Beth's Contradictory Brain

Too Funny

Don't worry if you're dead...

found via Dooce.

Curious

A few months ago I knew who about four or five of my regular readers were. Now that I've discovered in SiteMeter where it shows where the readers are, I'm curious as to who's reading along these days. I see several from the DC, Virginia, Maryland area. And someone at UT reads Nerdstar and I.

If you're new or been reading all along, drop me a line while I'm at home bored for a couple more weeks!

Also, if you've got a favorite blog not on my blogroll, leave me the link and I'll check it out. You can't have too many good reads.

Future of TV

Nerdstar and I often find ourselves drooling over lcd tvs and such. And are sometimes tempted to spend between 1K and 2k on a tv. We (ok, maybe I) watch a lot of it. But we never seem to get over the hurdles and justify the purchase.

Reading Mark Cuban's post on the future of HDTV and Jeff Jarvis' post on distribution of content certainly make me put off the purchase even more.

I certainly watch more of the cable channels than Jeff does. But that will probably change once I start the new job in the new year. Then most of my tv watching will be done through the dvr and probably on weekends. Shows like Amazing Race (which is having the suckiest season ever) and Survivor I like to watch in "real time" but that's not necessary, it just has to be the same night it airs. (I don't want to read spoilers before seeing it.) Other than that there are four or five shows I think are a must any given week. So I can see what Jeff's saying about paying for certain shows instead of or maybe in addition to certain chanels.

But I think it discounts the whole notion of chanel surfing and how much so many of us enjoy it. And what about those quirky shows you happen to catch an episode of on a network you don't usually watch, but end up loving, like Nip/Tuck?

I certainly don't think that this whole "unbundling" of cable channels will result in our cable bill being any lower, even if we only opt for half the channels we currently have.

This is just me thinking out loud as it were. Would any of this change the way you watch tv?

Tricky

Nerdstar posted a pic of the found kitten on her site. We're calling it Popsicle for now - because that's what it almost became.

It's tricky taking in a stray when you already have pets. Poor Ramen is exhausted from being a nanny all day and night so far. He's been camped out in the hallway by the bathroom we have the kitten's cage in. Last night we closed the other two cats up in the bedroom and let the kitten roam around a little. Ramen desperately wants someone to play chase with, the new kitten didn't hiss at him once and even kinda sat on him. It was cute.

Unfortunately, we're pretty sure the kitten has a cold. It's sneezing and coughs occasionaly. We're not sure if we'll get it into the vet today or tomorrow.

Tonight we're going to try putting up flyers to see if we can find it's humans.

Found

"I found a kitten" aren't exactly the words I want to hear before I've even really woken up. But seeing as it's freezing outside with a bit of snow (the dry kind) on the ground, well, I couldn't tell Nerdstar to put it back outside now could I?

I think it's about six months old, has really soft mostly grey fur and purrs louder than any other cat I've heard. It was pretty snuggly, too.

Fortunately, we have two crates, the smaller of the two is still pretty darn big, so we cleaned up the crate, but in some towels and a little bowl of wet food and put the kitten in.

Silly and Little Man haven't ventured out to even take a sniff. Poor Ramen dog was all confused looking. He's not at all aggressive, but he loves to chase cats. Once I mostly closed the bathroom doors to where the kitten is he's calmed down and is sleeping on the floor by me.

Tonight we'll take a pic of it and put up some signs to see if it's lost. If no one claims it we'll find it a home. I might be a little tempted to keep it if our other pets wouldn't be so unhappy about it.

Fascinated

While I didn't buy a copy of the book today, I read about half of it and the author notes at the end, I do find Anne Rice's new book, Christ The Lord, utterly fascinating.

It was almost at the height of my Christian days that I read her vampire series. John Irving's A Prayer For Owen Meany riveted me and had me spending a lot of time pondering fate and free will. But I'm not sure any book made me think as much as Rice's Memnoch the Devil. It was the culmination of Lestats' struggles with fate and free will, good and evil. As a creature who had no choice in being "made evil," he fought to know whether redemption was even possible for him. (That's an all too short take on the novel.) Being a Christian who had fought being gay for years until giving up the fight but also losing a lot of faith in the process, it just really moved me to read his struggles. I was fascinated that Rice could so movingly write those struggles.

I read a news story a couple of weeks ago about her new novel and how she's now only "writing for the Lord." I wasn't totally suprised, but as I keep saying, fascinated.

In reading her author's notes about all the research she did, I was so jealous. Oh to have the time and forebearance to do all of that reading. I was also happy to see someone else who has such a deep love of history and thirst for such deep answers.

I'm doing none of this justice. But if you're in a bookstore within the next few weeks, pick up the book and go to the end and read her notes.

Lousy Shoppers

Being poor, and having always lived in an apartment, I have decent furniture, but not great.

In the living room... The sofa is wonderfully comfy, and we recently got a slip cover for it, but the slip cover refuses to stay in place and that annoys me to no end. I have a nice, big, solid oak desk that I love. I have a bookshelf that my Dad made for me when I was a kid that I love. I have two other bookshelves I made myself, and an entertainment center I made myself. The worst thing is a toy box my Dad also built for me when I was a little kid. A few years ago I got ahead of our lives and painted it in primary colors, red, blue, green and yellow for the room for the kid we were hoping to have. It currently serves as our coffee table and frankly, is an eyesore.

In the bedroom we have a great bed, but it has no headboard. We have a table my Dad made for me (see the pattern) for one nightstand, and I'm currently using a box on my side of the bed. We have two nice, big chest of drawers that are oak.

We have a dining table that is functional, but not great.

We do have two really cool original art pieces and some other smaller ones. One I would love to use as the color scheme for the living room in the house I hope we buy one day. So in the meantime I painted the entertainment center and two bookshelves colors that match the painting.

So I've been thinking it's time to at least buy some nightstands and a coffee table. There's a huge home furnishing store close to here so that's where we headed last night.

We had no luck finding anything we liked. It felt like we'd have to start over and buy everything for a given room instead of being able to find pieces to go with what we have. That's not something we feel like doing at this point in time.

What I find frustrating with most things I have in mind to go purchase is that they don't make what it is I have in my head. My taste is apparently a lot more simple that most. (That's why I built the bookshelves and such - I want form to follow function. If I had a house with a garage or basement, I'd get the right tools and learn how to make the basic furniture I'd like to see in my house.)

One thing we are going to buy is a Love Sac. They have a store near my parents' house we'll go to during Christmas.

Thanksgiving.

The parents and Zach are on their way, should be here around noon. Nerdstar has a meeting at work at 3 about future funding and orders and such. As soon as she's home we're going to one of the many local casino buffets to eat.

This morning I'm finishing up cleaning the house, although I'm sure it's not clean by Martha standards. And I'm starting some of the Thanksgiving cooking, because we're eating Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow night with the family, and then get to be even more grown up and are going over to some friends for Thanksgiving dinner 2 Thanksgiving night.

I'm not sure what makes me feel more grown up, having my folks at my place to eat, or going over to some friends' place.

The other day I spent a lot of time pondering being more thankful. I'm not sure why it's so hard for me to do. Life's not perfect, but it could certainly be, and has been, a whole lot worse.

If I don't get the chance before Thursday to log back on...

Happy Thanksgiving to you all. Thanks for reading along. I wish you and yours a day of love and good food.

How To

How to piss off the pets in one easy step...

Move the sofa.

Leaps

I was wondering the other day when we get to teleporting and telepathy. (Now that would be an A T & T that would make some money.)

Seriously. Thinking back over the leaps in technology in the past fifty to a hundred years, aside from medicine, most have been in travel - trains, cars, airplanes - and in communication - telegraph, radio, television, phones, cell phones, computers. But what real leap can be made from our current travel and communication? We can be anywhere in the world within about 24 hours. We can talk to anyone in the world at any time. The next step would have to be doing both instantly - traveling by teleporting and communicating by telepathy.

So other than leaps in medical care, what do you think will be the next big technological leap?

Glad

I'm glad I decided to at least work through this week. As I've said, it figures that this week would be the nicest, easiest one. It doesn't make me want to stay, but it makes leaving better. One of the ladies was very sweet and made brownies and got me a card for the other ladies to sign.

It's just a drag that I don't enjoy jobs I'm really good at. I'm really hoping to enjoy moving into the medical field. I know it's going to be different.

Just One Bite

If you haven't been reading Just One Bite, well, you've been missing out!

She's got two great posts up today. One about an all male (straight) brothel. I pretty much agree with her line of thinking. And I'll add, I'd say the real money would be in opening an all male gay brothel, but my understanding is those are called gay bars.

I must admit though, there have been some long lonely nights I might have been tempted to put in a call for a stranger to come on over. But, again, like she says, how hard is it exactly for a young woman to get laid?

I just can't see most women paying for sex. Not to say there aren't any who would.

The other post is about getting a college education - and is it worth it.

Unless you're going to learn something very specific for a desired job - medicine, computers, engineering, etc, I would never recommend college. You'd do better to spend a year, or two, reading and traveling. I think the workforce would be much better served by going back to honest on the job training.

What do you think?

Cartoon Skeletons

How cool is this? Stolen from Riding Sun.

Down Side

The only downside to wearing gloves while driving...

You can't pick your nose!

Close Enough

Last Thanksgiving my Mom declared that this year she was NOT cooking. So for a while we considered doing a Vegas Thanksgiving. Then events consipired against that. Darn. Instead, my parents are being very nice and driving up here to the great Midwest with The Kid to see us.

One of my Mom's dearest dreams has been the day that I would have my own house, and preferably a husband and kids in that house, and her and Dad could come to my house for Thanksgiving and not have to do a thing. Well. Here I am a couple of years from 40, and I guess this is close enough.

So Saturday we did the turkey and accessories buying. I almost felt grown up.

Figures

Today was actually the best day I've had at this job. Go figure. I was done by 2:30 and got out of there right at 3:30. (If you ask me I should have been able to leave at 2:30 - they can keep me as late as they want to get stuff done, but when it's done early I can't leave??)

Of course, I decided to go ahead and suffer through next week. Hopefully it'll be decent.

Now that it's all settled, I really am starting to relax a little and looking forward to the holidays. I'm aware that I'm moving into a job path that will probably mean no 8-5, so who knows what next year's holidays will be like time wise.

So here's to a good weekend.

And here's a huge thank you to my own personal Vet - Nerdstar. And my gratitude to all the other military family members who go through hell for their loved ones, and their country.

Obligation?

YES! I got an email today saying that I have been invited to the phlebotomy program. Very cool. I hope it's the start of good things. It starts Jan. 9.

So the very current struggle in my brain is about obligation and not being an ass. I'd love nothing more than for tomorrow to be my last day at the sucky job. But...

See, in spite of hating it, I'm actually doing a really good job, and my boss would probably do just about anything to keep me. I have a feeling that in spite of how much it sucks, she's probably tried to make it as stress free as she possibly could. (Unfortunately not enough.) So I'm really, really going to hate telling her I'm quitting. So I can be a total ass and just call the temp agency Monday and tell them to let them know I quit. Or I can play nice and at least work until next Friday.

It's a question of how much of an obligation I feel I have to these people. Technically, probably not much, as I am a temp. But what kind of person would I be if I just didn't show up starting Monday? And can I live with being that kind of person?

As much as I'd like to live a life that's all about me, well, it's just not always doable. I've never been Catholic, but you'd never know that by all the guilt I feel over stupid things.

Oh well. Either way. The very good news is I won't be working the week of Thanksgiving when my folks are here. And, I'll be free to go to Dallas for Christmas and Nerdstar and I can meet up in Austin for New Years. I can't wait!!

My Job Sucks

Man, it's either drought or flood for me job wise. Why can't I just find a simple job, show up for eight hours, do a little work, surf a little net, and go home?

I'm getting to work at 7 am, taking about a 25 minute lunch, and on good days I'm out of there at 5:30. 9.5 hours Plus a 35 to 45 minute drive. And it's 9.5 hours of solid work. Trying to solve shit that shouldn't be a problem. I've got 180+ brand codes of coffee products (Folgers etc.) that are all fucked up because of Katrina hitting New Orleans where the plant was. And the people who can tell me what to do about those codes will do anything other than just fix the problem. Nice. When you see the little signs in your grocery store that they don't have some Folger's products, that's why. Although you'd think by now they'd get their act together and figure out an alternate plan.

You'd also think that two weeks after dipshit quit, the nice boss lady would be nice enough to hire even a chimp to help out with the work load. Nope.

I sit in my little cube with three midwestern grandmothers within four feet. Not the most exciting of conversations when I do take a minute to look up from the paperwork.

I've been waiting, somewhat patiently, since the phlebotomy interview two and a half weeks ago for an answer. They said they'd have the notifications to us by the 7th, that was yesterday. I emailed them today and haven't heard anything. Even if the answer is No, I'd like to know so I can make plans.

I think about just quitting every day. But I don't want to be a quitter. (A common theme) I keep thinking any day now it's going to get better. But I realized driving home that's probably not going to happen. Honestely, I don't even think I'll get time off for Thanksgiving while my folks and the kid are here. (Trust me, I'll certainly quit before then.)

It's just the hassle of quitting a job. Having to tell them, try to answer why without too much honestly. Letting the temp agency know without screwing up them ever sending you to another job - you know, if the blood thing doesn't work out.

UGH. It's driving me crazy. And in turn I'm driving my poor black and blue Nerdstar crazy.

Impressed

You've got to go read Nerdstar's account of her first bike race.

I didn't actually see the crash, my view was obstructed by the slight hills. I just knew she came out from the area pushing the bike. I thought maybe the chain had come off or something and expected her to cut across the course area and call it a day. But she kept going, mostly pushing the bike. About ten minutes later she made it to the part of the course where I could clearly see her and the bike and saw that the handle bars were all askew. Yikes. That's when I knew she had crashed. Some guy finally helped her get the handle bars straight and she finishd her first lap. I think the other riders were on their third lap.

Again, thinking she'd at least finished one lap of the course, she'd call it a day. Nope. She half rode, half walked the course for a second lap and made it to the finish line.

I don't think I've ever been more proud. I would have probably cried AND quit after the crash.

I joked that she got more injured in the first five minutes of her first bike race than she did her entire year tour of Iraq. I also told her if she wanted to take up cross country running, there were races that didn't include running with a bike the whole way.

Not to mention, adding a bump to her already big head - well, that just seems redundant!

Big Ole Jet Airliner

When I was in middle school, I'd stare out the window and watch the airplanes and wonder who was on them, where they were going, and why.

I didn't fly until I was out of college. Aside from being too poor to fly the whole family anywhere (I have no doubt my current love of road trips stems from all the ones I took growing up!) my mother is terrified to fly.

Now, we live ten minutes from the airport and every morning and evening, driving to and from work, I watch the airplanes and wonder the same thing as when I was younger - who's on there, where are they going and why. And I wish with all my heart I was one of them.

Got Nothin

I got nothin to write these days really. Just a few thoughts.

I read my blogroll every day - and every day I start at the bottom and work my way up the list. No idea why.

I'm pretty tired of so much of what's on tv being banal. (yep, that was my word for the day yesterday, and if by chance I'm using it wrong, it sounds right, and that's what counts.)

After almost 40 years of holidays, I'm tired of them, too. And now that one day holidays last a week or two, and the major holidays seem to go on for months, they've just lost all their specialness, and it makes me sad.

On the bright side, now that I'm not living so far south, I see why there are "fall colors." Who knew trees didn't stay green all year round everywhere.