Friday, April 20, 2007

Snippets

* Unfortunately, ambition is often mistaken for ability.

* If perfection exists, it can be found everywhere, in everything. If it doesn't, why are we all trying so hard?

* I watched "An Inconvenient Truth" last night. Can you say BORING? It did confirm my suspicion that the current greed and manipulation of oil companies (along with our complicit dependence) are going to render our planet uninhabitable.

* It's like the red tide. When an algae bloom occurs, all other creatures perish. This is what we're doing to the planet. When our "red tide" occurs, it will be fast and devastating.

* Pantyhose is or are? I can't figure out which sounds right. I know garden hose is singular.

* I'm getting tired of the daily blogging grind. It's coming up on two years now. Maybe I'm out of stories to tell.

* Did you know that mixing ammonia plus bleach plus water makes a noxious gas? Truly, it could send you to the hospital. (Kids, do not try this!)

* Every time I go somewhere, it seems like the return trip takes less time. I don't understand why, but there it is.

* Question? Can anyone tell me which herbs are perennials? I'd like to grow some outside and bring them in for the winter.

* Did you know the act of smiling actually induces mood/hormone changes? Try some smiling exercises next time you're down in the dumps.

* I suspect frowning has the opposite effect.

* In Quebec, employers are forbidden to hire scabs during a strike. To me, this seems to give too much power to the employees.

* I haven't forgotten Daniel, Polt and Boy. You'll get your questions tomorrow.

24 comments:

Tony Adams said...

Go to the entrance of the Canadian Center for Architecture (the real entrance, in back), now turn and face the row of stone townhouses. The one on the western corner has a beautiful little herb/perrenial garden (or at least it used to). The lady of the house is very knwoledgable about plants. We brought her a number of herbs that she incorporated successfully for a year or two and I suspect some of them may still be there.I've forgotten her name . Most herbs will do well for you, but each has his own habit. Avoid tarragon or rosemary as they will not tolerate the cold. Basil is an annual, but your summer is long enough for it. Start with sage. All varieties and flavors of sage will do well. Low growing, attractive purple flower spikes and useful in the kitchen, and dries well. Add some thyme and savory right off. they are fairly reliable.
PS: I think that when words become a chore, your mind is telling you something, and it's OK to set them aside for awhile and do something else (or even nothing at all - like go to Florida) turn to pictures or study something. Don't fight with your natural rhythms. They always win.

Snooze said...

I learned so much about herbs from Farmboyz comment!

I like how you described ambition vs. ability

Anonymous said...

A Bay leaf tree will last for many years if brought inside for the Winter.
Pantyhose are because there are a pair of them.
Just make another outstanding video of spouse anytime you need to take a break from a lot of verbage.
Firing people for going on strike gives the employer too much power.
I have found the opposite effect when traveling. I get there fast and it takes forever to get back home.

Anonymous said...

The return trip thing happens to me to.

Even when you write about nothing, it's interesting.

Happy (warm, finally) weekend! Jane

Jeff said...

hmm... i think it can go both ways for pantyhose-
like her pantyhose are black
or this pair of pantyhose is uncomfortable.

CoffeeDog said...

I think mixing Tide and blech produces agent orange.

Agree it takes longer to get somewhere than it does to come home.

Ambition creates ability; if one has the ambiotn to find things out, and learn, them it'll turn into ability at some point. I am perfect example of that, I am very ambitious at work, but there are MANY things I do not know, but I plow ahead, make boo boos, but in the end I learn and THEN I do know :-)

r said...

Mint. Mint lasts forever. I have both peppermint and spearmint plants that are at least 8 years old.

Also, lemon balm. It's related to mint, so...

Hard for me to say about the cold weather though; I have a rosemary bush that's huge. Probably 3x3 feet in width. I didn't know it didn't do well in the cold.

Scented Geraniums also are pretty hardy if you take 'em inside. You can use them in all kinds of things.

Oh, and have you heard of the "Curry Plant?" It looks like rosemary, but smells exactly like mild curry. I don't know why. My plant's lasted several years.

dantallion said...

I think it's a PAIR of pantyhose, or THESE pantyhose.

Chunks said...

Start making up stories! One day a week you could write a fictional story about one of your fellow bloggers. It could be an exercise in fun! I'd pay to read that.

I'm having a real hard time with things that grow lately. Everything just wants to die.

We got a couple of inches of snow overnight. Shoot me!

Anonymous said...

Tarragon, chives, rosemary, sage, oregano and thyme are all perrenials. Anthing from the mint family is a perrenial, like lavender. They are very difficult to start from seed. Although you can do this, it will take more than one growing season for success. I suggest you start with small plants from a garden centre. Neither rosemary or tarragon will survive the winter unless you bring them inside. I grow these herbs in containers in my kitchen.

Anonymous said...

Pantyhose are a scourge on women. And I adore your perfection comment. I have to agree that if employers have the power to just replace the strikers then they have all the power. In the US at least, where CEOs make absurd and hateful amounts of money, I think anything to give employees some power is good. Of course there are only 12 of us who believe this. Also I just read in my massage book that throwing back the shoulders induces joy. Okay, I'm paraphrasing a lot there. Must go. Ack. Friday is a day late and a dollar short.

dpaste said...

I was going to say chives, too. We had a patch in the backyard growing up that was unkillable.

My hypothesis about the return-trip phenomenon is: Going somewhere new, you don't know where all the landmarks are, so time seems to stretch out unendingly. On the return, you recognize everything you already passed and that creates segments of time that your mind can grasp and quantify, making it seem shorter. Plus (if you are driving) you have more confidence in the route, so you might even go a little faster.

I knew about the smiling thing.

Unknown said...

Dear Nude Dancer.
Tornwordo is thinking of stopping blogging. This must not be allowed to happen. Please come back and give him something to write about. This is your urgent moral duty.
Yours faithfully,
The World.

Laurie said...

love this though i'm having my own randomivity this morning. no i don't care if that's not a word.

GayProf said...

You could always take a hiatus from blogging until your energy returns. It seems like almost everybody is in a down cycle with blogging right now (I know that I am). I also have thought about putting the blog in dry-dock.

On the other hand, didn't you start the blog to focus your writing skills? If this is the case, then powering through the dry spots is allegedly the best way to keep those skills active.

Doug said...

Your red tide analogy is frightening but probably accurate. And we won't see it coming, or we'll ignore those who do.

You could try blogging 3 or 4 days a week. I've cut back my own blogging to about that.

Anonymous said...

Allow yourself to take a day or two (even a week) off--we will survive. Not many bloggers post every single day.

I took your advice and read through Farmboyz'archive (spent most of my workday doing that yesterday)--incredibly well-written stuff. Intimidating even.

Anonymous said...

I have the same sensation about the time difference with going somewhere and coming back. The return trip seems shorter.

An Inconvenient Truth spent so much time saying how terrible everything is then says "but there's still time to turn things around." Maybe, if everyone collectively pulls their head out of their asses. What chance is there of that?

dirk.mancuso said...

You're one of the few bright spots left in my day at this point. Here's hoping the trip to New York gives you oodles of material for months to come.

Unknown said...

Pantyhose are, I would think, just as pants are, panties are, shorts are, etc. Of course 'a pair of anything is' would be correct.

Not hiring scabs is far more peaceful than having to beat them up.

S said...

You mean when I look in the mirror, I don't see perfection?

My world will never be the same... LOL.

**

And, re: the ammonia and bleach example - try peeing in the loo when there's bleach in it (same effect).

A Bear in the Woods said...

Ambition without character and compassion creates a monster.
When writing gets difficult for me I know that growth is just ahead.

A Bear in the Woods said...

And perfection is at the heart of everything.
Biblically the meaning of "perfect" simply means that the object described as perfect has reached it's full and final state, it's most most characteristic state. In that sense, perfection is indeed at the heart of creation.

about a boy said...

i think dantallion is correct. then again i have a crush on dantallion.

i grew rosemary, sage, and lavender last year. and all 3 made it through the winter without having to be pulled inside.

and i smile all the time. even when i dont mean it. ;)