Brain Malfunction

I've been sitting here for about an hour wondering what to post. Maybe I need to come up with a theme for Wednesdays -- much like the "Monday Garden Blog."

Actually, as if work hasn't been enough to exhaust me this week, there has been a sleep issue. It all started Sunday night when we had that big storm and the power went out for a few seconds. Just long enough to reset the clock to 12:00.

txrad was kind enough to reset the clock. Then Monday evening he went in and turned on the alarm to wake us up the next morning, only he forgot to reset the time for the alarm.

Tuesday morning the alarm went off and I apparently hit the snooze button a couple of times. I don't really remember it. This continued for quite a while. Finally I started thinking, "I don't know why I'm so tired but I cannot get up now and I know I'm going to be late for work."

After hitting snooze a few more times I finally was awake enough to actually open my eyes and look at the clock. It was 2:07 AM. I'd been hitting the snooze button every 11 minutes or whatever for 2 hours. Then I was so annoyed I couldn't go back to sleep until probably well after 3:00.

I haven't fully recovered yet.

The Republicans Debated

Actually they still are, but I need to say something.

This is one boring debate. Is this the very BEST the Republican Party can offer up for 2008 to lead America into our second decade of the 21st century?

If so, then we need a one-party system.

I'm joking. We need a multi-party system, and the Republicans are welcome to participate, but I'm embarrassed as an American to have this crop of ignorant misfits vying for the presidency.

All around, it's just one big bad vibe.

How the fuck can we fight a "new kind of warfare" if we can't even discuss gays in the military like fucking adults?

This is one crop of goons running for the highest office in the land.

I don't see even ONE of them having a chance in hell of being elected.

Just my opinion.

http://www.army.exploitative

Sign up now.

Die young

Stay Pretty.

Monday Garden Blog

OK, I know this is a stretch because it isn't garden per se. But flora and fauna rock my world. So stick with me until the garden is in production again.

It's yucca blossom season and they are going crazy this year. Of course with all the rain they went extra crazy and then flopped over with all the weight, but I suppose that's a seed spreading method. Us guys can relate. txrad had to hold this one up to show the size before allowing it to flop back over to the ground.

The blossom up close.

txrad has been growing garlic outside my realm of knowledge and today he sprang upon me this clove which I am using in our pizza tonight.. part of it at least. As with any home-grown produce, this has a medicinal aroma unlike that purchased in stores. Also the skin was extraordinarily hard to get off, unlike the dry garlic purchased in stores. I can still smell the aroma on my fingers as I type. Yum!

txrad isn't happy with the photo of the garlic, but hell. I'm trying to make a point here, not set up a photo exhibition.

Russian penicillin, coming right up!

The Democrats Debated

I expected it to be BOOOORing. It was actually quite lively and spirited -- definitely worth the watch. Crooks & Liars has some video here.

As usual I find myself most attracted to the fringe candidates -- the ones who got the least amount of attention of questions. Most of the media time was spent focused on Clinton, Obama, and Edwards. And I found myself irked on at least two or three occasions by something each of them said.

I'm still in the Kucinich camp for now. More at WaPo

A healthy portion of the debate was focused on Iraq, as well it should have been considering that 14 troops were killed over the weekend.

From Dennis Kucinich:

Just say, 'No money, the war is over.'

Storm's a Brewin'...

..over the Kona Ranch.

I Feel Drunk But I'm Sober

But tonight I'll feel sober when I'm drunk.

Alanis Morissette is only 33. Bitch.

Marilyn Monroe was born on this day in 1926. Christ, she would be almost as old as my mother! I don't even want to think about that just now.

Ron Wood is 60 today, and Charlie Watts is 66 tomorrow. So let's just turn this into a Stones video, shall we? I know it's not Mick's birthday, but damn he was hot.

Just to be fair, here's to the birthday boys:

Meanwhile Joni Knows How To Ask For The Impossible

If you can't find your goodness cause you lost your heart.....

what are you going to do tonight?

This ain't no planet of sound.

This ain't no fuckin' around.

Walt Whitman

Walt Whitman was born on this day in 1819.

I have learned that to be with those I like is enough.

Ain't it so. I wonder how old he was when he learned that?

If any thing is sacred, the human body is sacred.

Ain't it so. I wonder how old he was when he learned that?

The genius of the United States is not best or most in its executives or legislatures, nor in its ambassadors or authors or colleges, or churches, or parlors, nor even in its newspapers or inventors, but always most in the common people.

Now I know he's rolling in his grave. I wonder what he'd think of the latest crop of Republican presidential wannabes. Or American Idol for that matter.

Whoever degrades another degrades me, And whatever is done or said returns at last to me.

OK, fine then. Never mind. I take it back.


Crossposted at a big ol' hairy pair of brass ones.

Bookworms

There the silence had deepened about him year by year. Left alone, after his father's accident, to carry the burden of farm and mill, he had had no time for convivial loiterings in the village; and when his mother fell ill the loneliness of the house grew more oppressive than that of the fields. His mother had been a talker in her day, but after her "trouble" the sound of her voice was seldom heard, though she had not lost the power of speech. Sometimes, in the long winter evenings, when in desperation her son asked her why she didn't "say something," she would lift a finger and answer: "Because I'm listening"; and on stormy nights, when the loud wind was about the house, she would complain, if he spoke to her: "They're talking so out there that I can't hear you."

From Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton. I love her writing style. It's like a fine wine, or a luscious dark chocolate you want to savor rather than gulp.

Art Comes From The Garbage Dump

Need I say more?

This ain't about love.



I just snapped this tarantula. Praise me.

Thank G-d It's Tuesday

Because I've had about all the weekend I can stand. Happy short workweek everyone!

Oh Siouxsie Q

Siouxsie Sioux [Janet Susan Dallion!!] was 50 yesterday.

John Fogerty is 62 today.

Monday Garden Blog

I am a berry fanatic. txrad will confirm this if there are any doubters out there. My favorite berry is probably a raspberry although it would be followed so closely by blueberries, I hesitate to pick favorites.

I tried growing blueberries here and the Texas climate just isn't ideal. Two years ago I picked up some blackberry plants at a nursery after reading that they can do well in Texas. I was quite disappointed to learn they don't produce until the second year. Here we go with berry #1, and it was worth the wait.

Shortly before I planted them, I did find a wild blackberry out in the front yard under some trees. It had probably been mowed several times because I had no idea what it was until I stumbled upon a ripe berry once.

I'm also quite pleased with my strawberry production. I only planted those a few weeks ago and I've already harvested several yummy berries. Strawberries were probably my least favorite berry until I tasted these homegrown ones. I pity the folks who only buy them after they've been trucked 1,000 miles from where they were grown.

While the blackberry pictured above has already traveled through my digestive system, this lovely strawberry hasn't yet, but will start the journey as soon as I'm done with this post.

Totally unrelated to berries, here's a shot of four o'clocks. A friend of ours gave us some seeds a few years back -- or maybe it was a plant, I can't remember -- but they are tough and have cute little seeds which look like hand grenades. I suppose they get their name from the time of day they open up their flowers.

Mamas, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Tequila Drinkers

In retrospect, it was proably a bad idea to buy two bottles of tequila this past Saturday. But as the much-anticipated 3-day weekend draws to a close this evening and we finish off what's left in the bottle, it's back to beer and wine again.

Anyone who has read the posts on this blog from Friday night is surely aware it was a festive evening of excess. Normally I would delete such posts the next morning but I decided to leave them as a reminder of how incoherently silly I am while intoxicated.

Honestly, I need the rest from the hooch. I have this nasty propensity for waking up in the morning with scrapes and bruises and no recollection of what I did to earn them. My wounds need to heal. After tonight.

Unhappy Memorial Day

Memorial Day is a legal holiday observed annually on the last Monday in May in the United States, in honor of the nation’s armed services personnel killed in wartime.



3,455

A lot of blood has been shed for no reason. Impeachment is overdue.

Charles Nelson Reilly

is dead at 76. RIP and thanks for all the laughs. Match Game still entertains me to this very day.

Reilly's openly gay television persona was ahead of its time, and sometimes stood in his way. He recalled a network executive telling him "they don't let queers on television."

What an era.

Is It Ever Going To Get Dark?

Dread Zeppelin won't stop.

But I have something waiting in the wings.

At Least I Didn't Have To Tip

Today txrad and I went to a Taco Cabana for lunch. There's an older store along Highway 290 we usually visit, but there's a newer location a bit closer to our house where we dined today.

txrad used to co-manage a Wendy's in San Diego so he's always evaluating restaurants. He didn't have much positive feedback about this place today.

Never put an employee on the register if they aren't a people person. She didn't know how to ring up two orders of chips. And when she did, she only put in one order. Which was fine considering they were stale. She didn't say "thank you" when she handed me the receipt. In fact, she said nothing at all. I even had to grab my own cup for the soda I ordered. I should have grabbed a large even though I paid for a small. It's not like she would have noticed.

Someone from the drive-thru kept coming out into our area to get cilantro from the condiment bar. Don't they have any back there where they are working?

This place is terribly managed. And it had bad feng shui. Me thinks we shan't be going to that one again.

Yeah, Whatever

I've known all 50 since I was about six, so this wasn't a real stretch. I guess I'm just bored today.

You Really Know Your State Capitols

You Got 20 State Capitols Correct You're either a geography buff... or you have an excellent memory.

Do You Know Your State Capitols?

And why does it have to be an either/or? Can't I be a geography buff, which I am, and have an excellent memory, which I do? Unless it's people's names or faces -- I'm terrible with those until I get to know the person.

via Phydeaux.