You are not going to believe this

Heard on the radio today that the most popular name for boys in Britain is MUHAMMED. Next is Oliver.

Thoughts about the sign "Black lives matter". If that is the case, please stop shooting each other.

Finished The handsome man's De Luxe café, by Alexander McCall Smith. The newest in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective agency series. Satisfyingly comforting in spite of things going wrong. Mme. Makutsi starts a new business venture without a whole lot of thought. Charlie becomes a detective and then a secretary. A cup of red bush tea helps with most problems, as usual.

Government by tantrum

Yes, that is what we have in the United States of America. The Republicans all strike me as hard-edged, white, too thin, uptight, tight-lipped, tight-assed whiners. Get over it, please, and let's just TRY the Affordable health act. I refuse to call it OBAMACARE any more. I think that just encourages them and discourages the American public. What is so bad about socialized medicine, after all? Medicare is the greatest thing that ever happened to me. At least one thing in life just occurs and it is a good thing. No decisions needed, not much paperwork involved and it saves you money.

Sitting on the porch of the New Dodge's market in Elmer. It was on my list of places to use the wireless. However, it is on a REALLY busy and noisy intersection of Route 40 and some other street and it is very unpleasant. The weather is great, however, and unseasonably warm. Had a delicious salad with a fabulous salad dressing.

Time to get back to Bridgeton and buy my new and old prescriptions. Ready for a rest. Had a biopsy even though I went into the dermatologist determined to not get cut. This is practically impossible when you visit this (or any) dermatologist as we all know. I vow to try harder to not scratch. I felt the visit was worth it and perhaps there is HOPE for the future. Hard to be positive when you have had a skin disorder for 16 months! (Can't believe how time flies). She wanted to know if I was anxious (just about the neighbors) or depressed, (no, but I AM highly medicated). Scratching is related to OCD (OK< I admit it, I do have that).

The only thing "stronger than the storm" is Chris Christie's ego

I could agree with that. Today we are having a multi-billion dollar special election in New Jersey for the primary seat of Frank Lautenberg. The reason for this special election? SO that Christie won't have to be on the same BALLOT with Corey Booker! Boy, is it hard to pick between the party people. They are ALL good, or bad, depending on how you look at it.

Not sure if that is actually the picture of the book I read upon a friend's recommendation. Saving Ceecee Honeycutt is by Beth Hoffman. It was a delightful read about a young girl who has a dysfunctional family and is sent down South to live with an older woman when her mother dies. She meets some interesting characters down there and becomes especially close with the black woman who works for the aunt. I borrowed this book from the Cape May Court House library (LT F HOF) and must return it tomorrow so I don't get fined. Have to drive an hour to take two books back.

More and more things are becoming problematic on the public computers at libraries. Not to mention the problems I am having with THE PUBLIC. I should be a hermit, there are so many things which bother me....barking pit bulls, running children, loud people, littering people, ignorant people, crowds, traffic. In fact, I have thought of stopping my writing because all I seem to be doing is WHINING.

I forgot to post a picture today

Here is the mayor of my town.  We like him.

Notes from Paris

Staying up so late, I can hardly think!  It was still sunny at 9 PM.  Walking so much.  No busses today due to "Manif pour tous".  A manifestation which wasn't REALLY for all, as it was against gay marriage and any form of child rearing by gays (adoption or assisted births).  I was rather astounded to learn that one of the ring leaders with the very odd name of Frigide Barjot, received DEATH THREATS because she wasn't right wing enough.  I came upone this MANIF by accident and went up on a hill in the Passy Cemetery to view it from afar.  I know Manet and Berthe Morisot were buried in that cemetery but I didn't have the patience to LOOK for them.  Many thousands of people were demonstrating on French mother's day.  10 abreast walking down a broad avenue with horns, bells, drums and songs and signs.  Quite FESTIVE for a bunch of heterosexuals!  There were four different groups, I think.  The colors were pink and blue (for girls and boys).  The flags and sweatshirts had a picture of a nuclear family, man, woman and two children.

Up and down the 16th arrondissement today.  Visited home of Honore de Balzac (all in French) and visited address where I lived with an old countess with no money in my students days 46 years ago.

And ate a dynamite mousse au chocolat.  Have accomplished all of my food goals except for losing weight.
According to the scale in the apartment, I have lost 15 pounds in one week, but I know it is WAY off.

How electronic things work

This is ironic, but I checked out a book on my Nook. It is called How electronic things work....and what to do if they don't. The weird thing is, this book caused a problem I have never before had on my Nook! I can't figure out how to make the page advance. A strange message came up that I have never seen before. So I went back to another book that DOES work. Is that stupid or what?

Spent a lot of time with friends over the weekend. Also a lot of time with some six year old twins who seem to love me right now. I know that these stages are very temporary so I am taking advantage of it. They tore my sister's whole house up and made pretend houses out of chairs and blankets and cutlery and pillows and wall decorations and snacks. We had some playing cards and we were pretending that they were cell phones and video games. My sister and her boyfriend were just too tired to be disciplining so things got pretty wild. They are like whirling dervishes and love machines. It is so very upsetting to know that kids of that adorable age were murdered in Connecticut. Later Sunday night I was crying as Obama gave his speech at the memorial service in Newtown. It came on right after 60 minutes, which is the only TV show I actually watch ON PURPOSE.

I am kind of starving, waiting for a Christmas party to start. Using the computers at Rutgers Camden where I have staff privileges. Unfortunately, I no longer have parking privileges so I had to put over $4 in the street meter. Just got out a wheeled cart I knew I had to practice wheeling my "crap" around. My purse and my traveling folders and other bags full of business stuff are really wearing me down. I was surprised at how well this thing works. It is designed for one suitcase (back in the days before they thought of putting the wheels ON the suitcases) and is more lightweight than I had remembered. Guess I won't ask Santa for that, after all. It "kind of" works if I pile my stuff up and don't go over any uneven surfaces.

Mitt Romney Style (Gangnam Style Parody)

Paper cuts are killing me

It is going to be a long winter. I am currently in a library trying to forget about the drizzly weather. That is a good function of WORKING which I am starting to miss. You were trapped inside a pleasant, warm, cool place all day long so you didn't have to think about the weather, nor did you have to PAY for heat or air conditioning.

Finished a book for my book club tonight. I didn't highlight any good quotes but I did enjoy the book, as much as you CAN enjoy nonfiction or biography, that is. The mighty & the almighty : reflections on America, God, and world affairs, was written by Madeleine Albright. I never really paid her much attention when she was the Secretary of State but I found myself agreeing with most of her thoughts. From the back of the cover..."She argues that, to be effective, U.S. policy-makers must understand the power and place of religion in motivating others and in coloring how American actions are perceived". She talked about how provocative it was when George Bush gave his speech and brought up the "axis of evil" countries.

Attended an interesting workshop last night since my French club was postponed. Drove up to the Woodbury Library, even though I was not really familiar with where it was, to make a holiday wreath from book pages. This is somewhat of a sacrilege to a librarian but I have seen how many books actually get THROWN AWAY in this day and age, by people and by libraries, and I have been interested in recycling projects. I made a wreath using a book about Queen Victoria. Of course, I wanted to pay attention to the subject and author of the book and included that info in my wreath, with limited success. I'm not really a "crafty" person, but it was fun.

You've got non-compliant written all over you

What the Physician's assistant told me today. Having some skin problems and was attempting to treat myself with over-the-counter medications, but it wasn't working.
She told me I wasted my $27.00 I spent last night at Walgreens. Realize I have not been careful about spreading germs around on my own body and also I know that my diet is awful. Days go by and I do not eat a fruit or a vegetable. So now I got a bunch more medicines prescribed and was told unpleasant things such as take only brief COLD showers with no soap and don't scratch the itch. Are you trying to torture me, or what? I am already freezing with this weather.

"The election was not a murder....it was an auto NON-erotic asphyxiation". So said John Stewart the night of the election. I thought the comment oh so clever but then I repeated it to someone who had no idea what auto-erotic asphyxiation even was. I think he is very funny. Stephen Colbert I do not get. I keep thinking, whose side is he on? No ones, I guess.

I have been spending so many nights at home that my battery ran out on my Nook. Yes, I do lead quite the exciting life. I have a basic disconnect between not wanting to be home all evening and not wanting to be out driving around in the dark.

I think I felt some endorphins

Just went to exercise, second time this week. The Arthritis Foundation exercise program is done mostly sitting down. I love the teacher. We do a little bit of Tai Chi too. I am a paying member of this health club, but have only been twice this year. Let's see...at $26.66 per month, that is $319.92 per year and $159.96 per visit. I have been meaning to get back to exercising for several years now. I was afraid if I stopped paying, I wouldn't get back in with the deal. (One of the many things I do which don't make much sense!) But I like the feeling that, anytime I want to, I can walk right in.

Now I am visiting The Megabyte cafe, a newish business in Millville, New Jersey. The cafe is at 110 N. High St. in Millville. Killing time til the library opens and I can make a couple of printouts. Due to budget cuts, most of the libraries don't open until 10 AM now and they close at 8 PM. Have a nice table by the window, having my morning coffee, using the wireless with my laptop, and enjoying a delicious English muffin, heavily buttered, with strawberry jelly on top. Life is good. We didn't get too much snow down here...just enough to make an attractive dusting.

Ran across Rachel Maddow on TV last night. Boy she is great! She is a political columnist on CNBC. Her show is called TRMS, I guess? She showed a chart with pictures of all the nine white men who made rude comments about rape and abortion and pointed out that they ALL lost. It is so easy for liberals to "gloat" right now, but she gave it a very humorous skewering. I only watch TV going around the dial, I never hardly ever watch anything on purpose. If it is on and I am home I may watch it. OK, I take it back, I do watch 60 minutes on purpose.

Some good news for a change

Pretty happy about the election results. One Democrat I voted for did not get in, but it is next to impossible to overcome Frank LoBiondo. I console myself with the memory that my FATHER liked to vote for him (a Republican) even though my father was an Independent with liberal leanings. And my father has been dead for 10 years, just to give you an idea about how long this guy has been our Congressman. It is just a good feeling when your family and large groups of your friends are on the same page politically. Happily, two Democrats got voted in to the local freeholder board. I think that means that two Republicans are off snd we are back to a Democratic majority. Believe me, it really does make a difference!

But that is the only good news. The weather is horrible, cold, raining, forecast of SNOW and excessive wind gusts. They are calling it a Nor'easter. My choir practice has already been cancelled and that was my big event for the day. Acquaintances have tales of ripping out and rebuilding their seashore homes, some can't even GET to their homes yet. Sad story of a man who died two weeks after his son died. Perhaps of a broken heart, who knows? It is hard enough to lose ONE member of your family, but two is really scary. This cold and dreary winter weather has me missing work or feeling like I do not have enough to do. At least work distracted me from the hideous weather.
It is going to be a LONG winter and I HATE it already.

Things I love:
- Someone asked me to be a volunteer yesterday
- Went shopping and discovered that Peebles has a club where you get 20% off every Tuesday if you are over 50
- Those new roofs they have over the McDonald's ordering lanes
- Flannel sheets
- Warm nightgowns
- Playlist.com when it is working correctly (like recently)

Things I hate:
- Winter
- Dark
- Cold
- Rain
- Sitting in a waiting room and being forced to watch some horrible interview show with everyday Americans discussing their husbands who slept with their sisters or other distasteful topics
- Donald Trump is an idiot

Tried to watch football last night

I tried to watch the Eagles play the Saints last night, but it was too painful. Such a brutal game. I couldn't stand watching Michael Vick get sacked so many times. All in all, it was a rather COLD and lonely evening. And this is just the BEGINNING of winter. And I even have heat and electricity, unlike many New Jersey people right now.

Finally, I just went to bed. As long as I stayed near the middle of the bed, it was OK. Kind of cold near the edges though. I put another blanket on top of my blanket and my comforter. Yes, it seemed like a "three dog night".

Election today. When I got there, I saw that there were TWO questions on the ballot. I thought there was only going to be one. Seemed to be a bit of confusion amongst the other people, too. They would spend a very long time in the booth and then come out without pressing the final button. Multiply that times millions of people and you will see why there will be many questions about the results and methods of the election. I actually had to wait in line for a few minutes. Usually, there is NOTHING going on at my voting place. My nephew voted for the first time today. I hope he will carry on the family tradition of voting.

Playlist suddenly working

Keep developing systems so I can continue to use Playlist.com, no matter how frustrating it gets. So, I was listening to every tenth song, chosing each one individually as I have learned I have to do and suddenly, they started playing in order again, like perfection. Don't know why or wherefore!

Yesterday yet another reason to not be home. Went on an excursion to hear a reading of a play. Actually, it was more like a reading and a singing. A quite intimate affair held at Eastern State University, a Christian college over on the Main Line in Pennsylvania. The people performing outnumbered the audience, which is why I say it was intimate. Holy spirit has been in the works for about 13 years. The subject is Nashville, orphans, politicians, interracial dating, love, drugs, deception, religious fundraising...it was a pretty complicated plot. The first half lasted two hours. Lots of original songs and humor and pathos. I thoroughly enjoyed it despite the length and the unfamiliarity of it all. We were all in a big rectangular room looking out on the fall trees. Performing ("reading") were about 30 people. It was a long afternoon and all the cookies got devoured (I didn't get one). I liked the fact that the audience (friends and family) used the same bathrooms as the "stars".

Tomorrow, the election. Got to get the Democrats back into the majority on our local freeholder board. I just remember the HORROR of events when the Republicans gained the power. They promptly "fired" a bunch of people who were doing their jobs just fine and put "their" people in. Also they screwed up our local library system in a feeble attempt to save money, They essentially ruined a shared system which had been developed over twenty years and was working nicely. Now the county library system is in a shambles and different subgroups are going in different directions. This is a real pain the the ass for the library user, which is what I am now.

Just finished a book called One last thing before I go, by Jonathan Tropper. About a divorced man dealing with his mistakes in life and deciding whether his life is worth saving. He had a hit song once, a wife, a daughter, and some guy friends in similar circumstances. it is an easy, humorous read.

Tailgating, the sport of idiots

Funny thought posted on the back of a pickup truck. Reminds me of all the times I wish I could put up some signs out the back window of my vehicle telling off the jerks that are the other drivers.

Voting morass. Every day wondering, are they going to postpone the election? Good when Christie and Obama shake hands. Bad when residents are desparate and complaining already about FEMA (or the lack thereof). Good when Obama takes charge. But states in Hurricane area were already "blue" states. People are going to be too distracted to vote. Some polling places were washed away. My mind is a mess hearing all of this.

So many fortunate (me) and unfortunate (you) hurricane stories. Feeling sort of superficial. All I care about is, "Will my Vietnamese nail technician be able to get back from Vietnam?"

Fishing in the firehouse

Two feet of water in the Avalon, New Jersey, firehouse and they were FISHING in there! I am taking the lazy man's approach to storm investigation...watching it on TV. My sister and her boyfriend went out in the car to check on status of boats which were pulled into dry dock in anticipation of Hurricane Sandy. 10,000 Atlantic City Electric customers are without power in Cumberland County. 7.4 million people woke up in the dark this AM, Tuesday. Luckily, not us. I am looking out the window onto Clark's Pond which is relatively calm and drizzly. We might even see the sun tomorrow.

Worried about the beach. My worries about Sea Isle seem to have been well founded. Bridges are out or closed between Avalon and Ocean City and Avalon and Sea Isle City. That means if anyone wants to travel between the towns, they have to go inland to get on the Parkway. And all of the lovely libraries I hung out in this summer. I spent more time at the beach this year than any other summer, because I was retired and had time during the week. Between the death of a young man last week and the storm this week, I am very struck by the fragility of everything.

Have never been able to watch our Governor Christie even complete a sentence prior to now. I must admit I was glued to his every word during the crisis and he seemed to be doing a good job.

The market's gonna do what it's gonna do in spite of the victor on November 6th

Someone (?) said this this morning on CNBC (?) I am very worried about the election. I am not a safety investor and thought one should be very concerned if the president changes. I am not buying any more stocks. I have my own little mutual fund but the losers always equal the winners and I never get anywhere.

I love rice pudding. When we were at Indian Chaat and sweets in Berkeley, California, I got all excited cause it seemed they were serving rice pudding WITH RAISINS. Raisins in your rice pudding are very hard to come by. Now, this rice pudding WAS really delicious, but when I bit down on the raisin, it turned out to be a cardoman pod. According to the Internet, they are edible, but you should have seen the look on my face.

Got in a panic this morning cause I thought I lost my water bottle. Who cares, you may ask? Well, I haven't had a new water bottle since the dangerous stuff was discovered. And my sister had bought it for me, I think for last Christmas. I just got it when I was at her wedding. But I had to go all the way to the top of the Berkeley Hills to get it. So, I even called the airport cause I thought it had rolled out of my bag on the plane. I know, I know, it was a long shot, but hope springs eternal. After called the 800 number for Virgin Air, I was referred to Philadelphia airport lost and found and thence to the "local" Virgin America number where I had to leave a message. Then I found the gosh darn water bottle. I was very heppy. I also brought home another water bottle cause it had touristic information on it about the San Francisco Bay. And a really cool Diet Coke container that we don't have in New Jersey. This is why I have a problem with STUFF.

A robo call from Mitt

Suprised to get a call from a Republican. Usually, I don't. If you are looking for one more reason to NOT vote for Mitt, check out the editorial by Timothy Egan in today's (9/28/12) New York Times called "The geography of nope". It is about the Republican plan to remove public lands from the province of the public.

The squirrels are busy. Little tops of acorns lying all around. Then I saw what looked like red beads from a necklace on the ground. Hmmm, I thought, what were little girls doing in my yard? But they were BERRIES from a bush. I looked out the window and saw a squirrel eating SOMETHING off of that overgrown bush.

Last night heard 2 girls(?)YELLING and BANGING ON DOORS around 10 PM outside. This morning I saw I had new neighbors. Already I do not like them. I LOVE having empty apartments all around me, as I am basically a hermit, disguised as a social butterfly. And neighbors fill me with dread. Then I looked out the window and saw two shopping carts, leading me to the conclusion that my new neighbors are the type of people who STEAL. In my truly obsessive fashion, I maintain a database called "neighborhood". Therein, I record dates and incidents and addresses, etc., of obnoxious activity in my neighborhood. This activity could be barking dogs, loud parties, music or loud speakers, drug dealing, cursing, yelling and banging on doors late at night, or domestic violence shared with all. I am the rare homeowner in a neighborhood of rentals. Need I say more? Usually, I just WAIT them out, but I might have to provide documentation to the police or the landlord someday. We have an "equal opportunity" annoying neighbor policy around here. Young, white, black, Mexican....they all have gotten on my nerves. Not too many problems with middle-aged single people like myself, but then, who knows what THEY are thinking about me?

Hanging around a historical society doing personal and volunteer stuff. Didn't get much done. Trying to make it a weekly occasion. I've been up for hours. Nice to have a leisurely morning at home. Usually I have to RUSH out and get to library before the annoying people take up all the good spots.

In my retirement I was looking forward to getting up every day around 8 or 9 AM. But now I seem to be waking up at 3 or 5 AM. "Leaping" out of bed might be a bit of an exaggeration but I do seem to have a lot to do.

Sunday took a friend out to the Millville arts, music and antiques fair. It was very pleasant due to great weather. Good for "meet and greet". Good food from local vegan restaurant. I was drawn to the advertizement of 60 musical performers, but then I decided that there was TOO MUCH music and some of it was TOO LOUD and not so good. There was a thrill in the air about the soft opening of the Levoy Theater. It is a really LONG story including a complete collapse in the middle of the renovating. The event later on that night included silent films, actual orchestra, antique cars and people in period dress. I didn't actually go to it but it looked really cool in the newspaper photos.

Things I love:
playlist.com (I LOVE listening to MY music)
Car talk (show on NPR)
Greenwich for lack of traffic and plethora of birds

Things I hate:
playlist.com (it is very tempermental)
businesses that fail and leave sign that says "SALE - COME IN"
women losing their middle names when they get married

It seems that the word is divided - 50%?
Republicans versus Democrats
Iphones versus whatever else there is
People with apps versus people without apps

"What kind of a Democrat are YOU!?" yelled my friend when she heard that I didn't watch the convention last night. I know I should change my TV watching policy which is, if I'm home and it is on, I will watch it (for five minutes). I know everyone else in the world is DVRing it, but....

One good thing about Facebook: you can see which of your ex-coworkers and ex-boyfriends are Republicans. How COULD they!

School bus nightmare today. It took me twice as long as normal to get around. One bus sat there so long delivering the school children that I turned off my car. Then I backed up and turned around to go another way. Then I ran into a car blocking the road who had tried a similar maneuver but had a fender-bender with another car. So I turned around AGAIN. I swear that bus was holding up traffic for at least 15 minutes.
I was driving along a street which was recently cited as the most poverty-stricken street in New Jersey. The kids were pretty solidly Mexican with a few African-Americans thrown in for good measure. How things change. I tried to just feel good about the fact that they were all getting a fresh start and making progress with their free education.

Strange but true: the song Strange fruit was written by a white Jewish guy from the Bronx.

Addictions:
- one cup (no more) of coffee each day
- one bottle of Diet Coke (no more, but definitely no less)

I have to get the bottle so I can get the code for mycokerewards.com. I have gotten a couple of magazine subscriptions through that. I asked someone downtown if she stocked Diet Coke and she responded, "No, we do not stock ANY of that imperial rat juice". That would be Coke OR Pepsi.