Monday, October 31, 2016

Happy Halloween




Today is Halloween.

Remember to keep your Pets Safe...


The Raven - By Edgar Allen Poe

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary, 
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore— 
    While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, 
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. 
“’Tis some visitor,” I muttered, “tapping at my chamber door— 
            Only this and nothing more.” 

    Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December; 
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor. 
    Eagerly I wished the morrow;—vainly I had sought to borrow 
    From my books surcease of sorrow—sorrow for the lost Lenore— 
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore— 
            Nameless here for evermore. 

    And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain 
Thrilled me—filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before; 
    So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating 
    “’Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door— 
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door;— 
            This it is and nothing more.” 

    Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer, 
“Sir,” said I, “or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore; 
    But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping, 
    And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door, 
That I scarce was sure I heard you”—here I opened wide the door;— 
            Darkness there and nothing more. 

    Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, 
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before; 
    But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token, 
    And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, “Lenore?” 
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, “Lenore!”— 
            Merely this and nothing more. 

    Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning, 
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before. 
    “Surely,” said I, “surely that is something at my window lattice; 
      Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore— 
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore;— 
            ’Tis the wind and nothing more!” 

    Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter, 
In there stepped a stately Raven of the saintly days of yore; 
    Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he; 
    But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door— 
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door— 
            Perched, and sat, and nothing more. 

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling, 
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore, 
“Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,” I said, “art sure no craven, 
Ghastly grim and ancient Raven wandering from the Nightly shore— 
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night’s Plutonian shore!” 
            Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.” 

    Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly, 
Though its answer little meaning—little relevancy bore; 
    For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being 
    Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door— 
Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door, 
            With such name as “Nevermore.” 

    But the Raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only 
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour. 
    Nothing farther then he uttered—not a feather then he fluttered— 
    Till I scarcely more than muttered “Other friends have flown before— 
On the morrow he will leave me, as my Hopes have flown before.” 
            Then the bird said “Nevermore.” 

    Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken, 
“Doubtless,” said I, “what it utters is its only stock and store 
    Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster 
    Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore— 
Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore 
            Of ‘Never—nevermore’.” 

    But the Raven still beguiling all my fancy into smiling, 
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird, and bust and door; 
    Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking 
    Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore— 
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore 
            Meant in croaking “Nevermore.” 

    This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing 
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom’s core; 
    This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining 
    On the cushion’s velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o’er, 
But whose velvet-violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o’er, 
            She shall press, ah, nevermore! 

    Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer 
Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor. 
    “Wretch,” I cried, “thy God hath lent thee—by these angels he hath sent thee 
    Respite—respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore; 
Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!” 
            Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.” 

    “Prophet!” said I, “thing of evil!—prophet still, if bird or devil!— 
Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore, 
    Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted— 
    On this home by Horror haunted—tell me truly, I implore— 
Is there—is there balm in Gilead?—tell me—tell me, I implore!” 
            Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.” 

    “Prophet!” said I, “thing of evil!—prophet still, if bird or devil! 
By that Heaven that bends above us—by that God we both adore— 
    Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn, 
    It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore— 
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore.” 
            Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.” 

    “Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!” I shrieked, upstarting— 
“Get thee back into the tempest and the Night’s Plutonian shore! 
    Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken! 
    Leave my loneliness unbroken!—quit the bust above my door! 
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!” 
            Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.” 

    And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting 
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door; 
    And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming, 
    And the lamp-light o’er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor; 
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor 
            Shall be lifted—nevermore!


Wednesday, October 26, 2016

I See Dead People...


Sunday, October 23, was the return of my most favorite show in television history, The Walking Dead.  Returning for its 7th season to answer the question, who gets to meet Lucille up close and personal.  

But before I get into that, I wanted to say a few things about the shows fans and people that do not follow the show.  

If you say you are a fan and do not watch it when it originally airs, and have no real good excuse, like hospitalization, death or the like, and you have to dvr it, then you are not a TRUE fan! True fans make sure they are in front of that TV at 8:55pm every Sunday to catch the new episode come hail or high water. In saying that, expect the REAL true fans to be talking about it the next day and expect spoilers! If you don't want spoilers, watch the damn show when it airs! Dont walk around saying, oh don't tell me what happened, or I didn't see it yet! How can you even expect people to be all hush hush for days afterwards with a show that is usually as shocking as this one?  You are not a real fan and are selfish thinking others should not talk about it because you are to lame to watch the show when it airs!...End. Of. Statement.  

People that do not follow the show at all.  Are you serious?  Yea I was just as surprised as you.  At least the ones that don't watch it when they should, watch it eventually.  I think a lot of people get turned off because the show has zombies in it.  But as I have tried to tell non-watchers, it's more than just about killing zombies, it's about the world after the apocalypse.  It's about surviving in the worst of situations, understanding what you, as a human being, are capable of, preserving humanity and building a society again.  It's about the ties that bind us and break us, it's about love and compassion and just trying to get through another day on this wrecked planet.  It's about Life.  

If you think about it, it's kind of about what life is now, without the zombies.  

Anyway, I digress.....

This is the best show I have ever had the pleasure of watching on TV.  I even love the Talking Dead afterwards although I mostly fall asleep after the show, I have to get up early to go to work the next day.  

The season 7 premiere was, hands down, the hardest episode of any series that I have ever seen except for maybe The Red Wedding courtesy of GoT (that's Game of Thrones for you boring TV watchers) .  It's shocking, it's violent, it's stifling, it's gripping and it's compelling to the point I actually was holding my breath for about 45 minutes.  

I kind of knew it was going to be Abraham to get on the wrong side of Lucille, but I never in a million years expected Glenn to get there too and to do it precisely as it was done in the GR was almost too much to watch.  I was actually stunned after I screamed, and I'm pretty sure my neighbors thought my house was broken into or something LOL.  Then the long arduous journey of breaking Rick, I was so uneasy after that episode, I did not fall asleep until way after midnight.  I did make it to work though LOL as many protested they did or were not going to go in!  I made it!

Even though I read the cliffnotes of the GRs, I have an idea of what is going to happen, I just can't wait for the next episode of this show to air.  However I do not think I will be watching that episode again for a very long time.  

Viva La Dead! 


Thursday, October 20, 2016

Election Blues


Oh I have the Election Day Blues!  I can not WAIT for this election to be over.  I am really so incredibly tired of hearing all of the blind Hateful Rants from so many people on social media.  Why can't WE all get along?  Politics that's why!

I have said in the past that I refuse to lose friends over an election. I even posted it on my personal Facebook page that I am no longer engaging in political banter. I have taken the oath of silence (#therealsilentmajority) And while I mean what I say, I am also saying there are always a few assholes in the barrel that will just needle the shit out of you and call you names until you want to explode on them all for the sake of proving they are right, even if there is no sure way to prove so. But I digress and I refuse to stoop to their immature self absorbed hate filled level.  

I will be honest, I was on the fence for quite a while about who to vote for.  Do I want to be an anarchist and Vote Trump in? Or do I want to side with the other side, knowing they are the lesser of two evils?  As much as I feel Trump is a complete idiot and is relatively clueless when it comes to politics, I also feel that Hillary just has so much baggage, I really wish they would have picked Bernie. Or at least someone, when they get into office isn't going to be hung up in trials and tribulations like her husband was.  Mark my words, If Hillary wins this election, within 2 weeks of her taking oath, the lawsuits will be flying!

When you are an independent, it's a hard rope to walk.  It is my experience that if you are not completely gung ho about Trump, then to most supporters, you are against them.  Which is so completely ridiculous.  They berate you because you ask for proof of the ridiculous things they pull off of some crazy right wing conservative website but then when you bring things up that have already been proven truth, they say the media is bias.  I'm already hearing that the election is rigged because his polling numbers are heading into the ground like a lawn dart. There are very few Trump supporters that will actually "talk" to you once they know you are not necessarily on their "team".  

I asked a Trump supporter the other day, what exactly is Conservative?  What is it that you think you stand for.  They told me, in no uncertain terms:

1. For the Constitution to be interpreted the way it was written 
2. Smaller government
3. Self reliance
4. Less government interference.  

Im curious if this is what they all think?  I would ask more but I'm afraid if getting verbally assaulted as if I'M the moron because I happen to be level headed and not as pissed off as they are.  At least this happens on Social Media.  This space right here is MINE and I can say whatever the hell I want...1st amendment Bitches!!!

Anyway, If this is what they all think, wow, just wow, there are so many things wrong and there is such hypocrisy between what they think and what they say.  I am going to take what this, person, said and run with it.

1. The Constitution, everyone should read it.  It took me about 2 hours to read the whole thing.  The people that insist that it should be adhered to it will probably take a few days to read and most likely they will NOT understand it.  Lets just take the 1st amendment, freedom of expression which includes freedom of speech, press, religion and peaceful demonstration and the right to petition the government.  

Trump wants to keep Muslims out of the country.  I understand why, even though I do not agree because I actually WANT the constitution to be enforced! If you want the constitution to be adhered too, then it very clearly states that you can NOT have a religious test to be admitted into this country. Period, end of STATEMENT!  The Constitution says, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."

I would go into the rest of the things that Trump wants to override on this document even though apparently his followers that want it adhered to don't know or don't care to try to even understand what it is THEY want, but I digress yet again because I do not have the time to go over every single amendment to the Constitution today.  But incase you are interested, here are the cliff notes Amendments of the Constitution

2.  Smaller Government.  Do you have any clue what they even mean when they say that?  Do you think they mean they won't have as many employees? or that instead of 5 secretaries they will have 3? So you don't have to pay benefits and pensions, right?  

WRONG they are talking about getting rid of entire Departments of the Government - Like EPA so that they can get rid of those pesky regulations that do things like, keeping the air and water clean (although with water it seems that even with the regulations this country is in big trouble with its water supply)  or The Department of Agriculture to make sure our food is safe to eat. Recently, I signed up for FDA notices for food recalls, do you know I get no less than 5 recalls a week?  They actually have a weekly round up of the recalls in any specific week.  Food that gets to your grocery store that has e colilisteriasalmonella, mislabeled allergy foods, and this is WITH these safeguards in place, can you imagine what it would be like without them? I don't think you want to.  

3. I love this one, Self Reliance.  I think that this is a PC way to say they don't want to pay for anymore Welfare niggers being lazy and smoking crack.  Its unfortunate that people are holding onto the picture that Ronald Reagan painted in the 80's of a black women with 8 kids driving a caddy toting a giant TV in the back.  Unfortunately it couldn't be farther from the truth.   Its White/Caucasian people that are mostly on some form of welfare in this country which stands to reason since there are still more white people in this country than any other race.  People on food stamps run from the elderly, disabled, veterans, you really want to pull food and help away from these people?  Should we scrap the entire system just because YOU think there MAY be a few people getting over?  I thought we were a country of Compassion?

On the flip side to that, let's talk about Social Security.  The Republicans want to scrap the whole system.  I don't know about you but I have been employed pretty regularly since I was 16 years old.  So right now that's 34 years, I have been paying into the Social Security system.  I want to know that my money is there for me for when I retire.  Yea sure I have a pension at work but you know damn well it isn't going to be enough money to live on once I do retire in another 17 years.  Why scrap a system that works?  They keep saying its going to run out, How?  I get SS taxes taken out of my check every week and so does everyone else in the country.  If they keep their slimy hands off of it and let it do what its supposed to do, There will not BE a problem.  But those greedy pricks want the money for themselves and their own interests.  All I know is that My money better be fucking there when I retire or someone is going to PAY!

4. Less Government Interference.  This one by far is the most hypocritical.  I am assuming that they mean they don't want government interfering in their daily lives?

So that must mean that you are ok with Abortions, Gay Marriage, no Prayer in School, and a host of other so called Liberal or as they call them now, Progressive ideals that impede interfering in people's lives and we don't want that, correct?

You do understand that Republicans DO want to interfere in people's lives, they want to control what you do and how you do it.  They want to abolish these ideals that you say interfere in people's lives.  Do you see the hypocrisy with this?

I could go on and on and on with this but what it comes down to is, there was a time, not too long ago, that I was considering myself a Trump Supporter.  Yea, I want a 3rd party also, and I thought that he was quite funny and I figured he couldn't possibly fuck things up more than they already are.  

But then I woke up one morning and really started to listen.  While I will admit that Hillary has an enormous amount of baggage, and some questionable conduct, I truly believe she is the lesser of the two evils.  I also wish it was Bernie up there because I would not hesitate to pull that lever for him even now, but I feel at this point it would be a wasted vote.  

In ending, I would have to say that one of many reasons I will be voting for Hillary this election is because of the wild, unpredictable, sometimes really nasty, nature of Trump and some of his supporters. (not all of them, but a good bunch of them)  I was hoping at some point to be convinced by them to Vote for their candidate, but because of the crazy crescendo most of them have worked themselves into, I will remain part of the real silent majority and vote for Hillary on Nov 8th!   

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

The Weight Loss Journey - 2 years out

Hello All who enter my domain!

Here is where I tell my story about my weight loss surgery and the progression or degression I have made.

I am about 2 years out (surgery date 9/2/2014) from the date that I had my Gastric Sleeve Surgery.  I initially lost 130 lbs.

I have changed many bad habits along the way.  I eat protein first, very limited amount of bread, pasta or rice.  I take multivitamins daily, or at least when I remember! I have also come off of the 200 units of insulin that I was taking post surgery.  I also still can not eat more than a cup or 8 ozs of food at a time.  Depending on the density of the food sometimes I can only eat about 4 oz.

Its unfortunate that I have to say that I did gain back about 10 lbs from what I originally lost.  I have been trying to lose it again but it just doenst seem to want to go.  It makes me a little sad that I was never able to get under that 200 mark that I so had hoped that I would but I was a lot older when I finally got the operation, my metabolism wasnt what it used to be and I had been battling diabetes for years prior.  I know none of those things are excuses but they kinda actually are.

I do get out and move around, probably not as much as I should.  I'm not big on working out but I do love to garden and play with my dogs.  Thats gotta account for something, right? But I think my number 1 biggest problem is....Eating at night and sleep eating.

Don't laugh, sleep eating is a real problem.

I remember my mom used to do it.  I would wake up in the middle of the night and she would be in the kitchen eating a PB&J sandwich and milk at like 2am. Not saying a word, just standing there in the dark...eating...next day she wouldn't remember a thing.

Although I'm not as bad as my mother was, I have the tendency to eat when I am tired and am trying to stay awake.  Which is a bad habit.  I try not to eat past 7pm.  But more often than not, that devil on my shoulder sneaks up and bites my earlobe and says, "you know what would be great right now?"

I know I really need to stop doing that but it gets me every time!

So do you night time snack even when you are not hungry?  How do you stop yourself?


Tuesday, October 11, 2016

Here We Go Again!!!

Well Hello there all you people out there in the blogosphere or Blog Space or whoever the over 10000+ people that have visited my blog so far!

First, I must say thank you all for caring or just looking for a good laugh or maybe you are getting something out of my crazy rants.

I did take a hiatus for a few months after I turned the big 5-Oh.  Mostly to reassess myself and exactly what I want to do with the rest of my life. (which I still have not figured out!)  During that time I did lots of stuff around my house,  and went on a real vacation to Jamaica with my love of my life Tom (which I will talk about at a later time).



And now I'm back, and boy do we have a SHIT STORM a brewin with this Election next month!

I just can't believe how completely INSANE people are over this election and the absolute dedication to Donald J Trump.  That man could dissect and eat a live puppy on stage and the crowds would back him even more.  I used to be very into politics, and I guess I probably still am but I am totally DONE talking about it on Social media...Done I tell you!

Arguing over politics is, in its own way, pretty stupid.  You will never ever ever make people see things your way, that they just do not want to see.  Everyone has their own ideals and morals and have come to them by way of their own lives.  What is right and just for 1 person, may not be for someone else.

So let people have their opinion...You may not like it, but it is what it is.

Politicians do not care if you are such a supporter that you will say stupid things in public and loose otherwise decent friends because of your support. Politicians DO NOT care about YOU, not now not ever. Not Hillary or Trump, they do not care about you! Now that's not saying that they can't, in some way, affect your life, because they can.  But they do not care that you are dumb enough to cause fights and say hurtful things to each other because YOU want your pony to win the race!  So why bother?  Is making enemies really what you want to do?

A few years back, shockingly, I found out that a big part of my family had very contrasting views of politics than I had.  We argued, we fought and we said some very hurtful things to each other.  I regret that.  Why? Because first and foremost we are family for better or worst.  I still talk to most of them, but it's just not the same anymore.  Was it worth it?  Absolutely Not (even if they are bat shit crazy! seriously I joke).

So this year, I have decided to make fun of the candidates, both of them, as much as I can.  Sure, I think that anyone that knows me knows I lean more towards the left of center than the right but Stranger things have had happened!  But until the day that I vote, I'm poking fun at all the politicians, because I do not intend on losing real friends over this election.

So when November 8th rolls around and I step inside that voting machine, It will be just me, myself and I that know who I am really voting for.

Get out and Rock that VOTE this year!

Peace Out!