
by Connor Stefanison (500px.com)
“I live on the edge of a sleepy soul, a moist rose, and an infinite lilac sky beneath my chin.” ~ M. Melia, from The Unravelling Travelogue
Tuesday, early evening. Sunny and colddd, 35 degrees.
Still not sleeping well, and consequently, I’m getting up later. Don’t like this. I had managed to wind back my body clock, get into a more reasonable schedule (by my standards). Can’t say that I’m ever going to get going by 8 a.m. again, but I would dearly love to see the morning side of noon. Woke up early this morning with a migraine and have been very light sensitive all day. But on that note—would someone please explain to me why migraine medicine needs to be in adult-proof packaging? When I can’t open my eyes from the pain, how am I supposed to find the little corner to peel, and when I do, why can I not punch out the pill I so desperately need?

by Darrel Birkett (FCC)
Why, huh, why?
Anyway, yesterday was a cleaning day, and of course I overdid it, but the house looks nice. We’re still in the middle of trying to get my health insurance reinstated, and even with HR at GW running interference, I’m having problems. This means, of course, that I still have none of my regular meds, and I’m getting by with OTC counterparts. Probably why I have a headache today. Also adding to that which is annoying is the fact that my Yahoo mail is not acting right—I can read stuff in my inbox but cannot reply or compose. Works fine on Corey’s laptop, though. Such a pain.
That, and trying to find the very lowest price for Brett’s textbooks. Fortunately since he isn’t taking any physics classes this semester none of his books are more than $30 each, but doing comparison shopping with ISBNs is a pain. Everything is a pain.
“Sometimes I don’t know whether I’m dreaming my dreams
or yours, or just leaning back quiescent in
somebody’s brain. It’s only when I feel calm or glad
or even afraid that I know I’m asleep.
Only when I feel anything.” ~ Mary Rose O’Reilley, from “The Crossing”
Not really sure what I want to write about today. Kind of feeling in between thoughts, if that makes any sense, so I’m just going to rely on my random thoughts fallback. First, television:
- Am I a snob because I was bothered by the fact that the Romantics professor turned serial killer in Kevin Bacon’s new show “The Following” fixated on Poe? I would have preferred someone more obscure as it would have been more mysterious; everyone knows Poe. I think it reminds me of the misogynistic American lit professor I had who claimed that the only American female poet worth reading was Emily Dickinson. That would be like me contending that the only American poet worth anything is Walt Whitman. He was a nasty man, that professor, deliberately mispronounced my name all year.
Great Grey Owl (nature.org) - Still like the show, though. Serial killer played by James Purefoy + broken FBI agent played by Kevin Bacon = instant classic in my book.
- I finally watched The Hurt Locker the other night, and it wasn’t what I expected. I know that everyone raved over it, but I wanted more character development.
- I’m not sure how Ryan Murphy is going to resolve the aliens storyline in the season finale of “American Horror Story: Asylum.” Kind of weak if you ask me (and you didn’t), but my gawd, how wonderful is Jessica Lange, still?
- Still bummed that Reid’s love interest on “Criminal Minds” was killed before they ever had a chance to be a couple, but the good news (for me) is that that particular episode featured one of the most beautiful songs I’ve heard in a while, “Infinity Street,” by Richard Walters. Sorry if I’ve already mentioned this, but I really, really love that song.
“The moon is always jealous of the heat of the day, just as the sun always longs for something dark and deep.” ~ Alice Hoffman, Practical Magic
Other things:
- I think that I have to add Iceland to my places in the world I want to see. I haven’t seen one picture yet that I don’t find intriguing and mysterious in some way.
- Why am I not attracted to countries in South America? Am I being an ugly American? Is it ignorance? Not sure, but not knowing about a country doesn’t usually preclude my interest in it.
Snowy Owl in Dallas
by Dave Dolan on nabirding.com - Does anyone know how to convert Vimeo videos into mp3 format without downloading a program?
- It’s almost time to do the taxes, which means I have to get around to correcting eldest son’s taxes from last year, filing last year’s state taxes (groan), and completing Brett’s FAFSA for next year (double groan). Speaking of which, I need to contact the federal loan people to see what’s up with my deferment on my graduate school loans. Another groan.
- I still haven’t completed my application to the doctoral program at GWU. Deadline is the end of the month. Why am I procrastinating? Did my paranoia and fear kick in before I could even get started? The whole I’m not good enough, why bother, they’ll never want me train of thought taking over . . .
“I know you think this world is too dark to even dream in color,
but I’ve seen flowers bloom at midnight.
I’ve seen kites fly in gray skies
and they were real close to looking like the sunrise” ~ Andrea Gibson, from “The Moon is a Kite”
Things I don’t do or cannot do:
- Drink enough water. I read somewhere that oftentimes when you feel hungry, your body may just be dehydrated, but I never seem to remember that. Like now, for instance. I know that I’m thirsty, but I can’t be bothered getting up to get something to drink. I’ll think about it again in about two hours.
- Walk enough. Yes, yes, I know. I would feel so much better if I got some physical exercise, but I’m so busy exercising my mind that I forget about my body, that is until I have to look at it. Yuck.
Barn Owl, Norfolk, England (Wikimedia Commons) - Wear my glasses at the right times. After not having the right prescription for so long, I got into bad habits when it comes to corrective vision. So I look above my glasses, and I squint, and I sit too close to the computer monitor . . .
- Record poems as they come to me. After years, nay decades of doing this (or not doing this, as it were) you would think that I would have learned. You would think . . .
- I am a very good speller, but I never spell the following words correctly on the first try: weird, niece, minutiae, and one other word that I cannot recall at the moment. Of course, I just spelled all of them correctly. How weird. Also, I frequently type the word not when I mean to type no.
- Figure out how to code poetry so that the right indentations appear without using the pre code.
“In my mind I am eloquent; I can climb intricate scaffolds of words to reach the highest cathedral ceilings and paint my thoughts. But when I open my mouth, everything collapses.” ~ Isaac Marion, from Warm Bodies
Things over which I am currently obsessing:
- Black leather combat boots. This is the first time in my life that I haven’t owned a pair, and it bothers me. I got rid of my last pair a few years ago because they were completely worn and never found another pair that I liked.
- Flatware. I know, this is another weird thing, but our silverware is old, chipped, and I absolutely hate it. We bought Mike and Lex new flatware for Christmas, and I had planned to buy some for us but never got around to it.

by Pat Gaines (creative commons)
- Aside: My life is pretty boring if I’m obsessing over flatware.
- How boring my life is. I am.
- The Song of Ice and Fire series by G. R. R. Martin. I finally let myself read “Dance with Dragons,” but it’s still going to be months before the sequel hits the market. These books are so complicated, have so many familial lines, so many plots and subplots that to wait between books only adds to the confusion. I almost wish that I had come upon them after the series was complete, kind of like “Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” and its sequels, which I did not read until after the author died.
- Why are my stats dropping?
- Images of owls (especially snowy owls), Asian fishermen, and Iceland. I have no explanation for any of these.
Enough for now. My eyes are killing me, and it’s time for afternoon tea.
More later. Peace.
Music by Otep, “We Dream Like Lions”
Seeing for a Moment
Well with all these random thoughts, you might consider there is a reason you have been doing this. We all start thinking about life, what we have acomplished, what we have not done, or what we need to do. The reason could be is, because its your birthday.
Happy birthday!
Happy Birthday back to you. Hope you have a wonderful day and a great year.
I really would like to see Iceland too. There is also something in me that vibrates to the music of Icelandic composers and bands (Sigur Rós, Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson, Jóhann Jóhannsson, Jónsi, Ólafur Arnalds).
Thanks for visiting and commenting.
I am just coming open Icelandic music, but I absolutely love Olafar Arnalds and Sigur Ros.
I think you don’t want to see South America because you don’t want to get malaria or yellow fever or all those other things that the characters in books always get when they go there. I just want to see pictures of South America!!! Iceland does look beautiful, but South America has orchids and just seems more mysterious. I don’t want to visit either one, but I do want to read about every country I can… (Yes, I am not adventurous.)
I can’t comment on any of the TV shows because I don’t watch TV. Maybe I will when the kids are out on their own.
I filled out the FAFSA today, for fall. It seems dumb to do it when you know you won’t get it, but you have to be turned down before you can apply for the other options.
Things I obsess about: Sinking. Whether or not I will ever get the right training for a job that is actually available and pays more than $10/hr. Doing well in my class. Having a clean kitchen. Having enough money for retirement.
I don’t think I understand, or maybe follow, Denise Levertov’s poem. Is she saying that after death (or the end of an age, or whatever) there is a beginning? I’ve always been bad with analysis.
Question: has an adverb always been able to modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs? One thing I read said that it could also modify pronouns, numerals, phrases and sentences. I’ve been taking an informal survey. When I ask “What does an adverb modify?,” everyone answers, “Verbs.” No one knows (or maybe, remembers) about the others.
Wish I could make you a cake… and get rid of your migraine. A cake that gets rid of migraines… A small package should arrive Thursday; I wish it were more.
I think the theory is that all medicines should be as difficult to get into as possible, thus saving lives of small children and possibly, pets. In reality, the kids and pets probably aren’t repelled as well as we’d wish, and it just frustrates the adults. The older you are the worse it is.
Isn’t Sharon Olds beautiful?
I toast you with my cup of tea…
I love, love, love Sharon Olds.
You are absolutely right about the pill thing. The kids and pets don’t really care unless you are stupid enough to leave your meds out where they can find them.
Adverbs, had to double check this, but they modify verbs, adjectives and adverbs, as in she ran quickly and her incredibly jealous cousin was envious, but her mother clapped quite appreciatively.
As for numerals and pronouns, I don’t think so.
Been pondering the South America thing, and I think that you have it figured out. No one ever seems to have a wonderful time in SA countries.