Let the Chaos Begin

I can't believe I did it.

I signed up for NaNoWriMo and now I have that jittery feeling like I've chugged too many pots of coffee and am about to give a major presentation in front of a zillion people I don't know. You know, the feeling that you've got racing weasels in your stomach...

I went to the site and signed up before my rational brain had a chance to say "Don't be an idiot."

So, here we are.








umm...maybe I need to think about a topic.





help.

dog brilliance!

We are not having a good week here in our house.

This is Mr. Filch. He ripped a toenail to the quick and had to have it pulled out by the vet.

But since he can't stop biting at the bandages and keeps making the wound bleed, he had to wear an E-collar. He now bashes around and forces himself through whatever he gets stuck on.

Luckily, his checkup is good and we can now take the E-collar off!

shrieking eels

I'm Max. I'm not really an 18 year old Pionus--I'm a dragon. When my mommy passed away I was very sad but her daughter took care of me and now I have a happy home. I like my new friends--because Ali says I'm the boss bird and can do what I want.





I'm Gabbi. I'm a Yellow Naped Amazon. I just had my first birthday in April. I even got my first yellow neck feather just in time! Mom says I'm getting blonder every day...

I love to serenade everyone with lullabies I make up every evening. But my favorite past time is to induce the dogs to bark--and then yell at them to "Get outside!"

Mom's sister is trying to teach me the opening to Led Zepplin's "Immigrant Song" because she thinks it is funny. I am doing my best to learn quickly--I've got the shrieking "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh" down.




I'm Linus the Eclectus. I celebrated my first birthday this spring, too. Since I'm bigger than everyone else, that makes me think I am the boss. Mom sometimes gives me a time out if I act too bossy.

I love food. If you have it, I shall come to thee and gobble it down. Your dinner is mine, sayeth the Linus. Gabbi's dinner is mine. My dinner is mine. [I fear Max and leave his dinner alone.]

I also have a fascination with glasses. Mom has a nice shiny pair that she puts away when I am near. Apparently, she thinks I might destroy them...

Start Your Day With Hope

This is a YouTube video from The Secret.

Enjoy.

Walk out into the world and make it a better place--make it the place you want to be.

Breathing Room

Take it all in...

The space. The view. The lack of neighbors.

Sometimes I think how fun it would be to run away and live in some shack where no one could find me. And then I remember how much I like grocery stores and central heat.

So, I just close my eyes and remember how beautiful Montana is every time I drive through. I sometimes wish the Midwest wasn't so claustrophobic.

Potter-infomania

Yes, as we know...I am a Potter fan.

With the help of modern technology (and MSNBC) here are a few of the J. K. Rowling interview snippets from July 29, 2007.

The link will take you to a page with the interview fragments.

Also, here is the link to the Bloomsbury Q&A session for fans on Mugglenet.com from July 30, 2007. I tried to get the Bloomsbury.com link to work for the transcript, but couldn't get it to load. There are tons of questions to which JKR gives some very interesting answers.

Romantics with a Soapbox Interlude on World Politics

In the first article on this subject, one's imagination must certainly be buzzing: the bride of fourth street. Romance. Tragedy. Maybe a young Miss Havisham?

In truth, perhaps that is not too far from the mark. In a follow up article, they identified the girl by the serial number on the wedding ring she carried with her.
_________________________________

*Sigh*

Perhaps I really do want to live in a nineteenth century novel? Hate. Love. Betrayal. Scandal. It all seems so personal, so deeply cutting.

With everything on the news about perpetual war and political liars, I feel very abstracted. Actually I feel very little at all except anger. My life seems so small and mundane next to the world stage--which at the moment is filled with idiots. We've forgone local knowledge for global knowledge believing it is better. That is NOT the truth when we talk only of war and what weapons this country may or may not have. The knowledge that is important: what matters to that group of people?

I want to know about art--show me pottery and paintings and books and jewelry. I want to know what forces shaped that culture. I want to know what makes them laugh. How do they spend their family time? What do they believe in [not necessarily in a religious context]?

We live on a very small planet. I'm tired of Who won't talk to Who for Reason XYZ. I'm tired of foreign policy or non-policy. Wake up! If we don't learn to get along with everyone else, none of us will be left. Every leader needs to suck it up and talk to everyone else. Break out the beer and fire up the grill. Sit down like human beings and share a meal. Find what you enjoy about each other. Find the common ground--we all want to live in peace and have a prosperous life and comfort for our families. So, how can we all work together to get that done? What can we provide that will help your country? What can you provide to help others? How can each of us do this so it doesn't destroy the planet?

And someone should set an international mandate: if you are willing to send troops to war--you must also be willing to send yourself to the front line as well [not to mention your spouse and your children]. No bodyguards. Nothing more than your comrades in arms. If you believe it, you should fight it. End of story.

{Soapbox moment concluded.}
__________________________________

Anyway, back to being dreamy and romantic...

A few years ago, PBS hosted a series called Regency House Party in which five men and six women are sent to live in a manor house for a nine week house party. There are chaperones and staff. Quite a few guests arrive to give mini-lectures and dinner conversation on everything Regency. All the rules of the age apply--no co-mingling without chaperones, no sun exposure, and extensive gossip and plotting. Watching this was enormous fun!

Of course there is always the BBC production of Pride and Prejudice. Ah, the dreamy Mr. Darcy--how could any woman resist Colin Firth and his dark yumminess? I keep trying to watch the recent big screen version but I just haven't made it through yet. I'm afraid that my view of Mr. Darcy will always and forever be Colin Firth. I was so young and impressionable...