I'm A Patsy - Gotta Problem With That?

2012-01-28T15:53:00.000-08:00

"New Girl" - new episode entitled "Jess and Julia" airing January 31, 9pm-930pm, on Fox

I just watched this preview and found it very funny. Nick has a new girlfriend, Winston is trying to hook up with a girl he used to use as a booty call when he was playing basketball - now he'd like something more normal. And Schmidt spends most of the show complaining about his wet towel - his blue towel that never gets dry. Whenever he takes a shower and reaches out for the towel, it's already wet. This is driving him crazy. Finally, they decide to make hangers for each separate towel. So in the last scene Schmidt reaches out of the shower for his blue towel and it's already wet! He goes crazy and screams and everyone rushes in. Nick says the blue towel is his and he's been using it all the time! Schmidt is furious and asks him if he ever washes the towel, and Nick says he doesn't. That makes everyone almost get sick to think that the two guys have been using the same towel and never washing it. So they talk about wearing each others underwear, etc. and it gets crazier by the minute. Turns out the beautiful red towel is all soft and fluffy and never even been used. Now that towel will be Nick's . . . or possibly Schmidt's.

The last scene was hilarious! Hope you watch it.

2012-01-20T15:15:00.000-08:00

Teri and Cindy responding to Republican debate

Here is a picture of my two daughters, Teri and Cindy, when they were quite young. In fact, Cindy was just about a year old. But Teri was very sharp and knew all about world affairs and what was going on where. She loved entertainment and actors. She was well-rounded in all respects. I think this is what she would be doing if she were watching the 556 Republican debates that went on this year. She probably just heard about Newt and his 3 wives, one of whom was his mistress for 6 years while he was still married. I remember when this all happened years ago, but now it's all becoming more public. Teri obviously thinks the whole business stinks, and I believe she is giving a sign that Mafia people use to show their extreme displeasure with someone. Or maybe it's Italians who do the gesture. It doesn't really matter because Teri makes it clear how she feels about it. She's hoping Cindy will learn from her as the years go on.

2012-01-12T11:11:00.000-08:00

"Touch" by Fox - pilot of new TV show airing Wednesday, 1/25 at 9pm to 10:07pm

I watched this pilot and was impressed. I didn't understand everything, but it was fascinating. Keifer Sutherland plays widowed father, Martin Bohm, who cannot connect with his 11 year-old son, Jake. The son has never spoken and doesn't let anyone touch him - even his dad. He spends all his time writing numbers that mean something to him but not to anyone else. As the program progresses, more and more people are drawn in, even from around the world. The combination of numbers Sam composes seems to mean something and can predict what is going to happen. This is explained somewhat by a professor played by Danny Glover who sheds some light on what is happening. This is a theme having to do with interconnectivity and global consciousness. It brings out the fact that we are more connected to each other than we ever expected.

By the end of the show, Martin excitedly tells Jake that his numbers have meaning and Jake finally hugs his dad. So I guess from then on Jake will keep doing what he does, and maybe someday he'll speak. He speaks in his head and sounds very intelligent. Hopefully, he'll let it out and actually speak so we can hear him.

This appears to be a very fascinating show, and I hope everyone watches to see what will transpire next. I haven't seen Keifer in a role like this before, and I liked him. So watch it!

2012-01-08T16:17:00.000-08:00

New Hampshire Primary - 1/9/12

Tuesday will be an exciting day for residents of New Hampshire. There will be media all over the place, and everyone can try to get on TV for an interview about how the "home folks" are feeling. As I was reading my "Parade" magazine at breakfast as I always do on Sunday morning, there was a funny article on the "Intelligence Report" column about the vote Tuesday. It listed many who will be on the ballot - 44 actually. There are some strange names besides the already known strange names such as Barack, Newt and Mitt. Those are pretty strange! One name that stood out for me was Vermin Supreme. Supreme is for mandatory toothbrushing (I agree), zombie preparedness and federal funding of time travel research so he can "kill Hitler with my bare hands." He's also campaigning to give free ponies to all Americans. I think Supreme lost me after the toothbrushing.

The article didn't mention Rick Santorum but I will. He's a Republican who is probably a nice man, but I also think he's crazy and would be a horrible president. He's the most socially conservative of the major GOP candidates. He's a devout Catholic and former senator who frequently discusses his religious beliefs. He's not only against same sex marriage, but is also the only candidate who wants to invalidate all of the legal same-sex unions taken place in this country since 2003. He's also the only major Republican candidate who has spoken out against contraception when he said that birth control, "is not okay. It's a license to do things in a sexual realm that is counter to how things are supposed to be." In 2003, Santorum said in interview with the Associated Press that states should be able to outlaw homosexuality, just like they outlawed pedophilia and bestiality. What is he talking about? What is this "sexual realm" he talks about and how are things supposed to be? I think Rick spends too much time thinking about sex. He wouldn't be able to spend any time on government affairs with all the sex stuff whirling around in his head. I certainly don't want him as my president.

The Republicans have had about 550 "get-togethers" this year. Mitt started out by saying it would be a clean campaign, but then got very dirty and nearly killed Newt. I still don't know why Ron Paul is even in the race - he looks like a strong wind would knock him over. I don't like any of them so will just be glad when things die down. But nothing will die down - this will go on and on for years to come. And I'll go on reading the "Parade" magazine which is much more interesting than politics.

2012-01-05T16:53:00.000-08:00

Christmas was here!

My family all met at a hotel downtown for a 3-night stay. I had a cold and cough so stayed only on Christmas Eve when we had our big dinner and opened presents. I came home on Christmas day and the rest had fun without me . . . if that's possible, and I think it was! I took some pictures but not enough. I always seem to cut off the top of someone's head in a picture. Why do I always have to take the pictures? The two that I put up are Cindy holding up the socks I gave her. Her feet are always cold as are mine. They looked really warm and I wanted them myself, but Teri gave me some long, warm socks too! I guess we all think alike. The other picture is Teri holding up my dad's Crag Rat shirt from the old days when he was a mountain climber and rescued people on all the mountains in the pacific northwest. She was thrilled to get it and to see that it's authentic - it had his initials sewed on the neck. The Crag Rats were and still are a mountain climbing organization that rescued many people lost on the mountains. My dad was one of the founders of the organization. I have a blanket with my initials sewed on it by my mom - probably when I went to Campfire camp. I never rescued anyone at camp like my dad did though.

Cindy's family went back to Tacoma on Monday, and Teri and family stayed until Friday. Teri and I went shopping and out to dinner, and they took me out to dinner the night before they went back to New York. It was fun having them around - I wish it were that way all the time with my girls, but I don't think that will ever happen.

I'm feeling very dull and boring so will quit. One interesting thing happened this morning. I was getting dressed and the little tv in the bedroom was on. I sat down on the edge of the bed and the tv began talking in spanish! I had sat on the remote and apparently did something with my butt! So then I didn't know how to get out of it. I have two remotes for it and tried all sorts of things, finally getting english restored. So that's my day. But Christmas was good and thanks to Teri for bringing everyone together. And I'm glad the first caucus is finally over!!!!

2011-12-31T14:46:00.000-08:00

What is a Caucus?

I checked my dictionary that I've had since college, so I hope nothing much has changed with the caucus. Dictionary says: " A meeting of a group of persons belonging to the same political party or faction usu. to decide upon policies and candidates." Actually, the caucuses are useless as the same people who are picked for the caucus in their neighborhood can vote however they want when the time comes for the primary.

That's all we've been hearing about lately - what's happening in Iowa. We hear about how much money is being spent on the negative attack ads - I seem to remember all the republican candidates saying they were going to run a clean fight. That went down the toilet pretty quickly. At first they just said nasty things about Obama, but when that went nowhere, they started in on each other. They are spending millions of dollars on sleazy ads that could be doing so much good elsewhere. Aren't they aware of all the kids in this country that go hungry every day and don't even have a place to live? Is it possible they just don't give a shit? How do the Iowans feel about all those candidates greeting them every time they go to the store or just go outside to get their mail. There's some candidate ready to shake their hand and give a little campaign speech. I would hate it. But then I would never live in Iowa.

I don't see how they can find fault with Obama as the car industry has rallied and is doing well, there are more jobs all the time, he took care of bin Laden, he got the troops out of Iraq and many more high marks for his administration. But the republicans find fault with everything he does. They must know it was their administration under George W. Bush that started the whole damn thing when he started the war with Iraq under false pretenses - WMDs. Now that has spread all over the world and who knows how it will end up.

The picture could be an Iowa family waiting for their caucus group to show up. The coffee and cake are ready and the little secret ballots are by everyone's plate. I imagine the two little kids will be put away someplace as I don't think they are caucus material. Maybe they could go someplace with Ron Paul and his great grandchildren and play on the swings - he should have great grandchildren by now

somewhere.

2011-12-30T15:10:00.000-08:00

ALCATRAZ - new Fox show airing premiere episode 1/16, 8pm to 10pm. Will resume regular time slot January 23 at 9pm - 10pm

This begins by telling how on March 21, 1963, 302 men disappeared from Alcatraz at night and were never heard from again. But now one has reappeared and killed a couple people. Detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones) and Dr. Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia) are on the case. During their discovery, they meet Emerson Hauser (Sam Neill) and Dr. Lucy Banerjee (Parminder Nagra) who are supposedly working a secret something or other to find the missing men. No one else knows about it, and they enlist the help of Rebecca and Diego. I don't trust Emerson and I'm right. The two detectives think they are going to be in on everything, but it's not going to be good for them. They don't know that, but I know it which doesn't help them one hell of a lot!

So far they've found one man, and Emerson put him away in a prison where he'll probably be tortured day and night. So now they have 301 left to find. It won't be easy as they don't look any older than they were in 1963. That makes it easier on the audience though, as no one wants to look at old people starring in a show. It also turns out that there is a lot more to it - a lot of bad things that went on years ago and will come out now. Emerson doesn't want that happening as he's bad, but it will clear up a lot of things for the cute little detective Madsen whose family was in police work. This looks interesting to me and I think it's really worth watching. Hope you do too.

2011-12-19T10:51:00.000-08:00

"The Finder" - new Fox show on January 12 at 9:00 to 10:00PM

I watched the premiere episode of "The Finder" the other day and found it to be highly entertaining, amusing and exciting. It was entitled "An Orphan Walks into a Bar" which was just about right. The orphan is Maddie Hasson who is very good in her part. Michael Clarke Duncan owns the bar and Mercedes Masohn plays a sexy Deputy U.S. Marshal. Geoff Stults is the lead actor who is charming, cute and sexy. Stults is the Finder who has a preternatural gift for finding things to the point of obsession. He can be funny at times and keeps the show interesting. All the actors are good which makes the whole thing fun to watch. This takes place mostly at the "Ends of the Earth" bar on Looking Glass Key in Florida where the actors congregate.

Good show. I hope everyone will watch it.

2011-12-12T14:42:00.000-08:00

I think I'll start a foundation . . . but just what is a foundation?

I'll get to my foundation idea pretty soon, but first about my birds. I have my favorite, Black Larry, a sparrow. He's so dark all over I call him black. The other day I watched him hop into his water container to take a bath. He filled the whole thing up as it's small and he's big. I was extremely excited - kind of like seeing your little baby take her first steps! That could have been Teri or Cindy! I since have added a bigger water container. Recently there appeared another sparrow that is bigger than Black Larry and sort of scruffy looking. He doesn't mix with the other birds and sits alone on the ledge like Larry. I didn't know what to call him until I saw Newt Gingrich walking across a stage on TV. Newt looked short and puffy, like my new bird. So it hit me that I should name my new family member Newt.

I watched part of the Republican debate the other night - I think it was about the 450th debate - I lose track. I didn't watch much as it didn't interest me. Republicans don't interest me in the least, and they never have anything to say that makes any sense. But when I saw Newt walking on the stage with his stomach puffing out like my sparrow and also his wife in the audience with her helmet blond hair made out of cement, I thought of my bird family and how much more interesting they were. Black Larry and Newt are the only ones I've named as the others all look alike and aren't sparrows. I hate to call my sparrow Newt as I can't stand the man. He is a slimy person and comes with a lot of bad baggage. My Newt is good and just hops around minding his own business. I don't think the other Newt could even hop and he minds everyone's business.

Now for the foundation. I wrote recently about how many people, upon retiring, become consultants making scads of money. I gave up on that idea, but then I realized I kept hearing about people who start a "Foundation." Just what does a foundation do? It seems that everyone has a foundation of some sort. Do they collect money from people who want to support their foundation? How do you start a foundation - do you just say, "I'm starting a foundation and need money?" That sounds simple enough, but wouldn't you need a reason for the foundation? I could start one for Black Larry - I think I'd leave Newt out of it as I don't want anything Republican in the name. Maybe people would send birdseed and money for him. Of course, I would keep the money and give him the birdseed. I'm going to have think about this.

2011-12-10T12:37:00.000-08:00

My first and last shopping experience at KOHL'S Department Store

The other day my friend and I went to Kohl's to finish our Christmas shopping. I had never been there, but my friend told me I could open a charge account and get 15% off. That sounded pretty good to me. I don't have credit cards as I don't buy things I can't afford. But I could just cut it up after I got it and it had served its purpose. So I went and bought a few things and then got up to the counter and said I would like to open a charge account. Then came all the questions about how much money I made a month which is pretty hysterical - like nothing! So we wasted a little more time and she punched some numbers and told me they wouldn't accept me. I asked why and she said she didn't know - actually we both knew - but she said they would send me a letter. So I paid for the stuff and we left.

A couple of days later I got a letter from Kohl's. It listed many factors for the reason I was declined. So I decided I owed them a letter. The following is part of what I wrote:

"So yesterday I get a letter from you giving the reason why I was turned down. It listed 5 factors, but it boiled down to 'Excessive obligations in relation to income.' This all means I am poor - I already knew that! I didn't plan on going on a shopping spree with my new card and never paying you back, therefore adding up much interest in your favor although that is the purpose of your credit cards, isn't it?

You obtained my credit score from Experian which is 901. That's pretty high, isn't it? My two others are also high. I keep track. I imagine you checked me out and even found out what time I take a dump in the morning after breakfast! Everyone knows everything about everybody these days - nothing is secret or private anymore. So I won't be shopping at KOHL'S anymore."

I wish I had looked at the J LO and Marc Anthony collections. I wonder if anyone even buys them? J LO doesn't wear anything when she performs and Marc looks like a sleazy gangster in the TV ads. But I won't be going back to check them out since Kohl's is off my shopping list.

2011-12-05T11:14:00.000-08:00

The Big Explosion

I'm usually pretty regular with my bathroom matters every morning, but last week I went off the beaten path. I felt like I had more to accomplish, but I never wanted to strain myself as I was afraid I might get an aneurysm due to the extra, prolonged straining. My mother told me that years ago, and that seems to be one of the only pieces of advice she gave me. There must have been more. She must have given me advice on what to do on my wedding night, but I think she forgot to include the vodka. My mom didn't drink.

So my problem went on for several days until I finally decided it was time for the milk of magnesia which no one should ever be without. I drank some before I went to bed and got up expecting to have everything cleared up. But I still couldn't do the deed. I waited forever and ever, trying to avoid an aneurysm. Finally, it happened! It felt as if I had expelled a large baseball, and I heard a big BOOM!! It was like an explosion! I was so happy - more so than after my wedding night.

I was feeling pretty good then, so I went to the kitchen to do some stupid housework. I noticed my salt shaker that I rarely use but have it right by the stove. I saw two tiny, little black things in the salt, and upon closer investigation, I found that they were little sugar ants! They must have crawled up the side of the shaker and into the holes. I got them out and hope that more don't come. I have those ants all over periodically. I even found one crawling on my collar the other day! Sometimes I see them crawling on the floor when I'm on the toilet, and I bend way over to get them. Some day I'll fall on my head probably. I can imagine them crawling into my nose and ears and even my mouth when I'm asleep. I don't know if my mouth hangs open when I sleep - and do I drool? That wouldn't be a pretty sight. I put out ant stuff that is supposed to make them come and eat and then take it home to their loved ones to eat and they'll all die. Well, it works in that it makes them come in hoards and eat, but they never leave or die. I don't know what my mom would say about that, but I know it wouldn't include vodka.

I guess that's all the news from my house today. It's obvious I lead a pretty exciting life!

2011-12-03T14:55:00.000-08:00

Larry and his bird family

It really isn't his family because he doesn't like to be around them. The top picture shows some miscellaneous birds at my bird feeder. It hangs from the middle of my deck,

and so far no squirrels have been able to access it although they look at it quite a bit.

The bottom picture is Larry, sitting by the water in the garlic container lid. He sits there a lot. He gets really puffy and fat - maybe he's sleeping. The other birds don't do that - they just eat up a storm and then fly away. Larry will sit there after dark and just sleep. I love it that he does that! I feel like he's part of my family since I don't have any family in town. Larry will chase the other birds away from him and never wants to be with them. He's a real loner - maybe that's the way sparrows are with other birds. I know my mom didn't like sparrows, and when she was sewing little pearl beads on my wedding dress before my wedding, she had a gun beside her on the grass on the lawn. Sparrows were trying to get into a swallow's nest and my mom liked the little swallows. So when a sparrow would fly up my mom would take a shot! But I don't have that problem, and I also don't have a gun. Larry doesn't ever use the feeder. I read that sparrows just eat off the ground or a ledge. So that's what he does. He runs around under the feeder and eats what the other birds throw out!

My deck is a mess - it's covered in bird shit. They sit on my deck chairs and shit all over them. They also shit all over the Safeway bag I use to cover the birdseed. The birdseed is in a big tupperware container and the birds fly up and stare at it! So with the bag covering it, it doesn't seem to bother them. I have friends who invite people over for cocktails on their decks in the summer, but would I ever do that? I don't think so. If I cleaned it all up before company came, they would still have time to shit on everything. So we just sit inside with the air conditioning on while the birds have fun on the deck. I thought maybe Safeway would pay me for advertising their store on my deck, but they probably didn't hear about it. And now with all the shit on it, they'd probably bill me for something like the banks do.

I love having the birds so close. They seem more accustomed to seeing me walking around in my living room. I wonder if I left the sliding door open, they would come hopping in? I don't think I'll try that!

2011-11-28T13:54:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving has come and gone. I went to Diane and Doyle's home for a delicious dinner. Diane had a table beautifully set with napkins with little sticky things stuck on them with nice sayings. I thought that was really something - I'll bet Martha Stewart doesn't do that with her napkins! We were told to get our salad first from the buffet table and then come back with our plates for the rest of the food. I thought that meant we had to go to the table and eat the salad quickly, and then take the plate back for the rest of the meal. But when I got to the table with my salad, I saw that there were dinner plates there. I'm so used to eating my dinner on one plate with a spoon! I must get out more.

Teri cooked a big dinner for about 100 people . . . no, not that many. It just sounded like a lot when she told me who all was there. She cooks wonderful things when she cooks which isn't that often as she works so late. So when she can, she really does it up nicely. She called me today and I heard a little kid or baby squeaking in the background. I was hoping she hadn't adopted a child without checking with me first. But she said she was walking on the street near her house and there was a baby somewhere nearby. I'll be seeing her and her family at Christmas when they come out here. Cindy and her family will be here also, so we'll have a real family Christmas.

Cindy cooked a turkey for Mick and Pat. Mick got the FROZEN turkey the day before Thanksgiving. So they put it in the bathtub in hot water to thaw out!! I was horrified but then wondered if that was a new way to defrost a turkey that I hadn't yet heard about. I haven't talked to her since then, so I don't know if they survived. I can just see someone coming in to take a bath and seeing a turkey in the tub! She said they had a good dinner with April drooling all the way through it. April is her bull mastiff who is big enough to be at the table.

I decided to do my part on Black Friday, so I set out to "shop local" as we are told to do. First I went to my local pet store for more bird seed. I entered and asked what they had for me for Black Friday. Nothing! So then I went to my local grocer and walked in and asked what they had for me for Black Friday. Nothing! So I paid for everything I got on that special day. That's the last time I'll be seen outside on anymore Black Fridays! What a hoax.

2011-11-16T13:19:00.000-08:00

"Terra Nova" and "American Horror Story" . . . . . . . and some bad news

I watched Terra Nova Monday night and was wondering if our world, as we know it, will be like what it depicts in 2149 when people leave our desecrated planet and flee to Terra Nova which is 85 million years in the past. Supposedly, things should be calm and peaceful compared with the old country, but they're not. They have the same problems only with dinosaurs in the picture! There are battling factions; the Sixers, a group of renegades, keep trying to overthrow the Terra Nova colony. And there are bad ones in the Terra Nova colony itself. The story centers around one family who is a good family, not dysfunctional like so many are depicted these days. So that was a good show Monday.

Then I read the newspaper which was a complete downer. The Occupy Portland group was finally kicked out of the two parks they had ruined for several weeks and was now wandering around downtown, tying up traffic and throwing rocks in the windows of the big banks. The republicans had one of their 500 scheduled debates and they all looked like idiots. Herman Cain and Rick Perry really look like idiots (probably because they are) and Newt Gingrich is just as sleazy as he was years ago. And then I read about the fees that all those "consultants" receive for whatever it is they do. What do they do anyway? Someone will work for years at a company, making a fantastic salary, and then retire. But he doesn't retire - he becomes a consultant. Just what does that entail? What does he actually do? And he makes a big salary doing whatever the hell it is. The common people, like me, just try to get by while the consultants rake it in. The whole business makes me sick. But most of the government these days makes me sick. If the republicans would get off their asses and try to work with the government, things might move along. But their only intent now is to get Obama out of office. How would they like Cain as president? What a disgusting thought!

So tonight I'll watch "American Horror Story." I think they are maybe finding a buyer for their lovely home. Maybe they should hold the next republican debate there!

2011-11-14T10:41:00.000-08:00

"New Girl" from Fox, Tuesday, November 15, 9 to 9:30PM

This is their Thanksgiving episode, and I laughed all the way through it. It had wonderful dialogue; the writers outdid themselves on this one. It begins with Jess talking to a fellow teacher, Paul, who is the musical director at her school, and she's had a crush on him for a while. Jess asks him what he's doing for Thanksgiving, and he says he usually has it with his grandmother, but she died about a month ago while he was working on the Halloween madigral. So that's why the song they cut into was a real downer. One of the lines in the music was "Do we start dying the moment we are born?" I really laughed at that because it's true and funny to me.

The entire episode was extremely funny. So many lines were hilarious. Jess's roommates didn't want a big dinner because they wanted to watch the football game, drink beer and then hit a "Black Friday" someplace. The black guy of the roommates says he likes to call it "Friday." But they managed to have the dinner and many events take place that day. The entire show is hysterical and I love it!

I think, and from what I read, this show is a real hit. It seems to get better each week. So tune in and enjoy a half hour of sheer fun!

2011-11-14T08:10:00.000-08:00

Harry's having a birthday today!!

My youngest grandson, Teri's son, is having his 16th birthday today! I hope he holds up better on this birthday today than he did in the above picture. I can't believe Harry is now 16. It seems like just yesterday he was little, sort of like he is in his picture. I like that because he's not posing and trying to look cool or cute or handsome or whatever you do when being photographed.

I was looking through my photo albums and found so many pictures of Harry when he was here or I was in New York. Some were of when we went to Jamaica and Harry staggered through the sand - he was learning to walk and sand is not a good place to learn, but he was hilarious to watch! It was so much fun being with him, but then I wouldn't see him for a long time. But we'd always catch up when we got together again. I even had a big refrigerator box delivered which I put in my living room with a big pillow and blankets where he slept at night, sort of like a cave. We did all sorts of fun things if you can call sleeping in a box fun! He even asked about the box recently, but I told him I had no place to store it. I could have just left it in the living room and rented it out!

Now that Harry is 16 he'll be having many more fun times - some I'll never hear about, I'm sure! And will he be wanting a car? Should he learn how to drive? If he has any questions about these teen-age years, he knows he can always ask me about skin care, sex, dating, school, raves, clothes, drugs and all those fun things. If I can't answer his questions, I can always go to my bible, Google. I know Jesse Eisenberg will be waiting to answer any questions I have and, hopefully, won't make fun of me. I mentioned in one of my Blogs about Google how Jesse and his guys would laugh at all the questions I asked all the time, over and over again. It's not really Jesse; I just think all the guys that work there are Jesse clones. But I just want Harry to know I'm here for him.

Have a happy, happy birthday, Harry. I love you lots.

2011-11-09T15:55:00.000-08:00

"Glee" - Ryan Murphy - "American Horror Story"

Those two shows are both created by Ryan Murphy. "Glee" is about a bunch of high school students that formed a glee club. There is lots of beautiful music and dancing in each episode and the audience loves it. The "Glee" group has traveled all over the world, performing for thousands of people. When the show started, the kids were young and probably freshmen in high school; actually they were all in their twenties, I think. As they grew older, sex came into play although they were still singing and dancing their way through high school. Last night I watched the show and it was full of horny kids! How they've matured in the past year. They've discussed all sorts of subjects facing teen-agers which has been good. It's a very well-written show and I watch it every week.

Tonight I'll watch "American Horror Story," also created by Ryan Murphy. This is not anything like "Glee" and no way was it meant to be. It's about a family that moves into the Murder House in Los Angeles which has horrible things happen in it, thus its name. I can't describe the show as I don't understand it myself! It's horrible, scary, crazy and I like it! People are murdered, have sex with the Rubber Man and Dylan McDermott has many nude shots. Before they started the show, Ryan's office called Dylan's agent to see if Dylan had an ass double. He told them he didn't need an ass double, and I can attest to that!

So tonight I'll be watching "American Horror Story." Keep up the good work, Ryan.

2011-11-06T11:28:00.000-08:00

New episode of "New Girl" called "Cece Crashes" - November 8 - 9:01 - 9:31PM

This Fox show, "New Girl" is turning out to be very funny and smartly written. This week Jess's friend, Cece, stays with her for a couple of nights. She's convinced Jess that Nick, one of her 3 male roommates, likes Jess more than just as a friend which makes Jess extremely nervous. One of the hilarious scenes is where Cece tells her that when two people like each other, they stand with their feet pointing at each other. So Jess looks at other couples and jumps around when Nick looks at her so their feet won't be pointing toward each other! The entire episode is crazy, as usual, with many twists and turns. I like this show - it makes me laugh which is a good thing these days. Zooey Deschanel plays Jess and is the cutest new star this season as far as I'm concerned. She makes the show. So tune in this week - you'll like it.

2011-11-02T12:26:00.000-07:00

FOX shows this week - Halloween and 11/1

Monday night I watched "Terra Nova" which I've been watching since its debut. I like it even though it's not the kind I usually watch. It is a family-type show - one that the entire family could watch together without a lot of killing or sex. However, families don't watch TV together that much anymore because the family structure has changed, and some don't watch TV together or do anything together! The world has changed and become more sophisticated as far as what they watch. I think many of the shows on now are just plain stupid, but then I never claimed to be that sophisticated. "Terra Nova" has a little of everything. Jim is a cop and now has a gun which is good. Dr. Elizabeth, Jim's wife, cares for everyone and is even hatching an egg from some sort of dinosaur which I also like, and Dr. Malcolm keeps sniffing around Elizabeth which I don't like but it makes things interesting! So I give this show an A and hope everyone keeps watching. I also love the dinosaurs!

I also watched "New Girl" which I love. Jess is so quirky and cute that she makes the show fun. The three guys who are her roommates are good and the whole show turns out crazy but with sensitive parts. I think it will continue to be a hit and even get better with time. It's a show I won't miss. So be sophisticated and watch it!

I also watched "Raising Hope" which was just as funny as ever. That family can get into more crazy situations, but they always manage to come out on top. Their house was being fumigated because of bugs so everything was out in the yard where they were now living. There was even a toilet with a bucket and curtains around it! The whole show was very funny and I laughed out loud which I don't always do. I hope you'll watch it.

2011-10-26T15:37:00.000-07:00

22nd annual installment of "Treehouse of Horror."

This special episode of THE SIMPSONS airs Sunday, 10/30, 8 - 8:30 PM on FOX

I just watched the preview of this episode and I was laughing out loud! It has four different stories - the first is when Homer falls into a crevasse on a mountain with his bag of Halloween candy. It was meant for poor children, but Homer wasn't about to do that. When he falls, one arm is caught under a boulder like in the movie "127 Hours." So he calls for help on his cell and talks to Aron Ralston who was the real-life hero in the movie. So Homer chews his arm off and opens the bag, but there's no candy - just veggies! He, of course screams, and that's the end of that story.

There are three more stories and they are all hilarious! I loved the writing in all of them. I don't know how they come up with their crazy show year after year. And the people who do the voices are terrific. One of the stories has Homer paralyzed from a spider bite and unable to speak. The only way he can communicate is by farting which Lisa discovers after hearing him fart. She asks if he can fart once for yes and twice for no and he can do that. So he farts his way through that episode which I loved!

All the Simpson characters have parts in the four stories and I laughed all the way through. I hope everyone watches Sunday night - it's worth it!

2011-10-25T12:38:00.000-07:00

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is breast cancer awareness month. I don't need any reminders of that month as that is when I became aware of my own breast cancer in 2004. I had always examined myself as we are taught to do. I had discovered a little lump in the summer of that year and went to the doctor who told me it was nothing and we'd just wait and see what happened. Well, we waited to see and it turned out to be something and showed up in my mammogram that I had every October. It also had shown up in the mammogram from the year before! So, I had a lumpectomy and 6 weeks of radiation thereafter. Everything went smoothly and I'm doing fine.

However, every October I begin to get edgy just thinking about going again for the mammogram. I don't know what I'd do if I had to go through all that again. My first thought is just shooting myself or the equivalent of that. I doubt I would ever have the guts to do anything like that, but you never know what you are capable of doing in times like that.

This October has had some happenings that I've found very amusing, far from the cancer theme. It seems all the republican candidates for president are falling all over themselves trying to become the most attractive candidate for the christian evangelicals who seem to be running the show. Some of them started out pro-choice but then realized the evangelicals didn't go for that, so now they are pro-life. They are also battling each other with different plans to get more money out of the middle class by more taxes, sales taxes, cutting medicare, and I think there are some that would even like to get rid of social security. No one can decide what is the best way to go. It scares me to think of having any one of them being leader of this country - someone who changes his views at the drop of a hat.

So, October is almost over. My mammogram is on Halloween. Good day for it! I think I'll go out and celebrate by scheduling an abortion . . . I actually won't do that as I don't need one, but it's nice to know that so far it's still legal. Who knows what will happen if the evangelicals have anything to do with it. But mammograms are still legal, so I hope women get them. Having a mammogram probably saved my life.

2011-10-19T15:19:00.000-07:00

Occupy Portland camp

In the paper recently I read about the takeover of two city parks that has been going on for two weeks here in Portland. The same thing is going on all over the country and all over the world! Just what do they hope to gain from all of that? No one is going to hand them jobs and the economy isn't going to get better over night. In the meantime, the parks will be partially destroyed and the people will probably eventually be arrested. I don't understand their purpose - I believe in what they're saying, but is that the way to go about it? They have a community kitchen, temporary library, information booth, first aid center, a community garden (can they grow vegetables in two weeks at this time of the year?) and a recycling area. That sounds better than my condo area, and they aren't paying rent! There's another block in town where the owner has agreed to let homeless people - Portland has a lot of those - take up residence in their tents. This was organized by a group called Right2Dream Too. Occupy Portland protesters collected tents for the group and are in support of their movement.

Our mayor is leaving town Thursday on a 10-day trade mission to China and Japan so he will be out of the city for a while. Interesting time to leave town! He hasn't said when he might put an end to the illegal camps. Maybe he can come up with another trade mission before he has to return to the mess here. What these people should be doing is reading up on all the candidates running for anything and find the ones who believe in the ideals they have. That's where it really counts - electing the persons with the right beliefs as far as you're concerned. But unless congress settles down, I don't think anything will change very quickly.

I found this picture of Cindy taken a few years ago. I think she was getting ready for an "occupy something" with her cave-like tent she made over our dining room table. I thought she was just having fun, but I'll bet she knew that "Occupy Portland" was coming. However, she doesn't live here anymore so she won't be participating. Too bad because she would have fit right in and even added a little color.

2011-10-16T12:58:00.000-07:00

Summertime with Family and Friends

Teri, Mark and Harry came out for a few days this summer. It was wonderful to have them here, and I made the obligatory chicken divan and chocolate cookies and whipped cream. Also, I fixed spam for Harry to whom I introduced it years ago much to the delight of his parents.

One night we went to dinner in Oregon City with Rita and her family. The picture above shows us all looking quite good, I think. Reggie's eyes are not nearly as red as they look in the picture. Rita is an old friend of Teri's - I don't mean she's old - they just go back a long way. In the picture her son, Hayden, is on the left, Harry next to him with Teri behind him with a strangle hold on him, Rita in back and Steve (husband) next to her and then Mark. In front I am in the middle with Reggie with the red eyes beside me. Teri and Rita were buddies in high school and had many experiences together, some that took place in our house that I'm just finding out about now.

They all went up to Timberline Lodge for a couple of days. They had a good time but not as good as when I was there with Harry and his parents recently. I was babysitting Harry in a room next to Mark and Teri so that they could have some alone time. At bedtime, Harry needed some warm milk for his sippy cup, so he and I went down the hall to the bar in our bed clothes consisting of shorts and t-shirts. I sat at the bar while the bartender went into a back room to get some milk. Harry sat at a table - I wouldn't let him sit at the bar with me. That was a fun time, and I'm sure the other customers were having fun watching us! But now that I'm thinking about it, I don't think it was that recently. Harry is almost 16 years old and doesn't use a sippy cup anymore as far as I know. Time goes so fast, doesn't it?

Mark and Harry left here a couple of days before Teri, so she and I had time to ourselves which was fun. I love it when I can spend time alone with my daughters. We even went to a movie. We sat out on my deck at night and had some wine and talked mother and daughter stuff whatever that is. We were sitting among all the bird poop on the deck and on the ledges. I had cleaned it up before the family arrived, but it doesn't take long for birds to poop all over everything. Teri didn't seem to mind. I think she expects that sort of thing when she visits her mother. At least it wasn't my poop which may happen in the future!

All in all, I think everyone had a good time.

2011-10-13T15:40:00.000-07:00

"American Horror Story" - on FX Wednesdays at 10PM

I've been a fan of FX for quite some time. My all-time favorite show was "Rescue Me" which had its stunning finale recently. The writing was so good - especially when the fire fighters were in the lunch room talking. Sometimes it was hilarious and other times it got physical. I also like "Justified" which was based on Elmore Leonard's novels. And then there was "Nip/Tuck." That was a show about a couple of plastic surgeons who had many patients and lots of sex. They operated and then had sex, sometimes in an operating room or their office . . . anywhere there was enough room for two people. It was created by Ryan Murphy who created "Glee." It was hard for me to think of Ryan writing a little high school story and then rushing over to do "Nip/Tuck" where one of the doctors was doing a vagina restructure and immediately thereafter having wild sex in the doctor's lounge - not, of course, with the vagina patient. Too soon for her.

So now there is "American Horror Story." What in the hell is this one about? This is the kind of show I usually avoid because of the creepiness, but I decided to give it a try because of Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk who created it. It's the creepiest thing I've ever seen! Dylan McDermott (the father) and Connie Britton (the mother) move from Boston to Los Angeles for a fresh start. Dylan had had an affair and Connie a miscarriage. They also brought along their daughter who seems a little strange. They buy a house that is huge, old, dark and very ugly. There have been murders in it and there will be more. But they want a fresh start and apparently will take anything. There's a neighbor, Jessica Lange who also is very strange with a mongoloid daughter as she calls her. Dylan is a shrink who has two teen-age patients so far who are also strange. . . bordering on crazy! Connie won't have sex with Dylan as she's still punishing him for his affair, but finally does one afternoon. And that night she has sex again with someone in a medieval type costume with just his eyes exposed. She seems to enjoy it and thinks it's her husband coming for seconds. But I don't think it is. Shortly after, she says she's pregnant but thinks there's something wrong with the baby. In last night's show, Dylan goes back to Boston to take his old girlfriend for an abortion. But while he's gone, there are murders in his new house and all hell breaks loose!

This is a very strange show! Everyone in it is crazy. Connie may be the sanest one, but I think she is on the edge. Dylan sees the maid as a seductive, beautiful young woman whereas she is actually not young, beautiful or seductive. So I think even Dylan is crazy. I'll probably keep watching . . .

2011-10-09T12:53:00.000-07:00

TERRA NOVA - Fox show Monday, 10/10/11, 8PM - 9PM

This episode has to do with a mysterious virus outbreak at Terra Nova. It causes bad things such as memory loss, paranoia and even death. So Commander Taylor must save the people one way or another. We haven't learned that much about Taylor yet. Apparently he was supposed to be a bad guy, but he's changed all that. He has nothing but good intentions for his followers even though he has pain in his past. He's an interesting character.

I imagine the scientist, Malcolm, will be helping him. I was leery of Malcolm when they first introduced his character. It turns out he was responsible for bringing the doctor and her family over to Terra Nova because they needed a doctor. Actually, Malcolm had known Elizabeth, the doctor, in times past and I think they had a thing then before her marriage to Jim. But he's bringing her over in the hopes they will have kinky jungle sex when she arrives. He's astounded when he meets her husband as he didn't know she was married, so the jungle sex goes out the door! But maybe he can at least help with the virus.

This should be a good episode so hope you'll all be watching.

2011-10-03T11:29:00.000-07:00

TERRA NOVA and NEW GIRL

Tonight's episode of "Terra Nova" is exciting in that a pack of killer Pterosaurs - I think I spelled it right but it doesn't really matter as no one knows what they are - dive-bomb the colony. Taylor and Shannon must fight to save their home from destruction and mayhem. Taylor had to shoot a scene that took three full nights when he was fighting a pair of dinosaurs who were mating! They mate for three days? Can you imagine if that happened now in our country? Maybe it does and I just don't know about it. This all sounds exciting and I'll be watching. Hope you do too.

"New Girl" has a funny episode Tuesday, 10/4. Jess and her guy roommates are going to a wedding and Nick wants Jess to pose as his girlfriend. She doesn't know what to wear, so the guys say for her to look slutty. So she does. I don't think she looks slutty, but the guys give her the "ok." The wedding turns into a big mess but, Jess and her guys end up friends and have a good time. It's really funny These are crazy guys and Zooey is cute and she sings a lot which I like. Hope you'll watch.

2011-09-27T11:02:00.000-07:00

"New Girl" - tonight at 9PM on Fox

I just watched the second episode, "Kryptonite," of the new show "New Girl." It was even funnier than the one last week! Jess is now living with three roommates - guys she met on the internet. A new one comes back - he's been playing basketball in Latvia - and wants his old room back. They fight over that and Jess throws a basketball, accidentally, into the TV and breaks it when she is showing off her basketball skills of which she has none! They decide to go back to her old place where her skuzball boyfriend is living with his ho girlfriend and retrieve her TV and other things she left when she moved out. They eventually get all of her stuff back but the whole thing is hysterical! I love this show and Zooey Deschanel. She is a fresh young woman who doesn't fit the model that seems cloned for so many shows. She is crazy, dorky and adorable. And she sings a lot.

I hope you all watch it tonight - it's a good one!

2011-09-24T12:06:00.000-07:00

"Glee" - preview of second new show airing Tuesday, 9/27, 8 PM - 9 PM

I just previewed this episode entitled "I Am Unicorn" and it was very good and so funny at the beginning. Kurt is running for president. I assume it has something to do with the high school. Brittany wants to be his campaign manager. Brittany is not the brightest person around. You could say she's stupid, but I think simple is a better word for her. Brittany says Kurt is a Unicorn. Kurt doesn't know what she means, so she tells him a Unicorn is a pony that does a good deed and then poops out cotton candy, thus making him a Unicorn. Kurt tells her she should run for president, but she says she's not smart. It then shows her in a class with the teacher asking her what the capitol of Ohio is and she answers, "O." Then teacher asks her who the president of the country is and she answers, "Will I am." She says she's slept with a lot of guys and could get votes for Kurt. Not a good idea!

This episode has good music as usual and lots going on. You should watch it and get caught up on everything going on at New Directions. You'll like it!

2011-09-19T13:17:00.000-07:00

GLEE returns for season three premiere episode Tuesday, 9/20 at 8 PM - 9 PM

The New Directions group had a very bad loss at Nationals, but Mr. Schuester works out a project to get them back on track. Blaine has a hard time deciding whether or not to stay with the Warblers or make the jump to McKinley High School. This episode is called "The Purple Piano Project."

During all this, Sue Sylvester has decided she belongs in Washington - not the state - and starts her congressional campaign with an anti-arts platform. What other platform would she ever consider?

This should be a very interesting show, and as long as there is singing in it, it will be great.

Also, "New Girl" premieres right after Glee, and I think it will be a hit also.

So watch these shows tomorrow night and you will be pleased and happy!

2011-09-18T10:20:00.000-07:00

Can you hear me now?

I called Cindy this morning and caught her as she was packing up her old Brownie Morrison store next to the fat lady store - Weight Watchers. Cindy is moving back to her first neighborhood to what sounds like an ideal location. So Brownie will live again! She had some time so we got to talking about what she'd been watching on TV. She has it going all the time in the store and watches all the judge shows or else she puts in her copy of the Betty Broderick story. Her customers watch right along with her as Betty murders her ex-husband and his new wife. She said the other night she saw an ad for a 6-pack of mini catheters! She said they should have gone on to say on the ad: Do I have to go, did I just go, or am I going? She didn't order any.

But she did order one time some foundation make-up by Rachel Hunter on QVC. She didn't like it as I guess it was too heavy as she said it would sink you to the bottom of a swimming pool. But she kept forgetting to cancel the order so the stuff kept arriving. One day her handy man came to her door and asked if he could borrow some make-up to put on a rash on his chest! She didn't like the idea of borrowing as she certainly wouldn't want it back, so she gave him some. A few days later he came to her door, this time in full make-up! She didn't recognize him at first. Turns out he was a cross-dresser so she gave him an evening gown! He loved it but said his tailor would have to take it in in the chest area as he wasn't as busty as Cindy. So that was it for my Cindy call.

After the phone call, I went over to the building where I have physical therapy occasionally. The person there took my paper work and then called the person who would be making my appointments. She handed her cell to me and the girl said she would give me a date for my evaluation. She asked if I had a pen and I didn't, but said I'd look for one. There wasn't one on the desk, so I opened the drawer. The woman who had given me the phone was in another room with a patient. So I was in the drawer and found a box of pens. I tried one and it had no ink, so I tried another one and still no ink. I finally got my purse and found one of my own. I came back to the phone, and picked it up and said, "Can you hear me now?" No one answered, and I then realized I had picked up the computer mouse and was speaking into it! So I grabbed the cell which I found at the edge of the desk and repeated what I had said. This time she heard me. Maybe physical therapy isn't what I need!

When I returned home, I thought about calling Teri but I knew she wouldn't be watching Betty Broderick as Teri works really hard and doesn't have the time. Even though she's the godfather of our Betty sorority, she does have her priorities. So I didn't bother her at work doing whatever it is she does.

The above picture is a partial group of Teri's attendants for her wedding. From left to right are Jonelle, Teri, Peggy and Cindy. I love this picture as Teri and Cindy look so happy. Maybe it was because their cells were turned off and they wouldn't have to answer any calls . . . or maybe it was because it was Teri's wedding day. Whatever the reason, they wouldn't have to listen to anyone saying, "Can you hear me now?"

2011-09-16T13:31:00.000-07:00

When we were young . . .

Remember when we were kids without a care in the world? All we had to worry about was what game we'd play next, could we make it into the house before we peed our pants or worse, whether or not to play kick the can or hide and seek and other inconsequential things. But now that I'm all grown up, it's just not the same. I don't think anyone here wants to play kick the can anymore unless they kick it to the recycling bin.

Now I don't even have to leave the house before I'm all embroiled in problems that need taking care of by phone or computer. When you try to get something done by phone, you have to go through many automated people who can't talk to you. Their tin-can voices tell you to punch 1. if you want this 2. if you want that 3. if you want to set yourself on fire 4. if you want them to set themselves on fire. Finally, they give up on you and say to wait for someone who will speak to you. This was

Social Security to whom I was speaking, and you know I didn't have one chance in hell to ever make contact with a live person. But I had the newspaper in front of me so decided to just wait it out and see if anyone ever came on. I could see their office, full of little mannequins seated at desks where the little automated voices originated. As I was picturing what all the mannequins looked like and how they were dressed or possibly naked, a voice came through the phone and I nearly fell off my chair! I told her how excited I was to talk to someone alive, but she wasn't interested as I imagine she had many others waiting for her. So she ripped right through the questions about my mother's maiden name, where I was born, etc. I guess I passed because she said it was now all taken care of!

Next on my agenda was meeting the bug man who was coming to put out a trap that would catch and kill the rat that had been practically living on my deck and eating the birdseed that dropped from the bird feeder. When he arrived, he showed me the trap and I could see that it would kill the rat big time! I told him I hadn't seen the rat since I took down the feeder, and he said maybe he ate the food under my deck he had put out that was poison and it appeared to be all gone. I told him my birds were going apeshit over not having food and were flying at my windows and giving me the evil eye. I decided I didn't want the awful trap and would put the feeder up after a while and see what happened.

So that was my exciting morning. Not as much fun as when I was a little kid. The above picture shows left to right a neighbor girl, Teri and Cindy having fun playing dress-up when they were young. Do kids still do that anymore or do they all have games they play on TV with their iPhones?

2011-09-12T16:07:00.000-07:00

RAISING HOPE - Fox series starts on Tuesday, 9/20, at 9:30 PM to 10:00 PM

I was so happy to see this show on again. It's a crazy little show with crazy people in it. The opening episode is "Prodigy" because Jimmy has found old home movies of him playing piano and singing which were very good. He didn't know about the movies and that he had all that talent. His family had never told him for a very good reason. The cast members are Lucas Neff (Jimmy), Martha Plimpton (mom), Garret Dillahunt (dad) Shannon Woodward (Jimmy's girlfriend) and Cloris Leachman (grandma Maw Maw). There's also the baby Hope, but I don't know who she is - probably more than one. Maw Maw decides to teach Jimmy how to play the piano again and thinks she can stay lucid for an hour on Tuesdays and Thursdays. She says it's his only chance of getting out of their hell hole! A young actor, Greyson Chance, plays Jimmy at the piano and singing in the old movies and is great. He's been on "Ellen" and has many hits on UTube.

But Maw Maw can't help, so they take Jimmy to a doctor who says "When I saw you come in, I thought you were looking for oxycontin." Their time spent with the doctor was hilarious and I was laughing out loud! Of course he didn't help so they went home and drank some beer which did help. Then mom said Jimmy had ambrosia or anemia or something like that. They finally told Jimmy how he became talentless which was another funny scene. The entire show made me laugh which is a sign for me that I'll be watching as I did last year. I hope you all watch this as its very funny!

2011-09-11T12:48:00.000-07:00

FOX - new show "New Girl" premiering 9/20 at 9:00-9:30 PM Tuesday

I've been reviewing Fox shows for several years, and I realize I'm not in the ideal demographic for doing this. But I really don't care as I just review the shows I like and don't say nasty things about the ones I don't. The people who make

the series I write about probably don't give a shit what I write as I'm over 40 and don't matter anyway. But I don't give a shit either, so here goes. I will say I don't like reality shows of any kind, especially Housewives from Hell or wherever or shows with little tiny girls being egged on by their crackpot mothers to dance and wiggle their way to victory. So . . .

I wrote about "Terra Nova" the other day and think it will be a big hit. I also liked it! Yesterday I watched the pilot episode of "New Girl" and also liked it.This is a half-hour show with a lot packed into the pilot episode. It stars Zooey Deschanel as Jess who is a young woman who just got dumped and finds three new roommates from an advertisement. They are three guys - one a sarcastic bartender, a jock with an anger management problem and a real "douchebag!" They sound crazy and are in some ways, but they take care of Jess and become a sort of family without sleeping together - sort of like most families. Jess is a sweet, cute, naive, awkward, funny and adorable girl. She sings all the time and needs lot of advice on meeting new men. Her roommates help her along and things get hilarious at times. Zooey wrote and performed the theme song. I think Zooey is great and from what I saw, this should be set for a good run. I hope you watch it - you may just fall in love with Zooey as Jess, thus making "New Girl" a big hit.

2011-09-09T10:46:00.000-07:00

TERRA NOVA - new Fox series beginning Monday, 9/26 at 8 - 10PM

I saw this show yesterday, and, much to my surprise, I liked it! This is a story about a family that escapes from the dying world of 2149 and travels back in time 85 million years to help start a new colony of 1,000 people in Terra Nova. Wow! The family consists of the dad, an ex cop (Jason O'Mara), his wife, a doctor ( Shelley Conn) with a little girl and two teen-age kids. The show is shot in the hinterlands of Australia because of the distance away from cities and the gorgeous scenery there. I, too, lived in the hinterlands during my youth, but not in Australia. There are beautiful exotic plants, water falls and dinosaurs that were designed by paleontologist Jack Horner who fashioned them to look like what those creatures actually looked like.

Terra Nova is led by Nathaniel Taylor (Stephen Lang) who is struggling with someone who left the tribe and wants to take over. Many events happened in this show, and I think it will hold your interest all the way through. Nathaniel makes Jim a cop and gives him a gun and badge. That made me feel better as I like cops in my shows.

When they left earth, they didn't take a plane or bus obviously - they went through a big blue round opening that just sucked them in! That is the same way they did it in Stargate SG-1 that Harry and I watched when he visited. We watched it over and over again! I'll bet this show will be on his list. Maybe that's the only way to leave earth and go back millions of years in time - nice to know.

I think this show will be a hit. There are so many possible stories to be had with each member of the family, and also the ongoing battle with outside forces trying to get back in. I liked the dinosaurs. I don't usually go for that sort of thing, but I think this show will be very interesting for all ages. I hope you all watch it - you won't be disappointed.

2011-08-25T14:42:00.000-07:00

Wells Fargo sucks!

I realize that's not very nice to start off like that. but that's just how I felt when I visited my banker the other day. But I love the way it sounds and I like saying it!

This all came about after I read an article in the business section of "The Oregonian" newspaper. It stated that as of October 14, Wells Fargo & Co. would begin charging most Oregon and Washington checking account customers a $3 monthly debit card activity fee. That would count just if you used your card for purchases. Now what the hell does that mean? Isn't that why they introduced the card in the first place, to make it easy to purchase items without always carrying money with you? It was like a miracle had happened. I loved it. This fee comes as a result of the federal cap on debit card swipe fees imposed by Congress and the Federal Reserve. This takes effect October 1 and will cost big banks millions in lost revenue. When I read that I almost cried for the poor banks. So now Wells Fargo is trying to find ways to make more money and decided to hit the little people with a charge that they figured no one would notice. And maybe they thought we were all too dumb to ever read the business section of the paper and see the little article. The average person in this country is not dumb; we just aren't as crafty as the people who run the banks.

I was so mad, I went to the bank the next day and talked to my banker who was young, slim and very nice. When did bankers get to be so young. I thought they would be older and sort of fat. But that's just in old movies I guess. I don't think he expected someone like me because the first thing I said was that I was very pissed off at their plan and refused to pay the $3 monthly fee. I told him I had been a customer of Wells Fargo since - - I won't say it on my blog as it will make me about 120 years old. I said that should count for something, but apparently it didn't. I finally mentioned another bank that wasn't doing that and maybe I should go there. I also told him I had some money in securities which had been held by Wachovia before it went down the toilet and was now listed as Wells Fargo Advisor. He perked right up at that and said I could opt out of the $3 fee and have a special account. So everything turned out ok for me. But it still pisses me off that they came out with debit cards and everyone thought they were great, and then they pull something like this. I would like to know what their CEOs make and what sort of retirement package and golden parachutes they have. I asked him about that but I think he was looking out the window about then and wishing I'd just shut up!

When I called my broker's office and told them what I was doing, they said it was fine and they really didn't care what I did! I asked them why everything they sent to me was listed as Wachovia Wells Fargo Advisor. I said I thought Wachovia was all done so why is their name still there. She tried to explain that Wells Fargo is like a big umbrella and they are under it. I didn't know what the hell she was talking about, but we both seemed happy. I don't know anything about how banks run. Maybe that's why they get into so much trouble - they don't know either.

2011-08-04T16:12:00.000-07:00

The Secret of Google

On 8/3/11, "The Oregonian" newspaper wrote, "Google doesn't dumb you down, it just reprograms your brain's search." Actually, I think it does dumb you down as it enables you to go to your computer and find out anything you want to know, right at your fingertips. It doesn't make it necessary for you to search every dictionary, encyclopedia, newspaper, etc. for your answer. When I used to try and figure something out, I would say, "What would Jerry (Seinfeld) do - probably something funny" or, "What would Craig (Ferguson) do - hopefully something off color," but now I don't need to do that anymore. I can just run into my computer room and find out whatever I want.

But where does Google get all its information? I just can't figure that out. I know that they know where everyone lives and even have pictures of our houses. There is no such thing as privacy anymore, and they probably know what we're going to do before we actually do it. That's sort of creepy, but I still use Google . . . a lot. It blows my mind that I can type the first word of a phrase and the entire phrase will pop up before I'm even through typing. I have requested much information, some of which I wouldn't want others to know. I'm sure they must have a file on me, and I can just see what happens when I hit Google. I see all the little people in the big Google warehouse - they have many warehouses but I just see one - and I can see one of the guys scream at the others. Oh, I almost forgot - they all look like Jesse Eisenberg who was so good in "The Social Network." He was so geeky and quirky, and that's what all the guys in the warehouse look like - Jesse. So Jesse screams at them, "Here's that crazy woman who requests all the info on strange diseases!" I did have them look up Prune Belly Syndrome once to see if I had any of the symptoms. That was during a particularly bad time for me. Jesse goes on to say, "She also wanted to know about abnormal sexual practices of the Mayan culture." For his information, that was during a period when I wasn't getting any, and that's nothing for them to laugh about. Jesse and the guys all go on to laugh over my latest request which was quite normal if I remember right. And then Jesse makes fun of the fact that I ask the same things over and over again. That's none of his damn business. He should be glad I'm doing that - that's job security for him.

A team from Columbia University studied Google and its effect on people. They decided that we have a mental dependency on instant access to information, and the loss of our Internet connection would be like losing a friend. I can agree with that. But will Jesse and his fellow nerds please quit laughing at me?

2011-08-02T13:29:00.000-07:00

More about my open-air aviary

Larry, my sparrow, is no longer around, so I assume he's dead. Sparrows don't live very long, but I have a whole batch of new birds, mostly finches. I miss Larry - we had sort of a kinship going. He'd sit on the ledge on my deck, all hunkered down and just sit, and I'd sit on the couch, all hunkered down and just sit. It would finally get dark as night came on, and he must have gone to bed someplace - I know I did. He left me just like Larry, my pigeon did several years ago. I miss them.

When I put the bird feeder on the floor of my deck in a big pot, all the new birds came and even brought their kids whom they would feed. The young ones would chirp and chirp and finally the dad would stuff food down their open mouths or beaks or whatever you call them. It was fun to watch and I spent a lot of time doing just that. But that didn't last too long as Charley, the squirrel, came and got right in the pot with the food! I tried all sorts of things to scare him away, but nothing worked. So I ended up throwing empty, plastic gallon milk bottles at him but that was no good either. I think I put a couple pictures on my blog of the bird feeder and birds and even one of Charley. But it got worse from there. The other day I noticed a big rat slithering into the feed pot! He came back several times, so our bug guy put a black box under my deck to catch him. There must be all kinds of black boxes, but up until now the only time I've heard mention of a black box is when a plane goes down. Do you suppose when, and if, they ever find those black boxes there are rats in them? So I was thinking maybe I'd seen the last of my rat, but yesterday another one slithered onto the deck, but he was smaller. I live by a river so there are rats around all the time.

This morning I went to my hardware store and bought some rat poison! I hated to do that, but I didn't want to trap it which they suggested at the store. So now I have to set it out someplace on the deck where the birds can't crawl into it. Hope it works. I used to have mice rummaging around in my kitchen drawers! I had no clue until I found mouse poop all over. I tried a mouse trap with cheese, peanut butter and other goodies but they always took the goodies without snapping the trap. Finally, one night I heard a loud snap! When I got enough courage to look, I found a dead mouse caught in the trap. I threw the whole thing away and got some other kind of mouse killer that I put under the sink. That works fine. Now the mice just take the food home and eat it and die right there, just like any normal person would, in their own home. That makes me feel better. You're probably thinking I live in a slum with all the rats and mice . . . that could be except for the fact that I pay a huge condo fee and I don't think they do that in the slums. I may look into that.

I bought a hanging bird feeder and had our handy man hang it from the center of my deck where nothing could reach it except birds. Now sometimes during the day it's covered with birds! They love it and are eating a ton of food. I bought some more yesterday, and it had gone up a dollar. Everything is going up. I don't know what's going on now with the debt crisis. I imagine the Tea Party idiots are in the chapel, praying again like they did yesterday. It's getting to the point it's almost an embarrassment to say I live in this country - a place where people can't get together enough to solve anything!

The picture is of my new bird feeder with just one bird. I stood in front of my window and the birds just wouldn't stay on it. I finally got tired of standing there. But one brave little bird did stay for the picture - the others flew back as soon as I stepped away.

2011-07-24T18:51:00.000-07:00

If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

People have been saying that for years, and now I'm wondering if the government realizes we are now broke and need to be fixed. I know I'm broke and many others like me are going through the same thing. What are the people in Washington thinking, or are they thinking at all? I'm sick of the news telling of all the meetings going on with nothing ever happening. They keep meeting and not a damn thing is ever decided upon. People are just waiting to see if they will be getting any social security at all, and if they do, will half of it be going to cover the raises in medicare?And are the republicans holding things up to make it look bad for Obama and trying to make sure he won't be re-elected? Have they all lost sight of what's actually at stake, that it's not just their priorities? It's the ordinary people that make up this country that are waiting for men like Mitch McConnell to get their minds in gear and quit trying to get rid of Obama even before the election. Mitch is just one of many who actually disgust me, but he's on top of the list. I wonder if they have any idea how many people are scared and very angry at what has become of our government and why they can't seem to get anything done. Can't people work together to get something worthwhile accomplished? It doesn't look like it, does it?

I happened to come across this picture of Mitch McConnell as he was taking a break from all the meetings. You can see his mouth is wide open and he's probably spewing more of his nonsense that takes up valuable time in the meetings. I hope whoever took this picture puts it on YouTube with this caption - "Our government at work!"

2011-07-17T13:09:00.000-07:00

Another uneventful week has come and gone

I put up Teri's picture to make me feel better. I always feel better when I see my girls' pictures. Teri doesn't have the rose like Cindy's picture last week did, but that's ok. A couple of young guys were here recently and were looking at all the stuff I have on my fridge. My fridge is covered with magnets from Cindy's "Brownie Morrison" store and also family pictures. They said Teri looked like some move actress. I agreed.

I have felt a little stressed this week, wondering if I would get a social security check in August and have medicare in case I had to go to the doctor. So I haven't been spending any money and hiding what I have in my underwear drawer in case the government wants more from the middle americans rather than taxing the wealthy, the oil companies, corporate jet owners, etc. Taxing that group makes sense to me as I think middle america is tapped out. I can't understand the republicans and their way of thinking. Or do they even think? And the Tea Party people are all a bunch of idiots. I don't think there are any middle americans anymore - we've all been pushed down to the bottom.

I'm not the only one in my family feeling the pinch and being stressed. Cindy has her store and people just aren't buying stuff because THEY HAVE NO MONEY! She's also thinking about her back operation next week which is stressful. Teri is probably stressed on her job. She has had several jobs since she went to New York, and I was never quite sure just what she did. I would ask but never understood just what her duties were. So I quit asking so she wouldn't think I was as stupid as I really was! My last job was nothing like hers. I would do something on a computer and have one break in the morning. Then when lunch came, at 12 noon we would all rush into the conference room and watch the first half of "Perry Mason" on television. Then at 12:30 we would all go back to our desks and try to look busy. So we never knew how Perry ended which was no big loss. I don't think Teri works like that - I don't know if Perry Mason is even on anymore. Cindy can watch television in her store all day and wear jeans and tennis shoes. Now that's my kind of job!

I'm hoping things perk up for all of us next week. That's not too much to ask, is it?

2011-07-12T09:52:00.000-07:00

Cindy's having an operation!

Next week Cindy will be having a back operation that will hopefully correct what's wrong and take away her horrible back pain. It's a serious operation, so she'll have to take it easy for a long time. I think she bent herself all out of shape over the years with her gymnastics. Those were the years gymnasts were so cute and popular on television, and every little girl wanted to be just like them. If we had only known then what the long-term consequences would be for those little bodies, things would have been a lot different. I wish I had been smarter and put a stop to it. But I wasn't and I didn't. It makes me so sad when something happens to my daughters. I guess I feel that nothing bad should happen to my girls, but every parent feels that way. That's just the way we are.

I called her a little while ago to give her more advice about the operation. I think she thinks I treat her like a child - well, she's right! When she answered the phone at her Brownie Morrison store, I heard her saying, "there's no toilet paper -- use the cocktail napkins." A friend was there and apparently using the rest room with no toilet paper. I wasn't surprised. I remember once when I visited her family, there was no toilet paper in the house! There were no paper napkins or kleenex either. I don't know what I did, but someone went to the store pretty quickly. So the next time I visited, I took my own toilet paper. I have two cupboards full of toilet paper and the girls make fun of me - they say I have OCD because of the toilet paper and also that I floss my teeth 3 times a day and use tiny little brushes between my teeth each time. I try not to pay any attention to them but it's not easy if they gang up on me.

I remember an operation I had where the last thing that happened before I slipped into dreamland was someone put a plastic bag over my head! I can still picture it. It must have been the anesthetist doing the weird little things they do. Before I drifted off I wondered if they were trying to do me in, but not to worry. I just went to sleep and pretty soon everything was over and I was still alive. I found out it wasn't a plastic bag - it was something to give me oxygen. They apparently knew what they were doing. So Cindy, don't worry about things like that - I'm the only one who does. Teri and I will be waiting to hear the good news when your operation is over, and we'll both be sending you our love. I'm putting your picture up - the one you like with the rose. That should help. And don't forget, we love you lots.

2011-07-08T10:26:00.000-07:00

Happy Times at the Goodwill Store!!

The other day, I met my friend Judy at the new Goodwill store. We always go there to celebrate our birthdays and then out to lunch nearby. This store is bigger than the old one and I was quite impressed with it. I bought a couple of things that had a purple tag on them which gave me 50% off! I was thrilled. I also bought a bowl to replace the one I broke when I took it out of the oven and immediately ran water in it! It shattered in my hands, but fortunately I wasn't cut by flying glass. I just had to have the Maytag repair man out to get a big piece of glass out of my disposal. Maybe I should quit cooking and doing all those things I've done for so long when I had a family. My family is gone so why am I fooling around with pots and pans and all those family things when I could be doing other things that bring me joy and happiness . . . my mind seems to have gone blank . . . there must be something . . .

When I got home I found my remote and decided to check what I had saved on my DVR. As everyone knows, my remote is very dear to me. So I tried it but nothing happened. My TV worked, but the DVR wouldn't respond. I almost called 911, but wisely decided against it. In my desperation, I wondered if new batteries would help. So I went to my stash of batteries. I have many of them, probably from the days when I had a wind-up toy store downtown. I know - I know, wind-ups don't take batteries, but I had some special big metal toys that required them. So I just have a lot here with me. This reminded me of a "Seinfeld" episode where Jerry caught his Uncle Leo shoplifting in a book store. He turned him in and the store decided to prosecute and make an example of him. Uncle Leo said it was the right of all senior citizens to shoplift. So Jerry called his parents in Florida who said it was the right of all senior citizens to shoplift - especially batteries. I loved that episode of "Seinfeld" - but then I love them all.

So I took out the batteries from my remote. They had an expiration date of 3/11 which didn't make sense to me.They should have lasted longer. I put in some new ones, right out of the package, which were dated 3/10. Those worked! How weird!

Anyway, my remote was back in business and I was beginning to calm down.

So it was quite a day. I almost forgot - the first thing I did before Goodwill was visit my cardiologist's office for a pacemaker checkup. She puts a gadget on my chest and runs a sheet of what's happening, and that's it - about 5 minutes. I asked her how I was and she said great. If I weren't great, I'd be dead!! So I was out of there and on my way to Goodwill. It turned out to be a very good day.

2011-07-03T11:21:00.000-07:00

Today Teri and Mark are having a wedding anniversary!

I didn't get them a card this year - actually, I get very few cards anymore as they cost too much. I quit doing Christmas cards years ago, but that had nothing to do with the cost. I had just had a hysterectomy and a divorce, so I wasn't in a "card sending" mood. After that I just figured I would keep on not sending cards and it's worked out quite well except for the fact that I don't receive Christmas cards anymore either.

Teri said she had made reservations for dinner on their anniversary at a place in Greenwich Village which sounded like fun. I remember when I was back in New York for their wedding, we watched the fireworks on the fourth of July from their deck on the top floor of their building. I felt like a celebrity! The fireworks were like nothing I had ever seen before. Their wedding was also like nothing I had ever seen before either. The windows of the building faced the Empire State Building which was red, white and blue for the holiday. Everything was wonderful and Teri was gorgeous. All the attendants were in black, and Cindy was matron of honor and also looked gorgeous. There was lots of food and drinks - real drinks. So different from my wedding in a church with cake and coffee afterwards.

Mark, Teri and Harry are coming out this summer for a visit. Then Mark will see how I'm doing on the new computer they gave me!! I was surprised and excited when it arrived as I didn't know they were doing it until they day before it arrived. It's an iMac and has a keyboard for little people. I mean really little people! It's tiny and hard for me to get used to it. I keep having to go back and correct things. But it's getting a little easier or maybe I'm getting smaller. It will be so good to see them. It's been a long time since I've seen Harry and Mark.

So Happy Anniversary kids - have a good one!!

2011-06-29T20:12:00.000-07:00

Cindy and April visit

Last Sunday Cindy and April came to visit and spend the night. Cindy's Brownie Morrison store isn't open on Mondays. Cindy is my daughter and April is her bull mastiff just so you won't get confused which would be easy to do. April is not a little dog, and it takes a lot of preparation before she arrives. I take off my comforter from my bed as April sleeps with Cindy there. Last time they were here April left a tiny bit of left-over poop smear on the comforter and it's hard washing a comforter. I told Teri about that and she almost threw up! Then I put on a couple of thin blankets and a sheet over them. I also put a sheet over my couch where I sleep because I don't want her drooling on my bed. We have several towels out to wipe her drool which she does after she drinks water. I also do that from time to time. I was all ready for her when they arrived. Cindy came in all smiles, and April sort of slipped in behind her. I had to stand out of the way because April doesn't make up to tall people - I'm 5'3. When I sat down on the couch(my bed) she came right up to me and put her head on my knee while I scratched behind her ears and played with the hair on her head. She loves that and didn't want me to stop. All the time I was thinking how much I love having someone play with my hair. Why can't that happen?

Cindy went to the store and bought a beautiful steak and two of those potatoes filled with cooked potato and cheese, chives, etc. Cindy has a bad back - I mean a really bad back - and needs an operation ASAP. So I insisted on cooking the dinner. I decided to broil the steak. I rarely broil and I rarely have steak. So I did it but cooked the steak too long and it wasn't rare enough. We like our meat just barely warm. So that was a big bust. And the potatoes didn't taste that good. Cindy ate hardly anything and I didn't do much better. We went to bed early - all three of us. Cindy left early in the morning as Monday is the only day she has away from the store to get things done.

After they left, I felt like I had been a crappy mother. I couldn't make her feel better because she was in pain from her back, and my cooking left a lot to be desired. I want my kids to always be happy and feel good - never to have anything wrong in their lives. I used to hear people say they could hardly wait until their kids were out of the house and on their own. Well, those days haven't happened yet for me. They

are never out of my mind.

2011-06-25T12:38:00.000-07:00

Treadmills for Shrimp???

There has been an interesting ad on television lately from the AARP. I'm all for that organization but I didn't really start watching until I heard them mention "treadmills for shrimp!" Apparently that is one of the many, many earmarks that will be on - or already is on - one of the big bills that congress passed for one of the states. I don't think there is ever a bill passed that doesn't have many earmarks dangling off of it. That has to be done to appease the state for passing the bill. I mean the state won't pass the bill unless they get their little goodies in return. This could mean cuts in medicare and social security will be necessary to pay for these earmarks. But the states don't really care as long as they get what they want. It seems like a sort of extortion to me.

In past years, I have read the lists of earmarks and it's really hilarious or sad - it depends on how you look at it. They are pretty funny and seemingly useless, but also sad in that we have to conduct government business that way. What is happening to our country? We are fighting wars in the middle east where they don't really want us. This all started when we went to Iraq and from there it escalated to the present. This country is in sad shape right now and our young men are dying overseas . . . for what? But the government keeps on the same way and we'll keep seeing more of these funny earmarks even though they said they would stop. I didn't believe them then and certainly don't now. Why can't our government work efficiently and get things done in a timely manner. They seem to spend all of their time getting ready for the next elections, forgetting about what should be happening now.

As long as they're continuing with the earmarks, why couldn't they have an earmark for Pole Vaulting for Frogs. That sounds better than the one for shrimps. And I love frogs - shrimps are slimy, slippery little seafood things that should be left under water and never seen by humans.

2011-06-17T15:19:00.000-07:00

Surprise Gift!!

This picture has nothing to do with this blog – I just like it. It’s of my mom, Cindy and Teri. Cindy had just been crowned that day as May Fete Princess of her high school, Teri had been crowned May Fete Princess the year before and my mother was a princess of everything!

The other day Teri called and said she and Mark were sending me a new computer! I was flossing my teeth at the time, and the phone startled me so much I almost pulled a tooth out! When I gained control, I said the usual things like, “You shouldn’t have,” “You shouldn’t do so much,” and on and on. Then I finally thanked them. I was so surprised I didn’t know what to do. Mark also arranged for someone to come out next week and set it up for me. My computer is getting old and does goofy things. Or maybe it is I that does the goofy things! I was cleaning out my file cabinet and found a booklet of instructions for my old computer that I had never even opened. Maybe that accounts for some of the trouble I had with it.

My new one arrived yesterday and is sitting here in my computer room in the box. I’ll let the guys who know what they’re doing open the box. I tried to get the delivery guy take it apart and set it up, but he got out of here pretty fast. I couldn’t get to sleep that night even with help from medication. It was probably after 3am when I finally fell asleep and was 5:30am when I woke up. My phone just now rang and it was Cindy calling from her Brownie Morrison store. She was all bent out of shape because she saw on my Facebook that I was now friends with Katy Perry! I got a notice about it but can’t find anything on my Facebook. I can never find anything on Facebook. I don’t know how that happened and I apologized to Cindy! She’s still pissed. I don’t know why I can’t find things that other people can on their Facebooks. Maybe I’m stupid – if that is the case, how will I ever learn how to use a new computer? This may be my last blog. I guess I won’t lose the old ones as they are just floating out there in space someplace . . . or at least that’s what I think. Wish me luck.

2011-06-07T17:05:00.000-07:00

“Exam Dream never loses edge”

In “The Oregonian” the other day there was a good article written by Bill Graves. It’s about students who dream they’re going to a test and realize they’re late or maybe have never studied for the test. Also, they possibly had never registered for the class and knew nothing about it. Some find out they’re naked and panic! All sorts of dreams like that can happen and they are awful to live through them. You’re so happy when you finally wake up. I’ve had many of them and they’re usually about my music. I studied music for years and my dreams were not pleasant! I wanted to post a picture of me as I was studying for a test, but couldn’t find any. Maybe I never studied. I did find this one of Cindy, studying the National Geographic magazine. I hope it helped with her test on native dress and customs. I’ll have to ask her if she has had crazy dreams.

Sometimes I would dream I was on my way to my organ lesson – I was young and innocent then and wanted to learn all I could -- but realized I hadn’t practiced once on my instructor’s organ. I didn’t even know who my instructor was, not that it really mattered. I was terrified in those dreams and never remember how they ended. But I did learn a little about the organ as time went on. Other times I was walking down the path to my piano lesson and couldn’t remember where it was. I don’t know if I ever found it. I’m surprised I graduated from college with decent grades.

But my worst dream of all was losing my purse. In one dream I was in New York City at a flea market and looking over all the tables where I had been. I couldn’t find my purse anyplace and just kept shuffling all the stuff on the tables around to see if it was under something. I think in that dream I realized it was a dream, but I couldn’t get out of it. I was frantic! Finally I woke up. I was so relieved I grabbed my purse and put it into bed with me. But that dream has never stopped. I have one about every six months. Those dreams leave me with a horrible feeling. A woman carries her whole life in her purse almost, and the thought of losing it makes you feel like jumping in front of a bus. Probably a stationary bus would be the best idea because then you would still have more time to look for your purse.

This article ended by warning college seniors who think they will be seeing their last finals next week . . . dream on.

2011-05-31T10:23:00.000-07:00

“Sex, Lies, Arrogance. What Makes Powerful Men Act Like Pigs”

That was the on the cover of a recent “Time” Magazine. It was written by Nancy Gibbs as was the article inside the magazine. I didn’t have to take any time coming up with an answer as to why powerful men act like pigs. My answer is: Because they can. Powerful men can do pretty much what they want. They have loyal friends who cover for them and make bad things go away. Power is an aphrodisiac. Powerful men have a lot of it, and their wealth helps it along. Women are drawn to powerful men and always have been. That will never change. Powerful men can be fat and ugly, but still powerful and that’s all that matters. This has been going on for years and will continue forever.

What I don’t understand is why some women put up with it when they know it’s going on. Maybe some have an agreement not to rock the boat when there’s a lot of money in the mix. Maria couldn’t have helped but know what a douche bag Arnold was with his groping of so many women all these years. Why she didn’t get the heck out I’ll never know. Just looking at her, she looks like she can be pretty determined and be a real bitch when the chips are down. I think she’s going to take him for everything he has if she can.

The media will keep us up on everything – of course it will – and pretty soon there will be another scandal to take its place. We only have to wait for the next one. Isn’t life exciting?

2011-05-20T15:31:00.000-07:00

Fox Season Finales . . . and just plain Finales

On Bob’s Burger’s season finale at 8:30pm to 9pm on Sunday, May 22, Bob’s hero – washed-up baseball player Torpedo Jones - starts pitching for the local minor league team. Torpedo becomes friends with Bob, but bad things begin to happen. This sounds like it might be a pretty dark episode, but at least they are coming back next year. Yay!

On “House” the season finale is “Moving On” on Monday, May 23, 8 – 9pm. In this episode, a well-known performance artist is admitted to the hospital, but the team thinks her symptoms were self-inflicted to go along with her latest performance piece. Also, House makes a move that could change his relationship with Cuddy and Wilson forever.
I don’t know why I keep watching this show as House is such an irascible and unlikable guy most of the time. But sometimes you see a little something in him that keeps drawing you back – at least that’s the way it is for me. So I’ll be back with him next year – hope you will too.

“The Chicago Code” is being canceled I think, but will go out with a bang! The final episode, “Mike Royko’s Revenge,” is Monday, May 23, 9 – 10pm. Adam Arkin makes a guest appearance as an FBI special agent who comes to Chicago to help the police Superintendent and her police buddy, Jarek, bring down a corrupt politician, played by Delroy Lindo. Jennifer Beals as the superintendent is good and as tough as all the guys. This should be an explosive episode and I’m sorry it won’t be back next year.

“Glee” will be back next year – surprise, surprise! The season finale is entitled “New York” because that’s where they’ll be that week. They’re competing in the Nationals in Manhattan. While there they go to Central Park, Times Square and Broadway - all over the city as this episode is being shot on location. Patti LuPone will be one of the guest stars. I don’t know what else to say about this episode. All the episodes are great; some are better than others if that’s possible. So let’s hope this stays around a long time. I almost forgot to say when it will be on – Tuesday, May 24, from 9 – 10pm.

2011-05-20T08:41:00.000-07:00

“Catios”

There was an article in “The Oregonian” newspaper the other day that caught my attention. It concerned “catios.” These are enclosed spaces outside that are attached to a home that allow cats to experience the outdoors without incurring any risks. You can purchase them online or make it a do-it-yourself project, whichever you choose. Some people never let their cat outside, so this would be a way to let your pet have a little fresh air from time to time. The article shows one family that has one going around the outside of their house, part of it a little uphill which gives the cat some exercise. These people have four cats so the catio is probably in use all the time. My daughter, Teri, has four cats but she lives in a big building in Brooklyn. She’d probably have to appear before the Home Owner’s Association board of directors and appeal her case, and you know how stuffy and pretentious those people can be sometimes. Remember what happened to George Costanza on the Seinfeld show when he went before his HOA board of directors and was dismissed by them? But it’s something she could consider. Her cats have never been outside and one is about 100 years old, so a catio might be too much of a shock for that one.

What really interested me was the fact that two of the cats belonging to the people in the article suffer from cerebellar hypoplasia, a condition that impairs balance and coordination. From time to time, I have a little problem with balance. Do you suppose I could have cerebellar hypoplasia? The cats in the article that have cerebellar hypoplasia got it after their mother was exposed to feline distemper. I’m wondering if my mom could have had distemper at some time and passed it along to me. If Cindy reads this she’ll be thinking she’ll get it as she always thinks I give her what I have. Catios give the cats a chance for fresh air and exercise, and that’s what I need. And if it’s on the ground, the cats can chase bugs and rodents and have a great old time. If I had my own catio, I would use it for exercise and sunning myself, but I wouldn’t spend much time hunting for bugs and rodents. We have a bug man who comes occasionally – he was here today – who takes care of those things. I don’t have a cat and don’t plan on having one, but the catio sounds pretty good to me. Marla McGeorge of The Cat Doctor in Southwest Portland says as a result of the cats being outside in the fresh air “They’re happier and have fewer behavior problems.” I like the sound of that. Some times I don’t behave too well.

As a result or that article, two of my friends are having one of their friends build them a catio for their two cats. I think this idea may spread all over the country! I’ll just bet if you had a catio attached to your home, it would be a big selling point when you decided to move. Who wouldn’t love their own, ready-made catio along with their new house?

2011-05-15T10:50:00.000-07:00

Mother’s Day!

My daughters were with me on Mother’s Day - Teri out from New York and Cindy down from Tacoma. I loved it as we so seldom get together. I love my girls so much – they are funny, clever and smart – and they love all animals. But the best part is they are so good to me. There are many holidays during the year and people feel they must celebrate them all. I don’t feel that way, but I’m a little strange. I think people should get together when they can and not have to follow a schedule that’s written on the calendar. I think Christmas should be in the summer when people can travel – the same with Thanksgiving – but so far no one has asked for my advice and I doubt that anyone ever will.

Teri showed me her iPad and taught me how to play solitaire on it. I wasn’t too quick and she ended up on the couch just click, click, clicking away on it playing solitaire. She told me she couldn’t connect to the internet because I don’t have WiFi in my condo. I apologized. I don’t even know what WiFi is or where it is. Where are all these things coming from and why can’t I keep up with them? Teri has an iPhone or Blackberry or something in that category. Instead of having a ring when there’s a message, it moans! A very weird noise as far as I’m concerned. One night while they were here, about midnight I heard a horrible noise. It was like several fire engines at the same time! I jumped up from the couch where I sleep and ran around the room until I located the device that was making the screeching noise. It was Teri’s blackberry or whatever it was and I didn’t know how to turn it off. I finally saw a button and pushed it along with several other buttons. I couldn’t imagine someone sending one message that would produce that sound. I was wondering if we were being attacked and that was a warning from Homeland Security. So when I turned it off, I checked the TV to see if there were any news about something disastrous happening. But nothing. Of course, Cindy and Teri didn’t hear it screaming – they never hear anything when they’re asleep. Teri told me messages had probably stacked up and that’s why the big sound.

Cindy missed April, her bull mastiff. They are inseparable, but she couldn’t bring her down here this time because Teri and Cindy slept together in my bed and April couldn’t get on it. Teri wouldn’t allow it! April weighs as much as each of them. But Cindy got along ok, and when she got home, April whirled around in circles as she does whenever Cindy comes back from someplace. April does leave a lot of hair when she vacates a residence, so it was best without her this time. Cindy brought me some gifts from her “Brownie Morrison” shop. One is an incredible memory enhancing breath spray. It is supposed to help you “Instantly remember the names and faces of everyone you’ve ever slept with.” That sounds like fun!

This picture is Teri the morning she left, calling to see if the cab had forgotten her. It was right outside! Cindy was in bed and I looked like hell, so that’s all the pictures. All in all, it was a good Mother’s Day. I hope all you mothers out there had a good one also.

2011-05-04T09:56:00.000-07:00

“Bob’s Burgers” is back!!

“Bob’s Burgers” will be back Sunday, May 8 on Fox at 8:30pm to 9pm, with a new episode entitled “Weekend at Mort’s.” I was getting worried about them. This Sunday Bob and Linda will be spending the evening with Mort, the mortician, and his date played by Amy Sedaris whom he met online. Sounds promising! They will be going on a double date with them while their burger joint is being de-molded which was probably long overdue.

While this is going on, Tina will be baby-sitting Gene and Louise at Mort’s crematorium which should be full of fun and surprises. Tina always has something up her sleeve. This should be a crazy episode so don’t forget to watch it. What better way could you end Mother’s Day than watching “Bob’s Burgers!”

2011-05-01T11:10:00.000-07:00

“Watch President Obama and Seth Meyers hand Donald Trump his ass.”

That was a quote I took from someone on Google – I don’t remember who said it, but I felt the same way. I watched the Washington Correspondents’ Dinner last night for 5 hours and enjoyed every minute of it. Barack Obama spoke first and really let Trump have it. He made many digs, and what a good place to do it - not at a press conference, not in congress and not on a political trip, just on an occasion that was a fun time and he was able to speak his mind because he was the speaker. Seth Meyers came next and he was also hilarious! I love him on SNL and he knew his stuff. He also did the Donald and I loved it when the camera would cut away to show Donald looking very pissed with his lips poofing out as he does. So unattractive, Donald. Almost as ugly as your hair. Michelle Obama looked gorgeous as usual. She was sitting on the dais next to Seth and seemed to get along very well with him. I think Barack and Seth should take their show on the road!

I enjoyed the red carpet before the dinner. The cameras caught people arriving and I recognized quite a few. There were a few actors and many politicians. They would walk in the door, and if the girl were especially pretty, she would separate from her date and do the model, shoulder pose. One girl held her smile for nearly 30 seconds without moving!
I wonder if someone ever thought of hiring a lip reader with a lap top to take down everything the politicians said to one another. Some looked very serious. Newt Gingrich talked for about 20 minutes in one place facing the camera. Newt’s wife was with him with her helmet blond hair. It looked so stiff it could have been cement! I saw them walking out after the dinner was over, and her hair was exactly the same – not one piece out of place. I’ll bet it really was cement! I would love to know just what all was said during that time before the dinner. I’ll bet other politicians would also like to know. David Arquette was there and spent a lot of time in front of the camera, talking and talking. I didn’t see Courtney.

I thoroughly enjoyed the 5 hours I spent watching. I think it was the thought of seeing so many people I see on the news all the time. I admire all those correspondents who do so much work – many who risk their lives and some who die doing it. This night honors them but also lets them cut loose and have some fun. At least the president can and it’s probably the only time he can do it in public. It was a good night.

2011-04-18T12:09:00.000-07:00

Short news clips that fit my twisted sense of humor

First off, there’s one on the Gawker website about an Oregon postal worker who was caught by an apparent neighborhood shit watch guy who found him taking a shit behind some trash cans in the neighborhood. Now why was this guy out with his cameras behind the trash cans where he was taking pictures? Is he some sort of vigilante? This postal person probably was not near a portable toilet and thought he was out of sight. But not from the shit patrol evidently! Gawker says now he is suspended without pay. So Gawker tells the vigilante to get over it – after all, it’s Oregon and we’re into sustainable mulching and all that.

And then there’s a notice in “The Oregonian” about Virginia Thomas whom we all know as the wife of the lovable Clarence Thomas, Supreme Court Justice. Seems she’s going to be a special correspondent for The Daily Caller, a conservative (of course) website, and the publisher of that website says she’ll be interviewing key political and community leaders from high-profile politicians to those who aren’t. I wrote about the both of them before and how they pulled a fast one on tax issues. Those two are sneaky people and Virginia is actually a little crazy besides being just a plain bitch. They deserve each other.

Another funny story is of the man who was caught by a Phoenix police dog and bit the dog back, injuring it. Now the man is suing the cities of Phoenix and Glendale and four officers. He’ll probably sue the dog once the dog recovers from his wounds.

This story isn’t that funny; it’s very weird. In a wedding in the southeastern province of Gaziantep in Turkey, the groom was apparently so excited during the celebration that he opened fire with an automatic weapon into the air. But he accidentally killed his father and two aunts and injured eight other relatives. He apparently lost control of the gun and aimed at guests. But he was arrested before he killed the bride. My advice would be to not schedule a wedding in Turkey.

And then there was a good article in “Time” magazine about the benefits of booze. Seems that moderate drinkers have the lowest mortality rates. Moderate drinking is one to three drinks per day. Moderate drinking is thought to improve heart health, circulation and sociability but should not be carried too far. It can affect your memory, your balance, affect your driving – there are so many reasons not to drink too much. But a little every day is pretty good for you. At least that’s what I think as I get ready for my daily wine.

2011-04-17T11:59:00.000-07:00

Teri and Cindy in Mama’s television class

I didn’t actually have a class for them when they were little. They just learned by observing me as I watched a lot of TV. I had good control of the class and didn’t let them stay up past 8pm as that is when the “big people” shows came on. They watched “Mr. Ed,” “Lassie,” “My Three Sons” and that type of show which I also watched. Then it was off to bed for the little ones. But now I’m showing how I’d conduct a class for them these days.

Teri is excited and happy which you can tell by her big smile in the picture. Cindy is sort of “I can take it or leave it” and goes along with the whole thing. We need to start with some news, so I pick Shepard Smith whom I like when he doesn’t go too conservative and far right for me. That’s not being fair and balanced, is it? So I turn him off when he does that, and then go back for the second half where he gives news about car crashes, murders, floods and can be humorous at times. I like that.

After that we watch “Entertainment Tonight” so they can be up on all the entertainment news. I don’t watch Reality shows – I like a program with a story, so we’ll probably watch “Law & Order,” “Raising Hope” which is a very funny show, “Glee” which is great but a little risqué for kids their age, but I like it so we watch it. I am the boss. Also, we watch “The Good Wife,” which I especially like. I think it will give my daughters something to think about when they reach that age. Teri still looks happy so guess she likes it too. Of course we watch many others and Teri seems to like them all. Cindy just sits there and it’s hard to tell which ones she likes best. She may need more lessons as she gets older. She had to go poop during “Law & Order” but after I cleaned her up she was her same old self . . . contented but not too engaged with what was going on.

They don’t watch the late night shows. I don’t even do that. I do DVR David Letterman sometimes and Craig Ferguson who is a crazy guy and very smart. I never watch Jay Leno – I still haven’t gotten over what happened a while back with him and Conan. I DVR “Saturday Night Live” but that’s for me. I think I could be a good teacher for little kids because my girls love television. Cindy now watches a lot of TV and is much more animated than she was in the old picture. And now she can pause the program when she has to go poop and not miss a thing. So many improvements since I started my first class with them.

2011-04-11T16:28:00.000-07:00

DAMAGES and BOB’S BURGERS

This morning I went to the dentist and spent a bunch of money to have them tell me my teeth are fine which I already knew. It’s just something I do every so often. When I came home, I called my handy man who came over and looked at each of my toilets. He will be back before the end of the month to check on them and also fix a leaky faucet in my bathroom sink. Teri’s coming pretty soon and I want everything fixed by then. I don’t want to have to tell her to turn the faucet just half-way off so it won’t leak and to click the toilet handle each time you go. There shouldn’t be all those directions involved with washing your hands or using the toilet.

After that was done, I called Comcast, my cable and internet provider. I wanted an explanation as to why “Damages” would no longer be shown on Comcast. How did that happen? He said something about a sweetheart deal Sony gave Direct TV to run “Damages” which cuts everyone without Direct TV out of the picture. That stinks!! I have watched that show from the beginning on FX. I love the FX channel. I don’t watch a lot of it, but some of the shows are great like “Justified” and “Terriers” which they cancelled. Why did they do that? Also, my all-time favorite “Rescue Me” is coming back which excites me. I used to blog about it and put in nearly every line anyone said during the show. I finally quit doing that much to everyone’s relief. I also liked “Lights Out,” but since Light’s lights were actually punched out, there would be no reason to carry on with him saying and doing goofy things. That was a good way to let people know boxing is bad for your health . . . although I think everyone already knows that.

So when I was through with Comcast, I watched “Bob’s Burgers” by Fox which I had DVRd last night while I was watching “The Killing.” “Bob’s” was just as crazy as always! He was making little burgers that were special, and the kids were all helping by playing music (the triangle) and slow dancing by Tina. I’m liking Bob’s wife more and more. Her voice is so funny and loud . . . but then they all are that way. I hope I don’t read in the paper that “Bob’s Burgers” is going the way of “Damages.” That would really piss me off!

2011-04-02T09:11:00.000-07:00

Cindy’s having a birthday today!

My little baby is growing up. She should be having two sons in their twenties! When I look back at her baby pictures, I remember all the times I rocked her and sang the songs to her that I sang to Teri when she was little. I loved those songs - “You are my Sunshine,” and “Bye Bye Blackbird.” There were others, but I don’t need to go into all of them. Cindy was a squirelly little kid and so happy and funny all the time. She loved playing dress up and used all of my old clothes, even from when I was in high school. She enlisted the neighbor kids to play with her – especially Randy, whom we called the doctor.

She weathered several operations and things were never easy for her, but her spirit kept her going. Last summer she opened “Brownie Morrison” – a fun store with refrigerator magnets, cards, mannequins, etc. in Tacoma. But she closed it in December and has now moved to a new location in Tacoma which will be better for her. Her store is absolutely crazy as the other one was. This one is in a mall with foot traffic all around which she didn’t have at her other shop. She carries refrigerator magnets, cards and many other types of novelties. My fridge is covered with her magnets.

When we talk on the phone, I always end up laughing at something she’s said. She can lift my spirits no matter what, even if she isn’t trying. I don’t know what I would do without her or her sister, Teri. Just looking at the above picture makes me wish I could go back and just squeeze her. Why do I get sad when I look at pictures of my kids when they were little? It’s probably because when they are young they are always with you. When they grow up, they aren’t. And I really miss them. I talked to Cindy this morning and she was deciding on whether or not to take a shower. Pat, her eldest son, was off work for the day and was watching the “Law&Order” marathon on television. I said he’s a real chip off the old block – me. So we were laughing about that, and I was thinking . . . all’s right with the world.

I love you, Cindy, forever and ever.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

2011-03-31T14:31:00.000-07:00

RAISING HOPE – “Cheaters” episode from Fox – April 19, 9 pm to 9:30 pm

Come on, you guys! Watch this show! I just previewed this episode and found it to be about the funniest one I’ve seen yet. It’s all about cheating. It starts with MawMaw going to Dead Tooth’s home day care where Shelley takes care of little kids like Hope and also old people. There may be dogs there too. Anyway, MawMaw falls for a man there who is just as crazy as she. Shellie offers them drinks, one of which is called “A long, slow comfortable poop” which they take. That night at home she is happy and chipper – not her usual self. She’s usually out of it and living back in the old days with her husband who is actually dead and in a container in the living room. He was cremated – that’s why the container. Virginia tells her she looks like the cat that swallowed the canary at which time she spits something out which may be the canary. A yellow feather is left sticking out of her mouth.

Virginia and Burt become worried that MawMaw is cheating because of her dead husband. So the next day they keep her home from day care until Burt takes pity on her and takes her back. Virginia then goes after her and brings her home which ends up in a big mix-up.

Meanwhile, Jimmy takes Sabrina to college to spy on Wyatt to see if he’s having an affair with another girl. Wyatt is supposedly her boyfriend but never comes home to visit her. That turns into a big mess also. Jimmy was told that the boyfriend was probably cheating as long-distance relationships never work out. But Jimmy finds another girl and takes her to a movie.

Virginia decides to take MawMaw over to the old man’s house for a booty call to make up for taking her away from him at the day care center. But upon arriving, they find he has already brought a Korean woman home with him and doesn’t want to see MawMaw. He thinks he’s back in the Korean War. MawMaw and Virginia leave saying, “Seniors in love – it’s like a goat rodeo!”

The entire show had so many funny lines and circumstances. It was a good one!

2011-03-30T10:08:00.000-07:00

Elizabeth Taylor – 1932 – 2011

When I saw that come across the television screen, I was shocked and saddened. I always felt I had grown up with Elizabeth. I didn’t see all of her films, but kept track of her through magazines, radio, television, etc. She was the most breathtakingly beautiful woman there ever was or ever will be as far as I’m concerned. I remember seeing her in “National Velvet” when she was so young and yet so beautiful. She fell off her horse in that movie and injured her back – an injury that would stay with her for the rest of her life. That was the movie that made her a star. From there she went on to make many movies for MGM and is considered the last major star to come out of the old Hollywood system where you’re stuck with one studio. MGM was the top one at that time.

I didn’t see all of her movies, but some stood out for me. “Suddenly Last Summer” with Montgomery Clift and “A Place in the Sun” with him again were a couple of the ones that really got to me. Also there were “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” “Butterfield 8” and “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” that were excellent. She won two academy awards for Butterfield and Virginia Woolf. She made many others but I didn’t see them all. She was a delight to watch. She was so gorgeous with those beautiful eyes and face; she could have made any type of movie and would have you enthralled from the moment she was on the screen.

Her personal life was a sort of mess. She had many love affairs, eight marriages and many medical emergencies. Her life was far more exciting and dramatic than any movie she ever made. She started AMFAR, the foundation for AIDS research and had been involved with that for years. She organized “A Commitment to Life”, a celebrity event to benefit AIDS research after her friend and co-star Rock Hudson became sick in 1985 which raised more than $1.3 million. Her AIDS organization AMFAR raised $83 million in the twelve years following its creation in 1985. She had bigger, more valuable diamonds than anyone else and wore them whenever she could. She created her own perfume, “White Diamonds” which she advertised on television. She said to Barbara Walters in an interview in 1990 that she’d still like to act but no one would insure her because of her medical problems. She had broken her back four times which made it painful to walk or even stand and she’d had a benign brain tumor removed. She also had pneumonia several times, congestive heart failure and a tracheotomy to save her life. As the story goes, some thought she was given the academy award for “Butterfield 8” because of her near fatal illness and tracheotomy. And some thought it was because she had lost out in “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” with her portrayal of Maggie the Cat. Who knows?

Elizabeth kept acting and making appearances as long as she could. I didn’t think she would ever die; it wasn’t supposed to happen. I read that her obituary published in The New York Times was written by theater critic and cultural reporter Mel Gussow, who had died in 2005. The paper’s obituary editor said the piece was “too good to throw away.” How strange that famous people have obituaries already written for them, just waiting years until they can be published. And then to have the person who wrote it die before the person about whom he is writing.

Elizabeth will never be forgotten. I think there is already a movie in the works about her, but I hope it doesn’t come to fruition. No actress could do her justice. I don’t think there will ever be an actor as beautiful, exciting, talented and dramatic as Elizabeth Taylor.

2011-03-24T15:42:00.000-07:00

“Spaghetti and Meatballs” episode of BOB’S BURGERS – this will be on Sunday 3/27, 8:30-9 PM on Fox

This show is such a goofy little show that probably appeals to goofy little people – like me! I love the characters in it and especially like Tina, the big sister who is played by Dan Mintz’s voice. He originally was going to be the voice of a boy who had itchy balls, but they changed him to Tina who had crotch itch. That was probably more acceptable for the television audience. Louise, Tina’s little sister, says Tina has autism, but she’s no doctor so what does she know?

This week they get involved in watching spaghetti westerns which really irritates Louise. Gene, the brother, studies the films and learns how to deal with his school rival. Tina gets involved with a conflict resolution program to help her deal with her aggression.

This all sounds crazy, but that’s usual for this show. Watch it this Sunday!

2011-03-22T10:18:00.000-07:00

Earthquake, Tsunami, War or a Drunk Driver?

Do you ever wonder how you will leave this world? I do. I try not to dwell on it. I’ve stopped watching the news as much as I used to as there is nothing uplifting from the reporters. The mess in Japan is horrific and it makes me cry to see all the devastation and the proud people searching through what’s left for loved ones or just anyone. You wonder if they can come back from such ruin, but I’m sure they will in time with help from all of us.

I wonder about where I live which is right smack on a subduction zone that goes up the entire west coast. When is it our turn? I’m not ready for anything to happen and probably won’t be when it does happen.

And what about all the bad things happening in the Middle East. Everyone is revolting (that word can be used both ways) and nothing good is coming from it. All that seemed to start when we set our feet in Iraq which was a horrible mistake. No one knows how all this mess is going to end. I wish someone would shoot Gaddafi which would take care of some of the problems, but we don’t seem to operate that way.

Things aren’t good in this country either. We have so many homeless and hungry people, and the numbers just seem to be growing. We can’t seem to generate many new jobs which we desperately need. The few jobs that are added are fast food or seasonal-type jobs which never pay benefits. They pay a little but not the important part which is health benefits.

I’m wondering if the Mayans really knew what they were talking about in that the world would end December 21, 2012. I’m beginning to wonder if we can hold out until then!

I wonder about all the children who have no idea what is going on in this country, let alone all over the world. They are the lucky ones who don’t have to worry about finding a place to live and something to eat. They’ll just keep on being happy and having birthday parties. They should as every child should. It’s a disgrace everything is in such a mess. Hopefully, we’ll find our way and things will get better, and the happy kids will just go on being happy and unaware of what went on. And, hopefully, the kids with no food or homes will finally have both. But I’m probably just dreaming as I’m prone to do in these times.

2011-03-11T11:07:00.000-08:00

I flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest . . . and stayed several hours

I had an appointment at my hospital the other day for an EEG. I’ve been having leg problems and no one can find the cause. So earlier I stepped into my neurologist’s office where I’d been several years ago. I found that the physician’s assistant was pregnant and would be leaving – I really liked her – and my neurologist was actually leaving the state! I was given an appointment for an EEG at the hospital and was assigned another neurologist for my next visit. I really know how to clear a room! So I ended up at the hospital.

As I was walking down the long corridor in the hospital, I expected to see a little boy, furiously pedaling his tricycle down the hall in front of me. This sent chills up my spine until I realized I was in the wrong movie. I was visualizing “The Shining” with Jack Nicholson at Timberline Lodge whereas I was actually in “One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest” with Jack Nicholson. I finally got myself composed and found the room reserved for my procedure. I expected to see Nurse Ratched, but there was a nice gentleman waiting there who was going to do me . . . the procedure. He pasted electrodes all over my head and then one on each ankle and each wrist. The electrodes were placed on my body in the path that the electric currents would travel to my brain from my wrist or foot. When he turned it on, all my fingers would tingle and my thumb would bounce up and down. The same happened with the feet only then my big toe would do the bouncing. This was done four times for each hand and each foot. I asked the technician if people minded being electrocuted, and he said some people couldn’t stand it and just left! It didn’t bother me except for the fact that I would rather have been doing something else and it made my hair all sticky. This all took about 2 hours and then we were done. I won’t know results until they are sent to my neurologist, my primary care doctor, my cardiologist, my oncologist, my dentist, my shrink (I don’t have one yet), my mechanic and anyone else they can think of. Hopefully, someday I’ll find out if there’s anything wrong with me.

I asked him if he could take a picture of my head with all the electrodes on it and he said he didn’t have a camera. So I told him I did! Of course I did. So he took the picture, but the electrodes and the wires from them don’t really show up much. I pulled up the blanket so just about half of my face shows. I hate having my picture taken but I like this one. I guess I’ve found the secret to getting a photo I like of myself. And then I wonder if something is wrong with me! At least I got out of the cuckoo’s nest without a lobotomy!

2011-03-09T13:45:00.000-08:00

“Motel Generation” children – “60 Minutes” and Scott Pelley, 3/6/11

I watched Scott Pelley describing our country’s Motel Generation children or the Hardtime Generation last Sunday. I had tears in my eyes as I saw his interview of the children in question. There are a record number of children going into poverty and the number will soon reach 25%. That will be the largest since the Great Depression. Fourteen million children were in poverty before the recent Great Recession, and now the U.S. Census says it is 16 million – up two million in two years. That’s the fastest fall for the middle class since the government started counting 51 years ago. I think the middle class is rapidly disappearing as we lose our jobs and slip into the lower class, leaving just two classes of people in this country.

Scott did his investigation in Seminole County in Florida which is one of the worst for the kids. The area around Disney World is full of cheap, sleazy motels where many of these impoverished families are forced to live. Homeless shelters want to split up the families, so the motels are the only answer. The area around them is scary as the kids say - shootings, muggings, etc. so they mostly stay inside. There are 67 motels housing around 1,000 kids who have lost their homes. The film showed a school bus stopping in front of a motel and kids coming out to board the bus. One little girl was embarrassed because she said everyone knew where she lived. Her clothes were not like regular school kids – bits and pieces thrown together. The kids interviewed said they are hungry most of the time. One said he goes to school and asks the other kids if they’re going to eat what they have, and if not, maybe he could have it. One family lived in a car for a while with three kids. The car was parked at Wal Mart and they cleaned up in the bathroom there every morning before going to school. Scott talked to many of the kids, and it was simply heartbreaking to hear what they said. Most were sad because their parents were having such a hard time. One little girl felt like it was her fault for having to have her parents buy her clothes. Most of them talked of being hungry and how that felt. One boy – 14 – said “I’ve gotten very mature in a very short time.” I think it was the family that lived in their van at Wal Mart that was able to move back into a cheap motel. The father had looked and looked for work and finally did something he never thought he would do. He made a sign that said, “Family of five, please help. Thank you.” He stood by the road and many trucks and cars flew by, but one woman got his phone number and said she might have something for him. She called in a couple of days with a job as a parking attendant for $10 an hour. That was enough to get them back in a cheap motel for a while. As all these children talked to Scott, many had tears running down their cheeks. It was not an easy thing to watch.

It got me to thinking . . . I had just watched the Oscars, and got to wondering just how much money goes into that big bash. They gave gift bags to each of the winners worth $75,000, and to the losers who had worked so hard to win and made a bunch of money on their movies, they gave $20,000 gift bags. Nice! So no one was left out except for kids and families who have no gift bags, let alone food or shelter. And I wonder how much the Vanity Fair dinner cost with Wolfgang Puck as the chef. That certainly doesn’t come cheaply. I know people donate to different funds and it’s not always reported as they don’t like to make a big thing of it. But some of the functions that are thrown for this and that could be stopped. I think people could do without the Oscars; they could read the winners’ names in the papers and, hopefully, that money could be utilized where it really mattered. With so many foreclosures and no jobs, the homeless numbers will just keep rising. And the CEOs of the banks who screwed so many people will keep on getting their golden parachutes and spending no time in jail, hungry or homeless. Everyone is trying to cut back now and live within their means . . . at least that’s what they say. But you know not everyone is doing that. The lower middle class is definitely doing that because there’s no other way to live. How do I know that? Because that’s where I am with a lot of my friends.

When I think about all those children I saw Sunday night, I realize they are the future of our country. They should be well fed and well schooled, not hungry and homeless. They need a good foundation for the future. Without that, I think we all are in a lot of trouble.

2011-02-28T13:52:00.000-08:00

83rd Academy Awards

I watched the whole thing from 2pm to 9pm and never fell asleep. But I did need something to clear my mind after that, so I watched “The Town” again. I had to see those ghost masks again and Jeremy Renner!

I was expecting great things from James Franco and Anne Hathaway, but I don’t think they came through very well. Anne was great – she can sing, dance and is very funny, but James let her down somewhat. He was not all that great speaking extemporaneously in front of all those stars. If he could have been having fun with his buddies, I think he would have been a lot looser in his talking. What I like about him is that he always looks like he’s thinking of something funny or maybe off-color, but doesn’t say it. I’ll be watching today as he has another bit part on “General Hospital.” I don’t think I’ll ever see his movie “127 Hours” as I’d probably file a finger off if I were doing my manicure while watching.

I always say “Why don’t they get rid of all that extra stuff they throw into the awards?” Stuff like clips of old Oscar movies, shots of movies that weren’t even nominated and singing . . . what movie was it that had the two people singing or making noises that made no sense at all! I couldn’t understand any of that. I’m glad Randy Newman won best song. He surely deserved it. And what was the point of dragging Eli Wallach out on stage. He barely shuffled out and then stood there with the two other old guys for a while. What the heck was that about? I felt so sorry for him. And why was Kirk Douglas there at all?

I like the red carpet each year. I thought Halle Berry looked gorgeous in her gown, but she’d look gorgeous in a potato sack. I loved Jennifer Lawrence’s red dress. She was so pretty with her long blond hair and the simple, form-fitting dress. She looked natural without a lot of jewelry and fancy hair. I didn’t like Melissa Leo’s dress that much with the big shoulders, but it didn’t keep her from winning an award nor did her taking out ads for herself in the running for best supporting actress. Neither did her dropping the F word in her acceptance speech. She overcame all those things to win! I first saw her in “Homicide: Life on the Streets” about Baltimore and a police squadron there. She played a cop and I’ve loved her work ever since. Natalie Portman looked wonderful – dress and hair. Hailee Steinfeld, 14 years old and up for best supporting actress, looked like a princess. She had on a very age-appropriate dress that she designed herself and it was absolutely beautiful!

I was pretty happy with all the winners. One person there who fascinates me is Jesse Eisenberg. He talked so fast in “Social Network” and actually does in real life I think. I wish I could have heard him give a speech but it was not to be.

I hope next year they take my suggestions and cut down on some of the fluff and just make it about who gets what. But they haven’t listened to me so far, so why should I expect anything else now?

2011-02-19T15:08:00.000-08:00

“Raising Hope” on Fox, Tuesday 2/22, at 9 pm – 9:30 pm

This episode has guest star, Amy Sedaris, who is one of the funniest people I’ve ever seen! She starred on “Strangers with Candy” several years ago which was a hilarious television show and like nothing else at that time . . . or any time. Delilah (Amy Sedaris) comes to visit the Chance family – she’s Virginia’s sister, (Jimmy’s mom). She’s coming to get her share of the inheritance Maw Maw left when she died . . . only she didn’t die. She’s still living with the family. After she gets there, she discloses she still has a crush on Burt, Jimmy’s dad. Although I didn’t see the preview, I’m sure that news creates all sorts of tension in the Chance family.

During all this, Maw Maw is supposedly baby-sitting Hope, but she takes her for a ride on Shannon’s moped which makes Jimmy very upset. This episode should be hilarious, and I’ll be watching. You should too.

2011-02-19T11:19:00.000-08:00

“Bob’s Burgers” – on Fox Sunday, 2/20, at 8:30 – 9 PM

Bob decides to let his kids stage a musical murder mystery dinner theater in their restaurant. He’ll probably schedule it between 2 PM and 4 PM since he has a 4:30 meeting every day. This will be called “Hamburger Dinner Theater” - very original. But something unexpected causes an interruption and changes the play’s creative direction. I didn’t see the preview episode so don’t know just what happens next, but I’m sure it can’t be good. It will undoubtedly be funny, so I won’t miss it. I hope you don’t either.

2011-02-14T12:31:00.000-08:00

How our family spent Super Bowl weekend

As you can see from the above picture, Teri, Mark and Harry spent the weekend at the Super Bowl! They had good seats and loved every minute of it. When I first looked at the picture, I figured Harry and Mark were standing on boxes because Teri looks so tiny. But no, it’s just that Harry and Mark are each about 10 feet tall . . . or it just looks that way. That was probably a once in a lifetime trip, so I’m glad everything went smoothly for them. At least they didn’t have any ice drop on them from the roof of Jerry’s palace or whatever it’s called.

I was home alone that weekend and my phone rang and it was Cindy. She said two words, “Betty Broderick!” I knew what that meant. The movie of Betty killing her husband, Dan Broderick, a prominent San Diego attorney and his new wife, 20 years ago was playing on Lifetime movie network, and we had to watch. She watches it whenever it’s on and also has a DVD that she played in her “Brownie Morrison” store for people who came in. She is obsessed with it and she, Teri and I even formed a sorority, “I ETA PI,” for it. I’ve written about that in other blogs so won’t go into it now. Cindy is the president of the club, Teri the godfather and I’m the house mother – all very good choices. Betty was one of the most evil bitches ever portrayed on screen. Meredith Baxter played her in the television movie and was excellent. I could watch it again and again . . . although not as often as Cindy. Betty was up for parole in 2010 but didn’t make it. She didn’t show remorse for the two killings and blamed it on her husband, so she had another 15 years added on to her sentence. Let’s hope she never makes it out.

So that’s what my family did on that weekend. I wonder which one of us had the most fun. That’s a tough one, isn’t it?

2011-02-12T00:04:00.000-08:00

Teri’s having a birthday today!!

I can’t believe another birthday for one of my daughters. They look younger and prettier each year whereas I just look older each year. Why do you suppose that is? Here’s Teri looking so very pretty, standing straight and tall (she’s not really tall – she’s actually quite short) in her kick-ass mode ready to go to work and greet the world and her office mates and whip them all into shape. Oh, shoot – I think I’m thinking of another time and place. This is the time we stayed at a B&B in Tacoma and the woman who ran the place got drunk and forgot to serve us breakfast! I think I took that picture after Teri hunted down the drunken hostess and chewed her out. So that’s why she’s looking so ready for the world and all its problems, but I don’t think she wears sweat pants to work. But maybe on casual Fridays she does although I’ve never heard her mention casual Friday. I don’t think there’s anything casual at her place of business.

Teri is a very smart, competent woman, but it’s hard for me not to still think of her as my baby. Some of my happiest times were holding her when she was little and singing to her. I’d sing “You are my Sunshine,” “Bye Bye Blackbird” and songs like those. The years when your children are very young go by so fast, and you can never get them back again. I wonder if we think about that at the time and relish the moments we have together. I get tears in my eyes when I look at pictures of those days. It’s hard to let go and let your kids be in control of their own lives. It’s something all parents go through, but I find it hard to do. I wish I could ask my mother how she dealt with it when I sailed off to Wash. DC right after college. I don’t think I was even thinking about what she was going through at that time. Teri did the same thing after college, going to Wash. DC and finding work. I’m so proud of the way she turned out . . . whether it was because of me or in spite of me. I’m thinking maybe it was the latter!

So, Teri, I’m very proud of you no matter what you do. I love you so much and always will.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

2011-02-11T14:47:00.000-08:00

“Bob’s Burgers” finally returns for Fox

This episode entitled “Sexy Dance Fighting” will be on Sunday, Febuary 13, at 8:30 – 9 PM. I’m so glad it’s returning – I loved the preview – it’s my kind of show . . . crazy, stupid and funny. This episode has Tina, the one with the itchy crotch in the premiere, falling for a martial arts instructor played by Jon Glaser. She joins his class and ends up doing a crappy job at Bob’s Burgers where she works. This leads to a wild confrontation before the show is over. Tina is Bob’s daughter and he needs her full attention at work which has been taken away by the martial arts thing.

I don’t know any more about this episode, but I’m sure it will be crazy like the first one was. I’m so glad it’s back. I watched football last Sunday from 11 AM to 7:30 PM and Bob’s Burger’s will be a welcome relief. I hope Tina doesn’t have a recurrence of crotch itch this time. Whatever happens, it will be hilarious, I’m sure. So watch it!

2011-02-04T13:24:00.000-08:00

Television commercials – why do they never end?

I’ve always loved television. As soon as it was developed, I was there. As you can see from the picture above, my mom had just said, “Patsy, it’s time for your TV fix!” So I suppose my playpen was pushed out into the room where I could watch the TV. Actually, that never happened as there was no TV then, but I was imagining it in my head, and that’s why I was smiling. I knew it was coming!

But last night, many years later, I got to wondering why they are inserting more commercials into every program I watch . . . and I watch a lot. It used to be that you had time to go pee during the commercials. But now you have time to go pee and poop during one break! Sometimes when I’m just sitting there during the commercial, I actually forget just what it was I was watching and don’t find out until the program starts again. Some shows spend more time on commercials than the actual show. I do like some of the commercials, but not that many. I love the E-Trade ones with the little baby. That could be a show itself – I’d watch that one all the time. Since that’s a commercial, for the break they could just announce, “Use this time to go pee and poop and then we’ll be right back.” I could live with that, but I don’t suppose it will ever happen. I’ve timed the amount of time that’s spent on some shows for commercials, and it’s not at all good . . . almost more than the actual show.

Will someone please fix this?

2011-01-29T15:23:00.000-08:00

“Raising Hope” – February 8, Tuesday, 9 – 9:30pm, on FOX

“Raising Hope” is finally back again with new episodes and crazy as ever! This week the episode is entitled “Romeo and Romeo” and is about Jimmy finding a friend with a child like his. Jimmy has missed not having friends with little kids, probably because those people are in high school where Jimmy should be. But in his grocery store where he works, Sabrina points out a kid who has a little boy the same age as Jimmy’s, and they meet and exchange phone numbers. Somehow they manage a play date over the phone although Jimmy has trouble with the phone – it’s a rotary phone so he can’t punch 1 when he’s supposed to. And Maw Maw cuts in on the other phone and keeps talking, so it’s quite difficult. But they get it done and Jimmy and baby Hope go over to the new friend’s house.

They are African American with a beautiful home and really, really expensive wine! Jimmy and his friend are playing with the kids and Jimmy says it’s nice you let your folks live with you, and the mother says no, that they let him live with them! So Virginia, Jimmy’s mom, comes to the door with her cleaning group to clean the house. They are all very surprised, to say the least, but the mother asks them all to sit down and not do the cleaning that day. So they drink all the wine and go home. Jimmy has asked them all over for dinner, and no one wants to do it, but it’s all arranged so they have to. Virginia has saved all the wine bottles from their new friend’s home, so she empties her old bottles and pours the cheap wine into them.

They discover at dinner that they have a lot in common. Both couples had babies in high school: Virginia and Burt’s baby was a prom baby and the other couple’s was a homecoming baby. Burt said he probably should have spent more time in biology class. He did put a condom on a banana in class but it made the banana taste bad and obviously did him no good. They put MawMaw in the bedroom looking for salt water taffy they had stuck under the mattress. That kept her busy the entire time. Since they had so much in common, they made a date for a barbecue the next week. About that time, Jimmy and his new friend came flying into the house, fighting each other and falling all over the place. They were fighting over a girl naturally. The company finally left and the woman complimented Virginia on her choice of wine – she said it must have cost $2000! Apparently that’s what she pays for that wine.

So the parents felt good. Burt had a new friend and Virginia had someone who liked her fake wine. Jimmy had a new friend – he’d make up with him before the barbecue, I’m sure.

This was a funny episode . . . but they all are. So watch it!

2011-01-25T14:15:00.000-08:00

“Justice accused of failing to list wife’s income” – Sunday “Oregonian,” January 23, 2011

What? How could that be with all of our Supreme Court justices sworn to uphold the law. Is that really true? It be true! Good old Clarence Thomas pulled a fast one and reported spousal income as “none” for five years between 2004 and 2007. Wife Virginia, the blond by his side, was paid $686,589 by the Heritage Foundation which is an ultra conservative organization. Virginia is a longtime conservative activist which is no big surprise. She is also a little crazy! On October 9, 2010, at 7:31am on a Saturday, twenty years after Anita Hill spoke at the confirmation hearing for Clarence to the Supreme Court and told how he had sexually harassed her many times, his wife called Anita’s office and left a message asking her to publicly apologize for her mistake and straighten things out. What was that all about! Is she really crazy? You’d think she’d know there was no way in hell that that would ever happen.

Virginia keeps herself busy, doing things other than making stupid phone calls. She is active in Liberty Central which opposes what she characterizes as the leftist “tyranny” of the Obama administration and congressional democrats. There have been questions because of the unusual circumstances of a spouse of a sitting Supreme Court justice drawing a salary from a group financed by anonymous donors.

It seems that those two can get away with just about anything they want. I’m wondering why that is. There could be many reasons but it wouldn’t be socially and politically correct to mention them. I didn’t like Clarence when he was put on the court and never could figure out how he managed to weasel his way onto it. I dislike him even more now. Is that the only job in the country that is for life? What a shame. Possibly no one else would hire him at the time with all of his sexual harassment exploits finally out in the open. It’s going to be interesting to see what happens next.

2011-01-21T12:17:00.000-08:00

GLEE! GLEE! GLEE!

Get ready for the big day! Super Bowl XLV will be airing on Fox on February 6, and immediately following will be a new GLEE starting at approximately 7:30 – 8:30 pm PT, depending upon just when the game ends. This is a brand new episode for the “New Directions” glee club. Mr. Schuester (Mathew Morrison) and Coach Beiste (Dot Marie Jones) come up with a plot to bring the warring glee club and football team members together. However, Sue Sylvester (never one to be left out of anything) comes up with a dangerous plan to bring home a trophy for her Cheerios, cheerleading group, at the Nationals contest. The New Directions glee kids do Michael Jackson’s hit “Thriller,” which should be a treat for all of us.

And that’s not all! On Tuesday, February 8, 8 – 9pm PT, GLEE returns to its regular time with another all-new episode, “Silly Love Songs.” The glee club sets up a kissing booth for Valentine’s Day at McKinley High. But it doesn’t work as it should, and there are broken hearts before it is all over.

These should be two great episodes so watch them!

I’ve been wondering . . . what is going to happen as these kids (they’re all in their twenties now) continue on. Will they ever graduate from high school? They’re all over each other now, so will they bed each other many times as the years fly by? I find this very interesting and a little salacious.

2011-01-17T11:30:00.000-08:00

Golden Globe Awards - 2011

I watched the whole thing last night and was not terribly impressed. It was good, but didn’t keep me on the edge of my seat. I liked a lot of the awards and some I didn’t really care. I will never understand “The Social Network” and all the hype over it. However, I didn’t see it, so who am I to say? It apparently didn’t portray Mark Zuckerberg the way he actually is, but that didn’t seem to matter. Enough people liked it so it must have had some redeeming qualities. Or maybe the foreign press doesn’t really understand us. They are foreign, you know.

I have never been a fan of Ricky Gervais. He’s a funny guy, but I’ve always found him to be a little full of himself. I thought he crossed the line when he introduced Tom Hanks and Tim Allen, Robert Downey, Jr. and Bruce Willis. And the statement he made at the very end when he closed with “Thank God for making me an atheist.” What was that about? It was totally unnecessary.

I loved seeing all the dresses. I probably could do without all the awards and just see the women walking back and forth . . . and the men too. They weren’t too bad! But the one dress I loved was Emma Stone’s. I’ve never seen her before, but that dress was so simple and beautiful. It was done by Calvin Klein and boy, did he do a good job! Whatever happened to Helena Bonham Carter? She looked like someone had thrown a bunch of wild material at her in the hopes that it would stick. And it did! She was an absolute mess. And two different colored shoes?? She says her daughter picked them for her. I doubt that my daughters would do that to me. And if they did, I’d ground them for years.

The seating arrangements seemed a little off. The tables were so close together that people had to try and find their way through a sort of maize. I think they put the people they thought would win right up front, but those that were surprises were in the back. I’ve never seen it so mixed up.

I liked seeing Annette Bening win an award. I saw that movie and thought she was very good. Julianne Moore was up for that award too as they played a married couple. Julianne was also very good. But whenever I see Julianne now I remember how she was when she played Alec Baldwin’s girlfriend in “30 Rock.” She had a Boston accent, or rather she tried to use a Boston accent, and I thought it came across very badly. I can’t seem to get that out of my mind – I hope I can before I ever see her again as it really spoils her performance for me as that’s all I think about when I see her. Possibly there’s something wrong with me!

All in all, I think it was a pretty good evening. I watched “Brothers and Sisters” after the Globes. What a weird, silly little show! I can’t believe that family and all that goes on. I won’t be watching again!

I forgot to mention the one award that I was excited about. That was GLEE for best television series - comedy or musical. I love that show; it has made me cry nearly every time I've watched it. Maybe that doesn't sound good, but I can't help myself when I hear some of the songs and the way they present them. I'm not alone in feeling that way I've found out. I was also very pleased with Jane Lynch and Chris Colfer winning. They highly deserved the honors. I expect we'll hear more from them next year.

2011-01-14T13:04:00.000-08:00

“House” – winter premiere on Fox

“House” starts with its winter premiere, “Larger than Life” on January 17, Monday, 8 – 9pm. The episode begins with a horrific scene in a subway station. A man rescues someone on the tracks and then is taken to the hospital where House’s group tries to find out what is bothering him besides being shaken up just a bit! This turns into a very interesting problem throughout the show, but there is another story, or rather, a couple other stories. Cuddy’s mother comes to visit. Murphy Brown is back!! Candice Bergen plays her mother and she’s a hard one to handle. House has to go to dinner at Cuddy’s with her mother, and there is a very funny scene during the dinner. Cuddy’s mother can be a bitch, but everything turns out well in the end.

There are many different problems with the doctors on the team, but they will all be worked out eventually. This show is always very complicated and exasperating, but it holds your interest. This is a good premiere. I’ll be watching again.

2011-01-12T11:22:00.000-08:00

Christmas at the compound

This Christmas Cindy’s family came down from Tacoma to spend Christmas with me. There were Cindy, Mick, Pat (grandson), Nick (grandson) and April (Bull Mastiff). I hadn’t seen my grandsons in a long time, and they had changed so much. They were taller, slimmer and better looking! April was just as big and lumbering as she was the last time I saw her. It was so good to have family around me at Christmas.

I cooked dinner for us and that was interesting. I had a rib roast and I wanted it rare, but I had to cook other dishes also. Cindy helped and we managed to get everything on the table. I have a small table that seats four people. We had five people and a huge dog sitting at the table! April didn’t have a chair, but her head was at the table as you can see from the picture. Somehow everyone managed to eat a meal – even April. April is a real sweetheart. She adores Cindy and follows her everywhere – even the bathroom. While I was cooking dinner, April would be in the kitchen with Cindy and me, and she’d sniff my butt! Cindy would say, “April’s sniffing your butt,” and she’d shoo her away. But she always came back. It didn’t bother me. I think that’s a sign that someone likes you. For dessert, I think they were expecting pie, but there was no pie. I had made Christmas cookies that were covered with icing with floofies on top. But they found chocolate chip cookies in the freezer which I had for them also. Chocolate chip cookies are best eaten right out of the freezer when they are sort of chewy as they start to thaw. The guys went crazy over them. Cindy also loved them and managed to find a sack of them I had hidden way back in the freezer for my hair dresser, Steve, who likes them also. They cleaned out the sack and then they were all gone. So I had to make more of them for my hair appointment last Saturday.

That evening we watched “Wall Street, Money Never Sleeps” with Michael Douglas. Cindy and I didn’t think it was that good. I don’t understand all the money talk, probably because I don’t have any money. And watching a couple of hours about money being hidden, misspent, lost, earned or swindled really doesn’t interest me. And all those people with their hedge funds? I hope they all go down the toilet sometime soon – their hedge funds, that is.

Christmas night we slept all over the place. Pat ended up on the floor by me where I sleep on the couch. He had his alarm set for 5am at he was going fishing! So he got up and took off – no breakfast for him. I made breakfast for the rest of us and pretty soon I was all alone again. I just wish Teri and her family could have been here, but I think we’ll all be together next Christmas. I had a wonderful time and hope my family did too.

In the top picture is Cindy, April and Pat at dinner. In the bottom picture is Nick and Cindy showing off the white, fluffy sweater Teri sent her.

2011-01-07T12:04:00.000-08:00

“The Chicago Code” – new Fox show

This will be premiering on February 7, Monday at 9 – 10PM on Fox. The executive producer, Shawn Ryan, was from Chicago and this was his dream to be able to shoot a film entirely in Chicago. They were fortunate enough to get the okay from Chicago to do that. They shoot exteriors 6 days out of the 8-day shoot which enables them to show a lot of the territory in and around the city. Shawn was executive producer of “Terriers,” “Lie to Me” and “The Shield” which were all my favorites.

This is a show about police officers who delve into politics, corruption, family, greed and all those things that make a show interesting. Everyone knows Chicago was always corrupt and probably still is. So these cops are fighting a tough battle. The new police superintendent, Jennifer Beals, was put in that position by Alderman Gibbons (Delroy Lindo) who is a real scumbag. He put her in that position to act as his puppet, but she’ll have none of that. She gets together with her old partner (Jason Clarke) and secretly starts their own task force to fight corruption when Gibbons turns her down for help. Gibbons runs the city and is more powerful than the mayor so they have to watch their step.

This premiere episode shows a surprising amount about each character so you’ll know them a little better the next time it’s on. I like that they did that, and I found it exciting and very interesting. I like “cop” shows, and this one has promise. I kept waiting for the water to be dumped on Jennifer, but I guess that was from another time. I hope you’ll watch this show; I know I will.

2011-01-06T16:47:00.000-08:00

Product Placement

During the past few years, I’ve become quite aware of products shown in movies and television programs. This has probably gone on for some time, but I’m not a very observant person and don’t always take note of things. But lately there is so much being written about it, and I really noticed it in “American Idol” the few times I watched. There was coca cola sitting around everyplace. You see people eating certain cereals, juices, bread – you name it, it’s been featured someplace. We get so used to it we don’t pay any attention, but you wonder how much money is made from these placements and by whom.

I’ve written about the birds that come to my deck that I feed all the time. I love them and they seem to like my deck. It all started in the winter of 2008 when this one little sparrow would sit in the snow looking in at me. So I started feeding him and he came every day. He was always alone and I felt a kinship with him. I named him Larry – I name all my animals Larry. That started when Cindy had a big dog named Larry that was a wonderful dog that we all loved. I even have Larry the dog in my profile picture on Facebook. I keep my birdseed in a container that you can see through to the birdseed, but I feed them in a big pot that’s filled with dirt. The seed is on top of the dirt naturally. There’s a squirrel around here that comes up on my deck and eats the birdseed. I throw empty plastic milk bottles at him, but he still comes.The other day, I put a sack over my birdseed container because the squirrel kept crawling up on the chair and looking at the birdseed. I think he was trying to figure out a way in. So I put a Safeway sack over it as I save the sacks after I shop at Safeway. I then noticed one of my little birds that I feed, sitting on top of the sack and just looking around at the world. Now many of the birds use the sack as a sort of viewpoint where they can sit and see all over. I managed to get a picture of one of the birds which I used for this blog. And then it struck me! Why couldn’t I use that Safeway picture as an advertisement for Safeway and do blogs about it. Of course, Safeway would have to pay me for my services. I would have to change the sack frequently as the birds seem to like to poop on it – I think they like to poop every place. I’m going to have to give this some thought. I’ll bet Safeway has never been approached by someone like me with such a good marketing idea. I could write blogs about going grocery shopping and what sales Safeway had that day. I’d have to have the picture put on a white sweat shirt so it would be noticeable. I don’t know what I’d charge for my services so I’d probably have to get an agent. I must stop now as I’m getting excited! I’ll have to settle down and think seriously about all of this.

After thinking about it last night, I heard about Ted Williams who was homeless and jobless and stood on a corner in Ohio someplace with a sign asking for money. Someone who knew about radio announcing stopped one day and took a video of him making announcements. His voice was beautiful, and this guy put the video on the internet where it got a gazillion hits. He now has many job offers and has been on every television show imaginable. So maybe that’s the way to go although I can’t see myself doing that. But it’s something to fall back on.

2010-12-30T09:54:00.000-08:00

FACEBOOK for OFs

Recently “Time” magazine named Mark Zuckerberg as Person of the Year for 2010. At 26 years of age, that’s not too bad! When he was a sophomore at Harvard and 19 years old, he started from his dorm room what was called “Thefacebook.com.” As “Time” states, it was billed as “an online directory that connects people through social networks at colleges.” He eventually dropped the “the” from the title and now has 550 million members. He soon dropped out of Harvard as he had something else going then! In the movie “The Social Network,” there were many circumstances in it that didn’t really do Mark justice. He didn’t start FACEBOOK to get girls; he already had a girlfriend. He didn’t do it for the money as that doesn’t matter that much to him. He’s a regular guy and not pretentious at all. He just thought it would bring people together and even find new friends and old friends.

After reading the article, I wondered why he couldn’t go a step further and do one for the old farts and maybe name it “FACEBOOK for OFs.” I think there might be a great interest in the 60+ group. Now the readers and members, for the most part, are younger and talking about their kids, jobs, sex, travel, etc. I think the older group might talk about where to find the best plastic surgeons; who gives the best botox; what exercises are good for what parts of the body; is organic food just a big fake; is sex good after 90 and is it even possible; do I look as old as I feel; do you feel as old as you look; did you cry when NBC took the original “Law&Order” off the air; did you smile when you found there’s now a new one on BBC from the UK; what you take for erectile dysfunction and does it work; what happens if your ED medicine makes you erect more than 4 hours; do you still have orgasms and just what exactly are they. I could go on and on about things to talk about. But for me, I go on FACEBOOK but mostly just read what others write. I very seldom say anything. Maybe I have nothing interesting to say, or maybe it’s because I’d probably write something controversial as I’m prone to do, and then in the morning when I turned on my computer there would be 25 messages waiting for me.

I’m thinking there might be a lot of commingling between the two FACEBOOK pages. Wouldn’t young women looking for sugar daddies go to the OF page to search for wealthy, older men? And wouldn’t cougars go to the original FACEBOOK and entice young men with money and sex? Eventually, the two would meld into one huge FACEBOOK and the whole thing would implode! Now that sounds really exciting!!

2010-12-29T11:42:00.000-08:00

“Traffic Light” – new Fox show

This show is premiering on Tuesday, February 8 at 9:30 PM on Fox. I just watched it and found it hilarious! It’s about three guys in their 20s at different stages in their romantic lives. Mike (David Denman) is married to Lisa and has a young son. He’s found he now has no time just for himself, so he spends time just sitting in his car watching movies and thinking Lisa doesn’t know what he’s doing. But she does.

Adam (Nelson Franklin) has just moved in with his girlfriend and finds it’s a lot different than just having her “stop over” once in a while. She’s always there. Now they have to figure out just how to make things work.

Ethan (Kris Marshall) is always single and doesn’t date one woman for more than about 3 weeks as that would mean something he’s not ready to realize.

In the pilot episode they spend much time in their cars, talking to one another. They would all be on together which was funny in itself. They could talk about their wives, girlfriends and all sorts of problems, just the three of them together. Twice Mike was pulled over by a big, black policewoman while driving. He told the other two guys to be quiet, but they kept butting in while he talked to the policewoman. She was very funny and ended up giving them relationship advice.

I’m thinking this must have been written by young guys who have been in these situations and are putting it down on paper. If they come up with enough of the crazy things that were in the pilot, this should be a hit. I’ll be watching!

2010-12-22T15:58:00.000-08:00

“Human Target”

I just watched the first two episodes – “A Problem with Maria” and “Communication Breakdown” - of this show which will be airing on January 5, 8-10PM. This show recently added two more characters to the group – Ames (Janet Montgomery) and Ilsa (Indira Varma).When women, especially the pretty, sexy kind, are added to a show it seems to bring more vitality and excitement to the proceedings.

In the first hour episode, Maria, an old flame of Chance’s, appears in a bar where another woman is putting a move on Chance. I can’t imagine any woman in a bar or any place else, for that matter, not putting a move on Chance if she had a chance. She needs his help in finding a kidnapped South American dictator. His group doesn’t want to, but will do it for Chance. Ilsa tries to keep the men in control since she’s the boss, but she never quite pulls it off. Ames helps out a lot, but it’s hard controlling her as she’s always been in trouble. But she’s very smart and cute which doesn't hurt. Ilsa and Chance are in a plane crash while looking for the South American and manage to escape their followers.

Back at the ranch, Winston (Chi McBride), Guerrero, and Ames meet Tony Hale, an inept private detective who has gotten himself in trouble and is being chased by about a dozen killers. He’s an old acquaintance of Chance’s, so they feel like they should help him. Hale was in “Arrested Development” and was an absolute riot in that. But the guys and Ames get into a big mess and barely get away with their lives.

Both episodes went so fast I can’t remember what happened when, but I liked it! This show seems to have improved with time. There seems to be more dialogue between the three men which is oftentimes quite humorous which I like. I especially like more from Guerrero. I hope this keeps up. Watch it!

2010-12-20T14:47:00.000-08:00

Again? Is it really time for Christmas again?

Time seems to be going faster and faster. I think it has something to do with global warming or something on that order. I looked for a Christmas picture and decided this one was good as it’s what means a lot to me. I think it was taken at a 1999 Christmas celebration at Cindy’s house when we were younger with shorter hair. I love my daughters so much and enjoy the time that I can spend with them. We all live in different places, so it takes quite a bit of preparation for us to be together. When I have cancer – that usually does it – or even a pacemaker. But I can’t do that all the time, so we have to rely on other reasons to get together. Christmas is always a good time, but it doesn’t work out very often. This year Cindy’s family is coming down from Washington to spend it with me and Teri will be in Brooklyn where she lives. But Cindy and I will have our time together where we’ll talk about Teri, and when that wears out we’ll move on to other people.

When the three of us are together we have a ball. We sit on my deck and drink wine and talk about everybody. We’ve made a lot of decisions on my deck . . . some that were very good and some after too much wine that I can’t remember. We also started our Betty Broderick sorority and elected ourselves as the only officers. Diane became a member and I think Cindy recruited some from her Brownie Morrison store in Tacoma. She has a lot of gay guys and drug addicts who come in and are very friendly and talkative. One comes in and always promises to bring his husband. I think he has a couple times, but doubt that they buy anything. I’m sure many of them are also members. The more the merrier is our motto . . . or one of our mottos. Cindy is bringing April, her bull mastiff, who is huge! She goes to the shop with Cindy every day and has to be with her all the time – she adores her and Cindy feels the same about April. So Cindy and I probably won’t have any time alone to have a meeting of any kind. April will be drooling all over us if we sit down for too long. Doesn’t every family have someone who drools a lot?

So, Teri, we’ll miss you more than I can say, but I hope your Christmas with Harry and Mark is a good one. And I also hope that no one at your celebration drools on you.

Merry Christmas!!!

2010-12-16T14:03:00.000-08:00

“Bob’s Burgers” – a new Fox show premiering January 9, 8:30 – 9PM

I just watched a preview episode and found it hilarious! This is an animated comedy, and I don’t usually go for animation when I look for something to watch. But this one was hysterical. Bob Belcher (H. Jon Benjamin) runs the restaurant that has been in the family for three generations. His wife Linda (John Roberts) helps along with their three kids – the middle child is Gene (Eugene Mirman), the eldest daughter is Tina (Dan Mintz) and the youngest child is Louise (Kristen Schaal). They are having their grand re-re-opening, and Tina will work the grill, Louise will staff the counter and Gene will push samples in the streets.

But the day doesn’t start off well as Tina announces her crotch itches. Bob says it won’t be easy for her working the grill with just one hand – it shows her scratching with the other hand. Gene doesn’t do too well on the street. He has a fart machine which he uses and also keeps dropping the samples. Unbeknownst to the rest of the family, Louise has told during show and tell at school that their restaurant uses human remains from the crematorium next door in their burgers. She did that because she wanted to outdo someone else’s story. That sets off a big fuss and the health inspectors pay them a visit. That day their sign reads, “Burger of the Day - Child Molester – Comes with Candy.” One man in the restaurant looks suspicious, so Bob tells Gene to wait on him as he won’t molest Gene because he’s fat. Tina tells one inspector about her rash, but he won’t look at it. This all goes on and on and is very funny!

When it ends, it turns out their meat is 100% grade A beef with no human remains. Tina tells everyone she thinks her crotch itch is cured as it now smells like bacon. What a relief! This is a weird, crazy little show and it makes me laugh. I like that kind of show.

2010-12-13T09:13:00.000-08:00

Christmas is coming!

It’s time to do all the things that normal people do for Christmas. The first thing I found in my “It’s Not That Much Fun Doing Normal Stuff” book was baking cookies. So I pulled out my yellow bowl I got at my wedding shower 500 years ago, and started in with the cookies. I was whistling “Jingle Bells” as I sifted flour into the yellow bowl. But much to my surprise, my sifter broke into a million pieces right into the flour! I quit whistling and started swearing. That went on for a while until I realized that something had to be done. I didn’t have enough flour to start over again, so I dumped all the damaged flour into a sieve and shook it back into the cookie makings. I got all of the metal pieces of the sifter out of the way, and started all over again. But I definitely need a new sifter – the sieve isn’t really modern enough and takes quite a bit of time. I think the sifter was from my wedding shower 500 years ago also. Things just don’t last, do they?

After the cookies were done, I had to go to the store and also stop at the pet store and liquor store. I got some bird seed for my little birds on my deck and also for the squirrel that appears every day. I throw a milk carton at him, but he never learns. He just comes back for more. From there I went to the liquor store for some vodka as I’m having friends over for Bloody Marys. I don’t buy liquor very much as I drink cheap wine. But I asked the clerk to help me. She pointed to the very expensive bottles way up on the top shelf – I decided those were for the very tall. On the middle shelf were the mid-priced bottles that I recognized. Then she pointed to the bottom shelf where the really inexpensive bottles were. I couldn’t bend over that far to read them, so I picked one from the middle row. I wonder if there are many little people living around here who can find the bottles on the bottom shelf without any trouble. I’ve lived here for quite a while and have never seen any little people.

After doing all that, I looked in my book again and it mentioned bathrooms and toilets – pointing out that they should be clean when company stops by. But what if you have “drop in” company that you don’t expect? What it means is that your toilets should be clean ALL THE TIME! What a drag. So I got busy and washed the bathroom floors and cleaned the toilets. But the company isn’t coming for over a week so that means I’ll have to keep on doing it until they come. And then can I stop? I wish I had never looked at that book and started doing all those things. I could have just watched re-runs of Law&Order all day instead of the other stuff I did. I hope I got all the metal parts out of the flour – guess we’ll find out when the company comes.

In the picture, I’m baking cookies in the yellow bowl with Reggie, Harry and Hayden. This was several years ago – Hayden is now in college. Reggie and Hayden are Rita’s kids and Harry is Teri’s. I guess Harry is giving instructions . . . probably wants to lick the spoon. I always lick the spoon but no one ever sees me. I do it before the cookies are even done. I guess that’s why I never seem to have as many cookies as I should have!

2010-12-06T14:45:00.000-08:00

“The Good Guys”

The season finale of this show is entitled “Partners” and is on Friday, 12/10 at 9PM on Fox. It begins like they all do with Jack and Dan starting out on a little case that doesn’t require a lot of fire power. It has something to do with someone dining and dashing out of a diner. But Jack’s old partner, George Gluck (sounds like a smart one) who is now assistant chief of the department, shows up after Liz’s (assistant DA) informant about a mafia kingpin is murdered. Apparently there is a dirty cop involved behind the hit which puts everyone at the station in peril. This episode shows us that to survive, we must stay close to the ones we trust. Since the show is “Partners” I would assume that means Jack and Dan depend upon each other . . . not some character who was a long-ago partner named Gluck – who would even want a partner with that name?

I love this show. It seems like Jack and Dan are always given little insignificant crimes to solve and yet always end up solving the really big ones. When it started, Jack would get very upset with Dan and his laziness, drinking and womanizing on the job. But he grew to understand Dan and finally resigned himself to his ways and even grew to admire and like him. All the characters have been brought out more as time has gone on, so it’s more like a family now in the station house and we know where everyone stands. So be sure and watch this one Friday night. I’ll be waiting for it to come back.

2010-12-06T13:09:00.000-08:00

GLEE and “Raising Hope”

I already wrote about “Raising Hope” but will mention it again. It’s on Tuesday, 12/7 at 9PM on Fox. This one is more of the crazy antics of one family consisting of MawMaw, the dementia-addled senior who lives with her granddaughter, Virginia (Martha Plimpton), and her husband, Burt (Garret Dillahunt). Their son, Jimmy (Lucas Neff), also lives there with his little baby daughter. Jimmy got the baby’s mother pregnant when she leaped into his car one day when she was running from the cops, and they had a little something that went on. They didn’t know each other – it was just one of those things! She was out of the picture immediately when she was picked up for murder and eventually executed. But Jimmy felt like he should care for the baby which the family eventually named Hope. MawMaw is played by Cloris Leachman who is from another planet or seems that way!

This Christmas episode is very funny as they all have been. I hope you all watch. You won’t be disappointed.

GLEE is another good one this week. GLEE is going world-wide and known probably every place imaginable. They’re touring in England and Ireland in June and July of this year. Everyone wants to see them and everyone wants to be on the show. I don’t think they can do much wrong. Last week’s GLEE was so good. It had the cast members singing and dancing, and some were taking lead singing parts that before hadn’t been. I liked that as more people were shining. Kurt was singing with “The Warblers” from Dalton Academy where he transferred after bearing so much harassment at McKinley High for being gay and in the glee club. The Warblers did a number at Sectionals, “Hey Soul Sister,” that I thought was fantastic. Kurt seems happy there as he’s accepted and I think already may have a friend. So it was a very good episode.

This week the GLEE members find out that Brittany (Heather Morris) still believes in Santa Claus. She always plays the ditzy blonde who says crazy things that make her seem even dumber! The club goes to a mall and Brittany engages in conversations with Santa’s elves. Heather says, “It’s my Christmas gift. The episode’s such a good message for younger teens who take Christmas for granted.” I think this is going to be another good one for GLEE. So don’t forget to watch!! It’s on Tuesday, 12/7 at 8PM on Fox.

2010-12-03T14:48:00.000-08:00

“Raising Hope” from Fox

The Christmas show entitled “Toy Story” airs Tuesday, December 7 at 9 pm. I just watched the episode and it’s hilarious as the others have been. The family’s church – yes, I guess they do go to church – always has a nativity scene, and Jimmy’s mom is determined to have little Hope in it as the baby Jesus. The uptight director of the pageant doesn’t want Hope because Hope’s mother was a murderer and was executed in prison. During church services, the minister gives the tithing pledge which is, “I upped my pledge – up yours.” Jimmy and his mom enlist Jimmy’s sort of girlfriend to be in the nativity scene. She’s quite excited and says it will be like “camping with Jesus.” Jimmy’s mom is determined to get Hope into the scene no matter what anyone says.

The whole episode is about a certain type of doll that sneezes and snot runs out of her nose. Everyone wants it and they’re in short supply. But everything works out and Hope gets to be the baby Jesus and Jimmy’s mom the Virgin Mary. The entire show is full of craziness, jumping from one hilarious scene to another. That family started out as extremely dysfunctional – and they actually still are – but in a good way. They’re all making an effort to provide a good home for Hope. Whether or not that ever happens, they’ll keep working at it. They mean well, and I think it will be interesting and fun to watch them making strides in the right direction, even if they do get off course now and then.

This one is a very fun episode . . . but then, they all are.

2010-11-29T14:50:00.000-08:00

FOX shows this week

There are many good shows, but I’m writing about just three of them.

GLEE – Tuesday 11/30 8pm

In their “Special Education” episode, New Directions goes to Sectionals which is always a big deal. Last week Carol Burnett was on the show and I didn’t like it as much as the older ones. And why did Jane Lynch marry herself? How weird can you get? I think GLEE is much better without all the guest stars – just have the cast singing and dancing. It started out that way and that’s the way it got so popular. Now everyone and his dog wants to be on the show and someone should say NO. It’s a great show and I think should keep on like it first started. Have Jane divorce herself and get back to her nasty, sarcastic self that we know and love.

RAISING HOPE – Tuesday 11/30 9 – 9:30PM

In this week’s “Burt Rocks” episode, Jimmy tries to give Burt a chance to sing with or just see Smokey Ford (Jason Lee) when he performs at the Grocery-Palooza concert in town. Smokey Ford is an entertainer that Burt always wanted to be like, but his chances of that were killed when he had a baby – Jimmy. So Jimmy wants to do this for his dad as he has felt so guilty for being in the way of his dad’s success in the music field. Like that would have ever happened with Burt! This should be a fun episode.

THE GOOD GUYS – 12/3 9PM

This week’s “Cop Killer” - Friday 12/3 9-10PM

A nasty Internal Affairs investigator re-opens an old case hoping it will end Dan’s irregular police practices. This leads to the release of a deadly gang who want to murder all the people who put them away. This causes a heck of a lot of trouble for everyone, and Dan and Jack have to stop them . . . and they do. Dan and Jack always come through in a pinch. Sometimes it’s by accident, but they always close the case one way or another. This sounds like a funny episode . . . but they all are!

2010-11-29T13:40:00.000-08:00

The past week got off to a slow start but picked up as the days passed. I had vowed never to watch DWTS again because of how they let Bristol keep on performing even though she couldn’t dance her way out of a paper bag. So I didn’t, but I heard about it. I was so glad Jennifer Grey won. If she hadn’t, there would have been rioting someplace, possibly my living room. Bristol said on Tuesday that if she won, “it would be like giving a big middle finger to people who hate my mom and hate me.” What a sweetheart she is. I got a big kick out of one of the entertainment shows telling how much weight all the women had lost working out for the dancing. Only one lost no weight at all and we all know who that one is! Bristol was asked what her plans are now and she said she didn’t know but would just see what God has planned for “Tripp and I.” Maybe God has some grammar lessons planned for her – she could use some. Bristol never learned how to dance, never showed any excitement and seemed without energy in her routines. What a mistake she was on that show. And she is why I won’t be watching next year. ABC didn’t handle that situation at all well.

Friday night I watched on television the lighting of the Christmas tree in Pioneer Square here in Portland, not knowing someone was dialing up his cell phone down at Union Station, thinking it would trigger a car bomb that would kill thousands of people gathered in the square. It didn’t blow up as the FBI was all over it from the beginning. I guess we can’t be complacent ever – the good old days are long gone.

Saturday I went to Steve, my hair guy, and froze as I drove over. I’m not quite used to everything in my new car, and I thought I had the heat on. There was a blue section and a red section, and I thought I should turn it to the blue section as surely that would be the warm one as we are a blue state and I’m certainly blue. When I finally arrived at Steve’s shop, I was frozen and turned the dial to red and it was warm! I had had the AC on all the time in the blue zone! I doubt that I’ll ever get used to that.

After my hair appointment I went out to a market where I rarely shop as it’s so far away from me. But I wanted to get a piece of meat they had on sale so I made the trip. They have groceries that are cheaper than any other store, and I wish it were in my neighborhood. It’s a market where poor people shop because it’s so cheap, and also where wealthy people shop because it’s so cheap. We’re all after the same thing! I made it home with the heat on in the car this time.

Sunday I went shopping with Diane and I bought some Christmas stuff. We had lunch at a very nice place overlooking a lake. We left and walked out on the deck and saw a dog tied up in front of a window of the restaurant. I wonder if his parents were looking out at him. He was so cute I took his picture and put it on this blog. I hope his parents didn’t forget about him.

I’ll close with something I read but can’t remember where or who wrote it. But I like it. “People over 50 like to read about negative things concerning young people; maybe it makes them feel better about themselves. Young people don’t like to read anything about older people.” I find that very interesting!

2010-11-23T16:25:00.000-08:00

I’m cold!

I just talked to my daughter, Teri, in New York. It wasn’t a long call. She was interrupted by a guy telling her to notify another gal about something. Teri said she thought he was going to do it, but he told her she was going to do it. So I heard her e-mailing the gal. I asked her about it and she said they were all going to someone’s house for cocktails and the guys wanted to walk and the gals wanted to take the subway. Then she said how tired she was because she had been to cocktails and dinner out with business people last night. It all sounded quite exciting to me, so I was going to tell her about my day. But then she said she had to go, so that was it.

I could have told her how I went out to empty the paper and garbage and my neighbor walked up to me and pointed at my pants. I looked down and realized I had on the pajama pants I had taken off only minutes before – the yellow ones with faces with big black eyes on them! I had put them on after I took my shower. I did dress my upper body properly so that should count for something. I could have told her how I was watching out my deck window, waiting for Charley, the squirrel, to come by so I could throw an empty milk carton at him. But instead two blue jays came and they scare more easily. A little bird finally came and tried to take a drink out of my garlic lid watering place, but she just pecked at the ice as it was frozen solid. I fixed it but she probably won’t come back until it’s frozen again. By then I was bored, so I played my yodeling pickle a couple of times. Cindy gave it to me – it’s from her Brownie Morrison store in Tacoma. It’s a green, plastic pickle and yodels really loudly – I love it! I didn’t do much else that was exciting as it’s so darned cold now. My plants all fell over last night in the freeze. I would have fallen over if I’d been out.

Cindy and her family are coming on Thanksgiving if the weather is doing all right. Teri bought us a Thanksgiving dinner at a nearby grocery store, and they’ll pick it up when they arrive. How about that? Everything will be ready to eat. Teri won’t be here with us as she was here quite recently. I’m so lucky to have the daughters I do. They’re so good to me and make me laugh. I have fun with them which I hope will continue a long time.

The picture is when I was just a little younger and there was snow. My mother dressed me well for that kind of weather. We don’t have any snow right now, and I wouldn’t be standing out in it if we did!

2010-11-21T15:15:00.000-08:00

“Terriers” – FX show by Shawn Ryan and Ted Griffin, Wednesdays at 10pm on FX

I’ve watched “Terriers” from the beginning and have become a big fan. It’s a story about Hank (Daniel Logue) and Britt (Michael Raymond-James) who play unlicensed PIs in Ocean Beach, San Diego, California. Ocean Beach is portrayed as a city where Hank used to be a detective but was let go. Britt is a former criminal, but they’re best friends and make a good pair. They’re pretty scruffy looking, especially Hank, but it works. The show is interesting with crazy cases they’re on, but it’s also funny so it moves along quite well. Hank’s old partner at the police department, Detective Mark Gustafson (Rockmond Dunbar), is still a friend and big help to him as they work their cases. Hank’s ex-wife married a bad guy and Britt’s girlfriend (almost fiancée) got pregnant by another man after a drunken night out after night school. So things aren’t looking up for the two of them right now.

But I hear rumblings that possibly enough people haven’t been watching and it may not be picked up. That would be disastrous for me. FX has had so many great shows that I’ve loved and Terriers should stand among them. So, people, watch it Wednesday night at 10pm as this will be the finale for the first season. Don’t let it be a real finale.

2010-11-17T16:11:00.000-08:00

DWTS causes a shooting!!

I’m just surprised it didn’t happen earlier. Seems a man in rural(where else) Wisconsin was enraged by Bristol’s dancing on the show last night and blasted his TV set with a shotgun!! I felt the same way, but didn’t have a gun as I reported on my last blog. SWAT team was called which caused an all-night standoff. They finally got him out of the house before he could shoot his wife as he had threatened. She says her husband suffers from bipolar disorder. I wonder if that came on before Sarah Palin and her family took over the spotlight or after.

There has been talk that the reason Bristol stays on the show even though she’s always at the bottom of the group is because the Tea Party people vote in blocs and manipulate the voting. I’ve thought that from the very first. Bristol can’t dance and everyone knows it. She’s fat and seemingly lifeless. When I’ve watched entertainment shows and they’ve asked people on the street whom they think should be let go, it’s always Bristol. But I wouldn’t be surprised if she won the whole darn thing. I think DWTS is going to lose viewers next year if they don’t revise the voting system. I think the judges should choose – they are the ones who know about dancing, not some Tea Party crazy back in Kentucky. I know I won’t be watching. Who knows what will happen in the next few weeks. It could be exciting!!

2010-11-17T10:56:00.000-08:00

“Dancing with the Stars” – BAD
“GLEE” and “Raising Hope” from Fox – GOOD

I’ve been DVRing “Dancing” all this season just to see how Bristol Palin was doing. She never lost weight like the other dancers did, she never learned how to actually dance, her demeanor was vapid and lacked any vibrancy and her costumes were hideous which I think were intended to hide her pudginess. I was sure she would be kicked off very soon, but I kept my DVR going just to find out. It came to me early on that she wasn’t going to be kicked off. And now I have seen the instructions given to all the Tea Party members on just how to vote and how many times to do it. That damn Sarah Palin is even running “Dancing with the Stars!” Sarah is all over television, and I think her voice has become louder and even more grating which I didn’t think would be possible. She’s actually quite sickening. If she can use her twitter to throw the votes on a television show, think what she could do with it in her presidential campaign. The only hope is that the republicans will realize she’s really stupid and kick her to the curb. Can you imagine a presidential candidate giving a speech interspersed with “You betcha and refudiate?” After watching the show last night, I wanted to go out and shoot myself . . . but I forgot I don’t have a gun. I doubt I’ll be watching dancing next year unless they change the judging.

So, to get the bad taste out of my mouth, I watched “GLEE.” GLEE was great! It always is, and each one seems to get better. Gwyneth Paltrow sang and danced and did a very good job. It was fun seeing her in those circumstances. Mathew Morrison did a dream sequence where he danced to “Singing in the Rain.” I was flabbergasted by his dancing. I don’t think I’ve ever used that word before! I had no idea he could dance like that although I know he comes from Broadway. The show was the best.

And then to get some laughs, I watched “Raising Hope” which I thought was hysterical! I laughed out loud all the way through. It was the funniest one yet. I hope it gets picked up for more years as it makes me feel good. “Dancing with the Stars” didn’t make me feel at all good.

2010-11-14T14:47:00.000-08:00

“Glee,” “Raising Hope” and “The Good Guys” . . . . Fox shows

GLEE is gearing up for a big one Tuesday this week. Gwyneth Paltrow will be taking over for Mr. Schuester’s Spanish class and the glee club while he’s sick. She sings and dances and wins everyone over with her performances. We all knew she could act, but dance and sing? Who knew? I can hardly wait to see this one. All of their episodes have been so good you wonder how they can get any better, but they always seem to come up with something. And it’s not just the guest stars. The cast itself is enough to keep me watching forever. Jane Lynch takes over for Principal Figgins and tries some funny stuff. But then doesn’t she always? So don’t forget to watch Tuesday night!

Directly after GLEE is the goofy show “Raising Hope.” I think this week Jimmy wants to take Hope out of her daycare because she’s imitating the dogs there. After all, it is a doggy daycare business. But when he tried to get her entered in a high-end facility, he runs into trouble concerning his dad’s police record. When the family tries to straighten that out, they run into more trouble. This should be a good one!

And then there’s “The Good Guys” on Friday night. I don’t know why I like this one so much as it’s absolutely crazy! Bradley Whitford(the one with the mustache) and Colin Hanks are two detectives that solve many crimes – some that they just sort of fall into and not on their schedule. Bradley Whitford is so unprofessional and rather crude, but he’s so funny and always seems to get the job done with his partner, Colin, who puts up with a lot from him. I like the graphics on this show as they are the same as the way it’s done on “Burn Notice.” Matt Nix is the creator of both shows and I like them both. So be sure and watch “The Good Guys” Friday night – that will make me happy!

2010-11-14T11:13:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday, Harry!

Harry is 15 years old today. Where did the time go? He lives so far away from me that I don’t think I’ve had time to teach him things he should know now that he’s becoming a young man. When he was a little person, I had so much fun with him playing little games we made up as we went along. We did goofy things together when we infrequently got together either here or in New York.

Now Harry is way taller than I and has probably forgotten the crazy things we did. I wish there had been more time for me to help him with a young man’s problems growing up. I could have told him about shaving but I don’t imagine he shaves his legs as I do occasionally. His dad probably showed him how to shave. I could have told him to always put the toilet seat down after he pees. Or maybe he sits down and pees – I don’t really know and don’t think I should ask. I could have told him not to shove food in his mouth and then chew with half of it hanging out. I could have told him to always give his seat on the subway to a girl, and not just the pretty ones. They may be skanks, and the better bet would be the ones in Catholic school-girl uniforms . . . but they could be skanks also. Just let that one go. And as far as sex information goes, I don’t think I’d be too good at that. I counseled Teri in a Dunkin Donut shop when she was young and it went quite well, but I’m probably not up to date on what’s new these days. After all, I am a grandmother. Probably Mark or Teri could take him to a Dunkin Donuts in Brooklyn where they live now. They must have them there and our tradition should live on.

So Harry, I hope you have a fun birthday like the one you had in the above picture . . . maybe not exactly the same, but you get the idea. And don’t forget, Grandma loves you very much.

2010-11-12T13:50:00.000-08:00

I’m all charged up!

Last week I had a new pacemaker implanted and it’s working wonderfully – at least I guess so since I’m alive. Cindy came down from Tacoma and took me home from the hospital and stayed all night with me. I loved that! A couple of days later Teri came from New York and stayed several days with me. I loved that too! She cooked some delicious food that we ate for the next 3 days when Cindy came back. So I had them both here for a couple of days which was so much fun. We had our I ETA PI sorority meeting and watched both of the Betty Broderick movies – the first one when she’s married to Dan and is a real bitch, and the second one covering both of her trials for killing Dan and his new wife. Our sorority is based on Betty’s exploits – Cindy is president, Teri is godfather and I’m the housemother. Between movies we’d stop and have some wine (beer for Cindy) and give a toast to something. I can’t remember whom we toasted as Betty didn’t deserve a toast since she’s a bitch and a killer. Anyway, we had the wine and then went back to watch the rest of the movie.

I remember when they rolled me into the surgery room, someone asked me what kind of music I’d like to have going. That didn’t surprise me as I’d watched enough “Nip/Tuck” on TV to know they always had music going when they were doing boob jobs, face lifts, liposuction, vagina tucks, penile implants and other procedures that top-notch plastic surgeons routinely perform. I was fortunate that my doctor was a cardiologist and not the “Nip/Tuck” kind. I was already under the influence of valium so couldn’t come up with a name for the song. I tried to sing a few bars of the song I wanted – “Lyin’ Eyes” by the Eagles, but I couldn’t seem to make the right sounds. “Lyin’ Eyes” goes on and on so I figured it would carry me through the entire operation. But as I was trying to sing the song for the technician, they put me completely out! Guess they didn’t like my singing. And why would they ask me what song I wanted when they knew they were going to knock me out?

Cindy and Teri did housework for me while they were here. They moved so swiftly and accomplished so much in so little time. They were amazing. I’d like to have them every week, but I would probably have to pay them then.

The night before I went to the hospital, I had to put a new ink cartridge in my computer printer. I was a little worried doing it after all the talk about the planes flying to the US from overseas with ink cartridge bombs set to go off over our country. What if mine was one of those? What if I blew myself up and the entire condo complex along with me? At least I wouldn’t have to pay the condo fee anymore. Why does the fee go up every year? I finally installed it and then ran it and nothing blew up, but that means I still have to pay the condo fee. Too bad.

The above picture I took while the girls took a break from housekeeping. After the picture was over, they went right back to work. No slacking off for them!

2010-10-31T15:02:00.000-07:00

Mom’s getting her batteries charged!

I’m going to the hospital in a couple days for new batteries in my old pacemaker . . . or maybe a new pacemaker. The doctor won’t decide until he opens me up and I won’t know until I wake up. I hate when that happens – I like to be in control, and for a while I won’t be. I’m taking a corrected DNR with me as my old one had old addresses for my daughters, and they would be the ones to pull the plug if needed. They move occasionally so I updated everything. They don’t always answer the phone either, so I hope they won’t be needed. It would take Teri a while to get here as she’s back in New York. Cindy will be here with me so she would answer her cell phone . . . although sometimes she turns it off. This whole business is getting to me! Cindy was with me for the first one and it was wonderful having her here. She asked me the other day if she’d have to take an icky bandage off me and I told her no. She did that for my cancer surgery.

When I had breast cancer, both girls were with me. I had to stay overnight and the girls went shopping while I got bored in the hospital. Teri bought some “cancer” pants at a store she now calls the cancer pants store. When I called to tell her I was going in for a charge-up, she said she wished she could be with me but just couldn’t come right now. She said if she did she’d get some “pacemaker” pants. I wish that could have happened. Maybe she can find some in New York.

I love my girls so much. They make me laugh and really keep me going. I wish they lived here as I really miss them. But I moved to Wash. D.C. right after college, never giving a thought as to how much my parents would miss me. What a bitch I was! So I guess I can’t fault my daughters for doing the same thing.

The picture is of Cindy, Teri and Harry at the coast in 1996. The girls are so pretty and Harry is so plump! I love it.

2010-10-24T13:49:00.000-07:00

“Raising Hope” – Fox show Tuesday, 9pm – 10pm, Tuesday, October 26

I just previewed their Halloween episode and it’s wild! This show is centered around Jimmy’s little baby girl who is just a few months old. The mother was executed in prison, so Jimmy is the caretaker. He didn’t really know the mother, so there was nothing sad about it. Jimmy’s mother, played by Martha Plimpton, is good in this as is Cloris Leachman who is the grandma, but goes by Maw Maw. Maw Maw thinks Jimmy is her husband which makes for some crazy, mixed-up times! She runs around in her white bra and not much else. You might wonder how a little child could have a decent upbringing in such a crazy household, but you then realize all the family members are good people even if they are strange in some ways. Sort of like a normal family that loves each other.

In this episode Maw Maw puts on her Halloween costume backwards so the topless back is in the front. The mother gets upset and tells her to go out on the porch as it’s her turn to watch for Japanese airplanes. She obviously lives in the past. The mom says she looks like a transvestite ninja which she actually does!

The episode continues with more ridiculous happenings and makes for a very funny Halloween show. I would think anyone would enjoy it – I know I did!

2010-10-17T13:05:00.000-07:00

What is this?

I did my usual potato planting this spring, even though I haven’t had much luck in the past years. But I had two big pots on my back deck where the birds eat and poop, so I cut up some of my store-bought potatoes and planted them. I didn’t want anyplace where I could plant some food going to waste. These days we try to grow as much of our own food as possible which will save us money. Also, that way we’ll know the food is coming from right here and not some foreign country. I have nothing against foreign countries. Most of my clothes are either made or “assembled” in a foreign country – probably by little children working in sweat-shop conditions. I try not to think about that when I wear the clothes. I also planted some rosemary which I never ate, some chives which I did eat occasionally and some parsley. This morning I threw them all in the garbage as they were all worn out!

As for the potatoes, I decided to see if I had grown any. Last year there were lots of plants that came up but very few potatoes – and they were very small, actually pretty tiny. This year there were no plants coming up except this one weed. I decided to just let it grow, so I watered it and waited for my potatoes to start sending up plants. They never did. So the other day I dug into one of the pots and found the old potato pieces I had planted in the spring! There were no sprouts on them. They were all dried up and icky. But the weed is going strong! I decided to take a picture of it and it’s on this blog. But what the heck is it? Right now it’s 3 feet tall. Will it keep growing and growing? Do you suppose I can eat it? Maybe I could use it as seasoning in spaghetti . . . oh, I forgot. I don’t make spaghetti. But I do make meat loaf and use all sorts of seasonings in it. Maybe that would work and it would taste delicious. People would hear about my special plant and shower me with money for just a piece of it! Now I must go outside and try to rustle up some wood to make a fence around my plant to protect her from predators. I also must think of a name for her. I’ll do that another day.

Larry and his bird buddies still come all the time. Sometimes they get along together and other times they chase each other off. But they seem to do quite well most of the time. They hop up to my sliding glass door and peer in at me – all they see is me peering back at them. We amuse each other! Charley the squirrel keeps coming every day. Whenever I see him, I run screaming to the door and throw an empty, plastic gallon milk jug at him as he leaves. I guess it’s a sort of game we play. It doesn’t seem to have much effect on him. I don’t know what the people walking down the street think when I came screaming out the door, throwing things. I’m probably known as “that crazy woman down the street,” but that’s just fine with me.

I wish I had a potato picture to put up, but I may never have one again. I have the pictures of my dad and me planting potatoes every spring. I wish he were still here so he could give me some advice on growing them. I just wish he were here.

2010-10-10T18:12:00.000-07:00

It’s Tea Party time!

That was on the cover of a recent “Time” magazine which made me think of tea parties I had with my girls when they were little. The above picture is of Teri’s second birthday tea party. No one looks too animated – possibly they were waiting for the tea. I think things eventually livened up. Was that the beginning of the Tea Party movement of today? If it was, it went off track somewhere along the line. The Tea Party of today is full of a bunch of crazies that I don’t think could make it in the real world. Who are those people anyway?

Sarah Palin is the fairy godmother of the group who has an unwed daughter with a child who competes on “Dancing with the Stars.” The daughter’s first dance showed her in a brief outfit in which she shimmied around, showing us she had not yet lost her baby fat. The second dance Sarah attended so the daughter was completely clothed from top to bottom – mom sat there beaming. Is this what we have to look forward to in the years to come as Sarah runs for president? Will all of her kids be on stage in some way with beaming mom close by? Will there be more babies and will her other daughters have them before they’re married? And will they become engaged to clones of Levi? I really don’t care what that family does. I just don’t want to hear about it all the time.

In the latest “Time” magazine, there’s an article about Fred N. Davis III who is called the GOP’s hottest mad man. He has moved to Hollywood where all the talent is and the creative people live, or so he says. He’s from Oklahoma so that makes sense. Now he can mingle with all the Hollywood types which he seems to love and do what he does best: Write ads for republican candidates which are extremely negative and equally nasty and actually not true. People say you shouldn’t make snap judgments . . . but SNAP!! I just did and I don’t like him at all. The ad that makes me most upset is the one for Christine O’Donnell who’s running for the republican senate seat from Delaware. She burst onto the campaign scene with old quotes about dabbling in witchcraft and how masturbation is bad. She left out all the bad things she had done with her finances and similar infractions. She came bouncing across the stage in a red blazer with her long, reddish brown hair waving in the breeze, chirping in her perky little voice. Doesn’t that remind you of someone else? Well, shortly thereafter, Fred Davis got hold of her and there appeared a new ad that is absolutely atrocious! It shows Christine dressed in a black suit, with long, straight black hair. She’s standing in front of a black background with a white mist rising behind her . . . sort of like she’s standing in front of a coven. She looks like a witch! And then she speaks in a soft voice saying, “I’m not a witch. I’m nothing you’ve heard. I’m you.” When I heard that, I almost threw up! She is so not me!!! As things heat up before the election, Christine will probably become stressed and return to the coven for help and also find herself masturbating several times a day. These are very interesting times.

I hope I can find enough reruns of “Law & Order” to keep me going through the election. But then the build-up for the 2012 election will be underway. God help us!

2010-10-05T14:45:00.000-07:00

Hydrangeas, Poop and “The Good Guys”

Back in May, I wrote a blog about Mother’s Day and put a picture on the blog of the beautiful blue hydrangeas Mark and Teri sent me. They were gorgeous and the flowers lasted a long time. After a while, we decided they should be out of the pot and possibly split into three plants which they actually were to start with. So they were moved across the sidewalk from my condo where there was shade and not direct sun like they were having in the original spot. So now there were three plants out there. They were watered by the sprinkler system, but I took special care of the one right next to the sidewalk where I could reach it. I watered it every day during the hot weather and fertilized it once a week. And now, as the above picture shows, there is a beautiful flower there and it’s not blue! I love it. The leaves look good, much better than the ones that I didn’t take care of myself. I have no idea what color the blooms will be next year. I guess it’ll be a surprise!

The other day I wrote about the poop habits of my daughter, Cindy. And now I must make a correction to that story. Cindy e-mailed me and told me she didn’t say, “Come wipe me.” She said she yelled, “I’m ready!” which meant the same thing. But someone said, “Come wipe me.” Was it Teri, although Teri and I had already talked about it . . . or was it I? I talked to Teri again last night and she said she thought Cindy said, “I’m ready – now come wipe me!” So that makes sense to me.

I watched the episode of “The Good Guys” last week. I love that show!! Bradley Whitford and Colin Hanks play two cops who are always screwing up (mainly because Bradley is so crazy). But they always manage to tie up a case even when they aren’t working on it – it just falls into their laps. This time they caught a cat burglar who could get into any building in town. But he did that for the money because his main love was blogging about food and restaurants. So he ate at all the restaurants in Dallas and then blogged about them, all the while doing his cat burglar business on the side for money. After they caught him when he was actually helping them break into a building, they asked him why he was doing it. He told them, “Because you can’t make any money blogging!” I jumped up and shouted, “I know what you’re talkin’ about!” But, of course, no one heard me because I was alone. The two cops let him go which I thought was a wonderful ending to the show.