I can't figure out if I've really been that busy or if I have a mental block against posting...or if there's just so many ideas running around in my ADHD-addled brain that I can't figure out what I want to post on. If I posted on every little idea that staggers along, there'd be a kabillion and one little, disjointed posts. I have a notebook with me, but usually when I'm thinking about such things, I can't write...you know, potty breaks, on the bus, etc. (I can't read, write, crochet, or use the computer in a moving vehicle or I get seasick).
Recently I've had posts in mind about obesity, politics, religion...huh...what else is new...but also my house, products, decorating, sewing, etc, etc. *sighs* I guess if I can't actually DO those things, I can waste time writing about them eh?
In tech news, Microsoft has done some king of weird merge with Instant Messenger (IM) and all your social media. The result...crap. I use my Hotmail account for two things (well, three, if you count IM): Facebook and for those things online where you don't want to put your REAL email account. I don't want it, or FB connecting to everything else I have. It's not that I have anything to hide, per se, but there are elements of my life I'd just really not like terribly public, you know? FB is my public face. I have friends who are co-workers, students in our department, relatives, friends who are not necessarily in my "inner circle," as it were, and I'd rather the two worlds not collide. although a couple of my close family read this site, I'd really like to keep the rest of the fambly blissfully ignorant of it. R says-re work and the 'net--to get ready for the "cloud." WTF-ever the "cloud" is. I neither want nor need my life clouded, thank you very much. There is a sufficient number of people, were they to stumble across this site and read it, who could quite handily figure out who I am. That's fine, I have no problem with that, but I don't want to advertise.
I have an LJ account and I've not posted out there in ages. Every once in a blue moon, I go out and catch up on everyone's posts (I have about 6 or 7 friends there), but haven't felt compelled to post. I've even been half-tempted to delete my FB account recently, after a mutual FB/LJ friend (and a very close personal friend) posted that some of her FB friends should "shut [our] cakeholes" in response to a comment on FB, and a vicious attack by a guy I went to HS with. (Did you know, all you liberals, that we're un-American, stupid, ignorant, uneducated morons? Makes me wonder how the hell I graduated from one of the top universities in this country in a fairly difficult degree, with a high GPA and how I got the job I have, with the military, no less...dang...I'm such an un-American moron. Ppfftt)
The cakehole thing is a perfect example of the anonymity of the internet. While this friend might have gotten testy with me in person for saying something (and trust me, it really wasn't that bad), she never would have gone off on anyone the way she did on the 'net. (To put my feelings in perspective, she said several people had made comments, but as far as I could see, I was the only one.) Perhaps I'm overreacting; it has been known to happen and I will admit the post was not directed at me personally, but I still was hurt.
(For the record, I find the terms "piehole" and "cakehole" to be extremely rude and offensive, so perhaps that added to the overall feeling of hurtness. Dunno. They're just words I never use, kind of like "scumbag," or "douchebag." Just.plain.rude.)
I find, in general, that we say things--well type them--behind the shield of the 'net that we would never, ever in a million years say person to person. Makes me wonder if WWIII will be caused by two or three heads of state going at each other via e-mail some day.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Sunday, October 17, 2010
And then again...
I had some brilliant discussion going in my head (I won't tell you where I was, but I've heard it said 'tis the seat of all brilliant thought) and had no paper suitable for writing, so of course, now hours later, I can't recall it. Something to do with questioning the authority of That Book.
There are many misbeliefs concerning religion, spirituality, and religion vs. spirituality. The best definition I heard--I'd credit it, but I can't remember where I read it, although I'm pretty sure it was Dianne Sylvan's preliminary intro for her maybe new non-fic work, but she's taken the link down, so I can't check it--is that religion is public, what you do in a group, it's the trappings, the ritual, the building (if any), codified thought, etc. Whereas spirituality is private, between you and your deity(ies). It could, therefore, be argued that an Atheist has a religion: public "averrance" (is that a word? Apparently, a lot of people think so on the 'nets, but in fact, it's not) that there is no god, goddess, higher being, deity, divine one, insert euphemism of your choice, and that by the very nature of that faith, there can be no spiritual side to Atheism. On the other hand, I suppose it could follow that spiritually, the Atheist believes there's no god, that is his/her personal belief and because there is no god, there cannot be a religion because there's no church, no dogma, ritual or buildings....except that they DO have dogma, trappings, a library...so it fits the requirements of a religion.
I have no issues with Atheism, it's as valid a belief system as any out there. And just as filled with misinformation, hatred, and misunderstanding as the next set of beliefs. I think the funniest thing I've seen on their "official" site is "religion is ridiculous." *snorts* Well...you've just said your belief system is ridiculous. Like it or not, if you believe "religion" is a belief system, then Atheism does in fact fall into the category of religion, although etymologically, I'm incorrect. I will continue to think of a faith in the absence of [euphemism of choice] and the public trappings of that faith constitute a religion, a religion without spirituality.
It would be amusing, if it weren't so scary, to watch the two sides, the RTCs* and the Atheists slug it out, metaphorically speaking of course. And...the RTCs wouldn't be alone. There would be the RTMs, the RTJs, the RTPs** to name a few, all against the Atheists, and then when the As had been suitably reprogrammed, the RTXs would start on each other. I think we Pagans would just kind of roll our eyes at all of them and hare off to the woods to have a bit of fun, letting everyone else self-destruct.
Ah, such fancies I amuse myself with. Where was I? Oh yes, That Book. I don't knock That Book (TB), it has some rather worthwhile things in it, neither do I think it's a record of who hung the moon and stars...well, perhaps Who, but not how. I do not see TB as the be-all, end-all, definitive authority on AEU*** Objectively, how can it be? I mean really, if the RTCs would get their collective heads out of their collective asses, they'd realize this. Hey, far be it from me to try and convince them...as long as they return the favor. I think that's my take on almost all religions. As long as you aren't sacrificing small children or animals, do whatever the fargle you want to do, just don't try to push your twaddle off on me. If I'm...whoa...I just had a lightbulb moment...If I'm destined to be one with X-faith, I will find it. Someone correct me, but I believe that the Xtians are the only religious bunch who proselytize...everyone else takes the stand that you can come seek us out. Pagans don't, Muslims don't, I know Baha'i don't... Jews don't, neither do Hindus, Buddhists... The lunatic fringe groups don't count, btw...being lunatic fringe by definition requires you to seek out adherents and then suck them in by whatever means. I would list those I consider dangles in that fringe, but lunatic trolls are not my faves.
As you can tell, none of this is very intellectual, or researched; really more just ramblings about the absurdities in the world. Why is religion so important? Why have so many died in the name of religion, yet we keep coming back to it? I can't dismiss the idea of the Whole being greater that the sum of its parts. The Divine is that which ever was, is, and ever will be....everything, every neutrino, atom, molecule, person, place, or thing. Throughout the Universe, not just in our tiny speck of a galaxy, let alone this microscopic rock we tenuously hold onto. That solidarity makes me connected to the RTCs, the As, the Agnostics, the lunatic fringe...the whole lot of them, here and on planet Xenon. My atoms are filled with the Energy that became the Universe, whether you believe it just banged into existence, was created in six days by a curious Old Man with a Beard, or carefully orchestrated into a dynamic,self-supporting mystery by a Source so unimaginably vast that the Universe just giggles every time we state "By God! This is the Way It Happened!"
*Real True Christians as out-lined in Slacktivist.
**Muslims, Jews, and Pagans, respectively (pardon me while I omit the other 90 kabillion recognized faiths of the world)
***Absolutely Everything in the Universe
There are many misbeliefs concerning religion, spirituality, and religion vs. spirituality. The best definition I heard--I'd credit it, but I can't remember where I read it, although I'm pretty sure it was Dianne Sylvan's preliminary intro for her maybe new non-fic work, but she's taken the link down, so I can't check it--is that religion is public, what you do in a group, it's the trappings, the ritual, the building (if any), codified thought, etc. Whereas spirituality is private, between you and your deity(ies). It could, therefore, be argued that an Atheist has a religion: public "averrance" (is that a word? Apparently, a lot of people think so on the 'nets, but in fact, it's not) that there is no god, goddess, higher being, deity, divine one, insert euphemism of your choice, and that by the very nature of that faith, there can be no spiritual side to Atheism. On the other hand, I suppose it could follow that spiritually, the Atheist believes there's no god, that is his/her personal belief and because there is no god, there cannot be a religion because there's no church, no dogma, ritual or buildings....except that they DO have dogma, trappings, a library...so it fits the requirements of a religion.
I have no issues with Atheism, it's as valid a belief system as any out there. And just as filled with misinformation, hatred, and misunderstanding as the next set of beliefs. I think the funniest thing I've seen on their "official" site is "religion is ridiculous." *snorts* Well...you've just said your belief system is ridiculous. Like it or not, if you believe "religion" is a belief system, then Atheism does in fact fall into the category of religion, although etymologically, I'm incorrect. I will continue to think of a faith in the absence of [euphemism of choice] and the public trappings of that faith constitute a religion, a religion without spirituality.
It would be amusing, if it weren't so scary, to watch the two sides, the RTCs* and the Atheists slug it out, metaphorically speaking of course. And...the RTCs wouldn't be alone. There would be the RTMs, the RTJs, the RTPs** to name a few, all against the Atheists, and then when the As had been suitably reprogrammed, the RTXs would start on each other. I think we Pagans would just kind of roll our eyes at all of them and hare off to the woods to have a bit of fun, letting everyone else self-destruct.
Ah, such fancies I amuse myself with. Where was I? Oh yes, That Book. I don't knock That Book (TB), it has some rather worthwhile things in it, neither do I think it's a record of who hung the moon and stars...well, perhaps Who, but not how. I do not see TB as the be-all, end-all, definitive authority on AEU*** Objectively, how can it be? I mean really, if the RTCs would get their collective heads out of their collective asses, they'd realize this. Hey, far be it from me to try and convince them...as long as they return the favor. I think that's my take on almost all religions. As long as you aren't sacrificing small children or animals, do whatever the fargle you want to do, just don't try to push your twaddle off on me. If I'm...whoa...I just had a lightbulb moment...If I'm destined to be one with X-faith, I will find it. Someone correct me, but I believe that the Xtians are the only religious bunch who proselytize...everyone else takes the stand that you can come seek us out. Pagans don't, Muslims don't, I know Baha'i don't... Jews don't, neither do Hindus, Buddhists... The lunatic fringe groups don't count, btw...being lunatic fringe by definition requires you to seek out adherents and then suck them in by whatever means. I would list those I consider dangles in that fringe, but lunatic trolls are not my faves.
As you can tell, none of this is very intellectual, or researched; really more just ramblings about the absurdities in the world. Why is religion so important? Why have so many died in the name of religion, yet we keep coming back to it? I can't dismiss the idea of the Whole being greater that the sum of its parts. The Divine is that which ever was, is, and ever will be....everything, every neutrino, atom, molecule, person, place, or thing. Throughout the Universe, not just in our tiny speck of a galaxy, let alone this microscopic rock we tenuously hold onto. That solidarity makes me connected to the RTCs, the As, the Agnostics, the lunatic fringe...the whole lot of them, here and on planet Xenon. My atoms are filled with the Energy that became the Universe, whether you believe it just banged into existence, was created in six days by a curious Old Man with a Beard, or carefully orchestrated into a dynamic,self-supporting mystery by a Source so unimaginably vast that the Universe just giggles every time we state "By God! This is the Way It Happened!"
*Real True Christians as out-lined in Slacktivist.
**Muslims, Jews, and Pagans, respectively (pardon me while I omit the other 90 kabillion recognized faiths of the world)
***Absolutely Everything in the Universe
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Where does it go, this time....under the carpet?
I've been thinking, oh, it's just been a week or two since I posted...and yet the comments are off on my last post, which means that it's been over a month. Yes, indeedy, over 30 days, y'all. I'm a slacker of the nth degree.
Of course one might assume that slacking in posting means righteous activity in other areas.
*long blink*
One might assume many things. I would be the last person to stop you.
I've been playing mostly computer games and re-reading Harry Potter from the beginning. I have the first five books in the UK version and I need to order the last two to complete my set. At some point, I'd like to the get the first five in hardback, too. I prefer the UK versions, even though they end up costing me a bit more--pounds to dollars and shipping; I order them from Amazon.uk. Here's your Brit-slang trivia quiz for today. What are the following things called in the US: Skip, Alice band, fringe, pudding.*
I've actually had a number of things I wanted to write about, but at 1:40 AM after having spent hours reading the comments on one of Slacktivist's posts, I'm a bit ragged 'round the edges and can't remember what I had for breakfast, let alone what I wanted to write about all week. I suppose I really should take to carrying a small spiral and pen with me everywhere...I have these ideas, super ideas...and then POOF! Artichokes.
This, then, is a kind of placeholder...I know, I know, I said the same thing over a month ago, but I will try to do better. Right now it's almost 2 in the morning (dang you, Fred and the fredbots!) and my artichokes are tired!
*A dumpster, head band, bangs, and dessert. :)
Of course one might assume that slacking in posting means righteous activity in other areas.
*long blink*
One might assume many things. I would be the last person to stop you.
I've been playing mostly computer games and re-reading Harry Potter from the beginning. I have the first five books in the UK version and I need to order the last two to complete my set. At some point, I'd like to the get the first five in hardback, too. I prefer the UK versions, even though they end up costing me a bit more--pounds to dollars and shipping; I order them from Amazon.uk. Here's your Brit-slang trivia quiz for today. What are the following things called in the US: Skip, Alice band, fringe, pudding.*
I've actually had a number of things I wanted to write about, but at 1:40 AM after having spent hours reading the comments on one of Slacktivist's posts, I'm a bit ragged 'round the edges and can't remember what I had for breakfast, let alone what I wanted to write about all week. I suppose I really should take to carrying a small spiral and pen with me everywhere...I have these ideas, super ideas...and then POOF! Artichokes.
This, then, is a kind of placeholder...I know, I know, I said the same thing over a month ago, but I will try to do better. Right now it's almost 2 in the morning (dang you, Fred and the fredbots!) and my artichokes are tired!
*A dumpster, head band, bangs, and dessert. :)
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Moved....
In case you haven't figured it out...all .02 of you who might, just might look at this blog...it's not active any longer (no...really?). I've moved. If I want you to find me, you have my new website. Ciao.
Yawn....
I've been very much neglecting my website. I suppose other "bloggers" have this problem. Do you ever have one of those periods where there's a lot going on, but either you don't really feel like putting it all into words and/or you feel if you did, it would just seem, I don't know...kind of meh...? I suppose that's a form of writer's block, eh?
There's also this: I just don't seem to get anywhere. One of my friends just cooks along on her projects, and I go to blogs where people are doing cool things and their houses look so awesome...and mine is still craptastic. I have no time, no energy, and no money. I walk into a room, filled with ideas and take one look at the clutter and the dust and say fuck it and walk out to go read or play on the computer. I just don't know where to start. My place has become like one of those little puzzles you had as a kid--usually numbers, but sometimes a US flag or other picture--where you had to move all the little tiles to make the picture. You'd get one part of it done and realize you had to back-track and move all those pieces aside just to get the corner in. That's my house. I look at one project and realize the huge number of things that have to be done before I can even start. Fooey.
Anyway, that's not the big news this week. Everything's kind of been put on back burners. More on that later...just wanted to let my adoring fans (all two of them, both related to me no doubt) that I hadn't fallen off the edge of the world. (That got me to thinking if the tea baggers and the flat earthers and the birthers all got together...oh, wait, they're all pretty much one and the same, aren't they? Never mind....)
'Til tomorrow, little buckaroos.
There's also this: I just don't seem to get anywhere. One of my friends just cooks along on her projects, and I go to blogs where people are doing cool things and their houses look so awesome...and mine is still craptastic. I have no time, no energy, and no money. I walk into a room, filled with ideas and take one look at the clutter and the dust and say fuck it and walk out to go read or play on the computer. I just don't know where to start. My place has become like one of those little puzzles you had as a kid--usually numbers, but sometimes a US flag or other picture--where you had to move all the little tiles to make the picture. You'd get one part of it done and realize you had to back-track and move all those pieces aside just to get the corner in. That's my house. I look at one project and realize the huge number of things that have to be done before I can even start. Fooey.
Anyway, that's not the big news this week. Everything's kind of been put on back burners. More on that later...just wanted to let my adoring fans (all two of them, both related to me no doubt) that I hadn't fallen off the edge of the world. (That got me to thinking if the tea baggers and the flat earthers and the birthers all got together...oh, wait, they're all pretty much one and the same, aren't they? Never mind....)
'Til tomorrow, little buckaroos.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Digging around, planning, thinking...
First off, I'd like to say how disappointed I was to find that this lady is no longer keeping this blog smoke and ochre. Rats. There are so many nice, nice pictures and all on it. But, you know...a kabillion, bazillion, and 93 blogs on the intarwebs and so little time.
Now that the energy devil is not sucking my aura away every day, I'm finding I have enough get up and go to get a few things done. After we decommissioned the old building on Friday, I skated. R had the day off (LBJ's birthday, doncha know), so he took me to work, went home, slept in, then came and picked me up. We didn't do much..picked up Taco Bell and came home. I crashed at some point and foo...what did we do Friday evening. I don't even remember....OH! Crap, of course! Sylvan's party! Oy, such a knucklehead I am. Her first novel is coming out, officially on Tuesday! I've read the first...second?...draft, but changes were made after it went to the publisher...anyhoo, her BFF, the self-same Laura of Pushing Furniture fame, threw a surprise party. R, W, and I went. It was fun, and we totally surprised Ms. Author. :D
Then we came home and I was kind of sick at 4 AM. Nauseous...and for awhile didn't know which, erm...end....would be a problem (hoping that it wouldn't be one of those, ah...double-ended things. I HATE that). But as soon as I "went," the nausea went away and I was able to go back to sleep. Got up about 9:40 yesterday and spent a good bit of the day washing dishes and general clean-up, then went to Lowe's and Tar-Jay. Spent way more money than I should have. Dammit. But I had most of the $50 GC Laura's BF gave me for my birthday left. I bought a composter thingy. Now to get it set up. I had made a really cool FREE composter out of hardware cloth and a hula-hoop, but the dog can knock it over too easily to eat the scraps and eggshells. I'll use that for grass and weeds before adding to the bin.Dorky dog. I got some plastic potted plant pans, a nifty cobalt blue glass mister (on clearance for $1.62!), and some hose parts to repair hoses. At Target, I got some groceries, another pair of black leggings, and a few items of make-up. Yeah, make-up. Gotta problem with that? ;)
I also picked up a metric-ass-ton of paint chips at Lowe's and then sat on my bed and played with kitchen design until two AM!
One of the reasons I never get anywhere is...well, it's a many-layered thing...like an ogre. It is my decorating ogre. I can't make up my mind...then I have no money...and I change my mind...things go out of style...I have no money....I get more craptastic hand-me-down furniture that needs "fixing" (refinishing, etc.) and just looks like early Salvation Army meanwhile....then I change my mind...and I can't decide on a color scheme...ad nauseum.
I've gone from warm, earthy tones in the great room to working off the grey and charcoal palette in a print I have, back to the warmer tones. I want a mind of Mexican feel to the kitchen and since the two rooms are, um...rather linked, to suddenly go to greys and blues would be weird. Also? I have this olive fabric, like 22 yards of it, for a slipcover for the sofa, and it wasn't fitting in with the greys in my mind. Well, it would, but there are tones of blue, charcoal and a deep, deep red-brown in the painting. I dunno, it might still work. Otherwise, I'm not sure what to do with that piece. Feh.
So anyway, here's the latest grouping, sort of, of colors. It seems a bit washed out on my monitor. paint link
There'll be more of this, but I started this post three days ago, so I'm posting now.
Now that the energy devil is not sucking my aura away every day, I'm finding I have enough get up and go to get a few things done. After we decommissioned the old building on Friday, I skated. R had the day off (LBJ's birthday, doncha know), so he took me to work, went home, slept in, then came and picked me up. We didn't do much..picked up Taco Bell and came home. I crashed at some point and foo...what did we do Friday evening. I don't even remember....OH! Crap, of course! Sylvan's party! Oy, such a knucklehead I am. Her first novel is coming out, officially on Tuesday! I've read the first...second?...draft, but changes were made after it went to the publisher...anyhoo, her BFF, the self-same Laura of Pushing Furniture fame, threw a surprise party. R, W, and I went. It was fun, and we totally surprised Ms. Author. :D
Then we came home and I was kind of sick at 4 AM. Nauseous...and for awhile didn't know which, erm...end....would be a problem (hoping that it wouldn't be one of those, ah...double-ended things. I HATE that). But as soon as I "went," the nausea went away and I was able to go back to sleep. Got up about 9:40 yesterday and spent a good bit of the day washing dishes and general clean-up, then went to Lowe's and Tar-Jay. Spent way more money than I should have. Dammit. But I had most of the $50 GC Laura's BF gave me for my birthday left. I bought a composter thingy. Now to get it set up. I had made a really cool FREE composter out of hardware cloth and a hula-hoop, but the dog can knock it over too easily to eat the scraps and eggshells. I'll use that for grass and weeds before adding to the bin.Dorky dog. I got some plastic potted plant pans, a nifty cobalt blue glass mister (on clearance for $1.62!), and some hose parts to repair hoses. At Target, I got some groceries, another pair of black leggings, and a few items of make-up. Yeah, make-up. Gotta problem with that? ;)
I also picked up a metric-ass-ton of paint chips at Lowe's and then sat on my bed and played with kitchen design until two AM!
One of the reasons I never get anywhere is...well, it's a many-layered thing...like an ogre. It is my decorating ogre. I can't make up my mind...then I have no money...and I change my mind...things go out of style...I have no money....I get more craptastic hand-me-down furniture that needs "fixing" (refinishing, etc.) and just looks like early Salvation Army meanwhile....then I change my mind...and I can't decide on a color scheme...ad nauseum.
I've gone from warm, earthy tones in the great room to working off the grey and charcoal palette in a print I have, back to the warmer tones. I want a mind of Mexican feel to the kitchen and since the two rooms are, um...rather linked, to suddenly go to greys and blues would be weird. Also? I have this olive fabric, like 22 yards of it, for a slipcover for the sofa, and it wasn't fitting in with the greys in my mind. Well, it would, but there are tones of blue, charcoal and a deep, deep red-brown in the painting. I dunno, it might still work. Otherwise, I'm not sure what to do with that piece. Feh.
So anyway, here's the latest grouping, sort of, of colors. It seems a bit washed out on my monitor. paint link
There'll be more of this, but I started this post three days ago, so I'm posting now.
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