Today in My History

2001:   Cherish the Children
2002:  Something Funny...Freezing...Fishy
2003:  Keep Coming Back, It Works
2004:  Indians and Chiefs
2005:  Give Me a Sign
2006:  Fool Me Once
2007:   Day #1
2008:  Turning 70 in Style
2009:  Sushi Night

Books Read in 2010
 
Updated: 1/20
"The Weight of Gold"

The Putah Creek Crawdads
from Bev Sykes on Vimeo.

And on You Tube

MEAN, NASTY ME

29 January 2010

I'm not always the sweet, lovable blogger that you see here day in and day out (stop laughing).  And I came across a meme that will let me prove that!

Foods which disgust the crap out of me:  Liver, beets, oysters

TV show I loathe:  The Martha Stewart show.   I don't know why, but the woman rubs me the wrong way.  Add to that Celebrity Apprentice and any of the reality shows which are designed to get people into bed with one other.

Movie I loathe:  The Barbra Streisand A Star Is Born and what she did to Prince of Tides (which is surprising, since generally speaking I really like Barbra Streisand).  And also, I know it's supposed to be the very best movie ever made, but I never "got" Citizen Kane.

Music genres I loathe:  Heavy Metal

Magazine which annoys me:  O Magazine because it seems to be about half ads for things I can't afford. I also hate any sort of tabloid journal.  People Magazine isn't too bad and I'll read it in a doctor's office, if it's there, but when you get into National Inquirer and that ilk, I turn away.

Makes me cranky at restaurant:  People who let their children get down and run around the restaurant annoying other people who are trying to eat.

Makes me cranky in public: Big stores which seem to have no salespeople around ever.

Makes me cranky in general: Going four whole months without a cousins' day!!!!!!

Pisses me off at home:  Unflushed dog poop

Pisses me off in general: Homophobia.  Intolerance.   And bad grammar!  I have TWICE this week seen sentences like "He gave the thing to whomever answered the door."  Normally you would say "to whom" but if you diagram that sentence, it would be "to WHOEVER answered the door" because "whoever" is the subject of "answered the door."  I applaud someone trying to remember that "whom" should follow a preposition, but....wrong.  Not if the word is also the subject of a clause.

Makes me impatient at home:  Grammatical typos that my brain seems to make all the time lately, typing things that I didn't mean to say and that make no sense.  It's another indication that I am getting older and I don't like it.

Makes me impatient in public: Long lines.  Though I've tried to develop a zen state about that lately and it doesn't bother me as much as it used to.  Having the Kindle app for the iTouch helps greatly!

Celebrity I hate: I don't think I "hate" anybody (well, there are exceptions--see the very last question).  But I don't think much of any of the anorexic bimbos who make headlines for their outrageous behavior.  Oh wait.  I might make an exception for that reality TV guy, Spencer somebody whom I had the misfortune to see on a show a couple of nights before I turned it off in disgust.   I might actually hate him.

I could care less about:  The sex lives of any politician or celebrity

Annoys the crap out of me weekdays: Chris Matthews.  I used to enjoy Hardball, now it just annoys me.

Annoys the crap out of me weekends:  Endless football (sorry, Tom!)

Blogger I hate:  Well, I don't hate any blogger.   I don't know them.  But there are some that annoy me.  I know that Douce is so popular that she has become a real time TV celebrity, but I just can't get into her blog.  I've tried many times.  There is also another blog I've followed for many years which is becoming tiresome because its whole tone has changed (says she whose blog has also become tiresome over the years!) and also because the writer seems to actively dislike me.

Blogger's habit that annoys you: I hate tiny grey print on a black background.  I won't be back to your blog ever, no matter how well it is written.  I also don't like people who routinely use either very poor grammar or write in blogger shorthand.  I especially roll my eyes at older people using "u" and "r" and other such abbreviations that I associate with adolescent texting.  I also don't like embedded music or sound effects that I can't turn off.  I like to read in silence.

Feature on your blog you hate: I don't really hate anything on my blog, but I've been trying to come up with a new design for about four years now and seem to be stuck in a rut (this is for Funny the World, not for Airy Persiflage).  I hate that I have so little design creativity.

Movie star you despise: I don't know any movie star personally, so "despise" is a strong word, but I will not spend money to see any muscle-bound neanderthal beating people up.  (Now Jack Bauer...that's another story!)

Politician that you hate: That one's easy -- Dick Cheney.   I don't care if he's nice to kittens and puppies in private, his sneer makes my skin crawl.

On the request of Shelly & Ellen, I am passing this along. It's definitely a worthwhile thing.  It will take only a moment of your time and I hope you consider it.

Singer/Songwriter Cathy Speck is a finalist in the Tom's of Maine "Hero Next Door" contest. Cathy has incurable ALS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (aka Lou Gehrig's disease). Cathy is fearless, but worried about her wife Linda because, even though they are legally married in California, she knows that when she dies Linda will not have access to her Social Security and other benefits.

You can vote for Cathy and read more about her at: http://www.care2.com/hero-next-door/option_list.html.

Please forward this email to everyone you can. It takes almost no time to vote and Cathy and Linda need our help.  Thank you so much for your support for our personal hero and the most inspirational person we have ever met.

Shelly and Ellen

Cathy's Letter to the Editor in our local Davis newspaper is below:

RECOGNIZE OUR LOVE, COMMITMENT

My family, Gene and Dorothy Speck and my zillion siblings, moved to this fine town in 1956. The Specks have many fine traditions in Davis. And although I am honored to be following in the footsteps of my brother Larry and my mom Dorothy, those steps are rapidly becoming aided by a walker and wheelchair.

I have ALS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, aka Lou Gehrig's disease. We have a rare genetic form of familial ALS running through my family. Of course, all of my family, friends and co-workers are being tremendously supportive and compassionate. I feel so fortunate to be living in the community of Davis where love and offers of help so freely abound.

My biggest concern is for my wife, Linda Duval. We were married last November, the day before the election when Prop. 8 passed. (Our state does establish trends for the other 49, so I'd been hoping that we could make progress out here on the "Left Coast.")

Linda and I have been a committed couple since 1993. We live together, love and laugh together, cry together, and make lots of music for our community - always together. Because of the lack of equal marriage rights, Linda will not be able to receive my Social Security benefits when I die. This is just one of the sad realities of what happens when our country doesn't treat its citizens equally.

Someday I hope the United States of America and the great state of California will recognize that our love and commitment are as strong as any heterosexual couple, and that we deserve the same rights and benefits. We pay the same taxes, and we die and leave our loved ones behind. Although I am the eternal optimist, I don't think marriage equality will happen before I die.

But when equality is manifested, you all will hear my booming voice bouncing off clouds and dancing with the rays of sun. And I will be singing of thanks and praise. And Love. Always remember Love - with a capital "L."

Cathy Speck

PHOTO OF THE DAY

We found a new sushi place.  Not as good as Osaka,and
the spicy tuna (my previous favorite) was a HUGE disappointment.
But dinner was good, even if we did have a mixture of
Japanese and Chinese food!

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