Places I have Wandered to...

I am cheating a little, dear friends. I seem to have a little ADD mixed in with my OCD and now a dash of PTSD to make a lovely psychological alphabet soup. This is keeping me from spending much time with the computer beyond playing Spider Solitaire and checking my email. So, without further ado...Places I've wandered to...

This is a blog that passed along by a friend. He's crass and sometimes you have to wade through some stuff to get to the point, but I found it worth the wading. It's amazing to me that someone would actually move to Thailand on purpose...
http://ingnominousoffences.blogspot.com/

Hmmm. I thought about this site a lot. There have been times in my life that I might have used this. Perhaps even in current time. Must think on this...
http://www.say-so.org/

This site was also passed along by my co-worker. Good for a giggle.
http://www.stitchymcyarnpants.com/

And it's companion site...although it looks like it is discontinued now.
http://youknitwhat.blogspot.com/

For my fellow book nerds/book whores...the very same coworker referenced above is beginning her dream book business, online to start then with a brick & mortar version someday. She's just beginning so bookmark this (pun intended) and visit later.
http://www.nevermorebooks.blogspot.com/

And from my e-friend Terry in Chicago... www.ayntk.blogspot.com Terry's sister is running for office! This is an email that I am passing along to you all just for fun. It's kind of fun watching a campaign that one has no personal stake in. Amy has mentioned doing a blog describing the process as she goes along. Welcome to the New Century's Elections.

As most of you are probably aware by now, my ambitious younger sibling has decided to do something completely crazy: run for political office! Over the past couple of months, AmySue has been busily getting all of the pieces in place for a serious run at the Illinois 5th District Senate Seat. It's a big area to represent, including a large chunk of Chicago, and a big responsibility to hold elected office - but I can honestly say I don't know too many people better qualified to make a difference than my little sis. She's an ambitious, critical thinker with great ideas and an excellent understanding of how government works (and doesn't work, as our current leadership downstate has been demonstrating). Further, AmySue is genuine - someone who really cares about people and the problems we all face. She's the kind of person we need more of in elected office, so I am proud to say I support her all the way...and I hope you will join me in that support. Here's all I ask... won't you PLEASE visit her website and make a small donation to her campaign fund. Or a not-so-small one if you can manage it. She really needs all the support she can get between now and February's primary. Any help you can offer today, however small, would go a long way toward helping her make it happen. And it would sure make a great birthday gift! :) The site is a work in progress, but the link to donate is very secure: www.AmySueMertens.org

Contented Sigh...

Just another beautiful Pacific Northwest Day!

Good Fortune

I've always had bizarre experiences with fortune cookies. From the laughable:
My family was out to dinner and my brother & sister in law were adding "...in bed" to the end of everyone's fortunes. I was inwardly rolling my eyes, because I'm not twelve years old, when my nephew...then 16 years old...leans over and says "I was going to play that game too but then I thought it would be immature."
I laughed right out loud. And I couldn't explain why without insulting his parents or getting him in trouble.

The next story is when I lost my job a year and a half ago. We had recently had Chinese food and my fortune said "You will soon be pursuing other career opportunities." Not knowing what the future had in store for me, I dismissed it. Low and behold, less than three days later: I was unemployed! It didn't even occur to me until the Mad Genius woke me up one morning by bouncing on the bed and telling me "It's all the cookie's fault!"

So then, last night I brought home Chinese food for dinner. The Mad Genius didn't get home until 7:30 so he was dog-ass tired. We hardly spoke during dinner, he just didn't have the energy for it.

He always chooses the fortune cookie because I have horrible luck with them. He opens his, reads it, then tosses it on the table. "Fuck that."

I reach over, pick it up and read:

"You will bring sunshine into someone's life"

Perhaps it's not the fortunes themselves, but our reactions to them. Hmmmm.

EDDIE!

I am a huge fan of Eddie Izzard. H.U.G.E Fan. I actually belong to his fan club. (http://www.eddieizzard.com/)

I know, I know, it's shocking. Try to roll with me here. I am in a fan club. That, my friends, is how great Eddie is.

It was with joyous glee that I received an email notification that Eddie was making a trip to my beloved Seattle. I have seen him live once before and had a great time. The enitre experience was entertaining. To the 100 year old theatre, to the funky eclectic group of people, to Eddie himself.

After that whole exploding thing, I had to go. So, thanks to my friend W who spent a frustrating hour on the telephone on Monday morning, we got to see Eddie!!!

He was fabulous. He was using this set in Seattle as a test for his newest routine. He was nearly flawless. I say nearly because he was upstaged by a fly. Yep, a fly.

A fly flew right into his forehead during his set; apparently, on a kamakazi mission. (Eddie's line, not mine)

Eddie spent the next 30 minutes riffing about this fly. Including polling the audience on determing the fly's fate. (it was 50/50 of course. This is Seattle, after all) The crowd was roaring with laughter.

I figure anyone who can pull that off, deserves my adulation.

Eddie is not a comedian of the Jerry Seinfeld or Kathy Griffin ilk. I really feel awkard calling him a comedian. He makes you think. He teaches you about history, religion, science. And he makes you laugh. By the end of his shows, a person feels as if you are friends and you've just been chatting over coffee. Of course, snorting said coffee through your nose but chatting all the same.

So, if you get a chance, go see Eddie. If you can't, rent any of his DVD's. Go, go now. Log onto Netflix or Blockbuster. Go!

I personally love Dressed to Kill, but any of them will entice you into being an Eddie devotee. He is also an actor, currently in "The Riches" on FOX and has an upcoming movie, which name I can't recall. Forgive me.

Are you still here? Go, I said. Go rent Eddie. Go buy tickets! Go!

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

I spent part of my vacation literally getting blown up. How often can one say that literally?

This is a six inch mortar used to shoot fireworks. Well, actually this is the remanent of the mortar. As you can see, something went horribly wrong this year. For the first time in 44 years, we had an accident.

No worries, as we are all fine *now*. Unfortunately my brother was on the receiving end of the blast. He's nearly healed now but only after a week stay in a burn unit and a six-inch plate and six screws in his arm.
See news story here: http://www.komotv.com/news/8318837.html

The rest of us suffered mere flesh wounds, to go all Monty Python on you. Except for being shaken, most of the crew walked away with flash burns to the eyes and small cuts & bruises due to shrapnel flying through the air. To say that we are all lucky doesn't even come close. As odd as it sounds, we were blessed that we walked away.

And after mercilessly razzing him about losing his cell phone two years in a row, we are happy to report that my brother was able to keep ahold of it this year. Go figure. His glasses also survived the blast. It took some engineering work to get them to fit again but let's hear it for titanium frames!

So, dear friends, that is the way I sent my summer vacation. Thus the lull in posts. Only this time I had a really good excuse! Trust me, this is the only time I will use this excuse!

Thanks to everyone for their well wishes. My telephone rang off of the hook the next few days and it was great to hear from everyone. Too bad it wasn't under happier circumstances.