Currently listening to....

...The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon is keeping my mind a bit occupied whilst I finish crocheting this purple octagon throw. If I get my webcam successfully installed, I'll post pix. Don't hold your breath tho, cuz installing my webcam thus far? No joy.

Diggin' the digs

I've been toodeling about, playing around with this here new home of mine. There are some features which I really really like, some I really like, some I like, and some I don't. With that in mind, I will share with you some of my findings over the next several entries, or days, or weeks, or what not. Some may be blatantly obvious, some may be uberkewl, some may be relevant or not. Hopefully it will be useful and barring that, just a bit funny.

Of those features I don't like is the fact that I'm not able to read the updated posts in my dashboard of all those I follow. I had thought that was because some of them have enacted the adult content filter. But Mary Jo {*blowing kisses*, hiya, nutella!!}, over there From the Edge of Dementia, recently removed the adult content filter and has posted several entries since; but I'm still not getting the updated entries on my dashboard.

So, I asked her to add my address to her list so that I receive her entries in my eMail as she publishes. The only problem with that solution is that there is a ten address limit. I wonder if anyone else is not receiving notices of new posts on their dashboards. Lemme know what you think!

colder than a witches's titmouse

Damn, but I wish my webcam worked cuz dude! I'm all bundled up, complete with my double-brimmed thick fuzzy pinkish hat with lots of various dreds, including the condom I knit last year. You'd think I was nanook of the north instead of a whiner living in Mississippi. Some of you may remember The Hat, and yes, the condom is a thick fuzzy pinkish ... well, let's just say that it blends. Oh how picturesque.

This evening, I was visiting with the Vs and some other Friends, including my lil'est one, who just tickles me pinkish. She is now four (and a half, Mizz DebRAH) and is in the hilarious story telling phase when not much of the story makes sense but she is laughing hysterically and that in itself is rather infectious. Whatta card. One of the best things tho is how she greets me with enthusiastic squeals, huge grins, and flings herself at me (trusting that I will catch her, always). She makes even my worst days feel better. Case in point, three days after this whole thing with Shitt hit the fan back in July, I had stopped to see my friend (the lil'st's mother). I was in tears and my friend had yet to learn what happened or why I was a complete wreck. I didn't want to upset the girls, so I stayed out on the front porch; however, my lil'est friend came out, with a solemn face and wrapped her arms around my legs and smooshed her face into my waist and held on tightly. I gave her a big hug and she whispered, "Mizz DebRAH, be better" and gave me the be-better kiss on my chin. Even tho my heart was hurting, my lips lifted in a smile, cuz compassion comes in all sizes.

Well, tonight, when I got home from the Vs, several surprises awaited. First, Bonnie from Rochester (about whom I wrote yesterday) had sent a package and wow! there it was!! I have yet to open it, but I am certain it holds furrbee treats!! Second, my door's fixed! Yea! This meant that I could actually use my front door to come into the house instead of stumbling around back and struggling with the back door, in the process falling off the landing and bruising various parts of my person like a drunken sailor listing to port. Thirdly, the IRS had sent a lovely letter which at first put the fear of God into my cold lil heart, til I realized that Dude! all they want is a minor form relating to the whole stimulus check thing from a ways back. My cold lil heart thawed and actually began to sing hosannas.

and Yes, dammit, it is cold. By anyone's standards. Let alone by Mississippians'.

Be better, babies.

g'day, eh?

Thursday the postal dude came whilst I was showering so he left the peach pick-up slip in the box and bright and early on Friday I was at the post office, giddily receiving my gift which was bubble wrapped in layers with additional padding and came to me in a clever disguised box that advertised Great Value Spring Water {three (3) one (1) gallon jugs}. Friday afternoon was spent gawking, examining, poking, opening, attaching, etc all manner of software and hardware and other lovely features that my newst gift of a laptop contains. There are some wonderfully familiar features and some I'd not seen before. I've been taking my time and being very careful checking out the new stuff.

Over all, LUV.IT. There are doos and dads and thingies and mah-jiggies and ooohs and aaahs aplenty! It's like my birthday and christmas {for the next five years} all rolled into one.

The only difficulty I have at this moment (and for the last several days) is successfully downloading software and installing hardware. I'm sure that I will unravel that snag tho. So no major worries, just yet.

Today, I did manage to install my copier/printer/scanner; rearrange and edit my account with photobucket; and change the layout, format, color scheme, and such on blogger. Yesterday, I did visit some folks at their new diggs and catch up on my eMail. Hopefully, within the next few days, I will be able to make the rest of my delayed rounds and also install my webcam, download messenger, and such.

In the mail yesterday, a warmly wonderful woman who has made brief appearances in my writings in the past had sent me a rather substantial money order and a lovely card of thanks featuring Pooh-Bear. Bonnie is one of the women for whom I made several hats last winter, so you may remember her from then. Or you may be familiar with the journals that her husband Walt had maintained. Walt always wrote as tho it were both he and she sharing and would often read aloud to Bonnie items of interest. Bonnie doesn't use the computer, but has many friends thru the online world Walt visited often. Walt died last year, and is sorely missed by many. Bonnie has continued to be a great friend thru regular mail and lately via telephone {as many of you know, for the better part of five years I avoided interaction via telephone, setting the ringer in the off position on a permanent basis...however, a few months ago, I began to use the phone more often and am now able to leave the ringer on most times}. Bonnie is my furrbees fairae godmother, sending treats and such for them on a regular basis. She is an amazingly compassionate and caring woman who is so very giving and to whom I owe a great many thanks and much appreciation.

I've been so very fortunate in friendships such as this!

farewell, flpl; welcome, from my home on the farm

Hello, my peoples!!

I am typing this from my home, my new gift is wonderful! I haven't yet checked everything out with it just yet, but I have discovered some features such as twice as many USB ports as I'd had, along with built-in microphone, a wide range of ports and devices for dvds, cds, disks, etc. wahoo! perhaps one of the coolest things I can think of at the moment is the Mobile BackUp External Data Storage. Basically that is my ole hard drive from the original Debra's Gift {my gateway laptop that died within these last few weeks} encased in a carrying case and made accessible thru the use of additional USB cables (so those extra USB ports are put to good use). So basically, it's like two computers in one! I can access everything that was on my original gift because I have my harddrive from that laptop too! So, all my documents, software, programs, etc. is right here {I'm pointing to my right. Here.}

I've got lots and lots to learn and explore and set and do and and and....wahoo!!

So for those of you who've been waiting for eMails, entries, etc from me in response to your eMails, comments, posts, etc; I'll be getting to you soon!! grins, debra

squeals, giggles, chortles, and chucks

Well, once again I am here, at the FLPL. However, this may be the last time I will be without the option of using my own computer as it is homeward bound and due perhaps tomorrow or more likely Friday. Or ya know, Saturday. Or, as much as it pains me to say, it could even be Monday. But let's all hope for tomorrow, shall we?

Yes! we shall!!

I'm absolutely ecstatic about the new and improved "Debra's Gift" (which is what I had called my original laptop cuz it was a gift to me, a huge gift, a meaningful gift, a gift of such import that I cannot fully describe my state of anguish when I didn't have access to my lovely Gift). I can hardly stand myself at the moment. Well, actually for the better part of a week now, I have been grinning manically while singing like a spoilt-child, and skipping along, swinging my bookbag (cuz of the visits to the FLPL, dudes!) like a school-girl. At any given moment, you might hear me burst into giggles and see me spinning like a whirling dervish (ya know, without the cool highhat and flowing robes).

Like I said, I can hardly stand my giddy self.

Those of you who have left comments, followed me, or are leading me astray; please know that I will begin to catch up when I have my own laptop in the next few days. Also, I will explain what NaNoWriMo means to me and all the other doings and goings on. Toodles for now!

Here, There, & Elsewhere

I've not been posting much this past month, and what posts I've entered have all seemed remarkably similar. However, I do think that toward the end of the week, I will be slipping back into my comfy routine and once again will be back to posting more frequently.

Or not.

Cuz in addition to this whole disappearing act over there in j-land, and figuring out all the newness of here in blogspot; I also just remembered that November follows October and that means that NaNoWriMo is just around the corner. More on that funky nomenclature later. For now, I must flee the local public library before my ass melds to the seat and my fingers fuse with the keyboard.

Good Day, Sunshine

Today has been a very good day. I started with a shredded tire but along came a knight in a white truck who changed it for me and got me on the road in enough time to make my appointment. Two weeks ago, while changing a different tire, I sliced my finger open and jam crammed it with all sorts of gunk, grease, dirt, dust, rubber, metal, and dog pee. It's about healed up now, but it was a bitch to clean and the dudette doc was amazed that it took her almost an hour to scrub it out. So yeah, I was pretty damn pleased when I saw the dude in the white truck.

Then, I met with some old friends whom I've not seen for awhile now. We got all caught up and time zoomed past and before we knew it, our breakfast meeting turned into a luncheon. Eventually, I tore myself away and went to the tire dude's so that he could take the small lil donut tire off and put the spare regular tire on that I usually keep on hand in the trunk. The reason I didn't ask the White Truck Dude to put the spare regular on was cuz it needed air and I didn't fancy having a matching set of shredded tires, ya know how I can be.

The Tire Dude, who is also my all around Car Dude, fixin' most any problem my fifteen year old car can have, got me all set to rights and wanna guess how much it cost me? No, really, go on, guess. Wrong! One Buck. One. O.N.E. one.

Gosh, it's been a good day.

grins.

hey! pardon me, i'm pickin' flowers here

well, here i am, at the local public library, but the end is in sight! i just found out last night that mom will be picking up my computer monday!! my computer, it died. but! mom is helping me get a new one with my old drive as an accessory! yea!!!! i'm delirious and just can't hardly stand myself. wahootee-hoot!

in a bit, i will walk uptown and to the second annual johnny cash fest (hey, pardon me, i'm pickin' flowers here). the story goes that he played in a concert here, in starkville, years and years back and then, decided to pick some flowers from someone's yard. he was arrested and jailed for it. so now, there is a call for pardon for his offense of pickin flowers.

Johnny Cash's "Starkville City Jail"
Well, I left my motel room, down at the Starkville Motel,
The town had gone to sleep and I was feelin' fairly well.
I strolled along the sidewalk 'neath the sweet magnolia trees;
I was whistlin', pickin' flowers, swayin' in the southern breeze.
I found myself surrounded; one policeman said: "That's him.
Come along, wild flower child. Don't you know that it's two a.m."
They're bound to get you.
'Cause they got a curfew.
And you go to the Starkville City jail.
Well, they threw me in the car and started driving into town;
I said: "What the hell did I do?" He said: "Shut up and sit down."
Well, they emptied out my pockets, took my pills and guitar picks
.I said: "Wait, my name is..." "Awe shut up." Well, I sure was in a fix.
The sergeant put me in a cell, then he went home for the night;
I said: "Come back here, you so and so; I ain't bein' treated right."
Well, they're bound to get you,
cause they got a curfew,
And you go to the Starkville City Jail.
I started pacin' back and forth, and now and then I'd yell,
And kick my forty dollar shoes against the steel floor of my cell.
I'd walk awhile and kick awhile, and all night nobody came.
Then I sadly remembered that they didn't even take my name.
At 8 a.m. they let me out. I said: "Gimme them things of mine!"
They gave me a sneer and a guitar pick, and a yellow dandelion.
They're bound to get you,
'cause they got a curfew,
And you go to the Starkville City Jail.

hi! hi! hi! hi! hi! 'tis me!

ssssssssttttttrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeetching...ahhhh!

transferring was lots easier than i'd thought (uhm, feared) it might be. yea!!! now, if only my laptop were to be fixed so easily. i can hope, can't i?

i'm getting a tad tired of the ol' flpl (friggen local public library, to the newbies!) but ya do whatcha gotta do.

i'm currently listening to "misquoting jesus"; currently reading "natural history of latin"; currently crocheting four baby mats/blankets (in various locations, so i can work on them no matter where i am); and watching an assortment of Gilbert and Sullivan's operas (aaaaaaaaahhh!!).

must go now. been on the public computer too long, i think. ta-ta

the meaning of it all

The weather here is lovely, one last summer splash before the fall flings itself with abandon from the trees, across the fields, down the hills, and along the winding dusting roads.  All last week and this, we've had temps in the 80s with low humidity so it actually feels pleasant and an occassional breeze refreshes and brings smiles to all of our faces.  My furrbees are loving it, they are napping in the afternoon sun and romping thru the yard in the evenings.  Nights are reserved for howling with the nocturnal critters in the light of the full moon.

I've been reading "The Natural History of Latin" while reviewing my old Latin texts.  Crocheting baby blankets/mats and tiny dresses for my Lil'est Friend's doll while listening to "The Meaning of Night" (an unusually long tale involving mid-1800's customs of English gentry, with plots of deceit, revenge, and mystery; as well as sub-plots of twists of fate).  I've been watching BBC's and A&E's VHS tapes on loan from (wait for it) the local public library {wink}.  Last night, I'd finished the Elizabeth R series with Glenda Jackson as uhm, Elizabeth.

No doubt I'll borrow a few more video and audio whilst here at the FLPL.  I'm on disk 13 of 19 of "The Meaning of Night".  But I think it won't be long before I'm thru with it as the plots have all thickened and are converging now in rather meaningful ways that are spellbinding.  I had to leave in the middle of this latest turn of events, so that I can visit a friend who is visiting for a brief time on her way thru from Shreveport, La to Huntsville, Al.  So 'b'bye' for now!

i say, "hello"

Well, it seems for the past month all I've written has either focused on the LapTop Saga or the journal transfer.  I feel like we are on the Titanic.  We know the ship is going down but the rescue boats seem inadequat.

I've been crocheting up a storm while watching movies on loan from the library &/or listening to audio books (also on loan from the library).  Last week, I sent the shawl/arm warmers/hat/net bag combo to my dear friend in Minnesota.  This week, I'm working on baby blankets/mats for several folks.  Babies are just popping out everywhere!!

I've also been using the phone way more than I have in years and years.  And years.  I do need to work on my phone etiquette some.  Cuz when it's time to go, it's time to go and I don't waste words or minutes saying "goodbye".

Goodbye.

mudd blogging

I see that AOL has partnered with Blogger to offer easy transfer of entire entries complete with comments to the Google-based blog service.  Or at least that's the idea.  Have any of you done that, a smooth transfer of files?  Was it really as simple as AOL makes it sound?

Soon it will be time for me to go mucking about.  I'm of a mind to hold out til I get my computer back, or at least wait til next week and have an idea when I'll get my baby back.  But I also realize that I gotta make a move cuz time, time, tick, tick, ticking away.

tracking the computer in the ongoing saga

Well, mom received my computer yesterday; which means today or next Tuesday, she will take it to the Dude to see what he can do.  At least that's the plan, it really depends on if he has the time now to do it or if he is backed up.  If he does have the time and is willing to take a gander, I may get it back relatively quickly (which would mean before the end of the month, with time to spare).  Depends on how much damage Earl did.

so that's that.

hey, guess where i am?!? {you got it! flpl.sigh)

This morning I went to see my GP for lots of lil things that are all taken care of now; expect the flu-shot, cuz they won't get that for another couple-few weeks.  Last night, I boxed up my computer with lots of padding and later today, I will visit the post-office and send it yonder to memom to see what she can see.  Mom has a guy in mind, who looked at their's before, so she feels pretty comfortable and is reasonably confident in his abilities and ethics.  So ya know, there is hope that I may get my computer back in zippy PRESTO! shape some day before the end of the year or the end of the decade.

I have this poem on procrastination.  I'll post it.  Perhaps tomorrow, or next week.  Or ya know, some time in the future.  Maybe.

{winks.grins}

The Friggen Local Public Library.SCREECH.

hear that "whump.whump.whump"ing sound?  that's me banging my head.  repeatedly.

long story somewhat shorter, i have my computer.  it is in much worse shape now than when i took it in.  i'd go on about it, but i'm tired of sobbing.

especially in the FLPL.

uhm, hi...? (from the local public library) onct again

Yesterday was quite the day, so lemme tell ya about some of it.  I had a bad night, Wed and Thursday started with me feeling off and not too pleasant.  My friend from this area called me to tell me that the assistant at the computer-dude's place was there and so I left my place to drive in to meet her there and such.  She has contacts and they have their fingers on the pulses of the community so she knew some stuff that I did not and wouldn't have any way to discover other than what I did (which was to contact her and ask her to put the feelers out, which she did, and rather effectively).

But on my drive in to town I had a flat.  Then I sliced my finger open on the inside edge of the hubcap while I was removing the cap from the air-stem.  The cut was deep and semi-circular and packed with grim, grit, grease, metal burrs, rubber, dirt, dust, and dog pee (dogs love tires, peeing on tires is dogs' favorite!!).

I taped some papertowels around my finger and finished what I had to do to get back on the road.  Then I drove to meet my friend at computer-dude's.  Long story somewhat shorter, I may get my computer back tomorrow, or Monday.  I'll actually believe that when it is actually in my possession.

Since a rather large confrontation (albiet very effective) occured and since I was already feeling poorly; I had a huge panic attack complete with hyperventilating, tears, sweat, blood, trembling, exploding pulses, and a throbbing headache that combined to create conditions that wore me out.  I didn't think driving was a good option at the time and so my dear friend took care of me for the rest of the afternoon.  Yeah, I'm that much fun!

We went to get my hair cut because I'd been playing hit/miss with my hair-lady (I love her!  she knows my head better than i do and still loves me anyway).  Getting my hair done always makes me feel better and my hair-lady helped me calm down and relax cuz it was very good for me to focus on lovelier things like the fact that my hair-lady is pregnant and she moved the wedding up from next summer to my birthday!!  {November 16:  see my screen id  11 16 1970}

Then, my friend and I went to my gp's to see if she could clean out my finger, cuz I simply knew that I wouldn't be able to do so effectively and my friend would stop if she thought she was hurting me.  My gp's office was closed so we went to the ER and I was ushered into a room complete with a wonderful nurse practitioner who tsk'd tsk'd and then said that she had never seen such a small wound so packed with crappy crud.  It took 45 minutes of continuous abrading to clean the majority of it and still she could not get it all.  I urged amputation at the elbow but she didn't feel like it so we ruled that option out.

After all that, I was exhausted and my friend dropped me off at my car and I drove home where I placed a few calls {HI, Kathy!!!  HI, memom!!} before watching the Damn Debate.  Afterwards, I watched "Moonstruck" which I'd never seen before and read some before fleeing to the arms of morphus.

So that was my day yesterday.  I hope to soon have my computer back, tho it may or may not be fixed.  At this point, I just want the damn thing back to me in all the pieces and parts in the right places.  More on all that later.  Perhaps this will be the last Local Public Library entry.

Hope all youse guys have a great weekend!

Sharing: A Day in the Life of Joe Republican {thanks, memom!}

Joe gets up at 6am and fills his coffee pot with water to get his day started.  The water is clean and good because some tree-hugging liberal fought for minimum water-quality standards  While waiting for the coffee to brew, he takes his daily medications; which are safe because some stupid commie liberal fought to ensure their safety and that they work as advertised.  All but $10 of his meds are paid for by his employer's medical plan because some liberal union workers fought their employers for paid medical insurance, so now Joe benefits from that too.

He prepares his breakfast of bacon and eggs.  The bacon is safe to eat because some girly-man liberal fought for laws to regulate the meat packing industry.  Oh those liberal bleeding hearts!

In the morning shower, Joe reaches for his shampoo.  His bottle is now properly labeled with each ingredient and its amount in the total contents cuz some crybaby liberal fought for his right to know what he is putting on his body and how much it contains.  Those dratted liberal bastards.

Joe dresses, walks outside, and takes a deep breath.  The air he breathes is clean because some environmentalist wacko liberal fought for the laws to stop industries from polluting our air.  Those interferring liberals.

He walks on the government-provided sidewalk to the subway station for his government-subsidized ride to work.  It saves him considerable money in parking and transportation fees because some fancy-pants liberal fought for affordable public transportation, which gives everyone the opportunity to be a contributor.

Joe begins his work day.  He has a good job with excellent pay, medical benefits, retirement, paid holidays, and vacation because some lazy liberal union members fought and died for these working standards.  Joe's employer pays these standards because his employer doesn't want his employees to call the union.  If Joe is hurt on the job or becomes unemployed, he'll get a worker compensation or unemployment check because some stupid liberal didn't think he should lose his home because of his temporary misfortune.

It is noontime and Joe needs to make a bank deposit so he can pay some bills.  Joe's deposit is federally insured by the FSLIC because some godless liberal wanted to protect Joe's money from unscrupulous bankers who ruined the banking system before the Great Depression.  Oh, the very nerve of those do-gooders!

Joe has to pay his Fannie-Mae underwritten mortgage and his below-market federal student loan because some elitist liberal decided that Joe and the government would be better off if he was educated and earned more money over his lifetime.  Joe also forgets that in addition to his federally subsidized loans, he attended a state-funded university.  Will the benefits just never end!?!

Joe is now home from work.  He plans to visit his father this evening at his farm home in the country.  He gets in his car for the drive.  His car is among the safest in the world because some America-hating liberal fought for car safety standards to go along with the tax-payer funded roads.

He arrives at his boyhood home.  His is the third generation to live in the house financed by Farmers' Home Administration because bankers did not want to make rural loans.  The house didn't have electricity until some big-government liberal stuck his nose in where it didn't belong and demanded rural electrification.

Joe is happy to see his father, who is now retired.  His father lives on Social Security and a union pension because some wine-drinking, cheese-eating liberal made sure he could take care of himself so that Joe wouldn't have to.

Joe gets back in his car for the ride home and turns on the radio talk show.  The radio host keeps saying that liberals are bad and conservatives are good.  He doesn't mention that the beloved Republicans have fought against every protection and benefit that Joe enjoys throughout his day.  Joe agrees, "We don't need those big-government liberals ruining our lives!  After all, I'm a self-made man who believes everyone should take care of themselves, just like I have."

week two at the public library

well, currently i've still not had any response regarding my laptop and now my understanding has worn thin.  so has my amusement.  no more sighs, no more winks, no more grins.

as far as journalling goes, i may have to go visit my friend with my flash drive and set up another blog elsewhere, save my entries etc etc.  but at this point, i'm not in a huge rush because it'd just be best to know i have options at this point.

my eMail address:  dkb1116@peoplepc.com

since i am using the library at this time and do not have my own laptop, i can't bookmark anything.  so please drop me a line with your new journal's address!

thanks so much, debra