:thumbsup: All I hear around me is "the Supreme Court was wrong." Even Senator Obama believes the Court ruled incorrectly. That's disconcerting. Capital punishment is wrong. I don't care what the crime is. As much as I feel the need for retribution when I hear of some horrifying, evil crime, I feel more strongly that the death penalty is barbaric, and that this country should not see it as just punishment. Perhaps victims' families do in fact feel closure, or that the perpetrator is fully...

It's true; I have stopped doing TNR, at least for now. I'm burnt out. All I can do is to lend out my traps.* I keep getting calls from people who need help. Today I got a brand-new kind of request: for financial assistance. A woman on a fixed income can trap the cat but can't afford to get it spayed. She's doing what she should. But I can't help her with this. I gave her some more resources to call. I lend my traps and I give advice over the phone. Sometimes, the advice-giving is almost ...

Guess who got laid off today? Doo dah, doo dah, Bertha got laid off today and Boy, is she pissed! Got a friend in need? Send my resume! I’ve got a sign: “will work for food -- and baseball tix!” SHIT FUCK AND DAMN! The loss of income and inconvenience and anxiety of having to look for a new job are not as great as my abject grief at losing this job. Since December 7 to today - holy fucking shit. Somebody make it stop, please?

I've already asked to be moved or to have her moved - won't happen I don't have headphones here - but I will tomorrow I tried talking to Cow-Irker about it once and got shit all over, and told to mind my own business (!!) I can't shut it out. I don't take Mother's Little Helper Cow-Irker will. Not. Stop. AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

You know, the little ones. Like, "Why?" This came by way of my uncle, from some guy - I dunno who he is but I think he's a member of the ultralight club my dad belonged to. (FYI, My dad crashed in an area that's easily accessible only to off-road motorcyclists.) "I do not have good news regarding recovery of the wreckage. We had a couple of the guys go out about 2 weeks ago with the intention of making sure the roads and surrounding terrain were dry enough to get in with a truck and trailer a...

Jesus Christ, the tragedy never stops. Mrs. Venation's cousin Jerry was killed last night by police. Suffice to say that they were threatened, and had no choice. The motherfucking god damned media is all over this. It's big controversy, as police shootings can be, in Mrs. V.'s corner of her home state. It's the big item in the news there. Her family is - well, I am so sick of the word "devastated." How about wrecked? Shattered? Insane with shock and grief? Please pray for her, light a c...

I asked my dad's pastor via email to ask her for her view of my dad's services. I made it syrupy - in other words, disingenuous - because chiefly I wanted to hear what she had to say about my nephew's cut-off statement. She replied, but didn't answer any of my questions directly. Just several lines about how Dad's in heaven and her thinly veiled way of trying to goad me to Christ. This was my response. I'm posting this mainly to have it in my journal. Dear Pastor, Thanks for your reply. I...

27 DAYS until I go home for 7 renting: (Image) staying at: (Image) (Image) dinner sunday at: (Image) (Image) will spend as much time as possible in: (Image) and will spend part of each day, i hope, at: (Image) (Image) (Image) (Image) 27 DAYS until I go home for 7. I am counting down. I hope i can remember to live these days rather than see them as big Xs on the calendar.

I cut several paragraphs. The first two paragraphs (not included) refer to the fact that we didn't see him much growing up, and that he & our mom divorced in '65. She included those references because she believes Dad's wife has told everyone she's ever met that he was a widower when they married in '69. Nancy has told so many lies about us that some people actually avoided my eldest sister at the after-thing. (She told my other sister not to GO to the after-thing because of what her son, my n...

:grr: I. AM. FUCKING. SPEECHLESS. :grr: It was taped? You're sending DVDs to those who request them? You're putting it on YouTube? Yet you're not going to place a fucking obituary? I'm just absolutely fucking speechless I'm going away for the night so i will read replies in the morning.

Not only do you get saved, not only do you get to spend eternity with Jesus (and you do want to spend eternity with Jesus, don't you? because he loves you!), but you get to deny at a funeral that the dead man had any faults! You get to cut off the dead man's grandson when he tries to tell the assembled "I'm so glad he was so wonderful to YOU all, but . . . ." You get to humiliate the young man. Bitter? Um. What was your first clue?

I called the Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner yesterday. The deputy I talked to told me what their site inspection seemed to reveal: that a wing clipped a hillside and his plane flipped over and went in nose first. He also told me what the cause of death was: multiple blunt force injuries. He was only sixty-eight, and he's gone. I don't believe it. Hearing it from the coroner doesn't make it real. It's not real. I guess I should go to the bereavement group. (Image)

(Image) It's just too god damned unreal. I don't know how to articulate what I feel. Driving home this afternoon, I passed two old barns and a terrific rusty old tractor. Each fucking time I thought "I have to shoot that and send it to Dad." Last night I saw a man with white hair & beard. That set me off. But I haven't really, really let go and grieved. It must be too soon. I'll tell you what I really grieve about: I can't go home. Mrs. V. needs me here; her health is a little shaky right...

(Link) I want to keep this video. Is there a way?

(Link) Here's a news item: (Link) KESQ.com news services One person died today when an ultralight plane crashed near Canyon Lake, not far from the Perris Valley Airport, authorities said. The crash was reported near Longhorn Drive and Acacia Street about 2:25 p.m. Thursday, said Massiel De Guevara with the Riverside County Fire Department. A sheriff's helicopter spotted the wreckage, but the rugged area is not easily accessible, and it took deputies and emergency crews a while to find a way...

We'd been estranged for many years. I called him a few times a year. He sent me avocados from his tree every year. He build his ultralight in his warehouse. I told him I'd lose a hundred pounds so I could go up with him. That plane was his dream for years, and he'd been able to fly it for about a year. I don't know how it happened yet. I hope he wasn't scared. I hope he didn't suffer. Oklahoma farm boy, school boy (Image) His ultralight in progress (Image) Business owner - a great picture...

CU rep told me that once we're approved for our car loan, we have to show the CU a purchase order (or whatever - a signed contract to buy the car). But we're buying the car at a time when the CU is closed. And how can we buy the car without having the loan in hand? Catch 22? Anyone know how this works?

And yes, I am still alive. :hi:

I am desperate to get my hands on tix for opening day at Nationals Park. And I'd like to get tix to a couple of Grapefruit League games ASAP. Do you know? Thanks! PS GO ROCKS

I rented a Prius for a trip later this week. I don't exactly want to say "how do you drive it," but I guess some things are different. What should I know? Thanks

Acne and co-dependency. Oh, god, the GUILT that kid has. If he ever learns about Chappaquiddick, he'll feel guilty. Sigh. In other news, at 16 he's turning into quite the babe magnet physically. Unfortunately his girlfriend (unconsummated - he tells me everything) lives in Michigan. :(

:rofl: Mrs. V.'s niece, her husband, and her 8-month old great nephew! arrive for a short visit on Thursday. So I was at the grocery store to buy baby food -- some Gerber, some store brand. A woman came up to me as I was putting my order on the belt, and asked, "Are you buying Gerber baby food?" I said, "Yes, I am." She said, "I just heard on the news that they've recalled Gerber baby food." I said, "That's okay. It's not my baby." :rofl: She gave me this look . . . then walked away. Oh...

"The wife of Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez wore a white tank top with foul language on the back when she attended a game against the Oakland Athletics." mlb.com who gives a shit?

GOD DAMNED MOSQUITOES! :banghead: /rant

Those who work outside the home: If the bathroom at your workplace has more than one stall, do you have a favorite stall?

I'm giving up cat rescue for a while - unless I have a golden opportunity to trap someone. I just don't have what it takes right now. I'm even calling Alley Cat Allies to ask them to take my number off their "these people can help" list. Right now I am so overstressed, and there really isn't that much to be stressed about. I'm under doctors' care; I have chemicals that help; I'm seeing a therapist. Even so: sometimes it's just all overwhelming. I know i'll make it. I know there is hope. I know...

it started when Grandma died, 10/27/06, and got progressively worse... i started drinking when i saw a duck get run over several weeks ago. :banghead: make it end. i know depression will pass. i've been through this many times. but GOD, it sucks. knowing it will pass does nothing to alleviate it. thank you for listening, an anonymous place like this is a good place to tell secrets like this

Is that possible? Google is God.... Here's mine: What do Phil Collins, Bob Dylan, Melissa Etheridge, Elton John, Randy Newman, Bruce Springsteen, and Stevie Wonder have in common?

Hit number 754 and retire the next day. I loved his dad. And the only thing I really have against Barry is his god damned grandstanding. Dude. Can't you just run the bases -- HUMBLY -- when you go yard? :eyes: Steroids? I dunno. But I really really don't want him to break Aaron's record. Your thoughts?