Sometimes You Have To Be Pleased With Yourself

I happen to be pleased with myself.
I certainly am not perfect, but all too often there are temptations in the environment that we may wind up following rather than doing the right thing and avoiding it.
Lately I have been tempted on many food cravings.
Twice I broke and went to the grocery store to fulfill the craving. I don't keep any of that type of food in the house just for this reason.
Well I felt bad all night while getting ready to go to sleep and decided the next morning to feed my garbage disposer with the rest of that food.
Twice it has happened this month and twice I fed Mr. Growler, so I only feel into the craving a bit and didn't go overboard and for that I am pleased with myself!

My Annual Eye Exam is DONE!

Most folks don't get excited when they have completed their annual eye exam & all is basically the same.
I DO! I have this rare condition called 'Narrow-Angle Glaucoma' which means that when the Dr. dilates my eyes-(so he/she can see behind the lens) it could cause a severe migraine & then blindness.
So I always make certain I have the first appointment in the morning because the Dr. then keeps me in the waiting room & every half-hour or so then re-checks the pressure in the eye to make certain it recedes.
A High pressure is the tale tell sign of trouble!
So...after three checks of this pressure, I was given the go ahead to leave.
My pressure rose to a 40 & at 22 in each eye is when he let me go today!
I got home a good hour & a half sooner than last year!

A Shoulder To Cry On

Sometimes all you can do for a friend is give them a shoulder to cry on.
One of my dear friends has a handful of issues that are stressing her out.
We talked for a long time last night and I believe I helped her see through all the choices she has in front of her and she was able to realize her glass was half full.
By the time we ended our conversation, late into the evening, she was joking and feeling a bit better.
Sometimes it takes some one looking from the outside in that isn't afraid to tell the truth.
I hope these next few days for her go smoothly.

Have You Ever Heard A Do Cry?

I Have!
My Next Door Neighbor has a delightful mid-age mix-breed that lives in their backyard.
He is always there...In the backyard...Even when they are there in on their decking they seem to not pay any attention to this dog.
I just went to my kitchen, though it may not be hot like southern California, 74 degrees is enough to pleasantly have your back door open for a nice cool breeze.
I am filling my beloved scotch glass as I hear this wailing that you would only hear at the 'Haunted Mansion' at Disney Land!
It took me a minute or two to realize the poor darned dog is wailing and crying of loneliness!
How hosed up is that!
I grabbed a few morsels of dry food for my cat and gave them to her and pet her as she napped on my bed.
If you are going to have a pet! LOVE them as part of your family or else move away from the pet store window!

We Got One Good Punch In!

Seems that somehow, with Bush off on Vacation and fishing...He takes more vacations then the last four presidents put together...We were able to win one for our left side!
The morning-after pill is a GO with the FDA and soon will be available over the counter for any 18 or older! (I only hope the cost isn't astronomical!)
We will NEVER stop abusers of any kind.
We see that using the death penalty-as if that would stop the killers!
But there are too many needy out there that this pill WILL assist!
I am also only hoping that, somehow, it can be made available, without embarrassment, to those suffering the ravages of incest and are under age.
I am now hoping that all us liberal Dems can get together, as a fighting force, and right all the wrongs the Repubs have made this country suffer since Gee-Dubya' got in office!
Maybe we can still have hope for stem cell research!

What a Nice Feeling!

So I happen to be in one of my favorite stores-right! The liquor store!
The clerk is talking to the owner about a woman as if explaining a shoplifter.
Describing her features as she is checking me and my bottle of scotch out.
She mentions hair color, height and then says she's about mid-forties age.
I said "Hey! I resemble that remark!"-jokingly.
The clerk looked at me and then replied to her boss "Well then she's in her fifties!"
WOW! Do I look like I'm in my thirties!
This clerk must have thought so!
That makes me feel good and that I am doing something right to at least cover up the scotch effects at least! :-)

My Mitzvah

I believe in giving. It is one of the 613 commandments laid down for us in The Torah.
I also believe that, as said the fruit doesn't fall far from the tree, that if you are going to help give it within your environment. In so doing I anonymously gave a fellow Vet his life membership into the Military Order of The Cootie. I had the funds to do so and the membership costs will go up this year, so I said HECK! It'll never happen if it doesn't happen now!
I sleep well knowing that I am doing something good and special for my fellow Vet brothers in my area!
And he is shaking his head wondering who in the heck did this! I will NEVER tell! :-)

If You Cannot Sleep At Least Have A Good Book To Read

I've been trying to get to sleep earlier than usual so as to waken a bit earlier, but last night all it meant was waking up at 2 AM and I just couldn't get back to sleep-so I read!
Roughly 6 AM I was ready to go back to sleep and of course woke up at my usual 9 AMish time!
Seems my body has found a clock that works and has settled to it! No sense messing with nature!

You Can Always Learn Something New

I recently received the Fall Schedule for the local Community College, in the mail.
They have a plethora of non-credit courses that look terrific! I am looking at an online course: Photoshop CS2 for the Digital photographer and also a language course! I spent 5.5yrs in Italy and was never fully adjusted to the language and would love the chance to redeem myself!
I also haven't utilized what Hebrew I had learned years ago and would love to learn more.
They also have courses on Blues Guitar and an assortment of other courses I haven't even looked at fully!
I do believe I will take at least one, leaning on Italian, and go from there!
I am so happy I decided to look inside the course schedule!

Lunchtime Post

I just realized a great idea for all that excess tuna water in the cans.
I was making some tuna salad and had put some of the juice/water down for my cat, as she loves it and, like most cats, doesn't consume enough water.
Then it hit me! Save it in a sealed container and I can give her a bit now and then in the form of a treat!
Slow on the up-take, I am certain some of you have already come to that idea long ago!
I am pleased I finally did and now my cat will enjoy her tuna juices more often!

Another Movie That Stank!

Warning!
This movie I am about to discuss was a Stinker!
"Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang" is in the Comedy Genre, but should be moved into the Stink, or at least, B-Rated film Genre!
The fact that Val Kilmer and Robert Downey Jr. are in it I though HMmm must be good!
I was deceived and both Val and Robert must have mortgages they need to cover.
I cannot tell you all of the film, because my dear friends Life Is Too Short!
All I can End with is watch at your own discretion!

Seeing More Movies Than Ever Before

One thing nice about using Netflix is that I have seen many more movies than I would have without it.
I have seen some international and foreign films I would never have had the chance to see and broaden my movie entertainment, but on the other hand I have seen some movies that are quite BLAAA!
I now a Libertine with Johnny Depp and John Malkovich to that list.
I am uncertain if I am glad to have the chance to watch this drivel, but none the less I have seen it and will assist others to be forewarned!

Final Closer on Voyager

After having served overseas for 9.5 years, I missed many of the old shows and their conclusions. Recently I have been watching the last season, season 7, of Star Trek Voyager, not having known they make it back home until my brother told me a few months ago.
So I finally, last night, saw them return.
Was it me or the episode, but something was a terrific downer! The entire episode seemed linked around Admiral Janeway and Captain Janeway!
Good thing I received it through Netflix because I intend to see it again and find out what I missed the first go-'round!

A Tree Caused The Outage

Yup! A Tree split and fell, taking out a Duplex and several power lines.
That is what caused the outage that I complained about!
They are STILL cutting and removing the tree!

I am not certain that the US ISN'T a 2nd World Country!

I cannot believe this!
I have lived here in the Pacific Northwest now for just over 3 years and in that time my electrical power has failed four times! Each time it has taken more than an hour to get it back and last night was the worst!
For the Second time in less than twelve months the neighborhood transformer that supplies us BLEW UP!
YES! I heard the explosion, or shall we say, was awoken about 11:30 PM by the crashing-booming sound and just as I was settling in again, after not locating the sound, it occurred once more and I noticed I had no power and then notice my little neighborhood was dark and yet down the street the had power! Hint and a half what occurred!
Sure enough, within a half hour I heard service trucks in the area and fell asleep to the heavy equipment and the beeping sounds. We didn't get power back until about 9 AM today!
I have lived in 2nd and 3rd world countries and NEVER had a loss of power as often or as long as I have had here in the US and that makes me believe we are not keeping with our standards are are becoming a 2nd world country!

Love Your Friends While They Are Here!

I am all about caring and sharing and loving those I care about now, here before they or I pass on!
I don't want their Tribute being what I say and how I feel at their funeral!
I am spending quality time and energy on them in the here and now.
I recently gave my Navy friend Jane my Hand-Me-Down 20Gig iPod after growing out of it and getting a 60Gig Video.
I made certain to put all the cool tunes from our era, we are close to the same age so 70s tunes are a biggie!
I have gotten calls from her and today yet another card with a long letter of how she has really had time to enjoy it and how much it means to her that I care and all! Well...that just makes me feel GREAT! I plan to spend my days sharing and caring for those I love in the here and now!

Two Books Worth Reading!

I have just read "The World Is Flat: A Brief History of The Twenty-First Century" by Thomas L. Friedman-2005 & I am in the midst of "OBJECTION!" by Nancy Grace-2005.
The World is Flat runs the gamut of Outsourcing, Insourcing and all the other aspects that have made work easier utilizing all the four corners of the earth and how this is changing the world as we know it and creating a flat world.
Excellent book and if you don't read anyother book this year, I recommend not missing this one!
Nancy Grace's book OBJECTION! is her fix on the various situations going on in and out of courtrooms and how disappointing defense lawyers have become and how money grubbing the system has grown to be.
I am glad I chose to read this one and it brings to light many things we would not see or know of regarding the Court system.

The Oregon Veterans Home

There is something special about caring and sharing with our older Vets. I have recently organized a few women who, do scrap booking as part of their job, to go to the Vet Home and do a workshop. We did it went well and they liked it so much that they set up a schedule to do this every month!
We just went for our second time and the residents love it as much as we do!

Crazy Neighbor at 4 AM

It was in the middle of a pleasant dream that I was suddenly awakened by a crazy neighbor whistling and shouting obscenities to other neighbors, most likely telling him to shut up!
This went on for ten minutes of so and I decided it was time for me to contact City PD. I did only to find many of my other non-crazy neighbors had called too!
I was glad of that because we all know apathy kills and also I know my neighbors won't easily tolerate that nonsense, because I was fearing that maybe fools and freaks might become the norm here!
I was pleasantly surprised that I wasn't alone and when all quieted down I could literally sleep easy!

Yet Another Item to Add to the List of Non-Left Handed

I have been keeping a list, if only in my head, of everyday items we all use that are non-Left Handed-in that they are and were created by and for Right Handers and for a Left Hander to use it, means a precarious positioning or possible safety issue.
Dental Floss-YES! Dental Floss! All this time using it I finally looked at the plastic box and noticed that the floss expels out to the right and as a leftie I have to cross myself to remove floss.
I know this is a small issue, but it shows how in every aspect of a Left Handers life there is always something amiss!
No wonder we are 6% more likely to suffer accidents!

What is it about Money!

Why does it go that you wind up spending what you make?
I mean no matted how much more money you earn you wind up living up to that standard!
I cannot say I am not getting ahead; I am paying into my IRA and all and am also tapped a little because I am prepaying for my funeral and burial expenses.
But I just seem to be going behind now much like before my Social Security kicked in!
I really don't want to reduce the payments into my IRA and all, so I am going to get tight on my budget again, as I haven't been lately.
Then I will know exactly how much I can spend for food and such!
I have to tighten the belt before it gets any worse!

Yet Another Hang Nail!

I cannot believe this!
I get over one hang nail just to get another!
What is this nonsense!
These doggone things hurt worse than some surgeries I've been through!
I recalled an old wives tale about taking extra zinc to help harden your nails. I am taking extra zinc and as of today have decided to halt any extra and see if that is the culprit.
Other than that I am at a loss and am hoping this new one goes away soon! I poke and gouge to no end on it!

Big Shopping Day is Almost Done

So I had been going up to McChord Air Force Base on a monthly basis, to do my grocery shopping at the commissary, but that was using plenty of time, gas and energy. Now that I have gotten a nice new Fridge and have the old one plugged in in the garage, I can go do a huge shopping for a much longer time and thus make it advantageous.
Well I did just that yesterday and now today I am going to the local stores to get my vitamins etc...that are not subject to the better prices at the Commissary or BX.