Waiting for the scribbles to return

Waiting for the scribbles to return
Originally uploaded by olivander.

Some days are all high notes. Some days are nothing but scribbles.

Mitch, Mitch, Mitch...

You were doing so well. We could hardly believe it when you died, and it was all the sadder because you had (we thought) cleaned yourself up. What happened, man?

Comedian Mitch Hedberg died accidentally in March of "multiple drug toxicity," including cocaine and heroin, Spin magazine reports, citing reports filed by the New Jersey medical examiner's office.

BREAKING NEWS!

Senate Democrats develop spine! Defense spending bill blocked to prevent Arctic Wildlife Refuge oil drilling despite potential political damage! Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

Minnesota: land of 10,000 lakes and 10,000,000 geese.

By the shores of Silver Lake
Originally uploaded by olivander.

Tens of thousands of geese overwinter in a small lake in the middle of town. Some communities get their feathers in a ruffle over a couple of dozen geese (like those at Covell Lake in Sioux Falls, SD), while some communities like Rochester take them in stride and accept them as part of the city's personality. A few years ago, the city purchased a zamboni-like sidewalk cleaner for the express purpose of scrubbing goose droppings from the walkways.

Why Verizon sucks

A friend forwarded this to us. Yes, it's a "friend-of-a-friend" situation, but I have no reason to doubt its veracity.

The world of cell phones. I sometimes wonder why I ever took the plunge.

Besides constantly battling over where we have service and where we don't, paying the dreaded 'over your minutes' bill, giving people the ability to ALWAYS be able to find you and having to deal with customer service representatives.......why? Why do we do this to ourselves?

I know, I know, for convenience, so we can ALWAYS get a hold of our children and they us, in case of emergency, etc., etc.

We have been faithful Verizon customers for over 2 1/2 years now. Our phone died, we called to get it fixed, we were told "it's too old and not
911 compatible, but hey, how about new phones and another year of service?!" Begrudingly, we agreed. New phones arrived. Don't work. Can't program them from our house. Calls were made. New phones were sent. Don't work. More calls were made, new phones were sent (this is the process, they have to send you at least 2 sets of phones before they can determine it is in fact, the phone). Don't work. We can't figure it out, Verizon can't figure it out. We are all stumped. Verizon offers to allow us out of our contract, free to go somewhere else, thank you very much, yada, yada, yada.

Then, the final bill arrives. To the tune of $530.00. Early termination fees for both lines, monthly charges for Oct., Nov. & Dec. (phones were returned the 2nd week of Oct.) and the final kick in the ass - late fees.

Many calls were made. Several customer service agents/supervisors are spoken to. All would be corrected, "very sorry, ma'am", yadah, yadah.

Corrected bill arrives. To the tune of $603.00. Patience running out.

To make a very long story not quite so long - more calls were made today - after 3 months of ME dealing with this shit - the supervisor says to me today, "we're sorry ma'am, but you are not authorized on this account, it is in your husband's name and we cannot talk to you about the bill." Three f*cking months, they have been talking to me - they just discovered it is in John's name?? Wow.

Needless to say, not nice words were spoken, maybe even some swearing.
Now, my husband has to call them and "authorize" me to deal with THEIR screw-ups and try to find someone that works there that could possibly give me about $570.00 in credits, what do you suppose my chances are?

You're right. Slim and none.

I'm going outside to play in the newly fallen 7" of snow, with the kids - to 'cool' off a bit.

Only in my town

Only in my town
Originally uploaded by olivander.

I'm sure there are many divorcees who would be happy to offer their ex's kidneys to this person.

Yard King: kicking wintery ass since 2001.

Yard King: kicking wintery ass since 2001.
Originally uploaded by olivander.

The 8" of snow they forecast turned out to be only 6", and that collapsed to 4" by the time I got home to blow it.

Please read in all the sexual innuendo of that statment as you please.

I'm not an activist, I'm a freedom fighter.

I'm not an activist, I'm a freedom fighter.
Originally uploaded by olivander.

I got that white peace ribbon during the Berkeley People's Park protests years and years ago. Over the years, it has traveled with me, tied to a backpack or tote bag handle, on my jacket pocket, or flying from my car antenna. It's become dingy and tattered with age, but its meaning is as important these days as ever.

She'd be seventeen now.

Today I have discovered...

...that I am too stupid to install Moveable Type.

Imagine

Oct.9.1940 -- Dec.8.1980
Originally uploaded by Rick II.

Desolation

Desolation
Originally uploaded by olivander.

I've felt very disconnected lately. Over the next couple of months, two of my friends are moving out of the country, two more are moving to the east coast, and another is moving to Atlanta. Sometimes I really hate living in the midwest. While it's equidistant from everyplace, it's also equally far away from everyplace. It's a half-full/half-empty sort of deal. But with half of my friends gone, it's just half-empty.