I have been bumming around. I would have been dressed and whatnot earlier, but my best friend called and I talked to her for a couple of hours. I let her know what’s going on, and listened to her hilarious rants re: job and husband. They’re planning to come see me when they get a chance. Yay!
Hope everyone’s having a good Saturday or whatever day it is wherever you are.
Mika thanks for all the stories. I’ve learned a lot about Hindu culture and religion this week. The stuff on Krishna has been especially interesting.
I’ve been a somewhat lazy bear today. Good thing I made the tater (N.O.T.) salad last night cause that takes the longest to make. Anyways, I got up early this morning, but it was raining and my sinuses hurt, so I went back to bed and slept until Noon! I never do that! So, I’ve been really going this afternoon. The beans are made and ready to cook. I’ll put 'em on in about an hour. The ribs I’ll start around fiveish. Folks are actually coming over then for drinks and munchies before dinner but since we’re hanging out outside I can grill and socialize at the same time, being as I’m so good at multi-tasking.
Ok, time to get back to doing stuff. Have a good rest of the day everybody!
Monday or Tuesday would be the best, since FCD is going to be out of town anyway, and I know he wouldn’t want to come anyway. Have you got a street address of where you’re going to be? I have no idea where the skyline bldg is…
Well, I brought the last of my ceramics home - before the weekend is over, I’ll have pics posted. Then I need to figure out what to do with all of the pieces. Maybe I need to find a craft show??
It’s been raining most of the day - sometimes just drizzling, sometimes pouring and thundering. This is supposed to continue till tomorrow. We need the rain, so that’s good, but I wanted to work in the yard this weekend. Oh well…
Yes, I do have a street address, but I left it at work. Silly me. I’ll post it in this coming week’s MMP.
My daughter just left with her “friend” to go bowling. His mother was driving them. I put the word friend in quotes because I noticed she was wearing lipstick when she came downstairs. I thought to myself…“Hmmmm, she never puts lipstick on; what’s up with that?” She hasn’t indicated that she and this guy are anything more than friends, bu she’s rather private. I think I’ll have to quiz her tomorrow.
The boys just left to get their ears lowered. My son was way, way overdue for a haircut.
I’ve fueled up my rig, picked up some groceries, and picked up cash for my daughter.
I think I’m pretty much just going to take it easy until it’s time to go to our friend’s house. I’m feeling somewhat lazy myself.
You know, it’s absolutely beautiful outside, but it isn’t warm in the least. There’s quite a bitter breeze blowing.
Well, off to peek around the Dope some more and just be generally lazy. I almost feel like I could lie down and take a nap. I might just do that.
Loved the Krishna story, Mika. I knew nothing about him except he existed. The Bus Kid story was cute, MBG.
Ah, yes, computer transfer stuff. Always fun. I’ve moved most of the stuff that’s going on my iBook. I’ll be acquiring a Windows laptop to replace the desktop sometime in the next few months. In the meantime, I’m making sure everything I need is saved down to my external hard drive.
Well, I was out all day, first at a volunteer meeting and then at a craft-creating session. We filled all kinds of containers with silk flowers for a sale we’re participating in next month. Now I’m ready to go outside and work in my garden, which badly needs attention. It’s been a beautiful day, but it’s starting to cloud over. I have errands to run, but I’m going to wait till I’ve gotten stuff done in the yard.
Back later, I’m sure… Happy Saturday, everyone.
GT
woohoo! yay! today I got the type of call everyone wants to get-
“Hey Dorothy? You don’t have to come in to work tonight.”
sounds like a busy Saturday for everyone. now I feel bad for being lazy (all I’ve done was dance for five and a half hours and sing for half of one, throw some laundry in, and go to walgreens.)
but not too bad! I don’t have to work tonight! I’m going to do more laundry and some homework and help make dinner and then I’m going to be LAZY. I’m going to draw and make jewelry and play with my hair and let my sister do my makeup and watch TV and play!
(that’s my plan at least. Knowing my dad, when he wakes up and I tell him I didn’t have to work, he’ll say, "good! you can clean the basement and make dinner and vacuum and wash the car and do my laundry etc. " Okay. maybe that’s an exaggeration. but chances are about nil that he’ll let me goof off and watch TV)
Thanks, everyone! I’m glad all you liked my Indian stuff! There’ll be something interesting on Monday, I already have a plan.
We are on for Wednesday. I’ll e-mail you probably Tuesday and we can nail things down. If taxi’s reading this, don’t worry! You and I will go out some other time, plus I hope to see you at the park if we have any nice days this week!
Stormfront is a white-supremacist group. They think the white race is slowly getting watered down, mostly with blacks, but filth like me, too. 
That sounds like what my mower was doing. I wound up taking the plastic top off the engine. (I’m sure it has a name, but I don’t know what it is. “Cowling” maybe?) Then I could see the metal part where the gas ran from the tank, but before it got to the engine proper. There’s a valve thingy there, held back by a spring thingy. I whacked the metal part around the valve part with a screwdriver. This knocked something loose and the mower ran just fine.
But I got tired of taking my mower apart to get it to start and then putting back togther while it was running (Because I was afraid to let it stop. Would it start again? Who knows?). so I got a new mower this year.
The new mower is nice. It’s red.
We can only hope that cultured filth as you perverts everyone else. I’m enjoying the stuff you’re sending out, as well. It’s always good to learn new and interesting things. I’m actually looking forward to seeing what you’ve got planned for Monday as well.
Glad I’m not the only one who refers to mower parts with such specific technical language. I have a cordless, rechargeable mower because I hate messing with sparkplugs and oil and all that other junk you have to worry about with gas mowers.
I didn’t finish mowing today, though. I did, however, begin the BIG BED EXPANSION. Technically, I started last week when I started transplanting a few hostas and daylilies into what is currently part of the front lawn. The lawn under the crabapples has always been really crappy and it’s always been my plan to expand the beds as much as possible and then reseed whatever remains. So, after 6 consecutive summers where I’d made very little progress, I decided that it was time to be radical. I’m moving some of my inherited (common, but pretty) daylilies and hostas under the trees and then putting down newspaper and weed-blocking cloth between them and covering the whole mess with mulch. I’ve done the same thing on a smaller scale in the parts of the bed that I already expanded and it worked quite well. I’m not allowed to buy new plants until I’ve moved everything around in front. I’m thinking I’ll edge the front of the beds with bricks, but not till the beds are all done. If the weather cooperates, I might be done by the end of next weekend.
Ummmmm, Dot, 5 1/2 hours of dancing doesn’t count as being lazy. Sorry, you get full credit for having worked lots, even if you didn’t get paid.
Now i’m watching Batman Begins. I borrowed it from a friend ages ago and hadn’t gotten around to watching it till tonight. Kinda cool so far (although I don’t normally much like movies where lots of fighting is involved).
Guess I should actually pay attention to the movie. Back later.
GT
Least Original User Name Ever…thanks, I think.
Ok, it’s a pity that the two best holidays ended up on the weekend, but here we go!
Dussehra is the last day of a 10-day celebration of Navratri. Navratri means “Nine Nights” and is in praise of Mata Durga, the strong warrior goddess.
However, Dussehra is the most fun part. Last time I told you about how God incarnated as Krishna. In this story, God incarnates as Ram, arbiter of morality and honor and justice. Dussehra commemorates the supreme victory of Ram over the evil king Ravan, in essence good triumphing over evil.
History:
Ram’s stepmother wished her own son to be king of Ayodhya. (Note: Present-day Ayodhya works out to be in Thailand. You can see how huge India was). So she asked Ram to remove himself from the office.
Well, Ram is the champion of morality. And what could be more moral than to obey a mother’s orderes? So he went into self-imposed exile in the forests for 14 years.
{A side note - she never got what she wanted. Her son Bharat instead placed a pair of Ram’s sandals on the throne and worshiped them and ruled only in his stead.)
With Ram went his wife, Sita, removing her jewels and silks, and dressing like a sage’s wife. His brother Lakshman also went with him.
Ravan was the king who ruled Sri Lanka. He was lustful of Sita, and played a trick to get her away from him. He took the shape of a golden deer and ran across Sita’s vision. Immediately Sita wanted Ram to capture it. With much misgivings, Ram did go after it, leaving Lakshman to take care of his wife.
After some time, they heard Ram crying out in pain, and Sita begged Lakshman to go and see what had happened. Lakshman also reluctantly agreed, but he drew a line across the front door of the hut and blessed it, saying Sita was not to cross this line to go out, and no evil could cross it to go in. This is called the Lakshman-Rekha and to this day it has symbolism in our culture.
After they were both gone, Ravan appeared to Sita in the guise of a Brahmin. Brahmins are old wise men who travel the earth. They live in the simplest of ways and beg for their food, but they wield great and terrible power and can curse you unto many generations. They are of the highest caste and Sita and her family were one lower, of the warrior caste, so they had to obey.
Anyway, he appeared as a Brahmin but could not cross the line. Sita claimed her brother-in-law would not allow her to, but he pretended to grow angry and threatened to curse her husband. She cried out in alarm, crossed the line, and he kidnapped her.
When Ram returned and found her gone, he was heartbroken. He set out on a quest to find her, and eventually succeeded in destroying Ravana and rescuing Sita. (Note: Ravan is supposed to have ten heads, signifying that he had knowledge in all ten directions.) Dussehra is celebrated as the day Ravan was destroyed.
Celebrations:
In India, they have the RamLila (Ram’s story) acted out all over the country, from big stages to little stages. There are sweetmeats and candy and treats and fireworks. The best part is they burn effigies of Ravana, and the one in Delhi is most superb.
Bonus for reading this far:
To be honest, this week has taught me lots of little things, too. I never knew Ravan was apparently a sex maniac. He went so far as to violate Rambha, the queen of the celestial damsels. Because of this he was cursed to remain chaste or all his heads <MEGA SNERK> would explode. Thus ensuring Sita’s chastity when he kidnapped her.
You’re certainly welcome, 'Mika . Nice mega snerk, by the way.
Happy Sunday Morning! Nothing like being awakened by sharp claws on nekkid flesh - stoopit cat! But that was fine - I was dreaming that my Uncle Mike died. He’s my oldest living relative - mid-80s I think - so now I need to call my mom and make sure he’s not sick or anything.
Another rainy day on tap, so I’ll be tending to indoor stuff. I swear, I’m going to finish the guest room today. It shouldn’t take but a few hours. I just need to get motivated.
What should I have for breakfast? Should I make FCD take me out??
hey! guess what!
I just poured water down the front of me!
I think I have a drinking problem.
also, I feel like Jessie Spano on caffeine pills.
and my window is open and I can hear birdies! biiiirdies! singing in the morningness without light!
I can’t sleep.
I wonder where my cat is.
You guys! I think I want to be a doctor when I grow up. like maybe a pediatrician or a podiatrist or a tree surgeon.
I’m itchy
when I’m famous I’ll have horses and no zits. and I’ll buy donuts for people! but none for me. donuts are gross. Just for the hungry donut-less.
I think I have puffy eyes like the old people on the plastic surgery show. but I won’t get a facelift because then I’ll look like Janice Dickinson. eeeeesh.
birdies!
my cheeks are fat. I look like a chipmunk.
I wish I had a mohawk. I’d look so stupid, but I’d think I was cool.
do I have any homework left to do? english… no, done. German… did we have anything? I wonder how you say “bellybutton” in German. I want to go to Japan. I don’t speak Japanese though.
My mom says there are bunnies in the backyard.
I wonder if there are any babies.
I hope my dog didn’t kill any if there are.
“please ddon’t go, my love. I’m frightened of too many tomorrows around this haunted place…”
owww my shoulder!
ew. my shoulder is ugly.
That kangaroo I painted sucks. I should throw it away.
“if I set you free, what’s left for me? too many tomorrows”
why do I have the dude song in my head? I don’t sing that one.
“ursula, ursula!”
I could so play Vittorio instead.
aagh I’m out of water! I probably shouldn’t have poured half of it in my lap
I wonder if the neighbors would mind if I gave their dog a bath and took him for a walk. They probably would. poor dog. He’s ugly, dirty, scared of most people, and hangs out in our yard, but I love him.
If I had a dalmatian, what would I name it?
I’m going to be fifteen in a few days! nooo! I don’t want to be fifteen! can’t I postpone it? fifteen is old and decrepit and stuff!
This has been my inner monologue over the past… oh, three minutes or so.
No wonder I can’t sleep
Mika, i know everyone else has said it, but I’m really enjoying reading about all the legends and celebrations and such. thanks for posting them
GT, but dancing isn’t work! it’s fun! okay, some days it’s work and I have to work to be good at it, but it’s not DRUDGERY like laundry or dishes. And it’s not productive in a “hey look, the house is clean!” way.
We had a dalmatian - her name was Pixel, which suited. The other name we considered was Rorschach, but that’s a bit of a mouthful. You could be obtuse and call him Tiger. 
You’re only 14? Dang, I thought you were like a HS senior! I’ll let that decrepit remark pass… sheesh, I’m old enough to be your grandmother. So let’s have no more decrepit talk, young lady! And bring me my rheumatiz medicine, there’s a good girl…
pixel! how cute!
I’d name mine Dalmatian George or something. or I wouldn’t ever get a dalmatian. A weimaraner’s bad enough. I was just thinking that the dalmatian next door had a kind of mundane name and I’d like to kidnap him and give him a happy life and a better name- and what would I name him? perhaps Oliver. but not, because I’m not actually going to kidnap anyone’s dog. Especially not my next-door neighbors’.
I wish I were a senior! but I’m only a sophomore. I wouldn’t mind the whole no more high school, let’s go to college thing. I wouldn’t mind being decrepit if I were emancipated too!
And don’t worry- my mom’s old enough to be my grandmother too. And she doesn’t even have grey hair or anything.
Come over here, so I can whack you with my cane…
Something I’ve done in real life…
Well, yes, Dot, it’s fun, but work can be fun. I was thinking of work in terms of energy-using activity that earns you some down time. I could be your grandmother too…if I’d had a kid in my teens who’d had a kid in his/her teens…
So…didja go out for breakfast FCM?
It rained last night, but it’s sunny now. I thought about going out for breakfast and then reminded myself that I really need to be more disciplined about money and I’m going to the Cincinnati Flower Show tomorrow where I’ll undoubtedly spend money and I might be going out to brunch after church today. And then I wonder where my $$$$ goes… ::le sigh::
Really liked Batman Begins. Good story. Although I’m unable to see Katie Holmes without thinking of Tom Cruise, Scientology, etc. Feel kinda sorry for her.
So, does anyone else go into Cafe Society and get lost? I read through a couple things here (including the MMP, but I wasn’t inspired yet…well, you could argue I’m not now, but please don’t) then bopped over to CS and got completely lost in a couple of book and music threads. Next thing I knew it was about 1/2 an hour later. (Which is actually pretty good…sometimes it’s hours.)
GT
Putting the bread (frozen finish-baking-it-yourself baguette) in the oven tends to be a successful route for it to actually become baked.
GT
(Who has been waiting for 15 minutes for the bread that was on the stove to be done…)
Bwahaha. I have put water on the stove to boil and walked away and come back in 15 minutes to see it sitting there, staring at me. That extra step sure is helpful.
SO’s coming home today! So I’m tidying up a little, although it’s much neater than when he’s around. :dubious:
And the last holiday in a bit - Diwali! The bestest holiday ever.