Do You Realize?

Asking the Wrong Questions

This video has surfaced, prompting people to question whether our beef is safe. It shows a cattle worker torturing a dairy cow who is too sick to walk into the slaughterhouse. (Unless an animal can walk in unassisted, it is not supposed to be slaughtered for human consumption.) Though that is a valid question (for those who don't do buy pasture-raised & finished beef), the question people should be asking is whether humanity itself is safe when there are members who are willing to look into the eyes of a weaker species and then do these things to them. Certainly the possibility of their willingness to treat children the same comes to mind. I'm sure the wives of the two workers pictured here are proud of their husbands.

According to this video, we're just monkeys that can operate forklifts. Animals, just like the others. (Warning to all my religious readers: you will be offended by this video, I'm pretty sure.) This video was passed along to me by a friend of Eldest; Eric, you are quite the fabulously intelligent and charming guy. Dance, monkeys, dance!

Woofday Wednesday--Nibbles

The story of how Nibbles joined our family is a sweet one but one that gives testament to the absolute disregard for animals that some people have. In late 2000, we had an ice storm that knocked out power all over our town. We decided to go out to eat for dinner, and as we passed Fairview Park, in the dusk I spotted a little dachshund struggling through the ice & snow. We stopped to pick him up, and he was so sweet and so cold. I wrapped him in my sweatshirt, and we began to drive through the neighborhood to find this little guy's home. On our second try, we found "home;" this angel's name was Rusty. We expected his family to be grateful or worried about him; instead, they simply said that he had been gone since that morning (eight hours in the snow & ice), and they figured he would come home on his own. They also had two other dogs that they said didn't really like Rusty. We sadly left, and for the rest of the evening we talked about Rusty and his terrible family. The next day, we went to his house & asked if we could take him home with us: it was a bittersweet moment, as they rather quickly let us have him. We changed his name to "Nibbles," and since that day, he has always been so humble and loving and grateful.

A couple of sad things that we've not been able to  overcome in the seven years we've had him: he still cringes when you reach for him, even to pet him, and he still treats all food as if he were starving, nipping fingers and growling for his spot at the dish.

He now has degenerative disc disease, common for dachshunds. Cold weather makes his back ache like arthritis, so he now stays indoors. We have to lift him up and down from high objects (like beds or sofas).

He is truly a "Mama's Boy." He makes the greatest grunts and whines and howls. He is a little spoiled and as a result is a pain, but after coming from the family he came from, it's all good.

Love a stray; neuter & spay!

Meowy Monday--Rosie

Last week, you met my kitty soul mate, Gilda. This week you meet her sister, Rosie, who looks a whole lot like Gilda; many people get them confused until they get to know the sisters. Rosie is Eldest's kitty; she is never far from her at all. She is quite talkative when she wants something, and although Circus terrorizes her frequently, she always gets respect at the food dish for some reason. She is truly the sweetest-natured cat we have.

When we went to adopt a cat from the rescue group, there were so many beautiful kitties to choose from, but my heart went out immediately to these two that looked alike and were in the same cage. It was obvious they were sisters, and I really felt torn; I asked if Hubby would mind getting both, he said okay, and they were mine.

Their naming process is one I've made scrapbook pages about. They have had so many names. Their adoption certificates say Annabelle and Annalise. Those names just did not really suit them. So for a while, we called them Pink and Red, for the colors of the collars they were wearing. We noticed that one stayed close to us, but one of them shied away from people in general, so they became Hither and Yon. The kids couldn't remember those, as they were very young. So we tried Nearly and Farly. Those names were too comical; these were more regal cats than comical, though, and those wouldn't do, either. After searching the internet I found a site dedicated to naming pairs of animals. Coming across their names, I knew immediately they were the ones for our kitties. And thus they became Rosencrantz & Gildenstern, a.k.a. Rosie & Gilda.

Truth be told, Rosie is the cat I chose that day. If we hadn't decided not to split the sisters up, I would not have found my kitty soul mate. A note of advice for anyone considering splitting up a pair: don't.

Love a stray; neuter & spay!

Sunday Scribblings--Miscellaneous

This week's prompt is: Miscellaneous. My mind went immediately to my widely varying taste in music. What kind of interesting groupings could I invent based on the band names in my iTunes Library?

Well, there's the boring "I'm Too Lazy to Think of a Name for a Band" category: Alanis Morrisette, Billy Joel, Bing Crosby, Bob Dylan, Britney Spears, David Bowie, Eddie Money, Elton John, Eric Clapton, Fiona Apple, Jim Croce, Joe Cocker, Joan Osborne, Pete Yorn, John Mayer, Johnny Cash, Justin Timberlake, Rod Stewart, Sara McLachlan, Sheryl Crow, Tony Bennet.

Then I suppose there could be a "I Used to Have a Band But I Ditched 'Em" category: Gwen Stefani, John Lennon, Stevie Nicks, Rob Thomas, Bruce Springsteen, Serj Tankian, George Michael.

There's definitely going to be a "I Don't Know How the Hell This Crap Got Here" category: John Denver, George Strait, Barry Manilow, Randy Travis, Kenny Rogers, Rascall Flatts, Miley Cyrus, Beyonce, Jessica Simpson, Right Said Fred (Although it's true, Fred, I AM too sexy. Heh.).

But couldn't there be some fun to be had if there were categories like these?

"Pick a Number, Any Number": Nine Inch Nails, Matchbox Twenty, The B-52's, 10,000 Maniacs, Three Days Grace, 3 Doors Down, Avenged Sevenfold, 30 Seconds to Mars.

"Religious-like Iconic Symbolism": Jesus Jones, Taking Back Sunday, Judas Priest, Stone Temple Pilots, The Benedictine Monks of Santo Domingo De Silos (yeah, so they really are religious icons, so what? They're on my iPod.), Nirvana, Madonna.

"Learning Colors With My iPod": The Black-Eyed Peas, Blue October, Blues Traveler, The Cranberries, Deep Purple, Plain White T's, Green Day, Pink, The White Stripes, Yello (I said we're learning colors, not correct spelling, so it counts, people.).

"Our Fans are Too Lazy or High to Remember Our Whole Band Name": AFI (A Fire Inside), REM (they just wanted us to think we were too high to remember what it stands for, which is nothing; it was a random name chosen from the dictionary), CCR (Creedence Clearwater Revival), DMB (Dave Matthews Band, ELO (Electric Light Orchetra), MCR (My Chemical Romance), OMD (Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark), NWA (I actually was too drunk during their reign to accurately recall that this stands for Niggaz with Attitude. Furreals. I looked it up.).

"Are you growing iPot in This Garden?": Savage Garden, The Wallflowers, Red Hot Chili Peppers \, Black Eyed Peas, Blind Melon, Fiona Apple, The Cranberries, Korn, Sheryl Crow, The Toadies, Toad the Wet Sprocket.

"Annihilistic Chaos": Five for Fighting, Violent Femmes, Seether, Smash Mouth, Beastie Boys, Breaking Benjamin, Rise Against, The Killers, The Fray, Big Audio Dynamite, Rage Against the Machine, The Police.

"Thinking About Girls, Girls, Girls": Barenaked Ladies, Violent Femmes, Dixie Chicks, Indigo Girls, Queen, Goo Goo Dolls, Muse, Martina McBride, The Flaming Lips, Kiss.

"Sweet One-Liners": Beck, Jet, Muse, Enigma, Madonna, Aerosmith, Atreyu, Coldplay, Chicago, Enya, Fuel, Kiss, Korn, Nirvana, Pink, Phish, Pantera, Queen, Wheatus, Usher.

What great categories can you come up with your iTunes library? I'd love to hear 'em.

Photo Hunt Saturday--Old-Fashioned

This week's theme was tough for me; there aren't many old-fashioned things in my photographic library. But eventually, I found these two. Both of these were taken in 1995 at Citricos restaurant at Walt Disney World.

This old-fashioned car is out front of the hotel.

I loved this gorgeous old-fashioned ferris wheel that was part of the indoor decor.

Love It/Hate It

Just a post to let you inside the convoluted maelstrom that is my mind this week. It's an abbreviated list of things I'm lovin' or hatin'.

LOVE IT:  Whole Foods is getting rid of plastic bags! Their paper bags are both recyclable and recycled, but their focus is education and trying to convince people to bring their own. They were giving away a free bag with your purchase a couple of days ago. They are the cutest reusable bags ever, and they are roomy, strong, and made from 80% post-consumer waste (recycled water bottles and such).

HATE IT:  My shampoo, which is natural & plant-based, smells like pink SweeTarts. Two of the last four or five bottles of it, though, have developed a funky, soured smell. I don't know if it's the sunlight from the window in the shower or variations in crops or just what it is, but I'm ready to switch. Sad. I like pink SweeTarts.

LOVE IT:  My morning radio show, Lex & Terry, has moved to a new home radio station here in Dallas. I like the new station. They play a widely varying collection of rock and metal from many years and eras. The Doors, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Ozzy Osbourne, 80's hair bands, Kid Rock. I like variey; it keeps me from getting bored.

HATE IT:  These seriously psychotic hatemongers. One simply cannot wrap a logically-thinking brain around such poignant tidbits of batshittery. For those who don't follow links, don't read the newspapers, or have somehow missed these lovely citizens, they are the "church" that believes that America is being punished by God for our wicked acceptance of "fags," picketing dead soldiers' funerals with signs that say, "Thank God for dead soldiers" (because the military are "fag-enablers," dontcha know?). (It's a scary situation when radical evangelical Christians say you're crazy.)

LOVE IT:  This season's Project Runway. Go Christian! (Oh, the irony, Fred Phelps! I think my Christian may be a homosexual... he'd better hope he wins the whole damn thing before the apocolypse, because my other faves are also gay, and my first non-condemned choice, Gillian, would be a poor substitute for my fierce little Christian.)

HATE IT:  Being such a Master Procrastinator. There is such an overwhelming list of home repairs/improvements we need to make, and had we fixed them when they actually happened, I would not feel so damned suffocated right now. But, because we suffer from Scarlett O'Hara Syndrome, we figured we'd put it off. Now a dozen little things have become a dozen more problematic things that all seem to be developing a domino-effect relationship and all seem to have their own separate contractor, to boot.

Have a great weekend, all!

Meowy Monday--Gilda

Now that I'm somewhat back on schedule, let's get back to another love-- cute, cuddly, fuzzalicious kitties!

You've met one set of our sister kitties, Sapphire and Circus. Today, I present one-half of our other set of sister-kitties.

After Poogan came into the house, I decided it was missing some feline fancy, so I asked to get a cat. As a testament to his love (he was an avowed cat-disliker... not quite a hater, but, well... you get the picture), Hubby went with me to look at the rescues available at PetSmart through the local SPCA. Among all the beautiful kitties, there were two that really caught my eye. They were beautiful brown long-haired tabbies, they were in the same cage, and they were nearly identical. One was aggressively seeking love and rubs, while the other one gracefully let her sister take the limelight. I simply could not make up my mind. Luckily, Hubby came through and suggested we take them both, because had I had to decide, I would never have found my kitty soul-mate.

Gilda (short for Gildenstern, which I will explain next week, when you'll meet Rosencrantz) is definitely my cat and my cat only. Anyone who says cats don't display loyalty like dogs has never met this cat. She is the softest cat I've ever met, she sleeps next to my head every night, and we are like peas & carrots.

Gilda recently inexplicably lost about 30% of her body weight with no other symptoms whatsoever. After several blood panels, two ultrasounds, an endoscopy, a possible cancer, and a several-month-long regime of steroids, there is still no real explanation. It seems that eight pounds is her new "normal", as opposed to twelve. Bizarre, but I have decided to just go with it; I was worried so long that she was going to die, but now I just want to concentrate on how well she lives.


Love a stray; neuter & spay!

Sunday Scribblings--Fellow Travelers

It's early evening; the train is leaving the station once more. This train is designated for frequent travelers, those who must make this journey at least daily, and not because they want to, but because they must. This trip is a requisite, for their lives are interminably entwined with their fellow travelers, who are also aboard out of duty and necessity.

On this day (and most), my companions are my family. Three teenaged children and a husband.  We are, all of us, at the mercy of our conductor: my youngest child's inoperable frontal lobe. This train's destination is set, and the ride will not be smooth or pleasant. Although it is a trip we take often, it is not one we have chosen.

As the train leaves the station, there is a cacophony of screeching as we are catapulted forward. The noise becomes unbearable, the train pushing forward at dangerous velocity. It's time to put on my seatbelt, because the ride will be jarring; nausea is unavoidable. The speed with which we catapult forward never subsides as we approach the first of an unknown number of breakneck twists and turns in the track. Reason and logic are futile: we shouldn't be traveling this fast, we shouldn't be on this track, we shouldn't be here at all, but our conductor is indifferent.

For what seems an eternity, we hang on with white knuckles and empty souls, until the train inevitably begins to slow. Pulling into the very station from which we departed, we realize that, although we are taken a different route each time,  the scenery is nearly always identical.

Queasy, confused, and spent, we disembark. We recognize that we may have only a short layover before our next trip on the (Bi)Polar Express, and it angers us, saddens us. Though we hold tickets with no expiration dates, we are warriors; we are a band of weary travelers with enough determination to weather these trips with courage and love.

Photo Hunt Saturday--Important

Back to the Hunt. This week's theme is: Important. I took this photo on my way home from Oregon, where I went to visit friends and purchase my car. My car is very important to me and to the planet, since I drive 200 miles per day for Youngest to go to his specialized school. Can you imagine how much it would cost in dollars and carbon for me to drive our 2000 Lexus LX470? ACK!

Miss Me?

I've gotten some really sweet emails asking if everything's okay and letting me know I'm missed. Thank you. Since the new year started, I've felt a little... I don't know, undirected. I don't quite know where to begin getting back into the swing of things so I'm just going to ramble about a few things that I'm thinking about right now.

1. If this man is ever elected to become our President, we're packing up and leaving the country immediately. No questions asked. If I thought he had a snowball's chance in hell, I'd be renewing our passports instead of typing this. With his dog-killing son, and his desire to change the constitution to look more like the Bible, and his ridiculous Chuck Norris ad, he is about the farthest thing from what our country needs that I can imagine.

2. I'm on the quest for the perfect oatmeal. I've only started eating oatmeal in the last few years, and I've always blindly mixed up the instant kind, and I've kind of liked it. But a couple of weeks ago, hubby & I went to La Madeleine for breakfast & he ordered a bowl of oatmeal. I tried it, and I'm in love. It has kind of the texture and chewiness of sticky rice. I've bought and microwaved some steel-cut oats, thinking that would be closer, but they're too "crunchy." Maybe cooking them on the stovetop will make them more soft & chewy?

3. There's really no excuse at all for some women (most women) to have any sort of lettering on their asses. Today's nauseating sight: A woman with bleached blond hair, about 55 or so, cigarette hanging out of mouth, leaning into the back of her car (parked in the handicapped space), with track pants on that have some sort of unreadable word plastered across her... ummm... AMPLE... ass. Made me throw up in my mouth a little. Seriously.

4. Our little shaft-tail finch couple (Fat Boy and Domino) are getting closer and closer to having a little birdie baby. Ever since her original mate died (we bought both, just hoping for a little companionship for Fat Boy, but her mate, Rasputin, became very aggressive, and in the process broke his own wing and died), she and Fat Boy have gotten along very well. She's laid eggs several times, but would only sit on them sporadically; they never had anything but yolk. This last batch (only two), she sat on religiously, and Fat Boy would sit on them when she ate. One egg broke with nothing but yolk, but when the second egg broke, there was a partial chick; it was amazing. It had never developed into a viable chick, but it's a lot farther than they've ever gotten with a baby before. Up with birdie love!

5. We're still looking for good-looking eco-responsible wood floors for our upstairs. I'm waiting for some samples of Brazilian cherry from greenfloors.com right now. It's attractive and FSC-certified. The carpet is so revolting now that I refuse to walk on it barefoot... I'm certain it's harboring at least three dangerous viruses and a million strains of bacteria, some possibly undiscovered.

I have a pretty full day today. This entry is a start to getting back into the swing of things again. Happy Thursday!