Getting to know me. |
One of the goals I set for myself this year was to create a blog. There are a lot of reasons I wanted to do this. 1. I think a blog will encourage me to write more often. 2. I want people to get to know me better, and hopefully I'll know more about you from your comments. The grammar won't be perfect, but a blog is a more relaxed type of writing, I think. I want to share my, and Sir Trevor's, adventures and lots of other things too! |
Day 1367 - August 13, 2016 Ring around the posy - a pocket full of.. .. .. What are you pockets full of? Empty Pockets I'm one of those weird people who don't use their pockets. If I have a bad cold I might put a package of kleenex in my coat pocket, but that's it. It makes laundry day a lot easier. You'd be surprised at what I can stuff in a purse, though. Reviews I'm taking a break from my routine today. Most of my reviews are for Newbies, but this weekend I'm reviewing for the SPECULATIVE SPECTACULAR "WdC SuperPower Reviewers Group" Party Review Raid!! It's been a long time since I've participated in a Raid so here I go. Cats & Dogs & Other Weird Stuff! It's a dull, dreary, rainy day. It's raining cats and dogs! How did that phrase get its start? A torrential rain. As in, "It's raining cats and dogs. Which sucks because my hat is made of pure sodium." Most say it came from ... In the 1500s human beings had the pleasure of living in homes with thatched roofs which, keep in mind, had the ability to repel winds no stronger than a burrito fart. In these strange times, humans for some reason didn't want their pets pooping in their homes and so they were always kept outside. The animals would keep themselves warm in the little nooks in the thatching on the roofs and store their food up there for a rainy day. When an especially rainy day did come along, the animals would either get washed off of the roof or would come leaping down looking for better cover. The story goes that the townsfolk would look out their window, see pets falling from the sky, and proclaim it to be "raining cats and dogs." Then they would probably burn a witch or something. Other weird sayings and possible meanings: Rule of Thumb "The rule of thumb is one part tonic to four parts gin." Most say it came from ... 17th century English Judge Sir Francis Buller, who allegedly ruled that it was A-OK for a husband to beat his wife with a stick, given that said stick was no wider than his thumb. Bite the Bullet Accepting something difficult or unpleasant. As in, "You're going to have to bite the bullet and admit you killed that hooker." Most say it came from ... When engaged in war there are times when emergency surgery is needed: Legs have to come off or deeply-buried bullets need to come out. And sometimes, there's no time for anesthesia when the Nazis are bearing down. So, rather than stabbing a patient in the arm to distract him from the saw going through his foot, the surgeon would supposedly shove a bullet in his mouth and ask him to bite down. Basket Case One that is in a completely hopeless or useless condition. Most say it came from ... The supposed origin came about during World War I and was used to describe servicemen that had all of their limbs either surgically or explodingly removed--leaving them as nothing more then torsos that would have to be carried in a basket. Bust Your Chops To give someone a hard time. Don't bust my chops. Most say it came from ... There was once a time in the world when it was considered cool to sport a long, ridiculous pair of mutton chop side burns. From America to England, Russia to ... some other place even further away than Russia, the civilized global population couldn't get enough of these peninsula-shaped patches of hair. Then, these people got punched in the face--their "chops busted," if you will--and an idiom was born. Wrong End of the Stick wrong end refers to a misunderstanding. Most say it came from ... As advanced as their sewage systems were, the Romans still had not arrived at the toilet paper stage. In their public toilets, the pooper would rely on a sponge or cloth that was attached to a stick which rested within a bowl that contained a mixture of two-parts salt water and three-parts nightmares. After a person had finished discussing the days events with their constituents, all while becoming a few pounds lighter, they would request the sponged stick to be passed along to them. If they weren't concentrating on the task, they would end up grabbing the end of the stick that was covered in the poop of 50 other guys. This was considered grabbing the "wrong end of the stick." As Pleased as Punch To be very happy. As in, "Uncle Bernie is pleased as punch now that he has his cocaine." Most say it came from ... Apparently, the phrase spawned from an English puppet show that goes all the way back to the 1600s (Punch and Judy) which was written by a chemically imbalanced sociopath, or a 17th century Eli Roth. No two performances of the show were totally alike, but they all usually involved the same events. Dead Ringer An exact duplicate. Most say it came from ... This origin holds that a "Dead Ringer" was a person that was prematurely buried and is supplied with a rope attached to a bell with which to draw attention to the not-so-dead guy in the totally-for-dead-people box. Through some research, we found that such a practice never actually existed, although there were instances of people being buried alive and there is actually a patent held for such a life-saving device. Please take these explanations with a grain of salt. You can't believe everything you read on the internet. That's it for today. River |
Day 1352: July 28, 2016 Prompt So I just moved into my very first apartment. Tell me about the first time you moved out on your own. It can be into a dorm, or into a place with roommates, or when you first got an apartment or house that was yours (ALL YOURS!) If you haven't gotten to that point, tell me about your dreams for when you DO get to that point and if you are planning, then what you're planning for (just a small apartment while you climb the corporate ladder, or a dorm shared with others while you get your degree, something else?) Use your creativity and paint the picture of what this looks like for your readers. Life at home became unbearable, stuck in a small house the country which I called God's Forgotten Acre. B&W TV and only three channels, no internet, and a domineering, manipulative mother finally drove me out. It was either move out or have a major meltdown. I moved to town, and what a difference it made in my life. My first apartment was above a flower shop. The stairs were very steep, there were exactly 22 stairs to climb! It was a small apartment, but bright and cheery. I was within walking distance of all the stores, got cable and a coloured TV, and soon made lots of friends. It was the best decision of my life! August 28, 2016 A Healthy Life Style? and This and That and the Cat A Healthy Life Style? Breakfast this morning was definitely not a healthy one. I slept late and was rushed so I grabbed the first available thing which just happened to be a container of Lay's Stax chips and a bottle of Boost. My logic was; The Boost would provide all the vitamins and minerals needed. Lunch will be baked beans, delivered by my daughter. I'm trying to cut down on coffee and cigarettes. That isn't going very well. I'm getting pretty moody! Oh yes, I'm also trying to get more exercise. I wonder if a healthier life style is worth the struggles.. This and That and the Cat Sir Trevor is not in a good mood The heat and humidity have got to him. After his mock hunting trip, belly to the ground, ready to pounce at the birds on the patio, he once again smashed into the patio door. “Meooow!” Trying to look cool, he got into his bed and took a leisurely feline bath. Once his head stopped spinning from the contact with the glass door he slowly headed to his cat house. He used the last of his energy to jump up to the part of his house that contains hi food bowls. Nothing appealed to his gourmet taste, so he jumped back down, gave me a look of scorn, and decided to take a cat nap. A Newbie poem I thought tied in with today's Circle of Friends prompt.
Getting to Know Me I'm a coffeeholic. My To Do List is too long. I'm longing for fall and cooler weather. Until next time, River |