I'm sort of all set to go home on the 18th. "sort of" because I got the time off and I have e-tickets. I still have the last test next Thursday and then I'll feel like I'm getting there, or anywhere. I haven't set an itinerary yet, but I'd like to go to Maine to see Ron and Jess at the Resort, and then there is the whole Deerfield Massacre shindig. Abby would like to go to Monica and Jane's new restaurant in Newport. There is always the option of doing little and drinking beer...hmm...beer. What to do? One thing I can get done will be to mow the cemetery where I already have a spot for myself. Creepy or not?

Read this from This Modern World:

"Meanwhile, the Red Cross gave the Army a detailed catalog of sexual and physical abuse at Abu Gharib -- last November 6th.

As far as I can tell, you had to read both the NY Times and the LA Times to get both stories and see the dates line up. But now we know: six months before the world recoiled in horror, the Pentagon absolutely knew what was going on. All of it. And nothing changed."

Ha ha ha, go read this Sylvia comic strip.

I was on my way here to write that I should go for a bike ride while it isn't raining and on the way I signed up for a Gmail account.

I'm registered for the fall Anatomy & Physiology class and I booked a flight home for the last week in June. -A pretty productive computer session. Last week I purchased an external CD burner. I can make mixed-cd's again! Now I need to clean the apartment, thus increasing my chances that an introduced girl would find the place acceptable.

In other news, it looks like Edju will be able to keep his index finger. (fingers crossed) He almost destroyed them (index and thumb) on a table saw at work this last Monday. Maybe the prayers worked. It is good to get news such as this out quickly because all of our intents together, I believe, can help. This is also where a large family comes in handy. Good luck and godspeed.

Monkeys! "We taped off a side kitchen, drove the van up to the door, let the monkeys into the kitchen and went in to sit down ourselves. A monkey fell asleep on my shoulder, and my family kept knocking on the door, but I was so tired, I just let them knock."

Who the hell is looking for murders in Montague Center? I just got a link feedback for this query. We just took our 3rd of 4 exams in the biology class. At work I'm still working hard at trying to get my properties up to speed. I thought the dead leaves were a problem when I started but now everything is growing. Did you know that there are slow and fast growing shrubs? You do now. It is really hard to keep up when you visit the propery once a week and for a limited time. I'm busting my ass trying to keep up. ON top of that There are a bunch of QFC's that were added to my list. Thanks for the song Janet, on c89.5.

"Why would someone capable of being smart choose to be stupid?"

Thomas Friedman finally sees what the president and his pack are up to.

I got the bike back and the valves were off a bit. It sounds a lot better. I guess I had to get it done. Gas out here is over $2.24 a gallon and Lee told me that in L.A. she has seen it over $3.00. I'll be riding the bike as much as I can. Hey, I passed the spray test I took in Olympia last Tuesday. One test was on weeds and ornamentals and the other one was on laws and safety. So now I can spray all sorts of chemicals on the properties. I'm not sure whether that is a good or bad thing, but I get a raise. I need it with the price of gas and my motorcycle tune-up bill. After my biology course is over I can take a long trip and go camping with the bike. Maybe I'll go out to the peninsula.

Check out this horoscope. I'm not sure about the angst but...

Sagittarius
November 21 - December 20
If you have been kicking around the idea of writing a novel or taking up oil painting, then today is the day to begin. There is no time, and no reason, for excuses. You have just as much talent as anyone else, why not use it for a change? You might find it helpful to join a writing group or sign up for a one-day painting workshop, if only to help you get started and stay motivated. Join a support group for struggling artists. They'll all understand your angst.

I don't know why it is now center justified but in bold type.

I just found this amusing and informative blog.

I might start putting more stock into astrology if today's horoscope pans out:

Sagittarius
November 21 - December 20
You can expect to reap the benefits from your recent training or studies, dear Sagittarius. You have taken a huge leap in ability, especially where your technological skills are concerned. As a result, you can expect to receive either a promotion or an increase in pay. It is the very least your bosses can do to reward you for all your hard efforts of late. If you continue at this pace you will soon be running the company!

Hey, they added the capability for me to add a quote that looks like a quote (almost). Thanks Blogger. Why doesn't it justify to the left also?

I took my spray license and ornamental weed tests this morning in Olympia. Now I can study for the chapter quiz tonight in chromosomes, genetics and observable patterns of inheritance. Next week we have another exam and this Thursday we have a lab quiz. It seems as if they are one after the other. I won't have the television to distract me because I think it died, and there isn't anyone here I am aware of who will give me another free one. This one was Mom and Dad's. I can't get it to register any channels. It only registers "A/V" where the channel is supposed to be and I can't get it to do otherwise. On a brighter note I think I passed the tests this morning. I can't be completely sure until the results come back. I need the raise. Take care.

Go to Google and type in "weapons of mass destruction" and click on "I'm Feeling Lucky."

David Broder writes of the Rummy take on the prison mess that,

"[t]his is a true McNamara moment for Rumsfeld, an echo of the technocratic body-count mind-set that blinded Robert McNamara to the realities of Vietnam when he was running the Pentagon."

Here is an analysis and comparison of our polarized and divided nation.

"The electorate is very clearly polarized," Damn straight we're polarized. And we are going to throw the power grabbing, lying thiefs out of there too. Is that polarized enough for you?

I was too late in looking into seeing Southern Culture on the Skids while they were here in Seattle. They are playing tonight at the Tractor Tavern and it is sold out. I should have seen them at the Paramount, but I was way too tired yesterday. I guess I'll have to wait another year. Crap. I need to study for the spray license anyways. That test is on Tuesday in Olympia.

I added another mile onto my run and was able to do the eight miles in OK time. I can't run during the week because of class so these weekend runs are important if I want to stay in any sort of running shape. My shoes, on the other hand, are shot. I figured that I could put off buying new ones by not running as far and not running as often, and so far it has worked. Krispy Kremes are ruining my running dividend. Mmmm...donuts.

It looks like going home is going to cost me over 350 dollars US. I got an 88 on the last test. I really didn't know how I did until he handed the test back. How are you all doing out there?

Can the whole class say, "eat shit in november cause your all out"? I can't wait until November.

Tom Tomorrow: "Truly bizarre that the Bush campaign keeps trying to make Kerry's military record an issue."

I feel like an insurgent in my biology class. There is no way that by chance occurrences through the millennia that the cell miosis and mitosis came about and repeats itself on its own shedule to the exact degree that it does and we became one of the end products. Don't call me a creationist either. We give our greater selves far too little credit.

"He [Darwin] spent his last years proving it, and yet it has no real validity. It has a validity within very limited perspectives only; for consciousness does, indeed, evolve form. Form does not evolve consciousness. It is according to when you come into the picture, and what what you choose to observe ... Consciousness did not come from atoms and molecules scattered by chance through the universe....
"Now, if you had all been really paying attention to what I have been saying for some time about the simultaneous nature of time and existence, then you would have known that the theory of evolution is as beautiful a tale as the theory of Biblical creation. Both are quite handy, and both are methods of telling stories, and both might seem to agree within their own systems, and yet, in larger respects they cannot be realities....
"...In actuality, life bursts apart in all directions as consciousness does. There is no steady stream of progress."

- Jane Roberts and Seth, "The 'Unknown' Reality", Volume Two, Appendix 12, pp.662-663

From Slate, "[T]he Department of Energy is spending an astonishing $6.5 billion on nuclear weapons this year, and President Bush is requesting $6.8 billion more for next year and a total of $30 billion over the following four years."

It is going to be 20 degrees above average today. I have more studying for the quiz on Tuesday and next week Tuesday we have the second of our four tests. A portion of the family is on their way to the Scott and Chrissie marriage cruise out of Ft. Lauderdale today. I hope that they all have a great time. If I weren't taking this class and for the first time in my life actually working for something then I'd be there too. Some sunset cocktails among family and friends sounds very therapeutic. Na zdrowie!

Check out this mosaic. Here is the original source.

Alan Blevins of johnkerryisadouchebagbutimvotingforhimanyway.com writes, "It seemed that every time I saw, heard, or read something about Kerry, his doucheness factor increased. It wasn't until I did just a little research on my own that it became clear that all of these occurrences could be explained as lies, deception, media excess, or simply poor campaigning strategy. It is beyond vital that we all overlook these minor blemishes and unpleasantries, and unite in electing John Kerry to be the next president of the United States of America."

From today's paper:

Here is a more datailed look at the women behind last week's Seattle Times' Sunday front page photo.

There will be a series about dementia in this week's upcoming papers.

The Bush team is holding firm on staying the course. For assorted reasond they have to. And this course is leading them into a possible great mess. "While public perceptions sustain support for the war despite mounting casualties, experts warn the support could collapse if the public stops agreeing with Bush on these points."

The tea pot is calling the kettle black. "The campaign to portray Kerry as culturally out of touch because of his privileged youth and current wealth is replete with ironies. Bush, a son of one of America's most successful political dynasties, and Vice President Dick Cheney are both multimillionaires. Republicans, on policy grounds, have no objection to vacation houses or inherited wealth; Bush has led an effort to eliminate the estate tax, paid mostly by the wealthy."

Also in The Seattle Times today, "NASA tells staff not to talk about chilling film" It says, "It's just another attempt to play down anything that might lead to the conclusion that something must be done' about global warming, one federal climate scientist said."

They happen in threes, right? Our applicator guy (fertilizer, herbicide...) had a heart attack last week. I was told he'd be back to work in a few weeks. Jeff had two 21" Honda mowers and a blower stolen from his trailer yesterday while working up in Everett. And today while driving back on I5 I saw Lucio and looking around and scratching his head while a woman who had rear-ended him traded their information. We are supposed to be moving to the new shop in Mukilteo the first week in May. That process should be interesting.

Is polling the crack cocaine of political journalists?

Here is a local article in the Seattle Times about the woman who took the pictures of the flag shrouded coffins.

I found this on the banner ad at the top of this page. It is another source for news and analysis about the presidential campaigns. I only just looked at it. I don't know whether it has a slant.

Happy birthday Chris. He is 39 today. We all get older. And I got to talk with Katie on the phone. She sounded excited that I might be home for the last weekend in June. At least I think I'll be home. If any of the older kids are reading this, THE YOUNGEST CHILD IN THE FAMILY IS ALMOST FORTY! How does that make you feel? Ha ha ha. I'd like to be home for the Deerfield Massacre commemoration. We are related to one of the redeemed captives born in Canada. So we are related to the canadian contingent, who'll be present. It is sort of a 300 year family reunion.

In other news I got the second best grade on my biology test in my class, a 92. I thought it was easy, but the way the teacher talked I began to wonder. My quiz grades bring my average down but I can do something about that. So my old time intensive study methods paid off. Whew. I'm almost looking forward to cramming glycolysis, the krebs cycle, electron transfer phosphorylation and the pyruvates, ADP and ATP and all the rest into my head. So I can do it. That is a small relief.

"It's hardly a surprise when a politican gives evasive answers at a press conference. It's just that Bush is so terrible at it--he has maybe eighteen pre-programmed sound bites ready to go, and if none of them are applicable to the question, he just starts sputtering like a computer on the original Star Trek, after Captain Kirk has just irrefutably pointed out the illogic of its basic programming."

The paper says that "Rove rues 'Mission Accomplished' banner". It's more lies from the propaganda spinmeister.

In the Seattle Times today: "Powell thought Cheney and his allies — his chief aide, Lewis 'Scooter' Libby; Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz; Undersecretary of Defense Douglas Feith; and what Powell called Feith's 'Gestapo' office — had established what amounted to a separate government."

"When training dogs, you're like a cheerleader; with cats, it's like doing yoga," she said. "You learn a lesson in patience."

You know the April 15th 11 o'clock evening news reports from the local United States Post Office? Well, the newscasters weren't there, but I was. I dropped off my tax return by 10:20pm.

I did bomb it. Test is tomorrow. Maybe a redemption.

I think that I bombed on my first quiz. I'm a social sciences person and this chemistry and cellular science is killing me. I have to really study this weekend for the first test on Tuesday. I like my new routes at work but wish I had more time for studies. I think that I used to work 11 hours in the Physical Sciences Library and maybe an 8 hour shift for Servicemaster up in Griswoldville. During the school-breaks I would work with Lew delivering beer. I guess that is a long time ago now. Y'all have a great weekend. I'll be studying. No tulips this year.

Here is my horoscope for today:
"Sagittarius
November 21 - December 20
Your hard work is finally paying off, dear Sagittarius. A phone call may come to you bringing good news. You should be filled with a new sense of optimism, enthusiasm, and high hopes. Any work will be more of a pleasure than a drag, because you have something to look forward to. Changes are definitely in the wind for you, so be prepared for just about anything!"

It sounds good to me. What else is going on? I either have to buy powerpoint or go to the computer lab for the class notes. The next class I have to take is not offered at night in the summer quarter, so I either have to get another job or I have to take it in the fall quarter. In the political arena there are almost too many articles to link here.

Krauthammer thinks that Clarke's apology is disingenuous. No one else will do it. Typical of a right wing apologist.
Karen Hughes is back.
"Bush insiders slam lack of discussion"
The Bush team is playing hardball politics.
Clarke says: "the reason I am strident in my criticism of the president of the United States is because by invading Iraq ... the president of the United States has greatly undermined the war on terrorism."
They were told about airplanes.
Karl Rove has his own problems. How is this different from the Republican thuggery during the 2000 recount in Dade County?

There. Plenty of links.

"Where will it end?"

Quick recap of the weekend: Lay in the sun, ride the bike, went to Seattle with Lee for shopping and dinner, smoked cigars and drank beer. I got to drive the BMW. It is warm today. First class is tonight and the first day of the new route is tomorrow. This week we are also starting our 10-hour, 4-day week. The best to you all.

Richard Clarke's "Game, set, and match."

William Saletan: "It's funny, in retrospect, that Bush ran for president as a uniter. To unite a country, you have to acknowledge and reconcile differences. Bush doesn't work toward unity; he assumes it. He doesn't reconcile differences; he denies them."

Tom Tomorrow: "They're either incompetent or liars--actually, they're probably both. And the only reason we're still having this discussion is due to the fact that a lot of people just can't bring themselves to admit they were hoodwinked."

This may sound naive, especially from a political science student, but I wish that all of the people everywhere would just stop shooting each other and blowing each other up. Maybe if everyones' memories were not so long. This current state is so wrong. It doesn't have to be this way. Ditto for subjugation, theft by systemic inequalities and by outright war.

You all have probably heard of Richard Clarke recently. He has been the White House terrorism advisor for four administrations. I thought that what he had to say here in this CBS piece and in his book was very pertinent: "So what did we do after 9/11? We invade an oil-rich and occupy an oil-rich Arab country which was doing nothing to threaten us. In other words, we stepped right into bin Laden's propaganda. And the result of that is that al Qaeda and organizations like it, offshoots of it, second-generation al Qaeda have been greatly strengthened." This is from the New York Times.

Bad news. I lost my hat today. It was a Cheney Brothers cap I got from a purchasing agent at the hotel. I had to pester him for weeks for that cap. This really bites. I went for a ride today, starting at Tully's, through Woodinville and up Route 9 to 92 and over to Granite Falls. From Granite Falls I was trying to take the back way to Monroe. It didn't work, so I went via Route 2. I lost my stinkin' hat. Shit shit shit. Maybe Amy can get me another one. She works at Tommy Bahama's in West Palm Beach. I'm almost gone long enough to want to visit. Almost. There is the tour of me losing my cap. Shit.

At any other race you get apples, oranges, bananas and water in what they call the recovery area. For the St Patrick's Day race here you get twinkies, cookies and beer. Woo hoo. For the meateaters they had some bratwurst. The race was a pisser. For a 10K you can't just run all out, but for 3 1/2 miles I did (pretty much). I was surprised that even this short race could be so demanding. I was glad to see the finish line. So I had some beer, chatted with some people and then went home for a nap. I was told that I had to join the Eastside Runners Club. The little sleep helped, and since I was still in the Irish spirit and it wasn't raining, I took the bike for a ride and picked up some Guinness. Woo hoo. It's on sale at Fred Meyer. All this and St. Patrick's Day isn't even here yet. My pace was about 6 1/2 minute miles.

One more day. It is hard on my attitude when I consider my pay. I understand RDG's excitement. I was told today that I might be working a single-man route next month. It will have to come with a raise. In more important news, I registered for the biology class at BCC. After all these years I'll be going to class again. In less important news, I'll be running the short St. Patrick's Day road race from the Space Needle area to Safeco Field via the Alaska Way Viaduct. I hope we don't have an earthquake. Y'all have a great day.

Here is E.J. Dionne's ode to John Edwards, "Edwards talked everywhere about "two Americas," one for the privileged, and one for the rest of us. Most political types said it was one of the best stump speeches they had ever heard."

I don't know whether you are back yet Lee, but I made donuts yesterday.

I took the bike to the arboretum today. The rhododendrons are for the most part not in bloom, but the fruit trees are. Here are some pictures.

I'm registered for the St. Patrick's Day race in Seattle. It is a short one and looks to be more fun than anything else. I read that "The St Patrick's Day Dash donates a portion of your race entry to the City of Hope Cancer Research Center." I think most of the races I have run out here benefit the cancer fight. This one is the most expensive per mile, but there is beer at the other end. And now for a training run....

Tom Tomorrow: "It's the damndest thing, how people who think I am a traitor for expressing insufficient enthusiasm for George Bush's various little wars have absolutely no problem watching their neighbors slide into poverty and despair because someone somewhere is willing to do their job for one-tenth the cost. Patriotism really is in the eye of the beholder, isn't it?"

Greenspan, John Edwards, Karl Marx and Social Security. Any idiot knows that there are the haves and the have-nots.

Ha, ha, ha.

I did this search and found the strip I was looking for. I love that strip.

The Dean campaign.

While working at Group Health on Capital Hill today, I was amazed by the amount of people smoking around the buildings. Addiction I guess. Even though addicted why the hell can't they refrain from throwing down their cigarette butts?

It took so long to get this thing going that I've nearly forgotten what I was going to write. I found my college transcript. I took eight courses after I had graduated when I was working at the university. What I am struck by though is how these grades on one level are important but on another level they make completely no difference whatsoever. Along with the transcript I have kept a myriad of cards and letters from family and friends. I'm not looking forward to the dreams which will come of this. All the other stuff in the containers are important to me. I'm not sure with the prerequisite requirements for the program I am looking at that I have a chance. Clumsy sentence I know. Do I go in another direction? I don't know whether I have cold feet from doing something new or that some portion of myself is telling me that this is not my way. This is a particularly difficult place. Confounding mortal coil. Good night.

This week wiped me out. I thought the aftermath of being sort of sick was over but I had to get some more pseudo safeway theraflu (lemon). This stuff rules. I get to sleep now. Tomorrow I'll go to Fall City and get my trailer and bike. Last week I washed and waxed the car and this week it will be the ACE. I'll tell the owner of the trailer/boat/RV place that I'll be taking keeping the trailer elsewhere. I'm thinking about transcripts, advising and school in general. Now I have to go from the thinking to the scheduling and attending. I don't think I am ready to take a math placement test. I got through calculus at Umass and have tried to not use anything approaching that level for a long time. On the upside I don't think that math can change that much over time. I hope.

The cold/flu finally struck and now after about two weeks I feel there is little left. We did the big mow today. It was a lot of walking behind the 36" mower. When we go to ten hour days I'll feel it alot more. It will also make it harder to do what I'll need for the class I'll be taking in a month. BCC accepted me (they accept everyone). Next I need to see what I have taken in the past. A high school class may fulfill a requirement. I can't remember what I took for sure or for how long. Nothing else is new. I'm mowing grass again, I don't have a girl and it is still the same cold and rainy here. I just finished a book though, "Bones of The Earth" by Michael Swanwick. It deals with time travel. It was interesting reading this book while also reading "The 'Unknown' Reality, Volume Two" by Jane Roberts and Seth. In it it says,

"The rockbed reality is the one in which the perceiver is focused. From that standpoint all others would seem peripheral. Taking that for granted, however, any given reality system will be surrounded by its probability clusters. These can almost be thought of as satellites. Time and space need not be connected, however - that is, the attractions that exist between a reality and any given probability cluster may have nothing to do with time and space at all." session 712, Pg 344.

You have to read a lot of what came before and after before it even begins to make sense.

"As closely as I can explain it in your terms, your concepts of space travel have you going around (underlined) space rather than directly through (underlined) it.
(9:40.) Give us time ... You are also viewing your solar system through your own time perspective, which is relative. You 'look backward into time,' you say, when you stare outward into the universe. You could as well look into the future, of course." session 712, Pg 344.

***

And I almost forgot, here is Molly Ivins' ode to howard.

Red Dirt Girl has a personal crisis right now. Maybe she can get some support from the net from people who have been in her shoes. As she wrote, "It's a big deal."

And here is David S. Broder's ode to Howard.

Here is William Greider's ode to Howard Dean.

Here is an interesting and disturbing peek into a criminal subculture. In this article,

"Task-force detectives have found auto thieves high on the drug who had been awake for two days straight, and who steal cars as simply a means to get around. In between, they shoplift, run drugs, steal mail and write bad checks. They prowl cars for items to pawn, and steal coats when they are cold.

The task force is turning up other tidbits of useful information. Here are a few:

• The tools du jour in car-burglary kits are shaved keys — keys that are filed down and then jiggled in a door lock or an ignition switch to open a door or start the car.

• Some thieves take license plates off stolen vehicles and put fake temporary-license notices in the rear window in an attempt to fool police.

• One thief showed Nelson how to grab the window of a particular make of car and pull it out far enough to stick an arm in and unlock the door, without breaking anything."

They are all in an uproar at work. I'm not worried about the drug testing in a few weeks but others are. There is a theory that the owner wants to clean house and replace those who are almost-decently-paid with those who-are-undecently-paid. When I got there today I thought that I was going to work with Robyn applying fertilizer to rhododendrons, azaleas and fruit trees, but I had to drive for James instead. We cleaned up a corner of a property in Mill Creek. Again I hauled leaves and dirt in barrels on my shoulder. I'd like to write about something more interesting.

I'm sorry, Scott and Chrissie, but I won't be going on your cruise. I had to tell Abby for certain today. If it had been any other week when I wouldn't be starting something completely new then you would have had me. This is the first time in seventeen (boy that makes me feel old) years that I'm going to start working for something that isn't just me getting by. I'll figure out sometime just what that time has really meant for me. I can't say that it has all been for naught. Maybe I just need to find the right yardstick. Can you tell that this career soul-searching has been exceptionally difficult? Maybe that will be my book. I don't have the story down yet even though it is mine. It will need context and significance.

Here is the latest from Ted Rall: "Since Bush has lost his trillion-dollar gamble, it's time for him to pay off the casino and vacate the high rollers' suite."

Speaking of "I'mtoleyou", on this day five (*not four) years ago Dad passed away. My friends used to think he was speaking polish or something when he'd emphasize a statement with "I'mtolyou" or "umtoyou". What he was saying was that he was telling you, you could believe him. Here's to thinking of you Dad, from #9. Maybe I'll smoke one of your cigars today.

I applied online today to Bellevue Community College. I need to start taking prerequisite courses in the spring quarter for either their radiology or radiation therapy programs. It will have to be a night course. After mowing raking and pruning all day I'll sure to be beat... In the long run, however, it will beat me having to mow, rake and prune into my forseeable future.

Go and read this, you'll be glad you did. I'mtoleyou.

Read William Saletan's explanation of "Bush's difficult relationship with reality." He explains that, "Bush isn't Clinton. He doesn't change his mind for anything, whether it's polls or facts. And he always tells the truth about what's in his mind, whether or not what's in his mind corresponds to what's in the visible world."

The day started rainy and then cleared in the afternoon. I was then able to put in a small workout in the fitness center and go for a run. We are supposed to have a few days of good weather coming up. A high pressure system will hopefully keep away the typical Seattle weather. It isn't warm enough to bring the bike out so I can't miss that. I may be able to bring my trailer here because my apartment complex is lowering the rental space rate. Tracy called and asked me about work and whether I followed up on the school thing. So I'm going to follow up on the school thing by applying to BCC and taking a night course in biology. With that I'll be started. I still need to compare my transcript from UMass to see what course credits I can transfer. I hope this is the right way to go. As Joannie says, I can be older when I finish, with more education, or I can be just older. I can't fall into the landscaping black hole of employment for too much longer.

This is interesting: "We will see by November who has the winning hand."

Dave wants to see Nader run again in 2004. I'm not sure that is such a good idea, because no one really listened to him anyways but more importantly because I want to see regime change in Washington. I'd love it if everyone listened to what Nader has to say. He has some stinging criticisms of corporate America, "corporate" war and the state of this country. Will anyone listen to him this next time? I hope so, but at the same time I don't want to again witness what I saw in Palm Beach County in 2000.

Don at work called me today to ask whether I'd like to go back. "Yeah", I said. I won't turn down work. He said he'd try to get me some more money too. So I'm back to landscaping for the time being. My break has afforded me the opportunity to think and research about what I'd like to do next. I came up with some sort of job or role in the healthcare field. After tending to Mom I believe I'd be good at that. Ultimately I'd like to return to school to be a radiologic tech. or radiation therapist. They are very difficult programs to get into and I'd have to figure out how I'd be able to work and go to school. From where I am now it seems like quite a puzzle.

How the fuck does Bush and his mafia henchmen think that his smiling while he lies makes what he says not the lies they are? Just a question I have when I see him on the TV. Vote him out. And get rid of his neocon world domination business buddies too. Get out! Get out! Get out!

"Misfires of a 'smoking gun' in Iraq debate"

Yes, yes, yes. Vinatieri does it again. From the Seattle Times. And how about Janet? Do you think it was unintentional as MTV states? I don't.

Exciting stuff I know, but these are the states I have visited (in red):
You can see how I made my way across the country.

create your own visited states map
or write about it on the open travel guide

From Unknown Country, "One year very soon—maybe this year—spring simply won't arrive in some parts of the world."

I went back to Bellevue Community College to scout more information on making a career change. I should have known that the career counselor would try to steer me to something in political science. She printed out a list of occupations that are related to a political science degree, and then did the same for my economics minor. I still draw a blank. I...don't...know.... She told me that the health fields of radiation tech and radiation therapy are very competitive. I found out how so during my third meeting of the day at a radiation therapy informational meeting. The second meeting pertained to financial help with worker retraining at the college. It is all depressing. I got no groove.

Here is Dave Winer on the Dean scream.

Margaret Cho has the patience of a saint.

Mom passed away two years ago today. Also today PBS showed the Alzheimer's show The Forgetting. Here is the entry for that day. I took a look at it yesterday and read the links again. I think that they could use a second posting and reading. Wish me success this week in getting my new direction in order. I'm not sure how I'm going to put all of it together, obviously. I'll run tomorrow and try out my knee. Getting out like that is always helpful. Please read these:

Here are some quotes for today. Take care. one,two,three,four,five.

David S. Broder writes, "This fundamental disagreement about national priorities — really, about the nature of the world, the state of the nation and the priorities of government — is what makes the stakes in the coming election much larger than usual."

Here I am during part of my Captain Kangaroo watching days.

Here is a site explaining leap of faith. Scroll down to Kierkegaard. So, Soren Kierkegaard is the father of modern thought, but what gets me is that the vast majority of people don't know that there are different ways to think in the first place. They just take what is seemingly evident and apparent and repackage it in the same package. This both bothers me and gives me hope. Ideas can change the world. This isn't all there is.

The star of my chilhood morning TV passed away today in Montpelier, VT. It sort of sounds silly but it was Captain Kangaroo who taught me my left from my right. He did this one episode by turning his back to us viewers and he showed us and talked us through what was his left side and what was his right side by having us do the same. I remember standing there in front of the TV sorting it out with him. Thank you Bob Keeshan for entertaining us post baby boom viewers with your interactions with Mr. Greenjeans, Mr Moose and his ping pong balls and the rest of the cast.

In other "news" I went to Bellevue Community College to scout their program information. I'm taking my leap of faith in this move. But really, what other options do I have? Landscape? That was my summer job for last year. I want a real one.

I'm not sure how many readers are out there, but if you are reading this today, Wednesday the 21st, then I ask you to watch the PBS documentary on Alzheimer's, The Forgetting. It is on tonight. I think that last link will work. Y'all have a great day.

From the Springfield Republican, " 'We don't really care about the perception of our team,' New England linebacker Tedy Bruschi said. 'We just play good football.' " And here is a Ron Chimelis article.

I've been contemplating the adage "do that which you fear", or something like that. Well that would be going back to school, full time, at my age while also trying to support myself and pay for school. Mark Twain said, "Do the thing you fear most and the death of fear is certain." I'm not sure what I fear most but the school scenario certainly makes me pause.... I don't have an oracle right now but maybe that is the plan. I don't even let myself in on that. Career counseling goes so far and then I'll need something akin to a vision quest. No more being lazy.

How do like this for a quote?: "'We feel pretty strongly that there needs to be a separation between the pornography and the fire service,'" They are back on the job now.

Sonya has S.A.D., and after the past few days I can understand why. Tracy told me that here during the winter daytime in the land of rain, night-lights don't go out. It was very dark today. I went to an introductory orientation workshop at Worksource in Redmond. It was good to get out of the apartment even if the sun was very, very hidden. So what should I do for work? I need to go back to school in order to make any money and also to get away from lower paying grunt work. I've trudged with enough buckets of wet leaves on my shoulder, if even symbolically (*figuratively?). Should it be in teaching or something in healthcare? I'm not sure about both of these but I have to start thinking somewhere. Tomorrow is supposed to be drier so maybe I'll go for a hike. As Uncle Ed would say, "happy crap day".

Read about the giant beaver of Lake Hitchcock.

Good news in Mattampash land. The name Mattampash actually refers to a small island in the Connecticut River at the mouth of the Sawmill River, as called by the Pocumtuck Indians. As I have read, the whole area on at least the Montague side of the Connecticut River along the Sawmill was called Mattampash also. I grew up there, thus the name of this blog. A neighbor, "Beaver," who owned land down the road from us passed away a little while ago. His wife then sold the land. We were worried that the land would be developed, especially after seeing what has happened here, not that we'd have a big-ass interchange in town but you get the idea. Here is a picture I put together. The land in question is to the rear of the picture (behind you) and to the right of the road. A childhood friend of my brother's bought it to keep it clear, as I am told. Thank you Mark.

Here are some "[s]ome cold, hard facts about Northwest living," namely what happens to this area and its inhabitants when it snows here.

Report: Iraq didn't pose immediate threat to U.S. This is an extensive report by a non partisan research institution. I don't think this was any big surprise. GW and his neo-con friends were going to do this one way or another.

Here is my horoscope from my MSN page:

"Sagittarius-Today marks the beginning of a new cycle for you, dear Sagittarius. Collect and consolidate your recent ideas and focus them outwardly. The time is right for you to take action. Improve your immediate surroundings and adjust your bed so that it is facing east west. (A north-south placement will cause you to lose energy at night since it would align you with the Earth's magnetic field). Drink plenty of water to help keep your mind clear."

Good thing my bed already faces that way. How important really is this? So today is the beginning of a new cycle. My recent ideas are to revamp my income source, especially since I've been laid off. But more importantly, instead of getting by with what I have done for work these years I would actually like to do meaningful work which will support me. You'd think that I would have figured this out while I was in college, but I didn't. Perhaps sometime I will understand why I did those things and lived in those places for those years. I never played baseball but what I think I am doing now is looking for that solid hit of the ball to the bat which the hitter recognizes as perfect in that very instant. It is the same with golf. Before the ball has hit it's zenith the golfer knows he hit the sweet spot. It is in the approach, the hit and the follow-through. A moment of perfection.

The Seattle Times carries this horoscope for me today: "SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Ah, yes, things feel lighter today. Watch out for a tendency to be intellectually overbearing. Children don't want to be preached to. Wait to employ your abundant charisma." Now where is the new start sort of stuff? Nothing about my bed? I hope y'all have a great day!

"Quarantining dissent / How the Secret Service protects Bush from free speech"

"The S factor explains Bush's popularity"

Well I don't have any interesting snow stories like these two do, but I took a few pictures at Marymoor today. This is a composite. What a mess it was here in the Puget Sound region. From what I can tell, the people here either don't know to slow down or they drive too slowly.

Wired News: Bush Grabs New Power for FBI: "But Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minnesota), who opposed the legislation, told the House, 'It is clear the Republican leadership and the administration would rather expand on the USA Patriot Act through deception and secrecy than debate such provisions in an open forum.'"

I drove out to Fall City to pay my rental space for the trailer this morning. The apartment complex lot was slick but the roads were clear. While I was out there I put some fuel stabilizer in the bike's gas tank and ran it until I thought that it was throughout the carburator and lines. Really exciting stuff I know but it was something I needed to get done and doing that right now is a big plus for me. With the weather lately I don't think that I'll be on the bike anytime soon. This is normal back in the northeast but here it as well could be above 50 degrees and I could be riding right now. I also used pliers to bend the run I put in the chain link fence back into less noticable shape. Does that make sense? A few weeks ago I caught the trailer on the fence and pulled one strand of wire out of the chain link formation. It is less out of formation now, meaning it is less noticable. The bike is better out in Fall City out of sight because I can't ride and out of the elements because I don't have a cover.

"Interesting things we have learned from Republicans lately"