September - Fall Has Fallen

It's been quite a while since I've posted anything. I don't apologize. There's no need. I don't even think I have readers anymore.

In case you still check back here from time to time, I'll provide you with a little update.

The summer was slow for me, regarding work. This allowed me to work a lot in the garden, go bike riding, play with the Wii, hone my cooking skills and get some things into order.

I finally pulled out the clothing that I need to get rid of and found a charity that I like. There is a veteran's organization that collects clothing for soldier families. And they'll pick up the clothes from our curbside. I like any organization that helps out veterans and their families. Unfortunately, I can not donate my toys because they are not properly labeled according to new regulations set up by the government. The same regulations led me to stop selling my dolls altogether, until I can figure out how I can comply with the new regulations.

I've pretty much stopped making my sock monsters. I've got so many now. So much effort and love went into making them I don't have the heart to throw them away or to even give them away. If this sounds like hoarding behavior, then you are correct. I used to hold on to things forever (like my old clothes), but I now know how to get rid of things. Hoarding is a very hard habit to break and easy to fall back into if I don't pay attention.

I discovered a new show about hoarders, called Hoarders. I've only seen one episode but it will easily become a guilty pleasure once I start recording it. Watching the show reminded me how I used to like to hold on to things. But now clutter drives me crazy. I'm always reorganizing our space so it appears less cluttered.

I started a project on Flickr. I'm posting a photograph of myself every day for 365 days, starting with my birthday. Technically, it's supposed to be a self portrait every day. The first one, Jon took and there's another one in there as well. But I'll try my best to adhere to that rule.

Gardening has been very entertaining although not always satisfying. While there is satisfaction in staring at a bed that has just been weeded and the soil has been turned, that satisfaction is easily erased when the weeds grow back. Jalapeno pepper plants are prolific producers. I have to keep giving them away. The same can not be said for my tomato plants which are not producing well at all. Forget the cubanelle peppers. Those hardly came in at all.

My flowers are doing well. And the little rose plant that was near death at the beginning of the summer is now thriving in its new location. I enjoy mowing the lawn with our little non-motorized push mower. And I get a strange satisfaction out of sweeping up leaves.

Our new apartment is a vast improvement over our last one. We get along great with our neighbors. And living near Astoria Park is more lovely that I thought it would be. I was expecting lots of noise from raucous kids but I was wrong.

So. If you still read this blog and actually care about the mundane details of my life, hopefully this update will suffice. Perhaps I'll start posting one post for every picture to match my Flickr project.

Wii Are Consumers

Jon bought us a Wii. We set it up last night at midnight and played with it for an hour. It might be the coolest thing we've ever owned.

After we set it up, Jon suprised me by showing me the Wii Fitness he bought us. We'll set that up today.

With this purchase, I really feel like we are true consumers.

Ripening Tomatoes

The first of my tomatoes is ready. I think it'll be a little tomato salad for lunch today.

True Blood - Season 2

I'm completely hooked on HBO's True Blood. The show follows a mind reading 25 year old (played by Anna Paquin) who lives in a world where vampires are becoming accepted into American life. Vampires have come out of the closet and are trying to find their place in our world. The show is written by Alan Ball and based on a series of books that I haven't read.

Alan Ball really knows how to build, sustain and end stories. He's a good writer. I'm enjoying the show immensely.

I refrain from reviewing the show because people are still watching Season 1 on DVD. And here I am in Season 2 with all this knowlege that can spoil their own trip of discovery.

But if you would like to discuss the show, send an email to genxmisanthrope-at-aol-dot-com.

Off the Radar

Taking down my archives has had the effect of reducing the number of hits I get through search engines. Now that my archives are back up, I expected the that number to go back up to 100 hits a day but it still hasn't.

So. If you want to reduce the number of hits you get for something stupid you write four years ago, disable your archives for a a few weeks or so.

Back on the Diet

Well. It's starting to happen. The weight I lost is finding it's way back to my torso and hips. As of Tuesday of this week, I'm back on my controlled calorie diet. I still look okay but the weight gain is noticeable, to me anyway. I don't think anyone is really paying that close attention the comings and goings of my 10 errant pounds. But I see it.

Regarding my appearance, this past week is also significant because I finally gathered all of my size 18 and size 20 clothing into one large, clear recycling bag. The pile is significant. It's hard to get rid of this clothing. I was a certain size for so long. Even though I've been a smaller size for several months now, it's still hard for me to see myself as other than the bigger person I was. Therefore getting rid of the clothes that identify me as that person if very difficult.

I'm doing it in small steps. The next step is to find a comfortable way to discard my old clothing.

I recently took down all the listings for my sock monsters at my Etsy shop. Temporarily, I might try selling this old clothing through this venue. Some of it is quite nice. When and if that doesn't work, I'll start giving it a way. I'm just not quite ready yet, to throw this clothing into one of those Charity dumpsters.

If I know you and you're a size 18 or 20, and you're interested in looking at the clothes, please contact me. I'd rather give away the clothing to someone I know, than to strangers.

Saturday

I am working two shows today which is another beautiful day. That means, I will not be able to work in the garden.

I did manage to water the flowers and the grass. I only misted the vegetables because I don't want them to get soaked. Too much water is bad. Humidity is good which is what I was counting on in July for nice big tomato plants but we haven't had too much humid weather. Not that I'm complaining.

This weekend, I'm working at Hair. That show that won the Tony for best revival. I think West Side Story was the better revival.

Bongos

So. Jon and I have been living in this much better apartment for several months now. We are very happy with the apartment.

Everything is working out great. For a long time, the building across the street had a noisy garage door that squeeked every time it opened and closed but they fixed it and now it's like there is no garage door. It makes no more noise.

But just this week, a new problem has arisen. There is a neighbor in that same building, who has decided to start playing the bongos.

It's very annoying. Now. The building across the street is a co-op. I can't believe the co-op board approved a friggin' bongo player. I wonder if I can use that to my advantage. There is no way, people in that building will put up with a bongo player much longer.

And who the hell plays the bongos anyway?!?! It's the 21st freakin' century. He should be playing virtual bongos that no one can hear.

Beautiful Weather

Yesterday was a beautiful day. I spent the latter part of the afternoon, working in the garden. What a great way to spend time outdoors.

Here are some pictures I took a few days ago.

My tomato plants are doing okay but I'm getting impatient. They take forever to produce fruit and then it takes more time for that fruit to ripen.


My jalapeno pepper plants on the other hand are thriving. They have blossomed and now are producing many fruits. It shouldn't be too much longer before I'm adding fresh jalapeno peppers to my dishes.


I've also planted sweet basil. I'm not sure how it's doing. It is growing but some of the leaves are turning shades of yellow.


The other pepper plants I put in are the Cubanelle variety. I bought those at the farmer's market in Union Square. They weren't as mature as the jalapeno plants that I bought, so they will take a little longer to produce fruit. But so far they seem to be doing okay.

Gardening is fun. I just got a couple of flower catalogs which are really exciting me right now. Flowers. I actually get to grow my own flowers. Life is good.

Garden Life

CPDO

Last night, I had a dream that I was diagnosed with a fatal disease and given a week to live. My imagination picked Chronic Pulmonary Disorder, aka Emphysema. In the dream, I asked the doctor how he came up with that diagnosis and he clammed up - claiming that I was getting confrontational. The dream ended when I realized that this guy wasn't really my doctor and that I had to set up an appoinment with my own.

Weird, huh?