It is almost 10 PM. I usually have a couple hours left to get things done. I’m afraid I am petering out early. If I find a bit more before midnight, I’ll try again.
Archive for March, 2017
Throw Away Thursday
Naps and bingeing on the last two episodes of Vampire Diaries. I am still nearly brain dead and not sure if I am up to making the long blog that the adventures of yesterday and the meanderings in vampireville want told. The previous weird sentence brought to you by fibro-fog. It is similar to the feelings you get when catching the flu, or maybe a case of hangover. That one I have never experienced just heard about from many people.
How do you regular bloggers do this on your off days? I do have plenty to say about Kali’s adventures on the bus and Bend. I just want to do it justice and learn what I can about how good it was and how to improve our next experience, if my body can recover.
And I learned a lot from Vampire Diaries that I wanted to record for myself and see what others have felt. I don’t know if any of you remember but I used to find Vampires, Zombies, and Werewolves and the like just silly. But I have learned that they are actually vehicles to character and plot development.
I just don’t have enough in me right now to manage the thoughts I want to put out there. I’ll hit these on the next couple of days. Needless to say, I am alive and have a lot to share. So is Kali. I can’t say the same for all Vampires.
I have to get up early tomorrow. Oh, nightmare of nightmares! I so don’t do this well. Never have. Most of my life I’ve managed to have jobs where I didn’t have to do that. I’m usually awake by ten and to bed by 2. That last bit after midnight with lights off and reading/listening to my latest book. And the book for the last three nights and tonight is a weird one. So I will have to go to sleep with the ending of this book in my head along with the need to wake up early. Does waking up early keep you awake the whole night before?
Anyway, nighty-night! I’ll tell you how it all turned out tomorrow night — or the next. Tomorrow is Oneliner Wednesday! Can’t do that whole story in one line.
Share Your World is brought to us by Cee’s Photography. Stop by her site and join the fun!
Does your first or middle name have any significance (or were you named after another family member)?
I was going to be named Georgeanne after my dad and grandfather. My grandmother changed my mother’s mind about that. I kind of always wanted to be called Georgy.
Music or silence while working?
Noise. I get too involved with music and silence causes my ADD/pain issues way too many problems. So TV. I don’t have to be watching. It’s just noise. Distraction.
If you had a special place for your three most special possessions (not including photos, electronics, people or animals), what would they be?
First of all, if it isn’t one of those things it is probably no special. Breath is in my lungs. Blood is in my heart, love holds it all together and universal.
The Never List: What are things you know you never will do?
The only thing that I think is an impossibility and thereby a ‘never’. I will never grow younger. But if you discover time-travel… I’ll take it back! You see, I don’t believe that people can say what they would never do as they haven’t been tested to that limit.
Optional Bonus question: What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?
Grateful for people who care and give when they can. New to us sofa, so cool! I can’t tell you what I am expecting, except that it will be a wonderful week.
Today I am full of gratitude. I have so much to be thankful for, family, friends, pets, habitat. I think these are played up in my blogs often. But last night one of the things I was afraid to mention happened for real. We have a sofabed! It is used. But still looks quite nice and we didn’t have to pay a thing for it. You can’t tell what it looks like, and I knew if we were lucky to get one that this would happen. The first thing I did when it came in the house was to cover it. With a cat and dog that shed in white and a cat that sheds in black, there was no sofa that was going to look nice in the spring or summer without a cover I could wash. I should have taken a picture of it but cell was in the bedroom and only now did I think of it. I’ll try to share that later.
I have been wanting a sofa since we got to this house but somehow the budget couldn’t do it. Now, because local friends helped, I will have a place for company to sit or sleep. Since most of my family and friends are at least five hours away I wanted somewhere to entertain and put them up. This will help so much! And since it is under the picture window I foresee doing my knitting there as the room warms in this next season. Love brings love.
On a whole different topic: I thought it was spring. I went for that nice walk yesterday and though the wind and spitty rain threatened, it was actually comfortable for me in my sweatshirt covered in my windbreaker. Woke up this morning to snow on the ground. It didn’t stay long the rest of the day was a steady light rain. We hardly noticed as we did the ‘outside’ things today. Kali didn’t want to the first out but the rest of the day was easy peasy. We hardly got wet. So that’s a promise of nice weather coming. Yay!
Most of the day I spent watching NetFlix while loom knitting. I am still on sock number one for my brother. It is slow and tedious. My hands and eyes can’t do a lot at one time so I’m working on another Hugger Hat using the Andalusian stitch. It, too, is slow going but not so tedious that it hurts. Since I’ve already put the knitting away for the day I have no pictures.
I watched Pete’s Dragon. No Candle on the Water but it made me cry at the end.
Then I binged on Grace and Frankie
What a fun little show!
Icefire Trilogy Omnibus by Patty Jansen
My rating: 1 of 5 stars
I don’t know how far into book one I was but overall I got about 15% in. At this point, I have to be honest. I just can’t get into it. I am sorry that I have to give it up.
Since I read enough male heavy stories as a girl. I didn’t like any of said males in this book. All that was left was a queen, a pregnant person giving birth and a female totally in love with a male. So… Not for me.
Open Minds by Susan Kaye Quinn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This had a brilliant concept. But I am disappointed. What ruined it most? The Audible narrator: Kelli Shane. Her voice sounded like she was on the last story to ADHD kids at bedtime. How do I know that? Yep, been there had that voice. It works well at putting the reader to sleep. ADHD kid just laughs and takes the book to read to themselves as mom falls to sleep.
I would have been better off just using the text-to-speech. But chose to continue. The story line was interesting. I even sort of liked the main character.
On the other hand, really, if a person can read another’s mind and be read what is to stop intrusion? And possible mind jacking? I don’t see how the jacker can’t read first and the reader not jack. After all, we are talking teens. They are already in each others’ heads. So a lot of this seemed to not ring true.
It was a nice diversion. But I just wasn’t that into it, and I really wanted to be. Maybe others will love it. I hope so. I doubt I will seek out the next in the series. I do have the German version so I might try it again just to practice my German reading skills.
By the way, the Kindle version is free right now. I hope you enjoy it.
Stream of Consciousness Saturday is brought to us by Linda G Hill. The prompt today is march to be used in any way.
Harness–check
Vest–check
Leash–check
Crocs–check
Sweatshirt–check
Windbreaker–check
Treats–check
Oops–Sunglasses–went back–check
Forgot GLASSES!
Forgot CELLPHONE!
Forgot Water!
I didn’t realize I forgot those last three until a mile in. We just marched on. Kali quite proud to get to lead the way. We both wimped a little at the corner house with the three barking dogs. Kept a short leash and only a few whines and “Sh’s” but once past I let her lead the way. She knew where she was going and remembered her favorite marked spots.
When we got to the next big street she decided to turn. We hadn’t gone down that dirt street before so it was an adventure for both of us.
See that haybarn? That’s where we were at this point. WAY OVER THERE!
I was worried that we would meet up with loose dogs. In fact, I thought I saw one ahead. That’s when I realized I only had on sunglasses. Got closer and realized it was a Jack Rabbit. Duh! Now Kali was aware! We have great things to chase here! I told her we don’t chase them, they are bigger than she is!
Seeing the rabbit seemed to give Kali a boost. She gave off a more confident air and marched with her head raised. Even though we were the next official street over we could see the back of our house. That’s when I noticed I didn’t have my cell with me. I kind of wanted to call and tell Hubby to look out the window to wave, but alas!
We got to the next street sign. I couldn’t read it until on top of it. Then I saw that the sign had worn out so that only a bit of the word showed up. But in the faded background, I saw the whole name. I knew this street went straight through to my own. I also knew it connected close to a house with a loose dog. Gulp.
What I didn’t know was there are two homes between where we were and where we needed to go. Gulp number two. What if there were other loose dogs?
Safely by the two nice homes with nice little fences and no barking dogs, we got to the corner of our street. Now my biggest fear: DOG HOUSE! Luckily said dog didn’t come out to either greet me as has been in my experience in pre-Kali days, nor was that dog sitting outside. We got past that house with a bit of a ‘whew’ when from across the street we heard barking. I pulled the leash close and said, “Heel!” Kali stayed close. Dog didn’t come out. We were safe. I call that house (across from ‘dog house’) Statue House because there is a statue of a frontier guy in that yard. I don’t know the people of either house but I like their unique yards.
Now safe I told Kali to take us HOME. She smelled her marked spots and led us straight here. I pulled out a treat. She smelled it but didn’t take it. She just Marched to the back porch and into the house. As soon as I took off her walking garb I offered her the treat again and she took it to her bed and enjoyed the heck out of it.
Though a little tired, I marched into my room proudly to see if I couldn’t figure out how far we went. Are you ready for this? 2.3 miles! Yay! I know. It isn’t like those 6-8 mile trips we took last year but I am still alive after this walk. Those walks KILLED me. I think if I work up to it I will find those walks more fun. Especially with Kali!
She’s pooped!
An hour later?
Me: Wanna go for a walk?
Her: Again? Nah, that ‘s okay you go ahead. I’ll wait right here. Yawn!
Hey, quit judging! Retired/folks on disability like Fridays, too. No, it isn’t the relief you worker bees find. But there is a rhythm to our quieter lives. Friday starts with alarm in my house. Usually, me, worried about getting the trash out to the curb on time. Like this morning.
Last week we were still asleep at 11 AM. With hubby’s shoulder pain and my fibro pain, sleep is hard to come by. So when I woke I knew they had already come. They usually get here while we’re watching the View. Good thing we recorded it. I took out the trash hoping this would be a late week for them. Nah.
So this week we had two weeks of trash to get rid of. I was up at 8. Hubby was still asleep. I think my brother was, too. He’s the only working one and has to keep regular hours, so when hubby’s and my non-sleeping take over, bro suffers. So I felt chosen to do the job. It isn’t impossible and Kali loves it very much. She is so good as when I actually leave the yard to put the can to what would be a curb if we had non-dirt streets, she stays right in our yard and waits for me.
That over I could relax. Make my breakfast yam and tea, then settle with the morning line up. The truck came right on time and took the extra bag. For three people we make a lot of trash!
I am not one of those people who thinks television is evil or a waste of time. It is cheaper than any pill a doctor could give me for pain. I can get lost in a good science show or news show or drama. My writing needs to see the results of other people’s writing. My favorite shows are on Thursday. Yes, the Shonda Rhimes line up has been my favs for a long time. When I was working I knew when those shows were on that I was nearly done with my week. Now I just see them as too far apart. Especially with the cliffhangers of last night. Grey’s sister’s mom is dying of cancer!!! Then on Scandal: HUCK!!!!!! NO!!!
Oh, yeah, concentrating on Friday. The last day of patterned TV: Maybe Kelly (I hate that all morning programs are centered in New York!) But I can’t resist Whoopi and the View. Then the local news–mostly to see what our neighbors’ weather will be like. An hour of who knows? cause I’m busy then. The finally a west coast show, the Talk. Another hour of ‘I don’t know,’ as I’m busy. Then the MSNBC line up, except for Chris Matthews as he yells at everyone and isn’t respectful to his guests. But with Greta, we can play her show during his. Then the evening changes day by day.
Monday is Scorpion for sure. I am in awe of the writers of that show. They have a pat routine to their show: clever jokes, on edge of your seat scary (last weeks’ tram scene had me sweating!) and resolve to light bantering again. How do they suck me in? I know it isn’t real. I know how it is going to work. Yet I am drawn in from the beginning of each show. I don’t usually like formulaic writing.
In the evenings I am so busy with my Duolingo and then catching up on blogs and social stuff and ‘researches’ that I’m not a good remote holder. Hubby takes that job and so I am never sure which show, except for those mentioned above. But other shows are: Blindspot, Bones, Taboo, Startalk, Librarians, The Last Ship, Designated Survivor, Chicago Med, (Almost any Medical Drama). Humans, Expanse, Chicago Fire, –and the list goes on and on as some show go on hiatus and others come back. Most of them are in the background for me. I don’t pay close attention. I’m usually reading, knitting, researching, doing email or FaceBooking. My kids will tell you I’ve always been a non-watcher. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard, “You were watching it, Mom. Don’t you remember?” even hubby tells me I saw this before. Mostly it is noise to keep me distracted should the things I’m working on not do the trick.
Anyway, those are the basics of the evening shows. We used to stay up and watch Craig Ferguson but since he left we turn the TV off about the time for the noisy late-night guys.
But weekends! We start with Joy but if she is too much of the T-word we move on. We have recorded masses of Dr. Pol and Dr.Jeff or Alaska the Last Frontier or other shows that are similar. If none of those work, a good disaster movie or syfy or animal show will hold that background for me. And the occasional Project Runway.
Sundays are best. Why? Game of Thrones (when it’s finally on) Shameless, Elementary, Secretary of State, and Walking Dead and Talking Dead. Those last two are nearly exclusively mine. Hubby tolerates them. But I love the character development and watching how folks survive certain situations. Talking Dead, cause I love learning how stories are made, behind the scenes and meeting the actors as people and what they bring to a role. And I like Chris Hardwick.
We tend to watch our DVDs or Netflix or the like on the weekend our favorites being Pirates of the Caribbeans Avatar, Independence Day and the like. I could watch these a million times and always notice something new. And I like the music of these shows. Or binging on GoT. That music gets me, too.
But these shows on the weekend hold more of my attention. So I feel healthier. Does that make sense? It’s like I need a lot of animal, nature type things to ground me then exciting music. Just listening to music doesn’t work for me. As a music major, I get involved. Where’s it going? How did they do that? I wonder if I could play that. So I need a show to keep me in the room involved with the writing and characters while knitting and computing.
Do you have a TV diet/routine?
Darswords 
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