Fireworks.
Happy Fourth of July, or Independence Day for Americans. N. Korea was so excited for us that they shot of some really big fireworks today. Thanks guys, it's good to know you care.
I'm out of sorts this holiday. No annual get together, which I miss, but hopefully some time soon we few, we happy few, can get together again for some chow and chat.
My first pastel
We went to the parade this morning. My neighbors boys were on a float and other neighbors down the street had his little girls on another. Minutemen, old cars, some bands... and hawkers. The usual. But fun.
The girl in front of me seemed to think the idea of the parade was to gather as much of the thrown candy as possible. They had a bundle. One woman said a local parade threw out so much candy the kids were leaving it on the street. Yes, this is America, land of plenty of waste.
I will say the candy hoarders were at least good about clapping for the parade participants. Ever notice if one person claps, others will join in? I think it's the least you can do is clap for the people who make the effort to march 2 miles or so for your gratification.
Standing behind me on the side of the road were a few younger people. They were chatting about the parade the whole time. I gathered that they were not from around here. But where they were from I could not tell. They all sounded American, not a bit of an accent. But they seemed clueless about history, and one asked why there were only American cars in the parade (old cars, muscle cars). He also didn't recognize one band's rendition of a Star Wars tune. I probably should have concluded they were aliens after that. I mean, who the hell doesn't know the music from Star Wars?
My mother in law told us she is participating in the open studio in November where she rents space to do her sculpture. Only problem is that she and her husband are going to be in Italy. Oops. So she wants Ryther and I to run her open house, and excuse her absence by explaining she's studying the Masters in Italy. lol. It could be fun. We have to serve wine, sell stuff if anyone wants to buy. She said I could put out any of my own stuff if I wanted to. I might just make some jewelry or maybe even some small paintings. Oh, yeah, right. I guess I'd have to paint something to do that. Maybe I'll just do some bracelets. Cant hurt right? And hey, Christmas would be just around the corner. I've go to do something with these beads that I've acquired.
And speaking of junk I've acquired, I was whipping at the cemetery Friday and noticed something tucked behind a rock in the wall. I took it out and what I thought was a drug stash was actually a little Tupperware type box with a notebook in it, and a rubber stamp. Inside the book were other people's stamped entries, dated with different notes. So since Grafix has left me with all these stamps from her days as a Stampin Up addict, I figure I would add my own stamp entry to the collection. I have the perfect stamp, one of a cluster of old gravestones. I wonder if it's a geo cash thing. Not sure how those work.
Ok, on to politics, boring stuff.
Palin, run for future office? No way. She's done. You don't' get respect by leaving the job in the middle or your term, esp. as things are getting 'difficult'. It again shows how wishy washy she is. I don't care how down homey you think she is. She's a bad politician. Kind of like how all our previous governors have bailed out to go somewhere better. It didn't do them much good. At least Romney finished his term. He was the first in a while. (and no I don't miss him, and what's up with the 'official' portrate, with his head framed by another frame in the background? Bad Bad positioning, unless it has some hidden meaning.)
Gay rights. I know Wolfgaar likes to say about the gay marriage debate that gays already have the same rights as everyone else, and they want special rights. NPR had something on about Don't ask Don't tell this morning. How is it equal when if you are gay and you live with someone, you have to 'de gay' your house so that no one knows you are gay and have a lover? What strait people, even unmarried or hell, even married to other people and having affairs, have to take down photos and diplomas off the wall or risk being thrown out of the military? Why is it equal that when you are gay, your partner cannot be listed as the person to notify IF YOU DIE in the service of your country? But if you are strait, you could list some whore off the street to be notified and the government would pay to have them sent over to see you if you are injured? Fair, right? Equal, right? Even if you are legally married in a state that allows gay marriage, you still cant get the same benefits as a strait couple. That's not equality. And it's not 'extra' rights to get the same treatment. Just pisses me off that people still think that if they don't talk about something, it doesn't exist. It's just really stupid.
So Happy Birthday America, with all your flaws. Because I can write this, and so far, no one is censoring it. Still beats Iran ten ways to Sunday.
I'm out of sorts this holiday. No annual get together, which I miss, but hopefully some time soon we few, we happy few, can get together again for some chow and chat.
My first pastel
We went to the parade this morning. My neighbors boys were on a float and other neighbors down the street had his little girls on another. Minutemen, old cars, some bands... and hawkers. The usual. But fun.
The girl in front of me seemed to think the idea of the parade was to gather as much of the thrown candy as possible. They had a bundle. One woman said a local parade threw out so much candy the kids were leaving it on the street. Yes, this is America, land of plenty of waste.
I will say the candy hoarders were at least good about clapping for the parade participants. Ever notice if one person claps, others will join in? I think it's the least you can do is clap for the people who make the effort to march 2 miles or so for your gratification.
Standing behind me on the side of the road were a few younger people. They were chatting about the parade the whole time. I gathered that they were not from around here. But where they were from I could not tell. They all sounded American, not a bit of an accent. But they seemed clueless about history, and one asked why there were only American cars in the parade (old cars, muscle cars). He also didn't recognize one band's rendition of a Star Wars tune. I probably should have concluded they were aliens after that. I mean, who the hell doesn't know the music from Star Wars?
My mother in law told us she is participating in the open studio in November where she rents space to do her sculpture. Only problem is that she and her husband are going to be in Italy. Oops. So she wants Ryther and I to run her open house, and excuse her absence by explaining she's studying the Masters in Italy. lol. It could be fun. We have to serve wine, sell stuff if anyone wants to buy. She said I could put out any of my own stuff if I wanted to. I might just make some jewelry or maybe even some small paintings. Oh, yeah, right. I guess I'd have to paint something to do that. Maybe I'll just do some bracelets. Cant hurt right? And hey, Christmas would be just around the corner. I've go to do something with these beads that I've acquired.
And speaking of junk I've acquired, I was whipping at the cemetery Friday and noticed something tucked behind a rock in the wall. I took it out and what I thought was a drug stash was actually a little Tupperware type box with a notebook in it, and a rubber stamp. Inside the book were other people's stamped entries, dated with different notes. So since Grafix has left me with all these stamps from her days as a Stampin Up addict, I figure I would add my own stamp entry to the collection. I have the perfect stamp, one of a cluster of old gravestones. I wonder if it's a geo cash thing. Not sure how those work.
Ok, on to politics, boring stuff.
Palin, run for future office? No way. She's done. You don't' get respect by leaving the job in the middle or your term, esp. as things are getting 'difficult'. It again shows how wishy washy she is. I don't care how down homey you think she is. She's a bad politician. Kind of like how all our previous governors have bailed out to go somewhere better. It didn't do them much good. At least Romney finished his term. He was the first in a while. (and no I don't miss him, and what's up with the 'official' portrate, with his head framed by another frame in the background? Bad Bad positioning, unless it has some hidden meaning.)
Gay rights. I know Wolfgaar likes to say about the gay marriage debate that gays already have the same rights as everyone else, and they want special rights. NPR had something on about Don't ask Don't tell this morning. How is it equal when if you are gay and you live with someone, you have to 'de gay' your house so that no one knows you are gay and have a lover? What strait people, even unmarried or hell, even married to other people and having affairs, have to take down photos and diplomas off the wall or risk being thrown out of the military? Why is it equal that when you are gay, your partner cannot be listed as the person to notify IF YOU DIE in the service of your country? But if you are strait, you could list some whore off the street to be notified and the government would pay to have them sent over to see you if you are injured? Fair, right? Equal, right? Even if you are legally married in a state that allows gay marriage, you still cant get the same benefits as a strait couple. That's not equality. And it's not 'extra' rights to get the same treatment. Just pisses me off that people still think that if they don't talk about something, it doesn't exist. It's just really stupid.
So Happy Birthday America, with all your flaws. Because I can write this, and so far, no one is censoring it. Still beats Iran ten ways to Sunday.