Sunday, June 28, 2009

Artsy Fartsy Sunday

It's a lazy Sunday here. I'm totally goofing off and playing with photo shop. Here are a few items I was working on today.

This little black crow was squawking at me the other day. I snapped a photo of him and have decided that he will make an excellent bookplate.

Don't lick the cactus.



Tucson Gate. Original gate is purple but this feels like India.



Saturday, June 27, 2009

My Car CD player is BiPolar

Yikes, I am currently listening to two polar opposite cd's in my car. I have a book on tape of "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne and am alternating listening to it with Chuck Palahnuik's Pygmy.



The Secret is inspiring and I am listening to it to try and adjust my mind from negative thinking.




When I listen to Pymgy I feel like taking a shower after each chapter. I grabbed this book on tape from the library impulsively. I was not sure I would get beyond the first chapter as the main character speaks in an odd choppy language that causes me to have to listen closely to figure out what he is actually describing. It's truly a disturbing book with lots of violence. Of course, now that I am half way through I can only finish listening and when I am finished.....


shower, with a brillo pad.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Lame Fathers Day

Today was Fathers day. I called my Dad this morning back in the Midwest. The book I ordered for him had not arrived and the box I put together for him is still sitting in the passenger seat of my car.

I bought my husband a fathers day card from the cat but can't remember where I put it.

Last week all of the advertisements in the paper were big hints for gifts for Fathers Day. I had to share this crazy item that was being sold at Bass Pro. Camouflage lounge chairs. I'm not talking the little outdoor chairs but the kind you put in the house. They even have three different cammo patterns. I just thought it was a crack up.






For those about to lounge - I salute you. Happy Fathers Day.

Stress, Let It Go...


An old friend sent the following article on stress to me. I thought I would share as it is a good reminder that holding onto the negative is well... negative.


Stress
A lecturer when explaining stress management to an audience,
Raised a glass of water and asked
'How heavy is this glass of water?'
Answers called out ranged from 20g to 500g.
The lecturer replied, 'The absolute weight doesn't matter.
It depends on how long you try to hold it.
If I hold it f or a minute, that's not a problem.
If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm.
If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance.
In each case, it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.'
He continued,
'And that's the way it is with stress management.
If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later,
As the burden becomes increasingly heavy,
We won't be able to carry on. '
'As with the glass of water,
You have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again.
When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden.'
'So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work down.
Don't carry it home.
You can pick it up tomorrow.
Whatever burdens you're carrying now,
Let them down for a moment if you can.'
So, my friend, Put down anything that may be a burden to you right now.
Don't pick it up again until after you've rested a while.

Sunday, June 14, 2009

EeK a Mouse - Part Deux

Last month I blogged about the mouse that was eating food in our office. He finally went too far and went into a steel file cabinet in my office and ate my private stock of cookies and snacks. Again he avoided anything dark chocolate. Maintenance came by and set a couple of traps.



The Bait....






The result........................... scroll way down.... warning, photo may be disturbing to some.


*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*




And surprise! It was a Rat!

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Tall Blonde Helicopter ~ House Concert

A few years ago I fell in love with a CD titled Fearless by Francis Dunnery. I think I heard the song American Life in the Summertime on the radio and may have bought it based on that song. I've played the crap out of it and it is one of my favorite CD's.

My cousin Ann in Ohio found out from my blog that I am a fan and I found out that she and her husbands are big fans also. They told me about a House Concert that a friend of theirs had in Ohio and how much they enjoyed it.

A few weeks ago Ann kindly sent me a link on Facebook that there was a house concert here in Arizona and that Francis was playing in Litchfield Park. I contacted the organizer Paul and promptly bought two tickets. The concert was on a Friday (last night) which made me very happy as I have a hard time staying up past 9 on a work night. My husband and I met after work in downtown Phoenix and drove to Litchfield Park together.

Throughout the week I totally googled the organizer Paul. (sorry Paul, I just can't help myself) I did twitter searches on Francis and tried to see if there was any buzz about it. There were a few people out there talking and as the week progressed I was more and more intrigued. What will it be like. What sort of people will be there. What sort of house will it be held in. What should I wear.... my monkey mind was going ADD on me.

So hubby and I arrive in Litchfield sooner than expected and do a drive by so we can see where we are going. We had time to kill so we went up tot he Wig Wam resort and had a drink. I felt a little guilty about it because the show had requested that we not have alchohol during the concert but afterwards was ok. Like a kid who is hiding the smell of alchohol from their parents I made my husband chew a piece of gum on the way in and then promptly reminded him not to embarass me. Please behave. Intimate coffee house style entertainment is way out of his box I hoped he would not fidget.
We arrived at the show right about 7. The front room was packed with about 40 chairs and there was a little stage set up in the front of the room. As we walked into the kitchen there was a table set up with some nice homemade food. Mexican my favorite! Paul's sister or wife made all of the food and it was delicious. Great Guacamole.

As we stood in the kitchen eating our food the audience sort of checked each other out, some intros, some just smiles. It was a diverse crowd. I'd say the average age was 45. Lot's of men with beards. During the show Francis asked what our backgrounds were. There was a good mix, Mexican, Irish, Sicilian, Polish....Looking beyond appearances the group seemed very nice and kind and open. We all came together because we like the music of Francis Dunnery.

I'm used to looking at my Fearless CD and the image of Francis. (Frank). He is older now and has short cropped hair. He has a beautiful Irish face and the voice of an angel. He plays guitar like nobody's business. It was amazing for me to hear his voice live in such an intimate setting. This is a voice that I listen to often. It felt almost strange to hear it acoustic in a living room. When you listen to music like that over and over it becomes a familiar friend and now my friend was right there in front of me. He has wonderfully beautiful lyrics and I was smitten.

The show was not only about music. Francis shared stories about his life and his beliefs in a humorous down to earth manner. It felt like musical psycho therapy with a message. I found it lovely and inspiring and I am very impressed with his openness. I find that brave.

So in short. The show was excellent. It was in a setting that was out of my comfort zone but that made it all the more fun and memorable. If you have the opportunity to go to a house show in your area I would highly recommend it. Keep an open mind and go with the flow. It's worth the experience.

Francis closed with his song Good Life. Which was a perfect ending to a beautiful intimate concert.




Thursday, June 11, 2009

Gary Thursday


My cat's an honor student.
And he loves glee club.
Sorry... boring night.



Saturday, June 6, 2009

Not-so-brilliant Landscape Design and Man Eating plants.

When we bought our home we decided to have a pool. Once the pool was in we had to decide on landscaping. We thought that desert plants would be the best solution so we would not have to spend additional money and effort watering tropical plants. I know, cactus and barefooted bodies don't sound like they would go together well but we don't have children and we figured we would be able to avoid accidents by falling into a cactus since we are adults and all. (this has only happened twice so far)
We hired a landscaper. He brought in some cactus, agave, ocotillo and some other blooming plants. One area of our yard that was of concern was the corner with the unsightly pool pump. It's huge and white and very visible. (See ugly photo above)

The landscaper planted some spikey sort of plant (I can't remember the name for the life of me). He told us this was a great plant and that it would grow fast and soon cover the pool pump. What we didn't realize was that periodically we would have to go to the pool pump for maintenance. What we also didn't realize was that the plants were actually a form of barbed wire and that when you walk through it the plant rips the crap out of your clothes and skin and also leave little cactus like barbs. Now when ever I go back there I come out bleeding.
My next complaint is that the huge white pump is still totally visible. The plants didn't cover shit.
I have been on the hunt for over a year for a reasonably priced decorative item to camouflage this eyesore. I have found some beautiful outdoor art but it is totally out of my budget. I'm almost ready to sew a giant tea cozy or something to cover it.
Who needs a Tiki themed yard when you can go Cookie Monster.
For that Mother-in-law themed yard.

Painted breast and nipple theme.
I'm almost ready for this sock monkey with a fez themed pool pump cover. I told you I was desperate.

Once I find something cool I am ripping out those razor plants and putting something soft and fluffy there.
I'm open for suggestions. Feel free to pass them on.




Thursday, June 4, 2009

On Townhouse Bombings and Burnings

First - Jason and Giancarlos townhouse gets bombed.

Now I hear the topless donut shop in Maine has burned down. Possible arson.

Why Why Why!