Rants, Rants, and More Rants

I'm annoyed because:

I'm too fat for Agent Gibbs, a.k.a Mark Harmon.
Ditto for Tom Selleck.

You see, if I had a lithe body, even though I am of mature years, I could press it up against these guys and whisper into their ears.  Then their security would drag me off and I'd wake up heavily medicated.

**************************************************************************

I'm annoyed because when I went to the supermarket yesterday, hoping to get away with once again not cooking, there were no rotissiere chickens in the case.  A woman standing there with an expectant look on her face said, "There aren't any more chickens -- they said it would be about 20 minutes.  He's wrapping the last one for me."  It was then that I had this mental cartoon-like image of us wrestling each other to the floor in a life or death struggle over the last chicken.  I moved on quietly. Actually, I told her of my brain cartoon and she only looked around for help for a short time.

***************************************************************************

I'm annoyed because it has been raining for two days and everyone here is so happy that it's not snow that they don't even notice that it is dank, DANK, I say.  Bah humbug.

****************************************************************************

I'm annoyed because even though the crockpot chicken in marinara sauce came out wonderful and was yummy with pasta for lunch, now I have to figure out something for supper.

*****************************************************************************
I'm annoyed because I have been called a racist.  Again.  No, I didn't do anything.  We have had a kid or two scrawling racist graffitti (aimed at a black teacher) in the bathrooms of the high school.  Said teacher told the School Committee that the schools and whole Town are inherently, institutionally, racist.  Don't I have to be some kind of participant in the offense to be branded?

Since the incidents (see: Larry Kelley's blog Only in the Republic of Amherst), there have been meetings galore and now the schools are going to have anti-racist programs.  There are two separate groups using rooms at the Library holding meetings to try to combat this racism.  (Why two different groups -- in addition to the NAACP-- I wonder?)

*****************************************************************************

Finally, I am annoyed and really angry that my petition for an upgrade has been denied.  Again.  Somewhere around 1995, with the other boss, we asked to have my position upgraded.  They just re-did my job description, adding more duties.

Two years ago, my then new boss supported an upgrade of two steps (with documentation).  It was denied.

 About 8 months ago, we asked again, with more documentation of increased responsibility and duties.  I was put in with the professionals' job review (even though I am not on a professional level).  They asked what I do and we told them.  The human resource consultant thought an upgrade would be a slam dunk when she spoke with my boss and me.  What happened? Town of Amherst Human Resources said no upgrade and they added the extra duties to my job description with no added compensation.  I again looked at the job descriptions of those positions two grades above me -- they have fewer responsibilities and fewer tasks.  And, to top it all off -- I cannot 'work to rule' because they added all of those extra duties to my current job descriptions.

******************************************************************************
O.k., I'm done griping.  I just had chocolate molten cake and it's yummy.  Who knew that a mix I bought about two years ago could be so good?  My daughters love to go spelunking in my food cupboard and throw out expired things.  Ha! I'm going to eat them before those kids go nuts.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

It dawned on me that since I found Stephen Wright's blog, I haven't written here.  I feel inadequate next to his writing.  However, I would not want to go national the way he does -- boy, does he get criticism!! All of the crazies love to glom onto him.  I like being the only crazy here just fine, thank you.

********************************************************************************
I love the Upworthy posts on FaceBook -- even if they do make me think.  But today's post by Stephen Fry (the actor) about Humanism explained a lot to me.  He's basically an atheist and he was saying even though there is no divine plan (in his opinion), we can all make ourselves happy by just living life to the fullest.  It was such a simple and straightforward explanation that I now know why on Baptist minister preached a whole sermon about the evils of Humanism.  Because Humanists go one step further than, "We don't need no steenking priests," right on to, "We don't need no God."

I know you're not supposed to discuss religion and politics at work, but I thought it was o.k. with good friends at home.  Yesterday I observed that I thought a woman who is going through a terrible family problem is probably going through these trials due to her bad karma resulting from years of being downright nasty.  My friend said to me, 'You were raised Catholic -- how can you believe in karma?'  I didn't have an adequate answer then, but I was thinking, 'What about the do unto others thing?'  What about the concept of hell if you don't behave?

I know bad things happen to good people and that makes the above nonsense.  But I really feel there's a germ of truth in there.

8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

So, the other day, I had to register several people at work for a conference in Worcester.  The conference administrator needed a tally of who wanted chicken or vegetarian for lunch.  So I was getting emails such as: chicken, chicken, rubber chicken, chicken, and CHICKEN!  <--- Actually that was a colored cartoon about 6 inches high of a yellow chicken with red accents.  It was clip art that my boss had sent to be funny.  And it is that -- funny.  I laughed out loud.  So I did a copy and paste so I could print out the chicken and put him on my bulletin board.

My work computer is weird.  (Now wait a minute, there's a point to this. I have not gone totally soft yet.)  If I do a control C (copy) and then do a control V (paste), it works fine.  The next time I highlight something else and copy and paste, I get the first thing all over again.  (Every time.)

So after printing out the chicken, I was copying a form letter to thank a donor and pasted it onto letterhead. And I got CHICKEN!  Sigh.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Well, it's time to think about supper. I usually eat it with 60 Minutes (7 p.m.).  Do you think they would notice at the supermarket that I'm still wearing jammies when I go look for a rotissiere chicken?

Spring Ahead

I trust you have all reconciled yourself to the fact that the clocks had to be moved ahead one hour last night.  Personally, this changing the clock bit bugs me.  It supposedly was instituted to help the farmers, who now have electricity, so why do we have to change things? I was just rejoicing in the fact that when I leave work it's not totally dark, and now it's all artificially light.  Well, more light than it should be.  Isn't Noon always at the same time? What is this nonsense exactly?

****************************************************************************

I am distressed by the Blarney Blowout.  Yesterday, due to excessive drinking, 58 college aged kids were arrested and more were summonsed (I think that means ticketed).  As my friend, Ann, says: They have too much money and too much time on their hands.

She and I were reminiscing about out undergraduate days.  I  did as little studying as possible, but I did work part time and beer or alcohol wasn't really my bag (luckily).  She, on the other hand, studied a lot and perhaps had a part time job too.  But neither of us had enough money to buy a six pack, let alone buy drinks at a bar!

It was a gorgeous sunny day in the 50's and most kids went out to see and be seen and maybe have a beer or two.  A few went to get so drunk that they couldn't walk.  I was returning from Northampton around Noon and I saw two ambulances about 10 to 15 minutes apart going to the emergency room. There were already problems.

In the "old days," they called it Kegs and Eggs and we all said, "Ewww ... eggs and beer!"  Some of the kids did indeed start that early, but it wasn't in any way as rowdy as this.  I guess it's because everyone is texting everyone else and they are telling their friends where to go to meet up or witness one of the many fights.

Our police were criticized for using non lethal force -- pepper spray and smoke bombs -- to disperse the crowds.  These are public safety officers, many in full riot gear, who were greeted with a hail of snow balls, ice chunks, full beer bottles and cans, etc.  We still had four officers injured.

While I know the majority of UMass students were not participating, I think we all -- including current students and administrators -- need to figure out a way to stop this ridiculous disturbance.  If it means closing all of the bars and liquor stores in Amherst on that day, let's do it.  Let them buy their liquor in Hadley and bring it to their dorm room on campus.

Aftermath: About 100 students protested the "overexcessive use of force" by the Amherst Police.  I guess they have never heard of Kent State (or seen the photo).  Do you suppose they have heard of Rodney King? They don't know what excessive force is.

We protested the Viet Nam war and they protest when cops tell a drunken crowd to disperse.

I can barely swim, it's getting so shallow.

*****************************************************************************

Today is a day that you can really feel spring coming on. It's in the 40's and really sunny. The snow banks at the end of the driveways are down to 3 or 4 feet, the birds are chirping in the morning ... did someone send the birds a memo saying, "It's March, get your tail feathers out there in the a.m.!"?  I heard birds singing as I went out to work the other morning and thought I had been transported to the town center and was hearing the audible crosswalk light in Town.

*******************************************************************************
March 19, 2014

As you may have guessed, the above was written the Sunday BEFORE March 17th.  We've had more bitterly cold weather, but today was in the 40's and great ... for a ride to Charlestown.  It only took me two and a half hours today but I can't figure out if it's because my new GPS sent me a different way or if it was because I left 15 minutes early.  (Yes, of course I can figure it out by Googling the time for the different routes, but I'm too lazy.)

I know it's hard for you to believe, but my wheels started turning at 6:45 a.m.  Luckily, for those at the union hall, the coffee was ready.  I can't drink or eat anything before I leave.  I can't imagine how bad it would be to be stuck in traffic in Framingham and have to go.

I got my usual dose of angst when someone, whose expertise in his job is almost nil, was disrespectful to me.  This is a staff person no less.  But he has kissed the correct asses and remains the golden boy.  Actually, I think he has "the goods" on the people who insist on retaining him.  Why do I persist? Why do I put up with this manure?  (I actually need it for the garden.)

I just keep having this nagging feeling that I can effect change and make some things better with the union management.  Today, however, I was reminded of the phrase: Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely.

*****************************************************************************

I was reading the Deployment Health today (from Walter Reed -- it's online) and was grabbed by a picture of two Marines in an airplane grimacing in pain from wounds they received in Afghanistan.  After that, I read the UMass Alumni News (also online) and read that the University received a grant of thousands of dollars to assist Afghan women get education.  Irony.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Heard in a local supermarket: Are these local asparagus?  No ma'm.  Why can't we have local asparagus?

BECAUSE THERE'S STILL TWO FREAKIN' FEET OF SNOW, YOU JERK.  <-- That's me.  Does she think the plants are pushing up through the snow? (BTW, there's less snow because it was warm today.)  Does she think someone is growing greenhouse asparagus?  Yeah, and selling it for $12 a spear.  Sheesh.

*******************************************************************************

It was just sleeting a couple of hours ago.  We went from sunny and in the high 40's to sleeting.  Is it any wonder why I'm just a bit testy?

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

So I went to the dentist ... again.  Yes, another crown.  I've paid enough in dental bills that I should get a real crown.  Anyway, I'm in the chair bleeding like crazy and the dentist says, "That's some really angry tissue there."  And I said to him, "Yeah, well, if you would stop poking sharp objects at it, it probably wouldn't be so angry."  Bah humbug.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Presidents' Day

I LOVE days off!

Lunch was warm salmon on two kinds of lettuce, cukes, and wine vinagrette dressing.


I decided to make a baby quilt. This is as far as I got.

This panel is called "Hey Diddle Diddle" for obvious reasons.  Yes, I did iron it before adding to it!

Then you make sashing.  Most people (not quilters) call this a border.

Below is the backing (aqua), then the polyester batting (white stuff) and the finished quilt top on top.

The next step is for me to pin that sucker all over the place.  Then I can tie it, which is a very old form of quilting.  It's double double knots no more than four inches apart.  Tying or sewing through the three layers is the actual quilting.  Making the top is piecing.  Finally, it needs to be bound. This is when I always hope that fairies come in and do this, but it never happens.

Saturday After One Day of Work

It was a little hard yesterday to get back to business.  Of course it was that dumb Valentine's Day.  Luckily, my boss brought in heart shaped Dunkin Donuts filled with brownies.  If I have to put up with all of that love mush, I might as well have good coffee and a doughnut.  (I bought some really great French roast coffee for the Keurig at work.)

So today, I was determined to be useful.  I decided to make bread, which I haven't done in years.  I had bought more flour, but couldn't find yeast so I gave up.  You would think the yeast would be near the flour in the supermarket, wouldn't you?)  The yeast I have is a bit old, so I proofed it.

Those bubbles mean the yeast is alive.  It's alive!!

After adding all of the ingredients, I had to 'set the dough to rise for one hour.'  

Here's the bread rising under a tea towel that my cheeky devil Aussie friend sent to me.  You even get a recipe with this towel!

So I went off to Jazzercise which is one hour of aerobics.  Yes, I took ibuprophen first.  Came back -- my bread was not risen.  (It eventually took over 2 hours.)  As Ann said, "No alleluia."  Hmpf.  But after the second rising, I baked it.

Mmmm, bread! 

See how it's artfully placed?  Ann and I HAD to taste it so there are a couple of slices missing from the right side.  It's good and the kitchen smells amazing.  I'm thinking, however, that I have to get something with more ingredients.  It has been so long since I've had plain white bread, I was like, "Eh."  Maybe I'll try oatmeal bread. That would be a fave.  Maybe I'll make croutons ....

******************************************************

Before Ann came over, I was busy in the sewing room. (Sorry, about the spoiler, Mom.)

As some of you know, my mother delights in making her grandchildren and me laugh.  So when we're in a casino (in California, on board a ship), she loves to reach in between her breasts and dig around. She comes up with money because she has a woman's money pouch attached to her bra strap.  Last time we were together, she said she would like a new one.  

I don't know what store I was in, but I saw these "instant camisoles" that will cover up cleavage.  It's just a triangle of fabric that you attach to each bra strap.  And I thought, 'I can make that into a money pouch!'

Left is front of money pouch; right is back of the "skin tone" pouch.

Yes, I know -- they look like plus sized g-strings.  They will not only hold a lot of dough, they could even hide her passport.  Come to think of it, she could add glasses, phone, coins, and a snack! There are a lot of advantages to being a Jane Russell type!

Since Ann was coming over and she always admires my glass collection, I decided it was time to dust the 3 inches of dust off the baker's rack. One of these days, I'll get the toter full of other pieces and switch them out, but I settled for rearranging the colors.

I know, I know -- crummy shot.  But it's %$#@ snowing again and almost sunset.  I think we had a half hour of sun today.  But there's no dust ...

Ann had me stuffing the little (about 3.5 inches high) dogs that she has sewn.  I observed that I never thought I'd spend a Saturday shoving stuffing up a dog's ass and she observed, 'Better the dog than you.'  She's tough. At one point, I didn't see that she had another dog for me to stuff and she said, "What are you? On break?"  It's a darn good thing she didn't make a union crack at that juncture.  (We are at totally opposite ends of the political spectrum.)

***************************************************

We have Monday off because it's President's Day.  Remember when we knew when Lincoln's and Washington's birthdays were?  Now, I guess, we are honoring all presidents.  Does Silent Cal get honored?  Apparently, he wasn't any more talkative when he was in Northampton.  Although he is the one credited with calling it Paradise City.  (Yes, that is  Northampton, Mass. that Archer Mayor writes about.  Try his books, you might like them.)

Anyway, it's another day off and another day to get me used to hibernating at home.  When I do have to go back into work, I am loath to do it and it's not because I don't want to see the people or do the work.  A body at rest ...

So all of this no work stuff got me to thinking an calculating.  My next trip to Palm Springs will be in April after we are done with the Sammy Awards on April 10th.

The Library will honor Norton Juster, author of The Phantom Toll Booth. (There will be two other honorees, but I'm talking about Norton here.)  I did not know of the book and it turns out that some school systems use it in their curriculum.  I learned that when a college student almost fainted after Norton had walked into the Library and I mentioned his name.  All of this is to say, Norton Juster is a STAR.  Tollbooth is in its 50th year and still going strong.

And so is Norton.  He is a lovely man, a delight to talk to, and he loves his granddaughter (and I'm sure the rest of his family) dearly. I am a better person for knowing him.  His good buddy and flat mate is/was Jules Feiffer, of New Yorker cartoonist fame.  Jules changed my life when I saw "Ode to Spring" which is a grown woman cavorting and dancing to spring.  That image has stayed in my brain for many years and always reminds me to cavort. 

Cheers!

Yesterday Was Another Snow Day

Just like a kid in school, I eagerly anticipated the "No work tomorrow" message which did arrive at a civilized hour the day before.  And we've got snow, followed by rain/sleet.  But getting up this a.m. at 0430 (yes, you do know why -- all of you are over 50 -- you know why geezers get up in the night), I look out and it's quietly snowing.  Again.  A lot.  I know, I know, you're all thinking, "Get over it! You live in freaking New England, what do you expect in February?"

I guess what I didn't expect was to turn into every sixth decade person I've known and feel every ache and pain every day.  I didn't expect to dread a change in the weather for the sheer inconvenience of having to clear off your car four times in a day, wear multiple layers of ugly but warm clothing and kill any possibility of a neat hairdo with hats and hoods.

I have to admit, though, I do enjoy being (as my one friend says) a curmudgeon.  Grumbling can be fun.

***************************************************************************

So I spent another whole day yesterday doing nothing except breathing and eating.  I look around the living room at UFOs (Unfinished Objects).  No, I don't think my favorite f-word is in the middle, this is a quilting term after all.  I really should finish them.  But I think they have become like a really good book -- you don't want to finish it because then that experience is done.  Over. Kaput.  But one of these days -- soon -- I'll finish the flag colors quilt and give it to some vet who might like it for when they are watching TV.  Geez.  I know an active service member who might like it.  Why did I begin hand stitching it?  If it only needs binding, it could be a "quick" job.  (In quilting, "quick" is less than a month!)

*****************************************************************************

I am envying a friend who has a new grandbaby.  I am also envying a friend who has a new grandpuppy. Most of my friends here don't have dogs any more and I miss that.  And if they have a grandchild, the kid is some distance away.  I do get a lot of mileage out of the babies that come into the office at work.  While their mothers are busily filling out the paperwork to get a library card, I have great conversations with the babies.  They think I'm a riot.  I'm not sure why, but we usually have a good giggle.

******************************************************************************

This is shaping up to be really boring. I think I'll go back to bed.  Have to be up in less than 90 minutes to get ready to go to work.  Ta ta for now.

*******************************************************************************

Just got word (6:11 a.m.) that there is a late opening at work.  Now I really will go back to bed!

More Cruise and New Year Pics

Some of you are wondering why I haven't posted in so long.  Well, for one thing, I was sick right after the cruise.  But, when I was sending one picture of Mom and me to Mom, I put it into black and white because the lighting at that particular spot made us both look jaundiced.  What I didn't realize was that every picture I took off my camera after that STAYED in black and white.  So I have gone back and picked some that you haven't seen and re-saved them in color.

These are my favorite leis, a combination of thin ribbon crocheted into rosettes with "furry" yarn also crocheted in.

I cannot remember if I posted the "Russian Ballet" before, but the blurred tangle of arms and legs amuses me.

Through the Window

String Quartet on the Piazza

This is the New Year's palate cleanser -- pink grapefruit sorbet!  It was preceded by lobster three ways in my case.

That is a brandied pear on top of the warm chocolate "pudding" with ice cream.

My dessert was the most chocolate mousse covered in chocolate that I have ever had!

This life sized cream puff tower was outside of the dining room.  One so-called adult wanted to know if he could eat the cream puffs ...

Here we are at the Piazza waiting for Midnight on New Year's Eve.  The balloons are loaded (top) and the big screen was running continuous scenes of happy cruising life and happy people in general.

We all wore our best clothing for New Year's.  When I was editing these pictures, I noticed the Japanese lady in the center in her fancy kimono.

Waiting for New Year's is a thirsty business!

And the balloons fall at Midnight.  Happy New Year!

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

This chorus was made up of passengers who got together several times during the cruise to practice.  Their director was very sick and a stand in conductor had to be appointed to lead them.

I just needed the above picture because it's still snowing ...

Random Thoughts on a Snow Day

So if a death row prisoner has his last meal and is allergic to the food, and he goes into anaphylactic shock and dies -- do they have to revive him to kill him?  Just wondering.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Somebody on FB asked, 'If you could have dinner with an historical figure, who would it be? One woman said, "Paul of Tarsus."  Why in heaven's name would you want to eat with Saul, otherwise known as Paul of Tarsus?  (Was his name too ethnic that he had to change it?)  Every time Paul rode into a town and preached, he got the stink beat out of him and they threw him out of town. Or they beat him up and threw him in jail.  I'm thinking a lot of people didn't like Paul.  And I'm thinking he couldn't quite learn from experience.

So I mentioned this to a friend and she said, 'Wouldn't you want to meet Jesus?'  (No, she was not about to kill me, she was asking in the previously mentioned context.)

I've been thinking about that and I don't think so.  First of all, innuendo would be completely out.  A conversation can be pretty flat if there's no possibility of innuendo.  And, oh yeah, hyperbole.  No chance for hyperbole there!

But the worst would be if Jesus said, "What's with all this cult stuff? My point was: be nicer to each other and question authority."  Because when you think about it, the major Christian sects now seem to be very cult-like in enforcing their rules.  Just sayin'.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

I was done with winter yesterday.  I guess Mother Nature didn't care.

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

I told you this was random thoughts.  What did you expect? War and Peace?                       %%%%%%%%%


This is my pre-over easy egg with Buffalo chicken flavored chicken sausages (very very low fat).

Breakfast of Champions

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Lisa and I have been congratulating ourselves on making K-cups for coffee for about $0.67 each.  This is as opposed to $2.00/cup for coffee from the coffee shop across the street.  Of course, with the ease of making it upstairs in the staff room, we are drinking twice as much coffee as ever ... 

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

How come after I corrected the spelling of anaphylactic, this blog is still questioning the spelling? After all, I Googled it.

What did we do before Google? I guess I wondered a lot.  I know I'm not more intelligent.  I took an IQ test on FaceBook yesterday and my friend, who posted it, got 150.  I got "almost average."  That was a let down.  I had thought I might score more than half of what she scored!  It just proves that I'm the only one impressed with me!

Cheers for now.