...that being what will be said to the next demanding salesperson who enters my office! muaaahahaha!
It's been an exhausting week. I've had entirely too much work to do at...well, work, and home life has been hectic as well. Gah! I am looking forward to lots of entertainment and relaxation this weekend.
Between taking my kid to the doctor (ear infection, both ears. gah!) and people slamming me with work demands today, it's been a genuine struggle to get this done. It's after 2 and I'm still trying to eat my damn lunch! sheesh!
Movin' onward...
***
Smile QuestAfter having a shitty week from the burning pits of hell last week, I've been adding to my list of things that make me smile this week. Here are the latest additions:
Things that make me smile: (or giggle, or both)
My son's Happy Feet dance
Pudding!
The fact that my Rosemary is blooming
Being referred to as "completely snoggable"
A fresh pedicure & purple toenails
Joaquin Phoenix playing Johnny Cash (ooooh, Mama)
The Weebls
Kenya cartoon
Vodka & Pink Lemonade
Guys who walk around with their pants riding too low so they look like they have a load in their pants. (morons! *snicker*)
1st Season of "Lost" on DVD
Mike's
Internal Monologue The release of Goblet of Fire
*GRIN*
***
Entirely Too Excited
Speaking of Goblets of Fire, today is the day! Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire opens today. I will openly admit that I am WAY too excited about this. I loved the first three movies (as did D) and have been reading the books for the last few months. I am totally looking forward to seeing this movie.
As the characters are growing older, their interests are expanding to...other things. (*snicker*)
Go ahead, call me a geek or whatever - I don't care. Everything I've read or seen about the movie has simply fueled my excitement even more.
Here is a very interesting review that you might enjoy if you're interested in this type of thing.
I don't think I'll fight the opening night crowds tonight, but might try to catch a matinee tomorrow with D. Squeeee!
***
Soldier Whales Burning Large DrugsThis is one of the funniest reporter snafu's I've seen in a long time. Just go
watch it. Warning - might cause uncontrollable giggling.
"Hey! Let's go for curry."
bwaaahahaha!
***
Ronald! I'm shocked!
***
Nekkid CrapsTwo bored casino dealers are waiting at the craps table.
A very attractive blond woman arrived and bet twenty thousand dollars ($20,000.00) on a single roll of the dice.
She said "I hope you don't mind, but I feel much luckier when I'm completely nude." With that, she stripped from the neck down, rolled the dice and yelled, "Come on, baby, Mama needs new clothes!" As the dice came to a stop she jumped up and down and squealed.
'YES! YES! I WON, I WON!"
She hugged each of the dealers and then picked up her winnings and her clothes and quickly departed. The dealers stared at each other dumfounded. Finally, one of them asked, "What did she roll?" The other answered, "I don't know-I thought you were watching."
Moral of the Story - Not all blondes are dumb, but men are men.
(thanks, michelle!)
***
It's Quizzy Madness! Who writes these dumb things, anyway?
| Gummy Bears |
You may be smooshie and taste unnatural, but you're so darn cute. |
| You're an Expert Kisser |
You're a kissing pro, but it's all about quality and not quantity
You've perfected your kissing technique and can knock anyone's socks off
And you're adaptable, giving each partner what they crave
When it comes down to it, your kisses are truly unforgettable |
Barbara Stanwyck
You scored 30% grit, 14% wit, 57% flair, and 16% class! |
You're a tough dame, a bit of a spitfire, and you can even be a little dangerous, but you do it with such flair that almost all is forgiven (and even when it's not, you're still the most interesting woman in the room). You can be witty and charming, all right, but you have a tough streak that keeps you focused and sometimes deadly. You've had quite a climb to get where you are, but you're a hard worker and you mostly deserve all you get...and then some. You might end up destroying everything around you, but you must admit...you've got style. Your leading men include Henry Fonda, Fred MacMurray, and when you forget yourself, Gary Cooper.
Find out what kind of classic leading man you'd make by taking the Classic Leading Man Test. |
 |
Link: The Classic Dames Test
Sweet! I like her! ... but only 14% wit?
***
Need to Get Defragged?
 So, how long have you been a tech-support manwhore?
A few months. A friend was having trouble connecting to the Internet, this really attractive girl, and the idea just popped into my head: "Wow, it would be really nice if I could get sex for this." I placed an ad on Craigslist that read, "WILL FIX COMPUTERS FOR SEXUAL FAVORS," and I've had an overwhelming number of responses.
hee hee hee hee
Why didn't I think of this when I was doing tech support? ...and I still clean the nasties off of all kinds of PCs and do it for free. hmmmm...lol
***
 Well, you all have a simply wonderful weekend. I'm looking forward to destressing a bit. Hey, I'm stressed but at least I can still smile!
*smooch*
Celti
It snowed last night - the first snow of the year. My son was so excited he about turned himself inside out trying to get his coat and boots on. I love snow - love to play in it, sled, ski, make snow sculptures...it makes the world look so fresh, clean and beautiful. Yeah, yeah, it makes for shitting driving conditions, but I like everything else about it. I was sitting there with the lights off last night, watching it come down out of the sky and I remembered some images I had saved a long time ago. I had found a website that talked about a man named Wilson Bentley (The Snowflake Man) who photographed snowflakes under a microscope around 1902. His photos are fascinating.  It is said that no two flakes are exactly alike – just like people. Some of them are very similar, but not exactly alike. Although some are more aesthetically pleasing to individual eyes, they are all beautiful and unique in their own way. Wow, that sounded like such a cliche. Erg. Wikipedia (I freakin' LOVE that place) explores the interesting question of why the arms of snowflakes are symmetrical, and why no two snowflakes appear to be identical. "The answer is believed to be due to the fact that the distances between snowflakes are much greater than the distances across snowflakes. The symmetry of snowflake arms is always six-fold, which arises from the hexagonal crystal structure of ordinary ice along its 'basal' plane. There are, broadly, two possible explanations for the symmetry of snowflakes. Firstly, there could be communication (information transfer) between the arms, such that growth in each arm affects the growth in each other arm. Surface tension or phonons are among the ways that such communication could occur. The other explanation, which appears to be the prevalent view, is that the arms of a snowflake grow independently in an environment that is believed to be rapidly varying in temperature, humidity and so on. This environment is believed to be relatively spatially homogenous on the scale of a single flake, leading to the arms growing to a high level of visual similarity by responding in identical ways to identical conditions, much in the same way that unrelated trees respond to environmental changes by growing near-identical sets of tree rings. The difference in the environment in scales larger than a snowflake leads to the observed lack of correlation between the shapes of different snowflakes." Hmmm...very interesting. Science rocks, doesn't it? I digress. We are all flakes (some of us more than others. Lol). Some are more intricate while others are simpler, some lacy, some smooth... Yes, I am a flake. I imagine myself to be like this flake:  Intricate, complex, detailed, complicated. As I look out into sky at the millions of flakes, I think of all the people I know and how we collide and melt into one another some times. Is it fate that brings two flakes together? Why do some just bounce off eachother and move on while others cling like magnets? Once they melt into each other, can they can separate and ever really be what they once were? No, not really. They are still the same flake, but they are forever changed. Let it snow. *** On a completely different subject, I'm starting to wonder if there's something wrong with my comments code. I have received so few comments lately that it's starting to give me a complex. Are they working or have my posts just been sucking ASS lately? Sorry...lunch sucked and now I'm grouchy. grrrr.
 As each drop hit the surface, I sat mesmerized as every single one would create and intertwine with looping, concentric circles, just as any of us do when dropped into this world. We join the pool and immediately those who birthed us, parents circle us, then their parents from the circle besides, extended family, community, the friends we make as we grow, the teachers we find and their friends, their teachers, their families, until we're all interconnected to a myriad of each others circles, to all the circles, always moving and changing, but always connecting. And yet, if I held a hand so as to block drops from falling, the change made to the patterns by the absence of one was imperceptible: even if twenty or thirty drops hadn't fallen, while the pattern would be completely different, very few of us would be able to perceive our differences. Each of us matters, each of us is part of a wide, arching pattern of connection and community. Without us, the pattern is not the same, and yet, even without any one of us, it keeps moving, keeps growing, keeps branching out all the same. What we do always sends out ripples what we do not do is not without impact, either: without action, the pattern is different than it would be otherwise. We and all we do are all essential and inessential all at once, in perfect, beautiful and bittersweet paradox. Beautifully penned & photo by Heather Corinna
Well, Friday ended up being quite the shitty day for me. That nasty, demon-filled dark cloud that I've been running away from for weeks finally caught up to me. I went home, put Chris in charge of the little one, sedated myself and went to bed at 7:30. It was just what I needed. As if mother nature was empathizing, we awoke to stormy skies on Saturday. Seems she had a few surprises in store for us...  Twisters! We had at least three good sized ones hit the area Saturday afternoon. One of them forced the evactuation of the stadium just prior to the start of the Iowa State game, but they didn't take a direct hit. The towns of Woodward and Stratford, on the other hand, did. It's reported that somewhere around 70 houses were destroyed and one person was killed. The one that hit Stratford has been declared an F3 with winds of aroudn 150 mph.  This is why we all have basements. Gah! Some Woodward residents took some pretty amazing home video of the tornado that hit their area. You can watch it by clicking on the "Viewer Captures Roaring Tornado In Woodward" link near the center of this page. Damn, I wish I would have known about them before it was all over - I would have gone a chasin'! We didn't get much rain in Des Moines. I cleaned my kitchen while it sprinkled in the morning and then the D-man and I enjoyed an afternoon of shopping, garage sale perusing and leaf-pile jumping that was very nice. We picked up a couple of videos on the way home - a batman flick for D and the first disc from the first episode of Lost for me. I'd been hearing so many people talking about how awesome it was, so I had to check it out. I watched the first four episodes only to go back and get disc two last night. As soon as I get caught up with the series on DVD, I think I'm going to start watching it each week. It's official - I am hooked. Damn good show! Damn it! lol Have a Happy Monday, everyone. Be good to each other, you hear?
Ok, peeps, my profuse apologies but I don't know what the hell I'm doing or where I'm going. But here I am! lol After posting to the new blog for a week, I find myself missing the interactions that I have had here. I've also had some feedback from several who find Live Journal confusing. I think what I'm going to do is post here most of the time, but keep the Live Journal going in case I want to post something there. In those cases, I'll post a link here to it so you'll know it's there. Anyhoo...today, I'm going to post SASF here and there both. Yeah, don't know if I'm coming or going but at least I'm moving! lol Enough blather - on to the fun stuff! *** World's Tallest Dog Meet Gibson. He's a 42.2" Harlequin Great Dane and he's recently been awarded the title of tallest dog in the world by the Guiness people. He lives in Grass Valley, California and he is 7'2" when standing. Dang, that's a big dog! *** Gosh!Real Idaho legislation designed to lavish love and attention on Napoleon Dynamite, of all people (or characters, for that matter) and the creators of the film... "WHEREAS, any members of the House of Representatives or the Senate of the Legislature of the State of Idaho who choose to vote "Nay" on this concurrent resolution are "FREAKIN' IDIOTS!" and run the risk of having the "Worst Day of Their Lives!"" bwaaaahahahaha! *** Nature's Masterpiece Sometimes, there are surprises like this that just take your breath away. *sigh* *** Heaven is Hotter Than HellThe temperature of Heaven can be rather accurately computed. Our authority is Isaiah 30:26, "Moreover, the light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun and the light of the Sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days." Thus Heaven receives from the Moon as much radiation as we do from the Sun, and in addition 7 x 7 (49) times as much as the Earth does from the Sun, or 50 times in all. The light we receive from the Moon is one 1/10,000 of the light we receive from the Sun, so we can ignore that. The radiation falling on Heaven will heat it to the point where the heat lost by radiation is just equal to the heat received by radiation, i.e., Heaven loses 50 times as much heat as the Earth by radiation. Using the Stefan-Boltzmann law for radiation, (H/E)^4 = 50, where E is the absolute temperature of the earth (-300ºK), gives H as 798ºK (525ºC). The exact temperature of Hell cannot be computed. However, Revelation 21:8 says "But the fearful, and unbelieving ... shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone." A lake of molten brimstone [sulphur] means that its temperature must be at or below its boiling point, 444.6ºC. We conclude, then, that Heaven, at 525ºC is hotter than Hell at 445ºC. Yowza! *** Can you Read This?I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt! *** You Worry About Squirrels in the Bird Feeder?How about this pesky invader? lol     Persistance Pays! *** Just Plain SillyIf you're in the mood for some some good ole' silliness, this should do the trick. Dang freaks. lol *** Just Plain WierdOn the other hand, if you're in the mood for something down right wierd, THIS should do the trick. Um....yeah. *** On a More Serious Note I couldn't let today, Veteran's Day, go by without remembering my friend Pod. Pod was a neighbor, friend, helper, and just a super-sweet man. For those of you who don't know, Pod passed away in April from complications of Hepatitis. That's him in the pic on the left, making kissy faces at me in my living room. He would always bring me flowers & shower me with affection (sometimes too much! lol), and was always willing to help with whatever I needed. This day last year, I took Pod out to lunch calling him my favorite vet - he was a veteran of the Vietnam war. He was so surprised and I don't think I've ever seen him smile that much. I miss Pod very much, and think of him daily. Pod, if you can hear me, I love you and miss you buddy, and I wish I could take you to lunch again today. You'd better have a huge hug waiting for me when we meet again (I know you will). I'll have to call my uncle Davey today, too, as I do every Veteran's Day to thank him. He fought in World War II, and was among the troops that landed on Omaha Beach where most of them lost their lives. Thank you to Denny. He's a Vet and a blogger buddy. ...and thank you to Jack . *hugs*, guys. There are others...let me know if you think of any that I should mention. Take some time to think of, to thank, or to honor veterans today. They fought so that we can be free. They deserve our thanks. Have a great weekend! Celti
I'm still playing the Half Nekkid Thursday game, folks, just over at my new place. I'm getting braver as this game goes along. hee hee! Felt that I had a little making up to do since I fudged last week. and, as promised, SASF will be up there tomorrow! Please come on over and see my new place. I don't want to get lonely over there, you know!?
...to my blogger home.  ...and hello to my new LJ Home! I've moved my regular posts. Click on the picture to visit me at my new blog.
There are some things that just have to be done...like going to the restroom, the loo, the WC, the toilet. We all do it. Some of us just do it with more style than others. There's a whole world to explore out there on how we deal with this issue. *** Peculiar & Interesting Recepticles For the Minimalist, we have the Hatbox Toilet. Yes, that's a toilet.  ...Or these lovely urinals for guys who...never mind. Ew!  You know, when touring the castles of France, I found myself looking around wondering "where in this place did they go?" Well, perhaps this was the kind of thing they used! Anyone know?  Something about this just seems so very wrong...lol  Ahhh..the pay potty. This one is from England, but they have these babies in France, too. One time, while I was out and about in Paris, I used one of these. You put in a franc (about $.20 at the time) and the door opens automatically. You go in, do your business, and when you exit the door closes behind you. On this particular occasion, a young man blasted into there as I came out. He must not have had a franc or whatever. What he must not have realized is that they're self-cleaning. When the door closes, jets of hot soapy water spray down the inside to clean it for the next patron. The jets started up and you could hear him yelling, pounding on the door, trying to get out. He came out looking like a drowned rat. The old lady sitting on the bus bench next to me and I exchanged a look and burst out into giggles. Poor sap.  bwaaahahahaha! I'd bet the ones with the more appreciative looks get the most use. lol  This, my friends, is a turkish toilet. They have them all over Europe. You can imagine my face the first time I walked into one. Your feet go on the "treads" to the sides and you squat to do your business. Nothing to sit on - that's right. It's a very interesting "experience." Let's just say that it's not advisable for someone with bad balance or slippery shoes. *** Education des ToilettesThis site provides QUITE an eduction on toilets around the world. Enjoy! *** Do Up Your Own LooTrendir.com has got some really cool potties you can buy for your WC. It's where some of the ones above came from (click the link for details or to just check them out). In fact, Trendir.com has some pretty damn cool stuff for ALL of your house! *** Damn, I need one of these!Living with two "boys," cleaning the toilet area is not always a joy. Oh hell, let's face it - it stinks! They aren't the best with their aim, not to mention splatter. Perhaps I should install one of these on the wall:  Think it would do any good? *** Speaking of DroppingsI guess Civet Cat droppings make fabulous coffee. Eeeeewww eww ewwwwww!*** Throw in a GiggleThis, having absolutely nothing to do with toilets, had to be shared. It made me giggle like a fool. This guy's got TALENT. My, what a big Trombone you have!Shake it, baby! lol *** Movin' OnSpeaking of what you gotta do, it's time that I tell you, or rather show you, what I have up my sleeve. I'm moving, kids. I have a new blog home you can find right here. Please update your links and come on over to see me. This blog will stay up for at least a while, but I'll be posting to the new one instead of here. C'mon, come check out Live Journal. There are perks you never imagined on Blogger and it's where all the cool kids play (or so they say. lol). ***  Have a fabulous weekend! Celti
ha ha ha - the title reminds me of Puff 'n' Stuff. Being Half Nekkid Thursday and all, and since I've been a busy bee and don't have any new & groovy pics of my own skin, I give you my favorite pinup:  Bettie! Can't go wrong with Ms. Page. I didn't want to disappoint all you pervs skin aficionados out there. heh heh I'll be providing more details on the upcoming "event" I referred to in my last post. Some of you will have an e-mail coming from me very soon. Everything's almost ready. I promise not to take too long. I do, however, have a little family skin to show off. My little D-Man turned 5 last weekend, and, as we do every year, we had his picture taken. Well, they turned out simply peachy...  My little guy is growing up so fast. I'm so proud of him I could just burst.
Right now, as I write this, we are at exactly the new moon - 0% of full.  As I pondered this, I pulled a card: temperance inverted. Meaning: The questioner is surrounded by discord and disharmony. The seeker may be fearful of loss and lack patience. They have difficulty with others and are often filled with distrust. Get in touch with your spiritual nature. There is enough to go around and you have time to fulfill your goals. Wish for the success of others and you'll begin to see positive change for yourself. Very interesting and, as usual, dead on. This New Moon is in Scorpio - it is the perfect a time to put muscle behind an intention to break systemic delusions that exist in our lives. Sometimes referred to as Lunar Samhain, the New Moon in Scorpio is a night when the veil is thin between the living and the spirit world. This year we are lucky enough to have the New Moon in Scorpio fall on the Day of the Dead. Great insights can be gained on this night through contact with spirit teachers: be they animal, mineral, angelic, or ancestral. Open your mind to the wisdom that flows from the other side. Scorpio is the sign that seeks deep truth in all things. The New Moon in Scorpio is the night to acknowledge the ways this questioning process manifests in your life. This is the most serious New Moon of the year. This is the night of truth and dare. Dare to be truthful with yourself and the rewards will come back tenfold. This is the night to commit to truth-telling with compassion and love. Use a mirror to take a long look at yourself; go all the way inside your skin, inside your mind, inside your heart. Are you doing and saying things that create fear, alienation, dissatisfaction, and despair in others? What thoughts and actions have you put energy into that are now coming back to haunt you? Are you supporting people that create pain and suffering for you and for others? Are you too afraid to deal with them properly so you'd rather let them go all together? Look at your fear, where it comes from, what makes it worse and what eases it. This is the optimal night to face your fear head on and make a commitment to letting go of unhealthy and tortuous relationships, jobs, behavior, and habits. A New Moon in Scorpio shows you the truth, shows you your vulnerabilities, and your powerlessness, but it also gives you the strength to let go of destructive behavior patterns, make changes, and learn to be powerful in a positive life-supporting way. Use your journey to go to the depths of your soul and don't think this will be some kind joyride. If you are real with yourself and dive deep into the core of your unconscious, this will be challenging and scary. If you brave the murky depths you will arrive at that sacred place beyond fear, pain and illusion. There are many ways to do this, but on a New Moon in Scorpio it is best to work in the dark.  Indigenous people use drums and ritual dance to induce a transpersonal state of consciousness. You can try this with a partner who drums while you journey, or use recorded shamanic drumming. Some people gaze into a scrying mirror or a bowl of water to induce a trancelike state. For some visualization or meditation is enough. More than ever, it is all about intention on this New Moon. Let go of your attachment to suffering: pain, violence, resentment, hatred, judgments, and indecisiveness. When it comes down to it we always have some control over our circumstances. Even in our darkest hour, it is up to us to make change where we can, and where we can't, rise to the occasion and make the best of a bad situation. We must recognize our relative insignificance in the big scheme of things, but we must also take responsibility for the tremendous impact we have on what happens in the world. But please don't leave yourself hanging in the dark depths - Scorpio rules death and rebirth and New Moons are always a time of new beginnings. Active rebirth from the womb of wisdom is a pivotal part of this ritual; you are not done until this has been completed. It is important to rest after your journey within. Calm and soothe yourself with a hot bath, sit in front of a fire and have a light snack. Use this time to reflect on the truths and the lessons that you learned. When you are rested, take some times to document your journey. Write down or create a visual representation of the wisdom you received and clearly delineate newly conceived goals or action plans. Scorpio empowers projects and goals that require real commitment to your truth, and as you well know these are the hardest to achieve.
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Contemplative today, perhaps from having had too much time to think over the weekend, the lines from the song "fragile" are coursing through my mind.
Y'all have a fabulous weekend, now. Be good to each other and play nice. 
Well, yesterday was quite a full day. D and I went shopping in the morning for hats and gloves (where do they always GO at the end of the season??), went and had lunch with daddy, took back cans & bottles and then went to see Harry Potter. It was very good - I'll probably post about it within the next couple of days (sorry Owl - lol!).