Spontaneous Musings

Somewhat accomplished? I managed to get laundry done, switched out my torn padded bed pad, for the new less padded but not torn one. The torn had to be thrown out - it's not salvageable, unfortunately. I loved it - but can't find a similar one. Took out the recyclables. Washed the linens - it was mainly just the linens. Only two loads. So not that expensive.

Played more Mahjong. I lied when I said I don't like games? I do, but it depends on the game, and who I'm playing with. I can play that one for hours. Except it lies when it says it doesn't have ads - it does. Worse, to get out of the ad, I often have to offload and reload the game.

I also managed to schedule my flu shot for tomorrow. (I don't get the side-effects outside of a sore arm - I think I have a VERY strong immune system? But I'm doing it on Saturday morning, just in case.) Other goal is to clean out foyer closet and put up my Xmas lights in the window (if I can find them, I may need to get new ones), and the little Xmas tree with its lights, and take away the Thanksgiving decorations. Sent off Xmas list to family members, waiting on theirs.

Apparently sisterinlaw and niece's Thanksgivings included a Nantucket Pie. It's basically a fruit upside down cake with cranberries. I don't like cake and I like it even less now that I require substitutions, so I'm glad I had my pecan and pumpkin choices.

Watching Dancing with the Stars - which has some excellent dancing this season. ( Read more... )

Dinner was left-overs. Breakfast was fried eggs over spinach leaves, lemon, and grits. I combined Breakfast and Lunch.

Angel S1 Re-Watch - Episode 2 - Are You Now or Have You Ever Been

I remember being less than thrilled with this episode the first two times I saw it. But now, I see a lot of interesting things in it that I'd not seen before. Weirdly, I find I appreciate it more without the echo of others in the background or my desire to compare it against Buffy. The two shows are very different series, with different goals and aims. Distance helps, I think?

( cut for length )

Question a Day Mememage - November

Catching up on the Mememage - I'm dreadfully behind.

24. Do you have throw pillows/cushions around the house?

Yes. Although apartment.

25. Is lunch a snack, a light meal, or your main meal of the day?

Snack or light meal - I'm not a lunch person. I even skip it sometimes on weekends.

26. On National Cake Day – what is your favourite cake?

Flourless Chocolate Cake - which is technically the only cake I have any longer.

Or

Angel food, but I haven't found much in the Gluten Free versions. It's hard to find. I like it because it is light, and can serve it without icing. Also butter mochi cake, which is kind of similar.

27. Have you ever slept in socks at night?

Yes, and I always end up kicking them off in the middle of the night. So I don't.

28. November is part of World Vegan Month – have you tried any vegan food this month?

Yes. My chocolate chip cookies that I get from Insominac Cookies are vegan.

The Community UU Church of NY's sermon today (which I watched on my television set via Youtube - youtube kindly thrust it at me, as recommended, and I didn't have to look for it and I finally figured out how to watch my community's UU church services via youtube on my television set) - stated that we're all tired because there's so much happening constantly around us, and it's overwhelming.

I thought, okay, that's probably why I've been feeling exhausted lately, sleep deprived, and kind of ill? Too much happening all at once, none of which I have control over.

I've even stopped the good news posts, mainly because I can't seem to get myself to weed through the hundreds of comments and links on the social activist's facebook page or in the Nice News or Waging Non-Violence emails, any longer? I find it all to be overwhelming, even if it is good news? I just want to close off the news media and forget it all exists for a bit.

And, it's getting darker earlier now. Dark at 4:30 pm, and 5:19 feels like 8. Shorter and shorter days. I'm not a fan of darkness, I have a tendency towards seasonal depression and require light. It's why I can't live that far North and have veered away from the North Pacific. NYC is about as far North as I can reasonably get, I think.

Anyhow, the church services on Youtube motivated me to donate to the Food Bank of NYC today. So far, I've donated to Food Bank, ACLU, and National Parks Conservation Service this year.

***

Tomorrow is the doctor's appointment. ( Read more... )

***

Made Chili last night with Chili beans, Classico Marinara Sauce, Jasmine brown rice, red onions, dark chocolate, and chili seasoning. It was smooth and excellent. Served with shredded cheddar cheese, Mary's Gone Crackers, and chopped red onions. Also cheese and crackers on the side. I might do celery and carrots with it tonight.

I don't understand my body? I couldn't handle the idea of putting ground beef in it. The thought turned my stomach, so rice was used instead. I used to love ground beef. Now, I can't stomach it. Instead, I love celery sticks, which I used to hate. Now I eat celery constantly?

Also, I used to hate beans, and avoid them like the plague - because gas pains, now my stomach wants beans but not meat. Somethings happened. Doctors are happy. Cardiologist and Endcrinologist - want me on a plant based mediterrean style diet without red meat at all, and beans instead.
Meat is bad for high blood pressure and diabetes.

After hemming and hawing, over whether to buy a cornish game hen, a duck or a rainbow trout for Thanksgiving or order something premade via Fresh Direct, I finally caved and bought a Rock Cornish Game. ( Read more... )

I did learn that my church, the UUA of Brooklyn, not the Community Church of NYC, has about fifty people signed up for its annual Thanksgiving Gathering, and I thought, nope. ( Read more... )

****

I don't know about anyone else? But the period between November 20 and March 20 is tough on me, emotionally and mentally? Between the shortening of the days, the cold, the stripping of the flowers and trees of leaves, and the holidays...I struggle with depression. ( Read more... )

I make little plans to get through it. ( Read more... )

Sometimes life is in the enjoyment and love of small things, small pleasures, small hobbies, completion of small tasks, and small moments.

***

Question a Day Memage:

[Shout out to kazzy_cee who found/came up with all of the questions - I really appreciate it. I can not come up with them well at all. I've tried. It's not as easy as it looks. I appreciate and am grateful for those that do. Thank you.]

21. Do you have lots of layers of bedding on your bed?

Yes. ( Read more... )

22. It’s Jamie Lee Curtis’s birthday! What did you last see her in on TV/film?

The Bear - she's amazing in The Bear. Plays the abusive alcoholic mother of the chef. It's a raw vulnerable no holds barred realistic portrayal of a recovering alcoholic. It's a joy to behold. I've a crush on the actress, who just gets better with age. (The Bear is a hypo-realism series about the running of a Chicago Restaurant, and the lives of all of those involved in running it.)

23. It’s National Cashew Day – do you like cashews? Have you used them in a recipe?

Not really, they are really hard to digest and lead to stomach cramping. Again, not a fan. I tend to use almonds instead.

So, the side-effect of listening to Landau's podcasts, and seeing her independent film is...I've developed a major gurl-crush on Juliette Landau. I tend to develop crushes on cult television/movie and theater character actors who aren't in that much? Not enough of one to pay for her podcast, I'm willing to do it for free though. She's adorable - she loves theater, is detailed on theater, film, music, and the craft. And an excellent interviewer - she's better than the guy who did Inside the Actor's Studio.

(Previous gurl-crushes include Claudia Black, Carrie Fisher, Angela Basset, Katee Sackoff...)

Oh well it's fitting, she's the other side of Spike/James Marsters - which is my other Buffy actor crush. Along with Anthony Stewart Head. I do wish I'd get crushes on people with lots of content available - and good content available. I've watched a lot of bad television and films because of actor crushes. Note to self - do not follow actors, follow directors and writers (although they aren't that reliable either, sorry to say - so just whatever looks appealing and has been rec'd by folks I trust?)

***

AHM told me to try "Telecharge" Lottery - to get discounted Broadway Theater tickets. Kyoto is on it. Just in Time isn't - so that's kind of out. Any of the Big Ticket Tourist Shows are out. Which is a shame - I really want to see Chess - I didn't know the score was ABBA and Tim Rice. (I'm a shameless ABBA fan - I had their music on 8 track in the 1970s and 80s). But alas, Big Ticket Tourist item - with rates between $440-$1K. Way outside my price range.

***

After I took my fifteen to twenty minute walk down the pier and around the tiny historic housing district, I went to Insomina Cookies to snag my Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip cookies - freshly baked, warm, with melt in your mouth chocolate. I've going there almost every weekday for a while now - the counter folks are getting to know me - in part, because I'm the only one getting gluten free cookies.

Counter guy: So, I only charged you for one cookie and gave you three.
ME: Huh? But I only ordered two -
( Read more... )

Mother wants me to visit St. Patrick's Cathedral to see the new murals that the Cardinal commissioned and have been put up. I don't know. I'm more curious about the Cathedral of St. John the Divine - I've never been to it.

****

Buffy Rewatch - S4 Buffy - Beer Bad is better than I remembered. It's hilarious in places. Also, it has the added bonus of watching Kal Penn (who was later on the West Wing, and for a while interned in Obama's White House) and is a comedic actor - turn into a caveman after drinking too much beer.

Xander: How much beer does someone have to drink before they start questing for fire?
Pub owner: Oh, don't worry - it'll wear off in a day or two.
Xander: I served that beer to them - to Buffy - someone could get seriously hurt in a day or two. You are a bad bad man.

Xander is hilarious in S4. I actually like all the characters in this season, which is a first for the series. In S1-3, Xander got on my ever living nerve. Willow kind of did too, along with Cordelia at various points.

I'm liking Buffy S4 more than Angel S1, which isn't as entertaining and a bit too much like a dozen other similar series I've seen. In listening to the Landau podcasts - I learned a lot of recent Buffy fans, had watched Angel first - and then watched Buffy, they were David B fans first. But, ironically their favorite Buffy episodes are Hush and OMWF, not Angel centric episodes.

**

Regarding Buffy S1? I learned from Juliet Landau's podcasts and interviews that Mark Metcalf's makeup for the Master took six hours to put on, and he didn't take it off the whole time he played the role. Those who acted with him, never saw him without it. Julie Benze who portrayed Darla - said he was disgusting with it on, and it was hard for her to look at him. But he was easy to work with. Benze was able to create her own character - and made various suggestions, most of which the writers took. (Except for one - she wasn't going to be a Greek Fury, she wasn't that old.)

I'm not allowed to buy more books. So I stared at the books at Lofty Pigeons, briefly picked up one on the art of making gluten free bread (hint, sourdough) and hobbled out again. I was dripping in sweat, since it was a hot and humid day and I'd walked three miles. So sweaty, that I could feel the booksellers giving me the side-eye (do not drip sweat on our books or touch them with sweaty fingers). That was yesterday not today.

Today - I went to work, got there way too early, and was so horribly bored, I found myself debating copyright law on Dreamwidth. (Thank you by the way for that. I may go back to it tomorrow. Note debate/discuss not argue. I'm conflict adverse not debate adverse. There is a difference. One is emotional, one is logical and analytical.) And then, unsuccessfully tried to revise my contemporary romance novel - which I'm becoming increasingly convinced doesn't quite work and requires a wee bit too much suspension of disbelief from the reader? ( Read more... )

Art History Major was back and felt the need to brag whine regale me with how busy she is. I wish people wouldn't do that. Yes, yes, we all know you are swamped and very very busy...bored now. (Actually all she does is chat in Teams meetings, or go to meetings in person, or go to training, or go chat in her boss's office - according to Breaking Bad - all AHM and her boss do is chat all day long. New agency that old agency was forcibly merged into is really into video chat and meetings. They have meetings about everything. ) So, I rarely talk to or see her. She might as well be out. We share a cubical wall, but I rarely see her outside of briefly in the morning or occasionally during the day.

Mother: does she accomplish much from these meetings?
Me: No, they never appear to.

I hate meetings - I find them to be generally speaking a colossal waste of time. Unless they are negotiations - in which case - those can be somewhat productive?

**

Allergies are beating me up this week a bit. Itchy eyes, sniffles, and a bit of chest congestion. It's fall - or end of summer - so allergy season.
COVID vaccine - didn't have any side-effects outside of the sore shoulder, unless we count the allergies, which showed up two days later, so probably not? Sore shoulder is over finally - thank god. I had to take aleve for that finally. It hurt more than it had the last time - this version of the vaccine really packs a wallop. Although I'm grateful it was just a sore shoulder.

**

Meditations - last night's and this morning's were helpful. As was the Sunday UU sermon. Or comforting at least.

Last night, I was listening to part four of a six part sleep story about a hike on the Pacific Crest Trail. ( Read more... )

The other one, this morning, was about not needing to please people all the time, or at all. And it told a fable - about a old man, a boy and a donkey.
( fable ) (Both are in the Calm meditation app.)

And in Sunday's service - I was reminded of the Leonard Cohen song, Anthem"

"Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in"

It's similar to the Native American view that all art needs to have a flaw in it, so as not to attempt to improve on nature, and remain balanced. My grandmother actually taught me the Native American view - she'd learned to bead and create beaded art, and dream catchers from watching the Hopi and Navajo in Arizona and Nevada. And deliberately put flaws in all her work - to ensure that the light got in. You know a work is genuine and not mass produced - when it has the deliberate flaw.

***

The clothing I ordered from Talbots came - or three of the four items. And they all fit and looked good, or I was pleased with them. Whew! Since they were mostly final sales items.

**

The day was sunny but hazy, and not good for allergies. But I took a long walk - first briefly through the trees and garden, then along the pier with the water brushing its sides, looping back through the tall buildings, old and new to get two chocolate chip cookies from Insomiac cookies. (Every time I go, I'm both annoyed and relieved that they only have one type of cookie that is gluten-free and it is chocolate chip.)

The picture is of a mural that is around the corner from where I work. I found it striking, so took a photo of it. NYC is a city that just vibrates with an artistic vibe. It's as if all the artists in the world decided to perch here for just a bit, to drink coffee, tea, and play, before popping off again somewhere else.

Had the required dental visit - which I do, infrequently. I get the same lecture every time: you should come every six months, if not sooner, you should wear mouth guard or you can do botox injections -
( Read more... )

Because I slept badly the night before - due to various factors, inclusive of being aggravated by the building management's incompetence in scheduling building inspectors and high blood sugar - I didn't walk as far as planned today. Also Transit was doing track work - so the trains were screwed up again. Lots of construction work everywhere - I live in a city that is perpetually under construction.

On the way to Lofty Pigeons books, the only book store that doesn't appear to carry a lot of Stephen King or Neil Gaiman books, I found a twenty dollar bill and a ten dollar bill on the sidewalk. I looked down, saw what I expected to be a one dollar or five dollar bill, and it was a twenty. Then looked around to see who dropped it - there was no one nearby. So I decided the Universe wanted me to buy a book today. It was also in the exact amount as the book I wanted to buy - $30.00.

So I did manage to buy the book I'd been hunting everywhere - since I read about it on coll's journal - "The Antidote by Karen Russell". I kept talking myself out of it - telling myself to buy it on Kindle (except I tend to lose track of the things I get on the Kindle, also I don't really own them outright? If I stop using the Kindle - they go bye-bye.)

***

The Sourdough Foccacia Bread that I bought yesterday is amazing. That has got to be the best sourdough foccacia gluten free bread that I've ever had. It doesn't require anything - not even really butter. You know it's good bread - when you can eat it plain. I decided to do a ploughman's lunch, with the bread, some hard swiss cheese, brie, some hard salami, English Mustard (Frackles), dill pickles, celery, carrots, olives, and some lettuce. It was lovely. And for desert - another piece of bread with butter, plus the unsweetened matcha latte (unfortunately only the ones in the city have unsweetened almond milk, the ones in Brooklyn - I had to get whole milk or skim, because their nut and oat milks have agave.)

I've decided I may order the bread, and pick it up on the way home from work sometimes. You can do that. Or get Doordash to deliver it.

All in all a productive day. I even got my allbirds shoes, which I can wear without socks. Although I'm wrestling with getting orthoshoes - with inserts. You can get them with FSA, but I don't think I have enough left on the card - with the dental appointments, and soon, contacts, plus other meds that I put on it.

Here's another wall mural or Brooklyn Street Art - that I saw on the way home from the dental appointment.



( close ups of the mural )

Well, the mammogram wasn't painful at all, uncomfortable yes - I had to contort my body, also a lot faster than the last one. (I can't decide if opting not to do the enhanced digital imaging helped in that regard or not? Or maybe it was the technician? I liked this technician better than the one I had for the last three times I did it.) It took maybe fifteen minutes. While the last one took a thirty minutes.

Afterwards I tried to go to Duman but alas it wasn't open yet. (I also couldn't remember where it was. I knew it was on Court, but thought it was closer to the grocery store - in reality it was five blocks north of the Union Grocery Store. I did not go to that grocery store, instead I walked a good ten blocks to the Health Food Store across from Carroll Park, and bought a bunch of gluten free items that I've not found elsewhere - ( Read more... )

It's a good thing I didn't try to meet Wales for brunch - since I got out of there by 9:25, and was done with my errands by 10:30, and home by 11.

I decided, after a quick snack, to take a walk, sat for a bit in a garden:
( garden )

And then went to Hamilton's for lunch. Since it was a lovely day, in the upper-70s, with a nice breeze, I chose to sit outside under the blue domed canopy on the side street, listening to an audiobook via my ipods (which I'd gotten dirt cheap for $24 on Amazon some time ago). ( food good, service was lacking )



After that, I walked off the meal by wandering towards Greenwood Cemetery - I wanted a small water bottle but the eateries only served teas and coffee.
I did however find Uncle Frankie's Pizza, which serves gluten free crust. It's brick over pizza with gluten free crust - and you can get it to go. Definitely going back there. I may drag Wales there at some point.

I almost wished I'd gone there today, but I wanted a burger, fries, and an iced tea, and to sit outside in the shade, listening to an audio book, while I watched people.

Uncle Frankie's as you can see below (well not everyone, but those who can) doesn't quite provide that - all they provide is an uncomfortable picnic table.



Then off I went to GreenWood Cemetery - but didn't take that long a walk, because I ended up getting a blister on my right ankle, from wearing sneakers with no socks. I'd done it before. Hadn't gotten any blisters. Even wore them to work and back, no blisters. I have no idea why I got blisters on that foot today. It hurt for a bit, then didn't. So I managed to make it home. Then it hurt again. I have a band-aid on it now and am nursing it.
( Greenwood Cemetery )

Did however manage to take some photos of flowers on the way to the cemetery, which I'll leave you with while I continue to nurse my blister.
All in all, I clocked over 12,000 steps today and approximately 5.5 miles. ( Read more... )

Well, today's accomplishments included getting my two robot vacuums to work. So, I now have a black and white robot vacuum - I got the white I-Life one - because I was having issues with the black one. But once it arrived the black one was working again. Then today, couldn't get either to work.

One apparently needed the bin to be cleaned and re-inserted. The other? I just needed to turn on. I went to youtube and discovered it had an on/off switch.

I've named Spike and Buffy. They get along pretty well considering.

Other accomplishments?

As I've been promising for the last two months, I finally set up my little art space/studio in my apartment. Basically, I converted my remote from home work station to an art/painting station, since I can't work remotely any longer. I'd actually bought the desk for artwork - so I'm happy about that. And now I have an easel set up, which can store my paints.

See picture below:



Even started on the sunflower. It's not great. But if you consider that the last time I painted or drew anything at all was approximately eight years ago? It was sometime in 2014 or 2015? I can't remember. In short, I'm a tad rusty. Drawing and painting are like any skill - practice makes perfect.
Although it is in some results a trained mental muscle.

I've always been good at art or so I've been told by various art teachers (I've taken a lot of courses on art throughout school and post school, also outside school). One in college told me that she wished she'd gotten me earlier. (I waited until my senior year to take an art course, while my freshman roommate majored in art - she became a financial advisor and has self-published three books now, one on finances, and two that are a series of historical novellas.) I'm an intuitive artist. Not a commercial artist. Freshman roommate was more of a commercial artist.

I don't like commercial art - never have. Also don't like commercial writing - tends to bore me. I don't do paint or write on demand or by numbers well. Never could color within the lines. It's not how I think. Nothing wrong with it - just not how I think is all.

The rusty bit - also a result of the fact that I couldn't get my hands to stop shaking today. I don't know why. Tremor was just worse today than usual.

The other accomplishment?

I made a low-carb/low-sugar gluten-free chocolate mousse pie. The only sweetner is a teaspoon of maple syrup, and fruit. Maybe a little sugar in the semi-sweet chocolate chips that I melted and the gluten free graham craker crust.

Ingredients:
( Read more... )
See picture below:



The difficulty is that blood sugar is still higher than I'd like it to be. ( health crap )

***

Still watching Peaky Blinders - which evolves as the seasons progress. The characters change, as does the setting, attire, and problems.
It does a good job of getting across the time period from 1919 to 1930 in Britain. Also, focuses on the lesser known Birmingham, and Northern England. Along with the issues with Ireland, Belfast, and the IRA conflict during that period.

It is an anti-hero series. And it's violent, albeit not as violent as Game of Thrones, Walking Dead, or House of Dragon. More in lines with The Sopranoes and The Godfather. People get shot, people get beaten up.
Sexual violence is implied not shown, and there's not much of it.

I like the fact that it doesn't romanticize the anti-heroes. You know they are anti-heroes. There's no question about that.

It's well-written. I find myself re-winding a lot for the dialogue. I got the close-captioning on. Also, the acting is top notch. Not a weak link in the bunch.

I'm on S5, which is a bit bleaker than the previous seasons, possibly because it starts with the stock market crash. S4 is possibly the least bleak or the most satisfying.

***

Stumbled across an announcement that James Marsters attended the premier of Sarah Michelle Gellar's Wolf Pack in support of the actress, and walked the red carpet with her, along with her husband and co-stars.

The announcement also mentioned the toxic work environment on Buffy. I'm fascinated by stories of toxic work environments, because I've been in so many myself and am in one now. Misery loves company and all that.

From what I've been able to piece together from Gellar's interviews which all reference it now - is that Gellar doesn't much like talking about it. And kind of talks around it. Understandable - it's difficult to prove that sort of thing even when its going on. People are terrified to speak up, and the bullies have a tendency to be kind and nice to people who either aren't working directly for them, or that they like. So there's also quite a bit of gaslighting. And enabling. Go into any hostile work environment, and I guarantee you'll find folks defending the bullies, and telling you that the employee is to blame. Or it's in their head. They are also very good at finding scapegoats. Fighting these assholes is close to impossible in our society. Like it or not - we live in a society that enables and rewards bullies.

But when pressed does mention it - kind of vaguely. She's tough, and has been accused of bad behavior herself - so, that's part of the reason. What she has said is that - she felt it was important to put 100 percent of herself into it, and didn't understand why others didn't feel the same way. And discovered later that may have been a mistake - since she got burned out, early on. Also that, she got into trouble for standing up for the cast and crew - and shutting things down after 15 hours. "We promised 13, it's been 15 hours, we're done for the day. I'm going home." Having watched the out-takes, I believe that. They went way beyond what other series do in regards to takes. Most do five takes per scene, maybe ten. Buffy did thirty. I got bored watching it. I mean they literally redid each line about fifteen to twenty times. Until everything was perfect lighting, camera, etc. That's brutal. I'm surprised they got away with it. Fox, WB and UPN clearly was letting Whedon do whatever he damn well pleased.

According to the Hollywood Reporter - Gellar's husband is less vague, as is Seth Green, and others.
( Read more... )

This does clarify a few misrepresentations in the press at the time the show was airing. During 1997-2003, Gellar was portrayed as the Diva on Buffy, and the main problem. Whedon loosely stated that he was used to it - he had to deal with Roseanne. And Hannigan had alluded to it. As had others. She was blamed for Buffy ending in S7. Whedon was praised in the fandom, and Gellar got a lot of backlash. Typical bully behavior - as a friend told me recently, when I describing bullying behavior at work - they want to control the narrative. Whedon worked hard to control the narrative.
And people tend to see and believe what they want to see and believe.

But there were always signs. There always are. If you look closely enough.

However, I like how Gellar chose to deal with it now. Which is to state, "this happened in the past. I learned from it. Dwelling on it - gains me nothing. Talking about it - solves nothing. I'm proud of the work I did, the work the cast did, and the show we created. We can be proud of that, without condoning the toxic work environment that produced it. And I've moved on, incorporating the lessons I learned from that time period and ensuring it doesn't happen again on my watch."

What's interesting, albeit not surprising, is that both Gellar and Marsters have stated separately that they can't re-watch most of S6 and S7. ( Read more... )

I give her a lot of credit for all of that. (And I wouldn't call myself a fan of Gellar's by any stretch of the imagination.) But what she's doing isn't easy in that business. It means turning down certain jobs, and not getting others. Also, it's easier said than done. I will state, I'm doing the same thing - I'm incorporating the lessons learned from previous experiences. And not staying silent when bullied. And supporting others who are bullied in the work force.

***

Anyhow, off to bed. Hope your Saturday or what's left of it was uneventful and peaceful.

Took the day off - for a doctor's appointment. I thought it was the annual physical, but apparently just a follow-up. Didn't matter - had to give the blood and urine samples anyhow.

Didn't feel great this morning - but nothing to worry the doctor over. I think it was the shift in barometric pressure and IBS issues. (Which resulted in bowl issues - ( regarding bowl eruptions that you may not want to know about )

NYC on it's face appears to be a difficult place to find bathrooms in. Although most places are. ( finding a bathroom while out and about, when one desperately requires one... )

Also, a lot of television shows and books don't talk about bathrooms. Actually 98% of them don't. In sci-fi, I ponder it. Granted we don't necessarily want to know. But I was admittedly impressed with the Expanse for showing it, not to mention Firefly, and I think BSG. Star Trek acts as if no one ever has to go. (Maybe they advanced past that point?) They are all wearing form fitting jump suits - making it difficult to go to the bathroom. I feel for the actors.

In addition to the above? There's the new movie out (Lost in the Jungle?) with Sandra Bullock who plays a romance novelist stuck in the Amazon Jungle with her cover model, and she's wearing a glittery jump suit, that you have to disrobe completely from in order to go to the bathroom. When I read the article - I thought, okay, why? She stated in the article that she didn't go to the bathroom very often - because she'd basically be naked in the jungle. (Sounds painful. I'm guessing she didn't eat or drink all that much during shooting?)

Apparently the costume designer or the director or both of this new film didn't much like Sandra Bullock? I mean the costume designer of Romancing the Stone was nicer to Kathleen Turner - she got to wear a shirt, skirt and high heels, that she chopped off. Also, her companion was an adventurer who could actually shoot a gun. Granted she did her own stunts, and got beaten up in the film, but hey, better outfit to go to the bathroom in. If I had to choose which film and heroine to get trapped in - I'd pick Turner's.

Yes, I think about these sort of things.

***

The doctor decided to prescribe me an expensive and not exactly easy to figure out - Glucose Level Reader. You get a 14 day supply, and it costs $69.58 or thereabouts. (Why it doesn't just cost $70 even, I don't know.)
I have a feeling I'm going to get the finger sticks.

This new thing - according to the directions, requires you to place the item on the back of your upper arm, then put the reader up to read it. It has a needle attached to it - so you push in the needle then pull it away, then put up the reader, and see the glucose level.

I'll let you know how it goes. It's pricey, so I don't see myself continuing with it.

Type 2 Diabetes is fun.

***

Decided the reason I'm feeling off today is definitely barometric pressure changes, sinuses and post nasal drip/gerd. Because I took tynenol sinus and it relieved some of it. Also have prescription dose pepcid (which is a lot cheaper than the over-the-counter version believe it or not - about a 90 day supply cost $10, when it normally costs $39-50).

Getting older means more pills to keep track of. Lovely.

**

Also managed amidst all of this - to get laundry done. I'd run out of socks again. Also the black jeans from the well...bowl issue described above, required washing. I washed them in the sink first, rinsed them out, and then put them in the washer for well obvious reasons.

Had a lengthy conversation with guy in the laundry room. Apparently he owns a house in Delaware with his partner, and is renting an apartment in the city due to work issues. He works in the city. But can't really afford a house here - it's cheaper in Delaware. I'd think owning a house, and renting an apartment in NYC would be expensive - but what do I know? The need to own a house or apartment is kind of lost on me. I know how much houses and apartments cost to maintain, I actually dealt with repair men while house-sitting my parents house. It's a lot cheaper and less stressful to rent particularly in New York - which has high property taxes. You just need to find a well-maintained complex, with a good super.

**

My appetite has been weird lately. The idea of red meat, lamb, beef, steak, hamburger, any of it - turns my stomach. I don't know why. I looked at it in the store today and was completely turned off. Also I can't stomach green beans at all. The mere idea of them makes me ill. What happened? Did I burn out on them finally? Wish I'd burn out on other things. Like Against the Grains Pizza?

While in direct contrast? I have been craving celery. I used to hate celery. Now I love it. I also love celery juice. WFT? My body is very odd.
I picked up a kosher gluten free chocolate cake roll from Molly's Bakery at the grocery store. It's apparently for passover. I considered getting the honey cake - but it was too big.

I've actually done Passover - with a college boyfriend in San Francisco (with his brother and his brother's family). ( Read more... )

Off to make dinner and lunch. Or attempt it any rate.

Except for me, 2020 didn't really begin until March 9. So it will be over on March 8. I go by my birthday. Works better that way - and guess what this year it kind of makes more sense than most. The roller-coaster ride won't be over until March, when the vaccine is more readily available and Trump and Republican party sail out of office for the most part to face State and International criminal investigations.

I'm baking today. I decided to see the year out on this crisp rainy day, by baking. I made a spinach, sharp cheddar, and fresh spinach quiche, and a pumpkin pie.

Tonight, I'm broiling a lobster tail filet mignon, and possibly having green beans and sweet potato. I don't think I can't do a lobster tail and a filet mignon. So saving the lobster tails for tomorrow night, perhaps. Or will flip them. [ETA - the lobster tails are still frozen because I bought them on Tuesday and put them in the freezer and forgot to take them out until 12 noon today.]

And I have cans of pink sparkling wine - Sofia, which I like. I don't like champagne and it does not like me - tends to give me a headache and gas.

Me: My vacation or staycation has gone by so quickly!
Mother: And you thought you'd be bored and struggle to find things to do..
Me: Apparently I have no problem doing nothing. I actually kind of enjoy just sitting and watching television shows, playing on the internet, working on my writing, taking long walks around a cemetery, and talking on the phone or watching stuff on Zoom. This is not a problem for me at all. It was very relaxing.
Mother: And you were so worried.
Me: I should have known better. I'm well-suited to this actually. I like routine. I don't need to busy. It's other people who make me feel that I have to be busy, silly people.

Also sleeping until 9, and staying up until 12:30, probably helps.

A found farewell to the rollercoaster ride that was 2020 - here's to 2021, which will hopefully be less topsy-turvy.

Found this to be an interesting analysis of what's been happening politically since well the 1980s..ie, the Regan era or the era of pronounced individualism.

Heather Richardson Cox is a Political Historian who sums it up as follows:
( excerpt )

Here's photos of my quiche and new garden..







Unfortunately, no lobster tails tonight, will have to be for new year's day. Since they aren't fully defrosted yet. That's all right. I'll have filet mignon instead.

Per the NY Times briefing:

As of this writing, 2021 has already arrived in much of the world, from a New Zealand free of the coronavirus to an England in lockdown.

In most cities, there are no roaring crowds, no gatherings for fireworks shows and, let’s hope, no strangers kissing at midnight. But people around the world are still toasting the start of the New Year. Here’s our live coverage.

In Australia, a fireworks show went on as usual. Big Ben, long silent while under renovation, chimed at midnight, as Britain left the European Union. The ball will still drop in Times Square.

Good news?

And on Friday, 20 states and 32 cities and counties will raise their minimum wage, which will reach or exceed $15 an hour in 27 of them. More places will join them later in 2021, bringing what was once a fringe idea into widespread reality.

Here's hoping for a better 2021.

1. So, I've had a day. Which wasn't helped by being soaked by the deluge on the way home. It was pouring so hard, that after two blocks, having an umbrella didn't appear to matter. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.

2. Currently reading..(I'll look it up for you) The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African-American Culinary History in the Old South by Michael W. Twitty

It's basically a memoir by an gay African-American chef -- who explores his African-American ancestory and heritage through cooking. So part cookbook, part memoir.

I'm about 20% in -- or 50 pages.

Reading it has made me think about my own cooking or culinary heritage such as it is. Mainly the writer makes the assumption that we all have one, or all African-Americans can trace theirs through it. (I beg to differ, I happen to know a lot of African-Americans who do not cook nor want to. What is about human beings that we have a tendency to think everyone shares our views, perspective, and skill or tastes? )
( Read more... )

It's strange but in my fifties, I'm beginning to see myself and others more clearly somehow. And I'm less concerned that others share or even understand my skills or tastes. It's as if I no longer feel the need for approval or validation. Or care.
It's weirdly freeing.

For instance, I realized recently that I don't enjoy cooking that much. ( Read more... )

3. Finished Powers of X #2 by Jonathan Hickman and RB Silva. The art, once again, is quite good. But there is an awful lot of expository world-building and hard science fiction detail in this book. It feels at times like reading Doris Lessing's Sci-Fi Opus.. Canopus in Argos which I couldn't get through. This is just a comic and breaks things up a bit. Canopus in Argos was a huge book...and pages and pages of it.

There's a nifty pair of quotes at the end of the comic -

Stan Lee - February 1969 - " Where do you nuts get your ideas?" " That question is asked of Yours Truly at lectures, interviews, and bull sessions more often than any other..... The point is, ideas are no problem. Here in the Bullpen, we can't talk to each other for five minutes without coming up with a zillion new thoughts and angles. The big hangup is getting the time to develop the ideas...to polish them and refine them until we feel they'll have maximum impact -- until we know they'll be an integral part of the ubiquuitous Marvel universe! Everyone has ideas -- you, I, the gang in the mail room- even our competitors, bless-em. What really counts is what you DO with them. We believe that almost any idea can be worthwhile if it's presented with integrity, taste, and imagination. For, an idea is like a guitar -- it doesn't mean a thing unless you know how to use it!"

This is followed by the quote: " You must see by now,there is no you and I, there is only us. We are together, or we are nothing." - Xavier


I had to read several bits twice. ( Read more... )