Good Luck!

My High School graduation was obligatory, I suppose you'd say. I showed up. I think the major thing was to stay out as long as possible, and to drink. I wish I'd been more coherent in those days and created some interesting mayhem, but unfortunately I just got the diploma the alcohol and the fatigue.

Here are a few good luck doodads I made for a young relative who is graduating High School. The acorn has the Chinese Fu symbol on it. (My apologies to the billions of chinese who might not recognize my attempt at replicating their symbol!) None of these have been antiqued or polished. (They are models.) Liver of sulfur would really help the acorn in particular, though I don't particularly like that piece. Its casted for future reference or something. I dunno. I just liked the Fu part of it.

The one I think I'll send her is the Star pendant. I thought that fitting for a graduation. And I know I know it will be late! But. Ah. That's life.

Meet Ms Chubbs

A couple of weeks ago I posted the amazing story of Desperate Kitty. Now, meet Ms Chubbs. She was a stray I couldn't find a home for so she stayed with me. She might be related to Desperate Kitty as they showed up in my yard around the same time. Anyway, here's a picture of her as I first knew her.

At that time her name was Ms Little, now she's Ms Chubbs. A total sweetheart... I'll plead distraction on her achieving the Rubenesque proportions she presently enjoys. I just didn't notice her extra pounds so much... *she carries it well*... as I had the drama of another cat dying... plus I've never had an obese kitty before. Yep. Insufficient excuses, but they are all I got. Here is a picture of her now....

My theory on her lifted hind leg is she is airing out her rear. She can't reach it to clean it, so she sits with one paw up. What's funny is... when I took her in? She had poop hanging off her rear. (TMI, I'm sure.) Just goes to show the child is father of the man... or cat...

**And yes she's on a diet. She does seem rather attached to her voluptuous beauty though... as it doesn't seem to be going anywhere!

That Boilermaker Feeling

The image of dropping a shot glass of whiskey into a pint of beer occurred to me while standing in my bank's parking lot. Perhaps that is why people drink Boilermakers.... It must be the congruency to life that so implodes their reason and quickly embalms their thought. Can't imagine that they do it for the taste! I enjoy beer and I enjoyed whiskey too much one fall but I've not had a boilermaker before...

That sinking shot glass full of whiskey type feeling... Exiting the bank I drove to the local community college to enroll in a course. Well, to embark on a certificate seeking course. (I am a seeker of certificates.) There are 2 turns to be made after you exit the highway, one at the end of the exit and another at the first intersection. I managed to make 2 wrong turns going there, and one coming back. I hope such brain fuzz is not an indicator for the success of this newish adventure!

When searching for a boilermaker picture I found the Hillary Clinton one. What I like about it is, her eyes are definitely crossed.

In Support of Global Warming "Alarmists"

In general I do not engage in political or enviro-political debate. ;0)... I'd rather have a beer. And, if you think global warming is all hooey and the 99.9% of scientists that have their panties in a twist over it are all wet, then there is nothing I can say to change your mind. I don't even want to try. Watching dust would be more entertaining. But... there are a couple of things. One is the picture above which I kinda like. (though it isn't the one I was looking for!) The other is I'd like to say a couple of things in defense of those poor pantie twisted scientists.

First off, Galileo was a long time ago. Remember that guy? The one lone fellow that stood up and said "'sup... this joint is ROUND," or words to that effect and the Catholic church got all huffy. See, my theory is... it was all a conspiracy. The Catholic church and Galileo were in cahoots to create the most perfect metaphor of all time. Doesn't it fit perfectly now? Hah. Told you so. I might not be able to convince you what the pantie twisted scientists of today are wringing their hands over, but I can enlighten you about the first scientific scalliwag, the first deceiver and scumguffin, the master metaphor maker himself, Galileo.

But, those lab coat wearing test tubers of today and their strident warnings... Look at it this way. Let's say that the 99.9% of scientists are wrong and there is no global warming. Its all sun spot frolicking. But, being the socially oriented individual that you are, even though you doubted the GW alarms you've gone along with the program. And you end up with what? Less money, for sure for sure, but also a clean and healthy environment with a sustainable energy source.

And now we look at the other side... say those scalliwagging pantie twisting lab coaters are right. And you, remembering the example of that first scalliwag Galileo dissed their efforts. What do you end up with? It won't be just the scientists that end up all wet.

"Death Be Not Proud"

I have a problem. Well. More than one perhaps... as neither my nose or butt are as diminutive as my bank account... My cheeks and world view only achieve rosiness with artificial assistance... My Saturday nights are as exciting as a successful toilet flush and my ability to get a job is about as effective as my cats' ability to catch birds from inside the house. (Not for lack of trying!)

But the problem I am addressing here is dental work. At one time I likened dental work to evidential mortality... Somehow bringing in the idea of teeth and skeletons and death.... Tooth loss being one less thing to leer with from across the divide. But it has been maybe 15 years since I've been so... philosophical. Now its just pain I evaluate. I don't think I have much fear of death... but pain? I am a total wimp with pain. Maybe that is what people are referring to when they bring up fear of death. Give me morphine when you give me death, is all I can say.

My jaw just does not go sufficiently numb. I would pity my dentist if I had any pity left over (from myself).... as I sit like a slobbering insect splayed and impaled with a dental tool. Particularly today I kept thinking of that movie Marathon Man. I'm not sure if I've seen the whole movie... I don't remember what the movie is about. Just that one scene has stuck with me and probably with others also--- Dustin Hoffman cringing in a chair under the assault of a high whine.

Flagrant Tulips, Flash On!

There he is, the yellow fellow in my yard. I think I've disturbed the tulips enough that... their number seems to be diminishing. Whether its my weeding (no weed killer here! Killer *of the environment* being *not* the clue!)... or my lack of fertilizer... whatever they ain't there so much any more. And I kinda like them. Next fall I'm going to randomly plant a bunch of tulips and daffodils. Keeps me on my toes. And prods Spring along.

Spring needing an occasional prod I suppose... Here's a picture of the most recent manifestation of my earthy ineffectual obsession... the digging up of a yew hedge. Jeesh. At first I liked the pink of that rhodendrum... Having bought all my bushes on sale at Fall's edge, I wasn't sure what colors would express themselves this Spring, let alone live. But, ah, whatever.

Another shot of my yard. A Daphne (how sweet is that name?), a Dogwood (earthy and dependable), a rhodendrum (a color like acrylic surviving unfaded), and ferns, cautiously unfolding.

When buying marigolds at "X"... I saw some honey bees on the plants in the industrialized homogenized impersonified space that is the "X" store. And that made me feel good. I buy marigolds the way some people wave flags. I buy marigolds the way I take my place in a grocery store line or sweep my driveway. Its just one of those things... endemic and intrinsic to a sense of self. Along with the marigolds... there were those freakin' bees. How much better can it be? Spring has sprung and I'm there with a shovel.

When planting... I watched a lone honey bee weirdly dig into the ground. The honey bee was obviously diseased, obviously dying.... I couldn't bring myself to kill it. I love those freakin' flyin' sugar packets of spring! I hope that the severe problem our environment faces at this time doesn't lead to just drink, or hyperactive profit management, but to solutions that can bring more... ya know... those colors!