Our Life Cycle

I think the life cycle is all backwards...

You should start out dead and get it out of the way.

Then, you wake up in an old age home feeling better every day.

You get kicked out for being too healthy; go collect your pension,

then when you start work, you get a gold watch on your first day.

You work 40 years until you're young enough to enjoy your retirement.

You drink alcohol, you party, you're generally promiscuous and

you get ready for High School.

You go to primary school, you become a kid , you play, you have

no responsibilities, you become a baby, and then...

You spend your last 9 months floating peacefully in luxury, in

spa-like conditions; central heating, room service on tap, larger

quarters every day, and then, you finish off as an orgasm.

I rest my case.

A little humor...

Remember, it takes a college degree to fly a plane but only a high school diploma to fix one.

After every flight, Qantas pilots fill out a form, called a "gripe sheet," which tells mechanics about problems with the aircraft. The mechanics correct the problems, document their repairs on the form, and then pilots review the gripe sheets before the next flight. Never let it be said that ground crews lack a sense of humor.

Here are some actual maintenance complaints submitted by Qantas' pilots (marked with a P) and the solutions recorded (marked with an S) by maintenance engineers.
By the way, Qantas is the only major airline that has never had an accident.

P: Left inside main tire almost needs replacement.
S: Almost replaced left inside main tire.

P: Test flight OK, except auto-land very rough.
S: Auto-land not installed on this aircraft.

P: Something loose in cockpit.
S: Something tightened in cockpit.

P: Dead bugs on windshield.
S: Live bugs on back-order.

P: Autopilot in altitude-hold mode produces a 200 feet per minute descent.
S: Cannot reproduce problem on ground.

P: Evidence of leak on right main landing gear.
S: Evidence removed.

P: DME volume unbelievably loud.
S: DME volume set to more believable level.

P: Friction locks cause throttle levers to stick.
S: That's what they're for.

P: IFF inoperative.
S: IFF always inoperative in OFF mode.

P: Suspected crack in windshield.
S: Suspect you're right.

P: Number 3 engine missing.
S: Engine found on right wing after brief search.

P: Aircraft handles funny. (I love this one!)
S: Aircraft warned to straighten up, fly right, and be serious.

P: Target radar hums.
S: Reprogrammed target radar with lyrics.

P: Mouse in cockpit.
S: Cat installed.

P: Noise coming from under instrument panel. Sounds like a midget pounding on something with a hammer.
S: Took hammer away from midget

Have a happy day!

Took hammer away from midget....LOL

Just trying to do something...a little experimenting.

I'm trying to do something with this photo. This is not an actual post. I just need to know its properties. But, feel free to use it as a desktop background...or print it out and get a frame.

(snicker...snicker...snicker)

Pictures from the Trail...in addition to the others

Passion flowers in the vines along the ground.
A view of the Colorado River from the deer runs we were following.

The vines stretched overhead like an archway.

Looking out through the trees into the rolling hills.

Another view of the Colorado

I call this one "Perspective".


After the fact, headed to work to show off my dirty clothes.

I took so many photos that I would need to have 6 or 7 posts for them all. So I hope you enjoy the ones I have shared. And I hope they didn't take too long to come up.

Trail meeting photos

These were the weather conditions as we headed out into the woods. There is actually a river flowing through down there.

The old road leading us back into the pecan trees.

I thought this was neat where a vine had wrapped itself around a tree and the tree has grown around it.

One of the views of the Colorado river from the deer runs.

A Passion flower in a clearing. There were many growing wild. One of natures more ornate flowers. It's actually a little more purple in color, but it was such a gray day. I don't know if you can see the vine behind it but it's a beautiful fuschia color.

The Birding Trail Meeting

Our CEO got called out of town unexpectedly. She told me to go to the Birding Trail meeting this morning to represent the chamber. I've been to many different trail meetings and museum meetings, council...etc. She tells me it's out at our outdoor amphitheater at 8:30 a.m. I get dressed to go to an outdoor meeting...cargo capris, tank top, button down short-sleeve shirt, sandals (not dainty, but more like a dressed up river shoe), make-up and hair just blown out all messy (we were going to be outside and I figured I would just go for the windblown look in advance.)

On my way there it is drizzling. I get there and two of the group were talking and I notice they are in jeans and hiking boots, with rain jackets. Well...aren't they prepared. The other three to be in attendance show up and they ask if we are ready to go see what the terrain looks like. At this moment I realize I am going on a hike. I pull the hair back in a ponytail, put on the ball cap from the backseat (rain is still slowly coming down...sideways), grab my camera and a pen and fold up some paper for my pocket.

I had the best time. I found out that this meeting was to have an expert tell us how hard he thought it would be for us to put in a birding and nature trail down along the river. It was unchartered territory for me...and I loved it. I had no idea it was all down there.

See, it used to be a pecan orchard/grove. Some of the trees still have the tags on them. We saw some really interesting grafting on some of the trees. We got offof the main trail and got back into some deer runs that were beautiful. I felt kinda bad when we scared a group of deer off. Didn't have my camera ready for that, it was raining and I had to protect it. (need some underwater casing or something) Four of the group are naturalists & birding enthusiasts and I learned so much. Like immediately shut up when a bird starts singing. (Caught on to that real early)

He said he thought it could work, and we think so too.

I called my CEO and thanked her for allowing me to go on an early morning hike in the rain in my work clothes. She apologized and said you really didn't think we were just meeting outside to sit around and talk...

I guess if I'd had an agenda I would have known. Oh well, I had a great time, for real. I am actually planning to canoe that part of the river so that I can see from the other angle.

I've made many attempts to post the pictures in this. I'll try to post them separate.

Tagged...

I have issues with blogger. I just typed up a post and was completely finished. I went to do spell check, it said it blocked a pop-up, would I allow it, I said yes and my damn screen went blank. Grrr...

So here it is again...

Thanks to my buddy MarkD60 for tagging me. I know he's dieing to find out what's in my.........purse, fridge, closet & truck. Right Mark (wink, wink).

In my purse...

SD card reader, phone, keys, 3 Wal-mart receipts, reading glasses, cash & change, checkbook, datebook, rolodex card holder (for 24 others & mine), small make-up bag (lip tint, mascara & compact), Aleve, brush & clip, small Coconut Lime body cream, 2 pens, DL, debit card, Capital One Platinum card

In my fridge...

bacon, eggs, 4 different kinds of cheese, ham, ribeye for dinner, potatoes, lots of raw veggies, butter, SKYY Vodka, pasta sauces, red wine for cooking, cookie dough, lemon juice, several different salsas, half & half, Propel, biscuits in a can, any condiment you could possibly want for mexican, italian, chinese, salads or barbecue

In my closet...

Clothes (winter & summer), my old letter jacket, shoes and boots, jewelry shelves with jewelry, drawers for my supplies for making jewelry, 2-drawer filing cabinet, Bear-bear (I got him when I was 4 from my dad), boxes from various electronic devices, luggage, photo boxes, puzzles, the original 1932 blueprints to my house (before the remodel), a window to the outside (because of the remodel)

In my truck...

CDs, phone charger, insurance papers, air freshener, UT Horns ball cap, and because of the ribbon cutting and Business After Hours meeting I just came from...enormous pair of scissors, green ribbon and two bows, raffle tickets, name tags, Directories, the 1st place trophy from theTCCE media contest for our amazing directories, and my camera that I need to go get.

5 people to pass it on to...

This is the end of the line for this one, everyone I know has already done it. Sorry.

Now Mark, you do know that I can now say that I've been tagged by you. You can also say that you were tagged by three women at the same time.

What a man!

My favorite poet

I had a friend who knew me very well where I used to live. He was like a best friend. We had alot in common. Our blindness to one another included...if that makes any sense. I sometimes reflect on how much fun we had and wonder why we didn't end up together as a couple, then I read my favorite poem and the reason is clear. I just appreciate the good times we had.

While I was decorating his deck area around the pool to look like a Mexican beer joint (FYI...It Rocked!) he brought me a poem that was in a book he was reading. He said, "I thought you might like this, it's about people like us." He was right.

It has remained a favorite since then...

The Double Life

by Don Blanding

How very simple life would be
If only there were two of me
A Restless Me to drift and roam
A Quiet Me to stay at home.
A Searching One to find his fill
Of varied skies and newfound thrill
While sane and homely things are done
By the domestic Other One.

And that's just where the trouble lies;
There is a Restless Me that cries
For chancy risks and changing scene,
For arctic blue and tropic green,
For deserts with their mystic spell,
For lusty fun and raising Hell,

But shackled to that Restless Me
My Other Self rebelliously
Resists the frantic urge to move.
It seeks the old familiar groove
That habits make. It finds content
With hearth and home -- dear prisonment,
With candlelight and well-loved books
And treasured loot in dusty nooks,

With puttering and garden things
And dreaming while a cricket sings
And all the while the Restless One

Insists on more exciting fun,
It wants to go with every tide,
No matter where...just for the ride.
Like yowling cats the two selves brawl
Until I have no peace at all.

One eye turns to the forward track,
The other eye looks sadly back.
I'm getting wall-eyed from the strain,
(It's tough to have an idle brain)
But One says "Stay" and One says "Go"
And One says "Yes," and One says "No,"
And One Self wants a home and wife
And One Self craves the drifter's life.

The Restless Fellow always wins
I wish my folks had made me twins.

Here's some entertainment...

His name is Todd Fritsch. While you are on his website, please vote for him for new male vocalist. The link for it is on the left side of his site. He has a jukebok at the bottom of his homepage. My favorite of his songs is "I don't live here anymore" It's great. I also like "Small Town Radio"...which was written about our hometown radio station, and "First date for the last time"

Let me know what you think.

Well that didn't go as planned

So I finished and posted the last blog and had just begun the reinactment of this morning when the phone rings. Of course like a ding-dong I answer it. Called in to work.

But my called in to work isn't too bad. There's this guy from our county named Todd that's a singer and is really kick ass. He's about to go on his second European tour. Cute as can be, with a voice that makes your heart melt when he's singing a love song. He writes most of his own and they rival anything you hear on the big radio stations. He's like the next George Strait. I've helped his mom Betty out alot with publicity in our area. Totally blitzed everyone for the past week about his concert.

The phone call was my CEO...what are you doing? The music was too loud...she couldn't hear me. She keeps asking "where are you at...I'll come to you." She thought I was out there. I just really didn't feel up to it this evening. But she was so sweet on the phone. She says she has my seat reserved in the front row and some CD's and a shirt set aside for me. I told her I was in my pajamas. (now remember I know her really well...) She says, in a funny smart ass way, "I don't give a shit what your wearing...just get out here!!"

I put my clothes on and went, kinda glad I did. Had a good visit with him before he left the country. He's already played the Grand Ole Opry and has sang the anthem at Minute Maid Park in Houston before an Astros game.

I don't know if this job perk is a blessing or a curse. I'm pooped and going to bed!

Good help is so hard to find

So I ask a friend of mine to show me how to link something in my blog. I never hear a response about it. Well, this morning I get up and I know what I'm going to write about...and I'm putiin' a link in it. How hard can it be?

Well...apparently you have to know all the little tricks. I wrote my blog...edited my colors...made it look just how I wanted it. And then I went to do my link. Highlighted the text I wanted...hit the link button... and then I made the fatal mistake. To get the URL for the site, I navigated away from the post. (Without saving anything mind you) I copied my link went back to my post creation screen and SURPRISE!!! Clean slate...

I was not a happy camper, but...I learned something and now I know.

With that being said, I will now reinact this mornings events with a few changes...

(1) There will be a Lemondrop Martini instead of Coffee,

&

(2) I will not make the same mistake that I did this morning...hopefully.

See you in the next post...

Pajamas

Sometimes my brain just thinks of off the wall stuff. I'm sitting here this morning thinking of something to post...I have kinda made a general rule to myself that I will post what first comes to mind, no filtering it so that it sounds politically correct (that's what my daily job is). And I think, "wonder what people blog in?" Like clothes wise. I look down at my attire. T-shirt and panties...what I slept in. Then I wonder what people really sleep in? So that's my question...

What do you really sleep in? Pajamas, whatever is clean, just your undies, nothing...

In order to get you to answer, I must first throw myself out there...

Mostly what I have on now...T-shirt and panties, but sometimes without the t-shirt. If I have a friend over though, it's all cute nighties.

There, that felt great saying something I couldn't tell an elected official!

And away we go...

Wow...the first post of my blog about myself.

A new friend of mine...I guess I can call him a friend, I read his blog everyday and post comments like I've met him in person. Anyway, he told me that I needed to get my own blog so that I could post naked pictures of myself...haha, just kidding...(really I'm not, but you would've had to be there.)

I pondered on it for a while. I have a "space" that was set up for family to keep abreast of what's up in my life. I haven't posted as often as I should because I get tired of putting bullshit up there of what people want to hear, not what's really going on. They don't want to know how I am...they just want to know that the perfect image is being kept up in the family.

But I want someone out there to know who I am.

I'll try to post each morning over coffee, this way the rants won't get too long. And I'll know that I can start everyday with a clean slate.