« May 2005 | Main | July 2005 »
June 30, 2005
The Date
Surgery is scheduled for July 19th.
As I told riends, don't bother with cards and flowers. Send cash. And, food. Oh, and a maid. If you could manage, I'll take a really sexy male nurse, too.
Thanks!
By the way, that previous date that they tried to get me to take? They hadn't even received autho for the surgery yet. Glad I waited!
Posted by Da Goddess at 04:57 PM | Comments (6)
The Old Vet and Da Goddess
There's an older gentleman that I see almost every time I head out during the day. His name is Murray. And he's quite a character.
Murray is "86 years young this year," he says. "I'm a Marine. Retired, of course. Still a Marine. I'll be one til the day I die. Next to marrying my lovely Jeanne, it was the best decision I ever made in my life."
We've spoken on many occasions. I see him in restaurants and grocery stores. He always stops to say hello. He knows everyone in every shop in the three strip malls that run together in our neck of the woods. He walks from store to store, greeting each employee, every single day. He catches a couple shifts on his rounds. You see, he starts right after breakfast and continues on past dinner.
"These folks are like family. I know who's happy or sad. I know what who'll give me the first smile most days. This is what I do. I'm a people person. It's what keeps me from getting old. Well, that and knowing that at least one of my neighbors will need something from the store."
I asked him once about his wife.
He smiles and chuckles a bit. "She has her activities. She doesn't mind me being out and about as long as I don't bring another lady home with me."
I know about his children and his grandchildren. He's so proud of them all. Murray's pride and joy, though, is his son - a Marine Corps chaplain.
We sat and talked about his son's service in the Marine Corps. I asked him if he worried about his son being deployed and possibly injured or killed.
Looking me straight in the eye, he said, "I'm proud of that boy! He didn't have to become a Marine. Hell, he didn't have to become a chaplain either. He was called to it. He told me that. I believe it was his decision and I respect that. There's no finer calling than serving your fellow man, whether it be in the fight for Freedom or against the evils that man does. Sometimes those two things are one, sometimes they're not. Either way, I know my boy is out there helping those in need of guidance or comfort. He knows the risks and prays that his Lord might need him to help someone. He has faith that God will lead him where he's needed most. I can't argue with that. It's his calling."
Watching Murray speak, I could see his eyes light up. I asked if he missed the Corps.
"It's in my heart, young lady. It always will be." He smiled broadly and nodded his head. "I was part of history, you know. Just like our men and women who are out there today. We fought with the hope that we could make the world safer for our loved ones back at home. Keep the evil off our front porch. That's what those kids are doing now. The difference is, with all this new-fangled technology, danger creeps closer to our doors without us even knowing it. It happens while we sleep. It happens even though we're vigilant.
"Another thing that's different is that we used to think that getting rid of Hitler would keep evil away forever. I guess we didn't so much think that as much as we hoped that would be the case. Nowadays we know that there will always be people who don't play by our rules. You know, the rules of respecting other people even if they're different.
"My oldest daughter, she's one of those different ones. That's sort of another story though."
I asked him what he meant.
"She's gay," he replied. "In some countries that's a serious crime. She could be killed because of it. It's not what I would have chosen for her, but that's what was in the cards for her. Some people here don't like that. I don't pay them much attention. I just say a prayer each morning and every night that folks let her be. She's happy. She has a family. She has someone who loves her. Someone she loves right back. They've been together longer than my other daughter and son have been with their spouses. My other girl, well, she's been married three times. It's not what I would have chosen for her either. It's not my choice though. All my kids have the right to live as they choose. I fought for that, you know."
He sat there quietly for a few minutes, looking like he was about to say something else. Finally he sighed and shrugged. "That's how it is."
"I know what you mean," I replied.
Murray looked up at me and said, "you know what gets me? They're trying to ban flag burning again. That's silly. I fought for people to be able to do that, as crazy as it seems that anyone would want to do it. It's their right. I think it's horrible, but I know we can handle some charred scraps of cloth. We're strong! We can survive. As a country we can withstand the ashes. What we can't survive is buildings crumbling to the ground because of some crazy men halfway around the world thinking our way of life is wrong. We can't survive with all those people dying in burning buildings."
"What about the people who say that we're sending our children off to die in other countries in battles we have no business fighting?" I asked.
"Pure rubbish!" He practically yelled. "We've lost fewer people in this war than in any other. Some of these damn folks who yell and carry on about all the dead don't seem to get it. They don't understand that people will die no matter what we do. It's better to fight and die than to sit around twiddling our thumbs while the world goes to hell all around us.
"Look at those people in Afghanistan or Iraqistan who go out to greet our military folks with tears of joy and flowers and hugs! Those are people who understand that freedom is better than waiting for death to show up on their doorsteps. They know! They know. They know better than anyone sitting here in their comfortable houses with their air conditioning and refrigerated food. We pay more for food and vet bills for our pets than some of those folks overseas ever see in a year. They're the ones who get it. Not these people who have king size beds, the ones who shop at Ikea and Sears. Anyone who says otherwise just doesn't know."
I offer to buy Murray a cup of coffee and he declines. "These people around here make sure I never go thirsty. I told you, they're like family."
I had to laugh. You can't argue with that.
We sat and talked a bit longer about his children and his life in the service, but he was getting fidgety.
He reached out for my hand and gave it a squeeze. "I enjoyed talking with you today, but I have to finish my rounds now before the next shift comes in. I'll see you again real soon, you know."
I know, Murray. I know. I look forward to it.
"Keep that little man of yours busy, okay?" he called as he walked off. "Tell him I said 'Semper Fi!'"
Of course, I will.
Posted by Da Goddess at 12:10 AM | Comments (10)
June 29, 2005
Quick Update
Thanks to a very kind friend (who asked to remain anonymous), I now have the capability to compute from the sofa on a regular basis. I had, on rare occasion, borrowed a friend's laptop. Now, there's one here all the time.
It's very cool. Wireless internet access, more fun games (including Hearts, which I've missed), and updated versions of Adobe Reader. You have no idea how nice it is to work with REAL programs instead of the stuff that's on this computer.
To my sweet friend - your kindness is greatly appreciated and I know that good things will come your way. I promise to take very good care of the computer and to wrap it up real pretty before I send it on to the next person on the list.
As I discovered after my injury, when I'm stuck indoors for days on end with pain, my only real connection to the world is through the computer. Sometimes the phone just doesn't cut it - especially on a tight budget.
I don't know how I will ever repay your thoughtfulness. I'll think of something...(give me a hint!)
Thank you, my sweet friend. One day, some day, I'll be able to give you a great big hug and buy you a beer.
Always grateful,
DG
P.S. Waiting for tech support to hook me up and help transfer some files so that I'm fully operational. OOOOOH! This is so exciting!
Posted by Da Goddess at 01:28 AM | Comments (7)
June 24, 2005
Did you get the memo?
For some reason, the movie "Office Space" seems to feature heavily in my life. The boss at my last base had a management style that was identical to the boss in Office Space. I actually have a red Swingline stapler on my desk. I also frequently hear "Yeah, I'm going to need you to come in on Saturdy."
My ruined weekends are usually the fallout of someone being incredibly unlucky or very, VERY stupid. Either way, it always seems that the bad stuff happens on Friday afternoons when my boss is out of town. Nothing bad really seems to happen Saturday-Thursday. Fridays tend to be pretty good most of the time. It's just that fatal combination when the boss is gone on Friday. I think I need to nail his feet to the floor before the weekends.
Today's nightmare falls into the category of stupidity. We have a fun shop called Non-Destructive Inspections, hereafter reffered to as NDI in the interests of reducing carpel tunnel syndrome. NDI has a bunch of toys that are fun to play with, depending on what they need to test. The most dangerous toy (from a health perspective)in their inventory is the portable X-ray unit used to peek at the insides of airplanes. Now, while a little radiation isn't too bad for you, the tube used to shoot through that much metal is capable of pushing so much power that a person can exceed their maximum safe annual dose in a matter of minutes if they are in the wrong spot.
To prevent this, a lot of safety precautions are standard operating procedure whenever NDI is out playing on a jet. They cordon off the area, post warning signs, place big orange traffic cones with flashing lights on top and signs explaining what is going on, what the hazards are and HUGE radiation warning labels. Our NDI shop is really good about warning people, so much so that they go above the minimum requirements and put two, yes two, sets of these warning cones up, then evacuate personnel from the entire building before lighting up the x-ray tube. The first set of cones is placed at the entrance to the hanger area where the shot takes place, the second set is placed outside the exterior doors of the building to keep you out of the building while the work is being performed.
Ok, for the second time in 2 months, we have had a potential Darwin Award winner completely disregard the first set of cones, enter the building, breeze right past the cone with the flashing light, radiation sign and locked doors (damn those pesky master keys!), walk into the hanger and then stand pretty much over the tube head while looking for someone to talk to.
Any potential overexposure requires an immediate investigation, complete with notification to, and oversight from, our Major Command Headquarters in Langley, VA. In the 9 years I have been in, I have only seen a whopping total of 4 investigations. Unfortunately, 3 have been within the last 6 months at this one base. Things are not well in the land of Oz. No matter how hard you try to get the mesasge out, there always seems to be that small percentage that feels the rules are for everyone else.
Ah well, I guess they didn't get the memo. Please excuse me while I go file my TPS reports.
Posted by TSgt at 06:37 PM | Comments (0)
Orange
Posted by Da Goddess at 03:49 AM | Comments (7)
A Song's Best Friend, John Denver Remembered
When I was growing up, John Denver was as much a part of my life as my mom and dad were. His music could be heard coming over the little am/fm radio in my bedroom. His songs were sung around the fire when I was off camping with the Girl Scouts. He was everywhere. And, with good reason.
Denver had the ability to turn a simple song into a warm embrace. A song meant comfort and home. It was a connection to nature or to a sense of being.
Remarkably, his songs stand the test of time.
The DVD, A Song's Best Friend, John Denver Remembered, captures the singer-songwriter at his best. With loving words from Annie Denver, producer Milt Okun, manager Hal Thau, and many others, we are led on an enchanting tour of his world. Vintage footage and voice overs from Denver himself are included, making for a very intimate stroll down memory lane.
The sound quality of the DVD is exceptional, as is the video production. It's a real treat!
After watching the DVD many times over, I couldn't help but think of what John Denver might have contributed to music had it not been for the tragic accident that claimed his life. While we will never be able to realize that dream, this loving tribute is here to remind us that Denver brought us sunshine, beauty, and a passion for life with every song.
Whether you're a fan of John Denver's music or not, his legacy is collection of rich music with heart unlikely to be recreated by any of today's artists.
Also posted at BlogCritics.org
Posted by Da Goddess at 01:41 AM | Comments (1)
June 22, 2005
Letters, We Get Letters
Back on my post "Irked", Brenda just left a comment bemoaning the lies, more lies, and the horrible government we have. Mind you, she had to dig through June's post to get to this one from May. She rants about our illegal war and....well, you get the picture. I'm calling bullshit on this one. Again.
Let me make this easy for everyone - this is what she wrote:
The parents should be asked if they want their children talking to a recruiter. We went into this war based on a lie. And we are getting slaughtered and they are no better off than they were before. They should be honest with the kids my son was in Iraq for over a year and he is changed. He said he would not recommend his sister or brother joining.He thought when he signed up he would have money to pay for school, okay he was sent over not long after that his best friend was killed the first month. Every time the phone rings you wonder if they are calling about your child. and I will bet these people that say we belong over there, their children are not in the service. The question we should ask is these kids are signing up because they are telling them they are going to get this big bonus and college paid for, how many of these kids think it is worth when their friends die and won't be able to go to college or in their mind can't forget what happened over there and what they have seen? Is this worth any amount of money our great government is offering? Ifit is so worth it,how come our governments kids are not over there our presidents children included. I thank God my child came back alive, I wish I could take away all he has seen. Now recruiters be honest with these kids and their parents some of these kids will not come back alive and your whole family will be turned upside down while your child is over there fighting to stay alive in a war that should never have taken place.
Now, here's my response:
Brenda - Sorry, your rant holds no water.You can't honestly tell me that anyone over the age of 5 doesn't understand that military service (especially right now) involves the potential for armed conflict.
Your bitterness over your son's service really doesn't honor the commitment he made.
If you had a say in his enlistment, if he was under 18, you should have spoken up before the papers were signed. If he was over 18 and didn't bother to run this past you, enlisted on his own, and then regrets his decision - 1) he has no one to blame but himself, and 2) if he did this without talking to you, it says a lot about the type of relationship you have.
C'mon, let's be honest here. You wanted to troll. Why else would you have dug up this post? It wasn't even on the front page. Don't try to play me on this one, sister. It all boils down to YOUR agenda. You don't like this president, you don't like the military, and you don't like that your son went and did something that didn't match up to what you wanted for him. Remember, if he regrets his decision, he has no one else to blame except the one he sees in the mirror. He should have thought about enlisting a lot longer than he did. See my super brilliant, but oh-so-elementary observation (in bold letters) above.
I want Frank to have a word with Brenda. Rita, too.
Posted by Da Goddess at 04:02 PM | Comments (14)
What The Hell Is That Thing?
One of my favorite endings to a show, aside from the Two and a Half Men "Squab" episode, was when Steve Martin hosted SNL. He came out in biballs and was squinting, tilting his head this way and that. He kept asking, "What the hell is that? What the hell is that thing? What the hell is that darn thing?"
Anyhow, if you think you know what the photo above is, leave a comment.
Here's the full image, in case you doubted what it was
Posted by Da Goddess at 02:34 AM | Comments (9)
June 20, 2005
Some things really piss me off...
I happened to be reading my daily dose of blogs on Friday, when I came across the following gem at Dr. Eric Alterman's blog Altercation on MSNBC.com
Name: Justin LeBlanc
Hometown: Seoul, Korea
That's it, I've had it. I'm tired of going on line and reading about all these people who attack Bush and his administration's policies for going to war with Iraq. I'm a soldier and I think that we did the right thing and still think we are. I challenge you (Dr. Alterman) and any other liberal who cares more about Europe's opinion than our own country's safety to reply to this email. Yes, we are in a war and people die. I'll certainly be heading over to fight in the sandbox soon enough when I complete my tour here in Korea. We took out one of the most hostile individuals of my generation. We took out a ruthless dictator who got his kicks off raping his neighbors and killing his own citizens. People want to characterize Gitmo as the "gulag" of our times; well, Hussein was the "Stalin" of our times. I really don't care whether we found weapons of mass destruction. Whether he had them or not is no concern of mine. What's of more concern to me is my family's safety years from now. What's of more concern to me is the shape of the Middle East decades from now. Iraq is a democracy and lets begin to celebrate that. I'm certain we'll be seeing sweeping changes, all for the better, in that region over the next 20 years that we previously thought we wouldn't see in our lifetime. I hope, when it is all said and done, you congratulate the President on taking measures he thought were necessary to keep our country and our planet safe. One day, a few decades from now, you and your "progressives" (if you can honestly call yourselves that) are going to have to own up to the fact that what the President did, however difficult, was good for Iraq, good for the Middle East, good for us, and good for the planet. Oh, answer me this Dr. Alterman, how many people did Saddam kill? Oh, that's right, you can't answer that - THEY'RE STILL COUNTING!
This got me a little riled up, hence my following response that Dr. Alterman was kind enough to publish today:
Dr. Alterman,
In response to the e-mail you published from Mr. LeBlanc, I would like to offer the following response: Mr. LeBlanc, you may be a soldier in the U.S. military; I am glad that you are not a disgrace to my own branch of the service. My experiences since I have worn the uniform have led me to believe that we are the best and most professional military force in the world, however your apparent doctrine of the ends justifying the means is doing as much to challenge my beliefs as the idiots at Abu Ghraib. We are supposed to hold ourselves to the highest standards. We receive annual training in military standards, the Law of Armed Conflict amongst others, and at all times are supposed to live up to the core values of our profession. We are not supposed to use the moral character of our opponents as an excuse for behavior that falls outside of those standards. Your statement trivializing the comments on Guantanamo Bay simply because "Hussein was the 'Stalin' of our times" shows that you have paid little attention to the training and the core values of the U.S. Army. There is no honor in mistreating prisoners. There is no integrity in breaking the law, simply because you want information or rationalize it as applying the enemies' rules against them. There is no courage or selfless service displayed, no duty or loyalty to anything other than the egos of those doing wrong. Any respect that we might have had in the areas surrounding the prison has been severely, if not irreparably, damaged. The same flaw runs through the rest of your argument. If you truly believe that the ends justify the means, then you yourself are no better than Stalin or any other despot that figures he can do no wrong. I have served in Iraq. I know the good that we can and have done in the lives of the Iraqi population. I also know that any good that we do is enhanced or ruined by HOW we accomplish that good.
So, what do you guys think? Was I too harsh, totally out of my head, or right on target?
Posted by TSgt at 05:18 PM | Comments (13)
June 18, 2005
French Frye
Someone campaigning for Donna Frye, the latest and very tired mayoral race in San Diego, showed up on my doorstep earlier.
"Don't even bother," I said.
"But, don't you want to hear how Donna Frye is going to save San Diego?" he asked in earnest.
"She's a big part of the problem, dude! Don't you get that? She's cost us more money than she's worth."
He stammered and sputtered. He had no way to answer that.
I looked him straight in the eye and declared, "I'd rather have Michael Jackson watch my kid than ever........EVER vote for her. You know, maybe Michael Jackson should run for mayor. I bet he'd get more votes than she would. In fact, I think he has more common sense than she does. And he takes better care of his skin, too."
At that point, he turned beet red, eyes rolling back in his head, and started shaking.
"Don't say another word, man. Just blink once for yes, twice for no if you need me to call you an ambulance."
He backed away, slowly at first. Then he turned and ran.
Do you think it was something I said?
Posted by Da Goddess at 03:56 PM | Comments (15)
No Cameras
The Del Mar San Diego County Fair - REO Speedwagon in concert. It's free with admission to the fair, unless you want to pay an arm and a leg for dinner and special seating. My friend and I stand off to the right of the reserved seats amid the crowd of people who, like us, don't want to go up to the free grandstand seats above. As we walked in there were signs everywhere stating NO CAMERAS. Being a good girl, I put my camera away. Being a free-thinking, independent woman, I took it out again once the show started.
Here you can get a better sense of how far away we were from the stage - and this was slightly zoomed in. Thank goodness for that 10x optical zoom!
After the show, we went to sit so that my back could stop screaming obscenities at me. Once the pain meds kicked in, I was able to get up and walk around with my friend's daughter. The fair has changed a lot, but not so much that I didn't remember what it was like to be a kid amongst all the rides and midway games. I got photos of those as well and will eventually edit them. For now, I'm just really pleased with the way the concert photos turned out.
Posted by Da Goddess at 05:54 AM | Comments (12)
June 16, 2005
Tagged
I've been tagged by Rita to list the 5 things I miss from childhood. After absolutely no consideration, here it goes:
5. Running through the woods in Ohio, and the canyons in California.
4. The way my grandmother's house always smelled on Sundays before dinner.
3. Paper dolls.
2. Oil cloth
1. The encouragement to be creative in everything I did, including living, from my mother. "Look at the world through your eyes, not someone else's - but never forget that someone else is also looking."
Now let's see. I'm supposed to take her list of links, take off one and add one:
April
Connie
Walls Come Tumbling Down
Res Ipsa Loquitur
Da Goddess
And now to pass it on....do I even know five people who will actually read this???
Anton might check in
The Gardenwife might take it for a spin
David might be by
Maybe Amanda might want to try
And why not call on the ever-daring Madame Butterfly?
Posted by Da Goddess at 04:17 PM | Comments (5)
Book Review - Losing Hope
Hope Evans has it all – a wonderful loving husband, a beautiful little girl, a nice home in the suburbs, and a fabulous job that utilizes all her talents. Everything is perfect, until the morning she forgets her purse and her cell phone.
Car trouble forces Hope to the side of the road. Stranded, Hope's decision to seek help turns her frustrating morning into her worst nightmare. Forced into a life she didn't choose, she struggles to come to grips with her new surroundings.
While her husband searches desperately for her, Hope fights memories of the safety of the home and family she loves in order to survive. Can she suppress the repulsion she feels for her captor enough to be convincing? Follow along as Hope's husband and the authorities race against time – before Hope is lost forever.
I actually read Losing Hope straight through in a scant two-and-a-half hours. The dialog is stilted at the beginning and there are a couple of passages that are a bit awkward, but the story pulls you in and carries you along with more ease than I had anticipated after the first two chapters. While I didn't care for the last chapter, the final paragraph in particular, Morning Todd has created a fairly compelling story perfect for the beach, poolside, or an extended flight. With her first novel under her belt, it will be interesting to see where Martha Morning Todd goes from here.
Losing Hope
Martha Morning Todd
Book from iUniverse, Inc.
Release date: 06 March, 2005
Also posted at BlogCritics.org
Posted by Da Goddess at 03:37 AM | Comments (1)
June 14, 2005
Nerdy
Posted by Da Goddess at 12:30 AM | Comments (2)
June 13, 2005
Shtuff
You've all heard this story before, and sadly, many of you have experienced it first-hand.
You're barreling along with a good post and the computer hiccups. Post lost.
Sigh.
Here's the gist of what I was attempting to write:
1) Good people do exist.
Today, at the bank my car let me know it was desperate for oil. Knowing full-well how my car is, I always carry a few quarts around with me. I lifted the hood (ugh) and attempted to remove the oil cap. Not happening. I cursed under my breath and prayed for a miracle. I tried again. Nope. Still nothing. A man walked out of the bank and walked to the car beside me. Figuring that I had nothing to lose, I asked if he could help. He came over and struggled a bit with the cap himself. After a few attempts, he managed to get the cap off and asked if he could do anything else for me. I said no and thanked him. Off he went on his merry way. To that kind stranger I say THANK YOU!
2) If it's not one thing, it's another.
My dad has been settling in at home. He's happily recovering despite some odd redness and swelling and tons of antibiotics. Since he's at home, he doesn't much care. He's no longer the source of my worry.
My mom spent the weekend in the hospital. No one bothered to call and tell me this. I found out from my dad. Anyway, in a nutshell, my mom's back went out. She spent a couple days in traction and is now back at home. We're still not on the best of terms but it looks like this is the time to make a surprise visit and spread some cheer. I'll have a captive audience. Should be interesting.
3) Pleasant surprises abound.
Exhibit A: Little Dude and I headed to the zoo on Saturday to meet up with the lovely Rita and her family. I finally got to meet one of my favorite online friends. The extra special bonus - WildChild was with them. He and LD hit it off immediately. As we said our goodbyes, WildChild threw his arms around LD and said he wasn't ready to say goodbye. It was very sweet. Even though Rita and I were both fighting fatigue and pain, we had a very nice afternoon. Hopefully, the next time they visit, she and I will be in better shape.
Exhibit B: After dropping LD off at his dad's house, I came home, took a pain pill, and rested. My friend was due over in a couple of hours. We had planned on going to see Tab Benoit play. Plans changed once Jeff arrived and we decided it would be better to head over to a nearby bar. A local band was playing and we both wanted to see them. I'd found their website on accident while working on the gig calendar a month or so ago and had exchanged a number of emails with the lead singer. The guitar player for the group had a familiar name but I couldn't tell from the photo if it was the same person I knew from the old neighborhood. I knew I'd find out for certain once we met the band.
Shortly after our arrival, the guitarist was walking by and stopped in front of me. That look of recognition was quickly followed by "Wow! How weird is this?" I felt like a school girl all over again. All those memories of my carefree youth came flooding back. If you've ever wondered about my affection for ducks, wonder no more. This guy is the reason. He showed up at my house on my birthday with ducklings he'd rescued from the middle of the street.
The best part of the whole evening came with the potential for some photography work for the band. Woo hoo!
Exhibit C: The Gardenwife solved a giant mystery for me. Saving me from myself, she was kind enough to answer some questions regarding photo editing. She recommended a couple programs and then, when I told her which one I was currently using, pointed out a function I didn't even know was available to me. Thank you, GW! No more long hours spent slaving over resizing and attempting to rid myself of .jpg artifact.
4) The MJ verdict today wasn't really surprising. From the little I saw on this, and from the way the whole thing unfolded, I knew that the evidence presented wouldn't be enough to convince a jury that Jackson did very bad things to children. However, in a lesson learned the hard way, this case pointed out what should have been obvious to us all along.
As parents, we have have the responsibility to keep our children as safe as possible. No amount of celebrity should ever blind a parent enough that they would willing hand their kids over to someone who leads such a bizarre life. The parents are as much to blame for the damage done to their children as the offender. Regardless of the trial, there will be people stupid enough to expose their offspring to this man again.
No matter who you are, if you have children, you are a protecter first and foremost. Remember that.
5) We've had one attempt at setting a surgery time. The scheduler called to tell me there was an opening on 6-21. No can do for me. With my mom's problems, my son still in school, and my sister's vacation coming up, there's no way we could pull that one off. He said he'd call back later this week with something for early July.
I hated having to nix the date, but my dad still can't easily take care of the bird and there are other arrangements to be made. I'll need to figure out who can come help me for a day or two. Fabulous Frank has a solution for one of my concerns and I'm very grateful for his suggestion and offer.
The way this is all coming together, I have a small window of opportunity to get my ducks in a row. (Sorry, I had to say it!)
6) Review material has been flooding in over the last few days. I managed to read one of the books this morning and should be able to get a review up by the weekend. Time and Vicodin are on my side. Got some great music, which I promise to bore you all with. Yeah, there's even a little John Denver in there. Bwahahahahaha! (I'm mean that way.)
7) One of my friends sent me a book he wrote on conservation. It's not part of my BlogCritics booty, but I'm going to review it for him anyway. It's full of beautiful photos and practical solutions to the man vs. animal struggle we face today.
8) Earthquake, schmearthquake. I rolled over and went back to sleep.
Ahh, the simple life - it's such a good thing sometimes.
So that's it from me. I'm assuming you all did wonderful things this past weekend. Feel free to leave a comment and fill me in on what I missed.
Posted by Da Goddess at 09:58 PM | Comments (4)
June 10, 2005
Liner Notes
Gotta thank everyone who made Vegas possible: My friends John and Beth - for the plane ticket; Dusty and her hubby - for getting a good rate on the room for me and for picking me up at McCarran; Tara - cuz she's a mover and a shaker; the Smashes - for the rides ("ground transportation provided by"); the nice man at the airport who pushed my wheelchair; Tony B. - because he's absolutely the sweetest and coolest dude on earth; Dennis - for the warm welcome and always being there for the guys; Kenny Kramme - for taking time to stop and talk to my friend's son ("I met a real live rock star!") and for that kick ass solo; Eric Czar - (is this the part where I'm supposed to call you the best bassist in the world???) who is the greatest bass player I've ever seen and also being the (is it sexiest?) sexiest rock star in the world; Lea - for being an absolute angel; and super big thanks to Joe Bonamassa - because without him, I'd be without so many of the wonderful blessings in my life. He provided the soundtrack and the rest fell into place.
Really.
Without Joe, I wouldn't know many of the folks I now consider family. It all started with a blind date mentioning Joe's name. Sure, that guy's history, as is the first guy with whom I ever saw Joe, and the second (although, technically, he didn't make it in time to see Joe play.) Other than that, the family has only continued to grow and grow.
Posted by Da Goddess at 11:08 PM | Comments (3)
June 06, 2005
The Verdict Is In
After half a day of rigorous examination by a physician's assistant and a surgeon, it's a done deal. Surgery.
Full fusion for a section of my spine should relieve the pain and other symptoms I've experienced since I first injured my back.
I got tons of answers and, more importantly, I can see a glimmer of light on the horizon.
I know what I'm up against and know what has to be done. It all makes sense now and that's what I needed. Especially after a very painful, sleepless night.
So, there it is. Surgery. When? Probably around the beginning of the month. I can deal with that.
Posted by Da Goddess at 05:14 PM | Comments (15)
June 04, 2005
Steam Engine
Steam Engine - Photo Friday entry for "Rare"
Posted by Da Goddess at 06:14 PM | Comments (1)
Quick Pics
This moth was hanging out on our screen door for several days. It seemed like he got bigger every time I looked at him.
Posted by Da Goddess at 01:35 AM | Comments (8)
A Matter Of Time
It was just a matter of time. Yes, the local "activist" community has finally lost it. They've decided to go after 5 San Diego personalities because they support the "Save The Cross" drive.
The area personalities includes KFMB radio talk show host Rick Roberts, KOGO radio talk show host Roger Hedgecock, San Diego Padres baseball club announcer Jerry Coleman, Congressman Randy ‘Duke’ Cunningham, and SoledadNational.com Director Phil Thalheimer. All five men recently signed off on the wording for the July 26th citywide initiative.
The highly offensive wording?
McElroy claims that a number of their statements on the ballot are “false and misleading.” Some statements at issue include, “as in the case with Mount Soledad, wherever veterans are honored with the symbols of the fallen, an intolerant few will launch frivolous lawsuits that waste our tax dollars ” Another statement the atheist lawyer is challenging says, “in 2004, the President of the United States signed legislation designating the Mount Soledad site as a ‘National War Memorial’, necessitating the land transfer.” Other wording that will be legally challenged includes the sentence, “Vote Yes to transfer the land to the federal government and to permanently preserve Mount Soledad - as it is where it is.”
Let's face it. The issue isn't really the monument on Mt. Soledad. It's not the wording of the initiative. What this boils down to is that people like Rick Roberts and Roger Hedgecock are popular conservative talk show hosts. Popular, meaning they have an audience. And, get this...both have allowed the San Diego chapter of Protest Warrior to appear on their shows. The fact is, the people filing this suit (and trust me, others will follow), disagree with the ideals and values...the politics of these men and that's why they're suing.
Tell me there isn't some sour grapes on the part of the "activist" community here.
The simple fact is, these so-called progressive folks have nothing better to do than to try and take down anyone who disagrees with them.
I find just about everything on KLSD (quit laughing at those initials), our local "progressive" station, to be little more than drivel. However, instead of suing, I just don't turn it on. To be honest, I can't always listen to Hedgecock or Roberts because they get on my nerves. I do the same thing I do with the ultra-left station...I turn it off.
It's amazingly liberating. That whole "I control my radio/tv/computer or what I am willing to deal with on the streets" thing...if I don't like something, I don't sue over it! I turn it off, walk away, or even go grumble to myself in the shower about it.
People have the right to express themselves, on the street, on television, and on the radio. The "activist" community better stop and reconsider what the words "free speech" really mean to them. If it applies to them, it applies to everyone.
It's only a matter of time before they learn that. I hope.
Posted by Da Goddess at 12:23 AM | Comments (8)
June 02, 2005
Pt. Loma Lighthouse
This is one of my favorite shots ever. I took this several days ago while I was in a great deal of pain. I needed to get out of the house because I just couldn't take being cooped up any longer. I headed to the lighthouse after driving through Ft. Rosecrans again.
Initially, I didn't think I was going to capture anything usable when I took this photo. Sometimes it's good to be wrong.
Posted by Da Goddess at 12:56 AM | Comments (4)
June 01, 2005
World Photo Day
It was world photo day today.
I was very fortunate in that I got to spend the evening with Little Dude, the Smashes, and Justene from CalBlog. I sincerely hope that all forgive my disjointed blithering idiot act. Dinner at Rockbottom, a walk to Horton Plaza, and then a quick drive home.
The one shot missing...the guy on the giant bicycle that LD and I spotted driving to the Smashes' house. It would have been a classic shot, but I don't think the people I'd have had to run over to get it would have appreciated my pursuit of "art."
Actual image used for the project?
Posted by Da Goddess at 11:01 PM | Comments (4)
Homework
From the files of Little Dude
We're heading out for space training. Hold on to your hats because it's going to be a fast and crazy ride!
Day One
Rocketry day. You get to launch rockets.
Day Two
Astronaut training day. You get to eat freeze-dried food. (I don't like freeze-dried food. I turn all green.)
Day Three
Micro-gravity day. You can ride in a weightless chair. (I throw up in Nic's helmet after.)
Day Four
Technology day. You get to play with robots. (I got a little too close and one of the robots slugged me.)
Day Five
Mission day. You get to go in a make believe cockpit. The countdown to launch is really cool. And you know what? It wasn't make believe after all. Catch you later!
This was a storyboard exercise that he later fleshed out into a full story. It was pretty cool. Hopefully the rest of the story will come home with him so I can add it to this part.
Posted by Da Goddess at 04:59 PM | Comments (0)