Tuesday, November 01, 2016
Attitudesday
I went over to the VA Hospital to help present the video to the Acting Director and some others. It doesn't work to email the link, since the security system doesn't seem to allow playing vimeo videos or whatever. They all loved it, but to do more gardens we have a gauntlet of paperwork to do. That's ok, now that we've got the idea down we can handle the rest; it's just too bad we don't have something in the pipeline right now.
I went back to Toastmasters, basked in the unrelenting positivity, and joined. It'll be good for skills and very good for morale. I was amused to learn that since I'd joined at MassMutual, I was technically rejoining. A pity can't remember even the name of the club, but they'll look it up.
Monday, October 31, 2016
Hallowweinie
Normally I love Halloween - it's a little party at my front door where people come by, speak the ritual words, and thank me for candy. I put out a box or two of decorations on the yard and light a bunch of spooky candles and put on a homemade costume.
This year I've been busy, and I'm not even sure where the decorations are. I was going to totally weenie out - leave the porch light off, just hide in the back.
But as I was grocery shopping, I reflexively bought a bag of fun-sized Skittles and a bag of Mars chocolates - the latter was a mistake because I blew through half the bag in two days and got that chocolate wakefulness, not a good thing. Maybe one day I'll learn to buy only candies I'll never eat.
I was set up to just hang on my laptop near the front door and pass out the Skittles when Kiara came through with a decorative spiderweb for the lawn. This is all the more remarkable for her utter and ultimate detestation of spiderwebs. We stock an array of sticks in the front and back yard so she can protect herself if Ma Spider has set up shop in her path.
The funny thing about the decoration is that it looked like a bag of cotton fluff so I opened it up and then realized I wasn't actually sure how to set it up. Just because it's simple fluff doesn't mean it's simple to deploy. I read the directions on the bag - spiders don't need directions but then again if they screw up they die, so I have the advantage there - and it turned out to be pretty straightforward. Just as I set the last corner - using handy fallen branches for an extra spooky effect - the first tiny trick-or-treater came down the walk clutching the hand of a parent.
Halloween remains one of the best holidays ever!
This year I've been busy, and I'm not even sure where the decorations are. I was going to totally weenie out - leave the porch light off, just hide in the back.
But as I was grocery shopping, I reflexively bought a bag of fun-sized Skittles and a bag of Mars chocolates - the latter was a mistake because I blew through half the bag in two days and got that chocolate wakefulness, not a good thing. Maybe one day I'll learn to buy only candies I'll never eat.
I was set up to just hang on my laptop near the front door and pass out the Skittles when Kiara came through with a decorative spiderweb for the lawn. This is all the more remarkable for her utter and ultimate detestation of spiderwebs. We stock an array of sticks in the front and back yard so she can protect herself if Ma Spider has set up shop in her path.
The funny thing about the decoration is that it looked like a bag of cotton fluff so I opened it up and then realized I wasn't actually sure how to set it up. Just because it's simple fluff doesn't mean it's simple to deploy. I read the directions on the bag - spiders don't need directions but then again if they screw up they die, so I have the advantage there - and it turned out to be pretty straightforward. Just as I set the last corner - using handy fallen branches for an extra spooky effect - the first tiny trick-or-treater came down the walk clutching the hand of a parent.
Halloween remains one of the best holidays ever!
Hallowweinie
Normally I love Halloween - it's a little party at my front door where people come by, speak the ritual words, and thank me for candy. I put out a box or two of decorations on the yard and light a bunch of spooky candles and put on a homemade costume.
This year I've been busy, and I'm not even sure where the decorations are. I was going to totally weenie out - leave the porch light off, just hide in the back.
But as I was grocery shopping, I reflexively bought a bag of fun-sized Skittles and a bag of Mars chocolates - the latter was a mistake because I blew through half the bag in two days and got that chocolate wakefulness, not a good thing. Maybe one day I'll learn to buy only candies I'll never eat.
I was set up to just hang on my laptop near the front door and pass out the Skittles when Kiara came through with a decorative spiderweb for the lawn. This is all the more remarkable for her utter and ultimate detestation of spiderwebs. We stock an array of sticks in the front and back yard so she can protect herself if Ma Spider has set up shop in her path.
The funny thing about the decoration is that it looked like a bag of cotton fluff so I opened it up and then realized I wasn't actually sure how to set it up. Just because it's simple fluff doesn't mean it's simple to deploy. I read the directions on the bag - spiders don't need directions but then again if they screw up they die, so I have the advantage there - and it turned out to be pretty straightforward. Just as I set the last corner - using handy fallen branches for an extra spooky effect - the first tiny trick-or-treater came down the walk clutching the hand of a parent.
Halloween remains one of the best holidays ever!
This year I've been busy, and I'm not even sure where the decorations are. I was going to totally weenie out - leave the porch light off, just hide in the back.
But as I was grocery shopping, I reflexively bought a bag of fun-sized Skittles and a bag of Mars chocolates - the latter was a mistake because I blew through half the bag in two days and got that chocolate wakefulness, not a good thing. Maybe one day I'll learn to buy only candies I'll never eat.
I was set up to just hang on my laptop near the front door and pass out the Skittles when Kiara came through with a decorative spiderweb for the lawn. This is all the more remarkable for her utter and ultimate detestation of spiderwebs. We stock an array of sticks in the front and back yard so she can protect herself if Ma Spider has set up shop in her path.
The funny thing about the decoration is that it looked like a bag of cotton fluff so I opened it up and then realized I wasn't actually sure how to set it up. Just because it's simple fluff doesn't mean it's simple to deploy. I read the directions on the bag - spiders don't need directions but then again if they screw up they die, so I have the advantage there - and it turned out to be pretty straightforward. Just as I set the last corner - using handy fallen branches for an extra spooky effect - the first tiny trick-or-treater came down the walk clutching the hand of a parent.
Halloween remains one of the best holidays ever!
Sunday, October 30, 2016
October memes
This has been a wonderful - and fearful - election for crafting memes. These are all my work although of course I used utilities.
One of my favorite works
- brief, to the point, and funny.
Reacting quickly to Comey's amazingly foolish announcement that someone had received email. He doesn't know if it was from Hillary but she worked for Hillary so that's a scandal.
Not a great joke but even the "B" squad gets court time.
October memes
This has been a wonderful - and fearful - election for crafting memes. These are all my work although of course I used utilities.
One of my favorite works
- brief, to the point, and funny.
Reacting quickly to Comey's amazingly foolish announcement that someone had received email. He doesn't know if it was from Hillary but she worked for Hillary so that's a scandal.
I was surprised I hadn't seen this pun before.
I needed to make art every day to keep the momentum. Alliteration is always there as a back-up idea generator but I'm not sure the results are great. I liked the type face most of all.
OK, I really liked the joke, especially that you have to stop and think about it for a moment.
Now I need to do one with the Queen of Thorns!
Alphabet soup generator from
I love the highway sign generator especially when people ask if it's real.
Also - that joke can be used over and over!
Posted with a link to the interview, which is pure grrrrrrrr!
Maybe I put too much time into this one but it had to be said,
since this is the one newspaper in America endorsing The Donald.
I did this one long ago, and it keeps being true.
I recently got a repost with thousands of "likes". Sign Your Work!
Sorry Los Vegas - not your fault!
Sore Loser Is Sore
Another re-publish of an old favorite.
Meh.
Who doesn't like cat pictures with a message?
Too many words
In retrospect, I think the chiron needs only the date. But this one turned out pretty popular anyway. Everyone loves to mock a bullsh1tter.
Meh Again.
I see where I was going with this one but the choice of art wasn't best
Re-using a joke. Didn't really zing.
The Trump hat generator is fun!!!
And it's great that we're at the point where misogyny is a losing strategy.
One of the creepiest stories ever
If I'd thought of this early, might've made bumper stickers
This should have been a bigger story but it didn't fly
Second try - Trump laughs at his followers
My first try. Too many words!
Trump is obviously this generation's fascist and his followers love him like a Brother
Putting these two things together ....
The Machado rage tweets were just strange.
Somebody's got a problem with women!
I did this a year ago but it's more pertinent than ever
I don't think I actually published this because I don't think involving the wife is a good idea,
and yet it has to be said - WTF ?
Weekend Time Management
My doctor recommended diaphragmatic breathing exercises 5-10 minutes daily to help with my blood pressure. But life is busy, so I've been rushing through them; I got them done in only 4 minutes!
I didn't see any improvement.
This weekend I scheduled time for the exercises: a full 12 minutes each day. It may be coincidence but my BP afterwards was better than in months.
There may be a lesson in all this, but I'm not sure what.
---
This weekend the DAV 23 Reform Group met and discussed next steps. The consensus was to reach out to the new National Commander. They're brilliant guys in their own fields, but they're not writers, so I volunteered to draft the letter. Everyone will have days to comment and then we'll meet again Saturday for them to sign if they wish. The ethic is to be as open as possible, because the opposite has been a big part of the problem.
The exact design of the letter was left to me. I clarified exactly what was the remedy desired and the basic reasons. I drafted a one-page letter with just those bullet points, and then a separate attachment describing the history. I figured it's best to make the ask briefly and clearly so it gets read, and then put the flood of facts separately so it can be reused. Putting things carefully and objectively in the history is hard; everyone has a point of view and figuring out objective facts is difficult. I ended up including some conclusions but I hope it is clear where they are.
The other thing I did was set myself a deadline. I was afraid I'd work on this forever perfecting it, and either send it out late or put in too much time on the project. My Sunday night deadline was awfully short but I got it done by 2pm and sent it out - then I went to the bookstore. Yay me!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)