Stephenie Meyer deserves a cupcake.
The thing about the Twilight books that most people don't get is that they are actually GREAT.
I am not trying to say well-written, although I, personally, had no complaints. I am trying to say that they are dense. And I don't mean long (though I am not complaining, I love a good long book!) I am talking about PACKED.
With budgeting advice. Social Commentary. Feminist Principles. Ethics. And advice for the lovelorn.
And she put all of this important character-shaping stuff into the magic glass slipper of paranormal boy-crazy romance. BRILLIANT!
I do not want to give you the impression that these novels are perfect. Some of that lovelorn stuff can get awfully repetitive.
As anybody who has ever actually been lovelorn knows.
And I had a lot of trouble, at first, getting what the appeal of Edward was. I thought it might have something to do with Edward, and handsome though he may be, that ice cold chiseled marble description always kind of gave me the creeps. Beautiful, emotionally intense or remote BFs are SO 1997.
But I finally realized that the point is this: the heart wants what it wants.
The relationship between Bella and Edward was a little easier for me to understand. "I don't want to hurt you!" "I don't want 'you hurting me' to hurt you!". It kind of sounds totally dysfunctional. It kind of was. And, as a semi-professional worrier, I can easily imagine having those worries. If, say, I was hopelessly attracted to somebody who literally wanted to suck my blood.
It's kind of fun to recast visceral desire as literal hunger. It's not like any of us say: "I was kind of thinking about getting a bite to eat and Whoops! accidentally kissed somebody." It's kind of funny. A new desire is added to the demands of the flesh, and it's kind of hard to figure it out. Without, say, practice.
And Bella has, as far as I can tell, none. But she still knows.
What I love about Bella is that she ALWAYS knows what she wants. And she really cares about the people in her life, so much so that she doesn't want to bum anybody out because she exists. Not even her own parents!
That's actually one of the things I hate about Bella, but as that's a much shorter list, I won't go through it. I will just say that Bella's lack of self-interest is pretty abnormal for a girl her age, and it's kind of refreshing. And it's kind of nice that she constructed her life very carefully so as not to be too much of a burden on her parents.
This lack of self-interest as it applies to her personal life is a little more problematic, but they all seem to work it out in the end.
And I haven't even gotten to the sequels! Which is a shame, but I ran out of words about 20 words back, and these few are just a brief postprandial treat. Enjoy!
19 October, 2011
18 October, 2011
pixie hair, reo speedwagon, and quantum locking
Today I plan to go get another haircut. I had one last month, but I thought I'd like to explore a medium-length hair a little bit longer. I did, but I'm over it now.
Usually I only go cut off all my hair as some sort of unconscious grieving process. This process includes the strong and unambiguous feeling that I HATE MY HAIR. ahem.
I don't feel this quite as emphatically right now, but it has to go, so maybe I no longer need to rationalize the separation of head and hair as a 'story' about why I am cutting my hair.
I am going to ask for a pixie cut. From the butchers down at the beauty school about a mile away from my house. Pray for me. They gave me a terrible short hair cut last year that a couple of friends tidied up. Plus, I don't know what they call the kind of implements they used before, but those exaggerated pinking shears are not getting anywhere near my head this time. Hair cuts should not pull hair!
REO Speedwagon is a band that I know hardly anything about. Not exactly before my time, but long before I cared about music. But they've kind of been in the background of my musical environment, I guess, seeping into my brain. And now they have fully permeated my gray matter, and every other song that I start humming is one of their hits.
I will not list them. They're ok, but while I am obviously moved, I am in no mood for it.
I'm trying, now, to figure out if they released any songs I do not know well enough to sing along to. But I've forgotten what I started fighting for. Argh!
They probably deserve a cupcake!
And this morning I saw the beginning of a video on quantum locking, which basically translates as frigid superconducting levitation:
It's pretty cool, and already immensely popular. Yay science!
Usually I only go cut off all my hair as some sort of unconscious grieving process. This process includes the strong and unambiguous feeling that I HATE MY HAIR. ahem.
I don't feel this quite as emphatically right now, but it has to go, so maybe I no longer need to rationalize the separation of head and hair as a 'story' about why I am cutting my hair.
I am going to ask for a pixie cut. From the butchers down at the beauty school about a mile away from my house. Pray for me. They gave me a terrible short hair cut last year that a couple of friends tidied up. Plus, I don't know what they call the kind of implements they used before, but those exaggerated pinking shears are not getting anywhere near my head this time. Hair cuts should not pull hair!
REO Speedwagon is a band that I know hardly anything about. Not exactly before my time, but long before I cared about music. But they've kind of been in the background of my musical environment, I guess, seeping into my brain. And now they have fully permeated my gray matter, and every other song that I start humming is one of their hits.
I will not list them. They're ok, but while I am obviously moved, I am in no mood for it.
I'm trying, now, to figure out if they released any songs I do not know well enough to sing along to. But I've forgotten what I started fighting for. Argh!
They probably deserve a cupcake!
And this morning I saw the beginning of a video on quantum locking, which basically translates as frigid superconducting levitation:
It's pretty cool, and already immensely popular. Yay science!
17 October, 2011
The writing is on the wall
Lately, in my spiritual quest to quiet my inner voices, I have been trying to balance them out with a little more attention paid to what is going on outside my head.
Obviously, I have the internet, and that is technically outside my head, but everything I see goes right into my head, and it might be getting a wee bit crowded in there.
And as an aside, being diagnosed with a mental problem is not as stressful as you might think! On the one hand, all your concerns are legitimate. Yay! On the other hand, you have a lot of concerns. ugh.
Speaking of legitimacy, I feel like I got to race through the steps of working through being diagnosed in record time because I was once informed that I was the victim of a conspiracy of kindness. My 2nd ex-step dad cornered me one day while I was eating lunch on my summer break in a local cafe, the Last Exit on Brooklyn. I was 14 or 15.
The day started out so promising, and I was actually feeling very self-satisfied. I think because I ordered a salad? I didn't usually eat real food there, just bread and butter (oh the healthy honey bran loaf, how I mistrust your label. I invite you to betray me again!) or chocolate sundaes.
And I usually didn't go there alone.
He had a theory. My 'real' father was not my mother's husband at the time of my birth, but no, another man (also now deceased). Talk about a bummer! This kind of 'revelation', accurate or not, is very disruptive to your world-view.
All the other parties, when questioned (separately) agreed that the official story contained all the facts of the matter. And, frankly, in the subtext I learned far more about all three of them than I EVER WANTED TO. But I believed them. Mostly.
And who cares? I am here because some people made the ultimate sacrifice for evolution, and if wasn't my mom and her husband, I am willing to be grateful for the contribution of persons known or unknown.
My understanding of what other people do, and why, was immeasurably enhanced that day. I didn't want to hear it all, and as I am pretty much an untrusting soul, I decided that a) I didn't much care about facts, b)I couldn't see what difference it would make in the future, given that everybody BUT my ex-step dad #2 had their stories straight, and c) I can't put the worms back in the can.
I was somebody's daughter before my lunch, and I was somebody's daughter after my lunch, and no matter who that somebody might, biologically, be, I am always GOING to be me.
So getting diagnosed replayed all those reactions of hurt, self-doubt, disappointment, acceptance, and in record time. It might not even be the right diagnosis, but I like my doctor and if I can't fix what's broken, maybe she can help.
But back to what's going on OUTSIDE my head. I try to remember the phrase 'live in the moment', because I can worry ahead all the way through the rest of my life, and hardly any of my worries have ever become a problem. And not because I prevented them, but because I was worrying about hypothetical, not actual scenarios. My bad.
And, in the moment, if I remember to go outside, I see a lot of birds and dogs lately. The birds do their bird thing, away from me, but occasionally seem to be trying to get my attention. If I become lost in thought. Since I am trying to live in the moment, I start paying attention, though I do not for one moment believe that birds care if I pay attention to them.
Dogs, on the other hand, adore me. They seem to be way more friendly for a couple of months. I don't quite get what's going on there, maybe I am more friendly now that I am saying, in my head, "live in the moment"? Maybe when I am living in the moment I look more relaxed and approachable, instead of uptight and anxious?
Frankly, I am beginning to think that EVERYONE knew I was uptight and anxious, except me! But I did spend a certain amount of effort pretending to be self-confident and trying to relax, so I also can not blame them if they were fooled. Heck, I was fooled too!
And I digress.
What I want to get to is the part where I say: The writing is on the wall.
And I mean that literally!
I was riding a bus and just after it went past a beautiful pond with turtle statues (no water, but the tiles were blue), I saw a slogan postered or painted, officially or unofficially on a wall down the street:
It was really uplifting, that day, a couple of weeks ago. I felt so strongly about it that I whipped out my notebook, which I take with me almost everywhere, and I wrote it down, along with a few other notes.
I don't usually write in my notebook on the bus. I like to pretend I'm way more normal than that, plus it's not that smooth a ride and my handwriting gets jittery.
At any rate, that public art was a quote from the 1968 student riots in Paris.
And on my way out of Tacoma, a few days before, I noticed an officially inspirational quote, painted on the bus station wall:
The City of Tacoma transit authority is certainly not afraid of the people! Or The Man... it becomes a little confusing when official art seems revolutionary.
And the last two quotes I did not find out in the world while I was trying to live in the moment, but I'll make up beautiful placards for them as well.
The ambiguity in this quote makes me week in the knees. Is it an endorsement of conservative values (not that I have anything against that), or a criticism of... I'm not sure what?
And the other:
I think I found this quote on a poster for one Awesome project (theater) while looking for another (philanthropy). It makes me numb in a good way.
Maintenance is progress. But it is not ambitious.
Obviously, I have the internet, and that is technically outside my head, but everything I see goes right into my head, and it might be getting a wee bit crowded in there.
And as an aside, being diagnosed with a mental problem is not as stressful as you might think! On the one hand, all your concerns are legitimate. Yay! On the other hand, you have a lot of concerns. ugh.
Speaking of legitimacy, I feel like I got to race through the steps of working through being diagnosed in record time because I was once informed that I was the victim of a conspiracy of kindness. My 2nd ex-step dad cornered me one day while I was eating lunch on my summer break in a local cafe, the Last Exit on Brooklyn. I was 14 or 15.
The day started out so promising, and I was actually feeling very self-satisfied. I think because I ordered a salad? I didn't usually eat real food there, just bread and butter (oh the healthy honey bran loaf, how I mistrust your label. I invite you to betray me again!) or chocolate sundaes.
And I usually didn't go there alone.
He had a theory. My 'real' father was not my mother's husband at the time of my birth, but no, another man (also now deceased). Talk about a bummer! This kind of 'revelation', accurate or not, is very disruptive to your world-view.
All the other parties, when questioned (separately) agreed that the official story contained all the facts of the matter. And, frankly, in the subtext I learned far more about all three of them than I EVER WANTED TO. But I believed them. Mostly.
And who cares? I am here because some people made the ultimate sacrifice for evolution, and if wasn't my mom and her husband, I am willing to be grateful for the contribution of persons known or unknown.
My understanding of what other people do, and why, was immeasurably enhanced that day. I didn't want to hear it all, and as I am pretty much an untrusting soul, I decided that a) I didn't much care about facts, b)I couldn't see what difference it would make in the future, given that everybody BUT my ex-step dad #2 had their stories straight, and c) I can't put the worms back in the can.
I was somebody's daughter before my lunch, and I was somebody's daughter after my lunch, and no matter who that somebody might, biologically, be, I am always GOING to be me.
So getting diagnosed replayed all those reactions of hurt, self-doubt, disappointment, acceptance, and in record time. It might not even be the right diagnosis, but I like my doctor and if I can't fix what's broken, maybe she can help.
But back to what's going on OUTSIDE my head. I try to remember the phrase 'live in the moment', because I can worry ahead all the way through the rest of my life, and hardly any of my worries have ever become a problem. And not because I prevented them, but because I was worrying about hypothetical, not actual scenarios. My bad.
And, in the moment, if I remember to go outside, I see a lot of birds and dogs lately. The birds do their bird thing, away from me, but occasionally seem to be trying to get my attention. If I become lost in thought. Since I am trying to live in the moment, I start paying attention, though I do not for one moment believe that birds care if I pay attention to them.
Dogs, on the other hand, adore me. They seem to be way more friendly for a couple of months. I don't quite get what's going on there, maybe I am more friendly now that I am saying, in my head, "live in the moment"? Maybe when I am living in the moment I look more relaxed and approachable, instead of uptight and anxious?
Frankly, I am beginning to think that EVERYONE knew I was uptight and anxious, except me! But I did spend a certain amount of effort pretending to be self-confident and trying to relax, so I also can not blame them if they were fooled. Heck, I was fooled too!
And I digress.
What I want to get to is the part where I say: The writing is on the wall.
And I mean that literally!
I was riding a bus and just after it went past a beautiful pond with turtle statues (no water, but the tiles were blue), I saw a slogan postered or painted, officially or unofficially on a wall down the street:
It was really uplifting, that day, a couple of weeks ago. I felt so strongly about it that I whipped out my notebook, which I take with me almost everywhere, and I wrote it down, along with a few other notes.
I don't usually write in my notebook on the bus. I like to pretend I'm way more normal than that, plus it's not that smooth a ride and my handwriting gets jittery.
At any rate, that public art was a quote from the 1968 student riots in Paris.
And on my way out of Tacoma, a few days before, I noticed an officially inspirational quote, painted on the bus station wall:
The City of Tacoma transit authority is certainly not afraid of the people! Or The Man... it becomes a little confusing when official art seems revolutionary.
And the last two quotes I did not find out in the world while I was trying to live in the moment, but I'll make up beautiful placards for them as well.
The ambiguity in this quote makes me week in the knees. Is it an endorsement of conservative values (not that I have anything against that), or a criticism of... I'm not sure what?
And the other:
I think I found this quote on a poster for one Awesome project (theater) while looking for another (philanthropy). It makes me numb in a good way.
Maintenance is progress. But it is not ambitious.
12 October, 2011
Whether or why?
I am not a very ambitious cook. I love good food, and I've made some great food! And I still do. But if it takes longer than 10 minutes to prepare, I usually have a problem.
That problem is not the same every time. Boredom and irritation are pretty close to the top of the list right now. And maybe all the time. I've talked about risk vs. reward before, and really, this is the main problem with my attention span.
I can be RIVETED to something I don't really understand, because I love to feel like I can solve a problem. But I am also quite fond of things I know very well. There are books I have read upwards of 20 times!
In some ways, I am aware that 'thinking I know something quite well' is usually an illusion. Or a delusion. And perhaps a mystery I am hoping to actually understand, despite the real possibility that, philosophically at least, this may be an impossible goal.
Food doesn't seem that complicated anymore. I am not a great cook right now, because I don't care. And I have never been a good chef, because I like to follow recipes.
But recipes leave important stuff out. Important stuff I do not always know, but could probably figure out on my own, if I weren't trying, carefully, to follow directions.
There are two grocery stores within walking distance from my home. One is Safeway. It is a supermarket chain store. The other is far more fun! And I don't even know the name of it. East-Asia Market?
If I ever wanted to make a recipe with obscure ingredients, I would totally look there first. Frankly, I shop there a lot! But I can't read all the labels, and I don't know what I want when I go in, because I rarely want to make a recipe with obscure ingredients.
Everything there is so exciting, I literally can not decide what to buy! Or figure out what it is. Today I went in on my way to the mailbox, during an unexpectedly harsh rain shower, and I think I saw:
Fresh Lychee
Fresh Dragonfruit! *swoon*
Dried lotus seeds. I think you make them into soup? Or a dessert kind of like tapioca?
And I know they had fresh durian (chilled!), eleventy-million kinds of sardines and other little fish, and a slightly smaller variety of pickled garlic. And other frozen and dried and pickled and fresh and even baked things.
Some of which crack me up because I can recognize, like this White King brand pancake mix imported from the Philippines, complete with scary white king mascot:
And some of which crack me up because they are clearly labeled but unrecognizable, like these corn flakes. Which are green:
With a variety like that, and no agenda, who can decide? I am working on my agenda.
I entitled this post Whether or Why, which is the title of an article on LessWrong.com. One of the many enjoyable learning experiences I have had today. I usually ask myself the question Why? And, apparently, this wastes a lot of valuable brain processing power.
I do not even know what I use my brain processing power on, most of the time. I kind of get self-conscious if I notice, though I am trying to get over that.
In a shockingly abrupt conclusion, another word I used to find fairly inexplicable, but totally delightful:
yowe - n. a Scot word for ewe.
That problem is not the same every time. Boredom and irritation are pretty close to the top of the list right now. And maybe all the time. I've talked about risk vs. reward before, and really, this is the main problem with my attention span.
I can be RIVETED to something I don't really understand, because I love to feel like I can solve a problem. But I am also quite fond of things I know very well. There are books I have read upwards of 20 times!
In some ways, I am aware that 'thinking I know something quite well' is usually an illusion. Or a delusion. And perhaps a mystery I am hoping to actually understand, despite the real possibility that, philosophically at least, this may be an impossible goal.
Food doesn't seem that complicated anymore. I am not a great cook right now, because I don't care. And I have never been a good chef, because I like to follow recipes.
But recipes leave important stuff out. Important stuff I do not always know, but could probably figure out on my own, if I weren't trying, carefully, to follow directions.
There are two grocery stores within walking distance from my home. One is Safeway. It is a supermarket chain store. The other is far more fun! And I don't even know the name of it. East-Asia Market?
If I ever wanted to make a recipe with obscure ingredients, I would totally look there first. Frankly, I shop there a lot! But I can't read all the labels, and I don't know what I want when I go in, because I rarely want to make a recipe with obscure ingredients.
Everything there is so exciting, I literally can not decide what to buy! Or figure out what it is. Today I went in on my way to the mailbox, during an unexpectedly harsh rain shower, and I think I saw:
Fresh Lychee
Fresh Dragonfruit! *swoon*
Dried lotus seeds. I think you make them into soup? Or a dessert kind of like tapioca?
And I know they had fresh durian (chilled!), eleventy-million kinds of sardines and other little fish, and a slightly smaller variety of pickled garlic. And other frozen and dried and pickled and fresh and even baked things.
Some of which crack me up because I can recognize, like this White King brand pancake mix imported from the Philippines, complete with scary white king mascot:
And some of which crack me up because they are clearly labeled but unrecognizable, like these corn flakes. Which are green:
I entitled this post Whether or Why, which is the title of an article on LessWrong.com. One of the many enjoyable learning experiences I have had today. I usually ask myself the question Why? And, apparently, this wastes a lot of valuable brain processing power.
I do not even know what I use my brain processing power on, most of the time. I kind of get self-conscious if I notice, though I am trying to get over that.
In a shockingly abrupt conclusion, another word I used to find fairly inexplicable, but totally delightful:
yowe - n. a Scot word for ewe.
11 October, 2011
Investment and Budgeting. For kicks.
I have been planning on writing a post about budgeting almost since the beginning of this blog, and I guess today is the day.
I am trying to convince people to budget. And I do not have a budget. My bad! I am an accidental hypocrite.
But at least a self-aware hypocrite, my favorite kind of fraud.
I do not currently keep a budget because I do not have anything to plan with other than time (knock on wood) and savings. With an income, I will start to budget again.
As it is, every expense is one step closer to nothing, which has been very scary while I have been depressed. But as you get closer and closer to nothing to lose, why worry about it?
I do have an irrational fear of debt. It is irrational because debt is no longer a crime. Unless you intentionally write bad checks--that's fraud and it can send you to jail.
But I still have time coming in every day, and I don't even budget that! It's neglectful, that's what it is.
What most people don't get about budgeting is that it is totally about prioritizing. Some people think they prefer wine, women, and song for one week, and then penury for the rest of the month. Maybe they do.
Personally, I skip the women and the wine, and that leaves me with time for song. Plenty of time, now that YouTube makes music piracy irrelevant.
And I don't listen to that much music.
Technically, I do budget my time. It's something like this, but I'm hoping to mix it up a little in the future.
Clarica's Time Budget: 24 hours a day
1. Sleep. The thing you need the most should be at the top of the list. I used to love to sleep 10 hours or so every day, but I am way behind on staying awake now. I'm lucky to get 6-8 hours a night.
Remaining time: 16 hours
2. Food for the body. I take time to eat. Not a lot, as cooking seems like a hassle right now, and I don't snack anymore. 1 hour?
Remaining time: 15 hours
3. Work for the body. I haven't always considered this on my time budget, but for a couple years I have been focusing some attention to the matter. Eventually I decided to spend some time on it too. I'm not very good at remembering yet. Habits help. I like to walk for 1 hour, but I might consider more time or more effort, or both, in the future.
Remaining time: 14 hours
4. Maintenance for the body. There's some showering and stuff. Enough said? I'll give this two hours, which is a totally generous allotment. Really I'm just trying to make you all think that I have something important to do every day, and if I run out of time on important stuff before I get to the 'fun' stuff, my mission of misdirection is accomplished!
Remaining time: 12 hours
5. Fun stuff. Fooled you! Fun stuff is totally important and can not be left to the bottom of the list. Especially considering I can hardly make myself do ANYTHING. I have to WANT to do something. I love writing, and maybe I do an hour a day? I think more would be ok, but I'm not there. I ADORE the internet, and probably spend 8 hours a day trying to find the next shiny. I could probably survive with a little less, if something else shiny came along. ahem.
Remaining time: 3 hours
6. Food for the soul. This would be higher up on the list, because it is TOTALLY the most important thing on the list. Unfortunately, it is the hardest item to figure out. I contribute to some online volunteer work regularly, and maybe that counts. But I started it for the sake of sanity, and not because I thought I 'should' be contributing somehow. I don't know if volunteering actually is food for the soul, or not. I know some of this writing stuff is absolutely good for what ails me, but I try to compartmentalize it as Fun and not Love. Don't ask me why. Maybe I get an hour or more of Food for the Soul in a day? It's hard to tell.
Remaining time: 1 hour
7. Shoulds. This is the hardest thing for me to do. I generally like to have at least two reasons to do anything, because one is not enough! Luckily, I don't have to consciously identify more than one, if it is shiny enough, or my unconscious interest is big enough. If it is important that I do something I am not natively excited to do, anxiety will totally jump in to save the day, and get me either procrastinating more seriously, or taking care of business. 1 hour.
Whew! I'm all out of time for the day, and what a relief. I don't really worry about getting a job, though I definitely want one, because I have enough time, now that I've budgeted my priorities. A job falls under items 6 and 7, and hopefully 3 and 5 too. I don't have to re-allocate my investment of time at all.
And speaking of investment, a friend of mine was talking about money and what a crock it is. Money is a valuable tool, but it is also a powerful tool for self-delusion, because the act of spending it invests your purchase with 'added value'.
I didn't get the idea of added value until approximately a month ago, when I wanted to try a new special lotion to replace my very favorite special lotion which was discontinued ages ago. Magic lotion--it was non-greasy, and cured sun damage! I think it might even have made a great dietary supplement, but I never tasted it, so I don't know.
The new stuff isn't as good, PLUS I can not buy it in stores. There are no stores. Not even amazon. The maker does not do wholesale for retail distribution. The maker has cut out the middleman.
Everybody gives the middleman a lot of crap, but I am here to tell you, I like a freaking middle man. I want to go to one store with at least 20 things I want to buy, instead of twenty different owner-operated shops. The middleman is adding value.
What kind of markup is ethical for this service? Don't know, don't care, unless I open a tea shop/bakery (with excellent toasted cheese sandwiches!). Because then I will need to know not only what is ethical, but what is required to maintain my investment of time. And my investment of money.
And what if we spend our money on something a little bit more metaphorical? Something they call 'investments'? Do we invest our hearts and souls along with our money? Do we have a sense of proportion about it? Can we do so without committing fraud, either through practiced manipulation or just self-delusion?
I don't know. Occupy wall street all you want. It seems like a waste of time to me, but it does look like a lot of fun!
PS: If you want to budget your money, feel free to use the same categories above to help prioritize. Not all bills are created equal, and it is much easier to tell how much you value something when you think of almost everything that you buy as something that you actually want.
I am trying to convince people to budget. And I do not have a budget. My bad! I am an accidental hypocrite.
But at least a self-aware hypocrite, my favorite kind of fraud.
I do not currently keep a budget because I do not have anything to plan with other than time (knock on wood) and savings. With an income, I will start to budget again.
As it is, every expense is one step closer to nothing, which has been very scary while I have been depressed. But as you get closer and closer to nothing to lose, why worry about it?
I do have an irrational fear of debt. It is irrational because debt is no longer a crime. Unless you intentionally write bad checks--that's fraud and it can send you to jail.
But I still have time coming in every day, and I don't even budget that! It's neglectful, that's what it is.
What most people don't get about budgeting is that it is totally about prioritizing. Some people think they prefer wine, women, and song for one week, and then penury for the rest of the month. Maybe they do.
Personally, I skip the women and the wine, and that leaves me with time for song. Plenty of time, now that YouTube makes music piracy irrelevant.
And I don't listen to that much music.
Technically, I do budget my time. It's something like this, but I'm hoping to mix it up a little in the future.
Clarica's Time Budget: 24 hours a day
1. Sleep. The thing you need the most should be at the top of the list. I used to love to sleep 10 hours or so every day, but I am way behind on staying awake now. I'm lucky to get 6-8 hours a night.
Remaining time: 16 hours
2. Food for the body. I take time to eat. Not a lot, as cooking seems like a hassle right now, and I don't snack anymore. 1 hour?
Remaining time: 15 hours
3. Work for the body. I haven't always considered this on my time budget, but for a couple years I have been focusing some attention to the matter. Eventually I decided to spend some time on it too. I'm not very good at remembering yet. Habits help. I like to walk for 1 hour, but I might consider more time or more effort, or both, in the future.
Remaining time: 14 hours
4. Maintenance for the body. There's some showering and stuff. Enough said? I'll give this two hours, which is a totally generous allotment. Really I'm just trying to make you all think that I have something important to do every day, and if I run out of time on important stuff before I get to the 'fun' stuff, my mission of misdirection is accomplished!
Remaining time: 12 hours
5. Fun stuff. Fooled you! Fun stuff is totally important and can not be left to the bottom of the list. Especially considering I can hardly make myself do ANYTHING. I have to WANT to do something. I love writing, and maybe I do an hour a day? I think more would be ok, but I'm not there. I ADORE the internet, and probably spend 8 hours a day trying to find the next shiny. I could probably survive with a little less, if something else shiny came along. ahem.
Remaining time: 3 hours
6. Food for the soul. This would be higher up on the list, because it is TOTALLY the most important thing on the list. Unfortunately, it is the hardest item to figure out. I contribute to some online volunteer work regularly, and maybe that counts. But I started it for the sake of sanity, and not because I thought I 'should' be contributing somehow. I don't know if volunteering actually is food for the soul, or not. I know some of this writing stuff is absolutely good for what ails me, but I try to compartmentalize it as Fun and not Love. Don't ask me why. Maybe I get an hour or more of Food for the Soul in a day? It's hard to tell.
Remaining time: 1 hour
7. Shoulds. This is the hardest thing for me to do. I generally like to have at least two reasons to do anything, because one is not enough! Luckily, I don't have to consciously identify more than one, if it is shiny enough, or my unconscious interest is big enough. If it is important that I do something I am not natively excited to do, anxiety will totally jump in to save the day, and get me either procrastinating more seriously, or taking care of business. 1 hour.
Whew! I'm all out of time for the day, and what a relief. I don't really worry about getting a job, though I definitely want one, because I have enough time, now that I've budgeted my priorities. A job falls under items 6 and 7, and hopefully 3 and 5 too. I don't have to re-allocate my investment of time at all.
And speaking of investment, a friend of mine was talking about money and what a crock it is. Money is a valuable tool, but it is also a powerful tool for self-delusion, because the act of spending it invests your purchase with 'added value'.
I didn't get the idea of added value until approximately a month ago, when I wanted to try a new special lotion to replace my very favorite special lotion which was discontinued ages ago. Magic lotion--it was non-greasy, and cured sun damage! I think it might even have made a great dietary supplement, but I never tasted it, so I don't know.
The new stuff isn't as good, PLUS I can not buy it in stores. There are no stores. Not even amazon. The maker does not do wholesale for retail distribution. The maker has cut out the middleman.
Everybody gives the middleman a lot of crap, but I am here to tell you, I like a freaking middle man. I want to go to one store with at least 20 things I want to buy, instead of twenty different owner-operated shops. The middleman is adding value.
What kind of markup is ethical for this service? Don't know, don't care, unless I open a tea shop/bakery (with excellent toasted cheese sandwiches!). Because then I will need to know not only what is ethical, but what is required to maintain my investment of time. And my investment of money.
And what if we spend our money on something a little bit more metaphorical? Something they call 'investments'? Do we invest our hearts and souls along with our money? Do we have a sense of proportion about it? Can we do so without committing fraud, either through practiced manipulation or just self-delusion?
I don't know. Occupy wall street all you want. It seems like a waste of time to me, but it does look like a lot of fun!
PS: If you want to budget your money, feel free to use the same categories above to help prioritize. Not all bills are created equal, and it is much easier to tell how much you value something when you think of almost everything that you buy as something that you actually want.
09 October, 2011
Brussel Sprouts, Rio, and Joe vs. The Volcano
OMG BLISS.
I have been blessed this week, I can tell you. And not by the hand of god! Unless he made brussel sprouts. Who knows.
I had brussel sprouts, sauted, at my regular sewing circle/philosophy/book club. I hadn't had brussel sprouts since boxing day, which is a long time to go without, I admit. But I never think of brussel sprouts when I am grocery shopping.
I used to eat them steamed. I still would, if it were all I could get!
So, back to this week, two nights later, MORE BRUSSEL SPROUTS!
Can a girl get too much of a good thing? I'm about to find out, because I ate plenty.
This time they were roasted with carrots, onions, apples, potatoes and keilbasa. I'd like to say there are no words, but seriously, how many words have I used to get to this point? They count!
Just before that, I watched the sweetest movie ever about a couple of birds too chicken (ha ha ha) to take the leap, until they had NO other choice. Seriously, DEATH was on the line. One learned to fly on the way down! I hope I did not give too much away, but I didn't see any previews, I just watched it because my nephew asked.
And it totally brought to mind Joe vs. the Volcano, another great movie (which some people absolutely loathe. Don't ask me, I don't get it).
Because they both have this one song: Mas Que Nada
Which I love! And I have to look up a translation now, because I have never seen the title before this moment, and I do not know spanish well, and "More of this nothing" kind of seems... unexpectedly depressing?
Well, it's Portuguese, and it's about Samba, and maybe translates to "more than anything" in one of those colloquial expressions. Go figure, ha ha ha. For some reason the expresion "amuse-bouche" springs to mind, though that's about food and not music. Plus it's french.
Moving on!
Or back. Joe Vs. the Volcano is apparently throroughly analyzed and acclaimed as one of the top 10 existentialist movies of all time, which is thrilling. But it makes it hard for me to find a link to the ORIGINAL review + philosophical Kierkegaardian analysis I read online back in the 1990s. It's been eclipsed by generations of undergrad and graduate level philosophy papers, as far as I can tell.
It was great, but I don't remember much about it. I bet somebody has finally written the philosophical analysis of Ruben and Ed now, with special reference to Plato's Republic... Nope. Probably because they never play Ruben and Ed on cable.
I made 19 pages of notes on that movie once, and I haven't even read Plato's Republic!
But I digress. If there wasn't so much competition, I would totally write... not a philosophical analysis, but a dream-interpretation style review of Joe vs. the Volcano. With special reference to his luggage. Or do I mean baggage? ha ha ha! The main problem, I feel, with JVTV, is that it pretty much uses a cricket bat where a conductor's baton would do.
No offense to Mr. John Patrick Shanley, who actually also wrote one of the great songs on the soundtrack himself! And it's not like a clue baton packs the same whollup as a clue-by-four.
And the same could be said of Rio... it's not really trying to be subtle, but it's a cartoon, so nobody minds? Plus, they had toys in happy meals from that place, so... I don't really know what I want to suggest from this inference.
Other than I have obviously lost my train of thought. I am tired. I will find a nice abrupt change of pace and go to bed with this post in a sorry state of craftsmanship.
kab - n. an ancient Hebrew measure equal to about 2.3 litres (4 pints). from Hebrew qabh container. It's a pity hebrew isn't kosher for online scrabble, because qabh ROCKS.
I have been blessed this week, I can tell you. And not by the hand of god! Unless he made brussel sprouts. Who knows.
I had brussel sprouts, sauted, at my regular sewing circle/philosophy/book club. I hadn't had brussel sprouts since boxing day, which is a long time to go without, I admit. But I never think of brussel sprouts when I am grocery shopping.
I used to eat them steamed. I still would, if it were all I could get!
So, back to this week, two nights later, MORE BRUSSEL SPROUTS!
Can a girl get too much of a good thing? I'm about to find out, because I ate plenty.
This time they were roasted with carrots, onions, apples, potatoes and keilbasa. I'd like to say there are no words, but seriously, how many words have I used to get to this point? They count!
Just before that, I watched the sweetest movie ever about a couple of birds too chicken (ha ha ha) to take the leap, until they had NO other choice. Seriously, DEATH was on the line. One learned to fly on the way down! I hope I did not give too much away, but I didn't see any previews, I just watched it because my nephew asked.
And it totally brought to mind Joe vs. the Volcano, another great movie (which some people absolutely loathe. Don't ask me, I don't get it).
Because they both have this one song: Mas Que Nada
Which I love! And I have to look up a translation now, because I have never seen the title before this moment, and I do not know spanish well, and "More of this nothing" kind of seems... unexpectedly depressing?
Well, it's Portuguese, and it's about Samba, and maybe translates to "more than anything" in one of those colloquial expressions. Go figure, ha ha ha. For some reason the expresion "amuse-bouche" springs to mind, though that's about food and not music. Plus it's french.
Moving on!
Or back. Joe Vs. the Volcano is apparently throroughly analyzed and acclaimed as one of the top 10 existentialist movies of all time, which is thrilling. But it makes it hard for me to find a link to the ORIGINAL review + philosophical Kierkegaardian analysis I read online back in the 1990s. It's been eclipsed by generations of undergrad and graduate level philosophy papers, as far as I can tell.
It was great, but I don't remember much about it. I bet somebody has finally written the philosophical analysis of Ruben and Ed now, with special reference to Plato's Republic... Nope. Probably because they never play Ruben and Ed on cable.
I made 19 pages of notes on that movie once, and I haven't even read Plato's Republic!
But I digress. If there wasn't so much competition, I would totally write... not a philosophical analysis, but a dream-interpretation style review of Joe vs. the Volcano. With special reference to his luggage. Or do I mean baggage? ha ha ha! The main problem, I feel, with JVTV, is that it pretty much uses a cricket bat where a conductor's baton would do.
No offense to Mr. John Patrick Shanley, who actually also wrote one of the great songs on the soundtrack himself! And it's not like a clue baton packs the same whollup as a clue-by-four.
And the same could be said of Rio... it's not really trying to be subtle, but it's a cartoon, so nobody minds? Plus, they had toys in happy meals from that place, so... I don't really know what I want to suggest from this inference.
Other than I have obviously lost my train of thought. I am tired. I will find a nice abrupt change of pace and go to bed with this post in a sorry state of craftsmanship.
kab - n. an ancient Hebrew measure equal to about 2.3 litres (4 pints). from Hebrew qabh container. It's a pity hebrew isn't kosher for online scrabble, because qabh ROCKS.
07 October, 2011
Covered in bees and the magic finger of joy.
I've mentioned, in passing, that I was covered in bees before covered in bees was cool. And I will now tell as much of that story as I can remember.
When I was a small child, falling asleep, I thought I saw bees next to me on the pillow. They weren't moving or obviously bees or anything, but I *knew*. I made my mom come fix things, and I tried to show her the dark spots, but they weren't there anymore.
Just for the record, I do not frequently hallucinate. Occasionally I have a strange expectation that manifests itself as the certainty that I am not alone, until I wake up and find out it was just a nightmare. Or a dream, when I imagined my old boyfriend was standing outside my bedroom door for some reason. Then waking up was the nightmare! but I digress.
Bees.
Sometime in the 90's, I went to Louisiana to visit my father for Thanksgiving. When I came back, I found a bee in my room. I looked around, and my room was covered in bees! Actually, they were hornets, but I didn't know that until later.
I inaccurately accused my housemate of pulling a horrible awful prank, and we eventually determined that the cold snap had driven hornets to find a slightly warmer place to hide than the bush outside my bedroom window, where they had apparently been living. It was still plenty cold in my room, so they were all hibernating. They did not come to a good end, but seriously, what did they expect? Not every place of refuge is as safe as the nest you make yourself.
I think the next thing is the dress I made myself, out of bee fabric. I was literally covered in bees. I may have gotten this out of order, but I don't know if I made the bee dress while I was in college, or later, when I started quilting. I still have the dress! And it fits, again. But the background color for the bees is a little bit too low-contrast with my milky white flesh, so I want to add a high-contrast trim.
And in the final story of bees, my brother kept bees. He did not keep them very well, but he wasn't in tip-top shape anymore. While I was out gathering eggs one day, I said to myself, "that's a funny sound," and looked up from my normal introspective trance.
BEES EVERYWHERE! SWARMING ALL AROUND ME! I was not brave, I just dropped to the ground, flat on my back, and watched the bees get their act together to move to a new home. Eventually they went away. Eventually I crawled up off the ground, and went on with my life. I saw another bee hive swarm this summer, in my new backyard. It's kind of amazing, but the bees are, as always, not that concerned with anything other than bees.
So I have been covered in bees since way back when, and it's kind of an in-joke with everyone who has ever seen me in that dress.
I have also pretended, on many occasions which are totally rated G, to have a finger of joy. I can't remember why. Usually I try to turn that frown upside down, but I am very judicious in this use, because if the finger of joy ever does not work, I am sure it will be broken forever. And sometimes people want to hold on to that frown.
And I try not to be bitter. I try really hard, over and over and over about all sorts of things that happen to me, and to other people. Yesterday, I was very bitter that Steve Jobs died. Mostly that everybody in the world is sad or has whatever mixed feelings that they have about it. I am glad Steve Jobs was born.
But I have snapped, and the bitterness load I have been carrying broke me. Again. And I tried to find a silver lining. And I have. But it is hard to explain, in words.
But the strange certainty that I am not alone seems less strange every day.
When I was a small child, falling asleep, I thought I saw bees next to me on the pillow. They weren't moving or obviously bees or anything, but I *knew*. I made my mom come fix things, and I tried to show her the dark spots, but they weren't there anymore.
Just for the record, I do not frequently hallucinate. Occasionally I have a strange expectation that manifests itself as the certainty that I am not alone, until I wake up and find out it was just a nightmare. Or a dream, when I imagined my old boyfriend was standing outside my bedroom door for some reason. Then waking up was the nightmare! but I digress.
Bees.
Sometime in the 90's, I went to Louisiana to visit my father for Thanksgiving. When I came back, I found a bee in my room. I looked around, and my room was covered in bees! Actually, they were hornets, but I didn't know that until later.
I inaccurately accused my housemate of pulling a horrible awful prank, and we eventually determined that the cold snap had driven hornets to find a slightly warmer place to hide than the bush outside my bedroom window, where they had apparently been living. It was still plenty cold in my room, so they were all hibernating. They did not come to a good end, but seriously, what did they expect? Not every place of refuge is as safe as the nest you make yourself.
I think the next thing is the dress I made myself, out of bee fabric. I was literally covered in bees. I may have gotten this out of order, but I don't know if I made the bee dress while I was in college, or later, when I started quilting. I still have the dress! And it fits, again. But the background color for the bees is a little bit too low-contrast with my milky white flesh, so I want to add a high-contrast trim.
And in the final story of bees, my brother kept bees. He did not keep them very well, but he wasn't in tip-top shape anymore. While I was out gathering eggs one day, I said to myself, "that's a funny sound," and looked up from my normal introspective trance.
BEES EVERYWHERE! SWARMING ALL AROUND ME! I was not brave, I just dropped to the ground, flat on my back, and watched the bees get their act together to move to a new home. Eventually they went away. Eventually I crawled up off the ground, and went on with my life. I saw another bee hive swarm this summer, in my new backyard. It's kind of amazing, but the bees are, as always, not that concerned with anything other than bees.
So I have been covered in bees since way back when, and it's kind of an in-joke with everyone who has ever seen me in that dress.
I have also pretended, on many occasions which are totally rated G, to have a finger of joy. I can't remember why. Usually I try to turn that frown upside down, but I am very judicious in this use, because if the finger of joy ever does not work, I am sure it will be broken forever. And sometimes people want to hold on to that frown.
And I try not to be bitter. I try really hard, over and over and over about all sorts of things that happen to me, and to other people. Yesterday, I was very bitter that Steve Jobs died. Mostly that everybody in the world is sad or has whatever mixed feelings that they have about it. I am glad Steve Jobs was born.
But I have snapped, and the bitterness load I have been carrying broke me. Again. And I tried to find a silver lining. And I have. But it is hard to explain, in words.
But the strange certainty that I am not alone seems less strange every day.
06 October, 2011
Simon Pegg and Nick Frost
Either Simon Pegg, or Nick Frost is one of my imaginary boyfriends, but I have a lot of trouble deciding which one. They can both have an imaginary cupcake! Consalud.
This is one of my more serious existential dilemmas, and, frankly, I am tired of worrying about it. I have restricted myself to one imaginary boyfriend per movie. I don't have enough time for more than one boyfriend at a time! And these two fellows are consistently appearing in vids together. They take my breath away. And I need that breath for the laughter!
I first saw them in Shaun of the Dead, which was HILARIOUS. I'm not a big fan of zombie or horror or slasher films. The suspense is always trying to kill me! Or they are lame.
But this movie opened my eyes up to the joy of the macabre horror that is zombies. Well, ok, I saw another funny zombie movie once. I don't like grody movies, there is no eraser for my brain! That other movie had an ear falling into some soup, and let me just say yech! And I'm sorry for inflicting that horrible mental image on you too, ha ha ha.
That other movie (BrainDead by Peter Jackson) was pretty cute, other than the grody decomposing flesh. And had the most awesome kick-boxing priest ever. But it did not have Nick Frost or Simon Pegg in it. As far as I know.
Simon and Nick also did a movie called Hot Fuzz, which was a cop/buddy movie which I also adore. Watch Point Break first, just saying. It's got Patrick Swayze AND Keanu Reeves in it... and heck, now that I look it up it has everybody else in the WORLD in it. Sorry, I didn't really notice the first time around. I like Hot Fuzz better, but Point Break isn't trying to be funny. There's some parachuting in PB. And OMG, there's a remake coming out in two years! Or a sequel? If there was anything broke, they'll probably fix it. And vice versa.
You might also enjoy another buddy/cop movie referenced in Hot Fuzz, Bad Boys II. I will probably watch this someday and fall in love with somebody in it. I'll get back to you on that later! And there is probably a movie with Simon and or Nick available to watch right now that I haven't yet heard of. Go see it too! You'll probably get to it before me, because I am extremely half-assed about watching, or promoting movies I have not yet heard of.
I'd like to do a little chart with pros and cons on Nick and Simon, but I'm pretty crap at the graphics, if you haven't figured that out by now.
Simon is more cheeky, but Nick is plenty cheeky. Nick seems like he has more innate goofy charm, but it is a close call. It's pretty much a toss up on looks, and who cares, really, because they are obviously going to fight for me, mano a mano, and I'll have to take the winner, like it or lump it. Or both! And then sneak off to nurse the loser back to health, so I can wrestle anew with my unquenchable and conflicting desires.
Simon and Nick will probably star in a movie just like this soon. CAN'T WAIT. Hopefully I will finish writing it next week. I think they will be gladiators, and I am either a slave girl, or a princess. Probably both, just like Carrie Fisher.
It is possible that I will sniff in a pathetic way over my cocoa because they are busy doing other things, like movies and comedy shorts and interviews and stuff. Hey, cocoa and more fun stuff to watch? Totally win-win.
I still haven't seen everything they have done, together and separately, so I've got a lot of catching up to do.
For some reason, I can't think of anything more to say about Nick Frost and Simon Pegg. Inconceivable! It's far more likely that there are just no words good enough. I'll find one from my list of inexplicably legal scrabble words, for a contrived sense of closure.
cete - noun. a number of badgers together. Or maybe something about whales? I love that this word exists, and I hate it with a fury that I can not explain. My fury will not be stopped! But it will die out in a second or two, when I start giggling about badgers.
This is one of my more serious existential dilemmas, and, frankly, I am tired of worrying about it. I have restricted myself to one imaginary boyfriend per movie. I don't have enough time for more than one boyfriend at a time! And these two fellows are consistently appearing in vids together. They take my breath away. And I need that breath for the laughter!
I first saw them in Shaun of the Dead, which was HILARIOUS. I'm not a big fan of zombie or horror or slasher films. The suspense is always trying to kill me! Or they are lame.
But this movie opened my eyes up to the joy of the macabre horror that is zombies. Well, ok, I saw another funny zombie movie once. I don't like grody movies, there is no eraser for my brain! That other movie had an ear falling into some soup, and let me just say yech! And I'm sorry for inflicting that horrible mental image on you too, ha ha ha.
That other movie (BrainDead by Peter Jackson) was pretty cute, other than the grody decomposing flesh. And had the most awesome kick-boxing priest ever. But it did not have Nick Frost or Simon Pegg in it. As far as I know.
Simon and Nick also did a movie called Hot Fuzz, which was a cop/buddy movie which I also adore. Watch Point Break first, just saying. It's got Patrick Swayze AND Keanu Reeves in it... and heck, now that I look it up it has everybody else in the WORLD in it. Sorry, I didn't really notice the first time around. I like Hot Fuzz better, but Point Break isn't trying to be funny. There's some parachuting in PB. And OMG, there's a remake coming out in two years! Or a sequel? If there was anything broke, they'll probably fix it. And vice versa.
You might also enjoy another buddy/cop movie referenced in Hot Fuzz, Bad Boys II. I will probably watch this someday and fall in love with somebody in it. I'll get back to you on that later! And there is probably a movie with Simon and or Nick available to watch right now that I haven't yet heard of. Go see it too! You'll probably get to it before me, because I am extremely half-assed about watching, or promoting movies I have not yet heard of.
I'd like to do a little chart with pros and cons on Nick and Simon, but I'm pretty crap at the graphics, if you haven't figured that out by now.
Simon is more cheeky, but Nick is plenty cheeky. Nick seems like he has more innate goofy charm, but it is a close call. It's pretty much a toss up on looks, and who cares, really, because they are obviously going to fight for me, mano a mano, and I'll have to take the winner, like it or lump it. Or both! And then sneak off to nurse the loser back to health, so I can wrestle anew with my unquenchable and conflicting desires.
Simon and Nick will probably star in a movie just like this soon. CAN'T WAIT. Hopefully I will finish writing it next week. I think they will be gladiators, and I am either a slave girl, or a princess. Probably both, just like Carrie Fisher.
It is possible that I will sniff in a pathetic way over my cocoa because they are busy doing other things, like movies and comedy shorts and interviews and stuff. Hey, cocoa and more fun stuff to watch? Totally win-win.
I still haven't seen everything they have done, together and separately, so I've got a lot of catching up to do.
For some reason, I can't think of anything more to say about Nick Frost and Simon Pegg. Inconceivable! It's far more likely that there are just no words good enough. I'll find one from my list of inexplicably legal scrabble words, for a contrived sense of closure.
cete - noun. a number of badgers together. Or maybe something about whales? I love that this word exists, and I hate it with a fury that I can not explain. My fury will not be stopped! But it will die out in a second or two, when I start giggling about badgers.
05 October, 2011
Fashion and toast
I am sort of a big fan of fashion. And by that, I literally mean clothes. And Not Very Much of a fan.
I like clothes! I wants them, they are my precious.
Without them I would be very, very naked. Or cold. Or both! I do not look on this prospect with much favor.
I know a lot of marvelous girls who say that everybody has a fashion sense, and it took me a long time to accept this as truth, given my natural interest level.
But eventually I realized that I was not wandering around in public in a warm fuzzy poncho with no pants, so I was obviously making SOME sort of sacrifice for the sake of fashion.
I should probably disclose that the garment I most frequently wear is a small fuzzy poncho, but it doesn't cover much and I never wear it all by itself. I also like a warm fuzzy bathrobe, but that opening and closing and fastening closed business seems a little fussy! Plus the sash is lumpy when you go to lie down.
The fashion statement I have been trying to make with my clothes has been partly successful. It's somewhere between "mostly harmless" and "not as sexy as you think. These are not the breasts you are looking for."
But I have decided that I need to step it up a notch, because people find me very confusing, and unexpectedly delightful.
I don't know why, I'm not that good at keeping a secret. Don't tell anyone I said so.
With the the intention of reducing my stress, I figure my best bet is a tiara, a baby-doll style bridesmaid gown, and a set of crab leg pants. Ok, really, I think this will reduce someone else's stress, but at least it would be clear that I am probably not what you expect!
Right now I'm just concentrating on clothes that fit, that I don't hate too much. I am getting a lot more out of clothing, now that my standards are actually barely above rock bottom.
And I am now going to reveal my hypothetical halloween costume, since scheduling conflicts will probably prevent me from attending any party. (Which I totally regret! I think I have been invited to TWO parties ALREADY this year. But I will probably be out of town.)
I will get my rotating marshmallow toasting fork, stick a piece of toast on it, and go as a toast rack, or a toaster. I was going to make a toast necklace, and go as toast, but I can not figure out how to come up with artificial toast, and real toast is way to crumby to wear.
I like clothes! I wants them, they are my precious.
Without them I would be very, very naked. Or cold. Or both! I do not look on this prospect with much favor.
I know a lot of marvelous girls who say that everybody has a fashion sense, and it took me a long time to accept this as truth, given my natural interest level.
But eventually I realized that I was not wandering around in public in a warm fuzzy poncho with no pants, so I was obviously making SOME sort of sacrifice for the sake of fashion.
I should probably disclose that the garment I most frequently wear is a small fuzzy poncho, but it doesn't cover much and I never wear it all by itself. I also like a warm fuzzy bathrobe, but that opening and closing and fastening closed business seems a little fussy! Plus the sash is lumpy when you go to lie down.
The fashion statement I have been trying to make with my clothes has been partly successful. It's somewhere between "mostly harmless" and "not as sexy as you think. These are not the breasts you are looking for."
But I have decided that I need to step it up a notch, because people find me very confusing, and unexpectedly delightful.
I don't know why, I'm not that good at keeping a secret. Don't tell anyone I said so.
With the the intention of reducing my stress, I figure my best bet is a tiara, a baby-doll style bridesmaid gown, and a set of crab leg pants. Ok, really, I think this will reduce someone else's stress, but at least it would be clear that I am probably not what you expect!
Right now I'm just concentrating on clothes that fit, that I don't hate too much. I am getting a lot more out of clothing, now that my standards are actually barely above rock bottom.
And I am now going to reveal my hypothetical halloween costume, since scheduling conflicts will probably prevent me from attending any party. (Which I totally regret! I think I have been invited to TWO parties ALREADY this year. But I will probably be out of town.)
I will get my rotating marshmallow toasting fork, stick a piece of toast on it, and go as a toast rack, or a toaster. I was going to make a toast necklace, and go as toast, but I can not figure out how to come up with artificial toast, and real toast is way to crumby to wear.
04 October, 2011
Change.org, Pakistan, and popular news coverage.
Pakistan, you got screwed. Will this a virtual cupcake make it any better?
I saw it coming, a long way off. Back when I could still stand to watch news coverage.
It was being repeatedly reported that insurgents were 'escaping' across the border. Into Pakistan. Or maybe Iran. And the pursuers were 'diplomatically' discouraged from playing 'monkey see, monkey do!'
And the news coverage appeared to be implying that Pakistan was being totally unreasonable.
I got a bad feeling in my stomach. I actually prayed that no natural disaster would hit Pakistan, before I even understood my belief in God. Because my country is usually very generous with its time and resources, in cases of emergency. But not for 'the bad guys'.
I do not know if somewhere in Pakistan, there are safe havens for terrorists. I don't entirely blame the news media for giving me this impression. They just tell us what other people are suggesting.
And I'll tell you that I don't care. We have plenty of safe havens for terrorists in our own country, in case you hadn't noticed. Sometimes we even grow our own. We are not without sin, and I am tired of all this casting stones business.
I know how people in my country would feel if armed hooligans, or sanctioned government representatives, followed other possibly armed hooligans. INTO my country.
We'd feel the same way Pakistan does. And no disparity of confidence or competence justifies expecting Pakistan to respond any differently.
News like that isn't really why I can't stand to watch news coverage anymore. Reality TV is responsible for that. Responsible news coverage is apparently supposed to appear to be without bias. It is boring. Or horrifying. I am beginning to think it is also irresponsible. There is always an opinion, love it or hate it. Or both.
And PS, sharing that opinion with the people you know does make a difference. Facebook counts. Some of these people will write letters to congress. Some of them will get out and vote. Just like you do.
I live in the NW, and frequently, we get a minor earthquake. The news is ALL over it for a couple of very boring hours. "Some bricks fell off this building." "A few cans fell off the shelf at this convenience store! Then somebody put them back on the shelf." "Government officials are evaluating the damage to bridges, overpasses, and elevated roadways!" Sorry the visual carnage is so unconvincing.
Televised news is trying harder. We have award-winning coverage in my region, and I believe it.
The problem, I feel, is that crime rates have dropped over the last twenty years. People love to watch 'bad' news. But you have to reach harder to FIND bad news, because there are fewer violent crimes.
They're switching to working on other fears. Like maybe the super-rich are getting away with something!
That seems pretty cruel to me. Frankly, the super-rich are usually convinced of this already, consciously or unconsciously. And if they do not rationally understand or respect their income, they have no way to trust that it is ethically justified. Or that they can earn more, if something happens to their super-wealth.
And the rest of us do not need to worry ANY more that we are being exploited. I'm ok with a certain amount of worry on the subject! Or, more to the point, concerned attention to the problem. We can 'work' on it.
I do expect the super-rich to pay taxes. I think that they could relieve some fears this way, but I'm beginning to believe that paying it forward would not satisfy that particular anxiety. I can't figure out any way to relieve someone's natural but irrational anxieties.
Not even my own.
Change.org is a pretty cool website, but I don't love it. You can find out, on change.org, about all the completely horrifying stuff happening, anywhere in the world. And register an official online protest.
I can only bring myself to protest stuff that is also logically inconsistent. I had to unsubscribe from their newsletter because the horrifying stuff out there in the world is, to me, an intellectual equivalent of most episodes of Three's Company.
Which I also cannot watch.
I saw it coming, a long way off. Back when I could still stand to watch news coverage.
It was being repeatedly reported that insurgents were 'escaping' across the border. Into Pakistan. Or maybe Iran. And the pursuers were 'diplomatically' discouraged from playing 'monkey see, monkey do!'
And the news coverage appeared to be implying that Pakistan was being totally unreasonable.
I got a bad feeling in my stomach. I actually prayed that no natural disaster would hit Pakistan, before I even understood my belief in God. Because my country is usually very generous with its time and resources, in cases of emergency. But not for 'the bad guys'.
I do not know if somewhere in Pakistan, there are safe havens for terrorists. I don't entirely blame the news media for giving me this impression. They just tell us what other people are suggesting.
And I'll tell you that I don't care. We have plenty of safe havens for terrorists in our own country, in case you hadn't noticed. Sometimes we even grow our own. We are not without sin, and I am tired of all this casting stones business.
I know how people in my country would feel if armed hooligans, or sanctioned government representatives, followed other possibly armed hooligans. INTO my country.
We'd feel the same way Pakistan does. And no disparity of confidence or competence justifies expecting Pakistan to respond any differently.
News like that isn't really why I can't stand to watch news coverage anymore. Reality TV is responsible for that. Responsible news coverage is apparently supposed to appear to be without bias. It is boring. Or horrifying. I am beginning to think it is also irresponsible. There is always an opinion, love it or hate it. Or both.
And PS, sharing that opinion with the people you know does make a difference. Facebook counts. Some of these people will write letters to congress. Some of them will get out and vote. Just like you do.
I live in the NW, and frequently, we get a minor earthquake. The news is ALL over it for a couple of very boring hours. "Some bricks fell off this building." "A few cans fell off the shelf at this convenience store! Then somebody put them back on the shelf." "Government officials are evaluating the damage to bridges, overpasses, and elevated roadways!" Sorry the visual carnage is so unconvincing.
Televised news is trying harder. We have award-winning coverage in my region, and I believe it.
The problem, I feel, is that crime rates have dropped over the last twenty years. People love to watch 'bad' news. But you have to reach harder to FIND bad news, because there are fewer violent crimes.
They're switching to working on other fears. Like maybe the super-rich are getting away with something!
That seems pretty cruel to me. Frankly, the super-rich are usually convinced of this already, consciously or unconsciously. And if they do not rationally understand or respect their income, they have no way to trust that it is ethically justified. Or that they can earn more, if something happens to their super-wealth.
And the rest of us do not need to worry ANY more that we are being exploited. I'm ok with a certain amount of worry on the subject! Or, more to the point, concerned attention to the problem. We can 'work' on it.
I do expect the super-rich to pay taxes. I think that they could relieve some fears this way, but I'm beginning to believe that paying it forward would not satisfy that particular anxiety. I can't figure out any way to relieve someone's natural but irrational anxieties.
Not even my own.
Change.org is a pretty cool website, but I don't love it. You can find out, on change.org, about all the completely horrifying stuff happening, anywhere in the world. And register an official online protest.
I can only bring myself to protest stuff that is also logically inconsistent. I had to unsubscribe from their newsletter because the horrifying stuff out there in the world is, to me, an intellectual equivalent of most episodes of Three's Company.
Which I also cannot watch.
03 October, 2011
Facing Future and Rob Brezsny and my own psychic powers
This is today's open letter to the universe:
TO: beautyandtruth@freewillastrology.com
Subject: Cry for help
"... you need to call on some unusual and idiosyncratic and possibly even farfetched resources as you intensify your efforts to solve the puzzles that are spread out before you." -quote from the horoscope for my sign, this week.
Can you give me a list? I promise to grasp at straws not even suggested implicitly.
Regards,
Clarica
Israel Kamakawiwoʻole was PURE GENIUS. And a tragic figure. And Adam Sandler, or some other guy, totally deserves a cupcake, as a great song by Israel was set to the closing credits of the movie 50 First Dates, which I have probably seen more than 50 times. But Adam Sandler is getting a blog post all to himself someday, so I'm yanking that virtual cupcake right back, and passing it over to Rob Brezsny, who actually helped me, you know, today.
I bought Iz's album, Facing Future, just to own a copy of that song.
I'm not a big fan of Astrology, really. Rob does it better than anybody, because at least he does not pretend his inspiration comes from the workings of gravity and the other physical forces operating on the universe. Where his inspiration comes from, he does not pretend to know. And he doesn't seem to care. Nor do I.
I came across this week's horoscope because a friend of mine frequently accuses Rob of rifling through her backpack or spying on her in order to gain insight in how to help her most with his weekly advice. I know just how she feels! I just don't actually check my own unless she puts hers out for everyone else to read. And thank you, friend!
Rob wrote a book called Pronoia, which I totally have never read, but have always been intrigued by. It's about having a conviction that the world is actually out to get you... so that it can make everything better. As in, don't worry, be happy! (Man, I love that guy too. I swear, I am not actually high!)
I am almost willing to take this advice. I still have a terribly bad habit of worrying. And I can worry in secret from my own consciousness! I am actually asking for help with this, and even though I am not sure what someone else can offer me, I already do feel much better. It's like the Placebo effect, without drugs. ha ha ha.
But anyway, the helpfulness of his advice I have always put down to the helpfulness and perspicacity displayed by almost every other horoscope ever, no matter what 'sign' they purport to be dedicated to. This apparent sagacity can totally be explained if you consider that most people have the same problems as everyone else, and usually a lot of the same experiences. You have to try really hard to buck the tide!
Since my first problem was depression, and not anxiety, I have not been trying very hard.
But the tide is turning, and I am totally ready to surf that wave.
And now I will describe my formerly perplexing problem. Or Psychic Power.
People keep giving me cars. I am absolutely not complaining! For the first time in my life, bewildered or not, I am ready to fully endorse this behavior. Bring it on!
I don't know if I posted about this already, and I'm not going to browse through my 70+ blog post to avoid repeating myself. Sorry if I'm boring you. I'll try a short story format, for variety.
All those free cars. By Clarica.
When I was 18, my mothers first ex-husband gave me a car! I did not have a driver's license yet, and he thought it would encourage me to get one. He was wrong.
I sold to the car to one of his other daughters, for cash. Yay money! Sorry you crashed it.
When I was older, one of the other guys accused of acting as my progenitor gave me my second car. I loved this car. It got EXCELLENT gas mileage, could hold a gazillion boxes, and seemed like it might last forever. It didn't smell that bad, either! Eventually, some guy failed to yield, and broke my true love.
The insurance company gave me a check, and I bought another car just like it, and less smelly, but not as good. It did not seem like it would last forever, and I gave it to a friend of my sister.
Soon afterward, one of my honorary aunties gave me my third car. I loved this car too! It had cruise control, better insulation, and a better stereo. The gas mileage was decent, but not as miraculous as the second car.
Eventually I began to worry that it was about to die. I couldn't decide what to do with it. I parked it in what I thought was my back yard, and ignored it for around 5 months. BIG MISTAKE.
One of my other dear friends heard I was planning to bus it, and offered me a car from her dad. So far, this car has worked out well for me. I drove it for a short while, and then didn't feel safe to drive anymore because I developed terrible insomnia. I gave it to my sister in lieu of rent. She got her pick, this fourth car or car number three, and considering which one is still running, she chose wisely. It solved every problem I imagined it would, and and and. Yay!
The end.
Now, I feel like getting so many cars without paying for the value is pretty unusual. I was even employed while I had the middle two cars, and I can not put my finger on any value I provided that in any way compares to the value of the cars. Seriously!
I had begun to joke that my psychic power was letting people know I would appreciate handling the cars that they sort of want help getting rid of. Which is totally true, but not what you would call a desire.
Just be advised, I have obviously not ever cared enough about getting a car to actually pay for one with the money I earned. And I definitely could have afforded to.
The last car is obviously charity, and I don't mind, because I totally need help.
I now know how to deal with a free car I am not sure I want enough to pay for now! I have the experience necessary to handle this challenge, and this is exactly my plan:
And with the money, I plan to:
A) Pay my bills. Full disclosure: I will get a few new bills if this works out well for me! Like rent.
B) Help someone else pay their bills. If they write up a budget every month. This is called paying it forward, but in practice it may start as paying it back. Ahem.
Budgeting is totally my other favorite thing! I don't care about the Deficit, but unplanned personal debt is a tragedy. More on budgets in a future post.
C) Do something awesome, or find somebody else who needs money to do something awesome. Technically, I'm pretty sure anything I think qualifies under A) or B) is already pretty awesome, but I do think that after we solve some of the evils of poverty, we should totally find something else awesome to do with our money. There's already an awesome foundation that probably totally agrees, and has this third thing as their mandate.
And they are awesome.
TO: beautyandtruth@freewillastrology.com
Subject: Cry for help
"... you need to call on some unusual and idiosyncratic and possibly even farfetched resources as you intensify your efforts to solve the puzzles that are spread out before you." -quote from the horoscope for my sign, this week.
Can you give me a list? I promise to grasp at straws not even suggested implicitly.
Regards,
Clarica
Israel Kamakawiwoʻole was PURE GENIUS. And a tragic figure. And Adam Sandler, or some other guy, totally deserves a cupcake, as a great song by Israel was set to the closing credits of the movie 50 First Dates, which I have probably seen more than 50 times. But Adam Sandler is getting a blog post all to himself someday, so I'm yanking that virtual cupcake right back, and passing it over to Rob Brezsny, who actually helped me, you know, today.
I bought Iz's album, Facing Future, just to own a copy of that song.
I'm not a big fan of Astrology, really. Rob does it better than anybody, because at least he does not pretend his inspiration comes from the workings of gravity and the other physical forces operating on the universe. Where his inspiration comes from, he does not pretend to know. And he doesn't seem to care. Nor do I.
I came across this week's horoscope because a friend of mine frequently accuses Rob of rifling through her backpack or spying on her in order to gain insight in how to help her most with his weekly advice. I know just how she feels! I just don't actually check my own unless she puts hers out for everyone else to read. And thank you, friend!
Rob wrote a book called Pronoia, which I totally have never read, but have always been intrigued by. It's about having a conviction that the world is actually out to get you... so that it can make everything better. As in, don't worry, be happy! (Man, I love that guy too. I swear, I am not actually high!)
I am almost willing to take this advice. I still have a terribly bad habit of worrying. And I can worry in secret from my own consciousness! I am actually asking for help with this, and even though I am not sure what someone else can offer me, I already do feel much better. It's like the Placebo effect, without drugs. ha ha ha.
But anyway, the helpfulness of his advice I have always put down to the helpfulness and perspicacity displayed by almost every other horoscope ever, no matter what 'sign' they purport to be dedicated to. This apparent sagacity can totally be explained if you consider that most people have the same problems as everyone else, and usually a lot of the same experiences. You have to try really hard to buck the tide!
Since my first problem was depression, and not anxiety, I have not been trying very hard.
But the tide is turning, and I am totally ready to surf that wave.
And now I will describe my formerly perplexing problem. Or Psychic Power.
People keep giving me cars. I am absolutely not complaining! For the first time in my life, bewildered or not, I am ready to fully endorse this behavior. Bring it on!
I don't know if I posted about this already, and I'm not going to browse through my 70+ blog post to avoid repeating myself. Sorry if I'm boring you. I'll try a short story format, for variety.
All those free cars. By Clarica.
When I was 18, my mothers first ex-husband gave me a car! I did not have a driver's license yet, and he thought it would encourage me to get one. He was wrong.
I sold to the car to one of his other daughters, for cash. Yay money! Sorry you crashed it.
When I was older, one of the other guys accused of acting as my progenitor gave me my second car. I loved this car. It got EXCELLENT gas mileage, could hold a gazillion boxes, and seemed like it might last forever. It didn't smell that bad, either! Eventually, some guy failed to yield, and broke my true love.
The insurance company gave me a check, and I bought another car just like it, and less smelly, but not as good. It did not seem like it would last forever, and I gave it to a friend of my sister.
Soon afterward, one of my honorary aunties gave me my third car. I loved this car too! It had cruise control, better insulation, and a better stereo. The gas mileage was decent, but not as miraculous as the second car.
Eventually I began to worry that it was about to die. I couldn't decide what to do with it. I parked it in what I thought was my back yard, and ignored it for around 5 months. BIG MISTAKE.
One of my other dear friends heard I was planning to bus it, and offered me a car from her dad. So far, this car has worked out well for me. I drove it for a short while, and then didn't feel safe to drive anymore because I developed terrible insomnia. I gave it to my sister in lieu of rent. She got her pick, this fourth car or car number three, and considering which one is still running, she chose wisely. It solved every problem I imagined it would, and and and. Yay!
The end.
Now, I feel like getting so many cars without paying for the value is pretty unusual. I was even employed while I had the middle two cars, and I can not put my finger on any value I provided that in any way compares to the value of the cars. Seriously!
I had begun to joke that my psychic power was letting people know I would appreciate handling the cars that they sort of want help getting rid of. Which is totally true, but not what you would call a desire.
Just be advised, I have obviously not ever cared enough about getting a car to actually pay for one with the money I earned. And I definitely could have afforded to.
The last car is obviously charity, and I don't mind, because I totally need help.
I now know how to deal with a free car I am not sure I want enough to pay for now! I have the experience necessary to handle this challenge, and this is exactly my plan:
- Decide if I want the car to run errands. Driving is way more convenient than public transportation, in my region. And WAY easier than biking. If so, I'll drive it until I don't know if I want to anymore. Then try this:
- Try to sell the car local to the car's location. I'll probably use craigslist. That's where I bought the replacement second car. If that doesn't work:
- Exchange it for a check from the fine people of JunkMyCar.com, or something similar.
And with the money, I plan to:
A) Pay my bills. Full disclosure: I will get a few new bills if this works out well for me! Like rent.
B) Help someone else pay their bills. If they write up a budget every month. This is called paying it forward, but in practice it may start as paying it back. Ahem.
Budgeting is totally my other favorite thing! I don't care about the Deficit, but unplanned personal debt is a tragedy. More on budgets in a future post.
C) Do something awesome, or find somebody else who needs money to do something awesome. Technically, I'm pretty sure anything I think qualifies under A) or B) is already pretty awesome, but I do think that after we solve some of the evils of poverty, we should totally find something else awesome to do with our money. There's already an awesome foundation that probably totally agrees, and has this third thing as their mandate.
And they are awesome.
02 October, 2011
Dear Abby and John Prine, and an existential dilemma
John Prine and Dear Abby totally deserve cupcakes. And John Prine has written a song about Dear Abby!
I've heard this song before this year, probably, but I really started loving it this summer, and I can't tell you why.
And I must now digress to tell you that I have a whole list of foods that I like that I can not adequately explain why. It's not long, and hopefully I haven't forgotten anything:
Artichokes
Marzipan
Fresh crab
These foods are totally weird to me. I can not really describe what it is about them that I like. Or the flavor.
Anyway, this song, basically parodies the Dear Abby advice column of my youth.
Dear Abby: I have a problem.
Dear Reader: Really? You think that is a problem?
In actual fact, the writers of Dear Abby are always WAY more classy. Sympathy or advice, whatever seems like it will help the most. Stating the obvious is totally endorsed, and probably even helpful, considering it is not clear that the people asking for advice know it all yet.
But lately, Dear Abby has stepped it up a notch.
I don't actually read the column often enough, or I might have noticed ages ago. Who knows. But in a column approximately two weeks ago, she answers two letters.
Dear Abby: Whoops, my wife's old boyfriend made a video of some of their private time together. Does she need to know?
Dear It's Private: Yes. And she will also want to know how you found out.
Dear Abby: I was mad that my husband withdrew from me and I did something I am ashamed of. He just found out. Now he actually says he wants to leave me, instead of just acting like it. Please tell everybody else to learn from my horrible example.
Dear Wife: Yeah, and maybe now you can find out why he withdrew, if you don't already know. It's not like you've got anything else to lose, and marriage comes with a commitment of investment of effort, in case he didn't know.
YOWZA! Way to go, Dear Abby. Way. To. Go. I totally want to say BaZINGa here, like Sheldon from the Big Bang Theory does, but, frankly, that is what Dear Abby is already saying as she writes gems like the above. All I can add is: Job. Well. Done.
Hopefully. I think some men can handle a little gentle criticism, some of the time. Don't we all want that to be part of the world we live in? People who want to be married should learn the best way to get it right, and women are not excepted from this expectation.
Composing this article has made painfully aware of one of the dynamics of some of my existential dilemmas.
Arguing is more stressful than pretending to care.
Pretending to care is less admirable than pretending to help.
Pretending to help is less satisfying than actually helping.
People don't always want help. I am one of them. HELP!
Please Please Please don't argue with me.
I've heard this song before this year, probably, but I really started loving it this summer, and I can't tell you why.
And I must now digress to tell you that I have a whole list of foods that I like that I can not adequately explain why. It's not long, and hopefully I haven't forgotten anything:
Artichokes
Marzipan
Fresh crab
These foods are totally weird to me. I can not really describe what it is about them that I like. Or the flavor.
Anyway, this song, basically parodies the Dear Abby advice column of my youth.
Dear Abby: I have a problem.
Dear Reader: Really? You think that is a problem?
In actual fact, the writers of Dear Abby are always WAY more classy. Sympathy or advice, whatever seems like it will help the most. Stating the obvious is totally endorsed, and probably even helpful, considering it is not clear that the people asking for advice know it all yet.
But lately, Dear Abby has stepped it up a notch.
I don't actually read the column often enough, or I might have noticed ages ago. Who knows. But in a column approximately two weeks ago, she answers two letters.
Dear Abby: Whoops, my wife's old boyfriend made a video of some of their private time together. Does she need to know?
Dear It's Private: Yes. And she will also want to know how you found out.
Dear Abby: I was mad that my husband withdrew from me and I did something I am ashamed of. He just found out. Now he actually says he wants to leave me, instead of just acting like it. Please tell everybody else to learn from my horrible example.
Dear Wife: Yeah, and maybe now you can find out why he withdrew, if you don't already know. It's not like you've got anything else to lose, and marriage comes with a commitment of investment of effort, in case he didn't know.
YOWZA! Way to go, Dear Abby. Way. To. Go. I totally want to say BaZINGa here, like Sheldon from the Big Bang Theory does, but, frankly, that is what Dear Abby is already saying as she writes gems like the above. All I can add is: Job. Well. Done.
Hopefully. I think some men can handle a little gentle criticism, some of the time. Don't we all want that to be part of the world we live in? People who want to be married should learn the best way to get it right, and women are not excepted from this expectation.
Composing this article has made painfully aware of one of the dynamics of some of my existential dilemmas.
Arguing is more stressful than pretending to care.
Pretending to care is less admirable than pretending to help.
Pretending to help is less satisfying than actually helping.
People don't always want help. I am one of them. HELP!
Please Please Please don't argue with me.
01 October, 2011
My bid for the presidency
Put down your forks and spoons. Put down your beverage. It will only take a minute.
It totally would not surprise me to end up President of the United States.
Unless you have to, I don't know, apply yourself.
This thought came to me as I was eating my lunch today. After I had corrected the problem of eating too fast. But only after I got a piece of rice stuck up in my sinus cavity. Don't ask.
WHILE I was licking my plate.
And it was SO hilarious. But I really have a lot going for me!
I am not very slutty. I don't have anything against sleeping around, don't get me wrong! And sleeping around could totally have solved some of my problems. But I really haven't done that much of it. Or frankly, enough it. We're talking years of accidental celibacy here, people.
And it seems like everyone is TOTALLY going to find out how slutty you are, if you run for president. With men, it doesn't really seem to matter that much. But I try not to expect fairness. I've got to play the hand that I'm dealt, and I actually like most of it.
I have plenty of time. Who knows how long I will live, but seriously, let's suppose that I am not far past my mid-life non-crisis. I have approximately 35-40 more years to work on the problem of getting elected. It usually takes a man longer than that, obviously. But I am starting with a TON of advantages.
Maybe I'll become a goat herder instead. It seems like it might be more difficult, but I'm SURE it uses many of the same strengths.
And it would not be as taxing on any of my weaknesses. Eating, sleeping, and bathing.
As I sit here, admiring my fine work, a miracle occurred. I sneezed, and the piece of rice came out of my nose! I can not tell you what a relief this is. Usually I end up with a sinus infection and grody discharges the like of which you can easily go find a picture of on the internet. Which I do not advise.
Eat carefully, people. You can thank me later.
It totally would not surprise me to end up President of the United States.
Unless you have to, I don't know, apply yourself.
This thought came to me as I was eating my lunch today. After I had corrected the problem of eating too fast. But only after I got a piece of rice stuck up in my sinus cavity. Don't ask.
WHILE I was licking my plate.
And it was SO hilarious. But I really have a lot going for me!
I am not very slutty. I don't have anything against sleeping around, don't get me wrong! And sleeping around could totally have solved some of my problems. But I really haven't done that much of it. Or frankly, enough it. We're talking years of accidental celibacy here, people.
And it seems like everyone is TOTALLY going to find out how slutty you are, if you run for president. With men, it doesn't really seem to matter that much. But I try not to expect fairness. I've got to play the hand that I'm dealt, and I actually like most of it.
I have plenty of time. Who knows how long I will live, but seriously, let's suppose that I am not far past my mid-life non-crisis. I have approximately 35-40 more years to work on the problem of getting elected. It usually takes a man longer than that, obviously. But I am starting with a TON of advantages.
- I can already feed myself, walk, talk, and use the lavatory. Not to mention reading and writing!
- I have a great rack. Seriously. It's not my best feature, but for some reason it gets a lot of attention.
- I think I have very few illusions. I'm not sure that this is actually an advantage, and I honestly prefer delusions a teeny tiny bit. As long as they are more fun than, you know, cynicism.
- I believe in god. AND I accept that it is not a rational belief. Theists and atheists alike will be overjoyed! Or at least not offended. Whatever.
- I love puppies and babies and will do almost anything to be a photo-op. I don't even care about the photo, though I will sit still for it.
- I still have time to get married and have a kid! This is not really an advantage, as I am not holding my breath. But, you know, if I did apply myself to the goal of becoming the president of the USA, this is TOTALLY the first thing I would do. Because single people without kids don't get a lot of credit for their contributions to society.
- I am not intimidated by anyone who knows better stuff. Bring it on, I am ready for it!
- I am a little bit phobic about looking like a fool, but not actually afraid of it. See my comments about sluts above.
- By the time I convince everyone else that I am a good nomination choice, I will probably be a little old lady. I really feel like a little old lady is more sympathetic to a lot of voters than any other kind of candidate. Is there any other rational explanation for Margaret Thatcher? And if I can give the impression that I can make us all safe as well? LANDSLIDE.
- I totally have all the best ideas about how to solve the worst problems ever.
Maybe I'll become a goat herder instead. It seems like it might be more difficult, but I'm SURE it uses many of the same strengths.
And it would not be as taxing on any of my weaknesses. Eating, sleeping, and bathing.
As I sit here, admiring my fine work, a miracle occurred. I sneezed, and the piece of rice came out of my nose! I can not tell you what a relief this is. Usually I end up with a sinus infection and grody discharges the like of which you can easily go find a picture of on the internet. Which I do not advise.
Eat carefully, people. You can thank me later.
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