House of Payne

I watched the TBS series 'House of Payne' the other night and it was really good. It was funny, and yet had a really serious message all at the same time. In this extended family scenario the absentee mother is a drug addict and her husband helps her into drug rehabilitation only to have her leave voluntariliy and he lost all the money he put up for her treatment. What really hit home was the way they showed how the addiction didn't just effect the person who was an addict, but the entire family, especially the children. You wouldn't think there was basis for humor in that, but they managed to find the funny side of things while still driving home the pain. You have to be able to find humor in painful situations in life, while still dealing with the troubles that cause the pain.

Rugged, Durable, and Classy

I spend most of my days wearing either sweatpants or shorts. The only other article of clothing that comes in really handy are jeans. There's something about the tough rugged durability of denim that makes them the ideal work pants around a farm. They're sexy too. I don't even know just why, but they are. The styles now help alot. Brands like true religion jeans give the old 'cowboy' standby an urban twist and appeal. These types of dressy jeans are a national uniform. Perhaps it's original attraction was it's direct association with the romantic 'cowboy' lifestlye, but most people don't even think that anymore when they think of jeans. They're just a normal part of everyone's wardrobe. To me, they still symbolize a rugged, rural lifestyle, but perhaps that's because that's what I live.

Jain's Pain

I started watching a new series last Friday night on a channel I don't usually watch. The Sci-Fi channel's new series 'Painkiller Jane' is a kind of cool twist on the paranormal crime investigator. My only concern is that it would seem limited in scope. However, it appears to be taken from a comic book series so maybe there's more material than meets the eye. The only way I can see it having enough to fill even one season without being just the 'same old thing' over and over is if other members of the 'team' also had unusual powers. It kind of seemed like that was hinted at in the beginning of the series, but so far the only one that they've shown to have any is the main character 'Jane'.

Check For Cash

I went to the store the other day and picked up some items for the house. Even the smallest of stores now have electronic check processing. That's a good thing in so many ways. Back when I was a child I remember my grandparents using checks and almost every store took them. There wasn't any question, it was as good as cash. I remember how tickled my grandparents were because checking accounts were a fairly new idea back then. Slowly the shift started, however, I think it was in my mid-20's that stores were beginning to not accept checks. People had taken advantage of the system that allowed so much freedom and less risk than carrying cash around. It was pretty gradual but by the time I was in my 30's it had become extremely difficult to find any stores that would take a personal check. I know a lot of folks that took offense. They'd never bounced a check, or at least, not on purpose and always made it right. I was one of those people, but I didn't take offense. I understood, having worked in retail much of my life, how bad the situation had become with some people purposely writing bad checks. There was no way to distinguish between those who did, and those who didn't. Various stores tried different methods. Check cashing cards where you had to apply for it and wait until they checked out your banking background. Even that wasn't all that foolproof. In the last few years though, the advent of electronic check processing has helped a great deal. Still perhaps not fool-proof it is a much more reliable, and up to the minute way of validating checks. I'm grateful for that. Now most major stores, and quite a few small ones can safely take checks again and that means I can use them. I very rarely carry cash around, and prefer not to use charge cards because then I have to pay interest on top of the purchase.

Brown Thumb

I love plants indoors and out, but I have serious issues with live plants. I can off and on make a vegetable garden grow, but even then, usually only the hardiest of vegies that just about anyone could grow. Tomatoes, zuchinni--who can't grow those? They're pretty hardy and hard to kill. Even some of the less easy types of vegies I can sometimes make happen. Maybe it's because the time space for doing it is so short. Maybe because mother nature is helping outside. I have horrible luck with ornamental plants though. I even had some rose of sharron that my mother-in-law gave me that I did have growing really nice for a few years. They turned into to huge flowering bushes. Again though--hard to kill... however, eventually my brown thumb took over and they died. This year they're nothing but a bunch of sticks. Inside the house--forget it. I can't grow any live plant. A house just isn't a home without some green in it though. Plants make a room look alive. For me, the only way to go is silk--silk trees and flowers make beautiful decoration that I can't kill. I just have to remember to dust them every now and then. Perfect.

The Pen is Mightier than... just about everything

I'm almost out of pens again. I had a pen run out of ink this morning and went to my 'stash' of pens and the box is empty now after refilling my drawer. Ordering them is easy enough though. Finding custom pens is fun. I always try to come up with something new to put on them as a slogan, along with my email address, and website. I went through the last box a lot faster than usual, but I've been going to a lot of shows the last few months. That uses them up quickly. It's great for advertisting because I don't even have to hand them out. I just lay them on the table by our exhibit whether it's a book signing, a horse show, a goat show, or a sale, and they're gone in no time. There are lots of things you can get for that kind of advertising but the pens are the best in my opinion. Caladars, hats, and things like that are fun, but they're a little more expensive and some people will like them, and use them, and others won't, but very few people don't want pens. I do like the calandars too though, even for my own use, but I order far more pens.

Shop Anywhere

I've been shopping all over the country. It's wonderful how easy that is online. No limits on distance or time anymore. I can go shopping at a north carolina furniture store, or a Wisconsin cheese store, or a California surfing shop. Anywhere my desire takes me I can go with the click of a finger. That just never ceases to amaze me. It's kind of sad in a way that younger people take it so for granted. My own kids think nothing of the convienience of shopping online. They've pretty much had the ability to do that all their lives. At least from the time they could really appreciate it. Heck my five year old granddaughter thinks it's perfectly normal. I wonder what kind of cool things her kids will think are perfectly normal twenty, thirty years from now.

One plus one plus one plus....

The main HBO series I watch is back on for it's second season now. 'Big Love' is a story about a man with three wives. The fundamentalist Mormon practice of plural marriage--poligamy. Now I'd always heard of the Utah fraction of Mormons that practiced plural marriage but never really knew anything about it. Watching the show has really been enlightening. My main question every time though is 'why'? It's just not easy. Think about it. Marriage just between two people is difficult even at its best. I can't imagine bringing more people in on it.

Last night they had a special before the actual series. A two parter, one right after the other, but it was the first part that was really interesting. It was about the actual practice of poligamy, and had several actual women involved in plural marriages in real life on to discuss how their real experiences related to the show itself. Most agreed that it was quite similar. There were also some decenters, some who had at one time been involved in the practice of poligamy, and a few who were just against it period. Even they for the most part said the show was a fairly accurate view of that life, both for those living in 'compounds' (sort of the Mormon equivilant of the old hippie communes), and those living on the 'outside' in Suburbs as the main family of the series does.

I had to laugh though when one of the actresses who plays a wife on the series said that she's had people come up to her and thank her for showing the 'reality' of such a marriage and that it's not 'all fun and games'. I suppose the idea if not the real practice of plural marriage is something a lot of guys think about as something to be aspired to if they could. If it were legal. From a guys point of view it could be fun. Lots of sex with different women... but it's not just about the sex, just like any marriage isn't just about the sex. When the honeymoon's over it's a lot of work and that's one point this show does drive home. I wonder how many guys like the show? It would kind of kill the dream for more than a few I'd think.

It really is kind of enlightening too though, to see how wide-spread the practice still is even in the 90's, and to hear that there is a grass-roots campaign to lift the law banning plural marriage. Although a government leader explained on the special that they do not go after men, or families involved in plural marriages so long as they're not breaking any other laws it is still a practice that requires lots of secrecy for the entire family envolved in it. Fear of retaliation from community members outside the fundementalists, fear of retaliation in schools for the children of such marriages which usually number in the tens and twenties and some even higher within each family unit. It's still a very touchy issue. I can't imagine the practice of plural marriages ever becoming accepted amongst the general population, but then again, who knows?

Paying For School

Probably one of the scariest things for young people to think about as they reach the end of their high school years is how they will pay for college. It's scary for the parents of the kids too. More and more ways of financing the expense of college are available now for kids than ever before though. What happens when after a four year stint at college you graduate with a degree and a myriad of loans? That's when you have to think about school loan consolidation. Get them all put together. Most student loans are the type of loan you don't start paying on until you're finished with school so it's easy to loose track of how many loans you've taken, and sometimes how many different companies you've dealt with. It's way too hard to pay all of them individually, and a nightmare to deal with each month. Get them all consolidated into one loan, one payment, one bill to keep track of each month and you won't have to worry about who you missed, or if they're all getting paid on time.

Harping on Harpies

I have to shake my head a bit on this one. I watched a movie last night on the Sci-Fi channel that the commercials had made look pretty enticing. A sort of Dracula'ish' looking movie called 'Harpies'. It was kind of a cute movie in a lot of ways... not the sort of thing you'd expect someone to say about a 'draculaish' movie, but it was. It had a lot of humor and the story line was one of those time travel 'Conneticut in King Arthur's Court' type ideas. It even had a name actor in the lead role -- Stephen Baldwin. These are all pretty much a recipe for a movie I'm going to really love. I did like it enough to watch the whole thing, but some of the acting was so cornball that it took some doing to keep watching in spite of the cute story, and humorour horror line. What REALLY made me shake my head though was after watching for a bit I had to click on the info button and check. Yep, it was made in 2007 so a very recent movie. The special effects looked like something I could do on movie maker. I was REALLY expecting something more than that in the realm of effects. You can't get away with cheesy effects anymore like you could back in the 60 and 70's... even 80's. There isn't that much excuse for such fake makeup and bad special effects either, not for a station made movie. I can see if it were some silly backyard highschool kid making a movie. Then it would have been fantastic, but this was a real movie and it just looked 'dated' by the quality. This should have been an A+ movie, but ended up being a C- at best.

Well my resolution to quit smoking didn't last long. I made it through one day, then yesterday I fell off the wagon and had the last of a remaining pack I had hidden. That was my mistake. I thought that leaving a few in a pack would keep me from obsessing over not having any if I couldn't handle it. I didn't go out and buy a new pack so I'm going to try this now with no 'safty' net. The problem is I know I"ll start to obsess about it because after a certain time, there's no place around here to go to get them because everything closes up at 9 or so. Even then, it's a 15 minute trip. I'll have to see how I do. I know I had a heck of a time sleeping last night (last cigarette of that left over pack was at about 2 pm yesterday). I think the sleep problems had to do with the withdrawal. Hope I can sleep a little better tonight, although once I finally did get to sleep I was okay last night.

Monitor Control

I just found a GREAT buy on a fantastic 19" viewsonic monitor with speakers and everything, and it costs less than my big boxy 16" monitor that I have now did. The bigger the screen the better especially since I work with so many images and such in my video creations and website creations. It helps when you have multiple programs running as well. You can even get a really cool desk arm for optimum monitor control. Use it to mount your monitor up out of the way when you're not using it, and bring it in close when you are. That would be a HUGE help. Check out the fantastic deals on buy.com.

Where's the Rain?

I just went to the weather forcast for our area to see when we might hope to get some rain. The five day forcast shows thunderstorms all this week, yet it's clear, hot, and sunny outside MY window. Are they looking out a different window? I know most folks don't pray for rain, but those of us with livestock sure do. The cost of hay is going through the roof in most parts of the country due to the droughts, and even corn crops that were hoped to really line most farmer's pockets thanks to the big infusion of ethanol plants are sadly low in some areas. We did get some blessed relief on Sunday and Monday, but the short rain showers on those days barely put a dent in the dryness. I sure hope we get some rain on at least one of the predicted days. The longer I can field graze my animals the less hay I'll have to use so I have stores for the winter if we can't get anymore this year.

Decisions Decisions

I made a decision this morning to quit smoking. Not for health reasons necessarily although I know that will be a definate benefit, but really just because when I am smoking I end up thinking 'why?' to myself all the time. It really isn't 'fun'. Why am I spending so much money on something that really isn't that enjoyable.

Well I think that until the next time I want a cigarette. It's only been an hour and I've already reached for my cigarette case three times. There's nothing in it, I haven't given in yet, but the reflex is so automatic. You don't even realize it until you try to stop, how often your body just does that like it's on auto pilot. Those aren't the hard times though. They're coming. Those are just the automatic I'd have a cigarette now type things. I haven't started craving it yet. We'll see how long this lasts. It would be nice to say, oh I just have to be strong, but I'm not even about to try to fool myself into thinking this isn't a tough habit to break. Especially not after nearly 25 years of doing it. I did quit once for 2 years. And another time before that for a year. Hey, if I can even quit for that long again it would be good for me.

Are You A Zombie

You could be. If you are, the FBI is looking for you. They're tracking down millions of computers that are being used for malicious transfer of files without even knowing it. When they find you...

...they'll tell you what you are and how to correct it. They know it's not your fault, although a good anti-virus program, and a good sweeper would have helped out tremendously. A quick way to check to see if you're computer is acting like an evil dead soul look in your 'sent' file of your emails. If there are emails in there that you did not send--you're it.

Face The World Once More

When I get frustrated with the writing life I escape by dreaming of my perfect vacation. I think about maybe finding an Orlando vacation rental and combing the beaches for seashells. It sounds so Hemmingway'esque. What a wonderful source of inspiration and rejuvination it would be. Walking along blue water shores and listening to the lapping of the waves. Watching seagulls play above the water. Laying in my room at night and listening to the ocean as it lulls me to sleep. Just thinking about it makes me feel better a lot of the time, and ready to face the publishing world once more.

Just Can't Take It Anymore

I did some cruising yesterday and was hit by how many writers have either cut way down on their blogs, or have pretty much said goodbye, or even abandoned them without a word. I can't say I don't understand it, I do. It's sad though. There's a certain inherent frustration in the publishing world on the writer's side of things. Sometimes it can be so infuriating that it makes you truly insane. I'll miss a lot of those folks that have decided to step away for awhile. I say for awhile, because the ones I know truly are writers and you just can't completely get away from that. There's no escape to what's inside you. It's normal to take leave once in awhile though, otherwise the world would have a lot of dead writers who just couldn't take it anymore.

Can You Spare Some Change?

I think I should start a 'gadgets and geeks' blog. I love all the little gizmos and gadgets that make life easier. I think this coin sorter is really cool. Loose change drives me insane. I'm very meticulous about putting all my change in my wallet, and when it gets to be too much into a jar. Wrapping it when there's enough is a real pain in the butt though. This little invention makes it all so easy. I would have loved it when my kids still lived at home. I would constantly find nickles, dimes, pennies all over the place. Vaccuming their bedrooms was a constant struggle to keep from picking them up and having them get stuck in the rotor clanking like crazy until I turned off the machine. I'm not sure if I could have gotten them to put their change in the coin sorter, but it would have been lovely to try.

Stockpile of Pens

Another clue to my lack of divinity might be that I can never find a pen when I'm looking for one. I go through ballpoint pens like crazy. They have some innate ability to disappear on me. I buy them in bulk. Well, okay, I don't do that necessarily because I lose so many. I do it for advertising. I have pens printed with our farm name to pass out at shows and such, and I have them printed with my author's website to pass out at signings and put in convention 'goody bags' too. They're a really great, and cheap way of advertising that doesn't come off as 'cheap'. People love them. Who doesn't go through pens like mad? I think someday some future race is going to unearth the last remains of our civilization and find millions of pens buried deep beneath the structures and somehow think our entire society was built upon a little stick of ink. I'm pretty sure that there's a vast stockpile beneath my house. Where else could all those pens go?

Me, A Goddess? Why not?

I suppose there's a little Goddess in all of us, but it kind of amazes me that there are still people even in third world countries that deify a human being, for any reason. In this case a 10 year old girl. I can't watch the video. For some reason Yahoo videos don't work well for me. Probably because of my crappy dial-up. I googled the girl's name--Sajani Shakya and couldn't find anything else about her. At least not in English. Supposedly she's in the US now for a visit and drawing great crowds. I guess it's not just third world countries that are succeptible to believing in Gods and Goddesses in human form, or maybe it's just curiosity that form the crowds around a 10 year old child said to possess 32 of what they call 'perfections'. I really wanted to read about what those perfections were. I'd kind of like to know if I possess any at all. LOL Or anyone I know. I mean if a child from Nepal can, why not me?

Edit:

Wait, news flash. I found some articles on her. I think I misspelled her name the first search time. Here are just a couple of the 'perfections'.

the 32 perfections which include the gait of a swan, a body like a banyan tree, even teeth and golden tender skin that has never been scratched

Okay, I fail in the teeth section, but some have said I have a rather graceful walk. What exactly does the 'gait of a swan' look like? If it's anything like the geese I have in my yard--she walks awfully funny for a goddess.

For a little more reading on the subject, try: Shadmia's World

Oh, by the way... this SUCKS: Devotees believe that the goddess Kali inhabits the girls, though they do not exhibit unusual behavior, and then the goddess leaves them when they reach puberty.

Apparently divine virginity and menstration don't mix.

Sajani is a very pretty girl though. The pictures on Shadmia's site are quite lovely. Yahoo's picture didn't do her justice at all.

Techno dependant

Apparently Blogger had a little hiccup last night. It just had to be when I was trying to post the couple of entries below. I have to tell you it was a little scary. The posts were showing up in my 'edit posts' file as being there, but I couldn't get them to show up on my screen on the actual blog for anything. I was wondering if I was in my own version of the 'Twilight Zone'. I half expected Rod Sterling's voice to come on in my head telling me I'd entered another dimension of the 'bloggerzone'. The posts finally did show up. Whew. Relief. I'd re-entered the land of the living. It kind of goes to show how dependant we are on technology though. Most of us are used to things showing up, being there at the click of a mouse button, and when they don't we get crazy, and frantic. It's SUPPOSED to happen. Why isn't it. Do we take the Internet and all of the amazing technology that surrounds it for granted? I think so. Very few of us are geeky enough to understand exactly how it all works, we just know it does. Sort of like when we drive a car. Unless we're mechanics we probably don't completely understand the science that allows the car to run... oh the basics sure, but not the real dynamics. We put the key in, turn it, put our foot on the gas and expect that it will roar to life. What a wonderful world that those things do happen. I wonder if we could go back... a simpler less complicated life for sure, but without all the convieniences of the marvels of technology? I'm not sure we could anymore. If everything, cars, Internet, just everything stopped working, even for a minute, I think we'd collectively be sitting here saying 'what happened?' And none too happy either.

Home Of Your Own

If you're looking for a new home like I am, especially if it's not locally it helps to have a real estate you feel really comfortable with. If you're selling a current home it's just plain smart. Selling 'by owner' seems like a good deal, and a way to save money, but real estate laws are so complex you could end up making serious miscalculations, and even end up in deep legal trouble. I know, I held a real estate license. It's been years, and I don't do it anymore, but even with my background I wouldn't even attempt to sell, or buy without the guidance of someone licensed and up-to-date on the legalities, not to mention their much better equiped to find property for me, or buyers for my house than I ever could be on my own. Play it smart, play it safe, invest in peace of mind and find a great real estate agent to help you through one of the biggest purchases, or sales situations life has to offer... a home of your own.

Animal Instinct

I love animal movies. I just finished watching 'The Incredible Journey' on Animal Planet. I've seen that movie a hundred times. Every time a commercial came on I kept telling myself to quit being silly and go do something instead of watching a sappy movie I've seen so many times already... then it would come back on and I'd be captured once again. It's such a heartwarming story, not only of animals love and devotion, but of friendship, and family. I love all movies like that, but especially animal movies.

The Rich, and Everybody Else

Paris Hilton--what can I say? Three days in prison and she is released to see her doctor because she has a rash? Okay, tell me that Jane Nobody in jail would be released to see her own doctor because she has a rash. Yeah, right. Then Ms Hilton is allowed to go home with an ankle bracelet on house arrest to recover. Poor dear. Jane Nobody would have been sent to the prison infirmary to see the prison doctor, given some lotion, and sent back to her cell.

Come on now, Paris, you weren't even in a real hard-time prison. You were protected from the general population. You just had to while away 40 some odd days in privacy... no parties, no wild nights out... for less than 2 months, oh that's rough. I'm sorry, but it's very obvious that there are two sets of laws in this country--the rich, and everybody else.

Gaming Delight

I've always loved a good game of cards. It's more the getting together with friends than the game itself, although most of you who know me, know how competitive I am, so the game is important too. Atmosphere is even more important. You can play cards on just about any surface, but nothing makes you feel like a real 'gamer' than a true poker tables complete with chip holder. They come in all styles though from the most simple, to the most elaborate. One thing's for sure, you'll be a big hit with all your poker buddies with a table like this.

Sad Office Facts

Wow I was just reading an article on workplace myths and it sure did open my eyes a bit. It also makes me very happy to be working at home now instead of haggling with office politics. I may not always love my job. I usually do, mind you, but there are times... then again, that's why it's a job, and not a vacation. At least I don't have to worry about the pettiness that goes on in an office. One of the things in the article that really did surprise me was the idea that reporting sexual harrasement is a bad thing for your career. You really don't think about it that way when you're the victim, but if you read the reasons why in the article you have to admit it's true. Sadly. The second most surprising thing is the statement that doing a good job doesn't necessarily mean you'll be rewarded. I think most of us grew up thinking that if we did the best job we could we would be rewarded for it. Most offices are cults of personality, however. The person rewarded is the person most liked. Not fair... but sadly true.

Old Dog Tricks

Have you ever found yourself getting side-tracked during the course of writing? When I first started seriously writing with the effort to actually complete a full novel I abhored outlines. As I grew a bit I began to see their function in keeping a story on subject. For several books I used very detailed outlines to keep me on track and writing them was quite a joy. I recently started a new manuscript with an idea that just came one day and I didn't write an outline. It has been giving me all sorts of headaches because it keeps wanting to switch around. Maybe even 'old dogs' need to remember the new tricks and not try to revert back to their old ways. I'm definately an 'old dog' who has tried to dodge the trick.

A Room Of Their Own

Making a really cool place for kid's in their rooms is really helpful in getting them to go to bed happily when they're young, and creating a pleasant, and happy environment for them to do homework and just have a place of their own as they get older. Finding kids bedding that suits their specific passions is a great way to do that. My son's growing up was baseball. Anything and everything baseball. He loved lots of sports, but baseball was his passion and he had the sheets, comforters, pillowcases, and everything else in his room completely dedicated to the all-American sport. My daughter's was horses. I think she'd still have everything all horses in her current home if her hubby would allow it, but lucky for her, my granddaughter has the same passion. She even has a t-shirt that says 'Will trade brother for pony'. Of course, she has the bed dressings to match her desire. I tease my daughter and ask her who spends more time in Alexis' bedroom, her or her daughter. One thing's for sure, the kids just love their rooms.

The End of The Sopranos

Wow... the Sopranos ended last night and I can't say with a bang. I have been watching this season faithfully and all the anticipation to the big 'explosive' ending just didn't pan out. Oh sure, a few people got knocked off, but the main family remained untouched--even happy. Sure it's nice to see some of their issues got resolved, but even that was pretty much a 'simple' fix. The very, very end of the episode built up a lot of tension... and then boom, it was over. It left it open to your interpretation I suppose as to what would have happened next. Would the entire family get killed gangsta style in the restaurant, or would they just eat and go home happy ever after. The possibility for either were there. But it was just over.

Sorry, that was SO disappointing that the two new HBO series I was looking forward to watching I now don't know if I want to trust getting involved with.

A Hundred Times Over

Have you ever looked at a manuscript, or even a novel you've had published and is now in print before you and a glaring typo just leaps up from the page. You sit there mind-boggled. You know you read that thing a hundred times over in the writing stage, then a hundred times more in the editing stage. Your editor looked it over, printers hopefully, although I've found in my experience they rarely pay attention, it goes on the page exactly as they get it no matter what... sort of. One exception to that is the crunch that putting the manuscript into templates causes. It creates typos of its very own... but that's why you get to read the galley. To check for that sort of things... and you did, right? Of course right. A hundred times over.

How could you, your editor, and then you again have missed such things?

Easy. It's the optical illusion your mind creates as it reads. It's the same reason optical illusion games work, the same reason magic tricks work... it's easy to trick the mind.

The mind is a lazy machine if you let it be. It will take as much for granted as you allow. It assumes certain things are as they should be. It WANTS them to be. It will assume that if you are reading a sentence with the word 'behave' in it that all the letters will be in order. It just sees them like that so that even if it's 'beehave' it will just take for granted that all the eees were right where they were supposed to beeeee.

There are tricks. Some writers read their manuscript backwards. That actually is a very effective way to break the illusion. It's also one of the most aggrivating ways. That's probably why it's so effective. It's aggravating because the 'lazy' mind gets mad because it can not assume anything when things are in the wrong order to begin with. It takes patience though. I can take up to four times as long to read even a short manuscript from back to front. Even then, you better be sure to do it again when it comes back from galleys... don't assume that everything will be where it was just because the original manuscript was clean. Read a copy of the printed/published novel 'The Road To Paradise' if you ever get a chance for MY lesson on that issue. LOL First books are quite the learning experience--a hundred times over.

Shadows Of Time

For a real life thriller of a supernatural story, read Liz's Shadows Of Time blog. She's related some stories that are real life, and would stand your hair on end. She also has some of the most heart-warming stories of growing up in Oklahoma, and her wild, wacky, and wonderful family. I love to read Liz's blog. She had a post the other day explaining that her mom's birthday was the 3rd. Maybe that's why we can relate to each other... I'm a Gemini too. My birthday is the 9th. So I'm as crazy as her mom. She goes on in the post to tell all about her memories of a womderful mother, and her 'Mayberry'esque' childhood that's the stuff 'the good old days' are all about. Her blog is a piece of Americana that should not be missed.

Ghostly Appearance

"Ghost Rider" is coming out next week on DVD. I can't wait. I have wanted to see that movie since it first started showing coming attractions. I really like Nicholas Cage's movies and the 'living dead' type things that still 'have a heart' are amongst my favorites. I'm not crazy about movies like 'Dawn of the Dead' or meanie dead guys, but supernatural nice guys are great. Anyone seen that movie yet when it was in the theaters? How would you rate it?

Sitting On The Move

When you spend a lot of time on the move, it's still nice to have someplace comfortable to sit and relax for a minute, or an hour, or however long you're going to be in one place. For ease of storage, and portability nothing beats folding chairs. We use them for traveling to shows, and we keep them on hand for company. For just Bob and I it doesn't make sense to have a bunch of kitchen chairs, but when the whole family converges it sure is nice to have the extra seating around the table. I even use them out in the barn, and pastures for a handy but easily moveable place to sit and enjoy the animals, and they don't take up much space to put away.

Prime Rates

One of the first things I always want to know when I'm thinking about refinancing, or buying a new home is the interest rate that is common in the area we are looking. All this is pretty high on my list right now because we're looking for 'the' place that would make the perfect retirement farmette. Maybe not quite as big as what we have now since it's just the two of us, and we don't need as much work, or space, but someplace we can still do the things we love to do -- just on a smaller scale. Knowing the california mortgage rate for instance if we're looking for a piece of property in the Sonoma valley helps to know if we're getting the best deal on a mortgage. If we're looking in Tennesse, that's what we want to know. What banks in that area consider prime lending rates. If 6% is prime, and we're getting offers of 8 then maybe we can do better at a different bank--maybe not, but at least we know, and can shop around.

The Queen

I forgot to give my review of the movie 'The Queen'. A little while back I said that Bob brought it home to watch. I had been anxious to see it since I first saw the previews. From the previews I'd really thought it was about the relationships of the royal family while Princess Diana was with them, but the movie started out right at the time of the election of the new Prime Minister Tony Blair, and the subsequent death of Lady Di. While the movie may have been a bit slanted in it's favor of the Queen and the royal family, and all the termoil Diana caused within the family, and how difficult she was to deal with and how the public didn't know it, overall it was a fantastic movie. Anyone who loved watching the real life 'story' play out will enjoy the movie very much for it's insight into how the workings and dealings of the British government are carried out, as well as a reminder that they maybe like the 'crazy relatives' you don't talk about, but the members of the royal family are still simply people.