Borrowing from $$

BDS over at Two Dollar Productions had a fun L-O-V-E tag. In case you missed it or you don't read him, he was tagged with the letter "V" and had to list ten things he liked and ten he didn't like that started with that letter. Although he didn't tag me, I'm borrowing it. And because I'm rushed for time these days, I'm tweaking it a bit, one of each for each letter.

Here is my L-O-V-E post:

L- Okay, something I love that starts with L could easily be Lithus. But that is easy and it's not his real name anyway, so we'll go with laughter instead. I love to laugh. I love the sound of laughter. Be it a small chuckle or a full-out, who cares who hears me guffaw, laughter is guaranteed to be a good thing. Appsrus has one of the greatest laughs on the planet. It's distinctive and joyous and contagious. We should all be able to laugh like he does. Something I dislike is logarithm. Damn but these things kicked my ass while I was in school. I'm still not 100% sure what they are. I'm not even sure I spelled it correctly. I've blocked the damn things.

O - Outlandishness. Kinda goes hand in hand with laughter, don't you think? But I dislike overweight. What I mean here is the concept. Yes, there are people out there who are truly, unhealthily too heavy. But I'm talking about the people (mostly women) who are a size 12 or 14 or even 18 instead of a size 2 or a size 0 and consider themselves overweight. Come on people! But this could easily turn into a soapbox so I'll let it go now.

V- Victories. Those little ones that get us through the day. Crossing off everything on the to-do list. Finding the perfect word to put in the mouth of a character. Whatever. Those are really good things. The dislike was easy: violence. Not a fan. In any shape or form. Be it organized, sanctioned violence, such as war; be it spontaneous and unplanned such as riots or crime; or be it subtle and insidious, such as playground taunting. Not a fan of violence.

E - Ethics. Our personal ethics define who we are. They give us strength in situations where we are uncertain or confused. I may not always agree with someone who sticks to their ethical beliefs but I have always found myself respecting the fact that they have them and have stuck to them. As for the dislike ~ endings. I admit it, endings make me sad. And I am very good at looking at them as the beginning of something else. Seriously. That's not just psychobabble. However, I have learned to look at them as beginnings because endings make me sad.

So there you have it. A quick, borrowed post. :)

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

Brought to You by the Word "Misanthrope"

Over the past month or so, I have had several people say to me something along the lines of: "Pobble, I really love talking to you because you make me feel normal" or "This is why I talk to you, Pobble. You make me see myself differently" or some variation on that theme. And what have I done to make these people more accepting of themselves? I've been accepting of them. Period.

Now, don't get me wrong. I am flattered beyond words and description that I make people feel good/normal/accepted/acceptable/whatever about themselves. That's truly high praise. What I hate is the fact that other people have made them feel less than in the first place.

There has been a huge debate about the morality of sexuality ~ specifically homosexuality ~ recently. I left a comment over at dondon's place that those debates amuse and frustrate me because it is (in my opinion) similar to debating the morality of breathing. Sexuality simply is. It is neither moral nor immoral. (And before anyone says anything, I am talking about sexuality that manifests itself through consentual sexual activities between consenting adults.) It just is.

Friends have come to me recently because they "aren't manly enough" or "aren't feminine enough" or dare to think this way instead of that way ~ and have gotten grief from other individuals and society in general over it. Hell, I even had a friend inform me she "wasn't Goth enough." Dude ~ when the Goth culture starts judging, you know the world has gotten into a bad place. To which I have given my honest opinion every time: I think you're great.

So what is so hard about keeping our damn mouths shut if we disagree? What is so hard about respecting others' choices? What is so hard about letting people be who they are without trying to impose our own crap on other people? And why I am the only one who seems to be accepting of these amazing, wonderful people who call me friend?

And that's why I'm a misanthrope.

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

The ONE Reason I Would Consider Becoming A Mom

Overheard this evening while running errands:

Child of unknown age: Hey Mom! Come see this! Hey Mom! Hey Mom! Come here!

Mom: No.





HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

Time Warp

In the five days since Dreamer left, I have been in a weird time-thingy. I get up at a reasonable hour (for me, anyway) motivated and ready to start the day. I get my coffee so that the brain kicks in and...next thing I know it's about 4:30 in the afternoon and I have lost an entire day. The question becomes...To What?

I got nothing.

Sometimes, I might have run a quick errand. Or done a load of dishes. But mostly...nope. Nothing. No clue. The day is just gone. My to-do list sits there by the door, under my purse, waiting expectantly. And come the evenings, I'm so bored I wish I had television. So what am I doing during the days that keep me from both 1. completing (hell, starting) my to-do list and 2. being as bored as I am in the evenings?

I got nothing.

So today, I am going to hit publish, grab my to-do list and actually go do some of it. It's not even 12:30 yet. The afternoon is ahead of me. Here's hoping I don't wake up in five hours wondering why I'm still here at the computer. :)

It's just a jump to the left...

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

Random Pictures

The week Dreamer was here was the warmest, nicest week we've had all season. Until it wasn't...



















Lionel sleeps very, very hard. To the point that it is easy to think he is dead. He has scared me, houseguests, and his sitters. The situation is only exacerbated by the tongue...
















He has also learned a new, doesn't-make-Mommy-happy trick...









Yep, the little booger is on my desk!








Daisy continues to be her beautiful self but she's a meatloaf with fur so her pictures aren't very interesting. Still, she deserves a post, too!
























On Valentine's Day, I received this from the guy at the toll booth I cross through most days...






The card reads I love sweet things...but I love you most of all. And the best part is it sings when you open it! "You Got the Best of my Love." From the Toll Booth Guy!









So, I told Lithus he'd best not be shown up by the Toll Booth Guy. He wasn't...





















And finally, for BDS over at Two Dollar Productions. With thanks...







Those are Pobble Thoughts and Pobble Pictures. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

Addendum

The dress (see previous post if this makes no sense to you) costs $100. As fabbo a dress as it is, I just don't have $100 to spend on a dress right now. *sigh* Donations can be sent to The Dress Fund c/o The Boston Pobble. Naturally. ;)

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee ~ but not a cool-ass dress, 'cause that costs more.

Walking Lots, Eating More

Boston has amazing art and culture. The architecture truly rivals its older, Eurpoean sister cities. And history. So much of the history of this nation took place and is chronicled here.

Dreamer and I are shopping. Every so often, I remember to point out something of historical relevance. Every so often, she stops to take a picture of some particular beauty. But really. We hardly break stride. 'Cause there's shopping to do.

When our feet get tired, we must take a break of course. Pizza. Italian. Greek. Indian. Pastries. A river of tea and an ocean of coffee.

It is, afterall, vacation.

Don't Dreamer, the Muppet and Peaches look great? Yeah, I think so too.






And because I feel a wee bit guilty about posting my friends without being willing to put myself out there, too, here is the (in need of slight alterations) dress I didn't buy. But it was a close thing:






















Now I must go wake Dreamer, as it is almost noon and we have more shopping to do!

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

Rolling On Floor...

Gingrich admits having an affair in Clinton era
Former speaker who led impeachment push cites ‘periods of weakness’

WASHINGTON - Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich was having an extramarital affair even as he led the charge against President Clinton over the Monica Lewinsky affair, he acknowledged in an interview with a conservative Christian group.

"The honest answer is yes," Gingrich, a potential 2008 Republican presidential candidate, said in an interview with Focus on the Family founder James Dobson to be aired Friday, according to a transcript provided to The Associated Press. "There are times that I have fallen short of my own standards. There's certainly times when I've fallen short of God's standards."
Gingrich argued in the interview, however, that he should not be viewed as a hypocrite for pursuing Clinton's infidelity.

...laughing my fucking ass off. Or else I will cry.

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

Life is but a Dream

Having barely completed re-entry from the visit with Lithus, I am preparing for a visit from Dreamer. It's her senior year, spring break and she is choosing to spend it...with me. I am flattered. Puzzled ~ yet flattered nontheless. Somehow, I just don't consider my apartment here in Worcester the happening place for senior year spring break.

We have talked about what we might do. I have ordered groceries for vegetarian meals. There is tea and 2% milk in the house. And I have assured her that I have plenty of sweaters, coats and scarves she can wear since it is going to be much, much colder than she is used to. (Mind you, we're looking at a warm spell so it's all relative...)

In speaking with DreamerDad tonight, I realized really what an honor this is. Don't get me wrong; I was excited beforehand. But this man has never even laid eyes on me. Neither has DreamerMom. They have taken a leap of faith that I will care for their child. That I will entertain her appropriately. That I will see her well home. And it's a statement of faith in Dreamer as well. It means the Dreamer'Rents trust her, know her, believe in her. I'm impressed all the way around.

So, tomorrow I will put a last clean on the place and Saturday be waiting just outside security (follow the signs to baggage claim, honey. I'll find you.) for her to walk through the gates. And show my young friend New England.

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee ~ or tea or 2% milk!

Where I've Been

Several posts ago, I mentioned I was taking Lithus to the Basement. As it turns out, due to unexpected scheduling issues, that trip didn't happen. Instead, I went to him, here:

































There's also a marketplace and a space needle and several other touristy things but why take pictures of those when a pink elephant and googly-eyed street signs are available? Not to mention a man willing to carry your purse and your packages while you take said pictures...



















I did take one touristy-type picture. Divine M, this is for you. LYMY.

















As many people can attest, I am very protective of my space and my time in it. Hell, as Nemeria, my oldest friend, put it after Lithus visited here: "10 days? TEN DAYS! You shared *your* space with someone (let alone a MAN) for 10 days?!? Who are you and what have you done with Pobble?" She added a "just kidding" to be nice but the truth is ~ she wasn't just kidding. It was a shock. Lithus is the same way. And yet even ten more days were too short. Too little time sharing space. And that says more than any detail I could write here.

So it was good. It was ordinary. It was extraordinary. It was...really, really good.

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.