Bread & Circuses...

Of the dozen (or more) ways to describe what's been happening in the USA lately -- or at least the dozen ways not using scatological language, we can say the following:

1.  From Juvenal (Roman poet, somewhere around the late 1st and 2nd century AD), noted for his poems known as the Satires:  "Give them bread and circuses and they will never revolt."

2.  From Noam Chomsky, theoretical linguist, cognitive scientist and philosopher: "As long as the general population is passive, apathetic, diverted to consumerism or hatred of the vulnerable, then the powerful can do as they please, and those who survive will be left to contemplate the outcome."

3.  Attributed to Mark Twain (but disproved a couple of times - I'm going with it anyway...): "Never try to teach a pig to sing. It frustrates you and annoys the pig."

4.  Smoke and Mirrors: an idiom for a deceptive, fraudulent or insubstantial explanation or description. 

5.  From Carl Sagan, American astronomer, cosmologist, astrophysicist, astrobiologist, and science communicator: "Finding the occasional straw of truth awash in a great ocean of confusion and bamboozle requires intelligence, vigilance, dedication and courage. But if we don't practice these tough habits of thought, we cannot hope to solve the truly serious problems that face us -- and we risk becoming a nation of suckers, up for grabs by the next charlatan that comes along." 

And finally, 

6. From Neil DeGrasse Tyson, American astrophysicist, science communicator and television host (NOVA ScienceNOW on PBS): "You can't have people making decisions about the future of the world who are scientifically illiterate. That's a recipe for disaster. And I don't mean just whether a politician is scientifically literate, but people who vote politicians into office."

So here's the thing, kids... This circus of an administration is killing us. We have a purported Tweeter-in-Chief who is easily distracted. Much like a 2-year-old who was given a sippy cup full of Mountain Dew for breakfast. He tweets "policies" only to distract us from stuff like, oh, I dunno - the upcoming investigations on Russia's involvement in our elections. His taxes. His family's conflicts of interest. The gutting of so many necessary programs. The appointment of lobbyists and large contributors to departments such as Education and Interior, so that they can rip those venerable organizations to shreds. 

He can't let go of Hillary Clinton. Dude - much to my chagrin and the anger and angst of millions of us, you won. Get over it. Move on. Try "presidenting" at least once before you're impeached. (Are You listening, God??)

He's humiliating AG Sessions, and much though I don't like Sessions, I'll give him credit for not quitting. Sessions is holding his own while there's a kid in the White House having a tantrum. You know - the guy in the Oval Office. 

He's threatening the senator from Alaska because she voted against HIS wishes and FOR what her constituents need. Amazing, that... I can't see her being bullied, and I can't see the folks in Alaska dumping her because she's giving them what they need. But I've been shocked before. 

And much to my surprise, Mr. Lindsey Graham appears to be growing a spine! It's about time. He's finally putting the brakes on the Nectarine Nemesis. And pardon me, but I can't figure out McCain. Is he voting to open debate on the ACA so he can champion keeping it? Or is he NOT being a maverick, and will he cave to his party, since they seem to have no qualms about kicking over 25 million people off health care, because you know - it's "Christian" to do so. 

"The Base" -- you can't even have a discussion with them. We're so polarized that it's impossible to reason with anyone. I'm starting to believe that he truly COULD shoot someone on Fifth Avenue and get away with it. These people will vote against everything they need, and justify this incredibly inept moron's behavior by screaming about President Obama. People... Your guy got in, somehow (Thanks, Vlad...). Now - when the government takes your Medicare, let me know how that works for you. When the government strips you of any kind of insurance and pension, let me know how that works for you. When the jobs that were promised don't appear, let me know how that works for you. When the teen pregnancy rate rises, when your spouse dies of a preventable disease, and when polio comes back because you don't believe in science -- let me know how that works for you. 

I don't know how much longer we'll sit for this - or stand for it. I'm not sure how to go about pushing for getting him out of there before we end up in a war or a depression. But then, we get Pope Pence... He'll make the most conservative Catholic look like a hippie. 

I fear for our children and grandchildren. 

Knitting...

So - that last inch before the toe decrease? It's about a million miles long. Seriously, it's like time has stopped. This was last night. Today, I finally - FINALLY - got to the toe decrease. And then I had to go hunt for the directions for a 5-needle toe. All the books I had handy were for a 4-needle, and I wasn't about to chance it. 

I went to my friend R's house to interpret a top-down pattern for her. I should've brought my ball-winder and swift, but we're getting together tomorrow so that I can wind her balls for her. 

I'm kind of itching to finish this sock and get back to the sweater. 

But. Must. Finish. A. Pair. 

I've got too many "singletons" out there now. And if I want to wear 'em, I've gotta knit BOTH of them. I have more socks to knit and I'm wondering if I'm going through a "bored with bland" period. I mean, this yarn is lovely. It's going to be a beautiful pair of socks. But I find myself wanting just a smidge more for a challenge. 

Not sure I'm ready for a cabled sock, but maybe some uncomplicated lace on the cuff? I could do that. Or I've been eyeballing "shorties" that I can wear with tennis shoes. That would be nice. I can do those in "Frankensock" - where I use up scraps. Got lots of extra yarn from the socks I've already completed. 

It's a thought. Just have to push on and get moving. 

The Girls...

I mean the dogs. We've begun using CBD oil for Quinn and Raisa. We're trying to see if it curbs Raisa's aggressiveness and calms Quinn's nerves. Nothing much so far. 

Except that Raisa has determined that, against all logic, she loves Rose essential Oil. Of course. At $100/bottle. And a bottle is 5 ml. Of course she loves it. 

I had a "distance" session with a healer - using Healing Touch for Animals, with Quinn, and it was interesting. I wasn't sure what to expect. I was pretty certain this "Reiki for animals" would be good for her in-person, but the person I spoke to wanted to do a distance session because of timing and scheduling. We do live a couple hours from each other. 

Quinn was kind of "meh" about it, except for, part-way through the session, she perked up, looked around and seemed to sense that someone was close by (besides me). Nobody was there. The person doing the session was far away. 

Tippi with blue crown

Quinn had a relaxing day that day and the healer told me she could use some Frankincense oil. Which, it turns out, she loves. Sacred Frankincense, of course, the more rare one. 

I did use regular Frankincense on her when we thought we were having a thunderstorm. Normally, Quinn's kind of "resigned" when I use lavender on her. She did enjoy the Frank... She bowed her head and seemed happier for me to use that. 

Quinn with red crown

It's a process. Whether you believe in this kind of thing or not, I have to try different things. I don't want her drugged, but she needs some relief from her overwhelming anxiety. 

If this works, I'm happy. If it doesn't work, I haven't wasted anyone's time. The person doing the healing needs a "case" to work on. I have a "case" for this kind of thing. 

I got a couple of new crowns for the girls. Raisa does without - she eats hats. Quinn would walk around the house with it on and doesn't mind. 

Tippi technically doesn't like them, but she tolerates them for therapy visits. This one - I had to whistle to get their attention and take a picture when they looked like they weren't ready to die from humiliation. 

I think they're adorable. Don't you?

Weather...

It rained. And it's been raining. These past 2 days are the only rain-free ones we've had in about 10 days. The park near my office looked like a mess. We had a relatively mild winter, and we need the water. 

Just not all at once. I had to drive through a neighborhood because traffic lights were out and I'm thinking that just about every house in the blocks I drove by had some sort of damage: a tree limb, a shattered tree, destroyed lawn furniture... It was rough. 

Lucky for us, our idiot neighbor's dead tree is still (miraculously) standing. Though I don't know how much more it can take. 

As I taught through a downpour, this is what greeted us after class... 

We all stopped and took pictures because it was a beauty - end-to-end with the most intense colors at either side. 

Mother Nature sometimes throws you a gift while she's wrecking your yard. It was a beauty and I'm glad we caught it. 

Stencil Art...

Kid #2 is really into stencils. This is what he gave me recently. You think the kid knows me or something?? 

I mean yes -- thoughts and prayers are meaningful. I'm a spiritual person. But -- sitting on your hands and praying won't cut it now. 

We actively have to resist the crap that's piling up on us. If not for us, then for our kids. Those of us with adult children see them having a much harder time than we did. Kid #1 is going to struggle his whole life to save anything. Kid #2 - we used to think that nurses and teachers "had it made" what with guaranteed jobs and pensions. 

Well, neither nurses nor teachers have it made. Hospitals are cutting nursing staffs and schools are impacted by Washington and the various states' budget woes. 

Maybe both kids should've gone into technology, but then again: those jobs also come and go. I really can't think of a profession out there with any sort of security. 

Oh. Wait. 

Professional politician. 

No thanks - I raised them to be independent thinkers. The current herd doesn't always use their brains. See: Lost Election of 2016 for the Dems (who thought they had a "sure thing" and didn't count on the vast impact of crazy), and "How to vote Party all the way" for the Cons... Where you've sold your soul to the highest  bidder, and you really don't care. 

Random Picture...

So at work, we'd been using a chemical air freshener. Ick. I bought this one - it's a very small one, but I'm trying it out. So far, it's working nicely even if it doesn't cover the entire space. 

Technically, this Orb Diffuser can fit in your cup holder, and if your car is new enough to have a USB port, it'll freshen the car as you travel. I have a diffuser in the kitchen, the bedroom and the main living area. I have one in the studio. I use them daily. If this works, I'll bring a larger one into the office. 

My going "chemical free" (or as much as I can, given life in general) has really changed the way I clean and the way I take care of myself. It's made me feel better, not only for the environment, but physically. My skin looks healthier and I seem to sleep better. 

It's important to take care of yourself and your family. I can help. Young Living Essential Oils are a part of my routine, from cleaning to supplements. And you know what? It's just nice to have a fresh-smelling house! 

Lacrimosa -- Full of Tears...

This beautiful chunk of Mozart's Requiem is one of the most famous pieces of music. 

And it is just how our church family feels. Our beloved organist and friend, Tom Secor, died on Saturday about 9:30 p.m. after a long fight. He took a fall about 5 months back, and thing spiraled from there. He wasn't that old, either. He just had a compromised system, being on the list for a kidney transplant. An infection got in, settled in and took its toll. 

Mass on Sunday was a "mess." We have had a substitute organist for a while; after struggling with those of us who could barely find our way around a keyboard (for a group of musicians, we are remarkably untalented with keyboard instruments!), we got her to play regularly. She's a pianist, and every pianist worth their salt will tell you "I don't normally play the organ." They are two distinctly different instruments, and most pianists find the feel and the set-up a little overwhelming. Several organists I know are also pianists, but it doesn't translate backward. 

She was shaken up; our choir was shaken up. You could hear a pin drop when Fr. Matt announced Tom's death. It shook our church to its roots because so many people knew him for so long. That being said, we've only been members of the church for not quite 3 years. And I can't stop crying. 

This is what I see when I let my mind wander. When my friend (and another organist) Janet's son died, she commissioned a painting like this of her son being hugged by Jesus. Is it sappy? Likely. But if it gives you comfort, you go with it. 

The funeral will be next Sunday and we're expecting an over-packed house. We have some music and luckily, some "choir ringers" -- many people who are talented musicians want to "Sing Tom Home" and we're very happy with that. That being said, I'm conceding my status as an Alto. There are soprano parts I'd been able to sing easily, but lately, those high notes are beyond my grasp. I guess I need to just accept that and be happy that there will be more than 2 Alto singers for this funeral. 

I'm meeting with Fr. Matt about Christmas and I'm not sure what he has in mind. There are a few people in the choir who don't want "slappy-happy" music, and frankly, I'm not exactly sure what that means. I'm thinking it means anything dated 1970 and forward. And while I adore the old pieces, I have to say - there's gotta be room for something else as well. Tom was accepting of my guitar, but not to the extent I used to play in my other church. And that lack of playing has started to show. As well, the sound system at St. John's isn't conducive to a guitar...hauling an amp is a pain in the sit-bones, but it may be what we do for a while. We shall see what he's got up his sleeve. 

St. Julian of Norwich...

This keeps going through my mind as we as a congregation reel from this loss. And as I deal with a lot of personal junk going on. Losing my job in December (it looks like nobody's listening to our claims that they're going to need us at the new location) is hitting me hard. I'm not sure what I want to do. I've signed up for some job search places online and I'm working with a freelance writing group. Maybe it's a sign that I have indeed been spoiled. I mentioned to Hubby last night that this job I've had for the past 8 years? It's spoiled me. Yes, I have a lot of skills, but after all this time, to an employer, my skills are "old." To ME, they're old. I did marketing and PR in the world before SEO and social media marketing. 

Yeah, I know blogs, FaceBook, Twitter, etc. But that doesn't mean I know enough to attract an employer, when there are a car-load of new graduates well-versed in these things. I don't know what the future holds, and it is bothering me. 

But I look to Julian and I hope that the appropriate solution will present itself to me. I'm not saying I'm waiting for someone to hand me something. I'm saying that I'm trying not to clutch my pearls and panic... I'm 56 years old, and jobs don't grow on trees for folks like me. I'm essentially over-qualified for a lot of things, yet under-qualified almost in the same breath. But I need to do what I've done before: consider things that are a little off the beaten path. You'd think I could get through this relatively easily, but you'd be wrong. 

Things hit us differently each time they happen. This is certainly not my first time at a lay-off. It's actually Number Five. It doesn't make it any easier. Familiarity in this case does not breed acceptance. 

Tuesday...

If I hear one more "gloom and doom" poll telling us that the Democrats have lost the election BEFORE it's even Election Day... I may scream. 

I'm secretly wondering if this really IS Venezuela, where they announced, several elections running, that Chavez had won by "unanimous" consent -- two days before everyone voted. 

Really. Let's get some perspective. It's not going to be an ice cream social. Nobody ever said that. But I'm really beginning to believe that people are waking up and smelling the coffee. 

Frankly, I can't see why any WOMAN would vote Republican. Let's face history. It hurts, but it's necessary. Republicans shut down the government last year. They have vowed to (yet again) REPEAL the Affordable Care Act. What? We don't have anything else pressing in this country? 

They deny the climate change staring them in the face. They are at the whim and behest of corporations - even all the way to SCOTUS (and why do Supreme Court Justices have contributions given to them by rich people???). They want women back in the kitchen, thank you very much. 

They penalize the poor, at the same time as they decimate what's left of the middle class. Mostly because the politicians themselves have already been taken care of by their own corporate overlords. 

Can we individually fight Citizens United - arguably the absolute worst decision to come out of the so-called unbiased Supreme Court in ages? No, we can't. But we can't afford to sit on our rear ends tomorrow because we're discouraged. 

Look at the graphic, you women especially. Our foremothers fought. They were beaten, arrested and humiliated. But they persevered. And we got the vote. 

Two countries don't allow women to vote: Saudi Arabia (and that's changing in 2015, finally) and Vatican City (yes, Vatican City is a country). 

Technically, women have had the right to vote well before the Amendment. In 1869, Wyoming actually allowed women to vote. The 19th Amendment wasn't ratified till 1920.

We could watch our civil liberties being sucked into the vortex that is Christian fundamentalism at its worst -- because that's what they want. They want us to be depressed and discouraged. They want us to throw our hands up and say, "Well, my vote doesn't count." 

It does. It truly still does. In spite of gerrymandering. In spite of commercials to the contrary. In spite of anything any local news reporter or newspaper says. 

Your vote is important. And it's important that you exercise that right. Tomorrow. If you've already voted early, then see if someone needs a ride to the polls. Don't be a bystander to your own destiny. Get into that voting booth and vote. 

And don't be a chicken about reporting irregularities. I've seen some reports where some voting machines are tallying (D) votes as (R) votes... Yep, hacked in and tampered with. Look at your ballot and watch, if you have electronic machines, what it says. Your future depends upon what you do in that voting booth. 

Einstein said something that should put all of this in perspective: The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing. 

Don't let someone else vote for you...because THEY show up and YOU decided not to. 

Knitting...

Well, I couldn't stand it. Let me backtrack. I sent the clothing out to the new baby, who should be here tomorrow, if he's on time... But I put an IOU in the card for the blanket. And I took this out because I needed a large break from baby knitting. 

Yep, the St. Charles Sock and also my music. Which, by the way, I totally screwed up on Sunday. Mind you, I could sing this in my sleep. But as I said, Mass Was A Mess, and I totally blew the song right off the page. In a bad way... 

Anyhow, the sock has now got its heel turned, and I'm in the process of doing the gusset decrease. I've got probably 10 rows before I get to the foot. I'll intersperse this with the blanket and get both of them done soon, I hope. 

I want the blanket out of my house by Christmas, though I may have to have Fr. Matt do a blessing on it, because I haven't had exactly sweet thoughts as I've been working on it!! 

Christmas Creep...

So as I go to buy a baby card on HALLOWEEN, I round the corner of my local CVS and this is what I see. 

Yes, I jumped. My friend Deb called it "The Attack of the Zombie Santas." Really. Halloween candy was still at the front of the store, but this was in the card aisle. 

And I'm already sick of holiday commercials. 

I wish to register a new phrase. It's not Christmas Creep. It's Christmas Chaos or Christmas Conquering. 

Because it's conquered all the way up to the week BEFORE Halloween, especially in Target, where the ghosty background was still up whilst they put up Santa, snowmen and reindeer. 

I really would like to see a pilgrim and a turkey. Just one. Sometime after Halloween and before Thanksgiving. 

Just one. There's gotta be one somewhere. Besides the flag that I have in my garden, I mean. 

I'll have to break down and buy one of those illuminated turkeys, just in protest. 

Sad News...

Well, Arlo went to Canary Heaven this week. He was fine in the morning, but when it was time to put him to bed, we saw he was dead in the bottom of his cage. 

Canaries usually live 10 years. He lived to 13 years, so in the last 2 or 3 years, he didn't do much singing. Arlo was a Roller Canary. That meant that when he sang, it could last 5 - 10 minutes. Seriously loud, too. Often, phone conversations ceased when Arlo started singing. Here's a YouTube of a Roller. I think we may have a file somewhere, but I can't lay my hands on it. 

He was a beautiful bird, called "blue" but actually white with grey-blue accents. Again - I do have a picture but not handy. 

Random Picture...

And to end this very sad blog on a high note, it's the always-crazy Raisa. Yes. Under my knitting chair. 

Why? Because she can. 

She's a rare breed: The Siberian Husk-Cat. Able to leap nearly 6' from a standing position. Able to cram herself into the smallest of places. Eater of anything not nailed down. Howler extraordinaire. 

And at this point, just the comic relief I need. 

Another Day...

OK. I'd say I was sorry for yesterday's rant, but I'm not. There it is. I'm sad because I was raised to believe America was "the greatest." But lately, I'm not feeling the "great." I'm feeling the "screwed." And I am not liking it... 

November is right around the corner. Educate yourself, get involved, help a candidate. Just do something. Otherwise, you've got nothing to complain about. Like Frank Zappa said (and I absolutely can't believe I'm quoting Zappa - Kid #2 would be so proud!): Modern Americans behave as if intelligence were some sort of hideous deformity.

Intelligence is what will get us through the crap and back to "great" - in my opinion. So, also in my opinion, it's best to find an issue which resonates for you and become an activist. Help others. Do something not for yourself, not because it makes you feel good, or will profit you in any respect. 

But do it because it's the right thing to do. If you don't get involved, you can't expect the next person to get involved. And then we're all sitting around a campfire somewhere, sometime, saying, "God, I don't know what happened." 

Well. It's your call.

Knitting...

Plugging away on the second sock of the KAL. Nothing to show at the moment, because I didn't bring it along. I'm on the gusset. It's a forever-lasting decrease, because I picked up more stitches on either side. I'm trying to eliminate the "holes" and I think I picked up far too many!! I can either do a series of decrease rows one after the other (with no Knit around in between) or just deal with the fact that on this sock, the gusset may be nearly as long as the foot!

For next week, since I have a campus full of cops, and to keep me away from the donuts, I'll be bringing the sock and the Blue Baby Sweater, which is near completion. 

After I get these socks done, it's back to Teal Sock #2. I've gotta get that thing done and over with! And then I'll work on the remainder of the WIPs. 

The Junk Drawer...

So I got on a cleaning binge, which didn't last long... and I cleared out the junk drawer that I have at work. I still need to prop up the leaning Norfolk Island Pine and clean out my in-box, which is right now my "hold your breath" box. But the junk drawer is done. 

I took about a gazillion pens home and threw out a bunch of stuff that managed to accumulate. Not sure how. Desk fairies, I think. 

But it feels better to have it more or less in order. 

Next will be the leaning pine and the desk. Our cleaning crew won't touch our desks, which is fine with me. But that means that every so often, I need to put every item on the floor just to give the top a decent clean-off. It's a "white" laminate desk, which is just boring and a pain in the butt to keep clean. 

Oh well. Complaining about it won't get it done.

Nokia Camera Phone...

So I've been playing with the phone's camera. It's the jazzy whiz-bang one. Here's some of the stuff I've been working with.

Bzzzzzzy guy

We have Prairie Blazing Star in our front bed. Which I didn't remember, but was reminded of by my gardening guru, Sue. I did tag it; we have 2 and they're in the front bed. As I stuck the tag in this one, my fuzzy brain detected a really, REALLY close-up BZZZZZZZZ.

It was this guy. Now, I was a good 3 feet from him after I nearly had a heart attack when I realized my hand was virtually on top of him. 

Lucky for me, he was intent on checking out each flower. And each spire. He wasn't afraid of me. I was more afraid of HIM!

So when I got inside, I played with the "crop" feature and this is what I got - a very clear shot and a really nifty frame, at least I think.

It won't beat the EOS, but for those spur-of-the moment shots, this camera is really nice. And I can carry it much more easily on my bike rides! 

Cemetery at sunset

The next shot is of the cemetery at Stateville Penitentiary. At sunset, after I was done teaching a yoga class. I didn't do much of anything with this one. But I thought the light was unique. 

If you click on it, you'll see the gravestones. And if you're anywhere close and have a thing for old burial grounds, you'll notice that each stone is marked with a "W" or a "C" -- the last grave was, I think, dug in the 1960s. And at that time, you can imagine not many relatives claimed the bodies. So they marked them with a "W" for white and "C" for colored. I'll have to get in there and take some pictures of the stones. It's sad but it's our history. 

Exercise...

Well. It appears that Atkins isn't for me. I lost the initial 5 lbs. or so. Then my weight loss stalled. All still in the Induction phase. So I read in the book, "If your weight loss is less than a pound a week, you may have reached your carb load."

I'm sorry. I'm not eating the same 6 things for the rest of my life. And according to this logic, I would basically never have fruit again. Can't do it. Doesn't make sense.

So I'm just eating "clean" and ramping up the exercise. Over the long weekend, Hubby and I took 2 long bike rides. 

Long for me, that is. He said he'd have been surprised if we did 2 miles the first day. We did 4. The day after that, we did 5. And Tuesday, I took a walk. Needless to say, I walk a lot slower, but I'm easing into this. 

Yoga is still my go-to, but I need the other activity - it's all about being well-rounded in exercise so as to not be "well-rounded" in body!

Anyway, I finally figured out the "fitness" app on the Samsung phone, and I did 1.1 miles. Lest you scoff, our neighborhood is hilly. So I took my time and I know I'll get back to my normal pace at some point.

Live Oak??

Brought the phone, obviously, and lookee what I found!! It looks almost like a Live Oak. I have to see if we even have those in Illinois. 

Obviously, I mean the middle tree, where the branch/trunk juts out toward the center of the lot. Click on it to see what it looks like. 

Very intriguing. 

So if the weather holds out (we're supposed to get t-storms), perhaps Thursday a.m. I walk again. Or hit the basement for the "elliptiKILL" as I call it. Either way, the exercise is making me feel loads better.

I think that we've finally got the heart Rx down and I can function; I'm not afraid of keeling over like I was before we got it figured out. So we shall continue to move forward and remember that "slow and steady" is the right way for me to go. 

Random Picture...

Yeah. It's yarn. Yeah, it's specifically SOCK YARN. And yeah, it'll be something some day. Perhaps lace socks. While I'm whipping through the "plain vanilla" and it's an excellent pattern, I'd like to do something with maybe learning cables or some sort of interest. 


I added it to Ravelry. I have to go through and actually look at what I've "stashed" and see if what's currently in the work bags is actually already logged. I know. It's freaky. But I like records. 

So anyway, at some point, there will be socks. Lots of socks, if The Stash is any indication. I don't even want to disclose... 

Sigh...

Whew! It's Been Busy...

I just about can't remember what I wrote last time... 

Anyway, here goes with what's been going on now. 

Heart...

On Monday night, I had another a-fib attack, and this time, I really mean ATTACK because the rhythm was vastly different from the one at the end of February. From 11 p.m. - about 4 a.m. I was not a happy bunny.

Here's the thing: Normally, when I'm in a-fib, I feel like my heart is "making waves" across my chest. Instead of lub-dup, lub-dup, I get "whosh-woosh, wosh-woosh" and it FEELS like ripples.

Monday night, it was THWACK-dup, lub-dup.......(pause) THWACK, THWACK, THWACK and on and on in a really indeterminate pattern. Hubby checked my pulse and BP, so if I needed the pill-in-pocket thing, I could do that. My pulse wasn't where it needed to be to fit the guideline, so it was "butt-on-the-couch" time; I feel better sitting up when this is all going on.

By 4 a.m., I thought I was ok, because THWACK had stopped. Well... now it was thready. I mean, sometimes Hubby can't - for all his experience - find my pulse (he was an EMT). Heck, even I couldn't find my own pulse, which is, let me tell you - rather disconcerting. He took BP and the thready-ness of the rhythm caused us some concern.

Called Sis. Sis got us in to the Cardio Guy. He's not happy, either, since this is the second "significant break through" in a month. Suffice to say, of course, that the EKG didn't show anything because it had already whacked itself back to behaving. But, as my sister said to me, "Wow - you really look like CRAP." There's that, I suppose. 

So Cardio Guy says I have to switch up some meds. One he discontinued. One he added, one he changed. And I had to go buy a new phone. 

What?? 

Well. There's this new device, called AliveCor, which is basically a portable EKG you put on your phone. And of course, it's only on iPhone and Android. I have GOT to holler at those Windows people. I love my Windows phone and I really didn't want to deal with another device.

But there you have it. I am now the proud owner of a Samsung Galaxy 4 (there are only certain Androids it'll work on, too). I thought it might be compatible with Hubby's Android tablet, which would be fine - it's a little one. No dice. Had to be the phone. Mine's red. I've got the app on it already, and I'm waiting on the thingie you put on the back of it. 

Basically, if I have another --- who are we kidding?  WHEN I have another a-fib attack outside of office hours, I can open the app, place my thumbs on the sensors, and it takes my EKG at that moment. I can then e-mail it to the Cardio Guy's office and we can have a history. This is very new technology, because they didn't say anything about it to me last fall when I was in there.

But then again - the meds were working when I was in there last fall...

Anyhow, Cardio Guy said that I have to look at the ablation procedure "sooner rather than later" if this continues...or as he says, "as it gets worse, because it will." 

Not what I wanted, but it's what I got, so I'm rolling with it. Sadly, I had to cancel a Tuesdays with Tippi appearance. I was totally zonked. Between no sleep, the discombobulation of the a-fib on my brain and just not feeling "fit on my feet" -- it was better to stay home.

By the way, Sis says their EMR system doesn't recognize "fuzzy brain" as a symptom. I told her, "find the Notes area and say that I couldn't make words." She said, "Well, THAT is a first." Lovely... It's a good thing she's my favorite (well, only) sister. 

Knitting...

March Snowman

The Schedule is working nicely. Sunday, after Raisa's last make-up of Beginner Obedience (she did very well, more a little farther down), I got a substantial chunk done on March Snowman. His hat is nearly to the brim. The stick is all done. I have to find the shamrock pin. Or I get a button. Either way. I don't care. 

I mean, I care, but it doesn't matter to me in the overall scheme of things. It's coming along. 

And Hubby got clamp handles for my stand, so when I get to the Mom's Angel, I can have it on the stand. The March Snowman is small enough to put on my lap, though I do like it on the stand better. Once it's all put back together (the stand, I mean), I should be able to use it. 

The Pink Sock? Nothing even to report. I got in two rows. Yes, TWO rows. 

The Teal Sock is coming along nicely. I have to stitch on it today, which I haven't done so far, but I don't have yoga tonight (the class is being revamped, so we skipped a week). I'm much farther along the leg of that one. No picture; nothing worth photographing.

The February Lady Sweater progresses, even if this picture doesn't look like much. The yarn has a gorgeous drape to it, and I can agree with the pattern's author, who says "the sweater grows." 


So here's how that worked out yesterday. First of all, Raisa decided when I opened up the blinds on Tuesday that her fuzzy butt would be in MY chair. Upon which I had set the February Lady Sweater. I'm telling you - my 'OFF, NOW' was champion. 

Second, I'm ever-so-close to starting the lace pattern. I'm hoping this all works out with the end result being 255 stitches at the end of the yoke. 

Anyway, it's coming along, even though it looks boring. The yoke is just about done. I don't know if I will get the 3rd button on the yoke. If I had it to do over, I'd bring the first buttonhole down and only use 2 buttons. I'm not sure I want the 3rd one on the lace, since it's not technically a button band. I'll look on Ravelry and see what goes on. 

And I'll have to see what to do with my lovely red "toy box photo studio" -- we had to put some of that no-slip material on it, because our Siberian Husk-Cat is getting bigger and she's having to squeeze her big hairy feet onto this thing. She keeps sliding off.

So I'll continue on with The Schedule and we'll be able to see progress in the WIP pile. 

Tuesday, as I recovered from "a-fib fuzzy brain" I got the idea to clean out the shelf under Arlo's cage. It has become rather piled up with knitting books and magazines. 

What I've been doing is tabbing the stuff I want in magazines and scanning it onto the computer. Then I have to find a spot to get rid of the magazines. I don't want to just pitch them, and I know there are knitters out there who would love to get them. I asked my FB KnitWits and the suggestion was to see if the local Senior Center would like them. I could do that, since there don't appear to be many knitters at church. 

I just did the first magazine in the first quarter of the pile I brought to work, and I'm tossing it all on a thumb drive for now. Saving it to the computer means I have it, and if I am not currently planning to knit it, at least I don't have excess piles of paper hanging around. We used to be able to share them at our yarn store, but the new owner doesn't want us to do that, so I'm happy I polled my KnitWits. 

Oh, and my cozy got fondled. 

Wait. That's not as awful as it sounds!!

I met with a friend at the local Starbucks, so I brought my reusable Starbucks "faux cup" along with its blue cozy (knitted a couple of months ago). The barista fondled it. She said, "Wherrrrrrrre did you GET this????????" and I told her I made it. She was agog at it, which made me smile because really - it's a 3" circle of yarn. But to a non-knitter, it must be pretty spiffy looking. 

Maybe if I'm ever in a position to mindlessly knit forever, I could churn these out for Starbucks!

Politics...

Oh, where do I start? How about with SCOTUS, who's just sold our democratic election process to the highest bidders?  In a "shouldn't be surprised" move, five Supreme Court justices (or should I say "salesmen"???) killed democracy.

You thought Citizens United was bad? Apparently, now, if you've got enough money, you can buy yourself any election in the US. Anywhere, for whatever amount is the going rate. 

I am sick. 

United States of Koch? And as a woman? Well, let's just say it's a good thing I'm past my reproductive years. And it's a good thing that I work for a place where I'm pretty sure I'm being paid a fair wage for my work and I have health insurance and retirement. 

Because otherwise, we've turned into an oligarchy. ("A small group of people having control of a country, organization or institution.)

Can we guess which party these guys are? Because I'm truly not being sexist. Those who voted FOR selling our country's democracy down the river are all (at least biologically) men. 

I say "biologically" because they may HAVE balls. But they've handed them to the corporate types who now own them. And, by extension, us. 

It's a sad, sad day. 

Random Picture...

I'm really not feeling it today. I did have one picked out, but since the SCOTUS decision is NOT an April Fool's joke, I'm just not able to make the whiplash switch from "we're screwed" to "awwwwwwwwwww." 

Catching Up...

So it's been a few weeks. Let's catch up here.

1.  The Bolero: Finished, not in time for Convocation, but all I have to do is sew up the seams. It's at home waiting for me after work this morning.

2.  Kid #2's hat: Just putting the edging on it now. I was going to do a whack of I-cord and then sew it on, but I thought that I might want to do what the pattern says (boring?) just to see how it turns out - and I wasn't sure how the I-cord would work.

3.  Is it bad when you're looking at the yarn that's left and thinking, "Wow, a really simple rolled brim hat!"??

4.  Cardiac stuff: The guy at Northwestern said to hang tight with the meds for now. He said I'd have to come back twice with EITHER procedure, because "we don't want to nick your esophagus or the top of your lung." I don't want you to do that either! Those parts work, and I'd like to keep it that way.

5. My Website: For the editing stuff and the voice-over work - we just have to decide on which provider we want to use. Hubby did a FANTASTIC job on it, and when it's live, I'll post the link.

6.  Weight-loss: Well, the "Metabolism Miracle" is helping. I'm about 20 lbs. down, and I really feel good. I told my yoga teacher that I almost "whooped" in class. We were doing child's pose and it was the first time in YEARS that when I was in the pose, my CHEST was on my thighs instead of my belly. She's happy with this program because she said it looks like I'm "glowing" and not drawn or saggy-looking (as if I was on a crash diet or eating the wrong things).

7.  New Chiropractor: So, my plantar fasciitis never really healed up after the Avon Walk, and it's gotten to the point where my friend Lori the Podiatrist said she really couldn't do anything more from her end. So I sought acupuncture to at least relieve some of the pain, but the doc (also a chiropractor and medical massage therapist) says that he'd rather work on getting my foot "right" and then use acupuncture if necessary. I have never had a "medical massage" but I have been adjusted. He pointed out that now, even though I can touch my toes, I'm bending funny and my hips are out of line (which I could feel). After he got done working over both calves, I felt like cooked linguine, but oh my.... I have noticed a difference. I'm excited to get this all fixed, and equally excited that he's in my insurance plan!

8.  Upcoming Election: PLEASE REGISTER TO VOTE!! Go to the Google. Type in "register to vote" plus your state. Find out the deadlines, do your homework, and GET READY TO VOTE. I'm patently and obviously a liberal-progressive-tree-hugging-Democrat. And I really do want "our side" to win. But aside from that, it really irks me that people in some districts (You know who you are, Ohio) are screwing with everyone's right to vote. EVERYONE who is eligible should be able to vote easily and I can't believe we're going back to the Jim Crow era. Please make sure your registration is in order; help someone who's not sure of the process; offer to drive to the polls. Get involved. We have the right and we need to exercise it, regardless of HOW you vote. It's important that you DO vote.

9.  Abortion Rights: Really? Hang on...let me check. Yep, it's 2012. Women have been part and parcel of society since Eve ate the apple. We have the right to vote. We work. We raise families. But a group of uber-religious men want to tell us that we don't have the right to make the choice. I'm also blatantly pro-choice - which does not mean I'm pro-abortion. It means that I am in favor of our God-given right to make up our own minds. What does the Bible say? (I figure since we're being thumped over the head with it, we may as well use it...) God gave us free will. It's not my job to be God. It's my job to be there for you, to ask questions, to help you make sure that your decision is right for YOU. Not right for ME or right for some Republican conservative who won't ever know the impact the decision will have on you, because he's not living your life.  Abortion rights are needed. What's not needed is men shoving women backward. As women, we need to shove back. If you weren't born with a vagina, you really don't have a stake in this fight.

10.  The Garden: Well, I'm not sure we'll be overrun with tomatoes; they're coming steadily but not in great numbers or great size. Carrots? Well, yeah, THOSE are coming along like crazy. And my friend Shaun brought me a bag of backyard peaches. We're making peach preserves today. I hate peach preserves, but I know people who love them, so what the heck, right? I'd rather use them than toss them. If I can find the fruit without having a heart attack, we may also do strawberry jam. And I think we still have sour cherries - that would make a lovely sauce over ice cream, don't you think?

Meandering Monday...

OK, so I know I should ("should") be blogging more often, because I know I have wanted to say stuff, but I'm just pffffffth lately. So here goes with a really random list of things I've wanted to say.

1.  Penn State: Sorry, not enough. The NCAA should've invoked the "death penalty" on them. The students/coaches at SMU did something rotten to earn theirs, but not NEAR as rotten as allowing a pedophile virtually unlimited access to children. Sure, invoke the fines, pull back scholarships and delete their presence from bowl games -- and YES, move the statue of "St. JoPa" - but more importantly, a "death penalty" will give people pause and give them lots to think about.

2.  Health issues: I'm feeling pfffffffffth because (a) it's hotter than a convection oven today and has been for a while -- and I'm not "lizard" like my mom. Not liking the heat. And (b) the medications I'm taking so far lower my heart rate, keep my blood pressure down, and thin my blood. And I'm still having the "joy of Mother Nature's visits" so I'm probably somewhat anemic. Tired much? I swear I have the stamina of a newborn and it's really annoying me.

3.  Health update: I have an appointment in August with a specialist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital about the ablation procedure. They're doing a "cryo-balloon ablation" as opposed to a "radio-frequency" procedure. One is hot (RF) and one is cold (cryo). One is 6 hours on a table (RF) and one is about 2 hours (cryo). While I know there are risks on every procedure, to me - the fact that you spend less time "under and out" makes the cryo more appealing, but I've got lots of questions to ask. The ultimate goal, of course, is to fix my heart while it's still in good shape and get me off the meds that make me feel "pffffffffth."

4. Knitting update: I absolutely HATE the sweater!!! It's wrong. The gauge is wrong. The measurements are wrong. It looks like a sweater that would fit a 1o-year-old. And I knitted it according to the "XL" size on the pattern. I'm sure (ahem) that there's some knitter-issue there, but I've heard from some of the other KAL knitters that the yarn was a stinker to work with. I have one skein left, and I'll probably trade it for another color (pink or salmon) and make Kid #1's girlfriend a headband. She's a blonde, so the ivory yarn would just melt into her head.

5.  Politics: Does it strike anyone else that Mitt's going to LONDON to hold fundraisers? Yes, they'll be soliciting "American donations" but those folks work for Barclay's Bank. Conflict much? The Citizens United decision is stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid. And for SCOTUS to have the gall to claim that there would be "no inherent conflict or corruption" means that those folks need to get out more.

6.  Knitting 2: I've started a bolero out of Knit One Crochet Two cotton. It's pretty. And yeah, I've already frogged and started over. Knitting = relaxation, right??? Auggggggggh!!! But it's coming along and I hope to have it done before Convocation, which is our big "start the fall semester" celebration at work. It'll be cute. If it's not 100* in the shade!! It's cropped AND short sleeved, so I'm hoping I can wear it.

7.  Tippi's Therapy Work: Well, the Tipster is working out quite nicely at Child Advocacy Center. We have a gig tomorrow that's THREE appointments! I believe she'll do well, as long as we get a break mid-way through for her to eat and decompress a bit. And we start the work at the main campus for "Tuesdays with Tippi" in September. She'll be a busy girl! We'll have that TDIX certification in no time! Not bad for a rescue dog.

8.  Knitting 3: Yeah, lots of knitting today. I'm trying to get organized and do a NO MORE SHOPPING approach till I get some projects done. Please, stop laughing!! I'm serious!! I've decided to bag up my projects (those not started and the WIPs*) and pull one out a month. Work on that project for a month (socks don't count if I can get them done quickly) and get some of this whittled down. *WIP is "manufacturing speak" for Work-In-Progress. The other common term is UFO (Un-Finished-Object).

9. Knitting 4: So the boys found "ear-flap" hats they want for Xmas. Blowing a slight hole in my "empty the stash" project... Yes, the yarn is purchased. Yes, they're bagged up. Will start THEM after the bolero.

10.   The Garden: So it looks like Hubby's persistent watering has done some good. We have our first batch of tomatoes, and the herbs are weathering the drought. We have a nesting pair of Ruby Throated Hummingbirds, and they visit the feeders regularly (as do the wasps, but we have traps out...). The shallots are done and need to be pulled up, and the carrots are coming along swimmingly.  I do, however, have a severe problem with a soil-bound fungus which is totally screwing up my roses. Unfortunately, the only cure is to pull them up, pour on neem oil and then never plant roses in that area again. Bummer. But I think we'll shift over next year to a butterfly-and-hummingbird-friendly garden. I also have a Memorial Garden set up for our dogs who're passed on with solar gazing balls and little monuments. It's a rock garden, and we have St. Francis there. And my Cubs gnome.

11.  Ron Santo: Sorry, I was only going to do 10... But Ron Santo was finally (FINALLY) inducted into the Hall of Fame. Could you all have waited any freakin' longer??? The man is dead. He LIVED for Cubs baseball. And he had a pre-steroids record, including him being a diabetic, that should make most younger players hang their heads in shame. I'm so glad he's finally there, but jeeze....You're talking about inducting Sammy Sosa and the other 'roid-heads that are already there, and you leave Santo out in the cold till after his death? Heartless morons. His wife and family were very gracious. And actually, I'm thrilled. Just annoyed at the way it all came down.

Facts Sometimes Hurt...

So at the revival meeting for St. Ronald of Reagan the other night (otherwise known as one of the first Republican candidate debates), the various Republican candidates were trying to "make like Ronnie" and prove who could out-Gipper the Gipper.

Let's see -- most of the chatter actually seemed to be at cross purposes because you can't channel the Gipper AND claim loyalty to the tea party, which is actually a very small percentage of the Republican party. And "real" Republicans are now - or should be - trying to pour oil on the tea to calm the zealots down. If they ever want to win something, it won't be on the attributes of the screaming wing-nuts. Just because they're noisy doesn't mean they're great in numbers. Luckily, most people are more moderate - we hope!

The Chicago Tribune, never a liberal bastion of journalism (at least in my memory) had an interesting article on September 7, entitled Revisionism at odds with reality. Go figure, the Repubs are re-writing the Gospel of St. Ron...

Here are the facts in the actual Gospel, all of which have been overlooked as the various candidates jockey for position and attempt to re-write history to fit their own purposes:

1.  Reagan approved several tax increases to deal with a huge budget deficit. Haven't we been told repeatedly that tax increases don't "create jobs"? And that the only way to balance the budget is to CUT taxes? Hmmmmmm. Math, anyone?

2.  Reagan repeatedly boosted the nation's debt limit which is quite the 'no-no' for this current crop of legislators.

3.  Reagan signed an amnesty law aiding millions (yes, MILLIONS) of illegal immigrants and you know how Republicans feel about "illegals." Particularly the brown ones.

4.  Reagan oversaw an increase in the size and spending of the federal government which is also "against the rules" because any good Republican knows that "big government is bad." Which makes you wonder why Rick Perry is asking for FEDERAL aid for the Texas wildfires. I thought that the poor and unfortunate were supposed to "pull themselves up by their own bootstraps" when they had troubles, and not look to the big government to help 'em out. How's that workin' for ya, Rick??

5.  Reagan, as governor of California, enacted the largest (at the time) state tax increase in American history. Almost makes Pat Quinn in Illinois look like a piker.

6.  Reagan signed into law one of the most permissive abortion laws of any state. And we all know that to Republicans, a fetus is important. A child? Not so much. But God Save the Fetus!!

The article goes on to state, "Reagan's willingness to compromise also has fallen badly out of favor in a Republican Party fired by its give-no-quarter ranks of tea party loyalists."

I would like to think that, since in his favor he was rather a pragmatist, he wouldn't have fallen prey to the tea party blathering. The final quote in the article says it all:

"I don't think...you should cherry-pick history."

Kinda sums up the entire Republican strategy, doesn't it?