User Reviews
131201
9:06a
Sunday morning
Head and I are enjoying a
morning under the covers. The sun is out shining through the French doors to
the balcony. Head is humming softly along with the music she is enjoying. I
have been reading. We have both had our first cup of coffee. I brought them up
when i let the dogs out. Rather, dog out. Pinto took his half of the treat and
went back upstairs. He must have an iron bladder. Holly went out with me while
I turned on the pool, emptied the basket, and skimmed off what leaves I could.
I brought the mugs of coffee back up with me. I can make Head's for her now
that she doesn’t add sugar. I never figured out how many tablespoons she
added. I didn't want to know is more like it. I won’t be a party to that mess.
I have so much to catch up on I’m
afraid I won't get to all of it or do justice to what I do put down. So many memories and thoughts from those experiences.
Too many to capture this morning.
I am anxious to see if the word
processing application I added to the tablet can be downloaded and edited and
blogged or whatever. I had to find a way to type on the tablet without the Wi-Fi.
Like now, I am up on the 'cloud' typing directly onto the internet using Google
docs.
I used the program to write as
much as I could fit in during the stay at eh Pedroza's. I believe the last time
I wrote was during the day Friday I'll pick up there.
The reason I didn’t write
anymore on Friday was because I was busy buying groceries and making dinner for
the group. Entirely my pleasure. Other's pitched in. Unky Mike went with to buy
the groceries. We found an Asian grocery and then went to the grocery store to
get all the fixin's. Then I came home and slowly started turning the items into
Asian cuisine. I made momos with Nepalese tomato sauce. There were
build-it-yourself spring rolls. And the main course was mango-pineapple smoked
pork chops (Eddie) and fried rice (Mor). We ate everything. We had leftovers
and at least four pies from Thanksgiving so anyone who didn't get enough could
find something to eat.
We watched sports and went
outside to play horseshoes. Then we came inside to play a board game. Unky mike and Danny schooled me and Eddie in
horse shoes. We played the game about movies. There are ten cards with names of
movies on the board and a question is asked like 'best love story' or 'most
exciting' and the players, or teams in our case, we had more than eight people
who wanted to play, picked their answer and the majority answer moved a space.
The winner was the first to the end of the board. Fun! I teamed with Danny.
Head and Reane were a team. Katy and Keila were another team. Robbie and Dean.
Morgan and Aunt Candy. Abby and Allie. Unky M and Ed were spectators. Eddie was
drunk, dropping his favorite scotch glass and breaking it, then spraying R and
H with Chex Mix crumbs. He was a hoot. Danny and I figured out a way to
minimize arguments. One person picked t or three choices and the other made the
final choice. We took turns as to who made the final choice. Katy and Keila won.
Saturday morning, Ed and I went
for breakfast tacos while the Lorenc's packed.
We also had to two places to pick of barbacoa and tamales for me to take to Mom and Dad's Lorencs left. We loaded. We were in Austin a little after noon. Granny and I cooked. Granny and Dean worked his puzzle books. Pa and Mor talked and watched TV, 'Dances with wolves. Pa was picking Mor's brain about adding speakers to the TV in the living room. He just can't get it loud enough for him to hear so he ends up reading subtitles. I got in on it and we figured it out. R&R+2 showed up and we ate. Visited until six, when I made a batch of molten lava cakes, butterscotch flavor. A keeper recipe! Easy and tasty. Rhonda said she wanted to slap someone's Granny they were so good. High praise, although elderly abuse.
We also had to two places to pick of barbacoa and tamales for me to take to Mom and Dad's Lorencs left. We loaded. We were in Austin a little after noon. Granny and I cooked. Granny and Dean worked his puzzle books. Pa and Mor talked and watched TV, 'Dances with wolves. Pa was picking Mor's brain about adding speakers to the TV in the living room. He just can't get it loud enough for him to hear so he ends up reading subtitles. I got in on it and we figured it out. R&R+2 showed up and we ate. Visited until six, when I made a batch of molten lava cakes, butterscotch flavor. A keeper recipe! Easy and tasty. Rhonda said she wanted to slap someone's Granny they were so good. High praise, although elderly abuse.
We didn't spend the night.
Wheat needs to get at work at eleven and we figured we could drive better late
than to get up early. We were home by eleven-thirty.
Finally, H's bladder forced her
to get out of bed. She can get us a second mug.
Reading John Connelly’s
'Killing Kind', the third in the Jack Parker series.
I'm waiting for H to go over my
ideas for a straw-bale house.
11:29a
We talked about a straw bale
house. I explained how I envisioned it. Now she can think about it and add to
it. Make it her vision. Make it our
vision. She did say we need skylights. Skylights or just make one whole wall
out of glass. And she wanted a half bath in addition to the bathroom and she
doesn't want the w/d in the bathroom. Just move it over to the kitchen.
Otherwise, she liked the
concept.
And if we had to live in town,
we both would go for a hacienda style, with the house having a courtyard.
Another interesting idea Head
has is to do this with Eddie and Reane. It has its advantages. Mark Twains kick
ass tips for living a good life...recommended by H.
The support and Eddie’s ability
to build things. We could have two houses with a kitchen house in between.
Private space and common space. We talked about how the hacienda idea could be
worked the same way.
We are still in bed. She is
still surfing the net and listening to music. I am reading. And now writing.
Wheat has left for work. About
an hour ago come to think of it.
We also talked about how to
jump start the business with Deep Reach. I will put an information website up
and then she can email all of the mold assessors in the state. Then move onto
realtors and home insurance representatives.
Today is a day of rest.
Slothing. Idleness. Laziness. I am giving that to myself. Tomorrow I might do
some home projects. Taking Monday as a vacation.
I am lounging in a pair of
flannel jammies Mom gave me. I asked to borrow some sweats because my jeans
were cutting me in half and I didn't want to ride home that way. She had picked
me up the jammies and a t-shirt at Costco for Xmas, so I got it early, and at
the perfect time. I had the itchy-ass so I took a shower before putting them on
and I was very, very comfortable riding home.. I didn't sleep, just read.
Okay, I'll surf the net some
more, I have an interesting thread on minimalism.
ta ta.
http://www.theminimalists.com/minimalism/
Minimalism has helped us:
Eliminate our discontent
Reclaim our time
Live in the moment
Pursue our passions
Discover our missions
Experience real freedom
Create more, consume less
Focus on our health
Grow as individuals
Contribute beyond ourselves
Rid ourselves of excess stuff
Discover purpose in our lives
131202
8:34p
Monday evening
Down in the Dungun with Mor; Watching
Spurs v. Hawks. Mor bought a Motorola phone for two hundred. He is passing on
his to me for seventy-five.
He just wants a phone that
works. Where does that leave me? It has a battery live about five times more
than his current phone.
Mor just read Blood Meridian.
Now he is making the hard decision between Tin Drum or Detrerosfskiy's The
Brothers ....whatever.
I pulled out eh keyboard to
journal get as much journaling done as I can.
There is a website I just came
upon that suggested at least seven hundred fifty words a day, which is three
pages.
Wheat is sick. His stomach
hurts. He either over ate or ate something tainted.
He worked today. Brought home a
four hundred dollar check. He wants to spend fifty to change his character.
Okay. After you get the fuse changed on car His fan doesn't work, hence no heat
or air. He has the chills. Chills and diarrhea.
He wants a heater for his room. Talking about
Dean. John is Head's problem.
Any who, Wheat wants a heater
but with the mounds of dirty clothes in his room he need to to deal with extra
blankets and a heating pad. I better go up and
Back...he has the heating pad.
He can curl up and play on his tablet. Hope he is making good decisions. A text
program is not something he should have. Today...a vacation day I started the
day by working on my blogs. It takes longer that I would like it to edit the
crap I write and then down load the collection of pics. I look through the pics
for the ones I want to use, and then I work them into the blog or just add them
on the end and add a few words with Dragon Speak.
I did some computer maintenance
today. Moving files off the tablet on onto the SD card and cleaning up the hard
drives. I had put everything onto one drive when the new one was put in, but
never took it back off. I moved it all to the new drive, making space on the old
one. I have way too many files to every get through. But, a library needs books.
You can't just have one book at a time. For example, I have over nine hundred
books on the tablet now. Let's get to reading!
I also put a menu and grocery
list together... Headed out the door for an hour walked to the grocery. Got
myself flu shot while I was there. Bought groceries. I wanted to make a steak
dish with fresh horseradish but there wasn’t any top sirloin. So, I took
advantage of the brisket I found on sale. Mor will put it on tomorrow. Tonight
we had center cut pork chops. Well, they did. I dropped mine. So I used some of
the hamburger. I bought three pounds, more than I needed. We ate the meat with
fried cabbage and steamed broccoli. Healthy.
I bought all healthy food,
except for canned ravioli. Sorry. Otherwise, it is all wholegrain, meat, and
veggie. Lots of nuts. Almonds and pistachios and sunflower seeds. Almond
butter. Salted nut granola bars. Lots of nuts.
Mor decided to read A Brave New
Word by Huxley. He wasn’t up for a five hundred page Russian novel. Who is?
H is watching The Voice. We brought
crates down for her to pack the Thanksgiving stuff, and put up the Xmas stuff.
She has been working on laundry
and she had client today. A renter. It will get her half of the firs month's
rent. Around five to six hundred dollars.
Started watching Johnny Get
Your Gun, the one about the guy who is quadriplegic mute. Weird. Really weird
for a seventies movie.
So, after the groceries were
put away, I had mor hook me up to the leaf blower. I worked the back yard so
long my right arm is still vibrating. I should have worn a hat. My hair was
full of dirt and leaves. I even go some in my pubic hair.
I didn’t have to pickup any
leaves. I worked half down the driveway and blew them into the green space
behind the fence. The other half of the yard was worked into the area behind
the short ball beside the pool. I would like to make a raised bed there so the
leaves can compost in place.
So, back to work tomorrow.
Can't say I'm excited. I need the work. No different than taking projects when your
on your own. You need work either way.
I took the time during the walk
to think through the chlorine dioxide opportunity. It won’t be easy bit it can
work. It is a great process. But lots of great ideas fail. I’m thinking hard
about it.
Cane's chicken is on the Spurs
floor. Cane's is a Louisiana institution that has come to Texas.
The third just ended with the
score tied.
Did Peter Holt buy the spurs in
total?
When Red McCombs sold them,
half for the big businesses in SATX both into it. USAA, ATT Taco Cabana, and
Holt's Caterpillar. I'm sure there were others. But now he shows up as the sole
owner.
Reprogram the old brain with
new information.
I really like shopping for
groceries. Buying double when something is on sale. Picking up Manager's
specials.
Mor goes in tonight. He worked
hard last night. Too tired to participate in the yard work. He needs to get the
leaves out of pool one day so he can vacuum it the next. He needs to do a lot of
things.
I froze a banana...I cutting
half and put peanut butter and nutella in the middle. A nutritious snack. Mor
is reading Mental Floss to me, about all the NBA owners.
All the owners have one thing
in common, they are rich.
Mor is talking about coffee,
making me want some but it's too, man, I am typing terribly. So many errors. No
wonder my editing takes so much effort.
9:43p
In bed. Actually, on bed. I had
meant to sweep behind my bedside table. Didn't happen. Until I wanted to unplug
my fan which caused me to move the table and see the shame that had built up
behind it.
I am beginning to appreciate
the affect organization has on peace of mind, and happiness. I like my closet
after working on it yesterday.
I emptied the watch caps and
gloves out of the bedside table bottom drawer. I put work gloves out into the
garage and a hat and gloves into each of my winter coats. That is where I will
use them. It is too much to expect to remember to get a pair out of the drawer
when I think I will need them. They need to be in the pockets of the coat.
Lordy knows I have enough pairs to pull it off. I kept one hat, a green and
gray fleece number out to wear around the house. And a pair of cotton gardening
gloves with the finger tips cut out. They are for in doors.
It wasn't cold today, it was
beautiful. And sunny. But winter is the official season and the cold will catch
up to the calendar.
I thought I came to bed to
read. I wasn't finished writing. Not that I have anything in particular to say,
I just need to work some thoughts out Get the mind chatter quieted down.
You have enough time in a day
to do anything you want, just not everything you want. And don’t expect to get
anything finished. The best you can hope to do is work at it. It’s never
finished until it has to be, otherwise you keep working on it.
When Mor was talking about not
wanting to keep his writing because would be self-aggrandizing, I disagreed. I
see his point that he learns from it and is better for having taken the time to
write something. He builds on it. But i think there are many lessons to be
learned from a particular effort. From any effort. You can see something you
did wrong but not everything you did wrong. You might need to learn more before
you can see what you did wrong. You don't recognize it as a flaw at the time.
So keep your writing and wring every last lesson out of it. Also the old stuff
can be used as a Spark Bank, providing ideas for future work.
Hopefully my journals will do
that for me.
No, I don’t get everything I
wanted to done today, but I did get some things accomplished. And I enjoyed
myself doing those things which are priceless.
If today were my last, I would
be okay with that. If I were offered another just like it I'd take it. That
says something doesn't it?
Now I am ready to read about
Charlie Parker in The Killing Kind (sorry for calling him Jack in my last
entry).
131203
9:21p
Tuesday evening
I don't think I have seven
hundred fifty words in me. I have a rare headache. Not that the headache is
special, I just don't get them very often. I am certain it is because I went
back to eating one meal a day. Can you say ketosis?
But what a meal. And no, I
didn't gorge myself. I had a Metamucil before dinner to fill the space. A beer
and a couple of crackers to build it up even more. So after a half a bowl of
salad, I only wanted a saucer of food. I had some brisket, grilled squash, and
green beans and mushrooms. It was a tasty meal.
We all sat around and visited
watching The Biggest Loser. Ruben Stoddard, from American Idol, got kicked off
for the second time. Then I went down and watched Detroit v. Miami with Mor. He
filled me in of Huxley books, history, and sports trivia. I learn so much just
sitting in the room with him. I browse IMUGEER in between his outbursts.
Wheat is doing best he can,
having trouble making good decisions all the time, I know because I invaded his
privacy and looked at his browser history. But who doesn't? I just talked to
him like an adult, a concerned adult. I love him and I want him to know that
first and foremost.
H is tired too. She has a
rental client she is prepping for. She is doing her exercises and trying to eat
less. She is down to two hundred eight. I am next at two hundred sixteen. Then
Mor at two twenty and finally W at two twenty one. I am determined to get below
two hundred first. The game is on!
I took a walk with my two four
legged buddies. It got dark coming home but the weather is very pleasant. I
wore short sleeves.
Really dreaded going back to
work today. The more upset I get, the more people leave me alone so it makes it
tolerable. Even Mama asked me if I wasn't speaking to her. I get more done if I
keep to myself. The management added more cameras. They liked the ones
monitoring the doors so much they put more to watch the workers. One in the
office, two in the main lab. One in micro. Just strap a GoPro on everybody.
The Xmas party is next Friday.
I have a prior commitment. H's birthday. We are meeting Lana and Perry for Thai
food. So I'll miss a meal and a hundred bucks. A hundred buck bonus is an
insult. Keep it and buy more cameras.
I am really enjoying the series
Blacklist with James Spader. My kind of action show. He is the consummate
criminal, always one step ahead of everybody. Don’t I wish?
It has been a good day, I can't
deny that. My body needs rest. And I like to sleep and read and watch videos
and listen to audio books all from the comfort of my ...our bed. Bring on the
love. I have love for all. G'nite.
131204
7:08a
Wednesday morning
Seven hundred fifty will take
more than one entry.
Waiting for my first mug,
I know it's late. Lay in bed
and watched an episode of Miranda. She has s one funny, big girl.
A quick mug then off to work.
Woo hoo. I must say I do enjoy getting things off my to do list. Being
organized is its own reward.
7:16a
Bed. Mug. Surf web!
If the minimalist lifestyle of
living with less appeals to you, do it your way. Some would have you believe
that if you don’t live like them, you’re an idiot. Because I don’t think you’re
an idiot, I don’t need to remind you that this is your life. It is going to
look different than mine. While I hope I can offer inspiration and a glimpse
into minimalism, I won’t be disappointed if you take away what works for you
and leave the rest....rowdykittens
5p
Wednesday night
Feeling like a working dead, a
job zombie. Terms I picked up listening...rather, reading minimalist’s blogs.
There are a lot of people out there dissatisfied with what a quarter buys.
I am down in the dungeon with
Mor, watching Detroit again, this time v. Milwaukee. Mil has a young man, just
nineteen, that is taking the league by storm. His is a Nigerian immigrant to
Greece. Has a Greek name, however that works. He doesn't look Greek.
Spurs play Timberwolves in
Mexico City in a few minutes. Late start. I won’t' make it. I'm writing because
I know I'm going to fall asleep early, so I'm not saving my writing for bed.
This was probably the last
night I will get to walk, much less walk in shirt sleeves. Holly went with.
Pinto saw us heading out the door and hightailed it upstairs. I didn't bother
him. H and I just took off.
Head was out showing rentals.
She does so well, all she needs is clients. She takes such great care of her
clients they all fall in love with her. Way to go, Head!
Taco soup for dinner. Head put
on a pot of black beans today. I boiled some Angus 80/20 hamburger to mix in.
The broth is the drippings from last night's brisket. H dumped the fat. It was
a really great meal. I planned on making corn bread but the fam opted for fried
corn tortillas. Okay by me.
Mor has a new MindCraft mod to
play; he's an alien surviving on a hostile planet. Dean is grinding WoW. H is
watching XFactor. I watched some, and I’ll go back up for Alex and Sierra’s
second song of the night. Love me some A and S.
Tim Horton's, that’s a Canadian
delicacy...Mor promises me.
I have the keyboard on the
clipboard on
my lap. The tablet is on the gable beside me. I can't see what I'm
writing but i can see where I'm at on the screen.
my lap. The tablet is on the gable beside me. I can't see what I'm
writing but i can see where I'm at on the screen.
I enjoyed a New Castle Red beer
and a Beam and diet cola. I'm taking Metamucil twice a day, especially before
dinner to take up space.
Detroit, coached by Cheeks and
RaWeed Wallace are tired, back to back after playing, and beating the work
champion Labraun James and the Heat. It takes it out of you.
Moved my act upstairs. Brushed
my teeth. Crawled under the covers. It is just now nine o’clock.
I sat with H and watched A and
S sing 'Say something, I'm giving up on you'. Just blew me away.
Pinto didn’t get it. He tried
to fight me.
My mind is racing after reading
a couple of blogs about not being a 'fucking pussy' and choosing life. Not
being a 'job zombie' is how it was put. I just crank through my stack of papers
all day. I manage to hold focus and move things out of my box faster or equal
to how fast then come in. Like I said this morning, organization has its
rewards.
But I want better. I don't like
feeling the way I do. Like a second class citizen. I'm being treated better
than I have been, after almost six years on the job...but it's not good enough.
I hold my breath, turn blue, pass out, and pout because I want things to change
because it would be sooooo much easier that way. I wouldn't have to do anything
it would just come to me. I would be a god among men.
Only that isn't going to
happen.
I can't even blame anyone; no
one holds that kind of power.
But there is hope. There is a
chance that I could break out and make something spectacular. Not that anyone
else would appreciate it, but I could live a life that touched all that is
precious to me. Money, sure. Family essential. Just being capable of earning my
own way in this world.
I just have a hard time letting
go of my stuff. I'll starve holding his banana I'll never be able to eat.
Remember me talking about the monkey who starved that way?
So, I have a lot to think
about. I don't want to be a 'fucking pussy'. I want to be seen as courageous
and capable. Not beat down and malleable.
That is my prayer for the night
and how I'll end my quest for seven hundred and fifty words. God, let me feel
your strength to get this going.
Let me 'say something'
....before I give up on myself.
131205
6:49a
Thursday morning
I have meditated, learned
something from Brain scoop, and read about Nostalgia...
Nostalgia is your enemy, my
enemy, our enemy. Left unchecked and uncontrolled, nostalgia will blossom and
invade everything like a cancer or a virus. It will paralyze you, leaving you
longing for yesterday, for something that once was but is now gone, something
that happened in the past and is therefore better left in the past.
I don’t want to live in the
past. I don’t want to wish for “the good old times”. I want to live in the NOW
and enjoy my life NOW, and make plans for the FUTURE, a future I will create
for myself and those I love and care deeply about. This is my manifesto. -
http://uberless.wordpress.com/2011/03/18/is-nostalgia-your-enemy/
Well said. More...
Minimalism is the intentional
promotion of the things we most value and the removal of everything that
distracts from it. It is a highly personal journey that forces you to identify
and articulate your highest values. Because of that, it is always going to be
practiced differently by each individual.- http://www.becomingminimalist.com/addressing-minimalisms-misconceptions/
This morning is peaceful
enough, but still I find myself irritated by yow cumbersome it is to cut and
paste off web sites. For one thing, my journal document is getting long so each
time I open it, I have to scroll down several times.
What?!
I am complaining, yes
complaining bordering on whining about what is insignificant. Not only trivial,
but complaining about reading and writing, my biggest pleasures. Oh, how easy
it is to get caught up in Better. Yes, I could have several shorter docs to
avoid scrolling but that isn't perfect either, combining little files takes
time too. The real issue is letting distractions break the flow.
I have about fifteen minutes to
read some more...
It was C.S. Lewis who, fifty
years ago, eloquently said, “Don’t let your happiness depend on something you
may lose.” In today’s material world, a world of fear-fueled clinging, his
words seem more apropos than ever.- http://www.theminimalists.com/walk-away/
"Feast" does not have story, but it is gruesome, gore, trash and funny. There are no explanations about the origin of the monsters, but