Hitting The Wall or Deciding to Stop Beating My Head Against It

It's kind of funny how once things go past a certain point of absurdity it's not even worth getting upset about them anymore. I have been bitching and moaning and struggling with my employer for a couple of years about how there is a real demand for courses in the subject I teach and I have been paid a little lip service, but basically ignored when it comes right down to it. And now that I have gone ahead and made other plans for myself and classes have already started, I am being asked if I could now do more.
You know what? I don't think I can. Not without a little more financial incentive anyway.

After

Two summers ago I wrote about how I could tell something was getting ready to change in the meadow down the street. It used to look like the picture below.

Yesterday morning as I walked past that former field on my way to my former home to pick up my dog, who is still at least partially mine, I took a few photos that illustrate what happened after. Seven single family homes and a retirement home, plus three more new homes in on the other side of the street. At least the family that lived in that nice cape on the left in the picture below who thought a large plastic deer would make a fine lawn attraction in a field that used to have real live deer in it have already sold that new home and moved on and taken their resin mammal with them.

Do You Sudoku?

Have I mentioned before that sudoku rocks?

Do Not ZZZZZZ

How to Zen. Make sure you let your browser allow pop-ups from the site. It's from Kodaiji temple in Kyoto. I like it when the monks have a sense of humor.
The first one is funny. The second one is kind of beautiful.They're both sort of like the Viridian Room, in a way.

What a Man

Not only did my wonderful boyfriend take me to see the Rolling Stones last night, he fixed the iBook power adapter I destroyed with the vacuum cleaner today. Yup, I've got me a keeper all right.
How did I destroy the adapter, you ask? Well, I have a central vac in my apartment and usually I use the mellow vacuum head, but since my dog has been shedding enough that I could make a twin for him with the fallen hair on the carpet, I decided to take out the big, badass separately powered vacuum cleaner head today. I was doing my usual coverage of the living room carpet and had the coffee table pushed back so I could do a good job. I didn't pay much mind to the dangling white iBook cord until it was wrapped a few times around the rotating vacuum head and ripped out about a quarter inch from the base of the adapter. It was such a stupid thing to do that I didn't even bother getting mad about it. I just sort of marveled at my stupidity instead.
Mr. Wonderful Boyfriend is good at fixing things of an electronic nature, so I alerted him to the situation while I browsed the web and learned that replacement adapters go for about $60. He came over with his soldering iron and in about 20 minutes had the whole thing fixed and working again.
Yeah, he rocks. Big time.

Rolling Stones at Fenway Park

The Stones concert was fantastic. What could I possibly write about them that hasn't been written before? It was my first time to ever see them and Fenway Park was a great place to do that. It was an excellent evening overall. We found sort of reasonably priced parking a five minute walk from the stadium. We went past all the noisy, drunk people on Landsdowne Street down to a place called Jillians which was air conditioned, had a decent menu with reasonable prices and nice waitstaff. They also had a live Stones show playing on their big screens which was a nice way to get fueled and ready for the show without having to deal with drunk idiots. We were also spared the drunk idiot factor near our seats-- another bonus. I didn't see anyone falling from the rafters. Just saw one guy in the next section over get escorted out by the police for causing some kind of trouble. There didn't seem to be many people under 30 who weren't there with their parents, but it was kind of cool to see families making an evening of it.
We missed the opening act, The Black Eyed Peas. Can't say I regret that much and they went on much earlier than the Stones. The gates opened at 6:30. We were in our seats probably around 7:30 and the Stones went on around 8:30. Considering that Buddy Guy will be opening for the Stones in Milwaukee and Minneapolis, Beck will be opening for them in Columbus and Toronto and Pearl Jam will be doing the same in Pittsburgh, I figure Boston did not get the best pick of opening acts, but it doesn't matter much because really everyone was there to see the Rolling Stones.
Everything about the show was excellent. It was the second show of the tour so there were some things that weren't absolutely perfect, but seeing how it all gets handled with such poise, professionalism and a sense of humor is part of what was great. So many times throughout the performance I got chills from the power of it all. It must be incredible to have a stadium full of people singing your songs back at you, which happened pretty much straight through the show. It was everything you could want and hope a Stones to be. The music, the visuals, the fireworks and plumes of fire off the top of the stage, the set list. It was a rock and roll show by the guys who taught us all how it should be done.

And I've Got The T-shirt to Prove It

I saw the Rolling Stones play live at Fenway Park tonight. I could now die happy, if necessary. (Don't think it's necessary. It may be necessary to post a photo of the t-shirt though.)

For Beautiful Human Life

I think in a fair majority of the translations I work on I could just submit the following single sentence and have the jist of the matter accurately conveyed.

XYZ Corporation is constantly striving to provide next generation advanced systems boasting improved efficiency that harmonize with the global environment while contributing to the infrastructure of our daily lives as residents of the earth who wish for world peace and conservation of the natural environment.
.

Did I miss anything?

Good Call

Last month I gave up my Sprint cell phone and got a prepaid Boost phone instead. I was paying $37 a month for Sprint. So far I've used 70 cents of call time on my prepaid phone and the month is two-thirds over. I should probably be planning on using the savings to pay the heating bill this winter. Or I could go ahead and buy more yarn and knit warm things to bundle up in instead. More yarn! More yarn! More yarn!!!! MORE YARN!!!!

Viscious Cycle

I get a fair number of search hits here for non-mom jeans. I think we all need to bear in mind that the low rise, non-mom jeans will, within probably a couple of years, become the new mom jeans when our daughters decide to differentiate themselves from us by wearing something like crotchless jeans ("But Mom, I'm wearing underwear. No one can see anything" and then there will be the girls who don't...) or crinolines or something fucked up that we would never dream of, because they don't want to look like us.

Back to It

School starts in 12 days. Crap.

Rabbit Rabbit

Some people get a lot accomplished by 8:04 am. Wonder if this was done pre or post morning caffeine? Rabbit rants, but she also rocks. I can't always follow all her honky this and that, but she certainly does not pull her punches.

Quick & Dirty Guide to Ice Cream Places I Frequent

#1 favorite of the moment-- The Daily Scoop, Rt 236, Eliot, ME
Large selection of home-made ice cream in flavors other shops don't have. $1.95 for the "ultra-mini" which is the same as a kiddie size at Golicks and Dover Delite or a regular at Annabelle's. Also has Glorai Jeans coffee, sandwiches, subs and salads. The soft serve smalls are also $1.95 and HUGE.

Local standby favorite-- Golicks, Dover Point Rd, Dover NH
Large selection of home-made ice cream. Seasonal and ice cream only. I think it's $2.00 for a kiddie size and $2.50 for a small. (I never order anything bigger than the smallest servings around here because even they are not really small.) The only ice cream shop I've ever seen around here with cute guys working there. My sister once spotted a tip jar there that said "Saving for a new girlfriend". So much more fun than the typical "saving for college" messages.

Local standby backup favorite-- Dover Delite, Chestnut St., Dover, NH
Another seasonal ice cream shack. Serves Shains of Maine ice cream. Same (or similar) prices as Golicks. The parking lot is a big bad accident waiting to happen. Once customers start parking near the picnic tables there is only one way in or out and when the lines get long they start to interfere with the traffic flow. Good ice cream. Sometimes seems understaffed. Big portions.

Once upon a time was a favorite-- Annabelle's, Ceres St., Portsmouth, NH
$2.70 for a regular, which equals a kiddie or ultr-mini size elsewhere. Great ice cream. Quaint Portsmouth location near the tug boats. Air conditioner is always cranked so high I can't wait to get out of there.Typical, kind of snotty, Portsmouth customer service attitude.

The Good Old Days-- The Ice House, Wentworth Rd, Rye NH (the part near Newcastle, between BJs Boast House and the golf course)
Ice cream windows and an inside dining room. It's always packed. I haven't been for a few years, but they have the very best buttercrunch ice cream ever. It's all I ever order. Reminds me of being a kid before Rye and Newcastle got so upscale.

If you're on Rt. 1/Lafayette Rd-- Lone Oak, Rt 1, Rye, NH
This place has been in existence as a seasonal ice cream take out place since the dawn of time (i.e., since I can remember). They have a huge parking lot and a billion serving windows so I think they can handle the crowds. Massive servings and picnic tables so you don't have to drip all over your car.

Because It's There

I'm not 100% sure why this exists, but if you want to see a fuzzy picture of me rocking the bowl cut as a toddler now you have your chance.

It's a Family Affair

Sis started up her blog a week or so ago and now my brother in law has one too-- Mat's Black Stage Pass. Mat has seen more shows and concerts than any one else I've ever met and his blog is all about the music. Welcome to the world of blogging, Brother!

Who You Calling Granny?

If you think crochet is just for grannies, take a look at what Croshayqueen does with it at Off The Chain. For all of you who just like to look at the picture, just keep scrolling down. Amazing!

How Can You Tell?

Yesterday in the car my girl asked me how you can know that a guy won't get all lazy and sloppy after you get married. I thought it was a pretty brilliant question. Really, how can you tell?
She was fairly detailed in her line of questioning. "Do you have to start yelling at him all the time? Like if he leaves dirty underwear on the couch do you say "Hey! Don't leave your dirty underwear on the couch!" (leaving dirty underwear on the couch? ew.)
I talked about relationships always needing time and attention from both partners and that it is important to pay attention to the way he treats you before you decide to get married. I pointed out that a guy who is a fun boyfriend isn't always a great choice for a husband.
My mother never discussed this kind of thing with me or my sisters. I remember asking for advice over whether or not I should call a boy I liked in fifth grade and her comment was "I'm not interested in boys. I prefer men." That didn't help me much. Not many men attending the fifth grade and if there were a fifth grade girl should steer clear, I figure.
I told my girl to keep asking questions. It's fun talking about that kind of stuff with her. I told her no one gave me any advice and I wish they had somewhere along the way. Even if you reject the advice you get, at least the advice giver made you stop and think about it. When I said that the girls said, "Oh, you mean hear me now, listen to me later." She's an awfully smart cookie for a ten year old.

Bad Charlotte (contains spoiler)

I finished I Am Charlote Simmons by Tom Wolfe the other day. I got through it pretty quickly for a nearly 700 page novel. I stand by my opinion that much of the book reads like an old man writing about things he doesn't know about anymore, but it was still entertaining. I was a little shocked by the cynicism of the ending. Taking a glance through the Amazon.com reviews it seems like a lot of people thought it was a happy ending. I thought it was cynical as hell and showed that nothing ever really changes. It's a 688 page testament to the Ladder Theory. We've got a smart, ambitious, motivated, originally pure female protagonist and in the end she winds up with shitty grades, an over-awareness and over-reliance on the effect her physical attractiveness has on men and prime status as the big jock's girlfriend. What a stale paradigm for the new millenium.

Skirting the Law

This morning I got a frantic email from a good friend who lives in exile, or at least against his will, in Japan. This friend is a photographer of a certain genre. (And no, I never modeled for him when he was shooting in that particular genre, despite his entertaining efforts to convince me that I should. We bonded on other issues. ) My friend had submitted a couple of rolls of film to be developed but not printed at his trusty camera shop of many years. He told me he had tried to communicate to the store manager that this was a special order and should be handled with a certain sensitivity. When he went to pick up the order the manager made him wait an uncomfortably long time and when he got home with his order he found some type of form letter enclosed in each set of negatives. He doesn't read Japanese and didn't know if the letters said they were going to prosecute or what, so he sent me a scan of the notices.
Turns out this must be a fairly common enough occurence because using very polite lanugage the form letter said:
"Thank you very much for your color print order. When we viewed the negatives of the film you submitted for prints there were images that we are not able to print. We are returning your negatives without printing the images mentioned above. We ask for your understanding in this manner."
I know that photos and even comic drawings of genitals are illegal in Japan. Showing depictions of pubic hair is even illegal. But there sure is plenty of porn in Japan. I guess my big question should be why doesn't my friend just go digital and avoid dealing with a camera store at all? No, wait, that shouldn't really be my question should it? Actually, it is my question.

It's No Big Secret

In fact, I see links to it all over the place, but I love the PostSecret blog.

What Comes After Summer Love

If that fling with Mr. Summer Love seems to be winding down and you're wondering what better options you have for the future take a look at A Girl's Guide to Geeks.

New Addition

There's a new addition to my blogroll. My sister has started a blog-- Dangergirl in NH. She says she's going to write with a sociological perspective on things.
Welcome to the world of blogging, Sis!

Itch

I feel antsy. I feel edgy. I feel like the inside of my teeth itch. I feel like I've been riding a bicycle down what looked like a wide, open road and then the backdrop fell away and what it really is is a tight rope. How did I not see it was a tight rope? I feel like all the things I thought I was doing right missed the point. If I was any kind of drinker, I'd probably be drinking now, but I'm not. The only thing I can do to bide my time and keep my mind from obsessing is to work. I need to stay positive. I need to remember that at some point it will all be worked out. Someday it's not going to be like this anymore.

One is Okay Too

Day. Word. Another day another dollar or actually just cents on the dollar per word. Yesterday did utterly and truly suck, as those who had to deal with me not dealing well with it could attest, but that was yesterday.
I was up not too long after 4am this morning and I'm feeling slightly heavy lidded but still rolling along. I finished the rush translation job for my long time agency in Tokyo. I hadn't heard from them in months and of course they show up with a job with a rush deadline and then the manuscript arrives a day late with the same deadline. I should charge them some kind of rush fee, but I won't. It's good enough that they have agreed to now send my payments to me here in the States rather than into my Japanese bank account that I have no access to right now. Oh well, when I finally get back there for a visit some day at least I'll have some spending money.
I also got to join my sister for lunch. Usually we meet up for breakfast at Harvey's, that spectacularly and truly retro throwback coffee shop in downtown Dover. She was working in Portsmouth so I decided to go join her down there. Neither of us were feeling up to socializing with those great guys at Belle Peppers so we went to Geno's Coffee Shop instead. Geno's is cool. It's tucked back along the river in the South End. The menu is simple and straight forward-- lobster rolls, chowder, some standard green salads, sandwiches and burgers. You get a little bag of chips on the side with a sandwich or burger. White or wheat. I had a BLT. She had a tuna sandwich. Nothing fancy going on with that menu unless you count those homemade pies and deserts. And they were pretty straight forward too. I was tempted to have a slice of blueberry pie but had to go with my favorite-- lemon meringue. We sat at a table inside although all the other customers waited, preferring to get seated on the outside deck covered by a striped awning.
One thing I noticed is that twice women came into the restaurant alone and when the young woman working there asked about seating by asking if they were a party of one, both rather apologetically said "just one." I wanted to tell them both to not say "just". One is okay too.
Me and sis are going through our own versions of bumpy times right now, but as long as we get to hang out and share a meal and take some time to spend together talking it starts not to seem as bad as it did. It's good having a sister.

Try Again Tomorrow

Did you ever have one of those days when you wake up early, do a little exercise and get showered and dressed and feel like you're know what you need to do and you're sure you can get it done? And then everything falls apart. That is my day today.

Synthetic Floral

The potpourri or air freshener my downstairs neighbor uses is so strong that I can smell it everytime I open one of my closets. And sometimes it wafts in through my open windows. It makes my head hurt. I don't think she's using it to cover up any pot smoking smells or anything. I know what air freshener scent over pot smoke smells like and she doesn't really seem the type anyway. Sometimes I end up lighting a scented candle in my office just to try to counteract the other smell.