Astrology of Disaster

PlanetWavesBy ERIC FRANCISParis, Friday, Sept. 2, 2005

Katrina, the Awakener

ONE IMAGE keeps haunting me from this week's journalism, spun by William Rivers Pitt at truthout.org -- that of presidential advisor Karl Rove standing on the roof of the White House in a magician's hat and cape, with a big staff, conjuring Hurricane Katrina. Given the witch-hunt against climate change scientists reported in The Guardian earlier this week, that may not be far from the truth (links below, in blue). On its face, this storm happened at a brilliantly convenient time for world managers who thrive on chaos and distraction, right in the midst of the first meaningful protests against the catastrophic Iraq war gaining momentum -- and with George Bush's approval ratings lower than any president since Nixon at the height of Watergate.

If you recall, moments before Katrina arrived, we were in a reflective, concerned moment as the situation in Iraq descended into worse condition than even staunch pessimists predicted.The US military death toll is near 2,000, and the number of journalists killed in the 30-month conflict has exceeded that of two decades in Vietnam. New, uncontrolled violence takes more Iraqi lives by the day, and sometimes by the hour.

Public attention has now been swayed to a domestic emergency the like of which we have not seen since Sept. 11, 2001. But New Orleans makes what happened four years ago in New York City seem rather dim by comparison, in terms of the number of lives devastated, loss of life, and the destruction of homes. An entire major city has been taken out, not 16 acres of one and the surrounding buildings. The difference now is, there's no one to blame, no emotions of hatred and enmity of some alien outsider to whip up and use to dial in the team spirit -- and the disaster happened to a poor, predominantly black city instead of at the heart of the world's financial and banking operations. Deprived of our prerogative to get revenge, we may actually have to pay attention.

News channels are reporting a state of urban warfare, and troops have consent to shoot and kill American citizens. Police officers are turning in their badges. Scanning the news reports reveals that people are still trapped in the city, on rooftops and in high-rises, and thousands are starving. The condition is deteriorating to the point where vigilante sniper fire at recovery personnel has been reported. Is this even vaguely possible? Who, stranded in their own city, would shoot at rescue workers just for the hell of it? There is no drinking water. Bodies are everywhere. Widespread disease will be inevitable. Tens of thousands of refugees are still left behind at the Superdome and the Convention Center as people die before the eyes of onlookers. The city remains completely flooded because breached levees and overwhelmed pumping stations have made it impossible to remove the water. Due to a breached levee, water from Lake Pontchartrain is still flowing into the city. The stories of cuts to budgets for maintaining these structures only makes one feel sick, in hindsight.It's starting to make the tsunami look good. CNN reported Thursday that a police officer working in downtown New Orleans said police were siphoning gas from abandoned vehicles in an effort to keep their squad cars running, like a detail straight from the mind of Stephen King. Incredibly, no organized relief program appears visible. Indeed, police have received federal orders to privilege stopping looters against delivering aid and searching for survivors. In other words: the priority (as we have so often come to expect) is to protect property, though it would seem there is little property left to even bother with. The effect: poor blacks can die. What we are witnessing is beyond incompetence at this stage, and is approaching the level of genocide.It is important to remember that cities are highly toxic environments, and floods release everything that is usually contained, or held at the bottom or rivers and lakes, into the general environment. Containers and pipes burst. Fires cannot be controlled. In addition, the Mississippi Delta, thanks to generations of contamination by Monsanto, is one of the most dioxin-tainted areas in the world. Though it may not be acknowledged, there is likely to be a serious dioxin problem in New Orleans and nearby areas right now, and for generations to come.

In my mind's eye, I am seeing this unfold along another strand of time. A fully financed, well prepared Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) would be on the job years before the hurricane made landfall, as this was a predictable event, contrary to recent assertions. (Indeed, FEMA is being absorbed into Homeland Security and damaged by budget cuts.) Hundreds of Coast Guard helicopters from coastal states and many others would be bringing supplies, and getting those most in need to medical help. Old Army bases, so recently closed by budget cuts, would be used as massive relief centers, complete with airstrips, bathrooms and mess halls. Sports facilities, with all their problems, would not have to be used as refugee camps. America's standing Army and National Guard units, themselves not trapped in the disasters of Iraq and Afghanistan, would be widely available to assist, with all their equipment, rations, supplies and other resources. There would be enough manpower. There would be plenty of money for the operation; America is the richest country in the world. Which may be the problem. But this is not happening in a different time, under different national leadership: it is happening now. And due to the damaged oil-refining infrastructure along the Gulf Coast, the effects of this storm will be rippling, or ripping, into the world economy. The price of gasoline has suddenly risen well beyond $3.00 per gallon many places in the U.S., and has exceeded $6.00 per gallon at some retail outlets in the south. Apparently, many places in the southeast have no gas at all. We are hearing the first calls for fuel conservation since the mid-1970s.

Generally, this is the one thing that can key people into the fact that something is wrong; America's real religion is practiced at the filling station, and nearly all of its transportation energy comes from petroleum.

But it's becoming obvious many more ways that something else is wrong. Imagine if this were a multiple city emergency -- that is, if the damage were to more than one city. Imagine if the casualty toll were higher. Are we now to understand that the federal government is incapable of responding to an emergency? It would seem so. The AstrologyAs I've reported elsewhere [please see cainer.com], a dominant image of Saturn in Leo (which began six weeks ago, on July 16) is that of dams bursting. For some reason, when Saturn changes from water sign Cancer to fire sign Leo, structures that hold back bodies of water (and in one famous instance, hundreds of tons of molasses) tend to give way, often with catastrophic effects. While we are seeing the results of a huge cyclone, we're also seeing those of failed levees -- many of them. You might call this a watershed event. In looking for Saturn imagery, we find plenty working in the chart of the City of New Orleans, but it's difficult to miss the fact that Saturn is now crossing the so-called president's ascendant. As I've also said elsewhere, this would be the big turning point for the non-president's career, with a wave of awareness really coalescing about nine months to the day after the inauguration. In addition, I proposed a couple of months ago that "something is up with the price of gold" -- in this case, black gold, petroleum, the blood of our society. But let's come back to that later. Libra is the astonishing connection that three key charts, the City of New Orleans, Hurricane Katrina, and Mr. Bush, have in common. Also looking at a fourth chart, the progressed horoscope for the city, we find the same effect -- Libra is the dominant energy, with its quest for justice, balance, rebalancing and sensitivity. Between these four charts, there are 17 major planets and points in Libra. And a solar eclipse in Libra is coming in just one month, nestled nicely into the action. This is followed by a lunar eclipse in Aries two weeks later, precisely aligned with many critical factors in Aries, Libra, Cancer and Capricorn. We are in a situation that's going to develop rapidly, in large, significant ways and, as all eclipses do, come with events that do their work on a global scale. Most of the effects of this will be in October -- when the chart for the presidential inauguration comes thundering to life and the media begins to put the many pieces of this rather large, surreal puzzle together.

Cosmic Trigger One: Venus conjunct JupiterBetween this past Monday, when Katrina made landfall, and today, Venus in Libra crossed the Moon's South Node and formed a conjunction to Jupiter. This was one important cosmic trigger of what happened in New Orleans, a kind of collective ignition point that released the considerable energy of Venus, Libra and what you might call the Goddess. This conjunction actually affects everything both in Libra and on the entire cardinal cross (Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn), which is heavily loaded in these charts. Venus is now on course for a conjunction to Pallas Athene early next week, the planet of protection, politics and strategy. We may see a shift in the political climate with this activity, which occurs over the weekend -- a rising expectation that something reasonable or strategic has to happen. Neptune has been involved in this setup: the Venus-Jupiter conjunction is trine the most watery planet, in the sign Aquarius. Chiron in Capricorn is a prominent factor in this configuration. The city's chart has this placement, showing up in many square aspects to the Libra planets all of the charts. Chiron in Capricorn is the "post 9/11 factor," a consistent element between late 2001 and today (though the transition to Aquarius began earlier this year, Chiron is now back in Capricorn). Chiron in Capricorn has shaped up to be an extremely painful lesson in government, its conduct and its power. Chiron has a way of shining the light in the dark places, exposing what is in the shadows -- and in Capricorn on the collective scale, there is plenty. What we have here is a lot of action in the cardinal signs, including two of the most important global factors, lunar nodes (in cardinal signs) and eclipses. The cardinal signs are the initiation points, and they are the points of public contact. The nodes, as do eclipses and cardinal signs, tend to bring in large numbers of people and events that act like "attractors" or points of contact.

And Two: Uranus and Pluto -- and PrometheusOne of the most remarkable events of these charts occurs in the sign Pisces, and it is outstanding both for its symbolism and precision. In the City of New Orleans chart, Pluto is located at 8 degrees Pisces and 53 arc minutes. In the chart for landfall, transiting Uranus is located exactly in this degree and arc minute. An arc minute is 1/60th of a degree. This is an exact, to the minute, transit involving two outer planets that, together, are associated with upheavals, revolutions, breakthroughs and social movements. Indeed, many of the great revolutionary movements of the past few centuries have happened under Uranus-Pluto aspects, and the word "revolution" itself was invented under this astrology. When you think Uranus and Pluto, think uranium and plutonium. To convey the feeling of this on the social level, there was recently a long conjunction of transiting Uranus to transiting Pluto that we think of in its entirety as "the Sixties." The revolutionary quality of this conjunction is related beautifully, using many cycles of history, in the book Prometheus the Awakener by Richard Tarnas, which title is the subject of an accidental discovery made by Lise LePage, who has been handing research on this article. In his book, Tarnas argues that the planet Uranus should really have been named Prometheus, after one of the Greek gods of creation. The energy of Prometheus, who gave the fire of the gods to mankind, is precisely the kind of sudden awakening energy that is associated with Uranus. Under the influence of this idea, many astrologers who have gone over the author's historical research and mythological theory are content to think of Uranus as Promethean energy (most say uranian, meaning the same thing -- high voltage and rebellious). And this, I suggested in an email to Lise, referencing the title of the book. Lise misunderstood, and thinking I was referencing the asteroid Prometheus, promptly put that into the city's natal chart -- and discovered that it's in the same degree as Pluto in the natal chart for New Orleans. So, in its basic, inherent makeup, New Orleans has the asteroid Prometheus conjunct evolutionary mover Pluto in Pisces, to the degree. And the city was destroyed, setting off a chain of events that will seem quite nuclear in hindsight, as Uranus made a to-the-minute conjunction to Pluto (something that happens with this precision for a total of three times for just 12 hours every 84 years). Checking the Sabian symbol for this degree (9 Pisces), Dane Rudhyar gives the keywords "self-quickening," a rather energetic image considering the astrology that degree contains in these charts. In all, we're looking at an enormous release of energy. Saturn in LeoNow we come to Saturn in Leo, a critical era-defining astrological factor for the next three years, and probably well into the future. What happens under Saturn in Leo tends to be extraordinarily stable and have lasting effects, often for many decades or longer. The city's chart has numerous placements in early Leo and Aquarius, including the Part of Fortune (calculated for noon), a rather precise opposition of Mars in Leo and Mercury in Aquarius, and Venus in Aquarius. This is a grand opposition, which (thank the gods) is trined by Jupiter in Sagittarius. That trine from Jupiter is what I'll call the "it could be worse" aspect. Jupiter in Sagittarius, trine the personal planets and trine transiting Saturn, is acting as a protective influence. Note also that the Chiron-Nessus conjunction in early Aquarius that has been in effect for much of this year. Another era-defining event, this conjunction But Saturn in Leo is rather personal event for Mr. Bush, as it is for anyone whose ascendant it crosses. Under this combination of factors, when it's angular (that is, in the ascendant), Saturn can act exactly like Uranus, propelling sudden and unexpected movement, change, progress or something like that. Saturn has not quite made it to the Bush ascendant, which is 7 degrees and 7 arc minutes of Leo, but it does so the morning of Sept. 12, 2005 (Washington, DC time). New Orleans is very much his responsibility -- and the world is watching. One thing that's clear is that Hurricane Katrina and the subsequent devastation will not be a path of escape for those who have hijacked the government and are holding it hostage. To the contrary, we all may be looking at the one event that finally gets our attention, and tips the scales.

-- Additional research & reporting by Lise LePage in the US and Dan Miller in the UK.Please check the cover or subscriber blogs later in the weekend for information about the involvement of new outer planets, including Sedna, Varuna and Deucalion -- all of which bear poignant water and flood imagery.Witch Hunt Against Climate Change Scientistshttp://www.truthout.org/issues_05/083005EA.shtmlBrace for More Katrinas, Scientists Sayhttp://www.truthout.org/issues_05/083105EA.shtmlFEMA Phased Out as Disasters Keep Cominghttp://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/090105J.shtml--------------------------Planet Waves by Eric FrancisSept. 2, 2005 - Weekly Horoscope 574Note to Virgos

The password is gen

The password is …… “genocide.”

First, it’s clear to me that what is happening in New Orleans now is genocide.  It may not be the organized effort as we’ve seen in the Sudan, in Rwanda, or in Bosnia, but it is clearly genocide.  Those poor, uneducated people in New Orleans are being left to die with malice.  The Federal government, operating consistent with the conservative/Republican dogma of “let them help themselves” or “give the government money to the faith based organizations and let them do it” is now examined for the bankrupt, murdering policy that it really is.  The Federal government did not begin to engage the machines that for decades existed to protect and rescue the victims of events not of their own construction until Wednesday, more than two full days after the rising flood waters made for a human catastrophe, and more than five full days after the severity of the situation was evident.  The national guard troops who would have been able to immediately mobilize into their cities and parishes are in Iraq, mobilized to fight a war against a people who never offended nor threatened our way of life, or safety or our persons.  

The “liberal” organizations that come up for criticism by the right-wing media such as move-on.org have created websites that offer free housing to refugees.  So, these unpatriotic, anti-American organizations that the right-wing media is all geared up about are doing far more than ANY right-wing, Christian organization has even thought up.

Could it be that is because most of the refugees are poor, black people?  

Let’s notice, shall we, that these displaced persons from New Orleans are uniformly called “refugees.”  And, let’s compare the definitions of “refugee” and “evacuee.”

ref·u·gee     P   Pronunciation Key  (r(image placeholder)f(image placeholder)y(image placeholder)-j(image placeholder)(image placeholder))n.
One who flees in search of refuge, as in times of war, political oppression, or religious persecution.

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[French réfugié, from past participle of réfugier, to take refuge, from Old French, from refuge, refuge.

e·vac·u·ee     P   Pronunciation Key  ((image placeholder)-v(image placeholder)k(image placeholder)y(image placeholder)-(image placeholder)(image placeholder))n.
A person evacuated from a dangerous area.

So, why would the “liberal news media” (which for those who haven’t a clue, is merely a corporate shill for the right-wing movement in this country.  The only “liberal” media are the blogs and independent newsletters.  Even NPR has been so compromised that their news articles are replete with conservative pundits so that they appear “balanced.”  Get a fucking clue) use the word “refugee?”  What do they know?

It’s because the people who really run this country, the ones who are never elected, have decided that the “herd” in New Orleans should be culled a bit.  Specifically, the uneducated, poor, black people who so irritated the tourists as they walked the French Quarter.

Actually, I think that the intention goes further than that.  I think that they also intend to purge the French Quarter of its gay inhabitants, people who uniformly tend to be self-employed or small business owners; people who tend not to have enough insurance, and who couldn’t weather four to six months being without income.  

I believe that, after this is all said and done, New Orleans will be a thoroughly sanitized town; suitable for tourists and their credit cards, without the unsightly drag queens and leather daddies, and without the upsetting panhandlers, homeless, drunks and poor people.

Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. -- Dwight D. Eisenhower, U.S. general and 34th president (1890-1969)  I like to believe that people in the long run are going to do more topromote peace than our governments. Indeed, I think that people want peace so much that one of these days governments had better get out of the way and let them have it. -Dwight D. Eisenhower, U.S. general and 34th president (1890-1969)

Thursday all day

An interesting day, all around.  I’m waiting on Joel to come over; he needs some help setting up a business, and he’s promised he was on his way.  Of course, he may get distracted by nearly anything, especially something looking like a crack pipe, so who knows where he is.

I finally got some documents in today for a client that I’ve been waiting for a week; he’s stopped asking about them (hey, if the state can’t get them to me, what can I do about it?)  Had a business development meeting today with a guy who has clients that are involved in this latest real estate scam – in which people “buy” a home from someone in distress, they put the deed in the name of a trust, in which the person getting the check takes a very minority interest as a beneficiary, and then the person getting the cash (seller) occupies the house as a tenant, paying rent with the understanding that, when the rent is paid on time for a year, they will be able to refinance (at a huge markup) and get the house back in their name.

Of course, the idea is to evict the person without value as soon as they make a late rent payment.

Ah, here’s Joel.

Later

Watched a movie that the minx insisted was terrific; he was, of course, correct.  Upstairs, they’re working on driving me fucking crazy with the rumbling back and forth across the floor.  The townhouse that I love so much appears to indeed be available yet, as it’s not got window blinds or other accoutrements that suggest occupancy.  And, after listening to the bastard dogs upstairs for yet another night, I’M READY TO BE A HOMEOWNER AND GET THE F*%CK out of here.

My dad has an infection in his lungs.  They had their first offer on their house today; 115M lower than the asking price.  They rejected it.  They’re leaving for the Yucatan tomorrow for two weeks; my sister and her partner are joining them there on Saturday.

Bully for them.

Later

I wonder what happened to that nice couple I met at Mardi Gras over on Canal Street during the Endymion parade.  They were from Slidell.  They were both cute; I had almost talked the wife into trading me her husband for my mardi gras beads.  I hope they’re all right; they have my number.  Hmmm.

Okay, it’s time for sleep now.

Tuesday Tuesday

Tuesday Tuesday ..

Okay, so I’ve worked my tail off AGAIN today, and seem to have gotten somewhere.  I have one loan submitted (by mail!  How 1990s is that?) and mailed out eight books I sold on Amazon.  I helped a client with some tax documentation, helped Nicole with her grandmother, etc., etc.  

Worn out with the non-communications about Fabulair relating to this travel agency that we were talking to.  I just got a LONG email synopsis of all of our communications, with all the emails attached.  Like, what the fuck good does that do?  I KNOW what the email correspondence was; I wrote the stupid things.  I’m just ready to move on, because now I’ve wasted another two months.  It’s been a full year since I’ve started this concept, and I’m not waiting around any more.

Got the church calendars printed and mailed out.  I think I spent $40 in postage today.  

I had promised my Aunt Donna that I’d go up and visit her this weekend; then, I procrastinated on buying the ticket to find that it would cost about a gajillion dollars to do that, and I’ve forgotten (no, really .. I think about it, then I forget) to call her and talk to her about it.  Now, she’s just called me.  Urk.

I hate that.  I wish I had the money to just pop the airline ticket and not blow her off.

Now, under the heading of “what the fuck was I thinking?” – I today got another poster tube in the mail.  Another with a lovely picture of the 1938 20th Century limited on it.  One which will have to be stacked in the closet corner with the other 20 or so poster tubes, approximately half of which have similar images thereon.

If I were to buy the townhouse that I like so much, I’d still not have enough wall space to display all of this crap.  That’s assuming that I spent the $3500 or so to have it all framed.

Anyway.  There’s a boy who wants to come over for sex.  His body chemistry makes me nauseous.  There’s another one, but I don’t know about how I feel tonight.  Michael (the new hustler man I’ve been talking to) wants to get together and eat mushrooms, but I want to work in the morning.  Perhaps I’ll just watch a DVD or three.

I should get something for dinner, but I don’t know.  Blah.  David called; I’ll see if he wanted to go get something.

Mikey’s talking about moving to Tennessee.  BLARG.  

No, that’s not quite how I feel about that.

BLARG.

Monday eve sans Adobe

Well, I’ve managed to spend about 13 hours in front of this computer today.  I did clear through nearly everything on my task list, but still have several big documents to work on tomorrow.  Plus, I have to train a new client on QuickBooks at their shop, which will cut down on my working time tomorrow.

Thinking about hijacking the Minx and heading off to Dallas first thing Saturday morning.  It seems that the entire Dallas crew is trying to decide whether to stay in town, or whether to find somewhere to spend their tickets they had purchased for New Orleans.  I’m sure that they’ll vote for staying in town.  Two pool parties are forming for the weekend more quickly than a hurricane in the Gulf, and the Minx always has such lovely beach wear.  

I am beginning to wonder if I’ll ever get Ruby’s stereo re-wired.  I should start calling around professional shops and just get over it.  My new Maquire’s wax products were shipped today; we’ll see if they show up before the prospective Dallas trip on Saturday.  I think I’m still waiting for some stuff from eBay, as well.  Hmmmm.

Okay, I’ve been spraying insect spray, as some form of flying little things got into the casita.  Sort of like locusts, but without Jason’s cocaine habit.  Hopefully, a little spritzing has run them off.  

Tired, tired.  Off to bed.  More in the morning.  No N8 today.

Monday, Monday ver 639.01

Lunch time, and a bit of time available to blog.  Have to get a loan worked up and submitted, then have some paperwork to finish, then .. there’s still a huge to-do list, but have I already been cruising through it?  Seems odd that I may have already done.

Perhaps I should empty out my work basket and see what’s in it.

Thought I would have had some sales this morning, but nothing so far.  Perhaps Donna is right, and I will need to pick up the phone and start calling everyone tomorrow to follow up.

Have six books sold on Amazon that I need to wrap up and ship.  I think this will require a trip to OfficeMax to accomplish.  Until then, I need to process paperwork anyway.

The universe says that N8 is not someone to play with.  He’s on my mind, though.

The official warning

Non-Precipitation Watch/Warning/Advisory
000
WWUS74 KLIX 282139
NPWLIX

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
413 PM CDT SUN AUG 28 2005

...EXTREMELY DANGEROUS HURRICANE KATRINA CONTINUES TO APPROACH THE
   MISSISSIPPI RIVER DELTA...
...DEVASTATING DAMAGE EXPECTED...

MOST OF THE AREA WILL BE UNINHABITABLE FOR WEEKS...PERHAPS LONGER. AT
LEAST ONE HALF OF WELL CONSTRUCTED HOMES WILL HAVE ROOF AND WALL
FAILURE. ALL GABLED ROOFS WILL FAIL...LEAVING THOSE HOMES SEVERELY
DAMAGED OR DESTROYED.

THE MAJORITY OF INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS WILL BECOME NON FUNCTIONAL.
PARTIAL TO COMPLETE WALL AND ROOF FAILURE IS EXPECTED. ALL WOOD
FRAMED LOW RISING APARTMENT BUILDINGS WILL BE DESTROYED. CONCRETE
BLOCK LOW RISE APARTMENTS WILL SUSTAIN MAJOR DAMAGE...INCLUDING SOME
WALL AND ROOF FAILURE.

HIGH RISE OFFICE AND APARTMENT BUILDINGS WILL SWAY DANGEROUSLY...A
FEW TO THE POINT OF TOTAL COLLAPSE. ALL WINDOWS WILL BLOW OUT.

AIRBORNE DEBRIS WILL BE WIDESPREAD...AND MAY INCLUDE HEAVY ITEMS SUCH
AS HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES AND EVEN LIGHT VEHICLES. SPORT UTILITY
VEHICLES AND LIGHT TRUCKS WILL BE MOVED. THE BLOWN DEBRIS WILL CREATE
ADDITIONAL DESTRUCTION. PERSONS...PETS...AND LIVESTOCK EXPOSED TO THE
WINDS WILL FACE CERTAIN DEATH IF STRUCK.

POWER OUTAGES WILL LAST FOR WEEKS...AS MOST POWER POLES WILL BE DOWN
AND TRANSFORMERS DESTROYED. WATER SHORTAGES WILL MAKE HUMAN SUFFERING
INCREDIBLE BY MODERN STANDARDS.

THE VAST MAJORITY OF NATIVE TREES WILL BE SNAPPED OR UPROOTED. ONLY
THE HEARTIEST WILL REMAIN STANDING...BUT BE TOTALLY DEFOLIATED. FEW
CROPS WILL REMAIN. LIVESTOCK LEFT EXPOSED TO THE WINDS WILL BE
KILLED.

AN INLAND HURRICANE WIND WATCH IS ISSUED WHEN SUSTAINED WINDS NEAR
HURRICANE FORCE...OR FREQUENT GUSTS AT OR ABOVE HURRICANE FORCE...ARE
POSSIBLE WITHIN THE NEXT 24 TO 36 HOURS.

LAZ038-040-050-056>070-MSZ080>082-290300-
ASSUMPTION-HANCOCK-HARRISON-JACKSON-LIVINGSTON-LOWER JEFFERSON-
LOWER LAFOURCHE-LOWER PLAQUEMINES-LOWER ST. BERNARD-LOWER TERREBONNE-
ORLEANS-ST. CHARLES-ST. JAMES-ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST-ST. TAMMANY-
TANGIPAHOA-UPPER JEFFERSON-UPPER LAFOURCHE-UPPER PLAQUEMINES-
UPPER ST. BERNARD-UPPER TERREBONNE-
413 PM CDT SUN AUG 28 2005

...INLAND HURRICANE WIND WARNING IS IN EFFECT...

HURRICANE KATRINA CONTINUES TO APPROACH THE AREA. TROPICAL STORM
FORCE WINDS ARE CURRENTLY MOVING INTO THE COASTAL MARSHES AND WILL
PERSIST FOR THE NEXT 26 TO 28 HOURS. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS WILL
ONSET AROUND MIDNIGHT NEAR THE COAST AND BY 3 AM CLOSER TO THE NEW
ORLEANS METRO AREA AND PERSIST FOR 9 TO 15 HOURS. MAXIMUM WIND GUSTS
AROUND 175 MPH ARE LIKELY IN THE WARNED AREA BY DAYBREAK MONDAY.

DO NOT VENTURE OUTDOORS ONCE TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS ONSET!

Treatment for New Orleans

I know that there is one life, one consciousness, one intelligence.  I am part, wholly part of that being, expressing myself here and now in my unique way, but fully part of and participating in the vast whole.
 
I know that this consciousness responds to my command, and my will as expressed through my thought, my action, my being, my intention and my expectation.  As I speak my will into the vast conscious whole, it replies by manifesting with me what I intend.
 
Now, I speak my word and hold my truth for myself and for my fellow humans.  I know the truth about each of them, and that they are perfect, experiencing an inflow of goodness and an outflow of things that they no longer require or need in their lives. 
 
I know the truth about the people of New Orleans, and the surrounding areas.  They are safe and secure.  Their transitory goods are easily replaced, and they sleep soundly, knowing that their lives and their loved ones are safe, warm, dry, and cared for by friends, family and strangers.  After this day, the people of New Orleans may return home to increased prosperity, to an increased sense of aliveness and wholeness, to an increased awareness of the power of Spirit in their lives, and to a sense of community and humanity that propels the world into a better place.  Their experience brings economic abundance to their city, their state, the region and the nation.  After this day, New Orleans is a better, stronger place, fully in tune with the nature that surrounds it, and leading this nation into a new life.
 
I feel in my heart the relief and the safety and the freedom that the people of New Orleans are now feeling.  I see in my mind and know in my gut that everything is well.  Appearances are transitory, and easily changed.  Only triumph of the Phoenix follows this experience.  It is done.
 
Knowing that this is so, I release my thought and my word.  So it is.

In Camilles Deadly 1

In Camille's Deadly 1969 Solo, A Grim Prologue To Katrina
By Ken Ringle
Special to the Washington PostMonday, August 29, 2005; Page C01
The problem with hurricane stories is that one uses up the adjectives on minor-league storms. Mail-order meteorologists and blow-dry weathermen have been inundating us for so long with evacuation hysteria for mere tropical disturbances -- complete with breathlessly narrated TV images of homeowners buying plywood and flashlight batteries -- that we think we've seen it all before.
We haven't. But we may well see it all before sundown. Because for years truly knowledgeable hurricane experts have been warning us that The Big One is what our coastal communities really need to worry about, and today The Big One is here.



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It may well be that New Orleans will dodge another meteorological bullet, as it has for more than 250 years, and once again escape the doomsday scenario that has long haunted the dreams of disaster officials and any Crescent City resident thoughtful enough to listen or read.
But it won't be because Hurricane Katrina is a patsy. Yesterday morning the National Hurricane Center cleared its throat and upgraded Katrina to a Category 5 hurricane -- the designation for storms capable of truly catastrophic damage and deadliness. That, however, wasn't the center's most significant statement. The real news was the center's chilling declaration that, at 902 millibars of internal barometric pressure -- the lowest barometric pressure ever recorded in the Gulf of Mexico -- Katrina was "comparable in intensity to Hurricane Camille of 1969 . . . only larger."
Those of us who lived though Hurricane Camille will never forget it. Camille struck with the force of several hydrogen bombs, altering forever the topography of the Mississippi coast. Its nearly 200-mph winds and 25-foot storm surge exploded concrete buildings and erased entire communities -- then gouged open graveyards and hung corpses in the live oaks like so much Spanish moss. There was a problem for a time telling the storm victims from those already embalmed.
More than 250 were dead before Camille swept up the Mississippi Valley as a tropical storm. Then, three days and 1,000 miles after it hit the coast, it took a right turn over West Virginia and, in some sort of terrifying meteorological joke, dumped 20 to 40 inches of rain in eight hours on Nelson County, Va., hosing away entire mountainsides, drowning or burying 150 more people and touching off 100-year-record floods in the James River basin.
Katrina, the National Hurricane Center said, is capable of more. Yet for a true New Orleans doomsday scenario, the storm's eye and strongest winds will have to thread a fairly precise path that carries its deadly northeast quadrant just east of the city. The real vulnerability of the city is not just that it's 10 to 15 feet below sea level, laced with more drainage canals than Venice, and must pump for its life around the clock in even the driest weather. Nor is the city's biggest problem the flown-in TV reporter's favorite specter of a hurricane storm surge up the Mississippi River that overtops the city's famous levees. That could theoretically happen, but it's less likely.
The real nightmare has always been the prospect of a Wagnerian hurricane like Katrina coming ashore so that its strongest winds push the Gulf of Mexico into the eastern-facing entrance to Lake Pontchartrain, which borders the city's northern edge. The lake is both unusually shallow -- rarely more than 20 feet deep -- and unusually large -- more than half the size of the state of Rhode Island. A 20-foot storm surge arriving in concert with both high tide and 20-inch rains could overwhelm the city's more vulnerable lakeside levees and then flow downhill all the way to the French Quarter. Many of the city's massive drainage pumps are located closer to the lake. Were they to be flooded out, the city would not only be helplessly inundated while the hurricane is overhead -- it would remain so for weeks if not months.
For more than 2½ centuries, that precise scenario has never quite happened, though hurricanes rake the Louisiana/Mississippi Gulf Coast regularly and sideswipe the Big Easy more often than not. One reason it hasn't is that the city was long protected by scores of miles of surrounding saltwater marshes capable of sponging up even massive storm surges like a swampy dishrag.
But for the last half of the 20th century and into the present day, those wetlands have been disappearing -- hundreds of acres of them every year -- starved by levees from the Mississippi River overflows that once fed them with silt from Minnesota and Iowa and Missouri, and eroded by canals dug for oil exploration and suburban subdivisions. To compare a 1930 aerial portrait of Louisiana with a contemporary satellite picture is to realize with stunning force how hundreds of miles of the state's beautiful if mosquito-laden southern wetlands now resemble moth-eaten lace.
With a far smaller marshland buffer zone to suck up Katrina's ferocious storm surge, New Orleans is very definitely in harm's way. Never mind the roof-ripping winds. Water fed New Orleans with commerce most of her life. If she dies today, it will be water -- born of Katrina's catastrophic power -- that's the death of her

So church today was

So, church today was AWESOME.  We talked about the movie “Crash,” and everyone had outstanding ideas about the movie and observations about pre-judging people and situations, and about bigotry and racism.  It is so great, what we’re putting together down there.

Sending out another blast fax campaign tonight.  I want to sell at least ten books this week; forty would be better.

I have some things to write up for the church, I have homework due, I have a ton of work to do, and I just feel like .. I’m falling further and further behind.  I haven’t been this busy since before 11Sept01.  

Bought a new Treo 650 phone today.  My Palm Pilot has been broken for months, and I’m starting to have problems dealing with being away from the office and not having it.  Mikey wants to know if I’ll upgrade his phone with my cast off, but what I want to do is get him a cool new phone with a camera.

So.  Last night, Mikey and I hit the sleezebar, EJ’s.  What a night.  A 55 year old Hispanic guy invited me to pay him for sex, and was so persistent that first, Mikey tells him that Mikey has the veto authority over anyone I may have sex with, and then calls me from the next bar stool so that my phone will ring and give me a reason to ignore the hustler.  THEN ..

N8 calls, well, his PHONE calls.  A woman (in a slight huff) wants to know who I am, sending text messages to her phone.  Uh, wait a minute.  So, I assure her that the only text message I’ve sent in a few hours was to N8.  “Oh, just a minute.”  Rustle, rustle.  “Hello?”

It’s N8.  “Hey, how’s it going?  You can send messages to my phone?”  Hello, it’s 2005, right?  “I’m in Manhattan with my girlfriend.”  Girlfriend?  “blah, blah, blah, blah.”

THEN .. Michael (the Peeler, whom I just kicked to the curb) shows up.  He’s acting all .. well, peeler-y, and I ignored him.  THEN, this guy who looks like a runway model asks me if I want to pay HIM for some “trouble,” and I decide it’s time to go home.

This afternoon, I come home, natter on the internet and work on my stuff, run to Half Price Books, sell a trunk load of books for $8.00, and buy three used DVDs for $30.00.  Come home, start walking the dogs and feeling like I’m gonna DIE with this heat, and Nicole called about having dinner, which was quite fun.  Come home, start working on some website publications, and phone call after phone call.  I’m talking to Chuck about there being no Southern Decadence (on account of the likelihood of there being no New Orleans) and .. N8 calls.

Let’s talk to N8.

He’s still in NYC.  The “girlfriend” is gone, and he assures me that said girlfriend is only a ruse so that he can get free air travel.  He tells me that she was weirded out by reading my several text messages (going back two and a half weeks) on his phone, which he didn’t know were there.  He’s miffed that I’ve not been in touch.  Assured me in some weird way that the girlfriend is NOT an issue, but then asks me why I should think something between he and I is possible when we’re twenty years apart in age and I don’t help him grow out of his 20s.

At which point, I tell him “what about the emails I’ve sent detailing how we’re getting you into law school, etc.”

He says that he hasn’t received any email from me at all.  Since he left here that Monday, two weeks ago tomorrow.  He doesn’t understand that Hotmail will route people’s emails into their junk mail folder without letting them know.  He hates computers.  He hates Texas; wants to move to San Diego.  The conversation gets lighter.  Then, he has to go.  Calls back.  Has to go.

Whatever.  He’s back on Tuesday.

Anyway, having my teeth cleaned in the morning, then working on the stack of work I planned on completing today and didn’t get to.

Saturday evening update

Well, it’s later.  I’ve raised enough dust to kill a horse.  Sold four books on Amazon already, which is pretty cool since I just listed them this morning.  

The bigger living room cabinet is ORGANIZED for the first time since I’ve lived here.  All the magazine binders are lined up like little soldiers in there, as are the home recorded VHS tapes, and a few other things.  The quarter round book case is re-done, and dusted.  All of the books in the book shelves in the living room are reorganized and dusted.  I moved a pedestal and the vase that was on it into my bedroom (yes, I found a place for it.)

I’m making some dinner, and then I guess I’ll clean the bathroom and get cleaned up myself to go meet my two sisters, the other two Whores of Baghdad.  It should be fun, as Michael the Peeler and Jason will be there.

No show from the guy who was going to work on Ruby.  T says he can’t do it in the foreseeable future.  Ugliness.  I hope he just returns my adapter that he carted off four months ago.

I’m having my teeth cleaned on Monday – that’s a relief.  Learned that there is yet ANOTHER bill from my emergency room drama, this one from the doctor.  That one is $280, so my entire trip cost $1000.00.  Ah, well.

I need to pull everything out of the curio and dust in there.  Ugh.  Maybe next weekend.

It looks like Hurricane Katrina may hit New Orleans.  What will all of these gay homosexual queers do if they can’t have sex in public over Labor Day weekend?  

I bought some Macguire’s car wax products on the web today.  It looks like I’ll be applying them to Ruby next weekend also.

Tomorrow’s heat index is supposed to be up to 112!!  Holy cow!

Okay, time for more work.

Saturday housework

Saturday housework – been going through the stacks of books, opening up cabinets, rummaging through things I haven’t read or looked at in years, trying to decide what should stay in the “permanent collection” and what needs to get sold.

So far, I have a HUGE stack of books that are headed for the universe, and I finally (after six months) got all my spiritual study books into one place.  Now, if I can actually ORGANIZE them into some sort of .. well, organization.  That would be great.

I’ve kicked up a ton of dust in here, of course.  Urk.  That forecasts serious allergy issues in a short while.  

Agreed to hire this .. guy .. to come re-wire my amp rack in Ruby; went and bought the cables for it.  Uh, he’s apparently still with last night’s trick.  Blarg.  I was looking forward to having that re-done and having better sound.

I’m about 40% through re-doing the cabinets in my living room.  Dusting, reorganizing and pulling out the ENTIRE stereo rack and re-doing it is next.  Once I have all of this done, I’ll see what/whether I’m going to unload some VHS tapes.  I’ve gone through them over and over to cull out the ones I don’t watch, I think I’m down to the basics.  I’m going to hang my XM antenna outside, put the receiver up on top of the TV (it generates SO damned much heat!  Plus, I can’t see it way down inside the cabinet.)  I wish Matticia was here.  Or that T wasn’t so damned busy.  He was supposed to drop off a power adapter for Ruby last night (that he has,) but apparently got busy.

I guess I’m going to have to take it to a shop to get it done.

Decided against going to Decadence.  I just can’t justify the expense.  Just gasoline is going to be $150.00.  The room over $600, and for two days.  Urk.  I don’t think so.  I’ll stay here, and get more .. uh, work done?  Probably.

For the first time since I’ve lived here, I’ve pulled out the reference books I have and am putting them neatly near the desk.  As in, I could actually USE them.  Amazing.  Actually, I need to dust all of them off and get them up on the tallboy.  

BOI NEWS

So, I kicked Michael to the curb.  I told him Thursday that I had Nicole here, and couldn’t deal with him.  He started calling yesterday morning about today, and I sent him a text message saying that he’d have to find another place to stay when he was in town, as I was done with him.  He text’d back asking what he’d done wrong, but what’s the point in trying to discuss things with him?  For one thing, he never listens to a damned THING and for another, he’s an idiot.

Then, I went and picked up Jason, who looks like dogshit.  He’s gaunt, his face is gray and haggard, and .. blah.  He talked ALL the way to my place about how .. blah, blah .. his wife is sick, she can’t work, he’s too depressed to work, they’re living in a motel, people are accusing him of doing coke instead of working, blah .. blah ..

Well, you know?  I’ve gotten adept at listening between the lines, and here’s what I detect has happened:

• He married a girl who liked coke as much as he does


• They went hog wild together


• They got evicted


• Her car got repo’d


• They lost all their “stuff”


• They’re staying in a motel, as they can’t get the money together to pay for rent


• Their illnesses are a result of non-stop partying


• They’re out of money because they’re having to actually PAY for their habit


• They’re clueless as to their own behavior being the core of what’s wrong

Of course, at the end of the evening (after dashing off while at Spec’s, while at the movie, while somewhere else, and coming back from the bathroom sniffling and snorting like crazy) he asks me if I’ll loan him some money.  Uh, how about “no way?”

A-mazing.

So, now we are officially boi-less here at the casita.  All of them have been purged, kicked out, passed off and hurled into the abyss.

And, not another word from N8.  That’s probably the universe protecting me.

Okay, time to make some food and then, back to my efforts.

Nicole shared brilliance

Excellent words from my dear friend Nicole this morning:

   If a man wants you, nothing can keep him away.
  If he doesn't want you, nothing can make him stay.
  Stop making excuses for a man and his behavior. Allow your intuition (or spirit) to save you from heartache.
  Stop trying to change yourselves for a relationship that's not meant to be.
 
  Slower is better. Never live your life for a man before you find what makes you truly happy.
  If a relationship ends because the man was not treating you as you deserve then heck no, you can't "be friends."
  A friend wouldn't mistreat a friend. Don't settle. If you feel like he is stringing you along, then he probably is.
  Don't stay because you think "it will get better." You'll be mad at yourself a year later for staying when things are not better.
  The only person you can control in a relationship is you.
  Avoid men who've got a bunch of children by a bunch of different women.
 He didn't marry them when he got them pregnant,
 Why would he treat you any differently?
 
  Always have your own set of friends separate from his.
  Maintain boundaries in how a guy treats you. If something bothers you, speak up. Never let a man know everything.
  He will use it against you later. You cannot change a man's behavior.
  Change comes from within.
  Don't EVER make him feel he is more important than you are... even if he has more education or in a better job. Do not make him into a quasi-god.
 
  He is a man, nothing more nothing less.
  Never let a man define who you are.
  Never borrow someone else's man.
  If he cheated with you, he'll cheat on you.
  A man will only treat you the way you ALLOW him to treat you.
 
  All men are NOT dogs.
  You should not be the one doing all the bending...compromise is a two-way street.
  You need time to heal between relationships... there is nothing cute about baggage... deal with your issues before pursuing a new relationship.
  You should never look for someone to COMPLETE you...a relationship consists of two WHOLE individuals...look for someone complimentary...not supplementary.
  Dating is fun...even if he doesn't turn out to be Mr. Right.
  Make him miss you sometimes...when a man always know where you are, and your always readily available to him -- he takes it for granted.
 
  Never move into his mother's house. Never co-sign for a man.
  (Hallelujah, thank you Jesus!)
  Don't fully commit to a man who doesn't give you everything that you need.
  Keep him in your radar but get to know others.

So Ive been working

So, I’ve been working all day on the ethics course for the mortgage broker CE – and trying to get the doctor’s loan materials into the lender so that we can close it.  Tomorrow, I have all kinds of crap to work on, and two doctor’s appointments flanking the morning and evening.

Talked to the boi today.  Last night, I had dinner with my client John – who, as it turns out, is a running buddy of the boi.  Oh, my was THAT conversation lively!  The boi is thought to be gay by EVERYONE of those people he hangs with, since he’s always been sporting a sugar daddy even though he’s always had beautiful women wanting to be with him.  My client was telling me about all these sugar daddies that he would show up with, and how none of that crowd could figure out what the deal was.  I offered that he was just sexually flexible when money was involved.  If he can avoid having to put out and still make the situation work, he will.  If he has to put out, I bet he does.

I can tell you that he’s very much wanting his big daddy right now.  He’s living in an extended stay hotel, eating crap for food, has no phone, no computer – what happened to his wife’s luxury apartment downtown?  The five bedroom home in Vegas that they were going to buy?  The advertising business?  Is it again that when you snort all your money up your nose, things don’t work very well in life?

I don’t know, I’m just saying.

Tomorrow needs to be a more productive day than today felt.  Today, I felt all sinusy with allergies.  Yuck.

La Minx is really wanting to go to Decadence.  Yesterday, I talked to T for the first time in EONS; he was saying that his boyfriend wants to go to Atlanta with his EX-boyfriend, and T responded with “if you do that, I’m going to Decadence with the Divo.”  Which scotched that whole notion on his nasty, cheating, lying bastard boyfriend’s part.  I talked to Curt tonight about going, and he’s going to call over to the Maison du Puy to see about getting me a room.  Larry’s going to be there (staying somewhere on the other side of a body of water,) and I’m just not sure about the whole “stay up until the crack of dawn” program.  He (la Minx) got hired for another opera, so I’m back to finding someone for the gay prom in November.

The blog still won’t put my entry titles in.  Blarg.

The Peeler was here last night – he was resident for 20 minutes before heading over to EJ’s to “dance.”  During that time, he managed to break the toilet handle.  He came in around 2:30, crawled into MY bed, which is now a full instead of a queen, and started snoring at 5:00.  Driven out to the sofa, I slept fitfully until about 7:30, at which time he was snoring so loudly that it was coming through the closed bedroom door.  I went to my appointment with Lloyd to have my head re-aligned, then bought gas for Ruby (which was FORTY-EIGHT DOLLARS, thank you VERY much.)  Came back home around 11:00, and he was up doing some laundry.  He starts in with I should be excited to go to Decadence since he’ll be there.

I said “after as rude as you were to me at Mardi Gras, you think that I gave a rat’s ass if you’re at Decadence?”  Then, he starts in with “you put me on the spot when we were at dinner with Curt the other day – I never intended to make you pay for my meals that you were complaining about.”

Oh, yeah, that’s why you bolted from the table without talking about the bill, and headed for your car.  I read about that in Miss Manners all the time.

Anyway, there was no sense talking to him about anything.  So, I ignored him.  When he comes back tomorrow, I’m telling him he and his snoring habit can sleep on the sofa.

Then, I’ll tell him he can find another place to stay when he’s in town shaking down old men for money.

Speaking of men with repeating patterns, I heard from Joel the other day – seems he’s been locked out of where he was living AGAIN.  By my best count, that’s the sixth time since I locked him out in November.  This one lasted only two weeks.  He tells me that he and the guy had a fight, and Joel stayed away for four days and nights.  Uh, that would pretty much do it for me if the man I was dating did that.  Anyway, he just doesn’t understand why this keeps happening to him.

It’s now 21:00, and I think it’s time to watch the rest of this Netflix and then hit the sack.  The boi wants me to pick him up so we can hang out, but he’s missed his window.  He’s headed to EJ’s in 90 minutes anyway, and the big red taxi service has closed down tonight.

just for all the str8 bois in my world 

More on the eBay freakazoid

He sells a lot of postcards, but in going through his feedback profile - he doesn't like gay boys at ALL. In fact, he smears them in his feedback.

Lovely.

Anyone have a flashlight to illuminate that man's closet?

Got a number of things done today; still have a huge list for tomorrow.

Jayson was in touch today - he'd LOVE to hang out, especially if I give him money. "Call me tomorrow," he says. PJ says "send me $100 so I can buy a bus ticket and come hang out with you."

It seems to be the glomming of the barnacles. And, where's N8?

Shopping with eBay freakazoids

So, everyone knows I'm an eBay whore for stuff from the 1938 20th Century Limited. Every morning, I have two separate emails detailing all of the 20th Century Limited stuff that hits eBay.

A few days ago, a postcard reproduction of the 1938 Century at LaSalle Street station in Chicago hit eBay. The picture was enough to sell me on the concept, and so I opened my bidding software to buy it.

Since I work, and am not sitting at my computer as the auctions end (and, after more than 400 successful transactions, wanting to be as effective as possible) I used my auction software - called "sniping" software, as it slams in a bid in the last few seconds of an auction.

This morning, while working, the auction software does its thing, and I win the auction for said postcard - $5.95 plus $1.00 shipping. Yeah, it's insane, but it's what I intended.

Without thinking about it, I went right over to Pay Pal and paid for the auction. A few minutes later, I get a hostile email from said seller, as follows:

I do not accept Paypal.
Cash, money order, check or Bidpay please.

Okay, I'm willing to send a money order. So, I go back to Pay Pal to CANCEL the payment I just made. Before I finish, I receive ..

An analysis of your bidding patterns strongly indicates that you are using sniping software. The fact that you attempted to pay using Paypal despite my strong warning - coupled with my warnings about using sniping software reinforce that you didn't read the listing.

I suggest you go back and read it in its entirety - at least the portions related to sniping and payment methods. I will be happy to release you from your bid with no feedback filed (so long as you assist in retrieving my eBay fees).

If you insist on purchasing this item, then I will proceed with the terms of sale clearly stated in my listing.

Okay. So, I go to the auction, and find this HUGE listing. As follows:

USERS of SNIPING SOFTWARE:
*** BEWARE *** there's a message for you near the end of this listing

DESCRIPTION
at the LaSalle Station in Chicago Ilinois, circa 1953.
Type: a reproduction postcard digitally generated from a scanned image
Size: 3 1/2 inches by 5 1/2 inches
Condition: Mint Postally: Unused
"Warhawk Reproductions" only appears on the eBay photo
(this postcard is approved for mailing by the USPS)

SHIPPING
I do not sell or ship to Germany, France or Russia
Bid with confidence!
I guarantee all of my auctions!
(See the refund offer below)
Packaging and Postage is $1.00 for shipments within the USA; Canada is $1.50; all other overseas is $2.00
Insurance (if desired and available only in the US) is $2.00- please let me know if you want it.
I strongly recommend that buyers elect insurance.
BY DECLINING INSURANCE THE BUYER AGREES TO HOLD THE SELLER HARMLESS IN THE EVENT OF LOSS OR DAMAGE DURING SHIPMENT
My items are always shipped with an acid-free plastic sleeve and stiff cardboard protection so the cards are not bent in the mail.
I simply cannot be held responsible for an item after it leaves my possession.
REFUNDS:
If you are not satisfied with your purchase any reason (other than damage by the USPS), you may return it for a full refund of your purchase cost (less sales tax, insurance and twice the actual cost of postage). Buyer must contact me for a return authorization before returning the item and must assist seller in recovery of seller's eBay fees. The original, undamaged item and packaging materials must be returned within 7 days of receipt of the authorization.
This offer is void if you use sniping software or you didn't read the listing and don't want a reproduction.

EXCLUDED BIDDERS:
Because of past problems with bidders with 0 feedback, I no longer accept bids from "just -born", 0 feedback or less than zero feedback UNLESS you contact me via email prior to bidding.
Any person with 0 (or less) feedback that bids on one of my items and has not contacted me via email will have their bid cancelled.
Questions should be directed to cpeters@tampabay.rr.com
We only sell through eBay listings
Seller will contact buyer - please do not use eBay's checkout process.


HOW TO STOP SNIPERS! --
An Important Tip from eBay's Web site:

eBay says: "Whenever you place your bid, bid your ABSOLUTE maximum. If you think you have determined your max, ask yourself if you would have bid $1 more to win in the face of a competing bid. If you are willing to spend another dollar to win, you haven't found your max.
The amount of your bid is far more important than the timing of your bid.
Decide the maximum you're willing to pay and enter this amount. Ebay will now confidentially bid up to your maximum amount.
You don't have to keep an eye on your auction as it unfolds.
A sniper can only win if they bid higher than your maximum bid."
This item may be available in larger sizes - 4 by 6, 5 by 7 or 8 by 10 inches. Check my eBay store by clicking here and if it's not listed, send me an email. If it's available, I'll list it immediately. Please visit my eBay store which contains 4 by 6, 5 by 7, 8 by 10 inch photo prints and postcard reproductions of railroads, Florida history and other US cities, as well as nature scenes and a few books
PAYMENTS
I accept:

* checks (which may be held until they clear depending on buyer's feedback),
* money orders,
* cash (I don't recommend its use and I don't make change if you do use cash), or
* Bidpay (Western Union).
*
I do NOT accept Paypal.

Payment must be made within 10 days of seller's notification of winning bid.
Late payments may be assessed a penalty fee (applied to bid price, insurance, sales tax and shipping costs).

Totals for multiple items wins:
If you request a total, there is a $3.00 service charge UNLESS you provide the item numbers, your address (so we know if sales tax applies) and your preference for insurance

Florida residents must pay sales tax.

USERS of SNIPING SOFTWARE ARE NOT WELCOME TO BID ON MY ITEMS
I DO NOT WANT YOUR BUSINESS
If I determine that a winning bidder has used sniping software, they will be placed on my blocked bidders list and will receive appropriate and unwanted (by them) feedback.
THE FINE PRINT:

* Combined Shipping: - we will ship up to three items for the single item price. We do not combine shipments of photoprints and postcards unless you purchase insurance.
* Payment Totals: There is a $3.00 charge to provide totals UNLESS you provde all item numbers, your address (so we know if sales tax applies) and your preference for insurance
* Insurance is optional, and we never have had to file a claim, but we simply cannot be responsible for an item after it is delivered to the US Post Office. We strongly recommend that you buy insurance. By refusing insurance, bidder agrees to self-insure and to hold seller harmless in the event of damage or loss.
* Notification of successful bidders will normally occur within three days of the end of the auction, and we require that payment be made within 10 days of that notification. Late payments may be assessed a penalty fee (applied to bid price, insurance, salex tax and shipping costs) or may result in cancellation of the bid, filing of negative feedback, and re-listing the item
* Returned checks require payment of a $25.00 fee.
* Feedback is neither expected or given except in rare occasions when negative feedback is appropriate. Feedback is voluntary, and this seller - because of the volume of bids dealt with - prefers to spend his time carefully packaging items and making effective communications with buyers.
* Florida Buyers who do not include required states sales tax with their payment will be issued one notice of required tax. Their shipment will be held until the tax payment is received- regardless of the amount of shortage.
* Late payments of sales tax may result in cancellation of bids

Well, okay Mary Francis.

Now, I haven't yet had a chance to review this whole listing morass, and I receive yet another email:

Have you read the listing? I really don't think you wish to buy this from me. In fact, I won't sell it to you - save yourself the time and expense of mailing me anything.

Well, how about that? Over a five dollar post card!

Okay! He canceled the auction through eBay, and that was that.

And Lance thinks that *I* am testy.

Monday, Monday ver. 636.01

Some bumper sticker quotes from Belief Net:

1. I'm pretty sure God prefers spiritual fruits to religious nuts
2. Freedom is the distance between church and state
3. When the Church ruled the world it was called the Dark Ages
4. God protect me from your followers
5. I do listen to your prayers I'm just not interested in the game
6. The Meek are getting ready
7. God favors no group only religions do that
8. Born right the first time
9. High Holidays have nothing to do with marijuana.

Will I make it through my "to-do" list for today? Will I find the Netflix mailer that I've misplaced? Should I go to Decadence with the Minx?

Sunday after the apocalypse

Interesting day. Today's blood sugar reading was just 127. That was the lowest it's been since May - and a great feeling of relief. Church was great; lunch was .. difficult, if I can choose a feeling. I think I'll just avoid that in the future.

Came home, fiddled. Napped. Shouldn't have. Fiddled a lot more.

The trip to Florida went better than I could have hoped. Even had a thank you note from Roxanne. That was just amazing.

I have to spend some time thinking about some things; I also need to go through more crap here at home and do more throwing away/cleaning out.

I want to go to San Marcos next weekend, and buy some more clothes and shoes. I'm getting very interested in how I dress for the first time in more than fifteen years.

The Minx very much wants me to go with him to Southern Decadence. I want to go to Michigan. And, I'd love to go to Decadence. Hm.

Not a peep out of N8.

Loads of things are rolling through my mind tonight; not sure what I'm going to do about them all.

New bedding

I sleep SO much better on this new bed! Holy cow!

Have to meet CP in a few minutes to deliver the two LO packages to him that I've collected. He has two more that are supposed to be signing up with us this week, which will make six.

Funny how just being treated fairly has me out recruiting and training loan officers. I wonder why they don't teach that sort of concept in MBA programs? Cheating your employees yields poor results.

Monday, Monday ver. 635.01

So, yesterday, I toddled off to church leaving N8 here on the sofa, with the understanding that I'd be back to go to lunch around 1:00. He wasn't here when I got back, but there was a message telling me he'd gone to the restaurant around the corner, and that I should call him so we could "hang out."

His phone had been discontinued (rolls eyes) and I was late, so I ran over to Barnaby's to meet my friends for lunch. I came home from there, walked the dogs around the restaurant I thought he was meaning, didn't see him, came home, left a note on the door and the door unlocked and then took a nap.

At about 6:00, I'm sitting here at the computer (which still makes me very happy) and I see him coming up the sidewalk, headed for the vehicle gate. He comes in, and he's MAD. I explained to him where I had been and that I'd been trying to reach him and .. he's MAD. Drunk, of course.

After a few minutes, it's time for sex (it seems) which went on from 6:30 until NINE O'CLOCK. Good lord, I haven't done that in years. Then, conversation (which is sort of like trying to have a sword fight using a blunt spoon) until nearly 01:00 and then I went to bed. He must have conked out right after, and he's still asleep. He thinks that gay people are straight people who have a lack of attention in their lives, and he insisted a number of times that 'I'm not gay.' Whatever, Mary Francis, you suck like a champion and I just fcuked you twice.

He has a lot of anger issues.

Anyway, he said something about having $15,000 to invest in a business and he's asked about Fabulair a few times. Oh, the little voice inside me says "Danger, Will Robinson," but it does give me something to think about.

I have a TON of work to do today, not the least of which is washing the sheets on the bed.

Oh, that bed - I sleep SO much better on it. I can't even begin to tell you.

This morning, my blood glucose was 280 - TWO EIGHTY, I tell you. I think this new medication is helping. It was 301 yesterday, and 354 the day before that.

I'm still not going back to ice cream, though.

Sunday roominess

Sunday evening, nearly 19:00, and the day's gone without my knowing it.

Of course, there was church today - and it was FABULOUS. It ran over, I dashed home to meet my friend David for lunch at Barnaby's, and then came home for a big nap to compensate for the 3 1/2 hours of sleep that I had last night.

Yesterday, Larry and I moved around EVERYTHING in the two bedrooms; it's just amazing how the space is opened up and more functional. I'm VERY happy with it all.

I also carried a HUGE amount of crap out to the resale and the trash. I have my work materials neatly organzied now, and just in time!

Only a two day work week, and then off to the lion's den - my father's family birthday party. Urk. I have SO much to accomplish before that point. Must start first thing tomorrow, actually.

Blood sugar this morning was down 50 points from yesterday; will I crack 300 tomorrow?

N8 showed up at my door last night at 11:30, drunk, looking like a million dollars in a gorgeous suit and all scraped up from being in a fist fight. He wanted to talk about law school, how college teachers suck, how I had been running a sub-rosa intention to get him into bed all along, and otherwise, just caterwall about whatever he's angry about in life. I did drunk management with him until 03:15, and then finally got some sleep myself.

Okay, time to finish putting together my zen fountain, and I see N8's coming in the gate. Toodles!

Philip's good bye note 

Hump Day Contemplations

Quicken invited me to download an update from them a few days ago - now, of course, my Quicken software doesn't work AT ALL.

Urg.

I've been cleaning the house as if Wm Jefferson Clinton were coming to visit; I'm about to dust the inside of the curio case, and then the books. After that, I'm pretty much through. Philip's mom arrives this evening, and I'll be gone to dinner with a new loan officer (I think we're submitting paperwork on five next week.)

I'm still trying to figure out HOW I'm going to get all of this furniture arranged in this room on Saturday. Or Friday. Or whenever. It's a bunch of stuff to put up.

The workmen are finishing painting the outside of the building; they started this morning before 7:30, and, of course, got paint on my patio furniture. Assholes. Took them three working days between when they started and when they took it up again. I'm supposed to leave my things inside the apartment for eight days from the time they tell me they're starting to the time they get around to finishing? What crap.

Anyway, it's time to get to work again on the cleanliness project.

Monday, Monday ver. 635.01

Ah, more coffee. My 10:00 appointment either couldn't wait for me for ten minutes, or he blew me off. Weird.

About to tackle the last of these mongo-tax returns that I had been avoiding (mostly because they're a mess.) The loan business seems quiet today. We're waiting on underwriting responses from two lenders on one file, I have one response I'm waiting for on another, about to pull credit on a third, waiting for an application on a fourth, and CP is out beating the bushes for more.

Not THOSE Bushes, the shrubbery.

Found this on ebay this morning: CDX c90 the world's best car stereo ever made. I WANT IT FOR RUBY!

Since I can't have my OnStar, I want it. I've been thinking of DRIVING to Michigan for Labor Day weekend, am I nuts? I think I need some solitude. Do I need a full week of solitude? I don't know. Would I be walking away from potential business? I don't know.

Barney is in the kitchen kicking up a fuss because he's behind the gate and I'm not paying a lick of attention to him. He can keep it up. He's lost weight AND most of his hair. Makes me wonder about the future. He's 13, which is OLD for a chow, I hear. Jackie is muy frisky now that I've peeled all of her hair off of her. She's just bouncy, playful and happy. Wait until I get the REST of the hair off of her.

Chuck should be here any time, so I'd best get ready for that.

Sunday evening cable

Well, Philip has packed up most of his stuff, and is prepared, five days early, to pack his things into his car and head northward. YAY! Yay for what I've seen about having kept this bedroom with a bed in it all these years, and yay for Philip moving on to his next adventure.

I'm ready for my next adventure.

L has restored himself to a new T-bird; I haven't seen it yet, but it was exactly the one I visioned for him.

Friday - pulling on that oar!

What a weird night! I was SO tired last night; I blew off the terrorist sex and chose to just vegetate in my living room. I FELL ASLEEP DURING THE DVD! Uh, has that ever happened before? I went to be around 11:00, and didn't hear Philip come in. As in, I DIDN'T HEAR PHILIP COME IN! Uh, that has NEVER happened before.

Today, I have a mostly completely unstructured day, with which I intend to get ALL of the work caught up and put away here in the office (well, not yet, but in a week it will be.) We're giving up on the $400,000 Vietnamese dentist loan (that's quite the dramatic story) and I have one to put in closing today, and that's it, loan wise. I'd love for it to close TODAY, we'll see what we can do. Two bankruptcy petitions for today, credit letters on three clients, three tax returns (that I have been putting off - urk) and then some filing/clean up.

The weekend is mostly unstructured; I am sure that Philip is going to sleep tomorrow until at least noon, so I'm going to ... finally ... groom the dogs. Urk. I may .. deploy the several cleaning and polishing products on Ruby tomorrow morning, also. Then, I'll be ready for sleep!

Jeffrey had some extra bed rails, so I don't have to buy those next week; just a fitted sheet. I'm taking ALL this extra bedding to the resale shop and donating it. Don't know what I'm going to do with this damaged bedspread that was my mother's - it has a couple of indelible ink stains on it, and I'm probably not going to use it again. Maybe I'll ask Carol if she can fix it.

Have to find a truck for next Friday to take my old mattress and platform bed to the resale shop. Then, I have to figure out how I'm going to re-arrange this den to make it as efficient as I can make it. I am so excited about it!

Late Hump Day thinking

Larry HATES the idea of the custom wheels on Ruby and thinks I'm nuts for wanting to have her re-painted. Hey, it's just a trial balloon anyway.

ONE WEEK before Philip's mom arrives and they drive off. I am looking so forward to re-arranging this room.

You know who I haven't heard a peep from? The drunk LSAT student. I'm sure that he's sulking because he found a gorgeous un-drunk young man in residence. Or something like that.

Had a call from the Peeler today. It seems that he's getting a divorce, he's already got another girl on the hook, and he's nosing around for a place to throw his stuff (after his wife throws him out.) I told him that he had no business being in any sort of a relationship, given that he's a complete slut and won't stop cheating on whomever he's with.

Then, I had a call (thank God) for business purposes and lost him in the shuffle. He then sent a text message, asking me to call back.

He also told me that EJ's (my favorite sleezoid bar) is going to ditch the street hooker/dancers and replace them with "professional" hooker/dancers booked through Marcy. I need to find out if this is true! The boi may be out of business!

I'm SO tired, and have to go to the church board meeting. It's almost time to walk these dogs and then hit the trail for Clear Lake. Urk.

Hump Day Contemplations

I have a doctor's appointment for my diabetes in about 90 minutes; it's at the Montrose Clinic, which is only eight blocks away, so no pressure there. It's a fasting appointment, so I should be a raving bitch by the time I get back here.

Last night, according to the bathroom scales, I'd dropped ten pounds in two weeks since my last doctor's appointment there. My blood sugar this morning, though, was 354. What's up with that? The glucophage doesn't seem to be moderating my blood glucose levels. I'm about to order the mineral supplements that help moderate blood sugar, and I need to start exercising (which I should be doing right now instead of screwing with the computer) but you know how it is. I'm down to 262 pounds, more than twenty pounds since June. At this rate, I could meet my goal of having a 42" waist (comfortably) by my birthday party on Oct. 1.

My friend Matt in Orlando, who's Type 1, tells me that the weight loss is a function of the high blood sugar - when the sugar is so high, the body doesn't process the food, and you lose weight. Uh, I think he's NUTS. If that were the case, I would have been a bathing beauty a few years ago. I know that I've been eating a LOT less food, and drinking about 150% more water. I've also been taking Corti-Slim, which moderates adrenaline production in the body.

I have one loan app to pick up today, need title and appraisal work on it and it's ready to go, have another to submit, and another to quote. Still have tax returns to do. Extended the four tax scofflaws that I am nursing along yesterday.

Had lunch with CP yesterday; when I walked into the restaurant, he was reading the Science of Mind! Holy cow! Speaking of, we had some drama with Rev. D Monday and Tuesday. What a creep. We just want her to go away permanently.

Spent some time looking over the preliminary information and pictures for the Cadillac DTS, which will hit showrooms in mid-September. Lovely, but $55,000.00. I walked outside right after, and looked at Ruby, thinking "none of these cars are better than what I have." Well, except for the $175,000 Bentley Continental GT. Saw one of those on Westheimer yesterday. WOOF.

Anyway, last night, Mikey was working on my DrDivo.com website, and he put up the reconstructed 1998 Riviera website from Buick (whoop!) and wanted me to choose some pictures of Ruby-like cars to put on the web as a link to that sub-site. He sent me one he found of a Ruby-clone with custom wheels on it. WOW. It looked great. So, I had to go shopping for wheels - and this is what I found:

Ruby's new slippers 

Tuesday - BD day - by blast fax!

Already had some results from my blast fax marketing last night, which is cool. It's not a transaction yet, but she asked for more information.

Just ten more days before Philip heads back up north.

Today, I had to just now clear all the stuff off the patio as they're about to power wash and paint the exterior of the building. Hauling in those HUGE pots was quite the chore. I'm going to re-pot and do some clean up, to consolidate out there since I have them all inside. Then, I'll just have my three giant terra cotta pots, which will look quite nice.

So, what is up with smokers? I had to clear out (again) a couple of hands-full of wet, soggy, nasty cigarette filters. Is the world their toilet? It's revolting.

Had a lot of help from Mikey getting some web work done; what would I have done without him? Urf. He's a miracle worker, and it comes so easily for him.

Have more paperwork to do for clients today; GOT to get these done. Have to extend for the slackers who are STILL not ready for August 15.

Monday, Monday ver. 634.01

Got so busy, forgot to finish my post!

Helped a friend file a pro se bankruptcy petition today; haven't done that in, oh, ten years. Maybe eleven. Since I no longer have the software, I had to manually calculate it all, and keep all the word documents straight - what a chore! But, I got it all correct and it went right in through the intake clerk.

Had lunch with Chuck at the Daily Grind - fun place! Worked until nearly midnight last night, tweaking a website and working on editing (to eliminate spelling mistakes and broken links.)

Okay, ton of work to do - so I'm OFF!

Friday - more fun stuff

Well, we had four loan applications come in this week. If I close them all in August, I'll make several thousand dollars. One of them has to close next week, and I'll get paid $400 for it on Friday.

I'm scheduled to teach a mortgage class for $150 on Monday and Tuesday, which would prevent me from making the $400, and possibly part of the larger amount.

So .. I wrote them and said "can't do it." They're all freaking out.

However, they cancel classes on me at 5:00 the night before all the time. Thus, shouldn't I be able to cancel the day before as well?

Heh heh heh.

The other class, the QuickBooks class on Tuesdays, did not make enrollment, but they're not going to decide until MONDAY. Uh, hello?

I have a ton of work to complete this weekend, and more to do on Monday.

last night I went at 11 to go meet this massage guy who's SO fucking cute and SO sweet, and hung out with him until 1:00. I get into Ruby to come home, and I think "Philip locked the deadbolt." So, I get home and ...Philip locked the deadbolt.

So, of course, I couldn't get in. I hammered on the door, called him on his cell phone, beat on his window with my hand and with keys, tried to pry open my bedroom window, hammered on the door some more, sent him a text message ..

I thought I'd try to sleep in the car, but it was so hot I started to get sick.

So, I took my man clutch, which everyone makes fun of, and I crawled behind the bushes again, and I used the flat side of the man clutch and BEAT against the side of his bedroom window. He woke up. He sleeps like the dead, it seems.

Had a great Fabulair meeting today with a SQL architect; hoping to have movement there in a few days.

Time to make something to eat and watch a DVD. Later!

Thursday -

Been trying to write this post all day. Had a TON of work to do; including processing a bunch of mail and simple paperwork that just eats up one's brain.

I still have a TON of work to do tomorrow; will I get it all caught up? I just don't know. Part of that depends on how early Philip gets up in the morning.

I did make some good progress today; got three loans submitted for pre-qual. Talked to my Aunt Donna in Michigan about visiting her over the Labor Day weekend, and talked to my Aunt Liz in Florida about my dad's birthday party. Got everything mailed out that needed to go out today. Just have about ten hours of work to do tomorrow. And five hours to do it in.

Things are rocking and rolling at the church - holy cow! We have some explosive speakers lined up for September; we'll do some advertising for it starting this next month.

It's just amazing how smoothly things go when you're not having your brains cheated out. It's just like .. since you're not getting cheated, your energy reflects that you're being taken care of and the person that you're dealing with can sense that you're going to take care of them. It aggregates damned fast, too.

Have an awesome movie to watch tonight - "Fail Safe" from 1964.

This morning, I dropped a jar lid on the kitchen floor and it skittered away. I thought perhaps it had gone underneath the range, so I tried to put my hand under there - nothing. I pulled the range out, and HOLY COW - seven years' worth of dog hair. I about puked. Enough to knit a whole new dog.

So, that's been cleaned up.

I'm SO looking forward to having this office an OFFICE!!! Oh my GOD!

Tuesday - RTF!

Watching the shuttle return to flight this morning got me all choked up. It was so cool.

I decided this morning that I regretted never having had the chance to watch a live Apollo mission go up from Cape Canaveral. Of course, I didn't know then that I'd regret it later, but ..

Have a meeting with a client at 1:00, then it's off to the real estate school to see if they've been kind enough to cut me a check. I hope so, as I've been busting my butt to get all the course content re-written. My friend who's assembling it all for me is not happy about the amount of reformatting to be done. I, of course, am coming up with editorial changes and I haven't yet gotten the whole thing re-written yet.

More work.

This new desk is coming in HANDY! Already, even though it's just living in the dining room, I'm filling it up with stuff that has occupied space on the floor or elsewhere. Once I have a change to get it (the den) re-arranged, life will be much better, but .. there's a chance I'll be moving soon, and then .. what? Just perfect the environment here and have to start tweaking it at the new place, I guess.

Two new loans today already and CP is out hunting for more game to drive into the pen. Once here, I'll skin them and dress them up for use. It's an effective division of labor.

The married guy came over yesterday right after work. Oh my. He's something else again.

Spent the evening with my friend Mary from the Heights church, talking about all kinds of things. We had such a good time; we have about four more evenings of catch up conversation to handle.

Monday, Monday ver. 633.01

Good lord, did slaves row this hard?

I worked like a dog ALL day - how can one's body hurt from just sitting?

I have plans to meet with Mary - I haven't seen her in AGES - in about an hour. I think she has something she wants help with.

The beautiful 747-412 Megatop of Singapore Airlines 

Dreams -

I just had a dream that reminded me that it was the second I've had of this ilk recently.

Last night, I had a dream about a Singapore Airlines Megatop (I'll post a picture here in a minute) which, for the aviation enthusiasts would be a 747-412. The color scheme is dazzling, and very distinctive.

In this dream, I was in some place rather pastoral, like the area around Madisonville (Texas) which has gradually rolling hills. I was (in last night's dream) just there, and watching this airplane (which had just taken off from Houston's Geo. H. R. Bush Intercontinental Airport) trying to climb to altitude. The #2 engine (closest to the airplane on the side I could see as the plane flew from right to left in front of me) was suffering from compressor stalls - which is a condition where the engine's airflow is restricted, and it's backfiring just like a car would. While I was standing there watching, a big hunk of the #2 engine came off and the plane continued on.

I had forgotten all about this when I awoke this morning.

This afternoon, I dreamt that I was invited to MV's "ranch," which was in the same pastoral setting, for New Year's Eve. I had some man with me (who was cute) that I was taking along for reasons not clear, but as we approached the entrance to the place, he grabbed my hand (in a weird but cool way) and we began to say our greetings to everyone. Just as I was introducing him to some of the friends of MV, the same (looking) Singapore 747 was trying to climb across the sky. It also was having compressor stalls in the #2 engine. Then, the #2 engine exploded. The plane was still trying to climb, and big hunks of the fuselage started to come off, and they were landing all around me. After a very big piece landed (with very Hollywood effect) right near me, the entire airplane broke apart, and pieces fell like hail all around us.

Then, I poured bleach all over the people that were there that I cared about.

Now, if you have an idea what this all MEANS .. by all means let me know.

Friday night thoughts

Taught today for the real estate school - it was a good class; I was scheduled to teach tomorrow and Sunday as well, and should have picked up a check today - however.

They're not well organized over there.

The flurry over my copyrighting my ideas and presentations for new classes is not yet over; it's more like a lull in the storm. Or perhaps the eye thereof. However, I proceed undaunted.

Having the weekend suddenly freed up is a good thing; I can focus on getting all caught up. I have the book ready to go into the binder for tomorrow, and will get up, make coffee, put on NPR and start three-hole punching. Once Philip gets up, it will be time to go graze at the complimentary buffet at the leasing office.

Anyway. I kept forgetting to take my medication today, which is weird, considering that I was rushing from sugar intake last night until .. oh, 6:00 this morning.

Okay, it's almost time for me to go horizontal. More later.

Jarod from Oklahoma 

Marc in San Antonio 

Back from Dallas

Back from Dallas and picking up my desk. I spent nearly $75 on gas to pick up a desk that I bought for $51.00. Ah, well. It was fun. The drive up (with Chuck) was fun, hanging out with Susan was fun, looking at Jaguars was fun, hanging out with Larry was fun, driving back this morning with Chuck was fun. Now, I'm here - have to unpack, have dinner with Donna in an hour at Ninfa's, and teaching tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday.

My cell phone blew up on the drive to Dallas - I mean, totally deadified itself. The Sprint guys were baffled. One idiot suggested that the tiny magnet on the back of the battery case had somehow blown up the memory in the phone.

I just love people who don't have a clue.

Anyway, my phone and I are very close and, again, I can't find anything on the Sprint system that I like well enough to spend money on that isn't under $500, so I'm buying another one. On eBay, just like the rest. I'll have it next week, but in the meantime, I'm off the voice matrix.

Here are some pictures of some boys I'm chatting with on the internet lately.

What the Divo IS

Googlism for: divo

divo is the digital video option for onyx 2 & origin 2000 and replaces the sirius board
divo is the digital video option for sgi onyx 2 & sgi origin 2000 and replaces the sirius board
divo is a patented software application suite that provides secure television quality video on top of static web pages instantly
divo is the quality of our products
divo is glad to offer you the followings services
divo is a server
divo is developed especially for control over mobile phones in hands free systems;
divo is uit’s complete software suite to enable video stored on cd
divo is echter meer dan een damesploeg in 2de provinciale
divo is not to sell any inventory free of paisiello's security interest without paisiello's express permission
divo is able to control bottom dead center in microns at each station
divo is fully voice controlled
divo is a brisbane based solo artist who is currently in studio recording the very first album to be released through funk factory records
divo is working properly on my onyx2 re
divo is committed to providing the best products to our customers
divo is currently engaged in many research projects as an associate researcher for the university of central florida
divo is lagging
divo is now situated
divo is dunedin’s community
divo is a digital video input/output board for the onyx2
divo is specialized in making shirts
divo is generally referred to as a dikro
divo is due for review
divo is another thing altogether
divo is at the end of the long distance line
divo is not ruled by multinationals
divo is 26
divo is a 5 year old "long
divo is to pray for forgiveness of past misdeeds and for spiritual strength and wisdom for the coming
divo is a belter who can sing songs by sisqo
divo is using their interpersonal skills to get things that the other teams could not
divo is a totally non
divo is ook vertegenwoordigd in de vlor
divo is member of codis
divo is
divo is the needlepoint pillow of lister and made by petie that i won in the raffle
divo is back
divo is it a contracted or otc fight? how long did it take?
divo is the place for a fine €40 meal
divo is often heard
divo is currently being prodded and poked as his health requirements are being looked over
divo is on this same ship
divo is one thing
divo is tasked with that responsibility
divo is on the same block as the holster
divo is out
divo is born” and noted people were demanding “bread and
divo is responsible for maintaining ccol’s and will sign
divo is can't brazen
divo is planning to launch soon new production lines for bottling soft drinks and beer
divo is not entered in the current competition
divo is a video option for onyx2 graphics
divo is the last element in the sync chain
divo is edited and published by mr
divo is and what
divo is kronk

Why do they want me to put titles when they don't display?

So, I just hate being taken advantage of. REALLY hate it.

I had my meeting with the real estate school today, and she wants me to revise her course books, create a new course and the book to go with it, write a proposal to the state for her .. for free. She says that the money is to be made teaching the classes.

At $20 an hour. I don't think so.

Been trying to get an appointment with the clinic over this blood sugar stuff for HOURS. It's not working. I'm now on hold with someone who says she's going to make me the appointment (the furthest that I've gotten so far.)

Okay, now it's time to dig into tax return amendments. Lucky!

Sunday evening cable

Nothing like being middle aged, overweight and having to crawl around on the floor to run cable. I had to put the satellite receiver into the stereo rack, and needed to put another power strip in for the computers. Both in limited space, both on the floor, and both behind a big stack of crap. But, I got it done.

The upstairs neighbor has been pounding something on the floor for two hours. I'm about to fax in my second noise complaint of the evening.

This morning was three hundred forty. Church was great, then back to a meeting to place advertising for the new mortgage business. Then, home to work on the jillion emails that needed sending, the other stuff, and .. cabling.

Trying to teach myself runes - since I have a bag of them. I need to look at the I Ching, also - I've had that kit for years.

Dreams in cotton, leather and suede, posed on aqua leather. 

Saturday night hissies

Mikey had a dream about me this afternoon (while reclined and slumbering.) In this dream, I was thin and trim, and I was in a relationship with the actor who plays Angel. Woof! More fun details; this actor was working in a 99cents only store (apparently as some manager) and the employees in the store only got paid if there were customers in the store buying things. One went through the back door of the store and it was a secret passageway into some hoity-toity hot spot cocktail bar, that Mikey found quite appealing in his dream.

Today, my class was a train wreck. Here's what I wrote to the administrator of the college:

As you were there, it is redundant to re-visit that no student was on-time; that the bulk of the students were 28 minutes late and arrived in a group, and that a further student arrived at 10:35. I re-started the class at approximately 10:30, and, as you experienced, only one student was paying attention to my presentation; the bulk of the students, including the entire late arriving group, were engaged in personal conversations.

Just as you were leaving, I made the sharp remark to the group that it seemed they were not aware that I was in front of the room. This remark, as you saw, did not penetrate the shield of indifference that they had put up.

After you left, the final student arrived. The class had finished the in-class exercise that I had given out, and they were continuing to engage in the indifferent behavior that you saw me experiencing. At that point, however, an air of derisiveness had entered into the room.

In that moment, I was certain that no further action on my part would attain their participation in today's class. I went through the four in-class quizzes that were scheduled for today, providing very little explanation of the material. I covered the essay portion in a similar, truncated fashion. One student, the ringleader of the indifferent behavior, asked me if I was going to explain the material to them, and I declined, pointing them to the book or a dictionary if they had questions.

I dismissed the class extremely early.

None but one of the earliest arriving students apologized for their behavior, expressed regret or an interest in re-starting the class to gain something of it. They filed out, silent, picking up the hand-outs that were scheduled, and didn't begin speaking until they were out the door.

I did not at any time engage in emotional or inappropriate behavior, but I did end the class telling them that they had been given the time and attention they had shown me.

After two weeks of this studied and intentional indifference, lack of preparedness (most of the students did not bring their course books) and complete lack of attention to the material being presented, I chose this course of action.

My good friend with whom I've taught about fifteen years wrote me back tonight telling me she didn't think she would have lasted a half hour in that environment. That makes me feel better, as a number of my friends have counseled that I should have stuck it out or chosen some other course.

But, I digress.

This morning's blood sugar number was four hundred ten. I can tell it's still very high, as I'm having trouble breathing, and my chest is very tight. Last night's dinner, the weirdness of the former student coming to my apartment at about 8:00 running from a police chase (he had another hit and run) and such, followed by ice cream with Philip at about midnight did me no favors, I'm quite sure.

Anyway, I must to bed that I can rise and go to church in the morning. I'll post a nifty new picture of the actor that Mikey has dreamed I had hooked up with.

Today = 343. This seems to be a plateau. I can definately tell I'm losing body size, though.

Have two meetings today - or three. I need to re-open outlook and see. Have a ton of work to do as well; tax extensions are running down, and I'm beating people to get their materials in to me so I can do the work.

Watched a movie on Netflix last night - boy, that didn't work out. The main character is a gay, closeted construction worker who is in love with his best friend. Blah, blah, he comes out to the best friend on a television program, his parents throw him out, the best friend accuses him (rightly) of trying to sabotage his girlfriend relationship, and then beats him with a pipe. And leaves with the girlfriend, who intervenes just as the best friend was about to kill our central figure with the pipe.

Yikes!

It seems that N8 may want to get together to do something on Saturday!

Hump Day Contemplations

Philip is still engaged in this "seminar," which seems not to involve his employment ID and staying out overnight. Good on him!

I'm just wiped out today. Why? My number this morning was 355. Urgh. I have a ton of things to catch up on today.

Won my desk (which is in Dallas) today for $51.00. Now, I have to go up there and get it and figure out some place to KEEP it until Philip moves on.

My class last night went so great - one of the students found the data file that's in the book, so I was finally able to give them something to DO.

I think I need to just work on some simple things and see if I start feeling better here in a little bit.