Often I’m totally stunned when I hear someone voice something so opposite of my views that it would appear they are here visiting from a different galaxy.  For the most part, I feel free to express myself when necessary..but, I very seldom argue or initiate conversation with someone or about something where there is no middle ground at all.  If they want to sit down and have a discussion and explain to me what they think – bring it on – you can always learn something by keeping your mouth shut and your ears open.  I think a good old fashion discussion is good for the soul…but arguing about stuff worlds apart  is just not worth it.  I don’t want to defend myself and have no desire to be forced to listen to their rants….and if we totally differ, do they really want to listen to my rants..uh, no.

Which leads me:  I am not picking on Paula Deen here..in any way, shape or form…this is just about a couple of blogs which obviously stirred up a lot of conversation on line and off line.  What really has surprised me is the degree of agreement or disagreement.  My initial thoughts were – who cares..why does the media think this is news..gossip shows – of course, but the main stream media..give me a break…she has diabetes – then as the story progresses, she has had diabetes for awhile and then a drug company hired her to advertise for them, thus she comes out of the pantry.  This is no different than any other crap that comes out of the mouths of the “designated publics right to know people”.  What surprises me …. before she came out – she was the adorable, southern speaking, closet smoking, eat your butter it is good for you Paula Deen…now she is defended by half the modern world and hated by the other half.  I’m soooo soooo surprised by the strong opinions on both sides.  It’s like a line has been drawn in the cake batter between those that do and those that don’t. Whatever your opinon – go for it – but for goodness sake – respect the person with the opposite opinion..they have just digested the information with different filters.

Until next time….

I don’t know how long it has been that I have said that.  I’m beginning the 3rd of my 3 days off.  There is nothing I HAVE to do…NOTHING..in fact, there have been no commitments except an appointment at 10 yesterday morning which took 45 minutes.  I’m totally relaxed and happy.  I love this nothing on my calendar, no commitments, Nina time…Even the dark, cloudy, cold day is okay with me because it allows me to sit in the house and not feel I should be doing something outside. 

I don’t even have anything to talk about….

 One really positive spot Newton has is the Hyvee corner.  After an appointment this morning, I stopped for groceries where I found everything I wanted except Ken’s low cal honey mustard salad dressing.   I picked up our prescriptions – The same pharmacist I’ve had for 30 years…I had them make me a roast beef/swiss cheese sandwich at the deli and caught up with a woman who I worked with for several years when the Newton police department and sheriff’s office were in the same office building.  Then the highlight of my day was pulling into the HyVee gas lane and an employee came out and filled my tank and washed my back window…which he tells me they do every Tuesday morning from 8a to noon..wow…old fashioned service.  Then I went into the station to pay … if you go in and not pay at the pump AND take your Hyvee Food Store receipt, they give you a few cents off per gallon.  Local Newton boy, Joel Jones, who manages the Hyvee Gas has it all going on.

Oh…and frozen fruit…love bagged frozen fruit from HyVee – I eat it frozen – it is a real treat!!

Until next time….

I think “he” and I made some decisions in the truck yesterday without calling them decisions.  We finally got ourselves on the same page…not that we weren’t before…but talking about it cleared things up.

The most lovely decision and the one that will keep me getting out of bed for the next 3 months is – I’m pretty sure we only have 2 more winters in this ice box state.  Sick of it, hate it, can’t do it anymore..I suppose about that time, we’ll have a democrat governor again.  Not ready to give up the summers – especially out here in the boonies where we can pretend we are totally alone because we are enveloped in trees…but this winter stuff…nope…DONE.  I love to think about it….talking and thinking about it makes it more real….my mental flapping helps (miss you Brett).

I’m going to go paint now – I hope I’m not disappointed, I can’t paint that bathroom very many more times…the walls are getting thick and it could become a tight squeeze.

Until next time….

One of those lonely Sunday nights…Kids were home this weekend and left this afternoon.  We went with Katy and Luke to Hu Hot in  Ankeny to meet with Russ, Becky and Henry (my favorite child)!  Jenny headed back to Kansas City.  We had a fun weekend…stayed up way too late Friday night..I think I only got about 4 hours of sleep but I was running on joy.  We got Luke the Awkward Photos board game…very fun!  We giggled until our stomachs hurt.  Just for the record, I was the HUGE winner .  They were all very pleased to see the winner so happy.  

He’s watching 60 minutes..some horrible show about some gawd awful place where big animals eat each other and there is lots of angst about lack of water etc etc.  I had to put on Spotify and my ear plugs because I can’t bare to hear the talking about the Wilderbeast and his dramatic ending.  I don’t know how anyone can watch this stuff!

Got the babies an electric litter box for those who don’t master the toilet training.  Got a little box that is supposed to keep the dogs from barking outside?  I don’t even mind Marly barking but Frannie sounds like a freeking annoying high pitched horn with a short in the electric cord.  Drives me nuts. 

Painting the big bathroom some time this week…going with a very interesting color of blue..I would say islands color – sunny, warm and tropical.

Boston – Rock and Roll Band to take me over to Facebook and Words With Friends.

Until next time…..

I was kind of surprised yesterday that several people took my rant about the news via Paula Deen was about Paula Deen and diabetes rather than the control media has over us.  But then I posted via my work mate on Facebook an article from Gawker and it was about Paula Deen and her “add another penny to her piggy back” media frenzy and it made sense.  First..I’m the first person to not bad mouth Paula Deen’s weight or diagnosis.  I’m simply quite irritated that her enlightenment is money related…and before I hear that all of these “celebrities” are getting rich doing what she is doing..I say…YA do I need to say more?  I don’t have to listen if I don’t want to listen to it.

Likewise…I really dislike the media no matter how they dress themselves up.  I hate what it has become…but I also know that there is value in having the media lurking over the liars and cheaters making decisions about my livelihood.
I don’t want politically correct news.  If there is nothing going on today, anywhere, that you can enlighten us with – send me back to the Young and the Restless or Housewives of ___________.  That’s where I go for fluff, the ridiculous and the entertaining.  Report the news and leave the entertainment to those who get paid big bucks to do it. …..and this insane idea that we want to see the anchors have personalities…I walk out of the room when they are doing this little poo poo giggly because it drives me crazy.  I want the news…I want it straight and I want it delivered by someone who looks like they really know about it and care about it…and when I said straight..I didn’t mean straight vs gay…

I’m irritable today – but I feel better now….let me have it if you don’t agree…it won’t bother me…it may lead to another rant tomorrow…but you don’t have to read it.

Until next time….

Back in the late 70’s and early 80’s, I really wanted to work in commercial radio…I took some classes..did some training at KSO radio in Des Moines and got a job as News Director of the local radio station KCOB after I got married and moved to Newton.  I loved that whole playing music, disc jockey thing but had no experience, wasn’t confident and generally didn’t want to spend all of my off time coming up with Wit.  I really enjoyed the news director job and would probably still be doing it 30 years later had the pay been better and the hours shorter….even back then, I was doing things I didn’t think were right – one of them – getting the required information for suicides, writing up the copy for the day and having to read it on the news.  I differed with the general manager as to the public’s right to know and some poor dead person’s right to privacy.  I HATED IT.  Which leads me to this tangent.

It is not possible for me to care any less about what’s her name’s diagnosed diabetes.  Why is this news, why does even the local news constantly beat me until my ears bleed telling me about her diabetes.  She is a middle age woman with some extra weight who obviously doesn’t cook healthy…why is this news…why did she release the information…ratings?  She could have done something inappropriate with butter which would have been a lot more interesting and possibly news worthy.  She has diabetes…she’s not the first, she’s not the last and it isn’t even like anyone should be shocked about it.  Stop it.

There are some days when I can’t even watch my local news because it is a production, many times not well presented and frankly, reminds me of the tabloid gossip shows on the big ole networks!  It’s disgusting. 

By the way…I have no interest in how skinny and unhealthy Demi Moore looks.

Until next time…..

It’s just the critters and me here today…A perfect day to get things done.  I seldom just sit around on days like this.  I wish I could give myself permission to scrapbook or watch daytime TV and crochet…but haven’t been able to do that for awhile.  What has happened to me?  The prevailing thought is that sometimes we relax more because we are accomplishing tasks that we may feel guilty for not accomplishing thus negative, rather than accomplishing what we enjoy which is positive.  I’m trying to  think this thru and correct it just like I’m trying to give up caffeine…hahahahahaha

Our little Benny poo’ed in the pot again this morning…if there is one cat that will get this toilet training, it will be Benny…I’m so proud…

Off now to price some things for the antique store…may go get my nails done if I’m in the mood for the 25 minute drive, while I’m out, I may get a new shelf and redo the bathroom…we’ll keep that as our little secret..he doesn’t need to know it yet. wa ha ha

Until next time….

I’ve always been like sweet nectar to therapist, self-help authors, narcissists and manipulative people along with pure cane sugar.  Dad died 10 years ago and that’s when I started to put things into perspective…I wallowed in hatefulness, guilt and self pitty for the next 8 years then mom and Aunt Frances died and I started getting really pissed that people pleasing and anxiety were running my life…it was the only exercise I was really getting.  I seem to be on a continuous rolling sidewalk trying to be content with the person inside my head.  Why do some people struggle with who they are while the next person just accepts their angst and gets on with it?  There are a whole lot of people passing us on the street everyday who have come from disfunction, including mental and/or physical abuse.  Some people accept their plight and appear to live their life without a thought about it, while others bloody their hands trying to climb up the hill to a better life.  Is our societal hatefulness and anger a symptom of not liking who we are inside?

  I also questions this “holier than thou” mentality that I pin onto the far right political conservatives and religious zealots…are they making up for parental abuse of perceived perfection?  Giving them the belief that they are the absolute right (pun intended) and everyone else is wrong…what happens when they fall – what happens when something happens to burst the allusion of perfection..how do they explain in their own minds that perfection is impossible to achieve.  Do they go back to the “do as I say, not as I do” mentality, the allusion of perfection or do they move closer to the left and realize that no one person has the right to control another person….

Conscience – at one time, I believed everyone had one.  Seems striving for a clear conscience  in making decisions rather than relying on allusions of our own grandeur and/or our sexual appendages we would be on the first rung of the ladder to solve all of the problems of the world.

Until next time…..