Wednesday, August 31, 2005

Tales from the Inbox

Spam received just today!

SMIC voi doi ngu luat su va chuyen gia giau kien thuc va kinh nghiem cam ket cung cap dich vu tu van dam bao tinh chuyen nghiep, chat luong va hieu qua.

Chuong trinh ho tro dac biet:

Thanh lap doanh nghiep trong nuoc tron goi 780.000 VND (da bao gom phi Nha nuoc)

Sounds like a deal, no?

Actually, I have no idea, because my translation skills for whatever language this is, aren't too hot. I tried Babelfishing it, but it isn't recognizing it as Chinese, Japanese or Korean. I have a sneaking suspision it's Vietnamese, but Babelfish says Nyet. Or something.

Normally, I would never ever ever waste my time opening stuff like this, but the porn name subject (Thong Bao) was too much for this Tuna to resist.

Tales from the Inbox

Spam received just today!

SMIC voi doi ngu luat su va chuyen gia giau kien thuc va kinh nghiem cam ket cung cap dich vu tu van dam bao tinh chuyen nghiep, chat luong va hieu qua.

Chuong trinh ho tro dac biet:

Thanh lap doanh nghiep trong nuoc tron goi 780.000 VND (da bao gom phi Nha nuoc)

Sounds like a deal, no?

Actually, I have no idea, because my translation skills for whatever language this is, aren't too hot. I tried Babelfishing it, but it isn't recognizing it as Chinese, Japanese or Korean. I have a sneaking suspision it's Vietnamese, but Babelfish says Nyet. Or something.

Normally, I would never ever ever waste my time opening stuff like this, but the porn name subject (Thong Bao) was too much for this Tuna to resist.

With Apologies to T.S. Eliot

This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a whimper.
(The Hollow Men ~~ T.S. Eliot)

It seems ridiculous that I haven't had end time to sit down and write. Sure, I have several posts half-done, but lately they seemed condemned to a save-file purgatory. There are so many stories from weeks and even months gone by that need to be told: Beaver Island (Beeeeeeeever Isslaaaaand!), Cedar Point, Dances with Dumpsters, Floods, Kittens, New Nephew, TinyTuna, Power Outages, Sixth Grade.... They will be told -- in time. When that time will be, right now, I have no idea.

It seems unbelievable that TunaU has started up again with such a vengeance, that many of us who have worked here for years and years can't remember such chaos. This year it seems like there are 80,000 students instead of 45,000 students, and they all have cars and bicycles and overflowing carts of groceries and cell phones stuck in their ears, and they all manage to be right in front of me all the time. Work has been utter pandemonium. TinyTuna, my office assistant and slave (because there is no school for another week, because somebody thinks that everybody in this world takes the entire summer off to fill the State Coffers with tourism dollars) has been thrilled at the fact that I have no time to sit down. Why? She hogs my computer all day long.

It seems sad that if you asked me to pick an event or two to summarize my entire summer, it would be painting TinyTuna's bedroom and dealing with the flooded basement. But there was so much more to the last three months, both good and bad. And yet, it just feels wrong to moan and groan about my real and perceived hardships when millions of people are dealing with the unimaginable devastation of Hurricane Katrina.

The more hectic the day-to-day becomes, the more desparately I feel the need to achieve a balance between the obligations of life and the importance of living. The rat race needs to end with a bang, before GreenTuna ends with a whimper.

With Apologies to T.S. Eliot

This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a whimper.
(The Hollow Men ~~ T.S. Eliot)

It seems ridiculous that I haven't had end time to sit down and write. Sure, I have several posts half-done, but lately they seemed condemned to a save-file purgatory. There are so many stories from weeks and even months gone by that need to be told: Beaver Island (Beeeeeeeever Isslaaaaand!), Cedar Point, Dances with Dumpsters, Floods, Kittens, New Nephew, TinyTuna, Power Outages, Sixth Grade.... They will be told -- in time. When that time will be, right now, I have no idea.

It seems unbelievable that TunaU has started up again with such a vengeance, that many of us who have worked here for years and years can't remember such chaos. This year it seems like there are 80,000 students instead of 45,000 students, and they all have cars and bicycles and overflowing carts of groceries and cell phones stuck in their ears, and they all manage to be right in front of me all the time. Work has been utter pandemonium. TinyTuna, my office assistant and slave (because there is no school for another week, because somebody thinks that everybody in this world takes the entire summer off to fill the State Coffers with tourism dollars) has been thrilled at the fact that I have no time to sit down. Why? She hogs my computer all day long.

It seems sad that if you asked me to pick an event or two to summarize my entire summer, it would be painting TinyTuna's bedroom and dealing with the flooded basement. But there was so much more to the last three months, both good and bad. And yet, it just feels wrong to moan and groan about my real and perceived hardships when millions of people are dealing with the unimaginable devastation of Hurricane Katrina.

The more hectic the day-to-day becomes, the more desparately I feel the need to achieve a balance between the obligations of life and the importance of living. The rat race needs to end with a bang, before GreenTuna ends with a whimper.

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

Logic

And then GramTuna said,
"You know, there isn't that much difference between having one..."


...and having two."


So the next day we went back and brought Gabby's brother home.



In this corner, with little white paws and a black collar,
is.............Milo!

Milo's hobbies are eating, drinking, pooping, napping
(only when nobody else is around) and wrassling.
All. Night. Long.

I'm surprised those two don't have dain bramage
from smashing into every door and piece of furniture in my house.
But then again, maybe they do.

Logic

And then GramTuna said,
"You know, there isn't that much difference between having one..."


...and having two."


So the next day we went back and brought Gabby's brother home.



In this corner, with little white paws and a black collar,
is.............Milo!

Milo's hobbies are eating, drinking, pooping, napping
(only when nobody else is around) and wrassling.
All. Night. Long.

I'm surprised those two don't have dain bramage
from smashing into every door and piece of furniture in my house.
But then again, maybe they do.

Monday, August 22, 2005

Poor Forgotten Little Bloggy

Going on the theory (that I just made up) that neglect builds character, I am back after a weekend of adventures. Which followed several weeks of insanity and a flooded basement.

Enough justification? Good.

To play catch up (easy-peasy way first) let's do some 3-day old memes....

Friday's Feast (3 Days Cold)
Let's see what we have here.

Appetizer: Do You Get Excited When the Season Begins to Change? Which season do you most look forward to?
Well, let's be realistic here. I do not live in a land where on Day-X Mother Nature proclaims ta-daaaah it's (insert your season here) If Only. We get snow in May. We get 90-degrees in February. This is the joy of the mitten. What I am excited about is the fact that the mitten actually gets four distinct seasons. We know we'll see beautiful leaves, and falling snow, and an eventual end to winter with spring flowers, and a summer just right for pools and barbecues. So even if there is one particular season that isn't your favorite -- the next one is right around the corner. And which do I most look forward to? Vacation season, baby.

Soup: What Day of the Week is Usually Your Busiest?
Today. My schedule doesn't play favorites.

Salad: Would You Consider Yourself to be Strict When it Comes to Grammar and Spelling? What's an Example of the Worst Error You've Seen?
Wellllll.... I like to think that I am fairly careful with grammar and spelling, though I'll never, ever win any spelling bees. I am a frequent flyer where the spell-checker is concerned, though I fly solo through the murky haze of grammar. I don't have a "worst" error story, but one of my favorite chuckles concerned a church bulletin. The Lenten solo was "He was Despised" from Handel's Messiah. Somehow it came out "He was Depressed" in the bulletin. So close...except, not.

Main Course: Who Has a Birthday Coming Up, and What Will You Give Them As A Gift?
Next birthday on our social calendar is BSTuna. And I can't tell you what I'll give them because then it wouldn't be a surprise, now would it**??

**All surprise gifts come with one free MPF, because I'm not making a mince pie, no matter how much you like them.**

Dessert: If You Could Have Any New Piece of Clothing for Free, What Would It Be?
I'm always up for Diva-wear ballgowns. Some sparkles (but not too gaudy) required, and comfy enough for singing is a must.



UNCONSCIOUS MUTTERINGS.

I say ... And You Think:

1. Fan :: Blade
2. Scum :: Bucket
3. Lily :: Pond
4. Humid :: Damp
5. Ghetto :: Cartman
6. Remember Me? :: No, I don't
7. Polished :: Shiny
8. Compose :: Create
9. Squish :: Bug
10. Future :: Down the Road



#7 -- Nothing like a little Cartman singing a little Elvis Presley. In the Ghet-to!

Poor Forgotten Little Bloggy

Going on the theory (that I just made up) that neglect builds character, I am back after a weekend of adventures. Which followed several weeks of insanity and a flooded basement.

Enough justification? Good.

To play catch up (easy-peasy way first) let's do some 3-day old memes....

Friday's Feast (3 Days Cold)
Let's see what we have here.

Appetizer: Do You Get Excited When the Season Begins to Change? Which season do you most look forward to?
Well, let's be realistic here. I do not live in a land where on Day-X Mother Nature proclaims ta-daaaah it's (insert your season here) If Only. We get snow in May. We get 90-degrees in February. This is the joy of the mitten. What I am excited about is the fact that the mitten actually gets four distinct seasons. We know we'll see beautiful leaves, and falling snow, and an eventual end to winter with spring flowers, and a summer just right for pools and barbecues. So even if there is one particular season that isn't your favorite -- the next one is right around the corner. And which do I most look forward to? Vacation season, baby.

Soup: What Day of the Week is Usually Your Busiest?
Today. My schedule doesn't play favorites.

Salad: Would You Consider Yourself to be Strict When it Comes to Grammar and Spelling? What's an Example of the Worst Error You've Seen?
Wellllll.... I like to think that I am fairly careful with grammar and spelling, though I'll never, ever win any spelling bees. I am a frequent flyer where the spell-checker is concerned, though I fly solo through the murky haze of grammar. I don't have a "worst" error story, but one of my favorite chuckles concerned a church bulletin. The Lenten solo was "He was Despised" from Handel's Messiah. Somehow it came out "He was Depressed" in the bulletin. So close...except, not.

Main Course: Who Has a Birthday Coming Up, and What Will You Give Them As A Gift?
Next birthday on our social calendar is BSTuna. And I can't tell you what I'll give them because then it wouldn't be a surprise, now would it**??

**All surprise gifts come with one free MPF, because I'm not making a mince pie, no matter how much you like them.**

Dessert: If You Could Have Any New Piece of Clothing for Free, What Would It Be?
I'm always up for Diva-wear ballgowns. Some sparkles (but not too gaudy) required, and comfy enough for singing is a must.



UNCONSCIOUS MUTTERINGS.

I say ... And You Think:

1. Fan :: Blade
2. Scum :: Bucket
3. Lily :: Pond
4. Humid :: Damp
5. Ghetto :: Cartman
6. Remember Me? :: No, I don't
7. Polished :: Shiny
8. Compose :: Create
9. Squish :: Bug
10. Future :: Down the Road



#7 -- Nothing like a little Cartman singing a little Elvis Presley. In the Ghet-to!

Sunday, August 14, 2005

What I Did Today

This is what happens


When you DO go to church


And you AREN'T a dirty rotten church skipper.


TinyTuna presents....Gabby!


Kyrie Eleison.

What I Did Today

This is what happens


When you DO go to church


And you AREN'T a dirty rotten church skipper.


TinyTuna presents....Gabby!


Kyrie Eleison.

Uh Oh!

What I did today..........................!

Uh Oh!

What I did today..........................!

Unconscious Mutterings

From the cobwebs of my mind....
I Say .... And You Think:

1. Idiot :: Stupid Person
2. Rocket :: Man
3. Liability :: Hinderance

4. Harmless :: Benign

5. Stringy :: Cheesy

6. Gwyneth :: Paltrow
7. Use It or Lose It :: Talent
8. Theater :: Play

9. Sonic :: Boom
10. Pucker :: Up



I suppose these are better, though why I feel compelled to critique myself every week I don't know. It amuses me that my answers are either knee-jerk song titles (Rocket -- Man) or $10 words out of the pretentious dictionary (Harmless -- Benign) that I feel compelled (panicked) to look up a second time just to make sure I'm not making a mistake. If anybody comes up with something different for Gwyneth, I'd be amazed...

Happy Sunday.

Unconscious Mutterings

From the cobwebs of my mind....
I Say .... And You Think:

1. Idiot :: Stupid Person
2. Rocket :: Man
3. Liability :: Hinderance

4. Harmless :: Benign

5. Stringy :: Cheesy

6. Gwyneth :: Paltrow
7. Use It or Lose It :: Talent
8. Theater :: Play

9. Sonic :: Boom
10. Pucker :: Up



I suppose these are better, though why I feel compelled to critique myself every week I don't know. It amuses me that my answers are either knee-jerk song titles (Rocket -- Man) or $10 words out of the pretentious dictionary (Harmless -- Benign) that I feel compelled (panicked) to look up a second time just to make sure I'm not making a mistake. If anybody comes up with something different for Gwyneth, I'd be amazed...

Happy Sunday.

Friday, August 12, 2005

Friday's Feast

It's a Friday's Feast TWO-FER as TinyTuna plays along as well...

Appetizer: Did You Sleep Good Last Night?
TinyTuna: Sort of.
GreenTuna: Not bad.

Soup: What is your current desktop image?


Awwwwwwwwwwwwwww.....
This was taken when TinyTuna was about 4. Unfortunately her bangs are covering up the cutest and most expensive Indian Princess face painting job in the history of EVER. I cried when I paid for it. She cried when I washed it off. I guess we were even.
From Sesame Place near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Salad: When was the last time you planted something? What was it and where did it go?
TinyTuna: This summer I planted "Audrey II" plants in small pots in the driveway. "Audrey II" is really a sweet-pea flower, and it gets its name from Little Shop of Horrors (my favorite musical!)
GreenTuna: The seeds of discontent. - Honestly, I don't remember. Where did it go? Besides in the ground.....?

Main Course: What's Your Favorite Condiment?
TinyTuna: Honey Mustard Sauce.
GreenTuna: Pardon me...Do you have any Grey Poupon?

Dessert: Share a quote that you like, for whatever reason.
TinyTuna: Honesty is a value no one can hide.
GreenTuna: If you can walk, you can dance. If you can talk, you can sing.

Friday's Feast

It's a Friday's Feast TWO-FER as TinyTuna plays along as well...

Appetizer: Did You Sleep Good Last Night?
TinyTuna: Sort of.
GreenTuna: Not bad.

Soup: What is your current desktop image?


Awwwwwwwwwwwwwww.....
This was taken when TinyTuna was about 4. Unfortunately her bangs are covering up the cutest and most expensive Indian Princess face painting job in the history of EVER. I cried when I paid for it. She cried when I washed it off. I guess we were even.
From Sesame Place near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Salad: When was the last time you planted something? What was it and where did it go?
TinyTuna: This summer I planted "Audrey II" plants in small pots in the driveway. "Audrey II" is really a sweet-pea flower, and it gets its name from Little Shop of Horrors (my favorite musical!)
GreenTuna: The seeds of discontent. - Honestly, I don't remember. Where did it go? Besides in the ground.....?

Main Course: What's Your Favorite Condiment?
TinyTuna: Honey Mustard Sauce.
GreenTuna: Pardon me...Do you have any Grey Poupon?

Dessert: Share a quote that you like, for whatever reason.
TinyTuna: Honesty is a value no one can hide.
GreenTuna: If you can walk, you can dance. If you can talk, you can sing.

Thursday, August 11, 2005

How Dry I Am

It's now been 2+ weeks since Noah built his playground in my basement. After all of the water removal (three times, but who's counting? Oh yeah..I WAS) we waved goodbye to not one, but two dumpsters full of wet, stinky nastiness. There is still much work left to be done, but I feel a wee bit optimistic that someday there will be light at the end of the tunnel.

Family, friends and even strangers have been incredibly helpful and supportive. I like to talk about being a "big tough girl" -- but I don't think I could have ever gotten that ping-pong table out of my basement. The same goes for the two very large and very heavy filing cabinets. Thanks to Big Brother Tuna and The Boy, they didn't seem to pose a problem that a couple of beers and Mike's Hard Lemonade couldn't solve. BBTuna was first on the scene that fateful "we have no power and I'm a sweatball" afternoon, wading through water and helping us to carry things out. BSTuna came out later in the week armed with plastic laundry baskets and real food, which (according to the pop cup count in my sink) we hadn't bothered with in nearly a week. She lugged and toted and helped us make amazing progress. She also brought (and left behind as a temporary good-luck charm) the all important Voodoo Monkey. So far -- so good!

Everywhere I went -- even to the far reaches of the middle of nowhere in the mitten -- I found much understand and sympathy. It seems having a leaky basement makes you a part of the brethren, and I heard tales of woe and horror that rivaled childbirth and standardized tests. Now that I'm a member of the flood-club, I get to tell my story as well. It's one of the perks.

As I hauled load after load out of the basement, it became painfully clear that like Jacob Marley's chains, I have been bogged down with STUFF for far too long. So over the next few weeks my hardest job will be figuring out what is important to me, while trying to remember that who I am is not defined by what I have*.

Wish me luck!


*All fiber-related crafts and music exempt. Just thought I should clarify.

How Dry I Am

It's now been 2+ weeks since Noah built his playground in my basement. After all of the water removal (three times, but who's counting? Oh yeah..I WAS) we waved goodbye to not one, but two dumpsters full of wet, stinky nastiness. There is still much work left to be done, but I feel a wee bit optimistic that someday there will be light at the end of the tunnel.

Family, friends and even strangers have been incredibly helpful and supportive. I like to talk about being a "big tough girl" -- but I don't think I could have ever gotten that ping-pong table out of my basement. The same goes for the two very large and very heavy filing cabinets. Thanks to Big Brother Tuna and The Boy, they didn't seem to pose a problem that a couple of beers and Mike's Hard Lemonade couldn't solve. BBTuna was first on the scene that fateful "we have no power and I'm a sweatball" afternoon, wading through water and helping us to carry things out. BSTuna came out later in the week armed with plastic laundry baskets and real food, which (according to the pop cup count in my sink) we hadn't bothered with in nearly a week. She lugged and toted and helped us make amazing progress. She also brought (and left behind as a temporary good-luck charm) the all important Voodoo Monkey. So far -- so good!

Everywhere I went -- even to the far reaches of the middle of nowhere in the mitten -- I found much understand and sympathy. It seems having a leaky basement makes you a part of the brethren, and I heard tales of woe and horror that rivaled childbirth and standardized tests. Now that I'm a member of the flood-club, I get to tell my story as well. It's one of the perks.

As I hauled load after load out of the basement, it became painfully clear that like Jacob Marley's chains, I have been bogged down with STUFF for far too long. So over the next few weeks my hardest job will be figuring out what is important to me, while trying to remember that who I am is not defined by what I have*.

Wish me luck!


*All fiber-related crafts and music exempt. Just thought I should clarify.

Monday, August 08, 2005

No Comment

Received in my comments from my summer-only (and now flood-related terribly behind) Big Brother 6 Blog, The Big Wheel
Reading your blog and I figured you'd be interested in advancing your life a bit, call us at ***
No tests, books or exams, easiest way to get a Bachelors, Masters, MBA, Doctorate or Ph.D in almost any field.

Totally confidential, open 24 hours a day.

Hope to hear from you soon!

...Reading my blog it figured I'd be interested in ADVANCING MY LIFE A BIT?? I might be a wee bit offended by that comment. What exactly are you trying to say? Based on my incoherent ramblings someone feels my life lacking? Do I need more to do? Please. After working so hard to receive my Doctorate of Goofoffology degree, what more could I need?

No Comment

Received in my comments from my summer-only (and now flood-related terribly behind) Big Brother 6 Blog, The Big Wheel
Reading your blog and I figured you'd be interested in advancing your life a bit, call us at ***
No tests, books or exams, easiest way to get a Bachelors, Masters, MBA, Doctorate or Ph.D in almost any field.

Totally confidential, open 24 hours a day.

Hope to hear from you soon!

...Reading my blog it figured I'd be interested in ADVANCING MY LIFE A BIT?? I might be a wee bit offended by that comment. What exactly are you trying to say? Based on my incoherent ramblings someone feels my life lacking? Do I need more to do? Please. After working so hard to receive my Doctorate of Goofoffology degree, what more could I need?

Sunday, August 07, 2005

Unconscious Mutterings

Before I begin my dirty-rotten-church-skipping-dumpster-diving Sunday morning two-step, here are my Unconscious Mutterings:

I say ... And You Think

1. Complexion :: Face

2. Teach :: Learn

3. Back to School :: Not Yet

4. Months :: Years

5. Nominate :: Candidate

6. Favorite Curse Word :: !%*#&)!!?

7. Concerned :: Worried

8. Better :: Or worse

9. Escalate :: Rise

10. Unveil :: Reveal


I think the dumpster disco has destroyed my brain. How boring are these? With an 11-year old, I know I should be thrilled with the concept of back to school, but her back to school means my back to school, not to mention the fact that back to school in TunaLand means 45,000 unruly children come for a visit and stay until May. Yes, they are the reason I have a job. Yes, they support the local economy. Yes, the children are our future blah-de-blah-de-blah. But they're still a pain in the ass (see #6 above).

Unconscious Mutterings

Before I begin my dirty-rotten-church-skipping-dumpster-diving Sunday morning two-step, here are my Unconscious Mutterings:

I say ... And You Think

1. Complexion :: Face

2. Teach :: Learn

3. Back to School :: Not Yet

4. Months :: Years

5. Nominate :: Candidate

6. Favorite Curse Word :: !%*#&)!!?

7. Concerned :: Worried

8. Better :: Or worse

9. Escalate :: Rise

10. Unveil :: Reveal


I think the dumpster disco has destroyed my brain. How boring are these? With an 11-year old, I know I should be thrilled with the concept of back to school, but her back to school means my back to school, not to mention the fact that back to school in TunaLand means 45,000 unruly children come for a visit and stay until May. Yes, they are the reason I have a job. Yes, they support the local economy. Yes, the children are our future blah-de-blah-de-blah. But they're still a pain in the ass (see #6 above).

Friday, August 05, 2005

Friday's Feast

Time to jump back into the fray with a new edition of Friday's Feast.

Appetizer: Briefly describe your living room
HA! And again, I say, HA! My living room looks something like this:


...Without benefit of helpful elves.


Soup: List 3 things you'd like to accomplish before the end of 2005
1. Have a dry, clean, functioning basement. In my house.
2. A clean bedroom. My bedroom.
3. December 31, 2005


Salad: When you're online, what do you spend the most time reading/playing/doing? Suggest a site for us to visit.
What am I doing? Research! More Research! Even MORE RESEARCH! Did you see that list of Blogs over there? At any rate, when I'm not wildly busy doing important RESEARCH I might be thinking about doing research. Or maybe finding a wee bit of inspiration HERE. This is one of the most inspiring, don't you agree? Oh, and if you are an Academy Award animation buff, check out the amazing short film "More."


Main Course: What would you like the title of your autobiography to be?

Lifted unapologetically from Cunegonde's aria "Glitter and be Gay" from the opera Candide:

If I'm Not Pure, at Least My Jewels Are



Dessert: What time do you usually go to bed?
Way, way, way too late.

Friday's Feast

Time to jump back into the fray with a new edition of Friday's Feast.

Appetizer: Briefly describe your living room
HA! And again, I say, HA! My living room looks something like this:


...Without benefit of helpful elves.


Soup: List 3 things you'd like to accomplish before the end of 2005
1. Have a dry, clean, functioning basement. In my house.
2. A clean bedroom. My bedroom.
3. December 31, 2005


Salad: When you're online, what do you spend the most time reading/playing/doing? Suggest a site for us to visit.
What am I doing? Research! More Research! Even MORE RESEARCH! Did you see that list of Blogs over there? At any rate, when I'm not wildly busy doing important RESEARCH I might be thinking about doing research. Or maybe finding a wee bit of inspiration HERE. This is one of the most inspiring, don't you agree? Oh, and if you are an Academy Award animation buff, check out the amazing short film "More."


Main Course: What would you like the title of your autobiography to be?

Lifted unapologetically from Cunegonde's aria "Glitter and be Gay" from the opera Candide:

If I'm Not Pure, at Least My Jewels Are



Dessert: What time do you usually go to bed?
Way, way, way too late.

Antidote

Weave, weave, weave me the sunshine out of the falling rain
Weave me the hope of a new tomorrow and fill my cup again




Eat your heart out, Laura Ingalls Wilder.
In the olden days, people couldn't decompress by blowing things up on the computer, so they did things like this. Last night the basement debacle was no match for the powers of weaving lesson number four. Grandmother was right -- when wouldn't she be? -- it's a very relaxing and satisfying hobby. Thanks to her wonderful gift of her loom and GramTuna's gift of lessons, I was able to kick my monkey mind and sump pumps to the curb. At least for a little while.

Antidote

Weave, weave, weave me the sunshine out of the falling rain
Weave me the hope of a new tomorrow and fill my cup again




Eat your heart out, Laura Ingalls Wilder.
In the olden days, people couldn't decompress by blowing things up on the computer, so they did things like this. Last night the basement debacle was no match for the powers of weaving lesson number four. Grandmother was right -- when wouldn't she be? -- it's a very relaxing and satisfying hobby. Thanks to her wonderful gift of her loom and GramTuna's gift of lessons, I was able to kick my monkey mind and sump pumps to the curb. At least for a little while.

Thursday, August 04, 2005

Till The Rain Comes Tumbling Down

So, I've been to Beeeeeeaver Iiiiiiiisland and back again. I sang Bach to the Beavers, and of course I have stories to tell -- someday. But not today.

I'm still totally, utterly, completely, and redundantly preoccupied with the following all-too-familiar equation:

Water + Basement = Mess

I left a much drier mess and returned to a still dry and less substantial yet still overwhelming mess. Since I've been back I go to work, come home, eat clean until I cannot move any more, and then shoot at things on my computer until my brain finally turns off. Five hours later, I do it all over again.

Today it finally rained, so GramTuna and I took off about 15 minutes into the rainstorm to run home and check the basement.

And then we hooked up the sump pump -- again.
And then GramTuna dashed to the store to buy a sump pump -- again.
And then she started making phone calls -- again.

My valiant attempt to "look on the bright side" diminishes with every wring of the mop and dump of the bucket. The situation now has been upgraded (downgraded) to abysmal suckitude. More details to follow...

Till The Rain Comes Tumbling Down

So, I've been to Beeeeeeaver Iiiiiiiisland and back again. I sang Bach to the Beavers, and of course I have stories to tell -- someday. But not today.

I'm still totally, utterly, completely, and redundantly preoccupied with the following all-too-familiar equation:

Water + Basement = Mess

I left a much drier mess and returned to a still dry and less substantial yet still overwhelming mess. Since I've been back I go to work, come home, eat clean until I cannot move any more, and then shoot at things on my computer until my brain finally turns off. Five hours later, I do it all over again.

Today it finally rained, so GramTuna and I took off about 15 minutes into the rainstorm to run home and check the basement.

And then we hooked up the sump pump -- again.
And then GramTuna dashed to the store to buy a sump pump -- again.
And then she started making phone calls -- again.

My valiant attempt to "look on the bright side" diminishes with every wring of the mop and dump of the bucket. The situation now has been upgraded (downgraded) to abysmal suckitude. More details to follow...