The Bible is HOT

Heard this on the radio today.  After the success of The Bible mini-series, producers are falling all over themselves to design Bible-related shows.  I could have told them that, just from the requests we got at the reference desk at the Vineland Public Library.

So many helpless people!  Guy with a cane at the Wawa today couldn't find the newspaper he wanted.  Probably because all of the names have changed due to REGIONALIZATION (hate it).
Anyway, I do not want to become one of the helpless people.  That is a struggle as you age.  That is why I am exercising.

Little known things about me: I punched a time clock for 37 years.  Three different jobs.  In fact, I punched a clock today.  But do not feel sorry for me, because THIS job I only do once a month (and not EVERY month).

The shark bited him and he died

Six year olds have such an adorable way of speaking.  I just can't bring myself to correct their grammar.  Had breakfast with two adorable twins who are very affectionate.  Trying to notice the differences between them each time I get to see them.  Someone kissed me and said "I love you" but which one?  Today I learned that one of them just kisses the "BB" (a cross between a pillow and a stuffed animal).  The other one kisses "everybody".  Then he clarified...."Not everybody.  Just my family and my teacher."  So, I had ONE arm around O. (who was watching Chitty Chitty Bang Bang on his iPad) and one arm around D. (who was playing a sword fight game on HIS iPad).  Talk about cacophony!  Oh, they were both coughing and sniffling too so I hope I don't catch anything.  One of them wanted to kiss me ON THE LIPS.  I couldn't avoid such an offer!  Also watched part of The hobbit and some other hideous action movie from long ago.  Charmingly, when they first arrived in Fairton, they wanted to watch The Swiss family Robinson, the same movie we watched the LAST time they visited Fairton. 

All the libraries are closed today (Good Friday).  Luckily I got into the Sweet life bakery (on Landis Avenue in Vineland, NJ) which is ONLY open Fridays and Saturdays now.  Unfortunately, they are cutting back more and more.  First, they stopped making breads and now they have stopped making soups and sandwiches and now they have cut way back on their hours.  Seems like a nice crowd is in and out today, anyway.

Went to a nutrition lecture and did some dances with the WII.  That was really fun.  The nutrition program was full of old people (I mean "actively aging" people).  Wonder if we get on the nerves of the people who work there.  I know we get on MY nerves.  A lot of characters who insist on putting in their "two cents".

Things I am tired of hearing about

- gay marriage (or any kind of marriage)
- Justin Bieber's escapades
- how people need guns to defend themselves AGAINST the government

Life is getting very complicated as far as the social calendar goes.  It is REUNION time.  Reunions are being promoted for residents of ASH, Women of Bridgeton (these are all things which happened 3 or 4 decades ago).  Then I have the Girlfriends of the 70's group and the French Group and the Mes amies group and the Book club.

Book - The importance of being seven (the new 44 Scotland Street novel), by Alexander McCall Smith.
This series is about all the people who live in a building in Edinburgh, Scotland.  Bertie Pollock is the only child we know.  His mother is very controlling and not very likeable (even her new baby does not like her).  Other characters are Matthew, the owner of an art gallery and his new wife, Elspeth, who is newly pregnant.
Three of the the single people go on a trip to Italy and a couple emerges. I borrowed it from the Vineland Public Library (LT FIC McCall Smith Alexander)

the embers of the pre-computer chip world...

Nicely put in my audiobook about giving board games to children after they had become enamored of video games.

The weather MAY be remembering that it is supposed to be Spring.  Nice and sunny but still windy and chilly. Looking out the window down here in Greenwich.  it is nice to see clothes on a line blowing in the breeze.  Very country.

Finished a book by Simon Doonan, Eccentric glamour : creating an insanely more fabulous you.   One was enough. He is quite over the top.  I wanted to read it just because he is the husband of Jonathan Adler, who grew up in Bridgeton.  I am less thrilled hearing the Jonathan won't admit that.  He says that he is from Philadelphia.  Simon has some good points such as that all women are aiming for the same look....the librarian look is out and, due to the easy availability of  many FAKE things, everyone wants to look like a porno star.  He suggests eschewing this look and going for individuality.  He describes various categories of looks.  Celebrities are pictured along with their answers to his questionnaire. He was dropping a lot of names but I had not heard of most of them.  He also describes games he plays with his husband to keep the love alive.  Simon is a window dresser at Barneys New York and wrote several other books, including Confessions of a window dresser.

So much easier to just stay home

The more I stay home, the more I get aggravated when I go out.  Left the house today and saw my new neighbor children hanging out in front of MY house with their dog (no leash).  Looking out the window I get the impression that they are not the kind of people to pick up the poop.  Almost stopped to warn them, but I will wait until they do something bad before complaining.  Also saw trash in their yard ALREADY.  And they have a white van with Virginia plates.  (We don't like them kind in my town). I always greet the thought of new neighbors with a great deal of trepidation.  It is all just so horribly predictable.  And I AM a glass half empty kind of gal. Then I got annoyed following an SUV that had a super reflective back window that was blinding me with the sun.

Went to the health club, although I really didn't want to.  Gained weight this morning and almost felt like saying f*** it and going back to being a couch potato.  It is so much easier than trying to work out EVERY DAY.  Felt better after the fact and they really do have a nice shower and free products there.  They also have this new kind of water fountain where you can fill up your water bottle.  I haven't used it for that but apparently it is the latest thing.

Finished a book, my first by Salman Rushdie.  I was forced to read it by my book club.  The title is Luka and the fire of life and it is a fantastical young adult novel.  Sort of clever, with a Dog named Bear and a Bear named Dog and Gods behaving badly.   It involves a quest to get the fire of life to help his father recover.  I experienced my usual reluctance in the face of science fictiony stories.  It was written for his son, during the time of his hiding.  I borrowed it from the Vineland Public Library (FIC Rushdie Salman).

I've been living in the past all weekend

Is this what it is like to get older?  The past suddenly seems more interesting than the present.  Saturday night I went to  a concert at the Landis Theater in Vineland, NJ.  Lauren Fox sang songs of Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen.  She seemed like Joni Mitchell of long ago.  When she sang Leonard's songs, she put on a fedora.  It was interesing getting the back story behind various songs.  She sang the one Joni wrote while hanging out with Leonard at the Chelsea Hotel in New York City.  Then she sang the one that HE wrote there, but it was about Janis Joplin.  He was quite the womanizer.  (Actually, weren't we all?)  It was taking me back to my youth.  She finished up with a song by each of them.  The word "FREE" came up an awful lot.  We all wanted to be free forever, not realizing that we could be imprisoned by our own selves.

Also thinking about the past a lot as someone is researching a communal house I lived in perhaps from 1975 - 1980.  So, there is a flurry of emails back and forth as we all recall things.  I have been procrastinating on my answers for a questionnaire that he sent out.  I had better hurry before all the stories THAT I REMEMBER have already been mentioned by others.  It was a good time at Atlantic Street House in Bridgeton, and I still love all the people, those that are not DEAD.

Sunday I went to a classical music concert which was fabulous.  Had to drive all the way down to Stockton State College in Pomona but at least a friend went with me.  I HAD to hear Rachmaninoff piano concerto #2 as it holds great sentimental value for me.  I was in LUST with a Frenchman who chose that record at my mother's house (she was away), put it on the stereo and proceded to tell me that it was "the most erotic piece of music ever written".  Need I say more about our subsequent activities?  I enjoyed hearing it again and reminiscing about former loves and one night stands. (I need to make a list!)

Finished a book, Beautiful ruins : a novel, by Jess Walter.  It has been mentioned in quite a few places and lists.  It jumps around a bit between time periods and locales.  Interestingly enough, I was on the Italian coastline in 1967 and there was a rumor that Liz Taylor and Richard Burton were dining in an outdoor cafe in Protofino.  So this guy writes a fictional (?) tale of a hotel owner who encounters an actress who apparently had a daliance with Richard Burton and is being hidden away in this obscure town and inn on the coast.  Later in life, an old man and a young writer meet at an agent's office in Los Angeles and, along with his assistant, they reveal more details about this story.  I thought is was pretty interesting and suspenseful and could almost have been true.  I borrowed it from the Vineland Public Library (FIC Walter Jess). 

Foiled again

Planned to spend three hours online today at the Bridgeton Public Library.  Even thought they have a nice big table to put my computer on and a soft chair, I was thwarted in my purposes and am now using the public computer with a limit of one hour so I am RUSHING.  Had to make two trips with my crap as they do not have any ramp.  Then was told to move all my stuff because green tablecloth from last night must be removed.  Got all settled in and the wireless wouldn't work.  Library Director went to reset and then it was too slow.  Boy, do I feel ike a library patron.  One setback after another!  So, I could pack it all up and go to another library or I could just break down and buy the Internet for my home!

Had a nice breakfast with my friends, the regular Saturday morning crowd.  Feeling self righteous as I took home half and got fruit instead of potatoes.  Then I went to the health club at the hospital in Bridgeton and worked  out for almost an hour.  We all decided we weren't too enthusiastic about the new name for hospital system.  Now it will be called INSPIRA to compete with VIRTUA and be ready to take over even MORE businesses and they don't even have to be in South Jersey.

Too much going on around here!  Tonight there are so many things going on around here.
- Bay Atlantic Symphony at Cumberland County College
- Lauren Fox singing songs of Leonard Cohen and Joni Mitchell (that is were I am going)
- Bowling for Columbine with satellite interview with Michael Moore - 6:30 at Ashley McCormick center

Out of sorts today

Came out of my house to go to breakfast and found that someone had been riffling through my car and stealing things.  They stole my makeup bag (new), my kleenex, $5, my snacks and sunglasses and tire pressure guage and the worst thing was...my AUDIOBOOKS.  They can be really expensive and I will have to pay the libraries I borrowed them from.  Since I am a retired librarian, I do not have the nerve to ask them if they have a special rate for victims of crimes.  Luckily, they did not go into the trunk.  I am into and out of my car a million times a day and 99% of the time I get the locking thing right.  BUT: they smashed the window of my new neighbor's car, so perhaps it was lucky I left my car unlocked?!  He has only been a resident for three weeks and is probably rueing the day he moved to Bridgeton.  I could have told him to expect bad things to happen once or twice a year.  I could make quite a list.  Each time I call the police although it has never helped me.  At least this time, they made a valiant effort of taking fingerprints, but said they thought the guy(s) were wearing gloves.  So now I have fingerprint dusting powder all over my car. 
The other reason I am out of sorts is that I went to THREE libraries until I found one with good parking spots available.  (I know it sounds crazy to not want to walk a few extra hundred feet and then go to the health club to exercise, but....)  So the Millville Public Library is good cause there is a lot of room to spread out and I haven't yet been here this week, but THE SEATS ARE HARD.

Finished the book The blind side, by Michael Lewis.  The movie was much more engaging.  You never hear much about Michael Oher, but he is still on the Baltimore Ravens and they won the Super Bowl so he must be doing something right.  After the Super Bowl, I wanted to read the book.  I borrowed it from the Bridgeton Public Library (796.332 LEWIS).  It is the story of a black guy who gets adopted by a (Republican Evangelical) rich white family in Tennessee and becomes a football star.  He has a real shy kind of personality.  He came from a family of 13 with a crack addicted mother.  He guards the quarterback's side of greatest vulnerability, his "blind side".

On my Nook, I finished a book by Walter Mosley called The man in my basement.  It was not one of my favorites.  I seem to be obsessed by this writer.  This good-for-nothing black guy gets hired by some guilty white guy to keep him a prisoner in his basement and take care of him for a whole lot of money.

What happened to the day?

It seemed like your average dank and chilly March day when I left the house.  In the middle of my exercise class, I turned to the side with the imaginary ball and saw it was SNOWING.  Huh?!  No wonder a friend of mine is leaving for Florida.  The wait for Spring is ENDLESS.

Another stoplight, oh no!  My small up-and-coming bank now has a new Shoprite across the street and they are putting a STOPLIGHT at the driveway.  Another impediment to progress and speed.  Have you ever noticed that they are always putting UP stoplights and never taking them down?  So, life and traffic just get slower and slower.

Inspira - the new (stupid) name of the merged health care system.  I used to work at Bridgeton Hospital.  Then it got merged and became South Jersey Regional Medical Center.  My health club has had three names, but I still call it "the center" the name three names ago.  Inspira sounds like the name of a drug or that someone wants you to think good things about them like in inspiration.  The secret name was just announced today.  I have been dreading this moment because I HATE CHANGE.

Slower by the day

OMG...it took me TWO hours to deal with my email today.  I thought one hour was a long time.
Of course, there have been some side trips, like verifying that Ella Reeve Bloor lived in MY HOUSE in 1895-1898.  I learned two other interesting facts about this somewhat obscure socialist/communist.  She wasn't actually married to Mr. Bloor; they just pretended to be married while researching for Upton Sinclair about the meat yards of Chicago.  Sinclair later published a best-selling book on this topic called The jungle.  I also learned that she is buried at Harleigh Cemetery in Camden, New Jersey.  She grew up in Bridgeton, New Jersey, another one of our moderately famous residents-who-don't-live-here-anymore.  Others in that category are Sylvia Beach, Jonathan Adler, and James Galanos.  I am one of the obscure people who still live in Bridgeton.

After seeing Paula Poundstone at the Landis Theater in Vineland, New Jersey, I had to listen to the audiobook version of her book, There's nothing in this book that I meant to say, read by the author.  It was funny, sometimes laugh-out-loud funny, but a lot of jumping around between historical stories and her own life.  Celebrities discussed are Charles Dickens, Sitting Bull, Lincoln, Helen Keller and Joan of Arc.  Perhaps if she paused at the right times, the jumping around would not seem so glaring, but then again, maybe not.  I learned a lot about her, such as that she is not into sex (with anyone), is a recovering alcoholic, adopted three special needs kids, is a compulsive talker and cleaner, bites her nails, and lives in Santa Monica.  You can find this audiobook at the Bridgeton Public Library (AUDB BIO POUNDSTO).

Becoming a new person

I am becoming a new person who exercises daily and is careful about what she eats.  So I WELCOME a lecture about getting exercise because I AM that person.  AS opposed to the days when I was only wishing I would be that person.  It takes time, that is for sure.  Time I used to spend WORKING.

Is it totally crazy to want to go down to the casinos to MAKE MONEY?  If I took a bunch of twenty dollar bills and visited a machine and walked away either when I WON a bunch or when my $20 went down to $10?  You can get a really cheap room right now during the week.  I learned this by going on hotels.com.
I did pretty well on the Hot hot super respin penny machine at Resorts.  Maybe they just make you win at first to hook you in and build up your confidence.

So I spend my time writing a blog that nobody reads.  Is is a good discipline for becoming a writer?

Forget the weather forecast

I was dreading the weekend as three days of rain was predicted.  It is now 12:18 on Monday and it hasn't rained yet.  But, it is supposed to rain and snow today!  What it is, is damn chilly.

Finished The uncommon appeal of clouds, by Alexander McCall Smith.  It is one of my least favorite of his series, the one called the Isabel Dalhousie series. Isabel is an Edinburgh philosopher and amateur sleuth.  She married a younger man and has a son.  She helps people with "mysteries" but does not get paid.  This one is about the theft of an art work by Poussin (he wasn't the thief, the thief was unknown)..  It is a "contemporary cozy" verging on the boring. Isabel can be a bit of a prig.

Had a fun day at the Atlantic City casinos yesterday.  I am not a gambler, but I COULD be!  If I gambled in order to win, I would spend 15 minutes and walk away when my money went up.  It is hard to fill many hours there without losing.  In the end, I was ahead $15, which paid for my lunch.  I only play the penny and nickle machines.  I used to take $20 and was ready to go home after 15 minutes.  Yesterday, I gambled with $65 and made it last quite a long time.  The show was so so.....guys (Andre & Cirell) who did imitations and sang songs of other more famous people.  Their interactions with the audience were stale and lame.  We went to Resorts, which was the first casino to open in Atlantic City.  It was opened by Merv Griffin back in the 70's.  It seemed not very crowded down there or in Resorts.  And all the people that WERE there were in the line for promotions, thus depriving me of getting a "Get the star treatment" card.  OK, the other reason I didn't get the card was because you needed a photo ID and I had downsized my purse to the point where I didn't have any ID.

Speaking of accomplishing nothing...

My sister complained that her son accomplished nothing over the Spring break from college.  I saw a great quote last night at Fibre Arts Cafe at the Village on High, in Millville, NJ. "My goal for today was to accomplish nothing.  So far I am ahead of schedule."

Maybe I am missing something, but...here is what I am NOT into:
- Facebook (barely)
- Twitter
- Tumblr
- Pinterest
- Memes
- Avatars
- Video games

How do I have the time when I am reading so much?  I don't even have time to watch TV or DVDs.  Here is what I am reading:
 - Current newspaper
- Old newspapers
- Current magazine
- Old magazine
- The man in my basement, by Walter Mosely
- Eccentric glamour, by Simon Doonan
- My beloved world, by Sonia Sotomayor
- Insane city, by Dave Barry
- The uncommon appeal of clouds, by Alexander McCall Smith
- Beautiful ruins, by Jess Walter
- The importance of being seven, by Alexander McCall Smith
- The blindside, by Michael Lewis
- Luka and the fire of life, by Salman Rushdie

Trying to copy stuff from Youtube

Not successful.  Sending the link there is a period where there shouldn't be a period.  If I take it out I just go to a white screen.   Anyway, I no sooner had listened to this song called The Harlem Shake and decided NOT to add it to my playlist, than I discovered it had become an Internet sensation.  I will try again to add the Vineland Public Library version which you can look for on YouTube.  Ok, now I am CUTTING and PASTING.  Sending through YouTube does not seem to work!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwIyIQTQCnA

Finished an audiobook today.  I spent a lot of the time NOT liking it.  It all began in Monte Carlo is by Elisabeth Adler.  It was narrated by Susan Boyce.  I borrowed it from the Vineland Public Library (AUD CD FIC Adler Elizabeth)  There were too many characters.  The annoying ones were REALLY annoying and I kept saying to myself, "Don't they SEE what is going on !?!?!"  There is Sunny, who leaves her boyfriend in Malibu and travels to Paris and ends up in Monte Carlo.  Then there is her friend, the ex-movie star and HER friend, the dumpy dumped wife.Anyway, her boyfriend is a respected detective known ALL OVER THE WORLD and there just happens to be a jewel robbery and a blackmail scheme for him to work on.  There is a lot of discussion about clothes and shoes.  I hate to admit it, but I probaby BOUGHT this audiobook because I used to purchase these at the library.

Another day of sun, but cold and windy.  It is my imagination, or am I obsessed with the weather and how my playlist works or does not work?  It DOES work nicely here at the Millville public library but not at Vineland.  And they just gave me another hour of computer time.  Life is good!

Where does the time go?

What have I been doing for an hour and a half?  That is too long to spend on just email.  OK, I have been watching some YouTube videos, including one from the Vineland Public Library I just posted.  YouTube is very time consuming, because you are supposed to WATCH and not just listen.

Places I would like to spend an entire day:
- the health club (I feel satisfied with myself if I go to ONE class, no matter how unchallenging it is)
- The Philadelphia Museum of Art
- Grounds for Sculpture in North Jersey

Things to do when it rains for three days this weekend ( I HATE that).  First, things I DON'T like to do when it rains:
- See it or hear it
- Drive
- Be home (conflicts with not wanting to DRIVE)
Things perhaps I COULD do:
- taxes - because it HAS to be done, like it or not!
- organize receipts
- movies

I don't understand what you mean by "ha ha ha"

That Siri, she is a riot.  We were making fun of her and she gave us the above response.  My sister and brother-in-law were trying to show off with Siri, but she wasn't really getting it.  My sister fell in the river from the kayak and got her iPhone all wet.  Luckily, she found that her upgrade had just become available so she got a brand new iPhone 5.

Was awake in the night.  There was a curious beeping noise.  Then a few minutes would pass.  Just as I was about to fall asleep, the beeping would resume.  I was racking my brain for what new source I had brought into the house.  Finally, I got up and walked around waiting for the beep.  Turned out it was my PHONE.  I had entered the birthday of a friend of mine and I guess the alarm had started ringing around about midnight.  Jeez...Can't stand that calendar alarm!  Once I entered my WEIGHT and the alarm started going off.

Was late to my usual hangout today. the Cumberland County Historical Society in Greenwich, NJ.  When I got there, all the chairs were taken. I went before hand to the College to volunteer and also get free breakfast and lunch.  Sat with a few convivial souls and put address labels on postcards.  Now, after a long drive from Vineland to Greenwich, I have a nice view of almost good weather.  It is sunny but still chilly.  Watching a man trimming his bushes on Ye Greate Street..

My eyes are glazing over

Had to come back to the Cumberland County Library cause I forgot my printouts yesterday.  Odd sounding class in the lab, so I asked about it.  It is on the "E-rate (it's a library thing)".  God, how boring.

Hideous day today.  I can't stand rain, heavy at times.  So, I am distracting myself by going back to bed, going to the health club and now the library.  Due to the going back to bed part, I did not have time to visit three people in the nursing home.  I swear to get to that THIS WEEK.  At least one day a week, I have trouble getting up and doing and out of the house (working was good for something).  Guess it is OK if it is just once a week.

Finished a book on the Nook which I borrowed from the Overdrive program.  It is a rather strange twist on the travel book. Amy Elizabeth Smith went to six Latin American countries and had book groups to discuss Jane Austen.  The book is called All roads lead to Austen : a yearlong journey with Jane.  She met a lot of people, had some adventures, met some romantic men and had some sickness.  I think you would have to be very familiar with Jane Austen's books to get much out of it.  I had trouble remembering the details even though I saw all of the films on PBS a couple of years ago.  I was more interested in the words and foods and tourist things she discovered in  the various countries.  She even picks the man she wants to end up with based on Austen's character's characteristics.

There's more than one way to skin a cat

Or is it "kill a cat"?  Actually, it has been both, although I can't figure out why anyone would WANT to skin or kill a cat!  Anyway, this phrase just popped into my mind when I went to Google and the usual choices were not at the top.  So I typed in the address for www.blogspot.com and achieved my aim of finding my blog.

Went to a pretty good restaurant last night, Barcelona bistro in Pitman, New Jersey.  The view was nice, big windows overlooking a park and a city building, with occasional passersby and their leftovers.  The service could have been better.  We weren't immediately served with the bread we were craving, but the bread was warm and came with oil finally.  First we got water with no ice but they brought ice later.  Now for the FOOD.  I had trout with almond sauce.  It was FABULOUS.  Also green beans and carrots and a potato croquette that was so good I immediately ate the whole thing.  In fact, I had trouble stopping the eating in order to get the leftovers.  On the way out we noticed that the restaurant had been voted one of 25 best restaurants in South Jersey for 2013.  And my DISH (Truta almendras) had been voted one of the 50 best in South Jersey.  Boy, do I know how to pick'em.  Actually, my friend picked it because she had a Groupon coupon.  This really complicates the bill.  Is it my responsibility to pay for half of what she paid for the coupon?

Did yoga already this morning.  What with getting enough sleep, getting exercise and getting on the computer, I barely have enough time for any other activities.

Small business Saturday

Sitting in the window of Little Mama's cafe in Bridgeton, NJ, trying to be supportive.  Eating a sandwich which is WAY over my diet limits but it is delicious.  Sad how few people stop in to Bridgeton shops...like this one and the art gallery where I volunteer.  If it was New York City these cupcakes would be selling like hotcakes.  Prices not bad...I got a large sandwich, a bottle of Dasani water and a free Hershey's kiss all for $6.43.

Finally an absolutely fabulous weather day!  Sun is out, wind is less and cold is fading.  Tomorrow the forecast is similar.  I need Spring badly.  I am indoors right now but at least I have a very nice view of the outdoors.  Table is too wobbly and there is no electrical outlet but I am making concessions for the view.  Perhaps they should pay ME for sitting in the window.

Tonight going to a fundraiser for someone who was in a bad car accident.  Seem to have misplaced my ticket.  Beef and beer, two foods I don't/should not eat.  Looking forward to the silent auction.  Just what I need, more STUFF.

Pleasures and pains

Pleasures of the day:
- A very light snow, just enough for viewing.  It all melted in a few hours.
- Took a pain pill.
- Read for one hour
- Went back to bed
- Got on to the computer with my new library card
- Watching immense pine tree and my favorite overgrown bush out the window with snow on them

Pains of the day:
- Only two phone calls...one to remind me to pick up pills at Walgreens and one from the NRDC wanting me to donate $25 a month
-  No time for exercise what with all of my lazing around
- I just tried to add an article about lists but I don't know where it went
- Someone wants me to save the newspaper for her.  But I like to CUT THINGS OUT.  I am not going to stop doing that just for her.  I will just try to cut more carefully.

Just finished a short and delightful book.....The art of procrastination : a guide to effective dawdling, lollygagging and postponing ( or, getting things done by putting them off) , by John Perry.

I liked the book because he provides a justification for procrastination.  This was refreshing, because everybody else just tells you how to change yourself and become a non-procrastinator.  My favorite chapter is called, A plea for the horizontally organized.  His idea is to get a VERY LARGE lazy susan for all of the piles (say, 15 feet in diameter).  I know I have been instructed to get everything verticle, but like the author of this book, I don't think I could cope with having all of my projects in file folders.  Afriend loaned me this book because she thought I would enjoy it and I did.

Why the Internet Loves Lists | Smart News

Why the Internet Loves Lists | Smart News

Black people have more fun

Just finished a fun romp of an audiobook...Baggage claim, by David E. Talbert (never heard of him).  Performed by Kim Fields.  "She's got thirty days and thirty-thousand miles to find a husband".  Book was quite silly in spots and I am not really into chasing men in order to marry them, but I learned a lot of black lore and the book was laugh out loud funny at times.   Montana Moore is a flight attendant with best friends at work, a black woman and a gay man.  Due to family pressures she finally caves to the idea of getting a husband and travels the country to "try out" five former beaus, who couldn't be more different.  They all have their stumbling blocks and the book keeps you glued to your seat waiting to see WHO she will end up with.

I am a creature of habit.  Thinking about the fact that I live in the same house where I came as an infant.  Of course, I haven't lived there the whole time, but I am back there.  Saw an old friend today in an art gallery.  Remembering back decades ago when we got friendly at the art opening for a show in which we were both participants at this very same gallery.

Started another audiobook which won't be as good, but the previous one ended up on Christmas eve in Baltimore and this one starts on Christmas eve in Malibu.  They both involve airplanes.  Life is full of coincidences.  Using the computer at the Bridgeton Public Library.  Going to look for an audiobook of Paula Poundstone's book.  Still laughing about HER performance the other night.  This is my SECOND library of the day.  Spent 15 minutes at the Vineland Public Library in between errands today.

Got this nail polish today from my favorite nail person.  Road house blues by O.P.I.

Unwelcome mail

Sometimes the mail is just FULL of bad news:
- Got a certified letter notice from the City of Bridgeton.  Now I have a whole day to ponder what form of bad news this will be.
- Note from the post person that perhaps I should change ALL of my addresses to say that I live on the second floor now that someone has moved into the first floor.  Does she realize how many people send me mail??
- Notice from Comcast that I am receiving some stations to which I am not entitled (why can't they tell me WHICH?) and saying that they will be taking them away on April 3rd.  Grrrr... And I think the bill went UP last month.  Now paying $73 each month and I don't even watch TV!
- Notice from my drug plan that they are not going to cover/provide my Clarinex any more

Logged into Playlist.com.  Something started playing.  I think I had better just listen to whatever it is.  When I try to search, add, or other stuff, I get all messed up.  Had to get out the headphones because I can't stand the sound of the rain.  Also shut the window blinds so I don't have to LOOK at the horrible weather outside.  Rain and wind on the way to snow?

I have a terrible feeling that my laptop is not charging.

My home away from home

It used to be my CAR but now it is the Fitness Connection in Vineland, New Jersey.  It was hard getting through the workout today.  Now I am on to the FUN part of the day, computer time at the Millville Public Library.  Unfortunately, Playlist.com is acting up again, thus impacting my happiness.  Listened to some snippets from the movie Silver linings playbook and realized that the song I liked is called Unsquare dance, by Dave Brubeck.

Each day I look at NEXT BLOG on Google for a couple of blogs.  Seem to be a lot of religious people blogging and a lot of families.  I don't know what I am, but not those.  I also have blogs under my favorites on my computer and some on my blog reader on Google.  I try to delete ones that are not up to date, no matter how intresting they are.  A lot of abandoned blogs, too.

Happy National foreign language week (March 4-10) and National nutrition month...two of my interests.  Speaking of nutrition, made a vow to start eating more (some) vegetables.  They just happened to have a display on this topic at the health club so I picked up some handouts.  Feeling somewhat proud of myself for my lunch - grapefruit and avocado and pecans and salad dressing.  Trying mightily to not eat the OTHER cookie in the bag I cracked open.  ONE of them is 100 calories and that is my self-imposed limit for snacks.
Why do they put TWO of them in the packet?  Temptation.....

Water bottle envy

Everyone has these NEW kind of water bottles, large, see through, with all kinds of fancy drinking arrangements.  Me, I still have a collection of the plastic ones made before they discovered the bad stuff in them.  But, it is part of my heritage that I can't get rid of something that still works. Me and my father before me, we use an appliance until the very last feature breaks.  My sister did give me a NEWER type, very nice, but I seem to have misplaced it.

Why don't my socks match?  For all practical purposes, they did when I put them on this morning.  But, in the midst of yoga, I saw a yellow part on the toe of one and a slightly different cable stitch.  Now I see why my brother-in-law asked for a BUNCH of socks all the same for Christmas.  Reminds me of the old Jules Feiffer cartoon where one day, in the clothes dryer, Bernard finds a note that says, "Bring the machine more socks!"

Starting to weigh myself every morning.  The goal is to be DOWN or stay the same.  It is very slow.  I am trying to exercise every day, but some of my exercise is not that strenuous and the eating is really hard to manage.  I am feeling slightly better, but many things still bother me....tiredness, balance poses in yoga. (Boy, I sure use the word BUT a lot!)

Not totally prepared

Just driving by....stopped into my brother-in-law's new shop to use the wireless.  Some of my supplies were in the car but not all.  Looking forward to a day of NO PLANS.  OK, computer and exercise and going out to breakfast, but, other than that no plans.  Tired of being out late the last two nights.  I feel a nice listening to Prairie Home Companion night coming on.  That is my favorite Saturday night activity 6 - 8 PM.  What will I do if Garrison Keillor ever retires?!?!?  And he is of the age (around my age I do believe).

Bingo, is it worth it?  Did my yearly bingo last night.  6 hours, $50 and NO prizes.  Felt like such a loser by the end.  Most of my friends had won something.  Not that I need any more CRAP to find a place for.  But 6 hours is much longer than my attention span.  In fact, one game is longer than my attention span, especially the one where you have to completely fill in the sheet.

Attended a Sweet honey in the rock concert Thursday night in Philadelphia,  I have heard them once  (or twice).  My friend got in a funk cause they were sort of different.  Two new members, instruments in the background (they are known as an acapella group) and they sang songs from the "canon" of Odetta, Nina Simone, Miriam Makeba and Abbey Lincoln.  They did a lot of individual performing rather than all together.  One of them sang Another man done gone while playing the violin.  Other instruments were involved and a tape of thunder and lightning.  I wish I could find a video to post for you.  Forgot to mention the really nice part of the evening when my friend cooked dinner for us all before the concert.  African peanut stew (vegetarian version) was yummy.  We all brought something.
So we drove to Philly in one person's car.  Came back and got in yet another person's car to drive to MY car.  Miles to go before I sleep.

Walmart does have some good ideas

Although I am philosophically opposed to shopping at Walmart, I do go there occasionally to get cheap drugs.  I have to admit that they do have some good ideas...
- They have wet wipes for the carts
- The bathrooms are right near the front door and they are well maintained
- The whole entire curb out front is missing making ts really convenient for the passage of shopping carts and wheelchairs
Since my personal frugality rules dictate that I can buy only one thing per day that costs over $20, I just walked past all the temptation directly to the pharmacy and paid my $35 for my Clarinex.  I walked out without buying one additional thing. That isn't really so hard because I actually HATE shopping and kind of pride myself in my ability to get along without new stuff.  I am kind of embarrassed to admit that I took a shopping cart for this purchase because my PURSE is too heavy to lug around!

I was dreaming about a lake upon which my father lived.  Of course, it looked nothing like the lake where he really lived.  There was a lack of water and there were some boats in the lake sitting on the grass. There were three (red?) motorboats sitting together on a grassy knoll in the middle of the mud. The banks of this pond were really high, like mountains.  I thought to myself that I would invite my mother and father out for dinner one night.  Then I woke up and remembered that they were dead.

So many bad pens in the world.  I hate to throw them away.  Used to go downtown to the office supply store and get refills.  But that is just too difficult in the age of Staples with everything wrapped up in plastic.  Hard to get help.  So I guess we are just supposed to be wasteful and throw stuff away.
That is freally hard for me, being a hoarder.