My darling lives in a world that is not mine
An old child misunderstood... out of time
Timeless is the creature who is wise
And timeless is the prisoner in disguise
Oh who is the beauty... who is the beast
Would you die of grieving when I leave
Two children too blind to see
I would fall in your shadow... I believe
My love is a man who's not been tamed
Oh...my love lives in a world of false pleasure and pain
We come from difference worlds... we are the same (my love)
I never doubted your beauty... I've changed
And when I call
Will you walk gently
Thru my shadow
The ones you dream of
The ones who walk away
With their capes
Pulled around them tight
Cryin' for the night
Cry for the nightbird
-Stevie Nicks, "Nightbird"
7/31/2002
Today is a New Day
The Canada trip has been postphoned to next week. I told a friend I was going and she wanted to go too, but couldn't make it today. These little road trips are much more fun with a buddy, so I'm glad she wants to go. Good thing I'm not going today. I woke up with one of those wonderful headaches that make you want to crawl into a dark cave, so I'm reading and being quiet.
A couple days ago, I read a unique (and very good) fic by RJ Anderson. It's called "Touching Indigo" and is about a girl with Synaesthesia. RJ's notes define this as: "The word anesthesia means "no sensation"; synesthesia means "joined sensation" (Greek, syn = together + aisthesis = perception). It refers to an involuntary physical experience in which the stimulation of one sense modality reliably causes an additional perception in a different sense or senses. For example, a synesthete might describe the color, shape, and flavor of someone's voice, or seeing the color red, a synesthete might detect the "scent" of red as well."
I had discussed this phenominon with Lori very briefly a few months ago and remembered that Oliver Sacks had done some research on this subject. I went to his website, couldn't find anything on synesthesia, but ran across this article from Wired Magazine which totally surprised and fascinated me. My conclusions from this article: It seems that autism is genetically transferred and that gene is found in computer programmer types. When 2 people with these genes procreate, they are having children with autism. Communities around Silicon Valley and Route 128 in Boston are seeing alarming increases of autistic kids. Which leads me to wonder...when ancient technical societies such as the Mayans and Incans died out, is it possible they were overtaken with autism? That as the best and brightest mated, their offspring became increasingly disfunctional each generation until that gene died out due to the withdrawing into self caused by autism? I'd love to hear other thoughts on this. The long term outlook of my conclusions leads to a pretty bleak future that I don't particularly like.
Tomorrow, I think I'll head south to Canada and visit one of my favorite National Parks, Point Pelee.
Going to the beach around the Great Lakes is almost as good as the ocean. The only thing missing is the salt air. What's also cool about Point Pelee is the marsh on the other side of the tip. It's a completely different ecosystem. Taking a stroll through the marsh on the boardwalk can be surreal if the marsh grass is higher than your head.
It takes about an hour to get there and on the way there are fun little fruit and vegetable stands where you can get fresh, hot, buttered sweet corn on a stick. Yumm! There's also a cool place called Colosanti's which has all kinds of tropical birds and plants. Makes a fun, and cheap day.
1. How long have you had a weblog? Since Feb. 2002. Although I really didn't write anything in it until March. First, I played around with html, since I'd never done any of it before.
2. What was your first post about? test,test,test...
3. How many changes (name, location, etc.) of your weblog have there been, if more than one? One name, two locations. I had to figure out FTP before I could put this on my RoadRunner PHP. I switched because those ads from Blogger were ugly and I wanted to get rid of them.
4. What CMS (content management system) do you use? Do you like it or do you want to try something else? I've got Blogger. Which is OK as far as layout and use, but gets very much a pain when the servers are acting up. It also ate some of my longer blogs, so I now use w.bloggar if I'm getting wordy. I've thought about using MT, but haven't gotten around to it yet. I don't particularly like LJ.
5. Do you read people who have both a journal and a weblog? Or do you prefer to read people who have all of their writing in one central place? I read people with both, but I'd prefer to have all the writing in one place. I think the way LJ is set up, it's a pain to read, but I do like the icons and personalization.
This is the fault of Seema and Lori, but it's posted because it's oddly correct. Very. Strange.
You have a good imagination, and often exhibit sensitivity to others.
At times, you may tend to be overly sensitive to criticism. You can be excessively cautious or narrow in your outlook unless you receive the right kind of encouragement.
You are a warm hearted person, with much love to give. You probably like children, and exhibit many playful characteristics.
There may be times in your life when you give in to feelings of sadness or depression.
You are likely to make decisions based on intuition or feelings rather than intellect.
Your personality is dynamic and attractive to most people. The more branches you find in your heart line, the more friends and lovers you will have. Your sincerity and compassion make people like you even more.
There are inconsistencies in your energy level, possibly triggered by external factors or emotional changes.
You may suffer from low energy, allergies, or some kind of chronic health problem.
You were probably given a good start in life by your parents. This could be based on your general upbringing, or on physical characteristics you inherited.
A major illness or setback is predicted near mid-life. You have the ability to recover from this.
No matter what other factors influence your personality, there is an under lying sense of practicality that you can draw on if you wish.
One of my favorite sites, zendom, has a new article "Really Useful Tips for All Writers" by Christine CGB. All the articles here are worth reading, especially if you're a fanfic writer. Enjoy!
You are a DUMBLEDORE to Harry! You are kind, nice and a bit crazy. Everyone looks up to you and respects you. You're basically the nice guy in the bunch ;D
Friday I spent the day at one of the largest art fairs in North America. I went with my cousin and her husband, N & R. She is a painter and has a local following in Chicago. I am lucky enough to own 2 of her originals and 2 prints. I have Artist's Print #1 of this painting: (R says it's because I'm "Special")
The fair was interesting. Lots of lovely paintings, pottery, leather, wood and just about anything else you can think of that would constitute art. N & R are thinking of doing the art fair show circuit and were as interested in the booth setup as they were in the art. I never realized that setting up a booth is almost as much of an art as the works themselves. Tents have to be the right kind or they will collapse if rained on. The corners are all held down by various types of weights and booth construction is also an artform.
N & R have always been two of my favorite family members. They are intelligent and fun, love to laugh at themselves and as usual I had a great time with them. The joke of the day, though, had nothing to do with the fair...it had everything to do with a couple of stores on the street where the fair was located. First store - "Safe S*x Shop"...store next door - "Free Smells"
I spoke a while ago about my neighbor's garage project. Since he tore the old one down, I've had a wonderful view of a sandpit and a mountain. In other words, nothing has been done. A week or so ago, I got a notice in the mail saying that F. was requesting a variance for his garage. He now wants to make it 25' x 32'. Since his backyard is approximately 40' x 65', this is a big building and would significantly change the view out the main window of my house. T. (another neighbor) and I decided to go the the zoning board meeting to see what this was all about and put in our $.02 if we didn't like what was being proposed.
In my whole adult life, I've never attended a city meeting of any kind, and was sort of interested in the proceedings. All of the business meetings I attend are fairly informal. Occasionally notes are taken and distributed with action items, but that's about as formal as it gets. This meeting was VERY formal. Motions, seconds, proposals, votes, order of business, addressing the chairman, etc. It took me back to 4-H as a kid; the last time I attended a meeting run like this one, but I was pleasantly surprised with the efficiency and fairness that decisions were made.
F. isn't going to build a huge garage. He's building the max size allowed for his property, but wants to add a 6' wide covered patio to the side of the garage "for all the family gatherings". OK, I've got no quarrel with a patio, I do have a problem with a covered, open storage area where lawn mowers, boats, etc.sit in plain site from my house and so stated in the meeting. He was granted the variance with the stipulation that no motorized vehicles or equiment were to be stored there.
T. and I talked to F. for awhile after the meeting. He really is a nice guy and truly did just want a covered patio. We all went home happy. Now I hope he doesn't wait all summer to build the thing.
Well, I woke up in a blue funk today after going to bed earlier than usual. I got my hopes up way too high yesterday. I really thought I was going to get a job offer and put an end to this uncertainty and limbo I've been living in the last 2 months. I need to get over it. I'm still a candidate, they said they'd be making a decision by the end of the month, but D*mn... And also, even if I do get the job, the money just isn't that great. At least not until I can get the sales numbers up and there are no guarantees about that with the way the economy still is. More D*mn.
I even tried reading funny!fic last night, which usually helps, but it just made me bluer. Sigh...
The interview was an hour and a half this go around, but still no offer. They are just trying to be thorough. I'm still in the running, but no decision until the end of the month. I'm disappointed. I was really hoping this would be the first day of the rest of my new life. Also, it's looking like initially the money won't be too good. Ah, me...
On a much happier note, I got an A in Org. Behavior.
After Blogger refused to publish my blog yesterday, I have spent way too much time messing around with it, but I now have a whole new look. What do you think? And don't say I'm being too much like Jemima. ;-) I like yellow, too.
The final session for my Organizational Behavior class was last night. There were five teams to give presentations on their final projects. Each presentation was to last 30 minutes. Class runs from 6 - 10 pm. I figured I may get out early when the last presentation started at 9:10. It was not to be. The last group did their presentation on the Henry Ford Rouge Complex. It wasn't so bad content wise, but sheesh, these guys went on and on until after 10. Their slides had so much stuff on them that you couldn't read them and 2 of the 4 guys had very heavy accents that I have to concentrate on to understand. After giving my presentation earlier, I was coming down from the adrenaline high and frankly wasn't in the mood to listen to this hodgepodge presentation at 10 pm. My mind got to wondering about that Ford complex.
The Ford Rouge complex was built in the early 1900's by Henry Ford. His concept was to have raw materials come into the facility and have a finished car come out. It covers over a square mile. It's surrounded by freeways, train tracks and the Rouge River channel. Trucks, trains, and freighter ships bring in iron ore and aluminum and hours later, a car comes off the line. In the middle are steel plants, stamping plants, engine plants, foundries, body and assembly plants, paint shops, and final assembly. It's quite an amazing place.
I have had the fortune of calling on this complex many times in my career (I sell automation components). Today, the place is old, dirty, outdated, but still amazing. As I was musing about this place, I realized that both the best sales call and the worst sales call I've ever had were in the Rouge complex.
I'll start with the worst. I had just started a new job with a sensor manufacturer. I'd been there about a month and the guy who covered the Rouge complex was going to hand the account over to me. We had a 1:30 appointment at the Engine Plant and decided to stop by Wendy's and grab some lunch on the way. I had a chicken sandwich and off we went. As we drove to the plant, I began to get a little green. Shortly after we arrived, I ran for the bathroom and spent the next hour getting rid of my lunch. What a great impression to make on a new, very important customer and a new company. That was over 10 years ago, and I still won't eat at Wendy's.
The best call - or should I say the most fun sales call I've ever been on was to recommend some sensors for the cargo hold of the Henry Ford II. If you've never been around the Great Lakes in North America, you may not realize that there is a large industry shipping cargo in huge lake freighters. These ships are 600 to 1000 feet long (200 - 300 meters) and 50 feet wide. They travel all over the Great Lakes carrying ore, salt, gravel, etc. and can actually go to the Atlantic Ocean via the St. Lawrence River. Many of us who live around the Lakes have developed a fondness for these awkward monstrosities.
The Henry Ford II is a 600 foot long freighter that has been around since the 20's. Her captain called me one day, wanting to discuss some switches that were failing on the ship. I asked him where he would like to meet and he said, "Do you mind coming here?" WOW I said I'd love to. He said the only way to get onboard was to climb up the ladder on the side of the boat and to wear some blue jeans. The boat was docked at the Rouge complex for repairs, so I headed down there one cold afternoon after changing from my normal business attire to jeans, sweater, and jacket.
A fully loaded freighter usually sits pretty low in the water, but this ship was empty. I got to the side of that ship and looked up and up and up, then started climbing. It was sort of surreal. Good thing I'm not afraid of heights. When I made it to the deck, there was no one around, so I started looking in doors, searching for the captain. The engine room was quiet, so I kept looking. I finally found him on the other side of the boat in his cabin with the door open. We talked about switches for about 10 minutes, then spent the next hour and a half discussing life on a frieghter, very interesting.
He then took me on an hour long tour of the ship. Engine and crew quarters were at the back or stern of the ship. Cargo was carried throughout the rest of the ship. Nothing too unsual about that, but in the bow there was a big surprise. In the 30's and 40's when these boats were first made, the companies who owned them often fitted them with guest quarters. These were lavishly appointed and used for entertaining important customers as the freighters traveled their shipping routes. There are some rumors of some very wild parties that went on aboard these boats. A lot of it was true, I'm sure. The Henry Ford II, Ford Motor Company's flagship for many years, was one of the ships with these quarters. Brass and mahogany were everywhere, but it was like a tired old lady who had lost her wealth, yet still wore her shabby furs. Kinda sad, yet very cool. After visiting the bow, we went down in the cargo hold where the switches were failing. When the life of a freighter is close to being over, they assign her to carrying salt. Salt tends to corrode everything and metal ships only last 3-4 years after starting to carry it. Salt is also very hard on swiches. The poor old Henry Ford II was nearing her last days and had been carrying salt for 2 years. I recommended some special stainless steel switches and my business was done. It was one of the most memorable afternoons I've ever had.
If you're interested in learning more about the Rouge, Ford has a great website here.
Another Ford ship is here. This site also has live webcams of various sites on the Great Lakes.
1. Name: Jerie
2. Age: 47
3. Birthday: 5-22-55
4. Location: In my room
5. Shoe size: 8 1/2
1. Do you know who Trent Reznor is? If so, do you have a big scary poster of him in your room?
No
2. Name a hot celebrity who is from your state.
Jungle Kitty
3. What is a hoosier?
Someone from Indiana, sheesh! The mascot of the Univ. of Indiana is the Hoosiers.
4. Would you ever shave your head as a form of protest for a cause you really believed in?
Doubt it
5. Do you feel that pop culture has a negative effect on pre-teens?
Each generation has to have it's rebels.
6. Sprite or iced tea?
Iced Tea, Manhattan Iced Tea
7. Have you ever eaten cheese curds?
Yep, Cottage Cheese
8. Have you ever ordered a hamburger by saying "Burger Me"?
No
9. What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
Vanilla with coconut and pecans
10. What is your favorite kind of berry?
Raspberries, they're in season in my back yard right now. I have red and black. Yum!
11. Are you going to meet me in St. Louis? At the fair?
Are you kidding? The fair was in 1904
12. Have you ever been to Concordia College?
I've been to the one in Ann Arbor, MI
13. Is having your wedding on a beach in Hawaii where anyone can be a bridesmaid just as long as they show up in a dress crazy?
Yep
14. Where in the world is Carmen San Diego?
How would I know?
15. Is the grass greener on the other side?
F's grass is brown, mine is green.
16. Would you rather vacation on Betazed, Risa, or the Klingon Homeworld?
Betazed, in the Jalara Jungle
17. Do you carry a purse? If so, please describe.
Yes, Black leather with straps
18. Describe your pajamas.
What pajamas?
19. Have you ever worn your mouse ears?
Probably, I had a cousin who wouldn't go anywhere without them. There are 2-3 years of family photos where she has those d*mn ears on.
This morning, I spoke with the hiring manager of the company I want to work for. They want me to come in for a second interview on Monday!!!! Hooray!!!
One other thing I'm very thankful for - Samuel Adam's Cherry Wheat Beer after mowing the lawn on a hot, summer day. It just doesn't get better than this!
Cool (65 degrees), Sunny, Summer Mornings
Hot Coffee
Health
Friends with Swimming Pools
Green Grass and Flowers
Wagging Tails
Star Trek Fanfic and the Authors Who Write It
For some crazy reason, I've been thinking about the music from the 70's, so I decided to list some of my personal favorites. Although I did like disco at one point, you won't find any on this list, I got sick of it. This is Rock and Roll, with a little jazz and some folk influences. Just the way I like it.
Favorite Bands
Ambrosia
America
Atlanta Rhythm Section
Boz Scaggs
Doobie Brothers
Firefall
Fleetwood Mac
Foreigner
Gino Vannelli
Heart
Hall & Oates
Little River Band
Orleans
Pablo Cruse
Pink Floyd
Steeley Dan
Three Dog Night
Favorite Obscure Songs
Poetry Man - Phoebe Snow
Brandy - Looking Glass
Heart of Gold - Neil Young
Wildfire - Michael Murphey
Miracles - Jefferson Starship
Lady - Styx
Lake Shore Drive - Alliotta, Haynes, & Jeremiah
I'd Really Love to See You Tonight - England Dan & John Ford Coley
Sometimes When We Touch - Dan Hill
Turn the Page - Bob Seger
Amy - Pure Prairie League
Hypnotized - Fleetwood Mac
Long, Long, Time - Linda Rondstadt
Year of the Cat - Al Stewart
Favorite Psych up Music
Allman Brothers Free Bird Queen Bohemian Rhapsody REO Speedwagon Ridin' the Storm Out Deep Purple Smoke On the Water Bette Midler The Devine Miss M Bachman Turner Overdrive Takin' Care of Business Grand Funk Railroad American Band
Dear Readers, This is for you. Since I just learned this costly and time consuming lesson, I thought I would pass it on, so no one else would have to go through what I did.
Thursday night, a friend of mine used my kitchen while I was at school. Her A/C wasn't working and she needed to boil 20lbs of potatoes to make potato salad for her son's graduation party. We're good friends and I certainly didn't mind her coming over and making herself at home. When I arrived at home after class, she was still here with a couple of cold ones ready so we could have a few laughs before she went home. The kitchen was spotless and the dishwasher was running. All was well with the world (or so I thought). We finished the drinks and as she was leaving I noticed the drain in the sink was backing up. Uh-oh. Since this has happened before, I checked the pipes downstairs and the sink in the basement was also backing up. D*MN!
My friend and I often help each other with minor repairs around our houses. Saves a lot of money and normally I learn something and have some fun doing it. We've built walls, run electrical wire, changed light sockets and switches, and all kinds of yard projects. So we decided to try to tackle the clog. At 2:30 am we're still flinging pipe wrenches and getting rather short tempered with each other, to no avail. I tell her to go home, I'll call a plumber in the morning.
The next day, I arise at 6 and call the plumber at 7:30. He"ll be there late morning. I rush to the grocery store. (Today is my day to cook for the graduation party, which I can't do until the sink is clear). He arrives at 11:00. At 2:30 he finally leaves after snaking out two lines, 5 different times. You see, my friend had put a good portion of the potato peals down the garbage disposal. What we didn't know is that potato peals are notorious for clogging drains (as well as lettuce and cabbage). They also are very hard to clear once they have clogged the drain. Not only did the poor frustrated plumber take 3 1/2 hours to snake the drains, he left my kitchen a mess (and this is after he tried to clean it up). Have you ever seen what potatoes look like after 24 hours - they are black...and I have now discovered that I hate plumbing. Electrical may shock you, but at least it's clean. Yuck!
So, the moral of the story...DON'T STUFF THE GARBAGE DISPOSAL WITH ANYTHING!!! THROW AS MUCH OF THE STUFF OUT BEFORE YOU RUN IT. There, I feel better.
House of Monet
