Thoughts Before I Forget...

1. Poem. I can't remember if it hits the Haiku structure or not. I don't think in numerical structures. And, well can't count worth shit. (Which is why I don't really knit or crochet, you sort a have to be able to count or you end up with well interesting blankets and scarves and hats.)

The past smarts
with every yesterday
Inditing us with its judgments

2. Former freshman roommate posted the following comment on FB in response to another one.

"So what, should I be upset that I can't eat cupcakes due to stiffness in my joints, or that my phone is racially profiling me?"

For some reason I found this funny, when I stumbled over it. Former roommate, who happens to be African-American, and relatively light-skinned (although frankly I never thought much about it), was attempting to state on her phone or post as a status via her smartphone (a Samsung) that she was feeling grateful for being less stiff or lighter. And the phone auto-corrected or provided her with the option..."feeling grateful for being light skinned". This understandably infuriated her. Because she's been discriminated against and bullied for the color of her skin. And isn't happy about being judged by her phone on the basis of it.

The woman who responded is half black and half Hispanic, and another former college friend. She's felt better going off dairy and sugar, because it has lessened pain in her joints. (Which reminds me, I really have to go off ice cream soon. I keep buying small pints of gourmet gluten-free, low dairy, organic ice cream -- latest was McConnells, and Van Leuwen, which seriously is amazing, particularly the salted caramel. I've also gotten on a gluten-free cookie kick, mainly because I don't tend to binge on them. So a bit of sweet. Done. But the sciatic nerve and back pain is back, along with neck and shoulder -- granted this is most likely unrelated...but I digress.) Anyhow the second woman stated, yep, off sugar helps with stiffness.

Her response to the above? "Uhm..admittedly a conundrum, but hey less stiffness."

Anyone else having issues with phones? I barely use mine. And when I do, it does not do that.

Uhm..okay..these are just absurd, amusting, but absurd...

1. Zombie Apocalyptic Christmas Musical - just the thing to give the zombie lover in your life for Christmas.

I am on the fence. Not a fan of zombie movies or television shows. Zombies squick me, for want of a better word. But, I like musicals. (It is admittedly odd that the novel I'm currently writing (and may never finish) has as it's back story the Big Zombie Apocalypse That Wasn't -- ie. Aliens took over by accidentally causing a mini-zombie apocalypse.) Anyhow, doesn't matter the musical - I'll watch it. Musicals make me happy. Although I did draw the line at the High School Musical and the musical about the Descendants of the Disney Villains, mainly because the music hurt my ears and gave me a headache. And, I admittedly could not make it through the live television broadcast of Peter Pan, Hairspray (seen it too many times) or Rocky Horror Picture Show (ditto).

2. An Arkansas Dentist got a Green Screen and Illegally hijaked Star Wars footage to make his own local commercial

3. Apparently the David S. Pumpkins Halloween Sketch was such a break-out hit last October on SNL that they've done an animated Halloween special based on it, and voiced by Tom Hanks. (Somehow I missed all that. I'm okay with missing out on it. )

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There's other things, but they are depressing and/or enraging or just annoying, therefore not worth mentioning.

Weather is nicer today. Crisp. Robin's Egg Blue Sky. So blue, I couldn't stop looking at it.

Frustrated by everything at the moment. But at least the weather is getting cooler and nicer.

Buying and reading cheap romance novels as if they are candy for the brain. (I miss Shipperx who got this, no one else seems to. Except for my mother, who is doing the same thing for similar reasons.) Perhaps they are. They help me escape for a bit on the subways and trains, I seem to spend half my life on. Two - three hours a day, excepting Saturday and sometimes Sunday. Today was trying to read -- but ended up with a young man and a eight-ten year old boy sitting next to me. They proceeded to engage in a bizarre conversation that kept filtering in and out of my reading, making it difficult to concentrate on my book. Even thought it was a book that requires little concentration.

Man: I brought you a gift today from Arabella. She misses you.
Boy: Oh!
Man: You can open it.

[I sneak a glance at it, it's an odd black plastic puzzle box. The boy seems thrilled by it. Go back to reading.)

Man: I don't want to tell you too much about her or anything else we're doing, the less you know, the less you will have to answer.

Boy: Okay.

(Me: WTF?)

Man: It's important that you feel safe and your safety is our priority. But I will try to set something up so you can see her. She misses you. Arabella does.

Boy: I miss her too.

Man: I've been meaning to ask...I...have you felt that I haven't been there for you? I know I've been really busy with other things. But did you feel that I wasn't there for you?

Boy: No, no. I never felt that.

(I glance over again. Man and boy bump fists. I try to go back to reading. Seriously, this is not the sort of conversation one should have on a subway.)

Man: We can't talk much about this. Have you felt you had anyone to talk to?

Boy: Yes, there's been some people. I was sort of able to talk to my Mom about it.

Man: Do you understand what happened?

Boy: About abduction yes...

(I go back to reading...or try to.)

Man: We're going to get off soon. I'll show you around and take you ...

Boy: Okay, no problem.

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See? Weird. I decided the kid was safe. The man was obviously some sort of friend, advocate, social worker, or teacher. Not parent. And the kid had been through something and they were trying to get him safe. The whole conversation kept filtering in and out of my attempt to read and ignore it, because honestly it wasn't my business, and I felt like I was eavesdropping. But they sat right next to me.

This is why it's almost impossible to read anything requiring concentration on the commute.