It's important to be warm

Drinking Game for the debates.

And, from that link I got this Prius giveaway. Anyone who doesn’t want one for themselves can totally win one for me. I’ll take care of the taxes, no worries! The rest of the site is worth checking out, too.

And get this! As much as I love 80lb paper, I love my right to vote more:

Sign a petition to protect the vote in Ohio, where the Secretary of State Ken Blackwell is trying to refuse thousands of new voters the right to cast a ballot in the upcoming election — based on the weight of the paper of their application. He is also violating federal law by refusing to accept provisional ballots in most instances.

http://act04.org/paperstock

Filed by joy at 11:20 pm under politics
1 Comment

I had a serious case of nose trouble for the past month or so watching work being done to a house down the block.

So after a long and difficult day of not getting done things that needed doing, I gave myself a treat and dealt with my nose. I took it and myself down the row and stuck it in the house that is being fixed up by a round of men in matching blue shirts. The crew were all very friendly and were totally cool with me exploring the place. They were trying to get it ready to be rented next week. They had a LOT of work to do still, but had come a long way. Apparently the place was sold for nearly nothing (as I found on the county’s website) because it was really in that bad a shape. They had painted the textured plaster walls with glitter and after the humans had moved out, they left their pit bulls in there for at least a month on their own. The fresh young crewman paled a bit as he confided in me that it looked like “a crime scene” in there. “The smell…” he trailed off. Poor kid.

But the place was all fresh now, bright white paint, new subfloors with carpeting ready to put down. It was great to see a place that was the same floor plan, but with several different solutions over the years of HGTV abuse. The wonder of the place that the crew and I chatted about was that the bannister was never painted. It was still lovely natural oak.

I determined mine must be too, so, while chatting with my mom on the phone, I attacked it with gusto. Peeling paint is so good for your aggression! I had my fun, then showed Ian when he came home, and we both took turns making ourselves (and the bannister) feel altogether better.

Witness the diamond in the rough!

Filed by joy at 11:08 pm under crafty
2 Comments

Between the flood of new voters and the fact that the so-called likely voters seems to favor the village idiot while including none of the fresh blood heading to the polls, I think we may have a good shot at this election. This is especially refreshing after all the talk I’ve been a party to speculating when the U.S. borders will be closed. It’s good to consider the worst case scenario, but I’d rather leave with more than the shirt on my back (pants are good, too).

___

I must be getting better; naps no longer make me feel better. I’m not a good napper and usually wake up grumpier than I started, so it’s a bad idea most of the time. All this weekend, I napped like a champ. I woke up feeling better, the whole nappy package. Last night I took a short nap and the only good part was the dream I was having. All the neighbors had pools, all right next to each other in such a way that they were staggered in height just like our rooftops all along the rowhouses. There was a large inner-tube-type boat that we were planning to coast down the series of pools, like a waterpark adventure ride. Milling around in someone else’s kitchen, we neighbors were all chatting and were very excited about this coming together.

I was having a really good dream this morning, but sadly, I’ve forgotten it. Dangit, didn’t take notes soon enough. It was probably banished by the fact that I’ll be creating a poster from a dreamscape from awhile back that it still surprisingly vivid in my mind.

Filed by joy at 6:54 pm under life
No Comments

Ian fixed this old mirror this weekend and we made some progress, slowly but surely.

Filed by joy at 11:32 pm under crafty
4 Comments

Ha. Watch this video. It brought a smile even to my snot-filled visage. Thanks to Stu.

Filed by joy at 6:38 pm under politics
1 Comment

I’m sick. Well, I’m sick of a lot of things, but actually at the moment, I’m sneezing and coughing and generally miserable.

So I’m watching addictively dumb tv and reading more online. I think I’ll go curl up with McSweeney’s book now.

Now everyone go and read: Juan Cole, for this and so much more, props to Riverbend.

There were fireworks tonight. I don’t know or care why, but they were amazingly loud even though I couldn’t see a thing. The more the war drags on, the more some say that American cities are just as dangerous as Iraqi cities (!!), the more I wonder and fear that for too many people, that sounds of bombs bursting in air is just as loud, more common, and not in celebration.

Filed by joy at 11:40 pm under life
1 Comment

Because I do not wish to be remembered as a “Sensible Liberal” I’m just gonna keep at and quote another rabid liberal, your pal and mine, Michael Moore when I paraphrase, “ENOUGH handwringing, just vote for fuck’s sake.”

Found it at Freedom or Fascism while I’m at this linking party.

Rove probably planted those CBS memos shouting the old standard that just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t out to get you.

Hey, BuckFush.

Filed by joy at 9:56 am under politics
No Comments

Just a few days left to update or add yourself to the registration list. I do hope that anyone reading this is registered and has VOTE: NOVEMBER 2 in red ink on their calendar.

Anyone who has questions, you know how to contact me.

Filed by joy at 9:42 am under politics
No Comments

The best season of the year is here. Susan called it, and she couldn’t be more right.

As we left the house, I sucked in the air like a snake getting the news. “It smells like winter. I’m so pleased,” I sighed.

Ian replied, “You’re crazy.” Poor non-mammal that he is. He’s already cold and I’m thrilled to open the windows and put on sweaters.

Up the road a bit, the sign has changed outside of our local coffeehouse. “Come in for hot apple cider.” I trilled as I drove by. It’s gingersnaps and tea and soup with crusty bread. It’s Autumn and it is delicious.

Filed by joy at 4:37 pm under life
1 Comment

Last night’s sunset was glorious. Pardon the jpeging on these, they really are clear as a bell. I lurve my new camera.

Filed by joy at 12:23 pm under visuals
1 Comment