February 11, 2004 A
"Humble Pie"
5:37am
Yes, it's more adventures along 'the process'. Sorry I ain't revealing any more details. If you were me, you wouldn't either.
But then if I were you . . .
. . . But then that's just not possible. Anyway, I learn, I grow.
Curious, I learned the origin of the phrase 'humble pie'. It is a play upon words which dates back to the time of William the Conqueror (1066-1087 CE). There really is a dish called humble pie. But its "humbles" have only a side glance to do with humility. It's actually pronounced 'Umble Pie', and its root is 'umbie' from the Latin 'lumulus' (loin), whereas 'humble' comes from the Latin 'humilis'(low or slight).
(Quoting http://phrases.shu.ac.uk/bulletin_board/1/messages/2689.html)
''First, the pie referred to in 'eating humble pie' was really umble pie, made from the umbles - heart, liver and gizzard - of a deer. It was made to be eaten by servants and huntsmen, while the lord of the manor and his guests dined on venison. Thus a person who had to eat umble pie was in a position of inferiority -- one who had to humble himself before his betters.''
This pun got further indelibly grooved into the tablets of English idiom because in several British dialects - in particular Cockney - the 'h' in humble is silent.
Sometimes it's good to be silent and the wise person knows when. If not, the knock-back reaction of the Universe may hand you a chewy little dish.
I 'shaddup' now.
February 11, 2004 B
"Smiling Mandala"
10:43pm
So much the better to go celebrating in the evening. I knew already where we'd be going, for Julia already spoke so enthusiatically of those margaritas the Outback serves. But, my, everyone must have had the same idea we did. The restaurant's porch was filled with waiting people, each party with their little square buzzer box waiting for the signal.
The restaurant was crowded, the streets were crowded. Did they all want to party on the Valentine's day eve to save the trouble of crowds on the day itself? I think it was a good forty five minute wait for a table.
Once we got it, the food was just that much tastier. And I have some leftovers to enjoy later. My inner stomach must be getting smaller, if not the outer belly which contains it. I can't eat huge portions as I used to.
Not to worry, that piece of steak, baked potato and grilled onions will be a very good lunch. While seated at the well laquered wooden table, carved image of kuala bear amidst eucalyptus tree leaves above us on the wall, we thought of Laura and raised our glasses to her. She would not want us to suffer in longing for her. She told us so many times with her own mouth while she was still living. I miss her still, but a part of the longing, with its aching tendrils, has eased. I am becoming my own woman, and it is good. It is part of the healing process.
I give a hint of the working process at the other journal. From such healing comes strength and I am glad to know it. As I raised my glass to Laura, I could feel the pride that her distant Spirit has of me. She would be so pleased.
February 14, 2004 A
"Butterfly"
3:12am
At lunch yesterday, I sought out the tent sale near my work place. A book of beautiful butterfly pictures caught my eye. The sticker affixed to it claimed the original price was 28 bucks. Maybe so for a hardcover book. My price was 6 something. I told myself the cost and the space it would consume in our tiny apartment would be worthwhile if it inspired just ONE piece of artwork. And it has! I smile, yes, quite pleased with myself.
Being as I faithfully digest the 'humble pie' and 'eat crow', too, if I have to, even though disagreeable, I figure I can also crow with pride, as well, when it's merited. 'Crow eating crow?' This gets too weird if I think about it too long. I should go back to bed.
February 22, 2004
"Tea With The Tortoise"
6:09pm
It was an odd mix of England and Mexico at the gathering. Cucumber sandwiches, fancy cookies and cake awaited those who sipped tea or lemonade. At our tables, the brightly colored striated Mexican tablecloths covered them, pinned down with aloe vera plants. Everything needed pinned down this afternoon.
Despite the wind, the Gadsden Elementary School Mariachis played bravely:
I do know despite the chill weather, loud flying planes, and flying projectiles of paper plates and cookies, everyone there managed to have a good time. Maybe even the tortoise, though he did not show himself. And as proof that we were luckier than we could have been, the rain waited until after the event was over.
February 23, 2004
"A Weirdness Of Days"
5:55am
Also, I learned via one of my lists that if you make your right foot go in clockwise circles and then make your right hand go in clockwise circles, you can't switch the direction of your hand movements to counter clockwise without the foot also changing direction. It works with the left foot/left hand combination, as well.
It must be something to do with how our brain controls each side of the body, like it can only go in one direction. But it's weird, watching your foot do something you didn't command.
I was so glad to hear from my mother yesterday. I'd like to think she sensed I was thinking of her (Earlier, I was trying to exercise my psychic skills!), but she claimed she called because she heard on the TV that there was flooding in the Arizona deserts and that she was worried about us. Much rain we had last night, a weird event in of of itself for Yuma, but no flooding. Perhaps in Tucson, where it rains considerably more often than Yuma, they faced such trials. However, at their local online news source, it only says ''Expect some rain.''
Julia has done well with the omelet, it is tasty. As an example of more weirdness, last night, Julia was preparing to cook yams and found an oddly shaped yam in the bag!
Fastest yam in the west!
March 5, 2004
"Friday's All Right"
7:36pm
|
All along the street, the well wishers sit in chairs, on cars, standing in truck beds. They wave to the drivers of ancient cars, their surfaces shining. Odd old honks emit from within the machinery of these beasts of another age.
'Midnight at the Oasis',
It's just another Friday night,
I am not going to the dance,
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March 7, 2004
"A Growing Thing"
4:12pm
I rather like this one. In what appears to be a barren gray wasteland of gray buildings, a flower grows, and it seems a magical thing.
March 10, 2004
"To Blog Or Not To Blog"
6:27am
Julia's not much impressed with the terminology:
''Blog? is there a more ugly word in the English language?
An ugly blog washed ashore, a gooey, congealed mess.''
I replied, ''Look what the cat blogged in.''
Julia ended with, ''He was so poor, he had to live in a blog cabin.''
'Blog' is a truncated version of 'weblog'. But I was 'weblog' when 'weblog' wasn't cool. Pardon to the lyricist of 'I was country when country wasn't cool. Back in 1996, the few odd balls that kept online journals called them journals. We STILL call 'em journals. If the term was good enough for all the writers before the era of the web, it's good enough for us.
I don't know as the lingo 'blog' will stand the test of time. I know the web will. And I know, as long as there are living, conscious beings with an itch to write and share, there will always be journals. What ever we call 'em.
March 13, 2004
"Change, And Then Some"
7:30pm
Now, today, March 13th, I have it. I know it is stress that makes me vulnerable. I deal not well with change. I have alluded to 'work-changes', all such mysterious reference, and I will understand its fruition this Monday next.
That is, it will no longer be a thing of anticipation, but a thing to be faced head on. There's that 'head' again. OW!
So what do I do when I have enough stress? I add more stress. Those who seek to push their limits might be proud of me. It is plain enough. The computer which I long hesitated about what to do gave a clear, grave signal. It is ready for the 'grave'. ''Operating system not found on any devices. Press any key to try again.'' was its last communication.
It had simply undergone too much damage, and like a cancer gone through a biological body, what ever its ills were had taken their death toll.
Oh, the stress of finding a computer! Yuma has many more furniture stores than it has computer stores. Why this should be so, I do not know. One rarely gets more than five years out of a computer, and furniture can last twenty years or more, centuries even, if it is well built and well cared for.
There appeared to us three choices. One did not have a floppy disk, which my camera requires, one did not have a CD disk writer, which I need for back ups, and the other seemed over powered, as we do not need a DVD writer. I went home and slept on it an hour, and decided the 'over powered' one is best choice. It also happens to be the same brand as the oldie but goodie which has served faithfully for over five years, except for the floppy disk, whose button I broke. They have since improved the button design, so I have some confidence I made the right choice.
Now it is out of its many boxes and sits in place of the old computer, but nothing is hooked up. Program discs sit neatly in a pile waiting installation. The process will continue tomorrow.
Meanwhile, a fascinating picture sits unavailable on a floppy disk, unattainable. Trying to have the old computer with the working floppy disk stay on long enough to send that picture to the web is what started this whole procedure.
I had wanted to know what to do concerning the failing computer, and had even sought the guidance of my 'muse'. However, it took no black magical working to determine the thing was dead, and not even Isis could raise it from the dead.
Now I hope good fortune shall attend the new computer. I swear as I passed by, Laura seemed to be smiling more broadly than usual in her picture.
I don't think I was imagining it!
