Category Archives: personal

A Colorful Post

I am tired again and disinclined to make a whiny blog post, but I remembered:  Wordless Wednesday.  I can just use some of the pictures I’ve been taking lately.  If they are truly worth 1,000 words, I will have a long blog post!

I miss the other tree!

 

This tree was the main reason I went for a walk yesterday.  I could see it from my front porch and thought it would make a nice addition to a Pedestrian Post.  I do not know why they cut down the other tree, but I am a little sad about it.

Alas, not dry enough to scuffle!

 

One of my favorite things to do in the fall has always been to scuffle through dry leaves.  We have had so much rain, on and off, this year, that the leaves are usually too soggy.

Love the color!

I think trees still look beautiful as they begin to lose their leaves.  This one had plenty of bright color left.

Another bright one!

I saw this one a little further down the road.  It even has some green leaves left on it.

I guess I was not particularly wordless.  Full disclosure:  I did not really expect to be.  However, I have used some of my pictures, and I made a blog post.  Score!

 

Past Pedestrian Pictures on Tired Tuesday

Oh it is Tired Tuesday.  I do not see why I should feel so tired, although I have a couple of educated guesses.  Never mind those, I always question self-diagnoses anyways.

I went for a nice walk earlier, snapping pictures on my smarter-than-me phone, in hopes of doing a Pedestrian Post.  I got some good ones, but then I remembered I still had a couple I had taken on a previous walk.  Under the heading Waste Not Want Not…

Some flowers still bloom!

This outside Basloe Library in Herkimer,  NY.  I have not had a container garden in the last few years, but when I see an urn of flowers, I start planning for next spring.  Then I start thinking of all the things I have to do to make the plan happen and get bogged down in discouragement and remember that my plans all go to hell anyways.  Still, I might be able to make something happen.  One must not give way to despair.

Well, this is what happens to me on Tired Tuesday:  I can’t share an innocent picture of flowers without starting to whine and cry about something.  I really need to get over myself. Quick, share another picture.

Sometimes I see red.

This was also outside the library.  I love the red against the white.  Maybe I could plant a tree like that in my yard (see, there I go making plans again).

Now that I look at it, not the best shot. Oh well.

This was in Meyers Park.  There are a lot of trees there,  in various stages of color.  I took a picture of a different tree there tonight, I mention as a preview of coming attractions.  Tomorrow I may use some of the pictures I took today’s (I think I took enough for two posts), but I have rehearsal for He Laughed Himself to Death,  so no promises.

 

I Haven’t Murdered Anybody in a While

Who knew I would be doing a Post-Rehearsal Post again so soon (and don’t bother saying YOU knew, because I will not believe you) (you know who you are, and that’s all you know) (but I digress).  It is not a full-on play, like Love’s Labour’s Lost, but an interactive murder mystery, such as I love to write and perform.

Full disclosure: it is a previously performed script.  We have less lead time than usual, so the best I could do was revive one previously done for another venue.  I had some re-writing to do, though, because we have two fewer actors to work with.  This accomplished, some excellent actors recruited, and we are on our way.

The mystery is He Laughed Himself to Death, which we originally presented in 2017.  Goodness, that was five years ago.  How the time flies.  Anyways, we had our first meeting tonight.  We read through the script, talked about characters and clues, and set the rest of our rehearsals.  Alas, I did not take any pictures.

I feel like poo when I don’t have any pictures!

I found a previous illustration of some fake poo used in the original production.  I still have it and, surprisingly enough, know where it is, so it will make a repeat appearance.  The bigger poo was also featured in Donate to Murder, to great comic effect (I do not exaggerate; it was very funny).

He Laughed Himself to Death will be presented to benefit the Herkimer County Historical Society on Saturday,  Nov. 1, 5:30 p.m. at Herkimer Elks Lodge.  For more information,  contact the society at 315-866-6413.

 

 

But Who’s Keeping Score?

I just did not want to make a blog post last night, so here I am, back to making my Lame Post Friday post on Saturday.  I just got up and have barely had a sip of coffee.  There, I just took another sip.  That helped.

A true Lame Post Friday post includes random observations and half-baked philosophy.  But as I sit in my living room (lounged on the couch, pecking in one letter at a time with the stylus on my Tablet, as I often say, hoping to give a picture), there is not much to observe.  Of course,  an observation does not have to be something you currently see.  It could be something about human nature you have been thinking about.  Or would that be half-baked philosophy?

This is silly.  Maybe I should throw in a picture to pep things up (thus giving you a real picture, no doubt more effectively than a word picture of me on the couch) (and probably a good deal more attractive).

They are keeping more than an eye on you.

This is one of a few pictures I took on a walk for which I never wrote the intended Pedestrian Post.  It is of Basloe Library in Herkimer,  NY, one of my favorite places.  I may go there this morning.  For one reason, their computers are a good deal more reliable than my dining-room-table-top (of which regular readers have heard me complain) (YES, I am grateful that I have a computer at all! Sheesh!).

My babbling has brought me to over 250 words.  Score!  Although I suppose I have not said very much.  Rats!  But, while late, it is Lame Post Friday.  Score!  I shall quit while I am ahead.

 

Sweet Halloween Spirits on Throwback Thursday

We can call yesterday either a real Wuss-out Wednesday or a real Blogger’s Sick Day; the result is the same, and the least said, soonest mended.  Already I have said too much.  I continue to say too much by complaining that headaches continue plague me.  I daresay I do not lead a healthy enough lifestyle.  I must work on that, but in the meantime,  let me attempt another Throwback Thursday Post.

That is a good quote.

I went back to October 2016 for a shot of one of my favorite places, the So Sweet Candy Shoppe in Utica, NY.  I have not been there recently so cannot report on their current Halloween decor.

Must have spirits on Halloween.

I looked in my Media Library in October 2017 and found this shot from Dikin Durt Distillery in Herkimer,  NY.  I do not know that it is overtly Halloweeny, but it does involve spirits.  I say that counts.

Those are some big pumpkins!

Skipping ahead to October 2019, here is a more Halloweeny shot from Pumpkin Junction in Sauquoit, NY.  I have been there once this year (perhaps you read my blog post about it) and hope to go again.

I think my concluding paragraph will bring me to 200 words, my admittedly arbitrary blog standard (it did).  I will provide the headache and healthy lifestyle update in a future post.

 

I Stress, But I Blog

Today is Tired Tuesday but it may as well be a Blogger’s Sick Day.  I left work after four hours due to a headache.  A nap helped a little,  but I am under stress.  Oh, get over yourself, me, we all have problems!  And so I try to at least make a blog post.

And nothing is coming.  I looked in my Media Library for a timely graphic but can find none.  What, I ask, is a blogger to do?

A depiction of how I feel.

This is  not what I was looking for,  but I find it appropriate.  I feel like a blob, oozy and a little disgusting, although I do try not to be as clingy.  People hate that and it never works.

No, I do not think I look like this.

No, this is me, a lost soul.  Now I really sound like I’m feeling sorry for myself.  I hope I am not.  But I need to find a way of dealing with all my stress.  There is no reason to burden you lovely people with it.

An oldie but a goodie.

I leave with a Tuesday meme.  The week progresses.  So will I, but right now I need a little more sleep.

 

I Make a Monstrous Post

Oy vey, what a day!  I like to say that, because it rhymes.  In fact, my Monday was no more monstrous than usual, and also as usual, I am here at the end of the day with not much brain power for a good blog post.  In my defense, I finished writing my article for next month’s Mohawk Valley Living magazine.  However, that is also in my accusation (being the opposite of defense), because I always say that writing begets more writing.  So write, me!

She wants them to think she has a pretty face, but not JUST a pretty face.

This is obviously not me, because it is The Brain That Wouldn’t Die.  Mine apparently would.

Not monsters, but maybe murderers.

This picture is apropos, because in addition to monsters, I have murder on my mind.  This is the cast from A G.R.A.V.E. Murder, which we presented a few years ago. I may be doing another murder mystery soon for the Herkimer County Historical Society (preview of coming attractions).  I’ll keep you posted on that.

Scary!

I close with my favorite guy, Nosferatu, from the 1922 silent film of that name.  I have not watched that one in a while.  My favorite way to watch silent movies is while running in place on the mini-tramp.  Come to think about it, I could use the exercise. Perhaps if I am not too tired on Tuesday, but regular readers know how that goes!

 

Souls, Swoon, Snapped, It’s Sunday

There I was, so proud of myself for making my Friday post on Friday, then I did not post at all on Saturday and here I am on Sunday, no blog post and very little brain to come up with one.  How dreadfully irresponsible of me.  I guess it is a Wrist to Forehead Sunday,  because I do feel rather inclined to swoon, dramatically posed with the back of one wrist to my forehead, onto a handy chaise lounge.  Why do I not have a chaise lounge?

An evocative poster, no?

My husband, Steve, and I did watch a couple of movies, one of my favorite things to do on a Sunday.  I wanted to see Carnival of Souls.  It is so unsettling with very few special effects, a testimony to what can be accomplished on a small budget.

A haunting image.

I throw in another image for good measure.  When this moment happened in the movie, I drew Steve’s attention to it.  I knew I had seen a still of it.  I got these images, by the way, from a Carnival of Souls Facebbok fan page.

We are now looking at an episode of Snapped.  Sunday’s are for Snapped, according to the Oxygen Facebook page, but I don’t mind catching an episode or two any day of the week.

Luckily I have not reached mine yet.

I see I am over 200 words.  Score!  I guess I don’t have to swoon after all.

 

Rock and Lame

Here is something different for me, at least in recent weeks (as usual too lazy to go back and check how many): I am making my Lame Post Friday post on Friday.  Just to give you a picture:  I am lounged on my couch, Tablet on lap, stylus in hand, glass of wine nearby, ’70’s music on cable television.

Yes, let me reflect for a moment on those lovely ’70’s tunes.  In addition to being some of the sweetest music ever recorded, I keep flashing back.  Oh, junior high and high school!  It was far from the best of times, but, man, what a soundtrack! I think if I manage to get back into writing novels I will set them in the ’70’s or ’80’s, just for the music.

I have been grooving to Classic Rock at work sometimes, when somebody brings in a radio and tunes it to 92.7 The Drive out of Utica, NY.  I especially like Genessee Joe.  My co-workers are quite amused when I bogey down to some of the tunes, although I am sure most of them understand the impulse (full disclosure: I do the same thing in the supermarket).

I confess that the nostalgia is not always painless.  As I said, not the best of times.  But I learned then as I remember now:  Music is magic.  It can make you feel better.  Can it make you do better?  Well, I made a 200 word Lame Post Friday post on Friday.  I call that a win.  Rock on!

 

This Is Why I Rarely Take Selfies

I am making my Thursday Post on Thursday, but I fear it will not be the elusive Better Blog Post for which I strive.  However, I believe I can manage another Throwback Thursday Post and will attempt to throw back to something I have not thrown back to before.

I question… something.

In my last blog post, I alluded to “selfies of surpassing silliness.”  The above is one of them.  You see, I was doing a challenge in which for 34 days I exercised for 34 minutes, then posted a selfie on Facebook with some information about the 34 million Americans with diabetes.  Most of my selfies included Halloween decor.

I smile at a friend.

The bat’s name is Mookie Wilson, and he has hung from light cords in my home since the late 1980’s.  My then boyfriend (now husband) Steven won him in a claw game.  My sister Diane suggested the name.

I got the pumpkin at Cassler’s Flower Farm.

 

Regular readers have seen Bonaparte before.

 

Steve got me the vampire at Aubuchon in Herkimer, when it was still open. The skulls he holds were from Pumpkin Junction.

I took more selfies than this, but these are the ones I happened to share in the blog.  I will have to look up and read those posts sometime.  In the meantime, I feel I am doing violence to my vanity by posting the pictures.  But perhaps it is good for me to admit occasionally that I am not nearly as cute as I like to think I am.  And it is always a good idea to share a little silliness.