Just call me Suzy Homemaker

Close up,
originally uploaded by The Anti-ZIM.

I baked and decorated a cake. I hadn't done roses since I took a class at age 11. I know I need more practice, but all in all, it didn't turn out too badly for a first try.

Amazing

Ahhh, Paris.

On an August morning in 1978, French filmmaker Claude Lelouch mounted a gyro-stabilized camera to the bumper of a Ferrari 275 GTB and had a friend, a professional Formula 1 racer, drive at breakneck speed through the heart of Paris.

No streets were closed, for Lelouch was unable to obtain a permit.

Snapshot

An hour and a half until my next class, and I can't quite get into the Owen King short story.

I glance out the window and think about how young they all are, and how they all think they're so old and mature. Do they all smoke? It seems like it, just like in France. Her t-shirt says Two boyfriends are better than one, and I think to myself, "I'm sure she thinks she's brilliant," then wonder when I became so bitter about silly things.

I get up to refill my water bottle and on my way to the fountain, I pass an older student with frizzy, shoulder-length, platinum hair. The hair has purple highlights that frame his face. He's wearing a chainmail vest over a black t-shirt. He looks at me and I give him a closed-mouth smile as I pass.

At the water fountain a bit of water splashes on my fingers. The water is warm. Suddenly, the arc of water drops down so I quickly adjust my bottle to meet it, just as it begins to slowly rise again. "Somebody flushed," I think to myself.

"Why are you here?" the Sociology professor asked me this morning. Indeed. Why am I here? "Why are you here? Are you here to make more money? Most people go to college to make more money. Is that why you're here?"

Rather than tell him the truth, I just said, "Sure."

An hour and 18 minutes until my next class.

14th Grade

No longer content with being an independent scholar, I'm now officially a student again. Lacking a degree never seemed to be an issue in my career, but deep down, it always bothered me a bit.

So tomorrow morning, I'll be off to join those half my age, one step closer to a goal.

Poe on Writing

"Through joy and through sorrow, I wrote. Through hunger and through thirst, I wrote. Through good report and through ill report, I wrote. Through sunshine and through moonshine, I wrote. What I wrote it is unnecessary to say. "

--Edgar Allen Poe

The Weight

Actual Un-retouched Photos. Paco is a real dog, not a paid actor. Results not typical. Click each photo for a larger image.

Inspired by my dog and the 20 or so extra pounds I've picked up over the past 2 years, I started a diet. Medifast, to be exact. This is day 3.

The first day, I wasn't hungry, but I was tired. Yesterday, I felt great and had a lot of energy. Today, I have been tired and irritable most of the afernoon and evening. Supposedly, the first 3 days are the worst, so I'm optimistic that tomorrow will be better.

It's been relatively easy for Paco to lose his weight - he had no choice. We limit what we feed him each day and we walk him in the evening. Now that I think about it, the fact that I'm eating pre-measured Medifast food isn't that different than Paco's limited diet - I'd rather not be given a choice of foods to eat. Left to my own devices, I'd go with a cheesecake. In the meantime, the Medifast Oatmeal Raisin bars are like cookies.

Seriously, they're good. Too bad I can only have one bar a day.

An unlikely coincidence

Charles Bukowski,
originally uploaded by spy girl.

me, and
that old woman:
sorrow
--Charles Bukowski, Love is a Dog From Hell

Had he lived, He Who Boozed Too Much would have turned 86 today. Happy Birthday, Charles Bukowski, may you rest in peace.

Today also happens to mark the 1-year anniversary of my engagement. So, in celebration of both events, I offer my own little poem:

me, and
that young man:
no sorrow

Maybe not the 8th, but definitely a wonder (and not because of the bridge)

Quite a few years ago, if you drove through Virginia on Interstate 81, you might have seen a billboard that proclaimed Natural Bridge to be the 8th Wonder of the World. I saw it a few times when I was younger, and, while on a family vacation, I once asked my mother if it was really the 8th wonder of the world. I can't remember her exact words, but I do remember that a sigh was involved, and I clearly remember her response included the words, "They claim it is, but a lot of people say that."

I have not yet visited the actual self-proclaimed wonder - the bridge itself - but I did have the pleasure of visiting the town of Natural Bridge recently. I have to agree, it's quite a wonder.

Where else in this world can you:

meet a few curious animals...

Meet a few extinct animals...

Visit a full-size replica of Stonehenge (appropriately named Foamhenge, as it's made out of styrofoam)...

Tour a haunted mansion...

and dine underneath King Kong?

Little did I know that all this time, some of the best roadside attractions east of the Mississippi were right under my nose. If you're ever in the area, it's well worth a visit.

Ouch.

Sometimes I am amazed to think that I grew up without an air conditioner. Of course, that was in the mountains, where it's slightly cooler and less humid.

Most of the time, I don't mind the heat. But like everyone says around here, it's not just the heat, it's the humidity, and the last few afternoons have been quite miserable.

This photo was taken in early evening, just after 6:00 p.m. Thankfully, the worst is over, and the forecast tomorrow: only in the 90's. It's going to be downright chilly.

Dear Holly,

I rarely use the word hate. The verb "hate" is over-used throughout the world, and I have always felt it best reserved for zealots and extremists. But in your case, it's appropriate.

I hate you.

I hate your prickly little leaves that scratch and cut my arms. I hate the way your top grows, shooting up in uneven spurts. I even hate your little berries. If I had a chainsaw, you'd be gone for good.

Yes, I know the temperature will hover around 105 degrees F today, but that won't stop me from launching my attack. I've had my eye on you for a couple of months now, watching you invade your surrounding territory. I plan to put you back in your place. This war may consist of multiple days of battles due to the extreme heat, but don't think for a minute that you have a chance.

Yes, there are many of you and only 1 of me, but you're mine. I own you.

Sincerely,
d-

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Mid-afternoon update: As I raked up the holly debris from today's battle, something scrawled on the back of a large, fallen oak leaf caught my eye. I picked it up, and it said, "We make O2. Na na. Boo boo. Don't hate."

Hmm. Must be the heat.