Happy Fall Ya'll !

Well October has been a crazy month to say the least and it's not over yet! This past month has been so hectic that it has hindered my creative writing skills but I have found time to shoot a few pictures here & there for my creative outlet. I think that has been one of the few things that have kept me sane.

Work has been super wacked out. I can't wait for the smoke to clear. I blame it on poor management, lack of communication, poor parenting, lack of community resources and the changing of the seasons. Somehow Mother Nature always tends to effect us humans. You would think it would be a time of good change and settlement but sometimes change means a huge shake up in a chaotic way before it settles once again. As long as I have some wine I think I will do just fine with whatever change flies my way. haha....

The good thing about the fall season is warm, comfort food. Hearty soups speckled with beans & veggies, root vegetables like butternut squash and sweet potatoes, lima beans, green beans and garlic-laced bread. Funky hot teas and grilled turkey sandwiches. New soup recipes to try and old crock-pot favorites. Coming home to a dinner that awaits your arrival and the smell of good food wafting throughout the whole house with a warm kitty in your lap while you check your email. That kind of stuff is hard to beat after a long day of work.

You haven't been a true pet owner until you have taken a bag of poop to the vet for inspection. And when that happens you automatically keep inspecting the bathroom habits of your pet for follow up. It's humiliating enough when you as a human to 'pee in a cup' for your doctor but I think you reach a whole other level when you take a flashlight to inspect pet poop for further illness or signs of recovery when problems arise.

Unconditional love. I saw a man feed his wife this evening. She was in a wheelchair and clearly had been a victim of a stroke or a brain injury of some sort. She was mentally alert and oriented but her hands were feeble & postured. She tried to hold her fork all on her own but it became a tedious task and relented on relying on her husband to continue to feed her. And he did it with patience and love in his eyes. It made me teary eyed to say the least and comforted in knowing that real love still exists even in old age. It gave me a lot to think about, both good and bad. I just hope that I can be that lucky one day regardless of my health.

So there you go folks! That's it in a quick nutshell. I hope you find time to enjoy the little things of your fall season. elizinashe

10-10-10

There's been a big buzz over today's date. Depending on your take of the matter it's either a good karma day or it's the end of the world. I myself have taken the more positive side of the matter. So on that note here are a few things that I hope that this day will bring to me in the near future.

I wish to lose 10lbs. I wish to increase my income tenfold. I wish to have a more stable career and move on with my nursing school wishes. I wish to travel more and see my loved ones near & far more frequently. I wish to see more concerts, gather more loving and creative friends and take more pictures to document it all. I wish to become a better writer and a better person. I wish to be more patient and less negative. I wish to gain more confidence, strength and wisdom and release all my anger issues so I can move forward in life with purpose. I wish to laugh more and worry less. I wish for color, flowers and great coffee. I wish for more stability and the feeling of being calm. I wish to quit smoking and have a peace of mind. I wish for good health and less tumors. I wish to play all things Rachmanioff and have front row tickets to a Dave Matthews concert and meet him in person. (although I'd probably pee in my pants if I did meet Dave.) I wish to hike more and cook fabulous dinners. I wish for a peace of mind for my father and comfort for my mother. I wish for prosperity for all my loved ones and a strong economy for our country. I wish for doggie kisses and kitty purrs. I wish for children to never know hate and only love. I wish for pride and acceptance for all peoples. And I wish for a funky, loving home of my own so I can share all of my wishes with all my peoples.

So there you go folks. Just thought I'd throw that out there to the universe. I hope your 10-10-10 day brings you much happiness and all good things to come. elizinashe

A Tragic Epidemic

I have been mortified by all the recent news of all these suicides due to bullying. It makes my heart break and leaves me disgusted. There should be harsh consequences for bullying. Clearly not enough has been done. We have lost many young lives and for what? What is wrong with our school leaders? What is wrong with our communities? How in the hell can a bully feel good about being so mean that it leads to a suicide? What is wrong with our kids today?

We have lost many young teens because they were different, odd, disabled, gay or just plain 'not cool'. We have lost bright minds, loving hearts and gracious spirits. There is absolutely no need for this nonsense. How did our kids become so hateful? There was a 16 year old girl in Ohio that committed suicide because she couldn't take it any more. According to the story the girls who were responsible for the bullying even giggled at her casket. That's just plain disgusting. My stomach turns at the thought of those girls and makes me want to vomit. I can't imagine what the victim's family is going through. This is the 4th suicide for the same school in two year's time. Now that's really fucked up!! And all 4 suicides were due to bullying. One suicide is bad enough but four? Seriously folks, something's got to change! If children are our future of the world then what kind of world will we be living in if we allow bullies to continue to ridicule others to the point of suicides? I hope to God that with the recent rash of bullying related suicides that there will be a fire alit world wide and that our leaders will make some harsh laws against this hateful behavior. There is absolutely no reason for this to happen. Something's got to change. I don't think a parent should ever have to say their child died because they were being bullied and decided to take their own life. That just ain't right folks. elizinashe

Quick Stabs

Don't know much about pink elephants however if you're seeing pink hippos then you may not be as crazy as you think. The real thing was accidentally discovered in Kenya this past week hanging close to it's mother and the rest of the neighboring hippos. Too cute, eh? It's not a form of albino-ism but a leucistic gene expression. Never heard of that before but whatever. Apparently pink hippos have been seen before but on very rare occasions being that it is a rare gene mishap. Just goes to show you that Mother Nature is full of surprises.

I popped into Best Buy yesterday in hopes of finding a cd that I've been wanting to add to my collection of other cds that I already have. I hadn't been in Best Buy in a very long time and was quite surprised at the changes. In the past when you walk in you have the typical displays of this and that but beyond those displays there were rows and rows of cds along with a row of 'hot new releases'. I used to wander up & down those isles picking through the masses of music and finding new & old treasures to take home. But yesterday I saw a very compact area of cds. It made me very sad. I think there were about 5 short isles of music that were compressed into a small floor area instead of it's original center floor area. I guess the digital download days have hurt cd sales and the need for that shiny disc is no longer. I supposed it's the sign of changing times. I wonder what's gonna come next.

The weather has changed enough that I started to go through my summer time clothes and began to set them aside and pull out some more fall-to-winter wear. I fail to remember how much crap I really do own and how much of it that I really don't wear anymore. I found two pairs of pants that were hiding on my clothes rack which one of them still had the tags on it. It was one of those things that girls say to themselves ' I'll wear it someday'. And of course, that 'someday' never really comes. I also found some nice tops that I have saved for that 'nice night out' which again has not happened. There's always an opportunity to create a 'nice night out' but I still prefer my blue jeans and my favorite sweater. Besides, last winter was way too cold to wear sparkly tops and a pair of heels. However the majority of us girls tend to buy clothes that we never wear and save clothes that just don't need to be saved because we always find something better or on clearance that we justify in purchasing. Why we do this is beyond me. It's part of our charm I guess. On the flipside of it all, I have weeded out the unnecessary items and I have a bag to take to Goodwill. I do believe I'm getting better at letting go of clothes that I haven't worn in years however I hear that there's a huge sale going on at the mall. When is payday again? elizinashe

Rainy Day Sunday

I started my morning hearing the pitter-patter of rain hitting my roof while I was tucked away in my bed. I had a great sigh of relief knowing that I didn't have to get up for work so I rolled over and allowed the rain to lull me back to sleep for a few more hours. It was one of those early fall moments that rejuvenates my soul. When I did decide to join the living I merged into my morning routine of coffee and internet news with some quiet music and a cat in my lap. Although I had many tasks to tackle before I jump back into work week and had potential plans with a friend, I was in no great hurry to get everything done by noon. The season clearly dictated a 'me day'. And it has been totally worth it. Tasks have been completed, potential plans rescheduled, and work mode meals ready. I made a nice dinner this evening paired with some wine, popped in a good movie and planted myself on the couch with the sound of more rain coming in through the windows. Time well spent. Not too bad for a Sunday, eh? elizinashe

Random Update

So I was going through one of many boxes of books that I have collected and no longer need. One of those books came from some guy that was wooing me when I lived in Arkansas. It's an early 1900s book on the history of Ireland. Why he gave me this particular book is beyond be, I guess he thought I wanted to touch base with the minute Irish heritage that runs in my veins. I also found in this book the 3 or 4 'love notes' he left me on the bar napkins when he came in at various times. He was quite the romantic. Rhymes & romantic 'put you up on a pedestal' type of phrases. Clearly I kept it for the momento factor but I never went out with this guy although I clearly remember that time of my life. He even brought me a huge chunk of rock that was embedded with crystals. I still have that too. It currently rests in my rockwork as I enter my front porch. I am certain that this guy was relatively harmless and maybe a bit too romantic for my taste but he became a little too pushy for me which I didn't like. I was also still reeling from a really bad breakup earlier that spring and was quite negative about dating and suspicious of this guy as well. He soon dropped off the radar which was fine by me. I ended up dating another guy a couple of months later which was way better for me anyway. The second guy was a wonderful stepping stone back into the relationship world and helped heal my heart. But like a fool, I broke off that relationship to pursue a dream a few months later and chose not to bring him along with me. Sometimes I regret that but I believe it would have ended anyway and that would not have been fair to bring him along when I knew I had to stand on my own two feet again. Funny how one box of books brings back a chain of events that happened in your life.

We all know how much our environment has changed over the years. There has been much speculation and experimentation done on how all these changes has affected our well-being and quality of life. There have been suspicious links to the chemicals that we put on our growing food and supplements that we give to livestock to our over-all health, ADHD in our children, Autism, cancers and a damaged planet. I do believe there is some truth to all this hypothesizing. And of course all this stuff will have a domino effect and rubs off on Mother Nature and all it's creatures. Case in point: I have had some bird poo on my windshield for over a month now. I have washed my windshield many, many times as I'm driving down the road. We have even had some rain yet it still remains! Granted it's not as 'thick' as it was before but this stuff won't come off! I washed my car on Monday and I'm talking about the high-powered blast off all the dirt & grime soapy wands and a thorough rinse and it STILL was there!!! Now that's some toxic bird shit. Clearly the changing of the environment and food chains have had an effect on our little friendly chirpers. You think we could harness all that bird poo and make into a form of fuel to run our vehicles? If bird poo is going to last that long on a windshield even after many washes then it certainly can make an efficient fuel for our future. Forget methane, I vote for bird poop!

Labor Day has come & gone and September has arrived rather quickly it seems. It's dark now when I leave for work. The early mornings are cool and quiet and it's beginning to feel like fall is around the corner. The oak tree above my bedroom constantly rains acorns sometimes waking me up in the night with a fright. My walkway to the front door is speckled with fat, green acorns along with a few random leaves. Yep, fall is a-coming. I will soon be exchanging my spicy sandwich wraps & salads for hearty soups and roasted root vegetables. No more naked toes and sandals. Back to my favorite clogs, wool socks and heavy blankets. No more pictures of flowers and sunny skies. Time to slow down and regroup. I look forward to this fall season and I hope it will be a nice, lingering fall. It will give me time to slowly unwind from life and plan for a new future. Yes, I plan to turn over a new leaf. haha...couldn't resist that one. Perhaps I will come up with a plan to harness all the bird poop and turn it into a green source of renewable energy. ;p elizinashe

Random Stuff

I love salads. Big, fat jumbo bowls of greens, red onions, funky cheeses and funky dressings. Chicken, steak, salmon, beans, sprouts, veggies, avacado, mango, croutons-whatever, I say bring it on ! Now I'm not talking about your typical 'house salad with ranch dressing'. ( or as they say down here in their southern jargon, 'rainch') Yuk. How boring. I like exploring the world of mixed greens and topping it off with nuts & berries dressed in a funky vinegarette that stands out from the norm. I have a variety of dressings in the fridge that I like to try at home but nothing seems to equate the loveliness of a restaurant's own creation. It's a continual journey of mine, experimenting with store bought dressings and recipes to create my own. My newest fave was a white wine lemon vinegarette that I tried on vacation. I found one bottle of a champagne lemon variety that was close but no cigar. But I keep eyeballing the dressing isle at the store just in case something new comes up. It's a never ending obsession. I guess there could be worse things to be obsessed about.

I have two girlfriends who are both in their early 50s who are fighting amongst each other about some loser guy. Seriously! Apparently Girl #1 has/had a crush on this one dude for sometime now and claims she has said something about it to Girl #2 in which Girl #2 claims that Girl #1 never did. So the dude took an interest in Girl #2 and has been calling her and has taken her out a couple of times and now Girl #1 is pissed at her friend Girl #2 for doing so and has been acting ugly towards Girl #2 and has told her that she (Girl #1) does not want her (Girl #2) to go out with this guy. OMG!!!! Is this junior high school shit or what? And guess who gets to listen to Girl #2 gripe about all this shit? Girl #3 aka Switzerland aka me. I don't give a fuck! Work it out amongst yourselves. I have enough drama and stress of my own and I surely don't want to be pulled in the middle of this shit. And I can guaran-dam-tee-you that if Girl #1 never said diddly squat to Girl #2 about her crush for this guy that Girl #2 would not be interested in dating this man. Girl # 2 just doesn't want to be told what to do. How mature is that? I wish my really close girlfriends who currently live out of town/state lived closer or I had more money to travel so I can go visit them b/c we sure as hell never had stupid, immature drama like this.

On a lighter note, I've been practicing my piano music a lot more lately. I've been tweaking up my Gershwin Preludes and Rachmanioff's Prelude in G Minor. Dang how I love them both. And I really LOVE Rachmanioff altogether. Just listening to his music gets me all excited that I sometimes cry. Not in a sad way but in an excited state of mind way that I wish I could play all things Rachmanioff. This particular prelude is difficult but maybe one of the easier pieces to play if you can imagine anything Rachmanioff to be easy. However I can pretty much rock the first page but going into the second page which is STILL the ' first movement' I begin to lose momentum. I forget how tiring playing piano pieces can be. The second movement of this prelude is so beautiful and such a great transition after all the previous chaos and big chords it becomes a relief but then again, the second movement build to the last and most powerful two pages of the whole piece. Dang!!! I feel like I need some ADHD meds to keep my focus just to finish the whole thing. You'd be surprised as to how draining playing a powerful prelude can be. I can see why perfomers who play whole concertos which can last up to 25 minutes usually play just the concerto and drip with sweat as they come to a close. Seriously. It really is taxing on the body & mind but once you come to the big finale there is an awesome feeling of excitement that runs in your veins that nobody can take away from you. It's such a groovy feeling. In my next life I hope to play all things Rachmanioff to which I am certain I will explode from excitement in a spontaneous combustion at the end of a concerto with all my bits splattered on my audience. Now that will be some concert! Better than a Beck/Palin rally don't ya think? elizinashe