Who do I still think I am??

This one's about that nasty four-letter word.

MOB-RELATED ACTIVITY:

Good morning folks...took yesterday off from WDC stuff because I wasn't feeling great, and the thought of sitting in front of my laptop trying to string a few sentences together wasn't appealing enough to me, so I did the next best thing and sat in front of my laptop watching two Charlie Brown Valentines Day specials on Hulu, with a halfway decent nap sandwiched in between. All in all, a restful and relaxing day...didn't even leave the house.

It appears Andre The Blog Monkey is having quite the weekend. After zippin' around the galaxy with ElaineElaine yesterday, dude's goin' halfway across this planet. Seems to me that during reflections upon his newfound sobriety, he's decided to champion a few causes as a way of "giving back" to the world he took so much from, so he's going to Sochi to cheer on Team USA in the Olympics.

But our bOSS (with an uncapital B), Brother Nature , is Canadian, and rumours to the north say they met and were associates for years in the British Columbian underground scene "running numbers" as far back as the early days of the Brian Mulroney administration (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Mulroney). So what gives, Andre?

Turns out Andre wants to protest Vladimir Putin and Russia's homophobic policies and behaviours, so he'll be picketing outside the Bolshoy Ice Dome before every Olympic hockey event wearing his customized Team USA jersey (you can do that kind of stuff when you're not throwing money away on booze, loose women and smoking paraphernalia). And after the US' amazing defeat of the home team yesterday morning, he's decided to jump on the bandwagon and root for the national team representing some of the kind people who have held him in captivity taken him in while trying to figure out Joel's whereabouts. Godspeed, Andre!

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BCF PROMPT: "How does the weather influence you and your activities? Do you just go with it? Or do you change your plans to meet the day? I don't know about you but I am so over all of the crazy weather and changing my plans."

Well, I saw this prompt and immediately began swearing to myself (I get your comment now, Lyn's a sly fox ...NSFW = "not safe for work" ) and I envisioned myself taking up a few megabytes of space cursing cold weather and snow. And if you know anything about me, you'll know that I have a very pronounced disdain for all things related to the struggle winter weather is often associated with.

Part of my anxiety/depression issues are seasonally associated, so I have a tendency of shutting down mentally in the winter if I'm not vigilant when it comes to monitoring my symptoms...and even when I've gotten them to a manageable place, I still prefer not to go anywhere because doing so would just be the realization that I refuse to admit to myself that I really have a problem with where I live, yet I don't do anything about it.

I should be thankful I suppose for living somewhere that's pretty much devoid of other natural disasters like tornadoes and hurricanes, which have been crippling other parts of the world since the dawn of weather. The flipside of that is we're so accustomed to blizzards, so we've developed ways to work around them and we're so advanced that a foot or two of snow no longer is a big deal, and stores and schools stay open and we're expected to shovel ourselves out and still make it to work on time. The screwy part of having lived in Western New York for so long, with Buffalo huggin' up on the shores of Lake Erie. is the lake effect phenomenon...meaning, some areas will get absolutely pummeled with inclement activity, but go twenty minutes in any other direction and there's barely a dusting. That's the big problem...when you live in one community, your boss lives in another, and you work somewhere in the middle. "What do you mean you can't make it to work? The roads are fine!" Yeah, because you live in the area that doesn't get the same bands of snow and drive a gigantic SUV, whereas I live where there's been 2" falling an hour since I went to bed and drive a tiny little Saturn, which is buried in the garage because the snow has drifted up to my neck and the county plow stacked another hard-packed foot at the apron of the driveway...yet I'm supposed to be sympathetic when schools close because it's five below zero out and still made it to work but the boss can't because they closed schools. Yes, these are conundrums you face when you live in places like I have.

So back to this prompt...since it's just me and I don't have to worry about going anywhere important, as long as I've got enough food it's not a big problem. And I don't know if I'm lazy or stupid or both, but since I live across the street from a store it's not a big deal to me to come to the realization that I might need provisions and tough out the 30-second trip there while wearing the shorts I've been lounging around the house in. Makes no kinda sense to me to put on six layers of clothes just to waddle across the street, and then spend another half hour when I get home trying to undress and get comfortable. Plus, I hate feeling "bundled up"...I need to know I can freely move my arms and legs in any direction at all times, or a claustrophobic anxiety sets in, and not only am I not comfortable from limited movement, but I also want to start screaming about it in a muted, wild banshee-esque murmur that's quite unsettling to strangers.

This winter in particular has been especially cold and snowy, enough to the point that I've cancelled a few appointments because they weren't close enough to sensibly justify waiting for a bus or even leave the house. The "Polar Vortex" was a pretty solid inconvenience...one can only take so much before realizing that going outside for any reason is pretty stupid, and once wind chills hit a certain low point it really doesn't matter what the actual reading is because you know it's so cold that you can start feeling your sinus cavity constrict while the snot in your nose freezes all up in there. It's like Mother Nature (not related to Brother Nature) has determined her own threshold of common sense, and that's the determining factor that advises you to stay indoors.

I will grudgingly accept this season, because I know in some years we've gotten lucky. I've seen Decembers where the average temp is 60 degrees, and people begging to get throat-punched are complaining that they won't have a White Christmas...the same jerk-offs who complain in July that it's 85 and sunny and too hot like sweat and favorable conditions for outdoor activities are the end of the freaking world. Some people are never satisfied and can't seem to reconcile their feelings one season to the next. Sorry, but until we all get our own temperature-controlled bubbles to live in, suck it up princess...you're in <your deity here>'s country, so deal with it. Ain't like you weren't raised up on this stuff, and just like you, I had that same realization somewhere around the same time I learned what responsibilities were that snowstorms aren't fun days off from school and snowball fights and cute snowmen. Sure, I didn't choose to be born here, but it's where I'm from; show me an environment that's free of natural disasters, and I'm there as long as I can take all the cool (not cold) parts of Buffalo with me while leaving behind the people who bought and paid for pretty days ('cuz those people tend to be jerks about it anyway). Otherwise, let's party May through September, and we'll reconvene next year.

MUSICAL BREAK!!

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I'm gonna double-up again today because tunes don't take a day off in my little world. I'll start with a story, because everyone loves stories. My first drugstore job had corporately-purchased Muzak (as many stores do) and there was one song in particular that always seemed to grate on my nerves because it was run so many times that it became almost a running joke between a few of us musically-inclined listeners/coworkers. "Weather With You" (lyrics: {link:http://www.lyricsfreak.com/c/crowded+house/weather+with+you_20034420.html})...we didn't know or care who sang it, but it was the snarky version of "Have a nice day!" when one of us would punch out for the day ("Everywhere you go, always take the weather with you ..."). A few years later, I bought my second iPod (my first was rendered useless by a cheap aftermarket desktop speaker system),and I'd went to a local library to add to my collection. I'd grabbed Crowded House's greatest hits (album: Recurring Dream: The Very Best Of Crowded House {link:http://www.amazon.com/Recurring-Dream-Very-Crowded-House/dp/B000002U5B/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392573927&sr=8-1&keywords=crowded+house+greatest+hits}) because I'd loved the MTV hits "Don't Dream It's Over" and "Something So Strong". Somewhere down the road I'd had that iPod on shuffle, and "Weather With You" came on...I didn't know whether to puke or be excited to realize that it was Crowded House; I fell in love with the song I guess because having heard it sooften before, I could now place a favorable name to it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dlt9GkD_oI

For my second choice...well, I love that I've forgotten how many artists/bands I enjoy. Hawksley Workman is one of my absolute favorites...perhaps the only man I will ever claim to be "sexy". His wit, charms, looks...all something any man should aspire to be, and the fact that he's Canadian means little to me other than his albums can be hard to come by in the US unless you're familiar with http://www.maplemusic.com/. I came across HW strictly by accident; my sister and I were going to Buffalo's legendary "Thursday In The Square" concert series, and Gord Downie (lead singer of The Tragically Hip) was headlining- I was a fan of Downie's solo stuff, and no one in my circle of friends cared for The Hip...going to "The Square" was just an excuse for so many people to get downtown on a Thursday and drink and socialize because who came for the music?? That'll always be a peeve of mine...nobody went for the bands, but for the scene/to be seen. Even when Gord came out for his first few songs wearing a Gil Perrault Sabres jersey, few cared more about his songs than that bit of homage to the local hockey scenesters. He was playing songs from his solo debut, which was paired with a poetry book, both titled "Coke Machine Glow" (http://www.maplemusic.com/product.asp?dept_id=367&pf_id=365-41.

But Hawksley as an opener...totally stole the show. His theatrical presence and his lurching steps while playing guitar were absolutely mind-blowing; this wasn't a guy in a band playing the hits for the locals at a sweaty dive bar over and over. His original compositions were on display for a crowd that didn't know him and didn't care, but he put it out there with comfort and ease. His personality won us over quickly.

"Almost A Full Moon" (album: Almost A Full Moon http://www.maplemusic.com/product.asp?dept_id=41&pf_id=40-60) is not my favorite Hawksley disc, even though it contains a couple of my favorite songs ("Claire Fontaine", "Common Cold", "3 Generations") he created. I believe that album could stand alone as a Broadway play or musical of some kind; it's that amazing in its depth and emotional bearing as a concept album undertaking themes of winter and family. And I'm not a big fan of soup in any form of the food groups, but when it gets nearly unbearable outside I can't help but replaying this in my head.

THE DAILY BOX SCORE:

Hawksley Workman's book, Hawksley Burns For Isadora {link:http://www.amazon.com/Hawksley-Burns-Isadora-Workman/dp/1550225162/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392577684&sr=8-1&keywords=Hawksley+Burns+For+Isadora} will always be required reading for anyone who wishes to know me entirely more personally. Conceived as classified ads to a Toronto newspaper, it speaks volumes to the romanticism one can hold within and dare to share with a world that is otherwise blind and jaded to feelings. I've given the book as a gift a few times and extolled its virtues to many before. I don't have very many books in my personal canon of recommendations, but this is one I'd suggest to everyone who has ever been in love or wants to be in love, or thinks they know they're in love.

Let's all celebrate US Hockey for a moment...TJ Oshie ripped up Russian goalie Sergei Bobrovsky in Olympic shootout rules, and that's great and all. And Team USA is moving on to the medal-contended round, because in no small part of Ryan Miller's efforts this morning. As a Sabres fan, I want to know how many times in his career he's lost a shutout because he let in a goal in the last two minutes of play for his team. I'm not sick over it, but it's something I've been forced to be giving too much thought to over his career because that seems like a trend. "Game's in the bag...oops, there goes my shutout!". But it's cool...rather it be a win than it not be a win.

Ah well, I had more to add but I've probably said enough for today. Gonna hit up a nap and try to catch as much of the Olympic news as I can on http://www.nbcsports.com/. Peace, let's make some soup, and GOODNIGHT NOW!!