Seismic Twitch

Regarding transgendered women, Grace (founder of More Women said:

Transgendered women are welcome! If you identify as a woman and, as a woman, you identify with any of our target demographics – single/married/childfree/empty nesters/young/old – then come on down! I’d like to think that that simple criteria spans the arc of a woman’s life experience, TG or not.

Here’s the deal – there are 1000’s of online venues for mothers. There are very few for women who are childfree/empty nesters. More Women is for the non-mommy bloggers and others who want to have our own space. There will be no child-oriented groups and discussions. No reviews of baby/kid/teen/mother/father products. None, zip, nada. This is not to alienate mom bloggers, but to elevate the visibility of women whose blogs and voices extend beyond motherhood.

How does that sound? I hope it sounds good. I’d love to have you in the network.

Thanks to Mrs. 4444 I found a new blog to read, State of Grace, a courageous woman (read her blog and find out why I mean this). Anyway, Grace started a new social networking place for women. She explains why she did this on her blog. Anyway, it might be a useful place for you to network with women of similar interests to yourself. Sorry guys, but More Women is for women only. Hmmmm…I wonder if it’s exclusively for women who were born xx or if transgendered women also can join. I’ll ask and find out. Anyway, the site tagline is “Single * Married * Childfree * Empty Nesters * More Than Mommies * POWERFUL!”

I’ve been sleeping a lot lately. Well, I guess sleeping the same amount, just doing it in shifts instead of solid blocks of 8 hours. It seems to have me well rested.

Dad called last night and asked me if I would be deputy executrix of his will. My sister is executrix, but if she can’t carry it out or needs extra help I step in. It’s interesting that Dad asked me to do this considering my older brother (the one who isn’t welcome in my home) lives with Dad. It has me wondering what’s going on. But hey, does it really matter? I told Dad that I would. If Dad’s playing games and having me as one of the people who sees his will is carried out and then decides to not leave me anything I’m ok with that. It’s his stuff and really, when it comes down to it, things aren’t important.

I’ve lived so much of my life without the important factors in my life ranging from healthy self-esteem, having exclusive control of my life (was on welfare for several years), right up to and including, the will to live. Material things were important so long as I was without those important inner self characteristics. After years of hard work and the help of modern medicine I’ve got some healthy self-esteem, thirst for living, and economic self-determination. I also have the love of my son and husband and a kitty that gives hugs. Material things just can’t measure up. So if Dad is playing games, then he’s missing the target. I’ll make sure that his will is followed exactly as he wants. After all, it’s his stuff.

Speaking of stuff, we’re going to be getting rid of a lot of things. We’ve figured out that it’s not likely we’ll be having a yard sale. While we have a fair bit of stuff we need to get rid of, there’s just not enough to supply a good sale. So we’ll sell the egg chair and a few other things that can go for some $$. The rest we’ll just give it away. Some of the stuff isn’t ours. I’m not sure what’s going to be done with that. I just know that I want to declutter.

I’ll be going through the cookbooks for recipes and giving the rest to the cook at work. She has a thing for cookbooks and is always looking for new recipe ideas. I know that with her they’ll find a good home (or if she can’t use it she’ll find it a good home).

Cream of mushroom soup (whatever canned brand suits your fancy) mixed with homemade veggie chili is quite good. That’s what I had for lunch. Mom used to mix cream of mushroom soup with canned vegetable soup. This is a slightly better version of that in that it has more taste flavours and spice. Really, it’s quite good. I’m sure it would rock the Casbah if it were made with homemade cream soup of some sort (potato, mushroom, celery, whatever) instead of the canned variety, but that’s what I had.

I think I’m going to bead weaving tonight. There’s nothing like some murder and mayhem and beading to make my day a thriller, right?

I’ve been working at uncluttering my life. Actually, we all have. We’re getting rid of things that we don’t use, haven’t used in either a very long time or ever but had some sort of emotional attachment to for some reason (like my wedding bouquet that I’d not seen since I packed it away after the wedding and even forgot I had it until I opened the box 21 or 22 years later). I think that’s been a good and healthy thing.

However, there is a line between holding onto things because of an emotional attachment or thinking the item would be handy sometime or even collecting things and hoarding.

What brings this to mind? Well A&E has a new show on called Hoarders. Also because Bran sent me this link posted by a daughter on a forum, now on a separate site.

I’m not saying I’m better than this woman’s mother. My little quirks are different and less obvious. I’m just glad that this isn’t one of the ways the quirks are evinced in my life.

Apparently a lot of people.

Today is, hopefully, going to be a quiet day at work. Lunch and supper appear to be easy peasy preps so I’ll not be worrying about boiling potatoes or rice. It’s all stuff in the oven food. I have Bodie, the bird, up front with me. He’s being quiet for now, though he did fly across the front desk area for some reason. I put him back on his perch. It’s better than having him squawk in the living room.

The student loan won’t be deposited into my account until September 3, the first day of school. If I’d checked the paper work I would’ve seen that, but this is the first time that I’ve gotten my loan stuff done before school has started.

I didn’t get anything together for supper today so I grabbed a container of chili from the freezer hoping that there’s rice or potatoes to throw it on once it’s all thawed out. That’s what it’s doing right now on a stool near me.

I decided this morning to not bring any school work to work today. I gave it very serious thought, but in the end crosswords and beading won out. Maybe I’ll bring it to work tomorrow. I haven’t decided yet.

It’s hot here at work. I’m thinking of turning the thermostat down to get it a bit cooler. I’m sweating under my boobs and I hate that, especially on days when I don’t wear a bra. I’ll have to remember to wear one tomorrow. They not only hold in the ladies, they also work to absorb under-boob sweat. Of course, those are the only good things about the chest tourniquets. You guys out there should be very happy that you don’t have to wear a bra…unless you’re this guy:

see more Lol Celebs

Then for the sake of all around you buy a man-bra, please!

I found this on The Customer Is Not Always Right as an object lesson about never shopping while you can’t see. It applies to shopping while drunk as well.

Confusing Crosses With Crossbones
Retail | Tampa, FL, USA

(An older customer comes out of the fitting room wearing a black and red striped shirt with designs that look like piles of skulls.)

Customer: “I just think that this is so cute. What do you think?”

Me: “That’s a really interesting choice for a blouse.”

Customer: “Oh, I know. I just think these little flower designs are so pretty!”

Me: “Ma’am, those are actually skulls.”

(The customer looks a bit closer at the shirt before finally realizing what she is wearing.)

Customer: “Oh my Lord, I was planning on wearing this to church!”

It’s coffee night tonight. I was contemplating going out, but I’m grossly underslept (didn’t get to until after 1 and got up at 6). I’m trying ot turn my days around so I’m ready to work the day shift this weekend. Bran is picking up sushi for me for supper. I should have something to eat though. I’ve not eaten for some time and I think my blood sugar is crashed. Boy made himself a stir fry (he discovered the joys of my electric wok and premade jarred curry sauces) with ramen noodles. He’s happily chowing down right now.

I think Dad phoned, at least it was a call coming from his number. It rang 3 times and just as i picked up he (either Dad or the brother I don’t allow in my house) hung up. If it was Dad wanting to come visit this weekend he’s SOL. I work 12 hour shifts and won’t be around to visit. Anyway, he’s not called back and I’m not going to call him. Colour me stubborn, but it’s up to him and my brother to figure out what my brother is going to do while Dad visits us.

Bran and I went for groceries early today. We picked up my paycheck and headed out to CostCo to pick up some necessaries like kitty litter, tomatoes, bread and hummus. Of course we walked out after accumulating over $100 of groceries that didn’t seem to fill up the bags. It’s amazing how quickly things add up.

I’ve been looking at bento lunch boxes. I’ve got a wish list of bento stuff that I’ll buy eventually. If you click on the link, remember that I’m not asking you to buy me anything at all, just showing you what I’m going to get as money allows. Ok? The first thing I’m going to get is down the list a bit, FK386 – Square Totoro 2-Tier Bento Box — Leaves, Acorn and Mushroom. I’ll also be getting some spoons, silicone cups, and the book of bento recipes. Interestingly, I realized today that I sort of bento my lunches already because I use a plastic container that is shaped similarly to to a bento container. However, it doesn’t have dividers and cute little containers for condiments. I’m going to have to figure out how to do that for my lunches so that I can bento before I have bento boxes. Hmm… I wonder if our Asian markets will have bento boxes here. It’ll be worth checking out when the student loan money finally comes in. If it’s not in my account tomorrow I’m going to call them. It should be in our account by now.

Let me see, when we last left our heroine (moi) it was a few days ago. Since then I’ve worked, found out I start the full time position on August 31, will work some or all of a shift on Monday next for a co-worker who needs to be away for an appointment, work my final weekend this weekend, and so on.

My thesis supervisor’s 15 year old daughter died. Today was her memorial service. I should have gone to it. It would have been politic to go. However, I’m not good at things like that. I was awake until 6 am (later if you count the time it took me to fall asleep while I was in bed) and the memorial started at 1 and went to 4. Yeah, I suck.

We will be moving, we just have to save for it. We’re going to hire people to move us. We’ll pack but having people to move the heavy stuff will keep us from having to rely on non-existent friends. It will save our backs a whole world of pain.

Boy is getting a kitty hug. She really does love the Boy.

Sometime soon I want to get some pretty bento boxes for my lunch. I see them on Mush’s Flikr a lot and they’re so cute and practical…I think. Plus they’re containers. I <3 containers with a passion rivalled only by my passion for beads (and believe me, that's passionate because beads can go in containers).

Here I sit, covered in a blanket, wearing sweats and a sweat shirt and it’s 15C outside. I don’t know why I’m cold, but I am. I don’t want the ceiling fan turned off though. I like having cool air to breathe even if my body is insisting that it be covered up and cozy. Boy thinks that the apocalypse has come because I’m feeling cold. Perhaps he’s right.

Once I get to full time the first thing that we’re saving for is a move out of our neighbourhood. I do like our place, but there are a few things that are wrong with the place. First, we can’t leave anything outside if it’s not nailed down or chained up to a solid metal pole. It gets stolen otherwise. Second, in a three block radius there are two families of residents and one who is on the reporting centre program. That is not good considering my position at work consists of making sure that they follow the requirements of their parole and not doing so requires me to call them in and have arrest warrants issued for them. Yeah, not good. So we will be searching for something affordable out of our area.

I slept in today. Actually I ripped the back off that concept and didn’t get up until Boy got me up at 5 pm. I spent until the wee wee hours of today watching Midsommer Murders and doing crosswords. I really shouldn’t do that. It screws up any concept of having a regular sleep pattern.

Did I mention that I finally got a hug from Dutchess? I did!! It was the weirdest feeling, but oh, so very neat! After Boy and Bran getting hugs from her on a regular basis, I finally got one.

I think that’s my life right now. There’s really nothing exciting going on at the moment…I mean other than having to revoke someone who lives only a block away from my house. Oy!

Not really, I don’t mind the life I have right now. I’m fed (or will be soon – fish fried in butter, mashed potatoes and steamed cauliflower), I have a place to live (despite it being ugly expensive), I have a job, I have a family that loves me (hey, I’m not cooking the supper I specially requested) and I’m able to go to school and learn new stuff. I sleep as much as I want and need, except when I have to be at work. In many ways I’m kind of a human cat.

I picked up a bunch of books from school today. I haven’t been doing any school work at all and it’s time I get back into the swing of actually doing my reading and research. So I now have books and will be reading and making notes for my research proposal. Of course, since it’s murder and mayhem night, the reading will resume tomorrow sometime.

I’ve been having school dreams again. That’s part of why I’ve gotten the books. Night before I dreamt that I had a bunch of classes to take (I’m done with them) including Chinese. Chinese!!! Grade 7 Chinese!! Added to that was that they wanted to teach a class. Yeah, nothing like a little extra crap added on. Thank goodness I can wake up from dreams like that and say, “”Yay! I don’t have to do that!”

The weather has been more appropriate to a prairie summer. It’s hot and the air conditioner is running. I have not one but two fans blowing on me in bed to keep me adequately cool to sleep. I hate this kind of weather and look forward to the end of the week when cooler temperatures and rain are predicted.

I’m finding that though I sometimes miss Coke Zero I’m rather enjoying being soda pop free. I could choose other kinds of pop that I enjoy, like Canada Dry ginger ale or Schwepps (2nd choice) but drinking my mildly flavoured water has won out each time. I have thought of changing to Pepsi (they have a very good diversity policy in employment practises), but it’s just best that I leave that in the store and contribute less to the recycling needs of the planet.

That’s about it. I’ll be eating soon. Bran is cooking a marvellous meal for me and I’m watching murder and mayhem. Life is good.

I’ve done my last graveyard shift this weekend. I have one or two more day shifts on weekends and then I start working full time in early September. While I don’t mind graveyard shifts, I don’t like having to work on weekends. That won’t happen again until they need someone to fill in for a sick weekend worker once in a while, if I want to.

I got some beads on Thursday. They’re lovely rich, dark green and sparkly yellow. I’m going to get some deep blue ones next week.

Thanks to the beading that I’ve been doing the past weeks my fingernails are really long. Well, all but one are long. I had to trim the one when it cracked and split. I’ll be clipping and filing in order to get them to a more manageable length. The pinkies are catching the beading thread.

At work I decided to have the bird at front with me rather than in the bathroom where he stays quiet. That’s what resident do when he gets squawky at them. He loves people, loves company. When he is ignored he makes lots of noise. Bodie is a Sun Conure. He’s a lovely bird and still a child. I’d have him in my home if I could afford the $2000 for him and his cage and toys. That’s what my co-worker is selling Bodie for. Actually, Bodie might be a Sheila. The only way to tell is with DNA testing. Anyway, I had him at front with me tonight, on my shoulder (I had my bib that I adapted to a shoulder rag in case of poops), and held him on my finger as I talked to him in order to give him some social time. Poor thing. He was nice and quiet and happy when I put him in his cage at 11:30.

Now I don’t work again until Thursday. Yay! Tomorrow night we’re going to a bbq at a friend’s house. We’ll take along some burgers (meat and mushroom) and the lovely oriental cole slaw (cole slaw mix, ramen noodles broken up, sweet onion or green onion, toasted almond slices and pumpkin seeds dressing: ramen packet flavour, salt and pepper, sweetener, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar and oil) as our pot luck contribution. It’s really yummy though it does take a lot of chewing.

This morning I noticed that the days are getting shorter. It’s hard to notice that in the evening, but in the morning, when the sun isn’t risen at 5 am but instead is struggling above the horizon at 7, it’s noticeable. It’s a kind of sad making thing even if it does bode the return of cooler temperatures in a month or so. I’ve also noticed that some of the hedge leaves are turned yellow already. Some of the vine leaves have also begun to change to the burgundy red of fall. Time surely does fly.

That’s about it.