Welcome to My Nightmare

Stressed

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 21:22:54 GMT

Mom and I both stressed waiting for the court date next Tuesday. We're hoping the other side comes out with a fair settlement offer.

Doesn't help that there's all kinds of stress in my veteran's group and I'm a nano-second away from resigning my position and going back to being just one of the regular types.

Jackie's been extended by two weeks. So we have her cats for another 2 1/2 weeks. And her car (that's a nice thing!)

Books

Sat, 08 Aug 2009 02:47:23 GMT

These are the top 106 books most often marked as "unread" by LibraryThing's users (as of today). As usual, bold what you have read, italicise what you started but couldn't finish, and strike through what you couldn't stand. The numbers after each one are the number of LT users who used the tag of that book.

(from Mamapduck)

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell (149)
Anna Karenina (132)
Crime and punishment (121)
Catch-22 (117)
One hundred years of solitude (115)
Wuthering Heights (110)
The Silmarillion (104)
Life of Pi : a novel (94)
The name of the rose (91)
Don Quixote (91)
Moby Dick (86)
Ulysses (84)
Madame Bovary (83)
The Odyssey (83)
Pride and prejudice (83)
Jane Eyre (80)
A tale of two cities (80)
The brothers Karamazov (80)
Guns, Germs, and Steel: the fates of human societies (79)
War and peace (78)
Vanity fair (74)
The time traveler's wife (73)
The Iliad (73)
Emma (73)
The Blind Assassin (73)
The kite runner (71)
Mrs. Dalloway (70)
Great expectations (70)
American gods (68)
A heartbreaking work of staggering genius (67)
Atlas shrugged (67)
Reading Lolita in Tehran : a memoir in books (66)
Memoirs of a Geisha (66)
Middlesex (66)
Quicksilver (66)
Wicked : the life and times of the wicked witch of the West (65)
The Canterbury tales (64)
The historian : a novel (63)
A portrait of the artist as a young man (63)
Love in the time of cholera (62)
Brave new world (61)
The Fountainhead (61)
Foucault's pendulum (61)
Middlemarch (61)
Frankenstein (59)
The Count of Monte Cristo (59)
Dracula (59)
A clockwork orange (59)
Anansi boys (58)
The once and future king (57)
The grapes of wrath (57)
The poisonwood Bible : a novel (57)
1984 (57)
Angels & demons (56)
The inferno (56)
The satanic verses (55)
Sense and sensibility (55)
The picture of Dorian Gray (55)
Mansfield Park (55)
One flew over the cuckoo's nest (54)
To the lighthouse (54)
Tess of the D'Urbervilles (54)
Oliver Twist (54)
Gulliver's travels (53)
Les misérables (53)
The corrections (53)
The amazing adventures of Kavalier and Clay (52)
The curious incident of the dog in the night-time (52)
Dune (51)
The prince (51)
The sound and the fury (51)
Angela's ashes : a memoir (51)
The god of small things (51)
A people's history of the United States : 1492-present (51)
Cryptonomicon (50)
Neverwhere (50)
A confederacy of dunces (50)
A short history of nearly everything (50)
Dubliners (50)
The unbearable lightness of being (49)
Beloved (49)
Slaughterhouse-five (49)
The scarlet letter (48)
Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation (48)
The mists of Avalon (47)
Oryx and Crake : a novel (47)
Collapse : how societies choose to fail or succeed (47)
Cloud atlas (47)
The confusion (46)
Lolita (46)
Persuasion (46)
Northanger abbey (46)
The catcher in the rye (46)
On the road (46)
The hunchback of Notre Dame (45)
Freakonomics : a rogue economist explores the hidden side of everything (45)
Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance : an inquiry into values (45)
The Aeneid (45)
Watership Down (44)
Gravity's rainbow (44)
The Hobbit (44)
In cold blood : a true account of a multiple murder and its consequences (44)
White teeth (44)
Treasure Island (44)
David Copperfield (44)
The Three Musketeers (44)

Workman Comp Date

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 22:00:13 GMT

Mom received notice she has a court date this month. Crossed fingers everyone. I'm not sure she could snap out of a depression if we don't get a positive settlement and a good sum. She's been suicidal before, this would really snap her over.

Tired

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 23:45:56 GMT

Didn't go to Mariposa today to get Mom's license renewed - too tired and Mom is hurting too bad. We'll go Monday.

I've got a few chapters of a 2nd Awakenings series done. Now if my depression doesn't drive my muse off again.....

Hot, hot, hot

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 23:16:22 GMT

Supposed to be 105F here today and the week isn't going to get much better. Too hot to do much anything.

Fortunately we were in the shade, on a knoll with a slight breeze. Otherwise, standing around with a bugle and rifles would have been VERY hard on disabled and old bodies. Drank a lot of water yesterday, trying to keep it up today.

Money-wise, we'll get through the month, I think. Mom got on the phone and threatened the lawyer's office today, that everyone has advised us to get a new lawyer. We now have an appt with the lawyer. LOL

Bah

Sat, 18 Jul 2009 21:50:24 GMT

Decided to start writing in here again.

Mom's Workman's Comp check has run out. Those b*stards have delayed and delayed until the money has run out. Just as they planned.

And the state is going to issue IOUs instead of checks for home health care.

That means $700 less a month - leaving between $400-600 to live on with all bills (except rent)

Writer's Block: Childish Pleasures

Sat, 18 Jul 2009 19:37:06 GMT

RPG and comic books - I don

fighting against discrimination

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 01:56:46 GMT

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080918/ap_en_ce/people_brad_pitt

New Writing Website

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 23:34:24 GMT

http://www.freewebs.com/frau-hunter/

Another free website - a little easier to work with.

Both will work for picking up my work.

New Writing Website

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 22:33:33 GMT

http://frau-hunter-ash.tripod.com/

Hoping this is my new website for my writing and artwork. I'll be adding my writing over the next few days.

Beliefnet . com

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 22:46:38 GMT

1.	Reform Judaism (100%)
2.	Neo-Pagan (90%)
3.	Bahá'í Faith (88%)
4.	Unitarian Universalism (88%)
5.	Orthodox Judaism (85%)
6.	Sikhism (84%)
7.	Liberal Quakers (80%)
8.	Jainism (80%)
9.	Islam (79%)
10.	Mahayana Buddhism (74%)
11.	Secular Humanism (65%)
12.	Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (63%)
13.	New Age (63%)
14.	Hinduism (58%)
15.	Scientology (55%)
16.	Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (54%)
17.	Theravada Buddhism (54%)
18.	New Thought (50%)
19.	Nontheist (48%)
20.	Taoism (48%)
21.	Orthodox Quaker (46%)
22.	Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (41%)
23.	Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (35%)
24.	Jehovah's Witness (33%)
25.	Eastern Orthodox (29%)
26.	Roman Catholic (29%)
27.	Seventh Day Adventist (23%)

Dreamy Idealist

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 21:20:54 GMT

Dreamy Idealists are very cautious and therefore often appear shy and reserved to others. They share their rich emotional life and their passionate convictions with very few people. But one would be very much mistaken to judge them to be cool and reserved. They have a pronounced inner system of values and clear, honourable principles for which they are willing to sacrifice a great deal. Joan of Arc or Sir Galahad would have been good examples of this personality type. Dreamy Idealists are always at great pains to improve the world. They can be very considerate towards others and do a lot to support them and stand up for them. They are interested in their fellow beings, attentive and generous towards them. Once their enthusiasm for an issue or person is aroused, they can become tireless fighters.

For Dreamy Idealists, practical things are not really so important. They only busy themselves with mundane everyday demands when absolutely necessary. They tend to live according to the motto “the genius controls the chaos” - which is normally the case so that they often have a very successful academic career. They are less interested in details; they prefer to look at something as a whole. This means that they still have a good overview even when things start to become hectic. However, as a result, it can occasionally happen that Dreamy Idealists overlook something important. As they are very peace-loving, they tend not to openly show their dissatisfaction or annoyance but to bottle it up. Assertiveness is not one of their strong points; they hate conflicts and competition. Dreamy Idealists prefer to motivate others with their amicable and enthusiastic nature. Whoever has them as superior will never have to complain about not being given enough praise.

As at work, Dreamy Idealists are helpful and loyal friends and partners, persons of integrity. Obligations are absolutely sacred to them. The feelings of others are important to them and they love making other people happy. They are satisfied with just a small circle of friends; their need for social contact is not very marked as they also need a lot of time to themselves. Superfluous small talk is not their thing. If one wishes to be friends with them or have a relationship with them, one would have to share their world of thought and be willing to participate in profound discussions. If you manage that you will be rewarded with an exceptionally intensive, rich partnership. Due to their high demands on themselves and others, this personality type tends however to sometimes overload the relationship with romantic and idealistic ideas to such an extent that the partner feels overtaxed or inferior. Dreamy Idealists do not fall in love head over heels but when they do fall in love they want this to be a great, eternal love.

Adjectives which describe your type

introverted, theoretical, emotional, spontaneous, idealistic, dreamy, effusive, pleasant, reserved, friendly, passionate, loyal, perfectionist, helpful, creative, composed, curious, obstinate, with integrity, willing to make sacrifices, romantic, cautious, shy, peace-loving, vulnerable, sensitive, communicative, imaginative

These subjects could interest you

literature, philosophy, psychology, music, art (museums), writing, drawing/painting, astrology, spiritual things, meditation, handicrafts, writing, voluntary work

http://www.ipersonic.com/type/DI.html

Library Mayhem

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 04:32:37 GMT

Ravenwood 2008

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 00:30:08 GMT

Ravenwood 2008 was this last weekend. Jackie, Stewart and I had a great time and the weather was fantastic. Not too warm and not too cold (for that area, not too cold is always nice). We had a subdued sumbel to Viking Fred, an enthusiastic sumbel for Vampyre Mike and a moving sumbel for Steve (Wulf) Corum. Pasha sang Zombies for Jesus at Steve's memorial for both Mike and Steve.

Now we're home and the central valley is setting heat records again. Bah!

To Mike, Fred and Steve

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 19:52:22 GMT

A drinking horn is raised to Sig-Fred, Vampyre Mike and Wulf. Now Wulf can drink without worry, Fred and be the amazing fantastic Viking he always was and Vampyre Mike won't mind playing Zombies For Jesus over and over. We missed them more than words can say at Ravenwood this weekend.

Hail!

Animal Quiz

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 02:57:20 GMT

You're a Tiger!

You've really earned your stripes. People like to sing about your
eyes, which some find to be thrilling. You're rather fond of Detroit, as well as
half the universities and high schools all across America. When people want to calm
you down a bit, they use the word "easy". Overall, you're grrrrreat!

Take the Animal Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

Smoke Everywhere

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 17:51:46 GMT

We've got a lot of wildfires throughout the state right now and several in the mountains where we are. The smoke is thick enough to make it a hazy day, like a cloudy winter day. We've got the windows shut and are trying to breath. I woke up with a bloody nose yesterday. First time in a very long while.

Hot, smoky and can't breathe. Yeah, it's a black flag day.

The Who - Behind Blue Eyes

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 22:18:45 GMT

Stan Winston 1946 - 2008

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 16:35:09 GMT

Kinda grieving today. Stan was my all time favorite creature effects guy (Rob Bottin is a close second). When I saw Jurassic Park in the theater, it was amazing. You believed the dinos were real. You knew the Terminator wouldn’t stop and cheered when Ripley yelled at the mother alien and challenged her.

He will be missed.

Stan Winston, 1946 – 2008

Date of Birth
7 April 1946, Richmond, Virginia, USA

Date of Death
15 June 2008, Los Angeles, California, USA (multiple myeloma)

From screeninglog.com | See recent screeninglog news
16 June 2008 1:24 PM, PDT

Stan Winston, an Academy Award-winning special effects and makeup artist known for his work in “Aliens” and “Jurassic Park,” died Sunday after a long struggle with multiple myeloma. He was 62.

Winston won a total of four Oscars in the special effects and makeup categories for his work in “Aliens,” “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” and “Jurassic Park.”

Besides his four wins, Winston was nominated for several other Academy Awards in the same categories for “Batman Returns” and “Artificial Intelligence,” among others.

Other projects he worked on as special makeup effects artists included “Constantine,” “Pearl Harbor” and “Edward Scissorhands.”

Winston also worked on the visual effects in Jon Favreau’s “Iron Man.” He earned his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2001.
Franck Tabouring

06 01 2008

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 19:54:41 GMT

06 01 2008

Today in church wasn’t too bad. I managed NOT to hit Joe when he started going on about gay marriage and how sinful it is. When it came time for communion, I palmed the bread cube and faked drinking the grape juice, pouring it into my water bottle. I just think it would be disrespectful of the religion and my cousin if I partook of communion and I’m not a Christian (even if he thinks I am).

The concert last night was good. The first band was kinda sappy. Okay, really sappy. The second one rocked the place. Then came the “message.” You end up “paying” for a free Christian concert, that’s for sure. Almost an hour of preaching and I was hurting by then so it was really hard to sit through that and the altar call.

I jumped at a chance to go with one of the moms from our group and an older couple to get some cds. The older Spanish couple surprised me, they knew the bands and loved the hard stuff. The other mom I figured would, she and I talked the same language: Alice Cooper, Dokken, Queensryche, etc.

I got 2 cds of the band I liked. I burned off two copies for one of the kids that was with us last night and made him promise to buy the cds when he can. He and his sister didn’t have enough money last night. I know what that’s like.

Chris was home from college today. He’s growing in some ways and not in others, like picking up after himself. I guess all young adults go through that unless they’re in the military.

David, Serena and Nick leave early in the morning for their conference. Not sure when Chris will leave but it’ll be sometime tomorrow. That leaves me and the dogs to ourselves this week until Friday. That’ll be good. Mom says she’s doing okay at home and has decided not to try and paint the bathroom while I’m gone. That’s a relief.

Still struggling to get into the writing again. Hoping the time here might jump start my creative streak again.

Barstow - Saturday

Sat, 31 May 2008 17:51:39 GMT

Today we're going to a Christian rock concert. I'm so excited! Okay, not really but it's good to spend time with the family. The back hurts a bit more because of the chairs here. I can't really spread out until they're gone, of course.

Upside to being here: less stress, less housework, DSL
downside: more back pain, more errand running, keeping a low profile religiously, putting my Hammer in my shirt, not enough time to be online yet.

Patches is doing much better, btw. She's eating well and does her strange stiff-legged hound dance when begging for a treat.

Memorial Day - 2008

Tue, 27 May 2008 03:06:47 GMT

http://hunter-ash.insanejournal.com/

long day - kinda painful

Long week coming up

Stress Alert

Wed, 21 May 2008 00:13:05 GMT

So, just when things look up a TINY bit, a monkey wrench gets thrown in the mix. Patches developed a mouth sore that spread badly until she couldn't eat soft food. We took her to the vet and it'll be between $500-$1,000 to help her and she'll lose most of her teeth. Terrific.

So, things will be tight for awhile. Not stress I need.

Update

Mon, 19 May 2008 19:14:53 GMT

Did the flag donation thing this weekend and got really heat sick both days. Going up 23 degrees in 2 days does that to me every year. Working on the recovery thing. No yard work for a couple of days, trip to the dump early - not mid-day. Lots of water.

Going to get some groceries tomorrow in Fresno. Stock up on some things. The heat is supposed to start down tomorrow, thankfully.

busy equals pain

Sat, 17 May 2008 00:59:41 GMT

Had a funeral this morning. I haven't recovered from the 2 1/2 hours I did of yard work Wed yet. Flag sales tomorrow and Sunday, trash run Monday, grocery run Monday night - Tuesday = die.

Wed. luncheon
Thurs. dinner

Monday - Memorial day services at 4 cemeteries throughout the mountains

Wed. audit at Lynn's house
Thurs - go to Barstow

when do I finish the meadow out back?

It's 90F here today

I'm not even trying to figure when I can do writing