"Boss, da brain, da brain!"

Yes, stupid headache. I can see why ancient man drilled holes in the skull to relieve the pressure. On Thursday, I'll be back to normal. No snickers from the peanut gallery, ok? Either the headache will go away, or the Relpax will arrive in the mail.

I'll answer emails and such later, when up isn't down, north isn't south, and right isn't left. :)

For the love of all that's holy, DON'T wake him up!!!

From Slate.com:

Chinese doctors performed the world's first documented penis transplant. An unexplained accident left the patient with a "small stump," unable to urinate properly or have sex. Doctors gave him the penis of a brain-dead man whose parents agreed to donate it. Good news: After 10 days, he could "urinate smoothly" and showed no signs of tissue rejection. Bad news: After two weeks, "because of the wife's psychological rejection as well as the swollen shape of the transplanted penis," the organ "regretfully had to be cut off." Upbeat conclusion: We're figuring out the human body. Skeptical conclusion: We still have no clue about the human mind.

His WIFE rejected the organ? Next thing you'll know, there'll be penis farms and catalogs. PeniBay.com is next, I'm sure. I don't even want to know what sort of spam I'll get over this. Still, it's worth it.

What about the donor? What if the doctors are wrong about him being brain-dead? I mean, look at the whole Terri Shiavo can of worms. Can you imagine the poor guy asking his parents "You did WHAT? I NEEDED that!"

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll answer Maenwyn's comment to the prior post. Since she pointed out I was wrong concerning the pagan/occult thing, my ears closed and have just now opened back up. Me? Wrong? Nawwww! Surely you jest.

In Which I Wax Pissy

First the nice stuff: Class was fun, yesterday, as I said. We had a good time, I think, and everyone learned something. My learning was, I learned to avoid invisible cast ons. Not that I'll never do one, just that I'm avoiding them.

I'm not leaving the house today. Not going to, and not even knitting needles being half off at Hobby Lobby is going to sway me. Why? One day this week, while going to Hyvee to drop off deposits (our bank is in there) and picking up some crab salad, some idiot left their cart out. Was it a windy day? Yes it was. Did it hit the pickup? Yes it did. Did I curse at the top of my lungs? Sailors would have cried in pain at my language. I sincerely hope that whoever left the cart heard me and was afraid. They needed to be. Every single time I go into a cart-bearing store, I drag one of those mudderfudders in. Like an idiot, I'm saving some jerk who doesn't deserve its car from the beautiful scrape I now have.

You'd think the rock hitting my windshield yesterday and putting in a spider-like crack in it would further enrage me, but no. That was an accident. No one drove over a rock to kick it up to damage whoever was behind. The crack is the size of a quarter and we're already researching dent and ding places.

If you have enough energy to grocery shop, dragging your feeble carcass through the store for all those sugar laden snacks, then you have enough energy to put your f'ing cart up, all right? The life you save will be your own.

A couple of other things that struck me as not right.

First of all is that Gay Senator. I watched his interview on Oprah, shilling his new book and showing off his boyfriend. I have no problem with him being gay, none with him being in office, none with him wanting to hide his orientation because it IS rough to go against the grain. There's not even a problem with him falling in love with a guy and slipping up. The way it sounded, it was the first time he'd ever done what he really wanted. Well, ok, I can understand.

What does bother me about this whole thing is the guy has now found God. I think he has, at least, because every other sentence had the word God in it. Is that a bad thing? Not necessarily, but the fact the guy had adulterous relationships all through his marriages IS a bad thing. Especially since he's written a book and his profiting from the scandal. We're supposed to overlook his affairs because he's gay. It's ok because he wasn't 'doing' women. Ummm hmmm. Bottom line is he made a promise to forsake all others, not to forsake only women. Next, it'll be ok for men to have affairs with women because, poor things, they're male lesbeanns. (Misspelled intentionally. For some reason, spammers think I'm totally not hetero and have male equipment that resembles little smokie wieners. Let's not add to that with a web reference to me, mmmkay?)

While we're on politics, lets go to Planned Parenthood. I'm on their mailing list. Can a person be pro life and pro choice? Sure! I don't think anyone should be forced into carrying a child, it's such a personal thing. But, I also don't think abortion should be a form of casual birth control. For me, it's one of those "In Case Of Emergency" things, not one of those, "I ran out of condoms, I'll get an abortion if I need it later." The birth control pill was invented by a Catholic doctor, trying to help overgrown and poverty stricken families. He ended up being very bitter over the Vatican's rejection of his efforts and I don't blame him. I think women ought to have free access to any form of birth control, just like men do. The pharmacists who refuse to carry the Pill should take condoms and other contraceptives off their shelf. Don't half-ass your beliefs, otherwise, it's discrimination.

Oddly enough, that isn't the rant. Who is the group most opposed to a woman's right to choose how her body is used in reproduction? Conservative Christians. That's neither good or bad, just the way it is. So when I get an email from Planned Parenthood titled "Release the Goddess within", I cringe. Sure enough, inside is a fundraiser (still ok), with vendors, talking about releasing your own inner goddess, inviting all goddesses and those who love them, and offering free tarot and palm readings.

Sigh. How will this paganistic event go over with the conservatives? "Turd in a punchbowl" comes to mind. No wonder these two are at odds. One group is quoting scripture while the other is dancing around a bonfire. The conservatives strike me as the most closed minded of the two groups, and they'll never be convinced to let women choose for themselves if Planned Parenthood takes a paganistic approach. Once you mention anything remotely related to New Age, the Christians' ears snap shut. Which is to be expected. Part of being human is not wanting to hear that you're wrong, and they do happen to be human. Neither side is all wrong or all right. Still, if Planned Parenthood wants to make actual inroads to a woman's right to birth control, they need to learn the conservative's language.

In other news... My mailman is a staunch conspiracy theorist. I'm sure he wins the "Most Likely To Go Postal" award every year. The nice thing is he likes me. Whew, huh? I'm sure he'd approve of my wonderings. ;) I'm thinking, the president's family is big oil. Venezuela produces a lot of oil. Could it be that our leader has somehow got their leader to talk smack about him? Think about it. The administration isn't saying anything about the trash talk, not wanting to dignify the comments with a retort, while all the Democrats are defending our own guy. Only Americans can call the president an idiot alcoholic? Um, yeah. Gas prices are lower and the Dems are defending him, so he's an ok guy? I'm sorry, go sell 'crazy' somewhere else. My memory, while notoriously bad, does go back longer than two weeks. Try again.

Told you I was pissy. Could it be the black of what I'm currently knitting rubbing off and making me look like my hands mine coal? Probably. ;)

Blogger is supposed to be out, now, but let's try anyway

Oh my gosh! I'm so tired from class today. Yeah, it wasn't bad or anything, but stressfull, anyway. Why? Well, it was Intermediate Knitting at Lee's Summit. They already have a great group meeting there once a month, so they're true intermediates.

I'll post more later, after Blogger does the upgrade/server maintenance today.

A Lot Has Happened Since Thursday

I don't think the snail up above is going to move until I move. We're doing a family stroll around the neighborhood every evening, so I'm hoping for results that I know I won't see. Not pessimistic, just realistic.

I've opened a new post at least twice, then someone needed the computer and I let them bump me off. Fry, Hubs, one of them. The dress, classes, wrapping up some sewing UFOs, decluttering the sewing stuff, all kept me busy. I stopped by C&C (a mostly cross stitch store that carries some yarn) on Thursday, then went to Stitch Knitch yesterday in search of the elusive Regia 5033. I ended up ordering it from Stitch Knitch, since they're so nice. I've got everything I need for the girls in my family a Christmas gift.

Also, there's been no posts because I don't know how to say this. Every morning, I look out of the bathroom window to check on Herbie. Saturday, I noticed Herbie's food overturned. This didn't look good. I went to his coop, and all there was left was a bunch of feathers. When something has got a chicken, sometimes that's all that IS left. Not so in this case. I found Herbie under the river birch, where some cat had drug him. We forgot to tell him when a cat asks you over for dinner, say NO. Fry was pretty soggy all day, and still very sad the next. Everyone fussing over her Pilgrim dress lifted her spirits. She and her dad went on an outing Saturday afternoon while I taught class in Parkville, then, I dealt with the chicken.

Sometimes, women's lib bites. We're still not treated equally, and when all is said and done, we still have to do the grossest stuff around the house. Herbie stayed together very well as I wrapped him in the fleece and put him in a shoebox. Happily, Fry watches "My Name Is Earl", too, so when I explained away my giggles by saying "The episode where Randy finds Crackers," she understood. Here are the quotes I thought of every time I saw the shoebox.

Randy finds a shoebox buried in the garden

Randy: Hey look Earl, somebody buried a pair of shoes.
Earl: Randy, hold on!
Randy: Aah! It’s a cat’s skeleton! I should name him Crackers after our cat that used to sleep in the street.

Then later:

Randy: (to Earl)Number 67, ran over crackers. What kind of crackers did you run over? Saltines? Did it make a crunchy sound?

It's not cool to giggle at a chicken's funeral. Fry was saying, "I'm going to miss him, his little face, his little beak," to which I thought, "his little drumstick, battered and baked."

Clearly, I'm a finalist in the "Most Insensitive Mother" contest. Poor baby, she was really distraught. I did refrain from fixing anything chicken for dinner. I'm looking forward to taking down the coop and storing it for the next chicken, she's wanting to turn it into a shrine. Um, no.

I want to thank everyone for the suggestions, they were good ones and will probably be used for the next chicken.

Oh! I did start the second lacy sock, second verse same as the first, and will post pictures once I get to the heel. That may take a while, since I'd rather hit a comfort level on the Christmas knits before working on my own things. Toppa, Fry, Hubs and I are all going to the SSK this Saturday. Some are lured by the food and coffee, others by the internet connection. I, of course, am there for the great company and sheer fun. :)

Friday will be much more fun.

Really it will. There'll be action, excitement, and pictures. Cat pictures, chicken pictures, all sorts of great bandwidth suckers.

In a nutshell,
Tuesday: Peeling wallpaper in the kitchen, general decluttering.
Wednesday: Shopping for weedeater parts/new weedeater, and beginning a sewing project.
Thursday: Teaching class (beginning knitting, very fun!), and cutting fabric.

Yes, very exciting if you love to yawn.

Fry wants to wear a Pilgrim dress to the Sons of the American Revolution event. One of the other Children of the American Revolution kids will be wearing colonial so Fry needs to, too. This dress will be simpler than the one for confirmation. No lining or scalloped edges. Lots of fabric, though. Yikes!

Have I ever mentioned I never took Home Ec? After the chicken coop fiasco, I'm ashamed to admit I took farm ed, instead. Not to worry, Wednesday, I found better posts for the chicken coop. Goals are, dress done on Saturday, coop on Sunday.

Does anyone know how to keep a chicken warm in the winter? I'm not bringing Herbie into the house, and I can't find a pattern for a chicken sweater. He does have his own blanket, a fleece remnant from Joann's. I'm thinking of knitting him one, too, an acrylic and easily washable.

Let's Go Here, And Here, But Not There.

First of all, wouldn't it be nice to have Madrid bans too-thin models from catwalk apply to your own self? Sigh. And not in an I've-had-a-dread-issue-or-disease way, either. In a "Yes, I eat lots of cheesey goodness and NEVER exercise," way.

Simply Lacey Sock part two is on the needles! I've not only got to, but past the part where I had to rip all out last Saturday. I'll do a lot to keep from undoing all I've done, but the mistakes were too much. The sock is going faster now, and I'm hoping to be finished before I started.

Where we don't want to boldy go.

The whole 9-11 thing makes me cranky. Of course it does, since so many innocents died, right? Sure, that's one reason. The main one, really. Another is Bin Laden is jumping up and down, going "Over here! Over here! I did it, I'm proud I did it and I'll do it again. Nyeh, nyeh, nyeh, you can't catch me!"

We've lost more people in Iraq, who had nothing to do with 9-11, than we did on that horrible one day. Sure, they had an evil dictator for a leader, one who listened in on their conversations, made decisions unilaterally, and imprisoned people without due process, but he was their leader. Since they couldn't elect him out of office, the ones who didn't want to live under his regime, who wanted to be ruled by America, are now called Iraqi-Americans. What did the 41000-46000 Iraqi casualties in the war specifically do against the US and Allies, again? Get in the way of profits, I guess.

They're not us, so we don't care, right? If they die, there's more for us.

See? We didn't want to go there. Sarcasm just doesn't translate well in the written word. If I'm wrong, by all means, don't let me live in ignorace. Comment away. Links lead to support of all statements. While my ass is cute, I don't like to talk out of it. Much.

It's Quiz Time!

I stole this from Camie Vog, who is at Perfect Blue Buildings on my Blogroll.

Katharine Hepburn
You scored 21% grit, 23% wit, 47% flair, and 16% class!
You are the fabulously quirky and independent woman of character. You go your own way, follow your own drummer, take your own lead. You stand head and shoulders next to your partner, but you are perfectly willing and able to stand alone. Others might be more classically beautiful or conventionally woman-like, but you possess a more fundamental common sense and off-kilter charm, making interesting men fall at your feet. You can pick them up or leave them there as you see fit. You share the screen with the likes of Spencer Tracy and Cary Grant, thinking men who like strong women.



My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender:

You scored higher than 99% on grit

You scored higher than 99% on wit

You scored higher than 99% on flair

You scored higher than 99% on class

Link: The Classic Dames Test written by gidgetgoes on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the 32-Type Dating Test

So, am I to deduce that not many 40+ females took this test? Ha!

Blogs without many pictures are horrible and boring, aren't they? I'll have to change that. Probably tomorrow, since I'd already gone to Michael's, Target, and talked to Mom since starting the post and I want this done already.

I wasn't paying attention (what a shock!!) and Trekking along is done! I'm NOT done with the pair. One, yes, but not two. As much as I'm razzing Carol about finishing her toes, I should at least start the second socks, right?

In the meantime, the grey sweater is slowly growing, and the purple cardigan is on tonight's knitting agenda. Hubs is at Army Reserve tonight, but will be coming home, yay! I thought it was a camp over weekend drill, so any time with him is good time. I'll get picture happy later and show off all the stuff he brought us.

He and I, because we're goofy and stuck in the 80's, love Hard Rock Cafe. Did he bring back Hard Rock t-shirts from South Korea? OF course he did. It's silly, but we go out of our way on trips to get a shirt from the Cafe. Some of the Hard Rocks, we went to together, some while apart. Fry loves them, too, which is funny. Very retro of her, don't you think?

Cute Fry story: She loves to have one of her parents to herself. Because of Hubs being away for so long, when he had to run errands one day this week, she encouraged me to stay home with a, "Oh, you don't need to go with us, Mom. Stay home and rest, take a break." Hubs, on the other hand, missed me too, so he vetoed that.

She's going to have her nose out of joint for a while. It seems my baby sister Goopa is wanting knitted items, per my Mom. Ummm hmmm. When I cast on, Fry will mosy by, assuming it's for her. If my family members want knits for Christmas, now is a very good time to let me know type, style, color. Before I go crazy and sign up for any more Knit A Longs.

Yes, those are angels you're hearing

My new DSL modem is here! Oh yay! Call me, "Spoiled Rotten". DSL rocks. Insto-net.

Of course, in my rush to catch up on other bloggers, knit and otherwise, I've not got a lot done. Oooops. Oh well. The bed is made, dishes are soaking, and I ate lunch.

I know. Some days I shoot for perfection. Others, I'd settle for sub-human. ;)


::this is the part where I can't sit still for any longer and run around, cleaning::


Dang! It's already 4:00pm! I took a bit of a detour, feeding the cat, folding clothes, filling up the ponds.

Did anyone notice Project Spectrum is done? Whew! I miss the color of the month, but like the idea of falling behind and no pressure. Just in time for Christmas knitting, if I do anything in the gift area, anyway.

Sliding into home!

The final mits entry:

I can't live, if living is without you...

Our DSL modem died while we were gone. I know. Tragedy. I told ATT it was their fault they had me spoiled rotten to the speed. It's not T1, but still. I'm totally NOT going with a Time Warner cable package. The last time our cable went out, I'd called Time Warner and they said they'd send someone out in a week. So, if the cable went out and I had a package deal of landline phone, internet, and TV, all of the above would be out for a week? You got it! So there's no way I'm going without all three, if nothing else for safety reasons. During tornado season, that's not an option.

What's going to be fun is my neighbors seeing my pale and bloated body stagger outside, blinded by the sun, because there's no reason to be glued to the computer.

Yeah, I exaggerate. I also get Fry all to myself tomorrow. Serious playtime. We should clean, especially the miraculously reappearing carpet stain. Isn't that what the first day of school is for? The Mom cleans the wreckage from the long weekend?

A brief update on the Fiber Fest and Hannibal Missouri. Great! There was fiber, sheep, and I got to see my future spinning wheel in the flesh wood. We toured Mark Twain's childhood stomping grounds and beloved Hubs called from South Korea. Good times, good times. ;) There'll be pictures of all this when a) they're developed, and b) when the new modem is hooked up.

What do I need?

All right. You see it in the title. What do I need? Not yarn, I have plenty of that. I went to the Bait and Switch store this morning. There wasn't a thousand balls of yarn, before or after I was there.

I love comments, by the way. 99% of them are positive, and the rest are just helpful. :D The horrible ones don't get past the verification process, happily.

Let's slap some Friday fun around first.

You scored as SG-1 (Stargate). You are versatile and diverse in your thinking. You have an open mind to that which seems highly unlikely and accept it with a bit of humor. Now if only aliens would stop trying to take over your body. SG-1 (Stargate) 81% Moya (Farscape) 75% Deep Space Nine (Star Trek) 75% Enterprise D (Star Trek) 69% Babylon 5 (Babylon 5) 63% Millennium Falcon (Star Wars) 63% Nebuchadnezzar (The Matrix) 56% Serenity (Firefly) 44% FBI's X-Files Division (The X-Files) 44% Bebop (Cowboy Bebop) 44% Galactica (Battlestar: Galactica) 38% Andromeda Ascendant (Andromeda) 25% Your Ultimate Sci-Fi Profile II: which sci-fi crew would you best fit in? (pics) created with QuizFarm.com

Tomorrow is the World Fiber fest. Yay! Even if there's only one puny sheep and a couple of moulty rabbits, we're running around Hannibal, MO. Fry and I both are big fans of Mark Twain's, and Carol has information on the area, too. I can't wait! We're leaving tomorrow morning, after I set the burglar alarm. :D

So. What do I need? To pack, check animals, eat dinner, and clean house a bit. Maybe that'll shake my bit of blues.