Why I hate punch bowls

1) They are often, wide, gaping bowls with no cover. As such, a nice layer of dust is allowed to settle on the punch. They are usually set low on a table so people have to stand over the bowl to get punch. Think of all the hair, dander, and clothing fibers that they shed while serving. God forbid anyone sneezes nearby! And if there are young children in the vicinity- forget about it.

2) A lot of focus is put on making the punch beautiful and not always enough on making it taste good. Sometimes the "pretty stuff" even gets in the way of the drinkable portion.

3) Way too messy. Even with a nice ladle with a spout on it, the bottom of the ladle has still been in the punch. It's going to be drippy. The cups are usually too small to accommodate the circumference of the entire ladle, so the drips don't always make it into the cups, they usually end up running down the sides. Pair that with the fact that most punches are red, you have one big drippy, sticky, staining mess.

And if you are apt to drop things like I am, you may just accidentally drop your cup into the bowl. Depending on how much punch was in the cup at the time, everyone around me has varying degrees of punch splash all over their pretty party clothes.

Big steaming cup of SOPA

From a press release: (Original here: http://judiciary.house.gov/news/01172012.html) Washington, D.C. — House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today said that he expects the Committee to continue its markup of the Stop Online Piracy Act in February.

Chairman Smith: "To enact legislation that protects consumers, businesses and jobs from foreign thieves who steal America's intellectual property, we will continue to bring together industry representatives and Members to find ways to combat online piracy.

“Due to the Republican and Democratic retreats taking place over the next two weeks, markup of the Stop Online Piracy Act is expected to resume in February.

“I am committed to continuing to work with my colleagues in the House and Senate to send a bipartisan bill to the White House that saves American jobs and protects intellectual property."

1) "protects intellectual property". The main supporters of this bill are huge media companies. Movie, music and publishing industries. Let's take a look at some of the people involved in these industries. I'm too lazy right now to look up any real numbers, but I imagine it goes something like this: "Last year we brought in 20 million dollars profit, but this year we only brought in 15 million, WAH! I had to sell one of my seven houses!" What if actors weren't paid outrageous salaries? Could we possibly save some money there? Or what if the music industry would get with it and instead of pumping all it's money into a few crappy new acts, realize that they are in a dying business and CHANGE! Same with publishers.

It's really hard for people to pay for things they can obtain (even legally) for free. How do they think forcing us to pay for things is going to help? Don't we all remember the Boston tea party?

2) "saves American jobs". How about making it a law that mass produced items that will be marketed and sold mainly in America HAVE TO BE MADE IN AMERICA. That might create a few jobs. How can you utter a statement like that when outsourcing is so rampant!?

That is all!

Cake

I'm sitting here trying to work, but all I can think about is cake. Or cookies. Or strudel, or pie or a muffin. Every few minutes, I go into the kitchen and stare into the pantry, my eyes always falling on the ingredients for chocolate lava cake. They mock me.

I keep that stuff in the house for company, parties, and other dessert emergencies. In only 15 minutes, I can make a chocolate lava cake that will make you smash your head into the wall. The only problem is it's a whole cake. And there is no company and no party and no one else wants to "get fat". So I either have to eat the whole thing, or throw the rest away.

Even the dish I make the cake in is mocking me.

Well then

You ever look up an old friend that you don't keep in touch with anymore? And find out that they are awesomely successful at something really cool?? And then look at your own life in comparison....

I have a house, a husband, a cat and a dog. There is even a picket fence! But there is something missing. Me. Who am I? WHAT am I?? I am some sort of freakish chameleon person who had to change often in an attempt to make quick new connections with totally new people every couple years.
"Oh, you like Dostoevsky? Me too!"
"You are into break-dancing? I love break-dancing!"
"You go out into the woods at night to search for evidence of alien landings? That sounds fun! Yes, of course I believe in aliens!"

Now- before you think it- I never lied about liking or being interested in something. If a NASCAR fan had tried to befriend me, there probably wouldn't have been much for us to talk about. I am interested in a LOT of things- I would simply make the other person's interest my MAIN interest while I was around them. Everyone does this to some extent or another. You have your bar friends, your church friends, your basketweaving friends, etc. Sometimes they overlap, and that is boss. By being "everything to everyone" in a way, I got to experience and learn not only about all kinds of hobbies and ideas, but about all kinds of people.

I don't know why, but I have always been able to tell right away if I am going to be friends with someone. Maybe it's just because I make a judgement and if it's poor, I shut that person out. I like to think I don't do that- I honestly try to give every person a chance in conversation and not judge by the clothes, hair or the first few things I hear them say. Sometimes I am surprised by people. Not often, though. I think I've just met enough people that I know exactly what kind of person will bring out the best in me, and possibly I in them. These people are so rare that when I think I spot one in a crowded home improvement store on a Thursday night, I want to run up to them and ask them to tell me a story over drinks. Right then. These people are like gems. Precious and full of luster. There are a few I remember- Train Guy, Chic-fil-A Guy, Secret-Hang-Out Girl, Camp Girl, Favorite-Art-History-Professor Guy. I wasn't even good friends with some of these people- but just knowing that they were out there was enough to make me want to live a more high-def life.

I am afraid of this life, though. I am too critical of the people around me. If I select a person in my mind as a special person, I then have to make time for them. I have to impress them. I have to actually do something with my life. Of course, I will want to- but still. I am sitting in this warm hot-tub. I've been in it too long. I am way overheated and feeling nauseated. But I fear the leap into the pool. What if I meet someone who makes me mad? I HATE being mad! What if I meet someone who needs more help than I can give them? What if something goes wrong? What if someone resents me secretly? What if I break a stereotype or disappoint someone? What if I have to make an effort?

I can barely put a plate of leftovers in the microwave when I get hungry- how am I supposed to get myself to an art meeting in the next town and meet with 7 strangers? WHY did an art society I wanted to create start meeting in a town an hour away?! Majority overruled. It was discouraging.

I also want desperately to BE one of those special people. Those people with a sparkle in their eye and a trick up their sleeve. I think I am that person to a few others- how do I know? Do those unique people know how special they are? I don't think so. I think they just are without trying. Their aura just happens to sparkle in tune to my own- or some bs like that. Or is it more? Is it not a relative thing? Maybe it is an absolute. A universal truth? I feel often that these special people are out of my reach. There are many reasons for this. Often they are quite popular, with possibly hundreds or even thousands of people vying for their affections. Maybe their work consumes them, and they do not have the time or inclination to foster any new relationships. Sometimes I am just intimidated by them or assume they must be too busy and never make first contact. I do not wish to be the drain end of the relationship. I have known drain people. I do not want to be that person.

I know I am rambling- I'm sorry. This post is for me, not you. If you got anything out of it, that's cool.

I should probably get a job. That's a scary prospect. I love working- I hate cruel, thoughtless, entitled, rude, angry people. I wish to understand and "fix" them. And of course that is impossible. So I have critical errors in my brain. It affects me more than, "gee, that guy was a jerk". It's more of a "lay in bed at night wondering what is wrong with humanity" effect. It's like two gears up there trying to make a connection- but they don't quite fit together so they are grinding and slipping against each other making a terrible noise and sparks and smoke and migraines. And that is my brain on work. But I need it. But it's scary and terrible. But also wonderful. The question is this:

Is it worth it?

You know who you are!

I have bee trying to register a new blog tonight to use for my art. I want to call it "Little Grey Kitty" after my, well... little grey kitty. She is always here helping me work by shedding in my paint, or clawing my leg, or scattering little screws or buttons that I have meticulously laid out all over the place. If I'm lucky, I can get her to sleep on a chair next to mine and her little wheezes comfort me.

Anyways, I've been trying to register a name having to do with this- "greykitty", "littlegrey", "littlegreykitty", "littlegreycat", and etc are all taken. And they are all taken by people who either never posted anything, or who's last posts were in 2002. I'm really annoyed at these people who registered a great name and then wasted it. There should be a way to contact them and ask them to transfer the name. (Even if they delete the account, the name will still be "taken" for all eternity, that's how it works apparently). I would even pay them for use of the name.

I guess I will have to try another blog website. I REALLY don't want to do that. It is so nice to have the multiple blogs all linked here. And I HATE wordpress. I started a blog there and it took me several hours just to figure out how to make a new post. And I am not internet illiterate.

Sigh.

Someone's missing a piece

If you are dressed like a prostitute, you may very likely be called a prostitute, mistaken for a prostitute and treated like a prostitute. What is the big mystery here?

Who am I?

If my brain was directly linked with some sort of typewriter device that would automatically write my more wordy thoughts, I would have so many book deals. I can be totally eloquent sometimes. But the path from mind to hand is fraught with many a peril and most thoughts do not survive the trek. Many a good revelation has perished in those woods. I weep for them.

I have not watched Boston Legal since I spoke of it last. I've never been one for dramas. LOST was the only exception, simply because I knew it had a definite end date and the building mystery was pretty enticing. Also, everyone I knew was watching it. I was pretty disappointed in the ending. I won't go into that now- or probably ever.

For some reason I was thinking about the whole Casey Anthony thing yesterday. It just randomly popped into my head. I remember when the verdict was being decided and facebook was completely flooded with everyone's opinion. Apparently, everyone thought that everyone else cared what they personally felt about a person they had never met and knew nothing but speculation about.

I purposefully avoided reading much of the banter along with any news casts and internet news updates about the whole thing. I did read a news article detailing a few aspects of the case which focused mainly on which allegations and details were proven and which were purely speculation.

One "friend" (I use the term only in the facebook sense because I hardly even know this person) said something about how awful it was for a mom to put duct tape on her little babies mouth. Or something more white trashy like "that little baby shouldn'ta never had duck tape put on her little mouth, that's so awful!" The article I read specifically mentioned that duct tape was not on Caylee and that there was no evidence that there had ever been duct tape. I'm not saying I believe the article any more than anything else, but there it is.

I have two thoughts about all these people who glued themselves to this trial. First- how stupid are you that you believe everything you hear on the news. You do realize that it is a network television program, right? A network that relies on advertisers for funding and advertisers decide this based on how many viewers there are. They want your views and your ratings! The world is simply not exciting enough all the time to feed this need, especially when there are several other competing news shows. The news media presents what they think will get the most people to watch. That means riling you up by speculating. Sometimes facts just aren't as interesting. Sometimes, they don't have enough facts to fill an entire hour, much less a day. And sometimes people who don't want you to know the facts have money and the news media is more than happy to be paid off. Even if the news media is telling the truth- it's RARELY the WHOLE truth, and it's very often MORE than the truth.

Second- HOW DARE YOU judge this one woman. Who are you to do this? Unless you are on the jury, you have no right or reason. I aim this mainly to my "friends" who claim they are Christians. I can cite scripture all night about this subject, but you should know them already and if you don't then google it. I'll give you the gist though- something, something, vengeance is mine, says the Lord, I WILL REPAY, something something, forgiveness, something something love your enemies and pray for them, something something, even the man closest to God's own heart was a MURDERER, something something, all sins are equal, something something don't you have anything better to talk about, etc. I was appalled at the level of hate I saw coming from some people. Don't you ever stop and think- I don't know this woman. I don't know what her background is, what her childhood was like, what is truly in her heart. I can't judge her. I do know that she has a soul, just like me, and it needs Jesus just like I do. How can knowing that not just break your heart? We ALL have sinned and are fallen short. Even if you think you have never done anything wrong in your whole life- never told a lie, never treated someone in a way you would not have liked to be treated, never lusted, you STILL aren't good enough and save for the grace of God are no better than Casey Anthony. Get over yourself.