Under the Weather

Janey’s feeling not-so-hot today, regardless of what JD says.

She’s at work anyway – no rest for the wicked or whatever.  There may be time later on for her to check back here but only time will tell.  So send whatever positive, healing mojo you might have and she’ll be back online when she can.

Thank you muchly!

Life Changing

Today’s Blogging 101 assignment was to share some of the blogs I follow so other readers might be awed by their glory … or something like that.  Since I messed around last week with my sidebar and added the Blogs I Follow grid I think I’ve got that covered.  So instead, here’s a semi-real post!

I recently stumbled across an interesting article and it was so wonderful I had to share.  Mauricio Estrella makes a good argument for loving your passwords people.  I can’t speak to its effectiveness yet because while I did change my password straight away, it wasn’t really a quantifiable choice.  I need to rethink what my goal is and make another change before I make any judgment.

If you try this I’d love to hear how it goes.  Have a great week everyone!

How a Password Changed My Life.

The Great Undies Debate OR Too Much Information

WARNING:  This post discusses underwear.  You know, that soft (if you’re lucky) stuff you wear next to your skin, under your clothing?  Or maybe you don’t; I’m not here to judge.  I just want you to be aware of what’s coming so you can opt out now if you choose.

(Pauses)

Still here?  Alrighty then.

My daughter and I talk about almost everything.  Earlier this week I sent her a text:

“Okay weird and awkward question.  Do you have a specific brand you find more comfortable than others in thongs? I’m beginning to think I should try a pair at least when I’m exercising.”

Her response:

“Hehehehe‼! Just made my whole morning! They are super comfy, Mom! You won’t regret it‼…”

The conversation then moved onto sizing which would be way too much information.

We’ve had the panty vs. thong discussion a few times.  I don’t see how they can be comfortable but she loves them.  I’ve been mostly happy with my cotton hipsters for years but I recently started working out under the supervision of a physical therapist.  You try bird dogs on an exercise ball and see where your underwear winds up!  It feels like I’m being garroted – only not around my neck.

After a few weeks of this I’m starting think an experiment is in order.  It’s okay, I won’t post the results.  That’s a bit out there even for me.

However, for those of my readers brave enough – panties or thongs?  Please answer in the comments.

So the guys aren’t left out (should any still be reading that is), boxers or briefs?

Hmm?  Anyone?

Have a supercalifragilistic weekend everyone!

 

 

The Good Wife

No, not the television show. I think I was able to stomach 2 episodes before I gave up. That’s generally our rule – any new show we’re interested in gets a minimum of 2 episodes to hook or impress us. If we’re persuaded by the first, even better!  But I digress.

JD texted while I was still at work to ask me to pick up nasal spray for him. What he thought was just a reaction to the weather change has become a full-blown cold. Poor baby. Of course I’ll stop and bring home meds for him! I even got him some tissues with lotion.  See? I am the good wife!

And since we share a bed I got myself a little preventative medicine.

Just Juxtaposing

Don’t mind me, I’m just over here juxtaposing my music.  What?  You never juxtaposed your music?  What about your clothes?  Or maybe your interior design?  Didn’t you know juxtaposing is the new black?  Oh wait, that’s orange isn’t it?  It’s hard to keep up.

The dictionary defines juxtapose thusly:

jux·ta·pose

verb \ˈjək-stə-ˌpōz\

: to place (different things) together in order to create an interesting effect or to show how they are the same or different

jux·ta·posed, jux·ta·pos·ing

There I was, just standing on the train this morning rocking out to AC/DC.  If you’d told me 10 years ago that I’d be enjoying AC/DC I’d have called a psychiatrist for you.  For the longest time I didn’t even know I was hearing AC/DC on the radio … and LOVING them!  JD started my education in music appreciation by grilling me about songs as they came over the radio.  Who was singing?  What was the song?  Was it a band or a solo performer?  Like that.  I’m still abysmal at identifying a lot of them, but I can almost always get Steve Miller, Tom Petty and Ozzy.

But back to my morning – AC/DC are blasting away on Up to My Neck in You, a song I’ve heard only a handful of times but love already.

I’m not full-out dancing but anyone watching can tell I’m enjoying the music, beating time on my umbrella handle, on the pole I’m using for support, tapping my foot.  Hell, if it hadn’t been so crowded I might have danced a bit!  No, I’m lying; I’d never dance in public – well not on the train anyway.  Take me to a club and give me a beer or three and I’d be all over that dance floor.  😉

We’re still outside the station a ways when AC/DC ends and the next song begins.  Thanks to shuffle, the very next song is Wrapped Up In You by Garth Brooks.

Two completely different types of music, but both express the same feelings, the same emotion.  The language of music includes dialects that are 180 degrees apart.  For so long I listened only to what I was familiar or comfortable with.  Now that I’ve learned how much richer it is to have a wide-ranging, variety of music in my library, I’ve become a music explorer.  When someone posts about a band or singer they like I make a note to check them out.  When I hear an especially haunting track played during a favorite television program, I go looking for it.  For example, I absolutely adore The Vespers!  I never would have known about them except I watched the series Longmire before it was surprisingly cancelled (do NOT get me started on that!).  The Vespers’ song Lawdy was featured during an intense scene and it was absolutely beautiful!

What dialects do you listen to?  Do you actively seek new artists?  Who are your favorites?

“About” Inspiration

Yesterday I visited a bunch of blogs I’d never read before and while I wanted to post about that, including links and remarks my work day got a bit … um, shall we say challenging.  Yes, that sounds so much better than fucked up, which is what it really was.  With a secretary out I counted myself fortunate to have the time to do any browsing at all.  They do pay me to work after all damn it.  (I listed the blogs below along with links to their home pages in case you want to check them out.)

In any case, I managed to comment on four or five and I plan to go back and visit them again.  Inspiring today’s post is Gelatinous.  I don’t even remember which post I originally read but I was curious about the blogger so I went to the About page where I found this:

Bio: I have been a poet since fourth grade, a mother since 1990, and I love words more than just about anything. I’d put them first in front of coffee and chocolate, but the last two items help me write the words so it’s truly a symbiotic relationship. If I was stranded on a desert island I’d hope to have my Bible and my copy of A Tale of Two Cities. I will always stand by the Chicago Cubs in good times and bad. The bad seasons require more coffee and chocolate to cope. See above.

I loved her description of coffee, chocolate and writing being a symbiotic relationship.  In my case it’s more coffee and writing, but then I’m not a big fan of chocolate (don’t stone me!).

The inspiration though was her inclusion of what she wanted to have if she was on a desert island.  I included a response to that in my comment but I wanted to explore that further.

Finding myself on a desert island would be wonderful – no, that doesn’t quite say it.  Marvelous!  Not there yet.  Welcome – yeah, that’s it.  Think about it – if my basic needs were met (food, shelter, private potty) and I was all alone?  How awesome would that be?!  For awhile anyway.

I’d want music; lots and lots of music.  I’m not overly picky but I’d want multiple types so I could mix it up, and it would have to be all older stuff.  Next I’d need notebooks and pens – tons of both.  Not literally tons – there’d be no beach left!  My time would be spent rising when I felt like it; eating a leisurely breakfast to the Rolling Stones; walking the beach with the Beach Boys; scribbling for hours and hours and then delving into older notebooks to review what was written.  A stack of books from my To Read list wouldn’t be out of order either.  Biographies, suspense novels, humor, chick lit, classics, unknown authors – you name it, I’ll give it a try!

No alarm clock!  No commute!  No family responsibilities!  No cleaning up cat hurl (ack)!  I could so handle that.  For about a week maybe, then I’d probably start pulling my hair out.  Of course we all know the solution to that don’t we?  I just need to add the Internet to my desert island wish list!

Two of Gelatinous’ posts that I visited today were excellent reads; check them out if you have a moment.  Autumn Dance and He said, She said.

* * *

These are the other three blogs where I remember commenting yesterday.  I enjoyed them all and even made a point of saving some of the information I gleaned while there.

All I Breathe

Cooking with a Wallflower

Madamsabi’s Blog – Apparently I wrote this one down incorrectly and I couldn’t figure out how to find it again :(.

Blogging 101: Let’s Get Personal

Today’s assignment was to personalize our blogs so I tried a little color change-up.  I went through various color schemes but there was always something off about them.  Oh the pale pink was lovely, don’t get me wrong.  But then my tagline didn’t show up very well and I couldn’t figure out how to change the color of my blog title and tagline.  I don’t think I can do that on this theme, but if someone out there knows otherwise please hit me up with the answer?

Obviously if you’re reading this you’ll see I’m back to the original color scheme for Truly Minimal; which I loved anyway.

Next I thought it would be fun to figure out a header; I really wanted something that would mesh well with the blog title or alternatively, compliment the idea of blogging anonymously.  Enter silhouettes!  Lots of silhouettes!  Randomly appearing silhouettes depicting life’s path, or some malarkey like that.

What?  You expected me to get all serious or sentimental about life?  Boy are you on the wrong blog!  😀

I’m not sure why these spoke to me, but as an anonymous female blogger, there was just something about them that said “I am Janey Doe.”  Not literally; the images didn’t actually speak.  But if they could, don’t you think they’d volunteer for this duty?

Let me know what you think? (I think if you want to see more than one you need to refresh the page.)

 

The theme’s the thing!

With apologies to William Shakespeare.  Today’s Blogging 101 assignment was to try on different themes.  I finally had some free time and did just that.  It wasn’t as simple as the instructions led me to believe.  Interpretation:  I was quickly frustrated, but I pressed on.

I looked mainly for simple, uncluttered themes and liked more than a few.  The ones I didn’t care for were the busier layouts – those designed more for folks who often post photos or other types of graphics.  With no artistic talent to speak of, I left those behind and narrowed my “likes” to three.

If you’re reading this you can see my new theme – Truly Minimal.  I LOVED the lighthearted polka dots and the layout of Adelle, but I was having trouble with the font used for the posts.  Between the font size and the way it seemed to disappear against the background, these tired old eyes were ready to rebel.  When I saw how clean, crisp and readable Truly Minimal is I was hooked.  I hope you like it as much as I do.

If not, it’s been nice knowing you.  😉

And if anyone knows why my emoticon won’t work in the new theme please enlighten me?  Thanks!

A guy goes into a bar

Not really.  Well sure, SOMEWHERE there’s a guy walking into a bar I guess.  But it’s not quite 6 AM on the west coast so the bars aren’t even open yet.  Anyway, this random guy on the elevator the other day told me a joke.

“What’s the difference between outlaws and in-laws,” says he.

“Um …”

“It’s a 180-degree difference,” he goes on.  “Outlaws are wanted!”

We shared a laugh, wished each other a good day and exited the elevator.

They say timing is everything.  Guess who’s coming to dinner on Saturday?  It ain’t the outlaws, damn it.

Sigh.

(Pay no attention to my red face.  This was originally posted at 5:54 AM (ish) this morning.  Unfortunately, I trusted my “Smart” phone and the WP app to put it where it was supposed to go, where I wanted it to go, which was here on my blog.  Damned smarty pants app didn’t tell me that I had to direct it!  So it was up on The Commons for maybe a few minutes before being removed.)

 

Dream Reader – Say What?

Post disclaimer:  This post is written with tongue firmly jammed into cheek; please do NOT take anything you read here seriously or personally.  That is all.

Dream Reader huh?  I think I was clear yesterday when I said that I’m not here to accumulate a following, but I’m going to let this assignment percolate a bit and I’ll get back to you.

Tick tock … tick tock … tick tock

Much, much later…

After reading through a bunch of other responses to this assignment I’ve come to the conclusion that I have absofreakinglutely no idea who my dream reader might be.  And thankfully, I’m not alone! (Waves to others in the same boat, or um other boats I guess. Why would you wave to someone in the same boat?)  But before I wander too far into digression let us move on.

Since I haven’t a clue who I’m writing for besides myself, I think I’ll describe who I am not writing for, how does that sound?  Rhetorical question folks; I can’t hear your answers anyway.  And if you’re nodding or shaking your heads – what’s wrong with you?!

My dream reader will not be devastatingly good looking.  Average all the way you guys.  If you’re not average looking, get outta here.  I don’t know about you but I remember hanging with the misfits in high school.  We got together almost by default as we didn’t fit in anywhere else.  One of our group was extremely cute though, and if she hadn’t been so darned nice I think we might have strangled her and left her in a shallow grave.  (See disclaimer above.)

Dear Reader, you will also be the complete opposite of a fitness freak.  If your exercise habits extend beyond reaching for the remote or another cookie, please turn in your Secret Decoder Ring.  (So says the grandmother of nine who lost 45 pounds in the last year. 😉 And the crowd goes wild!)

My readers will NOT be perfect parents, or grandparents for that matter.  Please do not email to tell me what I’m doing wrong.  None of my six kids is in jail; all of them survived childhood, and four of them still talk to me.  So there.  Feel free to scram.

Grammar Nazis and nitpickers can hit the road.  I’m my own worst critic and if I missed something pre-publication I either left it in on purpose or I had more than a few beers while editing.  Or possibly both.  However, I reserve the right to offer constructive criticism where and when I see fit.  Deal with it. (Again, please see disclaimer above.)

Book publishers, editors, agents, authors – all y’all make tracks far, far away.  Oh sure, I’ve imagined being a published author once or twice, but how in the heck could I pull that off and remain anonymous?

Finally, if you’re here for a laugh, maybe the occasional topic to make you think, or to voyeuristically witness the ongoing meltdown of a middle-aged woman – stick around.  I make no promises, but you sound like my kind of people.

Somebody pass me a cookie, will you?