Hyperbole and a Half: The Year Kenny Loggins Ruined Christmas

YOU MUST READ THIS!!!! or Kenny Loggins will kill you RFLMAO!!!!


Hyperbole and a Half: The Year Kenny Loggins Ruined Christmas

i love my dog but he hates baths!

i waited 15 years for my dog [yes, i said 15 but that's a story for another post] and the only thing that would make him perfect is if he were a water lover. you see, i love the water, especially the river, and oh, i can't even count the days i spent envying those owners whose pooches jumped right into the water without reservations! they jump in chasing sticks and balls or just jump in as soon they get close. the moments that really got me were the ones with owner and dog both paddling together. can you say AAAAAHHHHH?!! i didn't choose my dog, he was brought home to me, i love him dearly and would not trade him for the world but alas, a water dog he is NOT. and okay, i can still walk him to the river, we can get near and look and still enjoy the falls but don't dare try to get him in. however, there are times when he needs a bath. when we lived in a house and had a yard, i bathed him in the backyard in the kiddie pool. i put on my bathing suit and it was a combination of bathing and wrestling! now that we are in an apartment, i have been forced to bath him in my bathtub. actually, i have to physically pick him up and put him in the tub - thank goodness he only weighs 40 pounds. so after putting him in the tub and lathering him up and rinsing, comes the challenging part of keeping him from shaking water all over the bathroom. i have FAILED miserably at this part. suffice to say, the walls and the floor will be cleaned and i will be be showering as i am now soaking wet as well!!!!

Library Girl (original song)

Thanksgiving is upon us...so why is it so f@cking hot?

okay, i know, i know, i've lived in central texas my whole life......i should be used to the weather, the non-winter days and nights in november when i'm still turning on my A/C. But then there was that halloween that we all froze in our tights, dressed as black cats, we felt safe as it was 85degrees just two days before. yes, i've lived here all my life...its not a bad thing...its just, well there have been times that i serious lament having lived my ENTIRE life within a 50 mile radius! i detest the thought of going to my grave having never experienced living somewhere else; not that another place would be better but it would be DIFFERENT. even moving to another part of the state would be a change especially in a state as big and diverse as texas - lets see, there's the coast, there's west texas with mountains [okay, large hills to our neighbors in the rockies], there's the panhandle with more cows than outlet malls [so i've heard, never been there] and they get snow! AND one mustn't forget the 'armpit' of texas, the loud, dirty, HUGE metro named houston. and of course, even if i did move out of state, i know that in my heart, i would always make my way back to texas, it is my home and home to my family....... perhaps at some time in the future, i will be able to travel a bit and take my children so they can experience the world beyond the IH35 corridor between austin and san antonio....... i have tried - we sent our daughter to new york city the spring break of her 8th grade year, i'm still trying to get to the davis mountains!


photo credit:
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/parkguide/rgn_bb_008.phtml

a change of seasons

after what seemed like the longest summer ever, fall is finally here; the nights are cooler and days mild - I LOVE THIS TIME OF YEAR! while most talk in the spring revolves around new life and falling in love, i always fell in love in the fall - the warm colors of the changing leaves, snuggling along side a bonfire with hot chocolate, seeing friends and family for thanksgiving meals - hot wings and beer at football-watching parties - who could resist taking a chance with the good looking guy who winked more than once...... not me.


photo credit:
http://www.ontariopics.com/AlgonquinPark/Algonquin-Park-Fall-leaves-651.html

Dia de los muertos/Day of the Dead

after a two year hiatus, i had the pleasure of setting up the "Dia de los muertos" altar at work. this centuries old tradition has seen many modifications since the Spanish conquest of Mexico and the introduction of Catholicism. the celebration of the dead is not a sad or morbid or scary experience but rather a comforting reminder of those loved ones who have passed before us as well reminding the living that death is not the end but another part of the cycle of life. the maya and aztec peoples celebrated for a whole month, usually in august after the harvest. it was time to tend to the tombs and graves of family and friends, to offer food and drink, and await the coming of the spirits during a night-long festival. after the introduction of christianity, the celebration was moved to coincide with all souls' day, november 2nd.

see link above, next to "photo" to view pictures of the altar

Happy Halloween

a fat little pumpkin
sitting in a pumpkin patch
"not me, you can't catch"
he rolled and he rolled and
he rolled down the hill
until the skinny witch caught him
and cried
"don't you roll around.
its halloween
-we'll spook the town!"
and onto her broom
along with her cat,
they flew through the night,
scaring this town and that
and when the stars were all fading
and the morning was nigh
the fat little pumpkin
was left in his patch;
with a gleam in his eye
and the sun shining high.

liz

photo credit:
Pumpkin PAtch by ~AdoC
Digital Art / Paintings & Airbrushing / Surreal ©2007-2010 ~AdoC

i'm suppose to be the "finder", not the "loser"!!!

it seems like whenever someone is looking for something, either at home or at work, they come to me; many times its because its something that i had worked on or was involved with, or as is the case at work, i've been here longer than some other folks. and so, when i 'lost' my purse this past weekend, i was and still am, in SHOCK! first of all, the last time i remembering seeing it, it was with me in my apartment and i didn't go anywhere, so i couldn't have left it some place else....my car keys, work keys, apartment and mailbox keys were in there; my lipstick, inhaler for my asthma, drivers license, health flex card, work ID, and numerous pieces of paper - receipts, bills, phone numbers, notes to "self" - all GONE! how, how could this happen? my apartment is not that big!! i even spent 30 minutes in the dumpster in the slim chance that somehow it was accidentally thrown in the trash, but NOTHING. the only thing i can think of is that perhaps in the hectic rush to help my sister get her car loaded, my purse somehow got left out on the sidewalk or the parking lot and got picked up....somewhere, someone is $20 richer....

if i promise to drive on the road, will you stay on the sidewalk?

i work on a university campus, my alma mater, and every single day i repeat the same mantra as i make my way into the parking garage "please don't let me run over anyone today, PLEASE". it has become one of my most dreaded nightmares - "hello, GEICO? am i covered for running over a Bobcat? what, my policy doesn't include hitting wildlife? no, no, i mean "Bobcat" as in Texas State University student!" i know they are very busy with exams and work and class [insert beer pong, boyfriend/girlfriend, and texting here] but didn't their mommas teach to watch out for cars? there are perfectly good sidewalks on the edge, EMPTY, sidewalks waiting for someone to use them. in the meantime, a mass of humanity crowds the street to the parking garage. its as if the students believe that all of campus is pedestrian only. don't they see me? i may not drive a Hummer but surely my Vibe isn't invisible.....maybe if my car was red instead of silver i might be more noticeable. [sigh] well, it may just be one of those statistical things - driving in the same situation over and over again, eventually the probability of such an accident occurring increases to the point that BAM, a Bobcat goes down..........


photo credit
http://mindtreasures.com/collegestudents.php

my latest guilty pleasure.....

ok, i admit i'm not perfect and quite human - far from sainthood, haven't been an angel in decades. anyway, i love my cable or perhaps infatuation is a better way to describe it. i was so excited when i found old episodes of survivor man with les stroud! OMS [oh my stars] i watched 3 episodes of big bang theory in a row, i couldn't believe my luck. and now, my latest guilty pleasure, the showtime soap opera "weeds"......

Little boxes on the hillside,
Little boxes made of ticky tacky,
Little boxes on the hillside,
Little boxes all the same.
There's a green one and a pink one
And a blue one and a yellow one,
And they're all made out of ticky tacky
And they all look just the same.

and of course, the reason they are my guilty pleasure is that neither have any redeeming social value at all - in fact they are full of non-PC language and generalizations and stereotypes; lust, betrayal, sex, messed up kids along with death, cancer and war. like fried chicken, i know its not good for me, but i can't resist....

Fried pickles

Fried pickles

yummy toasted sandwich

i love sandwiches and the more ingredients, the better :) one place in town i love to eat sandwiches at is the which-wich because i love their olive salad. well yesterday, i made up my own olive salad and it tremendously added to the yummy factor of my sandwich. so here's the recipe:
cut up 8 or so olives [i used the small green ones stuffed with pimentos] - drain them well or even let them 'sit' on a paper towel for a few minutes
add the olives to a tablespoon of real mayo and add a dash of black pepper, a pinch of dried red pepper flake and a dash of paprika
mix well and add to your favorite sandwich
i added mine to a grilled ham and pepperoni sandwich with american and cheddar cheese, heavenly......

9 years ago today

while i had watched the shuttle explosion on tv when i was in high school and remember crying and us students being really upset, the horror i felt while witnessing that second plane fly into the twin towers was nothing i had ever felt before. i was at home with my son, my husband at work and my daughter in school and usually we were watching sesame street at the time, for some reason on that particular morning, we had cbs on and the news broke about the first plane. moments later the phone rang - it was my mom and we both watched and cried as the 2nd plane hit. i remember being very afraid and confused and just in shock - how could this happen? then the reality of all those people in the buildings that are now injured, the dying and the dead; their families - mothers and fathers, husbands and wives, sons and daughters now gone or worse yet, now left to mourn. the theories abound on whose fault it was, what could have been done to prevent such a horror, the series of events that lead up to this, considered one of the worse things that we as a country have experienced. well, it doesn't really matter - it happened and those wounds still need healing. my thoughts and prayers this morning go out to all those who died, who worked in the rescue efforts, to those who lost family & friends, but most of all, to all those men and women who have fought and died in the war resulting from 9/11. they and their families are still paying the price; may we all have peace soon.


photo credits:
asian-pacific journal online
and
http://www.freefoto.com

max and i walking before dawn

under a dark blue sky with smears of white clouds, a spotted veil playing peek-a-boo with the stars. there were frogs and the sounds of birds, a few cars and no other dogs and owners about until the very last 5 minutes of our one and a half hours walks. you see i was determined to get a good and FULL night's sleep, wake up early and get to work early. well, first there were the texts from my [soon to be ex] husband and then the girls waking me up at 11:30. well, of course i woke up at 4am and could not fall back asleep so finally at 4:30 i couldn't stand it anymore, i got up, got dressed, and max and i hit the sidewalk, not returning back to the apt til 6am. i did notice something that i had missed in the past, or what i really think is that it is new - i came across the "bus stop" for the tsu tram; it a spray-painted head of a bobcat on the sidewalk next to also stenciled, the words "stand here". wow, that didn't cost a bunch, did it? anyway,i got home, i washed dishes, made muffins too, had coffee AND helped watson finish up a missed assignment. but then it always happens, every time i have lots of 'extra' time [is there really such a thing?], i start doing other things and lose track of time and then, well, i'm running late! my son had to eat his cheese taco in the car on the way to school.......

tubing the river

as the summer approaches its end and the kids have returned to school, there was still some unfinished business to attend to - tubing the san marcos river! of course, the only part watson was really interested in was going down the "tube chutes". i have had some bad experiences in the past with the falls - everything from falling out of my tube, losing my sunglasses and shoes, scraping my butt on the bottom of the graveling river bottom [not a pleasant feeling] and generally getting bumped and tossed up against rocks such as to awaken the next day bruised and very sore. so when i had to live up to my promise to take watson tubing, i employed some help - his dad, who by the way, is a much stronger and better swimmer than me. we showed up late on sunday afternoon, not evening getting into the water until close to 5:45, the temperature was still in the 90's but the angle of the sun and the many trees along the banks ensured that no on was sunburned. thanks to our friends paul and jenn, we had a life jacket and tube with a bottom to put the boy in. ken and i relaxed and watched the wildlife, just as it is, as we gently drifted down the river - watson of course was inpatient and kept asking when we would get to the chutes. i had made the mistake of saying that perhaps it would be better just to go down chutes 2 and 3, but watson would not hear of it! 1, 2, and 3 he insisted so i made his dad take him as i held on to the shoes and watched safely from the bank. the only thing is, there is no easy way out of the river once you go down the 3 little falls - i fell trying to help pull watson out of the river. the first "run" went just fine, i saw them go down, hearing watson yell with both fear and delight! the second run, well, watson flew out of the tube, went under the whitewater but thanks to the life jacket, popped up in a flash. a young boy who knew watson and had watched him fall out quickly dived into the water from his perch near the falls. luckily, ken was able to grab both boy and tube. i'm sure we will go again but its a workout and definitely not something watson and i could have done alone, thanks to his dad for making the trip possible.

i sometimes think my dog is a cat

earlier this week, in the early hours of the morn, before the sun was fully up and the twilight is slowly creeping away, max and i were out for a walk when he spied something moving in the grass. at first i thought it was a lizard or possibly a toad, could be a cricket. he pounced on it - like a cat. it was comical the way his front paws went up first and he jumped down on the grass, his bottom high in the air. after several pounces, the critter he was after ran out into the street. a car was passing by on the opposite side so the critter stopped, turn around and started heading back to our side of the road. we we spotted so it froze, 5 or 6 feet away from the curb. in the poor light, and with my poor eyesight, it took a few moments for me to focus and find out what it was - a mouse! a small dark brown mouse with a tail longer than its body.







photo credit:
Stephen Dalton/EB Inc.

finally! a home cooked meal

with our crazy schedules, my near constant back pain AND the fact that my daughter doesn't eat meat and that's practically all my son eats, planning and cooking dinner every night has proven to be impossible. However, last night, i served dinner that wasn't straight out of a bag/box, plopped onto a cookie sheet and baked in 20 minutes!
so last night we had chalupas [also known as tostados although i never heard that word til i was in college] and rice. i happen to be very proud of my rice even though its not that fancy - its a staple side dish at any and all tex-mex eateries but it was something that i practiced cooking for 10 YEARS til i got it right. and of course, presentation is everything so i plated the chalupas with beans and cheese on my big platter, set out the matching plates, poured the salsa into a small bowl [ok, it was just Pace], put the lettuce in a bowl and elora, zoie and i sat down AT the table no less and had dinner. watson had eaten his cheese chalupa earlier. it may be just a small thing, something many people take for granted, but it was great to cook and serve and enjoy a meal with the girls. even zoie said she felt special that i had cooked for her. i'm gonna do that more often.

i hope to be a woman one day

"A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE...
enough money within her control to move out and rent a place of her own even if she never wants to or needs to...
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE...
something perfect to wear if the employer or date of her dreams wants to see her in an hour...
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE...
a youth she's content to leave behind...
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE...
a past juicy enough that she's looking forward to retelling it in her old age...
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE...
a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra...
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE...
one friend who always makes her laugh... and one who lets her cry...
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE...
a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family...
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE...
eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems, and a recipe for a meal that will make her guests feel honored...
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE...
a feeling of control over her destiny...
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
how to fall in love without losing herself...
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
HOW TO QUIT A JOB,
BREAK UP WITH A LOVER,
AND CONFRONT A FRIEND WITHOUT RUINING THE FRIENDSHIP...
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
when to try harder... and WHEN TO WALK AWAY...
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
that she can't change the length of her calves, the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents...
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
that her childhood may not have been perfect...but it's over...
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
what she would and wouldn't do for love or more...
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
how to live alone... even if she doesn't like it...
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
whom she can trust, whom she can't, and why she shouldn't take it personally...
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
where to go... be it to her best friend's kitchen table... or a charming inn in the woods... when her soul needs soothing...
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
what she can and can't accomplish in a day... a month...and a year..."
—Pamela Redmond Satran

photo credit:
http://insomniacsraine.blogspot.com/2009_06_07_archive.html

nachos

my daughter asked me for nachos so i finally gave in.
1st day -
sort, rinse and soak 2 cups pinto beans overnight in large bowl with plenty of water
2nd day -
strain the beans, place in large pot and fill pot with plenty of fresh water
add one chopped onion, 3 cloves of garlic (or garlic powder), cup of canned diced tomatoes, salt, black pepper, ground cumino, dash of tabasco,and 2 or 3 large bay leaves*
you can also add diced ham, bacon or what my dad uses - good ol' salt pork
bring water to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low [but maintain a simmer] and cook for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally [actually as long as you have enough liquid and use low heat, you can keep your beans cooking all day!] a bottle of bock beer added near the end of cooking is nice too [add to the beans, not for the cook LOL]
3rd day -
grate your cheese of choice [we use longhorn cheddar] i don't recommend american or velveeta for this - 8oz for approx. 30 nachos, more if you LOVE cheese
slice up two to three large fresh jalepenos [removing seeds]
take 10 corn tortillas and cut into fourths
heat 3 inches of oil in small pan - you want the oil hot enough so that as soon as you put your chip in, it comes up to the surface immediately - fry for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes and flip to fry other side
remove and drain on paper towels, salt immediately if desired
set chips aside and in large pan, heat about 1 tablespoon of oil or butter/margarine
drain the cooked beans and add half to hot oil, after thoroughly heating them, smash them with a potato masher and turn off the heat
pre-heat oven to 350degrees
i always line my cookie sheet with foil to avoid melted cheese on my sheet
spread smashed beans on each nacho and top with grated cheese and a slice of jalepeno
bake in oven for about 4 to 5 minutes [all your ingredients are cooked and hot so basically you just need to melt the cheese]
too many beans on your nacho will make it soft but there's no such thing as too much cheese :)
enjoy with a cold beverage - milk is good if your peppers are very hot; i prefer an icy cold beer


*i heard that the bay leaves helps reduce the gassy nature of the beans but i have no scientific proof; not cooking the beans in the water they soaked in is also recommended for this too

poetry and rain

i am currently reading "Daughters of the Fifth Sun", an anthology of work by Hispanic, female writers and i am now at a section of poetry. it occurred to me that i could never read poetry as i do other genres - biographies or novels that i become so wrapped up in that i "can't put down the book", reading many pages, perhaps hours at a time. for me, to really appreciate the poetry, i can only read one poem at a time, not one right after another. i imagine it might takes weeks, or months, to complete a whole books or an anthology of poetry. for me its like with rain after a drought; if the rain comes down too hard, too quickly and all at once, it rushes away with very little of it actually soaking into the parched earth. a poem for me must be read out aloud, maybe even read over and over several times and then it must just "percolate" in my brain for awhile, just for me to understand, visualize, to absorb it. then and only then can i feel and know it. of course, as with such subjective material as poetry, who knows if i would even come close to knowing what the poet is trying to say! nonetheless, i will read one poem a night during this section of the book and let you know later, which one was my favorite.

updating old posts!

i just figured out how to add images to my blog so i went back and added some pictures and now the blog is no longer in chronological order, sorry folks if you thought it was a bunch of new posts!

pasta salad

[shown is a double recipe]

1 package 'wacky mac' or bowtie pasta, tri-color
1/2 green bell pepper
1/2 red bell pepper
3 green onions
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup green olives [pimento stuffed]
1/3 cup balsamic vinaigrette [i use the bottled dressing type]

cook pasta according to directions, i add salt and olive oil to the water for favor and to avoid having the pasta stick together
as soon as you drain the pasta, put it into an ice bath [water with ice in it, enough to completely cover the pasta] this will stop the cooking process, drain after a few minutes

dice up all the veggies except the cherry tomatoes
slice the olives into thirds
mix it all in a bowl and toss with salt, pepper and the vinaigrette
sprinkle with dried parsley, cover and refrigerate immediately
pictured with fresh mint for garnish

mary's meatballs

1/2 lb italian sausage (or 3 links)
1/2 lb ground buffalo (or any lean ground meat of your choice)
place in bowl with garlic powder, paprika, dried oregano, sage, basil - approx 2 teaspoons of each
add 1/4 bread crumbs - i like to use crushed croutons but crackers work well also
and a dash of dried red pepper flakes
add one to two tablespoons of spaghetti sauce (or you can use an egg to bind it)

mix well, very thoroughly, with your hands - yes, its very messy but i've never been able to properly mix this up using anything else; i tried to use a fork, spoon, etc

form into small balls, slightly smaller than a golf balls (smaller balls will cook faster and i think they're cuter:)

heat a little bit of olive oil in skillet to prevent sticking and place balls into hot oil, stir constantly to brown on all sides being careful not to overload your pan; i usually cook these in two 'shifts'

remove from pan and drain on paper towels to get rid of excess grease then place in your sauce and cook an additional 20 minutes on low with lid on to prevent splatter

meatballs - part deux
since i was unable to open my jar of sauce AND found that my supply of dried herbs was basically non-existent, i finished cooking my meatballs in the oven, placing them in my glass pie pan, pouring a little red wine over them and then adding fresh sage, thyme and rosemary. i covered them with foil and baked them for 20 minutes in a 350degree oven.

serve over your favorite pasta (we use whole wheat spaghetti cooked slightly al dente)
nice side dishes include a green salad, steamed broccoli, and of course garlic toast

mary's easy and quick garlic toast
i start with a fresh loaf of pan frances from our local HEB grocery store
slice thickly and place on cookie sheet
pre-heat your oven to 350 or 400 for extra crispy bread (i like mine to be soft in the midde)
melt just under a 1/4 of margarine in the microwave and add paprika, basil, garlic powder, oregano and dried parsley, mix well and spread on your bread before baking in the oven til it reaches your preferred level of "toasted-ness"
enjoy!

Happy 4th of July

enjoyed the annual fireworks here in little ol' san marcos texas last night....we got a really cool spot - about 150 yards from ground zero. nice patch of grass behind the HEB, had our sleeping bag spread out with a cooler full of refreshing beverages [thanks ken!] iced down real cold......we could see the fireworks perfectly including the persons lighting them! the 'boom, boom BOOMs echoing off the back of the store only added to the effect. it was though we had our very own show! why do we love fireworks so much? is it the colors in the night sky, the celebratory mood of the crowds, the sparks and light and smoke adding to the 'OOOOHHH" and 'AAAHHH' factor? probably all of the above. i know where i'm sitting next year; the grass was soft but not too long or wet, there was even a slight breeze, enough to keep us comfortable and keep the mosquitoes away. it was almost perfect except our daughter was not with us - she choose to spend the day with a friend and her family....sigh, teenagers - when anyone else' family is cooler than your own. til next year!

waiting, waiting, waiting for some inspiration

sorry its been sooo long since i contributed to my blog.....my apologies IF there's anyone out there who was actually looking forward to my rantings and ravings....maybe this weekend will give me something to write about! until then, HAPPY 4TH of JULY!!! and as all the good ol' boys says, "God Bless America"

you've been warned

that this blog may contain a bit of bad poetry, so here it is - read on only if you dare!

red, the sun on a hazy morning
red, the color of anger flowing through my veins
red, the hue of valentine's and lovers' quotes
hearts and roses and sexy dress
red, the opposite of black in a banker's notes

red, the traffic stops and its light alerts me the car needs gas
red, the blood reminding me that i'm just a woman after all
weak and vulnerable yet the sign that i'm a source of life
red, the apple skin, the sunburn, the sauce that stains the tablecloth

red lets everyone know i spent all night crying
gives away my secret cold, all that blowing colors my nose

photo credit:
shannonwing.com
Red Sun
12"x12"
acrylics on canvas

our wonderful, wild field is GONE!

mowed down with large green tractors - the thistle, the wild flowers, the tall prairre like grass - all GONE! i think of all the creatures, both animal and insect, that lived in the field; the birds, the field mice, the lizards and toads, the caterpillars and the ants, the crickets too. the armadillo and the feral cats, all the nesting creatures now without a home. i'm sure there were snakes and slugs and snails too. last night max and i wondered into the field - we usually stayed near the sidewalk as the grass and such was almost as tall as me [okay, at 4' 11 3/4 inches that may not be saying a lot] so walked, the dried freshly cut grass crunching under my shoes, the strong smell of 'green' almost too much to bear.....in the distance i saw two figures moving, they disappeared! then i realized that in the middle of our field was a great big 'dip', a crater that was invisible before the cut; two deer were running away as they sensed max and i getting closer. deer, that one always surprises me even though i have been in san marcos for 20 years, this city girl is always amazed to see the deer. they too have lost the cover for the their fawns in the field - the land lays nearly naked; the brush that sheltered so many, murdered with the passing of a tractor.

the snail graveyard and the dead armadillo

while max and i haven't ventured too far off our usual romp to the field next to our apartment, we sometimes go the extra 'mile' [more like 50 yards LOL] and make it all the way down to the blanco river, cross over the concrete bridge and back again. the last leg of this trip, on the sidewalk next to our beloved field, is what i call the snail graveyard, or more accurately called the 'suicide strip'. for some reason unknown to me, hundreds, and i mean hundreds, of snails converge on the sidewalk. their zigzag tracks glisten silver in the sun and no matter how careful i tread, the sound of their shells being crushed under my shoes is unmistakable. why,why are they on the hard, hot side walk? what has compelled them to leave the safety of the brush and venture out to their certain death? all sizes of snails, both large and the very tiny, appear; at first i thought twas some mating ritual but surely this is not adding to the gene pool very quickly! their comrades who have fallen before lay in a black, gooey, sticky spots - some the victims of ants, most not. apparently while many birds will go after LIVE snails, the crushed ones are not as appetizing...

and then there is the ROADKILL - the bird i came upon not long after i moved into my new apartment perplexed me; i still have not found out what kind of bird it was but it apparently was some sort of waterfowl as evidenced by its very large feet and the fact that we are very close to water. it had black feathers and a small, whitish bill which immediately eliminated a duck or swan or goose as its species - its large feet, out of portion to its body, were a greenish blue color with tiny claws at the end of the 'toes' - i could not tell if they were webbed or not. i did take its picture on my phone but have since deleted that pix for lack of space. anyway, it is now nothing more than a small, mound of black feather mush, on its way to being the proverbial grease spot in the middle of the road. i was also surprised that the many turkey vultures in town had not swooped down to pick the last remains of flesh off its bones....

recently, a brand NEW roadkill victim appeared near the sidewalk next to our field; at first as i approached it, i thought is was a piece of a blown out tire, the ridges of its form distinct in the moonlight. as i got closer, i began to see the tail and claws of an armadillo! it has to be on god's list of the weirdest looking animals ever created, along with the platypus and the giraffe. it is also one of those official mascots of texas and like the turtle and shark, a creature that has been here for thousands, nay, millions of years, with very little evolution evident except for its now smaller size. in the ancient times, this creature was the size of bull and now, its at best, raccoon size. its hard shell is its only defense, its nocturnal nature keeping it out of the sight of its natural predators like coyotes and bobcats, its only threat to humans? besides messing up your quiet drive, it is the only animal that carries, and can transmit to humans, leprosy. quite an interesting fellow! oh, and its on my list of the weirdest things i ever ate - yes, this is texas and we bar-b-qued it! i know this sounds lame, but covered in sauce and slowed cooked over an open flame, well it tasted just like bar-b-qued Chicken!

why doesn't the city council get it?

i recently spent my saturday morning with my daughter's girl scout troop during the first annual Greenbelt Awareness day. this great resource of 'wilderness' inside the city is located in the edwards aquifer recharge zone. its is imperative for our existence to have WATER. the water must be able to make its way into the aquifer by soaking through the ground; something that cannot happen if its covered in asphalt, concrete and cement. in addition to being a 'buffer zone' between residential homes and 4 lane roadways, it is a place for walking, hiking, jogging, and provides a habit for all sorts of plants and critters. allowing more and more apartment complexes and continually shrinking our green space will only prove to be for the worse, not better, in the future. the council sees potential for more tax revenues but the citizens have yet to see any real gains. we don't even have complete sidewalks or traffic lights for our schools. with close to a hundred visitors to the green belt this past weekend, i hope next year's event draws 4 times as many people. the importance of protecting these green spaces is NOT just about tree huggers an those opposed to development, its about RESPONSIBLE development and something sorely lacking with the present city government, a little thing called LONG TERM PLANNING. get on the ball san marcos or we'll all be looking for our next glass of clean water.

hmm, do i have more talents than just removing staples?

okay, before i start on another tirade of complaining about work, let me first say that 1. i am extremely grateful for having a job, esp in this economy AND that said job allows me to
1. leave at a moment's notice if i have to pick up a sick child from school or take a forgetful child homework, clothes, permission slips, etc
2. express myself, both professionally and creatively, by allowing me time to work on various campus and library committees [although that can become tedious] and by working on different projects, exhibits, and displays, both on and off campus
3. I HAVE PAID SICK LEAVE & VACATION
4. i have health insurance & the cost of coverage is one of my benefits....

that being said, i sometimes get bored out of my mind removing staples and paper clips from boxes and boxes of documents....sometimes it is an interesting read, but mostly, its NOT. i organize, inventory, and place incoming accessions into acid-free folders, and blue boxes; all nice and neat [sans bugs and dust!] for the archivist to later then 'process' - another level of organizing, re-boxing, and producing finding aids - all things I KNOW I AM CAPABLE OF DOING. alas, i don't have the proper degree but after being a while, i know now that i am NOT library material. the only reason i don't go mad being here is that i am in the unique position of having 'other duties' as the one mentioned above. we also have fun things up here that are non-existent in other parts of the library -we have opening receptions with food and drink, we have readings and book signings, we have day long events that include panel discussions and LIVE MUSIC, oh, did i mention food and drink? still, there are moments that i yearn for something more, more than folders and lists of material, more than shelving books, and removing dead insects from old files and books......

twas a plethora of uniforms....

i was a volunteer at our university's spring commencement this morning; i passed out programs, directed people to the bathrooms, and smiled and said things like 'good morning' or 'welcome'. i did notice the abundance of uniforms - aside from the obvious gap and gown of the graduates, the robes and stoles of the faculty, there was....the LAW. yes, the white marshal shirts contrasting with the black of the university police, the tan of the hays county officials- long sleeves for the sheriff deputies and short sleeves for the emergency medical teams, blue for the gary job corps training academy cadets AND i even saw a marine! the rest of us in 'official' capacity were stuck with our maroon polo shirts with gold lettering [to match the school colors of course]
as far was the ladies were concerned, it was hard to determine what the 'current' fashion trend of the day was as it seemed just about anything goes - although i did not see a long denim skirt - of course there was quite a few of the old standard, classic: the little black dress. the only other two things that stood out were the 'gladiator' shoe, both equally popular as a flat sandal and a 4 inch heel. the only other thing to note was 'if you got good legs, show them off' seemed to rule the younger crowd. and it seems, the more attractive one felt, the more leg was shown. i left with my cheeks sore, after spending 2 1/2 hours smiling at folks; i was right there where the graduates lined up for the processional so i also was able to congratulate a bunch of my fellow 'bobcats'.

keeping austin weird

well after walking down 6th street saturday night, i can guarantee you that yes indeed, there are still plenty of weird in that town or maybe they just all come out saturday night! caught a show at el sol y la luna - a group i've wanted to see for some time now - Atash - and it was great. roberto is wonderful and the dancer, well, i'm speechless. but back to the 'weird', okay, its not that weird just the variety and mixture of people make it seem weird - there's the ultra casual to the folks in tuxedos and evening gowns looking like they are on the way to a prom or to accept a grammy! there's the pedi-cabs and the police on horseback! horses in the middle of town always surprise me! the music, the smell of grilling meat [the best wurst booth just outside the restaurant smelled AMAZING], the shouts of party goers and the pleas from the 'homeless' - you can never tell anymore if someone really is homeless or just has found panhandling to be their best skill. regardless, thanks to ken for a wonderful evening out [which lasted well into the morning] and i imagine it will be awhile before i venture out that way again.

mocking bird - the official bird of texas

never have i seen such a tenacious bird as the mocking bird. they defend their turf like nobody's business, going up against feral cats and other birds - even much larger birds like the turkey vulture so common to central texas. just this morning as max and i were out walking, i saw a pair of mockingbirds swooping and dive "bombing" a cat, chasing it away from their nesting tree - continuing to chase the cat across the street until the cat finally sought refuge under a parked car. then the birds still squawked and continue to swoop down, letting their feline enemy know that they mean business! i'm not sure who the voting committee was or what other birds were up for review, but considering the determination and some would say hard-headedness of us texans, the mockingbird is the perfect choice! one can see them perched on just about anything that they can find - from cars, to fire hydrants, to clothes lines, to telephone poles, as if to survey all they can see as their domain. i have seen them attack dogs as well - our lady, a terrier mix, would delight in gobbling up any unfortunate hatchling that fell out of the nest but then would have to endure the punishment from the parents.

our children deserve better than that!

recently one of the leaders in our community made a remark that a certain playground should not be used by my daughter and her 'peers' as it may be unsafe - you see, it is located in a 'low economic neighborhood'. my daughter was perplexed, we had lived in that VERY SAME neighborhood just a few years earlier and walks from our house to the playground were a routine thing. nothing bad ever, EVER happened to us. my daughter asked herself 'like we couldn't fall down and get hurt at a playground in a higher economic neighborhood?' no, the point was that it was unsafe due to the PEOPLE in the neighborhood, not that the equipment was somehow different than, let's say, at the city playscape although technically, the part of town where the children's park is located is also a 'low economic' neighborhood. having grown up in san antonio, and not in the 'ritzy' part of town, and having lived in various neighbors in san marcos, i take offense to such comments. i was not a part of a gang, did not maintain a 'gangsta' lifestyle nor did i get pregnant 'many times' as a teenager. AND I HAVE NEVER BEEN ARRESTED. i am disappointed that someone in a position, a leadership position, that has influence over groups of children in the community and in his/her church would perpetuate the stereotype that people who are not 'white' and don't make as much money as he/she does must therefore be BAD, DANGEROUS, and 'gangster' like. this is not the type of message our children need to here; yes, OUR children, the future is everyone's business, and all of our children, in our village, in our community, in our city of San Marcos Texas DESERVE RESPECT and the OPPORTUNITY to be free of LABELS. Anyone can f*ck up and be a liability to a community,white rich kids included, not just those in 'low economic neighborhoods' and we should be fostering an atmosphere where everyone CAN BE ALL THAT THEY CAN BE. [to borrow a catch phrase from the military -sorry about that] labels and stereotypes and generalizations do not foster that atmosphere. two generations ago in my family, no one had even gone to high school and now we can count among ourselves several college degrees, including a few MASTER degrees. and we would have never gotten there if we believed that due to the 'low property' value of the house we lived in meant we were destined to go to jail and experience multiple teenage pregnancies.

romping through the tall, wet 'plains'

this morning max and i went out to our regular field not far from our apartment complex and with the recent rains and spring season, the grasses and flowering plant life has gotten quite tall. i could barely keep track of max as he happily bounded through the field; catching occasional glimpses of his tail and the top of his head, i wondered about what 'critters' he was disturbing. it didn't take long for the nesting birds to chirp their annoyance as they flew out of the brush. with specks of pollen on his nose and lots of dew on his fur, he looked like he just came in from a storm although the sun was shining and it was a glorious morning. aah, the smell of wet doggie fur! he has not seen any puppy shampoo since the fall and is definitely ready for his spring bath! since we no longer have a back yard, he may have to go into the bathtub. we'll have to see about that one.

crazy drivers driving me crazy!

i was almost in an accident this weekend - a small blue VW bug was in the right lane, i was in the middle lane, when the driver put on the left turn signal and then proceeded to make a left hand turn right in front of me! i had to stomp on the brakes and was sure i would hit her; she wasn't trying to get into the lane i was in, instead she was attempting to make a U-turn. she failed and hit curb on the opposite of the street. she was then blocking traffic and had to back up!

max comes home today!

due to finances, i had to wait til this payday to make my pet deposit so today i get to bring max to the apartment. i have really missed him but i know he will miss our old backyard :( usually, as soon as i stop walking, the pounds start adding up but believe it or not, i have actually lost a few pounds during the last two weeks. i will be taking pix of max in our new home and posting them soon. there are plenty of sidewalks where we live now although we are no longer in walking distance of the river; that's the saddest part of our new place but we have a car and who says you can't drive to the river and then have a great walk around the water and surrounding city parks.....

i only want to eat happy animals, is that wrong?

in the past, i have grappled with vegetarianism and have pondered, recently thanks to my newly converted vegetarian daughter, the idea of 'eating dead animals'. i grew up eating meat, in fact, it was not a 'meal' according to my father if there was no meat. now as an adult, and with the responsibility of feeding my children, we have chosen to go the natural, organic, no pesticides/hormones and no antibotics route. partly this is for health reasons - our son had several 'super bugs' in the NICU and we were advised that we should avoid any thing that would further jeopardize his immune system. while i do not feel 'guilty' for eating meat, i do want the animals to be treated well and slaughtered humanely. this is very important to me. i want the cows and chickens to be able to enjoy the fields and range free and i want the end of their life to be as pain free as possible. is this too much to ask?

census? what a load of CRAP!!

census? i thought it was about numbers- NOT

..okay, so i got a call from my brother [we are 6th generation tejanos] about the census, and he says 'hey sis, what are you doing about question 8 and 9?' and i'm like, i haven't even opened my yet! anyway, there are some very RANDOM questions that i feel don't have anything at all to do with 'counting' people - they want to CATEGORIZE everyone, okay, not everyone just anyone who might speak Spanish or have Spanish sounding surname! The 'yellow' brothers and sisters are pretty much covered with japanese, chinese, korean, vietnam, all have their own check boxes as well as our 'red' brothers and sisters - you know the ORIGINAL AMERICANS. anyway, where's the box for candandian, german, irish, turkish, sudanese, nigerian, etc. nope, this census is about finding out where the 'brown' people are coming from - i guess the government finally wised up that many of those crossing the rio grande only traveled through mexico and are not really mexican? well, i will probably get someone at my door as i REFUSE TO BE A PART OF THIS SH*T!. i am putting down that we have 3 of the HUMAN RACE living in our apartment. really now, how can i choose one over the other? according to the census, my children cannot be 'white' and 'hispanic' but their parents are 'white' and 'hispanic'.....actually, it all depends how far back you want to go.......as a Tejana [a person born in Texas of Mexican descendant] it means that i have both 'old world' and 'new world' blood in my veins. mexico is not a homogenous country - the mexican people are a combination of spanish, indian [native american if you wish], and african peoples with germans and italians mixing in large numbers during the 1900's. their father is 'american' with german, french, and who knows what else in mix! really, we are just one HUMAN RACE.

don't like the weather? wait a minute, it will change

i do believe that phrase was made about our beloved texas - rain this morning, and now windy and in the 40's when just on thursday it was sunny and in the upper 70's - swimming weather for us in san marcos! today, you don't want to be outside, the wind is biting, it feels like winter but the sun is shining. a friend of mine told me they have had 250 inches of snow where he's at - i can't even imagine.

'taco' meat & meatless tacos!

when my daughter went 'total' vegetarian [she stop eating mammals first], one thing she missed was tacos. to try to minimize making 3 separate meals to satisfy everyone in the family, i made taco meat & meatless taco filling at the same time [different pans of course]. it was fairly easy as i just had to reverse the order of cooking. for example i used to brown the meat first then add the veggies and spices, now i put in the veggies and spices first, divide some for the meatless tacos, and then add the meat to the pan. using 'grillers' instead of the 'crumbles' makes for a better taste but more importantly, better texture for the meatless tacos. my daughter loved them and it was great to have the whole family sit down for the same meal...now if i could only get my son to eat pasta and more veggies, it would be perfect!

neglecting my pooch :(

poor max! with the packing and my reoccurring neck/shoulder/back pain, i have not taken max out twice a day for about 2 weeks now. he has gotten walked by other family members but its not the same if i don't go..... i should have been walking him everyday to the river since after this weekend, it will no longer be in walking distance. the robins are here and make me wish spring would never leave.

the robin, sign of spring?

let's just say that the weather is NOT one of the predictable things in texas; not only does one season run into the next [some springs lasting 2 whole days before the summer heat creeps in!] one winter is NEVER like the one before nor will the next one be similar. last winter was mild with a very cold snaps and very little rain and the robins stayed all through december; dozens of them seen in the yard from day to day. this year, it was cold and wet; miserable for me and i guess the robins didn't like it either as they were not be be seen.....until this past weekend when i spotted one while max and i were on our walk. robin, the sign of spring for others perhaps is our sign this year. the other 'popular' bird this week has been the cardinal with its bright red coat and unique song, accompanied by several pale brown females.

here's a few words about the cardinal according to http://www.sayahda.com/cyc1.html
- i need to watch my diet and should expect a change in 12 days....so true!

read on for the full details:
The cardinal is a power packed bird that transforms and awakens us. Its color and its voice are its two strongest characteristics. It is a member of the finch family and is often recognized by its brilliant red color.

The eggs laid by the female hatch in about twelve days. This, along with the cardinal being a year round resident, reflects the rhythm of the number twelve. The number twelve often has important significance for those with this totem. It can indicate a turn of events or a life changing situation. When the cardinal flies into your life expect a change to occur within 12 days, 12 weeks, 12 months or at the hour of 12. Because this bird is a year round resident its medicine is available at all times and should be used by those with this totem whenever a need arises.

Cardinals have a loud whistle, Whistles penetrate the air with sharp distinct tones. They demand our attention urging us to hear what is carried through the air. Both male and female cardinals join in the whistling. This reflects the need to integrate our male and female characteristics into our day to day life. Feminine energy is linked to intuition. Male energy is linked to perseverance. If both are operating within our life our intuitive knowledge has the perseverance and strength necessary to manifest our goals and dreams.

Cardinals eat many decaying weeds and injurious insects. When a cardinal appears in your life it is telling you to pay attention to your eating habits. Are you eating things that might be injurious to your health? IS your diet nutritionally balanced? Extra care should be given to the blood and circulatory system. Past life ties to overindulgence or the consumption of poisonous substances is often linked to cardinal medicine people.

The bright red color of the cardinal is very symbolic. Red represents the blood or life force of the Mystic Christ. In yoga circles this vital force is known as the kundalini. The kundalini lies dormant within us until activated by a disciplined spiritual practice. Once activated spiritual power can be attained. The cardinal offers safe passage into the world of personal power for those who ask for its help.

When a person with cardinal medicine steps onto a spiritual path there will be no turning back. Everything else in their life will seem insignificant. Extra care must be taken here to insure personal happiness, particularly in the area of one to one relationships. Balancing spiritual ideals and physical pleasure will need to be instated in ones life so harmony on all levels is known.

Cardinals are named for the cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church with their bright red robes. A great love or a strong dislike for religion and churches is common amongst cardinal medicine people and can indicate a past life connection with one or both.

The cardinals voice is strong and clear and reflects an air of importance. This power packed bird can teach you how to express your truth, develop confidence and walk you talk. If you respect its teachings it will lead you home.

ABC's of me - thanx Mon

abc's of me
Felt like some fun...

A - Age: 42 years 4 months 21 days
B - Book: Woman Hollering Creek
C - Chore (dislike): dusting
D - Drink: coffee, beer, tequila
E - Eat: pizza
F - Flower: giant sunflowers
G - Gem: opal or moonstone [my birthstone]
H - Height: 4ft 11 3/4 inches
I - Instruments: cd player
J - Joy: my children
K - Kid(s): daughter 13, son 9
L - Living: central texas
M - Music: a little bit of everything - from Led Zepplin to Vivaldi [borrowed that one]
N - Noise: too quiet all the time no good
O - Ornaments: mostly gifts and stuff made by my children
P - Pet Peeve: bad drivers
Q - Quote: "I have not yet become all that I am". [Lion King]
R - Right or left handed: Right
S - Sibling(s): younger brother, younger sister
T - Time you wake up: 5am during the week; try to sleep til 8 on weekends
U - Underwear: yellow cotton bikinis
V - Vegetable: like most of them - hate lima beans
W - Word: kismet
X - X-rays: knee, and multiple sonograms, two MRI's, dental x-rays numerous
Y - Yearning: creative space
Z - Zoo - a place with lots of wild animals; what my soul feels like sometimes

but this is my therapy.....

i can't not write, not blog, not post! even if no one ever reads it, the words must come out. what a burden to carry inside - like having molten lava inside your chest, knowing you must release it or it will consume you, from the inside out. that's how i feel. this morning's walk was wonderful compared to the last week's worth - its been cold and i can handle that, but its been cold and RAINY, cloudy, dark and dreary, the outside weather reflecting my inner despair. but this morning, once again i felt the hope of a new day, the dark line of clouds diminishing as the beginning of a sunrise struggled to make itself seen. the great blue heron was there; max and i managed not to disturb it standing on the rocks by the second fall, water several inches deep. just a few weeks ago, the rock was exposed, dry and above the water line; with the rain we have had, a whole layer of rocks that max and i walked on are now under water, just a few inches and if it were not 30something degrees out, i would not mind the wet and i would continue on my path as usual. friday, the end of a very rough week, the start of a rougher weekend? hopefully not.

things going on

i may be off the 'net' for some time while i straighten out some things in my personal life.
thank you

rain and mud, rain and mud!

walking with max these last few days has been a chore! even if i don't feel like getting up and taking him out, once we get started,i feel better and i usually come back home feeling energized. BUT with the constant rain, cold, and NO SUN, going out has NOT been the fun it normally is. the only 'critter' we have seen is the great blue heron that has been on the cheatham side of the river instead of the park side; max and i have avoided scaring it away. while the river has been up, the spillway by the river pub that runs under the street has been rather low. where ever the water is going, its going there fast. i hear the sun will come out tomorrow - i'm keeping my fingers crossed but i'm not holding my breath.

on the 6th anniver. of the wardobe malfunction

during the superbowl half time show, i finally will have my say on the ridiculous practice of blurring or not blurring the female nipple on tv. first, i would like to state a few of my beliefs:

1. EVERYONE IS NAKED UNDER THEIR CLOTHES. think about that statement and what it means.

2. NUDITY, IN AND OF ITSELF, IS NEITHER EROTIC NOR PORNOGRAPHIC. nudity is the non-clothed state of the human body, nudity is not an action; it is a state of being.

3. RANDOMLY SELECTING A PARTICULAR PART OF A FEMALE'S BODY AND OBSESSING WITH IT TO A POINT THAT IT CANNOT BE REVEALED IS BOTH OFFENSIVE AND SEXIST ESPECIALLY BECAUSE IT IS DONE WITHOUT CONSISTENCY. male nipples are not blurred out and female nipples are not blurred out on a consistent basis.

i just don't understand WHY, what is the point? its not because its sexual - if that were the case, why show the bumping and grinding of the lap dance in the first place?

and if there's nothing 'happening', someone is naked, no one is engaging in intercourse, why the need to blur?

and why is 'aboriginal' nipple showing ok? i mean, if you are watching pbs and there's the national geographic society filming and no one's nipple or butt or anything is blurred out but if someone is doing a story on a nudist retreat or camp or beach, isn't nudity there 'aboriginal'? why blur it out in that situation?

i just don't get it-- maybe because i have female nipples.

OH, but listen to this, again, i just don't get it - we're watching a show on the discovery health channel, the person was male and had been on track for surgery to become a female- the operation included adding some 'curve' to the hips and breast implants. so the patient is there and the doctor has marked the procedures on his skin, it looks like he has sharpie all over, the surgery is being filmed and at the very second the saline bag was placed under the skin and muscle, the NIPPLE WAS BLURRED. we had already seen it!!!!
okay, i said my peace.

tamale casserole

here's a very quick but hot and satisfying meal

pre-heat oven to 350degrees

dozen tamales, warmed and unwrapped

enough chili con carne [or a can of wolf brand chili] to cover tamales

shredded cheese

diced onions and jalepenos [optional]

place tamales in a casserole dish and sprinkle some cheese and diced onions over them
cover them with the chili, there should be enough to 'drown' the tamales
-you may also put pinto beans over them at this point if you want
cover with remaining cheese, onions, and jalepenos
garnish with paprika and cilantro
bake uncovered for 20 minutes until heated thoroughly

serve with Spanish rice or lettuce and tomato salad

remembering those lost......

On January 27, 1945 Soviet troops liberated the Nazi concentration camps Auschwitz and Birkenau in Poland

"The nearly two tons of hair shorn from prisoners for use in German products is exhibited in cases but, as human remains, will be allowed to decay."

from a Smithsonian article on the daunting task of saving and preserving the history of the horror that took place at Auschwitz and Birkenau while seeing more than 1 million visitors in 2009.

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/Can-Auschwitz-Be-Saved.html

see the link for the full story

step one - meet with artist to discuss...

...tattoo and go through designs. i looked at so many pictures and in the end, wound up drawing, very badly, my wishes for my tattoo. i am hoping to incorporate all the following elements:
mushroom
sun/moon [the moon is female and the sun male - this cannot be changed]
skull
fairy wings
gecko
tree

that's the one for my leg

on my shoulder will be my hawk!!!!

can't wait to see what he comes up

Protests as Vatican Slams Avatar and Pantheist Nature-Worship

Protests as Vatican Slams Avatar and Pantheist Nature-Worship

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Rights of the Disabled - thank you for sharing!

This is just one of the reasons to support the Green Party: their stance on the
6. Rights of the Disabled:

We support the full enforcement of the Americans with Disabilities Act to enable all people with disabilities to achieve independence and function at the highest possible level. Government should work to ensure that children with disabilities are provided with the same educational opportunities as those without disabilities.

The physically and mentally challenged are people who are differently-abled from the majority, but who are nevertheless able to live independently. The mentally ill are people with serious mental problems who often need social support networks. Physically and mentally challenged people have the right to live independently in their communities. The mentally ill also have the right to live independently, circumscribed only by the limitations of their illness. These people are their own best advocates in securing their rights and for living in the social and economic mainstream.

Current Medicaid policy forces many challenged people to live in costly state-funded institutions. Excluding these people from society alienates them; excluding them from the work force denies them the chance to use their potentials.

The diminishing funds available to provide care for the growing number of the mentally ill often result in their homelessness, vagrancy and dependence on short-term crisis facilities. Lack of funding also increases the necessity of placing them in long-term, locked facilities.

The Green Party urges the government to:

a. Increase rehabilitation funding so that persons with disabilities can pursue education and training to reach their highest potential. The differently-abled should participate fully in the allocation decisions of state rehabilitation departments' funds.

b. Aggressively implement the Americans with Disabilities Act.

c. Fund in-home support services to allow the differently-abled to hire personal care attendants while remaining at home.

d. Allocate adequate funding to support community-based programs that provide out-patient medical services, case management services and counseling programs. We should provide a residential setting within the community for those who do not need institutional care but who are unable to live independently.

e. Make it easier for the chronically mentally ill to apply for and receive Supplemental Security Income.

f. Mainstream the differently-abled. Increase the training of teachers in regards to the needs of differently-abled students.

g. Discourage stereotyping of the mentally and physically challenged by the entertainment industry and the media.

h. Fund programs to increase public sensitivity to the needs of the mentally ill and differently-abled.

sometimes, you just gotta throw yourself on the ground

... and look up at the stars through the branches of the cypress trees, the steams swirling and rolling past as it flies just above the surface of the warm river. the cypress island, what i call it, is one of my favorite spots in the morning, early before the dawn, on a clear, cold mornings just like today. except for the mottled black and gray cat, max and i encountered no wildlife. the twisted roots and bulging 'knees' of the cypress makes walking in the dark on the island a bit of a challenge; for me of course, its no big deal for max. the water is dark and the head light from the train going over the bridge casts any creepy yellowish light on the river. the park is empty and not even the fishermen or the joggers are out yet.

A to W - critters i've seen in san marcos

a is for armadillo

b is for bats and bunnies

c is for camel and cow and chickens

d is for deer and ducks

e is for earthworm and egret

f is for fox and a frog as big as my shoe!

g is for goose

h is for horse

i is for iguana

l is for lamb

m is for mouse

n is for nutria

o is for owl

p is for parrot and possum

r is for raccoon and rat

s is for snake

t is for tarantula and turtle

v is for vulture

w is for wallaby


not quite all the letters from A to Z but pretty close....i'm keeping my eyes open for more critters

the aftermath of rain...

the dank, rancid smell of decaying vegetation mixed with the smell of the water made me think of dark caves and cold nights; visions of ghosts and memories of funerals in the rain.

max and the armadillo

a new one for max! walking at the park near the river very early one morning, before the dawn, we chanced upon an armadillo heading home for the night. it saw us before max saw him and it froze; hoping that we just pass by. unfortunately, max did see it and had to investigate. the armadillo didn't run away immediately, instead it stood still while max cautiously approached to give it a good, deep sniff. of course, the armadillo is a creature of the past - its ancestors first appeared in giant elephant size thousands of years ago. while they are now about the size of a raccoon, they have not really changed or evolved much. a hard, articulated, bony shell body reminiscent of something from jurasic park, the only mammal that can catch leporsy and its on my list of "the crazies things i've ever eaten". yes, i'm from texas - it was caught, killed, and you guessedit, BAR-B-Q'd. i know, its a cliche, but it did taste like chicken!

1-16-2010

it had rained for the last 24 hours when max and i made it down to the river...considering all the rain and runoff, the water was pretty clear. we could see the bass and algae eaters a'plenty! what i was surprised that we didnt' see were turtles bathing themselves in the sun; also absent were any water fowl. the slugee way next the rio vista falls has been unblocked recently (thank goodness) and so it is down 2 to 3 feet from previous weeks, allowing for the rising river overflow to continue unimpeded.

Mary's Tex-Mex chicken soup

okay, some might call it tortilla soup but since it is only a topping and not an ingredient in my soup, i gave it my own name...

cook time: min 1 hour - its soup, you can let it simmer most of the day
prep time: less than 20 minutes

ingredients:
chicken [this can be whole or pieces, white or dark meat - what you prefer]

large can of tomatoes - my fav are the roasted ones, diced or whole okay

can of black beans, rinsed and strained [you can put dry beans in the beginning but it will color the entire soup and make your chicken meat look purple - taste is fine]

can of hominy, rinsed and strained [corn may be substituted, can or frozen]

onions and peppers to taste [i 'cheat' and use the onion/pepper stir fry frozen veggies]

carton of stock plus water to cover everything [i use veggie stock but you can use chicken if you prefer]

spices
salt and pepper to taste
two to three teaspoons of the following [you can add more later after you taste]
cumino
mexican oregano
aniote or paprika [mainly for color]
cilantro [use fresh as a garnish, a bit of dried while cooking is good too]
garlic powder unless you want to use fresh then diced finely and toss in with stock
and a sprinkle of dried red pepper flakes [optional]


put a little oil in a large pot and brown chicken thoroughly then remove and set aside

put in onions and peppers, tomatoes in juice and a little stock; loosen up all the crumbly brown bits from the bottom of the pan; return chicken and add spices and stock

bring up to a boil, lower to a simmer, cover and stir every once and a while
after chicken is cooked, remove and de-bone it then add meat back in
at this time, add your can of beans and hominy [or corn]
cook at least 20 more minutes to meld all the flavors

for garnish, i slice up corn tortillas into strips and fry them quickly in very hot oil
[i use at least 2 or 3 inches of oil in a small cast iron pan]
other goodies include
shredded cheese
sliced avacado
fresh cilantro
salsa

freezes great!

the heron and the turtle

i'm not sure if it was the full night's sleep but i awoke this morning full of energy and feeling good. max and i took a brisk walk to the river early this morning - at 40 something degrees, it was a heat wave compared to the 20's we had been walking in the last 5 days! we were careful not to get too close and disturb the great blue heron resting on the largest pink granite rock located right before the falls. it was crouched down low on the rock with his beak the only thing distinguishing him from his granite perch. further down the river, by the second falls, i spotted a turtle in the water - i may have inadvertently chased him from his rocky resting spot; it seems at soon as i spotted him, he knew it and quickly disappeared into the frothy white river. i took off my denim jacket and unzipped my hoodie - the biting cold was gone and max and i got home with plenty of time for another cup of coffee before i had to head to work. i will be looking up the turtle to see what he signifies - i know the turtle for many is the one who is carrying or holding up the earth; the olmecs had their earth dragons but that's a different story! how i miss dr. reilly - i should go visit him when the semester starts again.

enjoying the dawn

max and i went to the river this morning - if you stand really, really close to the falls, the sound of the water drowns out the roar of traffic on IH 35 as well as the trains. the stars were still peeking out through the disappearing clouds while the pink of the sun showed itself on the horizon. a lone tall egret standing on a rock, its reflection in the water showing more movement than the bird itself.....the ducks make their way across the river... i want to stay here forever, in this spot, at this very moment, the birth of hope with the dawn. the feeling that all will be right, the untainted and sweet anticipation that today will be the day without failure. i'm more like the river this morning - usually clear but now, cloudy and waiting for my thoughts to once again run clear. i arrive back at the house just as the sky turns from dark to blue and i try to carry that one brief moment with me all day long.................

ok, today it was COLD @ 26 degrees

too bad there's no precipitation in the area or it would be snowing right now! we don't see much of the white stuff in central texas - i believe it was close to 6 or 7 years ago when there was barely enough on the ground for my daughter and i to make a very, very small snowman who only lasted half the day :( ever since that winter, she has wanted to spend christmas where there is snow. we have had a very freezing nights and some days with ice on the road since then, but no snow. at 5am this morning when I got up, it was 28degrees in town and 34.5 on our back porch. later it would get down to 26 in san marcos. for some unknown reason, my son was disappointed we did not reach 22degrees. he says it must get down to 22 tonight! not sure where that particular number came from. anyway, i got dressed to take max out - long sleeve shirt, hoodie, skull cap, scarf, longcoat, gloves and off we went. it didn't seem too bad at first - i mean i had been out in the 300's before anyway but with the wind chill, it was feeling in the teens! was very glad to get inside the house and am very grateful i have a warm house to come home to and a job that keeps me inside! did not see any birds or other urban wildlife although max and i did hear some chirping. i am NOT looking forward to our walk tonight....i may have to wear a few more layers. now if it were snowing, then yes, it would still be just as cold but then walking out in it would be a TREAT!!

IMHO - there's NO COOKIES IN FOOTBALL!!!

ok, i know i'm gonna in trouble with ut fans but enuf already! the game isn't til tomorrow and i am so sick and tired of hearing everything "longhorn" but nothing about FOOTBALL. the sports casters from austin arrived yesterday so we could have coverage of the fountain in front of the hotel? are football shaped pizzas really "news" much less sports news? and oh my, no more flights from houston......like no one else could possibly have any other reason to fly except for ut longhorns fans.....but the worse was the fuss over the orange iced longhorn head shaped cookies.........i'm gonna vomit now and can't wait til next week when the season is over. i mean, if you're going to 'report' on the game for a whole week before, i want to hear stats, predictions, records from past games, cool re-plays of game making moments, how the players are doing now - any body sick or injured? what happened the last time these teams met? what are the strengths and weaknesses of each team's defense and offensive? etc, etc...i don't want to hear some one whining how expensive their ticket was or see footage of people at the airport - TALK ME SOME GAME, HON OR SHUT THE F*CK UP ALREADY......oh, and GO LONGHORNS! i mean, i still want them to win :)

woodpeckers

during the time off, max and i walked a bit later in the day than our usual 6am. this allowed me to see a lot more of the surroundings and i really enjoyed our treks to the river, parks and i especially enjoyed seeing the woodpeckers. we even had a woodpecker in our yard; last year, the robins were abundant and we saw them all winter long while this year, not one robin has been sighted. i put black sunflower seeds in my two birdfeeders only to have them constantly raided by the damn rats with fuzzy tails [some folks call them squirrels]. anyway, i was surprised at how many times the woodpecker showed up. i wondered what it meant so i went to one of my fav sites

http://www.sayahda.com/cycle.htm to look it up


The Woodpecker is a climber, a speedy flyer and difficult to catch; there are about 180 species of woodpeckers in the world.
"Those with this totem often find that their path in life wont always conform to society's standards and that their personal unique rhythm needs to be honored. Woodpeckers teach us to honor our personal truth and move through life with perseverance and inner strength. By staying grounded in our pursuits our goals can be obtained."

Woodpeckers are opportunists, defend their territory and are known as the Earths drummer. "Drumming is the heartbeat of mother earth and is associated with shamanism and the ability to move into other dimensions at will. For those with this totem the woodpecker represents self discovery. s they peck into and through trees and dead wood, hidden layers of ones psyche are revealed."

new year's day 'dunk' @ rio vista falls

while the "polar bears" of san marcos celebrated the new year by plunging into the river at noon at sewell park, watson and i had our own new year's dunk in the river at rio vista falls later that day. due to the swiftly running and high water @ sewell, i was not too keen on chasing watson and battling the current so we participated as photographer at the main plunge. around 1:30 or so, we headed to the river - we parked the car across the street from the river pub and little man and i walked down just past the second little fall where we slowly inched into the water up to my waist, chest level for watson. it was cold - yes it was warmer at 70degrees than the ambient air temperature, but it was cold. it wasn't even 5 minutes yet when watson announced 'ok, mom we can go home now'. and then i said 'well, it won't count if we don't get our heads wet' at which time watson pinched his nose shut and stuck his head in the river! okay mom, i told myself, you started this... i too pinched my nose and had planned to 'sit' in the water when watson pushed the back of head into the water! there, it was done - our new year's dunk in the river!!!