I have a multitude of sleep issues which either prevent my dreaming or influence my dreams. I have often thought I should write a book about my dreams. However, some are better kept to myself, or shared only with DB. Today, I fell asleep on the couch and had a really interesting dream. The first part is X rated, but quickly changed into an adventure in espionage. I dreamed my cousin (a blondish female of indeterminate age) was being held by the Russians behind German lines during WWII. Who said this had to make sense? Anyway, my job was to relay information between her and the Allies and arrange her escape. I found a rather unique way of doing this. At first I started by using thin orange lines of varying lengths painted on my toenails. These lines were a code. But I really started getting good results when I painted my toe nails bright blue with lemon yellow dots and dashes, representing Morse Code. I finally managed to get her out with the Soviets hot on our trail.
I think there may be a use for this in the next James Bond film. I doubt it has been done before.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Saturday, September 10, 2011
9/11
With the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks coming up, I have been considering my fourteen year old grandson and thirteen year old granddaughter. They have grown up under the shadow of the 9/11 bombings. I remember at the time of the bombings, letting them know just enough to answer their questions about what was on the news, without letting them know so much they would be frightened or fixated on it. After all, they were toddlers, but very bright for their ages. And here it is ten years later and we are still dealing with this evil that is trying to poison the world. I wonder how all this will color the children's lives.
I grew up with the threat of nuclear attack, but that threat seemed rather remote, to be honest. It had never happened in the USA, so it did not seem imminent. I have read plenty about the sword of nuclear attack hanging over the heads of people of my generation and how it supposedly made us fearful, but I have never met anyone who felt that way. Even the air raid drills in grade school did not make us dwell long on the threat. That is not to say we did not realize there was a serious threat, and we paid a lot of attention to crises that might trigger an attack, but for the most part, it was not anything that had a deep conscious affect on our daily lives. Of course, we did not have all the news coverage on television to keep the issue in front of us, that exists today. Also, we had leaders who were committed to preventing any such attack, so we could feel fairly secure. (One could argue their policies but we did not experience a nuclear attack.)
I would like to think children are too immature to realize the full extent of the threat of terrorism. But I know that children not only can perceive threats, but can be traumatized by them even more than adults. I hope that we can find a solution to today's terrorist threats (which, indeed, could include a nuclear disaster) and our children can concentrate on growing up safely in a saner world. My guess is, however, there always will be some type of danger, other than the usual drug and violence issues (which are bad enough!), to deal with. Seems where there is no evil, there is always someone to create it. You know the old political science theory about vacuums being filled.
I am ending this post now because I really want to go on a political rant. The reason I am not doing so is those who understand our situation, already agree with me and I would be preaching to the choir. Those who do not agree are too damned niave to understand. You can substitute your choice of words for niave.
I grew up with the threat of nuclear attack, but that threat seemed rather remote, to be honest. It had never happened in the USA, so it did not seem imminent. I have read plenty about the sword of nuclear attack hanging over the heads of people of my generation and how it supposedly made us fearful, but I have never met anyone who felt that way. Even the air raid drills in grade school did not make us dwell long on the threat. That is not to say we did not realize there was a serious threat, and we paid a lot of attention to crises that might trigger an attack, but for the most part, it was not anything that had a deep conscious affect on our daily lives. Of course, we did not have all the news coverage on television to keep the issue in front of us, that exists today. Also, we had leaders who were committed to preventing any such attack, so we could feel fairly secure. (One could argue their policies but we did not experience a nuclear attack.)
I would like to think children are too immature to realize the full extent of the threat of terrorism. But I know that children not only can perceive threats, but can be traumatized by them even more than adults. I hope that we can find a solution to today's terrorist threats (which, indeed, could include a nuclear disaster) and our children can concentrate on growing up safely in a saner world. My guess is, however, there always will be some type of danger, other than the usual drug and violence issues (which are bad enough!), to deal with. Seems where there is no evil, there is always someone to create it. You know the old political science theory about vacuums being filled.
I am ending this post now because I really want to go on a political rant. The reason I am not doing so is those who understand our situation, already agree with me and I would be preaching to the choir. Those who do not agree are too damned niave to understand. You can substitute your choice of words for niave.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Light at the End of the Tunnel
When I started this project, I did not think that two weeks later I would still be switching the study and sewing room. What I have discovered is that once items are taken out of their rightful places in closets and cabinets, they seem to take up about five times the space and are much more difficult to put away! I always knew I had enough fabric to open my own store, and it did completely fill a walk-in closet, floor to ceiling, plus numerous plastic bins. Seeing as how the study has the same size walk-in closet plus floor to ceiling cabinets, logically, most of that fabric, once moved to the study, should fit behind doors, thus eliminating the need for all those plastic bins. That would leave me more floor space and I would not be all cramped up when quilting. And the room would be neater (in theory, anyway). And all the stuff that was in the study, which I had just recently gone through and whittled down, leaving empting shelves there, should not only fit into the sewing room closet, but there should be empty shelves left there also. However, logic does not seem to work in this case. I am pretty sure that the fabric overflow in the study closet is due to the difference in shelving configuration. That being said, there are all the cabinets, so why am I having problems fitting all the fabric into the study? Furthermore, there are more shelves in the sewing room closet than the study closet, so why don't I have even more empty space in there than I did when those items were in the study? This is not too problematic though because once the dining room is prepped to become the new study, some of those items will be moved from the closet to the dining room. Then that only begs the question, "Where the heck am I going to put all those dishes that were in the dining room??? I have one china service for 32, one for 16, one for four, plus a ton of odds and ends. (The reason for all the china is I want to leave my daughters and granddaughters full sets when I go to the big quilting room in the sky. I know they will love china that has to be washed and dried by hand rather than that cheap stuff you can toss into the electric dishwasher. Everytime they use it, they will think of me and smile.) Plus I still have not figured out what to do with the extra furniture. Who said life after retirement was simple?
Normally, I would not find this a topic of conversation except to another fabricholic, who probably has had a similar experience at some point in her addiction. However, because I live with DB who has no such addiction, or any addiction that takes up enormous living space, I feel guilty causing him to have to climb over, around and through tons of stuff to get to the computer. This mess does not include the mess in the dining room, where I have emptied the contents of all sideboards, etc. in preparation for having new flooring installed. I can hardly bear to walk through that room, but there is a small, clear path that allows me to be able to do so, if I want to. That is not the case with the study or sewing room. So I guess, even more than my frustration with the mess is my feelings of guilt for keeping the house looking like a tornado has come through. This guilt is made worse by the fact that DB has not complained even though I know he must be bothered by it. Sometimes I wonder if he purposely keeps his mouth shut just to make me feel guilty. He knows me well enough to know if he carped, I would not feel any need to rush getting this put away because I would be ticked off at him. This way, I feel guilty and have a sense of urgency that the speed in which I get the job done belies. Fortunately, DB has had a few distractions, such as stress at work, and Millie the Squirrel, to help keep him from focusing on my mess.
Finally, though, I think I am near the end of the transfer of most items, leaving only the big pieces of furniture to move. All I can say is, switching rooms better be worth it because I sure as heck am not going to switch back again. That horse done left the barn.
Normally, I would not find this a topic of conversation except to another fabricholic, who probably has had a similar experience at some point in her addiction. However, because I live with DB who has no such addiction, or any addiction that takes up enormous living space, I feel guilty causing him to have to climb over, around and through tons of stuff to get to the computer. This mess does not include the mess in the dining room, where I have emptied the contents of all sideboards, etc. in preparation for having new flooring installed. I can hardly bear to walk through that room, but there is a small, clear path that allows me to be able to do so, if I want to. That is not the case with the study or sewing room. So I guess, even more than my frustration with the mess is my feelings of guilt for keeping the house looking like a tornado has come through. This guilt is made worse by the fact that DB has not complained even though I know he must be bothered by it. Sometimes I wonder if he purposely keeps his mouth shut just to make me feel guilty. He knows me well enough to know if he carped, I would not feel any need to rush getting this put away because I would be ticked off at him. This way, I feel guilty and have a sense of urgency that the speed in which I get the job done belies. Fortunately, DB has had a few distractions, such as stress at work, and Millie the Squirrel, to help keep him from focusing on my mess.
Finally, though, I think I am near the end of the transfer of most items, leaving only the big pieces of furniture to move. All I can say is, switching rooms better be worth it because I sure as heck am not going to switch back again. That horse done left the barn.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
A Delightful Postscript
This is a postscript to the item I posted a short while ago. The wildlife rehabilitation specialist picked up Millie. She said he is about five weeks old and should be on a special formula until about nine weeks of age. At about thirteen weeks, he will be ready to be released into the wild and here is the exciting part-- he will be released into our back yard!!! He can live in our pecan trees. We will also take a couple other squirrels. We are very happy about this. DB is counting the days.
Which is the Squirrel and Which is the Nut?
A couple days ago, DB called me out to the front porch. A very young squirrel was under a chair. He could barely move and his eye was sealed shut. We could not figure out where he came from as all trees near the house were removed a few months ago. After a while, when it appeared his mommy was not going to come claim him, DB took it upon himself to care for the squirrel, which he named Millie, after our granddaughter, even though Millie the Squirrel is a male. Tending to Millie--the squirrel, not the girl-- included the use of a beautiful box in which I had received a Vera Bradley bag; recycling of the paper in the paper shredder for bedding; pilfering a bag of raw walnuts from the kitchen pantry; tapping the supply of sunflower seeds we keep for feeding the birds; and the use of a peanut butter jar lid for a water container. Later, the use of a small animal carrier would also become necessary.
Now DB is a sucker for squirrels. He has always enjoyed them and they enjoy our pecan trees and all the birdfood DB puts out. Millie is no exception. DB has been feeding him, bringing him into the house out of the extreme heat and away from neigborhood cats when DB cannot directly supervise him. This morning, DB was outside playing with Millie the Squirrel and Millie, who has been thriving on his diet of nuts, sunflowers and water, followed DB across the yard. This afternoon, DB took Millie to work with him so he could tend to him (feed and pet him).
Meanwhile, I managed to contact a wildlife rehabilitation specialist who is coming by to pick up Millie. DB brought Millie home and said his goodbyes. He is a bit sad to give up Millie. If I thought Millie could learn without professional help whatever it is squirrels need to know in order to thrive on their own , I would say for DB to keep him and let him live happily in our pecan trees. But I am not sure that we are capable of giving Millie what he needs. He does not need to be dependent upon us, but independent and able to hold his own with other squirrels. DB agrees and knows it would never do to make a pet out of a wild animal. So Millie the Squirrel is off to a new home.
I guess what I get out of this story is that I have the sweetest husband in the world. No wonder his daughters love him. He fed them, cared for them and saw to it that they knew how to hold their own in the world. He could do no less for Millie the Squirrel.
Now DB is a sucker for squirrels. He has always enjoyed them and they enjoy our pecan trees and all the birdfood DB puts out. Millie is no exception. DB has been feeding him, bringing him into the house out of the extreme heat and away from neigborhood cats when DB cannot directly supervise him. This morning, DB was outside playing with Millie the Squirrel and Millie, who has been thriving on his diet of nuts, sunflowers and water, followed DB across the yard. This afternoon, DB took Millie to work with him so he could tend to him (feed and pet him).
Meanwhile, I managed to contact a wildlife rehabilitation specialist who is coming by to pick up Millie. DB brought Millie home and said his goodbyes. He is a bit sad to give up Millie. If I thought Millie could learn without professional help whatever it is squirrels need to know in order to thrive on their own , I would say for DB to keep him and let him live happily in our pecan trees. But I am not sure that we are capable of giving Millie what he needs. He does not need to be dependent upon us, but independent and able to hold his own with other squirrels. DB agrees and knows it would never do to make a pet out of a wild animal. So Millie the Squirrel is off to a new home.
I guess what I get out of this story is that I have the sweetest husband in the world. No wonder his daughters love him. He fed them, cared for them and saw to it that they knew how to hold their own in the world. He could do no less for Millie the Squirrel.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Liberation
Will traditional books become as obsolete as clay tablets? Probably pretty much so.
Over the past few years we have gone from owning thousands to hundreds of books. That is, hard copies of books. Today, after pitching my National Geographic Atlas of the World, I realized how liberating getting rid of these books is. Don't misunderstand. We read more than ever, but thanks to modern technology, we can carry all the books we want around "in" our Kindles. What we do not have there, we can find on the Internet. With Google maps, who needs an atlas? I am retaining only books I really like that are not yet readily available in digital form. When they become digitized, if I think I will read them again, I will get them in digital form on my Kindle or whatever electronic device I am using at the time. This is quite a change for me. I used to love the feel of a book in my hand . I thought nothing could or should replace a hard copy of a text. Then Kindle happened. I found myself reading more because I take my Kindle everywhere and can always find something on it that I am in the mood to read. It took a while to get used to the Kindle. But now I always seek an electronic version of a book first. If it is not available electronically, I have to really consider how badly I want to read it. Badly enough to lug a book around or to let it take up more space in the bookcase? I no longer do research papers or need books for work, and many of my interests have changed, so why keep a multitude of books ? Some of those books have not been read in years and although they are really good books, they are not apt to be read by me again. Time to send them somewhere so others can enjoy them.
An exception to preferring an ebook to a hard copy text, is my quilting books or other books where good color photos are critical. I still order some magazines in hard copy because of the photos, too. That may change as technology improves. Already we subcribe to one magazine online.
If I were a mother reading to my child I would want a hard copy. Somehow, cuddling up with a child and an e-reader does not seem like it would capture the child's imagination the way holding a traditional book does. I think that a child's turning a page and anticipating what will be on it, is more apt to help foster a love of reading than will pushing a button on a machine. I could be wrong. Perhaps someone will do a study about this.
Today, after getting rid of hundreds of books again, including those space hogging atlases, I felt liberated. Now I can put other space hogging things on those shelves-- yards and yards of cotton fabric that I use in quilting. At least the fabric is beautiful to look at. Dearly Beloved may not agree.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2XBYKDawJo
Over the past few years we have gone from owning thousands to hundreds of books. That is, hard copies of books. Today, after pitching my National Geographic Atlas of the World, I realized how liberating getting rid of these books is. Don't misunderstand. We read more than ever, but thanks to modern technology, we can carry all the books we want around "in" our Kindles. What we do not have there, we can find on the Internet. With Google maps, who needs an atlas? I am retaining only books I really like that are not yet readily available in digital form. When they become digitized, if I think I will read them again, I will get them in digital form on my Kindle or whatever electronic device I am using at the time. This is quite a change for me. I used to love the feel of a book in my hand . I thought nothing could or should replace a hard copy of a text. Then Kindle happened. I found myself reading more because I take my Kindle everywhere and can always find something on it that I am in the mood to read. It took a while to get used to the Kindle. But now I always seek an electronic version of a book first. If it is not available electronically, I have to really consider how badly I want to read it. Badly enough to lug a book around or to let it take up more space in the bookcase? I no longer do research papers or need books for work, and many of my interests have changed, so why keep a multitude of books ? Some of those books have not been read in years and although they are really good books, they are not apt to be read by me again. Time to send them somewhere so others can enjoy them.
An exception to preferring an ebook to a hard copy text, is my quilting books or other books where good color photos are critical. I still order some magazines in hard copy because of the photos, too. That may change as technology improves. Already we subcribe to one magazine online.
If I were a mother reading to my child I would want a hard copy. Somehow, cuddling up with a child and an e-reader does not seem like it would capture the child's imagination the way holding a traditional book does. I think that a child's turning a page and anticipating what will be on it, is more apt to help foster a love of reading than will pushing a button on a machine. I could be wrong. Perhaps someone will do a study about this.
Today, after getting rid of hundreds of books again, including those space hogging atlases, I felt liberated. Now I can put other space hogging things on those shelves-- yards and yards of cotton fabric that I use in quilting. At least the fabric is beautiful to look at. Dearly Beloved may not agree.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2XBYKDawJo
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Make Love, Not War... Is Timothy Leary in the Great Protoplasm in the Sky?
I just knocked myself offline in the middle of a rant. That may have been a good thing. I was ranting over the barrage of peace signs on everthing from underpants to sides of boxcars. Go into any store and you are bound to see a peace sign on quite a few items. Who wants this??? Does the fact that I would not be caught dead with a peace sign on anything I own mean I am a war mongering s.o.b.? Should I wear a peace sign to tell the world that I prefer peace to war? This has to be the work of some old hippies or young wannabe hippies who are stupid enough to see some sort of romance or glamor about the 1960s. Take my word for it, you do not want to go back to those times.
The peace sign on people's belongings appeals to me about as much as Miley Cyrus' image on everything. Perhaps designers and manufacturers just lack imagination and cannot come up with anything more creative and appealing. Perhaps that is why about each second or third generation we see a repeat of clothing styles. Of course, it is impossible to completely repeat the clothing. Fabric has changed so much--for the better, I might add--that the clothing just looks and hangs differently now. I notice this in period films all the time. Of course, being a fabricholic, I find it distracting when I watch a current film about 1950s bobby soxers and their blouses are not wrinkled from carrying school books and their cotton socks stay up. Things like this catch my attention and the whole movie just goes down the tube! I know, it is pathetic, but there you are.
The peace sign on people's belongings appeals to me about as much as Miley Cyrus' image on everything. Perhaps designers and manufacturers just lack imagination and cannot come up with anything more creative and appealing. Perhaps that is why about each second or third generation we see a repeat of clothing styles. Of course, it is impossible to completely repeat the clothing. Fabric has changed so much--for the better, I might add--that the clothing just looks and hangs differently now. I notice this in period films all the time. Of course, being a fabricholic, I find it distracting when I watch a current film about 1950s bobby soxers and their blouses are not wrinkled from carrying school books and their cotton socks stay up. Things like this catch my attention and the whole movie just goes down the tube! I know, it is pathetic, but there you are.
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