Saturday, February 28, 2009

Catching Up

So, I've been AWOL again. lol Seems I'm not into online stuff much these days. Thanks to those who have kept up with me through email, though.

Let's see, what's been happening?

Personally, husband's been ill a lot this winter. Not been a good winter for him. But he seems to be on the mend and hopefully will be all right by the time the weather warms up permanently. The change in weather - freezing to warm to freezing again isn't helping. Oh and warm to us for those living in warmer climes, is anything above freezing at 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

Sad news on the pet front. Bob, my tan tabby, has bone cancer and according to the vet, doesn't have a lot of time. We could have the tumor surgically removed but considering where it is, his back left leg would have to be amputated and then he'd be a three-legged cat. Which would be fine if he were like 5 not 11 and if we had the money to spend on that. We barely manage to pay for our own health care so unfortunately, poor Bob is being made as comfortable as possible but after that....well, I'm bracing myself.




Bob sleeping. He's lost a lot of weight.
You can see the way he's sticking his leg out
that something is not right.

Work is kind of dismal in the sense that newspapers all over the country are suffering and all of us are kind of wondering how much more they'll cut at our place. We're on skeleton crew as it is. All we can do is wait and see. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if come Monday we found out we're mailing papers out and all the delivery people got laid off or something. Office and editorial are so cut back it's sad. We can't even have an assistant editor any more. People are doing the work but not getting the pay. How sad is that?

Oh well, at least we're still laughing in the office and having a good time while we're all still there. You never know who's going to be the next to get the axe. It's like being in radio after a new owner steps in. Doesn't matter if you're doing a good job or not. If they're going to change the format, etc., someone is going to go. Well, that's usually just the on air staff. Right now everyone is hanging in the balance.

Well, aren't I a fountain of uplifting news? Sorry about that. I'm wondering if I'm not slightly depressed and not aware of it?

We supposedly have a new start date from USA for Law & Order: Criminal Intent in April. It's back on Sundays again and it seems like a good thing but I honestly just don't care. If I watch it, I watch it, if I miss it I won't be anguished over it like I would have been a few months ago. I'm not even planning on taping them because quite frankly I just don't think I'll bother to watch it more than once. I'm not even all that excited that it's got a premiere date.

Still love Life on Mars and am taping that but am not as obsessed over it as I was over LOCI. In other words I'm not seeking out fan sites, etc. I like it and that's that.

Stopped watching 24. Missed a couple of eps and when you get behind in that show, you really get behind. It still seems to be as exciting as ever but I just am not all that upset over losing track of it either.

I am rather happy politically speaking. I've gone from being angry at Republicans to laughing at them. President Obama gave a marvelous speech to Congress and the Republicans offered Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal who reminded me of a creepy Mr. Rogers. I'm not ten Governor Jindal, please don't talk to me like I am. And do something about your facial expression. You looked like you were in pain or something.

He's supposed to be one of the rising stars in the Republican party. The party of 'No.' As in no new ideas, just the same old crap. I have a hard time taking seriously a group of people who claim tax cuts have always worked in the past and will work in the future. Yeah, like they did the last 8 years? Worked real good, huh, Jethro?

So let's see, the Republicans have Sarah Palin, Bobby Jindal and Joe the Plumber (who showed up at Republican gathering known as CPAC). Wow, those are the new rising stars of the Republican party? Okay. That's nice. And you have Ann Coulter and Rush Limbaugh as the voice of the Republican party? Wow. What an unholy group that is!

On one hand, I'm thrilled because then I can plan the funeral of the party known as the Republican party in a couple of years. On the other, they're just bright enough to be able to pull the wool over people's eyes. Look at Dubya and what he did? Who would have honestly thought that guy would ever be president? I mean seriously! Just because they're not really very smart doesn't mean they're complete idiots. They're just smart enough to be dangerous because they know how to manipulate. That's the scary part.

Here's hoping the gamble the Republicans are taking with being the party of 'No,' kills them off completely. The smart ones will find a new party. One that doesn't include neo-cons and extreme evangelicals. One that looks SANE!

Sorry but when the Republicans stand there talking about being fiscally responsible, I laugh. Wow, talk about the audacity of those people! It's okay to borrow and spend to go kill people and take over other countries but not to help the people in your own country who may be out of work because of the tanking economy that occurred under their watch? Big government is bad unless it's the Republicans making it bigger?

On a positive note, I'm going to say something nice about former President George W. Bush. Yes, really. No sarcasm or anything.

Despite being skewered by DICK Cheney over the "Scooter" Libbey fiasco, the former president is not playing the 'tit for tat' game and remaining silent. He's showing a lot of class by staying out of the fray, recognizing that it's Obama's time and while I'm sure he's disapointed and disagrees with the decisions being made in the White House these days, he's courteous enough to not say anything, unlike other members of his administration like the big DICK.

Yep, these are sad times for Republicans. Watching them spew forth their hateful rhetoric, it makes me wonder if they know what a joke to they are to everyone but the faithful Kool Aid drinkers? Sadly, that would be many people in the small county I live in.

Ah well, all I can do is keep the faith and not let the ignorant bring me down.

Will see if the spring brings me out of my apathy. Hope you all are doing well. I'll make my rounds tomorrow of blogs and forums I've long been absent from. See you all soon.

[NP: Elvis Costello - Oliver's Army]

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

A Happy Post

Okay, so I did say I would try and work at being happier so here it is. lol

I've got a new celebrity crush. No, Vincent D'Onofrio is still at the top of that list, but still, this one is really cute.

My husband and I have been staying up later recently and so we've been not only watching Jon Stewart on The Daily Show and Stephen Colbert on The Colbert Report but we've also been watching part of Letterman and Craig Ferguson of the Late Late Show, which follows right after Dave. I think Craig Ferguson is just adorable!

I've known about him for a while. He was on Drew Carey's show for years and he's been doing the Late Late Show for a while now, too. But since we've been watching him every night, I've just grown to adore him! He's charming, witty, just enough outside the box to be funny but not overly weird like I find Conan O'Brien. Hey, I have a tendency to like weird things and all but O'Brien's weird is different from my weird. lol

In any case, for those who may suffer from insomnia (we don't, we just seem to have taken to later hours recently) you should check out The Late Late Show. Ferguson reportedly doesn't work with cue cards or anything. Just gets out there with an idea of what he wants to talk about and starts talking. The end result is hysterical and adorable.

Will be back with a catch up with random thoughts about everything from television to politics later. I feel like I've been gone a long, long, long, long time. lol Guess when you go from posting several times a day to once a week it feels like a lot more time has passed.

[NP: Foo Fighters - Learn to Fly]

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Not All Change Is Good

On a national level, the changes we've seen are good. We've got a president with a brain who speaks English and who isn't afraid of tough questions. That's such a breath of fresh air. I'm no longer embarrassed about the man who represents this country. I actually WANT to watch presidential press conferences again. It's such a refreshing change.

On a more local, work-oriented level, change isn't always good. We recently had to change our comics page. Also the crossword puzzles.

What's the problem you ask? Well, apparently there are a lot of people who claim to only subscribe to the newspaper for the comics and/or crosswords. The range of complaints go from slightly annoyed to downright outrage. I understand that. When you're used to something being one way and it changes on you, sometimes it's hard to take. Especially when it changes completely and no vestiges of the old are available to you any more.

However, when you start making complaints about the change and ask why because you completely missed the THREE COLUMN PIECE THE EDITOR WROTE EXPLAINING IT on Saturday, then you need to go out and get a flippin' life. Seriously.

If I were paying for a newspaper subscription, the comics - which I admit I NEVER read, didn't know what we had nor what we got instead until people told me - wouldn't matter one bit to me. I understand we all have things we like and dislike. Some of you may read the paper and enjoy the comics a lot more than I do. But if that's all you subscribe to your local newspaper for, then maybe you should buy comic books instead or something. Especially those who complained over Peanuts being gone.

Listen, I got news for those people, Charles Schultz has been dead for about nine years now. All you're getting are repeats. They've all been done before. Buy a book of Peanuts comics and you'll be getting a better bargain.

Yes, I'm being a bit of a bitch but honestly, we've got bigger problems here. Besides the economy, we've had two murders in our county recently. One was a second grade teacher at my oldest granddaughter's school who taught the same grade she's in. It wasn't her teacher but it's such a small community I know on some level she's going to be affected.

As I was leaving the office today a call came over the police radio about another gun shot victim. The crime reporter went out to investigate and all I know is, we're having a lot more murders in this community than I can remember in the entire time I've lived here. Violent crimes.

So I'd like to ask those people who took the time to call in their displeasure - especially the ones who were so vitriolic in the expression of their disappointment - WTF is their problem? Get a life and/or subscribe to another paper. Good luck. We're the only one that actually carries local news. If you don't care about that don't even bother with the paper.

With all the staff cutbacks and the crappy equipment we're expected to do our jobs with, I'd love to have them try and do our jobs for just one day. I have a computer that locks up on me at least once or twice a day. It's guaranteed. To try and avoid it we just reboot sometimes to avoid having it lock up at an inopportune moment. Like in the middle of billing or after typing in a really long legal notice that would make anyone's eyes cross to have to proof read. I know, I've had it happen to me and it's not fun.

The editor, who has the most updated equipment has her computer crash on her regularly, too.

So people, before you call your small town local newspaper to complain, consider they may be dealing with an asshole corporate office who doesn't give a rats behind about you or them and cut them some slack. It's not easy for anyone out there these days and being a nasty prick is only going to get you people who will put out the least amount of effort on your behalf. Trust me, I know.

Okay, bitch fest over. I'm going to try and get more upbeat about things tomorrow. Have a good Wednesay all.

[Nothing playing now. Just watching PBS.]

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Randomness Meme

2/8 Be My Valentine

In honor of Valentine's Day:

answer the following....

1. If you could have any Valentine you wanted, who would it be?

Well, besides my husband, Vincent D'Onofrio, of course!

2. What is your idea of a romantic date?

Quiet evening at home, dinner for two, television and phones off! :-)

3. Do you prefer chocolates or flowers on Valentine's Day?

Chocolates. Flowers are pretty and all but chocolates trump them every time!

4. What is your favorite romantic movie? romantic book?

Wow, really you know, I'm not a romantic movie type and I'm not into romance novels very much either. But, I suppose Ghost would be the one romantic movie that really gets me every time. Book? I'll have to give that more thought. Gothic romances were always good but I can't think of any off the top of my head.

5. Do you like those 'conversation hearts' or do you think they taste gross?

They taste gross but I like to use them for decoration. :-)

6. Who is your Valentine this year?

The same guy who's been my Valentine for the last 26 years, my husband. :-)

Extra word association:
I say...you think...

1. Valentine - Jim (my husband)

2. Cute - My two cats

3. Romantic - Candles and wine

4. Red - Hearts and passion

5. Flowers - Roses

6. Candy - Chocolate truffles

7. Cupid - Cute little cherubs


That was mindless and easy! At least it seems I'm back to surfing online!

Will try and get all caught up soon. I've come across some real gems that I've been missing!

[NP: R.E.M. - Disturbance at the Heron House]

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Clearing the cobwebs

Hey folks, I'm still somewhere out there. I'm clearing the cobwebs and hoping to be more present now that things are starting to settle into some kind of routine. Thought I'd stop in and rant a bit about how much I still HATE members of the Bush Administration even though they're supposed to be gone. Some of them just won't STFU and go away.

Andrew Card, former Chief of Staff for the idiot in chief George W. Bush is one. Apparently he feels by being more relaxed at the White House is not proper and insulting to the "office." So does he think they made better decisions while wearing those suits? Do ties keep your brains from falling to your feet? Apparently not. Eight years of Bushdom and the formal look 24/7 didn't do much to improve their time in office did it? Seriously. The fact that they have the nerve to speak up at all after the embarrassment that was the Bush Administration just pisses me off. You're over. Go away and make your millions talking about how everyone else is wrong and you're right, never mind that FREE MARKET doesn't work. Even Alan Greenspan, the guru of the Fed who's ass all conservatives were kissing throughout his term artificially keeping things looking rosey (my husband complained once back in the late nineties that all Greenspan was doing was putting off the inevitable and it would make it worse in the end and he was right). Greenspan admitted while testifying in Congress that he was WRONG. So get over yourself Andrew Card and live in the shame you should be living in.

Now the HUGE outrage of the week was DICK Cheney who just won't wheel himself off into the sunset. At least former President (I LOVE saying that, btw) Bush had the grace and decency to move far away from Washington, D. C. DICK is right across the Potomac and doesn't seem to be leaving any time soon. He's been talking about how if we are attacked it will be because President Obama has decided to bring morality back to this country by NOT TORTURING> I'm so pissed I want to just scream. The mentality hasn't died off yet and I wish it would. We still have those who think that the only way to defeat the enemy is by becoming them.

DICK needs to get his head out of his ass and wake up and see he's a dinosaur who had ideas that belong in the dark ages. I'd go on and on but Jon Stewart of The Daily Show summed up all my feelings so much more eloquently I'll leave you with this clip. I echo Mr. Stewart's sentiments and emphasize the FU part especially.





[NP: Beatles - Something]