't have to do it! There have been plenty of times when I ended up being the bad guy because I called "bulls*** around people who tout the adage that we "all just need to love everybody." It's just not realistic! I'm not afraid to say it...but I inevitably get "that look" that says "oh, poor Lee...she just doesn't get it yet." And maybe I don't. But I do not see, anytime soon, a world where everyone should be trusted based on the words that come out of their mouths. I am weary of people who walk around acting like they are more evolved than the rest of us. Like they have it all figured out. No they don't! People who act like that are no better than the rest of us. And sometimes they are worse.
There's a word for people who trust everything everyone says...and that word is "sucker." Karl and I will not be suckers. Bulls*** Man to the rescue!!
So Karl is on the Trans-Siberian train with a Russian guy who is magnetic. I mean that objects stick to him, like he is a human magnet. So Karl thinks this is not the most handy power to have and the camera man asks, "Well, what super powers would you want to have, then?" And Karl came up with the best answer of all. He would be "Bulls*** Man." He would wear regular clothing, no cape or anything and would swoop down when appropriate and call "bulls***" on people. His hope being that if he calls people on their bull**** they will eventually stop it. It's as if Karl can read my mind. This is my greatest hope for mankind.
This is the kind of thing that I run into all the time and I am pretty sure Karl and I are not alone. I realize that I am a bit odd. I don't ever quite fit in with people who do what I do. When I did mediation, I didn't fit in with the soft spoken, never-say-anything-to-offend-anyone-ever crowd. Now that I do massage and Reiki I don't fit in with the peace, love and granola crowd. And I know why....it's because I am able to spot bull**** when I hear it. Simple as that. Oh what a world (and a personal relief to me) to have Karl be Bulls*** Man so that I didn't have to do it! There have been plenty of times when I ended up being the bad guy because I called "bulls*** around people who tout the adage that we "all just need to love everybody." It's just not realistic! I'm not afraid to say it...but I inevitably get "that look" that says "oh, poor Lee...she just doesn't get it yet." And maybe I don't. But I do not see, anytime soon, a world where everyone should be trusted based on the words that come out of their mouths. I am weary of people who walk around acting like they are more evolved than the rest of us. Like they have it all figured out. No they don't! People who act like that are no better than the rest of us. And sometimes they are worse.
There's a word for people who trust everything everyone says...and that word is "sucker." Karl and I will not be suckers. Bulls*** Man to the rescue!!
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