Tag Archives: random observations

Lame, Rinse, Repeat

Normally I am in a pretty good mood on Lame Post Friday. That is one reason I instituted Lame Post Friday. Because it is FRIDAY! And I want to be silly! Lately, though, I have just had a Bad Attitude (have to capitalize it, it’s that bad). I don’t want to write a silly blog post. I don’t want to write a blog post at all! I don’t want to write anything at all! I can’t write! I’m a terrible writer!

You see how it snowballs.

Actually, my mood started to improve about the time I was capitalizing Bad Attitude. Writing does that for me. Of course I want to write a silly blog post! I may be a terrible writer (don’t judge), but I DO want to write at all!

If only I had a few more ideas of what to write beyond, um, what I just wrote.

No, no, no, don’t step on my buzz with that! I don’t need ideas today! This is Lame Post Friday! I can wing it today! Random observations and half-baked philosophy, that’s how we roll on Lame Post Friday! With a lot of exclamation points!

At least I’ve got the silly part down.

Today’s random observation which in a pinch can double as half-baked philosophy: writing begets more writing. I have observed this again and again. And remarked on it. Did I mention I can also repeat myself on Lame Post Friday?

Lame Walk on a Lovely Day

I did try to write a better blog post today. Perhaps I should offer some half-baked philosophy on why these things often do not work out (for those just tuning in: today is Lame Post Friday, when I usually serve up half-baked philosophy and random observations). Instead, I will attempt a Pedestrian Post, about a walk I just went on with my beloved schnoodle, Tabby.

Today, if the weather reports are correct (I know, big if), is the last of the lovely days. At work I kept peering out the window at the trees and telling my co-workers I was leaf peeping. When I got home it was still bright and sunny. I procrastinated starting the walk but knew I would take one, in case they are right and it pours rain all day tomorrow.

Tabby was so excited when I got my fat ass off the couch and started to put my sneakers on. I figure it doesn’t hurt to let her burn off a little excess energy with all the barking and jumping. I only wish she could transfer some of it to me (as parents of toddlers have said since time immemorial). At last we set out.

Tabby happily led me down the sidewalk. I let her pick which direction to go, although I planned to change her mind for her if she wanted to go the exact way we went yesterday. She did not, however, and we went down Bellinger Street. I saw two dachshund puppies up ahead on the opposite side of the street. So cute! Tabby completely ignored them, however.

Close to Meyers Park, Tabby did her business, which was good news for me. I could detour into the park and throw it in the trash. I had an extra bag in case of further business, although that rarely happens. Tabby either knows the drill or planned to go through the park anyways, because she pulled me across the street almost immediately.

After the park we continued on Park Avenue (say it with your pinky finger up in the air), then down Prospect Street. I admired some scarecrow picks in front of a porch. Tabby found some extremely interesting spots to sniff. I found some dried leaves to scuffle through, one of my favorite fall activities.

The trees were beautiful, as were the mountains in the distance. I would have liked to jump in the car and take a long drive into the country. However, I needed the exercise and Tabby would rather walk.

As we approached home, a truck with a poodle-looking dog in the front seat went by. The dog jumped and barked at us with a deliriously happy look on his face. I could picture him saying to his person, “Look at that hot chick! Dad, we HAVE to STOP!” Um, you know I’m referring to TABBY as the hot chick. I’m not bad for a middle-aged, overweight lady, but I doubt I would appeal to a poodle dog in that way.

I quite enjoyed our walk, although it did get me home too late to prepare the more elaborate dinner I had thought of. I know, my own fault for procrastinating the walk. What do you want from me on Lame Post Friday?

Last Summer Walk?

Here’s a random observation for Lame Post Friday: “Lullaby and Good Night” does not seem to me an appropriate song for the ice cream truck (don’t know the real name of that song, sorry). But how was that for a lead sentence? I’m sitting in my living room, my little Acer in my lap, hoping to come up with something, and the silly ice cream truck is driving by.

I’m not up for any half-baked philosophy (the other component of Lame Post Friday), but I did take a nice walk with my schnoodle, Tabby, during which I made a few more observations which I will share. Summer seems to be making a farewell appearance in the Mohawk Valley. It is sunny and warm and supposed to be even better all weekend. I wore shorts, sunglasses (prescription), and my crazy old lady hat.

Tabby pulled me down East German Street for a couple of blocks. I thought it might be nice to go down Prospect, but she pulled me across the street to where the Pugnacious Pug was sitting in front of a house with his peeps. I call him the Pugnacious Pug because it seems he is always barking up a storm at something. Today he was barking at some people getting into a truck, then he turned around and barked at us. Tabby pretty much ignored him, finding several interesting places to sniff in the grass. At last I convinced her to go on.

We saw kids riding their bicycles and people sitting on front porches. We said hello to anybody who looked up. I noted some mums and other flowers still in bloom. My favorite sight was Halloween decorations. I saw one porch with a black and orange garland, small skeletons and one giant furry spider. Steven and I better get going on our decorations.

The walk was not long, but we enjoyed it. When we got home I took the laundry down off the clothesline. Astute readers may remember I wrote my Wednesday post while in the laundromat. Yes, those clothes having been hanging on my line for two days. Let’s hear it for no rain!

So I’ve walked my dog, taken down laundry, and typed in my blog post. Once I hit publish, I’m starting my weekend. Hope your Friday is fun.

SCORE!

Here I am on Lame Post Friday. I started to write something earlier, heavy on the half-baked philosophy. Didn’t finish it. I took my dog, Tabby, for a walk. I thought, this’ll be great; I’ll make lots of random observations. Not so much. And that’s supposed to be my Friday Lame Post: random observations and half-baked philosophy. So why is it that lately my Friday posts are merely lame?

Ooh, that sounds like a philosophical question (half-baked, of course). Maybe I’m back in business. Let us consider that question. In the first place, what makes a lame post? Perhaps my posts are in reality not so lame. It’s a judgement call after all. Why am I being so hard on myself anyways? Is it such a disaster if I do make a lame post or two (or ten or all of them, I KNOW, you don’t have to point that out)?

To answer those last two questions in reverse order: no, it is not a disaster, and because it is what I do. Well, today I am going to do something different. I am NOT going to give myself a hard time. I am making a nothing post and that is all there is to it.

I was about to say I’m not even going to worry if it is under 200 words, but I see I am over that, so SCORE!

The Dog Ate my Blog Post

Subtitle: Lame Excuses (which I may have used as a title previously) (too lazy to check, sorry). Did anybody seriously think I was going to forgo Lame Post Friday? Say it ain’t so!

My question of half-baked philosophy for today is: why do I get more Likes on these ridiculous posts than I do on my so-called (by me) real posts? Oh dear, have I just asked for nobody to Like this post? Oh well, I guess people will Like or not what they please. I have no control over other people.

So much for half-baked philosophy. What about random observations (on the off chance that there are readers just tuning in: Lame Post Friday is the day for random observations and half-baked philosophy). Steven and I both observed an adorably happy retriever-looking dog sticking his or her head out of a car. Steven at first was not sure if it was a dog, since it pulled its head back in for a moment (he was driving so was not observing as attentively as was I). Then he or she stuck his or her head back out again. Very cute.

Should I mention we were on our way to Happy Hour at the Belly Up Pub at the time? Or will people think I am a lush? Or judge me for drinking and typing? Well, I didn’t have that much to drink. We were only there an hour. We ate some munchies and enjoyed the mellow sounds of Phillip Arcuri. I intend to write a blog post about it.

For now, well, I’m afraid that’s it. I’m going to enjoy the rest of my Friday night. I hope you will do the same.

Lame: Ain’t it Grand?

It does not matter how many ridiculous posts I may have in a week, I still love my Lame Post Friday, home of random observations and half-baked philosophy.

I took my schnoodle Tabby for a walk this afternoon, hoping to come up with some of the former. Mostly I observed tulips in people’s yards. I love tulips. I think I like the orange and yellow ones best. They are blooming late this year, as are most things. Perhaps I should go into some half-baked philosophy here about being something of a late bloomer myself. Then again, most people probably do not want to hear about my bloomers (sorry, couldn’t resist).

I also observed a young couple on the sidewalk a block or two ahead of me, holding hands. Young love, ain’t it grand? My main observation was of their clothing. It seems to me that gender divisions in clothes are becoming more pronounced. The boys’ are getting baggier while the girls’ are getting tighter. Well, I have not exactly done a study.

The warm weather does seem to have people in a better mood (just to put in some more half-baked philosophy). Warm weather, warm hearts? Well, Tabby and I enjoyed it. For the first time since fall, I walked without any kind of jacket.

Wow, this is a really boring post (my next stunning observation). However, my gentle readers will suffer no longer. I’m over 200 words. Happy Friday, everybody.

Drat those Self-Satisfied Sorts

Well, once again it is Lame Post Friday, my day for random observations and half-baked philosophy, and, what a surprise, I got nuthin’. Today at work I told a friend I had not written anything yet, that I was going to sit at my computer and type, “I got nuthin’.”

“But then you think of other stuff to put,” she said.

“Yes.”

And usually I do. Today, it seems, not so much. Perhaps it is time to do the dreaded half-baked philosophy on New Year’s Resolutions. I haven’t started working on any of mine yet. All I’ve done is get a little defensive about those self-satisfied sorts who say THEY don’t make New Year’s Resolutions. I believe I have inveighed against those sorts recently.

But here is a half-baked philosophical question for me: why do I get so defensive against people who seem pretty happy with themselves? Could it be related to low self-esteem? Hmm… that sounds less like philosophy and more like therapy. I’m not qualified to do therapy, although I do indulge in table-top psychology on occasion.

Table-top psychology, in case I have not mentioned it before, is an expression I got from a friend, who was quoting her mother. She would use it when she was giving a lay person’s opinion (her own). She would qualify it with, “Table-top psychology,” and rap on the table. Of course, this lady was highly intelligent and insightful. Her opinions were probably based on experience and common sense. Me, I just talk.

So, I guess this was my random observation: I get defensive against self-satisfied sorts. And my half-baked philosophy was: why is that? Could be a job for a therapist.

I must, I positively must get back to having Mohawk Valley adventures and writing about them. We’ve been snowed and frozen in for the past two days, but there may be a break in the weather tomorrow. As always, I hope you’ll stay tuned.

Lame Till Proven Innocent

Almost every time I go to write the year, I start to write a different year from what it really is.

That is the only random observation I have so far on this Lame Post Friday.

I always feel a little guilty having a Lame Post Friday right after a Non-Sequitur Thursday. Then again, at least I didn’t use the Wuss-Out Wednesday post I started to write two days ago. What did I post on Wednesday? I’ll have to look it up before I publish this. If I publish this.

That was as far as I wrote at work. Since that time, I have come up with a couple more random observations. If I choose between two things to do, I am sure to feel guilty about whichever one I didn’t pick. That is the personal one. The environmental one is: while I see several houses nicely decorated for Halloween, nobody seems to have really gone overboard. I record this observation with some regret, because I love Halloween.

Well, this is pretty thin, even for a Friday Lame Post (does that count as another observation?). However, I will publish it anyways, because I have to get out the door soon for a Mohawk Valley adventure. Yes, the thing I picked to do that now I feel guilty about not picking the other thing. However, in my defense, I walked my dog and I am making my blog post (such as it is). Therefore, I only have one thing to feel guilty about not doing.

In case you want to know, the thing I feel guilty about missing is exercising at Curves. Someone might argue that I can also feel guilty about not going running, but, really, that was never on the roster for today. However, my membership at Curves is over as of next week. Therefore, soon I will either be running for feeling guilty about it. You’ll read it here first (at least, I hope somebody will still be reading).

In My Defense, I’m Fighting a Cold

Well, I wrote some more on the post about the non-cheesy movie, but I’m just not up to it right now. Anyways, it’s Lame Post Friday. I don’t care how many times I wimp out during the week with a silly post, I treasure my Lame Post Friday.

Even when the post itself is no treasure.

I did have a random observation today. I observed a kid wearing a t-shirt from a nightclub that closed long ago.

“The shirt lasted longer than the club did,” I remarked. My co-worker agreed.

I didn’t observe much else today, other than the speed limit (well, I thought it was a funny thing to say). But I do have one bit of half-baked philosophy: I thought to myself today, “I could have BEEN somebody!” My next thought was, “Who else could I have possibly been?” In fact, I could have turned out into somebody worse. So I started thinking about who other people might have been.

For example, maybe Mother Theresa could have been the CEO of a multi-national corporation that made bazillions of dollars exploiting the masses and wreaking havoc on the environment (I’m not saying all multi-national corporations do those things; I’m just saying Mother Theresa could have headed up one that did). The CEO of some big corporation could have been a stay-at-home mom or dad (I know, probably dad), raising kids who could have been…

Did you say Mother Theresa?

Enough of this foolishness. I see I am over 200 words. Woohoo! If I can only think of a headline, it’s wine o’clock for me.

Don’t Quote Me

Thank heavens it’s Middle-aged Musings Monday. Now all I have to do is pry my wrist off my forehead and think of something to muse about.

This raises a number of things I have talked about before: first, that even on the “nothing” days, I still have to think of something to write; second, that even though I have attained middle age (if I live to be a hundred), I have very few words of wisdom to impart. In fact, I have a few, but they’re mostly quotes.

Oh, that gives me something. Have you noticed how many people spend a lot of time on Facebook sharing these little cartoons or pictures or just big old squares with quotes? They can be inspirational or funny or profound or political or rude, or any combination of the above. I’ve done it myself. It’s almost a guilty pleasure, hitting that “Share” button. Maybe I didn’t think of it out of my own head, but I can take credit for being clever enough to recognize its worth.

Was that more of a random observation? And there is no Seinfeld-style punch line, so sorry about that. Incidentally, my best quotes have not been gleaned from the internet. I have had some of them for years. I found them in books.

My musing today is, do we really try to live by these words of wisdom? I’m talking now about the profound, inspirational ones, not the ones that give us good excuses to drink wine and eat chocolate, or extoll your good friend who will help you hide the body (I KNOW people live by those).

My contention has always been that “Do as I say, not as I do,” is really not bad advice. Most of us talk a good game. I may have voiced this opinion in this space before, but I shall not apologize, because I think it’s a good one. My more didactic readers may feel free to lecture me on repeating myself. I will nod wisely, knowing that they are probably repeating themselves. I will attempt to do as they say, not as they do.

And I will try not to share that sentiment on Facebook.