Meandering Missive: November 2005

Wednesday, November 30, 2005

'Frilly socks' on hairy legs? ;D

I was browsing eBay today for a pair of bargain purple socks to wear around the house. Solid purple is okay, but I actually prefer purple mixed with other colours (i.e. in dots, swirls, stripes) or purple as part of a cute theme (i.e. flowers, happy faces, rodents, sweets). A few of my fave around-the-house sox are wearing thin, which is why I'm looking for more.

Anyway, during my search, I came upon a hilarious auction! Be sure to scroll down in the auction page; he has SEVERAL photos! I don't know if this guy is for real or not (he has no feedback so far), but I certainly give him credit for having a lot of nerve and a good sense of humour! ;D It's not any guy who can use the adjective "frilly" while wearing pink and purple socks and photographing them on his hairy legs! LOL (Actually I think his legs look great -- minus the frilly socks, of course!)

Oh, and speaking of eBay, my Sea Wees and Babies auction I mentioned in the previous entry has been bid up to $154.49!! Six or seven folks are engaged in a crazy bidding war, and the auction isn't over until Sunday! I never DREAMED I'd get so much money for a set of used, discolored plastic 1970s-esque toys! *blush*

Today I am feeling giddy/giggly!

posted by ScaryShari @ 10:18 PM 0 comments

Monday, November 28, 2005

Miscellaneous things

Like the Island of Misfit Toys, this blog entry serves as a home for miscellaneous things that I wasn't sure where else to put. But that makes them no less worthy! :)

First things first, I am gleeful about the 31 items I put up for bids on eBay in the last 24 hours or so. They include books on several different genres (mainly cooking and gardening) and a hodgepodge of gifts and collectibles. There's also a 1970s set of Kenner Sea Wees & Babies (and a ton of the accessories) that has already received 10 bids and gone up to $57 from a $3 starting bid! And there are still 6 days left before the auction ends. I'm mortified that I'll be earning so much money for a bunch of old, used toys!! *blush* Though I can definitely use this money!! I found the mermaid-themed play set stored away in my garage and something told me that before I donated the toys to the thrift shop, I should see if they're considered collectible on eBay. GOOD intuition there, self! ;D If anyone wants to see all my current eBay bargains (you might find some nice holiday gifts) please click here.

Sometimes I have dreams that are so memorable I think about them days afterwards. Not last night but the night before (sounds like a childhood jumprope song!) I had such a dream. It reminded me of some of the shows on the Sci-Fi Channel where people are terrorized by a malevolent creature. Its origin may be alien, supernatural or animal, but it's always scary and relentless. In my dream, I and a group of assorted "extras" (I didn't recognize them) were trapped in a sprawling, ranch-style house with a lot of trees in the landscaping surrounding it. I don't know how long we'd been hiding out there, trying to avoid and/or attack the monster, but I seem to recall some people who once belonged to the group, were no longer with us. (Draw your own conclusions!)

Fortunately, I discovered the monster was repulsed by the smell of camphor, though I've no idea HOW I came to acquire this knowledge! Interestingly enough, there were a handful of camphor trees growing nearby. Whenever we thought the coast was clear, I and some of the other folks dashed out of the house, jumped into the trees and grabbed handfuls of leaves and berries. We'd then dash back into the house and scatter camphor leaves and berries around all the windows and doors, to keep the monster out. I remember we even ATE some of the berries to make ourselves less appealing to the monster, should we have a run-in with it! (The berries are not edible in real life, except to squirrels and birds). I don't know how the dream ended, sorry. :( But I do recall that when I awakened, I felt all hyped up and my neck and back muscles were very tense!

Speaking of trees, one of my online friends (who knows I love gardening and horticulture) recommended I check out a new website called DotFlowers. She didn't say why, but rather suggested I "look around." At first glance, it looked like most other online florists, with arrangements ranging from birthday sprays to funeral flowers and everything in between! I was impressed that they also have exotic plants, gourmet food and dessert baskets, candles, kid treats and other things, but no matter how tempting these items were, that didn't make Dot Flowers stand out much from the competition. Was the cute "busy bee" logo with the funny zoning eyes what my friend wanted me to appreciate? Was the business started by someone local to my area? Or something else?

Finally I discovered what it was! When I scrolled to the bottom of the website and reached a navigation bar down there, I noticed a link that said Botanical Database. I clicked on it and THAT'S when I realized what sets this site apart! Not that I've been to all the online florists in the world, but this is the only one I've personally seen with a database that sounds like it belongs on a horticulture website, not a florist! Even plants and trees that have nothing to do with florists are in this database. You can search alphabetically by name, or by the state the greenery grows in. There are probably thousands of trees, shrubs, flowers, vines and even "weeds" in the database! Although there are no photos, and there's no cross-reference by Latin name, it's still a happy surprise to find this on a site where I wouldn't expect it. (It appears to be linked to a database called the Integrated Taxonomic Information System for you nerds like me. ;)

On a completely different tangent, are Miss Manners and myself the only people who follow the lost art of the RSVP? As someone who plans several group parties/outings each year, and who runs a monthly bingo group, I'm perennially puzzled by the fact that so many people have an aversion to RSVPing. I know some folks live their lives at the last minute and never know from day to day what they might be doing, and while there's nothing WRONG with that, it strikes me as a hard way to live if you expect to be included when people plan events. If you're never willing to commit to anything, eventually people will give up trying to include you. (Except for naive and idealistic me, who keeps trying).

But I wonder: how hard is it to look at a calendar and write down an event if you don't have anything else already written on that day at that time? It's not rocket science! *chuckle* I was brought up to actually TELL people if I am a "yes", a "no" or a "maybe so" when they invite me to something. I'm as forgetful as the next person (probably MORE forgetful) -- that's why I write an event on my calendar so I don't forget I was invited to it. It seems other people receive invites (whether by email, Evite or paper) and promptly forget they were even invited, let alone asked to respond. I was also brought up that if I committed to attending, for example, Party A, I would not diss it for Party B unless there was a very compelling reason that Party B was more important. If both parties seem equally fun, I will stick with the one I was invited to FIRST. I feel it's important to stick to my word.

I guess I'm a freak because obviously most people prefer to be totally noncommittal. It makes me feel like some kind of stupid nag when I have to follow up with them later and ask if they got an invitation (how do I even know they got it if they don't respond?) and then I have to ask if they are coming or not. Is RSVP'ing so horrid? Does everyone have to wait until the very last second to commit to attending something? Even if someone isn't sure, can't they say something like "I might have to drive my kid to a such-and-such that day; I'll let you know when I know." Do my events suck so badly that people only attend them if "nothing better comes along"? (I know that's not the case, but sometimes I feel that way).

Anyone who has ever planned a birthday party (for themself or someone else), a holiday party, a farewell luncheon, a group road trip or a wedding knows how IMPORTANT it is to get RSVPs, and how frustrating it is when you have no idea how many people are coming, or if there will even be enough people to warrant having the event in the first place! (Well, obviously you'd still have a wedding, but I mean events like bingo, a group trip, a luncheon or a party). Sorry for all the griping. I got carried away! *blush* But I feel better now. I guess this is one of those things I will never understand, and will always find hurtful, despite my best attempts at not letting it get to me. :(

I don't want to end this entry on an aggro note, so I will mention something happy instead! :) Remember the Sea Wees eBay auction I mentioned earlier? Well, it has now jumped from 10 to 12 bids, and from $57 to $71! I can't even imagine how much people will "bid it up" by the time next Sunday rolls around, which is when the auction ends. I've decided that if the bidding goes over $100, I will express my thanks by giving the winner FREE Priority Mail shipping, no matter where they live! :)

One other happy thing: there's still time to become a "virtual" Secret Santa and participate in a REAL gift exchange with bloggers (or any Internet user) around the world! The link I just gave leads to the Secret Santa website, but for more info (and very amusing commentary *grin*) please visit my Nov. 21 blog entry on the subject. It's such a fun and cool idea that I really want to help spread the word!

Today I am feeling a mix of emotions.

posted by ScaryShari @ 9:02 PM 1 comments

Friday, November 25, 2005

Synchronicity! or 'Fortune Favours the Brave'

As if an instance of synchronicity isn't interesting/unusual enough, I've noticed it often comes in waves. This is a good thing, because not only does it kind of make me feel like there's "something good going on" in an otherwise random and difficult world, but it also kind of makes me feel that I may play a small part in generating and/or participating in the synchronicity. :)

I suspect many folks already know what this word means, and others can take it in context. But just for good measure, I'll quickly define it before I finish blogging. Here are two different (slightly condensed) definitions I found on Dictionary.com.

First: "Coincidence of events that seem to be meaningfully related, conceived in Jungian theory as an explanatory principle on the same order as causality."

Second: "The coincidental occurrence of events and especially psychic events (as similar thoughts in widely separated persons or a mental image of an unexpected event before it happens) that seem related but are not explained by conventional mechanisms of causality."

The reason I'm talking about this all of a sudden begins with yesterday, when I noticed I hadn't changed my blog's "Quote of the Week" for 2-3 weeks. (OOPS!) I have more than 160 quotes on my Favourite Quotes List, and it's always hard to pick one because no quote makes it to my list unless I REALLY like it! So, this time I scrolled down the list with my eyes closed, stopping randomly. When I opened my eyes, I used the first quote I saw, and it was "Fortes fortuna adjuvat." I've also seen it as "Audentes fortuna iuvat."

I don't know Latin well enough to know which is more accurate; I only know the English version is "Fortune favours the brave." It's attributed to the ancient Roman Virgil in his epic poem The Aeneid. That work, incidentally, was inspired by the epic poems The Iliad and The Odyssey by Homer, an ancient Greek who lived much earlier than Virgil. (This is all significant -- read on!)

Among the many tales of Greek mythology and lore mentioned by Homer is that of Prometheus, who as you know stole fire (which was supposed to be reserved for the gods and goddesses only) and brought it to earth for humans to use. His punishment was being chained to a rock and having an eagle eat his liver every day for eternity. (Eventually the hero Heracles/Hercules killed the bird, much to Prometheus's gratitude!) As if you couldn't tell, I love Greek (and Roman) mythology.

Anyway, today I found myself having lunch in an out-of-the-way little eatery in Boulder Creek with Tony. We didn't plan on eating there, and I don't even recall its name. Blue Sun Cafe? It had an attached mini-area where you could browse/buy art, stationery, scarves, books, jewelry, essential oils, handcrafted candles and soap, etc.

While awaiting our food, I picked up a copy of Metro Santa Cruz, which I normally never read because I don't go over the hill nearly as much as I'd like. Then again, you only have to go halfway through the Santa Cruz Mountains to find it delivered in towns like Boulder Creek, Ben Lomond, Felton, Scotts Valley, etc. :) While leafing through the paper, I came upon the astrology column by Rob Brezsny, one of the few writers of "horrorscopes" ANYWHERE who I actually enjoy reading and who seems to have uncannily good insights. He did not disappoint me this time either. Here's what he said for my sign (Taurus) --

In ancient Greek myth, Prometheus stole the gods' fire and bequeathed it to human beings, allowing them to cook, stay warm when the weather was cold, and make tools and bricks and pottery. According to my reading of the astrological omens, a Prometheus-like influence is now hovering at the peripheries of your world, angling to provide you with a boon that's pretty damn good, even if it isn't as monumental as fire. There's a catch, however. This benefactor will not be able to bestow the gift unless you aggressively ask for it and unless you are alert for its arrival from an unexpected direction.

As soon as I read this (especially the second half), you can imagine what motto it brought immediately to mind: "fortune favours the brave"! And interestingly enough, the first half begins with a reference to the Prometheus myth. That's connected to Homer, and Homer in turn inspired Virgil, from whom we get the motto in the first place!

Here's one more connection, albeit smaller than the others. Yesterday I was reading Reminisce, a magazine about the "good old days" my aunt gave to my dad at Thanksgiving. I happened to read an article about two brothers who scared their mother with a life-size cutout of a tall, lanky Frankenstein's monster. (It was also funny because the brother posing next to the cut-out had such lanky arms that he looked like the monster! *chuckle*) The only reason I mention this article is because the alternate title/subtitle of Mary Shelley's classic 1818 novel Frankenstein was, in fact, The Modern Prometheus.

Interesting how so many seemingly random things (most of which I normally don't even do) all had this specific common bond. That's it (so far!) for me being reminded that fortune favours the brave, but I'm still being reminded that synchro is at work. :) A periodical arrived today that among other things, had a section with a bunch of unusual male, female and unisex baby names. That made me think of the even more unusual names celebrities give their kids these days. I mentioned to my mom it doesn't get much weirder than Periscope! (I can't find on the Internet who it was, but I vividly recall some freaky famous person named their son Periscope a few years ago). At any rate, shortly after our conversation, I happened to watch a silly commercial (I normally ignore commercials) on TV and right there was someone using -- of all the unlikely things -- a PERISCOPE!

When synchro comes in waves like this, it almost always is when I'm unsure about some important thing or situation in my life. It could be connected with family, friends, relationships, work, health, spirituality, finances or whatever. But it's always when I could really use a little encouraging reminder that there's a "bigger picture" going on, it's a good one, and I'm part of it. :) And that's generally exactly when a synchro wave comes! Who knows what may happen next?

Today I am feeling excited and

hopeful.

posted by ScaryShari @ 10:53 PM 2 comments

Thursday, November 24, 2005

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope everyone had a happy, healthy Thanksgiving Day and I equally hope everyone has a fun and SAFE day remainder of the holiday weekend. I still can't believe how many retail stores are opening at 5 or 6 in the morning to accommodate frantic early holiday shoppers! :( :0 As financially strapped as I am, I'd never want to rise that early on the off chance I might find a great deal on some random thing! (Now if I could save several thousand dollars off a Toyota Prius, I'd be willing to get up at 4 a.m. and be at the dealership at 5. *grin* But otherwise -- NO!)

At any rate, at first I was going to blog about what I personally am thankful for, but I was afraid I'd write too much or get too sappy. Then I thought about perhaps doing a fun Thanksgiving meme, but I couldn't find any out in blogdom except one, and I didn't like it. So instead, I'm going to simply share a list of things to be thankful for that my mom read at today's Thanksgiving dinner (which consisted of my folks, my aunt, my cousins and me). She did not write this list; it's something she found in a magazine, or somewhere, several years ago and typed up to share. I REALLY like it. :)

Oh, and when my cousin Julie emails the recipe, I'm going to post a photo I took of this amazingly delicious frozen pumpkin mousse pie she made for dessert! She says it's super-easy, so I want to share the recipe along with the photo. In the meantime, here's the thankful list. Enjoy!

I Am Thankful For....

the mess to clean up after a party because it means I was surrounded by friends and/or family.

the clothes that fit a little too snug because it means I have enough to eat.

the taxes I pay because it means I am employed.

my shadow who follows me because it means I am out in the sunshine.

the spot I find at the far end of the parking lot because it means I am capable of walking.

all the complaining I hear about our government because it means we have freedom of speech.

that lady behind me at a concert who sings off key because it means that I can hear.

the piles of laundry and ironing because it means my loved ones are nearby.

my huge heating bill because it means I am warm.

weariness and aching muscles at the end of the day because it means that I have been productive.

the lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning and gutters that need fixing because it means I have a home.

the alarm that goes off in the early morning hours because it means that I am alive.

Today I am feeling content.

posted by ScaryShari @ 8:44 PM 0 comments

Monday, November 21, 2005

How to be a 'virtual' Secret Santa!

This "virtual" Secret Santa is one of the coolest things since sliced bread! Well, at least if you believe in the kindness of strangers, you enjoy holiday festivities and you feel that giving a thoughtful gift is just as nice as receiving one. (ALL of which describe me!)

I'll try to keep my glee under enough control to explain further. ;D If you click on the scene above, you'll be taken to the Secret Santa website, but I'll give you a brief intro first.

As most folks know (and the lucky ones have experienced), many offices and companies have a Secret Santa program during the holidays. It's similar to the Secret Pal concept, except that Pals exchange gifts secretly all year, whereas Santas only exchange once -- for the holidays.

I've never worked in an office with Secret Pals (too bad), but I have done Secret Santa exchanges a few times. I love both concepts and I really miss them, now that I'm a freelance "creative professional" who works from home. I suppose I could coordinate an exchange with the Beanie Babies and similar stuffed animals that hang out on my computer hutch, but somehow it just isn't the same! ;)

Enter Cal Henderson, Denise Wilton and Tom Coates of thinkblank.com, three kindred spirits who four years ago created a virtual version of Secret Santas. I can't believe I never heard of this until now, especially since almost everyone who knows me knows this is SOO up my alley! *chuckle* I still might not have known about it if not for reading of it in the blog of my friend Shari. (More on her in a minute!)

I wish I could have participated in past years, but at least I'm involved now, and plan to do it every year hereafter. So far more than 2,000 gifts have been exchanged, per the website. I think that's kind of small for a four-year-old project, so I'm doing my best to get the word out. Please join!

The website guides you through a super-simple registration process, including giving your email address (NO spam, don't worry!) and entering the URL for your online wish list. You must have some place (i.e. Amazon.com ) with a publicly viewable list of gifts you'd enjoy receiving. Since the Secret Santa elves recommend a $15 gift limit, make sure your wish list has at least some items priced at $15 or under. (Some folks may want to buy you two $6-$8 gifts rather than one $15 gift.)

On Dec. 10, the website will randomly email you the name and wish list info of someone anywhere in the WORLD (fear not: most participants are in the U.S., U.K. or Canada). You buy a gift (or gifts) and have them shipped to the recipient at the mailing address they provide on their list. At the same time, YOUR name and wish list have been delivered to someone ELSE, and you too will be surprised by something from your own list.

And now credit where credit is due. My oft-mentioned Las Vegas namesake, Shari, has a very cool blog at Shari.com. (She also had the foresight to register this domain name before I did. *grin*) When I read her blog yesterday, she talked about her past (and current) participation in the Secret Santa site and it sounded so great I had to check it out!

I called Shari "my friend" several paragraphs up because I believe you can become friends with someone even if you've never met. I do not, however, call everyone I know online my friend. My default is to like almost everyone I meet, but I wait to consider someone a friend until I learn what their personality and temperament are (and likewise they can learn about mine). If we have mutual compatibility that way, and if we also have enough things in common to make for conversation that lasts more than a few IM chats or email snippets, then I begin to consider them a friend. :)

If not for the fact that Shari is about 2 1/2 years old than I, I'd wonder if we were separated at birth. (Then again, perhaps I'm just a verrrrry late twin! LOL). Seriously, though, this is the only gal I know of (aside from myself) who can write verbose ramblings about the most inane topics in the world -- yet also weave in humor and insight. (Of course, we both write about serious topics too. But it's funny how we also share a propensity for the eccentric and the picayune -- not to mention a propensity for $10 words!)

On top of all that, we both are passionate for pet rodents (she: hamsters, me: rats); we both have jobs connected with the written/spoken word (she: an English teacher, me: a writer/editor); we both use a purple pen to make corrections in our aforementioned jobs; and we both are into photography, travel, gardening, good food and (duh) blogging. We both indulge at Bath & Body Works, prefer ranch as our salad dressing and used to read Tarot cards. We also both dabble in melt-and-pour soapmaking! How crazy is all THAT? And believe it or not, I once made an attempt to learn Gaelic! I mention this because Shari is a student of Irish Gaelic and it seems she's pretty good at it. As for me, I dabbled in Scots and Irish Gaelic for various reasons when I was in college, but alas, I didn't stick with it. However, to this day I think Gaelic is beautiful and fascinating.

The next time I'm in Las Vegas, we definitely have to meet up, girl! :) (Especially since it didn't work out this October). Even if we're not separated at birth, we can still celebrate our shared Shariness!

And for everyone else -- please consider joining the Secret Santa site. Who knows? You may even end up buying for (or receiving from) one of the world's two most eccentric Sharis! *smirk*

Today I am feeling giddy and festive.

posted by ScaryShari @ 2:52 PM 1 comments

Sunday, November 20, 2005

Workin' woman's blues

As many folks know but some don't, I'm looking for a part-time job to supplement my income. I say part-time, because if I were to hold a full-time job, I already know I would likely have to give up my freelance stuff, due to the major difficulty I have juggling too many responsibilities at once. If I worked 40-45 hours a week, the last thing I'd want to do nights and weekends is MORE work!

Because I love being with people, have strong interpersonal communication skills and have been told by many friends and family members that I'd make a good salesperson (thank you! *blush*), I've applied for customer service/retail type jobs. Not one where I'd work on commission, of course -- I'm not aggressive enough for that! :) I just want to work in a store ringing people up at the register, wrapping gifts, answering questions, offering advice, etc. I want it to be a store where I have a strong personal interest in the merchandise, since obviously enthusiasm is contagious.

And so I applied to Diddams Party Store (I love their amazing selection of not just party supplies but also toys, games, cards, gifts, stickers, candles, stationery and more); Barnes & Noble (I love the all-in-one bookstore concept); Petco (I love animals and could actually visit with them, as pets are welcome in the store); and SummerWinds Nursery (I love gardening and horticulture - duh!). I also love Borders Books (for the same reason as B&N) and Bath & Body Works (I'm like a kid in a candy store with all their yummy, frilly products), but I prefer to avoid the personal security and parking problems connected with working in a big mall). I also love Target and am considering applying there too, but not at one attached to a mall.

So far I've only heard back from Diddams, and at the present time, it's a no-go, as their most pressing need is for folks to work weekends. On all my job applications, I indicated I could work just about any part-time combination of hours Monday through Friday, but not weekends. I didn't say why, but obviously it's because nearly all of my family members and friends are off on weekends, so if I had to work weekends, I'd never get to see anyone or do anything. :(

I also followed up with Petco, but only by telephoning their corporate website folks due to the horrid technical difficulties I had submitting my application online (as they prefer). I was told that yes, it all came through fine, and that now I should just wait to see if the HR department of my local Petcos contacts me. As for Barnes & Noble and SummerWinds Nursery, I'll follow up this coming week. (I want the SummerWinds job the MOST!)

Yes, I'm still a self-employed freelance "creative professional," which consists of doing writing, editing and photography whenever I can get the work. Currently I do varying amounts (and types) of it for one community newspaper group, two magazines and one website chain. I also have a line of photographic notecards featuring my nature photography, but that venture brings in the least money of all. To see some of the images, please click here and scroll down to the "Trees & Flowers" album. (Feedback is always welcome! *blush*)

I could certainly get more WRITING work if I tried, but I don't want more than I currently have. The whole reason I left (after 8 years) a full-time community journalism job in early 2003 and a part-time job in community journalism in mid-2005 is because I was becoming "burned out" on writing. I had opportunities to edit/copy edit the work of others, not to mention assign stories, counsel interns, etc., but it still boiled down to the fact that I did more writing than anything else. And that caused my creative juices to be tapped more and more, with less and less replenishing.

My favorite metaphor is of a waterway. When I graduated San Jose State University with a journalism degree, the passion I felt for, and ease with which I worked in, the field of journalism was like a rip-roaring river. Over the years, the waterway changed in both course and current (to extend the metaphor). It is now, unfortunately, more like a trickling brook. I've tried many different approaches to "bring back that lovin' feeling," from psyching myself out to meditating. I've talked to colleagues, friends, family and even a psychologist.

While I CAN and DO still enjoy the feature-type writing I do for my current clients (and do it well, I must say), that's about all I can currently stomach. Gone are the days when I pounced on a breaking news story or local controversy with the fervor of a news hound. Not that I ever liked covering news and politics as much as I liked covering features, but I used to be able to do without breaking a sweat. That's not the case anymore, and for a while this made me feel very ashamed. :(

After talking with the folks mentioned two paragraphs ago, I'm coming to terms with the fact that people change, and with them change emotions, interests and abilities. I'm not a freak or loser as I used to kick myself about; I'm just someone who for any number of reasons, burned out sooner than I thought I would, and sooner than some people. The ADHD may have something to do with it, or maybe not. (I have no trouble focusing on things I'm intensely interested in).

However, I am absolutely still a creative person. :) I just need to channel that creativity in more than one restricted way. (Ask me about my newest "side project" -- handcrafted melt-and-pour soapmaking!) Back to the journalism side of things, I no longer work at any one company, but freelance so I can pick and choose my projects. What I want MOST is to be a copy editor, because editing has always been one of my strongest traits. It also wouldn't use up my remaining creative juices ("whew!"), because it doesn't involve spinning straw into gold, as writing does. It involves reading something someone else wrote, and catching and repairing boo-boos relating to grammar, punctuation, style, content and clarity. (Quick note: I don't always practice what I preach when I blog, as blogging is more fun and extemporaneous. But please know I am quite obsessive-compulsive when I'm wearing my copy editing hat! *chuckle*)

If anyone knows of any type of job they think I'd be good for, please let me know. I'd be grateful. <:) That goes for retail sales/customer service work OR writing/editing/photography.

Today I am feeling conflicting emotions.

posted by ScaryShari @ 1:46 PM 2 comments

Saturday, November 19, 2005

Senate: GET OVER IT!

Am I the only one who feels that the Republican members of the U.S. Senate are behaving like a bunch of stubborn, pouty, petulant bad sports?

I just read this article by AP correspondant Donna De La Cruz in the San Jose Mercury News, Republicans refuse to give Bruce Springsteen his glory days, and I don't know whether to be surprised or NOT surprised. :(

After a certain time, you can only view Mercury News articles if you join the website. There's no cost to join and no spam (I've belonged for over a year). However, in case you don't want to join, here's a slightly condensed version of the article....

An effort by New Jersey's two Democratic senators to honor the veteran rocker was shot down Friday by Republicans who are apparently still miffed a year after the Boss lent his voice to the campaign of Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry.

The chamber's GOP leaders refused to bring up for consideration a resolution, introduced by Sens. Frank Lautenberg and Jon Corzine, that honored Springsteen's long career and the 1975 release of his iconic album, "Born to Run."

No reason was given, said Lautenberg spokesman Alex Formuzis. "Resolutions like this pass all the time in the U.S. Senate, usually by unanimous consent," he said.

Telephone calls to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist's office seeking comment were not immediately returned.

Lautenberg said he couldn't understand why anyone would object to the resolution.

"Even if the Republicans don't like (Springsteen's) tunes, I would hope they appreciated his contributions to American culture," Lautenberg said.

Springsteen endorsed Kerry last year, and made campaign appearances that drew huge crowds who came to hear music described in the resolution as "a cultural milestone that has touched the lives of millions of people."

Senate: GROW UP, GET OVER IT, and show a little CLASS!

Today I am feeling scornful.

posted by ScaryShari @ 10:05 AM 2 comments

Monday, November 14, 2005

"Do They Know It's Christmas?"

Some people declare that the holiday season is officially upon us when grocery and drug stores start selling Christmas cards and candy canes or Hallmark shops bring out the yearly commemorative ornaments. *grin*

I like to declare it by something subtler: the first time I hear Band Aid's Do They Know It's Christmas? on the radio in November -- and I just heard it today! :D There's something about this song that really stirs me, even though I've heard it for 21 years. (JEEZ that makes me feel old!) The lyrics are, of course, moving, but there's something about the melody that's downright haunting (in a good way)! Some things you just can't explain; you just feel.

If you're under 30, you may know of Band Aid after-the-fact, but you probably didn't watch (or don't recall watching) the video on MTV or hearing "Do They Know It's Christmas" on the radio back in 1984. Band Aid's organizers were Bob Geldof and Midge Ure, who wrote the song Band Aid sang. (Am I leaving out another songwriter?)

Band Aid was a huge number of popular singers and bands from the U.K. and Ireland (many in my favourite genres of "new wave" and "synth pop") who got together to record this song. It was an effort to raise awareness of famine and to "feed the world" (part of the chorus), although the funding actually just benefited Africa. (Ethiopia mainly)

In 1985, this would later influence and inspire the United States' We Are the World, another smash hit performed by USA for Africa. This was a veritable who's who of American singers and bands at the time. Quincy Jones produced the project, and Lionel Ritchie and Michael Jackson wrote the lyrics.

Later in 1985, July 13 to be precise, we had Live Aid. (Great info here and here). Also organized by Geldof and Ure as a famine-reliever, it was a 16-hour concert extravaganza in London and Philadelphia with performers from England, Scotland, Ireland, the USA, Canada, Australia, Germany, Japan and elsewhere. Some folks hailed this as the "Woodstock of the 80s." I think Band Aid was far and away better than Woodstock for many reasons, but that's neither here nor there.

At any rate, if you'd like more info about any of these three events, please click the links. The Band Aid link also has a Midi file of the song, but I must warn you that it's NOT the original melody. It's close, but there are some places where the rhythm, meter and actual notes are jarringly different. I don't know how to compose electronic music, but I'd think it's just as easy to get it right than to get it wrong. Anyway, enough rambling. :) I'm going to stop walking down memory lane and get ready for bed. (My melatonin is kicking in!)

Today I am feeling reminiscent and

sleepy.

posted by ScaryShari @ 10:53 PM 0 comments

Sunday, November 13, 2005

Where's the lickable wallpaper?

This weekend I watched the newly released DVD of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the much-touted 2005 remake (by director Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp) of Roald Dahl's classic book of the same name.

I've read the book several times, and I've seen the original 1971 musical version Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (by director Mel Stuart and starring Gene Wilder) too many times to count.

I enjoyed the 2005 version (especially the special effects) and am glad I rented it. I also enjoy Johnny Depp in any role, and I think Freddie Highmore (Charlie) is a loveable and promising young actor. However, I must admit that overall, there were more things I preferred about the 1971 version. Here's the list:

First and foremost -- where's the lickable wallpaper?! It's a minor detail, but I REALLY missed it in the 2005 version. During the factory tour in the 1971 version, one of the places Willy Wonka takes the kids is to a wall covered in small, colorful pictures of fruit (and maybe other things). He invites them to lick the pictures and taste the different fruits. They do, and are amazed.

So was I! In fact, I was so obsessed with lickable wallpaper I even daydreamed about it! (Of course, I didn't think of how unsanitary it would be!) I also remember wanting to take the scratch-and-sniff sticker concept and turn it into scratch-and-lick. (LOL) I need to dig out my copy of the old version and take a screen shot of the wallpaper. I seem to recall the fruit was lined up in columns. I think I would prefer lickable wallpaper like this.

In the 2005 version, there were too many subtle similarities between Willy Wonka and Michael Jackson for my licking, from the pasty face to the glove-wearing to the weird mannerisms. I also thought Wonka was too unfriendly/cold toward his visitors. I know he's an eccentric hermit who probably has little trust in people, but I think he should have more of the whimsical, free-spirited, almost silly quality Gene Wilder brought to the role. This is not a criticism of Depp; I think he was an excellent actor in this role, as he always is. I just prefer Wilder's Wonka over Depp's.

In the 2005 version, we only hear of Slugworth (Wonka's evil competitor) as someone who used a spy-stolen recipe to make a Wonka-esque candy for his own candy store. We don't really "meet" him or learn his personality. That's not true in 1971, probably because in 1971 there's an important scene toward the end that mentions Slugworth.

In the 2005 version, Grandpa Joe's transformation from bed-ridden old man to Charlie's factory tour chaperone just doesn't have the emotional quality as the 1971 version. In 2005, he simply gets out of the bed and does a little victory jig. No one even seems shocked that he's walking. In 1971, the entire family -- not to mention Grandpa Joe himself -- seem totally agog that he's able to walk. And his victory jig is a lot more joyful and engaging.

In 2005, Veruca Salt was not nearly as petulant, nagging, loud and bratty as her 1971 counterpart. Supposedly the epitome of the selfish, spoiled rich snot, her 2005 personality is a bit too toned-down, sometimes even eclipsed by Violet Beauregarde. Additionally, in 2005, Veruca's father seems resigned and exasperated with his daughter's behavior, not intimidated. This is a contrast to 1971, where Veruca's father seemed almost like her slave, frantically kowtowing to her every whim and very intimidated by her.

In 2005, Violet Beauregarde is an ultra-competitive, conceited, self-centered brat who'd be just as hateful as Veruca except for the fact that Violet doesn't demand that she wants everything. I prefer the 1971 Violet, who is an annoying, fast-talking, nose-picking know-it-all, but not anywhere NEAR as hateful as Veruca. I definitely prefer the old Violet and old Veruca.

Augustus Gloop hasn't changed much between the two movie versions, so I don't have much to say about him. Mike Teevee is portrayed as too violent in the 2005 version (probably because we didn't have Nintendo and X-Box games in the 1970s!), but aside from that, I don't have any strong feelings either way about the changes in his character.

In 2005, I thought it was rather silly that all the Oompa Loompas working in the factory are identical. It's like "Attack of the Clones"! (LOL) If indeed the Oompa Loompas were a pygmy-like tribe living in the jungle and worshipping the cocoa (cacao) bean, they should all look similar but not identical! I dunno. I just thought it was kind of disappointing.

How come in 2005 the children are SHOWN what an everlasting gobstopper is, but they don't each receive one like they do in 1971? Those fascinated me almost as much as the lickable wallpaper. And the gobstopper was also crucial to a later plot twist (see below).

I really missed how in 2005 the "Fizzy Lifting Drink" scene was left out. That's where Charlie and Grandpa Joe drink the bubbly stuff and end up in a glass tank (I forgot how) where they almost float up to the fan blades and get killed, and have to "burp" their way down to escape. I liked it because it showed that even Charlie sometimes lets his curiosity get the better of him, and gets in trouble for it.

Because of the Fizzy Lifting incident (in 1971 but sadly NOT in 2005), Willy Wonka yells at Charlie and Grandpa Joe about that incident and tells them that basically, it was all over and they'd get nothing. If you recall, after this argument, Grandpa Joe tells Wonka off and then tells Charlie "If Slugworth wants a gobstopper, he'll get one!!" This is in reference to Wonka's evil competitor, Slugworth, whom we already met early in the movie and who offered Charlie a bribe for the gobstopper recipe.

Of course, Charlie remains noble and honest in the face of all his hurt and disappointment, and hands Wonka back the gobstopper after all. This, of course, is what Wonka had been hoping for, and says the moving but not well-remembered line: "And so shines a good deed in a weary world." He soon bursts into gleeful hysterics and gives Charlie the good news that it was all a test of character and that Charlie is the new heir to the chocolate factory. I like this ending much better than the ending in 2005.

The one thing about the 2005 version I definitely liked BETTER than the 1971 one was that it was true to the Nut-Sorting Room mentioned in Roald Dahl's book. This is where Veruca Salt meets her end (well, not her death, but her end of the tour). In 1971, it was not a room full of squirrels sorting nuts but instead something to do with chickens sitting on nests and laying eggs. (I admittedly can't recall the exact situation). In 2005, it's back to nut-sorting and I almost flipped my wig when I saw all those cute, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed squirrels sitting on little stools and grabbing, cracking and tossing walnuts! (I think everyone knows my love of rodents.)

And that's the end of my review, if you could call it that. Thanks for reading. If you've seen both versions of the movie, I'd love to know which you prefer, and why. (I bet at least one comment will come from "movie maven Marjorie"!) *grin*

Today I am feeling amused.

posted by ScaryShari @ 9:00 PM 2 comments

Saturday, November 12, 2005

Garden update: transplanting!

Today two "trees" in the patio enjoyed moving to much roomier, comfier digs today! I use quotation marks because one is a young Mexican fan palm (Washingtonia robusta) not more than two feet tall, so he hardly looks like a palm "tree" yet. His name is Winfield.

The other transplantee is a blue potato bush (Solanum rantonnetii, a.k.a. Lycianthes rantonnetii) named Phoebe. (More on these names later). Phoebe was already trained in the topiary style when we got her a few years ago, so I guess she's a tree. Left to go their own way, potato bushes -- whose flowers are way more purple than blue -- generally become tall fluffy bushes, which I prefer.

Winfield has lived in the same small-size oak barrel since he came to live here. He still hasn't outgrown it, but rather OUTLASTED it! The slats have been slowly but surely cracking, shrinking and rotting, causing too much water to drain out with each watering. Hence, I have to spend a lot more time irrigating him just to keep him from drying out.

Phoebe has lived in the same adobe-colored plastic (UGH!) pot for about as many years. She hasn't seemed as vigorous as she used to be, so I figured she was probably getting root-bound. Since potato bushes always grow best in the ground, I figured it was high time for her to get a new container too.

Many thanks and kudos (and I don't mean the granola bars) to Tony for bringing two LARGE-size oak barrels from a friend who gives them away, and also for helping transplant both trees. With my lower back and my chicken arms (both of which need a lot of strengthening! *chuckle*) it's hard for me to dig and/or pull large, awkward greenery from large containers. And my mom won't even attempt it! Of course none of this is difficult for Tony, who got both trees out of their old homes faster than Miracle-Gro dissolves in warm water!

Winfield's old barrel was in such bad shape it literally fell to pieces upon being picked up, so Tony placed it (and Winfield) inside the new barrel as he took the remaining slats apart from the metal ring. We poured about two bags of soil in and got the palm settled in his new home. I think I even saw him wave his fronds! ;D Incidentally, young fan palms can sit in containers (or the ground) for many years, slowly bulking up and becoming more wide than tall. Eventually, when they feel ready, they "bolt" and start growing a lot faster vertically. And yes: they can and DO bolt in containers; I've seen it myself many times!

Phoebe (for whom we also poured about two soil bags) was delighted with her new oak barrel as well. Not only does it "breathe" better than that yucky plastic pot, but she got the chance to straighten out, having shifted like the Leaning Tower of Pisa over the years. The feisty little Anna's hummingbirds LOVE hiding in the branches while guarding the hummer feeder, so I'm sure they appreciate the improvement too. Plus, now Phoebe has a chance to spread her roots. Hopefully the new growth below the soil will be reflected by new growth above (especially in flowers)! Then again, she always goes half-dormant during winter anyway (and is already), so I'll look forward to the most improvement come spring!

Both palm and potato bush got a thorough soaking after transplantation. I don't anticipate any problems with shock, since fan palms (and most palms in general) are very tolerant of transplantation, and the potato bush is already half-dormant. I'm a little worried about my 4 o'clock seedlings, however. (Click here for my most recent prior 4 o'clock update, with happy photos!)

Anyhoo, since Tony was doing grunt work with the trees, I also asked him to do some delicate work with the 4 o'clocks. I'm such a baby that I'm afraid to pull and transplant seedlings, even though growers do it as a matter of course. I'm too afraid I'm going to kill some and then feel guilty and sad. However, now that my fast germinating magenta-and-white fours have several sets of adult leaves, and my slow germinating magenta-and-yellow fours are making up for lost time, the one pot I planted them all in is WAY too crowded. I planted a lot of each because I thought some wouldn't sprout. Ding-ding, I was wrong!! *chuckle* My fours (both color varieties) had a nearly 100% germination rate!

And so, I found a pot about the same size as the one all the fours were in, and filled it with soil. In the meantime, Tony pulled up half of each color variety from the original pot and we stuck them in the extra pot. A few were destroyed during the pulling, despite Tony's best efforts, but most looked OK. The seedlings in the original pot can now grow larger because their numbers have been thinned, and hopefully all the seedlings in the second pot will also grow well, since they won't have as much competition either. (Fours eventually form large tuberous roots!)

Look directly below for the "before" shots of Winfield and Phoebe from my "before-and-after" series. I'll wait to share the "after" shots until we buy some festive annual flowers to plant around them. I think the trees look sort of lonely/lost in such big barrels alone, plus I love flowers anyway. More importantly, Tony said that because there's now such a large surface area of soil, planting some nice annuals on top will help insulate the soil a little against temperature fluctuations and moisture loss.

Today I am feeling tired but

accomplished.

Bet you thought I forgot about explaining the names of the trees, eh? No such luck! ;D But I'll keep it brief. Since Phoebe is a potato bush, the initials for that would be "PB", which my mom commented sounded like "Phoebe". It was a cute name, so it stuck. End of story. Winfield is named after Winfield Blvd., a somewhat long street here in S. San Jose. There was once an open area on one side with the cutest cluster of BABY Mexican fan palms, despite awful soil. They grew there because a tree used to grow in that same spot, and birds plant numerous fan palm seeds both by dropping them from their beaks, and by pooping them. *chuckle* Eventually, someone tore out all the palms, and I felt so sad that when we got our own fan palm, I named it Winfield in memory of the ones that once lived there.

posted by ScaryShari @ 11:10 PM 0 comments

Friday, November 11, 2005

Bingo blues

Wow! I wrote three entries in ONE day (morning, afternoon and night). That's definitely a record for me, and one that will probably not be broken any time soon. *chuckle*

I was supposed to be playing tonight with my gals-only monthly bingo group, The Bingo Belles , but I think it was just not meant to be. We usually meet the third Friday of each month to eat snacks, talk, laugh, play bingo and win cool prizes that we bring in the form of wrapped gifts. And money for the blackout round. That's it in a nutshell; there's more info available from the above link.

I sort of became the default host of the group since I'm also the founder. (March 2006 will be our 1-year anniversary! *cheer*) Since I had a schedule conflict on the third Friday of November, I moved it back a week to tonight. Unfortunately, this wasn't a good date for many of the Bingo Belles: three players were out of town, one's been sick all week, one had to work, one had a volunteer gig, one had a prior commitment, and one is in the throes of moving. I sure know how to pick a bad date, eh?? All that bad news aside, however, there were STILL enough players for a small but fun game, so I went ahead and planned for it.

However, yesterday I got a call from a gal who had to cancel due to a semi-last-minute change of family plans. And then just today, another gal cancelled, due to a very last-minute plan change. That would have left only three players for sure (including me), plus one who was a "maybe," along with one whom I haven't heard from in several months, so I've no idea where she is.

At any rate, I decided to call the game on account of small turnout, and was fortunate enough to reach the would-be players via cellphone in time. I've decided that since December is the busiest month for many people, I'm going to have a short poll. Everyone on the Bingo Belles group email list will get to VOTE on which Friday in December is best for them: the first, second or third one. (They're all fine with me so far). Whichever Friday gets the majority of votes will be the bingo date.

Ever the optimist, I'm already looking forward to a great turnout and great game for December. :)

Today I am feeling disappointed.

posted by ScaryShari @ 7:45 PM 2 comments

Blog SNAFU fixed! I think?

Although I think I wigged out too much and too quickly in this morning's entry, I'm glad I did, because it inadvertently helped me solve the problem quickly as well.

Actually, the main help came from Shari in Las Vegas (she of cool Shari.com fame). She saw my petulant plea and was kind enough to post some troubleshooting ideas in the comments section. Thank you, Shari! :) You were right -- it was an errant bit of HTML that caused my whole blog template to be upended! (I think this calls for a correction to be made with the perfidious purple pen)! >;)

Anyway, I went and looked at the HTML code comprising the "Which Tree Are You?" quiz that I posted here yesterday (Nov.10), and I saw that one of the tags, I think it was table width, was set at 600. That seemed a bit large for my blog template, especially since my blog has a fancy sidebar. So I randomly changed the 600 to 400 (it sounded like a good reduction) and re-published the blog with the edited entry.

It worked!! Or at least, I think it did. I visited by blog after clearing my browser cache just for good measure, and all seems back to NORMAL! I hope it's that way for everyone else too. And here I went and sent a panicky email to Blogspot's tech support team. *blush* Oh well, hopefully at least they'll get a laugh out of my lameness! :)

Today I am feeling embarrassed and

relieved.

posted by ScaryShari @ 2:34 PM 0 comments

HELP! My blog template's ruined!

My sincere (and confused) apologies to anyone who's visited my blog within the last few days. When I came to my blog yesterday to post the "Which Tree Are You? (Celtic astrology)" quiz, I had not checked my blog for about 3 days.

When I checked it yesterday, I was HORRIFIED to see that my entire blog template has seemingly been CORRUPTED! The main light-green field where all the text and pix go is suddenly much longer than it used to be. It's supposed to remain as long as (but no longer) than the garden bench photo at the top. But now it's all stretched out past the right-hand margin! This, in turn, has made my entire SIDEBAR (user pic/profile, recent rambles, archives, fave blogs, fave websites, web counter, affiliates) all messed up! They're now sitting smack-dab in the middle of the dark green frame that surrounds the blog, making all of those sidebar items very unpleasant and HARD to read. *blush* (And making me look like I don't care about it!)

I'm sooo sorry! I'm so disappointed with Blogspot as well. :( I changed NOTHING in my blog template between Sunday and yesterday. No edits, no anything. Yet when I came here yesterday, everything was different and RUINED! I know sometimes the monitor's screen resolution can make things screwy, but unfortunately this problem was not so easily solved. I viewed my blog at both 800 x 600 and 1024 x 768, but BOTH resolutions showed the same ugly problem. I also thought perhaps Blogspot suddenly became unfriendly to Netscape Navigator, so I closed that browser and viewed my blog with Internet Explorer. SAME ugly problem!

I am completely lost and confused. I sent an email to Blogspot's tech support team and explained everything I just wrote here; hopefully they will get back to me SOON! Or even if they don't get back to me, that's fine as long as they FIX whatever caused my blog template to change for the WORSE without my knowledge. :( If they neither respond to me nor fix the problem... well... let's just say that I'll have no choice but to be a major HawTHORN (*grin*) in their side until they do!

Today I am feeling aggro and

frustrated.

posted by ScaryShari @ 9:00 AM 2 comments

Welcome to my blog: 'Meandering Missive'!

: Name: ScaryShari; Location: South Bay Area, California, United States

My blog here has been abandoned, sorry! But PLEASE come and visit me at http://scaryshari.livejournal.com -- I update my blog several times each week. And Live Journal is far better than Blogspot/Blogger in many ways!! :)

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