These are NOT sheep; it's Quiviut-on-the-Hoof. See "Resolutions". So, the New Year has begun. I remember being enchanted when I could write "1953" at the top of my school papers. I imagine it was because I had finally achieved a double-digit age which I found pretty exciting. That was also the year one of my 4th grade classmates whispered "gawdamn" in the back of the room and we were all scandalized within an inch of our lives.
Soooo...some idle thoughts, some observations - and yeah, I'll do a couple of resolutions.
There's a commercial on television here for an attorney, one of those "call me if you're in an accident, I'll get you millyuns and millyuns." I guess the guy's name is HUPY, but every time I hear the commercial, I hear the earnest middle-aged man saying "...everyone suggests I go with MY KEWPIE as my attorney." How can you lose? Oh, the mental images, as the round-bellied naked little wide-eyed darling flaps her wings, bats her eyelashes and approaches the bench. Sorry - I admit to having a Disturbed Imagination. (Mr Dearling says that's a requisite for reenactors, who are adults playing dress-up.)
The big Caucus in Iowa thing is over, and I'm not going to discuss politics here. However - I made that fist-pumping motion when I saw that Obama had won, and said, ALOUD, "So whaddya think of THAT, Willie Carter?" NOTE: Willie Carter (of blessed memory) was my first husband, a black man who was in the front lines in Selma around the time of the Great Selma-to-Montgomery March. And I imagine (see above about imagination) Willie smiling his wonderful smile and nodding thoughtfully. A "man of color" being a viable candidate for President of these EWE-nited States. Don't know as I'd go so far as to say that the scars from cattle prods on Willie's back were worth it, but if that was the currency, payment was made. (No thoughts on imagining official governmental White House stationery reading "President Huckabee"....sorry, it just sounds like a perfect name for a children's story character.)
OK - even though it's well into the first week of the New Year, these things take time. Here, for all to see, are my Resolutions....well, the ones I'm willing to put down for all to see. And guys? No bets on which are kept, if any, or how I do on 'em. That varies, I must admit. I see resolutions as "Intentions", and you all know what we use THOSE to pave. Suffice it to say, if it comes to that, my trip to --Down Below - is going to be very smooth indeed.
1. Write. (But Dale-Harriet, you're writing a blog, reasonably often....) Yes, yes, I know that, thanks for divulging the obvious. No, what I mean here is, let out those fantasy and fairy-tale creatures who are, at the moment, sitting around the cafeteria tables in your brain getting bored and lazy. Finish those Kidlits you have in pieces on various pages and tablets and (dare I admit it?) little computer disks. Store them securely on the hard drive AND in hard copy, to prepare them for....
2. Sending in. By this I mean, find an editor, publisher, magazine or the like, and actually mailing (or e-mailing) said stories off for examination and possible publication. NOTE: I have NO IDEA how to go about this; I do have the Writers' Handbook that tells how, and includes addresses, names, and requirements. Time to get off my
3. Develop a Schedule. By this I mean, establish a Routine. I'm chaotic, jumbled, scattered. I need to set down regular times for myself to accomplish things. I've read that all writers treat it like a job, and establish a regular time during which they write. Yeah, that's what I have to do. And a regular time for going to sleep. A time for tidying-up. Even a time for KNITTING! (Now, I treat it like a reward: Dale-Harriet, if you're a good girl and tidy some and finish your blogwriting and wear a Sunny Smile...THEN you can knit until bedtime.) This sucks; it often results in my NOT spending as much time knitting as I should or want to. (Does this mean I'm not a good girl, don't tidy, not great about blogwriting and wear a Frumpy Frown? Nevermind, shut up and go away.)
4. Be a Better Blogger--&c. By this I mean, write more about...oh, I don't know, the cats? Knitting, perhaps? BOOKS? Yeah, those. This involves becoming more adept at Ravelry, in order to take advantage of it. It involves taking pictures of projects, keeping track of yarns and patterns. It also means noting what I'm reading in a more orderly fashion, and spending more time reading. (See #3 above.) I also need to go through a tutorial or appeal to Knowledgeable Pals so I can do things like position my pictures here better and learn how to put captions; these are things I SO admire in all the blogs I read.
5. Order one skein (smallest available) of Quiviut. That's the yarn spun from the softest under-fur of the Musk Ox, and you can order it from the Inuit or other native people in Alaska who collect and spin it. It's supposed to be the softest, warmest, lightest and most luxurious fiber (and therefore yarn) available on the earth. I want one tiny bit, which I may or may not ever actually knit. I think of it as the "straw into gold" of the world.
That's probably enough, and I really do mean to try to improve at all of the above. I had a feeling that an advantage of a fulltime job was the inherent need for a schedule. When you leave the house every day at the same time and return home at the same time, you tend to compartmentalize the other aspects of your time. When released into the grand world of HAHAHA I'm Retired You Can't Make Me! you find that you need to set your own patterns and schedules. It's alarming how easy it is for me to stay in my jammies all day in front of the tee-vee and playing Faerie Bubbles on Neopia. (Yeah, I know it's a kiddie site. And your point is....???)
I'm winding up here with a list of things I really like, just because I want to. Ready?
I love my dentures. They're all I'd hoped for and I'm very smiley about them. I like Spam. (Grilled in real maple syrup, it's lovely.) I like "working" at the Museum. I like scented oils in my little thingie that has a tea candle in the bottom. I like some shows on the tee-vee. I like my house (even if I do fancy sprucing it up some, which I may eventually -- or may not -- do). I like my feather tick; I'm one of those people who loves lots of heavy covers on the bed. I like to creep in and pull all that bedding up over me - it makes me kind of squeal! with pleasure. Then I scrunch up into a fetal position with my tiny radio and earbuds; I like that radio a lot, and fall asleep listening to it every night. I REALLY like the fact that I can get CBS tee-vee on it, so I can watch CSI or Dr Phil with my ears. Oh, and tea. I really like tea. REAL tea, with caffeine - my favorites-du-jour are Earl Grey (Stash, with Double Bergamot); Celestial Seasoning's "Fast Lane" (EXTRA-caffeinated); Constant Comment, sometimes one bag of Lipton's and one bag of Yogi's Egyptian Licorice made together. I like my little blue two-cup teapot which I fill several times a day.
And there are some things I
There are many many things I dearly, tenderly, wildly love: Mr Dearling; my children, my precious grandchildren, knitting, reading, barbecued ribs among others....and there are things I definitely, clearly hate: abusive people; bigots; talking on cell phones while driving; wasting intellect (have an ex-husband....well, nevermind); wasting stuff (also among others.
I'd have to say, as 2008 begins, I am contented, happy, curious, interested - and very, very blessed. In more ways than I could even list.
PS - what's a "meme"?
9 comments:
I had to look "meme" up on the internet. It's a byte of information but mostly, having an imagination similar to yours, I pretend it means Me! Me!
great list!! and when blogger talk about memes, they mean a lists of questions usually dealing with a single theme that everyone seems to be answering and putting up on their blogs.
THANK YOU, ladies! I thought it was Me Me too (are we vain?) but now I get it, thanks Ann. I guess I've seen them but wondered if I was missing something (I tend to!)
I pronounce it "meem" but think of it as "me-me!", like when a kid is jumping up and down, waving his hand to get called on--because that's really what they're about. "My turn to talk! My turn to talk!"
Like your lists. Hate the green blob commercial too, and all the other commercials that are shown during the network news. If the networks really wanted a younger audience they would forget about messing with anchors and formats and just dump those awful ads.
It makes me so happy to think that the 2 front-runners for the nomination are a woman and a black (or bi-racial) man. It still amazes me!
I love...Dale Harriet's posts! My Kewpie-snort! and the mucus guys are definitely gross and have set up shop in my chest but I still refuse to buy anything called Musinex!
I didn't know what a meme was either. I like your list of resolutions. I too have a list of yarn to own before I die, just to have it, like camel, possum, and quivet. I don't think I spelled that right.
Here in Maine, "Meme" is the shortened version of Mamere which is basically french for Grandmother. Happy New Year! ANd best of luck with your goals for the year! If you are looking for an easy way to get published...try www.blurb.com . You can write and publish your own book!
--the other Dale!
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