That is all.
Medical marijuana patients and growers can sue police for illegally raiding their property and destroying their plants, a state appeals court ruled Wednesday. It's a very interesting read, and will be a pissing contest between state law and federal law.
http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archiv
Unbelievable!
- Mood:angry
Sign a personal letter of support for Dan before Tuesday's trial and help him fight "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"
Here's what I sent off:
Lt. Choi, thank you for protecting me and this country. A bullet that you are willing to take to protect my freedoms doesn't care if you are gay or straight...and neither do I.
It is shameful that the military does care. It is dishonorable to demand that gay and lesbian service people hide their lives away in the dark and never speak of it.
Our country NEEDS more people like Lt. Choi, he is a credit not only to the military but to our nation. It is time to end the shameful and wrong practices of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'.
At the end his face looks a bit like that scene from Indiana Jones where the Nazis open the Ark of the Covenant...
Or at least a black eye.
- Mood:I WAS FINE THANKS FOR ASKING
I'm going to try the 'new' driver to see if it works with KOTOR. I doubt it will.
And for any one who needs to know the KOTOR driver, it's the 174.74 install.
Oh, and the puppy jumped on my ear last night jumping into the bed. She slammed it with a front paw, then as I was SCREAMING, she scrabbled over and launched off it with a back paw. Al woke up (because sleeping is difficult when your wife is SCREAMING IN AGONY) and he tells me...'She didn't mean to'.
Yes, I know that. I didn't think the dog had planned anything. It just HURT.
Oh and then one of the other dogs launched up onto the bed to see if she could help. Fortunately not over my head.
And it wasn't the first time the puppy has hit the ear. Sadly it's also not the last. It was the most painful though, because she caught it JUUUUST right.
I can hear okay out of my other ear and my voice is fine so I could get some work done, but i feel so fucking shitty I'm not going to. I'm just going to take it easy until the weekend, and even then I think I may take it easy through the weekend though I'll HAVE to put in some work.
4 vicodin later, and it still hurts. Just waiting for the swelling to go down enough so I can sleep some more. Have been sleeping lots since...Monday? Whatever.
After this is over I must talk to my doc about seeing someone to do something about this shit, it's ridiculous. Noticed on the bottle I"m using the date was 1/28/08...from my bday last year. So like even 1x a year is too much for this bullshit, and I don't think that was the last ear ache I had, but I don't remember.
It suuuuuuuucks
I slept all day. I finally got up around 11pm to have a glass of milk. I didn't want to eat, but I know if I do I'll get better faster, so I grabbed a bowl of left over pasta. And I dropped it, the bowl shattered, pasta went a flying. It was on the counter fortunately, so no dogs rushing in to try to gulp down sharp shards.
Al had a search warrant he was out on all day, and he got hurt...twisted his knee. He was exhausted, but ran/hobbled out when he heard the crash (despite me yelling 'I'm okay') and helped clean it up and put up with my bitchiness.
I switched drops. I have 2 kinds, so I went to the other kind maybe they'll work. They're both old prescriptions from the last ear infection. I honestly feel too sick to try to go in to the doctor (and Al *really* doesn't have time off to take me), but after I'm better I need to talk to them to find out why this shit is chronic, because it's the same damn ear each time. Maybe I'll get my HMO to kick me to a ear/nose/throat specialist.
Anyhoo, right now it's all swollen. Vicodin helps tremendously both with the swelling (and I'm taking ibuprofin on top of it, but I can't do that too much, it mucks with PTC) and the pain. It seems to be in the sinus cavities of my ear because if I blow my nose (which doesn't feel stuffed or anything), the PAIN that accompanies it makes me want to die.
In other news I talked to Grandpop today. He was both good and bad. He had a few moments that I don't want to get into detail about, but very much worry me. Other than that, he seemed happy, but ...as far away as he's ever been. He warms up the longer we talk but he struggles at times to find and follow the threads of conversation. I am, as always, more grateful than words could express that for the most part, this causes him no distress, or pain. He is mostly happy. And I would give all that I have for him to remain so until he passes away. And the best thing is, the love we share is still very much there. Just hearing his voice makes me happy. And hearing mine does the same for him, for as long as he remembers it anyway. ;) I do hope it helps his mood through the rest of the day, though truly his mood is mostly very good.
Hopefully my ear ache will clear before the weekend, I have a lot of work to catch up on.
The signing will take place in the Oval Office and follows sharp criticism of the president over a Justice Department motion filed last week in support of the Defense of Marriage Act -- which opposes same-sex marriage -- that used the government's interest in opposing incestuous marriages to support its position against same-sex marriage.
Gay and lesbian advocates have also faulted the Obama administration for not moving to repeal the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy that bars officials from asking about a service member's sexual orientation but also bars the service member from revealing it.
He needs to do more than this.
A friend of mine...well he's really more a friend of a friend, went through something really shitty recently. He openly blogged about it, so I'll just provide a link.
I've only met Sean aka
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
zombietruckstop once, though House of Pie will live forever in my heart. And anyone who's met his husband (SQUEE! husband!) adores Matty... But first, I'd like to tell you a nice story about him. 2006 was a very bad horrible year for me in my personal life. I'll spare the rehash, suffice to say that like all very bad super lousy things, there was also opportunity there to better myself, opportunities I availed myself of. I leaned and leaned hard on friends. I made it through.
That summer I was taking a math course which was kicking my ass. It had been a long year. One of my very best friends was coming out to be in a movie. (Sean's movie...if you haven't guessed). I've lived in Southern CA since Christmas of 1979...I've been on television more than a few times. I had a radio show once. (Okay, a college show, but STILL!). I have absolutely no aspirations to ever be in that 'industry'. I've no stardust in my eyes...my cousin is an actress, I know other people who've been in that industry...and it's hard work. Brutal.
My friend (
darke for the nosy) was going to be in the movie, and it had zombies. ZOMBIES I KNOW! So geez...to be a zombie? Okay that's pretty cool. Plus I'd meet some other people I only knew online and ...it sounded like just the sort of fun I needed.I don't think I ever had strep throat as a kid. I asked my mom and I think she said no. I can't remember now. What I do know is the week I'm scheduled to go down there and be a zombie...my throat almost literally swelled shut. (They might be locked now, but I have some neat-o pics of that I posted).
I felt horrible. Not just with the throat thingy. No, I felt like I was letting people down, this was Sean's project, his own money and I said I'd do it...and I wasn't there. My role was super duper minimal (or I wouldn't have wanted to do it) but still, if you SAY you're going to do something...plus one of my bestest friends was in town. And did I mention ZOMBIES for fuck's sake?!
I felt like a jerk.
I got an email every day for a week. I was rescheduled into various parts every day for a week.
I couldn't do it, I was too sick.
Those e-mails didn't come from Sean, they came from whomever he had organizing the extra people/props. (I don't say that to disparage them but really if I was going to be anything more than a prop someone was in for a saaad surprise). But while I'm so very NOT Hollywood, I do know a little about the industry and if you're not showing up, no one is going to bend over backwards for someone who's essentially a prop unless someone asked 'em to. Kinda like in any other job or thing in the world, really.
It was extremely kind, gracious and generous, from someone who was putting up his own personal money to do his film. And it's one of my regrets in life that I wasn't a part of that film, even as a prop. I was really tempted to go there near the end of the week when the swelling reduced so that I felt like I could breathe without choking...but if I had brought plague to the set I'd have never forgiven myself. (And I'd have had a lot of people really mad at me :) ).
Divas...there are a plenty. Diva moments? Hell I think we've all had one. Does that apply to him? I'd have to say I can't believe it. And it's not just based on me meeting him once, or my experience (such as it was) with Socket. It's also what I've heard through dozens of people.
Throwing a shit fit because your hard work is being put out there with your name on it in a fashion which doesn't even come close to adhering to your standards? Ohhhh yeah I could see that. I could DO that. I'm anal as hell when it comes to MY STUFF. I can't imagine how much worse it would be to see it slaughtered live, in front of loved ones, friends and assorted press people. I'd recommend hari kari for a similar experience, with a laugh track.
---------
So what's my point? Most of you reading this won't be bears, and won't be Hollywood and other than it being an interesting story...what's the point. Well, I was thinking about it. And beyond feeling really badly for Sean who I think is getting some kicking around he REALLY doesn't deserve and that makes me very sad because I think he's a helluva guy...I was thinking of course thinking about ME.
Because after all, we're all stars of our own private show, as some dead bard once wrote. And not to sound too preachy and shit...how often have I jumped to conclusions based on a very limited slice of what I've seen of someone?*
*Shhh it's a rhetorical question
Hahaha oh yeah. FAR too often. Granted...sometimes it's SO true. I wonder though how often I've wronged someone, maybe a good person, by snubbing them without knowing the full story? Once would be too many times.
I think about my life, and overall...I think I'm a pretty good person. I try, in any case. I try to care about others, to do good, to not do harm, and to make life easier for as many people as I can, because it's hard enough for all of us. Yet...I'd hate to be judged by anyone by some moments out of context. And I have been. I think everyone has been. And the more we try to explain, the bigger hole we feel we're digging ourselves.
There's probably a word for the feeling, but I feel that sense of hotness, that 'oh no, but...no you don't understand...listen...' when I read what Sean's going through. And in reality in the big scheme of things, it's probably not a BFD...I mean, anyone who really knows the guy for more than two minutes has to realize that in an industry that can sometimes be super crappy...he's one of the nice guys.
But jeez does it suck.
Me? I'm just walking away with the idea that next time someone I don't know that well does something to want me to prompt talking shit about them or defriending...maybe I'll wait a minute and get the whole story. Or what's more likely since I don't do that dramafest when I see other people doing it, I'll be the ever popular voice of reason (*snicker* cause people LOVE that!) and ask them to kindly lower the pitchforks and hear them out.
Oh and go read his entry for his play if nothing else. I found it difficult to stick with at first, but I was glad I did. It's funny, quirky, and I liked it. And when you think about the parameters it was written under...well damn.
visited 23 states (46%)
Create your own visited map of The United States or another interesting project
visited 3 states (1.33%)
And I wholeheartedly agree with him on every single point. When 'Never Again' is talked about, it means this...people standing up for each other and not allowing it to pass by unspoken. I'll stand up for my friends, and I know they'll stand up for me. Fuck these people.
I was last there in 2001. It's a remarkable place. It's difficult to know how to describe it, because one cannot use the terms one would use for other museums of its caliber. I suppose I can only say that I think everyone should go, and it's an emotionally draining experience. One of the traveling exhibits that was there when I went was a room full of shoes. These were actual shoes from Holocaust victims. At first you see simply a mass. Then, here and there you start to see individual shoes. Then you see the children's shoes, and it's heart wrenching. Then you see a pair of shoes similar to ones you own or have owned, it's inevitable. And that moment stole the air from me. It's not something in distant history, this is something very close and near.
Today in the news, there's reports of the shooting there. It's early on, but it appears that the gunman intended to kill as many people as possible. He went there to slaughter people in the name of hatred.
He was stopped by the guards, at the expense of the life of one of them.
Instead of reading of a massacre, I'm crying reading about heroic men on guard duty who put their lives on the line...and one who paid with his life...to stop this man and prevent a worse tragedy.
And this too is difficult to find words for, thank you seems so inadequate. Instead of that bastard gaining infamy and attention to his rhetoric of hate by a massacre, we have a shining example of Stephen Johns and the other guards who stopped him.
I was thinking about it just now (mmmm) since it's summer and I'm sad because they're not sold ANYWHERE on the west coast. Then I decided to google it, to see if maybe any place had it, or if there was a way to make some homemade stuff...sure enough, I found this:
http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/tm.a
When I was growing up, there was a candy store about a block and a half away. It was really just an enclosed porch attached to a house and was presided over by The Old Grump Mrs. M. (that’s what all the kids used to call her). She sold penny candy and candy bars, soft drinks, popsicles, baseball card bubble gum and ice cream cones but in the middle of summer, she’d add Lemon Slush to the menu. For a nickel, you got a small pointed paper cone of it and it was my favorite. I always asked her how she made it and even offered to help her when she did because I wanted to find out the magic but she just cackled, “secret recipe, secret recipe.”
Flash ahead about 25 years when I am living far away from the candy store. By now I realize that even though it was called Lemon Slush, Mrs. M’s stuff is the best darn Italian Water Ice I ever tasted. My mom was a volunteer with the book/magazine cart at her local hospital, went into a room one day, and there was Mrs. M. My mother recognized her and mentioned how much I used to love the lemon ice she made. Mrs. M told her to come back the next afternoon and when she did, she gave my mom an envelope to give to me. Inside was the recipe (printed below just as she wrote it), along with recipes for other flavors and a letter telling about her life. It was full of sadness so then I did understand why she was so grumpy.
Sorry about the long story but just thought I should tell it. I have probably made this about 75 times since then.
LEMON SLUSH
1 quart water
2 cups sugar
3/ 4 cup lemon juice
Grated rind of 1 lemon (no white part)
Boil water and sugar together for 5 minutes. Cool. Stir in juice and peel. Pour into shallow bowl and put in freezer. As it starts to freeze, keep stirring the outside crystals into the center and mix in peel. Do about every half hour. When real slushy, stop and freeze overnight. To serve, you must scrape very thin layers of the slush off the top. I use a big spoon with sharp edges moving it sideways.
RubyRose's notes: This won’t turn out unless you do both the stirring thing and the scraping thing. It really is all about the technique, not the ingredients. I usually divide the ingredients in half for a smaller batch because the syrup starts to congeal after about 2 or 3 days. I would also recommend using half and half lemon and lime juice and peel for a nice change of pace.
There's other fruit recipes there too:
LEMON-LIME WATER ICE (my personal favorite)
Make as above but use 1/2 lemon juice and 1/2 lime juice and equal amounts of lemon and lime peel
FRESH PEACH WATER ICE
1 cup sugar
2 ½ cups water
1 ½ cups peeled and sliced ripe peaches
1 ½ to 2 tsp. lemon juice
Puree peaches in blender with lemon juice.
ORANGE WATER ICE
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 cup fresh orange juice
1 grated orange rind (no white part)
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
GRAPE WATER ICE
2/3 cup sugar
1 ½ cups water
1 cup grape juice
¼ cup orange juice
2 Tbs. lemon juice
I think I'll make my dad some for father's day.
