Not A Happy Day...

Just found out a new law passed allowing the government to snoop on my net activities.  That's bad enough, but they way they're doing this will also open up a new means for cyber thieves to steal your info.  This means i'm going to have to spend more money & look into a VPN service.  The problem here is that I am not all that aware of what to look for in such a thing.  That means it's time for some serious research on the matter.

Add to that I saw this was my forecast for the next ten days:

I am not a happy camper.

These two things are enough to put a damper on my day.

Hope you are having a better day.

Cya

July Is Winding Down...

I remember quite clearly at the beginning of the month asking July to please be better than June.  I am not sure it accomplished that at all.   July brought us:

1. A continuation of the heat enveloping my area
2. Higher electric bills due to running the AC & other appliances
3. Feeling run down & ill a lot of the month
4. A continuation of poor theatrical selections
5. A congress that can't settle a debt crisis

July, you have just one more day to get to cleaning up all of this mess.  If not it will fall on the shoulders of August to do what you could not.    It's not as if August is known for being cool.  But hopefully it will be a better month.

Cya

Friday...

It's Friday & the week is winding down.  Groceries were bought & errands ran.  We got a little rain yesterday.  It was needed, but now everything is muggy. Yes, I know, I am never happy.

Tonight is the beginning of the re-imagining of the 80's cartoon, The Thundercats.  I am looking forward to see how they handle it.  Hopefully, it will last longer than the redo of He-Man.   I also hope that they produce more episodes than they did of Young Justice.

So there's my day.  I went shopping & ran errands.  At most I will warm up something for dinner & then stare at TV.  A most pleasant day for me, other than the mugginess.

Cya

OK...

It's hot, but I am reasonably back to form.  I am probably doing next to nil today.  I'll watch some movies & then go get the roomie from a friend's house.  That will about synapse my day.

We have come up with some plans to deal with the issues that have arose.  Sometimes just coming up with a plan of action is all you need to calm yourself down about things.  I think this is a reasonable plan.

I am going to take a clue from my cats today & just lounge.  

Cya Tomorrow

Have a great day

Not A Great Day...

OK, this is not being a great day at all.  The house is fighting me, yes I know how that sounds.  Had some unwelcome news from the car insurance people. It's hot.  That is about the end of my post today.

Cya tomorrow

At least I got chili made up

Should It Stay Or Should It Go Now....

My roomie & are both somewhat freaked out by the televisions shows about hoarding.  So, we constantly analyze our clutter levels.  Not wanting to become some freakish people who could wind up on a TLC show.

When I was living in the college dorms, this was easy.  You had to move every semester or two.  This gave you ample motivation to strongly consider lightening your load.  It was easy to bring a trash can in & sort what goes with me or goes to the garbage.  Considering I usually moved solo, I was greatly motivated to rid myself of things.

However, when you "grow up" & somewhat settle into an adult routine in a sort of sedentary life, things change.  That's when things start to accumulate.  It starts slow & you don't notice.  First there's a junk drawer, then there's a junk room, then you need a storage barn.  Of course you're not staying as organized as you could, so you fail to remember that you already have five rolls of scotch tape at home  or that you have two brand new pairs of jeans that have fallen into the back of the closet.  Too bad the jeans were for two sizes ago.

One day you look up & OMG what happened?  What happened doesn't really matter.  What matters is what are you going to do about it?  It's time to drag out the trash bins & decide the fate of everything in your house.  Will it stay or will it go elsewhere?  Start small, with a shelf or a closet.   Consider each item.  When did I last use that?  Will I ever use that?  Can someone else use that?  Or, is it just trash?

I don't get rid of everything.  I keep copies/extras of things, but I do it on purpose, not because I forgot we already had one (mostly).  It's good to keep extras for your computer needs, batteries, cleaning supplies, or anything else you frequently use or that is prone to break.

Doing this will give you a great time to clean places you wouldn't normally be able to get to.  Hint, dust stinks. Getting dust out of your house takes out a lot of the smell factor.  This process will give you back  your life & it is very liberating.  Don't believe me, give it a whirl.  You will be amazed at the change in your house & how you feel about being in it.

Cya

Cleaning House...

I gather a lot of stuff in my cyber house.  I bookmark sites, add links & follow blogs.  At some point, it can all become a bit much.  So today, I decided to clear the cyber clutter some.

I am going through my bookmarks & links & see how many of them still actually work.  Then I'm asking myself, "When is the last time I even went there?"  I am giving the blogs a look over & seeing who updates, who doesn't & who does but I don't care.

I'm no where near done, but I've cleared out about half my bookmarks.  I had over fifty blogs on my watch list & now I'm down to just under twenty.  My browser is much easier to navigate now.

Your computer is just like your house.  It needs cleaning & maintenance.  It needs for you to clean out the system every once in a while.  It needs you to clean out the physical machine from time to time.  You need to organize & back up your files & bookmarks.  Having a cyber house is like having a physical house, it needs to be taken care of to perform well.

Cya, still have clearing to do

More Health Hell...

Yesterday we hit 108 F & only came down to 82 in the night.  We've been humid in the nighttime & morning. My sleep has been less than wonderful.  We've been dealing with this crap for weeks & it's really knocking the hell out of me.  Never mind I'm drinking an ocean of liquids, I'm still dehydrated.  

Even with the AC on, we're still hot & the fans are causing their own levels of hell. With the fans constantly blowing the air about, they are causing dust, dander & other debris to be airborne.  These nasty bits keep irritating our breathing & our eyes.   My eyes look like a pink-eyed bunny right now.  Add to that, these fans are incredibly loud.

This is not my best day.  I am not feeling well, nor am I expecting to be feeling well for some time.  At least not until this weather breaks.  Come on Fall, hurry & get here.

Cya 

It's Saturday & Here's A List..

Here's a list of the things that I am looking forward to this Fall:

1. To see the leafs change color
2. The car not feeling like an oven when we get in it
3. Better TV selection
4. Children will back in school - woohoo!!!
5. So the cats & I will feel better
6. My roomie loves the Fall-Back of Day Light Saving Time
7. I'll feel more like cooking
8. I'll hear the high school band playing in the morning
9. No more even considering mowing for a season
10. I just identify with Fall more than the other seasons

What are you looking forward to this Fall, or Autumn, if you prefer?  I realize our friends below the equator are actually looking into Spring, so what will you look forward to in you next season?

Cya

Blah De Blah...

Lately life has been as inspirational for me as a bowl of oatmeal.  There are the same old rants about politics, religion & weather.  I am dead tired of those things & so annoyed with the heat it isn't funny.  I keep telling myself , that this too shall pass.  OK, get to passing, already.

The cats languish across the floor like nearly dead lions.  It takes a physical threat to get them to move.  They show no interest in anything.  The outdoor cats are even less active, if that is possible.

Now the news is filled with jack-asses too juvenile to talk to each & revolve their issues so that the whole US budget thing can get resolved.  They don't have to worry about it.  Their checks will keep coming, even if the government shuts down.  

I am sick of the religious folks screaming about the gays, the politicians acting like damned saints & me being so worn out from the heat that I don't feel like doing anything.

This too shall pass - my mantra isn't working so hot right now.

Cya

Back Inside...

Woke up this morning around 7:30 & putted around until about 9:00, I noticed that the thermometer read around 93 F.  I thought, we still need to go out today & it's already in the mid 90's.  So,  I got my roomie around & we headed out to do our errands.  It wasn't what we had planned, but it meant we didn't have to be out out in 100+ heat later.

Still going out to those errands was by no means pleasant.  The heat might not of soared yet, but the humidity was really cranked.  In the southern states the humidity goes to eleven  (Spinal Tap reference).   We hit the mail box place, got groceries & then stopped to grab a bite to eat.  We wanted to try this newer place, but even though they had been open for an hour, the food would still be ten minutes or longer.  Normally, I'd had waited, but today I had groceries.  So we wound up going elsewhere, then finally home.

At home, we unloaded & packed away groceries.  I shut down the house & cranked the AC.  It still took us almost two hours just to feel normal again.  By noon it was 101 & feeling like 105F with the heat index, back in the heat advisory mode for the day.  The rest of the day shall be spent inside.

Cya tomorrow

Heat Dome...

They say we are under a heat dome. This nasty bubble is holding in the heat from Texas north to Canada.  I guess we down here in the south are actually fortunate.   We are better acclimated to the heat than the people in the northern states.   We have access to air conditioners & a better understanding of what heat can do to a person.

It isn't uncommon for us to see temperatures past 100 F.  However, the northern states are most likely to face temperatures in the 80's F & often have no access to air conditioners.  These temperatures are dangerous in the best of circumstances, let alone to those who aren't prepared for them.

The only thing I can say is to try & stay cool & pay attention to your health.  Hopefully. this heat will pass soon.  Until then cool thoughts

Cya

This Day Sorta Sucks...

I looked up today, to see the historic worth of July 19th.  This was not a good day for a lot of people.  I'll synapse the mess:

• 64 AD Nero watched as Rome burned
• 1333 AD Scots lose their independence to English forces
• 1553 AD Lady Jane Grey was executed
• 1692 AD Sarah Good was the first women accused & hung in the Salem Witch Trials
• 1692 AD Susannah Martin was also accused & hung in the Salem Witch Trials
• 1701 AD the Iroquois Tribe lose lands to English Forces
• 1870 AD France declares war on Prussia
• 1985 AD Val Di Stava Dam collapse occurs killing 268 people
• 1989 AD United Airlines Flight 232 crashes in Sioux City, Iowa, Killing 112

I am sure there were some good things & even more bad, but those are the highlights of the bad that has happened on this day.  

For me, today, it is just another hot day in Oklahoma.  That list is also a reminder, that things could be a whole lot worse than they are.  An important thing to remember.

Cya

Moments...

Lately the days have been rough due to the weather.  It can makes things very unpleasant.  It makes it hard to focus, easier to get irritated & most of all much less likely to get anything done.  It wouldn't be so bad if at least the nights were cool, but lately they've just cooled off enough to become humid hells.

We are forced to look at the moments.  The moments that we can make useful, endurable or even entertaining.  These moments may be brief & fleeting, but they can add up.  Hopefully the sum of this tidbits of time can outweigh the the negative spans throughout the day.

The moments for us lately have centered on the times we can actually be somewhat productive & not just languishing away in front of the air conditioner.  They have been when we have the energy to see the humor in the things going on around us.  They have been the small stretches where we can actually ignore the heat & go on with our lives.

Moments can add to hours & hours into days....

What are the moments that make it worth for you?

Cya

So Far, So Good...

There isn't anything too special about today, which in it's own way is special.  So far, today has been fairly decent, some cat issues & unwanted humidity, but nothing too bad.  It's just a ways after noon & we've accomplished a fair bit.

We got breakfast made & ate.  We also got started on several meals for the both of us for the next few days.  In this heat, make ahead meals are the about the only way to survive.  

Not much else to do today.  Just catch a shower, maybe vacuum & possibly do some laundry.  I'm sure there are other things that need to get done, but they can wait.  Nothing that needs doing, needs it done right this moment.

Cya tomorrow

No More Tweens...

TNT is cancelling the show Men of a Certain Age & not because of uncooperative actors.  The show is being axed because it doesn't appeal to the twit zone.  I've given the show a few viewings & it wasn't for me, but not because the age of the actors.  I am so opposed to Romano that the show just turned me off, but there a lot of Ray fans out there. The show was axed because it didn't attract tweens.   

I am offended by the need of nearly every show being produced todays to cater to the twit age.  Take Supernatural, every time there is a strong female on the show it gets offed.  She upsets the fanfics & fantasies of these little tween girls.  Tweens are also the one's who end up getting the good dancers/singers voted off of SYTYCDance & American Idol.  The good ones go & the cute talentless wonders stay to promote the twit lust factor.

Pretty much the entire CW network is devoted to tweens & it shows.  There's barely anything on that station I can stand to watch anymore..  When Smallville was on, many tween girls despised Chloe because she was coming off better than Clark.  Tweens are a weird mix of orthodoxy, stupidity & slutiness.

Enough time spent on the twits.

Cya

It's Back...

The coolness didn't last long yesterday, but it was appreciated.  The heat is back & actually worse, because the humidity is even higher.   It is very hard to focus on things to write about when it's this hot.  This hasn't been the greatest day so far.

I got motivated this morning to make biscuits & sausage gravy.  The biscuits were underway & the sausage was almost browned when I reached for the flour.  The canister of flour that I had just filled a few days before.  When I opened it, there they were, the bugs.  My flour was infested & ruined.  

I packed up the biscuits & put away the sausage.  I wound up having to go back to the store to get flour.  At lest the process will be easier tomorrow morning, almost every thing is already cooked.  I wasn't happy by any means to be going back out in the heat.  At least my roomie got good things from the deli.

Oh well, my biscuits will be eaten in the morning.

Cya, hope your day is going better.

Finally...

OMG it rained, not much, but enough to give us most of a day under 100F.  Have a bit to do today, so my post is just a few lines. Have to run some errands & pick the roomie.  I've been trying to catch up on my DVD's & watched Paranormal Activity 2 & Easy A.   Not so much of a fan of the first one, but the second one was a really good movie.

It's Thursday & I hope to get caught up on somethings today.  I feel like it for the first time in the last couple of weeks.  I may or may not watch another DVD, we'll see.  I hope your day is going well.

Take care

Cya

Health Issue Hate...

The past bit has been really rough on my roomie & myself.  Neither one of us is all that healthy.  I hate that.  Summer used to be my favorite season & now I can't stand it.  Between being +,  my meds & probably somewhat due to age, this time of the year has become the part I dread.

As a kid, my summers were all about going to the park or swimming pool.  We'd play all day & only occasionally seek out a shade tree.  Those days are gone & I do hate it.  Now, the heat zaps me so much that doing even simple outdoor chores is a real hassle.

Add to that, we have been so unseasonably hot & dry here for the past few months.  Southeastern Oklahoma is becoming a factory for dust & fires.  I know that if I have my druthers, I'd much prefer to move north, at least during the summrers.

Cya later

Stay Cool

Odd Day

Points of Oddness

1. It's a record breaking year for heat.  This is beginning the norm, so I had to get it in this time around.
2. Roomie talked to the adjuster about the car bump.
3. Sherwood Scwhartz, the creator of the Brady Bunch & Gilligan's Island died today.
4. The pharmaceutical company Gilead has agreed to let other companies start producing generic forms of it's HIV medications.
5. There was a 16 pound baby born in Texas.
6. NASA astronauts make final space walk.
7. The Sister Wives family contests Utah's polygamy  law.

An odd list of things to happen today.  But I guess that is what makes the world interesting.  

My reactions are simple.  

1. I hate the heat.  
2. I am happy my roomie took the initiative in the car matter.  
3. Good journey to to Mr. Schwartz.
4. Thank yous go out to Gilead.
5. Damn, that baby passed fluffy.
6. Thanks for the memories, NASA.
7. Strange people live in Utah.

Cya all tomorrow.

Long Morning...

My day wasn't that bad, but my roomie's was fairly tedious.  She went to apply for summer LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) today.  From my end, her day went like.

1. At about 7:30 AM, she left the house.
2. At 8:15 or so, I got a call & she told me about the mammoth line.
3. At 9:20, she called & said she'd actually made it inside the building.
4. At 11:30 or so, she called to tell me she was done.

Fortunately, we were awarded LIHEAP for the summer, but she paid for it by standing for over an hour outdoors with no shade, no chairs, in over 95 F temperatures.  She paid for it by being surrounded by a lot of people who all thought they were too good to be forced to wait in line for anything.  She paid for it, by once again opening our lives to outside scrutiny.  She paid for it by paying taxes for all the time she worked before she went on disability.  So,  while I am very appreciative of the program's assistance, I don't look at like we were looking for a free hand out.

A lot of people look at those who require assistance as being purposely destitute or junkies or some other equally derogatory descriptor.  There are those people, but there are a lot of people who need these programs that until recently would've never even thought of applying for assistance.  These are people whose jobs vanished into thin air or have found themselves disabled.  So, for all of you who have never had to ask for help, count your blessings, because that type of fortune can change in a blink of an eye.  It's not easy having to ask for help, but sometimes you don't have a choice. 

Cya, hope your day is going well

Quick Post...

Sorry for another short one, but blogger keeps cutting out on me.  I've started to post four times now & lost the posts.  So before blogger cuts out again, I'll simply safe have a great day & cya tomorrow.

Here's video to watch...

Things To Be Thankful For Today...

Just a list of things going my way today.  

1. I have nothing that I have to do outdoors
2. I have fans & an AC
3. I already have some food ideas for dinner
4. Dishes are almost done
5. My laundry is caught up
6. I managed to catch America's Test Kitchen this morning
7. The cats didn't make any horrendous messes this morning
8. The mail ran & there was no bad news in it
9. So far the internet is working well today
10. My health is doing fairly well

I think that is a good list for this Saturday

Cya later & remember to make a list of things you have to be thankful for from time to time.

Not So Hot...

I am not going to type much today.  Don't let the title mislead you, because the temperature is still soaring & it's about 100 F here at noon.  I am what's not feeling so hot today.  Yesterday, the heat came on like an inferno out of nowhere.  It was OK at one moment & thirty minutes later it was unbearable.  

We were doing some light housework when it hit.  I had been feeling fine & then it was like hitting a brick wall.  The heat overwhelmed me & I had to stop.  I sat for a few minutes & then it really began.  My meds react to light & heat.  My stomach was throwing a fit.  So I was feeling nauseous & headed to bathroom.  I spent a lot of time in the bathroom yesterday with heat induced diarrhea.

Fun topic, I know, but it is the reality of being on my meds in this heat.  I was drinking anything I could to keep hydrated.  The AC was on, but I was melting for for the next several hours.  I wasn't until much later that my body calmed down.  I could finally eat something.  I was beginning to feel normal.

When I got up this morning, I felt the after effects of yesterday's illness.  I was dehydrated, sore & still sort of nauseous.  I am starting to feel better as the day goes on, but the heat is already on us.  There won't be much getting done today.

Cya

Hope you're all doing well

OMG...Is There No End...

That is the forecast for my area over the next ten days.  We've already beat today's forecast by a degree & it's only noon.  Right before noon, it was about 95 F & not that bad with the fans going.  Less than a half hour later it jumped to 101.  Fans or no fans, 101 is hella hot.

We are trying to shuffle some things in the house again.  The shuffling happens from time to time.  Usually when something has annoyed us just way too long. It started off easy enough, but once the heat set in, the ease vanished.  But, the shuffling continues & things find themselves in new locations or bound for new homes (the trash).

The shuffling may not be fun, but it is useful.  We get reminded of all the junk we have & are forced to decide whether or not it gets to stay until the next shuffling.   We get to clean in places without being restrained by the stuff that had been there before.  It's a real dust bunny-palooza.

For now, my part is over, but the roomie shuffles on in her room.  Good luck with that...

Until next time

Have a good day

The Month Begins In Earnest...

Monday was a a holiday, so it was mostly useless for the tasks that await us at the beginning of the month.  All those things you have to do, like getting checks cashed, paying rent & utilities.  Getting credit card bills in the mail & sending them off.

Most of Tuesday was a bust as well, the holiday  made the mail run late & not much arrived. However, we got a good start on things today.  Checks are cashed & tomorrow will see the rest of the local bills paid.  Over the month, the credit cards get paid as the bills arrive. But, most of the bills are dealt with in the first week of the month.

Knowing that the bills are paid is a relief.  It's one less thing to worry about.  So, we try to get them dealt with as soon as possible.  Past the mentioned bills, that will just leave shopping, gas, lawn mowing & any incidentals that might pop up over the month.

Oh well, that's been my day so far.  Staying inside now, it's supposed to hit 100+ again today & I have no need of letting that heat make me any sicker than I already am.

Cya, stay cool

The Show Is Over...

Last night, there was the typical display of fireworks in my area.  The neighbors did their thing & sitting from my porch, you could see the city display.  It was pretty & all that, but also noisy & pissed off the cats.  But, for now it's over & all that is left, is to clean up the mess.

The 4th was never that big a deal to me.  My family wasn't particularly political or patriotic, so those parts of the holiday were lost on me.  I like to look at the fireworks, but I don't have to be the one to light them, so I'm not into buying them.  

I guess the best thing about the 4th is watching little kids as the roman candles & fountains go off in bursts of wondrous colors.  Those are the few times that I think most kids still get to be children.  Wonder is a commodity suffering from a severe lack of supply these days.  People act like there is wonder in their lives, but there isn't.  That's just temporary surprise.  True wonder, well that just can't be faked.

For those instances when children find wonder is why I try not to gripe at the holidays too much.  To destroy wonder is an unforgivable crime.    With so little of the awe in our world, it's no wonder why so many of us are depressed.  It's no wonder why we try everything we can to fill the holes in our lives.  But, wonder can't be bought, it can only be experienced. 

Here's hoping you have a wondrous moment in your day

Cya

The 4th...

It's here & I think I'll take it easy today & just let you see a show.  Have a happy & safe 4th of July.


Cya

Happy Sixth

Today is the six month anniversary of this blog.  Woo hoo, happy me.  I wonder what I should get myself for a present.  Any way, I am just happy to have stayed with this process this long.  Actually, I'm sort of surprised. So what have I learned in the last six months.

• I've learned that the thing about bad stuff happening in threes is BS.  Three is just the minimum
• I've learned that the times of nice summers in Oklahoma are lost to history
• I've learned that my BS skills are still high enough to come with something to write everyday
• Its seems that this blog allows me to focus some of my energies better
• I've had reinforced this year that things come to an end & that's OK.  I've started a few other things this year  & I have come to a point where it is, or is about to be, time to let them end & I'm fine with that.

The earlier part of this year was rough in many regards & this so far this summer has been no fun at all.  I started on Facebook this year & Sodahead.    I'm not giving up on Facebook, but I am letting go of some of the things I do on the site.  The same will probably soon be true for Sodahead.  They we're fun & diverting, but their time is coming to an end. It's time to try other things.

I am choosing to look at this biannual event as a place of endings & new beginnings.  No sense in waiting for January first.

Cya

Gleaning...

Over time, I've found that much of what I do & what has worked for me is gleaning.  To glean, basically means to take bit by bit.  I have taken classes, watched TV shows, listened to stories, read articles, etc... About 95% or more the information from those endeavors has been lost to some white noise & null void in the back of my mind.  But the remaining 5%, now that's another story.  

That information is well versed & used often.  It is what I found practical & pertinent among all the informative chaff.  When you collect information, it's like a harvest.  You gather heaps of info.  During the process, you can tell some of the material is bad & leave it to whatever else might want it.  But, after the gathering, the heaps must be sorted into bushels of actual information & not just useless bits of trivia & factoids.  From the bushels, the husks & other useless bits must be removed.  The process of sorting continues growing ever finer.  Until, you are left with actual, useful information.  From an acre of harvest, you may only get a bucket of good info.

Let's be a little more literal.  Today, we watched America's Test Kitchen.  We like this show a lot & not just for the recipes.  Often the actual recipes don't impress or interest us.  But, they also test products & equipment & those bits are very informative.  They discuss cooking techniques they developed & why they work.  Often the techniques are far more important than the actual recipes.    Today's show was about roasts.  I wasn't really interested in that part, but the side dish was fried, smashed, new potatoes.  This was an interesting recipe & easily translated into our style of cooking.

So, out of a 30 minute show on roasts, cuts of roasts, charcoal cooking & smoking, we focused on a five minute section on the side dish.  I'm sure the rest of it was great info for someone else, but not us.  We don't charcoal that much, if ever.  We don't have the $ to spend on a smoker & we don't eat roast that often.  

If someone gives you a hundred page magazine & you only have use or interest in a couple pages, you are not obligated to keep the rest of it.   Take what is useful to you & your life & let the rest go.  Maybe, someone else can use it.  There is too much info in the world for us to use it all, of even be interested in it.  So, we have to filter out what isn't relevant to our lives & get rid of it.

Life offers a lot, take what you need & let the rest flow on by...

Cya

Hello July...

Dear July,

We have just left June & quite frankly I was not impressed.  The month was far from hospitable & brought a far amount of distress in it's wake.  I am looking forward to your presence, front & center.  Hopefully, your celebratory flavor can lift the mood.

June entered with storms in abundance.  There was flooding & tornadoes nearly everywhere you looked.  Then of course it allowed those pesky fleas to linger & annoy.   Then, as if just to add insult, my lab numbers were off considerably.  Add to that, a fender bender in a parking lot.  As if  we hadn't had enough already, there of course was the unrelenting heat, which is leading to fires.

Enough of that, we are now in July, I am certain things will be much more festive.  There is of course the Fourth of July, but Canada Day is already upon us.  What does one do for Canada Day?  Is it appropriate to give every one maple syrup & Canadian bacon in Canadian red baskets?

Oh well, never mind all that.  We're just happy to have you here, July.  

Sincerely 

Someone sick of June