Heather Ladye, Peddler of Oranges

Rumors

2016-01-28T23:22:14Z

I have heard a rumor that LJ and Dreamdwidth might becoming back into play as social networks. (I may be starting that rumor, but I totally heard it when I said it out loud and therefore I am being truthful.)

Wouldn't that be lovely?

Come on, come on come on, you know want it to be a thing too. Chillin on your own page with the awesome theme you picked or created and all your icons, not to mention that neat filtering system and the way you can tell who responded to whom easily.

Whadda you say?

Play with me?

This entry was originally posted at http://ladyegreen.dreamwidth.org/978981.html. Please comment there using OpenID.

Christmas Cards 2014

2014-11-06T00:58:40Z

It's that time of year again folks, Heather's Christmas Card Drive will be commencing in the next few weeks.

This year though I'm toying with a new idea. Feedback appreciated. On an average year I send out around 60 Christmas or Holiday Cards. That's a lot of postage and right now I'm currently only working 2 days a week.

What if I "crowdsourced"? Would anyone be interested in donating a 1.00 or less to a postage fund maybe through paypal? The more I can pull together the more I can mail out and if people have a request of whom they would like to receive a card I'm happy to do that as well. Either from you or from me, kids love receiving their own Christmas Cards addressed to them as do people who have become rather shut in.

Many people love receiving real mail, especially during Christmas, and I love sending it. I have lots of cards. And I never ask, demand, or push for people to send me a card in return (although, absolutely feel free to do so, I love getting mail). So if I can sort the postage out I can deliver a great deal of cheer this year.

Regardless, I'll start purchasing postage on my next day payday. If you would like a card please message me your email address or email me at ladyegreen@yahoo.com (For Dreamwidth and LJ users comments will be screened if you would like to put your address there.)

If you would like an additional card sent to someone else please make sure to give me that information as well.

I'll put up reminders as I remember so if you want a card this won't be the only post, no worries. I just like to start early so I have plenty of time to get it done in.

H.

Calliope2

2014-01-10T18:15:07Z

Testing. Posting this unlocked to see if you can see it.

I'm going to turn around and post again under friends lock. You should be able to see both.

Sometimes Life Just Sucks & It's OK to Say So

2012-12-04T23:49:41Z

This started off as a comment on a friend's journal and it was getting long in tooth. I moved it here.

Sometimes life just sucks, it's okay to acknowledge that, at least it is with me.

To those of us who are not making it, or are just barely squeaking by:

I'm only making it because a good friend paid the last giant electric bill, another provided groceries, and my husband had an unexpected spurt of overtime. You know what? It sucks living like that.

I kind of feel like that's my role to play in all this madness so many of us are going through, I'm going to be one of those that walks through the heartache, grief, humiliation (and all of us struggling feel this, not one of us wants to be here), and every once in awhile be the one to bald face acknowledge that it sucks being poor, it sucks having to sweat if you can pay your rent, and it sucks worrying about your loved ones.

Because I've noticed this about the net (and in analog life)whenever someone vents about their situation a few things happen. Some people fall silent, they don't know what to say. Some people are silent because they are being judgmental pricks that think you should have done something differently, whatever, those people do well to keep their mouth shut and their fingers off the keyboard. Some people are offer hugs and love, share that they know the feeling (oh, yay, my group) and wish you (or whomever) well.

And then we have the last two, one who is trying to help, and one who is hijacking but may not know they are being malicious. We have the bluebird warblers who want to post something uplifting and have a silver lining, God or Goddess Bless them, they are trying to help. And God or Goddess Bless me, some times I just want to take a damn frying pan to their head. Shut up and let me (or anyone) be miserable for a moment so we can acknowledge reality instead of wishful thinking and re-compose ourselves.

But we all know they are just trying to help and sometimes their's is the voice we most hope to hear because sometimes we desperately need that cheer. So bless them some more may we never lose them.

The last sort... hmmmmmm. The last sort are the ones who want to tell you how horrible they or someone else had it so you can realize by contrast just how well your life is going in comparison. I truly, truly, believe most of these people are really trying to help but like the warblers, they don't know when to cut back some. Being online it's hard to tell when a swift kick to the pants is needed and when it's not. So they unfortunately are the ones that make you feel worse about yourself because it comes across as being schooled, in public, or in a private space that you thought you were safe, for whining.

Which no upset person who is going through trauma needs. Ever.

So I'll say it for those who don't want to come across as whining or ungrateful or just ugly.

Being poor is not heart lifting and it is rarely a choice. Being poor is hard. Being poor means not being able to care for yourself, which is humiliating. Being poor means not being able to provide for your loved ones, which is not just humiliating, it breaks your heart, over and over and over again.

Furthermore, I don't care about your political persuasion but if you really believe 47% percent of Americans just want a government that gives them a hand out than I guess I'll have to get out my big paint brush and say something just as brash, huh? Which is this, are you insane? I don't care that you personally know a mooch. Everyone personally knows a mooch. Good for you.

But the vast majority of people you know are not moochers and you shouldn't treat them as such. Ever.

Elderly, disabled, people trapped in repressed areas, and the working poor do not need your judgmental nonsense and especially not through the holidays.

Okay, I'll go stuff my soapbox away until the next time. Take care and love everyone.

Need tea.

This entry was originally posted at http://ladyegreen.dreamwidth.org/937715.html. Please comment there using OpenID.

Steven Crowder Misses The Point of His Own Wedding

2012-09-20T20:50:29Z

I am in no way joking or being sarcastic. I feel nothing but sadness for this man that this is what he took away from his wedding and new marriage.

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/09/14/staying-celibate-before-marriage-was-best-thing-ive-ever-done/ (Mostly he wants you to know that he did marriage right and anyone not like him didn't.)

Frowns, this poor man missed the point of marriage or joined unions completely. I saw this else where first (a site taking the piss out of his article) but I wanted to make sure that this is what he said.

No hon, you didn't get married "the right way". There is no right way to get married, what is right for you isn't a blueprint for others. My parents were married on Halloween night during a thunderstorm and I believe my mother wore a navy blue dress, my father his military dress uniform. It was right for them and they are still going strong decades later.

My brother was recently married to the love of his life, a couple that has been living together for years. The bride wore purple sneakers under her dress, the ring bearer was their beloved dog Lucy with ribbons in her fur, and it was one of most moving, most wonderful weddings I have ever been to, it was right for them.

You aren't better than my brother and sister in law because you didn't live together first.

You aren't better than anyone for the addition of having abstained from sex. Having sex for the first time on your wedding night isn't a goal anyone need aspire to. It's something you can do, for you, if it feels right too you. Sure. Why not. But it isn't the reason to be married in the first place.

If your main take away from your wedding is a preoccupation with sex and a judgmental call against anyone not like you than I am afraid it is you that did it wrong. And I feel quite badly for you and sad. The feeling one should take away from their marriage (or union) is a euphoria and joy that you have joined together your souls, not your bodies.

I hope in a few years time you realize this and maybe hold one of those services where you renew your vows. You and your wife won't be as young and beautiful, you won't be starting off a new life together, the sex part will have long since been figured out, you'll likely have been shacked up together for years.

Maybe once all those things have been stripped away you can do it the right way and you can remarry your wife because you love her, despite her flaws, despite your flaws, and it can be about your hearts and your souls this time and not about things that in the end don't really matter.

This entry was originally posted at http://ladyegreen.dreamwidth.org/924363.html. Please comment there using OpenID.

Today's Global Experiences Link A Thon

2012-08-06T19:54:02Z

World's 12 worst tourist traps
Cross off this devil's dozen of overpriced, underwhelming sites from your bucket list. Now!

Or disagree completely! Which some people in the comments were happy to do. And I think that's a good thing.

Which cuisine do global travelers love the most?

For me, I'd have to go with the Asian over the Italian or French but to be fair that just falls in line with my general taste in life. Your mileage is destined to vary.

And since we're on food, again, my last two links.

World's 50 Most Delicious Foods (similar name to another article I linked but this is a different list.)

and

Top 50 American Foods

Enjoy.

This entry was originally posted at http://ladyegreen.dreamwidth.org/920192.html. Please comment there using OpenID.

It Made Me Happy

2012-08-03T18:06:18Z

The web is having a bit of ugly behavior over all today and I've reached my limit on the Chick-Fil-A fiasco, not only was I right, they had a record breaking day, but some of the Wendy's down here jumped on the bandwagon too.

So, I went in the other direction. Check out this:

SheWired Featured Artist: The Butch Clothing Company - England

Check out the fantastic clothes! And the comely ladies modeling some of them.

And I need a girlfriend, so I can wear the one of the left with some loafers in brown and she can wear the outfit on the right, with some highly polished shiny black shoes.

And then we go out to a tearoom and sip tea, with scones. I'll have a dashing cane resting against my chair and she'll have a pocket watch and it will be smashing.

I've also decided that she will be tall, because while I'm imagining I might as well have it all, yeah?

(Everyone should know me well enough by now to know I can't stick with being angry or depressed for too long, it's bad for my complexion.)

This entry was originally posted at http://ladyegreen.dreamwidth.org/919636.html. Please comment there using OpenID.

Dear Politics

2012-08-02T03:42:21Z

My Republican Friends: I'm going to be doing a lot of screaming about your party in this entry because while I love you and I know most of you are perfectly reasonable people I do not feel the same way about your party as whole. In fact, I think you guys need to clean house and start over with better reps. All things considered you may not want to read and I encourage you not to if it is going to cause problems between us. Ta.

Dear Politics,

I wish I could quit you. Hard.

Let's just be honest, I hate you and you know it. If people weren't being such absolute asses and using rubbish logic all over the place I wouldn't have to talk about you. Do you have any idea how happy that would make me?

I would be content to just toddle on down to the voting place on election days and vote quietly and without discussing it. I'd be thrilled to never even have to think about it to be quite honest. I'd love to believe that even if I didn't vote it wouldn't matter because my country is full of intelligent beings who think things through to the end and are capable of making rational decisions. I'd love to believe that if they voted one way and I the other that I could still believe with all sincerity that it would be good for America either way.

But, no, I don't. I don't believe any of that. I'm suppose to be all fair is fair and both sides have issues and whatever else but that's not me today and it's not this post. I don't feel like being fair at all.

Only one side of this equation is dragging Christianity out as an excuse for legislating hate.

Only one side of this is having a group of mostly white, overly privileged males, think they know what's best for a woman and her body.

Only one side of this has people who believe that they have the right to "take back" America from, you know, other law abiding Americans who are either a different religion, different skin color, or different orientation than them.

Only one side has people that I know and love defending their actions because they are fear filled chicken littles who can't be bothered to read actual facts before running their mouths.

Only one side wants to believe that it doesn't matter how many human rights are violated as long as they can believe that their tax money won't be used to help someone they consider unworthy.

Only one side is trying to drag America away from core American beliefs and it's the side that thinks they are saving America.

And you know, I don't want to care about this anymore. I don't. I'm an introvert, a gemini, a writer, and a dreamer. I do not want to be here. I want to be sitting on a beach writing a book about aliens damn it. I'm wasting valuable life time on this.

But I'm here. I'm here because someone has to hold the damn line so that the other side doesn't drag the USA into a pit of third world mentality. And I'm pissed about that.

I'm pissed that people think Fox News is a real news source. I'm pissed that they'll believe in death panels but not in birth certificates. I'm royally angry that the lives of women are going to be endangered because people against choice would rather they die in hospitals from complications than understand that if you don't have the education of an OB/GYN or are a woman then you have no business even attempting to make legislation regarding pregnancies. I'm absolutely livid that straight people are so unbelievably eaten up with entitlement that they think they have the right to define what a marriage is or isn't and thereby what a family is or isn't.

And I'm fighting tooth and nail against the creep of the religious right because I'll be damned if I'm going to sit by idly and watch the USA become like Iran or Iraq because a vocal group of Christians can't seem to understand that if they put God into the government than the government is going to be able to dictate how you worship God.

They are marching along fearlessly and blind, just begging to have their right to worship as they see fit taken away from them when what they ought to be doing is pumping the hand of every atheist, every pagan, every agnostic, buddhist, jewish, catholic, muslim, and the entire Christian Left for saving their sorry hides from their own stupidity.

They don't want to pay taxes, they don't want the rich taxed fairly, they are terrified of the government mandating health care, and damn near about to pee on themselves at the idea that their gun might be taken away, because they don't trust the government and they don't want the government in their private life but when it comes to gays, women's rights, or religion suddenly they are all about how much they can get the government to legislate. Whole different attitude when it isn't them on the proverbial fire.

And I seriously have come to the conclusion that some of them are out of their minds. You don't have to believe in Global Warming to know using the earth as a trashcan is a bad idea. Would you trash your own house or neighborhood? No? Connect the dots then.

I want to sit them down hard and say to them do you like worshiping in your own church your own way? You do realize that the way other Christian churches worship isn't identical right? Do you want the government to tell you how to worship? Because that's what your asking for when you keep meddling with the line between Church and State. And no, the Founding Fathers weren't creating a Christian Nation and they had very good reasons for not doing so. Please feel free to read a history book or two and then pay attention to how every theocracy in the world is managed and buy a clue. I think I resent this more than anything else. I'm out here every single day killing myself with worry and stress to save you from yourself and I really don't appreciate it.

Or maybe I don't like being a second hand citizen having to put up with a bunch of entitled people constantly whining that it's so unfair that they have to be nice to people who are brown, or black, or native, or gay, or trans, or whatever their cup of whine is this week. We are a nation that took the land we are built on away from the people who originally lived here and then built a nation on top of it completely on the back of immigrants. We are one of the biggest melting pots in the world and it made us successful. And what are they doing? Whining. Incessantly.

And I really love, more than I can say, that my right to protect myself and my family is something that one side of this debate doesn't care about at all. Why worry about the LGBT and the human rights struggle they are going through when they can just cheerily post as a comment that I'll feel better about it when they have lower taxes. No I won't.

I'm not even going to touch on how much misinformation there is regarding taxation and the Republican party. If they're too lazy to research things themselves and believe some blowhard on the radio or TV that's completely their issue. I'm still going to be in the way with my vote come election day.

And what is with that rubbish anyway? It's not like they haven't been told and a person can't figure it out that the country has to have taxes to run properly. It's been said over and over again. Personally I'm to the point that I think it might do a few of them some good to drive on a bridge that collapses because there is no money for infrastructure and find out that the police and emergency squad can't get to them because of cutbacks to the staff. Long as they aren't seriously hurt they might learn a few important lessons while they sit there waiting for help.

Military - taxes. Police Officers - taxes. Jails to put all the people we are hell bent on incarcerating - taxes. Potholes - taxes. Teachers - taxes.

And while I'm screaming, when they want to cut what they consider entitlement programs, please follow the word problem all the way through to the end. When money is cut it doesn't just mean that the dude they are convinced is getting their entire paycheck to eat steak with and drive a Caddy doesn't get is check. It means they hire less workers to process the claims and all of it backs up. It means that there aren't enough social workers to make sure the right people are getting the right help and the wrong people aren't. It means mistakes that costs lives. It does not and will never mean that they did the right thing and they've struck a blow for America. It means they chose to hurt people rather than elect people who promise and are held to spending our tax money appropriately.

I bloody hate politics. I hate election year. I hate that someone who is not me thinks they get to tell me what to do with my body. I hate that these same people want to scream about "obamacare" because no one should have control over their bodies. I hate that somehow they don't see that and wonder if maybe some irony isn't running amok here. I hate that being one of the letters in LGBT means that I will likely spend the rest of my life fighting so that the young people coming up behind me are better protected than they are today. I hate that I have to struggle to keep Christians from hurting themselves and others because for some reason they think they are the exception to the rule when it comes to religion and politics.

I hate all of this.

And I hate that all I am struggling with is going to be dismissed or have some rubbish argument thrown at it because some people are so ate the hell up with entitlement issues that they truly believe that the only USA that should exist is the USA that looks and thinks like them.

And that's all dear politics, we are not friends. I'm in the only party that has enough power to go up against a party that has collectively lost its mind and frequently throws temper tantrums that would shame a four year old. I hate that this is necessary as I'd much rather be an eccentric writer living in a hostel somewhere than what I am doing now.

And with God as my witness I'll be glad to the see back of the 2012 election year.

No love,

Me.

P.S. I don't care if you own a gun or not, as long as you are reasonably sane and know how to use a fire arm properly it's none of my business. But then again, I've never lost a child or a loved one do to a gun either and therefore usually try to stay neutral on this argument.

This entry was originally posted at http://ladyegreen.dreamwidth.org/919396.html. Please comment there using OpenID.

Japanimation Among Other Things

2012-07-30T06:31:14Z

Long time since I've seen that particular word mash up used. *Smiles* I have a lot of really fantastic memories tied to that word. Moving along, I've pulled some interesting articles from CNN GO to share and I recommend clicking around but mind the comments section (one of the great over reaching rules of the internet, yeah? There is always an unpleasant person in the comments section.)

Mostly Japanese this go round, a dash of South Korean, and all the other lovely links each article will lead you too. ^______^

Freaky and Fantastical Dolls, Seoul Doll Fair 2011 Some are Ball Jointed Dolls which I am a fan.

Coolest Manga Pictures You'll Ever See which is a bit stretching I believe but this is still a fantastic photography art project. (Definitely avoid comments, unless you are fond of people who use the word 'Meh' and like to proclaim what is and what isn't news.)

The Cooling Off of the Japanese Anime Boom I found this to be a bit sad and glum. It's a few years old though and perhaps the situation isn't as bad off as it seems. I'm all for a revival myself.

The Best Ten Places To Experience Tokyo In Peace Several of these look like perfectly lovely adventures to go and have.

And if you are going to have an adventure, you're going to want to eat at some point, Forty Tokyo Foods We Can't Live Without

This entry was originally posted at http://ladyegreen.dreamwidth.org/917837.html. Please comment there using OpenID.

Always being plugged in

2012-07-27T17:28:20Z

I've skimmed this and intend to reread it a bit later and a lot slower. (My son is playing sonic the hedgehog behind me and I absolutely cannot gain any kind of concentration on my part.)

My opinion on the matter is still developing.

Article, Is the internet making us crazy, what new research says

This entry was originally posted at http://ladyegreen.dreamwidth.org/917645.html. Please comment there using OpenID.

Chick-Fil-A

2012-07-26T17:49:41Z

The Open To Everyone and Free to Share Post

So you are supporting Chick-Fil-A during its recent controversy and your reasoning is that they should not be "punished" for sticking by their beliefs and values. Some of you are more honest and admit you don't like the LGBT and you feel as a Christian you are being persecuted. All right. I'm not here to change your mind.

But I am going to attempt to clarify. First off, Chick-Fil-A is not being punished for their beliefs. It's a smart move to have presented it that way and excellent spin by those in the media supporting them and there internet base. I can't stress that enough, smart as a whip, it was terribly easy to wind all of their supporters up on the base of that. But it doesn't make it true.

The reality is that America is predominately Christian, claiming that you are being persecuted or Chick-Fil-A is is simply wrong. People who are LGBT would love to give all their business and money only to places that support them but the reality for them is every day they have to make a choice and fork over money to any number of business and people that degrade them constantly. We are a very small portion of a very large population. And it has long been known that this chain was not friendly toward us.

What has happened is the noise ratio has gotten louder. Jim Henson's company found out precisely who they were in bed with and opted not too. That is not persecution whatsoever neither is it punishment. If you are going to claim your stance is because they should have their beliefs respected then show the same respect to Henson's company. The puppeteer and voice of Scooter (The Muppets) happened to be homosexual and after he passed Scooter was retired out of respect, which is why he is not in The Muppets Christmas Carol. The character has since returned but Jim Henson and his company have had their beliefs and values for years as well and it just so happens that Chick-Fil-A's and theirs do not align. If you demand respect for one, than I demand respect for the other.

The second point, the one that really needs to be made. Chick-Fil-A is playing the victim here and it's embarrassing. What's wrong with the words belief and values as they are being used is they sound so innocent and sweet. We're just a poor Christian chain just trying to do the best we can and do business by our beliefs and values. Beliefs are one thing, actions are another and the truth, the facts, are that this business has donated millions to anti-gay movements and known hate groups. That's what the real issue, it's not that they don't believe gays should be married, it's that they are funding, substantially, people who go out of their way to destroy, demean, and ruin the lives of people they don't even know. That's not a very Christian value if you ask me. I don't think the Jesus I believe in would go for that and I don't think the Christians I know should go for that either.

Again, if beliefs are too be respected for Chick-Fil-A, than it's only fair that you respect those of Henson Co and the individual who does not want their money going to known hate groups.

As far as the Mayor of Boston goes, change out the minority and see if you still have a problem, if a chain came in that only hired white males and donated millions to the KKK and Aryan Brotherhood because that's what their beliefs and core values were would you want them in your neighborhood? Are you going to take to every social media outlet and preach how you're just defending that poor company from unfair persecution? Because it's identical. You can hide behind the Bible but it doesn't make it right.

And I like Facts:

http://equalitymatters.org/factcheck/201207020001

This entry was originally posted at http://ladyegreen.dreamwidth.org/917147.html. Please comment there using OpenID.

Brace for Impact

2012-07-26T12:50:09Z

Climate Change Effects, Things We Stand To Lose

I don't do as much posting on environmental causes as I used too, mainly because I believe it's a lost cause. I think what comes next is how we deal with what was once and what will be.

We'll make better air conditioners and heaters and eat fake food before we'll make real change.

This entry was originally posted at http://ladyegreen.dreamwidth.org/916861.html. Please comment there using OpenID.

The War on Error

2012-07-26T11:32:32Z

This entry was originally posted at http://ladyegreen.dreamwidth.org/916657.html. Please comment there using OpenID.

Good Morning People

2012-07-25T09:41:39Z

Is anyone hungry? Because I am. So many scrumptious things, so little time.

Ultimate Guide to Chinese Dumplings

I have kid-in-a-candy-store eyes for these. So pretty and lovely. I'm absolutely sure they will go well with either my green tea with mint or my oolong tea with lavender.

Now if only I knew how to properly cook any of them I could make them for myself and have a fantastic dinner party with all my favorite people, which of course means I'd have to invite all of you.

^____^

This entry was originally posted at http://ladyegreen.dreamwidth.org/915774.html. Please comment there using OpenID.

Twist in my Sobriety

2012-07-25T03:23:55Z

This entry was originally posted at http://ladyegreen.dreamwidth.org/915493.html. Please comment there using OpenID.

Financial Stuff

2012-07-24T10:01:00Z

I'm working on not being stupid about my life anymore. Feel free to ignore as I'm using my DW/LJ as a bookmarking service. It's where it can be seen in case anyone else wants the information.

Mint, Personal Finance and Budget web service

Mint review, plus other sites that I want to explore.

I used to use Quicken but I haven't in years now because it kept effing up and this was back in what seems like the old days when Quicken was part of a suite of software that came with my Gateway.

I have no investments, no savings, no retirement. I'm 39. Scary huh? I keep trying to get a safe, firm base behind me and life keeps knocking me over. *Dusts self off, here we go again*

This entry was originally posted at http://ladyegreen.dreamwidth.org/914777.html. Please comment there using OpenID.

Aurora Colorado

2012-07-20T10:57:44Z

My niece and her fiance live in Aurora. My sister called me first thing in the morning to let me know that she and her fiance were not at the theater, trying to catch me before I saw it on the news.

Breathes.

14 shot dead at dark knight rises screening in Aurora, Co.

The story is breaking.

What a messed up world.

This entry was originally posted at http://ladyegreen.dreamwidth.org/914583.html. Please comment there using OpenID.

Walk in the Light

2012-07-18T22:12:45Z

(Short vacation, huh? Just joking. I'm just passing through and was doing my daily skim through of social networks, but one of you said something I felt was really important on a locked entry and I thought it was such a good point I expanded it with my own thoughts on the matter. And now I'm going away again. Much love and take care.)

Let's just take a minute here to be human on a basic level. I read a really good entry by a friend that is locked. She made a good point. The cost of living has risen in extreme measures while wages have stagnated. There is a group of people in this world that instead of grasping the enormity of the situation spend all there time saying things that make them feel justified for being, basically (when stripped down), petty. If you are one of those people you should stop. How to know if you are one of those people? Check and see if your internet comments are about how everyone else needs to learn to live with less, the apt quote I saw, eat hotdogs and hamburger instead of steak and shrimp. If you are that person? You are saying those comments to thousands of people who are eating beans with one hotdog cut up in it so they can stretch out the protein with the other 7 or 9 in the pack for other substandard dinners and you are the problem. You are petty, you are more concerned with your self than taking a long, hard look around at everyone else that is suffering with you and beside you. And you primarily say the things you do so that you have someone to conveniently blame and having doled out that blame, feel better. And you should stop. You are not alone in the suffering nearly all the of the population in America right now is suffering on some level. Only the very top isn't finding themselves wondering where the prosperity we all felt we could have went. You could lock arms with the rest of us who are sharing tips, real tips, on how to survive the sinking of the Titanic or you can sit in your lifeboat and complain some more about how all those other people who are in the same "boat" as you are obviously to blame. Pro-tip: If you comment that you work hard and you just don't want someone who doesn't deserve it to see a dime of your tax money you did not understand the message I just wrote. Cheaters cheat, that's what they do. The world is not made of them, America is not made up of them, and regardless of what you want, they are still going to cheat. It's their nature. The people you are really hurting with your attitude (and votes) are people just like you who just want to make it one more day, feed their kids one more day, survive a devastating set back one more day and somehow scrabble back out of the bleakness and despair they fell into. They want to be productive, healthy, people that give back to the others and while you are complaining they are helping each other one faint finger and toe grip at a time up a mountain. You can be better than this because I don't believe you are bad people either. I believe you are scared people and that fear has turned to anger and anger needs a scapegoat. Let it go. You can walk in the light. It's a choice.

This entry was originally posted at http://ladyegreen.dreamwidth.org/914217.html. Please comment there using OpenID.

I'm Kind Of Around

2012-07-18T01:53:01Z

...but not really. I'm not taking one of my full time net-cations but I am on the down low. I'm watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer, reading books, and working on my notes trying to get a feasible outline together for one of my projects. (And the rest of daily life of course).

Also intend to finish Verge of Something Wonderful in the FAKE fandom, it's getting top writing priority because it should have been finished and I don't like loose ends out there, I hate when online writers leave things unfinished so I shouldn't do it myself. (I've already said this in another post, this is the reminder, I worked on it some the last few days and have more work yet to do.)

I'm in a mood for fall and winter to be here already and to have hot cups of tea, chocolate chip cookies and a mind full of stories and characters. Christmas in July in a manner of speaking (the parts I like anyways).

If I miss anything important going on I apologize in advance. Checking in about once a day or so on my social networking (which feels far too much like work some days) and you can reach me via all those channels but I suspect the world will turn just fine without me.

This entry was originally posted at http://ladyegreen.dreamwidth.org/914121.html. Please comment there using OpenID.

Oh, No, No, No, No, No, NO!

2012-07-14T17:51:30Z

You want to click. You do.

The back story on this, which has been lost among the many reloads my other people, apparently the cat has not done this since, apparently this was its reaction to a visitor to the house. It apparently took an immediate dislike to that person and displays it with the ears back and the fur puffed out. Some people feel this was "mean" to the cat. Having not been there I couldn't tell you. I can tell you as the previous owner of a person specific cat sometimes cats just do not like somebody. Mine whenever someone came over they didn't like, after hissing, spitting, and fleeing down the hall would find whatever beloved item of mine was available to pee on. The owners may have gotten off lucky if all this one did was say No, no, no, no.

I think it might be related to the chattering some cats do.

This entry was originally posted at http://ladyegreen.dreamwidth.org/913839.html. Please comment there using OpenID.

Honey, that isn't

2012-07-13T04:34:56Z

I've been reading about this from various sources over the last few weeks. This article has provided a list of honeys they have tested that is missing the pollen, obscuring where the honey came from and diminishing its quality.

Tests show most store honey isn't honey

If anyone else has further information they would like to share let me know, this interests me quite a bit. I find it rather unsettling that something as straight forward as honey is tampered with this way.

I've bought some of the brands listed, Sue Bee for one, because I don't always have an organic option available or I was on limited funds at the time. I'll have to do better in the future.

To be fair, a bit of a rebuttal from the otherside:

Bruce Boynton CEO National Honey Board
01/25/2012
11:00AM
The November, 2011, FSN story on honey may have led readers to believe that any honey without pollen is not real honey. This is not true.
According to the United States Standards, honey can be filtered to remove fine particles, pollen grains, air bubbles and other materials found suspended in the honey1. In fact, the U.S. Department of Agriculture gives higher grades for honey that has good clarity. Importantly, honey that has been filtered to meet USDA’s grading standards may not have pollen, but it is still honey.
Honey is filtered by U.S. packers for various reasons:
1. Many consumers prefer honey that is liquid and stays liquid for a long time.
o All honey crystallizes eventually. Suspended particles and fine air bubbles in honey contribute to faster crystallization. Filtering helps delay crystallization, helping the honey to remain liquid for a much longer period than unfiltered honey.
2. Many consumers prefer honey to be clear and brilliantly transparent.
o The presence of fine, suspended material (pollen grains, wax, etc.) and air bubbles results in a cloudy appearance that can detract from the appearance. Filtering is done to give a clear brilliant product desired by consumers. For the filtered style of honey, USDA Grading Standards for Extracted Honey give higher grades for honey that has good clarity.
o Honey is filtered to remove extraneous solids that remain after the initial raw processing by the beekeeper.
In contrast to the filtration methods used to meet USDA grading standards, ultrafiltration is a more complex process that results in a sweetener product. The FDA says this product should not be labeled honey. The article confuses filtration and ultrafiltration, applying FDA’s position on ultrafiltered honey to any honey without pollen. The fact is filtered honey may not have pollen, but it is still honey by national standards and is preferred by many consumers.
We are all concerned about illegal activities that negatively impact the honey industry, damage the image of honey, or cheat consumers. We support the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in its regulation of honey and oppose any practice that would jeopardize the quality, purity and image of honey.
However, the misunderstanding about ultrafiltration has misinformed consumers. Here’s what consumers need to know:
- Filtered honey is honey by national standards. Filtration removes floating particles, and sometimes pollen, and makes the honey liquid longer and improves clarity.
- Ultrafiltration produces a sweetener that should not be called honey.
- Honeybees make honey from nectar, not pollen.
1 For decades, many U.S. honey packers have been filtering raw honey prior to bottling in accordance with USDA’s United States Standards for Grades of Extracted Honey (May 23, 1985). According to section 52-1393 of the Standards , Filtered honey is honey of any type defined in these standards that has been filtered to the extent that all or most of the fine particles, pollen grains, air bubbles, or other materials normally found in suspension, have been removed. Section 52.1394 of the Standards also says that Pollen grains in suspension contribute to the lack of clarity in filtered style.

This entry was originally posted at http://ladyegreen.dreamwidth.org/913595.html. Please comment there using OpenID.

Anime: FAKE

2012-07-08T19:40:47Z

FAKE, by Sanami Matoh, is a Boy Love manga. The boys though are actually full grown men who are cops, so consider it heads up that this has a homosexual theme. There is one OVA from the series. The art for the manga and anime are common for that time. The author was doing a new series for FAKE, with a new art format, very modern but unfortunately it seems to be on hiatus. (I have a very sad for this as it makes me very unhappy.) I own the original mangas and the OVA. (And the VHS tape because it's that old at the time I bought it there wasn't a DVD out.)

It is my all time favorite anime/manga. Kind of like comfort food I guess. It may not be the most ground breaking or the fanciest but sure is comforting to snuggle up with the mangas on my couch with a good cup of tea. I'm posting this for amethyst_hunter because I like to share and I hope it makes her happy.

Wikipedia entry for FAKE in case people would like information.

A very nice person posted the entire OVA to YouTube. I've made it a playlist. Please watch and enjoy. Warnings: Dee kisses Ryo.(<-----They are lovely together. Sadly the OVA tends to make Ryo look a bit soft and uke, the manga is more equal, Ryo's a badass sniper. Dee is a badass brawler. They look lovely in the mangas as well.) Minor cursing, some violence, murder mystery.

FAKE OVA, English Subtitles

This entry was originally posted at http://ladyegreen.dreamwidth.org/913246.html. Please comment there using OpenID.

More Ladye Life Updates

2012-07-08T16:09:15Z

Working on getting back to essay writing but I'm not quite there yet, same on finishing up old fanfiction (my daughter likes to chew me about that and she should, leaving a story unfinished for two years is bad form). I've done some work (hand written) on my novels but confess that all of June was a complete wipe out for me. Finishing fanfic will be good practice for other none fannish writing projects.

Sailor Moon has new animation coming out in 2013. I'm interested. I'd like to see how it goes and if it will be the beginning of a wave of updated animes from the 90's. Now that would peek my interest quite a bit more if it were to happen. Right at the moment I'm watching a few of my favorite animes because I do things by moods and this was the right mood for me.

I can't remember the last time I played a video game. As tsubaki_ny says, phases. I feel badly though. I have games. Games I really, really wanted, even if I did wait to buy them used and depreciated. And then...nothing. Phases, indeed.

I have a ton of books to read. A lot of which I bought on clearance and then promptly used as a decoration instead of reading. Says a lot about the last five years of my life that I haven't been reading or playing video games. Phases are one thing, depressed is another, huh?

I have baked brownies. I have dinner cooking in the crockpot. I am staring at the laundry and will hopefully convince myself to fold it. Perhaps. Maybe. It's possible.

I have found and loved on my Neo by Alphasmart. I have a slightly older model than the one she reviews but I can attest to how much I love it as a writing tool.

I'm doing all right. Peddling Oranges as it were, enjoying the small things. Right now I'm enjoying the second cup of a mint and green tea blend. My husband found it at Big Lots, a box of hundred for 4.50, organic with unbleached bags, and delicious. My husband doesn't drink tea and even he commented that they smell fantastic.

Not doing a lot of deep, meaningful thinking about life today. Just enjoying the day, enjoying that physically I am having a good day, and trying to decide between writing and reading.

Much love.

This entry was originally posted at http://ladyegreen.dreamwidth.org/913010.html. Please comment there using OpenID.

Project Me

2012-07-02T01:08:59Z

I'm glad to lay this year's June to rest. It was a hard month.

This is a State of the Ladye address, expect rambling and odd bits.

There is a tremendous storm outside at the moment with rolling thunder and much lightening. Very atmospheric. Fantastically, it dropped the temperature several degrees.

I'm having a bit of consumer/internet/modern life saturation and am looking for ways to release some of the pressure. There was a secret on post secret that spoke to me, of me, all though it is not my secret.

That's kind of sad isn't it? Ahh, well, life tends to happen along the way and we all do as we can I suppose. I'm struggling with my attention span lately, having a hard time remaining focused on any one thing. My ADD is acting up significantly. I also tend towards the theory that the internet is training many of us to have shorter attention spans. Filed under flaws I don't like and traits to be worked on.

My daughter is still off in Texas/New Mexico. I wish she was home. My mind isn't able to let go of its worries. I chew my nails, metaphorically, every day. I have no idea how I am going to adjust when both the children are grown and moved out. If my son is to be believed that moment will never come as far as he is concerned. Me being me, that just translates into me worrying about his emotional maturity. I have a bad case of mother hen complex I'm afraid.

I'm having a spell of weariness with the world. It comes and it goes. Still struggling with the faulty filter in my brain, entering a period of silence again, before I was having a problem keeping my mouth shut when things irritated me (or people). It really bothered me that I often found a sarcastic reply flying out of my mouth before I could stop it. Now I'm kind of curled in on myself and seeking the quiet. I'm not amused or engaged with the vast amount of deliberate ignorance I see going on these days. It's a horrible, slithery feeling in my spine, yeah? My Facebook has seen me using the feature to block posts quite a bit recently. I suppose I'll kick back out again in a few months and pick up where I left off, tackling sensitive subjects and ideas and trying to make a change for the good. Nothing with me ever lasts, not even my personality, it'll all come round again.

Sipping tea and quiet for now though.

This entry was originally posted at http://ladyegreen.dreamwidth.org/912142.html. Please comment there using OpenID.

Mini-Itty-Bitty-Vacation-Downtime

2012-06-16T18:28:46Z

I was awake at 3:30 this morning. At 4:30 I took a shower. At 5:20am, I left a note taped to the TV and got in my car and left. I was on the beach shortly after the park opened at 6:00am and I stayed my happy self there until nearly 10:00am.

Then I fed myself brunch, by myself, and ate all of my own food. (My kids know I don't eat as much as them and frequently not full meals so they are usually hovering.)

I went to the dollar store and touched EVERYTHING, some things I touched twice, as I meandered up and down the isles. No one asked me for anything and I thought that was quite nice.

Then I stopped to get gas, then I found a little tiny thrift store and found a treasure, a cream and sugar set that are made to look like shells. They are tiny. I will take a picture. I paid a 1.25 for them. They make me happy and have no real purpose in existence other than they made me happy.

Found a few clothes items for Jazz for .25cents a piece for her trip. For those who do not know my baby is taking her first big trip away from home. She is taking her first airplane ride tomorrow to Texas and will will be there for three weeks with Cassie, her best friend. (The one whose mother was in a wreck.) It's Cassie's father's summer visitation and he invited Jazz to come along. So while I ran away today because I needed too and the kid's were asleep anyway, come tomorrow I will be a soggy mess of tears, because I'm like that.

I feel good. I have walked on the beach. I watched the sun come up on the drive there. I walked Atalaya Castle, which is the best dollar you will ever spend. Also, if you come with me and you use my year pass, you can get in free. There was a group there at the beach doing some sort of religious service, everyone was dressed in white and there was singing. I stayed back from them to give them privacy but it was lovely. I also took an hour out to sit and read on one of the park benches in the sun.

I feel darn near human.

This entry was originally posted at http://ladyegreen.dreamwidth.org/911858.html. Please comment there using OpenID.