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One Reason Why I’m Tired

I will tell you about my Tuesday.  The Mohawk Valley was hit with the nor’easter which I suppose is plaguing the entire state.  I can only suppose, because I have yet restored any real television to my television set (long story, not very interesting) (although I do not rule out making a blog post out of it at some point).  I arose in the morning with trepidation, prepared to dig out my driveway prior to departing for work.

Imagine my delight when I found that shoveling was not yet necessay.  I merely had to clean off my car.  I could see snow heavily falling, though, so allowed extra time, which I definitely needed.

Oh, the roads sucked.  I reflected as I drove down Rt 5 at 30 miles an hour, that a year previously, I had turned around in such conditions and gone home.  Full disclosure:  if my husband Steve were still alive, I probably would have yesterday.  In fact, Steve would have urged me in strong terms not to go in at all.  (“You’re NOT going to work today,” was the way he put it the time I turned around) (yes, I disobeyed a direct order, but let us not discuss the dynamics of my marriage).

Driving up Ilion Gorge was an adventure.  It was a decision whether it was better with or without high beams, because of all the snow.  The light reflects each and every flake, you know. I decided I liked it better with.

I further reflected (see what I did there?) that my drive was a metaphor for my current life.  I was going slowly.  I could not see very far ahead.  I was just trusting to be able to reach my destination (one day when I didn’t even try to get to work, I later learned a fallen tree had blocked the road anyways).  It was not much fun.

Actually it was a little fun.  As often happens, I had to laugh at myself.

Further trials and tribulations were in store for me as the day went on, but I see I am over 300 words.  I do not care to tax my readers’ patience at this time (but do not rule it out at some future date).

 

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Who Says You Can’t Get A Head?

An exceptional cast!

Yesterday I decided at have a severed Head Sunday.  Today I thought I would write about it in lieu of my usual Monstrous Monday Post.  I began with Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte with Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, Joseph Cotten, Agnes Moorehead, Victor Buono, and Mary Astor.  Just to name everybody.

One of my favorite shots.

I love Hush, Hush but do not pop it in very often, because it is so long.  I guess I have a short attention span, but I do enjoy watching several movies of 90 minutes or less.

She feels strongly about it.

A few days ago I was disappointed to be unable to find my DVD of StraitJacket (starring Joan Crawford,  of course). Yesterday I had better luck.  In fact, I was surprised I had not found it before, because it was not that far out of alphabetical order.  However, I feel it was just as well I had not watched it before, because it fits so well with my Severed Head theme of the day.

And here are a couple of the heads!

It seems this post is longer on pictures than words, but that is not necessarily a bad thing.  I’m not even sure it can count as a Severed Head Sunday since I only watched two movies with severed heads.  Full disclosure:  my first movie was Rope, which features a strangulation, but the victim’s head remains attached (that did not require a spoiler alert; it happens in the very first scene).

No matter.  It is Monday, and it has not been as monstrous as it might have been.  Once again, I thank you for tuning in.

 

Some Kind of Saturday

It was not a particularly Scattered Saturday, because I was just not up to doing much.  I did manage to go for a run, slowly on slushy roads.  I wrote a few postcards.  I ran a few errands. I did a very little house cleaning.  I am watching a few movies.

The highlight of my day was running into one of Steve’s former co-workers.  She gave me a hug and said how sorry she was about Steve’s passing.  She told me how much she liked working with him and agreed with me that he was a really great guy.

When she asked how I was doing, in a rare moment of honesty, I said, “I’m falling apart!”  But then I pulled myself together and said that I appreciated the time we had together, over 30 years.  Of course I treasure the memories.

Being me, I had to add, “If anybody asks my advice about marriage, I’m going to say, ‘Marry a sonofabitch!  Then you won’t feel as bummed when they die!’ ”

She agreed with me and gestured towards her husband, who was, I believe, not listening to the conversation. Teehee!

To any friends and family who may be worried about me (although I am sure they all have much greater concerns):  I am not falling apart all the time.  These things go in spurts.  Anyways, in the best of times I rarely have my act together.  And so I carry on.  Happy Saturday,  everyone!

 

Not Late, Just Lame

I thought I’d try something different: making my Lame Post Friday post ON Friday.  Of course here I sit with not much to say, but when has that ever stopped me?

Tangentially related illustration.

I wanted to throw in a picture to, you know, pep things up.  I just spent a ridiculous amount of time searching my Media Library for pictures I was sure I used at some point relating to this evening’s cheesy viewing.  Alas, they were not to be found.  So I share the above, because it is a movie in the same DVD collection as the one I am currently watching, The Atomic Brain.

Previously I watched The Vampire Bat.  I am SO in the mood for old, low budget horror these days.  Bring on the cheese!  Incidentally,  the Brain one just ended, and I put in Carnival of Souls.  This one is low budget but not really cheesy.  It is almost a masterpiece of atmosphere, creepy and weird.

Found the right picture!

I cannot remember what I shared about my television trials and tribulations.  I know I talked about getting rid of cable, but did I mention that I could not even watch DVDs?  Well I couldn’t, but now I can.  Unfortunately,  it is not the ideal DVD situation.  All I can do is put the DVD in and hit Play.  So I can’t arrow over when, for example, there are two movies on the same DVD. No pause or rewind either.  I KNOW!  First world problems!

Ah, here is a bit of half-baked philosophy,  in which I like to indulge on Lame Post Friday:  why are all my problems either of the first world variety or operator error?   Discuss amongst yourselves.

 

It’s Not Just For Wednesdays Anymore!

Regular readers know about my regular Wednesday thing of going to Fratello’s Pizzeria in Frankfort, NY for music and food on a Wednesday night. Of course they have music other nights too.  This week I got to go there for some great music and family time on a Thursday.

I had not meant to go out this evening.  For one reason, I had to wait for the cable guy to come hook up my internet (long story, perhaps a little interesting but never mind).  While I was waiting my sister Cheryl messaged me that she was on her way to Frankfort and Fratello’s.  Damn!  That sounded good!

Long story a little short(er), I managed to join Cheryl, her daughter Kimi, and Kimi’s boyfriend, Matt for  a really fun time.  Matt happened to be on the porch making a phone call when I arrived.  He immediately gave me a big hug, which I sorely needed.  Joining Cheryl and Kimi at the bar, he said, “I brought in this lady.  She was just wandering around outside,.”

“You brought that old lady in here?”  my sister scolded. I got some more hugs.

They had already ordered their food, but I quickly got a glass of Pinot Noir and ordered a cheeseburger for myself.  The music had already started.  I took my obligatory shot to share on Facebook and encourage others to come down.

He was pretty awesome.

It was Matt Migliore, who I had heard of but never seen (I don’t think).  He played a wide variety of music and asked for any requests. Someone asked for Guns ‘N Roses, which he did a very good job of.  Some of the requests sounded more recent for my tastes, so I asked for Kansas.  It was the first one I could think of because I have been listening to “Leftoverture” in my car lately.  Then I thought of their orchestral, synthesizer-heavy harmonies and admitted it might be a little hard for a solo artist with a keyboard. He began playing a familiar riff on the keyboard then went into a beautiful verse of “Carry On, My Wayward Son.”  He paused at the chorus.

“I need a lot more voices to sing that!” he said.”At least five!”   But what he did was awesome.

Later I asked for something from the ’70’s, and he obliged with “Brandy.”  Other people asked for Cold Play or people I have never heard of.

It’s not just about the music!

Cheryl suggested I take a picture of her food for my blog post. She got Pasta  Al Forno .  I must try that some time.  I got a cheeseburger while Matt and Kimi split a pizza.

A fun group!

I asked to take a picture of my dining companions for the blog post. Cheryl was not best pleased and suggested I crop her out, but I think she is pretty.

Fratello’s Pizzeria is located at 158 E. Main St., Frankfort,  NY, phone number 315-894-8484.

 

Help from Pizza and a Friend

I was going to just give up and declare this week Late Post Week when I noticed how low the battery on my phone is. Will I have time to plug it in and get it to 100 percent in AND be able to make a blog post in the morning? I suppose a little suspense will add interest to my day.

Regular readers (I think I still have some) may be wondering why I did not go to the library and make my blog post, as I spoke of doing this morning (when I made yesterday’s post). It is too long and whiny a story for me to share. Also, I don’t come out of it looking very good.

So I guess this is a true Wuss-out Wednesday Post. Hmm… Maybe I could yet salvage something.

At one point earlier this evening I texted my friend Kim and told her I was having a HORRIBLE day (I daresay I was indulging in hyperbole). She suggested ordering food and watching a movie. Brilliant!

While she got ready to come over, I called Salvatore’s Pizzeria in Herkimer and ordered a cheese pizza and chicken wings Siciliano. When Kim arrived, we popped in “Clue: The Movie” (I put it in quotation marks because I do not know how to do italics on my phone). I craved the silliness factor of the movie.

I’ll be honest: The evening was not a miraculous cure-all. Why can’t I have a miraculous cure-all? No matter. I can’t and that’s all. I was feeling better after good food, a few laughs, and most of all time with a friend.

Full disclosure:. Kim was not the only one I reached out to. I also called my parents for some good advice and got it as usual. Additionally I called the Veteran’s Crisis Hotline and am on my way to getting more help. I mention the last to add my little bit to erasing the stigma attached to needing help with our mental health.

And I guess the stigma does exist, because I am quite hesitant now to publish this post. People I know may read it! Then again, why worry? In the first place, my blog is probably not as widely read as all that. In the second place, a lot of my friends and family would probably say, “Oh Cindy, we knew you needed help!”

At Least It’s a Post

My trials and tribulations with the cable company continue. I am lounged on my couch typing in one letter at a time with the stylus on my phone, not my Tablet, because I am currently off line. It seems I need new equipment to connect with the internet now that I cancelled cable television.

My first inkling of this was when I received a package from the cable company yesterday. I said, “What the hell is this?” They patiently explained things to me on the phone (which apparently and luckily was still working) (I should perhaps mention I have a landline as well as a cell) and scheduled a semi-convenient time for a tech to come hook me up.

My internet had been working earlier in the day, but it stopped sometime after said phone call. Yes, yes, these are first world problems. I am grateful that I still have my cell and can at least make some semblance of a post.

I must say, it is a little awkward posting this way. I don’t have the tool bar I am used to and I don’t see a word count. YES, these are first world problems, you don’t have to keep telling me! (You know who you are.)

I am just going to count this as a Tired Tuesday Post and drive on. Perhaps I can get to the library later and make my Wednesday post from a computer and on time. As always I hope you’ll stay tuned.

Of Cows and Monsters

What, is it going to be Late Post Week?  I made Sunday’s post on Monday, now I’m making Monday’s post on Tuesday.  What the hell, me?  Never mind the recriminations, let’s make with the monsters!

Sweet!

OK, these are not monsters.  It is a photo from Cabot Creamery Co-operative, one of my Facebook Likes. They share a lot of sweet pictures of cows.  This showed up in my  On This Day yesterday.  I shared it on my News feed then downloaded it, thinking I would use it to soften my blog post about my crappy Sunday.  Then I went a different way, and you know me:  Waste Not Want Not!

Graphic depiction of me trying to rise above my problems.

Here is a bona fide monster, one of my own Halloween decorations.  I say it is a graphic depiction of me, but I will never be that skinny, even if I do go back on the South Beach Diet.

“Follow me! To the graveyard! Ah ha ha ha ha!”

This pleasant fellow, Elliott Ghoul by name, stands in my window all year long.  In previous years, my husband Steven would turn him off after the spooky season, but this year he is still entertaining me by going off at loud noises or when headlights go by just right.

So this is my Monday blog post.  I don’t know if my Monstrous Monday Posts are getting old, but I still enjoy them.  Regular readers know I often find comfort in the macabre.  I hope your Monday was swell and your Tuesday is even better.

 

Bad Sunday, Good Pizza

My Sunday was really crappy, although I’ll admit my problems were primarily of the first world variety.  Then again, when you feel your desires are simple, it can be twice as frustrating to be unable to meet them. Additionally, my whole life these days is overshadowed by the grief of losing my husband.  I am afraid anything that sucks is going to suck a little bit more for the foreseeable future.  One must live through these things.

All I wanted to do was watch television.  A little news in the morning while I played solitaire (on the floor with a regular deck of cards), a little Snapped in the afternoon while I knitted.  A relaxing Sunday.  However, it did not work out that way.  Once again, my television persistently told me “No Signal.”

I spent time on the phone with cable people, I drove to New Hartford, NY to pick up a cable they said I needed, I figured out how to replace said cable, I spent more time on the phone, I drove to Little Falls so the UPS store could send my (brand new) cable box back to the cable company, I required two more phone calls to actually cancel service.  Phew!  That is the short version, but I did not want to skip any steps.

So now I sit in silence on Monday morning, pecking in one letter at a time with the stylus on my Tablet (I always feel the need to tell you that), making my Sunday blog post late once again.  As you see, I did not cancel internet.  I am not a savage, after all.

Just to add a plug for a local business,  in between the last two phone calls, I went to Mangia Macrina’s which is handily located in the same building, for a wood-fired pizza and a glass of wine.  While I sipped and munched, I wrote another character sheet for my upcoming murder mystery, Shooting at the Grange (more about that later) (preview of coming attractions).

Good pizza!

Mangia Macrina’s (Macrina’s, not Marine’s, autocorrect!  Sheesh!) is located at Canal Place in Little Falls, NY.