Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Learning Curve

Today I have been trying to learn something, anything that will help me with technical stuff online.
First, I found the New York Photography School site: http://digital-photography-school.com/learning-exposure-in-digital-photography which is complex but eventually I hope to make it work for me.

Next, I was directed from Etsy to another store site whose name I have not entirely mastered,, it's like Matsui, or something, that has a store AND a blog stuck right to it, and other bells and whistles.  Only thing is: I could not see any of the stores.  Maybe it's a closed system like a paramecium or something?

Next, I hooked up to tweetup? possibly, these things just swirl past my vision and create imaginary waste o' space in my brain.  I feel like I now have the brain power of a cat, or a pancake or any other inanimate object.  Anyway, after hours of trying to figure the RSS feed, (yes, I am that much of a dweeb), I hooked that up so that my twitter will lead you to my blog.

I am not that sure about twitter.  Evidently, the way to self promote on twitter, (and that, more than anything seems to be what it is about) is to connect to as many people as possible and have them connect back to you.  Right now, I have like 14 connections, and dumped a load of people/companies I was following, because they were not all that amusing, and they took up space that the people's posts that were interesting formerly occupied.

I guess it's not about what I want to read, it's about who I want to read me, and that's where the moral dilemma kicks in.

I would like my vintage shop to be a success and then maybe move on to a photography shop, but do I have to have giveaways, and tutorials?  It's just possible I do.

My best online friend is spreading herself very thin these days, joining other craft groups and making things for her blog and 5 others, and going to work AND having a life.  I asked her one time, how is it that you are able to produce so much?  Her answer was simple; she does not have a television.

I know there's nothing on, but mostly I like to read while I'm watching bad television, and therefore do not make a load of stuff because I am lazy.  I guess that's what it comes down to in the end. If I had paid more attention at school I would have a career that I was laid off from and collecting a large slice of unemployment, thank you President Obama, instead of blogging my life away and trying to sell used stuff online.

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Hot time in the old town

I'ts been 90 degrees out for a couple of days now.  Yesterday, we had a very large storm, possibly a tornado by the looks of things.  On the next street there are 4 giant trees down, and on several streets after that.  Most of them missed houses, but completely blocked the roads.

We went out for a tour.  It had been cool last night after the storm and then again in the morning but it kept getting hotter.  It felt like Charleston S.C. in August, but it's still June, and we are about 13 hours north of there by car.

I kept changing clothing.  The wrap around skirt was comfy but nothing matched it.  The palazzo pants were cute but the elastic waist hurt my kidneys.  I tried to cut some of the elastic out, but it was not enough, and there was no electricity to sew through all the layers to put it back together.  None of my shoes matched anything, but if they did, my feet hurt in them.  It's as if hot weather makes me lose my sense of style completely.

I put on no makeup which makes me look tired, and wear a baseball hat to keep the sun out of my eyes.
I never in my life thought I would be with a man who wears clothing bearing sports insignia, but I have, and that's hardly unusual, but I could not have guessed after being a milliner for years, that I would adopt a baseball hat.  It's not attractive.  I am not some tall rangy girl with a tomboy wardrobe.
I am a short woman with big hair, and women's clothing and it's looks just awful.  I gotta say, it's practical.

A bit later I was in the kitchen and the refrigerator started making noise.  I yell this out to Lou in the yard.  He says open it up!  Yes!  Electric is back on.  I know they are going to turn it off again eventurally, but tonight I sleep in air conditioned bliss.

By the Sea

Nory went to the shore with her sister Lila.  They were dressing for the beach, and Nory was putting on an old t shirt like flashdance meets Hokusai, and a skirt she made from old t shirts.  It was her first attempt at cutting up shirts for skirts, and it was a success except that the design on the shirt ended up at her crotch.  She spun it to her hip, but the shirt covered it anyway.

Lila said I bought a bathing suit.  This was the one that did not make me cry.  Boy, is that ever true.  After a certain point in time, and with our mom's fatty gene pool, there's just no fighting off the distortion of the flesh. (see: legs of Dorian Gray)

Nory looked at her sister in the bathing suit and it was black and white polka dots.  She herself had never gone in much for the dots, but we do what we can.  It was not good, but if it was okay with Lila, then what the hell.

They trekked down to the ocean and the cool wind blew over them.  They flopped on towels, just as if they were not middle aged women and sighed, looked at the water for a while and picked up their respective reading.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Drug Trials

Here's the thing.  Well, two things.  I went online to make a new post, and got a message that my blog name was available to register.  What the hell???

So I came to blogger, and here I am.  Now I'm just confused.  And dizzy.
I went to a dozen docs, and particularly one of the "top docs" for dizziness in the city.  They did terrible things to me there, just to see IF I was actually dizzy.  Oh yeah.  I was sick for a week after those wonderful tests.  They did brain scans, cat scans, and every kind of expensive thing, but did not find anything broken.

Now, as a last ditch effort, they want me to take diuretics.  I remember my mother taking them to get rid of water on her ankles.  I don't remember how much she was in the bathroom, but it was not as often as I already am.

I have not felt like this for months.  Really bad.  So maybe I take just one more drug.  Or maybe I go on the all raw diet.  I am not sure about those people.  They claim it brings health and vitality if the most you heat anything is 118 degrees.  Why?  I just don't know.  It sounds totally arbitrary.  Obviously animal protein is out, as is sugar, although maple syrup is okay with them.

What you don't know about maple syrup: it's not a sweet as you thought.  It's the corn syrup pancake liquid that is sweet.  I like it.  I am used to my food tasting bright and delicious.  I can go without some things but the sugar thing: that's the killer.

I really should ditch any baked goods, and all sugar.  I should live on lettuce and water as a friend told me.

Then he put me on embargo, so I don't know how good a friend he really is.  Okay, that was something you don't need to read, but I'll leave it there anyway.

I gotta go out now.  I'll be walking so if I collapse someone will find me, covered with ants (the ants are really getting to me these days) and wrappers discarded from foods at the Wawa convenience store.

Okay I sound nuts, but I can delete this all later.

Friday, June 04, 2010

Beauty Therapy


Nory went to a therapist recommended by Lou's therapist. The new therapist was supposed to adress her propensity to anxiety and try to get Nory off some medicines she was taking.

First of all, Peggy (the therapist) decided Nory should take more EPA fish oil. Then she decided that Nory should see another more integrative doctor .

Then the therapist decided her vitamin D levels were low (from a copy of blood samples from her G.P.)

AND she sent Nory for even more blood samples and thought she might want to find out if she had yeast in her intestines. Well, thought Nory, between the bread and the yoghurt, I must have some yeast somewhere.

So to sum up: 2 added supplements, 2 added health professionals to see.

Nory went on Thursday because she could not read the invisible writing of the receptionist, and since it was not the correct day, and her hair was all gray in the fluorescent light of the bathroom, she went to the hairdresser next door. She had never gone there before, but it was pretty and the hairdressers seemed friendly and knowledgeable, so she decided to go in.

The first thing Nory annouced was: Do NOT dye my hair black!

Guess what? Black hair.

She asked her sister Lila what she thought. Lila said "I was not going to mention it, I thought you just had an accident with the dye".

The next day, after her acual appointment with Peggy, Nory went back and said "honey, (in the nicest tone)you dyed my hair black".

The Hairdresser looks like that Amazon from 3rd Rock, Kirsten somebody. She said well, you wanted dark brown. Nory said "I wanted brown". Greta said well, it will wear off a bit in a coupla weeks.

Well, thought Nory, not hideous. I just look like a goth girl in Talbots clothing.

Tuesday, June 01, 2010

12:45 Ironing

Generally when I creep upstairs at night, it is cold. I am wrapped in layers of flannel and fleece, socks and slippers, almost gloves if I could, but tonight is so balmy after a very hot day that I wear a slip of a nightgown to sit at the computer.

It's nice to find an order on the computer. I sell my odds and ends, not a business so much as lightening up my stuff stash. It's a national holiday, so I did not expect anything from my computer, and mainly left it alone today. When I came up, I found my order and went to work re-ironing some fancy tea napkins in the heat of the attic. I must be mad. It was near 90 degrees today, and we spent it all outside, lolling in the shade.

I am not getting so very much from these napkins, but on the other hand, I did find them literally on the side of the road, while I was walking one day. There was a load of vintage linens, and I picked up what I could and carried it a mile back home.

I should have gone back. I left lace table cloths, and who knows what else there, but I was in a very karmic dilemma, and decided to leave stuff for others. I hope someone took the rest, or my good will has gone wasted.

I probably should not write at night when I have not much to say.

Yup, officially at a loss for words.

Goodnight, sweet prince.