But can't hear a word they're saying... only the echoes of my mind. Just how I feel folks. Can't help it. I'm having those paranoid feelings all over again. Luckily the doctor understands and has adjusted my meds. Now everyting goin' be a'right. Everyting goin' be OKay.

BiPolar disorder is one of the most self-centered mental illnesses you can have. I mean, how else is it possible to think everyone is talking about you when you are not even a celebrity of any kind? No one is out to get me. Why would they even want to waste their valuable time on me?

Anywho...

My houseguests are working away on their scrapbooks today. They have decided to cover them with pretty fabrics to make them their own. I think that's pretty cool. They seem to be enjoying themselves and that's what counts.

I need to update my journal tonight to take to my therapy session tomorrow. That will not be so much fun. It will be important but not fun. Well, more later I suppose.

 

It's Mom and Sis day here at the ranch. Of course I don't live on a ranch but I'm sure there's one around here somewhere.

I have to resist the impulse to "shoot my load" so to speak all on the first day. Plenty of time I have to tell myself, plenty of time. I mean, even Samhain is a whole week away. Now, if only my spellchecker wouldn't tell me that's misspelled. Sheesh.

I did see a couple of excellent conductors at the train station today. Dan asked me how I could tell. I pointed out that they were mostly water and, being somewhat plump, probably more than a little on the fatty side. I also pointed out what we know about electrical conductivity and the many documented cloud to ground lightening strikes that went right through people and he was quick to agree that must be the case then that they were indeed good conductors. I even suggested that they be paid commensurate with their conductivity. He disagreed saying that it would be necessary to run a current through them on a daily basis to calculate their relative conductivity or resistance and that that would probably make for a hostile work environment. I allowed that he was probably right but then added that resistance is after all futile...
 

First, you clear all the stuff off of the bed that got laid there since the last time you used it. Now, if you just got out of it this morning and you have this problem, it's a little worse than say, if it's the guest bed in a shut off room of the house you never go into. In my case, it's the futon/loveseat that I keep in my craft room which I use at least twice a week (with the bed in its loveseat configuration). This makes it only a little bad as I am using that bed as part workspace and part storage all the time.

Second, you clear all the stuff you just tossed off the bed out from around your feet so you can move without risk of permanent injury. Yes, I really am that impetuous. I just tossed it all on the floor. So sue me.

Now, you place the "comfy layer" (or layers) on top of the mattress. You know, the stuff you store because it's too much to just wash it periodically just because it gets dusty on the bare mattress. Also remember, this involves guessing how much of a wuss or princess your guest is. (if it's not your bed, that is)

Next come the sheets which, as usual have been left in the laundry room due to folding issues (you don't see why you should have to even though you washed them a few days ahead of time to get it done with and they're SHEETS for goodness sake). Down the stairs you go... stairs which, due to the fact that your mate has been inspired to clean also, are littered with towels and socks and such that he dropped on his way to the laundry room. Oh, I know what you're thinking "Why can't he bring up the sheets?" Sure, that would be ideal except that everyone knows that, in the laundry room, no one can hear you scream.

So, sheets safely retrieved from the laundry room, you make the bed. Nope, you never get the fitted on right way 'round first. Then the flat. Why was it you decided to push the bed against the wall again??? Oh right, it's actually a sofa in another life.

Now for the blanket. Right. Linen closet! I mean it's been threatening to fall on your head every time you've opened the blasted door for 3 months. But wait! What's this? You have to tug and tug and now everything else is shifting but the blanket. Finally, even though you really should reorganize the closet now, you take the blanket, slam the door shut and RUN.

Back to the bed. Blanket safely on, you turn your attention to the pillow. Not only are our children getting fatter, our pillows are as well. Unfortunately, "standards" have kept our pillow cases the same size. It's a struggle but you finally clothe the pillow as well. Does it look a little lumpy? Sure it does!

Then, you lie on the bed (you did a lot to make the bed now you get to lie on it) and as your back begins to cramp, you fear you have not properly estimated the value of the "comfy layer".

Well, she is lighter than I am. Maybe it's enough.
 

someone doesn't want you somewhere? I do.

I'm in the BAM in Hammond and apparently only the elderly are allowed to hang out in the cafe. Seriously. They keep staring at me and at Dan with mean looks. I think they're trying to guilt us out of here. Well, I'm not going.

NOW Dan's complaining that I used up all the cream cheese. I mean, it's dairy, right? I'm supposed to consume like 3 servings of dairy a day. Does he want me to get Osteoporosis? I could fall and break a hip and get a terrible bone infection or a clot and die. THAT would show him. I bet he'd make sure there was plenty of cream cheese around then.

I love cheese. I love the way it tastes and the way it smells (most of it anyway) and the way it looks. It's all different and unique and YUMMY.

Maybe we should pick up some cream cheese on the way home... and pita bread.

Well, we moved the Silver Cage of Doom downstairs to prep the dogs for the visiting days. They seemed really happy about it. Perhaps it was the many pieces of chicken they got for going in an out of it happily. If I got food for going to bed I don't know if it would make me that happy. Now sex, if I got sex for going to bed, that would make me happy.




 

The trouble with living in a backwoods kind of location that also hosts a college is that anything that happens, good or bad, tends to end up being written about. Unfortunately, this time it's bad. I agree that the whole JP thing is a stain on the city of Hammond (I mean did he not hear about Loving vs. Virginia?) but even our paper carried no less than two stories on the front page today above the fold and the entire editorial page dealt with it. Jeepers, the whole general section of the paper is only 8 pages long. They covered like a quarter of it in this issue. What really sickens me is that some people actually AGREED with the JP and supported him.

For anyone who for whatever reason did not hear about this, the Justice of the Peace in Hammond, LA refused to sign the marriage certificate for a mixed race couple citing his concern for the progeny of such a union. Hammond is the Parish seat for the Tangipahoa Parish in Louisiana (said parish being located on the northern shores of Lake Ponchartrain in southern Louisiana. The JP is an elected official and, according to the Parish government, is not related to the parish government or its policies.

Really, it's all a bunch of ridiculousness. The guy will have to resign now and a new JP will be elected (probably by special election) and the problem will be skillfully avoided by the new JP by virtue of the fact that he will have some grasp of the laws he's sworn to uphold and regardless of his beliefs will set about performing all sorts of legal unions. The reality is that the couple just went to another parish and got married anyway. It's sad that they had to but they did and they are fine now. I think the worst part was that the entire reason they had to use the JP at all was that they couldn't get the time off for a really nice wedding. See the groom just got a new job and hasn't any leave yet.

Now, how about this weather we're having?

Anyway, I'm still having fun playing with my food. I've been cooking ahead and freezing it in small portions so I can "build a meal" with anything I packed in the freezer. I also found a really cool and tasty recipe for sushi rice as well as how to make Onigiri. Onigiri is like a rice ball with a fun food surprise in the middle. I've been using mashed veggies of one kind of another that I dropped out on a cookie sheet with a cookie scoop and froze to make them easier to use as the secret surprise center. I understand you can use just about any kind of food like fruit too. After I embed the veggies in the rice ball using my cool rice mold, I freeze the rice ball too so I can make a ton ahead. I eat rice at nearly every meal.

I've even started making a basic American stir fry a couple days a week to include in my meals. It tastes delicious packed in a whole wheat pita pocket. The bottom line is that I really like cooking on a daily basis but by the time I get to the end of the day (dinner time) all I want to do is lock myself in my craft room and play. This way, I can cook earlier in the day (as time permits, I mean I am working) or do all my prep work at night after the playing is over and just throw it all in the pot or pan or casserole or whatever the next day.

Well, I'd better save and let the dogs out of the "Silver Cage of Doom".






 

I'm cooking my lunches ahead. Today, I cook baked butternut squash in brown sugar, mashed sweet potatoes, cornbread with leftover pesto/jack cheese (not from scratch though, it's Jiffy. Jiffy is like the slut of cornbread mix. You can put anything in it and it still tastes good... well almost anything) and asparagus tips. Really it's like baby asparagus. I love asparagus in lemon butter. I'm freezing everything in serving sizes. Only the asparagus has to go in a container though. The rest I'm freezing solid in a muffin tin before I throw it in a ziplock bag.

A disclaimer: When I say muffin tin, I really mean those cool silicone muffin molds. When I say "a ziplock bag" I really mean one for each food so that no food it touching another food. Some people in the house would eat all their food from a divided tray all the time to keep food from touching.

Anyway...

The only problem I'm having is that I have to do this in the morning before Dan gets up and so I can't make a sound because the kitchen is right next to his bedroom. That's pretty hard. Sweet potatoes are HARD vegetables and require some pressure to cut into chunks for boiling. This causes the knife to make a LOUD chopping sound when it hits the cutting board. Oh wait...He's UP! gotta go...
 

Baked breaded chicken breasts crusted with nuts and pasta with a cream sauce and peas. Yum! Only I refuse to eat alone and Dan's not home yet. It's not like the work won't still be there when he gets in on Monday. They make really Machiavellian schedules and deadlines at that shop. And why must the manager be yelling all the time? None of my business I suppose.

Still, dinner's ready and I'm hungry. Hurry Dan, hurry!
 

Since my dogs seem to believe that staring at me will get me to understand what they need me to understand at any given moment (I want some food!, We need water, can I have a treat?, I'd like to get on your lap, I need a cuddle, etc.) I decided to try it too. So, I stared at them when it was time for them to go into the "silver cage of doom" last night. Didn't work. Big surprise. They must think much of their own psychic abilities.

Well, back to work!
 

I mean, they know I don't have any idea what they want. They are worse than babies sometimes.

They have food, water, a place to sleep (the whole house) and plenty of access to me. Yet they still stare at me like they are trying to will me to understand something. It's not even time for their treat or bed. I wish they'd stop. It's creepy.

On another note, I worked pretty hard today. I even worked late as is Dan still. I'm thinking of fixing a sandwich before he gets home as it's late enough that my dinner has worn off. I have a bit of a headache because of it.

Maybe it's my eyes causing the headache. I'm afraid I'm going to need new glasses soon. There goes more money out the door. Now I'll have to buy new contacts too. Bummer.

Dan's Mom and sister, Daverlee are coming in less than 3 weeks. I have a lot to do to get ready. I already created a paint can project for a surprise for them. See, Daverlee's favorite holiday is Halloween. The paint can's are empty cans that I bought at the hardware store. I'm decorating them to commemorate the holiday season and the person they are for. Then, I'm filling them with various goodies including some candy for Mom. I found lots of stuff this time of year. The stores (nearly all of them) have all kinds of trinkets. I've finished Daverlee's paint can and one for myself which I used to experiment but I still need to do one for Mom. I figured I could give them a list of all the local events to choose from for fun while they're here. I'm putting that in the can too. I think they will be able to put some of the keepsakes they get while they're here in the can for safe keeping on the way home. They're taking the train out and back.

I can hardly wait. It seems like they'll never get here.


 

Let's go to __ instead of __.

Why?

The girls dress sluttier there.

Oh, am I not dressed slutty enough for you today?

Well, you're not really dressed slutty as much as just very feminine.

Well, you can see my tits.

No, YOU can see your tits. I mean, look at your vantage point. Check the visor if you don't believe me.

Oh, I see what you're saying. So what's the definition of dressing slutty then?

Oh, I don't know... those little tank tops with the bra straps showing and a pushup bra on maybe... or a tight wife beater.

You mean without a bra? That is kind of slutty.

No... that's just nice.