What's going on?

Well, this morning I woke up, did my bathroom thing and made some fresh coffee. That was probably around 7:30. Next, I came in here to check my e-mails (mostly junk); read a few of my "Favorites" (I'm way behind) and made a comment or two; checked to see what was going on in baseball's major leagues (kind of interesting, and I'll probably do a post on that by this weekend); and then settled back into reading more and taking comprehensive notes on Steve Zousmer's You Don't Have to be Famous (subtitled Write Your Life Story), a book that was recommended to me by one of the other writers in my group.

This book was due back at the library last Wednesday - I got it on an interstate library loan - so I'll be paying some fines, no doubt. I kept putting off starting to read it because ... ... I don't remember exactly why I kept putting it off, but that's what happened. I put it off. ANYhoo, I'm now spending at least two hours every day on it. It's a really good book. Lots of positive suggestions in there and some cautions about pitfalls ... some stuff that doesn't apply too much to me becuz I'm only writing about my cab-driving years, but then again some that's just "dead on". I'm discovering that the more I read, the faster it goes. And, instead of copying every other sentence (I exaggerate, you know me!), I'm better able to hone in on the important stuff. I've been tempted more than once to go to a bookstore and purchase a copy for myself - it's only been on the market since 2007 - but (again, you know me!) I have this problem buying books when my taxes have already paid for them.


I need to get out in the back yard and trim some of that green stuff (some people call it grass) and begin to rake out and remove all the c r a p that my son-in-law removed from the gutters after Ike last fall and then surreptitiously dumped onto my large (they're not elephant ears, but I forget what they're called exactly) plants next to the house. It's a mess, and I won't be able to get it all in one fell swoop but I intend to at least make a start - toDAY! - while the weather is cool. Boy, it's gorgeous here right now!

Just a couple of days ago, upon returning to the house from the garage, I noticed a very distinctive bad smell in the yard. I thought, "Oh, no! Something died!" and made a mental note to see what the 'something' was. I, however, was in no great hurry to uncover an "ick" and waited another day or two to ascertain the source of the horrendous smell.

So anyway - finally!, armed with my big rake and intending to begin filling a few large trash bags (I had, on one of my grocery-buying trips, purchased some more large trash bags, so that procrastinating excuse was no longer available.) with leaves and other detritus, I ventured out.

Well! The stench was now almost overwhelming. I cautiously pushed aside a big leaf and discovered ... ... a dead opossum. Another one! (Do you remember any of my stories from last year, by any chance? Here was the first one. I wrote a followup later, where I reported finding its dead carcass in my garage - almost looked like a very large cat sunning itself in the doorway, except that it didn't even twitch when I drove my car into the garage and stepped out - and disposing of it. Eeew and ugh!)

This 'possum, however, was much smaller. Not a baby, but smaller than the one I had written about previously. I had never seen it before. It was garbage pickup day and I could hear the garbage truck coming. I quickly grabbed a small box, shoveled that sucker into it, covered it with leaves and put it outside to be picked up with the rest of the trash.

Long story short, it's gone. Who knows whatall else I might discover today? (And I do intend to get out there today!) Nothing of import, I hope.


M*A*S*H has been picked up by another local station, and I can watch the series almost to my heart's content now. The problem is, I think I may have seen enough M*A*S*H episodes to last me for awhile. Never thought I'd say that. Did you?

Still am not the least bit tired of "Fantasy Island", altho I don't watch it every day. Another series that continues to intrigue me - although I can feel my fascination ebbing somewhat - is "Ghost Whisperer", which has just been picked up to run in syndication by a local station.

Tonight (7-8) and tomorrow night (7-9) will see me glued to the finals of "Dancing With the Stars". LOVE that program! (However, if they ever go to a four-judge format, they will 'lose me forever', probably, as "Idol" did.) "Ty" (I think that's how his name is spelled) - everyone's favorite cowboy - finally got kicked off last week. There was no question as to whether or not he was a good dancer. Actually, he wasn't a terrible dancer, but he was such a "good guy" and tried so hard that the fans kept voting his partner and him back each time to continue on in the competition. It was great fun to watch the judge's faces as the final results were announced each week. Great fun! Do you ever vote for these? I don't, but there are millions of others who do, I think.

So, what's been capturing my attention on television these days? Well, I kind of like "2 1/2 Men" ... it's original and doesn't seem to have laugh tracks. Clever writing and good actors, altho I must say - even at this early venture in my telling you how much I enjoy this series - that I can visualize a time (and probably somewhat early on) when I will tire of it.

Have you ever watched "Monk"? I've only seen a few episodes. Like them!


I wonder how much my 'disenchantment' with television has to do with my subconscious telling me to get on with more important things. House-cleaning, for instance (Heaven forbid!). Or how about just doing the dishes? (Not that I have dirty dishes everywhere with plants growing out of them, but still!) And what about posting something meaningful on "Goldenrod's thoughts"? Haven't done that in a while. Haven't wanted to. It isn't that I don't enjoy "Goldenrod". I do! It's just that my mind has been unwilling to expend the time necessary to post a good one - or, if I do have the time, I am under certain constraints not to! That probably makes no sense to you whatsoever. I apologize to all of you for my lack of 'forthcomingness' here.

I've been distracted, needless to say, by some things of which I can talk about freely and some of which I am not able - at present - to relate publicly.


Let me close simply by saying how much I enjoy and appreciate each and every one of you, and I'll talk atcha later!